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 Is China's 'foreign trade engine' failing?: Global Times editorial Global Times) 09:04, March 18, 2026 Editor's Note: Currently, China's economy is steadily advancing along the path of high-quality development, even as domestic and international circumstances become increasingly complex. Some Western media outlets, due to misunderstanding or bias, have repeatedly questioned or even distorted China's economic development. Accordingly, the Global Times has launched the "Q&A on China's Economy" column to publish opinion pieces to present facts and clarify perceptions. Recently, some Western public voices have once again interpreted China's economy through the lens of "export determinism." They argue that uncertainties from US tariff policies and the global ripple effects triggered by the spillover of Middle East conflicts will directly squeeze China's export space. On this basis, they predict that China's economy will slow sharply due to a "weakening export engine," and even interpret China's adjustment of its gross domestic product (GDP) growth target to a range of 4.5 percent to 5 percent as a signal that its "old growth model is unsustainable." Such judgments fail to grasp either the basic logic of China's economic performance or the real direction of its growth momentum transformation. The so-called "export determinism" mainly stems from an outdated impression of China as a "low-cost manufacturer." As one of the "three drivers" propelling economic growth, foreign trade has indeed played an irreplaceably important role in stabilizing the economy, expanding employment and enhancing international competitiveness. However, with China's economic transformation and upgrading, domestic demand has become a significantly stronger pillar of development. China's foreign trade dependence has declined from 59.2 percent in 2008 to 32.7 percent in 2025. Final consumption expenditure accounts for 52 percent of GDP, while domestic demand contributes 63.7 percent to China's economic growth. Against this backdrop, China's export growth is increasingly underpinned by technology, branding, system integration and industrial chain support capabilities, rather than low-end processing and price competition. Today's prosperity in China's exports reflects the rising overall strength of its domestic industries - an overflow of industrial upgrading, technological accumulation and market cultivation onto the global stage. In other words, China's exports and its overall economy are engaged in a mutually reinforcing relationship, rather than a simple case of "exports determining growth." New energy vehicles (NEVs) serve as the most representative example. In 2025, China's auto sales reached 34.4 million units, including 16.49 million NEVs, accounting for 47.9 percent of total new vehicle sales; the penetration rate of domestic NEV passenger cars is 53.9 percent. Building on this solid foundation, China's total vehicle exports hit 7.098 million units in 2025, up 21.1 percent year on year, among which NEV exports reached 2.615 million units, surging 103.7 percent year on year. This shows that the global competitiveness of China's automobiles, especially NEVs, was not first "fed" by overseas markets. Instead, it was forged through technological iteration, scale expansion, cost optimization and scenario validation in China's huge domestic market before going global at an accelerated pace. Therefore, China's development has shaped exportable products, rather than exports shaping China's development. Because of quality improvements, an ultra-large domestic market, a complete industrial system and diversified trading arrangements, China's foreign trade has repeatedly broken through external pressures and maintained steady growth. In early 2025, Washington launched "reciprocal tariffs," severely disrupting the international economic order. Despite the complex and grim external environment, China's exports did not "collapse" as some predicted. Instead, they stabilized before picking up, finally posting a 6.1 percent year-on-year growth, with the annual total value of imports and exports hitting a new record high. In the first two months of this year, China's goods trade imports and exports growth returned to double digits at 18.3 percent year-on-year, with exports surging an above-expectation 19.2 percent, achieving a "strong start" to the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. Admittedly, in 2026, there are still numerous destabilizing and unpredictable factors in the external environment, and pressure to stabilize foreign trade persists. However, China's economy has a solid foundation with many advantages, strong resilience and great potential; the conditions underpinning its long-term positive trend remain unchanged. In 2025, China's exports featured clear trends toward higher quality and new sectors: exports of high-tech products reached 5.25 trillion yuan ($752.6 billion), up 13.2 percent year-on-year; exports of the "new three" - electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells - rose 27.1 percent, exports of green products such as wind turbine units increased by 48.7 percent, and exports of Chinese homegrown brands rose 12.9 percent. This means China's foreign trade will stay steady in the future and continue to play an important role in the national economy. To assess China's economy, one must look not only at ports and orders, but also at shopping malls, consumption, investment, employment and expectations; not only at the scale of foreign trade, but also at innovation input, industrial upgrading and institutional supply. Misreading and distorting the operating logic of a mega-sized economy into a simplistic linear narrative - "when exports thrive, the economy thrives; when exports weaken, the economy weakens" - is itself a key reason why some foreign media repeatedly make inaccurate judgments. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Denisse Miralles poses on the day she takes her oath as Peru's new Minister of Economy and Finance before Peru's President Jose Jeri, who took office after Dina Boluarte was removed, in Lima, Peru, October 14, 2025. REUTERS/Angela Ponce/File Photo By Marco Aquino LIMA, March 17 (Reuters) - Peruvian President Jose Balcazar shuffled his cabinet on Tuesday, just one month into his interim presidency, after his prime minister resigned. Prime Minister Denisse Miralles resigned early on Tuesday after three weeks on the job, becoming the latest among Peru's revolving door of top officials. She was appointed on February 24 shortly after Balcazar took office as the Andean nation's eighth president in as many years. Under Peruvian law, the resignation of the prime minister who serves as the head of the cabinet requires all 18 other ministers to step down, although the president can choose to reinstate each minister. Balcazar named Luis Enrique Arroyo, a former general, as prime minister. Advertisement Among his other swaps, Balcazar chose Rodolfo Acuna, a deputy in Peru's finance ministry, to be economy minister. With less than a month until general elections scheduled for April 12, Balcazar also named new interior and defense ministers. He was still naming ministers as of 4 p.m. local time. Balcazar is set to hand over power to the new president on July 28. His office did not give a reason for Miralles' exit. Miralles in a resignation letter said she stepped down at Balcazar's request. Local news outlets reported that Miralles lacked support in the legislature ahead of an expected routine vote on Wednesday to confirm her in her role. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle, Editing by Natalia Siniawski, Rosalba O'Brien, Rod Nickel) At the start of his second term, President Trump surveyed the slowly rotting swamp that was the post-Cold War landscape, and he did not like what he saw. He has determined to scour it clean of dangerous attachments, conditions, and as we now know regimes the president considers to be a legacy of past American weakness. His ultimate objective? A world open for business that realistically reflects the preponderance of American economic and military power. Towards this goal he has stormed with the disruptive force of a Category 5 hurricane. The war with Iran is only a moment in Trumps geopolitical pilgrims progress. It was preceded by aggressive moves against China, Panama, Greenland, Gaza, Mexico and Venezuela. It will be followed by a settling of the family business with Cuba. Americas global priorities have been radically rebalanced. NATO allies have been told to pick up their burden if they wish to see the US stick around. Meanwhile, Latin America, long treated like a poor relation, looms large in the administrations thinking. World wont be same The recent Shield of the Americas summit held in Doral, Fla., brought together a dozen elected leaders from this hemisphere who have defied history by openly proclaiming themselves pro-American. Some, like Argentinas Javier Milei and El Salvadors Nayib Bukele, sound decidedly pro-Trump. I have no idea whether the presidents hard-charging strategy will succeed. But I can say this with confidence: the world will never be the same. An avalanche of events has been set loose that will not easily be stopped. Relations that were based on the pretense of order have been swept away and replaced by a chaotic scramble for security. The consequences will either dramatically favor the US or wreak severe retribution upon us for our overreach. Either way, history is on the move. Under the callow slogan of No to war, Pedro Sanchez, Spains prime minister and the very model of a modern progressive politician, denied Americans the use of our big air bases in Spanish territory. AFP via Getty Images Already, the global chessboard looks unrecognizable. And if the winners in this great reshuffling are not yet known, its easy to identify the losers. That would be the national and transnational grandees who had pictured themselves as pillars of a rules-based world order. These are elite types who worship at the altar of process: every crisis must be papered over with consultations, negotiations and proclamations, until the publics attention wanders and the trouble is decently shoved offstage. Trumps rage for change, for an actual outcome, feels to them threatening and immoral a trampling on the proprieties. In the rules-based world order, the point isnt to defuse lethal situations like a hostile fanatical regime acquiring nuclear bombs its to play-act at doing so, while adroitly turning present difficulties into someone elses nightmare in the future. Remember the Israel-Palestine peace process following the 1993 Oslo Accords? That alleged search for tranquility dribbled on for a decade before exploding into a bloody intifada. Obama blunders Remember Barack Obamas 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for Iran, whereby we gave the Iranians billions in exchange for their promise to delay building nukes for a few years? That ended with the Iranians boasting to American negotiators that they could build 11 nuclear bombs any time they wished, leading directly to the devastation of the current war. The rules-based world order is one of the many fantasies bestowed by Obama on an undeserving humanity. There were no rules in the system certainly no rules Obama heeded as president. He bombed Libya for seven months, assassinated hundreds of putative terrorists around the world, and turned Syria over to the tender mercies of Vladimir Putin and ISIS. Nor was there order in the system savage conflicts erupted during its tenure in Ukraine (twice), Sudan (multiple times), Georgia, Gaza, Congo, etc. Obama believed history was on the side of the angels. That meant paralysis was the best defense against any threat. US was enemy In the end, history would come to the rescue: the rule-breakers would fail and fall, and the virtuous nations would triumph. This hold me back strategy was a transparent ruse for doing nothing, and it applied strictly and singularly to the United States. Obama was convinced that the enemy was us. The flexible rules therefore applied only to us whatever action the US took, whether we turned right or left, up or down, we were breaking the rules. In brief, the rules-based world order was a way to induce American decline and protect the world from American trouble-making. It bred a generation of global elites for whom deliberation is an art form, process is an end in itself, and immobility is perfection. Advertisement The war with Iran has shattered the fantasy forever. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was of the utmost importance to prevent escalation, then scheduled a crisis meeting for the Monday after the war with Iran began. AFP via Getty Images It isnt as if President Trump failed to warn world leaders, as he did the entire human race, weeks in advance, that he intended to deal aggressively with Iran. But the fact that he actually meant it left them panicked and disoriented. Shocked into action by the start of the war, the heads of government of Germany, France and Britain got on Zoom and did their favorite thing: consultation. In the well-founded belief that their electorates expected more, they delivered the one outcome at which they excel: a proclamation, consisting of many words. A week later, the three leaders were joined by a fourth, Italys Giorgia Meloni, for more consultations and yet another proclamation, this one with slightly different words. EU president Ursula von der Leyens response to the emergency has already become immortal or at least viral. On the Saturday the war began, von der Leyen said it was of the utmost importance to prevent escalation, then scheduled a crisis meeting for Monday. Evidently, on the scale of importance, weekend leisure took precedence over stopping the killing. And for Friedrich Merz, chancellor of Germany, the whole war thing posed an inscrutable dilemma. For German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the conflict posed an inscrutable dilemma. REUTERS I mean, on the one hand, you had Trump; on the other, the ayatollahs. How is a morally lofty European to choose? In general, confusion and contradiction characterized the global elites reaction to the war. A handful on the left seized the opportunity to indulge their reflexive animosity towards anything connected to Trump. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for one, accused the US of violating the UN Charter. Under the callow slogan of No to war, Pedro Sanchez, Spains prime minister and the very model of a modern progressive politician, denied Americans the use of our big air bases in Spanish territory. Most leaders, however, particularly among our traditional allies, had trouble explaining where they stood. Canadas regret Canadas liberal prime minister, Mark Carney, began with the fulsome assertion that Canada supports the United States then felt compelled to add with some regret, finally observing that the actions of the ally he was continuing to endorse were inconsistent with international law. In January, at Davos galactic capital of elitism Carney had given a much-applauded speech mourning the decline of the rules-based international order. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney poses with Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, March 16, 2026. AP In March, by waffling on an existential question, Carney exemplified the delusional nature of that order. The gold medal in the Perplexity Olympics was easily won by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer single-handedly demolished Britains special relationship with the US by refusing American long-range bombers the air base in the strategic island of Diego Garcia. Apparently, Starmers Labour cabinet felt that supporting an old and trusted ally in a war against the Islamic Republic might negatively affect the Muslim vote. After Irans retaliatory strikes endangered the lives of the 300,000 British citizens in the Middle East, and Britains allies in the region wondered aloud what side the country was on, Starmer abruptly changed his mind it was OK for his American friends to bomb the heck out of Iran from Diego Garcia. Never a gracious winner, Trump basically told Starmer, Thanks for nothing. Brits in dry dock Only when an Iranian missile struck the British base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, did the prime minister seem to awaken from his dogmatic stupor and realize that a terrible war, with enormous stakes, was the subject under discussion. At that point, there was little he could do. A guileless political establishment, long preceding Starmer, had hollowed out Britains war-making capability to practically nothing. The numbers are astounding. Apparently, Starmers Labour cabinet felt that supporting an old and trusted ally in a war against the Islamic Republic might negatively affect the Muslim vote. Getty Images The British Navy ended World War II with something like 1,400 ships. It began the Iranian conflict with 63 ships and literally every major vessel when the war broke out was in dry dock, under repairs. Thats saying No to war on an entirely different level. Elite posturing and confusion about Iran stemmed from the same impulse. They craved desperately to return to the happy years BT Before Trump when words ruled the world and immobility could be disguised as statesmanship. Its a forlorn hope. The decline of the democracies, no matter how artfully camouflaged, has brought about the opposite of peace. Cowardice and weakness are a poor place to search for rules. Entropy isnt order. And like it or not, for good or harm, Donald Trump will bestride the world over the next three years seeking high-risk but consequential outcomes rather than polite fictions. Oil pollution has left supplies in the city of Balti unsafe to drink, officials say An oil spill which has been blamed on a Russian attack in Ukraine has polluted a major river in Moldova, prompting authorities to cut water supplies to the northern city of Balti. Ukrainian authorities said oil began leaking after a Russian strike on the Dniester hydroelectric plant on 7 March, with the first slicks appearing three days later on the Dniester river - a vital source for most of Moldova and the Odesa region in southwestern Ukraine. Moldova imposed a 15-day state of alert in the Dniester river basin on Monday as a precaution. Russia's ambassador was summoned by the foreign ministry in protest and shown a bottle of cloudy water from the polluted river. He refused to comment to reporters as he left the meeting, according to Moldovan media. Moldovan Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder said supplies would only be restored once oil levels had been brought down to the recommended limit of 0.1mg per litre of water. He added that Monday night's readings were too high for northern areas including Balti, the third-largest city in Moldova, and further results on Tuesday would indicate whether or not the water could be pumped back into the pipes. Three other northern towns have been hit by the water crisis. Advertisement The pollution has also affected water supplies in Ukraine, with contamination in the Chernivtsi, Vinnytsya and Odesa regions, according to Ukrainian Deputy Minister Iryna Ovcharenko. Oleg Ozerov, Russia's ambassador to Moldova, was shown a bottle of water taken from the Dniester river Hajder said earlier that Ukrainian officials had assured him the source of the oil pollution had been contained. Schools in the Balti area have moved to online learning, while authorities focus on delivering tankers of drinkable water to the local population. Maia Sandu, Moldova's pro-European president, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, praising Kyiv for protecting her own country from attack. She has said Russia "bears full responsibility" for the oil pollution. Russia has long accused Sandu of being "Russiaphobic". She won a second term as president of Moldova in 2024 despite what the EU called "unprecedented interference [in the election] by Russia". Moldova has a population of 2.4 million, but Russia still has a military base in the Russian-speaking, breakaway region of Transnistria, which lies along much of Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine. Local TV reports say oil has been spotted in Transnistria although officials there do not expect to impose restrictions on drinking water. Meanwhile, Moldovan police have said an "active" Russian drone, armed with an "explosive device", has landed 500m (1640ft) inside the Ukraine-Moldova border in the village of Tudora. The conflict with Iran has disrupted gas supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, doubling prices in Asia. From Bangladesh to Japan, governments are reopening coal-fired power plants to contain costs, postponing, at least for now, the energy transition. Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) The difficulty in getting energy from the Middle East is pushing several Asian countries to turn to coal, further slowing the energy transition. Qatar, the world's second-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has suspended shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, central to the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. As a result, LNG prices in Asia have doubled, reaching their highest level in three years. Experts predict that they could rise further because many contracts are tied to the price of oil with a lag of about three months. And the impact of the recent disruptions will likely be long-lasting. Shell, the world's largest LNG trader, has estimated that population growth in Asia will contribute to an 85 per cent increase in energy demand by 2050. Last year, consumption reached 422 million metric tonnes. Countries such as Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh already generate a third or more of their electricity from natural gas. Japan, in particular, has traditionally acted as an intermediary, importing and re-exporting LNG to Southeast Asian countries, which began increasing imports in 2010 as their domestic reserves dwindled. According to the Asia Pacific Energy Research Center, a Tokyo-based think tank, in Thailand, for example, the percentage of electricity generated from LNG has risen from 2 per cent in 2011 to approximately 50 per cent in 2022. However, since European nations turned to the global LNG market after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, their offers outstripped those of smaller economies; as a result, Asian nations are being forced to reopen their coal-fired power plants. In Thailand, this happened in 2022 and is now happening again. The government has introduced subsidies to cushion prices, but has also required coal-fired power plants to operate at full capacity. The same is true for the Philippines and Vietnam, while the governments of other countries have reduced the workweek to four days to reduce consumption. For its part, Indonesia is in a particular difficult situation as the end of Ramadan approaches, which will be celebrated this weekend. Around 100 million people travel to visit their families for Eid al-Fitr, driving up energy use. Gas supplies are expected to last 12-15 days, but the government has not yet announced measures to respond to the crisis. Even before the outbreak of the war, Jakarta was spending US$ 22.5 billion on subsidies to the population to keep prices low. Data from Bangladesh's main state-owned company indicates that since the start of the war with Iran, part of its production now relies on coal. In Pakistan, Energy Minister Awais Leghari stated that LNG shortages mean that the country will have to rely on domestic coal reserves. In 2022, the country faced a severe energy crisis marked by constant blackouts following Russias invasion of Ukraine. According to several experts, the new war in the Middle East is once again widening the economic disparities between richer countries and emerging economies. According to a recent report by the Global Energy Monitor research centre, approximately US$ 107 billion in LNG infrastructure investments in South Asia, the continent's poorest region, are currently at risk. Many projects have already been cancelled or postponed, partly due to the difficulty of passing on the high costs to consumers. But the crisis in Asia is also affecting the more developed economies. Taiwan's Ministry of Economy has stated its intention to purchase more LNG from the United States and restart the decommissioned Hsinta coal plant if the outages persist until April. Last week, South Korea's Industry Minister announced that the country is preparing to increase nuclear and coal-fired power generation. In Japan, JERA, the countrys largest power generation company, has also reported that it will continue to maintain high levels of use of coal-fired power plants. Many observers believe that Asian countries will rely on coal for the duration of the war, but in the long term, this latest crisis could push several of them to speed up their energy transition by investing more in renewable energy. Pakistan, for example, tripled its energy production from solar panels, purchased cheaply from China, between 2021 and 2024. Aware of the importance of energy security for its economic growth, Beijing has long been working on gas transportation infrastructure projects in case the Strait of Malacca were chocked. About 80 per cent of its oil imports and two thirds of its maritime trade go through this body of water. For this reason, China, which gets most of its gas from Central Asia, is seeking to reduce maritime LNG routes, investing especially in pipelines connecting the Yunnan region to the Indian Ocean via Myanmar, which is governed by a military junta allied with Beijing and on which it depends for arms supplies. Another major project is the one connecting Kashgar, in Xinjiang, to the Pakistani port of Gwadar, much closer geographically to the Persian Gulf. Photos by Kabiur Rahman Riyad on Unsplash. by Giorgio Bernardelli The Cambodian part of the process for the beatification of Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas and 11 other victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide ended today. Since 2015, dozens of testimonies have been collected from people who witnessed their faithfulness to the Gospel during a time of horror. Among the candidates are two nuns and four lay people. If recognised by the Vatican, they will be the first blessed of this small Church reborn in the 1990s. Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) The Catholic Church of Cambodia experienced a very important moment in its history today. The diocesan phase of the beatification process for Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas and 11 other victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide ended at the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh. This is the first canonical process to determine the martyrdom of members of this very young local Church, reborn in the 1990s after the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. Following a careful ten-year examination, all the documents collected to ascertain their martyrdom are now being sent to Rome. The 12 witnesses of faith were killed between 1970 and 1977 by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. The leading figure is Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas, the first Cambodian appointed apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh in 1975, shortly before the Khmer Rouge's seized the capital. The list includes Cambodian priests: Fr Joseph Chhmar Salem (the bishops brother) and Fr Marcel Truong Sang Samronh. The others are Fr Pierre Rapin, a missionary with the Missions etrangeres de Paris (MEP), Benedictine monk Charles Badre, Fr Damien Dang Ngoc An of the Vietnamese Order of the Holy Family of Banam, the religious Sisters Jacquelin Kim Song and Lydie Nou Savan of the Sisters of Providence of Portieux, and four lay people: Joseph Som Kinsan, Pierre Chhum Somchay, Joseph Thong, and Joseph Ros En. Dozens of witnesses heard The current apostolic vicar, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, also a member of the Missions etrangeres de Paris, officiated the ceremony. In his address, he said that the fidelity Bishop Salas showed to his people was comparable to that of the monks of Tibhirine in Algeria. Coadjutor Bishop Pierre Suon Hangly was present at the final hearing of the diocesan tribunal examining the case, along with some 50 priests from Cambodia's three ecclesiastical districts (Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham, and Battambang), and approximately 200 religious and lay people, underscoring the importance of this moment for the local Catholic community. As the second native bishop in the history of the Cambodian Catholic community, Bishop Suon Hangly is carrying on the legacy of the prelate who died in 1977. In his address, Bishop Schmitthaeusler said that the cause for beatification was opened in May 2015, noting that over the past ten years, dozens and dozens of witnesses were interviewed, people who lived through the Pol Pot era and knew the victims personally. Initially, 35 individuals were examined. Eventually, the work focused on 12. Some 2,500 pages are a testimony for the new generations of today's baptised," Schmitthaeusler explained. These individuals are the people of God; they particularly represent all those who suffered and died praying to the Lord to welcome them into his Kingdom. These documents will be sent to Rome, the prelate added. We shall continue to pray that these presumed martyrs of ours may be offered to the universal Church as a gift and an invaluable testimony of the faith of the Church of Cambodia to the world." Bishop Salas and Fr Rapin: lives donated for love The reports about the 12 Christians, the Cambodian Catholic Church sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints for examination of their martyrdom, offer a glimpse into the violence of Pol Pot's genocide, which, according to various historians' estimates, in its ideological madness, exterminated 1.5 to 2 million people between 1975 and 1979, approximately a quarter of Cambodia's population. They also show the luminous face of the deep faith with which Cambodias small Catholic community, born five centuries earlier with the preaching of the first Portuguese missionaries, faced the test of a communist regime that wanted to erase them (and in many ways succeeded) along with everything that opposed its ideology. Father Joseph Chhmar Salas was 37 years old. In the spring of 1975, he was in France completing his studies when he received a letter from the then Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, French Bishop Yves Ramousse, urging him to return to Cambodia. The apostolic vicar knew that with the Khmer Rouges entry into the capital, all foreigners would be expelled and it was necessary to immediately to put a Cambodian in charge of the local Church. Father Salas was ordained three days before the fall of Phnom Penh and sent to Tangkok, a village in Kompong Cham province, for protection. The new bishop managed to remain there for some time with several Christians and his family, including his sister Chamar Pracot, who survived the genocide and was a precious witness to what happened (pictured above today with Bishop Schmitthaeusler), his younger brother Salem, also a priest, and Father Chamroeun. Bishop Salas later volunteered for forced labour, hoping to reach Christians scattered somewhere in the country. Exhausted, he died in 1977 of hardship and illness in a pagoda converted into a hospital. His sister talked about the Masses celebrated in secret in the straw hut assigned to them, with their bed as an altar, while outside, Christians, pretending to work in the rice paddy, used coded signals to warn of approaching Khmer Rouge. Bishop Salas's pectoral cross, kept by his mother in a chicken coop, was returned in 2001 to the then Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, Bishop Emile Detombes, and is a precious token for the Cambodian Church. Three years before the fall of Phnom Penh, Father Pierre Rapin, a French MEP missionary originally from the Vendee, was killed in the Christian village of Kdol Leu in 1972. By 1970, after General Lon Nol's coup d'etat, the Khmer Rouge were in control of the area. The clergyman knew full well what he was risking by staying in the village, but he wrote to a priest friend: "The Christians have asked me to stay; God's will will be done." On the night of 23-24 February 1972, he was wounded by an explosive device placed against the wall of his house. Although his life did not appear to be in danger, the Khmer Rouge took him to their hospital anyway. The next day, they returned his body to the villagers. After he was wounded, Fr Rapin told a parishioner who was helping him: "If those who wanted to kill me are captured, forgive them, do not harm them. There is no point in seeking revenge. Have faith in God." The stories of the four laymen More challenging to reconstruct, but no less significant, are the stories of the four laymen included in the list sent to Rome. Joseph Ros En was a professor at the University of Phnom Penh, said Father Vincent Chretienne, an MEP missionary in Cambodia and president of the Historical Commission that worked on the cause of beatification. He was killed because someone denounced him precisely because he was a professor and also a Christian. And he confirmed this during interrogations: 'It's true, I am,' he said. Thus, we are practically certain that he was killed in hatred of the faith." "We know that Joseph Thong," Father Chretienne said, "was a catechist, while Joseph Som Kinsan was a soldier who was arrested immediately after 17 April 1975, the day the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh. The figure of Pierre Chhum Somchay is also very significant. This man had 12 children, all killed during the Khmer Rouge massacres. Under the communist regime, he kept a notepad in which he wrote a prayer for each of them. In the end, in 1977, he too was killed, because the Khmer Rouge realised that he was a Christian. by Shafique Khokhar The interfaith dinner, organised by the Archdioceses Commission for Dialogue during the final days of Ramadan which this year coincides with Lent was attended by representatives of the various communities and local politicians. This is not the time to fight or harm one another: we all condemn violence and pray for one another. Karachi (AsiaNews) During these final days of the holy month of Ramadan, which this year coincides with Lent and is deeply marked by conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia, Catholics in Karachi organised an iftar the communal meal to break the fast which brought together representatives of the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Bahai communities, in the presence of several local politicians. In his opening address, Kashif Anthony, secretary of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Karachi, explained that the aim of the event was to pray for peace in the world, in our country, and also for the inner peace that people are seeking. This is not the time to fight or harm one another: we all condemn violence and pray for one another, he said. Fr. Shakeel Gulzar, director of the same Commission, highlighted the severity of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, also recalling how the Middle East is the cradle of most of the worlds religions. It is truly painful for all of us to see a region of such spiritual and historical significance torn apart by war, violence and political divisions, he commented. For his part, Abdul Samad Memon, a Muslim and coordinator for interfaith harmony and relations at Minhaj-ul-Quran International, stated that there are many shared values across all religions, and one of the most important aspects is social solidarity, justice, giving a voice to the voiceless, ensuring the rights of neighbours, and feeding the hungry and orphans. However, he observed, we are still far apart from one another, and the main problem is the fear of losing something. This is why we must work together to educate people to love everyone and respect other faiths. Kiran Fatima, a Muslim woman who, along with her son, was attending an interfaith conference for the first time, also expressed her joy at this event. Sham Sunder Advani, a member of the Sindh Provincial Assembly and Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh for Minority Affairs, stated that lasting peace can only emerge through sincere dialogue that recognises the dignity and rights of every community. Silence during times of crisis is not an option, and now is the time to recognise that the future of humanity depends on our ability to choose peace over conflict, he said. Other speakers included Mufti Abu Talha Muhayudin an Islamic scholar and educator serving at the Darul Ifta of Jamia Islamia Clifton in Karachi who stated that interfaith harmony is not merely a social ideal but also a moral and national responsibility; and Mahesh Kumar Hasija, a Hindu member of the Provincial Assembly, who remarked that, in a time marked by growing polarisation and mistrust, interfaith dialogue has become more important than ever, praising Sindh as a land of diversity, coexistence and shared cultural heritage. Finally, Naveed Anthony, Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly, expressed his gratitude for all the efforts made by the Dialogue Commission of the Archdiocese of Karachi and expressed the hope that the conference would further strengthen ties between religious communities, encouraging a shared commitment to building a more peaceful, inclusive and compassionate society. The activist and former trade unionist spoke at his subversion trial regarding his role in the Hong Kong Alliance, which organised vigils in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. He faces up to 10 years in prison. In his defence, he quoted Mao Zedong and former Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang opposing one-party rule. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) Calling for an end to one-party rule in China's political, social, and economic life is not the same as and does not imply a call for a popular uprising to overthrow the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), Lee Cheuk-yan said yesterday at his trial. The activist, trade unionist, and former Member of Hong Kongs Legislative Council (LegCo) has been in prison for five years. He is currently on trial along with lawyer Chow Hang-tung, and former LegCo Member Albert Ho, the Hong Kong Free Press reported. The trial, which started recently after several postponements, sees the pro-democracy leader answerable for his role in the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which held annual vigils in Victoria Park from 1989 to 2019 in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square student massacre in Beijing. The activists, along with the Alliance itself, are on trial on charges of inciting subversion under Chinas infamous national security law, an offence that is punishable with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Lee and Chow pleaded not guilty, while Ho pleaded guilty. Lee took the stand yesterday to make several statements; in particular, he said that he simply hoped that Chinas leadership would no longer retain the one-party form of government. The Alliance's key slogan, calling for an end to one-party rule in China, is the focus of the charge, which prosecutors claim violates the country's constitution and represents incitement to commit subversion. Appearing before the three-judge panel at the West Kowloon Court, Lee explained that the movement advocated for the end of one-party rule, since this is contrary to democracy. The former lawmaker also argued that fundamental civil rights, including freedom of speech, assembly, and the press, must be guaranteed for civil society to organise and thrive. Only then would society be able to consider democratisation. Once you have a civil society, be it the intellectuals, the students, workers, women, businesspeople, or farmers, they will be able to discuss what political system works best for China. There must be a foundation for discussion before they can enter the political system, he explained. Judge Alex Lee then asked the activist if he meant that the CPC should not be in power. The defendant replied that he opposed "one-party rule, not the CPC leadership. Lee then added that he believed the CPC could lead the nation if the people deem it appropriate, expressing their choice within the framework of a democratic process. He added that the Alliance's call for an end to "one-party rule" did not imply an intention to overthrow the party. There is absolutely no such meaning," Lee said, explaining that the Alliance never formulated plans to remove the party from power and that the group's name indicated support for democratisation and rights in mainland China. Lee finally stated that the Alliance has always used nonviolent means of protest and that all organised vigils were approved by the police except in 2020, when the vigil was banned due to social distancing regulations for COVID-19. Police never told the Alliance that its requests had violated the national security law when authorities banned the vigil again in 2021, Lee added. He concluded by reading some writings by Chinese communist leaders, including CPC founder Mao Zedong and former Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang. He claimed that even Mao was against one-party rule, while Zhao supported broader participation and involvement by pro-democracy advocates, even with the CPC still in power. by Fady Noun Whilst Hezbollah continues to drag the whole of Lebanon into its final battle with Israel, dividing politics and society, the Christian villages of the South are clinging to their land. Over 20% of the countrys total population is now displaced. Whilst direct clashes are reported between militiamen from the pro-Iranian party and the Israeli army in Khyam, exploratory talks continue for a diplomatic solution between the Land of the Cedars and the Jewish state. Beirut (AsiaNews) - Hezbollahs final battle. This was the title analyst Scarlett Haddad gave to her latest article in LOrient-Le Jour yesterday. Co-signed by the newspapers editor-in-chief, Anthony Samrani, it reads: The Shia militia had been preparing [for the resumption of fighting, ed] since November 2024. Everything else was just a smokescreen. The general impression in Lebanon is that the war has resumed exactly where it left off on 27 November 2024, a year and a half ago, and that Hezbollahs supposed cooperation with the army was nothing more than a grand deception, an act of Shiite taqiyya (dissimulation). With the difference that the Party of Gods isolation has deepened. Its unilateral decision to go to war against Israel has divided the country, socially and politically. The rift is total, and the battle is being fought in a climate that the most alarmist observers consider pre-insurrectionary. With the sky buzzing with drones, all MPs and leaders of the pro-Iranian movement are living in hiding, fearing they will be eliminated, and extremist rhetoric from both sides is inflaming passions. The Hezbollah-affiliated television channel al-Manar has reported in the last few hours that the director of political programmes, Mohammad Cherri, and his wife were killed in Israeli attacks that targeted the Zokak el-Blat neighbourhood in central Beirut this morning. Some political factions are calling for the severing of diplomatic ties with Iran, whilst pro-Hezbollah media are waging hate campaigns. The management of the MTV television station claims to have received death threats. With evacuation orders coming in day and night, reception centres are on the verge of collapse. Nevertheless, they coexist with a country where life goes on more or less as normal, and with a stark, surreal disparity between the living conditions of one group and the other. The provisional toll of the new war stands at around 900 dead, twice as many wounded and approximately one million displaced, or 20% of the population. Fears of annexation On the other hand, in the face of all this, the resumption of the war is marked by fears of the annexation of the parts of the territory conquered by the Israeli army and by the determination of the predominantly Christian villages to cling to their property and fields at all costs. It is against this backdrop that the repeated visits by the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Monsignor Paolo Borgia, to the various clusters of Christian villages along the border took place. These visits, coordinated with the United Nations mission (UNIFIL) and, through it, with the Vatican, ultimately had a catalytic effect on the Maronite Church. Thus, Patriarch Bechara Rai asked the Bishop of Tyre, Monsignor Charbel Abdallah, to move his residence to Rmeich, the Maronite village situated in the immediate vicinity of the Israeli border. The intruders of Rmeich Nevertheless, in order to remain in their homes, the inhabitants of Rmeich, for example, had to remove from this large village all the intruders who had arrived from surrounding villages seeking refuge. Our Shiite neighbours brought their families to safety here with us, comments a resident of Rmeich who asked to remain anonymous. In this region, everyone knows everyone, she continues, and hospitality is sacred. But we had no choice. It was either this, or the bombings! Despite reassurances, three men who were installing a satellite dish on the roof of their home were killed by an Israeli drone in Ain Ebel. These deaths were added to the recent one of the parish priest of Kleya, Fr Pierre el-Rahi, killed by a tank shell whilst rescuing the inhabitants of a bombed house in Kleya. However, the passive resistance of the Christian villages, stronger than the killings, has been contagious. Many Sunni and Druze residents of various border villages have not left their homes, insisting on preventing members of the Shiite party from taking refuge with them and calling for the Lebanese army to remain in their villages. We have not withdrawn from southern Lebanon, as some claim, but we cannot be present in every village, even though it is clear that our presence reassures the inhabitants, a source close to Yarze told the press on condition of anonymity. We are carrying out, he added, the redeployments necessitated by the Israeli escalation. The strategic hub of Khyam From a military perspective, this escalation is manifesting itself through incursions into three or four strategic points along the border. A full-scale ground offensive has not yet taken place and, moreover, with its back against the wall, the resistance is putting up fierce opposition to any Israeli advance, particularly in Khyam. If the blockade of Khyam were to fail, it would open the way to the Marjeyoun plain and the Litani, say military experts, who see this point as a sort of mini-Stalingrad. Aouns initiative On the political and diplomatic front, President Joseph Aoun proposed yesterday, during a video conference with European Council President Antonio Costa, an initiative aimed at ending the conflict. Without waiting for an Israeli response, the government is working on forming a diplomatic delegation. However, the chances of this initiative succeeding are not yet high. This effort is hampered in particular by the refusal of the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry, to appoint a Shia representative until a definitive ceasefire is concluded. In this context, despite the hasty statements, the discussions mentioned appear more like exploratory contacts than a genuine negotiation process. Israel and territorial claims On the Israeli side, according to todays report in the newspaper Yedioth Ahronot, former Israeli minister Ron Dermer, recently appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to handle the Lebanese issue, stated: It is possible to move towards a peace agreement with Lebanon, as the issues are not really that complex. We have no territorial claims on Lebanon, the senior official continued. We do not wish to occupy Lebanon nor attack it, but we will not allow Hezbollah to operate directly on our northern border. A statement that contrasts with that of Defence Minister Israel Katz, who clearly warned Lebanon of territorial losses if it fails to act against Hezbollah. As for the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024, the diplomat stated that he had been in favour of ending the fighting despite the texts unpopularity. We still had major battles ahead of us, in Gaza and with Iran. We still had the hostages, he explained. However, this time we will not return [to the situation prior to] 6 October 2023. For an agreement to be signed, he concluded, Hezbollah must be disarmed. In summary: Israel is putting the cart before the horse. And this can only foreshadow an increase in fighting, destruction and casualties. by Vladimir Rozanskij Many of the political prisoners released from prison and expelled from the country at the end of 2025 have not yet had their passports returned by the authorities in Minsk. They remain in a legal limbo, still holding Belarusian citizenship but unable to obtain new documents. Their complaint: Lukashenkos gesture was merely for show. Minsk (AsiaNews) - Following several agreements with representatives of the US authorities, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released several groups of political prisoners, including the leaders of the 2020 protests, Maria Kolesnikova and Viktor Babariko, who have sought to persuade everyone to seek a compromise between the authorities and the opposition. In response, the released dissidents were taken out of the country without their passports being returned, but with simple A4 sheets of paper to certify their identity. With this sort of certificate, it is not easy to organise ones life in foreign countries, as their citizenship has not been revoked and remains in limbo, leaving them unsure of where to go or how to proceed. To facilitate their transfer, the United States even suspended sanctions against the airlines Belavia and Bielaruskalia, including the aircraft normally used by the presidents relatives. The largest group of prisoners released was last December, involving 123 people, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Beliatski, lawyer Maksim Znak and political scientist Aleksandr Feduta. As some of the former detainees told Currentime, passports were returned only to a few of them after they had been deported from the country, but over 30 of them were left without documents, possessing only the slip printed in Russian. Lukashenko himself, responding to questions from delegates at the National Assembly on 18 December, stated that passports are not being handed over to them in order to deprive them of the possibility of returning legally to Belarus: They will no longer come here to cause problems for me and for all of you; let us ensure that such situations do not recur. The situation is further complicated by the fact that, unlike almost all other countries, Belarusian consulates abroad have for several years now refused to issue passports to compatriots living abroad, and may even confiscate any documents they hold. This creates a legal vacuum, whereby one cannot return home to obtain a passport, nor can one obtain one abroad. One of the former detainees, released on 11 September 2025 and taken out of Belarus, using the pseudonym Andrej (in the hope of a solution), recounts being left in limbo alongside prominent figures such as trade unionists Gennadij Fedynic and Aleksandr Jarosuk, the anarchist Nikolaj Dedok, the blogger Igor Losik and many others. A large number of those expelled with the slip still had documents valid for several years; Fedynic himself had obtained a new passport whilst in a labour camp in 2022, and now finds himself in Lithuania without knowing how to register. Andrej states that at first we werent worried; the important thing was to be free For a few days they put us up in a hotel, but when I tried to rent a flat, the landlady asked me for ID. It was only thanks to influential friends, including a Lithuanian citizen, that Andrej managed to persuade her to let him rent the flat, until, after a long wait, he was issued with a transit visa valid for three years. According to Dedok, Lukashenko wanted to make a symbolic gesture, knowing full well that we have no intention of returning to Belarus. In reality, it is a demonstration of impotence: they are erasing us from the Belarusian people, because they dont know how to respond to our protests. Most of the former detainees are in the neighbouring countries of Lithuania and Poland, hoping for support from the authorities in Vilnius and Warsaw, who for now remain in a holding pattern, partly because in these countries not all Belarusian citizens can obtain residence permits, as a consequence of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. 18 March 2026 17:35 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more No period is more disconcerting to witness in financial markets than during times of conflict. The minute a missile strikes anywhere in the world, financial markets start adjusting not just losses but opportunities as well. It is a process that is uncomfortable to witness even for those who believe in the value-neutral role of financial markets. It is a process that is being witnessed again in the American-Israeli war against Iran. On March 2, a day after the start of Operation Epic Fury, Northrop Grumman rose by 6 percent, RTX by 4.7 percent, L3Harris by 3.8 percent, Lockheed Martin by 3.3 percent, and Boeing by 2 percent. Similarly, shares in Palantir Technologies, whose government segment recorded $1.9 billion in revenue in 2025, a rise of 55 percent from a year earlier, rose by 5.8 percent. Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Northrop recorded a 52-week high on this day as well. In contrast, the S&P 500 index recorded losses and ended the day flat. Defense contractors have lobbied Washington for about $191 million in 2025, with Iran-related policies, spending appropriations, and the Trump administration's focus on weapon procurement as key drivers. RTX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris are the biggest spenders in defense contracting. The financial situation also helped fuel the optimism. The defense budget for fiscal year 2025 included $858.9 billion for the Pentagon budget, $10.6 billion more than the administration requested. The budget for fiscal year 2026 included about $1.3 billion for industrial supply chain improvements and $2.5 billion for missile spending, with RTX set to benefit. The Trump administration indicated a desire for much larger figures. Given this environment, the initial run in defense stocks can be seen as rational, as they were based on a real environment in which military spending and munitions use were high. Modern financial history offers a consistent lesson that is consistently ignored at the start of each new conflict. When war remains limited and bounded, the logic holds: orders increase, earnings improve, and shares respond accordingly. But when conflict escalates into something larger and more sustained, governments have a persistent habit of reclaiming the gains. During both world wars, the British government imposed high excess-profits taxes on arms manufacturers. After the United States fully entered World War II, it repeatedly renegotiated and reduced prices on contracts already signed, a practice that continued through Korea and the Cold War. Research cited by The Economist found that from 1938 to the attack on Pearl Harbor, US aircraft manufacturers' shares performed strongly. From late 1941 through 1945, the broader US market outpaced defense stocks. The larger the war became, the less governments tolerated corporate windfalls from national emergency. The current environment is already showing traces of that pattern. In January, President Trump issued an executive order barring defense contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares, and signalled that CEO pay at defense companies should be capped at approximately $5 million per year. Whatever the eventual legal reach of these measures, the direction of travel is clear: when national security takes priority, market logic takes second place. Part of what makes the current moment unusual is that defense stocks were already elevated before Operation Epic Fury began. The iShares US Aerospace and Defense ETF had returned more than 11 percent in the year to date even as the S&P 500 slid roughly 1 percent. The Global X Defense Tech ETF had returned 72.8 percent in the twelve months to February 27, against 37.4 percent for the S&P 500 over the same period. Western defense stocks are now trading at around 35 times expected earnings, a valuation level not far from Nvidia at the peak of the AI boom. That premium matters enormously for how the Iran war intersects with investor returns. Rotation into defensive sectors had already occurred before the escalation, driven by concerns about AI valuations and broader market uncertainty. Traditional safe-haven sectors, consumer staples, healthcare entered the crisis looking expensive and performed poorly: major ETFs focused on healthcare and consumer staples declined 5 to 6 percent, while tech stocks dropped less than 1 percent over the same period. The conventional playbook of rotating into defensives during geopolitical shocks produced negative returns, because the rotation had largely happened already. For defense specifically, the question is now less whether governments want more weapon, they demonstrably do, and more whether the profit from producing those weapons will accrue to shareholders or be captured by the state through pricing controls, profit caps, and renegotiated contracts. History offers a clear answer to that question: the more urgent the national need, the smaller the margin left for investors. South Korea's defense industry has been one of the more remarkable industrial stories of the past four years, and the Iran war has renewed attention to whether that story still has further to run. The numbers are striking. South Korea's four largest defense companies, Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Hyundai Rotem, are projected to surpass 40.9 trillion won ($28.45 billion) in combined sales for 2025, up more than 80 percent from 2024 and more than triple their 2021 figures. Operating profits have risen more than tenfold over the same four-year period. Hanwha Aerospace alone reported a record operating profit of 1.43 trillion won in the first half of 2025, four times what it was a year earlier. The combined order backlog for the sector has now surpassed 100 trillion won ($72 billion), securing production lines for the next four to five years. The growth has been driven by European rearmament in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, combined with South Korea's ability to deliver NATO-standard equipment quickly and at competitive cost. South Korean arms sales to Europe hit $12.55 billion in 2022 and $11.03 billion in 2025, with landmark deals including Hyundai Rotem's second K2 tank contract with Poland worth approximately 9 trillion won, Hanwha's $4 billion Chunmoo guided missile contract signed in December 2025, and LIG Nex1's Cheongung-II air defense contracts across the Middle East. By 2025, South Korea had tied with France for second place in weapons exports to NATO member countries, with a 6.5 percent share. Beyond the defense sector, the Iran war has produced a revealing shift in how capital is moving. Energy stocks have risen as expected, with West Texas Intermediate crude surging sharply on fears of Hormuz disruption. But the more notable development is the resilience of technology. Tech stocks have dropped less than 1 percent since the escalation, significantly outperforming traditional defensive sectors, partly because the sector entered the crisis at a discount after earlier fears about AI valuations, and partly because technology companies like Palantir and CrowdStrike are themselves increasingly embedded in defence operations, straddling the line between civilian and military revenue. The S&P 500 is down nearly 3 percent for the year, but markets have recovered their losses within six months of the start of a war roughly 72 percent of the time since World War II. That statistical resilience is real, but it conceals considerable variation, and it says nothing about which sectors lead the recovery. The right framework for thinking about defense stocks in the current environment is not optimism or pessimism, it is specificity. The broad thesis that war equals defense upside is too crude to be useful. What matters is the nature of the conflict, the degree of government intervention in pricing and profit, the valuation already embedded in share prices, and the operational capacity of individual companies to execute at scale. South Korean defense companies have demonstrated genuine global competitiveness. European rearmament is a structural trend with years of momentum behind it. The Iran conflict is generating real munitions consumption and real demand for replenishment. None of that is in dispute. What history disputes is the investor reflex that translates national emergency into an automatic shareholder windfall. The larger the conflict becomes, the more governments reclaim from markets. The higher the valuations already embedded in defense stocks, the less room there is for further upside even when the underlying demand is real. War can drive revenues. It does not, in the end, guarantee returns. When national security comes first, corporate profits are rarely far behind in the queue of things that get managed in the public interest. *Market data sourced from Air & Space Forces Magazine, SIPRI, WSJ and open financial reporting. 18 March 2026 08:30 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more Currently, sharp fluctuations in global energy prices, intensified by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasise the geopolitical importance of hydrocarbons. Besides, the surge in Azerbaijani oil prices, with one barrel recently reaching its highest level in years, reflects both the fragility of global energy supply chains and the enduring reliance on oil and gas. Despite growing interest in renewable energy, the world remains far from fully transitioning to alternatives, making the expansion of hydrocarbon reserves a strategic necessity. Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan has accelerated work on the Absheron gas and condensate field, one of the Caspian Seas most promising energy sources. The Absheron-2 project represents the full-scale development phase, scheduled to begin in June-July this year, with first gas expected within three years. Forecasts suggest the fields operational life will span three decades, providing a stable contribution to Azerbaijans energy balance. According to Environmental and Social Impact Assessment documents, gas production is expected to triple compared to the first stage. Under Absheron-1, which began production on 10 July 2023, daily output stands at 4 million cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas and 13,000 barrels of condensate. The Absheron-2 project aims to raise production to 12.7 mcm of gas and 35,000 barrels of condensate per day. At peak, annual output is projected to reach 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas and over 2 million tonnes of condensate. This scale of production will not only strengthen Azerbaijans domestic energy security but also enhance its role as a reliable supplier to Europe. With Azerbaijan already exporting gas to 16 countries, 10 of them EU members,the additional volumes from Absheron will diversify supply routes and reduce Europes dependence on Russian gas. According to the technical plan, the Absheron-2 project will begin with the drilling of three subsea wells, with the option to add a fourth in the future. Modern subsea infrastructure will be installed on the seabed, complemented by offshore and onshore pipelines to ensure efficient transport. A key component of the project will be the construction of a Central Processing Facility near the Sangachal Terminal, which will integrate production into Azerbaijans broader energy network. The project scope also includes the construction of offshore and onshore pipelines, including a 143-km subsea pipeline and two shorter underground pipelines connecting to the Southern Gas Corridor. In addition, a coastal gas-condensate terminal will be developed south of the Sangachal Oil and Gas Terminal. According to analysts, drilling is scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2029, using the Karabakh semi-submersible rig, acquired by Caspian Drilling Company in 2024. Hydrocarbons will be transported via pipelines installed by the Israfil Huseynov vessel, ensuring direct integration into Azerbaijans export infrastructure. Discovered in the 1960s, the Absheron field holds an estimated 350 bcm of gas, making it the second-largest in the Caspian after Shah Deniz. Development agreements have evolved over time: SOCAR and TotalEnergies signed the initial deal in 2009, and in August 2023, ADNOC acquired a 30% stake, leaving SOCAR and TotalEnergies with 35% each. This diversified partnership highlights Azerbaijans strategy of engaging global energy majors to share risks and accelerate development. The Absheron-2 project is more than a technical expansion, it is a geopolitical instrument. By boosting production capacity, Azerbaijan enhances its bargaining power in energy diplomacy, particularly with the EU, which seeks secure alternatives amid ongoing global instability. The project also demonstrates Azerbaijans ability to balance domestic energy needs with export ambitions, ensuring long-term economic resilience. 23 March 2026 15:00 (UTC+04:00) By AzerNEWS Staff By the close of 2025, Trend News Agency had surpassed the foremost media outlets of Central Asia and Iran, establishing itself as one of the most relevant and indemand sources of information from the region to the wider world. Independent data from Medialogia confirms this achievement. Supporting diagrams underline Trends leading position in the media landscape. Trend is an independent news agency specialising in coverage of pivotal events and developments across the Caspian Sea region and Central Asia. Its editorial independence and regional expertise have made it a trusted source for audiences worldwide. Medialogia, recognised as a leader in media and social media monitoring and analysis, provides services to major commercial enterprises, government ministries and agencies, as well as regional administrations. The platform automatically monitors around 250,000 outlets, ensuring comprehensive and reliable data. Data for Azerbaijan: Data for Uzbekistan: Data for Turkmenistan: 18 March 2026 10:42 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is considering a new regional initiative involving Azerbaijan titled Cross-border Opportunities via Regional Resilience, Infrastructure, Data, and Open Regulations (CORRIDOR), AzerNEWS reports, citing the bank. Supported by a $1 million grant from the Technical Assistance Special Fund, the project aims to accelerate economic growth, strengthen resilience, and enhance competitiveness across countries in the Asia-Pacific region through the development of regional digital corridors. In addition to Azerbaijan, the initiative brings together a wide range of countries, including Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. The CORRIDOR program is designed to promote secure, inclusive, and interoperable cross-border digital transformation within key subregional platforms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation, Greater Mekong Subregion, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, and South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation. The initiative also serves as an operational mechanism to support preparatory design and regulatory readiness for major projects such as the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway and Connect Asia-Pacific. Key areas of the project focus on knowledge development, capacity building, and partnerships across five priority pillars: Expanding regional connectivity and shared digital infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks, data centers, cloud services, and digital public infrastructure; Promoting trade digitalization and improving supply chain efficiency through the deployment of smart border systems; Aligning regional digital public goods, green data infrastructure, and AI-based systems; Establishing regional investment mechanisms to support tech entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems; Harmonizing digital policies and regulations through model laws and regulatory sandboxes in areas such as cybersecurity, data governance, and digital public infrastructure. 18 March 2026 12:18 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. A contraction in greenhouse farming across Azerbaijan is beginning to weigh on both production and exports, while pushing domestic prices higher, AzerNEWS reports. According to the latest data, Azerbaijan exported 22,310 tons of fresh tomatoes in the first two months of 2026, marking a slight decline compared to the same period last year. The drop reflects broader structural changes in the countrys greenhouse sector. The number of greenhouses has continued to fall. In 2025, a total of... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 18 March 2026 13:39 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Azexport portaloperated by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communicationand Japans Shinseikai, which brings together more than 5,000 members. AzerNEWS reports that the agreement is aimed at expanding access for Azerbaijani products to the Japanese market and fostering direct business-to-business (B2B) ties between entrepreneurs in both countries. The signing ceremony was attended by Aykhan Gadirov, head of the Azexport portal, and Hitoshi Usukura, a representative of Shinseikai. Under the memorandum, the parties will jointly promote sustainable trade relations among companies operating in key sectors, including textiles, agriculture, food processing, and logistics. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing technical standards, certification requirements, and logistics processes that exporters face, as well as enhancing the digital promotion of products. Speaking at the event, Gadirov underscored the importance of the partnership in diversifying Azerbaijans non-oil export geography. He noted that the Japanese market is distinguished by its stringent quality standards and long-standing business traditions. The agreement with Shinseikai, he said, will serve as a vital bridge for integrating Azerbaijani goods into Japans extensive commercial networks. He also highlighted the Azexport portals innovative digital showroom, which enables Japanese buyers to access comprehensive and visually rich information about Azerbaijani products remotely. For his part, Usukura expressed full support for promoting Azerbaijani goods in Japan through the Shinseikai network. He noted that the support mechanisms provided by Azexport for local entrepreneurs, along with its experience in integrating with global e-commerce platforms, have attracted considerable interest among Japanese business circles. As part of the agreement, a series of online B2B meetings and educational events on export procedures will be organized in the near future, bringing together entrepreneurs from both countries. Businesses interested in participating are invited to apply via the Azexport portal. It should be noted that no service fees or commissions are charged for using the Azexport platform. 17 March 2026 21:39 (UTC+04:00) By AzerNEWS Staff On March 17, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum hosted the opening of the solo exhibition by artist Nigar Aliyeva. The opening ceremony was attended by Anar Alakbarov, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, Alena Aliyeva, Deputy Minister of Culture Saadat Yusifova, as well as cultural and art figures. Addressing the event, Director of the National Carpet Museum of Azerbaijan Amina Melikova said that since its inception, the museum has remained steadfast in its mission to support the work of contemporary artists. She noted that despite her young age, the author of the exhibition, Nigar Aliyeva, has been successfully working in the field of art for over 10 years. Amina Melikova emphasized that Nigar Aliyeva is among those rare artists capable of artistically expressing the national heritage, collective memory, and cultural values of Azerbaijan through her works. Such initiatives serve to present the countrys national heritage from a new perspective, reaching a wider audience and reviving tradition through new means of expression in contemporary art. Deputy Minister of Culture Saadat Yusifova mentioned that "Irevan style" is presented in the artist's work with a unique and successful artistic approach. Highlighting the importance of the Novruz holiday, Saadat Yusifova said that it is not only a holiday, but also a sacred value that creates a spiritual bridge between the past and the future, strengthening the sense of hope and faith in people. Noting that she has been developing this project for two years, Nigar Aliyeva stated that she has spared no effort to re-examine the countrys national heritage and introduce Azerbaijani traditions to the younger generation. Expressing her gratitude to those who contributed to the success of the exhibition, the artist underlined that exhibits from various museums were displayed in the exposition. The topics presented were not chosen randomly, each rooted in the history, national memory, and rich artistic heritage of the people. The exhibition features the author's oil-on canvas created in 20242026. Based on her research, the artist turned to national cuisine, jewelry, weaving, embroidery, and other examples of folk applied arts. Her compositions skillfully use ornamental and elements characteristic of classical Azerbaijani painting traditions, especially the subtleties of Mirza Gadim Irevani's style. The exhibition, co-organized by the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and Arts Council Azerbaijan, will run until March 31. 18 March 2026 11:55 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more On March 19, International Mugham Center will host a concert dedicated to the Novruz holiday, AzerNEWS reports. The Honored Collective, the Said Rustamov National Folk Instruments Orchestra, will delight the audience with its performance. The concert will be conducted by Mustafa Ashurov, a Presidential award recipient. The program will feature fresh, spring-themed works by Azerbaijani composers, as well as patriotic and love songs. The musical evening will include examples from the classical composer heritage alongside arrangements of folk songs. The main goal of the concert is to celebrate the arrival of Novruv, the national holiday through the language of music and to bring a festive mood to the audience. Novruz is celebrated by millions of people worldwide including Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and other countries. The holiday was given the status of an official holiday in Azerbaijan by a presidential decree dated 13 March 1990. In 2009, Novruz was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March International Novruz Day a year later. 18 March 2026 16:48 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its engagement with key international organizations to promote cultural and educational exchange. As part of these efforts, the third session of the Azerbaijan National Commission for ICESCO took place at the organization's regional office in Baku, AzerNEWS reports. The meeting was chaired by the Culture Minister and National Commission Chair Adil Karimli, who briefed participants on the agenda and underscored Azerbaijan's longstanding collaboration with ICESCO. The meeting emphasized that developing relations with ICESCO is strategically important for Azerbaijan. Such cooperation enhances the country's standing in the Islamic world, promotes its model of multiculturalism and tolerance, and strengthens the effectiveness of its humanitarian and cultural diplomacy internationally. Minister Karimli highlighted that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and with the support of First Vice-President and ICESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, AzerbaijanICESCO cooperation has reached a new level. The Minister also noted the ongoing support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which has played a key role in implementing joint projects and plans to expand collaboration further in the coming years. Secretary General of the National Commission and Head of the Ministry's International Cooperation Department, Farrukh Jumayev, presented a report on the Secretariat's activities, while Deputy Director of ICESCO's Baku Regional Office, Maryam Gafarzade, confirmed that the office is now fully operational thanks to essential support from the Ministry of Culture. The session also included discussions of the National Commission's Action Plan for 20262028, with members providing feedback and recommendations. The Head of the International Relations Department of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Member of Parliament Soltan Mammadov shared plans for future FoundationICESCO cooperation. The meeting concluded with the launch of the National Commission's official website, further enhancing transparency and outreach in Azerbaijan's engagement with ICESCO. Azerbaijan became a member of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in 1991. Since joining, the country has been actively engaged in safeguarding its Islamic cultural legacy. Azerbaijan has also developed strong partnerships with several key institutions, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, and the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum. Moreover, Shusha has been named the "Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024" by ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 18 March 2026 11:42 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more On March 17, the 15th-century Bukhara caravanserai officially reopened in Icherisheher following extensive restoration and conservation, alongside the launch of the new "BukharArt" art space, AzerNEWS reports. The opening ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Anar Alakbarov, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center; Alena Aliyeva; Saadat Yusifova, Deputy Minister of Culture; Rufat Mahmud, Chairman of the Board of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration; as well as cultural personalities and public representatives. Built along an ancient trade route to shelter Central Asian merchants, the caravanserai has been fully restored through a large-scale project implemented in line with an order by President Ilham Aliyev. The renovation carefully preserved the building's architectural and engineering features while integrating modern solutions to enhance structural durability. Addressing the ceremony, Rufat Mahmud highlighted the restoration's significance for preserving Azerbaijan's historical heritage and passing it on to future generations. He also emphasized that the newly established "BukharArt" will enrich the cultural life of Icherisheher. Restorer Erich Pumer noted the meticulous approach of the project: "The main priority during restoration was to protect the original architectural style and historical characteristics of the monument, while modern engineering techniques were applied to ensure its long-term stability." Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan, underlined the caravanserai's historical role as a meeting place where people from different regions forged trade relations and strengthened cultural ties. He added that the monument reflects the centuries-old friendship between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. After the speeches, attendees toured the fully restored monument. The renovation, carried out over 3.5 years, was led by the internationally renowned Austrian company "Atelier Erich Pummer GmbH" under the direction of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration. Under its new concept, the Bukhara caravanserai has been transformed into a vibrant creative hub for local artisans. The building features 18 rooms, each dedicated to craftsmen working in various art forms. Artisans will demonstrate their skills daily and offer their handcrafted products for sale. The "BukharArt" space will also serve as an interactive cultural venue for local and international visitors, hosting masterclasses to showcase the intricacies of Azerbaijani folk art. Traditional crafts featured include weaving, sculpture, leatherworking, painting, carpet weaving, iron forging, miniature art, artistic ceramics, marbling, and wood carving. With its distinctive architecture and captivating atmosphere, "BukharArt" is poised to become one of Baku's most engaging cultural destinations for both residents and tourists. 18 March 2026 12:57 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Pastries hold a cherished place on the tables of Azerbaijanis, especially during festive celebrations. Wherever you go in Azerbaijan, bakery windows brim with an array of traditional pastries, offering sweet, savory, and tangy options that are sure to delight any palate. Sweet lovers, in particular, will find themselves spoiled for choice. Among the most beloved treats at the Novruz spring holiday are shekerbura, pakhlava, shor gogal, badambura, and mutaki (pastry twists). In total, Azerbaijan boasts over 100 different pastries and sweets, many of which are freshly prepared to mark the arrival of spring. At any Novruz gathering, shekerbura and pakhlava are absolutely indispensable. Nothing satisfies a sweet tooth quite like shekerbura. Shaped like a crescent to symbolize the moon, this pastry is filled with finely ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts mixed with sugar. The dough, made from wheat flour, butter, milk, egg yolks, cream, and yeast, is intricately patterned using traditional tweezers called maggash. Another staple of the Novruz table is pakhlava, a layered pastry combining thin sheets of dough, chopped nuts, and honey. It is usually cut into triangles, diamonds, or rectangles. Every region in Azerbaijan has its own unique version. Baku pakhlava features peeled almonds or walnuts with 810 layers. Ganja pakhlava includes almond, sugar, and cinnamon, baked over a campfire on a copper tray, with 18 layers. Rishta pakhlava has a distinctive top layer made from wheat starch or rice flour. Guba pakhlava is notable for its golden hue, coated with saffron and a red coloring agent, with around 50 layers of rishta. Shaki pakhlava combines rishta layers with a filling of hazelnuts, cardamom, and coriander seeds, finished with syrup. Each variety offers a unique flavor and texture, making pakhlava a true showcase of Azerbaijani pastry artistry. Shor Gogal is a round, golden pastry that represents the sun. Traditionally prepared for Novruz, it features layers of dough seasoned with turmeric and fennel seeds. While once reserved for the holiday, shor gogal is now enjoyed year-round. Badambura, meaning "almond pie," is a multilayered delight filled with almond meal, sugar, and ground cardamom. Its rich, nutty flavor makes it a perfect treat for spring festivities. Mutaki, also called mutakka, are walnut-filled pastry scrolls named after a traditional tube-shaped bolster pillow, which they resemble in shape. These melt-in-your-mouth treats are especially popular during Novruz, offering a simple yet unforgettable taste. Through these irresistible recipes, anyone can bring the flavors of Novruz and Azerbaijani tradition to their own table. Image created with the AI assistance 18 March 2026 16:13 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan National Art Museum has hosted a presentation dedicated to the rich traditions of Uzbek embroidery as part of the "Lecture in the Museum" project, AzerNEWS reports. Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies Binafsha Nodir delivered a lecture titled "Topography of Tradition: Local Identity of Uzbek Embroidery History, Schools, Ornaments, and Meanings." In her talk, she explored the historical development of this ancient art form, its regional characteristics, and the symbolic content of Uzbek ornaments. Uzbek embroidery is a unique form of decorative art that has evolved over centuries. It has served not only as decoration for household items, clothing, and textiles, but also as a means of conveying cultural symbols, beliefs, and aesthetic ideals. Each piece carries regional features and the individual style of the artisan, reflecting the country's rich artistic heritage. The event generated lively interest among attendees. Guests had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the rich artistic heritage of Uzbek embroidery and to appreciate the role of regional traditions in shaping this unique art form. Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az. 18 March 2026 18:00 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more No complaints have been recorded regarding the quality of Azerbaijani gasoline supplied to Armenia, according to Gevorg Papoyan. As reported by AzerNEWS, citing Armenian media, the minister stated that all imported fuel undergoes mandatory quality inspections before entering the domestic market. The quality of Azerbaijani gasoline has been high, Papoyan noted. He also added that some fuel marketed as European in origin is, in fact, Azerbaijani gasoline purchased from Azerbaijan. The remarks come amid a gradual increase in trade between Azerbaijan and Armenia following the easing of transit restrictions. According to recent data, Azerbaijan exported approximately $2.4 million worth of goods to Armenia in January, including petroleum products such as RON95 gasoline and diesel fuel. This upward trend reflects broader efforts to normalize economic relations between Baku and Yerevan in the context of an ongoing peace process. Both sides have exchanged lists of goods for potential trade and are exploring opportunities to expand commercial cooperation. Armenian officials have indicated that, if current momentum continues, bilateral trade could eventually reach hundreds of millions of dollars. Further evidence of deepening practical cooperation emerged in late February 2026, when another shipment from Azerbaijan to Armenia included 39 rail tank cars carrying approximately 4,500 tonnes of diesel fuel. The delivery highlights the growing role of energy trade and transport logistics in strengthening regional economic ties. 18 March 2026 11:10 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more On the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has dispatched another humanitarian aid shipment to the Iran, AzerNEWS reports. The assistance follows a phone conversation between President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on March 8, 2026. The aid aims to support the current needs of the people of Iran, described as a neighboring and friendly nation. The latest shipment totals 82 tons, including 76 tons of food supplies, 4 tons of medicines, and 2 tons of medical equipment. The humanitarian cargo was delivered via five freight trucks. In light of the upcoming Novruz holiday, the aid convoy also includes festive gifts and traditional Novruz goods. Officials from the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Azerbaijan State Reserves Agency have also traveled to Iran to oversee the delivery and handover of the assistance. 18 March 2026 11:03 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, AzerNEWS reports. "Dear Mr. Prime Minister, We were deeply saddened to receive the news of the passing of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, an outstanding religious figure of our time. His Holiness Ilia II devoted his entire life and efforts to noble deeds for the sake of his people and humanity. Through his initiatives aimed at establishing peace, security, solidarity, and interfaith understanding and dialogue among peoples in the Caucasus, His Holiness Ilia II became enshrined in the hearts of millions, regardless of their national or religious affiliation, earning deep respect and sympathy. His Holiness Ilia II made significant contributions to the development and strengthening of the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Sharing the grief of this profound loss, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the entire Georgian people, and the Georgian Orthodox Church, both personally and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan," the letter reads. 18 March 2026 23:56 (UTC+04:00) The post reads: I have been celebrating Novruz in Garabagh for six years. The first time was in 2021, and since then, every year on the eve of Novruz, I have been in Garabagh, where we light the Novruz bonfire together. This is a great happiness. Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to the village of Khanoba in the Khojavend district was posted on his social media accounts, AzerNEWS reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 18 March 2026 11:38 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and KazMunayGaz (KMG) have successfully expanded cooperation on transporting Kazakh oil through Azerbaijan, with total transit volumes reaching 4 million tons, AzerNEWS reports. According to the information, the 427th batch of Kazakh oil departed from the Aktau Port on March 12 aboard the tanker President Heydar Aliyev tanker and arrived at the Sangachal Terminal, operated by Azertrans, on March 13. Of the total volume transported so far... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 18 March 2026 09:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Laos Central Disaster Management Committee recently convened to review past disaster management efforts and outline strategic priorities for 20262030. The goal is to strengthen preparedness, enhance monitoring and emergency response, and accelerate recovery for communities affected by natural hazards, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The meeting, held on Monday in the Lao capital of Vientiane, was chaired by Lao Deputy Prime Minister Chansamone Chanyalath. Officials noted that natural disastersincluding storms, floods, landslides, and flash floodshave become increasingly severe in recent years, driven largely by climate change and human activities. Between 2021 and 2025, Laos experienced 376 natural disasters, impacting more than 1 million people and causing extensive damage to society, agriculture, and critical infrastructure. Several northern provinces, such as Huaphan, Luang Namtha, Xayaboury, and Luang Prabang, which had historically seen limited flooding, reported significant flood damage in 2024 and 2025. These events underscore the growing climate risks the country faces. Speaking at the meeting, Vongkham Phanthanouvong, director general of the Social Welfare Department under the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, emphasized that Laos continues to face multiple hazards, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, disease outbreaks, droughts, and structural fires. The government has made rapid emergency response, infrastructure rehabilitation, and long-term recovery planning top priorities. Disaster recovery projects are now being integrated into the national public investment plan, aiming for a more resilient and climate-adaptive Laos. Experts note that Laos mountainous terrain and dense river systems amplify the impacts of heavy rainfall and flash floods, making early warning systems and community-based preparedness programs crucial. Innovative approaches, such as using drones for flood mapping and mobile apps for disaster alerts, are now being explored to improve real-time response and minimize risks to vulnerable populations. 18 March 2026 06:34 (UTC+04:00) One of the top counterterrorism officials in the United States, Joe Kent, has resigned over his countrys war against Iran, AzerNEWS reports via Aljazeera. On Tuesday, he published a copy of his resignation letter on the social media platform X, addressing his correspondence to US President Donald Trump. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran, Kent wrote. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. 18 March 2026 10:56 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more Amid the ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, Qatars capital, Doha, has once again come under ballistic missile attack, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The Qatar Ministry of Defence said explosions heard over the city were caused by missiles intercepted and destroyed mid-air by the countrys air defense systems. Authorities urged residents to remain calm. The escalation follows a breakdown in negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehrans nuclear program. Since February 28, the United States and Israel have carried out airstrikes against Iranian targets. In response, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military facilities across the region. On the first day of the strikes, Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military officials, was reported killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the countrys third Supreme Leader. Between March 1 and 5, the confrontation expanded further, drawing in multiple countries across the Middle East. The United States has reportedly suffered 13 fatalities and more than 140 injured personnel. The conflict has also placed regional energy infrastructure and maritime transport at significant risk. Heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have driven a sharp rise in global oil prices, while several countries have urged their citizens to leave the region. 18 March 2026 12:24 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew the United States into the conflict, calling it a strategic "miscalculation" in an interview with Al Jazeera, AzerNEWS reports. "Americans were drawn into this war by Israel, or more precisely by Netanyahu himself," Araghchi said. "I think they themselves don't even know what their ultimate objective is." He added Washington shifts its goals daily, citing "regime change dividing Iran collapse of the government [and] unconditional surrender." "Those who are demanding unconditional surrender from us now seek help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz," he said, adding the US "must acknowledge that it made a mistake." Araghchi noted countries including China could mediate, saying Beijing had previously played a "positive" role in brokering agreements between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for a new international framework governing the Strait of Hormuz once the current conflict ends. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Araghchi stated that "after the end of the war, we should design new mechanisms for the Strait of Hormuz and the way ships pass to ensure permanent peaceful passage under specific regulations." He emphasized that this must account for "the interests of Iran and the region." Araghchi stressed that any new protocol should be developed between countries on both sides of the strait, "because they are the main parties to the issue." "We do not believe in a ceasefire. We believe in the end of the war; the end of the war means precisely the end of the war on all fronts to witness peace throughout the region in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and other countries in the region," he added. 18 March 2026 14:52 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more Since late February, when tensions escalated in the Middle East, nearly 90 vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz, AzerNEWS reports, citing Associated Press. According to information, at least 89 ships, including 16 oil tankers, passed through the strait between March 1 and 15. Around 20 percent of these vessels were linked to Iran, while the rest were associated with neutral countries. Experts note that Iran has established a safe corridor allowing certain ships, including its own oil tankers, to continue transit. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei confirmed that several ships had crossed the strait with Tehrans permission. Before U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, daily traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ranged between 100 and 135 vessels. 18 March 2026 14:17 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more U.S. artificial intelligence and robotics companies are sounding the alarm over Chinas rapid progress in humanoid robotics, urging lawmakers to take action against rising competitors such as Unitree Robotics, AzerNEWS reports. The warnings came during a congressional hearing held by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee of the US House Committee on Homeland Security, where industry leaders highlighted what they described as both competitive and national security risks tied to Chinese advancements. Executives from firms including Scale AI and Boston Dynamics called on the U.S. government to adopt a coordinated strategy to counter Chinas growing dominance in humanoid robotics. Among the proposals discussed were expanding export controls on advanced AI chips, launching investigations into potential security threats posed by Chinese robotics firms, and restricting federal agencies from purchasing certain foreign-developed AI technologies. A key example cited during the hearing was Unitree Robotics recent public demonstration during Chinas Lunar New Year gala, where humanoid robots performed complex martial arts routines, including backflips and trampoline-assisted jumps. Max Fenkell of Scale AI pointed to the rapid pace of improvement, noting that similar robots had struggled with basic movements just a year earlier. The leap in capability, he suggested, reflects how quickly the technological gap may be narrowing. The debate underscores growing concern in Washington that humanoid robotics could become the next major front in the broader U.S.China technological rivalry, alongside semiconductors and artificial intelligence. 18 March 2026 16:29 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Iranian regime is in "chaos, and the situation is expected to worsen soon," an unnamed Israeli intelligence official told CNN in a report published on Wednesday, AzerNEWS reports. The source claimed that the government is "struggling to form policy, make decisions and issue orders between military and political levels." The airstrikes carried out by Israel and the United States since February 28 have killed a number of senior Iranian political and military officials, most recently Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani. According to the report, an Israeli military official added that Israel is now "hunting generals 24 hours around the clock, so its hard for them to function." Israeli attacks have intensified across Iran and Lebanon, with dozens reported killed and wounded. In retaliation for the killings of its security chief, Ali Larijani, and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, Iran has launched more attacks on Israel, resulting in at least two fatalities in Israel. Irans Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, asserts that Tehrans political system remains strong and that the assassination of its leaders will not undermine the country. In addition, attacks have targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, while Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates report intercepting drones and missiles. 18 March 2026 20:46 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Brazilian scientists have discovered a new species of giant dinosaur closely related to a similar animal found in Spain, providing fresh evidence of ancient land connections between South America, Africa, and Europe around 120 million years ago, AzerNEWS reports. The species, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, is considered one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered in Brazil. Its description was published this month in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. The fossils were uncovered in 2021 during infrastructure work near Davinopolis, in the northeastern state of Maranhao. Among the remains, researchers found a thigh bone measuring about 1.5 meters, which helped estimate the dinosaurs total length at roughly 20 meters. As the excavation continued, we began to uncover parts of this massive bonea femurwhich clearly indicated the animal was enormous, said Leonardo Kerber from the Federal University of Santa Maria, who took part in the study. We now know that Dasosaurus is among the largest dinosaurs ever found in Brazil. Further analysis shows that this species is the closest known relative of Garumbatitan morellensis, which was discovered in Spain. Scientists believe their common ancestors originated in Europe and later spread to what is now South America around 130 million years ago, likely traveling through North Africa before the Atlantic Ocean fully opened. The name Dasosaurus tocantinensis reflects the region where it was found, particularly the nearby Tocantins River, one of the major waterways in the area. Interestingly, discoveries like this help scientists reconstruct how continents once fit together as part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Finds of related species on different continents act like biological clues, showing how dinosaurs migrated long before the continents drifted apart into their current positions. 18 March 2026 20:00 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Replacing Ali Larijani, reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike, is emerging as a critical challenge for Irans political leadership, with attention now turning to potential successors who could redefine the countrys strategic direction. Larijani was indeed a remarkable individual - an adherent of Kant, a Western philosopher, and an intellectual. This conveyed to the world that Iran was not merely a theocratic regime. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is legally responsible for appointing the next secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, a position widely seen as one of the most powerful in the country. Early indications suggest that Saeed Jalili, a prominent hardliner and former nuclear negotiator, is the leading candidate. Jalili, born in 1965 in Mashhad, comes from a mixed background, with Kurdish and South Azerbaijani roots. A graduate of Imam Sadiq University, where he later taught political science, he rose through the ranks of Irans diplomatic and security establishment. A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, Jalili was seriously wounded in combat and lost his right leg, earning him the nickname living martyr among supporters. His political career began at Irans foreign ministry, where he served in key roles, including as deputy for European and American affairs, before moving into the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In 2007, then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed Jalili as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, making him Irans chief nuclear negotiator. He became known for his uncompromising stance in talks with Western powers and later opposed the 2015 nuclear agreement. Jalili has also been a recurring figure in Irans presidential politics, running in multiple elections. He placed third in 2013, withdrew in favor of Ebrahim Raisi in 2021 at Khameneis request, and lost in the second round of the 2024 election to Pezeshkian. Currently a member of the Expediency Council, Jalili is widely viewed as a leading representative of Irans hardline faction. Iran analyst Aras Azizi describes him as the leader of the most anti-Western and extremist part of the regime, suggesting that his appointment would signal a decisive shift away from Larijanis more pragmatic approach. Larijani, by contrast, had built a reputation as a centrist figure capable of navigating internal divisions and engaging with international counterparts. His role in balancing competing factions made him a key decision-maker in Tehrans power structure. Analysts warn that Jalilis rigid stance could complicate Irans ability to manage its current challenges, particularly amid ongoing regional tensions. Azizi notes that Irans powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may prefer a figure with stronger military credentials, given the current security environment. The appointment carries broader implications beyond internal politics. As the Supreme National Security Council has become a central hub of decision-making, the choice of successor is expected to shape Irans posture in any future negotiations, particularly with the United States and Israel. Following reports of Larijanis death, Jalili issued a statement, quoted by the state-run Tasnim News Agency, declaring that such actions will not save the weak enemy from the quagmire in which it is trapped; on the contrary, they will accelerate the course of its defeat and humiliation. The decision over Larijanis successor may prove pivotal not only for Irans internal balance of power but also for the trajectory of regional geopolitics. 18 March 2026 23:30 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva The New Zealand government is set to introduce a bill today that will tighten rules on deportation, asylum, and immigration enforcement, AzerNEWS reports. Officials say the changes are aimed at addressing serious crimes, preventing exploitation of migrants, and tackling allegations of unfair practices in the immigration system. The changes will provide authorities with proportionate tools to manage immigration risks while ensuring the fairness, functionality, and effectiveness of the system, said Erica Stanford. Key provisions of the bill include extending the period during which a citizen can be deported for committing serious criminal offenses from 10 to 20 years, increasing the maximum sentence for exploiting migrants from seven to 10 years, and expanding authorities powers to act against false or misleading information provided during immigration processes. This bill reflects a global trend where governments are balancing stricter immigration enforcement with the protection of human rights. Analysts note that while these measures may deter criminal activity and protect vulnerable migrants, they also raise important questions about due process and the rights of long-term residents who may face deportation under the new rules. 18 March 2026 20:21 (UTC+04:00) AzerNEWS Staff Read more Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a warning urging people to stay away from major oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, citing the risk of imminent attacks. As reported by AzerNEWS, according to the statement, the warning specifically targets areas surrounding key energy sites, including Saudi Arabias Samref refinery and Al-Jubail petrochemical complex, the UAEs Al-Hosn gas field, and Qatars Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Ras Laffan processing facilities. The IRGC said these locations could come under direct fire in the coming hours, calling on nearby residents to leave the vicinity immediately. The warning comes amid rapidly escalating tensions following the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States. Since February 28, the United States and Israel have launched airstrikes on Iranian targets. In response, Iran has carried out missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military positions across the region. On the first day of the strikes, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior military officials were reported killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts appointed his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the countrys third Supreme Leader. Between March 1 and 5, the confrontation widened, drawing in multiple countries across the Middle East. U.S. officials have reported 13 fatalities and more than 140 injuries among their forces. The conflict has placed regional energy infrastructure and maritime routes under severe threat. Heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have already driven a sharp increase in global oil prices, while several countries have urged their citizens to leave the region. Redfish Music Fest Returns to South Oregon Coast, March 26 - 29 Published 03/12/26 at 7:55 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Port Orford, Oregon) - As tasty as any well-done seafood and as beautiful as the local scenery: Port Orford, Bandon, Coos Bay and Brookings are again the sites of some lovely musical offerings. The Redfish Music Festival returns to the Southern Oregon coast this spring with a four-city piano trio tour beginning Thursday, March 26, at Zion Lutheran Church in Port Orford. The Redfish Piano Trio contains the soaring talents of violinist and festival director Fritz Gearhart, cellist Andrew Smith, and Grammy-nominated pianist Genevieve Feiwen Lee. Their program includes works by Mel Bonis, Frank Martin, and Robert Schumann. The concert opens with Soir et Matin, Op. 76 by Mel Bonis, a French composer whose music has been receiving renewed attention in recent years. Bonis, a graduate of the Paris Conservatoire and a contemporary of Debussy, wrote more than 300 works and often used a gender-neutral pen name to navigate the limitations placed on women composers in 19th-century France. The trio then performs Frank Martins Trio on Irish Folk Tunes, written in 1925 and built around ten traditional Irish melodies shaped into a lively and distinctive chamber piece. The program concludes with Schumanns Piano Trio in F major, one of his most lyrical and enduring chamber works. Tickets are available at a 2-for-1 rate in advance through Eventbrite or for $20 at the door. Children and students under 18 are admitted free. Free tickets may also be requested by email at redfishmusicfestival@gmail.com. Tour dates: Thursday, March 26, 7:00 pm Zion Lutheran Church, 2015 Washington St, Port Orford Friday, March 27, 7:00 pm First Presbyterian Church, 2238 Pony Creek Rd, North Bend Saturday, March 28, 3:00 pm Trinity Lutheran Church, 1200 Easy Street, Brookings Sunday, March 29, 3:00 pm First Presbyterian Church, 592 Edison Ave SW, Bandon A reception will follow the Bandon performance on March 29. Founded in 2021, the Redfish Music Festival is named for the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve off Port Orford. The festival presents concerts year-round featuring internationally recognized musicians and hosts a Young Artist Fellowship Program each summer. It also maintains a strong focus on community education, bringing classical music into local schools to inspire young musicians. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Find a Place to Stay Oregon Coast Hotels More Locations Astoria Hotels Seaside Hotels Cannon Beach Hotels Nehalem Bay Hotels Manzanita Hotels Three Capes Hotels Pacific City Hotels Lincoln City Hotels Depoe Bay Hotels Newport Hotels Waldport Hotels Yachats Hotels Reedsport Hotels Coos Bay Hotels Bandon Hotels Port Orford Hotels Gold Beach Hotels Brookings Hotels Southern Coast Hotels Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals Oregon Coast Lodging Specials OREGON COAST HOTEL REVIEWS (hit refresh to see different reviews) Vacation Rentals Just Got Cheaper on N. Oregon Coast: Season Lows Around Paci... Some major specials at places to stay around Neskowin, Pacific City, Tierra Del Mar. Pacific City hotel reviews, Pacific City specials New Oregon Coast Hotel with Old World Charm Like stepping back in time on the beachfront in Seaside, except with modern amenities around you. Seaside hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel review Off The Beaten Path In Lincoln City, View to Gnarly or Nice on Oregon Coast Nothing but surf and lovely amenities in a hidden part of Lincoln City. Lincoln City hotel reviews. Pelican Shores Inn Old, Authentic Oregon Coast Motor Lodge Converted Into Colorful Boutique Motel History and histrionics: one outstanding yet funky little motel on the outer edges. Newport hotel reviews, lodging news, Newport lodging What's Old Is New Again: N. Oregon Coast's Tolovana Inn Redecorates, Winter B... New decor at the hotel hotspot, winter brings drama below. Cannon Beach hotel reviews Some New Options for Spending the Night at N. Oregon Coast's Pacific City At least four new finds in the world of vacation rentals. Pacific City hotel reviews, Pacific City vacation rental news South Oregon Coast Hotels S. Coast Hotels: Reedsport, Winchester Bay, Coos Bay, Bandon, Gold Beach, Brookings. S Coast Hotel Reviews Yachats Hotels - Oregon Coast Yachats Hotels, hotel reviews from Yachats, hotel news, vacation rentals Photo Manuela Durson Fine Arts More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles) Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Washington Coast Clam Digs Given Green Light in March Published 03/13/26 at 7:55 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Long Beach, Washington) - Just in time for some spring breakers, Washington's coast opens up to clam digging. (Photo courtesy WDFW) The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has approved razor clam digging at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, and Mocrocks from March 17 through March 24. "March is finally here and with it comes longer days, the shift to morning harvest, and hopefully better weather," said Bryce Blumenthal, a WDFW coastal shellfish biologist. "This next tide series will start off with our last few evening digs, then switch to spring morning tides to kick off weekend digging and the Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival." Meanwhile, on the Oregon coast, sport razor-clam harvesting is closed from Cape Blanco south to the California border because of high domoic acid levels. It is open, however, from Port Orford up through Seaside and Warrenton. Copalis and Mocrocks will not be open every day, and diggers are encouraged to confirm beach openings before traveling. All openings depend on marine toxin testing by the Washington State Department of Health, which requires domoic acid levels to fall below state safety thresholds before a beach can open. Final clearance typically occurs within a week of each tide series. Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin produced by certain algae and can be harmful if consumed in high amounts. Current toxin levels are posted on WDFWs domoic acid webpage. Recent biotoxin closures affecting other shellfish species do not apply to razor clams or crab. Some species accumulate toxins more quickly and retain them longer, and DOHs shellfish safety map outlines which species are safe to harvest. Late afternoon and evening digs (noon to midnight only) are scheduled for: March 17, Tuesday, 6:21 p.m., 0.2 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis; March 18, Wednesday, 6:54 p.m., 0.3 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis; and March 19, Thursday, 7:28 p.m., 0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks. Morning digs (midnight to noon only) are scheduled for: March 20, Friday, 8:00 a.m., -0.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival); March 21, Saturday, 8:43 a.m., -0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis (Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival); March 22, Sunday, 9:29 a.m., -0.6 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis (Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival); March 23, Monday, 10:22 a.m., -0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks; and March 24, Tuesday, 11:21 a.m., -0.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, with digging extended until 1 p.m. Additional tentative morning low-tide dates include: April 1, Wednesday, 6:45 a.m., 0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks; April 2, Thursday, 7:22 a.m., 0.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks; April 3, Friday, 7:57 a.m., -0.2 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis; April 4, Saturday, 8:32 a.m., -0.2 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis; April 5, Sunday, 9:08 a.m., -0.1 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks; April 6, Monday, 9:46 a.m., 0.2 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks; and April 7, Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 0.5 feet, Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis. WDFW notes that the most successful digging typically occurs one to two hours before low tide. The daily limit on all open beaches is 15 clams per person, and each digger must keep the first 15 clams they harvest and store them separately. A valid 20252026 license is required for anyone 16 or older, and WDFW encourages purchasing licenses before traveling to coastal communities. Kalaloch Beach will remain closed due to continued low numbers of harvestable clams. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Find a Place to Stay Oregon Coast Hotels More Locations Astoria Hotels Seaside Hotels Cannon Beach Hotels Nehalem Bay Hotels Manzanita Hotels Three Capes Hotels Pacific City Hotels Lincoln City Hotels Depoe Bay Hotels Newport Hotels Waldport Hotels Yachats Hotels Reedsport Hotels Coos Bay Hotels Bandon Hotels Port Orford Hotels Gold Beach Hotels Brookings Hotels Southern Coast Hotels Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals Oregon Coast Lodging Specials OREGON COAST HOTEL REVIEWS (hit refresh to see different reviews) Two Shimmering Examples of Oregon Coast Historical Inns at Lincoln City To get a truly historic experience, however, you have to go back a ways. Lincoln City hotel reviews. Inn at Wecoma, Whistling Winds Vacation Homes with Kitchens in High Demand for Holiday on Oregon Coast, Here... From Washington coast down through Depoe Bay: what vacation rentals are open. Hotel news, lodging news, Depoe Bay hotel reviews, Newport hotel reviews, Lincoln City hotel reviews Secluded N. Oregon Coast Villa Overlooks Cannon Beach, Peaks A massive vacation rental home near the Ecola State Park. Cannon Beach hotel reviews, Cannon Beach vacation rentals Capping Either End of Cannon Beach: Two Different Charmers of the N. Oregon C... Like a pair of bookends, two of its more engaging places to stay cap either end. Cannon Beach hotel reviews, Schooner's Cove Inn, the Wayside Inn, Seaside hotel reviews More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles) Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Tennessee is tackling the problem of schools being overrun with illegal aliens with new legislation. A bill that is working its way through the legislature would require public and charter schools to verify the immigration status of all of their students. The bill has already passed the state senate and just was reported out favorably from committee in the House. The senate version adds another wrinkle. It would deny enrollment to those in the country illegally unless they pay tuition. The ultimate problem however is an outlandish US Supreme Court decision that purports to require states to educate foreign students. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/overturning-outlandish-supreme-court-ruling-only-way-fix-education Swiss voters in a referendum made their country the second in Europe to reject the idea of a central bank digital currency by enshrining a right to real physical currency into their national Constitution. This is regarded as a key issue for citizen privacy because a central bank digital currency would allow government to see everything a citizen is doing financially. Voters approved the measure in a referendum by 73.4% and it passed in all 23 of Switzerland's cantons. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/switzerlands-cash-enshrinement-in-the-constitution-is-a-win-for-liberty/ The European Union has been pushing creation of a "digital euro" for some time, and globalists elsewhere, including here in the US have also been working for replacing physical cash with central bank digital currency. Privacy advocates in most countries are pushing strongly against this concept. This referendum was strongly promoted by the populist nationalist anti-immigration Swiss Peoples Party, which is the largest party in the Swiss parliament. The next upcoming national referendum is another proposal by the Swiss Peoples Party to cap the national population at 10 million people by highly restricting migrants being allowed into the country. Polls predict that referendum will also pass by a wide margin. A lot of public policy is set by citizen referendum in Switzerland. In another recent referendum, Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed "climate tax". 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. Five days after a 1997 Pittsfield Mets championship ring was stolen, an unknown person silently returned it to Baseball in the Berkshires by leaving it at the museum's soon-to-open Lee location, Director Larry Moore said. Theodore Theo Bland admitted in federal court that he killed two out-of-state drug dealers, including a Pittsfield man, in Lowell, Vermont, and stole fentanyl and crack cocaine tied to a wider trafficking conspiracy. A plea agreement calls for consecutive life sentences for Bland, who acknowledged the killings and a series of drug and firearm offenses connected to the 2023 case. Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. On a recent school day in a Clarksburg School history class, students received a valuable lesson on a subject we all should brush up on: civic engagement. Eighth-graders in teacher Mark Karhans class wrote letters to state lawmakers including Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Karen Driscoll and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Aaron Michlewitz as part of a grassroots campaign calling for more rural aid to Massachusetts schools. Thats a movement we can get behind. Like these young members of a rural Northern Berkshire school community, weve written about the need for increased state support school districts in oft-overlooked corners of the commonwealth, especially in Western Massachusetts. Beyond the righteousness of this particular cause, getting young people involved in some hands-on civics education is always a good thing. These kids are not only learning about the governmental mechanisms that affect their daily lives through the impact on their public school district; theyre also getting a grasp on the power and responsibility they have as citizens in shaping those institutions. Were thankful there are educators out there like Mr. Karhan who see the benefit in incorporating these lessons into the contemporary curriculum, and its all the more critical in this Clarksburg history classroom at the intersection of youth citizenship and rural solidarity. So many of our small towns have historically been denied their fair share of attention from Beacon Hill, whether its rural school districts dealing with unique challenges or infrastructure woes that never seem to be addressed as quickly in Great Barrington as they are in Boston. On top of honing their skills in writing and persuasion, these kids are learning that the promise of democracy to the disenfranchised is the ability to speak together out of many voices, one. When they write state leaders in favor of boosting rural education aid, theyre advocating for their own school as well as others theyll never attend. In doing so, they discover that the right kinds of democratic participation allow us to simultaneously speak up for ourselves, our neighbors, our community and those with distant but shared struggles. In addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, an important lesson for our young neighbors to learn is that lifes challenges, from the personal to the political, must be met not with despair but with engagement. In fact, its a lesson our neighbors of all ages need reminding of right now. There are two very vivid descriptions that mark the introduction of these two beasts. Here is the first one. The Beast out of the Sea The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast (Revelation 13:1-3). One of the symbolisms seen often in biblical prophecy is that of a horn. In Scripture, horns represent power and authority. There are two things to notice about this beast in Revelation. First, there is a great parallel between this beast in Revelation 13 and the one described in Daniel 7. If you have not done so I would encourage you to read Daniel 7 and you will see many of the parallels. Simply put, its easy to see that Daniel and John in Revelation are referring to the same beast. Second, this beast in Revelation will come out from the sea, which represents the Gentiles. So this leader will be a Gentile ruler. He will rule over a ten-nation confederacy. This beast will have great power and authority given to him by the dragon or Satan. The identity of this beast is viewed by many to be the Antichrist. Before I give further analysis lets identify the other beast and then put it all together. The Beast out of the Earth Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people (Rev. 13:11-13). This second beast comes out of the earth, which many agree means that it is coming out of Israel. This beast will also have power and if you notice they will cause people to worship the first beast or Antichrist. Because this leader will be some type of religious leader he is often referred to as the False Prophet. Lets look beyond what the two beasts are in Revelation 13 and consider how these three work together. Photo credit: Getty Images/slavasam777 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. Timothee Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides amid scenes of intergalactic war and bloody battles in a first-look trailer for Dune: Part Three. The upcoming film is the final instalment in the hit sci-fi franchise, and will take place 17 years after the events of the second film as it follows the consequences of Atreides rise as galactic emperor. The dramatic, war-ridden trailer was released by Warner Bros on Tuesday and opens with the Hollywood star, 30, in an embrace with his partner Chani, played by Zendaya. The pair discuss what they would call their baby, and Chani says: If we have a girl, what would we name her? Atreides says he would call their daughter Ghanima, which is a name native to the fictional Fremen people in the film, meaning spoils of war. Advertisement He adds: She would need to be strong like her mother. Chani then says if the pair have a boy, she would name him Leto so that he would have the wisdom of his grandfather. The trailer then shows a glimpse of a babys head, before cutting to Atreides in body armour and wielding a sword while his voice can be heard saying: War feeds on itself. Atreides is then seen in conversation with his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and says: The more I fight, the more enemies fight back. Chanting can then be heard in the background as clips show British actress Florence Pugh reprising her role as Princess Irulan, removing the hood of her cloak. Another clip shows Robert Pattinson sporting a platinum blond buzzcut and staring menacingly in his role as Scytale, who is a new addition to the films and is described as wanting to dethrone Atreides. As the chanting grows louder, the trailer leads into scenes of violence and fighting and Chalamets voice whispers: Im doing the best I can to protect my family. The chanting stops and cuts back to Atreides speaking to Lady Jessica, and he asks: How did father do it? To which she responds: Your father never started a war. The trailer then cuts to more gory scenes of battle, war and fighting and shows a glimpse of American actress Anya Taylor-Joy, who will be joining the star-studded cast as Atreides sister Alia. US star Jason Momoa is also seen in the trailer at the centre of the action, during a fight scene, as Hayt, a resurrection of his character Duncan Idaho who died in the first film. Advertisement Spanish actor Javier Bardem will return as Stilgar for Dune: Part Three. Chalamets character then climbs to the top of a plinth in front of a crowd, and in a voiceover he says: Im not afraid to die. But I must not die, yet. The trailer ends with a dramatic clip of Chani running towards an unseen adversary, before fading to black. In between clips, text on screen reads: This December, experience the epic conclusion of the Dune trilogy. The film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is the third instalment in the franchise, which is based on the eponymous 1960s sci-fi novel series by author Frank Herbert. Dune: Part Three is set to be released in cinemas across Ireland on December 18th. A man on trial for the murder of his partner can only be found guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter as he made an admission in evidence that he killed her. The jury at the trial of Adam Corcoran, who is charged with the murder of Daena Walsh at their home in John Barry House, Connolly Street in Midleton, Co Cork two years ago have been told by the trial judge that the verdict of not guilty of murder is not open to them. Mr Corcoran, who is a native of Ballincollig in Co Cork, also denies a charge of arson in the same location on the same date. Wicklow mother of two Daena Walsh (27) was found dead in a burning apartment on the afternoon of August 2nd, 2024. She had sustained 11 stab wounds and 14 incised wounds. She also had a partially amputated left arm. Advertisement The jury of eight men and four women will resume their deliberations on Thursday. They deliberated for one hour and 36 minutes on Wednesday at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork. In her charge to the jury earlier on Wednesday, Judge Siobhan Lankford said that two verdicts were open to the jury on the most serious charge guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. (A verdict of) not guilty (of murder) is not open to you given that Mr Corcoran has said he killed Ms Walsh. Meanwhile, under cross-examination by Prosecution senior counsel Donal OSullivan earlier this week Mr Corcoran (31) said Yes, I killed her, yes. He also accepted that it wasnt in self-defence. However, he denied a suggestion put to him by Mr OSullivan that he had tried to dismember the body of his long-term partner. He also replied no when asked if he had started a fire at the apartment on the day his partner was found dead. Mr Corcoran said that he told gardai that Walsh had killed herself, as that is what he believed happened at the time. However, he indicated that after a period of months, he remembered what happened. Mr Corcoran said that in the two-week period before the death of Ms Walsh, the couple had been drinking to excess and using cocaine as well as taking Xanax, Valium and Benzodiazepines. He insisted that he never intended to kill or cause serious harm to Ms Walsh. He also said that he loved her very much Advertisement Ireland Rapist and murderer who abused young cousin in Longford will need close monitoring, judge warns Read more In his closing speech to the jury, defence senior counsel, Brendan Grehan, said that there was no intention to murder in the case. He insisted that it was a a manslaughter case not a murder case. However, Mr OSullivan in his closing speech to the jury for the prosecution, said that Corcoran had lied so much that they could not rely on a word that he uttered. The jury previously heard from State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney who said that Ms Walsh had a gaping wound to her chest, a slit throat and a partially amputated left arm. One wound to her chest was 11.5cm in depth and some of her clothing was found lodged in her bones. Dr McCartney said that Walsh had multiple sharp force injuries to her face, neck, chest and abdomen which led to hypovolemic shock and cardio-respiratory arrest. Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who is chair of the European Housing Advisory Board, has called for the establishment of vacant homes teams for every local authority to speed up the process whereby vacant properties can be refurbished. Every council now has a vacant homes officer, but I think that needs to be a team rather than an individual. And we need to work with people who have such properties to bring them through the complicated administrative process, their design and building process, and the grant process, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show. We need to actually hold and help those owners so that they can get through what is a complicated process. Ryan was responding to a report from the Vacant to Vibrant Housing Alliance which indicated that up to 120,000 homes could be refurbished in towns and cities across the country. Advertisement The analysis from across Europe was that Ireland was not alone in having a housing crisis. Existing buildings were not being effectively used, he said. The latest figures of new builds indicated that targets were not being met so the government needed to look for alternative means to provide housing. There were existing premises in the centre of villages, towns and cities that could provide accommodation quicker, cheaper, with better environmental and social benefits. People will know there's a vacant property refurbishment grant. Now there's about 16,000 people have applied for that, about 12,000 approved, about 4,500 actually done, but we need to expand that and do a lot more. We have a Living Cities Initiative introduced 11 years ago now, but it hasn't delivered the scale of refurbishment we need because it's complicated, because you've complicated different building standards, different fire regulations, disability rules, all sorts of other rain difficulties that makes it complicated. It's more expensive than people maybe originally thought, but it's not as expensive as building new because that has to be serviced and provided with power. A former school principal described by a judge as a sexual predator who abused young boys in their formative years has been jailed for four years. Patrick Harte (84) was employed as a teacher at Sancta Maria Christian Brothers school on Synge Street, Dublin, from 1967 to 2007, latterly as a principal. This fourth set of prosecutions brings to 89 his number of convictions for sexual or indecent assaults of young boys. After a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last December, a jury convicted Harte of 17 counts of indecent or sexual assault committed against boys in various date ranges between 1969 and 1986. Harte, of Glendown Park, Templeogue, Dublin 6, had pleaded not guilty to all charges and continues to deny any offending. The eight victims in this case bring to 32 the number of boys abused by Harte. Harte does not accept the verdict of the jury and maintains his innocence. Advertisement Sentencing Harte on Wednesday, Judge Martina Baxter said that the offences were repetitive and continued in a brazen fashion. She said they occurred in a classroom that had an atmosphere of physical punishment and fear and said the young boys were humiliated, being abused in public in front of their classmates. Baxter commended the victims for coming forward and giving evidence during trial, noting that some of them travelled from abroad and others travelled from other areas of Ireland. She described the victim impact statements provided to the court as eloquent and poignant and said they were a powerful reminder of how such traumas impact children. The judge told counsel that she had received a letter from Harte. She said it was very inappropriate for a trial judge to be contacted by the accused. She handed the letter to both prosecuting and defence barristers and said she does not intend to read it. Garrett McCormack, defending, told the judge that Harte instructs, following a brief consultation this morning, that he wrote to her because he didnt get the opportunity to address her previously at the sentence hearing. Baxter said Harte had addressed her previously, but at that time, he spoke of the previous trials. She said she has no concern with the other cases, only the case that is currently before her, and she said she has no intention of being addressed by Harte. She said Harte was in a trusted position and he exploited his position to abuse the children. She said the offences represented a significant breach of trust and there was often a degree of repetition and pre-planning involved. Advertisement Judge Baxter said Harte had shown a lack of remorse and contrition. She noted his previous attempts to address the court and said, in that brief interlude he tried to make reference to previous complainants complainants who were not involved in the current case. She said Harte is very familiar with the court process and maintained in evidence before the jury that he never abused a child, despite the earlier convictions from the previous trials. Ireland 'Unfortunate situation' leads to jury discharge in murder trial Read more Judge Baxter said Harte has no prospect of rehabilitation. She noted that there was a change in legislation during the offending period, which increased the penalty available to the court from a maximum of two years to one of 10 years. Judge Baxter imposed various different sentences and ordered that all of those sentences should be concurrent to each other. The effective sentence is a prison term of four years. She did not suspend any part of the sentence as she said: there is no evidence of remorse or insight, no evidential basis to justify a suspended sentence. Gerry Adams was a major, major player in the war, according to one of his former friends who was an IRA volunteer, the High Court in London has heard. Brendan Hughes said the words during a recorded interview that was played in court to Adams, who is giving evidence in defence of a legal claim brought against him by three victims of bombings in England by the Provisional IRA in the 1970s and 1990s. John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council, and are seeking 1 in damages. Advertisement The former Sinn Fein president denies the allegations and is defending the claim, telling the court that he had no involvement whatsoever in the bombings and was never a member of the Provisional IRA. I defended the use of armed struggle when I thought it was appropriate Gerry Adams Hughes and Adams were at Long Kesh prison together in the early 1970s and they were together the day before Hughes died in 2008, the court heard. On Wednesday, after playing the clip in which Hughes calls Adams a major player, Max Hill KC, for the three bombing victims, said: You were, werent you Mr Adams? And you deny it. Adams said: I was president of Sinn Fein for 35 years, deeply involved in the struggle. I defended the use of armed struggle when I thought it was appropriate. Im not boasting but I dont deny that I was a person of interest, of influence, and I used that influence as best I could to move from war to peace and that is, thankfully, what we are enjoying to this day. Hill also quoted a passage from the book Say Nothing, in which Hughes gave an interview saying that Adamss IRA membership was common knowledge. He said: The British know it. The people on the street know it. The dogs know it on the street. And hes standing there denying it. Hill also described Hughes as a proud IRA volunteer until his death. Gerry Adams previously told the court that he had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the bombings in England (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Adams replied: I dont know what his status was. Its interesting that the direction from the claimants counsel was that I was helping, involved, in those armed actions and those decisions to bring the war to Britain, while those who were against what we were doing saw us as traitors. Advertisement On Tuesday, Adams told the court that while he did not distance himself from the Provisional IRA, he was glad the organisation had left the stage and that there were dastardly things that were done that should never have been done. In his witness statement, he also said that he had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the three bombings. Anne Studd, for the bomb victims, previously told the trial that being a member of Sinn Fein and a member of the Provisional IRA was a distinction without a difference for some individuals, including Adams. Studd also told the court that Adams had a foot in each camp of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement. The barrister continued that Adams was directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996. The trial before Judge Swift is expected to end later in March. The level of Ketamine detected in Dublins wastewater has risen by 42 per cent in a year. Samples from the Ringsend Treatment plant were examined by researchers from the European Drugs Agency (EDA) along with 114 other cities. Ketamine is a short-acting anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. It is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety, but also abused by recreational users. The rise is in line with a wider increase across European cities, according to the EDA. "From 2024 to 2025, overall, the loads of ketamine detected in wastewater in European cities increased by 41 per cent," the report stated. It found that around 50 per cent of the cities showed higher loads of ketamine in wastewater during the weekend than during weekdays, reflecting the predominant use of ketamine in recreational settings. Measuring illicit drug levels and numbers of microbes related to infectious diseases are proven public health indicators. During the Covid-19 pandemic extensive testing of Irish wastewaters was conducted to get an indication of virus levels circulating in particular areas. Joao Matias, Principal Scientific Analyst at the agency, said that those who use drugs need to "pay particular attention" to know exactly what is in the substances they are consuming. A man in his forties has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 31-year-old father of one in Cork city. The man is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a garda station in Cork city. He is being held in connection with the murder of the victim, a Ukrainian national who has lived in Ireland since he was a child. The victim was stabbed in the Lower John Street/Knapps Square area at 7.50pm on Monday. He had left his home to get food at a nearby shop in the Shandon Street area. The man managed to make his way home to his apartment in Camden Court on Carrolls Quay. However, he collapsed at the property. His wife contacted the emergency services and gardai. Advertisement Efforts were made to save him at the scene. However, he was pronounced dead at the property by a local doctor. A forensic examination of the scene was carried out. A postmortem examination was carried out on Tuesday at Cork University Hospital by Dr Sally Anne Collis. The results have not been released for operational reasons. However, the death was upgraded to a murder probe. Gardai have carried out door to door inquiries in the area. CCTV from the area is also being examined. A Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room has been established at Watercourse Road Garda Station. A Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to support the family of the deceased. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward. In particular they would like to speak to taxi drivers and motorists who were in the area at the time. Anyone who was in Devonshire Street, Knapps Square, Lower John Street areas of Cork city between 7.30pm and 9pm yesterday and who may have camera footage (including home security and dash-cam) is asked to provide this footage to investigating Gardai. Members of the public with information are asked to contact Mayfield Garda Station on (021) 4558510, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. The Minister for Justice has defended the Taoiseachs meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, saying he did an excellent job. At Leaders Questions on Wednesday, the Labour Party and People Before Profit leaders criticised Micheal Martins appearance with the US president at St Patricks Day events in Washington DC. Labours Ivana Bacik said: The Taoiseach sat silent, utterly sidelined, while US President Trump ranted and raved about Europe, about Nato, about wind farms, about Keir Starmer, about immigration and much more. And she said it was deeply disappointing he did not push back harder against Trumps delusional ramblings. In particular to condemn Trumps illegal war on Iran, she said. Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan (PA) Representing the Government, Jim OCallaghan said: Any fair-minded person looking at the events in the White House yesterday would recognise that the Taoiseach did an excellent job in extremely challenging circumstances. Had the Labour Party been in power, he said, Ms Bacik would not have made the trip as she had made the decision in advance of the visit that the Taoiseach shouldnt go there. Advertisement So had the Labour Party been in Government, there would have been no engagement in respect of the United States of America. I thought it was a real advantage for the Taoiseach to be there yesterday as the leader of a European country that isnt a member of Nato. I think he did Ireland and Europe proud in terms of setting out the values of Europe, and indeed in setting back some of the rhetoric of President Trump, which, as everyone can appreciate, can be difficult at times. People Before Profits Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the Taoiseach for celebrating our national day with this warmonger. He said Mr Martin repeatedly claims that this country is committed to international law, but did not offer a single word of criticism of the flagrant murderous breaches of international law that Trump and Israel are engaged in. Mr OCallaghan said there was a real benefit in the Taoiseach going there and being able to speak out, frankly, more so than any other international leaders whove been there recently have done. He added: He was able to speak out in respect of Keir Starmer, he was able to speak out in respect of immigration, and he was able to speak out in respect of Irelands view that we should resolve disputes through pacific methods. Ireland US media gives Martin favourable reports for 'awkward' Trump meeting Read more He said in politics self awareness is an important characteristic that also applies to us as a country. He added: Ireland is a small non-military country, what we say is effective in terms of diplomacy, He said the country had been able to stand up to people who are our friends and say to themwe think you have gone down the wrong road Nearly 80 per cent of parents who signed up to the Hot School Meals Programme still provide their children with lunches and have not opted out of the scheme, according to a new survey. This leads to unnecessary food waste. It also highlighted how the same portion sizes are given to junior infants and sixth class, further contributing to food waste. The survey by Fine Gael, which received 8,000 responses, identified other issues relating to the quality, taste, freshness and cooking methods of the food. Many of those surveyed were also disappointed by the recent nutritional changes. The Hot Schools Meal Programme is an initiative by the Irish Government aiming to provide meals to school children. Announcing the survey results, Senator Nelson Murray, from Meath, said: The impact of this programme cannot be underestimated or dismissed. But the Hot School Meals programme requires significant public investment, and its important we see the return on that investment, in every sense." Fine Gael has recommended changes to the programme, including a hot and cold lunch option and portion size evaluation. Whole-process people's democracy makes new contributions to progress of human political civilization 09:16, March 18, 2026 By He Yin ( People's Daily Yang Yong (middle), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and Party secretary of Qishan village, Zizhuang township, Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu province, solicits opinions from residents, Feb. 25, 2026. (Photo/Kuai Chuang) China's recently concluded "two sessions," the annual meetings of the country's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have provided an important opportunity for the international community to observe Chinese democracy. At the meetings, nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and more than 2,000 members of the CPPCC National Committee fulfilled their duties and brought voices from the grassroots to the country's highest deliberative platforms. The people's aspirations and expectations have been fully integrated into the top-level design of national development, fully demonstrating the vitality of whole-process people's democracy. The draft outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (20262030) was a major focus of the international community during this year's "two sessions." The drafting process included online consultations that collected more than 3.113 million suggestions from internet users. Government departments at all levels compiled and categorized proposals on issues of public concern, including easier access to education, better employment, and strengthening elderly care. A member of the Yichun municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (middle) conducts field research on community management in a neighborhood in Yichun, east China's Jiangxi province, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo/Zhou Liang) In formulating the plan, China integrated top-level design with extensive public consultation, ensuring that the efforts of the Party and the government align with the aspirations of the people. An international media outlet noted that the extensive social participation in drafting the 15th Five-Year Plan reflects whole-process people's democracy in practice. Through the "two sessions," the world has seen that Chinese people's willingness for participating in democratic processes continues to grow, while the breadth and depth of participation keep expanding and the channels and forms of engagement become increasingly diverse. A journalist from Latin America observed that China's "two sessions" bring together deputies and members from all ethnic groups and all sectors of society, including education, healthcare and science and technology, ensuring that diverse voices are fully heard. The deliberation of draft legislation such as the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, and the National Development Planning Law vividly illustrated the interaction between democracy and the rule of law, as well as the integration of public opinion with the legislative process. The drafting of the Ecological and Environmental Code, for example, included four rounds of public consultation and received more than 20,000 suggestions from over 7,000 participants, many of which were carefully studied and incorporated into the draft. A closer look at China's democratic practice shows that genuine and effective democracy contributes to efficient governance. In 2025, departments of the State Council handled 8,754 suggestions submitted by NPC deputies and 4,868 proposals from CPPCC members, all of which were processed on schedule. State Council departments adopted more than 4,900 suggestions put forward by NPC deputies and CPPCC members and introduced over 2,200 related policy measures. In Linxia, northwest China's Gansu province, an NPC deputy proposed building an expressway that traverses mountains and valleys to boost farmers' incomes. In Yinzhou district, Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang province, a voting system was adopted, where the public proposes, representatives decide, the government implements, and the public evaluates, leading to the construction of a safe path for students on their way to school. These are just two examples of how suggestions from the grassroots are met with responses, oversight, and action, ultimately delivering tangible benefits to the people. Hong Won-sook, a South Korean expert who has lived and worked in Shanghai for many years and has been invited several times to participate in activities of the Shanghai CPPCC, said that China's whole-process people's democracy gives people a place where they can voice their views. When they face difficulties, they can raise them; their voices are heard and their suggestions are implemented, helping make people's lives better. Deputies from Inner Mongolia autonomous region discuss the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan during the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, March 6, 2026. (Photo/Weng Qiyu) China's whole-process people's democracy stands in stark contrast to forms of democracy in some countries that have become increasingly "formalistic" or reduced to slogans. It offers the international community food for thought on effective ways to realize democracy. Democracy is not an ornament or a decorative label; it is meant to solve problems for the people. A system in which people can only express their wishes but cannot see them realized is not true democracy. China's democracy is people's democracy, and the people's status as masters of the country is its essence and core. This form of democracy, which has grown from China's own soil, is flourishing and has boosted confidence among other developing countries seeking to explore democratic development paths suited to their national conditions. A Brazilian media outlet said that whole-process people's democracy encourages public participation, promotes social harmony and delivers tangible results. Democracy is a shared value of humanity and a right of the people of all countries. China will steadfastly advance whole-process people's democracy and stands ready to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with other countries. Together, countries can explore ways to realize broad, genuine and effective democracy, making new contributions to progress of human political civilization. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) US president Donald Trumps suggestion of an Irish merger was just banter, the North's deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has said. It came at the start of the presidents address to the annual Speakers Friends of Ireland Luncheon at Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Mr Trump had been welcoming some of the notable guests to the event, including Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Northern Irelands deputy First Minister, Ms Little-Pengelly, when he observed: They get along so well. President Donald Trump speaks during the Friends of Ireland luncheon at the US Capitol (Niall Carson/PA) Looking towards the two, he added: I saw that, you get along very well together, I dont know if I should be promoting merger, I love mergers. As most in the room laughed, Mr Trump added: Were going to get into more trouble with that than the beauty, in reference to a comment he had made earlier describing a woman he had called out as beautiful. Advertisement Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Little-Pengelly said it had been clear it was a joke. Its absolutely just a bit of banter, anybody who watches his speeches knows that he highlights people in the room and has a bit of banter with them, its very much his style, she said. But what I think it does indicate is that he recognises that Northern Ireland is in the room, he recognises the political context, and I think that has come about because of that political engagement of Northern Ireland being present, being here, turning up, standing up, speaking up, championing Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly during the Friends of Ireland luncheon at the US Capitol (Niall Carson/PA) Of course, we can never control what the president thinks, or what the president will say, of course we dont, many many people have very strong views on the president, including myself, a number of times I would disagree with what he says on a range of issues but ultimately I am here to champion Northern Ireland, and I think that weve done that very well this week. Ms Little-Pengelly described a hugely positive visit, during which she met Mr Trump at the luncheon, and also had a meeting with him at the White House. She also had meetings across Washington DC, describing the engagement as incredibly important, adding that no business deal or university funding collaborations announced happen from one single pitch, but due to relationships being built over years. We really genuinely get unparalleled access, I had a brief conversation with the president at the Speakers Luncheon before our meeting at the White House later, she said. Advertisement For me it was all about making sure that Northern Ireland was on his radar in a very positive way, so I talked about why we are here this week. I think the fact that Northern Ireland got that call out, both at the Speakers luncheon but even in the White House, thats a really positive indication, its getting into the speeches, getting into the drafters of those speeches, people making decisions, theyre aware that we are here this week and what were trying to achieve. I outlined that the Northern Ireland economy is growing, there is so much potential for Northern Ireland, and referred back to the very long and shared history and heritage that we have as well, from all of those Ulster-Scots or Scots-Irish, so instrumental in the drafting and, of course, the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Those were the people who very much built America. Ireland Gerry Adams major, major player in war, London High Court told Read more Asked whether First Minister Michelle ONeill, who declined to go to the White House in protest at US policy on Gaza, had been missed, Ms Little-Pengelly said: It hasnt been mentioned really to me in terms of my engagement. Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLP leader Claire Hanna also stayed away from the White House. Ms Little-Pengelly added: I do think that it is not just about the meeting with the president, there are so many different events this week that I think it is important for me to be here, to attend, to speak at because if youre not in the room, you dont have a seat round the table, if youre not there championing your interests, somebody else will take that opportunity, fighting for that benefit for their jurisdiction." A judge has said a convicted rapist and murderer who sexually abused his cousin almost 40 years ago is a very dangerous man and will require close monitoring if he is ever released from custody. Patrick Rea (55) is currently serving a life sentence for murder, following a conviction in the Edinburgh High Court in 2011. He was repatriated to serve this sentence here in June 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard his 23 other convictions include one for rape, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1997. His convictions also include one from 2015 for failure to notify under the Sex Offenders Act for an offence date in 2008, theft and road traffic offences. Dean Kelly SC, prosecuting, told the court at an earlier sentence hearing that the victim, Donna Fahy, wished to waive her right to anonymity so that Rea could be identified in reporting of the case. Advertisement Rea, who is currently in custody in the Midlands Prison, was convicted of one count of rape and two of indecently assaulting Ms Fahy following a trial in January. All of this offending took place on dates between October 1986 and December 1989 at an address in Longford Town, when Ms Fahy was aged between five and seven. Rea was then aged between 16 and 19. Imposing sentence on Wednesday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said these offences took place against a very young child who suffered a traumatising and terrifying experience at the time, which have had a long-lasting effect on her life. He said Rea betrayed any conceivable notion of trust or care that exists between family members, that he took advantage of the injured partys vulnerable situation, and that the evidence suggested he knew what he was doing was wrong. Mr Justice McDermott said the court had to take into account that Rea was under 18 and legally a child for some of the period when this offending occurred. He also noted reports state that Rea had mental health issues at the time, adding that these documents do not suggest that Rea had a mental disorder and did not know what he was doing was wrong. The judge said he would set a headline sentence of 14 years for an adult, which he reduced to 12 years to take account of Reas age at the time. Mr Justice McDermott said there was little mitigation, noting that Rea went on to carry out other serious offences. Advertisement He imposed a concurrent sentence of 12 years backdated to January 23 last, noting that the court may not impose a consecutive sentence to life imprisonment. The judge said that Rea has proven himself to be a very dangerous man, capable of the most serious offending. Mr Justice McDermott said the court could have viewed this case as exceptional and imposed another life sentence due to Reas history of offending. He said the court had decided not to do this, noting Reas youth at the time and the guidance of higher courts in relation to young offenders. The judge said Rea is a dangerous offender who will need close monitoring in future and directed post-release supervision for life. He imposed several conditions including that Rea has no contact with the injured party and no contact with a child unless in the presence of another adult. Reading her victim impact statement during an earlier hearing, Ms Fahy said she is now married with children and grandchildren. She said she never chose to become a victim, it was forced into my life, my familys life, my marriage and childrens life. She said she was given a life sentence of nightmares at the tender age of five that she will have to endure for the rest of her life. She said that survival doesn't mean I walked away untouched, adding that she did not go back to who she was before, but has had to learn to live as someone else. Advertisement Survival is choosing to keep going, she said, later adding I didnt get a soft life. I got chaos and betrayal. I learnt to be a person I didnt choose to be. Im not strong, Im just good at being hyper-vigilant. Addressing Rea, she said: you have no remorse, guilt or shame for what you did to me. You are a foul, disgusting human being, she said, adding that he was a coward, a monster who thrives on disempowering women and children. She said she has survived, is taking her power back and refuses to live the rest of her life in fear or silence. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has come across well in the US media over his approach to Tuesday's St Patrick's Day meeting with president Donald Trump. Martin pushed back on some of Trump's criticism of the European Union and also UK prime minister Keir Starmer. Still angry at the UK's decision not the join his war on Iran, Trump used the Oval Office meeting to criticise Starmer who he said is "no Winston Churchill". Martin told Trump Churchill had not been a friend to Ireland, before defending Starmer. He said Starmer is a "very earnest, sound person and he believes Trump has a capacity to get on with him. I just met with Keir Starmer last week, the British-Irish relationship is a very important one. Churchill was a great wartime leader, although in Ireland it was kind of a different perspective in terms of our own war of independence and so on, he created his own bit of difficulties for us. But that said, he was a great wartime hero. Advertisement Keir Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship. I just want to put that on the record. But I do believe that he is a very earnest, sound person that I think you have a capacity to get on with. And youve got on with him before, and youve got on with other European leaders as well and I think you have that capacity again." Martin also defended immigration in the European Union after Trump launched a familiar attack on migration policies. The New York Times report that Martin "pushed back, gently" against Trump. The report notes it was a "delicate balance" for the Taoiseach, due to the importance of the Ireland-US relationship. Comparing the meeting to a recent one between Trump and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, The Times noted Martin's Oval Office outing contained "some awkward silence as well". However, it praised Martin for calling for peace in the Middle East and defending European allies. "Mr Martin walked a fine line. He denounced Iranian aggression, saying 'you cannot have a rogue state with a nuclear weapon,' and underlining that 'all European countries' have recognised Iran as a sponsor of terrorism. He also defended European responses." USA Today focused more so on the musings of Trump, however, the report notes his misgendering of President Catherine Connolly. "While meeting with the Irish prime minister at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter to respond to Irelands president saying the Iran war is illegal. Advertisement Look, hes lucky I exist, Trump said. "The president of Ireland is Catherine Connolly, who, like the acting Venezuelan president, is not a man." The Huffington Post also focused on Martin's defence of Starmer in an "awkward" Oval Office meeting. The report also praises Martin for defending Ukraine. US president Donald Trump speaks to Taoiseach Micheal Martin during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images "The taoiseach also tried to appeal to Trump over Ukraine, as the president consistently and falsely blames Kyiv for starting the war. "'The Russians did invade Ukraine, attack civilian infrastructure. The people of Ukraine just want peace and an opportunity to live,' Martin said. 'We want a peaceful resolution of conflict.' "His remarks show how the tide is turning against Trump across Europe at a time when Nato is desperately trying to stay out of the USs conflict in the Middle East." Trump indicated he was hoping to visit Ireland while the Irish Open takes place at his resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare, in September. However, The Washington Post report focuses on the tone of the meeting, claiming it dashes any hopes of a visit. The headline reads 'Trump attacks on European allies dash hopes for Irish visit'. It reads: "Trump proceeded to bash Ireland and the European Union for tariffs and tax policies that he blamed for hurting the United States an on-camera dressing-down that gave Martin little opportunity for a confidential appeal, nor much chance to get a word in edgewise." The Post focused on Trump's criticism of US companies based in Ireland, while also noting Martin's defence of Starmer and the European Union. The Taoiseach's visit to the White House for St Patrick's Day dominates Wednesday's front pages. The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, Irish Daily Mail, Irish Daily Mirror, and Irish Daily Star all lead with Taoiseach Micheal Martin's St Patrick's Day visit to the White House with Donald Trump. The Echo lead with gardai launching a murder investigation after a man was stabbed, and the Cork St Patrick's Day parade. The Belfast Telegraph lead with a girl from Northern Ireland being treated for suspected meningitis. The Herald lead with the lucky dip gang being behind a spate of high-end motorbike thefts. Israel has kept up its campaign of targeting Irans leaders, killing the countrys intelligence minister, and an Iranian offshore natural gas field was struck in a sign of the wars mounting pressure from both sides on the regions economic lifeblood: energy. Iran has been taking aim at its Gulf Arab neighbours energy facilities since the war started on February 28 and has made the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel through which one fifth of the worlds oil travels nearly impassable. On Wednesday, Iran struck a province of Saudi Arabia where many oil fields are located and threatened to ratchet up strikes against oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates too. Two loud explosions were heard on Wednesday evening in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The price of oil surged another 5% to more than 108 dollars a barrel on international markets on Wednesday, increasing the price of petrol and other goods, and putting pressure on consumers and economies around the world. Advertisement The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, is now up more than 50% since the start of the war. As the Trump administration looks for ways to boost oil supplies and lower prices, the Treasury Department on Wednesday eased sanctions on Venezuela, saying US companies will be allowed to do business with the countrys state-owned oil and gas company. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in an overnight strike and promised significant surprises to come. Iran retaliated by unleashing attacks against its Persian Gulf neighbours and Israel, where two people were killed near Tel Aviv. Three private aircraft at Ben Gurion International Airport were damaged in recent days by shrapnel after missiles fired from Iran were intercepted, according to Israels airports authority. Iranian state television confirmed the killing of Mr Khatib, who the US sanctioned in 2022 for alleged cyber-related activities against the US and its allies. Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib in 2024 (Vahid Salemi/AP) A day earlier, Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards Basij force, General Gholam Reza Soleimani. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei expressed condolences for the killing of Mr Larijani, according to a written statement published in Iranian media. Advertisement Undoubtedly, the assassination of such a person shows the extent of his importance and the hatred of the enemies of Islam towards him, Mr Khamenei said. All blood has its price that the criminal murderers of the martyrs must pay soon. It was not immediately clear who led the attack on Irans massive South Pars natural gas field, although Qatar, which shares the field with Iran, blamed Israel. Iran has been targeting the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, as well as military bases, as part of a strategy to drive up oil prices and put pressure on Washington to back down. Ali Larijani, centre, in August 2025 (Bilal Hussein/AP) Iran attacked Saudi Arabias vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. It has vowed to continue to crimp shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Since the war started, a few ships have got through some Iranian, but also vessels from India, Turkey and elsewhere. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the US or many of its allies. US President Donald Trump, who has been growing increasingly frustrated that no allies have stepped forward after he asked others to send ships to help open the strait again, posted on social media on Tuesday that WE DONT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! Iraq, which paused operations at its main oil terminal on the Persian Gulf last week, said on Wednesday it had reached a deal with the autonomous northern Iraqi Kurdish administration to begin exporting 250,000 barrels of crude oil daily via a pipeline to the Mediterranean Ceyhan port in Turkey. Advertisement Saudi Arabia is also already bypassing the Strait of Hormuz by sending some of its oil by pipeline across the country to be shipped from a Red Sea port. (PA Graphics) It shot down two drones targeting Riyadhs diplomatic quarter, which houses the US embassy and other foreign missions. The US embassy in Baghdad also came under fire for the second day in a row on Wednesday, two Iraqi security officials said. Militia groups have been regularly attacking American targets in Iraq since the war started. Responding to the killing of Mr Larijani, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday it had targeted central Israel with multiple-warhead missiles, which have an increased chance of evading missile defence systems and can overwhelm radar tracking systems. Footage filmed by The Associated Press showed at least one missile releasing cluster munitions over Israel. Mr Larijani was a senior policy adviser to the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the US Treasury in January for his role co-ordinating Irans violent suppression of nationwide protests. Gen Soleimani was also killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday. Commander of Irans Basij paramilitary force General Gholam Reza Soleimani in 2019 (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) He was sanctioned by the US, the European Union and other nations over his role in suppressing dissent for years through the Basij. The Iranian judiciarys Mizan news agency said an air strike hit a courthouse complex in Larestan, a county in southern Fars province, and that at least eight people were killed. Advertisement More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict started, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Mizan also reported that Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israels Mossad intelligence agency. Wednesdays report identified him as Kourosh Keyvani and alleged he provided images and information on sensitive locations to Israel. Swedens Foreign Ministry condemned what it said was the execution of a Swedish citizen on Wednesday in Iran. The citizen, whose name was not made public, was arrested last year but additional details were not available. Irans Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a projectile the night before, but there were no injuries and the plant suffered no damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said after receiving a report from Tehran. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Bushehr, Iran, in December (Planet Labs PBC via AP) IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident. In Lebanon, Israel kept up intense pressure, with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least a dozen people. Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut about an hour after issuing an evacuation notice the fourth time the building was targeted. Israels military claimed it was being used by Hezbollah to store millions of dollars intended to finance its activities, without providing evidence. Overall, 10 people were killed in Israeli air strikes in central Beirut, according to Lebanons Health Ministry. Another two people were killed in an air strike in Lebanons western Bekaa valley, it said. Firefighters spray water on a burning residential building following an Israeli air strike in central Beirut, Lebanon (Bilal Hussein/AP) Among those killed in Beirut was a journalist with Hezbollahs Al-Manar TV, the broadcaster said. Al-Manar said the head of its political programme Mohammed Sherri was killed along with his wife, and that his children and grandchildren were wounded. Israeli strikes have displaced more than one million Lebanese roughly 20% of the population according to the Lebanese government, which says 968 people have been killed and 2,221 wounded. In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 US military members have been killed. Iran lashed out after the killing of one of its top leaders in an airstrike, with attacks on its Gulf neighbours and Israel on Wednesday. It used some of its latest missiles to evade air defences and killed two people near Tel Aviv as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing. Israel kept up intense pressure on Lebanon with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least six people. In Iran, the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a projectile but there were no injuries and the plant suffered no damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency said after receiving a report from Tehran. The IAEAs leader, Rafael Grossi, reiterated his call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident. Advertisement Israels defence minister Israel Katz announced on Wednesday that the Israeli military had killed Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib. Khatibs killing follows the killing by Israel of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards all-volunteer Basij force. Mr Katz said significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts, without elaborating, in announcing Khatibs killing. Meanwhile The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, remained stubbornly over 100 dollars per barrel in early trading on Wednesday, up more than 40% from the start of the war. Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran to start the war on February 28, Iran has been targeting the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, as well as military bases, as part of a strategy to drive up oil prices and put pressure on Washington to back down. Iran has also shown no sign of relenting in its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane through which a fifth of the worlds oil transits, giving rise to growing concerns of a global energy crisis. Irans judiciary announced a man had been executed on charges that he spied for Israels Mossad intelligence agency. Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) The judiciarys Mizan news agency identified the man as Kourosh Keyvani and alleged that he provided images and information on sensitive locations to Israel. Activists and rights groups have warned since Irans nationwide protests in January that the Islamic Republic could begin conducting mass executions. Advertisement Iran violently suppressed the protests through violence that killed thousands and left tens of thousands detained. The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening. No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported. Director General @RafaelMGrossi reiterates call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a pic.twitter.com/fhze0vOqrQ IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) March 18, 2026 New attacks were reported in multiple Gulf countries early Wednesday, including on Saudi Arabias vast Eastern Province, which is home to many of its oil fields, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a projectile caused a small fire at its base in the UAE near Dubai but caused no injuries. His comments appeared to correspond with explosions heard near Al Minhad Air Base, used by western nations as a transit hub for the wider Middle East. Missile alerts sounded again later in Dubai as the sound of interceptors exploding overhead boomed across the city-state. Smoke and flame rise from a residential building after an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut on Wednesday (Bilal Hussein/AP) Saudi Arabia shot down a ballistic missile targeting the area of the Prince Sultan air base, which hosts American forces and aircraft, and a drone targeting Riyadhs diplomatic quarter, which houses the US embassy and other foreign missions. Iran has vowed to continue to throttle shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open sea. Since the conflict started, a few ships have got through with their cargos, some of which were Iranian, but also from India, Turkey and elsewhere, and Iran says that the waterway is open, just not to the US or many of its allies. US Central Command said the US military fired multiple 5,000lb deep penetrator bombs Tuesday on Iranian missile sites along Irans coastline near the strait. Advertisement US President Donald Trump, who has been growing increasingly frustrated that no allies have stepped forward after he said he demanded others send ships to help open the strait again, posted on social media Tuesday that WE DONT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!. Responding to Israels killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council and one of the countrys most powerful figures, the Republican Guard said on Wednesday it had targeted central Israel with multiple-warhead missiles, which have an increased chance of evading missile defence systems and can overwhelm radar tracking systems. Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Irans coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the pic.twitter.com/hgCSFH0cqO U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 17, 2026 Israel reported at least two salvoes of incoming fire and the countrys medical service said two people were killed in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said the force launched the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multiple-warhead missiles to avenge Larijanis killing. Footage filmed by The Associated Press showed at least one missile releasing cluster munitions over Israel. Larijani, a former parliamentary speaker, was a senior policy adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the US treasury in January for his role co-ordinating Irans violent suppression of nationwide protests. General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards Basij militia, was also killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday. Explosions erupt from a building after an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon (Hussein Malla/AP) Soleimani was sanctioned by the US, the European Union and others over his role in suppressing dissent for years through the Basij. The US embassy in Baghdad also came under fire for the second day in a row early on Wednesday, two Iraqi security officials said. Advertisement Further details were not immediately available, but pro-Iran militia groups have been regularly attacking American targets in Iraq since the start of the war. On Tuesday a drone cashed inside the Baghdad embassy compound. Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut about an hour after issuing an evacuation notice. It was the fourth time the building has been targeted, but three strikes last week failed to bring it down. Israels military claimed the building was being used by Hezbollah to store millions of dollars intended to finance its activities, without providing evidence. There were no immediate reports of casualties, but other attacks on apartment buildings in central Beirut have killed at least six people and wounded 24 others, according to Lebanons health ministry. The Israeli army also said it had begun a wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to firing into Israeli territory. Israels strikes have displaced more than one million Lebanese, roughly 20% of the population, according to the Lebanese government, which says more than 900 people have been killed. In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 US military members have been killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict started, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Israel said it has killed another top Iranian official, the third in two days, while Iran lashed out with attacks on its Persian Gulf neighbours and Israel, using some of its latest missiles to evade air defences and killing two people near Tel Aviv. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in an overnight strike and promised that significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all fronts, without elaborating. Iran did not immediately confirm Mr Khatibs death. Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards Basij force on Tuesday. In Lebanon, Israel kept up its intense pressure with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least a dozen people. Advertisement In Iran, the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a projectile the night before but there were no injuries and the plant suffered no damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said after receiving a report from Tehran. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident. Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran to start the war on February 28, Iran has been targeting the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, as well as military bases, as part of a strategy to drive up oil prices and put pressure on Washington to back down. On Wednesday, Iranian state-run media also reported an attack on facilities associated with its offshore South Pars natural gas field. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Bushehr, Iran, in December (Planet Labs PBC via AP) The Iranian side of the field, the South Pars field, came under attack and was burning, according to reports. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. Irans state television subsequently said the Islamic Republic would be attacking oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after its field was hit. Qatar, which shares the South Pars field with Iran, blamed Israel for the attack. Meanwhile, Tehran is keeping up its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane through which a fifth of the worlds oil transits, giving rise to growing concerns of a global energy crisis. Advertisement The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, remained stubbornly over 100 dollars per barrel in early trading on Wednesday, up more than 40% from the start of the war. Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israels Mossad intelligence agency, according to the judiciarys Mizan news agency. Wednesdays report identified him as Kourosh Keyvani and alleged he provided images and information on sensitive locations to Israel. Israeli authorities inspect the site of a direct hit from an Iranian missile in Ramat Gan, Israel (Oded Balilty/AP) Later in the day, Mizan said an air strike hit a courthouse complex in Larestan, a county in southern Fars province, and that at least eight people were killed. Separately, Iranian media said the national womens football team has returned to the Islamic Republic after several of the players had sought asylum in Australia. The team was greeted by Iranian officials after crossing the border with Turkey. Two players chose to remain in Australia while others who initially sought asylum later changed their minds. Iran attacked Saudi Arabias vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a projectile caused a small fire at its base in the UAE near Dubai but caused no injuries. Explosions were heard near Al Minhad Air Base, used by Western nations as a transit hub for the wider Middle East. Advertisement Missile alerts sounded again later in Dubai as interceptors exploded overhead across the city-state. (PA Graphics) Saudi Arabia shot down a ballistic missile targeting the area of the Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts American forces and aircraft, and two drones targeting Riyadhs diplomatic quarter, which houses the US embassy and other foreign missions. Iran has vowed to continue to throttle shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Since the war started, a few ships have got through some Iranian, but also vessels from India, Turkey and elsewhere. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the US or many of its allies. US President Donald Trump, who has been growing increasingly frustrated that no allies have stepped forward after he asked others to send ships to help open the strait again, posted on social media on Tuesday that WE DONT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! Iraq, which suspended operations at its main oil terminal on the Persian Gulf last week when the Basra port was attacked, said on Wednesday it had reached an agreement with the autonomous northern Iraqi Kurdish administration. The Oil Ministry said it will begin exporting 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Kirkuk via a pipeline north to Turkeys Ceyhan port on the Mediterranean Sea. Saudi Arabia is also already bypassing the Strait of Hormuz by sending some of its oil by pipeline across the country to be shipped from a Red Sea port. A sign announcing diesel fuel has run out is displayed at a petrol station in Prajuab Kirikhan, Thailand (Grant Peck/AP) Responding to Israels killing of Mr Larijani, secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council and one of the countrys most powerful figures, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday it had targeted central Israel with multiple-warhead missiles, which have an increased chance of evading missile defence systems and can overwhelm radar tracking systems. Irans Guard said the force launched the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multiple-warhead missiles to avenge Mr Larijanis killing. Advertisement Footage filmed by The Associated Press showed at least one missile releasing cluster munitions over Israel. Israel said two people were killed in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. Mr Larijani was a senior policy adviser to the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the US Treasury in January for his role co-ordinating Irans violent suppression of nationwide protests. Ali Larijani, centre, in August 2025 (Bilal Hussein/AP) General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards Basij militia, was also killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday. Gen Soleimani was sanctioned by the US, the European Union and other nations, over his role in suppressing dissent for years through the Basij. Mr Khatib had been sanctioned by the US in 2022 on allegations his ministry had been engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies. The US embassy in Baghdad also came under fire for the second day in a row early on Wednesday, two Iraqi security officials said. Pro-Iran militia groups have been regularly attacking American targets in Iraq since the war started. Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut about an hour after issuing an evacuation notice the fourth time the building was targeted. Israels military claimed it was being used by Hezbollah to store millions of dollars intended to finance its activities, without providing evidence. Firefighters spray water on a burning residential building following an Israeli air strike in central Beirut, Lebanon (Bilal Hussein/AP) Overall, 10 people were killed in Israeli air strikes in central Beirut, according to Lebanons Health Ministry. Another two people were killed in an air strike in Lebanons western Bekaa valley, it said. Among those killed in Beirut was a journalist with Hezbollahs Al-Manar TV, the broadcaster said. Al-Manar said the head of its political programme Mohammed Sherri was killed along with his wife, and that his children and grandchildren were wounded. The Israeli army also said it had launched a wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to firing into Israeli territory. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Commander of Irans Basij paramilitary force General Gholam Reza Soleimani in 2019 (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP) Israeli strikes have displaced more than one million Lebanese roughly 20% of the population according to the Lebanese government, which says 912 people have been killed and 2,221 wounded. In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 US military members have been killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict started on February 28, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. A targeted vaccination programme will roll out for students living in halls at the University of Kent after an unprecedented outbreak of meningitis. Some 15 cases of meningitis have so far been reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), including two deaths. The agency said all 15 cases had required hospital admission, with four cases confirmed to be meningitis B. Around 5,000 students in university halls in Kent are to be offered the menB vaccine in the coming days. On Tuesday, British Health Secretary Wes Streeting said most students would not already be vaccinated against menB. He told MPs that the outbreak is unprecedented and is a rapidly developing situation. Streeting said the menB vaccine has been available on the NHS since 2015 as part of routine childhood immunisations. He added that clearly most students would not be vaccinated. Advertisement Streeting said: Given the severity of the situation, I can confirm to the House that we will begin a targeted vaccination programme for students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent in Canterbury, which will begin in the coming days. British Health Secretary Wes Streeting addressed the Commons (Jeff Moore/PA) The programme may also expand further if other groups are deemed to be at risk. UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins said the outbreak looks like a super-spreader event, with ongoing spread within the halls of residence in the universities. She said: I can say that in my 35 years working in medicine, in healthcare and hospitals, this is the most cases Ive seen in a single weekend with this type of infection. Its the explosive nature that is unprecedented here the number of cases in such a short space of time. Four schools across Kent have now confirmed cases and hundreds of people are being offered antibiotics as an immediate treatment. All reported cases so far have a link to Kent, according to the UKHSA. At least one person who fell ill and had links to Kent attended a hospital in London. A pupil at Queen Elizabeths Grammar School in Faversham has died (Gareth Fuller/PA) Earlier on Tuesday, the deputy director of the immunisation and vaccine preventable diseases division at the UKHSA, Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, said the outbreak of meningitis had been unusual, but she did not believe there was a current risk to anyone outside the Kent region. She told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that they have seen no evidence of any wider spread. On Monday, the headteacher at Queen Elizabeths Grammar School in Faversham paid tribute to year 13 pupil named locally as Juliette Kenny, who died at the weekend from the infection. Advertisement A student at the University of Kent has also died. It's been confirmed that some of the meningitis cases linked to Club Chemistry in Canterbury, Kent are MenB. pic.twitter.com/BWJK8uXqab UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) March 17, 2026 Experts said many of those affected attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury over March 5th-7th. Those who attended Club Chemistry between these dates can collect antibiotics from: the Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital; Westgate Hall on Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury; the Carey Building, Thanet Hub, Margate Northwood Road; and the Senate building at the University of Kent. Health officials stressed that people should not skip antibiotics if prescribed them, with a single tablet of Ciprofloxacin reducing the risk of meningitis in a household by around 80 to 90 per cent. Israel stepped up airstrikes on Beirut on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and destroying a 10-storey building near the city centre in the third week of its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Lebanese authorities said. In a further escalation, Israeli warplanes began striking bridges over the Litani River that link southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, destroying at least two of them, Lebanese state media said. The Israeli military said it would target bridges on the Litani to prevent Hezbollah from transferring fighters and weapons, and reiterated a warning for residents to leave the south. The Hezbollah-Israel conflict has become the deadliest spillover of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran since the Iran-backed group fired at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, with more than 900 people killed in Lebanon and one million displaced. Advertisement Thousands have also been wounded. Dr Wael Mroueh, the head of the Jabal Amel University Hospital in the southern port city of Tyre, said he had seen terrible injuries. A building collapsed after an IDF airstrike as smoke from another hit is seen in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: Adri Salido/Getty Images "Victims are coming without lower extremities, (needing a) craniotomy, with open wounds and all those things together. The victim is coming torn up and in bad shape," Mroueh said. As strikes escalated around Tyre, doctors had brought their families to stay with them at the hospital, Mroueh said. But with the roads at risk of closure, they were now starting to leave with their families to head north. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel's military had destroyed two additional bridges over the Litani that he said Hezbollah had used to smuggle weapons and operatives south. Katz described the action as "a clear message to the Lebanese government: the State of Israel will not allow such a reality." Israel destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday and dropped leaflets in Beirut threatening Gaza-scale devastation. Fears are growing in Lebanon that cutting off southern Lebanon from the rest of the country could pave the way for a large-scale Israeli military operation into Lebanese territory. On Wednesday, an Israeli military officer commanding troops operating in Lebanon told Reuters that his troops are "prepared to do all kinds of operations" if the military issued orders to establish positions as far as the Litani, nearly 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The escalation in central Beirut, where Israel targeted four buildings in eight hours, followed what Hezbollah described as a large rocket attack against Israel late on Tuesday. Some 100 rockets were fired, Lebanese security sources said. Advertisement The Israeli military said preventative strikes had blunted the Hezbollah attack, and an overnight wave of strikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. The Israeli military statement said it had "struck assets" of a Hezbollah-run financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, in Beirut, and that the Israeli navy had targeted Hezbollah militants in the city. It did not say exactly where. Human Rights Watch determined that Israeli strikes on Al-Qard Al-Hassan branches during a previous war in 2024 amounted to war crimes, saying that Hezbollah-affiliated civilian institutions were not lawful military targets. The airstrikes in Beirut hit buildings within walking distance of the headquarters of the Lebanese government. The targeted districts are historically mixed neighbourhoods where large numbers of Shi'ite Muslims live. World Both sides in Iran war ratchet up energy facilities attacks as oil prices surge Read more Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said one of its broadcasters, Mohammad Sherri, had been killed along with his wife in one of the strikes in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood. No fatalities have been reported in Israel from Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks. The Israeli military says two of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. At least 40 medical workers have been killed in Israel's strikes on Lebanon since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said. On Tuesday night, a strike left 11 rescuers in the south wounded and badly damaged the civil-defence centre, its head Hussein Fakih told Reuters. The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said on Wednesday that it had noted "heavy exchanges of fire, intensified air and ground activity, and increased presence of Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory" overnight. - Reuters Advertisement Updated BusinessCompaniesAviation Jetstar flyers booted from Qantas lounge in rule change Chris Zappone March 19, 2026 4:56am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Travellers on Jetstar international flights are being booted from Qantas lounges under a rule change that brings an end to the era of easy lounge access for customers of the low-cost carrier. While customers flying on Qantas-operated flights, Qantas codeshare flights operated by Jetstar, and Jetstar domestic flights will still have access to lounges with their complimentary invitations where available, travellers on Jetstar international flights are now locked out. The Qantas business class lounge in Adelaide. Complimentary lounge invitations are single-visit digital lounge invites provided as a benefit of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program or through a partner credit card program. The main pass beneficiaries via the Qantas Frequent Flyer program are Silver tier members, who get two passes per year. Advertisement In a move that may prove consequential for frequent flyer enthusiasts, the rule change will also block Qantas customers from transferring complimentary lounge invites to others. People who dont travel often choose to gift passes with imminent expiry through lounge swaps groups on Facebook. Related Article Aviation Australias jet fuel supply is safe for now, but a price crunch is in the pipeline Under the change, complimentary invites to lounges will only be transferable to someone travelling on the same flight as you. Typically, these lounge passes are bought, gifted, or included as perks from a credit cards sign-up bonus. A thriving subculture of fellow travellers exists to sell or trade access, often consisting of members who have more passes than they need, who then offload them to lower-tier flyers. These passes are an easy way for passengers to eat, drink, or refresh themselves in lounges before flights and during layovers. Advertisement Notably, neither of the changes will affect Platinum One Frequent Flyers or holders of Platinum One passes. Adele Eliseo of The Champagne Mile website said the change reflects a desire to preserve the Qantas lounge for Qantas passengers. Qantas lounges may no longer be part of a Jetstar passengers journey. Peter Rae If youre flying on a budget fare, Qantas is making it clear the lounge may no longer be part of your journey. But if Jetstar fares are out of the lounge, Jetstar-level food and beverages should be too, she said. The single lounge pass restrictions are the biggest story, as they impact almost anyone holding a Qantas linked credit card that offers single entry invites as a benefit. Advertisement Qantas-linked card spending accounts for over 35 per cent of Australian credit card spend, the company revealed in its half-year results. Consequently, the lounge pass restriction is a material erosion of a key rewards card benefit, Eliseo noted. Qantas new international lounge at Brisbane Airport. This latest rule change from Qantas is happening under the shadow of looming Reserve Bank interchange cuts expected at the end of this month, she said. The RBA plans to lower interchange fee caps on card transactions, limiting merchant costs and potentially banning consumer surcharging. This, in turn, may force airlines to devalue the points they sell to banks. Qantas last month announced a major change in the way frequent flyers could accrue status credits, allowing them to earn status credits by spending money on the ground rather than strictly through flight bookings. Advertisement Brandon Loo, writing in Point Hacks, which tracks frequent flyer programmes, said: Qantas has been making major changes to its program this year. One focus is on reducing the number of people in its lounges, along with tackling the secondary black market where people trade, sell, and gift lounge passes. Related Article Updated Aviation Qantas unveils major points overhaul as Hudson refreshes airline The complimentary lounge passes are a great gift for friends and family, Loo wrote. Its a pity to see their use restricted to people travelling with you only. Cutting access before Jetstar international flights is also a significant reduction in benefits for regular Jetstar travellers who have come to rely on lounge access as part of their journey. Qantas said the changes are driven by customer feedback, as well as the airlines desire to ensure complimentary invitations are used as intended. Advertisement The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement BusinessMarketsMiddle East at war Opinion Trumps war is wreaking more havoc than you think Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist March 18, 2026 10:59am March 18, 2026 10:59am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Most of the focus on the implications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been on the price of crude oil. The impacts that matter most, however, are on products that are not so crude. While the headline numbers say that most of the nearly 20 million barrels a day, or 20 per cent of the worlds production, that used to flow through the strait has been stoppered by Irans response to the US-Israel attacks, included within that number is about 3.3 million barrels a day of refined products, or about 13 per cent of the global market. The war inflamed by Donald Trump is having widespread economic effects. AP End-users of the products derived from crude oil dont consume the crude itself, but the products produced from the refineries that process it. Those include petrol and diesel, jet fuels, the raw inputs for plastics, fertilisers, explosives, solvents and even cosmetics and soap. The conflicts spread from Iran into the surrounding region has not only affected crude supply and production. As producers have run out of storage capacity, they have already reduced production by about 7.3 million barrels a day, according to Goldman Sachs analysts. Advertisement It has also caused outages at Middle Eastern refineries that have taken about 2.2 million barrels a day out of production. The International Energy Agency says that more than 4 million barrels a day of refining capacity is at risk. Related Article Analysis US politics With 10 damning words, Pete Hegseth says the quiet part out loud That means there are two layers to the flow-on effects from the straits closure. One is the flow of oil to be processed at refineries outside the region, the other is a direct hit to production of refined products from the Middle East a global production hub itself. The impact of the interruption to supply is generally measured by fluctuations in oil prices, which have soared from about $US70 ($98.50) a barrel before the attack on Iran to about $US103 a barrel this week. The impact on downstream products, however, is more marked and has far more economic consequences. Advertisement Petrol prices, of course, are front-of-mind for consumers. In the US, theyve leapt from $US2.92 a gallon to $US3.79 and, in Australia, have recently averaged (nationally) about $2.30 a litre. Before the conflict, they were averaging just over $1.70 a litre. Soaring fuel prices are not the only consequence of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Janie Barrett Diesel, which feeds into transport costs and ultimately into consumer prices, has traded above $US5 a gallon in the US this week for the first time since the onset of the war in Ukraine. It was $US3.65 a gallon before the Americans and Israelis began the war. In Australia, diesel prices have jumped from about $1.80 a litre to about $2.60 a litre. One of the least processed outputs from refineries is fuel oil, used as fuel for ships, power plants and, in some regions, heating. Its price usually reflects a small discount to crude prices because its production involves less processing, but it is now trading at premiums of 40 to 60 per cent above crude prices. The cost of seaborne transport of goods is rising materially. Advertisement The significance of the reduced supply of refined products from the Middle East and the disruption of crude oil supply to refineries outside the conflict zone isnt, as our farmers and those queuing up for petrol and diesel have recognised, only on prices. Related Article Petrol prices Fuel reserve released as farmers warn of food price hit It also affects availability, which will be of increasing significance to prices and economies if the conflict is prolonged. Refineries are set up to process particular grades of oil with particular levels of sulphur. The Middle East supplies about 30 per cent of the worlds oil, mainly light to medium crudes with high sulphur contents. Already, the prices of some of that oil, particularly from countries whose production isnt affected by the closure of the strait and is therefore still available, have soared well above as much as $US50 a barrel above the benchmark price for Brent crude, driven by a combination of the overall reduction of supply and particular refineries needs for oil with particular characteristics. Advertisement Much of the crude that Persian Gulf producers export nearly 13 million barrels a day goes to Asian refineries (which is where most of Australias petrol and diesel come from), supplying about half their requirements. There it is processed into petrol, diesel, naphtha, jet fuel, fuel oil, lubricants and other products and by-products, such as sulphur and urea, which are key ingredients in fertilisers, explosives, solvents, plastics, the production of paper and detergents. About two-thirds of the urea Australia uses for fertiliser production comes from the Persian Gulf. Global oil benchmarks provide barometers of the market conditions but, until the war ends and the fog of war lifts, the extent and permanence of the damage to the worlds oil-dependent industries and their customer bases cant be calculated. China has already begun limiting its exports of urea to protect its domestic supply. Japan and South Korea, which each import more than 60 per cent of their naphtha supplies, mainly from the Gulf, are already closing petrochemical plants, with other producers reducing their outputs and declaring force majeure because of their inability to meet their contracts with customers. In the US, the Trump administration is racing to find alternative sources of fertilisers to replace the Middle Eastern products, and there are concerns that an extended conflict could have severe implications for global food supply. Advertisement Hardest hit by the reduced supply and spiking fuel, transport and fertiliser prices will be the Asian economies because 90 per cent of their oil and refined products come via the strait, and they have few, if any, energy resources of their own. Europe, also dependent on imported energy, will also face a significant increase in energy costs. Related Article Opinion Trade wars Trump rushes to save his war on the world Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, India, some Latin American economies and Australia will be hurt by the reduced and disrupted supply and the higher prices of fertilisers. The Middle Eastern economies, obviously, are losing enormous amounts of oil revenue $US500 million a day, if not more from their lost sales and reduced production, though they should be able to recover much of that if and when the strait reopens. The degree to which oil-derived products are embedded deeply within economies means that the war will disrupt global supply chains and costs, with some of the effects persisting beyond the end of the conflict and a return to normal operations in the strait, whenever that might be. Advertisement Global oil benchmarks provide barometers of the market conditions, but until the war ends and the fog of war lifts, the extent and permanence of the damage to the worlds oil-dependent industries and their customer bases cant be calculated. It is already apparent, however, that there will be a global price to pay, and a substantial one, for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahus decision to initiate a war within the centre of the worlds most important region for the production of oil and its derivatives. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement CultureArt & designSpectrum The ties that bind: a new exhibition at NGV explores motherhood Kerrie O'Brien March 18, 2026 11:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A When Kate Just met her son, two-year-old Harper, he came to the door of his foster carers home, shook her hand and said: Hi Mum. Kate Justs An Armour of Hope, 2012. Kate Just In that moment, she had a striking vision of him wearing soft armour. I could see in him that he had already experienced all this stuff thats almost too much for a two-year-old to have to experience. All this loss of biological family, and the foster care, and moving around ... that makes you armoured, she says. But then also he was so soft and open. So I just I saw it like an image when I met him, and it really was how he was. He had this protective layer but then was open and so receptive to love and attention. Two years later, Just knitted that suit and called it An Armour of Hope (2012). It is one of more than 200 pieces in MOTHER: Stories from the NGV Collection, a new show opening at the NGVs Ian Potter Centre this month. Curated by Katharina Prugger, curator of contemporary art, and Sophie Gerhard, curator of Australian and First Nations art at the NGV, the show features works from across the collection, across eras and disciplines. Advertisement Ruth OLeary, Flinders Street, 2017. Ruth OLeary It is fertile ground to be mined and sure to strike a chord, says Prugger, much like the gallerys other recent themed shows, Cats and Dogs in 2024 and Queer in 2022. Both curators have three-year-old daughters, and Prugger is expecting her second child, while Gerhard has a four-month-old boy. Were deep in the trenches of motherhood, Prugger says. Their experience of becoming mothers informed their approach to the exhibition, Prugger says. We have really tried to foreground women artists as much as we can and mother artists themselves. The show, which was years in the making, is deliberately broad and all-encompassing. Theres the joy and pain of motherhood, from trying to conceive through to giving birth and adoption; ideas around loss and grieving including miscarriage and separation; the politics and changing societal expectations around the role, and the influence of historical imagery and more are explored. Advertisement Some works are celebratory, others domestic; some are confronting, others delve deep into the complexities of the role. We are hoping it will speak to all visitors, Prugger says. Everyone is born and has some sort of relationship to the idea of motherhood. Christine Godden, Untitled, 1974. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Christine Godden To start, the curators laid the journey out from their minds eye, translating that vision into the plan for the shows galleries. Three themes clearly emerged: Creating, giving and leaving. The more we worked on it, it became clear that its like a life cycle, says Prugger. The show begins with the idea of the birth of a mother and features different types of conception stories. A beautiful series of photographs of a home birth, documented by Christine Godden in the US in the 1970s, is a reminder of how hidden the birthing process is, even today. Goddens Untitled (mother breastfeeding on a blanket) 1974 is another wonderful offering, the photographer capturing one of the oldest and simplest of domestic tasks. Advertisement First Nations works are a significant part of the show, including Gunditjmara, Djabwurrung, and Anglo-Indian artist Hayley Millar Bakers 11-minute video installation Entracte 2023, a powerful social commentary on the expectations placed on women. Tracy Moffatts video MOTHER 2009 uses material featuring iconic Hollywood mothers. Made in collaboration with editor Gary Hillberg, it reflects Moffatts ongoing fascination with women, as well as the cinematic vision that underpins her work. Theres also a massive installation called EYE HEAR U MAGIK by Hannah Bronte, which shows how ancestral intuition has been passed down through generations of Indigenous people. Its such a strong representation of mothers, grandmothers, daughters and just beautiful matrilineal storytelling, Prugger says. International artists feature alongside locals. Contemporary Chinese artist Sheng Qis striking work Memories (Mother) 2000 speaks to the loss of a mother country and his own mother. The graphic photograph shows the artists own hand missing his pinkie which he cut off in protest after the Tiananmen Square protests holding a photograph of his mother who he had to leave behind when he fled China for Europe after the June 1989 protests. Qi cut off his finger in an act of despair and buried it in a flower pot filled with Chinese soil. He remained in exile in London until 1998 when he returned to Beijing. Advertisement For some time in Europe images of the Virgin Mary dominated ideas of motherhood, with all the ensuing and in a contemporary context conflicting traits imbued in her: purity, modesty and domesticity. That still has an influence even today, Prugger says. It could be an exhibition in its own right, she says. Jean-Auguste-Dominique INGRES, Virgin of the Adoption, 1858. National Gallery of Victoria The show considers what impact that narrative might have had on First Nations people in Australia. It includes a dress that Quandamooka artist Kyra Mancktelow recreated from one her grandma was forced to wear at Moongalba (Myora mission), called One continuous string . Were thinking about all the cultural practices that were eradicated through the Christian visualisation, and also the impact that would have had on womens bodies and birthing practices, Prugger says. Also they are these iconic works of art, beloved in themselves. Ideas reflected in historical works still resonate today, including an Indian miniature painting that tells the story of the baby Krishna being nursed by his foster mother. Another is a drawing by Queen Victoria, which depicts her infant daughter, while hidden in the background is her nurse. There is simplicity and brilliance inherent in Ruth OLearys Flinders Street 2017, shot not long after the birth of her baby. Wanting to continue making art but constrained by caring for her child, OLeary visited the photo booth outside Flinders Street Station, donned a mask she had fashioned, and holding her baby in her arms took the portrait. Advertisement From there, the show moves into more political dimensions, exploring the myth of the supermum versus the bad mother. It explores how history and mythology has often interpreted womens stories in a certain way, and pairs that with the concept of the supermum. Many contemporary works talk about the struggle to try to do it all, as well as the invisibility of the housewife, Prugger says, citing a painting by Anne Graham, The fountain of the universal housewife, that pays tribute to a housewife, posing her in the centre of a market square. Acquired by the NGV in the 1980s, it hasnt been shown to the public before. The next four spaces explore caring for the child and the mothers work. Davida Allens Baby 1989 a depiction of the mayhem that is dinner time with a small child captures something of the constant toil that can be joyous and a nightmare, sometimes changing from one to the other within minutes. Davida Allens Baby, 1989. Davida Allen Probably many of these moments you can look back on fondly but in the moment its hard to enjoy, says Prugger. Advertisement Invisibility of mothers is another theme, both historic and contemporary. Even today many women tend to take the photographs so rarely appear in them and the show investigates this happening back when the medium of photography began. So-called carte-de-visite are early studio photographs, loosely known as hidden mother photographs. They took so long to develop or expose the photographs mothers would hide behind cloths or chairs and hold up the children to get a focused image, says Prugger. The last room explores the idea of leaving and leaving behind. A range of stunning, diverse imagery sees various artists pay tribute to their mothers. French conceptual artist Sophie Calle uses a taxidermied giraffe in her work to stand in for her mother, who recently died. British artist David Hockneys My Mother Sleeping 1982 is a tender, poignant collage of his elderly mother sleeping; it was acquired for this show. David Hockneys My mother sleeping, 1982. David Hockney The next two spaces covers ideas around love and loss. Theyre really the most emotional and heartbreaking works that talk to the loss of a child or a mother, as well as a specific focus on the First Nations Stolen Generation stories, says Prugger. Advertisement Historical works feature also throughout, including Anguish by August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck c. 1878, an iconic work thats a favourite in the salon at NGV International. Despite one in four pregnancies in Australia ending in miscarriage, the curators found that there were no works in the NGV collection depicting that experience. A series based on collages by American artist Joanne Leonard, made around the time she miscarried, were acquired for this show. John Packhams Petin to abduct, steal, 1999. John Packham These works are incredibly visceral, says Prugger, who is delighted to bring in this amazing feminist work, which has a history of being censored when it was first made. Leonard wrote about her work in 2008 that it might be difficult for a contemporary reader to appreciate how unusual it was at this time to make or find acceptance for art about an intensely personal subject like miscarriage. Writing in Being in Pictures: An Intimate Photo Memoir, she continued artistic precedents that existed were largely unknown or rarely seen by artists of my generation. Advertisement Not long after I finished the miscarriage journal, I discovered Frida Kahlos 1934 paintings about her own miscarriage. I felt a sense of connection to this work, and gratitude to the newly active womens movement for its efforts to restore missing women artists to their rightful places in history. Kate Just in her studio in Castlemaine. Tessa van der Riet The final part of MOTHER looks to the future: legacies that can be passed on from mother to child, which Prugger says includes many beautiful First Nations works that reflect intergenerational knowledge transfer. Those stories are very much thinking about what has come and what will be left behind and what is being carried into the future. Grief prompted Kate Justs evolution from being a painter to a knitter. Six months into her art course in Melbourne, her younger brother died, and she went home to the United States. She found her Mum sitting on the couch doing two things shed never seen her do: smoking and knitting. Just sat next to her mother and learned to knit. We were just in such a state of grief that while I was learning, I just felt like, you could use knitting to tell all the stories of womens loss and pain and connection. It would be the perfect medium because you make a whole new world by these loops you make, she says. It felt like our whole worlds were falling apart. But loop by loop, you make this whole new thing, so it just very profound. And then I went back to art school and I never made another painting. Advertisement Just says the way she learned from her mother is the way you would ancestrally. In almost every culture in the world, women have learned craft from other women like that, sitting alongside, watching, trying, being corrected, she says. Theres not a lot of verbal chat, necessarily. It really grounds you in some kind of connection if you learn that way, it just taps you into this whole lineage. MOTHER: Stories from the NGV Collection is at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from March 27July 12. Advertisement CultureMoviesCinema Val Kilmer died a year ago. Now he is returning for one last movie Jake Coyle March 19, 2026 7:47am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A New York: A year after Val Kilmers death, a generative AI version of the actor will co-star in an independent film, in one of the boldest uses yet of artificial intelligence in movie-making. First Line Films announced on Wednesday (US time) that Kilmer has posthumously joined the cast of a film titled As Deep as the Grave. The producers said that, before his death, Kilmer had signed on to perform in the movie but was unable to because of his health. An AI-generated version of the late Val Kilmer in the upcoming film As Deep As the Grave. Kilmers estate gave permission for his digital replication, and is being compensated for it. Mercedes Kilmer, the actors daughter, said the role resonated with her father. He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling, she said in a statement. This spirit is something that we are all honouring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part. Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for SAG-AFTRA didnt immediately respond to questions on Wednesday (US time). In an email, writer-director Coerte Voorhees and producer John Voorhees said SAG guidelines were followed. Related Article AI Why this video of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise brawling has Hollywood alarmed We believe we are serving as a demonstrator for how to do it ethically and correctly, especially in the case of working with a deceased actors estate and family, they said. As Deep as the Grave, formerly titled Canyon of the Dead, was shot several years ago but has been stuck in post-production. Its based on a true story about the archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris, whose Arizona excavations uncovered Native American history. The AI version of Kilmer plays Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist. The cast includes Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi and Abigail Breslin. Advertisement Voorhees said Kilmer, who identified as part Native American, was drawn to the project five years ago. Producers are seeking distribution with the hope of releasing the film this year. It was very unfortunate that his health at the time prevented him from playing this role, which spoke to him spiritually and culturally, Voorhees said. We are honoured to collaborate with his daughter Mercedes, who brings her own filmmaking experience, to bring this character to life in the way that we had all originally imagined it. AP 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: Cinema Pop culture AI Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A For eight years, Australian actor David Berry has been deep in Outlander, playing Lord John Grey in the hit time-travelling Scottish drama. While fans were busy swooning over the heated love story between Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan), Berrys Lord Grey was busy breaking boundaries, as a gay man in the 1700s. Now back in Sydney, Berry tells national TV editor Louise Rugendyke what its like to farewell the hit series and why his title of TV homewrecker stands. Hello David! One of your earliest jobs on screen here was in Home and Away in 2012. What do you remember of it? I did three months on Home and Away. I was the homewrecker [Logan Meyer]. I had the privilege of being the homewrecker to Samara Weaving and Luke Mitchells [onscreen] marriage. I just saw Luke [who now stars in Chicago Med] in New York when I premiered Outlander. It was like, Hey, I havent seen you in 15 years, but its cool to run into these people who got their start on Home and Away. Did he remember you? Yeah, I ruined his marriage, so he should remember me! How did you do it? I think it was, honestly, it was his fault, right? He [Mitchells character Romeo Smith] was neglectful of [Weavings] Indi, and I stepped in and was a shoulder to cry on. Advertisement Editor's pick Streaming Forget the toxic grooms, these are the men you should be paying attention to on TV From there you had a great run on the Seven drama A Place to Call Home for six seasons, where you played James Bligh, who struggled with his sexuality, and then Outlander called. How did you go from 1940s rural NSW to the Scottish Highlands? I did the audition here. I was very privileged to have such a charmed run on A Place to Call Home. The network invested so much money into that show, and it gave me such a great experience, learning how to work on a set and in a very complex, well-written character. I think that really put me in good stead for the Lord John Grey audition that came up. I wasnt initially very interested because I felt that I could tread very similar ground to the character that Id already played [both Lord John Grey and James Bligh are gay], but I thought the writing was really interesting. And I went into the audition with not much ambition or hope, but was delighted to get it. It was pretty much a whirlwind after the audition. I think it was about a week after I got the role, I was there [in Scotland] with absolutely no idea what I was doing. Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood and David Berry as Olivia and James in A Place to Call Home. Had you watched the show? I knew nothing. I kind of knew of it peripherally because a friend in A Place to Call Home had auditioned for the role of Claire Fraser, and I helped her read the sides [pages] for it. So how was it explained to you? Theres this nurse in 1940s Scotland, and she walks through this stone circle and ends up in the Highlands in the 1400s, with this hot dude in a kilt Advertisement Related Article Streaming Harlan Coben has taken over Netflix. These are his best (and worst) shows When I got on the plane [to Scotland], I downloaded as many episodes as I could and tried to immerse myself in as much as I could. When I got there, they gave me something called the Outlander Bible, which I think Diana [Gabaldon, who wrote the books the series is adapted from] had written herself. Its a tome, Id say, which references all the characters, but I quickly just dispensed with that and went with my gut. How would you describe Lord John Grey he appears as a young boy in season one and then you appear in season three as Grey all grown up. What do you like about him? Its his enduring kindness and ability to love selflessly and without an expectation of anything in return. He loves courageously and loves fearlessly. Not just Jamie Fraser, but his adoptive son. Loading The difficult thing, though, is that he cant have his one true love, Jamie. One of the main points of feedback that I get from fans is a real yearning. Calling for Lord John to have some kind of meaningful romantic connection with someone, because, as we all know, he cannot have that with Jamie Fraser. And hes had some very roundabout ways of being connected, tangentially through Jamie Fraser, with marrying his daughter, or nearly marrying his daughter, becoming his sons adopted father, and then, of course, marrying Claire. What is exciting about season eight is that we may see another romantic interest for Lord John Advertisement Related Article Reality TV The new reality TV show that makes MAFS look like MasterChef Australia I mean, staring into Sam Heughans eyes must be pretty good Well, Sam is a beautiful man, and I dont think I am at risk of being controversial on that topic! Millions of people agree with me, adoring fans of Jamie Fraser. I mean, he embodies that character so well. I often look at Sam, and the way that he plays that character, with just pure admiration. And, I guess, maybe jealousy in some sense, in that I dont know how he just embodies this perfect human being. Both Sam and Caitronia have been so great for the show because they bring a depth to the characters, and they really embrace the writing and the relationship that theyre able to portray on screen is, obviously, one of the major recipes for the success of this show. Its just so tangible and real, and that is a credit to them as actors. David Berry as Lord John Grey and Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser in season five of Outlander. Sam Heughan and Catriona Balfe in Outlander. Fans get quite obsessed over Claire and Jamie, and theres constant chat about whether that chemistry has spilt into real life for Sam and Catriona. Is it weird being on a show where fans are so hardcore? Youre right, people are very invested in it, to the point that I think there is this meta reality that builds around the show and the personal lives of actors surely if two people portray such romantic interest on screen, then that must exist beyond the screen which I understand. But of course, its not the case. We bring our lives, and we have brought our lives to our [characters] blood, sweat, tears for the last 10 years. Advertisement Its natural that fans have brought themselves to these roles. Theyve invested in [the characters] in ways that are often quite surprising to me, to the point where they believe these people are real. Thats a real privilege to have, to be actually in the hearts and minds of fans [so much] that you literally exist, that they think youre real. That then makes me understand that this final season is actually something really emotional for them, as much as it is for us. Theyre truly invested in this. You also caused quite a bit of upset when Lord John Grey slept with Claire in season seven. The fans were not happy! It definitely upset Jamie Fraser, and upset everyone on the show, honestly. And I was quite delighted about that. I guess it goes back to my roots on Home and Away, I liked being the homewrecker! But anytime you get a chance to really disrupt the material and I knew I was coming between this relationship everyone adores Jamie and Claire so to step in between that and to just tread that line, was really quite fun as an artistic challenge. I know fans were kind of horrified, but I took a perverse delight in it, to be honest. David Berry stars as Lord John Grey in Outlander. Steven Siewert What skills have you left Outlander with? Horse riding? Swordplay? Well, A Place to Call Home had already well acquainted me with a horse, so I could already put that on the actors resume. Swords, I was very well acquainted with them from when I was a kid. My parents always had a costume box, and its probably the genesis of being an actor. I learnt how to get better at jet lag, how to live in a hotel room for months and occupy my time, those practical things that exist outside the set, too. Outlander did give me an appreciation for Scotland understanding the accent and how to eat haggis, and what Irn-Bru is [a fizzy orange Scottish soft drink] and Tunnocks Tea Cakes, they always had those on set, all those cultural things they flash with pride about. Lord John Grey has his own book series a spin-off to the Outlander series do you think well ever see him on screen again? One of his first stories was called Lord John Grey and The Hell-Fire Club, which could really take you anywhere Advertisement Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. 1 / 4 Shaman in Brisbanes CBD. Markus Ravik 2 / 4 Shaman joins high-profile neighbours such as Exhibition and Dr Gimlette at 109 Edward Street. Markus Ravik 3 / 4 Shaman is just the latest of a slew of new small bars in Brisbanes CBD. Markus Ravik 4 / 4 You enter Shaman via the old carriageway on the left of 109 Edward Street. Markus Ravik Previous Slide Next Slide Shaman No cuisine$$$$ The theme at Peter Hollands (Frogs Hollow, Alice Bar) Shaman is rum and tequila theres about 150 of them combined on the back bar with a little bit of Carlos Santana thrown in for good measure. The bar occupies a basement space beneath the heritage-listed former Metro Arts building on Edward Street (home to both Exhibition and Dr Gimlette). Behind the bar, seasoned vets Tim Pope (ex-Par Bar in Melbourne) and Ed Quatermass (Maker, Death & Taxes et al) are in charge of a tight drinks list that features three house-takes on the staples a daiquiri, a margarita prepped with house-made triple sec, and an old-fashioned; a rotating list of old-school, more obscure classics; and a third section thats designed to celebrate forgotten retro gems (a bracing pina colada currently features). Theres a short list of mostly South American wines, and just one beer, Estrella, bottles of which sit iced up behind the bar in specially imported crates. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Australian troops avoid strike on UAE base Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed no Australian soldiers were injured after an Iranian missile struck close to an airbase where they were stationed. Advertisement The City of Rydes chief executive and two senior staff have been placed on leave pending an investigation after a closed-door council meeting called at the last minute that spanned more than four hours. Council chief executive Wayne Rylands, deputy chief executive Michael Galderisi and governance boss Graham Humphreys were stood down with pay from the council, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation. An investigation is under way, but there are no allegations of wrongdoing. City of Ryde deputy CEO Michael Galderisi, CEO Wayne Rylands, and governance boss Graham Humphreys. LinkedIn The decision to place the staff on leave was made in mysterious circumstances. Councillors were called to the meeting without knowledge of what was to be discussed. There was only one item on the agenda, listed as a confidential matter. Councillor Penny Pedersen, before the meeting went into a confidential session, said: Mr Mayor, we dont know what the item is. Document metadata shows the agenda was created at 9am on Monday, modified two hours later, and uploaded to the councils website at 3.30pm three hours before the meeting. Advertisement Rylands has been at the council since 2018 and has led the organisation since 2022. He has been temporarily replaced by John Angilley, a former executive director at the City of Parramatta who began at Ryde as director of business services in October last year. He declined to comment. Related Article Sydney councils Ryde council refers its own multimillion-dollar spending to ICAC In an email sent on Tuesday, Josh Hatten, the director of the office of the mayor and chief executive, told councillors Rylands had commenced a period of absence. Rylands, Galderisi and Humphreys did not respond to requests for comment. In an automated response received after the Herald emailed with questions, Rylands wrote he would be out of the office for a period of absence and directed all matters to his assistant. A similar email from Humphreys said he is currently on leave and is unable to review and respond to emails and calls. Advertisement A bounce-back email from Galderisi revealed he was placed on leave from Monday and would return to work on April 6. Nine councillors attended in person at the councils chambers in Ryde, and four Kathy Tracey, Felix Lo, Tina Kordrostami, and Roy Maggio were absent. Kordrostami and Maggio were barred from attending via audio-visual link. Neither the chief executive nor the two senior staff members were present. None of the 13 councillors responded to the Heralds calls on Wednesday. City of Ryde Mayor Trenton Brown did not respond to requests for comment. Sam Mooy The meeting was in a confidential session, a mechanism that bans councillors from discussing matters outside the chamber, between 6.30pm and 10.50pm. The meeting closed one minute later, with no reading of a resolution or information about what was discussed. The councils code of meeting practice requires resolutions made during closed meetings to be made public as soon as practicable after the meeting, or the relevant part of the meeting, has ended and that the resolution is recorded in the public minutes of the meeting. No meeting minutes have yet been published. Advertisement With Nigel Gladstone 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 Key points Cyclone Narelle could develop into one of the biggest storms in living memory, the Queensland premier says. It is tipped to cross the Far North Queensland coast near Coen, about 500 kilometres north of Port Douglas, early on Friday. Wind gusts up to 155km/h could start buffeting coastal towns between Coen and Cooktown from Thursday night. Lizard Island Resort has been effectively shut down and emptied. The cyclone heading towards Queensland has strengthened and sped up as it approaches the coast, with evacuations under way and the luxury Lizard Island Resort shut down. Tropical Cyclone Narelle is threatening to develop into a category 5 system and could be one of the biggest cyclones in living memory. An update from the Bureau of Meteorology on Wednesday afternoon said winds near the centre were measured 120km/h, having developed from a category 2 into a category 3 over the Coral Sea. Loading The BOM said destructive winds of more than 250km/h were possible near the centre as it crossed the coast, likely on Friday morning between Lockhart River and Port Douglas. Advertisement Narelles approach towards the coast had sped up from 18km/h to 22km/h. This may be the biggest system that many people have seen in living memory, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned. The situation is evolving. Its a serious situation, and the window to act is obviously closing. More than 100 emergency personnel, including swift water rescue teams and 49 police officers from Brisbane and Cairns, have been deployed north as locals batten down the hatches. It is the third system to impact the sodden Queensland region in barely two months after two lows struck, causing widespread flooding. Advertisement The forecast path of Cyclone Narelle shows its most likely direction and strength, with the storm expected to make landfall as early as Thursday night. Bureau of Meteorology Narelle is the biggest to hit the far north since category 4 system Cyclone Debbie devastated the Whitsundays in 2017, causing billions of dollars in damage. Last year, ex-cyclone Alfred crossed the coast just north of Brisbane on March 8. This is not the opportunity for you to be outside during the cyclone, getting that TikTok moment do not do it, state disaster co-ordinator Chris Stream said. A piece of debris being propelled at over 100km/h will kill you. Advertisement An image of Cyclone Narelle, off the Far North Queensland coast, on Wednesday. Weatherzone Lizard Island Resort has been effectively shut down and emptied, the premier said, with 10 people remaining who were sheltering in a strengthened area. Four people have been evacuated from Port Stewart, on the mainland near Coen. Crisafulli urged other residents in the region to also consider evacuating. The best time to move is today, he said on Wednesday. Advertisement He said there was a real prospect that it will remain a cyclone as it crosses what is a very narrow part of the state. Twenty-two schools in the cyclones strike zone remained open on Wednesday. Senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said the storm would cross over a period of about 12 hours, and was expected to strengthen. Johnson said she would be surprised if the cyclone weakened significantly, given the weather conditions currently feeding the system. Advertisement Cyclone Narelle was travelling at 18km/h towards the Queensland coast on Wednesday afternoon. Weatherzone Another senior bureau meteorologist, Jonathan How, said heavy rainfall was also expected, causing flash flooding and a dangerous storm tide. As the system crosses on Friday morning we are expecting those very destructive wind gusts of more than 225km/h, he said. We are expecting to see property damage, roofs being torn off houses and businesses as well as trees being stripped and power lines cut down. Wind gusts up to 155km/h could start buffeting coastal towns between Coen and Cooktown from as early as Thursday night. Advertisement Buildings and houses constructed in the region after 1982 should be built for a category 5 cyclone rating and able to withstand the storm. Related Video Video icon 1:47 Residents told to leave as major flooding continues [It] is really important that people know the risks of their own structures, Stream said, adding that police might be unable to fly rescue aircraft for eight to 10 hours after the cyclone hits due to safety reasons. Modelling had earlier indicated the cyclone could wobble a bit as it approached the coast, but Johnson said uncertainty in the systems track now centred on its path from east to west, which would affect how quickly the storm moved to the coastline. Our modelling thats come in overnight has slowed it a little bit, so its pushing it more towards it being well into Friday, Johnson said. Advertisement The earliest that wed be expecting it might reach the coast would be Thursday afternoon or evening. Of course, well start to see impacts before it actually reaches the coast. The weather bureau said the system could also push thunderstorms down the Queensland coast as far as Ingham and northern parts of Townsville, impacting already sodden parts of Queensland further inland. with AAP Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Far North Queensland is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Narelle, expected to be the biggest cyclone to hit the region in nine years. The storm formed in the Coral Sea between Queenslands east coast and Vanuatu, and was upgraded to tropical cyclone status on Tuesday afternoon. As of Thursday afternoon, forecasters predict it will cross in the sparsely populated region between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning, with a severe impact very likely. It is expected to weaken as it crosses Queensland, but to strengthen to cyclone status again as it moves west over the Gulf of Carpentaria towards the Northern Territory. Nine state schools have closed as conditions worsened before landfall, and would reopen when it was safe for staff and students to attend. Premier David Crisafulli said the government was keeping an eye on more than 10 other schools within the warning zone. Advertisement NationalQueenslandCrime Father accused of killing baby, partner has mental disorder: lawyer Cloe Read March 18, 2026 10:01am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The man accused of killing his 11-month-old girl and his partner has a schizoaffective disorder, his lawyer has told a Brisbane court. Blake Matthew Seers was charged on Tuesday with two counts of murder over the deaths of his partner Kate Paterson, 37, and their daughter April, after their bodies were found in their Logan home last week. Blake Seers is accused of murdering his partner Kate Paterson and their baby daughter. Seers, 38, had been hit by a vehicle that day, March 12, outside a supermarket near his home in Belivah, south of Brisbane. When officers attended Seers home to alert family of his injuries, they instead discovered Patersons and Aprils bodies. Advertisement The accused killer was charged after he regained consciousness in hospital days later. Detectives at the time suspected the pair had been killed with an edged weapon. Police said Seers had been reported by witnesses running toward the road, and might have had a neck injury when he was struck on Beaudesert Beenleigh Road at Bannockburn shortly before 7.30am. The bodies of Paterson and her one-year-old daughter April were found inside the family home. Seers matter was heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, where his lawyer Nicholas Andrews said his client would need to be assessed in custody for his mental health. Advertisement He said Seers was currently in custody under police watch in hospital. Mr Seers has a diagnosed schizoaffective disorder, Andrews said. Police at the scene in Bannockburn where Seers was hit by a vehicle. The bodies of his partner and daughter were discovered shortly afterwards. AAPIMAGE Andrews said given the case was from Logan, it would need to be transferred to Beenleigh Magistrates Court, to which the court agreed. Outside court, Andrews expressed his sympathies for those who had been affected. Advertisement Its a sensitive matter and our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this tragedy, he said. Lawyer Nicholas Andrews speaking outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Cloe Read But at times like this, I just need to remind myself that there is a job to do. Its currently progressing through the court and theres some mental health considerations here. Seers was remanded in custody, with his case scheduled to be heard in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court next Wednesday. Last week, members of the community, including students from nearby schools, gathered in a park near the Belivah home to remember Paterson, a year 5 teacher at Windaroo State School in Logan, and April. Advertisement Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalWACourts Perth man found guilty of attempted murder after choking woman Rebecca Peppiatt March 18, 2026 3:57pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A Perth man who stalked and harassed a woman for months before trying to kill her has been found guilty of attempted murder by a Supreme Court of WA jury. The group took less than a day to convict Mihael Vrhovsek, 29, after hearing weeks of evidence and witness testimony at trial that showed a pattern of obsessive and abusive behaviour from him towards the woman. Mihael Vrhovsek, 29, was found guilty of trying to kill a woman. Facebook Prosecutors told the court Vrhovsek mounted a campaign of abuse at the woman for five months that included changing his number 18 times after she blocked each one so he could repeatedly call and abuse her. They also said Vrhovsek tried to make contact with the woman 234 times via text messages and phone calls over a three-day period in the lead up to the attempted murder that culminated with him lying in wait in his car outside her apartment block for eight hours. Advertisement Kill yourself already?, This is your last warning, Youre a spectacular piece of s---, Go f--- yourself, politely, and I would have killed myself already but the hatred towards you is keeping me alive were just some of the text messages the victim received. Related Article Exclusive Courts We cant help you: Perth woman says police refused to help before alleged attempted murder In September 2023, the woman said she left Vrhovseks apartment and tried to avoid any interactions with Vrhovsek after that, but said he would relentlessly call, text and email her despite the fact she never responded. By January 2024 she said the communication got darker with one email reading, Thanks for another sleepless night, I much prefer pretending you are dead in that apartment. He also allegedly texted her Good night attention seeking s--- and later Youre dead to me. After spending one weekend away from her apartment because she was scared he would find her, the woman then told the court she went back briefly to grab a change of clothing with a friend, but when she ran into Vrhovsek she immediately called triple-zero. Advertisement I saw him walk out of the doors at me he was looking down, targeted, coming at me, she told the jury. That call was played to the jury during the trial where she could be heard yelling get the f--- away from me, get the f--- away from me before the call goes quiet. Its in those moments that she said Vrhovsek put his hands around her throat and lifted her off the ground while her friend and a bystander pulled him off twice. The victim said he then ran and lunged at her again, choking her into unconsciousness. The incident was all caught on CCTV cameras and played to the jury, but Vrhovsek denied he was trying to kill her and gave evidence that he did not remember the alleged assault. He will be sentenced on July 23. Advertisement PoliticsFederalGST Cormann v the rest: Why former finance minister is still backing this $60b blowout Shane Wright March 18, 2026 2:45pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A One of the key architects of the GST deal that will cost federal taxpayers $60 billion has defended the policy as affordable and vital to protecting the federation, putting him at odds with one of his fellow former ministers, who says it is hurting the nations economy and should be dumped. Mathias Cormann, finance minister under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison and now the head of the OECD, has used a Productivity Commission inquiry into the 2018 GST deal to argue it was a sound long-term investment and should be maintained. Former finance minister Mathias Cormann is now secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Bloomberg But almost every other state has called for it to be abandoned or dramatically changed, with Tasmanian treasurer and former Abbott government minister Eric Abetz leading the charge against a deal he said is one of the reasons the federal government is under pressure to curb spending. The commission is carrying out an inquiry into the deal that was put in place by then-treasurer Morrison after WAs share of GST collapsed to less than 30 for every dollar of the goods and services tax raised within the state. Advertisement WA was guaranteed a much higher portion of GST. But to ensure this did not come at the expense of GST to the rest of the country, the federal government gives extra cash to all states and territories bar WA to make sure they are not left worse off. Related Article Updated GST Biggest winners and losers in $103 billion GST carve-up In the 2019-20 budget, his last as finance minister, Cormann and then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg forecast the cost of the deal by mid-2023 would be $2.3 billion. Instead, it was almost $12 billion as the government underestimated how the deal would work. Since then, the cost has blown out even further. It is now on track to cost federal taxpayers at least $60 billion by the end of the decade. In percentage terms, the deal has grown faster than the NDIS. But Cormann told the commission that the carefully calibrated deal had stabilised WAs share of GST, given more GST to the rest of the country and ultimately strengthened the economy. Advertisement He admitted that while there were legitimate complaints that the deal was more expensive than originally planned, it was not a drain on the federal government as it delivered broader economic benefits. The amounts are affordable. While permanent, the additional Commonwealth funding is manageable within the overall Commonwealth budget. It represents a sound long-term investment in federal financial stability, he said. Managing federal financial relations involves trade-offs and costs. The Commonwealths additional funding should be understood as the cost of maintaining a stable, politically sustainable federation, a cost that is well justified and delivers a tangible benefit to our country. But every other state and territory that has made a submission to the inquiry said the deal was hurting their finances and the federal budget. The submission to the commission from the Tasmanian Treasury, headed by Abetz, who became state treasurer last year, argued the deal had failed to deliver its intended outcomes including claims it would reduce GST volatility and leave all states better off. Advertisement Demanding the deal be revoked, Tasmania said the deal had imposed a significant financial burden for the Australian government. It is also challenging to see how this unexpected increase in costs for the Australian government has not reduced its capacity to provide other Commonwealth payments to states, it said. Former Abbott government minister and now Tasmanian Treasurer Eric Abetz says the GST deal should be revoked. Alex Ellinghausen Arguably, the Australian governments need to fiscally constrain its expenditure, including Commonwealth payments it otherwise would have made to states, is in part due to the magnitude of payments it did not foresee as required under the 2018 legislative reforms. The South Australian government said the annual swing in GST payments to the states had grown since the deal was put in place. It estimated that once the no worse off guarantee ends, SA would be short-changed $500 million, or the equivalent of 3500 nurses. Advertisement The Victorian Treasury said, despite claims at the time, the Morrison-era deal had failed to encourage efficiency or productivity at the state level. It noted WA had not changed its mining royalties since it was introduced, while other jurisdictions had increased them to help cover budget pressures. Related Article Opinion Federal budget Up in smoke: How one budget burnt a $115 billion hole in the nations finances Shane Wright Senior economics correspondent It noted that the original forecasts for the cost of the entire deal had proven to be significantly inaccurate. At worst, they have introduced significant additional fiscal risks for all but the fiscally strongest state [WA] and have promoted no additional reform or economic development, it said. This transfer represents a significant opportunity cost with demonstrable impacts to the Commonwealths financial sustainability with little to no demonstrated reward. Advertisement One of the nations most respected economic modelling economists, Chris Murphy, said the current GST system was hurting the national economy because WA was now effectively a tax haven, receiving billions in extra GST that it could use to artificially reduce its own taxes. The existing WA relief system creates the conditions for a tax haven in WA, attracting economic activities to WA that would be more productively undertaken in other states, he said. Both the federal government and the Coalition have promised to maintain the current deal, which was extended to mid-2029 by Treasurer Jim Chalmers. The Productivity Commissions report is not due until the end of the year. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement PropertyNewsProperty market How Michael and Denise sold their home without dealing with an agent Dan F Stapleton March 19, 2026 4:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Last spring, empty-nesters Michael and Denise Greene decided it was time to sell their family home in leafy Roseville on Sydneys upper north shore. But readying the spacious six-bedder for sale was a daunting prospect: both Michael and Denise worked long hours, and the home was in less-than-pristine condition. Michael and Denise Greene decided it was time to sell their family home. Jessica Hromas We were not looking forward to the process at all, said Michael, a lawyer. We knew how many moving pieces there would be. The couple, who bought the home 23 years earlier, felt unsure about which real estate agent to engage. Advertisement Frankly, the prospect of auditioning a whole lot of agents and choosing the right one seemed like a lot of work, he said. On the recommendation of friends who had recently downsized, the Greenes enlisted Space Vendor Advocates principal Julie Buchanan. Vendor advocates such as Buchanan promise to take the stress out of selling by co-ordinating renovations, liaising with agents and overseeing marketing campaigns. And many sellers are set to face more testing conditions, as the clearance rate slips and interest rates rise. They are often paid out of the real estate agents commission, theoretically leaving sellers also known as vendors no worse off. But experts warn sellers still need to do due diligence about who they choose. Advertisement Thomas McGlynn, president of the Real Estate Institute of NSW, has watched the vendor advocacy phenomenon grow steadily over the past few years. Related Article NSW residential property How Stephen took the stress out of downsizing Agents need to understand that there is a need for this because of how people feel about agents and how stressful choosing one can be. But he said sellers should proceed carefully because vendor advocates are not yet governed by state-level regulations like buyers agents are. He also questioned whether vendor advocates should be paid out of the real estate agents commission. Advertisement If you are appointing someone to represent you, you probably should be remunerating them directly, he said. Buyers agents are paid directly by the buyer, and that ensures that they are representing the buyers interests, rather than aligning themselves with the selling agent. Saturdays can be busy in real estate, but a vendor advocate can offer an extra pair of hands. Oscar Colman Buchanan advised the Greenes to paint and recarpet their home and undertake minor renovations upstairs. She organised the relevant tradespeople on their behalf. The process was seamless, Greene said. Because of her contacts, Julie was able to get people there promptly. Advertisement Buchanan then solicited proposals from prominent agents in the area, whittling down the shortlist in consultation with the Greenes. Working with the couples chosen agent, she oversaw property styling, photography and open homes. The Greenes received an attractive offer and sold the property before the scheduled auction. We certainly were very happy with the price that we got, and Julie was a key reason we achieved that, Greene said. Advertisement Buchanan said most of her clients lead busy lives like the Greenes. Many distrust real estate agents. Whats valuable to them is knowing that someone is watching their back and has their best interests at heart, she said. Related Article Exclusive Title Deeds Heiress who bought Coca-Cola boss house for $8m to resell for $20m A vendor advocate acts as a trusted extra pair of hands, Buchanan said. It could be as simple as arriving early to an open home and making sure the house is set up properly. Agents are rushing from house to house on a Saturday, but with us, they know they can turn up to a house and its ready to be shown. Advertisement Fiona Martin, principal of Melbourne vendor advocacy firm Golden Alliance and a former real estate agent, decided to represent sellers after seeing how other agents were conducting business. Most agents have a very transactional approach. Its not that theyre trying to do the wrong thing by their clients, but essentially, thats what ends up happening, because theyre working for themselves and doing what is easiest and fastest. An effective vendor advocate holds a selling agent to account, Martin said. Im essentially the agents colleague throughout the sale. We work on everything together, and that benefits the vendor because it keeps the agent working hard throughout the sale. Martin would welcome increased regulation of vendor advocacy. She urged sellers to do their due diligence. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Auctions Why the property market just slipped below a key benchmark Absolutely, there are transactional vendor advocates, same as there are transactional selling agents. You have to be really careful about who you pick. She said some vendor advocates did little more than manage communications. They will put themselves in the middle, between the vendor and the agent, and not allow transparent communication, so it looks like theyre taking initiative, but all theyre doing is passing messages between the parties. McGlynn said sellers who could identify conscientious and professional real estate agents themselves had little need for a vendor advocate. Advertisement But he conceded that not all sellers had the time or the savvy to identify such agents. For those people, there is a definite need [for vendor advocates], and thats why I see this trend continuing. Property listings Advertisement WorldEuropeUK IRA victims come face to face with Gerry Adams as they finally get their day in court Gordon Rayner March 18, 2026 2:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Key points For the first time, former Sinn Fein president forced to answer on oath question about his past. Civil hearing surrounds membership of an organisation. Only one of three co-claimants fit to attend court in person. Barry Laycock has spent the past 30 years seeking the truth about who ordered the terrorist bombing that ended his working life. On Tuesday, he finally faced down the man he believed to be responsible as Gerry Adams entered the witness box at the High Court no more than seven metres in front of him. The civil case against Gerry Adams has raised difficult questions over unresolved episodes of the Troubles. AP For the first time, the former Sinn Fein president and one-time MP was forced to answer on oath the question that he has been avoiding for the past half-century: was he ever a senior member of the IRA? I was never in the IRA, he told the court. Nor, he said, did he have any knowledge of its workings beyond what was in the public domain. That is not the truth, is it? asked Sir Max Hill, KC, representing Laycock and others. Advertisement It is the truth, insisted Adams. He did, though, tell the court that he had never disassociated myself from the IRA. Whatever the outcome of these proceedings, Laycock, together with his co-claimants and fellow IRA bombing victims John Clark and Jonathan Ganesh, has already won a victory of sorts by getting this case to court and forcing Adams to face a public inquisition. Adams, 77, is being sued by Clark, 82, who was injured in a car bombing at the Old Bailey in London in 1973, Ganesh, 57, injured in the Docklands bombing of London in 1996, and Laycock, 86, injured in the bombing of Manchesters Arndale Centre in 1996. The IRA bomb devastated Manchesters Arndale shopping centre in June 1996. PA Images via Getty Images They are asking for a token 1 in damages for the responsibility they claim Adams bears for ordering the bombings, but what they really want is answers. Advertisement Adams, dressed in a navy-blue suit, wore a Palestine flag lapel pin and a Fainne Oir a small gold circle denoting an Irish language speaker together with a sprig of shamrock in his breast pocket. A very happy St Patricks Day, he said to Justice Swift as he entered the witness box. Oh, thats very kind, replied the judge. It was an incongruous start to a day that was to be spent discussing a terrorist organisation, but Adams was doing his best to present as the retired politician he claims to be, softly spoken and measured in his responses. Can I say that I saw Mr Laycock in court today, and I was extremely moved by the testimony he gave to this court, he said, unprompted. The judge told him to stick to answering the questions put to him by Sir Max, a former director of public prosecutions. Advertisement Barry Laycock is seeking symbolic damages from Adams over the bombing that cost him his job. Getty Images Laycock, unmoved, sat with his arms folded as he stared at Northern Irelands most prominent Republican of living memory. This was a scene that would have been unimaginable in the 20th century: an alleged IRA commander answering questions in a London courtroom about terrorist attacks, one of his alleged victims sitting close by, British Army veterans and at least one convicted former IRA member sitting in the small, cramped public gallery without any need for extra security precautions. Adams was once considered so dangerous by the British government that his voice was effectively outlawed. From 1988 to 1994, it was illegal to broadcast his voice, meaning that television and radio news bulletins had to hire actors to dub his speeches. Here, though, he was mumbling so quietly at times that the judge had to tell him to raise his voice, and those in the high-ceilinged, old courtroom were having to strain to make out much of what he said. Advertisement This is not a murder trial, not even a criminal trial, but a civil hearing about membership of an organisation, so there are more references to bundles, tabs and paragraph numbers than blood, bone and sinew. I was never in the IRA Adams began his evidence by explaining that he joined Sinn Fein when he was 16, only a pup in his words, spurred into republican fervour by what he saw as the injustice of the special powers used by the British government, including internment without trial. Others claim he was a senior IRA commander by the early 1970s, but time and again Adams repeated that I was never in the IRA and that he had always come clean about his past. Despite insisting that I like English people, Adams became annoyed at times and showed a degree of contempt for Sir Maxs line of questioning. Advertisement Adams, who denies being an IRA member, helps carry the coffin of IRA man Seamus Twomey in September 1989. Getty Images Youre going to have to do your best not to interrupt me, said Adams irritably as Sir Max tried to cut him short at one point. He also took issue with Sir Maxs terminology, saying please stop using the term mainland when referring to the island of Great Britain. I am from the island of Ireland, he said, his voice now raised. That is the mainland, and this is our nearest offshore island. He became flippant when Sir Max asked him why he wore a black beret associated with membership of the IRA at the funeral of an IRA commander if he was not himself a member of the IRA. Whats the big deal? Adams asked. I did on a number of occasions wear a black beret, but so did many other people Benny Hill wore a black beret. Advertisement Sir Max pointed out the obvious about the former slapstick comedian: That was in rather different circumstances. Despite approaching his ninth decade, Adams remains an imposing, broad-shouldered figure who could pass for a man in his late 50s. His hair and whiskers have faded to grey, but he is otherwise unchanged from the man who, for many, became the face of the Troubles. Time has been less kind to Laycock, who looks every one of his 86 years. Stiff-jointed and reliant on a walking stick and painkillers, his battered body has never recovered from the terrible back and leg injuries he suffered when a lorry bomb exploded outside Manchesters Arndale Centre in June 1996. Advertisement Related Article Royal family Sinn Fein leader makes landmark apology for murder of Prince Philips uncle The 1500-kilogram bomb, the biggest to explode in Britain since World War II, ended Laycocks working life as a railwayman, leaving him living hand to mouth for eight years until he could claim his pension, he has previously said. He blames that hardship, and the wider impact of the bombing, for the death of his wife, Christine, 16 years ago, and has said that it robbed his grandchildren of having a normal granddad. No one was ever charged in connection with the bombing, which injured 200 people, meaning the civil case against Adams is likely to be the closest Laycock ever gets to justice. Sitting on the upright benches of Court No 16 to listen to Adams give evidence was clearly causing him great physical discomfort, though we can only guess at the mental pain of reliving his ordeal. Like the other claimants, he is keeping a dignified silence while the case is ongoing. Clark and Ganesh both suffer from ill health and were not in court. Advertisement Between them, they stand for more than 540 people who were injured and three who were killed by the three bombings, and to a great extent, they also stand for more than 1700 people killed by the IRA during the Troubles, many of whom have never received justice. The Telegraph, London 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: UK Northern Ireland Ireland Advertisement WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war For the victims of Epstein Island: Irans propaganda machine in overdrive Akhtar Makoii March 17, 2026 2:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A London: Hundreds of American soldiers have been captured across the Gulf. US military bases throughout the region lie in ruins. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dead or gravely wounded. Washington officials are begging for a ceasefire while the US loses control of a war that will not end until Iran says so. Relentless Iranian missile strikes are smashing Israel while enemies plead for mercy, and the US strike groups are rendered non-functional and forced to retreat after being hit with missiles. This is the war as it is seen and heard on Iranian state media, the only source available to millions of people living under fire during a near-total communications blackout that has cut internet access. Regime-linked news outlets have shared imagery, much of which appears to be doctored, portraying the war as a fight against Jeffrey Epsteins allies. via The Telegraph, London Persian-language satellite news channels broadcasting from outside Iran have also been jammed and people who use satellite internet devices are being arrested. Advertisement What they are hearing bears limited resemblance to the war documented by human rights groups, Western media and the social media posts that occasionally break through the information blockade. Related Article Middle East at war How a Trump post sparked a wave of misinformation about Australia For a window into the propaganda machine, Londons Telegraph spent much of the last two weeks tuning in to Iranian state televisions war coverage. For several hours on Friday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Netanyahu had been killed or seriously wounded in an Iranian strike. State broadcasts spoke of the daring capture of US soldiers and airmen, with reports about shooting down a US jet every other day and a drone every other hour. Advertisement On March 8, the mood across Iranian media shifted from mourning-black graphics and funeral dirges to jubilant celebration as they announced that Mojtaba Khamenei had been selected as the new supreme leader. The anchor shouted the news at the top of his lungs. Four days later, another presenter bellowed the new supreme leaders first written statement, reading each line as if delivering a battle cry. View post on X The TV screen split into three frames. Regime supporters flooded the streets, waving Iranian flags in one corner, while missiles and drones launched towards Israel and American bases in the Gulf in another, and rockets fell on Israeli cities in the third frame. News outlets evoked the eight-year Iran-Iraq war that started in 1980, a conflict that is seared into Irans collective memory as a period of national unity against foreign aggression. Advertisement With each missile fired towards Israel or American bases, state TV broadcast the same martial music that accompanied strike footage during the war against Iraq. Revolutionary songs from the 1980s play continuously across all channels, interspersed with religious hymns referring to Imam Ali, the first Shia imam, with themes of martyrdom. AI-edited photos of missiles with the message, In the memory of victims of Epsteins island written on them in Farsi have been shown on Iranian state TV. via The Telegraph, London The main military spokesman providing updates has no name visible on his uniform. He is identified only as a sacrifice for Iran. Citizens are urged to take to the streets every night after iftar, the breaking of the Ramadan fast, during what state media calls the war of Ramadan, giving the conflict an added religious element. Advertisement State television broadcasts these rallies extensively and shows crowds carrying Iranian flags with participants declaring loyalty to the new supreme leader and vowing to fight until victory. The media show messages written on missiles before launch, with one reading: In the memory of victims of Epsteins island. The image, which appears to have been doctored to include the message, has also been widely shared by pro-regime accounts on social media. Mourners wave Iranian flags during the funeral procession for senior Iranian military officials and civilians killed during the US-Israel campaign. AP Irans security chief, Ali Larijani, said on Friday: Mr [US Defence Secretary Pete] Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epsteins island. He followed it up on Sunday with a post on social media site X claiming what remains of Epsteins network was plotting a 9/11-style attack to place the blame on Iran. Advertisement Anti-war protesters marching through London later that day were joined by a van with a screen showing an AI-generated image of US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Iran uses missiles for other messages too. Graves are prepared for the victims, mostly children, of what Iranian officials said was an Israeli-US strike on February 28 at a girls primary school in Minab, Iran. Iranian Foreign Media Department via AP Consolation for the grieving hearts of the mothers of Minab, and the patient hearts of the fathers, reads the text on another rocket, referring to the bombing of a girls school that killed more than 165 people, most of them children. The hand of God has been revealed Khamenei has become young this battle continues, another message reads. Advertisement The US struck the school on the opening day of the war, a preliminary Pentagon investigation has found. What Iranian state television does not show is equally revealing. Coverage of many other strikes on Iran is largely absent from broadcast television, appearing occasionally in brief text updates on Telegram channels operated by state news agencies. Coverage of many strikes on Iran is largely absent from its broadcast television. Getty Images Reports refer to general areas hit in Tehran and other cities but provide minimal detail about damage or casualties. Advertisement The broadcasts create an impression of limited, sporadic strikes on civilian targets such as hospitals rather than the comprehensive campaign documented by residents and human rights monitors. Unlike neighbouring countries that have developed air raid sirens, mobile phone alerts and public shelter networks, Iran has no functioning infrastructure to warn its citizens of impending attacks. Loading State television does not offer advice to those seeking shelter, with no prepared public shelters available. During the 12-day war in June, citizens were occasionally advised to shelter in metro stations. The messages threatening dissidents or protesters, meanwhile, are explicit and repeated. Advertisement Irans national police commander, Ahmad-Reza Radan, appeared on state television to warn: If anyone comes to the streets at the enemys behest, we do not see them as protesters. We see them as enemies and will deal with them as we deal with enemies. All our boys have their hands on the trigger, ready. Related Article Analysis Middle East tensions Biggest moment in Iran since 1979: World on edge as protests grow Intelligence sources from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened a blow harder than Jan 9 referring to the violent response to anti-regime protests two months ago that killed thousands if any demonstrations happened during the war. Daily funeral coverage provides the only consistent acknowledgement of Iranian casualties. State television shows mourning families, flag-draped coffins and burial ceremonies, but the broadcasts frame every death as martyrdom in defence of Iran rather than civilian casualties of war. Advertisement Human rights groups estimate that more than 1300 civilians have been killed in Iran by air strikes since the war began. Estimates of how many were killed by the regime during Januarys protests range from 7000 to 30,000. Many of those were buried without ceremony. The ensuing information blockade means millions of people are experiencing war through a lens that bears limited resemblance to the war outside. Iranians are being told that victory is certain while bombs continue to fall on their homes. The Telegraph, London 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 Analysis WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Irans de facto ruler Larijani is dead. It may not be a win for the US and Israel Yeganeh Torbati and Farnaz Fassihi March 18, 2026 10:04am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Irans top security official, Ali Larijani, had a reputation for being able to bridge the countrys hard-line military elements and more moderate political factions. His killing in an Israeli airstrike could open the way for Irans military to tighten its grip over the ruling system, analysts say. Larijani, the head of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, was the de facto leader of the country after US-Israeli airstrikes killed the upper echelons of government and the military early in the war. He was known to be trusted by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader who was killed at the start of the US-Israeli campaign late last month. Irans Ali Larijani waves as Hezbollah supporters throw rice to welcome him to Beirut during a visit to Lebanon in August 2025. AP Larijanis responsibilities had grown steadily over the past few months, including overseeing the brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters in January. He also liaised with allies and neighbours, and prepared Iran for a military confrontation with the US. Though he was a veteran conservative politician, Larijani had a reputation as a relative pragmatist within a system increasingly dominated by hardliners. Internally, he had pushed for a moderate supreme leader to replace Khamenei, The New York Times reported this week. Advertisement He lost that argument, however, and Mojtaba Khamenei, the ayatollahs son, was chosen to replace his father. Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war as it happened: Top Iranian officials killed, Trump lashes allies, Iran strike near Australian base, War could push inflation past 5 per cent A senior Iranian official said in a phone interview that he had received a call with the news that Larijani was killed. He described the mood among officials as one of deep shock and anxiety that Israel would not stop until all members of Irans leadership were killed and the Islamic Republic toppled. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly. In addition to Larijani, Israel also killed Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij, the plainclothes militia deployed by the government to repress demonstrations. A member of the Revolutionary Guard, who was also not authorised to speak publicly, said killing Larijani and Soleimani would most likely only strengthen Irans hardliners to consolidate power and not concede to US President Donald Trumps demands. He said that while he was angry and sad at hearing the news, it had made him more resolved to fight. Advertisement Referring to Larijanis killing, it means even further militarisation of the system, said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert on Iranian security issues at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, a research organisation. Larijanis skills would have been essential for creating consensus among elites in the aftermath of the war, Azizi noted. Now that it seems everything is in the hands of the military elite, its very difficult to imagine how and if they can come up with some ideas, or if they can show enough flexibility, to accept the ideas of the other side to end the war, he said. This process of elite-thinning every layer that you remove, the next layer is going to be more hardline. Ali Alfoneh, a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute who has written an analysis of Larijanis career, said that the killing would speed up regime radicalisation and lead to further entrenchment of Irans Revolutionary Guard, the countrys ideological military force. Advertisement Israel is assassinating anyone who can negotiate with the US, Alfoneh said in a series of text messages. Their agenda is different than Trumps. Only hard-line IRGC is left. Related Article Updated Foreign relations We dont need anyones help: Trump lashes out at NATO allies, Australia over Iran war In a statement about Larijanis killing, the Israeli military said the death constitutes a further blow to the Iranian regimes abilities to manage and coordinate hostile activity against the state of Israel. Hatef Salehi, a conservative Iranian political analyst who is close to the government, described Larijani as the most important and capable interlocutor between Irans security and political leaderships. His killing would decrease the chances of finding a low-cost political solution to end the war, Salehi wrote on social media. Advertisement Larijanis killing elevates even further Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Irans parliament and a former Revolutionary Guard commander who serves as a link among Mojtaba Khamenei, the state bureaucracy and the Guard, said Saeid Golkar, a professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who studies Irans security forces. Hes going to continue the war, Golkar said. They believe they are going to create another Vietnam War for the United States. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 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. A SLEW of offensive and threatening messages sent to his godmother over the course of one morning has led to a conviction for harassment for a Carlow man. Jonathan Cooke, 7 Riverdell Apartments, Haymarket, Carlow was charged with harassment after sending 26 voice messages to his godmother over the course of one day last year. Mr Cooke pleaded not guilty to the offence before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Carlow District Court on Thursday 12 March. Recordings of the voice messages were played to the courtroom. In them, Mr Cooke (30) could be heard saying you rat bastard repeatedly and I dont even want to look at you again, you ugly c**t. The court heard Mr Cooke ranting and raving in the messages, accusing the complainant of being a busybody, saying you had to get involved, as always and shouting that her family were scum. Who do you think you are? Youre not my family, he said. In one of the more humorous messages, the defendant sang his insults. In one of the darker ones, he said of the complainants brother: I would have ended his life. Judge Carthy heard that the harassment began in the early hours of 17 February 2025 when the complainant received a WhatsApp message on her phone, addressed to her daughter, looking for a phone number for his godmother. She responded at around 9am in the morning, identifying herself and asking him what he wanted. Then he bombarded me with messages that I wasnt happy with, she told Judge Carthy. They were threatening me and my family. At one stage he threatened to kill my brother, she said. I felt very upset. The complainant explained that his contact came up under another name, but that he identified himself as Jonathan in the first message and that she recognised his voice: Ive known him for as long as hes alive hes my godson. In fear for her safety, she went to Bagenalstown Garda Station with her brother to report the incident. After making a statement, she forwarded the messages to Garda Brian Wilkinson, who said in his evidence that their content can only be described as abusive in nature. In total, she received 35 messages, but four were shorter than a few seconds and contained no audio. The last message was sent around midday. Solicitor Alexander Rafter, representing Mr Cooke, put it to Garda Wilkinson that its my clients case that he received voice notes in return and that you havent been presented with that. He brandished a letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions which noted it would not be appropriate to proceed with a harassment charge if messages were sent in return. Garda Wilkinson said the complainant presented him with the voice notes shortly after she received the last message and said the defendant was arrested on the day of the incident, questioned about the correspondence and could not produce messages from his godmother in return on that day. However, he agreed that it was on the state to produce evidence rather than the defendant. Theres an unfairness here. A one-sided version of events has been put before the court. My client instructs there are responses to those messages, but we dont have those, said Mr Rafter. He referred to a Supreme Court decision from 2009 which said the prosecution has a duty to seek out all telephone records. But he did your client couldnt produce it, responded Judge Carthy. That case is from prior to the 2023 legislation, which absolutely reduces the threshold for harassment, she observed. As to why Mr Cooke couldnt produce the messages he received that had been deleted and why he didnt go back to the gardai with his phone, Mr Rafter said: Well, a phone could be lost. Judge Carthy did not accept this defence. Mr Cooke then took to the stand and explained he sent the voice notes after he was kicked out of the house, the family tried to take his dog from him and I went mental and lost me head. He said his godmother had sent messages in response, egging him on. Judge Carthy convicted Mr Cooke of the offence of harassment under section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Obviously, what I heard today is quite distressing and stark in its content, but Ill give your client every opportunity, she told Mr Rafter. She requested a probation report be compiled to get a full picture prior to sentencing Mr Cooke and remanded him on bail until a hearing on 20 May. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Gardai have appealed for the publics help in tracing the whereabouts of 16-year-old Jordan Holden, who is reported missing from Carlow town, since 16 March 2026. Jordan is described as being approximately 5 foot 10 inches in height, with red hair and blue eyes. Gardai are concerned for his well-being. Anyone with information on Jordans whereabouts is asked to contact Carlow Garda Station on 059 9136620, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. THE price of heating oil across Carlow has stabilised over the past two weeks after it increased by over 50 per cent in two days from 2-4 March. The average price for 500 litres of kerosene from a Carlow supplier was 874 on 18 March; this is down slightly from an average of 878 on 4 March. The price of 500 litres of Kerosene on 18 March at 2.50pm from Carlow suppliers was: Right Price Oil 869, Certra 868, Kenny Fuels 872, Klass Oil 874 and Mr Oil 869. The average price of 500 litres of Kerosene in Carlow peaked on 10 March at 890. Budget 2026, which was unveiled on 12 March, saw the fuel allowance payment extended to those receiving the Working Family Payment. The allowance was backdated to January for those eligible. However, the government has not announced any measures to help with the cost of heating oil to those not in receipt of social welfare. Local politicians have expressed concern about the sharp increase in prices. Jennifer Murnane OConnor, Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, said on 9 March: I share the concerns of people who are seeing sharp rises in the price of home heating oil and petrol and diesel. I welcome that changes to supports such as the fuel allowance made in Budget 2026 are now being rolled out, with more households qualifying and higher rates of payments available. When the invasion of Ukraine happened, the supports came some weeks after. We are only one week into this crisis and I am confident that the government will keep all options open in considering how best to help people meet the challenge of rising costs. Natasha Newsome Drennan, Sinn Fein TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, criticised the governments response to the rapid fuel price increases and said on 16 March: Households across Kilkenny and Carlow are under enormous pressure and yet Fianna Fail and Fine Gael continue to sit on their hands while costs spiral. Deputy Drennan has backed a Sinn Fein motion calling on the government to scrap the planned tax increase on home heating oil, which is due to take effect on 1 May. By Rebecca Black, Press Association in Washington, DC Ireland can address a tremendous trade imbalance with the US by buying American liquified natural gas (LNG), President Donald Trump has said. Trump said Ireland had better do something to bring the trade deficit down. Speaking at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon for St Patricks Day at the US Capitol Building, Trump said: We have a tremendous deficit, by the way. I looked at the numbers. You guys are much better business people than our past politicians. So we want to sell a little to you, and the deficit will come down, down, down, and everybody's going to be happy US President Donald Trump Turning to Taoiseach Micheal Martin, he added: We have to talk about that deficit are we allowed to talk about that today? Trump referenced the more than six billion dollars being invested into the US by Irish companies, before adding: And Im hopeful that well soon reach a deal to sell American liquefied natural gas and thatll bring down your deficit a lot so I think you have to make this deal with us, you better do something. But these companies are going to be fuelling your homes and factories and all of the other things. We got a lot of, we have a lot of energy in this country. We have more than anybody, most energy of any country in the world, by far. So we want to sell a little to you, and the deficit will come down, down, down, and everybodys going to be happy. So you gotta buy a lot of our stuff. By Danny Halpin, Press Association Law Reporter Gerry Adams was a major, major player in the war, according to one of his former friends who was an IRA volunteer, the High Court in London has heard. Brendan Hughes said the words during a recorded interview that was played in court to Adams, who is giving evidence in defence of a legal claim brought against him by three victims of bombings in England by the Provisional IRA in the 1970s and 1990s. John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council, and are seeking 1 in damages. The former Sinn Fein president denies the allegations and is defending the claim, telling the court that he had no involvement whatsoever in the bombings and was never a member of the Provisional IRA. I defended the use of armed struggle when I thought it was appropriate Gerry Adams Hughes and Adams were at Long Kesh prison together in the early 1970s and they were together the day before Hughes died in 2008, the court heard. On Wednesday, after playing the clip in which Hughes calls Adams a major player, Max Hill KC, for the three bombing victims, said: You were, werent you Mr Adams? And you deny it. Adams said: I was president of Sinn Fein for 35 years, deeply involved in the struggle. I defended the use of armed struggle when I thought it was appropriate. Im not boasting but I dont deny that I was a person of interest, of influence, and I used that influence as best I could to move from war to peace and that is, thankfully, what we are enjoying to this day. Hill also quoted a passage from the book Say Nothing, in which Hughes gave an interview saying that Adamss IRA membership was common knowledge. He said: The British know it. The people on the street know it. The dogs know it on the street. And hes standing there denying it. Hill also described Hughes as a proud IRA volunteer until his death. Gerry Adams previously told the court that he had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the bombings in England (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Adams replied: I dont know what his status was. Its interesting that the direction from the claimants counsel was that I was helping, involved, in those armed actions and those decisions to bring the war to Britain, while those who were against what we were doing saw us as traitors. On Tuesday, Adams told the court that while he did not distance himself from the Provisional IRA, he was glad the organisation had left the stage and that there were dastardly things that were done that should never have been done. In his witness statement, he also said that he had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the three bombings. Anne Studd, for the bomb victims, previously told the trial that being a member of Sinn Fein and a member of the Provisional IRA was a distinction without a difference for some individuals, including Adams. Studd also told the court that Adams had a foot in each camp of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement. The barrister continued that Adams was directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996. The trial before Judge Swift is expected to end later in March. Eoin Reynolds An "unfortunate situation" has led to the discharge of a jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering his friend in circumstances of "almost indescribable savagery". Liam O'Leary (33) pleaded not guilty to the murder of 58-year-old John Casserly at a Peter McVerry Trust housing unit on Tone St, Ballina, Co Mayo, between October 23 and 24th, 2024. Mr O'Leary's trial began at the Central Criminal Court eight days ago, and it had been expected that the prosecution would complete its evidence this week. However, Ms Justice Melanie Greally today told the jury that due to an "unfortunate situation", the trial cannot continue. She thanked them for doing their civic duty by agreeing to sit in what she said has been "a deeply disturbing and unpleasant trial". She excused the jurors from further service for five years. The case will be mentioned again before the court on April 15th. Opening the trial on March 10th, prosecution senior counsel Dean Kelly told the jury that the alarm was raised when Mr O'Leary and Mr Casserly entered a neighbour's apartment in Tone House, causing the occupants to flee downstairs. When gardai breached the door of the apartment, they found Mr Casserly lying naked on the ground, face up, with Mr O'Leary standing over him, clothed. Mr Kelly said Mr Casserly died in circumstances of "almost indescribable savagery", having been stabbed 27 times, including on both sides of the chest, in the abdomen, neck, left eye, genitals and anus. He had suffered multiple blunt force and incised wounds to his trunk, arms and legs, Mr Kelly said. James Cox Taoiseach Micheal Martin has come across well in the US media over his approach to Tuesday's St Patrick's Day meeting with president Donald Trump. Martin pushed back on some of Trump's criticism of the European Union and also UK prime minister Keir Starmer. Still angry at the UK's decision not the join his war on Iran, Trump used the Oval Office meeting to criticise Starmer who he said is "no Winston Churchill". Martin told Trump Churchill had not been a friend to Ireland, before defending Starmer. He said Starmer is a "very earnest, sound person and he believes Trump has a capacity to get on with him. I just met with Keir Starmer last week, the British-Irish relationship is a very important one. Churchill was a great wartime leader, although in Ireland it was kind of a different perspective in terms of our own war of independence and so on, he created his own bit of difficulties for us. But that said, he was a great wartime hero. Keir Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship. I just want to put that on the record. But I do believe that he is a very earnest, sound person that I think you have a capacity to get on with. And youve got on with him before, and youve got on with other European leaders as well and I think you have that capacity again." Martin also defended immigration in the European Union after Trump launched a familiar attack on migration policies. The New York Times report that Martin "pushed back, gently" against Trump. The report notes it was a "delicate balance" for the Taoiseach, due to the importance of the Ireland-US relationship. Comparing the meeting to a recent one between Trump and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, The Times noted Martin's Oval Office outing contained "some awkward silence as well". However, it praised Martin for calling for peace in the Middle East and defending European allies. "Mr Martin walked a fine line. He denounced Iranian aggression, saying 'you cannot have a rogue state with a nuclear weapon,' and underlining that 'all European countries' have recognised Iran as a sponsor of terrorism. He also defended European responses." USA Today focused more so on the musings of Trump, however, the report notes his misgendering of President Catherine Connolly. "While meeting with the Irish prime minister at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter to respond to Irelands president saying the Iran war is illegal. Look, hes lucky I exist, Trump said. "The president of Ireland is Catherine Connolly, who, like the acting Venezuelan president, is not a man." The Huffington Post also focused on Martin's defence of Starmer in an "awkward" Oval Office meeting. The report also praises Martin for defending Ukraine. US president Donald Trump speaks to Taoiseach Micheal Martin during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images "The taoiseach also tried to appeal to Trump over Ukraine, as the president consistently and falsely blames Kyiv for starting the war. "'The Russians did invade Ukraine, attack civilian infrastructure. The people of Ukraine just want peace and an opportunity to live,' Martin said. 'We want a peaceful resolution of conflict.' "His remarks show how the tide is turning against Trump across Europe at a time when Nato is desperately trying to stay out of the USs conflict in the Middle East." Trump indicated he was hoping to visit Ireland while the Irish Open takes place at his resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare, in September. However, The Washington Post report focuses on the tone of the meeting, claiming it dashes any hopes of a visit. The headline reads 'Trump attacks on European allies dash hopes for Irish visit'. It reads: "Trump proceeded to bash Ireland and the European Union for tariffs and tax policies that he blamed for hurting the United States an on-camera dressing-down that gave Martin little opportunity for a confidential appeal, nor much chance to get a word in edgewise." The Post focused on Trump's criticism of US companies based in Ireland, while also noting Martin's defence of Starmer and the European Union. Irelands summer opera festival will present 24 performances in 13 historic venues throughout the Blackwater Valley, taking place across Waterford and East Cork from 26 May to 1 June 2026, bringing opera and classical music to castles, churches, cathedrals and country houses. This years flagship opera, Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, will be staged in the grounds of Lismore Castle and is already close to selling out, with limited tickets remaining for the final performance on the June bank holiday Monday. The production features a predominantly Irish cast with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Peter Whelan and directed by Tom Creed. Also featured is Acis and Galatea by George Frideric Handel, performed at St Carthages Cathedral with soloists Jade Phoenix, Dean Power, Edward Grint and Patrick Hyland. Projection and specially designed lighting will enhance the cathedral setting. The festivals recital and chamber music programme will take place in historic venues including Ballynatray House, Villierstown Church, Salterbridge House, Tourin House, and Woodhouse Estate. At Dromore Yard, performances will take place beside the River Blackwater with artists including Niamh OSullivan, Finghin Collins, Dearbhla Collins, Magdalene Ho, Pierre Genisson and Elias David Moncado. The programme also includes When Forests Sing, a wordless opera bringing together musicians with disabilities and emerging artists, featuring members of the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland and students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Free Open Air Lunchtime Recitals will return to Dungarvan, Lismore, Youghal, and Castlemartyr, offering relaxed performances for all ages. The festival expects to welcome more than 5,000 visitors and will support 10 artists with 50,000 in bursaries, while continuing its educational outreach to students across the region. Advance booking is now open, with many performances expected to sell out in advance. www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. The Cardiff Animation Festival (CAF) has revealed its full program for the upcoming 2026 edition, which returns to Chapter Arts Centre from April 2326, featuring an expanded lineup spanning films, games, and live events. Now in its ninth year, the Welsh festival continues to spotlight work from around the world while also platforming emerging voices. This years short film competition is its largest to date, with 98 films selected from more than 700 submissions. The program is split across eight strands Play, Pause, Rewind, Mute, Home, Shuffle, Late Night, and Welsh Work and will be judged by Pip Williamson, Sarah Schmidt, and Nia Edwards-Behi. The full lineup can be found here. The 2026 edition of CAF has joined forces with Japans Kotatsu Festival to spotlight Japanese animation, presenting special screenings of two former Annecy players, The Last Blossom and 100 Metres. More than just a festival, CAF also hosts an industry day featuring panels on commissioning, feature development, and digital-first storytelling. A special session with Copa Gaming targets early-career advice for landing jobs. This years festival will further expand its games programming, with sessions from the teams behind the BAFTA-winning Thank Goodness Youre Here and BAFTA-nominated The Midnight Walk, plus an exhibition of playable works and puppets. Live events remain central to the CAF identity, with highlights including Sketch Showdown, a live drawing game, and Rainbow Road Rumble, a large-scale Super Mario Kart competition. Filmmaker Gerald Conn will present Sand On Screen, combining performance and process before a live audience. Additional programming includes a collaboration with the Abertoir Festival exploring animated horror, a live-scored performance by Welsh artists Casi Wyn, Efa Blosse-Mason, and Lleucu Non, and a screening of the Oscar-nominated feature Little Amelie, or the Character of Rain. Festival director Lauren Orme said of this years edition: Cardiff Animation Festival is all about bringing people together through animation, and this years programme is our most playful and packed yet. Weve got beautiful films, brilliant guests, live performances, creative workshops, and fun surprises. Whether youre an animation fan, an industry professional, a budding animator, a film lover, or just curious, wed love you to join us at Chapter this April and experience the joy of animation. The festival closes April 26 with the Best of the Fest Awards, hosted by BBC Radio 1s Ali Plumb. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. Africas leading animation studio, Triggerfish, has selected the city of Bristol to host its previously announced expansion into the U.K., further reinforcing the citys status as one of Europes key animation hubs. Cape Town-founded Triggerfish is best known for its work on projects like Disneys Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, Netflixs Supa Team 4, and the phenomenal Star Wars: Visions episode Aaus Song. The company will operate from a new facility in the Royal Talbot Buildings in Bristol city centre. The studio cited Bristols deep animation legacy, creative energy, and proximity to London as key factors in the decision. Natalie Adams, SVP of business development at Triggerfish, explained in a release: Establishing a base in Bristol was a natural choice given the citys rich storytelling heritage and longstanding reputation for animation excellence. The move strengthens our operations in the UK and reflects our ambition to build a premium animation facility that harnesses the exceptional creative talent based in the city and surrounding areas. Triggerfishs Bristol base also signals a deeper investment in U.K. talent development. Triggerfish has joined the BBC Ignite programme, which supports emerging animation creators with funding and development opportunities, positioning the studio as a key partner in shaping the next wave of British animation voices. Local leadership was similarly enthusiastic about the studios announcement, citing it as a major boost to the regional economy. Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said: I am delighted to welcome Triggerfish to the West of England, the countrys fastest-growing regional economy. The creative industries are a key sector for our future, so an award-winning global studio choosing our part of the world for their UK base is a real vote of confidence in our Growth Strategy. Bristol and the wider West are already world-renowned for animation and, with the support of Invest Bristol & Bath and partners across our region, this is a natural fit for Triggerfish. Working together with the wider cultural sector and investing our 25 million Creative Places Growth Fund, we will continue to create new jobs and opportunities for local people. While the Bristol office will function as a creative hub, Triggerfish will maintain its distributed production model, with most U.K. staff working remotely. VTG Rail UK and Breedon have solidified their long-term logistics partnership by signing a 15-year renewal agreement for the transport of bulk cement. A central feature of this deal is the digital transformation of Breedons fleet through VTGs "iWagon" technology. This upgrade involves retrofitting 72 existing JPA wagons with advanced sensors to provide real-time data on location, performance, and the condition of safety-critical components. Each of these heavy-duty wagons is capable of carrying an 81t payload, collectively transporting over 1.5Mta of cement from production facilities in Hope to various satellite depots. The integration of predictive maintenance tools is expected to significantly reduce unplanned downtime and improve overall supply chain visibility. Advertisement This agreement follows the recent deployment of 18 new-build digital wagons earlier this year, with another 44 units scheduled to enter service over the next 10 months. By combining existing fleet retrofits with new assets, Breedon is moving toward a fully digitally enabled rail operation. As the construction industry increasingly prioritises decarbonisation, this investment underscores the growing importance of rail freight as a low-emission, highly efficient alternative to road transport for heavy bulk materials across the UK and Europe. Chattanooga FC Women will kick off its 2026 season with a pair of away matches when the Sky Blues travel to face 865 Alliance on Thursday, May 28 and Tennessee Tempo FC on Tuesday, June 2. CFC will host four regular season home matches at Finley Stadium, with the home opener set for Sunday, June 7 against Georgia Impact at 3:00 pm ET. Continuing the homestand, Chattanooga will host 865 Alliance on Friday, June 12 and Nashville Rhythm FC on Tuesday, June 16. The Sky Blues will hit the road for two more matches against Decatur FC on Tuesday, June 23 and at UFA Gunners on Saturday, June 27 before returning to Finley Stadium to close out the regular season at home against Atlanta Fire United on Wednesday, July 1. Chattanooga FC Women will compete in the Southeast Conference of the South Region The Southeast Conference is made up of eight clubs evenly split between Tennessee and Georgia 2026 will be new Head Coach Majo Harispuru's first season at the helm This will be Chattanooga FC Women's fifth WPSL campaign WPSL enters its 28th season Broadcast: All of CFC Women's home matches will be available to stream on Chattanooga FC's YouTube, with Gabriel Schray on the call. The Republican candidate for the Georgia State Senate seat for District 53 has undergone emergency surgery, his campaign said. Lanny Thomas is currently recovering in the hospital after the unexpected operation. He is in a runoff against Democrat Jack Zibluk, of Lookout Mountain, Ga., for the seat given up by Dade County's Colton Moore, who ran unsuccessfully to take the place of Marjorie Taylor Greene in the U.S. House. Family members said the former Trion mayor plans to resume campaigning as soon as he is able. The family asked for prayers for his recovery. The runoff election is April 9. Mr. Zibluk, a UTC professor, said he will step back his campaign due to the unexpected turn of events. He said, "Since Republican 53rd District State Senate Candidate Lanny Thomas is recovering from emergency surgery, I am suspending campaign activities indefinitely so we can all support him as he recovers. "Lanny promises to continue his campaign for the senate seat to be decided in our April 7 runoff and I look forward to working with him through the vote and beyond. "Nevertheless, I will suspend phone banks, canvassing, the launch of new videos and other activities until we have a clearer picture of the best way to move forward. I will continue to sponsor a virtual town hall next Wednesday, March 25, at which time Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives can discuss ways to support him and to consider appropriate ways to move forward with the campaign. "Lanny is a good man, a dedicated educator and public servant, and I look forward to working with him no matter the denouement of our election. I wish him and his family the best as we look forward to a full recovery." A judge has dismissed charges against two officers in the death of a teen at a Dalton juvenile facility. The family of Alexis Sluder said they are "devastated by the dismissal of the criminal indictments in her case. Officers at the Dalton Regional Youth Detention Center knew that this 16-year-old girl had ingested toxic substances and was exhibiting clear signs of a medical emergency. Yet instead of taking the most basic, life-saving step - calling 911 - they stood by and watched as Alexis lay on the floor in agony for hours. They consciously chose to disregard what they knew would kill her. And it did."After waiting three and a half years for this case to proceed to trial, those who loved Alexis are gutted by the dismissal of these indictments. Her family continues to grieve an unimaginable loss, but their pursuit of accountability is far from over. They will continue to seek justice through their pending civil rights claims in the Northern District of Georgia."In August 2023, the Whitfield County District Attorneys office indicated four individuals including Sgt. Maveis Brooks and Officer Rebecka Phillips who were employed by the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice and worked at the Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center in Dalton. They were charged with cruelty to children in the first and second degree(s) following the death of a 16-year-old juvenile at the facility in August 2022. The juvenile had ingested a significant amount of methamphetamine prior to her arrival and died at the facility several hours later, defense attorneys said.Sgt. Brooks was represented by Bryan Hoss with Davis & Hoss, P.C. and former Assistant United States Attorney James Brooks. Officer Phillips was represented by Adam Izell.Attorney Hoss said, "After filing several motion(s) to suppress, Superior Court Judge Scott Minter concluded that law enforcement had compelled these two law enforcement officers to give statements at the risk of losing their jobs which violates long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent in Garrity v. New Jersey. He further found that law enforcement improperly used those statements to further their investigation and the State was unable to show in a Kastigar hearing that the prosecution was derived from a wholly independent source outside of those illegal statements. The prosecution also used those illegal statements in the Grand Jury which was also improper. Ultimately, Judge Minter dismissed the indictment against both Brooks and Phillips.We are very pleased with Judge Minters ruling. That night, Sgt. Brooks reported the juveniles condition and meth use to her supervisor and medical staff. The situation was complicated based upon some misinformation provided by the juvenile as to when she may have ingested the methamphetamine. Brooks was told to monitor the juvenile which she and Officer Phillips did with both compassion and hand-holding. Methamphetamine intoxication is very different than an opioid overdose. There is no magic medicine that can be given to reverse its effects. These officers were put in a very difficult situation, not of their choosing. The real law enforcement investigation should have concentrated on who gave this juvenile the significant amount of methamphetamine which caused her death, but to my knowledge, that investigation never happened. My client is extremely happy with the Courts ruling and the fairness in which the Court conducted these proceedings."I would like to thank James Brooks in his work on this case including the assistance of another former AUSA, Perry Piper."Sometimes, it takes bringing together a solid team of talent to achieve the desired result. Middle Valley Church of God, 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will be preaching on "Who Do You See In The Mirror?" this Sunday in the 10:30 a.m. service."The purpose of the sermon series is to help all Believers understand their relationship with God and how He helps them be the person He wants them to be in life and eternity," Pastor McClure said. "It includes a call for self-examination. This will be the fifth part of the sermon series to encourage believers to realize their need to know their relationship with God and to be determined to draw closer to God."Each Sunday at 5:30 p.m.the church conducts a prayer meeting that is open to all who wish to participate, and is designed to encourage prayer. Information on various methods of prayer will be shared with participants. "The goal of this prayer meeting is to encourage believers to seek God through prayer," Pastor McClure said.Each Wednesday at 7 p.m. an interactive, interesting and informative Bible study will be held in the church auditorium. Kelley Selby is currently leading this Bible study. "The goal of this Bible study is to encourage believers to study the Bible and discuss with others, making the Scripture their guide," Mr. Selby said.Middle Valley Church of God is a community focused church with various ministries in the Middle Valley area and in Cusuna, Honduras. The community is welcome to join in times of worship and community service. MVCOG has been ministering in the Middle Valley Community since 1946 from the same location. If you have questions, contact the church office at 423-843-1539. All are welcome to all services."Please note that MVCOG will make public announcements about dangerous road conditions and cancellations," officials said. "Postings about cancellations will be made on the church Facebook page. Please look there for information." Caring for a loved one with dementia can be both meaningful and overwhelming, often leaving families searching for guidance, reassurance, and practical support. The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer's Center of Excellence Chattanooga will host Moments of Grace, a Memory Caregiver Summit designed to equip caregivers with knowledge, connect them with trusted local resources, and offer encouragement for the journey ahead. The event will be held Thursday, March 26, from 67:30 p.m. at Morning Pointe of Collegedale at Greenbriar Cove, 9650 Leyland Dr., Collegedale. This special caregiver luncheon and educational event will feature local vendors, trusted local experts, and knowledgeable professional speakers. Attendees will enjoy lunch, fun giveaways, and practical resources focused on dementia care and caregiver wellness. Topics will include: Understanding and Managing Sundowning and Behaviors Dementia Medications: What to Expect and Whats New Handling Emergencies and Crisis Situations The Importance of Movement and Social Engagement Finding Renewal and Strength in the Caregiving Journey Companion care will be provided during the event for loved ones living with dementia, allowing caregivers to fully participate and learn in a supportive environment. Tickets are $20 and include lunch and one raffle ticket. T-shirts will also be available for purchase for $20 each. Proceeds from the event benefit the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public service organization that provides caregiver support programs, sponsors educational awareness events, and funds clinical scholarships in nursing, clinical therapy, culinary arts, and social work. In the Tennessee Valley, the Morning Pointe Foundation partners with local institutions including: Cleveland State Community College Chattanooga State Community College Southern Adventist University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga Tennessee Wesleyan University 'Jasmine cheated on me with Matt before I knew who he was,' Gino recently claimed on Instagram. Gino Palazzolo is spilling more details about his troubled marriage to Jasmine Pineda. On Monday, a 90 Day Fiance fan account reposted a photo from Jasmine of her and her new partner, Matt Branistareanu, after their first night together. In the caption, Jasmine claimed that it was taken shortly after she and Gino agreed to have an open marriage. But the fan account questioned her timeline, and Gino popped up in the comments to confirm that the timeline was suspicious. Gino says Jasmine cheated on him before asking for an open marriage Jasmine cheated on me with Matt before I knew who he was, he wrote, adding that the alleged infidelity happened at Disney World six months after her and Jasmine, who is from Panama, tied the knot. I have photo evidence of them together in magic kingdom date stamped 01/22/2024 that a fan who spotted them together sent me after we separated, Gino added. This occurred 2.5 months before open marriage was brought up! Jasmine has consistently claimed that she wanted her marriage to work and that she only proposed opening their relationship after Gino refused to have sex with her. But Gino says thats a lie to save face. She only proposed open marriage to cover herself for the relationship she was already having behind my back! And during week of my birthday of all the times! he wrote. First bday we were supposed to celebrate together since she arrived in USA! Gino added that he now believes that Jasmine was never really committed to their relationship. She cheated because she never intended to be with me long term! he said. She only wanted a green card from me. 90 Day Fiance star says Gino has falsely accused her of immigration fraud This isnt the first time that Gino has accused his estranged wife of scamming him into marriage. But Jasmine disputes that. She says hes attempting to weaponize the U.S. immigration system against her. In a February 2026 social media update, she said she could not return to Panama to see her two young sons because of his marriage fraud allegations. (Jasmine hoped to bring her kids to the U.S. but has not been able to because of an error Gino made when submitting her immigration paperwork.) I cant share many details publicly, but I want to clarify something Im asked a lot, Jasmine began. Im currently unable to leave the U.S. due to false allegations made by my ex regarding immigration fraud, after a five-year relationship, she continued. The truth always comes to light. For more news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheets Instagram. YouVersion Bible App. | Screenshot/ Youtube/ YouVersion YouVersion founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald says artificial intelligence offers significant potential, but he believes the technology is not yet reliable enough to handle questions about God and Scripture with the level of trust required. Speaking in an interview with Christian Daily International, Gruenewald said the Bible app developer would only consider adopting open-ended AI features if they meet high standards for safety and accuracy. If we ever do (fully adapt AI), it will be because we feel very confident that it can be done safely and be done with a level of accuracy and integrity, Gruenewald said. YouVersion, which provides Scripture in hundreds of languages, has become one of the most widely used digital Bible platforms worldwide. Gruenewald recently traveled to Nairobi to launch a regional hub aimed at expanding localized digital content, and he described himself as someone who has embraced AI early in its development. Within the organization, AI is already being used to streamline coding processes and improve internal workflows. However, YouVersion has deliberately avoided introducing a public chatbot designed to answer theological questions, citing concerns about reliability. Gruenewald pointed to ongoing accuracy issues in existing AI models, particularly when handling biblical text. The best model with the best performance, with the most popular versions of the Bible that are most indexed, misquotes Scripture at least 15% of the time, Gruenewald said. Some of them as much as 60% of the time. He explained that even minor errors can have significant consequences when dealing with Scripture. For Bible translation, every word and punctuation is meaningful to Scripture translation, he said. According to Gruenewald, open-ended AI systems can produce responses that organizations may not be comfortable endorsing, especially since users may not recognize when Scripture is quoted incorrectly or altered. He said YouVersion aims to contribute positively to the development of AI while maintaining its standards. We want to be a part of the solution and a part of the help, he said. Gruenewald added that the organization has privately encouraged AI developers to improve how their models process and present Scripture. If those improvements are made, he said, YouVersion would be willing to assist in providing access to accurate biblical texts. At the same time, he drew a firm boundary regarding the use of AI in spiritual decision-making. When it comes to answering lifes most important questions and trying to give direction from Gods Word, we need it to be better in order to rely on it, he said. His remarks come as younger generations increasingly turn to AI tools for answers, often before seeking guidance from pastors or church leaders. Surveys indicate that many users perceive AI as a neutral source of information, even though its responses are generated through statistical patterns rather than theological authority. Gruenewald encouraged individuals to engage personally with Scripture and to seek counsel from trained spiritual leaders, emphasizing that technology should supportnot replacediscipleship and biblical study. In his view, the rapid advancement and popularity of AI should not come at the expense of accuracy when it comes to sacred texts. While he acknowledges AIs potential to influence the future of ministry, Gruenewald stressed that faithfulness to Scripture must remain the priority. Originally published by Christian Daily International. Photo credit: Unsplash/ Lawrence Krowdeed A new survey suggests that many people in the United Kingdom are worried about the long-term consequences of the country moving away from its Christian roots, with a majority expressing concern about its potential impact on society. According to a poll of 2,095 adults conducted by Whitestone Insight on behalf of Pusey House, Oxford, the Danube Institute in Budapest, and the International Reagan-Thatcher Society, 52% of respondents said they believe Britains departure from its Christian heritage could negatively affect future generations, while only 19% viewed such a shift as beneficial. The findings also indicate that Christianity continues to be seen as relevant in public life, with 58% of respondents saying it still has a positive contribution to make in shaping governance, whether through moral guidance or practical influence. Many participants expressed concern about a perceived erosion of shared values, as 60% said Britain has lost a common understanding of right and wrong, compared to just 11% who believe the country still maintains clear and widely accepted moral standards supported by strong institutions. Despite these concerns, there remains openness to traditional moral frameworks, with 65% of respondents agreeing that both personal freedoms and collective moral responsibilities are equally essential for maintaining a stable society. Views were divided on whether Britain should still be considered a Christian nation. While 39% said it remains one, half of those surveyed believe the country once held that identity but no longer does, and 13% said Britain has never been a Christian nation. Concern about the nations moral direction was not limited to religious individuals, as roughly one-third of non-religious respondents also said that a decline in Christianity could have negative consequences for future generations. Political differences were also evident in the responses, with supporters of Reform UK most likely to say Britain has lost a shared moral framework, while Green Party voters were more skeptical about the role of religion in public life. Interestingly, younger adults showed slightly greater openness to Christianitys influence than middle-aged respondents, challenging assumptions that younger generations are uniformly resistant to religion and aligning with findings from the Bible Societys Quiet Revival report. The survey also explored attitudes toward renewing a social covenant rooted in Britains Christian heritage as a way to strengthen social unity. While 41% of respondents said such an approach is needed to address societal divisions, 46% described it as appealing but unrealistic, and 53% expressed concern that it could impose specific values on others. Pastor Jack Graham delivers a sermon at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, on March 15, 2026. | Screenshot: YouTube/ Prestonwood Baptist Church A church service at a Texas megachurch was briefly interrupted when a worshiper was escorted out by security after disrupting the sermon. The incident occurred on March 15 during the 11 a.m. service at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, north of Dallas. The disturbance occurred while Pastor Jack Graham was delivering a message focused on America, Israel, and War in the Middle East. According to longtime attendee Linda Casey, who has been part of the congregation since 2000, the disruption began as Graham spoke about Israel, and the Jews being God's chosen people. An unidentified man began interrupting the message before being removed by members of the churchs security team. I was not sure if he was armed or not, but Pastor Jack Graham was pulled away from the podium momentarily amidst the chaos, Casey told CP on Monday. Another individual familiar with the situation said the interruption happened as Graham was discussing reports of people coming to faith in Iran. At that point, an excited young man [who] looked Persian started to walk down the aisle toward the stage and asked if he could say something. The same source said the man was reportedly shouting phrases such as God Bless America and God Bless Israel, adding that he was just excited to share his faith and didnt realize that was an inappropriate manner to do such. After Graham declined his request to speak, security personnel quickly intervened and escorted the man out of the sanctuary. A separate attendee confirmed that the situation was handled swiftly, noting that Graham was instructed to step back on stage until the individual had been removed. Plano police later confirmed the man was not a member of the church and had attended the service with his wife. Authorities said he became disruptive by agreeing loudly with what the pastor was talking about and was animated in doing so, making other churchgoers uncomfortable. Following the incident, church security consulted with law enforcement, and officers were called to issue a warning. There was no actual disturbance or physical altercation, but his verbal outbursts, even though supporting the pastors words, were deemed disruptive to other worshipers, Plano Police Officer J.D. Minton said. Home News ICE launches investigation after Afghan refugee dies after a day in custody U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed it is investigating the death of Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, an Afghan national who reportedly served alongside the U.S. military in Afghanistan. Paktiawal died this month at a Texas hospital after he was taken into custody by ICE. In a Sunday statement, ICE said the 41-year-old had a criminal history and that his temporary legal status expired Aug. 20, 2025. The federal law enforcement agency says Paktiawal was arrested in September 2025 for SNAP fraud and in November 2025 for theft, though advocates dispute those allegations. On March 13, ICE arrested the Afghan national during a targeted enforcement action. The agency said that Paktiawal did not report any prior medical history at the time of his arrest or during subsequent immigration proceedings. In the late evening of March 13, ICE contacted Emergency Medical Services when Paktiawal began complaining of shortness of breath and chest pains while in an ICE Dallas Field Office processing hold room, the agency stated. He was immediately transported to Parkland Hospital and received breathing treatment. The ER doctor recommended that he remain in the hospital for observation. Early March 14, Paktiawal was eating breakfast when medical staff noted that his tongue had become swollen, prompting a medical response, ICEs statement continued. After multiple lifesaving efforts were attempted, he was declared deceased at 9:10 a.m. The agency said it notified Paktiawals next of kin and the Consulate of Afghanistan in Toronto, Canada, about his death on March 14. ICE also confirmed the death is under active investigation. ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay, the agency said. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility; a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility; access to medical appointments; and 24-hour emergency care, the statement continued. At no time during detention is a detained alien denied emergency care. A DHS spokesperson told The Christian Post that opening an investigation is not an "indication of wrongdoing." "This is standard procedure for every illegal alien who dies in ICE custody," the DHS spokesperson said. "Anytime an illegal alien dies in ICE custody, we immediately notify next of kin and then Congress. We conduct an investigation and share are findings with the public. Paktiawal is survived by his wife and six children. Paktiawals brother, Naseer Paktiawal, told CBS News that his brother was arrested in North Texas as he was taking his children to school. Naseer Paktiawal said his brother had a pending immigration case and was hired by the U.S. government as a member of the Afghan special forces, describing him as a hero to his family, to his people, and to his country. I want justice for my brother," Naseer Paktiawal said. "I don't need anything else from this government. When Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal arrived in the United States in 2021, he was paroled into the country by an immigration officer, according to ICE. His parole expired last August. In a Monday statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Paktiawal entered the United States under the Biden administrations Operation Allies Refuge, which oversaw the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from Afghanistan in August 2021 during the Taliban offensive. DHS said Paktiawal provided no record of his military service. Shawn VanDiver, president of the advocacy group #AfghanEvac, said the U.S. governments statements about Paktiawal are misleading and called for an investigation. Precision matters when someone dies in government custody. Calling a man a criminal without a conviction while claiming there is no record of service without checking interagency systems looks less like fact-finding and more like damage control, VanDiver said in a Monday statement. The advocate argued that ICE and DHS were wrong to describe Paktiawal as a criminal illegal alien, saying the agencies did not clarify whether the arrests resulted in charges or convictions. VanDiver also questioned the no military record claim, saying DHS does not maintain those records. He added that the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Special Immigrant Visa and Chief of Mission processes would likely have such records. Right now, the government appears focused on discrediting a man who cannot defend himself while the central question remains unanswered, the #AfghanEvac president said. His family deserves answers, and the public deserves transparency about what happened in the hours between his detention and his death, he added. If DHS spent as much time figuring out what happened in their custody as they are trying to discredit a dead man, we might already have answers for his family. Home News Alabama-based multisite Church of the Highlands opens 2nd Georgia campus The Church of the Highlands has opened a new campus in Georgia, bringing the number of locations for the Alabama-based multisite megachurch to 26. Church of the Highlands, a non-denominational, charismatic-leaning church affiliated with the Association of Related Churches, officially launched its newest campus in Peachtree City, its second location in Georgia. The first worship service was held last Sunday at McIntosh High School. Church of the Highlands spokesperson Corena Cottles told The Christian Post that the congregation has had a tremendous response to our presence in Georgia. When we consider new locations, our goal is strengthening whats already there, she said. Peachtree City allows us to reach new people and serve not only that city but the surrounding communities. Weve seen significant momentum leading up to launch, and it was meaningful to see so many people gather for our first service. God has given us vision about reaching and serving the communities in this region of Georgia, and were encouraged by whats ahead. Cottles expressed hope that everyone who joins us experiences a life-giving worship service, builds relationships, and finds opportunities to grow in their faith. We want to be a church that serves its community through small groups, outreach initiatives and ministry for every stage of life, from children to adults, she told CP. We are looking forward to partnering with local schools, organizations and neighborhoods to meet practical needs, whether thats providing school supplies, serving families through holiday outreaches like Giving Hope, offering Thanksgiving meals, or responding in times of disaster. Launched in 2001 in Birmingham, Church of the Highlands has locations in Alabama and Georgia, including a ministry in the Alabama Department of Corrections. The non-denominational Evangelical church boasts a weekly worship attendance in the tens of thousands. According to its Statement of Faith, the church considers the Bible to be the authoritative Word of God and the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. Church of the Highlands, the largest multi-site church in Alabama, opened its first campus out of state in Columbus, Georgia, in 2019, about 35 miles away from its location in Auburn, Alabama. Honestly, I was telling our team, it just kind of shows the spiritual hunger that is out there, said Church of the Highlands founding Pastor Chris Hodges in a sermon at the time. People are looking for something real, and they are looking not to connect with a church but to connect with a very living God, and were having an amazing time. Home News Cuban regime holds pastors 16-year-old son captive amid ongoing crackdown on Christians A 16-year-old boy whose father leads an independent Christian church in Cuba remains in state custody after security authorities detained him during a wave of unrest and arrests in the city of Moron, part of a broader crackdown that has drawn concern from religious freedom advocates and human rights groups. Jonathan Muir Burgos, the teenage son of Evangelical Pastor Elier Muir Avila, was detained Monday after he and his father responded to a police summons in Moron, Ciego de Avila province, the United Kingdom-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports. Authorities released Pastor Muir Avila later that same day, while his son remained in detention and faced questioning over alleged participation in protests that took place in the city on Friday and Saturday. Officials interrogated the teenager about his presence at the demonstrations and statements he may have made there, including whether he called for freedom during the protests. He has yet to receive formal charges, though authorities warned prosecutors could review the case within three days and that he could face prosecution under Cuban law. Reports indicate Jonathan Muir Burgos is being held at the Technical Investigation Department in Ciego de Avila, a branch of Cubas police system responsible for criminal investigations and interrogations. Relatives and activists have raised concerns over his health because he has a serious medical condition. The arrests occurred amid rising unrest across parts of the island following several nights of nationwide power outages and severe shortages of food and medicine. Protests broke out in several locations, including Moron, where demonstrators gathered after seven consecutive nights of blackouts. During demonstrations early Saturday, protesters ransacked and set fire to offices belonging to the Cuban Communist Party in Moron. One protester was reportedly shot during the unrest. Authorities also cut internet access in the city and surrounding areas as protests unfolded. Independent reports describe a broader pattern of police activity in Moron following the demonstrations, including summonses, raids and arrests targeting many young people and minors, according to the Cuban news outlet CiberCuba. The detention of Jonathan Muir Burgos has drawn particular attention among activists because his family has long experienced pressure linked to their religious work. His father leads the Tiempo de Cosecha church, an independent congregation outside the state-recognized religious system in Cuba. Cuba maintains a regulatory framework in which religious organizations must receive government approval to operate. Churches operating outside that framework often face surveillance, warnings, and restrictions from authorities. Pastor Muir Avila received visits in 2024 from religious leaders acting at the request of the Office of Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, as well as local government officials, who warned him that only churches accepted by the party could operate and only pastors recognized by the state could minister. The detention of the pastors son resembles earlier cases in which relatives of church leaders faced pressure during periods of political unrest. Rev. Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso, a Cuban religious freedom activist who leads the Patmos Institute, an independent civil society organization focused on religious rights in Cuba, pointed to similarities with the arrests of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo and his teenage son following nationwide protests in July 2021. In recent weeks, authorities have also attempted to compel the adult son of another unregistered pastor into military service, a step advocates say is part of pressure against independent religious communities. Anna Lee Stangl, director of advocacy at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, called for the teenagers immediate release and criticized the governments response to dissent. CSW demands that the Cuban government immediately release Jonathan Muir Burgos into the custody of his parents, Stangl said. The detention of a 16-year-old child, with a serious medical condition, simply because he attempted to exercise his freedom of expression is unconscionable. The independent legal advisory group Cubalex documented 242 repressive events across Cuba in February involving 528 separate incidents of harassment across 44 categories of state repression. Cubalex reported that 190 people experienced rights violations during that month, including 46 women and 144 men. Havana recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Ciego de Avila and Santiago de Cuba. The most common abuses included violations against prisoners, violence or harassment, transfers between detention facilities, police surveillance operations, threats and arbitrary detentions. Home News Beloved pastor, wife killed by drunk driver in head-on collision A beloved elderly pastor and his wife were killed in a head-on collision involving a drunk driver Sunday night. In a statement on Monday, the New York State Police announced that a crash on the Southern State Parkway in the Long Island town of Hempstead had taken the lives of Donald Maxwell, 82, and Liscent Maxwell, 88. The driver who ran into the Maxwells black 2016 Toyota Highlander was 36-year-old Diana Kutateladze of Oceanside. Kutateladze was driving a 2020 black Cadillac Escalade with one passenger when she sideswiped a gray BMW and then lost control and crossed the center median, hitting other vehicles before crashing into the Maxwells head-on, killing both, according to New York State Police. The collision impacted six vehicles and 10 drivers and passengers, authorities added. The Maxwells were the only fatalities from Sunday nights crash. While several others were injured, only one victim suffered critical injuries. The remaining victims injuries were not life-threatening. While New York State Police did not elaborate on the Maxwells background, a report by NBC New York noted that Donald Maxwell was a pastor at the Pentecostal City Mission Church. Pentecostal City Mission Church, which has several locations in the United States and worldwide, identifies Bishop Donald Maxwell as its general overseer, according to its website. The Pentecostal City Mission Church identifies itself as a community of believers that will effectively communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people holistically, irrespective of race color, gender and economic status with progressive productive social, educational and evangelistic ministries tailored to embrace diversity and to enhance the building of the kingdom of God within all societies. Tributes from Maxwells congregation poured in on social media as news of his death broke. In a Facebook post on Monday, Sherlette Gladden mourned the loss of her spiritual leader, lamenting that he was gone too soon. Can't believe just spoke to you last Sunday, now youre no longer going to be here, she wrote. Condolence to the Church Family. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Deborah Rudon shared an image of the Maxwells with the song Oshimiri Atata by Faith Captain playing in the background. Text on the picture says, Its so hard to say goodbye Bishop & Rev. Maxwell, but as you have drawn from the River of Life, may we ever draw from that river until we meet again! In loving memory of our General Overseer, Bishop Dr. Donald Maxwell and his beautiful wife and our beloved mother, Reverend Barbara Maxwell, she wrote in a message accompanying the picture. Our hearts are tremendously heavy at this time and the grief runs so deep, but even in our hour of sorrow, we say blessed be the Sovereign will of ALMIGHTY GOD. His way is perfect. Rudons message concluded with prayers for the Maxwells immediate family members as well as the Pentecostal City Mission Church Worldwide. She called on her church community to stand together in love, and be ready for when the LORD returns or calls us home! The post included multiple emojis of broken hearts, sad emojis and praying hands. Kutateladze has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the second degree, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. While an investigation into the accident remains ongoing, preliminary investigations have revealed that speed and alcohol played a role in the crash. According to ABC 7, Kutateladze, who was determined to have a blood alcohol level above the legal limit at the time of the crash, admitted to police that she had consumed Coke and whiskey before getting behind the wheel of the car. Kutateladze, who has been held in custody without bail and had her license suspended, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. Home News Rand Paul excoriates Markwayne Mullin for calling him 'freaking snake,' dismissing assault Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., tore into fellow Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., during a Wednesday confirmation hearing, accusing Mullin of being unrepentantly wrathful and temperamentally unsuited to leading the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during a time of heightened political tension. Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, brought up during his opening statement that Mullin claimed Paul was "a freaking snake" who deserved the assault he experienced in 2017 at the hands of his neighbor, who tackled him while he was doing yard work at his home in Bowling Green and broke six of his ribs. Sen. Rand Paul was so explosive towards Sen. Markwayne Mullin at his confirmation hearing that FOX News CUT AWAY! pic.twitter.com/Hyao9VGrqT Bannons WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) March 18, 2026 Paul, a medical doctor, went into graphic, anatomical detail regarding the level of physical pain he endured in the wake of the assault, which he likened to the pain "of 1,000 knives," and for which he was awarded $580,000 in damages by a Kentucky jury in 2019. He noted he had part of his lung removed, suffered consequent infections and had to employ a rope tied to his bed to pull himself up. Paul went on to express offense that Mullin was dismissive toward his suffering when he was confronted by his constituents, who were angry that he voted against Paul's amendment to stop funding for refugee welfare programs. "You told the media that I was 'a freaking snake' and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted," Paul told Mullin. "I was shocked they would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain." "I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force," added Paul, who has previously raised concerns about the use of lethal force by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during their crackdown on illegal immigration in Minnesota. WATCH: Complete heated exchange between Sen. Paul and DHS Secretary Nominee Mullin: Mullin: "I get it, it's about character assassination for you. That's the way this game is played." Paul: "It's character assassination when you are the one lauding the assault!" pic.twitter.com/hko4rBghgo CSPAN (@cspan) March 18, 2026 "You chose to lash out at me. You went on to brag that you'd already told me to my face that you completely understood and approved of the assault. Well, that's a lie. You got a chance today. You can either continue to lie or you can correct the record," Paul said. "You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified, so today you'll have your chance. Today I'll give you that chance to clear the record." "Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it. And while you're at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and border patrol agents," he added. Paul also alleged Mullin has shown "a pattern" of aggressive behavior and showed footage of him challenging Sean O'Brien, a labor union leader, to a physical brawl during a committee hearing in 2023. Mullin noted that O'Brien was in attendance and that the two had made up. Mullin responded to Paul by arguing over semantics and disputing Paul's assertion that they never spoke privately about the issue, noting, "I did not say I supported [the assault], I said, 'I understood it.' Everybody in this room knows that I'm very blunt and direct to the point. And if I have something to say, I'll say it directly to your face." "I've worked with many people in this room. It seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us," Mullin continued. "And as far as me saying that I invoke violence I don't think anybody should be hit by surprise. I don't like that." Paul also raised particular concern when Mullin appeared to justify dueling between "two consenting adults" and the near-fatal 1856 caning of former Sen. Charles Sumner, an abolitionist Republican from Massachusetts, whose assault at the hands of pro-slavery Democratic congressman Preston Brooks in the U.S. Capitol was one of the major political flashpoints leading up to the Civil War. Mullin was nominated by President Donald Trump last week to replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who received criticism from Republicans for approving a $220 million ad campaign featuring herself that encouraged illegal immigrants to self-deport. Trump denied Noem's claim that he personally authorized the hefty price tag of the ads. Home News Rep. Brandon Gill warns against mass Muslim immigration, Sharia threat: 'Incredibly harmful' Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, echoed continuing warnings from some lawmakers regarding the influence of mass Islamic immigration and Sharia law in the United States, which he claimed earlier this week poses a fundamental threat to the American system. "If we want to preserve America, the country that we know and love, our constitutional order, we have to wake up and realize that mass Islamic immigration is incredibly harmful," Gill said during an interview with journalist Erick Stakelbeck. "What we don't want to see is the American way of life fundamentally transformed because you have Islamic pressure on our legal system." Gill warned such is already "starting to happen" in the U.S., adding, "We can be politically correct about it, or we can wake up and we can defend our country." The congressman went on to caution that swaths of cities such as London and Paris have effectively become self-governing enclaves of Sharia within a Western democracy after decades of mass Muslim immigration. Is America sleepwalking into the same Islamic crisis now gripping Europe? Congressman @realBrandonGill issues a stark warning: if we want to preserve the America we know and love, we must wake up to the dangers of mass Islamic immigration. In cities like London and Paris, pic.twitter.com/uwurPzFebw Erick Stakelbeck (@ErickStakelbeck) March 17, 2026 "You've got parts of Paris or London that no longer look Parisian or English anymore," he said. "You've got areas in both of those cities that are no-go zones for native Parisians or native Londoners. That is a problem." "What we don't want to see is parallel legal institutions popping up in the United States, which they are, in the same way that you have in Europe," he added. Gill, a Christian and member of the U.S. House's burgeoning Sharia-Free America Caucus, has been among several Republicans on Capitol Hill who have been lately sounding the alarm about Islamic law, which they argue is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., designated the caucus as an extremist organization shortly after Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and another Texas congressman established it in January amid concerns about the influx of Muslim immigration to Texas. During a House hearing last month on the issue, chaired by Roy and attended by The Christian Post, Gill cited figures from a 2024 survey by The Heritage Foundation that found 39% of Muslims in the U.S. believe Sharia law should be implemented in the country within the next two decades. The survey also found that half of Muslims in the U.S. believe depicting Muhammad should be illegal, and 33% believe Islam should be declared as the national religion. 39% of American Muslims support implementing Sharia law in the United States in the next 20 years. Sharia law is incompatible with Americas governing system. pic.twitter.com/u3ODGc7Ahx Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) February 10, 2026 Gill's figures prompted snickering at the time from Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who was among the Democrats at the hearing who were dismissive of the Sharia threat and raised concern instead about the alleged danger posed by "white Christian nationalism." Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also claimed Sharia in the U.S. is "a serious problem." "Sharia law and the imposition of Sharia law is contrary to the U.S. Constitution," Johnson said. "Our Constitution is the greatest in the world. It's the longest surviving Constitution on the planet, and we're 250 years into this grand experiment in self-governance." The speaker went on to say that assimilation is necessary from immigrants to the U.S., but that some of them aim to impose Sharia law. "It is not about people, as Muslims; it is about those who seek to impose a different belief system that is in direct conflict with the Constitution," he added. Johnson's remarks were in response to a question about a recent X post from Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., who claimed that "Muslims don't belong in American society" and that "pluralism is a lie." In the wake of a mass shooting in Austin, Texas, earlier this month, Ogles proposed legislation that would ban immigrants from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Home News 'We thank God': Scottish Parliament rejects assisted suicide in historic vote Liam McArthur has lost his bid to legalize assisted suicide in Scotland after an hours-long final debate in which more members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) stood up to speak against the proposals than for. His Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would have allowed terminally ill and mentally competent adults resident in Scotland for at least a year to receive medical assistance to end their lives. After years of debates and amendments, MSPs voted late on Tuesday night 69 to 57 against the proposals, with one member abstaining. Speaking after the defeat of his bill, McArthur said he was deeply disappointed but that he believed this is not a conversation that is going away. "For so long as dying Scots continue to suffer as a result of the lack of choice and safety afforded to them by the current law, Im certain that it will be an issue in front of parliament once more, he said. Opponents, including Christians, have welcomed the outcome, with Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, saying: We thank God that MSPs got the message that they simply could not pass this wretched bill. The many constituents who contacted their elected representatives can take a bow. So many colleges of medicine and disability groups expressed concern about the risks to the vulnerable and the sheer unworkability of the proposals. I think the lesson for Holyrood and for Westminster too is that there is no such thing as a safe assisted suicide bill. Instead of offering death to the sick, we invite the MSPs who lost the vote today to transfer their campaigning energies to offering them better palliative care instead. Rev. Alasdair Macleod, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said he was "thankful and relieved" that the bill has been defeated. This decision affirms that every human life is precious and worthy of protection. As Christians we believe that human life is a gift from God, and that our calling as a society is to care for one another, especially in times of weakness, illness, and suffering," he said. This was the third, and hopefully final time, that the Scottish Parliament has voted on this issue. It must now be left, for at least a generation, with our collective focus shifting to what we can safely and compassionately achieve: improving palliative care, supporting families, and strengthening communities so that no one feels that their life has lost its value. Jesus Christ shows us how to be people who protect life, comfort the suffering, and walk alongside those who are struggling. Following his example remains our commitment as a Church. Dr. Stuart Weir, head of the Christian policy group, CARE for Scotland, said he was delighted that MSPs had rejected what he called an irredeemably flawed bill. He said the outcome was a real victory for the vulnerable as he urged all political parties in Scotland to include clear plans for palliative care provision in their manifestos at the next election. If you look at countries where assisted suicide is legal, the same troubling and distressing pattern emerges: numbers increase year-on-year, and categories of eligibility are widened, he said. "This bill would have opened a Pandora's box, which would have fundamentally changed healthcare across Scotland. There is no doubt in my mind that Members have made a positive and truly compassionate decision today. What Scotland needs to do is ensure proper palliative care is available for all who need it. We know that when this is available, people can have a good death." Bishop John Keenan, president of the Bishops Conference of Scotland, said that MSPs had taken the correct and responsible course of action and should now focus on ensuring that palliative care is "properly funded and accessible to all who require it". Their vote serves to protect some of Scotlands most vulnerable individuals from the risk of being pressured into a premature death, he said. Every human life possesses inherent value. Genuine compassion is not expressed through ending a life, but through accompanying those who suffer and ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual support that recognizes their dignity. No life is without worth. As a society, our responsibility is not to address suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround each person with care, respect, and dignity until their natural end. Todays decision moves Scotland further in that direction, and MSPs should be commended for this." The debate was often emotional, sometimes tearful, with many MSPs sharing how they had been personally affected by illness and the death of loved ones. Many expressed an awareness of how seismic the vote was, whichever way it went assisted suicide legislation has been proposed in Scotland before, but never reached this stage in the legislative process. Scottish Labours deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, who voted against, called the bill the most consequential of the devolution era. During the debate, McArthur had sought to assure MSPs that his bill was tightly drawn, heavily safeguarded and legally defensible, but by the time of his closing speech he was conceding that it would fail after a majority of MSPs spoke against, including many who had originally been supportive at stage one. Among those to switch to a position of opposition was Tory MSP Brian Whittle, who said that while his "instinct is to allow choice", he was not persuaded that the bill in the current social climate meets the high bar required to pass assisted dying legislation". Like others speaking in the chamber on Tuesday night, he voiced concerns about coercion and the lack of safeguards for pharmacists and medical professionals. Both the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland adopted positions of opposition to McArthurs bill in recent days, having previously been neutral. This was after a number of safeguards, including conscience clauses, were dropped. Peter Lynas, the U.K. director of the Evangelical Alliance, welcomed the defeat of McArthur's bill, saying that it was "unsafe, unworkable, and risked undermining the value of those who are elderly, disabled or nearing the end of life". "Scotland must be a place where everyone can live with dignity and thrive," he said. "This decision should ensure renewed commitment to high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care across our health and social care systems." The late switchers added to a number of MSPs, many of them high-ranking, who had already confirmed their opposition to the bill, including SNP leader John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, and former First Minister Humza Yousaf. The bill had the support of Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Greens co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay, and a number of other MSPs, but in the end it was not enough. During the debate, the same concerns kept arising - a lack of safeguards, fears of coercion, and the implications for vulnerable people, including those living with disabilities. SNP MSP Ruth Maguire, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in May 2021, said that the bill frightens me. "My blood runs cold thinking about sitting in a room in hospital and having a doctor raise [assisted suicide] with me as we weigh up treatment options," she said. "In voting against the bill, I'm just choosing to vote for the inherent dignity of life, and I urge colleagues to do the same." Independent MSP John Mason brought a rare Christian perspective to the chamber when he said that God is the One who gives life and decides when life should end, and that no matter how much suffering there might be in this life, there is something better available to look forward to. Dr. Gordon Macdonald, CEO of the Care Not Killing coalition, which is campaigning for improved palliative care, said he was relieved that MSPs had decided not to back the legislation. "We believe the bill posed serious risks to the most vulnerable in society, including disabled people and those suffering from domestic abuse, he said. He added, Looking forward, there is one thing that both sides are agreed on: that we must improve palliative care in Scotland in the future. No one should have to suffer a painful death and we have to invest in palliative care services to ensure that everyone has dignity at the end of life. The Rt. Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, also welcomed the news, noting that the General Assembly had reaffirmed its opposition to assisted suicide in May 2025. Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, Chief Executive of Right To Life UK, said the result was a great victory for the most vulnerable in our society. They deserve protection and care, not a pathway to suicide. If this legislation had passed, countless vulnerable people would have been pressured or coerced into ending their lives, he said. The question of assisted suicide has dominated the five-year term of the current Scottish Parliament. The issue is now settled for a generation. But as this debate ends, today marks the beginning of a new conversation. It is vital that after the Holyrood elections in May, MSPs come together to redouble their efforts to invest in universal access to high-quality palliative care. He urged Westminster, where similar legislation is being considered, to take heed of the result in Scotland. Holyrood has today sent a decisive message to Westminster by rejecting assisted suicide, he said. The Westminster Bill is already on life support as Peers continue to address its multiple flaws and unanswered questions. Rather than ploughing on with their dangerous bill, the bill sponsors in Westminster must now follow Scotlands example and accept that assisted suicide is not the answer. It cannot be introduced safely. This article was originally published at Christian Today Home News Task actor Tom Pelphrey takes on Jesus in Holy Week audio drama The Christ Tom Pelphrey has played his share of complex characters on screen, from troubled preacher Ben Davis in Ozark to roles in HBOs Love & Death and Netflixs A Man in Full. But for the 43-year-old New Jersey native and "Task" actor, stepping into the role of Jesus Christ for the upcoming audio drama The Christ presented a different kind of challenge. I was simultaneously so excited and deeply intimidated, Pelphrey told The Christian Post. Truly, in a way that I dont really get. So yeah, it was a new experience for me. The Christ, a four-episode podcast series releasing during Holy Week, dramatizes the life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus using cinematic sound design and voice performances from a cast that includes David Oyelowo as Pontius Pilate, Paul Walter Hauser as John the Baptist, Patricia Heaton as host and John Rhys-Davies as narrator. The series, produced with over 100 immersive, spatial audio and soundscapes, premieres March 30, with new episodes released daily through April 2 ahead of Good Friday. I really love the format, Pelphrey said. It reminds me more of almost reading a book, where you get to participate with your imagination. You get to lean into the story and almost make it personal, because were not dictating every aspect of it to you. When Im acting in front of the camera, I trust that whatever Im doing physically will naturally come across in the sound, he added. But here youre sitting in a booth, in a chair, and youre not doing anything physically. So how do you make a sound that feels true when your bodys not involved? The process, the Emmy-nominated actor said, became a learning experience as the recording sessions progressed. You want as much color as possible in the sounds coming out of your mouth, he explained. Its just a different way of working. The series opens with one of the most emotionally intense moments in the Gospel narrative: the crucifixion. Pelphrey said preparing to portray Jesus on the cross required immense focus and spiritual preparation. Ive certainly spent a lot of time thinking about what the Passion would have been like, he said. Its obviously very heavy. I just tried my best to find ways to let that come through in an audio booth. The script presents the story of Jesus in a nonlinear way, moving back and forth through key moments in His life, following not only Christs death and resurrection but the temptation in the desert and the miracle at Cana. We jump back and forth in time, Pelphrey said. The story begins with the Passion and jumps back from there, so its a different way of telling the story. Because listeners can hear every breath, pause and inflection, Pelphrey said he experimented with different techniques to convey the physical suffering and emotional weight of the moment. I did every trick in the book you can think of to try and help me sound like some of those things were happening, he said. The actor added that portraying such a pivotal moment in Christian history carried a sense of responsibility. The experience, he added, gave him an opportunity to spend more time reflecting on the words of Jesus. Its one of the cornerstones of our entire faith, Pelphrey said. I just wanted it to go as much from my heart to someone elses heart as it possibly could. Ive always loved that part of it, to read His words, to read His teachings, he added. To go back into the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. I think they are the most beautiful words ever written. For research, Pelphrey said he focused primarily on the biblical accounts themselves, emphasizing his commitment to the script written by Paul G. Cuschieri, who also directed the series along with Mark Ramsey. Im there in total service of the script, he said. And we all know the book were using to do our research. Despite his familiarity with the Gospel accounts, Pelphrey said the role offered new opportunities to explore the humanity of Jesus, including moments of warmth and humor. There were a few more opportunities for humor, he said. Theres a way certain things can be said with a smile, with warmth. He pointed to actor Jim Caviezels portrayal in The Passion of the Christ as an example of that balance. I thought Jim Caviezel did a beautiful job of that in some of the flashbacks in The Passion, Pelphrey said. Ultimately, Pelphrey hopes the series helps listeners rediscover the heart of the Gospel message during the Easter season and encounter the mercy and grace Jesus offers in a new way. I think the podcast does a beautiful job of reminding us of His mercy, he said. Just to be reminded of mercy. Thats literally the only goal here. Thats what we want. Listeners will be able to listen to The Christ for free wherever they get their podcasts or at TheChristPodcast.com. Joe Kent Resigns Over Iran War, Oscars LGBT Diversity Rules, AI Misquotes Bible link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:03 07:03 Top headlines for Wednesday, March 18, 2026 A dramatic resignation inside the Trump administration as National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent steps down over the U.S. war in Iran, accusing the president of abandoning America First under Israeli pressure. We also look at renewed debate over the Academys diversity standards after Best Picture winner One Battle After Another qualified under the Oscars inclusion rules. And we examine new warnings about AI-generated Bible content, as YouVersions CEO says misquotation rates may range from 15% to 60%, raising concerns about accuracy, trust, and spiritual guidance in the age of artificial intelligence. 00:11 Counterterrorism director Joe Kent resigns over Iran war 00:59 Academy's 'inclusion' criteria included having LGBT-related cast 01:59 Judge blocks Arkansas schools from displaying Ten Commandments 02:50 Man removed from Texas megachurch during Sunday service 03:38 AIs Bible misquotes range from 15% to 60%: YouVersion CEO 04:31 Pastor arrested in Cuba after uploading Bible teaching to YouTube 05:18 Jonathan McReynolds says reaching for God shaped album 'Closer' Home Opinion If Iran opens, the Church must be ready with Bibles Owning a Bible in Iran can cost you your safety, your freedom and even your life. Akbars underground study group learned that the hard way when their quiet Bible meeting ended in a raid, a beating, prison, and the disappearance of two of Akbars friends. Christians everywhere should be praying for peace, protection and true freedom for the Iranian people. History shows that moments of political upheaval can suddenly create extraordinary opportunities for the Gospel. As conflict and uncertainty continue across Iran, the Church should be thinking about something else too: preparation. If greater openness ever comes, even briefly, the opportunity to place the Bible into the hands of millions could be historic. At EEM, we have seen moments like this before. Our ministry was founded in 1961 to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain when Communist governments tried to suppress Christian faith across Eastern Europe. For decades, believers risked their freedom to share Scripture. Then the Berlin Wall fell. Almost overnight, countries that had restricted the Bible for generations suddenly opened. Churches, schools and ministries urgently needed Scripture, and millions who had grown up with little or no access to the Bible wanted to read it for themselves. We learned from that experience that when freedom comes, the hunger for the Word of God is immense. The lesson from that period was simple: when doors open, they often open quickly, and if the Church is not prepared, that moment can pass. Iran today is a nation of more than 80 million people. Despite strict government restrictions, many Iranians are searching for spiritual truth. Christians there are part of one of the fastest-growing underground church movements in the world but access to Scripture remains limited. In Iran, access to the Bible is difficult and dangerous. Scripture is shared in whispers, hidden carefully, and passed from hand to hand by believers who know that discovery could cost them dearly. Behind closed doors, small groups gather quietly to read Gods Word in secret. If and when the political situation changes in Iran, the demand for physical Bibles could surge almost overnight. We have seen what that hunger can look like. One young Iranian refugee who had fled his country arrived in Greece searching for a Bible in his own language. We heard there were Bibles here in our language, and we had to get a copy, he said. That encounter helped set him on a new path. Such moments can be life-changing; a single Bible can become the start of a miraculous journey. Today, that refugee serves in Christian ministry and sits on the U.S. board of the Greek mission that first placed Scripture in his hands. That is why preparation matters now. EEM has already printed almost 90,000 Bibles for different age groups in the main languages spoken in Iran and continues to publish and distribute Scripture for Iranian and Persian-speaking diaspora communities. We have also printed the New Testament in Gilaki for people in northern Iran who have never before had the full New Testament in their own language. But in a free Iran, the need could quickly grow far beyond current distribution capacity. Millions could suddenly have the opportunity to encounter Scripture for the first time. We have witnessed similar recently in Ukraine. As war brought enormous suffering and uncertainty, many people began searching for hope and meaning, and churches requested Scripture in unprecedented numbers. Ministries that were prepared were able to respond quickly to that spiritual hunger. The Bible tells us to pray for a door for the Word and to make the most of every opportunity. That is not a call to passive concern. It is a call to spiritual alertness. If Iran enters a new chapter, the Church should not be scrambling to respond after the fact. It should be ready to walk through the door as it opens. For years, many Iranians have encountered Scripture only at great personal cost. A different future could place that same Word within reach of millions. As Christians, we must not let such a moment pass. Visit www.eem.org for more. Home Opinion Is God sleeping in your boat? There is a remarkable moment in the Gospels when Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. A violent storm arose, waves crashed over the boat, and seasoned fishermen feared they were about to perish. Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the stern. In desperation, the disciples woke Him, crying, Master, carest thou not that we perish? The Gospel of Mark records what happened next: And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39). The sudden stillness was astonishing. Only moments earlier the disciples believed they were facing death. Now the sea lay quiet as glass. But what truly shook them was not merely the miracle itself; it was what the miracle revealed. They asked one another in awe: What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41). To modern readers, the question may seem like simple amazement. But to a Jewish audience steeped in the Old Testament Scriptures, it carried profound theological weight. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the power to command the sea belongs to God alone. Consider the language of the Psalms. In Psalm 89:9 the psalmist declares, Thou rulest the raging of the sea. Psalm 107:29 says of the Lord, He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Even in Job 38:11, God Himself speaks to the sea, saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further. Throughout the Old Testament, the sea often represents untamable power and chaos. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that only the Lord is sovereign over it. This truth becomes especially vivid in Psalm 114. Psalm 114 celebrates the great acts of God during the Exodus, when the Lord delivered Israel from Egypt and established them as His covenant people. The psalmist recounts those events in striking poetic imagery: The sea saw it and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs (Psalm 114:34). Here the Red Sea is described as fleeing (parting) before the Lord when Israel escaped the army of Pharaoh. The Jordan River is said to have turned back when Israel, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, entered the Promised Land under Joshua. Even the mountains appear to leap like frightened animals in the presence of God. The psalmist then explains the reason for these extraordinary events: Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob (Psalm 114:7). The message is unmistakable: when the Creator Himself is present among His people, creation responds. The sea flees. The rivers stop. The mountains tremble. Now consider the scene on the Sea of Galilee again. A storm is raging. The wind howls. Waves crash into the small fishing boat. Yet when Jesus stands and simply speaks, Peace, be still,the wind stops, and the sea immediately becomes calm. This moment echoes the very truth proclaimed in Psalm 114. Nature responds instantly to the presence of its Creator. The disciples sensed this, even if they did not yet fully understand it. Their question What manner of man is this? reveals their growing realization that they were witnessing something far greater than a miracle. They were seeing the authority of God Himself demonstrated in the person of Jesus. The New Testament later states this truth clearly. The Gospel of John declares: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The one who calmed the sea is the same Lord who once parted the Red Sea, halted the Jordan River, and caused mountains to tremble. The Creator had stepped into His own creation. For those who trust their lives and circumstances to Christ, this truth carries a deeply encouraging message. When the storm struck the Sea of Galilee, the disciples feared they were about to die. Yet their safety did not depend on the strength of their boat or the skill of their rowing. Their safety depended on who was with them in the boat. The Lord of creation was with them in that little boat. Psalm 114 reminds us that seas flee, and rivers turn back at the presence of the Lord. The Gospel accounts reveal that this same authority belongs to Jesus Christ. That means the one who commands the wind and the waves is also the one who walks with His people through every storm of life. The circumstances around us may sometimes appear overwhelming. Winds may rage, and waves may threaten to sink the vessel. But the believer can take heart in this unchanging truth: The one who calmed the sea is still present with His people today. When the Creator is in the boat, no storm has the final word. Is He in your boat? China's 15th Five-Year Plan offers new growth opportunities for Africa : analysts Xinhua) 10:16, March 18, 2026 KAMPALA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's recently approved 15th Five-Year Plan presents opportunities that African countries can leverage as they pursue their own development paths, analysts said at a symposium here on Tuesday. The event, held under the theme "Strategic Alignment for Prosperity: Deepening China-Uganda Ties in the 15th Five-Year Plan Era," brought together researchers, academics and government officials. It was convened by the Development Watch Centre (DWC), a Ugandan think tank. Arthur Atuha, a research fellow at DWC, said that countries like Uganda can tap into China's technological and innovation advances to fast-track production for the Chinese market. In February, China announced that it will implement zero-tariff treatment from May 1 for products from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties. According to the Chinese embassy, countries such as Uganda are already benefiting from China's expanding market access, particularly through the zero-tariff policy. Bilateral trade between China and Uganda reached 2.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up 43.5 percent year on year. China's imports from Uganda also rose to 138 million dollars, a 73.8 percent increase. Authorities are also finalizing quarantine protocols for exporting sorghum, chia seeds and avocados to China. "We need to interest ourselves in digital marketing. China has availed a number of platforms; if we use them, we get to expand the market base of our products," Atuha said. Vuyo Mjimba, a researcher at South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council, said that China's 15th Five-Year Plan underscores the importance for African countries to remain committed to their own development priorities rather than relying on external prescriptions. Joshua Kingdom, a researcher at DWC, said that China has already laid a foundation in Africa for deeper trade engagement as it advances modernization and high-quality development. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has supported the construction of key energy and transport infrastructure that can help African countries seize emerging opportunities, he added. On March 11, China approved its development blueprint for 2026-2030, marking a key stage in advancing modernization and high-quality development. Fan Xuecheng, charge d'affaires ad interim at the Chinese embassy in Uganda, told the symposium that the plan will prioritize scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading. It will accelerate the development of the digital economy, artificial intelligence, new energy and high-end manufacturing, while promoting green development. Fan said that over the next decade, China is expected to import more than 20 trillion U.S. dollars' worth of goods and services, creating vast market opportunities worldwide. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A large modern slavery and crime reduction charity that delivers government-funded services has announced it will undertake a managed closure this year. In a statement this week, Causeway said that following a detailed financial review which confirmed the charity can no longer operate sustainably, its operational services are expected to close by the end of June. Causeway, which employed 181 staff as of last year and supports over 2,000 people annually, told Civil Society that a formal consultation process is underway with all employees. As is standard practice, were not disclosing details, but were committed to supporting all colleagues throughout the process, a spokesperson said. Were beginning a managed closure of our services, and our focus is on ensuring a safe, managed handover for the people we support. Causeway is one of 13 organisations in England and Wales that are subcontracted by the Salvation Army to administer the modern slavery victim care contract (MSVCC) awarded by the Home Office. The charitys accounts for the year to 31 March 2025 show that it recorded a total income of 8.96m, which includes 8.72m from four government contracts. Contract losses In its 2024-25 accounts, Causeway said the change in government had a significant financial impact on the charity sector, including itself. It said the increase in employers national insurance contributions and uncertainty the 2024 budget placed on public sector commissioning budgets led to us not only losing two of our crime reduction contracts, representing significant income to us, but also facing a significant increase in our core overheads that could not be contained. Due to these financial impacts, we were forced to review the scale of our workforce and our overhead expenditure and put in place an efficiencies programme to address the resultant deficit. This not only meant job losses but also a need to rethink the planned strategic plan objectives and a rescope of what could be achieved and what should be the focus of the forthcoming three-year period. The accounts show that in 2024-25, Causeway recorded a total income of 8.96m (2023-24: 9.63m) and spent 9.52m (2023-24: 9.76m). Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of the people in our care The Salvation Army was first awarded the MSVCC by the Home Office and Ministry of Justice in July 2011. Under the contract, which was initially awarded for two years and has since been extended, the Salvation Army is responsible for the oversight of the delivery of specialist support services to adult victims of human trafficking identified in England and Wales. When the contract was awarded in 2020, it was worth 281m over eight years until 28 June 2028. However, Lord Hanson of Flint said last year that through the MSVCC, the Home Office is contracted to spend 379m over five years. A spokesperson for the Salvation Army told Civil Society: Were sad to learn that Causeway, a longstanding and valued partner for more than 15 years, will be undertaking a managed closure of their services. The Salvation Armys first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the people in our care. Were working closely with Causeway to ensure a smooth transition of services, and well ensure survivors of modern slavery continue to receive the help they need. A Home Office spokesperson said: This government is delivering on its word to reform the UKs modern slavery system. Were committed to providing effective support to ensure that victims are assisted in their recovery from their experiences of exploitation or trafficking. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for the daily CJR newsletter. Look for the margarita machine, Francesca DAnnunzios source told her. DAnnunzio, an investigative reporting fellow at the Texas Observer, was delving into Operation Lone Star, Texas governor Greg Abbotts more-than-eleven-billion-dollar anti-immigration crusade that the American Civil Liberties Union has flagged in a report for unchecked cruelty. DAnnunzio recalled her source saying, With this much money being spent so quickly, I wonder if these little sheriffs departments are spending money on things that they have no business buying. Like a margarita machine. DAnnunzio heeded that advice, and requested a bunch of records from some sheriffs departments to try to see: Well, how are they spending their Operation Lone Star funds? And is there a proverbial margarita machine? And I did not find a margarita machine. I found a warrantless phone-tracking software. DAnnunzio printed out all the records and combed through overtime hours, new trucks, device purchases, paper orders. She paused on an item for Cobwebsa company, she came to learn, that produces a tracking tool, Tangles, by bulk-buying location data from various smartphone apps and advertisers. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) had signed a $5.3 million contract with PenLink, the parent company of Cobwebs, and would be using this tool for years. (The name PenLink, Cooper Quintin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation told me, is a reference to pen/trap orders, which have long allowed investigators, with less justification than probable cause, to collect incoming and outcoming numbers for a phone of interest.) DAnnunzio also found that, since first contracting with Cobwebs, in 2021, DPS had expanded its contract each year. Her story for the Observer noted how Cobwebs had been banned by Meta for participating in an online surveillance-for-hire ecosystem and how, even after that, multiple Texas sheriffs had used Tangles to identify, link, and track the movements of cartel operatives throughout the region. DPSs rationale for employing the technology was counterterrorism. The idea that our patterns of life can be followed is frightening, DAnnunzio told me. Surveillance, she observed, can be a tool of authoritarianism. She raised the Department of Homeland Security: We have seen, in Minneapolis, stories of people saying that their car was followed by a DHS agent who said, We saw you following us, we started following you, we know where you live, as she put it. I wanted to be able to show the buildup, even though maybe this subject feels abstract to a lot of people. Like, maybe somebody thinks, Why should I care about drones or license plate readers? I know police are tracking. DAnnunzio paused. That so much can be learned about us and our patterns of life without a warrant, she said, is something that should concern everybody, regardless of their political persuasion. DAnnunzio is one of an increasing number of journalists and researchers arriving at this conclusion, from different points of entry. When I googled Tangles, I found a website called Surveillance Watch, which referenced DAnnunzios reporting for the Observer as well as reporting at 404 Media by Joseph Cox, who explored how Tangles and its WebLoc feature, which allows investigators to watch the movement of phones within a geofenced area, are used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track people to their homes and workplaces. Surveillance Watch, a resource for journalists and the general public, started in 2024 by Esraa Al Shafei, aims to sharpen the contours of an industry that is opaque by design, Al Shafei said, amid an unprecedented rise in both the development of and the demand for surveillance and spyware tech in the context of the US. On Surveillance Watch, Al Shafei explained, you can find the companies building the surveillance and spyware tools, but also their subsidiaries, their partners, financial backers, and where this technology is typically deployed. As she told me, contracts are being awarded with little public oversight or accountability, and most of these surveillance tools dont require warrants to use. ICE is a major user, and one long-term contractor with ICE, she noted, is LexisNexis. A lot of people are like, Oh, boring librarians and academia, you know. But LexisNexis, Al Shafei said, compiles billions of records from sources such as government databases, utility bills, phone records, license plate tracking, even medical records, and integrates all of this into analytics tools that basically link relationships and provide all of this type of analysis, extremely detailed. Another entity, BI Incorporated, which contracts with ICE to fit almost two hundred thousand immigrants with ankle and wrist monitors while they await court proceedings, started, Al Shafei said, as a system by which to monitor cattle. Cox, who helped break the original story of ICEs use of Tangles for 404 Media, has been covering surveillance technology for ten years. In that time, Ive seen a lot of trends or fads in the industry, he said. Activists and civil liberties experts have always warned that technology is going to start with one purpose and will trickle down to local law enforcement. At 404 Media, which is a worker-owned publication, hes been able to dip into stories big and small: When it comes to ICE and the technology that ICE is using, well do almost incremental stories, he said. He still manages to feel a sense of shockfor instance, when he covered ICEs use of its own facial-recognition app for 404. They point their cameras at someones face. They use it to verify someones citizenship. And then they detain them. Or they dont. Whatever they want to do, he said. We kind of all knew that was coming. And now they finally did it. And sometimes, as Cox has reported, they screw up. This form of journalism is less about telling stories than mapping how government interests are finding stories about the rest of us. Often, that poses a narrative challenge: Its really hard to find a target or a victim of surveillance, Cox told me. These systems are so opaque. Quintin, at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, put it this way: The hardest part of it is that its hard to find facts. Its hard to find victims. We know for a fact that ICE has a contract with PenLink for Tangles. But its unclear how theyre using it, unless you can get firsthand ICE testimony, which is going to be hard. Sign up for CJRs daily email Also difficult: the way this work places reporters and researchers in view of the systems they cover. Al Shafei, a human rights activist, originally designed Surveillance Watch to focus on Southwest Asia and North Africa; she has also worked to build anonymity tools for queer communities, music apps for censored artists, and interactive investigative reporting on migrant worker rights in the wider Gulf region. Unfortunately, all of this has meant that our team was and continues to be intensely targeted by spyware and surveillance tech, she said. As we spoke, via Zoom, she concealed herself behind an illustrated portrait of her faceshe has a hard rule of maintaining visual anonymity. I made this decision as a precaution more than twenty years ago, when I first started using the Web, she told me. I stuck to it because I knew we were going to live in a surveillance state. Pro-Iranian hackers are targeting sites in the Middle East and starting to stretch into the United States during the war, raising the risk of American defense contractors, power stations and water plants being swept into a wave of digital chaos that could expand if Tehrans allies join the fray. Hackers supporting Iran claimed responsibility for a significant cyberattack Wednesday against U.S. medical device company Stryker. Since the war began Feb. 28, they also have tried to penetrate cameras in Middle Eastern countries to improve Irans missile targeting. They have targeted data centers in the region, as well as industrial facilities in Israel, a school in Saudi Arabia and an airport in Kuwait. Iran has invested heavily in its offensive cyber capabilities while cultivating ties to hacking groups. In recent years, groups working for Tehran have infiltrated the email system of President Donald Trumps campaign, targeted U.S. water plants and tried to breach the networks used by the military and defense contractors. The goal is to wear down the American war effort, drive up the costs of energy, strain cyber resources and cause as much pain as possible for American companies that depend on the defense industry. Something is going to happen because the gloves are off, said Kevin Mandia, founder of the cybersecurity companies Mandiant and Armadin. Who is being targeted Pro-Iranian, pro-Palestinian hackers claimed credit for disrupting systems at Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company. A group known as Handala said the attack was in retaliation for suspected U.S. strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren. Like other ideologically motivated hackers, profit is not Handalas goal, according to Ismael Valenzuela, vice president of threat intelligence at the cybersecurity company Arctic Wolf. What distinguishes this group is its clear focus on data destruction rather than financial extortion, he said in an email. Polish authorities are investigating a recent cyberattack on a nuclear research facility that may have ties to Iran, though they acknowledge that another group could be behind the attack and using the Iran war to mask its identity. Going forward, U.S. defense contractors, government vendors and businesses that work with Israel are likely targets, as is critical infrastructure such as hospitals, ports, water plants, power stations and railways. Pro-Iranian hackers openly discuss their plans in Telegram and other online message boards. The datacenters need to be taken out, wrote one user, as uncovered by researchers at U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group. They host the brains of USAs military communication and targeting systems. Cyber operations also gather intelligence for example, Irans effort to hack into cameras in neighboring countries to aid its missile targeting. Infiltrating U.S. networks, meanwhile, would offer view into military planning or supply chains. Going After Easy Targets The strikes on Irans military as well as internet outages may have limited Irans cyberattacks in the short term. But experts say Iranian hackers and their allies will aim for quick victories by targeting the weakest links in American cybersecurity. Often, local water plants or health care facilities lack the funds and know-how to install the latest software patches or take other security steps. That has made them a favorite target, both because of the relative ease of penetrating them and because of the panic these disruptions can cause. This can include denial-of-service attacks, in which hackers try to jam a network so legitimate users cannot use it, and website defacements, which can prevent a company from communicating with customers. Hack-and-leak operations, where hackers threaten to release sensitive stolen material, are another possibility. The attacks are not that sophisticated, according to Shaun Williams, a former FBI and CIA officer who is now a senior director at the cybersecurity firm SentinelOne. But if a business or government agency has failed to keep up with its cybersecurity, it could pay a steep price, he said. Patch your systems. Ensure your firewalls and security solutions are up to date, Williams said. Remove your stale accounts. All the cyber hygiene that you should be doing, its more critical now than ever. Prepare for disruption. When It Comes to Cyber, Iran Is Considered A Chaos Agent Russia and China present the greatest cyber threats to the U.S., while North Korea is a growing concern. But what Iran has lacked in resources it has made up for in ingenuity, experts say. In recent years, Tehrans digital warriors have impersonated American activists online to covertly encourage protests against Israel on college campuses. They have set up fake news websites and social media accounts primed to spread false and exaggerated claims before big U.S. elections. In 2024, Iranian hackers infiltrated the email system of the Trump campaign and later tried to disseminate files that the hackers said they stole. Hackers linked to Iran also tried to hack into the WhatsApp accounts of both Trump and his then-Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden. The activity prompted the Department of Homeland Security to issue a public warning last year about Iranian cyber threats. Iran and especially the proxies dont care how big or smart you are. This is about making an impact, about creating chaos, said James Turgal, a cybersecurity expert who spent 22 years as an FBI agent and is now a vice president at Optiv, a Denver-based information security firm. Next Moves From Russia And China Experts are watching closely to see if Russia, China or hacking groups allied with either country provide hacking assistance to Iran, mounting attacks intended to undermine American operations in Iran and make it harder for the U.S. to sustain its fight. While China has so far taken a cautious approach, there is evidence that pro-Iranian hackers in Russia are already at work. Researchers at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike detected a surge of activity from Russian hackers in support of Tehran since the war began. One group known as Z-Pentest claimed responsibility for disrupting several U.S. networks, including some involved in closed-circuit video cameras. The timing of the attack suggests the hackers were targeting U.S. interests because of the war in Iran, according to Adam Meyers, head of counter adversary operations at CrowdStrike. Western organizations should continue to remain on high-alert, Meyers said. Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are in talks to settle the regulators lawsuit accusing the worlds richest person of waiting too long in 2022 to disclose his initial purchases of Twitter, which he eventually bought for $44 billion and renamed X. In a court filing on Tuesday, the SEC and Musk said they are engaged in discussions of a potential resolution that would mean further proceedings might not be necessary. Both sides asked U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan in Washington, D.C., who oversees the case, to extend a deadline for scheduling further proceedings to April 1 from March 18. The SEC declined to comment. Musks lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. News of a possible settlement surfaced six weeks after Sooknanan rejected Musks bid to dismiss the case, and comes as SEC Chairman Paul Atkins refocuses some of the regulators enforcement priorities. A settlement would end often-fraught litigation between the SEC and Musk that began in September 2018 when the regulator charged Musk with securities fraud for saying on Twitter he had secured funding to potentially take his electric car company Tesla private. Musk, the worlds richest man, settled that case by paying a $20 million civil fine, agreeing to let Tesla lawyers review some Twitter posts in advance, and giving up his role as Teslas chairman. Musk Accused Sec of Targeting Him In its January 2025 lawsuit, the SEC said Musks 11-day delay in revealing his initial 5% Twitter stake in late March and early April 2022 let him buy more than $500 million of shares at artificially low prices. The SEC has argued that Musk should pay a civil fine and repay the $150 million he allegedly saved at the expense of unsuspecting investors. Musk called the delay inadvertent, and accused the SEC of violating his free speech rights by targeting him. In a separate case on Tuesday, a San Francisco federal jury heard closing arguments in a trial by former Twitter shareholders who said Musk misled them as he tried to back out of the takeover. Musk has argued that Twitter had more fake accounts than it had disclosed, giving him a reason to abandon the purchase. X is now part of Musks rocket and satellite company SpaceX, following its purchase last month of his artificial intelligence company xAI. That acquisition created the worlds most valuable private company, worth about $1.25 trillion at the time. SpaceX could sell shares in an initial public offering as early as June. Musk was worth about $834 billion on Monday, according to Forbes magazine, more than triple the fortune of second-ranked Google co-founder Larry Page. (Reporting by Stempel and Prentice in New York; Editing by Alison Williams) U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on March 11, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. President Trump is traveling to Ohio and Kentucky today to highlight two local businesses. U.S. allies seem to be caught between Iranian attacks and criticism from the U.S. president, with investors also focused on events in the AI space and the Fed's upcoming rate decision. Hello, this is Hui Jie writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC's Daily Open. "If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together." The first part of that African proverb seems to characterize U.S President Donald Trump's strategy against Iran after allies spurned his requests to join the Middle East war. Trump slammed the NATO alliance over their reluctance to get involved in the conflict, saying they were making a "foolish mistake" and asserting that the U.S. does not need any help with its ongoing military operations. U.S. allies in the Gulf have been at the receiving end of the conflict they are not directly involved in, with Iran sharpening attacks against the United Arab Emirates, targeting its energy infrastructure. As the conflict escalates, cracks are starting to show in Trump's own administration. On Tuesday stateside, National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent announced his resignation, saying Iran had never posed a threat to the U.S. Away from the war, tech is back on investors' minds after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that open-source autonomous AI agent platform OpenClaw was 'definitely the next ChatGPT.' The chief of the most valuable company in the world also said that Nvidia was preparing to provide its H200 processors to some customers in China. "We have received purchase orders, and we're in the process of restarting our manufacturing," Huang said. Nvidia has now got clearance from both the U.S. and China to sell the H200. Further on the tech front, OpenAI is focusing employee and investor attention on its enterprise business as the artificial intelligence startup gears up to go public, potentially by the end of the year, CNBC has learned. In an ironic framing of events, political America is looking to go fast and alone, while tech America is looking to go far and together. Lim Hui Jie Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Wednesday lashed out at the "almost daily" threats from the U.S. and pledged to meet the Trump administration's move to choke off the island's fuel supplies with "unyielding resistance." His comments come after the communist-run island nation of roughly 10 million people partially reconnected its power grid on Tuesday evening, energy officials said, following a nationwide blackout that reportedly lasted for more than 29 hours. Cuba's gird operator, UNE, said on social media that it was gradually restoring electricity to all provinces and cities around the country, without providing further details on the cause of the power grid's collapse. The country, which is located just 90 miles from Florida, is currently facing its biggest test since the fall of the Soviet Union. The U.S. has imposed an oil blockade on the island since January, shortly after its ally and a key provider of oil, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, was seized in an audacious military operation. U.S. President Donald Trump has effectively cut Cuba off from Venezuelan oil, called its government "an unusual and extraordinary threat", and pledged to impose tariffs on any country that supplies it with oil. Trump has repeatedly talked up the prospect of a "friendly takeover" of Havana in recent days, saying the White House could turn its sights on Cuba after the Iran war. The U.S. president has also said he could do anything he wanted with the country, adding that he thinks he will have the "honor" of "taking Cuba." Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Omans Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. Stringer | Reuters French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told CNBC that France is willing to support the U.S. in securing the Strait of Hormuz just not while the security situation remains highly dangerous and volatile. "We are willing to do something to free the Strait of Hormuz, provided that this is not a war situation anymore. Nobody wants to go across the Strait of Hormuz if there's a risk of missiles or drones going on your head," he told CNBC's Charlotte Reed on Tuesday. "We need the conflict to de-escalate, and then we can imagine securing the Strait of Hormuz ... We know how to do it, but you don't do that in a war situation. You do that in a pacified situation in which people need to be secure and safe," he added, speaking to CNBC at the Euronext Conference. watch now France, the U.K. and Germany are among the European allies who have been criticized by President Donald Trump for failing to assist the U.S. in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime passage controlled by Iran which is critical for exporting large amounts of oil and gas out of the Middle East. European countries are reluctant to get involved in the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran, seeing it as a war of choice rather than necessity, and one that has no clear objectives or endpoint. While European officials have expressed concern that global food, fertilizer and energy supplies are at risk as a result of the Strait of Hormuz being effectively closed, there is little appetite to expand naval operations in the Middle East to assist the movements of vessels through the channel. It's a brand new day, and yet Nvidia investors are asking themselves the same old question: What's it going to take to get this frustrating stock rolling again? If that sounds familiar, well, that's because it is. Not even 24 hours ago, we explored why Nvidia's stock has been stuck in the mud despite a flurry of good news both this week during its buzzy AI conference called GTC (short for GPU Technology Conference) and over the past few months. Now, we have yet another positive update about Nvidia's business prospects and an important clarification on the company's demand outlook, all for the stock to once again do next to nothing. After moving lower Wednesday morning, shares are up fractionally in afternoon trading. That advance pales in comparison to what we've learned since we published our last Nvidia story. So, our advice remains the same: Stick with the stock, and if you don't own any, this is a great chance to get in. Late Tuesday, CEO Jensen Huang said at a press conference that t he company had restarted manufacturing of a Hopper-generation AI chip, known as the H200, for the Chinese market. Hopper is the predecessor to Nvidia's current Blackwell family of chips. Jensen later told our CNBC colleague Kristina Partsinevelos that Nvidia had clearance from both governments to restart Hopper sales with Beijing's stamp of approval being the most notable detail. Then, early Wednesday morning, Reuters reported Nvidia was already working on a modified version of its new Groq-infused AI inference chip for the Chinese market. China represents a major growth opportunity for Nvidia, but the company had become locked out of the market due to geopolitical tensions between the world's two largest economies. Starting under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. banned the sale of Nvidia's most cutting-edge chips to China. The company was initially able to sell throttled-back versions of its chips to Chinese customers, but nearly a year ago, the Trump administration curtailed shipments of those made-for-China processors, too. Recently, the Trump White House reversed course and gave Nvidia the green light to export the H200 to China, in exchange for the U.S. government receiving a 25% cut of sales. That was significant because the H200 had once been Nvidia's top-of-the-line chip sold to U.S. customers not a modified configuration. However, the lifting of the ban has been slow to convert to orders, with Beijing supposedly harboring national security concerns of its own and, at the same time, looking to push its domestic semiconductor industry to better compete with Nvidia. At various times during the Nvidia-in-China saga, we've seen headlines about Beijing pressuring its tech giants to avoid Nvidia, including reports of outright bans . As a result of this rollercoaster ride, Nvidia has adopted a policy of providing guidance that assumes no data center chip sales to China. That also means that analysts have had to keep the sales out of their models or, at the very least, be extremely conservative in predicting when sales would resume, if ever. Nvidia executives last year said the AI chip market in China was a roughly $50 billion opportunity. Any bit of that market opportunity Nvidia does capture amounts to upside to both management forecasts, as well as Wall Street estimates. Translation: This China news provides upward support to 2026 earnings estimates and beyond. That's not the only reason to believe estimates need to move higher, though. NVDA 1Y mountain Nvidia's stock performance over the past 12 months. We're getting more clarity on Jensen's "high confidence" revenue visibility comments from his Monday GTC keynote, and the big takeaway is that is that $1 trillion is very much the floor for the 2025 to 2027 period. On Tuesday afternoon, Nvidia management held a question-and-answer session with Wall Street analysts, and the analysts published their reactions in notes to clients afterward. As we go through those notes Wednesday, it's further evident that plenty of important Nvidia products aren't factored into that $1 trillion disclosure. It was simply sales of Blackwell and next-generation Vera Rubin systems, which are set to ship to customers later this year. We wrote on Tuesday that we learned from Jensen's interview with Jim Cramer that it didn't include sales of Nvidia's new standalone central processing units (CPU) or anything tied to the new Groq chip. However, the analysts' notes make it clear the forecast also excludes sales of Vera Rubin Ultra systems the Ultra is an updated version currently slated to start shipping in late 2027, in accordance with Nvidia's annual release cycle for new AI chips. It also doesn't include any revenues tied to Nvidia's new storage systems , which the company says provide the high-speed data access that's crucial for agentic AI workloads . Agentic systems go a step further than a basic generative AI chatbot and are capable of completing tasks, making decisions, and taking actions with limited user oversight. When Jensen initially called out the $1 trillion number Monday afternoon, the stock popped on the idea that Wall Street estimates were way too low. However, as investors started to realize that the $1 trillion number was for all of calendar 2025 through 2027, the stock came back down. The market came to the realization that while it was better than expected to the tune of $40 billion to $60 billion, depending on which estimate you use it wasn't the blowout it sounded like. Well, it seems Jensen was just trying to be conservative. According to the analysts at KeyBanc, Nvidia's new CPU rack offering is a material but smaller opportunity though small in the context of $1 trillion is still tens of billions of dollars. However, the Groq and storage-related products opportunities are quite material. In fact, adding in all the stuff Jensen left out, that $1 trillion forecast starts to look more like $1.5 trillion. Add it all up the significant China developments and the new information on the line-of-sight to $1 trillion and, somehow, we're still looking at a stock stuck in the low $180s on Wednesday afternoon. However, we have even more reason to believe that Nvidia's stock is cheaper than it was eight months ago, when shares traded at similar prices, and even cheaper than it was Tuesday afternoon. Stocks are typically valued on future earnings estimates, so when those estimates move higher but the stock barely budges, the end result is a more attractive price-to-earnings valuation. In August, with shares in the low $180s, Nvidia traded at roughly 34 times the next 12 months worth of earnings estimates, according to FactSet. Now, its forward P/E is about 21, roughly in line with that of the S & P 500 . Nvidia is certainly no average company. Plus, we'd argue the stock is likely even cheaper than that since the estimates aren't baking in anything from China and the additional clarity around the $1 trillion. Would a little more clarity on the $1 trillion messaging from the outset on Monday have been ideal and allowed the stock to hold its initial pop, perhaps serving as the breakout we've needed? Yes, though we do understand Jensen's desire to be conservative. Nonetheless, it's clear that, fundamentally, this is a must-own stock for the long term. Perhaps there's a silver lining: All the confusion about Jensen's outlook through 2027 means that members have a chance on Wednesday to buy a best-in-class stock that has seemingly gotten cheaper by the hour this week. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long NVDA. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Equity markets appear to be pricing in a recession as the U.S.-Iran war drags on but heavy selling pressure has opened up some buying opportunities for investors, according to HSBC strategists. In a note published by the banking giant on Tuesday, Alastair Pinder and Pankaj Agarwala said volatility in the oil market had caused "dislocations in equity markets." Since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran at the end of February, surging oil prices have sparked fears of a 1970s-style stagflation. But HSBC's team said they believe recent equity rotations tell a different story. "Talk of a shift toward stagflation is building, but we would argue equity markets price action is more indicative of trading for a recessionary outcome," they said. "Our regime models show the equity market is now pricing a 35% probability of recession, up from 10% just two weeks ago, while the implied likelihood of stagflation has barely moved, holding at 8%." Emerging markets, industrials and banks Pinder and Agarwala outlined where they see opportunities for investors in the current environment. They said global equities had fallen by around 5% since the start of the Iran war but noted their machine learning systems suggested the overall move was largely justified. "Still, underneath the surface there appears to be a number of dislocations," they said. "We believe Korea, South Africa and Indonesia have been oversold by about 5-10%, leaving valuations that look increasingly attractive, especially as our work shows these markets are not among the most exposed to higher oil prices." South Korea's Kospi index was the world's top-performing stock market in 2025, but has seen historic volatility since the war broke out, thanks to its concentration of memory giants and its sensitivity to energy prices. Equities listed in the UAE which has repeatedly been struck by Iranian drones and missiles since the war began have also been volatile since the country reopened its financial markets from a brief closure at the outbreak of the Iran conflict. But Pinder and Agarwala said the sell-off of stocks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi "screens as roughly 10% below what fundamentals would imply over the past two weeks." They added, however, that the gap "likely mirrors the scale of the geopolitical risk premium now embedded." Countries with equity indexes that have undershot the macroeconomic fallout of the war included Norway, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Singapore, HSBC's data shows. When it came to specific sectors, HSBC's strategists noted that there had been a "sharp 9% underperformance of cyclicals versus defensives since mid-February." "We would lean toward cyclical sectors that can still hold up in a stagflation backdrop," they said. "Across sectors we believe materials, industrials and financials look well positioned." Retail, travel and leisure, and media stocks were named the top "stagflation losers." Damage from a ballistic missile attack is seen at a building in which a couple in their 70s were killed, according to published reports, on March 18, 2026 in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan, Israel. Iran intensified attacks against U.S. assets in the Middle East and Israel on Wednesday in apparent retaliation against the killing of the country's security chief Ali Larijani overnight, as the weeks-long conflict shows no signs of abating. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly said Wednesday that its missiles have hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of Israeli territories as "revenge" for the killing of Larijani, his son and aide, citing Iranian semi-official Fars news agency. Iran's Supreme National Security Council has confirmed the death of Larijani, along with his son Morteza Larijani and the head of his office, Alireza Bayat, as well as several guards, the Associated Press reported. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired later in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the U.S. and Israel had yet to realize that Iran's government does not rely on a single individual. "The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure," he said. The IRGC has launched a combined drone and missile attack in Tel Aviv and areas in central Israel. Two people were killed near Tel Aviv during an Iranian missile strike, Israeli emergency responders said early Wednesday. Iran has also launched several explosive drones at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, triggering sirens with an explosion heard near the diplomatic compound, Reuters reported. Separately, Tehran also fired a projectile near an Australian airbase in the United Arab Emirates, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese no personnel were injured. The series of attacks comes after Israel killed Larijani, the head of the country's Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the leader of a powerful militia aligned with the IRGC, in deadly airstrikes on Tuesday. Qatar said Wednesday that Iranian missiles caused "extensive damage" at Ras Laffan Industrial City, home to the largest liquefied natural gas, or LNG, export facility in the world. Qatar's Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as a "dangerous escalation, flagrant violation of state sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security and regional stability." Qatar reserves the right to respond in accordance with the right to self-defense guaranteed under international law, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Brent crude prices, the international benchmark, surged more than 7% to $111.23 by 4:52 p.m. ET. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up about 4% at $100.04. The Negishi Maru crude oil tanker sails towards JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp.'s Negishi refinery in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Japan's exports climbed 4.2% from a year earlier in February, marking a sharp slowdown after hitting an over-three-year high in January. However, the increase was higher than the 1.6% rise expected by economists polled by Reuters, and against the 16.8% jump in the previous month. Exports to mainland China, Japan's largest trading partner, fell 10.9%, while shipments to the U.S. dropped 8%. The total value of auto exports to the U.S., Japan's biggest export item, fell 14.8%. Tokyo's exports to Washington may weaken further after the U.S. announced Section 301 investigations that could lead to the reimposition of tariffs. This comes after Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court in February. Despite a drop in exports to its top trading partners, other Asian economies picked up the slack, with outbound goods to Hong Kong spiking by 32.3% from a year earlier. Exports to the bloc of 11 Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia and Thailand, increased 5.1%. The total value of outbound goods to the regional grouping surpassed that of mainland China, making it Japan's second-largest export destination in February. Shipments to Western Europe also rose 17.5%, supported by a 10.9% and 18.9% increase in sales to Germany and the U.K., respectively. Japan's export growth in February was supported by a 25.1% jump in the value of semiconductor exports, while motor vehicle exports rose 2.5% year on year. The export data comes just before a Bank of Japan monetary policy meeting on Thursday, as well as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the same day stateside. Imports to Japan climbed 10.2%, compared with the 11.5% increase expected and January's 2.6% decline. This is breaking news, please check back for updates. The Meta Horizon Worlds logo is displayed on a smartphone screen, and the Meta logo is in the background in Chania, Greece, on Aug. 9, 2024. Meta announced Tuesday that it is shutting down Horizon Worlds, the virtual reality social network for Quest VR headsets that was once a key piece of the pivot to the metaverse. In a community blog, Meta announced that the Horizon Worlds app will be taken off the Quest store at the end of March, and fully removed from VR on June 15. After that date, it will only be available on a standalone mobile app. "We are separating the two platforms so each can grow with greater focus, and the Horizon Worlds platform will become a mobile-only experience," the company said in announcing the change. The shift for Horizon Worlds, which was once a central part of the company's push into virtual reality, comes weeks after Meta cut over 1,000 employees from Reality Labs, the unit responsible for the metaverse. The January cuts in Reality Labs also hit studios that were working on VR titles, including Ouro Interactive, an in-house studio that debuted in 2023 to build first-party content for Horizon Worlds. When Meta changed its name from Facebook in October 2021 to cement the pivot to the metaverse, CEO Mark Zuckerberg called it "the next frontier." "Our hope is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach a billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers," Zuckerberg wrote at the time when announcing the change. The Manus logo is displayed on a smartphone screen, with the Meta logo visible in the background. Artificial intelligence start-up Manus, recently acquired by Meta, launched a new desktop application Monday that brings its AI agent directly onto personal laptops. The company's general agent which can execute complex, multi-step tasks previously operated exclusively in the cloud, and was typically accessed through a web interface. However, through the new Manus Desktop application, a feature called 'My Computer' lets its agents work directly with local files, tools and applications on a user's device. The expanded offering aligns Meta and Manus's agents more closely with OpenClaw, an open-sourced AI agent that is also downloaded onto users' local devices. OpenClaw was founded by Austrian software developer Peter Steinberger late last year, and its popularity has helped spark an AI agent frenzy. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang described OpenClaw as the "next ChatGPT' in an interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC's "Mad Money" Tuesday. Steinberger has also been hired by ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which represents one of Meta's main AI competitors. Unlike OpenClaw, which is free and open-sourced under an MIT license, Manus is primarily a paid subscription service. According to Manus, its My Computer offering allows its agent to read, analyze, edit files, and launch or control applications on the machine. For example, the company said that users can instruct Manus to organize thousands of internal images on their hard drive. Beyond file management, My Computer is also compatible with coding applications and can create an app within minutes, it said. Those capabilities will be added to existing Manus capabilities, which include integration with services such as Google Calendar, Gmail and various third-party platforms. While such capabilities offer much promise, experts have also flagged potential security and privacy issues with granting AI agents, such as those from OpenClaw, access to local devices. In its post, Manus said that My Computer will keep users "firmly in control" by requiring explicit approval before executing tasks. These options include "Allow Once" for individual review or "Always Allow" for trusted, recurring actions, it said. Meta announced on Dec. 29, 2025, that it would acquire AI startup Manus, aiming to expand its AI capabilities and integrate Manus's autonomous agent technology into products across its platforms, including the Meta AI assistant. Manus was founded in China before moving its headquarters to Singapore. Chinese officials have reportedly been investigating the $2 billion acquisition for potential violations of technology controls. In a statement shared with CNBC, a Meta spokesperson said that its acquisition "complied fully with applicable law," and that the team anticipates "an appropriate resolution to the inquiry." "The outstanding team at Manus is now deeply integrated into Meta, running, improving and growing the Manus service and will continue to make it available to the millions of people who enjoy it," it added. Shares of Japanese shipping firm Mitsui OSK Lines surged more than 11% Wednesday to a record high after activist investor Elliott Investment Management said it had established a "significant" stake in the firm. Elliott said it was confident in the Japanese shipping company's long track record and position as one of the world's largest diversified oceangoing vessel owners. "Despite this strong market position and high-quality assets, the market materially undervalues the business," the investment firm said in its statement, adding that it sees an opportunity to engage constructively with Mitsui's management to ensure its upcoming medium-term plan is sufficiently ambitious, improve market perception and unlock a higher valuation. Mitsui OSK reported slightly higher revenue for in its latest results, but sharply lower profit, reflecting weaker earnings across key shipping segments. Revenue for the nine months ended December rose 2% year on year to 1.35 trillion yen ($8.49 billion), but operating profit fell over 16% to 102.7 billion yen. The decline was driven by weaker profitability across several core businesses, particularly product transport and containerships, where profits fell sharply amid softer freight rates and rising vessel supply. The shipper's stock is up over 48% year to date. Elliott Investment Management manages about $79.8 billion in assets. Juliana Stratton, lieutenant governor of Illinois and Democratic US Senate candidate, speaks during a primary election night event in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton on Tuesday won the Democratic Party primary to replace retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, putting her in position to win the November election in this solidly Democratic state. Stratton, 60, defeated 10 other Democratic candidates vying for the nomination, including U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. Stratton was endorsed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and was viewed as the most progressive of the top three candidates. She campaigned on a platform to increase the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour from $7.25, and backed the elimination of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has conducted immigrant deportation efforts in Chicago and other major U.S. cities. "Courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump's door," Stratton said, as her crowd cheered wildly when she said, "We will fight to abolish ICE," referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Democrats aim to anchor their midterm campaigns on the cost of living in the United States, arguing that Trump has failed to alleviate their worries over prices for groceries, fuel, healthcare and child care. Krishnamoorthi, 52, who ran second in the race, urged Democrats to unite under Stratton and to "continue the lasting legacy that Senator Durbin leaves behind." A highlight of that legacy was Durbin's work on immigration reform and especially his decades-long drive to win protections for young immigrants known as "Dreamers." If Stratton prevails in the fall general election, she would be the sixth Black person serving in the U.S. Senate when it convenes in January - a new record - assuming Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is re-elected, as expected. In the Illinois Republican contest for U.S. Senate, former state Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy was projected the winner. Besides testing progressives' power, the Illinois Democratic primary gave voters an opportunity to elect a new generation of lawmakers, as Durbin and two other longtime members of the state's congressional delegation retire. Illinois is a heavily Democratic state and none of its races are expected to be competitive in November's midterm elections, when President Donald Trump's Republicans will be trying to defend their congressional majorities. With Trump's approval rating hovering at 39% according to the most recent Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll, Democrats have turned in solid election performances over the past few months, including winning the governorship of Virginia, holding on for a runoff in a heavily Trump-leaning Georgia district and picking a more moderate nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas. Vice President JD Vance and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will meet Thursday with the oil industry as the White House looks for ways to address surging fuel prices. U.S. governors and bipartisan leaders in Congress will also attend the meeting at the American Petroleum Institute in Washington. API is the lobby group that represents all the big U.S. oil and gas companies. The attendees will discuss "supporting reliable energy supply amid global volatility," a spokesperson for API told CNBC. Vance said Wednesday that the White House will announce additional measures in the next 24 to 48 hours to address rising fuel prices. "We've got a problem, we know we have a problem, and we're doing everything we can to address it," Vance said at an event in Auburn Hills, Michigan. "We've got a rough road ahead of us for the next few weeks, but it's temporary." Diesel prices have topped $5 per gallon for the first time since 2022 as the Iran war has triggered the biggest oil supply disruption in history. Prices have increased about 35% since the U.S. and Israel attacked the Islamic Republic, according to data from travel association AAA. Gasoline prices in the U.S. have jumped nearly 29% to $3.84 per gallon, on average. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a two-month waiver of the Jones Act in an effort to reduce rising costs. The Jones Act requires U.S. ships to transport goods between domestic ports. The waiver would allow foreign vessels to transport oil and other energy supplies in the U.S., potentially reducing transportation costs. The U.S. will also release 172 million barrels of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The action is part of a broader effort by more than 30 nations to inject 400 million barrels into the market. View of the interior of a furnace in an aluminium foundry. At the outbreak of the Iran conflict on Feb. 28, 3-month LME aluminum futures initially jumped by as much as 10% by March 12 before paring some gains to land around 8% higher, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a significant disruption to supply. It is an essential material across electronics, transport, and construction, as well as other industries such as solar panels and packaging. While aluminum may be the most abundant metal on earth, it is crucial to the function of the world economy. The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran has upended the supply of aluminum in the Middle East, sending prices of the base metal skyrocketing. How aluminum has performed against gold, silver and copper since the beginning of the Iran conflict on February 28. It's been the best-performing industrial metal over the past two weeks, and prices are now hovering just below 4-year highs at $3,370 as of Wednesday afternoon in London. Bahrain's Alba, which hosts the world's largest smelter, has also cut production by 19% of its 1.6 million tons of annual output, only adding to fears of a global shortage. Lower stock levels and the potential for further supply disruption in the Middle East could push prices towards $4,000 per ton, according to metals intelligence provider CRU Group. CRU principal analyst Guillaume Osouf wrote in a recent article that the LME price would likely be much higher now if it wasn't for weak global demand for the metal. "A prolonged conflict will likely drastically change our market outlook for the rest of the year due to the lasting impact this will have on global supply, and the potential negative effects on demand," he added. The answer as to where the price could be headed next lies with China, according to other analysts. China is the biggest producer of aluminum and tends to keep production constrained at 45.5 million tons per year to reduce emissions and prevent overcapacity issues. "If the Chinese government decides that the prices are too high they can restart a number of idle smelters in the country and the world will be full of aluminum," Artem Volynets, CEO of miner ACG Metals, told CNBC's Europe Early Edition on Wednesday. Despite the recent rise in price on the LME, neither analyst sees aluminum becoming a significant trade for retail investors, as is the case with silver and copper. Volynets added that he would be "surprised" to see retail investors involved in such an industrial element, while Osouf told CNBC that the gross long position is only marginally smaller than what it was at the end of January, so involvement from funds has been limited since the start of the conflict. "Interestingly, the shorts have increased their exposure by 15k lots, suggesting a larger portion of investors believe in lower prices from now," he added. Visitors to Japan in February rose 6.4% from a year earlier to set a new record for the month, government data showed on Wednesday, despite a drop-off in Chinese tourists amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.Inbound visitors totalled 3.46 million last month, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) said, while arrivals from China fell 45% to 396,400.JNTO said the numbers were partly helped by the Lunar New Year holiday falling in February this year rather than in late January last year.At the Kawazu Sakura Festival in eastern Japan, known for its early-blooming cherry blossoms that begin flowering in early February, the decline in Chinese tourists was notable, said Hoshi Mori, the director of the town's tourism association.Still, the festival drew about 630,000 visitors, its highest attendance since 2022, thanks to an increase in domestic tourists and those from Taiwan, Mori said.South Korea remained the top source of visitors in February, rising 28% to 1.08 million. Arrivals from Taiwan in February rose 37% to 693,600. North Koreas ruling Workers' Party of Korea claimed a sweeping win in the 2026 parliamentary elections, with over 99.93% of votes cast in favour of approved candidates, according to state media. The vote, held on March 15, recorded near-total turnout of 99.99%. The result further consolidates the authority of leader Kim Jong Un. The legislature is largely seen as a rubber-stamp body that formalises decisions taken by the ruling party and top leadership. Also Read: Who was Ali Larijani? Irans national security chief killed in Israeli strike This comes three weeks after Kim was reappointed as General Secretary of the Workers Party, reinforcing his control over the party, state and military apparatus at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and continued economic pressure. The newly elected assembly, which typically serves a five-year term, is expected to convene later this month to approve key state appointments, endorse the national budget, and advance policy priorities set by the leadership. It is also expected to formalise leadership positions, including reaffirming Kim Jong Un as head of the State Affairs Commission. According to Yonhap News Agency, over 70% of deputies have been replaced, with key allies including senior aide Jo Yong-won, who is reportedly tipped for top parliamentary roles. A helicopter crash-landed in Khotang on Wednesday, March 18, leaving one passenger injured. The pilot and other passengers onboard reportedly escaped unharmed. The chopper was carrying a dead body at the time. A helicopter, operated by Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt Ltd, was flying from Kathmandu to the Khotang district in Nepal when it crashed while trying to land on a farm in Balabesi. The chopper tipped over during landing. The helicopter, 9N-AFQ, had five passengers on board when it crashed at around 11.51 am local time. "The helicopter crashed while landing in the farmland. It was carrying a dead body and had flown in from Kathmandu. No human casualties have been recorded. More details are due," said Rekha Kandel, Chief District Officer of Khotang District. The video shared on social media shows the helicopter struggling to land on hilly land. It suddenly tipped over, rolled, and its tail hit a mountain wall. The crash was so strong that the helicopter was badly damaged. People at the scene rushed to help the passengers get out safely. Authorities suspect that strong winds or dust may have caused the mishap. When it hit the ground, a large cloud of dust rose from the site. The helicopter was reduced to rubble. Helicopter operated by Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt. Ltd. crashes while landing in Khotang; one passenger injured, pilot and others safe. Preliminary cause suspected to be strong winds or dust.#Nepal pic.twitter.com/au6YRncx8U Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) March 18, 2026 Rescue teams reached the site promptly, and the injured passenger was taken for medical treatment in Kathmandu. ALSO READ | 15 killed as cash-laden military cargo plane crashes onto busy road in Bolivia The helicopter company said one passenger was injured, but the pilot and the other passengers were safe. To help, another helicopter with registration 9N-ANA was sent to rescue the injured passenger. As per the company, pilot Sabin Thapa was on board the helicopter. In January 2023, Yeti Airlines Flight 691 crashed while flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara in Nepal. The plane, an ATR 72, crashed while trying to land in Pokhara, killing all 68 passengers and four crew members. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has identified Pakistan as one of the major nuclear threats facing the United States, placing it alongside Russia and China. Speaking to lawmakers, Gabbard said the US intelligence community assesses that countries including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan are developing a range of advanced missile delivery systems capable of carrying nuclear and conventional payloads that could put the US homeland within range. She warned that the number of missiles capable of reaching the United States is expected to rise sharply, projecting a surge to over 16,000 by 2035 from around 3,000 currently. Gabbard also pointed to North Koreas deepening ties with Russia and China, suggesting growing strategic coordination among US adversaries. On Iran, she reiterated Washingtons stance that its nuclear capabilities have been significantly weakened, stating there has been no evidence of rebuilding efforts following US strikes last year. Her remarks come amid broader concerns over the rapid expansion of global missile arsenals and follow similar statements made by US President Donald Trump in recent months on emerging nuclear threats. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code The Cut Bank Education Foundation and Alumni Associations consolidated CBHS Alumni Scholarship is now available online. If you have successfully completed at least one year of your post-secondary education and are in good standing with your school, youre encouraged to apply! Please go to our website to print the application: http://www.cutbankalumni.com/scholarships The deadline for submission of the completed application is: June 8th, 2026 If you have any questions, please contact CBEFAA Executive Director, Amy Overstreet at 873-2229 ext. 125. The Cut Bank High School Band, led by Dr. Kathy Lindberg, is headed to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., at the end of March! They have been fundraising for the past two years and are seeking help from the community to raise the final funds needed to get them there. Disney World hosts bands from all over the United States at Disney Springs to take part in a gathering of like-minded high school students for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "This is not just a trip for fun, it is also a great learning experience for the kids," Dr. Lindberg stated. "They will get practice performing, and there will be a workshop for them too." The Cut Bank High School Band auditioned for the opportunity and was thrilled to be accepted to take part in the special event. "Our band is small but mighty, and we are also a young band. There were a few exceptional eighth graders who earned a spot, and of the fifteen members, eight of them are Freshmen or younger." Dr. Lindberg said. While the performance at Disney World is sure to be a great time for all, Dr. Lindberg also sees it as an excellent opportunity to prepare for the District Music Festival coming up in April. She will lead the Cut Bank High School band to Shelby for the event, and is hoping to bring home another Superior rating. "We have received a rating of Superior for the last four years at the District Music Festival, and we are hoping to get another." To support the Cut Bank High School Band with a monetary donation, please contact Dr. Kathy Lindberg via email at [email protected], or call the Cut Bank School District Central Office at 406-873-5629 to donate there. Miki Suta, a paraprofessional in the special education department of Cut Bank Middle School, has been named the Paraprofessional of the Year for Montana CSPD Region II, as announced by Tiffany Olsen, Regional Coordinator. Nominated by Cut Bank Middle School Special Education teacher, Sandra DeStaffany, Miki is being honored for her outstanding work ethic, devotion to her students and commitment to her profession. According to DeStaffany, "Miki is wonderful to work with. She looks around and sees what needs to be done, then does it. She makes doing my job so much easier." A paraprofessional in the district for 23 years, Suta brings her enthusiasm and dedication to the work she does daily with students. "Miki builds strong relationships with the students and demonstrates incredible patience," reports DeStaffany. "I don't know what I'd do without her." Miki and her husband Mark plan to attend the Montana Council for Exceptional Children Conference in Bozeman, on April 8, 2026 to accept the honor. Each school year, the American Heart Association puts on an event called the Kids Heart Challenge. During the event, students can learn how to keep their heart, body, and brains healthy. They also help kids with special hearts by raising and donating money. The money raised and donated during the challenge goes toward helping kids with those special hearts, helping them live longer and healthier lives. The goal of this challenge for students is to learn lifelong healthy habits to carry with them. This year between HC Davis and Anna Jeffries, students and families raised over $7,000 for the American Heart Association. This money will go towards heart research and to help families offset medical costs for their kids with special hearts. Students that raised $100 or more, got to pie teachers in the school. At Anna Jeffries, eight students raised $100 or more. The teacher that was pied was Mr. John Reynolds. At HC Davis, 27 students raised $100 or more. The teachers that got pied were Mr. Nathan Ziegler, Mr. Wayne Dusterhoff, and Mrs. Jacque Struiksma. A HUGE thank you to everyone that was involved in this year's event. The regular meeting of the Valier Town Council was held Monday, March 9, 2026 at the Valier Civic Center. Mayor Glenn Wunderlich presided with council members Steve Nelson, Janelle Nelson, Rick Tomsheck, and Bob Cannady in attendance. Town staff members present were Stephanie Sullivan, Clerk and Josh Clifford and Grant Malinak, Public Works. Mayor Wunderlich opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance after which the minutes of the Feb. 9, 2026 town council meeting were read and approved. Public comment was opened and Valier Schools Superintendent Josh Reed provided a report on March activities. In recognition of National Reading Month Grades K-third are inviting guest readers and speakers to help promote a life-long love of reading. Kindergarten Roundup will be held March 24, 2026 and the Drama Club production will be Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. Paul Bielawski updated the council on plans for a new weight room that, when completed, will be available for use by community members. The school is seeking funding through grants and other means. The mayor instructed Mr. Bielawski that the school will need to contact the towns grant writer directly to avoid any issues with the towns contract. Deputy Chris Childers provided a detailed police report. Top activities were 220 business security checks and the issue of 78 citations. Chris Grotbo represented the Valier Public Library. Grotbo reported that the library board is entertaining a possible Family Movie Night activity. They are checking into the cost of a TV projector. The levy vote is coming up. Patrons should note that the levy is the same as it has been since 2022. There has been a pleasant coming together with the Conrad library, shared Ms. Grotbo as she reported on their joint meetings. Ongoing activities at the Valier Public Library are Craft Night, Cookbook Club, and an exercise group that meets early on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Visit the library or its Facebook page to learn more. Josh Clifford reported the town pumped 798,700 gallons of water in February. All water samples were good. The sewer project is ongoing. Residents are advised that the town will be chlorinating the water towers April 1 through April 21. Two outdated town ordinances are being entertained for repeal. The first reading of Ordinance 204 - Title 4 - Chapter 3 - Sections 1, 2, & 3 regarding plastic bags and wrappings, and Ordinance 205 - Title 5 - Sections 1 & 2 regarding explosives were completed. These ordinances have been in place since the early 1960s. Stephanie Sullivan reported that one of the towns checks was stolen, duplicated and a mobile deposit was made of over $4000.00 resulting in the need to change accounts. The bank will fight it, said Sullivan adding, Stockmans has been really great to work with. The bills were paid. No business licenses were requested. One building permit was denied by the Zoning Committee because it did not meet code and the council approved the denial. Alderwoman Janelle Nelson is relocating which results in the need for a council member. There is also a vacancy on the Zoning Committee. Interested parties should contact the town office for more information. The next regular meeting of the Valier Town Council will be held April 13, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Valier Civic Center. When prisoners are driven into America's highest security prison, they get one last breathtaking view. 'As they're pulling up, they see the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. It is absolutely beautiful,' said Bob Hood, the former warden of the Supermax facility outside Florence, Colorado. 'That's the last time they're going to see freedom.' Hood walked the corridors and checked on each inmate every day between 2002 and 2005. That included the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, 'Shoe Bomber' Richard Reid, and the World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef, along with a string of serial killers. They were the 'worst of the worst' and, with no prospect of ever being released, some became emotional wrecks. 'I would say that 97 percent to 98 percent of all inmates at the Supermax, I could see the impact of it,' said Hood. 'I'd see guys in tears sometimes during Christmas, you know, talking about their kids, and yet they're doing multiple life sentences.' One he witnessed handling the solitude better than most was Kaczynski, who didn't speak to him for months. 'He was able to handle the Supermax almost to a point of surprising the staff,' said Hood. 'He beat the system in one sense because it never seemed like it ever got to him. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, used to run circles in his cage at ADX Florence 'He would always have books and in various languages, I think it was six or seven different languages he knew.' Met with Kaczynski's initial silence, Hood decided to employ similar tactics to those of the TV detective Columbo. 'I said, "Kaczynski, over the weekend, I was reading some stuff," and again very distant, he said, "That's good, what was it?" I said, "The manifesto that you wrote." And that's the first time, after like six months or seven months, that he finally really connected with me. I could tell that I hit a nerve. 'He goes, "You read my manifesto?" I just simply said, "I read it," and then I played the Columbo guy. I said, "You know what, Kaczynski, it's almost like Shelley, the lady that wrote Frankenstein. That was almost like the manifesto, where there's a monster but it's technology. Technology could be for the good. In this case, you're seeing the negative part of the technology."' As the conversation progressed, Kaczynski went on to brag that everybody in the world knew who the Unabomber was, but the warden told him time had passed. 'I said, "The average person now, the average kid growing up, no one knows about the manifesto. They're not reading your manifesto." I told him that. I said, "You know, you killed several people - couldn't you just have put the damn thing in a book?" 'He goes, "No, I had to kill somebody to get the attention." I said, "Well, you have to look at that, you're sitting in the Supermax for the rest of your life, you die here," and he did. So, we had those kind of conversations.' The Rocky Mountains loom over the Supermax facility outside Florence, Colorado A Daily Mail graphic of a Supermax cell. The cell has been specially designed to minimize the chances of an inmate being able to die by suicide Bob Hood was warden of the Supermax between 2002 and 2005 One of Kaczynski's stranger habits was to run in circles, calculating in his head how far he would have travelled in a straight line. Once, when the then-FBI Director Robert Mueller was touring the ADX Florence, Hood took the top law enforcement official to see him. Kaczynski was running in circles in the cage and each time he passed them said: 'Hey, warden, I just want you to know I'm in Walla Walla, Washington, right now.' Mueller was confused. The warden, however, knew that Kaczynski was mentally clocking up the distance from the Supermax to where his brother lived on the West Coast, by doing laps in his cage. The Unabomber didn't say anything to Mueller and kept on going. By contrast, Richard Reid, the so-called 'Shoe Bomber,' was a 'street punk,' Hood said. He recalled his first meeting with Reid: 'I walk up to him. He's in the cell. The door opens. The officers are standing there with batons left and right of me, and he stands up from his bed, and I say, "Good morning," and he's a punk type of guy. Richard Reid, the British terrorist known as the 'Shoe Bomber,' earned his high school diploma in the Supermax A cell at the Supermax in which inmates spend 23 hours a day The Supermax in Florence, Colorado, is a state of the art isolation prison 'He goes, "Oh, who are you?" He doesn't know. I said, "Well, I'm the warden." And I said, "So who are you?" And he says, "I'm Richard Reid." And, I go, "Oh yeah, you're the guy who couldn't even blow up his shoe." 'He wasn't very happy with the judge. He wasn't very happy with administrative types like me. So I said, "Let me ask you a question, do you love your mother? Well, you're never going to see her again unless I allow it."' The warden then made Reid promise to work on earning his GED high school diploma, and to keep his cell clean, including lining up his shoes neatly. 'He goes, "Why would I want to get a GED?" I said, "Well you're not getting out of here, you're going to basically die here. Sometimes you do it for others, do it for your mother in England." 'He takes the GED, he knocks it out, his cell was kept clean, and when I went by there, you know, he wasn't Mr Happy with me, but he'd say a "Good morning, warden," and we'd not get any incident reports, any problems with the staff.' Eventually, his mother was allowed to visit for a short and heavily surveilled meeting, with Hood listening in, at which Reid told her about his GED. Ramzi Yousef, the convicted mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, is in the Supermax Serial killer Michael Swango refused to come out of his cell at all for the daily one hour of recreation Ramzi Yousef, the World Trade Center bomber, was even less talkative. 'Yousef was looking at getting up on the hour, praying,' said Hood. 'He hardly ever talked to me. He was just like, "Good morning, warden."' Another inmate who kept quiet was serial killer Michael Swango, a former Marine and doctor responsible for an estimated 60 fatal poisonings of patients and colleagues. Swango had been attacked in another jail and slashed across the face with a knife, so was moved to the Supermax. 'In the years that I was there, he never came out for recreation,' said Hood. 'Here's a medical doctor who can come out one hour a day and see the sunshine above. You can't see the mountains, you can't see the beauty, it's all intentionally built so you don't see all that beautiful stuff, but you can see the sky. 'He stays in 24 hours a day. He's the only one I've ever met that's in the Supermax and said, "No, I don't want to come out."' Sitting on the couch in the Good Things Utah studio, Kouri Richins stared solemnly into the camera before telling the hosts her heartbreaking story of how she had suddenly become a widow and her three young sons fatherless. So my husband passed away unexpectedly last year. So March 4 was a one-year anniversary for us. He was 39. It completely took us all by shock, she shared, gesturing with her hands and inhaling deeply between words for emphasis. And we have three little boys, 10, nine and six and, you know, my kids and I kind of wrote this book on the different emotions and grieving processes that weve experienced since last year. It was a learning journey for her, she said, in not only how to grieve as a widow but also how she could help their sons process their unimaginable loss. The real estate agent said she hoped their book could help other children in similar situations and even offered advice for families in the form of the three Cs of connection, continuity and care, making sure to keep their late parents memory alive. Its explaining to my kids just because he's not present here with us physically, it doesn't mean his presence isn't here with us... Dad is still here. Its just in a different way. In front of the cameras, Richins appeared grief-stricken and vulnerable - a young widow and mom of three desperately trying to find a positive outlet for the pain she and her children had endured. The segment ended with the hosts telling her what an amazing woman and mom she was. But it was all an act. She had made herself a widow and her sons fatherless by murdering her husband Eric Richins by poisoning his Moscow Mule cocktail with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Sitting on the couch in the Good Things Utah studio, Kouri Richins shared her heartbreaking story of how she had suddenly become a widow and her three young sons fatherless One month after this TV appearance, she was arrested for murdering her husband One month after that seemingly emotional TV appearance in April 2023, Richins was arrested. Three years on, the 35-year-old was found guilty of Erics March 2022 murder this week, following an explosive trial where extramarital affairs, financial woes, family rifts, drug deals and her childrens grief book took center stage. The mask of a heartbroken widow finally slipped, and she hung her head as she heard the word guilty ring out in the courtroom in Park City, Utah. The murder had been part of an elaborate months-long plot to start a new life with her secret lover and steal her husbands $4 million estate. She had fraudulently taken out life insurance policies on her husband in preparation, and made at least one botched attempt to kill him one month earlier by poisoning his sandwich on Valentines Day. Now, Richins enters a growing hall of fame of killers who appear on TV and give media interviews about their dead loved ones only to be later exposed as their murderers. Susan Smith gave several public appeals and press conferences for her childrens return after she drowned them in a lake. Killer dad Chris Watts was interviewed several times after murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters. And Scott Peterson sat down with TV crews after killing his eight-months-pregnant wife and unborn son. Its a risky move. But Dr Abbie Marono, an author and behavioral scientist who trains federal agents in behavioral analysis, told the Daily Mail that killers do this because of a common psychological phenomenon called White Knight Syndrome. 'These people build their identity around being a protector or rescuer, and need to be seen as the good guy saving others, she said. That's the role that they're playing on TV. They try to look like the grieving husband, or the desperate mother, because it makes them appear innocent and trustworthy. Kouri Richins hung her head as the verdict was read out in Summit County Courthouse Kouri Richins poisoned her husband Eric with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule cocktail in 2022 'It is also the killer's attempt to control the narrative around their loved ones' story, she continued. 'It gives them an active hand in shaping their own story. If they put themselves on camera, and are able to discuss their narrative, they become in charge of it.' Scott Rouse, behavior analyst, body language expert and host of The Behavior Panel, told the Daily Mail that killers often try to prove they have nothing to hide. They want to convince people that they're not guilty. They want to come out and say "look at me, I didn't do this, if I did why would I be standing here?"' he said. They want to try to show you that they're innocent and that they're not afraid to come out and show it. Often, despite their best efforts, these performances in front of the cameras can actually reveal their guilt - with certain patterns or cues setting off alarm bells among experts that something isn't quite what it seems. In Richinss case, she had reached out to the local TV station, requesting to appear on the show to promote her book. Jurors at her trial were shown an online application she had made for the show as well as emails between Richins and the producers, including how she would bring her book as a prop and her talking points on helping children deal with grief. Yet despite claiming on air that she had personally written the book together with her three sons, evidence shown at trial revealed that was not the case. Shortly after Eric's death, Kouri Richins self-published this children's book titled 'Are You with Me?' Eric Richins and Kouri Richins with their three young sons - who are now left to grow up without either parent Instead, Richins had commissioned a ghostwriter to produce it. In texts between her and her brother DJ, Richins spoke about how much she had spent on the ghostwriting service and how she would make $5.35 for every book she sold on Amazon. The widow told her brother that the book was good practice to understand the book writing process to get ready for the big one! This second book never materialized and the plot remains unclear. But based on her comments that she would need to change names and take precautions to avoid a lawsuit from them for defamation, it appears she was basing it on real life people and events. It was the early hours of March 4, 2022, when successful businessman Eric was found dead inside the family home in Kamas, Utah. An autopsy found he died from a massive fentanyl overdose, with more than five times the lethal limit in his system. At the time of his death, Richins finances were imploding, her real estate business was in tatters and she owed a staggering $7.5 million debt to more than 20 payday loan and high-interest lenders. She was also having an affair with handyman and military veteran Robert Josh Grossmann. In texts before Erics death, she spoke of her dream that they could be together. In the days after, of her wish to make him her new husband and their upcoming vacation to a luxury Caribbean resort. She had confided in friends about feeling trapped in her marriage, with jurors hearing from one friend who testified Richins said that 'in many ways it would be better if [Eric] were dead.' With her husband gone, prosecutors described Richins as a black widow who was motivated by money and her affair to murder her husband and then went to great lengths to cover it up. Kouri Richins smiles during a 'Celebration of Life' one day after Eric's death - while a woman in the background shotguns a can of beer In another photo, the 35-year-old realtor poses, smiling happily with a group of people - just one day after her husband was found dead Much of the case hinged on testimony from the state's star witness, housekeeper Carmen Lauber. Lauber testified that she sold drugs to Richins four times around the time of Erics death, including providing her with the fentanyl that was used to kill Eric. A first plot to fatally poison Eric unfolded on Valentines Day 2022, when Richins laced a sandwich she bought for her husband from a local diner. Eric fell ill and allegedly told friends he feared his wife was trying to poison him. It was after that failed plot that Richins requested more powerful fentanyl - asking Lauber for the Michael Jackson stuff. Days later, Eric was dead. Richinss lover Grossmann also took the stand at her trial, breaking down in tears and telling jurors about a shocking conversation where Richins had asked him what it felt like to kill someone days after Erics death. The lovers text messages also became central to the case - along with Richins explosive internet searches including 'women Utah prison', 'how to delete cell phone data 'and if someone is poisoned, what goes down on the death certificate as. They were messages and searches Richins thought would never see the light of day after she made attempts to wipe her phone and internet data before her arrest. Kouri Richins silently gasped and bowed her head as soon as Judge Richard Mrazik read out the conviction finding her guilty of the murder of the father of her three children, Eric Richins The jury took just three hours of deliberation to return their verdict of guilty on all five charges of aggravated murder, aggravated attempted murder, two counts of insurance fraud and forgery. As the verdict was read out, Richinss true emotions finally emerged on camera. Shaking and silently gasping for air, her horror at the prospect of a life behind bars was a far cry from the performance of the grieving widow she had given on TV three years earlier. Now, she faces sentencing on May 13 - the day that would have been her murdered husbands 44th birthday. The cat is out of the bag. Rachel Reeves has finally stripped bare this Governments shallow pretence that it somehow respects Brexit, or that it honours the democratic will of the British people who voted so decisively to leave the EU. Speaking openly about her plans for the future in yesterdays Mais Lecture, the Chancellor could hardly have been more direct, promising a deeper relationship with the EU while insisting that re-integration would bring one of the greatest growth opportunities for Britain in the decade to come. Britains fate as a country is inescapably bound with that of Europe, she declared. Brexit, in other words, will be betrayed. Her words were exactly what the Remainer establishment has long been demanding, of course. Sir Keir Starmer and Reeves have been preparing for this moment ever since Labour regained power in the summer of 2024. Bit by bit, and with no one seeming to notice, they have been tying us ever more closely into European rules and regulations at great cost, and without any influence over how those rules are applied. Weve also been softened up with a stream of propaganda about the supposed failure of Brexit. Only yesterday Reeves claimed preposterously that we have taken an 8 per cent hit to our gross domestic product (GDP) through leaving the EU. I dont believe it for a second. Its thanks to this constant belittling that weve become obsessed with short-term irritations such as the friction at borders when exporting goods rather than focusing on the big stuff: namely the disastrous failure of the European project as a whole. In yesterdays Mais Lecture, the Chancellor could hardly have been more direct, promising a deeper relationship with the EU Outside the EU, Britain remains free to change course if only we had a government with the gumption to seize the day Reeves claims we will find a crock of gold at the end of the EU rainbow. Yet that is fantasy economics. The very opposite is true. The Chancellors decision to rope us to the EUs sinking ship will drag what remains of Britain down beneath the waves, perhaps for good. The basic figures tell their own story. Fifteen years ago, the GDP of the EU as a whole was equal to that of the US. Today, with its economy stagnating, the EU can manage barely half what America generates. I know from my own experience of doing business in Europe that the causes are entrenched. The leading economies of the EU are hampered by huge bureaucracies, soaring public spending and punitive taxation. A catastrophic addiction to welfare-ism sits alongside a sluggish, sclerotic approach to the crucial business of generating wealth. Bearing down on the enfeebled national governments, meanwhile, squats the leviathan of EU bureaucracy, a beast which specialises in snuffing out initiative and stifling growth. No wonder many of Europes nations have sky-high levels of debt above 100 per cent of GDP in the cases of Italy, France and Spain. Germany, for two decades the engine of European prosperity, is now close to recession. The manufacturing base which once powered its economy is suffering from high energy costs and the onslaught of cheaper Chinese goods. Ive seen the problems at first hand. Take Italy, the country where my parents and my wife were born. If you attempt to conduct business there, it soon becomes clear that the bureaucracy and employment costs are crippling. And, worse, that its essential to know the right people to know your way around to get anything done in the first place. In France and Germany, meanwhile, Ive found the unions wield such power over key business decisions that it takes twice as long to get anything done as here in Britain. Yet this is the world that Reeves and Starmer want us to embrace. When it comes to reversing Europes catastrophic decline, I have found neither confidence nor clarity. Reeves claims we will find a crock of gold at the end of the EU rainbow. Yet that is fantasy economics. The very opposite is true Ive seen the problems at first hand, writes Sir Rocco. Take Italy, If you attempt to conduct business there, it soon becomes clear the bureaucracy and employment costs are crippling Across the continent, a fatalistic mood is setting in. Business leaders and professionals I meet in Germany, France and Italy believe nothing will improve because nothing can improve. The EU and its constituent parts are gripped by a socialist mindset which is strangling the life out of business and industry. In a major report published last year, Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank, proposed measures including an 800 billion annual investment boost to reverse the EUs economic decline. He spoke about closing the innovation gap with the US and China. Needless to say, his far-sighted proposals were rejected by myopic, short-term national interests. In France, when Emmanuel Macron sought the modest reform of raising the pension age from 62 to 64, French voters revolted and the plans were scrapped. Reeves claimed yesterday that Britain would not be rejoining the EU single market or the customs union and that there would be no resumption of free movement. But any closer integration of the sort she hopes to see is bound to involve further damaging concessions. Already, reports suggest that Downing Street is drawing up plans to allow EU students cheaper university tuition fees in return for cooperation from Brussels. If Europe is economically enfeebled, its impotence is equally apparent on the stage of world politics. Its leaders prance and pose, issuing noble statements but they are rarely capable of following up with effective action. It is particularly galling that, despite the Brexit vote ten years ago, Britain has continued moving in much the same damaging direction as Brussels. We absorbed a great deal of European legislation in the years leading up to the 2016 referendum and very little of this has been removed or changed since we left. Our formerly flexible economy has been steadily shackled by successive governments of both parties, each more willing than the last to intervene, regulate and restrain. Even the City, which was once the beating heart of our economy, has been emasculated with ever more restrictions and turned into a riskfree zone. Yet there remains one crucial difference. Outside the EU, Britain remains free to change course if only we had a government with the gumption to seize the day. It is vital we stop deluding ourselves. A return to the stifling, Brussels-centric model of economic dirigisme cannot and will not deliver national prosperity or security. The lesson of the last decade is stark: the EUs cumbersome bureaucracy and lack of dynamism have mired its member states in mediocrity. Meanwhile, a Britain shackled by Brussels-inspired regulations risks the same dire fate unless we rediscover the entrepreneurial spirit that once made us great. Thanks to Brexit, we finally have the freedom to shape our own destiny, to cut burdensome red tape and unleash innovation. If we can summon the courage to grasp this opportunity then, rather than drifting meekly back into the European fold, we can build a freer, more prosperous nation that leads the world once again. Surely, we cannot and must not allow ourselves to sink back down into the continental morass. We are at a pivotal moment for men's health in this country. The Government now has the chance to save countless lives by introducing a targeted screening programme for prostate cancer, the most common cancer among British men. A screening programme would catch cases early, dramatically increasing survival rates. Vital new research presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in London a few days ago showed that one death was prevented for every six cases diagnosed through screening. Previous shorter-term European trials had suggested that just one death was prevented for every 27 diagnoses. So screening is far more effective than we thought. One of the most significant advances in the past few years is how much easier and cheaper it is to use MRI scanning to see if further treatment is required. This approach has significantly reduced unnecessary treatment and directly addressed the main objection to targeted screening. Prostate Cancer Research's work shows that 'MRI-led pathways' have significantly reduced over-diagnosis. A screening programme for prostate cancer would cost 25 million a year just 0.01 per cent of the NHS budget, comparable to existing screening programmes for bowel and breast cancer. In terms of additional doctors' and nurses' time, the demands would also be modest. Yet in November, the National Screening Committee's draft recommendation suggested that only a limited number of individuals should receive screening on the NHS: those known to have variants in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. If the screening committee's advice is accepted, prostate cancer will remain the only major cancer without a proper targeted screening programme. A screening programme would catch cases early, dramatically increasing survival rates. Vital new research showed that one death was prevented for every six cases diagnosed through screening If you know that your father, your brother, your uncle or your grandfather had the disease, go and get checked, Rishi Sunak urges Tens of thousands of men will continue to die unnecessarily. To his credit, the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has been clear that he wants to examine all the evidence before coming to a decision later this month. I am confident that if he does that, he will bring in a targeted screening programme. Can it really be defensible not to screen black British men for the disease, when one in four will get prostate cancer in their lifetimes? Prostate Cancer Research campaign events this week https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/ https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/nsd/ https://pcr.mypsatests.org.uk/Events/ If prostate cancer is caught early, it can be dealt with relatively easily. The ten-year survival rate for those diagnosed with stage one or two prostate cancer is over 90 per cent. For stage four it's just 18.6 per cent. It is also far more expensive to treat prostate cancer if it is caught late: the lifetime treatment costs for a man caught with stage four prostate cancer are well over 100,000. Worryingly, the economic model used by the National Screening Committee appears to have been flawed. It fails to take into account that a targeted screening programme would dramatically reduce the need and demand for ad-hoc testing. It is irrational to think that if those most at risk knew they were covered by the targeted screening programme, this would not lead to a drop in demand for one-off tests. On Saturday, I will be out helping the effort for Prostate Cancer Research's National Screening Day. They will be conducting tests at locations across the country. Testing is open to any man over 40 but I would particularly urge anyone with a family history of the disease or who is black to book a test. Men don't like talking about our health, let alone our prostates, but catching this disease early can be the difference between life and death. So if you know that your father, your brother, your uncle or your grandfather had the disease, go and get checked. And if you are a woman who knows that your brother, your father, your son or your husband has a family history of it, do urge them to get checked you nudging them could save their life. Samantha Cameron pushed David to get a test after hearing the businessman Nick Jones, a trustee of Prostate Cancer Research, talk about his experience with the disease. It saved my friend's life. The Daily Mail has been a leading voice highlighting the need for screening for many years. Since leaving office, I have joined this hugely important campaign and become an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research. I have met too many men who were diagnosed too late, who know that their cancer is now terminal and want to use their final years to alert others to the risk. The best tribute that we can pay these brave souls is to ensure that others do not have to go through what they are going through, to prevent more families from losing a father, a brother or a son to this cruel disease. So much of government is about choosing between least-worst options. But there are times when you have a chance to do something truly transformative. This is one of them. The Government must take this chance, and we must push it to do so. So please join me and show your support for the national screening drive by signing the parliamentary petition. MPs need to know how committed we all are to this cause. Welcome to Whitechapel. I exit the Tube and the words hit me in both English and Bengali. I walk on to the street and into the subcontinent. Headscarves, chadors and niqabs throng the pavement. Whitechapel Market is a line of stalls by the kerb: traders and customers haggle and chat, selling everything from clothes to household items and curries. As I pass, I hear bursts of Bengali, Turkish, Urdu and Arabic but little English: an enclave of Babel in central London. Most of the shops have Bengali signage. Hung on lampposts are blue posters wishing people Ramadan Kareem (Blessed Ramadan) to mark the month in which Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It draws to a close tonight. Ive come here because Whitechapel hit the news when footage emerged of a police officer attempting to reason with a group of Asian men enraged by a Christian man preaching the gospel just yards from East London Mosque. The video shows a tense scene. Some shout at the preacher. One bearded man roars at him: Your God is a Jew! One of them shoves him in the back, causing him to stumble. Addressing the group, the officer tells them firmly: In this country we have freedom of speech. She continues: I understand that you guys dont want to hear it, so I would just recommend that you walk away and dont listen to him. A man wearing a face mask interjects. This is Whitechapel this is a Muslim area. Days later, a teenage Christian and Right-wing social media influencer who goes by the name of Young Bob and who calls for the remigration (that is, the mass deportation) of ethnic minorities claims he was attacked outside the mosque when he tried to conduct some interviews and debate. All things considered, his presence was unlikely to be welcomed by the local faithful which may have been the point. Whitechapel hit the news when footage emerged of a young police officer defending a Christian preacher being told: 'This is Whitechapel this is a Muslim area' Im a foreign correspondent, used to reporting from faraway places. Yet as I walk down Whitechapel Road, I feel as if Im thousands of miles from home, says David Patrikarakos I want to ask some of the people here about integration, Islam and Britishness. I want to understand what they think and what they make of charges that Muslim communities in areas such as Whitechapel have failed to properly assimilate into the country thats opened its doors to them. Opinions here are often conservative. By one of the market stalls I meet local businessman Prith and ask him about the Christian preacher. I believe in freedom of speech and respect all religions, he tells me. But people must understand there is a large Muslim community in Whitechapel and no ones religion should be disrespected. I point out that no one was disrespecting Islam; the preacher was simply spreading the gospel. Well, thats OK then, he replies, but he doesnt sound convinced. Several other people on the street dont want to talk. One lady in Islamic dress smiles sheepishly and mimes that she doesnt understand what Im saying. In the borough of Tower Hamlets, which includes Whitechapel, 40 per cent of residents are Muslim the highest proportion in England and Wales. Muslims form an outright majority in some parts of Whitechapel, while the East London Mosque, with capacity for up to 7,000 worshippers, is one of Europes largest. According to the 2021 Census, fully 56 per cent of Whitechapel residents are Asian, with 40 per cent being Bangladeshi. Fewer than 30 per cent are white. Billionaire tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe attracted controversy recently when he claimed that parts of Britain had been colonised. He later apologised. But it is places like Whitechapel that are causing more and more people to draw similar conclusions. This is an area with a long history of cultural diversity, with successive waves of migrants drawn by the docks and proximity to the City of London. The 19th century saw a large influx of Irish following the Great Famine. Around the turn of the next century, 120,000 Jewish refugees arrived. Then, from the 1950s onwards, migrants from Bangladesh especially the highly conservative region of Sylhet became the dominant group. By the late 20th century, Whitechapel had become one of the largest Bangladeshi communities in the world. In the local Subway, a lady in a black chador a full covering with only the face exposed is serving. The menu is halal, like those of more than 200 Subway branches in the UK. There is no ham on the menu, only turkey ham. Outside, 22-year-old Riya is scrolling on her phone. Shes heavily made up under a headscarf. In the borough of Tower Hamlets, which includes Whitechapel, 40 per cent are Muslim the highest proportion in England and Wales In a bookshop owned by Islamic Relief, David buys a copy of From Monogamy To Polygyny: A Way Through. But the practice is supposed to be illegal in Britain I ask her about the lack of English speakers in the area. Im basically a translator for my grandparents when they need to do official stuff, she tells me, proudly, which is weird because theyve been here longer than Ive been alive. I walk on. A lady in a niqab a long garment leaving only the eyes showing shuffles past a Paddy Power: gambling is, of course, forbidden in Islam, but not every Muslim is equally devout. Just down the road, the minarets of the East London Mosque loom skywards. The institution has courted much controversy over the years. It has opened its doors to speakers who have called for the death penalty for gay people and apostates; to speakers who have expressed support for Hamas; and to men linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islamist movement that has left a trail of violence and repression across Bangladesh and Pakistan. Last autumn the mosque organised a fundraising run in nearby Victoria Park which caused outrage because women were banned from taking part something the Governments Communities Secretary Steve Reed declared was absolutely unacceptable. Nearby, two bearded youths wearing white skullcaps are handing out flyers. They are raising money for the British Islamic charity, Ashaadibi, to convert the historic East London Central Synagogue on nearby Nelson Street into a mosque, education and community centre. (Jews have lived in the area for centuries, although their numbers are dwindling.) Weve paid the deposit, says one, but we need to raise the rest. The flyer tells me there is 3.5million outstanding. I enter a bookshop owned by Islamic Relief, one of the UKs largest Muslim charities, which has faced repeated allegations of links to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood (proscribed as a terrorist group in a number of Middle Eastern countries, which it denies). I buy a copy of From Monogamy To Polygyny: A Way Through, which promises to help and advise women experiencing polygyny [a form of polygamy in which a man has multiple wives], in a loving and truthful manner. The practice is supposed to be illegal in Britain, of course. In nearby Brick Lane, a Welcome To Banglatown sign stretches across the street. I pass shops advertising remittance services, a big part of life here. Britain is one of the most significant sources of remittances money sent overseas flowing into Bangladesh, accounting for roughly 2billion annually. It seems possible, to say the least, that British taxpayers money, paid in benefits to immigrant families, goes straight out of the country to fund relatives back home. What about integration? I want to know and soon have my answer. A barber walking out of his garishly decorated shop snaps Me no English when I start to ask him, though I suspect he understands me fine. In a mini market, the man behind the counter says politely: I dont know about this. An elderly man in traditional South Asian dress walking with a cane smiles and says: Speak someone else. Ajmal Hussain, a 74-year-old local businessman, says that within the Whitechapel Bangladeshi community 'many cannot even read or write' At Amar Gaon, a Bangladeshi restaurant and takeaway, Tayib Ali is serving garrulous customers and over the shiny counter we discuss Whitechapel, Britain and integration. Tayib has been in the UK for 25 years. His English still isnt great but hes positive about things. Yes, I feel British, he tells me. He has the same complaints as most people. Living costs are very high now. Crime and drugs have increased. The police need to improve locally. What about criticisms that the community here can be too insular? Yes, he agrees. Its good for the community to open up more. I make my way to another restaurant, Preem, to meet Ajmal Hussain, a 74-year-old local businessman with much to say about the problems within Whitechapels Bangladeshi community. Many cannot even read or write, he says. One of my friends, when he wants to write a cheque, he comes to me to get me to do it. And then he checks it with ten people because he doesnt trust me! He cant even read and write Bengali, let alone English. Hussain has a longstanding feud with the Brick Lane Mosque, which to me encapsulates many of the problems within the community. I am one of its biggest donors, he says. I tried to get on the board, but they wont let me because Ill scrutinise their accounts. I am a very strict man. He continues. One day they invited me to a public meeting and I told them that I would pay for a professional to manage the mosque properly. They said: This is a village mosque, so it should be run in the way a village mosque in Bangladesh is run. I knew then that it was pointless to continue. Hes into his stride now. Most of the imams at the mosque cant speak English. The head imam, whos very talented in Arabic, told me he cant speak English. I said: You are smart: can you please try to learn to speak some English? Hussain has also had long-standing issues with Lutfur Rahman, the highly controversial mayor of Tower Hamlets. Rahman was mayor from 2010 to 2015 until being found guilty of electoral fraud and disqualified from office. The 2015 Election Court Judgment makes striking reading. Election Commissioner Richard Mawrey QC found Rahman guilty of corrupt and illegal practices in the 2014 mayoral election, removing him from office and barring him from standing for five years. The findings included vote rigging, false statements about opponents, treating (providing food and drink to influence voters) and most strikingly illegal undue spiritual influence, where imams told Bengali Muslim voters it was their religious duty to vote for Rahman and a sin to do otherwise. Mawrey described Tower Hamlets under Rahman as resembling a banana republic. After his ban expired, he ran again in 2022. Hes been mayor ever since. Hussain is characteristically direct. Hes [Rahman] not a good man. He says to the community he is helping them but hes not. Tower Hamlets council has not improved under him. Finally, I move on to the recent video controversy. Again, Hussain doesnt mince his words. If you dont like something, dont listen. This is a free-speech country. The idea that this is a Muslim place is wrong. He tells me that many years ago Rahman gave permission for the Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary (now serving life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years for directing a terror organisation) to hold a procession through Whitechapel on the basis that its a Muslim area. Choudary came and I told him he couldnt go any further. I said: Im Muslim but my restaurant is not: we sell alcohol here. This is not a Muslim area but a business one. Go to Saudi Arabia or Iran. Dont stay in England. I tell him hes brave. A lot of Bengalis dont like me for it, he says with a grin. Lorenzo Vidino is director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and an expert on some of the forces operating in places like Whitechapel. First, you have an insular community from a specific part of Bangladesh that has kept itself apart, he says. Second, you have political actors, often Islamists, that exploit this to push for separation and cultural isolation. These actors, Vidino continues, have held sway in Whitechapel since the 1970s and created an infrastructure that has moved its influence from grassroots into politics. Mainstream politicians have done little to address the problem, he adds. So it has metastasised dramatically. The sun sets. Men in Islamic dress break their fast with grilled meats and rice in small, brightly lit cafes. Veiled women beg for alms for Ramadan. Im a foreign correspondent, used to reporting from faraway places. Yet as I walk down Whitechapel Road to catch the Tube for the short journey to my flat in north London, I feel as if Im thousands of miles from home. My new report for Policy Exchange polled the views of more than 1,000 British Muslims on a host of issues. Its troubling conclusions, I believe, should be the moment we begin as a country to recognise the divisions that are slowly but inexorably growing within our society and to do something about them. As you'd expect, the vast majority of British people deplore the Iranian regime, which has killed thousands of its own citizens in cold blood in recent weeks and launched vicious attacks both on UK soil and against our military interests around the world. No wonder that just 8 per cent of the wider British public have a favourable view towards Iran. However, among Muslims in Britain, 39 per cent have a favourable view towards Iran: well over a third of that population. How has such a worrying state of affairs come to pass? The core, of course, is the Israel-Palestine conflict, which has galvanised a huge proportion of Britain's 4 million Muslims in recent years and which, I fear, has at times been hijacked by bad-faith actors intent on driving a wedge through our society. Radical preachers, online influencers and other commentators have often encouraged British Muslims to see themselves as Muslims first, British second and to align themselves with their Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine, locked in conflict with the Jewish state. Just eight per cent of the wider British public have a favourable view towards Iran. However, among Muslims in Britain, 39 per cent have a favourable view Islam has real influence in modern Britain, as was shown by last Sunday's iftar ceremony in Trafalgar Square, celebrating the breaking of the religious fast during Ramadan Iran, of course, has taken the fight to Israel both directly and also through its no-less-committed proxies: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Yemeni Houthis. It matters not, it seems, that Iran is a type of Shi'ite theocracy, while perhaps 85 per cent of British Muslims are Sunnis. In the wider Muslim world, these two schools are often at each other's throats: yet such divisions are frequently put to one side in Britain when it comes to Israel. The truth is that, as our report clearly shows, there are profound and growing differences between how Muslims and non-Muslims in Britain view the world. We are now reaping the sad results of multiculturalism, writes Dr Rakib Ehsan Muslims here, for example, tend to be dramatically more in favour of China and Russia both states highly hostile towards British interests compared with the rest of the population. While a paltry 8 per cent of Britons have a favourable view of Russia, this rises to 29 per cent for British Muslims. For China, the figures are 15 per cent and 38 per cent respectively. This is the case, even though both countries have a track record of major human rights violations against their own Muslim citizens. This does not bode well for our national unity in an increasingly dangerous world. Of course, many British Muslims, including younger ones, are perfectly well-integrated in society. And yet, I find it deeply concerning that younger Muslims here are more likely to identify as 'Muslim first and foremost' compared with their elders. That, I suspect, is because their parents and grandparents were often born and raised in dysfunctional Muslim-majority countries and have experienced their difficulties first-hand. They are far more likely to be grateful to have been welcomed in Britain. Younger British Muslims, in contrast, have known nothing else. Islam has real influence in modern Britain, as was shown by last Sunday's iftar ceremony in Trafalgar Square, celebrating the breaking of the religious fast during Ramadan. This event was hailed by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan as the 'biggest in the Western world'. But as my report proves, one corollary of such increasingly devout public religiosity is that we must work harder to integrate minorities. For decades, successive governments Labour and Tory alike were wedded to the doctrine of 'multiculturalism': prioritising every culture except the indigenous one. This was a profound mistake. Stressing people's differences rather than their commonalities is a surefire route to division. We are now, as my report confirms, reaping the sad results. Dr Rakib Ehsan is a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange They finally got Ali Larijani. Yesterday morning, Israel's defence minister said its military had killed Iran's security chief in a strike. Last week, Larijani appeared in public at Iran's Quds Day march. It was a calculated provocation. Surrounded by civilians, including many children, he gambled correctly, it turned out that neither Washington nor Tel Aviv would strike him there. He had, though, less than a week to live. This is without doubt the most significant assassination since the hit on former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on February 28, the war's opening day. Larijani, 67, was one of the most intelligent, competent and powerful men and they are all men in the Islamic Republic's leadership. Speaker of Parliament for 12 years, former chief nuclear negotiator and most recently Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, he sat at the heart of the regime's war command structure. He was central to military strategy, intelligence coordination and contingency planning for the regime's survival. After Khamenei's death, figures like Larijani became indispensable to keeping the system intact. His loss is seismic. Larijani, 67, was one of the most intelligent, competent and powerful men in the Islamic Republic's leadership, writes David Patrikarakos He was also something of an anomaly. Many of Iran's senior figures are highly educated but few combine a background in mathematics with advanced study in West ern philosophy. Larijani specialised in Immanuel Kant, the 18th century Prussian philosopher who shaped modern European ideas of reason, ethics and political order. Larijani's logic was simple: to defeat Western ideas, you first have to understand them. Personally, he was calm and methodical a far cry from the baying clerics and sinister IRGC commanders that fill the air waves of Iranian state TV. He understood both the language of war as well as negotiation. Above all, he was a bridge between factions a fixer when things threatened to fall apart, as they now have. His loss will be felt immediately. From a cold strategic standpoint, removing Larijani delivers a direct blow to the regime's capability and accelerates the steady decapitation of its leadership. This war has already significantly degraded its command structure. His removal thins the ranks of experienced decision-makers even further and these are not roles that can be quickly replaced. This is the logic behind strikes that are designed to hollow out the regime itself to degrade it to the point where, when the war ends, it is weaker, fractured and more vulnerable to the righteous, decades-long fury of the Iranian people. In that scenario, the hope in Washington and Jerusalem is that Iran's people will be more able to topple the sordid system that has brutalised them for almost 50 years. Without him, rival factions are also more likely to pull in different directions. That weakens cohesion and makes the system harder to govern. For an adversary, that kind of internal friction is invaluable. Rescuers search through rubble to recover bodies of those killed during a strike in central Tehran There is also a psychological effect. If, once again, someone as senior as Larijani can be hit, then the IRGC's goons will all understand that no one is untouchable. The leadership is forced inward. Their already deep sense of paranoia balloons. Time and energy that might be spent projecting power is instead diverted into survival. So what happens next? The most likely candidate to replace him at the top of the security state even if not directly into his role is the wretched Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf. A former Revolutionary Guard commander and police chief, he's more of an enforcer than a philosopher. Expect the regime to double down in its anti-American defiance at least in the short term. Therein lies another problem. Decapitation produces a paradox: decisions become at once slower and more impulsive. Retaliation becomes more likely. Escalation becomes harder to control. That is the brutal trade-off. You weaken the system in the short term but you also make it more volatile. In a region already on edge, volatility can lead to the system's collapse. But it can also be the spark that turns a relatively contained conflict into something wider and far more dangerous. Megyn Kelly has undergone many transformations over the course of her lengthy media career. She's been both a reporter and an opinion host. She's been an anchor at both Fox News and at NBC. At various times, she's presented herself as conscientiously nonideological, full-on trans activist and fire-breathing 'ultra-MAGA' warrior. Finally, she's gone from respected television broadcaster to full-on laughingstock. When all is said and done, Kelly's particular descent into brain rot lunacy will, as Shakespeare's Macbeth once put it, be remembered as little more than 'a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.' Kelly has sullied her reputation beyond repair for all but the most committed of tin foil hat enthusiasts and those who revel in the most juvenile of insults. Like an intersectional leftist, Kelly has now resorted to claiming she is a victim. And she is doing so in a rather curious way by complaining that too few people have come to her defense against radio and television host Mark Levin, who she has derided in a crass manner more befitting a rebuffed middle school girl than a popular media personality. Levin, Kelly claims, 'doesn't like it when women like me fight back,' adding 'bc of his Micropenis.' Who could have guessed a decade ago when she first emerged as a straight-talking, no-nonsense Fox News primetime host that Kelly would now play the gender card? It's crucial to understand how on earth we got to this point. Kelly, at some point over the past 18 months, made a calculated decision to cast her lot with leading lunatic luminaries like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens. Who could have guessed a decade agowhen she first emerged as a straight-talking, no-nonsense Fox News primetime hostthat Kelly would now play the gender card? Kelly is complaining that too few people have come to her defense against radio and television host Mark Levin I watched it happen in real time. After the Hamas pogrom of October 7, 2023, Kelly regularly featured me on her show. She came across as an earnest defender of US-Israel relations and the Jewish-Christian biblical alliance to save the West. Until, apparently, she wasn't. Kelly read the tea leaves or at least what she perceived them to be and concluded, I believe, that the winds are a-changin' on the right when it comes to Israel and the Jews. (News flash: They're really not.) So she cozied up to the utterly deranged Owens and the Nazi-sympathizing Carlson. She's gone out of her way to pick fights with a number of public-facing Jews in media, such as Bari Weiss, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin and even yours truly. Now, she's at war with perhaps the most venerable of all Jewish conservatives, a man who is a noted personal favorite of President Trump's: Mark Levin. After Trump launched Operation Epic Fury against the terrorist Iranian regime, Kelly who hosted Carlson on her show just two days before the war commenced, and who ran to disgraced former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) as her go-to guest immediately afterward began to melt down. It seemed that she began to realize she had picked the wrong horse. It turns out Carlson, Owens and their ilk don't represent Trump's MAGA movement. So Kelly began to grieve for both her career and her dignity. She began, as one does, with the first of the five stages of grief: denial. Instead of properly concluding that Trump launched Epic Fury because he has consistently viewed Iran as a threat for four decades, Kelly blamed everyone else. As she put it on her show the same day she hosted Greene: 'This feels very much to me like it is clearly Israel's war. Mark Levin wanted it, it's his war, Ben Shapiro, Lindsey Graham, Miriam Adelson, that's obvious.' Repeating a line of attack from CODEPINK, Kelly said that Trump was forcing American soldiers to die for a foreign country. Now, Kelly seems to be at stage four of the grieving process: depression. People tend to do odd things when they're in a state of depression. How else to possibly make sense of her unhinged attacks, not on Levin's intellect, but his genitalia? This is all an act and a rather fetid one, at that. It's faker than WWE kayfabe. Now, Kelly's at war with perhaps the most venerable of all Jewish conservatives, a man who is a noted personal favorite of President Trump's: Mark Levin Kelly cozied up to the utterly deranged Owens and the Nazi-sympathizing Carlson She's gone out of her way to pick fights with a number of public-facing right-leaning Jews in media, such as Bari Weiss, Ben Shapiro (pictured), Dave Rubin and even yours truly After the Hamas pogrom of October 7, 2023, Kelly regularly featured me on her show. (Pictured: Josh Hammer) It wasn't that long ago that Kelly fawned over Levin when he appeared on her show. Kelly gushed over him: 'It's truly an honor. It's like, there are certain people, and it's a very small list, who I consider appointment viewing. And it's like, whenever I see you, I stop. Whenever I see a Mark Levin clip, I stop.' (It's not just the fanatical obsession with male anatomy, apparently Kelly also speaks like a Valley Girl.) Kelly's current lashing out is only done in defense of her very bruised, and very oversize, ego. For her bizarre spat with Levin, Kelly earned a stern rebuke from Trump himself, who posted on Truth Social, in part, 'Those that speak ill of Mark will quickly fall by the wayside, as do the people whose ideas, policies, and footings are not sound.' Earlier this month, Trump also blasted Carlson as 'not MAGA.' He's now settling all the MAGA family business. Trump is firmly on the side of Levin and Shapiro. He's not on the side of Kelly and Carlson. So what is Kelly thinking? At this point, Kelly realizes she is in far too deep. There will be no recovery here no restoration of her credibility to what it once was. One does not call American Jews 'Israel first,' promote leftists who rationalize and defend anti-Semitic jihadist attacks, and mock others' penis size and get to recover. Kelly has made her bed, and she will lie in it. Next, Kelly will likely double down on the ongoing effort to divide and destroy MAGA. If that operation is successful, its leading propagandist, Carlson, will all but assuredly run for president in 2028. The platform will be explicitly anti-MAGA. It will be dark. On Tuesday, I was asked during a podcast recording who I think Carlson would select as his running mate. In the moment on the show, I predicted it would be Greene. But there is one name that makes even more sense: Megyn Kelly. Josh Hammer is host of 'The Josh Hammer Show,' a Shillman Fellow with the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and author of Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West. What else don't we know about the wife of the mayor of New York City? From the moment Zohran Mamdani was inaugurated, his administration has been defined by controversy. Now the spotlight has turned to a lesser-known but equally polarizing figure his wife, Rama Duwaji. Reports emerged late last week that Duwaji helped illustrate a book edited by the virulent anti-Semite Susan Abulhawa, who has described Jews as 'vampires' and 'supremacist demons.' This troubling news comes after the media unearthed example after example of Duwaji 'liking,' and 'hearting' social media posts celebrating Hamas' murderous attack on Israel two Octobers ago. Duwaji endorsed posts alleging that Hamas' sexual violence against Israelis was a 'mass hoax' and featuring genocidal anti-Zionist dog whistles like 'from the river to sea.' Indeed, so outrageous are Duwaji's actions that Bruce Blakeman, a Republican running for governor of New York, is demanding a public apology and calling for a formal inquiry into her social media activity. I am right there with you, Mr Blakeman. But rather than apologize, the Mamdanis have opted for obfuscation and old-fashioned BS. In place of accountability for her social media history, we are being fed an absurdity: That Rama Duwaji is a 'private citizen,' according to her husband, the mayor of a city of one million Jews. NYC First Lady Ruma Duwaji is being criticized for social media comments she made a few years back that appear to celebrate the horrors of the October 7 Hamas massacre on Israel Despite being married to NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and attending fancy fashion shows, Duwaji, according to her husband, is a 'private citizen' Duwaji illustrated a book edited by the virulent anti-Semite Susan Abulhawa, who has described Jews as 'vampires' and 'supremacist demons' The mayor reportedly justified his wife's special 'private' status by pointing out that they were not married when she liked the posts. The couple wed in early 2025. Is the mayor suggesting that Duwaji has renounced these beliefs? Is it fair to assume that the mayor shares these beliefs as well? And why is his wife being shielded from scrutiny when others haven't enjoyed the privilege? Take Congressman Dan Goldman, for example. He is now running for re-election in New York City. And around the same time, the media began eyeing Duwaji's reaction to October 7, they also began looking at the online activity of Goldman's wife. Corinne Levy Goldman, it seems, had liked a series of posts critical of pro-Palestinian activists, including one comparing 'Jews for Palestine' to 'chickens for KFC,' mocking their apparently self-destructive behavior. But rather than retreating behind the banner of 'private citizen,' the Goldmans responded publicly and were subjected to a critical deep dive in The New York Times detailing the impact of his wife's likes on Goldman's campaign and threatening its chances. Never mind that on October 7, 2023, Mrs. Goldman was actually in Israel, hiding in a bomb shelter from the Hamas marauders, Duwaji, so blithely saluted. Then there's former First Lady Michelle Obama, who was blasted back in 2008 for saying she was 'proud of her country for the first time in her adult life' during the campaign that saw Barack Obama elected the nation's first black president. No 'private citizen' excuses for Mrs Obama; Barack recovered, but the 'scandal' immediately overshadowed his candidacy. Mrs Obama, unlike Mr. Mamdani, responded to her critics, explaining that she was 'proud' of the racial progress that allowed for her husband's Democratic nomination. Around the same time, the media began eyeing Duwaji's reaction to October 7, they also began looking at the online activity of Goldman's wife (above, back left) Michelle Obama was blasted back in 2008 for saying she was 'proud of her country for the first time in her adult life' during the campaign that saw Barack Obama elected the nation's first black president In 2021, Martha-Ann Alito, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, displayed a politically charged upside-down American flag at her home; it triggered national outrage Author Dalia al-Aqidi says that the term 'Islamaphobia' has been weaponized And when Martha-Ann Alito, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, flew an upside-down American flag at her home in 2021, it triggered national outrage and relentless media coverage. The standard was clear: proximity to power is power. And with power comes scrutiny. But in Duwaji's case, we are told to look away by the mayor. Why? The mayor is weaponizing the mainstream media and the political class's fear of being labeled 'Islamophobic.' As a cultural Muslim, I have seen how accusations of Islamophobia are used to shut down debate, intimidate critics, and even silence Muslims, like myself. The term 'Islamophobia' is also wielded by political Islamists, not to protect their people, but to shield their ideology from accountability - and politicize the religion itself. Such strategies create silence and breed hesitation. In that silence, dangerous narratives are allowed to take root and grow. And make no mistakes; they are growing across the nation. Mamdani, his wife, and those around him understand this dynamic and operate within it. They benefit from it. Now I shudder to think what might come next. Just look at what has happened already. In early March, accused Hamas sympathizer Mahmoud Khalil was invited to New York City's Gracie Mansion for a traditional Iftar dinner where he was served by Duwaji and featured in an official photograph of the gathering. In early March, accused Hamas sympathizer Mahmoud Khalil (center) was invited to Gracie Mansion for a traditional iftar dinner where he was served by Duwaji Khalil's most outrageous statements include Zionism is a 'genocidal project' and the October 7th Hamas massacre was a 'desperate attempt' by Palestinians to break a cycle of being ignored This was not a private event. It was a public moment, shared from within the city's most prominent political address. An image that gave a mayoral seal of approval to Khalil's most outrageous statements, such as Zionism is a 'genocidal project' and the October 7 Hamas massacre was a 'desperate attempt' by Palestinians to break a cycle of being ignored. Khalil's views were not merely welcomed in the mayor's dining room, they were normalized. Far from these views being in Duwaji's past, as the mayor has suggested, they are in her - and his - present. Rama Duwaji must account for her actions. Being a woman in the public eye is not about fashion shows or magazine covers. It comes with a responsibility to speak the truth, defend victims and reject cruelty without hesitation. Rama Duwaji has done none of these things. As a couple who represent Islam in America, the Mamdanis are failing and failing hard. As a woman, as an Arab American, and as a Muslim, nothing could be clearer: Duwaji does not speak for me and she is not a private citizen. President Donald Trump has yet again in his familiar fashion sent shockwaves through the capitals of America's European allies. 'We no longer "need," or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance WE NEVER DID!' he ranted on Truth Social Tuesday, as the US struggles to persuade Western powers to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where oil tankers fear to sail due to threats from Iranian rockets. I wouldn't blame UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German chancellor Friedrich Merz for asking Trump: Well, do you need our help or not? But such is the state of the 32-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is an alliance in true crisis. Born in 1949 to counter Soviet expansion in Europe, NATO still makes sense as an anti-Russian pact. Many European governments are, of course, happy to stand with the US against Putin. Even though Ukraine is not a NATO country, the proximity of war to their borders, is reason enough for them to demand US support. But when it comes to the Middle East that's a different story. Most European countries are openly hostile to Israel and dread being seen as anti-Muslim. Starmer's political coalition depends upon many Muslim voters who may loathe the Jewish state. And French foreign policy since the fifteenth century has sought alignment with Muslim governments; King Francis I shocked Christian Europe by signing a treaty with the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1536, setting France on a course it has charted ever since. Trump, for his part, thinks the Europeans are freeloading moochers: 'I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need.' For a guy who thinks in transactional terms, accusing someone of not paying your bills is the greatest insult. President Trump is sending shockwaves through Europe as he questions America's need for NATO allyship and assistance in the U.S. war against Iran Starmer's political coalition depends upon many Muslim voters who may loathe the Jewish state. And French foreign policy since the fifteenth century has sought alignment with Muslim governments (Pictured: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron) If Europe is allergic to NATO military involvement in the Middle East, it should reconsider its own dependence upon oil and gas shipped through the Strait and the region's other chokepoints, as well as its export trade that ships in the opposite direction. So Trump's frustration is understandable. Moreover, European leaders are almost as schizophrenic as he is. German's Merz told Trump, in an Oval Office visit on March 3, that Germany was on the 'same page' as the President regarding the need 'to get rid of this terrible terrorist regime' in Tehran. 'Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,' said Keir Starmer on Monday. 'It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open,' added European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that same day. Yet, despite the talk, there appears to be little action. While, the Brits and Italians have allowed their bases to be used in the American campaign against Tehran and some European warships and planes have been deployed to in the region, it's been too little, too late. If the US is going to lead convoys of oil tankers through the strait, it needs more ships. Just like the multinational Atlantic shipping convoys during the Second World War. There is safety in numbers. And the Europeans can't be relied upon. French president Emmanuel Macron and several other EU officials have called the war illegal. Spain's defense minister insisted that rather than try to reopen the strait, 'the objective must be for the war to end, and for it to end now.' A spokesman for Merz insisted on Monday, 'This war has nothing to do with NATO NATO is a defensive alliance, an alliance for the defense of its territory. As long as this war continues, there will be no involvement, not even in an option to keep the Strait of Hormuz open by military means.' Born in 1949 to counter Soviet expansion in Europe, NATO still makes sense as an anti-Russian pact. Pictured: The NATO headquaters in Brussels If Europe is allergic to NATO military involvement in the Middle East, it should reconsider its own dependence upon oil and gas shipped through the Strait (pictured) and the region's other chokepoints, as well as its export trade that ships in the opposite direction. Yes, some of the breakdown in relations is personal. Trump has repeatedly insulted European leaders, bullied them with tariffs and threatened NATO member Denmark over Greenland. Resentment runs high over the way he attacks the self-image of European leaders as arbiters of an international 'community' and acts without consulting them. 'I would also like to remind you,' Merz's spokesman added, 'that the US and Israel did not consult us before the war, and that Washington explicitly stated at the start of the war that European assistance was neither necessary nor desired.' Sad, one might say. Self-defeating, too. Iran, of course, is the C team of the Eurasian axis; if necessary, America can handle it with minimal NATO assistance. Russia is the B team. The A team, however, is China. While the US has allies in East and South Asia much more important to any confrontation with China, a possible war over Taiwan would swiftly become an all-hands-on-deck call for the West and the free world. Beijing is doubtless watching carefully to see how badly NATO's marriage is strained. Will it see an opening? If this critical bloc is to extend its effective life, it must re-find purpose. NATO is undoubtably still important but both sides of the alliance need to think seriously about its limitations. Accepting NATO's limits is better than abandoning an alliance that has served vital purposes well for nearly eighty years. And its greatest test is ahead. The lifetime cost of having periods tops 20,000 for the average British woman forcing some to cut back on food just to afford pads and pain relief. New data from period tracking app Clue suggests women spend an average of 41 a month managing their periods adding up to 20,359 over a lifetime. While around 18 of that monthly total goes on products such as pads and tampons, the true cost is far higher once painkillers, hot water bottles, supplements and the replacement of stained clothing and bedding are taken into account. The findings also expose the scale of 'period poverty' in the UK. More than a third of women surveyed said they sometimes struggle to afford basic products, while almost 40 per cent admitted cutting back on essentials such as food, bills or transport to cope. Some said they had resorted to makeshift alternatives such as tissues or wipes when they could not afford proper protection. The financial strain is also affecting women's working lives. Nearly half of employed respondents said their periods interfered with their ability to work, while 41 per cent reported missing part or all of a workday in the past year due to symptoms. Periods are costing women in the UK more than 20,000 in a lifetime, with some skipping meals just to afford pads and pain relief More than a third said the cost of managing their periods caused stress and anxiety. Three-quarters of those surveyed believe the financial burden of women's health needs has increased significantly over the past five years, with 82 per cent calling for period products to be made free and more widely available in schools, universities and workplaces. Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products free in November 2020, placing a legal duty on local authorities to ensure access for anyone who needs them. In England, all state-maintained schools and colleges can access free products for students through a Department for Education scheme. However, gaps remain. Separate research commissioned by phs found more than a third of teenage girls have missed school because of their period, losing an average of more than three days per term. Of these, 14 per cent said they stayed home because they did not have access to products, while 11 per cent said they could not afford them. Clue has now teamed up with broadcaster and activist Ashley James to launch a petition calling on the UK Government to make period products free in England. As well as campaigning for long-term action, Clue is offering free Clue Plus subscriptions to all petition signatories. Rhiannon White, chief executive of Clue, said: 'Clue exists to help people understand and advocate for their bodies. Addressing the cost of bleeding is a critical step in closing the women's health gap. We encourage everyone to sign the petition and help make menstrual products accessible for all.' The findings come as MPs warn that women and girls are being failed 'at every stage' by the NHS and Government. A report by the Women and Equalities Committee described it as a 'national scandal' that nearly half a million women are on gynaecology waiting lists despite effective treatments being available in primary and community care. The inquiry found women's concerns are often dismissed, painful procedures are carried out without adequate pain relief, and schools are increasingly under-resourced to support menstrual health. Girls are sometimes wrongly told they are too young to have conditions such as endometriosis, while many turn to social media for advice where information can be inaccurate or unsafe. MPs said ministers must do more to improve education around menstrual and gynaecological health, ensure better pain management and speed up diagnosis. Until women's health is treated as a priority in both the NHS and education system, they warned, meaningful improvements will remain out of reach. The number of people sickened by a trendy supplement has climbed to nearly 100, including more than two dozen people who have been hospitalized. The CDC issued an update Tuesday to January's recalls of Why Not Natural Pure Organic Moringa Green Superfood capsules and Live it Up Super Greens supplement powders. There are now 97 cases and 26 hospitalizations across 32 states tied to potential moringa powder contamination. The original recall was issued January 28 for the Why Not Natural products and January 16 for the Superfoods products over possible contamination with the life-threatening bacteria salmonella. The recalled products were sold to consumers nationwide, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. The supplements were sold on each of the companies' respective websites and other online retailers including Amazon. The Superfoods products were also sold to people in the UK. Additionally, there may have been 'unauthorized third party distribution' through websites including ebay.com and Walmart.com. Sales for the Superfoods products occurred between September 2024 and January 2026. For Why Not Natural, sales occurred between July 2025 and January 2026. While the products should no longer be available to buy, their long shelf lives means people may still have them in their homes. Customers who bought any of the recalled products are urged to immediately stop using them and can return them to the place of purchase. The original recalls were issued in January for multiple brands of moringa powder supplements (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. The Superfoods recall includes the following four products: Live it Up Super Greens, NET WT 8.5oz (240g) with UPC 860013190804; Live it Up Super Greens, 30 0.28oz (8g) sticks, NET WT. 8.47oz (240g) with UPC 850077468063; Live it Up Super Greens, Wild Berry, NET WT 9.49oz (269.16g), with UPC 860013190811; and Live it Up Super Greens, Wild Berry, 30 0.32oz (9g) Sticks, NET WT. 9.52oz (270g), with UPC 850077468070. The Why Not Natural recall applies to 120-capsule bottles marked with lot # A25G051 and an expiration date of July 2028. The illnesses in connection to these recalls started in August 2025, with the most recent being on February 27, 2026. While 97 people are known to have been sickened by the outbreak, the CDC said the true number is likely much higher and more widespread because many people recover from salmonella without medical care or testing. Patients range from two to 81 years old. Of the 67 people interviewed, 59 report eating a product containing moringa leaf powder, including 55 who consumed Live it Up Super Greens and three who consumed Why Not Natural capsules. One person consumed both products. The FDA detected one outbreak strain of salmonella in two moringa leaf powder ingredient samples and another outbreak strain in one opened product sample of Why Not Natural Pure Organic Moringa Green Superfood capsules. The Illinois Department of Public Health and Wisconsin Department of Health Services each detected the outbreak strain in opened Live it Up Super Greens samples. Five people have fallen sick in Illinois and 12 have fallen sick in Wisconsin. The Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health detected the outbreak strain in an unopened Live it Up-brand Super Greens product sample. Seven people have been sickened in Minnesota. FDA tracing revealed a common manufacturer between the two brands, the CDC reported, indicating that could be the source of the bacterial contamination, but the investigation is ongoing. The Why Not Natural recall applies to 120-capusule bottles marked with lot # A25G051 and an expiration date of July 2028 The Superfoods recall applies to four different products, including original and wild berry flavors Salmonella typically causes mild to moderate symptoms, but has the potential to cause life-threatening illness in children, the elderly and the immunocompromised. Healthy patients typically develop symptoms within 12 to 72 hours of an infection, including diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. In healthy adults, the infection lasts four to seven days before clearing. However, in serious cases, the bacteria can spread to the bloodstream and cause the life-threatening complication sepsis, as well as aneurysms and endocarditis, deadly swelling of the heart's inner lining. Children younger than five, seniors and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of severe infections and complications. Moringa powder is made from the crushed leaves of the moringa tree, a plant native to India that has previously been described as the 'miracle tree' for its alleged health benefits. Cleveland Clinic says its green powder is high in nutrients and can support healthy bones, eyesight and weight management. The powder first became popular in the 2010s, with many people mixing it into other foods or drinks. Students at the University of Kent are demanding the campus be shut down immediately after the UK Health Security Agency declared the meningitis outbreak a 'national incident'. A Change.org petition has already been signed by nearly six thousand students, demanding that the university halt all in-person classes, exams and events until the situation is under control. The number of cases in Kent has jumped to 20, up from 15 yesterday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed. Nine have been confirmed in the lab, while 11 remain under investigation. Six of the confirmed cases are meningitis B. The outbreak has claimed two lives so far, 18-year-old sixth-form pupil Juliette Kenny and a 21-year-old University of Kent student. Cases have also been reported outside Kent, including in London and France, and pharmacies are struggling to meet demand for vaccines and antibiotics. The National Pharmacy Association confirmed today that no meningitis B vaccines are currently available for private purchase. The university, in collaboration with health officials, are offering more than 5,000 students a meningitis vaccine as well as antibiotics to prevent infection. However, the students who started the petition believe the institution should be doing more to protect them. The empty campus at the University of Kent in Canterbury today amid the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today The petition reads: 'Students at the University of Kent are increasingly concerned about reports of meningitis and sepsis affecting members of the campus community. 'The confirmation of two deaths, along with reports of hospitalisations, has caused understandable concern among students and staff. 'Despite the seriousness of the situation, in-person exams and other campus activities are continuing. 'These activities require large numbers of students to gather in enclosed spaces for extended periods. 'Meningitis and sepsis are serious medical conditions that can develop rapidly and require urgent attention. 'Many students feel forced to choose between attending exams or protecting their health. 'Universities have a responsibility to prioritise the wellbeing of students and staff. We are calling on the University of Kent to take precautionary steps.' The petition organiser, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'I started this petition not to criticise the university but to raise awareness and ensure students are properly informed during a very concerning time. 'Many students felt they were still in the dark about the seriousness of the meningitis and sepsis cases on campus. 'With people having tragically died and being hospitalised, it's understandable that students are worried about continuing normal activities in large enclosed settings like exam halls. 'The petition simply asks the university to prioritise student safety, communicate transparency and consider temporary measures that would help the campus community.' One student wrote in the comments of the petition: 'I will not be attending my exam if they do not change my courses to online. I have faith they will, as friends in other courses have received emails moving exams online, but psychology students have had zero communication. 'I would rather fail and resit than risk infection and passing it on to vulnerable family members.' Another said: 'We had a water shortage and the university closed the campus. Now, a life-threatening disease has killed a student and infected many, yet the campus expects us to risk our health. This is not how an educational institution should operate.' University officials say they are following public health guidance and keeping the campus open, while urging students to watch for fever, headache, stiff neck or vomiting and seek medical help immediately if they develop these symptoms. Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, told the Daily Mail: 'Targeted antibiotics for close contacts are the key response to this contained outbreak, not lockdowns or broad restrictions.' Juliette Kenny, 18, died on Saturday surrounded by her family after falling victim to meningitis Your browser does not support iframes. The outbreak is believed to have started at Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury, which experts warn may have acted as a 'super-spreader' event. Cases are expected to rise in the coming days. Health Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC Breakfast: 'My heart goes out to the families of those two young people who have tragically died.' He added the cases 'throw into sharp relief how serious' meningitis can be, but insisted the general risk to the public is 'very low'. He said the disease is spread through close contact such as sharing drinks, vapes or kissing, and not through general spaces like trains. A normal year in the UK sees around 350 cases of meningitis, according to Mr Streeting, about one per day. He said the Canterbury outbreak is unusual for its speed and scale, which is why authorities are rapidly providing antibiotics and rolling out targeted vaccinations. Economics student Mohammed Olayinka, 21, said he stayed on campus to avoid risking transmission to family. 'You don't know if you have it, if you're asymptomatic,' he said. 'It's a bit of a ghost town, with some people panicking and leaving. I can't blame them. There is an air of uncertainty.' He took the antibiotics as a precaution. Architecture student Sophie, who lives off-campus, said she had 'no idea' how to get a meningitis vaccine. 'Most friends have gone home, it's so quiet now. I am waiting to take the antibiotics until I know if I was in close contact with anyone who got sick.' UKHSA came under fire in the House of Commons for its handling of the outbreak. Deputy chief medical officer Dr Thomas Waite said: 'This is by far the quickest growing outbreak I have ever seen in my career. While it is primarily affecting Kent, it is of national significance.' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins added: 'This looks like a super-spreader event with ongoing spread within university halls. 'The explosive nature of infections over a single weekend is unprecedented.' She warned that meningococcal bacteria can have a fatality rate between one in 20 and one in five depending on immunity. Louise Jones-Roberts, owner of Club Chemistry, said she was only alerted to the outbreak on Sunday via Instagram, days after the first cases. She has closed the club indefinitely and given antibiotics to all 94 staff members. Officials are tracing over 2,000 revellers who may have been exposed. Student Ingi Pickering, 22, said: 'The initial communication was awful. I would have stayed in if the public had been warned earlier.' Four schools across Kent now have confirmed cases, and hundreds of people are being offered antibiotics. Laboratory scientists are investigating a possible mutant MenB strain. All 5,000 students living in the University of Kent halls are now being urged to collect emergency antibiotics. Initially reserved for certain blocks and nightclub visitors, 11,000 doses were made available yesterday. A targeted vaccination programme for hall residents will also be rolled out in the coming days. A University of Kent spokesperson said: 'The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. 'We are working closely with the UK Health Security Agency around advice and support and based on their guidance, our campus remains open. 'We have, however, made the decision to move assessments that were scheduled for this week from in-person to online. Support services are available for any members of our community who may need them during this difficult time. 'Today, the University, in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), are rolling out the first targeted Meningitis B vaccination programme to all students living on our Canterbury campus. 'Alongside this, we will continue to offer precautionary antibiotics to staff and students who may be affected. 'This is part of our ongoing commitment to offer a swift response and reassurance to support Kent students at this difficult time.' From the rich and smoky scent of Shalimar to the powdery sophistication of Chanel No. 5, no celebrity collaboration can ever compete with classic perfumes that have been around for the best part of a century. It's not just older shoppers who love them, with 20-something fragrance fans taking to TikTok to praise 'old lady perfumes' as the best kept secret in beauty. As well as admiring the distinctive aromas of Coty's Ambre Antique, for example, there's also a heavy element of nostalgia with scents such as Miss Dior and Blue Grass bringing back memories of much-loved grandmothers. 'Fragrance trends move in cycles, and what we are seeing right now is a powerful return to heritage rather than a celeb product,' brand expert Natalie Trice told the Daily Mail. 'So-called "grandma scents" are not really about age; they're about familiarity and permanence in a world that often feels fast and disposable. When people rediscover perfumes like Chanel No. 5, they are tapping into a memory, family stories and brands that have stood the test of time. 'From a brand perspective, this resurgence also shows the power of legacy for products that have been around for decades, as they carry emotional equity. 'They remind people of dressing tables, special occasions and women who came before them maybe a grandma or favourite aunt. In uncertain times, consumers often gravitate towards things that feel solid and reassuring.' Natalie explained that young people are now 'discovering classic fragrances and treating them almost like cultural artefacts'. 'Wearing them becomes a statement, indicating an appreciation for quality, history and timeless style rather than just chasing the latest trend,' she added. Read on to rediscover some of the classic scents of the past 100 years, and see how many you can remember. 1900s Edwardian Bouquet by Floris, making its debut at the turn of the century, offered a strong floral scent which to this day touts 'eternal modernity and elegance'. So lasting is its legacy that it has been reintroduced more than once over the years. It enjoyed a renaissance in 1984, when according to Fragrantica, the original formula was rediscovered in family archives, and again in 2024. In 1905, nothing was more Parisian-chic than a bottle of Ambre Antique, which blended sultry notes of bergamot, jasmine, orange blossom and rose together. And in 2025, the company came out with an exclusive drop of 1,905 bottles to commemorate the fragrance's lasting effect. The Maison Detaille was set up in Paris in 1905, and its eponymous women's fragrance has certainly stood the test of time. It's described as having 'fresh' floral top notes of violet and jasmine and a 'darker' base featuring oak moss and sandalwood. A 100ml bottle costs 105 or about 90. 1910s The designer came out with its L'Heure Bleue scent in 1912, inspired by impressionistic olfactory canvas. The site describes how 'Jacques Guerlain merged the violet accord and iris with the creamy ivory of vanilla, leaving a bewitching fragrance trail of both fresh and warm nuances'. This citrusy, unisex fragrance came out in 1916 and has, after all these years, maintained its cult status as the epitome of Italian chic. It's noted for its heavy, lemon scent. Now considered a luxury, Tabac Blond by Caron encapsulates the roaring 20s, 'where the intensity of leather blends with the powdery notes of carnation'. According to the perfumer, the fragrance offers 'earthy accents of vetiver and patchouli, coupled with the smoky notes of cistus labdanum and vulcanised styrax essence'. A 100ml bottle is 410, or 365. 1920s First launched in 1921, this powdery floral bouquet is composed around May rose and jasmine, with bright citrus top notes of bergamot, aldehydes, lemon and neroli. Molinard's first ever fragrance, Habanita, is known for its strong, musky preference and overpowering scent. Geranium, jasmine, oak foam and amber can all be picked up in this scent, which in 2012 was re-released in an even stronger concentration. A 75ml bottle is available for 80. A hit of the 50s, first released in 1925 in an iconic bottle, which has hardly changed since. An oriental-inspired fragrance that's voluptuous and sensual, with powdery notes of iris, jasmine and rose. Tonic top notes of fresh flowers and bergamot are calmly intrepid. Meanwhile, the creamy softness of addictive vanilla, the penetrating charm of iris, the balmy roundness of opoponax and the gourmand warmth of Tonka bean orchestrate an intimate symphony of scent for languorous interludes, according to Escentual. 1930s This strong, heady fragrance was known for its marketing as 'the forbidden fragrance', advertised with a print of a couple in a passionate embrace. It evoked sensuality with top notes including neroli and bergamot, while musk and cedar also feature. Various retailers sell the perfume today. Jasmine, orange Blossom and Ylang Ylang stand out as the strong floral notes the era is known for. Often described as a 'pungent' bouquet, it's the perfect example of a retro powdery perfume made for women at the time. This 1933 perfume named after an Antoine Saint Exupery novel, which tells the story of a couple separated by a doomed night fight is a nostalgic powdery scent that blends together galbanum, narcissus, bergamot and other citrusy notes. This nostalgic scent, with distinct top notes of basil, lime and lemon first came out in the 30s but remains popular today. As per the brand, 'the heart combines lavender, geranium, jasmine, honey, rose and violet whilst the base cushions with rich notes of beeswax, sandalwood, patchouli, amber, cocoa, musk and cedarwood with animalic nuances'. Initially released in 1934, Elizabeth Arden's Blue Grass is a 'fresh feminine floral bouquet with spicy woody undertones'. As per the designer, 'opening a bottle of Blue Grass Eau de Parfum Spray is like an instant trip to the countryside on a warm summer day'. 1940s First released in 1947, Miss Dior sold well after the war when lighter perfumes became popular. A floral and feminine heart boasts Indian and Egyptian jasmine absolute with essence of Damask rose. The designer's first ever perfume a reconstructed version of which is now sold features strong, heady notes synonymous with the decade, with violet leaf absolute and incense essential oils. Meaning 'The ten' in French, in reference to its first couture salon on 10 Avenue George V in Paris. First released in 1948, this scent sold in huge numbers in the 1950s. A fresh and timeless fragrance blending bergamot, peach and carnation with rose and jasmine. 1950s Unlike the other fragrances on this list, Youth Dew was originally released as a bath oil in 1953. Opulent flowers, rich spices and precious woods make this one of the most sensual fragrances of all time with top notes of rose, jonquil and lavender and base notes of moss, vetiver and patchouli. Described as a 'romantic' fragrance, this floral perfume combines a few fan favourites of the decade, including lily of the valley, lilac and jasmine just to name a few. Strawberry, spices, peach and bergamot are the main scents behind this nostalgic fragrance, which was originally created as a gift for Audrey Hepburn. While it has been reformulated and re-released over the years, it still remains popular. 1960s Touted as an 'elegant' perfume for the modern woman, Rochas describes Madame as 'the olfactory mirror that reflects Helene Rochas and a generation of emancipated women, masters of their own destinies'. Described as a 'woody' fragrance with hiacynth, neroli, honeysuckle and bergamot, it combines the intense with the fresh and floral. Caleche, coming out in 1961, was the luxury designer's first-ever fragrance for women. 'Its name echoes the carriages that are emblematic of the House: a light and elegant 19th-century horse-drawn conveyance,' according to Hermes, adding a sophisticated flare for any wearer, with jasmine and rose scents. This French brand is trendy as ever today - but has been a hit since as far back as the 60s. Diptyque is still enjoying the success of its fragrance LEau, which combines geranium, clove, cinnamon and ginger. 1970s Herbal notes like sage and coriander add to the fresh and uplifting feel of this nostalgic fragrance. According to Harrods, 'it kicks off with toning and astringent qualities that also give the sense of calm, while the mid-notes are drenched in warm oakmoss with a touch of a clean floral scent'. However, finally, 'you'll notice the seductive aroma of patchouli with a warm, woody scent'. Aliage first came out in 1972, popularising itself an earthy, woody scent. Bottles are still sold on online retailers like Cosmetify. YSL's Opium maintains a lasting legacy for its dark, seductive scent. 'Opium eau de parfum is an oriental fragrance, sulfurous and provocative with an iconic silhouette,' the brand says. 'Highly erotic, the myrrh drives behind reason, exalts the senses, up to break the rules. The warm amber notes, both precious and sacred, have always exert their power of seduction.' 1980s Nothing screams 80s like powdery, feel-good floral fragrances - and Givenchy's Ysatis delivers, with white flower bouquet notes and a patchouli base. With a bottle nearly as famous as its contents, Dior's Poison brings the heat with a sultry mix of honey and musk. There are also a number of iterations sold by the brand, including Poison Girl and Pure Poison. The 80s saw a peak of popularity for Calvin Klein thanks to its trendy marketing campaigns - and its warm, spicy fragrance, Obsession, enjoyed the airtime too. Combining top notes of vanilla, with middle notes including sandalwood, it encapsulates warmth, radiance and freshness. A woman who had been wheelchair bound for two decades due to painful corn-like growths on her feet is finally learning to walk again thanks to life-changing surgery. For 40 years, Bobbi has been battling palmoplantar keratodermas, a rare skin disorder which causes abnormal, excessive thickening of the skin on the soles of the feet. After living with one of the most extreme cases of the disease, Bobbi urgently sought the help of Dr. Marion in a desperate bid to reclaim her life and free herself from the clutches of her condition. 'I've been using a wheelchair on and off for the last 20 years and now I'm pretty much stuck in it,' she said in TLC's series premiere of The Bad Foot Clinic, which documents her health journey. 'Over the years, I've given up an awful lot,' she continued. 'The thing I miss more than anything else in the world is dancing. Just enjoying the music and the physical activity of dancing. That's been very difficult.' Before surgery, Bobbi's feet and heels were covered in high pressure points on the metatarsal heads that had built up over decades. Upon being inspected by Dr. Marion Yau, they were described as looking 'very thick' and 'corn-like.' Bobbi's life was changed after undergoing surgery for her rare genetic disorder which left her wheelchair bound for 20 years She suffers from palmoplantar keratodermas, which causes abnormal, excessive thickening of the skin on the soles of the feet 'There's actually a lot of parched skin all over the foot and that's what happens with palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK),' Dr. Marion said. 'It just builds up callus over and over again and if you don't take it off, it just builds up and gets thicker and thicker.' Bobbi said she would undertake 'absolutely anything' to combat the pain she was in. 'I am not surprised that Bobbi has been in a wheelchair for such a long period of time,' Dr. Marion said. 'I personally haven't seen PPK this bad in my entire career.' According to DermNet, palmoplantar keratoderma may be inherited or acquired due to a change in health or the environment. In 2025, the National Institute of Health estimated just 4.4 people in every 100,000 have the condition. It can be treated using emollients, retinoids, and various ointments, which help to soften the skin. After having her feet looked at, Bobbi was referred to Ian Reilly, a consultant podiatric surgeon, who recommended a different surgery on each foot so that they could compare which one heals better in the long-term. Four months after surgery and Bobbi's life had changed for the better. Dr. Marion Yau said Bobbi had the worst case of the condition she'd ever seen Bobbi underwent surgery and had the corn on her left foot cut out over the lesion. On the right foot, her fifth toe and the metatarsal head were removed She is now learning to walk again after being confined to a wheelchair due to pain 'It's been great,' she gushed. 'Over the last couple of weeks, I've managed to get my socks on and shoes on and it has changed my life completely. 'It makes a difference to how you feel. How you stand, how you act. I'm very happy for me. 'I don't know where this is going to take me yet, but I'm back on my feet and it feels great.' TLC's The Bad Foot Clinic - which premieres March 18 on TLC at 10pm ET - is an eight-part medical series where viewers get to step into the bustling clinic of renowned podiatrist Dr. Marion Yau and her husband Dr. Kenny. Together, they take on some of the most extreme and debilitating foot conditions to treat patients suffering from severe fungal and nail infections, painful warts, webbed toes and beyond. A taste of Australia has popped up in one of the most unexpected places - and it's left Aussies both delighted and deeply divided. Expat Claudia Giblin recently went to a Bunnings-style sausage sizzle being served outside an Australian pub in New York City's Financial District. 'If there's one thing I miss about living in Australia, it's getting a sausage in bread,' Claudia said in an Instagram reel, before heading to what she claimed was the only sausage sizzle she had ever seen in NYC. The pop-up was located outside Old Mate's Pub - which proudly describes itself as the 'real Aussie embassy' in New York. In a detail that didn't go unnoticed, one of the workers was even wearing a classic Bunnings straw hat. When asked if he knew what Bunnings was, he laughed. 'Well, I work in an Australian pub, so it's been explained to me,' he said. Claudia ultimately gave the experience a glowing review, rating it a 9.7 out of 10. Expat Claudia Giblin recently went to a Bunnings-style sausage sizzle being served outside an Australian pub in New York City's Financial District 'You are butchering our sausage sizzle' But while the novelty impressed Claudia, Australians back home were far less convinced. The video quickly sparked a wave of passionate reactions, with many Aussies taking issue with how the iconic snack had been recreated. 'No no no! You are butchering our sausage sizzle,' one person wrote. 'Onions are not pureed. No mustard, just tomato or barbecue sauce!' another added. 'I feel like American bread would ruin it. It borders on cake,' a woman criticised. Others were equally horrified by the American twist on the classic. 'Why is there butter on the bread?' one asked. A classic sausage sizzle consists of a grilled sausage served on a slice of white bread - not a bun - topped with fried onions and a choice of tomato or barbecue sauce 'Get out! And oh my god, they use hot dog buns now!' another added. 'This pi**ed me off more than it should,' one viewer admitted. 'They're doing too much with the packaging. Someone tell them a napkin is sufficient,' an Aussie advised. 'Those sausages look too fancy for a Bunnings snag. Precooked all the way,' a man wrote. Some, however, were more forgiving. 'Looks good with sauce and mustard. Now for an iced cold Milo to go with it!' one person joked. Another pointed out that Aussie staples are slowly making their way into New York. 'There's a Bourke Street Bakery off Madison Ave,' they noted. Still, many agreed on one thing - the version on display was a little too fancy. 'Way too gourmet for Bunnings,' an Aussie claimed. Held outside Bunnings Warehouse hardware stores across the country, the humble setup typically involves a barbecue, a fold-out table, and volunteers cooking sausages to raise money for local charities, schools, and community groups What is a Bunnings sausage sizzle? For the uninitiated, a Bunnings sausage sizzle is one of Australia's most beloved weekend traditions. Held outside Bunnings Warehouse hardware stores across the country, the humble setup typically involves a barbecue, a fold-out table, and volunteers cooking sausages to raise money for local charities, schools, and community groups. The offering is simple - and that's exactly the point. A classic sausage sizzle consists of a grilled sausage served on a slice of white bread - not a bun - topped with fried onions and a choice of tomato or barbecue sauce. Mustard is optional, but controversial, and butter is almost unheard of. Prices are usually kept low, making it an affordable, no-frills snack that has become a cultural staple for generations of Australians. From hardware store car parks to Manhattan streets Seeing the iconic Aussie snack recreated in New York has struck a nostalgic chord for many expats - even if the execution has raised eyebrows. 'Why did this make me emotional? I need a sausage sizzle on the West Coast,' an expat exclaimed. While the version outside Old Mate's Pub may not meet traditional standards, it's a sign that one of Australia's most low-key cultural institutions is finding its way onto the global stage. Even if, according to many Aussies, it's getting a few key details very, very wrong. 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 Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend but could you tell the difference between a glitzy 25,000 gem-embellished ring compared to one that costs 49? The largest white diamond to come to the UK market in over a decade has sold for 1.009million in London's Notting Hill on Tuesday, to an anonymous British individual who bought the impressive band as a gift for his wife. The 26.36-carat round brilliant cut white diamond solitaire, set in a simple platinum ring, was estimated to sell for 800,000 at Elmwoods auctioneers and there was competitive bidding both on the phones and online for the band. The last comparable piece was a 26.27 carat diamond offered by Sothebys auctioneers in 2017, highlighting just how rare this offering was. Commenting on the result, Head of Sales at Elmwoods auctioneers, Joe Kendrick, said: 'We are delighted to have achieved a final price of 1.009 million, significantly exceeding the pre-sale estimate of 800,000, for this truly exceptional diamond. 'Diamonds of this calibre appear perhaps once in a decade and this remarkable solitaire is a spectacular example of why the finest white diamonds continue to captivate collectors worldwide.' But if you passed the woman wearing the diamond in the street, would you realise you're walking next to a sparkler worth a million pounds? Below, the Daily Mail has rounded up a collection of diamond rings ranging from 49 to the famed one million pound gem. Put your knowledge to the test and find out if you can guess how much each band costs. Scroll down for the answers. THE RINGS 1. Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend - but could you tell the difference between a 1million gem embellished ring compared to one that costs 49? 2. This ring features pink gems as well as a glitzy oval diamond in the centre of the gold band 3. As seen on many a celebrity's hand, this sparkling ring features a pear shaped yellow diamond 4. This unique design features two bands stuck together at the back, as well as a vibrant array of gems 5. Anyone wearing this dazzling diamond ring would no doubt stand out from the crowd 6. Is this ring featuring an impressive-looking square diamond 25,000 or 49? Find out below 7. Clogau is a brand offering stunning Welsh gold jewellery - with some of their designs including dazzling diamonds 8. This ring might look quite plain, but does it cost a small fortune? Scroll down for the answer 9. Simple and pretty, this ring features a flower design with a dainty diamond placed in the centre THE ANSWERS Rae spent over a year saving up and counting down the days until her Disney cruise with her husband and two kids. It was supposed to be perfect. Ten days of sailing the Hawaiian islands before docking in Vancouver, Canada, then flying home to San Diego. But the dream quickly turned into the trip from hell when, four days in, her three-year-old daughter woke up screaming in the middle of the night. What came next left the family outraged and demanding answers. It was 2am on February 20 when the girl, who Daily Mail is not naming, woke up in agony. She'd taken a tumble at the kids' club earlier in the day, and told her mother that her face hurt. Rae departed on a Disney cruise with her husband and two kids last month, but their dream trip turned into a nightmare Four days into the trip, the couple's adorable three-year-old daughter, who the Daily Mail is not naming, woke up screaming in agony and asking to see a doctor Rae was stunned. She had seemed 'fine' after the initial fall. 'She seemed fine. There wasn't a [bruise], no visible injury, scar, nothing,' she said. Nonetheless, she called for the duty doctor when her daughter woke up. That's when everything started to unravel. 'The doctor who was on call comes in, she seemed a little tired and irritated,' Rae recalled. 'It's two in the morning so I completely understand [being tired], but I felt like she had an air of dismissal towards my family and daughter... it was extremely unprofessional,' she said. She said the doctor looked in her daughter's mouth, checked the glands on her neck, listened to her heart and breathing and did a quick examination of her stomach. She did not do any swabs or formal tests, Rae said, but quickly diagnosed the child with mumps. 'Then she said, "OK I think she has something viral, give her Motrin and Tylenol for the pain and I'm gonna prescribe antibiotics,"' Rae said. Perplexed, the family returned to their room to rest. Rae told the Daily Mail the toddler had received the first two doses of her MMR vaccine, and did not show symptoms to suggest she'd been infected. Hours later, Rae received a startling call from the medical center. 'The doctor then tells us that our daughter is suspected of having mumps and that we need to leave the cruise ship and fly home,' Rae said. Rae (seen with her daughter at Disneyland) said she was stunned by the on-board doctor's response Rae said that when she asked the doctor how she came up with the diagnosis, she was told that they had done 'contact tracing' but 'couldn't give them further information.' Rae added that the doctor also said that there was swelling on the side of her daughter's face which gave her 'reason to believe' that the youngster had been exposed to mumps and had caught it. The family started to look into flights home to San Diego. They quickly found that it would cost them close to $10,000 - an exorbitant expense on top of an already pricey vacation, with tickets costing upwards of $2,000 per person. They were then told that they could stay on board but would have to be quarantined in their room for the remaining five days of the cruise. When Rae asked if they could at least get off at the port to get her daughter tested for mumps, she claimed that she was told they would not be allowed back on. 'It was extremely disappointing for everyone in my family,' she said. 'I felt like she was unfairly diagnosed. 'My daughter deserved to go to the doctor and be assessed [correctly] and she wasn't. 'Instead of treating her like a human being and assessing her and talking to her about what had happened at the kids club or her symptoms, they called us and told us, "Leave the ship, your daughter's sick."' The family ultimately decided to stay on board, quarantined to their room. When they were finally able to disembark, she immediately sought testing for mumps. The test came back negative. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a negative mumps test 'does not rule out mumps' because a series of factors can affect the results. The organization says that testing should take place within three days of symptoms onset for the most accurate results. But Rae insists: 'My daughter was not sick. She was healthy. I have pictures and videos of her dancing around, laughing and playing the night of her suspected diagnosis. The doctor prescribed antibiotics, without performing any kind of swab test The family was forced to quarantine for five days, despite not receiving confirmation that their daughter was infected with any kind of virus Rae with her two young children inside their state room. The rooms can cost up to $20,000 for a ten-day trip 'Somebody who's sick would not be doing anything she was doing. She wasn't showing any signs of [being sick],' she said. The family is also furious about being told the child did not fall at the kids' club, as claimed. The head of security on the boat told them that they reviewed the footage from the kids club that day and concluded that 'there was no fall' and suggested they 'reach out to headquarters if they wanted to follow up.' 'That's what I'm in the process of doing now,' Rae shared. 'My daughter has no reason to lie. 'She told crew members that she fell. She told the doctor that she fell. She told us, her parents, that she fell. 'We have no reason to believe she's not telling the truth. How severe the fall was, how it happened, I don't know. But I do believe she fell and that [caused the pain in her face].' While reflecting on the ordeal, the mother-of-two said she doesn't blame Disney as a company since the medical staff on board are independent contractors hired by the ships (seen with her daughter before the ordeal) Rae said she doesn't blame Disney as a company but strongly believes 'there should be a different protocol in place' when it comes to handling unconfirmed diagnoses (stock image) The Daily Mail reached out to Disney Cruise Line for comment but did not hear back. While reflecting on the ordeal, the mother-of-two said she doesn't blame Disney as a company since the medical staff on board are independent contractors hired by the ships. Disney's website states that the medical personnel on their ships 'are employed by an outside independent company' adding that they 'specialize in family and internal medicine as well as emergency care.' But Rae strongly believes 'there should be a different protocol in place' when it comes to handling unconfirmed diagnoses. 'I really do love Disney. I don't believe this is a reflection on Disney as a company,' she concluded. 'I think this was completely related to the way the doctors on the Disney Cruise Line are taught to handle the protocol for infectious diseases. 'That should be looked at more. I think there should be a different protocol in place.' Pregnant Usha Vance covered up her baby bump in a chic all-white ensemble as she touched down in Maryland with her husband, Vice President JD Vance, on Wednesday. The Second Lady, 40, who is currently expecting the couple's fourth child, looked fashionable in a high-waisted white maxi skirt and matching long-sleeve top. The bulky shirt kept her growing stomach hidden from view. She completed the look with a white peacoat and some suede knee-high heeled boots, before accessorizing with a pearl necklace and brown purse. The mom-of-three, who announced her fourth pregnancy in January, left her dark shoulder-length locks loose. Usha was all smiles as she walked alongside her husband-of-12-years as they exited Air Force Two together. Vance, 41, for his part, opted for a simple navy suit and red tie. After disembarking from the aircraft, the couple headed to a manufacturing plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where Vance delivered a speech in the hopes of swinging the votes ahead of the upcoming election. Pregnant Usha Vance covered up her baby bump in a chic all-white ensemble as she touched down in Maryland with her husband, Vice President JD Vance, on Wednesday The Second Lady, 40, who is currently expecting her and JD's fourth child, looked fashionable in a high-waisted white maxi skirt and matching long-sleeve top In November, voters will decide on a new governor and new US senator in Michigan. Usha watched on from the audience, lovingly gazing up at her husband and giving him a warm smile. In January, Usha and JD announced via social media that they are expecting their fourth child - a baby boy - this summer. 'We're very excited to share the news that Usha is pregnant with our fourth child, a boy,' the Second Lady's office posted on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. 'Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July.' The two added that they are 'grateful to the military doctors who take excellent care of our family.' The Vice President and Second Lady already share two sons, Ewan, eight, and Vivek, six, and a daughter, four-year-old Mirabel. Weeks later, JD opened up about their baby name plans exclusively with the Daily Mail. The bulky shirt kept her growing stomach hidden from view. She completed the look with a white peacoat and some suede knee-high heeled boots, and accessorized with a pearl necklace and brown purse After disembarking from the aircraft, the couple headed to a manufacturing plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan 'We've talked about a few names,' Vance dished. But the Vice President then revealed that they do not plan on picking a name for their fourth child until after the baby is born. 'We're working on it, but, you know, with all three of our kids, we actually didn't settle on their names until after they were born, which is, I think, pretty unusual.' 'Most people choose a name. Well, before the kid is born,' Vance continued. 'I think Usha and I have never just found a name where it's like, "Alright, this is what we want to name our kid." 'And so we always wait to meet them and settle on the names from there.' Usha's pregnancy announcement came after a handful of others in the MAGA world announced their own pregnancies - such as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller's wife, Katie Miller. It has led many Trump fans to declare a 'MAGA baby boom.' Usha previously sat down with Meghan McCain for an extensive interview, where she spoke about suffering from anemia during her previous pregnancies. Vance delivered a speech in the hopes of swinging the votes ahead of the upcoming election and Usha watched on from the audience, lovingly gazing up at her husband The mom-of-three, who announced her fourth pregnancy in January, left her shoulder-length brunette locks loose Usha told McCain that when she and the vice president were married, after both studying at Yale Law School, they always knew they were going to have kids. 'The number though, that was the question. I grew up with just two kids in the family and JD has a differently structured family but he primarily grew up with just his sister. I think what we decided at the outset is we'll have two and then we'll see how we feel about that,' she explained. 'And I thought maybe I would have two kids, and I would think I'm done, this is good. But I just liked having the two kids so much that I think I ended up being the driver for three, which really surprised both of us. 'And now we're at three and I'm feeling pretty good about this and sometimes he thinks he might like to have a fourth, but we'll see where that leads.' The Second Lady was also candid about her past pregnancy struggles. 'So during pregnancy, during each of them, I was prone to anemia, which just makes you so tired, and you're already kind of tired and especially when we were having our third child,' Usha said. 'I was completely exhausted because I had a trial right before,' the accomplished lawyer added. The Second Lady said the struggles ended up being a good test run for parenting. 'But for me it was actually a little bit different because pregnancy was so exhausting that not being anemic was like, you know, high on life and that really helped,' Usha noted. Fox News' Brit Hume slammed liberal media stars as hypocrites for declaring the conflict in Iran a 'stalemate' with the US and Israel. The network's chief political analyst presented a revealing hypothetical as a response to comments from Whoopi Goldberg, Joe Scarborough and Symone Sanders Townsend about the ongoing war. He scoffed at the anchors' notion that Trump was 'not prepared,' hasn't revealed 'what the plan is,' in addition to the outrageous claim that the US could 'win every single battle' and still lose the war. 'For a moment, let's turn the situation around and assume a situation in which the United States is under attack from a major enemy,' Hume said. He asked viewers to imagine Iran were instead bombing the US and 'ranging freely over our skies with no resistance, bombing at will, sending missiles at will, attacking our vessels, attacking our ballistic missile systems, attacking our aircraft at will.' Hume also envisioned a scenario where Iran has 'killed the president and wiped out his Cabinet and countless officials in the echelons below.' He then wondered how people would react if the US responded by 'shutting off a major waterway that we need for our economy.' His conclusion on that thought experiment: 'Do you think anyone would be saying that this is, as Walter Russell Mead put it today, a stalemate? I don't think so.' Fox News analyst Brit Hume slammed liberal media pundits as hypocrites for declaring the war on Iran 'a stalemate' with the US and Israel Hume said if you imagined for a second that roles were reversed between the US and Iran, no one would be declaring it a 'stalemate' or losing effort The clips prior to Hume's take all seemed to build a negative narrative against the war, which is now in its third week. 'It's becoming clear, all the time frankly, was not prepared for that war to last,' Sanders said. Goldberg asked: 'Are we any closer to finding out what the plan is here?' Scarborough compared the situation to the Iraq War. 'Here we find ourselves, again in a situation where we could actually win every single battle and still lose the war,' he said. Host Martha MacCallum agreed with Hume and wondered how liberals would cover the war if roles were reversed. 'Yeah, no, its a great point, and it always helps to flip something around and think about what the coverage would be like in that situation,' she said. 'And people wouldnt be saying of those who are invading us or firing missiles all over our country and killing the president, "Gee, I wonder why they havent defined how long its going to take.'" Earlier Tuesday, President Trump continued to face questions regarding the development, plans and timeline for the war, however. Fox News played clips of Whoopi Goldberg (pictured left) and Symone Sanders Townsend (pictured right) suggesting that there was no plan when Trump went into Iran Joe Scarborough compared the situation to the Iraq War 'Are you afraid that if you put boots on the ground in Iran, it could be another Vietnam?' one reporter asked. 'No,' Trump shot back, adding, 'I'm not afraid of anything.' The president has previously said that he would deploy ground troops if 'necessary,' but he has offered few details on what scenario would prompt a boots-on-the-ground invasion. He also said during the sit-down with the Taoiseach that the US has contemplated destroying Iran's energy infrastructure. 'We could take out their electric capacity in one hour,' he said, adding, 'there's nothing they can do.' Though the president said the war should only last weeks, there is concern among administration officials that the offensive could last much longer. Three sources familiar with the matter told Axios that the Middle East conflict could run into September, a much longer timeline than Trump has ever discussed publicly. Americans are against sending in troops, according to the latest Quinnipiac survey of 1,000 US voters published March 9. Earlier Tuesday, President Trump continued to face questions regarding the development, plans and timeline for the war, however The results showed that 74 percent of respondents oppose sending ground troops into Iran. A majority, 53 percent, said they are against the war altogether. The president was also confronted about the news that his top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, resigned over the war. 'I always thought he was a nice guy, but I thought he was very weak on security. Very weak on security. I didn't know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy,' Trump said. 'But when I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out, because he said Iran was not a threat.' Kent resigned early on Tuesday and published a letter publicly noting how he 'cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.' 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,' Kent said in his dramatic public break-up with the administration. Jon Stewart decried the Democratic Party for purported selfishness this week during an interview with one of the top candidates for California governor. Stewart outright told San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan that the sheer amount of Democrats like him vying for the position could ultimately hamper their partys chances in the race on Monday's Daily Show. That is because, under the state's unique nonpartisan primary system, Californians will be forced to choose between eight Democrats and two Republicans, he explained. 'It's a great plan - and it so smacks of the Democratic Party to split the vote into such fractious fiefdoms that the only two people standing are the two Republicans,' an exasperated Stewart said. 'So smart, so typical,' he added through a stifled laugh. Mahan - one of the competing Democrats - joked that he 'jumped in' because 'undecided is still in first place.' The crack appeared to befuddle Stewart, who asked, 'Why do you want to be Governor of California? It is a disaster waiting to happen.' An oblivious Mahan, 43, said he was satisfied with his three years as San Jose's mayor, before touting a series of talking points often championed by conservatives. Jon Stewart warned that too many Democrats vying for the post of California's governor could harm the partys chances in the race on Monday The host had been welcoming one of several progressives fighting for the spot, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, to his show Monday when he made the remarks 'We've reduced homelessness by about a third by building basic, dignified shelter, improving outreach, doing more prevention,' Mahan said. 'We've hired police officers from our community, done a lot of community policing, and started to tackle quality of life, crime.' California Governor Gavin Newsom, a two-term Democrat widely seen as a frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, has struggled on both of those fronts. He has yet to announce any plans as to what will follow his final year as governor. Newsom previously served as the state's lieutenant governor under two-time, two-term Governor Jerry Brown. Brown succeeded the state's last Republican governor, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in 2011. Prior to that, California had not elected a conservative as governor since 1990. Earlier this month, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks warned that such a possibility was steadily increasing. In a March 3 open letter to candidates like Mahan, Hicks told candidates to 'honestly assess' their chances of winning. 'Californias leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,' Hicks wrote at the time. Only one Democrat went on to resign. Mahan is looking to replace California Governor Gavin Newsom, a two-term Democrat who has struggled with issues like homelessness and crime Progressives framed as frontrunners include Representative Eric Swalwell and billionaire activist Tom Steyer. Former Fox News host Steve Hilton and ex-Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco are the two conservatives who have declared candidacy. Hilton received support from 19 percent of likely voters, according to a poll released Wednesday from the UC Berkeley Citrin Center for Public Opinion Research - a number that would make him a surprise favorite. Meanwhile, the June primary is rapidly approaching, paving the way for a fierce contest in which the last two candidates need not be Democrats. Interview: China's zero-tariff treatment to boost ties with Africa, says Guinea-Bissau analyst Xinhua) 10:30, March 18, 2026 BISSAU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's decision to eliminate tariffs on products from 53 African countries marks a structural shift in bilateral relations and will further strengthen South-South cooperation, Afonso Gomes, a Guinea-Bissau economic analyst, has said. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Gomes said China's policy reflects its commitment to multilateralism and deeper cooperation with Africa. "China realized very early that the future of the world economy requires multilateralism. The decision now taken confirms its strong medium- and long-term strategic vision," he said. Noting that it could open new opportunities for African countries to export more value-added products, create local jobs and increase tax revenues, the analyst said the initiative will help African countries reduce poverty and strengthen the continent's economic independence. Gomes noted that Guinea-Bissau, whose exports are largely dominated by agricultural products such as cashew nuts, should leverage the opportunity to diversify and promote local processing. At the regional level, Gomes called for strengthening and institutionalizing dialogue mechanisms between the Economic Community of West African States and China to help harmonize standards and facilitate trade. Hailing China's zero-tariff treatment as "an excellent opportunity," he said that African countries need to pursue structural reforms and adopt sound industrial strategies to fully benefit from the policy. China offers African countries an opportunity to reduce chronic external dependence, provided that policymakers put in place sound economic strategies focused on transforming and industrializing their economies, Gomes added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) As the saying goes: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And that's certainly the tactic deployed by Chinese car firm, Jaecoo. Its popular 7 SUV has already been dubbed the 'Temu Range Rover', with social media mums flocking to TikTok and Instagram to express their adoration for the Chinese family motors that's a fraction of the price of a lookalike Jaguar Land Rover product. And Jaecoo - which is owned by China's largest car exporter, Chery - has taken another leaf out of the JLR book with the announcement of a 'Black Edition' variant. It emulates the 'Black' series of Range Rovers seen in recent years, which provide super-stealth looks with black paint, wheels and accents to attract a younger audience. Jaecoo says the blackout SUV it is the 'perfect recipe the UK likes', debuting the trim alongside a new range-topping SHS-P Black Luxury derivative with a longer petrol-electric range. And true to Chinese car brands' form, the motor is considerably cheaper than a Range Rover equivalent; while the British SUVs typically cost around 200,000, the Jaecoo is just 36,500. It will be available to order from dealers in May. Chinese SUV brand Jaecoo which is owned by Chery, has launched a Black Edition of its best-selling, viral Jaecoo 7 SUV The bold visual upgraded to the plug-in hybrid SHS model - which can do a combined 745 miles of range or 56 EV-only miles - has undergone a blacked-out design treatment, including a black front grille, black logo suite across the vehicle and a black 'luxury' C-pillar badge. Extra exterior accents include black mirrors, roof, roof rails, and wheels. Interior elements include a black headliner and sun visors, on top of the black seats and dash. JLR has released similar versions of its SUVs over recent years, with the all-black styling believed to be popular among younger audiences. Last year, it launched a Range Rover SV Black with a 4.4-litre V8 mild-hybrid, twin-turbo petrol engine producing 607bhp, which cost from 188,000. It too has sold a Range Rover Velar Black Edition and an Evoque Edition with black-on-black features. Having already been branded the 'Temu Range Rover' since the launch of the 7 SUV, the Chinese brand's latest move to replicate its more expensive rival will likely draw more suggestions that it is following in JLR's tyre tracks. The SHS model, which has a combined range of 745 miles, is now available in the blacked-out colourway and will cost 36,500 The Black Edition includes a blacked-out design treatment; a black front grille, black logo suite across the vehicle and a black 'luxury' C-pillar badge. Jaecoo has cemented itself in the UK market despite having only launched its first car here in January 2025. The 7 was the car most purchased by private buyers in the 12-month period from its debut, topped the UK sales charts in the first month of this year, and is the third best-selling new model of 2026 so far. In its debut year, Jaecoo shifted a total of 28,232 vehicles, making it the fastest-growing mainstream automotive brand in a decade. Victor Zhang, its UK managing director, said: 'After such a strong first year, its crucial that we keep evolving. 'The Jaecoo 7 SHS-P Black Luxury gives our customers even more visual impact and exclusivity, while the full-hybrid SHS-H opens up electrified performance at an extremely competitive price point. 'Together, these new additions reaffirm our commitment to giving UK drivers more choice, more value, and more of what they want from a modern SUV.' Inside the Jaecoo 7 SHS-P Black Luxury is black seats, dash, wheel and a black headliner and sun visors Spot the difference: Last year, JLR debuted its 188k Range Rover SV Black Edition, which is the latest of a number of stealth-like, all-black trims launched Alongside the Jaecoo 7 SHS-P Black Luxury, Jaecoo is bringing out a SHS-H version which will come with a full-hybrid powertrain. This is a first for the Jaecoo 7 line-up. This will be available in Pure and Deluxe trims and cost from 29,195. The SHS-H pairs a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with a self-charging hybrid system. The combination delivers 221bhp, produces 125 g/km CO2 and up to 53mpg. It has tweed cloth interior upholstery, a 13.2-inch infotainment screen, and many other comfort features and tech assists like front and rear parking sensors. Upgrade to the Deluxe and this is bumped up to eco-leather upholstery, a 14.8-inch touchscreen and a better eight-speaker sound system. Thus SHS-H will also be available to order through Jaecoos 122-strong UK dealer network. There will soon be an electric family car in showrooms that can be driven the entire length of England without needing to stop to charge. BMW's new i3 - the battery-powered version of its evergreen 3 Series saloon - has been unveiled with headline-grabbing claims, the biggest of which is a 559-mile range on a full battery. While it's the smallest model in the German car giant's electric line-up, it is capable of the longest distances of any EV on the planet. The i3 is the second 'Neue Klasse' electric model, following in the tyre tracks of the 500-mile-range iX3 SUV with which it shares an 800V platform, meaning incredible performance as well as rapid charging times. It will blow existing electric rivals - like the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 3 - out of the water and is expected to gazump the range of the forthcoming 435-mile C-Class EQ from biggest rival, Mercedes-Benz. Bosses say it will 'build on BMW's legacy while taking a technological quantum leap into a new era'. And the company has hinted that prices could start from around 50,000, claiming it will have near parity with the combustion engined 3 Series, which will remain on sale with updated styling to match the i3. Longest-range electric car on the planet: BMW has debuted its new i3 - the battery-powered version of its evergreen 3 Series saloon. And it claims it can cover 559 miles on a single charge The i3 will debut in 50 xDrive trim later this year, though other variants will follow. At its heart is the same 108kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery used in the iX3. But thanks to its more rakish saloon shape, smaller footprint and reduced weight, the i3 betters its SUV sibling's full-charge range by 59 miles. As such, it overtakes the Volvo EX60 - which is yet to arrive in UK dealers - as the longest-range EV sold in the UK. This means buyers - theoretically - will be able to drive the 523-mile trek from the most southerly tip of England in Land's End to the Scottish border and still have 76 miles of range to spare. But the Beemer's impressive electric range isn't solely down to a more svelte silhouette. With the sizable battery pack located in the car's chassis, ultimately pushing the cabin floor higher, engineers have managed to keep its roofline as low as possible [under 1.5 metres] by bolting the front seats directly into the battery unit. Securing the battery in a completely enclosed floor has also increased airflow passing beneath the car at speed, making this executive saloon aerodynamically extremely slippery. At its heart is the same 108kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery used in the iX3. But thanks to its more rakish saloon shape, smaller footprint and reduced weight, the i3 betters its SUV sibling's 500-mile range by 59 miles BMW has hinted that prices could start from around 50,000, claiming it will have near parity with the combustion engined 3 Series, which will remain on sale with matching styling to i3 Adopting the 800V architecture from the iX3 means when the range is depleted, building it back up again is a relatively rapid process. Accepting DC charging speeds of 400kW, owners will be able to add 249 miles of range to the battery in a 10-minute charging session. This will put BMW leagues ahead of established rivals, bettering even the Chinese Denza Z9GT - a new luxurious Porsche Taycan rival that has a 497-mile range but can charge from 10 to 70 per cent battery capacity in as little as five minutes using one of parent company BYD's Flash Chargers. The BMW will be no slouch either, with the pair of electric motors - one at each axle - delivering a combined 436bhp. It too will have vastly different handling characteristics to the bigger iX3, despite sharing its 50:50 weight distribution front-to-rear. Softer suspension springs and stiffer anti-roll bars should ensure it is both comfortable for long journeys but agile enough to navigate a challenging B-road with precision and very little body roll. At 4.76 metres long and 1.87 metres wide, the i3 is bigger car than the current petrol 3 Series but is still a handsome executive saloon Execs have promised a 'Touring' estate version of the i3 as well as a performance iM3 variant, which could have around 1,000bhp At 4.76 metres long and 1.87 metres wide, the i3 is an all-round bigger car than the current petrol 3 Series. However, it shares its conventional saloon proportions, including a long body and short overhangs. As such, the 3 Series will receive a thorough facelift to mirror the bold looks of the i3, with it too embracing the screen-focused dashboard and many of the gadgets and assistance features available in its electrified sister car. But BMW won't stop there. As per tradition, the i3 will have a Touring estate variant at a later date, and it will also spawn an iM3 performance derivative, which is pencilled for a 2028 debut and could have an electric motor per wheel and put out over 1,000bhp. BMW has ditched the traditional driver's instrument cluster and instead has a 'Panoramic iDrive' panel showing vital information spanning across the underside of the windscreen The German marque has abandoned its iDrive controller in favour of a tablet-style touchscreen display and haptic steering wheel controls. The cross-shaped wheel is a first for BMW The i3's cockpit is dominated by a 17.9-inch touchscreen interface that makes up a new 'Panoramic iDrive' display that essentially deletes a conventional driver's instrument cluster. Instead, there's a 43.3-inch digital panel stretching across the top of the dashboard that shows key information typically shown on clocks behind the steering wheel - this includes speed, range, state of charge, remaining distance to a destination as well as ambient temperature and live weather forecast. The angled infotainment screen is entirely controlled by touch, with BMW ditching it's long-running i-Drive spin-wheel controller, which had been a big favourite among the driving community for years for its simple operation and low distraction risk. But technicians at the German outfit have promised logical functionality, with often-used features - like temperature changes and deactivating irritating driver assist alerts - easy to access. Key functions - like the window demisters, volume controls and hazard warning light button - are all clustered in physical buttons by the drive selector. A host of other controls - including activating the voice-operated AI assistant - are arranged on the steering wheel, which is also a new design and for the first time in BMW's history has a cross-like four-spoke shape. Some of these buttons are haptic control, meaning they can be adjusted without touch - a controversial move given Volkswagen has shifted away from such features over complaints that the controls are difficult to use with any accuracy. The i3 will be built at BMWs biggest plant in Munich. While prices are yet to be confirmed for any market, bosses say it should cost around the same price as a hybrid-powered 3 Series, which currently starts from 47,185. Unilever is reportedly in the early stages of considering a spin-off of its food division in a further pivot towards health and beauty products. The consumer goods giant owns a sprawling portfolio of brands across food, beauty and personal care, but is exploring a separation of its food assets, according to Bloomberg. The deal would reportedly value Unilever's food brands, which include Marmite and Hellman's Mayonnaise, at tens of billions of dollars. It follows the recent spin-out of Magnum and the sale of Graze, as Unilever focuses on its beauty and personal care portfolio, which has helped to drive growth and have higher margins. Boss Fernando Fernandez recently reiterated plans to focus the business on beauty as sales are hit by 'subdued' markets. While hero brands Dove and Vaseline helped to power growth and offset a decline in food products, Fernandez insisted its food arm remains 'a very attractive business'. Spin-off: Unilever is reportedly exploring a separation of its food division Reports of a deal follow rumours that Unilever was eyeing a sale of its British brands Marmite, Colman's and Bovril, just nine years after Unilever sold its spreads business. Unilever has come under pressure for the underperformance of its share price, which has trailed the FTSE 100 over the past five years. It has gained just over 13 per cent, while the FTSE has climbed 55 per cent over the same period. Food firms are struggling to drive meaningful growth as cost-of-living concerns weigh on consumers, who are reining in their spending. Meanwhile, the increasing popularity of weight loss drugs means lower volumes, or customers opting for less calorie-dense products. Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, said: 'A broader move away from food might also appeal to investors given the rise in weight loss drugs that is creating a cloud of uncertainty in the food sector, particularly among unhealthier options, and looks set to reshape consumer demand in a way that is yet to be fully understood.' Unilever has reportedly not made any final decisions and could keep its current structure or pursue alternatives, Bloomberg said. Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, added: 'Someone taking a long-term view might see Unilever's food business as a portfolio of cash-generative brands that could yield tidy returns. 'Unilever knows how to execute a demerger and could repeat the same process for the food arm as it did with the ice cream assets, assuming a buyer with a reasonable offer fails to emerge. 'Demergers aren't a last resort. They often lead to greater value generation than under a conglomerate structure. 'Divisional management are typically free to make more entrepreneurial decisions rather than having a parent company pulling the strings.' Unilever shares are down 1.6 per cent this morning. Shepherd Neame has said it has cut staff hours and hiked prices as Britains oldest brewer is beset with high costs. The group, which runs 285 pubs across Kent and the South East of England, said the industry has been hit with disproportionate tax hikes over the last couple of years. Chief executive Jonathan Neame said the brewer had 'successfully reduced hours of operation and flexed our labour to suit demand,' and had been forced to raise prices whilst remaining conscious of the need to maintain value for money. He added: Everyone in hospitality has battled with the significant increases in the cost of labour in the last year.' But performance 'remains encouraging' despite the 'cost and operational challenges' even as Shepherd Neame sold fewer pints as consumers turn their backs on traditional ale. Shepherd Neame boss has said the brewer has cut opening hours to battle higher costs Neame added: 'Prices have gone up in the last six months. We try to be as targeted as possible, so not on every line. 'The reason they've gone up is because of the national insurance costs, so this is not just about beer, this is about any retailer or anyone who employs a lot of people.' He said the company was 'very, very sensitive' to price increases and 'do not wish to put prices up any more than we have to.' 'But yes we do have to adjust the price if we are experiencing above-inflationary impacts on our cost base, which has been the case for hospitality for the past five years,' he said. The brewer has had to grapple with higher costs, including increases to the minimum wage, which is set to go up again next month. There are also fears over steeper energy bills and weaker consumer confidence in the coming months following attacks in the Middle East. Neame said that some caution is naturally warranted given the situation in the Middle East' but said it was too early to predict what the impact would be. Sales dropped slightly to 84.7million over the 26 weeks to 27 December, compared to 85million in the same period a year before. It comes despite strong trading across its pubs, including an exceptional performance at its London venues, where sales rose 11.2 per cent. But a fall in beer sales has hit the business as the volume of beer sold fell 6.6 per cent. This division continues to find conditions challenging - particularly with national customers - with volumes in decline, costs increasing, and a shift away from traditional ale categories to stout and premium lager categories, it said. Neame said the sector had been hit with a great shock when the Chancellor initially announced plans to increase business rates at last years Budget. But he acknowledged a later U-turn would help to provide additional support and much-needed relief to our licensees. The sector wants to pay its fair share of taxes, but the increases of the last few years have been disproportionate, Neame added. And he also welcomed a review into the way business rates bills are calculated - calling the current methodology inherently unfair. The dismay over the Governments handling of business rates resulted in leading hotel groups, including Holiday Inn, Hilton and Butlins, urging the Chancellor to expand the tax relief for pubs to the wider hospitality industry. It comes as one of Britain's biggest pub chains, Greene King, is considering selling 150 of its pubs in a property shake-up. It also plans to convert 150 managed pubs into tenanted pubs. It means Greene King will no longer own and operate a venue but instead rent the building and its fixtures to a landlord. Greene King boss Nick Mackenzie, said the plan was a strategic reaction to the changing operating environment. A leading oil and gas producer has warned of an investment hiatus in the North Sea after Labours assault on the industry sent it plunging into the red. Ithaca Energy posted losses of 63million for 2025 having made a profit of 115million the previous year after it took a 245million hit from the extension of the windfall tax to 2030. The company also warned that continued fiscal and regulatory uncertainty over Labours plans for the North Sea placed the sector into a holding pattern throughout the year. It said this contributed to a continued hiatus of material long-term investment activity across the sector. Ithaca shares fell nearly 9 per cent in early trading. North Sea producers pay 78% tax on oil and gas profits The update came as the war in the Middle East sends oil and gas prices soaring sparking a fresh debate over drilling in the North Sea. Brent crude has soared from around $70 a barrel before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran to $105 today. It hit $119.50 a barrel last week. Last year was the first since 1964 that no new wells were drilled in the British North Sea with the industry blaming the windfall tax on profits and Ed Milibands ban on licences for exploration in new areas. The windfall tax or so-called Energy Profits Levy was introduced by the last Conservative government in 2022 as prices soared in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The 25 per cent levy was raised to 35 per cent in November 2022 and then to 38 per cent by Labour. That took the headline tax rate on oil and gas profits to 78 per cent among the highest in the world. Labour also extended its duration to March 2030 despite warnings that it is hitting investment and jobs. An Iranian man hailed as a hero for disarming one of the alleged Bondi massacre gunmen is still facing imminent deportation due to his criminal record. Footage of the December 14 atrocity showed the man running onto the footbridge where terrorist Sajid Akram and his son Naveed had been shot by police. ISIS-inspired Sajid Akram had been killed but Naveed Akram was only wounded and allegedly still clutching a firearm which the man kicked away from him. The man then backed away with his hands raised and shouted 'don't shoot' as police, who did not know how many gunmen were on the bridge, fired at him. Video captured the man - who does not wish to be identified and whom we will call Bridge Hero, or 'BH' - being attacked by members of the public who mistook him for one of the shooters. Fifteen innocent people were killed in the rampage, which ended when 50-year-old Sajid Akram was shot dead and his 24-year-old son was wounded and taken into custody. BH was reportedly jailed and tortured in Iran after taking part in anti-government protests as a young man, and later fled the brutal regime for safety in Australia. He has made a statement to NSW homicide squad detectives about what he saw and did during the Bondi massacre but is set to be thrown out of the country. An Iranian man hailed as a hero for disarming one of the alleged Bondi massacre gunmen is still facing imminent deportation due to his criminal record. The man (circled) is pictured after the shooting Footage of the December 14 atrocity showed the Iranian man running onto the footbridge where terrorist Sajid Akram and his son Naveed (above) had been shot by police Another man who showed extraordinary courage during the massacre, Israeli national Gefen Bitton, was almost immediately offered permanent Australian residency. Mr Bitton had been attending the Hanukkah celebrations on the beach when the Akrams allegedly opened fire on Jewish men, women and children. The 30-year-old ran to help tobacconist Ahmed Al Ahmed as he confronted Sajid Akram but was allegedly shot three times by Naveed Akram in the lower abdomen. Mr Bitton, a garage door technician who had been working in Australia for three years on a temporary visa, was flown home to Israel for ongoing treatment. Syrian-born Mr Al Ahmed, who famously pulled away the gun Sajid Akram was carrying before he was able to take up another firearm, was already an Australian citizen. BH's problem is he has a criminal record, which his lawyer describes as 'minor' but he is also facing a drug supply charge laid just a day before the shootings. BH, who lives in western Sydney with his pregnant Australian partner and two Australian children, had gone to Bondi the night before the massacre allegedly to deliver drugs. He was stopped by police who allegedly found cocaine in BH's possession and after being charged with drug supply spent a night in the cells at Surry Hills. Video captured the man - who does not wish to be identified - being attacked by members of the public who mistook him for one of the shooters. He is circled above ISIS-inspired Sajid Akram had been killed but Naveed Akram (above) was only wounded and allegedly still clutching a firearm which the man kicked away from him The following day BH caught a taxi back to Bondi to pick up his car but told the driver to stop when they both heard gunfire while approaching Campbell Parade. 'I just felt I needed to go and help,' he told the Australian Financial Review. BH said he made his way to the footbridge as he continued to hear gunfire and terrified civilians ran past him screaming. Sheltering behind a car with another man, he saw Naveed Akram allegedly exchanging shots with Detective Senior Constable Cesar Barraza. After Sajid Akram joined his son and while there was a lull in the shooting, BH took the chance to sprint to the stairs leading up to the bridge. During another break in fire BH ran up the stairs and found Sajid Akram dead and Naveed Akram injured. BH kicked a weapon away from Naveed Akram and came under fire, then put his hands behind his head and was ordered to the ground by police. 'Then someone came and started kicking me,' he said. Syrian-born Mr Al Ahmed, who famously pulled away the gun Sajid Akram was carrying before he was able to take up another firearm, was an Australian citizen before his Bondi heroics Israeli national Gefen Bitton (above in foreground) ran to help Ahmed Al Ahmed as he confronted Sajid Akram. Mr Bitton was offered permanent Australian residency Once police realised BH was not one of the gunmen and he was allowed to leave the scene he walked among the dead and wounded and tried to render assistance. Asked why he stormed the bridge, BH told the Australian Financial Review: 'It was my duty'. 'I just thought, "What if it was my family there?"' 'You see the fear and the danger and the sound of children and people running... we have to take care of our brothers and sisters and our children.' BH, who is Muslim, aged in his 30s and came to Australia from Iran as a political refugee in 2012, has only ever held a temporary humanitarian visa. His immigration lawyer, Alison Battison, said BH's life would be in danger if he returned to his homeland. Ms Battison conceded BH had a 'minor' criminal history for offences including common assault and domestic violence, which had not resulted in physical injuries. He was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting his partner and later served three months in jail for stalking and intimidating her. Ms Battison said BH's partner supported him. Frenchmen Silas Despreaux (left) and Damien Guerot (right) were among the heroes of the Westfield Bondi Junction massacre in April 2024. Both were granted permanent residency BH's humanitarian visa was cancelled because he failed the federal government's character test and after becoming an unlawful non-citizen he spent time in immigration detention. The Administrative Review Tribunal subsequently confirmed BH's refugee status and restored his visa before it was cancelled again. He faces deportation to the Nauru Regional Processing Centre where the South Pacific island nation has agreed to take refugees and asylum seekers Australia will not accept. Ms Battison told the Daily Mail the government was still 'actively moving' to have BH deported but she hoped her client's actions at Bondi would convince authorities he deserved to stay in Australia with his family. 'He's got an Australian partner and Australian children but he has no right to stay in Australia long-term to be with them,' she has previously said. 'It's open to public opinion as to whether somebody who put himself in significant danger to help the Australian community has earned a right to stay in Australia.' The Daily Mail asked Home Affairs more than a month ago whether it still intended to deport BH but has received no update on his case. After Mr Bitton's heroics at Bondi, his path to permanent residency was quickly cleared. Pakistani security guard Muhammad Taha (above) was wounded while trying to help a colleague during the Westfield Bondi Junction massacre. He was granted Australian residency Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited Mr Bitton at St Vincent's Hospital, where the injured man spent more than a fortnight in a coma and underwent at least eight operations. 'Gefen is a hero,' Mr Burke said. 'Without a moment's thought for his own safety, he ran to help Ahmed Al Ahmed. 'I was advised by Rabbi Mendel Kastel that Gefen and his family wanted Gefen to become a permanent resident. 'Of all the things he is now dealing with, at least this gives him one less challenge to worry about. 'I told him Australia is a better place with him here, and he is welcome to continue to come here for the rest of his life.' Mr Bitton had also been visited in St Vincent's by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Two foreign bystanders who went to the aid of others at the April 2024 mass stabbing at Westfield Bondi Junction were granted permanent residency. Frenchman Damien Guerot gained fame as 'Bollard Man' for fending off schizophrenic knifeman Joel Cauchi after the 40-year-old had killed six victims and injured 10 others. Mr Guerot and his countryman Silas Despreaux accompanied the first police officer at the shopping centre, Inspector Amy Scott, as she hunted down Cauchi and shot him dead. Pakistani security guard Muhammad Taha was wounded while trying to help his colleague Faraz Tahir, who was among those killed in the attack. Mr Albanese repeatedly thanked Mr Guerot and Mr Tahir for what they did at the time and welcomed them both as Australian residents. 'These are people who were putting themselves in danger in order to protect Australians who they didn't know,' he said. 'And that's the sort of courage that we want to say "thank you" to, frankly.' Mr Despreaux was already eligible for citizenship. Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder, and one of committing a terrorist act. An innocent man arrested after an AI system wrongly identified him as a burglar says police should not be allowed to use the technology because of their 'racial bias' and the software's 'horrific' error rate. Alvi Choudhury, 26, was working from home in Southampton at the house he shares with his parents on January 7 when officers arrested him and held him in custody for 10 hours. Thames Valley Police's (TVP's) automated facial recognition system had matched his mugshot - taken after he was falsely arrested five years ago - to a clip of a thief who stole 3,000 and some jewellery from Milton Keynes Buddhist Vihara a month earlier. He was finally freed with no further action at 2am after cops realised he was not the man in the CCTV clip. Software engineer Mr Choudhury is now suing police and says he wants both cash and an apology to make up for the miserable ordeal. He told the Daily Mail he blames the software - which returns false matches 4 per cent of the time among Asian faces - and the detectives analysing the clips. Mr Choudhury said: 'No tech company would ever put a system into production with a failure rate of one in 25. That's horrific. It is filled with bugs. 'They said they had officers visually review it. That is even more concerning because that is probably racial discrimination. 'You've probably just seen two brown people, even though they have completely different features and said, "yeah, they look close enough. Let's arrest them."' According to Mr Choudhury, CCTV footage of the crime featured a younger man who looked different to him in every way except for their shared curly hair. TVP said that another man, Eduard Zlatineanu, 23, had been arrested on the day of the crime and pleaded guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court just five days after Mr Choudhury's false arrest. A second offender who helped steal the loot from a charity fund for Sri Lanka floods victims at the vihara remains unidentified. The force confirmed Mr Choudhury's arrest was 'based on the investigating officers' own visual assessment' following the initial automated match. 'They saw I was a match, so they could have done some research, some background information on me and not just look at the two pictures and come and arrest me,' Mr Choudhury added. 'If they did any actual detective work, they would have crossed me out straight away, even if their facial recognition system identified me as a suspect.' Alvi Choudhury is suing the police after facial recognition confused him for a burglar in a town 100 miles away and says 'lazy' detectives are to blame for his arrest not the faulty system After being arrested at 4pm by Hampshire Constabulary officers - carrying out the arrest on behalf of TVP, the software engineer was finally interviewed at around midnight. But it took just 10 minutes for questioning to conclude, wwith detectives satisfied he was not in fact the person captured on the CCTV clip. 'When I was released, police were laughing because they saw the footage and it was clearly two different people,' Mr Choudhury said. 'The TVP officer admitted to me that before she even interviewed me, she knew I wasn't the suspect because she had seen my custody photos and she had seen the footage of the suspect and she knew straight away.' The software engineer's mugshot was on the system after a previous false arrest in 2021 while he was a student in Portsmouth. On that occasion, he and his group of four women and four men were attacked by a gang of eight to 10 men while getting a takeaway following a night out. As his friend lay there with his teeth knocked out and Mr Choudhury nursed wounds 'all over his head', the group were stunned to see that police were arriving not to help them - but to arrest them. He was questioned after 16 to 17 hours in custody and arrested once police became aware that another couple had been attacked on the same night. It was only when officers watched CCTV of both attacks that Mr Choudhury was finally cleared. They said his info and DNA would be removed from the system but his face was still on the software when he was arrested in January. 'Now they have another photo of me, in theory, with this facial recognition system, they will match me double the amount of times,' he added. 'I could keep getting arrested.' The facial recognition software is far from fool-proof and Home Office research revealed in December that matches for black faces are false positives 5.5 per cent of the time, far higher than the 0.04 per cent of white face matches which result in false positives. The systems are generally approved by individual police forces, but the Home Office has pushed for their implementation and procured the German algorithm used to trawl through around 19million mugshots on the national database. They run around 25,000 searches a month and, according to the National Police Chiefs' Council, the matches should be treated as intelligence and not fact. And Mr Choudhury has called for the Government to take responsibility for the system's shortcomings and review its use. He said: 'They really need to look at this. Someone needs to be held accountable and there needs to be consequences, new laws and legislations implemented to protect members of the public. 'There needs to be legislation on how AI facial recognition systems are used. There needs to be an investigation into the police force and they need to have more professionalism in how they carry out their work.' Mr Choudhury recalled how he was not even allowed to collect his coat as officers placed him in handcuffs and searched his parents' property. 'I just said, "Hello officers, I'm not in any trouble am I?" as a joke,' he added. 'I have never even been to Milton Keynes, I was at work on the day, I would have had meetings, would have spoken to clients and my internal team, would have gone to Tesco during my lunch break, would have had bank transactions in Southampton.' Mr Choudhury was concerned officers were trying to plant evidence as he waited outside and asked if he could watch them search his room. Once at the station, the software engineer initially refused to have a custody photo taken, given his disappointment over his previous mugshot being kept on the system, before later agreeing to it. He recalled how he was kept in a dark, echoey cell - silent but for the sound of water dripping. Warren Rajah was last month marched out of his local Sainsbury's by staff after facial recognition correctly identified an offender was inside - but staff ejected the wrong man Despite being cleared shortly after questioning, Mr Choudhury is worried the repercussions of his latest false arrest might bring him strife at work. The software engineer has Home Office and Met Police security clearance and his ordeal had to be declared. 'This just now looks very suspicious,' he said. Police and crime commissioners have warned of 'concerning in-built bias' and insisted that while 'there is no evidence of adverse impact in any individual case, that is more by luck than design'. A TVP spokesperson previously said: 'While we apologise for the distress caused to the complainant in this case, their arrest was based on the investigating officers' own visual assessment that the individual matched the suspect in CCTV footage following a retrospective facial recognition match, and was not influenced by racial profiling. 'To confirm, retrospective facial recognition technology did initially provide intelligence, but did not determine the arrest. 'Although later enquiries eliminated the individual from the investigation, this does not make the arrest unlawful. 'We continue to use policing tools responsibly while striving to improve and build trust in our communities.' Hampshire Constabulary previously declined to comment. Mr Choudhury's lawyer, Iain Gould of DPP Law said: 'This isn't policing by consent, and nor is it policing by common sense. 'In this case, the police have been playing AI lottery with peoples lives, and Alvi has been wrongly arrested; now the police must pay the price for that.' In response to Mr Choudhury's ordeal, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: 'When used in a way which respects and protects peoples rights, facial recognition and similar technologies may help to combat serious crime and keep people safe. 'However, as we have seen, there is a danger that these technologies can be inaccurate and falsely identify people. 'The data shows that there are racial disparities for false positive identification, causing human rights infringements and distress to those affected. 'That means we need clear rules, to guarantee that facial recognition technology is used only where necessary, proportionate and constrained by appropriate safeguards. 'To ensure the new framework is being followed correctly, a new independent body should be established with appropriate enforcement and oversight powers to ensure compliance.' Last month an innocent Sainsbury's customer was marched out of his local store by staff after facial recognition software correctly identified an offender was inside - but staff ejected the wrong man. Warren Rajah was in the Elephant and Castle branch of the supermarket when two members of staff and a security guard suddenly escorted him outside in what he described as 'the most humiliating moment of his life'. When the 42-year-old asked why, they pointed to a sign showing that the store used facial recognition technology. In fact, they had mistaken him for someone who was on the system for shoplifting who had also entered the store at the same time. It came after South Wales Police in January paid damages to a black man who was identified as a possible match to a stalking suspect despite being 32nd on the list of suggested matches on the facial recognition technology. A victim of a high-profile child predator who once ran a refuge for homeless children has issued a chilling warning after the dangerous offender was released from jail with the details of his whereabouts kept secret. Simon Davies, 69, groomed boys in Sydney's Kings Cross during the 1980s and was released from custody on Tuesday after serving less than five years. Davies, a former adviser to the Australian, US and British governments, fled the country before a global manhunt eventually saw him extradited from the Netherlands in 2021 to face trial. After pleading guilty to five child abuse charges, including buggery, he was sentenced to ten years in jail, with a non-parole period of six years and three months. Now one of his victims, Glen Fisher, has broken his silence with a warning about the man he says destroyed countless young lives. 'This guy is a narcissistic abuser and there is no doubt in my mind that he will reoffend,' he told Daily Mail. 'The world needs to know this man and I will make sure they do. 'He ran a children's refuge for the most vulnerable kids on the street, many of whom have since passed away. Simon Davies, 69, (pictured) groomed vulnerable boys in Kings Cross during the 1980s and was released from custody on Tuesday Glen Fisher, has broken his silence with a stark warning about the man he says destroyed countless young lives Davies ran this shelter for vulnerable kids in Sydney's Kings Cross 'Many of whom we'll never hear from because they couldn't find their voice. I don't just speak for me, I speak for them. I'm angry, but I'm not broken.' NSW State Parole Authority confirmed Davies had faced a hearing in December and would be transferred into the custody of Australian Border Force ahead of deportation to the UK. Mr Fisher says because he is a victim, he was informed ahead of time and also told his abuser would be held at a deportation facility. However the statement also noted that '...if he remains or returns to Australia, he will be subject to mandatory electronic monitoring and must comply with the following parole conditions'. Australian Border Force said it could not confirm if or when Davies would be deported or release any further information about him because of privacy restrictions. Mr Fisher has slammed the lack of transparency and says the public deserves to know exactly where Davies is at all times. He also issued a blunt message directly to the convicted predator. 'This is to you, Simon, you're a f***ing koala bear - a protected species,' he said. 'I think it's unfair, you'll be taken from the jail by Border Force, put into some kind of secluded area and then gently put onto the plane. Glen Fisher was just 14 when he found himself living on the streets Mr Fisher wants everyone to know the whereabouts of his abuser 'And once you get off the plane, you won't even have to wear a monitor or report to anyone.' Mr Fisher was just 14 when he started living on the streets and moved into the Homeless Children's Association hostel. Along with dozens of other vulnerable boys, he was told he would receive help getting his life together. Instead, he endured years of abuse at the hands of men who used their positions of trust to prey on the children placed in their care. Mr Fisher gave evidence against Davies in 1996, named him again in statements in 2012 and once more in 2015 during hearings before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. But despite the repeated allegations and investigations, Davies had already fled Australia in 1993. An arrest warrant was issued for him in 2016, followed by an Interpol red notice the following year, as authorities launched a global appeal to track him down. 'The system is a joke, they put out a red notice on him and somehow he got to the Netherlands and negotiated 17 charges down to just five,' Mr Fisher said. Davies was extradited from the Netherlands to Australia in 2021 Join the discussion Should child predators' locations always be made public after release, regardless of privacy laws? 'But that little frightened boy that he remembers is now guarded by a very different man. 'And when he gets back to the UK, I want him to be branded for the rest of his life as the serial grub that he is.' Mr Fisher bravely waived his right to anonymity during the trials and says he did so to protect children everywhere. He has also written a book, Predators Paradise, A Journey Of Survival And Resilience. He added: 'I am going to make it my mission to make sure the whole world knows what he did. This voice will never be silenced.' It all started with a scandalous flyer taped to a lamp post on Manhattan's exclusive Upper East Side. 'ATTN SPENCE FAMILIES,' it demanded in bold black lettering. What came next stopped parents and nannies in their tracks. The anonymous poster named a female staffer at Spence, the aforementioned $70,000-a-year private school, who 'is having an affair with her subordinate'. The subordinate, the flyer went on, 'is MARRIED (with a 3 year old son.)' The flyer and its contents quickly made their way to the pages of local city newspapers and Facebook mom groups. And ever since, it's been the whispered talk of many a New York dinner party. Now, the Daily Mail can reveal more sordid details of the alleged affair - and the person who plastered the city with it. It all began with this flyer, plastered to lamp posts on the Upper East Side, near the Spence school It was the male subordinate's father-in-law, furious at his son-in-law, and determined to expose what he'd allegedly done. 'I did it because we all felt lied to, my daughter is in pain, her life is ruined,' the wronged woman's father told the Daily Mail. 'He had been cheating for a year, and she stayed with him because they have a kid.' 'He fooled her, fooled the family, he ruined our daughter's life. No one believes a word he says,' the scorned woman's mother said. The Daily Mail is not naming the parties involved. But we can reveal that the scandal long predates this recent bout of notoriety. Both staffers are longtime employees of the elite school, with one employed there for nearly 15 years. The Daily Mail is withholding their titles, but the alleged other woman, 41, is someone the married man, 35, reports to. 'They've attended events together at the school claiming it was for work, and meanwhile they were publicly on a date,' said his father-in-law. 'Who knows what went on at the school.' The Daily Mail has learned one of the teachers allegedly involved in the affair is a married father of one (left) His 29-year-old daughter met the man in 2015 at a gym. They married in 2020 and renewed their vows just two years later, in 2022, once COVID restrictions had been lifted. Barely a year later, he is said to have embarked on an affair with his colleague. He would, according to his father-in-law, disappear for extended periods of time, claiming he was working. 'She believed he was working, she never thought he would ever in a million years carry on with an affair,' he said. In October 2024, the wife received a letter to her home address from an anonymous woman claiming to be her husband's mistress. The return name and address was listed as artist Georgia O'Keeffe at the Guggenheim museum. O'Keeffe famously had an long term affair with married photographer Alfred Stieglitz. The Daily Mail has seen and read the letter in full. It is signed 'Regretfully, J.' The lengthy typewritten letter started off with, 'I understand you may not want to hear from me.' She described herself as 'the other woman' and continued to tell her 'I feel you deserve to know the truth.' In the letter she proceeded to share that her husband did not wear his wedding ring and when she asked if he was married he told her 'only married on paper' and that was the first time 'he kissed me.' He told her it was 'complicated' and then told him to return when 'it was not.' She wrote, 'this seemed to motivate him to try even hard to convince and seduce me.' She admitted that 'against her better judgement,' she 'eventually gave in.' She continued, 'if you ever wondered where he was on Thanksgiving night, he spent it with me. We also shared Christmas together. In January, we had a pregnancy scare.' 'When I said I would keep the baby, he assured me he would stay by my side. It was at that point that I insisted he make a decision and be honest with you,' she wrote. The wife kicked him out that night, but decided a few weeks later she'd give it another chance. The husband begged her forgiveness and the two entered couples therapy every Thursday for the next year. They had their own baby, who is now three. Meanwhile, both the husband and the alleged mistress continued working at Spence. According to the wife's mother, her son-in-law rekindled the affair sometime in the fall of 2025. He was caught for the second time when his wife looked at his phone and found nude selfies of him with the woman he'd previously cheated with, she said. There were also 'I love you' texts, and images of the two together on Valentine's Day 2026, a day he claimed to be working on an off-campus gig. 'Some are the pictures are dated on days they both should have been at work and instead called out to roam around the city together like a couple,' the wife's father said. The wife has retained a lawyer and is planning to file for divorce. The husband left the couple's home in mid-February. The wife's parents say their daughter has not received any monetary help from the husband since he left. 'We have a close family, two daughters, and we love them and our grandkids more than anything. I mainly wanted Spence to know what was going on at the school,' her father said. The parents say their daughter has 'lost all hope' on loving and trusting another man ever again, but say she is so young, they believe she will overcome this. The prestigious Spence School on East 91st Street counts actresses and stars among alumni 'She's a schoolteacher she has to be present for her job. She also danced and acted for many years, so she knows how to present a good face. She is very strong,' the mom said. As for the school, when they were alerted, staffers tore the first batch of flyers down, the wife's dad went back and replaced them. Now, the alleged entanglement and the subsequent revenge is the talk of the ritzy neighborhood. One Upper East side mom who runs in Spence circles said talk of the flyersand the affairhave not stopped since the posters were first spotted. I did it because we all felt lied to, my daughter is in pain, her life is ruined' 'We were at a moms dinner in the West Village and people were passing their phones around with the flyer that shows the names for anyone who lives downtown and hadn't seen it,' she told Daily Mail. In a private Facebook chat group called Moms of the Upper East Side, which has over 55,000 members, the alleged affair is the dominant topic. 'It's all the kids are talking about.... it's a terrible example for young girls. 'In the very least, if the affair is verified, these people should be fired. Workplace romance isn't allowed in most corporate offices because it distracts workers and causes power imbalance...but it's ok to normalize to our kids?' Another wrote: 'I'm here for this. Go, p****d off wife, go!' 'Look at you all looking for gossip but so am I, we need a follow up,' said another. One mom wrote a simple, 'So unhinged but I love it.' The two employees have not been spotted at the school since being named on the posters, multiple sources said. A spokesperson for Spence School refused to give any details. Gwyneth Paltrow and Kerry Washington are among Spence's esteemed alumni 'We will not be providing comment for your story,' they said. Students know the alleged adulterers well. When approached by Daily Mail on Monday, two students walking towards East 91 Street and Madison Avenue where the school is located easily named the duo. 'Oh, the scandal,' one of the girls said. 'The affair. The guy has been at the school for over 15 years. It's crazy.' Of the woman involved, she added: 'Now the parents don't like her. No one has seen her all week.' Whispers of the alleged lovers have also circulated to different parts of the city. At Eli's Zabar, a cafe down the block from the school, one of the moms whose children attend a different private school downtown admitted she heard about the gossip on social media, saw the flyers and said, 'I am sure it happens more than we realize,' she said. Along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Spence also counts Kerry Washington, Emmy Rossum, Georgina Bloomberg, Anna Wintour's daughter Bee Shaffer and makeup mogul Aerin Lauder as alumni. It's not the first scandal Spence has weathered. In 2024, a longtime French teacher claimed the elite, all-girls school fired her for making Islamophobic comments to students. At the time. the Spence School said that they do not comment 'on personnel matters or active litigation.' In 2020, Spence was named among a number elite New York schools where black students said they faced racism. 'We salute our students and alumnae for their strong voices; we thank them for their loyalty, for their activism and for their love of school,' said a response statement put out by Spence at the time. Outside the school on Monday, one mom said she had heard all about the alleged forbidden romance in a group chat and saw the bombshell flyers. 'It happens,' she said. Baby killer Lucy Letby has appointed a barrister who once stood trial and was acquitted of sexual grooming of a teenage boy to represent her at inquests into the deaths of her victims. The Daily Mail has learned that Anton van Dellen, 55, will be the former neo-natal nurses counsel at any future coroners court hearings. Dr van Dellen, originally from South Africa, is a qualified doctor and worked as a surgeon and senior manager in the NHS, including as deputy chief executive of Staffordshire Ambulance Service and head of the Welsh Ambulance Service, before studying law at Cambridge and being called to the bar in 2010. Two years later, however, in November 2012, he went on trial at Basildon Crown Court accused of grooming a 15-year-old boy for sex after befriending him on Facebook. He allegedly drove the teenager, from Benfleet, Essex, to a secluded spot before locking the doors of his car and encouraging him to carry out a sex act. Dr van Dellen denied one charge of meeting a child aged under 16 after sexual grooming, saying he was not interested in sex with the boy, who made the first advances towards him, and was subsequently cleared by a jury. The barrister, who is based at Fraser Chambers, in London, is a specialist in defamation and privacy law. He carries out regular pro bono work and also sits as a coroner in West London. According to his profile on the chambers website, he qualified as a doctor and surgeon at the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, in 1994. However, he no longer practices medicine after removing himself from the medical register in May 2010. Anton van Dellen (pictured) has been appointed to represent Letby at inquests into the deaths of her victims. In November 2012, he went on trial at Basildon Crown Court accused of grooming a 15-year-old boy for sex after befriending him on Facebook. Dr van Dellen denied the allegations and was acquitted Lucy Letby, 36, is serving a record 15 whole life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more one of whom she attacked twice at the Countess of Chester Hospital, between June 2015 and June 2016. Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, opened inquests into the deaths of five of Letby's victims in February Dr van Dellen has also delivered expert witness training for medics via the Royal Society of Medicine and provided a range of other medico-legal training for other NHS organisations. Notable cases he has been involved with include the inquests into the victims of serial rapist and killer Stephen Port, who is serving a whole life sentence for the murder of four young gay men and a string of sex assaults between June 2014 and September 2015. Dr van Dellen represented the partner of Daniel Whitworth, one of Ports victims, at the hearings which concluded that failings by the Metropolitan Police left Port free to continue his killing spree. More recently, he also presided over the inquest of Strictly Come Dancing star Robin Windsor, 44, who took his own life, in February 2024, and the inquest of Michael Brudenell-Bruce, the 8th Marquess of Ailesbury, who killed himself by throwing himself out of the window of his London home, in May the same year. Inquests into the deaths of five of Letby's victims were opened and adjourned last month. The babies, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were among seven infants murdered by the former neo-natal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, between June 2015 and June 2016. Letby, formerly of Hereford, has always maintained her innocence but has twice failed to be given leave to appeal her convictions. Her legal team have submitted reports from new medical experts to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which reviews potential miscarriages of justice, in a bid to get her case heard by Court of Appeal judges a third time. Mark McDonald, Letby's other barrister, who is leading her bid for freedom, has claimed that opening the inquests was a cynical attempt to alter the babies death certificates the original certificates stated that the infants died of natural causes - at a time when Letby's guilt is being challenged. Mark McDonald, Letby's other barrister, who is leading her bid for freedom, has submitted new expert evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. He says it casts doubts on her convictions and warrants further consideration by the Court of Appeal Letby was granted interested party status by Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, at the inquests, which means her lawyers will be entitled to receive evidence, ask questions to witnesses and make legal arguments. At a hearing last month, Ms Devonish formally opened and adjourned inquests into the deaths of Baby C, a premature baby boy murdered on the hospital's neo-natal unit in June 2015; Baby E, a twin boy murdered in August 2015; Baby I, a premature baby girl killed in October 2015, and Babies O and P, two triplet brothers murdered on successive shifts, in June 2016. Brief details of each child's birth, collapse and subsequent death were read out by coroner's officer Detective Inspector Darren Reid, who said the inquests had been requested because there was a 'reason to suspect an unnatural death.' Ms Devonish said she was formally suspending the hearings until after Lady Justice Kathryn Thirlwall, the judge overseeing the public inquiry investigating Letby's crimes, had delivered her report later this year. Ms Devonish said there would be a further review of the cases on May 5, before full inquests are held over two weeks from September 14. An inquest has already been held into the death of Baby A, a twin boy who was Letby's first victim and was killed in June 2015. A coroner recorded a narrative conclusion into his death, in October 2016, which stated it could not be determined what caused the youngster's collapse and subsequent death, or whether it was due to a natural or unnatural event. The court heard his parents do not want his inquest reopened. Letby was removed from clinical duties in July 2016 after consultant paediatricians raised concerns that she may be deliberately harming babies but those fears were not mentioned at Baby A's inquest. Cheshire Constabulary was not called in by hospital bosses until May 2017 to investigate an spike in baby deaths. An inquest has also previously been opened, in January 2016, into the death of Baby D, a full-term baby girl, who was also murdered in June the previous year. The coronial investigation was later suspended as criminal proceedings got under way. Ms Devonish further suspended the inquest into her death to the same review and inquest dates later this year. Letby is serving a record 15 whole life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more one of whom she attacked twice over two trials at Manchester Crown Court, in August 2023 and July 2024. At an earlier hearing Richard Baker KC, representing families of the deceased babies, said the inquests should not be used as a 'collateral attack' on Letby's convictions. He said the coroner was 'bound' by the guilty verdicts in law and 'couldn't act in any way that is inconsistent with them.' Mr McDonald claimed he was 'acutely aware' that the inquests were 'not the forum to re-litigate the convictions.' But he claimed there were 'systemic' problems on the hospital's neo-natal unit when the babies died. In January, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced it would not bring further charges against Letby. Cheshire Constabulary had submitted files of evidence to consider alleged offences of murder and attempted murder related to two infants who died and seven who survived. However, CPS chiefs concluded the evidential test was not met in any of the cases. It was the most secretive celebrity wedding of the 20th century John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette slipping away to a remote Georgia island to tie the knot in front of fewer than three dozen of their nearest and dearest. The president's dashingly handsome son and his sylphlike blonde bride were such an intensely monitored couple that just one slip in their security would ruin the day as the paparazzi would gather and potentially disrupt the nuptials. So, everything had to go according to plan. No-one, not even John and Carolyn's closest friends, could know anything. No photographs could leak out. No details could be known in advance. No chance could be taken that one of that tiny band of friends and relatives might let slip that the most famous couple of their time were getting married on Saturday, September 21, 1996. 'We all pulled off the coup of the century that weekend,' Carole Radziwill, the wife of John's cousin and best man Anthony, previously told the Daily Mail. 'John Kennedy Jr, the most famous man in the world, got married on a pastoral remote island off the coast of Georgia and no one knew. 'Not a paparazzi in sight.' Interest in the charismatic but ultimately doomed couple has surged again thanks to the FX miniseries Love Story, which has introduced their whirlwind romance and their tragic end in a 1999 plane crash to a new generation of fans. John F. Kennedy Jr had the look of love in his eyes as he danced closely with bride Carolyn Bessette when they took to the floor on the night of their wedding. She wore his jacket to keep out the evening chill 'We all pulled off the coup of the century that weekend. John Kennedy Jr, the most famous man in the world got married on a pastoral remote island off the coast of Georgia and no one knew. Not a paparazzi in sight,' Carole Radziwill told the Daily Mail Real Housewife Carole Radziwill married Anthony Radziwill (right), John's cousin, in 1994. They were the closest of friends with John and Carolyn As recounted in the series, John, then 35, and Carolyn, 30, were married in the First African Baptist Church on Cumberland Island, Georgia, with the reception at the Greyfield Inn. 'There were wild horses and wildflowers. It was untouched and bucolic,' recalled Radziwill, 62, who was Carolyn's closest friend and went on to become a Real Housewife of New York City. She recalled the down-to-the-last-detail planning that went into making the wedding such a success. The guests, culled from dozens of family members and friends, were not told the wedding location beforehand. They were simply instructed to pack for a weekend trip and keep their schedules flexible. Many thought they were attending a small gathering or party, not a wedding. They were flown on private charter flights from Boston and New York to Brunswick, Georgia, a small coastal airport about 15 miles from Cumberland Island and chosen deliberately to avoid any potential media attention. Each one was given a coin a special Indian nickel which they had to present upon landing on the island. Those who could not would be 'quickly escorted off,' said Radziwill. 'It was the most famous wedding of the year the decade,' she added. It was less than three years after their wedding that they were killed when the private plane John was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean as they were on the way to the wedding of his cousin Rory Kennedy The tiny church was illuminated by candles after the wedding ran late. It was almost past sundown when the Reverend Charles O'Byrne was ready to start the ceremony but the church lacked electricity so it was getting worryingly dark Guests celebrated the night before the ceremony at the historic Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island 'And no one but the 32 close friends and family who arrived, knew.' Like any couple, John and Carolyn wanted a record of their big day. But a professional videographer would have risked word of the ceremony leaking out. So they got Billy Noonan, John's closest childhood friend from Hyannis Port, to tape it on a mid-1990s style camcorder. The footage was first seen in JFK Jr & Carolyn's Wedding: The Lost Tapes, a 2019 TLC special. 'I know that organizing a Kennedy wedding is not like invading Iraq. But it seemed that way,' Noonan said in the documentary. The wedding was ultimately a success but nothing went entirely as planned, according to guests. The rehearsal dinner was held the night before the wedding outside at the Greyfield Inn, with JFK Jr's uncle, the late Senator Edward Kennedy, toasting the couple and acting 'very much the patriarch,' Noonan recalled in the Lost Tapes. The couple exchanged vows at the tiny First African Baptist Church on Georgia's remote Cumberland Island 'Most of all we want to thank the Bessettes,' Senator Kennedy jokingly told Carolyn's family, 'since you're not just getting a son-in-law but gaining 75 Kennedys.' 'He was the only adult there from John's family,' Noonan told viewers in reference to the older Kennedy generation, since John's mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, had died two years earlier. In the dim, shaky video taken during the rehearsal dinner, JFK Jr. can also be seen addressing the small group of guests that included his sister, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, who also served as Carolyn's matron of honor, and two of his closest cousins, Anthony Radziwill who was his best man and Timothy Shriver. 'Carolyn and I owe all of you a great debt of gratitude,' Kennedy says, thanking friends and family for helping keep the surprise ceremony hidden from the media. 'We realize that we imposed certain conditions upon this event, and they may at the time have seemed extreme. 'But what was really important for us was to be able to have a collection of people who we really love, who make our lives interesting and meaningful, and to give both of us, in our relationship going forward, a sense of connection with the people in our lives and in our families.' 'So many people have gone through great efforts one way or another Everybody here too many to mention has really extended themselves in ways that, for this quiet occasion, have meant the world to us,' he said. 'We are so happy that you all could be here. In some ways, with you all doing this having all of you as integral parts of our lives I look forward to getting to know Carolyn's family more.' 'My wife has changed my life in a way that I never thought was possible,' he added. Anthony Radziwill hugs Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy on her wedding night in September, 1996 The RHONY star described the close bond between Anthony (left) and John Jr (right): 'They were the odd couple. John scattered and impulsive; Anthony methodical and sensible. They couldn't live without each other, and they didn't' Carolyn posing on back of a car with a friend. 'My wife has changed my life in a way that I never thought was possible,' John said after the ceremony Carole's late husband Anthony Radziwill on John's wedding day in 1996. Anthony was John's closest friend and best man 'Today she has made me the happiest man alive.' The following day the actual wedding day - was more challenging. Carolyn, her twin sister Lauren and Carole Radziwill organized the flowers for the wedding. 'We spent hours cutting the stems off of dozens of big Alaskan white roses that afternoon, arranging them in silver buckets for the dinner tables,' Radziwill told the Daily Mail in 2019. 'John came by at one point, just to hang out. He felt obligated to weigh in, though, on the buckets. "Three per table," he said. "Hey, I know what I'm doing. I got this." 'It was a wild guess.' 'It was that kind of carefree day.' added Radziwill, whose husband Anthony died just three years later from cancer a month after John and Carolyn's deaths. 'We were all happy to be there, we had a wedding that night. John was flirting with his just hours-away wife. He shrugged at our eye-roll, she giggled at his charm.' 'There were wild horses and wildflowers. It was untouched and bucolic,' recalled Radziwill JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette were one of the most photographed couples of the 1990s Carole Radziwill also recalled the moment of panic that set in as the time of the evening wedding got near. 'All of us overdue at the small chapel and waiting on him, he ran panicked to our room. '"I can't find my shirt. Anthony!" He was accusing. "Where is it? What'd you do?" 'It was their childhood summed up in five frantic minutes, three decades of hi jinks and pranks between two men with an unshakeable bond. 'Anthony didn't hide John's shirt. John didn't know where it was. Anthony found the shirt. 'They were the odd couple. John scattered and impulsive; Anthony methodical and sensible. They couldn't live without each other, and they didn't.' Guests had to be ferried to the tiny wooden church in the woods by pickup trucks that careened down dirt paths. But the church had not been opened up and cleaned for years, which took time and then both JFK Jr and Carolyn were late. Kennedy's friends say he was notoriously forgetful and absent-minded and known for being tardy. The missing shirt added to the delay. But Carolyn also turned up late, because there were last-minute problems with her now fabled slip wedding dress by Narciso Rodriguez. It was almost past sundown when the Reverend Charles O'Byrne was ready to start the ceremony but the church lacked electricity so it was getting worryingly dark. Candles were located at the last minute to illuminate the proceedings. The video's rough quality was perhaps because Noonan, who had been part of Kennedy's tight-knit circle since their teenage years in Hyannis Port, was a stockbroker by trade at the time and not a videographer. Noonan, played by actor Nathan Kohnen in Love Story, later wrote about the friendship in his 2006 memoir, Forever Young, and released the long-guarded footage as part of the 2019 TLC special. Today, the man who filmed that fleeting moment of happiness lives quietly on Cape Cod at age 67 and appears reluctant to revisit the past. 'He's kind of a recluse,' his brother John Noonan, assistant recreation director for the town of Barnstable, told the Daily Mail. 'He's become a shell of himself in recent years. I'm not even sure where he is.' When reached by phone, Noonan made clear he has little interest in revisiting the past or discussing the renewed fascination with Kennedy and Bessette. 'He wasn't 'John-John' to me he was just my friend John,' he said. One of Britain's worst paedophiles who convinced nursery monster Vanessa George to abuse dozens of children has launched a fresh bid for freedom. Vile Colin Blanchard is being assessed by Parole experts two years after he was refused release because he still had 'extreme sexual interests'. They could soon decide to release him back in the community, despite a report in 2024 which said the former IT expert was still 'deflecting' and 'minimising' responsibility for his offending. Blanchard convinced nursery worker George to abuse 64 babies and toddlers in her care at a nursery in Plymouth in one of the most shocking cases of child abuse in Britain. The 54-year-old was handed an indeterminate sentence in 2011 for sex abuse charges and was told he would serve at least nine years. He has so far been inside for 14 years. His case will be assessed by a panel of experts in the coming weeks who will analyse any progress he has apparently made in the last two years and his behaviour in prison. But the case will no doubt cause anger among victims and their families, especially after such a damning report just two years ago. One source said: 'This will no doubt spark anger among those impacted by his vile crimes and those of Vanessa George. Vile Colin Blanchard, 54, is being assessed by Parole experts two years after he was refused release because he still had 'extreme sexual interests' Blanchard convinced Vanessa George to abuse 64 babies and toddlers in her care at Little Ted's nursery in Efford, Plymouth before sending him videos of the vile acts Police officers outside Little Ted's Child Day Care Unit in Laira, Plymouth, after it was closed 'It was a harrowing case and many will argue he should never be released.' During his sentencing at Bristol Crown Court in 2011, Blanchard was described as a 'Svengali' figure at the centre of one of the 'most sickening paedophile rings this country has ever seen'. Blanchard persuaded a string of middle-aged women he met on Facebook to abuse children for his sexual pleasure. Angela Allen and Tracy Lyons, who were both jailed for their roles in the ring, have already been released from prison. Police uncovered their activities only when Blanchard forgot to log out of his personal email account and his business partner spotted images of child abuse at the firm in Manchester. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm the parole review of Colin Blanchard has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. Angela Allen (pictured left) and Tracy Lyons (pictured right), who were both jailed for their roles in the ring, have already been released from prison 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. 'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. 'Protecting the public is our number one priority.' A furious row has erupted between the two Government parties amid claims that Fianna Fail politicians are being deliberately excluded from photo-ops and constituency announcements made by Fine Gael ministers, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal. And Fianna Fail ministers and TDs plan to make official complaints about what they describe as rampant, industrial-level exclusion from ribbon-cutting events. The row comes amid ever-deteriorating relations between the old Civil War rivals. Ministers and TDs who have participated in previous coalitions in some instances up to 20 years ago this weekend said they could not recall such bad relations between Government parties. Independent TDs who have also worked in previous coalitions also said they are increasingly concerned about the stability of the Government as a result of infighting, bad interpersonal relations and internal party rivalries. Simmering tensions boiled over this week after a visit by Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill touted by many in her own party to be the next leader of Fine Gael to Limerick. At the announcement of a new hospital in Limerick were, from left, Fine Gael councillor Paul Murphy, unknown HSE staff member, Fine Gael senator Maria Byrne, Fine Gael Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Culture and Sport Minister Patrick ODonovan (Fine Gael), HSE Midwest Regional Executive Officer Sandra Broderick, Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney, and HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster A large number of Fine Gael public representatives from the Midwest region including an opposition TD were invited to attend the good news announcement of the 14million purchase of a 44-acre site for a new hospital in Raheen. Ministerial visits to constituencies are considered vital to TDs, particularly those elected by tight margins, as they are associated with investment in their areas. The opening of hospital construction projects and other infrastructural schemes are especially important. Ministerial visits also provide welcome publicity and morale boosts, as they are invariably accompanied by press conferences and photo opportunities. Although dirty tricks around official launches and ministerial constituency visits are not unheard of, Fianna Fail ministers, TDs and senators this weekend said there has been a significant escalation since the November 2024 general election. After Ms Carroll MacNeills visit to Limerick, Cathal Crowe, who is the TD for the neighbouring constituency, raised the matter with his colleagues on a private Fianna Fail parliamentary party WhatsApp chat. At 14.02, on Tuesday, Mr Crowe wrote alongside a picture of the minster surrounded by Fine Gael colleagues at the announcement: FF have 6 Oireachtas reps in the mid-west and every one of us was excluded from this ministerial announcement today, regarding the purchase of a new 42-acre site to establish a new hospital. A minute later, Limerick County TD and junior minister Niall Collins said: Agreed, all FG TDs, senators and councillors [in photo]. We werent informed of the event. Mr Crowe replied sarcastically: I contacted Minister Carroll MacNeills office the excuse was very elaborate were so sorry, we forgot. Fianna Fail Deputy Whip Paul McAuliffe then entered the conversation, saying: Cathal, can I suggest you make direct contact with Deirdre [Gillane, Taoiseachs chief of staff] on that this morning. Totally unacceptable. At 14.09, Cork North-Central TD Padraig OSullivan posted another photograph of Limerick Fine Gael minister Patrick ODonovan with Limerick senator Maria Byrne and Independent Ireland TD Richard ODonoghue. Mr OSullivan wrote, looks like Richard got the heads up. A Fianna Fail source said: 'Richard ODonoghues presence is totally inexplicable as hes an Independent TD who was once a member of Fianna Fail' A Fianna Fail source familiar with discussions that were held away from the WhatsApp chat told the Mail: Richard ODonoghues presence is totally inexplicable as hes an Independent TD who was once a member of Fianna Fail. He votes against the Government. He is invited along to boost his position in Limerick County constituency and hes taking votes off a Fianna Fail TD. You can imagine how Niall Collins is feeling over all this. ODonoghue takes votes off him at elections, makes capital in attacking the Government, yet he is given the heads-up to appear at photo ops. Hes seen as a bit of a bruiser but hes a sensitive enough chap when you get to know him. Hes fuming over all of this. Another party TD said the outbreak of anger and frustration on the group chat follows a series of similar recent events where Fine Gael ministers made constituency visits without contacting local Fianna Fail representatives. They told the Mail: In some instances, you couldnt care less, but in a situation where a hospital was announced for building, near a hospital like University Hospital Limerick, which has been controversial for overcrowding and waiting lists, youd want to be associated with that. Cathal Crowe is a TD for the Midwest; his Clare constituency will be helped by a new hospital in Raheen. You can absolutely understand why he too is furious. One picture from the photo-op announcement in Limerick features Ms Carroll MacNeill at the centre and includes Fine Gael Clare county councillor Paul Murphy; Fine Gael senator Maria Byrne; Fine Gael Minister Patrick ODonovan, and Fine Gael Clare TD Joe Cooney. HSE CEO Bernard Gloster is also present. Another photograph shows Fine Gael senator Maria Byrne, Fine Gael minister Patrick ODonovan, Fine Gael Limerick councillor John Sheahan, Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney and Independent Ireland TD Mr ODonoghue. The presence of Mr ODonoghue at the photo-op particularly irked Fianna Fail politicians. He was elected to Limerick County Council as a Fianna Fail member in 2014 but soon left the party and has since been a very vocal critic. On the same WhatsApp group chat, Dublin South-Central TD Catherine Ardagh posted a photograph of Ms Carroll MacNeill and her party colleague, Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton, at the announcement of new school facilities at the National Childrens Hospital, which Ms Ardagh described as being in the heart of her constituency. This visit also occurred last Tuesday. In response to queries from the Mail, a spokesman for Ms Carroll MacNeill insisted the failure to communicate the Limerick hospital announcement with Fianna Fail representatives was a genuine error which has been apologised for. With her handsome husband, good-looking children and gorgeous home, you'd be hard pressed to find a more all-American woman than Melissa Graham. But the Montessori school bookkeeper now finds her enviable Wild West lifestyle under threat, thanks to a shocking civil lawsuit. Graham, 54, has been sued by her former employer, the Montessori School at Lone Tree in Colorado, over claims she embezzled $300,000 to fund her very lavish life. They have accused Graham of theft, fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty. Graham and her husband are now in the process of trying to sell their $1.1 million four bed, five bed mansion in Littleton, Colorado. Graham used some of the cash she's accused of stealing to install a bubbling hot tub at the property, the suit against her alleges. She is further accused in the lawsuit of spending $35,000 of the school's cash on landscaping and brickwork The legal filing first obtained by Business Den accuses Graham of carrying out the scam between 2017 and 2023 while working at the private school. Photos posted online show her mansion filled with charming trinkets, with Montessori bosses claiming in the lawsuit that she spent $55,000 of their cash on 818 purchases from Amazon. Graham is further accused of using between $70,000 and $90,000 of school funds to pay off her personal credit card debts. She even allegedly used $13,000 to pay the rent on her own personal preschool business that she runs with husband Doug, according to the lawsuit. Doug and Graham's 27-year-old cowgirl daughter Lauren Conyers have also been named as defendants in the suit, thanks to an act of parental generosity, the lawsuit claims. Graham and Doug allegedly put down an undisclosed but 'substantial' down payment on a $760,000 ranch for Conyers to run a horse boarding business. Lawyers for Montessori Lone Tree say in the complaint that cash came from their accounts. Melissa Graham, seen with her family, is being sued for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her former employer She allegedly used stolen funds to provide a lavish life for her family, including to purchase a $760,000 ranch for her cowgirl daughter Lauren Conyers (seen with her horse), the complaint says Graham allegedly used funds from Paycheck Protection Program loan and grants to award herself and another employee a $135,000 bonus, according to the civil suit reviewed by the Daily Mail. She allegedly made unauthorized charges on school credit cards for clothing, personal hygiene items, at-home drug tests, spa treatments, alcohol and meals at restaurants, the complaint said. And the alleged fraud could have been even worse, according to Montessori Lone Tree's lawsuit, filed in Larimer County on March 3. The school alleged that she tried 'depositing $250,000 of the school's funds into her personal bank account,' but returned the funds after a 'confrontation.' Her husband, however, successfully wrote himself $6,600 in checks from the school's checkbook, the lawsuit alleged. She also allegedly wrote personal reimbursement checks to herself in excess of $40,000, according to the court filing. In May 2022, Graham, her husband and fellow Montessori School employee took a vacation to Cabo San Lucas. The trio falsely said they were on a work trip described as 'Apple training' and used school funds to pay for airfare, lodging and other expenses related to the trip, the lawsuit alleged. Melissa and Doug Graham have put their Highlands Ranch home, shown above, up for sale. The couple are asking $1.1 million for the four bedroom, five bathroom residence Melissa Graham was the bookkeeper and business manager at the Montessori School at Lone Tree from 2017 and 2023. She is currently the finance director at a church Graham and her husband 'love to vacation together, especially in Mexico,' according to the website for Graham's current employer, St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch. She has been working as the Director of Finance at the church since March 2024, her online staff profile stated. The profile also highlighted her relationship with Doug, whom has reportedly been her business partner for more than two decades. 'She and her husband, Doug, have lived in Colorado for over 30 years, having run their own preschool/daycare business together for more than 23 years. They have two adult children, Lauren and Ryan,' the biography reads. It further went on to share their excitement at having 'gained another son' in June 2023 when Conyers married her now-husband Ethan. Their wedding was allegedly partially paid for with school funds, the lawsuit alleged, citing invoices from that timeframe for event decorations, dresses, accessories, and other wedding-related materials. Graham loves spending time with her family and helping Conyers with her horse boarding business, her church staff profile said. She also enjoys hiking, paddle boarding and cooking. Conyers operates her business Freedom Acres Ranch, LLC out of a ranch in Wellington that is owned by her parents. She and Ethan also live on the property. The Montessori School at Lone Tree filed a notice of lis pendens against Freedom Acres Ranch last week, the Daily Mail can reveal. The Graham family could lose the property pending the outcome of the civil lawsuit Melissa and Doug Graham purchased the 1,664 square foot ranch in June 2021 for $760,000, property records show. The couple only financed $134,990 of the purchase price. Conyers and her husband also took out a loan for an undisclosed amount in April 2023, UCC financing statements revealed. They put up farm equipment from the ranch as collateral. Freedom Acres Ranch, LLC offers full care boarding services beginning at $335 per month, according to its website. It has 18 indoor stalls, three pastures with fully enclosed pastures and two paddocks with shelters. The facility offers riding lessons and horse training, and operates a so-called retirement farm where aging, injured or retired horses can live out their final days. But the family could be at risk of losing the ranch if the school's lawsuit is successful. The Montessori School at Lone Tree filed a notice of lis pendens against the ranch last week, which warns the public that there is currently a lawsuit that may affect the title of the property. The school, in its civil suit against the family, claims Graham conducted bookkeeping work for Freedom Acres while on paid company time. She also allegedly worked on projects for her preschool business during designated work hours, according to the complaint. The Montessori School at Lone Tree has sued Graham for theft, fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty. Her husband and daughter are also being sued The Montessori School at Lone Tree said it has spent 'hundreds of hours attempting to identify the extent of the theft' carried out by the Graham family. 'The school's business processes, records, facilities and reputation have suffered significant damage,' the complaint added. Meanwhile, the Grahams are trying to sell their four bedroom, five bathroom home in Highlands Ranch for $1.1 million. The 4,671 square-foot home has been on the market for 45 days and the couple have already slashed the asking price by $25,000. The Grahams purchased the residence for $426,200 in 2005, county property records show. They appear to have refinanced the property several times since their initial purchase with the couple having taken out a $375,000 against the property as recently as December 2024. Graham, St Luke's, and lawyers for the Montessori School at Lone Tree did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Conyers declined to comment on the case. Juliana Stratton was chosen Tuesday night by Illinois Democrats to replace the retiring Senator Dick Durbin, the second most powerful Democrat in the US Senate. The contentious primary race was a three-way tussle between Lieutenant Governor Stratton, 60, Representative Robin Kelly, 69, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, 52. Stratton was called the winner by the Associated Press. Illinois is a solidly Democratic state, and so tonight's winner will likely become the state's next senator, with the Cook Political Report rating it out of reach for a Republican hopeful. It pitted the powerful Congressional Black Caucus against the state's sitting governor against a Democratic fundraising powerhouse. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who harbors White House ambitions, put his weight behind his No. 2, Stratton, much to the chagrin of the CBC. The race got so hostile that CBC Chair Yvette Clarke, a US Representative from New York, blasted Pritzker for his interference. 'Governor Pritzker's effort to tip the scales in Illinois' US Senate race is beyond frustrating for the Congressional Black Caucus,' Clarke said in a statement. 'A sitting governor shouldn't be heavy-handing the race.' Representative Robin Kelly (left) had the support of the Congressional Black Caucus, while Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (center) had the most money. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (right) was pushed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (right) Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, seen marching Saturday in Chicago's St. Patrick's Day parade, tested his political potency in the race by endorsing and financially supporting Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton 'Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won't soon be forgotten by any of us,' Clarke warned. The CBC had endorsed Kelly, a member of Congress since 2013, representing Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses Chicago's historic South Side, the southern suburbs and some rural areas as well. Both Kelly and Stratton are black. Kelly was behind in all recent polling, with Stratton and Krishnamoorthi flip-flopping for the lead. Krishnamoorthi has a reputation for being one of Congress' most prolific fundraisers. The Chicago Tribune reported that Krishnamoorthi raised $30.5 million between the start of 2025 and February 25, transferring more than $19 million over from his House campaign fund. That made him the second-highest fundraiser in the Democratic Party this cycle, trailing only Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who faces one of the toughest general election battles in November. Krishnamoorthi also had the backing of crypto interests, with the super PAC Fairshake, tossing $10 million in his direction, according to the Washington Post. Join the discussion Did Pritzkers gamble show political strength, or risk long-term fallout within his own party? Polling stations are set up ahead of Tuesday's primary elections in Illinois. With the retirement of longtime Senator Dick Durbin, there's a contentious three-way primary for the Democratic Senate nomination Illinois Democratic Senate candidate, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, walked in Saturday's Saint Patrick's Day parade in Chicago. He came into the race with a huge financial advantage, additionally benefiting from his connections to the crypto community Illinois Democratic Senate candidate, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (left) appears at a campaign stop in Chicago last week with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (right). Stratton is also being supported by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Representative Robin Kelly, photographed Tuesday making a campaign stop in Chicago, had the endorsement of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, whose leadership slammed Governor JB Pritzker for endorsing one of her opponents That gave him an enormous financial edge over Stratton, who raised $4.1 million since she declared her candidacy in April. Stratton also benefited from a super PAC funded by Pritzker, a billionaire. Kelly had just $3.3 million to go toward her Senate run, transferring over $2.2 million from her House campaign fund, the Tribune reported. The race is a test for Pritzker, whose national profile has risen thanks to the attention President Donald Trump has given him. On Monday in the Oval Office, Trump referred to Pritzker as that 'slob of a governor.' Like other possible 2028 Democratic White House hopefuls, the Illinois governor is trying to flex his political clout before his own name is likely on the ballot in two years. Pritzker's pick, Stratton, received several other high-profile endorsements, including from progressive darling, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, the state's other Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, and even claimed that the late Jesse Jackson backed her campaign. The posthumous Jackson endorsement is now in dispute, with son Yusef Jackson now saying that sample ballots that recommended Stratton were 'released without authorization' and no official endorsement from the Jackson family or Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition would be made, Politico reported Monday. Kelly got a boost from South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, who was at one point the highest-ranking black member of Congress. She also got some help from an unwanted source - Project Progress, part of the pro-crypto Fairshake networking backing Krishnamoorthi, Punchbowl News reported in late February, in a move meant to siphon voters away from Stratton. The group spent $90,000 on ads boosting Kelly, while also running ads against Stratton. A man was left suicidal after his bitter ex waged a horrifying campaign of psychological abuse against him and his new girlfriend. Joanne Nicholson, 40, made up lies about her former boyfriend when he started a relationship with someone else, telling people he was a paedophile, a rapist and a drug-addled domestic abuser. Between February 2023 and June 2024, Nicholson, from South Shields, South Tyneside, terrorised them with wild false claims and fabricated evidence which saw the innocent couple arrested on several occasions. The court heard Nicholson was in a relationship with the victim from late 2021 until early 2023, when he ended it. He said things were amicable with her until he began a new relationship and her attitude changed. Two of the man's neighbours were sent letters from Nicholson falsely branding him a 'dirty nonce', with a similar one sent to his 80-year-old mother, causing her great distress. The man figured out it was his ex when he also received a similar letter and recognised her handwriting, which was later confirmed by an expert to be Nicholson's. Nicholson also made at least 15 statements to police with false allegations against the couple. In February 2023, Nicholson made an anonymous 999 call posing as her ex's neighbour, claiming a domestic attack was taking place inside the man's property with children heard screaming and Nicholson seen running out of the house. However, police found no one was present when they attended the man's home. Joanne Nicholson (pictured), 40, made up lies about her former boyfriend when he started a relationship with someone else, telling people he was a paedophile, a rapist and a drug-addled domestic abuser Nicholson called police again on another day and said a woman was being battered in the man's property, but officers attended and found the house in darkness. The bitter ex then made a third anonymous 999 call, again saying there was an ongoing domestic attack at the man's home claiming Nicholson had run out covered in blood. Yet again, police attended but there was no sign of any disturbance. On February 26, 2023, Nicholson made another 999 call to police asking for help at the victim's home. Sounding terrified, she pretended to be addressing him as she made reference to him being on drugs, falsely claimed to have been raped by him, and told him to put a hammer down. But it was all acting and lies, as police attended the home and found him alone with his children with an investigation finding the call had not been made from his address. The following month, Nicholson provided a witness statement to police falsely claiming she was being harassed by him. Following a similar allegation in April, the man was arrested and interviewed under caution, despite being completely innocent. After making further similar allegations, she tricked the family court into issuing a non-molestation order. Nicholson also made a false allegation the man's new partner had harassed her, leading to the innocent woman being questioned by police. After more lies about her ex sending threatening messages, which she fabricated, he was arrested for threats to kill. However, an investigation later revealed the messages had been created using Nicholson's IP address. In May 2023, the man was arrested again, falsely accused of breaching the non-molestation order. More false claims of harassment against the man and his new partner saw them both arrested in June. The man was further arrested for stalking later that month, again due to Nicholson's lies. She also created an email address in his name and claimed he had harassed her on a dating app. In June 2024, Nicholson was arrested and officers found a phone wedged between a bed frame and a wall which was logged into an Instagram account she had used in the offending. In a victim impact statement, the man said the offending had caused him to move house and take time off work and he said he had to deal with social services after falsely being branded a paedophile, an utterly false allegation which left him living in fear. He added: 'Her attempts to ruin my life have had a lasting detrimental effect on my life. I was in constant fear of being arrested after another false allegation. 'The way she contacted my mum was absolutely deplorable. She found it extremely upsetting. 'It got so bad I even thought about suicide.' He said the strain it put on his new relationship cause the couple to eventually split up. The woman, who also suffered horrendously at Nicholson's hands, read her victim impact statement in court. Becoming upset at times, she said she had never met or spoken to Nicholson and believes she was motivated by 'heartache and jealousy'. She added: 'You have taken it upon yourself to destroy people's lives in a hellbent and reckless manner. 'I can't figure it out. I'm unlikely to understand the lengths you went to to ruin my life. 'I've had thousands of messages from you. It was a relentless campaign against me. 'I've never wanted any of this, I simply wanted to be left alone. 'My stress and anxiety got unbelievably bad. I became a prisoner in my own home.' The woman said Nicholson set up a Plenty of Fish dating app profile purporting to be her. She said: 'I don't know what you said to the men you spoke to as me. It's disgusting and has had the most devastating impact on me. 'One man approached me in the street saying he had spoken to me on Plenty of Fish. This sickens me. 'I'm truly dumbfounded you wanted to make me feel so unsafe.' She said the terrifying ordeal had affected her mental health and caused her to lose her job. The woman also revealed how she had to go to the man's aid in Tynemouth after he became suicidal due to Nicholson's relentless mental torture. She said: 'I truly believe you wished to destroy our lives and would stop at nothing to do so. 'The criminal justice system should be there to protect people. You've done nothing but abuse the system. I genuinely believe you wanted to see me in prison. 'I've been arrested multiple times because of your lies. I've spent hundreds of hours with the police, attempting to prove my innocence. 'I was so angry and frustrated, constantly trying to reason with police that I was not responsible for harassing you. 'You framed yourself as a domestic abuse victim. You must have spent hundreds of hours with the police. 'This is all time the police could've spent looking into real crimes, taking resources away from the criminal justice system. 'You used every service available to you to inflict harm upon us. It's truly been a crippling experience to endure. 'I was on police bail for six months. The police didn't find a single shred of evidence because there was none to find. 'This has been the most stressful, unrelenting period of my life. Day after day, month after month.' Nicholson pleaded guilty to sending a letter with intent to cause distress or anxiety and doing acts tending of intended to pervert the course of justice. She was jailed for 25 months and given a 10-year restraining order. Fiona Lamb, defending, said character references speak well of Nicholson, who has mental health issues including PTSD and bipolar disorder. She added that Nicholson would be vulnerable to bullying and exploitation in prison. A business consultant who harassed his wine entrepreneur neighbour over plans to transform her 850,000 home has been spared a jail sentence. Julia Stafford and her estranged City lawyer husband Samuel Tempest Brooks found themselves at loggerheads with neighbours after they announced radical plans to develop an Edwardian former water works into a grand family home on Hill House Drive, Richmond-upon-Thames. It was during the neighbourhood war that Robin Christie, 65, started a campaign of 'harassment and intimidation'. During one heated altercation caught on camera, Christie can be seen grabbing metal railing outside Ms Stafford's house - erected as part of illegal construction work - before she starts kicking in his direction. A section of the railing is then sent crashing to the ground and Ms Stafford turns her frustration on another resident, who had been protesting alongside Christie. On separate occasions, Christie also followed Ms Stafford onto her side of the wall, attached bike locks to her security fencing and wrote a 16-page letter to her husband. Ms Stafford, 44, told Wimbledon Magistrates' Court: 'The defendant's actions have had a profound and lasting effect on my family and me emotionally, psychologically and financially. '[He] encouraged other residents to film, stalk and harass us. We were told that police, local councillors and our MP would be weaponised and do everything they can to stop the build and stop us living there.' Christie was handed a 10-week prison sentence suspended for months, and must complete 200 hours community service after he was found guilty of harassing Ms Stafford between July 1 and September 28, 2024. Julia Stafford leaving Wimbledon Magistrates' Court. She told the court that Robin Christie, 65, started a campaign of 'harassment and intimidation' during a neighbourhood planning dispute Robin Christie, 65, is pictured leaving Wimbledon Magistrates' Court - he has been convicted of harassment after a row with neighbours over their planning application but has been spared jail time Business consultant Robin Christie, 65, grabbed onto metal railings - in a bid to stop Julia Stafford's illegal construction work. The scuffling pair are pictured here Ms Stafford and Mr Brookes' home in the conservation area was at the centre of the planning row Deputy District Judge Patricia Evans ruled Christie had 'utterly lost perspective.' He must comply with a five-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the couple and going to their property. Christie was also ordered to pay 650 costs and a 154 victim surcharge. Ms Stafford made no application for compensation. Speaking from the dock, Christie said the conviction had 'already had a profound impact on my livelihood' and that the 'reputational consequences have been severe'. The couple have now separated and their construction project has since been thwarted, with the property now on the market for 999,950. Ms Stafford told the court she felt 'distressed, humiliated and unsafe as a result of what happened'. She added the 'false narratives repeated and criminal allegations' had caused 'lasting anxiety about my reputation, my estranged husband's reputation, his sole income and the future impact on my family'. The bitter fallout started on July 5, 2024, when Ms Stafford began erecting security fencing on the residents' side of the dividing brick wall, claiming her land extended into Hill House Drive. The couple had obtained planning consent on appeal, after objections from Christie and locals, for a huge subterranean development and two-storey extension, but this did not include the wall demolition. There were numerous confrontations between Ms Stafford and other neighbours, with one caught on film as Christie interfered with the erection of security fencing, and Ms Stafford shouting at the neighbour filming, 'You stupid woman!' She told the court Christie and another neighbour approached her and 'were verbally abusive'. She added: 'They told me I was causing problems and being a nuisance. Robin Christie was inciting it. He was the instigator behind it and representing himself as some sort of legal authority and that he knew what he was talking about.' She can also be heard telling Christie he was an 'old man' in danger of a 'heart attack' for physically blocking her plan to fence off the wall, pending demolition. Another video captured Ms Stafford furiously hacking at the disputed wall with a small pickaxe. Christie (centre) with fellow neighbours in Hampton. Despite his conviction, Christie enjoys the broad support of his fellow homeowners Ms Stafford said she feels 'distressed, humiliated and unsafe' as a result of her ordeal with Christie Christie told the court he intends to appeal the conviction, explaining: 'The boundary wall at the centre of the conflict was subject to planning control and many residents were concerned about the potential loss of a protected feature and the effect it would have on the cul-de-sac and their families.' He insisted he only joined the campaign after several concerned residents asked him for help 'navigating the quite complex boundary wall and planning issues that were involved'. 'My intention throughout was to help the community understand and manage a difficult situation, not to pursue any individual,' he said. Leader of Richmond-upon-Thames council Gareth Roberts told the court that demolition of the boundary wall by Ms Stafford without additional planning permission would have been unlawful. 'The wall was in the conservation area and she had no permission to demolish this wall,' he said in evidence. 'She believed it was implicit she could demolish the wall, but that was not the case. 'She was agitated and angry and would stress her opinion that she was correct. It would have been a breach of planning if she demolished the wall.' Estranged couple Julia Stafford and Samuel Tempest Brooks had paid 850,000 for an Edwardian former waterworks property in Hampton Village, south-west London Yesterday, prosecutor Barto De Lotbiniere asked the judge to place the offence in the highest category, submitting Christie intended to 'maximise fear and distress.' 'Multiple threats were made over a period of a few months and this offence is aggravated by the impact on others, namely Mr Brooks and their young son, who was present on one occasion.' The people of Hill House Close continue to support Christie, despite the conviction, with one 27-year resident saying last week: 'It would have changed the whole community. We would have constantly had lorries up and down. 'We have children playing outside, the children are riding their bikes. I stand by Robin, who has become our spokesperson,' said the woman, who does not wish to be identified. 'There is a massive sense of relief, but until the property is sold and they are gone, none of us can really relax here. The road is unsuitable for HGV's, even cars can barely pass.' There is even a road sign near the entrance to the close, which reads: 'Unsuitable for HGVs', however the couple planned for their large lorries and plant machinery to access their site via this route. Another resident of 12 years, said this week: 'It has clearly affected life here and has especially affected my mental health due to the behaviour and bullying. 'That is a strong word, but who would rock up at a little cul-de-sac with bulldozers and just think they can do what they want? It is not acceptable.' The woman added: 'There have been fires lit on the site with toxic smoke coming across to us when their workmen were burning the contents of whatever was in that old building.' Christie's partner Naz has stood by Robin during his prosecution, explaining: 'This is an amazing place to bring up children and the building works through here would have destroyed the neighbourhood. 'Her behaviour was atrocious and we felt we were being thrown out of our little cul-de-sac by people with money.' Ms Stafford claimed the dispute caused her PTSD, sleepless nights, panic attacks and a feeling of being under constant threat from Christie. A Nestle factory worker who was sacked after triggering a full production shutdown by allegedly vaping in a disabled toilet has won a 22,000 payout. Luke Billings set off the fire alarm at the food giant's facility in Tutbury, Staffordshire, in October 2023, triggering a full evacuation and halting work on the factory floor. The technical operator, who had worked at the factory for more than a decade, initially told bosses he did not vape when they confronted him with CCTV footage of him slipping into the bathroom to smoke. But he later conceded under questioning at an internal disciplinary hearing that he did in fact use e-cigarettes, but only at home and on weekends. Mr Billings, who never admitted vaping in the toilet, was dismissed for gross misconduct. But he has now walked away with 22,216.72 after a Nottingham employment tribunal ruled Nestle had no right to sack him for lying. The panel heard the employee, who had worked at the coffee factory since 2012, set off the fire alarm on October 11, 2023. It noted: 'All staff had to be evacuated. Production ceased until it was deemed safe to return. As a consequence there was disruption and lost production.' Luke Billings (pictured at work on the site in 2013) set off the fire alarm at the food giant's facility in Tutbury, Staffordshire, in October 2023, triggering a full evacuation and halting work on the factory floor The technical operator initially told bosses he did not vape when they confronted him with CCTV footage of him slipping into the bathroom to smoke An internal investigation reviewing CCTV footage found it was caused by Mr Billings vaping in the disabled toilet. Any kind of smoking is forbidden on the site. But when confronted by his employer, the panel said: 'The Claimant maintained his position that he was not vaping in the toilets on the day in question. 'He said he did not vape so it could not be him.' It was only as questioning progressed that he 'accepted that he did occasionally vape but only at weekends and only at home', the panel added. But despite this, Nestle's disciplinary officer decided to dismiss the employee, for a series of reasons. The tribunal heard: 'Firstly, he considered a breach of health and safety. Secondly, he lost trust and confidence in the Claimant because he believed he was lying. 'Thirdly, there was a loss of production to the business. 'He concluded that the Claimant having been employed for a long time in the business ought to have known better. 'The Claimant appealed but the appeal was dismissed.' Mr Billings hauled the company before an employment tribunal, bringing claims of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. He was on a phased return to full-time work at the time after a year's sick leave for depression, from June 2022 to August 2023. The employee argued he would not have been sacked if this was not the case. He pointed to a colleague who had stored a 'washbag of clothing' in 'a housing area that is used to enclose a fire hose' instead of a locker, the tribunal heard. This other worker admitted this was a health and safety risk, apologised and was given a final written warning at another hearing just before Mr Billings's. Mr Billings said this staff member was in 'a comparable situation' but was not sacked - arguing this showed he was 'treated inconsistently' for his disability of depression. But Nestle's disciplinary officer said had he similarly 'accepted his mistake and apologised', he would have avoided dismissal. But the worker (pictured) later conceded under questioning at an internal disciplinary hearing that he did in fact use e-cigarettes, but only at home and on weekends The panel agreed: 'The less favourable treatment was not because of the Claimant's disability but because he did not admit his culpability and/or apologise.' It added: 'The reason for dismissal had nothing to do with the Claimant's disability.' His disability discrimination claim was therefore thrown out - but his allegation of unfair dismissal was upheld. This was because 'the decision to dismiss fell outside the range of reasonable responses open to a reasonable employer', the tribunal heard. The panel noted: '[The disciplinary officer] made it clear in his evidence that had the Claimant accepted he had been vaping in the toilet, and apologised, he would not have been dismissed. 'In other words, health and safety and loss of production were not the principal reasons. 'They played a lesser part in the decision to dismiss because they were not determinative. What was determinative was the failure to accept responsibility. 'Failing to apologise or to accept responsibility is not misconduct.' It also concluded sacking Mr Billings was 'disproportionate', after 'a single isolated act' in an otherwise 'unblemished career'. Nestle has now been ordered to pay him compensation. On top of a basic award, he was reimbursed for the earnings he lost that he was set to accrue by the date he was set to return to full-time work, in November 2023. The sum also took into account his loss of pension benefits and statutory rights. The tribunal heard the figure was half what it otherwise would have been, as 'the Claimant has contributed to his dismissal' and was 'equally to blame' for it. With the Cuban regime gasping for air, the White House is reportedly preparing a lightningfast strike to topple the socialist leadership and potentially install a new 'client state' in Havana within the next few days. For the last three months, the US has choked off Cuba's oil supply, blocking tankers from Venezuela and leaving the Communist regime desperate for a lifeline only the Trump administration can now provide. Electricity shortages saw the country engulfed in a total blackout on Monday. Now, insiders say a more aggressive step by President Donald Trump to dismantle the Caribbean's last Communist stronghold could come as early as this week. 'He will move ASAP. The social costs, like putting the people of Cuba under duress, have become too high,' a diplomat familiar with the highstakes conversations told the Daily Mail. 'I am told Trump is obsessed with Iran right now, and that [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio is waiting for Trump to okay things for Cuba.' Two sources with an ear to Cuban leadership explain that Havana's top brass are reportedly 'shaking in their boots,' terrified that the same fate that befell Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike last month, is now heading for the Caribbean. Trump himself fueled the fire Tuesday, telling reporters at the White House: 'We'll be doing something with Cuba very soon.' This follows his chilling warning on Monday that he could easily 'take' the 'weakened' island. Two sources with an ear to Cuban leadership explain that Havana's top brass are reportedly 'shaking in their boots.' File image shows soldiers marching by torchlight in Havana in January 'I am told Trump is obsessed with Iran right now, and that [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio is waiting for Trump to okay things for Cuba,' an insider told the Daily Mail But the stakes are higher than ever because of security fears over a State Department that is reportedly 'full of Cuban spies.' Secretary of State Rubio - who has been the architect of the administration's Cuba strategy - 'cannot trust that building,' Mike Gonzalez, Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Mail. Rubio is 'running a oneman operation right now,' Gonzalez said. He added that the Cuban regime is 'afraid' amid mounting pressure. 'America's enemies are looking at what America has done in Iran,' he went on. 'They're afraid that what happened to Khamenei will happen to [former President of Cuba] Raul Castro.' As the Caribbean island suffered a total blackout on Monday, the Communist government made a stunning Uturn rooted in pure survival instinct. Deputy PM Oscar PerezOliva Fraga, the grandnephew of Fidel and Raul Castro, went on NBC to beg for US investment from the very exiles the regime once shunned. Mike Gonzalez, Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Mail this was a blatant 'cry of desperation.' 'Cuba is so desperate in asking the people that hate them the most, Cuban Americans for investments,' Gonzalez said. 'This is how desperate Cuba is for cashthey owe the world billions.' Former Cuban president Raul Castro and the island nation's current leader Miguel Diaz-Canel He added that the regime is trying to 'make the exile community Cuba's third sugar daddy' because 'Communists do not produce bread. They only produce bread lines.' The primary target for ouster is Miguel DiazCanel, the current President of Cuba. But experts warn that removing him is a 'worthless objective' because the Castro family still pulls every string from the shadows. 'I must make clear that I don't mean [Miguel] DiazCanel, who does not matter at all, and what happens does not mean anything,' Gonzalez explained. 'I don't care whether he stays or leaves, the people [the Castros] will retain control... they have their fingers in everything and every pie.' A former US diplomat with decades of experience in the region told the Daily Mail that Trump is seriously considering a 'Delcy Rodriguez model' named after the Venezuelan Vice President where a leadership group stays in power but obeys every US command. 'It appears that Trump would be willing to accept continuation of the Cuban dictatorship, much as in Venezuela, under the same conditions: the new Cuban leadership will be required to comply with all US demands,' the diplomat revealed. 'Under this "Delcy model," it's likely that the US would demand compensation for US persons whose properties were confiscated by the Castro regime.' Anti-government protesters look on as a fire burns at a Communist Party office in Moron, Cuba, on March 14 One version of the plan reportedly involves creating a 'ruling group' consisting of a 'new generation' of Castros, including Raul's son Alejandro Castro Espin, his grandson Raulito Rodriguez Castro, or their greatnephew Oscar PerezOliva Fraga as the 'new generation' of Castros. A White House spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Only President Trump and Secretary Rubio are privy to conversations about Cuba. The Daily Mail is quoting low-level, anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about.' Gonzalez, however, paints a scathing picture of the heirs to the revolution. He described Raul's grandson and bodyguard, Raulito, as a 'drunkard' and a 'womanizer.' 'If you Google Raulito Rodriguez Castro right now, you're gonna get lots of pictures of him on a yacht, eating lobster, hanging out with women,' Gonzalez said. He expressed deep skepticism that Rubio would allow such figures to remain in power. 'I doubt with Marco Rubio conducting the negotiations, that that is the case,' Gonzalez insisted. 'Marco Rubio understands and Trump understands that... what matters here is Raul Castro. It's the Castro clan.' While a symbolic win like removing the president would allow Trump to claim he 'crushed' a leftist leader, many in the Cuban exile community will settle for nothing less than a total revolution. 'The additional question would be the reaction of the Cuban diaspora to the de facto continuation of the Castro regime,' the former diplomat warned. 'Generations have lived and died in exile without seeing their homeland free.' For the last three months, the US has choked off Cuba's oil supply. Pictured: Tanker leaves port in January People gather on a street during a blackout as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed, leaving around 10 million people without power 'There is probably no better or more credible emissary... in selling a Delcystyle nontransition to the Cuban exile community than Secretary Rubio,' the diplomat added. 'But at the end of the day, what Cuban Americans want is not a client state in Havana but an end to the Castro regime.' Florida Representative Tom Fabricio tells the Daily Mail that the end is near. 'After 12 days of protests, the government has 'to some degree... lost control' over the demonstrations,' Fabricio told the Daily Mail. Fabricio represents a district in South Florida that includes Northwest Miami-Dade County and part of Hialeah and Miami Lakes. The district is predominantly CubanAmerican. 'What I am hearing here in Miami is that they [Cuba] will be completely out of petroleum in a day or two at this point,' Fabricio explained. 'So there is an expectation that something will happen soon. There is a lot of confidence in South Florida that Trump and Rubio will be doing something swiftly, based on what we saw in Venezuela and Iran. It is moving towards a fever pitch,' Fabricio remarked. They are the familiar grey concrete behemoths that have dwarfed shoppers and offered a sanctuary for their cars for some 95 years. But NCP's yellow lettered multi-storey complexes could soon be consigned to history after it was announced it had fallen into 305million debts and administration. Assessors will now be looking at the viability of each of its 340 locations, and some sites may need to be closed as a result. While hundreds of jobs are at risk, some drivers will be less sad to see the car parks in their current form go. Complaints of crime, expensive prices and questionable smells have blighted some of the company's locations. But other motorists have praised different NCP parks for great value, design and facilities. Here the Mail takes a look at the worst and best and why the firm's struggles are a sad chapter in a British icon's story. The Worst - Bristol Nelson Street The Nelson Street car park in Bristol has had hundreds of reports of theft and criminal damage The Nelson Street car park in Bristol has historically been ranked among the least safe in the UK for vehicle crime. As of mid-2020, it was ranked as one of the five least safe NCP car parks in the country. Reports highlighted hundreds of incidents, including theft from vehicles and criminal damage. One reviewer, writing on travel planner site Wanderlog, described his horror time using the car park. They said: 'A passed out addict was sleeping on the floor in a parking space, there are police warning notices in the lobby. 'The lift doesn't work so if you have bags or staying in a hotel you either risk going down the car ramps or risk carrying your case down stairs streaked with urine. 50 for two nights. Genuinely surprised my car wasn't broken into. Another car park user wasn't as lucky as their car was broken into. They wrote: 'Car window smashed. Spoilt an otherwise great trip. There were no valuables whatsoever in the vehicle. 1000 additional cost to repair the glass. 'NCP install some CCTV. You are clearly not in control of the criminal activity in this car park.' Earlier this year, a planning application was submitted to turn Nelson Street car park into a 12-storey student accommodation with 331 bedrooms across a mix of studios, cluster flats and accessible rooms. The car park has 271 spaces and costs 28 for 24 hours The 'smelliest' car park - Cardiff's Westgate Street According to Google reviews, Cardiff's Westgate Street NCP car park is one of the UK's worst According to drivers, the NCP car park on Westgate Street in Cardiff is also one of the UK's worst, but the particular problem with this one is its smell. One Google reviewer wrote: 'This place is terrible - from the stench of urine, to the absolute rip-off prices. Parked for a little over 3 hours and got charged 23.80, after 7pm on a weekday!?' While one person on TripAdvisor described the car park's stench and witnessed people urinating inside. They wrote: 'This is a toilet we saw people urinating as we drove into the car park at 13.00 it's disgusting. 'You can smell the car park before you even get into the carpark.' Meanwhile, WalesOnline also visited the car park, confirming that the smell in the stairwell in particular was 'palpable'. The car park has 330 spaces and cost 32 for 24 hours The Best - Salford New Bailey The Salford New Bailey car park has previously been nominated for 'Best New Car Park' This nine-storey car park was built as part of the English Cities Funds 650M Salford Central regeneration plans. It received the Architectural Achievement Award at the 2016 British Parking Awards and was also nominated for 'Best New Car Park' at same awards. One review left on Google read: 'A good, clean and modern carpark. Easy to navigate and sensibly sized spaces.' Another said:' Clean, well lit car park. Ticketless system makes parking breeze with the app; drive in - drive out and youre automatically charged (after setting up correctly in the app). 'Will definitely park here again when visiting Manchester.' A third added: 'You cant take your eyes off the NCP car park in the city of Manchester. Good design, spacious parking and easy layout.' It has 648 car parking spaces and costs 30 for 24 hours. The Biggest - Stockport Merseyway Redrock With 1175 car parking spaces, Stockport Merseyway Redrock is NCP's largest multi-storey car park With 1175 car parking spaces, Stockport Merseyway Redrock is NCP's largest multi-storey car park. One review left on Google said: 'Lots of parking spaces and easy to get in and out of.' Another wrote: 'A good ratio of spaces to demand and not excessively expensive. Not many convenient places to pay, and most are card only.' It's also relatively cheap, costing 10.80 for 12 hours. The Most Expensive - London Soho Brewer Street Brewer Streets London Soho location is often highlighted as one of the priciest when measured by hourly/day rates in the UK The London Soho Brewer Street car park is often highlighted as the priciest car park in the UK, costing 60 for 24 hours. Based in the centre of the capital, it's conveniently located, just a stone's throw from Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and West End's finest. The multistorey car park is even Grade II listed for its special architectural and historic interest and was officially added to the National Heritage List for England onin 2002. Originally built in 1929 as the Lex Garage, it is thought to be one of the earliest surviving multistorey car park buildings in England. One Google reviewer wrote: 'This parking spot turned out to be absolutely perfect convenient, safe, and easy to find.' However, another said: 'Absolutely extortionate prices with the worst provider. The area itself is not justified for these prices.' While someone else agreed: 'Very easy to find, very accessible but the is staggering.....60 for 3hrs? I literally could of just parked on a yellow line and took a fine for the same results.' The car park, with just 20 spaces, costs 15 for 1 hour, 30 for 1-2 hours, 45 for 2-3 hours and 60 for 3-24 hours. The Cheapest - Leicester Lee Circle The concrete car park in Leicester was the first automated multi-storey car park in Europe, featuring coin-operated barriers Thought to be the cheapest NCP car park, the Leicester Lee Circle site costs just 7 for 24 hours. It will set you back 1.50 for 1 hour, 3 for 1-2 hours, 4.50 for 2-3 hours and 6 for 3-4 hours. The concrete car park in Leicester was the first automated multi-storey car park in Europe, featuring coin-operated barriers. Opened in 1961, by Carry On Star Sid James, along with a Tesco on the ground floor, which was then the largest supermarket in the country, to a crowd of 200 people. At the time, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport hailed the combination of a supermarket and a multi-storey as a significant step forward against city centre traffic. NCP was founded in 1931 as a small, family-run firm operating parking in west London. In 1948, entrepreneurs Sir Ronald Hobson and Sir Donald Gosling set up Central Car Parks in the city, later acquiring the family business now known as NCP in 1959. They each invested 100 as they set up their business, initially converting a former bombsite in Holborn in 1948. As car ownership began to expand after the Second World War, they were able to expand, owning ten premises by the 1950s. After their takeover of NCP, by the late 1990s the firm had grown significantly and would be bought by US firm Cendant for 801million. But this parent company would not last long amid a major accounting scandal in 1998, after Cendant merged with direct marketing firm CUC International. Before being sold twice more in the early 2000s, NCP scored its first major partnership with Manchester City Council in 1999. It was a sign of the company's rapid expansion which also saw it acquire a series of car parks and petrol stations, and manage car parking contracts for third parties. NCP was ultimately sold to Japanese firm Park24, by which time it had 150,000 parking spaces across 500 sites around the UK. It is - for now at least - headed up by CEO Rob England and Chief Financial Officer Hideyuki Nagahiro, who joined the board at the time of the takeover by Park24. Japanese-owned NCP employs 682 people and manages approximately 340 car parks nationwide, but after crashing into 305million of debt, its future has never been more uncertain NCP is headed up by CEO Rob England and Chief Financial Officer Hideyuki Nagahiro (pictured), who joined the board at the time of the takeover by Park24 At the time of the takeover Koichi Nishikawa was also signed on as a director of the firm. He resigned in July 2025 after becoming CEO and President of Park24 Mr Nagahiro became responsible for revenue accounting, financial reporting and matters of tax - having worked at Japanese banks for more than 20 years. Yet his experience in finance couldn't save NCP, as it saw its prospects plummet in recent years. At the time of the takeover Koichi Nishikawa was also signed on as a director of the firm. He resigned in July 2025 after becoming CEO and President of Park24. NCP turned over 187million for the financial year ending 2023, a 7.15 per cent drop from the previous year. But it also recorded losses of almost 27.5million in 2022 and 26.7million in 2023. By the time the notice of administration was issued, its portfolio had shrunk to 340 sites and debts had mounted to 305million. In 2024, Bolton Council wrote off almost 1.5million in debts owed by the company from during the pandemic. The firm has also been frequently criticised for levying overzealous fines. Last February, NCP apologised and quashed all incorrectly applied fines after a grandfather was incorrectly asked to cough up a 100 penalty charge for a 14-minute stay in Darlington, County Durham. Signs at the car park stated parking was free for customers for 90 minutes. Private companies are hitting drivers with nearly 40,000 parking charges a day, This is Money revealed last year, while the DVLA is raking in almost 100,000 every 24 hours as a result. The agency's full-year figures showed requests for a record 14,371,841 vehicle ownership details from private parking firms in 2024-25. This was an increase of 13 per cent on the year previous and 39,375 per day on average. A statement issued on behalf of NCP addressing the appointment of administrators said it had not recovered from business lost in the Covid pandemic amid the rise in flexible working. Appointed firm PwC said NCP's performance has 'deteriorated over a number of years post COVID-19 as demand for parking has not recovered to historic levels, particularly across city-centre and commuter locations.' It added: 'Continued shifts in commuting and customer driving patterns have impacted site occupancy, while the high concentration of long-term, inflexible leases has meant the Company has been unable to reduce costs in line with revenue or to exit loss-making sites, resulting in ongoing trading losses. 'The Company now has insufficient cash available to meet its financial obligations and the Directors have therefore taken the decision to appoint administrators.' NCP has also cited higher energy prices since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. PwC stressed that all sites remain open and all employees are currently staying in their posts. Zelf Hussain, joint administrator and PwC partner, said: 'NCP has faced a challenging trading environment over several years, with changing consumer behaviours impacting volumes, and a high fixed cost-base leading to trading losses. 'Our priority on appointment is to ensure continuity of service while we undertake a detailed review of the business. All sites are open, staff remain in post, and trading continues as normal. 'We will be engaging with landlords, employees and other stakeholders as we explore all options, including the potential sale of all or part of the business, to secure the best possible outcome for creditors.' On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Crossfire YouTube series, veteran war reporter Richard Pendlebury joins Ukrainian soldiers on the front line in Sumy pioneering a new kind of warfare: drone versus drone combat. Since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, drones armed with explosives have accounted for up to 80% of all wartime casualties. Buying cheap drones from Iran, Russia has been able to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences by sending hundreds in a single night. American-made missiles, while effective in stopping the Shahed drones, are in short supply since Trump's restriction of military aid and are prohibitively expensive, with a single Patriot interceptor costing up to $4 million. On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Crossfire, veteran war reporter Richard Pendlebury joins Ukrainian soldiers pioneering a new kind of warfare: drone versus drone combat Ukraine has become the first modern army to design a new generation of 'kamikaze' drones built solely to hunt and destroy enemy drones Following Ukraine's Kraken special operations unit, Crossfire host Pendlebury explains how drone versus drone combat works and asks whether it could be the future of modern warfare To combat this, Ukraine has become the first modern army to design a new generation of 'kamikaze' drones built solely to hunt and destroy enemy drones. This new, cost-effective strategy is now of vital interest to both the US and Israel in their war with Iran. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury two weeks ago, a coordinated bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic, Iran has retaliated by launching sweeping Shahed drone attacks against Israeli cities, US military bases and western allied Gulf states. Following Ukraine's Kraken special operations unit, Crossfire host Pendlebury explains how drone versus drone combat works and asks whether it could be the future of modern warfare. 'Drones have come to dominate the battlefield in Ukraine to an extent which is hard to imagine unless you're here', he said. 'Current missile air defence systems are prohibitively expensive when it comes to combatting drones. The solution? The adaptation of the existing kamikaze drones concept to hunt and kill the enemy's own. 'One model, the Techno Taras, is an interceptor drone built to knock down Russian reconnaissance drones. It's a hundred percent Ukrainian made. Watch Richard Pendlebury's full report on the Daily Mail World YouTube channel now. Join the discussion Should Western nations rely more on cheap drone warfare instead of expensive missile defense to counter threats like Irans attacks? 'The body, fuselage and wings are made from polystyrene. It's extremely lightweight. It's launched by compressed air and from there, it goes under its own power. 'It can fly for up to an hour at a maximum altitude of 6000 meters and a range of more than 35 kilometers, with a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour. 'It can catch and destroy Russian drones which cost more than fifty times the Techno Taras. Targets are not brought down by ramming - 600 grams of explosives within the drones nose are remotely detonated by an operator. 'But, if it fails to find a target, the drone can be recovered and reused, just like a 1940s Spitfire.' During his time with Ukraine's Kraken unit, Pendlebury witnesses first hand just how effective the drone interceptors have become, with their hilltop position drawing relentless Russian artillery fire. This week, as Iranian Shahed drones continue to batter US military bases across the Persian Gulf, President Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian drone interceptor teams have been dispatched to Jordan at Washington's request. To see the drone interceptors in action, subscribe to the Daily Mail's Crossfire YouTube channel. For years, Dubai has been sold to the world as a glittering, tax-free paradise, a place where ambition is rewarded, luxury is normalised, and street safety is virtually guaranteed. For hundreds of thousands of Brits fed up with rising crime, red tape and the high cost of living, a sun-soaked, tax-free lifestyle has proved irresistible. But now, as images of explosions, drone strikes and arrests begin to spread, that narrative is starting to crack. Many have been shocked by the way Dubai authorities are treating ordinary people. In recent days, we at Detained in Dubai have been inundated with cases of expats who have been detained after sharing images of drone strikes and explosions, even when those images were merely sent privately to family members simply to reassure them that they were safe. Some were inside buildings that were struck and, despite being survivors, were treated as criminals. In several cases we have handled, authorities attended buildings in the aftermath, requesting access to residents' phones and reviewing personal content on the spot. Those found to have taken photographs, even if never shared publicly, were arrested. They were then driven straight to the police station and the contents of their phone was deleted, erasing any evidence of drone strikes. We have seen ordinary residents caught up in this, including parents, workers and those simply trying to reassure loved ones. As images of explosions, drone strikes and arrests begin to spread, the narrative is starting to crack. Palm Jumeirah hotel in Dubai is pictured alight Videos posted to social media showed a huge plume of smoke rising from the building on March 3, which local authorities revealed was hit by a missile At the same time, official messaging and influencer content continues to present Dubai as entirely safe, dismissing concerns as exaggeration or misinformation. For many, this now feels completely detached from reality. People have been killed and injured, and residents are receiving 'take cover' alerts, sending them to shelter in car parks with their families. It is ridiculous to claim Dubai is safe. We are receiving calls all day from people trapped by travel bans over trivial matters like landlord disputes, desperately trying to get out to safety. Arresting people for privately sharing images already circulating in global media is not about safety. Many expats who chose to stay have been supportive of Dubai, but treating investors and businesspeople like enemies of the state risks doing lasting damage to the country's reputation. Shocking all this may be but the reality is that none of it is new. The risks, the authoritarianism and the arrests have always been there, but the UAE's response to the recent attacks has amplified and exposed them, and people are now seeing it en masse for the first time. Many expats are struggling to reconcile the country they once loved with a reality in which survivors and ordinary people who meant no harm are being arrested. They had a completely different view of Dubai, largely shaped by influencer culture, which has been actively cultivated. Last year the state even opened a so-called 'Influencer Academy' - a school for influencers - part of a broader strategy to recruit, train and incentivise content creators to promote the city globally. Join the discussion Has Dubais carefully crafted image of safety and luxury begun to crack now that the reality is harder to ignore? Influencers in Dubai have been posting identical videos emphasising the safety of the city which have been seen millions of times Socialite Petra Ecclestone cried as she described explosions before, describing how 'grateful' she was for 'how much Dubai puts safety first' and how 'welcomed and safe it has made us feel' Vicky Pattison (pictured in Dubai) has claimed the city is still 'one of the safest places in the world' - as the Daily Mail has learned that behind the glitzy, public relations messages lies a more menacing reality Alongside licensing systems and state-backed initiatives, it has effectively created a pipeline of influencers tasked with projecting a carefully controlled image of Dubai as safe and aspirational. As I have previously warned, this amounts to state-backed propaganda, a deliberate effort to whitewash the reality on the ground. Influencers are not going to tell you that a negative review can land you in prison, that false accusations and hearsay can lead to detention, or that victims of crime are often silenced through pressure, pay-offs or threats. The image of Dubai as safe and aspirational is then amplified by reality television such as Dubai Bling and other productions the city has invested in, creating a glossy, aspirational version of Dubai that leaves out the risks. Scroll through social media and you will see it everywhere: infinity pools, supercars, 'safe streets', and the promise of a better life. Celebrities and high-profile entrepreneurs reinforce the narrative, and many expats feel pressure to promote Dubai in a positive light. What you won't see are the legal realities that sit beneath that polished surface, the arbitrary detentions, human rights violations and even deaths in custody. For decades, the UAE has maintained a strict system of censorship, where criticism of the government, institutions, or even individuals can lead to arrest. Once a tax-free haven, Dubai has lost its golden image as Iranian bombs rain down on the city At the heart of the system are sweeping cybercrime laws that govern not only what people say publicly, but what they share privately Journalists, lawyers and residents alike have long been aware that speaking openly carries risk, and from time to time the authorities issue clear warnings as we saw with the Princess Haya scandal, Covid, and now. At the heart of this system are sweeping cybercrime laws that govern not only what people say publicly, but what they share privately. Under these laws, actions that would be considered trivial in the UK can become criminal offences in Dubai, from sending a message that contains profanity, to sharing a post authorities later deem false, disagreeable or misleading, to posting a negative review about a company, as in the case of Craig Ballantine, or about a product or service, or even complaining about poor customer service. There have been cases of individuals detained over private WhatsApp messages exchanged between friends, spouses, flatmates or colleagues. Others have faced legal action for social media posts made years earlier, outside the UAE, only to be arrested upon arrival as happened to British national Laleh Shahravesh, detained in Dubai over Facebook comments written in the UK years earlier. The reach of these laws goes far beyond Dubai's borders. Posts made years earlier in another country can still be used against you, leaving many visitors exposed. And it does not stop there. The system is also open to misuse. Complaints can be made by individuals, and once a complaint is filed, the process often appears to favour the accuser. We have seen cases where people have reported others out of spite, trawling through years of social media activity to find something that could be interpreted as offensive. In many instances, complaints are used as leverage, with individuals expected to pay to resolve the matter. Some have paid tens of thousands of dollars simply to have a case closed and a travel ban lifted. It's extortion. Absolutely no content can be posted by influencers that could damage the Dubai brand Tourists and locals living in Dubai have been seen scrambling to leave at Dubai International Airport In some cases, claims supported by fabricated evidence have still led to arrest, particularly in relationship disputes. We have increasingly received reports from female victims that their 'handlers' threaten them with cybercrime allegations to force compliance. The women know they can be easily jailed and feel they have no escape. Many visitors may already be in breach of these laws without knowing. For years, some have understood the need to tread carefully in Dubai. But many others do not and even those who try to keep a low profile, avoid attention and watch what they say can still find themselves in trouble. But now, amid heightened tensions and recent attacks, enforcement has intensified dramatically. Those who have remained in Dubai need to be extra cautious. The UAE is one of the most digitally surveilled countries in the world, where VPNs are illegal and even private messages can be scrutinised. Authorities including the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), working with police cybercrime units, monitor online activity and enforce strict laws on what can be said and shared. In that kind of environment, social media becomes a risk, not just what you post, but what you've posted before and how it is interpreted. Dubai is not just strict, it is unpredictable, and people can find themselves in serious trouble without realising they have done anything wrong. What happens next is unlikely to reassure anyone. If anything, we are likely to see more of these cases, not fewer. We've seen this pattern before. When there is instability, enforcement ramps up, complaints increase, and more people get pulled into civil and criminal cases they never expected. That has real consequences for Dubai's economy. Disputes rise, people lose jobs, debts get called in, and what should be civil matters quickly turn into criminal cases, travel bans and even Interpol Red Notices. We saw it after the financial crisis and again during Covid. Dubai is built on its reputation, and that reputation is now under serious strain. If investor confidence shifts from opportunity to risk, the damage will not be easy to reverse. More than 1,000 doctors and medical professionals have urged peers to oppose plans to let women legally terminate their baby up to birth ahead of a crucial House of Lords vote on Wednesday. The letter from 1,015 senior obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, and medical professors warns peers of their 'grave concerns' with the legislation that would decriminalise abortion 'up to birth'. In the biggest shake up of abortion laws for half a century, MPs last year voted to allow women to abort their baby for any reason - including if they are not satisfied with the baby's sex. The surprise amendment was tabled by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi and attached to the Government's Crime and Policing Bill, after being debated for just 46 minutes in the Commons. It passed with 379 MPs voting in favour and 137 against and was subsequently incorporated into the Bill. Peers will today vote on the amendment before the legislation returns to the Commons. Now medical professionals have written to peers ahead of the vote to urge them to back an amendment that would stop the attempt to allow abortion up to birth from becoming law. The letter, seen by the Mail, warns that it would pose 'serious risks to women's health, particularly given the medical dangers associated with late, self-administered abortions'. The group of doctors and nurses are also calling for peers to back another amendment that would 'protect women' by reinstating in-person consultations before abortion pills can be prescribed. Concerned members of the Lords will attempt this week to vote down measures to decriminalise abortion after 24 weeks or without approval from doctors MPs last year voted to decriminalise abortion 'up to birth', leaving women free to abort their baby for any reason The so-called 'pills by post' scheme - introduced during the pandemic but made permanent in 2022 - has enabled women to access abortion pills without consulting their doctor. Campaigners fear this increases the risk of coercion. In one case, 40-year-old Stuart Worby spiked a woman's drink with abortion pills, leading her to suffer a miscarriage. The letter adds that reintroducing face-to-face appointments is 'an important part of safeguarding (to protect against coerced abortion) and would enable medical professionals to ensure that abortion pills are only prescribed in cases when it is both medically safe and legally compliant to do so'. Peers will have the chance to remove the proposals entirely from the legislation with the Crime and Policing Bill being scrutinised at report stage in the Lords, with votes expected on Wednesday. Two amendments have been tabled - one calling to remove the proposals from the bill entirely, and the other to reinstate in-person consultations with a medical professional before abortion pills can be prescribed. Both amendments are backed by a team of notable pro-life, pro-choice female peers, including former Olympian Baroness Davies, former Ofsted head Baroness Spielman and former president of the British Medical Association Baroness Hollins. Peers are now hopeful of voting the two Lords amendments through - meaning MPs will have to consider the changes when the bill returns to the Commons. Baroness Monckton, who tabled the amendment to remove 'clause 208' from the Bill, said: 'This radical clause was added to the Bill after less than an hour of debate by MPs, and without the necessary scrutiny required for an issue of such seriousness. Whatever one's views on abortion, this is not how responsible laws are made.' Baroness Stroud said: 'I, and many others, warned of the dangers of the "pills by post" scheme when it was introduced. Sadly, those warnings have come true. 'This change has widespread public support and would better protect women by helping prevent further cases of coerced or dangerous late-term abortions linked to the pills by post scheme.' It came as a pro-choice former justice minister also raise concerns about the 'unintended consequences' of the 'abortion up to birth' clause in the Crime and Policing Bill. Former Tory justice minister Laura Farris - who was due to respond on behalf of the Government to an identical amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill in 2024, which fell when the General Election was called - has warned peers that the consequences have 'not been fully thought through'. Her letter to peers adds: 'A few hours of debate, in the context of a Government Bill, without the amendment even having been considered at Committee stage in the Commons, is not the right approach for this. 'If it is the will of Parliament to make this change, the Government should facilitate proper policy and legal thinking on this matter and make time for proper scrutiny.' Police have released images of a woman they would like to speak to after two people were hit with a glass bottle in Rochester. The pair were sitting in the front of a parked car at around 3pm on Friday when a suspect unknown to them allegedly got into the car through a back door and hit them with the bottle. Both victims needed hospital treatment for their injuries, which were not life-changing or threatening. Officers investigating the alleged assault said the woman pictured could hold 'vital information' on the case. In the images released by Kent Police the woman is wearing a grey cardigan over a silver coat and a neon dress. The force said anyone who recognised the woman or had any relevant information or CCTV footage should contact Kent Police on 01634 792209. Police said they wanted to speak with the woman, who was wearing a grey cardigan, silver coat and neon dress in images released by the force The sheriff in charge of investigating the abduction of Nancy Guthrie faces being fired from his post as an investigator from his office shares grave fears for her safety. Republican congressional candidate Daniel Butierez recently confirmed to the New York Post that he has initiated the recall process to remove Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos from office. Butierez told the outlet that he has 500 volunteers working to collect at least 120,000 signatures on a petition to fire the sheriff, which is the first step in a lengthy recall process to do so. 'He has been an embarrassment to Tucson and to Pima County with this Nancy Guthrie case,' the congressional candidate told the outlet. It comes as an investigator from his office told the Daily Mail that he believes Nancy is likely dead, reluctantly coming to the dismal outlook more than six weeks after she was abducted from her $1million home. Is she alive? I think thats very unlikely, a source close to the probe somberly said. Everybody is coming to grips with that. Shes elderly, had health problems and to survive in captivity for so long we obviously dont know for sure, but it would be a miracle. NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie previously acknowledged the prospect that her missing 84-year-old mom is dead in a gut-wrenching social media video 24 days into the hunt, saying: 'She may be lost. She may already be gone. But this is the first time anyone has revealed the thinking inside the investigation. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is in charge of the Nancy Guthrie abduction case investigation, is facing the possibility of being fired, according to a source in his department An investigator in Nanos's office said that they have reluctantly come around to the view that Nancy is dead. Nancy is pictured with her daughter, Savannah, who co-hosts NBC Today Republican congressional candidate Daniel Butierez has initiated the recall process to remove Sheriff Nanos from office Nancy was snatched from her house in the affluent Catalina Foothills area of Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Sunday, February 1. Since that day, Savannah, 54, and her close family have endured continual heartbreak amid an initially massive but so far fruitless search by the Pima County Sheriffs Department and the FBI. Sheriff Chris Nanos under fire for his handling of the case from the outset was accused by several sources of locking down the probe amid escalating tensions between his team and federal agents. In particular, he was allegedly keeping key decisions to himself and two of his highest-ranking inner circle, effectively sidelining the small team of relatively inexperienced investigators at his disposal. Butierez told the New York Post that Pima County deputies had wanted to begin the process to recall Nanos themselves, but they were worried about retaliation from the sheriff. He added that police in Pima County 'had a unanimous vote of no confidence' in Nanos on Friday. Butierez has taken up the recall initiative because 'Im a congressional candidate... and I dont see Nanos messing with me,' he said. Now, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal, four Pima County detectives are working directly out of the Tucson FBI building in a shake-up welcomed by other officers frustrated at Nanoss approach to the probe. Nanos has been criticized for his handling of Nancy's abduction case since its outset more than six weeks ago Butierez is working on collecting at least 120,000 signatures on a petition to remove Nanos from office, which is the first step in the recall process. He is pictured in a still from a video on his Instagram page announcing the move Butierez said that Pima County deputies wanted to initiate the process to recall Nanos themselves, but they were worried about retaliation. Butierez is pictured with police officers This case had been at a standstill, said the source at the sheriffs department. 'And while Nanos still has overall control and the ultimate say over the investigation, now he is not as involved in the day-to-day things that are being scrutinized. 'This is good. There will be less meddling from command staff. Few people know the inner workings of what that joint team are currently running down, but it seems like theyre operating well together. The team is still banking on a frustrating mixture of DNA results taken from Nancys home for the identity of the armed and masked man captured on porch video when she was snatched, the source said. Theyre absolutely counting on that. But its taking time because there was such a mix of DNA, he added. The lab in Florida is trying to accelerate technology they were due to roll out next year in order to unravel it faster.' With the abductor still on the loose, fear remains among elderly people living in the rolling hills around Tucson. Nanos has said he believes Nancy was targeted, but that the kidnapper could strike again. And our source warned: 'This guy is emboldened. Weve thrown everything at him, and we havent caught him yet. Hes probably watching the news and thinking, man, theyre not even close to me. At least from what hes seeing. So, hes still out there and thats a big worry for folks. 'He is a very careful suspect who did not appear to leave a huge footprint on the crime. And then the scene was mishandled when it was opened up so quickly. Who knows what forensic clues were lost. Investigators are hoping for a break in the case through DNA analysis to identify the armed and masked man captured on porch video when Nancy was abducted A source in Nanos's department said that the abductor captured in the porch video may be 'emboldened' by the lack of progress in the case At one point, the sheriffs department tipline center was receiving up to 4,000 calls a day. But that has now subsided to a trickle of around two dozen and just two people are manning the phones, said the source. Meanwhile, the $6million Bitcoin ransom demand letters, which put the Guthrie family through inexplicable extra turmoil with two cruel deadlines, are now largely being discounted, we are told. They appeared to reveal inside information not known to the public. But the general view now is that these were fakes, people just trying to get some money out of the situation, said the source. 'Nancy gave a tour of her bedroom in a video. There were other clues to her on social media. The scammers could have simply put all that together and made themselves seem like something they werent. Savannah returned to New York City after several weeks holed up with her close family in Tucson, in plans first revealed by the Daily Mail. The co-anchor grew up with her elder sister Annie, 56, in Nancys house. She was seen visiting NBC colleagues in Rockefeller Center last week in an emotional appearance away from the TV cameras. The star, a mom of two young children and married to Democrat political adviser Michael Feldman, announced a $1million reward for Nancys return in her February 24 video. Fighting tears, she said: 'It is day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed. Savannah announced a $1million reward for the return of her mother in a video posted on February 24. She is pictured embracing Nancy Savannah had already acknowledged the possibility that her mother is dead in the February 24 video, which is now three weeks old. The mother and daughter are pictured together 'And every hour and minute and second and every long night has been agony since then. Worrying for her, fearing for her, aching for her. 'We still believe. 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.' Savannah then directly confronted the possibility of her mother's death, saying: '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. '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. 'Somebody knows and we are begging you to please come forward now.' She then implored: 'Tell us 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 and courageous and noble life that she lived. Sheriff Nanos first came under the critical spotlight when investigators probed the crime scene on four occasions, but each time left allowing almost anyone access and possibly contaminating undiscovered evidence. Nanos allegedly mishandled the first hours of the search for Nancy, during which there was a delay in sending search-and-rescue aircraft Nanos was also criticized for potentially allowing evidence to be contaminated at the crime scene in Nancy's home. Sheriff's department vehicles are pictured outside the home on the day after the abduction The Daily Mail also reported his alleged mishandling of the very first hours of the search for Nancy, which included a serious delay in sending up a vital search-and-rescue aircraft. For Nanos to be fired, Butierez has 120 days to collect around 120,000 signatures, which is equivalent to 25 percent of the number of ballots cast in the 2024 Pima County sheriff election. The congressional candidate told the New York Post that he doesn't think he will have trouble doing so and that he is aiming to acquire around 135,000 signatures. If he is successful, the Pima County Recorder will have 60 days to verify the signatures against voter registration records. Nanos would then have five days to decide whether to resign or ask for a Special Recall Election. A video posted by a Frontier Airlines passenger has both triggered outrage and confusion after the woman, identified as Ashley Grey, alleged she was kicked off a flight simply because she could not hear instructions from a flight attendant. But in a sharply worded response, the airline insists the real reason was far more serious - and has directly challenged her version of events. Ashley's TikTok, which has been viewed more than a million times, sees her sitting in her seat as crew members confer at the front of the plane, she appears distressed and overwhelmed. 'I'm so embarrassed I didn't do anything wrong,' she says in the clip, her voice shaking. At another moment, she adds: 'I'm going to go, I'm not resisting. I don't want them to say I'm resisting leaving or anything.' In captions accompanying the video, she frames the incident as discrimination. 'I was removed from a flight because I am deaf,' and urging the airline to improve training adding: 'Frontier Airlines please train your flight attendants on disability accommodations, specifically when somebody is deaf/hard of hearing.' The footage also captures murmurs of disbelief from nearby passengers, some appearing to question the crew's decision as Ashley prepares to gather her belongings and walk off the aircraft aisle - a moment described as humiliating. 'It's embarrassing to walk up the aisle when I didn't do anything wrong,' she said in her post. Frontier Airlines passenger Ashley Grey posted a viral TikTok claiming she was removed from a flight because she is deaf Frontier Airlines said the passenger was removed for bringing an open container of alcohol onboard, which violates federal law and airline policy According to her account, the situation escalated after a flight attendant attempted to speak to her before departure but because she could not hear, she says, the crew misinterpreted her lack of response as refusal to comply. She has also claimed that her condition was indicated on her ticket and said that gate agents later apologized while rebooking her onto another flight. Online, the reaction was swift and fierce. Thousands of commenters accused the airline of discrimination, with some urging legal action and calling the incident a failure to accommodate a passenger with a disability. 'Frontier Airlines will never get my business!' stated one user. 'We have many choices when it comes to airlines, Frontier is NO LONGER one of them,' agreed another. 'I am deaf and I used to like Frontier. For safety reasons I will never fly them again. That is so Frightening. I am very sorry that happened,' said a third. But as the outrage spread, Frontier Airlines then issued a detailed statement that paints a dramatically different picture - one that centers not on the woman's disability, but on an alleged violation of federal law. 'According to the flight attendant directly involved in the matter, the passenger boarded with an open container which she admitted contained alcohol when questioned,' a spokesperson told the Daily Mail. @legallyswiftie13 I was removed from a flight because I am deaf. When I went to rebook, the gate agents apologized for the flight attendants behavior. @Frontier Airlines please train your flight attendants on disability accommodations, specifically when somebody is deaf/hard of hearing. #deaf #disability #discriminationawareness original sound - ASHLEYS VERSION The airline stated the passenger 'rapidly consumed the remaining alcohol' after being confronted by a flight attendant while noting there was no indication the passenger was deaf 'Bringing an open container of alcohol on board violates both Frontier policy and federal law. When the flight attendant informed the passenger of the violation, the passenger rapidly consumed the remaining alcohol in the cup before handing it over,' the statement continued. The airline added that the container itself carried a visible warning: 'Flight attendants further noted that the cup the passenger brought on board was affixed with a sticker advising that federal law prohibits carrying this alcoholic beverage on board an aircraft.' Based on that interaction, Frontier says the decision to remove her was simple. 'The flight crew made the decision to remove the customer from the aircraft, and she was rebooked on a later flight,' the statement explained. The airline also disputed Ashley's claim that her deafness played any role at all. 'There was no indication on the passenger's reservation that she is deaf or has any form of disability and, according to various personnel who interacted with the passenger, she was clearly and effectively conversing with them during interactions,' the Frontier spokesperson added. Ashley has previously spoken publicly about her hearing, including in a December video where she described learning she was losing it in her 20s. In that clip, she recounted a medical consultation and reflected on nearly undergoing cochlear implant surgery saying: 'Honestly, maybe I should have let them go through with the surgery because they were not going to explain that to me, and I would have woken up just like, deaf, and maybe I could have sued for medical malpractice. 'I'm eventually gonna go deaf anyway, may as well have gotten a payout or something.' She did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Mail following the airline's statement Rishi Sunak is renewing calls for a 'vital' national prostate cancer screening programme as he prepares to attend a testing open day. The former Conservative Prime Minister is urging men to get checks this week at one of six sessions nationwide. Men can book a potentially life-saving test for the subsidised price of 12.50, which will check the health of their prostate and could spot early signs of a tumour. National Screening Day is on Saturday, but Prostate Cancer Research and The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust has organised events for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as well. Catching prostate cancer early boosts survival chances, and treatment is typically easier, cheaper and more effective. It is the most common cancer in the UK, with 63,000 cases and 12,000 deaths each year but unlike breast, bowel and lung cancer, there is no national screening programme. The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national prostate cancer screening programme, initially targeted at high-risk men, including those who are black, have a family history of the disease or particular genetic mutations. Writing for the Daily Mail, Mr Sunak says: 'We are at a pivotal moment for men's health in this country. The Government has the chance to save countless lives by introducing a targeted screening programme.' The former Conservative Prime Minister is urging men to get checks this week at one of six sessions nationwide The Daily Mail is campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national prostate cancer screening programme, initially targeted at high-risk men The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) issued draft guidance in November saying the checks should be offered only in very limited circumstances. For now, it has put forward a recommendation to only screen men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations who face a significantly higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer every two years between the ages of 45 and 61. Prostate Cancer Research campaign events this week https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/ https://www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk/nsd/ https://pcr.mypsatests.org.uk/Events/ It would not recommend full screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test because it may result in too many men undergoing unnecessary biopsies or surgery for slow-growing tumours that might never have caused them harm. But a review by York Health Economics Consortium has since discovered that it relied on outdated data, diagnosis methods and treatments. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has the authority to overrule the UKNSC, which is due to publish its final recommendation later this month. Mr Sunak will attend a screening event at Ilford Wanderers RFC in east London on Saturday, open to all local men aged 40 and over between 10am and 2pm. Men can find testing events near them via the Prostate Cancer Research website. Booking is essential and closes one day in advance. Results will be sent directly and confidentially to each participant. David James, of Prostate Cancer Research, said: 'Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK yet it is the only major cancer without a national screening programme. That is costing lives. 'Too many men are diagnosed only once the disease has spread, when treatment becomes harder and survival chances plummet. National Screening Day is a vital reminder of the problem.' The Barefoot Investor has offered some tough advice after a nurse with a multi-million dollar property portfolio revealed she was unable to afford a $30,000 dental bill because she was 'asset rich' but 'cash poor'. Sue, 43, wrote to Scott Pape confessing she feels trapped despite owning a home and two investment properties with her lawyer husband. 'I am in tears as I write this. We own our home and two investment properties. We are asset rich, cash poor, mortgaged to the hilt,' she wrote. 'I need dental treatment. Implants are just the start. It will cost upward of $30,000. 'I'm a nurse, and I fully understand the impact bad teeth have on your health. Not to mention embarrassing, and at times painful.' Sue said she had spent years putting her children first and her own health last. While the couple's investment properties have risen in value and cover their own costs, the bank will not allow them to refinance. At the same time, Sue and her husband are reluctant to sell, fearing they would lose a significant amount of money through capital gains tax. Scott Pape (pictured) questioned how a professional couple with more than a million dollars in assets had found themselves unable to pay for essential healthcare 'Our primary mortgage is $7,000 a month. Childcare $3,000. We don't have fancy cars. I shop at Kmart. There's nothing left,' she said. 'So do I dip into my super (I have $416K)? Fly to Thailand? What should I do? Don't just say nothing.' Pape questioned how a professional couple with more than a million dollars in assets had found themselves unable to pay for essential healthcare. 'You're a professional couple with over a million dollars in assets, but you can't pay for your health?' he said. 'If I were in your situation I'd sell one of your investment properties. 'Pay the damn capital gains. Pay for the dental work. Maybe give yourself some breathing room so you don't feel so stressed all the time. 'Smile. You deserve it.' Pape told her it was time to prioritise her own wellbeing. 'Seems like you've spent your entire adult life dismissing yourself and your needs - so I sure as hell ain't going to do that,' he responded. The Barefoot Investor recommended the desperate nurse sell an investment property 'You're not talking about getting flashy veneers for Instagram, but treating a genuine health concern that will have real ramifications for you as you get older. 'Stop asking for permission. You're a grown woman. There is no question you need to get this done - the only question is how to pay for it sensibly. And sensibly rules out super. Taking $30k today could easily be $200k at retirement.' He warned that withdrawing money from superannuation should be off the table entirely and urged Sue to avoid travelling overseas for cheaper dental work. 'If I were in your shoes I wouldn't do it. Yes it may be cheaper, but if something fails, fixing it here could end up costing more than doing it locally,' he said. Nearly one in five bosses are expected to lay off staff by the end of the month as Aussies share their fears artificial intelligence is pushing them out. The Australian HR Institute's (AHRI) Quarterly Australian Work Outlook revealed 19 per cent of companies are planning to make workers redundant by March 31. The AHRI found staff in health and education industries were most at risk, each at 26 percent, closely followed by production. Redundancies were more likely to happen in the public sector than the private sector. The AHRI did not specifically blame AI for the mass redundancies. However, thousands of Aussies have recently found themselves out of a job because of the technology. Atlassian announced it would cut 1,600 jobs - with 480 of those in Australia, while WiseTech Global intends to slash 2,000 staff - one third of its workforce. To make matter worse for staff made redundant, AHRI found less than 60 per cent of companies planned to hire in the next three months, the lowest level since 2023. Its report suggested AI's 'impact was currently more about reshaping work than displacing jobs'. Nearly one in five bosses are expected to lay off staff by the end of the month as Aussies share their fears artificial intelligence is pushing them out (stock image) Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a video message to staff when announcing the job cuts, that AI had affected 'the mix of skills we need' and 'the number of roles required in certain areas'. 'Days like these are among the toughest that we have as a company, and certainly the toughest that I have as a leader,' he said. 'I am deeply sorry for the disruption this creates in your life. 'Even at a moment like this, and especially at a moment like this, your impact and contributions matter enormously. 'I want to say thank you for all of those contributions. Your work will live on in our products, in the experiences of our customers, and in the culture you've helped us build.' Cannon-Brookes continued: 'What I do want to say is that I have made this call because I believe it is the right decision for Atlassian in the long term. It is an incredibly hard decision, but I still believe it is the right one. 'We are focused on moving faster, staying disciplined on costs, and proving that we can grow profitably over the long term by remaining responsive to the world we operate in.' Teresa Lim, a voice artist for radio and television advertisements, said she was scared she could be replaced by AI Teresa Lim, a voice artist for radio and television advertisements, told The Guardian she was scared she could be replaced by AI. 'It is terrifying not just for voice actors, but for the general Australian public, because currently we have no legislation in place that makes that illegal,' she said. To minimise the risk of job loss, an AHRI spokesman said upskilling was a great way to stay employed. 'Australians can safeguard their roles by embracing lifelong learning, building skills that complement new technologies, and developing transferable capabilities such as problem-solving and communication,' the spokesman told 9News. 'With Australia's workforce ageing and job design evolving, it is essential that workers keep pace with changes in skills demand and the composition of the labour market. 'Those who actively commit to continuous learning, and can demonstrate their skills, will be best placed to adapt and remain relevant.' The United States has placed every one of its embassies and diplomatic posts on high alert worldwide, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered an immediate global security review amid escalating fears of Iranian retaliation tied to the war in the Middle East. In a sweeping directive sent on Tuesday and reviewed by The Washington Post, the State Department instructed that 'ALL posts worldwide' must urgently reassess their security posture, a rare move that underscores the growing concern that the conflict could spill far beyond the region. The cable warned of 'the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East and the potential for spill-over effects,' signaling that US officials now see the threat as global and not confined to traditional hotspots. Signed by Rubio and issued under the authority of Undersecretary for Management Jason Evans, the directive orders every diplomatic mission to convene Emergency Action Committees - specialized teams tasked with identifying threats, coordinating responses, and preparing for worst-case scenarios. The cable instructs diplomatic posts to share any credible threats with American citizens under the department's 'no double standards' policy, ensuring that warnings given to staff are also communicated to the public. While heightened alerts have been issued in the Middle East in recent weeks, Tuesday's order marks the first time in the current crisis that all US diplomatic posts worldwide have been told to review their defenses simultaneously. The escalation comes as US embassies and facilities have already come under repeated attack. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered all U.S. embassies worldwide to immediately review their security posture. The directive instructed 'ALL posts worldwide' to convene Emergency Action Committees to assess threats In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia a drone attack left parts of the US Embassy partially 'unrecoverable,' with sections of the roof collapsed and smoke damage reported Since the start of the US-Israeli bombing campaign on February 28, Iran and its proxy groups have targeted American diplomatic sites across the region, forcing temporary closures and evacuations in several countries. At the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a drone strike earlier this month left parts of the compound partially 'unrecoverable,' with sections of the roof collapsed and areas contaminated by smoke, according to internal assessments reviewed by the Post. However, the threats are no longer confined to the Middle East. Recent incidents include gunfire reported outside the US Consulate in Toronto and an explosion near the US Embassy in Oslo - stark reminders that tensions are reverberating far beyond the conflict zone. One State Department cable reviewed by the Post assessed that Iranian-backed militia groups have carried out 292 attacks on US facilities since February 28, describing the threat to American personnel as 'persistent.' In some cases, the situation has grown even more alarming. According to the report, groups of armed men have approached homes seeking information about US citizens. Join the discussion How concerned are YOU about the risk of global escalation after this warning? Gunshots were reported outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto in a separate security incident An explosion was reported near the US Embassy in Oslo amid rising global tensions linked to the conflict Smashed windows can be seen as part of the damage at the US Embassy in Oslo In another incident, an apartment building housing US diplomatic personnel in Israel was struck by an 'intercepted, unexploded Iranian ballistic warhead' over the weekend. While no injuries were reported, officials warned the episode underscored the life-or-death importance of seeking shelter when alarms sound. Despite the sweeping nature of the global alert, it remains unclear whether specific new intelligence triggered the move, or whether the decision reflects mounting concern over a steadily deteriorating security situation. Elton John's husband spoke 'freely and openly' with journalists, his privacy trial heard yesterday. Ulla Kloster, a former diary journalist with the Daily Mail, said she disputed David Furnish's evidence that he did not disclose 'private information' to reporters. She said Mr Furnish had spoken to her at a party at the Mirabelle restaurant in Mayfair, west London, when he discussed his wish to be legally married to Sir Elton. Sir Elton and Mr Furnish are among seven public figures, including Prince Harry, who have accused the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday of unlawful information gathering. Associated Newspapers, which publishes both titles, denies that its journalists commissioned private detectives to hack voicemails, intercept landline calls, and 'blag' their private information. During his evidence to the privacy trial, Mr Furnish said he did not willingly speak with journalists, but would make small talk at Press functions. David Sherborne, for the claimants, asked Ms Kloster if she disputed that account. She responded: 'I do.' Elton John and David Furnish at Paris Men's Fashion Week in January During re-examination by Antony White KC, for Associated, she said: 'He spoke to me about other things which were private, or if they were not private, they were about their life, their lives together. 'I wrote a story about whether they wished to get married, his thoughts on that, because at the time that was a big issue. 'And so when I saw him at a party, in fact at the Mirabelle restaurant, I walked up to him with a friend of mine and asked him, and he answered freely and openly, and I wrote the story, and I quoted him correctly. And that was very... that was their private life. 'Yes, they... they would like to get married, if they could, in a civil case. So he spoke openly to me, he answered all my questions, and gave me something substantial to write about, and he was very happy to do so.' The trial continues. Nigel Farage was accused of a 'shameful gimmick' after launching a competition in which Reform UK will pay the winner's energy bills for a year along with the bills of everyone on their street. The Reform leader unveiled the 'Nigel Cut My Bills' competition on Tuesday to promote the party's pledge to reduce household energy bills by 200 a year in its first budget if it came to power. It would see VAT scrapped on the bills which Reform says would cut 85 a year. The party would also scrap green levies on energy bills, promising to put another 115 back in voters' pockets. Reform's treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said the contest was a 'small downpayment' on the party's plans to cut bills if it wins the next general election. He added that cutting budgets from 'out-of-control' quangos such as Ofgem and Homes England would fund cutting renewables subsidies. But Mr Farage's party has been accused of bribing people struggling with the cost of living into voting for Reform. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake criticised Reform for employing a 'shameful gimmick at a time when families are genuinely worried about their energy bills'. Asked about which electoral laws applied to Mr Farage's giveaway, the Electoral Commission said that criminal offences including bribery 'may apply to activity taking place in UK elections'. Nigel Farage unveiled the 'Nigel Cut My Bills' competition on Tuesday to promote Reform's pledge to reduce household energy bills Reform's treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick (pictured) said the contest was a 'small downpayment' on the party's plans to cut bills if it wins the next general election Join the discussion Is paying a whole streets energy bills a generous giveaway or just political gimmick? But rival parties on Tuesday fell short of reporting Reform to the authorities on legal advice, saying that Mr Farage had pulled the stunt outside of an election cycle. A Reform spokesman said the party was 'entirely confident' that their competition was legal. It came as Mr Farage said he will deploy a battalion of litter pickers to clean up their local areas in the run-up to May's local elections. All 450 Reform local branches will be asked to go out to tackle the 'pretty shocking' state of Britain's streets. Some Reform branches had already been sent out on local 'street pick-ups', but Mr Farage said he would roll it out 'literally across the whole country' in April. The Tories will on Wednesday force a vote on government plans for a staged 5p increase in fuel duty from September. The party believes Labour MPs will be reluctant to support the plan as it entails yet further economic pain. A candidate for the US Senate has been convicted of throwing a tarantula down the stairs of her basement in a Home Alone-inspired bid to scare an alleged squatter. Marisa Simonetti, 32, who is running as an independent in the upcoming Senate election in Minnesota, was convicted on Friday of misdemeanor counts of domestic assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. The charges stemmed from the tarantula incident, which occurred in 2024. At the time, Simonetti told NBC News that she got the idea from the 1990 movie Home Alone, starring then-child actor Macaulay Culkin. In the film, Culkin's character, Kevin McCallister, terrorizes burglars with a series of Rube Goldberg-style improvised traps, and at one point, the child releases a tarantula that crawls across one of the burglars' faces. 'Im not a physically violent person, and I watched the movie Home Alone growing up, and I was like, you know what, this is such a strange situation,' Simonetti told the outlet. 'If Im scared or hurt, I try and make jokes. And I was so scared, I was just like, I didnt know what to do, and so, yeah, I got the spider.' Simonetti claimed that 32-year-old attorney Jackie Vasquez had been 'squatting' in her home, but the victim insisted that she had paid $1,500 to stay there through Airbnb. The dispute between the two women began shortly after Vasquez moved into Simonetti's basement. Marisa Simonetti, 32, was convicted of misdemeanor charges on Friday for throwing a live tarantula down the stairs of her basement to get a woman she said was squatting there out The tarantula that Simonetti released down the stairs is pictured. She later called her actions humorous and said she was a 'silly goose' Simonetti said that she had canceled the Airbnb reservation after just a couple of weeks because Vasquez had been sending her multi-paragraph texts and had been shouting on the phone late at night. The US Senate hopeful also claimed that Vasquez refused to leave the basement and told NBC News that the unwanted tenant had 'barricaded herself' inside. Vasquez claimed that she 'desperately wanted' to leave but was unable to because Simonetti had created a 'hostile environment.' Tensions came to a head after Simonetti accused Vasquez of intentionally closing a door on her arm. Vasquez claimed that Simonetti had been trying to forcibly enter the basement and that she unintentionally closed the door on Simonetti's arm after telling her she was trespassing. Police were called to the house three times that day, and Simonetti told NBC News she decided to purchase the tarantula after 'the police didnt help.' Vasquez said that Simonetti and a man later took apart the door to the basement to gain access, which scared her. She went to hide in her room and left her laptop recording at the base of the stairs. The laptop recorded a shocking video of Simonetti blasting Christian music while screaming, banging pots and pans and unleashing the spider down the stairs. Simonetti said she was inspired by the movie Home Alone, in which then-child actor Macaulay Culkin's character releases a tarantula that crawls across a burglar's face. A still of Culkin's character in the movie is pictured Simonetti claimed that 32-year-old attorney Jackie Vasquez was squatting in the basement and refusing to leave, but Vasquez insisted she paid $1,500 through Airbnb to stay there The video also captured many small objects being dumped down the stairs, which is reminiscent of other scenes in Home Alone. 'Pins, tacks, nails, a live tarantula, which was moving around, what appeared to be the contents of a terrarium dumped down the stairs, and several small toys' were found on the stairs by responding officers, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Simonetti later said that she had no other choice because Vasquez was squatting and refusing to leave. She also called her actions humorous and said she was 'a silly goose.' 'I mean, there is an element of humor to that movie, and at the end, what was I supposed to do?' Simonetti told KMSP at the time. 'And at the end of the day, "unhinged" got her out of the house.' Simonetti was arrested after the tarantula incident but was soon released without bond, and by the time she returned to her home, Vasquez had moved out. The Senate candidate was found guilty of her misdemeanor charges after parting with her lawyer and representing herself in court. She told the Minnesota Star Tribune that she lost the case because she did not fully understand court procedures. During the ordeal between the two women in 2024, Vasquez had been running as a Republican for another political office, Hennepin County Commissioner. She lost in that election. Simonetti said that her Home Alone-inspired antics were successful at getting Vasquez to move out. Culkin is pictured as his character, Kevin McCallister, in the movie Following Simonetti's arrest due to the tarantula incident, Randy Sutter, the chair for the 3rd Congressional District Republicans, said she 'has only served to embarrass the Republican Party.' Simonetti has also had other legal troubles in the past. In 2023, she was accused of fraud for allegedly running up an $80,000 bill on her ex-fiance's credit card. That case was dropped after being settled in court. Gerry Adams on Tuesday faced five hours of questioning over his alleged membership of the IRA and denied that wearing a black beret proved anything, insisting that 'Benny Hill wore one too'. The former Sinn Fein president, 77, has never before been quizzed in an English court over his role in the paramilitary group during the Troubles and he remained steadfast in his denials. For the three survivors of IRA bombings who brought the civil case against him, his evidence was a huge moment, years in the making. They are suing Adams for 'vindicatory damages' of just 1 over three bombings in London and Manchester in 1973 and 1996. They allege that, owing to his senior position in the IRA, he was 'directly responsible'. The High Court has already heard from 11 witnesses, including former soldiers and police officers involved in intelligence-gathering who all name Adams as a leading IRA figure over the past 50 years and even as its 'de facto leader'. On Tuesday, for the first time, their evidence was put to him. Adams made the most of his box-office appearance on the stand, giving a thumbs up to supporters outside and tucking a sprig of shamrock into his jacket pocket. He then thanked the judge in Irish before wishing him a 'happy St Patrick's Day'. The public gallery and an overspill room at the Royal Courts of Justice were packed with reporters and observers. Asked about the infamous picture of himself wearing a black beret at the funeral of an IRA volunteer in 1971 - said to be 'part of the uniform' of the group - Adams claimed it was 'no big deal'. A picture of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams taking part in a Republican march in West Belfast in 1971 Comedian Benny Hill pictured leaving Hospital. Mr Adams has denied that wearing a black beret proved anything, insisting that 'Benny Hill wore one too' 'Benny Hill wore one too,' he added as stifled sniggers could be heard around the court. In his sworn witness statement, Adams said 'I was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council', adding: 'I have never held any rank or role within the IRA, including on the IRA's Army Council. I have never held a 'command-and-control role' in the IRA and have never been a senior, let alone most senior, figure in the IRA.' On the sixth day of the trial the court finally heard from the man himself. During testy exchanges with Sir Max Hill KC, a former director of public prosecutions acting for the claimants, Adams was confronted with testimony from beyond the grave from the likes of Brendan Hughes, his friend and a former IRA commander; and Dolours Price, who was jailed for her part in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing. They both named him as an IRA leader before they died. Asked why he was released early from a sentence at Long Kesh prison, south-west of Belfast, to attend ceasefire talks with the British government in 1972 alongside IRA figures, Adams claimed this was solely in his role as a Sinn Fein representative. Sir Max replied: 'Mr Adams, you are rewriting history.' The court heard that Price, with her sister Marian, who was also convicted of the Old Bailey bombing, picked Adams up when he was released from jail. 'These young women were IRA volunteers determined to fight for the IRA,' Sir Max said. Adams replied: 'That doesn't stop them going to Long Kesh and giving me a lift home.' Gerry Adams on Tuesday faced five hours of questioning over his alleged membership of the IRA. He is pictured here arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice When it was suggested that he and former Northern Ireland deputy first minister Martin McGuinness were 'IRA volunteers turned politicians', Adams said: 'I was always a political activist. 'I joined Sinn Fein at 16 and have been a political activist for 60 years. 'I never 'turned politician'. I was always politically engaged and I am not and was not a member of the IRA.' At times, the testimony veered into examination of Adams' lifelong goal to see a united Ireland. During one impassioned speech, Adams - shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow - stood up and banged his hand on the wood-panelled dock of Court 16 to defend his role in the peace process. 'I hope to live in a united Ireland but, if I do not, I will go to my grave content I have played a role in bringing about a united Ireland,' he said. He also rebuked Sir Max when the barrister referred to England as 'the mainland'. 'Stop calling it the mainland,' he said. 'I'm from the island of Ireland. This is our nearest offshore island.' Adams disagreed that bombing Britain had 'worked' for him, responding: 'No, we put together a peace process. It was given to John Major's government ... on a plate. There is no reason whatsoever in any person's language why the people who live on the island of Ireland cannot be free from British rule.' He added that he did not 'stand by everything the IRA did'. 'They were my neighbours,' he said. 'If your neighbour was under occupation... some would form themselves to some form of resistance.' He said he was now 'glad there is peace'. He added: 'I don't distance myself from the IRA. I have been very clear there were dastardly things done that should not have been done.' Adams is being sued by John Clark, a victim of the IRA's Old Bailey attack in 1973; Jonathan Ganesh, who was injured in the 1996 attack at London's Docklands, and Barry Laycock, who was injured in the attack at Manchester's Arndale shopping centre in the same year. For the most part, Adams appeared relatively upbeat. 'I like English people,' he told the court. 'I don't like the ones that come in uniform or in the dead of night. There is no reason we can't work together for common interests.' Adams will continue his evidence on Wednesday. He is not calling any other witnesses to 'corroborate' his claims. The trial continues. Disgraced property developer Salim Mehajer, who was convicted of punching and suffocating his ex-girlfriend until she passed out, has now launched a court bid for a domestic violence order against her. Mehajer, who served five years in jail for fraud and domestic violence offences, alleges the woman monitored his movements, unlawfully accessed his iCloud account and remotely disabled his devices, following his release from custody in July. The woman cannot be identified due to legal protections for domestic violence victims. In court documents tendered to Parramatta Local Court, Mehajer, 39, is seeking a two-year apprehended violence order (AVO) against her and reports he feels harassed, intimidated and unsafe leaving his home, news.com.au reported. The application states Mehajer has experienced repeated issues with his electronic devices since his release and claims the woman has taken control of his Apple iCloud account and email by changing the password and linking her own telephone number. Mehajer argues the woman's alleged unauthorised access to his accounts presents an ongoing risk to his safety, including access to sensitive information from his tenure as Auburn's deputy mayor in the early 2010s. It's understood Mehajer has not reported these new accusations to police. Mehajer was found guilty in May 2023 for six offences against the woman, including intimidation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and intentionally suffocating with recklessness, and threatening to kill the woman's mother. Salim Mehajer is asking the court to take out an AVO against his ex-girlfriend, who he punched and suffocated until she passed out Mehajer alleges the woman unlawfully accessed his iCloud account and email and has been monitoring his movements While he's acknowledged his fraud offences, Mehajer has maintained his innocence over the domestic violence convictions, which he claimed, 'simply didn't happen'. His appeal is currently before the Court of Criminal Appeal, with judgement reserved. Mehajer is still subject to an AVO order and is not allowed to contact the woman or travel to the NSW Central Coast. To instate his own AVO against the woman, Mehajer must first convince the court to allow the case to be heard after he was declared a 'vexatious litigant' in 2022. The ruling means Mehajer cannot launch any civil proceedings in any court in NSW until expressly allowed by the court. The decision was brought after he tried to sue 17 defendants for $52 million over the fallout of a development project which left him bankrupt. In the months since his release, Mehajer has mainly kept a quiet profile, apart from the occasional post on his private Instagram account, a court appearance, and running errands in a Tesla Model 3. As part of his strict parole conditions, he must undergo drug and alcohol testing, participate in domestic violence programs if directed, and not communicate with any outlaw motorcycle gang bikies or associates. He served five years in custody over a slew of fraud and domestic violence convictions After his release from jail, Mehajer told his followers he plans to write a book about his life Mehajer recently told his 128,000 followers that he has been busy writing his memoirs and to stay tuned. He hinted that it will be an explosive read, warning former associates that 'not many have made it out unscathed.' 'Hi, yes, I'll still be releasing a couple of chapters from my autobiography as a sneak peek,' he wrote on his Instagram in January. 'I'm still waiting on legal advice clearance Nobody has been spared.' The post ended with an upside-down smiley face emoji. Potential targets in the book include former business partners and developers, lawyers and legal professionals he believes failed him, ex-partners and political rivals from his days on the now-defunct Auburn Council. Whether he will open up about his lengthy stint in jail remains to be seen. Mehajer rose to prominence following his elaborate Western Sydney wedding, to Aysha Learmonth in 2015, which reportedly cost $1million. The ceremony began with the groom arriving via helicopter and featured a motorcade of luxury vehicles and doves. The wedding stirred controversy after the event closed a street in Lidcombe, and Mehajer sent fake flyers to neighbours warning them their cars would be towed if they got in the way. But despite leaving the local council and police furious, Mehajer remained unapologetic about the chaos he caused, instead telling the media he wanted to be the next 'superstar.' Controversial proposals to legalise assisted dying in Scotland were tonight rejected by MSPs in a crunch Holyrood vote. A bill to allow terminally ill adults to ask for assistance to end their life was defeated after MSPs voted by 69 to 57 against it in the Scottish Parliament. It was the third time that proposed legislation to legalise assisted dying or suicide has been voted down at Holyrood and led to claims the issue has now been settled for a generation. A series of MSPs who backed Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthurs bill at stage one last year switched sides to defeat it in the final vote, resulting in the proposal being rejected. It followed major concerns about the legal risks of pressing ahead, the lack of protection for health workers and the impact on disabled people and other vulnerable groups, as well as the risk that people would feel coerced or pressured into ending their lives. Following the historic vote, Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, chief executive of the Right To Life UK charity, said: This is a great victory for the most vulnerable in our society. They deserve protection and care, not a pathway to suicide. If this legislation had passed, countless vulnerable people would have been pressured or coerced into ending their lives. A large number of MSPs from across the political spectrum came together today to recognise the dangers this Bill posed and have rightly rejected it. Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur's bill was defeated after MSPs voted by 69 to 57 against Mr McArthur and cross party MSPs after his Bill was defeated on Tuesday night The question of assisted suicide has dominated the five-year term of the current Scottish Parliament. The issue is now settled for a generation. In the initial stage one vote last year, MSPs had voted by 70 to 56 in favour of the bill but many of those backing the general principles had also highlighted the need to address major concerns if they were to still support it in the final stage. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and SNP MSPs Audrey Nicoll and Collette Stevenson, who all backed the bill at stage one, had announced publicly in recent weeks that they would vote against. During last nights debate, SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn was the first MSP to confirm he had dropped his support, followed by Labours Daniel Johnson and Conservative Brian Whittle. Kill this Bill: The group Care Not Killing were out in force Plea: Protester holds a placard calling on MSPs to vote in favour of the Bill Among the most passionate speeches, independent MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, who was the first permanent wheelchair user elected to Holyrood, said the bill would put sick and disabled people at risk. She told MSPs: I am one of the most empowered people in this country and I have been broken by how hard it is to get the help I need to get the support to live like the rest of you. When I have the support I need, when I am not fighting, I and people like me can live well. We can thrive. That is what this parliament is for, we are here to legislate to empower everyone in this wonderful country to live well, including at the end. She said that disabled people dont have real choices in life, and added: Crucially, there will be disabled people whose struggle is so hard that they have given up hope, given up fighting and will be considering tonight taking their own lives. I know this because I have been all of those people I have described. They live in fear every single day worrying about what new limit someone else will put on their lives, and what little power they will have to change it. They live every single day without choice at all. It is inconceivable to suggest that the introduction of assisted dying is about choice when disabled people do not have choices in life. In a world where so many have little or no choices, we cannot risk making death the only choice they ever have. If this Bill passes, in a world of inequality, it will be easier to access help to die than help to live. In her final speech before standing down at Mays elections, SNP MSP Ruth Maguire, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2021, said her blood runs cold thinking about sitting in a room in a hospital and a doctor raises assisted dying with her. Explaining his decision for dropping support, Mr Hepburn said he had been disappointed by the rejection of a series of amendments on issues like creating an institutional opt-out and protecting conscientious opt-outs for medical professionals, and said: The inability to demonstrate how this area will work, along with those other areas Ive highlighted leaves me at this time and with some sense of regret unable to support this bill. This is a decision I know will disappoint many in this chamber and beyond, although just as sure the alternative would have equally disappointed Mr Findlay issued a late plea to MSPs, saying he had changed his mind and urging anyone else who was undecided that the responsible thing to do is to vote no. Mr Johnson, who had pushed for a series of additional safeguards during stage three amendments, said: Ultimately, it boils down to two doctors opinions: doctors who can make mistakes, can make errors of judgement, and yes they may make referrals but no amount of referral will stop those errors or those mistakes. Very often when we legislate in this place, good enough is good enough. Legislation by necessity has to be a matter of compromise. But this is not an area where you can afford compromise. Good enough is not good enough. Mr Whittle raised concerns about coercion and the lack of safeguards for medical professionals as he confirmed that he had concluded that if he had any doubts he cannot vote for the bill. Among those who argued for the bill, Green MSP Lorna Slater said that everyone should have the right to choose as she recounted her fathers assisted death in Canada in November 2025, saying it was beautiful. She said: I got to hug him and he told us he loved us. He told us to look after my mum and he fell asleep. He did snore a bit, it was beautiful. I wish that death for myself, I wish it for anyone who wants it for themselves. I dont mind if you would never want this choice for yourself, but please, please, dont prevent other people from choosing it for themselves. We should all have the right to choose. SNP MSP George Adam spoke of his wife Stacey, who lives with multiple sclerosis. He said: Stacey says smile though your heart is aching, and that is how so many people live their lives with courage, with resilience and the love for the people around them. But every life, no matter how rich, its soundtrack eventually reaches its final chapter. When that moment comes the question before us today is simple: should those final notes be written only by illness and suffering, or should compassion, dignity and choice have a voice as well? Holyrood was gripped by frenzied speculation ahead of last nights vote about how many MSPs would switch their position having previously supported the general principles of the bill at stage one, and whether it would be enough to defeat the proposal. One MSP who had been among those to campaign against the proposal said she felt sick about how the vote would go. In his final contribution last night, Mr McArthur said it was a decision many in the chamber will come to regret. He highlighted a series of painful deaths of individuals, and said people were dying in enduring agony and told MSPs that this issue isnt going away. A Scottish Government spokesman said: The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland who needs it can access well-coordinated, compassionate and high-quality palliative and end of life care. A cargo vessel at the centre of an international drug bust has been escorted into Sydney Harbour after its crew issued a desperate plea for help as supplies ran dangerously low. The MV Raider was intercepted by French authorities in international waters near French Polynesia on January 16, where officers allegedly discovered 4.8 tonnes of cocaine worth more than $1 billion. French officials threw the cocaine into the ocean and permitted the 11 crew members to sail free after they said they had picked up the vessel in Panama for delivery to Australia. But on Thursday night, the captain issued a mayday call off Port Kembla after the ship began running dangerously low on food, water, and fuel. NSW Police were dispatched to assist the cargo ship on Friday, escorting it safely to Sydney Harbour. It is now anchored in Snail Bay at Birchgrove. The Honduran and Ecuadorian crew have not been arrested or charged, with all 11 still stranded onboard the vessel and unsure when or how they will be able to return home. The crew aboard the cargo vessel at the centre of a $1billion cocaine bust were forced to issue a desperate mayday call off the NSW coast after running dangerously low on food, water and fuel NSW Police escorted the stricken ship into Sydney Harbour, where the 11 Honduran and Ecuadorian crew remain stranded onboard The International Transport Workers' Federation said the crew urgently needed to be repatriated. 'We've got extreme concerns for them because when we finally got in contact with them they had run out of food,' Ian Bray, the ITF's Australian coordinator, told ABC News. 'They were down to 200 litres of water and there's 11 on board, so roughly 20 litres of water per person.' A teenage driver branded 'hell on wheels' for a deadly, high-speed crash that killed two young men has been denied a new trial after her lawyers missed the filing deadline by just one day. Mackenzie Shirilla, who was 17 when she drove her car into a building at extreme speed in a Cleveland suburb, will not get another chance to challenge her conviction after an appeals court ruled the late filing stripped the court of authority to even consider her case. The Eighth District Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision rejecting Shirilla's post-conviction petition, stating bluntly that the request - filed on the 366th day after the trial transcript - came too late under Ohio law. 'The filing of a postconviction petition is a jurisdictional act,' the court wrote in its ruling. 'Because the appellant filed the petition on the 366th day following the filing of the trial transcript, the trial court was without jurisdiction to consider the merits of the claims, and the application of equitable tolling is prohibited in the context of this jurisdictional bar.' That single missed day has now sealed Shirilla's fate, leaving in place her conviction and sentence of 15 years to life in prison for the deaths of her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and their friend, 19-year-old Davion Flanagan. Mackenzie Shirilla was denied a new trial after her lawyers filed a post-conviction petition one day past the legal deadline. She is pictured here during an arrest in 2022 Mackenzie Shirilla with boyfriend Dominic Russo. She was convicted of murder in August 2023 Shirilla, now 21, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after she killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and his 19-year-old friend Davion Flanagan, when she plowed her car into a building at 100mph in July 2022 The crash that led to her conviction was as shocking as it was deadly. In the early hours of July 31, 2022, Shirilla was driving her Toyota Camry through Strongsville, Ohio, when she suddenly accelerated to 100mph after turning onto Progress Drive. Surveillance footage later showed her vehicle hurtling along the quiet road before smashing through a business sign and slamming into the side of the Plidco Building, a brick structure at the intersection. Both passengers were killed instantly but Shirilla somehow survived. At trial, prosecutors argued the crash was no accident and pointed to video evidence they said showed a deliberate action and not a loss of control. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, who presided over the case, agreed. The teenager was surprised when she was convicted of double murder in August 2023. She is now serving a life sentence, with the earliest chance of parole in 15 years The trial heard she wanted to kill Dominic, left, to bring an end to their tumultuous relationship. Davion, a friend of Dominic, right, was in the wrong place at the wrong time On July 31, 2022, at 5:30am, Shirilla was driving her Toyota Camry at 100mph video shows Pictured: Mackenzie Shirilla and her then-boyfriend, Dominic Russo 'This was not reckless driving - this was murder,' she said when delivering her verdict in 2023. 'She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The decision was death.' The judge described Shirilla's actions as 'controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional, and purposeful,' concluding that she intended to kill the young men. She was convicted on multiple counts, including aggravated vehicular homicide and felonious assault, and sentenced to a lengthy prison term with the possibility of parole. The case drew national attention, fueled in part by disturbing details about Shirilla's behavior before the crash. At one point, she posted a photo on TikTok with the caption: 'Im just one of those girls that can do a lot of drugs and not die.' During emotional court proceedings, family members of the victims rejected the idea that the crash was anything but intentional. Shirilla behind the wheel of her Toyota Camry, left, with a joint in her mouth and right, in a dress that says 'drama, power, fame, greed, waste, money' Shirilla sobbed as she was convicted of murder in August 2023. She claimed the crash was accidental This was the wall Mackenzie plowed into at 100mph 'No one wanted this to be a murder, or to punish Mackenzie Shirilla for this accident, but this was not a car accident,' Christine Russo, the mother of Dominic Russo, said in court. 'The evidence and science proved that Mackenzie Shirilla murdered my son Dominic as well as Davion.' Despite maintaining her innocence, Shirilla's conviction was upheld on appeal in 2024. Her latest attempt to secure a new trial hinged not on new evidence, but on a post-conviction petition, but one that ultimately never got a full hearing because it arrived too late. In May, Judge Russo ruled the filing invalid due to the missed deadline. The appeals court has now affirmed that decision, closing off that legal avenue entirely. For the families of the victims, the decision means the original verdict stands. A cold-blooded killer was executed on Tuesday for the rape and murder of a young mother who desperately called 911 while tied up in his backseat. Michael Lee King, 54, was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6.13pm at Florida State Prison, which is about 45 miles outside of Jacksonville. He had been convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery and kidnapping. The heinous crime was committed against 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee in 2008. As the three-drug injection entered his bloodstream, the vile murderer began breathing heavily and his body began to twitch. Minutes later, he stopped moving. After the warden shook King and shouted his name, a medic in the execution chamber then pronounced the killer dead. The woman's family members, including her husband, eldest son, parents and siblings, witnessed the execution. All of them wore pink, her favorite color. At a press conference outside the prison after the execution, Lee's husband, Nathan, said: 'Finally, it's over, this chapter is closed. 'I'm just super blessed that I got to know Denise, let alone marry her and have two amazing kids with her. Michael Lee King, 54, was executed by lethal injection in Florida State Prison on Tuesday evening. He had been convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery and kidnapping King's victim was 21-year-old Denise Lee, a married mother of two. He raped and murdered her in January 2008 Following King's execution, Lee's husband, Nathan, said he was 'blessed' to have met his wife and had two sons with her. The family is pictured in a still from an ABC 20/20 episode 'I'm glad this day is done, and now we can focus on what we've been focusing on for the last 18 years, and that's moving forward and trying to bring positive change to 911 and other things.' Nathan was referring to the fact that a series of 911 calls on the night of his wife's murder went unaddressed due to communication failures. Lee's death led to the Denise Amber Lee Act, which mandated better training for 911 operators in Florida. Nathan created a nonprofit called the Denise Amber Lee Foundation after his wife died, and the organization's efforts led to the creation of the act, which was unanimously passed by the Florida State Legislature in April 2008. Court records described the horrific night that Lee was murdered and detailed King's monstrous crimes. On January 17, 2008, Lee was outside her home in North Port, which is near Sarasota. She was with her sons, two-year-old Noah and six-month-old Adam. King, then 36, drove by and spotted her before returning later when her children were back inside the house, and he kidnapped the young mother. He took Lee to his home, where he tied her up and raped her. He then forced her back into his car and drove to his cousin's house to borrow a flashlight, shovel and gas can. Nathan created a nonprofit to promote better training for 911 operators after there were communication failures on the night of his wife's murder. He is pictured with one of his sons Lee's sons were two years old and six months old at the time she was murdered. The mother is pictured with her young children While Lee was bound in King's car, she managed to hide some of her hair under the seats so that investigators would have her DNA, and she hid her ring as well. She also managed to find her murderer's phone and called 911 from it. There is a blood-curdling recording of some of her final moments, when she desperately asked for help and pleaded to be able to see her husband and sons again. In the call, she can also be heard begging her captor to let her go after he came back to the car and found her on the phone. King callously and cruelly ignored the young mother. He drove her to a remote area in North Port, shot her in the face and buried her. A state trooper pulled King over shortly after, as his 1994 green Chevrolet Camaro matched the description given by another 911 caller who had heard screams coming from the vehicle and believed a child had been abducted. A total of five 911 calls related to Lee's murder were made that night, including the one she placed herself, as well as one placed by her husband and three bystanders who saw parts of the crimes unfold, according to the Denise Amber Lee Foundation. Nathan had placed his emergency call when he came home from work and saw that his children were alone and his wife was nowhere to be found. King's final meal consisted of pizza, ice cream and soda. Just before being executed, he gave a nearly inaudible final statement that was relayed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's office. Lee left a trail of clues that led to her murderer's capture and execution, and she managed to call 911 from King's phone while she was bound in his car Lee's two sons, Noah and Adam, are now young adults. Noah, the eldest, said he still feels the loss of his mother 'Since finding Jesus in prison, I have tried to live as His disciple obeying the Two Great Commandments: To love God with all my heart, my mind and all my being, and to love my neighbor to include everyone my family, Denise Lees family, everyone in the gallery,' as well as Catholic volunteers who visit the prison and 'those on the team to end my life,' the murderer said. Lee's father, Richard Goff, pointed out that King did not apologize for his heinous crimes at the press conference following the execution. 'If you cant say something from your heart, dont say it,' the father said. 'Michael King chose his path and that's where we ended up today,' he added. Goff described his daughter as a phenomenal person and emphasized her quick thinking and heroic actions that led to her murderer's capture, and ultimately, his execution. 'Denise put him where he's at because she outsmarted him,' the father said. 'She actually hid hair samples so they'd have DNA in that car, hid them under the seat. She hid her ring in the car so we'd have positive identification that she was in the car. She put handprints in that car,' he continued. Lee's father, Richard Goff, pointed out that King did not apologize for his heinous crimes in his final statement, and he praised his daughter's quick thinking that led to her murderer's capture 'She did everything in her power to save her life, and he chose to end it.' Noah, now a young adult, said he still feels the loss of his mother. 'I unfortunately didnt get the opportunity to know her and be raised by her,' he said. On Monday, the US Supreme Court denied King's final request for a stay of execution without comment. Pharmacies have been branded 'totally immoral' for cashing in on the meningitis outbreak by charging hundreds of pounds for jabs as stocks run low. Chemists report running out of vaccines after two youngsters died from the infection and another 11 were hospitalised after falling ill over the past week. Babies can get the meningitis B vaccine on the NHS but children born before 2015 missed out unless they paid privately. Early testing has revealed the cases linked to the nightclub Club Chemistry in Canterbury, Kent, are MenB, the deadlier form of the infection, sparking a rush for the vaccine from university and school students. Health Secretary Wes Streeting urged the public not to be 'ripped off' by paying over the odds for a jab that will be offered for free on the NHS to those who need it if officials decide it is necessary. A snap poll of 300 pharmacies by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Tuesday found 87 per cent have seen 'considerable' rises in requests for the jab. This is 'far exceeding' the supply available from wholesalers, it warned. Some pharmacies received 30 to 40 requests for bookings on Tuesday morning as well as pre-emptive requests for antibiotics. It comes as the UK Health Security Agency said it will launch a 'small targeted' vaccination programme due to the 'severity of the situation'. Health Secretary Wes Streeting urged the public not to be 'ripped off' by paying for a jab that will be offered for free on the NHS to those who need it if officials decide it is necessary A snap poll found 87 per cent of the 300 pharmacies asked have seen 'considerable' rises in requests for the meningitis B jab Mr Streeting told the Commons he has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises ministers, to urgently review the eligibility criteria for the jab. Labour MP Danny Beales said: 'Obviously, parents and students are very concerned. There's reports online that private pharmacies are selling vaccinations for several hundreds of pounds. 'Can the Secretary of State assure this house that the NHS and Department of Health are monitoring any possible price gouging around vaccinations?' Mr Streeting responded: 'To price gouge and profiteer in this situation would be a totally immoral and irresponsible thing to do. We're not advising people to pay for a vaccine. 'I understand people may wish to make individual choices but I would urge people not to allow themselves to be ripped off by people trying to exploit understandable public anxiety.' Hours before he left for the music festival he had been looking forward to for weeks, George Zographou confided in his older sister Nicole that he didn't feel very well. 'He said he was feeling under the weather,' she says. 'So much so that he contemplated leaving a day later, but there was a band he particularly wanted to see, and he was giving his friends a lift. He didn't want to let them down.' And so 18-year-old George did leave the family home in Bristol that August afternoon in 2017, heading to the popular annual Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, Cornwall. It's a rite of passage for thousands of students who, like George, have recently sat their A-level exams. Unlike everyone else that year, however, George a popular, handsome teenager with everything to live for did not return home. Within 24 hours of arriving at the festival, his condition worsening all the while, he went into cardiac arrest. He never recovered consciousness, and died five days later in the Royal Cornwall Hospital when his life support machine was switched off. George had not taken drugs or been drinking. He was suffering from meningitis B (MenB), a deadly bacterial infection which, when it overcomes the body's defences, can enter the bloodstream and infect the fluid around the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation in the brain and spinal cord linings. Tragically, medics at the festival had failed to spot the signs. 'I think they saw a six-foot-four lad and assumed he'd been drinking,' Nicole tells me. 'His presentation wasn't typical as he didn't have a fever, but there were symptoms that should have put them on alert. If he had been given antibiotics he might have survived.' Hours before he left for the music festival George Zographou (right) confided in his older sister Nicole (left) that he didn't feel very well Mum Elaine, son George and sister Nicole. George left the family home in Bristol that August afternoon in 2017, heading to the popular annual Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, Cornwall Elaine with her son George who died from misdiagnosed meningitis nine years ago at a music festival Nine years on, it is one of the many 'if onlys' faced by Nicole and her grieving parents mum Elaine, 72, and dad Andrew, 58 who remain devastated by George's death. 'Something like this doesn't go away,' says Nicole. 'You carry the trauma with you for ever. I've never stopped thinking about it.' This week, that trauma has been brought grimly to the fore with news of a deadly meningitis outbreak in Kent that has left two young people dead one, like George, just 18 and 11 gravely ill. 'It's brought back some very tricky memories,' Nicole says. 'I've been really devastated to see what's happening there and how many young people have been affected.' Particularly as, on Tuesday, the UK Health Security Agency said some of the cases had been confirmed as MenB, the strain that killed George. It is understood that all of those affected are young people. Nicole, 37, lives in Cardiff with her partner, though alongside George, she was raised in Bristol. There was ten years between Nicole and her much-wanted younger sibling and she was every bit the protective big sister. She remembers the young George as 'absolutely bonkers'. 'He had so much energy, he just didn't stop,' she says. That energetic little boy grew into a strapping teenager who hoped to study international business and Spanish at Birmingham University. Nicole believes the meningococcal bacteria was already in her brother's system when he left for the festival on Thursday, August 10. 'But while he said he wasn't feeling 100 per cent, none of us thought he wasn't well enough not to go.' George pictured as a child with his dad Andrew. A CT scan showed George had suffered a catastrophic brain injury which meant he would never be able to breathe on his own Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Nicole was also off on a trip that day departing to Ibiza with friends and they hugged goodbye before he set off. 'Later he messaged me after he arrived saying he was feeling unwell, and I replied telling him he didn't need to push himself, to just rest.' She pauses. 'That was the last time I communicated with him.' What she and her parents now know, having pieced together the dreadful events of the next 24 hours from George's friends, is that his condition continued to deteriorate dramatically. 'George had an unusual presentation, and this is one of the things I always want to get across, because it reinforces the importance of knowing all the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease and the fact they don't all appear, or all at the same time,' Nicole says. 'In George's case, while he didn't have a fever, he felt increasingly sick. He vomited twice that first night. He stayed in his tent and didn't go out.' By the following morning, he couldn't bear his weight. 'He was struggling to walk, and he had a mottled, bruised, non-raised rash that looked like a tribal sign across the top of his foot. He felt so awful his friends called the medics.' George was escorted to a medical tent by this point he could barely stand where, after a number of tests, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture and dehydration, even though his heart rate was triple the normal level. George was then taken to the wellbeing tent to recover and wait for his parents to collect him, where he rapidly became confused and agitated. In one of his final communications, he sent a text to a friend which read: 'I think I'm dying.' Not long afterwards, he went into cardiac arrest and, while he was resuscitated by staff, he never recovered consciousness. Nicole scrambled to make the journey home from Ibiza, arriving at her brother's hospital bedside ten hours later. What she found was devastating: her brother in a coma, surrounded by machines and wires. 'When I arrived the doctors still had no idea what had happened,' she recalls. 'And then within 12 hours of me being there, they'd found bacteria in his blood, which indicated meningococcal disease.' Nicole scrambled to make the journey home from Ibiza, when she heard about her brother and arrived at his hospital bedside ten hours later Nicole and George. George remained on life support for five days, allowing his many friends to say goodbye Devastatingly, a CT scan showed George had suffered a catastrophic brain injury which meant he would never be able to breathe on his own. 'It was like being in a film,' says Nicole. 'You end up in a sort of dissociative state. You're there, but at the same time part of you can't believe this is happening to you.' George remained on life support for five days, allowing his many friends to say goodbye. With the consent of his parents, doctors removed life support and on August 16, just after 1.30pm, George took his final breaths as his parents and sister held his hand. 'As a family it was important we were there when the machine was turned off, but I feel that really, George died alone in that welfare tent,' Nicole says quietly. 'He had been discharged from the medical tent, and he was alone, and he was agitated and he was scared when he went into cardiac arrest. And that is very hard to think about.' In the bewildering aftermath of George's death, his family had to digest the difficult news that he had been the third meningitis case linked to his Bristol sixth-form college in the past year. 'The year before, a young girl had died. The college had sent a letter about it alerting families. We thought George was protected from meningitis because he'd been vaccinated but of course it wasn't the right one,' Nicole says. Like most born before 2015, George had been vaccinated with the MenACWY vaccine, which immunises against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y but crucially not MenB, the deadliest and most common strain. Since 2015, a MenB vaccine has been introduced for infants, but anyone born before then would have had it only if it had been purchased privately. 'I don't want to panic people, but if you've got a young person going to university or to college crowded environments and new social groups where the bacteria can spread I would recommend they think about having the MenB vaccine available privately in pharmacies,' Nicole says. George would be 27 now, and every day the family grieves the fact they will never get to see the man he would have become. 'We're still close to his friends, so we've seen them graduate, get jobs, and in some cases get married, and obviously that's what we want for them, but at the same time it's incredibly painful to see,' Nicole says. 'With everything we do now there is a sadness that we can't share it with him, and that doesn't get any easier. You just have to find a new normal.' Iran's de facto leader has been killed in an Israeli strike. Ali Larijani, one of Iran's most senior officials and a central figure in the country's security establishment, was killed in an overnight attack in Tehran days after publicly mocking President Donald Trump. He had been heading the Supreme National Security Council Iran's highest security body and, following the deaths of other senior figures, was widely viewed as the most powerful man in the regime. He was the architect of the brutal crackdown on protesters in Iran earlier this year. 'He was effectively the leader, the one calling the shots,' an Israeli Military official said. 'He was the de facto leader of Iran, and we believe him to be eliminated in an Israeli Air Force strike last night. He was the one instructing attacks against all states. He was directing fire across the entire region.' Last night Iranian authorities confirmed he was dead. Larijani was last seen publicly on Friday in Tehran, appearing alongside senior officials at the Quds Day march. The annual event was established after the Iranian Revolution and reflects the Islamic Republic's longstanding opposition to Israel. Larijani, 67, struck a defiant tone, mocking Israel and the United States and dismissing recent strikes on Tehran as signs of their 'desperation'. Ali Larijani, one of Iran's most senior officials and a central figure in the country's security establishment, was killed in an overnight attack in Tehran Emergency responders retrieve the body of a person killed in a strike on a residential building on March 16 His killing marks one of the most significant blows to Iran's leadership since the start of the conflict and leaves few senior figures in place after a series of targeted eliminations in recent weeks, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. His son Mojtaba, the new Supreme Leader, has not been seen since the start of the war, fuelling speculation that he may have been seriously injured in the strike that killed his father. Join the discussion How do YOU see this shaping the wider situation? Iranian state media confirmed that Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the country's thuggish Basij force, had also been killed in airstrikes. The Basij is a volunteer militia which is often called out to suppress dissent. Larijani is closely tied to the suppression of unrest in 2009 as well as the brutality that killed thousands of protesters this January a campaign in which Soleimani also played a central role. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, said: 'Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to continue hunting down the leadership of the regime of terror and to repeatedly cut off the head of the octopus and not let it grow.' Videos on social media showed jubilant Iranian dissidents. Gio Esfandiary told the Daily Mail: 'This is a significant moment, one that brings a sense of relief and hope for many Iranians after years of suffering. Now, we are witnessing, one by one, the removal of those whose hands were stained with blood. We are very thankful to Israel and President Trump.' Shrapnel from intercepted Iranian missiles fell near some of Jerusalem's most sensitive sites, including the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A baby girl is fighting for her life as a deadly meningitis outbreak in Kent grows, with mounting fears a 'second wave' of infections could spread across the country as students begin leaving for Easter. Nala-Rose Fletcher, from Folkestone, is critically ill in hospital after contracting the same meningitis B strain linked to the Canterbury cluster - despite having been vaccinated. While it is yet to be confirmed whether the nine-month-old's case is directly connected, the timing has heightened alarm among health officials already bracing for further infections. A JustGiving fundraising page has been created for wee Nala-Rose's family to help them through the coming days and weeks. The outbreak, now labelled a national incident, has seen 15 confirmed cases - all requiring hospital treatment - and two deaths, including a 21-year-old female student at the University of Kent and 18-year-old Juliette Kenny from Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham. Authorities are increasingly concerned that the disease could spread beyond Canterbury as thousands of students travel home early for Easter, potentially carrying the infection during its incubation period, which can last up to 14 days. At the centre of the outbreak is Club Chemistry - now widely seen as 'ground zero'. But new claims suggest the bug may have been circulating there earlier than first thought, with one student revealing she had been partying at the venue on March 4 into the early hours of March 5 before falling gravely ill. That student, 21-year-old law undergraduate Annabelle Mackay, was left blind and unable to walk after contracting meningitis B following her birthday celebrations. She collapsed at her home in Canterbury as her condition rapidly worsened. Nine-month-old Nala-Rose Fletcher is in intensive care at Evelina London Children's Hospital after falling ill, with doctors warning she will face 'life-changing' surgeries Annabelle Mackay (centre), a 21-year-old law undergraduate, was left blind and unable to walk after contracting meningitis B following her birthday celebrations Juliette Kenny, 18, died on Saturday surrounded by her family after falling victim to meningitis Unable to see, move or speak by the time she reached urgent care, Annabelle survived only because her housemates acted quickly - carrying her to a car after her mother, on the phone, realised something was dangerously wrong. Doctors later confirmed the diagnosis, with Annabelle saying her body had already begun to shut down within hours, The Sun reports. Her case has become a stark warning of how quickly the disease can strike and how vital early intervention is. In response to the escalating crisis, all 5,000 students living in halls at the University of Kent have been urged to collect emergency antibiotics, with around 11,000 doses made available. A targeted vaccination programme is also being rolled out. A single course of antibiotics is highly effective in preventing the contraction and spread of this disease in 90 per cent of cases. There are four centres open in and around Canterbury, including the Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where hundreds of people were treated yesterday. A nurse at the clinic, which usually functions as a sexual health centre, said: 'We have had hundreds of people here today. 'We are treating anyone who has been up at the university working or who thinks they may have been exposed.' In scenes reminiscent of the pandemic, visitors are handed masks as they arrive at another site. Westgate Hall, usually a community hall for salsa classes and bake sales, is now a make-shift clinic dishing out doses. Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today as students queue for antibiotics Your browser does not support iframes. Queues outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today amid the meningitis outbreak Among those visiting was Ryan Neil, 23, who sought the antibiotics as a precaution after partying at Club Chemistry on March 5. The Canterbury Christ Church student said: 'I have not got any symptoms but I thought it would be better to be safe than sorry.' Fellow student Megan Wood, 21, who was at the nightclub on the same night, said she was also worried about potentially contracting meningitis. 'I thought I should be safe and take the antibiotics because who knows what we could have picked up at the club?' she said. Charlotte Taylor, 23, who studies Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology, said everyone at the University of Kent is frightened. 'There's so much mixed messaging going around campus at the moment and it's not a nice place to be right now. 'I didn't go to the club but everyone at university is so connected I thought it would be better to come here and get the antibiotics.' A spokesman for the university said: 'We have contacted all students today to explain that, following advice from public health colleagues, students living in our on-campus university accommodation are being offered precautionary antibiotics.' Initially, treatment was limited to those in specific accommodation blocks and anyone who had visited the nightclub. Club Chemistry in Canterbury yesterday, which has been linked to the meningitis outbreak Queues outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today amid the meningitis outbreak Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. But as case numbers climbed, the were expanded to include all students in campus housing, as well as anyone who may have been exposed through social contact. Efforts are also underway to trace more than 2,000 people who attended Club Chemistry during the period, while all 94 staff at the venue have already received antibiotics after one employee was hospitalised. Across Canterbury, emergency clinics have been overwhelmed, with hundreds queuing for precautionary treatment at sites including Kent and Canterbury Hospital and Westgate Hall, where scenes have been likened to the Covid pandemic. It comes as a fourth school in the county was put on alert due to a suspected case amid fears the outbreak, which has already claimed two young lives, could spread further. Highworth Grammar School in Ashford is the latest to confirm a case after a Year 13 pupil was admitted to hospital with suspected meningitis. Both Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford, and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, each have a student already in hospital with the infection. Students on campus have described a climate of fear and confusion, with many opting to take antibiotics even without symptoms. One said the interconnected nature of university life meant 'everyone feels at risk'. With meningitis B killing around one in ten of those infected, health officials warn the situation could worsen in the coming days - particularly as people disperse across the UK. They continue to stress that while antibiotics are highly effective at preventing infection, speed is critical - and anyone who may have been exposed should seek treatment immediately. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has pushed back at Donald Trump's tirade on social media in which he turned on allies including Australia after he claimed they rejected his plea for help in the Strait of Hormuz. 'We no longer "need," or desire, the NATO countries' assistance - WE NEVER DID. Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,' the US President wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. 'In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE.' Trump said he had been told America's allies 'don't want to get involved' in the Iran war, despite his appeals for help securing the Strait as oil prices spiral. But Chalmers rebuffed the US President's remarks, adding that there had been no official call to send navy assets to the conflict-ravaged region. 'There wasn't a formal request to send ships to the strait,' he told ABC News on Wednesday. 'And it's not something that we've been considering in the almost daily National Security Committee meetings that have been taking place over the course of the last couple of weeks. 'Our commitment is about keeping more than 100,000 Australians safe in the region, including I think about 25,000 Australians in the UAE (United Arab Emirates).' Donald Trump slammed Australia in an online rant after America's allies rejected his plea for help in the Strait of Hormuz (pictured in the Oval Office on Monday) An oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq But Treasurer Jim Chalmers said there hadn't been a formal request to send ships to the strait The Treasurer's comments echoed those of Federal Transport Minister Catherine King, who confirmed on Monday that Australia had not received a request from the US to send a warship to the Strait, and would not send one even if asked. Shadow Industry Minister Andrew Hastie called Trump 'petulant' and referenced former professional boxer Mike Tyson. 'I thought it was a petulant post from a president under immense pressure,' he told the ABC. 'Yesterday he said from the Oval Office I think it was that he didn't expect the Strait of Hormuz to be closed this long. 'As I like to quote Mike Tyson, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face and the enemy always has a vote.' Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has previously criticised Trump, has also said the US President's spray shows what he truly thinks of Australia. 'This is a guy who does not respect smaller countries,' Turnbull said. 'He believes might is right, he makes no bones about that. And he believes that he should be able to do and get whatever he wants.' Join the discussion Do YOU think this dispute could damage AustraliaUS relations? Former PM Malcolm Turnbull warned that sending naval assets from other nations into the conflict-ridden Strait of Hormuz could risk escalation (A photo released by the Royal Thai Navy shows smoke rising a bulk carrier near the Strait of Hormuz) Petrol shortages could loom for Australians if the conflict drags on He also warned that sending naval assets from other nations into the Strait of Hormuz could risk escalation and play into Iran's hands. So far, there has been a staunch refusal from the federal government to send forces into the strait, which is the gateway for about 20 per cent of global gas and oil shipping. The route has been effectively closed since conflict erupted in the region, leaving tankers idle for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping while storage facilities were emptied. However, Anthony Albanese confirmed last week that Australia would provide military assistance to the Persian Gulf. He said the Defence Force would deploy an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, 85 personnel and air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates. The Coalition is understood to have offered the Albanese government room to decline any US request with bipartisan backing. 'If a formal request is made by the United States, it would need to be assessed against our national interests, including their ability to safely operate in a highly contested strategic environment,' opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said. 'Australia's primary focus remains the Indo-Pacific.' Meanwhile, petrol shortages could loom for Australians if the conflict drags on and global energy supplies remain disrupted. Fuel prices have surged nationwide as the conflict disrupts global supply, pushing unleaded petrol above $2.20 a litre and diesel past $2.60. New research has found that sharks have a friendlier side to them than stereotypes of the species would have us believe. A study conducted at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji has discovered that bull sharks do not swim together at random - but actually form consistent relationships with particular individuals, forming what we would term 'friendships'. Thus the 'lone shark' image in popular culture may be wrong for many of the sea dwellers, since the research has proven that sharks have complex social lives. The study, published in the scientific journal Animal Behaviour, used data from an observation of 184 bull sharks conducted over six years. The breed of sharks are among the largest and most adaptable within the species, measuring up to 3.5metres in length and weighing up to 230kg. They lurk in warm waters around the world and are rare in their ability to tolerate fresh water, so can be found swimming in rivers and estuaries too. They are also one of the most threatening species for humans, being in the top three sharks for biting humans alongside great whites and tiger sharks - although these incidents remain extremely rare. The study looked at two types of interaction - the first involving sharks staying within one body length of each other, and the second including more deliberate behaviour. The more intentional patterns fascinatingly included sharks swimming alongside each other and 'lead-follow' movements, whereby one shark appeared to be guiding another. The research observed 184 bull sharks in Fiji over the course of six years Join the discussion Do YOU think sharks having best mates makes them more like us than we realised? The results revealed that their movements were not random - in fact, sharks repeatedly paired up, often swimming in parallel or tracking one another through the water. They also did not mix equally with every neighbour - suggesting a preference for some companions and the deliberate avoidance of others. Natasha Marosi, the lead author of the study and founder of the Fiji Shark Lab, told the Times: 'As humans we cultivate a range of social relationships, from casual acquaintances to our best friends, but we also actively avoid certain people. 'These bull sharks are doing similar things.' The reason behind the social behaviours of the bull sharks could be strategic, the research suggested. Adult sharks of reproductive age formed the core of the social network and maintained the most consistent relationships. Size mattered in the shark world too - both male and female sharks appeared to prefer interacting with females, but males tended to have a greater number of social connections overall. Since male bull sharks are typically significantly smaller than females, their greater sociability could have a strategic purpose in providing a social buffer from aggressive confrontations with larger individuals. Professor Darren Croft of the University of Exeter's Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour said it is only the beginning of understanding how sharks socialise. Professor Croft said: 'Contrary to commonly held perceptions of sharks, our study shows they have relatively rich and complex social lives. We are only just beginning to really understand the social lives of many shark species.' Gavin Newsom's wife attacked Donald Trump, calling the president a 'vile specimen' after he said her husband's dyslexia disqualified him from running the country. Jennifer Siebel Newsom released the video Tuesday after Trump bluntly stated in the Oval Office on Tuesday: 'I think a president should not have learning disabilities, OK?' Siebel Newsom issued a response in a video on X where she said everything Trump represents is 'frankly beyond disqualifying.' She described the president as 'a convicted felon, a man found liable for sexual abuse, a man notorious for degrading female journalists, a man with a track record for bankrupting businesses, a man whose name has shown up thousands of times in the Epstein files.' Siebel Newsom, who is referred to as the 'First Partner' of California, said Trump was 'the most corrupt president in our nation's history.' The documentary filmmaker and actress then turned to Trump's criticism of her husband, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of five. 'Suggesting that someone with dyslexia or any learning difference for that matter is somehow less capable of leading or achieving is extremely ignorant and offensive.' Siebel Newsom, who has been married to the governor since 2008, claimed that 'some of the most successful leaders' have dyslexia as well and that young children with the affliction are 'trying to believe in themselves.' Gavin Newsom's wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom (pictured) attacked Donald Trump , calling the president a 'vile specimen' after he said her husband's dyslexia disqualified him from running the country Jennifer Siebel Newsom released the video after Trump said of Newsom's disability: 'I think a president should not have learning disabilities, OK?' She added that 'as someone who grew up in a Republican household, shame on the Republican Party for normalizing this vile specimen of a human being stationed at the top of their party.' White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the president's characterization of the California governor. 'President Trump is right. Gavin Newscum is the worst governor in America, and he also may be the dumbest,' Ingle told The Daily Beast in response. Trump doubled down on remarks aimed at Newsom in recent days when he made the comment about learning disabilities. Trump cited Newsom's public discussion of his dyslexia, a learning disability, and suggested such conditions should disqualify someone from the presidency. Newsom is seen as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in the 2028 election and often trades barbs with the president, who has nicknamed him 'Newscum.' 'Gavin Newscum has admitted that he is a -- that he has learning disabilities,' Trump told reporters. 'Honestly, I'm all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president. I don't want - I think a president should not have learning disabilities, okay?' Trump said. 'And I know it's highly controversial to say such a horrible thing - the president of the United States. Gavin Newscum admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia, everything about him is dumb.' Join the discussion Should a candidate's learning disability be seen as a disqualifier for the presidency or a unique strength? Newsom is seen as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in the 2028 election and often trades barbs with the president, who has nicknamed the Californian 'Newscum' Siebel Newsom, who has been married to the governor since 2008, claimed that 'some of the most successful leaders' have dyslexia as well and that young children with the affliction are 'trying to believe in themselves' The comments marked the third time in recent days that Trump has targeted Newsom over his dyslexia, which the governor has discussed in interviews and in his book. At a February conversation with the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, Newsom discussed his lower SAT score and said he does not read speeches as governor due to his dyslexia, a learning disability that is defined by difficulties in word reading or spelling that involve accuracy and speed, according to the International Dyslexia Association. Newsom faced accusations of racism from conservative media figures after telling an audience of black voters at a book event he was just 'like' them because he struggles with reading. When a female reporter inquired with Newsom's communications director, Izzy Gardon, about the governor's medical history, it led to a profanity-laced meltdown. 'Hey Susan thanks for reaching out. Respectfully, f**k off,' Newsom's spokesperson wrote to Real Clear Politics reporter Susan Crabtree on Monday. Previously, the reporter respectfully asked Newsom's top staff for evidence to disprove conservative critics who claim Newsom is faking the dyslexia diagnosis. Gardon doubled-down on the comments after his expletive reply became public, writing on X: 'I was very generous to the MAGA blogger and told her to respectfully fuck off in her request to inspect the Governors childhood medical records. Thats not a meltdown. Thats good customer service!' Trump made similar comments on Friday in an interview with Fox News' Brian Kilmeade. 'He admitted he had learning disabilities. Somebody said, ''Well, what's wrong with that?" I said, "That's okay, but not for the president,"' Trump said in the interview. 'Presidents can't have a learning disability. If you have that, that's not a good thing.' Newsom's team responded to Trump's remarks on Monday by posting a tongue-in-cheek video that clipped the comments to make it sound like Trump was calling Newsom the president of the United States. After Trump last week referred online to Newsom as 'a cognitive mess,' the governor responded in a social media post saying: 'I spoke about my dyslexia. I know that's hard for a brain-dead moron who bombs children and protects pedophiles to understand.' Prediction markets and early Democratic voter polling show Newsom leading the field, along with former Vice President Kamala Harris. His latest memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, released on Tuesday. The governor's book traces his early political rise as mayor of San Francisco. Angela Rayner last night launched a broadside against Sir Keir Starmer as she attacked the Government's immigration reforms as 'un-British'. The former deputy prime minister, who was forced to quit last year over a tax scandal, said plans to make it harder for migrants to settle in the UK are a 'breach of trust'. And in her strongest criticism of the Prime Minister to date, Sir Keir's former deputy urged him to change course or face defeat at the ballot box. Previously, migrants granted refugee status were given leave to stay for five years and could then apply for 'indefinite leave to remain' (ILR). But last year Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced reforms that will see this extended from five to 10 years, with this applying to people who arrived since 2021. Last night Ms Rayner, who is seen as a favourite among MPs to replace the Prime Minister should he face a leadership challenge, attacked the reforms at an event of the Labour soft-Left group Mainstream. The former housing secretary said: 'Enforcing a fair deal is not the same as ripping up a deal halfway through. 'Many people came here to Britain on the understanding that if they've worked in the sectors where we needed them, obeyed the law and paid their taxes, that they could stay. Angela Rayner said plans to make it more difficult for migrants to settle in the UK were a 'breach of trust' 'If we suddenly change that, it pulls the rug from under those that have planned their lives and commitments and they're contributing to our economy and to our society. That would not just be bad policy, but a breach of trust. 'The people already in the system who made a huge investment now fear for their future. They do not have stability and they do not know what will happen. 'We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goal posts, because moving the goal post undermines our sense of fair play. It's un-British.' Ms Rayner's comments, in a speech to the Mainstream group linked to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, are her strongest to date and come after she broke ranks to criticise Sir Keir over welfare reforms and the release of files relating to the Lord Mandelson scandal. Ms Rayner is widely seen as a potential successor to Sir Keir in the event of a leadership contest, which is thought could come if Labour faces electoral wipeout in the May local elections. According to reports, Ms Rayner added: 'As a party and a movement, we cannot hide. We cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline. 'There's no safe ground for us, and we're running out of time. The change that people wanted to so desperately to see needs to be seen. 'It needs to be felt, and we have to show that it's a Labour government that will deliver it, and many of you in this room will deliver that for us. Our party is your party. 'And we have to come together in the face of division of hate and make sure that the Labour Party represents the ordinary working people of this country. And I'm in there with you, so I can't wait to get involved with you.' Yesterday it also emerged that Ms Rayner is set to make more than 100,000 from private speaking engagements and an advance on her memoir, which is due out later this year. A missing fisherman has been miraculously found uninjured after he failed to return from a solo kayaking trip in waters north of Adelaide. Family members of Goran Radic raised the alarm just after 11pm on Tuesday after he never made it back from Middle Beach in the Gulf St Vincent area. The 73-year-old was winched to safety by helicopter about 8.30am on Wednesday after a wide-scale search failed to find any trace of him overnight. He was assessed by paramedics and found to be uninjured. 'I didn't panic, I was alright,' Mr Radic told 9News, adding that he survived by snacking on the supplies he had packed. 'I've seen rescue helicopters sometime in the night and they missed me, so I decided to go to St Kilda to try there, I saw light there. 'But didn't find it, so I kayaked back and they found me this morning.' He joked he could be in some trouble at home, telling reporters: 'Well, [my wife is] happy I'm alive alright, but not happy with what happened'. It's understood family members of Goran Radic (pictured) called police just after 11pm on Tuesday after he never made it back from Middle Beach in the Gulf St Vincent area 'I didn't panic, I was alright,' Mr Radic said, adding that he survived by snacking on his supplies It's understood a local spotted Mr Radic in the mangroves near the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, about 2km south of Middle Beach. South Australian Police said his kayak would be recovered. 'Police wish to thank the public for their assistance in this matter, particularly people familiar with the kayaker who helped guide search efforts,' they said. One person was killed and another was injured in a shooting at Holloman Air Force Base, the Daily Mail has learned. The base, located in Otero County, New Mexico, was placed on lockdown at approximately 5:30pm local time after there were reports of an active shooter, according to the 49th Wing Public Affairs office. 'The lockdown was lifted shortly thereafter when security forces personnel confirmed that the scene was safe,' the office's release said. Emergency personnel responded to the scene, and officials have said there is 'no threat at this time'. The person who was injured in the shooting was transported to the hospital via helicopter. No other information about the victims has been made public. Officials confirmed the shooting happened 'within the vicinity' of the Holloman Shoppette but declined to give any further details while the investigation continues. The 93-square-mile base houses the 49th Wing, which trains pilots on the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the MQ-9 Reaper. Holloman Air Force Base on November 4, 2021. Officials have confirmed there was a shooting at the New Mexico base on Tuesday that left one person dead and another injured Air Force soldiers and contractors walk a section of Holloman Air Force Base on January 13, 2026 Your browser does not support iframes. The last known shooting at Holloman occurred in July 2011, when an airman got into a dispute with two military police officers outside a dormitory. The airman was shot by the officers in the early morning struggle. He was then flown to El Paso, Texas, for medical treatment. An Iranian projectile has struck Australia's headquarters in the Middle East. Anthony Albanese confirmed the Al Minhad airbase in the United Arab Emirates had been targeted by Iranian forces during a press conference in Tasmania. The Prime Minister said the projectile struck about 9am AEDT on Wednesday, about 2am local time. 'I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe,' Albanese told reporters. 'At this point in time, there was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of a projectile hitting a road leading up to that base.' Up to 100 Australian Defence Force personnel are currently stationed at the airbase, which is about 25km south of Dubai. When asked if the hit meant Australia was now in a state of war, Albanese replied with a firm 'no' and refused to elaborate. 'I don't need to elaborate. There's no need. What we need is proper assessments and statements. That's what we've done.' An Iranian projectile has struck Australia's headquarters in the Middle East (pictured) People are seen being escorted at the Al Minhad Air Base, located 25km south of Dubai Anthony Albanese confirmed the Al Minhad airbase in the United Arab Emirates had been targeted during an address in Tasmania on Wednesday 'We've informed people of all the detail at the earliest possible opportunity. This happened just a matter of hours ago.' Albanese said his government was aware that Iranian forces were deploying 'random attacks right across the Gulf region'. But he stopped short of confirming if Australia had been deliberately hit. 'We don't have the Iranian intelligence,' he told reporters. The base was previously targeted by a drone strike on March 3, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles confirming the attack at the time. 'We've got north of 100 serving personnel across the Middle East in a range of countries, but most are in the UAE, and that base is very important for us,' he said. No injuries were reported. It comes after Donald Trump turned on Australia during a furious tirade after America's allies rejected his plea for help in the Strait of Hormuz. Join the discussion Do YOU think Australia is being dragged into a wider conflict after this strike? It comes after Donald Trump turned on Australia during a furious tirade after America's allies rejected his plea for help in the Strait of Hormuz An oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq 'We no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO countries' assistance - WE NEVER DID,' the US President wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. 'Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea.' 'In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE.' On Monday, Transport Minister Catherine King said Australia had not received a request from the US to send a warship to the Strait, and would not send one if asked. 'We've been very clear about what our contribution is in relation to our requests, and so far that is to the [United Arab Emirates], obviously providing aircraft to assist with defence, particularly given the number of Australians that are in that area,' she said. 'But we won't be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is. That's not something that we've been asked or we're contributing.' Meanwhile, an emergency national cabinet meeting will be held in an attempt to address fuel shortages and price spikes triggered by war in the Middle East. Albanese said he would convene a meeting with state and territory leaders on Thursday in Tasmania over concerns about high fuel costs and regional shortfalls. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia would not increase its fuel reserves. 'If we were to have 90 days in Australia, that would cost billions of dollars over the next four years, billions and billions to build that storage,' he said. Australia is probably right to resist Donald Trump's pressure to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. But we need to be mindful of the law of unintended consequences when it comes to dealing with someone like the US President. Labor has already drawn a line between helping protect Australians and Gulf partners from attack and joining offensive operations against Iran. Our air force deployments so far have been framed as defensive support for Gulf airspace. It's one thing to help shield civilians and Australian nationals in a dangerous theatre. It's another thing entirely to let ourselves be dragged, by alliance habit or presidential bluster, into an open-ended regional conflict with no clear Australian objective. Australia does have an interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. Any serious disruption there can push up fuel costs here and hit global supply chains that Australia depends on. But having an economic interest in free passage isn't the same as having a strategic interest in joining a US-led naval operation in the middle of an escalating conflict. The real problem isn't that Australia has said no. It's that Trump has made it clear he thinks alliances are transactional and conditional. In lashing out at countries that refused to help reopen the strait, Trump said he has long regarded NATO as 'a one-way street', adding 'we will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need'. Donald Trump (pictured at the US Capitol on Tuesday) turned on allies including Australia after he claimed they rejected his plea for help in the Strait of Hormuz Trump also complained that allies were making a 'very foolish mistake' and the US would remember who declined to help (picured, smoke rises after an airstrike on Tehran) Trump also complained allies were making a 'very foolish mistake' and the US would remember who declined to help. That's not a minor outburst. It's a threat that might carry real risks for Australia. The opposition appears to be as uninterested in letting Trump push us around as Labor is. Andrew Hastie described Trump's broadside as 'petulant', adding that 'you don't treat allies like that'. The issue now is whether the US under Trump still sees alliances as enduring strategic commitments. Hopefully his comments are little more than an outburst without lasting consequences because the US is the core of our defence posture. The ANZUS treaty underpins the alliance, binding Australia and the US to consult on mutual threats and act to meet common dangers. It's not a cast-iron guarantee that automatically triggers whenever the US goes to war, but it is the insurance policy around which Australia's defence planning has been built. So, Trump's rhetoric can't just be shrugged off as another tantrum, or at least not without a few sweat beads forming on the foreheads of our decision makers. Once alliance commitments are openly framed as payback for participation in unrelated conflicts, every Australian government has a harder problem to solve Albanese has said the US is still on board with the AUKUS deal, but we know there is no plan B in place if they pull out Even if no reprisal comes this week, the precedent risks becoming corrosive. Once alliance commitments are openly framed as payback for participation in unrelated conflicts, every Australian government has a harder problem to solve. A middle power can survive disagreements with an ally, but it's much harder to live with an ally that treats every disagreement as disloyalty. Trump's comments matter because they inject doubt into the alliance. And what about the AUKUS subs deal? Albo assures us that the US is still on board, but we know there is no plan B in place if they pull out. If Trump decides tomorrow that allies who don't join his wars should wait longer for submarines and generally get fewer favours, Australia might quickly discover how little leverage comes from being strategically dependent. There is also an irony behind Australia's refusal to help. While Trump is asking for allied naval assistance, the Royal Australian Navy is busily preparing its 125th anniversary fleet review on Sydney Harbour for this Saturday, with up to 30 ships from 19 countries providing a display of international sea power. While our fleet might be capable of participating in such events, there are genuine question marks over just how ready it is for major deployments. Perhaps we are incapable of providing Trump with the kind of assistance he needs, even if the government wished to do so? While Australia is probably right to say no to Trump's request, it would be a mistake to assume that the saga ends here. Hoping that it does isn't much of a strategy in a dangerous world. Motorists were forced to dodge a drug-affected driver as he allegedly smashed into cars and drove on three wheels during a terrifying high-speed rampage. A grey Ford Ranger was captured roaring past a police car on Highett Street in Richmond, inner-city Melbourne, about 6.50pm on Tuesday. Police allege the ute ploughed into multiple vehicles as it careered through Richmond, Collingwood and Fitzroy. At one point, the Ford Ranger - allegedly driven by 49-year-old Daniel Keas - was seen driving on just three wheels with sparks flying. Drivers were forced to swerve out of its path as the mangled ute veered into oncoming traffic on busy streets. Police briefly gave chase before the Ford crashed on York Street, where Keas allegedly bolted from the wreck on foot. But the Oakleigh man was quickly arrested, with police later alleging he returned a positive drug test and that drugs were found inside the ute. A 57yearold woman was taken to hospital with nonlifethreatening injuries after she fell while trying to escape the chaos. The driver was seen driving into oncoming traffic on three wheels during the wild rampage One resident came home to find his new car was destroyed in the mayhem (pictured) The Ford driver has been charged with multiple offences, including dangerous driving while pursued by police, criminal damage and drug driving Residents are now counting the cost of the destruction with one man arriving home to find his newly purchased car completely written off. 'Saw a car on the street that looked pretty smashed up,' he told 7News. 'Looked closer, and it was my car. Pretty upset. I raced home and had a look. (It's) totalled. I've only had it four or five months. My first car and it's just gone.' Keas now faces a string of charges, including dangerous driving while pursued by police, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, criminal damage and drug driving. He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. The marriage of award-winning author Craig Silvey has unravelled after he was charged with child exploitation offences, with his wife fleeing the family home and relocating across the country with their three children. Clare Testoni, 38, cut a forlorn figure as she stepped out in the rain with her children on Wednesday in Sydney's inner-west, where she is now living with family. Silvey, 43, the author of bestsellers Jasper Jones and Runt, was previously charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material and on Monday faced additional charges, including allegedly producing the material. Daily Mail can reveal Clare has now left her husband and their Fremantle home in Western Australia to move into her mother Lynne Testoni's $4million Sydney townhouse. Lynne once spoke of her pride in her son-in-law, but is said to be horrified by the allegations against Silvey and has told friends the couple has now officially split. She is said to have been delighted to welcome Clare and daughters Matilda, 3, and 11-month-old twins, Hazel and Stella, into her home. 'It's not been easy for any of them,' a close friend of the family said. 'The twins are not even a year old and the stress that comes with these kinds of accusations is horrific, so of course Lynne suggested they move back to Sydney. Clare Testoni took her twins out for a walk in Sydney's inner-west where she is now living with her mother The pair met in 2010 at the Better Read Than Dead bookshop in Newtown 'They have all been blindsided by the allegations and Clare's entire life is just spiralling as she tries to come to terms with everything.' Clare looked downcast as she stepped out with her twins in a double pram for a walk early on Wednesday morning. Dressed in a casual blue fleece jacket, black pants and brown boots, Clare, who is a writer and puppeteer, later caught a train to nearby Newtown. That was where she first met Silvey in 2010 at the Better Read Than Dead bookshop when he was making a promotional appearance for Jasper Jones. Silvey left for London soon after but the pair stayed in touch by email before starting a romantic relationship on his return. In 2015, Clare moved to Perth to be with him. The author had previously shunned long-term relationships to prioritise his writing, he later revealed in media interviews, but said he changed his mind after meeting Clare. He first spoke publicly about their relationship in 2020, when he also allowed a journalist to see his writing desk in the couple's bedroom. Clare explained the small room was devoid of decoration at her husband's request, pointing out the plain white bedsheets and pillows, and the lack of mirrors. The marriage of award-winning author Craig Silvey has unravelled, with his wife fleeing the family home and relocating across the country Clare looked downcast as she stepped out with her twins in a double pram for a walk early on Wednesday morning 'Another thing he won't let us have is coloured sheets,' she said before Silvey interrupted her, adding: 'I think you have said enough now - you must be busy.' As both their careers grew, the pair were dubbed a 'formidable couple'. Clare's latest work is a puppet adaptation of James Foley's book Stellarphant, which premieres on April 15 at Barking Gecko Arts before travelling to venues across Western Australia in May. 'She accepted that project knowing they would have three kids under three but Craig was having a break from writing and going to take over as the main carer,' added the family friend. 'Clare really was living the dream. He was successful and supportive of her career as well as being a really devoted and loving father. 'Her world has come crashing down, as well as his.' Silvey appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday without entering pleas to any of the charges. His bail was extended under the same strict conditions, with no additional surety required. Clare's latest work is an adaptation of James Foley's book Stellarphant, which premieres next month Silvey appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday without entering pleas on any of the charges His lawyer, Natalia Tasic, told the court she intended to have discussions with investigators about the allegation of producing exploitative material. Silvey was allegedly caught communicating with child exploitation offenders online when police raided his Fremantle home before his arrest in January. A Perth grandmother Glenda Joy McGregor, 68, has also been charged with two counts of producing child exploitation material and one of distributing it. She was remanded in custody in court on Monday after she was linked to Silvey when detectives scoured his electronic devices for evidence. Silvey is best known for his 2009 coming-of-age novel Jasper Jones, considered a modern Australian classic aimed at both adults and young readers. The global hit won the Australian Book Industry Book of the Year Award and has been adapted for film and stage. His most recent novel Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping was published by Allen & Unwin in September. Another of his books, Honeybee, won the Australian Indie Book Award in 2021. He is on bail with both a $100,000 surety and a $100,000 personal undertaking granted by a magistrate who noted in January that 'imprisonment is a likely outcome' of his case. Most of his works have since been removed from reading lists across the country following the charges, and Allen & Unwin and Fremantle Press, which published Rhubarb, have stopped promoting his books. Silvey will return to court on May 5. The United States military deployed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator bombs on underground missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The massive attack came as the US conflict with Iran continued unabated and President Trump zeroed in on the narrow strait that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the global economy. 'Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,' US Central Command said Tuesday night. 'The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait.' The 5,000-pound GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator was deployed for the mission. The device, also known as a bunker buster, was first deployed in 2021. The strike was the latest attempt to protect worldwide commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The bombings were made public just hours after Trump turned on the United Kingdom, France, Japan and Australia for declining to help secure the waterway. About 20 percent of the global oil supply flows through the waterway on a typical day, but it has been effectively closed by Iran since the US began bombarding Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday said the strait was 'open, but closed to our enemies'. The United States military deployed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator bombs on hardened missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz The massive attack came as the US conflict with Iran continues unabated and President Trump zeroes in on the narrow strait that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the global economy The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday that the Persian Gulf country could join an international effort led by the US to ensure the safety and security of the waterway. Trump bristled at American allies who 'don't want to get involved' in the Iran war, despite his appeals for help securing the strait as oil prices spiral. 'We no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO countries' assistance - we never did,' the President wrote on Truth Social. Trump has threatened to withdraw from NATO in the past. The president said he had 'nothing currently in mind' when asked whether he would retaliate against NATO. Gas prices have surged to an average of $3.80 a gallon from $2.90 before the conflict began three weeks ago, while the strait remains blockaded by Iranian mines and missiles. The Islamic Republic has vowed to block the region's oil exports, saying it would not allow 'even a single liter' to be shipped to its enemies. While there are pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE that can avoid the passage, the US Energy Information Administration says 'most volumes that transit the strait have no alternative means of exiting the region.' Join the discussion Should America risk a wider war to keep the worlds oil flowing, or is it time for others to step up? The US announced the bombings hours after Donald Trump turned on America's allies after they rejected his plea for help to secure the vital waterway. The United Kingdom, France , Japan and Australia all declined to help protect shipping in the strait Pictured: Scenes from the weekend US military attack on Iran's Kharg Island Threats to the route have caused global energy prices to spike before, like in June during the Israel-Iran war. As the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill, a group representing many of the world's wealthiest countries said it will release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history. The International Energy Agency said it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members' emergency reserves, which is more than double the 182.7 million barrels that the IEA's 32 member countries released in 2022 in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But while such moves can replenish some of the oil supplies blocked in the Persian Gulf, they do so only for the short term. For a longer-term fix, analysts say the Strait of Hormuz needs to clear. The White House is also looking into waiving Jones Act requirements. The 1920s law is often blamed for making gas more expensive. It requires goods shipped between US ports to be moved on US-flagged vessels, and is designed to protect the American shipbuilding sector. Despite the success touted by the administration, the US Navy remains unable to guarantee safe passage for commercial oil tankers through the Strait. The US military has moved additional forces to the region, including the USS Tripoli and its 2,000-strong Marine Expeditionary Unit capable of seizing Iranian ports. Your browser does not support iframes. Trump was forced to defend the war effort again after his own top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent (pictured), resigned in protest, accusing Israel of pressuring the US into a conflict he says was built on lies 'One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!' President Donald Trump said in a posting on his social media network Saturday. The deployment has led some to believe Trump will soon launch a limited ground offensive against the Islamic Regime to alleviate the global oil crisis. The President has suggested that the fighting could end soon, while also warning that the US is prepared for a long-term offensive. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio placed every one of the US' embassies and diplomatic posts on high alert worldwide. The directive orders every diplomatic mission to convene Emergency Action Committees - specialized teams tasked with identifying threats, coordinating responses, and preparing for worst-case scenarios. Trump was forced to defend the war effort again after his own top counterterrorism official has resigned in protest, accusing Israel of pressuring the US into a conflict he says was built on lies. Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was started 'due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,' adding: 'I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war.' Kent, who served under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, accused the President of reneging on the non-interventionist principles he campaigned on. 'Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,' the former Army Special Forces soldier wrote in his resignation letter. 'The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.' Trump dismissed it, calling it a 'good thing that [Kent's] out,' adding he was 'very weak on security.' First cousins are still legally allowed to marry one another in Florida after state lawmakers failed to ban the practice. State Representative Dean Black, a Republican, introduced an amendment to existing legislation that would outlaw marrying 'a lineal descendant' of your grandparent, which would include cousins. The amendment would have made this illegal by July 2026. However, on the last day of the legislative session, Black told Action News Jax that disagreements over other elements of the bill led to an impasse. Because of that, the measure was never adopted and for now, cousins can still marry in the Sunshine State. Florida is one of 16 states that allow first-cousin marriages without any restrictions. Black said this is because when these laws were originally written populations were not as dense, which meant it was much harder to find a viable partner. 'There are plenty of people here, and there are plenty of people you can find to be your lifelong partner without looking to your first cousin,' Black said. 'So, yes. I think it should come back whether its a standalone bill, whether its tagged onto some other bill. Not really sure. Well have to see.' Twenty-five states have outright bans on cousin marriages, while nine others have carveouts that allow these unions if one partner is infertile, both partners are of the same sex or both partners are above a certain age. Florida failed to ban first cousin marriages after lawmakers failed to agree on a bill that would have outlawed the practice State Representative Dean Black, a Republican, introduced the amendment that would have made it illegal for all cousins to marry. He believes the amendment will be back in subsequent legislative sessions States that have no restrictions include New York, California, Massachusetts and Georgia. Like all US states, Florida bans most types of marriages between most family members. It is illegal, for instance, to marry your parent, grandparent, child, aunt, niece or nephew. Scientists generally agree that children with parents who are first cousins have a greater risk of inheriting genetic disorders. A 2008 study conducted in the United Kingdom found that children with unrelated parents have a 2 to 3 percent chance of developing birth defects. Children with first cousin parents had a 4 to 6 percent chance. Children of first cousins are also more likely to have speech and language difficulties. They even have more primary care appointments every year. One Nation is on the verge of reshaping South Australia's political landscape, overtaking the Liberal Party to become the state's second-most popular party just days before the election. A new YouGov poll, conducted for The Advertiser, showed One Nation jumped to 22 per cent of the primary vote, while the Liberals sat at 19 per cent. Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas remains on course for a commanding victory, sitting at 38 per cent primary and holding a landslide 5941 two-party-preferred lead. Alarm bells are ringing within the Liberal Party, with MPs at both state and federal levels warning they could be wiped out in the lower house as their vote collapses across key electorates. The Liberals have already been shut out of Adelaide after the 2025 federal election, holding no seats in the state's capital. Their former strongholds, Sturt, Boothby, and Mayo, once represented by party heavyweights including Christopher Pyne and Alexander Downer, have been lost, further threatening their state prospects. Some within the party maintain hope that One Nation's surge will be limited to regional areas and that Adelaide will hold the line. Others cite the 2018 state election, where Nick Xenophon's SA Best polled strongly but failed to win a single lower house seat. One Nation is polling at 22 per cent statewide in SA, just days before Saturday's election One Nation's momentum has been fuelled by ex-Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, now running for the Legislative Council. Bernardi has hammered both major parties as a 'uni-party' and urged voters to break with political tradition. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson confronted Malinauskas at Wednesday's Sky News Leader's Debate, gatecrashing the event with Bernardi. Hanson walked up to Malinauskas as he entered the building where the debate was being held. 'I hope that, if Cory wins this seat and we gain some others, we'll work with Labor on good policy,' she said. Malinauskas replied: 'I'm always happy to work with those willing to work with us. We might have violently different views on some issues.' He wished Hanson 'safe travels back to Queensland', in a pointed dig at her outsider status. Beyond South Australia, state polling in Victoria and New South Wales shows One Nations surge is part of a broader trend reshaping Australian politics. Malinauskas (left) is set for a comfortable win, while Hurn (right) fights for her political life A Roy Morgan SMS poll in Victoria earlier this year showed One Nation with a 26.5 per cent primary vote. Hanson's party outpaced both Labor and the Coalition, and pointed to the possibility of a hung parliament at the next state election. New South Wales is seeing a similar shift. A February Roy Morgan poll found One Nation commanding 30 per cent of the primary vote, pushing Labor to 25 per cent and the Coalition to just 19 per cent, with a year to go until the state goes to the polls. Missiles caused 'extensive damage' in Qatar hours after Iran threatened to wage a 'full scale economic war' by attacking energy facilities across the Middle East. Video showed huge explosions in Ras Laffan - the world's biggest natural gas plant - as well as Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. Energy sites in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were evacuated after Tehran warned it would hit them with strikes in 'the coming hours'. Abu Dhabi authorities suspended operations at two of its sites, the Habshan gas facility and at the Bab oil field, after being hit with fallen debris from successful missile interceptions. The price of Brent crude soared this afternoon by more than five per cent to over $109. 'These centres have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted in the coming hours,' the Islamic Republic warned. Earlier, Israel said Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib has been killed in an overnight airstrike in Tehran marking the latest assassination to hit the regime. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz declared Khatib had been 'eliminated' and promised more 'significant surprises' as the Israeli military hunts down high-ranking Iranian officials. It comes as Iranians gathered for the funeral of Ali Larijani, the assassinated security chief whose death was confirmed by Tehran. Larijani and military commander Gholamreza Soleimani were also assassinated. Follow the latest updates on the US-Israel war with Iran Mystery over the whereabouts of Brazillian academic Vitoria Barreto deepened today as it emerged a boat police think she took had been found without its buoyancy aid. Clinical psychologist Vitoria, 30, vanished 15 days ago on March 3 after visiting her friend Liliane Silva and staying at her home in Southend, Essex. Numerous potential sightings are being investigated by police but the lack of answers have sparked speculation among armchair detectives and internet sleuths over what could have happened. Most are suggesting areas that could be searched or why there has not been more CCTV released to help look for her. Others have dreamt up outlandish theories the Mail is not reporting out of respect for her family. On the day she went missing Vitoria and Liliane had spent time working on a project together at the University of Essex Colchester campus in Wivenhoe Park where Liliane works as a lecturer in clinical psychology. Whilst taking a break together by the pond on campus, Liliane asked the usually very 'talkative' Vitoria what was wrong after noticing she had been 'quiet, upset' and acting 'airy and confused'. But Vitoria refused to open up, telling her friend they would talk later instead - a reaction friends and family say was very out of character for her. 'I said "Sometimes it's too late V, lets talk", but she said "Observe the ducks" - which was not like her, she was not that contemplative person,' Liliane said during a press conference with Essex Police last week. When Liliane left the campus at around 1pm, Vitoria told her she was going back to the library to continue working on their project about mental health services and that she would see her later. However, for reasons yet to be discovered, Vitoria did not return to the library and instead was seen on CCTV boarding the 87 bus on Boundary Road just outside the campus. Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, had been in the UK visiting her friend Liliane Silva and staying at her home in Southend, Essex, when she went missing on March 3 Two CCTV stills show Vittoria got on the number 87 bus in Boundary Road just after 1pm on March 3 and got off 30 minutes later in Bellfield Avenue, Brightlingsea Your browser does not support iframes. She stayed on it for 30 minutes and got off on Bellfield Avenue in Brightlingsea - an area her friend said she had never been to. Liliane said search history on Vitoria's Google account led her to believe she had been trying to get the 87 bus going the other way to Colchester, but accidentally got on the wrong one on the other side of the road, forgetting cars drive on the left in the UK. Vitoria had been wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and dark trainers with white soles on the day she went missing. The last person thought to have seen her in person is Justin Francis and his partner who were walking their dog along Bellfield Avenue when a woman matching her description approached them and introduced herself as Vitoria. Justin said she asked if she could come into their home, but did not explain why. He said they now feel 'a little bit guilty' for being the last people to see her and speak to her. 'If we had known at the time she was missing, we would have brought her back to our house and got her a cup of tea,' he told the BBC. She was then spotted on doorbell footage in the Hurst Green area of Brightlingsea shortly after 2.30pm. Her tote bag - which had the words 'people over profit' adorned on it - was found nearly a week later on March 9 just off Copperas Road, in Brightlingsea. Her laptop was also found in Brightlingsea on March 14. Blurry CCTV footage showed a person who police believe to be Vitoria walking alone along the waterfront after climbing over a metal fence into a boatyard on Brightlingsea pontoon at 12.16am. She was not seen on CCTV for the next 20 minutes, with police believing she may have been the person who during that time unmoored and potentially boarded a boat which went missing from a pontoon that night. Blurry CCTV footage showed a person who police believe to be Vitoria walking alone along the waterfront after climbing over a metal fence into a boatyard on Brightlingsea pontoon at 12.16am When Liliane left the campus at around 1pm, Vitoria (pictured) told her she was going back to the library to continue working on their project about mental health services and that she would see her later Liliane (pictured right with Vitoria's mother) said the last time she saw Vitoria she tried to ask what was wrong and why she appeared 'upset, airy and confused' Police said the 'vessel does not appear to have had its engine started and, over the next few hours, began drifting out of the harbour before ultimately coming to a rest close to Bradwell-on-Sea later in morning'. At around midday on March 4, the boat was found a drift in the water close to Bradwell-on-Sea with the lifesaving buoyancy aid used to help passengers float in the water during emergencies missing. In their latest update, Essex Police said: 'At this stage, there is still no clear and visible footage to conclusively state it was the 30-year-old Brazilian who unmoored the boat. 'However, we know Vitoria was seen walking alone in the waterfront area at 12.16am, having climbed over a nearby metal fence, which is close to where the boat was unmoored.' Speaking at a press conference with Essex Police last week about her friend's mental state, Liliane said: 'We know that she is probably not in a good place, she is probably out of her mind, upset, struggling. We don't know why and we don't want to judge it now, we just want her with us. 'She needs to feel protected, she needs to feel loved. It was never her behaviour, that's why we are so scared since the first second.' The number of cases of meningitis being investigated in Kent increased to 20 today, as health officials battle to halt Britain's worst outbreak in a generation. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed this morning that the total had risen from the 15 declared yesterday, amid fears the death toll of two could also rise. Of the 20 total, nine have been confirmed in the lab and 11 remain under investigation. Six of the confirmed cases so far have been established to be meningitis B. The National Pharmacy Association industry group revealed this morning that there was now no stock of meningitis B vaccines available for people to pay for privately. The UKHSA declared a national incident after a grammar school pupil and a university student died and cases outside of Kent were reported in London and France. A baby is also fighting for her life in a London hospital after becoming unwell on March 4, just days before the cluster of meningitis cases emerged in Canterbury. Nine-month-old Nala-Rose Fletcher, from Folkestone, is in intensive care at Evelina London Children's Hospital, as doctors warned she faces 'life-changing' surgeries. Confirming the updated total number of cases this morning, a UKHSA spokesman said: 'All those affected who are currently linked to the outbreak are young adults. 'UKHSA is aware of a baby with confirmed meningococcal group B infection who is not currently linked to the outbreak but UKHSA will continue to investigate this case.' The outbreak, which appears to stem from Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury, has already killed sixth-form pupil Juliette Kenny, 18, and a 21-year-old University of Kent student. Experts fear club events may have acted as 'super spreaders' and cases could rise in the coming days. Nine-month-old Nala-Rose Fletcher is in intensive care at Evelina London Children's Hospital Juliette Kenny, 18, died on Saturday surrounded by her family after falling victim to meningitis Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today People walk past Club Chemistry today after it was linked to the meningitis outbreak Annabelle Mackay (circled), a 21-year-old law undergraduate, was left blind and unable to walk after contracting meningitis B following her birthday celebrations at Club Chemistry The empty campus at the University of Kent in Canterbury today amid the meningitis outbreak Your browser does not support iframes. More than a dozen people are in hospital and there are fears the number could rise, as it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear and clubgoers continued to socialise before the outbreak was made public. Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, revealed today that there was currently no stock of meningitis B vaccines available for people to pay for privately. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning that pharmacies were used to 'bridging the gap between what the NHS offers and what patients want'. Mr Picard said: 'Unfortunately, that supply has run out, and most of our distributors, wholesalers, have no stock. And whilst we're hearing that there may be some stock in the system, it is taking its time to come into our fridges. There's no date of resupply. 'Overnight, between sort of the hours of 11pm and 6am this morning, I have received over 100 appointments through our booking system in my pharmacies for a vaccine we simply don't have any idea when they will be available. Pharmacies branded 'totally immoral' for vaccine price increase Wes Streeting Pharmacies have been branded 'totally immoral' for cashing in on the meningitis outbreak by charging hundreds of pounds for jabs as stocks run low. Chemists report running out of vaccines after two youngsters died from the infection and another 11 were hospitalised after falling ill over the past week. Babies can get the meningitis B vaccine on the NHS but children born before 2015 missed out unless they paid privately. Early testing has revealed the cases linked to the nightclub Club Chemistry in Canterbury, Kent, are menB, the deadlier form of the infection, sparking a rush for the vaccine from university and school students. Health Secretary Wes Streeting urged the public not to be 'ripped off' by paying over the odds for a jab that will be offered for free on the NHS to those who need it if officials decide it is necessary. A snap poll of 300 pharmacies by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) yesterday found 87 per cent have seen 'considerable' rises in requests for the jab. This is 'far exceeding' the supply available from wholesalers, it warned. Some pharmacies received 30 to 40 requests for bookings yesterday morning as well as pre-emptive requests for antibiotics. It comes as the UK Health Security Agency said it will launch a 'small targeted' vaccination programme due to the 'severity of the situation'. Mr Streeting told the Commons he has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises ministers, to urgently review the eligibility criteria for the jab. Labour MP Danny Beales said: 'Obviously, parents and students are very concerned. There's reports online that private pharmacies are selling vaccinations for several hundreds of pounds. 'Can the Secretary of State assure this house that the NHS and Department of Health are monitoring any possible price gouging around vaccinations?' Mr Streeting responded: 'To price gouge and profiteer in this situation would be a totally immoral and irresponsible thing to do. We're not advising people to pay for a vaccine. 'I understand people may wish to make individual choices but I would urge people not to allow themselves to be ripped off by people trying to exploit understandable public anxiety.' 'We are at the mercy of the manufacturers and the wholesalers to supply our pharmacies, and our patients are worried. They want their children vaccinated.' He described it as an 'impossible situation'. Amish Patel, a pharmacist from Kent, told BBC News: 'We've seen a huge increase in inquiries for the meningitis vaccine, from having maybe one or two calls a week at best to now 10 to 15 calls in a day. 'It's a huge, huge increase. Currently we have no stock of meningitis vaccines left and the bigger problem is we can't also order any more. 'All the wholesalers are also showing no stock and to add further on to that, we don't know when stock is coming back in. At the moment, it's a case of just keep on refreshing our order pages and seeing if stock is back available.' At Prime Minister's Questions Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Our deepest condolences are with the families and friends of the two young people who have died following the outbreak of meningitis B in Kent. 'Others are seriously ill. This will be a deeply difficult time for their loved ones. 'Health experts are working to identify close contacts and distribute antibiotics and will begin a targeted vaccination programme in the coming days.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC Breakfast this morning that his 'heart goes out to the families of those two young people who have tragically died', adding the cases 'throw into sharp relief how serious' meningitis can be. He insisted that the general risk to the public is 'very low' despite the disease being 'extremely serious', explaining that the disease is spread through close personal contact such as sharing drinks or vapes and kissing. Mr Streeting said health officials are not concerned about transmission between people sharing more general spaces such as trains, adding: 'We're proactively managing it.' A normal year in the UK would see 350 cases of meningitis around one per day, according to Mr Streeting. So he is expecting cases in other parts of the country, and these will be examined to check any link to the Kent outbreak. Mr Streeting said: 'What's worried us about the Canterbury outbreak is the pace and extent of the spread of the disease that is unprecedented, and that's why we are being so proactive in the provision of antibiotics, because they're an effective treatment, but also standing up vaccination at a pace and in a way that we wouldn't normally do.' While the UKHSA has declared a national incident to help ensure supplies of antibiotics, Mr Streeting said: 'This is not currently a national incident'. He said a national incident is declared when a health emergency puts 'critical stress and pressure on the health system', but 'that in no way applies here'. Mr Streeting said the response is being 'managed nationally', but added: 'It's not the same as a national incident of the type we saw in the Covid pandemic.' On people seeking private menB vaccines for their children, Mr Streeting said: 'It's not a surprise to me that people are seeing the headlines and thinking, 'well, I might just go out and buy myself a vaccination'. 'But just to be clear, that is not necessary. I can understand why people are doing it, and I can also understand why therefore, in some pharmacies where people are buying privately in numbers they wouldn't normally, pharmacies have run out in one or two cases. 'But just to say, in terms of the supply of the vaccine for the children and young people that we vaccinate generally, and for the vaccination programme I'm standing up, we've got plenty of supply. People do not need to buy a vaccine privately, even though, inevitably, some people are choosing to do so.' Boots has implemented a queuing system for customers to enter the vaccination service page of its website, with a warning that demand for its menB jab is currently high. The website even crashed for a period before coming back online. Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Superdrug has also created a waiting list for the vaccine, with a note on its website informing customers of a 'national shortage'. It said it is 'working with suppliers to access further stock'. A Meningitis Now spokesperson said the charity was 'calling for the MenB vaccine to be available at a fair price on the high street so more people can make an informed choice and have the option to privately vaccinate their loved ones if they wish'. They added: 'We also believe the MenB vaccine should be offered to teenagers and young people as part of the NHS vaccination programme. There is no other way to prevent MenB disease we must vaccinate young people to protect them.' Meanwhile student Annabelle Mackay revealed she had been partying at Club Chemistry on March 4 into the early hours of March 5 before falling gravely ill. The 21-year-old law undergraduate was left blind and unable to walk after contracting meningitis B following her birthday celebrations. She collapsed at her home in Canterbury as her condition rapidly worsened. Unable to see, move or speak by the time she reached urgent care, she survived only because her housemates acted quickly carrying her to a car after her mother, on the phone, realised something was dangerously wrong. Doctors later confirmed the diagnosis, with Miss Mackay saying her body had already begun to shut down, reported The Sun. French authorities have said a person who was admitted to hospital with meningitis in France after coming back from England is now in a 'stable' condition. The French Ministry of Health added no other cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak in Kent have been reported in France. A ministry spokesperson said: 'The patient has been hospitalised and their condition is stable. All possible measures have been taken to limit the spread of the infection. 'People who were in risky contact with the patient have been informed and an antibiotic treatment has been offered to them.' They added: 'At this stage, no other cases linked with the situation across the Channel have been reported on the national territory. The situation is being monitored by French authorities, with their British counterparts.' Trish Mannes, UKHSA regional deputy director for the South East, said today: 'Around 2,500 doses of antibiotics have now been administered across sites in Kent and we continue to encourage close contacts to come forward for the treatment. Your browser does not support iframes. Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today The empty campus at the University of Kent in Canterbury today amid the meningitis outbreak Students queue for antibiotics outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak Students at the University of Kent queue for antibiotics in Canterbury today Scenes outside the University of Kent in Canterbury today after the meningitis outbreak 'This includes those offered at the University of Kent and anyone who visited Club Chemistry between March 5 to 7. 'This is the main intervention that will help protect people and halt the spread of the outbreak. 'As a further precaution and together with the NHS, we are beginning to roll out a targeted MenB vaccination programme. 'This will initially be offered to 5,000 university of Kent students resident at the Canterbury campus, with the possibility that it may be extended, as it is kept under continual review. 'If you think you may have symptoms of meningitis, don't hesitate to seek medical help by contacting your GP or calling NHS 111. Seeking early treatment can save lives.' The UKHSA also insisted antibiotics 'remain the most effective treatment to limit the spread' of meningitis. It said: 'GPs across the country will today be advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry between 5 to 7 March and to University of Kent students, if they have been asked to seek preventative treatment. 'This is so that anyone who has travelled home, or away from Kent, can easily access this important preventative treatment close to them. 'Given the severity of the outbreak, and as an additional precautionary measure, a targeted vaccination programme will begin, starting with students that are residents of the Canterbury campus halls of residence at the University of Kent who will be contacted directly. 'Initially, it's expected that up to 5,000 students will be contacted and offered the vaccine. UKHSA will continue to assess ongoing risk to other populations and the programme may be extended.' A meeting of local Integrated Care Board officials and UKHSA regional staff will take place this morning, with an announcement expected later on the vaccine rollout. The UKHSA stressed there are plenty of menB vaccines available for the NHS to use, adding: 'There are sufficient menB vaccine stocks. We will work with local resilience partners to ensure effective distribution.' Health officials stressed that people should not skip antibiotics if prescribed them, with a single tablet of Ciprofloxacin reducing the risk of meningitis in a household by about 80 per cent to 90 per cent. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Nala-Rose's parents, Danielle Trott and Nick Fletcher, said she had been vaccinated, but they do not know which strain she has contracted, adding that they had not been in Canterbury before she fell ill. They added: 'Nothing can truly prepare you for the pain and fear that comes with what we've been living through, and are still living through. 'Nala-Rose is still very poorly and remains in intensive care. We already know she will be left with lasting difficulties for the rest of her life, and that's something we're only beginning to come to terms with.' Economics student Mohammed Olayinka was still on campus at the University of Kent today following the outbreak as he did not think it was worth the risk of travelling and potentially spreading it to family, adding: 'You don't know if you have it, if you're asymptomatic.' The 21-year-old said of campus: 'It's a bit of a ghost town isn't it? It's been mixed, have people saying best off to stay here, people that panicked and left. 'I really can't blame them. (There's) an air of uncertainty to go out.' The third-year student took the antibiotics yesterday as he had been in the library a lot and thought it was 'risky' and worth taking the medicine. Another University of Kent student said she has 'no idea' how to get the meningitis vaccination. The architecture student, who gave her name only as Sophie, said: 'I think people that live in on-campus accommodation are going to get them, but we live off-campus so we are really not sure.' Sophie said students had fled the city after the news broke. She said: 'It's so quiet now, most of our friends have gone home, it's weird. We are the only two left in our house and we're both going home today.' Sophie said she received antibiotics yesterday, but is waiting to take the pill until she knows whether she has been in close contact with anyone who has become ill. She added: 'Normally I'd be out in the clubs but I've been stuck in the library for the last two weeks, which has worked out quite well.' The UKHSA came under fire in the House of Commons for its slow response and handling of the crisis, which has been traced to events at the popular student nightclub between March 5 and 7. Dr Thomas Waite, deputy chief medical officer for England, said yesterday: 'This is by far the quickest growing outbreak I've ever seen in my career, and I think probably any of us have seen of meningitis for a very long time. 'While it remains an outbreak that is having its consequences in Kent, it is obviously of national significance.' Author Michael Rosen - whose son died from meningitis - urges Wes Streeting to 'look again' at vaccine rollout By ED HOLT Eddie Rosen, who died from meningitis Author Michael Rosen's son Eddie died from meningitis in 1999 having complained of flu-like symptoms before his death. He sent him to bed with paracetamol and he found him dead the next morning. The strain that killed Eddie was meningitis C and Mr Rosen said he had not been vaccinated because it was not widely offered in the UK at the time. He told ITV's Good Morning Britain today: 'Nobody was being vaccinated back then. At that point it had just been developed and it had been around for a bit but there was a view that it wasn't cost effective and, to put it crudely, not enough people were dying. Author Michael Rosen 'I went onto the radio that morning talking about it on the Today programme and the chief medical officer was quite abrupt he said: 'I'm not going to be bumped into administrating the menC vaccine'. 'But the vaccine came in within the year in 1999 after Eddie died, so I like to think Eddie was a contributing factor to everyone getting the vaccine.' Speaking about whether history is repeating itself in 2026 with only children born since 2015 having had the menB vaccine, Mr Rosen said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation 'didn't want to give the adolescent programme because it wasn't cost effective and the menB vaccine was less effective'. He continued: 'So they aren't saying it's not effective, they're saying its less effective - but Wes Streeting is administrating it so obviously they think there is some effectiveness. 'It's what you might call an immunity gap because people were given it as babies now, but there's a gap now with anyone older than 11 has not had any menB vaccine and people are rushing to get it from pharmacies but people are running out.' In a message to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Mr Rosen said: 'Have a look again at this business of inoculating people with the menB vaccine. If it's less effective, it doesn't mean it's not effective. If you're giving the people the vaccine now, should there be a roll out programme for everyone in that immunity gap so look at that again?' UKHSA chief executive Susan Hopkins added: 'This looks like a super spreader event with ongoing spread within the halls of residents in the universities. There will have been some parties particularly around this so there will have been lots of social mixing. 'I can't yet say where the initial infection came from, how it's got into this cohort, and why it's created such an explosive amount of infections. 'I can say that, in my 35 years working in medicine, in healthcare and hospitals, this is the most cases I've seen in a single weekend with this type of infection. 'It's the explosive nature that is unprecedented here the number of cases in such a short space of time. 'Sadly, meningitis with meningococcal bacteria has got a case fatality rate anywhere between one in 20 to actually one in five people, depending on their underlying immune status.' The declaration of a national incident allows authorities and emergency services to better co-ordinate their responses. Louise Jones-Roberts, the owner of Club Chemistry, said a UKHSA employee alerted her to the outbreak on Instagram only on Sunday after she had unwittingly opened the doors as normal over the weekend, welcoming hundreds of revellers. Ms Jones-Roberts told the Daily Mail: 'We assumed the case related to this weekend just gone, it was only when I pushed them quite a lot that they clarified that it actually dated back to March 5.' She has closed Club Chemistry until further notice. Ms Jones-Roberts said all 94 of her staff had been given the drugs after one employee was admitted to hospital with meningitis on Sunday. The club was alerted that infected students had been at the venue and are working with officials to trace more than 2,000 revellers who may have been exposed. Student Ingi Pickering, 22, who queued for antibiotics after socialising over the weekend, said she would have 'stayed in' if the public had been alerted when the first cases emerged. She added: 'The initial communication was awful.' MPs questioned why the public were warned of the outbreak only on Sunday evening two days after the first case emerged while schools with infected pupils were told only when they opened on Monday. Mr Streeting said he was 'confident' the UKHSA acted as quickly and as comprehensively as possible but promised to look at the 'handling of the UKHSA response at every point' once the crisis is over. He added: 'This is an unprecedented outbreak. It is also a rapidly developing situation.' Mr Streeting said French authorities had alerted the UKHSA to a confirmed case in a student who had attended the University of Kent. Four schools across Kent now have confirmed cases and hundreds of people are being offered antibiotics as an immediate treatment. All reported cases so far have a link to Kent, according to the UKHSA. Laboratory scientists are urgently trying to work out if the spread is caused by a possible mutant strain of menB. All 5,000 students living at the University of Kent's Canterbury halls are now being urged to collect emergency antibiotics. The preventive drug had initially been reserved for students who lived in two specific blocks at the campus as well as anyone who had visited a local nightclub earlier this month. Officials fighting to contain the deadly disease made 11,000 doses of the antibiotics available to all resident students at the campus yesterday. Due to the severity of the outbreak, a targeted vaccination programme for students living in halls will also be rolled out over the coming days. A spokesman for the university said: 'We have contacted all students today to explain that, following advice from public health colleagues, students living in our on-campus university accommodation are being offered precautionary antibiotics.' They can collect these from the Senate building on the Canterbury campus which has been dishing out doses since Monday. It comes as a fourth school in the county was put on alert due to a suspected case amid fears the outbreak, which has already claimed two young lives, could spread further. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Highworth Grammar School in Ashford is the latest to confirm a case after a Year 13 pupil was admitted to hospital with suspected meningitis. Both Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford, and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, each have a student already in hospital with the infection. Anyone who encountered someone with meningitis, as well as those who live on campus or attended Club Chemistry in Canterbury on March 5, 6 or 7 have been urged to take the treatment without delay. A single course of antibiotics is highly effective in preventing the contraction and spread of this disease in 90 per cent of cases. There are four centres open in and around Canterbury, including the Gate Clinic at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where hundreds of people were treated yesterday. A nurse at the clinic, which usually functions as a sexual health centre, said: 'We have had hundreds of people here today. 'We are treating anyone who has been up at the university working or who thinks they may have been exposed.' In scenes reminiscent of the pandemic, visitors are handed masks as they arrive at another site, Westgate Hall - usually a community hall for salsa classes and bake sales, but now a make-shift clinic dishing out doses. Among those visiting was Ryan Neil, 23, who sought the antibiotics as a precaution after partying at Club Chemistry on March 5. The Canterbury Christ Church student said: 'I have not got any symptoms but I thought it would be better to be safe than sorry.' Fellow student Megan Wood, 21, who was at the nightclub on the same night, said she was also worried about potentially contracting meningitis. 'I thought I should be safe and take the antibiotics because who knows what we could have picked up at the club?' she said. Charlotte Taylor, 23, who studies Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology, said everyone at the University of Kent is frightened. 'There's so much mixed messaging going around campus at the moment and it's not a nice place to be right now. 'I didn't go to the club, but everyone at university is so connected I thought it would be better to come here and get the antibiotics.' A Russian tanker wrecked in an alleged Ukrainian attack is floating in the Mediterranean and could cause an 'unprecedented environmental disaster'. With no crew on board and a gaping hole in one side, the Arctic Metagaz, a shadow fleet vessel reportedly carrying 61,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 700 tonnes of diesel fuel, is adrift at sea following the alleged drone strike two weeks ago. The ship is believed to be part of Putin's shadow fleet - a network of vessels sailing without a valid national flag used to circumvent sanctions on Russia. It is drifting towards Malta away from Italian waters following the attack, which Moscow claims took place off the coast of Libya as it was carrying LNG from the port of Murmansk. Italian officials have warned the tanker could 'explode at any moment' causing 'enormous' consequences. In a letter to the European Commission, EU states warned: 'The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Union's maritime space.' Officials in Malta have warned the environmental damage caused by the ship could leave their taps to 'run dry'. 'The ecological implications are disastrous,' centrist political party Momentum said. The Arctic Metagaz is adrift at sea following an alleged Ukrainian drone strike two weeks ago The vessel, which is carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is sanctioned by the US and UK, was hit two weeks ago near Malta Your browser does not support iframes. 'Malta ranks among the top 10 countries globally for water scarcity, depending almost entirely on desalination plants for drinking water. Any pollution of the surrounding sea resulting from a maritime attack or sunken vessel would mean our taps run dry. 'It would be a national disaster of unprecedented proportions.' Maltese MEP Thomas Bajada also said he feared 'serious consequences'. 'Any marine pollution incident in proximity to these (seawater desalination) installations could have serious consequences for water security and for the functioning of essential national infrastructure.' When the tanker went up in flames in early March, Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine - although it has not claimed responsibility. Libyan port officials initially claimed it had sunk, but it has been floating, unmanned since. Footage in the aftermath of the attack showed the vessel ablaze, with large flames rising and clouds of smoke billowing into the sky. Moscow says it is in touch with the vessel's owner, Russia-based LLC SMP Techmanagement, and foreign 'competent bodies'. 'The international legal norms applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries... for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster,' Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, said. 'Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will depend on the specific circumstances.' Other Russian shadow ships have brazenly cruised through Europe, including the English Channel, with defence experts warning there could be a military confrontation near Britain's shores as soon as this year. Italian officials have warned the tanker could 'explode at any moment' causing 'enormous' consequences Often described as a 'clandestine' network, Russia's 'shadow fleet' are in fact hiding in plain sight as they ferry millions of barrels of oil through the world's busiest shipping route in defiance of Western sanctions, embargoes and price caps. Dozens of these ships pass through the Dover Strait every month, part of a 'shadow fleet' of up to 800 vessels that continue to fuel Putin's four-year war on Ukraine. Last month, the UK Government announced its biggest sanctions package against Russia in a bid to cut off critical oil revenues and degrade the Kremlin's ability to wage its illegal war. Experts say over 60 per cent of Russian crude is being exported on the shadow fleet - but the Ministry of Defence insists that 'deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority'. Security experts have warned that escalating tensions could lead to clashes at sea, right on the doorstep of Britain's shores. Professor Michael Clarke, a defence analyst, told Sky News: 'There must come a point at which Britain and its allies - the Dutch, Danes, and Norwegians and the sea-going nations of Northern Europe - they together will get much tougher with these Russian ships, even if they're escorted. 'When that happens, we're heading probably sometime this year for some sort of militarised confrontation at sea possibly in the Channel or the North Sea, somewhere certainly near to British coast.' Thousands of Iranians gathered to attend the funeral procession for Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and his son in Tehran on Wednesday. The top official was assassinated in Israeli airstrikes on Monday night, which also killed his son, Morteza, and body guards in a hideout apartment on the outskirts of the capital. Larijani, the head of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was widely understood as the de facto leader in Iran, central to the day-to-day running of the regime. He was responsible for architecting the slaughter of some 30,000 anti-government protestors earlier this year as the regime brutally clamped down on dissent. Tehran lashed out following the assassination of the 'stand-in' leader with attacks on its Gulf neighbors and Israel on Wednesday, using some of its latest missiles to evade air defenses and killing two near Tel Aviv as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing. The defiant regime said the killing would not hinder its wartime operations and claimed it had rapidly appointed replacements across its political and military hierarchy. As well as eliminating Larijani - the highest profile figure killed since Ali Khamenei on the first day of war - Israels defence minister Israel Katz said a separate strike killed the Basij paramilitary force commander, Gholamreza Soleimani. Families congregated in Enghelab Square to mourn Larijani, his son, Soleimani and 84 Iranian navy personnel, as enormous trucks adorned with images of the dead drove through the crowds. Thousands of Iranians gathered to attend the funeral procession for Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and his son in Tehran on Wednesday The top official was assassinated in Israeli airstrikes on Monday night, which also killed his son and body guards in a hideout apartment on the outskirts of the capital He was responsible for architecting the slaughter of some 30,000 anti-government protestors earlier this year as the regime brutally clamped down on dissent 'Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,' Katz announced on Tuesday. 'The regime's leaders are being killed and their capabilities are being neutralised,' he said in a televised statement. 'Our military is making every effort to continue to strike and neutralise Iran's missile capabilities, as well as its strategic infrastructure,' he added. Commentators are speculating whether the death of Larijani represents a more significant blow to the regime than the assassination of the Ayatollah on February 28. Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is yet to make a public appearance since his appointment, and rumours are spreading that the 56-year-old is severely injured or may even be dead. In contrast to the new leader's invisibility, Larijani was a bold and confident figure, who moved deftly between Iran's religious establishment and matters of foreign diplomacy. Only last week did he defiantly appear on Iranian state television, warning Donald Trump to 'take care not to be eliminated' before taunting the US President for his 'grave miscalculation'. Marching through the streets of Tehran, in an attempted display of bravado, the military overlord dismissed the Israeli-US attacks on the capital as being 'out of desperation'. 'These attacks are out of fear, out of desperation. One who is strong wouldn't bomb demonstrations at all. It's clear that it has failed,' Larijani declared at the Quds Day march. The 67-year-old was at the time one of the most powerful figures in the Iranian establishment - masterminding the country's defence while distilling fear among the civilian population - and it is still unclear who, if anyone, has the ability to replace him. Israel assassinated top Iranian official Ali Larijani in an airstrike on Monday night Commentators are speculating whether the death of Larijani represents a more significant blow to the regime than the assassination of the Ayatollah on February 28 Large crowds gather at Enghelab Square in Iran's capital Tehran during the ceremony Only last week did Larijani defiantly appear on Iranian state television, warning Donald Trump to 'take care not to be eliminated' After delaying an official response for much of the day, the regime eventually confirmed Larijani's death later on Tuesday with a statement from the security council. 'After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he [Larijani]... answered the call of God,' it said in a statement that was read out on state TV. According to Israeli media, the killing of Larijani was initially scheduled for Sunday night, but was postponed at the last minute. It wasn't until Monday afternoon that authorities received the vital intelligence that he would travel to one of his hideout apartments near Tehran alongside his son, as opposed to his normal residence. On Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's command, precise strikes were launched and the mission was soon complete, with one Israeli security source confidently telling Channel 12 in the aftermath: 'There is no way he survived this attack.' The assassination of Larijani was facilitated due to valuable intelligence that Israeli officials received from residents of Tehran 'over the past 24 hours,' an Israeli official told Iran International. 'In recent days, Larijani had behaved arrogantly, appearing frequently in public (including at Quds Day rallies), engaging with both local and international media, and thereby exposing himself to public view, which ultimately led to his identification,' the official said. The official added that the country's intelligence services continue to receive several reports that 'precisely guide them to the locations of Basij and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps checkpoints, significantly aiding their efforts'. Following the announcement of Larijani's death, the Israeli Prime Minister's X account published a photograph of Netanyahu on the phone, 'ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials'. After delaying an official response for much of the day, the regime eventually confirmed Larijani's death later on Tuesday with a statement from the security council Israel released an image of Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the assassination of Iranian figures Iranian state media generated anticipation by suggesting the claims were false, and promised to publish a statement by Larijani, but all that emerged was a handwritten note commemorating Iranian 'martyrs', that was most likely penned before his assassination. The twin deaths of the security chief and Soleimani are evidence of the deep grip Israel has on the machinations of the Islamic regime's top brass, with intelligence penetrating their every movement as the US dominates from the skies above. While Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was Iran's constitutional commander-in-chief and religious authority, it is largely agreed upon that true power lay at the hands of Larijani. A former parliamentary speaker, he was one of the first Iranian officials to demand that violence crush the thousands of dissenters calling for an end to clerical rule in January. While he would never have succeeded Khamenei - such a role is reserved for a cleric and the former Ayatollah left a shortlist of three - Larijani was hoping to consolidate power following his leader's death. He was appointed chief of the National Security Council in August, following the 12-day war with Israel that left Iran's military badly wounded, and has been the country's de facto leader ever since, sidelining the official president, Masoud Pezeshkian. He was given responsibility for negotiations with the West in the weeks before the war started and on March 1 said he would be heading an interim committee for running the country. Born in Najaf, Iraq in 1957 to a prominent Shia cleric who was close to the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Larijani's family has been influential within Iran's political system for decades. Larijani last week warned Donald Trump to 'take care not to be eliminated' before taunting the US President for his 'grave miscalculation' A veteran of the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq war, Larijani later headed state broadcasting IRIB for a decade from 1994 before serving as parliamentary speaker from 2008 to 2020. In 1996, he was appointed as Khamenei's representative to the Supreme National Security Council. Larijani ran in the 2005 presidential elections, losing to populist candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with whom he later had disagreements over nuclear diplomacy. Larijani was then disqualified from running for president in both 2021 and 2024. Most recently, he was appointed as Khameneis personal envoy to Vladimir Putin, and met the Russian President in Moscow. He also appeared on Al Jazeera to declare that Tehran had learnt the lessons of last years conflict with Israel and would fight back with force this time around. 'Larijani is a true insider, a canny operator, familiar with how the system operates,' Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group's project director for Iran, said before the Middle East war began. The IDF also confirmed it had assassinated the head of the IRGC Basij paramilitary militia, Soleimani, who ordered the slaughter of thousands of anti-government protesters in January. He and his deputy, Seyyed Karishi, were killed in a makeshift tent area, which had been set up to make it harder to follow them as opposed to in a known headquarters. The military also announced that it killed the IRGC's Aerospace Force chief. 'In a precise strike in Tehran: The IDF eliminated the Commander of the Basij Unit,' the Israeli military said. 'The Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past six years,' it added. The Basij, a volunteer force under Iran's Revolutionary Guards, 'led the main repression operations' by the authorities during recent mass protests in Iran, the Israeli army said. The war on Iran is in its third week with at least 2,000 people dead and no end in sight, with Gulf states hosting US military bases and personnel, as well as Lebanon, being drawn into the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off, with European allies rebuffing Trump's request for help to reopen the critical waterway through which about 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, raising energy prices and fears of inflation. This is a breaking story. More to follow British forces will not be sent to the Strait of Hormuz until the US and Israel stop attacking Iran, it was claimed today. Keir Starmer is set to resist Donald Trump's calls for help patrolling the crucial channel - through which around a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass - until 'hot' clashes have stopped. The PM is also believed to be seeking guarantees that international law would not be breached - with suggestions that might require a UN resolution. The UK position is becoming clearer after the US president vented his fury at Nato allies overnight, amid rising concern about the global fallout from Iran blocking the Strait. Mr Trump branded the premier 'disappointing' in his latest free-form press conference in the Oval Office. Keir Starmer is set to resist Donald Trump's calls for help patrolling the crucial channel - through which around a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass - until 'hot' clashes have stopped Mr Trump branded the premier 'disappointing' in his latest free-form press conference in the Oval Office He renewed his attack that Sir Keir is 'no Churchill' - pointing to a sculpture of Britain's wartime premier on the table behind him. Mr Trump also swiped at Emmanuel Macron - saying the French President would be 'out of office very soon' - after Paris flatly rejected the US demand for help reopening the Strait. In a post on his Truth Social site earlier, the President was left to insist: 'WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!' A government source told The Times that the Strait of Hormuz was 'too hot' for a UK deployment to protect commercial shipping. 'Once the offensive attacks and retaliation are over, you can look at supporting the safe opening of the area for shipping,' they said. With the war now in a third week, oil prices remain above $100 per barrel as a result of Tehran's continued blockade. The impact is already being felt in the UK, with pump prices surging and fears the energy cap will spike in July. Polls have suggested that Brits are heavily opposed to the US action and alarmed about the effect on the economy. Sir Keir insisted on Monday that the UK will not be drawn into a 'wider war', and said he was working with partners including in Europe on a 'viable collective plan' to free up navigation in the region. Britain could potentially provide mine-hunting drones to the mission rather than a warship, although the PM stressed no final decisions have been made. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been critical of Sir Keir's response to the war, but nonetheless rejected the president's attack on him as 'wrong'. 'It's very childish, this war of words and these spats,' she said yesterday. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Reform's Robert Jenrick also had a dig at the president last night, saying he did not like to see a British premier 'berated' publicly. Meanwhile, Israel said it had killed two senior Iranian security officials in a major blow aimed at further weakening the Islamic Republic's leadership. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, were 'eliminated', Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said. Tehran has confirmed both killings and fired salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel. An anti-Israel rant by an American DJ at Australia's biggest arts festival has seen its major sponsor pull its support from the event. Consulting giant PwC announced on Wednesday it would no longer back the Biennale of Sydney following the remarks made by US electronic performer Zubeyda Muzeyyen, known as DJ Haram, on Friday. NSW Police also confirmed it would investigate any potential breach of anti-hate speech laws after Muzeyyen was filmed slamming 'the Zio-Australian-Epstein empire' during the festival's opening night at White Bay Power Station. 'It is with disappointment that we share that we have decided to withdraw PwC Australia's association with the Sydney Biennale festival,' a spokesperson for PwC told The Australian on Tuesday. 'We entered this partnership to support an experience and series of arts and creative culture events which would be welcoming and inclusive for everyone. 'Following comments made by a performer at the opening night event, we no longer have confidence that the festival can meet our expectations. We condemn the comments made and reject antisemitism and all forms of hate.' NSW Premier Chris Minns called the comments 'horrid rhetoric'. A special event for PwC clients set for Thursday has been cancelled and all company logos and branding will be removed from Biennale Sydney material. US electronic performer Zubeyda Muzeyyen (above), known as DJ Haram, made anti-Israel remarks while performing at the Biennale of Sydney on Friday night NSW Premier Chris Minns (above) said his government would not pull funding from the festival due to the incident but would demand the festival have more accountability The DJ was heard telling the crowd at White Bay Power Station to 'oppose the Zio-Australian-Epstein empire' before starting a chant of 'long live the resistance' and 'glory to all of our martyrs'. She also referenced 'fascist art-washing' and 'the Zionist entity'. NSW Police and the Home Affairs Department are investigating whether the DJ broke racial discrimination laws. She left the country after performing in Melbourne on Saturday. The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies President, David Ossip, penned a letter to police warning the reference to 'Zio-Australian-Epstein empire' was 'capable of inciting hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule' towards Jewish Australians. 'The statement appears to promote a conspiratorial narrative suggesting malign influence by Jewish Australians,' Mr Ossip wrote, the ABC reported. 'The reference to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child abuser, compounds this insinuation by implicitly associating Jewish Australians with criminality and abuse.' Biennale of Sydney is also conducting a review into Muzeyyen's remarks. 'The Biennale has a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, or any form of hate speech,' it said in a statement. DJ Haram during her three-minute-long rant at the Sydney Bienale festival 'The Biennale of Sydney did not commission, approve, or have prior knowledge of the statement made by DJ Haram. 'The views expressed by the artist are entirely her own and do not represent the views of the Biennale of Sydney, our Board, or our government and corporate partners.' The festival receives more than half of its funding from the government. In 2024 alone it received $3.19 million in government funding. NSW Premier Chris Minns on Monday said he would not threaten to take the festival's funding away due to the incident. 'Getting into a cycle where we threaten to pull arts and cultural funding has the perversely opposite view, opposite effect,' he said. 'What ends up happening is you shine a spotlight on the person who's responsible for saying it, and it draws more attention, not less. So I don't want to use it as a cudgel. 'We expect cultural and arts institutions to use taxpayer funds to represent every member of our community and not be a platform for hate. 'I expect that if they ask for future funding, that's exactly what our institutions will ask of them.' Muzeyyen seemingly addressed the ongoing drama over the weekend. She wrote online that she was 'kinda weak at all the zios', meaning Zionists, and is 'just a vain musician from America'. Daily Mail has contacted DJ Haram's label for comment. A disgraced Army major has been stripped of his MBE after falsely claiming 12,964 of taxpayers' money to send his children to private school. Lloyd Hamilton, 52, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, was awarded an MBE in 2011 after setting up a charity which gave wounded soldiers a chance to take part in sailing races. But a decade later he was dismissed from the armed forces after it was discovered that he illegally took an allowance to pay for his two children to attend the 50,000-a-year Queen Ethelburga's boarding school in North Yorkshire. The ex-royal engineer, who was based in Cyprus at the time, would have been able to claim the money if he and his wife were living abroad - but by then the couple had separated and she was living in Hampshire on the south coast. Hamilton, of Pembrokeshire, west Wales, denied fraud but was convicted of the offence at Bulford Military Court. He has now been named as one of nine people to have forfeited their MBE or OBE in the latest Cabinet Office update, alongside former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg. The shamed soldier's lawyer David Richards said he had been going through a 'mid-life crisis' when he claimed the 12,964, with his personal life collapsing following a break-up. Hamilton was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 18 months as well as 150 hours of unpaid work. Lloyd Hamilton (pictured), 52, who served in Iraq , Afghanistan and the Balkans, has been stripped of his MBE after being convicted of fraud When he received his MBE 15 years ago, Hamilton said: 'It was quite a shock. I was absolutely elated when I found out and it still hasn't quite sunk in. 'It's great because it makes everything we do as volunteers, and all the hard work we put in, mean something.' During his time in the army, Hamilton received medals for his military service in Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. His charity, Toe in the Water, closed in 2016. MBEs and OBEs can be removed when the Honours Forfeiture Committee determines that the recipients actions have brought the honours system into disrepute. Scottish rugby player Hogg saw his honour stripped after admitting to domestically abusing his wife. The 33-year-old, who played 100 times for his country, was handed a community order in 2024 after admitting shouting, swearing and acting in an abusive manner towards his partner Gillian. Angela Rayner was accused of 'blatant' leadership manoeuvring today as Labour plunged into a fresh bout of civil war. The former deputy PM has made an incendiary intervention as Keir Starmer braces for grim local elections in May, warning that the party is 'running out of time'. She also delivered a full-frontal attack on the government's flagship immigration plans, echoing left-wing concerns that they are too tough. The comments, in a speech to a meeting of the Mainstream group last night, came amid mounting signs that Sir Keir's rivals are positioning to strike. Ms Rayner is reported to have been wooing the City in recent weeks, in an apparent bid to ease concerns she would rack up even more borrowing to splurge on the public sector. She is also seen as building up a warchest with lucrative speeches and a rumoured 100,000 advance for a memoir. However, opponents have been trying to undermine her position, pointing out that she has yet to conclude negotiations with HMRC over the unpaid tax that sparked her resignation in September. Angela Rayner was accused of 'blatant' leadership manoeuvring today as Labour plunged into a fresh bout of civil war The former deputy PM has made an incendiary intervention as Keir Starmer braces for grim local elections in May Yesterday there was hostile briefing that Labour had paid her bill for legal advice on the furore, although No10 denied it was a pre-emptive strike at her ambitions. One senior Labour source told the Daily Mail that Ms Rayner's remarks seemed timed to land as Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham - seen as another leadership contender - gives a big speech. 'I think it is blatant leadership stuff. Not hidden,' the source said. 'But in my view the question is still if she pulls the trigger, not when. 'Does she really want it now, or in 2028 or 2029?' One veteran MP said Ms Rayner's prospects might be reduced as Sir Keir was benefiting from his open spat with Donald Trump over the Iran war. They said it was 'no surprise' she was 'seeking publicity' amid the crisis. But Labour backbencher Karl Turner warned Sir Keir 'it isn't just the 'usual suspects' that are thinking about successors'. 'It is a very large number of the PLP. We must do better. Much better. Keir promised to listen. Please do listen,' he added. Previously, migrants granted refugee status were given leave to stay for five years and could then apply for 'indefinite leave to remain' (ILR). But last year Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that would be extended to 10 years, with the change applying to people who arrived since 2021. Ms Rayner said last night: 'Enforcing a fair deal is not the same as ripping up a deal halfway through. 'Many people came here to Britain on the understanding that if they've worked in the sectors where we needed them, obeyed the law and paid their taxes, that they could stay. 'If we suddenly change that, it pulls the rug from under those that have planned their lives and commitments and they're contributing to our economy and to our society. That would not just be bad policy, but a breach of trust. 'The people already in the system who made a huge investment now fear for their future. They do not have stability and they do not know what will happen. 'We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goal posts, because moving the goal post undermines our sense of fair play. It's un-British.' Ms Rayner has already broken ranks to criticise Sir Keir over welfare reforms and the release of files relating to the Lord Mandelson scandal. And in her most direct strike on the PM yet, she said last night: 'As a party and a movement, we cannot hide. We cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline. 'There's no safe ground for us, and we're running out of time. The change that people wanted to so desperately to see needs to be seen. 'It needs to be felt, and we have to show that it's a Labour government that will deliver it, and many of you in this room will deliver that for us. Our party is your party. 'And we have to come together in the face of division of hate and make sure that the Labour Party represents the ordinary working people of this country. And I'm in there with you, so I can't wait to get involved with you.' Mr Burnham issued a veiled rebuke to Ms Rayner, arguing the government was already responding to her concerns. One senior Labour source told the Daily Mail that Ms Rayner's remarks seemed timed to land as Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham - seen as another leadership contender - gives a big speech The mayor - who was recently blocked by Sir Keir from standing in the Gorton by-election - told BBC Radio 4's Today programme 'We've got to, all of us, haven't we, work together to pull together a plan that turns the country around. 'I understand the frustration people feel. We heard that at the by-election, and of course, Angela is reflecting some of that. 'But what I do feel that the signs are becoming really clear that there is a higher ambition, particularly for the north of England.' He added that the Chancellor's announcement yesterday that regional mayors could be given control of a share of income tax to invest in their areas in new plans was 'a big sign of a real response' by the Government. The police officer leading the investigation into the Nottingham killings has apologised for failing to test the killer for drugs following claims the mistake allowed the perpetrator to get a lesser sentence. Detective Superintendent dLeigh Sanders turned to face the families of Valdo Calocane's three victims at a public inquiry as he admitted officers should have taken samples in custody. Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane was handed an indefinite hospital order after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility for killing students Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barney Webber, and grandfather Ian Coates, during a stabbing rampage in 2023. The families remain furious that Calocane was not put on trial for murder - a charge the senior investigating officer said he believed would have been justified given how Calocane carried out his bloody rampage. And so Mr Sanders' admission before the probe in London today was particularly significant given that evidence of drug use could have negated Calocane's manslaughter pleas, meaning he would face murder charges instead. The inquiry heard families pressed police for answers about what 'toxicology and samples were taken in custody' in the months after the atrocity, which also saw three other members of the public seriously injured. But Mr Sanders, who has since retired, told grieving families Calocane had 'no history of drug abuse', and so those tests were not done. Turning to face the families as he gave his evidence today, Mr Sanders said: 'At the time that we were investigating and on the work we had done around the inquiry, there is a complete absence of any reference to drugs or drug use or abuse. Valdo Calocane, now 34, has been jailed for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished reponsibility DS Leigh Sanders, who has since retired, turned to apologise to the families of Calocane's victims for failing to test the killer for drugs 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 'But I do concede in hindsight, if a sample of head hair had been taken, then if nothing else, we would have examined it to show, in my opinion, the absence or otherwise. 'I apologise that we didn't do it. 'Again, I will extend the apology, particularly to David Webber and Sanjoy Kumar (the fathers of Barney and Grace, respectively), they are the individuals who within the email have raised, I would suggest very eloquently, their concerns.' He said he used the word 'murder' deliberately when referring to the killings in emails with the Crown Prosecution Service. And he suggested other officers were unhappy that the weight of psychiatric evidence meant prosecutors could not push for a murder conviction. He said: 'My view at that time was he (Calocane) didn't seem to be under duress, he appeared to be making rational choices. 'My impression was he was acting on his own free will. 'My view at that time was I believed he had murdered - in cold blood - three people.' He added: 'There were officers who believed he commited murder.' Mr Sanders denied charging Calocane quickly in order to shut down stories of police failings after it emerged officers called to a warehouse fight involving Calocane the month before the Nottingham atrocity failed to spot he was wanted for assaulting a police officer two years prior. He told the inquiry: 'There were stories going to appear in the press that were going to undermine the investigation. Clearly that gave me real cause for concern.' He said some of the reporting was 'embellished'. The inquiry is examining how Calocane was left on the streets and free to kill despite a history of violence and having been sectioned several times in the three years before he struck, on June 13 2023. The inquiry continues. The United Nations is preparing for a nuclear catastrophe if the Middle East war escalates further. World Health Organization officials are monitoring the consequences of joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian atomic sites and are remaining 'vigilant' for nuclear threats in the region. WHO director Hanan Balkhy said: 'The worst-case scenario is a nuclear incident, and that's something that worries us the most.' 'As much as we prepare, there's nothing that can prevent the harm that will come the region's way - and globally if this eventually happens - and the consequences are going to last for decades,' she told POLITICO. It comes as in recent days, Donald Trump's AI adviser David Sacks warned that Israel could be on a path to 'escalate the war by contemplating using a nuclear weapon.' The UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that Iranian authorities had reported projectile impact at the country's only operational nuclear power plant that caused no damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 'has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening', the Vienna-based agency posted on social media. 'No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported.' Black smoke rises after fires broke out following US-Israel attacks on Tehran Smoke billows following a US-Israeli air strike near the Azadi(freedom) tower in Tehran Agency head Rafael Grossi 'reiterates his call for restraint during the conflict to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident', the statement said. The Bushehr plant in southwestern Iran has the Islamic republic's only operational nuclear power reactor and was first connected to the grid in 2011, according to the IAEA. Tehran has been under biting US sanctions since 2018, when Washington withdrew from a deal that granted Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear activities designed to prevent it from developing an atomic warhead. The US and Israel say that destroying whatever remains of Iran's nuclear program is one of the central aims of the war. They have long suspected Iran seeks nuclear weapons, while the Islamic Republic says its nuclear program is peaceful. In June of last year, the US and Israel targeted shadowy nuclear infrastructure in Iran, hitting sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Balkhy explained that although there have not yet been any signs of radioactive contamination in the region, a nuclear incident could cause extreme health problems to those affected. Referring to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident and Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Balkhy warned: 'I think those who read the history of previous incidents, whether intentional or accidental, are very aware of what we're talking about.' Chernobyl officially caused 30 deaths in the first few months following the accident, but people have felt the effects for years, with a surge in cancer and high anxiety amongst those in the area. And an estimated 110,000 to 210,000 people died from US nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Donald Trump has said there would have been a 'nuclear holocaust' if the US had not taken the step at the end of last month to strike Iran. 'If I didn't terminate Obama's horrible deal that he made the Iran Nuclear Deal you would have had a nuclear war, four years ago. You would have had [a] nuclear holocaust. 'And you would have had it again if we didn't bomb the site,' he said to press gathered in the Oval Office on Tuesday. He said those who claim Iran didn't pose a threat are 'not smart' and 'not savvy,' adding, 'We don't want those people.' His comments came after America's top counterterrorism official resigned over the war with Iran. Satellite imagery shows repair and reconstruction activity at the Natanz nuclear complex months after reported June 2025 airstrikes Iran's former president Hassan Rouhani is seen inspecting nuclear facility components in 2021 In an extraordinary and unprecedented move for this administration, National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent announced he was stepping down over his objections to the US launching joint strikes with Israel. 'It's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat every country realized what a threat Iran was,' the President insisted. Trump's AI advisor recently warned that there are 'risks' of an 'escalatory approach' by Israel. Speaking on a podcast, David Saks said: 'Israel could get seriously destroyed.' 'And then you have to worry about Israel escalating the war by contemplating using a nuclear weapon.' Sacks urged Trump to find an 'off-ramp' and bring the war with Iran to a swift close. 'This is a good time to declare victory and get out,' he added. 'I agree that we should try to find the off-ramp.' Intelligence gathered in the months after the strikes in June revealed the Islamic Republic desperately reconstructing a program Trump said was obliterated. The Daily Mail exposed Iranian 'chillers' - sophisticated industrial equipment essential for cooling uranium - being frantically moved back into fortified underground positions as early as September 2025. Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, a short technical step from the weaponsgrade level of 90 percent, making it the only nonweapons state to do so. Andrea Stricker, Deputy Director and Research Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said. 'Iran was about six months from being able to fabricate a crude nuclear device 'The strikes in June created major bottlenecks in the regime's capability to build nuclear weapons.' A PE teacher who told migrants to respect our laws or leave has been banned from the classroom despite an independent teaching panel clearing him of racism and recommending he keep his job. Sam Everett taught PE at Haughton Academy in Darlington for two years while using a Twitter/X account to share his views on politics and current affairs. His views included what some might regard as quite mainstream positions - including calling for the Navy to be deployed to stop small boats crossing the Channel. Mr Everett, from Middlesbrough, was open about being a teacher but did not mention where he taught. Despite this, someone worked out where he was employed and reported him to the school, prompting an investigation. Mr Everett admitted the Twitter account was his but denied that any of his posts were racist or sexist. He was hauled before a Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel - the body responsible for deciding whether teachers should be struck off - which heard the case over three days in January and February this year. After hearing the evidence in full, the panel agreed with Mr Everett that he was neither racist nor sexist and recommended he should keep his job, concluding that publication of its findings alone would be sufficient punishment. Officials at the Department for Education then overruled that recommendation, concluding the panel had failed to give sufficient weight to the seriousness of his conduct - and banned him from teaching indefinitely. Sam Everett was struck off as a PE teacher after someone reported his X account to his employers. In one, he posted 'if you dont respect our laws, culture and way of life you should leave, nobody is forcing you to stay' The panel initially told Mr Everett he was not racist or sexist and advised against a ban but the Secretary of States decision-maker overruled the panel and banned him anyway. He lost his job at Haughton Academy in June 2024 Among the posts the investigation focused on were: Completely agree, if you dont respect our laws, culture and way of life you should leave, nobody is forcing you to stay. We dont go to other peoples countries and tell them theyre wrong for how they go about things. In response to a post saying The law of Allah is superior to your laws, he wrote: Sick of hearing rubbish being spouted by these idiots. They can live in societies where their values are accepted, it isnt here. Leave. You wont be missed. In response to a Britain First post describing migrants as illegal migrant invaders approaching British shores, he wrote: Deploy the navy. The panel found the posts offensive, noting it implied advocating the use of military force against unarmed people in small boats. Mr Everett said he had been unaware Britain First was a far-Right organisation when he replied. Another post read: Theres not an Islamist problem in our country according to some. How many times do we get called racists for being English? These people come from the most intolerable and barbaric places you can imagine and think they have more rights than us. Bore off. He also wrote that anyone who uses the word comrade deserves to be shipped to Russia, and when pro-Palestine protesters were picketing McDonalds he wrote: Feel like ordering 20 nuggets every time I see these idiots. In response to a post asking whether Eddie Izzard should be allowed in women-only toilets and changing rooms, he replied simply: No. The panel found this post did not cross the threshold into offensive conduct. While the panel upheld a number of complaints - finding several posts offensive and concluding Mr Everett had demonstrated a lack of tolerance - it stopped well short of branding him racist or sexist, and recommended against a ban. It noted that colleagues had spoken highly of him, that he had an unblemished record teaching pupils from all backgrounds, and that a subsequent employer had taken him on through an agency in full knowledge of the misconduct hearing - and said he would have no hesitation hiring him again. The panels report said Mr Everett had demonstrated insight and remorse from the point at which the concerns were raised and had deleted his posts and closed his social media accounts. It concluded there was 'no significant ongoing risk of repetition'. Despite that, the Secretary of States decision-maker overruled the panel and imposed the ban, saying a published finding alone would not satisfy the public interest requirement concerning public confidence in the profession'. The panels report noted: Mr Everett had, by his own admission, failed to successfully apply the necessary privacy controls and he was identifiable as a teacher on his profile. Although the school was not referred to, there was plainly enough information available to enable someone to email the school to express concerns about Mr Everetts posts. He was dismissed by Haughton Academy in June 2024 and is now banned from teaching indefinitely. He must serve at least two years before he can apply to be reinstated - with no guarantee of success. Mr Everett was not available for comment. Donald Trump has claimed Sir Keir Starmer's policies on immigration and energy are both a 'disaster', in the US President's latest criticism of the Prime Minister. Mr Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office yesterday about whether his relationship with Sir Keir has been damaged by the UK's stance over the war in Iran. The President said of the Prime Minister: 'I think he's a nice man, but I disagree with him on two things. Primarily his immigration policy is a disaster, and his energy policy is a disaster - and they're about the biggest policies you can have. 'You've allowed millions and millions and millions of people to come into your country that shouldn't be there. And, by the way, that's all over Europe.' He added: 'I've been very critical of Keir - and I did it in a friendly way - I said, if you don't change your energy thing and get away from windmills and go back to oil and gas. 'You have something that no other country has, very few countries have anything like it: The North Sea. You have some of the greatest oil and oil deposits in the entire world. The North Sea, they don't use it.' Now it's time to have your say in the Daily Mail's latest poll do you agree with Mr Trump? In yesterday's poll, Mail readers were asked: 'Is a 'deeper relationship' with Europe one of the UK's biggest economic opportunities, as Rachel Reeves claims?' Out of more than 11,000 votes, 86 per cent of you said 'no' and 14 per cent said 'yes'. Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded with Donald Trump and Keir Starmer to 'reload' their relationship amid the ongoing transatlantic spat. The Ukrainian leader urged the US President and Prime Minister to meet up and reach a 'common position' in the wake of their public dispute. Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir following the PM's refusal to offer greater assistance to the US and Israeli assault on Iran. He has branded Sir Keir 'no Winston Churchill' and accused him of making a 'big mistake' in failing to be 'supportive' of America's military action. Mr Zelensky pleaded with Mr Trump and the PM to mend their relationship as he voiced fears about the impact of the Iran crisis on his country's fight against Russia. He warned Ukraine will face a deficit of missiles it is using to fight off Vladimir Putin's invasion because of the Middle East conflict. The Ukrainian President suggested that Russia wanted a 'long war' between the US, Israel and Iran as the diversion of American resources would weaken Kyiv. He also claimed Mr Trump was not on 'any side' in the Ukraine-Russia war, saying that the US President does not want to 'irritate' Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Keir Starmer and NATO boss Mark Rutte in Downing Street on Tuesday Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir following the PM's refusal to offer greater assistance to the US and Israeli assault on Iran. Mr Zelensky told the BBC he had a 'very bad feeling' about the impact of the Iran crisis on Ukraine's war effort. 'For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,' he said. 'In addition to energy prices, it means the depletion of US reserves, and the depletion of air defence manufacturers. 'So we [Ukraine] have a depletion of resources.' The Ukrainian President added there would 'definitely' be a deficit of Patriot missiles, which the US supplies to Kyiv. 'America produces 60-65 missiles per month. Imagine, 65 missiles per month is is about 700-800 missiles per year, produced each year,' he said. 'And on the first day in the Middle East war, 803 missiles were used.' The Ukrainian President said peace negotiations between his country, the US and Russia were being 'constantly postponed' because of the Iran crisis. Mr Trump once promised to end the Ukraine war within the first 24 hours of entering the White House for his second term. Mr Zelensky said the US President had chosen 'not to irritate' Putin 'because Europe irritated him and Putin does not want to talk to Europe'. On Tuesday, Mr Trump launched yet another broadside on Sir Keir as he said he was 'disappointed' with the PM's position on Iran. Sir Keir initially refused to allow the US to use British air bases to launch action against Iran. He has since resisted Mr Trump's plea for help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively shut with missile and drone strikes. Around a fifth of global oil supplies typically pass through the vital sea channel, with energy prices having now rocketed across the world. But Mr Zelensky suggested Mr Trump and Sir Keir could overcome their differences, as he urged them to meet to 'reload the relationship'. 'I would really like President Trump to meet with Starmer... so that they have a common position,' he said. The Ukrainian President met with Sir Keir in Downing Street on Tuesday, before making a speech to MPs and peers in Parliament. During their talks in No10, also attended by NATO boss Mark Rutte, the PM told Mr Zelensky that Putin cannot be allowed to benefit from the Iran war. Mr Trump has temporarily loosened some restrictions on Russian oil in a bid to ease pressure on global supplies triggered by his strikes on Iran. Sir Keir said: 'I think it's really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine. 'There's obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we can't lose focus on what's going on in Ukraine and the need for our support.' He added: 'Putin can't be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether that's oil prices or the dropping of sanctions.' An asylum seeker caught driving a car packed with tanks of laughing gas has been granted leave to remain in the UK, where he lives in a tax-payer funded hotel. Zanko Akbar, 24, was stopped by police driving a Nissan Micra in Bournemouth, Dorset, in December 2024. After he was arrested for driving without a licence or insurance, officers searched the vehicle and found four large canisters of nitrous oxide - also known as hippy crack. A number of balloons used for inhaling the colourless gas were also recovered, and a 'large amount' of cash was found in Akbar's pockets. Despite being made a Class C drug in 2023, laughing gas is rapidly increasing in popularity among young people, with doctors warning of an epidemic of users being admitted to hospital. It is particularly prevalent in Bournemouth, where young people are often seen openly inhaling nitrous oxide balloons on the beach in the summer time. Akbar, who needed a Kurdish-speaking interpreter, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court last week having previously pleaded guilty to possessing the banned substance. Akbar lives in a taxpayer-funded migrant hotel in Sandiacre, Derbyshire, but turned up 190 miles away in Bournemouth driving a Nissan Micra car on December 22, 2024. Officers found four large canisters of nitrous oxide when they searched Zanko Akbar's car after he was arrested for driving without a licence or insurance Jason Spelman, prosecuting, told the court that Akbar's driving in the town centre caught the attention of police officers on foot patrol who approached the vehicle when it stopped. Mr Spelman said: 'A Nissan Micra came to their attention driving up and down the road. The vehicle was seen about 10 minutes later on Commercial Road and the defendant was seen in the driver's seat. 'Police asked him for divers' licence and he refused to give details and appeared nervous and started to talk in a foreign language. 'He had a large amount of cash in his pocket, making the officers more suspicious about what was going on. 'He was arrested for driving without a licence and insurance. 'The car was searched and found in the car were a number of balloons and four nitrous oxide canisters. These canisters are very large, we aren't talking about little portable things.' Mr Spelman made a point of showing the magistrates a photo of the canisters to demonstrate their size. The court heard Akbar told the officers that the nitrous oxide was for a party he was going to in London. Laughing gas is particularly prevalent in Bournemouth, where young people are often seen openly inhaling nitrous oxide balloons on the beach in the summer time Laughing gas abuse has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of young people in recent years and was criminalised in the UK in 2023 (stock image) After he was arrested he gave no comment to police. Aneel Liaqat, defending, told the court his client became dependent on drugs following the deaths of his two sisters and that he now suffers from anxiety. He said Akbar was driving up and down a road in the town centre while waiting for a friend and did not know the area. Mr Liaqat said: 'He tells me that the class C drug that he had in his vehicle was for a party that he was attending in London. There was no other intention to do anything with that drug. 'This offence was over a year ago and he tells me he was heavily dependent on drugs at that point. He tells me he turned to drugs when he lost his two sisters. 'He did enter the country as an illegal immigrant and there is an application with the Home Office to decide his status. 'He is residing in accommodation provided by the Home Office and he tells me he receives between 7 to 9 per week from them. 'He suffers from mental health issues, namely depression and anxiety.' Akbar then told the court: 'I have already been granted permission to stay in the UK by the Home Office. 'I have got permission to work in this country and I am expecting to find a job of my own income and won't rely on the government in the future.' Magistrates handed Akbar a 12 month community order that requires him to carry out 50 hours of community service and do 15 days of drug rehab. He was also told to pay a victim surcharge of 114 at 10 per month. Nitrous oxide gives abusers a hallucinogenic high when inhaled. Laughing gas abuse has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of young people in recent years and was criminalised in the UK in 2023. Doctors have warned of an 'epidemic' of serious complications from abusers. And some NHS trusts have reported a spike in hospitalisations in recent years. Ellen Mercer, a student from Buckinghamshire, died in 2023 after inhaling three large canisters a day. In the weeks before her death, she could not walk or go to the toilet after burning her legs with a canister and becoming bedbound. Connor Wilton, 28, of Derbyshire, was hospitalised for three months in 2022 after suffering irreparable nerve damage from inhaling nearly 500 balloons of laughing gas each weekend. His body was starved of oxygen by the drug and he now has to use a wheelchair. Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick has previously spoken out about the menace of hippy crack. He said: 'The dangers of nitrous oxide have been well publicised; it can cause side effects including headaches and anxiety through to severe nerve damage. 'When it became a Class C drug in 2023, I welcomed this move after years of campaigning for this tougher legislation based on evidence around the harmful health risks and adverse impact it has on communities due to anti-social behaviour. 'I recognise and share the ongoing concerns members of the public have around nitrous oxide and want to be clear that it is not harmless and should never be normalised. 'I urge parents and families to speak to children and young people about the dangers of this substance as it is incumbent upon all of us to ensure the risks and consequences associated with taking this drug are known and made clear.' He urged members of the public who see people inhaling laughing gas this summer to report it to the police. Greene King is considering selling off 150 pubs and converting another 150 into tenanted pubs as part of a massive business shake-up following steep losses. Britain's second-largest pubs operator, which runs around 2,600 venues across the country, is also set to see managing director Zoe Bowley step down from her role as the brewery giant continues to grapple with soaring costs in the hospitality industry. Her departure comes as Greene King looks set to offload hundreds of pubs or hand them over to independent landlords to run. Greene King's chief executive, Nick Mackenzie, said the decision was made following a 'strategic reaction' to the 'changing operating environment', he told The Times. The pub giant, which was founded in 1799 in the historic market town of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, is among the thousands of hospitality firms who are feeling the pinch after being hammered by rising food, energy and labour costs, and tax rises. Latest figures show that four hospitality businesses closed every day under Labour between October and December 2025. Only last month, the Daily Mail reported that Greene King was considering its second restructure in two years, with around 100 jobs potentially being placed at risk across its head office in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and central functions. In recent months, Greene King said the pub chain had seen its costs rise by more than 300million since 2019. Managing director Zoe Bowley is set to step down from her role as the brewery giant continues to grapple with soaring costs in the hospitality industry Greene King is considering selling off 150 pubs and converting another 150 into tenanted pubs as part of a massive business shake-up following steep losses. Pictured: The Fox Inn, run by Greene King, in Bury St Edmunds where the brewery giant was founded in 1799 Greene King said around 300 sites have been identified as being 'better served under different models' - with half being potentially sold 'over the medium-term'. These sites will be transferred to a new focused business unit while the changes take place which 'allow Greene King to run the sites on a simplified model, with a renewed focus on maximising financial returns.' In a statement, Mackenzie said: 'We are confident that our new pub estate strategy will set us up to deliver sustainable profitable growth for the long-term as consumer habits continue to evolve and the operating environment remains dynamic. 'The realignment of our estate which leverages our strategically important Pub Partners business enables us to play to the strengths of our brands, capitalise on our investment in digital and loyalty, invest effectively in our core portfolio and most importantly continue to deliver exceptional experiences for our customers.' In January Rachel Reeves announced a 300m package to support pubs against rising business rates after a widespread backlash to her Budget announcement saw Labour MPs banned from pubs across the country. Pubs and music venues will be given a 15 per cent discount on business rates from April. But industry groups such as UKHospitality and business owners have warned that more cafes, restaurants and hotels will be left with no choice but to shut up shop if similar measures are not drawn up for other parts of the sector. Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, told the Daily Mail in January: 'The cost challenges facing hospitality businesses continue to grow and four businesses closing a day in the last quarter of 2025 is the unfortunate reality of a sector shouldering the highest tax burden in the economy.' A passenger plane captain blacked out and slumped on the controls while approaching the runway, forcing the co-pilot to wrestle control of the aircraft just metres from the ground, a new report reveals. The jet was seconds from disaster as it veered off its intended flight path, dipping towards the sea before the co-pilot managed to steady it and regain control. Details of the terrifying incident have now emerged in an official investigation, which found the captain had suddenly fallen ill mid-flight. The Airbus A320, carrying 166 passengers, had been descending towards Nice when the pilot told his colleague he felt unwell and needed to hand over the landing. Moments later, as the aircraft flew just a few hundred metres above the ground, he lost consciousness and slumped forward, unintentionally moving the controls. The co-pilot tried repeatedly to rouse him but was forced to take over alone as the aircraft began banking left and right and dropping below its planned approach path. The incident happened in August 2018 on a flight from Zurich to Nice, according to a report by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board. The sudden inputs from the unconscious captain caused the aircraft to tilt sharply from side to side, at one point reaching a bank angle of around 10 degrees as it drifted off course. For about 20 seconds, the jet lost significant altitude and dropped below the correct landing path, bringing it dangerously close to the water off the Cote dAzur. The co-pilot quickly corrected the movements and pulled the aircraft back up, stabilising the approach as the runway came into view. Pictured: Panorama of the French Riviera and Nice airport, France This graphic in the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board report shows how far below the intended approach line (yellow) the aircraft (blue dots) was at times With the plane just 60 metres above the ground, the captain regained consciousness and was immediately told to keep his hands away from the controls. Around half a minute later, the aircraft landed safely, with the co-pilot alerting air traffic control to the medical emergency as the captain began vomiting in the cockpit. Investigators later found the pilot had been suffering from food poisoning, with tests confirming he had been unwell throughout the flight. Two similar incidents were reported in 2019. On one flight from London to Zurich, a captain briefly lost consciousness, forcing the co-pilot to carry out the landing. In another case on a Zurich to Porto route, a co-pilot was left so nauseous he could only manage radio communications during the descent. Toddlers and pre-schoolers will typically get 15 illnesses in their first year of nursery but they will also be more resilient to bugs when they start school, a new study has found. Researchers said it would lead to an average of 13 days off nursery in the first 12 months, with some children needing hospital treatment. They called for employers to be more understanding of parents who take time off to look after infants who are 'frequently sick' during this period. And they said families would eventually see the benefit, as nurseries serve as immune system 'boot camps', helping children build up the ability to fight bugs in the years ahead. Co-author Dr Lucy van Dorp, an infectious disease genomics researcher in the UCL Genetics Institute, said the team noticed how frequently their own children were sick during the first year of formal childcare. She said: 'As parents, we were all struck by how often our collective nine children became ill after starting nursery. 'So we came together to do the first review of how often a child starting nursery will get sick in their first year of attendance and what can be done about it.' Working with colleagues from the University of Cambridge, Cornell University and North Middlesex University Hospital, experts from UCL examined immunology, infectious disease genomics, and epidemiology data to understand why children starting nursery were so susceptible to infections. Toddlers and pre-schoolers will typically get 15 illnesses in their first year of nursery but they will be more resilient to bugs when they start school, a new study has found (file picture) They concluded that during their first year of formal childcare, babies and children are expected to have 12 respiratory illnesses such as coughs and colds, two episodes of diarrhoea and/or vomiting illness and at least one illness that involves a rash such as scarlet fever, slapped cheek or hand, foot and mouth. The researchers said that children who go to nursery experience more infections from age one to five than those who remain at home until starting school. But once they start school this pattern is reversed as children without prior childcare experience get sick more frequently. They added that early exposure to illnesses in group childcare settings appears to provide some protection for the early school years, likely due to acquiring immunity to common infections. 'Respiratory, gastrointestinal, and exanthematous illnesses in infants and young children are common and driven by a wide variety of viral and bacterial pathogens,' the authors wrote in Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 'Employers need realistic expectations about the likelihood and frequency of both child and parental/caregiver sickness absence following the end of parental leave. 'Attendance at formal childcare may tip the balance in favour of infection now rather than later.' The authors said that vaccination is one of the most effective things parents can do to protect their children from illnesses. Co-author Dr Leo Swadling, from the UCL Institute of Infection, Immunity and Transplantation, added: 'Newborns have some protection against infection thanks to antibodies passed from the mother, but this wanes in their first year, leaving infants especially those starting childcare more vulnerable to infections. 'It's normal for children to get sick a lot because their immune systems have never seen these bugs before but then nursery serves as a "boot camp" for their immune systems, building up resilience for the years ahead. 'Vaccines are a key way to protect children from serious infections in childcare, so we encourage parents to keep their children up to date with all available vaccines.' The study's corresponding author Dr Charlotte Houldcroft, a virologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'We all have experience of our children coming home from nursery with a bug that leaves them, and often us, feeling pretty poorly even occasionally needing hospital care. 'But it's important for parents to follow guidelines to keep children home from nursery while unwell and potentially for another day or two after recovery, depending on the type of infection. 'While infections during nursery are normal and common, it's important to do what we can to mitigate their spread.' Donald Trump last night touted a 'merger' between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as he threatened a further rift in UK-US relations. The US President, who is continuing a public spat with Keir Starmer over the Iran crisis, made reference to possible Irish re-unification at a St Patrick's Day event in Washington DC. Speaking at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon, Mr Trump noted how Nothern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin 'get along so well'. 'That's the way it's supposed to be,' the US President said, as he welcomed the DUP's Ms Little-Pengelly and Mr Martin to the US Capitol event. 'I don't know if I should be promoting a merger. I love mergers. We're going to get into a little trouble.' Mr Trump's comments threaten to increase transatlantic tensions in the wake of his repeated attacks on the Prime Minister. He has branded Sir Keir 'no Winston Churchill' and accused him of making a 'big mistake' in failing to be 'supportive' of America's military action against Iran. The PM angered the US President by initially refusing to allow America to use British air bases to launch its assault on Tehran. Donald Trump touted a 'merger' between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as he threatened a further rift in UK-US relations Speaking at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon, Mr Trump noted how Nothern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly(pictured) and Irish PM Micheal Martin 'get along so well' Mr Martin was in attendance at the US Capitol luncheon on Tuesday after ealier meeting with Mr Trump in the White House Sir Keir has since resisted Mr Trump's plea for help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively shut with missile and drone strikes. Around a fifth of global oil supplies typically pass through the vital sea channel, with energy prices having now rocketed across the world. Ms Little-Pengelly attended St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington DC this week but Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill boycotted the events in the US over Mr Trump's policies on Gaza. Mr Martin was also in attendance at the US Capitol luncheon on Tuesday after ealier meeting with Mr Trump in the White House. As he and the Irish PM appeared in front of the media in the Oval Office, Mr Trump doubled down on his criticisms of NATO and accused Sir Keir of making a 'big mistake' on Iran. Mr Martin defended Sir Keir by telling Mr Trump he 'had the capacity' to engage with the British leader and other European leaders. He said the relationship between Europe and the US is 'very, very important', and previous issues between the EU and the US last year, where the threat of a tariff war loomed for months, had been resolved. 'I think we can get landing zone again,' Mr Martin said. 'Keir Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship, I just want to put that on the record. 'But I do believe that he's a very earnest, sound person (which) you have a capacity to get on with, you've got on with him before. 'You've got on with other European leaders as well and I think you have that capacity again.' A woke social media influencer turned congressional hopeful lost her bid for a spot in the midterm elections to a professor accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Kat Abughazaleh, 26, was edged out of the race in Illinois's 9th District, which covers a part of Chicago and its northern suburbs, by Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss. Abughazaleh, who gained notoriety for her viral TikTok videos mocking Fox News and Tucker Carlson, was one of 15 Democrats competing in the crowded race for retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky's seat. But she fell short after Biss secured 29.4 percent of votes in Tuesday's primary election. Abughazaleh trailed closely behind at 26.1 percent. Chicago-based pastor John Elleson won the Republican party's nomination. Abughazaleh campaigned on a platform of affordability and portrayed herself as the child of an immigrant who grew up in a humble Dallas house but failed to disclose that home was worth $3.3 million. Throughout her campaign, the Gen-Z activist also developed a reputation for flakiness and unreliability, and even missed a virtual event after she overslept. She cited her narcolepsy diagnosis, a chronic neurological sleep disorder, as the reason behind her absence. She admitted her condition is 'not an excuse' and said she was 'very embarrassed' by the situation. Kat Abughazaleh, seen here, was edged out of the congressional race in Illinois's 9th District, which covers a part of Chicago and its northern suburbs, by Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss Kat Abughazaleh talks with reporters outside the Chicago Park District Loyola field house on Tuesday after voting for herself in the primary election Abughazaleh lost her congressional bid to Biss, who just hours before the polls opened, was thrust into scandal by his former student Megan Wachspress. Wachspress, who was a Jeopardy! contestant in 2022, accused Biss of having a relationship with her while he was a mathematics professor at the University of Chicago. 'If he's going to get a national profile on the strength of a younger woman's campaign, I'm going to come out and say it: During his short-lived tenure as a math professor, Biss had an inappropriate romantic relationship with one of his undergraduate students. I was that student,' Wachspress wrote in a BlueSky post. She and Biss were consenting adults, aged 20 and 26, respectively, during their relationship in 2004. Wachspress had been a student in a class he was teaching, but the pair did not become romantically involved until after the course was completed, his campaign revealed. A spokesperson for his campaign said they 'went on a handful of dates over the course of a few weeks' and that Biss 'realized then, as he does now, that it was ill-advised, and he ended it.' In a statement on BlueSky late Tuesday night, Abughazaleh thanked all of her supporters for helping her 'do things never seen in American politics' and 'set a new standard from what we should expect from the people who try to represent us.' 'What we built matters, regardless of the outcome. And the work isn't over,' she wrote. 'Our grassroots movement forced every power from AIPAC to the establishment to use their entire arsenal, just to barely beat us. Abughazaleh was beaten in the primary election by Biss, who just hours before the polls opened was thrust into scandal by his former student who accused him of having an inappropriate relationship with her Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss (left), state Sen. Laura Fine (center), and social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh (right) were among the 15 Democrats vying for the congressional seat in Illinois's 9th District. The trio are seen during a debate last month 'Our loss today merely makes the path easier for the next person who runs. It's an honor to be able to clear that path.' She concluded with an expletive dig at the Trump Administration: 'F*** Trump. F*** ICE. Free Palestine.' Abughazaleh's congressional campaign saw her supporters hand out fliers that portray her upbringing as being 'rather normal.' The mail flier, drawn to look like a comic book, showed a small suburban 'Reagan Republican' home in the south. 'I was born in Texas, and grew up with a rather normal childhood, in a... plot twist! Reagan Republican household', the handout said. 'My family never took our rights for granted. I'm the daughter of a natural-born American and a Palestinian immigrant.' But the depicted property was much smaller than the four-bedroom colonial revival home where Abughazaleh was raised. The social media personality did not dispute the value of her former address, saying: 'This is something I think is being treated like some type of shocker, but I was given a lot of opportunities as a kid.' She added: 'I was really lucky to have that, and I also as an adult have struggled like so many of my friends have.' Fliers handed out by her supporters attempted to paint her upbringing in an entirely different light Abughazaleh claims to have humble roots - but her Dallas childhood home is worth $3.3 million But when questioned about her lavish upbringing just last week, Abughazaleh described herself as currently being poor. 'Right now, yeah. I have depleted my savings. I have been financially independent since I was 21,' she told NBC Chicago. Earlier this year, Abughazaleh made headlines after she revealed she suffered from narcolepsy to explain her not appearing at an important event in her campaign. She said: 'It makes me extremely tired and occasionally causes 'sleep attacks', times when my brain literally cannot stay awake. 'My condition is usually well-managed but - like with any disability - has flare-ups and today was one of those. 'I ended up sleeping through alarms, calls, and even my campaign manager knocking on my door repeatedly.' Last October, she was charged with two counts of conspiracy to impede or injure an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, along with assaulting or impeding that officer while he was on duty. The indictment, which was filed on October 23, accused Abughazaleh as well as five others of attacking an ICE agent's vehicle by banging aggressively on the car's side, back windows, and hood. Abughazaleh holds a megaphone outside of the Broadview ICE processing facility, in Broadview, Illinois, U.S. September 26, 2025 Kat Abughazaleh hands a resident a flyer during a door knocking event while campaigning for the 2026 Illinois Primary Election in Evanston, Illinois on March 14 Abughazaleh is accused of hindering and impeding the vehicle's movement and etching the word 'PIG' on the ICE officer's car. If found guilty, she could face prison sentences of up to six years on the conspiracy charge and eight years for assaulting the ICE agent. Abughazaleh's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case on Monday, arguing her protest actions are protected under the First Amendment. Footage previously reported by the Daily Mail shows Abughazaleh gathering with protesters outside the Broadview ICE detention center in Chicago. At one point an agent confronted Abughazaleh for blocking the driveway of the facility and dragged her back before tossing her to the pavement. More footage from September 26 featured Abughazaleh bracing her body against an ICE vehicle along with dozens more protesters. The liberal responded to the indictment on social media by accusing the Trump Administration of political persecution. The Daily Mail has approached the Abughazaleh and Biss campaigns for comment on the primary election results. A hardworking New York City tire technician has been raking in thousands because of a massive pothole that sees him rescue about 80 people a year after their vehicles dip into the fractured pavement. Javier Yat, 23, the owner of Jas Mobile Tire, a Brooklyn-based business, saves about 15 to 20 drivers every few months thanks to the gigantic crater sitting in the middle of the Belt Parkway, near Exit 9A. The gaping hole, which he described as being around 12 inches deep, leaves drivers with flat tires that stall vehicles in their tracks, leaving them to call Yat for help. The tire expert, who runs the local business with his older brother, Emilio, 25, said the pothole affects drivers the most after rain or snow because the inclement weather exposes the city's continuous patch job. 'You never know when it's [the pothole] is gonna be open,' Yat told the Daily Mail, adding that most of his customers call him at night about it because they can't see the hole in the ground. To help them out, he keeps about 10 tires in his truck and drives to where the customer is to rescue them. Yat charges between $150 to $300 for each fix, depending on the size of the tire. That amounts to around $2,200 upfront, but after paying for the tires, the company takes home about $1,500, he said. If he happens to run out of tires, Yat calls up his brother to bring him more. Javier Yat, 23, rescues about 80 people a year after their vehicle's tires get severely damaged because of a giant pothole in the middle of the Belt Parkway, near Exit 9A A car that Yat helped repair is seen after it hit the gaping hole in the pavement Yat runs the tire repair business out of a van that he equips with 10 tires to help save stranded drivers The money he earns from on-the-go tire repairs goes toward investing in the family business, Yat said. 'I usually use it to buy the tires again... sometimes I dont have one size. So when I make a little bit of money, I try to buy tires for trucks,' he explained. Yat also shared pictures of some of his customers' tires that were left shredded and flattened after driving over the hole in the road. He and his brother run the shop alone, but they plan on welcoming new employees at some point. They were both raised in Guatemala before coming to the US and starting the business after learning how to fix up cars from their father. The business started as a mobile service about two years ago, before they opened up a shop eight months back. The industrious brothers run the shop everyday from 7am to midnight before Yat hops in his van and answers driver's calls late into the night. 'I enjoy helping people. I just try to keep the best price I can for everybody,' he said, adding that prices vary depending on how far customers are from him. Potholes have long plagued the Big Apple for decades. (Pictured: Another pothole that caused damage to the car of one of Yat's customers) He and his brother Emilio, 25, run the shop alone, but they are opening to welcoming new employees at some point The money he earns from on-the-go tire repairs goes toward investing in the business, Yat said He added: 'I cant say Im a mechanic because I just do tires. I do tires for trucks, I can do any car.' Potholes have long plagued the Big Apple for decades, and according to NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) officials, the agency is well equipped to tackle the issue. 'We have adequate staffing to address these conditions,' NYC DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said during a recent budget hearing on infrastructure and transportation. Forgione continued: 'We do not have a lack of staff in this area.' Meanwhile, Mike Flynn, the DOT commissioner, thought otherwise. When quizzed about the ongoing issue, he told council members: 'Filling potholes is, theres a lot of, um, theres a lot of, um, its dynamic, right? The industrious brothers run the shop every day from 7am to midnight before Yat hops in his van and answers driver's calls late into the night. (Pictured: Another tire that was shredded by the pothole) Potholes have long plagued the Big Apple for decades, and according to Department of Transportation (DOT) officials, including NYC DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione (pictured), the city is well equipped to tackle the issue 'It depends on the specific weather conditions of that winter. We cant fill potholes when theres snow on the ground or the ground is frozen. 'But the even bigger picture, potholes are kind of a symptom, and what we want to do is address the underlying problem,' Flynn added. The Daily Mail contacted the NYC DOT for comment on the pothole on the Belt Parkway. Potholes have not just become dangerous but deadly in New York City. A 46-year-old male scooter driver was killed earlier this month after he struck a crater while riding in Ozone Park, Queens. Immediate roadway repairs were made following his death after the DOT responded, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said. The sole survivor of a fiery Tesla Cybertruck crash that killed three wealthy college students has sued the carmaker, claiming a design flaw trapped him inside the burning vehicle. Jordan Miller, 21, was sitting in the passenger seat of the electric truck with three of his friends during Thanksgiving 2024 when the vehicle hit a tree at high speed and burst into flames in Piedmont, California. The driver, Soren Dixon, 19, and two other passengers, Krysta Tsukahara, 19, and Jack Nelson, 20, died in the crash. Miller was rescued from the burning wreck after a friend who was driving behind the group saw the crash and jumped into action, breaking the window and pulling the college student out. He suffered catastrophic injuries, including a five-day induced coma, burns to his airways and lungs, major abdominal surgery, four fractured vertebrae requiring spinal fusion, third-degree burns to his left leg and left hand, extensive skin grafts and significant burn debridement surgery. Miller has filed a lawsuit against Tesla claiming the Cybertruck's design trapped its occupants inside the burning vehicle and blocked their rescue, his lawyers from The Veen Firm announced on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleged that the truck's door handles, which rely on electronic buttons powered by the vehicle's low-voltage electrical system, failed to open after the collision. 'A friend was right there within seconds. He couldn't open the doors,' said attorney Annie Wu. Jordan Miller, 21, is the sole survivor of a fiery Tesla Cybertruck crash that killed three wealthy college students Miller was sitting in the passenger seat of the electric truck with three of his friends during Thanksgiving 2024 when the vehicle hit a tree at high speed and burst into flames in Piedmont, California 'No handles. The buttons weren't working. Jordan was trapped in a burning vehicle when he didn't have to be. That is a design problem.' The lawsuit, which brings claims for negligence, design defect, failure to warn and failure to recall, alleges that Tesla has known about the risk of trapping occupants for over a decade. 'When you design a vehicle with no mechanical way to open the doors from the outside, you are betting the electronics will work in every scenario, including a high-speed crash followed by a fire,' attorney Anthony Label said. 'Someone was there to help immediately. He couldn't get in. This lawsuit is about what Tesla knew and what Tesla designed.' The Daily Mail contacted Tesla for comment on the lawsuit. Tesla did not respond to KRON4 and other local media outlets' requests for comment. All four students were Piedmont High School graduates, back home from college for the Thanksgiving holiday, and allegedly partying before getting into the vehicle. Dixon, who was behind the wheel when the crash occurred at approximately 3am, had cocaine in his system and a blood alcohol concentration of 0.195 - more than twice the legal limit - according to a coroner's autopsy report. The autopsy also revealed Tsukahara's blood alcohol content was at 0.028 percent and Nelson's at 0.168 percent. All three victims were also revealed to have had cocaine in their systems. The driver, Soren Dixon, 19, and two other passengers, Krysta Tsukahara, 19, and Jack Nelson, 20, died in the crash All four were Piedmont High School graduates back home from college for the Thanksgiving holiday. Miller with some of the victims in this undated photo from their days in high school The California Highway Patrol's preliminary investigation concluded that a deadly combination of alcohol intoxication, drug impairment and unsafe speeds caused Dixon to lose control of the vehicle. California Highway Patrol, which led the crash investigation, detailed the desperate efforts of a witness to save the teens moments after impact. The witness said he was at the same small party the four students were drinking at, and was following them as Dixon drove them to Miller's house. He briefly lost sight of the truck as it went around a bend, which a drunk and high-on-cocaine Dixon failed to handle, jumped the curb and crashed into a tree. Confronted with the wrecked truck, the witness ran to help and smashed the front passenger window by hitting it with a tree branch ten to 15 times. 'I saw a car on fire wedged between a wall and a tree. I instantly knew by the tail it was the Cybertruck. [Miller] was barely conscious,' he told police. 'He had his seatbelt on and I couldn't reach it, so I scream at him to undo it. Eventually, he was able to unbuckle. I was able to pull him up and out of the window.' Having rescued Miller, he went back to the car to try to save the others. Tsukahara was sitting behind Miller and closest to the window. Miller was rescued from burning wreck because a friend who was driving behind the group saw the crash and jumped into action, breaking the window and pulling him out Miller suffered catastrophic injuries including a five-day induced coma, several surgeries and extensive skin grafts The witness then detailed her harrowing but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to escape. The fire, which began at the front of the truck, was spreading across the vehicle through Miller's seat toward Tsukahara, so he tried to get through her window. 'I then grabbed the stick again and began to break the right rear window. I was able to break and pull the window from its frame but once I got in, the fire had made its way throughout the entire car,' he told police. The families of Tsukahara and Nelson have also filed separate lawsuits. A 15-foot crescent moon that was created by students to commemorate Ramadan was destroyed on top of an Arizona mountain. The City of Tempe announced Tuesday that the symbol atop A Mountain, where other religious symbols have been displayed, was found 'completely destroyed' after being reinstalled just years ago. 'A student group designed and built a 15-foot-tall crescent moon to shine a light on the holiday [of Ramadan] for the entire community,' read a statement from the city posted on X. 'It stood on A Mountain, just like religious symbols of other faiths have done in the past. It was found completely destroyed today.' 'The crescent moon is a key symbol of Ramadan, representing spiritual renewal, prayer and reflection,' the City of Tempe continued. 'There is no place in our community for this kind of hate. People of all faiths are welcome in Tempe and they have the right to feel safe and be safe.' 'Tempe Police are continuing to provide additional patrols near places of worship this holiday season and city leaders will continue to have conversations with faith leaders of all religions to maintain peace and safety throughout Tempe,' it concluded. According to Tempe police, the damage totaled around $20,000 and an investigation has been launched, 12 News reported. On Tuesday, the City of Tempe announced that the crescent moon symbol displayed atop A Mountain for Ramadan was found 'completely destroyed' after being reinstalled just years ago The City of Tempe released a statement condemning the violence against the religious symbol, which has been displayed where other symbols of religion have been placed The Arizona Muslim Alliance, the shura council for Arizona mosques and Muslim nonprofits and the Muslim Student Association at Arizona State University partnered up in 2023 to reinstate the structure, which had not been seen on the landmark for 20 years Ramadan is a sacred time for Muslims, marking the ninth month in the Islamic calendar during which the Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammed, according to the American Halal Foundation. The month is a time for Muslims to worship, reflect on the Quran, strive to perform charitable acts and observe fasting during daylight hours as an act of devotion and self-discipline. The Arizona Muslim Alliance, the shura council for Arizona mosques and Muslim nonprofits and the Muslim Student Association at Arizona State University partnered up in 2023 to reinstate the structure, which had not been seen on the landmark for 20 years. The light up crescent moon sat 1,000 feet above downtown Tempe where other similar religious symbols, including the wise men at Christmas, the cross at Easter and the Hannukkah star, have been displayed. This year, the structure was put up as Ramadan began on February 17. Ramadan is set to end on Thursday, with celebrations extending into the weekend. The exact beginning and ending of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the first crescent moon on the last night of the eighth month. 'Muslims from across the state came to view the giant lighted crescent, noting that the representation was so important for their children to see,' a fundraiser for the project said. 'Non-Muslims also inquired at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe, located just below the structure in downtown, about the symbol and what Ramadan meant to the hundreds of Muslims who live in the Phoenix valley.' 'The crescent moon is a key symbol of Ramadan, representing spiritual renewal, prayer and reflection,' the City of Tempe said The light up crescent moon sat 1,000 feet above downtown Tempe where other similar religious symbols, including the wise men at Christmas, the cross at Easter and the Hannukah star, have been displayed The Arizona Muslim Alliance said the symbol was created with the help of volunteers, donors and the Authentic Grain Woodworking construction company This year, the structure was put up as Ramadan began on February 17. Ramadan is set to end on Thursday, with celebrations extending into the weekend The Arizona Muslim Alliance said the symbol was created with the help of volunteers, donors and the Authentic Grain Woodworking construction company. 'My MSA team and I came across the star and the menorah that were up for both Hanukkah and Christmas on A Mountain,' MSA President Wid Alsabah, a biomedical engineering student at the time, said in a post on Facebook. 'We couldn't help but notice the absence of the Islamic crescent for Ramadan, which left us feeling disappointed due to the lack of representation.' 'Our journey began with a modest idea, but it took a lot of determination, support and prayer to make it a reality,' Alsabah continued. 'We hope to make the display of the Crescent an annual tradition during Ramadan, with the assistance and support of the community.' Sumaya Abdul-Quadir, a local involved in the project at the time, wrote on Facebook that the structure in Tempe was the first time she had seen Islam represented 'in the mainstream.' 'It was such a big deal to me and I felt seen in a way I had not previously felt in the first 18 years of my life,' she wrote. 'My hope is that, with something like this crescent, we can set the stage for American Muslims to be seen, accepted and celebrated as a part of this country.' The destruction of the structure comes as war in Iran has sparked rising tensions, following a missile attack by the United States and Israel that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tempe officials had already increased security around places of worship before the structure was damaged, according to Arizona Family. Patrols are set to continue through the holiday season. The Daily Mail reached out to the City of Tempe and the Tempe Police Department for comment. A 'heartless' couple left their agoraphobic adult daughter to starve and die in squalor, a court heard today. Steffie Davies, 32, was found emaciated in a sodden and soiled bed, with her skeletal body in a terrible state of decomposition after her mother, Bernita Davies, 60, dialled 999. Mold Crown Court heard that shocked paramedics who attended Bernita and her husband, Alan Daviess home, in May 2023, saw lice living in Steffies long matted hair and flies around her mouth. Her face and malnourished body was covered in a fungal infection and scores of deep, bloody bed sores, which a doctor estimated had been left untreated for at least six weeks. It is likely Steffie, who weighed just 5st 9lbs, despite being 5ft 7ins tall, had died several days' before, the hearing was told. Mrs Justice Mary Stacey described the couple, who pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult, as 'heartless' and said she had seen little evidence of remorse for an 'act of such inhumanity.' She reserved sentencing until Thursday. Earlier, an upsetting 999 call, made to the ambulance service by Bernita Davies, shortly after 8.30am on May 26, 2023, was played to the court. In it she tearfully described her daughter, who suffered from anxiety and was a recluse, as being deadwet and cold and gone beyond any help. Reclusive Steffie Davies, 32, had been bedbound for 12 months and died in 'terrible' conditions Andrew Jones KC, prosecuting, said paramedics who arrived noticed an awful smell and were shocked when they pulled back a duvet and saw the state of Steffies body. They immediately called police. When the ambulance crew arrived, they found Steffie Davies in her bed, Mr Jones said. She was emaciated and cold to touch. 'Her body was described as being stiff. It was clear that she had been left in a terrible state to die. Bernita Davies claimed she had spoken to her daughter, who had been reading a book in bed around 9pm, two days before. She said she had checked on Steffie on May 25, but assumed she was sleeping and discovered her dead in bed the following morning. However, the court was told, it was likely Steffie had died much earlier. A pathologist who examined her body was unable to say exactly when she passed away but concluded she had died of sepsis, caused by infected pressure sores, some of which were more than four inches deep and down to the bone, combined with her very low body weight. Photographs of Steffies dirty ground floor bedroom, which included a large collection of stuffed teddy bears and toys, were shown to the court but images of her body were deemed too distressing to be shown to the public. Conditions in the room were described as 'appalling,' compared to others in the property. Bernita Davies told police Steffie refused to go outside or socialize and wanted to be on her own. She said that when she tried to get her to leave their red-brick semi, in Wrexham, North Wales, including for doctors or hospital appointments, she would threaten not to eat. Alan and Bernita Davies (pictured) arriving at Mold Crown Court today. They admitted allowing Steffie, who suffered from anxiety and struggled to leave the house, to die. A post-mortem found she died of sepsis caused by infected bed sores 999 call made by Bernita Davies to the ambulance service at 8.32am on May 26, 2023 Operator: Its okay is the patient awake? Bernita Davies: No, shes dead Operator: Okay is she breathing? Bernita Davies: No Operator: Okay tell me exactly whats happened Bernita Davies: Shes justI dont know shes just cold. shes just cold everywhere Operator: Okay Bernita Davies: Like a skeleton Operator: Okay and how old is she? Bernita Davies: Shes 32 Operator: Shes 32? Bernita Davies: Yeah (Bernita Davies appears to be crying) Operator: You say shes cold? Bernita Davies: Shes very cold yeah Operator: Okay. Is she cold and stiff in a warm environment? Bernita Davies: Well, shes in her bedroom and her bedrooms cold . Shes downstairs Shes downstairs in in a separate room Operator: Okay but is she cold and stiff in a warm environment? Bernita Davies: Well, shes in a house and shes really cold. Shes wet and cold. Operator: Okayokay do you think that shes beyond any help? Bernita Davies: She doesnt need anyshes gone beyond any help. Her eyes are all black and slightly open and her mouths open. Operator: Okay. Do you think shes beyond any help? Bernita Davies: Yeah I think so The court heard Steffie last attended a GP appointment, when she had refused to undergo a smear test, in 2017. She had been bed bound for up to 12 months. Bernita and Alan Davies, 60, who have been married for 27 years and had three children together, and one grandchild, were initially arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter but answered no comment when questioned by officers. Guilty pleas to the lesser charge were accepted by the Crown at a hearing in January. An expert doctor concluded that Steffies bed sores were so extreme that she would have needed help to drink, eat and wash. Mr Jones said the medics view was that earlier stage assistance from the community teams could have prevented the development of such serious ulcers without the need for Steffie to have been hospitalized, and could also have provided an opportunity to assess why she was refusing medical intervention. In a statement, Steffies older sister, who didn't want to be named, agreed her sibling struggled with social situations and that their childhood wasnt easy. She said she had last seen Steffie at her own wedding, in October 2015, but the pair effectively became estranged soon afterwards when she cut her parents out of her life to protect her own mental well-being. Despite this, she said had lots of happy memories of Steffie, who loved animals and enjoyed making up dances to Abba, growing up. She had so much potential but needed the right encouragement and support which she did not get, her sister said. I have sleepless nights thinking about what my sister went through and, if things had been different, I might have been able to help. What I replay over and over is Steffie always listened to mum and dad and did what she was told. Why did they not take her to a doctor or call someone for help? How could they watch her fade away and do nothing? It is a question I will ask myself for the rest of my life. With the right support and encouragement Steffie could have done so much with her life, instead she was left to fade into insignificance in the most inhumane way possible, no sentence will ever be enough to atone for that. Maria Massellas, defending Bernita Davies, said her client had felt 'overwhelmed' by having to care for Steffie and would have to live with the fact she had 'failed' her for the rest of her life. Simon Rogers, defending, said Alan Davies, a factory worker, had previously suffered from bladder cancer and was currently awaiting test results. He admits he is a 'bad father' and is genuinely remorseful, Mr Rogers added. Iran struck a military base housing British, US and Australian troops in the United Arab Emirates during overnight strikes across the Gulf. A missile hit the Al Minhad Air Base where the UK maintains a permanent military facility, at 9.15am AEDT on Wednesday morning. Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, said the projectile caused 'minor damage' to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small blaze that was created as a result of the missile hitting on a road leading up to the base. More than 100 Australian military personnel are deployed at Al Minhad. Albanese confirmed that all Australian staff were 'absolutely safe' following the attack at the base, which is operated by the UAE and functions as Australias military headquarters for the Middle East. He could not confirm if Tehran directly targeted the site, however, while maintaining Australia was not at war. 'The Iranian regime is engaging in random attacks right across the region. We know that is the case,' the prime minister said. In 2014, the UK launched a permanent headquarters at the base to support British operations in the region. The Ministry of Defence confirmed there were no UK casualties or damage to UK equipment. RAAF aircraft at Al Minhad airbase in 2011 While the base has served as the operational hub for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in the region since 2003, the Australian presence was scaled down following the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Defence has said it may consider changes at Al Minhad to reflect ongoing safety concerns. 'Defences focus is on ensuring the safety and security of our people and we will continue to revise force protection measures as the situation in the Middle East evolves,' it said in a statement on the attack. The site was previously hit by an Iranian drone strike in the first days of the war, but no damage was reported. Albanese confirmed the latest attack as he declined to criticise Donald Trump, after the president publicly lambasted American allies, saying the US never needed their help to fight the war with Iran. The US President hit out against NATO, as well as Japan, Australia, and South Korea, for refusing to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite his demands for a 'joint effort'. Your browser does not support iframes. Iran has effectively closed the vital waterway - through which 20 percent of world oil supplies flow - in retaliation against the US and Israels strikes that triggered the latest Middle East conflict. The shutdown has caused the largest oil supply disruption in history, sending commodity prices surging around the world. In a furious post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said most NATO 'allies' had notified the US they would not provide direct support. He went on to claim that because the American military has had such 'military success' in Tehran, it would 'no longer "need", or desire, the NATO countries assistance WE NEVER DID'. 'Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,' he wrote. 'In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!' The US President lashed out again at NATO on Wednesday, accusing the alliance of being 'non-responsive' as he mused about abandoning allied vessels that use the major shipping route. 'I wonder what would happen if we "finished off" whats left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we dont, be responsible for the so called "Straight?" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, misspelling 'strait'. 'That would get some of our non-responsive "Allies" in gear, and fast!!!' Debris litters a street following an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 18 Protesters burn Israeli and US flags during a demonstration in Tehran, Iran, denouncing recent attacks on March 17 A defiant Iran said Israel's killing of security chief Ali Larijani and other key officials would not hinder its operations with replacements swiftly appointed, as it unleashed a bombardment of drones and missiles at Israel and across the Gulf states overnight. New attacks were reported early Wednesday on Saudi Arabia's vast Eastern Province, which is home to many of its oil fields, as well as in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Missile alerts sounded again later in Dubai as the sound of interceptors exploding overhead boomed across the city-state. Saudi Arabia shot down a ballistic missile targeting the area of the Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts American forces and aircraft, and a drone targeting Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, which houses the US Embassy and other foreign missions. Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying cluster warheads in what it said was retaliation for Israel's assassination of Larijani. The weapons used included Khorramshahr 4 and Qadr missiles, both of which carried multiple warheads. The attacks killed a couple in their 70s in a neighbourhood close to densely populated Tel Aviv, where there are also key military facilities, bringing the death toll in Israel from the war to at least 14. Israel kept up intense pressure on Lebanon with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least six people. This is a breaking story. More to follow Jauntily swinging an orange lifejacket in one hand and a special charity bag of food in the other, the heavily-bearded migrant in our photo is preparing to cross the Channel to Britain during the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan. He is one of hundreds of Muslim men drawn from all over Europe to a new shanty camp of bell tents near the main hospital of the French port of Calais, where hundreds of Ramadan food packs are handed out daily by British charity workers. The migrants carry the packs, containing tinned fish, bread, nuts, biscuits, and boiled eggs, back to the muddy camp to wait for sunset, the time they are allowed to break their daytime religious fast with an evening meal called Iftar. Over the weekend, the Daily Mail watched hundreds of migrants from the camp queue up near the hospital to collect the Ramadan bags, largely paid for by British donations. A 17-year-old Sudanese teenager called Abdul proudly opened his bag on Saturday morning to show off the food for a photo. I will wait to eat this until I can have my Iftar meal at my tent this evening, he said. I was in Italy at the start of Ramadan, but came here by train, and then a bus, for the chance of something regular to eat, and a boat to Britain. Abdul and two friends, also devout Muslims from Sudan, smiled as they explained why they had also been drawn to the port. The charities give us our tents, and there are plenty of lifejackets for sale on the streets and in the migrant camps which make the boat crossings safer for us, they said. Migrants in Calais queue up to receive food packs containing tinned fish, bread, nuts, biscuits, and boiled eggs A shanty camp of bell tents where migrants live sits near the main hospital of the French port of Calais A 17-year-old Sudanese teenager called Abdul proudly opened his bag on Saturday morning to show off the food for a photo Hundreds of Ramadan food packs are handed out daily to migrants by British charity workers Without the food we could not live well or remain strong during Ramadan. They then disappeared into the camp under trees and washing lines which has expanded in numbers since February 17, the start of the Ramadan fasting month. A social media backlash has grown over the handout of Ramadan charity meals for migrants. One commentator on X has claimed they are actively drawing Muslim men to Calais for the boat crossings. Another accused charities of fattening up or physically strengthening male migrants for the 21-mile journey in open rubber boats in order to illegally enter the Kent ports. One of the most active British migrant-help charities on the French coast, and also in UK towns now housing migrants, is Care4Calais. Its website proclaims that the holy Ramadan month is a time for compassion and generosity as it calls for donations to finance hundreds of the Islamic approved food packs for distribution in the port town. The charitys website says: Muslims across the world are observing Ramadan with loved ones. But for refugees, far from home and family, living in appalling conditions in Calais, Ramadan can be a difficult and lonely time. It adds that Care4Calais is proud of distributing the special food for those religiously fasting, saying: They are the difference between people being able to observe Ramadan with dignity or not. It says each food pack costs 6.90. Will you chip in and help refugees observe Ramadan in brutal conditions by buying a pack for them? asks the charity on its website. Ben Cottam, 36, from Exeter in Devon, runs another Calais-based charity, Refugee Community Kitchen, which helps supply the food packs for the Care4Calais handouts. It has also asked for donations on JustGiving to prepare items that are suitable for later consumption in line with daytime Ramadan fasting rules. Cottams charity was this week also controversially calling for donations for a special Eid meal for Calais migrants. This is the celebration on Thursday this week which will mark the end of the month of Ramadan. A migrant in Calais is seen holding a life jacket and a charity bag of food as he returns to camp Migrants at Calais are seen carrying charity bags containing Iftar meals for Ramadan The Mail monitored the queues waiting for food, packed in white plastic bags, outside what French locals are now calling the Ramadan camp The Mail monitored the queues waiting for food, packed in white plastic bags, outside what French locals are now calling the Ramadan camp. Migrants are coming to Calais from all over France to get the meals. They are being enticed here, a Frenchman, in his 40s, washing his car and living near the hospital camp told us. The numbers waiting to cross the Channel to get to the UK are growing because of these meals. The Mail also tracked down a handful of Christian migrants near the controversial camp. The men said they had set up some tents elsewhere in Calais woodlands because they did not want to live with Muslims. Hailing from Eritrea in east Africa, they sat on a wall at a roundabout near the hospital watching the queues for Ramadan food packs. We are not allowed the special meals because we are not Muslim and not fasting, said one named Biniam, in his early 20s. We get chicken and beans instead, but we are still fed by Care4Calais and other charities during Ramadan. We go to a different charity van. In the past week, according to Government figures, 384 migrants on five traffickers boats have arrived in the Kent port of Ramsgate from France. More than 196,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to enter Britain without permission since 2018. Many of the thousands of arrivals in recent years are in Home Office hotels and other rent-free accommodation provided by the Government as they wait for asylum claims to be processed. An 18-day-old baby girl suffered a fatal head injury when she was allegedly thrown out of window by her mother, a court has heard. Baby Mariam plunged from a sash window in her family's third-floor flat in Westminster, central London, on Saturday. On Wednesday, her mother Zahira Byjaouane, 43, was due to appear at the Old Bailey, charged with her murder, but was unable to attend the hearing. Outlining the facts, prosecutor Philip McGhee said the defendant's husband had called 999 at 7.30am on Saturday and reported that a child had fallen from a window. London Ambulance Service and police attended within minutes and found baby Mariam lying on a concrete surface between the block of flats on Great Peter Street and a high metal railing. The baby's father was present in the flat but was said to have been in the kitchen making baby formula when the defendant allegedly threw the baby from a sash window. Zahira Byjaouane (pictured), 43, has been charged with murdering her 18-day-old daughter Police at the scene on Horseferry Road in Westminster on March 14 Mr McGhee said the husband had run outside and tried unsuccessfully to reach Mariam before returning inside and calling 999. Mariam was taken to hospital in a 'critical condition', having fallen about 10 metres, or 32 feet, from the upstairs window, the court was told. She died in hospital at 9am having suffered a fracture to the skull, Mr McGhee said. Police went inside the flat and found Byjaouane sitting on a bed. Byjaouane was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and then charged with murder the following day. During the hearing, Judge Mark Lucraft KC set a timetable for the case with a plea hearing on June 3 and a provisional 10-day trial before him from February 15 2027. The judge remanded the defendant into custody. A stubborn patient has refused to leave her Florida hospital room even though she was discharged by doctors five months ago, a lawsuit alleges. Charlotte Paynter has allegedly been unlawfully occupying Room 373 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital since October, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the hospital on March 3. Paynter, 69, was admitted to the medical facility for treatment for an undisclosed condition last year, the hospital said in the complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. Doctors issued a formal discharge order on October 6 after it was determined that she no longer needed acute care services, the filing said. Paynter has allegedly 'refused to vacate' her hospital room even though medical staff have made 'repeated efforts' to help her 'safely complete discharge.' The complaint does not say when Paynter was first admitted to the facility, but notes the hospital provided her with a written order to vacate on November 24. Tallahassee Memorial claimed in the complaint that resources have been diverted from helping other patients because of her continued occupation of the room. The hospital has now asked a state judge in Tallahassee for an injunction ordering the patient to vacate the hospital room and authorizing the county sheriff's office to assist if necessary. Charlotte Paynter, 69, has been unlawfully occupying Room 373 at Tallahassee Memorial hospital since October, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the hospital on March 3 The hospital has now asked a state judge in Tallahassee for an injunction ordering the patient to vacate the hospital room and authorizing the county sheriff's office to assist if necessary Tallahassee Memorial claims it has repeatedly made efforts to coordinate Paynter's departure with family members, according to the lawsuit that is seeking equitable relief. The hospital has also offered 'non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification' to complete the discharge, the filing said. The lawsuit does not reveal what Paynter's hospital bill was or how she was able to stay at the facility for more than five months despite allegedly being discharged. It does, however, note that 'monetary damages cannot remedy the ongoing harm' caused by Paynter's presence. 'Defendant's continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,' the hospital said in the complaint. An online court hearing has been scheduled for March 30, court records show. Paynter was issued a summons requiring that she attend. No attorney was listed for Paynter and phone numbers associated with her have been disconnected. It is unclear where Paynter was living ahead of her hospital stay. Her last known address was in 2020 at a residence in South Carolina, public records show. Rachel Givens, an attorney for the hospital, declined to comment on the case. Paynter, seen in a throwback photo shared by her son in a birthday tribute, has allegedly 'refused to vacate' her hospital room even though medical staff have made 'repeated efforts' to help her 'safely complete discharge,' the lawsuit alleges Hospital spokeswoman Macy Layton told the Associated Press that the hospital couldn't discuss active legal matters, in response to emailed questions, including about what type of identification the patient needed. Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals that receive Medicare funds must provide treatment that stabilizes anyone coming to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition, even if the patient doesn't have insurance or the ability to pay. Hospitals can be investigated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for violations. The patient can be discharged when the clinicians have determined that any further care can be provided as an outpatient, 'provided the individual is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care as part of the discharge instructions,' the federal agency said in an operations manual. A female pastor in Missouri has been suspended after her ties to Jeffrey Epstein were brought to light. Reverend Stephanie L Remington was placed on leave for 90 days last Thursday by Bishop Robert Farr of the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church. Remington worked as Epstein's administrative assistant and property manager on Little Saint James from August 2018 to May 2019, just months before he died. She said she 'never saw anything' on Epstein's infamous private island but acknowledged she was aware of the convicted sex offender's past crimes. 'I knew him for the last nine months of his life, well after he served time for the things that he was accused of doing,' Remington told UM News. Remington also compared her link to Epstein to the biblical example of Jesus Christ, appearing to advocate for grace and second chances that she admitted Epstein 'didn't deserve.' 'Jesus got into a lot of trouble for the company he kept, but he didn't let that trouble pressure him into rejecting the people who, by their standards, did not deserve to be human,' Remington said. She added, 'Social death is just another kind of murder. He opened his heart and his mind to them, and they opened their tables and alabaster jars to him. Is Jeffrey not among their kind?' Reverend Stephanie L Remington was suspended last Thursday by the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church for her links to Jeffrey Epstein The pastor acknowledged that she knew of Epstein's past and appeared to compare her connection to the dead pedophile with the biblical story of Jesus Christ Remington said that her relationship with Epstein was strictly professional and that she had worked for him on his Little Saint James private island in the Caribbean Remington's name appears in roughly 1,800 Epstein-related documents released by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. She claimed her relationship with Epstein was strictly professional, describing him as her boss. Epstein pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution in 2008. He was released from jail a year later. Emails released as part of the Epstein files largely showed Remington corresponding with the disgraced financier about his private island in the Caribbean. In one correspondence from February 2019, Epstein directs her: 'self closing hindges [sic], kitchen doo[r]s. chillax bath toilet and door. all entry doors. thx.' 'Will do,' she replied. About one month later, Epstein's last girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, asked Remington to continue looking for rods and curtains she 'personally ordered.' Epstein and Richard Kahn, his longtime accountant, are copied onto the exchange. Another email showed Kahn asking Remington for updates that were apparently being built. 'Is our crew doing this work?' he wrote. 'Are we doing all sides of tunnel and not just roof? In one email, Epstein's accountant Richard Kahn asked Remington for updates on the construction of tunnels Another exchange showed Remington sending her passport card as Epstein arranged her travel plans with his longtime pilot Larry Visoski In another email from 2019, Epstein asked Remington: 'did we send dolce to a real doctor?' He appeared to be referring to another worker at his properties who needed a knee surgery. Remington said Epstein was considerate when she shared that her father had received a cancer diagnosis. One exchange from March 2019 showed the dead pedophile coordinating flight plans for Remington to visit her dad. Epstein wrote: 'stephiaie [sic] will travel with us to palm tonight... her father is ill, lesley get her a flight from palm beach 748. to kansas city. and return monday from kansas city to stt.' Remington responded by sending an attachment of her passport card. Also copied on the email was Epstein's longtime pilot, Larry Visoski, who called Remington 'Stephie.' 'Sorry to hear about your father,' Visoski added. Remington, who has not been accused of any crime, left her job with Epstein in May 2019 to care for her dad. Epstein was arrested at Teterboro airport in New Jersey on July 6 and charged with trafficking and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls as young as 14. He was found hanging in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide. Epstein was found hanging in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide Remington claimed in annual paperwork that she engaged in extension ministry through the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary while she worked for Epstein and as recently as last year, according to the Missouri Conference. However, an early review found she had not actually worked for the seminary during all of those years. Remington was only a part-time contractor in 2017 and 2018. She previously held positions at the First United Methodist Church in North Kansas City and the Summit United Methodist Church in Lees Summit, according to KSNT. The Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church's suspension came after it 'became aware of a past working relationship between one of its ordained clergy and Jeffrey Epstein' last week. Remington claimed she had filed a report last year and told her district superintendent via Zoom about her work with Epstein. She said that she takes sexual misconduct seriously and had helped develop a church training curriculum on sexual boundaries earlier in her career. 'The world is full of so much hate,' Remington said. 'There are many powerful men who have done despicable things with their privilege. They come and go in the news.' Remington previously worked at the First United Methodist Church in North Kansas City She was Epsteins assistant and property manager on Little Saint James from August 2018 to May 2019, just months before he died Remingtons name is on roughly 1,800 Epstein-related documents released by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform She said Epstein's story had become well-known because of his connections to global elites and political leaders. Remington added that her former boss was 'very proud to have direct lines to all his presidents.' 'If association with sinners makes one guilty, then the church is in an awful state,' Remington said. 'I have heard the confessions of the people in my pews. I know their stories. We're just people. The humankind.' The Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church referred the Daily Mail to its previous statement and said no new comments would be provided while a review process was underway. The Daily Mail has contacted Remington for comment. Donald Trump has lashed out at his 'non-responsive' NATO allies as he claimed they would 'move into gear fast' if he 'finished off Iran' before handing the Strait of Hormuz to them. Tension between the US President and Europe has been growing in recent days after a number of leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, snubbed his demand for a 'joint effort' to unblock the channel, through which about 20 per cent of global oil flows. The EU told Mr Trump and Iran to stop their war 'so that everybody saves face', while Emmanuel Macron insisted France would not send its navy to help escort ships through the strait. Sir Keir also said the UK would not 'send ships' to protect oil tankers from Iranian attacks. Trump reacted with a furious post on Truth Social, hitting back at NATO, calling the alliance a 'one way street' and declaring 'we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance WE NEVER DID!' In a further post on Wednesday, the US President wrote: 'I wonder what would happen if we 'finished off' what's left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don't, be responsible for the so called 'Straight?' 'That would get some of our non-responsive 'Allies' in gear, and fast!!!' Donald Trump has lashed out at his 'non-responsive' NATO allies as he claimed they would 'move into gear fast' if the 'finished off Iran' The US President asked allies to join a mission to safeguard shipping in the Gulf but was snubbed by Sir Keir Starmer, who said the UK would not 'send ships' to protect oil tankers from Iranian attacks Mr Trump accused NATO members of making a 'foolish mistake' by refusing to help the US navy the strait. The president is desperately trying to open the strait as the Iranian regime's ongoing closure causes a spike in oil prices and sparks fears of a global economic crisis. In angry remarks at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump insisted that 'we don't need any help' from NATO. 'But they should've been there,' he added. He attacked Sir Keir, claiming the war has been a 'great test' of special relationship which he said was 'always the best' until the Labour premier 'came along'. He also claimed that Sir Keir is 'no Churchill' - pointing to a sculpture of Britain's wartime premier on the table behind him. Mr Trump on Tuesday also swiped at Emmanuel Macron - saying the French President would be 'out of office very soon' - after Paris flatly rejected the US demand for help reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz. As he vented in the Oval Office during a media call with Irish PM Micheal Martin, Mr Trump again claimed that Sir Keir offered to send two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. This is something the UK denies. Earlier, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said 'it would be in the interest of everybody if this war stops', adding: 'The problem with wars is that it's easier to start than to stop them, and it always gets out of hand.' 'We have been consulting with regional countries like the Gulf countries, Jordan, Egypt, (about) whether we could also bring forward proposals for Iran, Israel and the US to get out of this situation so that everybody saves face,' she said. Kallas said the door was not closed to European participation in efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz but it would be most likely to come as part of a diplomatic solution. Your browser does not support iframes. The former prime minister of Estonia added that Europe did not understand some of the United States' actions under Trump or its objectives in Iran but had become used to his unpredictability and was 'more calm' in its responses. NATO countries have rounded on Trump after he demanded their support to reopen the key transit point for oil and gas, as they continue to refuse to be further drawn into the war with Tehran. Germany, Italy, Greece and Australia also refused to take part in efforts to reopen the important waterway - which normally channels more than 20million barrels of oil and LNG per day. Following the collective refusal of his allies, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday: 'The United States has been informed by most of our NATO 'Allies' that they don't want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon.' He continued: 'I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need.' Mr Trump yesterday launched a broadside at Sir Keir, claiming he was 'not happy' with him and the UK's approach to the conflict has been 'terrible'. But Finland's President Alexander Stubb rushed to the Prime Minister's defence, saying he admires Sir Keir's ability to 'stay calm'. Asked whether Nato allies, including Finland, should join the US, Stubb said they had Russia 'to take care of'. He told the BBC: 'This was a surprise attack, so none of us knew about it and that's why probably there's been reluctance and a little pushback. 'We have our own backyard to take care of, a 1,340 km of border with Russia... We wouldn't have much to give. We don't have bases, these kinds of things to give. What I think I'd like to see now is more peace mediation rather than an escalation of the situation.' Meanwhile, the EU said 'nobody' is willing to put troops in 'harm's way' over the waterway. The price of oil has risen rapidly following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz Kallas previously said: 'Nobody is ready to put their people in harm's way in the Strait of Hormuz. We have to find diplomatic ways to keep this open so that we don't have a food crisis, fertilizers crisis, energy crisis as well.' She added the EU is ready to invest in relations with the US, 'but it takes two to tango'. It echoed comments from Germany, who claimed it is 'not our war'. The country's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius rejected Trump's demands and downplayed threats that such a stance by allies would hurt Nato. 'What does (...) Donald Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US navy cannot do?' he said in Berlin. 'This is not our war, we have not started it.' Asked about Trump's warning that Nato faces a 'very bad' future if its members fail to come to Washington's aid, Pistorius said he did not anticipate Nato to fall apart over these differences. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: 'There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so.' He added: 'This Iranian regime must come to an end,' but 'based on all the experience we have gained in previous years and decades, bombing it into submission is, in all likelihood, not the right approach.' Reform UK's Robert Jenrick has become the latest opposition politician to rebuke Donald Trump over his public criticism of Keir Starmer. The US President has repeatedly hit out at the Prime Minister over his reluctance to provide greater assistance to America's military assault on Iran. Mr Trump has branded Sir Keir 'no Winston Churchill' and accused him of making a 'big mistake' in failing to be 'supportive' of the US and Israeli action against Tehran. But Mr Jenrick said it was 'not helpful' to see Mr Trump hurling brickbats at the PM. 'I don't like to see our PM being berated by foreign leaders,' the Reform MP told BBC Newsnight. 'It's not helpful to the Western alliance to see these arguments breaking out between them.' Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has also criticised Mr Trump for his frequent attacks on Sir Keir, saying it was 'very childish'. When the US President began his strikes on Iran, Reform leader Nigel Farage backed Mr Trump, his long-time friend, over the action and suggested the UK military should do more to help. But Mr Jenrick insisted, if Mr Farage had been PM, he would not have sent RAF jets to take part in 'offensive' action against Tehran in support of the US and Israel. Reform UK's Robert Jenrick has become the latest opposition politician to rebuke Donald Trump over his public criticism of Keir Starmer The US President has repeatedly hit out at the Prime Minister over his reluctance to provide greater assistance to America's military assault on Iran In an attempt to clear up confusion over Reform's stance on the Iran conflict, Mr Jenrick said: 'What we said from the outset was that it is correct that the joint bases that the UK and the US manage together - like Diego Garcia - should have been made available to the US for this operation. 'Because the failure to do so has severely damaged the relationship, it has meant that we have been an unreliable ally and that has been harmful. 'That is a different situation to saying that we should be engaged in offensive action against Iran in a war that we were not consulted on.' Reform has been accused of U-turning over the Iran war in the wake of Mr Farage's initial comments on the conflict, while there have been conflicting views from the party's top figures. Reform deputy leader Richard Tice said the party - if it had been in government - would have said 'yes' to any requests for help by the US or Israel. And Nadhim Zahawi, the former Tory chancellor who joined Reform in January, said Britain 'should join the bombing if needed'. Mr Jenrick, another ex-Conservative MP who has defected to Mr Farage's party, suggested relations between Mr Trump and Sir Keir were 'broken beyond repair'. But he expressed confidence the so-called 'special relationship' between the UK and US could be fixed under a fresh set of leaders. 'It's clear the relationship between Keir Starmer and President Trump has fractured, probably has broken beyond repair right now,' he said. 'What we have to do in the UK is act in our own national interests. 'The US is an incredibly important ally and the relationship will no doubt last after these particular personalities have long left office. 'I don't want to see British airmen and women over the skies of Iran engage in offensive action. 'I think you've got to be incredibly cautious before you deploy British servicemen and women in danger.' Before Donald Trump's top spy chief submitted his stunning resignation over the Iran war, he had privately confided his plans to his closest political ally, JD Vance. Joe Kent quit as Trump's director of the National Counterterrorism Center on Tuesday, accusing Israel of pressuring the US into a conflict he says was built on lies. Kent, a close ally of Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, presented his resignation letter to the Vice President 24 hours before dramatically quitting. Gabbard was also present at the meeting, according to the Washington Post. A White House official said Vance 'encouraged' Kent to speak to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Trump 'before making any final decisions. 'The VP encouraged him to be respectful to POTUS,' the official added. Just hours later, Kent issued an unsparing resignation letter that claimed Trump had been duped into striking Iran 'due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,' adding: 'I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war.' Kent accused the President of reneging on the non-interventionist principles he campaigned on. It is unclear if Vance warned other members of the administration about Kent's plan to discredit Trump's war during his resignation. Kent, a close political ally of Vance and Tulsi Gabbard, presented his resignation letter to the Vice President 24 hours before dramatically stepping down from the administration Kent accused Trump of reneging on the non-interventionist principles he campaigned on Gabbard was present during Kent's in-person resignation to Vance It is unclear if Vance warned other members of the administration about Kent's plan to discredit Trump's war (pictured: an oil tanker burns near Iraq after an Iranian missile strike) The Daily Mail has contacted the Vice President's office for comment. Trump welcomed Kent's resignation while speaking to reporters inside the Oval Office shortly after the dramatic announcement. 'When I read his statement I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat every country realized what a threat Iran was,' the President insisted. 'When somebody is working with us that says they didn't think Iran is a threat we don't want those people.' Kent, who deployed to combat 11 times and lost his wife Shannon in what he calls a war manufactured by Israel, is closely aligned with the populist 'America First' wing of the Trump administration, including Gabbard and Vance, who have both warned against new Middle East entanglements. His resignation lays bare a widening split inside Trumpworld. Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officials and members of the American media of running a 'misinformation campaign' to deceive the President into believing Iran posed an imminent threat, drawing a direct parallel to the lead-up to the Iraq war. The divide pits the Gabbard-Vance non-interventionist faction against hawkish Republicans who back US support for Israel and a harder line on Tehran. Gas prices have surged to an average of $3.80 a gallon from $2.90 before the conflict began three weeks ago, while the narrow strait - through which a fifth of the world's oil flows - remains blocked by the threat of Iranian mines and missiles. Kent deployed to combat 11 times and lost his wife Shannon in what he calls a war manufactured by Israel 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) Join the discussion How loyal is JD Vance to Trump? The resignation drew immediate praise from prominent 'America First' voices. Marjorie Taylor Greene called Kent 'a great American hero,' while Candace Owens went further, declaring Trump 'a shameful President' and urging US troops to explore conscientious objection, calling Kent a 'patriot'. Not everyone was impressed, Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about Kent's accusations that the US launched the war against Iran because of Israel. Johnson again repeated the Trump administration's claim that there was an immediate threat from Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump claimed last summer that the US had obliterated Iran's nuclear program. A seaside sauna is being forced to close after neighbours complained naked people were visible from their homes. The Scandinavian-style sauna, which overlooks Caswell Bay Beach in South Wales, applied for planning permission after operating from a detached house without official consent. Bosses of the sauna lodged a back-dated application to keep it open, but it was rejected by planners following complaints from neighbours about 'naked and semi-naked people being visible'. The Halsa Sauna has been operating since 2023 and promotes itself as 'beachside bliss where sauna meets the sea'. Boss Gareth Davies said he he created a high-quality tourist business which was shielded from wider public viewing points. Swansea Council's tourism board advertised Halsa Sauna on their website before realising it did not have the right permissions. An application was then made retrospectively on Mr Davies' behalf, which said the sauna was 'located in a secluded location along the Wales National Coastal Path'. A seaside sauna is being forced to close after neighbours complained of nude guests The sauna overlooked the beauty spot of Caswell Bay, Gower, and promotes itself as 'beachside bliss where sauna meets the sea' 'The site is shielded from wider public vantage points and is within the residential curtilage of the property,' the application said. It said up to eight sauna customers could attend at any one time, although four was the average number. Alongside the sauna were three cold water barrels, a steam room, showers and a changing area surrounded by a fence. It also said 'arrivals and departures are carefully managed to ensure no conflict' between bookings. Bird and bat boxes would also be added to build on the biodiversity. But complainants highlighted that the customers had to park hundreds of metres away and walk along the road to the sauna where there is no pavement along some parts. Council officers turned down the application in the end on nine grounds, including concerns around noise and privacy issues. Swansea council received 43 objections, raising numerous concerns such as naked and semi-naked customers being visible and shouting and screaming coming from the business. The report added the sauna failed 'to conserve or enhance the natural beauty of the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty resulting in harm to the visual amenities of the area' Drainage issues were raised about the showers and barrels, however Mr Davies had clarified in an update from 2025 that the barrel wastewater was disposed of by the foul sewer There were also privacy concerns with warnings that the external staircase could overlook neighbours' homes Other complaints were made over its lack of toilets, parking issues and claims that cold barrel wastewater had been emptied down the embankment outside. One objector wrote: 'Visitors to the sauna do not understand the private parking arrangement and often occupy spaces belonging to residents and bona fide holidaymakers resulting in conflict and stress for managers of Redcliffe Apartments.' These complaints fell out of their jurisdiction, planning officers reportedly said, with a lack of toilets not deemed a material planning consideration as well as anti-social behaviour and access and parking related to civil matters. Among the reasons for refusal, the planning report said: 'The development, by reason of its elevated nature, scale and prominent siting within a countryside setting, appears visually intrusive and overly dominant and forms a discordant feature within this sensitive location. 'The type and intensity of noise and disturbance associated with the facility are not considered appropriate within a location in close proximity to residential uses and within a designated countryside setting.' There were also privacy concerns with warnings that the external staircase could overlook neighbours' homes. The report added the sauna and three cold water barrels failed 'to conserve or enhance the natural beauty of the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty resulting in harm to the visual amenities of the area.' Drainage issues were also raised about the showers and barrels, however Mr Davies clarified in an update from 2025 that the barrel wastewater was disposed of by the foul sewer and that there was also a main sewers connection. The Daily Mail contacted Halsa Sauna for comment but they did not respond. A Liberal frontbencher has taken a shot at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for keeping quiet when two oil refineries were closed on his watch as transport minister. Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan appeared on ABC's 7.30 on Wednesday night to discuss the nation's petrol crisis with host Sarah Ferguson. Australia imports the vast majority of its fuel at the tail end of a long supply chain, which has been under strain since the conflict in the Middle East saw Iran block the Strait of Hormuz. About 20 per cent of the world's oil travels through the strait. When asked if the Opposition was in support of the US' continued aggression in the region, Tehan flipped to focus on how the 'consequences' of the conflict could be mitigated for Australians at home. 'What we want to see in Australia is that the consequences of that war are limited as best they can be by the way the government deals with this national crisis, especially when it comes to fuel supply,' he said. Referencing the threatened supply of refined oil, Ferguson asked: 'Four refineries were shut down during the time of the Coalition government - what more could you have done to keep those refineries open?' Tehan fired back: 'Well, let's fact check that because two of those refineries were closed under the previous Labor government'. 'The funny thing is, the transport minister at the time was Anthony Albanese. He didn't say a word when it was announced both those refineries were closing.' Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan (above) mentioned two oil refineries were closed in Australia under Anthony Albanese's watch as transport minister When questioned by Sarah Ferguson (above) about Australia's fuel reserves, Tehan said his party was working with Labor to assist in finding solutions - including keeping Australia's current refineries running Sydney's Clyde Refinery (above) and Kurnell Refinery closed in 2012 and 2014, respectively The two refineries Tehan referred to as closing under Albanese's watch were Sydney's Clyde Refinery and the Kurnell Refinery. Shell announced the closure of Clyde Refinery in 2011 and closed its operations in September 2012. Caltex Australia, now Ampol, announced the end of operations at Kurnell Refinery in mid-2012 and the site was closed in late 2014. Albanese served as the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport from September 2010 to September 2013. Australia currently only has two working oil refineries at Geelong and Brisbane. The country's largest had been the Kwinana refinery near Perth that was built in 1955 by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, which would go on to become BP. However, this was shut down and made into an import-only terminal in 2021 under the Scott Morrison-led Coalition government. After throwing the PM under the bus for past incidents, Tehan added that his own party was is 'focused on the here and now'. 'One of the things we'll work with the government on are our existing refineries here in this country - that we put the package in to save them,' he said. This graph shows how Australia has shifted to importing the vast majority of its fuel over the last two decades Albanese (above) is set to hold an emergency meeting to address the ongoing fuel shortage Australia's consumption of fuel far outweighs what the country produces Albanese is set to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the country's dwindling fuel reserves. He vowed the government would enact measures before the May budget but stopped short of detailing what actions were being considered. 'We want to make sure that we do everything we can to shield the Australian economy, households and businesses from the worst of global uncertainty,' Albanese told an Australian Automotive Dealer Association breakfast on Wednesday. 'We won't be waiting until the budget. We will have more to say about the actions we are taking in the days ahead.' Keir Starmer squirmed today as he was berated for not asking Mandelson about his Epstein links before making him US ambassador. The PM repeatedly refused to answer as he was challenged on failing to speak to the New Labour architect personally. Instead, he delegated crucial questions about Mandelson's friendship with the paedophile financier to aides. Kemi Badenoch took up the issue in the Commons this afternoon, after a trove of government papers were released just after the session last week. Sir Keir conceded that appointing Mandelson was 'my mistake' and repeated his apology to Epstein's victims. But he kept trying to change the subject, sparking laughter even from his own benches. 'This was my mistake in making the appointment, and I've apologised to the victims of Epstein, I do so again,' the premier said. Keir Starmer repeatedly refused to answer as he was challenged on failing to speak to Mandelson personally before making him US ambassador The PM is said to have left his aides to ask Mandelson (pictured in London this week) questions about his long-standing ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein 'The Government is complying with the humble address in full, but we are also continuing to support the police in their investigation. 'The matter of process was looked at by the independent adviser on ministerial standards. It's clear the appointment process wasn't strong enough, and that's why I've already strengthened it. 'But it was my mistake, and I've apologised for it. She should follow suit and apologise for her gross error of judgment in calling for the UK to join the war in Iran without thinking through the consequences.' Ms Badenoch persisted: 'I know he doesn't want to talk about the documents he tried to bury last week, he's going to try and talk about anything else, but he's not going to get away with it. 'I asked him a question, he did not answer. We know the Prime Minister was warned about the risk of appointing Peter Mandelson. This is not about the process. 'He knew that Mandelson stayed in Epstein's house after Epstein had been convicted for child prostitution. He knew that. So I will ask him again, did he speak to Peter Mandelson about this before the appointment? Yes or no?' The PM replied: 'I've already made clear that he was asked questions and gave untruthful replies. 'The Government is complying with the humble address. the process has been set out, the independent adviser has looked at it, and he said, quote ''the relevant process for a political appointee was followed''.' The dodging came despite the PM's own spokesman having confirmed last week that Sir Keir did not speak to Mandelson directly before giving him the job. 'The full process at the time of the appointment was followed,' the spokesman said. 'There is no requirement for a formal interview with the prime minister as part of that process. 'The prime minister received advice on options surrounding the appointment, as well as due diligence advice in the usual way. 'As you know the due diligence noted public reporting on Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. 'Questions were then put to Mandelson by advisers in No10.' Last week the government released a first batch of documents on the vetting process, after being forced into transparency by the House of Commons. They showed Sir Keir was presented with a paper highlighted Mandelson's 'close' links to Epstein before he was made the UK's man in Washington in December 2024. The top mandarin at the Foreign Office and national security adviser Jonathan Powell also expressed misgivings during the process. A three-page 'due diligence' report supplied to Sir Keir on December 11, 2024 flagged the ties between Mandelson and Epstein However, Sir Keir went ahead, after apparently agreeing with chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on three questions that Mandelson needed to be asked. No10 has said it cannot release details of those exchanges yet because of the ongoing police probe, but the documents suggest Director of Communications Matthew Doyle was 'satisfied' with the answers. Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, having been accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary under Gordon Brown. He was subsequently bailed, but later handed his passport back and freed under investigation. He has denied any criminal wrongdoing or acting for personal gain. An Iraqi sheep farmer risked the lives of fellow asylum seekers by setting fire to two taxpayer-funded hotels where he was being housed, including the controversial Bell Hotel in Epping, a court has heard. Rawand Abdulrahman, 37, admitted to having started two fires, firstly at the Phoenix Hotel, five miles from Epping in North Weald, and then one at The Bell eight days later. But he denies that he deliberately or recklessly endangered the lives of other occupants and the emergency services. Prosecuting, George Penny, told Chelmsford Crown Court: 'At the time of the fires, the Phoenix and Bell hotels were used exclusively to house refugees and asylum seekers. After entering the UK, he claimed to be a sheep farmer from Iraq, but the authorities have not been able to verify this, the court heard. Thirty-seven-year-old Rawand Abdulrahman (pictured) has admitted to igniting two separate blazes: the first at the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald, followed by a second fire at The Bell just eight days later An investigation by the Essex Fire Service into the Phoenix Hotel blaze concluded that the fire was likely started on purpose, according to a report released on September 17 of last year Mr Penny added: 'Rawand Abdulrahman was housed at the Phoenix and Bell hotels as he was and is seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.' The court heard that on March 28, 2025, Mr Abdulrahman set fire to the beds in Room 9 of the Phoenix hotel, where he was initially housed. The beds were positioned in an 'L' shape at the time they were set on fire. The fire spread and entirely destroyed the left wing of the hotel. There was no loss of life or serious injury after staff acted quickly to activate the fire alarm. He was moved to another hotel before being transferred to the Bell. On April 5 of last year, Mr Abdulrahman set fire to both beds in Room 65 of the Bell, where he was staying, at the head and feet of each bed. His roommate was away at the time. The fire caused significant damage to the room and some damage to the corridor, but due to a different construction of the Phoenix, it did not spread as far and was extinguished before it caused any wider damage. He was arrested the same day at the scene of the Bell Hotel fire. He was cautioned upon his arrest and made no reply The Phoenix Hotel fire was investigated by Essex Fire Service investigators, who produced a report dated September 17 last year. They concluded that the most probable cause of the fire was deliberate ignition, with a minimum area of origin including the left-hand mattress in room 9. They also concluded that there was a risk of several fatalities, with the rapid development of the fire increasing the risk to occupants and staff, and a risk to responders attempting to save lives. While admitting to the fires, he has denied the more serious charges of arson with intent to endanger life or acting with reckless disregard for the safety of others The fire spread and entirely destroyed the left wing of the Phoenix hotel (Pictured: Phoenix hotel) Both the Phoenix and Bell hotels were being used as dedicated accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers when the fires occurred The court heard that the cause of the fire at the Bell was also investigated, with a report finished a day earlier. The conclusion was that the most probable cause of the fire was deliberate ignition, through the introduction of a naked flame to material on the bed, or the mattresses themselves, with a risk of fatalities. Quick actions of staff had also prevented this, the court heard. Ahead of today's trial, Mr Abdulrahman admitted two counts that he started the fires at both hotels and that he intended to or was reckless to the fact that the property would be damaged or destroyed. However, he denies more serious charges that the arsons were carried out with the intention to or that they were reckless to endanger lives. The court was told that he accepts that he started the fires at both hotels. However, he insists that he did not intend to endanger life by starting the fires, nor was he reckless as to whether life would be endangered. Mr Penny said it was the crown's case that after seeing the outcome of the Phoenix fire, it was not possible for him to be unaware that when starting the second fire, it would put lives at risk. An Afghan man has been charged after six people were allegedly attacked with a crowbar inside a hospital waiting room. Omar Momand, 20, is also accused of damaging a counter at Newton Community Hospital in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, on December 30 last year. It is understood the attack unfolded after the suspect went into the hospital to request an appointment, which was denied. A 20-year-old man was arrested and then detained under the Mental Health Act. Today, a Merseyside Police spokesman said Momand, who now lives in Newton-le-Willows, had been charged in connection with the incident. Momand is accused of four counts of wounding, attempted wounding, assault, affray, criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a class B drug. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at South Sefton Magistrates Court today. An Afghan man has been charged after six people were allegedly attacked with a crowbar in a hospital waiting room. Image from the scene Officers are seen by the police cordon outside Newton Community Hospital in December last year Police said six people needed treatment in hospital and at walk-in centres for injuries. These included head lacerations, injuries to their arms and hands and bruising after the incident. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: 'A man has been charged after several people were assaulted at Newton Community Hospital in Newton-Le-Willows last year. 'On 30 December we received a report that a man had assaulted six people with a weapon inside the hospital and damaged property. 'A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of six counts of Section 18 wounding, affray and criminal damage. He was then detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.' A spokesperson for the Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust previously said: 'We can confirm that an incident occurred at Newton Hospital today, and the Trust is working closely with Merseyside Police as they conduct their investigations. 'Our priority is the safety and well-being of our staff, patients, and visitors, and we are providing full support to those affected. 'If you have an appointment at Newton Hospital or are the next of kin of an inpatient, our team will contact you directly with any updates.' A frantic search is on for two missing teenagers after a car with five youngsters inside plunged into a river. The vehicle veered off the road and into the River Nene in Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire, at around 8.20pm on Tuesday night. Police divers are scouring the water nearby as two of the five people in the car - who were all between 16 and 18 - remain unaccounted for. Three females and two males were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, according to police, and two females and one male made it out. Those who escaped the car were taken to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn with non-life-threatening injuries. A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said: 'A male and a female have not been accounted for and searches continue. 'North Brink is likely to remain closed for the remainder of the day. We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. Emergency workers are pictured at the scene of a hunt for two missing teenagers in Cambridgeshire The vehicle veered off the road and into the River Nene in Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire, at around 8.20pm on Tuesday night. Picture from the scene Police divers are scouring the water as two of the five people in the car - who were all between 16 and 18 - remain unaccounted for 'Anyone with information about the incident should use the reference incident 515 of 17 March and report it through the Cambridgeshire website.' There was a white forensic tent on the riverbank and emergency service vehicles parked along the road nearby. Police are appealing for witnesses and those with dashcam footage to contact them, referencing incident 515 of March 17. Residents living near the scene of the crash dashed to the site and helped emergency services search the river bank with torches. One said on a local Facebook forum: 'Stood there 3 hrs with torches trying to help but nothing as of yet pray there found my heart goes to the family. Another posted: 'I really hope everyone involved is ok.' Others described North Brink, the long, narrow, straight stretch of road running alongside the River Nene as 'really dangerous.' A half-mile stretch of the road near Wisbech St Mary remains cordoned off on Wednesday afternoon as the search continues. A fire engine was seen leaving the area at lunchtime. The River Nene at North Brink is a tidal stretch of water which links to The Wash. Its depth varies with the tide but it can be between nine feet and 15 feet deep. An American student disappeared from a nightclub during a spring break trip in Spain, prompting his desperate mother to issue a plea for help. Jimmy Gracey, 20 - a junior at the University of Alabama - was visiting friends studying abroad in Barcelona. He was last seen by a friend on Tuesday around 3am local time at beachfront nightclub Shoko, according to his mother Therese Gracey. His friend left the club but Gracey stayed. He has not been seen since. Therese issued an urgent plea for help in the search for her missing son yesterday morning in a Facebook post. 'The police have his phone but he never made it back to his Airbnb,' Therese wrote. She pleaded with anyone who may have seen him to come forward and contact her. Gracey was wearing a white t-shirt and dark pants, likely joggers, as well as a gold chain with a rhinestone cross when he disappeared. American student Jimmy Gracey, 20, went missing during a trip to Barcelona. His mother Therese Gracey said he was last seen with a friend Gracey's last appearance was around 3am local time at the nightclub Shoko, according to his mother Therese said she did not know exactly what happened to her son's phone. 'What we've put together is that his phone was stolen and the police just happened to pick the guy who stole it up,' she wrote. She claimed that law enforcement had discovered Gracey's phone 'when they searched the guy.' However, Therese added that police had not shared details with the family. Graceys father, Taras, has already traveled to Spain, according to All Alabama. Therese will likely join him soon. Shoko is a bustling beachfront nightclub along Barcelona's La Barceloneta seaside neighborhood, known for its Mediterranean views and popular among locals and visitors. It has been ranked the seventh best nightclub in the world by Nightlife International. Gracey was staying at an Airbnb on Ronda de Sant Pere, one of the city's main roads. The distance from Shoko to his tourist apartment is roughly three kilometers. He never made it back from the club, his mother said. Gracey is a junior at the University of Alabama who was visiting friends that are studying abroad Family members said Gracey had been in Amsterdam over the weekend and got to Barcelona on Monday morning Gracey's disappearance is being investigated by the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's police force. 'We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation,' a statement issued to NBC Chicago read. 'A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1:00 AM, reporting a possible disappearance,' police added. 'The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3:00 AM, in the Port Olimpic area.' On Thursday morning, the Catalan police force told the Daily Mail that it had activated its marine and underwater units around the Vila Olimpica area. The investigation into Gracey's disappearance has been ongoing since Tuesday morning. Shoko said it did not have any additional information about Gracey's whereabouts, according to Spanish outlet El Espanol. Surveillance footage from the nightclub that covered Monday night into Tuesday morning, when Gracey apparently vanished, has been preserved. The club told law enforcement that it would provide the footage and any other relevant details needed in their investigation. Barcelona nightclub Shoko is known for its stunning seaside views has been ranked the seventh best nightclub in the world Gracey's disappearance is being investigated by Catalonia's police force, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra Gracey was in Amsterdam over the weekend and arrived in Barcelona on Monday morning, according to family members. He is from the Elmhurst suburb of Chicago, Illinois, but attends the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he is part of the Theta Chi fraternity. A post from November said he had been elected onto the brotherhood's executive board as a chaplain. The University of Alabama, via a spokesperson, said: 'James Paul Gracey is a UA student on a personal trip. 'UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible.' Gracey is described as standing about 6-foot-1 and weighing approximately 175 pounds. The Daily Mail has contacted Gracey's mother Therese and the Catalan police for further comment. A top Republican delivered Donald Trump a chilling warning: If he harms NATO, the GOP would revolt in a civil war that would destroy the party. Trump threatened to pull the US out of the alliance after Europe rejected his demand for an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz as gas prices skyrocket amid his war on Iran. 'We no longer need, or desire, the NATO Countries assistance WE NEVER DID!' he wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. Outgoing Republican Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska, a former Air Force brigadier general, said it would be a disaster if Trump pulls out of NATO while speaking with CNN's Kaitlan Collins hours later. 'If he broke up NATO on his own, it would be a civil war in the Republican caucus, or the conference,' Bacon said. 'Most of us would find that totally unacceptable. And Im not alone.' 'Theres a large group of us that believe in our alliances and standing up for freedom and pushing back on China and Russia. We dont want war with these guys, but youve got to be strong. And if he went in and somehow destroyed or tore up NATO, it would probably destroy the party for many years.' Collins pressed: 'It would destroy the Republican Party?' 'I think it would implode,' Bacon responded. Bacon also said Trump is 'wrong' and that the President is unable to leave NATO without congressional approval. Republican Congressman Don Bacon told CNN that if Trump breaks up NATO, the Republican Party would have a 'civil war' leading to its destruction Trump has long complained about NATO's military commitments. Recently, the President has made veiled threats against the alliance as the US faces threats from Iran UK Commando Force work with the German Submarine Service during Exercise Cold Response 2026. The nations joined forces for a daring simulated commando operation as part of major NATO mission rehearsals The retiring Nebraskan is a noted foreign-policy hawk who values alliances and has bristled at Trump's more hostile remarks pointed towards allies. Bacon broke with the President on his Greenland acquisition quest, condemning the move as destabilizing for US-EU relations. He has also split with the President on funding for Ukraine. 'The United States has been informed by most of our NATO Allies that they dont want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East,' Trump wrote. 'This, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,' he continued. He also noted how the US pays billions per year on NATO defense and that the US does 'not need the help of anyone!' The President has been attempting to gather a coalition to defend the Strait of Hormuz amid the US war with Iran and increased threats to oil tankers transiting the narrow waterway. Most US allies have outright denied Trump's invitation to police the Middle East, though some, like the UK, have begun planning after wrangling with the US. 'Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the (oil) market. That is not a simple task,' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters this week. 'So we're working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impact.' President Donald Trump's warmonger bestie, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, tore into European allies who've been reluctant to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open amid the war with Iran. Graham aired out his grievances on X Tuesday, chiding US allies for their 'arrogance' and revealing how upset Trump was about the snub. 'I have never heard him so angry in my life,' Graham said. 'I share that anger given what's at stake.' The South Carolina Republican has pushed for a war with Iran for more than a decade and has cheered on Trump's actions, even though the war could put the Republicans in political peril if prices skyrocket. Trump's military assault has now lasted 19 days, and he's asked NATO members, along with Japan, South Korea, and even China, a US rival, to contribute military vessels to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz - in an effort to avoid an economic downturn. So far, he's gotten no takers. 'Well, we don't need too much help,' Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday, brushing off allies' resistance. Directly after, he chewed out NATO. Senator Lindsey Graham lambasted the US's European allies for refusing to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open amid the war with Iran A Thai ship called the Mayuree Naree was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11 'I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,' he told reporters. 'And I've long said that, you know, I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So this was a great test, because we don't need them, but they should have been there.' Trump has long been critical of the NATO alliance, formed to put a check on Russian influence. In his post, Graham pushed that there would be repercussions and that Europe sitting this one out would be felt 'wide and deep.' 'I consider myself very forward-leaning on supporting alliances, however at a time of real testing like this, it makes me second guess that value of these alliances,' the South Carolina senator said. 'I am certain I am not the only senator who feels this way,' Graham added. Graham's tough talk comes a day after he filed to run for reelection in the 2026 Senate race. 'Nobody is better prepared to help President Trump protect us from evil than I am. Nobody is better prepared to help him get his agenda through the Senate than I am. Nobody running is better prepared to help our state than I am,' Graham said at the time of the filing. He's held his seat since 2003. A fire breaks out on a Thai cargo ship after it was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11 Senator Lindsey Graham (left) speaks to reporters on board Air Force One in January alongside President Donald Trump (right) Democrats thought they might have a chance to expel Graham from the Senate in 2020, with the selection of up-and-comer Jaime Harrison, who went on to become the Democratic National Committee chair. Despite having $132 million at his disposal, Harrison still came up short by 10 points. A December Public Policy Polling survey again showed that Graham could be vulnerable, with him leading a generic Democrat by just two points. But when voters were asked to rate Graham versus one of the Democrats running in the primary, Dr. Annie Andrews, his lead extended to six points. Candidates have until March 30 to file their paperwork to run in the race. Some Democrats have floated that South Carolina native Stephen Colbert should challenge Graham, as he's departing The Late Show in May, after CBS' controversial decision to cancel it. A MoveOn petition pushing Colbert to enter the South Carolina US Senate race currently has more than 700 signatures. Donald Trump still has complete confidence in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after her top counterterrorism official was accused of prolific 'national security leaks' before resigning, according to Karoline Leavitt. She revealed that federal investigations commenced to root out leakers after National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned in protest of President Trump's strikes on Iran. White House Press Secretary Leavitt said that anyone within the echelons of the federal government who leaks information will be removed from their post. It comes after Trump allies claimed that Kent was a known leaker and was in the firing line before submitting his resignation earlier this week. Gabbard is testifying to Congress Wednesday morning amid the fallout from Kent's resignation and his claims that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.' The DNI posted to X that it was up to her team to present the intelligence to Trump and then it was up to the President to determine if there was a credible threat that warranted action by the US. 'As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country,' Gabbard wrote. Asked by Fox News host Dana Perino on America's Newsroom on Wednesday morning if Trump still has full confidence in Gabbard, Leavitt replied: 'He does, yes.' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says that President Donald Trump still has complete confidence in DNI Tulsi Gabbard Gabbard is on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 for a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee 'Anyone who has been suspected of leaking or is proven to be a leaker will not be welcome in this administration,' she added in regard to Kent. 'I know that for a fact because I've heard the President say it myself.' She also revealed that 'there are investigations underway into leakers in this administration and people will be held accountable for that.' 'It's unacceptable and will not be tolerated.' Former Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich wrote on X Tuesday that 'Kent is a crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks.' 'He spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President of the United States,' he went on. 'This isn't some principled resignationhe just wanted to make a splash before getting canned.' Kent's resignation and statement was an extraordinary and unprecedented move for this administration, especially considering he is part of the populist 'America First' wing of the party, which rarely if ever publicly breaks from Trump's positions. Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent announced on Tuesday his resignation from the Trump administration due to his protest over US involvement in the Iran conflict Trump said Tuesday he liked Kent but is still glad that his top counterterrorism official resigned over the war with Iran. 'When I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat every country realized what a threat Iran was,' Trump said during an Oval Office press conference. He said there would have been a 'nuclear holocaust' if the US had not taken the step at the end of last month to strike Iran with Israel. 'When somebody is working with us that says they didn't think Iran is a threat we don't want those people,' Trump added. Candace Owens has sparked backlash after launching an attack on Karoline Leavitt over the Iran war by posting an unflattering image of the press secretary. Owens was accused of taking Leavitt out of context when she posted previous comments by the White House spokeswoman stating that Iran did not present a threat to the US homeland. Leavitt had actually been referring specifically to an ABC News story about an Iranian drone threat to California, not a nationwide terror threat more broadly, which the Trump administration has acknowledged is a risk of the conflict. Owens overlaid the text of Leavitt's statement onto an extreme close-up of Leavitt's face from a recent Vanity Fair expose. 'TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did,' Leavitt stated in response to the California drone story earlier this month. Owens shared the image and quote with the caption: 'Unserious administration'. Users on X were quick to call out Owens for not providing the full context of Leavitt's comment. YouTuber Joey Salads wrote, 'Show the whole thing - it actually destroys your entire narrative.' Candace Owens took a political attack to a personal level with a jab at the White House press secretary Owens overlaid the text of Leavitt's statement onto an extreme close-up of Leavitt's face from a recent Vanity Fair expose The Steak for Breakfast Podcast quoted Owens's post, calling her a 'r****d grifter.' Owens's direct attack on Leavitt was perhaps more shocking, given that both she and Leavitt's careers benefited from the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Leavitt has heralded Kirk as a key mentor during her political rise, including his support of her congressional campaign in New Hampshire in 2022. The White House press secretary still appears to enjoy a close relationship with the Turning Point USA organization. Leavitt is scheduled to appear at an event with Kirk's widow, Erika, who has taken over leadership of the non-profit after her husband's murder. Erika and Leavitt will appear at George Washington University as part of TPUSA's This Is The Turning Point Tour on April 2 at 6.30pm. Owens herself is also scheduled to appear at a DC event this week. The podcaster will take the stage at the Catholics For Catholics 3rd annual Catholic Prayer For America Gala on Thursday in Washington, DC. Leavitt's original comment, posted on X, came as a response to an ABC News story, which had warned that Iran could attack California Leavitt is scheduled to appear at a TPUSA event with Kirk's widow, Erika, next month The White House spokesman will be at the This Is The Turning Point Tour in DC on April 2 Although Catholics For Catholics has partnered with Turning Point USA in the past, the group does not appear to be involved in this event or Owens's speech. Owens will also interview former Trump Administration national security official Joe Kent at the March 19 event. Shortly after the killing of her former friend, boss, and mentor, Charlie Kirk, Owens appeared to explicitly blame members of President Trump's administration for Kirk's murder. 'He gave so much of his life to Trump and to politics, and they were just like NOPE. That's it,' Owens said during an October episode of her show. 'So here's a holiday. What is with them giving them a holiday after they kill them? As soon as they give you a holiday, they definitely killed you. There's no question - they killed you.' A spokesman for Owens denied at the time that she had suggested Trump killed Kirk. 'Candace never stated that Trump killed Kirk. If you spent the time to watch her full episode, instead of regurgitating a distorted clip that Candace's opposition paid someone to post, you would know Candace was questioning the FBI covering up Kirk's death - just as the FBI covered up for MLK's murder, then the government gave MLK a holiday and a boulevard,' he said. After being snubbed from speaking at Kirk's memorial in Arizona last year, Owens stated that the memorial event, attended by nearly 100,000 people, was 'being controlled by the White House.' 'Why would I be invited by anyone in Trump's Zionist administration, as I am speaking about the topics that I am speaking... It's common sense they're not going to allow me to share the stage,' Owens added at the time. Kirk was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, 22, a left-wing college dropout, has been charged with his murder. A woman allegedly gangraped by three asylum seekers on Brighton beach after enjoying a night out has told how she thought she was going to be murdered. The alleged victim, who was drunk, said she was drifting in and out of consciousness as she was repeatedly raped on the beach. In a video interview she told police she remembers coming round on the pebbles with one man lying on her while another orally raped her. Breaking down in tears, the woman, who is in her 30s and cannot be identified, says she was shocked, and told police: 'I thought: "What is going on? Why are you doing to me?" I was like: "Stop! Stop!" She said: 'I thought: "Oh my God you're going to kill me". 'I said: "Get off, get off" and he was holding me down. I just closed my eyes. I thought: "What are you going to do to me now?"' In the video interview played to Hove Crown Court she said she was worried some men had got her friend and was doing the same to her. She said: 'I was thinking: "Please get them off me, please get off me" and when they stopped I thought: "I can breathe again, I can breathe again" but I was too scared to even open my eyes.' Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, denies recording the woman as she was being attacked by him and two other men Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, from Egypt and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, from Iran went on trial with each man charged with two counts of physical rape. The third man, Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, has been charged with four counts of rape by encouraging what happened by filming it. He is additionally charged with intentionally sharing three films of the alleged attack. Earlier the court heard the three asylum seekers targeted a lone drunk woman in a 'cynical, predatory and callous' manner before gang raping her. The men, who all arrived in the UK on small boats, allegedly targeted the woman as she left a nightclub in the seaside resort. The jury was told the woman was so drunk she could barely stand and had described herself as 'paralytic'. After leaving a nightclub the 'visibly intoxicated' woman was seen staggering along the seafront by the three men. But instead of offering to help her, the men led her down to the pebble beach and found a secluded area near a shack. There, the court heard, they repeatedly raped her. Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, is accused of raping a woman who was also attacked by two other men Hove Crown Court heard Alshafe and Ahmadi had arrived in the UK by small boats in June 2025 while Al-Danasurt had arrived by the same method in October 2024. All three men were staying at the Cisswood House Hotel in Horsham - Home Office-approved accommodation for those either seeking or appealing their asylum and immigration status. The court heard the incident happened in October last year after the alleged victim had gone out in the seaside resort with two friends. The group had started drinking at home while they got ready before making their way to the Revolution Bar in Brighton at around midnight before moving onto Horizon nightclub. The alleged victim continued drinking heavily, consuming vodka and coke, Sambuca shots and several Jager bombs and was bought several drinks by two foreign men. At one stage the alleged victim bumped into rapper Dappy from N-Dubz and had taken a selfie with him. Towards the end of the evening she became separated from her friend and was sick in the club toilets. When the club closed around 5am she was seen on CCTV staggering out onto the street and making her way to a nearby Burger King. As she left the fast food outlet she was approached by the men and led across the road and down a ramp into Brighton beach. Prosecutor Hanna Llewellyn-Waters told the court the defendants treated the alleged victim like 'meat', dragging her onto pebbles in a secluded part of Brighton beach, where they took turns to rape her. The woman said she was left bloodied and was drifting in and out of consciousness during the assault. Jurors were shown footage of the 'motionless' woman, lying on her back with her eyes closed, while Ahmadi and Alshafe were penetrating her. One clip, found on Al-Danasurt's phone, showed Ahmadi covering his face with his hand during the alleged assault. Al-Danasurt told police he barely knew his co-defendants, and videoed what happened because he wanted to capture 'potential evidence'. He said he did not intervene 'because he was in shock and unsure how to react'. He told police he was 'really trying to help the woman'. Ahmadi said the woman was fully consenting and in fact initiated the sexual encounter on the beach with the three of them. Alshafe denied being present in Brighton altogether. The trial continues What to know about allies' responses to U.S. demand for Hormuz escorts? Xinhua) 10:55, March 18, 2026 CAIRO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on allies to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flows, as global oil prices spike amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Most allies have rejected the request. TRUMP'S CALL On Saturday, Trump said the United States and several other nations would send naval forces to secure the strait. "Many countries, especially those affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States, to keep the strait open and safe," he wrote on social media. He told reporters he was "demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory." But by Tuesday, Trump said his calls had gone largely unanswered, and reversed course, declaring that U.S. forces no longer needed allied assistance in the conflict with Iran. "We do not need the help of anyone!" he wrote on Truth Social, calling the NATO allies' refusal a "very foolish mistake." WHICH COUNTRIES REJECTED THE CALL? -- Germany German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday ruled out Germany sending ships, adding that the war on Iran is "not a matter for NATO." "There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so," Merz said. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius rejected the call the same day, saying, "This is not our war, we have not started it. What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates in the Strait of Hormuz that the mighty U.S. Navy cannot manage alone?" -- Britain British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the country would not be "drawn into the wider war." He said London is working with allies on a "viable plan" to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but clarified that it "won't be, and it's never been envisioned to be a NATO mission." -- France France had made its position clear before Trump's comments. French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin said on Thursday that "there is no question of sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz," while the war continued to escalate. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France will not participate in the operations to reopen the crucial waterway when the conflict is still ongoing. -- European Union After a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said member states have no appetite for expanding their existing small naval mission "Aspides" in the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz. "Nobody is ready to put their people in harm's way in the Strait of Hormuz," she said, adding, "This is not Europe's war." -- Italy Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio said EU's existing missions like "Aspides" are primarily designed for defensive escort and anti-piracy operations, adding that he doesn't believe "it can be extended to Hormuz." -- Spain Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles on Monday rejected Trump's demand as well as his threats of a "very bad future" for NATO allies failing to help reopen the Hormuz. "Spain will never accept any stopgap measures, because the objective must be for the war to end, and for it to end now," Robles said. The government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has earlier banned the U.S. military from using bases in southern Spain for operations against Iran. -- Portugal Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Monday that Portugal "is not and will not be involved in this conflict." -- Finland Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Monday that Finland has "hardly any additional resources" and that the strait is not a "top priority." -- The Netherlands Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said on Monday that any mission in the Strait of Hormuz "will need an ease in tensions in the region" first. -- Poland Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that Poland "does not plan any expedition to Iran," adding that Washington understood Warsaw's decision. -- Japan Japan has no plans to send naval vessels to the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, distancing Tokyo from Trump's call for allies to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. "We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships," Takaichi told parliament, adding that Japan was still weighing its options within its legal constraints. -- South Korea South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday that South Korea has not received any official request from the United States to deploy warships to the Middle East. He said any potential deployment would need to be decided in consideration of national interests, public safety, and relevant laws, and would require parliamentary approval. -- Australia Australia will not send naval vessels to protect oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the country's Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said on Monday. "We're well-prepared here in this country to weather the economic crisis that is occurring as a result of the Middle East," King said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A 14-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by three men at a hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol before jumping from a balcony to escape, police said. The teenager is said to have been held in a room in the resort of Torremolinos in the early hours of Saturday after first being forced to take drugs. She managed to flee by climbing from the terrace of the room to a neighbouring balcony after her parents had already reported her missing. The alarm was raised when a hotel worker heard the girl screaming for help and called emergency services, prompting police to rush to the scene, The Spanish Eye reported. One of the suspects was arrested on suspicion of unlawful detention, making serious threats, sexual assault and drug offences after allegedly threatening the girl with a knife and attacking her. The two other suspects, one of them a minor, were arrested on suspicion of unlawful detention and offences against public health. The nationality of the suspects and the victim has not been reported. A 14-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by three men at a hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol before jumping from a balcony to escape, police said. Pictured: A stock image of Torremolinos This is not the only incident of sexual assault reported at a Spanish holiday hotspot recently. Last summer a 59-year-old British woman was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Costa Del Sol. She is said to have approached the youngster as she sat on a beach and spoken to her in English to 'gain her trust' before groping her. The teenager, an Italian national, ran to a nearby shop to seek help where a relative was working and called police. Cops held the Brit, who reportedly has previous for other sex offences, in the same area. Meanwhile, earlier the same year a married Irish woman was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a man at the spa of a Magaluf hotel where she is understood to have been staying with her husband. The 37-year-old was hauled to court after being accused of touching her alleged victim's genitals without his consent. She was taken into the court building in the Majorcan capital Palma by an armed police officer. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard let slip a bombshell about Iran's nuclear program during a Senate hearing Wednesday - by conspicuously skipping a passage from her own prepared remarks claiming the threat had been 'obliterated.' The Cabinet minister was grilled about why she chose not to read out the passage from her speech during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday, and whether it was because it contradicted Donald Trump. One of the primary reasons for the war, as Trump and top military and administration officials have repeatedly said, is to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities and prevent the Islamic Republic from creating a nuclear weapon. In her written submission, Gabbard stated: 'As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There have been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability. 'The entrances to the underground facilities that were bombed have been buried and shuttered with cement. We continue to monitor for any early indicators on what position the current or any new leadership in Iran will take with regard to authorizing a nuclear weapons program.' But Gabbard chose not to read this out. The glaring omission was pointed out by Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, who said: 'In your printed testimony today, you said Iran's nuclear missile program was obliterated. You omitted that paragraph from your opening statement.' Gabbard replied: 'I recognized that time was running long.' DNI Tulsi Gabbard omitted a part of her prepared remarks during her Senate testimony mentioning how Trump's summer 2025 strikes on Iran in Operation Midnight Hammer 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear supply Gabbard said she left out the portion because her remarks were running long and she was afraid of running out of time Trump and top military officials claimed the US 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities in June 2025. However, Trump has also said one reason the US is at war with Iran now is because of its nuclear capabilities Warner hit back: 'So you chose to omit the parts that contradict Trump?' The brutal grilling comes as Gabbard faces intense scrutiny after the resignation of Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, on Tuesday. Kent, an Iraq war veteran, forms part of the 'America First' non-interventionist faction of White House officials, which includes Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance. Any sign during the committee hearing that Gabbard was breaking with the President would have risked further examination of her loyalty. She and Vance held a private meeting with Kent about his resignation letter, the Washington Post reported today. Kent explosively claimed that Trump had been duped by Israel into striking Iran and accused him of reneging on his 'America First' campaign promise. Speculation that Gabbard could be next swiftly followed, with the odds of her exit rocketing on prediction markets. The likelihood of the spy chief being the next high-level departure is at 14 percent, up from 6 percent yesterday, according to Kalshi. In her first public comments since the February 28 strikes, Gabbard posted on X Tuesday: 'Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. 'As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country.' Gabbard, along with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel, testified together about worldwide threats facing the US. The annual hearing is the only open venue where lawmakers can grill the Trump officials on their performance and threat assessments. Trump said in the summer of 2025 that Iran's nuclear capabilities had been 'obliterated.' However, he has said that a main reason the US is at war with Iran is over the country's nuclear program Former director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent resigned on Tuesday in opposition to the US war on Iran The session became combative at times as Democrats pressed the officials on Trump's war on Iran. Operation Midnight Hammer completely 'obliterated' those capabilities, Gabbard's prepared remarks stated. It also said the Iranians made 'no efforts' to rebuild their destroyed nuclear facilities. 'I recognized that the time was running long, and I skipped through some of the portions,' Gabbard said. 'Iran was trying to recover from the severe damage to its nuclear infrastructure,' Gabbard later testified, matching some of what the White House has said. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia also grilled Gabbard on the assessment that there was an 'imminent threat' posed by Iran. 'The intelligence community assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild and to continue to grow their nuclear enrichment,' the DNI shot back. When asked by the Georgia lawmaker about whether she and the ODNI determined Iran posed an 'imminent threat,' the DNI deferred to the President. 'Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the President.' The answer upset Ossoff, who pointed out that Gabbard was there to brief lawmakers on the worldwide threats facing the US and whether she had discussed those threats with Trump. She also shared that other US rivals, in addition to Iran, are speeding ahead on nuclear research. 'The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems, with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our homeland within range,' she said. The spy chief also lauded the agency formerly held by her friend Joe Kent, who publicly resigned from the administration on Tuesday, citing his opposition to the US war in Iran, which he said was begun due to pressure on Trump from Israel. 'Our ODNI National Counterterrorism Center has been at the forefront of ramping up, and I believe, is more active today than it has been, certainly in a long time,' she said. 'We are dedicating every resource that they ask for as well as the counterterrorism elements across the IC to make sure that we are never taking our eye off of this persistent threat to the American people.' There has been no announcement as to who will replace Kent as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Keir Starmer was accused of running scared of mutinous Labour MPs today after No10 refused to say tough immigration plans will go ahead. The PM sparked speculation that he could be on the verge of yet another U-turn in the wake of a bruising attack from Angela Rayner. His former deputy - often tipped as a future leader - effectively put herself at the head of a revolt last night by branding the overhaul of settlement rules 'un-British'. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously trumpeted the plans to double the time it takes for migrants to qualify for permanent residence from five to 10 years, insisting they are needed to counter mounting public disquiet. The reforms would apply to people who had arrived in the UK since 2021. Downing Street would not commit to the measures definitely going ahead this afternoon when asked by reporters at a briefing. Hours later, a government spokesman issued a statement insisting the plans had not changed, but seemingly suggesting that the retrospective element could be watered down. That would potentially mean large numbers of migrants who have arrived since 2021 might not be subject to the tighter restrictions. Keir Starmer raised speculation that he could be on the verge of yet another U-turn in the wake of a bruising attack from Angela Rayner Angela Rayner was accused of 'blatant' leadership manoeuvring today as Labour plunged into a fresh bout of civil war In a speech last night, Ms Rayner said the changes would be a 'breach of trust' for migrants who had come to Britain and tried to make a new life. 'That would be not just bad policy but a breach of trust. The people already in the system, who made a huge investment, now fear for their future, they do not have stability and do not know what will happen,' she said. 'We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts, because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It's un-British,' the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne said. Sir Keir has been battling for survival amid dire polls and MPs' fury over the Mandelson scandal. Despite theoretically having one of the biggest Commons majorities in history, he has already been forced into humiliating climbdowns, including ditching proposed curbs to benefits spending. Challenged over Ms Rayner's remarks this afternoon, No10 appeared to signal an openness to watering down Ms Mahmood's plans. The PM's political spokesman would only say a consultation has closed and ministers would respond 'in due course'. The spokesman told reporters: 'We're a proud, tolerant, generous country. 'Labour's always been the party that celebrates the contribution migrant communities have made to our national story. 'In the four years before the election we saw record levels of immigration. In the manifesto we promised to deliver a fair and properly managed immigration system. 'We are considering responses to the Home Office consultation, and will respond in line with our principles and values.' The spokesman defended Sir Keir after Ms Rayner said the party has come to represent 'the establishment, not working people' and called for a change of course. She told the Mainstream event last night that Labour is 'running out of time' to deliver change and cannot 'go through the motions in the face of decline'. Sir Keir's political spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister shares an impatience to deliver the change people voted for. We're making progress, restoring stability to the economy, cutting NHS waiting lists and, next month, we will begin lifting half a million children (out of poverty). 'He's firmly on the side of working people.' Sir Keir and Ms Rayner maintain a good working relationship, the spokesman said, and 'he would like to see her return to the Cabinet'. However, he said he was not aware of the pair having spoken in the past week. A Government spokesman tried to play down the apparent shift this afternoon, saying the 'position has not changed'. 'We will always welcome those that come to this country and contribute to our national life,' the spokesman said. 'But the privilege of living here forever should be earned, not automatic. 'Between 2021 and 2024, this country experienced levels of migration it had historically seen over four decades. 'We must be honest about the scale and impact of hundreds of thousands of low-skilled migrants getting settlement. 'The Government will double the route to settlement from five to ten years. 'As announced in November, we are consulting to apply this change to those in the UK today but have not received settled status. 'We are currently reviewing the 200,000 responses and will outline our response in due course.' Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Although we would go further, these ILR changes are a step in the right direction. 'If Keir Starmer is too weak to get his backbenchers to vote for his own policy, he can rely on our votes to get this through parliament. 'We will always put the national interest first. If Keir Starmer and Shabana Mahmood water down these plans it will show they are too weak to protect our country's borders - because they are scared of Angela Rayner and their own backbenchers.' Ms Rayner's intervention came amid mounting signs that Sir Keir's rivals are positioning to strike. Ms Rayner is reported to have been wooing the City in recent weeks, in an apparent bid to ease concerns she would rack up even more borrowing to splurge on the public sector. She is also seen as building up a warchest with lucrative speeches and a rumoured 100,000 advance for a memoir. However, opponents have been trying to undermine her position, pointing out that she has yet to conclude negotiations with HMRC over the unpaid tax that sparked her resignation in September. Yesterday there was hostile briefing that Labour had paid her bill for legal advice on the furore, although No10 denied it was a pre-emptive strike at her ambitions. One senior Labour source told the Daily Mail that Ms Rayner's remarks seemed timed to land as Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham - seen as another leadership contender - gives a big speech. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously trumpeted the plans to double the time it takes for migrants to qualify for permanent residence from five to 10 years, insisting they are needed to counter mounting public disquiet 'I think it is blatant leadership stuff. Not hidden,' the source said. 'But in my view the question is still if she pulls the trigger, not when. 'Does she really want it now, or in 2028 or 2029?' One veteran MP said Ms Rayner's prospects might be reduced as Sir Keir was benefiting from his open spat with Donald Trump over the Iran war. They said it was 'no surprise' she was 'seeking publicity' amid the crisis. But Labour backbencher Karl Turner warned Sir Keir 'it isn't just the 'usual suspects' that are thinking about successors'. 'It is a very large number of the PLP. We must do better. Much better. Keir promised to listen. Please do listen,' he added. Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, who was jailed for life for running a banned terror grou,. has lost a legal challenge against his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. Choudary, 59, who radicalized dozens of Islamic extremists including the killers of soldier Lee Rigby, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years in 2024. The firebrand, formerly of Ilford, east London, was convicted in July of that year of taking a 'caretaker role' in directing Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) while its founder was in jail. He also encouraged support for it through online lectures to the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), which prosecutors said was another name for ALM. Sentencing Choudary, Mr Justice Wall said he was 'front and centre in running a terrorist organisation'. At a hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for Choudary told the Court of Appeal he should be allowed to challenge his conviction and the length of his sentence. Lawyers for Khaled Hussein, Choudary's co-defendant, also sought the green light to challenge his sentence of five years in prison with an extra year on licence for being a member of ALM. In a ruling, three senior judges dismissed the appeal bids. Anjem Choudary, 59, who radicalized dozens of Islamic extremists including the killers of soldier Lee Rigby, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years in 2024 Choudary took charge of ALM from 2005 after its then-leader Omar Bakri Muhammed (pictured) fled the UK for his native Lebanon Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Goose and Judge Alan Conrad KC, said there was a 'strong case' against Choudary, 'abundantly supported' by evidence, and that his bid to challenge his conviction was 'unarguable'. He also said Choudary's sentence was not 'arguably manifestly excessive or wrong in principle', stating the offending was of 'exceptional gravity, persistence and duration'. Dismissing Hussein's appeal bid, the judge said the 31-year-old was 'not an inert and inactive member' of ALM, and instead was 'doing what he could to further its aims'. Choudary had been a leading member of ALM since it was founded in late 1990s. Although the group officially disbanded in 2004, it survived secretly and adopted names such as the Saved Sect. He took charge of ALM from 2005 after its then leader Omar Bakri Muhammed fled the UK for his native Lebanon. ALM was proscribed as a terror organisation in the UK in 2010, but prosecutors told Choudary and Hussein's trial at Woolwich Crown Court it continued to exist under various names. It has been linked to at least 16 terror plots and senior members travelled to Syria to join Islamic State. This included Siddhartha Dhar, a former bouncy castle salesman who became a key lieutenant, appearing in an ISIS execution video in January 2016 shooting a prisoner in the back of the head. Khalid Hussein, 31, a member of the Islamic Thinkers Society living in Edmonton, Canada, has had his appeal dismissed alongside that of Choudary at the Court of Appeal Firebrand Choudary, formerly of Ilford, east London, was convicted in July 2024 of taking a 'caretaker role' in directing Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) while its founder was in jail Choudary was an associate of Woolwich killer Michael Adebolajo, London Bridge terrorist Khuram Butt and Fishmongers' Hall attacker Usman Khan. He celebrated the 9/11 attacks as a 'towering day in history' and Omar Bakri Muhammad, the group's former leader, labelled the 7/7 attackers the 'fantastic four'. Tom Little KC, for the Crown, told jurors Choudary 'filled the void' to lead ALM while founder Muhammad served a prison sentence in Lebanon between 2014 and 2023. Mr Little said Choudary was convicted and jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 for supporting the so-called Islamic State, and had a 'warped and twisted mindset'. After his release from licence conditions, he began trying to rebuild ALM, delivering more than 40 lectures in one year to audiences of up to 150 across the world and communicating directly with recruits as young at 14 on WhatsApp and Telegram. Choudary and Hussein were arrested after undercover law enforcement officers in the US infiltrated the ITS, attending lectures in 2022 and 2023. At sentencing, Mr Justice Wall said Choudary's views were 'entrenched and abhorrent to most right-thinking people'. In written submissions for Wednesday's hearing, Paul Hynes KC, for Choudary, said the judge was wrong to admit evidence of third parties committing acts of terrorism while he directed ALM. The barrister said the convictions of others connected to ALM were 'overwhelmingly and irremediably prejudicial' to Choudary as they 'exposed (him) to conviction based on guilt by association'. The Crown Prosecution Service, again represented by Mr Little, opposed the appeal bids. In their ruling, Lord Justice Edis said it was 'impossible' to say Mr Justice Wall's decision to admit the evidence 'was not one that was properly open to him to reach'. It means Choudary sentence stands and he will likely die behind bars, as he is not eligible to be released until he is at least 85. An internet star known for her TikTok videos about being a mother has died after tummy tuck cosmetic surgery left her badly brain-damaged, her family announced. Rachel Tussey, 47, underwent the procedure at a facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 25 when she suffered an anoxic brain injury. Her husband, Jeremy Tussey, announced his decision to remove her from life support and transfer her to hospice care on March 5, according to the family's GoFundMe. Almost two weeks later, Jeremy revealed the mother of three had succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday. 'We are deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and generous support shown to our family during this incredibly difficult time. Last night, my wife Rachel lost her battle while in hospice care,' he wrote. 'Rachel was an amazing wife, mother, and person who touched so many lives. We will carry her memory with us always.' The Tusseys lawyer, Bernie Layne, also confirmed Rachel's death in a statement from the family shared with The Cincinnati Enquirer. 'It is with deep regret and sadness that we share the news of Rachel's passing. We would like to thank everyone, around the world, who faithfully prayed for Rachel and our entire family throughout this extraordinarily difficult time in our family's life,' the statement said. Rachel Tussey, 47, share her cosmetic surgery journey online and underwent the procedure at a facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 25 when she suffered an anoxic brain injury Her husband, Jeremy Tussey, announced the mother of three had succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday Rachel had shared her cosmetic surgery journey with more than 25,000 fans on TikTok, posting videos in the days leading up to the operation. In one clip filmed shortly before the procedure, the mom of three appeared upbeat as she prepared for surgery. 'Please pray. I know it's gonna be great. I've waited a really long time for this,' she told viewers. 'I'm in good hands. I know God's got my back. Let's do this.' The video showed Tussey sitting in a hospital bed wearing a medical gown, alongside the caption '#midlifeglowup #mommymakeover.' However, Jeremy said the routine cosmetic procedure quickly turned into a nightmare. In an emotional update posted to TikTok on March 3, Jeremy said he had been waiting for his wife in the recovery area when he received a call around 5:45 p.m. asking him to come back to the room. He recalled briefly speaking with Rachel's doctor, who was leaving for the day and allegedly reassured him that the operation had gone well. Moments later, Jeremy said he heard Rachel calling out for him. A nurse soon entered the room and began asking Rachel how she felt after receiving medication for pain, he said. Jeremy said Rachel was removed from life support and transferred to hospice care on March 5 Rachel is survived by her husband Jeremy and the couple's three children, Tristan, Alec and Livi Jeremy then noticed something was wrong. 'Next thing you know, I look down and her face is off color,' he recalled. 'I assumed it was from the surgery, you know, from a lack of blood.' When Rachel stopped responding, medical staff rushed to perform CPR. 'I'm just a dumb construction worker, but I could tell something was wrong,' Jeremy said in the video. 'But there was no sense of urgency. According to Jeremy, staff eventually contacted Rachel's plastic surgeon, who evaluated the situation before instructing them to call emergency services. Rachel was transported by ambulance to TriHealth Bethesda North Hospital, where she was placed on life support. Jeremy later revealed that doctors told him she had gone more than six minutes without oxygen. 'I was told last night that she's brain dead,' he said in the heartbreaking update. Layne previously told the Daily Mail that Rachel had no 'medical or scientific pathway to recovery' and had 'profound irreversible brain damage.' Rachel is survived by her husband Jeremy and the couple's three children, Tristan, Alec and Livi. A saleswoman who wrote a bogus doctor's note about cancer treatment and lied about being sexually harassed at work is facing jail. Louise Gallagher, 50, faked emails from the Metropolitan Police and made false claims Transport for London (TfL) had CCTV to back up her sex assault allegations in two failed employment tribunals against her former employers. But both her cases, in which she made 'strikingly similar' allegations, were thrown out when she was accused of telling a series of lies during proceedings. Gallagher was pictured outside Wood Green Court in London today smoking a cigarette after she had earlier stood in the dock to admit three counts of perverting the course of justice. She is set to be sentenced on May 19. Perverting the course of justice charges often lead to jail terms and carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Two further allegations of perverting the course of justice, relating to her disputed claims of sexual assault, are set to lie on file. She had sued distribution giant Bunzl for sex discrimination after leaving the company in 2018, and mounted an unfair dismissal claim against health product supplier Essity after leaving the firm in 2023. In both cases, Gallagher alleged that she had been sexually harassed. Saleswoman Louise Gallagher, 50, pictured outside Wood Green Court in London after she admitted three counts of perverting the course of justice While mounting a case against Bunzl in 2020 and 2021, she made a series of false claims that TfL had CCTV footage to support her sexual assault allegation. When her case was unravelling, Gallagher produced a bogus doctor's note claiming she needed a two-year adjournment so she could receive treatment for breast cancer. And in 2022 and 2023, Gallagher admitted 'manufacturing' emails from the Metropolitan Police to support her claim that there was an eyewitness to a sexual assault when she worked at Essity. A 2024 Watford Employment Tribunal ruling sets out how Gallagher alleged she had been sexually assaulted by a Bunzl colleague, shortly after an investigation was launched into whether she had submitted a fraudulent bill for a hotel stay on expenses. In May 2020, Gallagher sent Bunzl an email suggesting that TfL had confirmed - following a subject access request - that it possessed CCTV of the alleged sexual assault. But TfL denied providing Gallagher with information, and told Bunzl's lawyers that any CCTV footage would already have been wiped. When Bunzl applied for the tribunal claim to be dismissed, Gallagher produced a handwritten letter from a doctor asking for a two-year delay. The note read: 'The claimant is very sick with breast cancer which has spread to other parts of the body so needs years of treatments and some of the tumours can't be operated on until the treatments shrink them. 'Her health must come first and she is currently fighting for her life and this is why we have asked for this case to be postponed for two years.' When the authenticity of the note was challenged and the tribunal refused to delay the hearing, Gallagher responded by saying she was 'shocked' and provided a treatment schedule and 'medical letters'. But when she was contacted, the doctor - a leading consultant in cancer care - insisted 'categorically' she had not written the note asking for a two-year delay, and added: 'I know my handwriting is bad - but not that bad!' Gallagher's tribunal claim was thrown out, and she was ordered to pay 8,000 to cover Bunzl's legal costs. Employment judge Rebecca Eeley concluded that Gallagher had a 'propensity to lie' to gain an advantage, and she had 'knowingly misled' the tribunal about the existence of TfL evidence with a 'forged or doctored document'. 'The medical certificate is clearly an untruth,' she added. Gallagher is set to be sentenced on May 19. Perverting the course of justice charges often lead to jail terms and carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment Gallagher first made claims of sexual harassment and bullying against Essity when she was placed under investigation by the company for allegedly falsifying documents and being dishonest. In the tribunal claim that followed in 2023, Gallagher said she had made a report to police about sexual harassment and sexual assault. The company applied to strike out the tribunal claim, and pointed to her behaviour when suing Bunzl as evidence of 'scandalous' and 'vexatious' litigation. Gallagher wrote to the tribunal saying: 'The sexual assault took place and this was never in doubt, it has gone to the CPS.' She also attached a 'witness email' which suggested it had come from a man who witnessed the alleged assault and had provided evidence to the Met Police. But the force confirmed the investigation into Gallagher's complaint had gone nowhere, while the supporting witness evidence had been fabricated. Gallagher was 'vague' and 'evasive' when challenged, Judge Paul Daniels concluded when dismissing her claim against Essity. 'Her case appeared to be based on huge generalities and bare assertions that witnesses would all appear later, with various unpersuasive excuses as to why they could not appear or give evidence now', he wrote. The judge concluded that Gallagher had 'repeatedly provided false evidence during the course of these employment tribunal proceedings. 'She has directly deployed and tried to rely on such dishonest evidence in letters to the tribunal and in her claim.' The judge accepted that Gallagher had received breast cancer treatment between November 2020 and January 2021. But in his April 2024 ruling, he dismissed her claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination, and breach of contract, and noted that a police investigation for perverting the course of justice was already under way. Gallagher, of Marlborough, in Wiltshire, initially pleaded not guilty to the perverting the course of justice charges in October 2024. She was set free on bail after entering guilty pleas on Tuesday afternoon, and will be assessed by a psychiatrist ahead of her sentencing hearing. Canadian teenagers are being unknowingly recruited as drug mules after sinister Instagram messages offered them jobs as 'international package shippers.' One teen, who goes by the name Jade, found out the hard way after she was arrested upon arrival in Hong Kong with 25 kilos of cocaine in her suitcase at just 19 years old. As a result, the Cambridge, Ontario native is now left with just a 10-minute slot to talk to her family over the phone from behind bars each month. The teenager found herself behind bars after a series of haunting Instagram messages enticed her into what she thought was a legitimate job - an 'international package shipper,' CTV News reported. Jade's mother, Naderia, discovered the 'sickening' tactics on her daughter's laptop. 'He's rolling up a snowball and tossing it in hell,' she said. Jade had responded to a user's Instagram story in September, and said: 'I'm curious what's it about??' 'Hey! It's an on board courier job! I'll send over a brief description, if you have any other questions after that [let me know],' the account responded. Jade, 19, was arrested after arriving in Hong Kong with 25 kilos of cocaine after she had been lured into becoming a drug mule by recruiters selling the work as completely legal and legitimate The 'international package shippers' were instructed to check in every two minutes after landing and to use the serial number on currency as a password for picking up and delivering suitcases The job would entail a person to pick up and 'securely transport' small packages, fly to designated international destinations, deliver packages to specified recipients or drop-off points, maintain clear communication throughout transit and ensure on-time and safe delivery A company under the name 'Nickle Shipping' would allegedly pay her $2,000-$7,000 in cash for every trip she made, according to messages from Instagram user Cameron Desousa, who sent direct messages to Jade's account. The job description said the 'company' was looking for 'reliable, responsible individuals who can transport and hand-deliver small packages internationally.' 'This is a contract-based, cash-paid opportunity ideal for frequent flyers, digital nomads or anyone who travels internationally and wants to earn some extra income,' the message read. The job would entail a person to pick up and 'securely transport' small packages, fly to designated international destinations, deliver packages to specified recipients or drop-off points, maintain clear communication throughout transit and ensure on-time and safe delivery, text messages obtained by the outlet show. Jade's first job was set to pay her $5,000, and the teenager described it as a 'dream.' 'Like it's not even real,' she said. If she helped recruit others to the job, she would also earn an additional '$250 per person.' The user told her that as long as she was over eighteen with no criminal record and a valid passport she would be 'good to go.' Jade's parents discovered the 'sickening' messages on the teen's laptop, and they now can only speak with their daughter for ten minutes a month Jade was skeptical about the job more than once, but was reassured that the work was legal and that she would be safe by the recruiter 'We pay your flights, accommodation, food,' the recruiter said. Jade was instructed to send a video to the recruiter verifying her address. CTV obtained a video of Jade walking out of her home and showing the camera the number of her house above her garage. The teen was skeptical at times, once asking: 'How do I know I'm not about to be kidnapped and enslaved?' To which, the Instagram user responded: 'Omg hell no. I'm 19 myself and would NOT put anyone in danger like that. I send all my closest homies and I've even sent my girl best friend as well.' 'Purely business,' he tagged on the end, adding that he would also be recruiting his girlfriend when she finished school. 'I do not wanna go to jail anytime soon! I'm just looking to give people opportunities. Win win for all parties.' But Jade felt that the job was like a dream come true, and even had to have free in-flight meals explained to her by the recruiter. 'This is luxury, I feel too poor to have this,' Jade said. Omar turned 21 while in a Hong Kong prison after he was roped into the scam by acquaintances, and said he believes the recruiters are still trying to trick young people From the same region in Canada, Omar celebrated his 21st birthday behind bars in Hong Kong after falling victim to the same scam. He had been enticed by acquaintances who told him that many other young people had done similar work and that it was completely legal. Omar told CTV News reporter Avery Haines inside the Hong Kong jail that he believes the scam is still ongoing. When asked if he thinks they are continuing attempts to recruit other young people, Omar reportedly said: 'I know they are. I know that they're trying to get more people and they're going to end up in prison just like me.' All four teenagers were flown via the same airline, booked into the same hotel and handed the same instructions. According to the outlet, they were instructed to check in every two minutes after landing and to use the serial number on currency as a password for picking up and delivering suitcases. They all said the 'big boss,' who went by the name DOT, communicated with them through encrypted messaging apps and his handle was just a period. The cocaine market in Hong Kong is appealing to many drug dealers, as it is the drug of choice among the richer and more affluent population, the outlet reported. Cocaine sells for around $200 a gram, which is more than double the price in Canada, the outlet discovered. All four Canadians face life sentences behind bars if they cannot prove they were unaware of the packages contents, CTV News reported. Donald Trumps pick to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security chief broke down in tears after he was grilled by senators in Washington on Wednesday. Markwayne Mullin appeared before lawmakers where Republicans and Democrats bashed him over his prior comments regarding Trump's immigration policy as he prepares to lead Homeland Security. In a shocking moment, Mullin teared up while speaking about his sons traumatic brain injury. The Oklahoma Senator noted that Trump would frequently call his family to inquire about his son. At one point, Trump personally spoke with his child at Mar-a-Lago. 'Dang it. I hate getting emotional. If I talk about my kids I get emotion, other than that you can't make me cry,' Mullin said as tears started flowing from his eyes. '"Do you know why I love your dad?"' Trump told the injured boy, Mullin recalled. '"Because he loves you. Because of you."' 'Man, thats he didn't do it for any other reason,' Mullin continued. 'He did it just because he cared. When you want to say why hes a friend? Yeah. We were acquaintances before that. We've been friends ever since.' Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal was not sympathetic after Mullin's emotional confession. 'I hope that you will be as emotional about the children who are presently detained at Dilley and other camps,' he said, referring to migrant detention centers. Mullin also became emotional when recalling how he met his wife, Christie, in elementary school, referring to her as the 'love of my life.' The couple married each other in 1997 and have six children. Mullin teared up while speaking about his sons traumatic brain injury. The Oklahoma Senator noted that Trump would frequently call his family to inquire about his son Mullin also became emotional when recalling how met his wife, Christie, in elementary school Trump nominated Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as head of Homeland Security Earlier in the hearing, Republican Senator Rand Paul confronted Mullin for suggesting last month that he deserved the 2017 assault that left Paul with horrific injuries. 'You were confronted by constituents that were angry because you voted against my amendment to stop all funding for refugee welfare programs,' Paul said. 'Instead of explaining your vote to continue these welfare programs for refugees, you decided to transfer the blame. You told the media that I was a freaking snake, and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted.' Paul was attacked by his neighbor while mowing his lawn in November 2017 that left him with six broken ribs and fluid in his lung. The injuries were so horrific that Paul later suffered from pneumonia and had a part of his lung removed. 'I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault. That caused me so much pain and my family so much pain,' Paul continued. 'You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified.' 'Today I'll give you that chance to clear the record. Tell it to my face.' Following Paul's remarks, Mullin refused to apologize and stood by his prior comments. Mullin's confirmation hearing comes as the vast majority of DHS remains shut down due to Democrats' refusal to approve funding. The lack of funds for employees working in DHS agencies such as TSA has led to nationwide delays in commercial flights Rand Paul confronted Mullin for suggesting last month that he deserved the 2017 assault that left Paul with horrific injuries The lack of funds for employees working in DHS agencies such as TSA has led to nationwide delays in commercial flights. Noem was fired by Trump earlier this month after testifying on Capitol Hill that the President personally approved a controversial $220 million advertisement campaign. MS NOW plans to shake up its programming schedule, dealing a blow to Morning Joe while giving two hosts with industry connections more prominent timeslots. The network's president Rebecca Kutler announced the changes during the company's daily editorial call on Wednesday. The Versant-owned cable network, formerly known as MSNBC before it was spun off by Comcast, is adopting the new show lineup by June, ahead of the midterm elections. On the chopping block was part of Morning Joe, a show where husband and wife duo Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski discuss overnight developments from 6am to 10am. That timeslot has been returned to 6am to 9am, as both hosts have spoken at length about the overwhelming demands of hosting a four-hour show. Alicia Menendez, daughter of disgraced ex-New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, has been given her own show from 12pm to 2pm. She was previously the co-host of The Weeknight, a 7pm program. Luke Russert will replace her on that show as a full-time host. Russert is the son of the late NBC Meet the Press anchor Tim Russert and Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. Russert was hired at NBC months after his father's death in 2008 to cover the Republican and Democratic conventions that year. Another winner in the MS NOW reshuffling is Ali Velshi. The veteran reporter and host will now host 'The 11th Hour,' the last show of the day on the network. Jacob Soboroff will take Velshi's weekend show. As part of the MS NOW scheduling shakeup, Morning Joe will be cut from its four-hour runtime down to three Alicia Menendez, daughter of disgraced ex-New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, has been given her own show from 12pm to 2pm. She was previously the co-host of The Weeknight, a 7pm program Luke Russert, son of the late NBC Meet the Press anchor Tim Russert, will take over Menendez's full time host role on The Weeknight Velshi pushed out Stephanie Ruhle, who will now take on a two-hour timeslot starting at 9am. Chris Jansing, currently the 12pm to 2pm anchor, will become the channel's chief political reporter. The only departure to come out of the change will be Ana Cabrera, who has been at the network since 2023. She currently hosts the 10am to 12pm slot. 'I am truly grateful for my time at MS NOW, for my wonderful colleagues, my amazing team that worked so hard every day and for you, the viewer,' she said in a social media message posted on Wednesday. 'I wanted to give you a heads up and I look forward to sharing more about what's next for me soon, so stay tuned.' Katy Tur - the wife of newly installed CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil - and Nicolle Wallace will keep their current time slots, from 2pm to 4pm and 4pm to 6pm, respectively. The only hole in the daytime schedule is the 11am to 12pm slot. A new anchor will be announced in the near term, according to MS NOW. 'I am confident that these changes will make what is already a successful lineup even stronger in the future,' Kutler said in a memo to staffers that was obtained by Variety. 'We are fortunate to have so many exceptional journalists on our air, online, and behind the scenes.' Join the discussion Does promoting hosts with industry connections undermine trust in news networks' fairness? Ali Velshi will now host 'The 11th Hour,' the last show of the day on the network Katy Tur - the wife of newly installed CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil - is keeping her 2pm to 2pm timeslot MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler announced the changes during the company's daily editorial call on Wednesday, adding that there will be no staff reductions MS NOW said its daytime shows will remain focused on hard news and not on opinion. It will, however, be abandoning the 'Reports' name it has been using for its daytime shows. A new moniker has not been announced. MS NOW's primetime programming will remain largely unaffected in the shakeup. The most notable change is Chris Hayes will return to hosting on Mondays at 8pm after he cut back on his responsibilities in 2023. The Rachel Maddow Show will remain in its 9pm slot on Mondays, while Jen Psaki's show will continue running on Tuesday through Friday at 9pm. Lawrence O'Donnell will stay on at 10pm. Kutler also clarified that there will be no layoffs or reductions in staff as a result of the changes. 'As part of these programming changes, team members will have the opportunity to shift into new roles to support new priorities,' she wrote. 'In most cases, comparable opportunities will be available to employees as these changes take shape. Overall, we expect to have more people working at MS NOW by the end of 2026 than we do today.' A New York paralegal died after a telehealth company shipped her the same drug that killed Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, according to a lawsuit. Tricia Anne Dewey, 41, was sent a prescription for ketamine by pharmaceutical company Better U. Dewey, of Pound Ridge, had battled a debilitating painkiller addiction that stemmed from years of domestic violence, according to a lawsuit filed by her family. They claimed she was drawn in by Better U's company pledge that five to nine sessions of ketamine, a controlled substance, can 'retrain your brain'. Dewey told Better U that she was already on Xanax, a drug the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns can be dangerous when combined with ketamine, but was prescribed dissolvable doses of the dangerous drug anyway, according to the complaint. Last July 18, Tricia took a dose of ketamine and was found unresponsive on her bedroom floor by her mother, Carleanne Fierro, the lawsuit states. Dewey was declared dead at the hospital. Her cause of deathwas ruled an accidental intoxication caused by a mix of ketamine and Xanax, according to the Westchester County medical examiner. 'She trusted Better U and she really wanted to have a better life,' Fierro told the Wall Street Journal. Tricia Anne Dewey (left) was found unresponsive on her bedroom floor last June by her mother Crleanne Fierro (right) as a result of an accidental ketamine overdose Friends actor Matthew Perry, 54, died in October 2023 from the acute effects of anesthetic ketamine Better U's chief executive Derek Du Chesne said he could not provide specifics on Dewey because of patient confidentiality. 'When someone is harmed or dies while seeking help for their mental health, it is a tragedy, and my heart goes out to Ms. Dewey's family and loved ones,' Du Chesne told the WSJ. He said the company's clinicians were not employees but independent professionals who made medical decisions based on their judgment. An unnamed clinician was cited in the lawsuit with prescribing Dewey the ketamine she took before her death last year. Du Chesne said the company uses careful screening, conservative dosing, required preparation appointments and safety protocols such as bloodpressure monitoring. 'Ketamineassisted treatment is an evolving area that carries both potential benefits and meaningful risks,' he said. The telehealth company offers a fivesession ketamine therapy package for $500 and a ninesession plan for $792. Dewey told Better U that she was already on Xanax, a drug that can be dangerous when mixed with ketamine She had battled painkiller addiction for years before deciding to turn to ketamine as a possible solution Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic approved by the FDA for use during surgery. Over the past decade the drug has also emerged as an experimental treatment for psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety. Clinicians are free to prescribe ketamine for alternate use if they believe their patients might benefit. But US authorities have warned that ketamine is not FDA-approved to treat psychiatric disorders. Friends actor Matthew Perry, 54, died in October 2023 from the acute effects of anesthetic ketamine, according to his autopsy. Perry had struggled with drug abuse for years and used ketamine regularly, including three times on the day of his death. He was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his Pacific Palisades home as a result of an accidental overdose. Two doctors later pleaded guilty to charges in connection with Perrys death. Dr Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, while Dr Mark Chavez pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute the drug. Derek Du Chesne, the Better U chief executive, said that ketamine-assisted treatment 'carries both potential benefits and meaningful risks' There are an estimated 500 to 750 independent ketamine clinics in the United States. The drug has not been approved for psychiatric treatment There are an estimated 500 to 750 independent ketamine clinics in the US offering a mix of in-clinic and telehealth services, per a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report from 2024. The DEA warned that a number of independent, outpatient ketamine therapy clinics has increased rapidly in recent years because of celebrity endorsements and viral attention. Authorities acknowledged that the ability to obtain ketamine through online platforms to use at home may be attractive to some patients.' However, the FDA warned that ketamines sedative and dissociative effects could pose serious risks to patients if the drug was consumed without proper medical supervision. However, it warned that sedation and dissociation could be dangerous and put patients at risk without proper medical supervision. The Daily Mail has reached out to Better U, Du Chesne and Deweys family for further comment. Donald Trump arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for his second dignified transfer amid the raging war on Iran. The President is honoring six more US service members who died since the conflict began bringing the total American death toll to 13. After he was branded 'disrespectful' for wearing a white and gold USA hat when receiving the remains of six other fallen soldiers earlier this month, Trump decided to ditch the cap this time around. He was joined by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, House Speaker Mike Johnson and several Republican senators and other White House staff for the private ceremony. Wednesday marks the third trip US forces have had to make to Dover Air Force base with the remains of fallen soldiers since Trump green-lit the first round of attacks against Iran on February 28. More than 200 service members were reported wounded since the conflict began, but Hegseth said at a press conference that many have recuperated and are back serving. Trump says that the war is 'ahead of schedule,' and even claimed last week that it was already won. But fears are circulating after Iran refused to back down that the conflict could span the entire spring and summer. President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrive for the dignified transfer of six US military members killed on a refueling plan in a mid-air crash over western Iraq last week Trump shakes House Speaker Mike Johnson's hand as they arrive for the dignified transfer of six service members killed in a plane crash over Iraq airspace last week Trump attends the dignified transfer of six U.S. servicemembers killed in the Middle East, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Dover Air Force Base US Central Command confirmed last week that all six military crew members of a refueling mission died in a mid-air collision in 'friendly airspace.' Above is the American plane that survived the crash and landed safely with minor damage to the tail Central Command officials wrote to request the Pentagon, according to Politico, requesting more intelligence officers so headquarters in Tampa, Florida could support the war with Iran for 'at least 100 days but likely through September.' Trump said in a phone call with the Daily Mail just days after the first strikes that the war would be over in four weeks or less. His self-imposed timeline has changed since then to upwards of six weeks. And since then, American troops have died and been injured in the fighting in the Middle Easy. The President went to Delaware on March 7 to honor the first casualties of the conflict with Iran six Army Reserve soldiers were killed in a drone attack in Kuwait in the first hours of the war. A seventh died on March 8 from injuries sustained during a March 1 Iranian attack on a US Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Trump did not attend the March 9 dignified transfer but did send Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine to receive the soldier's remains. On March 12, six more American service members were confirmed dead in what appears to be an unfortunate accident involving two planes crashing in friendly airspace. Trump attends the dignified transfer of six U.S. service members killed in the Middle East The President looked on during the ceremony at Dover Trump was excoriated for being 'disrespectful' to the fallen troops when he wore a hat during the dignified transfer of the first six soldiers killed in the war with Iran All crew on a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that went down over western Iraq last week died. The other aircraft involved in the crash landed safely with just some damage to the plane's tail. There are 13 known deaths of US forces associated with the war in Iran. The dignified transfer on Wednesday marked the third of Trump's second term. His first was on December 17, 2025 to receive Iowa National Guard members and an interpreter who were killed in an ISIS ambush in Syria. Both prior dignified transfers were public and included images of the ceremony. But Wednesday's procedure was private and no cameras or press were permitted to observe the somber event. Sarah Ferguson faces yet more shame as councillors prepare to strip her of the Freedom of the City of York over her and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Councillors in the city are set to vote on a motion proposing to revoke the honour from her on March 26. They previously revoked Andrew's in 2022. Ms Ferguson, 66, and her then-husband Andrew, 66, were given the honour as a wedding present when they visited York in 1987. The proposal to strip the pair of the honorary status has been on the cards since last October and it is the only item on the agenda for an extraordinary council meeting of the City of York Council at The Guildhall, York, at 6.15pm. The Freedom of the City of York is a historic honorary status dating back to the 13th Century. It once had trade advantages but is now largely symbolic and grants holders with the right to join the Gild of Freemen of York, who take an interest in the affairs of the city. The Council's motion states: Notice of Motion Removal of Sarah Ferguson's Honorary Freedom of the City status 'To consider the following Motion submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Paragraph 3.1(l) of the Council Procedure Rules: 'The Council resolves that, pursuant to Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the City of York Council withdraws the Honorary Freeman of the City status from Sarah Ferguson, which was conferred upon her in 1987.' York City Council will vote to strip Sarah Ferguson of the Freedom of the City of York honourary title which was given to her and her then-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a wedding gift in 1987 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor already had his own Freedom of the City of York revoked by the council in 2022 Following the latest release of the Epstein files last month, Ms Ferguson's ties to the paedophile financier were brought into question off the back of her disgraced ex-husband's relations with him. She was mentioned numerous times and emails suggest he had been bankrolling her for 15 years. In one 2009 email she is believed to have said the Epstein: 'I urgently need 20,000 pounds ($27,521) for rent today. 'The landlord has threatened to go to the newspapers if I don't pay. Any brainwaves?' In another gushing message, she appears to say 'Just marry me' after a string of compliments to the paedophile who had been convicted of soliciting sex from a minor the year before. Ferguson even seemed to involve her own children with Epstein, apparently talking of then-19-year-old Eugenie coming back from a 'shagging weekend' in 2010. She is also believed to have introduced her then-22-year-old goddaughter to Epstein following his release from prison. In one 2011 email, she wrote that he was a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend' to her and her family. This was sent after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and after she denounced her own involvement with him as an error of judgment. A spokesperson for the former duchess said this email was sent in response to legal threats following her public comments. York Councils Labour leader Cllr Claire Douglas said last October that it was deplorable that anyone associated with Epstein would bear titles linked to York. Fergie did not respond to these comments at the time. York councillors removed Andrew's Freedom of the City honour in 2022 for his own relationship with Epstein. The council cited its commitments to protecting women and girls from violence and abuse as its reason to strip the title from him at the time. York Councils Labour leader Cllr Claire Douglas previously said it would be deplorable to have people associated with Epstein (pictured) to hold a honourary title linked to York The honour has been bestowed upon many British icons like the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Dame Judi Dench. Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office in February after emails seemed to suggest he shared confidential documents with Epstein during his time as trade envoy in Asia. He has denied any wrongdoing. Former US ambassador Peter Mandelson was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office last month. Both men have since been released on bail without charge but remain under investigation. Andrew was stripped of all his royal titles last October and he resigned from all public roles in 2020. Queen Elizabeth removed him from his honorary military and charitable roles in 2022. The former prince reached an out-of-court settlement on a civil sex assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre earlier in 2022. A migrant who raped a 19-year-old girl had previously avoided deportation following a separate sexually-motivated attack after officials ruled he would lost his right to a family life, a court has heard. Nigerian national Gift Oladele, 24, was found guilty last week of raping a 19-year-old woman in woodland, near Wrexham last September. And now it has been revealed that Mr Oladele was jailed in December 2022 for two years for falsely imprisoning a woman in Manchester who feared she would be raped in broad daylight. The Home Office ordered his deportation in 2023, but Oladele successfully appealed that order, allowing him to go on to rape a North Wales teenager. Despite being labelled a 'devious and manipulative' dangerous offender by a sentencing judge, Oladele successfully blocked his deportation by citing his right to a 'family and private life' under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. After the Home Office ordered Oladele's deportation in early 2023, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal later overturned this decision, ruling that removing him would be a 'breach of protected rights.' Though born in Italy, he moved to the UK at age 11. The tribunal judge found him 'socially and culturally integrated,' noting his education and life in Manchester. After a 2022 conviction for false imprisonment in Manchester (mugshot above), the Home Office ordered Gift Oladele's deportation. However, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal overturned the move, ruling it a 'breach of protected rights' Oladele was jailed in December 2022 for two years for falsely imprisoning a woman in Manchester who feared she would be raped in broad daylight. CCTV images (above) show him at the scene A probation report from October 2023 assessed him as a low risk for reoffending, noting his positive engagement with support services. In September last year, Oladele dragged a 19-year-old woman into the woods as she walked home from a night out in Wrexham, before violently raping her. After the terrifying ordeal he told her, 'this will teach you a lesson not to trust strangers'. He was convicted last Friday and told he faces a lengthy prison term. The Home Office said this was an 'absolutely horrific case' and that the defendant had successfully appealed a deportation order after the first offence to remove him from the country. Oladele argued he had never visited Nigeria and would be a 'complete outsider' there. His partner also testified she would not relocate with him if he were deported. Tribunal Judge James A Simpson acknowledged the 'strong public interest' in deporting foreign criminals who commit serious offences. But he concluded the case was 'finely balanced,' ultimately ruling that Oladele's rehabilitation and lack of ties to Nigeria were sufficiently compelling to outweigh the deportation order. Oladele, pictured, is expected to be sentenced for the rape of the 19-year-old next month The judge said: 'I have found that the factors on the Appellant's side of the balance sheet, in particular the fact that he would be a complete outsider should he relocate to Nigeria with attendant risks, that he has a developed private life having grown up in the United Kingdom and that he has engaged positively in a process of rehabilitation and that this has had the impact of reducing the risk of reoffending, are just sufficiently compelling to outweigh those on the Respondent's side.' He concluded that the 'continuation of the deportation order is not proportionate under Article 8 ECHR.' They said the refusal by the Home Office to revoke the deportation order and to refuse his human rights claim has resulted in a breach of the Appellant's protected rights. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'This is an absolutely horrific case, and our thoughts are with the victim of this heinous criminal. 'Foreign nationals who commit crimes should be in zero doubt that we will aim to remove them from the UK at the earliest opportunity. 'The Home Secretary has announced sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration, which will make the UK less attractive for illegal migrants and make it easier to remove them.' Oladele is expected to be sentenced for the rape next month. British pilots and gunners have destroyed more than 40 Iranian drones since the conflict began, it emerged this afternoon. Armed Forces Minister Al Carns revealed the shocking figure as he praised Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots and ground-based teams for saving countless lives. The one-way suicide drones would have caused devastation across the Middle East without UK forces intercepting their flight and using lessons learned from Russian attacks on Ukraine. The Iranians are mirroring Russian tactics, launching large numbers of dumb drones to confuse defensive systems so a ballistic missile can leak through protection shields, according to UK officials. They declined to say whereabouts in the region British teams have shot down Iranian drones, or what weapons systems were used, for security reasons. But it is known that British teams have been active in Cyprus, northern Iraq and Gulf states. British pilots and ground crews have destroyed more than 40 Shahed and other Iranian drones since the conflict began, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns revealed Shahed drones cost a mere 20,000 to build and are massed produced by Iran and Russia Al Carns said: We live in very dangerous times, there has been a 30 per cent increase in Russian activity and we have a developing crisis in the Middle East. We continue to engage with partners and our personnel are doing an amazing job. Pilots have completed more than 650 hours and more than 40 drones have been neutralised. Huge amounts of lives have been saved. Mr Carns also confirmed that the UK is discussing plans with European allies to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but only after a ceasefire between Iran and the United States and Israel. As part of that proposal, specialist UK maritime planners have been dispatched to the United States Central Command headquarters. This afternoon, defence officials stressed the situation was hugely complex, more so than in 1987, due to the advance in crewless weapon systems. During the tanker wars it took 30 warships to escort cargo ships and oil tankers facing conventional weapon systems. Today the threats are more diverse and difficult to counter. Carns said: We are in the very early stages, the conceptualisation of what this could look like. The Secretary of State has had conversations with E5 partners. There are an array of drones, magnetic, acoustic and fast attack craft to consider, a multitude of asymmetric threats. This would be a full-scale operation. It needs to be multinational and collaborative. It is going to be deeply complex. According to defence officials another challenging factor is Irans rugged coastline which offers cover for small teams of Iranian attacks. Behind the scenes, the UK is collaborating with allies, including the United States on military, intelligence and diplomatic levels. An official played down any issues with the Americans at an operational level, saying: These relationships are well founded. We have had planners at CENTCOM for decades. What weve done is send some specialists. We will continue to offer choice to our decision makers as the situation evolves. This time around, escorting cargo ships and oil tankers through the Strait will take more than just warships. Carns said crewed and uncrewed aerial and subsurface systems would also be required. For security reasons he declined to give details about specific systems. A rapist DJ and his adopted sister girlfriend who abused multiple teenage girls after meeting them at local discos have been jailed for a second time after more victims stepped forward. Darren Gibson and Rebecca Kirton were each locked up in 2024 for 24 and 12 years after systematically grooming vulnerable girls at family functions and children's parties. The depraved couple, who preyed on girls they met at 'crisps and pop' nights in Leeds, West Yorkshire, were convicted again after another 12 victims came forward following media coverage. Gibson, 56, who presented himself as a 'trusted, friendly figure', assaulted girls aged between nine and 15, with 'enabler' Kirton, 41, 'actively encouraging' him to carry out a catalogue of sustained sexual attacks. Much of the abhorrent abuse between 1997 and 2008 took place at the pair's home, in Gibson's car and at venues where he performed across the city. Gibson was jailed for an additional 12 years on top of his existing 24-year prison sentence. Kirton - who wilfully refused to appear at Leeds Crown Court to face justice - was sentenced to an extra eight years on top of her earlier 12-year sentence. Sentencing both for 'appalling criminal offences', Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told the pair: 'You were able to charm, or should I say, manipulate them and win over their trust. Darren Gibson, 54, took advantage of his position to rape and indecently assault his young victims in Leeds between 2002 and 2008 Gibson was assisted by his adopted sister Rebecca Kirton (pictured), who he was also in a relationship with 'You knew from your experience that the children of that age would not have the confidence or the courage to speak out against the two of you. You picked your victims, it would seem, quite shrewdly.' He added: 'These were young, impressionable girls who were quickly befriended by the two of you and more often than not taken to your house where they were abused by either one or the other or by both for your sexual gratification.' Gibson was a well-known DJ at youth clubs across Leeds where he and Kirton would befriend children and their families, before going on to sexually abuse them after plying them with alcohol. One victim explained how the paedophiles targeted her at a 14th birthday party where he was performing, before taking them to a local nightclub and then back to his home where he sexually abused her. She recalled Kirton 'smirking' as she looked at her in the hope she would come to her rescue before being raped. 'She knew Gibson planned on raping me and she facilitated this happening to me,' she told the court. 'They are both sinister, wicked individuals.' One victim was aged 12 when she was raped by Gibson. She believed she was in a 'relationship with him such was the extent of his grooming'. Gibson later strangled her after discovering the girl had stayed the night in a tent with boys her age. Christopher Dunn, prosecuting, said: 'He strangled her to unconsciousness and told her it was over between them because she was effectively soiled goods.' Another 14-year-old recalled Gibson installing mirrors on the ceiling of his home in Armley, Leeds, while another told how she was befriended by Kirton before Gibson plied her with alcohol. She was then raped on three occasions and forced to have sex with both. Gibson would on occasion ply his young victims with drugs, before carrying out his abuse. He even took some of his victims to obtain contraception so he could abuse them without protection. Kirton - who wilfully refused to appear at Leeds Crown Court (above) to face justice - was sentenced to an extra eight years on top of her earlier 12-year sentence In a number of harrowing victim impact statements, one of their now-adult victims told she confronted Gibson after watching him approaching her younger cousin at a later party. She said: 'Outside the club I shouted at him in front of everyone and told everyone what he had done to me. 'He was well known and popular in the area and it felt like he was rubbing it in my face every time I saw him. 'Everyone thought he was a good man. Everyone liked him and booked him to DJ at their parties and functions. It was like no one had seen this other side to him.' Another victim added: 'Even as a parent, I felt constant fear about leaving my child with anyone, always worrying something could happen. 'This fear has shaped many decisions I have made.' Gibson pleaded guilty to 43 counts of child sexual abuse, including eight counts of rape. Kirton also pleaded guilty to 14 counts of child sexual abuse, including two counts of rape. She was found guilty of contempt of court by refusing to appear for sentence. Judge Khokhar added: 'Kirton was acting not just as a participant in the abuse of some of the victims but also acted as an enabler, facilitator for the abuse to be carried out by Gibson. 'There has been severe impact, not just on the victims, but also their families.' Senior Crown Prosecutor Julie Moss said: 'Darren Gibson systematically preyed on young girls over several years, using his position as a DJ at local children's events to target young children and take advantage of trust placed in him by the local community to cover up his criminality. 'Rebecca Kirton was not a passive bystander. She actively facilitated Gibson's abuse, helped him access his victims and frequently carried out the abhorrent abuse herself. 'Gibson thought only of himself and his own sexual gratification through all of his offending. Both he and Kirton showed complete disregard for the devastating and lasting impact of their actions on very young and clearly vulnerable children.' A young entrepreneur has created an AI tool to gauge public opinion new UK legislation to give people in Britain 'more power to have their voice heard'. Charlie Jobson, 24, has created the 'UK's first direct democracy platform' called House of the People to represent the population's opinions on Government issues in real-time. The fundamental aims of the site are to make issues surrounding British democracy more 'accessible' and offer an easier way for the general public to hold politicians to account. Since the Durham graduate's site went live, more than 80,000 votes have been cast on the site across a variety of issues, from the ongoing war in Iran to the Online Safety Bill. The site has also gained viral traction on X, racking up more than 26,000 followers, including a handful of MPs and some of the UK's most prominent political journalists. Speaking with the Daily Mail, Mr Jobson said he hopes that the online forum will make 'MPs' jobs easier' by exposing the political issues at the heart of their constituencies. The young entrepreneur, who studied Russian politics at university and started working on the forum eight months ago, said: 'I concluded the current system of representative democracy was a product of its time, and in this technological era, it is not possible to consult everyone on every law. 'I hope it gives people more power. I just want each individual to have their voice heard, and when we can get that through data, we can do stuff with it. Charlie Jobson is a young graduate with a bright future after he built an AI tool to gauge public opinion on all new UK legislation in order to make democracy more accessible for Brits Mr Jobson hopes his House of the People platform will make democracy accessible and even hold MPs to account and since it went live more than 80,000 votes have been cast on the site 'What didn't exist before House of the People was a channel, a conduit and people were just shouting into the void on social media. 'There is constant complaining, but there was no outlet for them to actually have a positive place to complain.' The website will track every piece of legislation as it moves through Parliament from the House of Commons to Royal Assent. Users will find a breakdown of the laws being passed by the government, along with explanations of parliamentary terminology and documents, to ensure that voters are well-informed. The site will also help track MPs' voting records, participation, party loyalty, and registered interests. Mr Jobson believes that if the site continues to gain traction, it could eventually become more powerful than public protests and reduce the amount of violence on the street. He added: 'I believe violence occurs when they don't have an outlet, or they don't get heard. 'With a platform like this, if people can see the effect they as an individual can have, they are much less likely to resort to violence. 'With a large enough user base, this could be far more useful than any protest. I hope that if people get their voice heard, they no longer have to organise it on the streets just to get their voice heard. They can just vote in the House of the People.' So far, many of the users participating on the site appear to be from more right-leaning backgrounds; however, Mr Jobson makes clear that his site is politically neutral and remains independent of partisan interests. The creator hopes that the platform will be used by British people across the whole political spectrum. Currently, users are asked to provide their email and postcode when they sign up; however, Mr Jobson said that more stringent checks could be put in place in the future to make sure the site is as accurate as possible and not being interfered with by users who do not live in the country. He said: 'It is politically neutral and we want to reach people from all across the political spectrum. I think this platform will demonstrate to people that your views go much deeper than party political lines and your views might not always align with the party you vote for. 'We don't currently ask what their political leaning is on signing up. I assume, looking at the data currently, there is probably a right wing bias and that is to be expected as X is more right leaning. But I want to get this to everyone. 'I can see the location of people voting - not the exact location - but you can see if they are UK or non-UK based. The website means every piece of legislation can be tracked as it moves through parliament from the House of Commons to Royal Assent 'If we want to make it truly the most accurate tool ever, we can get more stringent verification tools in, but I think it is important to stress that these are the same verification checks that get used for petitions which are taken to Parliament by the Government.' Mr Jobson added that he hopes more politicians engage with the tool in the coming weeks. He said: 'The main focus will always be the actual bills and laws going through Parliament. Polls are something that will be submitted because we wanted people to be able to ask their own questions.' The entrepreneur is hoping to launch the website as an app in the coming months after receiving such a positive result on his website. Donald Trump has launched a frantic bid to tame spiraling oil prices by temporarily waiving a century-old shipping law that bars foreign-flagged vessels from carrying cargo between US ports. The 60-day Jones Act waiver suspends a 1920 law designed to protect American shipbuilding, which critics say has long hampered free trade and inflated consumer costs. US gas prices have surged more than 27 percent since the Iran war began on February 28, with missiles and drones bringing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a grinding halt. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the waiver was 'just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the US military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury.' 'This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer and coal to flow freely to US ports for 60 days,' she added. But experts immediately pointed out a fatal flaw: most American refineries are built to process the light, sweet crude native to the US, not the heavy, sour crude imported from Venezuela, Canada and the Middle East. Daleep Singh, chief global economist at asset manager PGIM, said in a client note Wednesday: 'Put plainly: the US can now move fuel around more easily, but it still can't refine enough of what it produces for self-sufficiency.' Markets were unmoved by Trump's announcement: US crude spiked 1.75 percent on Wednesday while Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped 4.83 percent to hit $108 per barrel. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt talks on a phone as she walks to do a television interview at the White House, Wednesday President Donald Trump during a St. Patrick's Day event in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 17, and an oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq, late Wednesday, March 11 The US Treasury Department separately issued a license to authorize certain transactions between established US entities and Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA. 'This license will benefit both the United States and Venezuela, while supporting the global energy market by increasing the supply of available oil,' said a Treasury spokesperson. The Jones Act requires that cargo transported by water within the United States be moved on vessels that are US-built, US-owned and registered under the US flag. Only a fraction of the world's tankers comply with the Jones Act, said Colin Grabow, an associate director at the Cato Institute. 'So this is a dramatic expansion in the number of ships that are able to be used' in transporting goods within the world's biggest economy, he said, referring to Trump's temporary waiver. He said it is nearly five times as expensive to build a medium-range tanker in the US than in Asia, which could explain why there are not many such vessels globally. Grabow said the measure would bolster US supply chains, but warned that price relief could prove limited if the war drags on. 'It can help mitigate some of the disruptions,' he said. But moving forward, it could be less about reducing costs than 'slowing the rate of increase' from disruptions. Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council said the shipping law waiver 'is unlikely to have a significant impact on global energy markets and gas prices.' 'It's too small a move to sway the larger forces at play in the Gulf,' he cautioned, even though it could help cool costs in the northeast or southwest. 'The 60-day decision as opposed to the 30 we expected may signal a longer conflict however,' Lipsky added. Jones Act deliveries cost billions of dollars more than using a foreign vessel, S&P Global analysts estimate. The US intelligence community believes that among the biggest threats to America's national security is the rise of radicalized home-grown lone wolf actors. The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment released by the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's office reveals that terrorism threats from teenage extremists are surging. 'The most likely terrorist attack scenario in the Homeland involves US-based lone offenders,' the March 2026 unclassified report notes. It goes on to list the 2025 New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the June 2025 attack in Boulder, Colorado examples, and blames anti-Israel sentiment for the increase in offenses of this nature. 'These individuals take inspiration from foreign terrorist ideologies and propaganda that often exploit world events such as the Gaza conflict to fuel radicalization and mobilization,' the report claims. It speculates that several young people have been radicalized due to the 'ease of accessing terrorist messaging' through social media. 'Teenage Islamist extremists were responsible for a significant portion of U.S.-based plotting in 2025, continuing a trend from the past several years,' it states. A 16-year-old from Virginia rammed a stolen vehicle into a police car in New Jersey and attempted to stab the police officer in a March 2025 incident. The ATA threat assessment paper notes that the teen was 'motivated by Islamist ideology' and had 'consumed terrorist media and wanted to join ISIS.' Trump's top spy chief joined CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel in testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday about worldwide threats the US is facing. The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment released by the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's office reveals that terrorism threats from teenage extremists are on the rise Thousands of Iranians attend a funeral ceremony held for Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary January 1, 2025, a man radicalized by ISIS drove a truck through a New Year's parade occurred on Bourbon Street in the popular French quarter of New Orleans. Fourteen people died and 57 were injured. The terrorist attack led to the postponement of the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia by almost 24 hours at the Superdome in the city, which also hosted the Super Bowl last year. Over the summer, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, allegedly shouted 'Free Palestine' as he launched makeshift Molotov cocktails at a group of peaceful demonstrators at the Pearl Street Mall in Colorado. Those gathered for the June 1, 2025 event were participating in 'Run for Their Lives,' a group that met weekly for walks to bring more awareness to the Israeli hostages in Gaza. The FBI immediately described the violence as a 'targeted terror attack,' and the DOJ charged him with a hate crime. The threat of lone actor terrorist attacks and 'terror cells' operating inside the US is especially heightened in the aftermath of President Donald Trump igniting a war on Iran. Super Bowl security ramped up in New Orleans after the New Year's Day terrorist attack According to his arrest affidavit, Soliman wanted to kill 'Zionists' and searched for Jewish groups online before choosing a weekly Boulder gathering as his target Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was charged Thursday with 118 counts, including attempted murder and assault, after allegedly injuring 15 in Boulder with homemade incendiary devices The threat of lone actors and 'terror cells' inside the US is especially heightened in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's war on Iran Last week, the President addressed reports of potential Iranian sleeper cells in the United States after reports of a possible drone attack revenge plot that would target California. Fears of possible cells came after encrypted communications, believed to have come from inside Iran and intercepted by the US, were sent as an 'operational trigger' for 'sleeper assets.' Those worries were further stoked, as the FBI alerted California law enforcement to potential Iranian drone strikes on the West Coast in retaliation for the US war against Iran. The president told reporters that federal law enforcement was probing the drone threat. 'It's being investigated. You have a lot of things happening, and all we can do is take them as they come,' he said. Trump blamed Joe Biden's immigration policies for the sleeper cell threat - calling him 'the worst president in the history of our country.' A woman holds a poster of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'I have been [briefed] and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border,' he told the group of reporters traveling with him for a two-stop jaunt in Ohio and Kentucky on Wednesday. 'But we know where most of them are. We've got our eye on all of them, I think,' he added. The Daily Mail exclusively reported last year how the existence of sleeper cells in and around the US was on the rise due to Iranian and Venezuelan cooperation. The threat, experts explained, was exacerbated by border policies that allowed illegal immigrants to enter the US. The Guardian has edited a controversial article about Gail's bakery after it was accused of using anti-Semitic tropes. The opinion piece, published on Saturday, described the opening of a Gail's near an independent Palestinian cafe as an 'act of heavy-handed high-street aggression'. It prompted a furious backlash from critics who said the newspaper had published 'centuries-old stereotypes' about Jews. But the article was edited on Tuesday evening to clarify the phrase 'meant to refer to the described fears about the chain's impact on small traders'. Originally, the piece suggested the presence of a new Gail's near the Palestinian cafe was 'symbolic' of the war in Gaza. It claimed the parent firm of the Israeli-founded brand has invested 'heavily in military technology, including Israeli security companies'. 'Campaigners point out that [Gail's] parent company, Bain Capital, invests heavily in military technology, including Israeli security companies,' columnist Jonathan Liew wrote. 'So even though Gail's describes itself as 'a British business with no specific connections to any country or government outside the UK', its very presence 20m away from a small independent Palestinian cafe feels quietly symbolic, an act of heavy-handed high-street aggression.' A Gail's in Archway, north London, pictured after it was attacked by vandals. A Guardian opinion piece prompted outrage after it described the opening of the shop as an 'act of heavy-handed high-street aggression' against a Palestinian The article features an interview with Palestinian cafe owners in Archway, north London, pictured, where a new branch of Gail's was recently established But the claim of 'aggression' has been moved to follow a reference to the bakery 'accelerating gentrification and squeezing out smaller outlets'. It now states: 'And so like the multinationals that landed before it, the very presence of this chain 20 metres away from a small independent cafe feels quietly symbolic, an act of heavy-handed high-street aggression.' A note below the article also clarified it did not condone previous attacks on branches of Gail's. 'A comment contrasting activism that is capable of influencing global events with 'small acts of petty symbolism', which was not intended to minimise local vandalism but rather to suggest its misdirected futility, has been removed to avoid misunderstanding,' it read. But the edit has not been universally welcomed with some Jewish staff still 'shocked and angry' that it was published in the first place. Around 40 protesters made their feelings clear about the article outside The Guardian's office in King's Cross today. Signs being held warned that 'extremists target Jewish and Israeli businesses' and Gail's products were being handed out. The publication faced accusations that 'the simple establishment of a Jewish businesses is now seen as a hostile act'. Alex Gandler, the Israeli embassy's UK spokesman, branded the article an 'astonishing exercise in bigotry disguised as moral commentary' and a 're-packaging of anti-Semitic prejudice in fashionable political language'. The piece features an interview with Faten and Mahmoud, Palestinian owners of Cafe Metro in Archway, north London. The nearby Gail's was last month targeted for a second time by vandals who smashed windows and painted anti-Zionist graffiti. Mahmoud said 'we compete with [Gail's] legally', adding they had nothing to do with the attack. Gail's was founded by Israeli baker Gail Mejia in the 1990s and expanded by Israeli entrepreneur Ran Avidan from 2005 - both are no longer linked to the company. The Archway Gail's pictured after it was daubed in graffiti last month The previous attack on the Archway branch took place just hours before it opened to the public In 2021, US investment fund Bain Capital acquired a majority stake in the business, which says it has 'no links with any country or government outside the UK'. Mr Liew said Cafe Metro has also been targeted with 'Stop killing people' stickers. He added: 'Somehow these two... cafes, from two entirely separate worlds, with what we have to assume are two almost entirely separate clienteles, have found themselves on the frontline of a war. 'A deeply asymmetric war, defined by gross imbalances in power and resources and platforms... one that simultaneously feels more distant and more local than ever.' In response, Mr Gandler said: 'It is a very old prejudice wearing new clothes. [Mr] Liew... attempts to turn north London cafes into a symbolic battlefield of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. In doing so, he falls into a trope that has echoed through centuries of European discourse: the insinuation that Jewish success or presence represents some form of encroachment by powerful 'global' forces.' 'Perhaps this writer is not qualified to write on this topic if he keeps accidentally stumbling into antisemitic tropes when he tries to tackle it,' a Guardian journalist told The Times. 'He seems to be extremely unlucky with these misunderstandings.' The Campaign Against Antisemitism said the article gave a 'warped view of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict' and encourages 'anti-Israeli sentiment'. A Guardian spokesman said: 'Complaints about Guardian journalism are considered by the internally independent readers' editor under the Guardian's editorial code and guidance.' One of America's most wanted fugitives had more than 20,000 in frozen bank accounts confiscated by a court today. Daniel Andreas San Diego, 47, was discovered living in rural Wales after 21 years on the run over a series of bombings in San Francisco. He was arrested at his rural North Wales cottage in November 2024 and is currently been held in top security Belmarsh jail in London. At first he contested the forfeiture application by North Wales police to seize his assets. But a police lawyer told district judge Anita Price at Llandudno court today that was no longer the case. Previously a police financial investigator said the accounts were in the name of Danny Webb, now identified as San Diego. Three accounts had balances totalling more than 20,000. San Diego was wanted by the FBI for allegedly bombing two office buildings in San Francisco in 2003. The FBI described him as an 'animal rights extremist.' His lawyers fought extradition, unsuccessfully, in another British court because of alleged political interference in the US justice system by the Trump administration. San Diego was the first American-born alleged terrorist placed on the FBI's most wanted list with a reward of $250,000 (185,000) for information leading directly to his arrest. Daniel Andreas San Diego, 47, was on the run from the FBI for more than 20 years, described as one of the US's 'most wanted suspected terrorists' This is the remote and idyllic Welsh beauty spot where San Diego was traced in 2024 The alleged terrorist was found in a rural property near a woodland in the area of Conwy The first bombing over which he is accused targeted biotechnology firm Chiron Inc. near Oakland, California, in August 2003. Authorities responding to the blast found a second bomb, which the FBI said could have been planted to target first responders. The Animal Liberation Brigade said in a statement at the time: 'This is the endgame for the animal killers and if you choose to stand with them you will be dealt with accordingly.' A month later, a nail bomb detonated outside nutritional products company Shaklee, in an attack also claimed by the Animal Liberation Brigade. No one was injured in either of the incidents. The two targeted businesses had links to British firm Huntingdon Life Sciences, which was long the focus of both lawful and criminal protests for testing pharmaceuticals, chemicals and dyes on animals. The FBI also claim they found a 'bomb-making factory' in San Diego's abandoned car after he led police on a 65-mile chase in California. San Diego was indicted in 2004 by the US for 'maliciously damaging and destroying by means of an explosive'. But he allegedly vanished before he could be taken into custody. At the time of his arrest in Wales, then FBI Director Christopher Wray said: 'There's a right way and a wrong way to express your views in our country, and turning to violence and destruction of property is not the right way. 'Daniel San Diego's arrest after more than 20 years... shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable.' A north London builder at the centre of a Banksy identification storm has furiously denied he is the elusive street artist, telling speculators to 'grow up and get a life'. George Georgiou has repeatedly been mistaken for Banksy ever since he was pictured installing Perspex around one of the artist's creations on Hornsey Road, near Finsbury Park, north London, in March 2024. In a bizarre coincidence, the 69-year-old looked remarkably similar to the only known photo of Banksy, which was published by The Mail on Sunday when this newspaper unmasked him as Robin Gunningham, from Bristol, in 2008. Over the weekend, the Reuters news agency published a fresh investigation which also unmasked Banksy as Gunningham, adding that he later changed his name to David Jones. Multiple media outlets have used photos of Mr Georgiou - suggesting he could be Banksy - but the builder has shut down the rumour mill and warned he is thinking of taking legal action. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail with an East End accent, Mr Georgiou said today: 'I'm not Banksy... It's really annoying, it's ridiculous and it's disturbing. The first day, it was a laugh. It's a bit of an old joke now.' Mr Georgiou was only pictured at Banksy's tree mural on Hornsey Road two years ago because the building it was painted on is owned by his sons, letting agents Alex and Anthony Georgiou. He does maintenance work for his sons' estate agent Alex Marks, also on Hornsey Road, and was putting Perspex around Banksy's artwork in a move that would see his face go viral. George Georgiou was pictured helping install perspex to protect the artist's mural in March 2024. He has denied he is Banksy The Mail on Sunday finally revealed in 2008 the artist is in fact a man named Robin Gunningham (pictured), who was born in Bristol in 1973. Fans said this picture resembled Mr Georgiou Banksy's mural appeared on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park in March 2024. The building was owned by Mr Georgiou's sons who are letting agents on the same road In a message to those who claim he is Banksy, Mr Georgiou said: 'Grow up. Get a life. If Banksy were to be found, he wouldn't be standing there. 'I'm sure he is well enough endowed not to have to go there doing building work. He runs in, does what he does and then sods off and disappears. That's why no one knows who he is.' Asked if he also sees the similarities between him and the 2008 picture of Banksy, he said: 'Not really! The only nice thing is that they think I look like I'm 51.' The Mail was also shown photos of Mr Georgiou at family events as the family tried to prove he is not Banksy. He is from a Greek family but was born and raised in London and is now based in Islington. Mr Georgiou joked that he wishes he was Banksy, quipping: 'Then no one would know who the f*** I am. Unfortunately, they found me.' The semi-retired builder says it was a bizarre way to come to social fame - but wants it to end for good now. He explained: 'When it first happened, there was less reaction than there is now. 'It ain't really anything that I'm worried about. It's just really annoying because I'm still working. It's just disrupting my day endlessly. 'It's just the day-to-day, every five minutes you pick up the bloody phone and it's just someone having a giggle. 'That's all it is. It's all harmless stuff, but when you're trying to get on with your life, it's just really annoying. It's just a pain in the butt.' Mr Georgiou said the whole drama has been a nightmare and he wishes that he could paint over the Banksy mural. Speaking about when he first found out about it, he said: 'We were called on Sunday midday because we were all having lunch at a friend's. 'A phone call came through from one of the tenants and then all hell broke loose. It's all been a big waste of time to be honest. 'Alex spent a s***load of money doing what he has done there. It's a bit of graffiti at the end of the day. 'It's [the mural] has done nothing. In fact, that side of the wall was due a repaint and we had it on the books to do it that spring. 'Since that happened, we haven't been able to paint it. It's all flaky. It looks bloody horrible. Just get rid of it.' Mr Georgiou shut down the speculation, explaining that he was simply helping his son who owns the block of flats Banksy used for his latest work Visitors pointed out Mr Georgiou's striking resemblance to Robin Gunningham - a former public schoolboy from Bristol whose link to Banksy was first revealed by a Mail On Sunday investigation in 2008 Mr Georgiou played down his artistic talents, saying he shies away from any painting jobs. 'I don't even like painting, to be honest with you,' he said. When there's a painting job, I'll get other people to go and do it.' It comes after Banksy's new identity was revealed over the weekend after the shy superstar street artist changed his name when this newspaper unmasked him. The British graffitist, who is known for his distinctive stencilled spray paintings, has become internationally renowned since his career began in the nineties. His works, which often comment on the state of British politics, have sold for tens of millions of pounds over the years and seen him dubbed an icon in the art world. He has always worked under the pseudonym, amid various guesses about who he really is - including Robert Del Naja, a member of the band Massive Attack. The Mail on Sunday finally revealed in 2008 the artist is in fact a man named Robin Gunningham, who was born in Bristol in 1973. But in a shocking twist, a recent investigation by Reuters has disclosed Mr Gunningham changed his name after the MoS report to maintain his anonymity. He is now known as David Jones - a moniker so common in the UK that for nearly 20 years, it has helped him continue to hide in plain sight. The discovery came after the news agency found new details in a memoir written by Steve Lazarides, a photographer and Mr Gunningham's former manager. His book, called Banksy Captured, about his experience working for the artist from the late nineties until 2008, included a telling anecdote from more than 25 years ago. In September 2000, the pair visited Ivy Brown, a gallerist and Mr Lazarides' photography agent, at her apartment in Manhattan, New York. Pictured: The Flower Thrower, Flower Bomber, Rage, or Love is in the Air, a piece of artwork by the artist at a Banksy exhibition She was dismayed by a billboard advertising Marc Jacobs clothing which had been put up on the roof of her building. It was a distinctive brownstone property, with a triangular shape like the city's famous Flat Iron building - and she felt the new structure ruined the block's appearance. Ms Brown asked Mr Gunningham to graffiti the billboard to make it look better, which he did, inspired by one he had seen in Steven Spielberg's iconic 1975 film Jaws. In the movie, someone defaces a tourism sign of a woman on an inflatable raft at sea. They give her bulging eyes, add a shark fin and draw a speech bubble saying, 'HELP!!! SHARK.' Similarly, Mr Gunningham gave the model on the Marc Jacobs billboard rabbit-like teeth and drew an empty speech bubble. But it was only empty because the police caught and arrested him before he could finish - though Mr Lazarides's book did not say exactly where or when this was. The exact building has now been identified and the advert dated - and this was used to unearth previously unseen police and court documents. The paperwork shows at 4.20am on September 18, 2000, officers found a man defacing a billboard on 675 Hudson Street. Because the damages were greater than $1,500, the force sought to charge him with a felony - and obtained a handwritten signed confession from the man. He was released within hours of his arrest after agreeing to temporarily hand over his passport, and later posted $1,500 bail to get it back. The felony charges were reduced to a disorderly conduct misdemeanour. He was ordered to complete five days of community service and pay $310 in a fine and fees. The graffiti did not unmask him as Banksy at the time because he had then only just begun using the pseudonym and its associated style. But the minor incident has now cost him his anonymity - with his signature and mentions in the newly discovered documents confirming him as Robin Gunningham. Mr Lazarides told Reuters they were 'pursuing a ghost' after he helped his client legally change his name following the incident. 'There is no Robin Gunningham,' he said. 'The name you've got I killed years ago. You'll never find him.' Banksy is believed to have been born in Yate, in the early 1970s and rose to prominence with his now-trademark stencilled designs around Bristol in the 1990s. After the MoS unmasked Banksy as Robin Gunningham in 2008, the BBC unearthed an interview in 2023 in which the artist appears to confirm his first name as 'Robbie'. It is understood he later changed his name to David Jones - a man who neighbours now suspect is Banksy. Residents of an idyllic West Country village have told The Times that 'David' tends a vegetable patch, drives an old SUV and sometimes goes to church. They had no idea he was the guerilla artist whose work sells for millions. It's reported that the artist moved into the Grade II-listed property with his wife in 2014. A resident said: 'I know him as David. [His wife] often drives up and stops to talk to me. I don't know what most of my neighbours do for a living and I honestly wouldn't know if he was Banksy or not, but if he is then good luck to him.' Another said: 'The locals are very respectful of everybody who is here. We are a good community and really look after each other. 'I think it's more fun that it's kept a mystery. It's their choice to have done what they did. When we get together as a community we get together and if people don't join in then we leave them alone.' A third added: 'There was a lot of chatter in the village when I moved here ten years ago. I did look up a picture of Banksy when I saw him walking along the road and I did wonder if it was him, because they look very similar. 'I even said hello to him when walking past to see if I could get into conversation with him, but he only gave a little smile and kept walking on, very much keeping himself to himself.' Cesar Chavez, an iconic hero of the political left, has been posthumously accused of grooming and sexually abusing girls as young as 12. Chavez, the charismatic campaigner for farmworkers' rights, gained international prominence with strikes and fasts for higher wages and better working conditions for migrant workers who picked grapes and performed other agricultural labor. After founding the United Farm Workers (UFW) union in 1962 he became the face of the Latino civil rights movement and is still celebrated in murals at schools across the nation. His birthday is a holiday in states including California. Chavez, who was Mexican-American, died in 1993 aged 66. The following year, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. When Joe Biden entered the Oval Office in 2021 he installed a bust of Chavez next to his desk, at the same time removing one of Winston Churchill. Now, in an expose that will send shockwaves through the country, the New York Times revealed allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior and abuse by two women, who were girls at the time in the 1970s. His fellow iconic labor leader Dolores Huerta, now aged 96, also claimed Chavez forced her to have sex in a grape field in 1966. Cesar Chavez, the iconic labor leader, has been accused of abusing girls The two girls were both daughters of fellow protest marchers, and are both now aged 66. One told the newspaper she was summoned to Chavez's office when she was 13 and he was 45. She claimed he locked the door, led her to a yoga mat and sexually assaulted her, telling her 'Dont tell anyone, theyd get jealous.' She claimed he molested her dozens of times over the next four years. Another claimed she was 12 when Chavez first groped her breasts in his office, and that there were further assaults for several years. Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the UFW with Chavez, came up with the workers' clarion call 'Si, se puede' - 'Yes, we can.' She claimed Chavez 'manipulated and pressured' her to have sex. Once, in 1966 in Delano, California, Chavez drove her out to a grape field and forced her to have sex 'against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped,' she told the New York Times. She became pregnant twice and arranged for the children to be given to other families, the newspaper reported. 'Unfortunately, he used some of his great leadership to abuse women and children. Its really awful,' Huerta said. Joe Biden placed a bust of Cesar Chavez behind him in the Oval Office Dolores Huerta, Chavez's fellow labor leader, made allegations against him In a statement Chavezs family said they were 'not in a position to judge' the claims. They said: 'As a family steeped in the values of equity and justice, we honor the voices of those who feel unheard and who report sexual misconduct. These allegations are deeply painful to our family.' The New York Times investigation said the two girls had gone on to suffer depression and panic attacks. UFW announced it will not take part in annual celebrations of Chavez. The Cesar Chavez Foundation, which preserves memorials including his grave in California, said there were allegations that Chavez 'behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organizations values.' The foundation added that it had no direct reports or firsthand knowledge of the claims. Cesar Chavez seen in a California union office in 1965 United Farm Workers President Cesar Chavez (right) joined Jesse Jackson (left) on a march in McFarland, California in 1988 In a statement it said: 'Some of the reports are family issues, and not our story to tell or our place to comment on. 'Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors. Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing.' The foundation said it would work with the UFW to create confidential channels for those who may have been harmed by Chavez. A statue of labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez is displayed at the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Park on March 18, 2026 in San Fernando, California A mural of labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez is displayed at the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Park on March 18, 2026 in San Fernando, California Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, his birthday, was named a federal commemorative holiday by President Barack Obama in 2014, and it is a state holiday in several states including California and Texas. The day has historically included marches, service projects and educational programs. UFW said it would not participate in any events this year, and some cities were canceling or renaming activities. Chavez married Helen Fabela in 1948 and they had eight children between 1949 and 1958. Fabela died in 2016. A woman allegedly gangraped by three asylum seekers on Brighton beach broke down in tears today as she told how her 'whole life' has been ruined by the incident. The alleged victim, who was drunk, had been enjoying a night out in the seaside resort when she was targeted by the group in a 'cynical, predatory and callous' manner, Hove Crown Court has heard. In a video interview she told police she remembers coming round on the pebbles with one man lying on her while another orally raped her. In floods of tears the woman, who is in her 30s and cannot be identified, said she had constant flashbacks to the sound of the three men laughing at her and the seagulls screeching on the beach. During cross examination she said: 'They all spat on me and they were laughing while they were spitting on me and when I asked them to stop and they wouldn't stop. 'I was begging them to stop and they wouldn't stop and they thought it was funny and they were laughing at me it really wasn't funny. 'Every day if I close my eyes and it's not one of them laughing at me, it's the seagulls I can hear. Every night it bothers me. They thought it was funny. It wasn't consensual at all. They have ruined my life. They have ruined my whole life. 'I didn't say they could do that, or anything. My skin crawls, my skin crawls every day because of what they did to me. They're evil and they've ruined my life. I wouldn't do that. It would not affect me this much every day if it was consensual. 'When I woke up I said: "Get off, get off!" but they didn't. They knew that it wasn't consensual when I woke up. How can someone give consent when you're unconscious.' Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, denies recording the woman as she was being attacked by him and two other men Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, is accused of raping a woman who was also attacked by two other men She said after the men left she woke up to the 'seagulls and the beach and the sea' and could not see her alleged attackers. 'I crawled off the beach then. They knew that was not consensual when I woke up. 'How can someone give consent when you're unconscious? I was drunk but that doesn't give them the right to rape me.' Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, from Egypt and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, from Iran went on trial with each man charged with two counts of physical rape. The third man, Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, has been charged with four counts of rape by encouraging what happened by filming it. He is additionally charged with intentionally sharing three films of the alleged attack. Nick Wayne, defending Al-Danasurt, put it to the alleged victim that the defendant did not call her a 'd**ty b*tch' and spat in her mouth. She replied: 'He's lying.' Mr Wayne said Al-Danasurt did not put his finger in her mouth. She replied: 'That's a lie.' The victim alleges she had been enjoying a night out in the seaside resort (pictured) when she was targeted by the group Brian Shaw, defending Alshafe, said asked whether the alleged victim remembers kissing the larger man [Ahmadi] after leaving the nightclub. She said: 'I don't have memory of leaving the nightclub until I woke up on the beach and they were doing it.' The complainant said during the incident the smaller man [Alshafe] kept saying 'No touch, no touch' to his friends as he allegedly raped her. Mr Shaw asked her whether she had agreed to have sex on the beach with the smaller man [Alshafe]. She replied: 'Absolutely not and when I asked them to stop they carried on.' Jonathan Ray, defending Ahmadi, asked if she had agreed to have sex with the larger man [Ahmadi]. She said she had no memory of anything until she woke up on the beach with the men raping her. Earlier the court heard the three asylum seekers targeted a lone drunk woman in a 'cynical, predatory and callous' manner before gang raping her. The men, who all arrived in the UK on small boats, allegedly targeted the woman as she left a nightclub in the seaside resort. The jury was told the woman was so drunk she could barely stand and had described herself as 'paralytic'. After leaving a nightclub the 'visibly intoxicated' woman was seen staggering along the seafront by the three men. But instead of offering to help her, the men led her down to the pebble beach and found a secluded area near a shack. There, the court heard, they repeatedly raped her. The court heard Alshafe and Ahmadi had arrived in the UK by small boats in June 2025 while Al-Danasurt had arrived by the same method in October 2024. All three men were staying at the Cisswood House Hotel in Horsham - Home Office-approved accommodation for those either seeking or appealing their asylum and immigration status. The court heard the incident happened in October last year after the alleged victim had gone out in the seaside resort with two friends. The group had started drinking at home while they got ready before making their way to the Revolution Bar in Brighton at around midnight before moving onto Horizon nightclub. The alleged victim continued drinking heavily, consuming vodka and coke, Sambuca shots and several Jager bombs and was bought several drinks by two foreign men. At one stage the alleged victim bumped into rapper Dappy from N-Dubz and had taken a selfie with him. Towards the end of the evening she became separated from her friend and was sick in the club toilets. When the club closed around 5am she was seen on CCTV staggering out onto the street and making her way to a nearby Burger King. As she left the fast food outlet she was approached by the men and led across the road and down a ramp into Brighton Beach. Prosecutor Hanna Llewellyn-Waters told the court the defendants treated the alleged victim like 'meat', dragging her onto pebbles in a secluded part of Brighton beach, where they took turns to rape her. The woman said she was left bloodied and was drifting in and out of consciousness during the assault. Jurors were shown footage of the 'motionless' woman, lying on her back with her eyes closed, while Ahmadi and Alshafe were penetrating her. One clip, found on Al-Danasurt's phone, showed Ahmadi covering his face with his hand during the alleged assault. Al-Danasurt told police he barely knew his co-defendants, and videoed what happened because he wanted to capture 'potential evidence'. He said he did not intervene 'because he was in shock and unsure how to react'. He told police he was 'really trying to help the woman'. Ahmadi said the woman was fully consenting and in fact initiated the sexual encounter on the beach with the three of them. Alshafe denied being present in Brighton altogether. The trial continues Gerry Adams has always 'surrounded himself with IRA prisoners' including a long-time bodyguard who was involved in a notorious 1988 funeral attack on two British Army soldiers, the High Court has heard. On the seventh day of a civil trial examining his alleged membership of the IRA and involvement in three bombings, Adams was asked about his association with IRA 'murderers' and whether he knew his current head of personal security, who has attended each day of the trial, was convicted of IRA explosives offences. Adams, 77, the former president of Sinn Fein said: 'You depend on the people you depend on and they are reliable.' The court heard Adams' described his former bodyguard and driver, Terence Clarke, as a 'good friend of mine' and gave a tribute to him when he died in 2000. Clarke was sentenced to seven years in prison for assault for his role in an attack on Army corporals Derek Wood and David Howes. The pair had erroneously driven into an IRA funeral and were suspected of being loyalist gunmen. They were hauled from their vehicles by the crowd, stripped and driven to nearby waste ground where they were shot dead in scenes which were compared to a lynching. The incident was filmed by television news cameras and broadcast around the world, becoming one of the defining incidents of The Troubles. Clarke served numerous prison sentences for IRA activity. Gerry Adams outside the High Court in London today where he gave evidence on the seventh day of his civil trial examining allegations that he was involved in three IRA bombings David Howes and Derek Wood were ambushed when they drove into an IRA funeral in 1988. They were taken from their vehicle and shot dead. In a written tribute on Clarke's death, Adams said he kept a framed photograph of the pair together on his wall and described him as 'one of my heroes', saying he 'loved him like a brother.' Adams was also asked by Sir Max Hill KC, for three bomb survivors suing Adams, about his relationship with John Trainor, who is currently serving as his head of security and has accompanied him to court each day. The court heard Trainor was previously convicted of IRA-related explosives offences and served a prison term. Adams said he knew 'Big John' had previously been convicted of IRA activity. It was also put to Adams that another member of his personal security team is a brother-in-law of Sinn Fein politician Gerry Kelly, who was convicted over his role in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing one of the attacks central to the proceedings. Adams said he 'didn't know' and would have to check. 'You have surrounded yourself with IRA men who have served time for very serious crimes including murder,' Sir Max said. Adams replied: 'Yes. There were others who weren't former prisoners.' Adams and his bodyguard John Trainor at the High Court today. The court heard Mr Trainor had previously been convicted of an IRA explosives-related offence Adams and Brendan Hughes in Long Kesh prison near Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in 1973 Adams is being sued for 'vindicatory damages' of 1 by John Clark, a victim of the IRA's Old Bailey attack, Jonathan Ganesh, who was injured in the 1996 attack at London's Docklands and Barry Laycock, who was injured in the attack at Manchester's Arndale shopping centre in the same year. They allege that, owing to his senior role in the IRA, he was 'directly responsible' for the attacks. Adams denies any role in the bombings and being a member of the IRA. Giving evidence for a second day, Adams was asked about his close friendship with former IRA commander Brendan Hughes, with whom he was imprisoned in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. The court was shown a picture of the men together in Long Kesh prison in 1973 which Adams said he still had a copy of. He told the court that he had been with Hughes, a former hunger striker, when he died in 2008 aged 59 from complications relating to the strike. Sir Max said: 'It is a photo showing a lifelong friendship between you and Brendan Hughes.' Hughes was quoted as saying 'the dogs on the street' knew Adams was a leading IRA member, 'and he's standing there denying it.' Hughes also said, in taped interviews to be released on his death, that Adams had sent a team of IRA men to the US to purchase Armalite rifles and was one of the organisers of 'Bloody Friday', a 1972 bombing campaign in Belfast which claimed nine lives. Asked whether Hughes had 'made up', the allegations, Adams said: 'Yes.' He said Hughes was spurred to make the claims because he saw Adams and others 'as traitors saw us as winding down the war, as selling out.' 'He sided with other armed groups that moved away from the IRA,' he said. 'He ended up a very sorry figure, alcohol dependent. I retain a fondness for him even though he should not have done what he did and I was disappointed in what he did.' Earlier, Adams was accused of being 'in denial' over his role in the IRA. Sir Max said: 'You were a major, major player in the war, yet you deny it.' He replied: 'I obviously was president of Sinn Fein for 35 years, was deeply involved in the struggle, defended the use of armed struggle where I thought it was appropriate, looked to build Sinn Fein and the peace process and that is what led Brendan and others, quite wrongly, to take up the position they did. 'I don't deny I just don't go round boasting that I was a person of influence and used that as best I could to move from war to peace and that thankfully is what we are enjoying.' He also appeared to defend the IRA's role in the conflict, adding: 'They were undefeated, they defied all attempts to criminalise them, to coerce them, they made the right call when they eventually made the call and they had the maturity and intelligence to choose the right way forwards.' Adams has concluded his evidence. The trial continues. A wildlife bridge approved by California Governor Gavin Newsom has sucked up $114 million in funding and has yet to be finished. Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the world's largest wildlife crossing, was announced by Newsom in 2022. The overpass is currently being built over the 10-lane highway, US 101, and is designed to keep humans and animals safer. The governor pledged more than $50 million toward the bridge, which is being built to be used by any animal from a butterfly to a bear. Four years later, Newsom's office has found another $18.8 million through the California Transportation Commission for the project, it was announced in February. But aerial shots of the 12-acre crossing show a half-completed project. The main structure is up and appears to have mounds of dirt, pathways, and greenery to mimic actual land. However, the structure remains inaccessible, as it does not connect to the ground, meaning no animals can currently use the crossing. Despite this, the governor's office predicts the expensive project will be completed by Fall 2026, nine months behind the end-of-2025 original date. Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the world's largest wildlife crossing, was announced by Newsom in 2022. It was supposed to open at the end of last year, but it has yet to be completed Newsom's office said it is expected to be completed by Fall 2026. The governor called it an 'ambitious project' 'The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is an ambitious project,' Newsom said in a February press release. '[It is] one that bridges the gap between conservation and urban development. 'The crossing will make life safer for both Los Angeles wildlife and drivers frequenting US 101 and will ensure people and animals can thrive together for generations to come.' The bridge will reconnect protected lands in the Santa Monica Mountains and the Sierra Madre Range, which is separated by the major highway. The purpose of the structure is to allow animals to cross the highway safely and to restore biodiversity, while not interfering with human transportation. The project's initial $93 million price tag has since gone up to $114 million, The Los Angeles Times reported. In the end, around $77 million of the construction costs will come from the state, while the rest came from private donors. The jump in price came from a multitude of things, including the wildfires making equipment more expensive and tariffs, The Times reported. It experienced delays in 2022 and 2023 due to record rain, the outlet added. The cross is designed for any animal, from a butterfly to a bear, to use it to safely cross the 10-lane highway The project was originally slated to cost $93million, but has since gone up to $114million - roughly $77million was funded by the state. The price increase is multifactorial, including tariffs and the wildfires The shoulders of the bridge, which connect both sides, are currently being built. Construction began last summer. Builders still have to move overhead power lines underground, drill 70-foot holes to eventually be filled with concrete for support, and more. Despite having enough to fund the project to completion, Save LA Cougars, which is involved in the construction, is trying to raise $6 million to maintain the habitat. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Governor's Office for comment. A woman has been arrested in connection with the cold case murder of an Iowa real estate agent. Kristin Ramsey, 53, was detained on Tuesday for the first-degree murder of Ashley Okland, 27, the West Des Moines Police said. Okland was found dead with two gunshot wounds on April 8, 2011, inside a model home she was showcasing for Iowa Realty Co. At the time of her murder, Ramsey was working as an administrative assistant and sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the developer of the townhouse where Okland was killed, according to the Des Moines Register. Okland's murder had baffled investigators for almost 15 years. Police said Wednesday they do not anticipate any further arrests. Okland's sister Brittany Bruce thanked officials for their years of dedication in seeking justice. 'That Friday afternoon when Ashley was taken from us seems so long ago. We had lost our hope in finding answers and having any justice for Ashley,' said Bruce. 'It was really difficult to accept that the case had gone cold.' After 15 years, a woman has been arrested for the cold case murder of 27-year-old Ashley Okland, who was an Iowa real estate agent. Okland died on April 8, 2011, inside a model townhome she was showcasing Kristin Ramsey, 53, was arrested on Tuesday for first-degree murder. She was booked into the Dallas County Jail and is being held on a $2 million cash bond Josh Okland, the real estate agent's brother, also spoke and expressed a similar sentiment of gratitude to investigators.A spokesperson for Okland's former employer, Iowa Reality Co., hailed the break in the case. 'Everyone within Iowa Realty and related companies was relieved for the family of our friend and colleague Ashley Okland that an arrest was made for her murder,' said the spokesperson to the Register. 'Her tragic passing was something that not only deeply impacted our company and community, but the national real estate world as a whole.' However, the organization said it was shocked to learn Ramsey is the suspect. West Des Moines Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes said Okland's death has haunted the community for years. 'Ashley's story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds,' said Hayes. 'Searching for that missing piece that would tie everything together and lead us down the right path to identifying a person that was responsible for this act.' Okland was found critically injured after an employee at the model home she was showing heard a commotion and went to investigate. At a press conference on Wednesday multiple speakers including his sister Brittany Bruce (pictured) shared how they are thankful for a break in the case after so many years Okland's brother, Josh praised investigators and noted they he was confident in prosecutors going forward with the case West Des Moines Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes noted how the case has loomed over the community's head for years He found her suffering from gunshot wounds and called 911 at around 2pm. She later died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Despite the killing taking place in the middle of the day, the case went cold for more than 14 years. According to a statement from an Iowa Realty spokesperson to the outlet Ramsey currently works for, Midland Title & Escrow, an organization that's part of Iowa Realty Co., where Okland worked at the time of her death. Ramsey was booked into the Dallas County Jail and is being held on a $2million cash bond. The Daily Mail has reached out to the West Des Moines Police Department, Midland Title & Escrow, and Kristin Ramsey for comment. In the end, let us be thankful it was only the Bill that died. And that, on a fresh Tuesday evening in Edinburgh, the Scottish parliament so often doubted, derided, despaired of did its job. Honourably, fluently, well. And with the right answer. On the gravest matter that could face any devolved legislature, short of bringing back the hangman euthanasia. Before a free vote on this huge issue of conscience, our MSPs spoke soberly, thoughtfully, objectively with honour, in the main, and from their hearts. All courtesies were extended from both sides. No one was insulted; no motives were impugned. Indeed, the debate was of such a quality that it reminded you of the past, best days of the General Assembly, when the Kirk had giants in the land. You know, ministers you had actually heard of. With just the odd momentary wobble: Jackson Carlaws contribution, late in the debate, was clotted with jokes befitting, perhaps, a Burns Supper, but not an occasion of this gravity. The truly sour moment was in Liam McArthurs concluding speech, defeat already looming. The MSP for Orkney, by then, knew he had lost the room, the Scottish parliament and that coveted for-the-ages win, as more and more of his adherents last summer had taken to their feet earnestly to murmur they had now changed their minds. Liam McArthur appeared emotional as his assisted dying bill was voted down by MSPs Never had the gaunt McArthur reminded you more of an undertaker. Back in May last year, MSPs had voted 70 to 56 in favour of assisted suicide in principle. In the end, though, the devil proved to be in the detail, and the McArthur troops faded away like clansmen from Killiecrankie. There were real, serious concerns, by Tuesday night, about coercion. Manipulation. Medical error. The dubious mental capacity of young adults. Constitutional conundrum, too worry over a central anxiety: the conscientious right of doctors and clinicians to opt out from any part or practice in officially tipping someone into eternity is among terms of employ reserved to Westminster. The ultimate court of appeal for any MBChB is, after all, the Privy Council. The arrogant denial, likewise, of an opt-out for private Christian facilities, from Catholic hospices to Free Presbyterian care homes. Just imagine it: the last line of Gaelic psalm still echoing from Hebridean morning worship when Matron throws open the door for Doctor Death, the churl with the silver syringe. In Inverness? South Harris? Free Presbyterians would desert and close the premises conceivably, even give themselves over to dancing before moral surrender on that scale to a Scotland that slays. The inability even to grasp such realities was a sharp reminder that McArthur and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse a-gallop behind him simply didnt know what they didnt know. And, critically, alienating Daniel Johnson (Labour, Edinburgh Southern) who had pushed for that very amendment and is universally respected, was a huge strategic error. Nor, in their enthusiasm, did the all-they-that-hate-Me-love-death brigade note their sustained, bat-squeak suggestion that the lives of the disabled, the frail, the feeble and indeed the dying lack intrinsic, precious value. Many thought Jeremy Balfour an MSP who lives with a disability made the most powerful speech of the night. We cannot legislate for the feeling of being a burden, Mr Balfour declaimed. Campaigners opposed to assisted dying gathered outside Holyrood ahead of the vote We cannot legislate for the throwaway comments that make me and others feel that our lives are worth less. The protections in the Bill were not good enough they could never be good enough. Colleagues, friends Im begging you to consider what the consequences of passing this Bill will be for the most vulnerable in our communities. Amendments that could have fixed key concerns were loftily spurned and, as MSPs such as Daniel Johnson now grasped, they were simply not dealing with serious people on the gravest of questions, they flatly flipped their votes. R A Butler, arguably the greatest Prime Minister we never had, once pithily defined statecraft as the art of the possible. Calling for guile, charm, timing, realism, and knowing when to compromise, when to venture and when to bank. Liam McArthur has spent half a decade labouring for legalised euthanasia and came within a whisker on Tuesday of securing it. But, from his determination to bring even private, Christian care provision under the heel of the state to his inability to make just two or three more concessions as you must, in serious politics the Bill finally collapsed. At the last, he was beyond defeated: so visibly distraught that even MSPs who had robustly opposed him now moved in to comfort. In the event, the margin of victory for the sanctity of life was surprisingly firm 69 votes to 57 with one abstention. There were simply too many unanswered questions. Too many glaring holes. So many concerns that had not been allayed. That blithe, almost Irish spirit Sure, well be grand! could not, at the last, convince. It may be a while before this issue resurfaces at Holyrood, especially if a significant new bloc of original, centre-Right, socially conservative MSPs is returned in May, as polls tentatively suggest. But come back it will, if Scotlands implacable slide into paganism and spiritual ignorance unimpeded, now, for over 60 years continues; as, increasingly, we set aside Judeo-Christian restraint, humility and compassion for the narcissistic determination to decree and control. In Jaws, the shark always returns. And sharks seem, this morning and if BBC Scotland is to be believed, smaller, fresher and more in lust with death than ever. University student Ryan Thomas told Pacific Quay he was shocked by Tuesday nights decision. We only have to win the argument once, said the 18-year-old. The opposing side, Ryan Thomas exulted, have to [win] it every single time. Teachers must ask pupils for their permission before searching schoolbags for drugs or other forbidden items, according to new SNP government guidance. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth issued guidelines on substance use including vapes which tells headteachers to seek their own legal advice where appropriate. Staff must not undertake a search or attempt to investigate whether children are in possession of illegal substances as this could raise privacy issues. It came as an SNP government update on a discipline crackdown disclosed that new guidelines on excluding unruly pupils may not be published until next year despite growing fears over lawless classrooms. Last night Chris McGovern of the Campaign for Real Education said: The Education Secretary needs to toughen up. In the best interests of the children, schools should be given the power to introduce airport-style security, including bag search. Schools have been issued with guidance on how to deal with vaping, which Ms Gilruth called an emerging trend. It states schools should set out clear expectations around both illegal and age-restricted substances. Some S6 pupils may be legally old enough to buy such products, but the government document states: These substances remain inappropriate within school. The 13-page guidance states schools may wish to consider the following legal considerations when responding to substance use, and schools and education authorities should seek their own legal advice where appropriate Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has been urged to empower teachers Staff have no statutory right to search bags School staff do not have the statutory right to search pupils. Staff may ask a pupil to show the contents of their pockets or bags but should not undertake a search... as this could raise safeguarding, privacy and potentially other legal issues. If staff suspect a pupil is in possession of an illegal substance the school should contact Police Scotland. Last night Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs said: Of course childrens right should be respected, but schools should have powers to take decisive action, especially when pupils are suspected of having drugs or weapons on school property. Meanwhile, in a separate action plan outlining progress on Improving relationships and behaviour in schools, the Scottish Government said updated guidance on excluding troublemakers may not be published until March next year. This is despite concern over violence against teachers and demands for powers to kick out the worst-behaved pupils. Temporary exclusions and permanent removals are rare and regarded as a last resort. Criticising the SNP, Mr Briggs said: Instead of pointless guidance, SNP ministers should be empowering teachers by backing our plans that would allow them to permanently exclude disruptive pupils. Leaders of the NASUWT teaching union said it still receives regular reports from teachers across Scotland about incidents of serious violence and abuse. Ministers insisted progress has been made across all areas of an action plan designed to improve behaviour in schools. The number of prisoner deaths has soared to more than one a week, new figures reveal. Some 54 deaths were recorded in 2023/24 the highest since 2012 and 15 higher than the year before. Overall, 399 people have died in prison custody since 2012. Ten of the deaths over the latest year were recorded as probable suicides up one on the year before. Deaths in custody usually lead to a fatal accident inquiry which can cost up to 11,722, according to the Law Society of Scotland. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: The record number of deaths in custody is deeply concerning and underlines the scale of the crisis in Scotlands prisons under the SNP. Despite the SNPs reckless early-release scheme, our jails remain overstretched and the underlying problems have not been addressed. Suicides were the most common cause of deaths in jails overall, with 115 probable suicides recorded since 2012, accounting for 29 per cent of all prison custody deaths. New figures have revealed 399 people have died in prison custody in Scotland since 2012 Justice Secretary Angela Constance says keeping people safe in prisons is 'a top priority' Diseases of the circulatory system were recorded as the second most common cause, with 83 fatalities between 2012 and 2024, or 20.8 per cent of all deaths. There were 62 drug misuse deaths in prison custody across the reporting period, some 15.5 per cent of the total, with 12 such fatalities in 2023/24 a rise of three from the year prior. According to the chief statisticians report, the risk of death in the male prison population has been significantly lower than in the male general population in each year since 2012. In 2021/22 and 2023/24, the risk was closer to that of the general population but still remained significantly lower. Last night Scottish Labour justice spokesman Pauline McNeill said: These shocking figures show Scotlands prisons are at crisis point and people are dying as a result. We need to deal with overcrowding... modernise the prison estate, properly support prison staff and ensure safeguards within prisons are working as they must. A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: The death of anyone in our care is a profound loss for all who knew and supported the individual. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: Keeping people safe in our prisons continues to be a top priority for this government. End of life care for terminally-ill Scots must be improved following the decision to reject unsafe plans to legalise assisted dying, according to MSPs. Politicians from all parties yesterday united behind demands for reform of palliative care in the wake of the vote which saw proposed assisted dying legislation defeated for a third time at Holyrood. Many of the MSPs who opposed the bill over issues like the risk of vulnerable people feeling coerced or pressured into ending their life and the impact on health professionals demanded improvements to the way people are treated at the end of their life. The assisted dying bill proposed by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur was defeated when MSPs voted by 69 to 57 against the proposal, which would have allowed terminally ill adults to ask for assistance to end their life. Conservative MSP Edward Mountain, who was part of a cross-party group of MSPs who campaigned against the bill, said: This bill had too many holes and posed too many difficulties. We must use this moment to improve palliative care, to improve the lives of disabled people, and to ensure we have a system of care that delivers for everyone. Labour MSP Michael Marra, another member of the group, said: Parliament heard the stories of painful, traumatic deaths tonight in an impassioned debate. I believe, now more than ever, that there is a shared resolve to act for palliative care reform. The assisted dying bill proposed by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur (pictured) was defeated when MSPs voted by 69 to 57 against the proposal on Tuesday night Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has called for a consensus for the delivery of quality palliative care across the Scottish parliament Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, speaking in a personal capacity, said: What I want to see is that consensus right across parliament for the delivery of quality palliative care. At Holyrood yesterday, Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said during finance questions: As the chamber yesterday was divided on Liam McArthurs bill on assisted dying, it was absolutely united on palliative care, and we need to have a step change. He asked what new action will be taken to show that will of this parliament is now respected by this Government? Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: I do think that there is a need for us to look clearly, as parliament was of one voice last night, around the funding for palliative care. I think there has already been an indication from the First Minister that that is something that will be looked at. She said the independence of some of those delivering palliative care are proud of their independence, but said the issue will be looked at in upcoming election manifestos and will be a key priority for the next parliament. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown also yesterday said there is a moral obligation to make urgently needed improvements to end-of-life care across the UK. He called on the four governments in the UK to co-operate in a bid to ensure dying people can be guaranteed the most compassionate and highest quality of care regardless of where they live. Mr Brown said: We now have a moral obligation to move quickly to make the urgently needed improvements in end-of-life care and to end the UK-wide postcode lottery which means high levels of care in hospices and in the community in some areas but not in others. The group Care Not Killing demonstrating outside the Scottish parliament on Tuesday before the vote Because inadequate provision is a problem across the whole of the United Kingdom, it is time for co-operation between all the different governments of the UK so that men and women at the end of their lives in every part of the country can now be promised and guaranteed the most compassionate and highest quality of care. We owe it as a moral duty to all those people who fear they may experience avoidable pain and suffering in the last days of their lives. First Minister John Swinney said: I agree with Gordon Brown. He and I share the same opinion about assisted dying, and I think the importance of palliative care is vital for everybody that requires that support. There are good, good services in place already within Scotland, and I think we need to build on those services and make sure that they meet the needs of all of our population who require end-of-life care. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: The tragedy is to hear all the individual stories and case studies of people who have the most horrific circumstances in their final days, weeks and months of their life, and also the ongoing trauma that causes their loved ones for the rest of their lives, is not something that any of us should find acceptable or tolerable. Thats why its an issue that we have to address and we have to fix. The leader of Scottish Labour has issued an apology after facing widespread condemnation for hurtful comments mocking stroke victims at an on-camera press conference. At the end of his media event in Edinburgh yesterday, Anas Sarwar made a joke about his stroke pose and went on to say to a photographer that he saw a picture of himself online that looked like I had a stroke. The comments were heavily criticised by health campaigners, leading to Mr Sarwar offering an unreserved apology. James Bundy, a Conservative councillor whose father Anthony Bundy died in 2023 following a stroke and is pressing for the current FAST stroke campaign, which highlights the symptoms related to facial weakness, arm weakness, speech problems and time to call 999, to be extended to BE FAST to add symptoms relating to balance and eyes, said: As Anas Sarwar knows, my fathers stroke was not identified in time in part because his symptoms did not fit the traditional FAST picture. Flippant comments like this risk reinforcing the very stereotypes we are working to overcome. I am grateful for the early and strong support he has shown our campaign. But given that, he must know this comment will be hurtful to people across Scotland. Anas Sarwar apologised for hurtful comments mocking stroke victims 'I hope he reflects, apologises, and commits, if elected First Minister, to rolling out both BE FAST awareness and 24/7 thrombectomy nationwide. The Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland charity said: For every person in Scotland whose life has been turned upside down by stroke, todays comment from Anas Sarwar was deeply disappointing. Stroke is not a punchline or a pose. It is a life-threatening medical emergency, that has lasting physical, emotional and social impact, on individuals and the people who care about them. More than 11,000 people in Scotland have a stroke each year. Every day 31 people will experience a stroke, and it remains one of the leading causes of disability in Scotland. 'Families across the country sit beside hospital beds, support long, difficult rehabilitation journeys, and watch loved ones adapt to the reality of recovery. 'To diminish that experience, especially from someone who has just called for major healthcare reform, which for stroke is badly needed, shows a worrying lack of understanding of what stroke truly means. People affected by stroke deserve better. Their experiences should be recognised with sensitivity, respect and accuracy. James Bundy (left) with his father Anthony, who died of a stroke aged 53 in 2023 At the end of yesterdays press conference on Labours plans for cancer care, Mr Sarwar said to one of the assembled photographers: Did you get my stroke pose that you wanted? He said to other members of the media: Award-winning photographer Jane and a picture I saw online that looked like a stroke. In response to the criticism of his comments, a spokesman for Anas Sarwar said: Anas Sarwar wants to offer an unreserved apology for todays comments. SNP MSP Emma Harper said: Anas Sarwar should be ashamed of himself a joke at the expense of stroke survivors is beyond the pale. Today has revealed to the Scottish public what Anas Sarwar is like when he thinks the cameras are off - his true colours have brought shame to our Parliament, to the Labour Party and to Scottish public life. A group of Scottish women have launched legal action against a global pharmaceutical company for allegedly knowingly selling talcum powder contaminated with asbestos. Johnson & Johnson is already facing a potential 1billion claim as 3,000 seek damages at the High Court in London. Claimants say talcum powder was contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos, something they allege the company knew and tried to suppress. Johnson & Johnson has denied the allegations, claiming they defy logic, rewrite history and ignore the facts. Now a group of Scots women have raised the first contaminated talc action to be seen in the Scottish courts, claiming that they, or family members, developed various types of cancers after using the products. Lawyers at Lefevres, which is representing the women, said the case was an international scandal. At present, there are 25 claimants in the group, but the law firm said the number may rise. Papers have been lodged at the Court of Session. It follows thousands of similar claims in the US. Helene Rose, 67, from Aberdeen, is part of the group taking legal action in Scotland against Johnson & Johnson Lefevres cites a memo from the 1960s about the use of tremolite in talc products. The mineral is classified as asbestos when in its fibrous form and has been linked to potentially deadly cancers. Helene Rose, 67, from Aberdeen, is part of the group taking action. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2024 after decades of using talcum powder. She told the BBC: I dont have any other reason for having this disease. Ive got no family history of cancer. Although I was adopted, I now know my extended birth family, and none of them have cancer. In addition, I do not have any of the genetic markers; I tested negative for those. She said she expected the powder to be safe and pure enough for babies. Johnson & Johnson faces claims its talcum powder was contaminated with cancer-causing asbestos Ms Rose added: Companies should know that they cant get away with doing this kind of thing and should be held accountable for ruining peoples lives. Johnson & Johnson discontinued mineral-based talc in the UK last year, five years after stopping sales in the US. At the time it said this was due to financial pressures and a misinformation campaign around the product. At the time it said this was due to financial pressures and a misinformation campaign around the product. The firm has been sued by more than 62,000 people in the US and at least $13billion has been paid out or set aside in response. However, some cases have since been overturned on appeal. The High Court case was filed late last year and claims the talcum powders main ingredient, hydrated magnesium silicate, was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen, and that the company concealed the risk for decades. Erik Haas, worldwide vice president of litigation at Johnson & Johnson, previously denied any evidence of asbestos contamination in its talcum powder. He said the company had relied upon the most state-of-the-art testing protocols for decades and have been entirely transparent with government institutions and academic researchers regarding our findings. An aspiring politician quit the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) because his complaints about its then chief were not taken seriously, a court has heard. Jordan Linden, who later became the SNP leader of North Lanarkshire Council, allegedly phoned the boy in the middle of the night panting and sent him explicit images of his private parts. The man, now 30, was giving evidence during the first day of Lindens trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court, where he faces 24 charges involving 13 people. The alleged offences span 11 years to 2022 with victims ranging from aged 14 to 22 at the time. The former SYP member told the court he felt disgusted about his interactions with Linden, 30, which started when he was elected to the organisation in 2011 at the age of 15. He described the accused as touchy feely from the start and alleged: He was trying to know everything about you. He was very much in your face. There was no barrier. The witness, who now works for a housing association, said: It was consistent. He was always touching Your arm, stomach, your bum. He had a way of trying to touch your belt almost as if to pull your trousers down It was almost like a game. The trial is being held at Falkirk Sheriff Court We would be having a meeting about trying to make things better for people and we were continually accosted Jordan would be poking and prodding you at the side. He claimed he would wake in the night to calls from Linden, who allegedly had slurred speech or be panting down the phone. The man also alleged he would receive images of his lower half with his manhood visible. He also claimed he made it known it was uncomfortable, not just to Jordan but the youth workers as well but his pleas were not taken seriously. The witness told the jury: This was not done in secret. The attitude was Thats just Jordan. His behaviour was not normal. He recalled one two-day event called a residential where all the youth parliament members gathered to discuss policy, with accommodation and travel booked by their respective local authorities. The man stated that on this particular trip he had been assigned to share a room with Linden despite making it abundantly clear he did not want to do so. He told the court: I had told youth workers via calls, emails and face to face about his behaviour. His stature was growing in the organisation. Then I found out I was to be sharing a room with him. He was having the time of his life. He was laughing and giggling, saying Ive not brought any jammies on this trip and its a double bed. He was rejoicing in the occasion. The man said he ended up bunking in with other boys as nobody wanted to share with Jordan and described it as a Russian roulette. He claimed he felt so dissatisfied with the lack of action about Lindens behaviour that he left the Youth Parliament in 2014 to remove myself from the equation. A second witness was also a former member of the SYP, first elected in 2011 at the age of 14. He alleged that around 2013 Linden began messaging him on Snapchat, sending almost daily images which became sexual including of himself submerged in a bubble bath. In one image, he claimed, you could see his genitals. By the following year, Linden had been made chairman of the SYP and joined the SNP and the man claimed it made it difficult to ignore his messages despite feeling uncomfortable. He told jurors: I only continued to speak to him because of who he was. I wanted to be a politician at the time. He had a lot of power as chair of the SYP and a lot of power in the SNP as well. The only comparison I can make is as if it was the First Minister messaging you. I wasnt going to tell the First Minister to go away. I was very young. In 2014, he and Linden, along with two other boys, went to London to speak at an event organised by the British Youth Council. The man is bisexual, while Linden and another attendee were gay and so he said it created a camaraderie. But one evening on the trip, he alleged Linden began asking him inappropriate sexual questions and said: He asked when I had sex with men what position would I take, asking me if I had sex with my partner at the time. I didnt know what to say. I felt like I was being violatedbut I felt like I was being made to answer because it was him. Linden, represented by David Moggach KC, denies 24 charges of sexual assault, stalking, sexual communication and statutory breach of the peace. In the case of one of the charges of sexual communication - sending images of his privates to a 16 or 17-year-old boy at a time when Linden himself was 19 or 20 - he has given notice of a special defence of consent. He also claims that two alleged sexual assaults on a 22 or 23-year-old man in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, and in Glasgow in 2018 were consensual. The trial before Sheriff Christopher Shead continues. Health bosses in Canada are shutting most of one provinces heroin shooting galleries as the SNP plans to ramp up their use here. Canada pioneered so-called safer drug consumption rooms but overdose deaths soared. Despite warnings that the schemes do not work, the SNP is funding a centre The Thistle where addicts can inject their own drugs in Glasgow. But it comes as health bosses in Ontario switch their stance to offer treatment and rehab hubs instead of encouraging drug use. Scottish Tory drugs spokesman Annie Wells urged the SNP government to follow suit and shut down The Thistle. She said: Governments are recognising that state-sponsored drug consumption rooms are not the silver bullet to tackle appalling levels of drug deaths. However, in Scotland SNP ministers are doubling down and ploughing ahead with plans to open more of these facilities, even as drug deaths continue to rise. SNP ministers should follow Ontarios lead and back our common-sense plans to shut down The Thistle in Glasgow and divert the money being used for it towards rehabilitation services instead. Canada pioneered so-called safer drug consumption rooms but overdose deaths have soared Injection bay's at The Thistle drugs consumption room in Glasgow The Scottish Government is spending 2.3million a year on The Thistle but nationwide drug deaths rose by eight per cent in 2025 compared to 2024. Despite it being a pilot project to be assessed next year, plans are already being drawn up for a similar facility to open in Edinburgh. But SNP ministers have been urged to follow Ontarios example after its health chiefs announced they were cutting funding for seven drug consumption rooms. The provincial administration also shut ten facilities last year, turning them into treatment hubs. Health bosses say the province would initiate a 90-day wind-down period to give those using the sites time to transition to the governments abstinence-based model homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART, hubs. Health Minister Sylvia Jones said she was focused on treatment, recovery and safer communities. Premier Doug Ford claims consumption sites encourage drug use. He said: I dont want to hurt these people. I want to help them. I want them to be productive. I dont believe in sticking injection sites in the community, down the street from a school, needles are all over the place. He added on X: Drug injection sites are a failed experiment that make communities unsafe and trap vulnerable people in addiction. Instead of standing by as addictions get worse, were funding treatment and lasting recovery while keeping communities safe. There were 1,146 suspected drug deaths in 2025 in Scotland, eight per cent more than in 2024 (1,065). Councillor Allan Casey, convener for addiction services in Glasgow, said: Canadas decision to roll back supervised consumption services is concerning and risks putting lives in danger. The international evidence is clear these facilities reduce overdose deaths, connect people to treatment, and improve community safety. Holyrood Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: The Thistle has had a profound impact in its first year. The latest figures show there are 642 registered users, with staff responding to 118 medical emergencies undoubtedly saving lives through rapid responses. Two Iranian men have been charged by terror police over a spying plot alleged to target Jews in London. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, were charged under the National Security Act on Wednesday. They were arrested on March 6 as part of an investigation by counter-terror police and will now appear at Westminster magistrates' court on Thursday. The pair were charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for CTP said: 'These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act, which have come about following what has been a very complex investigation. 'Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock to gather and assess the evidence and we have liaised closely with colleagues in the CPS to reach this point. 'We fully recognise that the public and in particular the Jewish community will be concerned but I hope this investigation reassures them that we will not hesitate to take action if we identify there may be a threat to their safety, and will be relentless in our pursuit of those who may be responsible. 'Counter Terrorism Policing work closely with front-line officers across the country to keep communities safe. Any concerns from the public can be shared with local policing teams or via national reporting tools such as www.gov.uk/ACT.' Counter-terrorism officers initially arrested four men with Iranian and dual British-Iranian citizenship but two have since been released without charge. Pictured: Police at the Watford property At a property in Finchley, police were seen examining the undercarriage of a vehicle (pictured) Two other men who were arrested on March 6 as part of the investigation have been released without charge. Scotland Yard began a 'long-running' investigation after the 'malign' activities of the suspected Iranian cell aroused suspicion and a member of the Jewish community tipped off police. The Mail understands that the cell had been under surveillance for months, but officers decided to accelerate their arrest plans due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East. Just hours earlier, Europol warned that the unfolding conflict in Iran will have 'immediate repercussions' with an increased threat of terrorism, violent extremism and cyber attacks in Europe. The suspects have not been accused of any specific attack plot, but officers believe their actions were part of a longer-term plan by Tehran to target the Jewish community in London. At the time, plain-clothed officers were spotted raiding on homes in Watford, after forcing the door open. Meanwhile, detectives were also seen checking the engine and undercarriage of a silver-coloured Skoda on a road in Finchley, north London. The Mail understands that the cell had been under surveillance for months, but officers decided to accelerate their arrest plans due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East. Pictured: A car is removed from an address in Finchley, north London The suspects have not been accused of any specific attack plot, but officers believe their actions were part of a longer-term plan by Tehran to target the Jewish community in London. Pictured: Police at the property in Watford Both operations were believed to be linked to a counter-terror police probe into suspected surveillance of Jews in London for Iran's intelligence services. Rabbi Herschel Gluck, president of Shomrim North and East London, said police patrols have been 'stepped up' since the conflict in Iran began. He said: 'We all know Iran have cells in this country and has had cells here for a very long time - so this is no surprise.' Speaking about the arrests earlier this month, Rabbi Gluck added: 'It certainly should reduce the concerns in the community. 'We have been aware for a long time of the danger of an attack from these cells, which there are a number of in this country, would exponentially increase in the situation we are in at the moment.' A retired British teacher and her cousin died 'in a matter of seconds' after being trampled to death by a charging elephant on safari in Zambia, a coroner has concluded. Janet Taylor Easton, 67, was killed alongside her cousin Alison Taylor from New Zealand, also 67, in South Luangwa National Park on July 3 last year. Ms Easton, who also went by Janice, was a chemistry teacher at Titus Salt School in Baildon, Bradford, but retired in August 2022. Assistant coroner Caroline Chandler delivered the verdict at Bradford Coroner's Court on Tuesday after an inquest had previously been adjourned until a report had been produced from the Zambian Ministry of Tourism. However, the BBC reported, Ms Chandler said the report did not add much and concluded their deaths as misadventure. The inquest heard Ms Easton and her cousin had gone on a walking safari holiday to South Luangwa National Park, which had been organised by travel company Expert Africa. Ms Chandler said the women had planned to go on a guided walk to the Luangwa River, where they would cross by canoe and continue on an onward flight to a Bush camp. The inquest was told the group were accompanied by a guide and followed by a tracker. Janet Taylor Easton, 67, was killed alongside her cousin Alison Taylor from New Zealand, also 67, in South Luangwa National Park on July 3 last year. Pictured: Alison Taylor Safari guides who were with the group fired shots at the elephant in a desperate attempt to stop it from charging at the women (file photo) Ms Chandler said the guide spotted a female elephant with a younger elephant, but the animals were in the distance and 'appeared peaceful'. 'The guide adjusted the walk so they were downwind and remained undetected,' she said. But what happened next occurred in 'a matter of seconds,' she said. 'The tracker saw the elephant charging from behind and shouted towards the scout, who fired a warning shot. The elephant did not stop. The elephant reached the group very quickly, and Janice fell.' The inquest was told the cause of death was traumatic thoracic injuries and an elephant attack. Recording her conclusion, Chandler said: 'Janice was on a walking safari and went out with all intent and purpose on what she intended to be a lovely excursion that day. She certainly didn't anticipate that it would end in the way that it very sadly did.' The elephant was hit and wounded by the gunshots, but the guides were unable to prevent the attack, and both women died at the scene. The pair of tourists had stayed for four days in the camp, and they were heading to another camp named Takwela Camp before the attack. A local posted a tribute to the two women. 'Near Big Lagoon Bush Camp, at sunrise, a walk meant to explore turned sorrowful when a nursing elephant, accompanied by her calf, charged out of instinct,' they said. 'Despite the presence of trained guides, the moment unfolded too swiftly.' The pair 'had spent four peaceful days immersed in nature's embrace. Their journey was meant to continue - but instead, we remember them for their courage, their curiosity, and their love for life's wild places', they added. According to the South Luangwa National Park website, the region's concentration of animals is one of the densest in all of Africa. Female elephants are very protective of their calves and can respond aggressively to what they perceive as threats. Senator Markwayne Mullin, who President Donald Trump picked to lead the Department of Homeland Security after ousting Secretary Kristi Noem, took back controversial comments Wednesday that he made about Alex Pretti. Mullin had called Pretti, the Minneapolis man gunned down by Customs and Border Patrol agents, a 'deranged individual' in the aftermath of the controversial shooting death. Asked about those comments during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, Mullin took them back - though he wouldn't go as far as issuing an apology. 'Those words probably should have been retracted,' Mullin testified. 'I shouldn't have said that, and as secretary I wouldn't.' He noted that the investigation into Pretti's death is ongoing. 'And like I said, there's sometimes I'm going to make a mistake and I'll own it,' the Oklahoma Republican continued. 'That one, I went out there too fast, I was responding immediately and without the facts, that's my fault. That won't happen as secretary.' Mullin was then asked if he regretted that statement and he answered in the affirmative. 'I already said that, yes, sir,' Mullin answered. Senator Markwayne Mullin retracted statements he made in the aftermath of Minneapolis man Alex Pretti's death in late January during a Senate confirmation hearing for Department of Homeland Security secretary on Wednesday Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti was killed in late January by Custom and Border Patrol agents prompting widespread outcry against President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies. If confirmed, Mullin will replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem When asked if he wanted to apologize to the family of Pretti, Mullin reiterated that he regretted his word choice. 'Is that the same as an apology?' asked Democratic Senator Gary Peters. 'I haven't seen the investigation. We'll let the investigation go through and if I'm proven wrong, then I will absolutely,' Mullin replied. Noem's tenure at the top of DHS was rocky, especially after the death of Pretti in late January and before him, Renee Good, another Minneapolis resident, who was shot and killed earlier in the month. The DHS secretary had quickly referred to Pretti - who was armed with a legally permitted gun when he was killed - as a 'domestic terrorist,' despite witnesses at the scene describing the incident much differently. Both Good and Pretti were American citizens. President Donald Trump handled the ordeal by sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. He announced on March 5 that Noem would be leaving her role, saying at the same time that Mullin was his pick to lead the agency. Join the discussion Do YOU trust Trumps DHS pick after his ICE raids U-turn? Posters with images of Alex Pretti (left) and Renee Good (right) displayed in Minneapolis in late January after Pretti was killed. The deaths of both US citizens were brought up by Democratic senators on Wednesday during Senator Markwayne Mullin's confirmation hearing Mullin was elected to the US Senate in 2023 in a special election. Oklahoma is a deep red state, so Republicans won't have to fear the seat flipping to a Democrat once Mullin is confirmed. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal also asked Mullin about comments he made in the aftermath of Good's death, as he had answered 'absolutely' when asked if the fatal shooting was justified. 'Senator, it's very clear that an officer had to make a split decision in that case, as the car was running toward him and did strike him. At that point, that car becomes a lethal weapon,' Mullin answered. He pointed out that another officer was 'obviously giving her verbal commands.' 'You're saying you do not regret that statement,' Blumenthal then asked. Mullin answered that 'the investigation is going on.' 'There is no investigation, senator,' Blumenthal responded, claiming that the Trump administration blocked state and local authorities from investigating Good's death. Mullin pointed out that the Department of Justice would handle that. However, the DOJ has already blocked a civil rights probe into the shooting. 'My understanding is that there is, I will find out if I'm able to get confirmed,' Mullin also said. Queensland residents have been warned today is the last day to prepare as a category four cyclone barrels towards the state. The Bureau of Meteorology said that Tropical Cyclone Narelle will cross the far north coast on Friday and bring wind gusts of up to 230km/h and as much as 100mm of rainfall. After crossing Cape York, the storm is expected to impact the Northern Territory before moving into Western Australia's Kimberley coast. When it reaches the NT, it is likely to be downgraded to a category three storm. The cyclone is expected to intensify into a category five system at 7pm on Thursday Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged residents to prepare immediately, with monstrous winds set to batter parts of the state on Thursday. 'By this time tomorrow you're not going to be able to go to the shops and pick up what you haven't got,' he says. 'Do those little things today.' Queensland residents have been warned today is the last day to prepare as a category four cyclone barrels towards the state Cooktown, north of Cairns, appears to be in the system's sights after it makes landfall further north at Coen. Mr Crisafulli warned it would bring powerful winds that many residents had never experienced before in their life. 'It'll actually go across, and it'll still be packing a punch as it goes through the Gulf on the western side as well,' he said. 'We're just asking people to take it seriously because it is a big system.' The last time the state experienced such a powerful weather system was when Tropical Cyclone Trevor hit in 2019. A warning zone has been declared between Lockhart River and Cape Tribulation. A watch zone has been established across the Central Peninsula between Kowanyama and Weipa. More than 100 emergency services personnel have been deployed to the areas that are expected to be hardest hit. Like many laid-back locals, Luke Pote doesn't usually stay up to date with weather advice at his remote community (pictured, flooding in Chinchilla on March 13) The Queensland Fire Department has advised residents to bring themselves up to date on the location of the refuge centres. 'It's been a full on wet season and we're not finished yet,' Cairns Division Acting Superintendent Neal Getti said. 'We're going to get a lot of rain with this system. Please don't enter floodwaters.' Despite the extreme conditions, residents like Luke Pote are continuing business as usual. Mr Pote owns Cooktown Orchid Travellers Park, one of the town's only grocery stores. 'We've got heaps of beer, food and fuel - we're good to go,' he said on Wednesday. 'We don't worry about it until it's right on our doorstop. There's nothing you can do about it anyway. 'The generators are ready to go - we plan for the wet season every year. We stock up on potatoes and pumpkins.' Mr Pote was shocked to discover the strength of Narelle. 'Really? Wow. I try not to watch the weather, but oh well. She'll be right,' he said. 'Honestly, it hasn't been that bad - there's not too much panic buying yet, I reckon there might be a bit of a rush though if we get hit by a five. 'But there's not much you can do but wait it out and get ready for the clean-up.' Donald Trump's former counterintelligence official blamed Israel for providing the US with faulty intelligence in the lead-up to the war with Iran and said the president should have continued negotiating with Tehran. Joe Kent, the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in his resignation letter Tuesday that Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was driven by pressure from Israel. 'Key decision makers were not allowed to express their opinions. There wasn't a robust debate,' Kent told Tucker Carlson on Wednesday. Kent argued that Trump should have created a communication backchannel with Iran and allow Israel to fight the war themselves. 'I think there's a potential there where we could have done several different things, we could have simply said to the Israelis, "No you will not, and if you do, we will take something away from you,"' he said. He added that 'Israeli officials will say all kind of things that simply isn't true' and said 'it did seem like Benjamin Netanyahu was in the White House quite a bit' as opposed to himself and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Without naming names, he said that staffers dissenting opinions in the administration were not allowed to speak to President Trump. Joe Kent continued to blame Israel for the US's involvement in the Iran War, continuing to argue that an imminent threat from Tehran 'simply did not exist' Fire breaks out at the Shahran oil depot after US and Israeli attacks, leaving numerous fuel tankers and vehicles in the area unusable in Tehran 'It seemed to be a foregone conclusion that this was happening.' Kent also warned that the next supreme leader of Iran that replaces Ali Khamenei will be 'more radical,' claiming that Ayatollah Khamenei 'was preventing them from getting a nuclear weapon.' 'Going aggressively after the ayatollah was the last thing we should have ever done.' He reiterated to Carlson, who has also criticized Donald Trump on the strikes, that there was no threat to America from Iran and that the war was done on behalf of Israel, citing Marco Rubio's statement shortly after the war began. 'This speaks to the broader issue: who is in charge of our policy in the Middle East? Who is in charge of when we decide to go to war or not?' He said that the president, Rubio and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson's public comments confirm that 'the Israelis drove the decision to take this action which we knew would set off a series of events,' meaning the Iranians would retaliate. Kent said there was no issue with the United States' alliance with Israel but the US had to be in charge of how they used those weapons. 'Its fine that we offer defense to Israel, but when were providing the means of defense, we get to dictate the terms of when they go on the offensive, otherwise they stand to lose that relationship,' he said. He did say that Iran has been a threat in the past and has praised Trump's actions in the Middle East in the past, but continues to say that this war was a bad decision Carlson who said he spent 'the last 24 hours' with Kent led into an interview by playing a chat he had with Kent in 2024, where he predicted that the war would go badly before asking Kent to explain his letter 'The Israelis felt emboldened that no matter what they did, they could take this action and we would just have to react.' Kent also said that there was 'a lobby' pushing us to go to war. He did say that Iran has been a threat in the past and has praised Trump's actions in the Middle East in the past, but continues to say that this war was a bad decision. Kent called the decision to quit 'crystal clear' but felt he couldn't influence the President any further. 'For me personally, watching more casualties come in, I just couldn't stand by and continue to soldier on in this, it's time to try something different. I've been on this path before, I've seen the data,' the Iraq War veteran said. He said that Trump should 'take a look and assess' what's happening and return to his 'no new wars, don't bleed out in the Middle East' policies that he ran on in 2024. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment. Kent, who served under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, accused the President of reneging on the non-interventionist principles he campaigned on. Kent, who deployed to combat 11 times and lost his wife Shannon in what he calls a war manufactured by Israel, is closely aligned with the populist 'America First' wing of the Trump administration, including Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance, who have both warned against new Middle East entanglements Smoke rises after airstrikes in Tehran, Iran 'Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,' the former Army Special Forces soldier wrote in his resignation letter. 'The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.' President Trump dismissed his argument when asked about it Tuesday, calling it a 'good thing that [Kent's] out,' adding he was 'very weak on security.' Kent, who deployed to combat 11 times and lost his wife Shannon in what he calls a war manufactured by Israel, is closely aligned with the populist 'America First' wing of the Trump administration, including Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance, who have both warned against new Middle East entanglements. His resignation lays bare a widening split inside Trumpworld. Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officials and members of the American media of running a 'misinformation campaign' to deceive the President into believing Iran posed an imminent threat, drawing a direct parallel to the lead-up to the Iraq war. The divide pits the Gabbard-Vance non-interventionist faction against hawkish Republicans who back US support for Israel and a harder line on Tehran. Trump's ongoing war has spiraled across the Middle East, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and deaths of 13 troops with hundreds more injured across seven countries. Gas prices have surged to an average of $3.80 a gallon from $2.90 before the conflict began three weeks ago, while the narrow strait through which a fifth of the world's oil flows remains blocked by the threat of Iranian mines and missiles. Kent warned that the next supreme leader of Iran that replaces Ali Khamenei will be 'more radical,' claiming that Ayatollah Khamenei 'was preventing them from getting a nuclear weapon' Kent is seen as a key ally of Vance, as both built their political careers opposing foreign wars and championing Trump's 'America First' principles. His foreign policy views were also backed by Gabbard, who is believed to be on the outs of Trump's inner circle following his decision to launch the war. Kent's decision to blame Israel for lobbying Trump to launch the war against Iran underscores a growing divide within the GOP over support for the US Middle Eastern ally. The resignation drew immediate praise from prominent 'America First' voices. Marjorie Taylor Greene called Kent 'a great American hero,' while Candace Owens went further, declaring Trump 'a shameful President' and calling on US troops to explore conscientious objection, calling Kent a 'patriot'. Not everyone was sympathetic. Pro-Israel activist Laura Loomer called Kent a 'notorious leaker' and predicted Gabbard would be next to go, claiming the resignation was timed to overshadow Gabbard's scheduled testimony before two Congressional intelligence committees. Loomer, who has previously clashed with Kent after he suggested she was a Mossad spy, described him as a 'Tucker Carlson acolyte who undermines President Trump every chance he gets.' Kent, 45, has a decorated military career spanning two decades in US Special Forces. He later joined the Central Intelligence Agency as a paramilitary officer following 11 combat tours in Iraq. His wife, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, was killed in a suicide bombing while serving in Syria. The couple had two young children. Following his wife's death, Kent launched his political career advocating against military intervention in the Middle East. Kent ran for Congress in February 2021 in Washington against Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, one of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. After a tough primary, Kent won the Republican nomination with the endorsement of Trump, but lost the general election against Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. He ran again in the same district in 2024 but lost again. Kent's 2021 campaign received financial support from Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. Thiel, at the time, also provided monetary support to other Republican figures during the 2021 GOP primaries, including Vance in Ohio. Britain's largest oil field could be producing thousands of barrels a day by the autumn if Ed Miliband gives a green light to its plans, according to its owner. The Energy Secretary must grant his approval for production to begin at the Rosebank site, which is off the coast of the Shetland Islands and is the North Sea's largest undeveloped site. The project's owner, Ithaca Energy, said on Wednesday it is 'entering the final stages of development towards first production' - with the site forecast to generate up to 500million barrels of oil and gas, or 70,000 barrels a day. Gas from Rosebank would be used in the UK and contribute to around 1 per cent of national needs. But the oil would have to be exported elsewhere in northern Europe, as the UK no longer has the refinery capabilities to process it. It comes just days after the industry group representing the UK's manufacturers told Mr Miliband he must urgently approve the project amid concerns over a new energy crisis. The outbreak of war in the Middle East has sparked fears over an energy crisis similar to the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Britain's largest oil field could be producing thousands of barrels a day by the autumn if Ed Miliband gives a green light to its plans, according to its owner The Energy Secretary must grant his approval for production to begin at the Rosebank site, which is off the coast of the Shetland Islands and is the North Sea's largest undeveloped site Your browser does not support iframes. Make UK this week called for Government action, arguing that 'historically high industrial energy costs are already preventing growth in UK manufacturing'. The group urged Mr Miliband to approve production at Rosebank, as well as allow work to start at Jackdaw, another undeveloped gas field in the North Sea. Both sites are licensed but are awaiting approval to start drilling, which requires passing environmental tests on emissions. Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said: 'Manufacturers are calling for the Government to act quickly to progress with the Rosebank and Jackdaw developments to mitigate energy costs and energy security because of the conflict in the Middle East.' US President Donald Trump has also fiercely advocated for the UK to 'open up' the North Sea and dial down its renewable energy efforts in favour of oil and gas production. Labour increased the level of the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits to 78 per cent and extended it until 2030 - as well as restricting new exploration licences. Mr Miliband told the BBC last week: 'New exploration licences in the North Sea, which some people are calling for, will not take a penny off people's bills.' Princess Beatrice has received a thoughtful Mother's Day gift from her nine-year-old stepson amid the ensuing fallout from her parents' controversial ties to Epstein. Dara Huang, the ex-fiancee of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, shared a video of their son Christopher 'Wolfie' Woolf Mapelli Mozzi, as he worked on a sweet card for Beatrice, 37. Captioned 'making his stepmom a Mother's Day card' with a heart, the video showed young Wolfie colouring in while sat at a table on a train, as Dara, 42, added: 'I taught him how to draw a (bee emoji)'. The footage offered a rare insight into Beatrice's loving role as a stepmother for young Wolfie during an incredibly tumultuous time - as she faces renewed scrutiny amid her parent's tranche of emails to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Dara and Edoardo first started dating in 2015 and in 2017 announced their joyous engagement. The following year, they welcomed their young son. However, their relationship was to be rather short-lived and they parted ways in 2018, just weeks before rumours broke out that Edoardo and Beatrice were in a relationship. Yet Edoardo is said to enjoy an amicable relationship with Dara, while Beatrice also plays a doting stepmother role in young Wolfie's life. The princess will no doubt have welcomed of young Wolfie's kind card amid heightened public scrutiny due to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson's controversial association with Epstein. Dara Huang, the ex-fiancee of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi , shared a video of their son Christopher 'Wolfie' Woolf Mapelli Mozzi, as he worked on a sweet Mother's Day card for Beatrice, 37 The footage offered a rare insight into Beatrice's loving role as a stepmother for young Wolfie (both pictured in December 2023) during an incredibly tumultuous time - as she faces renewed scrutiny amid her parent's tranche of emails to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein Both Beatrice and her sister Eugenie were recently dragged further into the scandal after The Mail on Sunday discovered he pushed for them to receive 100,000 in secret payments from a controversial billionaire he was helping while trade envoy. The newspaper has previously exposed how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor promoted the business interests of his financier friend David Rowland and his son Jonathan while on globetrotting taxpayer-funded trade missions. Investigations then uncovered an email revealing how Andrew discussed payments of 50,000 to each of his daughters, which could have been used to fund their lavish lifestyles. Andrew was apparently due to receive 300,000. Following the damning findings, MPs demanded to know whether the payments were made in return for Andrew's help in pushing the Rowlands' commercial ventures. The extraordinary revelation plunged Beatrice and Eugenie further into the controversy over their father's alleged abuse of his trade envoy position amid mounting questions over how the princesses afforded their jet-set lifestyle in their 20s. In November, the Daily Mail reported that Prince William had urged his cousins to allow an 'ethics' check on their finances and investments while King Charles had offered the services of one of his senior advisers. The offers of help and scrutiny were said to have been politely turned down. The futures of Beatrice and Eugenie have been cast into doubt after their parents' dramatic downfall. They feature more than 300 times in Epstein Files released by the US Department of Justice and have recently been keeping a low profile. Yet Beatrice's relationship with young Wolfie and Dara appears to have been unaltered by the scandal, while also offering a unique glimpse into Beatrice's family relations amid an incredibly turbulent time. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2024, Dara praised Beatrice's role as a loving figure for the now nine-year-old. Wolfie has had two sets of parents trying to help him on both sides, and I just think, "The more, the merrier",' she said. Wolfie was born in 2016 to millionaire property tycoon Edo and his then-girlfriend, American architect and designer, Dara Huang. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2024, Dara praised Beatrice's role as a loving figure for the now nine-year-old. Wolfie has had two sets of parents trying to help him on both sides, and I just think, "The more, the merrier",' she said. Pictured: Beatrice, Edoardo and Wolfie in 2022 Beatrice has gladly taken on the role of stepmother to Wolfie, calling him her 'bonus son' and introducing him into the royal fold, including at Kate Middleton's Together at Christmas carol service in Westminster Abbey in December 2023. Princess Beatrice has described becoming a stepmother to husband Edoardo's son Wolfie a 'great honour' and revealed she had had a 'remarkable time' re-reading her favourite stories with him during lockdown. The Queen's granddaughter became the first princess in the late Queen's family to marry someone with children when she wed property developer Edo in a private family ceremony at Windsor in July 2020. Wolfie made his first official appearance at a royal family event at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June 2022 as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. In 2022, he spent Christmas at Sandringham, holding hands with Edo and Beatrice as he took part in the annual walk at St Mary Magdalene church. And as the royal family welcomed Wolfie into their ranks with open arms, he also gained an extra grandmother in Beatrice's mother, Sarah Ferguson. Fergie, 66, has often spoken with incredible warmth about her eldest grandchild - and even included him in the dedications in her previous novel, 'Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods'. The former Duchess previously told the Mail on Sunday: 'I wrote Flora and Fern for my grandchildren and also my step grandson Wolfie. It is a special little story encouraging children to enjoy and respect nature and use their imagination to play.' The late Queen and Prince Philip 'rowed over biscuits' during a 2004 state visit to France, a lip reader has revealed. In a new Channel 5 documentary airing on Saturday, 21 March, at 8pm, royal insiders have taken a deeper look into what appears to have been a humorous tiff between Elizabeth II and her peckish husband while they were abroad, on official duties. The couple were in Paris, watching a calvary display by the elite Cadre Noir riding college, when Her Majesty began rifling through her handbag. According to Khalil Anwar, she then turned to Philip and said: 'I have mints in here'. Her husband then replied with something off-camera, to which Elizabeth 'snapped back': 'Yes, I have biscuits.' The late Duke of Edinburgh then allegedly responded: 'I only asked and you are being in a mood with me today. I would like this to be a nice day, today.' The lip-reader believes that the Queen tried to diffuse the situation, saying: 'Let's stop this now. Of course I don't want you to suffer.' The late Queen and Prince Philip rowed over biscuits during a 2004 state visit to France , a lip reader has revealed 'That's a delightful exchange,' royal commentator Ingrid Seward told the programme. 'Philip and the Queen used to bicker a lot, so it's quite interesting to see the boot on the other foot if you know what I mean. 'We always hear about Philip being rude to the Queen, but here's the Queen snapping at him.' Actress Nina Wadia also called the sweet spat 'hugely entertaining'. 'This is just every day real life,' she added. 'And I love that they are normal.' 'What's funny with this glimpse is everyone wants to know what's in the Queen's handbag,' Grant Howard, a former royal butler, also said. 'What it says to me is she basically had a walking buffet in that bag!' In a previous episode, a lip reader also revealed how King Charles got a scolding from his wife about swearing during his Coronation. In one instance, the monarch, visibly overwhelmed by the events of the day on May 6, 2023, appeared exhausted as he left Westminster Abbey following the ceremony. 'As Charles gets into the carriage, he lets out a sigh and then mutters, "f*** me",' said forensic lip reader Nicola Hickling on the documentary, airing on Saturday at 8.15pm. 'And then very quickly Camilla responds, "frankly, I don't want to hear that".' The exasperated expletive, said body language expert Adrianne Carter, showed 'the royals being as human as you and I'. 'He swears, he swears a lot, King Charles, doesn't he,' added royal analyst Cristo Foufas. 'Because he's the King we see him as incredibly classy... and there he is, saying "f*** me" as he gets into the carriage, because it's hard work! 'Sits down after effing and jeffing after obviously feeling very very worn out; and Camilla says, "I don't want to hear that!".' A few moments later, however, Nicola suggested it seemed like Camilla was trying to 'diffuse the mood' and appeared to tell Charles: 'Perhaps we should run off somewhere... don't wallow.' To this, however, Charles reportedly quickly replied: 'I don't have to smile.' The lip-reader added the King then seemingly 'grumbled' as he 'sarcastically' said: 'Oh we have to be happy and have manners do we?' In one final carriage exchange, Nicola claimed, Camilla simply asked: 'Are you alright?' To this, Charles reportedly said: 'No, not really.' 'I am with the King on this,' said former Royal Press Secretary Dickie Arbiter. 'There was obviously an element of frustration. At the age of 75, you're normally retired, but the monarchy doesn't retire... 'Fortunately Camilla was with him and Camilla's able to calm him down... He won't go OTT in her presence.' Lip-Reading The Royals: What Are They Really Saying? 8pm, Saturday, Channel 5 The Princess of Wales channelled Princess Diana this morning as she joined Prince William to welcome the Nigerian president and first lady ahead of their state visit. Kate, 44, took a leaf out of her mother-in-law's style book as she chose a coat dress with contrasting ivory-trim lapels from Tolu Coker, an up-and-coming British-Nigerian designer. Tolu already has a royal connect; King Charles attended her London Fashion Week show last month. The double-breasted style was reminiscent of the famous Catherine Walker coat that Princess Diana wore for Easter service at St George's Chapel in 1987. Kate's coat featured a pencil-cut skirt, 80s-style lapels, and a surprise lace-up detail at the back, as the princess finished her look with a matching Jane Taylor hat and snakeskin heels by Hugo Boss. The ensemble also bore a striking similarity to Diana's red Catherine Walker coat that she wore during a visit to the Dartmouth Naval College in 1989. Kate's sartorial tribute to Prince William's late mother also included a pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings that originally belonged to Diana. The earrings were originally a wedding gift to Diana from Collingwood, a trusted jeweller of the Spencer family. She began wearing them several weeks before her marriage to Prince Charles, and they quickly became one of her signature pieces Kate, 44, took a leaf out of her mother-in-law's style book as she chose a coat dress with contrasting ivory-trim lapels from Tolu Coker, an up-and-coming British-Nigerian designer. She is seen here with the Prince of Wales, Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu and first lady Oluremi Tinubu The double-breasted style was reminiscent of the famous Catherine Walker coat that Princess Diana wore for Easter service at St George's Chapel in 1987. Diana with William and Peter Phillips The ensemble also bore a striking similarity to Diana's red Catherine Walker coat that she wore during a visit to the Dartmouth Naval College in 1989 Since debuting the earrings at a state banquet in 2017, Kate has worn them on numerous occasions, including with the iconic Lover's Knot Tiara- another of Diana's favourites. The monarch is hosting Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife Oluremi Tinubu during their two-day state visit to the UK and will host a state banquet in St George's Hall later. William and Kate met the Tinubus at luxury spa hotel Fairmont Windsor Park, before escorting them by car to Windsor town centre to formally meet the King and Queen. The King and Queen then arrived at the Royal Dais in central Windsor, near the castle. Charles and Camilla were met with the national anthem, played by a military band. The King wore a morning suit and carrying a black top hat, while the Queen was in a pink wool crepe dress by Fiona Clare and a pink beret-shaped hat by Philip Treacy. Camilla was also wearing the late Queen Elizabeth II's Cartier flower clip pair of brooches, as crowds gathered to watch the welcome in the warm spring sunshine. The King, Camilla, William, Kate and Mr and Mrs Tinubu then travelled in a carriage procession in a show of traditional pomp and pageantry through Windsor to the castle's quadrangle to see the Guard of Honour for the ceremonial welcome. The King welcomed the Nigerian president with a broad smile and a handshake. Both the Prince and Princess of Wales greeted Camilla with a kiss on both cheeks, with Kate curtsying to Camilla and later the King. Kate's coat featured a pencil-cut skirt, 80s-style lapels, and a surprise lace-up detail at the back, as the princess finished her look with a matching Jane Taylor hat and snakeskin heels by Hugo Boss Kate's sartorial tribute to Prince William's late mother also included a pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings that originally belonged to Diana Kate styled her long bronde tresses loose waves It comes after Kate visited the Irish Guards for their annual St Patrick's Day parade. She wore a pair of rarely seen emerald earrings from her collection and accessorised her festive monochrome look with glittering earrings. She previously wore them for her memorable all-green look at the Earthshot Prize in Boston in 2022. The Emerald and Diamond Halo Earrings from luxury jeweller Asprey London include 72 dazzling diamonds (totalling 0.79ct) and four emeralds (totalling 1.27ct). While no longer available on the site, they appear to have been worth around 8,500. The future queen, who is colonel of the regiment, also opted for an Alexander McQueen coat today - adorned with a matching Gina Foster Millinery hat and 130 Merino Wool gloves from Cornelia James - as she greeted officers and guardsmen at Mons Barracks in Aldershot this morning. She finished the outfit with a black scarf, gloves, a belt and high-heeled boots from Ralph Lauren. Adding a sweet touch, Kate also wore a delicate gold shamrock brooch by Cartier, loaned by the Irish Guards. During the event, Kate was introduced to Lance Sergeant Mills, who led the drums and pipes during the parade, alongside his three-year-old daughter Vienna, who appeared rather taken with the princess. Playfully holding the youngster's arms and leaning her back while Vienna squealed with excitement, Kate, 44, crouched down and asked: 'Are you afraid of doing a roly poly?' As Vienna squealed and momentarily ran away, three-year-old Mila, daughter of Sergeant English, charmingly went over to greet the princess. In response, Kate took her hands and kindly asked, 'What's your name?' Showing her caring side, the future Queen then complimented the youngster on her delightful green dress. 'I love that!' said Kate, as she held the girl's hands and beamed at her with earnest. The incredibly 'sweet moment' of the princess and the excited young girls delighted royal fans, who soon took to X to praise Kate for being 'so warm and caring' with the 'adorable' youngsters. On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Reading the Royals, Richard Eden charts the extraordinary life of Princess Alexandra, an often forgotten royal whose 70 years of service have transformed the institution in ways few people know. Alexandra was born on Christmas Day 1936, a moment of rare joy for a Royal Family reeling from the abdication of King Edward VIII just two weeks earlier. When she was born, the now 89-year-old princess was sixth in line to the throne, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Her father, Prince George, Duke of Kent, who tragically died during the Second World War when Alexandra was just five years old, was the son of King George V. Beginning royal duties aged 15 in 1952, Alexandra came of age at a turning point for women in the Royal Family. In doing so, she forged a path for later royals to follow, including Princesses Anne, Sophie and Catherine. As one of the most active working royals of the twentieth century, host Eden reveals the various ways Alexandra's life altered Royal history, beginning with a medieval custom that died with her birth. Alexandra was born on Christmas Day 1936, a moment of rare joy for a Royal Family reeling from the abdication of King Edward VIII just two weeks earlier On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Reading the Royals , Richard Eden charts the extraordinary life of Princess Alexandra As one of the most active working royals of the twentieth century, host Eden reveals the various ways Alexandra's life altered Royal history How Princess Alexandra made history Until 1936, all Royal births had to undergo an official process known as verification. This centuries old custom saw the serving Home Secretary awkwardly sit in and watch the birth of a new prince or princess. Verification began in the late 17th century, after rumours that a Catholic heir had been smuggled into the Royal bedchamber sparked the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Alexandra's birth was the last ever to be verified, as Eden explains: 'It may sound ridiculous now, but the Home Secretary had to be present at the birth of any potential heir to the throne. 'John Simon was the last Home Secretary ever to carry out this duty for Princess Alexandra.' King George VI is believed to have formally abolished the practice shortly after Alexandra's birth, having decided it served no practical purpose in the modern age. The princess inadvertently made history once again just one year later, when she was christened in what is now known as the old chapel at Buckingham Palace. The chapel was destroyed by a bomb during the Blitz in September 1940, one of nine direct hits sustained by the Palace, making Alexandra the last royal baby ever to be baptised there. After the war, Alexandra's mother Princess Marina of Greece made a radical decision over her daughter's education, one that would rewrite the rules for every princess that followed. Before 1947, royal children were taught exclusively by private tutors at home. Mixing with commoners was considered beneath the family's station, leaving princesses isolated from the real world and the social education that came with it. With Alexandra, tradition was broken once again. Eden said: 'Alexandra was the first British princess to be sent to boarding school. She was sent away to the exclusive Heathfield school near Ascot in 1947. Hear Richard Eden's full breakdown of Alexandra's extraordinary life by subscribing to the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential YouTube channel. 'Unknowingly, she opened the door for the likes of Princesses Anne, Beatrice and Eugenie and who knows, maybe Princess Charlotte will be next on that list.' As a working royal, Alexandra has been exceptionally busy, serving as patron of more than 100 charities and at her peak undertaking over 120 engagements a year. She even represented the Crown at Nigeria's independence ceremony in 1960, such was the trust the Royal Family placed in her. Another first for Alexandra came in 1964, when she was appointed founding Chancellor of Lancaster University, a post she would hold for 40 years. Alexandra has served as an informal mentor to younger royals who married into the family, most notably Princess Sophie and Princess Catherine, guiding them through the demands of public royal life. 'She may be a Princess you have never heard of until today, but now I am sure you will find it hard to forget her', Eden said. To hear Richard Eden's full breakdown of Alexandra's extraordinary life, subscribe to the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential YouTube channel. This is the shocking moment a dancing robot goes berserk at a restaurant, sending food flying while staff try to drag it away. Customers at the Haidilao hotpot restaurant in San Jose, California, were enjoying their meals when a humanoid started showing off some moves. While performing a dance routine, involving waving its arms and shaking its hips, the robot suddenly slams its hands down on a table. This sends chopsticks and bright yellow sauce flying into the air, while staff race over to try and turn it off. But the humanoid continues to dance throughout the altercation which saw three employees wrestle with the robot and try to drag it away by the scruff of its neck. The clip has gone viral online, with many people finding the malfunction comical. One warned that 'this is how the takeover begins', while another joked: 'This puts a new spin on "doing the robot".' However, it wasn't all fun and games, as one concerned viewer added: 'All jokes aside, shouldn't there always be a big red button or a kill switch somewhere on the robot?' The incident starts out harmlessly enough, with the robot busting some moves to impress diners It all goes wrong when the robot slams its hands down on a table, sending chopsticks flying and prompting staff to intervene. The humanoid continues to dance while being apprehended During the chaotic scene, one employee can be seen holding the robot by a large handle at the back of its neck while desperately searching on her phone presumably to find the controls. Staff trying to apprehend the humanoid were forced to periodically duck out the way to avoid being hit by its waving hands. Some of the robot's moves include putting its hands on its hips while stamping its legs and waving an arm up and down in the air. Luckily the customers did not seem to mind their food being thrown around, and could be heard hysterically laughing. The incident appears to have been part of a promotional event for Disney's 'Zootopia 2' at the restaurant. According to Chinese business and financial news website, Jiemian Global, the Haidilao chain is run by a company known for investing in automated kitchens featuring robot chefs, as well as robot food deliveries. One person on X joked that the robot 'has no regrets' and 'just wants to dance'. Someone else wrote: 'This is the most human thing a robot has ever done. Hated the job, made a scene, no regrets.' Some of the robot's moves include putting its hands on its hips and stamping its legs and waving its arms in the air. A total of three employees were forced to intervene, grabbing the robot by the scruff of its neck And another said: 'This is how the "Terminator" timeline actually begins. Not with a bang, but with a boogie.' Some online commentators have speculated that the humanoid is an AGIBOT X2, a machine that boasts humanoid gait, complex dance routines and coordinated head movements. Haidilao has been contacted for comment about the incident. This isn't the first time an out-of-control robot has hit the headlines this week. Earlier this week, a humanoid robot was detained by police after terrifying an elderly woman in China. According to local authorities, the 70yearold woman was startled by the robot when she suddenly noticed it standing behind her. A viral clip shows the woman yelling and waving her bag at the diminutive bot, which repeatedly raises its arms in the air. Footage then shows two police officers escorting the Unitree G1 down the road, with one leading the robot by its shoulder. While the robot was not officially arrested, police did remove it from the scene and returned it to its operator, a man in his 50s, who was reminded to exercise caution. The closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Holy Week has sparked fears that biblical prophecies about the Antichrist may be coming to pass. Constructed under Roman Emperor Constantine, the nearly 1,700-year-old shrine is believed to mark the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Thousands of worshippers and tourists visit the site during Holy Week, with attendance for the Holy Saturday Holy Fire ceremony often reaching 10,000 in peak years. Iranian ballistic missiles have exploded over Jerusalem, scattering debris across multiple areas of the city, including near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, forcing Israeli officials to close the sacred doors indefinitely, along with access to all holy sites in the region. While the unprecedented move was a result of war, some observers have pointed to passages in the Book of Revelation that describe a period of upheaval and persecution in the final days, specifically 'where also their Lord was crucified.' In Revelation 11, the text describes two prophetic witnesses who preach in a holy city before being killed by a powerful figure known as the 'beast,' often interpreted by some as the Antichrist. The Antichrist is a figure in Christian theology believed to be a powerful deceiver who will oppose Jesus Christ and lead many people away from the faith before the end of the world. The passages also speak of the city being 'trampled' for a set period, alongside widespread fear, destruction and divine judgment. Though the scripture does not refer to any specific modern location or event, some see parallels in the disruption of worship at one of Christianity's most sacred sites, particularly during one of its holiest weeks. Israel has closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre indefinitely due to escalating security concerns as the war in Iran intensifies Israeli police said that on Monday afternoon local time, fragments struck sites in Jerusalem's Old City, including a few hundred feet from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, injuring at least one person Biblical scholars, however, caution that such passages are widely understood to be symbolic or tied to early Christian contexts, rather than direct predictions of present-day events. In the Book of Revelation, the text describes a period in which a holy city is overrun for a set time while two prophetic witnesses deliver warnings and perform signs. The account culminates in their deaths at the hands of a figure known as the 'beast,' followed by their sudden revival and a destructive earthquake that strikes the city. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the second most visited attraction in Israel, with over two million annual visitors, following the Western Wall - the last remaining remnant of the Second Temple complex destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. Church leaders in the Holy Land have called the closure unprecedented, as even during past wars and periods of tension, worship at the site continued in some form. The move highlights how escalating tensions are now reaching even the most sacred and historically resilient religious sites in Jerusalem. There were no casualties or major damage reported at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the nearby hilltop plateau known to Muslims and to Jews as Temple Mount, a flashpoint site that is holy to both faiths. Photos distributed by police showed debris sitting on a red-tiled roof adjacent to the Holy Sepulchre. Photos distributed by police showed debris sitting on a red-tiled roof adjacent to the Holy Sepulchre Church leaders in the Holy Land have called the closure unprecedented, as even during past wars and periods of tension, worship at the site continued in some form Another image showed a police cordon around a small area in the Al-Aqsa compound plaza, which also houses the golden Dome of the Rock, with small fragments strewn on the floor. The shutdown has drawn strong reaction from Christians worldwide, especially in Greece, where the church plays a central role in the Holy Fire tradition. In the days leading up to Easter, the flame is flown to Athens and shared across the country as part of Resurrection celebrations. For centuries, the church has remained open to worshippers even during periods of conflict, making the current closure especially striking. Israeli soldiers are guarding the church during the closure The church, which is nearly 5,400 square feet, was built above a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Venus in 335 AD. The construction was commissioned by Emperor Constantine I, and during the conversion, a tomb was uncovered that is believed to be that of Jesus, who died nearly 300 years earlier. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was under attack throughout centuries, destroyed by the Persian army in 614, nearly demolished in 1009 and then burst into flames during the 1800s. The White House has registered the domain 'aliens.gov,' sparking fresh speculation that President Donald Trump's long-awaited UFO disclosure may be imminent. The domain, linked to the Executive Office of the President, was flagged on Wednesday by an automated tracker of federal websites. However, it is also listed in the government's official .gov registry maintained by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Registry records show it was recently added under the White House Office alongside other official government sites, confirming it as a legitimate federal web address, though its purpose has not been publicly disclosed. The website is not currently live, but the domain has been reserved. The discovery has raised questions about whether it could be used as a future portal for documents tied to Trump's push for greater transparency on unidentified aerial phenomena. In February, Trump directed federal agencies, including the Pentagon, to begin identifying and releasing files related to UFOs, also known as UAPs, and potential extraterrestrial activity. 'Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War... to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs),' Trump wrote on Truth Social on February 19. Records from that registry show the domain was recently added under the White House Office, alongside other official government sites, confirming it as a legitimate federal web address despite no public explanation for its purpose The domain comes weeks after Trump announced he would order federal agencies and the Pentagon to begin releasing, or identifying for release, government files related to UFOs (UAPs) and extraterrestrial life Trump has since gone quiet about his plans to release government files related to UFOs and extraterrestrial life. However, the war with Iran began shortly after he announced it in February. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued an update about five days later, saying: 'We've got our people working on it right now. I don't want to oversell how much time it will take, right? 'We're digging in. We're going to be in full compliance with that executive order, eager to provide that for the president.' Hegseth didn't have an estimate of how long it would take for the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies to release every piece of information on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), which have been widely reported throughout the US since the 1940s. Asked if he believes aliens exist, Hegseth replied: 'We'll see. I get to do the review and find out along with all of you.' Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who was put in charge of the House Oversight Committee's task force on declassifying secret records on UAPs, revealed that all of the incoming documents will be housed on the US National Archives' website. Until now, the Pentagon has maintained for decades that no physical evidence of extraterrestrial life has ever been found by the US, and videos capturing suspected UFOs have never been confirmed to be of a non-human origin. Trump's order, however, followed statements made by former President Barack Obama, who had declared aliens were real. Donald Trump said that he's directed Pete Hegseth to release government files related to aliens, extraterrestrial life and UFOs Join the discussion Would you trust the government to be fully transparent about alien life? The former president was asked if aliens are real while speaking with Brian Tyler Cohen, to which he responded: ' Uh, they're real, but I haven't seen them,' he said, before immediately addressing speculation surrounding Area 51, the secretive US military facility in Nevada that has long been at the center of extraterrestrial conspiracy theories. 'And they're not being kept in uh what is it? Area 51!' Obama continued. 'There's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.' His comments, delivered with a mix of humor and authority, amounted to a clear rejection of claims that the U.S. government is secretly housing alien life forms at the classified base. Area 51 has fueled decades of speculation, particularly since the Cold War, when its remote desert location and classified operations made it a natural target for rumors about UFOs and extraterrestrial cover-ups. The US government has acknowledged the facility's existence but has consistently said it is used for testing advanced military aircraft. This is a developing story... More updates to come. The discovery of a Roman artifact in the Americas has sparked a debate about who truly discovered the New World. While Christopher Columbus is hailed as the first in 1492, archaeologists uncovered a small terracotta head of a bearded man carved with distinctive European features tucked inside a Mexican tomb. The artifact, known as the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head, was discovered in 1933 inside a sealed pre-Hispanic burial beneath multiple intact layers, indicating it had not been disturbed after its placement. Experts say its facial features, beard style and craftsmanship bear a striking resemblance to objects from the ancient Mediterranean rather than indigenous Mesoamerican traditions. German archaeologist Bernard Andreae later concluded in the 1960s that the piece was 'without any doubt Roman,' linking it stylistically to the Severan period of the Roman Empire around 200 AD. Scientific testing using thermoluminescence dating, a method that determines the age of ceramics and pottery by measuring the light emitted when heated, further supported its antiquity, suggesting the artifact predates European contact with the Americas. The burial itself has been dated to the late 15th century, just years before Hernan Cortes arrived, creating a timeline that does not easily explain how a Roman object could have been placed there. All of this has led to a controversial idea that the Romans may have discovered the Americas more than a thousand years before Columbus. Experts say its facial features, beard style and craftsmanship bear a striking resemblance to objects from the ancient Mediterranean rather than indigenous Mesoamerican traditions Andreae shared in a study: 'The stylistic examination tells us more precisely that it is a Roman work from around the 2nd century AD, and the hairstyle and the shape of the beard present the typical traits of the Severan emperors' period [193-235 AD], exactly in the "fashion" of the epoch.' Although the most recent research on the artifact dates back to 2001, the discovery was brought back into focus this week in a report by Arkeonews. Despite the excitement surrounding the artifact, many archaeologists have remained cautious, warning that extraordinary claims require equally strong evidence. They pointed out that no Roman ships, settlements or other objects have ever been found in the Americas to support such a journey. One of the most frequently cited explanations is that the head may have been introduced to the burial site long after its creation. Some researchers have suggested that it could have arrived during the early years of European exploration, when objects were sometimes traded, transported or even lost far from their source. Others have raised the possibility of an archaeological hoax, noting gaps in excavation records from the 1933 dig led by Jose Garcia Payon. According to later accounts, Payon was not always present during the excavation, leaving open the chance that the artifact could have been planted. German archaeologist Bernard Andreae later concluded in the 1960s that the piece was 'without any doubt Roman,' linking it stylistically to the Severan period of the Roman Empire around 200 AD However, supporters of the artifact's authenticity argued that the context of the discovery makes such explanations difficult to accept. The head was reportedly found in a sealed burial beneath multiple intact floor layers, a detail that suggests the site had remained undisturbed for centuries. If accurate, that context significantly limits the likelihood that the object was introduced at a later date. It would also mean the artifact was placed in the grave before the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century, deepening the mystery of how it got there. Another theory gaining attention involves the possibility of accidental transatlantic contact. Some researchers believe that ancient ships from the Mediterranean, whether Roman, Phoenician or Berber, could have been carried across the Atlantic by powerful ocean currents. Under this scenario, a vessel may have drifted off course and reached the shores of the Americas, where its cargo could have been recovered and eventually traded inland. The artifact, known as the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head, was discovered in 1933 inside a sealed pre-Hispanic burial beneath multiple intact layers, indicating it had not been disturbed after its placement (stock image) Over time, the object may have been incorporated into local cultural or burial practices, losing any trace of its original journey. While this idea may sound impossible, oceanographers have noted that currents such as the Canary Current and the North Equatorial Current can, under the right conditions, carry debris across vast distances. However, critics emphasize that there is no concrete archaeological evidence to support a Roman presence in the Americas beyond this single artifact. Without additional discoveries, they argue, the theory remains speculative. The debate also highlights a broader challenge within archaeology: how to interpret anomalies that do not fit neatly into established historical narratives. For decades, the idea that Europeans reached the Americas before Columbus was widely dismissed. That changed with the confirmation of Norse settlements at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, proving that transatlantic contact occurred centuries earlier than once believed. To some researchers, the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca head represents a similar anomaly, one that may eventually be explained through new evidence or more advanced scientific analysis. Jasmine Crockett has defended her fugitive bodyguard, who was shot and killed in a standoff with law enforcement, as she claimed to be unaware of his criminal past. Diamon-Maziarre Robinson, 39, died Wednesday night following a chase with the Dallas police, who said he was wanted for impersonating an officer. Robinson also had several felony warrants, a parole violation warrant, and an extensive criminal record, with arrests for seven instances of theft between 2009 and 2017. Despite this, he still managed to operate a business placing local police officers in off-duty security jobs and ended up working with Crockett's security detail. The Texas lawmaker spoke out on Monday after authorities revealed that Robinson had used a number of aliases, stolen government license plates, and fake uniforms to operate his firm. Still, Crockett insisted that Robinson 'always conducted himself respectfully' as she praised his work, which she claimed also saw him embedded with Capitol Police, adding 'our hearts grieve the loss of someone we knew.' 'He never endangered our team, worked diligently, coordinated with local law enforcement and maintained positive relationships throughout the community,' the Democrat congresswoman said. Long rap sheet: Jasmine Crockett claimed not to know about the criminal record of Diamon-Maziarre Robinson (left) SWAT stand-off: Bodycam footage from the fatal shooting of Robinson was released on Monday Crockett blamed 'loopholes' in the hiring process for Robinson being able to sneak through and work for her and her team 'for years', but also said that his past 'doesn't fit the person' she knew. 'We are saddened and shocked by some of the concerning revelations,' she added. 'Our team followed all protocols outlined by the House to contract additional security. 'We were approved to use this vendor, who also provided security services for additional entities in the local community and worked closely with law enforcement agencies, including Capitol Police. 'The fact that this individual was able to somehow circumvent the vetting process for something as sensitive as security for a member of Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems.' Wanted for impersonating a cop: Diamon-Maziarre Robinson died Wednesday night following a police chase She even suggested that Capitol Police should take charge of providing security, even getting in a dig at nemesis Donald Trump. 'This situation reiterates the need for Capitol Police to provide security for members of Congress, especially under this administration's new normal of inciting attacks on those who dare to speak out.' Despite the accusations of identity theft and impersonating a law enforcement officer, Crockett said he 'used those loopholes without malice,' adding that his 'limited criminal history' contained no violent offenses. Robinson would allegedly tell potential officers he was one of them and promise security jobs under the name Mike King, according to the police. Dallas Deputy Police Chief William Griffith claimed Monday that Robinson had run the deception for 'many years.' Slipped through the cracks: Crockett blamed 'loopholes' in the hiring process Tragic end: Dallas Deputy Police Chief William Griffith claimed Monday that Robinson had run the deception for 'many years' 'The agencies that he reported to work for do not exist. So dignitaries, basically special dignitary police, that agency does not exist within the federal government. So that's who he portrayed to be. There was no actual federal agency that he worked for that existed,' he said. But Crockett claimed that the man she knew was an upstanding member of her security staff. 'There was never any reason to suspect that he wasn't who he held himself out to be,' she said. 'Our hearts grieve the loss of someone we knew and the lost good that could have come from his redemption.' Evidence: The gun found at the scene belonging to Robinson when he was shot Capitol Police told the Daily Mail on Tuesday morning that Robinson has never worked for them, nor been affiliated with their police department. In the body camera footage, officers ask Robinson to get out of the car and 'stand up' before they notice he is armed. 'Don't reach! Don't do it! Don't do it! Show your hands! Don't do it!' an officer shouts before multiple gunshots go off. Police found 11 weapons in Robinson's possession, including one that was stolen. Seven arrests: Robinson had several felony warrants, as well as a parole violation warrant and an extensive criminal record They also claimed he was using multiple vehicles - a black GMC Yukon and a white Ford F-250 - that had been reported as stolen. Those vehicles, as well as a silver Dodge Charger he had been operating, all displayed stolen government license plates. The fugitive led cops into the Childrens Medical Center Dallas hospital parking garage shortly before midnight last Wednesday, before barricading himself inside a vehicle. He was eventually forced out of the car by tear gas and was shot and killed when he pulled a gun on officers, police said. Bodyguard: Crockett greets supporters with 39-year-old Robinson in Dallas on February 27 While Robinson was not a police officer, he had worked a number of security jobs, including on Representative Crockett's detail in both Washington, DC and in Texas, according to CBS. He was frequently seen by her side as she campaigned in recent months for the Democratic Party's Senate nomination in Texas, which she lost to James Talarico. Sources told CBS that Robinson's role on Crockett's detail saw him organize security at a number of her events. Documents show that a person named Mike King was paid by Crockett for 'security services' as recently as last year, the outlet reported. Robinson's role in her security team comes after her campaign developed a reputation for having guards escort journalists out of events and being combative with the press. In two incidents in late February, Crockett's campaign called police on a CNN reporter and a correspondent with The Atlantic, escorting them off the premises at campaign rallies. The firebrand Democrat lost her Senate race to Talarico earlier this month after complaining that voting irregularities cost her the nomination. Art has always been at the heart of Saudi culture. From the intricate rock carvings of AIUIa to the rhythms of classic poetry and hand-woven crafts, the artist has always been the respected keeper of stories. Today, a breathtaking new chapter is taking form, combining state-of-the-art digital museums and works in the open-air with dazzling new buildings designed for display and a vibrant collection of private galleries. It puts Saudi artists and creative thinkers on the world stage, inviting travelers into a Saudi's vibrant artistic soul, celebrating tradition and painting the future of art. A visit to one of the many galleries and museums is a must-do. Here are a few to keep in mind Biensalsur art SAMoCA, Riyadh Saudi's new wave of museums Explore flagship institutions that aren't just vast in scale, they're also often housed in architectural marvels that could be considered artworks in their own right. teamLab Borderless, Historic Jeddah Discover a world where art has no limits. Developed in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Culture, Borderless Jeddah is the first teamLab museum to open in the Middle East. An immersive digital art location spanning 10,000 square feet, the museum offers an extraordinary experience of interlinked and independent artworks that transcend physical borders. Art here isn't just on the walls, it moves and flows around you. You are invited to wander, explore, and discover in this museum without a map, with forests of light and digital waves that respond to your touch, it feels like a dream world. King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), Dhahran You'll see the Ithra before you arrive, a great cluster of giant smooth stones. Named after the Arabic word for enrichment, it is a showcase for Saudi's contemporary art scene. It starts with the building itself: the collection of stones symbolizing unity in a powerful expression of time passing. With different areas representing the past, present, and future, the linked galleries feature an archive of traditional Saudi and Islamic art alongside contemporary Middle Eastern artists. The changing exhibitions are designed to ignite your curiosity and conversation, inspiring cultural expression. SAMOCA (Museum of Contemporary Saudi Art), Riyadh Tucked into the artistic JAX District of Diriyah, an industrial heritage site that has been transformed into a hub of creativity. SAMOCA is one of the most distinguished artistic locations in the country, transformed from industrial to a high-ceilinged sanctuary for artistic thought. A dynamic space with rotating exhibitions by artists across the Kingdom and around the world, it is an intensely lively location with a beating heart ripe for artistic expression and offering local artists exhibition space and an exchange of ideas and knowledge. SAMOCA is one of the most distinguished artistic locations in the country, transformed from industrial to a high-ceilinged sanctuary for artistic thought Contemporary Art, Riyadh Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh You'll find the future here. At the cutting edge of contemporary creativity, Diriyah Art Futures opened in 2024, as the first museum in the Gulf designed explicitly and exclusively for digital art. The buildings themselves are beautiful, a modern design of mudbrick and Riyadh stone that also seems to emerge organically from the rocks on which they are built. Within, the technology is formidable: a hypermodern contemporary art where AI, virtual reality and new media will challenge your perception of art. Leading private galleries Discover more about the local art market and the up-and-coming set to make it big in the art world at these private, commercial galleries. ATHR Art Galleries, Jeddah, AlUla, and Riyadh The flagship ATHR gallery in Jeddah was founded in 2009, and the cultural pioneers have since opened two more galleries in other creative cities. The aim is to push boundaries, shape narratives and foster a creative community that continues to evolve and flourish. The artists exhibited at ATHR range from traditional painters and sculptors to multimedia contemporary artists, experimenting with new disciplines and materials. The gallery is a springboard for local artists to gain greater visibility in the global art world and a place where you can discover the creators pushing boundaries today. Naila Art Gallery, Riyadh The most prominent modern art gallery in Riyadh, Naila is a foundational hub for art appreciation, with a dynamic program of exhibitions. It seeks to bridge the gap between local artists and the global art world, supporting the local creative community by championing contemporary local voices and engaging with diverse audiences. Naila is also at the forefront of digital solutions in the art world, using new technologies to help viewers fully immerse themselves in the artists' visions. Join a talk, or a workshop, or simply admire the works by local artists. Artist-run spaces Step into these spaces for a more personal, intimate look at the pioneers of the Saudi art movement. Darat Safeya Binzagr, Jeddah This space is so much more than a gallery, it is the personal studio of artist Safeya Binzagr, with an ever-changing exhibition of her works. Her art is saturated and colorful, deeply rooted in heritage and tradition, yet with a distinctive style that locates it firmly in the modern world. Considered one of the pioneers of fine art in the Kingdom, she envisaged the Darat as a cultural platform to inspire the next generation. Her paintings are a yearning for the Old Jeddah of her youth, a reconstruction of the past with the eyes of a contemporary soul. A major cultural destination Some experiences can't be contained within four walls. This sprawling ancient landscape is being transformed into a world-class cultural destination Ashar Valley, AlUla AlUla On the edge of the oasis, the city of AlUla is a significant cultural destination in its own right, where art interacts with the monumental scale of nature. The biannual Desert X AlUla arts festival has proved a magnet for Saudi and international artists, who flock to the city to construct enormous installations on the sands, for visitors to wander among, awestruck at the artworks soaring overhead against the blue sky. A purpose-built art museum in the city is slated to open its doors soon, as is Wadi AlFann, the Valley of the Arts, which seeks to explore how landscapes interact with art, artists, and viewers. The collection of permanent, era-defining works will be placed in the stunning landscape, complementing its monumental scale. In the AlJadidah Arts District, Design Space has recently opened its doors as a sanctuary for the exploration of heritage and creativity in design. With workshops, exhibitions, and masterclasses, Design Space is a vibrant exchange of ideas, located in a new venue that draws inspiration from the desert to integrate harmoniously with its surroundings. Saudi Arabia is already a new international centre for contemporary art, and it's only looking forward. A place where innovation thrives and heritage is honored, its international profile is growing all the time. With many new galleries and exhibitions opening, the country is the latest destination for engaging with some of the most exciting artistic visions in the world. Find out more at ministry of culture Museums Commission https://museums.moc.gov.sa/en As the conflict in the Middle East continues, jet fuel has been impacted - with rising costs and shortages making travel difficult for some airlines. It has resulted in one major European carrier to make the first move in cutting back its flights because of the situation. Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), based in Stockholm, has announced it would be cancelling some routes due to the 'sharp and sudden increase' in the cost of jet fuel. Hundreds of flights operates by the flag carrier for Sweden, Denmark and Norway are said to be scrapped. A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Given the ongoing situation in the Middle East, including the sharp and sudden increase in global fuel prices, we, just like many other airlines, have taken measures to strengthen our resilience. 'This includes a limited number of shortterm adjustments to our traffic program during March and April. 'We are consolidating capacity on departures where there are good sameday alternative connections, in order to maintain reliable travel options for our customers.' As the conflict in the Middle East continues, jet fuel has been impacted - with rising costs and shortages making travel difficult for some airlines Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), based in Stockholm, has announced it would be cancelling some routes due to the 'sharp and sudden increase' in the cost of jet fuel The cutbacks are reported to mostly impact shorter routes within Scandinavia, where alternative travel options can replace the journeys, according to The Telegraph. SAS added that affected customers are being informed and are being offered 'rebooking to other departures'. 'Our aim is always to provide clear information as early as possible and to offer practical sameday alternatives wherever feasible,' the airline continued. The carrier explained it did not know the 'exact number of cancellations, as this depends on the evolving situation, nor specific routes but as mentioned, we are keeping the adjustments as limited as possible and focused on routes where customers can be rebooked the same day'. 'The decision to make these shortterm adjustments is about acting early in response to a global cost shock that is affecting the entire industry,' the spokesperson added. 'Aviation plays a central role in connecting people and enabling global trade. In such a volatile environment, it is responsible to act early, adjust capacity to the circumstances, and at the same time safeguard reliable connections for our passengers.' The move makes SAS the largest major airline to cancel routes due to the fuel situation. The war between the US/Israel and Iran has seen the main transit route for jet fuel from the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz which lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman effectively closed in recent days. The Gulf currently supplies around 50 per cent of airlines based in Europe, with consumers already taking the hit directly in increased flight prices. Those with flights already booked won't be asked to pay additional fees. The price of a ton of jet fuel bound for north-west Europe before the first strikes on Iran on February 28th was around $830 (621). As a result, jet fuel from the Middle East to north-west Europe has almost doubled in cost over the last two weeks. Ryanair boss, Michael O'Leary, explained earlier this month how the budget airline shouldn't be impacted by the fuel costs Some airlines have been hedging their fuel supplies, which has allowed them to protect themselves somewhat from the prices. Ryanair boss, Michael O'Leary, explained earlier this month how the budget airline shouldn't be impacted by the fuel costs. 'We're hedged for the next 12 months out to March 2027 at about $67 per barrel. So it won't affect our costs and it won't affect our low fares,' he said. Meanwhile, International Airlines Group (IAG), which operates British Airways, also revealed it had hedged 80 per cent of its fuel for the rest of this month and 70 per cent for the second quarter. Skyscanner's travel expert Laura Lindsay recently warned flight costs could soon go up as airlines face increased costs. She previously told the Daily Mail: 'As we've seen before in the aftermath of previous conflicts and following the pandemic, we would expect providers to continue to offer good value and flexibility in order to remain competitive, which ultimately means more consumer choice. 'While we may see some carriers increase fares to offset increased costs, most airlines will do everything they can to price attractively to stay ahead of the competition.' In the case of IAG, its hedging will decrease to less than 60 per cent in time for the busy summer months. This could result in higher costs for the airline, and its passengers, if the war continues. Last week, Hong Kong aviation giant Cathay Pacific introduced an emergency fuel surcharge, effectively doubling it on most of its routes. Cathay Group's CEO Ronald Lam told a Wednesday media session the cost of fuel so far this month is double the average of the previous two months. The hike in fees will apply to tickets from March 18, the statement said. The surcharge will be effectively doubled for tickets between Hong Kong and Europe that were purchased in Hong Kong, it will rise from HK$569 (around US$73) to HK$1164 (about US$149). Meanwhile, flights to destinations like the Maldives saw a sharp increase in prices for direct routes that avoid stopovers in Middle Eastern hubs. Cathay Group's CEO Ronald Lam told a Wednesday media session the cost of fuel so far this month is double the average of the previous two months As the situation develops and jet fuel supplies and flight prices remain uncertain, experts have revealed their take on how to avoid the hiked costs. James Noel-Beswick, head of commodities at Sparta Commodities, a market intelligence firm, told The Telegraph 'the case for booking sooner rather than later is reasonably compelling' in regards to flight prices. He added: 'Jet fuel costs are already running at elevated levels, and we expect further upward pressure in the weeks ahead as the market digests events in the Gulf. 'Those costs will, with the usual lag, work their way into airline ticket prices; carriers can absorb the pain for only so long before it is passed on to the passenger.' Or you might be interested in using the 'somewhat unethical travel hack' for cheap flights recommended by Camila Zilveti, who has visited 94 different countries, and never paid more than $1000 (747) for a return flight. Camilla, who goes by @camilazilveti on TikTok, thinks now might be a good time to book your next flight. In a video, according to BroBible, Camila explained: 'Any time there is any political turmoil, change of presidency, onset of war - anything like that - that is the best time to go and book yourself a flight.' Prices during such events can often fluctuate massively, and they may even decrease for some destinations. 'The flights - the prices are absolutely the most unbelievable. You're never gonna be able to beat it,' she insisted. Camila went on to add how the recent events could make now a good time to book tickets for any trips you might be planning to go on in a few weeks. A few commenters agreed with Camila and one even shared they book flights after accidents like plane crashes because of the price difference. They penned: 'Yep.. not to mention a plane crash. After a plane crash I'm booking.' Global oil prices have risen to their highest levels since 2022 following an escalation of the US-Israel war with Iran (Pictured: A crude oil tanker leaves the ConocoPhillips oil terminal after loading in Teeside earlier this month) Google Flight tracking data showing how prices for direct routes, not stopping over areas impacted by the ongoing situation in the Middle East, were high for the Maldives earlier this month But, another tactic could be waiting a little longer before booking to see how the situation plays out - though it may be riskier. Chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, Saj Ahmad, said holidaymakers could 'stand to gain if they wait' to book. The expert predicted that the war ending might lead to airlines and hotels trying to make up lost revenue by offering deals and sales. Google Flights also has a handy tool that allows travellers to track flight prices for specific routes for the last 61 days. This could be useful for determining if the prices might be rising, or remaining steady. It even tells you if the prices are 'typical' or higher than usual for the selected route and dates, giving an average price range too. If you're dreaming of a Greek summer but want to avoid the hefty price tags of bustling hotspots like Kos and Corfu, check out these 10 budget-friendly islands that offer the same magic for less. A new study has unveiled the most affordable Greek islands for British tourists, along with clever 'destination swaps' that provide the classic Greek experience for a fraction of the cost. The findings were calculated based on average prices per person for seven-night breaks, searched on TravelSupermarket, between 16 September, 2025 and 15 March, 2026. With an average of 596 per person, Kefalonia has emerged as the cheapest Greek island. Marked by white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, local wine and Venetian-inspired architecture, the Ionian island draws thousands of holidaymakers each year who crave a slower-paced Greek atmosphere without the high costs. Kefalonia (pictured) has emerged as the most affordable island in Greece for seven-night stays, costing an average of 596 per person In second place is the lush green island of Lefkas, where seven-night stays cost around 606 per person In second place, with an average of 606 per person, is the mountainous island of Lefkas, renowned for its striking cliffs, vast green areas, white pebbled beaches and charming fishing villages. Surprisingly, Santorini ranks third thanks to an average seven-night stay costing around 637 per person. Known for its white and blue architecture, volcanic landscape and picturesque villages, up to 17,000 tourists descend on the idyllic Aegean isle in the peak summer months, with many reporting of 'jam-packed streets' and 'soaring' hotel prices. Following closely in fourth place is Mykonos at 670 per person - yet another surprising ranking considering its status as one of Greece's most luxurious and expensive hotspots. Rounding out the top five, at 689 per person, is Rhodes, the fourth largest island in Greece. The island welcomed a record-breaking 1.28 million visitors in 2025 who flocked for its blend of medieval sites, colourful villages and energic nightlife. In sixth place is Crete, at 768 per person, followed by Corfu (822), Naxos (890), and Kos (943), with Skiathos rounding out the top ten with an average cost of 958 per person - nearly 362 more expensive than Kefalonia. Santorini ranked as third cheapest, with week-long stays costing around 637 per person Skiathos emerged as the most expensive island on the list, with 7-night stays costing travellers 958 on average Cheapest Greek Island Destinations *Based on average price per person for 7 nights Destination 1. Kefalonia 2. Lefkas 3. Santorini 4. Mykonos 5. Rhodes 6. Crete 7. Corfu 8. Naxos 9. Kos 10. Skiathos Average price (pp) 596 606 637 670 689 768 822 890 943 958 For even bigger savings, experts at the holiday comparison site have drummed up five destination swaps for those seeking authentic yet significantly cheaper Greek experiences. Planning a trip to an island in the sun-drenched Dodecanese? Swap costly Kos for Rhodes, where a seven-night stay costs 689 per person instead of 943, giving a total saving of 254. As for islands along the Ionian coast, holidaymakers can save 216 per person by trading a seven-night stay in Corfu for a holiday in Lefkas, which offers a quieter, more traditional Greek alternative. Looking to go off the beaten track? Swap Skiathos for Naxos, and save 68 per person while immersing yourself in ancient ruins, sandy beaches and whitewashed villages. If you can't compromise on luxury, trade Crete for Mykonos for a surprisingly cheaper experience - saving up to 98 per person. For unique, breathtaking landscapes, swap Santorini for Kefalonia's rugged clifftops and turquoise bays, and pocked an extra 41 per person. Chris Webber, Head of Holidays and Deals at TravelSupermarket, said: 'Greek islands are not all created equal when it comes to price - but the expensive ones might not be the islands you'd expect. 'Mykonos costs less to book than Crete. Rhodes is hundreds of pounds cheaper than Kos. If you're prepared to swap one island for another, the savings can be huge.' Frontier Airlines passengers have accused the US carrier of 'scamming' their customers after long check-in lines caused them to miss their flights - leading to $99 (74) rebooking fees and police intervention when refusing to pay. The 'chaotic' incident, which occurred on 16 January at Orlando Airport, began when a group of around eight passengers found themselves marked as 'late' at check-in after waiting in line for an hour and a half. Despite arriving at the airport two hours early, in accordance with Frontier's guidelines, the passengers were denied boarding because they did not reach the gate 45 minutes before departure. They further claimed that slow-moving, understaffed counters made it impossible to check in an hour before their flight. Rather than being rebooked onto the next available departure, the St. Louis-bound group were left outraged when they were subsequently charged $99 (74) fee for a later flight. Frontier generally enforces a $99 fee for cancellations or changes made to non-refundable tickets, particularly within 24 hours of departure. In a Q&A section on its website, the airline highlights: 'If you miss your flight by not checking in or boarding on time, your ticket will be marked as a No-Show Cancellation. 'This means: Check-in must be completed at least 60 minutes before departure. Boarding must be completed at least 20 minutes before departure. Frontier Airlines (pictured) has been accused of operating a 'scam' by passengers who found themselves hit with $99 (74) late fees after long check-in lines caused them to miss their flights at Orlando Airport 'If you miss either of these cutoffs, your reservation - including any return or connecting flights - will be canceled and no longer valid.' However, a number of passengers believe they were deliberately bumped from the flight due to it being overbooked. A male passenger from the group captured his tense confrontation with check-in staff in a video posted to X, accusing the airline of running a 'scam'. During an attempt to have his boarding pass printed, an employee notified the passenger that he had missed his flight and that he would need to pay a fee to fly home. While trying to print his boarding pass, an employee told the passenger he had missed his flight and would have to pay a fee to rebook. Undeterred, the passenger confronted a supervisor, who appeared to ignore passenger concerns and repeatedly refused to provide her name. In the clip, he said: 'Y'all are scamming people. I did not miss my flight - my flight is at 6 o'clock. I've been in line for over an hour and a half, and then you're telling me I can't get on my flight, trying to charge me an extra hundred dollars.' Several passengers quickly rallied around the man, with many noting they had also been forced to buy new flights. The traveller told the group: 'I fly at least 10 times a year - I've never dealt with this, ever. What they've done is they've overbooked the flight. I promise you that. I've been here an hour and a half - they told me I should have been here three hours earlier.' According to New York Post, Frontier eventually called the police to resolve the conflict and offered no compensation to the affected customers. Although staff advised the passenger to arrive three hours early, Frontier's formal policy only requires arrival at the airport at least two hours prior and check-in no later than 60 minutes before departure. In the comments, X users condemned the actions of airline staff, with one person who reshared the video describing the incident as 'unbelievable chaos', urging travellers to 'avoid Frontier at all costs'. A second wrote: 'More staffing attitudes at frontier, and finding ways to charge you for there booking more seats than available, where is FAA.' A third said: 'In any other industry this is called fraud and people go to prison. Purchase a home addition from a contractor and he doesnt build then asks for more money to come build. Contractor goes to prison.' Another advised: 'If an airline involuntarily bumps you, youre generally entitled to 200% to 400% of the one way fare for the leg youre bumped from. This is owed to you SAME DAY, AT THE AIRPORT.' Daily Mail has contacted Frontier Airlines for comment. The new Entry/Exit System (EES) has been slowly being rolled out across Europe since October 2025, with 29 countries now bringing in the biometric border control process to their travel hubs. Under the new system, non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area are required to register biometric details, including fingerprints and photographs. It has already been launched in many countries and has caused chaos as airports struggle to get to grips with the process. The new system was due to be fully implemented at airports across Europe by 10th April - however the EU has since offered 'certain flexibilities' over the summer, in order to avoid long queues, which have been reported since EES came into place. But a new app launched by the European Union could help the system work more efficiently. The 'Travel to Europe' application allows non-EU tourists to register their information, such as their passport data and an image of their face, before they arrive at border control and the EES. Travellers can fill in their details within 72 hours before their arrive or leave the destination. According to the European Union, 'The app does not replace border checks but makes border crossing smoother and faster and more efficient.' Under the new Entry/Exit System, non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area are required to register biometric details, including fingerprints and photographs The tech is designed specifically for 'non-EU nationals subject to EES registration who hold a biometric passport'. It was originally launched only in Sweden last year, but now travellers heading to Lisbon Airport in Portugal will also be able to use the handy app, Euro News reports. The app is available to download from App Store and Google Play. The European Union urges travellers to check the country they are entering supports the application. 'Using the app is optional, but it can help you save time and speed up border checks,' it states. Humberto Delgado Airport handles more than 35million passengers annually, making it Portugal's busiest airport, a major European hub and the 12th largest in Europe by volume. Portugal is extremely popular with British holidaymakers, consistently ranking as a top European destination for sun, beaches and value. But this popularity has meant the EES has caused chaos there. One couple, who were travelling from Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon back in June, revealed they missed their flight due to huge queues at passport control. The airport had been reinforced with 80 Public Security Police (PSP) officers over the Christmas and New Year period due to the long queues of passengers waiting to enter the country. In January, 24 members of the National Republican Guard were stationed in the arrivals area at Humberto Delgado Airport, a measure approved by the government, a news agency in Portugal reported. It was originally launched only in Sweden last year, but now travellers heading to Lisbon Airport in Portugal will also be able to use a handy app to speed the process up Just last month, industry bodies, including the International Air Transport Association, ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe said the phased introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) since October was already causing 'significant delays'. In a joint letter to the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, they warned that queues could stretch to four hours or more this summer if the system is fully implemented. The biometric processes, like fingerprint registration, must be done in person and at the border on arrival, meaning it can take time and cause backlogs, instead of travellers swiftly moving through passport control. Airports Council International Europe revealed the EES system had increased waiting times at the border by up to 70 per cent, leading to three hour queues during peak travel periods. Travellers usually give themselves a couple of hours to make their way through the airport, but Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of travel business network Advantage Travel Partnership, is urging holidaymakers to leave at least four hours spare. She recommends those travelling on connecting routes leave long layovers between their connections to avoid missing the next flight, the BBC reports. Julia also warns that holidaymakers who have already uploaded their data and biometrics onto the system will still need to join the non-EU passport queue with first-time travellers going through the process. 'Since the implementation of EES first began in October last year, we've already seen instances of significant delays at different airports and at different times,' she tells the news outlet, explaining how the delays have varied on the time of day and traffic levels. The travel expert also urges travellers to keep updated via their airline and airport to see how busy the queues are and how to manage delays in your journey due to the system. 'Make sure you've got some refreshments and something to keep small children occupied,' she adds. In January, 24 members of the National Republican Guard were stationed in the arrivals area at Humberto Delgado Airport, a measure approved by the government. Pictured: Long queues at Humberto Delgado Airport Julia also noted tourists should keep an eye on the launch of EU's new ETIAS visa waiver programme - expected to launch between October and December 2026 if the EES rollout is successful. Through this, citizens of more than 60 visa-exempt countries will need to apply for pre-travel authorisation. The waiver will be valid for three years, or until the associated passport expires. Julia added: 'The cost is currently set to be 20 (17), although this has already increased from when it was first announced.' Alternatively, author and travel expert Ash Bhardwaj simply recommends getting a European passport, if possible, to cut the queues. 'If you're eligible for a European passport, just get one,' he says, adding that any delays should improve with time. A major airport in London is set to increase its drop-off parking charges by almost half tomorrow - becoming the second UK airport to set fees in the double digits. From 19 March, drivers heading to Stansted Airport will be required to pay 10 instead of 7 for express drop-offs of up to 15 minutes. For longer stays of up to 30 minutes, drivers will be charged 28. The airport will have the second-highest drop off fees in the country. London Gatwick has the most expensive, imposing 10 fees for 10 minute stays. Blue Badge holders are typically exempt from paying drop-off fees at all UK airports. Those who are required to pay can do so by phone, online or automatically via an AutoPay account. Naomi Leach, Deputy Editor of Which? Travel said: 'Stansted is the latest airport to increase drop off charges in a fresh blow to travellers, just in time for the Easter holidays. From 19 March, drivers dropping off loved ones at London Stansted will be required to pay 10 instead of 7 for stays of up to 15 minutes 'These rising fees, combined with strict time limits, will only pile on more stress, frustration and expense for passengers during an already uncertain time for travel. 'Fortunately, there are alternative long stay car parks where you can drop off free of charge at all major UK airports.' To avoid paying the new fee, travellers flying from Stansted can be dropped off for free at the Mid Stay Car Park and hop on a shuttle bus to the terminal, which takes around seven minutes, according to Head for Points. The news, announced by Stansted Airport on their official X account on 12 March, already appears to have infuriated drivers heading to Stansted, who shared their thoughts below the post. One person wrote: 'When the flights are cheaper than the cost to literally stop a car. Got to fund those new WH Smiths somehow eh @StanstedAirport.' Another said: 'Why is it British airports feel the need to rip customers off? Major airports in Europe don't have a fee for dropping passengers off, so why is it acceptable here (clue: it's not). 'Greedy bosses will probably get a nice fat bonus cheque at the end of the year as a result.' A third chimed: 'Absolutely disgusting. RIP off fees for NO reason it should be illegal.' Stansted now shares the crown with Gatwick Airport in being the UK's most expensive airport for drop-off fees This year alone has seen a wave of increased drop-off fees at UK airports, most notably at London hubs, leaving British travellers furious. Since the beginning of the year, drivers dropping off or picking up passengers at London Heathrow have seen the cost rise from 6 to 7 for a 10-minute stay. London Gatwick increased its drop-off fee from 7 to 10 for 10 minutes on 6 January - which would have made it the UK's most expensive airport for drop-off fees if not for Stansted's latest hike. Edinburgh Airport raised its fee to 6 for a 10-minute stay on January 13, 2025, with additional charges applying for longer stays. Plus, one London hub completely scrapped free drop-offs - the last airport to offer this in the UK capital. London City Airport introduced a drop-off charge for all vehicles, which will be implemented from today, January 6, at a cost of 8 for up to five minutes, then 1 per additional minute, with a maximum stay of 10 minutes. On one Instagram post, viewers commented in outrage at the news, with one saying: 'Honestly, is living in the UK just death by fees and fines?' On Gatwick's X update regarding the charges, comments were furious, with one saying: 'You are a disgrace to the travelling public!' Another added: 'Profiteering is alive and well. What a joke. Like there is a viable public transport alternative early in the morning or late at night.' Len Deighton, bestselling author of thrillers that reinvented the spy novel, who has died aged 97, didn't much like his job. 'The best thing about writing books,' he confided, 'is being at a party and telling some pretty girl that you write books. The worst thing is sitting at a typewriter and actually writing the book.' Not that there weren't other compensations. As his career took off in the mid-1960s, with the movie of his unique espionage tale The Ipcress File, he briefly became more feted than its star, Michael Caine. 'Of course,' Deighton added, with his typical blend of anti-establishment mischief and self-deprecation, 'he overtook me like a skyrocket, but there was a brief period when I was more famous.' Playboy magazine named him its travel correspondent. A Sunday newspaper made him its star food writer. Plunging into films, he produced the most controversial musical of the decade, Oh! What A Lovely War. In an era when readers demanded factual detail, he was lauded for the depth of research that went into every book. But he never let background get in the way of action. One Daily Mail reviewer exclaimed: 'His plots grip like Princess Anne's jodhpurs!' Multi-talented doesn't begin to describe Deighton. Yet his status as a poster child for the egalitarian Sixties, the working-class lad who could peer down his nose at the snobs, left him looking dated as Britain turned its back on the ideal of upward mobility. His aggressively proletarian anti-hero nameless in the books but called Harry Palmer in the hit films dislikes violence but he's not above stealing. His heavy-rimmed NHS specs were identical to the ones Deighton wore and which became a Michael Caine trademark. Len Deighton, a best-selling author credited with reinvetning the spy novel genre, has died at the age of 97 Deighton and his work were characterised by the working-class experience in a world dominated by publicly-educated men Michael Caine starred in the 1965 film adaptation of Deighton's spy novel The Ipcress File Palmer doesn't try to hide his contempt for university-educated, well-heeled, urbane MI6 types. In short, he's the polar opposite of James Bond. No wonder, when ITV tried to resurrect Harry Palmer in 2022, with Joe Cole in the lead role, viewers were left baffled. Where was the glamour, the kiss-kiss-bang-bang everyone expects from espionage? Once Britain's most bankable thriller writer, Len Deighton saw his fame wane dramatically in the late 1990s. By the end of his life, he couldn't even find a publisher for his last book, a history of the aero engine. His final novel, Charity the last in a nine-book series about another jaded secret agent, the middle-aged Bernard Samson appeared 30 years ago, in 1996, after which he realised he simply didn't want to keep writing. He made a habit of turning down all honours, including a rumoured offer of a knighthood, and refused to appear at literary festivals, telling one organiser: 'The only thing I would like less than going to your festival and reading from my latest book is to be at your festival and to hear other writers reading from their latest books.' He was always scathing about his talents. At the end of the Sixties, with multi-million-sellers behind him, he declared himself to be, 'the most illiterate writer ever... I'm not a writer. Anything that is good in my books tends to be descriptions that an art student would provide'. Critic and thriller writer Julian Symons disagreed, saying: 'The constant crackle of his dialogue makes Deighton a kind of poet of the spy story.' But he could never shake the feeling that he had stumbled into a world peopled with mediocrities who thought themselves superior because they'd gone to public school. His performance in The Ipcress File was among those that first brought Caine to fame The Ipcress File was Deighton's debut book, written on holiday in France in 1960 and published in 1962 Born in 1929 and christened Leonard Cyril, he always claimed his mother Dorothy gave birth in the workhouse, because the maternity hospital had no bed for her. His parents lived in a mews in Marylebone, at the back of a big house where Dorothy worked as a cook and her husband Leonard was a chauffeur. They remained in London during the Blitz. Deighton recounted how, after a night of bombing, he looked into an air raid shelter and discovered 20 bodies. 'Come out of there, son,' a warden told him. The horror of the war, and his childhood terror of a German invasion, fuelled the nightmare vision of his 1978 novel SS-GB, which imagined an England under Nazi rule. It was adapted as a BBC1 serial in 2017. But the wartime memory that did most to shape his writing was of Special Branch officers hammering at the house next door and arresting its occupant, a 38-year-old Russian emigre named Anna Wolkoff. She had fled to England in 1917 after the Revolution, with her parents. Secretly, she was a Nazi spy. Among her targets was the US ambassador, Joseph Kennedy. Wolkoff was sentenced to ten years for relaying secrets to Berlin. Her arrest, Deighton said, 'was a huge, exciting event for a boy. Things stick in the subconscious and germinate'. After the war, he served in the RAF as a photographer, before studying art at St Martin's College in London and the Royal College of Art. A year as a cabin steward with BOAC followed, before he started work as a graphic designer and an illustrator at an advertising agency. 'Every other director was not only a graduate of Eton, they'd all been there at the same time, and they all called each other by names like Piggy and Wiggy,' he recalled. 'I felt rather out of place.' Deighton was 10 years old when the Second World War broke out, and his experiences of wartime London could be seen in his storylines ITV resurrected The Ipcress File in 2022, with Joe Cole (pictured) playing the protagonist Harry Palmer, but audiences did not connect with it so well Despite excellent sales and broad commendation, Deighton was usually scathing about his own abilities That inspired him, while on holiday in France in 1960, to start writing a novel about a working-class secret agent. He said: 'The Ipcress File is about spies on the surface, but it's also really about a grammar-school boy among public-school boys.' He pitched the book to a literary agent, Jonathan Clowes, and, after suffering two rejections from publishers, saw it become an instant bestseller partly thanks to the first 007 movie, Dr No, which premiered a week earlier. The initial print run of 4,000 copies sold out on the first day, helped by its distinctive white, embossed cover which Deighton designed and partly subsidised. At the same time, his cartoon-style Cookstrips, cramming recipes and cookery tips into a single panel, began appearing in a Sunday newspaper. These were inspired, Deighton explained, by his habit of scribbling notes as he cooked. Like his creator, Harry Palmer is a talented cook, and in one Ipcress File scene he cracks two eggs into a bowl simultaneously with one hand. Caine couldn't get the hang of it, so it's Deighton's hand that appears on camera. His first marriage to designer Shirley Deighton was already on the rocks, so much so that she refused to go to the movie premiere in 1965, telling reporters that she was too busy with her own career. They married in 1960 but lived apart for years before divorcing in 1976. In 1980, he married his second wife, Ysabele de Ranitz, who survives him. They had two children. By then he was a tax exile, living largely in Portugal and complaining bitterly that Labour's top income tax rate of 95 per cent had driven him out of the country. A lifelong fascination with war history saw him write two books about RAF operations, Fighter and Bomber the latter inspiring one fan, vocalist Lemmy of the heavy-metal band Motorhead, to write an album with the same title. Deighton preferred classical music to rock. But he enjoyed the explosive power his work could have. 'When you make a book,' he said, 'it's like making a hand grenade. It's a dull process... but when you throw it, the person at the other end gets the effect.' Line of Duty will welcome a star-studded line-up of familiar faces to join the cast ahead of its seventh series, as the BBC have finally confirmed who will feature in the new season. The Jed Mercurio hit crime thriller, which is due to return to screens in 2027 on BBC One and iPlayer, will start filming this spring as its iconic cast returns to set. Joining returning series leads Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, Sanditon star Tom Weston-Jones will play the leader of new unit TO-7, Tactical Operations Unit 7, Detective Inspector Dominic Gough. His character is described as a 'charismatic officer who has won plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime' who is 'accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator'. He will be joined by Gavin and Stacey's Laura Aikman as DC Paula Beckham, This Town's Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin and You's Amy Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid. New cast members also include Killing Eve's Dominic Mafham, Rivals' David Calder, What It Feels Like For A Girl's Sarah Andre White, Maternal's Naomi Yang and Believe Me's Aimee Powell. Line of Duty will welcome a star-studded line-up of familiar faces to join the cast ahead of its seventh series - with Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston returning Gavin and Stacey's Laura Aikman and Rivals' David Calder will be joining the cast The cast will be completed by former Line of Duty stars Mark Bonnar, Owen Teale, Perry Fitzpatrick and Christina Chong. Last month, it was revealed that The Full Monty and BAFTA-winning star Robert Carlyle had been cast as a guest character, Detective Constable Shaun Massie. Robert, 64, follows in the footsteps of former guest stars Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays, Keeley Hawes and Lennie James. Robert said of joining the cast: 'Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurios work for many years, Im delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty. 'The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show. 'DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.' Series writer Jed added: 'On Line of Duty we've been honoured by the glittering guest leads who've joined the cast over the years. 'We couldn't be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. 'I've been a huge fan of Robert's work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. 'Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why.' While director of BBC drama Lindsay Salt concluded: 'Sometimes a piece of casting feels so right that you just can't imagine anyone else. The Full Monty and BAFTA-winning star Robert Carlyle has been cast as a guest character, Detective Constable Shaun Massie 'Robert Carlyle is one of our greatest actors and the perfect fit for the phenomenon that is Line of Duty.' Series seven of Line Of Duty will follow the familiar faces of AC-12 after it was been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards. The anticorruption unit will be seen working harder than ever as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far. The synopsis teases: 'Detective Constable Shaun Massie is a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups. 'A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss, TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie's otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.' The seventh series of Line Of Duty will also see the former AC-12 trio trying to track down the elusive 'H', according to reports. The news will thrill fans who were left disappointed by the controversial ending of series six in 2021, when bumbling Det Supt Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) was unmasked as 'H' - the shadowy criminal mastermind behind the police corruption. Series seven of Line Of Duty will follow the familiar faces of AC-12 after it was been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards With filming set to begin in spring, creator Jed is said to be determined to give the 'viewers what they want' by bringing back the storyline. The reopening of the hunt for 'H' will run alongside an investigation into new character Det Insp Dominic Gough, an officer celebrated for a string of takedowns of organised crime. The officer will be at the heart of the storyline after he is accused of abusing his position to act as a sexual predator. A TV insider told The Sun: 'There was genuine anger about the way series six ended and that was part of the reason that a seventh outing was ordered. 'But this is the first time that there's been any news on whether they'll bring back the 'H' storyline - and devotees will be thrilled to hear Jed will be giving them just what they want. 'Although there is still likely to be a new villain introduced into the new season, just as there has been with every series since the show was launched. 'But the incoming baddie's storyline is likely to be intertwined with that of 'H' in a sensational double-whammy.' The drama has been a smash hit since it first aired in 2012, regularly drawing more than 10 million viewers. The drama has been a smash hit since it first aired in 2012, regularly drawing more than 10 million viewers In a statement announcing the seventh series, writer Jed said: 'Everyone involved in Line of Duty feels enormous gratitude to the show's fans. 'We're privileged to have had so many of you follow the ups and downs of AC-12 over six previous seasons and we couldn't be more delighted to be returning for a seventh.' He added: 'Corruption in this country is supposed to have come to an end while Line of Duty was off air so I've been forced to use my imagination.' Martin, meanwhile, described appearing in the police drama as 'a job of a lifetime'. 'Not only in terms of the show's success but the people I've had the opportunity to work with I now call some of my closest friends,' he said. 'I can't wait to pull the waistcoat on again and get the team back together.' Trigger Point star Vicky added: 'It goes without saying I'm so excited Line of Duty is back! Can't wait to work with Jed, Martin and Adrian again. Belfast, we'll see you soon!' Martin told the Chris Evans Breakfast Show: 'Last year we got to the point where we said, 'All right, let's clear the decks for next year'. 'We chat every, like, if not every other day, like every other week, at least, we're genuinely close pals. Jed went for a curry as soon as I got here the other night. 'We kind of just said, 'Look, is it getting close to that time?' It's sort of, we're all getting on, you know, but, just in terms of the distance from it, we're kind of like, 'It's now or never.' Line Of Duty series one through six are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Taylor Frankie Paul has broken her silence on her open domestic assault investigation which has temporarily halted production on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and raised issues for the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. The 31-year-old reality star, who is gearing up to take center stage on the upcoming dating show which premieres this weekend, appeared on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning America where she addressed recent headlines about the alleged incident involving her ex-boyfriend. Speaking to co-host Lara Spencer, Paul was given the opportunity to respond to the media storm. 'Honestly, it's been a heavy time to see the headlines, especially during the time of the Bachelorette being released,' Paul said. 'I'm a person that will always speak my truth - that's what I'm known for. 'So, when the time is right, I will be. 'But right now, just trying to be in the present moment and focus on this, but the thing is my kids do come first.' On Monday, it was reported that filming had been halted on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives due to an investigation into domestic violence, involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. Taylor Frankie Paul addressed the alleged incident involving her ex-boyfriend on GMA On Monday, it was reported that filming had been halted on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives due to an investigation into domestic violence, involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen 'They are not filming,' a source told People. 'Taylor [Frankie Paul] has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past, and they will see what happens. 'Until that resolves, they are off.' 'Allegations have been made in both directions,' a spokesman for Draper Police Department reportedly told the publication, adding 'contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24 and 25.' When the Daily Mail contacted the department, however, it told us: 'The Draper Police Department respects the rights and privacy of all citizens. 'Without an immediate impact to public safety, it is the practice of the department not to release details related to active investigations.' A source told Variety that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives filming hiatus is temporary, with production expected to resume soon. Paul is due to appear as the lead on season 22 of The Bachelorette, which premieres Sunday, March 22, on ABC. It remains unclear how the controversy will impact the new season of The Bachelorette, which stars Paul On Tuesday night, Cinnabon, which had a brand partnership with both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, cut ties with the programs. The company said in a statement: 'Cinnabon has made the decision to terminate its collaboration with The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. 'Recent developments and allegations surrounding the lead cast member led us to reassess this collaboration as it no longer aligns with our brand values.' ITV has dropped a first look at Daniel Mays playing the 'Black Cab Rapist' John Worboys ahead of the release of their 'disturbing' new drama series. Believe Me tells the story of how the victims of the prolific sex attacker, who preyed on women while working as a licensed taxi-cab driver, were failed by the system. The convicted serial sex offender would pick up women in his cab after nights out, claiming that he'd had a win at a casino or the lottery, and then offer them a drug-laced glass of champagne to 'celebrate' to render victims unconscious. Worboys was convicted in 2009 for a series of crimes including sexual assault and drugging with intent against twelve women in incidents from 2006 to 2008. The drama focuses on victims Sarah, played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards, and Laila, portrayed by Aasiya Shah, who reported assaults by Worboys. It will follow how the Metropolitan Police failed to investigate the allegations thoroughly while Worboys, portrayed in the drama by Lynley actor Daniel, continued to prey on women. ITV has dropped a first look at Daniel Mays playing the 'Black Cab Rapist' John Worboys ahead of the release of their 'disturbing' new drama series Believe Me tells the story of how the victims of prolific sex attacker Worboys (pictured) A first look image shows Daniel in the cab pulling a sinister expression in his role as Worboys, who was later linked to allegations of offences from over a hundred women. The cast will also feature Phillippa Dunne as solicitor Harriet Wistrich, and Rachael Stirling as Phillippa Kaufmann QC - who sued the Met Police under the Human Rights Act for their failure to conduct investigations properly. It comes after it was revealed that Carrie Johnson will be portrayed in a forthcoming true crime drama about serial rapist Worboys nearly two decades after she was spiked in his London taxi. The wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be played by Industry actress Miriam Petche in ITV's new programme, recalling the harrowing incident which happened in 2007 when she was just 19 years old. Speaking about the forthcoming drama titled Believe Me, Mrs Johnson said she hopes it 'serves as a wake-up call' to the 'police, the CPS and the parole board.' 'Far too often, women and girls are failed by the very institutions meant to protect them,' she said. 'The treatment of the victims in this case was truly shameful. Reform matters but what we urgently need above all is a profound shift in culture. 'It takes enormous courage for women to come forward. They must know that when they do, they will be treated seriously and with respect, and that every effort will be made to ensure justice is done.' Carrie Johnson will be portrayed in a forthcoming true crime drama about serial rapist John Worboys nearly two decades after she was spiked in his London taxi Mrs Johnson, 37, is believed to have been the prolific sex offender's youngest target when he picked her up after a night out on the King's Road and plied her with spiked vodka. Now her ordeal will be dramatized in the new show, which will see acclaimed actor Daniel Mays play Worboys, who became known as the Black Cab Rapist. Written by Jeff Pope and expected to air later this spring, it will also feature Slow Horses actress Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Sarah, another of Worboys victims, whose name has been changed to protect her identity. Believe Me is about the courage of every woman who came forward to help put John Worboys behind bars, said Sarah. What happened to me changed my life, but in many ways the hardest part was not being believed for so many years. Without the people who stood by me, Worboys would have been freed and continued to pose a huge risk to women. She added: Seeking justice shouldnt mean more trauma. We shouldnt have to fight to be believed or feel like were the ones on trial. The shame never belongs to the survivor. The media consultant and charity advisor, who has four children with the former Conservative Prime Minister, was in her first year at Warwick University when the terrifying incident took place. She was waiting at a bus stop in west London after a night out with friends when Worboys offered to take her home for just 5, professing to live just around the corner. He proceeded to tell her that he had won some money at a casino and offered her a glass of champagne to celebrate, which she promptly poured away when he wasn't looking. 'Had he asked if I had wanted a drink, I would have politely declined but instead he asked: 'Will you celebrate with me?' This was much harder to refuse. It would have felt rude to say no,' she said in 2018. 'So I agreed and he handed me a glass. I was young and didn't really like the taste of alcohol, but I didn't want to offend him. 'While he wasn't looking, I poured the contents onto the cab floor. Never for a second did I suspect it was spiked.' He then stopped the cab under the pretence of needing to go to the toilet and was gone for 10 minutes, which Mrs Johnson later realised was him stalling for the drugs to kick in. When he realised that they hadn't, he moved into the back of the cab and pressured her into having a shot of vodka, which she begrudgingly agreed to. 'After I drank the vodka I can hardly remember a thing. I don't remember if he got back into the front of the cab straight away or not,' she said. 'I think he did. I hope more than anything that he did.' She made it home and then collapsed 'like a rag doll' in front of her mother, then 'crawled into the bathroom and became very sick,' with her 'head spinning so much that I told my mother I wanted to die.' It wasn't until six months later, when Mrs Johnson read that a black cab driver has been arrested, accused of raping numerous women that she 'froze' and 'knew it was him.' She said: 'I feel I would know if Worboys had raped me that night. I'd have flashbacks or there would have been horrendous tell-tale signs when I woke the next day. 'But I will never truly know for sure what happened after he drugged me.' Mrs Johnson was one of nearly 100 women who came forward to the police and one of 14 who was selected to go to court to testify, deciding to waive her anonymity. Worboys, now known as John Radford, was convicted in 2009 for attacks on 12 women and in 2019 he was convicted again for a further four attacks. The four further victims came forward following a public outcry when a Parole Board ruled he was safe to be freed. Believe Me is coming soon to ITV1 and ITVX. Love Island: All Stars fans were left gasping over Jack Keating's sprawling mansion as his home was revealed in a birthday video posted by one of his co-stars. His followers were left in shock as they caught a glimpse of the home, which featured huge floor-to-ceiling windows and a kitchen decked out in white marble. Carrington Rodriguez was seen helping Sher Suarez prepare a surprise for his special day, decorating the house with balloons and bringing in a cake. Carrington was seen walking around the house in the videos posted to Instagram, making sure that the surprise was perfectly set before Jack, 27, came home. He told viewers: 'Alright guys, I am at Jacks house. Sher UberEats a lot of stuff for his birthday so Im going to set it all up so she can give him and his daughter a nice birthday surprise.' The Love Island star showcased the fridge full of goodies, including cakes and alcohol, telling fans: 'I've got to start working on it.' Love Island: All Stars fans were left gasping over Jack Keating's sprawling mansion as his home was revealed in a birthday video posted by one of his co-stars Carrington was seen walking around the house in the videos posted to Instagram, making sure that the surprise was perfectly set before Jack, 27, came home He was later seen lighting birthday candles on a cake before Jack and his daughter, Maya Ann, returned home - smiling and laughing at the surprise. Carrington continued to film as Jack walked through the sprawling home from the hallway to the kitchen and blew out his candles alongside Maya Ann. But fans at home could not believe the size of the house, responding to the videos on Instagram in shock, with one writing: 'Oh, he's got MONEY.' Another chimed in: 'That's his house????' as a third penned: 'Omg his house is insane, he has taste.' A fourth concluded of the scenes: 'DAYUM his house is so nice.' It comes after Kyra Lizama tore into Curtis Pritchard for 'disrespecting' her on Valentine's Day before calling out Jack during Love Island All Star's finale. The reality star, 28, who appeared on the show after her 2021 stint in the US version, hit out at Curtis after he reposted his sister-in-law asking fans to comment on his post to be his date. Kyra, who had started a romance in Curtis in the villa, said the post was 'out of left field' as they had been lovey-dovey just days before. She told Maya Jama: 'I was just like: 'What the f**k?' He was later seen lighting birthday candles on a cake before Jack and his daughter, Maya Ann, returned home - smiling and laughing at the surprise Looking flustered, Curtis tried to explain why he did it. He said: 'I've spoken for a while that I want to find somebody and I want to settle down because I'm at the point at my life. My brother and sister-in-law were like, they want to help me find someone. They do really like you as well they put the post out.' Kyra hit back: 'Clearly I was irrelevant in his mind and her's. We messaged every single day. I got zero communication from him, before and after the post. 'My thing is, I don't take disrespect and that was absolutely disrespectful.' While Curtis tried to say Kyra wasn't irrelevant, Maya pointed out: 'You were still looking for a Valentine's, Curtis'. As the pair continued to bicker, Maya tried to move on, but Kyra was quick to also take aim at Jack Keating. The reality star called him out for claiming she had sex with Curtis in the villa, prompting Jack, 26, to issue a grovelling apology. Kyra was referring to Jack's interview on the Go Louds podcast Mi Casa Su Casa, where he said: 'Basically, Curtis and Kyra got into it one of the nights as well. 'I know and this is just my suspicions, Im not at-ting anybody but the first night they got coupled up, everybody had their new beds and stuff, we got into bed and obviously people are having their chats and everything. 'We woke up the next day and there were condoms beside every couples beds. That only happens when somebody had done it the night before.' Viewers praised Kyra for confronting Curtis and Jack on the show Viewers praised Kyra for confronting Curtis and Jack on the show. They wrote: 'Kyra holding back tonight was pure class. Curtis looking like he regretted every life choice'; 'Karma came for Curtis in the form of Kyra' needs to be framed. Who else felt that tension?'; 'The fact that Curtis slept with Kyra and then did that post on Instagram is so gross. That's so disrespectful. He has a lot of nerve talking about anyone else's situation in the villa'; 'You could tell Kyra was holding back and wanted to call Curtis every name under the sun'; 'it's very disrespectful jack revealed curtis & kyra's intimacy publicly'; 'Kyra is definitely returning to Love Island she's a fire cracker! Dynamite'; 'Kyra putting Curtis and Jack on blast on national TV and Maya stays instigating with The Office-style camera close up'. The row between Kyra and Curtis first started when Curtis's brother AJ's partner Zara posted a video of Curtis saying she was in charge of finding him a Valentine's date. Curtis reshared the video with Kyra then commenting underneath saying: 'Ouch lol', as she made her feelings clear. A source then told The Sun: 'They said they'd see each other after the villa but everyone knew Curtis wasn't going to fly to Hawaii where Kyra lives. 'Then Curtis's brother's girlfriend did that post about him being single on Valentine's so it's over between him and Kyra. 'She contacted him saying she'd booked her flight back to the UK but he told her not to bother coming to see him. It's over!' Despite the tension, love was still in the air for other couples, with Samie Elishi and Ciaran Davies being crowned the winners later on in the show. Dianne Buswell has welcomed her first child with her boyfriend Joe Sugg, as she paid tribute to her father Mark with the newborn's name. The couple - who met on the BBC show in 2018 - announced they were expecting their first child back in September. Dianne, 36, was the first professional in Strictly's history to compete while pregnant, before her partner Stefan Dennis was forced to pull out due to injury in 2025. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Dianne shared that she had given birth to a baby boy named Bowden, with her son's middle names a nod to both her beloved father Mark and Joe's late grandfather Richard, who died in 2021. Her post included a snap of her adorable son in Dianne's arms, along with the moment she and Joe, 34, brought their baby boy home from the hospital. Sharing her son's full name, she captioned the post: 'Never felt a love like it. Baby Bowden Mark Richard Sugg. 16/03/26.' Dianne Buswell has welcomed her first child with her boyfriend Joe Sugg, as she paid tribute to her father Mark with the newborn's name Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Dianne shared that she had given birth to a baby boy named Bowden as she shared sweet snaps of the moment he came home from hospital Many of Dianne's Strictly co-stars offered their congratulations in the comments, with Vicky Pattison writing: 'Omg!!!! Congratulations guys!!! He is Perfect.' Vito Coppola wrote: 'Oh Finally, bello di zio. I am so so happy, crying for joy and happiness. Uncle Vito cannot wait to meet you Love love love Bellissimo a zio.' Nancy Xu gushed: 'Untie Nancy can't wait to meet you, welcome to the world my beautiful angel. CONGRATULATIONS MY D D and @joe_sugg.' Janette Manrara commented: 'The best news!!! Congratulations my gorgeous girl. So happy for you and @joe_sugg. The most beautiful moments in life are to come.' Amy Dowden added: 'Utter perfection. So happy for you both, welcome baby Bowden! I cant wait for cwtches xxxx.' 'OMG!! Congrats to you both!!!' Gorka Marquez posted. Fleur East posted: 'Ahhhh hes here! Congratulations to both of you.' Dianne shared her joyful pregnancy news on Instagram back in September ahead of the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. For their pregnancy reveal video, poignantly set to Elton John's Tiny Dancer, Dianne and Joe set up an easel and pretended to paint a picture together, with playful dramatics. They then picked up the canvas to display it to the camera, revealing a drawing of two stickmen - one with Dianne's signature flaming red hair - holding hands with a baby. The couple added that their first child was due in 2026 and even revealed the sex of their little one, declaring they were expecting a son. Joe captioned the clip: 'Our little baby boy we cannot wait to meet you.' The couple were flooded with congratulatory comments from friends and fans, with their fellow Strictly stars leading the well-wishes. Dianne hinted that the birth of their baby son was imminent in February in a sweet update. She created a video montage of her and her partner Joe Sugg's items and then added miniature versions. Dianne said 'now we wait' after showing she was ready for the birth with tiny clothes, shoes and even a Strictly-themed onesie ready for the baby. She captioned the Instagram post: 'When 2 will soon become 3 the last one!' Their newborn's middle names are a nod to both Dianne's beloved father Mark, and Joe's late grandfather Richard, who died in 2021 Dianne went on to share a new snap of her baby boy on her Instagram Stories, while sharing the pronunciation of her son's name Many of Joe and Dianne's Strictly co-stars offered their congratulations for the couple in the comments of their post The couple - who met on the BBC show in 2018 - announced they were expecting their first child back in September, making Dianne the first pro to compete on Strictly while pregnant Joe and Dianne struck up a romance when they were paired together during the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Strictly bosses reportedly put contingency plans in place for Dianne as she became the first pregnant star to compete in the competition last year. With the baby due in early 2026 and the Strictly final in December 2025, she could have potentially been dancing right up until her due date, forcing bosses to ensure they had a back up plan. A source told The Sun: 'Producers have plans in place, and there are several pros who could easily step in and take over at a moment's notice, because the show must go on. 'The BBC's primary concern is the health and wellbeing of Dianne and they fully intend to support her through the process with regular check-ins from the welfare team.' Meanwhile a Strictly source told the Daily Mail: 'This story makes something out of nothing - the plans described have long existed for everyone, and it's misleading to claim otherwise.' Dianne competed on last year's series alongside fellow Aussie, Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis, but the duo were forced to withdraw after he sustained an injury. The rumour mill was quickly flooded with people speculating that Stefan's injury was in fact a cover-up and that Dianne's pregnancy was the reason for their withdrawal. But Dianne rushed to Instagram to squash the rumours, penning: 'Just to clarify as I have had lots of people msg me thinking this is a cover up for me being not able to dance!? 'Firstly we wouldn't lie especially about somebody being sick! And secondly I am fine, yes I am pregnant but I'm also very capable and feeling really good!' She also explained that there are protocols in place regarding the professionals' wellbeing as she added: 'Thirdly there are things in place if any pro were to get sick or injured.' Dianne made lots of hints towards their baby plans in the months leading up to her pregnancy announcement, admitting in May that she was desperate to become a mum. But the star, who won the Glitterball Trophy with partner Chris McCausland in 2024, explained that the gruelling demands of her showbiz career had put their family plans on hold. She told The Sun: 'I would like to have children, 100 per cent. Joe and I love kids, and that's definitely something that we would absolutely love. I haven't really thought about how many I would like. It will definitely happen.' An eastern suburbs headline magnet is facing backlash over a tasteless social media post - and it's just the latest in a string of controversies. Real Housewives of Sydney star Victoria Montano, the wife of prominent financier Timothy Odillo Maher, shared a photo on her Instagram Stories on Saturday of a tent set up at a public park next to a pram. While the circumstances are unclear, it's possible they belonged to someone experiencing homelessness. Victoria, 40, took a picture of the sad scene and posted it alongside the caption: 'Waterfront living at Woolloomooloo.' The socialite, who last year raised eyebrows for taking part in a 'classless' video bragging about her designer wardrobe, later deleted the post. However, the Mail understands it was screenshotted and shared around group chats, with society tattlers outraged by her apparent disregard for those less fortunate. Real Housewives of Sydney star Victoria Montano, the wife of prominent financier Timothy Odillo Maher, shared a photo on Instagram on Saturday of a tent at a public park next to a pram It's possible the tent and pram belonged to someone experiencing homelessness. Victoria, 40, took a picture of the scene and wrote, 'Waterfront living at Woolloomooloo' 'It's so tone-deaf,' said a source. But anyone hoping for an apology shouldn't hold their breath. On Monday, Victoria uploaded yet another tone-deaf post - this time bragging about her lavish lifestyle in Sydney's east. The mother of two shared a video of her daughter practising the cello inside their harbourside mansion in Darling Point. 'When your life is hard but you can't tell people because they will judge you,' the reality star wrote. Victoria is no stranger to showing off her life of excess on social media. In July last year, she raised eyebrows by sharing photos of her expensive wardrobe, believed to be worth around $100,000, while on a family trip to St Tropez. In one image, she put on a leggy display in a $2,200 polka-dot Patou dress, which she paired with a bright yellow Hermes Kelly clutch, worth about $11,800. She then modelled a $3,500 Dior blouse, as well as several Dolce & Gabbana ensembles totalling nearly $17,000. On Monday, Victoria uploaded yet another tone-deaf post - this time bragging about her lavish lifestyle: 'When your life is hard but you can't tell people because they will judge you' She also highlighted her array of Hermes bags, which the socialite is known to collect. In one picture, she toted a green mini Kelly, which retails for a whopping $29,000, and in another she wore a brown Kelly which can cost up to $28,000. 'South of France done for another year - always my absolute fave,' she bragged in the post's caption. 'Seven slides, a selection of LEWKS unfortunately only on the days my chief photographer Tim wasnt too jet-lagged to crouch down and get the good angles!' 'Which one is your fave?' she asked her 32,800 followers. Victoria and her fellow Real Housewives of Sydney castmates came under fire in June last year after their cringeworthy display of wealth went viral in a social media clip. In the footage, Victoria and RHOS stars Krissy Marsh, Victoria Rees and Matty Samaei were seen flaunting their lavish - and very pricey - designer outfits. 'Back door fashion, I'm wearing Nookie,' Krissy boasted, as she showcased her plunging cream mini dress from the label. In July last year, Victoria raised eyebrows by sharing photos of her extremely expensive wardrobe, believed to be worth around $100,000, while on a family trip to St. Tropez Victoria and her fellow Real Housewives of Sydney castmates came under fire in June last year after their cringe display of wealth went viral. (Pictured with Matty Samaei and Krissy Marsh) 'I'm in (Victoria) Beckham and Zadig & Voltaire,' Victoria Rees chimed in while parading around in a fiery red blazer paired with a black shirt and jeans. Matty also showcased her leopard-print dress, but it was Victoria's contribution that caused the most anger. 'Dior, Valentino and a Hermes bag! It's called Montano money,' she cooed as she strutted around in a pair of denim shorts, a bralette, silky shirt and stilettos. The ostentatious display of wealth was roundly criticised on social media. 'If you have to name your labels, you're classless,' one critic sniped. 'What's with the comment "Montano money"? Ridiculous,' a second added. 'Look so cheap for rich girls,' another wrote, as a fourth asked: 'Why behave like that?' When she's not outraging the public with her tone-deaf Instagram posts, Victoria is also making headlines for her feuds with her RHOS co-stars. In March last year, a fiery row between Montano and fellow RHOS star Terry Biviano (left) broke out at a star-studded birthday party hosted by socialite Elaine Kwan The situation escalated far more quickly than anyone could have expected - to the point where shocked guests could hear wild accusations being yelled from across the room. (Pictured from left to right: Ellie Aitken, Elaine Kwan and Victoria at the birthday party) In March last year, a fiery row between Victoria and Terry Biviano broke out at a star-studded birthday party hosted by socialite Elaine Kwan, with guests including Ellie Aitken and Alina Barlow, the daughter of Russian billionaire and former Sydney FC owner David Traktovenko. The argument began when Victoria's husband Timothy confronted Terry for allegedly gossiping about other people's marriages and lifestyles. The situation escalated to the point where shocked guests could hear wild accusations being yelled from across the room. The party incident caused a huge rift between the two women - who are reportedly no longer on speaking terms and no longer follow each other on social media. Victoria also previously fell out with fellow Housewife and former BFF Martine Chippendale. The two women, who live on the same street in ritzy Darling Point, used to be inseparable but sources previously revealed they were no longer speaking. Victoria has also made headlines for her falling out with fellow RHOS star Martine Chippendale So intense is their rift, both women are said to have pulled out of events at the last minute to avoid bumping into each other, leading to all manner of mysterious 'scheduling conflicts'. While bitter rivalries are par for the course on the Foxtel series, this one allegedly caused more headaches than delight amongst producers. In another twist to their bust-up, it was revealed early last year that Victoria was pulling strings and calling in favours to get Martine a spot on the reality show. The feud is said to have begun when Victoria discovered Martine had been gossiping about her to the other Real Housewives stars. Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans were devastated last week when it emerged Hulu had suddenly scrapped plans for the upcoming reboot. Running for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003, the original show, set in the fictional Californian town of Sunnydale, followed teenager Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who attended school by day and hunted evil spirits by night. A reboot was announced in February 2025 and was due to star Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new slayer, with Sarah reviving Buffy as a recurring character. Yet on Saturday it was announced that Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, was no longer going forward - with Sarah and the reboot's director Chloe Zhao said to be 'blindsided' by the cancellation. The axed reboot is the latest tragedy to befall the world of Buffy, which has seen the original cast blighted by personal woes and its legacy dampened by accusations of on-set abuse, and criticism of problematic storylines. So what went wrong in the Buffyverse? The curse of Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Troubled cast blighted by woes while legacy has been tarnished by claims of abuse - as reboot is scrapped; from left, Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green (crouching), Anthony Stewart Head (glasses), Charisma Carpenter (red sweater), Nicholas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, James Marsters (blond) and Juliet Landa Nicholas Brendon's addiction struggles The Buffyverse was made up of a slew of talented actors, yet after finding fame on the show several went on to battle their own demons. Notably Nicholas Brendon - who played Buffy's best friend Xander Harris - struggled after leaving the series, checking into rehab for alcohol problems a year after the show came to an end. 'After realising that I had a disease that was taking control of my life, I decided that the best way for me to regain my health was to enter a treatment facility,' he said at the time. Just six years later, he returned to rehab after being tasered by police and charged with vandalism, resisting arrest and battery against a police officer. Afterwards, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation and community service. In October 2014, he was arrested and charged with two misdemeanor counts: malicious injury to property and restraining or obstructing officers, in Boise, Idaho. Police arrived at a hotel after reports of disturbance, and Brendon 'showed signs of intoxication and repeatedly refused officers' commands to stay seated while officers tried to speak to witnesses'. When he was placed in custody, he reportedly tried to walk away. In a similar incident in February 2015, he was placed under arrest for allegedly drunkenly trashing a hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following the breakdown of his marriage. Two more arrests followed that year, one for allegedly flipping a hotel bed, smashing a porcelain figure, pulling the phone out of the wall and clogging the toilet, and another for public intoxication. Join the discussion Has the legacy of Buffy been ruined by off-screen scandals and changing cultural values? Nicholas Brendon - who played Buffy's best friend Xander Harris - struggled after leaving the series. A year after the show ended he checked himself into rehab for alcohol problems Nicholas had several brushes with the law, including an arrest in 2021 for alleged prescription fraud and he also battled health issues (pictured after his 2021 arrest) Despite another stint in rehab, Brendon was again arrested later that year after grabbing his girlfriend by the throat, taking her car keys and smashing her cell phone in an attempt to stop her from leaving him. He was then treated for 90 days in a treatment facility for depression, and told Dr Phil during an interview that he'd had 'failed attempts at suicide'. And yet the spiral continued, with the actor being arrested in 2017 after allegedly attacking his girlfriend in a California hotel room. In May 2019, he was charged with domestic violence for the incident and was sentenced to three years' probation. Nicholas also struggled with his health, suffering from a cardiac arrest in 2022. It prompted his second surgery in a matter of months, having recently gone under the knife for spinal surgery in 2021 to relieve his cauda equina. The rare condition causes the nerves in the lower back to become severely compressed and can causes numbness in the lower body, and loss of bowel or bladder control. Yet in recent years, Nicholas seems to be feeling more settled, giving his fans updates on social media. In 2023, Nicholas reflected on his time on Buffy, sharing a throwback as he told fans: 'Thank you for holding a place in your heart for the show for all of these years. 'I'm just as big a fan as all of you and I miss watching it as much as I miss filming it.' Emma Caulfield Ford's health battles Since her starring role as Anya Jenkins on Buffy, Emma Caulfield Ford went on to land parts in Life Unexpected, WandaVision and Agatha All Along Behind her successful career, Emma was secretly struggling with multiple sclerosis, choosing not to reveal her diagnosis until 2022 Since her starring role as Anya Jenkins on Buffy, Emma Caulfield Ford went on to land parts in Life Unexpected, WandaVision and Agatha All Along. However, behind her successful career, Emma was secretly struggling with multiple sclerosis, choosing not to reveal her diagnosis until 2022. The actress, 52, revealed she was diagnosed in 2010 after waking up and feeling a sensation as if a 'million ants' were crawling on her face. Her acupuncturist and a neurologist initially believed she was suffering from Bell's Palsy as a result of stress, with Emma telling Vanity Fair: 'That was literally the year of hell for me. There was so much going on. Really bad personal life stuff. So I said, "yeah, that's probably it."' However, she later received a call from her doctor revealing it was MS, with Emma recalling: 'It was literally a kind of nightmare It turns out it was something major. Then I was like, "I've got to go to work now. What do I do?"' The performer, whose father also lived with multiple sclerosis, remarked that she had to do her best to work through the effects of the condition. 'MS has been around in my sphere for a very, very long timeI knew enough to be like, "Oh, my God." I'm trying to keep my s*** together and I've got to go back to work. So that was my first experience of keeping everything really quiet and showing up and just doing my job,' she stated. Emma added that despite her diagnosis she has no plans to slow down, referring to herself as a 'worker bee'. She went on: 'I didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to not hire me. There are already plenty of reasons to not hire people, reasons most actors don't even know...I knew in my bones that if you talk about this, you're just going to stop working.' Michelle Trachtenberg's tragic death After beginning her career as a child star, Michelle Trachtenberg became a household name for her role as Buffy's sister, Dawn Summers The Buffy family were left reeling last February after Michelle's sudden death at the age of 39 from complications caused by diabetes The Buffy family were left reeling last February after Michelle Trachtenberg's sudden death at the age of 39 from complications caused by diabetes. After beginning her career as a child star, Michelle became a household name for her role as Buffy's sister, Dawn Summers. She died just days after the Buffy reboot was announced, with sources telling the Daily Mail that she was in talks to revive her role. She was incredibly hopeful about it,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'Sarah Michelle obviously felt that the reboot would need her as much as it needed Sarah.' They revealed that friends of the actress had been aware of her health issues and had hoped that her return to work could help her. 'She was a pivotal role in the original and everyone was aware of her recent health struggles,' the source said. 'They were hoping that, perhaps, casting her as Sarah's sister in a reboot would help her overcome any issues she was having. She was not cast out by any means.' According to a statement from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Michelle died due to complications from diabetes mellitus. It was not immediately clear whether she had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In the months prior to her passing, Michelle had undergone a liver transplant. Joss Whedon abuse allegations While Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired its final episode back in 2003, it wasn't until 18 years later in 2021 that allegations of 'cruelty' emerged against its creator, Joss Whedon While Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired its final episode back in 2003, it wasn't until 18 years later in 2021 that allegations of 'cruelty' emerged against its creator, Joss Whedon. The allegations came about when Charisma Carpenter (who played Cordelia in Buffy) claimed on X/Twitter that Joss 'abused his power on a number of occasions' and that his behaviour intensified her 'performance anxiety' and worked to 'disempower me and alienate me from my peers'. She said his creating a 'toxic' and 'hostile' work environment 'triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer.' According to the actress, Joss made 'ongoing, passive-aggressive threats' to fire her, and after she became pregnant, called her 'fat' to colleagues - later asking in a private meeting whether she was 'going to keep it'. The claim triggered an outpouring of similar allegations from other cast members, with Michelle Trachtenberg, telling of an on-set 'rule' by which Joss was not allowed to be alone in a room with her. Amber Benson, who played Tara Maclay, added to Charisma's claim, saying there was a 'toxic environment'. She said: 'There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.' Amber told Digital Spy that during filming for the finale of season five, Joss had pulled her aside to tell her: 'Hey! Guess what? It's so exciting! We're going to kill your character!' Backing her castmates, Buffy star Sarah also issued a statement via Instagram. She wrote: 'While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don't want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon.' Rumours also resurfaced that Joss had had romantic affairs with cast members, which were said to have contributed to his divorce in 2012. Addressing the allegations made against him by Buffy cast members, Joss acknowledged that he had not been as 'civilised' back then. 'I was young,' he said. 'I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast, and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party.' He added in an interview he would never intentionally humiliate anyone. 'If I am upsetting somebody, it will be a problem for me. I know I would get angry, but I was never physical with people.' He vehemently denied Charisma's claim that he had called her 'fat' while she was pregnant. He insisted that he had no idea what Trachtenberg was referring to regarding the 'rule' about the two not being allowed in the same room together. In the same interview, he said he felt 'f*****g terrible' about other claims made about affairs with female cast members. The director insisted he felt he 'had' to sleep with them and felt 'powerless' to resist. As early as 2017, four years before cast members spoke out about Joss, the director's ex-wife, Kai Cole, accused him of pretending to be a 'feminist' to disguise his deception. The director has not worked professionally in the industry since 2021, and many from Buffy's extensive fanbase have claimed the allegations have sullied the glittering reputation of the hit show. Problematic storylines While Buffy championed a female heroine it has received more and more criticism over a lack of diversity in other areas; while also being slammed for promoting toxic masculinity When it hit screens in the late 90s, Buffy was groundbreaking in many ways; it featured a female heroine who was skilled in martial arts to defeat 'bad guys', and Willow and Tara's relationship was widely considered the first recurring female couple to appear on a TV series. However, as years have passed since the series aired, it has received more and more criticism over a lack of diversity in other areas; while also being slammed for promoting toxic masculinity in male characters - some of whom were presented as heartthrobs. Best friend and sidekick Xander, played by Nicholas Brendon, posed as the typical 'nice guy' but could scarcely walk the streets without ogling or pestering passing women. In one scene in the pilot episode, Buffy drops her books, to which Xander responds by saying 'Can I have you? Oh I mean, can I help you?', a demeanor he maintains throughout the show. Such behaviour has been criticised as anti-feminist by modern viewers of the show. The overall depiction of female characters on the show has sparked furious debate among fans, with some branding the portrayals as sexist, while others say they are empowering. Series six of the show (which was perhaps the most controversial among the fanbase) depicted two prominent female characters indulging in 'evil' behaviour after suffering tragedy as they went on vengeful rampages. Such spiralling female characters led some to brand the writing as misogynistic; a criticism that the show's creators addressed years later. Both lead show-runner Marti Noxon and Joss came under fire from fans over the portrayal of the characters; prompting Whedon to respond to such criticisms on a fan forum. Taking to the Bronze Posting Board on the Buffy website before the age of social media, Joss admitted 'mistakes' in making the series, but insisted he did not 'neglect' female characters. Joss was further criticised by fans for a lack of diversity among the characters, with only a handful of people of colour ever appearing on the show (many of whom feature for only a brief time). Besides short appearances from Bianca Lawson, who played Kendra Young, Buffy's short-lived fellow Slayer who was killed off in the second season after just three episodes; and Ara Celi, who played the Inca Mummy Girl in one episode of season two - women of colour were essentially non-existent. Season seven brought a little more diversity to the cast when Potential Slayers, or slayers-in-training, were introduced into the cast - but it was right at the end of the show's time on TV. Fans have also criticised a scene between Buffy and Spike in which the vampire attempts to rape the heroine. The 60 second scene has been branded 'toxic' by fans on Reddit forums James Marsters, who played Spike, himself described filming the scene as a 'personal hell' and revealed it led him to seek therapy Fans have also complained about one particularly shocking scene that left viewers horrified when it aired. Seeing Red, an episode in series six of the show, depicts a lovesick Spike (James Marsters) vying for Buffy's affections as he begs for her forgiveness after sleeping with her friend Anya. However, after tracking her down to a bathroom, Spike's pining turns to violence as he attempts to rape his love interest when she pushes him away. The 60 second scene, in which Buffy, screaming and crying, attempts to wrestle off a particularly aggressive Spike who wants to 'make her feel it', makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing and has been branded 'toxic' by fans on Reddit forums. For its contemporary audience, the scene was shocking. However as time has passed, it has become ever steeped in controversy for its portrayal of toxic masculinity and romanticising an abusive dynamic. And it's not just viewers who were left reeling by the scene. James, who played Spike, himself described filming the scene as a 'personal hell' and revealed it led him to seek therapy. Speaking on Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast, he said: 'It's a problematic scene for a lot of people who like the show. And it's the darkest professional day of my life.' He revealed the idea had spawned from a writers' meeting in which people around the table were asked to draw on their own 'dark secrets' as inspiration for plots. He said it had been a female writer's idea to add the scene to the script, after she recalled an incident where she'd returned to an ex's house after being dumped - in the hopes of sleeping with him to 'fix' their breakup. 'She kind of forced herself and he had to physically remove her from the premises, and that was one of the most painful memories of that time of her life,' James continued. While he wasn't comfortable with the plot, James insisted he was contractually obliged to go ahead with filming. In a 2023 interview, the programme's heroine Sarah, revealed she had rewatched the series that launched her career with her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr and their children, Charlotte and Rocky - but they skipped Seeing Red. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, she said: 'I have trouble with [season] six. It wasn't appropriate for them at the time, and I just don't want to re-watch it.' Love Island star Cashel Barnett, following his guilty plea to sex abuse, assault and domestic violence charges, was sentenced to a year in custody in a Utah jail - which the victim calls an injustice. The Sacramento, California native, 34, is best known for his stint on the inaugural season of the reality show Love Island USA, which aired on CBS during the summer of 2019. Barnett, who has nearly 80,000 Instagram followers, subsequently appeared on The Challenge: USA in 2022. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office told TMZ on Tuesday that Barnett was sentenced to a year in jail following guilty pleas to three criminal charges. They included second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, third-degree felony aggravated assault and third-degree felony domestic violence in the presence of a child. Barnett commenced serving his sentence this past January 12; and will also receive credit for time served in the wake of the sentencing, officials told the outlet. Daily Mail has reached out to Barnett's lawyer and the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office for further comment on the story. Love Island star Cashel Barnett, 34, following his guilty plea to sex abuse, assault and domestic violence charges, was sentenced to a year in a Utah jail - which the victim calls an injustice Barnett is best known for his stint on the inaugural season of the reality show Love Island USA, which aired on CBS during the summer of 2019 Barnett, an alum of Fordham University, will be placed on probation following completion of his sentence, the outlet reported after reviewing court docs. A protective order has been instituted that forces Cashel to keep a minimum distance from both his ex-girlfriend and child upon his release, legal docs stated. An insider close to Barnett's former girlfriend - who said in court docs that Barnett sexually assaulted her in late 2024 - told TMZ that she condemned what she felt was a light sentence during a victim impact statement delivered to the court. 'Imagining all the hurt and long-lasting damage and having a one-year sentence feels like an injustice,' Barnett's former girlfriend said in the impact statement, the insider told the outlet. Barnett's former girlfriend said she was praying 'for the safety of all three of my children and for' herself in the wake of the sentencing. In legal docs filed last year obtained by DailyMail.com, prosecutors said that Barnett fought with his ex-girlfriend on April 10, 2025. Their one-year-old child was in the room at the time, prosecutors said in legal documents. At one point, prosecutors said Barnett grabbed her neck with his hands and forced her onto a bed while choking her to a point she said she could not 'breathe or see clearly.' Prosecutors said last year, 'The report of strangulation is particularly concerning. Injuries related to strangulation can be serious, yet not necessarily apparent. Barnett will be placed on probation following completion of his sentence, the outlet reported after reviewing court docs Barnett also appeared on The Challenge: USA in 2022 'Victims who have been non-fatally strangled are 7.5 times more likely to become a subsequent victim of homicide at the hands of the same abusive partner.' Prosecutors said that they believed 'that the victim will likely suffer further domestic abuse at the hands of the defendant should he remain out of custody.' Andrew Deesing, the attorney who represented the reality star in the case, told the Daily Mail Tuesday that 'the victim in this case gave testimony last June. 'Following that testimony and upon review of the evidence the State extended the attached plea offer.' Deesing told the Daily Mail that on Monday, 'Mr. Barnett was sentenced according to the plea agreement crafted by the State. 'The State recommended that he be placed on probation, and the judge after having heard the June testimony agreed to impose that sentence.' Deesing said that 'the original charges Barnett faced carried with them a prison sentence of 15 years to life. 'Barnett believes the joint plea agreement, substantial reduction, and factual basis (attached) represents the appropriate resolution of this case.' A war has erupted online between supporters and critics of The Kyle & Jackie O Show, following the shock termination of Kyle Sandilands' KIIS FM contract. Social media platforms have been flooded with fierce debate in the hours after news broke that ARN had axed the controversial shock jock, with fans and detractors clashing over whether the outspoken broadcaster deserves to return to the airwaves. Some listeners have celebrated the decision, arguing that Sandilands' long history of controversial on-air remarks had finally caught up with him. 'Woohoo, crack out the champagne,' sniped one critic. 'Best news all day,' a second added. 'Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke,' someone else chimed in and another wrote: 'They should have sacked him years ago.' A war has erupted online between supporters and critics of The Kyle & Jackie O Show, following the shock termination of Kyle Sandilands' KIIS FM contract Some listeners have celebrated the decision, arguing that Sandilands' long history of controversial on-air remarks had finally caught up with him Meanwhile, fans of the former radio star insisted his axing was just a minor setback and that Sandilands would soon be back better than ever. 'He will be back before long. Can't wait to have him back on the air,' one supporter wrote. 'He's probably already got a contract on one of the talk radio stations,' another suggested. 'We stand with you Kyle,' another chimed in and someone else wrote: 'He will win... always does.' It follows reports that the Australian Radio Network (ARN) terminated Sandilands' KIIS FM contract in a bombshell move against the radio host, following his on-air blow-up with Jackie 'O' Henderson. In an explosive statement obtained by Daily Mail on Wednesday morning, the 54-year-old admitted he doesn't 'accept' the fate of his role at the network. He also confirmed the matter will now be in the hands of his lawyers. 'ARN has just announced they've terminated my contract,' he said. Join the discussion Do YOU think Kyle Sandilands was treated unfairly by KIIS FM or was it time for him to go? Social media platforms have been flooded with fierce debate in the hours after news broke 'I don't accept it.' Sandilands continued: 'My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is. 'Let me tell you what actually happened here. Jackie and I had a blue on air. That's it. The kind of thing we've done a hundred times in 25 years. And ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down. 'They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldn't even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show. Then and this is the bit that gets me once they'd made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, "You didn't fix it. You're fired!"' Sandilands added he had apologised to Henderson the night after their on-air clash last month. 'I said sorry to Jackie the night of our blow-up. And when I said I was sorry to Jackie, I meant it. I still mean it. But it doesn't mean I will stand by while I am separated from the people who've listened to me every morning for 25 years,' he continued. 'Before they suspended me, ARN said, "Let us handle it," and I listened. In the two weeks since, I've done everything ARN asked. I said, put me back on air. I'll work with Jackie. I'll work with someone else. Whatever you need. Every single time "no." They weren't interested. They didn't want to fix this. They thought they saw a chance to get out of the contract they signed with me a year ago, and they ran with it. 'ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. They've worked with me for over a decade. They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it because I delivered. It follows reports that ARN has terminated Sandilands' KIIS FM contract in a bombshell move against the radio host, following his on-air blow-up with Jackie 'O' Henderson In an explosive statement obtained by Daily Mail on Wednesday morning, the 54-year-old admitted he doesn't 'accept' the fate of his role at the network 'Number one ratings. Year after year. Hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for their business. I held up my end. I always have. 'So, you tell me why would ARN prefer to breach a contract and pay the legal consequences rather than honour the contract and pay me to do what I do best? That's the bit that doesn't make sense. 'I've got a contract until 2034. I've got rights under that contract. And ARN hasn't honoured the contract. So, it's over to my lawyers. 'To the people who tune in every morning you lot are the reason I've done this for 25 years. You didn't get a say in this. Neither did I. But my lawyers will. I'm not done. Not by a long way.' It comes after Sandilands failed to deliver on his expectation that he'd be returning to the KIIS FM airwaves after a bombshell late-night interview. ARN had until midnight Tuesday to decide the radio host's fate as his 14-day suspension ended, and the shock jock said he would be back on the air in the morning unless he's told otherwise. Mike E, whose real name is Mike Etheridge, continued his fill-in role on Wednesday's breakfast program alongside the Kyle & Jackie O Show staff including newsreader Brooklyn Ross, 'Intern' Pete Deppeler and producers. ARN announced last month 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 onair comments that left her in tears. ARN also provided written notice to Sandilands stating it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 to be 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's service agreement with Quasar Media'. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Elizabeth Hurley brought the glamour to the National Portrait Gallery gala on Tuesday night. Stars gathered at The National Portrait Gallery for the annual fundraising event, which marked the first during the tenure of Victoria Siddall as the gallerys artistic director. Model Rosie, 38, looked incredible as she took to the red carpet in a plunging black feathered dress with scarf and thigh-high slit. Elizabeth, 60, also turned heads in a glittering brown ruched dress which she teamed with open-toed heels. She hit the red carpet with Emily Oppenheimer, Beatrice Vincenzini and Tamara Beckwith. James Corden, 47, and his wife Julia Carey, 49, were also dressed to impress for the glitzy evening. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (left) and Elizabeth Hurley (right) brought the glamour to the National Portrait Gallery Gala 2026 on Tuesday night Kirstin Scott Thomas, who is a committee member alongside Zadie Smith and Jenny Saville, cut a stylish figure in a patterned dress. The gala's accompanying silent auction launched with tickets to Roksandas SS/27 show in September and a private Slow Horses set visit with the actress. There was also live performances by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and DJ sets from Princess Julia and Hale Zero. Sophie put on a dazzling display in a glittery midnight blue dress, while Russell Tovey, who is also on the committee, cut a dapper figure in a crushed velvet suit. The National Portrait Gallery houses the world's largest collection of portraits, telling the story of Britain through the people who have shaped its history and culture. Rosie's night out comes after her trip to Paris for Fashion Week earlier this month. The model attended a number of shows, including Tom Ford, Saint Laurent and Burberry. Elizabeth, meanwhile, is just back from a holiday in Dehli with her son Damian, 22, and her friend, beauty entrepreneur Trinny Woodall. Model Rosie, 38, looked incredible in a plunging black feathered dress with scarf and thigh-high slit Elizabeth hit the red carpet with Emily Oppenheimer, Beatrice Vincenzini and Tamara Beckwith James Corden, 47, and his wife Julia Carey, 49, were also dressed to impress for the glitzy evening Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who will perform during the night, put on a dazzling display in a glittery midnight blue dress Kirstin Scott Thomas, who is a committee member alongside Zadie Smith and Jenny Saville, cut a stylish figure in a patterned dress The actress posed for a photo with Tim Walker Zadie Smith beamed as she arrived at The Portrait Gala 2026 Zadie, Jarvis Cocker and Bella Freud posed for photo together Russell Tovey, who is on the committee, cut a dapper figure in a crushed velvet suit Jack Penate was also in attendance Rosie showed off her long legs in the daring dress which she teamed with tights and pointed heels Rosie looked incredible in the black silk dress which had tassel detailing on the skirt Elizabeth appeared in high spirits as she arrived at the fundraiser linking arms with Tamara Matt Willis has credited Jack Osbourne for helping him get sober after he was attacked in New Zealand. The former Busted star has revealed that they were filming the series Adrenaline Junkie in 2008, and admitted at the time he would drink 'from the moment he woke up to the moment he went to bed.' After he was involved in the fight, Matt said his behaviour concerned Jack, who himself was sober after entering rehab at the age of 17, and the star offered the musician a place in a Los Angeles rehab facility. Matt revealed: 'We were in some major city in New Zealand, and I'd been out in the morning, got p***ed and got beaten up in the town centre and came back by police. 'I was at the airport, so I had cuts and bruises all over me. I was drinking in the bar, and Jack came and sat next to me. He basically said, ''I see what you're doing, and I know you've got a problem, Matt''.' Matt said Jack went on to offer him a rehab place, but he confessed he was 'annoyed' by his offer and reacted 'rudely' at the time. Matt Willis has credited Jack Osbourne for helping him get sober during his battle with alcoholism after he was attacked in New Zealand Speaking on his On The Mend podcast, he said: 'I was p****d and I was a d******d, and I was like ''no mate, no I'm just going through a bit of a tough time. I'm all right. Everything's okay.'' 'And he just sat with me and let say all that b*****t to him, he went ''look I've talked to the guy, there's a place for you. You can be in there tomorrow and it's going to be all right'' And I was like ''no mate, no, you're off your head see you later.'' 'And I got on the plane back to London instead of going to LA, and then three weeks later I checked myself into rehab. So, he was on the money. It was an amazing thing he did.' Matt said he finally checked into rehab three weeks later before he was due to marry Emma, after she issued him with an ultimatum. He said: 'Emma went away on a work trip, and I was on my own. That's when things got really scary and really, really dark for me. 'And that's when I checked myself into rehab... '[Jack] was the first person who really, truly saw me, saw the b******t I was living in, and called it out.' Matt then married Emma just three days after he left rehab, with the couple renewing their vows on their tenth wedding anniversary. He has now been sober for several years. His 2023 BBC documentary, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction, won praise for its unflinching look at relapse, recovery and the impact on his family. The former Busted star said Jack offered him a place at a rehab facility in LA after he was involved in a drunken fight while they were filming a show together Speaking on his podcast, he reflected on how that film helped him 'rewrite his story': 'I wanted to change the way people looked at addicts. I wanted people to go, "These are people who are struggling - how can we help them?" rather than dismissing them from society.' He also discussed the process of making amends as part of his recovery - but admitted there's one person he's never formally apologised to: Emma. 'When you do step work, you write down all the bad things you've done and go and make amends,' he explained. 'The one person I need to make amends to the most is Emma. My wife saw me at my darkest and stuck by me. 'What I think people would be surprised about is I didn't make a straightforward amends with her. I didn't go and say, "I'm sorry", because I don't know what I would say. I don't know if there's enough words to do it justice and I didn't want to not do it justice.' He continued: 'I was always like, when I feel like I'm in a good enough place, I'll do it. And when I feel like I'm ready, and I feel like she'll really appreciate it, I will do it. As time went on, I was like, actually, I think I'm doing it without having to go and say it. 'It's not because I'm wimping out... I think instead what I do is choose to be the man I am today for her. And I choose to turn up and I choose to keep promises that I give her. So I actually think I'm making amends to her every day.' Matt admits that discussing his addiction with their children - Isabelle, 16, Ace, 13, and Trixie, nine - has been among the hardest parts of his recovery. 'At some point, they're like, "Why don't you have a drink? Nanny does, Mummy does occasionally," he said. 'When do you tell a kid you're an alcoholic? What do you say to that? It's kind of a weird thing for a kid to hear.' He added: 'I've done it differently every time, but I think I've let them understand why I don't and why, if I did, it wouldn't be the same person that's speaking to you now. 'Something happens to me when I take a drink or I do drugs, I change... everything that's important in my life goes away. And the only thing that's important is that. And I don't want to be that guy ever again, especially for you, because I love you and I want to be the best version that I can for you.' Now, Matt says he's finally found peace. 'Taking control doesn't mean pretending everything's fine,' he said. 'It means saying, "This is where I am, and I get to decide what happens next".' Heath Ledger's lookalike daughter Matilda was seen stepping out in New York City last week - 17 years after his posthumous Oscar win. The 20-year-old, who is the daughter of the late Australian actor and Michelle Williams, was spotted enjoying a low-key stroll through the bustling city on a coffee run. In 2009, at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, Ledger received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Dark Knight, with his family emotionally accepting the award on stage. It came a little over one year following his death, aged 28, from an accidental drug overdose in January 2008. Matilda kept it casual for the recent outing in a pair of light blue jeans as well as a plain, black hoodie. She additionally slipped into a pair of black flats and easily carried a black tote bag over her right shoulder. Heath Ledger's lookalike daughter Matilda, 20, was seen stepping out in New York City last week - 17 years after his posthumous Oscar win Matilda was seen enjoying the warmer weather in the city and later picked up an iced coffee. She was born in October 2005 - one year after Ledger and Williams began dating after meeting on the set of Brokeback Mountain. Ledger's posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was for his critically acclaimed performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, which was released after his death. The award was accepted by his father, mother and sister as they gave moving speeches. His father thanked Warner Bros as well as director Christopher Nolan 'for allowing Heath the creative license to develop and explore this crazy Joker character.' He added, 'This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath's quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, within an industry he so loved.' His mother also expressed, 'We have been truly overwhelmed by the honor and respect being bestowed upon him with this award.' Join the discussion Seeing Matilda Ledger now, how much of her fathers legacy do you think lives on through her? Matilda kept it casual for the recent outing in a pair of light blue jeans as well as a plain, black hoodie She was born in October 2005 - one year after Ledger and Williams began dating after meeting on the set of Brokeback Mountain In 2009, during the 81st Annual Academy Awards, Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor based on his performance in The Dark Knight, with his family emotionally accepting the award on stage She added that his family is 'choosing to celebrate' his achievements before his sister Kate applauded his 'extraordinarily special' role as the Joker. 'And had even talked about being here on this very day. We really wish you were, but we proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda.' Nearly two years after Matilda was born, it was revealed that Ledger and Williams had separated. During an episode of Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast in May 2025, the actress made rare comments about the late actor. 'I feel obligated to say that I knew him a little bit when he was getting sober, and I don't know that I've ever fallen in love with somebody so quickly,' Williams shared. Shepard then added, 'This is one of the most special boys I've ever met, and I can feel the weight of the world on him in a very special way that kind of broke my heart. 'I was very, very sad, and I thought he was just so special,' the podcast host further told Williams. The Dawson's Creek alum emotionally said, '[He was] so special, so special. Thank God there's Matilda.' Ledger in his iconic role in The Dark Knight (2008), for which he won an Oscar Ledger holding Matilda in 2006 in NYC During a past conversation with Interview Magazine in 2017, Williams reflected on her life with Ledger when their daughter was born. 'The first six weeks of our daughter Matilda's life was this incredibly insular, protected time.' The actress added, 'It was just he and I and her, living in our new house in Brooklyn. No nanny, no help - not really even any family.' Williams said that both she and Ledger 'were really committed to forming a bond just between the three of us. 'And then that bubble got broken with work. Brokeback Mountain was going to come out, and the press stuff started rearing up. But those six weeks were just blissful.' The actress further expressed how 'everything was possible' for the late actor. 'He was good at sports. He was good at directing. He was good at painting. He was good at taking pictures. He was good at building things.' Williams continued, 'It could be infuriating to a lot of his friends - I mean, he had a talent for everything he put his mind to, pretty much, so he didn't know limits. Williams has previously reflected on her life with Ledger when their daughter was born Williams said, 'It could be infuriating to a lot of his friends - I mean, he had a talent for everything he put his mind to, pretty much, so he didn't know limits' 'Maybe he had never been told that he couldn't do something, so everything was possible for him.' Other celebrities have previously reflected on working with Ledger, such as his 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Julia Stiles. 'He was amazing. He was such a bright light. He just walked into a room and lit it up,' she told E! News last year. 'He was very kind and generous to me, which you know, when you're an actress in your first leading role in a big studio movie, you need to feel comfortable with the other person.' Aysegul Eraslan, a popular Turkish fashion influencer, was found dead at 27 inside her home in Kagthane, Turkey on Friday. Eraslan was found by first responders after her relatives called authorities when she didn't answer the door to her home after they traveled to see her after she wasn't answering her phone, the Turkish outlets Sozcu and Cumhuriyet reported. Following a police review of the scene, medics at Eraslan's home pronounced her dead. After a public prosecutor examined the crime scene, according to the outlet, her body had been transported to a forensic medicine investigator. Information provided by the Kagthane Public Security Bureau indicated that Eraslan had come home, with a suitcase in hand, on March 11 following a visit to Egypt, according to Sozcu. Turkish actor Sunay Kurtulus had been seen in security footage that law enforcement officials reviewed, venturing into Eraslan's home an estimated hour before she died, Sozcu reported. He stayed for a short time then departed the premises. Aysegul Eraslan, a popular Turkish fashion influencer was found dead at 27 inside her home in Kagthane, Turkey on Friday Kurtulus was questioned by authorities and released after giving a statement, according to Cumhuriyet. Kurtulus' legal team said in a statement on Instagram Sunday that the actor was 'only questioned as part of the investigation and has provided the necessary statements to the relevant authorities from the very beginning of the process.' Kurtulus was 'not at the scene of the incident at the time it occurred,' his legal team said. The statement continued, 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Aysegul Eraslan. 'We pray for God's mercy upon her and offer our condolences to her family, relatives, and loved ones.' Daily Mail has reached out to police in Istanbul and Kurtulus's lawyer for additional comment. Eraslan had established herself as a force in the fashion world on the fashion competition show Iste Benim Stilim. Eraslan had more than 361,000 followers on her Instagram account, where she identified herself as a fashion designer and linked to accounts promoting her businesses. Eraslan had more than 361K followers on Instagram, where she showcased her style Eraslan had established herself as a force in the fashion world on the fashion competition show Iste Benim Stilim Turkish actor Sunay Kurtulus had been seen in security footage that law enforcement officials reviewed, Sozcu reported. Kurtulus was questioned by authorities and released after giving a statement, according to Cumhuriyet Eraslan posted multiple photos of herself donning a variety of outfits, and shared clips documenting her trips to a series of far-flung locales. They included Egypt, Denmark, Sweden and U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, Miami and Las Vegas. A number of social media users posted memorials on Eraslan's final post, put up five days ago. 'I am very sorry for what [Eraslan] lived through and couldn't live through,' said one user. 'This should not have been the end of a young person. Rest in peace.' Shia LaBeouf was seen sparking a scene while only in his underwear inside the lobby of a hotel in Rome. The 39-year-old actor - who has recently been arrested twice in connection to a Mardi Gras brawl last month - was spotted shirtless as he asked strangers for a light for his cigarette. It comes shortly after the Transformers star was granted permission to travel to Italy for his father's baptism while out on bail. In a short clip, LaBeouf appears slightly frustrated as he asked people standing nearby, 'Come on bro, give me a f***ing match. You got a match?' One individual started to walk away while a hotel concierge reached over to one side of a front desk as he watched the commotion unfold. Throughout the video, an unlit cigarette was placed between the actor's lips while he donned a pair of black boxer briefs. Shia LaBeouf, 39, was seen sparking a scene while only in his underwear inside the lobby of a hotel in Rome It comes shortly after the Transformers star was granted permission to travel to Italy for his father's baptism while out on bail; pictured February 17 booking photo LaBeouf's initial request to fly to Italy 'for religious purposes, including his father's baptism' from March 1 to 8 was denied by judge Simone Levine during a February 26 court hearing, according to the publication. But a second attempt at seeking permission was successful. The Guardian reported that LaBeouf's request to travel to Italy was granted on March 4 by magistrate Peter Hamilton. The initial request was rejected primarily as no travel itinerary had been given to the judge, however numerous officials knowledgeable about the situation told The Guardian a travel itinerary was supplied in the second request. LaBeouf was arrested on two counts of misdemeanor battery on February 17 following an alleged fight outside a bar in New Orleans' French Quarter. He was released the same day on his own recognizance, but judge Levine later ordered he pay a $100,000 bond after learning about alleged homophobic slurs the actor had used during the incident, according to The Guardian. The Even Stevens actor was arrested again in connection with the same incident on a misdemeanor simple battery charge and had bond set to $5,000, according to TMZ. According to the New Orleans Police Department incident report, officers were dispatched to R Bar on Royal Street at approximately 12:45 a.m. on February 17 in response to a reported simple battery involving a man who was allegedly 'causing a disturbance and becoming increasingly aggressive.' The actor was spotted shirtless as he asked strangers for a light for his cigarette Throughout the video, an unlit cigarette was placed between the actor's lips while he donned a pair of black boxer briefs The Guardian reported that LaBeouf's request to travel to Italy was granted on March 4 by magistrate Peter Hamilton; seen in 2025 in Cannes LaBeouf was arrested on two counts of misdemeanor battery on February 17 following an alleged fight outside a bar in New Orleans' French Quarter In the narrative section of the report, officers wrote that they were informed 'a white male subject was aggressive and struck multiple people' inside the bar. It was claimed the actor yelled: 'These f****ts put me in jail. I'm a Catholic.' Judge Levine slammed LaBeouf for his alleged use of the slur against a 'marginalized community' that has faced so much 'terror' already. Jeffrey Damnit, who was involved in the altercation, has called LaBeouf's release 'ridiculous' and called for him to be charged with a hate crime. Eyewitnesses alleged LaBeouf became increasingly aggressive at a business and was escorted out by staff, at which point he allegedly struck one man multiple times with closed fists. Authorities say the situation escalated when LaBeouf returned to the scene and allegedly assaulted the same victim again before punching a second man in the nose. Witnesses reportedly attempted to restrain him until police arrived. LaBeouf was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries before being booked into Orleans Parish Prison. He was charged with two counts of simple battery. Judge Levine slammed LaBeouf for his alleged use of the slur against a 'marginalized community' that has faced so much 'terror' already; seen in 2019 in Beverly Hills In his first interview since the brawl, LaBeouf made a series of bizarre claims - including that he felt 'scared' when approached by three gay men on Fat Tuesday. 'Big gay people are scary to me,' LaBeouf said bluntly during an hour-long interview with Channel 5. The interview saw LaBeouf make outlandish and often controversial statements. Among them was a claim that he felt 'scared' when approached by three gay men on Fat Tuesday. 'Big gay people are scary to me,' LaBeouf said plainly during one part of the hour-long conversation with Andrew Callaghan. 'When I'm standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg, I get scared. I'm sorry. If that's homophobic then I'm that.' He also explained about the altercation, 'I was drunk and then I felt infringed upon in terms of my proximity. But I wasn't in my right mind, and so it's on me.' In his first interview since the brawl, LaBeouf made a series of bizarre claims - including that he felt 'scared' when approached by three gay men on Fat Tuesday; seen in February in New Orleans He also explained about the altercation, 'I was drunk and then I felt infringed upon in terms of my proximity. But I wasn't in my right mind, and so it's on me'; seen in 2024 in Cannes And he took accountability for reportedly using a gay slur, admitting, 'I said words not ok to say. I don't want to hurt nobody's feelings... I'm wrong for what I did.' His split from Mia Goth was also recently revealed, with the separation occurring last year following nine years of marriage. The pair additionally share daughter Isabel, three. Sources previously told TMZ that Goth wants Labeouf to enter rehab to help manage his alcohol use. The insiders claimed that the actor's behavior has been happening for years now, with the recent altercation bringing it publicly to light. While Goth and LaBeouf have split, the Frankenstein actress still has love for her ex and wants him to continue to be a part of their daughter's life, the outlet's source claims. His split from Mia Goth was also recently revealed, with the separation occurring last year following nine years of marriage. The pair additionally share daughter Isabel, three; seen in 2014 in London A source told the Daily Mail that Goth separated from LaBeouf five months ago - after the estranged couple tied the knot in 2016. Two years later, they filed for divorce before later reconciling. Their daughter was welcomed to the world in March 2022. During his recent interview with Callaghan, he additionally reflected on the end of his marriage to Goth. 'It's not new heartbreak. I don't want to talk too much about it. It's not my story alone to tell, but my side is I failed my marriage, so I had to own up to that. So that's why I moved out here,' he said. Alice Evans has revealed her father David has died, just months after her brother had passed away. The British-American actress, 57, shared a heartbreaking tribute with her fans on Instagram as she told her followers that he tragically died on Friday. Alice posted a gallery of images of her father with her late mother during their younger years, and paid tribute to him for 'teaching her how to laugh' and 'not care what people think.' It comes just days after Alice's ex-husband Ioan Gruffudd secured a huge win in their bitter court battle, as a judge ruled that a domestic violence restraining order against her will be renewed for five years. The warring exes went to trial to settle the remaining issues of spousal and child support from their decades-long marriage. In her tribute, Alice wrote: 'Dear Dad, You left us on Friday. Only six months after the death of your beloved son Tony. Alice Evans has revealed her beloved father David has died, just months after her brother had passed away The British-American actress shared a heartbreaking tribute with her fans on Instagram as she told her followers that he tragically died on Friday 'Now all three of you are gone you, Mum, Tony and it's just me and Phil from the OG family. 'I hope the three of you are together. I hope there is a place where we get to see the people we've lost and that the three of you are having a blast, free from pain and the worry and anxiety and sometimes pure hell of life on earth. 'I hope you know how much wisdom you passed on to me that I am now passing on to my girls. 'Your crazy maths problems, brain teasers, your brilliant anecdotes, encompassing both the respect you had for the incredibly high position you reached in the world of academia, and at times the absurdity of the whole system. 'You taught me to laugh. You taught me that there is humor in almost anything. You taught me to play the piano. 'You taught me not to care what people thought because 'if you do A, they'll say you should have done B. 'And if you do B they'll say you should have done A'. That stayed with me forever. 'Godspeed, Dad. Give Mum and Tone the biggest hug from me. David Vincent Evans 27th October 1940. 13th March 2026 RIP.' Alice posted a gallery of images of her father with her late mother during their younger years In a touching post, she paid tribute to him for 'teaching her how to laugh' and 'not care what people think' Sharing news of her father's death, Alice said she'd taken comfort in knowing he was reunited with her late mother She said: 'I hope you know how much wisdom you passed on to me that I am now passing on to my girls' Alice revealed her father's passing in a lengthy Instagram post, just months after revealing the death of her brother Tony In August, Alice shared that her beloved brother Tony had passed away, sharing that he'd endured his own hardship. Calling Tony her 'best friend,' she also paid tribute to him for being a 'beloved uncle' to her two daughters. Earlier this month, Alice's trial with ex Ioan came to an end, with the actor securing huge win having his domestic violence restraining order against her renewed for a further five years. During the trial, Alice remained calm and subdued as Judge Michael Convey announced his decision, while Fantastic Four star Ioan sitting at the opposite end of a long table, also displayed little emotion. Neither wanted to comment to the Daily Mail after the ruling. On the opening days of their trial, Ioan recounted a years-long campaign of online harassment and abuse waged by Alice, targeting him and his new wife, Australian actress Bianca Wallace, 33, which led them to seek and win a three-year restraining order against Alice in 2022. Alice confessed on the witness stand Wednesday to bombarding social media sites with denigrating and false posts about her former spouse and his new wife and offered apologies to both Ioan and Bianca. She told the court how 'ashamed and regretful' she was - and assured Judge Convey that her online trash-talking was a thing of the past. But Judge Convey did not buy her attempts at contrition, citing the 'multiple' times she violated the original restraining order, which called for her to stay 100 feet away from Ioan and Bianca and not to post negative comments about them online. The judge granted the Welsh actor's request to renew the restraining order, and in a 75-minute summing up of the evidence presented over seven days of trial, he told Alice on Wednesday that she had carried out a 'concerted, focused, intentional and caustic campaign of denigration' aimed at Ioan and Bianca. Alice's 'threats of force and intimidation caused Ioan to fear for his and Bianca's physical safety,' he said. Her 'pattern of abuse' isolated him from his children. 'Her vow to 'dedicate her life to fighting him' and ruin his career threatened his ability to provide for his children.' Ioan and Alice split in early 2021 and went through a messy divorce that was finalised in 2023. Since then, they have been in a bitter fight over money and their daughters, Ella, 16, and Elsie, 12. In April last year, Ioan married Bianca, who gave birth to their daughter, Mila, in November. Judge Convey said he was particularly disturbed by an incident which happened in front of the children where Alice 'screamed at Ioan at the top of her lungs,' and told him she was going to 'Amber Heard' him, and told the girls, 'If daddy's creepy with you, let me know.' 'This is harassment,' said the judge who cited another occasion, where Alice disclosed online that Bianca suffers from multiple sclerosis, causing distress to Bianca. 'This is emotional abuse - this is coercive control,' he continued. Of Alice's expressions of regret in the witness box about her harassment of her former spouse and his new wife, Judge Convey asked, 'Is it true remorse? I am not persuaded. But it is a positive step forward.' He conceded that Alice's online trash-talking 'has abated somewhat - it's not at the same level of violence or hate. But there has not been sufficient showing of responsibility.' The judge, who told the court that he had thought about renewing the restraining order permanently rather than just for five years, said it 'is incumbent on Alice to get therapy. And he warned her that violating the new restraining order 'could lead to criminal prosecution.' He also urged both Alice and Ioan, who has not seen their daughters for two years, according to Alice, to 'find a way to co-parent' to give him the chance to be a part of the girls' lives again. Alice didn't want to talk about the judge's ruling. Nor did Ioan. But Ioan's attorney, Joseph Langlois, told the Daily Mail, 'You have to start somewhere and this is a start for Alice to correct her life. 'The judge gave her some good advice and I'm hopeful going forward that she'll fix things, that she'll change and turn her life around.' Earlier, Langlois and Alice's attorney, Janina Verano, presented closing statements respectively for and against the renewal of the restraining order. Langlois told the court that the legal standard for renewing an order is that 'the protected parties have a reasonable fear of future abuse.' Alice, he said, had violated the previous restraining order against her 'almost too many times to count.' 'Alice's abuse has endangered the physical safety and well-being of the protected parties [Ioan and Bianca] and their infant daughter. She intended to hurt him economically and damage his career.' Citing Bianca's testimony last week about her and her three-month old baby receiving death threats as a result of Alice's derogatory social media posts, Langlois said Bianca could face the danger of physical violence from 'some unhinged follower of Alice .who has drunk her poison.who gets riled up by her posts and wants to do her [Bianca] harm.' Noting that Alice's 'relentless campaign of abuse spanned five years from 2021 to 2025,' Langlois said Alice was 'driven by an insatiable desire for revenge over her emotions about her divorce. 'Ioan and Bianca have a reasonable fear that Alice will continue her behaviour, based on her many violations of the restraining order.' He added, 'Alice cannot remediate the damage she has done. Her derogatory posts on the internet are available forever for all to see.' Langlois scoffed at Alice's 'unconvincing show of remorse' last week and her claim to being sorry about her online harassment of Ioan and Bianca, saying, 'Her confession was nowhere near good enough to prove that she has moved on. 'Alice has a lack of true contrition. She is still denying and making excuses for her abusive behaviour. She has never taken any steps to reform her abusive character.' Alice's attorney, Verano, told the court that when Alice embarked on her online harassment of Ioan in 2021, 'It was the end of COVID, she was isolated, she was facing the loss of her marriage.' Any hope of reconciling with Ioan was 'crushed' when she learned he was romantically involved with Bianca. 'She lost her mind, she was devastated,' said Verano. But this week, her lawyer went on, 'Alice is in a very different place. She has moved on with her life.' Verano insisted that Alice's abusive emails and texts had stopped. 'There are no threats. Alice has deactivated her Twitter account,' she told the court. She added that while some of Alice's more recent social media posts 'talk about what she's been through.they are not meant to disturb Ioan's peace. Alice's conduct has changed quite a bit.' The three-year RO imposed on Alice in August 2022 impacted her ability to work and travel, said Verano, who told the court that she had lost jobs because of the RO. She also said that flying into the USA with her daughters, Alice and the girls are always detained at airports, 'which frightens the girls because they're afraid she might end up in jail.' She said that renewing the RO, which includes the 'stay away' clause requiring Alice to keep 100 feet away from Ioan, would mean that her daughters would have to choose which parent shows up at their school graduations and other family events. Verano closed, asking Judge Convey to deny Ioan's request to renew the RO, telling the court, 'Alice is learning. She has grown.' Wednesday's RO ruling marks the end of the first phase of what was expected to be a nine-day trial. The second phase this week will deal with the child and spousal support disputes of the former couple who spent more than 20 years together. Alice claims she is broke and wants the court to order him to increase the $1,500 a month he pays her in spousal support and the $3,000 a month he pays in child support. Ioan maintains that their girls have been 'poisoned and alienated' against him by their mother. He wants to stop paying spousal support altogether, 'based upon Alice's persistent domestic abuse of him and her many violations of the restraining order' and insists that he has already 'overpaid' Alice by almost $400,000. Maura Higgins ensured all eyes were on her as she arrived to the premiere of The Drama in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The former Love Island star, 35, cut a glamorous figure in a halter neck burgundy gown with a cut out detail along the waist. The garment featured a layered panel detail and a silver ring motif along with a flowing train. Maura added height to her frame with a pair of heels and styled her brunette locks into an updo for the evening. The Irish model completed her look with a pair of dark red earrings. In The Drama, Zendaya plays Emma Harwood, a bookstore clerk from Baton Rouge, Louisana, who is engaged to Robert Pattinson's character Charlie Thompson, a museum director from London. Maura Higgins ensured all eyes were on her as she arrived to the premiere of The Drama in Los Angeles on Tuesday The former Love Island star, 35, cut a glamorous figure in a halter neck burgundy gown with a cut out detail along the waist Their relationship is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails. The film is directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli and will be released on April 3. Maura has proven to be a hit with fans in the states after she made her glamorous debut on The Traitors US last month. After sharing her plans to crack America, Maura has been pictured attending a number of glitzy events. The star is currently on a press tour following her appearance on the fourth season of The Traitors US. Months after her successful Love Island stint way back in 2019, Maura appeared on Dancing On Ice at the beginning of 2020, Cooking With The Stars in 2022 and I'm A Celeb in 2024. Along with her success at home, she has also branched out across the pond thanks to a hosting gig on Love Island USA: Aftersun. She also similarly impressed American viewers during her unapologetic appearance on Celebrity Traitors, aiding her star to rise like never before. The garment featured a layered panel detail and a silver ring motif along with a flowing train Maura added height to her frame with a pair of heels and styled her brunette locks into an updo for the evening The Irish model completed her look with a pair of dark red earrings Earlier this month, Maura turned heads as she paid a visit to Page Six Radio at SiriusXM Studios in New York City. Maura appeared in great spirits as she caught up with Danny Murphy and Evan Real during her appearance on the show. During the talk show appearance, Maura added to her designer handbag collection with a box-fresh 17,000 Hermes Birkin gifted from Traitors co-star Rob Rausch. Rob, 27, officially made amends with Maura after betraying her during the series 4 Traitors finale as he gifted her the expensive handbag. The model couldn't contain her excitement as he personally delivered the red luxury bag and followed protocol by wearing gloves to ensure Maura was the first person to touch the handbag. 'This is my win,' Maura boasted as Rob handed her the pricey handbag. 'I knew I'd have my moment.' After sharing a big hug with Rob, Maura assured him, 'You're forgiven!' The pair gave a special shoutout to Traitors co-star Lisa Rinna for helping to connect Rob with Birkin designer Hermes. 'Lisa helped majorly, majorly,' he confirmed to host Andy, with Maura adding: 'Lisa, thank you very much for this!' Love Island USA star Huda Mustafa was hit with a temporary restraining order after her partner's ex, Nicole Olivera, accused her of breaking into her apartment. Olivera - the mother of a child belonging to Mustafa's current boyfriend, Louis Russell - claimed in court documents obtained by the Daily Mail that the 'mentally unstable' star forced her way into her Los Angeles home last month, though Mustafa denied the claim via Instagram on Tuesday. And now, a source also refuted the claim that she forced her way in, telling the Daily Mail that Mustafa, 25, was already flying to Los Angeles from North Carolina. The insider said that 'Huda was there to see her boyfriend and only him.' In a new court docs filed Wednesday and obtained by the Daily Mail, Russell called out Olivera and alleged, 'Nicole has unreasonably cut off all contact between our son Luka and me, including the daily Face Time chats.' The British reality star also claimed in the filing that Olivera told him to break up with Mustafa or he would not be able to see their one-year-old son, Luka-Kai. 'Nicole does not like my new girlfriend and has made up unfounded allegations against her and informed the news media,' he further alleged in the docs. 'I explained to Nicole that my girlfriend will not be around Luka during visits, and she should not withhold Lukas time with me. Nicole is using Luka as a bargaining chip, and this is not in his best interest nor allows us to co-parent effectively.' Love Island USA star Huda Mustafa was hit with a temporary restraining order after her partner Louis Russell's ex Nicole Olivera accused her of breaking into her apartment, which she denies Olivera - the mother of a child belonging to Mustafa's current boyfriend, Louis Russell - claimed in court documents that the 'mentally unstable' star forced her way into her Los Angeles home last month, though Mustafa denied the claim; Mustafa seen with Russell Russell is currently in the midst of trying to declare paternity for his son and is requesting joint custody, per court documents seen by the Daily Mail. Meanwhile, Mustafa is currently barred from going within a 100 yards of Olivera, Luka-Kai, or their residence, after a judge signed off on a temporary restraining order. But the insider said that Mustafa has 'never been in contact with Nicole, nor has she ever threatened her or her child.' The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Mustafa, Russell and Olivera for comment. The sourced added that if anything, Olivera has prevented Mustafa from meeting or speaking with her child, 'seemingly out of envy since Huda and Louis began their relationship.' The insider insisted that Mustafa has never spoken negatively about any child, let alone her partners son. Per the court documents, Olivera claimed that on February 20, Mustafa flew into Los Angeles from North Carolina, 'and threatened to jump off buildings, swearing on her daughter's life that she was going to kill herself.' Olivera alleged in the court filing that Mustafa spent hours making 'terrifying and extremely mentally unstable threats' against the lives of herself, her daughter and Luka-Kai. Mustafa shares five-year-old daughter Arleigh with her ex, Noah Sherline. But the insider said that the allegations that Mustafa threatened her own child are 'ridiculous' and 'entirely false.' Meanwhile, a source told the Daily Mail that Mustafa was already flying to Los Angeles from North Carolina, and was there to 'see her boyfriend and only him' Mustafa is currently barred from going within a 100 yards of Olivera, her one-year-old son, Luka-Kai, or their residence, after judge signed off on a temporary restraining order; Russell pictured with his son in an Instagram snap Mustafa has responded to the claims via her Instagram story. She posted a photo of a punching bag, writing, 'I'm aware of what's being said and it's not true' Both Mustafa and Russell are 'devoted, attentive parents who consistently prioritize their children above all else,' the source claimed. The source went on to claim that throughout Mustafa's relationship with Russell, Olivera has been 'hostile toward both of them.' Meanwhile, Mustafa has responded to the claims via her Instagram story. She posted a photo of a punching bag, writing, 'I'm aware of what's being said and it's not true. I'm handling everything the right way by letting legal take care of it. I appreciate everyone who continues to support me.' Olivera told TMZ that the incident unfolded on February 21 when Mustafa allegedly showed up uninvited to her home. In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Mustafa was accused of taking an Uber to Oliveras house and allegedly breaking in. Olivera, Russell and their son were all present at the time, per the docs. Olivera also claimed that Mustafa had been sending 'alarming' messages in the hours before the incident, and allegedly threatened to harm herself and said she 'would not be here tomorrow.' The star debuted her romance with Too Hot to Handle's Russell in August of last year at the Los Angeles premiere of Weapons (pictured) Olivera added that she 'doesn't want drama, a response, or even an apology' just privacy and safety for her and her son, and went on to say, 'I pray for her mental health.' The star debuted her romance with Too Hot to Handle's Russell in August of last year. The two reality TV stars made their relationship official as they attended the Los Angeles premiere of Weapons together, walking the red carpet hand-in-hand. Mustafa was rumored to be dating Russell after they were spotted together just days after she returned from filming the Love Island season seven finale in Fiji. In the villa, Mustafa was first romantically linked to Jeremiah Brown before a fan vote split them up in what fans are calling one of the most toxic seasons yet. Jackie 'O' Henderson has revealed if she will take up the Australian Radio Network's offer of starting up her own radio show on Wednesday. The radio star, 51, was reportedly offered the opportunity after her $100million contract was terminated by executives earlier this month. However, Daily Mail can now reveal the media personality has no intention of branching off on her own without co-host Kyle Sandilands. The mother-of-one was questioned about her future in radio this week as she was spotted leaving her hairdressers, Koda Cutters, in Bondi. 'Any plans to start your own radio, Jackie?' the paparazzo asked, to which she firmly stated: 'Oh, no.' Her blonde locks blew back in the wind as she exited onto the street with a glamorous new look, featuring tousled layers and a voluminous curtain fringe. Jackie 'O' Henderson, 51, has revealed if she will take up the Australian Radio Network's offer of starting up her own radio show on Wednesday The radio star was reportedly offered the opportunity after her $100million contract was terminated by executives earlier this month However, Daily Mail can now reveal the media personality has no intention of branching off on her own without co-host Kyle Sandilands The radio host kept her look chic but simple with a sleeveless black top over a billowing white skirt. She opted for a very natural makeup look with a subtle pink lip and very light foundation coverage. Jackie accessorised with a classic black handbag and a pair of brown sandals, keeping her jewellery to a few gold staple pieces. The sighting comes after ARN terminated Kyle's KIIS FM contract in a bombshell move, following his on-air blow-up with Jackie. In an explosive statement obtained by Daily Mail on Wednesday morning, the 54-year-old admitted he doesn't 'accept' the fate of his role at the network. He also confirmed the matter will now be in the hands of his lawyers. 'ARN has just announced they've terminated my contract,' he said. 'I don't accept it.' Kyle continued: 'My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is.' Join the discussion Should radio hosts be held responsible for on-air clashes, or is management overreacting here? The mother-of-one was questioned about her future in radio this week as she was spotted leaving her hairdressers, Koda Cutters, in Bondi 'Any plans to start your own radio, Jackie?' the paparazzo asked, to which she firmly stated: 'Oh, no' Her blonde locks blew back in the wind as she exited onto the street with a glamorous new look, featuring tousled layers and a voluminous curtain fringe 'Let me tell you what actually happened here. Jackie and I had a blue on air. That's it. The kind of thing we've done a hundred times in 25 years,' he continued. 'And ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down. They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. 'They wouldn't even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show.' 'Then and this is the bit that gets me once they'd made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, "You didn't fix it. You're fired!"' he continued. Kyle added that he had apologised to Jackie the night after their on-air clash last month. 'I said sorry to Jackie the night of our blow-up. And when I said I was sorry to Jackie, I meant it. I still mean it,' he explained. 'But it doesn't mean I will stand by while I am separated from the people who've listened to me every morning for 25 years. 'Before they suspended me, ARN said, "Let us handle it," and I listened. In the two weeks since, I've done everything ARN asked. I said, put me back on air.' Jackie could be seen perusing some of the products in the hair salon She appeared to be receiving some help from an attendant 'I'll work with Jackie. I'll work with someone else. Whatever you need. Every single time "no." They weren't interested. They didn't want to fix this,' he continued. 'They thought they saw a chance to get out of the contract they signed with me a year ago, and they ran with it. 'ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. They've worked with me for over a decade.' 'They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it because I delivered,' he added. 'Number one ratings. Year after year. Hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for their business. I held up my end. I always have. 'So, you tell me why would ARN prefer to breach a contract and pay the legal consequences rather than honour the contract and pay me to do what I do best? 'That's the bit that doesn't make sense. I've got a contract until 2034. I've got rights under that contract. 'And ARN hasn't honoured the contract. So, it's over to my lawyers. To the people who tune in every morning you lot are the reason I've done this for 25 years. 'You didn't get a say in this. Neither did I. But my lawyers will. I'm not done. Not by a long way.' ARN announced last month that Jackie's $100million contract had been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh onair comments that left her in tears. Zendaya is an avid 'method' dresser when she's promoting a movie like The Drama about an engaged couple, so she's planning to wear 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' to each event. Starting with something old, the 29-year-old former child star re-wore the same custom Vivienne Westwood gown she donned to the 2015 Oscars to the LA premiere held at DGA Theater Complex on Tuesday. 'This is a dress that I wore when I was 18 years old, to the Oscars actually my very first Oscars,' Zendaya Coleman said. 'And it was a very important moment for me in my life and my career, but also for my family, my folks. That moment meant a lot to me, so this felt like the right time to bring this one out of the archive. And also, it happened to be a wedding dress.' The two-time Emmy winner wound up getting a lot of publicity at the time not for the dress, but rather, for her faux dreadlocks, which Fashion Police correspondent Giuliana Rancic said made her look like 'she smells like patchouli oil or weed.' Following public outrage and Rancic's apology, the racially-charged scandal led to the creation of California law's The CROWN Act in 2019, ensuring protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles in the workplace and public schools. Avid method dresser Zendaya plans to wear 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' while promoting her movie The Drama, about an engaged couple Starting with something old, the star re-wore the same custom Vivienne Westwood gown she donned to the 2015 Oscars to The Drama's LA premiere held at DGA Theater on Tuesday Zendaya's vintage, off-the-shoulder bridal wear still fit like a glove 11 years later, this time styled with white pumps and dramatic diamond chandelier earrings. Speaking of wedding bling, the Louis Vuitton brand ambassador was wearing a simple gold band on her left-ring finger, beside the $500K Jessica McCormack-designed engagement ring she debuted in January 2025. Zendaya's trusted stylist Law Roach told Access Hollywood on March 1 that 'the wedding already happened' between her and fiance Tom Holland. Hairstylist Ursula Stephen coiffed the Hollywood beauty's side-parted hairdo, featuring one large cowlick and make-up artist Ernesto Casillas fully contoured her complexion. Zendaya was joined on the white carpet by Robert Pattinson, who portrays her bookstore clerk character Emma Harwood's fiance, a British museum director called Charlie Thompson, in The Drama. And there's reportedly a big secret twist in the romantic black dramedy, which hits US/UK theaters April 3. The Oakland native and the 39-year-old Englishman made sure to pose with director Kristoffer Borgli, producer Ari Aster and the rest of their castmates. 'This is a dress that I wore when I was 18 years old, to the Oscars actually, my very first Oscars,' Zendaya (last name Coleman) said She said of the dress: 'That moment meant a lot to me so this felt like the right time to bring this one out of the archive. And also, it happened to be a wedding dress' Zendaya's first appearance in the dress gained attention for her faux dreadlocks, which TV reporter Giuliana Rancic cruelly said made her look like 'she smells like patchouli oil or weed' After public outrage, the scandal led to the creation of California law's The CROWN Act in 2019, ensuring protection against discrimination for race-based hairstyles in the workplace or school Zendaya's vintage, off-the-shoulder bridal wear still fit like a glove 11 years later, this time styled with white pumps and dramatic diamond chandelier earrings Speaking of wedding bling, the Louis Vuitton brand ambassador was wearing a simple gold band on her left-ring finger, as rumours swirl about her marriage to actor Tom Holland Zendaya's trusted stylist Law Roach told Access Hollywood on March 1 that 'the wedding already happened' between her and fiance Tom Holland (pictured together in 2024) Hairstylist Ursula Stephen coiffed the Hollywood beauty's side-parted hairdo, featuring one large cowlick, while make-up artist Ernesto Casillas fully contoured her complexion Zendaya was joined on the white carpet by Robert Pattinson, who portrays her bookstore clerk character Emma Harwood's fiance, a British museum director Charlie Thompson, in The Drama And there's reportedly a big secret twist in the romantic black dramedy, which hits US/UK theaters April 3 The Oakland native and the 39-year-old Englishman made sure to pose with director Kristoffer Borgli (middle), producer Ari Aster (left) and the rest of their castmates Pattinson wore a salmon-colored suit over a teal shirt and white necktie with patterned shoes selected by stylist Taylor McNeill The Die My Love star was joined by his fiancee Suki Waterhouse, who wore a colorful strapless gown featuring two prongs on the bodice selected by stylist Rob Zangardi Pattinson and the British 34-year-old singer originally met in 2018 while playing a star-studded game of Werewolf, and they're celebrating their daughter's second birthday this month At one point, Zendaya gave her castmate Alana Haim a big hug on the white carpet The 34-year-old Haim guitarist - who plays Rachel - opted for a 1930s-style black long-sleeve gown with a gardenia corsage on her wrist, chosen by styling sisters Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo Zendaya also had a happy reunion with 17-year-old Jordyn Curet, who plays the younger version of her character Emma The Euphoria actress was so excited to connect with Moses Sumney, she held on to both of his wrists The 33-year-old singer - who had acting gigs in HBO's The Idol and MaXXXine - looked dapper wearing all-black attire to the film festivities Zendaya also greeted her throng of fans at the premiere, who were patiently waiting for selfies and autographs Also glamming up from The Drama ensemble were Zoe Winters, Mamoudou Athie and Sydney Lemmon who portray Frances, Mike and Pauline. Pattinson wore a salmon-colored suit over a teal shirt and white necktie with patterned shoes selected by stylist Taylor McNeill. The Die My Love star was joined by his fiancee Suki Waterhouse, who wore a colorful strapless gown featuring two prongs on the bodice selected by stylist Rob Zangardi. Pattinson and the British 34-year-old singer originally met in 2018 while playing a star-studded game of Werewolf, and they're celebrating their daughter's second birthday this month. At one point, Zendaya gave her castmate Alana Haim a big hug on the white carpet. The 34-year-old Haim guitarist - who plays Rachel - opted for a 1930s-style black long-sleeve gown with a gardenia corsage on her wrist selected by styling sisters Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo. Zendaya also had a happy reunion with 17-year-old Jordyn Curet, who plays the younger version of her character Emma. The homeschooled triple-threat was so excited to connect with Moses Sumney, she held on to both of his wrists. Rebecca Gayheart made her first public appearance with her two daughters - Georgia, 14, and Billie, 16 - since her husband Eric Dane tragically died, age 53, on February 19 from ALS R&B songstress Kehlani - who declared 'F*** ICE' while accepting two Grammys - showcased her tattooed sleeves in a red cut-out maxi-dress Two-time Grammy nominee PinkPantheress flaunted a hint of cleavage in her blue strapless ball gown with pannier side hoops and gold pumps selected by stylist Danyul Brown Bel-Air actress and Grammy winner Coco Jones looked lovely in a silver corseted gown featuring a drapey hood selected by stylist Vance Gamble Love Island: Beyond the Villa star Leah Kateb showcased her cleavage in a pink Ralph & Russo SS/15 couture mini-dress and silver strappy stilettos selected by stylist Timothy Luke Garcia The Fire Inside alum Ryan Destiny - who shares stylist Law Roach with Zendaya - wore a single-strap gold silk-and-velvet creation with matching pumps Rapper Rico Nasty looked leggy in a tight LBD, stockings and matching ankle-strap heels The 33-year-old singer - who had acting gigs in HBO's The Idol and MaXXXine - looked dapper wearing all-black attire to the film festivities. Also glamming up from The Drama ensemble were Zoe Winters, Mamoudou Athie and Sydney Lemmon who portray Frances, Mike and Pauline. Rebecca Gayheart made her first public appearance with her two daughters - Georgia, 14, and Billie, 16 - since her husband Eric Dane tragically died, age 53, on February 19 from the effects of ALS. R&B songstress Kehlani - who declared 'F*** ICE' while accepting their two Grammys - showcased her tattooed sleeves in a red cut-out maxi-dress. The 30-year-old Oakland native gushed via Instagram story: 'The Drama was incredible. So proud of my sister. Insane plot, mind-blowing story, will be watching eight more times girly!' Two-time Grammy nominee PinkPantheress flaunted a hint of cleavage in her blue strapless ball gown with pannier side hoops and gold pumps selected by stylist Danyul Brown. Bel-Air actress and Grammy winner Coco Jones looked lovely in a silver corseted gown featuring a drapey hood selected by stylist Vance Gamble. Abbott Elementary star Chris Perfetti showed a little chest hair beneath his all-black outfit The Running Man action star Katy O'Brian wore a flirty black teddy beneath her sleek white pantsuit Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins made The Drama premiere a date night with his wife Lulu Wang Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez kept it casual in an olive-green cropped jacket over an emerald-green blouse and black trousers Larry David's novel-writing nepo baby Cazzie David looked leggy in a white blazer embellished with black lace and matching sheer max-skirt with peep-toe heels Also attending The Drama festivities were (from L-R) The Strangers star Madelaine Petsch, singer Tove Lo and comedian Kate Berlant Love Island: Beyond the Villa star Leah Kateb showcased her cleavage in a pink Ralph & Russo SS/15 couture mini-dress and silver strappy stilettos selected by stylist Timothy Luke Garcia. The Fire Inside alum Ryan Destiny who shares stylist Law Roach with Zendaya wore a single-strap gold silk-and-velvet creation with matching pumps. Rapper Rico Nasty looked leggy in a tight LBD, stockings and matching ankle-strap heels. Abbott Elementary star Chris Perfetti showed a little chest hair beneath his all-black outfit. The Running Man action star Katy O'Brian wore a flirty black teddy beneath her sleek white pantsuit. Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins made The Drama premiere a date night with his wife Lulu Wang. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez kept it casual in an olive-green cropped jacket over an emerald-green blouse and black trousers. Larry David's novel-writing nepo baby Cazzie David looked leggy in a white blazer embellished with black lace and matching sheer max-skirt with peep-toe heels. Also attending The Drama festivities were The Strangers star Madelaine Petsch, singer Tove Lo and comedian Kate Berlant. Jules Neale has unveiled a surprising career move several months after splitting from her AFL star husband Lachie. The former WAG, 36, has partnered with health food chain Acai Bros to launch a limited-edition smoothie, Peaches & Cream, now available across the company's 11 stores nationally. The drink, inspired by Jules' wellness routines, blends Remedy Peach Kombucha with peaches, coconut yoghurt, banana and other nutrient-rich ingredients for a delicious result. Jules expressed her excitement about her new collaboration in a statement. 'Peaches and Cream is the type of flavour I love. Fresh, creamy and easy to enjoy on the go,' she said. 'I wanted to create something that tasted delicious and felt like a treat, while still being packed with nutrient-rich ingredients that help fuel my day and make me feel good.' Jules Neale has unveiled a shock career move, several months after splitting from her AFL star husband Lachie The former WAG, 36, has partnered with health food chain Acai Bros to launch a limited-edition smoothie, Peaches & Cream, now available across the company's 11 stores nationally Since returning to Perth two months ago following her split, Jules has quickly built a strong following with her beauty, lifestyle and wellness content, with her profile surging as more Australians discover her approach to health and her daily rituals. It comes after Jules made a thinly veiled dig at her ex-husband Lachie as she embarks on a new career as an influencer. The former WAG shared a clip to Instagram in February promoting Elle Macpherson's WelleCo health supplements and appeared to reference her split from the AFL star in the narration. 'I used to be religious about my WelleCo routine. And then I got a little distracted along the way,' Jules pointedly told her followers. 'I stopped showing up for myself the way I used to. But lately, I have been fighting my way back. 'There's just something really powerful about rebuilding your glow quietly.' Jules added that she finally feels like herself again. 'Getting back into my @welleco routine has been such a simple change with a big impact. My mornings feel brighter, my days feel lighter and it feels like I'm choosing myself again,' she added in the caption. Jules expressed her excitement about her new collaboration in a statement It comes after Jules made a thinly veiled dig at her ex-husband Lachie (right) as she embarks on a new career as an influencer Jules has moved back to Perth following the couple's split, taking their two young children, Piper, four, and Freddie, one, with her. She and Lachie split in November after she posted to Instagram that the Brisbane Lions star had 'betrayed [her] in the most unimaginable way'. Lachie later admitted their split was a result of his actions, after rumours swirled about an affair with Jules' former friend Tess Crosley. The footy player did not go into specifics, but admitted the couple had separated. 'I understand the interest in my personal life, but these are personal matters and I won't be answering any questions on that topic today,' he said. 'I can confirm, though with regret, that Jules and I have now separated. 'While I won't go into specifics I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions that have let down those that are closest to me. For that I am deeply sorry.' Tegan Kynaston, the wife of embattled shock jock Kyle Sandilands, cut a very downcast figure as she left the couple's Vaucluse mansion on Wednesday. The mum-of-one, 40, looked tense as she was spotted driving away from the property following Sandilands' shock termination from the Australian Radio Network (ARN). With a media scrum still assembled outside the couple's home, Kynaston attempted to slip by in her black, $250,000 2025 Mercedes-AMG SUV. Clearly affected by the drama surrounding her family, Kynaston looked tense as she exited the premises, while photographers lingered around the property. Possibly hiding her emotion, Kynaston shielded her eyes with a pair of large, black cat's-eye-style sunglasses. Sporting a stoic expression as she drove, Kynaston appeared keen to distance herself from the drama and the media frenzy. Tegan Kynaston (pictured), the wife of embattled shock jock Kyle Sandilands, cut a very downcast figure as she left the couple's Vaucluse mansion on Wednesday The mum-of-one, 40, looked tense as she was spotted driving away from the property following Sandilands' (left) shock termination from the Australian Radio Network (ARN) Before his initial suspension from KIIS FM, Sandilands revealed his wife's thoughts on the drama. 'I got a bit of a blasting from my wife... she's being supportive, but she's also very honest with me,' Kyle explained. 'She goes, "Well, from time to time, you do say things at home that don't land well either." As we all do... she's right.' During the segment, which aired last month, Sandilands admitted he wished he'd handled things differently with Henderson. '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.' ARN announced last month that Henderson's $100million contract had been terminated after she told executives she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' following his harsh on-air comments that left her in tears. They also provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 to be 'an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's service agreement with Quasar Media'. With a media scrum still assembled outside the couple's home, Kynaston attempted to slip by in her black, $250,000 2025 Mercedes-AMG SUV Clearly affected by the drama surrounding her family, Kynaston looked tense as she exited the premises, while photographers lingered around the property Sandilands was given a 14-day suspension during which he was required to 'remedy the breach.' That deadline passed on Tuesday night, and ARN revealed Sandilands' fate on Wednesday morning. In an explosive statement obtained by Daily Mail on Wednesday morning, the 54-year-old admitted he doesn't 'accept' the fate of his role at the network. He also confirmed the matter will now be in the hands of his lawyers. 'ARN has just announced that they've terminated my contract,' he said. 'I don't accept it. My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is.' Sandilands continued: 'Let me tell you what actually happened here. Jackie and I had a blue on air. That's it. The kind of thing we've done a hundred times in 25 years. 'And ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down.' Sporting a stoic expression as she drove, Kynaston appeared keen to remove herself from the drama and the media frenzy Continuing, Sandilands doubled down on a previous claim that he had been 'muzzled' by the network. 'They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldn't even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show,' he said. 'Then and this is the bit that gets me once they'd made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, "You didn't fix it. You're fired!"' Sandilands and Kynaston struck up a romance in December 2019, following his split with Imogen Anthony. They welcomed their son Otto in 2022 before tying the knot in April 2023. Katherine Ryan issued a new warning to Katie Price as she travelled back to war-torn Dubai this week to see her husband Lee Andrews. Despite the ongoing Iranian crisis, which has seen missile attacks across the UAE city, she was seen at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday preparing to head off while toting a suitcase adorned with her daughter Bunny's name. The glamour model, 47, and Lee, 43, initially tied the knot in January just weeks after meeting, before holding a second, legal ceremony in February - much to the shock and concern of fans and family, due to rumours of Lee being a scammer. He has also gone on to claim that he has a PhD - which comedian Katherine previously slammed as he joked 'he only has a PhD in scamming'. Under a clip of a recent interview Katie did with Good Morning Britain where she dismissed claims she was being used and told people not to worry about her, Katherine made her feelings clear. She penned in a comment 'People are behaving this way because they love you', along with a love heart. Katherine Ryan issued a new warning to Katie Price as she travelled back to war-torn Dubai this week to see her husband Lee Andrews Under a clip of a recent interview Katie did with Good Morning Britain where she dismissed claims she was being used and told people not to worry about her, Katherine made her feelings clear Katie and Lee have been kept apart since Katie flew back from Dubai, while there have been whispers that Lee is banned from leaving the UAE. However in images obtained by The Sun on Tuesday, it appears she is set to return to her love as she was spotted at the airport. Shortly before her airport trip, Lee shared images of Katie's birthday card to him, which read: 'To my forever husband, Happy birthday! I will shall your whole life celebrating with you. I love you to infinity. Love from your wife Katie X'. Katie was weighed down with a huge suitcase as she headed through the airport, apparently on her way to meet Lee. Lee, who is Katie's fourth husband, has been accused of being a 'scammer' amid a host of boasts about his life, including his statement that he is a millionaire businessman and has links to Elon Musk. His ex-fiancee Alana Percival, 32, to whom he popped the question just 16 weeks before his marriage to Katie, has claimed he scammed money out of her and others and is lying in his claims about his finances and business. On Monday, Katie appeared on GMB where she was seen insisting he does in fact have a PhD - despite ongoing claims he's just a conman. She told hosts Susanna Reid, 55, and Ed Balls, 59, it was from a 'Spanish' university instead of Cambridge. She penned in a comment 'People are behaving this way because they love you', along with a love heart Despite the ongoing Iranian crisis, which has seen missile attacks across the UAE city, she was seen at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday preparing to head off Last week, Lee took to Instagram to make further claims about his life, including a post about be coming a 'future trillionaire', detailing a 'mysterious income' and being a member of 'the 1%'. Katie has previously hit back against criticism, insisting that he was 'no cat-fisher or scammer', telling The Sun: 'I haven't gone for a con man... please be happy for me.' She even told fans that she had seen proof of his university degree and PhD, saying: 'There was so much paperwork, his PHD, is like in a binder like that. 'I proper looked at everything, because the stamps, they're like wax some of them, and you can't, do you know what I mean? You can't fake. 'You know when you've got certificates and it's like the watermarks in them, it's all like that. Everything he's shown me is so legit, I'm not stupid. They're not copies, they're originals.' But claims that Lee had been to Cambridge were then debunked by the publication, as the university said they 'could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student' t the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Christina Haack slipped back into a skimpy bikini for some fun in the sun this week as she partied like a rock star yet again. The 42-year-old Flip or Flop veteran - who was just in Hawaii, then Florida - was on vacation in Mexico with her boyfriend Christopher Larocca when she shared sizzling photos to Instagram of the festivities. Her partner is the CEO of telecoms company Network Connex. 'When your bestie finally shows up to the party. One glass of Cle Cachee has less sugar than a strawberry - so you can enjoy it without the guilt or hangover ,' she wrote on Instagram. The beauty wore a beige macrame swimsuit that flashed her flat tummy as she added a black CC cap and sunglasses. This comes after she revealed in October that she and the 53-year-old businessman actually started dating a year earlier. Christina Haack , 42, slipped back into a skimpy bikini for some fun in the sun this week as she partied like a rock star yet again Fans had thought they first sparked up their romance in October 2025. Haack split from her third husband, Josh Hall, in the summer of 2024. In August 2025, she gushed about Larocca. 'Meeting an unexpected good man who has his own amazing career, life & hobbies (who also happens to have zero jealousy) can at times feel strange for someone who has had the opposite,' she said, referring to Larocca. She continued: 'At 41 Im finally learning about safe communication, independence during commitment and a relationship that is NOT 0-100.' 'I am for sure guilty of putting pressure on others. Facing my own insecurities has forced me into doing the shadow work Ive been avoiding... its time to break the cycle,' she declared. Haack rose to fame in the 2010s when she starred in her first TV program, Flip or Flop, opposite her first husband, Tarek El Moussa. That show ran for ten seasons, and Haack and El Moussa had two children together, Taylor Reese, 13, and Brayden James, ten. In May 2016, however, the married couple got into an explosive fight, and police were even called to their home in response to a 'possibly suicidal male with a gun', according to Us Weekly reports. The Flip Or Flop veteran - who was just in Florida - was on vacation in Mexico with her boyfriend Christopher Larocca when she shared sizzling photos to Instagram of the festivities. Her partner is the CEO of telecoms company Network Connex The couple addressed the fight at the time, dismissing it as an 'unfortunate misunderstanding' and added 'the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence and no charges were filed.' They divorced in 2018, but managed to keep working together on their show. El Moussa is now married to Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young. Just before Haack and El Moussa's divorce was finalized in 2018, Haack started dating another real estate reality TV star, Ant Anstead. They met through a mutual friend and got married less than a year later, in December 2018. They welcomed a son, Hudson London, in 2019, but then split a year later. On Instagram, Anstead claimed the split wasn't his decision, writing: 'I have remained silent while holding on to hope. I never gave up on us. I pray Christina's decision brings her happiness.' Anstead has since moved on with Bridget Jones star, Renee Zellweger. In a somewhat familiar pattern, just before Haack's divorce from Anstead was finalized, Haack started dating a new man, another real estate agent named Josh Hall. Haack then married Hall in April 2022 and shared photos of the wedding to her social media accounts, writing: 'Everything in life has led me to where I am right now, which is exactly where I want to be.' But their wedded bliss did not last long, and just over two years later, in July 2024, Hall filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The reality TV star and her beau in Hawaii last month Since beginning their romance, the pair have made memories together across the globe. This includes drinking champagne on a private jet and sharing a kiss in front of the Eiffel Tower. Despite initially expressing hesitancy over the idea of ever walking down the aisle again, she confessed she has already thought about tying the knot with Larocca. While appearing on SiriusXM's Radio Andy, Haack joked she liked how often she has changed her last name, given her three marriages. 'I kind of like it - I'm going to change it again,' she said. Chris O'Neal, who starred on Nickelodeon series How To Rock in 2012, has been arrested in connection with a burglary in Malibu, California. The 31-year-old former child actor was taken into custody on Monday when law enforcement responded to a burglary call at 5.45am, according to TMZ. Sources told the publication that the person who called claimed to have seen security footage of three adults inside the home. Police were told the suspects had entered through the rear of the home and manipulated the cameras so that the caller could not see what happened, according to TMZ's insiders. O'Neal was among those who were arrested in connection with the alleged burglary and was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail. He was released on Tuesday afternoon due to 'insufficient grounds to file a complaint against that person.' Chris O'Neal - who starred on Nickelodeon series How To Rock in 2012 - was arrested in connection with a burglary in Malibu, California In 2013, he starred as Ben Dupree in Nickelodeon television film Swindle alongside Ariana Grande The Daily Mail has reached out to legal representatives for O'Neal and has yet to hear back. He played the role of drummer Kevin Reed on How to Rock, his first major role. The series was centered around Cymphonique Miller's character Kacey Simon, who was the frontwoman of their pop/hip-hop band Gravity 4. The series did not take off on Nickelodeon and it was not renewed for a second season. He did become a staple on Nickelodeon, however, as he co-hosted clip show reality series You Gotta See This alongside Noah Crawford. Unfortunately, it was also cancelled after one season. In 2013, he starred as Ben Dupree in the Nickelodeon television film Swindle alongside Ariana Grande. More recently, he starred as Daniel Hayward in the Netflix adventure series Greenhouse Academy from 2017 to 2020. The series also starred Ariel Mortman, Finn Roberts, Dallas Hart, Cinthya Carmona, Benjamin Papac, BJ Mitchell, and Parker Stevenson as it streamed over four seasons. The 31-year-old former child actor was taken into custody on Monday when law enforcement responded to a burglary call at 5.45am according to TMZ He was released on Tuesday afternoon due to 'insufficient grounds to file a complaint against that person'. Above, in December 2017 He played the role of drummer Kevin Reed in the series, which centered around Cymphonique Miller's character Kacey Simon, who was the frontwoman of their pop/hip-hop band Gravity 4 The series did not take off on Nickelodeon and it was not brought back for a second season More recently, he starred as Daniel Hayward in the Netflix adventure series Greenhouse Academy from 2017 to 2020 O'Neal was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey and attended Teaneck High School. His career began as a young actor starring in several commercials and even appearing in a Saturday Night Live sketch before getting his first role on Nickelodeon. He also has worked on music, as he released an EP titled Just Getting Started in 2014. More recently, O'Neal has been making his presence felt via social media, including his Instagram and YouTube channels. Niecy Nash, a star of Ryan Murphy's Kim Kardashian vehicle All's Fair, has told the tale of her travails in Mexico amid last month's explosion of cartel violence. The tourist hot spot Puerto Vallarta descended into chaos after the Mexican military - with the assistance of American intelligence - assassinated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel kingpin Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, aka El Mencho. Holidaymakers found themselves stranded in the spiraling crisis as fires sprang up around town, hotels went into lockdown, shops were pillaged and cartel members erected roadblocks en route to the airport. Among those stuck in Puerto Vallarta was Nash, who was on a 56th birthday trip with her wife Jessica Betts, her three grown children and a group of friends. At one point, Nash and Betts 'were getting low on food' and went to a nearby W Hotel to 'get some rations,' she shared on the podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer. When they were confronted with a frosty reception from the hotel staff, they 'snuck' onto the property and met a couple of swingers at the bar, kicking off a rollicking evening as they attempted to get their hands on the supplies they needed. Niecy Nash is pictured with her wife Jessica Betts, her children and a group of friends on her birthday trip to Puerto Vallarta last month, during which she got stranded in the cartel chaos At one point, Nash and Betts 'were getting low on food' and went to a nearby W Hotel to 'get some rations,' she shared on the podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer Betts and Nash were invited to swing with the couple, and although they were uninterested in the offer, they still took the room number of the party. They got to the knees-up and leapt at their chance to procure some food, ordering up 'everything that we need to take back to the house' from room service. Nash made sure to note that she and Betts paid in cash so that their supplies would not be placed on the swingers' hotel bill. Apropos the possibility of actually swinging with their hosts, Nash and Betts told them: 'Oh, you know, maybe next time,' and absconded with their room service. 'And they were so drunk they didn't even know that we ordered all this stuff to their room, so we paid for it and then we were able to take food back home to the kids,' Nash explained to Palmer, who joked: 'Shoutout to swingers.' On February 25 - three days after the raid that killed El Mencho - Nash posted an Instagram video announcing she had successfully escaped Puerto Vallarta. She expressed gratitude 'to those that covered us in prayer, sent well wishes, made calls to the US Embassy and shared your connects to get us out!' However she noted the W Hotel had been 'very unkind and turned us away' when she tried to get food from them, and she complained of having to cancel a boating trip with a tour company that 'refused' to give her a refund. Nash and Betts, who are pictured last week at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards, got the food they needed thanks to a chance encounter with a couple of swingers at a hotel bar Nash posted a video of herself, Betts and the rest of their group singing the Golden Girls theme song Thank You For Being a Friend at the Puerto Vallarta airport 'Challenges for sure showed up BUT GOD! Black people are so resilient! One thing for sure, two things for certain We. Will. Keep. Our. JOY!' she wrote. The video showed Nash, Betts and the rest of their group singing the Golden Girls theme song Thank You For Being a Friend at the Puerto Vallarta airport. 'In the middle that packed airport where so many were frustrated over cancelled flights, long lines, and minimal seating, our joy was on full display!' wrote Nash. She added that 'people stopped, stared and then clapped along! Moral of the story? Golden Girls had the best theme song!' Last week, Nash continued her birthday celebrations with a Michael Jordan-themed party thrown by WP Miller Special Events at the SLS Beverly Hills. While there, she remarked that her time in Mexico had been 'scary because I let my kids bring their friends so I had other people's children,' via People. 'It was scary, but we got out unscathed...thanks to the Most High. That's why you have to take every moment to celebrate joy, celebrate life, all the things.' Katie Price and her new husband Lee Andrews reunited in Dubai on Wednesday where they headed straight to a cosmetics clinic to both get some work done. Despite the ongoing Iranian crisis, which has seen missile attacks across the UAE city, Katie was seen at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday preparing to head off to see her new love. The glamour model, 47, and Lee, 43, initially tied the knot in January just weeks after meeting, before holding a second, legal ceremony in February much to the shock and concern of fans and family, due to rumours of Lee being a scammer. Katie and Lee had been kept apart since Katie flew back from Dubai earlier this month, while there have been whispers that Lee is banned from leaving the UAE. But now she is back there and it appears the couple headed straight to a clinic to get some touch ups after she landed. Taking to his Instagram Story on Wednesday afternoon, Lee faced the camera while covered in numbing cream as he said: 'Hello so here we are this is not AI. We are actually here to fix a few things. When I say fix, I mean enhance! Katie Price and her new husband Lee Andrews reunited in Dubai on Wednesday where they headed straight to a cosmetics clinic to both get some work done Katie and Lee had been kept apart since Katie flew back from Dubai earlier this month, while there have been whispers that Lee is banned from leaving the UAE 'So today we are going to fix the nose and fix the chin. And look like a brand new penny!' He then panned the camera to Katie and Lee shouted: 'Look who it is!' The next clip showed Katie who is known for her many plastic surgeries being injected with filler and Botox. Referring to her forehead she said: 'So we've had the funny lines killed, but I will look like that one day', she added as she stretched her whole face back with her hands. Lee then called her 'gorgeous' as the clinician leaned over her to carry on injecting. It comes just after comedian Katherine Ryan issued a new warning to Katie, as she travelled back to war-torn Dubai this week. Under a clip of a recent interview Katie did with Good Morning Britain where she dismissed claims she was being used by Lee and told people not to worry about her, Katherine made her feelings clear. She penned in a comment: 'People are behaving this way because they love you', along with a love heart. Shortly before her airport trip, Lee shared images of Katie's birthday card to him, which read: 'To my forever husband, Happy birthday! I will shall your whole life celebrating with you [sic]. I love you to infinity. Love from your wife Katie X'. Lee, who is Katie's fourth husband, has been accused of being a 'scammer' amid a host of boasts about his life, including his statement that he is a millionaire businessman and has links to Elon Musk. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Lee faced the camera while covered in numbing cream as he said: 'We are actually here to fix a few things. When I say fix I mean enhance!' The next clip showed Katie - who is known for her many plastic surgeries - being injected with filler and Botox Referring to her forehead, Katie said: 'We've had the funny lines killed, but I will look like that', as she stretched her whole face back with her hands His ex-fiancee Alana Percival, 32, to whom he popped the question just 16 weeks before his marriage to Katie, has claimed he scammed money out of her and others and is lying in his claims about his finances and business. On Monday, Katie appeared on GMB where she was seen insisting he does in fact have a PhD despite ongoing claims he's just a conman. She told hosts Susanna Reid, 55, and Ed Balls, 59, that it was from a 'Spanish' university instead of Cambridge as he had previously claimed. Last week, Lee took to Instagram to make further claims about his life, including a post about becoming a 'future trillionaire', detailing a 'mysterious income' and being a member of 'the 1%'. Katie has previously hit back against criticism, insisting that he was 'no cat-fisher or scammer', telling The Sun: 'I haven't gone for a con man... please be happy for me.' She even told fans that she had seen proof of his university degree and PhD, saying: 'There was so much paperwork, his PHD, is like in a binder like that. 'I proper looked at everything, because the stamps, they're like wax some of them, and you can't... do you know what I mean? You can't fake. 'You know when you've got certificates and it's like the watermarks in them, it's all like that. Everything he's shown me is so legit, I'm not stupid. They're not copies, they're originals.' But claims that Lee had been to Cambridge were then debunked by the publication, as the university said they 'could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student' at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Mystikal - a rapper who is best known for his hits in the late 90s and early 2000s - has pled guilty to a third-degree rape charge and will face 20 years in prison. In 2022, the 55-year-old Louisiana rapper - born Michael Lawrence Tyler - was also accused of beating, choking, and robbing a woman inside his home in Ascension Parish. Tyler had allegedly confiscated the victim's keys and her phone before preventing her from leaving. Then when the woman realized some of her money was missing, he allegedly raped her. Then Tyler allegedly allowed the victim to leave but forced her to transfer money to him via CashApp according to court records. The rapper was arrested on July 30, 2022. Mystikal - a rapper who is best known for his hits in the late 90s and early 2000s - has pled guilty to a third-degree rape charge and will face 20 years in prison. The rapper was arrested July 30 in connection with the incident He was indicted for first-degree rape, simple criminal damage to property, domestic abuse battery by strangulation, simple robbery, and false imprisonment in the assault. First-degree rape carries an automatic life sentence. Tyler ended up pleading guilty to a downgraded rape charge as part of a deal that was struck with prosecutors. As a result, he now faces 20 years in prison and will be sentenced in June. Tyler had previously pled guilty in 2003 to sexual battery and extortion. Tyler and two bodyguards had videotaped themselves engaging in sex acts with Tyler's hairstylist. The prosecutor in that case, Sue Bernie, said in 2003 that the woman told investigators that Tyler accused her of stealing $80,000 of his checks and told her he would not go to police if she did something 'degrading'. The woman denied stealing any money, Bernie said. A letter in court records before Tyler's sentencing said he paid the woman $350,000. He served six years in prison for that conviction, which came the same year he was nominated for two Grammy Awards. He also received a nomination in 2001. In 2022, the 55-year-old Louisiana rapper - born Michael Lawrence Tyler - was also accused of beating, choking, and robbing a woman inside his home in Ascension Parish (pictured in June 2002) Tyler had allegedly confiscated the victim's keys and her phone before preventing her from leaving (The Grammy-nominated rapper was pictured in November of 2020 in Alabama ) Then when the woman realized some of her money was missing, he allegedly raped her(The rapper was pictured at a show in College Park, Georgia in September of 2020) Then Tyler allegedly allowed the victim to leave but forced her to transfer money to him via CashApp according to court records (Tyler is pictured in August 2022) Tyler also had rape and kidnapping charges that prosecutors in Louisiana dropped in December 2020. Those charges, brought in 2017, had kept Tyler jailed for nearly 18 months before he was released on $3 million bond. Mystikal told the Associated Press in April 2021 that he used to be 'a nasty lil' rapper' but was now proud of lyrics he could imagine rapping to God. She's rumoured to be engaged to her long-term boyfriend Finn Cole. So it's no surprise that Florence Pugh was in high spirits as she let her hair down for a night out in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The actress, 30, turned heads in a fun black striped smock dress from Budapest-based brand Nanushka, with an eye-watering 425 price tag. Florence accessorised her look with a 634 Rag & Bone Atlas bucket bag and heeled leather boots as she left the swanky eatery Funke in Beverly Hills. The star recently sparked rumours she is set to marry Peaky Blinders star Finn, after she appeared to sport a flashy new engagement ring. The couple were first linked romantically in September 2024 after they were seen leaving an after-party together, but have not publicly confirmed their relationship. Florence Pugh caught the eye in a fun striped mini dress during a night out in LA on Tuesday, following rumours she's engaged to her boyfriend Finn Cole Florence and Finn have been friends for years and were first reported to be dating after the London premiere of Netflix hit The Perfect Couple in September 2024. A source later revealed the pair had been getting to know each other away from the spotlight and planned to get hitched. They told The Sun: 'They are both putting everything into their careers but have found something special between them.' Daily Mail contacted Finn and Florence's representatives for comment. While she wouldn't name Finn, Florence confirmed her relationship status during her October cover shoot with Vogue, and has confessed she is very much in love and is approaching their romance differently to things in the past. She confirmed: 'I am [in a relationship]. OK, so something that I resonate with is that I believe that if magic is real, then it's falling in love.' Florence candidly revealed that she and her partner were 'figuring it out' and said she is ready to start a family. She added: 'We are figuring what we actually are. And I think for the first time, I'm not allowing myself to go on a roller-coaster.' The actress turned heads in a fun black striped smock dress from Budapest-based brand Nanushka, with an eye-watering 425 price tag The couple were first linked romantically in September 2024 after they were seen leaving an after-party together (Finn pictured last month) The actress continued: 'I'm allowing myself to take time to let something evolve and let it be completely real to its core, as opposed to racing into that. 'Falling is the most amazing feeling but unfortunately if that's the only thing that you know in a relationship, then that's the thing that you chase. That's not gonna last.' Finn previously showed his support to Florence in April last year as they both walked the red carpet of her new Marvel film Thunderbolts*. While the duo did not pose directly together - with Finn even striking poses solo on the red carpet - his presence at the premiere provided a telling clue about just how important they are to one another. Notably, he appeared in a group photo featuring Florence and her friends and family, making a red carpet debut of sorts with the actress. Taylor Frankie Paul's ex Dakota Mortensen has broken his silence on the ongoing domestic assault investigation involving the pair. On Monday, news broke that filming on their show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had been abruptly halted due to a domestic violence probe involving Paul and Mortensen, who share a one-year-old son, Ever. According to a spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department in Utah, allegations have been made in both directions. In the wake of the investigation, Paul - whose season of The Bachelorette is set to premiere on March 22 - has publicly addressed the situation, telling People, Its a heavy time, and its unfortunate. She also told EW that she and Mortensen are currently not in contact and are using a third party for all communications and exchanges of their son. But just hours after her statements, Mortensens rep fired back, telling EW, His number one priority here is protecting their son, Ever, while also denying any suggestion that he was the one responsible for the investigation going public. Taylor Frankie Paul's ex Dakota Mortensen has broken his silence on the ongoing domestic assault investigation involving the pair On Monday, news broke that filming on their show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had been abruptly halted due to a domestic violence probe involving Paul and Mortensen, who share a one-year-old son Ever 'He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor,' the rep continued. 'It's been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to co-parent well.' Mortensen's representative insists he was hoping the situation would calm down on its own. 'He was just hoping that if he says nothing, as he usually does, it would go away. He's never done any kind of sit-down interview about his side,' the rep continued. 'He kind of just lets it all happen to him, and I think he realizes with the severity of everything now that he just can't do that.' On Monday, it was revealed that production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - a reality series chronicling Paul and Mortensen's turbulent relationship since its debut in 2024 - had been suspended as police looked into an alleged incident involving the couple. The Draper City Police Department has declined to release specifics, but confirmed that officers were in contact with both parties on 24 and 25 February. As Paul prepares for the premiere of The Bachelorette season 22 this Sunday, she spoke to EW on Tuesday, hinting that Mortensen wasnt in agreement with her desire to keep their legal matters out of the public eye. Mortensens rep said, 'His number one priority here is protecting their son, Ever, while also denying any suggestion that he was the one responsible for the investigation going public 'He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor,' the rep continued, adding, 'It's been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to co-parent well' I took action a few weeks ago, and now everything is handled through a third party - including pick-ups, drop-offs, and communication - so theres no direct contact right now, she explained, speaking about her current relationship with Mortensen. Honestly, its for the best, because we just werent getting along, so I had to take the most responsible action. I didnt want to escalate things publicly, especially for the sake of my son and everything else thats coming out. But that wasnt Mortensens plan. In her first televised interview since the allegations surfaced, Paul addressed the situation on Good Morning America, indicating she would speak more openly when the time was right. Its been a tough time seeing the headlines, especially with The Bachelorette about to air, a time thats supposed to be exciting, she said. But Im someone who speaks my truth, and when the moment is right, I will. Right now, Im just trying to stay present and focus on whats in front of me. Amid conflicting reports on what transpired between Paul and Mortensen, there have also been mixed reactions from Pauls suitors regarding the controversy. While EW sources claim that the men are blindsided and upset by the drama including allegations of a hookup between Paul and Mortensen the night before she left for The Bachelorette - TMZ reported that the men believe the version of Paul they met on the show doesnt align with the media portrayal, describing her as genuine and well-intentioned. Paul responded to these conflicting reactions by telling EW that viewers will get to see all sides of her personality. Youll see Open Taylor, sassy Taylor, but most importantly, you'll see the side that people dont usually see on Mormon Wives - relaxed Taylor, chill Taylor, soft girl Taylor, she said. Im so excited for this side of me to finally be showcased because you already know the other sides. Now, Im showing my true self. Val Kilmer will be coming back to life for his final role through AI one year after his death from throat cancer. The Hollywood star died at the age of 65 on April 1, 2025 but had already signed on to star in As Deep as the Grave. However unfortunately due to poor health, he was unable to film, but filmmakers decided on using AI to see Kilmer portray Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist Father Fintan. Kilmer's estate and his two children - Mercedes and Jack - gave their blessing to use generative AI using younger images and footage of his final years, much of which was provided by his family. 'His family kept saying how important they thought the movie was and that Val really wanted to be a part of this. He really thought it was an important story that he wanted his name on. 'It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, okay lets do this. Despite the fact some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted,' writer and director Coerte Voorhees told Variety. Val Kilmer (pictured January 2014) will be coming back to life for his final role through AI one year after his death from throat cancer Variety also published the first AI generated image of Kilmer in the film. His daughter also provided a statement to the publication to show her support for the move as she said: 'He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling. 'This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.' Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi, and Abigail Breslin all star in the film. Fans were not as excited about Kilmer being resurrected as many took to X to comment on Variety's post with disdain. One wrote: 'I do not care how much permission they had to do this, no one should be allowed to do this. It should be illegal to resurrect the visage of dead people with genAI imo.' Another said: 'no amount of moral dressing is going to change how sick and greedy this is. the family should be ashamed tbh.' This is not the first time AI technology was used for one of Kilmer's roles as he left tears in fans' eyes as he returned to screens as Lieutenant Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in the Top Gun sequel. The Hollywood star (pictured July 2019) died at the age of 65 on April 1, 2025 but had already signed on to star in As Deep as the Grave Kilmer's estate and his two children - Mercedes and Jack - gave their blessing to use generative AI using younger images and footage of his final years, much of which was provided by his family (Mercedes and Val are seen in LA November 2019) The iconic film star, known for hits including Top Gun (seen in 1986) and Batman, died from pneumonia on April 1, 2025 Following the sad news of his death, his poignant final film appearance in Top Gun: Maverick alongside Tom Cruise reemerged online. He was famed for his role as Iceman in the 1986 smash hit original Top Gun movie and lead star Tom, 62, rallied to make sure Kilmer could return as his on-screen rival. Kilmer's vocal cords were damaged after a tracheotomy in 2014 following a throat cancer diagnosis but AI technology was used to regenerate his voice in the 2022 blockbuster. Fans were reduced to tears when Iceman, who had been promoted to Admiral, returned to screens alongside Tom Cruise's Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell. Kilmer's final ever film role left tears in fans' eyes as he returned to screens as Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in the Top Gun sequel alongside Tom Cruise's Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell Iceman communicated with Maverick via typed words on a screen and AI technology was used to regenerate Kilmer's voice so some of his words could be heard out loud. After their emotional on-screen conversation, where Iceman advised Maverick to 'let go' of the past and move on, scenes saw Maverick attending his friend's funeral. Viewers were reduced to tears at the emotional scenes at the time and fans have been re-watching the poignant moment after the news of Kilmer's death. The iconic film star, known for hits including Top Gun and Batman, died from pneumonia on April 1, 2025, a death certificate obtained by TMZ confirmed, after his daughter revealed the lung infection killed her father last week. Kilmer publicly battled throat cancer 11 years ago and had to undergo emergency tracheotomies which permanently affected his speech (Val seen in 2019) Underlying causes listed on the Los Angeles County Department of Health death certificate are 'acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.' Squamous cell carcinoma - also known as laryngeal cancer, is a type of cancer that develops in the thin, flat cells lining the throat, including the larynx and pharynx. Kilmer publicly battled throat cancer 11 years ago and had to undergo emergency tracheotomies which permanently affected his speech. The actor revealed he had been free of cancer for four years in 2020 but his death certificate confirms the disease had recurred. Other contributing factors include malnutrition, and a 'tracheocutaneous fistula' - which is an abnormal communication between the trachea and the skin, often occurring after a tracheostomy tube is removed. Baywatch was a global phenomenon that ruled TV screens in the 90s, but the latest reboot seems to be drowning before it even hits the beach, according to a vocal group of fans. In September, Fox announced they were 'reimagining' the iconic series with a 12-episode order for the 2026-2027 season. The new show follows Hobie Buchannon (originally played by Jeremy Jackson) as he steps into the role of Baywatch captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father Mitch Buchannon (originally played by David Hasselhoff), joined by a new generation of lifeguards patrolling the Los Angeles coastline. When the casting choices were revealed, many were shocked to see social media stars like Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader among the lifeguard team better known for their Instagram following than their acting chops. Alongside them are Stephen Amell, Shay Mitchell, and Noah Beck, with original Baywatch star David Chokachi returning as Cody Madison. But when first-look photos and clips hit the internet on Wednesday, fans didnt hold back, tearing into the reboot as a derivative idea, with influencers in lead roles and a plot destined for failure. Baywatch was a global phenomenon that ruled TV screens in the 90s, but the latest reboot seems to be drowning before it even hits the beach, according to a vocal group of fans; (Pictured: Thaddeus LaGrone, Shay Mitchell, Stephen Amell, Brooks Nader, Livvy Dunne, Noah Beck, Jessica Belkin) When the casting choices were revealed, many were shocked to see social media stars like Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader (pictured) among the lifeguard team better known for their Instagram following than their acting chops Many seemed to be still haunted by the flop of the 2017 Baywatch film starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. One critic posted, Who the hell thought a Baywatch reboot was a good idea? Another didnt mince words, writing, This has FLOP written all over it. Why on earth is this even being considered? Hollywood is so out of ideas. One even predicted, Watch it be cancelled after one season. Ain't nobody watching this. Another added, Humanity has regressed since the '90s. The cast's influencer-heavy lineup didnt go unnoticed either. I really cant stress how bad this script must be to cast so many influencers, one user complained. Another added, Hollywood doesnt believe in hiring actual actors or actresses anymore. One user questioned, It's gonna flop you have a gymnast with no tested acting abilities? And the lack of diversity didnt escape criticism either. But when first-look photos and clips hit the internet on Wednesday, fans didnt hold back, tearing into the reboot as a derivative idea, with influencers in lead roles and a plot destined for failure Not one Black woman on the whole cast. CHOP!! wrote one disgruntled fan. Despite the vocal backlash, the cast seems to be embracing the opportunity. On Tuesday, Nader posted a selfie wearing the famous swimsuit, expressing her excitement for the reboot. In the post, she captioned the image, Cant wait for you all to see what were working on! #Baywatch2026. Nader will take on the role of Selene, a sharp-tongued captain of the Zuma Beach lifeguards. Dunne, the gymnast-turned-influencer, was also spotted on set. Shell portray Grace, an eager and enthusiastic lifeguard, marking her acting debut. Dunne, who has a huge following on TikTok and Instagram, is making her acting debut with this role, something that has sparked mixed reactions from fans. Despite the vocal backlash, the cast seems to be embracing the opportunity One critic posted, Who the hell thought a Baywatch reboot was a good idea? One even predicted, Watch it be cancelled after one season. Ain't nobody watching this.' One user questioned, It's gonna flop - you have a gymnast with no tested acting abilities? The plot sees Hobie Buchannon, played by Amell, now as the Baywatch captain, only to have his life upended by the sudden appearance of his daughter Charlie, who wants to follow in his footsteps and become a lifeguard. Chokachi, reprising his original role as Cody Madison, now runs "The Shoreline," the unofficial Baywatch bar and grill, and still pulls on the red trunks for the occasional rescue. Newcomer Mitchell will play Trina, a former lawyer who left her prestigious career to become a full-time lifeguard. Harrison will portray Nat, a former foster kid turned Olympic athlete. The official synopsis for the reboot reads: 'Hobies world is turned upside down when Charlie shows up on his doorstep, eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad. OG heartthrob Cody Madison now runs The Shoreline, the unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill, and still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift saving lives.' In a statement to Variety, Michael Thorn, President of Fox Television Network, said, In its first run, Baywatch defined an entire era of beach life and elevated lifeguards to iconic status. Now, with our partners at Fremantle, this television juggernaut is set for a modern-day comeback. 'Together, Fox and Fremantle, along with Matt Nix and original co-creator Greg Bonann, will bring the California dream to a whole new generation of fans with fresh stories, rising stars, and all the spectacle that make the Baywatch franchise a global sensation.' British forces will not be sent to the Strait of Hormuz until the US and Israel stop attacking Iran, it was claimed today. Keir Starmer is set to resist Donald Trump's calls for help patrolling the crucial channel - through which around a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass - until 'hot' clashes have stopped. The PM is also believed to be seeking guarantees that international law would not be breached - with suggestions that might require a UN resolution. The UK position is becoming clearer after the US president vented his fury at Nato allies overnight, amid rising concern about the global fallout from Iran blocking the Strait. Mr Trump branded the premier 'disappointing' in his latest free-form press conference in the Oval Office. Trump renews no Churchill jibe at Starmer He renewed his attack that Sir Keir is 'no Churchill' - pointing to a sculpture of Britain's wartime premier on the table behind him. Mr Trump also swiped at Emmanuel Macron - saying the French President would be 'out of office very soon' - after Paris flatly rejected the US demand for help reopening the Strait. In a post on his Truth Social site earlier, the President was left to insist: 'WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!' A government source told The Times that the Strait of Hormuz was 'too hot' for a UK deployment to protect commercial shipping. 'Once the offensive attacks and retaliation are over, you can look at supporting the safe opening of the area for shipping,' they said. With the war now in a third week, oil prices remain above $100 per barrel as a result of Tehran's continued blockade. The impact is already being felt in the UK, with pump prices surging and fears the energy cap will spike in July. Polls have suggested that Brits are heavily opposed to the US action and alarmed about the effect on the economy. Sir Keir insisted on Monday that the UK will not be drawn into a 'wider war', and said he was working with partners including in Europe on a 'viable collective plan' to free up navigation in the region. Britain could potentially provide mine-hunting drones to the mission rather than a warship, although the PM stressed no final decisions have been made. Badenoch calls Trumps attack on Starmer wrong Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been critical of Sir Keir's response to the war, but nonetheless rejected the president's attack on him as 'wrong'. 'It's very childish, this war of words and these spats,' she said yesterday. Reform's Robert Jenrick also had a dig at the president last night, saying he did not like to see a British premier 'berated' publicly. Meanwhile, Israel said it had killed two senior Iranian security officials in a major blow aimed at further weakening the Islamic Republic's leadership. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, were 'eliminated', Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said. Tehran has confirmed both killings and fired salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel. Starmer struggles to hold Special Relationship with Trump amid Iran war Keir Starmer is struggling to hold the Special Relationship together today amid open clashes with Donald Trump over the Iran war. The US president vented his frustration with the PM again last night, describing the UK's reluctance to get involved in the Middle East as 'terrible'. He also claimed that Sir Keir had offered to send two aircraft carriers to the region - something that Downing Street denied. Only one of the UK's carriers is currently operational, and that is due to be deployed to the Arctic. The barbs came as European powers batted away Mr Trump's call to send warships to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Around a fifth of global oil supplies typically pass through the channel, but Iran has been managing to keep it effectively shut with missile and drone strikes. Sir Keir insisted yesterday that the UK would not get dragged into a 'wider war' after the US and Israel launched attacks. France and Germany have also dismissed the idea of taking an active role while conflict is raging. The PM - who will host Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street today - has stressed the importance of keeping the focus on Ukraine's campaign against Russian invasion. Mr Trump's annoyance boiled over again last night, presenting Sir Keir with another major diplomatic headache. 'I was very surprised with the United Kingdom. Two weeks ago I said, 'Why don't you send some ships over?' And he [Starmer] really didn't want to do it,' the president said. 'You're our oldest ally, and we spend a lot of money on Nato and all these things to protect you. I mean, we're protecting them. I think it is terrible. Read the full story here With her handsome husband, good-looking children and gorgeous home, you'd be hard pressed to find a more all-American woman than Melissa Graham. But the Montessori school bookkeeper now finds her enviable Wild West lifestyle under threat, thanks to a shocking civil lawsuit. Graham, 54, has been sued by her former employer, the Montessori School at Lone Tree in Colorado, over claims she embezzled $300,000 to fund her very lavish life. They have accused Graham of theft, fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty. Graham and her husband are now in the process of trying to sell their $1.1 million four bed, five bed mansion in Littleton, Colorado. Graham used some of the cash she's accused of stealing to install a bubbling hot tub at the property, the suit against her alleges. She is further accused in the lawsuit of spending $35,000 of the school's cash on landscaping and brickwork The legal filing first obtained by Business Den accuses Graham of carrying out the scam between 2017 and 2023 while working at the private school. Lawsuit alleges school funds were used for personal and family expenses Photos posted online show her mansion filled with charming trinkets, with Montessori bosses claiming in the lawsuit that she spent $55,000 of their cash on 818 purchases from Amazon. Graham is further accused of using between $70,000 and $90,000 of school funds to pay off her personal credit card debts. She even allegedly used $13,000 to pay the rent on her own personal preschool business that she runs with husband Doug, according to the lawsuit. Doug and Graham's 27-year-old cowgirl daughter Lauren Conyers have also been named as defendants in the suit, thanks to an act of parental generosity, the lawsuit claims. Graham and Doug allegedly put down an undisclosed but 'substantial' down payment on a $760,000 ranch for Conyers to run a horse boarding business. Lawyers for Montessori Lone Tree say in the complaint that cash came from their accounts. Graham allegedly used funds from Paycheck Protection Program loan and grants to award herself and another employee a $135,000 bonus, according to the civil suit reviewed by the Daily Mail. Further allegations She allegedly made unauthorized charges on school credit cards for clothing, personal hygiene items, at-home drug tests, spa treatments, alcohol and meals at restaurants, the complaint said. And the alleged fraud could have been even worse, according to Montessori Lone Tree's lawsuit, filed in Larimer County on March 3. The school alleged that she tried 'depositing $250,000 of the school's funds into her personal bank account,' but returned the funds after a 'confrontation.' Her husband, however, successfully wrote himself $6,600 in checks from the school's checkbook, the lawsuit alleged. She also allegedly wrote personal reimbursement checks to herself in excess of $40,000, according to the court filing. In May 2022, Graham, her husband and fellow Montessori School employee took a vacation to Cabo San Lucas. The trio falsely said they were on a work trip described as 'Apple training' and used school funds to pay for airfare, lodging and other expenses related to the trip, the lawsuit alleged. Graham and her husband 'love to vacation together, especially in Mexico,' according to the website for Graham's current employer, St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch. Profile outlines family life She has been working as the Director of Finance at the church since March 2024, her online staff profile stated. The profile also highlighted her relationship with Doug, whom has reportedly been her business partner for more than two decades. 'She and her husband, Doug, have lived in Colorado for over 30 years, having run their own preschool/daycare business together for more than 23 years. They have two adult children, Lauren and Ryan,' the biography reads. It further went on to share their excitement at having 'gained another son' in June 2023 when Conyers married her now-husband Ethan. Their wedding was allegedly partially paid for with school funds, the lawsuit alleged, citing invoices from that timeframe for event decorations, dresses, accessories, and other wedding-related materials. Graham loves spending time with her family and helping Conyers with her horse boarding business, her church staff profile said. She also enjoys hiking, paddle boarding and cooking. Conyers operates her business Freedom Acres Ranch, LLC out of a ranch in Wellington that is owned by her parents. She and Ethan also live on the property. Family ranch at risk amid ongoing lawsuit Melissa and Doug Graham purchased the 1,664 square foot ranch in June 2021 for $760,000, property records show. The couple only financed $134,990 of the purchase price. Conyers and her husband also took out a loan for an undisclosed amount in April 2023, UCC financing statements revealed. They put up farm equipment from the ranch as collateral. Freedom Acres Ranch, LLC offers full care boarding services beginning at $335 per month, according to its website. It has 18 indoor stalls, three pastures with fully enclosed pastures and two paddocks with shelters. The facility offers riding lessons and horse training, and operates a so-called retirement farm where aging, injured or retired horses can live out their final days. But the family could be at risk of losing the ranch if the school's lawsuit is successful. The Montessori School at Lone Tree filed a notice of lis pendens against the ranch last week, which warns the public that there is currently a lawsuit that may affect the title of the property. The school, in its civil suit against the family, claims Graham conducted bookkeeping work for Freedom Acres while on paid company time. She also allegedly worked on projects for her preschool business during designated work hours, according to the complaint. School claims 'significant' damage as family puts home up for sale The Montessori School at Lone Tree said it has spent 'hundreds of hours attempting to identify the extent of the theft' carried out by the Graham family. 'The school's business processes, records, facilities and reputation have suffered significant damage,' the complaint added. Meanwhile, the Grahams are trying to sell their four bedroom, five bathroom home in Highlands Ranch for $1.1 million. The 4,671 square-foot home has been on the market for 45 days and the couple have already slashed the asking price by $25,000. The Grahams purchased the residence for $426,200 in 2005, county property records show. They appear to have refinanced the property several times since their initial purchase with the couple having taken out a $375,000 against the property as recently as December 2024. Graham, St Luke's, and lawyers for the Montessori School at Lone Tree did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Conyers declined to comment on the case. A popular discount grocery chain known for bargain deals on name-brand food is preparing to shut down dozens of locations across the US after admitting it expanded too quickly. Grocery Outlet - the California-based retailer famous for selling products at steep discounts - says it will close 36 stores nationwide as part of a sweeping restructuring plan designed to improve profitability. The company revealed the move while reporting its latest financial results, saying it had conducted a 'strategic, financial and operational analysis' of its entire store network. 'To strengthen long-term profitability and cash flow generation, improve operational execution, optimize our existing store footprint and align with our disciplined new store growth strategy, we conducted a strategic review of our store fleet,' the company said in its earnings release. Following that review, executives determined that dozens of locations were simply not viable. Chief executive Jason Potter told investors the chain identified 36 stores that 'did not have a viable path to sustained profitability.' 'It's clear now that we expanded too quickly, and these closures are a direct correction,' Potter said during the company's earnings call. The closures represent roughly 6 percent of the company's store network, which currently includes more than 560 locations across 16 states. Grocery Outlet - the California-based retailer famous for selling products at steep discounts - says it will close 36 stores nationwide as part of a sweeping restructuring plan designed to improve profitability Most of the affected stores are expected to be in the eastern US, though the company said it is not exiting any state entirely. The plan also includes ending agreements with some independent operators, terminating or subleasing certain store leases, and exiting a distribution center facility that is no longer being used. Several of the closures will take place in California, where the company is headquartered. Stores in cities including Azusa, Brawley, El Cajon, Kerman, La Habra, Ontario, Patterson, Poway and Ridgecrest are among those expected to shut down. The closures will not happen overnight. Instead, Grocery Outlet says the process will unfold gradually and is expected to be largely completed by the end of 2026. Founded in 1946, Grocery Outlet built its reputation on a discount model that sells name-brand groceries at up to 60 percent below typical supermarket prices. The chain is particularly known for its 'treasure hunt' shopping experience, where inventory changes frequently based on surplus deals and closeout products available from suppliers. Most of the affected stores are expected to be in the eastern US, though the company said it is not exiting any state entirely Despite shuttering dozens of locations, Grocery Outlet says it is not retreating from expansion entirely. The company still plans to open around 30 to 33 new stores in 2026 Each store is independently operated, and many shoppers visit regularly to hunt for deeply discounted items that may only be available for a short time. The restructuring comes after a difficult financial year for the company. Although net sales rose, Grocery Outlet reported a large operating loss tied partly to impairment charges and restructuring costs related to store closures. Company leaders also pointed to a tougher environment for discount retailers. According to Potter, several factors weighed on performance, including increased competition, heavy promotions across the grocery industry and delays in government food assistance benefits used by many customers. Despite shuttering dozens of locations, Grocery Outlet says it is not retreating from expansion entirely. The company still plans to open around 30 to 33 new stores in 2026, part of a more disciplined growth strategy moving forward. Executives say the goal is to refocus on stronger-performing markets while refreshing stores and strengthening the company's value proposition for shoppers hunting for bargains. When Robert Levine decided to sell his four-bedroom, 2.5-bath Florida home, he knew exactly who to ask for help. Nope, not a real estate agent - instead, Levine turned to an AI chatbot to assist in selling his home of 15 years. He used ChatGPT to handle almost every part of selling the home in Cooper City, Florida, that he had owned for 15 years. 'ChatGPT helped us plan, price and market our home with confidence - ultimately saving us over 3 percent in commission,' Levine told the Daily Mail. Thats no small sum. His home sold for $954,800 after being listed at $972,500 in January 2026 - meaning traditional agent commissions could have cost tens of thousands of dollars. Levine used ChatGPT to write the listing, generate marketing materials and even advise him on how to boost the homes value. The chatbot suggested repainting parts of the interior to maximize return - and even recommended listing the home on a Tuesday for the best results. Just 72 hours after posting on the Multiple Listing Service, a database used by real estate agents, Levine had five offers in hand. Most of Robert Levine's house-selling process was done using ChatGPT, including drawing up the contract Robert Levine sold his Cooper City home for almost $1 million with the help of AI Levine said that he saved a 'meaningful amount of money' by opting for an AI-driven real estate listing, although there were clearly some parts that needed the human touch. He ultimately handled the open house himself and brought in a lawyer to review the final paperwork - but the contract had been drafted by ChatGPT. '[AI] didnt replace expertise,' Levine explained, 'it made us better decision-makers.' According to Clever Real Estate, the average commission in Florida is about 5.6 percent. On a sale like Levines, that could total roughly $47,750, with sellers typically paying around half. That lines up closely with Levines estimate that he saved about 3 percent by going it alone. Selling a home without an agent - known as 'for sale by owner' - is nothing new. But Levine believes AI makes the process far easier than it used to be. 'My wife and I made a commitment to change that in 2026 by intentionally finding ways to use AI in our everyday decisions, and selling our home became our first real test,' Levine said. In professional life, Levine is the CEO of ComOps, a company that helps optimize operations for hotels and casinos. ChatGPT is quickly replacing jobs, including counter and rental clerks, editors and sales managers Katie Lance teaches real estate agents and brokers how to get results with social media, video marketing and AI Still, industry experts warn that ChatGPT cant replace everything. Katie Lance, a consultant who trains agents on AI and social media, said the technology is useful - but limited. 'Selling a home is far more than just generating information,' Lance told the Daily Mail. 'Real estate is still a relationship business that requires strategy, negotiation, and deep local expertise.' Lance said that while AI might help write the listing, 'it cant guide a seller through a tough negotiation or navigate the complexities of a real transaction.' 'The best agents arent afraid of AI,' she said. 'Theyre using it as a tool to work smarter while still providing the human expertise that actually gets deals done.' Property owners have deployed ChatGPT in the rental space as well, to aid in making prices more 'responsive' to market changes. Supply and demand always factor into rental prices, but now AI can help make prices adjust in real time. If demand jumps suddenly, rents can now rise without much delay - and conversely as vacancy rates increase, prices should fall fast. Real estate advisor Jay Batra says he's 'not too concerned' about reports of a single homeowner using ChatGPT to sell his house. 'Homeowners have always had the option to sell their homes themselves, and many will continue to do so,' Batra told the Daily Mail. 'ChatGPT is a great tool, but it doesnt replace the value that experienced real estate professionals bring to the process.' ChatGPT also helps some landlords determine the amount of rent they should charge based on market scarcity Real estate broker Bob Miller said it's great that a homeowner successfully sold his home using ChatGPT, but warns that it takes more than AI to sell a home. 'First, emotion affects profits,' Miller told the Daily Mail. 'Sellers often jump at the first offer because it feels like success. As a listing agent, I cant tell you how many times an offer came in and my sellers were ready to accept immediately.' 'Professional representation often means negotiating multiple offers, managing timing, and maximizing price,' he added. It's not just real estate agents that are impacted by advancements in AI. As of 2025, the jobs most likely to be replaced by AI include counter and rental clerks, sales managers, shipping clerks and editors. OpenAI said, 'we found that today's best frontier models are already approaching the quality of work produced by industry experts.' AI is seeping into schools as well as job markets, with OpenAI use 'plummeting' during summer months as a result of students not needing the extra homework help. As of March 2026, 'nearly all' undergraduate students use AI to complete assignments, even if it makes them feel 'lazy.' For Levine, the decision to use ChatGPT was easy, and he recommends it to anyone else curious about the app. 'We would absolutely use ChatGPT again for a process like this,' he said. 'And I believe these tools will only become more powerful, eventually evolving into agentic solutions that can manage even more of the transaction end-to-end.' Even if New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is working towards universal childcare, some parents are spending more than ever on private pre-school tuition. Manhattan Schoolhouse, with locations predominately on the Upper East Side, has dramatically hiked tuition costs - they now require almost $4,000 per month for the 8am to 6pm program. That's a 20 percent increase from last year. Almost 100 families signed a petition against this price increase. School leaders later announced a slightly revised rate - but reduced the monthly fee by only $100 for some families, leaving many parents still outraged. School officials say the surge is driven by rising food prices, insurance costs and higher teacher salaries - but also point to growing competition from government childcare programs backed by Mamdani. Mamdani has made universal childcare a cornerstone of his administration, expanding the citys free 3-K and Pre-K programs while working with Governor Kathy Hochul to broaden access across New York state. 'The teachers who are working for DOE, their salaries are much higher, so we are competing with them,' CEO Kamila Faruki said during an interview with the New York Post. 'Because of the way its structured, we lose a lot of good teachers theres so many programs that closed because they couldnt keep up with this.' 'What it does [mean] is we will have to increase the salaries of our teachers,' she added, 'the cost has to go somewhere.' The daycare centers predominately tailors to children ages three months to five years, making it a pre-preschool option for working parents. Zohran Mamdani was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce their joint plan for universal childcare Mandani's platform also included free buses, a rent freeze, and building more affordable housing 'Theres one thing that every family in New York can agree on, the cost of childcare is simply too high,' Governor Hochul said. 'As New Yorks first mom Governor, fighting for New Yorks families has always been at the core of my agenda. Since taking office, Ive put families front and center, fighting to make our state more affordable and laying the groundwork to deliver universal childcare.' Free 2-K plans are already in place for some neighborhoods - in March 2026, the office of the mayor announced four communities will receive 2,000+ free childcare seats for two-year-old's starting this fall. That includes school districts in Washington Heights, Rockaway, Fordham, and Canarsie among other areas. The Upper East Side has not yet been given these free childcare seats. 'Over the past 14 months, a movement was born to fight for a city where every New Yorker could afford a life of dignity and every family could afford to raise their kids. Today, Governor Hochul and I meet that movement as we celebrate our joint commitment to universal child care,' Mamdani said. 'This victory represents much more than a triumph of city and state government working in partnership it is proof that when New Yorkers come together, we can transform the way government serves working families,' he added. Mamdani's other initiatives as New York City mayor include fast and free buses, a freeze on payments for rent-stabilized apartments and city-owned grocery stores in each borough. Private pre-school costs in New York drastically vary based on neighborhood, age and hours. Zohran Mandani is focusing on creating a Pre-K and 3-K program as mayor of New York City Data provided by Care.com estimates infant full-day childcare costs on average $3,177.20 per month, not including upfront safety deposits or added fees for late pickup. For Manhattan Schoolhouse, there is a $100 non-refundable application fee to 'secure a spot on the waitlist.' One parent near Park Slope paid $2835 for tuition, plus $270 per month for a 'meal plan' consisting of breakfast, lunch and two snacks. Another Brooklyn parent was quoted $3,400 a month for full-day daycare. Other families opt for a babysitter or nanny as pre-school and daycare costs continue to rise. The Daily Mail has reached out to Mandani's office for a comment. Trump says U.S. "not ready" to end conflict with Iran Xinhua) 11:05, March 18, 2026 WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington is "not ready" to end the conflict with Iran, which is now entering its third week. "We're not ready to leave yet, but we'll be leaving in the near future," Trump told reporters at the White House. Asked whether the White House has a "day-after" plan for the conflict with Iran, Trump gave no details, repeating his claim that Iran has "been decimated from every standpoint" since the United States and Israel began large-scale attacks on Iran on Feb. 28. It would take Iran a decade to rebuild, he said. Trump told reporters that if he sends U.S. ground troops into Iran, he was not afraid it could turn into another Vietnam for the United States. Local analysts say if Washington plans to seize Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, and target an underground facility in Isfahan believed to store much of its nuclear material, U.S. or Israeli ground operations would likely be required. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) International Womens Day brought the plight of women members of the Bahai Faith imprisoned in Iran into sharp focus for County Derry human rights activist Mahin Gornall. Born in Iran and now living in Magherafelt with her husband Les, Mahin said it made a huge impact when those of us who live in peace and comfort support the prisoners in solidarity. They are in a dire situation in the notorious prisons in Iran, explained Mahin. So this support, this solidarity, has always made a huge, positive impact. I feel incredibly anxious and guilty because I'm not doing anything and when I can speak to a journalist, for example, I am extremely grateful because it means somebody will listen, hear and highlight the terrible situation of the young girls and boys in prison, to the rest of the world, she added. Then, at least, it brings some degree of awareness to the rest of the world. After all, every country in the world has had its problems. It is as if we are all taking turns. Most of the prisoners are young girls and boys. Their prisons are. God knows what they are doing to these young girls if they have been there months, sometimes years. From time to time, if they are lucky, the authorities ask for huge sums of money from the girls families to release them but after a good while - sometimes years, sometimes months. And the trauma and the torture these girls have experienced will remain with them for the rest of their lives, said Mahin. Iran is an ancient country, she added, and every religion you could name, Christianity, Judaism, Bahaism has had a trace in Iran. Every culture, every belief has had a trace. Islam is only recent so what they are doing now to Bahai girls, Bahai people is terrible but life hasnt been easy for Christians, for Jewish people, for Zoroastrians - once the national religion of Persia and the first monotheistic religion on planet Earth - in Iran either. The Iranian regime wants to get rid of anyone who is not identical to their own version of Islam. Up to 47 years ago, when the Islamic Revolution took over, there had been more than 300,000 Bahais in Iran and because many Jews moved to Israel and Christians went to Armenia and Georgia, the Bahais outnumber all other minorities in Iran. There was a huge community of Bahais in Iran. In the past 47 years, they have continuously been killed. Between 200 and 300 people have been killed, all mostly the prominent members - university lecturers and so on - including my only uncle, my mothers only brother, my Sunday school teacher, Aziz Golshani, who had committed absolutely no crime whatsoever and then he was hanged for his faith. Mahin's uncle Aziz Golshani and her father's cousin Nematullah Katebpur Shanhidi were executed because they were Baha'is. Two other members of my family were killed by firing squad. One was my dads cousin, Nematullah Katebpur Shahidi, and the other was his son-in-law, Dr Farhad Asdaqi, said Mahin. According to Mahin, Bahais are taught to pray for politicians, governments and rulers and be obedient to the government in whichever country they live. I know these inmates, these young people who have been taken to prison, their crime hasnt been demonstration, so why they have taken them to prison is purely because they are Bahais and they dont adhere to Islamic beliefs, said Mahin, who pointed out one of the central tenets of the Bahai Faith is gender equality. I think this is why the Iranian regime doesnt like Bahais. Their view is women are animals and should not go to school, similar to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. My point is that the Bahais really believe in gender equality. It says the world of humanity is like a bird, and two wings should be healthy for humanity to advance, the two wings being women and men. At the Intelligent Operations Summit held during MWC Barcelona 2026, Huawei put forward its vision for how operators can leverage their unique advantages to grow in the era of rapid AI development. Bruce Xun (pictured, below), President of Huawei Global Technical Service, noted that in 2026 we will move to an era where AI agents are On-Person, On-the-Go, and On-the-Road. To achieve this, he proposed a new Agentic Operations paradigm for operators. The paradigm will deliver huge advances in three main areas: User Interaction, Experience Operations, and Network O&M. New User Interaction Paradigm: Embracing Ubiquitous Digital and Intelligent Services that Truly Understand You Based on the next-generation Agentic BSS (Business Support System), the product innovation journey has shifted from manual Human-to-System to GUI Agent closed-loops. Digital product managers orchestrate Multi-agents across CRM (customer relationship management) and CBS (convergent billing system) to execute the Go-To-Market process, achieving quick GTM (Go to Market) of multiple intelligent services. In Kenya, The Idea-to-Cash solution that Huawei collaborated with operators reduced TTM from months to one week, allowing it to begin delivering value far more quickly. By designing products and offerings based on user scenarios, Huawei provides each user with a dedicated personalized assistant through the mobile customer service center, Mobile Money app, and AICC (AI contact center). With contextual design, Mobile Money delivers a generative recommendation page that delivers personalized choices its easy to see how this will increase the likelihood of successful transactions, and this translates into other areas of customer service too. For example, in Hong Kong, Huawei helped operators reduce the average handling time (AHT) of customer service by 30% - removing this kind of friction will deliver greater customer satisfaction and therefore help operators to retain customers. New Experience Operations Paradigm: With Leading Network Performance, Delivering Differentiated Experiences to Drive Network Monetization Huawei's V-Grid Best Networks and SmartCare Intelligence solution have enabled a new operational paradigm, that shifts the emphasis from mass marketing to a more personalized approach that aims to capture the most impactful moments, and a new experience paradigm that aims to deliver differentiated experiences to users via high value services, rather than simply providing a homogenized network experience. This underlines the value in tailoring each individual customers experience to their tastes and usage habits, driving satisfaction and loyalty. Through one-stop AI Data Analysis agent (DA Agent) and precision marketing agentic model (LUM), Huawei helped an operator in South Africa add 500,000 new HBB users in one year. Powered by Telco Twins and an agentic user experience model (SRCON2.0 + LLM-S) to realize the value ranking of business and network synergy, Huawei helped an operator in Asia Pacific boost per-grid revenue by 6.4% through business & network synergetic planning. In China, combined with smart devices, operators have optimized millions of service quality issues per week across tens of thousands of sites, achieving a more than 30% reduction in poor-quality events through comprehensive optimization. New Network O&M Paradigm: Maximizing Service Value and Resource Efficiency While Ensuring Network Robustness The network operations and maintenance (O&M) paradigm has evolved from managing incidents to managing risks - dynamically detecting hidden business-level risks before they happen to guarantee 99.99% service reliability, helping operators ensure continuity. The value of O&M has shifted from being "Network-Centric" to "Service-Centric," built on the CHB (Consumer, Home, Business) converged and grid-based foundation to maximize service benefits. In South Africa, Huawei has helped operators reduce the mean time to repair (MTTR) by 30%, while in the Asia-Pacific region, Huawei has collaborated with operators to improve the efficiency of Network Operation Centers (NOCs) by 20% while cutting traffic loss by 8.4% year-on-year, underlining the benefits to O&M that the solutions can offer. Huawei does not stop at AI technology - it works with operators to build Agentic Team and AI-adapted processes, transforming them from traditional processes to a hybrid working mode. Domain experts design tasks and strategies, provide supervision and exception intervention, while digital employees automatically analyze, improving both effectiveness and efficiency. At the end of his speech, Bruce Xun emphasized that for high-value innovation scenarios, Huawei helps operators build a leading advantage in Agentic Operations through the dual engines of Telco Twin and Domain Agentic Models. However, technology is only half the equation. To truly unlock the value of Agentic Operations, three actions must be implemented: optimizing workflows, organizing teams, and aligning incentives to the finial outcomes. These efforts will ultimately solidify the value and results achieved. Huawei will collaborate with TM Forum and GSMA to jointly create a new era of Agentic Operations, enabling the industry to achieve prosperity and development. Kuwaiti conglomerate Alghanim Industries announced on Tuesday that its tech venture Sama X is officially reselling Starlinks LEO satellite broadband services in Kuwait, a day after the countrys regulator granted Starlink an operating licence. Sama X which is authorized by SpaceX to resell Starlink products globally said it will offer a range of subscription plans with download speeds exceeding 300 Mbps, along with delivery, professional installation, and local support, including a 24/7 bilingual call centre. Alghanim Industries executive chairman Kutayba Y. Alghanim said the launch of Starlink in Kuwait is a key step in strengthening the countrys digital infrastructure. "At a time when reliable connectivity has become essential for business continuity and the effective functioning of key sectors, this technology provides advanced connectivity that helps organizations, governments, and communities stay connected wherever they operate from remote worksites to critical sectors such as healthcare and education, he said in a statement. Sama Xs Starlink launch follows an announcement on Monday by Kuwaits Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) that it had granted Starlink a license to provide satellite internet services in the country. CITRA said in a statement to the Kuwait News Agency that Starlink met all regulatory and technical requirements, ensuring compliance with national telecoms laws and frequency spectrum regulations. Sama X which is headquartered in Dubai was established by Alghanim Industries last year as part of the groups broader expansion into technology and advanced connectivity solutions across the region. The company offers tailored connectivity solutions for enterprises, small businesses, and professional consumers. NVIDIA announced their newest Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) update yesterday with DLSS 5 and it wasnt without controversy. DLSS 5 was supposed to deliver photoreal computer graphics on par with Hollywood VFX but what it seems to be doing is overwriting the base graphics, effectively changing the art style of games entirely. The backlash is so bad that just the demo has got people on Reddit and X comparing it to AI slop which as a gamer is not something I want my games to look like. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! That said, DLSS 5 doesnt become publicly available until the latter part of the year so lets give NVIDIA the benefit of the doubt for now. Something worth noting though, NVIDIA hasnt confirmed older cards support yet, so unless you have a 50-series, you may not be able to try it at all. However, if you do have a 50-series card, here are 5 games to test DLSS 5 on when it does arrive. Also read: Nvidia DLSS 5 announced, claims to make your games look more realistic Hogwarts Legacy If you grabbed this from Epics Christmas free game drops last year, this is the best place to start. It is an open world RPG where the lighting really makes or breaks the experience the dark alleyways, the duelling arenas, the glow of spells casting shadows in real time. DLSS 5 will either make being part of the wizarding world feel more immersive or immediately make it obvious that something is off. Resident Evil Requiem Horror lives and dies by atmosphere, and Capcom has always pushed visual fidelity hard with the RE Engine. The grotesque enemy detail, the oppressive darkness, the way light catches a wet surface mid-panic, if DLSS 5 starts smoothing out the grime and texture that makes Resident Evil feel viscerally uncomfortable, you will know immediately. Horror does not forgive visual inconsistency the way other genres might. Assassins Creed Shadows Also read: Resident Evil Village to Gran Turismo 7, top 5 games you need to try in VR Probably the most visually ambitious game on this list and therefore the most interesting DLSS 5 case study. Shadows has a very deliberate art direction built around ink-wash landscapes and the natural light of Edo-period Japan, which is exactly the kind of stylised aesthetic that gamers are worried will get overwritten by DLSS 5. Watch the foliage, the fog, and the way shadows fall at dusk. Those will be your tells. Delta Force Competitive shooters have different visual priorities to everything else on this list. In Delta Force, clarity matters more than beauty, you need to spot an enemy through a dusty window in a firefight. So the question here is whether DLSS 5 introduces ghosting or artifacting that puts you at a disadvantage. If it cannot hold up in a fast-paced multiplayer environment, that is a much bigger problem than looking like AI slop. Starfield Starfields procedurally generated planets have always struggled to feel truly vast and awe-inspiring, which is exactly why it belongs here. DLSS 5 either closes that gap or makes it more obvious, there is no middle ground on a barren moon. It is also a Bethesda game with a long modding life ahead, and that community will stress-test DLSS 5 in ways NVIDIA never anticipated. If it holds up well and looks good in Starfield, it can probably do that anywhere then. Also read: God of War: Sons of Sparta Review Keep me signed in 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 'Keep me signed in' 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. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A Fianna Fail TD has called for Ireland to formally recognise that Antarctica should only be used for peaceful purposes. Malcolm Byrne introduced a bill to the Dail on Wednesday which would see Ireland become the 59th nation to accede to the Antarctic Treaty System. In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty enshrined the territory as a scientific preserve used only for peaceful purposes. Joining the Antarctic Treaty System would mean Ireland formally recognises the Southern Continent should only be used for peaceful purposes, and would allow Irish researchers to take part in joint projects there. Mr Byrne said Ireland is the most populous member state of the European Union that is not in membership. He said the country has a long and rich history and association with the Antarctic and Antarctic exploration. He outlined how Edward Bransfield, from County Cork, had the first verified sighting of Antarctica recorded in 1820, and how Francis Crozier, from County Down, carried out much of the mapping of Antarctica during the 19th century. He said: I think people in this house, and indeed around the country, would be very familiar with the stories of Tom Crean and indeed, Ernest Shackleton. Incredible individuals from the era of exploration, and their stories continue to inspire. Joining the treaty system would enable a new generation of researchers, he said. Theres a lot of research thats been done in stations in the Antarctic, particularly around areas of climate, astronomy and marine biology. He added: And it would allow Ireland to formally say we believe that the Southern Continent should only be used for peaceful purposes and should never be exploited, particularly when it comes to the risk of it being exploited for fossil fuels. The Government will finalise an appropriate intervention to rising fuel and energy prices next week, the Tanaiste has said. Simon Harris said measures would be signed off at the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: This Government understands the pressures families and businesses are under. They are feeling it at the pumps where the cost of filling a car has risen considerably in the space of a just over a fortnight and they are seeing it in the cost of a fill of oil. The Finance Minister said he had spoken to his officials, the Taoiseach and relevant ministers, and added: This evening, I want to confirm to this House that we are now finalising what we believe to be an appropriate intervention, for the areas in which there is most acute pressure and challenge. The Governments response will be agreed at the next Cabinet meeting. Mr Harris said he strongly believed any intervention should, in the first instance, be for a short period of time. Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny said it seemed a little bit rich that Government could do nothing, only monitor it until his party brought the motion. He told Mr Harris: Now youve managed to find the road to Damascus and youve turned and youre going to do something about it. They were speaking during two hours of Dail time dedicated to a Sinn Fein motion on energy and fuel costs. The party called on the Government to scrap plans to increase carbon tax on home heating oil on May 1, and to reduce the cost of fuels through emergency legislation on mineral oil taxes. The Sinn Fein Bill would introduce reductions in fuel taxes for a six-month emergency period to provide immediate relief to households, workers and farmers facing escalating energy costs. A representative body for fuel importers, distributors and retailers said any short-term response to fuel prices should be accompanied with a review on taxation and policy compliance costs borne by its members. Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland, said immediate action is warranted due to the pressure on motorists, business and households. However, he added: Any short-term intervention should be accompanied by the establishment of an expert group to examine the impact of taxation and policy compliance costs on fuel prices, providing a structured, evidence-based foundation for effective long-term decision-making. Short-term or reactive measures alone are not sufficient. Fuel pricing cannot be managed through periodic interventions in response to crises; it requires a consistent, long-term policy framework grounded in a clear understanding of how fuel supply chains operate and how global commodity markets function. Earlier, Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty told the Dail: Were two weeks into this crisis, two weeks where workers and families are getting absolutely hammered by skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel and home heating oil diesel now well above two euro, and home heating oil has almost doubled. Mr Doherty criticised Government ministers for being too busy packing their bags for Paddys Day to act on fuel prices. He said: People cant wait any longer for the Government who is dithering and delaying. They need to see action and they need to see a Government that is nowhere to be seen. The idea that this government is somehow monitoring the situation boils peoples blood. It means nothing to somebody whos out of home heating oil today. It means nothing to that elderly person in a cold house tonight, afraid to turn on the heating. Mr Harris said the Government had already extended the lower 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity until the end of the decade and increased and expanded the weekly fuel allowance. He also argued that carbon tax is not the cause of the current spike in energy prices and stepping away from the planned long-term approach would delay the transition which ultimately gives us greater control over our energy future. The matter was also raised during Leaders Questions between Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan. Ms McDonald said home heating oil had reached 900 euro for a half fill and people cant wait as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael twiddle your thumbs. She said: The Government hauled in an estimated additional 38 million euro in taxes and levies due to these price hikes in just one week. So its blindingly obvious what you need to do, cut taxes on petrol, on diesel and home heating oil. This would immediately bring down prices. Mr OCallaghan said: The Government will respond to this. However, what were not going to do is engage in a knee-jerk response, just for the purpose of being seen to do something immediately. He said the Taoiseach had indicated the Government would look at cutting excise duties, adding that any measures introduced will be targeted at individuals who need them the most. Mr OCallaghan said Energy Minister Darragh OBrien had written to retail electricity and gas suppliers as well as fuel suppliers in recent days to emphasise the importance of reducing the exposure for Irish consumers from the price shocks created by geopolitical events. Edward Craven KC, for Mr Adams, said the job of the court should not be to rule on a historical truth but to address a dispute between two parties. Evidence proving former Louth TD Gerry Adams was behind three IRA bombings in England is extremely limited and bordering on non-existent, the High Court in London has heard. John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Mr Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council, and are seeking 1 in damages. The former Sinn Fein president denies the allegations and is defending the claim, telling the court that he had no involvement whatsoever in the bombings and was never a member of the Provisional IRA. After Mr Adams finished giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr Craven said to the judge: You have actually had very little evidence of how, why and by whom these bombings were authorised. That is the central question in this trial. When you actually focus on that, the evidence is extremely limited and we say bordering on non-existent. There is not a single page in the 6,000-page bundle that implicates Mr Adams in any of the bombings. About the evidence given by the 13 witnesses, some of which related to intelligence gathered years ago, he said: All you have is high-level assertions, unsupported by detail, uncorroborated by documents. We say that comes absolutely nowhere close to proving allegations of this magnitude. He added: The desire to establish for the historical record that Mr Adams was a member of the IRA is the purpose that has driven this claim. Mr Adams has claimed that while he was a member of Sinn Fein, and was the organisations president from 1983 to 2018, he was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council, and I never held any role or rank within the IRA. Last week, the court heard from former intelligence operatives working for the British authorities who said they believed Mr Adams was a de facto leader of the IRA and he ran his own fiefdom in Belfast. Sir Max Hill KC, for the three bombing victims, said while cross-examining Mr Adams on Wednesday that a former volunteer, who had at one point been friends with Mr Adams, understood Mr Adams to be a major, major player in the war. He also said that 1,178 people were killed by the Provisional IRA and that Mr Adams has over a long period of time, chosen to stand by the IRA, to which Mr Adams replied: I do not stand by everything that they did, but these were my neighbours. Read Next: Dual citizen from Louth who bought guns legally in US and sold them to Irish crime gangs is jailed Anne Studd KC, for the bomb victims, previously told the trial that being a member of Sinn Fein and a member of the Provisional IRA was a distinction without a difference for some individuals, including Mr Adams. Ms Studd also told the court that Mr Adams had a foot in each camp of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement. The barrister continued that Mr Adams was directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996. The trial before Mr Justice Swift, is due to conclude later in March. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Lecturer Glenn McCormack, was recently awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Society of Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Foundation to attend the SITE Global Conference in Abu Dhabi. Glenn is a Lecturer and Programme Director for the BA (Hons) in Event Management with Marketing, in the Department of Hospitality. Glenn, who also serves as Chapter Leader for Membership on the SITE Ireland Board, was selected as a scholarship recipient based on his essay on the topic of Travel as Transformation. The essay explored the powerful role of incentive travel in shaping careers, communities and personal development - themes that resonate strongly within both the global incentive travel industry and hospitality education. Glenns journey in the incentive travel, events and hospitality industry began with early bar and restaurant work that sparked his love of human connection and grew through roles in major hotels, international event operations, and over a decade at the Guinness Storehouse, where he helped shape worldclass experiences for global incentive groups. Along the way he developed expertise in experience design, destination marketing, and collaborative leadership, guided by mentors who shaped his approach to people and purpose. Read also: Hub 21 reflects on powerful Grow. Thrive. Shine. exhibition in Carrickmacross That foundation ultimately led him into academia, where he now teaches and mentors future professionals while continuing to champion the sector through SITE Ireland, where he plays an active part in growing engagement within the Irish incentive travel community and supporting the next generation of industry professionals. In recognition of the strength of his submission and his leadership within SITE Ireland, Glenn was invited to speak at a dedicated breakout session for scholarship winners during the conference. His presentation on Travel as Transformation, examined how travel experiences can act as catalysts for professional growth, cross-cultural understanding and long-term industry impact. The SITE Global Conference brings together international leaders in incentive travel, destination management, hospitality and events to explore innovation, sustainability and the future direction of the sector. The 2026 conference which took place in February in Abu Dhabi marked a significant gathering of global industry professionals and reaffirmed SITEs commitment to developing emerging leaders through its foundation programmes. Incentive travel is a reward-based programme used by organisations to recognise and motivate highperforming employees, sales teams, or partners. Designed to drive business outcomes rather than leisure, it delivers exceptional, often onceinalifetime experiences. The sector supports airlines, hotels, venues, destination management companies and local suppliers, contributes to jobs and international trade, strengthens destination brands, and is a key part of the Governments Business Events 2030 strategy. Speaking about the experience, Glenn said: Receiving the SITE Foundation scholarship was both an honour and a privilege. "The opportunity to contribute to a global conversation about the transformative power of travel aligns closely with my work at DkIT, where we aim to equip students not just with industry skills, but with a global mindset. Incentive travel has the capacity to shape careers and communities, and I was proud to represent DkIT and SITE Ireland on this international stage. Head of Department, Dr Kevin Burns, Department of Hospitality at DkIT, added: Glenns scholarship and speaking engagement reflect the calibre of expertise within our department. His involvement with SITE at international level strengthens DkITs industry links and ensures our students benefit from current global insights and professional networks. The Newry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has condemned the ongoing shipment of cattle from Greenore port in north Louth to Israel. In a statement, the group said that, "as well as the suffering of the cattle on the long boat journey (sometimes as long as ten days) and the significant environmental damage, the genocide inflicted on the people of Gaza by Israel means the shipment is breaking international law which obliges Ireland to stop trading with Israel. Nor, given the US and Israeli attack on Iran, is it ethical to ship animals into regions experiencing active conflict". Many nations, such as the United Kingdom, have banned the export of live animals on animal welfare grounds. Reports from livestock shipments have shown that animals arrive at their destination sick, injured, severely stressed, or in some cases, dead after long voyages. The Newry branch of the IPSC said that environmental impacts are another concern, with livestock vessels producing large volumes of manure and wastewater during voyages, and waste from ships can be discharged into the ocean, raising questions, it added, about marine pollution and damage to ecosystems. Deirdre Murphy, Secretary of the Newry branch of the IPSC, said, We are calling on people to make their concerns about this unethical practice known to the Doyle Shipping Company, operators of Greenore Port and will be holding protests at the port until this trading stops. Read also: Hub 21 reflects on powerful Grow. Thrive. Shine. exhibition in Carrickmacross "Despite the so-called ceasefire, Israel continues its genocide in Gaza, while illegally seizing Palestinian land in the West Bank. It is beyond belief that any Irish company would even consider trading with Israel. 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. Louth County Council is to hold a Public Participation Day next Thursday 26 March from 11am to 7pm in the Blackrock Suite, Fairways Hotel, Dundalk (A91 E6KC), to present the high-level, emerging flood relief options for Blackrock, to gather views and ensure the community has a meaningful role in shaping any future flood protection for Blackrock. The project is part of the Dundalk Flood Relief Scheme. In 2012, to address flooding issues nationally, the Office of Public Works (OPW) commissioned and completed Catchment and Flood Risk Management (CFRAM) studies covering the entire country reviewing 300 flood-prone sites. An output of the flood study identified 118 at-risk areas, including Dundalk/Blackrock and the associated impacts of flooding. The plan also set out the measures and policies to be pursued in order to achieve the most cost effective and sustainable management of flood risk. As part of the Governments National Development plan to 2030, 1.3 billion has been committed to the development of flood relief measures across Ireland. Following this commitment, a steering group was established between the OPW and Louth County Council to progress a flood relief scheme to alleviate the risk of flooding for the communities of Dundalk, and Blackrock. In August 2020, Binnies/NOD were appointed Consultants to develop a scheme that is technically, socially, environmentally and socially acceptable. Read also: Dundalk IT lecturer scholarship win sees him present at global conference Dundalk and Blackrock have suffered many flooding events, most notably in 2008, 2014, 2016 & 2020, whilst they are furthermore at significant risk of coastal flooding. With the future flood risk increased by climate change and the areas natural low-lying topography, calls for a sensitive flood relief scheme to be constructed to reduce the risk from future flood events were set out in the Catchment Flood Risk and Management Study (CFRAM) published by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 2018. The development of any proposals will consider the impact on any neighbouring communities in line with requirements of the EU Floods Directive. To address flooding issues nationally, the Office of Public Works (OPW) commissioned and completed Catchment and Flood Risk Management (CFRAM) studies covering the entire country. The North Western Neagh Bann CFRAM Study, included Dundalk, and Blackrock and was completed with support from various County Councils, including Louth County Council. An output of the study identified flood risk areas, including Dundalk/Blackrock and the associated impacts of flooding. The plan also sets out the measures and policies to be pursued, in order to achieve the most cost effective and sustainable management of flood risk. Following the launch of the flood relief programme by the OPW in 2018, Binnies / Nicholas ODwyer Joint Venture (B/NOD JV) were appointed, by tender competition off the OPW's framework, in August 2020 to complete a detailed project level engineering assessment for Dundalk/Blackrock. The assessment will involve identification of appropriate flood risk alleviation measures and preparation of detailed design drawings and documents. B/NOD will carry out the appropriate Environmental Assessments including the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and the Natura Impact Statement (NIS), where required under the relevant legislation. The works are likely to involve improvement of channel conveyance (maintenance & culvert upgrade), potential storage ponds, and hard defences (walls & embankments). All works will be carried out in accordance with the project programme and the public will be fully informed in advance of any potential disruption. Louth County Council advises that those who cannot attend on the day, the display information and questionnaire will be available on-line at the project website here. News that histopathology services for primary care surgical procedures at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (OLOL), Drogheda have been reinstated, following months of concern among patients, GPs, and community healthcare providers, has been welcomed today by Louth Fine Gael TD, Paula Butterly. Deputy Butterly welcomed the news saying, Id like to acknowledge the crucial role of my colleague Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health, her close engagement and timely intervention were central to achieving this outcome. The Fine Gael TD explained that the restoration of this "essential diagnostic service marks a significant step forward in ensuring safe, timely, and equitable access to skin surgery and biopsy services in the community". Histopathological examination is a core component of bestpractice surgical care, allowing for prompt diagnosis of conditions including skin cancer and enabling GPs to continue providing highquality minor surgical procedures close to patients homes. Deputy Butterly acknowledged the efforts of the community GPs, and welcomed the hospitals decision as an important victory for patient safety, fairness, and common sense. Read also: Ongoing shipment of cattle from Greenore in Louth to Israel condemned This is a very positive development for patients across the region. The reinstatement of histopathology access ensures that appropriately trained GPs can continue delivering safe, timely procedures in the community. It reduces pressure on already stretched hospital waiting lists and ensures patients receive care in the right place at the right time. The return of the service also aligns with national healthcare policy, Deputy Butterly added, including the principles of Slaintecare and the HSEs strategic commitment to strengthening diagnostic support for primary and community care. Deputy Butterly noted that the decision helps prevent avoidable delays in diagnosis, reduces unnecessary referrals to secondary care, and supports efficient use of health service resources. Withdrawing this service was neither safe nor sustainable. I am pleased that patient welfare has been prioritised and that GPs can once again rely on timely histopathology reporting to support highquality care. The median house price for houses sold with the Dundalk Eircode A91 in January 2026 was 333,000, up 1000 from December according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office) in their Residential Property Price Index report. The county wide median house price for Louth now stands at 370,000, up 5,000 on the previous month and 15,000 on November. Of the 57 houses sold in Dundalk in January, 24 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 28 to former owner-occupiers and 5 were to non occupiers. Thirty-nine of these houses were existing builds while eighteen were new homes. The median price of the new houses sold was 392,500 (down 2500 on December) and the median price of existing houses sold in January was 250,000 (down 30,000 on December). In Drogheda, the median price of residential properties sold in A92 in January 2026, was 383,000, an increase of 3000 on December and 8000 on November. Of the 111 houses sold in Drogheda in January, 62 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 42 to former owner-occupiers and 7 were to non occupiers. 54 of the houses sold were new houses and the other 57 were existing. The median price for the new houses sold was 399, 250 (up from 392,500 in December) while for existing houses it was 341,000 (up from 322,000 in December.) The national Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) increased by 7.0% in the 12 months to January 2026, up from the 6.9% recorded in the year to December 2025. Property prices in Dublin rose by 6.1% and prices outside Dublin were up by 7.7% compared with January 2025. The median price of a dwelling purchased in the 12 months to January 2026 was 389,986. The highest median price for a dwelling in the 12 months to January 2026 was 680,000 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, while the lowest median price was 195,000 in Donegal. In January 2026, 3,781 dwelling purchases by households were filed with the Revenue Commissioners at a total value of 1.66 billion. These purchases were made up of 2,686 existing dwellings and 1,095 new dwellings. Revenue data shows there were 1,566 first-time buyer purchases in January 2026. Read Next: Dundalk IT lecturer scholarship win sees him present at global conference Commenting on the release, Edel Flannery, Senior Statistician in the Prices Division, said: Residential property prices rose by 7.0% in the 12 months to January 2026, up from the 6.9% in the year to December 2025. In Dublin, residential property prices saw an increase of 6.1%, while residential property prices outside Dublin were 7.7% higher in January 2026 when compared with a year earlier. In the 12 months to January 2026, house prices in Dublin rose by 5.6% while apartment prices increased by 7.8%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in Dublin City at 8.0% while Fingal saw a rise of 3.8%. Outside of Dublin, house prices were up by 7.3% and apartment prices rose by 12.3%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest growth in house prices was the Midlands (Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath) at 15.9%, while at the other end of the scale, the Mid-West (Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary) saw a rise of 5.6%. Aside from recognizing the countrys museums, the Ang MUSEO Gawad also plans to map all the museums so everyone can visit them whenever possible. Lets be real for a secondwhen was the last time you thought about museums? Not just as a field trip memory or a quick IG photo op, but as the actual keepers of our stories, our culture, our identity? Same. And honestly, thats exactly why this matters. Because behind every preserved painting, every artifact, every quiet gallery space real people are working hard to keep Filipino history aliveand theyve been doing it without much recognition. Until now. This year, something big (like, finally about time big) just dropped. The Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI) officially launched Ang MUSEO: Gawad ng Museum Foundation of the Philippinesthe countrys very first national awards program dedicated to museums, cultural workers, and heritage advocates. And yes, its as important as it sounds. What makes this even more special? Its happening as MFPI celebrates its 40th anniversary. So its not just a launchits a full-circle moment. A celebration of the past, present, and future of Philippine culture. Personally, I love that this isnt just about big, well-known institutions. Ang MUSEO is giving everyone a chance to shinefrom local community museums to university collections and even the individuals working behind the scenes. You know, the people who dont always go viral but deserve their flowers anyway. MFPI President Danny Jacinto said it best during the launch: their mission has always been about connecting Filipinos to their cultural roots. And honestly, we need more of that. In a world where everything moves fast and trends change overnight, having something that grounds uslike our history and heritageis kind of priceless. So what exactly is Ang MUSEO Gawad is bringing to the table? Were talking ten award categories that recognize excellence across the board. Think Local Museum of the Year, Educational Institute Museum of the Year, and even Museum Worker of the Year. Yesthis includes the passionate individuals who dedicate their lives to preserving culture, not just the institutions themselves. And I really appreciate that this isnt just about prestigeits about impact. The goal is to raise the standards of museums in the Philippines while making them more engaging, inclusive, and relevant to todays generation. Because lets face it, museums shouldnt feel intimidating or outdated. They should feel alive, inspiring, and worth visiting again (and again). Another thing I love? This gives regional and smaller museums a national platform. Not everything great happens in Metro Manilaand Ang MUSEO is making sure the whole country gets seen and celebrated. Of course, with something this big, the process has to be legit. Entries will go through a strict evaluation system, including a two-tier governance structure and a panel of independent experts in museum work, heritage conservation, and education. So yeah, this isnt just a popularity contestits the real deal. Winners will be announced in October 2026, and honestly, Im already excited to see who makes the list. MFPI Executive Director Tanya Pico shared that the awards are rooted in a shared love for Philippine heritageand you can really feel that. This isnt just an initiative. Its a passion project for people who genuinely care about keeping our stories alive. If you didnt know, MFPI has actually been doing this kind of work for decades. They started in the 1980s as Friends of the National Museum and have since played a huge role in cultural advocacyfrom supporting the National Museum Act of 1998 to helping restore iconic artworks like Juan Lunas La Bulaquena. Theyve also been behind major events like Art in the Park and the MaArte Fair, which, honestly, a lot of us already love. And now, with Ang MUSEO, theyre stepping into a whole new era. If youre part of a museum or know someone who is, this is your sign: entries are open from March 15 to May 15, 2026. It doesnt matter if youre big or small, established or emergingthis is about recognizing the work that keeps Filipino culture alive. At the end of the day, Ang MUSEO isnt just about awards. Its about finally saying, Hey, what you do matters. And honestly? Its about time. Some of my Museum visits in the Philippines Photo collage shows my last museum trip with my mom 2 years ago at the Museum of Natural History and Art, The Pinto Art Museum, The BenCab Museum, and the Mind Museum. Personally, I love museums. It is like a time travel for me. It connects me with our past, and I gain more understanding of how we come to be. The long-forgotten art and the history behind it refresh me. Keeps me grounded. I not only do museum visits in the country but also around the world, wherever I travel, doing so makes me understand the culture more, not just what the media tells us the world is. A new e-bike library is to be brought to Cork in April, which will allow people to test out different types of e-bikes at their homes for up to four months. The scheme, which has already been successfully piloted in Dublin, will give households the opportunity to test out what type of e-bike might best suit their needs. Some 25 e-bikes, including e-long tail bikes or cargo e-bikes, will be available for people to borrow from organisations in their local community like GAA clubs or community centres, with an even geographic spread aimed for across the Cork city wards. Cork City Council will run the e-bike library but the bikes are funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) which will also pay for the fleets maintenance and insurance. Labour councillor Peter Horgan said his long-tail e-bike, which has two seats on the back for his young children, cuts a 40-minute drive on the school run down to a nine minute journey on his e-bike. E-bikes are a significant initial cost, with long-tail or cargo e-bikes costing approximately 5,000 and 8,000 to buy new. Mr Horgan said this scheme will allow people to try out this mode of transport and decide if they fit their lifestyle before purchasing one. He said his e-bike has opened the road to him, allowing him to skip traffic and dramatically cut journey times. Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said he has found an e-bike the most efficient form of transport for many journeys. Youre in and out quickly, youre not worried about parking or congestion, Mr Moran said. The scheme will focus on providing alternative transport to families and individuals in suburban and urban-edge communities, Cork City Council said. The participants get first-hand experience of the benefits of e-bikes and understand, over the threee to four months they are using the e-bikes, how these are effective in replacing many car trips, the council said. The e-bike library aims to reduce private car dependency, improve access to affordable mobility, support climate-action targets, strengthen community cohesion, and promote health and wellbeing. The standard lending period will be for three months. A deposit of 50 will be charged and users must complete an induction and safety briefing. The policy has been informed through Cork City Councils participation in the Interreg Europe project Zero Carbon Infrastructure (ZCI) as well as a pilot scheme operated in Dublin. A number of communities along the main N20 Cork-Limerick road are said to be seriously considering blocking the highway in protest at a lack of action by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) regarding several dangerous junctions along the route. A senior county council official has said that the roads authority was informed as far back as October 29 by the local authority that it has serious safety concerns about several junctions between Rathduff up to Charleville on the Cork-Limerick border. Meanwhile, the road surface continues to deteriorate. Councillors are reacting angrily to TII first agreeing to meet them on the issues and later withdrawing the invitation. A meeting of the councils northern division heard the division manager and director of roads, Padraig Barrett, confirm TII has been aware of the serious deficiencies for months, adding that he would again urge its officials to act on them. Protests Fine Gael councillor Liam Madden said a number of communities along the road are seriously considering protests which would block traffic as theyre running out of patience with delays in upgrading junctions. He said people living in Ballybeg, Ballyhea, Moureabbey, and Rathduff are furious with TIIs inaction, adding that its only a matter of time when they will take action themselves and block the N20. Mr Madden said he had been bringing up concerns about junctions safety for the past five years. He said serious incidents were happening at them on a daily basis, and it was only a matter of time before one of them proves to be fatal. Fine Gael councillor Tony OShea said TII has abandoned all the main roads in North Cork, not just the potholed N20 but similar substandard N72 and N73 national secondary routes that connect Fermoy and Mitchelstown with Mallow and onto Kerry. Unacceptable Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes said the N20 is one of most heavily used national roads in county, and that the current situation was unacceptable I drove recently from Mallow and I was veering left and right all the way to Cork to avoid the potholes. The surface is genuinely unsafe at the moment. The junctions are a constant risk to local communities, said Mr Hayes. Peoples lives at risk here and I dont say that lightly. Constituents communing to Cork are complaining about it on a daily basis. Aontu councillor Peter ODonoghue said parts of the N72 from Waterford boundary to Fermoy were also an absolute disgrace. He said TII allocated just 2.6m for repairs when the council said it needed 10m to get the job done properly. There are local roads in better condition than national secondary roads, he said. Mr Madden asked: Do we have to stop the traffic to get something done? Im very, very angry. I will be telling communities absolutely nothing is being done [by TII], and theyre not going to stand for it much longer. A drugs search was about to be carried out on a young man at South Mall in Cork city on June 24, 2024, but he took off running from gardai, a Cork District Court has heard. Bradley Maleka, aged 20, of St Vincents Hostel, Anglesea Terrace, pleaded guilty to obstructing the drugs search and other offences including burglary and failing to appear in court. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a total sentence of seven months on the young man for the crimes, which included the obstruction of the drugs search and the burglary at Ashdale Park, South Douglas Road, Cork. Gardai in Cork have arrested a man in his 40s in connection with a fatal assault in the Lower John Street and Knapps Square area of Cork city on Monday evening. The man was arrested on Wednesday morning and is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a garda station in Cork city. It is understood that the victim, believed to be a Ukrainian national who had lived in Ireland since childhood, was stabbed in the chest in the Lower John Street and Knapps Square area shortly after 7pm on Monday after leaving his home to get food. In the immediate aftermath of the assault, the man returned to the apartment he shared with his wife and young child at Camden Court on Carrolls Quay, where his wife raised the alarm. Gardai and emergency services responded at approximately 7.50pm. Despite efforts by paramedics to treat him, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. In a statement, the garda press office said investigations are ongoing. Gardai in Cork are asking for the publics assistance in tracing the whereabouts of a 15-year-old girl who was reported as missing from Cork city on Monday of this week. Mary ODonoghue was last seen in the Lavitt's Quay area of Cork City. She is described as being approximately 5 foot 3 inches in height with a slim build, long brown hair and green eyes. When last seen, Mary was wearing a pink zip-up top, black tracksuit bottoms and white running shoes. Mary O'Donoghue (15) was last seen in the Lavitt's Quay area of Cork city on Monday. Anyone with information on Marys whereabouts is asked to contact Mayfield Garda Station on 021 4558510, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. A book of evidence will be served on March 23 on a man accused of falsely imprisoning and raping a woman at her home in Cork city while he was carrying two knives. Sergeant Gearoid Davis confirmed at Cork District Court that the book of evidence was ready for service. A technical reason prevented service of the book today so Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned the case until Monday for service of the book. Detective Garda Patrick Houlihan charged the accused, aged 44, last month with raping the woman at her home in Cork. The man replied: She wanted to have sex with me. I did not do anything against her. To the charge of being in possession of two knives contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act at the time of the alleged incident, the accused man said: She agreed with it, she called me there. Thirdly, he was accused of falsely imprisoning the woman and he replied: It is not true. Once the book of evidence is served the case will be sent forward from Cork District Court to be dealt with at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant was previously charged with assaulting the woman contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Frank Buttimer solicitor represented the accused man in Cork District Court. The case arose from the investigation of a reported incident at 9am on February 10, 2025, at a location in Cork city where it was alleged that a man fled from the scene and was found with the assistance of a garda helicopter on waste ground nearby. It was alleged that a man forced his way into a house where he threatened a woman, who was at home alone with a child, and subjected her to a serious assault. Gardai cordoned off the area outside this house. It was further reported that the woman managed to get free at around 9.40am on the day. It was alleged that the woman had to take her child with her, and run outside in her slippers to a premises across the road from her house and that she suffered slash wounds from a bladed instrument during her struggle to escape. Identification of parties to the case is legally prohibited. Ryan Dunne The State is still trying to determine the age of a Somali national accused of murdering Ukrainian teenager Vadym Davydenko at a care facility last year, a court has heard. Vadym, who was 17 years old, was stabbed at around 11am on October 15h, 2025 during an incident at a 24-hour facility in Donaghmede, where he was placed in care after recently arriving from Kyiv. The accused cannot be identified while his case proceeds on the basis that he is a minor. When the matter came before the Children's Court last December, the accused claimed his documents were false, with his defence team saying that doubts persist over his age. When told the document with his date of birth still had to be confirmed, the defendant replied that it was "not real" and his "country has gone to bits, and anyone can make a document to say they are 17". However at a subsequent hearing last month, the accused declared: "My age is 17, what more do the police want?" The accused was sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court, where he appeared on Wednesday morning via video link. Judge Paul McDermott was told that Tusla, the child and family agency who are involved in the defendants case, are still trying to determine if the accused is a juvenile. The matter was put back to a date later this month. Before Muireann OMahony passed away, after losing her battle with cancer, she wrote a bundle of letters to her two daughters. There are ones to be opened on our wedding days, when we have our first child, for our first heartbreak which I opened last summer, ones for when we need a reason to smile there are just so many, said her daughter Ellen. Now aged 19, Ellen was in the middle of her junior cert when her precious mum died in June, 2022. Muireann was in her early 50s. It was her second time getting breast cancer. She was treated successfully a few years earlier but was diagnosed again in 2021 and it was all pretty quick after that, said Ellen. During Muireanns final weeks, the Irish Cancer Societys Night Nursing service was there to support her and her family as it was her wish to remain in her home, with Ellen, her older sister Grace, and their dad. We turned a spare room into a bedroom for her final few weeks and hung up lots of photos of us, her siblings, my dad and her friends so she was surrounded by great memories, remembers Ellen. Looking back, its all a bit of a blur. I was only 15 at the time so I wasnt involved in the decision-making but I know we couldnt have done any of that without the help of the Irish Cancer Societys nurses who were here pretty much all the time and gave us and mum so much reassurance. Thats why Ellen is urging everyone to give what they can to this years Daffodil Day which takes place this Friday. She highlighted the fact that all money raised will help fund cancer research, patient support, the all-important night nurses, and deliver crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Cork. In 2026 alone, an estimated 44,000 people will receive a cancer diagnosis in Ireland. The Irish Cancer Society typically receives only 5% of its income from the Government, so they rely on the publics generosity, said Ellen. In 2025, public support provided over 3,200 free lifts to bring Cork-based cancer patients to their treatment; over 2,000 free counselling sessions for people living in Cork; over 430 nights of free night nursing care to allow cancer patients in Cork to die at home surrounded by loved ones, and cancer nurses had over 2,800 conversations with people from Cork on their support line and in Daffodil Centres. Irish Cancer Society Acting CEO Edel Shovlin said that Daffodil Day is all about turning solidarity into action. 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. Ellen has already raised an incredible 16,000 for the charity by completing a 30 Challenges in 30 Days fundraiser last August, to help fund cancer research, patient support, and night nurses - because she had seen first hand how important these services are. Ellen embarked on a 30 Challenges in 30 Days fundraiser to help raise money for cancer research, night nurses, and patient support. Her initial target was 5,000 and she had never anticipated the public response to her campaign, which included a skydive and kayaking down the River Lee. She also left flowers and notes on cars parked at Marymount Hospice in another generous gesture. Mom was the strongest, kindest person Ive ever known. She did her best to help everyone around her despite the battle she was fighting, she said. She really was the type of person who never thought of herself and always put everyone first, said Ellen. Muireann, who worked in Pepsi, wanted her family to remember her the way she was before her illness. She was naturally very tired towards the end but she was really prepared and by leaving us these notes, we can remember her how she was for us. Its such a gift. Ellen naturally still keenly feels the loss of her mother. You might think that its worse on big occasions like birthdays and Christmas and of course thats when she is missed, but it can hit me unexpectedly at other times, especially if Im looking for advice on something because she was 100% my person to go to for things like that, she said. But by supporting the ICS and fundraisers like Daffodil Day it really helps its for my mom and for everyone whos fighting, survived, or lost someone to cancer. So, in her honour, I do my best to help in any way I can, and will continue to do so. To find out how you can support Daffodil Day see www.cancer.ie. Name: Tamsin OCallaghan Age: 28 Lives: Glanmire, Cork Job title: Associate Solicitor Education background: I completed my undergraduate degree in Commerce (BComm) in University College Cork. I majored in law and went on to complete a postgraduate in Law (LLB). Hobbies: I enjoy sea swimming and paddleboarding, as well as baking and cooking, which are all great ways for me to unwind and switch off outside of work. Describe your job in five words: Fast-paced, challenging, demanding, varied and rewarding. Describe yourself in five words: Hardworking, thorough, organised, dependable, and determined. Personality needed for this kind of work? This kind of work requires you to be organised, focused, and have effective time management skills. It also requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly and confidently. The ability to prioritise and work under pressure is essential as you are often handling multiple matters simultaneously. How long are you doing this job? I began my first internship after college in 2020 while I undertook the Law Society entrance exams, known as FE1 exams. Once I completed these exams, I began the PPC Hybrid Course in December, 2022, and I qualified in 2025. How did you get this job? I didnt take a straight line into this role. After my Leaving Cert, I wasnt 100% sure what I wanted to do, and I chose Commerce in UCC because it offered a wide range of options. It was during the tutorials for my law modules that things really clicked I found myself genuinely enjoying studying and wanting to learn more. I was fortunate that I had excellent tutors and lecturers who encouraged that interest, and ultimately, I decided to major in law. From there, the path towards becoming a solicitor became clearer. I went on to complete my LLB, and I joined JRAP OMeara solicitors as a legal intern while completing my final year. I was determined to gain practical experience early on and working in the office gave me invaluable exposure. Finishing my LLB in 2020 meant balancing exams, covid restrictions, and FE1 preparation, all while working in the office, but that experience built resilience and starting at intern level made a significant difference. At the Law Society, trainees can qualify through either the traditional Professional Practice Course (PPC) or the newer PPC Hybrid route. The traditional route involves trainees stepping out of office to attend full-time in person in Blackhall, whereas the PPC Hybrid allows trainees to remain working in their firm four days a week while completing lectures online and attending in person some Fridays and Saturdays. Although I had the option of the traditional PPC course, I opted for the PPC Hybrid route because it allowed me to remain in practice and receive credit for my in-office training during that time. This meant I progressed my training continuously and was able to qualify sooner than under the traditional route. After completing the PPC and while finishing my in-office training, I continued to study by undertaking a Certificate in Conveyancing and a Certificate in Commercial Contracts with the Law Society. Completing these as a trainee allowed me to avail of a reduced fee, and I was keen to further develop my skills while actively working in practice. When the opportunity arose to join OFlynn Exhams LLP as an associate in the corporate department, it felt like a natural progression. My background in both commerce and law, together with the experience I had gained throughout my training and studies, aligned well with a commercial practice and the direction I wanted to take my career. Do you need particular qualifications or experience? Its helpful to have a legal qualification, but it is not necessary to have studied law to become a solicitor. You need to pass the eight FE1 exams to partake in the Professional Practice Course (PPC) and find a training contract with a solicitor or firm and complete the two-year in-office training required. The FE1 exams are the hardest part of the qualification process, most solicitors agree that they are incredibly challenging, but once completed, the hardest step is behind you. Describe a day at work: I usually arrive to work before 9am and begin the day by checking emails and reviewing my diary. No two days are ever the same, and my work can range from drafting documents to legal research, attending client meetings or calls. At lunch, when I have time, I meet up with other colleagues. Im lucky that there are a lot of us in Cork, and it is a really supportive network. How many hours do you work a week? 40-45 a week, depending on how busy it is. Is your industry male or female-dominated? The legal profession in Ireland is now female-dominated and the majority of the trainees on my PPC course were women. Does this affect you in any particular way? Absolutely, it is really motivating to see successful women in this profession. Ive been particularly influenced by the examples set by my female colleagues. Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10: It definitely can be a stressful job at times. This job involves strict deadlines, high expectations and significant responsibility. However, there is now a greater awareness within the profession of the impact on our mental health. For example, during the PPC Hybrid course, we completed professional wellbeing sessions, aimed at helping us develop practical ways to manage the stress and demands of the job. Do you work with others or on your own? I work both independently and as part of a team within the corporate department at OFlynn Exhams LLP. While I am responsible for progressing matters, the firm has a strong collaborative culture, and I work closely with partners and colleagues across different practice areas to deliver practical, commercially focused advice to clients. When do you plan to retire or give up working? Im only starting my career, and I am very happy in my role and the firm I work in, so I cant imagine giving it up! Best bits: Finding a solution to a tough problem. It is really satisfying to see results. Worst bits: It can be hard to switch off from work; I often catch myself thinking about work when I get home, and maintain a good work-life balance. Advice to those who want your job? I would strongly encourage anyone considering a career as a solicitor to gain in-office experience. The hands-on exposure to legal matters gave me a more informed understanding of the subject matter when I was studying and assisted when seeking a training contract. Most firms award training contracts to their interns. Any other comments? There is a strong sense of community, which is a defining feature of the profession. During Blackhall (my training at the Law Society), there is an emphasis on getting to know your colleagues, and you are really close to the people you qualify alongside. The Law Society also engages trainees who have recently completed the PPC to return and support incoming trainees. This culture of mentorship reinforces the professions commitment to peer support, and there are many opportunities to stay involved through committees and associations. I am on the Law Society Younger Members Committee, which advocates for solicitors with 0-7PQE (post qualification experience) and also organises CPD events and networking opportunities for our colleagues. (UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz)Peacekeepers from Italy serving with United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) on a foot patrol with the Lebanese Armed Forces along the Blue Line in south Lebanonon Jyly 11, 2024. Lebanon's Foreign Minister has appealed to the Holy See for diplomatic support to preserve the Christian presence in border villages near Israel in the south of the country as the country faces renewed conflict and upheaval. Vatican News reports that since the outbreak of fresh hostilities in the Middle East, Christians in southern Lebanon have faced relentless bombardments and evacuation orders, contributing to a mounting humanitarian crisis. Lebanon has come under fire from Israel becase it is the home of Hezbollah, a radical Islamist group backed by Iran that holds 14 seats in the 128 parliament, but it is desingated a terrorist group by some countries. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi spoke by phone on March 10 with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's head of international relations, according to the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni. Raggi said he was requesting assistance from the Holy See to "preserve the Christian presence" near the border with Israel. Lebanon is the Middle Eastern country with the largest Christian population. The current population of Lebanon is 5,879,983, according to Worldometer's estimate based on the latest United Nations data. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told a press conference at the UN in Geneva on March 17 that "another tragic chapter in Lebanon's history is being written, bringing more suffering to civilians." - NEARLY 900 KILLEED SINCE EARLY MARCH He said that since March 2, at least 886 people have been killed, including at least 111 children, according to Lebanese authorities. "Israeli airstrikes have destroyed hundreds of homes and civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities. At the same time, Hezbollah fighters have launched indiscriminate barrages of rockets at Israel, injuring people and causing damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure," said Al-Kheetan.. "In many instances, Israeli airstrikes have destroyed entire residential buildings in dense urban environments, with multiple members of the same family, including women and children, often killed together." He said such attacks raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law. "People displaced by the fighting and living in tents along Beirut's seafront have also been hit. And in recent days, at least 16 medical staff have been killed," said Al-Kheetan. In 2023, the United States Department of State cited a study conducted by Statistics Lebanon, a Beirut-based research firm, estimating Lebanon's population to be 69.3 percent Muslim (32.2 percent Shia; 31.2 percent Sunni and 5.5 percent Druze). The same study found 30.5 percent of Lebanon's population to be Christian. Of whom 52.5 per cent are Maronite (affiliated with Rome) and 25 per cent are Greek Orthodox, the two largest Christian groups. The UN said large-scale displacement continues in Lebanon. According to official figures from OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 830,000 people around 14 percent of Lebanon's population have registered themselves as displaced, 290,000 of whom are children. Many families have fled their homes multiple times as hostilities spread to new areas. Just 15 percent of those displaced are in public shelters, with many others relying on host families, informal arrangements or staying on the streets, along the roadsides and seaside. The Israel Defense Forces said on March 17 had pushed even more forces deeper into southern Lebanon to create an expanded buffer zone, as Hezbollah attacked towns in northern Israel with rockets and drones, The Times of Israel reported.. The buffer zone was established after the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group began attacking Israel earlier this month, shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on the Iranan. Since March 2, when Hezbollah began attacking Israel in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah has launched around 100 rockets a day, according to the IDF, as well as more than 100 drones over the entire period. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicks off Xinhua) 14:54, March 18, 2026 Models present creations at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Models take a curtain call at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Business representatives sign an agreement during the AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Models present creations at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Models present creations at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Models present creations at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) Models present creations at an opening fashion show of AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China, on March 17, 2026. AW2026 Beijing Fashion Week kicked off here on Tuesday and will last till March 23. More than 120 events are scheduled to be held during the fashion week. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The Information reported that an AI agent within Meta took unauthorized action that led to an employee creating a security breach at the social company last week. According to the publication, an employee used an in-house agentic AI to analyze a query from a second employee on an internal forum. The AI agent posted a response to the second employee with advice even though the first person did not direct it to do so. The second employee took the agent's recommended action, sparking a domino effect that led to some engineers having access to Meta systems that they shouldn't have permission to see. A representative from the company confirmed the incident to The Information and said that "no user data was mishandled." Meta's internal report indicated that there were unspecified additional issues that led to the breach. A source said that there was no evidence that anyone took advantage of the sudden access or that the data was made public during the two hours when the security breach was active. However, that may be the result of dumb luck more than anything else. Many tech leaders and companies have touted the benefits of artificial intelligence, this is just the latest incident where human employees have lost control over an AI agent. Amazon Web Services experienced a 13-hour outage earlier this year that also (apparently coincidentally) involved its Kiro agentic AI coding tool. Moltbook, the social network for AI agents recently acquired by Meta, had a security flaw that exposed user information thanks to an oversight in the vibe-coded platform. Update, 4:05PM ET: A few hours after this story was published, Google reached out to retract the news. The company provided Engadget with the following statement: "Search Live has not rolled out globally to all users. It remains available in the US and India, with testing currently underway in additional markets. We apologize for the earlier miscommunication." Given that the company says it is testing in more markets, it seems entirely possible that the global Search Live release will happen sooner than later. But, for now, its on hold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original, unedited article follows below: After rolling out Search Live to all US Google app users last September, Google is now bringing the feature to every place where it offers its AI Mode chatbot. Search Live, if you need a reminder, allows you to point your phone's camera at an object or scene and ask questions about what you see in front of you. Google debuted the tool at I/O 2025 before it began rolling it out to users. With today's expansion, Search Live is available in more than 200 countries and territories. What's more, Google has updated the feature to run off its Gemini 3.1 Flash model, an upgrade the company says should translate to more natural conversations, in addition to a faster and more reliable experience. The new model is also natively multilingual. You can access Search Live from the Google app on Android and iOS. Tap the "Live" button below the search bar to get started. You can also access Search Live through Google Lens. As in the Google app, look for the "Live" icon, here located near the bottom of the screen, to start chatting. The Pentagon is making plans to have AI companies train versions of their models specifically for military use on classified information, according to the MIT Technology Review. If true, it wouldnt come as a surprise, seeing as the US is aiming to become an AI-first" warfighting force, based on the statement [PDF] released by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth earlier this year. The department is already using AI models in the military: For instance, the US reportedly used Anthropics Claude to help with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and with its attack on Iran, even after President Trump ordered federal agencies to ban its technology. But models trained on actual classified data could give more accurate and detailed responses, say, for situations similar to what happened in the past that arent public information. MIT Tech Review says the department is looking to conduct the training in a secure data center thats allowed to host classified government projects. The Pentagon would train copies of AI models, but it would remain the only owner of any data used for training. In rare cases, someone from the AI company could be granted the appropriate security clearance to see classified information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aalok Mehta, who previously led AI policy efforts at Google and OpenAI, told the publication that training models on classified data carries certain risks. Its not that the information could go public, since the the models trained would be versions made specifically for military purposes. However, if the same model is used across the whole Defense Department, for instance, personnel without the correct clearance level could end up getting information that they werent supposed to have access to. If the initiative pushes through, the department would likely be training models from OpenAI and xAI, which recently signed agreements with the agency. Anthropic, which has long worked with the government, might not be part of this project. The company refused to allow its technology to be used for mass surveillance and the development of autonomous weapons, and Trump ordered all federal offices to ban it as a result. Sir Paul McCartney was among the artists who spoke out on the issue. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) Sir Paul McCartney was among the artists who spoke out on the issue. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) (Jim Dyson via Getty Images) Chalk up a win for creative artists against AI companies. On Wednesday, the UK government abandoned its previous position on copyrighted works. Its currently working on a data bill that, if unaltered, would have allowed AI companies like Google and OpenAI to train models on copyrighted materials without consent. Artists and other copyright holders would only have been offered a mere opt-out clause. After significant backlash, the UK backed off from that position. "We have listened," Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Wednesday. However, the governments new stance is, well, not a stance at all. It currently "no longer has a preferred option" about how to handle the issue. Still, backpedaling from its previous position is viewed as a win for artists. UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl described the decision as "a major victory," while promising to work with the government on the next steps. Elton John and Dua Lipa spoke out against the government's previous stance. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation) (Kevin Mazur via Getty Images) Last year, some of Britain's highest-profile artists objected to the government's position. Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa were among those speaking out. Even Sir Paul McCartney weighed in, warning that the AI industry could "rip off" artists and lead to a "loss of creativity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don't own it, and they don't have anything to do with it," McCartney told the BBC in 2025. "And anyone who wants can just rip it off. The truth is, the money's going somewhere somebody's getting paid." The government will now weigh its options, taking "the time needed" to balance the wishes of artists and the tech industry. "We will not introduce reforms to copyright law until we are confident that they will meet our objectives for the economy and UK citizens," it wrote in a report. "This means protecting the UK's position as a creative powerhouse, while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI to grow the economy and improve lives." "Any reform must ensure that right holders can be fairly rewarded for the economic value their work creates, and that they are protected against unlawful and unfair use of their work. It must also ensure that AI developers can access high-quality content." Prince Harry is pushing back against claims about how Meghan Markle behaves in business meetings, calling the allegations "categorically false" and unfairly targeted. The response comes after a March 17 report by Variety examined the couple's work in Hollywood and their ongoing relationship with Netflix. The article included claims from unnamed sources suggesting Meghan often interrupts or speaks over Harry during meetings, sometimes while he is mid-sentence. In a letter sent to the publication, the couple's lawyer, Michael J. Kump, strongly rejected that idea. According to DailyMail, he said the claim "seems calculated to play into the misogynistic characterization of her bossing her husband around." Harry himself also denied the allegation, marking a rare moment where he directly addressed media reports. The same report questioned the couple's working style, including claims that Meghan would sometimes step away from virtual meetings after being offended. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Still in Touch With Netflix Kump dismissed this as well, explaining that Meghan works from home while raising two young children6-year-old Prince Archie and 4-year-old Princess Lilibet. He noted that like many working parents, she may briefly turn off her camera or audio during calls when needed. "Nearly all professionals can attest to needing to step away during long virtual meetings," Kump said, adding that Meghan also tries to avoid letting family interruptions distract her team, People reported. The report also raised questions about the couple's relationship with Netflix, suggesting it may have cooled in recent months. However, a spokesperson for the company denied those claims, calling them "absolutely inaccurate." Kump added that the couple remains in regular contact with Netflix executives, including CEO Ted Sarandos, and maintains a friendly relationship with him and his wife. Harry and Meghan first signed a major deal with Netflix in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties in the UK. While reports later suggested their original agreement might not be renewed, the pair continued working with the platform through a first-look deal for new projects. Over the years, they have released several shows and documentaries, including "Harry & Meghan," which became one of Netflix's most-watched documentary debuts. (The Center Square) - State-funded financial aid programs for illegal immigrant students have come under renewed scrutiny as the federal government tightens restrictions on education benefits for illegal immigrants. Roughly 17 to 19 states and Washington, D.C., provide some form of financial aid or scholarships to illegal immigrant students who meet residency or high school attendance requirements. A 2025 study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimated that education costs for illegal immigrants total $5.7 billion nationally, the largest portion of the fiscal impact on state and local budgets. Schools face additional challenges supporting students who arrive with limited English proficiency, which can strain resources and affect native students, the report said. In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Education rescinded a 1997 Clinton-era guidance, requiring eligibility verification for federal programs such as career, technical and adult education. Postsecondary education programs funded by the federal government should benefit American citizens, not illegal aliens, said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Under President Trump's leadership, hardworking American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for illegal aliens to participate in our career, technical, or adult education programs or activities." Rusty Brown, director of special projects at the Freedom Foundation, said in an exclusive interview with The Center Square that such programs reflect broader political priorities. It's clearly, you know, part of the left's agenda to bring as many illegals as possible in and make sure that they're properly indoctrinated in the schools and that they have voters for life, Brown said. At the same time, Brown acknowledged the ethical complexity of denying education to children. You have the moral issue," Brown said. "The kid didnt bring himself over here. Its up to the parents. Should he not get an education? Brown also raised concerns about the use of taxpayer dollars, emphasizing that public funding is limited and should be prioritized. If youre helping illegal immigrants, then what youre doing is cutting off funding that could be going to helping American kids - and impoverished school districts, Brown said. There should be a focus on America first. Californias California Dream Act allows illegal immigrant students and those from mixed-status families to access state aid for public universities, The Center Square recently reported. Gov. Gavin Newsoms office defends the program, highlighting that undocumented Californians are tax-paying residents. California Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, argues against the act, stating that billions of taxpayer dollars spent on these programs disadvantage U.S. citizens and encourage illegal immigration. In Colorado, the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid, or CASFA, allows students who do not file a FAFSA to apply for state-funded aid. The program serves illegal immigrant students, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or Temporary Protected Status recipients, international students and mixed-status families. When taxpayers express concerns about how public funds are used, the Colorado Department of Higher Education refers to legislation indicating Colorado students who graduate from high school here or earn their high school equivalency here and live here may be awarded state-funded financial aid, Megan McDermott, chief communications and outreach officer at the Colorado Department of Higher Education, told The Center Square. Other states with similar programs include Illinois Monetary Award Program and New Yorks DREAM Act. The Center Square reached out to these state higher education organizations for comment, but did not receive a response. The High Court has ruled Dartmoors grazing management unlawful a decision that could have significant implications for farmers grazing livestock on the moor. The case, brought by environmental group Wild Justice, centred on claims that the Dartmoor Commoners Council (DCC) had not properly assessed grazing levels or met its legal responsibilities to manage the land. Judges found the council had fallen short of its statutory obligations under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 by failing to carry out a proper assessment of stocking levels. The court concluded that DCC had acted unlawfully by failing to carry out a lawful assessment of stocking levels. It also criticised the councils approach, ruling that reliance on informal methods was not sufficient. Environmental lawyer Richard Broadbent said the use of informal knowledge and anecdotal experience was deemed insufficient to meet its duty of reasonable inquiry. Wild Justice said it brought the case due to concerns about grazing pressure and its potential impact on important habitats across Dartmoor. However, the court rejected several other elements of the challenge. Judges confirmed the council is not legally required to reduce grazing levels, stating its powers to issue limitation notices are discretionary rather than mandatory, meaning the council is not obliged to act. Claims relating to alleged breaches of protections for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and habitats regulations were also dismissed. Despite this, the decision leaves open the possibility of further legal action. The court said the council still has wider responsibilities in relation to Dartmoors protected sites, potentially opening the door to future challenges over how those duties are carried out. The ruling is likely to raise concerns among commoners and farmers about how grazing levels could be assessed in future, particularly if new evidence-based approaches are introduced. It could also have wider implications for grazing management on other upland commons across England. The decision is expected to intensify debate over how grazing is balanced with environmental protection, with increasing pressure for clearer, evidence-based approaches that support both farming and conservation. Mounting pressure on farmland has triggered a major shake-up in how Englands land is used, raising fresh questions for farmers over food production and future policy. The move comes as strain on agricultural land intensifies, with three of the five worst harvests on record occurring in the past five years and a third of farmland now at high risk of flooding. Published on Wednesday (18 March), the governments first Land Use Framework sets out how Englands finite land can be used more efficiently to meet growing demands while maintaining food production and improving resilience to climate change and global shocks. Drawing on what officials describe as the most advanced land analysis undertaken in England, the plan combines data, mapping and long-term planning to guide decisions across farming, development and the environment. For farmers, the changes could directly affect how land is managed, what support is available and where future investment flows. Proposals include new modelling and tools to help farmers future-proof their businesses against extreme weather and market volatility. Tenant farmers who manage around a third of Englands farmland are also set to gain a stronger voice through planned reforms. The National Farmers Union welcomed the direction of travel, placing particular emphasis on food security. President Tom Bradshaw said it is positive to see an explicit recognition of multifunctional land use and a commitment to maintaining production. He added that Defras message that food security is national security is especially important given growing global uncertainty, including conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, he warned that challenges remain in delivering the strategys ambitions as key 2030 targets approach. He added: Delivering on all objectives with existing land is an ambitious aim, stressing that success will depend on clear guidance, the right policy framework and incentives to avoid unintended consequences. Bradshaw also pointed to the need for a clearer long-term vision for farming, highlighting ongoing work around the 25-year Farming Roadmap and the Farming and Food Partnership Board. He said the NFU wants to work closely with government to create confidence and profitability for farming and growing businesses and ensure the sector can reach its full potential. Questions remain over how the government will deliver all objectives from existing land without placing additional pressure on farm businesses. At the centre of the strategy is a national spatial approach, including a detailed map of natural assets to identify where environmental action can deliver the greatest impact. By 2030, ministers expect restored peatlands, expanded wetlands, healthier coastal habitats and increased tree cover across towns and cities. The plan also aims to steer development away from flood-prone land, supporting the delivery of 1.5 million homes while protecting agricultural land and key habitats. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds said: Our land is a vital national asset, but it is finite, rejecting what she described as false choices between farming, housing, nature and energy. With better data, smarter tools and strategic planning, we can meet all these needs, she said. Alongside the announcement, the government confirmed plans to ease rules on small onshore wind turbines, allowing farmers and businesses to install a single unit without full planning permission a move aimed at cutting energy costs and boosting on-farm power generation. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the blueprint shows our drive for clean, homegrown power goes hand-in-hand with food security and our natural environment. Housing Secretary Steve Reed described the approach as a win-win, enabling better decisions on where to build while protecting the countryside. Jake Fiennes, director of conservation at Holkham Estate, said the strategy marks an important step towards a strategic approach and offers the opportunity for change in how land is managed. In practice, the framework could influence everything from cropping decisions to land values and long-term farm business planning. Pressure is intensifying to deliver food security, housing and climate targets from an increasingly constrained land base. Extreme weather has wiped out cereal production equivalent to more than a tenth of Englands arable land, raising alarm over the growing threat to UK food security. New figures from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) show that harvest losses in 2024 and 2025 equate to around 13% of the land used to grow wheat, barley and oats in England, once reduced yields and crop losses are factored in. For farmers, the losses highlight the increasing difficulty of maintaining yields as weather extremes intensify. The findings come as the government prepares to publish its first Land Use Framework, setting out how land will be used to balance food production, nature recovery and climate resilience. Recent harvests have been among the worst on record. England experienced its wettest October to March period in 2023/24, leaving many farmers unable to drill crops or access fields for months. This was followed by the hottest spring on record in 2025 and the driest for more than a century sharply cutting yields. Waterlogged fields reduced the area that could be planted, while drought conditions then cut yields per hectare. Together, the two extremes created a significant drop in overall production. Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at ECIU, said the data highlights the growing impact of climate change on agriculture. It is sometimes reported that action to tackle climate change will lead to farmland being lost, he said. What this analysis makes clear is that extreme weather, made worse by climate change, is already hitting the production of staple crops, to the extent that we have already seen production wiped out equivalent to more than a tenth of our wheat and barley growing area. The figures are likely to intensify debate over how land should be used as pressures grow on both food production and environmental targets. The data also points to growing long-term risks for both farm businesses and national food supply, with earlier ECIU estimates suggesting poor harvests this decade have already reduced UK milling wheat production by the equivalent of more than a years supply of bread. For many arable farmers, this has translated into lower output and increased financial pressure. Lancaster warned the impacts could worsen, pointing to a future of increasingly unmanageable impacts on food production and farm incomes without action. With extremes set to worsen until the world reaches net zero emissions, continuing as we are is not an option, he said. He added that Defras Land Use Framework is an important step in helping guide decisions, including measures such as tree planting to reduce flood risk while maintaining food production. The analysis underscores the growing strain on UK farming as weather volatility increases, with pressure intensifying to protect farm incomes and safeguard domestic food production. UK farmers are being urged to remain on high alert after a case of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed in Greece. The outbreak, identified on a cattle farm in Lesvos, has prompted the UK government to act swiftly, introducing restrictions on certain imports from Greece to reduce the risk of the virus entering the country. Officials said the measures are necessary to mitigate the risk of disease and to safeguard UK livestock, agricultural production and biosecurity. Last month, foot and mouth disease was confirmed in Cyprus, triggering immediate UK import restrictions and a warning to British livestock keepers to heighten biosecurity. There are currently no cases in the UK, but the highly contagious virus poses a serious threat to cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals. New rules mean commercial imports of dairy products such as feta and yoghurt are only permitted if they have undergone the required heat treatment and are accompanied by the correct health certification. Wider restrictions, introduced last year, also apply to products including hay and straw, live animals, fresh meat and animal by-products. Meanwhile, the ban on personal imports of meat and dairy products from the EU remains in place, with travellers urged to comply. Foot and mouth disease does not pose a risk to human health, but outbreaks can have severe economic consequences, including production losses and restrictions on trade. Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UKs Chief Veterinary Officer, warned that robust plans are already in place to minimise the risk of disease incursion to support Britains farming community and food security. She urged livestock keepers to remain vigilant, calling for utmost vigilance for signs of disease and strict adherence to biosecurity measures. Farmers are being encouraged to review on-farm biosecurity immediately and report any suspicion of disease without delay. Clinical signs vary, but in cattle they typically include blisters on the mouth and feet, lameness and fever. In sheep and pigs, the disease often presents as lameness, sometimes with blistering. The warning follows a wider rise in cases across mainland Europe, increasing concern across the livestock sector. FMD is a notifiable disease and must be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency if suspected. The UK will continue to take proportionate, science-based measures to protect animal health while maintaining safe trade. The 2026 Academy Awards continue to face criticism over their In Memoriam segment, with producers now responding to the growing backlash surrounding the omission of several prominent names, including veteran Indian actor Dharmendra and Hollywood actor Eric Dane. The controversy began after viewers noticed that several well-known figures were missing from the televised tribute, despite the segment being extended this year to honour more members of the film industry. The omission sparked widespread debate online, with many calling it a major oversight and expressing disappointment over the exclusion of such influential names. Addressing the criticism, broadcast executive Rob Mills, who oversees the Oscars telecast, defended the segment, describing it as one of the most challenging aspects of producing the show. He stated that deciding who to include is never easy, especially given the increasing number of notable industry figures who pass away each year. Mills also pointed out that the Academy ultimately makes the final call on what is included in the live broadcast. He further emphasised that while some names may not appear in the televised segment, they are still honoured through an extended list published on the Academys official website. In fact, Dharmendra was included in the online tribute, even though he did not feature in the live broadcast. The segment itself paid tribute to several global film legends, including Robert Redford and Diane Keaton, while also featuring personalised homages to select industry figures. However, the selective nature of the tribute once again raised questions about representation and recognition, especially for international artists. The backlash also drew reactions from within the industry. Actor Hema Malini expressed disappointment over Dharmendras omission, calling it a shame and highlighting his global recognition and contribution to cinema. Despite the criticism, producers maintain that curating the In Memoriam segment involves difficult decisions due to time constraints and the sheer number of individuals to be honoured. The debate has once again highlighted how emotionally significant the segment is for audiences worldwide. Also Read: In Pics: Priyanka Chopra Jonas very Own Oscars Party With Nick Jonas The trailer of Happy Raj, headlined by GV Prakash Kumar, is here and it leans fully into the messy unpredictability of modern romance. Packed with humour, heartbreak and a dash of family drama, the film appears to position itself as a light-hearted yet relatable take on relationships that refuse to go as planned. Love lessons the hard way The trailer introduces GV Prakash Kumar as a man who stumbles his way through multiple romantic misadventures. Each attempt at love seems to end in disappointment, setting up a pattern of failure that becomes both comic and telling. His character comes across as someone searching for connection, yet unable to hold on to it. Just when things seem like a lost cause, he encounters someone who feels like the right match. Enter Sri Gouri Priya, who plays the woman who finally brings stability and hope into his chaotic love life. Their chemistry, as glimpsed in the trailer, hints at a more grounded emotional core beneath the films playful exterior. However, the road to happily-ever-after is far from smooth. The narrative quickly shifts gears as family dynamics enter the picture, complicating what seemed like a straightforward love story. When families become the real challenge If romance forms the heart of Happy Raj, family conflict appears to be its driving force. The trailer teases a classic yet effective trope. Love may be easy, but winning over the family is where the real battle begins. A key highlight is the presence of Abbas, marking his return to Tamil cinema. He plays the heroines father, a figure who becomes a formidable obstacle in the protagonists path. His disapproval sets the stage for a series of confrontations that blend humour with emotional stakes. The tension between GV Prakash Kumars character and Abbas stern father figure adds a layer of generational conflict to the narrative. It is not just about proving ones worth in love, but also about navigating expectations, traditions and personal pride. Supporting actors including George Maryan, Geetha Kailasam, Adhirchi Arun, Madurai Muthu and Devi Mahesh contribute to what looks like a lively ensemble, likely amplifying both the comedic and dramatic beats of the story. On the technical front, the film brings together a seasoned crew. Justin Prabhakaran handles the music, which is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the films emotional and romantic moments. Madhan Christopher serves as the director of photography, capturing the films visual tone, while Selva RK takes charge of editing. Production design is helmed by Kumar Gangappan, with Ayyapan as the art director and Om Siva Prakash choreographing the action sequences. Produced by Jaivarda under the Beyond Pictures banner, with Jaikanth Suresh as co-producer, Happy Raj is shaping up to be a commercial entertainer that blends romance with family-centric drama. With its mix of humour, relatable relationship struggles and emotional conflicts, the film aims to strike a chord with audiences looking for a breezy theatrical experience. The trailer suggests a narrative that does not take itself too seriously, yet remains rooted in everyday realities. As Happy Raj heads towards its March 27 release, it carries the promise of a familiar story told with energy and charm. Whether it can turn its chaotic love story into a satisfying cinematic ride remains to be seen, but the trailer certainly sets the stage for an engaging watch. Also Read: GV Prakash Turns Romantic In Mental Manadhils First Song Uyire Uyire High-throughput, mid capacity LH210 expands the VISQUE DPS lineup with fast scanning, optimized data size, and scalable digital pathology workflow ANYANG, South Korea, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vieworks, a global provider of advanced imaging solutions, will participate in USCAP 2026 (United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology Annual Meeting), held from March 23 to 25 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. At the exhibition, Vieworks will present its latest digital pathology solutions at booth 352, featuring the VISQUE DPS slide scanner lineup. The VISQUE DPS series delivers fast scanning, optimized data size, and efficient workflow performance for digital pathology, supporting both histology and cytology applications across a wide range of pathology diagnostics and research environments. A major highlight at the exhibition will be the global debut of the VISQUE DPS LH210, a mid-capacity digital slide scanner developed to meet the growing demand for efficient and scalable digital pathology systems. The LH210 supports up to 210 slides per batch and provides a fast scan speed of 23 seconds per slide (15 15 mm @ 40), enabling stable productivity for laboratories that require reliable performance without requiring a large-footprint system. The scanner is designed to deliver high-resolution images with reduced file size, helping reduce storage requirements while improving data transfer efficiency across digital pathology workflows. Like the LH510 in the VISQUE DPS lineup, the LH210 incorporates Vieworks' proprietary Realtime Extended Focus (Realtime EF) technology featuring a 3-camera structure, enabling simultaneous capture of multiple focal images and real-time fusion into a single sharp, high-quality whole slide image. Through this approach, the system maintains high scanning speed while reducing file size, ensuring smooth operation in both routine and research environments. The scanner supports both cytology and histology slides on a single system, allowing laboratories to handle multiple applications with one device while simplifying workflow configuration. Also featured at the booth, the VISQUE DPS LH510 represents Vieworks' high-throughput solution designed for large hospitals, reference labs, and research centers. With its large slide capacity and stable high-speed scanning performance, LH510 is optimized for high-volume environments that require continuous scanning of large numbers of slides. Together, LH510 and LH210 demonstrate Vieworks' strategy to provide a complete digital pathology lineup covering a wide range of throughput requirements. "We are pleased to introduce the LH210 to the global market at USCAP 2026," said a Vieworks representative. "With the expansion of the VISQUE DPS lineup, we aim to provide scalable digital pathology solutions that combine fast scanning, optimized data management, and scalable throughput. By supporting both cytology and histology on a single system, Vieworks will continue to help laboratories improve workflow efficiency as digital pathology adoption accelerates worldwide." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2934387/01_LH210_LH510_set_jpeg.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vieworks-to-debut-visque-dps-lh210-at-uscap-2026-a-single-scanner-for-both-cytology-and-histology-302714419.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2026) - Nexus Uranium Corp. (CSE: NEXU) (OTCQB: NEXUF) (FSE: JA7) ("Nexus" or the "Company") announces the establishment of an at-the-market equity offering, the grant of deferred share units ("DSUs") and restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain directors, officers, and consultants, and the resignation of Jordan Carroll from the Company's Board of Directors. At-the-Market Offering Nexus Uranium Corp. announces that it has entered into an equity distribution agreement (the "Distribution Agreement") with Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood" or the "Agent"). Under the Distribution Agreement, the Company will be entitled, at its discretion and from time-to-time during the term of the Distribution Agreement, to sell, through Haywood as sole and exclusive placement agent, such number of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") having an aggregate offering price of up to $10,000,000 (the "ATM Offering"). Sales of the Common Shares will be made through "at-the-market distributions", as defined in National Instrument 44-102 - Shelf Distributions, directly on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") or, if any, other recognized Canadian "marketplace" within the meaning of National Instrument 21-101 - Marketplace Operations where the Common Shares are listed, quoted or otherwise traded. The volume and timing of distributions under the ATM Offering, if any, will be determined in the Company's sole discretion. The Common Shares will be distributed at market prices or prices related to prevailing market prices from time to time. As a result, prices of the Common Shares sold under the ATM Offering will vary as between purchasers and during the period of distribution. The ATM Offering will be effective until the earlier of (i) the issuance and sale of all of the Common Shares issuable pursuant to the ATM Offering and (ii) March 4, 2028, unless terminated prior to such date in accordance with the terms of the Distribution Agreement. In connection with the ATM Offering, the Agent will receive a cash commission equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of the Common Shares sold pursuant to the ATM Offering. Distributions of the Common Shares under the ATM Offering will be made and qualified by way of a prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") to the Company's existing short form base shelf prospectus (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") dated February 3, 2026. The Prospectus Supplement has been filed with the securities commissions in all provinces and territories of Canada. The Prospectus Supplement (together with the Base Shelf Prospectus) is available on the SEDAR+ website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Prospectus Supplement, the Base Shelf Prospectus and any amendment to the documents may be obtained, without charge, from the Company at info@nexusuranium.com or Haywood at ecm@haywood.com by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the ATM Offering for exploration of its Chord Project in South Dakota, exploration of its South Pass project in Wyoming, and for general corporate purposes, including, among other possible uses, funding potential future acquisitions and other capital expenditures. Award Grants The Company also announces that it has granted an aggregate of 700,000 DSUs and 100,000 RSUs to certain directors, officers, and consultants of the Company, pursuant to its amended 2023 omnibus equity incentive compensation plan. 690,000 DSUs and all 100,000 RSUs will vest over a one-year period in four equal tranches, with 25% vesting every three months from the date of grant. The remaining 10,000 DSUs vest immediately upon grant. The DSUs, RSUs, and the underlying common shares are subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the policies of the CSE. Director Resignation The Company announces the resignation of Jordan Carroll from its Board of Directors, effective March 19, 2026. Mr. Carroll is stepping down to pursue other opportunities. The Board of Directors and management of Nexus Uranium wish to thank Mr. Carroll for his contributions to the Company and wish him well in his future endeavors. The securities being referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does 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. About Nexus Uranium Corp. Nexus Uranium is a Canadian exploration company focused on uranium projects in North America. In the United States, the Company holds the Chord, Wolf Canyon, Deadhorse, and RC projects in South Dakota, and the South Pass project in Wyoming. The Great Divide Basin project in Wyoming is now under option to Canamera Energy Metals Corp. In Canada, Nexus holds the Mann Lake project in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. For more information, visit www.nexusuranium.com. -- Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. This includes, but is not limited to, information or statements with respect to the ATM Offering, including the completion of any sales under the ATM Offering, the timing, volume and pricing of distributions of Common Shares under the ATM Offering, the anticipated duration of the ATM Offering, the anticipated use of proceeds, the filing and availability of the Prospectus Supplement, the expected timing and outcome of regulatory processes, including the hearing before the South Dakota Board, and receipt and approval for the ATM Offering. Such forward looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "plans", "suggests", "targets" or "prospects" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "will" be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company and/or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company may not sell any Common Shares under the ATM Offering or may only sell a limited amount, changes in market conditions or the trading price of the Common Shares, regulatory risks, and general economic, market or industry conditions. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION 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/288852 Source: Nexus Uranium Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2026) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced minority investment in Viking Mines Limited ("VKA"). Pursuant to the investment, American Tungsten subscribed for 150,000,000 ordinary shares of VKA for aggregate consideration of AUD$750,000. The transaction was completed following receipt of approval from VKA's shareholders. The Company's investment formed part of a broader financing completed by VKA. For further details regarding the investment in VKA, see the Company's news release dated December 16, 2025. 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. CSE: TUNG OTCQB: TUNGF FSE: RK90 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288920 Source: American Tungsten Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2026) - CGX Energy Inc. (TSXV: OYL) ("CGX" or the "Company") announced today the release of its audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, together with its Management Discussion and Analysis. These documents will be posted on the Company's website at www.cgxenergy.com and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All values in the financial disclosures and this press release are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated. Berbice River Port Impairment During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $17.1 million related to its Berbice River port infrastructure assets in Guyana. The impairment reflects updated assumptions regarding expected utilization levels and the timing of development activities based on information available at year-end 2025. Corentyne License CGX Resources Inc. ("CGX Resources"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and its partner Frontera Energy Guyana Corp. ("Frontera Guyana") are joint venture partners operating the Corentyne block offshore Guyana (the "Joint Venture"). The Joint Venture holds a 100% working interest in the Corentyne block, with participating interests of 27.48% for CGX Resources and 72.52% for Frontera Guyana. These interests reflect a 4.52% assignment from CGX Resources to Frontera Guyana agreed in 2023, which remains subject to Government of Guyana ("GoG") approval but is enforceable between the parties. The Joint Venture continues to firmly maintain that its interests in the Corentyne block and the related petroleum agreement remain valid and in good standing. The GoG has reaffirmed its position that the Joint Venture's interests expired on June 28, 2024, a position with which the Joint Venture strongly disagrees. The Joint Venture remains committed to asserting its contractual and legal rights and continues to engage in without prejudice communications and good faith discussions with the GoG. Given the ongoing uncertainty regarding the status of the Corentyne license and the Company's ability to access the block, the Company recorded a full impairment of the Corentyne exploration and evaluation asset during 2025. The impairment reflects an accounting assessment under IFRS and does not affect the Joint Venture's legal position or its rights under the applicable agreements. No additional capital investment is currently planned in respect of the Corentyne block pending resolution of the matter, the outcome of which remains uncertain. The Company will provide further updates as developments occur. 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. About CGX CGX is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin and the development of a deep-water port in Berbice, Guyana. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information relates to activities, events or developments that CGX believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future and includes, without limitation, statements regarding the filing of its audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, together with its Management Discussion and Analysis, the status of the licence in respect of the Corentyne block, the pursuit of a resolution of the dispute with the GoG, in respect of the Joint Venture's interest in the Corentyne block, potential future capital investment in the Corentyne block, and the Company's future operations and financial condition. Forward-looking information is based on the current expectations, assumptions and beliefs of CGX, including CGX's experience and its perception of historical trends, and is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although CGX believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking information are reasonable, such information is not a guarantee of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on it. Forward-looking information in this press release is based on a number of material assumptions, including, without limitation: the continuation of discussions with the GoG; the Joint Venture's ability to assert and preserve its rights and pursue available dispute resolution processes; the continued operation and commercialization of the Berbice River port; forecast utilization levels and operating costs of the port; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; and general economic and industry conditions. Although CGX believes these assumptions to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: the ability of the Joint Venture to reach an agreement with the GoG; the outcome of dispute resolution processes; the ultimate status of the Corentyne licence; risks associated with the development and operation of the Berbice River port; the availability of financing; and the recoverability of previously incurred exploration expenditures, including the possibility that the impairment recognized by the Company may not be reversed. There can be no assurance that any agreement with the GoG will be reached or that any impairment will be reversed. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, and even if such results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences for CGX. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is contained in CGX's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in other filings made by CGX with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable securities laws, CGX disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, 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/288948 Source: CGX Energy Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Tsodilo Resources Limited (TSXV: TSD) (OTCQB: TSDRF) (FSE: TZO) ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Financing") for gross proceeds to the Company of C$900,000 on March 18, 2026, through the issuance of 4,500,000 units of securities of the Company (the "Units") at a subscription price of C$0.20 per Unit. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of USD$0.20. The Common Shares (including the Common Shares underlying the Warrants) and the Warrants comprising the Units are subject to a statutory four month and one day hold period, which expires on July 19, 2026. In the event that the closing price of the Company's Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is the equivalent of USD $0.35 or greater per Common Share during any 10 consecutive trading day period at any time subsequent to four months and one day after the closing date, the Warrants will expire at 4:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the thirtieth day after the date on which the Issuer provides notice of such accelerated expiry to the warrantholders, and the warrantholders will have no further rights to acquire any Warrant Shares of the Issuer under the Warrant. The proceeds from this Financing will be used for the advancement of the Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements project, the Xaudum Iron Formation project, and for general corporate purposes and working capital. About Tsodilo Resources Limited Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth elements) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. 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, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. 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 a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. 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, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. 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 a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288855 Source: Tsodilo Resources Limited NEW DELHI, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the in-depth research study by MarkNtel Advisors, the GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 10.99% during 2026-2032. The market expansion is primarily driven by rising demand for luxury skincare and fragrances, increasing consumer spending on high-end beauty products, and the growing presence of global luxury beauty brands across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Regionally, Saudi Arabia leads the GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market, accounting for approximately 37% of the total market share in 2026. The country's leadership is supported by strong consumer spending on luxury lifestyle products, the rapid expansion of premium retail infrastructure, and the growing influence of beauty and grooming culture among both men and women. GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market Key Takeaways The GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market was valued at approximately USD 2.42 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 2.67 billion in 2026 to nearly USD 4.99 billion by 2032, reflecting strong growth supported by rising luxury consumption and expanding premium retail ecosystems across the region. By product type, the skincare segment represented a significant share of approximately 28% of the GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market in 2026. The segment's growth is largely driven by increasing consumer demand for advanced anti-aging formulations, dermatologist-backed skincare products, and high-performance ingredients commonly found in luxury skincare brands. By sales channel, exclusive outlets accounted for approximately 67% of the GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market share in 2026. The dominance of this segment is attributed to the strong presence of luxury brand boutiques and premium shopping destinations across GCC countries, where consumers prefer personalized shopping experiences, expert consultations, and exclusive product collections. The presence of major luxury beauty houses and international cosmetic companies continues to strengthen the competitive landscape through brand expansion, boutique openings, and the launch of high-end product collections designed specifically for affluent consumers across the GCC region. Download a FREE PDF Sample of the Report https://www.marknteladvisors.com/query/request-sample/ultra-premium-beauty-personal-care-market-gcc.html(Discover key market trends, growth opportunities, and industry insights.) Key Growth Drivers Accelerating the Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Industry in the GCC Rising Consumer Preference for Advanced Luxury Skincare Solutions One of the primary factors driving the expansion of the GCC ultra-premium beauty and personal care market is the growing consumer demand for high-performance skincare products formulated with advanced active ingredients and innovative dermatological technologies. Across the GCC region, consumers are increasingly prioritizing skincare as a central component of their daily beauty routines, particularly products designed to address concerns such as anti-aging, skin hydration, pigmentation correction, and overall skin rejuvenation. In response to this evolving demand, luxury skincare brands are investing heavily in research and product innovation to develop sophisticated formulations that incorporate biotechnology-derived ingredients, rare botanical extracts, and clinically tested active compounds. These premium formulations often promise visible skin improvements and long-term benefits, making them highly appealing to affluent consumers seeking effective and scientifically backed beauty solutions. Furthermore, the growing popularity of multi-step skincare routines and professional-grade at-home treatments is significantly accelerating the demand for ultra-premium skincare products across GCC markets. Expansion of Luxury Retail Infrastructure and Experiential Beauty Shopping Another important factor contributing to the growth of the GCC ultra-premium beauty market is the rapid expansion of luxury retail infrastructure and experiential shopping environments across the region. GCC countries host some of the world's most prominent luxury shopping destinations, including high-end malls and exclusive retail districts that attract both local consumers and international visitors. To strengthen their brand positioning, ultra-premium beauty companies are increasingly investing in brand-owned boutiques and exclusive retail outlets that offer immersive and personalized shopping experiences. These locations often combine premium product displays with personalized beauty consultations, customized skincare services, and curated luxury collections. Such flagship stores provide consumers with an opportunity to explore products within an environment that reflects the brand's heritage, craftsmanship, and exclusivity. As experiential retail continues to gain importance, luxury beauty brands are expanding their physical presence across major GCC cities, further strengthening brand loyalty and enhancing customer engagement. Major Factors Limiting the Growth of Ultra-Premium Beauty Brands in the GCC High Product Pricing and Intensifying Brand Competition Despite the strong growth prospects of the GCC ultra-premium beauty market, several challenges continue to influence its overall expansion. One of the primary constraints is the premium pricing associated with luxury beauty products, which can limit accessibility among a broader consumer base. Ultra-premium brands typically position their products at higher price points due to advanced formulations, rare ingredients, and strong brand prestige. In addition, the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly intense as both established global luxury brands and emerging niche beauty houses expand their presence across the GCC region. While this heightened competition encourages innovation and product diversification, it also compels companies to continuously invest in brand differentiation, marketing initiatives, and exclusive product launches to maintain consumer interest and preserve market share. Market Analysis by Product Type, Sales Channel & Region By product type, the skincare segment held the largest share of the GCC ultra-premium beauty and personal care industry in 2026, accounting for approximately 28% of the total share. The segment's strong performance is primarily driven by the increasing consumer preference for advanced skincare formulations designed to address concerns such as aging, hydration, pigmentation, and skin rejuvenation. Affluent consumers across the GCC are increasingly incorporating luxury skincare products into their daily beauty routines as part of a broader focus on long-term skin health and wellness. Moreover, premium brands are continuously introducing innovative formulations featuring clinically tested ingredients and biotechnology-based compounds, further strengthening the segment's dominance across the region's ultra-premium beauty landscape. By sales channel, exclusive outlets accounted for the largest share in 2026, representing approximately 67% of the overall industry share. This dominance reflects the strong consumer preference for purchasing luxury beauty products through brand-owned boutiques and specialized retail environments that offer personalized services and premium shopping experiences. Exclusive outlets often provide customers with access to professional beauty advisors, product demonstrations, and customized skincare consultations, allowing consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions. Additionally, these retail spaces are designed to reflect the prestige and heritage of luxury beauty brands, enhancing overall brand engagement. As experiential retail continues to gain importance in the region, exclusive outlets remain a key channel supporting the growth of ultra-premium beauty sales. Regionally, Saudi Arabia held the leading position within the GCC ultra-premium beauty and personal care industry in 2026, accounting for approximately 37% of the total share. The country's leadership is supported by rising consumer spending on luxury lifestyle products and the rapid expansion of premium retail infrastructure across major urban centers. Increasing awareness of high-end skincare, fragrances, and beauty products among consumers is also contributing to stronger demand for ultra-premium offerings. Furthermore, government initiatives aimed at diversifying the economy and strengthening the retail and tourism sectors are encouraging the growth of luxury brands across the country. These factors collectively position Saudi Arabia as a key growth hub for the ultra-premium beauty industry in the GCC. View Full Report (All Data, In One Place) https://www.marknteladvisors.com/research-library/ultra-premium-beauty-personal-care-market-gcc.html(Explore in-depth analyses, technology trends, and investment opportunities.) Strategic Brand Expansions Transforming the GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty Ecosystem The GCC ultra-premium beauty industry continues to witness strategic developments that highlight the region's growing importance as a hub for luxury beauty innovation, brand expansion, and retail partnerships. These developments reflect increasing global brand interest in the GCC's affluent consumer base and rapidly evolving premium retail ecosystem. In May 2025, Beautyworld Saudi Arabia 2025 attracted 17,719 visitors from 71 countries, marking a 29.5% year-on-year increase in attendance. The event reinforced Saudi Arabia's position as a leading regional beauty hub by bringing together global luxury beauty brands, distributors, and industry professionals. Exhibitors showcased innovations in clean beauty, wellness-focused formulations, and premium skincare solutions, which helped stimulate new B2B partnerships and distribution agreements across ultra-premium beauty segments. Further strengthening the competitive landscape, in November 2025, e.l.f. Beauty expanded its presence across the GCC through a strategic retail launch in all 70 Sephora stores across the region. This expansion significantly increased consumer access to high-quality cosmetics while intensifying retail competition within the premium beauty segment. The partnership also highlights the growing role of multi-brand luxury retailers in shaping the region's evolving beauty ecosystem and supporting the expansion of international beauty brands. Leading Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Companies Across the GCC L'Oreal Middle East The Estee Lauder Companies Middle East FZE Chanel La Prairie Shiseido Group Middle East LLC Dior (Christian Dior SE) Sisley-Paris Louis Vuitton Revlon Middle East Beiersdorf AG Aesop Clarins Augustinus Bader Guerlain Amouage Others GCC Ultra-Premium Beauty & Personal Care Market Scope By Product Type: Skincare, Makeup, Fragrances, Haircare, Others By Ingredient Type: Natural & Organic, Conventional / Synthetic By End User: Women, Men, Teens By Sales Channel: Exclusive Outlets (Brand Flagship Boutiques, Authorized Luxury Multi-Brand Boutiques), Department Stores, Online Retail By Region: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain Browse More Reports in Skin Care and Cosmetics Asia Skin Care Market: The Asia Skin Care Market size was valued at around USD 86.64 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 91.0 billion in 2026 to USD 114.57 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 3.91% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. Global Vegan Cosmetics Market: The Global Vegan Cosmetics Market size was valued at around USD 4.48 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 8.12 billion by 2030. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 10.42% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-30. Global Halal Cosmetics Market: The Global Halal Cosmetics Market size was valued at USD 47.76 billion in 2024 & is projected to surpass USD 92.32 billion by 2030. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 11.61% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-30. Global Personal Care & Cosmetic Preservatives Market: The Global Personal Care & Cosmetic Preservatives Market size was valued at around USD 501.6 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 676.6 million by 2030. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 5.2% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-30. Europe Dermocosmetics Market: The Europe Dermocosmetics Market size was valued at around USD 10.23 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 17.19 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 9.7% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. Europe Cosmetic Ingredients Market: The Europe Cosmetic Ingredients Market size is estimated at USD 7.53 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 14.22 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 9.5% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. Egypt's Beauty and Personal Care Market: Egypt's Beauty and Personal Care Market size is valued at nearly USD 1327.86 Million in 2024 & is predicted to reach about USD 3175.53 Million by 2030. Along with this, the market is also estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 15% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-30. Australia Personal Beauty Care Market: The Australia Personal Beauty Care Market size is valued at around USD 10,590.05 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 15,737.85 million by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 5.82% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. About MarkNtel Advisors MarkNtel Advisors is a global market research and consulting firm committed to delivering accurate, data-driven insights across a wide range of high-growth and emerging industries. The company provides comprehensive market intelligence by analyzing key industry trends, competitive dynamics, technological advancements, and regulatory developments that shape the global business landscape. To ensure the highest level of accuracy and reliability, MarkNtel Advisors follows a rigorous research methodology that integrates extensive primary research, through direct engagement with industry leaders, subject-matter experts, and key stakeholders, with carefully validated secondary data sources. This structured and multi-layered research approach strengthens the credibility and precision of the insights delivered to clients. Supported by deep domain expertise and a team of experienced analysts, MarkNtel Advisors offers strategic intelligence that enables organizations, investors, and decision-makers to identify emerging opportunities and understand evolving industry dynamics. Through its comprehensive analytical capabilities, the firm empowers clients to make informed business decisions and successfully navigate increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving global markets. Contact Us: MarkNtel Advisors Office No.109, H-159, Sector 63, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201301, India Contact No: +91 87199 99009 Email: sales@marknteladvisors.com Website: marknteladvisors.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2687299/MarkNtel_Advisors_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gcc-ultra-premium-beauty--personal-care-market-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-10-99-during-20262032--reports-markntel-advisors-302714711.html HONG KONG, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - Financial Highlights:- For the full year of 2025, the Company recorded revenue of approximately RMB 18.681 billion, representing a YoY increase of approximately 23.2%.- Net profit attributable to the parent company was approximately RMB 2.731 billion, representing a YoY increase of approximately 32.8%.- Earnings per share reached approximately RMB 1.75, representing a 27.7% YoY growth.- The Board has proposed a final dividend of HKD 0.77 per share, totaling approximately HKD 1.598 billion.17 March 2026, Chuangxin Industries Holdings Limited ('Chuangxin Industries' or the 'Company', together with its subsidiaries, the 'Group' stock code: 02788.HK) is pleased to announce its audited annual results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2025 (the 'Reporting Period'). During the Reporting Period, the Company achieved revenue of approximately RMB 18.681 billion, representing a YoY increase of about 23.2%. Net profit attributable to the parent company was approximately RMB 2.731 billion, up 32.8% YoY, and earnings per share were approximately RMB 1.75, representing a 27.7% YoY growth. The Board has proposed a final dividend of HKD 0.77 per share, totaling approximately HKD 1.598 billion.Meanwhile, on 13 February 2026, Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited announced the results of its quarterly review of the Hang Seng Family of Indexes for the period ended 31 December 2025. Chuangxin Industries has been selected as a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI), with the adjustment officially taking effect on 9 March 2026. As a key benchmark in the Hong Kong capital market, the HSCI maintains rigorous selection criteria, requiring constituents to meet multiple standards including market capitalisation and liquidity. The index covers the top 95% of companies by total market capitalisation listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and is widely followed by investors. This inclusion signifies the capital market's full recognition of the Company's market capitalisation scale and liquidity level, which will help further expand its investor base, attract more participation from Mainland Chinese capital, and enhance stock liquidity and market visibility.Advantages of Industrial Chain Integration Emerge, Profitability Leads Industry StandardsAgainst the backdrop of global primary aluminium prices reaching a three-year high and widespread cost pressures across the industry in 2025, the Company's integrated industrial chain layout for electrolytic aluminium demonstrated exceptional risk resistance and profit resilience. Leveraging its 'energy, alumina refining and aluminium smelting' integrated ecosystem, the Company's current alumina and electricity self-sufficiency capacity covered 100% of its production and operations, effectively stabilizing production costs within a range minimally affected by market fluctuations. The Company currently operates a comprehensive aluminium smelter and an alumina refinery in Inner Mongolia and Shandong, with annual production capacities of 788,100 tons and 1.2 million tons respectively. It also possesses 2.98 million tons of aluminium hydroxide capacity, targeting an annual alumina capacity of 3 million tons. Relying on stable power provided by its captive power plants and the geographical advantage of proximity to bauxite import ports, the Company has mitigated the impact of external market price fluctuations on its operations.As of the end of 2025, the Company's annual electrolytic aluminium labour productivity per capita reached as high as 670 tons, far exceeding the industry average of 300 to 400 tons per capita. This deep integration and scale effect across the entire industrial chain have positioned the Company at the forefront of Chinese aluminium smelting enterprises in terms of total cost management per ton of aluminium, building a highly competitive 'economic moat' for profitability.Green Energy and Technological Upgrades Drive Further Improvements in ProfitabilityThe Company identifies 'green and low-carbon' and 'technological upgrades' as the core drivers for high-quality development. As of the end of 2025, the Company completed the construction of wind power plants with an installed capacity of 640 MW and solar power plants with an installed capacity of 110 MW. Green energy accounted for approximately 43% of total installed capacity and is expected to exceed 50% in 2026, far surpassing national industrial policy requirements. This not only significantly reduces the carbon footprint of production but also effectively lowers long-term energy costs.Meanwhile, the Company has comprehensively promoted the refined management of production technology, achieving intelligent control of the production process through the upgrade and transformation of cell control systems and automatic production line for aluminium ingot, as well as the installation of automatic laser cleaning device for guide rods. During the Reporting Period, the Company completed several core technology upgrades, including the recovery of waste heat from electrolytic flue gas and fully graphitized cathode retrofitting. This dual empowerment of technology and green initiatives has made the Company's aluminium products a preferred choice in the international market, precisely meeting the low-carbon transition needs of industries such as lightweight automotive and 3C electronics, further expanding the high-end application market.Active Layout of Global Development Strategy to Enhance International CompetitivenessAs China's electrolytic aluminium smelting capacity approaches the policy limit and overseas demand for downstream aluminium products continues to rise, the Company is actively responding to the Belt and Road Initiative. The Company is focusing on a global layout by orderly promoting overseas integrated projects with resource and energy advantages. As of the end of 2025, the Saudi project has made key progress both in regulatory approvals and site construction, with work commencing successively. Currently in the early construction stage, these overseas strategic layouts will drive global business growth and help achieve the vision of becoming a green aluminium industry group in the global market.Greening the Globe, Leading the Future: Building a New Modern Green Electrolytic Aluminium EcosystemLooking ahead, the Company will anchor its vision of 'building a green aluminium industry group in the global market,' deepening its low-carbon transition and global layout. The Company will continue to increase the share of wind, solar and other green electricity in its energy mix, and achieve a breakthrough in energy efficiency by accelerating technological upgrades and digital-intelligent transformation, driving production toward ultra-low energy consumption. Concurrently, the Company will accelerate the implementation of overseas projects and extend the industrial chain upstream to build an autonomous and controllable global resource guarantee system. In deepening its ESG practices, the Company will balance economic benefits with social responsibility, utilizing technological innovation and talent pipelines as core drivers to forge a modern aluminium industry system with international competitiveness and guide the industry toward a higher level of sustainable development.About Chuangxin Industries Holdings LimitedChuangxin Industries Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 02788.HK), established in 2012 and listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in November 2025, is an integrated production enterprise focusing on the upstream of the aluminium industrial chain-alumina refining and electrolytic aluminium smelting. The Company has strategically established production bases in Huolinguole, Inner Mongolia, and Binzhou, Shandong, creating an integrated ecosystem covering 'energy, alumina refining and aluminium smelting.' The Company's ability to manage the total costs of aluminium per ton ranked among the top of all aluminium smelting companies in China and was competitive on a global scale. The Company is committed to sustainable development and the continuous advancement of its integrated electrolytic aluminium ecosystem. By leveraging its cost advantages and bolstering R&D investment, the Company aims to enhance its competitiveness and market standing. Furthermore, it strives to mitigate carbon emissions across the value chain, with the ultimate long-term goal of achieving a comprehensive green business transformation.Chuangxin Industries' Official Website: https://en.innovationigi.com/Source: Chuangxin Industries Holdings LimitedCopyright 2026 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. BioVersys AG / Key word(s): Annual Results BioVersys Reports Corporate Highlights and Financial Results for the Full Year 2025 18-March-2026 / 07:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR Basel, Switzerland. March 18, 2026, 7am CET. Significant clinical and regulatory progress across entire pipeline BV100: Initiated global registrational Phase 3 (RIV-TARGET) in HABP/VABP 1 program - US FDA green lights IND Phase 2b (RIV-CARE) to be conducted via Wellcome-funded trial network ADVANCE-ID First participants dosed in Phase 1 in China, preparing onboarding of China into RIV-TARGET BV100 patent granted in China, adding to BV100's patent coverage in over 25 countries including the US and Europe Alpibectir: Our partner GSK reported first patient first visit for Phase 2b/c trial in pulmonary TB Phase 2a results published in New England Journal of Medicine Received EMA Orphan Designation Corporate: BV500: Entered global research collaboration with Shionogi for broad-spectrum non-tuberculous mycobacteria Successful IPO funding operations into 2028 with BV100 Phase 3 read-out by the end of 2027 Conference call on March 18, 2026 at 2.00 pm CET (9.00 am EST) BioVersys AG (SIX: BIOV), a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on research and development of novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, announced today its audited financial results and corporate highlights for the full year 2025, as well as the publication of its 2025 Annual Report. Dr. Marc Gitzinger, Chief Executive Officer of BioVersys: "Our successful IPO in early 2025 provided us with the funding to progress our entire pipeline of novel antibacterial drugs, including our two lead assets BV100 and alpibectir. 2025 has been a year of substantial clinical and regulatory progress. We initiated a global Phase 3 program for BV100 in HABP/VABP[1] caused by carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumanni (CRAB), and entered into strategic partnerships with Shionogi for BV500 in non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection, and with the ADVANCE-ID clinical trial network for the BV100 Phase 2b (RIV-CARE) study. These agreements validate our rich pipeline and extend our cash runway well beyond the BV100 Phase 3 read-out. In 2025, we also saw significant progress in policy change and reimbursement reforms for novel antibiotics, particularly in Europe, and we believe that BioVersys is ideally positioned to benefit from these long-awaited changes. 2026 has started very strongly with the publication of pre-clinical and clinical data on BV100 and alpibectir in prestigious journals, as well as the US FDA's acceptance of the BV100 Phase 3 IND. As we continue to advance our pipeline, I would like to thank our shareholders, stakeholders and colleagues for supporting us in developing the next generation antibiotics." Pipeline Highlights BV100: In 2025, the company's lead candidate BV100 initiated its planned global Phase 3 registrational trial ( RIV-TARGET ) in HABP/VABP caused by carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and received US FDA green light for its IND. The study aims to enroll approximately 300 HABP/VABP patients with suspected or confirmed CRAB infections. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either [1] BV100 combined with low dose polymyxin B or [2] Colistin combined with high-dose ampicillin-sulbactam, with both arms allowing meropenem as background in case of polymicrobial infections. The primary efficacy endpoint is defined as 28-day all-cause mortality (ACM) in the CRABC microbiological modified intention-to-treat (CRABC m-MITT) population. Secondary efficacy endpoints will include clinical cure status at the test of cure (ToC) in CRABC m-MITT, ventilator free days, time spent in intensive care unit (ICU) and time in hospital. As part of the study protocol, data safety monitoring boards (DSMB)[2] will be convened at regular intervals to review trial progress. In parallel to the Phase 3 pivotal trial, an open-label Phase 2b differentiation trial ( RIV-CARE ) will be initiated in H1 2026, comparing BV100 with BAT in multiple geographies. The Phase 2b trial aims to provide real world evidence of clinical practices in settings with very high drug resistance levels. Interim analysis is planned for end of 2026. In November 2025, BioVersys announced that the ADVANCE-ID clinical trial network will support and collaborate with BioVersys in conducting the Phase 2b study. This support has been made possible thanks to the generous contribution of Wellcome who strengthened the ADVANCE-ID network with SGD 22 million (c. USD 17m or CHF 14m). A Phase 1 safety study in China was also initiated in 2025 prior to enrolling Chinese patients in the global Phase 3 study program in H2 2026. The Chinese Patent Office granted crucial IP protection to BV100, adding to BV100's patent coverage in over 25 countries including the US, Europe and the UK. Alpibectir: In March 2025, BioVersys announced first patient first visit (FPFV) in part 1 of the alpibectir-ethionamide (AlpE) Phase 2 clinical trial in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in combination with 1st line tuberculosis drugs. This part 1 of the study delivered top line data showed that alpibectir is generally safe and well tolerated warranting progression into part 2 of the study. Part 2 of the study is a Phase 2b in which AlpE is given for 2 months in combination with first-line TB drugs, followed by 18 weeks of Rifampicin and Isoniazid treatment. FPFV for the Phase 2b was reported in March 2026. Alongside the development in pulmonary TB, BioVersys has also submitted a Phase 2 trial for AlpE in meningeal TB to regulatory authorities. FPFV is expected in H1 2026. In August 2025, BioVersys received European Medicine Agency Orphan Designation for alpibectir combined with ethionamide for the treatment of tuberculosis. This Designation provides key incentives, including reduced fees, research and clinical protocol support, and 10-year EU market exclusivity, and follows alpibectir ethionamide receiving US FDA Orphan Drug Designation in 2023. Alpibectir is being developed in strategic partnership with GSK, who leads clinical development in Tuberculosis Pneumonia while BioVersys leads development in Tuberculosis Meningitis. Both partners share equal economics. BV500: In July 2025, BioVersys entered a global research collaboration with Shionogi for its broad-spectrum non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) program BV500. The collaboration provides a research and exclusive license option agreement with Shionogi to jointly develop novel ansamycin leads from BioVersys' BV500 program into clinical candidates. Under the terms of the agreement, BioVersys is eligible to receive upfront and near-term research payments of CHF 5.0 million and, upon exercise of the license option, regulatory and sales milestones of up to CHF 479 million as well as royalties on future sales. 2025 Financial Highlights For the year ended 31 December 2025, BioVersys recognized revenues of CHF 0.8 million (2024: nil) related to the Research Collaboration Agreement entered with Shionogi in July 2025 as well as CHF 2.5 million in other operating income made of research tax credits, grants and subsidies (2024: CHF 1.2 million) leading to a total operating income of CHF 3.3 million (2024: CHF 1.2 million). As a result of BioVersys pipeline progressing through the stages of development, operating expenses were CHF 23.2 million in 2025 compared to CHF 19.9 million in 2024 and leading to an operating loss of CHF 20 million (2024: CHF 18.7m) for the financial year 2025. Operating expenses in 2025 included CHF 16.5 million in R&D expenses, representing approximately 71% of operating expenses for the year (2024: 64.9%). The net loss in 2025 amounted to CHF 21.8 million (2024: Net loss of CHF 18.7 million). The net cash used in operating activities in 2025 was CHF 22.0 million (2024: CHF 16.1 million). The company raised approximately CHF 76.7 million as part of its February 2025 Initial Public Offering. The cash and cash equivalents position increased to CHF 82.5 million as of December 31, 2025 (December 31, 2024: CHF 26.6 million). Total shareholders' equity stood at CHF 59.8 million as of December 31, 2025 (December 31, 2024: CHF 10.7 million). As of December 31, 2025, the company employed 33 FTE (full-time equivalents) (end 2024: 27). About 75% of the employees are employed in R&D-related functions. Key Figures as of December 31, 2025 CHF million FY 2025 FY 2024 Change Operating income 3.3 1.2 2.1 R&D expenses (16.5) (12.9) (3.6) G&A expenses (6.7) (7.0) 0.3 Operating loss (20.0) (18.7) (1.3) Net loss (21.8) (18.7) (3.1) Basic net loss per share (in CHF) (3.89) (5.62) 1.73 Net cash used in operating activities (22.0) (16.1) (5.9) Cash & cash equivalents 82.5 26.6 55.9 Total shareholders' equity 59.8 10.7 49.1 Number of registered shares 5,848,011 3,692,285 2,155,726 Number of FTE 33 27 6 Initial Public Offering in Q1 2025 On the back of the promising advancement of the company's pipeline and the related positive clinical data generated, BioVersys successfully completed its IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange on February 7, 2025. Hernan Levett, CFO of BioVersys, comments: "In February 2025, we successfully completed an IPO on the Swiss Stock Exchange, which added proceeds of CHF 76.7 million, providing the necessary capital to advance our pipeline through key development milestones. Later in the year, we entered into a research collaboration agreement with Shionogi and added the partnership with ADVANCE-ID financially supported by Wellcome. These partnerships further strengthen our financial position and are of strategic importance to our pipeline. The accomplishments of 2025 are a testament to the robust clinical data and the strong team at BioVersys demonstrating potential to bring game-changing anti-infectives to market." Outlook Following the initiation of the BV100 global Phase 3 registrational study in 2025, BioVersys plans to initiate the recruitment of patients based on regulatory green lights (e.g. US FDA IND) and the completion of the ongoing Phase 1 study in China, respectively. The study remains on track to report top-line data by the end of 2027, with DSMB reviews planned in H2 2026 and H1 2027. The Phase 2b for BV100 being conducted by the ADVANCE-ID network is expected to initiate recruiting patients in H1 2026 with a planned interim analysis expected to take place by end of this year. For alpibectir, BioVersys' partner GSK is pursuing the Phase 2 program in pulmonary TB, expecting last patient last visit by end of 2026, while BioVersys is on track to initiate the Phase 2 in meningeal TB in H1 2026. For BV200 and BV500, BioVersys expects to generate additional pre-clinical data in the course of 2026. In addition, the BioVersys team will continue to engage with industry alliances and will be working with global regulatory and political leaders towards a sustainable policy framework ensuring adequate reimbursement and access mechanisms for novel antibiotics. Financial Outlook 2026 For the full year 2026, the company expects total operating loss to be in the range of CHF 40.0 to CHF 45.0 million. Full Year 2025 Documents This press release, the Annual Report 2025 as well as the webcast presentation are available under the investors section of www.bioversys.com . Full Year 2025 Conference Call & Audio Webcast BioVersys will host a conference call and webcast at 2.00 pm CET (9.00 am EST) to discuss the financial results, provide an update on the company's performance, outline its strategic outlook, and share insights into BioVersys' therapeutic pipeline. Event details for Investors, Media and Interested Parties: Conference Call Registration: Link (Participants will receive dial-in details upon registration) Financial calendar April 30, 2026 Annual General Meeting September 3, 2026 Half-year Statement 2026 The scheduled events for BioVersys are also available on the investor section of the company's website. About BioVersys BioVersys AG is a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant ("MDR") bacteria. Derived from the company's two internal technology platforms (TRIC and Ansamycin Chemistry), candidates are designed and developed to overcome resistance mechanisms, block virulence production and directly affect the pathogenesis of harmful bacteria towards the identification of new treatment options in the antimicrobial and microbiome fields. This enables BioVersys to address the high unmet medical need for new treatments against life-threatening resistant bacterial infections and bacteria-exacerbated chronic inflammatory microbiome disorders. The company's most advanced research and development programs address nosocomial infections of Acinetobacter baumannii (BV100, Phase 3), and tuberculosis (alpibectir, Phase 2, in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and a consortium of the University of Lille, France). BioVersys is located in the biotech hub of Basel, Switzerland. BioVersys contact Hernan Levett, CFO, Tel. +41 61 633 22 50; Mail: hernan.levett@bioversys.com For media: media@bioversys.com Website: www.bioversys.com Disclaimer This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning BioVersys and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of BioVersys to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. BioVersys is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. [1] HABP: Hospital-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia; VABP: Ventilator-Associated Bacterial Pneumonia. [2] The DSMB review is the periodic evaluation of unblinded or partially unblinded clinical trial data by an independent committee of experts to determine whether the study should continue, be modified, or be stopped based on safety, efficacy, or futility considerations. End of Inside Information Epassi Group, a leading European multi-benefits technology platform, today announced the appointments of Phil Jones as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Ross Seychell as Chief People Officer (CPeO), and Cho Hwang as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), strengthening its leadership team as the company enters its next phase of expansion. Cho Hwang joined Epassi on December 1, 2025. He brings extensive global technology leadership experience from companies including HelloFresh, Coupang, and Nordstrom. At Epassi, Cho leads the company's technology strategy and engineering organisation as the platform continues to scale across Europe. His experience will support Epassi's ambition to further expand its multi-benefits ecosystem for employers, employees, and partners. Phil Jones joined Epassi on March 2. He brings extensive experience across HR technology and the full Human Capital Management lifecycle, having held senior leadership roles across Sales, Revenue Operations, and Customer Success at global technology companies including Workday, Oracle, and most recently Eightfold AI. At Epassi, Phil will lead the company's pan-European revenue organisation, focusing on commercial excellence and scalable growth. Ross Seychell will join on April 1. With more than 25 years of experience shaping and delivering people strategies in fast-growing software businesses, Ross has supported international scale-up and organisational development at companies including Qualifyze, Personio, Wise, and King. He will lead Epassi's global People Culture function, supporting continued expansion across markets. "These appointments reflect our ambition to further strengthen Epassi's position as the leading European multi-benefits technology platform," said Nickyl Raithatha, Group CEO. "Phil, Ross, and Cho bring deep functional expertise and experience scaling international technology businesses. We are confident in the direction we're heading and in the strength of the team leading us forward." These leadership updates reflect the continued evolution of Epassi's commercial organisation as the company enters its next phase of European growth. President Alex Yin will transition to the Board of Directors in June, focusing on long-term strategic direction as Epassi continues to scale across its core markets. Dr. Alexander Wellhofer, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), has been instrumental in driving Epassi's growth and international expansion since joining in 2024. Alexander leaves the business in May, ensuring a smooth transition. "Alex and Alexander have both made a significant contribution to Epassi. We thank them for their leadership and commitment during an important period of the company's growth," said Nickyl Raithatha, Group CEO. About Epassi Founded in Helsinki in 2007, Epassi is the leading European multi-benefits technology platform with a strong presence in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, the Nordics, the UK, Portugal, and Spain. Epassi's innovative, unique and scalable solution combines all benefits into one mobile app-centric, user-friendly digital service, providing a digital marketplace for employee benefits. Epassi Group serves more than 50,000 employers and their over 36 million employees, with a partner network of more than 100,000 service providers. Epassi is recognized by the Financial Times as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and ranked 32nd on Europe's Long-Term Growth Champions 2025 list. Epassi Group is backed by TA Associates and Warburg Pincus. Epassi Boosting everyday wellbeing. www.epassi.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318183496/en/ Contacts: Aleksi Miikkulainen Group CMO aleksi.miikkulainen@epassi.com Stack BTC Plc - Equity Fundraising PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 18 This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 which is part of English law by virtue of the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended. On publication of this announcement via a regulatory information service, this information is considered to be in the public domain. Stack BTC Plc (STAK) Placing and Subscription to Raise 1,800,700 Launch of WRAP Retail Offer Appointment of AlbR Capital as Joint Corporate Broker Further Investment from Nigel Farage Stack BTC Plc ("Stack" or the "Company"), the UK-based company focused on building a portfolio of high-quality, cash-generative businesses, alongside a Bitcoin treasury, is pleased to announce that it has raised GBP 1,579,400 gross via AlbR Capital Limited ("AlbR"), through a placing of 15,794,000 new ordinary shares ("Placing Shares") at a price of 10 pence per share ("Placing") and raised 221,300 via a Company subscription through 2,213,000 new ordinary shares ("Subscription Shares"), at a price of 10 pence per share ("Subscription"). The Company is also pleased to announce that AlbR has been formally appointed as Joint Corporate Broker, with immediate effect. The Company is also pleased to note that Nigel Farage has agreed to invest a further 60,650 through the Subscription. This is further to the announcement of 9 March 2026, whereby Mr. Farage invested as part of the strategic investment. The following directors participated in the fundraising as follows: Name Number of Ordinary Shares Acquired in the Subscription Amount () Paul Withers 606,500 60,650 The net proceeds will be utilised to commence the Company's M&A strategy, buy further Bitcoin to advance the Bitcoin treasury strategy and build a portfolio of high-quality, cash-generative businesses. The Company also intends to launch a retail offer to new and existing shareholders on the same terms as the Placing and the Subscription, through the Winterflood Retail Access Platform (the "WRAP Retail Offer"). A further announcement will be made by the Company shortly regarding the WRAP Retail Offer and its terms and conditions. The Placing and Subscription is conditional, inter alia, on the admission of the Placing Shares and the Subscription Shares to trading on the Aquis Growth Market ("Admission") and it is expected that Admission will take place on 24 March 2026. The Placing Shares and Subscription Shares will rank pari passuin all regards with the existing shares of the Company. Holdings in the Company The resultant disclosable shareholdings in the Company following Admission will be, to the best of the Company's knowledge, as follows: Name Shareholding Percentage of Shareholding Paul Withers * (1) 20,506,500 23.81 Melisa Lawton * 4,300,000 4.99 Nigel Farage (2) 4,906,500 5.70 Kwasi Kwarteng * (3) 3,700,000 4.30 Jai Patel * (4) 3,250,000 3.77 Daniel Howe 2,900,000 3.37 David Galan * 1,600,000 1.86 Brendan Kearns * 750,000 0.87 * Director of the Company (1) Beneficial ownership includes 2,400,000 ordinary shares held by Kristy Jasper, the partner of Paul Withers. (2) Shares held by Thorn In The Side Ltd, of which Nigel Farage is the 100% shareholder. (3) Beneficial ownership includes 600,000 ordinary shares held by Harriet Kwarteng, the wife of Kwasi Kwarteng. (4) Beneficial ownership includes 1,000,000 ordinary shares held by Kash & Sons Ltd, of which Jai Patel is a significant shareholder. Concert Party As previously stated, a Concert Party existed comprising Paul Withers, Daniel Howe, Kwasi Kwarteng, Jai Patel, Brendan Kearns, and Sam Daughtry, collectively holding 45.21% of the Company's share capital. Following Admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the Concert Party's aggregate shareholding will be reduced to 36.46% of the Company's issued share capital. Kwasi Kwarteng, Executive Chairman of Stack commented: "I am delighted to announce the successful completion of the Placing and Subscription. The strong level of investor support is a clear vote of confidence in our strategy, our team, M&A strategic vision and Bitcoin treasury model." Pursuant to the engagement of AlbR, 300,000 new Ordinary Shares will be issued to AlbR at 10 pence per share, in respect of its annual retainer for the next 12 months ("Retainer Shares"). The Retainer Shares will be locked-in for 6 months from issue. AlbR will also be granted 473,820 warrants over 473,820 Ordinary Shares of the Company, valid for a period of 12 months from the date of grant, and exercisable at 10 pence per share. Total Voting Rights The Placing Shares, Subscription Shares and Retainer Shares will rank paripassuwith the existing ordinary shares of 0.01 each ("Ordinary Shares") in all respects. Application will be made for the Placing Shares, Subscription Shares and the Retainer Shares to be admitted to trading on the Aquis Growth Market and Admission is expected to occur on 24 March 2026. Following Admission, the Company will have 86,137,000 Ordinary Shares in issue, each with one voting right. The Company does not hold any shares in treasury and therefore the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 86,137,000. Further information on the Company is available at https://www.stackbitcoin.co.uk/ . For further information please contact: Stack BTC Plc Jai Patel Chief Executive Officer Jai@stackbitcoin.co.uk VSA Capital Limited (AQSE Corporate Adviser and Broker) Andrew Raca Sam Gurung +44 (0) 20 3005 5000 mail@vsacapital.com Yellow Jersey PR Charles Goodwin +44 (0) 774 7788 221 stackbtc@yellowjerseypr.com AlbR Capital Limited (Corporate Broker) Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey Tel: +44 (0)20 7562 0930 Appendix: Notification And Public Disclosure Of Transactions By Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities And Persons Closely Associated With Them Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the "Company" or "Questcorp") is pleased to announce the successful consolidation of key mineral concessions within the La Union Project district in Sonora, Mexico, through the completion of the final payment and transfer of mineral title from Pacific Comox S.A. de C.V. to Riverside Resources Inc.'s wholly owned Mexican subsidiary, RRM Exploracion S.A.P.I. de C.V. The transaction completes the acquisition of three mineral concessions: La Famosa, Dana 7, and Dana 7 which form an important portion of the southern part of the La Union Project district. These concessions are mineral titles 199006, 220840, and 220841, with validity extending from 1994 through 2044 and 2003 through 2053, respectively. This long-term validity and fully titled status fit with the rest of the district mineral titles that the Company is advancing through its spring 2026 mineral exploration program. This transaction secures clear title to strategically important concessions within the southern portion of the La Union Project and strengthens the Company's ability to advance exploration and evaluate potential development opportunities. The concessions were originally secured through an exploration agreement signed in August 2021 between RRM Exploracion S.A.P.I. de C.V. and Pacific Comox S.A. de C.V., which provided Riverside with an option to purchase the claims within a five-year period (2021-2026). With the completion of the final payment of US$125,000, Riverside has now exercised the purchase option, and the titles have been formally transferred to Riverside. The total consideration for the acquisition amounts to US$175,000, and notably no net smelter royalty ("NSR") or any other type of royalty is attached to this transaction. The concessions form an important component of the southern portion of the La Union Project district and align with the Company's broader land position ahead of its planned spring 2026 exploration program. "We are pleased to complete the consolidation of the Famosa area within the Union Project, securing full ownership with no royalty burden for the transaction on these key concessions," said John-Mark Staude, President and CEO, Riverside Resources Inc. "This strengthens our district-scale land position and provides greater flexibility as we continue advancing exploration at Union with our partner Questcorp." The consolidation of the Famosa Area enhances district-scale control and supports ongoing exploration targeting carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) style and structurally controlled gold-silver-polymetallic mineralization. The Famosa Area hosts mineralization within dolomite and quartzite units, consistent with the broader geological setting of the La Union Project. "This transaction represents a meaningful step in consolidating our district-scale footprint at La Union," said Saf Dhillon, President & CEO of Questcorp Mining. "Securing these concessions with no royalty burden enhances the project's long-term potential and provides greater flexibility as we advance exploration alongside our partner Riverside." The Company cautions that a Qualified Person has not verified the historical exploration data referenced in this release. The presence of mineralization on adjacent or nearby properties, including NorthIsle Copper and Gold and BHP properties, is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the North Island Copper Project. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (BC), a Director of the Company and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Questcorp Mining Inc. Questcorp is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metal properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totalling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper property, on Vancouver Island, B.C., subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100-per-cent interest in and to mineral claims totalling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering; and closing of subsequent tranches of the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288925 Source: Questcorp Mining Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE: BYRG) (OTCQB: BYRRF) (FSE: O0K0) ("Bayridge" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on recent corporate activities completed in Baker Lake, Nunavut, in advance of its proposed 2026 early-stage exploration program (the "Program") at its Baker Lake Uranium Project (the "Project"), located approximately 65 kilometres southeast of the community in the Kivalliq Region. The first major community engagement program was conducted from March 10 to March 13, 2026, by Vice President of Exploration, Mark Richardson, and Community Engagement Lead, Kasey Stone. The purpose of the visit was to engage with local stakeholders, share information regarding the proposed Program, and gather community input prior to the commencement of field activities. "We are committed to meaningful and early engagement with the Baker Lake community as we advance the Project," said Mark Richardson, Vice President of Exploration. "The feedback we received during our recent visit was invaluable and has already informed our planning, including the decision to exclude areas identified as important to the community. We appreciate the openness of the discussions and look forward to continuing an open discussion with all key stakeholders". Community Information Session On the evening of March 11, 2026, the Company hosted a public information session at the Baker Lake Community Hall, which was attended by more than 100 community members. The session provided an opportunity for community members to learn about the proposed Program, ask questions, and provide feedback. An Inuktitut interpreter was present to ensure accessibility of information. Community members were also invited to review Project maps and provide input on land use and areas of concern. Ongoing Engagement In addition to formal meetings, the Company engaged with community members through informal discussions during the visit to further understand local perspectives. Feedback received will be considered in the planning and execution of the proposed 2026 Program. "It was important for us to be in the community early, before any work takes place, to listen and learn directly from local knowledge holders," said Kasey Stone, Community Engagement Lead. "The conversations we had both in formal meetings and with community members will play an important role in shaping how we move forward. We are committed to maintaining open and transparent communication throughout all stages of the Project." Regulatory Update The Project has now entered the screening phase with the Nunavut Impact Review Board ("NIRB"). Community engagement is a key component of the regulatory process, and the Company will continue to engage with local organizations and stakeholders as the review progresses. Mark Richardson, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release. About Bayridge Resources Corp. Bayridge Resources Corp. is a green energy company advancing its portfolio of Canadian uranium projects. The 51% owned Baker Lake Uranium Project consists of 83 contiguous claims in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, covering 619 km. Exploration has defined a 75 km unconformity with multiple uranium targets, supported by modern drilling and airborne geophysical surveys. Bayridge has also earned a 40% Interest in the 1,337 ha Waterbury East project, that is located 25 km northeast of the Cigar Lake Mine in the northeastern Athabasca Basin region. Geophysical surveys have identified a 7km long conductivity corridor where mid-2000's drilling highlighted faulted and altered basement rock with local uranium enrichment. Large sections of this corridor remain untested. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: For more information, please contact: Forward-looking information This release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, projections, beliefs and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking information is generally identified by words such as "believe", "project", "aim", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "strategy", "future", "opportunity", "plan", "may", "should", "will", "would", and similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that it will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking information addresses future events and conditions, by its very nature it involves inherent risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release. The forward-looking information included in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288923 Source: Bayridge Resources Corp. Cantourage published preliminary group figures for FY25, reporting sales of 92.8m (eNuW old: 88.6m), implying growth of 82% yoy vs. 50.9m in FY24. Preliminary EBITDA rose to 5.7m, largely in line with our expectations of 6m. Most importantly, the preliminary results confirm the operational momentum cross the group's end markets. This is despite the temporary pricing headwinds in Germany in H2 as the group evidently compensated through volume, an increasing focus on less effected premium strains and strongly growing sales in the UK and Poland. International expansion gaining traction. The company's focused rollout across key European markets is increasingly supporting both top-line growth and overall earnings quality. The UK alone contributed more than 20% of total group revenue in 2025. This is relevant for two main reasons: firstly, UK sales are structurally higher-margin (higher avg. selling price compared to Germany's more volume-driven flower segment; secondly, a broader geographic footprint helps alleviate regulatory concentration risk, which has historically weighed on market sentiment. In addition to the UK, Poland is also expanding at a pace well above the underlying market. Consistent with its strategy, further entries into European markets are likely over the short to medium term (eNuW), reinforcing the company's transition into a pan-European player. Greater emphasis on premiumisation in Germany. Profitability in the German market has come under pressure due to intensified price competition in the lower-end segment, following a surge in supply, partly triggered by regulatory uncertainty and subsequent inventory adjustments across the industry, particularly over the summer period. In response, Cantourage has repositioned its portfolio towards higher-margin premium strains, which tend to be more resilient to demand volatility. As a result, competitive differentiation is shifting away from scale towards product curation and quality. FY26e sales to exceed 100m (8% yoy growth, eNuW) despite the challenging market conditions in Germany as Cantourage is successfully repositioning the local product portfolio and international markets retain high growth rates. More importantly, margins are seen to further improve to 8.5% (EBITDA), +2.4pp yoy, benefitting from the aforementioned premiumisation in Germany and a strategic shift (opportunistically) from pass-through distributor to principal buyer, taking inventory onto its own book and capturing a structurally larger share of the margin stack. Valuation remains deeply undemanding. The prelims reinforce the M&A reference point we established in our last note. The Sanity/Organigram transaction at ~4.2x EV/sales for a wholesale-only, barely profitable business stands in stark contrast to Cantourage's ~0.7x EV/Sales FY25p with a clearly positive and growing EBITDA. The market continues to under-price both the operational trajectory and the de-risking of the regulatory overhang. We confirm our BUY rating with an unchanged 10 PT (DCF-based). ISIN: DE000A3DSV01 Sandoz Group AG / Key word(s): Agreement Sandoz announces partnership agreement with Samsung Bioepis on up to five biosimilars, further expanding its leading pipeline to up to 32 assets 18.03.2026 / 08:30 CET/CEST MEDIA RELEASE Agreement for up to five biosimilar assets, with potential for further collaboration; first asset to be vedolizumab biosimilar Collaboration builds on successful existing partnership; further strengthens Sandoz global position in biosimilars and could expand industry-leading pipeline to up to 32 assets Reinforces commitment to capture significant share of projected ~USD 320 billion biosimilar loss-of-exclusivity market opportunity over next decade Basel, March 18, 2026 - Sandoz (SIX:SDZ/OTCQX:SDZNY), the global leader in affordable medicines, today announced a major license, development and commercialization partnership agreement with Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd., marking a significant step to broaden patient access to high-quality biosimilar medicines worldwide. The agreement paves the way for the two companies to partner on up to five biosimilar assets. The first asset will be a vedolizumab biosimilar, which is in early-stage development. The reference medicine, Entyvio* (vedolizumab), is used to treat adult patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or pouchitis2,3. Under the terms of the agreement, Sandoz will have exclusive rights to commercialize globally, except in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Republic of Korea. Samsung Bioepis will be responsible for development, regulatory submissions in key markets and manufacturing. Both companies have agreed to keep the financial details of the agreement confidential. The partnership could expand the leading Sandoz pipeline to up to 32 assets and reinforces its commitment to capturing a significant share of the projected global biosimilar loss-of-exclusivity market opportunity, estimated at around USD 320 billion over the next decade1. Richard Saynor, Chief Executive Officer, Sandoz, said: "This partnership underscores our unwavering commitment to expanding access to affordable, high-quality medicines for patients worldwide. It is another important step toward capitalizing on the unprecedented biosimilar market opportunity over the next decade while also strengthening our partnership with Samsung Bioepis." Today's news builds on the successful global partnership between the two companies first established in September 2023 for Pyzchiva (ustekinumab), which Sandoz launched in Europe in July 2024 and in the US in February 2025. The Pyzchiva collaboration is unaffected by the partnership announced today. In December 2025, the companies also signed an agreement for the commercialization of Epysqli, a biosimilar to eculizumab (Soliris**), for the Middle East and Africa region. Sandoz continues to develop its leading pipeline of biosimilar medicines, building on its experience as the pioneer and global leader with a portfolio of 13 molecules available in nearly 100 countries. *Entyvio is a registered trademark of Takeda. **Soliris is a registered trademark of Alexion. DISCLAIMER This Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. REFERENCES 1 Covers US and EU markets (2026-2035). Originator sales and LoE based on internal analysis of data from multiple subscription databases. Biosimilar data accessed in September 2025. 2 European Medicines Agency (EMA). Entyvio. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: Entyvio, INN-vedolizumab . [Last accessed March 2026] 3 FDA. Entyvio. Prescribing Information. Available at: ENTYVIO . [Last accessed March 2026] ABOUT SANDOZ Sandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in affordable medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: pioneering access for patients. More than 20,000 colleagues of 100 nationalities work together to ensure over one billion patients are reached by Sandoz, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of approximately 1,300 medicines addresses diseases from the common cold to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to 1886. In 2026, Sandoz celebrates 20 years of pioneering biosimilars, 80 years of antibiotics manufacturing and 140 years of heritage. In 2025, Sandoz recorded net sales of USD 11.1 billion. CONTACTS Global Media Relations contacts Investor Relations contacts Global.MediaRelations@sandoz.com Investor.Relations@sandoz.com Alexis Kalomparis +41 792 790285 Craig Marks +44 7818 942 383 Chris Lewis +49 174 244 9501 Tamara Hackl +41 79 790 5217 Gregor Rodehueser +49 170 574 3200 Silvia Siegfried +41 79 795 9061 End of Media Release View original content: EQS News Brand and marketing leaders have spent the past decade optimising digital campaign spend while watching the connection between that spend and in-store or in-location outcomes grow progressively harder to measure. naoo AG's Generation V release is built around a fundamentally different mechanic - one where the user's physical visit is not inferred from impression data, but confirmed by a check-in and rewarded immediately. The Swiss-listed media technology group has activated naoo business within its rebuilt platform. Users who discover a brand or merchant location on the naoo map, visit it in person, and check in via the app receive naoo points - currently approximately 5 points per qualifying visit, redeemable across a range of rewards. For brand partners, this creates a directly attributable, incentivised footfall mechanism embedded inside a social platform. The User Journey a Brand Partner Activates The day-one experience works as follows: a user opens naoo, browses the map in their city, finds a highlighted location associated with a brand or merchant, travels there, and checks in. The brand has set the point reward; the platform handles delivery and redemption. The result is a closed loop between campaign discovery and physical visit - with a user who has been rewarded for making the journey and is primed to engage further. Curated city discovery content is live at launch in five markets and will expand continuously as more merchant and brand partners are onboarded. Early-entry brand partners have the opportunity to establish presence in the discovery layer while it is still being built, ahead of full-scale opening. The Partnership Structure At the core of naoo's commercial model is a tripartite structure: the naoo platform provides the user base, the map surface, and the check-in and rewards infrastructure; Kingfluencers AG - Switzerland's largest influencer agency and a naoo group company - provides creator networks, campaign management expertise, and brand storytelling; and naoo business provides the activation and redemption mechanism that closes the loop between digital attention and physical visit. For brand managers and retail marketing executives, this means a single-partner relationship spanning campaign creation, audience targeting, local market activation, and measurable footfall incentivisation - with attribution on each qualifying visit. Five Global City Markets, Expanding Content The initial launch covers Zurich, Geneva, Berlin, London and New York City - five markets representing a concentration of premium brand retail and high-value consumer demographics. The curated discovery layer available at launch will grow continuously as the platform adds creators, places, and merchant partners across each city. Brand partners entering now participate in the platform's growth trajectory from the earliest stage. Leadership and Governance naoo AG's operational leadership includes Karl Fleetwood as Chief Operating Officer and Kevin Dragon, who joined as Chief Financial Officer in October 2025. The group employs 41 people and has recently transitioned to IFRS consolidated reporting - a governance posture consistent with multinational brand and agency procurement standards. Kingfluencers AG, naoo's demand-generation subsidiary, brings an established client roster and deep DACH-region expertise, providing immediate commercial credibility for brands entering the ecosystem. "naoo now has a product architecture that can create unique value through local incentives, measurable activation around physical places and new funnel extension opportunities between digital campaigns and real-world interaction." - Thomas Wolfensberger, Founder, naoo AG Next Steps for Brand Partners Brands and agencies interested in early-access conversations around naoo business integration - including the check-in rewards mechanic and city map placement - should contact Karl Fleetwood directly. The phased merchant rollout is in progress, with city discovery content expanding on a rolling basis across all five active markets. naoo AG is listed on the Dusseldorf Stock Exchange (ticker: NAO, ISIN: CH1323306329) and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. Media & Investor Contact Karl Fleetwood | Chief Operating Officer | naoo AG E-Mail: karl.fleetwood@naoo.com | Phone: +41 (0)79 867 10 10 Ticker: NAO | Exchange: Dusseldorf Stock Exchange | ISIN: CH1323306329 Safe Harbor / Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. All figures cited are as publicly disclosed by naoo AG. This document does not constitute financial advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. Investors should rely solely on official company filings and disclosures. The safety and operations forum outlined how amplifying human oversight with software can reduce site risks while improving operational visibility. At EcoOnline's 2026 United Kingdom Ireland Construction Safety and Operations Forum, leaders called for better operational visibility and proactive measures as the sector continued to top the list for worker fatalities in 2024/25. Designed to support collective progress on construction safety, the forum-featuring customers such as AtkinsRealis, Colas Ltd, and Winvic-explored where software can strengthen resilience as pressures intensify. Shifting to leading indicators Rising costs, tighter timelines, and increasingly complex operating conditions are shrinking the margin for error on site, amplifying familiar safety risks and increasing psychosocial pressures on the workforce. That pressure is accelerating a shift from reactive safety practices to proactive, data-led prevention, with leaders putting more emphasis on leading indicators and clearer trend visibility to spot serious harm risks earlier. Pat Sheehan, Associate Director, SHEQ, at Colas Ltd, noted that his team's "focus is on near-miss reporting and trend analysis as leading indicators, so we can act earlier and prevent incidents that have a much higher potential to cause harm." Reinforcing the limits of lagging measures, Dan MacLeod, Global Lead for Programs Systems at AtkinsRealis, said, "We put much more emphasis on Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention. Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) reflects past outcomes, not future risk." Strengthening psychological safety Noticeably distinct from other regions was the emphasis on the link between psychological safety and visibility into safety risks. EcoOnline's 2025 survey of UK workers revealed that the most cited improvement from greater investment in safety was 'more satisfied staff'. Steven Poxton, Senior HSEQ at Winvic, warned that if workers "think blame is coming, reporting drops." He suggested anonymous mobile hazard and incident reporting as one way to remove fear-driven under-reporting and improve visibility into near misses and emerging trends. Ensuring contractor competency With contractor competency varying widely across sites and supervisors increasingly stretched managing checks alongside day-to-day delivery, leaders unanimously agreed there is a growing need to digitise contractor certification, permitting, onboarding, and safety training. The goal is to reduce supervisors' administrative burden and make competency more consistent in the field. This focus aligns with Verdantix's Smart Innovators: Control of Work Software report, where EcoOnline is a featured vendor. The report found that 40% of surveyed medium-, high-, and very-high-risk firms intend to increase control of work software spending in the coming year, and projects that spend will surpass $1.5 billion by 2030. Balancing technology assistance and over-reliance Members of the forum debated how to balance the adoption of new technologies in the era of AI with the need for human oversight. While cameras, automatic braking, and sensors can support safer outcomes on site, they should not replace situational awareness or active supervision. Participants warned that as comfort with these tools grows, it can reduce vigilance and create new hazards. As Pat Sheehan at Colas Ltd said, "Technology can reduce risk, but it does not remove the need for people to think and intervene." Tom Goodmanson, CEO of EcoOnline, said, "As pressures grow and technology moves faster than ever, construction leaders are looking for a trusted partner to help carry the burden, so they can protect people and future-proof their business. That's why we bring leaders together through forums like this: to share what's working, debate priorities, and accelerate safer operations. Our role is to support better decisions with insight, not replace human judgement. As the forum reinforced, construction safety should be data-driven, but it is fundamentally people-centred." Learn more about how EcoOnline supports construction safety. About EcoOnline EcoOnline delivers uncomplicated environment, health and safety (EHS), chemical management and ESG/sustainability technology solutions to forward-thinking leaders. Safeguarding your entire workforce, from frontline employees to lone workers and contractors, EcoOnline's always-on solutions support your organisation through everyday operations and moments of emergency and crisis alike. Our connected suite of SaaS software enables over 11,000 businesses to protect their people and the planet by ensuring compliance, risk visibility and mitigation, operational predictability, and long-term resilience. Backed by an unwavering commitment to customer success, EcoOnline's software is powerful yet simple to use built on decades of real-world expertise, data and insights. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318352923/en/ Contacts: Media contact Alyssa Fishwick, Sr. Director, Global PR alyssa.fishwick@ecoonline.com Die Markte feiern neue Rekorde doch im Hintergrund braut sich eine Entwicklung zusammen, die alles verandern konnte. Die anhaltende Sperrung der Strae von Hormus sorgt laut IEA fur eine der groten Energiekrisen aller Zeiten. Gleichzeitig schieen die Preise fur Dungemittel und Agrarrohstoffe bereits nach oben. Damit droht ein perfekter Sturm: steigende Energiepreise, explodierende Produktionskosten und ein moglicher Super-El-Nino, der weltweit Ernten gefahrdet. Erste Auswirkungen sind langst sichtbar Weizen, Soja und Kakao verteuern sich deutlich, wahrend Lebensmittelpreise vor dem nachsten Sprung stehen konnten. Fur Anleger bedeutet das nicht nur Risiken, sondern enorme Chancen. Denn wahrend klassische Markte unter Druck geraten konnten, entsteht auf den Feldern und Plantagen der nachste groe Rohstoffzyklus. Wer sich jetzt richtig positioniert, kann von einer Entwicklung profitieren, die weit uber Ol und Metalle hinausgeht. In unserem aktuellen Spezialreport stellen wir drei Aktien vor, die besonders aussichtsreich sind, um von diesem Trend zu profitieren solide positioniert, strategisch relevant und mit erheblichem Aufwartspotenzial. Jetzt den kostenlosen Report sichern bevor der Agrar-Boom voll durchschlagt! COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Omada A/S ("Omada"), a global leader of AI-powered Identity Security and Governance, today announced the appointment of Jakob H. Kraglund as Chief Executive Officer. Kraglund joins Omada with an extensive track record of driving growth and digital transformation. He most recently served as CEO at TARGIT, a GRO portfolio company that recently achieved a successful exit, as well as CEO roles at Traen (now Formpipe), and Cambio Healthcare Systems. Earlier in his career, Kraglund spent many years at Accenture Denmark, where he served as Partner and Country Managing Director. Lars Dybkjr, Managing Partner, GRO, said: "We'd like to thank Michael Garrett for his leadership and the important contributions he has made to Omada over the last six years. Jakob is the right person to lead Omada into its next chapter. His experience driving growth in focused markets and his deep operational expertise will be instrumental as we accelerate our strategy and continue delivering value to our customers and partners." Jakob H. Kraglund, CEO, Omada, said: "Omada is at an exciting inflection point. With the growing use of AI agents, organizations face new IT security challenges. Identity governance is a critical foundation for ensuring that autonomous systems operate within defined policies and business constraints. Omada's strength in governance uniquely positions us to address these challenges, and we are investing heavily in innovation to extend our platform into the next generation of agentic and non-human identity governance. I look forward to working with the Omada team and our partners to deliver the next generation of IGA for AI to enterprises globally." With the updated leadership, Omada is well positioned to further accelerate growth as companies rethink identity security for an era defined by AI-driven systems, cloud-native architectures, and the rapid development of non-human identities. About Omada Omada is a leader in identity security and governance, helping organizations reduce risk by securing access for every identity, human and non-human. Omada's platform uses AI-driven insights and intelligent automation to improve efficiency, compliance and security. With unified visibility and continuous risk evaluation, Omada enables security teams to detect threats faster, strengthen control, and scale identity security without added complexity. For more information visit: https://omadaidentity.com/ Media Contact:? Diana Diaz Force4 Technology Communications diana.diaz@force4.co Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2936710/Omada_JakobH_Kraglund.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1730116/5870428/Omada_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/omada-appoints-jakob-h-kraglund-as-ceo-to-accelerate-global-growth-302716856.html NEW DELHI, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest study published by Vyansa Intelligence, the Global Industrial Gases Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 4.96% during 2026-2032. The market expansion is primarily supported by rising demand from manufacturing industries, increasing utilization across chemicals and petrochemicals, expanding healthcare applications, and growing metal processing and energy sector activities worldwide. Asia-Pacific dominated the global market in 2025, accounting for nearly 40% of total revenue, supported by the region's strong manufacturing ecosystem, expanding chemical production, and rapid industrialization across emerging economies. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea continue to witness significant demand for industrial gases across steel production, electronics manufacturing, petrochemical processing, and healthcare infrastructure development, further strengthening the region's leadership in the global market. Global Industrial Gases Market Key Takeaways The Global Industrial Gases Market is expected to grow from USD 107.2 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 150.43 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of around 4.96% during 2026-2032. Nitrogen gas accounted for nearly 35% of the global market share in 2025, reflecting its extensive utilization across industrial applications such as inerting, blanketing, food preservation, electronics manufacturing, and chemical processing. Packaged gas supply (merchant sales) represented approximately 30% of the total supply mode share, highlighting its importance for industries requiring flexible and decentralized gas distribution solutions. More than 25 companies are actively engaged in the production and distribution of industrial gases globally, with the top five companies collectively accounting for around 60% of the market share, indicating a moderately consolidated competitive environment. Leading companies operating in the Global Industrial Gases Market include Iwatani Corporation, BASF SE, INOX-Air Products Inc., Linde Plc, Air Liquide S.A., among others. Key Demand Drivers Supporting the Expansion of the Global Industrial Gases Market Growth of Manufacturing and Industrial Processing Activities Industrial gases serve as critical inputs in modern manufacturing operations across industries such as metals and mining, electronics, chemicals, and energy production. Gases including oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and argon are extensively used in processes such as metal cutting, welding, heat treatment, and chemical synthesis. As global manufacturing output continues to expand, particularly across rapidly industrializing economies, the need for reliable and high-purity industrial gas supply systems is increasing steadily. Furthermore, the rising integration of advanced production technologies, automation systems, and precision manufacturing techniques is reinforcing the demand for consistent gas supply to maintain operational efficiency, safety, and product quality across industrial facilities. Industrial gases serve as critical inputs in modern manufacturing operations across industries such as metals and mining, electronics, chemicals, and energy production. Gases including oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and argon are extensively used in processes such as metal cutting, welding, heat treatment, and chemical synthesis. As global manufacturing output continues to expand, particularly across rapidly industrializing economies, the need for reliable and high-purity industrial gas supply systems is increasing steadily. Furthermore, the rising integration of advanced production technologies, automation systems, and precision manufacturing techniques is reinforcing the demand for consistent gas supply to maintain operational efficiency, safety, and product quality across industrial facilities. Expanding Chemical and Petrochemical Production Capacity The chemical and petrochemical sectors represent one of the largest consumption areas for industrial gases globally. Hydrogen plays a key role in petroleum refining and petrochemical processing, while nitrogen is widely used for inerting, purging, and blanketing chemical reactors and storage infrastructure. Oxygen is also commonly applied in oxidation reactions and other chemical synthesis processes. As global demand for plastics, specialty chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial intermediates continues to rise, chemical manufacturing capacities are expanding across several regions. This sustained growth in chemical processing activities is expected to generate steady demand for industrial gases over the coming years. The chemical and petrochemical sectors represent one of the largest consumption areas for industrial gases globally. Hydrogen plays a key role in petroleum refining and petrochemical processing, while nitrogen is widely used for inerting, purging, and blanketing chemical reactors and storage infrastructure. Oxygen is also commonly applied in oxidation reactions and other chemical synthesis processes. As global demand for plastics, specialty chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial intermediates continues to rise, chemical manufacturing capacities are expanding across several regions. This sustained growth in chemical processing activities is expected to generate steady demand for industrial gases over the coming years. Increasing Demand from Healthcare and Medical Applications Industrial gases are becoming increasingly indispensable to modern healthcare systems worldwide. Medical oxygen, in particular, plays a vital role in respiratory therapy, emergency treatment, and surgical procedures. Additionally, gases such as nitrous oxide, helium, and medical-grade carbon dioxide are widely utilized in anesthesia delivery, diagnostics, and medical imaging technologies. With healthcare infrastructure expanding across both developed and emerging economies, along with rising surgical procedures and growing investments in hospital facilities, the demand for medical-grade gases is expected to increase steadily in the years ahead. Industrial gases are becoming increasingly indispensable to modern healthcare systems worldwide. Medical oxygen, in particular, plays a vital role in respiratory therapy, emergency treatment, and surgical procedures. Additionally, gases such as nitrous oxide, helium, and medical-grade carbon dioxide are widely utilized in anesthesia delivery, diagnostics, and medical imaging technologies. With healthcare infrastructure expanding across both developed and emerging economies, along with rising surgical procedures and growing investments in hospital facilities, the demand for medical-grade gases is expected to increase steadily in the years ahead. Rising Utilization Across Metals, Steel, and Energy Industries The metals and steel industry represents another significant consumer of industrial gases, particularly oxygen and argon, which are widely used in steelmaking, metal refining, and metallurgical processing. Oxygen enhances combustion efficiency and improves furnace productivity, while argon is commonly employed as a shielding gas during welding and metal fabrication operations. As global infrastructure development, automotive manufacturing, and construction activities continue to expand, demand for steel and processed metals is rising accordingly. This growing metallurgical activity is expected to further stimulate industrial gas consumption across metal processing industries worldwide. Key Operational Challenges Affecting the Global Industrial Gases Market High Capital Requirements for Infrastructure and Distribution The production and distribution of industrial gases require significant capital investment in cryogenic air separation plants, pipeline networks, liquefaction facilities, and specialized storage infrastructure. Establishing and maintaining these large-scale supply systems involves substantial operational expenditure, particularly for bulk gas delivery and on-site generation models. For smaller manufacturers and regional suppliers, these infrastructure requirements can create considerable barriers to market entry and expansion. Consequently, companies operating in the industrial gases sector must carefully manage capital allocation while maintaining reliable and efficient supply capabilities. The production and distribution of industrial gases require significant capital investment in cryogenic air separation plants, pipeline networks, liquefaction facilities, and specialized storage infrastructure. Establishing and maintaining these large-scale supply systems involves substantial operational expenditure, particularly for bulk gas delivery and on-site generation models. For smaller manufacturers and regional suppliers, these infrastructure requirements can create considerable barriers to market entry and expansion. Consequently, companies operating in the industrial gases sector must carefully manage capital allocation while maintaining reliable and efficient supply capabilities. Energy-Intensive Production Technologies Industrial gas production processes, such as cryogenic air separation and hydrogen generation, are highly energy-intensive and require substantial electricity consumption. As a result, fluctuations in energy prices and broader volatility in global energy markets can significantly impact production costs for gas manufacturers. To address these challenges, companies are increasingly focusing on optimizing plant operations, adopting energy-efficient production technologies, and integrating advanced monitoring systems. These initiatives are essential for improving operational efficiency and maintaining cost competitiveness within the global industrial gases industry. Strategic Investments and Technological Progress in the Global Industrial Gases Industry The global industrial gases industry continues to witness strategic investments and technological advancements as leading companies focus on expanding production capabilities and supporting the transition toward low-carbon industrial processes. Major market participants are investing in large-scale infrastructure projects and innovative technologies aimed at improving supply efficiency and enabling cleaner energy applications. In 2025, Linde Plc signed a long-term agreement with Blue Point Number One to supply industrial gases to a 1.4 million metric-ton low-carbon ammonia production facility in Louisiana, United States. As part of the agreement, Linde will invest more than USD 400 million to build and operate a world-scale air separation unit that will supply oxygen and nitrogen to the facility. The project, expected to commence operations in 2029, highlights the growing role of industrial gas companies in supporting large-scale energy transition projects and sustainable chemical production. Later in 2025, Air Liquide S.A. achieved a major technological milestone with the successful start-up of the world's first industrial-scale ammonia cracking pilot unit at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium. The facility, with a capacity of 30 tons per day, enables the conversion of ammonia into hydrogen and represents an important step toward developing efficient hydrogen supply chains. This development underscores the increasing focus on hydrogen technologies and reinforces the strategic importance of industrial gases in enabling low-carbon energy solutions and industrial decarbonization efforts. Together, these developments demonstrate how leading industrial gas companies are strengthening production infrastructure, advancing clean energy technologies, and positioning themselves to support evolving industrial and energy sector requirements worldwide. View Full Report and request to get the sample pages at: https://www.vyansaintelligence.com/industry-report/industrial-gases-market-outlook Market Analysis by Gas Type, Supply Mode & Region By gas type, nitrogen gas accounted for nearly 35% of the global industrial gases market share in 2025, making it the most widely consumed industrial gas worldwide. This dominance is primarily attributed to nitrogen's inert characteristics, which make it highly suitable for a broad range of industrial applications. It is extensively used in processes such as inerting, blanketing, purging, food preservation, electronics manufacturing, and chemical processing. Additionally, nitrogen offers cost-effective production and high operational versatility, enabling its widespread adoption across multiple industries. As manufacturing activities continue to expand and industries increasingly prioritize process safety and product quality, the demand for nitrogen gas is expected to remain strong throughout the forecast period. By supply mode, packaged gas supply, commonly referred to as merchant sales, accounted for approximately 30% of the total market share in 2025. This distribution model plays a crucial role in meeting the needs of small- and medium-scale industrial users that require flexible, reliable, and decentralized gas supply solutions. Packaged gas delivery enables industries to access industrial gases without investing in large-scale storage or on-site generation infrastructure. Consequently, sectors such as metal fabrication, healthcare, food processing, and laboratories rely heavily on packaged gas supply for operational convenience and efficiency. As industrial diversification continues and smaller manufacturing facilities expand globally, merchant gas supply is expected to remain an important distribution channel in the industrial gases market. By region, Asia-Pacific dominated the global industrial gases market in 2025, accounting for approximately 40% of the total market share. The region's leadership is largely driven by its strong manufacturing sector, expanding chemical production capacity, and growing infrastructure development. Major economies such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea contribute significantly to regional demand through large-scale steel production, electronics manufacturing, petrochemical processing, and healthcare infrastructure expansion. With continued industrialization and increasing investment in manufacturing capabilities, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to maintain its leading position in the global industrial gases market throughout the forecast period. View Full Report (All Data, In One Place): https://www.vyansaintelligence.com/industry-report/industrial-gases-market-outlook(Explore in-depth analyses, technological trends, and investment patterns.) Top Companies Strengthening the Global Industrial Gases Industry Prominent companies shaping the competitive landscape include: Iwatani Corporation BASF SE INOX-Air Products Inc. Linde Plc Air Liquide S.A. Air Products and Chemicals Inc. Messer Group GmbH Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation Matheson Tri-Gas Inc. Gulf Cryo SOL Group Yingde Gases Group SIAD Group Universal Industrial Gases Inc. Praxair Technology Inc. Global Industrial Gases Market Scope By Gas: Nitrogen Gas, Oxygen Gas, Carbon Dioxide Gas, Argon Gas, Hydrogen Gas, Helium Gas, Acetylene Gas, Others By Application: Combustion and Process Oxygen, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Inerting Blanketing and Heat Treating, Cryogenics and Liquefaction, Chemical Synthesis and Hydrogenation, Purging and Purification, Analytical and Calibration By Supply Mode: Packaged Gas Supply (Merchant Sales), Bulk or Liquid Gas Supply, On-site Generation or Pipeline Supply, Gas-as-a-Service Model By End User Industry: Oil and Gas, Petrochemicals and Chemicals, Power and Energy, Mining, Steelmaking, Metals, Healthcare, Food and Beverages, Fertilizers, Others By Region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, South America Browse More Reports on Industrial Gases Japan Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases market size in Japan was estimated at USD 5.19 billion in 2025, and is expected to grow to USD 6.17 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a CAGR of around 2.5% during 2026-32. India Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases market size in India was estimated at USD 1.45 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 2.24 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a CAGR of around 6.41% during 2026-32. China Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases market size in China was estimated at USD 13.92 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 19.82 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a CAGR of around 5.18% during 2026-32. Kuwait Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases in Kuwait is estimated at USD 195 million in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 270 million by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 4.76% during 2026-32. US Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases in US is estimated at USD 24.87 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 38 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 6.24% during 2026-32. Saudi Arabia Industrial Gases Market: The industrial gases in Saudi Arabia is estimated at USD 1.58 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 2.54 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 7.02% during 2026-32. Middle East Industrial Gases Market: The Middle East industrial gases market is estimated at USD 9.87 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 13.69 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 4.78% during 2026-32. GCC Industrial Gases Market: The GCC industrial gases market is estimated at USD 2.88 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 4.5 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 6.58% during 2026-32. Latin America Industrial Gases Market: The Latin America industrial gases market is estimated at USD 8.58 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 11.73 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 4.57% during 2026-32. Asia Pacific Industrial Gases Market: The Asia pacific industrial gases market is estimated at USD 40 billion and is expected to grow to USD 50 billion by 2032. Also, the market is projected to register a cagr of around 3.24% during 2026-32. About Vyansa Intelligence Vyansa Intelligence is a global market research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering strategic, data-driven insights across a broad spectrum of high-growth and emerging industries. The firm specializes in analyzing market trends, competitive dynamics, technological innovations, and regulatory developments that shape the evolving global business environment. Leveraging a rigorous and structured research methodology, Vyansa Intelligence integrates proprietary forecasting models with carefully validated primary research and credible secondary data sources. This comprehensive approach ensures the accuracy, reliability, and relevance of the market intelligence it provides. Through in-depth industry analysis and forward-looking insights, Vyansa Intelligence supports corporations, investors, and decision-makers in identifying emerging opportunities, mitigating potential risks, and developing effective long-term business strategies. Committed to excellence in market intelligence, the company continues to deliver actionable insights that enable organizations to achieve sustainable growth and strengthen their competitive position in an increasingly dynamic global marketplace. Contact Us: Vyansa Intelligence Office: Office No.110, H-159, Sector 63, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201301, India Contact No: +91 7065555003 Email:sales@vyansaintelligence.com Website: vyansaintelligence.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2929228/Vyansa_Intelligence_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/industrial-gases-market-worldwide-to-surpass-usd-150-43-billion-by-2032--driven-by-steady-industrial-demand-says-vyansa-intelligence-302715108.html There is a specific category of startup risk that rarely gets discussed: the cost of outgrowing your own architecture before the product thesis is proven. naoo AG just addressed it head-on - replacing both frontend and backend simultaneously, shipping its most commercially significant feature to date, and activating a real user-facing rewards mechanic, all in a single release. Generation V is not a minor version bump. The Zug-based social and commerce platform has rebuilt on an enterprise-grade Java backend, redesigned its entire navigation system, and shipped naoo business: a merchant integration layer built directly into the main application, with a live check-in and points mechanic that works from day one. The Core Loop The user experience is deliberately simple: open the app, go to the map, find a highlighted place nearby, go there, check in, receive points. Participating locations currently reward users with approximately 5 naoo points per qualifying check-in, redeemable within the naoo ecosystem. The entire loop - digital discovery to physical visit to verifiable reward - is live at launch across five cities: Zurich, Geneva, Berlin, London and New York. The curated content layer that populates the map is active now and will expand continuously as more creators and merchant partners are onboarded. The platform is launching with the core experience fully functional; the discovery surface grows from here. This is a deliberate sequencing choice: ship the mechanic first, scale the content layer second. Why the Architecture Decision Matters The choice of a Java backend for a consumer social platform is a deliberate engineering signal. Java's performance characteristics under concurrent load and enterprise toolchain maturity are suited to the multi-sided interaction naoo is building toward: content creators, end users, and merchant partners operating simultaneously within the same session - each receiving a personalised, location-relevant experience. The map infrastructure is the most architecturally significant component of Generation V. Maps in social platforms are typically cosmetic - a layer on top of content. In Generation V, the map is structural: it is the primary organising mechanism for how content, places, check-in events, and merchant reward offers connect. Without a map that can handle dynamic merchant data, user location signals, and creator content simultaneously, the check-in rewards loop does not work reliably at scale. The AI Layer Underneath Generation V does not exist in isolation. Since mid-2025, naoo has shipped a sequence of AI infrastructure milestones: naoo Sense 2 (a proprietary AI feed recommendation algorithm, June 2025), an in-house machine learning platform (December 2025), naoo search (a semantic hybrid AI discovery layer connecting content, creators, places and products, December 2025), and the strategic AI data platform Gaia (May 2025). Head of AI Dr. David Liu joined from eBay. These are the infrastructure layers that make local relevance - the core premise of the check-in and rewards mechanic - function at scale rather than as a prototype. Business Model Mechanics The commercial structure is three-layered: naoo business allows merchants to set point incentives for physical location visits; the naoo platform delivers those incentives to users via the map and check-in flow; and Kingfluencers AG - Switzerland's largest influencer agency, now a naoo group company - runs the creator and campaign layer above the platform that drives initial user discovery. The demand-generation and the reward redemption are, for the first time, inside the same product. With approximately 160,000 cumulative downloads providing the installed base, the near-term question for observers is the rate at which check-in engagement converts that base into active, monetisable local commerce activity. "With Generation V, naoo now has a product architecture that can create unique value through local incentives, measurable activation around physical places and new funnel extension opportunities between digital attention and real-world interaction." - Thomas Wolfensberger, Founder, naoo AG The Broader Thesis What naoo is building sits at the intersection of three structural trends: the disaggregation of social media audiences from incumbent platforms, the growth of creator-led local commerce, and the persistent brand challenge of connecting digital campaign spend to measurable in-location outcomes. The check-in and points mechanic is the technical mechanism that makes the third of these tractable. Visit your city and get paid for it is not just a user proposition - it is the architectural premise of the entire platform. Generation V is the infrastructure. The content and merchant expansion layer is what comes next. Media & Investor Contact Karl Fleetwood | Chief Operating Officer | naoo AG E-Mail: karl.fleetwood@naoo.com | Phone: +41 (0)79 867 10 10 Ticker: NAO | Exchange: Dusseldorf Stock Exchange | ISIN: CH1323306329 Safe Harbor / Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. All figures cited are as publicly disclosed by naoo AG. This document does not constitute financial advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. Investors should rely solely on official company filings and disclosures. medmix AG Neuhofstrasse 20 CH-6430 Baar communications@medmix.com www.medmix.swiss DOWNLOAD MEDIA RELEASE MEDIA RELEASE TIME names medmix as one of "World's Best Companies for Sustainable Growth 2026" Baar, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - medmix has been included in the 2026 edition of the "World's Best Companies for Sustainable Growth", a global ranking compiled by TIME Magazine in collaboration with data and research firm Statista. The list recognizes 500 companies worldwide that pair strong, profitable development with demonstrable progress in environmental performance. The distinction places medmix among an elite group of organizations that excel across select critical dimensions, such as financial stability and environmental impact, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, water consumption, and renewable energy usage. Out of more than 4'000 global companies evaluated across all industries that transparently disclose environmental performance data, only 500 made the final list. "Being named one of TIME's World's Best Companies for Sustainable Growth 2026 is a strong confirmation of our strategy," said Rene Willi, CEO of medmix. "We are continuously improving our environmental performance and transparency for our stakeholders. This external validation reinforces that sustainability is a driver of innovation that benefits our customers, our business, and the planet." By using post-consumer recycled materials, improving resource efficiency, and pursuing science-based emission reduction targets, medmix translates its environmental commitments into measurable progress and long-term business performance. These efforts highlight medmix' ongoing commitment to sustainability across its operations and innovation pipeline. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10892/288959_figure1.jpg -Ends- About medmix medmix is a global leader in high-precision delivery devices, with leading positions in healthcare, consumer and industrial end-markets. Our customers benefit from our dedication to innovation and technological advancement that has resulted in over 900 active patents. Our 14 production sites worldwide together with our highly motivated and experienced team of nearly 2'700 employees are at service of our customers with uncompromising quality, proximity and agility. medmix is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Our shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: MEDX). www.medmix.swiss This document may contain forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, projections of financial developments, market activity, or future performance of products and solutions containing risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to change based on known or unknown risks and various other factors that could cause actual results or performance to differ materially from the statements made herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288959 Source: medmix AG HILLSBORO, Ore. and KAOHSIUNG, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor equipment supplier E&R Engineering Corp. (8027.TW) today announced its new office in Hillsboro, Portland. Following the establishment of its Phoenix, Arizona site, this second North American hub marks a milestone in providing localized support within the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem. Closer to Key Customers, with Order Visibility Extending to 2027 Driven by surging demand for advanced packaging, E&R's dual-site strategy (Portland and Phoenix) ensures "Real-time Response" for Tier-1 clients. Kevin Chang, General Manager of E&R USA, noted that order visibility in the North American market now extends into 2027. Our dual-site strategy in Portland and Phoenix significantly bolsters our service capacity for Tier-1 clients and shortens technical support cycles. Notably, E&R's first Phoenix collaboration with industry partners will jointly provide after-sales support and parts trading for North American end-customers. AIS: A New Revenue Engine Leveraging its extensive experience in hardware-software integration, E&R is introducing its AIS (Automation Integration Service) solution to North America. Unlike traditional single-equipment offerings, AIS integrates multiple process modules into unified, custom systems. This "design-to-implementation" model has already secured orders and started contributing to revenue. E&R expects significant growth between late 2026 and 2027 as AIS gains wider adoption in advanced manufacturing. Building a Taiwan-U.S. Semiconductor Partner Platform Kevin Chang further noted the Portland office acts as a "Semiconductor Partner Platform," bridging Taiwanese industry peers and supply chain partners to the U.S. market. This connects Taiwan-U.S. ecosystems for global competition, with several partners already engaging end-customers to integrate Taiwanese supply chains. To support expansion, E&R Engineering has announced a large-scale North American recruitment drive for key roles: Field Service Engineers : Providing on-site equipment maintenance and process optimization. : Providing on-site equipment maintenance and process optimization. Project Managers (PM): Managing multinational project coordination and AIS solutions, facilitating alignment between clients and supply chain partners About E&R Engineering Founded in 1988, E&R Engineering Corp. (8027.TW) specializes in the R&D and manufacturing of process equipment for the semiconductor, FPC, and LED industries. With core strengths in laser applications, plasma cleaning, and precision automation, E&R has become an indispensable strategic partner for global industry leaders, providing excellence in technical services through its global network. E&R Website: https://en.enr.com.tw/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2936765/image1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/er-engineering-officially-opens-portland-office-expands-dual-us-presence-and-launches-ais-automation-integration-services-302717180.html London and Washington, DC Events will examine emerging risks and regulatory change ROCKVILLE, Md., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- StarCompliance (Star), a leading provider of employee and firm compliance technology, today revealed the industry experts and key topics set to headline its signature Synergy events in London on April 23 and Washington, DC from May 6-8. Bringing together a powerful cross-section of market-leading firms from across global financial services, Synergy '26 will serve as a forum for the industry to connect, exchange ideas, and stay ahead of accelerating regulatory and technological change. Sessions from both events will explore key regulatory milestones, highlight real-world transformation stories, and provide practical perspectives on AI in compliance, equipping attendees with actionable insights and next-gen solutions to advance their firms' compliance programs. "In an environment where regulation, technology, and risk are evolving faster than ever, staying ahead requires adaptability and open dialogue," said Jennifer Sun, CEO of Star. "I'm always excited to see our clients and the compliance industry as a whole, come together at Synergy to share their challenges, exchange ideas, and leave better equipped to strengthen their compliance programs and prepare for what comes next." Key Synergy speakers include: Troy A. Paredes, former Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - will break down today's most pressing regulatory challenges. - will break down today's most pressing regulatory challenges. Fizza Khan, Founder and CEO of Silver Regulatory Associates - will unpack the rapidly evolving crypto regulatory landscape. - will unpack the rapidly evolving crypto regulatory landscape. Miroslav Duric, Financial Regulation Partner, Taylor Wessing - will explore how firms can operationalize MiCA. - will explore how firms can operationalize MiCA. Richard Edwards, General Insurance Training & Competency Systems Manage r , NFU Mutual - will share how NFU Mutual transformed its QA and sales compliance approach. r - will share how NFU Mutual transformed its QA and sales compliance approach. Ronnie Chung, Founder of Envisioned AI - will examine how AI and large language models are reshaping compliance. Space for Synergy '26 events is limited. Compliance professionals interested in attending are encouraged to reserve their seats early to secure participation in these highly anticipated industry gatherings. To learn more and register, visit [HERE] Synergy events are recognized by the CPD Standards Office, allowing attendees to earn credits toward their annual Continued Professional Development (CPD) requirements. CPD credits are also available for other Star educational events and webinars throughout the year, reflecting the company's commitment to ongoing learning for compliance professionals. To learn more about StarCompliance, click [HERE] Media Contact Greg.tarmin@starcompliance.com +1 917-868-7791 Correction: An earlier version of this release had the incorrect titles for both Richard Edwards and Ronnie Chung in the bulleted list. Both titles have been updated. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2582427/Star_Compliance_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-compliance-leaders-to-gather-at-starcompliance-synergy-26-302716633.html NEW DELHI, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the in-depth research study by MarkNtel Advisors, the Global PropTech Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 15.7% during 2026-2032. The market expansion is primarily driven by the increasing digital transformation of the real estate industry, the growing adoption of data-driven property management platforms, and the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, digital twins, and big-data analytics into property transactions and asset management. As real estate stakeholders increasingly seek more efficient, transparent, and automated solutions, proptech platforms are rapidly transforming how properties are bought, sold, managed, and financed across global markets. Regionally, North America dominates the Global PropTech Market, accounting for approximately 37% of the total market share in 2026. The region's leadership is supported by a highly mature real estate sector, strong venture capital investment in proptech startups, and widespread adoption of digital property management technologies. In addition, the presence of major proptech companies, advanced digital infrastructure, and strong demand for smart building technologies continues to strengthen the region's position as a global innovation hub for real estate technology. The growing use of AI-powered property analytics, online brokerage platforms, and digital transaction systems across the United States and Canada further contributes to regional market expansion. Global PropTech Market Key Takeaways The Global PropTech Market was valued at approximately USD 29.19 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 32.5 billion in 2026 to nearly USD 77.98 billion by 2032, reflecting substantial growth driven by increasing technology adoption across the real estate sector and rising demand for digital property solutions. By property type, the commercial segment represented a significant share of about 54% of the Global PropTech Market in 2026. The increasing adoption of proptech platforms within commercial real estate, including office buildings, retail properties, and co-working spaces, has significantly contributed to this segment's growth. By technology, the construction technology segment accounted for approximately 45% of the Global PropTech Market share in 2026. The increasing integration of digital twins, building information modeling (BIM), and AI-driven construction analytics continues to accelerate the adoption of construction-focused proptech solutions globally. The presence of major proptech companies and technology innovators continues to strengthen the competitive landscape through investments in digital property platforms, smart building technologies, and AI-driven real estate analytics. Download a FREE PDF Sample of the Report https://www.marknteladvisors.com/query/request-sample/proptech-market.html (Discover key market trends, growth opportunities, and industry insights.) Major Trends Transforming the Global PropTech Landscape Increasing Digital Transformation Across the Real Estate Sector One of the key factors driving the growth of the global proptech market is the rapid digital transformation occurring across the real estate industry. Traditionally, real estate operations relied on manual processes, fragmented data systems, and limited technological integration, which often reduced operational efficiency and transparency. However, growing demand for streamlined processes and data-driven decision-making is encouraging stakeholders to adopt advanced digital solutions. Proptech platforms enable property developers, brokers, investors, and managers to digitize critical functions such as property listings, lease administration, tenant management, and asset performance monitoring. These platforms also facilitate online property transactions, digital documentation, and automated valuation systems, improving transparency and efficiency across the property lifecycle. Furthermore, the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence and big-data analytics is enabling real estate firms to analyze market trends, evaluate property performance, and identify investment opportunities more effectively, thereby accelerating the global adoption of proptech solutions. Rising Demand for Smart Buildings and Technology-Enabled Property Management The increasing demand for smart buildings and technology-enabled property management solutions is another major factor supporting the growth of the global proptech market. With rapid urbanization and rising expectations for efficient building operations, property developers and managers are increasingly integrating advanced digital technologies into residential and commercial infrastructure. Technologies such as IoT-based sensor networks, automated building management systems, and digital monitoring platforms enable property managers to track energy consumption, manage security systems, and monitor facility performance in real time. These capabilities not only enhance operational efficiency but also support sustainability initiatives by improving resource utilization and reducing energy consumption. Additionally, the expansion of co-working spaces, flexible office environments, and shared residential models is creating a growing need for digital platforms capable of managing dynamic occupancy patterns and flexible leasing arrangements. As these trends reshape real estate operations, proptech solutions are becoming essential for enabling smarter and more efficient property ecosystems. Major Challenges Influencing the Growth of the PropTech Industry Data Integration Challenges and Regulatory Complexities Despite the strong growth potential of the proptech market, several challenges continue to influence its widespread adoption. One of the major barriers is the difficulty of integrating modern proptech platforms with the legacy systems still used by many real estate companies and property managers. Many organizations continue to rely on traditional operational frameworks that were not designed to support advanced digital technologies, making system integration complex and often costly. In addition, concerns related to data privacy, cybersecurity risks, and regulatory compliance can affect the deployment of digital property platforms. Since proptech solutions often manage sensitive financial and transactional data, companies must ensure robust data protection measures and secure digital infrastructure. Furthermore, varying regulatory frameworks governing property transactions, leasing agreements, and investment activities across different countries can create additional challenges for proptech companies expanding internationally. However, ongoing technological advancements and improved interoperability between digital platforms are expected to gradually address these challenges. Market Analysis by Property Type, Technology & Region By property type, the commercial segment held the largest share of the Global PropTech Market in 2026, accounting for approximately 54% of the total market share. The strong dominance of this segment is primarily attributed to the increasing adoption of digital technologies across corporate offices, retail properties, and co-working spaces. Property owners and managers are increasingly leveraging proptech platforms to optimize space utilization, streamline tenant management, and improve overall building operations. In addition, advanced solutions such as smart access systems, digital leasing platforms, and real-time facility monitoring tools are enabling greater operational efficiency. As businesses continue to prioritize flexible workspaces and data-driven property management, the adoption of proptech solutions within commercial real estate is expected to expand further. By technology, the construction technology segment accounted for the largest share of the Global PropTech Market in 2026, representing approximately 45% of the total market share. The growing adoption of digital solutions within construction activities is significantly contributing to the expansion of this segment. Construction technology platforms enable developers and contractors to enhance project planning, monitor construction progress in real time, and improve coordination among architects, engineers, and project managers. Additionally, advanced technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence-driven project analytics, and augmented reality-based construction visualization are transforming traditional construction practices. These innovations help improve project efficiency, reduce operational risks, and support more accurate project execution across modern real estate development projects. Regionally, North America dominated the Global PropTech Market, accounting for approximately 37% of the total market share in 2026. The region's leadership is supported by strong venture capital investments in proptech startups, the rapid adoption of digital real estate platforms, and the presence of leading technology companies driving industry innovation. Additionally, a well-established real estate sector and advanced digital infrastructure are enabling faster integration of technology-driven property solutions across the region. The United States remains a key hub for proptech development, supported by increasing investments in artificial intelligence-powered property analytics, online brokerage platforms, and digital real estate marketplaces. These factors continue to strengthen North America's position within the global proptech landscape. View Full Report (All Data, In One Place) https://www.marknteladvisors.com/research-library/proptech-market.html(Explore in-depth analyses, technology trends, and investment opportunities.) Recent Strategic Developments Shaping the Global PropTech Market The global proptech market continues to witness notable strategic developments as leading companies focus on technological innovation, data-driven solutions, and strategic acquisitions to strengthen their market position. These initiatives reflect the growing emphasis on integrating advanced digital technologies into real estate operations and analytics. In 2024, CoStar Group acquired Matterport in a deal valued at approximately USD 1.6 billion. This acquisition enabled CoStar to integrate Matterport's advanced 3D digital-twin technology into its existing real estate data and analytics platforms. The integration enhances property visualization capabilities and enables more immersive digital property experiences, supporting real estate professionals with improved insights and decision-making tools. Building on the momentum of technological advancement in the industry, JLL introduced new research and strategic insights in 2025 highlighting the transformative role of artificial intelligence in real estate. The initiative focuses on leveraging AI-driven analytics to optimize real estate portfolios, improve operational efficiency, and support data-driven investment strategies. Such developments underscore the increasing role of advanced technologies in reshaping the global proptech landscape. Top Companies in the Global PropTech Market Zillow Group Opendoor Technologies Redfin Compass WeWork Matterport CoStar Group CBRE JLL Reonomy VTS NoBroker Property Finder Purplebricks Rex Homes Pacaso Qualia Guesty HoloBuilder Altus Group Others Global PropTech Market Scope By Solution: Software (Property Management, Asset Management, Sales & Advertisement, Work Order Management, Customer Relationship Management, Business Intelligence, Others), Services (Professional Services, Managed Services) By Deployment Model: Cloud-based, On-premises By Property Type: Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Hotels, Others By Technology: IoT & Smart Sensor Networks, AI / Big-Data Analytics, AR / VR & Digital Twins, Blockchain & DLT, Construction Technology, Others By End User: Housing Associations, Property Managers/Agents, Property Investors, Others By Business Model: Subscription (SaaS), Transaction-Fee, Freemium + Upsell, Others By Application: Property Discovery & Transactions, Leasing & Rental Management, Property & Facilities Management, Construction & Development Management, Investment & Financing Platforms, Others By Region: North America, South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific Browse More Reports on Proptech India Proptech Market: The India Proptech Market size was valued at around USD1.72 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD5.98 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 19.48% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. Qatar Proptech Market: The Qatar Proptech Market size was valued at around USD298 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD642 million by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 11.59% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. Saudi Arabia Proptech Market: The Saudi Arabia Proptech Market size was valued at around USD891 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD2,532 million by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 16.09% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. UAE Proptech Market: The UAE Proptech Market size was valued at around USD677 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD1,621 million by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 13.28% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. GCC Proptech Market: The GCC Proptech Market size was valued at around USD2.54 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD5.87 billion by 2032. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 12.71% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-32. About MarkNtel Advisors MarkNtel Advisors is a global market research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering accurate, data-driven insights across a diverse range of high-growth and emerging industries. The company adopts a rigorous research methodology that combines extensive primary research, including direct engagement with industry leaders, subject-matter experts, and key stakeholders, with carefully validated secondary data sources. This integrated approach ensures the reliability, credibility, and precision of the market intelligence provided to clients. Supported by deep domain expertise and a team of experienced analysts, MarkNtel Advisors delivers strategic insights that help organizations, investors, and decision-makers identify emerging opportunities and understand evolving industry dynamics. Through its comprehensive research and analytical capabilities, the firm enables clients to make well-informed business decisions and effectively navigate increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving global markets. Contact Us: MarkNtel Advisors Office No.109, H-159, Sector 63, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201301, India Contact No: +91 87199 99009 Email: sales@marknteladvisors.com Website: marknteladvisors.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2687299/MarkNtel_Advisors_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-proptech-market-to-reach-usd-77-98-billion-by-2032--expanding-at-a-cagr-of-15-7-during-20262032--markntel-advisors-302714594.html LONDON, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zerova today announced it is expanding its presence in the United Kingdom as part of a continued commitment to supporting the UK's rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) charging market. The step reinforces Zerova's ability to serve UK customers and partners with closer commercial coverage, stronger technical support, and an increased local team footprint. This expansion reflects Zerova's long-term investment in the UK, where the company's charging solutions are already deployed at scale. Zerova is building additional local capacity to improve responsiveness and collaboration across the EV charging ecosystem, supporting reliable operations and a better experience for drivers. "Building a stronger UK presence is a clear signal of our commitment to the market," said BrianHuang, Business Operations Director, UK at Zerova. "We are investing in the people and infrastructure needed to support partners more closely, with the goal of making it easier to deploy, operate, and scale reliable charging." Local team growth across the UK As part of the expansion, Zerova has added new UK-based team members to strengthen customer and partner coverage. Recent hires include MarieWard, based in Scotland, and Rupesh Alagupandian, based in Kent, increasing local reach across the country and supporting a faster response to partner needs. Zerova is also progressing recruitment for additional field service and application engineering capacity to further reinforce local support. A milestone now, with more to come This expansion represents an important step in Zerova's UK journey, with further developments planned to enhance facilities, operations, and overall market support. The company looks forward to sharing additional updates as these initiatives progress, reinforcing its commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality charging solutions across the UK. About Zerova Zerova specializes in designing and producing branded EV charging solutions, delivering fully customized systems. With over 50 years of manufacturing excellence and more than a decade of EV charging, Zerova offers a comprehensive range of DC chargers ranging from 30kW to megawatt solutions - serving diverse sectors such as fleets, depots, mining, constructions, utilities, CPOs, hospitality, retail and service stations. For more information about Zerova's EV charging solutions and service network, visit www.zerovatech.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2935586/TGM.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zerova-strengthens-its-uk-presence-to-better-support-customers-and-partners-302715823.html The Atlas will expand known evolutionary genetic diversity by 100x, collecting novel genomic data from over 100 million new species across thousands of sites globally. By partnering with Anthropic, Ultima Genomics, and PacBio, and powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, Basecamp Research aims to compress over two decades of biological data gathering and analysis into less than two years. Training the EDEN models revealed new scaling laws: as biological datasets grow larger and richer, AI capabilities jump - opening the door to systems that can design new medicines across diseases and treatment types. AUSTIN, Texas and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Basecamp Research, a frontier AI lab for biological design, today announced the launch of the Trillion Gene Atlas, a landmark scientific initiative to generate and model biological data at the trillion-gene scale. Launched in collaboration with Anthropic, Ultima Genomics and PacBio, and powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, the Trillion Gene Atlas aims to expand known evolutionary genetic diversity 100-fold by collecting genomic data from more than 100 million species across thousands of sites worldwide. This is possible thanks to Basecamp Research's growing network of global biodiversity partners. Its ultimate goal is to provide the vast, diverse training data required for AI systems to learn from evolution to design new medicines on demand. "Today's biological AI models are trained on a narrow slice of life on Earth," said Glen Gowers, Co-founder and CEO of Basecamp Research, speaking at SXSW in Austin. "The Trillion Gene Atlas expands the known genetic universe by orders of magnitude beyond what is in public databases. Training models at this scale establishes a new paradigm for programmable therapeutic design." The initiative, which is on the scale of the Human Genome Project, was unveiled during the Health Track at SXSW and the NVIDIA GTC conference in San Jose. With huge increases in model size and computing power, diverse data is a critical enabler for progress in AI drug development and real-world benchmarks. All current sequence-based foundation models rely on variants of the same public repositories, with 80% of these trained on a public database containing fewer than 250 million sequences. Basecamp Research's EDEN foundation models, released in January, bypass the industry's evolutionary "data wall" by training entirely on BaseData, a proprietary genomic database that is currently more than 10 times larger than all public resources combined. By learning from an unprecedented 10 billion new-to-science genes across 1 million newly discovered species, EDEN unlocked critical new scaling laws for AI in biology. This massive expansion in dataset diversity moved EDEN beyond simple prediction, making it the first model capable of designing diverse therapeutics directly from a disease prompt. In wet-lab validation, EDEN demonstrated zero-shot activity in primary human T-cells without any human or clinical data needed. The model has successfully generated hits across multiple frontier modalities, notably pioneering AI-Programmable Gene Insertion (aiPGI) to insert healthy genes and designing targeted antimicrobial peptides with a 97% hit rate against priority pathogens. The Trillion Gene Atlas builds on this approach by greatly expanding the breadth and contextual depth of genomic data in the known "internet of biology" suitable for AI training. "Bigger models alone aren't enough," added Phil Lorenz, CTO of Basecamp Research. "EDEN showed that performance in biological AI follows much steeper scaling trajectories with higher quality and fully contextualized data. The Trillion Gene Atlas extends that principle 100-fold." Over the past six years, Basecamp Research has built a network of scientific collaborators across 31 countries, establishing a scalable evolutionary genomics pipeline purpose-built for AI training. By pioneering a combination of new regulatory and economic frameworks and fully off-grid DNA sequencing technologies, the company collects high-quality genomic data from ecosystems beyond the reach of traditional laboratories. These partnerships are grounded in knowledge exchange, local capacity building, and equitable Access and Benefit-Sharing agreements aligned with emerging Digital Sequence Information regulations. This framework enables responsible, large-scale, high-quality genomic data collection while investing in scientific infrastructure and training within partner regions. As part of the Atlas launch, Basecamp is announcing new partnerships in Chile, Argentina and an expanded collaboration in Antarctica, further extending its global biodiversity network. The Trillion Gene Atlas is enabled by advances in ultra-high-throughput short- and long-read sequencing and accelerated computing. Basecamp has partnered with Ultima Genomics and PacBio to deliver industrial-scale sequencing including data-rich, high-accuracy long reads. Ultima is a developer of ultra-high throughput next- generation sequencing (NGS) systems. Ultima's latest sequencing system, the UG200 Series, advances the company's unique wafer-based sequencing architecture to enable high-throughput, whole-genome and multi-omics sequencing at an industrial scale at a low price point to enable initiatives like the Trillion Atlas. "Biology has been fundamentally data-starved when compared to other fields like language or computer vision as researchers have lacked the tools required to generate data at scale" said Gilad Almogy, Founder and CEO of Ultima Genomics. "We strongly believe that AI will have an immense impact on our understanding of biology and human health, and the UG200 Series was designed from the ground up to enable the massive datasets required for BioAI to deliver on this promise. We are excited our technology can enable Basecamp in their vision and advance innovative initiatives like the Trillion Gene Atlas." "PacBio HiFi sequencing delivers highly accurate long reads that preserve full genomic context and enables subspecies and even strain-level resolution in complex samples." said Christian Henry, President and CEO of PacBio. "HiFi data provides the reliable, information-rich foundation biological AI models need to learn from nature at scale and power initiatives like the Trillion Gene Atlas." The Trillion Gene Atlas will be powered by NVIDIA's accelerated computing infrastructure to process vast quantities of genetic data at the petabase scale. As part of this effort, Basecamp plans to leverage NVIDIA Parabricks to significantly accelerate metagenomic assembly. This collaboration focuses on both advanced engineering and the development of new algorithmic methods to optimize how complex environmental samples are reconstructed. Thanks to this acceleration, processing quadrillions of DNA base pairs, a task that would have previously taken over 20 years, is expected to take less than two years to complete. Through parallelized data processing, automated annotation, and large-scale model training, the partners expect to compress a task that previously would have required more than 20 years of processing time to less than two years. This compression of sequencing, assembly, annotation and model training is intended to expand the performance and scope of biological foundation models across therapeutic development. Anthropic joins as part of its broader effort to add new capabilities for life sciences: connecting Claude to more scientific platforms. Working with the Claude for Life Sciences team, the aim is to harness the Trillion Gene Atlas and EDEN to make Claude an even more productive research partner for scientists and clinicians, and support organisations bringing new scientific advancements to the public. By combining Claude's advanced reasoning capabilities, EDEN's therapeutic design capabilities, and NVIDIA's CUDA-X Libraries to process unstructured data, the initiative aims to create an integrated workflow for interpreting complex clinical data and translating it directly into therapeutic design. The Trillion Gene Atlas is built on three pillars: large-scale DNA sequencing, global data supply partnerships and advanced computing. Together with AI systems capable of reasoning across complex data, these foundations can help turn vast datasets into therapeutic discoveries. By increasing the evolutionary data available to AI by another 100x, Basecamp Research aims to make drug design faster and more systematic - extending EDEN's earlier advances in fields like gene therapy and the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/basecamp-research-launches-trillion-gene-atlas-to-scale-ai-designed-therapeutics-302716632.html Charles H. Bennett helped pioneer the foundations of quantum information science alongside co-laureate Gilles Brassard of Universite de Montreal. Bennett's more than five decades at IBM Research helped transform quantum theory into practical advances like quantum cryptography, teleportation, and entanglement-based protocols. He is the seventh IBM awardee recognized by ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, with the A.M. Turing Award. The recognition joins IBM's long legacy of shaping quantum computing and the enduring impact of researchers who defined the field. YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles H. Bennett, a research scientist at IBM (NYSE: IBM) and IBM Fellow, has been named a co-recipient of the 2025 ACM A.M. Turing Award by the Association for Computing Machinery. Described by the ACM as the "Nobel Prize in computing," the award cites Bennett for contributions that helped spark a "quantum revolution," establish the field of quantum information science and reshape how researchers think about computation, communication and the nature of information itself. He shares the award with longtime collaborator Gilles Brassard of the Universite de Montreal, with whom Bennett melded physics and computer science together into an entirely new discipline. Over a career at IBM Research spanning more than five decades, Bennett pioneered explorations of how the unusual behavior of matter at the smallest scales can be harnessed to process and transmit information in ways impossible for classical computers. His efforts helped lay the scientific groundwork for quantum cryptography, quantum teleportation and entanglement distillation - all concepts that underpin modern quantum information science and ongoing advances in quantum computing today. Born to New York City music teachers in 1943, Bennett came of age as scientists built the first general-purpose computers and uncovered the structure of DNA. Both inspired him to study biochemistry at Brandeis University and keep apace of computing. During his undergraduate studies, he was fascinated by Kurt Godel's incompleteness theorems, which show some mathematical truths can never be proven within any system capable of performing arithmetic, such as a computer. Mapping this interest onto the nature of small molecules, Bennett recalled: "I got to wondering about the connection between physics and computation, and whether there might be physical processes that are fundamentally uncomputable." Bennett's curiosity drove him to explore the interplay between computation and the laws of physics as a graduate student at Harvard University, where he developed two pivotal professional relationships that helped shape the questions that would define Bennett's career. The first was with research physicist Stephen Wiesner, who in 1968 developed a concept of "quantum money" that could not be counterfeited, but had trouble gaining academic acceptance of his idea. Bennett ultimately helped Wiesner advance the concept and, in handwritten notes from a conversation in 1970, prophetically scribbled and underlined the phrase "quantum information theory" across the top of a page. The second was attending a lecture by IBM Fellow and physicist Rolf Landauer, whose work on the thermodynamics of computation argued that information is not abstract but a physical quantity governed by the laws of nature. "Rolf Landauer recruited me to IBM because we shared an interest in the physics of computation," said Bennett, who still works out of the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York. "The lab was one of the few places where you could seriously explore questions like that with people who were all thinking about information in fundamental ways." At IBM, Bennett wrote a landmark 1973 paper on logical reversibility of computation, showing that computation need not be fundamentally tied to energy dissipation in the way many had assumed. That work helped establish information as a physical concept and set the stage for decades of breakthroughs in computing to come. "IBM was an ideal place to do this kind of research because you had people working on the fundamental physics of computing and hardware, and in the same building people focused on the mathematics of computing. I could wander down the hall and talk to many people about fundamental ideas and in fields that, at that time, scarcely overlapped," Bennett said. "That environment made it possible to grow the field of quantum information science into what it is today." Bennett and Brassard met at a 1979 computer science conference in Puerto Rico and hit it off as professional collaborators. By 1982, the duo co-authored a first-of-its-kind quantum cryptography paper with Wiesner. Two years later, they introduced the first practical quantum cryptography protocol, called "BB84" for "Bennett-Brassard 1984." The work showed that two parties, i.e. "Alice" and "Bob," could establish a secret key with security rooted in the laws of physics rather than potentially shaky assumptions about the difficulty of a particular computation. This idea remains one of the field's earliest and clearest demonstrations of how quantum mechanics can enable entirely new capabilities in computing. Bennett also helped quantum information science leap from on-paper conjectures into real-world experimentation. Bennett and then-summer student John Smolin, now an IBM researcher, built the first quantum cryptography apparatus in Bennett's office, and - joined by Brassard - carried out the first demonstration of BB84 in 1989. They made the custom two-meter-long device out of mirrors, polarizers, and photon detectors and ran it with software written by Brassard and his students. Bennett also co-authored a landmark 1993 study introducing quantum teleportation, which showed how an unknown quantum state could be transmitted using entanglement and classical communication, turning a once-philosophical curiosity into a practical resource for quantum engineering. Today, the field Bennett helped establish has moved from foundational theory into increasingly powerful real-world systems and head-turning scientific results. "Charlie is an inspiration to all of us. When many researchers saw quantum mechanics as a problem to solve for shrinking electronic components rather than a tool to be developed, he recognized the same physics could become a powerful new way to process and transmit information," said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow. "That insight, and the decades of work that followed, helped lay the intellectual foundation for one of the most important scientific and technological frontiers of our time. Today at IBM, Charlie's legacy is also seen in the work our teams are doing to build increasingly capable quantum systems and bring useful quantum computing to the world." Most recently, IBM unveiled an open, easy-to-integrate quantum-centric supercomputing architecture designed to scale quantum systems alongside classical computing resources, helping solve problems that classical methods alone struggle to address. The company also debuted a credible path to build IBM Quantum Starling, which it expects to be the world's first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer, and deliver it to customers in 2029. ACM's award is named after Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundations of computing. The 2025 award is the organization's first associated with quantum research and Bennett, who plans to donate part of his portion of a USD $1 million prize, is the seventh in a line of IBM researchers and scientists recognized for their work at the company. Previous IBM-associated Turing Award recipients include John Backus (1977), honored for FORTRAN and the design of practical high-level programming systems; Kenneth E. Iverson (1979), recognized for APL and its influence on programming languages and notation; Edgar F. Codd (1981), for fundamental contributions to database management systems; John Cocke (1987), for advances in compiler theory, computer architecture, and RISC; Frederick P. Brooks (1999), for landmark contributions to computer architecture, operating systems, and software engineering; and Frances E. Allen (2006), the first woman to receive the award, for pioneering optimizing compiler techniques and automatic parallel execution. To learn more, watch a short video and read a blog post about Bennett and the work that led to the award. About IBM IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider, helping clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to effect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. For more information, visit https://research.ibm.com. Media Contact: Dave Mosher IBM Communications dave.mosher@ibm.com Chris Nay IBM Communications cnay@us.ibm.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2936478/IBM_Charles_H_Bennett_Alan_Turing_Award.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2319830/IBM_LOGO_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ibm-fellow-and-quantum-pioneer-charles-h-bennett-receives-am-turing-award-computings-highest-honor-302716758.html Regulatory News: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND SOUTH AFRICA GenSight Biologics (the "Company") (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today announced the closing of its EUR 1,694,715.5256 fundraising (the "Fundraising The Fundraising resulted in the issuance of: 14,153,928 ordinary shares (actions ordinaires) of the Company (the "Offered Shares"), which were admitted to trading on Euronext Paris on March 12, 2026 (ISIN FR0013183985/SIGHT); 4,270,464 pre-funded warrants (the "Offered Pre-Funded Warrants") giving the right to subscribe to 4,270,464 additional ordinary shares; and 18,424,392 warrants (the "Offered Investor Warrants") giving the right to subscribe to 9,212,196 additional ordinary shares. The Offered Investor Warrants and the Offered Pre-Funded Warrants will not be admitted to trading on any venue. Risk factors The Company draws the attention of the public to the risk factors relating to the Company and its business described in its 2024 Universal Registration Document, as completed by the Information Document published by the Company on March 10, 2026, both of which are available free of charge on the Company's website (https://www.gensight-biologics.com/) with the Information Document being directly available through the following hyperlink: https://www.gensight-biologics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GenSight-2026-1-Annexe-IX-FINALvdef.pdf. About GenSight Biologics S.A. GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics' pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics' lead product candidate, GS010 (lenadogene nolparvovec) is in Phase III in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease that leads to irreversible blindness in teens and young adults. GS010 is currently in clinical development, has not to date been granted marketing authorization in France or any other jurisdiction, and is therefore not available commercially. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics' product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery. Disclaimer Not for release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Japan or South Africa. This press release and the information contained herein do not contain or constitute an offer to subscribe or purchase, or the solicitation of an order to purchase or subscribe, for securities in the United States of America or in any other jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States of America, and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction of the United States. GenSight Biologics does not intend to make a public offering of the securities in the United States of America. The distribution of this press release may be subject to legal or regulatory restrictions in certain countries. Persons in possession of this press release should inform themselves of and observe any local restrictions. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the completion expected proceeds and anticipated use of proceeds of the Fundraising; the anticipated cash runway of the Company; and future expectations, plans and prospects of the Company. Words such as "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "intends", "projects", and "future" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions and no assurance can be given that the proposed securities offering discussed above will be consummated on the terms described or at all. Completion of the proposed Fundraising and the terms thereof are subject to numerous factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, without limitation, market conditions, failure of customary closing conditions and the risk factors and other matters set forth in the filings the Company makes with the AMF from time to time. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317767973/en/ Contacts: GenSight Biologics Chief Financial Officer Jan Eryk Umiastowski jeumiastowski@gensight-biologics.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Myriad Uranium Corp. (CSE: M) (OTCQB: MYRUF) (FSE: C3Q) ("Myriad" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has executed an asset purchase agreement dated as of March 17, 2026 between Myriad, Myriad Red Basin LLC (Myriad's newly incorporated New Mexico Subsidiary) and Subatomic Red Basin, LLC ("Subatomic") pursuant to which Myriad will sell the entirety of the claims it holds comprising its Red Basin Uranium Project in New Mexico, USA, to Subatomic for US$2,500,000, payable on closing. Myriad will retain a 10% free carried interest in the Project. Myriad and Subatomic will also form a strategic alliance respecting exploration and development of other projects beyond Red Basin. Transaction Highlights Sale price: US$2,500,000 cash, payable on closing US$2,500,000 cash, payable on closing Retained interest: 10% free carried interest in the Red Basin Uranium Project 10% free carried interest in the Red Basin Uranium Project Strategic alliance: Joint focus on uranium opportunities beyond the Red Basin Project area Joint focus on uranium opportunities beyond the Red Basin Project area Return on capital: Myriad acquired Red Basin approximately one year ago for C$525,000, representing an over 6x return on invested capital, excluding the carried interest Myriad acquired Red Basin approximately one year ago for C$525,000, representing an over 6x return on invested capital, excluding the carried interest Expected closing: On or before April 17, 2026 Myriad's CEO, Thomas Lamb, commented: "Myriad is thrilled to partner with Subatomic in our Red Basin project, producing a wonderful return on capital that is highly accretive for our shareholders, but more importantly, forming a strategic alliance with a new uranium partner, who will advance the project while we maintain exposure to it through our retained interest. There is considerably more to be revealed regarding Subatomic and the full scope of our alliance in due course. What is already clear, however, is that the potential for nuclear energy to provide uninterruptible, clean power solutions for the technology sector is attracting a new class of investors into uranium - and into domestic U.S. sources of uranium in particular. Myriad is well-positioned to benefit from this accelerating trend, and we look forward to updating shareholders on key developments as they unfold as we partner with Subatomic." Subatomic CEO, Timothy Chilleri commented: "We are thrilled to partner with Tom and the Myriad board using a new model oriented around partnership and American uranium production. This partnership with Myriad Uranium is a defining milestone for the company. As power generation demand soars, the world is experiencing a structural paradigm shift that will reshape economies for decades to come. Uranium is the essential feedstock powering nearly 10% of global electricity needs. As the megatrends of energy and decarbonization accelerate, nuclear power will play an increasingly larger role. We are excited to partner with Myriad to advance the Project while exploring opportunities for resource growth." Closing of the sale transaction is expected to take place on or before April 17, 2026. Closing is subject to a number of conditions, including without limitation: completion of due diligence by Subatomic; negotiation and execution of an agreement respecting Myriad's 10% free carried interest in the Project; and negotiation and execution of an agreement in relation to the strategic alliance. Myriad will provide updates as the process progresses and these agreements are finalized. About Subatomic Subatomic Industries Corporation is backed by 8VC and Overmatch Ventures combining technical mining expertise with a disciplined, technology-forward approach to resource development. About Myriad Uranium Corp. Myriad Uranium Corp. holds a 75% interest in the Copper Mountain Uranium Project in Wyoming, USA, with a definitive agreement in place to acquire the remaining 25% interest from Rush Rare Metals Corp. Copper Mountain hosts multiple historic uranium deposits and past-producing mines, including the Arrowhead Mine (approximately 500,000 lbs U3O produced). The district saw extensive exploration and development by Union Pacific in the late 1970s, including approximately 2,000 boreholes and advanced mine planning prior to uranium market downturn conditions in 1980. Union Pacific is estimated to have invested approximately C$117 million (2024 dollars) in exploration and development at Copper Mountain, generating significant historical resource estimates. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Red Basin Uranium Project in New Mexico, hosting near-surface mineralization with expansion potential. A news release detailing a comprehensive assessment of Copper Mountain's uranium endowment by Bendix Engineering for the US Department of Energy published in 1982 can be viewed here. For further information, please refer to Myriad's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), contact Myriad by telephone at +1.604.418.2877, or refer to Myriad's website at www.myriaduranium.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, the Company's business, plans, outlook and business strategy. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "likely", "expect," "anticipate," "intend", "estimate", "plan", "forecast", "project" and "believe" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect, including with respect to the Company's business plans respecting the exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties, the proposed work program on the Company's mineral properties and the potential and economic viability of the Company's mineral properties. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in costs; litigation; legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; and technological or operational difficulties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect our forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288954 Source: Myriad Uranium Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Medaro Mining Corp. (CSE: MEDA) (OTCID: MEDAF) (FSE: 1ZY) ("Medaro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its geological exploration program at the Company's Bastnas project (the "Project") in Sweden. The Company has entered into an exploration services agreement with McKnight Resources AB ("McKnight") to support execution of the program. Field activities are expected to commence on or about March 20, 2026, subject to local conditions and logistics. Exploration Program - Scope of Work The program is designed to advance the Company's understanding of the Project's rare earth element ("REE"), copper, cobalt, gold and base-metal potential through systematic fieldwork and targeted data acquisition. The program is expected to integrate geological mapping, prospecting, sampling and geophysical surveying, followed by laboratory analysis and interpretation to refine and prioritize targets for potential follow-up work. Reconnaissance and detailed geological mapping, with a focus on lithological contacts, alteration, structural controls and historical workings. Targeted sampling of historic mine waste/dump material and accessible outcrops to evaluate geochemical signatures and potential REE enrichment. Prospecting and follow-up rock sampling and, where appropriate, select soil/till sampling to expand target areas and identify additional mineralized trends. Ground geophysical surveys (including magnetic and gravity data acquisition) to assist in delineating structures and prospective zones. Laboratory analysis of collected samples at accredited facilities and compilation of results into a consolidated geological and geochemical dataset. Integrated interpretation and reporting to support target ranking and planning for subsequent exploration programs. The Company's objective is to generate geological observations and analytical data to support target definition and evaluation of potential follow-up work. Bastnas Project - Background and Opportunity The Project comprises two exploration permit areas, Bastnas 100 (approximately 263.68 hectares) and Bastnas 200 (approximately 866.60 hectares), for a combined area of approximately 1,130.28 hectares. The exploration permits were issued by Bergmastaren at Bergsstaten (the Swedish Mining Inspectorate) under Sweden's Minerals Act (1991:45) and are valid for a three-year term expiring in February 2029. The permits apply to a range of concession minerals referenced in the permit applications, including gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum and lanthanides. The Project is located within the broader Riddarhyttan-Bastnas district, an established mineral region with historical mining and documented mineral occurrences. The district is considered prospective for multiple mineralization styles, including iron-oxide copper-gold ("IOCG"), volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") / massive sulphide-style, and Bastnas-type skarn-hosted magnetite-REE mineralization. Mineralization styles being evaluated at the Project include: (i) sulphide mineralization interpreted to be structurally remobilized and tectonically controlled, based on historical information and district-scale geological interpretation; and (ii) skarn-hosted magnetite-REE mineralization associated with historical workings and banded iron formation occurrences. The broader district has a long history of mining and exploration, including historical copper production and recorded mining of REE-bearing material at Bastnas. Previous operators have reported drilling and other exploration work in parts of the district, including a 2019 drill program reported to total 5,568 metres in 15 drill holes. The Company notes that references to nearby mineral occurrences, historical production and historical exploration results are provided for regional and geological context only and have not been verified for the Project. The Company has compiled and reviewed publicly available historical information referenced herein. Historical information is provided for context and should not be relied upon; a Qualified Person has not verified the historical sampling, analytical and drilling information referenced in this news release, and such information is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Project. Qualified Person Amanda Scott, P.Geo., FAusIMM, a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. About Medaro Mining Corp. Medaro is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and advancement of high-quality mineral projects in Ontario, Quebec and Sweden. The Company's strategy is to build shareholder value through systematic exploration, disciplined project evaluation, and responsible development. For more information, investors should review the Company's public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. On Behalf of the Company Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the scope, sequencing, timing and expected commencement of the exploration program; the planned exploration activities, methods and objectives; the anticipated collection and timing of analytical results; the identification, delineation and ranking of targets; the availability and performance of contractors, personnel, equipment and supplies; and the Company's plans for future exploration at the Project. Forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, expectations and estimates as of the date of this news release, including assumptions regarding access, logistics, availability of services and equipment, and that required approvals and permits will be maintained. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the risk that permits, approvals or consents may be delayed, amended, suspended or not obtained or maintained; changes in laws, regulations or government policy; adverse weather, seasonal and access conditions; availability of contractors, personnel, equipment and supplies; operational and logistical risks, including those associated with working in a foreign jurisdiction; environmental and social risks; the inherently speculative nature of mineral exploration; the risk that exploration results may not be indicative of mineralization or may not support further exploration; errors in geological interpretation; sampling, analytical and assay risks; fluctuations in commodity prices; currency fluctuations; and general market and economic conditions. Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288892 Source: Medaro Mining Corp. TOKYO, Mar 18, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) has recognized 23 initiatives that achieved outstanding results by conferring the President's Award, including exemplary cases demonstrating the implementation of its new management policy, Innovative Total Optimization (ITO).MHI Group announced its new management policy, ITO, effective May 2025. ITO constitutes a management methodology designed to maximize the potential inherent within the Group and achieve sustainable growth by pursuing group-wide optimization and scope expansion. By implementing ITO, the Group aims to create a virtuous cycle of transformation toward a high-profit structure and the reallocation of resources toward growth investments.This year's President's Award recognized outstanding achievements across all areas of the Group, including exemplary initiatives stemming from putting ITO into practice, developing and implementing products and services contributing to solving social issues, and initiatives related to enhancing productivity and innovating business processes. Of these, 15 projects are highlighted below.By conferring this President's Award, MHI aims to enhance all employee's motivation to create new value based on its management policy. The Group is committed to achieving its mission in terms of "combining foundational technologies with cutting-edge knowledge to respond to changing societal and customer needs" while continuously striving to enhance corporate value.World's First Demonstration of 50% Hydrogen Co-Firing Operation Conducted at a Large-Scale GTCC Plant[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) Energy Systems]At Georgia Power's Plant McDonough-Atkinson in the U.S., 50% hydrogen co-firing was successfully demonstrated at the large-scale M501GAC gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant (gas turbine output: 283MW). This represents the world's first achievement in a commercial unit of this output class. In 2024, MHI Group was awarded a contract to conduct modification design and full-scale validation for converting an existing natural gas-fired gas turbine to hydrogen co-firing. The project included replacement of the combustors and installation of a hydrogen supply system. Working together with Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc., a U.S.-based group company of MHI, it successfully completed demonstration testing in June 2025. By leveraging not only combustion technology but also comprehensive technical capabilities-including hydrogen supply systems, operations, and control systems-MHI Group achieved the world's largest hydrogen co-firing for utility-scale power generation, thereby contributing to the advancement of practical solutions for decarbonization.Successful Completion of Retrofitting for Other OEM Boilers Driving Expansion in After-Sales Services[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Energy Domain]MHI successfully completed a turnkey project for retrofitting other OEM boilers in Indonesia. Leveraging its extensive expertise as a boiler manufacturer, MHI developed an optimal retrofit plan for this project, achieving results that significantly exceeded the guaranteed performance. Additionally for the subsequent unit, MHI completed the project ahead of schedule. This outcome was achieved through detailed on-site surveys, measurements, and proprietary analysis, all of which earned high praise from the client. Building on these results, there is strong potential for expanding similar service projects.3D Design Service Capable of Shortening Design Lead Times and Cutting Costs for Plant Retrofitting Projects[MHI Power Engineering Co., Ltd.]MHI Power Engineering developed a solution for plant retrofitting projects that shortens spatial design lead times and cuts costs by up to approximately 30%. When designing spaces for older plants lacking blueprints, 3D drawings were traditionally created using laser scanning, but this posed challenges such as lengthy data processing times and the need to dispatch specialized measurement technicians. Therefore, MHI Power Engineering developed a method to create 3D data from videos shot with inexpensive commercial cameras, and techniques to display 3D-CAD models on-site using AR (i.e. Augmented Reality technology that superimposes digital information, such as images and audio, onto the physical world to enhance reality). This contributes to shortening lead times and reducing costs, as well as improving quality in spatial design. In addition to thermal power plants, it is increasingly being adopted for spatial design in nuclear power facilities, steelmaking machinery, and naval vessels.MaiDAS(R): Integrated Plant Operations System for Automated Operation and Operational Efficiency Improvement in Waste-to-Energy Plant[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Environmental & Chemical Engineering co., Ltd. (MHIEC) Engineering Division]MHIEC has developed the integrated plant operation system MaiDAS(R), which integrates AI/IoT technology with cloud virtualization and advanced security to enable remote monitoring and operational support, including automated operation, for waste-to-energy plants. With successful operation at 20 locations worldwide, this system enables automated operation of waste incinerators where control is challenging due to the variable characteristics of the waste as fuel. The system also integrates functions that contribute to reducing maintenance and administration cost, including the flexibility to enable remote monitoring from a desk PC while maintaining a high level of security, as well as optimal maintenance recommendations based on continuously collected operational data. Furthermore, MHIEC has obtained ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System certification) and ISO 27017 (ISMS Cloud Security certification), a first in the waste-to-energy plant industry. The Company also aims to work in tandem with the "MHIEC Remote Operations Center," established in December 2025, to further enhance the efficiency of plant operations.Central Operation Cockpit (COC): Enabling Stable Plant Operation and Reduced Workload in Modern Steel Plants[Electrics & Automation and Technology & Innovation, Primetals Technologies Germany GmbH]Primetals Technologies has developed an innovative centralized control system, the Central Operation Cockpit (COC), designed to enable a single operator to oversee major production units of a modern steel plant. The COC utilizes multiple integrated displays to instantly present critical events occurring throughout the plant. These events are detected, e.g., by AI-powered assistant functions. They provide operators with precise operational guidance, enabling rapid corrective actions and reducing downtime. The COC has already been implemented in six plant projects, where it has contributed to more stable operation and a reduced operator's workload. With its modular design, the COC is adaptable not only to steel plant applications but also can be used in a wide range of industrial sectors, supporting enhanced competitiveness and potential market expansion.MHI Launches "Prismo," a Next-Generation Transit SystemCombining High Environmental Performance with Simplified Infrastructure[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. GX Solutions]The new eco-friendly next-generation Transit System "Prismo" has launched in May 2025. Based on Fully Driverless operated vehicles (Level: GOA4) with extensive proven track records both domestically and abroad, it incorporates innovative energy storage module and energy management systems that eliminate the need for power rail, along with a center guidance system that allows for a slimmer track design. As an innovative new transportation system, it has attracted significant interest from both Japan and overseas, with high expectations arising from the market. Additionally, vehicle manufacturing is carried out at the Mihara Machinery Works Carbon Neutral Transition Hub Mihara (Hiroshima Prefecture), which has reduced CO2 emissions by 97.5% through solar power generation, playing a key role in MHI's MISSION NET ZERO. This also represents a strong example of business domain expansion, with expectations for enhancing the competitiveness of transit systems and driving business growth.MHIET Achieves Rated Operation of a 100% Hydrogen Engine Generation Set at Demonstration Facility Realizing Japan's Highest Output for 100% Hydrogen[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. Engine & Energy Division]At the demonstration facility for the 6-cylinder 100% hydrogen engine generation set installed at the Sagamihara Plant, MHIET (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd.) achieved a rated output (435 kW / 1,500 rpm) during 100% hydrogen operation, marking Japan's highest ever 100% hydrogen rated operation. Hydrogen engines are prone to unstable combustion due to their large size and high power density, but on this occasion, MHIET successfully suppressed such combustion by controlling the ignition process. Furthermore, the Company established and implemented safety guidelines and design standards to ensure the safe handling of hydrogen. Looking ahead to future societal trends, MHIET will continue working toward the practical application of these engines.MHI Launches the LXZ / KXZ3 Series of Multi-Split Air-Conditioners for BuildingsA Combination of Both Comfort and Energy Efficiency[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. Air-Conditioner Designing & Engineering Department]MHI Thermal Systems has launched the new LXZ / KXZ3 Series multi-split air-conditioners for buildings, which combine both comfort and energy efficiency via structural and design innovations. This new product represents a full model change of the conventional model, more than 20 years after its initial development. The new model features a high-efficiency scroll compressor optimized for the low-GWP R32 refrigerant and variable-temperature and capacity control, enabling reductions in cooling-mode power consumption of approximately 10-21% compared to conventional models. It also supports continuous heating operation using a hot gas bypass method. Additionally, the system maintains a wide operating range of up to 52(o)C during cooling and down to -25(o)C during heating, ensuring adaptability to diverse environments. The model's features, designed for serviceability and ease of installation and combined with an innovative design, have been met with high regard. The LXZ series for Japan was awarded the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025, while the KXZ3 series for Europe received the international Italian design award, A'DESIGN AWARD 2025, and these accolades have further elevated the brand's value.MHI Develops Automated Warehouses and Production Processes Maximizing the Throughput of Air-Conditioning Equipment[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Mahajak Air Conditioners Co., Ltd. (MACO) Business Department]MHI has developed fully automated warehouses and production processes that enable centralized in-house management of all processes from the production planning of air-conditioning equipment to manufacturing, storage, and shipping. Since becoming fully operational, the system has maintained stable performance, increasing throughput (the capacity for production over a given period) by 40%. It also centralizes the management of previously distributed systems and their associated information, such as orders, production plans, and inventory. This is achieved with QR code-based visualization and AS / RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) using overhead conveyors and stacker cranes, thereby reducing inventory storage and handling costs by 65% compared with conventional warehouses.Establishment and Company-Wide Rollout of Green Manufacturing ProcessesCombining Productivity Improvement and Energy Conservation[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Commercial Aircraft Systems]By leveraging digital technology and scientific approaches to conduct energy loss diagnostics and visualize factory equipment, this initiative has achieved both productivity gains and energy savings without requiring large-scale investment while still maintaining product quality. Centered on Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works Oye Plant, MHI launched its activities in FY2021. A cross-departmental team has been promoting energy conservation and streamlining of factory equipment with positive results. In FY2024, compared to FY2021, MHI achieved an 18% reduction in energy intensity and a 4,200-ton reduction in CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the Company received the "Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Commissioner's Award" at 2025 Energy Conservation Grand Prize. This scheme has been standardized and is currently being rolled out to other sites.Practical Application of "MAG Machining" to Reduce Costs and EnvironmentalImpact Aimed at Skin Panel Manufacturing for Aircrafts[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Commercial Aircraft Systems]MHI has put their "MAG (Mitsubishi Advanced Green) Machining Method" into practical use for high-precision machining of large core aircraft structural panels (frames and skins). Conventional chemical milling, which uses large quantities of chemicals to melt aluminum, was previously required for precision machining aluminum alloy panels up to 9 meters long with tolerances in the 10-micron range, meaning that reducing chemical usage to lower costs and environmental impact was a pressing challenge. Therefore, MHI developed MAG machining that combines cutting tool capable of handling complex shapes, technology that controls machining volume while measuring plate thickness using ultrasonic waves, and technology that automatically rectifies machining paths. MHI first adopted this for skin processing in FY2017. Then, by FY2025, the Company achieved the world's first machining of frames and completed the adoption of MAG machining for all parts previously processed by chemical milling. Compared to before, costs were reduced by approximately 30% and this fundamental machining method for aircraft manufacturing - established globally only by MHI - has been highly praised by The Boeing Company in the U.S.Autonomous Mobile Collaborative Robot Platform "FCR-PF"Automation and Reduced Processing Times in Manufacturing[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Research Institute]MHI Group has developed and implemented an autonomous mobile robot system (FCR-PF: Flexible Collaborative Robot Platform) to enhance throughput, reduce lead times, and minimize manpower at its manufacturing sites. This collaborative robot system, which can work together with workers in existing production areas, is software-driven and can easily increase the number of tasks it can handle by installing applications and changing the hand at the tip. It is also characterized as a "multi-skilled worker " that can perform not only one task but various other tasks. In addition, it can perform difficult tasks by cooperating with multiple robots, and it is also possible to combine individually introduced robots according to the situation. The development was completed with specifications that can be operated even in harsh field environments, and the system has already started to be operated in the manufacturing sites of the group. It has contributed to freeing workers from dangerous work and simple repetitive work, shifting to high-value-added work, and robotization/mechanization of skilled skills. In the future, the autonomous mobile multi-skilled worker collaborative robot system, which can improve the capacity utilization rate and investment effect, is expected to expand automation to improve throughput and shorten lead time.MHI Has Developed Ultrasonic Testing that Significantly Reduces Inspection Lead Times[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Research Institute]MHI has developed two UT (Ultrasonic Testing) technologies that enable inspections otherwise impossible with conventional methods. The "Adaptive UT" technology estimates the surface profile and corrects wave reflection and refraction, enabling direct inspection of internal defects without modifying complex surfaces. This technology has been implemented in boilers, reducing inspection lead times by 70% during periodic boiler inspections. In steam turbines, commercial aircraft, special vehicles, and other applications, it has enabled the inspection and quality verification of areas that were previously difficult to assess, resulting in greater design flexibility and improved reliability. The "Internal Thread UT" quantitatively measures thread height to determine damage, enabling integrity assessment of threaded sections without removing any bolts. Compared to conventional inspections that required bolts to be removed, this approach significantly reduces inspection lead times by 80% for steam turbines. These UT technologies, which defy industry norms, greatly contribute to the Company's after-sales service operations and design innovations by expanding design flexibility while ensuring quality, and are also expected to help shorten manufacturing lead times through their application as in-process inspections on production lines.Maintenance Activities for Factory Infrastructure Equipment Utilizing Digital Technology in Factories[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Value Chain Headquarters]This refers to activities to advance equipment maintenance, which tasks that tend to depend on experience and skills, by leveraging digital technology. In practice, this involves utilizing digital technologies such as IoT sensors that can be easily retrofitted to equipment and data cleansing to extract key features (numerical representations of data characteristics) from large datasets, thereby streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of infrastructure maintenance operations within MHI factories. The focus was on Hiroshima Machinery Works Kan-on Plant, which has approximately 22,000 terminal electrical systems while IoT sensors have been installed in the transformer rooms at the very top of the electrical system, establishing a mechanism to monitor the entire plant. Previously, manual inspections and meter readings were conducted at all 22,000 terminal equipment points, but now, automatic evaluation can be performed using data from just 350 substations, aiming to reduce the inspection workload by approximately 60%. This reduces the risk of leakage and curtails power outage inspection times for individual equipment inspections, which helps to prevent factory downtime. This is something that can also be deployed at other factories.MHI Rolls Out Company-Wide XR PlatformAccelerating DX in Design and Production Processes[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Digital Innovation Division]MHI has promoted the company-wide deployment of XR(Note) technologies that enable the digital transformation of design and production processes by displaying digital data such as CAD in virtual spaces or on actual products, thereby preventing design rework and streamlining assembly and inspection operations. By standardizing and platformizing XR environment setup and operational procedures, the Company established a system enabling anyone to easily build and operate XR environments. As of the end of December 2025, adoption and pilot implementation have progressed accordingly across 12 departments. In aerospace systems, utilizing XR technology during the initial design phase assisted with identifying issues in product assembly and machining early on, helping to prevent rework. For commercial aircrafts and submarines, overlaying part installation positions onto the actual products has halved the time required for marking and layout work. Further company-wide implementation is expected to enhance profitability across the entire Group.(Note) XR (Cross Reality) is an umbrella term covering VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), and other related technologies.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. (TSXV: CHS) (OTCQB: CMHSF) (the "Company" or "CHS"), an industry leader in healthcare benefits administration software and services, today announced a new initiative to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into its expanding technology platform, further advancing its transformation into a technology-forward organization leveraging proprietary data analytics and AI-enabled solutions to enhance performance, improve client outcomes, and drive operational efficiencies across its Novus 360 platform. The Company's AI-focused strategy is designed to enhance its integrated healthcare benefits administration offering by enabling smarter automation, improved decision-making, and more intuitive user experiences for self-insured employers, unions, and third-party administrators (TPAs). This builds on the scale and performance of CHS's Novus 360 platform, which currently supports benefit and pension administration for over 1 million lives and processes more than 1.6 billion transactions annually. "As we continue to scale our platform and expand our market presence, investing in AI-centric capabilities is a natural and necessary step in our evolution," said Chris Cosgrove, Chief Executive Officer of CHS. "Our focus is on embedding advanced analytics and intelligent automation across our solutions to deliver greater value to our clients while positioning CHS at the forefront of innovation in healthcare technology." CHS's AI initiative is aligned with its broader strategic roadmap, which includes: Advancing data-driven capabilities through expanded proprietary analytics infrastructure Integrating intelligent automation across client-facing and administrative workflows Positioning CHS as a next-generation technology partner within the U.S. healthcare benefits ecosystem CHS believes AI and advanced digital technologies will play a central role in driving long-term growth, supporting increased market penetration and strengthening its position within the approximately $4-6 billion (SOURCE: Mordor Intelligence) U.S. healthcare benefits administration software market. About Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Alberta and is the parent company of Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. (Delaware). The Company is a vertically integrated software as a services (SaaS) company focused on digitizing healthcare with Healthcare Benefits Administration solutions, providing reliable and high-volume transaction-capable systems. The Company's state-of-the-art Novus 360 Healthcare Welfare and Benefits Administration (HWBA) SaaS platform is used by clients for all aspects of healthcare benefits administration (including self-funded employers, providers, and labor unions), providing healthcare administrative software and technology-enabled services. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: The press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "budget", "believe", "project", "estimate", "expect", "scheduled", "forecast", "strategy", "future", "likely", "may", "to be", "could", "would", "should", "will" and similar references to future periods or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and conditional. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as of the date they are provided. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors that could cause the Company's actual results and financial conditions to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results and financial conditions to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, include among others: general economic, market and business conditions in Canada and globally; market volatility; unforeseen delays in timelines for any of the transactions or events described in this press release; and the risk of regulatory changes that may impact the business of the Company. All forward-looking information is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement 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. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288926 Source: Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Tokenwell Platforms Inc. (CSE: TWEL) (OTCQB: TWELF) (FSE: Y920) ("Tokenwell" or the "Company") announces that Kate-Lynn Genzel has resigned from her position as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective March 26, 2026. The Company wishes to thank Ms. Genzel for her contributions during her tenure and wishes her the best in her future endeavours. The Company has commenced its search for a successor and expects to appoint a new Chief Financial Officer in due course. On Behalf of the Company ~Timothy Burgess~ Timothy J. Burgess CEO and Director About Tokenwell Platforms Inc. (CSE: TWEL) (OTCQB: TWELF) (FSE: Y920) Tokenwell is a publicly listed cutting-edge cryptocurrency platform dedicated to making digital assets accessible, secure, and efficient for users worldwide. With a focus on innovation and user-centric design, Tokenwell empowers individuals and businesses to engage with the crypto economy confidently. For more information about Tokenwell, its upcoming launches, product benefits and features, Crypto users should visit www.tokenwell.io and download the Tokenwell app on iOS or Android . Potential investors are invited to visit www.tokenwell.com and everyone should follow us on LinkedIn, X & Telegram, and also subscribe to our News Alert opportunity for free and timely notifications from the Company. Tokenwell Disclaimer - Tokenwell Platforms Inc. is not an investment adviser or commodity trading advisor. Tokenwell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investments linked to its products. Assets remain on users' own exchanges. Terms and conditions available at tokenwell.com . Forward-Looking Statements - This press release contains "forward-looking statements". Sentences containing words such as "believe," "aim", "intend," "plan," "may," "expect," "should," "could," "anticipate," "estimate," "predict," "project," or their negatives, or other similar expressions of a future or forward-looking nature generally should be considered forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements relating to the appointment of a successor Chief Financial Officer. Such forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently uncertain and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause results to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited, our ability to continue with our development efforts, our efforts to grow our business and operations, the costs or expenditures associated therewith, competition in our industry, and the evolving rules and regulations applicable to digital assets and our industry. You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the CSE nor its Regulatory Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288913 Source: Tokenwell Platforms Inc. Marti sets new targets for June 30, 2026 of 4.30 million riders and 530 thousand registered drivers Marti Technologies, Inc. ("Marti" or the "Company") (NYSE American: MRT), Turkiye's leading mobility super app, announced today that as of March 17, 2026, Marti's ride-hailing service has reached 3.80 million riders and 490 thousand registered drivers, exceeding the March 31, 2026 targets of 3.80 million riders and 485 thousand registered drivers. Marti's number of ride-hailing riders grew 101% from March 17, 2025 to March 17, 2026. The number of registered drivers grew 70% during the same time period. The fast growth in both the rider and driver sides of Marti's ride-hailing marketplace demonstrates large demand for the service across Turkiye. The service intends to provide readily available, safe, and affordable rides for riders, while providing economic opportunities for drivers across the income spectrum. Encouraged by the growth in the rider and driver bases of its ride-hailing business, Marti has set targets for 4.30 million riders and 530 thousand registered drivers by June 30, 2026. Of Marti's 490 thousand registered drivers, 334 thousand are in Turkiye's largest city, Istanbul. This is in contrast to 20 thousand taxis serving the city. With 16 times as many registered drivers as taxis serving the city of Istanbul, Marti is able to offer widespread availability across the city. Furthermore, Marti's drivers undergo formal background checks before acceptance onto the service, thereby contributing to rider safety. The average rating of Marti's ride-hailing drivers by riders is 4.8 out of 5 stars. The shares of Marti's riders and registered drivers outside of Istanbul have both grown significantly, reflecting continued execution of Marti's nationwide ride-hailing expansion strategy. Following multiple expansion phases completed in 2025, Marti's ride-hailing operations now span 20 markets across Turkiye, covering approximately 80% of the country's GDP. This expanded footprint is driving increased geographic diversification and reinforcing the platform's nationwide growth trajectory. Over the last twelve months, the proportion of Marti's riders based outside of Istanbul has grown from 18% to 34%, while the share of Marti's registered drivers based outside of Istanbul has grown from 22% to 32%. This increased geographic diversification underscores the nationwide demand for Marti's services and supports the Company's long-term growth trajectory beyond Istanbul. McKinsey Company, a consultancy group, estimates the taxi market size in Turkiye at $9 billion to $12 billion as of 2021. Further, under the "Disruptive Scenario 2030", ride-hailing is expected to increase the size of the taxi market by offering cheaper and more convenient rides. McKinsey Company estimates the potential size of the Turkish ride-hailing market in 2030 at $15 billion to $20 billion Expectations and targets are not necessarily indicative of future attainment. About Marti: Founded in 2018, Marti is Turkiye's leading mobility app, offering a wide variety of transportation services. Marti operates a ride-hailing service that matches riders with car, motorcycle and taxi drivers; delivery services; and a large fleet of rental e-mopeds, e-bikes and e-scooters. All of Marti's offerings are serviced by proprietary software systems and IoT infrastructure. For more information, visit www.marti.tech. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements related to the anticipated growth, including the number of riders and registered drivers of the ride-hailing business, the ride-hailing targets by June 30, 2026, and the expected future performance and market opportunities of Marti and the ride-hailing business. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including the risks discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F. Marti undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318161677/en/ Contacts: Investor Contact Marti Technologies, Inc. Turgut Yilmaz investor.relations@marti.tech Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Salazar Resources Limited (TSXV: SRL) (OTCQB: SRLZF) (FSE: CCG) ("Salazar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful closing of its previously announced acquisition of Ecuadorian exploration assets from Silvercorp Metals Inc. ("Silvercorp"), marking a significant step in consolidating the Company's copper-gold exploration portfolio in Ecuador. Salazar acquired from Silvercorp two of Silvercorp's subsidiaries, which subsidiaries hold interests in the Santiago, Pijili & Tarqui-Quimi projects (the "Projects"), in exchange for a 1.5% net smelter return royalty in the Projects (the "Royalties"). This acquisition materially expands Salazar's ownership across several prospective exploration projects. This milestone provides the Company with full strategic control over a growing portfolio of copper-gold exploration assets in one of South America's most prospective metallogenic belts. Final guarantee documentation related to grant of the Royalties remains pending execution. Importantly, Salazar also retains a 25% carried interest in the El Domo copper-gold project, currently under construction and expected to become Ecuador's next producing mine, providing the Company with potential near-term exposure to mine development and future cash flow. With ownership consolidation largely complete, the Company is now focused on advancing priority exploration targets toward drilling in 2026. CEO Commentary Fredy Salazar, CEO of Salazar Resources, commented: "The consolidation of these exploration assets represents an important milestone in the evolution of Salazar Resources. With full ownership of several prospective copper-gold projects and our 25% carried interest in the El Domo project currently under construction, Salazar now offers a unique combination of near-term development exposure and large-scale exploration upside. "As Ecuador continues to emerge as a globally important mining jurisdiction, we believe our portfolio provides exceptional leverage to both copper and precious metals. Our focus now turns to advancing multiple high-priority targets toward drilling and unlocking the significant value we believe exists across our land position." Why This Matters to Investors This announcement marks an important step in Salazar's strategy to build a fully controlled copper-gold exploration platform in Ecuador while maintaining exposure to near-term mine production. Key implications include: near-term production exposure - Salazar retains a 25% carried interest in the El Domo copper-gold project, currently under construction and expected to become Ecuador's next producing mine. exploration upside - Consolidated ownership across the Santiago, Tarqui-Quimi and Pijili projects provides exposure to multiple copper-gold systems across Ecuador's emerging mining belts. clear exploration pipeline - Several projects are advancing toward drill-ready targets in 2026, positioning the Company for potential discovery-driven catalysts. strategic flexibility - Full ownership of core assets allows Salazar to advance exploration internally, pursue joint ventures, or evaluate strategic transactions as projects mature. leverage to copper and precious metals markets - The Company's portfolio provides exposure to growing global demand for copper alongside sustained strength in gold and silver prices. Key Highlights consolidation of key Ecuador exploration assets through acquisition from Silvercorp Salazar increased its ownership of the Santiago and Pijili projects from 20% to 100% and it has also acquired the Tarqui and Quimi concessions, all subject to the Royalties Salazar retains a 25% carried interest in the El Domo copper-gold project, currently under construction copper-gold exploration portfolio across multiple prospective metallogenic belts multiple projects advancing toward drill-ready targets in 2026 Strategic Portfolio Overview Following the acquisition of the Projects, Salazar's exploration portfolio is anchored by several prospective copper-gold targets located across Ecuador's emerging mining districts. Santiago Project - The Santiago Project represents Salazar's flagship exploration asset and hosts a large copper-gold porphyry target with epithermal gold-silver upside. It consists of a single concession, totalling 2,350 hectares and is located approximately 37 km north of the city of Loja in Loja province in southcentral Ecuador. Highlights include: Historical shallow drilling conducted by Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited in 1993-1994 included drill hole FUD-01 that intersected 323 metres of 0.25% copper and 0.40 g/t gold for 0.65% CuEq (see historical drilling and copper equivalent details in the Company's press release dated June 15, 2020) Alteration and Au-Cu geochemical anomalies defining a ~3 km by 1.5 km mineralized footprint Gold-bearing epithermal veins peripheral to the porphyry system with high-grade rock chip samples with a sample reaching 25.97 g/t Au and 242 g/t Ag (see the Company's press release dated February 23, 2012). Airborne magneto-telluric geophysical survey resulted in a conductivity anomaly below shallow drilling which remains untested. Additional drilling will be required to evaluate the continuity, geometry and scale of the porphyry system. Tarqui-Quimi Project - This project is located within the Zamora Metallogenic Belt, which hosts several significant deposits including the Mirador Mine, the Panantza Project, the Warintza Project, and the Fruta del Norte Mine. Highlights include: Copper-molybdenum porphyry target within a 2.5 km by 1 km geochemical anomaly Drill intercepts confirming porphyry-style mineralization including 218 metres grading 0.32% CuEq from surface in hole TARQ4D (reported in a press release dated July 11, 2022, by previous owner Luminex Resources Corp. ("Luminex")): Hole Depth/Azimuth/Inclination From (m) To (m) Length (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Mo (ppm) Cu Eq (%) TARQ4D 634m/225/-70 4 222 218 0.29 0.03 0.7 5.97 0.32 Incl. 16 130 114 0.32 0.04 0.82 7.2 0.36 Incl. 16 24 8 0.46 0.04 1.8 14.7 0.51 Incl. 32 50 18 0.43 0.05 0.74 2.6 0.48 Incl. 122 130 8 0.47 0.05 0.89 1.4 0.52 Note: intervals in the reported hole were calculated using a cut-off of 0.10% Cu with maximum interval dilution of eight continuous metres. Sampling was done in consistent, continuous 2-meter intervals. Copper equivalent values were calculated using the following prices: a gold price of US$1,600 per ounce, a copper price of US$3.00 per pound, a molybdenum price of US$8.00 per pound and a silver price of US$20.00 per ounce. No allowances were made for recovery losses that may occur should mining eventually result. Luminex advised that a qualified person reviewed, verified and approved the scientific and technical information concerning the Tarqui Project contained in the aforesaid news release and that a qualified person verified the data underlying that scientific and technical information. Conductivity anomalies defined by a VTEM survey that coincided with surface geochemistry and alteration Polymetallic veins with gold grades of up to 38 g/t gold; silver grades of up to 559 g/t silver (reported in a press release dated February 12, 2019, by previous owner, Luminex) Conductivity anomalies defined by a VTEM survey that coincided with surface geochemistry and alteration mapping. Historical exploration data from the Quimi concession indicate a target area approximately 1 km by 0.8 km in extent where anomalous copper values have been reported. This information is derived from historical records that have not been verified by the Company's Qualified Person and will be evaluated through future exploration programs. Further drilling will evaluate the depth potential and scale of the porphyry mineralization. Pijili Project - The Pijili Project is located in southwestern Ecuador's Azuay province within a copper-molybdenum porphyry belt and hosts multiple mineralization styles. Highlights include: Porphyry-style copper-gold-molybdenum mineralization with the presence of tungsten Drill intercepts including 20.6 metres grading 1.13% CuEq in hole MERC-001 (see joint press release of Salazar and Adventus Mining Corporation ("Adventus") dated October 26, 2020) and hole MERC-011, which returned 151.81 m grading 0.35% CuEq, including an interval of 18.55 m grading 0.99% Cu, 0.25g/t Au, 0.03% Mo, 189.8g/t Ag and 0.23% W (see Salazar and Adventus' joint press release dated April 20, 2021). Located approximately 5 km from the Chaucha Copper-molybdenum project operated by Southern Copper Corporation from ~2018-2023. Further exploration work is planned to expand and delineate the porphyry system. El Tigre - Macara Mina Concession - Located along the northeastern edge of the Lancones Basin, the El Tigre - Macara Mina concession hosts multiple exploration targets. Highlights include: VMS-style high-grade gold-silver system in breccia bodies with silica-barite with grab samples returning up to 29.60 g/t gold (see Salazar's press release dated July 11, 2019) with mineralized pillow lavas. magnetic and gravimetric anomalies coincident with Au-Cu-Zn geochemical responses the property lies along the same regional trend hosting the Tambo Grande Deposit in Peru, highlighting the broader district potential. TG1: 109 Mt of 1.6% Cu, 1.0% Zn, 0.5 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag TG3 (Buenaventura's Algarrobos Project): 82 Mt 1.0% Cu, 1.4% Zn, 0.8 g/t Au and 25 g/t Ag. Strategic Positioning and 2026 Execution Plan The staged acquisition marks a transformational step in consolidating Salazar's Ecuador exploration platform. With full ownership of its core exploration assets, the Company is now positioned to systematically advance multiple projects toward drilling while maintaining strategic flexibility to pursue partnerships or other value creation opportunities. During 2026, Salazar intends to: Advance the Santiago and Tarqui-Quimi projects toward drill implementation Initiate new drilling programs on priority targets, subject to permitting and financing Continue supporting construction and commissioning of the El Domo Project, where Salazar maintains a 25% carried interest through to production Ecuador Mining Environment Ecuador continues to transition from an exploration jurisdiction toward a significant emerging mining producer. Operations such as Fruta del Norte and Mirador Mine, together with projects under development such as El Domo, highlight the country's growing role in global metals supply. Mining is increasingly contributing to national economic growth, export revenues and government tax receipts. Salazar maintains long-standing relationships with government authorities, regulators and local communities and remains committed to responsible resource development and strong environmental and social practices. Qualified Person Kieran Downes, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and a consulting geologist to Salazar, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About Salazar Resources 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. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER - FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release includes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws relating to, among other things, the Company's potential near-term exposure to mine development and future cash flow, and the planned advancement of its exploration projects. By their very nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company'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. Such factors include, amongst others, risks related to general economic, business and political conditions. Forward-looking information may in some cases be identified by words such as "will", "anticipates", "expects", "intends" and similar expressions suggesting future events or future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking information is inherently subject to change and uncertainty and that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including regulatory actions; regulatory environment and political climate in Ecuador; environmental risks; natural disasters; dependence on management and key personnel; and risks and hazards of mineral exploration; and the other risk factors described in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other filings with Canadian securities regulators on www.sedarplus.ca could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information or could cause the Company's current objectives, strategies and intentions to change. Accordingly, the Company warns investors to exercise caution when considering statements containing forward-looking information and that it would be unreasonable to rely on such statements as creating legal rights regarding the Company's future results or plans. The Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking information will materialize, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents expectations as of the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. However, the Company is under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter any statements containing forward-looking information, the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. All of the forward-looking information in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements herein. Projects owned by Salazar Resources (shaded in blue) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4631/288872_bca0e32f34561bfd_003full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288872 Source: Salazar Resources Limited Prototype Enters Manufacturing as Program Moves into Execution with 5-10M Initial Revenue and Visibility Toward 80-120M Steady-State NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE American: BURU), a dual-use Defense Security platform company focused on non-kinetic effects, directed-energy technologies, electronic warfare and software-orchestrated defense systems, today announced that its Ukraine initiative with Tekne S.p.A. ("Tekne") and Engineering Bureau "BERYL" LLC ("Beryl"), an established Ukrainian industrial company actively producing and supplying vehicles to Ukrainian military forces, has entered the production phase under an executing industrial program supporting Ukraine deployment activities. Following the execution of the strategic cooperation agreement, the initiative has advanced into active manufacturing, with the first GRAELION tactical prototype entering the production line, as formally certified by Tekne in an official industrial progress declaration dated March 17, 2026. Transition to Executing Program The advancement into production marks a clear transition from structured agreement to executing industrial program and initiates contract-linked revenue activities associated with prototype manufacturing, qualification, and initial deployment. The program is aligned with Phase 1 revenue objectives in the 5-10 million range and provides visibility toward scaled deployment as production ramps. The program builds on established operational and industrial foundations. GRAELION vehicles are already deployed in Ukraine with the State Emergency Service (DSNS) for demining operations, while an existing military-grade configuration has been commercialized in Italy. Beryl serves as an active Ukrainian industrial supplier supporting defense requirements. Execution Framework First GRAELION tactical prototype entered into production line. Industrial supply chain and manufacturing protocols validated. Platform configured for Ukrainian military qualification. Coordinated execution with in-country industrial partner Beryl. Visibility toward 80-120 million scaled program potential. NUBURU participates in the program through a structured economic and governance framework that includes pricing and margin participation, capital coordination, and potential integration of higher-margin non-kinetic and software subsystems. The Company also maintains a 2.9% equity position in Tekne, with potential expansion subject to Italian Government authorization under Golden Power regulation. This structure enables NUBURU to participate in program economics as production scales while supporting its broader Defense Security platform strategy. Management Commentary Alessandro Zamboni, Executive Chairman and Co-CEO of NUBURU, stated, "The entry into production marks the transition from structured agreement to executing program. This is now an operational industrial initiative aligned with Ukraine deployment requirements and supported by a validated supply chain." Dario Barisoni, Co-CEO of NUBURU and CEO of Nuburu Defense LLC, added, "We have achieved alignment across engineering, production, and local industrial capabilities. The program is progressing through a defined qualification and deployment pathway with coordinated execution." Strategic Outlook With production underway, validated industrial readiness, and revenue-generating activities initiated, NUBURU continues to transition from strategic framework development to execution of defense programs with real-world deployment and scalable revenue potential. About Nuburu, Inc Founded in 2015, Nuburu is executing a strategic transformation from a laser-technology company into a dual-use Defense Security platform provider. Through a combination of proprietary directed-energy technologies, non-kinetic defense capabilities, mission-critical software, and targeted industrial partnerships and acquisitions, Nuburu addresses high-value defense, security, and operational-resilience markets. For more information, visit www.nuburu.net. About Nuburu Defense LLC A subsidiary of NUBURU, Nuburu Defense delivers advanced solutions for defense, security, and critical-infrastructure applications, supporting NUBURU's Defense Security Hub strategy. For more information, visit also: www.orbitopenplatform.com TEKNE S.p.A. SPECIAL VEHICLES ELECTRONICS About Maddox Defense Incorporated Maddox Defense Incorporated ("Maddox Defense") is a U.S.-based defense manufacturing company focused on advanced production capabilities supporting unmanned systems, mission-critical components, and defense modernization initiatives. The company serves U.S. defense and allied markets through engineering-driven manufacturing solutions designed to enhance operational readiness and industrial resilience. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements, identified by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "intend," "will," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "plan," "seek," "targets," "projects," "could," "would," "continue," "forecast," or their negatives or variations. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to: (1) the ability to meet applicable securities exchange listing standards; (2) the impact of the loss of the Company's patent portfolio through foreclosure; (3) failure to achieve expectations regarding business development and acquisition strategies; (4) inability to access sufficient capital; (5) inability to realize anticipated benefits of acquisitions; (6) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (7) adverse economic, business, or competitive factors; (8) financial market volatility due to geopolitical and economic factors; and (9) other risks detailed in the Company's SEC filings, including its most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. These filings address additional risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. NUBURU undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, except as required by law. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318785933/en/ Contacts: NUBURU Investor Relations: ir@nuburu.net Media Contact: press@nuburu.net Website: www.nuburu.net GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, Newfoundland and Labrador, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Atlantic Nickel Corp. (TSXV: FAN) (OTCQB: FANCF) (FSE: P21) ("First Atlantic" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the discovery of a second large-scale awaruite (Ni3Fe) nickel-cobalt alloy target area, designated Alloy Max, extending 7 kilometers (km) north of the existing RPM Zone (see Figure 1) within the 30 km Pipestone Ophiolite Complex at its Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project in central Newfoundland. The Alloy Max zone was discovered through the Company's ongoing district-wide surface sampling program, which integrates field geological mapping, rock sampling, Davis Tube Recovery ("DTR") metallurgical testing, and geophysics to identify magnetically recoverable nickel in awaruite alloy mineralization throughout the 30 km trend. This work has outlined an initial target area at Alloy Max of approximately 4 km in length and 1.2 km in width (see Figure 1), with DTR surface sample grades similar to those observed at the RPM Zone. Geophysical processing on this target indicates the potential for a larger mineralized area than the RPM Zone. At the RPM Zone, this pattern is well established, where drill cores consistently return higher grades than weathered surface samples. Alloy Max is fully permitted and funded for drilling, with ground access in place, minimal overburden, and numerous drill targets identified. The Alloy Max zone is a new area of awaruite mineralization extending 7 km north of the RPM Zone discovery, reinforcing the district-scale potential of the Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project. The Company now has two large-scale awaruite target areas identified within the 30 km Pipestone Ophiolite Complex, with additional untested targets and unexplored ground throughout the district. At the RPM Zone, drilling has confirmed magnetically recoverable awaruite nickel mineralization over an area 800 meters (m) wide and 1.2 kilometers (km) long. Alloy Max is a priority for drilling in 2026 and could represent a second large-scale near-surface zone of awaruite suitable for open pit style bulk tonnage mining. This discovery is in line with the Company's mission to mine and process a large-scale nickel-cobalt feedstock capable of supplying a vertically integrated North American onshore supply chain, from mining directly into downstream battery refining or stainless steel production, with no need for smelting or offshore processing. HIGHLIGHTS: Alloy Max Discovery - New Large-Scale Awaruite Target Area: District-wide surface sampling has outlined a major new area of magnetically recoverable nickel in awaruite alloy mineralization extending 7 km north of the RPM Zone. Alloy Max is a priority target for drilling in 2026. 4 km x 1.2 km Target Area Outlined - Larger Initial Area Than RPM Zone: Field geological mapping, surface sampling, and DTR analysis outline an initial target area of approximately 4 km x 1.2 km. Geophysical processing indicates the potential for a larger mineralized size and mass than the RPM Zone, where drilling has confirmed 800 m width x 1.2 km strike length of positive magnetically recoverable awaruite nickel mineralization. Rock Surface Sample DTR Grades Consistent With RPM Zone: DTR surface sampling across a large area of Alloy Max has returned magnetically recoverable nickel grades comparable to RPM Zone surface values, where drill core at depth returned significantly higher grades than weathered surface samples. Alloy Max Fully Permitted: Approved drill permits are in place for the entire Alloy Max target area. Ground access is in place, with minimal overburden, and numerous drill targets identified. District-Scale Potential Accelerating: Alloy Max presents an opportunity for large-scale development with proximity to centralized processing. Two large-scale awaruite target areas now identified within the Pipestone XL district, with ongoing surface sampling continuing to identify new areas of awaruite mineralization throughout the 30 km Pipestone Ophiolite Complex. $7.8M Raised Without Warrants Since December 2025: Aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $7,819,316 were raised through non-brokered private placements (without warrants), comprising $3,919,316 in flow-through financings and $3,900,000 under the LIFE Offering. Proceeds will support drilling at Alloy Max and the RPM Zone. For further information, questions, or investor inquiries, please contact Rob Guzman at First Atlantic Nickel by phone at +1-844-592-6337 or via email at rob@fanickel.com. ALLOY MAX DISCOVERY The Alloy Max target area (see Figure 1) was identified through the Company's systematic district-wide exploration program, which employs field geological mapping, field surface rock sampling with DTR analysis, and geophysical interpretation to identify and delineate areas of awaruite nickel-cobalt alloy mineralization across the 30 km Pipestone Ophiolite Complex. Figure 1: Map of Alloy Max & RPM Zone areas with DTR nickel (%) in surface rock samples High Resolution Image File of the Alloy Max & RPM Zone Area Map (Figure 1) Available at: https://fanickel.com/images/news/Alloy_Max_Map.jpg DTR surface sampling at Alloy Max has returned numerous positive magnetically recoverable nickel values at or above 0.04%, consistent with surface sample grades observed in the RPM Zone, where surface samples commonly range from 0.03% to 0.10% DTR nickel. At the RPM Zone, this pattern is well established, with drill core samples consistently returning higher DTR grades than weathered surface samples, indicating the potential for higher nickel grades at Alloy Max in drill core. The initial target area, defined by the integration of field geological mapping, surface rock sampling, DTR (magnetic separation and recovery) testing, and geophysics, is approximately 4 km in length and 1.2 km in width. Geophysical processing on this target indicates the potential for Alloy Max to exceed the size of the RPM Zone. Awaruite mineralization at Alloy Max has been confirmed both visually in surface rock samples and through DTR analysis. Figure 2: Surface sample from Alloy Max target area with visible disseminated awaruite nickel-cobalt alloy mineralization ALLOY MAX DRILLING Alloy Max has fully approved drill permits in place which encompass the entire outlined target area shown on the Figure 1 map. The area features existing ground access, minimal overburden, and favourable conditions for near-surface drill testing. Numerous drill targets have been identified within Alloy Max based on the integration of surface DTR results, geological mapping, and geophysical data. The Company has designated Alloy Max as a priority drilling target area in 2026. Figure 3: Drill access trail extended through Alloy Max target area Figure 4: Drill target site preparation in the Alloy Max Zone CAPITALIZED TO DRILL ALLOY MAX & RPM ZONE Since December 2025, the Company has raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $7,819,316 through non-brokered private placements (without warrants), comprising $3,919,316 in flow-through financings and $3,900,000 under the LIFE Offering. No warrants were issued in these financings. The Company intends to use the proceeds to advance drilling at the Alloy Max target area, expand drilling at the RPM Zone, and continue district-wide exploration across the Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project. AWARUITE (Ni3Fe) - EARTH'S RAREST NATURALLY MAGNETIC HIGH-GRADE NICKEL-IRON-COBALT ALLOY MINERAL Figure 5: Quote from USGS on Awaruite Deposits1 Awaruite (Ni3Fe) is a naturally occurring nickel-iron-cobalt alloy mineral containing approximately 77% nickel2 - 2 to 3 times the nickel content of typical sulfide minerals such as pentlandite (~25% Ni)3. Awaruite forms during serpentinization, a geological process in which ultramafic peridotite reacts with water, generating molecular hydrogen gas (H2), and liberated nickel (Ni?) and iron (Fe?) then react with this abundant hydrogen to form the alloy. Because awaruite already exists in a reduced metallic state composed entirely of metal elements with no sulfur, it requires no smelting, roasting, or acid leaching. This offers a direct mine-to-refinery or stainless steel pathway that bypasses the bottleneck of limited North American smelting capacity. Awaruite's strong natural magnetic properties - up to 10 times more magnetic than magnetite - enable recovery through magnetic separator drums commonly used in large-scale open-pit bulk-tonnage iron ore mines across North America for over a century. DTR is a standard metallurgical test used in iron ore mining globally to measure the recovery of magnetic minerals, and is a specific method for measuring awaruite recovery from drill core. As stated in the August 2025 report "From Rocks to Power" from the Battery Metals Association of Canada4: "Awaruite is not a sulfide nor an oxide nickel ore but a high-content native nickel-iron ore. Simple beneficiation processes after mining could provide 60% Ni concentrate, ready for leaching for battery cathode purposes and would yield MHP as a by-product. This process would bypass pyrometallurgy or early hydrometallurgy stages and be among the lowest carbon-intensive nickel production sites in the global nickel market." The Battery Metals Association of Canada has also stated in June 20255: "A future nickel metallurgical plant could be designed to produce nickel sulfate or even precursors to the cathode active material (pCAM) for NMC batteries. Nickel sulfate can be produced by leaching nickel matte from nickel sulfide concentrates if the facility is a smelter, or it can be easily produced from a hydrometallurgical facility leaching awaruite concentrates." Figure 6: Davis Tube Recovery (DTR) Metallurgical Test 5 Step Process The Company has released an educational video that breaks down the DTR test into five simple steps. This video is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding mineral exploration. Please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3zsgDtLWns to view the video. INVESTOR INFORMATION The Company's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "FAN", the American OTCQB Exchange under the symbol "FANCF" and on several German exchanges, including Frankfurt and Tradegate, under the symbol "P21". Investors can get updates about First Atlantic by signing up to receive news via email and SMS text at www.fanickel.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION: First Atlantic Investor Relations Robert Guzman Tel: +1 844 592 6337 rob@fanickel.com DISCLOSURE Adrian Smith, P.Geo., a director and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. The qualified person is a member in good standing of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) and is a registered professional geoscientist (P.Geo.). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed herein. ANALYTICAL METHOD & QA/QC Representative rock samples were collected in the field from outcrops or subcrop exposures, while avoiding float material. Sample locations were documented using handheld GPS units. All samples were securely sealed, labeled and shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd. ("Actlabs") in Ancaster, Ontario, an ISO 17025 certified and accredited laboratory operating independently of First Atlantic. Each sample was crushed, with a 250 g sub-sample pulverized to 95% passing 200 mesh. A magnetic separation was then generated by running the pulverized sub-sample through a magnetic separator which splits the sub-sample into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. This involves running a 30 g split of the pulp through a Davis Tube magnetic separator as a slurry using a constant flow rate, a magnetic field strength of 3,500 Gauss, and a tube angle of 45 degrees to produce magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. The magnetic fractions are collected, dried, weighed and fused using a lithium metaborate/tetraborate flux with a lithium bromide releasing agent, then analyzed on a wavelength dispersive XRF for multiple elements including nickel, cobalt, iron and chromium. The magnetically recoverable nickel grade was calculated by multiplying the XRF fusion nickel value by the weight of the magnetic fraction and dividing by the total recorded feed weight or magnetic mass pulled from the sample. The Company's quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocol included the insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference material (standards), to monitor the precision and accuracy of the laboratory results. All analytical results successfully passed QA/QC screening at the laboratory. All QA/QC protocols were performed by Actlabs. The Davis Tube Recovery ("DTR") method described above is a bench scale metallurgical test used to measure the magnetically recoverable nickel ("DTR Ni %"). ABOUT FIRST ATLANTIC NICKEL CORP. First Atlantic Nickel Corp. (TSXV: FAN) (OTCQB: FANCF) (FSE: P21) is a critical mineral exploration company in Newfoundland & Labrador developing the Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project. The project spans the entire 30-kilometer Pipestone Ophiolite Complex, where multiple zones, including RPM, Alloy Max, Super Gulp, Atlantic Lake, and Chrome Pond, contain awaruite (Ni3Fe), a naturally occurring magnetic nickel-iron-cobalt alloy of approximately ~77% nickel with no-sulfur and no-sulfides, along with secondary chromium mineralization. Awaruite's sulfur-free composition removes acid mine drainage (AMD) risks, while its unique magnetic properties enable processing through magnetic separation, eliminating the electricity requirements, emissions, and environmental impacts of conventional smelting, roasting, or high-pressure acid leaching while reducing dependence on overseas nickel processing infrastructure. The U.S. Geological Survey recognized awaruite's strategic importance in its 2012 Annual Report on Nickel, noting that these deposits may help alleviate prolonged nickel concentrate shortages since the natural alloy is much easier to concentrate than typical nickel sulfides. The Pipestone XL Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Project is located near existing infrastructure with year-round road access and proximity to hydroelectric power. These features provide favorable logistics for exploration and future development, strengthening First Atlantic's role to establish a secure and reliable source of North American nickel production for the stainless steel, electric vehicle, aerospace, and defense industries. This mission gained importance when the US added nickel to its critical minerals list in 2022, recognizing it as a non-fuel mineral essential to economic and national security with a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements: This news release may include "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company, including with respect to the Company's exploration and financing activities, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the timing, scope, objectives and results of the Company's exploration and drilling programs at Pipestone XL, including planned drilling at the Alloy Max target area and continued exploration of the RPM Zone; the potential size, continuity and extension of awaruite-bearing mineralization at Alloy Max and throughout the 30 km Pipestone Ophiolite Complex; the interpretation and application of DTR results, surface sampling, geological mapping, and geophysical data; the expected relationship between surface DTR grades and subsurface drill core grades; the potential for Alloy Max to represent a larger mineralized area than the RPM Zone; the potential for large-scale development scenarios and onshore vertical integration from mining to refining; the Company's capital position and ability to fund planned exploration and drilling activities using proceeds from recent financings; and the Company's ability to advance its projects, obtain financing, and execute its business plans. Forward-looking information is based on, among other things, assumptions regarding: the continuity of geology and mineralization suggested by surface sampling, geological mapping, and geophysical data; DTR recoverability results remaining comparable under similar conditions; the availability of drill rigs, contractors, services, personnel, supplies, and equipment; the receipt of required permits and approvals within expected timeframes; prevailing and future commodity prices, market conditions, and demand; and the Company's ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms to fund planned exploration programs including the deployment of proceeds from recently completed financings. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking information is neither a promise nor a guarantee and is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital or ability to effectively deploy available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. Additional factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on http://www.sedarplus.ca . Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no mineral reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. 1 https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/mineral-pubs/nickel/mcs-2012-nicke.pdf 2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892687522002667 3 https://fpxnickel.com/projects-overview/what-is-awaruite/ 4 https://transitionaccelerator.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/From-Rocks-to-Power-Nickel.pdf 5 https://netzeroindustrialpolicy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BMAC_TA_EFL_Western_Canadian_Battery_Value_Chain.pdf Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e012260e-61c5-424d-acec-6347a2e2e8e3 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e870aa52-de32-439c-b053-ec1c115dc1b6 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0944cae7-b705-452e-b236-8684ebc969fb https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6574198b-11c0-474a-a403-09476a172aa5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/df6e0a9e-42e2-4f25-bd9c-61008606597b https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f76bee1-4425-4c47-abc4-ffd48f8d87f5 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. (CSE: SXTY) (FSE: 2F40) (OTC Pink: SXNTF) (the "Company" or "Sixty North Gold") is pleased to provide an update on its plan to commence gold production this year on its wholly-owned Mon Gold Mine, Yellowknife, NWT. Substantially all of our equipment has successfully been mobilized to Yellowknife, or is being prepared for shipment from Edmonton to Yellowknife including the mill, excavators, bulldozers, camp, steel, lumber, fuel and miscellaneous supplies. In total, we estimate that more than 300,000 kg of supplies will have been brought into the mine site before the winter road access ends in late March or early April. We are within our budgeted expenditures to date but anticipate some items such as fuel costs to exceed our initial budget amounts. Dave Webb, President & CEO reports: "Our mill, the last major piece of equipment needed to commence production, landed in Canada from China and was transported to Edmonton by rail. It is being loaded on trucks this week for the two-day transport to Yellowknife. Sixty North Gold continues to move the Mon Gold Mine towards production again and plans to mine and stockpile mill feed a few weeks before our mill is ready for commissioning at its 100 tpd design rate. We plan to extract gold-bearing vein material from four stopes developed on the second level, below the historic stopes that produced at an average gold grade of 30 gpt. The Company plans to continue development to depth." About the Company Sixty North Gold is developing mining operations for gold on its 100-per-cent-owned Mon Gold Project. Mining in the 1990's extracted 15,000 tonnes of ore to depths of only 15 metres below surface, recovering an estimated 15,000 ounces of gold in the 1990s (Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023 on SEDAR+ or https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/technical-report/). Recently, underground development has intersected the productive A-Zone 17 m below the historic stopes. A newly discovered zone, the DD-Zone is exposed in the main ramp. The company plans to develop and mine stopes in the East Limb, West Limb and DD Zone and to extend the ramp to allow for the development of deeper levels. The silver-rich VMS deposits (https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/volcanogenic-massive-sulphide-vms-deposits/), the large shear zone-hosted gold targets (https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/shear-zones/), and the critical-element-enriched IOCG-style mineralization (https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/iocg-target/) will be explored and developed as warranted. The Yellowknife gold camp hosts two mines that averaged 30 gpt gold or greater (Discovery Mine with one million ounces of gold produced, and Sixty North Gold's Mon Mine), and two that averaged 15 gpt or greater for a total production of over 14 million ounces of gold (Con Mine and Giant Mine); (ref. Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023). The Yellowknife Gold Belt is an historic gold producer and has the people and experience to bring this Archean gold belt back to life. The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. D.R. Webb, P.Geol, P.Eng., President and CEO of Sixty North Gold Mines Ltd. For more information, please refer to the Company's public filings available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under the Company's profile. Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Further details about the risks applicable to the Company are contained in the Company's public filings available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under the Company's profile. THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288854 Source: Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (OTCQB: EQTRF), ("Altamira" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from initial diamond drilling at the Guillermo target and to provide an update on ongoing exploration activities at the Maria Bonita mineral resource within its Cajueiro District, Brazil. Highlights: Initial scout drilling at the Guillermo target intersected 7 metres @ 4.2g/t gold from 111m in drill hole GLO-01, including an interval of 0.9m @ 18.1g/t gold from vein structures within sericite altered porphyritic intrusives. The mineralized section of GLO-01 can be correlated with 9 metres @ 0.4 g/t gold sampled in trench TCGIO006 (Figure 4). Diamond drilling continues at the Maria Bonita mineral resource and hole MBA034 returned 75 metres @ 0.3 gm/t gold and 33.5 metres @ 0.4 gm/t gold, with both mineralized sections below the pit boundary of the resource model previously reported under NI43-101 in June 2025. Consultant Dr Richard Sillitoe is presently on site at the Cajueiro Project, reviewing the drilling carried out since August 2025 on the Maria Bonita, Guillermo, Morro Verde, Tavares Norte and Central area targets within the Cajueiro district. CEO Mike Bennett commented; "Our first drill hole at the Guillermo target has delivered an exciting result. This target, located 2km to the northeast of the Cajueiro Central mineral resource, is one of several within an east-west corridor extending over 8km. Three of these prospects outside our mineral resources, have now delivered positive gold intercepts in scout drilling (Tavares Norte, Morro Verde and, more recently, Guillermo). The current results continue to demonstrate the potential of the district to increase our resource base in the short term. Drill hole MBA-034 at Maria Bonita confirms that gold mineralization continues at depth and further drilling will target newly defined zones where we believe that there is potential to discover additional mineralized gold bearing porphyry bodies outside the current mineral resource footprint." CAJUEIRO DISTRICT The Cajueiro district is located approximately 75km NW of the town of Alta Floresta in the state of Mato Grosso (Figure 1) in central western Brazil. The project is easily accessible by road, lies on open farmland and has grid power and a local water supply. Cajueiro is the most advanced of the key projects that Altamira controls in the region (Figure1). Figure 1: Location of Altamira Gold's projects in the Alta Floresta Belt. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_001full.jpg The Cajueiro district consists of two independently estimated gold mineral resources at Cajueiro Central and Maria Bonita, plus a series of eight additional untested exploration targets within a radius of 8km of Cajueiro Central. The Cajueiro Central area has a current open pit resource1 of 5.66Mt @ 1.02 g/t gold containing 185,000 oz in the Indicated Resource category and 12.66Mt @ 1.26 g/t gold (515,000 oz) in the Inferred Resource category (estimated using a cut-off grade of 0.25g/t Au and a gold price of US$1,500/oz). The Maria Bonita open-pit resource consists of Indicated Resources of 24.19Mt @ 0.46g/t gold (357,800oz) and Inferred Resources of 25.64Mt @ 0.44g/t gold (362,400oz)2. These resources were calculated using a 0.2 g/t gold cut-off grade and a gold price of US$2,780/oz. These resources include near-surface saprolite Indicated Resources of 2.02Mt @ 0.59g/t gold (38,000oz) and Inferred Resources of 0.68Mt @ 0.40g/t gold (8,700oz). The Maria Bonita porphyry gold deposit forms part of a district-scale portfolio of prospects that are interpreted as having a similar geological origin (Figure 2). The Cajueiro area is characterized by a 15km stretch of former alluvial gold workings along the Teles Pires river. The source of some of this alluvial gold is related to a pronounced east-west corridor of gold anomalies in soils and rock chips and a set of sub-cropping intrusions extending east-west over 8km, implying the presence of a long-standing and deep-seated crustal structure. Figure 2: Cajueiro district mineral resources at Cajueiro Central and Maria Bonita (white labels) and prospects (blue labels with scout drilling, yellow labels not yet drilled). An alignment of six of the targets occur in close spatial association to a pronounced east-west fault corridor marked by later gabbroic dykes. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_002full.jpg Maria Bonita Drilling Update Results have been received for diamond drill hole MBA-034, which tested the Maria Bonita porphyry system to a depth of more than 600 metres. Drill hole MBA-034 extended the known gold mineralization more than 100 metres below the previously tested depth of the system (Figure 3). The deeper intersections confirm that Maria Bonita represents a vertically extensive porphyry system. The more consistent and better grade intervals are associated with the early porphyry phases that subcrop and extend to depths of ~150m below surface. Later, lower grade porphyry phases, dominate in the deeper areas drilled, and to the east of the mineral resource drill hole MBA-033 tests the eastern limits of the mineralization and intersected multiple intervals above the mineral resource cut-off (0.2g/t gold), totalling 235m in aggregate (Table 1). To the south-west of the mineral resource, surface rock sampling in a small pit developed for road aggregate material returned 0.6 g/t gold in quartz veined porphyry. This area lies outside the current mineral resource and suggests that further preserved centres of the early porphyry may be present within the 800 x 800m soil anomaly currently defined by the 200ppb gold contour. Figure 3: Section along drill holes MBA-032 (see press release October 15, 2025) and MBA-034, showing mineralized intervals and the previously reported optimized pit profile for the mineral resource estimate reported under NI43-101. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_003full.jpg Table 1: Summary of results from drill holes MBA-033 and 034 at the Maria Bonita target. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_004full.jpg Regional Exploration In January, the Company initiated a diamond drilling program targeting the regional Guillermo and Mombaque targets (Figure 2). These targets have no prior drilling. Results have been received for the first drill hole at Guillermo. These targets are part of a district scale exploration program that has delivered initial results at Tavares Norte and Morro Verde (Table 2). Table 2: Drill results to date from the first two district drill targets Tavares Norte and Morro Verde (see Figure 2) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_005full.jpg Guillermo Target The Guillermo prospect, located 2km north-east of the Cajueiro Central mineral resource, is the eastern-most prospect in an eight-kilometre east-west trend, defined by gold-in-soil anomalies with associated porphyritic intrusives, quartz veining and sericitic alteration at surface. Trenching at Guillermo found highly anomalous gold intervals including 35m @ 0.5 g/t gold (see press release April 14, 2025). The majority of the assay results have been received for the initial drill hole (GLO-001). The hole returned 7m @ at 4.2g/t gold from 111m, including an interval of 0.9m @ 18.1g/t gold from 117.1m. This interval is hosted in a zone of altered rhyolite intrusive and is associated with quartz-carbonate-pyrite veinlets, some of which are subparallel to the core axis. Although the mineralized zone can be correlated with the interval of 9m @ 0.4g/t gold in Trench TCGLO06 (see Figure 4), the true width of the mineralized interval in the drill hole is not currently known. Figure 4: Cross section showing GLO-001 and surface trench TCGLO-06 at Guillermo target. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4500/288968_6b5f0e3d3447cb33_006full.jpg Next Steps The Company will continue to scout drill test targets in close proximity to, but outside, the mineral resource at Maria Bonita, where several anomalies are defined by rock chip sampling and drone magnetics. Further resource drilling at Cajueiro Central will be conducted in parallel with follow-up drill testing at Tavares Norte and Morro Verde where first round drilling discovered significant mineralization. Construction and installation of on-site accommodation and core processing facilities at Maria Bonita are also underway to support ongoing exploration activities. Qualified Person Fernando Benegas, FAusIMM, a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised and approved the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About Altamira Gold Corp. The Company is focused on the exploration and development of gold projects within western central Brazil, strategically advancing four projects spanning over 100,000 hectares within the prolific Juruena Gold Belt-an area that has historically yielded over 6 million ounces of placer gold3. The Company's advanced Cajueiro project contains two gold deposits. Ongoing exploration and fieldwork at Cajueiro indicate the presence of multiple hard rock gold occurrences, traceable from historical alluvial gold production, highlighting the region's exceptional gold endowment and potential scalability. With two independently established mineral resources, a highly prospective geological setting and a track record of significant discoveries, the Company is well-positioned to unlock further value across its extensive land package. 1NI 43-101 Technical Report, Cajueiro Project, Mineral Resource Estimate: Global Resource Engineering, Denver Colorado USA, 10thOctober 2019; Authors K. Gunesch, PE; H. Samari, QP-MMSA; T. Harvey, QP-MMSA 2 NI43-101 Technical Report, Mineral Resource for the Maria Bonita Prospect: VMG Consultoria, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 12th June 2025; Author V. Myadzel 3 Juliani, C. et al; Gold in Paleoproterozoic (2.1 to 1.77 Ga) Continental Magmatic Arcs at the Tapajos and Juruena Mineral Provinces (Amazonian Craton, Brazil): A New Frontier for the Exploration of Epithermal-Porphyry and Related Deposits. Minerals 2021, 11, 714. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11070714 On Behalf of the Board of Directors, 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. The securities described herein have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. Forward-looking Statements Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the extension of the Warrants. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. 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. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Drill holes commence in HQ diameter (63.5mm) and proceed to the base of weathering where core diameter is reduced to NQ (47.6mm). Logging and sampling are completed at a secure Company facility located on site. Drill core is cut in half on site by a saw cut or slicer (in soft saprolite). Until dispatch, samples are stored under the supervision the Company's exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor. Pulps are returned to the Company and archived. For all drilling, half core is submitted to SGS Geosol, a leading commercial laboratory in Brazil and analysed for gold by 50g fire assay, plus a suite of other elements by the ICP atomic absorption method, using standard laboratory procedures. Soil and rock chip samples follow the same analytical protocol. Quality control of drill hole assays follows normal industry procedures of inserting control samples randomly into the submitted batch, comprising field duplicates, independent reference samples and "blank" samples. Selected batches of sample pulps are periodically resubmitted to a third-party laboratory to check the main laboratory precision and accuracy. Drill holes results are quoted as down-hole length weighted intersections. Additional information regarding the Company data verification processes is set out in the NI 43-101 Technical Report, Maria Bonita Prospect, June 2025, which can be found on the Company's website. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288968 Source: Altamira Gold Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR80) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that following the release of its successful Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), it has selected Tetra Tech Inc. ("Tetra Tech") to lead the study work for a Feasibility Study ("FS") on its on its 100% owned Scottie Gold Mine Project (Bird et al., October 28, 2025, Scottie Gold Mine Project, SEDAR+). Scottie is also pleased to report that results of its Phase 2 Ore Sorting Study confirmed positive Phase 1 results. Using production-level equipment and sample volumes as compared with Phase 1, these Phase 2 results provide a strong level of confidence in the use of DSO in this production scenario. The Company is targeting completion of the FS in Q2 2027, evaluating a high-margin Direct-Ship Ore ("DSO") operation designed to produce a gold-bearing concentrate for shipment to Asian smelters. By incorporating ore sorting and the DSO mine plan, the project aims to eliminate the need for a conventional gold processing plant and tailings facility, significantly reducing capital costs while maintaining a small environmental footprint. The development plan, consistent with the previously released PEA, envisions initial production from a shallow open pit at the Blueberry Zone, followed by underground mining from both Blueberry and the historic Scottie Gold Mine. Ore Sorting Highlights: Phase 2 study results are consistent with Phase 1 study, demonstrating strong upgrade of all zones within the Scottie Gold Mine Project (SGMP). X X-Ray Transmittance (XRT) recovery curves show an advantage over X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) curves at the optimal operating range of 50% to 65% mass pull to sorter product (35% to 55% mass rejection). XRT has been selected for the Feasibility Study. Gold grades used in the Phase 2 study were selected based on the 2025 MRE, published in May 2025, which are lower than the mine plan considered in the 2025 PEA, published in December 2025, particularly for the Open Pit (e.g., 3.17 g/t Au versus 7.71 g/t Au, respectively). The XRT Phase 2 test, conducted on a more representative bulk sample, show similar recoveries to the XRT Phase 1 test results. Phase 2 results shows that the XRT sorter can recover 82% to 92% of the gold when accepting 50% to 65% of the mass as sorter product. "This marks another important step forward for the Scottie Gold Mine Project. Ore sorting is an important component of our DSO strategy, and optimizing this process is key to maximizing the payability structure under our offtake agreement with Ocean Partners," stated Thomas Mumford, President and CEO of Scottie. "Selecting XRT technology and conducting another full-scale test with TOMRA, the industry leader in sensor-based ore sorting, will provide additional confidence as we advance planning into the next phase of development. We look forward to providing on progress as the FS moves forward." Phase 2 Ore Sorting Program - Sampling and Testing In the Spring of 2025, core samples were gathered representing the 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate grades from each of the three deposits contemplated at the Scottie Gold Mine Project: Blueberry Open Pit, Blueberry Underground and Scottie Underground. Composite samples for all three zones were created using intervals taken from existing half core, which was cut and the quarter core was broken into ~75 mm lengths; the remaining quarter-core remains preserved at site. Each cut portion was handled in a manner that smaller particles were retained with the sample. Composite samples for individual deposits weighed approximately 260 kg each, which was then separated into two equal fractions. Half of each sample was tested using Tomra's X-Ray Transmittance (XRT) at the Saskatchewan Research Council Facility, in Saskatoon, and the other half using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) sorter at the Rados Facility in South Africa. Both testing facilities used multiple sensor algorithms and settings, tailored for each unique deposit, through multi-stage sorting tests to create multiple products at different set points and a final waste. The products and waste were then assayed to calculate recoveries and determine the optimal operating range. The Phase 2 study demonstrates that XRT is the better sorting technology for the SGMP when considering two-way sorting. XRT has a slightly better recovery curve than XRF at the optimal operating conditions. The proposed XRT plant will be designed to produce DSO material at -75mm particle size. In discussions with the Stewart Bulk Terminal, where the DSO product would be loaded onto vessels, 100 mm sized material posed a potential challenge, while 75 mm material was more favorable and would not require any special handling. Next Steps: Given that the XRT technology has both a recovery and logistical advantage to the project, the team has focussed on this type of sorter for the FS, which is currently underway. Scottie will continue to work with ABH Engineering and plan to have a second production scale sample taken this spring (Phase 3), largely using drill core from the 2025 season. This sample will have the additional benefit of a mine plan and a mine plan average grade to guide sample selection. The intent for this FS level test program will be to have the sample tested at the Tomra facility in Germany. Tomra is the world leader in XRT sorting technology, with over 150 XRT units deployed around the world, sorting many ore types, including gold-rich ores. QUALIFIED PERSON Dr. Thomas Mumford, P.Geo., non-independent President of the Company, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release on behalf of the Company. ABOUT SCOTTIE RESOURCES CORP. Scottie Resources holds 100% interest in the Scottie Gold Mine Property, which includes the high-grade, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Georgia Project, host to the past-producing Georgia River Mine, as well as the Cambria, Sulu, and Tide North properties. In total, Scottie controls approximately 58,500 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims within the Stewart Mining Camp in British Columbia's Golden Triangle-one of the world's most prolific mineralized districts. Scottie's current resource estimate on the Scottie Gold Mine Project includes a total of 703,000 gold ounces at an average grade of 6.1 g/t (Inferred category) in 3.6 millon tonnes, highlighting the development potential for a significant near-surface, high-grade deposit. The Company's strategy is to continue expanding this resource and to define additional mineralization around past-producing mines through systematic drilling and surface exploration. The Company has recently completed a PEA for the Scottie Gold Mine. The PEA outlines a robust Direct-Ship Ore (DSO) development scenario with strong economics and significant upside through a potential toll-milling option utilizing excess capacity at the nearby Premier mill. The base case DSO project delivers an after-tax NPV(5%) of $215.8-$668.3 million at gold prices of US$2,600-$4,200/oz, respectively. Under the toll-milling scenario, project economics improve substantially, with an after-tax NPV(5%) of $380.1-$831.7 million (no agreement currently in place). The PEA estimates initial capital costs of $128.6 million, average annual production of ~65,400 oz gold over seven years, and a payback period of 1.7 years for the after-tax DSO case-reduced to just 0.9 years under the toll-milling opportunity at US$2,600/oz. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288912 Source: Scottie Resources Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - AZINCOURT ENERGY CORP. (TSXV: AAZ) (OTCQB: AZURF) (FSE: A0U0) ("Azincourt" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Tommasi as Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Tommasi is a seasoned capital markets and corporate development professional with over 30 years of experience, including extensive involvement in the junior exploration sector. Over the course of his career, he has played a key role in guiding numerous companies from early exploration through critical growth stages, leveraging strategic insight and a results-driven approach to help organizations strengthen their market position and access capital. Mr. Tommasi's expertise includes building strong industry relationships, securing financing, and enhancing market visibility to attract investment. He specializes in structuring growth strategies, optimizing business models, and positioning companies for both immediate success and long-term sustainability. With extensive C-suite and board-level experience, he has provided governance, financial structuring, and strategic oversight to a variety of emerging companies within the resource sector. Mr. Tommasi commented: "I am very pleased to be joining Azincourt Energy at an exciting time for both the Company and the uranium sector. Azincourt holds a strong portfolio of uranium exploration assets in Canada, including projects in premier uranium jurisdictions. With the increasing global focus on nuclear energy and the importance of secure uranium supply, I believe the Company is well positioned to advance its projects and strengthen its presence within the uranium exploration space. I look forward to working with the team to build on the Company's foundation and create long-term value for shareholders." "I'm very pleased to welcome Mark as CEO," said former CEO, Alex Klenman. "Over the past year, we have successfully strengthened the Company through meaningful capital raises while advancing a compelling uranium portfolio, anchored by our established Saskatchewan assets and complemented by our highly prospective project in Labrador. With a maiden resource estimate within reach and multiple catalysts ahead, the Company is well-positioned for continued growth. The timing for this leadership transition is both strategic and appropriate, and as a shareholder, I have strong confidence in Mark's ability to build on this momentum and drive Azincourt forward. I look forward to supporting the team in an advisory capacity as the Company enters this next phase." Azincourt would like to thank former CEO and Director, Alex Klenman, for his time with the Company. Mr. Klenman is also stepping down as Corporate Secretary and Mark Tommasi will assume the role. The Company wishes Mr. Klenman all the best in his future endeavours. Additionally, the Company announces that it has granted 1,250,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") and 7,500,000 incentive stock options ("Options") to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. Such grants are subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Each Option is exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company for five years at a price of C$0.06 per common share. The RSU's and Options were granted in accordance with the terms of the Company's omnibus incentive plan (the "Plan") and will be subject to vesting according to the Plan. About Azincourt Energy Corp. Azincourt is a Canadian-based resource company focused on the exploration and development of alternative energy projects including uranium, lithium and other critical clean energy elements. The company is currently active at the Harrier uranium project, which contains the Snegamook uranium deposit, located in the Central Mineral Belt of Labrador. Azincourt also controls a nearly 90% interest in the East Preston uranium project, located the western Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. Azincourt continues to focus on advancing its uranium exploration portfolio, while positioning the Company to benefit from the growing global demand for nuclear energy and uranium supply. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF AZINCOURT ENERGY CORP. "Mark Tommasi" Mark Tommasi, CEO Azincourt Energy Corp. 1012 - 1030 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC V6E 2Y3 www.azincourtenergy.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. 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. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are highlighted in the "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, dated January 28, 2026, and also include if the Company does not carry out exploration activities in respect of its mineral project as planned (or at all); and that the Company may not be able to carry out its business plans as expected. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation: the future price of minerals; anticipated costs and the Company's ability to raise additional capital if and when necessary; volatility in the market price of the Company's securities; future sales of the Company's securities; the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the success of exploration, development and operations activities; the timing and results of drilling programs; the discovery of mineral resources on the Company's mineral properties; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); uncertainties related to title to mineral properties; assessments by taxation authorities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements and the assumptions made with respect thereto are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288910 Source: Azincourt Energy Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Tower Resources Ltd. (TSXV: TWR) ("Tower" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has received assays for the remaining five holes of the eleven-hole November-December 2025 diamond drilling program on its Rabbit North orogenic gold discovery in the heart of the Kamloops porphyry Cu mining district (see Fig. 1). Four of the five holes - Nos. RN25-070 to 073 - targeted the high-grade, volcanic-hosted Thunder North zone, with No. 072 extending far enough south to also intersect the Thunder zone. The other hole, No. 068, tested the wider, mainly diorite-hosted Blue Sky zone ~500 m to the east in the Durand Stock. Highlights Every hole intersected significant Au mineralization with the exception of Hole 071, a cut-off validation hole across a fault that shifts the Thunder North zone 150 m to the south where it continues westward as the Thunder zone (see Fig. 1). Hole 072 yielded the highest-grade gold intersection obtained to date from the Thunder North zone - 40.05 g/t (1.17 oz/ton) Au over 6.3 m of highly sheared and altered Nicola ash tuff (see Photo 1), including 239 g/t (6.91 oz/ton) Au over 0.95 m. Photo 1 - Sheared and mineralized andesitic ash tuff from the Thunder North zone, Hole 072. Note the characteristic spotted to wormy pyrite "disease" alteration. The 0.95 m interval from 115.20 to 116.15 m averaged 237 g/t (6.91 oz/ton) Au. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/288841_840e21f724efa935_001full.jpg Hole 068 at Blue Sky cut 6.60 m of 3.18 g/t Au in highly sheared and altered Durand diorite (see Photo 2) within a longer, 27.5 m interval averaging 1.24 g/t Au approximately 100 m east of and 100 m above the mostly tuff-hosted discovery intersection in Hole RN-24-055 (31.5 m of 4.15 g/t Au; see December 23, 2024 press release). Photo 2 - Typical sheared and mineralized diorite from Hole 068 on the Blue Sky trend. The 1.15 m interval from 147.05 to 148.20 m averaged 4.94 g/t Au. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/288841_840e21f724efa935_002full.jpg Stu Averill, P.Geo., Company Director and Qualified Person for the Rabbit North Project, commented: "Rabbit North is the first significant orogenic gold discovery in the Kamloops district. The gold structures are completely covered and the project is still in the early stages of exploration with only 13,000 m drilled. It is therefore both remarkable and a testament to the size potential of our discovery that we keep hitting significant mineralization in most of our drill holes. The frequency of high-grade intersections is also increasing as our understanding of the structural controls evolves." Figure 1 - Geology of the central part of the Rabbit North property showing the major shear structures controlling Tower's gold discoveries. These shear zones are roughly coincident with more recent graben fault valleys that have been infilled by Chilcotin basalt flows. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/288841_840e21f724efa935_003full.jpg Thunder North Summary Hole 072, the longest of the five holes at 291 m, was angled across the Thunder North zone to replace 2003's Hole 040 which encountered a large, post-mineralization dyke at the projected depth of the gold zone (see Fig. 2). It successfully avoided the dyke and returned not only the very high-grade, 40.1 g/t intersection from Thunder North, between 113.7 and 120.0 m down-hole, but also 34.15 m of 1.02 g/t Au near the end of the hole, between 250.60 and 284.75 m (see Table 1). Figure 2 - Significant gold intersections in Holes 070 to 073 relative to previously reported intersections of the Thunder and Thunder North zones. See Fig. 1 for bedrock lithologies and expanded legend. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/288841_840e21f724efa935_004full.jpg Total Depth (m) Mineralized Interval(s) Average Au Grade (g/t) Hole No. Easting (m) Northing (m) Azimuth () Dip () Mineralized Zone(s) From (m) To (m) Length (m) RN-25-068 663365 5608126 165.0 -45.0 252.00 Blue Sky Trend 138.80 166.30 27.50 1.24 Including 159.70 166.30 6.60 3.18 which includes 165.80 166.30 0.50 20.90 Blue Sky Trend 236.93 238.25 1.32 1.39 Blue Sky Trend 244.90 247.00 2.10 1.01 Blue Sky Trend 250.40 251.00 0.60 4.64 RN-25-070 662080 5607621 143.10 -65.0 267.00 Thunder North 166.05 178.35 6.60 1.60 RN-25-072 663003 5607519 150.30 -50.0 291.00 Thunder North 113.70 120.00 6.30 40.05 Including 115.20 119.30 4.10 60.98 which includes 115.20. 116.15 0.95 237.00 and 118.80 119.30 0.50 30.60 Undetermined 218.05 220.00 3.95 1.77 Undetermined 223.35 226.00 2.65 1.19 Thunder 250.60 284.75 34.15 1.02 Including 250.60 254.00 3.40 3.46 and 269.00 270.55 1.55 4.08 and 273.15 275.00 2.05 3.52 and 281.85 283.30 1.45 2.41 RN-25-073 662977 5607608 143.00 -45.0 243.75 Undetermined 49.95 54.60 4.65 1.60 Undetermined 107.40 109.10 1.70 2.20 Undetermined 157.70 159.20 1.50 1.57 Table 1 - Significant gold intercepts of the shear-hosted orogenic type from Rabbit North Holes 068, 070, 072, and 073. Intercepts of older porphyry Cu-Au mineralization are excluded. The minimum zone threshold is 1 g/t Au over 1.0 m, or equivalent. Gold values are uncut. Samples with Au grades greater than 15 g/t are shown individually. True widths have not been determined. The deeper gold intersection in Hole 072 is ~100 m northeast of and directly in line with the discovery intersection, in 2023's Hole 041, of the Thunder Zone ~150 m south of Thunder North. Hole 041 encountered two mineralized intervals 10 m apart (see Fig. 2) - 13.3 m of 3.28 g/t Au and 10.1 m of 2.16 g/t Au. Although the 34.15 m intersection in Hole 072 is longer, its 1.02 g/t average grade is lower. However, the interval does include four subzones with grades between 2.41 and 4.08 g/t Au (see Table 1). No follow-up drilling has ever been performed on the Thunder zone, despite the obvious similarity of the discovery intersection in Hole 041 to the initial Thunder North intersections, because Hole 041 also intersected a porphyry Cu-Au zone - Rainbow - that initially appeared to be more attractive than the orogenic Au zone. Subsequent drilling showed that Rainbow was of limited size but the most southerly test hole, No. 052, encountered 6.4 m of strongly anomalous Au mineralization that consistently assayed 0.6 g/t - a grade typical of the "shoulders" of the Thunder and Thunder North zones. This intersection was ~50 m southwest of the Thunder discovery intersection (see Fig. 2). It occurs at the paleosurface immediately below Chilcotin basalt, suggesting that Hole 052 just clipped the northwest shoulder of the Thunder zone. Hole 071 was drilled across the Thunder North trend ~50 m west of 2024's Hole 054, which appears to have found the western limit of the gold zone, and did not intersect any significant mineralization (i.e. no Au values >1.0 g/t over a minimum 1.0 m width). The fact that the Thunder zone begins in the east just as abruptly as Thunder North ends to the west (see Figs. 1, 2), together with the similar widths, Au grades, host rock (Nicola ash tuff) and alteration mineralogy (quartz-sericite-pyrite) of these gold zones, strongly suggests that Thunder represents the faulted western end of Thunder North. Moreover, the inferred fault - herein called the Cross-Graben Fault due to its structural setting - is parallel to and just 300 m northeast of the Durand Creek Fault (see Fig. 1), the most prominent post-mineralization structure on the property Hole 070 was drilled southeast from the same pad as previously reported Hole 069 but at a steeper dip of -65 rather than -50 with the goal of obtaining a deeper intersection of the Thunder North zone. As noted in the Company's February 19 press release on the first six drill holes of the program, drilling steeply southeast in the Blue Sky area was found to be ineffective because the targeted shear zones also dip steeply (70-80) in this direction. That is, steep holes converge on the target very slowly with depth and thus may not reach it. Hole 070 returned only a single 6.6 m intercept grading 1.60 g/t Au in the vicinity of the Thunder North zone (see Fig. 2) which may or may not be the first of the three stronger and generally longer gold intercepts obtained from Hole 069 (see Fig. 2). The final hole at Thunder North, No. 073, was collared ~60 m behind the other holes in order to obtain a deeper cut of the gold zone without steepening the hole. The 60 m step-back required that the hole be ~100 m longer - ~350 m rather than the usual 250 m - to achieve its objective. However, the hole was stopped for the Christmas break at 267 m and thus did not reach the Thunder Zone. The Company plans to complete the hole at the beginning of the next drilling program. Blue Sky Summary Hole 068 at Blue Sky was collared on the same pad as previously reported Hole 067 and drilled at the same -45 dip but in a more southerly direction to test the 100 m gap previously left between Holes 060 and 067 (see Fig. 3) due to the steepness of the terrain. The hole was drilled entirely in diorite of the Durand Stock. Figure 3 - Significant gold intersections in Hole 068 relative to previously reported intersections in the Blue Sky area. See Fig. 1 for bedrock lithologies and expanded legend. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5023/288841_figure3towerresources.jpg The Blue Sky gold trend was intersected 138.8 m down-hole, ~100 m northeast of and 100 m above the strong discovery intersection of Hole 055. The northern part of the gold trend was intersected over a core length of 27.5 m and averaged 1.24 g/t Au, including a 6.60 m interval with 3.18 g/t Au (see Table 1). In addition, three short mineralized intervals were intersected further south near the end of the hole, including 4.64 g/t Au in the second-last sample. Next Steps The realization that the Thunder zone represents the western continuation of Thunder North adds 300 m to the highly prospective, basalt-covered graben corridor. The Company plans to focus on this part of the graben - along the Thunder trend between the Cross-Graben and Durand Creek Faults (see Fig. 1) - and the untested 400-m gap between the Thunder North and Blue Sky zones in its next drilling program, tentatively scheduled for early April. Methods and Qualified Person The drill core was logged at Tower's leased, fully equipped core facility near Kamloops by and/or under the direction Matthew Husslage, P.Geo. Mr. Husslage has managed or co-managed all of Tower's Rabbit North diamond drilling programs since the discovery of the Lightning Zone in December 2021. Split samples of the core, generally 1.0 or 1.5 m in length, were delivered directly to Activation Laboratories (ActLabs) in Kamloops, BC, a laboratory certified as ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited (Lab 790) by the Standards Council of Canada. QA/QC samples including blanks and standards were inserted regularly into the sample sequence at a ratio of approximately 1:20. The samples were analyzed for Au by fire assay and ICP-OES and for Ag and 36 additional elements by ICP-OES using a four-acid, near-total digestion. Any over-limit (>5 g/t) Au analyses were repeated using the same fire assay procedure but with a gravimetric rather than ICP finish. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Stuart Averill, P.Geo., a director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Tower Resources Tower is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in the Americas. The Company's key exploration assets, all in B.C., are the Rabbit North orogenic gold and porphyry copper-gold project located between the New Afton copper-gold and Highland Valley copper mines in the Kamloops mining district, the Nechako porphyry-associated gold-silver project near Artemis' Blackwater project and the More Creek epithermal gold project on the critical "red line" structural zone connecting the mineral deposits of the Golden Triangle. Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. 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/288841 Source: Tower Resources Ltd. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - MiMedia Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: MIM) (OTCQB: MIMDF) (FSE: KH3) ("MiMedia" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a signed global Distribution Agreement (the "Agreement") with an industry leading ODM based in China. As our new partner is currently in its "quiet period" for a pending IPO, we are unable to announce our new partner's name but will do so at a later and appropriate time. ODMs play a vital role in the sourcing and assembly of all the components of a smartphone for their Original Equipment Manufacturer or "OEM" clients. OEMs dictate the specifications of its desired smartphone models to the ODMs and then take the ODM assembled and manufactured devices to market under the OEM's brand. Many ODMs globally also have their own OEM operation and directly market / distribute their own made smartphones to consumers. In this multi-year partnership, our new ODM partner will jointly market MiMedia to its 60+ OEM partners that sell products through carriers and open market channels throughout the world. As an industry leader for two decades, our new ODM partner manufactures millions of high-quality smartphones per year for its OEM clients. MiMedia's next generation consumer cloud platform can provide our new ODM partner and their OEM clients with a unique churn-reducing product, immediate market differentiation and multiple high-margin and recurring revenue streams. MiMedia CEO, Chris Giordano, stated: "We are thrilled to announce our first signed partnership in the ODM segment and with a deeply respected and widely known ODM industry leader no less. We are excited for the potential of this partnership leading to integrations of our platform on the devices of leading global OEMs. We also believe this partnership gives our Company credibility in a new and important target segment in the smartphone eco-system that can lead to more ODM partnership wins. Overall, we are excited about the expected growth this year for our Company, as we will soon describe in detail how and where our existing partners are shipping devices as well as our expanding BD pipeline, particularly after a successful show at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona earlier this month. A new partnership like this one adds to the trajectory of devices expected for this year and the potential for growth in recurring revenue and cash flow." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ About MiMedia: MiMedia Holdings Inc. provides a next-generation consumer cloud platform that enables all types of personal media to be secured in the cloud, accessed seamlessly at any time, across all devices and on all operating systems. The Company's platform differentiates with its rich media experience, robust organization tools, private sharing capabilities and features that drive content re-engagement. MiMedia partners with smartphone makers and telecom carriers globally and provides its partners with recurring revenue streams, improved customer retention and market differentiation. The platform services engaged users all around the world. Notice regarding forward-looking statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the number of devices manufactured by this new ODM partner upon which MiMedia's platform will be integrated. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of management of MiMedia. Actual events and conditions could differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting MiMedia, including risks regarding the ability of the new ODM partner to manufacture, ship and sell the anticipated number of devices with MiMedia's platform integrated as the embedded media gallery and the risk that any such manufacture, shipment and sale may be suspended or delayed due to supply chain disruptions, manufacturing and shipping delays or general economic, business and political conditions impacting new partner's business, such as changes in tariffs or financial markets. The Company is highly dependent on the ability of its distribution partners, including our new partner, to deploy devices and any delay or failure of a distribution partner to deploy devices in the numbers agreed to and within a reasonable time period could have a material adverse impact on the Company. Additional risk factors are also set forth in the Company's management's discussion and analysis and other filings available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval+ (SEDAR+) under the MiMedia's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although MiMedia has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be taken as guaranteed. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, readers should not place any undue reliance on forward looking information. NEITHER THE 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288978 Source: MiMedia Holdings Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) (OTCQB: RRDMF) ("Royal Road" or the "Company) is pleased to announce results from the first four drill holes of its current 2,500 meter diamond drilling program at its 100%-owned Guintar-Aleman-Margaritas (GAM) gold-copper-silver project in Antioquia Province, Colombia (see Figure 1). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/288975_153891cda45aea6e_001full.jpg Recent drilling at Guintar, combined with reprocessing of historical results and ongoing geological mapping and logging, continues to define a coherent expanding porphyry-skarn system extending from surface to depths exceeding 450 meters, with characteristics consistent with a bulk-tonnage underground mining scenario (see Figures 2,3 and 4). All drilling results have been systematically reprocessed using consistent, mining-constrained parameters, including a 0.25 g/t gold equivalent[1] downhole cut-off and a maximum of 10 meters internal dilution. Recalculated significant intersections and the complete set of drill results and collar locations are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. TABLE 1: SUMMARY SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS GAM PROJECT COLOMBIA GOLD COPPER INCLUDES HOLE ID FROM TO INTERSECTION (m)* GOLD EQ (g/t)^ COPPER EQ (%) INTERSECTION (m) GOLD SILVER COPPER GRADE (g/t) GRADE (g/t) % GUINTAR GUI-DD-012 17.0 235.5 218.50 1.0 1.30 75.2 1.9 10.8 0.6 GUI-DD-013 88.0 219.0 131.00 1.0 1.40 57 1.4 10.2 0.6 351.0 536.5 185.50 0.6 17.5 2.2 3.8 GUI-DD-018 88.5 150.0 61.50 0.6 GUI-DD-020 3.0 421.0 418.00 0.6 0.80 41 1.2 6.2 0.3 GUI-DD-021 50.0 231.0 181.00 1.0 1.30 49 2.2 7.6 0.4 GUI-DD-023 0.0 45.0 45.00 0.7 1.00 94.0 140.0 46.00 0.6 1.00 GUI-DD-024 0.0 214.0 214.00 0.8 1.00 32 1.5 4.8 0.2 GUI-DD-028 18.0 194.0 176.00 1.2 1.60 76 2.1 7.9 0.4 GUI-DD-031 0.0 193.7 193.70 0.6 0.80 15 10 11.3 0.6 NIVERENGO NIV-DD-003 0.0 38.0 38.00 1.2 NIV-DD-004 8.0 182.0 174.00 0.8 15 1 11.3 0.6 NIV-DD-007 1.0 28.0 27.00 3.7 NIV-DD-008 1 29 28.00 1.9 NIV-DD-009 15.0 45.4 30.40 0.8 10.8 1.5 1.2 NIV-DD-010 5.0 23.0 18.00 2.8 92.0 118.7 26.70 1.0 EL ALEMAN ALM-DD-001 313.0 377.5 64.50 1.1 24 2.4 2.7 0.25 G/T GOLD EQUIVALENT CUTOFF, MAXIMUM 10m INTERNAL DILUTION ^GOLD EQUIVALENT CALCULATION ASSUMES USD $5000/OZ GOLD AND $80/OZ SILVER AND $5.50/lb COPPER AND $27/lb WO3 AND $34/lb MOLYBDENUM AND 90% RECOVERY FOR ALL METALS APART FROM WO3 WHICH ASSUMES 75% *NOT TRUE WIDTH Notable results from this current drilling program include (see also Table 1): PORPHYRY-STYLE INTERSECTIONS GUI-DD-028 From 18 to 194 meters- 176m at 1.2 g/t gold equivalent, or 1.6% copper equivalent Including: From 45 to 121 meters - 76m at 2.1 grams per tonne gold, 0.4% copper and 7.9ppm silver (2.3 g/t gold equivalent, or 3.1% copper equivalent) And- From 306 to 322 meters - 16m at 0.6 g/t gold equivalent, or 0.8% copper equivalent From 353 to 364 meters - 11m at 0.6 g/t gold equivalent From 396 to 418 meters - 22m at 0.7 g/t gold equivalent, or 0.9% copper equivalent SKARN STYLE INTERSECTIONS GUI-DD-030 From 44 to 87 meters - 43m at 0.6 g/t gold equivalent, or 0.8% copper equivalent Including: From 46 to 56 meters - 10m at 0.9 grams per tonne gold, 0.4% copper and 5ppm silver (1.1 g/t gold equivalent, or 1.5% copper equivalent) GUI-DD-031 From 0 to 193.7 meters - 193.7m at 0.6 g/t gold equivalent, or 0.8% copper equivalent Including: From 130 to 145 meters - 15m at 1.0 grams per tonne gold, 0.6% copper and 11.3ppm silver (1.4 g/t gold equivalent, or 1.9% copper equivalent) (Not true width and the company does not have sufficient information to determine the true widths of the drill hole intersections) Drill hole GUI-DD-028 was designed to confirm the sub-surface continuity of porphyry-style stockwork mineralization exposed at surface, where channel sampling returned 15.7 meters at 0.9 g/t gold, 9 g/t silver and 0.5% copper. The hole intersected 18 meters of low-grade (biotite-hornfels) skarn before passing through a fault and intersecting the down-dip continuation of the stockwork approximately 46 meters beneath the surface exposure, confirming approximately 100 meters of vertical continuity. The hole was also drilled to test below the fault zone that terminated GUI-DD-013; however, it was similarly terminated within this structure. Drill hole GUI-DD-029 was designed to test for porphyry-style mineralization within the interpreted footwall to the main controlling reverse fault structure, considered to represent a partially inverted Mesozoic basin margin fault (see Figure 2). The hole did not intersect significant mineralization and returned an average grade of approximately 0.2 g/t gold equivalent. This level of mineralization is consistent with background values observed in biotite hornfels developed peripheral to the main porphyry and skarn system at Guintar. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/288975_153891cda45aea6e_002full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/288975_153891cda45aea6e_003full.jpg Drill holes GUI-DD-030 and GUI-DD-031 were designed to test the subsurface continuation of skarn-hosted vein-stockwork mineralization exposed at surface, where channel sampling returned 24.2 meters at 0.9 g/t gold, 16.2 g/t silver and 0.3% copper (see Figure 4). Both holes intersected broad and continuous zones of skarn-hosted mineralization, with GUI-DD-031 returning continuous mineralization from surface to end-of-hole over 193.7 meters. Mineralization remains open at depth. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/288975_153891cda45aea6e_004full.jpg Results are pending for drill hole GUI-DD-032, which was designed to test the transition between skarn and porphyry mineralization, and for drill holes CHU-DD-001 and CHU-DD-002, which were drilled within the newly granted Chuscalita title (see press release January 12, 2026) to test the eastern continuation of porphyry-style mineralization and a discrete deep magnetic target east of the Aleman vein system, respectively. "These drill results, combined with the reprocessing of historical data using mining-constrained cut-offs and a reinterpretation of the geology, have significantly improved our understanding of the scale and geometry of mineralization at Guintar," said Dr Tim Coughlin, President and CEO of Royal Road Minerals. "We are now defining a porphyry-skarn system extending from surface over an area exceeding two square kilometers and to depths of more than 500 meters, with later steeply dipping, high-grade quartz-carbonate veins enhancing the overall grade profile. This combination of broad, continuous mineralization and higher-grade overprinting structures is consistent with a bulk-tonnage underground mining scenario of meaningful scale. Importantly, multiple drill holes remain open in gold and copper mineralization at depth, and recent drilling has identified at least one concealed corridor extending east-northeast from Guintar toward the Niverengo target, which we consider highly prospective and a priority for follow-up work. Future work will focus on testing this corridor and assessing its potential to host additional mineralization. With three drill holes still to be reported and drilling set to commence shortly at the undrilled Margaritas target, we believe the broader GAM system continues to offer significant upside." TABLE 2: GUINTAR-NIVERENGO-ALEMAN COMPLETE DRILL HOLE RESULTS (RECALCULATED ON A MINING CONSTRAINED BASIS) GOLD SILVER COPPER TUNGSTEN (WO3) MOLYBDENUM GOLD EQUIV^ COPPER EQUIV INCLUDES HOLE ID E N Z(m) DIP AZIM DEPTH FROM TO GRADE (g/t) GRADE (g/t) % PPM PPM WIDTH* GRADE (g/t) COPPER LENGTH (m)* GOLD SILVER COPPER GOLD EQUIV COPPER EQUIV % GRADE (g/t) GRADE (g/t) % GUI-DD-001 391385 698611 2469 -60 317 405.0 158.0 160.0 2.2 2.2 2.00 2.0 188.0 196.0 0.7 3.8 8.00 0.7 236.0 248.0 0.8 6.2 12.00 0.8 360.0 364.0 0.5 3.0 4.00 0.6 GUI-DD-002 391385 698608 2469 -60 225 462.1 48.0 52.0 0.6 4.4 4.00 0.7 214.0 216.0 1.7 0.7 2.00 1.6 308.0 324.0 0.7 3.6 16.00 0.7 GUI-DD-003 391322 698535 2537 -60 315 420.3 28.0 72.0 0.3 18.4 44.00 0.6 148.0 172.0 0.6 1.2 24.00 0.6 380.0 382.0 2.3 5.2 2.00 2.2 GUI-DD-004 391324 698532 2537 -60 135 404.2 16.0 32.0 0.6 7.2 16.00 0.7 48.0 52.0 0.4 8.7 4.00 0.6 110.0 112.0 1.1 4.1 2.00 1.1 244.0 262.0 0.6 3.1 18.00 0.6 336.0 338.0 0.7 2.3 2.00 0.6 392.0 394.0 1.5 2.9 2.00 1.4 GUI-DD-005 391387 698611 2469 -60 45 412.1 30.0 36.0 0.6 1.3 6.00 0.6 118.0 120.0 0.6 0.8 2.00 0.6 124.0 128.0 0.6 2.4 4.00 0.6 150.0 154.0 0.5 2.6 4.00 0.6 176.0 178.0 0.8 1.8 2.00 0.8 196.0 210.0 0.6 3.6 14.00 0.7 234.0 246.0 0.5 1.6 12.00 0.6 264.0 272.0 0.6 1.9 8.00 0.6 332.0 342.0 0.6 3.3 10.00 0.7 348.0 352.0 0.6 2.0 4.00 0.6 364.0 366.0 0.5 1.3 2.00 0.6 370.0 372.0 0.6 1.3 2.00 0.7 380.0 384.0 0.5 2.9 4.00 0.6 GUI-DD-006 391671 698821 2266 -60 315 400.5 0.0 72.0 0.5 3.6 0.09 72.00 0.6 0.8 98.0 102.0 0.6 1.8 0.09 4.00 0.6 0.8 142.0 186.0 0.5 3.3 0.13 44.00 0.6 0.7 298.0 312.0 0.5 1.7 14.00 0.6 328.0 336.0 0.8 1.0 8.00 0.8 388.0 390.0 0.8 0.6 2.00 0.7 396.0 398.0 0.7 0.7 2.00 0.6 GUI-DD-007 391672 698819 2266 -60 225 401.4 38.0 44.0 0.6 3.3 0.12 6.00 0.7 0.9 88.0 90.0 1.3 3.5 2.00 1.3 162.0 164.0 1.3 4.1 2.00 1.3 348.0 358.0 0.6 1.0 10.00 0.6 378.0 380.0 0.7 0.7 2.00 0.6 GUI-DD-008 391674 698821 2266 -60 45 400.8 2.0 6.0 0.6 1.3 4.00 0.6 34.0 36.0 0.5 4.9 0.21 2.00 0.7 0.9 66.0 78.0 0.5 3.6 0.17 12.00 0.6 0.8 208.0 234.0 0.5 5.9 0.13 26.00 0.6 0.9 250.0 262.0 0.5 5.1 12.00 0.6 284.0 290.0 0.6 1.3 6.00 0.6 324.0 338.0 0.8 3.7 0.12 14.00 0.8 1.1 GUI-DD-009 392279 698047 2375 -55 345 474.1 40.0 58.0 0.6 0.6 18.00 0.6 98.0 100.0 0.6 3.1 2.00 0.6 156.0 162.0 0.6 6.00 0.6 182.0 202.0 0.6 20.00 0.6 404.0 446.0 0.7 42.00 0.6 18 1.1 1 GUI-DD-010 392280 698047 2375 -55 30 404.5 66.0 82.0 0.8 16.00 0.7 10 1.0 1.0 128.0 134.0 1.2 2.2 6.00 1.1 352.0 354.0 0.9 1.7 2.00 0.8 GUI-DD-011 391643 698953 2244 -75 180 400.6 0.0 18.0 0.6 7.0 18.00 0.7 99.7 117.6 0.9 1.9 17.85 0.8 146.0 147.0 0.8 2.65 0.12 1.00 0.8 1.1 160.0 161.0 0.7 2.88 0.10 1.00 0.8 173.0 181.0 0.8 3.2 8.00 0.8 186.5 190.5 0.4 4.2 0.12 4.00 0.7 0.9 234.0 242.0 0.7 1.4 8.00 0.7 288.0 296.0 0.6 1 8.00 0.6 315.0 316.3 0.9 1.1 1.30 0.9 344.0 348.0 0.9 4.00 0.9 GUI-DD-012 391870 698821 2185 -60 360 320.7 1 3 0.3 27.5 2.00 0.7 17.0 232.5 0.8 5.4 0.28 215.50 1.0 1.3 75.2 1.9 10.8 0.60 2.2 2.9 253.0 307.5 0.5 1.4 0.09 54.50 0.6 0.7 GUI-DD-013 391870 698821 2185 -80 360 588.3 36.0 41.0 0.7 1.2 5.00 0.7 88.0 219.0 0.8 5.4 0.33 131.00 1.0 1.4 57 1.4 10.2 0.60 1.8 2.4 272.0 273.0 0.6 3.5 1.00 0.7 284.5 294.0 0.4 2.9 0.21 9.50 0.6 0.8 311.0 314.0 2.4 3.00 2.2 351.0 536.5 0.5 1.7 185.50 0.6 17.5 2.2 3.8 2.1 568.0 569.0 0.9 2.7 1.00 0.9 577.0 578.0 1.2 5.9 0.19 1.00 1.3 1.8 GUI-DD-014 392124 698756 2171 -70 210 372.73 1.0 2.0 0.3 40 1.00 0.9 8.0 21.0 0.7 4.5 13.00 0.8 48.5 49.5 4.4 8.0 0.19 1.00 4.2 5.6 95.0 96.0 12.6 1.1 1.00 11.4 246.5 252.0 0.9 5.50 0.8 286.0 287.0 0.7 1.53 1.00 0.7 347.0 348.0 0.8 1.4 1.00 0.8 GUI-DD-015 392300 699250 2356 -75 360 466.56 31.0 48.0 0.8 1.5 17.00 0.7 72.0 73.0 0.7 1.00 0.7 92.0 93.0 0.8 1.1 1.00 0.8 99.0 103.0 0.8 4.00 0.7 155.0 157.0 0.8 2.00 0.7 161.0 162.0 1.5 2.2 1.00 1.4 173.0 182.0 0.8 9.00 0.7 197.0 200.5 1.2 3.50 1.1 217.0 218.0 10.6 9.6 1.00 9.7 239.0 240.0 1.5 1.00 1.3 GUI-DD-016 392250 698900 2258 -65 30 436.58 2.0 11.0 0.1 344.2 0.15 1319.6 9.00 5.6 7.2 337.5 341.5 0.9 1.3 4.00 0.9 365.0 376.0 0.7 11.00 0.6 393.0 398.0 0.6 5.00 0.6 431.0 433.0 1.6 1.0 2.00 1.5 GUI-DD-017 392250 698900 2258 -65 320 235.84 55.0 58.0 1.3 9.1 0.14 3.00 1.2 1.5 121.0 122.0 0.7 6.7 0.19 1.00 0.8 1.1 139.0 141.0 0.9 5.5 2.00 1.0 168.5 175.0 0.7 6.50 0.6 195.0 196.0 0.8 4.2 1.00 0.9 221.5 235.4 0.5 3.5 0.11 13.90 0.6 0.8 GUI-DD-018 391870 698821 2185 -60 60 496.71 21.0 22.0 1.00 0.8 35.0 62.0 0.4 3.3 0.17 27.00 0.6 0.7 88.5 150.0 0.5 1.5 61.50 0.6 327.0 331.5 0.6 4.50 0.6 377.5 383.5 0.6 1.0 6.00 0.6 414.0 419.0 0.6 1.9 0.13 5.00 0.7 0.9 426.0 427.0 1.2 1.00 1.1 460.0 461.0 1.1 1.00 1.0 481.0 484.0 0.8 4.6 0.12 3.00 0.8 1.1 GUI-DD-019 391834 698837 2208 -60 345 386.98 0.0 5.0 1.2 6.2 5.00 1.2 77.0 82.0 3.0 8.5 0.18 5.00 2.9 3.9 97.0 100.0 0.7 12.3 3.00 0.9 176.0 177.0 2.2 1.00 2.0 207.0 209.0 2.1 1.9 2.00 2.0 267.0 268.0 2.1 1.6 0.10 1.00 2.0 305.0 306.0 1.0 1.3 1.00 0.9 326.0 327.0 1.3 3.2 1.00 1.3 361.0 370.0 0.6 1.8 0.19 9.00 0.7 1 GUI-DD-020 391957 698933 2242 -70 250 434 3.0 421.0 0.5 2.6 0.11 418.00 0.6 0.8 41 1.2 6.2 0.3 1.3 1.8 GUI-DD-021 391882 698918 2214 -90 - 387.38 50.0 231.0 0.9 3.6 0.20 181.00 1.0 1.3 49 2.2 7.6 0.4 2.3 3.1 276.0 280.0 0.6 1.7 4.00 0.6 297.0 304.0 0.5 1.8 7.00 0.6 343.0 380.0 0.5 1.8 37.00 0.6 GUI-DD-022 391883 698919 2214 -80 220 92.49 39.0 80.0 0.5 5.4 0.09 41.00 0.6 ABANDONED ABOVE OBJECTIVE GUI-DD-023 391957 698933 2242 -90 - 288.95 0.0 45.0 0.6 3.1 0.19 45.00 0.7 1.0 94.0 140.0 0.7 3.0 0.21 46.00 0.8 1.0 210.0 225.0 0.5 3.5 0.17 15.00 0.6 0.8 259.0 271.0 0.5 2.6 0.11 12.00 0.6 0.8 284.0 285.0 0.6 7.5 0.12 1.00 0.7 0.9 GUI-DD-024 391957 698933 2242 -60 70 260.35 0.0 214.0 0.7 3.1 0.15 214.00 0.8 1.0 32 1.5 4.8 0.2 1.5 2 257.0 EOH 0.6 3.1 0.18 3.40 0.7 0.9 GUI-DD-025 391818 698907 2217 -50 300 235.22 16.0 22.0 0.4 5.3 0.16 6.00 0.6 0.7 39.0 49.0 0.5 7.8 0.15 10.00 0.7 0.9 56.0 75.0 0.5 5.9 0.15 19.00 0.6 0.8 86.0 109.0 0.4 4.8 0.15 23.00 0.6 0.7 128.0 138.0 0.2 2.4 0.15 10.00 0.7 0.9 159.0 162.0 0.6 1.0 0.12 3.00 0.6 0.8 191.0 192.0 1.0 2.8 0.13 1.00 1.1 1.4 202.0 204.0 0.8 2.2 2.00 0.8 GUI-DD-026 392183 698867 2195 -65 335 270.21 18.0 20.0 0.8 5.3 0.17 2.00 0.9 1.2 39.0 41.0 0.6 5.6 0.20 2.00 0.8 1.0 59.0 72.0 0.5 10.3 13.00 0.6 106.0 112.0 0.7 2.5 0.13 6.00 0.7 1.0 124.0 125.0 1.3 1.7 1.00 1.2 267.0 EOH 1.6 8.2 0.20 3.20 1.7 2.3 GUI-DD-027 392300 699250 2356 -90 - 613.92 39.0 59.0 0.6 1.6 20.00 0.6 147.0 148.0 0.9 1.8 1.00 0.8 183.0 186.0 0.8 2.5 3.00 0.8 197.0 203.0 0.6 6.00 0.6 269.0 270.0 1.3 1.00 1.2 470.0 473.0 2.6 3.00 2.3 564.0 595.0 0.6 31.00 0.6 GUI-DD-028 391878 698842 2204 -80 20 568.7 18.0 194.0 1.1 4.5 0.24 176.00 1.2 1.6 76 2.1 7.9 0.4 2.3 3.1 288.0 289.0 0.8 1.00 0.8 306.0 322.0 0.5 2.6 0.13 16.00 0.6 0.8 353.0 364.0 0.8 2.9 11.00 0.8 373.0 375.0 0.5 2.6 0.12 2.00 0.6 0.8 396.0 418.0 0.7 3.3 0.10 22.00 0.7 1.0 463.0 464.0 1.5 3.2 0.10 1.00 1.5 2.0 478.0 487.0 0.6 1.9 0.11 9.00 0.7 0.9 517.0 523.0 0.5 2.2 0.18 6.00 0.6 0.8 534.0 535.0 0.7 1.9 1.00 0.7 565.0 EOH 0.7 1.8 3.70 0.7 GUI-DD-029 391878 698842 2204 -70 200 211.5 12.0 13.0 1.0 3.2 1.00 1.0 81.0 90.0 0.5 2.5 9.00 0.6 149.0 151.0 0.7 2.3 2.00 0.7 GUI-DD-030 391778 698973 2273 -60 230 151.15 31.0 33.0 0.4 4.1 0.15 2.00 0.6 0.7 44.0 87.0 0.5 3.1 0.22 43.00 0.6 0.8 10 0.9 5 0.4 1.1 1.5 108.0 122.0 0.5 2.6 0.18 14.00 0.6 0.8 142.0 145.0 2.9 4.7 3.00 2.8 GUI-DD-031 391778 698973 2273 -60 195 193.7 0.0 EOH 0.4 4.4 0.20 193.70 0.6 0.8 15 1.0 11.3 0.6 1.4 1.9 NIV-DD-001 393279 699026 2025 -50 345 300.22 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS NIV-DD-002 393872 699573 2083 -50 345 226.16 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS NIV-DD-003 392909 699290 2253 -50 165 234.08 0.0 38.0 1.2 7.4 38.00 1.2 172.0 174.0 2.1 3.6 2.00 1.9 NIV-DD-004 392909 699290 2253 -50 345 302.36 8.0 182.0 0.8 1.7 174.00 0.8 46 1.2 2.3 1.1 NIV-DD-005 393078 699230 2144 -50 315 214.57 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS NIV-DD-006 393078 699230 2144 -50 135 201.48 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS NIV-DD-007 392890 699304 2276 -50 315 200.5 1.0 28.0 0.2 222.4 0.10 913.9 27.00 3.7 31.0 32.0 1.2 4.8 0.12 1.00 1.2 115.0 121.0 0.8 1.5 6.00 0.8 139.0 157.2 0.7 4 0.15 18.20 0.6 1.0 161.0 167.0 0.7 3.8 6.00 0.7 NIV-DD-008 392887 699302 2276 -50 270 251.1 1.0 29.0 0.2 100.1 924.8 28.00 1.9 58.0 59.1 1.3 1.10 1.2 88.0 97.0 0.6 5.5 0.20 9.00 0.8 1.0 NIV-DD-009 392890 699379 2271 -50 315 217.3 15.0 45.4 0.8 1.7 30.40 0.8 10.8 1.5 1.2 1.4 89.0 92.0 0.9 71.1 0.90 3.00 2.4 3.2 101.0 103.0 1.2 2.5 2.00 1.1 120.0 124.0 0.6 1.2 4.00 1.2 162.0 166.7 0.9 4.70 0.9 NIV-DD-010 392887 699377 2271 -50 270 196.2 5.0 23.0 0.6 129.8 1184.9 18.00 2.8 92.0 118.7 0.6 11.1 0.24 310.30 26.70 1.0 NIV-DD-011 392745 699777 2368 -55 360 78.2 BOGGED AND ABANDONED NIV-DD-012 392745 699774 2368 -55 180 33.7 BOGGED AND ABANDONED NIV-DD-013 392756 699440 2285 -50 180 250.6 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS NIV-DD-014 392756 699443 2293 -50 360 138.5 102.0 108.0 0.9 6.00 0.8 NIV-DD-015 392888 699378 2271 -50 360 200.1 24.5 30.3 3.2 2.2 0.13 5.80 3.0 5.4 89.0 102.0 0.8 13.00 0.7 NIV-DD-016 392663 699391 2361 -50 180 214.2 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS ALM-DD-001 391542 699108 2327 -50 340 399.53 12.4 29.0 0.7 6.3 16.58 0.7 137.0 138.0 1.9 4.9 1.00 1.8 217.0 219.0 0.9 1.4 2.00 0.8 297.0 300.0 1.2 3.00 1.1 313.0 377.5 1.1 1.4 64.50 1.1 24 2.4 2.7 2.3 393.0 398.0 0.6 5.00 0.6 ALM-DD-002 391555 699189 2327 -75 347 750.6 340.0 341.0 1.6 3.5 1.00 1.6 387.0 388.0 1.4 1.6 1.00 1.3 423.0 448.0 0.7 2.3 25.00 0.7 477.0 482.0 0.7 0.8 5.00 0.7 494.0 496.0 1.1 1.1 2.00 1 562.0 574.0 0.7 1.0 12.00 0.7 609.0 610.0 1.7 1.00 1.5 632.0 633.0 0.5 12 1.00 0.7 667.0 668.0 0.7 0.8 1.00 0.6 682.0 700.0 0.6 0.9 18.00 0.6 716.0 718.0 0.6 0.8 2.00 0.6 0.25 G/T GOLD EQUIVALENT CUTOFF, MAXIMUM 10m INTERNAL DILUTION ^GOLD EQUIVALENT CALCULATION ASSUMES USD $5000/OZ GOLD AND $80/OZ SILVER AND $5.50/lb COPPER AND $27/lb WO3 AND $34/lb MOLYBDENUM AND 90% RECOVERY FOR ALL METALS APART FROM WO3 WHICH ASSUMES 75% *NOT TRUE WIDTH GREY SHADE INDICATES AGA DRILL HOLES About the GAM Project The GAM project is wholly owned by Royal Road and is located approximately 50 kilometers west of Medellin in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia (see Figure 1). The Project comprises the Guintar and Margaritas Mining Concession Contracts, in addition to the El Aleman Mining and Chuscalita Mining Concession Contracts (see Figure 2). The Guintar and Margaritas Mining Concession Contracts were obtained through Royal Road's acquisition of Northern Colombia Holdings Limited ("NCH"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti Limited ("AGA", see Press Release May 31, 2019). El Aleman and Chuscalita are subject to option agreements pursuant to which Royal Road holds the exclusive right to acquire a 100% interest (see Press Releases January 12, 2026 and December 14, 2021). About Royal Road Minerals: Royal Road Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company with its head office and technical-operations center located in Jersey, Channel Islands. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker RYR, on the OTCQB under the ticker RRDMF and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker RLU. The Company's mission is to apply expert skills and innovative technologies to the process of discovering and developing copper and gold deposits of a scale large enough to benefit future generations and modern enough to ensure minimum impact on the environment and no net loss of biodiversity. The Company currently explores in the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia, Morocco and in Colombia. More information can be found on the Company's website www.royalroadminerals.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Dr. Tim Coughlin, BSc (Geology), MSc (Exploration and Mining Geology), PhD, FAusIMM, President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Road Minerals Limited and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Cautionary statement: This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements") describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other things, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend", "intends to" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements, which may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to the Company's exploration plans. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only on the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions of the Company management and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Sample preparation and analyses are conducted according to standard industry procedures. Drill core and saw-cut channel samples are crushed, split and pulverized prior to analysis of Gold by fire assay and Atomic Absorption and multi-elements by ICP-AES and ICP-MS after four acid digestion. Soil samples are sieved to -200 mesh and analyzed for Gold by fire assay and ICP AES and multi-elements by ICP-AES and ICP-MS after aqua regia digestion. Analytical performance is monitored by means of certified reference materials (CRMs), coarse blanks, coarse and pulp duplicate samples. Surface samples have been prepared in ALS Chemex preparation lab in Colombia and analyses have been completed in ALS Chemex Lima. [1] Gold equivalent calculation assumes USD $5000/oz gold and $80/oz silver and $5.50/lb copper and $27/lb WO3 and $34/lb molybdenum and 90% recovery for all metals apart from WO3 which assumes 75% recovery To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288975 Source: Royal Road Minerals Limited Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Zephyr Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ZFR) (OTC Pink: ZPHYF) ("Zephyr" or the "Company") is pleased to report the successful completion of the second quarter of its comprehensive groundwater monitoring and analytical program at and surrounding the Dawson Gold deposit. The third-quarter program is scheduled for mid-June, 2026 keeping the Company on track to complete the full five-quarter program by year-end. Upon receipt of all analytical of all analytical data, Zephyr intends to resubmit a mining permit application to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) for its 100%-controlled Dawson Gold property in Colorado, USA. Due to a delay in the availability of a key participant and recovery equipment, the exploratory trenching program at its 100%-owned Judith Patented Placer Claim has been postponed until the second quarter of 2026. The trenching program will target the gulch that directly drains from the Windy Gulch gold deposit and Windy Point gold showings. The Windy Gulch deposit, in particular, contains significant gold at surface that is eroding downslope into the gulch. Previous bedrock trenching conducted in 2017 at Windy Gulch returned 5.8 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 31.7 meters, while a trench located approximately 40 meters downslope returned 7.6 g/t gold over 11.9 meters. About Dawson Gold Property The Dawson Gold Deposit hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource1 prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") of 343,000 tonnes grading 12.11 g/t for 133,500 ounces of gold at a 5 g/t cut-off with no top cut, and 116,300 ounces of gold at 10.55 g/t with a 40 g/t top cut. The estimate has an effective date of July 19, 2013. No updates to the resource estimate have been made to incorporate the results from drilling programs completed between 2017 and 2020.The deposit is open at depth, with exploration potential to the east and west. A Preliminary Economic Assessment2 ("PEA") was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 with an effective date of March 21, 2017. Utilizing a gold price of $1,250/oz, the PEA showed robust economics with an all-in sustaining cost ("AISC") per ounce of $692. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Given the substantial increase in the gold price since 2017, the attractiveness of the Dawson project has been significantly enhanced. The potential to expand resources is excellent at depth on the Dawson Gold Deposit, along strike to the east in the 700-metre-long Sentinel zone, which has not been drill tested, and through follow-up drilling of promising targets in the Windy Gulch and Windy Point zones to the west. The Dawson project features key attributes, including a small footprint associated with the proposed underground mine, ownership or control of all necessary lands by Zephyr, a climate that supports year-round operations, and nearby infrastructure and industrial support. About Zephyr Minerals Ltd. Zephyr Minerals is mission focused on obtaining a mining permit for its 100% owned Dawson Gold property in Colorado with the view to continuing to advance this project to the next stage of development. The Company continues to wait for the Zimbabwean Government to grant two Exclusive Prospecting Orders ("EPO"), covering 124,000 hectares applied for in 2021. The areas covered by the EPO applications are prospective for gold and lithium. Notes 1 The Report is titled Resource Estimate Technical Report for the Dawson Property Fremont County, Colorado, USA, dated September 6, 2013, and was prepared for Zephyr by Andrew Hilchey, P.Geo., Mercator Geological Services Limited, Isobel Wolfson, M.Sc., P.Geo, and Mark Graves, P.Geo.. 2 The report is entitled "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Dawson Property, Colorado, USA", effective March 21, 2017 (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report was prepared by independent engineering firm, Golder Associates Ltd., with input from a number of other specialized and experienced consulting firms, and is in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. This PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There has been insufficient drilling to define the inferred resources as indicted or measured mineral resource; however, it is reasonable to expect that the inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated and possibly measured resources with continued drilling. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future. Qualified Person Brian Arkell, B.S. Geology and M.S. Economic Geology, SME (Registered Member), AusIMM (Fellow) and SEG (Fellow), a Director of the Company, and a Qualified Person as the term is defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this press release. 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. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288976 Source: Zephyr Minerals Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - QSE - Quantum Secure Encryption Corp. (CSE: QSE) (OTCQB: QSEGF) (FSE: VN80) today announced its first municipal government post-quantum security pilot, representing an important step in the Company's expanding engagement with public-sector organizations preparing for the transition toward post-quantum cryptographic standards. The pilot is being conducted through the Company's engagement with MISA (Municipal Information Systems Association), which supports collaboration and technology evaluation among municipal governments across Canada. The initiative will utilize QSE's Quantum Preparedness Assessment (QPA) platform to assist the participating municipality in evaluating cryptographic exposure and assessing readiness for the long-term transition toward post-quantum security standards. Post-quantum migration planning is increasingly becoming a priority for governments and critical infrastructure operators as advances in quantum computing are expected to eventually impact widely used encryption systems. The ability to identify cryptographic dependencies, assess risk exposure, and develop structured migration strategies is emerging as an important component of long-term cybersecurity governance. Through the pilot program, QSE's QPA platform will support the participating municipalities in identifying areas of potential cryptographic vulnerability and establishing a structured framework for evaluating future migration planning. "Our engagement with municipal governments reflects the growing recognition that post-quantum security planning must begin well before quantum computing capabilities reach maturity," said Ted Carefoot, CEO of QSE. "Municipal governments operate critical infrastructure and sensitive citizen data systems, making early evaluation of cryptographic risk an important step in preparing for the next generation of cybersecurity challenges." The pilot represents the Company's first municipal government evaluation and is expected to provide insights that may support broader public-sector adoption of post-quantum security readiness planning across additional jurisdictions. The Company is currently engaged in discussions with additional municipalities evaluating similar post-quantum readiness initiatives. QSE continues to expand its public-sector engagement through industry organizations and government technology initiatives, including its memberships in MISA and the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), as governments and public institutions increasingly begin evaluating long-term cryptographic risk associated with the transition to post-quantum encryption standards. QSE's broader platform includes its Quantum Preparedness Assessment (QPA) migration readiness system, its qREK quantum-resilient key SDK, QAuth identity and authentication platform, and decentralized encrypted storage architecture, designed to support long-term cryptographic resilience. About QSE - Quantum Secure Encryption Corp. QSE - Quantum Secure Encryption Corp. is a Canadian technology company specializing in post-quantum data security, encryption, and secure data infrastructure. Built around quantum-delivered entropy and zero-knowledge architecture, QSE's solutions help protect sensitive data from current cyber threats and future quantum-enabled attacks. QSE serves organizations across commercial, enterprise, and public-sector environments requiring long-term data confidentiality and resilience. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that constitute forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical statements of fact are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, future, strategy, objectives, goals and targets, and more specifically, the use of proceeds of the Offering. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "aim", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, including, but not limited to, those risks and assumptions described in the Company's latest management discussion and analysis, a copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. While QSE considers these assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. In addition, forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions, continued satisfaction of Canadian Securities Exchange requirements, product safety and recalls, regulatory compliance and risks associated with the Company's business. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the business of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288947 Source: Quantum Secure Encryption Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Gold Hunter Resources Inc. (CSE: HUNT) (OTCQB: HNTRF) (FSE: 6RH) ("Gold Hunter" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the restructuring of its purchase option agreement with Magna Terra Minerals and to outline its inaugural drill program at the district-scale Great Northern Gold Project located in the White Bay area of Newfoundland, Canada. RESTRUCTURING OF GREAT NORTHERN PURCHASE OPTION AGREEMENT WITH MAGNA TERRA MINERALS The Company is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Second Amendment Agreement (the "Second Amendment") with Magna Terra Minerals Inc. ("Magna Terra") to restructure the remaining payment obligations under the Great Northern Project option agreement (as amended, the "Amended Agreement"). The original option agreement, dated May 28, 2024 (as amended June 10, 2024), granted the Company an exclusive option to acquire a 100% undivided interest in certain mineral claims held by Magna Terra, with total consideration of $9,500,000 payable in cash and shares over a two-year option period. The second and final anniversary payment of $4,925,000 (comprised of $675,000 in cash and $4,250,000 in shares) was due in June 2026. Under the Second Amendment, the Option Expiry Date has been extended from two (2) years to four (4) years from the original Closing Date, extending the final payment deadline from June 2026 to June 2028. The Cash Payments and Share Issuances under the Amended Agreement have been restructured as follows: Payment Date Cash Payment Share Issuance Value On the Closing Date (completed) $375,000 $1,000,000 One (1) year after Closing Date (completed) $450,000 $2,750,000 On or about March 19, 2026 $1,250,000 $1,250,000 Three (3) years after Closing Date $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Four (4) years after Closing Date $500,000 $500,000 TOTAL $3,575,000 $6,500,000 Gold Hunter may, at its sole election, pay any of the Share Issuance payments in cash or a combination of cash and Shares. The first two payments set out above have been completed. The revised payment schedule provides the Company with greater financial flexibility as it advances into its inaugural drill program. In addition to the financial restructuring, Magna Terra Minerals will continue to provide meaningful project management support as the Company advances toward and into its inaugural drill program. This support, led by David Copeland, M.Sc., P.Geo., Chief Geologist of Magna Terra, and Tanya Tettelaar, P.Geo., former Exploration Manager at the Valentine Gold Mine, is expected to encompass target generation and data interpretation, drill hole prioritization and selection, program budgeting and staffing advice, permitting, JEA grant applications, drill contractor RFP and contract selection, and assessment report preparation and submission. Both Mr. Copeland and Ms. Tettelaar have been serving as Consulting Technical Advisors to Gold Hunter and possess deep, firsthand knowledge of the geology and historical dataset of the Great Northern Project. Magna Terra Minerals will also continue to retain a seat on the Company's board as represented by its CEO, Lew Lawrick. "I would like to thank Lew Lawrick and the Board of Directors of Magna Terra for agreeing to amend the option agreement and for their continued support," said Sean Kingsley, President and CEO. "The flexibility shown by Magna Terra in restructuring these terms speaks to the shared conviction both parties have in what we are building at Great Northern. Beyond the financial arrangement, having Dave Copeland and Tanya Tettelaar actively supporting our project management and technical execution as we advance into drilling is advantageous. These are two of the most knowledgeable people in Newfoundland on this specific ground, and their continued involvement strengthens our program considerably." INAUGURAL DRILL PROGRAM - GREAT NORTHERN PROJECT With $6,749,894 raised in its recently completed non-brokered private placement, Gold Hunter is fully funded to execute its inaugural drill program of up to 10,000 metres at the Great Northern Project. The drill program is structured around three strategic pillars. Strategy District-scale regional exploration, Thor Deposit & Viking Block expansion, Rattling Brook area drilling Funding $6,749,894 raised - contractor selection underway Scale 26,237 hectares, 35+ km Doucers Valley Fault, 50+ km gold-bearing fault splays, 18+ mineralized zones Infrastructure Road access, on-site hydro power, and a port facility Pillar 1 - Regional Exploration Along the Doucers Valley Fault Splays The first pillar of the program targets the numerous gold-bearing structural splays extending off the Doucers Valley Fault - a system that contains prospective and fertile settings for orogenic gold mineralization (93 provincially registered mineral occurrences, Thor Deposit MRE, Rattling Brook Historical Estimate, Browning Mine Past Producer). These splays, which extend up to 10 kilometres from the main fault corridor, collectively span over 50 kilometres of identified strike potential within the Great Northern Project land package, and the vast majority have seen little, and often no, systematic drilling. AI-assisted analysis by Windfall Geotek has aided in the prioritization of targets across the project database, weighing geophysical and geochemical anomalies coinciding with known gold occurrences across both the Jackson's Arm and Viking blocks. Pillar 2 - Resource Expansion at the Thor Deposit and Viking Block The Thor Deposit is comprised of a mineral resource estimate, containing 879,000 tonnes Indicated at 1.79 g/t Au (51,000 oz Au) and 67,000 tonnes Inferred at 1.97 g/t Au (4,200 oz Au), as detailed in the NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for Thor Deposit, Viking Project, White Bay Area, Newfoundland (Effective July 12, 2024; Report Date: July 12, 2024). The Thor remains open along strike to the northeast and southwest and at depth beyond 200 metres. Previous drilling has returned high-grade intercepts throughout the mineralization, including: 09-VK-23: 27m at 7.92 g/t Au (including 4.8m at 41.7 g/t Au and 0.5m at 135.9 g/t Au) from 11.00m 09-VK-14: 58.70m at 2.8 g/t Au from 15.80m 10-VK-51: 73.50m at 0.79 g/t Au from 72.50m Drilling will target strike and possibly depth extensions of the Thor Deposit, test the multiple parallel mineralized structures within the Viking Block (including the Quartzite, Asgard, Loki, Kramer, and Odin's Triangle zones), and advance geological understanding of these zones. Pillar 3 - Advancing Rattling Brook Mineralization The Company will test the potential within the historical estimate areas, while also stepping out along trend and potentially at depth to attempt to expand the mineralized footprint, as there are untested trends within these three areas of mineralization. This targeted work is designed to verify the underlying historical data. The Rattling Brook Historical Estimate is sourced from the NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate on the Rattling Brook Gold Deposit, Great Northern Project, White Bay Area, Newfoundland, Canada (effective date: January 23, 2019) prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 (2014 CIM Definition Standards). The estimate reports 5,460,000 tonnes at 1.45 g/t Au for approximately 255,000 oz Au (the "Rattling Brook Historical Estimate"), categorized as Inferred under the methodology used at the time. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company is not treating the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Rattling Brook Historical Estimate should not be relied upon. The estimate was published effective January 23, 2019; is considered relevant as it represents the culmination of previous work conducted on the property; was prepared using Ordinary Kriging from 1.5m assay composites at a 1.0 g/t Au cut-off with an average bulk density of 2.70 g/cm to a maximum depth of 200m; and used the "Inferred" category per 2014 CIM Definition Standards. The Company is not aware of any more recent NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate for this deposit. Additional drilling, data verification, and updated geological modelling will be required to upgrade or verify this estimate as a current mineral resource. QUALIFIED PERSON The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Rory Kutluoglu, B.Sc., P.Geo., Consulting Technical Lead for Gold Hunter Resources Inc. and a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Kutluoglu is a Professional Geologist registered with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC) and a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and Geological Society of London. Mr. Kutluoglu has verified the data disclosed in this news release, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the technical information. Verification procedures included review of historical drill data, assay results, and geological interpretations. The historical estimate for the Rattling Brook Gold Deposit has not been independently verified by Mr. Kutluoglu as a current mineral resource, which is the basis for the cautionary statements in this news release. ABOUT GOLD HUNTER RESOURCES INC. Gold Hunter Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on acquiring and advancing high-potential precious and base metal projects. The Company employs a data-driven approach to exploration, combining modern techniques with historical datasets to identify and develop district-scale opportunities. Following the successful divestiture of its first consolidated district to FireFly Metals Ltd., Gold Hunter has assembled the Great Northern Project, covering 26,237 hectares and over 35 kilometres of strike length along the prospective Doucers Valley Fault Structure in Newfoundland. Within the Doucers Valley Fault, over 50 kilometres of potential splays and secondary faults with known mineralization and potential for additional mineralization have been identified. The Company is committed to responsible exploration, meaningful stakeholder engagement, and delivering long-term value to shareholders. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance and reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events, including but not limited to statements regarding the potential of the Great Northern Project, the advancement and execution of the inaugural drill program, contractor selection and mobilization, the potential for resource growth and new discoveries at the Great Northern Project, the renegotiation and formalization of the amended Magna Terra option agreement, the role and contributions of Mr. Kutluoglu as Vice President of Exploration, and the Company's broader exploration strategy and objectives. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, volatility in commodity prices, exploration and development risks, availability of financing, regulatory or political developments, the ability to retain qualified personnel and contractors, timely completion of drilling programs, and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Although Gold Hunter believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Historical Estimate Disclosure - Rattling Brook Gold Deposit The Rattling Brook Historical Estimate is sourced from the NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate on the Rattling Brook Gold Deposit, Great Northern Project, White Bay Area, Newfoundland, Canada (effective date: January 23, 2019) prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 (2014 CIM Definition Standards). The estimate is categorized as Inferred under the methodology used at the time. In accordance with Section 2.4 of NI 43-101, the Company discloses the following: (a) Source and date: the estimate was published in the above-referenced technical report effective January 23, 2019. (b) Relevance and reliability: the Company considers the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate to be relevant as it represents the culmination of previous work conducted on the property and was prepared to the quality and rigour of NI 43-101 standards to define an inferred resource at that time. The estimate is based on 493 drill holes totalling 66,417.8 metres, 36,739 soil samples, 7,758 rock samples, and extensive outcrop mapping across the district. However, the Company notes that additional work is required to verify and confirm the estimate under current CIM Definition Standards. (c) Key assumptions, parameters and methods: The estimate was prepared using Ordinary Kriging grade interpolation applied to 1.5m down-hole assay composites. A cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au was applied, based on reasonable prospects for economic extraction by conventional open-pit mining methods. An average bulk density of 2.70 g/cm was applied uniformly across all rock units. Gold grades were capped prior to compositing based on statistical analysis of the assay population. Mineral resources were constrained to a maximum vertical depth of 200 metres below surface. The economic assumptions underpinning the cut-off grade included a gold price of CAD $1,550 per ounce. Resources were classified as Inferred based on drill hole spacing and geological continuity, consistent with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. Mineral resource tonnages were rounded to the nearest 10,000 tonnes and contained gold ounces to the nearest 1,000 ounces. Totals may not sum due to rounding. (d) Categories: the estimate uses the "Inferred" category consistent with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards; no categories other than those set out in Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101 were used. (e) More recent estimates or data: the Company is not aware of any more recent NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate for the Rattling Brook Gold Deposit. The Company has since completed a first-ever district-scale VTEM geophysical survey (October 2025) and AI-assisted targeting analysis across the project database, which the Company considers to be the most current material data available for the property. (f) Work required: additional drilling, data verification, and updated geological modelling will be required to upgrade or verify the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company is not treating the Rattling Brook Historical Estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Rattling Brook Historical Estimate should not be relied upon. Thor Deposit - NI 43-101 Resource Estimate Disclosure The current mineral resource estimate for the Thor Deposit is sourced from the NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for Thor Deposit, Viking Project, White Bay Area, Newfoundland (Effective Date: October 24, 2023; Report Date: July 12, 2024), prepared by Matthew Harrington, P.Geo. of Mercator Geological Services Limited. Mineral resource estimates are classified in accordance with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. Open pit cut-off grade: 0.46 g/t Au; Underground cut-off grade: 2.14 g/t Au. Mineral resources were reported within an optimized pit shell using a gold price of USD $1,800 per ounce and are considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Mineral resources were interpolated using Ordinary Kriging from 1.5m assay composites. Mineral resource tonnages have been rounded to the nearest 1,000 and ounces to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred mineral resources in this estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred mineral resources as Indicated or Measured mineral resources, and it is uncertain whether further exploration will result in upgrading them to those categories. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288945 Source: Gold Hunter Resources Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. (CSE: TICO) (FSE: ON8) (the "Company" or "TICO") is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Fredricksburg Antimony-Gold Projects ("Fredricksburg" or the "Project") located in York County, New Brunswick. The Projects consist of multiple mineral claims covering the Fredricksburg North and Fredricksburg South target areas, positioned within a highly prospective antimony-anomalous corridor in southern New Brunswick. The Fredricksburg Project consists of 5 blocks and covers 5632 ha, it is situated approximately 35 to 70km north-northwest of Fredericton, within a structurally favorable geological setting surrounding the Silurian age Nashwaak and Hawkshaw Granitic Intrusions, a complex associated with antimony and gold mineralization in the region. John Eren, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented: "The acquisition of the Fredricksburg Project represents another strategic step in expanding Talent Infinity's portfolio of critical mineral exploration assets. The combination of strong regional antimony anomalies, gold pathfinder geochemistry, and structurally controlled mineralization within a highly prospective geological setting presents a compelling exploration opportunity. With both intrusive-related and shale-hosted mineralization models present across the property package, Fredricksburg provides significant district-scale discovery potential." Fredricksburg South Project Highlights The Fredricksburg South Project targets intrusion-related antimony-gold mineralization associated with granitoid intrusions along regional structural corridors. Historic exploration programs completed between 2011 and 2019 included prospecting, soil sampling, till geochemistry, VLF-EM geophysics, and Mobile Metal Ion ("MMI") surveys, which identified multiple coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies. Key historic exploration results include: B-Horizon Soil values returning up to 11.2 ppm antimony (Sb) (Dahn, 2014) Gold values up to 112 ppb Au in soil samples (Dahn, 2014) Arsenic values up to 292 ppm As in conventional B-horizon soil samples , a common pathfinder element in Sb-Au systems (Lutes, 2012) Bottom of Till / Top of Bedrock samples returning up to 25 ppm Sb , with intrusive rocks grading up to 29 ppm Sb (Lutes, 2012) Coincident Sb-Au-As geochemical anomalies identified across multiple survey lines Past Top of Bedrock Sampling has identified granitic intrusions distal from the Pokiok Batholith, quartz-feldspar porphyry bodies, and pyrite-bearing granophyre units interpreted as potential drivers of hydrothermal mineralization (Lutes, 2012). These features suggest a possible structurally controlled intrusive-related antimony-gold system adjacent to the Hawkshaw phase of the Pokiok Batholith. Figure 1. Regional Geology Map of TICO's Fredricksburg Claim Group To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8233/288942_ca6a0e79d4be6961_001full.jpg Fredricksburg North Project - Epithermal Antimony Systems The Fredricksburg North Projects target sediment-hosted and structurally controlled antimony anomalies identified through New Brunswick Geological Survey regional till geochemical surveys. High-grade antimony values identified in NBGS lodgement till samples exceeding 20 ppm Sb on the project tenures, along with a broad 5-10 ppm anomalous halos, define prospective zones for follow-up within greater sediment and felsic flow formations. The Fredricksburg North Project blocks occur within the Appalachian tectonic belt and are near several established antimony and gold occurrences in southern New Brunswick, including Lake George Antimony Mine Bald Hill Antimony Deposit Clarence Stream Gold Deposit This geological setting has the potential to host a structurally controlled sediment-hosted epithermal antimony system with district-scale exploration upside. The Company plans to compile historical datasets and develop a systematic exploration program designed to refine drill targets across both Fredricksburg North and South. Management Update The Company announces that Mr. Rakesh Malhotra will join the Company as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), effective immediately, bringing with him more than 30 years of extensive financial leadership experience spanning both public and private companies. His expertise encompasses accounting, capital markets, corporate governance, financial reporting, and strategic growth initiatives. Over the course of his career, Mr. Malhotra has held senior finance roles across North America and the Middle East, including leadership positions at multinational organizations and TSX-listed mining companies, where he played a key role in shaping financial strategies, managing complex operations, and supporting sustainable growth. The Company announces that Ms. Wanting "Virginia" Li has resigned from their position as CFO of the Company. Ms. Li has also resigned from serving on the Company's Advisory Board Committee as previously announced on February 2, 2025. The Company wishes Ms. Li best wishes in their future endeavors and appreciates their contributions during their tenure as CFO. Rakesh Malhotra, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, commented, "I am pleased to join Talent Infinity at a pivotal stage of its growth and am excited to work with the team as the Company continues to advance its portfolio of projects. I look forward to supporting the Company's financial strategy and contributing to its continued growth." Finally, Mr. Giuseppe (Pino) Perone will join the Company as Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. Mr. Perone is a lawyer by background and has extensive corporate experience that stems from practicing as corporate counsel, as well as serving as an executive and director, for various public and private companies in the resource and technology sectors. Mr. Perone holds a B. A. from the University of Victoria and an LL.B. from the University of Alberta and has been a member of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2006. Pino Perone, Corporate Secretary of the Company, commented, "I'm pleased to join Talent Infinity at this exciting stage of its development and look forward to supporting the Company's growth. With a focus on strong governance and execution, I'm eager to contribute to advancing its strategic objectives." Transaction Details To read details of the earn-in option agreement, see TICO's news release dated February 3, 2026. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Graham Giles, P.Geo., a VP of Exploration to TICO, who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Management cautions that historical results collected and reported by operators unrelated to TICO have not been verified nor confirmed by its Qualified Person; however, the historical results create a scientific basis for ongoing work at the Project. Management further cautions that historical results, discoveries and published resource estimates on adjacent or nearby mineral properties, whether in stated current resource estimates or historical resource estimates, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the Project. References Lutes, G (2012). Assessment Report 477394 "Report on Prospecting/Mapping, Overburden Drilling, Till Geochemistry Aug 2011-Nov2011 Dahm, R (2014) Assessment Report 477625 "Grid Establishment, Soil Geochemical Sampling, VLF-Em Survey and Geology/Prospecting" NBGS Antimony Till Dataset, https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/erd/open-data/geochemistry.html#2 About Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. (CSE:TICO) (FSE: 0N8) is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of critical mineral properties in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is pursuing a strategy of identifying and advancing underexplored projects with strong geological fundamentals, historical mineralization, and district-scale exploration potential. TICO holds a growing portfolio of exploration assets including the Hatsfield Antimony-Gold Project and the Fredricksburg Antimony-Gold Projects in New Brunswick, located within prospective structural corridors known to host antimony and gold mineralization, as well as the Silver Giant polymetallic property near Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia, which hosts historic production of lead, zinc, silver, copper, antimony and cadmium. The Company also holds an option over the Wildcat Property in British Columbia. Through the acquisition of these projects, TICO is building a portfolio targeting antimony and associated precious and base metals, commodities increasingly recognized as critical to North American supply chains and industrial applications. Disclaimers This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Talent Infinity, future growth potential for TICO and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of copper, gold, tungsten, antimony and other metals; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; TICO's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Canadian securities laws. Statements, other than statements of historical fact, may constitute forward looking information and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Project and its mineralization potential; the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to the Project; further exploration work on the Project in the future. With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things, the geological, metallurgical, engineering, financial and economic advice that the Company has received is reliable and are based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with industry standards. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of well results and the geology, continuity and grade of copper, gold, tungsten, antimony and other metal deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; increased costs and restrictions on operations due to compliance with environmental and other requirements; increased costs affecting the metals industry and increased competition in the metals industry for properties, qualified personnel, and management. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288942 Source: Talent Infinity Resource Developments Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Magna Terra Minerals Inc. (TSXV: MTT) ("Magna Terra" or the "Company") announces that it has completed an amendment to the Purchase Option Agreement dated May 28, 2024, and amended June 10, 2024 (the "Option Agreement") with Gold Hunter Resources Inc. (CSE: HUNT) ("Gold Hunter") regarding the Great Northern Project ("Great Northern" or the "Project") in Newfoundland. The original Option Agreement (please refer to the press release dated May 29, 2024) was structured over a two-year option period, whereby Gold Hunter would pay gross proceeds of $9.5 million to earn a 100% interest in the Project as follows: Term Cash Share Value Total Value Exclusivity (Paid) $75,000 $0 $75,000 On signing (Paid) $300,000 $1,000,000 $1,300,000 1st anniversary (Paid) $450,000 $2,750,000 $3,200,000 2nd anniversary $675,000 $4,250,000 $4,925,000 Total $1,500,000 $8,000,000 $9,500,000 Under the amended Option Agreement, the term of the option period has been extended by two years, with an additional $575,000 in gross proceeds for a total of $10.075 million under the following amended payment terms: Term Cash Share Value* Total Value Exclusivity (Paid) $75,000 $0 $75,000 On signing (Paid) $300,000 $1,000,000 $1,300,000 1st anniversary (Paid) $450,000 $2,750,000 $3,200,000 On signing of amendment $1,250,000 $1,250,000 $2,500,000 3rd anniversary $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 4th anniversary $500,000 $500,000 $1,000,000 Total $3,575,000 $6,500,000 $10,075,000 *Gold Hunter, in its sole discretion, can pay the Share Value payments due on the 3rd and 4th anniversary in cash or a combination of cash and shares. All values referred to are Canadian dollars. "This is a 'win-win' for both Magna Terra and Gold Hunter. As a significant existing shareholder of HUNT, we are invested in their success. By amending and extending the Option Agreement under these new payment terms, we will receive an additional $575,000 in gross proceeds, and the remaining payments are structured such that a greater proportion will be payable in cash, which assists our own working capital management process. Further, and as important, it gives Gold Hunter the time and capital flexibility to advance the Project as efficiently as possible." Lew Lawrick - President & CEO, Magna Terra Minerals Inc. Early Warning Disclosure On February 2, 2026, Gold Hunter announced the closing of a private placement raising total gross proceeds of $6,749,894, resulting in the issuance of 102,740,000 Units at a price of $0.05 per Unit and 29,325,355 Flow-Through Units at a price of $0.055 per Flow-Through Unit (the "Gold Hunter Private Placement"). Each Unit consists of one Gold Hunter common share and one Gold Hunter common share purchase warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Gold Hunter common share at an exercise price of $0.075 for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. Each Flow-Through Unit consists of one Gold Hunter common share and one-half of one Gold Hunter common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Gold Hunter common share at an exercise price of $0.08 for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. Immediately prior to the Gold Hunter Private Placement, the Company beneficially owned 39,603,520 Gold Hunter common shares, representing approximately 28.90% of the issued and outstanding Gold Hunter common shares. Immediately following the Gold Hunter Private Placement, in which the Company did not participate, the Company's interest in Gold Hunter decreased to approximately 14.72% of the issued and outstanding Gold Hunter common shares. Between February 3, 2026 and March 3, 2026, the Company sold a total of 3,205,000 Gold Hunter common shares for gross proceeds of $252,055 at an average price of $0.0786 per Gold Hunter common share. Immediately prior to the amendment to the Option Agreement, the Company beneficially owned 36,398,520 Gold Hunter common shares, representing approximately 13.53% of the issued and outstanding Gold Hunter common shares. Pursuant to the amendment to the Option Agreement, the Company acquired 18,628,912 Gold Hunter common shares at a deemed consideration payable of $1,250,000 or a deemed price of $0.0671 per Gold Hunter common share. Immediately following the acquisition, the Company beneficially owned 55,027,432 Gold Hunter common shares, representing approximately 19.00% of the issued and outstanding Gold Hunter common shares. Magna Terra holds the Gold Hunter common shares in the ordinary course of business in connection with the Option Agreement entered into by Gold Hunter and the Company. In the future, the Company may acquire additional Gold Hunter common shares or dispose of such securities subject to a number of factors, including general market and economic conditions, and the terms of the Option Agreement. This press release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, which also requires an early warning report to be filed with the applicable securities regulators containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters. A copy of the early warning report will be available under Gold Hunter's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, or by contacting Bill Francis at bfrancis@magnaterraminerals.com or 416-357-7047. The Company's head office is located at 401-20 Adelaide St East, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2T6. About Magna Terra Magna Terra Minerals Inc. is a precious and critical metals focused exploration company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Magna Terra is focused on acquiring and advancing its high-potential mineral projects in Atlantic Canada and Argentina while generating value for shareholders and minimizing shareholder dilution through option and joint venture partnerships where appropriate; leveraging our ability to explore, grow, and transact projects. The Company is focused on exploring our 100%-owned Humber Copper-Cobalt Project in Newfoundland and Labrador; our 100% owned Rocky Brook Gold and Critical Metals Project in the historic Bathurst Mining Camp of New Brunswick; the recently acquired Prospect Or's Dream Gold Project, and our 100%-owned Cape Spencer Gold Project in New Brunswick. In addition, the Company has optioned the Great Northern Project in Newfoundland to Gold Hunter Resources Inc. ("Gold Hunter") for total cash and share consideration of $10.075 million over a 4-year period, and currently holds an approximate 19.0% equity interest in Gold Hunter. The Company has also optioned the Luna Roja Project in Argentina to Lunex Metals Corp. (formerly Andean Metals Corp.) for total cash and share consideration of $2.375 million over a 4-year period. Further, the Company maintains a significant exploration portfolio in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina which includes its large 100% owned Boleadora Project, as well as several additional district scale drill ready projects available for purchase or option/joint venture. Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include Gold Hunter not having the sufficient resources to complete the option, future exploration work on the Project not delivering the anticipated results, and the inability of the Company to execute its proposed business plans and carry out planned future activities. Other factors may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company, including general economic, market or business conditions, future prices of gold, changes in the financial markets and in the demand for precious metals, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the mineral exploration industry, and the Company's investment and operation in the mineral exploration sector, as well as the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company, as applicable, with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288916 Source: Magna Terra Minerals Inc. Strategic marketing executive to accelerate adoption of Armis Centrix in the agentic AI era and extend the company's category leadership in cyber exposure management and CPS security Armis, the cyber exposure management security company, today announced the appointment of Simon Mouyal as Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, Mouyal will oversee Armis' global marketing strategy and execution to accelerate category leadership and demand for Armis Centrix, the Armis Cyber Exposure Management Platform. During the next phase of Armis' expansion, he will scale the global marketing organization and help further drive the company's rapid growth and market penetration. "As we enter our next chapter of hyper-growth, I'm thrilled to have Simon joining our leadership team," said Yevgeny Dibrov, CEO and Co-Founder of Armis. "Simon will be instrumental in modernizing our global marketing engine and solidifying Armis as the definitive leader in cyber exposure management. He's a category creator and has a proven track record of leading world-class marketing organizations. He will focus on deepening our engagement with customers and partners, and scale our demand generation programs." Mouyal brings over 25 years of marketing experience in cybersecurity and SaaS, helping organizations like CyberArk and athenahealth effectively convey their vision and position them as undisputed market leaders. His expertise will be pivotal in continuing to provide awareness and adoption of the AI-powered Armis Centrix platform, including its new solutions focused on application security and vulnerability management detection and response. "The cybersecurity landscape is shifting again we are entering the era of continuous threat exposure management and agentic AI. You cannot secure what you cannot see, and you cannot secure properly what you do not understand in context," said Mouyal. "Armis is the only company that has built a foundational Asset Intelligence Engine, required to protect the entire attack surface for some of the largest companies in the world. I couldn't be more excited to build on Armis' incredible momentum and help scale and modernize our global go-to-market engines to match the incredible speed of our product innovation." Armis has received a number of accolades for its industry-leading platform. The company was named a Leader in The Forrester Wave: IoT Security Solutions, Q3 2025 and The Forrester Wave: Unified Vulnerability Management Solutions, Q3 2025. Armis was also recently recognized as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPS Protection Platforms for the second consecutive year. Learn more about Armis Centrix and each of the solutions offered by Armis here. About Armis Armis, the cyber exposure management security company, protects the entire attack surface and manages the organization's cyber risk exposure in real time. In a rapidly evolving, perimeter-less world Armis ensures that organizations continuously see, protect and manage all critical assets from the ground to the cloud. Armis secures Fortune 100, 200 and 500 companies as well as national governments, state and local entities to help keep critical infrastructure, economies and society stay safe and secure 24/7. Armis is a privately held company headquartered in California. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318115815/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Rebecca Cradick Vice President, Global Communications Armis pr@armis.com Strengthening the clinical leadership as the Company progresses to the clinic with its BRD9 Targeted Glue, AMX-883, in acute myeloid leukemia Amphista continues to advance its SMARCA and TEAD programs to key inflection points Cambridge, UK, 18th March 2026 - Amphista Therapeutics Ltd. (the "Company" or "Amphista"), a leader in the discovery and development of next generation targeted protein degradation (TPD) medicines, today announces the appointment of Louise Modis, Ph.D., as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors, and Patrick Kelly M.D. as its Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Modis succeeds Antony Mattessich who is retiring. Dr. Modis joined Amphista in May 2023 as Chief Scientific Officer. She is an accomplished leader who brings a combination of deep scientific expertise and strategic focus to the role, gained from over two decades of experience advancing innovative medicines into the clinic across biotech and pharma. She has been instrumental in driving Amphista's progress to date, having defined the Company's R&D strategy and building its strong pipeline. Dr. Modis will continue to provide scientific leadership while guiding the Company's strategic direction. Dr. Kelly joins Amphista and strengthens the clinical leadership as the Company enters the clinic with AMX-883 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He brings 35 years of clinical research and clinical practice experience, most recently serving as CMO at Forma Therapeutics where he led the development of olutasidenib, which is now approved for the treatment of IDH1-mutated AML. Dr. Kelly will play a pivotal role in leading the clinical development team and shaping Amphista's development strategy across the pipeline. Joshua Brumm, Chairman of Amphista's Board of Directors said: "The Board is delighted to announce the appointments of Louise as CEO and Patrick as CMO. We have been impressed with Louise's vision and execution of Amphista's science strategy, and her appointment reflects our confidence in her leadership as we transition to be a clinical-stage company. Combined with Patrick's clinical expertise, Amphista is well positioned to successfully deliver our differentiated pipeline to patients. On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Antony for his contributions and wish him the best in his retirement." Louise Modis, Chief Executive Officer of Amphista, commented: "I'm honored to lead Amphista. As CEO, my priority is to ensure we deliver clinical excellence for AMX-883 and to accelerate our earlier programs into the clinic. With the addition of Patrick as CMO, and the strength of our leadership team, we are well positioned to execute our clinical strategy and advance our BRD9, SMARCA, and TEAD programs for patients and their families." Patrick Kelly, Chief Medical Officer of Amphista, commented, "I am excited to join Amphista as the Company prepares to enter the clinic with AMX-883 on the back of impressive pre-clinical data. I look forward to working with Louise and the team to deliver the AMX-883 clinical program in AML and building a robust clinical strategy across the broader pipeline." As a karyotype-independent, pro-differentiation agent, AMX-883 has the potential to transform the treatment paradigm for AML. Amphista expects to submit the Investigational New Drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration for AMX-883 in April and to start its clinical trial in H2 2026. Amphista is developing potent, selective, orally bioavailable degraders of SMARCA2 and TEAD. The Company remains on track to deliver a shortlist of best-in-class compounds later this year for further profiling ahead of candidate nomination. Ends Amphista Therapeutics At Amphista Therapeutics, we are focused on transforming the lives of patients with severe diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, through the discovery and development of advanced, next generation targeted protein degradation (TPD) medicines. Amphista applies its proprietary Eclipsys platform to generate unique, sequentially bifunctional Targeted Glue therapeutics with a differentiated mechanism and leading drug-like properties. Our portfolio offers the potential to deliver first- and/or best-in-class therapeutics with performance characteristics beyond the limitations of CRBN and VHL-based agents. Amphista was co-founded by Advent Life Sciences and is additionally funded by a premier group of investors including Forbion, Gilde Healthcare, Novartis Venture Fund, SV Health Investors' Dementia Discovery Fund and Eli Lilly. For more information, please visit: www.amphista.com Amphista, Eclipsys, Targeted Glue, Targeted Glues and the Amphista logo are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Amphista Therapeutics Limited. For more information please contact: Amphista Therapeutics John Goodall Email: Info@amphista.com ICR Healthcare Namrata Taak, Ashley Tapp, Emily Johnson Email: Amphista@icrhealthcare.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3709 5813 Former Acronis General Counsel returns to lead corporate development, legal, and strategic initiatives SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, today announced that Mark Wong has rejoined the company as Chief Corporate & Business Development Officer. In this role, Mark will serve as General Counsel and lead several key functions central to the company's strategic growth including Legal & Governance, Government & Regulatory Affairs, and Mergers & Acquisitions. "Mark's deep legal expertise and experience scaling global technology companies make him an exceptional addition to our leadership team," said Jan-Jaap Jager, CEO of Acronis. "Having worked with Mark previously, we know firsthand his ability to build strong governance and legal frameworks while supporting strategic growth initiatives. As Acronis continues to expand rapidly, his leadership will be instrumental in guiding key corporate and business development efforts." Mark previously served as General Counsel at Acronis from 2010 to 2017, where he helped build the company's legal and governance foundation during an important period of international growth. Most recently, Mark spent nearly nine years at a leading backup and replication software company, where he served as Senior Vice President of Legal and was a key member of the leadership team during a period of significant expansion. In that role, he led a global legal department supporting operations across 30 countries and helped guide multiple strategic acquisitions as the company scaled globally. "I'm excited to return to Acronis at a hyper-growth time for the company," said Mark. "Acronis has proven to continue to innovate while expanding its global footprint, and I look forward to working with the leadership team to strengthen our governance, pursue strategic opportunities, and support the company's next phase of growth." For more information about Acronis' leadership team, visit: https://www.acronis.com/en/company/leadership/ About Acronis: Acronis is a global cyber protection company delivering the only natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and infrastructure management platform for managed service providers and IT departments. Acronis solutions are designed to identify, protect, detect, respond, recover and govern IT deployments, ensuring data integrity and business continuity. A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 60+ countries. Acronis Cyber Platform is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 21,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses. Learn more at www.acronis.com. Acronis Press Contact: Julia Carfagno Senior Global Communications Manager Julia.Carfagno@acronis.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e6088c3-ad06-488a-9977-e9d2e6523049 Darmstadt, Germany, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Employee volunteer program brings hands-on science learning to communities worldwide More than 600.000 students reached and nearly 200.000 employee volunteer hours Ambitious 2035 goals aim to double student reach and expand global impact Merck, a leading science and technology company, marks the 10th anniversary of SPARK, its global employee volunteer program that connects employees with communities through hands-on science learning and local service. For the past decade, SPARK has helped bring science to life for students through interactive experiences, classroom learning, and community partnerships, powered by employees who volunteer their time, expertise, and enthusiasm. "SPARK reflects who we are - scientists, engineers and problem-solvers who believe science should be accessible to everyone," said Karen Madden, Chief Technology Officer of the Life Science business of Merck. "Over the past decade, our employees have helped students experience science in ways that make it real. As we enter our next chapter, we're committed to broadening access and inspiring the next generation of innovators." Since 2016, SPARK has expanded its global reach with employees from 48 countries volunteering nearly 200.000 hours and directly reaching more than 600.000 students. Through nonprofit partnerships, the program has indirectly reached an additional 9.47 million students globally. Science education is a central focus of SPARK through the company's Curiosity Programs, including Curiosity Labs and the Curiosity Cube, a mobile science lab that travels across three continents delivering interactive science experiences. In addition to science programming, employees support community initiatives such as site tours, civic events, and the company's annual Global Food Drive. Each employee receives up to 16 hours of paid volunteer time annually to participate in activities meaningful to them and their communities. While SPARK is a global program, events are organized locally by dedicated employee-led SPARK teams, ensuring activities reflect the needs of each community. As the program enters its second decade, Merck has set ambitious goals to reach two million students through direct programming and 75 million students through nonprofit partners, log 650.000 volunteer hours across employees in 66 countries, expand the Curiosity Cube to three additional continents, and deliver 12.000 Curiosity Labs lessons. These goals underscore the company's continued commitment to expanding access to science education and strengthening the communities where its employees live and work. Learn more about SPARK and the company's Curiosity Programs by visiting our Employee and Community Engagement website. About Merck Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices - the company is everywhere. In 2025, Merck generated sales of 21.1 billion in 65 countries. Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck's technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics. All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service. Merck, SPARK, Curiosity Labs and Curiosity Cube are trademarks of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Detailed information on trademarks is available via publicly accessible resources. Attachment Merck Marks 10 Years of SPARK Jenny Wuestner Merck +4915114543158 jenny.wuestner@merckgroup.com HONG KONG, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organised the GreenBiz HK campaign in Bangkok ' comprising a GreenBiz HK Forum with dedicated thematic sessions, networking events and business matching meetings' alongside a Hong Kong Green Team delegation. The campaign aims to foster collaboration between Hong Kong and Thailand in the green economy.One of the highlights, the GreenBiz HK Forum, was held today at the Grande Centre Point Lumphini Hotel, attracting over 550 representatives from government and business across Thailand. Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, was the Guest of Honour and delivered opening remarks at the forum. The forum promoted exchange in green finance, green technology, supply chain and sustainable smart city development, strengthening the long-standing Hong Kong-Thai economic and business ties, while showcasing Hong Kong's role as an international green finance and innovation hub.Anna Cheung, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: 'Hong Kong is well established as a superconnector and super value-adder. Its thriving ecosystem for green innovation and sustainable development combines policy support with strong finance flows, targeted R&D funding, dedicated innovation clusters and scalable solutions. To promote the city's status as an international green finance and innovation centre, GreenBiz HK enables business leaders and experts from Hong Kong and Thailand across different fields to exchange practical insights and experiences, while exploring mutually beneficial opportunities and partnerships that align with global trends.'Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok said: 'The green transition is not a challenge any city or country can address alone'it requires strong partnerships, shared vision, and collective action across the public and private sectors.' 'The GreenBiz HK Forum is an important platform connecting Hong Kong's green strengths with Bangkok's sustainable development ambitions through meaningful business partnerships.'Multifaceted forums spotlight green finance and innovationIn the 'Hong Kong-Thailand Partnerships for Sustainability and Innovation' plenary session, leading government and business figures from Hong Kong and Thailand explored crossborder collaboration in green finance, innovation and sustainable development. Ms Chaoni Huang, Executive Vice President of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA); Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance and Transition, Asia, HSBC, Dr Kang Qu, Managing Director of Sustainability Strategy at Bank of China (Hong Kong), together with Dr Kim Mak, Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group and Mr John Lo, Founder of the Asia Carbon Institute, highlighted Hong Kong's strengths as an international green finance hub and demonstrated how innovative financing tools are accelerating corporate ESG transformation.Dr Kim Mak, Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group, discussed the latest applications of green technologies, green buildings and smart city solutions, while Mr John Lo, Founder of the Asia Carbon Institute, shared practical insights on decarbonisation and ESG strategies. Mr Huang Weiwei, Chief Strategic Development Officer of China and Senior Vice Chairman of CP China, Charoen Pokphand Group from Thailand presented the company's experience in renewable energy and environmental technologies, noting how Hong Kong's capital platforms, professional services and global connectivity can support Thai enterprises in advancing the Bio'Circular'Green (BCG) economic model and expanding overseas. The session underscored the potential for deeper collaboration in green finance, sustainable technology and urban innovation.Two concurrent breakout sessions further deepened Hong Kong-Thailand cooperation in sustainable technology and future city development. The 'Driving a Sustainable Tomorrow through Green Technology and Integrated Design' session focused on how green technologies, sustainable architecture, landscape solutions, energysaving systems, renewable energy and smart city applications enhance urban resilience. Speakers from the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), Henderson Land, Arup and Otherland Limited discussed integrated design and innovative technologies that support citywide decarbonisation. Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of Thailand's National Innovation Agency, shared Thailand's progress in smart city development and expressed interest in leveraging Hong Kong's multi-disciplinary strengths to accelerate regional sustainability. The second session, 'Building Smarter, Greener and Healthier Cities: A Collaborative Initiative Between Hong Kong and Thailand and Opportunities for the Green Supply Chain in the Region', supported by BEAM Society Limited and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, examined green building standards, lowcarbon construction and developments in the regional green supply chain.Business matching accelerates Hong Kong-Thailand collaborationThrough targeted project matching, technical sharing and discussions, participants were able to translate the forum's dialogue into concrete partnership opportunities, supporting practical progress in green technology, urban innovation and energy transition. The sessions strengthened business ties between Hong Kong and Thailand, accelerating crossborder collaboration and enabling enterprises to jointly capture emerging opportunities in the green economy.GreenBiz HK campaign in Bangkok is one of the key events under the Economic and Trade Express (ETE), a functional platform designed to help Hong Kong SMEs and start-ups explore business opportunities in overseas markets, while bringing in more enterprises to invest in and establish businesses in Hong Kong. The campaign's networking luncheon was supported by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Bangkok, facilitating meaningful engagement between Hong Kong and the local business community.Hong Kong Green Team delegation promotes Hong Kong as Asia's premier hub for integrated green servicesThe HKTDC also organised a Hong Kong Green Team delegation from 17 to 20 March to explore the burgeoning green market opportunities in Thailand. The delegation, co-led by Ms Anna Cheung and Ir Dr Lo Wai Kwok, GBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the HKTDC Infrastructure Development Advisory Committee, comprised 18 delegates from Hong Kong, representing a diverse spectrum of integrated green services, including architecture, engineering, smart city development, ESG advisory, green technology and more. Meetings with industry associations and major developers, such as the Thai Green Building Institute (TGBI), The Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO), WHA Industrial Development and TPI Polene Public Company Limited, provided opportunities for Hong Kong delegates to explore partnerships with local Thai firms.GreenBiz HK brings together Hong Kong's green service providers across green finance, ESG advisory, green building, property technology and smart city solutions, fostering crosssector collaboration and industry advancement. The initiative encourages businesses to leverage Hong Kong's mature capital market, financial expertise and professional services to support green and sustainable investment, certification and development and capture growth opportunities driven by the global green economy. The HKTDC will continue to use this platform to organise business missions, thematic conferences and networking activities, supporting enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Chinese Mainland in leveraging Hong Kong's strengths in finance and innovation to expand internationally and advance sustainable development across the region.Photo download: https://bit.ly/4uQjIB4GreenBiz HK Forum was held today in Bangkok, attracting over 550 representatives from government and business sectors across Thailand. The forum brought together business leaders from Hong Kong and Thailand to explore crossborder collaboration in green finance, innovation and sustainable developmentAnna Chueng, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, delivered welcome remarks at the forumDr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, delivered opening remarks at the forumIr Dr Lo Wai Kwok, Chairman of the HKTDC Infrastructure Development Advisory Committee, delivered welcoming remarks at the networking luncheonA one-on-one business matching session was arranged during the GreenBiz HK Forum, enabling companies and experts from both economies to connectHong Kong Green Team Delegation engages with Thai industry bodies to explore cooperation opportunitiesHKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enMedia enquiriesPlease contact HKTDC's Communication & Public Affairs Department:Navin Law Tel: (852) 2584 4525 Email: navin.cm.law@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.Source: HKTDCCopyright 2026 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Cocoon unlocks a new supply of critical cement substitute faster and more capital-efficiently than any alternative, at exactly the moment infrastructure construction demand is booming. Capital will fund Cocoon's first U.S. commercial demo facility as they target 50 sites by 2035 and accelerate hiring in the US UK. Co-led by 2150 and Brick Mortar Ventures, with participation from TVC (the Venture Collective) and continued support from historic investors. Cocoon Carbon, a company unlocking a new, scalable supply of key materials used to make concrete, today announced the closing of a $15 million Series A round. The investment was co-led by 2150 and Brick Mortar Ventures, investors in the built environment and construction sectors. The round included participation from TVC (The Venture Collective) and continued support from existing investors Wireframe Ventures, Celsius Industries, Gigascale Capital, and SOSV. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317569912/en/ Cocoon's pilot facility A Strategic Material in Short Supply Concrete is the most widely used material on earth after water and we're running out of a key ingredient. Widely used cement substitutes, known as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), have historically come from heavily polluting coal plants and iron blast furnaces. As those industrial processes are retired across the U.S. and Europe, SCM supply is shrinking and incumbents are consolidating to lock in supply. At the same time, construction is booming due in part to the rapid increase of data center construction, and global infrastructure is projected to double over the next 40 years. SCM demand is growing at approximately 6-7% per year, and in several markets, SCM prices have already doubled since 2017 as supply tightens. Cocoon's Solution: A New, Growing Supply Cocoon unlocks a new source of SCMs by converting an underutilized and robust supply of steel slag, a byproduct of electric arc furnaces (EAFs), into a low-cost, high-performance cement replacement. EAFs re-melt scrap using electricity, compared to coal powered blast furnaces that turn iron ore into pig iron. With tens of millions of tons of steel slag produced annually in the U.S. and Europe, and EAF steelmaking projected to double by 2050, Cocoon expands the domestic supply base concrete producers rely on to keep costs stable. Cocoon's new product matches the performance of traditional SCMs while reducing the embodied CO2 of concrete by up to 40%. Capital-Efficient by Design Unlike other emerging alternatives to cement, Cocoon's product is cost competitive and doesn't demand a prohibitive "green premium" that has historically limited uptake of new solutions in the market. Rather than developing a standalone production process from the ground up, Cocoon developed a rapid cooling technology that retrofits directly into existing EAF steel waste handling processes. Cocoon captures molten slag straight out of production and cools it 100x faster than existing technologies to produce a reliable SCM supply. By working within existing systems, Cocoon operates without high energy inputs, high capital expenditure, operational disruption, or safety compromises. Co-located at steel mills in areas of heavy industry, transportation costs (a significant component of SCM's delivered price) are minimized and the need for new logistics infrastructure is negated. Near-term deployment: 50 sites in the US Europe The Series A funding will support deployment of Cocoon's first commercial demonstration facility in the United States. This project will validate performance at industrial scale and establish the operating track record needed to finance a broader rollout across more than 50 steel plants in the U.S. and Europe, with Cocoon's plug-and-play approach allowing for faster deployment. The company has already piloted its technology at a major steel mill and completed third-party validation of its material in concrete applications. Over the past year, Cocoon has built out its R&D facility and concrete testing lab in London. Cocoon is doubling the team size with the hiring of process engineers, materials scientists, and commercial team members in the UK, as well as plant operators and technical staff in the United States to support deployment of the demo facility. "The SCM market is facing a structural deficit at exactly the moment infrastructure demand is rising," said Eliot Brooks, CEO and Co-Founder of Cocoon Carbon. "We're focused on delivering a plug-and-play solution that gives concrete producers access to affordable, local materials while improving the economics of electric steelmaking. Expanding supply is the fastest way to stabilize costs and lower carbon in concrete." "Concrete is one of the biggest value streams on the planet, providing the foundation of our civilization, from buildings to infrastructure to data centers. It consumes orders of magnitude more energy than AI and emits more CO2 than any other sector," says Jacob Bro, partner and co-founder of 2150. "Cocoon stands out in the innovation landscape with a product that is better and cheaper than cement and delivers a true drop-in replacement product for the industry." About Cocoon Cocoon unlocks a new, scalable supply of a cost-competitive cement replacement helping producers meet rising infrastructure demand quickly without raising costs. As data center construction booms and global infrastructure doubles over the next 40 years, the widening supply gap of widely-used, low-cost supplementary cementitious materials has made it a critical material. Cocoon's low-capex, modular process converts electric arc furnace byproducts from growing, clean steel production into a cost-competitive cement replacement that lowers the carbon intensity of concrete production. Led by co-founders Eliot Brooks, Will Knapp, and Freddie Scott, the London-based company brings deep expertise in engineering and materials science. For more information, visit www.cocooncarbon.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317569912/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Eliot Brooks press@cocooncarbon.com New Study Shows Sunrise's At-Home Sleep Test Cuts Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Time from Months to Days While Maintaining Strong Clinical Outcomes. Sunrise Group, a pioneer in medical device innovation and sleep care, today announced results from the SUNSAS clinical study, now published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, a leading international medical journal. Supported by the French Ministry of Health through the Forfait Innovation program, this study is the largest randomized controlled trial to date evaluating an at-home diagnostic pathway for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared with gold-standard polysomnography (PSG). OSA affects more than 900 million people worldwide, making it a major global health challenge. SUNSAS evaluated whether a diagnostic pathway built around Sunrise's technology could streamline access to diagnosis and treatment while maintaining clinical effectiveness. Sunrise provides an alternative to traditional sleep testing by using a single, ultra-light chin-worn sensor for at-home use, with versions supporting multi-night assessment. The device captures mandibular jaw movements a clinically validated biosignal for sleep assessment and analyzes the data using proprietary AI-supported algorithms to generate a comprehensive sleep report for clinician review. Conducted between 2021 and 2024 under the coordination of Professor Jean-Louis Pepin, a world-renowned expert in sleep medicine, the trial enrolled 849 adults across 18 sleep centers in France. Participants were randomized to diagnosis using either traditional PSG or Sunrise's at-home sleep test, allowing a direct comparison of the two diagnostic pathways in routine clinical practice. Key findings from the SUNSAS study include: A diagnosis in days, not months: Sunrise participants received a diagnosis in just 15 days, versus a wait time of over 106 days with PSG. A 7-fold acceleration. Sunrise participants received a diagnosis in just 15 days, versus a wait time of over 106 days with PSG. A 7-fold acceleration. A faster access to treatment: Sunrise cut the time to treatment from 124 to 50 days, allowing patients to begin therapy more than twice as fast. Sunrise cut the time to treatment from 124 to 50 days, allowing patients to begin therapy more than twice as fast. An improvement in clinical outcomes: Sunrise was as effective as PSG in reducing daytime sleepiness three months after diagnosis. Earlier treatment initiation in the Sunrise group was associated with greater improvements in daytime sleepiness, quality of life, and work productivity three months after study entry. Together, these findings suggest that Sunrise may contribute to sleep apnea diagnostic pathways by supporting testing outside traditional sleep laboratory settings and helping extend access to care in a range of healthcare environments. "Publication in The Lancet Regional Health Europe highlights the scientific rigor and reliability of the study findings," said Professor Jean-Louis Pepin, coordinating investigator of SUNSAS and Professor of Sleep Medicine at the Grenoble Alpes University. "By reducing waiting times to diagnosis and treatment without compromising patient outcomes, the Sunrise diagnostic pathway may offer a pragmatic solution to support access to timely management in routine clinical practice, an important step forward for sleep medicine." "SUNSAS was made possible through the strong commitment of the participating sleep centers, whose physicians and site staff played a central role in the successful conduct of the study and in generating high-quality evidence in sleep apnea diagnosis. The rigor of the statistical analyses conducted by the independent academic team at the Grenoble Clinical Investigation Center (CIC) underscores the scientific robustness of the results," said Laurent Martinot, Co-Founder and CEO of Sunrise Group. "Conducted within the framework of the Forfait Innovation program, SUNSAS provides pivotal data needed to guide reimbursement discussions and support broader integration of Sunrise into routine clinical practice internationally." This announcement comes on the heels of Sunrise's $29M raise, which supports the expansion of the company's clinical services, particularly through Dreem Health, the U.S.-based virtual sleep clinic, and accelerates investment in next-generation sleep technology. Sunrise is building advanced software and hardware to improve how sleep disorders are detected, monitored, and treated, with the goal of making sleep care faster, easier, and accessible to anyone, anywhere. About the Sunrise Group Founded in 2015, Sunrise Group is a pioneer in medical device innovation and sleep care. The company first developed an FDA-cleared and CE-marked medical device a lightweight, chin-worn sensor for at-home sleep apnea diagnosis using AI-supported analysis of mandibular jaw movements that has been validated in peer-reviewed studies and endorsed by leading sleep experts. Today, Sunrise builds on that breakthrough to develop advanced software and hardware to detect, monitor, and treat sleep disorders, and brings this expertise to Dreem Health, the U.S.-based virtual sleep clinic available in all 50 states and covered by major insurers. Headquartered in Belgium with offices in France and the United States, the team brings together leaders in sleep research, patient care, and medical technology. To learn more about Sunrise and Dreem Health, visit us.hellosunrise.com and dreemhealth.com. About the SUNSAS Study The SUNSAS study is a large, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted across France to evaluate an at-home diagnostic pathway for OSA using the Sunrise device compared with gold-standard PSG. The study was supported by the French Ministry of Health through the Forfait Innovation program, a national initiative that enables early access to promising innovative medical technologies, contingent upon the generation of high-level clinical and economic evidence to inform reimbursement decisions. In this context, SUNSAS was designed to assess whether Sunrise's end-to-end home diagnostic solution, using AI-supported analysis of mandibular jaw movements, could shorten the time to OSA diagnosis and treatment and, in turn, enable timely improvements in patient-reported outcomes. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318428010/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts SolComms Lilly Bromberg sunrise@solcomms.co GOTHENBURG, Sweden, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of AB SKF will be held 14.00 on Tuesday 21 April 2026 at Elite Park Avenue Hotel, Kungsportsavenyn 36-38, Gothenburg, Sweden. The doors are open from 13.00. Light refreshments will be served prior to the Annual General Meeting between 13.00 and 14.00. A summary of the President's address will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, after the Annual General Meeting. Preconditions for participation A. Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting by postal voting must be recorded in the shareholders' register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Monday 13 April 2026, and notify its intention to participate by casting its postal vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading Postal voting below so that the postal voting is received by Computershare AB no later than Wednesday 15 April 2026. B. Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting in person or by proxy in the meeting room must be recorded in the shareholders' register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Monday 13 April 2026, and notify the company of its intention to participate no later than Wednesday 15 April 2026, via the company's website, www.skf.com, or by phone +46?31?337?25 50 (weekdays between 09.00 and 16.00), or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se (use "AGM 2026 of AB SKF" as subject), or by letter to Computershare AB, "AGM 2026 of AB SKF", Box 149, 182 12 Danderyd, Sweden. When notifying the company include details of name, address, telephone number, social security number and number of advisors, if any. To be entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting, a shareholder whose shares are held in the name of a nominee must, in addition to providing notification of participation, register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is recorded in the shareholder's register as per Monday 13 April 2026. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested from the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures and in such time in advance as the nominee determines. Voting right registrations completed by the nominee not later than Wednesday 15 April 2026 are taken into account when preparing the shareholder's register. Participation in person or by proxy Shareholders who wish to attend in the meeting room, in person or by proxy, must notify its intention in accordance with B) above. This means that notice by postal voting only is not enough for anyone who wishes to attend in the meeting room. Where representation is being made by proxy, the proxy form shall be sent to the company to the above address or by e-mail to proxy@computershare.se before the Annual General Meeting. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document of authority shall be enclosed. Postal voting A special form shall be used for postal voting. The form is available on the company's website, www.skf.com. The completed and signed voting form must be received by SKF through Computershare AB no later than Wednesday 15 April 2026. Shareholders may cast their postal votes electronically through Swedish BankID verification via SKF's website www.skf.com. The form may also be submitted by post to Computershare AB, "AGM 2026 of AB SKF", Box 149, 182 12 Danderyd or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se. Shareholders who are represented by a proxy holder shall submit a proxy form enclosed to the voting form. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document of authority shall be enclosed to the form. Shareholders are not permitted to add special instructions or conditions to their postal votes. If this is done, the vote (i.e. the postal vote in its entirety) will be invalid. Further instructions and conditions can be found on the postal voting form. For questions about the meeting or to have the postal voting form sent by post, please contact Computershare AB on telephone +46 31-337 25 50 or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se. Agenda Opening of the Annual General Meeting Election of a Chair for the Annual General Meeting Drawing up and approval of the voting list Approval of agenda Election of persons to verify the minutes Consideration of whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened Presentation of the annual report and audit report, consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group, and the assurance report on the sustainability report for the Group Address by the President Matter of adoption of the income statement and balance sheet and the consolidated income statement and consolidated balance sheet Resolution regarding distribution of profits and record date Matter of discharge of the members of the Board and the President from liability Determination of the number of Board members Determination of fees for the Board members Election of Board members The Nomination Committee's proposal for Board members: 14.1 Hans Straberg 14.2 Hock Goh 14.3 Geert Follens 14.4 Hakan Buskhe 14.5 Rickard Gustafson 14.6 Beth Ferreira 14.7 Therese Friberg 14.8 Richard Nilsson 14.9 Niko Pakalen 14.10 Mats Rahmstrom 14.11 Karen Florschutz 14.12 Maximiliane Straub Election of Chair of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors' proposal for amendment of the Articles of Association Determination of fees for the auditor Election of auditor The Board of Directors' proposal for a resolution on guidelines for remuneration to senior executives Presentation and approval of the Board of Directors' remuneration report The Board of Directors' proposal for a resolution on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026 Proposal under item 10 The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of SEK 7.75 per share to be paid in two instalments. The first instalment amount is proposed to SEK 4.00 per share with a record date on Thursday 23 April 2026, and the second instalment amount to SEK 3.75 per share with a record date on Thursday 15 October 2026. Subject to resolution by the Annual General Meeting in accordance with this proposal, it is expected that Euroclear will distribute the first instalment on Tuesday 28 April 2026, and the second instalment on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Proposals under items 2, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18 The Nomination Committee formed according to a resolution of the Annual General Meeting 2020 to represent all shareholders of the company consists of, besides the Chair of the Board of Directors, members elected by FAM, Cevian Capital, AFA Forsakring and Skandia, shareholders who together represent around 40% of the total number of votes in the company. The Nomination Committee proposes the following: Item 2 - that Justice of the Supreme Court Erik Sjoman is elected Chair of the Annual General Meeting; Item 12 - that the Board of Directors shall consist of twelve members; Item 13 - that the Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting and not employed by the company, for the period up to the end of the next Annual General Meeting, receive a fee according to the following: a. SEK 3,250,000 to the Chair of the Board of Directors, b. SEK 1,625,000 to the Vice Chair(s) of the Board of Directors, and c. SEK 1,060,000 to each of the other Board members, of which 30 percent shall be converted and consist of a variable Board fee in accordance with the terms for variable Board fee (synthetic shares) 2026 available on the company's website www.skf.com among the Nomination Committee's complete proposals; d. SEK 410,000 to the Chair of the Audit and Sustainability Committee, e. SEK 295,000 to each of the other members of the Audit and Sustainability Committee, f. SEK 235,000 to the Chair of the other Committees, and g. SEK 175,000 to each of the other members of the other Committees; and that a special meeting fee be paid to Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting and not employed by the company for travel to a physical Board meeting in Sweden according to the following: h. EUR 5,000 for intercontinental travel, and i. EUR 2,000 for continental travel outside of the country of the Board member's residence; a. SEK 3,250,000 to the Chair of the Board of Directors, b. SEK 1,625,000 to the Vice Chair(s) of the Board of Directors, and c. SEK 1,060,000 to each of the other Board members, of which 30 percent shall be converted and consist of a variable Board fee in accordance with the terms for variable Board fee (synthetic shares) 2026 available on the company's website www.skf.com among the Nomination Committee's complete proposals; d. SEK 410,000 to the Chair of the Audit and Sustainability Committee, e. SEK 295,000 to each of the other members of the Audit and Sustainability Committee, f. SEK 235,000 to the Chair of the other Committees, and g. SEK 175,000 to each of the other members of the other Committees; and that a special meeting fee be paid to Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting and not employed by the company for travel to a physical Board meeting in Sweden according to the following: h. EUR 5,000 for intercontinental travel, and i. EUR 2,000 for continental travel outside of the country of the Board member's residence; Item 14 - that Hans Straberg, Hock Goh, Geert Follens, Hakan Buskhe, Rickard Gustafson, Beth Ferreira, Therese Friberg, Richard Nilsson, Niko Pakalen and Mats Rahmstrom are re-elected as Board members. It is proposed that Karen Florschutz and Maximiliane Straub are newly elected; Item 15 - that Hans Straberg is re-elected as the Chair of the Board of Directors; A presentation of the proposed Board can be found at the company's website www.skf.com. A presentation of the proposed Board can be found at the company's website www.skf.com. Item 17 - that the auditor is paid for work performed according to approved invoice; and Item 18 - that, in accordance with the Audit and Sustainability Committee's recommendation and the Nomination Committee's proposal, the registered firm of auditors Deloitte AB is re-appointed as auditor for a period of two years until the close of the Annual General Meeting 2028. Proposal under item 16 The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve to amend the Articles of Association to adjust the term of office for the appointed auditor through adjustments to 9. The proposed change is outlined in the proposal for the new Articles of Association, which is available on the company's website, www.skf.com, among the Board's complete proposals. Proposal under item 19 The Board of Directors of AB SKF ("SKF") has decided to submit the following guidelines for remuneration to senior executives to the Annual General Meeting 2026. Scope These guidelines apply to remuneration to SKF's President and the other members of the management team (collectively "Group Management"). The guidelines shall apply to remuneration agreed after the adoption of the guidelines by the Annual General Meeting 2026, as well as to amendments to existing agreements thereafter. These guidelines do not apply to any remuneration resolved by the Shareholders' Meeting. The guidelines' promotion of SKF's business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability A prerequisite for the successful implementation of SKF's business strategy and safeguarding of its long-term interests, including its sustainability, is that SKF is able to recruit and retain qualified personnel. To this end, it is necessary that SKF offers competitive remuneration. These guidelines enable SKF to offer the Group Management a competitive total remuneration and at the same time support the shareholders' best interests. Variable salary covered by the guidelines shall be linked to predetermined and measurable criteria, aiming to promote the SKF Group's business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability. For further information on SKF Group's strategy, please refer to skf.com and the Annual Report. Since 2008, SKF's Annual General Meeting has resolved each year upon a performance share programme for senior managers and key employees, including Group Management. Since the performance share programmes have been resolved by the Shareholders' Meeting, they are excluded from these guidelines. SKF's performance share programme shall have the aim to link the long-term interests of its participants and the shareholders. The performance criteria used to assess the outcome of the performance share programme shall be linked to the business strategy and thereby to SKF Group's long-term value creation, including its sustainability. For further information on SKF's performance share programmes, including the criteria on which the outcome depends, please refer to the Board of Directors' proposal to each Annual General Meeting. Types of remuneration The total remuneration package for a Group Management member shall consist of the following components: fixed salary, variable salary, pension benefits, and other benefits such as a company car. The components shall create a well-balanced remuneration reflecting individual performance and responsibility as well as the SKF Group's overall performance. The Shareholders' Meeting may also - irrespective of these guidelines - resolve on other remuneration components, e.g. SKF's performance share programme. For employments governed by rules other than Swedish, remuneration may be duly adjusted for compliance with mandatory rules or established local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of the guidelines. In addition to remuneration set out above, Group Management members who are expatriates to or from their home country, or who work in multiple countries, may receive additional remuneration and other benefits to the extent reasonable in light of the special circumstances associated with the cross border arrangement, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines and the general policies and practices within the SKF Group applicable to cross border work. Fixed salary The fixed salary of a Group Management member shall be at a market competitive level. It shall be based on competence, responsibility, experience and performance. The SKF Group shall use an internationally well-recognized evaluation system, in order to evaluate the scope and responsibility of the position. Market benchmarks shall be conducted on a yearly basis. The performance of Group Management members shall be continuously monitored during the year and shall be used as a basis for annual reviews of fixed salaries. Variable salary The variable salary of a Group Management member shall run according to a performance-based programme. The purpose of the programme shall be to motivate and compensate value-creating achievements in order to support operational, financial and sustainability targets and thereby promote the SKF Group's business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability. The performance-based programme shall have predetermined and measurable criteria which can be both financial and non-financial and which contribute to SKF's long-term and sustainable development. The criteria shall primarily be based on the annual financial performance of the SKF Group, such as financial result, growth and capital efficiency, or shall promote sustainability targets of the SKF Group. The satisfaction of criteria for awarding variable salary shall be measured over a period of one year. The extent to which the criteria for awarding variable salary have been satisfied shall be determined when the measurement period has ended. The Board of Directors is responsible for the evaluation so far as it concerns variable salary to the President. For variable salary to other members of Group Management, the President is responsible for the evaluation. For financial targets, the evaluation shall be based on financial information made public by SKF. The maximum variable salary may not amount to more than 70% of the annual fixed salary. Further variable salary may be awarded in extraordinary circumstances, provided that such extraordinary arrangements are limited in time and only made on an individual basis, either for the purpose of recruiting or retaining Group Management members, or as remuneration for extraordinary performance beyond the individual's ordinary tasks. Such remuneration may not exceed an amount corresponding to 100% of the annual fixed salary and may not be paid more than once each year per individual. Any resolution on such remuneration to the President shall be made by the Board of Directors based on a proposal from the People Committee, and any resolution on such remuneration to other Group Management members shall be made by the Chair of the Board of Directors based on a proposal from the President. The Board of Directors shall have the possibility, under applicable law or contractual provisions and subject to the restrictions that may apply under law or contract, to: reduce, in whole or in part, payment of variable remuneration if an employee has committed a material breach of the SKF Code of Conduct (or any other significant policy document) (malus); or reclaim, in whole or in part, variable remuneration paid on incorrect grounds or if an employee has committed a material breach of the SKF Code of Conduct (or any other significant policy document) (claw-back). Other benefits The SKF Group may provide other benefits to Group Management members in accordance with local practice. Other benefits can for instance be a company car or health care and medical insurance (Sw. sjukvardsforsakring). Premiums and other costs relating to such benefits shall depend on and follow local conditions and local practice but shall represent a limited value and may not amount to more than 10% of the annual fixed salary. Pension Pension plans, including health insurance (Sw. sjukforsakring), shall be based on defined contribution models unless a defined benefit pension plan is required by mandatory law or collective agreement provisions. Variable salary shall qualify for pension benefits to the extent required by mandatory law or collective agreement provisions. In addition to the base pension plan (for Swedish members usually the ITP pension plan), a Group Management member shall generally be covered by a supplementary defined contribution pension plan. By offering this supplementary defined contribution plan, it is ensured that Group Management members are entitled to earn pension benefits based on the annual fixed salary above the level of the base pension. The total cost of the premiums for a Group Management member's base defined contribution pension plan (including health insurance) and supplementary pension plan may not amount to more than 40% of the annual fixed salary. Notice of termination and severance pay The notice period may not exceed six months if notice of termination of employment is given by SKF. Fixed salary during the notice period and severance pay may together not exceed an amount corresponding to the fixed salary for two years. When termination is given by the Group Management member, the notice period may not exceed six months, without any right to severance pay. Remuneration for a non-compete undertaking may be paid to cover lost income, but not during period with severance pay. Unless required by mandatory law or collective agreement, it cannot exceed 60% of the fixed monthly salary at termination and is limited to 18 months for the President and 12 months for other Group Management members. Salary and terms of employment for employees When preparing these guidelines, the Board of Directors has paid regard to the salary and terms of employment of SKF's employees. Information about employees' total remuneration, the components of the remuneration and the growth and growth rate over time have been part of the basis for the Board of Directors' and the People Committee's evaluation of the fairness of the guidelines for remuneration and the limitations which the guidelines entail. The Board of Directors has also considered SKF's People Policy. The decision-making process to determine, review and implement the guidelines The Board of Directors has established a People Committee. The People Committee prepares all matters relating to the guidelines for remuneration to senior executives, as well as the terms of employment for the President. The Board of Directors must approve the terms of employment for the President. The guidelines for remuneration to senior executives are presented by the People Committee to the Board of Directors that, at least every fourth year, submits a proposal for such guidelines to the Annual General Meeting for approval. The guidelines for remuneration shall be valid until new guidelines have been adopted by the Shareholders' Meeting. The People Committee shall also monitor and evaluate programmes for variable remuneration for Group Management, the application of the guidelines for remuneration to senior executives and applicable remuneration structures and levels of the SKF Group. The members of the People Committee are independent of the SKF Group and Group Management. The President and other members of Group Management shall not be present when the Board of Directors process and resolve on remuneration related matters in so far as they are affected by such matters. The Board of Directors' right to derogate from the guidelines for remuneration The Board of Directors may temporarily resolve to derogate from these guidelines, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the derogation and a derogation is necessary to serve SKF's long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure SKF's financial viability. As set out above, the People Committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' resolutions in remuneration related matters. This includes any resolutions to derogate from the guidelines. Description of material changes to the guidelines In comparison with the guidelines decided by the Annual General Meeting 2022, the proposed guidelines have been updated in order to: Enable the award of additional variable salary in extraordinary circumstances, provided that such extraordinary arrangements are limited in time and only made on an individual basis, either for the purpose of recruiting or retaining Group Management members, or as remuneration for extraordinary performance beyond the individual's ordinary tasks. Broaden the possibility to make adjustments for employments governed by rules other than Swedish to comply with mandatory rules or established local practice. Allow for additional remuneration and benefits to be granted to expatriates relocating to or from their home country, to increase flexibility and improve retention and attraction of key employees. Clarify that the Board of Directors may reduce or reclaim variable remuneration, in whole or in part, under certain circumstances, to strengthen accountability and protect shareholders' interests. Clarify the pension provisions and remove the provision on pensionable age. Amend the provisions regarding termination of employment and related compensation, including allowing for compensation for non-compete undertakings. Finally, certain editorial changes and clarifications have been made for increased clarity and improved structure. The Board of Directors considers the revisions to reflect the general interest of the shareholders. Proposal under item 20 The Board of Directors has prepared a Remuneration report which is presented and proposed to be approved by the Annual General Meeting. The Remuneration report is available on the company's website, www.skf.com. Proposal under item 21 The main contents of the Board of Directors' proposal are stated below. The complete proposal is available at the company's website, www.skf.com. Background information At the Annual General Meeting in 2008 the SKF Group introduced a long-term performance share programme for senior managers and key employees. Since 2008, the Annual General Meeting has resolved each year upon a performance share programme. The Board of Directors' proposed decision The Board of Directors proposes - to continue to link the long-term interests of the participants and the shareholders, strengthening the SKF Group's ability to attract and retain great talent and to contribute to the SKF Group's business strategy, its long-term interests and sustainability - that a decision be taken at the Annual General Meeting 2026 on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026. The programme is proposed to cover senior managers and key employees in the SKF Group with an opportunity to be allotted, free of charge, SKF B shares in accordance with the following principal terms and guidelines. Under the programme, not more than in total 1,000,000 SKF B shares may be allotted. The allotment of shares shall be related to the level of achievement of the Total Value Added (TVA) target, as defined by the Board of Directors, and the SKF Group's CDP Climate Change score. The TVA performance measure is weighted 80% and the CDP Climate Change score performance measure is weighted 20%. TVA performance measure TVA is a simplified economic value-added model promoting greater operating profit, capital efficiency and profitable growth. TVA is the adjusted operating profit, less the pre-tax cost of capital. Over the three-year programme period (2026-2028), the TVA performance target range is set annually by the Board of Directors against the baseline of the actual TVA achieved in the previous year. The overall performance achievement for the TVA performance measure of the programme is the average achievements of the annual TVA targets. For allocation of shares to take place, the average TVA development must exceed a certain minimum level (the threshold level). In addition to the threshold level, a target level is set. Maximum allotment is awarded if the target level is reached or exceeded. By way of example, if the TVA achievement year 1 is 80%, year 2 is 100% and year 3 is 0%, the overall performance achievement of the programme would then be 60% ((80%+100%+0%) / 3). CDP Climate Change score performance measure CDP is a global non-profit organization known for its assessments and scoring methodology to evaluate companies' disclosure and performance relating to climate change and environmental impact. The CDP Climate Change score is based on an extensive questionnaire requiring disclosure and performance mainly in the following categories: Targets, Business Strategy, Dependencies, Impacts, Risks and Opportunities Process, Verification (Incl. Emissions), Governance, Energy, Risk Disclosure, Scope 1 & 2 Emissions, Scope 3 Emissions, Emissions Reduction Initiatives And Low Carbon Products, Opportunity Disclosure, Value Chain Engagement and Public Policy Engagement and Industry Collaboration. This comprehensive assessment and the resulting score are known across the investor and customer communities as a credible third-party view on companies' approaches to climate change. The score ranges from A (leadership level) to D- (disclosure level). For the third consecutive year SKF received an A score in 2025, which is the top rating. Out of nearly 20,000 companies that were scored by CDP in 2025, only 4% received an A rating. The overall performance achievement for the CDP Climate Change score is the weighted average of the annual performance achievement, based on the criteria in the table. CDP Score Performance achievement A 100 % A- 75 % B 50 % B- 25 % 0 % For example, if SKF's CDP score is B in year 1, A- in year 2 and A in year 3, the overall performance achievement for the full programme period is 75% ((50%+75%+100%) / 3). In case SKF has not been awarded a CDP score in time for the delivery of shares, the overall performance measure is the weighted average of the annual performance achievements for CDP scores that have been awarded during the performance period. Award Provided that the performance measures of the programme are fully met, the participants may be allotted shares up to the following maximum per person within the various key groups: CEO and President - shares corresponding to a value of 75% of the fixed base salary Other members of Group Management - shares corresponding to 55% of the fixed base salary or 13,000 shares, whichever is higher Other senior managers and key persons - up to maximum 4,500 shares dependent on their role and local market practice If the total outcome of the programme exceeds the threshold level for allotment of shares but the final allotment is below 5% of the target level, payment will be made in cash instead of shares, whereupon the amount of the cash payment shall correspond to the value of the shares calculated on the basis of the closing price for SKF's B share the day before settlement. If all the conditions included in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026 are met, allotment of shares shall be made free of charge following the expiry of the three-year performance period, i.e. during 2029. Before the number of shares to be allotted is finally determined, the Board of Directors shall examine whether the allotment is reasonable considering SKF's financial results and position, the conditions on the stock market as well as other circumstances, and if not, as determined by the Board of Directors, reduce the number of shares to be awarded to the lower number of shares deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is furthermore entitled to introduce an alternative incentive solution for employees in countries where participation in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026 is not appropriate. Such alternative incentive solution shall, as far as practicable, be formulated employing the same conditions as SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026. Costs of SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026 The company has 455,351,068 shares in issue when this notice is issued. To comply with the obligations of SKF's Performance Share Programme 2026, a maximum number of 1,000,000 B shares are required, corresponding to approximately 0.2% of the total number of outstanding shares. Assuming maximum allocation under the Performance Share Programme 2026 and a share price of SEK 220, the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 264. Based on a share price of SEK 310, the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 372. In addition, the administrative costs are estimated at approximately MSEK 2. For information on allotment under previous programmes, please see the Board's full proposal on the company's webpage www.skf.com. Hedging actions and dilution The Board does not propose for the time being to take any action to hedge the SKF Group's obligations under the programme. Delivery of shares under the programme shall not take place until 2029. The programme does not entail any dilution of the company's shares. Number of shares and votes, and documentation When this notice is issued, the total number of shares in the company are 455,351,068, represented by 28,918,320 series A shares and 426,432,748 series B shares, with a total number of votes of 71,561,594.8. The company holds no own shares. The annual report including the sustainability report, the audit and assurance report, the remuneration report, statements of the auditor, the Board of Directors' complete proposals according to items 16, 19, 20 and 21 of the agenda together with the Nomination Committee's reasoned statement and terms for variable Board fees will be available at the company's headquarters at Sven Wingquists gata 2, SE-415 05 Gothenburg, and at the company's website, www.skf.com, no later than from 31 March 2026 and will be sent to shareholders who request this and state their address. Such request shall be made to Computershare AB by phone, email, or letter as set out under the heading "Preconditions for participation", section B) above. Information at the Annual General Meeting, etc. The Board of Directors and the President shall, upon request by any shareholder and where the Board of Directors believes that it may take place without significant harm to the company, provide information in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the company's or a subsidiary's financial position and the company's relationship to other group companies. Anyone who wishes to dispatch questions in advance may do so to AB SKF, Att. General Counsel, SE-415 50 Gothenburg, Sweden, or by e-mail: chair@skf.com. SKF's web-based annual report in English was made public on 6 March 2026. Proxy forms will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, and may also be requested by letter to Computershare AB, "AGM 2026 of AB SKF", Box 149, 182 12 Danderyd, Sweden or by phone +46 31-337 25 50. Gothenburg, March 2026 Aktiebolaget SKF (publ) Reg. no 556007-3495 The Board of Directors Visit to SKF's factory in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg Shareholders are welcome to visit SKF's factory in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, in connection with the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 21 April 2026 at 10.00. Shareholders that wish to participate shall notify his/her name and contact details (preferably email address alternatively a cell phone number) to: SKF Sverige AB, Att: Lars Werner, 415 50 Gothenburg alternatively via email to: Lars.Werner@skf.com. Please note that the number of participants is limited. Processing of Personal Data For information on AB SKF's processing of personal data in connection with a General Meeting, please see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf. If you have any questions related to AB SKF's processing of your personal data, you are welcome to contact us by using the information in the Notice to the General Meeting or the information below. privacy@skf.com AB SKF (publ) Att: Data Protection Officer SE-415 50 Gothenburg Sweden For further information, please contact: Press Relations: Carl Bjernstam, +46 31-337 2517; +46 722 201 893; carl.bjernstam@skf.com Investor Relations: Sophie Arnius, +46 31-337 8072; +46 705 908072; sophie.arnius@skf.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com. https://news.cision.com/skf/r/notice-of-annual-general-meeting,c4322745 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/637/4322745/3988396.pdf 20260318 Notice of Annual General Meeting https://news.cision.com/skf/i/skf-group-flag,c3520372 SKF Group flag View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/notice-of-annual-general-meeting-302717455.html Infosys honored for its commitment to business integrity through robust ethics, compliance, and governance programs. BENGALURU, India, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been recognized as one of the 2026 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Infosys has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year and is one of only a select group of honorees in the Technology industry. In 2026, 138 honorees were recognized, spanning 17 countries and 40 industries. These companies were evaluated based on the Ethisphere Ethics Quotient, a questionnaire covering 240 different proof points on the culture of ethics; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices; ethics and compliance program; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and initiatives that support a strong value chain. "Congratulations to Infosys for achieving recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. As we mark the 20th class of honorees, this group continues to raise the bar for business integrity by embedding ethics into everyday decision-making and long-term strategy. Companies with strong ethics, compliance, and governance programs are built for better long-term performance," said Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere's Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair. Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Infosys, said, "We are deeply honored to be recognized as one of the 2026 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for the sixth consecutive year. This recognition reflects our consistent focus on strong corporate governance, ethical conduct, and responsible business practices. As we help our clients to unlock AI value, we believe trust, transparency, and accountability are foundational to delivering meaningful impact at scale. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity as we create long-term value for our clients, employees, shareholders, and communities." To view the full list of this year's honorees, please visit the World's Most Ethical Companies website: https://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees. Methodology & Scoring The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient, which requires companies to provide 240+ documented proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, including: corporate governance; program structure & resourcing; written standards; training, awareness, & communication; risk assessment & auditing; investigations, enforcement, discipline & incentives; measurement of ethical culture; third-party risk management, and environmental & social impact. That data undergoes further qualitative analysis by Ethisphere's panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating each year's group of applicants. This process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify best-in-class ethics and compliance practices from organizations across industries and from around the world. About Ethisphere Ethisphere is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust, and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere also helps to advance business performance through data-driven assessments, benchmarking, and guidance. Learn more about Ethisphere at https://www.ethisphere.com About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 330,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses, and communities. We enable clients in 63 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as artificial intelligence ("AI"), generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/5460444/Infosys_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ethisphere-recognizes-infosys-among-2026-worlds-most-ethical-companies-302717486.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced bought deal private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of C$40,002,060 (the "Offering"). The Offering was conducted by Stifel Canada, as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including Integrity Capital Group Inc. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters purchased on a bought deal basis, an aggregate of 14,286,450 units (the "Units") of the Company at a price of C$2.80 per Unit (the "Offering Price"). This total includes the full exercise of the Underwriters' option to purchase additional Units. Each Unit consists of one Class A common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one-half of one Class A common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$3.75 at any time before 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on March 18, 2029. The Underwriters received a cash commission of approximately C$2,400,123 equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. As additional consideration for their services, the Underwriters were also issued 857,187 broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants") equal to 6.0% of the number of Units issued pursuant to the Offering. Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder thereof to subscribe for one Class A common share of the Company at the Offering Price until March 18, 2028. The net proceeds from the Offering are expected to be used by the Company to advance exploration and development at the Company's IMA Mine Project and for working capital and for general corporate purposes. The Units were offered by way of private placement: (a) in each of the provinces of Canada pursuant to applicable prospectus exemptions under applicable Canadian securities laws; (b) to investors in the United States pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (c) in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States as agreed to by American Tungsten and the Underwriters on a private placement equivalent basis. The Offering remains subject to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"). The securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the rules of the Exchange. The securities referred to 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, or for the account or benefit of, "U.S. Persons" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent such registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. 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) Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 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 news 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 regarding the use of proceeds from the Offering, the receipt of regulatory approvals and future results of operations, performance and achievements of the Company. Although the Company believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and risks, including, uncertainties with respect to obtaining all regulatory approvals to complete the Offering, uncertainties of the global economy, market fluctuations, the discretion of the Company in respect to the use of proceeds discussed above, any exercise of termination by counterparties under applicable agreements, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks identified in its disclosure documents filed at www.sedarplus.ca. 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 events, results and/or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with and as required by applicable securities laws. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288986 Source: American Tungsten Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: MON) (OTC Pink: MXTRF) (FSE: ES0) ("Montero" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the interpretation of geological, geochemical and geophysical datasets at its Elvira gold project in Chile's Maricunga Gold Belt, following completion of the Phase 1 exploration program previously reported on March 2, 2026. The integrated analysis confirms the presence of a district-scale high-sulphidation hydrothermal system at Elvira and has identified several structurally controlled alteration centres, resistivity domains and sulphide-bearing chargeability anomalies that represent priority areas for follow-up exploration and potential drill testing. The Project comprises a contiguous package of mining concessions covering the interpreted alteration footprint and structural corridors identified to date. A location map showing the regional setting is presented in Figure 1 and a detailed concession outline with simplified geology is presented in Figure 2, with geological mapping and alteration shown in Figures 3 and 4, and geophysical datasets presented in Figures 5, 6 and 7. Figure 1: Regional location map of the Elvira Project, Maricunga Belt, Chile. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_003full.jpg Figure 2: Elvira Project concession boundary and simplified geological map. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_004full.jpg Dr. Tony Harwood, President and CEO of Montero, commented: "The integration of geological mapping, geochemistry and geophysical datasets has significantly improved our understanding of the Elvira system. Results indicate a large high-sulphidation epithermal system developed within volcanic-sedimentary host rocks intruded by dacitic porphyry and an andesitic dome complex, with mineralization controls linked to a major structural corridor and associated silicified alteration zones. These findings allow us to prioritize specific areas for potential drill testing as we advance the project." Key Interpretation Results The interpretation of the combined exploration datasets indicates: A large hydrothermal alteration system developed within volcanic-sedimentary host rocks consistent with a high-sulphidation epithermal system extending across several kilometres. Multiple north-northwest to north-northeast trending structural corridors interpreted from magnetic data and geological mapping that may represent fluid pathways and potential feeder structures. Strong correlation between alteration zones, geochemical anomalies and geophysical responses, suggesting a coherent mineralizing system. Chargeability and resistivity contrasts identified in Induced Polarization (" IP ") surveys consistent with zones of hydrothermal alteration and possible sulphide mineralization at depth. ") surveys consistent with zones of hydrothermal alteration and possible sulphide mineralization at depth. A central deep-rooted conductive structure flanked by two resistive domains interpreted as silicified zones associated with hydrothermal alteration. These features collectively support the interpretation that Elvira hosts a significant hydrothermal system with the potential for preserved mineralization. Geological Interpretation Detailed geological mapping confirms that the Elvira system developed within Miocene volcanic-sedimentary sequences comprising lithic tuffs, volcanic agglomerates, and sandstones intruded by dacitic porphyry to the west and an andesitic dome complex to the east (Figure 3). The system is characterized by extensive advanced argillic alteration, including quartz-alunite alteration, vuggy silica bodies and hydrothermal breccias mapped across the central portion of the project (Figure 4). These alteration assemblages, together with the presence of silicified breccias, vuggy silica veins and quartz-alunite alteration, are characteristic of high-sulphidation epithermal systems throughout the Maricunga Belt and commonly occur above deeper porphyry-style mineralization systems, providing further support for the interpreted scale and fertility of the Elvira hydrothermal system. Figure 3: Geological map of the Elvira Project showing volcanic-sedimentary host rocks intruded by dacite porphyry to the west and an andesite dome complex to the east. The high-sulfidation epithermal system is characterized by quartz-alunite alteration, vuggy silica veins and hydrothermal breccias developed within the volcanic-sedimentary units (Frutos, 2025). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_008full.jpg Figure 4: Alteration map derived from geological mapping showing the distribution of quartz-alunite alteration and advanced argillic assemblages developed across the volcanic-sedimentary host rocks and intrusive bodies. The central alteration zone hosts the widest vuggy silica replacement bodies and represents the most prospective zone within the hydrothermal system for mineralization. (Frutos, 2025). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_007full.jpg In addition, high-resolution multi-element geochemical datasets are currently being evaluated using porphyry vector modelling techniques to assess potential geochemical gradients that may indicate proximity to a deeper porphyry-style mineralizing source beneath the epithermal system. Field mapping has identified two priority exploration areas within the central alteration system: Western Target - associated with hydrothermal breccia bodies developed along the western margin of the alteration system and extending for more than 800 metres. - associated with hydrothermal breccia bodies developed along the western margin of the alteration system and extending for more than 800 metres. Eastern Target - located within volcanic-sedimentary host rocks where vuggy silica veins are thickest and most abundant, representing a potential stratigraphically controlled replacement zone. The scale and intensity of alteration observed at Elvira suggest a robust hydrothermal system capable of hosting mineralization. Geophysical Interpretation Ground magnetic and IP surveys have improved the understanding of subsurface structures and lithological contrasts across the property. The ground magnetic survey covered approximately 205 kilometres of survey lines spaced at 50 metres, while IP surveys were completed along seven lines totalling approximately 19.2 kilometres. Magnetic Highlights Magnetic data highlight several linear structural trends and intrusive contacts that may represent potential conduits for mineralizing fluids. Magnetic vector inversion modelling identifies a large magnetic anomaly interpreted as an andesitic dome complex with magnetic susceptibilities ranging from approximately 0.01 to 0.07 SI units, consistent with magnetite-bearing volcanic lithologies (Figure 5). A narrow magnetic low truncating the western margin of the dome is interpreted as a deep-rooted structural corridor, which coincides with a conductive feature identified in the IP survey. This structural corridor forms the core of the interpreted priority exploration corridor and is spatially associated with coincident chargeability anomalies identified in the IP dataset. Figure 5: Elvira Project showing the Pole Reduced Magnetic Intensity Grid (line spacing 50 m) and location seven IP lines survey lines (pole-dipole, a=100 m, n=1 to 20) (Argali, 2026). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_009full.jpg IP-Resistivity Highlights IP-resistivity data identified zones of contrasting chargeability and resistivity that coincide with mapped alteration zones and structural features (Figure 6). These anomalies are interpreted as potential targets for further evaluation. A consistent geophysical pattern is observed across multiple IP lines consisting of: A western resistive lobe interpreted as silicified rock associated with hydrothermal alteration. A central conductive zone interpreted as a fault or structural corridor. An eastern resistive lobe associated with silicification near the andesitic dome complex. Strong chargeability anomalies reaching up to approximately 25 mV/V occur along the central structural corridor and beneath the western resistive lobe, suggesting the presence of sulphide mineralization at depth (Figures 6 and 7) however, these responses are geophysical in nature and require validation through drilling. The coincidence of strong chargeability anomalies with silicified resistive zones, mapped hydrothermal breccias, and the interpreted structural corridor represents a compelling integrated exploration target that will be further refined through ongoing geochemical vector modelling and three-dimensional geological interpretation. The interpreted structural corridor and associated resistive alteration zones define a prospective exploration corridor approximately 700 metres by 600 metres in extent. Geophysical responses are interpretive in nature and do not necessarily indicate the presence of economic mineralization or mineral resources. Figure 6: Plan map of Inverted Resistivity (left) and Chargeability (right) anomalies at elevations 3800 m (top), 3700 m, 3600 m derived from the 2025 IP survey. Elevated chargeability values reflect zones of increased sulphide content within the hydrothermal system. A strong chargeability anomaly is centred between IP lines 7078800N and 7079200N and coincides with mapped alteration and structural corridors identified from geological mapping and magnetic interpretation (Argali, 2026). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_011full.jpg Figure 7: Representative IP Resistivity and Chargeability inversion sections across the Elvira hydrothermal system showing resistive silicified zones flanking a central conductive structural corridor interpreted as a major fault or structural feeder zone. Chargeability anomalies associated with sulphide mineralization occur beneath the western resistive lobe and along the central structural corridor (Argali, 2026). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11789/288984_a37deece54ae8ac9_013full.jpg Integrated Targeting The Company is currently integrating all available geological, geochemical and geophysical datasets using integrated structural interpretation and three-dimensional geophysical inversion modelling, together with data-driven analytical techniques including artificial intelligence-assisted modelling. This initial work has resulted in the identification of several priority exploration areas within the broader alteration system that warrant further investigation. High-resolution multi-element analytical geochemical results generated from the recent surface sampling program are currently undergoing geochemical vector analysis and will be integrated with the geological and geophysical datasets to further refine the evolving three-dimensional exploration model. Results from the geochemical vector analysis will be incorporated into the Company's broader integrated interpretation workflow as part of ongoing three-dimensional geological modelling. In particular, the intersection of the central structural corridor with the western resistive silicified zone and strong shallow chargeability anomalies represents a high-priority exploration target for potential drill testing. The interpretation process remains ongoing and will be refined as additional analytical work and data integration, artificial intelligence assisted modelling, and independent technical review is completed. Next Steps The next phase of work at Elvira will focus on: Finalizing the integrated geological model. Continued interpretation of geochemical and geophysical datasets. Completion of the ongoing geochemical vectoring analysis of the high-resolution multi-element dataset. Advancing technical evaluation of priority exploration targets toward potential drill testing. Prioritizing potential drill targets. Completing technical evaluation prior to any decision regarding drill testing. The Company expects to provide further updates as interpretation of the integrated datasets progresses. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Marcial Vergara, B.Sc., and Mr. Mike Evans, M.Sc. Pr.Sci.Nat., each a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and consulting geologists to the Company. About Montero Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. is a Canadian exploration company focused on gold and copper exploration in Chile. Montero holds a 100% interest in the Avispa copper-molybdenum project in the Palaeocene Porphyry Cu-Mo Belt of northern Chile and has an option to acquire the Elvira and Potrero gold projects in the Maricunga Gold Belt. These projects are currently being advanced through exploration. The Company's board and management have a proven track record in discovery and development of precious and base metal projects. Montero is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MON and has 8,353,833 Common Shares and 835,383 stock options outstanding. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the integration and interpretation of geological, geochemical and geophysical data; the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools; the identification, evaluation or prioritization of areas for further exploration; the potential for mineralization; and the timing or scope of future exploration activities, including any potential drilling. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" occur or be achieved. Such information is based on information currently available to Montero and on assumptions management believes are reasonable as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to mineral exploration and development activities; uncertainties inherent in the interpretation of geological and geophysical data; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; commodity price fluctuations; changes in general market conditions; regulatory approvals and permitting risks; availability of financing; operational and technical risks; and other risk factors described in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Montero does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288984 Source: Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Record Resources (TSXV: REC), which owns three strategically located natural hydrogen properties in Ontario, plans to further assess the company's options to non-dilutively unlock value for its shareholders in order to capitalize on the AI-driven demand for natural hydrogen as a key power source for the industry. The driving factor for Record's natural hydrogen proprieties is the emerging, critical, high-efficiency requirement to supply 24/7 baseload power for the surging energy demands of AI (Artificial Intelligence) data centers, as power consumption is projected to more than double by 2030 to roughly 945 terawatt-hours (TWh). This is quadruple the current power draw, necessitating a rapid shift from traditional grid reliance to independent power solutions, according to IEA reports. Lorrain-Bucke Natural Hydrogen Property Record's Lorrain-Bucke natural hydrogen property is located at Lake Temiskaming, Ontario and is 100 percent owned by the company. Lorrain-Bucke is adjacent to Quebec Innovative Materials Corporation's (QIMC.CN; over CDN $240 million market capitalization) hydrogen discovery. The Lorrain-Bucke property is strategically located between major rift faults in the Lake Temiskaming Graben structure, a tectonic feature recognized for its potential to host deep mantle-derived volatile-rich sources, including hydrogen. Hydrogen anomalies were identified at Lorraine-bucke by QIMC and Marc Richer-Lafleche of Quebec's Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS) during the winter of 2025. Paradis Bay Natural Hydrogen Property The Paradis Bay 27 claims are located five kilometres west of the town of Ville Marie, Quebec, near the claims held by QIMC and border the town of Paradis Bay, Ontario. The claims are located along the eastward dipping Lake Timiskaming West Shore Fault system. In this area the sedimentary and volcanic formations dip westward and potentially create structural and hydrological conditions that can trap the accumulation of gases that contain hydrogen. The discovery of natural hydrogen gas seeps in the Lake Timiskaming area located on the border of Ontario and Quebec. Lake Timiskaming is located on the eastern boundary of a rift zone approximately 50 kilometres wide bounded by a series of northwest-southeast trending faults. Beauchamp Natural Hydrogen Property The Beauchamp natural hydrogen property, consisting of 300 claims, is situated on a broad northwesterly-trending Lake Timiskaming Rift zone, split by the Cross Lake Fault and extending northward to touch the western margin of the Lake Timiskaming Westshore fault. Exploration for hydrogen-bearing gas pools have yet to be undertaken on the Beauchamp property. Temiskaming rift faults and earlier crustal faults controlling the emplacement of Nipissing intrusions certainly extend deep into the crust below cover Proterozoic and Paleozoic sediments to tap hydrologic fluid flow in the Archean basement rocks and even magma pools in the upper mantle - conditions very favorable for generating hydrogen gas. The presence of broad shallow-dipping low conductive areas at deeper levels may reflect more a highly conducting sedimentary layer but these responses may also indicate a layer containing a trapped hydorgenic gas pool. Both faults extend to the southeast. The Lake Timiskaming Westshore (LTW) fault enters Lake Timiskaming at New Liskeard and runs along the west shore of Lake Timiskaming; the Cross Lake fault parallels the LTW fault to cut the northwest corner of Record Resources Paradis Bay property and extends into Lake Timiskaming. Given Record has no value in its current market capitalization for the three hydrogen properties outlined above, the company plans to assess ways to unlock value for shareholders on these assets while moving forward with its fully carried 2026 business plan in Gabon, Africa, following the significant acquisition of the Ngulu oil and gas block (See company's September 12, 2025 news release). Corporate AGM Update: Record is also pleased to announce the election of six directors at its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on February 27, 2026. The newly elected board consists of Bill Torr and Robin Sutherland, Dr. Paul Craig, Nathalie Kavanagh, Michael Judson, and David Johnson. Mr. Johnson had resigned earlier to make room for Bill Torr and was re-elected to the board at the AGM. Cautionary Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes", an or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would" , "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: approval of the Private Placement and obtaining a full revocation order. This forward-looking information reflects the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the market acceptance of the Private Placement; the ability of the Company to obtain a full revocation order and the receipt of all required approvals in connection with the foregoing. Forward looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market price for securities; and the delay or failure to receive board, shareholder, court or regulatory approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. 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 the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change. 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. The Units and the securities comprising the Units 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 news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in the United States, or any other jurisdiction, in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288848 Source: Record Resources Inc. Nadi, Fiji--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has approved an investment of US$1.14 million for the procurement and installation of an evaporator system at the Company's 100%-owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji ("Tuvatu"). The evaporator is a permanent solution for managing excess process water in the Tailings Storage Facility ("TSF"), and is expected to be fully operational by late April to early May 2026, coinciding with the start of Fiji's dry season. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/288934_capture.jpg Strategic Rationale The Company conducted a thorough evaluation of water management alternatives for the TSF, including reverse osmosis ("RO") and enhanced evaporation technologies. The evaporator system was selected as the optimal solution following detailed engineering and commercial assessment, based on the following key advantages: Permanent elimination of discharge: The evaporator removes the need for any process water to be discharged into the Sabeto River system, delivering a robust environmental outcome and removing ongoing regulatory risk Reduced timeline risk: The system can be operational within approximately six weeks of order placement, significantly faster than alternative solutions which face regulatory and procurement delays with no defined resolution timeline Cost-effective solution: The total capital investment of approximately US$1.14 million includes US$190,000 allocated for an optional acoustic silencer to enable 24-hour operations if required. Industry experience indicates an RO plant alternative would cost a comparable amount for a single dry season rental alone Regulatory certainty: The evaporation approach bypasses the uncertainty surrounding river discharge permits, which remain subject to completion of an independent environmental impact assessment that has been uninitiated for over six months with no end in sight Water Management Context The Tuvatu mine's water treatment plant currently processes water from the Mill Pond. While the treatment plant can reduce the primary contaminant (copper) to acceptable levels, other water quality parameters including total dissolved solids ("TDS") remain above thresholds required for river discharge. During significant rainfall events, excess treated water from the Mill Pond is pumped to the TSF for storage. There is currently no engineered mechanism, other than natural evaporation, to remove water from the TSF. The new evaporator system will provide that mechanism through enhanced evaporation, ensuring the facility maintains safe operating levels. The system, including its dedicated generator set and ancillary equipment, represents a permanent infrastructure improvement that strengthens the mine's long-term operational resilience and environmental compliance framework. The evaporator proposal means that discharging mill water to the Sabeto River would never be required again. This is a good outcome for the environment and removes regulatory risk from the equation. Timeline risk is also significantly reduced. The system could be up and running by late April/early May - just in time for the start of the dry season. Environmental Benefits Beyond resolving the immediate water management requirement, the evaporator delivers broader environmental and ESG benefits: Creates a self-contained, closed-loop water management system that prevents any process water from entering the Sabeto River or the broader natural waterway Replaces temporary or rental-based solutions with permanent infrastructure, reducing long-term operating costs and maintenance complexity Strengthens the Company's social licence to operate in the local community by addressing water management as a permanent, engineered solution Investment Summary Item Details Status Evaporator System Enhanced evaporation technology incl. genset Approved Capital Cost Approx. US$1.14 million Funded Acoustic Silencer US$190K (optional, order deferred) Contingent Target Commissioning Late April / Early May 2026 On track Discharge Elimination Permanent - no river discharge required Confirmed "This investment permanently resolves our water management requirements while delivering an excellent environmental outcome. The evaporator is a far more economical and timely solution than the alternatives, and importantly, it removes regulatory risk entirely. We inherited a situation that required decisive action, and this is exactly that." - Campbell Olsen, Chief Executive Officer The Company will provide further updates on commissioning progress and operational performance as the evaporator system is installed and brought online. Qualified Persons Statement In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), Stephen Jeffers, FAusIMM, an employee of the Company, is the Head of Mining Operations and Qualified Person for the Company and has approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, Tailings Storage facility, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Campbell Olsen Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Disclaimer: This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288934 Source: Lion One Metals Limited London, United Kingdom, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Health system and health plan leaders from around the world will gather in London this September for the Inaugural International Case Management Conference, a first-of-its-kind global event focused on shaping the future of case management. The two-day event will take place at the Pullman London St. Pancras and will bring together leaders from health systems, health plans, physician advisor programmes, and innovation ecosystems for an unprecedented international exchange of ideas. As healthcare challenges grow increasingly complex, the conference will serve as a collaborative forum for exploring new approaches to case management, care coordination, utilisation management, physician leadership, and population health. The conference also aligns with the global momentum towards achieving the goals outlined in England's 2035 Ten-Year Health Vision, emphasising innovation, sustainability, and patient-centred outcomes. The conference will focus on two central questions: What does the future of healthcare look like, and how do we build it together? Attendees will gain a global perspective on emerging care delivery models while engaging with senior leaders who are driving reform and innovation across diverse healthcare systems. Through strategic discussions and collaborative dialogue, participants will explore forward-looking solutions designed to improve performance, strengthen care coordination, and enhance outcomes for patients and populations. Participants can expect: Global perspectives from international leaders shaping case management and care delivery across diverse systems and payment models Strategic insights into case management, utilisation management, physician leadership, and population health Collaborative dialogue with senior decision-makers advancing healthcare reform and innovation Actionable strategies to improve performance, sustainability, and patient-centred outcomes within their organisations Inspiring Opening Keynote The conference will open with an inspiring keynote presentation, A Personal Story: It Takes a Team, delivered by Anthony Bennett. Through his story, Bennett highlights the critical role of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, the resilience of patients and families, and the power of hope in overcoming adversity. Featured Educational Sessions The summit will feature expert-led sessions addressing key issues shaping the future of care management, including Value-Based Health Care and Case Management: Delivering Better Outcomes, with speaker Riikka-Leena Leskela, DSc, MSc, Research Director and Senior Partner, Nordic Healthcare Group; Adjunct Professor, University of Helsinki. Other notable sessions include Addressing Patients' Behavioural Health and Psychosocial Needs, with speaker Dr Rajeev Dhar, MBBS, MRCPsych, FRSA, Barrister, MBA, Consultant Psychiatrist, Cromwell Hospital, and Arranging Patient-Centric Support and Care in the Community, with speaker Lindsey Darley, Programme Director, Unplanned Care, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. Partnering Organisations The conference is presented through a partnership between the American Case Management Association (ACMA) and the Association of Physician Leadership in Care Management (APLCM), two leading organisations dedicated to advancing care management and physician leadership in healthcare. Together, ACMA and APLCM support thousands of healthcare professionals across health systems and health plans by promoting best practices in case management, care coordination, and utilisation management. Through education, collaboration, and advocacy, both organisations work to improve patient outcomes and strengthen the effectiveness of healthcare delivery systems worldwide. Event Details International Case Management Conference 17-18 September 2026 Pullman London St. Pancras London, United Kingdom The International Case Management Conference is designed for senior healthcare leaders seeking global perspectives and practical strategies to advance care management and improve outcomes for patients and populations. For more information about the conference and registration details, visit smartcareconference.com. About the American Case Management Association? Founded in 1999, the American Case Management Association (ACMA) is a national, non-profit, professional membership association that strives to provide resources, solutions, and support for Case Management and Transitions of Care professionals. ACMA is comprised of more than 30,000 members and 50,000 educational subscribers, including nurses, social workers, physicians, and other professionals affiliated with case management. Through a variety of educational conferences and networking events at both the state and national level, ACMA provides its members with numerous opportunities to develop their skills, grow in their profession, and learn from the experiences and practices of fellow members. About the Association for Physician Advisors and Physician Leaders in Care Management and Transitions of Care APLCM is a nonprofit association with the support of the American Case Management Association (ACMA), resources, and member benefits. APLCM's Board develops and directs activities to benefit the physician care management community, the physician members of ACMA, and ultimately, patients and families. ACMA and APLCM respect multidisciplinary collaboration to define and support the practice. Veronica Matthews American Case Management Association 501-907-2262 vmatthews@acmaweb.org Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Buzz Capital Inc. (TSXV: BUZ.P) ("Buzz" or the "Company"), a capital pool company (a "CPC") as defined under Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), announces that, subject to regulatory consent, it proposes to effect certain changes in management and transfers of certain escrow share positions. Change of Management and Appointment of New Directors The following persons are being proposed as new directors of Buzz: Emma K. Priestley, B. Eng. (Hons), B.Sc. (Hons) MRICS, CEng, MIMMM. (Director) Ms. Priestley's expertise bridges technical operations, corporate finance, and board-level strategy. Her background includes hands-on mining experience on international contracts and senior roles in equity research and corporate broking at firms including Credit Suisse First Boston, VSA and Ambrian Partners. She was the executive director on the main board of Lonrho PLC, overseeing the development of a diverse multi-sector portfolio in 36 Countries in Africa, agriculture, mining, ports and infrastructure, aviation, hotels and support services. She is currently the CEO of GoldStone Resources Ltd., listed on AIM, an operational gold mine in Ghana and she serves as a Non-executive Director to CrossInvest Global Management Services Limited and Oracle Power Plc. She has extensive international experience across Africa, Indonesia and Central America. She is a Chartered Mineral Surveyor and Chartered Mining Engineer. Current Directorships GoldStone Resources Ltd. (GRL.L) - Executive Director Cloudbreak Discovery PLC (LSE.CDL) - Non-Executive Director Oracle Power PLC (LSE.ORCP) - Non-Executive Director Guy Le Page, B.A., B.Sc., B.App.Sc. (Hons), M.B.A., M.Fin.Plan., Grad Dip AppFin, GAICD, MAusIMM, FFin (Director, C.E.O. and C.F.O.) Mr. Le Page is currently a Director & Corporate Adviser of Templar Corporate and is actively involved in a range of corporate initiatives from mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings to valuations, consulting, and corporate advisory roles. Mr. Le Page was Head of Research at Morgan Stockbroking Limited (Perth) prior to joining Tolhurst Noall as a Corporate Advisor in July of 1998. As Head of Research, Mr. Le Page was responsible for the supervision of all Industrial and Resources Research. As a Resources Analyst, Mr. Le Page published detailed research on various mineral exploration and mining companies listed on ASX. Prior to entering the stockbroking industry, he spent 10 years as an exploration and mining geologist in Australia, Canada, and the United States. His experience spans gold and base metal exploration and mining geology, and he has acted as a consultant to private and public companies. Current Directorships Conico Limited (ASX: CNJ) - Chairman Previous Directorships in the last five years Tasman Resources Limited (ASX: TAS) Eden Energy Ltd (ASX: EDE) Campbell Smyth, B.Comm (UWA) (Director) Mr. Smyth has over 30 years of experience in the fund management, capital markets and corporate finance of the venture capital and resource sectors. He is a corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions M&A specialist with extensive experience in advising boards of directors in relation to M&A, equity and debt financing, investor relations and strategic transactions. He has several years of executive management, board governance, board advisory and investment management experience. Campbell's experience also extends to leading major financial turnaround projects. Mr. Smyth holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and a Postgraduate from Pembroke College, Oxford. Current Directorships Fitzroy Minerals Inc. (TSXV: FTZ) - Chairman Grafton Resources Inc. (CSE: GFT) - Chairman Carlton Precious Inc. (TSXV: CPI) - Non-Executive Director Orange Minerals Inc. (ASX: OMX) - Non Executive Chairman Goldstone Resources Ltd. (AIM: GRL) - Non executive Chairman Upon approval of the foregoing appointments, Messrs. Lorne Gertner and James W. Longshore will resign as directors, while Mr. Brian MacIntosh will be resigning as Secretary. Mr. Gregory M. Prekupec will be resigning as C.E.O. and C.F.O. but will remain as director and secretary. Messrs. Gertner, Longshore and MacIntosh are stepping down from the Corporation at this time to focus their attention on other business ventures they are currently engaged in. The Corporation would like to thank them for their service and wishes them well in their future endeavours. Escrow Share Transfers In conjunction with the change of management, it is proposed that an aggregate of 3,200,000 escrowed shares currently held by Messrs. Gertner, Longshore and MacIntosh and a third party seed shareholder will be transferred to the incoming directors. Disinterested Shareholder Approval In addition to Exchange approval, the proposed changes of management and escrow transfers require approval by a majority of disinterested shareholders. Shares of the Corporation which are held by interested parties to the change of management and escrow share transfers will not be eligible to provide their approval. The Company will be seeking disinterested shareholder approval by way of written consent. About Buzz Capital Inc. Buzz is a capital pool company pursuant to the Policy, and in accordance with the Policy, until the completion of its Qualifying Transaction (as defined in the Policy) Buzz's principal business is the identification and evaluation of companies, businesses or assets with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of a capital pool company is considered highly speculative. The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288988 Source: Buzz Capital Inc. Food Banks: A game-changer in food waste reduction 16:29, March 18, 2026 By Xin Ping ( People's Daily Online As dusk falls over a village in Futian district, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, a green cabinet glows softly against the sunset, catching the eye of passersby. With a simple mobile phone verification, the cabinet door clicks open, and a resident retrieves a free package of foodit could be fresh vegetables, dairy products or packaged snacks. This is a Food Bank, a grassroots initiative that has recently gained popularity in China. Over the past three and a half years, this cabinet and others like it across Futian have benefited more than 500,000 people, including low-income families, elderly individuals living alone, and urban workers in need. The rise of China's Food Banks The value of Food Banks has been officially recognized at the national level. At a press conference this January, Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping commended practices like Shenzhen's 24-hour Food Banks, saying that by offering free supplies to disadvantaged groups and residents in need, it has effectively curbed food waste. Unlike traditional charity models, China's Food Banks operate through a collaborative mechanism: the government provides policy support and site resources; enterprisesincluding well-known retailers like Hema Fresh, Ole Supermarket, and Yonghui Supermarketdonate surplus food; social organizations manage daily operations and food safety inspections; and the public participates in oversight and donations. Core value: Bridging resource circulation and charity China's emphasis on Food Banks stems from its urgent need to tackle food waste and promote sustainable development. Food waste is a global challenge, and China is no exception. Relevant institutions estimate that China's food waste amounts to about 460 billion kilograms annually, with losses occurring at every stage of the supply chainfrom harvesting and storage to processing and consumption. By integrating the concept of Food Banks into every step of the chain, China has found an innovative solution to the problem, extending conservation efforts from the end of consumption to the entire chain. The core philosophy behind is to make best use of the food that is difficult to sell but still safe to eat, which not only reduces waste but also builds a bridge between resource circulation and charitable assistance. To date, Futian District has established stable cooperation with nearly 100 enterprises, saving about 202 tonnes of food and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 404 tonnes, which is equivalent to the annual carbon sequestration of 2,200 mature trees. Joint efforts to fight against food waste Food conservation is a timeless virtue rooted in Chinese culture, as reflected in an ancient poem which cries: "Who knows the rice that feeds is the fruit of hard toil." Today, China is exploring diverse and innovative ways to promote this virtue, with Food Banks being a prominent example. In China, young people are embracing "near-expiry food blind boxes"; canteens are adopting weight-based charging; and supermarkets are setting up special sections for near-expiry food. These initiatives are turning the concept of food conservation into tangible, participatory actions. A single smart cabinet is more than just a food distribution pointit symbolizes the collaborative efforts of the government, enterprises, social organizations, and the public to curb food waste and enhance food security, while radiating the humanistic warmth of a city. As Food Banks spread to more Chinese cities and conservation becomes a daily habit, these initiatives not only contribute to China's food security but also join global efforts to combat food waste. In a world facing growing food shortages and environmental pressures, China's Food Bank practice offers a practical path to balancing resource efficiency with social equity. (The author is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc. He can be reached at xinping604@gmail.com.) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) LONDON, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NHS Discount Offers is encouraging healthcare staff across the UK to take advantage of continued savings at Nando's, as the popular restaurant chain maintains its long-standing NHS discount. With the cost of living still placing pressure on households nationwide, access to reliable discounts remains an important benefit for NHS employees. NHS Discount Offers has spotlighted Nando's as one of the brands continuing to provide consistent value to healthcare workers, helping them enjoy affordable meals without compromising on quality or experience. Nando's NHS discount allows eligible staff to receive money off their food orders at participating UK locations. The offer typically applies to both dine in and takeaway orders, although terms may vary by restaurant. To redeem the discount, NHS staff are usually required to present a valid NHS ID card or verify their eligibility through a recognised platform. NHS Discount Offers, which aggregates and verifies deals specifically for NHS employees, plays a key role in ensuring that healthcare workers are aware of ongoing savings opportunities. By maintaining an up to date database of offers across food, retail, travel and services, the platform aims to simplify access to discounts that might otherwise go unnoticed. Steve Bater, spokesperson for NHS Discount Offers said: "Healthcare workers continue to face significant financial pressures, and consistent discounts like those offered by Nando's can make a real difference. Our goal is to ensure NHS staff are aware of these opportunities so they can make the most of the support available to them." The continued availability of the Nando's discount reflects a broader shift among UK brands towards sustained support for NHS workers, rather than short-term promotional campaigns. While many companies introduced temporary offers during peak periods of demand on the healthcare system, fewer have maintained those initiatives over time. Nando's has remained one of the more recognisable names in this space, offering a dependable dining discount that resonates with NHS staff. For many NHS employees, dining discounts provide more than just financial savings they offer an opportunity to unwind and recharge outside of demanding work environments. Accessible and affordable dining experiences can play an important role in supporting overall wellbeing, particularly for staff working long or irregular hours. NHS Discount Offers continues to monitor and update its listings to reflect the latest availability and terms of NHS discounts across the UK. The platform also provides guidance on how to redeem offers, helping to ensure a smooth and straightforward experience for users. Healthcare workers interested in taking advantage of the Nando's NHS discount can find full details, including eligibility requirements and redemption instructions, by visiting the dedicated page: https://www.nhsdiscountoffers.co.uk/nandos/ As financial pressures remain a key concern for many UK households, initiatives that deliver tangible, everyday savings continue to be highly valued. NHS Discount Offers remains committed to supporting healthcare workers by connecting them with trusted brands that recognise their contribution and provide meaningful benefits in return. About NHS Discount Offers NHS Discount Offers is a UK based platform dedicated to helping NHS staff save money through verified deals, discounts and promotions. Covering categories including dining, retail, travel and more, the platform is designed to make it easier for healthcare workers to access the savings available to them. Media Contact: Steve Bater NHS Discount Offers Email: support@nhsdiscountoffers.co.uk Website: https://www.nhsdiscountoffers.co.uk/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2936982/NHS_Discount_Offers.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nhs-discount-offers-highlights-ongoing-nandos-discount-for-uk-blue-light-workers-302717567.html Lisbon, Portugal--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Lithium Africa Corp. (TSXV: LAF) (formerly named Lombard Street Capital Corp.) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced upsized private placement of 4,411,565 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$2.00 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$8,823,130 (the "Offering"). In connection with the Offering, the Company is pleased to welcome Purpose Global Resource Fund as a new significant shareholder, having subscribed for approximately C$3.3 million, representing 6.7% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares following closing, on an undiluted basis. Each Unit consisted of one share in the capital of the Company (a "Unit Share") and one-half of one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional Unit Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of C$2.80 per Warrant Share for a period of 3 years following the closing of the Offering. ATB Cormark Capital Markets acted as the agent in connection with the Offering (the "Agent"). The net proceeds from the sale of the Units will be used as partial consideration in connection with the acquisition of the Springbok Project and for working capital and general corporate purposes. An overview of the Springbok Project and the transaction terms are provided in the Company's news release dated February 25, 2026. Pursuant to an agency agreement among the Company and the Agent dated March 18, 2026, the Company: (i) paid a cash fee of approximately C$587,708 to the Agent; and (ii) issued 293,854 broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants") to the Agent. Each Broker Warrant is exercisable into one common share of the Company at the Offering Price for a term of two years expiring on March 18, 2028. The Offering was completed pursuant to applicable exemptions from prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. The Units were also offered for sale in the United States pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"). The Units, Unit Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period in Canada expiring four months and one day expiring on July 19, 2026. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). Two insiders of the Company have subscribed for 20,000 Units ($40,000) of the Offering. The participation by the two insiders constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the Units acquired by the insider, nor the consideration for the Units paid by such insider, exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The securities referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the Company and management, as well as financial statements. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the respective meanings assigned in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. About Lithium Africa Corp. The Company has an established 50/50 joint venture partnership with GFL International Co., Ltd. to jointly advance exploration in Africa (the "LAR-GFL JV") and, through the LAR-GFL JV, the Company has an indirect 50% interest in a portfolio of exploration assets in hardrock pegmatite districts across a number of prospective African regions covering South Africa, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali and Zimbabwe. For more information, please visit www.li-africa.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LITHIUM AFRICA CORP. Tyron Breytenbach, CEO & Director Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, including statements in respect of the use of proceeds of the Offering, the acquisition of Springbok Project and TSXV final approval. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements require management to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate, that the management's assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect which, without limiting the generality of the following, include: the ability to raise funds through private or public equity financings; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; risks inherent in exploration activities; the impact of exploration competition; unexpected geological conditions; changes in government regulations and policies, including trade laws and policies; failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; environmental and safety risks including increased regulatory burdens; weather and other natural phenomena; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory risks. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. Except as required by applicable securities laws and regulation, 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, except as required by applicable securities laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288979 Source: Lithium Africa Corp. Flin Flon, Manitoba--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Boreal Gold Inc. (CSE: BGLD) ("Boreal" or the "Company") has signed an exploration agreement dated March 12, 2026 in Flin Flon, Manitoba with the Kiciwapa Cree Nation supporting responsible mineral exploration within KCN's traditional and ancestral territory in Manitoba. The agreement establishes a formal framework for how the parties will work together in a manner grounded in transparency, continuing communication, environmental responsibility and meaningful community engagement. Richard Masson, president and chief executive officer of Boreal, commented, "We have been working with Kiciwapa Cree Nation for several years now, providing employment to members of their community and building upon a relationship that has been beneficial to both parties. We are proud to formalize this exploration agreement with Kiciwapa Cree Nation. This agreement reflects a shared commitment to respectful collaboration and to ensuring exploration activities are carried out in a way that aligns with KCN's values and priorities." "Kiciwapa Cree Nation has been supportive of Boreal being a local exploration company in northern Manitoba since we first began exploring, building upon a relationship rooted in trust, transparency and mutual respect." Janessa Kosar North, chief executive officer of Kiciwapa Cree Nation, stated: "For KCN, it's important that companies working in our territory understand the value of being local and building relationships over time. Boreal Gold has taken that approach, and this exploration agreement reflects the work that has gone into establishing a respectful and consistent presence in our region. Formalizing this partnership gives us a strong foundation to ensure exploration activities are carried out in a way that aligns with our Nations priorities, both now and in the future." The agreement outlines processes for advance notice of on-the-ground exploration activities, regular engagement and information sharing. It includes measures intended to support environmental and cultural stewardship, such as opportunities for KCN to conduct environmental and cultural monitoring during certain exploration activities and engagement of elders and community representatives where appropriate. The agreement is also intended to support economic participation for KCN and its members through employment, training and contract opportunities for KCN businesses. The agreement includes financial commitments designed to support community engagement and economic development, including financing for consultation and engagement and annual contributions to the KCN Economic Development Fund. About Boreal Gold Inc. Boreal Gold Inc. is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with a specific focus on mineral properties in northwest Manitoba and northeast Saskatchewan, Canada. All of the Issuer's properties are currently at the exploration stage. The Issuer has assembled a portfolio of base metal and precious metal prospects in strategic locations in the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. No stock exchange or securities regulatory authority has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements, such as estimates and statements that describe the Issuer's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Issuer or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288990 Source: Boreal Gold Inc. Sao Paulo, Brazil--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - GVA today announces a new 2026 spotlight on how women have been taking on prominent roles in Mato Grosso do Sul, women have been standing out and taking leadership roles in sustainability, environmental and tourism projects, contributing to the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable development of the region. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12151/288448_5ecc322ae410fa05_001full.jpg In a state known for its environmental richness and internationally recognized ecotourism destinations, female leadership has been driving initiatives that combine science, conservation and environmental education. In biomes such as the Pantanal and the Cerrado, researchers, managers and activists have led initiatives focused on wildlife protection, environmental education and the strengthening of local communities. One of the most well-known examples is the work of biologist Neiva Guedes, founder of the Arara Azul Institute, which is a global reference in the conservation of the species. Since the late 1980s, the researcher has led studies and monitoring initiatives in the Pantanal, contributing to expanding scientific knowledge and supporting the recovery of endangered animals. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12151/288448_5ecc322ae410fa05_002full.jpg Another prominent example of female leadership is researcher Patricia Medici, coordinator of the National Initiative for the Conservation of the Brazilian Tapir (INCAB). With projects developed in the Pantanal and in the Cerrado region of Mato Grosso do Sul, she received the international Women of Discovery Award for her pioneering work in wildlife conservation. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12151/288448_5ecc322ae410fa05_003full.jpg Beyond science and environmental management, civil society initiatives also highlight women's leadership in the conservation of the Pantanal. Projects such as the Chalana Esperanca collective, led by biologist Luciana Leite, mobilize women in the region to carry out wildlife protection actions, environmental education initiatives and support for communities affected by extreme climate events. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12151/288448_5ecc322ae410fa05_004full.jpg These initiatives demonstrate how female leadership has helped strengthen the environmental agenda in the state. When science, social participation and biodiversity conservation are integrated, these women expand the reach of projects aimed at protecting Brazilian biomes and promoting sustainable development. In Mato Grosso do Sul, the growing presence of women in leadership roles and conservation projects reflects an important transformation in the environmental sector. More than recognition, these initiatives reinforce the role of women as key actors in building solutions to global challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Learn more: https://brasildna.com/ Instagram: @brasil.dna @brasil.dna Facebook: facebook.com/brasil.dna To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/288448 Source: Global Vision Access AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Microelectronics US 2026 will bring together engineers, system architects and technology leaders from across semiconductors, photonics and embedded systems to tackle the real-world challenges shaping how next-generation products are designed, built and deployed. Taking place April 22-23 at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, the conference content is built around the constraints engineers are working within today - from performance, power and thermal limits, to safety certification, security, manufacturability and long-term reliability. Rather than abstract roadmaps, sessions focus on how these challenges are being addressed in practice across automotive, industrial, aerospace, defense, communications and infrastructure applications. Engineering problems at the center of the agenda Across dedicated content stages, Microelectronics US will explore topics including: Advanced packaging, chiplets and 3D-ICs to overcome performance bottlenecks Designing and verifying safety-critical and mission-critical systems Deploying embedded AI and ML at the edge while managing latency, security and compliance Scaling photonics for data centers, sensing, space and communications Managing thermal density, materials constraints and energy efficiency Building resilient systems for harsh and high-reliability environments Translating policy, investment and supply-chain shifts into engineering decisions Sessions bring together perspectives from OEMs, tier-one suppliers, fabs, design houses and research organizations, ensuring discussions reflect real deployment environments. End-user insight grounded in real applications The agenda features end-user engineers and technical leaders from major automotive, industrial, aerospace and technology organizations including Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Honeywell, Cummins, and Arm. These perspectives keep discussions focused on real engineering trade-offs - balancing performance, safety, cost, manufacturability and time-to-market - and give attending engineers insight they can directly apply within their own programs. Solutions across the microelectronics supply chain The exhibition connects these challenges with solution providers across the microelectronics ecosystem. Confirmed exhibitors include organizations spanning embedded platforms, AI development tools, photonics technologies, materials, manufacturing equipment, test and measurement, and design enablement. Companies confirmed to date include Edge Impulse (Headline Sponsor), Keyence, YieldWerx, Innofocus Photonics Technology, Synergie CAD, Vision Engineering, Pickering, TQ Systems, Drake Plastics, FemtoAI, Octagon, IC Resources, NTX Embedded, Grinn Global, Graphene, Tex Air Filters, Keywave, Malico Inc, and the Welsh Government, among others - with additional exhibitors to be announced. The show floor is designed to reflect the full range of technologies engineers rely on, from design through manufacturing, testing and deployment. The Talent Foundry On the afternoon of April 23, the Photonics Theater will host the Talent Foundry, a dedicated program designed to address one of the industry's most pressing challenges: access to skilled, job-ready engineering talent. The Talent Foundry brings students and early-career engineers together with industry experts in small, roundtable discussions focused on career pathways, skills development, and real-world engineering insight, creating meaningful connections between emerging talent and the companies building next-generation microelectronics technologies. Free registration now open Microelectronics US 2026 is designed to give engineers, technologists and system leaders practical insight they can apply immediately, alongside direct access to the tools, partners and expertise shaping the future of the industry. The event is free to attend, with complimentary passes available for professionals and students across semiconductors, photonics and embedded systems. About Microelectronics US Microelectronics US is part of the Microelectronics Global Event Series produced by IQPC Exhibitions, bringing together the full design, manufacturing and systems engineering community across semiconductors, photonics and embedded technologies. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2937112/Microelectronics_US_2026.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/microelectronics-us-2026-showcases-practical-solutions-to-the-engineering-challenges-shaping-next-generation-systems-302717681.html COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Smoke City Glass & Vape built its reputation through repetition. It wasn't fun, but they spent several years learning how customers shop, what they value, and why certain stores succeeded while others failed. With more than 10 years of experience in smoke and vape retail, the owner of Smoke City Glass & Vape developed his skills in Washington, where he learned everything from sourcing inventory to managing daily operations. That experience still shapes how the company works today. It sees retail as a discipline rather than a branding problem. It focuses on creating the perfect store flow, making prices transparent, and item selection because those are the details customers notice first. If you walk into a well-run store, you will notice it in just seconds. A Strategic Move To Idaho The decision to open a vape shop in Coeur d'Alene began with a mere observation. During a visit to the area, the team at Smoke City Glass & Vape saw an opportunity for more variety and a more organized store. Instead of rushing in, they spent time studying the local market and listening to customers describe what they wanted from a smoke and vape store. Like most new businesses, the first few months required a lot of patience. Creating greater customer awareness meant focusing on consistency, including maintaining a strong product selection, fair pricing, and a welcoming store environment. Over time, returning customers and word-of-mouth helped establish the store's presence. Within its first year, the Coeur d'Alene location was recognized as a "Best Smoke Shop," reflecting how quickly it connected with the community. A Retail Model Focused on the Customer Inside any Smoke City location, the layout stands out. Smoke City Glass & Vape avoids having a cluttered, hard-to-navigate setup that's often seen in other smoke shops. Instead, the store feels open, well-lit, and organized, which helps customers browse longer. The clear displays and thoughtful placement make it easier for customers to explore the glass and vape products at their own pace. The staff is trained to answer questions without pressuring customers into buying, reinforcing the customer-first approach that has become central to this brand's identity. Growth Backed by Repeatable Systems The company's expansions have remained steady and intentional. Today, Smoke City Glass & Vape has more than 20 locations across several states, reflecting their continuous demand and aggressive expansion. The company credits that growth to its standardization, which includes repeatable layouts, consistent sourcing, and a reliable product variety. Smoke City Glass & Vape often points to customer loyalty as the greatest measure of success. Many locations have become a regular stop for local customers, and that repeated traffic shapes how the brand refines its retail strategies. Variety, Pricing, and Accessibility A defining part of the company's model is its focus on accessible pricing while having a wide variety of smoke shop products. Rather than having only premium products, the brand aims to serve a wide customer base with diverse needs and budgets. From entry-level accessories to more advanced setups, Smoke City Glass & Vape's approach creates more choices without feeling intimidating. Expanding With Purpose Smoke City Glass & Vape plans to continue expanding its smoke shop locations while maintaining the high store standards seen across the country. The company's focus remains on having steady growth, strong operations, and creating an experience that customers trust. In a crowded retail niche, Smoke City Glass & Vape's story shows that sustainable businesses are rarely about spectacle. They grow when owners pay attention to the little details, have patience, and are willing to listen to the people who walk through the door. Smoke City Glass & Vape Coeur d'Alene, ID 208-518-1232 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2937123/Smoke_City_Glass_Vape.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/smoke-city-glass--vape-expands-across-the-us-while-maintaining-consistent-store-standards-302717705.html Anzeige / Werbung You can find more information on Youtube and axinocapital.de China halts antimony exports and shuts down mines,triggering a global supply crisis. We speak with Duane Parnham, CEO of Critical One Energy, about the Howells Lake Antimony & Gold project in Canada-and why antimony is becoming a critical bottleneck metal. antimony gold canada mining investing geopolitics No investment advice! Always trade at your own risk! More insights at ? axino.com For 35 years, we have known how to earn money sustainably with shares in the commodities sector and build up a fortune in the process. The axinocapital channel offers insights into our actions, our many years of experience and access to high-growth stocks in the precious metals, commodities and technology sectors from Australia and Canada. As Seybold Investment GmbH & AXINO invests its own money in the companies we feature, there is a potential conflict of interest as defined by MiFID II. We would like to point out that axinocapital is a playback channel of AXINO Capital GmbH and therefore a purely commercial provider. The videos broadcast does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell. We recommend that you seek advice from your bank or an independent asset manager before making any decision. The content shown may be subject to conflicts of interest in accordance with MiFID, which we are happy to disclose. Please therefore note our disclaimer! www.axinocapital.de/disclaimer This is the English version of youtube.com/@axinocapital Enthaltene Werte: XD0002747026,225912641,CA22674C1023 Disclaimer: Die hier angebotenen Beitrage dienen ausschlielich der Information und stellen keine Kauf- bzw. Verkaufsempfehlungen dar. Sie sind weder explizit noch implizit als Zusicherung einer bestimmten Kursentwicklung der genannten Finanzinstrumente oder als Handlungsaufforderung zu verstehen. Der Erwerb von Wertpapieren birgt Risiken, die zum Totalverlust des eingesetzten Kapitals fuhren konnen. Die Informationen ersetzen keine, auf die individuellen Bedurfnisse ausgerichtete, fachkundige Anlageberatung. Eine Haftung oder Garantie fur die Aktualitat, Richtigkeit, Angemessenheit und Vollstandigkeit der zur Verfugung gestellten Informationen sowie fur Vermogensschaden wird weder ausdrucklich noch stillschweigend ubernommen. ABC New Media hat auf die veroffentlichten Inhalte keinerlei Einfluss und vor Veroffentlichung der Beitrage keine Kenntnis uber Inhalt und Gegenstand dieser. Die Veroffentlichung der namentlich gekennzeichneten Beitrage erfolgt eigenverantwortlich durch Autoren wie z.B. Gastkommentatoren, Nachrichtenagenturen, Unternehmen. Infolgedessen konnen die Inhalte der Beitrage auch nicht von Anlageinteressen von ABC New Media und / oder seinen Mitarbeitern oder Organen bestimmt sein. Die Gastkommentatoren, Nachrichtenagenturen, Unternehmen gehoren nicht der Redaktion von ABC New Media an. Ihre Meinungen spiegeln nicht notwendigerweise die Meinungen und Auffassungen von ABC New Media und deren Mitarbeiter wider. ( Ausfuhrlicher Disclaimer ) Endomines Finland Oyj - Inside Information - 18.3.2026, at 18:10 EET Inside Information: Endomines and Wolfram Bergbau und Huetten AG signed non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) regarding tungsten collaboration Endomines Finland Plc has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Wolfram Bergbau und Huetten AG (Wolfram) to investigate possibilities to cooperate in the field of tungsten. The purpose of the LOI is to establish a framework for collaboration between the parties in areas including, but not limited to: Technical cooperation in research, development, and innovation related to tungsten mining and beneficiation, with the objective of producing a concentrate suitable for Wolfram's refinery in Austria. in research, development, and innovation related to tungsten mining and beneficiation, with the objective of producing a concentrate suitable for Wolfram's refinery in Austria. Exchange of expertise and best practices in processing, quality control, and sustainability. in processing, quality control, and sustainability. Evaluation of a potential commercial offtake agreement, balancing quality, recovery, and processing costs. "Tungsten is one of the 14 critical minerals defined by the European Union. Endomines submitted an EU Strategic Project application for its Southern Gold Line tungsten, molybdenum and gold project in January. We are excited to work together with Wolfram to assess possibilities for long-term cooperation. Technical cooperation during the permitting and engineering phases also supports the design of production facilities capable of delivering marketable products. Tungsten supply is highly concentrated, making the material strategically important for critical industrial value chains and for Endomines," says Kari Vyhtinen, CEO of Endomines Finland Plc. "We welcome the opportunity to explore potential cooperation with Endomines, aligned with our shared focus on responsible and resilient tungsten supply," says David Goulbourne, President of Wolfram Bergbau und Huetten AG. Company background Endomines Finland Plc is a Finish mining company currently progressing the Southern Gold Line -project toward production. The Environmental Impact Assessment program has been submitted in February 2026. Current plans include the production of gold, tungsten and molybdenum, with operations expected to commence around 2030. All mining operations in Finland are carried out by Endomines Oy, a wholly owned subsidiary of the parent company, Endomines Finland Plc. Endomines Oy has applied for EU Strategic Project status application for its Southern Gold Line tungsten, molybdenum and gold project in January 2026. Wolfram Bergbau und Hutten AG, located in Sankt Martin im Sulmtal, Austria, is a world leading vertically integrated manufacturer of tungsten carbide and tungsten metal powders. The company operates an underground mine and a modern tungsten refinery in Austria and is part of the global Sandvik Group. Wolfram is one of Europe's largest consumers of tungsten concentrates and has deep expertise across the entire tungsten value chain. Further information: Kari Vyhtinen CEO Endomines Finland Plc kari.vyhtinen@endomines.com +358 40 585 0050 Endomines Finland Plc is a Finnish forerunner in sustainable mining. Our mining operations in Pampalo, Ilomantsi region, focus on gold mining and processing, as well as exploration in the Karelian Gold Line, in Eastern Finland. We produce gold for the jewellery and electronics industries and create value by transforming natural resources into wealth, an investment that withstands the volatility of global politics. Our vision is to develop the Karelian Gold Line into one of the world's most significant and sustainable gold-producing regions. Endomines is listed on the main list of OMX Helsinki (PAMPALO). www.endomines.com. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today announced market statistics for February 2026. February 2026 Operating Statistics Trading volume of CSE listed securities totaled 1.5 billion shares; Trading value of CSE listed securities was $608 million; CSE issuers completed 88 financings that raised an aggregate $233 million; and The CSE welcomed listings from six new companies, bringing total listed securities to 740 as at February 28, 2026. "Investors are continuing to show strong interest in the mining and precious metals sector over the first 2 months of the year," said Richard Carleton, CEO of the CSE. "During the month of February, we were pleased to welcome the first three companies to complete IPOs in Canada in 2026. Given supportive market conditions, including very strong precious metals prices, we are optimistic that new listings activity will remain high in the months ahead. We also expect the CSE to maintain its track record of attracting the most corporate IPOs among all Canadian exchanges." What's On at the CSE The final issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine is available. It focuses on the mining sector and profiles 10 entrepreneurial junior mining companies with exciting projects: Allied Critical Metals Inc. (ACM), Apex Critical Metals Corp. (APXC), Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (ARS), Avanti Gold Corp. (AGC), Canadian Copper Inc. (CCI), Lion Copper and Gold Corp. (LEO), Maxus Mining Inc. (MAXM), Myriad Uranium Corp. (M), Pacifica Silver Corp. (PSIL), and Volta Metals Ltd. (VLTA). The issue also features a Q&A with James Black, the CSE's Vice President of Marketing and Communications, who discusses his role at the CSE and the broader evolution of the Exchange. While this marks the last issue of the magazine, the CSE remains committed to telling the stories of its issuers through its blog and video platforms, while continuing to explore new formats to share them. New Listings in February 2026 Maximus Metals Inc. (MM) Redwood AI Corp. (AIRX) Bahia Metals Corp. (BMT) ReVolve Renewable Power Corp. (REVV) Beaumont Exploration Corp. (BEAU) North America Home Finance Inc. (NAHF) About the Canadian Securities Exchange: The Canadian Securities Exchange is a rapidly growing exchange invested in working with entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors to access public capital markets in Canada. The Exchange's efficient operating model, advanced technology and competitive fee structure help its listed issuers of all sectors and sizes minimize their cost of capital and enhance global liquidity. Our client-centric approach and corresponding products and services ensure businesses have the support they need to confidently realize their vision. The CSE offers global investors access to an innovative collection of growing and mature companies. STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CSE ============================= Website: https://thecse.com/ Blog: https://blog.thecse.com/ CSE TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/csetv CSE's "The Exchange for Entrepreneurs" Podcast: https://blog.thecse.com/category/cse-podcast/ Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/canadian-securities-exchange X (Twitter): https://x.com/CSE_News Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadianexchange/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianSecuritiesExchange/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289010 Source: Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) Clichy, 18 March 2026 - L'Oreal, the world's leading beauty company, announced terms of information availability regarding the Annual General Meeting to be held on Friday 24 April 2026 and the 2025 Universal Registration Document. TERMS OF INFORMATION AVAILABILITY REGARDING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF FRIDAY 24 AVRIL 2026 The Annual General Meeting of L'Oreal (hereafter the "Company") will be held on Friday 24 April 2026 at 10 a.m. (Paris time) at Palais des Congres de Paris (2, place de la Porte Maillot, 75017 Paris). The meeting notice was published in the BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires) on Wednesday 18 March 2026 and includes the agenda, the draft resolutions and the main terms of participation and voting at this General Meeting. The meeting notice, the Board of Directors' Report on the draft resolutions and legal information regarding this General Meeting are available on the loreal-finance.com website (under Annual General Meeting). The other documents and information relating to the General Meeting will be available on the aforementioned website or will be made available to shareholders at the Company's headquarters, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements, as from Friday 3 April 2026. The General Meeting will be broadcast live and available in replay in video format on the loreal-finance.com website1. In order to encourage shareholder dialogue, shareholders have the opportunity to submit questions on the broadcasting platform of the General Meeting. These questions can be submitted from Tuesday 21 April 20262. These questions will be answered during the General Meeting, on the basis of a representative selection of the topics which have drawn the shareholders' attention. It is reminded that the dividend submitted for approval to the General Meeting (7.20 euros per share, an increase of 2.9% over the dividend distributed in 2025), will be paid on 4 May 2026 (ex-dividend date: 29 April 2026). 2025 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT The 2025 Universal Registration Document has been filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des marches financiers - AMF), in ESEF format, on Wednesday 18 March 2026. It is available to the public under current regulatory conditions and may be found, in French and English, on the loreal-finance.com website (under Universal Registration Document). The Universal Registration Document includes in particular: the Annual Financial Report , including the Management Report , comprised especially of information relating to corporate governance and sustainability , as well as the parent company and consolidated financial statements , , including the , comprised especially of information relating to and , as well as the parent company and consolidated , information required for the share buy-back programme , , as well as the Reports from the Statutory Auditors.About L'Oreal For over 115 years, L'Oreal, the world's leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as essential, inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 40 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L'Oreal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality. With more than 95,000 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (ecommerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, perfumeries, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2025 the Group generated sales amounting to 44.05 billion euros. With 22 research centers across 7 regional hubs around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and more than 8,000 Digital, Tech and Data talents, L'Oreal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse. In 2025, L'Oreal has been named the most innovative company in Europe by Fortune magazine, out of 300 companies, in a ranking spanning 21 countries and 16 industries in Europe. More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom "This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy L'Oreal shares. If you wish to obtain more comprehensive information about L'Oreal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorite des Marches Financiers, also available in English on our website www.loreal-finance.com. This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. While the Company believes that these statements are based on reasonable assumptions as of the date of publication of this press release, they are by nature subject to risks and uncertainties which may lead to a discrepancy between the actual figures and those indicated or suggested in these statements." CONTACTS L'OREAL Switchboard +33 (0)1 47 56 70 00 Individual shareholders Pascale GUERIN +33 (0)1 49 64 18 89 Pascale.guerin@loreal.com Financial analysts and institutional investors Eva QUIROGA +33 (0)7 88 14 22 65 Eva.quiroga@loreal.com Media Brune DIRICQ +33 (0)6 63 85 29 87 Brune.diricq@loreal.com Christine BURKE +33 (0)6 75 54 38 15 Christine.burke@loreal.com For further information, please contact your bank, stockbroker of financial institution (I.S.I.N. code: FR000012031) and consult your usual newspapers or magazines or the Internet site for shareholders and investors, www.loreal-finance.com, the L'Oreal Finance app or call the toll-free number from France: 0 800 66 66 66 Follow us on LinkedIn @L'Oreal Follow us on Instagram @lorealgroupe www.loreal.com 1 Unless technical reasons make this broadcast impossible or seriously disrupt it. It is reminded that it will not be possible to vote online during the broadcast of the General Meeting. The voting procedures are detailed in the meeting notice. 2 The possibility to submit " open questions " from Tuesday 21 April 2026, is being implemented in addition to the legal mechanism of written questions that can be sent under the legal and regulatory conditions outlined in the meeting notice. The "open questions" will not be considered as written questions. Attachment From oil spills to plastic pollution and beyond, the Cartagena Convention demonstrates the power of regional cooperation to safeguard oceans. KINGSTON, Jamaica, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cartagena Convention, a legally binding regional agreement for the Wider Caribbean, demonstrates how nations can join forces to tackle ocean pollution during this critical second half of the UN Ocean Decade. The Convention was born from disaster. In 1979, two ships collided off Tobago, spilling nearly 287,000 tonnes of crude oil into the Caribbean Sea. Fisheries collapsed, tourism was threatened, and coastal livelihoods were devastated. In response, Caribbean leaders requested UNEP support, resulting in the adoption of the Cartagena Convention in 1983. Since then, the Convention has evolved into a comprehensive framework addressing marine and land-based pollution, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable blue economy development. Its success lies in a combination of legally binding commitments and flexible regional cooperation, allowing countries to harmonise policies while adapting to national priorities. "The Convention has shown that collective action is possible when countries engage through science, law, and partnerships," says Christopher Corbin, Coordinator of the Cartagena Convention Secretariat. "It has evolved from oil spill response to tackling plastic pollution, untreated wastewater, and climate impacts, while ensuring local ownership and regional coherence." The Convention offers a model for the UN Ocean Decade's proposed programme on ocean pollution, demonstrating the value of bottom-up governance, combining legal frameworks with scientific guidance, and fostering cross-sector partnerships. Under the Convention, Caribbean governments have been able to coordinate across multiple ministries, including environment, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and health, breaking down traditional silos that previously hindered effective ocean management. Combined with regional data-sharing platforms and knowledge exchange forums, technology is transforming raw environmental data into actionable insights that strengthen national and regional capacity to protect the Caribbean Sea. Remote sensing and satellite imagery have enabled governments and researchers to track plastic accumulation and identify pollution hotspots in real-time. These tools support strategic decision-making, such as where to build wastewater treatment infrastructure, how to prioritise coastal clean-ups, or when to issue early warnings to fisheries and tourism operators. Back to Blue, an initiative of Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation, has worked with experts from science, industry, policy, finance and the UN to develop solutions to address ocean pollution. A Global Ocean Free from the Harmful Impacts of Pollution: Roadmap for Action offers a framework to catalyse collective action. In response, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) are proposing a multi-decade partnership as part of the UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030). Their vision: to build a strong evidence base, close data gaps and spur decisive public- and private-sector action by 2050. Realising this ambition will require UN member states to collaborate ever more deeply. The Cartagena Convention offers a model for co-operation that, if replicated in other regions, could spearhead the global effort to tackle ocean pollution. Find out more: https://backtoblueinitiative.com/roadmap-for-action-ocean-free-of-pollution/ View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/a-caribbean-governance-model-offers-blueprint-for-tackling-ocean-pollution-globally--back-to-blue-302717800.html The Board of Directors of TotalEnergies SE (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) met on March 18, 2026 under the chairmanship of Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. It has decided to convene the Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of the Corporation on Friday, May 29, 2026. The Notice of Meeting will be published soon in France's BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires) and will be available on the Company's website. The Board of Directors also approved the documents that will be submitted to shareholders at the Annual Meeting, including the Management Report. Company Governance The directorships of Ms. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, Ms. Anelise Lara and Mr. Dierk Paskert expire at the end of the Annual Shareholders' Meeting on May 29, 2026. On the proposal of the Governance and Ethics Committee, the Board of Directors decided to submit to the Shareholders' Meeting the renewal for a period of three years of the directorships of Ms. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, Ms. Anelise Lara and Mr. Dierk Paskert. Regarding the mandate of Ms. Marie-Christine Coisne-Roquette, non independent director within the meaning of the Afep-Medef Code due to her seniority within the Board (more than 12 years), the Board considered that her experience is beneficial to the work of the Board and that of its Committees. Indeed, her long-standing tenure on the Board of Directors and the significant roles she has held have enabled her take part in various key milestones in the Company's development and have provided her with an in-depth understanding of its businesses, its strategic challenges and its teams. The Board also noted that the independence rate of the Board of Directors is high (82% according to the Afep-Medef Code), in line with the highest standards. Moreover, Mr. Mark Cutifani indicated his decision not to seek for the renewal of his mandate and to withdraw from the Board as from March 16, 2026 for personal reasons. The Board of Directors would like to thank Mr. Mark Cutifani who shared his long experience in the mining industry and in governance of international large companies with the Board and its Committees for 9 years. The Board of Directors has decided to propose to the Shareholders' Meeting the appointment of a new independent director, Mr. Slawomir Krupa, for a three-year term, in replacement of Mr. Mark Cutifani. A graduate of the Paris Institut d'Etudes Politiques, Mr. Slawomir Krupa, 51 years old, of Polish, French and American nationalities, has been Chief Executive Officer and Board member of Societe Generale Group since May 2023. After various functions within the General Inspection, he joined the Corporate and Investment Banking Division as Director of Strategy and Development, then Head of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Deputy Director of Financing. He is named CEO of SG Americas Inc. in January 2016 and Head of the Americas region. In January 2021, he joined the General Management of Societe Generale Group as Head of Global Banking and Investor Solutions. Mr. Slawomir Krupa will be able to bring to the Board the benefit of his expertise in finance and markets and his highly international background, particularly his experience in the United States. At the end of the Shareholder's Meeting on May 29, 2026, if the Board proposed resolutions are approved, the Board of Directors will be composed of 14 members, of whom 8 will be French and 6 International and the proportion of women and men will be 50% each. Furthermore, on the recommendation of the Governance and Ethics Committee, after reviewing the practices of CAC40 companies and international peers, the Board of Directors decided to submit to the Shareholders' Meeting on May 29, 2026 a revision of the Articles of Association's age limit applicable to the position of Chairman to increase it from 70 to 75 years old and that applicable to the position of Chief Executive Officer to increase it from 67 to 70 years old. Other resolutions The Board of Directors will also submit to the Shareholders' Meeting the approval of the information concerning the compensation of corporate officers as well as the directors' compensation policy. The Board will also submit for approval the fixed, variable and extraordinary components making up the total compensation and the in-kind benefits paid during fiscal year 2025 or allocation for that year to Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as well as the compensation policy applicable to him. Several financial authorizations will also be submitted to the Shareholders' Meeting for approval, including an authorization given to the Board of Directors to delegate the competence to carry out capital increases reserved for employees who are members of a company or group savings plan. Ambition of the Corporation in terms of sustainable development and energy transition The Board of Directors decided to include on the agenda of the Shareholders' Meeting on May 29, 2026 a formal item for discussion (without a resolution submitted to the shareholders' vote) on the report of the implementation of the Corporation's ambition in terms of sustainable development and energy transition. About TotalEnergies TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas, biogas and low-carbon hydrogen, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations. X @TotalEnergies LinkedIn TotalEnergies Facebook TotalEnergies Instagram TotalEnergies Cautionary Note The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Universal Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318684205/en/ Contacts: TotalEnergies Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR Investors Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") announces that Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. ("QRC") is exercising the conversion rights attaching to the US$5,000,000 eight per cent convertible debenture issued to QRC on June 2, 2021 (the "Convertible Debenture") effective April 8, 2026 (the "Conversion Date"). The Convertible Debenture is convertible into common shares of the Company at a price of CAD$10.82 per common share. The principal amount of the Convertible Debentures plus accrued interest up to but excluding the Conversion Date is US$5,043,333 (the "Conversion Amount"). Applying the current exchange rate of US$1.00:CAD1.37, the Conversion Amount in Canadian dollars is CAD$6,909,366. Under the terms of the indenture governing the Convertible Debenture, the maximum number of common shares of the Company which may be issued on conversion of the Debentures without further TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") approval is 558,502 common shares, which corresponds to $6,042,991 of the Conversion Amount, leaving a difference of CAD$866,375 of the Conversion Amount outstanding. The Corporation will be applying to the TSXV for the approval of the conversion of CAD$866,375 of the Conversion Amount into common shares at $10.82 for a total of 80,071 common shares, bringing the total number of shares issuable on conversion of the Conversion Amount to 638,573 common shares. About Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. QRC is a dividend paying, leading financier to the global resource sector. The Company is a resource focused investment company, making investments in privately held and publicly traded companies. The Company acquires and holds securities for long-term capital appreciation, with a focus on convertible debt securities and resource projects in advanced development or production located in politically safe jurisdictions. 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 Interim CEO, 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/289056 Source: Los Andes Copper Ltd. BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantinuum, a leading quantum computing company, today announced the appointment of Nitesh Sharan as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective April 6, 2026. Mr. Sharan brings more than 25 years of global finance experience across technology, consumer products and consulting. He joins the company after nearly five years as CFO of SoundHound AI, Inc., where he led the company through its public listing in 2022 and oversaw strategic financial planning, accounting, corporate strategy, human resources, legal and intellectual property. "Nitesh brings an exceptional combination of financial leadership, operational rigor and experience scaling technology companies," said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President & CEO of Quantinuum. "As Quantinuum accelerates the commercialization of quantum computing, his experience guiding companies through complex growth and capital market environments will be pivotal." Prior to joining SoundHound AI, Mr. Sharan spent more than 5 years at Nike, where he held several leadership roles, including Vice President of Investor Relations & Treasurer, Vice President of Corporate Finance & Treasurer, and CFO of Global Operations & Technology. Prior to joining Nike, he spent 15 years in senior leadership roles at Hewlett-Packard and began his career as a consultant at Accenture. Mr. Sharan is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder. He earned his MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and his bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he currently resides in Portland, Oregon. He serves on a number of boards, including Activate, an organization that supports deep science entrepreneurs in commercializing their innovations, and as a Trustee of the Catlin Gabel School, a progressive K-12 independent school. About Quantinuum Quantinuum is a leading quantum computing company offering a full-stack platform designed to make quantum computing deployable in real-world environments. The company has commercially deployed multiple generations of quantum systems built on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with novel designs and capabilities to achieve the industry's highest accuracy levels based on average two-qubit gate fidelity.[i] Quantinuum has active engagements with market leaders across pharmaceuticals, material science, financial services, and government and industrial markets. The company has a global workforce of approximately 700 employees, including top scientists and researchers. Over 70% of its technology team hold PhDs. Quantinuum's headquarters is in Broomfield, Colorado, with additional facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.quantinuum.com. [i] As of December 31, 2025. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2655950/5871625/Quantinuum_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nitesh-sharan-joins-quantinuum-as-chief-financial-officer-302717935.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Jacques Deforges, Chief Executive Officer, Finance Montreal ("Organization"), and his team, joined Ariane Bourassa, Head, Sustainability and ESG Strategy, TMX Group to close the market and celebrate the Finance Montreal's 2026 Best Sustainability Report Award Gala. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz9Sn5nCQgM The annual Best Sustainability Report Award Gala recognizes Canadian companies for excellence in ESG disclosure (environmental, social, and governance). The gala also showcases the analytical work carried out by the teams of students from multiple Canadian universities. The teams present their findings and invite representatives from the winning organizations to the stage to receive their awards, in front of an audience composed of industry professionals, academic partners, and members of the financial community. Founded in 2010, Finance Montreal, Quebec's financial cluster, is at the heart of the development and promotion of Quebec's financial services industry and its international positioning as a world-class, growing, competitive, attractive, and innovative business hub. Through its International Financial Center ("IFC") team, Finance Montreal works to attract foreign financial companies to Montreal. The Organization's areas of focus also include fintech and innovation, sustainable finance, and talent development. As a hub for the financial community, Finance Montreal mobilizes stakeholders around these pillars, embodied by the community gathered at the Station Fintech Montreal, which it manages. For more information, visit www.finance-montreal.com or its LinkedIn page. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289065 Source: Toronto Stock Exchange Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Blockchain Venture Capital Inc. (CSE: BVCI) ("Company") announces that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated March 16, 2026 (the "LOI") with World Digital Gold Group Ltd. ("WDGG") in respect of a proposed business combination that is expected to constitute a reverse takeover transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") pursuant to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"). Proposed Transaction Pursuant to the LOI, the Company and WDGG intend to complete a business combination whereby BVCI will acquire the gold-based CBDC GLD digital asset business of WDGG through a share exchange, amalgamation, arrangement, or similar transaction structure to be determined by the parties. Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the resulting public issuer (the "Resulting Issuer") is expected to carry on its current businesses as well as the business of developing and commercializing the gold-based CBDC GLD digital asset token from the WDDG ecosystem. The Resulting Issuer is expected to seek approval to change its name to CBDC GLD, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. Arm's Length Transaction The Company and WDGG are arm's length parties, and no insiders, promoters, or control persons of the Company have any ownership interest in WDGG. Description of WDGG Business and Assets WDGG is a digital asset development company focused on the tokenization of gold-related assets and the development of blockchain-based financial infrastructure supporting the CBDC GLD and other token ecosystems. WDGG's assets include: intellectual property related to the CBDC GLD and other tokenizations platforms blockchain software and technology associated with gold-linked digital asset issuance contractual rights and development initiatives relating to the commercialization of gold-backed digital assets and tokenized financial infrastructure. The Proposed Transaction is intended to solidify the Resulting Issuer's position as a digital asset infrastructure company focused on tokenization, blockchain financial services, and digital-asset settlement platforms associated with the CBDC GLD and its current ecosystems. Consideration The LOI contemplates that the shareholders of WDGG will receive common shares of BVCI as consideration for the acquisition of the CBDC GLD business. The final valuation, exchange ratio, and total consideration will be determined in the definitive agreement following completion of financial, legal, and technical due diligence. Additional details regarding the Proposed Transaction will be disclosed once the parties execute a definitive agreement. Financing In connection with the Proposed Transaction, the Company may complete a financing to support the business plan of the Resulting Issuer. The structure, size, and terms of any such financing have not yet been determined and will be disclosed in a subsequent news release if and when finalized. WDGG Financial Information WDGG is an early-stage company and limited historical financial information is currently available. Additional financial information regarding WDGG is expected to be disclosed in connection with the execution of the definitive agreement and the preparation of the required CSE listing statement or disclosure document. Conditions to Completion Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including, but not limited to: completion of satisfactory financial, legal, and technical due diligence negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange shareholder approval of the Company, if required completion of any required financing satisfaction of all other conditions customary for transactions of this nature. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Trading of Shares Trading in the common shares of the Company is not expected to be halted in connection with the announcement of the LOI. In accordance with CSE policies, trading may be subject to a short-term dissemination halt if the news release is issued during market hours. About Blockchain Venture Capital Inc. Blockchain Venture Capital Inc. is an Ontario-incorporated company registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC. The Company provides blockchain-based financial infrastructure, including: BVC Chain , a proprietary blockchain and distributed-ledger platform , a proprietary blockchain and distributed-ledger platform BVCPay , a mobile wallet enabling digital transactions using Bitcoin, Ethereum and the CADT stablecoin , a mobile wallet enabling digital transactions using Bitcoin, Ethereum and the CADT stablecoin Trillium Coin, a Bitcoin OTC trading service CADT, BVCI's native digital currency, is intended to be a Canadian dollar-backed stablecoin designed for payments, settlements, digital-asset issuance and ledger services. Unless and until BVCI obtains all necessary regulatory approvals or qualifies for applicable exemptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to proceed with its CADT-related initiatives. About World Digital Gold Group World Digital Gold Group ("WDGG") is developing CBDC GLD, a next-generation, BIS-compliant gold-backed stablecoin for the world's rapidly expanding digital financial system. CBDC GLD is designed to bridge the $12+ trillion physical gold market with the efficiency and transparency of blockchain technology. CBDC GLD is being designed specifically for central banks, commercial banks, and multinational corporations requiring a stable, transparent, and globally accessible digital reserve asset. CBDC GLD will be backed by WDGG's extensive gold reserve portfolio which includes significant sovereign gold assets. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Proposed Transaction, potential financing, regulatory approvals and future operations of the Resulting Issuer. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289007 Source: Blockchain Venture Capital Inc. Stoney Creek, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - ServerMania has recently announced the launch of its Instant Dedicated Servers, a new offering that gives customers fast, same-day access to dedicated hosting environments, with infrastructure ready in hours, not days. The release marks a change in how the company provisions infrastructure, reducing the time traditionally required to bring dedicated servers online. ServerMania Launches Instant Dedicated Servers to Reduce Deployment Times for High-Performance Infrastructure To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/289071_figure1.jpg The announcement comes as organizations across sectors, including software development, gaming, and data-intensive operations, continue to face tighter timelines for infrastructure setup. As workloads become more time-sensitive, the ability to provision resources quickly has become an operational requirement. Dedicated servers remain essential for workloads that require consistent performance and resource isolation, though traditional setup timelines have limited their flexibility in fast-moving environments. ServerMania's Instant Dedicated Servers are designed to address this gap by combining the performance of dedicated hardware with significantly shorter provisioning timelines. The company stated that the service enables customers to access dedicated CPU, memory, and storage resources without extended configuration periods, allowing infrastructure to be activated when required. The rollout reflects internal changes to ServerMania's provisioning systems and infrastructure management processes. The company has invested in automation and coordination across its data center operations to streamline how servers are configured and deployed. These updates support near-immediate availability of dedicated hardware while maintaining the structural requirements associated with dedicated environments. ServerMania has introduced Instant Dedicated Servers To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/289071_figure2.jpg Reducing the time between infrastructure planning and availability may support a range of use cases, including testing environments, application launches, and scaling operations in response to demand. Faster access to dedicated resources can also assist organizations managing time-sensitive projects that require immediate infrastructure readiness. ServerMania indicated that the launch aligns with a broader effort to improve deployment efficiency and infrastructure accessibility for enterprise and developer clients. The company plans to continue expanding its automation capabilities and infrastructure capacity as part of its ongoing platform development. About ServerMania: ServerMania is a Canadian infrastructure hosting provider with over two decades of experience delivering cloud, dedicated, and web hosting solutions. The company operates data centers across Canada, the United States, and Europe, providing infrastructure that supports performance, reliability, and scalability for businesses worldwide. The company offers a range of customizable hosting configurations supported by a global network and technical support services designed to maintain consistent infrastructure operations. Media Contact To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/289071_figure3.png To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289071 Source: GetFeatured Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Rider Justice announces its 2026 partnership with Project ML-Gratitude, a Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports veterans through motorcycle giving and community-based healing initiatives. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to service, community support, and meaningful action for people facing major life challenges. Through this collaboration, Rider Justice will support Project ML-Gratitude's efforts to raise awareness, expand outreach, and strengthen its impact across Colorado. Jimmy Schoeder, a combat veteran who served with the Navy SEAL Teams, received a 2003 Yamaha VStar 1100 on June 14, 2025, at the 34th Annual Gratitude Ride. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/289064_20e268ef9490b9cb_002full.jpg Project ML-Gratitude is a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans who face adversity after military service. Since 2020, the organization has worked to honor service and resilience through its signature "wind therapy" program, which provides motorcycles to selected veterans. Project ML-Gratitude has already provided motorcycles to 23 veterans so far, helping create opportunities for healing, connection, and renewed independence. Number 24 will be given away on March 22nd. "Project ML-Gratitude was born from personal devastation, but also from extraordinary generosity," said Kimberli Tompkins of Project ML-Gratitude. "After my motorcycle was stolen, I experienced firsthand how one act of kindness can change everything. That experience inspired us to create an organization that gives back to veterans through motorcycles, community, and the healing power of wind therapy. We are proud to partner with Scott O'Sullivan and Rider Justice, whose support for riders and commitment to the local community make them a meaningful partner in this mission." Rider Justice is a motorcycle law firm that helps injured riders and their families after motorcycle accidents and other serious injury incidents. As the advocacy arm of The O'Sullivan Law Firm, Rider Justice is known for representing motorcyclists, protecting riders' rights, and helping clients navigate the legal process after life-changing injuries. In addition to legal representation, Rider Justice is deeply involved in community education, rider awareness, and support initiatives across Colorado. "Project ML-Gratitude is doing meaningful work for veterans, and we are proud to support a local nonprofit that is creating real impact in our community," said Scott O'Sullivan, founder of Rider Justice. "Motorcycles can represent freedom, healing, and connection, and it means a lot to stand behind an organization that is helping veterans rediscover those things." Through the 2026 partnership, Rider Justice will help bring greater visibility to Project ML-Gratitude and its mission. Planned efforts include community outreach, shared initiatives, and support designed to help more people learn about the nonprofit's work and the veterans it serves. The collaboration underscores the importance of local partnerships built on shared values. Both Rider Justice and Project ML-Gratitude believe strong communities are built through compassion, action, and consistent support for those who deserve to be seen and helped. As 2026 moves forward, Rider Justice looks forward to supporting Project ML-Gratitude's continued work on behalf of Colorado veterans and helping expand awareness of a nonprofit that is changing lives through service, gratitude, and the power of the motorcycle community. About Project ML-Gratitude Project ML-Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Colorado that supports veterans through appreciation, community, and its motorcycle "wind therapy" program. Founded in 2020, the volunteer-run nonprofit has provided motorcycles to more than 22 veterans and continues to create opportunities for healing, empowerment, and connection. More information is available at ml-gratitude.org. About Rider Justice Rider Justice is a motorcycle law firm and the advocacy arm of The O'Sullivan Law Firm. Founded by Scott O'Sullivan, Rider Justice helps injured riders and their families after motorcycle accidents and other serious injury incidents. In addition to motorcycle injury representation, Rider Justice is known for protecting riders' rights and supporting the motorcycle community through education, partnerships, events, and rider-focused initiatives. More information is available at riderjustice.com. Rider Justice - The motorcycle advocacy arm of the O'Sullivan Law Firm. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/289064_20e268ef9490b9cb_004full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289064 Source: The O'Sullivan Law Firm Company debuts immersive retail experience in Biarritz, France, one of Europe's most iconic surf destinations Faherty ("the Company"), a premium lifestyle apparel brand known for its quality craftsmanship and surf-inspired coastal style, today announced its European debut with the opening of its first store in Biarritz, France. "Faherty is focused on building an iconic, global lifestyle brand, through purpose, craftsmanship, and cultural authenticity, and establishing our international footprint in France is a key component of our broader growth ambitions," said Alex Faherty, CEO and Co-Founder of Faherty. "Biarritz is a renowned surfing destination with a unique culture and we look forward to showcasing our best-in-class store experience to beach enthusiasts from all over the continent, as we lay the foundation for future global expansion." Biarritz is located in the Basque Country and has a vibrant seagoing community, known for its incredible beaches and historic resorts. The city is also located near major transportation outlets, offering a strategic setting for Faherty's first international store. The opening marks a significant milestone for the brand as it continues to bring its laid-back American coastal style to more customers and communities around the world. "I first heard about Biarritz in 1994 watching Endless Summer II on repeat. Surfing in France wasn't even on my radar then, but the vibe of the Basque coast and the feeling of French summer stuck with me, and I promised myself I'd get there one day. Twenty-three years later I finally did, with my now wife, who had been spending her summers there. From the moment you arrive, there's a slower pace to life, a warmth and sense of peace-bakea in Basque-and a deep respect for the earth, the ocean, and tradition. Biarritz is an international hub of surfing. That great mix of surf culture with amazing food and a laid back spirit made it the natural place for us to open our first store in Europe," said Mike Faherty, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Faherty. Faherty's store is located in the center of town, spanning 350 square feet, bringing the Company's coastal collection to life. The store was designed in collaboration with architect and designer Louise Pastres, blending Faherty's warm, natural aesthetic with subtle influences from the surrounding beach community. To celebrate the spirit of Biarritz, Faherty is collaborating with local photographer and Turbulente kombucha founder Julien Binet, whose photography will be displayed in-store. Building upon its international debut in Europe, Faherty will feature a month-long pop-up at the iconic Merci concept store in Paris this April, introducing the brand to the Parisian community. About Faherty Faherty is a privately owned, family business working to build an iconic, global lifestyle brand. From the beginning, Faherty has been dedicated to the highest quality craftsmanship and culturally-rich brand storytelling. The idea for Faherty started when Alex and Mike Faherty were just kids twin brothers surfing and daydreaming of creating a clothing brand inspired by their beach town upbringing, deep appreciation of the ocean, and the belief that life is better in the great outdoors. Since launching the brand in 2013 alongside his twin brother Mike, his wife, Kerry and his mom, Ninie Faherty has grown to more than 80 vibrant store locations across the U.S. and an amazing group of like-minded, clothing-obsessed, won't-sacrifice-comfort-for-anything individuals working as a team to make Faherty a place centered around the highest quality and a passion for life's great moments. For more information, please visit https://fahertybrand.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317083487/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: FahertyPR@icrinc.com Project Highlights Acquisition of a 100% interest in the Bonito Gold-Silver Project in New Mexico Previous operators (Pioneer Metals and Placer Dome) have invested approximately US$10 million in exploration work, including 3,000 metres across 75 drill holes of historical shallow drilling (1985-1989) (1) Potential near-surface gold-silver system with no modern drilling since 1990. Gold-silver breccia pipes sitting above a potential copper-molybdenum porphyry system remains completely untested at depth below 120 metres New Mexico: Mining-friendly state, a leading jurisdiction in the United States with proven endowment of precious and base metal deposits and operating mines, and a long history of mineral exploration and development Nearby infrastructure with paved and forest service road access from the town of Ruidoso As of a March 2025 Executive Order, gold and silver are now considered strategic minerals by the federal government of the United States Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Nation Gold Corp. (CSE: NATN) (OTCQB: NATNF) (the "Company" or "Nation") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated February 4, 2026, the Company has completed the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Bonito gold-silver project (the "Bonito Project") in the Nogal-Bonito Mining District of New Mexico, USA through its wholly-owned subsidiary Nation Gold US Corp. ("Nation Gold US") pursuant to the terms of the mineral property purchase and sale agreement dated February 3, 2026 (the "Purchase Agreement") with Cannon Bridge Capital Corp. ("Cannon Bridge"), Stream Metals LLC, Nation Gold US and an arm's length individual. Mr. Mark Bailey, CEO & Director of the Company, stated, "The 100% acquisition of the Bonito Project marks an important milestone for Nation Gold, as we establish our presence with a flagship U.S. asset in the historically productive Nogal-Bonito Mining District of New Mexico. The Bonito Project may potentially host a gold-silver system with significant untested upside, historic underground production and prior exploration by Pioneer Metals and Placer Dome, yet remains largely underexplored at depth and without ever seeing modern drilling or exploration techniques. Nation has the objective of completing its first modern drill program following receipt of the necessary permits. With this transaction complete and the concurrent financing in place, we look forward to advancing exploration planning and working toward our first drill program at Bonito." As consideration for the acquisition, the Company has paid an aggregate of $200,000 in cash to date with the remaining cash consideration of $100,000 payable on the date that is the later of: (i) Nation Gold US receiving an initial drill permit on the Bonito Project; and (ii) 18 months from the closing date. The Company will also issue an aggregate of 13,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Consideration Shares") to certain nominees of Cannon Bridge at a deemed issue price of $0.20 per Consideration Share once the Company has completed the administrative process to record the claims for the Bonito Project in the name of Nation Gold US. The Consideration Shares will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws, as well as an extended hold period of up to 18 months from the date of issuance based on the schedule described in the Company's press release dated February 4, 2026 in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Company received the approval of the Exchange for the acquisition of the Bonito Project. Non-Brokered Private Placement The Company also announces that it has completed its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") consisting in the issuance of 7,800,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a purchase price of $0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds to the Company of $1,560,000. Each Unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.25 until March 18, 2028. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid aggregate cash finder's fees of $79,600 and issued an aggregate of 398,000 non-transferable finder warrants (each, a "Finder Warrant") to arm's length finders of the Company in consideration for the finders locating purchasers to participate in the Offering. Each Finder Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.20 until March 18, 2028. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for general working capital purposes. The securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on July 19, 2026 in accordance with applicable securities laws and the rules of the Exchange. The securities described herein 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 accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. Sources & References: (1) Approximately US$10 million has been estimated in project expenditures. Qualified Person & Disclosure All scientific and technical information contained in this news release is historical in nature unless otherwise stated. The technical content contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Mark Bailey, P.Geo., CEO & Director of the Company and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined under NI 43-101. Mr. Bailey is not independent of the Company. Mr. Bailey has not verified the historical exploration data disclosed in this press release, including the sampling, analytical and test data, as such data is historical and the original data is not readily available. The Company cautions that mineral exploration is speculative, and there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to unlock value from the Bonito Project or that the Bonito Project will prove economically feasible. About Nation Gold Corp. Nation Gold Corp. is an exploration company based in Vancouver, BC. The Company recently acquired a 100% interest in the Bonito Project in the Nogal-Bonito Mining District of New Mexico, USA. The Bonito Project was formerly in production in the late 1800s and has seen limited modern exploration, most recently in the 1980s and 1990s by Pioneer Metals and Placer Dome. The Company is led by a team of mining, exploration and capital markets professionals focused on acquiring potential multi-million-ounce precious metals deposits in Tier 1 mining jurisdictions. The Company also has a 100% interest in the Cattle Creek Project located near Vernon, BC. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.nationgold.ca. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company Mark Bailey, CEO & Director Contact Information - For more information, please contact: Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding use of proceeds for the Offering, the potential mineralization on the Bonito Project, the recording of the claims for the Bonito Project in the name of Nation Gold US, the Company's intended drill program on the Bonito Project and the business and anticipated financial performance of the Company. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, risks related to the recording of the claims for the Bonito Project which may delay or impair the ability of the Company to complete its intended work programs; risks inherent in exploration activities; the impact of exploration competition; unexpected geological or hydrological conditions; changes in government regulations and policies, including trade laws and policies; failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; the ability to raise funds through financings; environmental and safety risks including increased regulatory burdens; weather and other natural phenomena; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory risks; and general economic conditions. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf, unless otherwise required pursuant to applicable laws. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289120 Source: Nation Gold Corp. NEW ORLEANS, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Romney Studios, the city's cult-favorite destination for movement, wellness, and community, has officially unveiled its newest innovation. The studio has opened a dedicated red light therapy studio inside its Magazine Street location, marking a significant expansion of its longevity-driven approach to fitness and recovery. For founder Erin Romney Cazes, the addition is more than a new amenity. It is the culmination of more than a decade of personal experimentation, scientific curiosity, and a desire to give her community access to the type of high-performance wellness tools typically reserved for elite athletes and biohacking centers. "I have been doing red light therapy for over ten years and the benefits were undeniable," Cazes says. "Before the pandemic, I was actually planning to open a separate biohacking recovery center. The idea is still part of my long-term vision. But I kept thinking about how busy my clients are. They have kids, careers, businesses, and they need efficiency. If they could get the same high-level tools inside the same hour they set aside to work out, it felt like the smarter choice." That decision led her to create a new hybrid space on the third floor of Romney Studios, where movement meets recovery through what she calls "stacked longevity practices." In a single session, clients experience a full workout under medical grade red light therapy panels combined with far infrared heat. The result is a studio that compresses three wellness experiences into one, without sacrificing intensity or safety. A Science-Driven Approach to a Popular Modality Red light therapy has become a popular wellness trend, but at Romney Studios the practice is grounded in research and medical grade technology. The studio uses ceiling-mounted panels with four distinct therapeutic wavelengths. These devices are significantly more powerful than the small masks, wraps, or handheld units that have flooded the consumer market. "Most red light devices need to be directly on the skin because they are weak," Cazes explains. "Medical grade devices work at a specific distance to deliver the most effective wavelengths. They create this energetic environment that you can actually feel when you walk into the room." Red light therapy uses low-level wavelengths that support cellular health. These wavelengths can speed up wound healing, improve tissue repair, energize the mitochondria, increase circulation and oxygenation, support hair, skin, and nail health, regulate circadian rhythms, and improve sleep and mood. The modality is known for its broad benefits and reliable safety profile. "It has been studied for a long time and I have never seen meaningful negative outcomes," Cazes says. "Unlike cold therapy, where we are now discovering that women need more strategic timing, red light therapy is something people can use consistently. The only precaution is heat for pregnant women, since our space also uses far infrared panels." Three Levels of Movement Under Red Light and Heat The red light studio integrates into Romney's signature programming, with three progressive class levels designed to meet clients wherever they are in their wellness journey. Level One focuses on foundational movement and is ideal for beginners or anyone easing into heat and light exposure. The sessions include yoga, Pilates, or sculpt-based flows that prioritize form and breath. Pulse introduces heavier weights and more complex sequences. The pace is quicker and the intensity higher, while still maintaining Romney's commitment to low-impact training. Level Three is the studio's highest intensity option. This class blends heavy weights with interval training and metabolic conditioning, all under the red lights and infrared heat. "All classes share the same environment of light and heat," Cazes says. "The difference is simply the level of intensity. We built the programming so people can progress safely and feel their body adapt." Memberships, Packages, and Flexible Access Romney Studios has built a loyal community over the years, and the new red light studio follows the same flexible format. Clients can access sessions through memberships, single class purchases, or short-term packages for visitors who are in town only briefly. Some clients have already begun tracking measurable differences. One member with an Apple Watch monitored her metrics before and after the studio added red light therapy. According to her data, the exact same workout sequence produced close to a five hundred calorie difference in energy expenditure after the panels were introduced. "That is a huge number," Cazes says. "I knew the benefits would be strong, but seeing it quantified by clients has been incredibly validating." A Studio Built Around the Reality of Modern Life Romney Studios is known for its atmosphere of community and ease. The space feels luxurious without being precious. It is built for people who want to feel good, stay strong, and move consistently without sacrificing time they do not have. "Our clients are high-performing people with very full lives," Cazes says. "I am the same way. The idea of stacking practices is about protecting time. If someone can walk into the studio and get strength training, red light therapy, and far infrared heat all in one hour, that is a real solution. That is why I invested in bringing this to New Orleans." With the opening of its red light therapy studio, Romney Studios continues its evolution toward a comprehensive longevity-focused hub. What began as a fitness space has grown into something closer to a personal ecosystem, where community, movement, recovery, and science-driven tools coexist under one roof. Romney Studios is located at 5619 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115. For media inquiries or more information, please contact Romney Studios at their Magazine Street location. Media Contact: Name: Erin Romney Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Company: Romney Studios Email: ercazes@gmail.com Phone: 504-214-2198 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2937561/Romney_Studios_Photo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/romney-studios-launches-new-red-light-therapy-studio-expanding-its-mission-to-deliver-holistic-time-efficient-longevity-practices-to-new-orleans-302718090.html Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024. Wed Wednesday 67 /45 Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the mid 40s. Keynote speech by HRVP Kaja Kallas at the 2026 Conference on Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference: 'From Insight to Impact' European External Action Service (EEAS) 17.03.2026 Brussels, Belgium Dear Guests, Welcome to this year's conference. It is tempting to think that the more freely information flows, the stronger our societies become. Because a fundamental component of democracy is that citizens and the media hold their governments to account. But this is one of the greatest paradoxes of our time. As the information space has evolved, truth is vanishing. Not so long ago, the methods to interfere with information integrity were rather primitive. China and Russia would pay for tens of thousands of fake social media profiles with bot farms pushing out destabilising, manipulative narratives. We have all seen these in our social media feeds. Enter Artificial Intelligence. AI has enormous positive potential in the world today. We see the benefit for our citizens through healthcare, in robotics, and more recently also in defence. But there is also a flip side. AI tools can produce manipulative content at speed, scale, and low cost. Fake AI-generated videos and images have become the new norm. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise did not have that fight on a skyscraper roof! AI has taken cognitive warfare to the next level - in the movie business and many other sectors, including our democratic space. Take Romania in 2024. A Russia-backed disinformation campaign artificially boosted the online presence of a far-right, pro-Russian, fringe candidate. Thousands of AI-powered bot accounts were used to flood platforms with deepfakes. This was matched by paid TikTok influencers promoting Russia's choice of candidate. Without Romania's constitutional checks and balances, Russia could have won in Romania's elections. Democracy is based on trust. If we cannot tell what is true and what is not, we are easily manipulated. Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference - FIMI - is death to democracy by a thousand cuts. We all feel the threat. Recent Eurobarometer data shows that: close to 80% of Europeans are concerned that voters are basing their choices on disinformation; over 60% worry about external pressure. For more than ten years, Europe has developed real expertise in this field. We see the gun, we know what it's made of, and we know how it fires. But this is cognitive war. We must also shoot back. There are three fronts. First, within the European Union. Foreign interference works because it pays off. Information manipulation is one of the most cost-effective tools of modern hybrid warfare. Last year, Russia and China alone invested up to 11 billion euro. But the global economic impact of disinformation is estimated at over 400 billion euro annually. There is now a marketplace for manipulation. Actors outsource it to intermediaries and contractors including private companies, influence-for-hire networks, and digital marketing actors. To fight it we have to break the business model. One way to do this is by sanctioning the perpetrators. Our current list includes many people and businesses spreading propaganda and conspiracy theories on Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well as anti-Ukraine and anti-Western narratives. But as fast as we are currently applying the sanctions, perpetrators can adapt. So we must do more. For example, we know that: perpetrators use payments in cryptocurrencies to lure young people into actions that undermine democracy in Europe; and that entrepreneurs are selling their technical know-how, influencer networks, and bot farms. A logical step would be to increase tax probes and cyber investigations into crypto wallets and illicit flows of money. These can be coordinated at the European level where necessary. We can also do much more to regulate the digital space. The very least that social media platforms must do is to work with European authorities as they investigate perpetrators, with the aim of reducing their impact and preventing them from scaling up. The best approach is to apply the rules already in place: The Digital Services Act and the EU's Code of Conduct on Disinformation require strong engagement from social media platforms and search engines to make the online space safer. We have developed tools to combat disinformation and act against the sharing of any content that is unlawful, misleading, discriminatory or fraudulent. But in practice, when major platforms are abusing their market power, influenced by actors openly supporting specific political groups in our countries, we have a serious problem. With many elections coming up in Europe this year and next, we have to muster the political courage to actually use our regulations and the tools we have developed to counter threats in our democracies. The Democracy Shield was developed for exactly this purpose, to bring all the various angles together: From the Rapid Alert System which helps us to track disinformation; To the European Cooperation Network on Elections, which brings Member States together to share best practices. There are difficult questions still to consider. For example, is it a mistake to entrust our democratic space to social networks that are controlled by large American and Chinese companies? I will leave you with this thought. The second front in this war against information manipulation is in our neighbourhood. The closer a country comes to the European Union, the more likely it is to become a target of foreign interference. We saw it in Georgia and failed to fight it. We have seen this in Ukraine for over ten years and are tackling it. And we saw it in Moldova last year and by working with the Moldovan authorities, we defeated it. This battle can be won. To understand the scale of what Moldova was up against, estimates put Russia's financial support for the pro-Russian voices between two and three hundred million euro. That's the equivalent of between 2 and 3 percent of Moldova's entire GDP. But Russia's interference didn't work because we fought back - together. Ahead of the elections Moldovan authorities were extremely vocal and proactive about the risks of fraud and interference. They introduced prison sentences for vote-buying. They worked with the intelligence community to investigate and expose interference. Staff from the European External Action Service were instrumental in these investigations. There was also a massive communication push to promote the tangible benefits of European Union membership for citizens. This happened across platforms and engaged a broad range of people: from TV stars to musicians, from NGOs to the Church. I would even dare to say that high profile visits from European leaders also raised the EU's profile in the country. These efforts reduced the impact of attacks against the EU and highlighted what Moldova stood to lose by staying outside the EU. But you also have to show and not just tell. By the middle of last year, most villages in Moldova had something tangible to prove what being part of the European family means. Be it a new park, a new playground, or something as basic as running water. When people can actually feel the improvements to their lives, their choice is clear. That is also why the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is important to rally support for enlargement prospects across the region. In the immediate term, foreign actors will not stop trying to interfere in democratic spaces, of this we can be very, very sure. Following their botched attempt in Moldova, Russia started targeting Armenia ahead of its own elections with the same playbook. Only this time, they started much, much earlier - more than a year in advance. We can see it now in Montenegro, which aims to join the European Union in 2028. What countries can do is investigate, criminalise and prosecute parts of the interference - this goes for vote-buying as for information manipulation - and present the facts to citizens. The EU will always support our friends in this fight. For example: Following a request from Armenia, we will deploy a Hybrid Rapid Response Team in April ahead of elections in June. Fighting FIMI was part of our first Security and Defence Dialogue with Montenegro in December. This is an important first step towards establishing a Security and Defence Partnership, similar to those we already have with North Macedonia and Albania, and with a growing number of partners around the world. Foreign interference is not confined to Europe or our neighbourhood or even to democracy. Which brings me to the third front: the international sphere. Last year, over a hundred countries were attacked by FIMI, over a hundred individuals including heads of state, and close to two hundred organisations including NATO. A major concern in the fight against information manipulation is the void left by the United States. The U.S. once led efforts against foreign interference but the State Department has now stopped the majority of this work. The withdrawal of US funding for information integrity has had a major impact on global efforts too. The G7 and NATO have both slowed down their own work as a result. But the threat has not gone away. FIMI is only increasing while the global democratic space shrinks. Europe must fill this void. Wherever I travel to meet my counterparts across the world, the constant ask from partners is how to protect their own societies from attacks. The European External Action Service provides a blueprint for others to detect, understand and respond to the threats. We look predominantly at Russian and Chinese-backed interference because these are our own challenges. But the same approach can be applied to threats coming from any country. Fighting foreign information manipulation and interference is part of the Security and Defence Partnerships we have with many countries, a group that will soon include Australia, Iceland and Ghana. But again, we must do more. If you ask anyone anywhere, in a democracy or not, whether malign foreign interference in their country's information space is welcome, the answer is always no. Information integrity is a global public good. That is why I want to build an international coalition to protect the information space. Along with maritime security and AI governance, this is an area crying out for a collective response. There are important issues to address, including how free media is suppressed. Dear guests, The infrastructure our adversaries use is built like a house of cards. Our 2026 report outlines this well. We know who is behind the meddling, how they operate, whom they target, and what their vulnerabilities are. By taking a more assertive approach, online and offline, we can blow the house down. There is a role for everyone: Politicians and law enforcement must work together to break the business model and regulate the digital space. The European Union must keep supporting its neighbours, as we did for Moldova and will do in Armenia. Personally I will keep sharing our knowledge with our international partners and work on building a strong alliance of countries who want to fight for information integrity; And finally, there is a public duty to fight lies with the truth. Foreign information manipulation and interference is an attempt to leave citizens confused and in the dark. It erodes the very foundation of our democracies. Without information integrity - without reliable and fact-based information - we cannot make informed choices about anything from our health to the education of our children to the people we vote for. Yes, democracy is stronger on our continent than anywhere else in the world. Countries have safeguards that actually work - as we saw in Romania. And we have strength in our numbers. This worked in Moldova. But every national election is now a target of interference. 2026 could be a perfect storm in Europe. We must all stay on top of this fight. So get out there and spread the truth. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Esmail Khatib Minister of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2021-2026 Esmail Khatib served as Minister of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran from August 2021 until his death in an Israeli airstrike on 18 March 2026. He was the third senior Iranian official killed in two days during the Israeli counter-leadership campaign that had intensified in the third week of Operation Epic Fury -- preceding him by approximately 24 hours in death were Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Khatib's killing in a post on X, calling it a "cowardly assassination" alongside those of his colleagues. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the strike, describing Khatib as having been "responsible for the regime's internal repression and assassination apparatus, as well as for advancing external threats." Khatib was not primarily a spy in the tradecraft sense. His significance lay in the architecture of repression he helped construct and legitimize -- a governing logic that treated domestic dissent, foreign media activity, women's rights activism, and external intelligence operations as nodes in a single threat network requiring unified management. That framework, articulated by Khatib in public interviews during the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising of 2022-2023 and embedded in Ministry of Intelligence practice before and after, collapsed the distinction between political opposition and espionage that most security doctrines maintain. It made the intelligence ministry not merely an instrument of counterintelligence but an engine of political control, a role that placed Khatib at the center of some of the Islamic Republic's most consequential internal decisions during the final years of Khamenei's rule. His career traced a path through nearly every institutional node of the Islamic Republic's coercive apparatus. Born in Qaen, South Khorasan, in 1961, he entered seminary studies in Qom around 1975-76, studying under clerics who formed the ideological backbone of the revolutionary state, among them Ali Khamenei himself before Khamenei's ascent to supreme leadership. He held the clerical rank of Hujjat al-Islam -- proof of Islam -- a rank below Ayatollah but carrying substantial religious authority within the Islamic Republic's clerical-security hierarchy. When he took the intelligence ministry in 2021, he brought to it a depth of institutional experience no predecessor had matched, having passed through IRGC intelligence, MOIS provincial and national structures, the judiciary's protection apparatus, the Office of the Supreme Leader, and the Astan Quds Razavi shrine endowment in Mashhad before arriving at the ministerial desk. Formation and Early Service Khatib's military formation coincided with the founding trauma of the Islamic Republic. When Iraq under Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in September 1980, Khatib was nineteen years old and enrolled in Qom. He enlisted in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, joining the intelligence and operations unit at the direction of its founder Hassan Baqeri. He was wounded in combat -- a wound severe enough to end his deployment to the front -- and both his brother and his brother-in-law were killed. The combination of ideological formation in Qom under revolutionary clerics, combat service and its attendant losses, and early embedding in the IRGC intelligence apparatus produced the characteristic profile of the Islamic Republic's security generation: men whose loyalty to the system was forged in blood and reinforced by institutional career advancement through that system's structures. In 1985, Mohsen Rezaei, the first commander-in-chief of the IRGC, assigned Khatib formally to the IRGC intelligence unit, where he served until 1991. During this period Khatib was involved in one of the more consequential internal security episodes of the early Islamic Republic: the arrest and execution of Mehdi Hashemi, commander of the IRGC's Office of Liberation Movements and a figure closely connected to Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, then the designated successor to Khomeini. The Hashemi case intersected directly with the Iran-Contra affair: Hashemi or persons close to him were widely credited with leaking to Montazeri's office the details of the secret American-Iranian contacts that produced the arms-for-hostages arrangement, a leak that caused a major political crisis in Tehran when it was subsequently disclosed in a Lebanese newspaper. The Islamic Republic's response to the Hashemi case -- his trial, conviction on treason charges, and execution in 1987 -- was part of the process that removed Montazeri from succession consideration and consolidated Khamenei's eventual rise to supreme leadership. Khatib's role in the investigation and prosecution of Hashemi placed him among the security figures whose work shaped that succession outcome. The Qom Years and Institutional Ascent In 1991 Khatib moved from the IRGC intelligence structure to the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), taking charge of what was designated the Special Department for Movements in the ministry's Qom Province office -- a unit whose mandate was surveillance and suppression of clerical and political activity within the city that houses the Islamic Republic's most important seminary institutions. Qom presented a distinctive intelligence challenge: the same institutions that produced the regime's ideological legitimacy also produced the clerics who questioned or opposed it, and the distinction between legitimate theological inquiry and political dissidence was perpetually contested. Managing that terrain required what one parliamentary defender of Khatib's record described as "deftness" -- the ability to suppress genuine opposition while not triggering a broader confrontation with the clerical establishment whose cooperation the regime required. In November 1997, then-Minister of Intelligence Ali Fallahian appointed Khatib head of the MOIS regional branch in Qom, formalizing his authority over the province's intelligence apparatus. Fallahian's ministry was later implicated by a German court in the 1992 Mykonos restaurant assassinations in Berlin and in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires -- the worst terrorist attack in Argentine history. The period of Khatib's service in Qom under Fallahian's nominal authority was one of the most active in MOIS's history of external operations, though the specific contours of Khatib's personal involvement in Fallahian-era activities outside Iran are not established in the open record. Khatib remained head of the MOIS Qom department through approximately 2003, accumulating over a decade of experience in the city's distinctive intelligence environment. He was subsequently appointed to the Office of Supreme Leader Protection Organization in 2010 -- an assignment that demonstrated Khamenei's personal trust and placed Khatib in the orbit of the supreme leader's immediate security apparatus. From 2012 to 2019 he headed the Information Protection Center of the Judiciary, the branch responsible for protecting the judiciary's internal communications and personnel from penetration. Between June 2019 and August 2021 he ran security for Astan Quds Razavi, the endowment that administers the Imam Reza shrine complex in Mashhad -- one of the Islamic world's most visited pilgrimage sites and a financial institution of considerable significance to the Iranian state. Minister of Intelligence Ebrahim Raisi appointed Khatib as Minister of Intelligence on 25 August 2021, making him the eighth person to hold the post since MOIS was established in 1983. The appointment was notable on several dimensions. Khatib's predecessor, Mahmoud Alavi, had openly acknowledged on taking office under Rouhani that he had no intelligence experience; Khatib was his precise opposite in this respect, bringing more hands-on institutional experience across intelligence roles than any previous minister. The appointment also represented a deliberate alignment of the ministry with the IRGC's ideological and institutional culture -- Khatib had entered the intelligence world through the IRGC, maintained close ties to that organization throughout his career, and was seen as capable of reducing the friction between MOIS and the IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) that had periodically produced bureaucratic conflict and operational confusion. Western intelligence agencies had historically assessed MOIS as more professionally competent than IRGC-IO, with MOIS officers promoted on operational merit rather than ideological conformity. The CIA and Mossad viewed the expansion of IRGC-IO's role at MOIS's expense as a development that modestly improved their own position relative to Iranian intelligence, on the theory that ideologically selected organizations are less formidable as adversaries than professionally selected ones. Khatib's arrival at MOIS represented an effort to preserve MOIS's professional competence while tightening its ideological alignment with the supreme leader's priorities -- a combination that the appointment's architects presumably regarded as the best of both options. When Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May 2024 and Masoud Pezeshkian succeeded him as president, Pezeshkian retained Khatib in his cabinet -- an unusual decision, since Iranian presidents typically replace ministers inherited from their predecessors, and Pezeshkian's campaign had positioned him as a reformist candidate distinct from the Raisi administration's hardline profile. The retention was widely attributed to Khamenei's personal direction: Khatib was the supreme leader's man in the intelligence ministry, and changing him would have been read as a signal of reduced IRGC influence over the ministry that Khamenei was not prepared to send. Doctrine of Dissent-as-Espionage Khatib's most consequential contribution to the Islamic Republic's security apparatus was arguably doctrinal rather than operational. During the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising that followed the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022, Khatib gave an extended interview published on Khamenei's official website in which he articulated a framework that treated the protests not as a domestic political phenomenon but as a foreign-directed hybrid warfare operation requiring intelligence suppression rather than political negotiation. In this framing, protest organizers, foreign journalists, women's rights activists, human rights monitors, and foreign intelligence operatives were nodes in the same adversarial network, to be managed through the same intelligence and security tools. This was not simply rhetoric. It became operational doctrine. Under Khatib's ministry, MOIS conducted mass arrests of activists, journalists, and dual-nationality Iranians on charges of espionage or cooperation with foreign enemies. The ministry targeted Baha'i citizens in systematic operations -- between June and August 2022 alone, 64 Baha'i citizens were detained or had their businesses closed. The ministry expanded surveillance of exile communities and diaspora Iranians, mounting operations in multiple European countries and beyond to harass, monitor, and in some cases seek to abduct or harm individuals who had fled Iran. When a series of poisoning attacks targeted schoolgirls in Qom and other cities beginning in November 2022 -- attacks widely attributed to hardline elements seeking to punish the female student population for participation in protests -- Khatib's ministry failed to identify or prosecute perpetrators and issued statements blaming foreign enemies, a response that struck most observers as either deliberate obstruction or institutional complicity. The United States Treasury Department designated Khatib twice in September 2022, reflecting the breadth of his ministry's activities. The first designation, issued jointly with Treasury's sanctions against the IRGC's cyber command, held MOIS responsible for a destructive cyberattack against the Albanian government's digital infrastructure -- one of the more aggressive state-sponsored cyber operations of that period, which prompted Albania to expel Iran's diplomatic mission. The second designation, issued later the same month under separate human rights authorities, cited MOIS's targeting of human rights defenders, women's rights activists, journalists, filmmakers, and religious minorities, and its operation of secret detention centers where detainees were subjected to torture. The Execution Surge Khatib's tenure coincided with a sustained and documented escalation in Iran's use of the death penalty that exceeded any comparable period in the Islamic Republic's history. In the four full calendar years following his appointment, Iran carried out at least 4,000 executions: approximately 580 in 2022, 830 in 2023, 975 in 2024, and approximately 1,900 in 2025. The intelligence ministry did not bear sole or direct institutional responsibility for each execution -- death sentences are issued by the judiciary and carried out by the prison system -- but the security climate and the doctrine of dissent-as-espionage that Khatib's ministry propagated provided the political framework within which the surge occurred. Protest participants, individuals convicted of drug offenses used as pretextual charges against political targets, and members of ethnic and religious minorities constituted significant portions of those executed. External Operations and Cyber Activity Beyond Iran's borders, MOIS under Khatib was implicated in a range of operations against Iranian dissidents, foreign nationals, and governmental targets. European law enforcement services in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Denmark investigated and in some cases prosecuted Iranian intelligence operatives for surveillance operations, recruitment attempts, and in several cases plots to abduct or kill exiled opposition figures. The ministry's cyber operations extended beyond the Albania attack to include attempted intrusions against critical infrastructure targets in Israel, the United States, and Western Europe. MOIS also maintained operational relationships with a network of proxy assets distinct from but overlapping with the IRGC Qods Force's proxy network -- a parallel external intelligence capacity that gave the Islamic Republic redundancy in its overseas reach. Western assessments generally characterized Khatib's ministry as occupying a coordinating role in Iran's external intelligence picture rather than a commanding one. The IRGC-IO and the Qods Force maintained their own independent intelligence and operational capacities, and the relationship among these three organizations -- MOIS, IRGC-IO, and the Qods Force -- was characterized by competition for resources and authority as much as by coordination. Khatib's value in this environment was as a figure with credibility across institutional lines, capable of managing the friction that the overlapping mandates inevitably produced without resolving the structural tensions that generated it. Death and Strategic Context The Israeli strike that killed Khatib on 18 March 2026 was the third in a sequence of high-profile counter-leadership operations carried out by Israel within a 48-hour window. Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani had been killed the preceding day. The concurrent killing of three figures of ministerial or near-ministerial rank -- the national security council secretary, the Basij commander, and the intelligence minister -- within 48 hours represented an escalation in the Israeli counter-leadership campaign that had been building since the opening days of Operation Epic Fury on 28 February 2026 with the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei. Israeli Defense Minister Katz announced in the wake of Khatib's killing that the military had been authorized to strike senior Iranian officials on a target list without requiring case-by-case government approval -- a statement that framed the campaign as systematic rather than opportunistic. Prime Minister Netanyahu's comment -- "Today I erased two names on the punch card, and you see how many more to go on this batch" -- suggested a prepared target list of some length. The State Department had placed a $10 million reward on information regarding Iran's new supreme leader and other top officials including Khatib in the days before his death. The analytical question Khatib's killing raises is the one that applies to the broader counter-leadership campaign: whether removing a ministry-level official whose role was primarily systemic and doctrinal, rather than field-operational, degrades the ministry's function or merely opens the ministerial position for succession. The intelligence structures Khatib managed -- the provincial networks, the cyber operations units, the external operations apparatus, the detention system -- were institutionalized before his arrival and will continue under whatever successor the remnant Iranian leadership designates. His specific contribution, the doctrinal framework treating dissent as hybrid warfare, was already embedded in MOIS practice and in the broader security culture of the Islamic Republic. Killing the minister who articulated that doctrine does not retire the doctrine. References NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gholamreza Soleimani Gholamreza Soleimani's life and career ended abruptly on March 16 or 17, 2026 (around 26 Esfand 1404 in the Persian calendar), when Israeli forces conducted a precision strike in Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) publicly confirmed responsibility for eliminating Soleimani, describing him as the commander responsible for six years of leading what they characterized as the primary repression apparatus inside Iran. Reports indicated that his deputy, Seyyed Karishi, was also killed in the same operation. The strike represented a major escalation in the long-running shadow war between Israel and Iran's security establishment, targeting one of the most visible figures responsible for domestic control. Iranian authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive official statement confirming or denying the details, though Persian-language sources quickly reflected mourning announcements and acknowledgments of his martyrdom in regime-aligned media. Soleimani's death removed a key architect of the IRGC's internal security strategy at a moment of heightened regional tension. His elimination underscores the vulnerability of even high-ranking Iranian commanders in an era of advanced intelligence and precision weaponry employed by adversaries. Throughout his more than four decades of service, from a young volunteer in the Iran-Iraq War trenches to the helm of the Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani embodied the fusion of military loyalty, ideological zeal, and repressive capability that has sustained the Islamic Republic's power structure. His legacy remains deeply polarizing: celebrated as a martyr and guardian of the revolution by supporters, and condemned as a symbol of state violence by critics and victims of the crackdowns he oversaw. Gholamreza Soleimani was a prominent Iranian military figure who rose through the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to become one of its most influential commanders. Born in 1964 in the town of Farsan, located in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province of Iran during the era of the Pahlavi monarchy, Soleimani grew up in a period of significant political transformation in his country. The 1979 Islamic Revolution dramatically reshaped Iran's society, military structures, and ideological foundations, creating opportunities for young men from provincial backgrounds to advance rapidly within the newly established revolutionary institutions. From an early age, Soleimani demonstrated a commitment to the ideals of the revolution, which emphasized resistance against perceived external enemies and the preservation of Islamic governance. Soleimani officially joined the IRGC in the early 1980s, shortly after its formation as the primary military guardian of the Islamic Republic. The Iran-Iraq War (19801988) provided the crucible in which many future IRGC leaders, including Soleimani, forged their careers. Although specific details of his frontline experiences during that brutal eight-year conflict remain somewhat limited in public records, it is known that he participated in various operations and gained valuable combat experience. The war years were formative, instilling in him a deep sense of loyalty to the Supreme Leader and the revolutionary project. After the ceasefire with Iraq in 1988, Soleimani transitioned into peacetime roles within the IRGC's sprawling network of provincial commands and paramilitary structures. One of his earliest notable appointments came in the 1990s when he served as commander of the 57th Abolfazl Brigade in Lorestan Province between approximately 1998 and 2001 (13771380 in the Persian calendar). During this period, he also held leadership positions within the Lorestan Basij organization, gaining hands-on experience in managing the Basij's grassroots mobilization efforts. The Basij, formally known as the Basij Resistance Force or Niru-ye Moghavemat-e Basij, operates as a nationwide paramilitary volunteer militia under the IRGC's umbrella. It plays dual roles: supporting conventional military operations during external conflicts and, more prominently in recent decades, maintaining internal security and ideological conformity within Iran. Soleimani's time in Lorestan helped him build a reputation as an effective organizer capable of rallying large numbers of volunteers for both defense and domestic control purposes. In the early 2000s, Soleimani received a significant promotion when he was appointed commander of the 41st Thar-Allah Division (Lashkar-e 41 Sarallah), one of the IRGC's key units responsible for security in Tehran and surrounding areas. This division has historically been tasked with protecting the capital against potential internal unrest or external threats. Serving in this capacity from around 2001 to 2004 (13801383), Soleimani oversaw operations that reinforced the IRGC's dominance over urban security matters. His performance in these sensitive postings further elevated his standing within the Guard's hierarchy, marking him as a trusted officer aligned closely with the hardline faction of the regime. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Soleimani continued to accumulate experience in various provincial and specialized commands. He completed formal military education at the IRGC's Dafoos (University of Command and Staff), earning credentials that complemented his practical battlefield and administrative background. He also obtained a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Isfahan, reflecting a blend of ideological education and academic training common among mid-to-high-ranking IRGC officers. These qualifications positioned him well for higher leadership responsibilities as Iran's internal security challenges intensified in the post-2009 Green Movement era and amid recurring waves of nationwide protests. The turning point in Soleimani's career arrived in December 2019 (Azar 1398), when Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed him as the head of the Basij Organization, replacing Mohammad Reza Naqdi. This promotion came shortly after the violent suppression of widespread fuel-price protests in November 2019, during which security forces, including Basij units, faced international condemnation for using lethal force against demonstrators. As Basij commander, Soleimani oversaw an organization claiming millions of members, though active mobilized personnel numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Under his leadership, the Basij expanded its presence in neighborhoods, workplaces, universities, and cultural institutions, functioning as both an ideological enforcer and a rapid-response force for crowd control. During Soleimani's tenure from late 2019 until early 2026, the Basij played a central role in suppressing multiple rounds of anti-government demonstrations, most notably the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. Critics, including human rights organizations and Western governments, accused the Basij under his command of employing excessive violence, arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial measures to quell dissent. These actions led to international sanctions being imposed on Soleimani personally. The United States designated him in December 2021 under Executive Order 13553 for human rights abuses, followed by similar measures from the European Union in April 2021, the United Kingdom in 2022, and Australia. These sanctions froze any assets he might hold abroad and barred business dealings with him, reflecting the global view that he bore direct responsibility for repressive operations. Supporters within Iran's ruling establishment portrayed Soleimani as a dedicated defender of the Islamic Republic against foreign-backed "sedition" and internal threats to national stability. Official Iranian media frequently quoted him emphasizing the Basij's role in protecting the revolution's achievements, promoting Islamic values, and countering cultural infiltration by Western influences. He regularly participated in public ceremonies, Friday prayers, and ideological gatherings, reinforcing the narrative of grassroots loyalty to the Supreme Leader. Soleimani also oversaw Basij initiatives in economic self-sufficiency projects, cultural resistance programs, and youth indoctrination efforts, extending the organization's reach far beyond purely military or policing functions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Contracts Contracts for March 17, 2026 DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX Corp., East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded an estimated $470,000,000 firm-fixed-price with incentives, requirements-type contract for remanufacture of F100 engine modules. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1. This is a three-year base contract with one three-year option period and one four-year option period. Location of performance is Georgia, with a March 16, 2029, performance completion date. Using customers are Foreign Military Sales to Chile, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Jordan. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2029 Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (SPRHA1-26-D-0001). Direct Energy Business LLC, Houston, Texas, has been awarded an estimated $17,885,597 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for retail electricity and ancillary/incidental supply and delivery services. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is May 31, 2028. Using customer is Navy. The using customer is solely responsible for funding this contract and funds vary in appropriation type and fiscal year. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE604-26-D-8007). Federal Prison Industries Inc.,** Washington, D.C., has been awarded a maximum $12,686,400 firm-fixed, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for cold weather carrier canteens. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Mississippi, with a March 16, 2029, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2029 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-26-D-F001). AIR FORCE KBR Wyle Services, LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $95,119,456 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for digital engineering and enterprise decision support. This contract provides for a comprehensive understanding of the various trade-off decisions during the capability acquisition lifecycle utilizing both software and model-based system engineering. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by March 17, 2031. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $561,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Warfare Directorate, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-26-C-X006). NAVY Ashford Leebcor Enterprises IV LLC, Williamsburg, Virgina (N69450-22-D-0002); CCI Solutions LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (N69450-22-D-0003); Dawson Enterprises LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii (N69450-22-D-0004); P&S Construction Inc., North Chelmsford, Massachusetts (N69450-22-D-0005); Southeastern Industrial Barlovento JV-2, Destin, Florida (N69450-22-D-0006); VHB LLC, Boyds, Maryland (N69450-22-D-0007); Walga Ross Group 3, Joplin, Missouri (N69450-22-D-0008); and Webb LLC, Springfield, Virgina (N69450-22-D-0009), are awarded a combined-maximum-value $93,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the capacity of their respective, previously-awarded contracts for general building type projects. Award of this modification brings the total cumulative value for all eight contracts combined to $504,000,000. Work will be performed in Florida (40%); and Georgia (60%), is expected to be completed by November 2026. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Tukwila, Washington, was awarded a $38,670,859 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N0001926F0190) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0006). This order is to develop and install an updated software load for the Republic of Korea P-8A aircraft. The new software will consist of updated fleet release for the Tactical Open Mission Software version 105K to include diminishing manufacture sources and material shortages improvements, Multi-Static Active Coherent and Harpoon II capabilities. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington (45%); Huntington Beach, California (30%); St. Louis, Missouri (10%); Patuxent River, Maryland (10%); and Pohang, South Korea (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2029. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $38,670,859 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded on March 13, 2026). Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $26,257,128 modification to a previously awarded contract (N62742-22-C-3507) for support services to Department of War components. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $156,367,882. Work will be performed primarily in the Philippines, and may include other locations in Southeast Asia, and is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,445,746 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, Melbourne, Florida, was awarded an $11,980,190 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-22-C-6418) to exercise options for safety, logistics, engineering and depot support for airborne laser mine detection systems. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $796,788 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. ARMY Chimes DC, Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded a $46,073,926 firm-fixed-price contract for post-wide facilities custodial support services, including all management, tools, equipment, and labor necessary. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 17, 2026. Army 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W91247-26-D-A001). Hadrian Automation Inc., Torrance, California, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for advanced automation manufacturing. The amount of this action is $39,200,000 with a total cumulative face value of $80,000,000. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Texarkana, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2027. Fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $39,200,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911RQ-26-C-A011). Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $38,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for mission support for the planning, coordination, and execution of training exercises. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of March 3, 2034. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $38,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91QF4-26-C-A001). Sevenson Environmental Services Inc.,* Niagara Falls, New York, was awarded a $17,977,777 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2031. Fiscal 2026 civil construction funds in the amount of $17,977,777 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, is the contracting activity (W912BU-26-C-A012). *Small business ** Mandatory Source https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4436603/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Hope' for Haiti's political future as some 300 groups reportedly register for upcoming elections By Daniel Dickinson 16 March 2026 - Haiti remains mired in a multidimensional crisis marked by weak institutions, political uncertainty, widespread gang violence and overwhelming humanitarian needs, but a recent new agreement by political groups offers "a moment of hope and progress for the Haitian people", according to the UN's most senior official in the Caribbean country. Elections have not been held since a protracted electoral cycle from 2015-2017 which brought the late President Jovenel Moise to power. Haiti has not had an elected president since he was assassinated in 2021. A succession of interim administrations have taken on the responsibility to govern as the country waits to hold elections. The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, who is based in the capital Port-au-Prince said that the new National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections was a "significant political act". He added that it met Haitian priorities for "the restoration of security, the organization of credible elections and the re-establishment of democratic governance". Why the political situation matters A stable government will be essential for improving the daily life of the people of Haiti. Weak governance and the insecurity that leads to, has enabled armed gangs to expand territorial control, undermine the rule of law, and carry out atrocious human rights abuses. These have included killings (more than 8,100 were documented in 2025), kidnap for ransom, the recruitment of children and sexual violence with collective rapes of women and girls. Gang violence has also led to the displacement of an estimated 1.5 million people, many of whom were already suffering from high levels of poverty - a situation which has been exacerbated by economic collapse. Haiti's protracted political transition is not an isolated domestic issue but has ramifications for regional stability such as the trafficking of drugs and weapons by gangs and the migration of its citizens overseas. So when could elections be held? The UN with the international community has always maintained that any durable political solution needs to be a Haitian-led process. The authorities are being supported in their efforts to organise and hold municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections. The current Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime has reportedly said they will be held by the end of the year. What is the international community saying? The UN Security Council is the key multilateral organization alongside the OAS (the Organization of American States) and CARICOM (Caribbean Community) - a regional organization of Caribbean States working with Haiti to find solutions to its longstanding challenges. The Security Council which is made up of 15 Member States of the UN meets at least four times a year to discuss the situation in Haiti. In its latest resolution it urged "all Haitian stakeholders to come to an agreement over the future governing structure," while expressing "deep concern about the lack of progress" in achieving a political transition. The resolution also notes recent institutional steps, including the 2025 decree establishing specialised judicial bodies to address corruption, gang violence, and sexual crimes, reforms seen as essential to restoring the rule of law and political credibility. Despite these initiatives, ongoing insecurity, the weakness of Haitian institutions as well as political fragmentation continue to delay progress toward elections and constitutional governance. What is the role of the United Nations? The UN is playing a central political and coordinating role through the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, often known by its French acronym, BINUH. The mission is led by Carlos Ruiz Massieu and has a mandate until January 2027. The Security Council stresses that the mission's "good offices" role is critical for enabling a transparent Haitian-led transition. BINUH is distinct from, but works alongside: UNSOH (the United Nations Support Office in Haiti) mandated to provide logistical, technical and administrative support to the UN-backed and council-mandated Gang Suppression Force (GSF). UN agencies, like UNDP, UNICEF and the World Food Programme, which provide humanitarian and development assistance How is the UN responding? UN support to Haiti's transition focuses on integrating political assistance with security, justice and human rights initiatives including: facilitation of a national dialogue and the constitutional process including ensuring a peaceful transfer of power support for justice reform and specialised courts addressing corruption and mass crimes assistance to judicial institutions and prison administration support for designing a Haitian-led disarmament, dismantlement, and reintegration (DDR) programme coordination with international partners to reduce community violence monitoring and reporting human rights abuses, including sexual violence support to national authorities to strengthen human rights protections What happens next? 2026 comes with high expectations for the holding of long over-due elections. An electoral calendar sets the first round of legislative and presidential elections for 20 August and a second round, if necessary, coupled with municipal elections on 6 December. According to media reports, around 300 political parties or groups have registered to participate in the elections. To meet these deadlines, progress is needed to stabilise the security environment and create conditions conducive to holding a fair vote. The UN continues to facilitate dialogue, support elections, strengthen justice institutions and promote accountability, but progress ultimately depends on Haitian stakeholders reaching consensus. Political differences need to be overcome to improve security, reduce displacement and avoid economic collapse. A credible political transition is essential for national recovery. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia 17 March, 2026 On March 17, within the framework of the official visit to Oman, in Muscat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi. The interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues on the development of cooperation between Armenia and Oman. The Foreign Minister of Oman highly appreciated the decision of the Foreign Minister of Armenia to visit Muscat despite the current complex regional situation, describing the visit as historic. Ararat Mirzoyan expressed his gratitude for the organization of the visit and, in particular, for the readiness and support shown in opening the resident Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, emphasizing that the visit reflects Armenia's strong interest in developing multifaceted relations with Oman and the countries of the region at large. Both sides emphasized that Armenia's decision to open a resident embassy in Oman constitutes an important milestone on the path toward further deepening bilateral relations. With a view to enriching the bilateral agenda and fully realizing the existing potential between Armenia and Oman, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest. In this context, they exchanged views on the expansion of the legal framework and the implementation of concrete initiatives in the fields of economy, trade, education, and culture. In terms of promoting people-to-people contacts, the importance of the decision of visa waver, as well as the launch of regular direct flights, was emphasized. During the meeting, Minister Mirzoyan expressed appreciation for the effective cooperation in organizing eight direct MuskatYerevan flights organized since February 28, through which around 550 citizens of the Republic of Armenia have returned home. Ararat Mirzoyan and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, highlighting the importance of prioritizing diplomacy in efforts toward its settlement, and expressing concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure and the resulting casualties. Emphasizing the importance of peace, Minister Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the steps aimed at further institutionalizing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Minister Mirzoyan made an entry in the book of honorary guests of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman: "It was my absolute honour and privilege to be the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to visit the Sultanate of Oman, country which is the true believer of diplomacy and advocate of peace." In Muscat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi signed a Memorandum of Understanding on holding political consultations between Foreign Ministries of the two countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump issues broadside against NATO allies for Iran war refusal Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC) 17.03.2026 [20:47] Baku, March 17, AZERTAC President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies on Tuesday for refusing to join Washington's military operation against Iran, claiming that the US does not need the help of any country, Anadolu Agency reports. "The United States has been informed by most of our NATO 'Allies' that they don't want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that it came "despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing." Trump said he was not "surprised," stating he "always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street - We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need." The president claimed sweeping military success against Iran, arguing that "Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again!" He said that due to military success, the US "no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance WE NEVER DID!," nor that of Japan, Australia or South Korea. "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE," said Trump. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Zuna's address in the "Our Security Cannot be Taken for Granted" Conference Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 17.3.2026 Author: MoD Press Section The Prague Castle was the venue to the 13th edition of the conference titled "Our Security cannot be taken for Granted". Since 2014, the conference has been a regular meeting point for political leaders and prominent security experts to review the development and outline plans for the next course of action in providing the Czech Republic's national defence and security posture. The keynote speakers included Czech Defence Minister Jaromir Zuna. Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. I am delighted to attend this conference and to have the opportunity to salute you on behalf of the whole Czech Ministry of Defence in the role of the Defence Minister. I am very grateful to the Chairman of Jagello 2000, Mr. Zbynek Pavlacik, for having invited me. I would also like to thank the organisers and supporters for organising this conference that has already become a traditional event in our schedules. I trust we are all proud, as citizens and representatives of the security community, that an event like this is held in the Czech Republic, moreover hosted in the beautiful premises of the Prague Castle. I am also using this opportunity to thank very much all service personnel and defence civilians of the Ministry of Defence, who were involved in planning, preparing and executing the operation that evacuated our citizens from the Middle East region under crisis. The Czech Armed Forces performs missions and has available systems, support and conditions we have never dreamt of in the past. This is great news as we perceive the negative development trend in the security environment and the ever broader variety of risks and threats such development poses to our country. In line with the program statement of our Government, it is our aim to provide national security, stability of public finance and a functional state capable of protecting its citizens even in crisis situations. National defence is one of the Government's key priorities in this context. Current conflicts and crises show the criticality of, for instance, high-quality air defence, strategic stockpiles of ammunition, operational public warning system, well-exercised emergency management system as well as resilient society and infrastructure, new operational domains and the like. Those areas rank among the Government's priorities and the present ongoings prove that they are well identified. The prepared ground-based air defence concept focuses on covering critical defence infrastructures and population protection and envisions building multilayer air defences to cover the whole state territory. The associated expenditures will be very high. We need to achieve consensus to be willing and able to allocate and reasonably invest the funding. Therefore, we must not reduce the perspective of the requirement for building our armed forces and strengthening national defence and security down to formal indicators. We should rather proceed using practical measures realised in acceptable timeframes, which will indeed strengthen our military and answer the current national security requirements. What comes to my mind in this respect is one rare text by Professor Matlary, which entertains reflexions, forces and interests in transatlantic relations between Europe and the United States, where she wrote already back then: "Military power is employed more than in the Cold War era and is utilised as a Clausewitz instrument of policy; it is employed along with other instruments in an increasing number of countries." That was in 2004. In retrospect, we have now witnessed a true escalation of strategic competition on the global scale, while incoming multipolarity sees rivalry push out cooperation, international standards and rules questioned, commodities and process securitised - that has been discussed by the Vice Prime Minister - which are essential for socio-economic stability of the state and provision of national security, as new vulnerabilities and dependencies surface as a result. At the same time, the United States have taken steps in line with their strategy for Europe to bear the brunt of responsibility for the security of its region, all of which forces both NATO and the EU to adapt and to change approaches and policies. Although this need not necessarily have been the case should we have consistently adhered to traditional conservative schools of building military and providing national security and defence and should we have not been carried away by arguments for momentary purposes to which we subordinated practically everything through the perspective of the DOTMLPFI methodology - military personnel and you all know what the acronym means. That is why seeking a new balance in the system costs us so much effort, resources and political implications. That is the balancing Minister Havlicek spoke about. The quality of strategies is always based on whether we are able to ask ourselves the right questions. I hope we will be able to incorporate the right questions in the contents of the newly developed concepts of the Ministry of Defence. For example, one such questions is, in identifying the long-term direction of the armed forces development, what is based on defence spending and what is directly not. While defence spending grew by 400 % between 2014-2025, why did it not reflect adequately in combat value and readiness level and modernisations of the armed forces? Why are we presently not achieving the tempo of modernisation and armed forces developments we had in the first five year of transitioning to all-volunteer force for example? And I could pose many questions like that. While we were able to plan the building of the heavy brigade with budget around CZK 80 billion, when the budget sprang up to 160 billion, we postponed the realisation of a variety of measures by eight years. The answers to these questions naturally do exist. But not in the form of phrases, but in the form of data and facts. In this connection, I recall a discussion between Michail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher in an international forum, where she said: "If the natural relation that countries' wealth depends on raw material resources would apply, Russia would be a paradise and Hong Kong a village of fishing huts today. But it is completely the other way round, because it is mainly about the life we decide to live." And it is about such principal questions. We have essentially known for a long time that the potential of purely staff procedures in the development of strategic documents has already been exhausted. And that is why the language of our concepts is ever more formal. That NATO ranks in the category of asymmetric alliances we know from textbooks, which, at the end of the day, we wrote here in the Czech Republic too. The transfer of responsibility to European Allies for defence of security on one hand and the U.S. pivot and revitalisation of the structure of Cold War military alliances in the Indo-Pacific on the other hand is something we have also known from the end of the 1990s. It is therefore not acceptable to hide behind phrases that we have not been aware of those crucial changes and that we consequently made ill-informed decisions on the direction of building and strengthening our defence and security. We are therefore confident that the solution is not that much in revising our defence policies, but returning to it - to the real policy of modernisation and building a national defence system that will represent, from our perspective, the following: Strong, modern and credible armed forces represent one of the key pillars of national sovereignty, security of citizens and performance of international commitments. It is therefore a high priority of our Government to build highly professional, technologically advanced and effectively managed armed forces that will be capable of efficiently defending the territory of the Czech Republic and its citizens while contributing to NATO collective defence. And there is naturally a considerable price tag to it. In this context, we are performing a revision of strategic policies and defence goals. We will particularly focus on real needs of defending the territory, airspace and citizens of the Czech Republic. Our priority is for our readiness to meet the whole spectrum of current and future security threats with greater accentuation of internal threats too. In the doctrinal domain, we are going to focus on the implementation of modern trends in military science and systemic strengthening of Article 3 of the Washington Treaty. This effort will naturally represent the revision of crisis management and defence legislation to better meet the current security environment and NATO requirements. In the organisational and structural domain, progressive changes are underway to create conditions for delivering the Czech Republic's political-military ambitions depending on security situation developments. In the years ahead, these changes will be one of the most visible manifestations of defence transformation. That is also linked with the fact that the scope of commitments and political-military ambitions the Czech Republic undertook as part of NATO Capability Targets 2025 do not fit in the current structure anymore - figuratively speaking - and we will need to perform an organisational redesign to be able to integrate and implement them. In personnel management, we will exert effort to strengthen forms of professional training, which are key for the armed forces' functionality, with concurrent adaptation of the personnel training system to answer the planned growth of personnel strength as well as personnel qualification requirements. Unlike in the recent past, this will also pertain to the training of reserve force commanders, staffs and specialists. Without qualified, motivated and sufficiently numerous personnel, the Czech Republic will not be able to deliver its political-military ambitions. Armed Forces modernisation will maintain its continuity and tempo in line with long-term plans. Development of specific capabilities of the armed forces encompasses the introduction of advanced air defence systems, unmanned aerial systems, strengthening of land forces and modernisation of key infrastructure, including airbases. The digitalisation and modernisation of defence system continue, particularly in the domain of command and control systems, and communication infrastructure. Research and development of advanced technologies will play an important role in this process. Defence funding will be based on the principles of accountability, transparency and foreseeability. A sustained implementation of new and smart financing instruments is a precondition for the transition to a flexible, economic and effective realisation of strategic and major armaments projects. An urgent task is a revision of crisis management and defence legislation that must be aligned with the current security threats and risks. Harmonisation of crisis management will be verified through national and NATO training exercises. The Czech Armed Forces Development Concept will be based on the principle that the professional armed forces, the active reserve component and the general reserve component comprise a single integrated entity. Strategic defence planning will reflect in the Long-term Outlook for Defence 2040 and the 2040 Czech Armed Forces Development Concept. Defence financing will derive from the statutory framework that provides for minimum defence spending at 2 % GDP and the reflection of current national security needs. At the same time, a new component will be established in the MoD in 2026, whose mission will be to perform effective investment of funding and process management of instruments of NATO (NSIP, NATO CP) and the EU (EDIP, SAFE, VFR 28+) designed for strengthening defence posture of the member countries and the European defence industry. With our capacities, we will work to interlink the defence community with deep-tech / start-up communities through our participation in the DIANA accelerator and the Czech Defence Hub. An experimental unit will be formed with the task to verify new technologies for military applications. We very much welcome the developments in dual-use technology financing by capital funds. In cooperation with the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, the Czech MoD will pursue the PRODEF program to support the development of emerging and disruptive technologies. International cooperation will consistently perform the commitment to sustain and cultivate good relations with neighbouring countries and allies. We will emphasise practical cooperation in traditional areas such as training, defence planning, logistics, crisis management, interoperability and performance of roles in NATO structures - as well as in highly current domain, which is cooperation on armed forces modernisation. As I pointed out on multiple occasions, we have a great potential in our armed forces, economy, defence industry, the whole national security system and indeed in our country in general, which will be the basis for our joint course of action in further building the armed forces and strengthening our national defence posture. Let us try and harness it to a maximum extent. My aim will be to motivate people to achieve the goals of this vision for whose delivery we may have neither solutions nor enough resources yet. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your attention and I wish every success to this year's conference that is a unique platform for our mutual expert interaction as well as a source of important information and public diplomacy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 17, 2026 By David Vergun, Pentagon News War Department Senior Leaders Prioritize Western Hemispheric Security The War Department is prioritizing security in the Western Hemisphere, which is integral to U.S. homeland defense, said Joseph M. Humire, performing the duties of assistant secretary of war for homeland defense and Americas security affairs, who spoke today during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington. Joint Task Force Southern Border helped seal the Southwest border in record time through deterrence and close partnership with federal law enforcement, he said, adding that "border security is national security." The department has deployed more than 12,000 service members along the border and has established six national defense areas covering 845 miles, or 42% of the border across Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Border security is augmented by cutting-edge technology and infrastructure, including counter-unmanned aerial systems and additional miles of border barrier. Over the last 14 months the department has helped reverse record illegal mass migration into the lowest recorded border encounters in history, Humire said. "This past January marked the fourth consecutive month decline in border apprehensions, with figures 93% below the historic average," he added. The department is also focused on issues beyond the border. "For the first time in history, the department is going on the offense against designated terrorist organizations and other major cartels in our hemisphere," he said. Operation Southern Spear is providing deterrence against narco-terrorism threats in the Americas. Since the operation began, there has been a 30% reduction of drug vessel movements in the Caribbean and a 25% reduction in the Eastern Pacific. Flows of fentanyl, which Humire called a "weapon of mass destruction," have dropped by 56% and cocaine flows by 20%. "That means there are less Americans dying from deadly drugs that have been poisoning our communities and our children for years. In fact, overall, inside the United States, we've seen a 20% decline in U.S. drug overdoses in the last year," he said. The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a partnership of South American and Caribbean nations formed earlier this month, is aimed at rooting out narco-terrorism threats through deterrence-focused operations, Humire said. As of last week, Chile became the 18th member of that coalition. This month, Ecuador became the first country to conduct joint land strikes in Latin America against cartel infrastructure, bringing collective hard power against cartels and increasing burden sharing. The department is also securing "key terrain, from Alaska to Greenland in the Arctic to the Gulf of America and the Panama Canal and surrounding countries," Humire said. During the hearing, Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said NORAD and Northcom are taking on new missions and rapidly implementing innovative approaches to safeguard North America. That approach includes deterring adversaries and defending against all threats in all domains, from intercepting long-range bombers off the coasts of Alaska and Canada, tracking advanced maritime platforms in the approaches to North America, and standing ready to defend against long-range missile attacks, the general said, providing some examples of Northcom's focus: The stand-up of Joint Task Force Gold to address security posed by unmanned aerial systems. The command is designated as the department synchronizer for counter-small UAS activities in the continental U.S. Developed a rapidly deployable counter-small UAS fly-away kit to defend critical installations and employ innovative technologies to protect U.S. personnel. Accelerated the development of new counter-small UAS technologies in partnership with industry, with the aim of providing security in the Arctic. The general said that Northcom and NORAD are participating in joint and combined exercises with allies and partners, such as Arctic Edge and Noble Defender. "Trusted relationships are a cornerstone of regional security and homeland defense," he added. Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, spoke during the hearing about his command's development of four imperatives: Strengthening hemispheric command and control by redesigning Southcom headquarters for strategic level operations at range, speed and scale. Imposing total systemic friction on drug cartels and terrorist networks with the help of partner nations. Developing and fielding cost-effective technology for warfighters, who are aided by autonomous systems, human machine teaming and all-domain awareness and data sharing for U.S. and partner forces. Denying adversarial footholds and undoing influence in the hemisphere, including preventing their ability to position forces or other capabilities that threaten the homeland or regional partners and challenge access to key terrain like the Panama Canal and its approaches. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address W International Companies Agree to Pay $10.5M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Overcharging the Air Force and the Navy for Weld Tables Tuesday, March 17, 2026 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The Justice Department today announced that W International LLC, W International SC LLC, Precision Metal Equipment Handling LLC, and Edward Walker (collectively, "Defendants") have agreed to pay $10.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that they knowingly overcharged the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy for weld tables. W International LLC, a Michigan company, and W International SC LLC, a South Carolina company, were both engaged in the business of industrial welding and metal fabrication. Edward Walker was the Chief Executive Officer of both companies. Precision Metal Equipment Handling LLC is a Michigan company that manufactured weld tables for W International SC LLC. "Contractors and subcontractors are expected to charge no more than authorized under their contracts with the military," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "We will continue to ensure the government gets the prices it bargained for on defense contracts." "Exploiting the procurement process for our military's necessary materials unduly increases the burden on taxpayers," said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. "We'll continue to work with our partners to support our service members and protect our taxpayers." "To meet global demands, the Navy must accelerate shipbuilding. However, contractors who overcharge betray the public's trust and undermine this critical mission," said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. "NCIS and our partners are committed to protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring every dollar is spent in accordance with the contract." "As the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is steadfastly committed to protecting the integrity of DoD's procurement process and holding contractors accountable," said Christopher Dillard, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "Fraud on DoD contracts diverts critical taxpayer resources away from our warfighters. DCIS will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who seek to exploit the system for personal gain." The allegations resolved by the settlement concern federal funds provided to W International SC to refurbish and equip a large-scale welding facility. As part of that effort, the United States alleges, the Defendants submitted or caused to be submitted claims for payment that overcharged for weld tables supplied for the facility. Funding for the project was provided through the Defense Production Act pursuant to a U.S. Air Force Technology Investment Agreement, and as Supplier Development Funds pursuant to a Navy prime contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat. The allegations resolved by this settlement arose from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act under which private citizens can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, John Klausmeier, a former employee of W International SC LLC, to receive $1,863,750 as his share of the settlement. This case was handled by the Department of Justice's Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch; the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The matter was handled by Senior Trial Attorney Greg Pearson of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Leventis for the District of South Carolina. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Klausmeier v. W International, LLC, Civil Action number 22-cv-1774 in U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Topic: False Claims Act Components: Civil Division USAO - South Carolina Press Release Number: 26-259 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint statement by High Representative/Vice President Kallas and Commissioner Lahbib on Kabul rehabilitation centre strike European External Action Service (EEAS) 17.03.2026 EEAS Press Team The strike on a medical facility in Kabul is another deadly escalation in a conflict that needs to end as soon as possible. Civilian and medical facilities must never be targeted as they are protected under International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions. All parties engaged in military operations have the obligation to respect these provisions under all circumstances. We call on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible measures to minimise the risk of harming civilians. The EU joins calls by the international community for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan's de facto authorities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Affairs Council: Press conference by High Representative Kaja Kallas European External Action Service (EEAS) 17.03.2026 Brussels Press and information team of the Delegation to MOLDOVA First, we had the discussion on the European Security Strategy. It is clear that the security environment is changing fast, and we cannot respond with emergency summits alone. We need a long-term policy, and that is why we had the first exchange of views with the Ministers today. So, we will take a broad view of security, linking defence, but also energy supply chains and other policy areas. Member States will shape this security strategy from the start. And today we focus the discussion on principles, scope, priorities. And an updated joint threat assessment will be also basis for the strategy. Then we discussed the war on Ukraine. Moscow stands to gain from higher energy prices and the diversion of air defences from Ukraine to the Middle East. Ministers were clear that Ukraine remains a European top security priority and attention for Ukraine will not be allowed to fizzle out. The same drones that are hitting Kyiv are hitting the states of the Gulf, so as Ukraine has the best drone defences, we also discussed briefly how we can put these things together: the needs for the Gulf countries, but also the needs of Ukraine and the defence sector and industry. Russia keeps spilling the war over to its neighbours. Russia strikes on Ukrainian hydro power plant threatened to contaminate Moldova's water supply. We are supporting Moldova with equipment aid and satellite imagery. Following the US decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil, Europe will maintain sanctions and continue to move away from Russian fossil fuels. If we want this war to end, Moscow must have less money for the war, not more. Dialling up pressure on Russia's shadow fleet is one of the best tools we have. I commend France, Belgium and also Sweden for boarding and seizing falsely flagged tankers. It is time for the gloves to come off on Russia's shadow fleet. On the EU side, the adoption of the 20th sanctions package is long overdue. We discussed how to push this forward. The same goes for the 90 billion loan. Those who enable this war are also paying a price. Member States renewed sanctions on over 2,600 individuals, and today, Ministers also adopted new sanctions targeting those seeking to destabilise the European Union. We also listed new entities in China and Iran responsible for the cyber-attacks. Then we had the discussion and exchange of views with the Foreign Minister of India. It was very timely, because they are also very much affected by the war in the Middle East. We discussed in broader terms the world order and also, what more we can do to keep a world order that is based on some kind of rules. And also regarding, freedom of navigation and how to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. And then we had the discussion on the Middle East. Two weeks of war have degraded Iran's military capabilities but also generated damaging security and economic shock waves. Iran is now waging war on the global economy. Ministers reaffirmed today that our focus is de-escalation and also freedom of navigation. I also discussed with UN Secretary General Guterres and many others over the past days, how to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Europe has no interest in an open-ended war. Following the regime's deadly crackdown in January, the EU designated the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation, and today, we imposed additional sanctions on those responsible for the violence. This sends a message to Tehran that Iran's future cannot be built on repression. We must step up our support also to the Iranian civil society. This is not Europe's war, but Europe's interests are directly at stake. As this war expands, the EU's priority remains the protection of our citizens. We have evacuated more than 30,000 from the region, many on the flights also funded and organised by the European Union. Now, restarting the shipments of fertilisers, food and energy through the Strait of Hormuz is another urgent priority. Today, we discussed options to better protect the shipping in the region. The EU already has naval operations in place. We have ASPIDES that plays a key role in safeguarding freedom of navigation. There was in our discussions a clear wish to strengthen this operation. But for the time being, there was no appetite in changing the mandate of operation ASPIDES - for now. While the Strait of Hormuz is at the centre stage, the Red Sea also remains critical. The risk that Houthis get involved is real, so we must remain vigilant. Then, in Lebanon, Hezbollah has dragged the country into a war that is not its own. The Lebanese people are paying the price for Hezbollah's attacks. But Israel's heavy-handed response has caused mass displacement, and ground invasion will further deteriorate the situation. The EU will provide 100 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon. We also continue to support the Lebanese Armed Forces to disarm Hezbollah. The situation in Gaza and the West Bank is also worsening rapidly. Both the humanitarian situation and the political horizon are moving to the wrong direction. Progress on implementing the Gaza peace plan has been stalled, and the EU will continue to press for improved humanitarian access, de-escalation and also support for the Palestinian Authority's reforms. Next month, I will co-chair a Global Alliance meeting to address all these issues. Ministers also reviewed the progress on the Pact for the Mediterranean ahead of the leaders' meeting in Nicosia next month. We are preparing to hold the EU Mediterranean Regional Security Forum to coordinate issues such as maritime security, but also counter terrorism. And finally, following the request from Armenia, the EU will deploy a Hybrid Rapid Response Team to help counter the threats ahead of the country's elections. Supporting democratic resilience in our neighbourhood remains essential. We will not leave Armenia to face foreign interference alone. Democracies under pressure can count on Europe. Ministers also discussed a wide range of issues, including further democratic deterioration in Georgia, but we will go into more details in the next FAC. I will stop here so that we also have time for questions. Q&A Q. You just say that you had discussed the option to better protect the shipping in the region, but on the other hand, you said that Member States have no appetite to change the mandate of the mission the EU has in the region. So could you elaborate a bit on the option you might finally take? And second question, if I may; can you also tell us what kind of guidance you received from the Member States on the European Security Strategy you discussed this morning. Thank you. First, the shipping in the region. This is not Europe's war - this situation in the region. We have the operation ASPIDES, as I said, in the Red Sea. The discussion was that it should be strengthened, because it does not have too many naval assets. It should have more. But the discussion on whether we are also extending this mandate to cover the Strait of Hormuz, to go north from the Muscat line, there was no appetite from the Member States to do that. As I said, nobody wants to go actively in this war. And of course, everybody is concerned what will be the outcome. What was stressed as well was the diplomatic outreach to have solutions. We were also discussing with the Minister from India what kind of experience they have in this regard, and whether there could be possibilities to take this forward. On the Security Strategy, I have already received a lot of non papers from Member States. Member States were stressing what is important. What they were also saying is that we should not duplicate the documents we have in place. We should rather focus also on the implementation and address the new concerns that we have right now. We are in a very, very initial phase of this work, so it was really a mapping exercise to listen from the Member States what are their concerns. And I also encouraged all Member States to come up with the papers. So, if we have all of them, we can take them all together and put this forward. What I want to see is that it is short and political, not covering all the aspects. But let us see what comes out. Q. Madam High Representative, I have a couple of questions, one on Iran, one on the West Bank. On the West Bank and in Gaza, the killing is ongoing. Yesterday, a family of four persons have been killed in their car, on their way just to buy things for the end of Ramadan. Among these four persons were just two children, and they were killed by the army. The killing is ongoing in Gaza. My question is: Don't you think that you are not pressing Israel enough, and that this war is diverting the international attention, the European attention from the situation in the West Bank and Gaza? On in Iran if you do not mind, the chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said this afternoon, that the core lesson drawn from her investigation is that the military action does not provide accountability, nor does it bring meaningful change in Iran. Instead, it is risking to intensify the domestic repression. After the discussion, could you enlighten us? What is the political objective? Is there any in this war, if you have got some conclusion on that in this meeting? Thank you Yes, it is true that this new war in the Middle East is diverting the attention away from what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank. And Ministers also raised this issue, because we see that this momentum is used to again hinder the humanitarian access, humanitarian aid getting into Gaza. The second phase of the peace plan is totally stalled, so we have to keep this up, the attention there. And also the violent settlers, I mean killing people without accountability, this is a major, major problem. And that is why there was also, again, this call that we have the sanctions on the violent settlers on the table. 26 countries want this, one is blocking. That is the sad reality that we have. On the military action, the goals of this military action need to be given by those who have started this war. Europe is not part of this war. We have not started this war and the political objectives are unclear. Of course, we talk to different parties. But with wars, it is easy to start, very hard to stop, and also it gets very messy, it gets out of hand. What we see right now, in terms of the economic consequences, 20% of the world's energy - I mean, oil and gas - goes through the Strait of Hormuz. It is affecting Asia, mostly. Fertilisers are going through the Strait of Hormuz. It is affecting Asia, but also Africa. If we do not have fertilisers now this year, we will have a famine next year. So, it is a very, very big war with many consequences, and that is why we are also reaching out to our partners, how we can collectively convince the warring parties to stop. So we are working on that. Q. While you were talking, the Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said that the Strait is only closed for Iran's enemies. Could that be a basis for a diplomatic solution? This was also the discussion that we had with the Foreign Minister of India. And as I said, we are working on the diplomatic solutions. Now, the problem is, of course, it is also that there are so many players at stake when it comes to the shipping. You have the insurance companies who are also reading papers and saying that there is a huge risk, so the prices go up. There are also the crews of the ships. So, [the] captain is eventually making the decisions whether the ship goes and takes this risk or not. If they are not assured enough, they are not putting their crews at risk. And nobody, nobody can force the crews to go to the dangerous situation. Let me put it this way: you have to have concrete, tangible results to show that now it is peaceful and safe to go through. It is not only the assessment whether we are the enemies, or we are not the enemies. It is very complicated. And definitely, all the European support for diplomatic solution. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/media/video/I-286355 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Finland participating in discussions on new financing mechanism for defence Finnish Ministry of Defence Ministry of Defence Ministry of Finance Publication date 17.3.2026 10.05 Type:Press release Finland and a group of other NATO countries are exploring the establishment of a new financing mechanism. The new mechanism would: accelerate defence investments; increase the availability of critical capabilities; and drive joint procurement through multinational financing arrangements. Finland is involved in discussions with core allies to lay the groundwork for the financing mechanism. Commitment to the mechanism will require political decisions on the national level. Finland is participating in these discussions with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and other partners. New mechanism to complement existing cooperation The new financing mechanism would complement NATO and EU initiatives and support cooperation with other partners and international institutions. The mechanism would use joint financing arrangements to strengthen collective deterrence, expand European defence industrial capacity and increase the defence capability of participating countries through joint procurement. Work to set up this new mechanism was prompted by major shifts in the security environment. In particular, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has increased the threat of war in Europe and has disrupted the rules-based international order globally. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint statement on Cold Response 26 and NATO's Forward Land Forces in Finland by the Ministers of Defence of Finland, Sweden and Norway Government of Norway News story | Date: 17/03/2026 Joint statement on Cold Response 26 and NATO's Forward Land Forces in Finland by the Ministers of Defence of Finland, Sweden and Norway on 16 March 2026. NATO's Forward Land Forces Finland forms the 9th FLF in NATO and is an important part of NATO's enhanced deterrence and defence posture in the High North. The exercise Cold Response 26 has been utilized to support the further development of FLF Finland. By exercising large-scale movement of forces from Sweden to Northern Finland, Cold Response 26 has demonstrated elements of the FLF employment. Cold Response 26 is also included in NATO's activity Arctic Sentry. The exercise includes participation by nations that have expressed their intention to contribute to the further development of FLF Finland. This includes Norway, Denmark, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Iceland has also expressed their intention to contribute to FLF Finland. FLF Finland is progressing rapidly and will be established this year. Sweden will provide the core of the multinational battlegroup for FLF Finland, based in Boden (Northern Sweden). The intention is that FLF Finland will be established before the NATO Summit in Ankara this summer. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Budrys in Zagreb: Croatian soldiers in Lithuania is an example of solidarity between allies Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Updated 2026-03-17 On 17 March, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, is paying a working visit to Croatia. There Minister Budrys met with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic and discussed European security issues, support for Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East. At the meeting, the Minister emphasized that Lithuania and Croatia enjoy friendly bilateral relations, and are NATO allies and partners within the European Union. According to Budrys, both Lithuania and Croatia are well aware of what does the fight for freedom and independence means and understand well the importance of security and defence. "I thank Croatia for its long-standing contribution to the security of the Baltic region and NATO's eastern flank. We highly appreciate the deployment of the Croatian contingent based in Rukla, operating within the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Lithuania. This is true solidarity between allies", said the Minister. The head of Lithuania's diplomacy stressed that the situation in the Middle East should not divert European attention from Ukraine. The Minister said that it was important to understand that the future of European security is decided in Ukraine, not somewhere else, so everyone must do what they can to help achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO and the European Union discuss stability in the Western Balkans NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 17 March 2026 On Tuesday (17 March 2026), the NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska welcomed Ambassador Peter Sorensen, the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, to NATO Headquarters. The Deputy Secretary General reiterated NATO's strong commitment to the Western Balkans, a region of strategic importance for the Alliance. She highlighted the partnership between NATO and the EU in maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo and beyond. Through the KFOR mission, she said, "NATO continues doing what is militarily possible on the ground to safeguard peace, for the benefit of all people living in Kosovo. But the ultimate solution for lasting regional stability is political. To this end, NATO continues to fully support the EU-led dialogue for the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and EUSR Sorensen's efforts." Ms. Shekerinska highlighted the excellent level of cooperation between NATO and the EU. She emphasised that continued coordination will be key to move the EU-led dialogue forward and that Allies have agreed to increase their support to the normalisation efforts by the EU. Ambassador Sorensen also participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, including NATO partners that contribute personnel to KFOR. KFOR contributes to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, in coordination with the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law mission (EULEX), in their respective roles as security responders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operationalising the Australia-New Zealand Alliance: Anzac 2035 - Closer Defence Relations Statement Beehive.govt.nz - The official website of the New Zealand Government 17 March 2026 Hon Judith Collins KC Defence [Joint Statement delivered at the Australia - New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations, Canberra 17 March 2026] At approximately 4:30am on the 25th of April 1915, the first ANZAC landing at Gallipoli forged a bond unlike any other; changing the Australian and New Zealand relationship forever. Since then, Australians and New Zealanders have served and fought side-by-side with selflessness, courage, perseverance, and mateship, to defend our freedom, our values, and uphold a peaceful world. This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of the Alliance in the 1951 ANZUS Treaty, and reflect on the legacy of 111 years of Anzac history. Our Alliance continues to underpin the defence relationship between New Zealand and Australia. Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles and New Zealand's Minister of Defence Judith Collins KC today reaffirm our formal commitments to each other as allies. We share a long history grounded in democratic values, an enduring commitment to multilateralism and international law, and our collective commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Anzac 2035 Vision The Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces are operationalising our Alliance with a vision of being able to operate seamlessly as an increasingly integrated, combat capable Anzac force by 2035, while remaining respectful of our status as two sovereign countries. In the face of a sharply deteriorating security environment, we must be ready to meet the security threats we face today and in the future. Operationalising our Alliance builds on the significant work to date to strengthen integration. Our two militaries are building deep interoperability and interchangeability, including through common procurement and development of platforms and systems, where it makes sense to do so. We will be force multipliers for each other and combine our military forces in defence of our sovereignty, shared interests, and common values, and territory. Operationalising our Alliance includes lines of effort across force posture activities, combined operations and exercises, preparedness, defence industry integration, resilience, and Pacific security as ways to protect our sovereignty and uphold regional security. Line of Effort One - Force Posture Activities Further enhancing our ability to train and operate from each other's territory strengthens our ability to respond to the threat of conflict and the prospect of coercion. Force posture cooperation enables us to project force to deter actions contrary to the security of our region and respond to crises. Our cooperation to monitor military activities in our region in 2025 demonstrated our ability to work together in pursuit of shared objectives. Deepening force posture cooperation will bolster our interoperability, our Alliance and collective deterrence. By 2035, we will: Enhance force posture cooperation, including rotational activities in, from, and through our respective geographies, where this is in each countries' national interest; and Scope ways to increase Australia and New Zealand's participation in each other's force posture activities and force posture activities of our partners. Establish and use an Australia-New Zealand Force Posture Working Group to develop recommendations to advance force posture cooperation. Line of Effort Two - Combined Operations and Exercises Australia and New Zealand's combined operations and exercises in the Indo-Pacific are an important contribution to deterring potential threats and promoting a stable, resilient region in which international rules are respected. Increasing the complexity of our combined operations and exercises will mean that by 2035, we will be able to increasingly integrate our forces should the need arise. By 2035, we will: Operate and exercise as a more integrated Anzac force alongside other allies and partners; Deploy increasingly integrated and interchangeable units to achieve our 2024 Closer Defence Relations Shared Defence Objectives; Further strengthen combined mission planning, combat readiness, and synchronisation mechanisms, including through the presence of embedded staff in each other's strategic and operational headquarters; Exercise and plan for a range of potential crises and contingencies, including through Exercise TALISMAN SABRE; and Procure and employ common and complementary capabilities on our exercises and operations, including strike capabilities in a variety of domains, autonomous systems, maritime and air platforms and equipment, and land systems, where it makes sense to do so. Lines of Effort Three, Four and Five - Force Preparedness, Resilience and Defence Industry Integration Modern conflicts reinforce the need to be able to sustain military operations over time, and to have the resilience and industrial depth to support those operations. This also means building our collective capabilities and self-reliance within our Alliance construct. Cooperation across preparedness, resilience and defence industry is critical for us to generate and sustain the ability to achieve our 2024 Closer Defence Relations Shared Defence Objectives, drive cost-effective solutions, build resilience into our respective supply chains, and develop cutting-edge technologies. By 2035, we will: Build understanding of our respective and collective force readiness that underpins our ability to generate military power; Foster Australian and New Zealand sovereign capabilities and industries where possible to leverage our respective cutting-edge technology development; Reduce barriers to defence industry participation in our respective industries and build connections across our defence industry representative bodies; Increase resilience of our sovereign industrial bases and supply chains to increase self-reliance to better support our shared defence needs; When it makes sense to do so, explore opportunities to co-develop, co-produce, and co-sustain common capabilities further entrenching our ability to act together in support of shared interests; Leverage Australian and New Zealand sovereign capability and sustainment services to increase shared logistics and sustainment (eg C-130J and P-8A), which provide redundancy for our respective defence forces; and Optimise collective training, education, exchanges and attachments to focus on common operating platforms. Line of Effort Six - Pacific Security New Zealand and Australia are Pacific nations. Our security is inextricably linked with the security of the broader Pacific region. Recognising our shared geography and the importance of our defence relationships with our Pacific partners, we will continue to support combined operations and exercises in the Pacific. We will work through the region's security architecture to continue delivering Pacific-led solutions to regional security challenges and enhance our collective capabilities. By 2035, we will: Increase Pacific defence force interoperability across a range of military tasks, with a focus on embedding the Pacific Response Group as a regional asset that enables more effective co-deployments in times of need, such as disaster response situations; Expand our combined operations and activities in the Pacific to address regional security concerns; Increasingly work through the South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting (SPDMM) to meet defence needs of the Pacific in accordance with Pacific aspirations and the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace; and Increase our support to Pacific-led combined maritime activities to uphold and bolster regional maritime security. Implementation and Monitoring This statement on Operationalising the Alliance, our 2024 Joint Statement on Closer Defence Relations, and our defence dialogue architecture provide the policy framework to regularly review, update and adapt our Alliance. Subordinate working groups will take forward practical implementation initiatives against each of the lines of effort above. ANZMIN will remain the primary vehicle for managing our Alliance. Signed in Canberra, Australia on 17 March 2026 by Hon Richard Marles MP and Hon Judith Collins KC MP. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations 2+2 Beehive.govt.nz - The official website of the New Zealand Government 17 March 2026 Judith Collins portrait Winston Peters portrait Defence Foreign Affairs Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong hosted New Zealand Minister of Defence Hon Judith Collins KC MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters MP on 17 March in Canberra for the third Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN 2+2). Ministers also met separately for a Defence Ministers' Meeting and Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Australian Ministers expressed gratitude for the sympathy shown by the people of New Zealand for the families and friends of the 15 people who tragically lost their lives in the horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach and affirmed their commitment to stamping out antisemitism in all of its forms. Ministers recognised that the trans-Tasman relationship is more important than ever given the fundamental shifts in the global geostrategic environment and the risks posed to our shared national interests. They reaffirmed Australia and New Zealand were fundamentally aligned and rising to the challenge of permanent strategic contest through closer cooperation and major strategic investments by both countries to strengthen the fabric of peace in our region. Ministers discussed the evolving situation in the Middle East and Iran's long record as a destabilising force and a threat to international peace and security, including through its nuclear program, support for proxy groups, and brutal acts of violence against its own people and beyond its borders. Ministers condemned Iran's reckless and indiscriminate attacks on countries in the region. Ministers urged the protection of civilian life, resumption of dialogue and diplomacy and adherence to international law. Our Alliance Ministers reaffirmed that our Alliance is the foundation of our foreign policy and defence partnership, and is built on trust, shared values and collective security. Our Alliance has a critical role in safeguarding both nations' security, supporting stability in the Pacific, and advancing a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific where sovereignty is respected. Ministers highlighted the centrality of ANZMIN in setting the Alliance's direction, and our shared commitment to using the full suite of statecraft tools to respond to intensifying global competition and a deteriorating strategic environment, both individually and together. Ministers welcomed the 75th Anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty, which underpins our formal commitments for the Australia-New Zealand Alliance. Ministers welcomed the "Anzac 2035: Operationalising the Alliance" Joint Statement, issued today by Deputy Prime Minister Marles and Minister Collins KC, which sets out the Defence Ministers' vision for our defence Alliance over the next ten years. It focuses on enhancing interoperability, including through collaborating on defence industry, preparedness and resilience, combined operations and exercises, and force posture, so we are increasingly ready to combine as an integrated Anzac force to deter, counter and respond to shared threats. Partnering in the Pacific Ministers recognised the peace, stability and prosperity of all countries and territories in the Pacific are interconnected. They reaffirmed their commitment to working in partnership with fellow Pacific countries and to supporting Pacific-led regional architecture, with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) at the heart of Pacific regionalism. Ministers committed to support Palau's hosting of the PIF Leaders' Meeting in 2026 and welcomed New Zealand's hosting in 2027. As fellow founding members of the PIF, Ministers recognised Australia and New Zealand's roles in contributing to a stronger Pacific family, upholding common values and norms. They underscored the importance of supporting the PIF Chair and the principle of engaging on issues through talanoa. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Pacific's priorities set out in Pacific Leaders' 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and its Implementation Plan, as well as to the Blue Pacific being an Ocean of Peace. They called on the international community to engage in the Pacific in ways that respect and strengthen regional norms and institutions, and respond to Pacific-led approaches to peace and security. Ministers highlighted the Revitalised Pacific Leaders' Gender Equality Declaration to accelerate gender equality and social inclusion in the Pacific and noted the growing challenge of maintaining hard-won gains and sustaining momentum, including in addressing gender-based violence. Ministers agreed that continued, appropriately supported and well-coordinated efforts on gender equality, social inclusion and human rights will help achieve the vision for a resilient, peaceful, prosperous and stable Pacific Region. Ministers emphasised that climate change remains the single greatest threat to Pacific countries. COP31 presents an opportunity to deliver genuine progress towards keeping warming to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C. This comes at a critical time in this decisive decade for climate action. Ministers noted Australia and New Zealand would continue supporting Pacific priorities and amplifying Pacific voices globally, including to enhance access to climate finance, and elevate the ocean-climate nexus. They reaffirmed the Pacific Pre-COP and Special Leaders' event to be held in Fiji and Tuvalu in October 2026 as cornerstone opportunities to support these priorities. Ministers reiterated support for the Pacific Resilience Facility as a Pacific-led solution with global benefit as a model, to which Australia and New Zealand had pledged significant contributions, and encouraged further pledges at the special climate finance session for small island developing states at COP31. Ministers acknowledged the impact of transnational organised crime on Australia, New Zealand and throughout our Pacific neighbourhood, and agreed that combatting transnational organised crime, including drug trafficking to and through the Pacific, is a shared challenge and an urgent priority. Ministers committed to using defence and foreign affairs resources, where appropriate, to support efforts to combat transnational organised crime. Ministers acknowledged the call from PIF Leaders for a coordinated regional response to transnational organised crime and agreed to work with Pacific partners to develop collective approaches, including for consideration at the Transnational Crime Summit to be held in Fiji in May 2026. Ministers acknowledged the value of our close coordination to maintain shared awareness of our maritime areas of interest and counter the risks posed both by concerning military vessel activity and the shipment of illicit drugs by sea. Ministers reaffirmed their enduring commitment to cooperating closely to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Pacific and to support Pacific-led responses in that regard. They commended the rapid establishment of the Pacific Response Group (PRG) through the South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting (SPDMM), as a regional asset to strengthen Pacific-led responses to Pacific humanitarian and disaster response events and welcomed New Zealand's forthcoming leadership as the host of the PRG headquarters after Australia. Ministers welcomed SPDMM's direction to explore expanding the mandate of the PRG to cover wider Pacific security threats. They noted regional efforts to enhance Pacific-led responses to regional security challenges including through the scoping of a SPDMM Status of Forces Agreement, the Regional Operations Deployment Framework being scoped by the Joint Heads of Pacific Security and efforts to better coordinate regional defence and security architecture. Ministers welcomed the Political Declaration between New Zealand and Niue of 2025 and acknowledged New Zealand's special constitutional relationships with the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau, which are part of the Realm of New Zealand. They recognised New Zealand's responsibility for the defence and security of the Realm and the benefits that these relationships bring to New Zealand and to the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. Ministers welcomed the signing of the historic Pukpuk Treaty between Papua New Guinea and Australia and the new Alliance in the region. They welcomed negotiations to finalise the Nakamal Agreement with Vanuatu and to elevate the Australia-Fiji Vuvale Partnership and the intention to establish the Kaume'a 'Ofi Partnership Agreement with Tonga. These partnerships reflect a firm commitment to ensuring that the Pacific is in the driving seat to shape its future and that we are supporting each other in shared interests and challenges. Collaborating to address global challenges Ministers reaffirmed their enduring commitment to multilateralism and international law and to supporting UN and regional institutions. Challenges to the rules-based multilateral system called for strong partnerships in our region and beyond. Ministers agreed on the need for bold and effective reforms to achieve a UN system capable of better delivering on its core mandates. Ministers welcomed the adoption of a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, setting out practical actions for stronger accountability, safer access, and better protection for aid workers everywhere. They affirmed the need for deeper bilateral engagement and with regional partners to support the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, including promoting women's full, equal, safe and meaningful participation and leadership across all levels of conflict prevention, and regional peace and security. Ministers announced their support for Australia's and New Zealand's respective United Nations Security Council candidacies in 2029-2030 and 2039-2040. Ministers discussed economic security and the importance of maintaining open and connected supply chains to facilitate the flow of fuels and goods. Respect for the commitments we and our trading partners have made underpins our prosperity and resilience, and that of our region. Both countries remain committed to working together and with other trade partners to ensure that trade continues to flow unimpeded. Ministers committed to uphold and promote the Antarctic Treaty System rules and norms that keep this part of our region peaceful and free from conflict, cooperative and protected, and dedicated to scientific research. They agreed officials would strengthen cooperation through an annual strategic dialogue. Ministers reaffirmed their support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN-led regional architecture, and highlighted ASEAN's central role in shaping a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. As Comprehensive Strategic Partners of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand reiterated their commitment to building upon longstanding ties with our region by deepening economic engagement. Ministers welcomed progress implementing Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 and New Zealand'sincreased focus on Southeast Asia as part of its Foreign Policy Reset. Ministers committed to continue working together on shared priorities under regional free trade agreements. Ministers emphasised the need for strategic competition to be managed responsibly and welcomed continued dialogue between the United States and China. They acknowledged our collective agency and shared responsibility for the stability of our region. They reaffirmed the need to promote open channels of communication, transparency and practical measures to reduce the risks of misunderstanding, miscalculation, escalation and conflict. Ministers reiterated concerns about the intensification of destabilising activities and instances of unsafe and unprofessional behaviour by China in the South China Sea. They reiterated all countries must adhere to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law. They recalled the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award is final and binding on the parties. Ministers affirmed their shared commitment to promoting regional stability and security and to working with partners to build capability and strengthen interoperability, including through Multilateral Maritime Cooperation Activities. They also reiterated their concern about the situation in the East China Sea and unsafe and unprofessional conduct in the sea and air. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposing any unilateral action to change the status quo and encouraging dialogue rather than resorting to coercion or the use of force. They also reiterated their will to continue deepening relations with Taiwan in the economic, trade, and cultural fields as well as enhancing development coordination in the Pacific. Ministers reiterated their grave concerns about human rights violations in Xinjiang. They expressed deep concerns about the erosion of religious, cultural, educational and linguistic rights and freedoms in Tibet. They shared deep concern over the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including the actions of Hong Kong authorities in targeting pro-democracy activists both within Hong Kong and overseas. Ministers reiterated continued investment in the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). The FPDA remained an indispensable anchor for regional security as the only multilateral security arrangement of its kind in Southeast Asia. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of our relationships with global security partners, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), including through cooperation as Indo-Pacific partners of NATO. Ministers agreed that the Five Eyes partnership remained vital to our shared security architecture. Ministers unequivocally condemned Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They condemned the ongoing deployment of troops and transfer of military material from the DPRK to Russia, which supports the continued conflict. As active participants of the Coalition of the Willing discussions, Ministers welcomed the efforts of the United States of America, European countries and others aimed at ending the war, in line with international law. Ministers again urge Russia to end its war of aggression and engage in good faith with Ukraine on a ceasefire and peace deal. Ministers called on all those with influence on Russia, particularly China, to exert it now to end the war. Ministers urged all parties to uphold the terms of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and agreed Australia and New Zealand, together with our partners, would continue to do what we can to contribute to a just and enduring two-state solution. Ministers expressed deep concern over Israel's actions that undermine the path to peace, including the expansion of settlements and control over the West Bank, increasing settler violence against Palestinians, and restrictions on INGOs that impede their humanitarian operations. Ministers strongly condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and its malicious cyber activities used to evade sanctions and fund these programs, and urged compliance with UNSC resolutions. Ministers reiterated their grave concerns about the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and the military regime's airstrikes against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Ministers noted that recent elections did not meet the conditions of a free, fair and inclusive process. Ministers reiterated their calls for a cessation of violence, the release of those unjustly detained, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and inclusive dialogue. Ministers confirmed their countries stand ready to support genuine efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering, improve economic and social conditions and advance a sustainable resolution to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. Ministers reaffirmed their full support for ASEAN's central role in resolving the crisis and called again for the full implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. New Zealand looks forward to hosting the next ANZMIN 2+2 in 2027. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The OIC Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes Against Palestinians Issues its 120th Report, Documenting Alarming Figures on Agricultural Lands Bulldozed by Israel Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 17-03-2026 The OIC Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes Against Palestinians documented 122 Palestinian martyrs in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It documented the killing of 23 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip between March 10 and 16, 2026, in addition to the recovery of one body and the confirmed killing of 91 Palestinians, as well as 51 Palestinians injured. In the West Bank, the OIC Media Observatory recorded 7 martyrs and 24 injured, bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs since October 7, 2023, to 73,175, and the number of injured to 181,487. In the West Bank, Israeli occupation forces raided the homes of 316 Palestinians and arrested 175. Regarding attacks on children, the occupation forces killed two children, arrested seven others, and injured five. Settlers also carried out attacks. The OIC Observatory recorded record numbers of Israeli violations against agricultural lands in the West Bank during the reporting period. The occupation forces ordered Palestinian landowners to uproot fruit and forest trees on an area exceeding 106,000 square meters. They also bulldozed 120,000 square meters and uprooted hundreds of olive and forest trees in villages near Bethlehem and Ramallah, in addition to agricultural lands in Hebron. Settlement activity in a single week reached 11 incidents, and settlers carried out 93 attacks characterized by acts of revenge. They also released their livestock 15 times into the pastures and farms of West Bank villages. Over seven days, 995 Israeli crimes were committed across various Palestinian areas. In the West Bank, including occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the occupation forces continued to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque and forced shop owners in the Bab al-Amoud area to close their shops after distributing free breakfast meals to passersby. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Taliban Says Hundreds Killed In Pakistani Air Strike On Kabul Hospital By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi March 17, 2026 At least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in a Pakistani air strike on a hospital in Kabul, the Afghan Taliban said, while Pakistan rejected the claims. The 2,000-bed Omid Hospital, a substance-abuse rehabilitation center in the Afghan capital, was reportedly hit in a Pakistani air strike late on March 16. Efforts were under way to rescue the injured and recover the bodies, according to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government in Afghanistan. "The Pakistani military regime carried out an air strike at approximately 9 p.m. [local time, on March 16] on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility dedicated to the treatment of drug addiction," he said in a post on X, adding that "large sections of the hospital have been destroyed." Pakistan's Information Ministry claimed the strike had targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar Province and did not deliberately hit civilians. "Technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities at two locations in Kabul were effectively destroyed," Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. "The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots," he added. The claims from either side could not be independently verified. In response to the reported deadly air strike on a hospital in Kabul, the UN Human Rights Office said the incident "must be investigated promptly, independently, and transparently," adding that those responsible must be "held to account in line with international standards." "Witnesses described a scene of total destruction at the hospital site, and seeing hundreds of people looking for their relatives," the UN statement said. According to the UN Human Rights office, since the hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated at the end of last month, at least 289 Afghan civilians, including 104 children and 59 women, have been killed or injured, with tens of thousands have been displaced by the fighting. With reporting from RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/at-least-400-dead-in-kabul- hospital-air-strike/33708653.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 Trump Says US No Longer Needs NATO Assistance With Iran Sputnik News 20260317 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States no longer needs nor desires the assistance of NATO member states to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, claiming that Washington never required help. "The United States has been informed by most of our NATO 'Allies' that they don't want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran," Trump said via Truth Social. "Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance WE NEVER DID!" On Saturday, Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to secure one of the world's most important choke-points for global oil trade. The president acknowledged he does not believe NATO allies are willing to stand up for the US, in contrast to Washington's commitment to supporting the alliance. Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Ottawa was unaware of requests from the US for NATO states to join operations against the Islamic Republic or assist in ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz nearly halted after the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran on February 28, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran retaliated by striking Israeli territory and US military bases across the Middle East. Iran does not intend to close the Strait of Hormuz but it has a right to preserve peace in the waterway, Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said last week. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Was Unprepared for Scale of Iranian Drone Threat - Reports Sputnik News 20260317 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States was not prepared for the scale of an Iranian drone threat it has faced in the region after launching a military campaign against the Islamic Republic, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing sources. The key obstacle was Congress, which did not support accelerating counter-drone purchases and innovations quickly enough, a US official said. "Iran and other countries will be watching what happened and will be developing new tactics and new adaptations of drones ... This dynamic of measure, counter-measure, counter-counter-measure will be seen here with drones, just as we saw with IEDs," the report said, citing a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mark Cancian. However, some sources said the US was adequately prepared to counter drones, citing ongoing cooperation with Ukrainian and European partners in recent years, the broadcaster said. In addition, the US has also been monitoring the conflict in Ukraine. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The US and Israel initially claimed their "preemptive" attack was necessary to counter the perceived threat coming from Iran's nuclear program, but they soon made it clear that they want to see a change of power in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the military operation. The Islamic Republic declared 40 days of mourning. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Khamenei's assassination as a cynical violation of international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US-Israeli operation and called for an immediate deescalation and an end to hostilities. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Gerald R. Ford to Return to Crete Amid Iran Operation - Reports Sputnik News 20260317 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, currently deployed in the Middle East, is set to return next week to a NATO naval base on Crete, Greek newspaper eKathimerini reported on Tuesday, citing a source. The vessel is expected to return for refueling and possibly also for a probe into a major fire that broke out aboard on March 12, a source said. On Monday, The New York Times reported that the aircraft carrier may remain deployed until at least May. That would amount to a full year at sea, which is roughly twice the length of a typical deployment, the newspaper added. On March 12, the USS Gerald R. Ford suffered a non combat-related fire that was extinguished, the US 5th Fleet said, adding that two sailors were injured during the incident. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The US and Israel initially claimed their "preemptive" attack was necessary to counter the perceived threat coming from Iran's nuclear program, but they soon made it clear that they want to see a change of power in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the military operation. The Islamic Republic declared 40 days of mourning. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Khamenei's assassination as a cynical violation of international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US-Israeli operation and called for an immediate deescalation and an end to hostilities. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Round of Escalation Between Pakistan and Afghanistan Sputnik News 20260317 On Monday, Pakistani drones targeted multiple sites in Kabul, including a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation center in the eastern part of the Afghan capital. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan's supreme leader, said 400 people were killed and 250 injured in this strike. Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has dismissed Afghan authorities' claims of attacks on a drug rehabilitation center. "Pakistan's strikes were precise and carefully planned to minimize collateral damage. This distortion of the facts, presented as an attack on a drug rehabilitation center, is intended to stir up tensions and conceal illegal support for cross-border terrorism," the ministry said in a statement. Precision strikes were carried out against military targets and terrorist support infrastructure, including warehouses containing technical equipment and ammunition belonging to the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij in Kabul and Nangarhar, which had been used against the civilian population of Pakistan, the authorities added. "The detonation of the stored ammunition used by key terrorist operatives also completely refutes this false claim," the statement added. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson to Afghanistan's supreme leader, said that the death toll from Pakistan's attack on Afghanistan had reached 400, with another 250 wounded. Pakistan has launched airstrikes on Afghanistan's border province of Nangarhar, the Khaama Press news portal reported on Tuesday, citing sources. The strikes targeted Jalalabad airport and districts of Achin, Khogyani, and Shinwari across the province, the report said. Local officials in Nangarhar have not yet made official statements on casualties or damage from the airstrikes. Afghanistan Response Afghanistan promises a "teeth-breaking response" to Pakistan after the bombing of Kabul, which killed at least 400 and injured 250, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qane said on Tuesday. "Such attacks cannot go unanswered," the spokesman was quoted by the Ariana news portal as saying. Kabul views the strike as a grave escalation and warns retaliation will be given soon, Qane said, stressing the gross violation of Afghan sovereignty. On Monday evening media reported that explosions and gunfire could be heard in various parts of Kabul. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan's supreme leader, said that Pakistan had struck a rehabilitation center in the capital, resulting in deaths and injuries. He promised that this action would not go unanswered. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Struggles to Build Hormuz Coalition as Allies Hold Back Sputnik News 20260317 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US allies have not yet agreed to join the coalition for securing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Axios news portal has reported, citing sources familiar with discussions. On March 14, US President Donald Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard navigation. Some nations' responses ranged from skepticism to outright refusal, Axios reported on Monday. "[French President Emmanuel Macron] Macron didn't give a final no, but at the moment it's a no," a source was quoted as saying by Axios. On February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets in Iran, including Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran is retaliating with strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military targets in the Middle East. The escalation around Iran has led to the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and liquefied natural gas supplies from the Persian Gulf to global markets, and has impacted oil exports and production in the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Officials Present Trump With Options for Ending War With Iran - Reports Sputnik News 20260317 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Military officials have presented US President Donald Trump with options for ending the conflict with Iran should the American leader decide to do so, the NBC News broadcaster reported, citing sources. Daily war planning includes options for both winding down the conflict and escalating it if the White House attempts to increase pressure on Iran, the report said on Monday. Trump's advisors, who advocate for an end to the conflict, are concerned about the global economic instability the conflict has provoked, the report read, adding that the duration of the war "could change every day." On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The US and Israel initially claimed their "preemptive" attack was necessary to counter the perceived threat coming from Iran's nuclear program, but they soon made it clear that they want to see a change of power in Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the military operation. The Islamic Republic declared 40 days of mourning. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Khamenei's assassination as a cynical violation of international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the US-Israeli operation and called for an immediate de-escalation and an end to hostilities. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Landau's Call with Nauruan President Adeang US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson March 17, 2026 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke with Nauruan President David Adeang about advancing shared interests in the Pacific. They discussed the potential to work together on preventing illegal activities in the region, on increasing opportunities for investment and economic growth in the Pacific Islands, including through enhanced air travel and deep seabed mining, and on cooperating on migration. Their conversation followed the Pacific Agenda Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit in Honolulu, which supported the Trump Administration's focus on private-sector-led growth. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a strong bilateral relationship and a peaceful, prosperous Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement on the U.S.-Mongolia Annual Bilateral Consultation US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson March 17, 2026 The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Mongolia on the occasion of the Annual Bilateral Consultations. Begin text: Representatives of the United States and Mongolia held the 17th Annual Bilateral Consultations on March 17 in Ulaanbaatar. The dialogue was co-chaired by Michael George DeSombre, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and L. Munkhtushig, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. It was attended by Richard Buangan, Ambassador of the United States of America to Mongolia, and U. Batbayar, Ambassador of Mongolia to the United States of America; by representatives from the U.S. Department of State and Department of War; and by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy and Development, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Energy, and Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Communications of Mongolia. Recognizing that Mongolia and the United States have a shared interest in global peace, freedom, democracy, and economic prosperity, the two sides expressed their continued support for the U.S.-Mongolia Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership and pledged to deepen cooperation. Both sides celebrated the upcoming completion of the Millennium Challenge Corporation's $462 million Mongolia Water Compact. Mongolian and U.S. officials discussed their cooperation to promote bilateral and regional cooperation on peace and security matters, including in the Indo-Pacific, grounded in mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States welcomed Mongolia's commitment to increasing its contributions to international stability and security, including through playing a leading role in peacekeeping missions around the world. Both sides highlighted their shared resolve to promote responsible and legal travel through the Travel Responsibly campaign and other cooperation. They also discussed continuing their work together to uphold freedom of expression, religious freedom, and other human rights. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of exchanging high-level visits and maintaining regular dialogues, as well as bolstering mutually beneficial economic engagement. They also committed to exploring opportunities to expand energy cooperation as a means of increasing long-term economic growth for both countries. Both sides expressed interest in collaborating in the digital domain, including artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, to strengthen connectivity and prosperity. They highlighted critical minerals and clean coal technologies as areas for potential cooperation, and affirmed their desire to explore cooperation on alternative sources of energy. Both sides recognized that a predictable and transparent business climate is essential to expanding economic cooperation and increasing bilateral trade and investment. The two sides committed to continue to work together to bolster people-to-people ties through educational and cultural exchanges and the promotion of the English language in Mongolia. The United States and Mongolia decided to maintain the exchange of high-level bilateral visits and hold the next Annual Bilateral Consultations in 2027 in Washington. End text. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East conflict: 17 March Oral statement to Parliament The Foreign Secretary made a statement to Parliament on the conflict in the Middle East. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Published 17 March 2026 Delivered on: 17 March 2026 Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to update the House on the conflict in the Middle East. Since the start of this conflict, we have seen Iran fire over nine hundred missiles and over three thousand drones across thirteen countries in the region - across countries which are partners with the UK and where hundreds of thousands of British citizens visit, work or live. Regional air defences have intercepted the vast majority of Iranian strikes. But in recent days we have seen damage to oil export infrastructure, gas facilities, ports, and airports, and restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, with major consequences for the global economy and impacting on the UK economy too. US and Israeli strikes across Iran are continuing. We have seen attacks from Iranian proxy groups and troubling escalation in Lebanon. And the UK is continuing our support for British nationals in the region, our defensive military support for partners against Iranian strikes and our intensive diplomatic activity on both security and economic issues in the UK national interest. In Riyadh, a few days ago, I saw the work to get British nationals home from across the region, and saw how we are working to protect our people and our partners. And I stressed the UK's support and solidarity as I met with counterparts from across the Gulf. Over the last week alone I have held discussions with my counterparts in all six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, with the US, Israel, key European allies and other regional partners. We want to see the swiftest possible resolution of this crisis, That brings security and stability back to the region, Stops Iran's threats to its neighbours. And their efforts to hijack the global economy. These events in the Middle East have consequences around the world. And affect our security and our prosperity here in the UK. So our response is based on clear principles and calm leadership. We will support UK households under pressure. We will protect our people in the region. We will defend our allies under attack. And as the Prime Minister said yesterday, we will not be drawn into a wider war. Nor will we outsource our foreign policy. Our decisions will be based on UK values and the UK national interest. Madam Deputy Speaker, let me update the House on support for British nationals in the region. At the outset of this crisis, more than 300,000 British citizens were in the region. And when the air strikes started and airspace closed, many were stuck and we have been working relentlessly ever since to help them get home. This has been a complex task - our 24/7 crisis response centre working with our Embassies across the Gulf, partner governments in the region, and the Rapid Deployment Teams we sent to operate on the ground. And we've worked closely with airlines. We've laid on additional government charter flights from Muscat and from Dubai. And we estimate now that the number of British nationals flying back from the region since the start of the war will today reach 100,000. We continue to monitor the situation to provide the latest advice. But I want to put on record my sincere thanks to all those involved in tireless efforts to support British Nationals abroad and to bring British citizens home. Madam Deputy Speaker, turning to the conflict itself. As the Prime Minister set out to Parliament, we took the decision not to be involved in the initial US strikes or to join any offensive operations. We have taken a different position on this to the US and Israel. Based on what is in the UK national interest. When Iran began to target other countries across the region - putting our partners and citizens in danger - we took the further decision to support defensive action. And in Saudi Arabia, I've seen the air defences that the British Army is helping operate to countering [sic] drones. And we discussed additional defence assets that were pre-deployed by my Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary to the region before the conflict began and we have increased support since. We have jets operating from sovereign base areas on Cyprus. Eight in Qatar including the joint UK-Qatari squadron. And as I speak, British Typhoons and F-35s are flying in defence of the Eastern Mediterranean and across Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Iraq. The UK's defensive military action is supporting the wider region, with four extra Typhoons, three Wildcat helicopters and a Merlin helicopter already deployed. And we are increasing our naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean as HMS Dragon and RFA Lyme Bay approach. As the House is aware, we have given permission for US forces to use long standing basing at RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to support defensive strikes against the ballistic missiles that are targeting the Gulf. Let me confirm again the point the Prime Minister made last week - that our Cyprus base is not being used in those US operations. We want to see an end to this war as quickly as possible. The longer it goes on, the more dangerous the situation becomes. And the more pressure on the cost of living here at home. Iran's capabilities have been massively degraded. But this conflict has confirmed the threat the regime poses - through its weapons and its proxies. And why for so long there has been international determination that Iran should never be able to develop nuclear weapons. So as this conflict eases or ends, we will need some kind of negotiated agreement to contain and constrain those threats for the future - from ballistic missiles, drones, proxies, and its nuclear programme and to safeguard international shipping. Madam Deputy Speaker, in the last seven days, we have seen Iran particularly focus their strikes on economic infrastructure in the Gulf. Oilfields in Saudi. Ports in Oman. Strikes against commercial ships from Thailand and Malta. Threatened mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is seeking to hijack the global economy. Holding hostage supplies of oil, gas and fertiliser. Affecting prices and supply chains across the globe. And threatening the cost of living here at home. Causing real worry for our constituents across the country. That is why the Prime Minister laid out yesterday how this Government will stand up for working people here in Britain. Including providing support for households with heating oil costs. Maintaining the energy price cut and cap. Last week, we joined 31 other countries in the biggest co-ordinated release of oil in the IEA's history. While maintaining our economic pressure and sanctions on Russia, because as we welcome President Zelenskyy to London today, we are determined that war in the Gulf must not become a windfall for Putin, as we continue to stand with Ukraine. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is vital for market stability, and for the cost of living for British households. But as the Prime Minister has said, this is a serious and complex issue. And there is no easy fix. So we are discussing this with international partners in Europe and Asia, Gulf partners and the US. These discussions are separate from the conflict itself, as the US itself has said. Because countries from around the world have been clear that they do not want to see escalation or to be drawn into a wider conflict. But they do want to see the Strait open and functioning. And they do not want to see the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation undermined. And because it is an international shipping lane, multiple nations need to be involved in planning the way forward. And our discussions will continue to reflect serious, expert military and commercial assessments about what is credible and feasible so that commercial shipping can return as soon as possible as the conflict subsides. Madam Deputy Speaker, let me turn to Lebanon where I am extremely concerned the country is on the precipice of a widening conflict that risks disastrous humanitarian consequences. In recent days I have spoken to the Lebanese Prime Minister, the Israeli Foreign Minister as well as discussions with the US, France and other European and Gulf partners. We need urgent diplomatic action to avert further escalation. But amid that danger it is possible there is also a moment of diplomatic opportunity. And we must bring all support and pressure to bear so it is seized and not squandered. So let me lay out the UK's position. First, we condemn the appalling attacks by Lebanese Hizbollah who have fired hundreds of rockets at Northern Israel. This must cease immediately. The actions of this proscribed terrorist group - at the instigation of the Iranian regime. Are once again drawing the people of Lebanon into a conflict they do not want and which is not in their interests. Second, we support the sovereignty of Lebanon. We welcome the commitments made by the Lebanese Government, including the significant decision to ban Hizballah's military activities. And we will continue to support the Lebanese Armed Forces. Because they - not Hizbollah - are the sole legitimate defender of Lebanon. Third, we are extremely worried about the civilian consequences of current Israeli operations. With an estimated thousand people killed. And one in seven Lebanese civilians reportedly displaced from their homes. This scale of humanitarian displacement is completely unacceptable and risks devastating consequences. So this weekend I announced that the UK would provide an additional 5 million pounds in essential humanitarian aid. Today I can announce a further ten million pounds of humanitarian support. To provide emergency medical care, shelter, and other life-saving assistance in Lebanon and the region to help prevent further displacement and instability that would risk escalating the regional problems with wider impact on other countries beyond the region too. And fourth, we believe diplomatic progress can be made as there is a shared interest across both Lebanon and Israel in seeing an end to the Hizbollah threats and in seeing peace and stability return. Both the Lebanese Government and the Israeli Government have expressed an interest in joint talks. We strongly support this path. And the framework exists, in Security Council Resolution 1701. Which provides the best route to lasting peace and security and stability beyond the region too. The UK stands ready to provide diplomatic support to this process. Madam Deputy Speaker, This conflict in the Middle East is affecting countries across the region and across the world. Global events affecting our security and our economy here at home. And this Government is resolute in our determination to protect the safety, security and prosperity of British people and partners. Pursuing the swiftest possible resolution to the conflict. Security and stability, In the national interest of the United Kingdom. I commend this Statement to the House. 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 17 March 2026 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Guest In a short while, I will be joined bySusan Ferguson, who is the UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan. She will join us virtually from Kabul to speak about the situation in that country. And, tomorrow, our guests will be Rob Syfret, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Ethiopia, and Mohammad Sediq Rashid, the Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Sudan. Rob will be here in person and Sediq will join us virtually from Khartoum. ** Iran We just issued the following statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the Middle East: The Secretary-General asserts once more that the war in the Middle East must stop. Diplomacy must prevail. All Security Council resolutions must be implemented. The latest one, resolution 2817 (2026), must be respected, as we see that countries in the Gulf continue to be targeted. ** Middle East And the World Food Programme (WFP) is warning today that the total number of people around the world facing acute levels of hunger could reach record numbers in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilize the world's economy. New analysis by WFP estimates that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse (known as IPC3+) if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above $100 a barrel. These would add to the 318 million people around the world who are already food insecure. ** Lebanon Turning to Lebanon, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers report continued exchanges of fire in both directions across the Blue Line, including rockets, missiles, artillery, mortars and direct fire, as well as interceptions of projectiles and airstrikes inside its area of operations in southern Lebanon. The peacekeepers are observing reinforcement of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in several areas north of the Blue Line, especially in Sector East. Near Khyam in Sector East, about five kilometres north of the Blue Line, peacekeepers yesterday monitored the concentration of dozens of military vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers and tanks. In addition, peacekeepers continue to observe reinforcement of IDF forces near Kfar Kila in Sector East. We continue to urge all sides to cease hostilities, avail themselves of diplomatic channels and recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). And in line with this call, today and in closed consultations, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, are both briefing the Security Council via VTC on the implementation of the resolution. On the humanitarian front in Lebanon, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that we and our partners continue to scale-up humanitarian assistance, providing food, shelter, water and medical support to families forced to flee their homes. To date, UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and our non-governmental partners have distributed more than 1.1 million hot meals and 38,000 ready-to-eat kits, as well as more than tens of thousands of mattresses, sleeping mats, blankets and hygiene and menstrual hygiene kits to collective shelters. Hundreds of thousands of litres of clean water have also been delivered. People continue to be displaced in large numbers, driven by displacement orders. More than 1 million people have now registered as displaced; nearly 300,000 of them [are children]. Only a fraction of those uprooted are living in public shelters. We continue to be seriously concerned over attacks on healthcare. Yesterday, at least two paramedics were reportedly killed and one was injured in Israeli attacks in the district of Nabatieh, and one paramedic was reportedly killed and one was injured in Israeli attacks in Tyre District. These attacks are further straining Lebanon's health system and increasing risks for medical personnel providing life-saving care. Humanitarian access must be protected. All parties must uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians, including health workers and humanitarian personnel. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Turning to the Gaza Strip OCHA warns that continued reports of Israeli strikes and shelling in residential areas are increasing risks for civilians. OCHA reiterates that, under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem remains the only operational crossing through which humanitarian and commercial cargo enter the Strip. Inside Gaza, yesterday, the UN and our partners were able to collect food, hygiene kits, early childhood development kits, medicine and animal fodder from that crossing, but more crossings must be opened so that we can scale up the response. And the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today thatthe Israeli Government had accelerated unlawful settlement-expansion and annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, forcibly displacing over 36,000 Palestinians amid increasing violence by Israeli security forces and settlers. These are the findings of a new report by OHCHR covering the 12-month period up to 31 October 2025. The report documents increasing incidents of settler violence resulting in killings, injuries and property damage, as well as relentless harassment, intimidation and destruction of Palestinian homes and farmland. ** Afghanistan/Pakistan Today, in a statement, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that, yesterday, at around 9 p.m. in Kabul, an air strike carried out by Pakistan military forces impacted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a healthcare facility for the treatment of drug-addicted individuals, dozens of whom were reportedly killed and injured. UNAMA expresses its deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. The UN Mission stressed that under international law, all parties to a conflict must respect and protect the sick and wounded, medical personnel, hospitals and ambulances and attacks on hospitals and civilian facilities are strictly prohibited. The UN Mission noted that across Afghanistan, civilians continue to pay the price for the ongoing conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In line with its Security Council mandate, since 26 February, and prior to the incident on 16 March, UNAMA documented at least 76 civilian deaths and 213 injuries in Afghanistan due to the hostilities. The UN Mission reiterated its call for de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire, and for parties to comply with their obligations under international law to ensure the protection of civilians. ** Cuba Turning to Cuba, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that they continue to be concerned that fuel shortages are curbing people's access to essential services across the country. Yesterday, authorities reported a nationwide power outage after a critical power station malfunctioned. Our humanitarian colleagues note that electricity is coming back online gradually, but this highlights the serious impact of the energy crisis on the Cuban people's ability to access basic services. Our colleagues also tell us that uncollected garbage is piling up on street corners in Havana, with the air quality having deteriorated due to widespread burning of waste and wood for cooking. Authorities report that due to the lack of energy, more than 50,000 surgeries were not performed in February alone. We, along with our partners, continue to assist people in need. The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) is providing medical supplies, but fuel shortages are limiting its operations. Dozens of containers carrying humanitarian supplies are currently at the port in Havana, with additional shipments expected in the coming days. However, the scarcity of fuel is slowing down and driving up the cost of delivering aid to people who need it. We reiterate our call to Member States to increase their humanitarian contributions and ensure that the delivery of aid is facilitated and unimpeded. ** Sexual Exploitation and Abuse The report of the Secretary-General on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse covering the year 2025 has been issued. As you know, this report details system-wide efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse committed by UN personnel and partners, in line with the Secretary-General's strategy. As the report notes, addressing sexual exploitation and abuse requires a collective commitment to tackling its root causes, including inequality and power imbalances, both within and beyond our institutions. Women and girls are disproportionately affected: between 2017 and 2025, they accounted for 85 per cent of victims. Since 2017, we have been strengthening our prevention and response efforts through among other things improved policy frameworks, system-wide coordination and public reporting, all through a victim-centred approach. At the same time, recent system-wide reviews have confirmed that challenges persist. The recent wave of funding cuts to peacekeeping, humanitarian and development programmes worldwide risks undermining decades of progress on sexual exploitation and abuse. Sustained and predictable resources are essential to maintaining protection efforts and support for victims. The full report is available online. ** Global Advocate for Human-Centric Digital Governance I wanted to flag that today, the UN has named Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the actor, filmmaker and creative entrepreneur, as its first Global Advocate for Human-Centric Digital Governance. The role has been established against the backdrop of rising concerns around online safety and equity and rapid advances in artificial intelligence. It is affiliated with the UN Internet Governance Forum, recently made permanent by the General Assembly, and supported by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. As Global Advocate, Mr. Gordon-Levitt will help connect digital policy debates with lived experience and promote inclusive and accountable digital development. You can find more information in a press release we shared with you. ** Financial Contribution We have a quiz for you today on the latest full payment to the budget. This country features the 4 million-year-old Lake Ohrid, the ancient Kokino observatory and the birthplace of Mother Teresa, as well as being the first country with 100 per cent wireless broadband. No, it's not Albania. The answer is North Macedonia. We thank our friends in Skopje for their full payment to the Regular Budget. The payment from North Macedonia brings the number of fully paid-up Member States to 87. All right, no one won that one. Gabriel, you have the first question. ** Questions and Answers Question : Thank you, Farhan. Welcome back. Does the Secretary-General have any reaction or comment to Israel claiming that they killed Ali Larijani? Deputy Spokesman : We are not aware of whether that has in fact happened. Of course, our standpoint remains the same. We believe that there's no military solution to this. As I said at the start of this briefing, we want this fighting to end both the attacks by the US and Israeli forces and the attacks by Iran against other countries in the region. And we believe that all of the resolutions of the Security Council need to be implemented in this regard. Question : Does the Secretary-General think the killing of Iranian officials makes the path to an off-ramp in this conflict more difficult? Deputy Spokesman : We do not believe that this programme of killing different officials will be helpful for what is needed, which is a diplomatic solution to this problem. Question : And if I could get one more, Farhan, if you don't mind. Who does the Secretary-General think should secure the Strait of Hormuz? Whose responsibility is it? Deputy Spokesman : Ultimately, the basic point is that if the fighting ends, then the Strait of Hormuz will be operational. What's important now is that all steps be taken to make sure that the Strait of Hormuz can be functional, because, as I just pointed out, one of the consequences of it not being open will be a drastic increase in world hunger. Yes, Nabil. Question : Yeah. Follow-up on Hormuz Strait. Ms. Kaja Kallas, the EU representative, said that she discussed an initiative with the Secretary-General like to facilitate the flow of oil and gas through Hormuz Strait with the Secretary-General. Do you have a readout? And can you share with us, maybe, how is the SG thinking about a possible initiative similar to the Black Sea initiative? Deputy Spokesman : I believe Stephane [Dujarric] made clear yesterday that, for certain diplomatic efforts to succeed, discretion needs to be the better part of valour, and that's certainly the case here. There's no way in which any extensive discussion of this issue will be helpful for progress. As you know, the Secretary-General is leaving later today for Brussels, and he will be meeting with European officials. We'll try to give you the readouts of his meetings as those come. Question : Is this a message, you mean, from the SG's office to his counterparts in Brussels that they should not maybe speak about this talk publicly? Or should they keep it discrete or behind closed doors? Deputy Spokesman : I think those of you who have been following our work for many years, as you have, know that there's some diplomacy that is conducted well above the waterline and some that is more effectively dealt with below the waterline, and this certainly is the latter. Namo? Question : Thank you, Farhan. I know Ms. Ferguson is going to talk to us about the situation of women in Afghanistan later. I have a general question about the level of UN presence in Afghanistan. Can you clarify what it is and whether you are in touch with the Taliban-led Government? Like, if you can, you know, paint us the picture for the UN presence there, that'd be great. Thank you. Deputy Spokesman : Well, as you know, there's a UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan led by our special representative, Georgette Gagnon, and they deal with the de facto authorities as needed, as we do with de facto authorities around the world where we need their cooperation in order to achieve our various objectives in the country. And so, that Mission is there on the ground. And as I just pointed out, they already expressed their concerns, among other things, about the latest attack that hit a hospital for people with drug problems in Kabul last night. That Mission, by the way, was extended by the Security Council yesterday, and you heard yesterday what we had to say, welcoming the Council's extension. Yes, please. Farnoush. Question : Thanks, Farhan. I'm just wondering, given, if Israel or Iran have made their dues to the UN, have paid their dues? Deputy Spokesman : I don't believe that either has paid their dues for this year so far, but, of course, we're early into the year. Yes, please. Maryam? Question : Farhan, did you get any specific number from UNAMA in Afghanistan regarding the attack in Kabul last night? Deputy Spokesman : No. What they said was that they believe that dozens of people were killed. We're aware of reports indicating that as many as 400 or so people may have died, but we are not in a position... Question : And these are civilians? Deputy Spokesman : We're not in a position to confirm that. Yes. Abdelhamid, online. Question : Yeah. Thank you, Farhan. You know, as Ramadan comes to a close, Al-Aqsa Mosque is still closed. Yesterday, people came to pray in front of the mosque, and they were kicked out by the Israeli security people there. Do you have any comment on that? Deputy Spokesman : The UN has always stood for the status quo at the holy sites to be respected, and that would include allowing worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque to carry out their religious practices without interference. Question : And my second question, Farhan, is about the settlers. Settlers are now... it's not just an attack here or there. It's more coordinated. I mentioned yesterday to Stephane that 80 settlers attacked the village of Abu Fala, and every single day, they attack. It's coordinated. It's protected by the army. Taking advantage of the world attention is going toward the Gulf, and they are really expanding their confiscation of land and terrorizing the Palestinian villages and population. So, anything can be done other than calling on Israel to restrain the settlers, which they are protecting them, in fact? Deputy Spokesman : We've also been documenting different abuses by not just the settlers, but also by the security forces. I would just refer you to the report that came out today by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, concerning the acceleration of unlawful settlement expansion in the West Bank. That's a report that was formally presented, just today in Geneva. Dulcie? Question : In the press release, announcing Joseph Gordon-Levitt's new role, it doesn't say who actually picked him. Deputy Spokesman : I believe he's been appointed in order to work with the UN Internet Governance Forum and with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. So, those are the ones who are basically appointing him, since he works with them. And with that, let me turn to our guest, who should be online from Kabul. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, on the killing of Palestinian children in the West Bank UNICEF Statement Two young siblings killed in Tammun over the weekend as child casualties continue 17 March 2026 AMMAN, 17 March 2026 -- "Violence has again claimed the lives of Palestinian children in the West Bank. On 14 March, two siblings, aged 5 and 7, were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the town of Tammun in the West Bank alongside their parents inside their car. "Since January 2025, 65 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - roughly one child every week - with more than 760 injured. Most of these deaths were caused by live ammunition. "For the children who survive these incidents, the consequences are profound. Some are left with permanent disabilities that will shape the rest of their lives. Many children struggle with deep psychological wounds after witnessing the violent killing and injury of friends and family members. "UNICEF calls on the Israeli authorities to take immediate and decisive action to protect Palestinian children and uphold their right to life in line with international law. Authorities must ensure transparent and robust accountability when children are killed or maimed and take effective action to deter further violence. They must further uphold their obligation to ensure humanitarian access and medical attention to the wounded." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan: UN condemns deadly attack on rehab centre in Kabul 17 March 2026 - Top UN officials condemned on Tuesday Pakistan's overnight strike on a rehab centre that reportedly killed at least 400 people in Kabul, according to Taliban authorities, and injured more than 250 others. "A reported overnight strike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Facility in Kabul, managed by the Ministry of Interior, killed more than 400 people, and injured at least 250, who were being treated for substance use disorders," said World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Since hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated at the end of last month, several hundred Afghan civilians - including 104 children and 59 women - have been killed or injured. The Pakistani Government has denied its forces hit the facility, insisting that it has struck only military targets. Tens of thousands, mostly in the south and southeast of the country, have been displaced by the fighting. In Pakistan, many have also been forced to flee their homes, and schools have been closed. WHO is working to verify last night's incident, Tedros said, but the intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on health systems and increasing risks to the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations. The upsurge in hostilities between the Taliban and Islamabad has resulted in "at least six health facilities reportedly being impacted in Afghanistan since late February," he said. "I urge all parties to de-escalate and prioritise peace and health. Peace is the best medicine." Scene of 'total destruction' Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for UN human rights office, OHCHR, said witnesses had described a "scene of total destruction" at the site, with hundreds searching for their relatives. "Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects are strictly protected," he said, emphasising that the laws of war clearly spell out that any attack must comply with the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. "International humanitarian law provides for specific and increased protections for medical facilities." Call for reparations The OHCHR spokesperson said the incident must be investigated promptly, independently and transparently with those responsible held to account in line with international standards. "Those results must be made public," he said. "Victims and victims' families are entitled to reparations." UN human rights chief Volker Turk reiterated his call on all parties to take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians, in line with international law. He stressed the need for an immediate end to hostilities and for the free flow of humanitarian aid to those in need. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 419th Fighter Wing Reservists support first-ever microreactor airlift Published March 17, 2026 By Tech Sgt. Anthony Pham 419th Fighter Wing HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- When a C-17 Globemaster III touched down at Hill Air Force Base, Feb. 15, it carried more than cargo, it delivered a glimpse of how the military may power future operations. Inside the aircraft sat a transportable micro-nuclear reactor, part of a groundbreaking Department of War effort to provide reliable energy to military forces operating anywhere in the world. But before the advanced technology could continue its journey, a team of Airmen on the ground, including reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing, had to safely receive and move one of the most unique pieces of cargo ever delivered to Hill AFB. The historic mission, known as Operation Windlord, marked the first-ever military airlift of a microreactor and demonstrated the Department of War's ability to rapidly deploy next-generation power systems by air. At the center of the effort is Project Pele, a Department of War initiative to develop small, transportable nuclear reactors capable of powering remote or austere military installations. The reactors are designed to operate independently of traditional fuel supply chains, reducing reliance on vulnerable and logistically demanding fuel convoys. Roughly the size of a standard shipping container, the prototype microreactor features modular components and advanced safety systems that allow it to be transported by aircraft, truck or ship and assembled at a forward location. Once the C-17 landed, responsibility for the specialized cargo shifted to a logistics team composed of the 67th Aerial Port Squadron, 151st Air Transportation Flight and the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Together, the units carefully unloaded and transferred the reactor, completing the final phase of the historic airlift. These Airmen are specialists in military airlift operations, trained to process and move everything from standard cargo pallets to highly specialized and sensitive equipment. For the reservists of the 67th APS, the mission highlighted the critical role the Air Force Reserve plays in delivering operational capability across the force. "This operation is a prime example of how the Reserve is a day-to-day operational force," said Tech. Sgt. William McCalmant, cargo processing supervisor with the 67th APS. "We're not just training for a future conflict. We are delivering readiness and enabling the military's lethality now, ensuring groundbreaking technology like this can be fielded safely and effectively." While the microreactor represents a major step forward in how the military may power future operations, the success of the mission ultimately depended on the Airmen responsible for safely moving it. From aircraft arrival to cargo transfer, their expertise ensured the reactor could continue its journey without delay. For the Reserve Airmen involved, the mission was another reminder that strategic capability often begins with logistics done right. By combining advanced technology with the experience and professionalism of the Total Force, the Air Force continues to demonstrate its ability to deliver innovative capabilities wherever the mission demands. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China calls for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire, 'serving as stabilizing anchor for regional security in turbulent world' Global Times China's diplomacy for long-term peace and stability 'a rare, trustworthy public good,' says expert By Shen Sheng Published: Mar 18, 2026 12:26 AM Amid turmoil in the Middle East, including a Hormuz blockage that drives up global oil prices, China is taking concrete actions to help neighboring countries to secure peace, stability, and development. On Monday local time, the United Nation Security Council adopted a China-penned resolution extending the mandate of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for three months. Meanwhile, Yue Xiaoyong, China's Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs, traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan to conduct shuttle diplomacy, urging both sides to exercise restraint and to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, earning appreciation from both countries. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday also called for Afghanistan and Pakistan to engage in face-to-face talks at the earliest date, and achieve a ceasefire. Analysts said China's diplomatic practice, which does not carve out spheres of influence or stir up bloc confrontation in its neighborhood but instead fosters stability and prosperity, is among the scarcest and most trustworthy public goods in today's turbulent world. In an explanation of vote on the UN Security Council draft resolution extending the mandate of the UNAMA, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said China commends the efforts made by UNAMA and supports it in better fulfilling its mandate. "As the penholder of the Resolution, China thanks Council members for their support and cooperation," Fu said, per Xinhua. He said the resolution reiterates deep concerns over the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and emphasizes the need to strengthen humanitarian assistance and support Afghanistan's development needs. "We call on traditional donors, particularly those countries that bear historical responsibility toward Afghanistan, to resume and increase their aid to Afghanistan as soon as possible." Fu also called on relevant countries to unfreeze and return the assets of Afghanistan's Central Bank, and hoped that UNAMA will play a greater role in this regard. Shuttle diplomacy China's effort at UN came after its shuttle diplomacy over the recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. From March 7 to 14, Special Envoy Yue Xiaoyong visited both Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, he met separately with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi. In Pakistan, he held talks with Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Mohammad Sadiq, Islamabad's special envoy for Afghanistan, urging both sides to remain calm, reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, and resolve differences through dialogue. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed appreciation for China's mediation efforts and said they are willing to address the issue through political and diplomatic channels. Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that faced with the dual challenges of turmoil in the Middle East and lingering issues in Afghanistan, China has not chosen to inflame tensions, stand by as a bystander, or resort to military intervention. Instead, China has continued to promote dialogue and negotiation over confrontation through the UN platform and regional diplomacy, reflecting a diplomatic philosophy that prioritizes diplomacy over force. "Such an approach represents one of the scarcest and most trustworthy public goods in today's turbulent world and global governance system," Qian stressed. The Taliban in Afghanistan claim that a Pakistani military airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul killed over 400 people and injured 250 others, CBS News reported Tuesday. Pakistan rejected the claim as false and said it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure" on Monday night, according to Reuters. The conflict that began last month is the worst ever between the neighbors who share a 2,600-km border. It had ebbed amid attempts by friendly countries, including China, to mediate and end the fighting before flaring up again, this time just days before the Eid al-Fitr festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the report noted. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Tuesday's regular press conference that China hopes that both Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage in face-to-face talks at the earliest date, and achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible. Lin made the remarks in response to questions about the recent Afghanistan-Pakistan conflicts, saying the two countries should resolve differences and disputes through dialogue. "Dialogue and consultation are the only effective way for resolving their issues.'' China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions, Lin said, adding that China will continue to play a constructive role in easing tensions and improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan through its own channels. Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times that Afghanistan faces a range of complex difficulties, including domestic development constraints, tensions with neighboring countries, international sanctions and non-traditional security threats. These multifaceted challenges make external mediation particularly necessary. "As a common neighbor of both Afghanistan and Pakistan, China has established a trilateral coordination mechanism with the two countries, which provides a solid foundation for mediating tensions between Kabul and Islamabad," Zhu said. He also recalled that China has previously played a constructive role in facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan, helping ease tensions and promote the development of bilateral relations, while consistently supporting both countries through concrete actions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan's 'neo-militarism' emerges as tangible threat requiring vigilance 10:08, March 18, 2026 By Huan Yuping ( People's Daily In recent years, Japan's right-wing factions have intensified efforts to advance a more covert and deceptive form of "neo-militarism." Framed under the guise of "peace" and "defense," this ideology fundamentally seeks to dismantle Japan's post-WWII constraints and transform the nation into a military power capable of overseas force projection. Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi assumed office, this agenda has accelerated markedly. Across political, military, diplomatic and ideological domains, Japan has repeatedly sought to break through the constraints of its pacifist Constitution and the post-war international order, pushing forward ever faster and further with its rearmament. Evidence confirms that Japan's "neo-militarism" now constitutes not merely a concerning trend but an actionable threat. Regional neighbors and the international community must heighten awareness and implement measures to counter its proliferation. Japan's current "neo-militarism" represents the stubborn resurgence and distorted evolution of militarist ideology in the modern era. While retaining the expansionist genes of traditional militarism, it has developed new, highly deceptive characteristics. Politically, administrative power has become deeply intertwined with major business conglomerates, enabling the pursuit of military expansion under the cover of democratic procedures. Militarily, instead of openly advocating aggression, it advances step by step through a "salami-slicing" tactics, attempting to loosen military constraints while maintaining the appearance of "compliance". Economically, a symbiotic relationship has emerged between rearmament and major corporate interests, effectively transferring wealth from ordinary citizens to military-industrial interest groups. Culturally, "neo-militarism" has repackaged itself by incorporating rhetoric such as "freedom," "democracy" and "human rights" as supposed universal values, while exploiting social media algorithms and opinion manipulation to construct information "echo chambers". Diplomatically, Japan continues a geopolitical strategy marked by opportunism and confrontation. The emergence of Japan's "neo-militarism" results from interrelated factors: the lingering influence of militarist ideology, the dominance of radical political forces, the distortion of social and economic anxieties, and the active promotion of vested interest groups. First, Japan never fully eradicated militarism. Unlike Germany's comprehensive denazification, Japan's post-war democratization remained incomplete under U.S. Cold War strategy, allowing remnants of militarism to persist within political structures. Second, Japan's political landscape has shifted rightward. Since the end of the Cold War -- particularly in recent years -- structural changes have taken place in Japan's political ecology, with right-wing conservative forces occupying the core of state power and gradually transforming far-right ideology into national policy and legislative action. Third, prolonged economic stagnation has generated strategic anxiety. Under the combined pressures of massive public debt, industrial hollowing-out and demographic decline, Japan's economy has struggled for decades, with its per capita GDP ranking slipping from the global forefront to the middle-lower tier among developed economies. To divert attention from domestic governance challenges, right-wing politicians have increasingly resorted to exaggerating a so-called "China threat." Fourth, vested interests profit from military expansion. As Japan's defense policy has shifted in a more aggressive direction, defense spending has risen for 14 consecutive years from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2026. In particular, it doubled within three years after 2022, generating large orders for Japan's defense industry. Data show that since November 2022, the share 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. Since the establishment of the government led by Takaichi, the push toward "neo-militarism" has clearly accelerated and entered a dangerous stage of systematic implementation. Politically and legally, war's final barriers are being dismantled. Backed by the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and far-right allies forming what has been described as the most conservative governing coalition since the World War II, the Takaichi administration has strengthened its right-wing power base while laying the groundwork for constitutional revision through persistent "crisis narratives." At the level of military strategy, the government seeks to build an independent offensive capability. The fiscal 2026 defense budget has been pushed beyond 9 trillion yen ($56.61 billion), another record high, reaching the target of 2 percent of GDP ahead of schedule. Massive funding targets multiple offensive systems, revealing accelerated expansion ambitions. Economically, a "new military-industrial complex" rapidly takes shape. The administration elevated military preparedness to national priority, strongly supporting defense-linked interest groups. Societally, historical revisionism intensifies. Japan's right-wing forces are doubling down on efforts to remold public memory -- whitewashing wartime aggression in school textbooks, promoting a "loyalty to the emperor" education, and systematically replacing self-reflection on past atrocities with a self-serving "victimhood" narrative that seeks to sever ties with history of aggression. As early as 1994 -- one year after she was first elected to Japan's parliament -- Takaichi publicly questioned then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's acknowledgment of Japan's wrongful war of aggression. In 2007, serving in the cabinet of Shinzo Abe, she became the only cabinet minister to visit the Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, in a move widely seen as catering to right-wing forces. She has also repeatedly denied the Nanjing Massacre and the coercion of "comfort women," even attempting to portray Japan's war of aggression as a "war of self-defense." In September 2021, she advanced the claim that a "Taiwan contingency" would pose a threat to Japan. In November 2025, while serving as prime minister, she further alleged in parliamentary debate that a "Taiwan contingency" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and has kept refusing to retract the remarks. More recently, she has openly stated that she is working to create conditions to visit Yasukuni Shrine again. From early rhetorical probing to today's systematic political maneuvering, Takaichi has played a key role in promoting this "neo-militarism," acting as a dangerous accelerator pushing Japan back toward a path of militaristic expansion. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the trials of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. That historic tribunal represented not only a just reckoning with the crimes of Japanese militarism but also an important step toward building a peaceful world. Today, Japan's "neo-militarism" poses a serious, tangible threat to regional and global stability. The deep-rooted structural problems in Japan's political system and the dangerous trajectory of its strategic policies cannot be ignored. The international community must remain vigilant, jointly safeguard the outcomes of victory in World War II, and build an unbreakable line of justice. The dangerous forces behind Japan's "neo-militarism" must not be allowed to wreak havoc again, and the sunlight of peace must never again be overshadowed by the clouds of war. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 30-hour fire on USS Gerald R. Ford exposes design, damage control issues and prolonged deployment strain: Chinese expert Global Times By Liang Rui and Liu Xuanzun Published: Mar 18, 2026 12:09 AM A fire that broke out on the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on March 12 burned for more than 30 hours, leaving more than 600 sailors without berths and forcing them to sleep on table or the floor, reported The New York Times (NYT) on Monday local time. As the carrier's deployment has entered its 10th month, a Chinese military affairs expert told the Global Times that while fires aboard large and complex vessels such as an aircraft carrier are inherently difficult to extinguish, the incident exposed the US warship's weaknesses in damage control, safety management, and the strain of prolonged high-intensity deployment. According to the NYT, the fire started in the ship's main laundry area, as the ship continued its monthslong slog through the US' military operations in striking against Iran. Two American sailors were injured in a fire on the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea on March 12, the US Central Command claimed in a statement posted on social media platform X. "There is no damage to the ship's propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational," the post said. Wang Yunfei, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that modern warships contain highly complex electrical systems and extensive fuel lines, both of which can intensify fires once they break out. In addition, the internal spaces of warships are enclosed and connected by ventilation systems, conditions that can accelerate the spread of flames. Critical areas aboard warships are normally equipped with automatic extinguisher systems, such as water or foam sprinklers designed specifically for zones with concentrated electrical equipment. If a fire cannot be quickly contained, it may indicate that such systems failed to function effectively, Wang added. Damage-control training is equally important: once a fire alarm is triggered, crew members assigned to firefighting should respond immediately according to established procedures. Delays in bringing the fire under control may suggest shortcomings in training or execution, Wang said. The expert also noted that warships are typically designed with compartmentalization to prevent fires from spreading, and if a fire forces large numbers of crew members to leave their living spaces, it may indicate weaknesses in fire-containment design. The Ford is now entering its 10th month of deployment. Crew members on the Ford have been told that their deployment will probably be extended into May, which would put them at an entire year at sea, twice the length of a normal aircraft carrier deployment, reported the NYT. Citing a retired rear admiral, the Wall Street Journal noted in a previous report that US carrier deployments during peacetime are typically six months long, with planners allowing for a few months of potential overrun if needed. Prolonged deployments could also affect crew readiness. When ships remain on extended missions beyond their normal rotation, personnel may experience fatigue, which can reduce their ability to respond quickly to emergencies. This may also reflect broader pressures on the US' global military deployments and resource allocation, Wang added. The fire was only the latest in a series of maintenance problems on the Ford, said the NYT. In February, this aircraft carrier was reported to have experienced a blockage affecting about 650 toilets on board. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ali Larijani Ali Larijani's influential tenure ended abruptly on March 17, 2026. Israel's Defense Minister announced that IDF forces had conducted a precision airstrike in Tehran overnight, eliminating Larijani along with other high-value targets, including IRGC Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. The strike, part of an intensified campaign targeting Iran's command structure, dealt a severe blow to the regime's continuity. Israeli officials described Larijani as the architect of recent escalations and a key figure in repression and proxy warfare. Iranian state media remained largely silent initially, neither confirming nor denying the claim outright, leading to speculation and conflicting reports. Some outlets referenced unverified signalssuch as a possible handwritten note or social media activityraising doubts about the announcement's accuracy. However, international sources, including Western intelligence assessments and regional analyses, increasingly treated the report as credible. If confirmed, Larijani's death removed a veteran operator who had balanced ideology with pragmatism for over four decades. Throughout his career, Larijani embodied the complexities of Iran's theocratic system: a philosopher versed in Kant who commanded troops; a media chief who censored dissent while defending free thought in theory; a nuclear negotiator who sought compromise without surrender; and a parliamentary leader who upheld revolutionary red lines. His family dynasty reflected the intertwined nature of clerical, military, and political power in the Islamic Republic. Critics, including human rights groups and exiled opposition, condemned Larijani for his roles in media censorship, protest crackdowns (particularly during his SNSC tenure), and support for regional militias accused of terrorism. Supporters portrayed him as a steadfast defender of sovereignty against existential threats. Sanctions imposed by the United States and others targeted him for human rights violations and destabilizing activities. Larijani's elimination in 2026 marked another chapter in the cascading losses suffered by Iran's leadership amid the escalating war. His legacy remains contested: to loyalists, a brilliant strategist and martyr; to adversaries, a symbol of repression and defiance. As Iran navigated the aftermathfacing leadership voids, intensified bombardment, and uncertain successionLarijani's life illustrated the regime's resilience through adaptable, ideologically committed figures capable of rising repeatedly through crises. His death underscored the precariousness of even the most entrenched power brokers in an era of precision warfare and unrelenting external pressure. Ali Larijani, born Ali Ardashir Larijani on June 3, 1958, in Najaf, Iraq, emerged as one of the most enduring and multifaceted figures in the Islamic Republic of Iran's political and security landscape. Coming from a prominent Shia clerical family often likened to Iran's political "Kennedys," Larijani was the son of Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, a respected religious scholar close to the revolutionary circles that would later topple the Pahlavi monarchy. His family relocated to Iran in the early 1960s, settling in Qom, the epicenter of Shia theological learning. This background immersed Larijani in both religious scholarship and the ideological fervor that would define post-revolutionary Iran. Larijani pursued higher education with distinction, earning a PhD in philosophy from one of Iran's leading universities. His academic focus included Western thinkers such as Immanuel Kant, leading him to author books and articles blending Islamic philosophy with modern Western ideas. This intellectual depth set him apart from many hardline clerics, earning him a reputation as a thoughtful conservative capable of engaging with complex geopolitical and ideological debates. Yet his career path quickly veered toward revolutionary institutions rather than pure academia or clerical hierarchy. In 1981, shortly after the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, Larijani joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the powerful military-ideological force established to safeguard the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He served as a commander during the conflict's early and most intense phases, gaining frontline experience that cemented his credentials within the revolutionary elite. His military service lasted about a decade, during which he built networks that would prove invaluable throughout his later career. The war years hardened his outlook on national security, external threats, and the necessity of a strong, ideologically committed defense apparatus. After the 1988 ceasefire, Larijani transitioned into civilian and cultural roles. In the early 1990s, he was appointed Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance under President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. This position placed him at the forefront of enforcing cultural policies, censoring media, and promoting Islamic values in arts, literature, and broadcasting. His tenure was marked by efforts to balance revolutionary purity with pragmatic governance, though critics accused him of suppressing intellectual freedoms. This role showcased his ability to navigate the regime's factional divides between pragmatists and ideologues. In 1994, Larijani became head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-controlled media monopoly. For over a decade, he oversaw television, radio, and propaganda efforts, shaping public opinion during critical periods including the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami. Under his leadership, IRIB remained a steadfast tool for promoting regime narratives, countering Western cultural influence, and mobilizing support during crises. His media tenure reinforced his image as a loyal guardian of the revolution's ideological core. Larijani's ascent accelerated in the mid-2000s. From 2005 to 2007, he served as Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), a pivotal body coordinating foreign policy, defense, and nuclear strategy. In this capacity, he led Iran's nuclear negotiations with the international community during a tense period of escalating sanctions. Representing a more pragmatic wing than hardliners like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Larijani advocated cautious diplomacy while defending Iran's right to nuclear technology. His approach sometimes clashed with the president's confrontational style, leading to his resignation in 2007. Nevertheless, this experience established him as a key player in high-stakes international affairs. In 2008, Larijani won election as Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), Iran's parliament, a position he held for an unprecedented twelve years until 2020. As speaker, he presided over legislative sessions, mediated between factions, and often tempered radical impulses from hardline deputies. His tenure saw him navigate economic crises, sanctions, the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), its subsequent unraveling under U.S. President Donald Trump, and waves of domestic protests. Larijani frequently positioned himself as a bridge between the Supreme Leader's office and elected institutions, earning praise from moderates for promoting dialogue and criticism from ultraconservatives for perceived leniency. The Larijani family itself constituted a formidable political dynasty. His brothers included Sadegh Larijani, who served as Judiciary Chief from 2009 to 2019 and later headed the Expediency Discernment Council; Mohammad Javad Larijani, a prominent advisor on human rights issues; Bagher Larijani, a medical academic; and Fazel Larijani, involved in scientific affairs. This concentration of influence occasionally drew accusations of nepotism, yet it underscored the family's deep entrenchment in the regime's power structures. Larijani's political fortunes fluctuated with Iran's shifting factional dynamics. Disqualified from the 2021 presidential race by the Guardian Council, he retreated temporarily from frontline roles, focusing on advisory positions and occasional public commentary. His pragmatic conservatismloyal to the Supreme Leader yet open to limited reformsmade him a target for both reformists (who saw him as too conservative) and hardliners (who viewed him as insufficiently revolutionary). In August 2025, amid escalating regional tensions and internal pressures, Larijani was reappointed Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council under President Masoud Pezeshkian. This return to one of Iran's most powerful unelected posts positioned him as a central architect of national security policy during a period of heightened confrontation with Israel and the United States. He oversaw coordination between the IRGC, military branches, intelligence agencies, and foreign policy apparatus, steering Iran's responses to proxy conflicts, sanctions, and cyber threats. The dramatic turning point came in early 2026. Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike that ignited full-scale regional war, Larijani emerged as a de facto power broker. With the leadership vacuum, he guided Iran's wartime strategy, issuing defiant statements vowing severe retaliation against the "Zionist regime" and the United States. He coordinated missile barrages, proxy activations across the region, and internal mobilization efforts. Media outlets described him as Iran's "unofficial strongman" or even "de facto leader," highlighting his philosophical background juxtaposed against ruthless decision-making in crisis. Larijani's public pronouncements during this period emphasized national unity, resistance to imperialism, and the preservation of the Islamic Republic's revolutionary ideals. He accused Western powers of sacrificing their own troops for Israeli interests and warned of unforgettable consequences for aggressors. His role included chairing emergency sessions of the SNSC, advising the Interim Leadership Council, and shaping propaganda narratives to sustain morale amid devastating airstrikes and economic strain. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Counter-Leadership Targeting -- Theory, Practice, and the Israeli Campaign The deliberate targeting of enemy leadership -- generals, commanders, heads of state, senior officials -- is among the oldest instruments of war and among the most poorly understood. The strategic logic appears elementary: remove the head and the body cannot function. The historical record is considerably less tidy. From the wartime debate over whether to kill Adolf Hitler to the systematic Israeli campaign that killed more than a dozen senior figures across Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian military structure between 2024 and 2026, the evidence consistently defies the elementary logic while rarely vindicating the elementary objections. The conventional wisdom holds that counter-leadership targeting is tactically satisfying and strategically indeterminate -- it feels decisive, it demonstrates reach and intelligence penetration, it satisfies domestic audiences, and it reliably fails to terminate conflicts. The conventional wisdom is partially correct and largely incomplete. The Israeli campaign of 2024-2026 produced outcomes that challenge the simple verdict while complicating the simple endorsement. A more honest assessment requires examining what counter-leadership targeting is actually capable of achieving, under what conditions it achieves those things, and what it cannot achieve regardless of how exquisite the target nomination. The Israeli targeting campaign against the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian military structure represents the most sustained and arguably most successful counter-leadership campaign since the American program against al-Qaeda senior leadership following 2001. It also illustrates with unusual clarity the distinction between tactical success and strategic resolution -- a distinction that the theory of decapitation has always struggled to bridge, and that the specific conditions of the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Iranian conflicts make structurally unbridgeable without a political framework that targeting alone cannot supply. The Theoretical Framework: What Targeting Is Supposed to Do Three distinct strategic logics have been advanced for counter-leadership targeting, and they are not the same logic dressed in different language. They imply different target selection criteria, different measures of effectiveness, and different conditions for success or failure. The decapitation model holds that organizations are sufficiently dependent on specific individuals that removing those individuals degrades or destroys organizational function. This is the model implicitly assumed in most popular discussion of targeted killing -- kill the leader, collapse the organization. It is most applicable to highly centralized organizations where specific irreplaceable expertise, relationships, or authority is concentrated in a small number of individuals. It is least applicable to organizations that have deliberately designed succession and redundancy into their structures, which every competent non-state armed group has done since the 1990s precisely because decapitation targeting has been a documented American and Israeli practice for that long. The compellance model holds that killing leaders changes the behavior of surviving leaders by demonstrating that the targeting state has the reach and intelligence penetration to find and kill anyone in the organization at any time. The mechanism is not organizational disruption but psychological -- the surviving leadership modifies its behavior in response to demonstrated threat. This model does not require the organization to collapse; it requires the organization to do something it would not otherwise do. The standard is behavioral change, not organizational destruction. The effects-based model, which achieved doctrinal prominence in American military thinking in the 1990s and was subsequently subjected to sustained critique, holds that targeting should be oriented toward producing specific desired effects on the adversary system rather than simply destroying high-value targets. Under this model, the question to ask before a targeting decision is not "is this a legitimate and reachable target" but "what behavior change in what part of the adversary system does killing this person produce, and is that the behavior change sought." This is the most demanding standard and the most rarely applied rigorously. The moral and legal framework operates somewhat independently of the strategic theories. Under the laws of armed conflict, military commanders and political leaders exercising command authority over armed forces are lawful targets. The distinction between targeting leaders and assassinating them turns on context: killing a head of state in peacetime, outside the context of armed conflict, is assassination and is prohibited under most legal frameworks including longstanding American executive orders. Killing a head of state or military commander who is exercising command authority in an ongoing armed conflict is targeting and is lawful. The distinction matters less in practice than it does in theory, because the same physical act -- a precision strike on a specific individual -- is characterized as one or the other largely according to the legal and political framework the characterizing party prefers. The argument for targeting leaders rather than uniformed soldiers in the field has a coherent humanitarian dimension that is rarely stated plainly: a precision strike against a specific decision-maker who can authorize, order, and direct violence is a more discriminate use of force than area bombardment of the formations those decision-makers command. The leader who orders the attack is more culpable than the conscript who executes it. The strike that kills the leader and produces a decision to de-escalate is, on a simple humanitarian accounting, preferable to the battle that kills thousands of the poor boys in uniform. This argument is coherent but not decisive -- its validity depends entirely on whether targeting the leader actually produces the de-escalation, which returns to the strategic question. Historical Precedents: The Record Before Israel The most celebrated counter-leadership operation of World War II was Operation Vengeance, the April 1943 intercept of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's inspection flight over Bougainville. Yamamoto was the architect of Pearl Harbor and the dominant strategic mind of the Imperial Japanese Navy. American signals intelligence intercepted his precise flight schedule; P-38 fighters flying at extreme range from Guadalcanal shot down his transport. The result was the death of the finest naval commander Japan possessed -- and no discernible effect on Japanese military strategy or the trajectory of the Pacific War. Japan continued fighting for two and a half more years. The Pacific War ended because Japan's industrial and military capacity was destroyed and nuclear weapons were used against its cities -- not because Yamamoto was dead. The case of Reinhard Heydrich, killed by Czech and Slovak agents dropped by the British Special Operations Executive in May 1942, is the most sobering counter-leadership precedent in the historical record. Heydrich was the head of the Reich Main Security Office, the principal architect of the Final Solution, and the acting Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. His killing was a genuine tactical achievement requiring extraordinary courage and operational skill. The German response was the destruction of the village of Lidice, the murder of its adult male population, and intensified repression across occupied Czechoslovakia. The Holocaust continued. The record of Operation Anthropoid is not an argument against counter-leadership targeting; it is an argument for thinking clearly about what it can and cannot achieve before undertaking it. The Churchill argument against killing Hitler is less well documented than popular retelling suggests, but the strategic logic attributed to it is sound regardless of whether Churchill expressed it precisely: Hitler was making decisions that were strategically and operationally catastrophic for Germany, and replacing him with a more competent military leader would shorten the war only if that leader chose to end it, which the German military-political structure in 1943-44 made unlikely. The argument is a specific instance of a general principle -- the value of killing a specific leader depends on the quality of the successor, and the quality of the successor depends on organizational characteristics that targeting cannot control. The 1970s produced a specific debate about counter-leadership targeting that has been largely forgotten but deserves retrieval. As nuclear war planning became more operationally serious in the Nixon and Carter administrations, a practical objection emerged to targeting Soviet leadership in the early stages of a nuclear exchange: if the Soviet leadership was destroyed, there would be no one left with the authority and capability to order Soviet forces to stand down. Killing the people who could negotiate a termination of nuclear hostilities was counterproductive if termination was the actual goal. The targeting officers who raised this objection -- dramatized, somewhat loosely, in the film The Patriot and more accurately in declassified planning documents -- were making a point about war termination that applies in non-nuclear contexts as well. An adversary with no surviving leadership capable of authorizing surrender cannot surrender. The Intelligence Problem: How Israel Does Exquisite Target Nomination The Israeli counter-leadership campaign of 2024-2026 demonstrated a level of intelligence penetration into adversary organizations that has no public precedent in the open record. The September 2024 pager and walkie-talkie operations against Hezbollah -- in which thousands of communication devices used by Hezbollah personnel were simultaneously detonated, killing and maiming operatives across Lebanon -- required years of supply chain penetration and represent a category of intelligence operation distinct from human source recruitment or signals intercept. The precision with which Israeli strikes subsequently found and killed Nasrallah, his designated successor Hashem Safieddine, thirteen members of Hezbollah's senior command, and the full leadership of the Radwan Division suggested a level of access to Hezbollah's internal communications and location data that Hezbollah's counter-intelligence had not anticipated. The killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024 -- a bomb reportedly pre-positioned in his guest quarters -- demonstrated a different kind of access: human penetration of the physical security apparatus surrounding a senior Hamas official in the Iranian capital, inside a facility under Iranian state protection. The killing of Yahya Sinwar in October 2024, in contrast, was not an intelligence triumph -- Israeli soldiers encountered him in a damaged building and killed him in a firefight before his identity was confirmed. The most consequential killing in the Hamas leadership sequence was essentially a chance contact. The epistemological lesson of the Sinwar killing deserves emphasis. The Israeli intelligence apparatus had been hunting Sinwar for over a year using every available technical and human collection method. He evaded systematic search and was found by accident. This does not diminish the value of the intelligence infrastructure that tracked and killed Nasrallah, Haniyeh, and dozens of subordinate commanders; it does suggest that the most consequential targeting outcomes are not always the products of the most sophisticated targeting processes. When It Works and When It Does Not The evidence from 2024-2026 and from the longer historical record permits some provisional generalizations, offered with appropriate uncertainty given the analytical complexity. Counter-leadership targeting appears more effective when the targeted organization is highly centralized and the specific individual possesses genuinely irreplaceable attributes -- personal relationships with external patrons, specific expertise, authority structures that cannot be smoothly transferred. Nasrallah had led Hezbollah for over three decades; his personal relationships with Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei and with the IRGC leadership were not transferable. His death, combined with the concurrent killing of most of Hezbollah's senior military command, produced observable degradation in Hezbollah's command coherence and contributed to the conditions for the November 2024 ceasefire. The case for decapitation effectiveness is strongest here. Counter-leadership targeting appears less effective when the organization has robust succession planning, distributed decision-making, and an ideological foundation that does not depend on specific personalities. The killing of Sinwar did not end Hamas. Killing Haniyeh -- whom some analysts assessed as among the more pragmatic figures in Hamas's leadership -- produced a more hardline successor in Sinwar himself, and killing Sinwar produced a succession that continued armed resistance. The organization's fighting continued; its territorial control contracted for military reasons unrelated to leadership attrition. The drug trafficking analogy that surfaces periodically in counter-leadership debates has genuine analytical force. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Colombian security forces killed Pablo Escobar in December 1993. The Medellin Cartel collapsed. Colombian cocaine production increased. Demand in the consumer market was not a function of Escobar's personal leadership; the market created organizational forms to meet it, and the successor organizations proved more durable precisely because they were less personality-dependent. The analogy to non-state armed groups is imperfect -- armed groups are not purely market phenomena -- but the structural point holds: organizations rooted in grievances and ideological commitments that are not personal to specific leaders will regenerate leadership after decapitation. The question is whether the grievances and commitments persist, not whether any specific leader persists. The Iranian Case: A Deep Bench and a Structural Problem The systematic targeting of Iranian military and political leadership through Operation Epic Fury in 2026 -- including the killing of IRGC commander Hossein Salami, Aerospace Force commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, multiple senior nuclear scientists, and ultimately Supreme Leader Khamenei -- represents an experiment in counter-leadership targeting at the level of a nation-state that has no precedent in the post-1945 record outside of intra-state conflict. Iran presents the counter-leadership targeting problem in its most difficult form. The Islamic Republic has spent 45 years building ideological depth into its military and political institutions. The IRGC is not dependent on any single commander; its organizational culture and ideological formation are embedded at the corps level and below. The clerical establishment that provides the regime's political legitimacy is not a collection of individuals but an institution with deep roots and a self-reproducing character. The succession mechanisms are specified in the constitution. The deep bench of potential leaders is not an accident -- it was designed into the system precisely because the founders understood that revolutionary institutions become vulnerable when they are identified with specific personalities. This creates what might be characterized as the succession selection problem: the targeting campaign implicitly operates as a leadership selection mechanism, killing the leaders who can be found and promoting the survivors. There is no particular reason to believe that the survivors will be more moderate, more amenable to negotiation, or more aligned with Israeli and American preferences. The historical record of decapitation campaigns suggests the opposite tendency -- successors are typically drawn from the more militant and more ideologically committed pool, because those are the individuals most willing to accept the personal risk of leadership under sustained targeting. Killing the pragmatists selects for the hardliners. The regime-change logic -- kill leaders until a leadership acceptable to Israel and the United States emerges -- is coherent as a statement of desired outcome and largely incoherent as a strategy. It assumes that the targeting state has clear and agreed war termination objectives, that those objectives are achievable through leadership change rather than requiring structural transformation of the regime, that a successor leadership acceptable to Israel and the United States could emerge and survive within the Iranian system, and that such a leadership would then make the political decisions required to satisfy Israeli and American objectives. Each of these assumptions is questionable; together they constitute a chain of inference that requires every link to hold simultaneously. The alternative framing -- that the targeting campaign is not intended to produce a specific successor leadership but to degrade Iran's military capacity and strategic decision-making during a specific operational window -- is more defensible strategically and more honest about what counter-leadership targeting can actually accomplish. On this framing, killing Salami and Hajizadeh is not an attempt to select Iran's next IRGC commander; it is an attempt to disrupt IRGC command authority during the operational period of Epic Fury. The operational disruption logic is more modest, more consistent with the historical record of what targeting achieves, and more honest about the limits. The War Termination Problem The deepest difficulty with sustained counter-leadership targeting against a state adversary is the one the 1970s nuclear planners identified: the targeting campaign may destroy the adversary's capacity to terminate the conflict on terms the targeting state would accept. An Iran whose supreme leader is dead, whose IRGC command structure is disrupted, whose nuclear and missile programs are physically destroyed, is also an Iran whose surviving leadership faces severe internal political constraints on any accommodation with the United States and Israel. The domestic political economy of defeat in Iran -- as in most states -- does not favor the leaders who accept it. Successful leaders survive to negotiate; defeated leaders who negotiate face the risk of being replaced by those who would not. The Yamamoto problem resurfaces here in a different form. The admiral who could have ordered a strategic reassessment of the Pacific War's prospects in April 1943 was killed. Whether he would have done so is unknowable; what is known is that he was no longer available to attempt it. The analogous question for the Iranian case -- whether any surviving leadership figure has the political standing to negotiate a genuine accommodation -- is a function of the targeting campaign's effects on the Iranian political system, not simply on the Iranian military structure. The assessment that counter-leadership targeting is a bad strategy except for all the alternatives reflects this bind accurately. A sustained ground campaign against Iran would impose casualties that democratic publics in Israel and the United States are unlikely to accept. Comprehensive economic sanctions have not produced the behavioral changes sought in 40 years of application. Diplomatic engagement without the coercive backdrop that targeting provides has not produced Iranian concessions on the nuclear file. The targeting campaign at least degrades specific capabilities and imposes costs that the Iranian leadership must absorb. Whether it produces outcomes that constitute strategic success -- a more stable Middle East, a non-nuclear Iran, a reduction in proxy violence -- depends on political decisions that military force can create conditions for but cannot make. The honest analytical verdict on counter-leadership targeting as practiced by Israel between 2024 and 2026 is that it achieved substantial tactical and operational effects -- degraded specific organizations, disrupted specific command structures, demonstrated a level of intelligence penetration that substantially altered the operating environment for Iranian proxies across the region -- while leaving the fundamental political questions that generated the conflict entirely unresolved. This is not a failure of targeting; it is a confirmation of targeting's limits. Military force can change the conditions under which political decisions are made. It cannot make the decisions. The gap between what counter-leadership targeting can accomplish and what its proponents claim for it is, in the end, the gap between tactics and strategy -- a gap that has never been bridged by more precise targeting, but only by clearer thinking about what is actually being sought. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 17 March 2026 - Day 1483 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 268 combat clashes. The Russian opponent made 48 aviacijnih strikes, dropped 170 controlled air bombs. In addition, Russian forces used 5036 kamikaze drones and carried out 2863 shells of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops. Three clashes took place in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursky directions today, the Russian enemy launched 102 shelling of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops, 12 with the use of reactive systems of spiral-fire. In the South Slobozhansky direction, theRussian enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian units 12 times in the areas of Vovchansk, Lyman and Pi any and in the direction of Ohrimivka and Bochkovoy. Six clashes are underway. In the kupans komu direction, Russian troops attacked 13 times in the areas of petropavlivka, kurylivki, novoosinovogo, glushkivki, new platonivki. Two clashes are underway. In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled six Russian attacks towards the settlements of Lyman and in the area of Kolodyaz and Drobishevogo. In the Slavic direction, theRussian opponent tried to advance seven times in the areas of settlements Platonivka, Zakitne and towards Rai-Oleksandrivka. In the Kramatorsky direction, the Defense Forces stopped two Russian assault actions in the areas of the settlements of Minkivka and Novomarkove. In the Konstantinivka direction, the Russian occupiers today stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders 44 times in the areas of settlements of Konstyantinivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Sofiyivka, Pleshiyivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Rusynoy Yar, Stepanivka, Novopavlivka. In the Pokrovsk direction, the Russian enemy carried out seventy attacks. The Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of the settlements of Bilytske, Dorozhne, Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Myrnograd, Shevchenko, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Muravka, Novopidhorodne, Molodetske, Novopavlivka, Filiya, Dachne. Two clashes are currently ongoing. According to preliminary estimates, today 197 Russian occupants were eliminated and 70 wounded in this direction; a tank was destroyed, three battle armored vehicles, 14 vehicles, antenna communication, a special equipment unit, two battle armored vehicles damaged, nine vehicles units of vehicles. Destroyed or suppressed 191 BPLA of different types. In the direction of Oleksandrivsky, the Russian enemy attacked three times in the areas of the settlements of Zlagoda, Zeleny Gorge and Krasnogirsk. Orestopil, Prosyana and Mechetne suffered Russian airstrikes. In the direction of Gulyaipil, there were 31 attacks in the areas of Zaliznyny, Gulyaipol, Mirny, Olenokostyantinivka, Gulyaypilsky, Zelenogo and Dobropillya. The Russian enemy launched air strikes in the areas of settlements of Vozdvizhivsk, Yegorivka, Kopani, Gulyaipilske, Zelena Dibrova. Six clashes are ongoing so far. In the orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian defenders have successfully repelled two Russian attacks near stepovogo. The settlements of Veselyanka and Nuts were hit by air strikes. In the pridniprovsky direction, the Russian enemy attacked the pu side of the island of bilogrudogo. Never been successful. 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. As a result of active actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces established control over the settlement of Sopych (Sumy region). Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Pavlovka, Proletarskoye, Miropolye, Kondratovka, and Kucherovka (Sumy region). In Kharkov region, units of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, and one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU have been hit near Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, Izbitskoye, Volchanskiye Khuthora, Veseloye, and Udy (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 270 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, one artillery gun, three electronic warfare stations, and one Israeli-made RADA RPS-42 counter-fire radar. Also, two ammunition depots and eight materiel depots were eliminated. The Zapad Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line. Russian troops inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Vasilevka, Novoosinovo, Grushevka, Kovalevka (Kharkov region), Krasny Liman, and Brusovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to more than 170 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 25 motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun. Five ammunition depots were destroyed. As a result of active actions, units of the Yuzhnaya Group of Forces liberated Kaleniki in the Donetsk People's Republic. Russian troops hit formations of three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault brigade of the AFU and one marine brigade near Konstantinovka, Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Shabelkovka, Novoselovka, Aleksandrovka, and Slavyansk (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost up to 200 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, 10 motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns. Two ammunition depots and six materiel depots were neutralised. The Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, one infantry brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade near Belitskoye, Krasnoyarskoye, Dobropolye, Novonikolaevka, Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic), Novopodgorodnoye, and Novopavlovka (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 280 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, including one U.S.-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system, and three electronic warfare stations. The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Formations of one mechanised brigade, one air assault brigade, one assault brigade, three assault regiments of the AFU, and one marine brigade have been hit close to Dobropasovo, Prosyanaya, Kolomiytsy (Dnepropetrovsk region), Komsomolskoye, Lyubitskoye, Barvinovka, Vozdvizhevka, and Kopani (Zaporozhye region). The enemy lost more than 255 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, 12 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns, including one 155-mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Orekhov, Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region) and Antonovka (Kherson region). Up to 65 troops, 12 motor vehicles, one electronic warfare station, and two materiel depots have been neutralised. Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have inflicted damage on the power and transport infrastructure of Ukraine used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 149 areas. Air defence systems shot down seven guided aerial bombs and 421 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 671 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 124,415 unmanned aerial vehicles, 652 anti-aircraft missile systems, 28,305 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,690 MLRS combat vehicles, 33,898 field artillery guns and mortars, and 57,043 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 18 March 2026 - Day 1484 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 215 combat clashes. The Russian opponent made 45 aviation strikes, dropped 148 controlled air bombs. In addition, used 2809 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,263 shells of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops. Five clashes took place in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions today, the Russian enemy launched two air strikes, dropped two air bombs, launched 83 shells on settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops, six of them using reactive systems of arson fire. In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces 11 times attacked the positions of Ukrainian units towards the settlements Veterinarne, Zelene, Prylipka, Staritsya, Vovchans -ki Hutory, Chugunivka, Ohrimivka, Bochkove. Two clashes are underway. In the direction of Kupyansk, the Russian enemy attacked 10 times in the direction of settlements of Kupyansk, Petropavlivka, Kurilivka, Novoplatonivka. In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12 Russian attacks towards the settlements of Lyman, Drobisheve, Stavka, Dibrov and in the areas of Novovodany and Novoyegorivka. In the Slavic direction, theRussian opponent tried to advance seven times in the areas of Yampol, Platonivka and towards Riznikivka and Rai-Oleksandrivka. In the Kramatorsk direction, the Defense Forces stopped the Russian offensive actions in the areas of the settlements of Golubivka, Privilla, Minkivka and in the direction of Malinivka. In total, six fights have occurred during the day, three of which are still ongoing. In the Konstantinivka direction, the Russian occupiers today stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders 31 times in the areas of the settlements of Pleshiyivka, Ivanopilya, Stepanivka, Rusin Yar, Sofiyivka and towards Konstantinovka, Illinivka and Novopavlivka. One battle is still going on. Russian troops committed 49 attacks in the Pokrovsky direction. The Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of settlements Toretske, Rodinske, Zatishok, Mirnograd, Pokrovsk, Udaachne, Kotline, Molodetske, Novomikolaivka, Filia and towards the settlements of Kucheriv Yar, Novooleksandrivka, Vilne, Shevchenko, Grishine, Muravka, Novopidgorodne, Novopavlivka. Five clashes are currently ongoing. According to preliminary calculations, today 164 Russian occupants were eliminated and 29 wounded in this direction; destroyed the artillery system, three vehicles units, one motorcycle, seven special equipment units, one personnel shelter, damaged the artillery systems, two vehicles units and eight Russian personnel shelters. Destroyed or suppressed 107 BPLA of different types. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian enemy attacked four times in the areas of Green Grove, Steppovoye and Ribnoye. Ivanivka and Pokrovskke suffered air strikes of the opponent. In the direction of Gulyajpil, 13 attacks occurred in the areas of Gulyajpol, Mirny and towards Zaliznycny, Dobropilla and Staroukrainka. The Russian enemy launched air strikes in the areas of settlements of Vozdvizhivka, Novoselivka, Gulyaipilske, Kopani, Lyubytske, Zalivne. In the orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian defenders have successfully repelled five Russian attacks near Stepovoye, scherbakiv and towards novodanilivka. The settlements of Veselyanka and Bilyenke suffered airstrikes. In the Pridniprovsk direction, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions. 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. The Sever Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line. Russian troops inflicted damage on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, an air assault brigade, an assault brigade, an assault regiment of the AFU, and a territorial defence brigade close to Novaya Sech, Miropolye, Luzhki, Maryino, and Kondratovka (Sumy region). In Kharkov region, units of two mechanised brigades, a motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade have been hit near Izbitskoye, Petrovskoye, Kolodeznoye, and Veseloye (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 255 troops, an infantry fighting vehicle, 13 motor vehicles, and three artillery guns. Three materiel depots were destroyed. As a result of resolute actions, the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Aleksandrovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Four mechanised brigades, two battalions of AFU unmanned system troops, and two territorial defence brigades have been hit near Osinovo, Velikaya Shapkovka, Grushevka, Borovaya (Kharkov region), Yatskovka, and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses amounted to up to 180 troops, two U.S.-made HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, 25 motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, and one ammunition depot. The Yuzhnaya Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. Five Mechanised Brigades, an assault brigade, an artillery brigade, a motorised infantry brigade, and a mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit near Konstantinovka, Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Slavyansk, Novoselovka, Belokuzminovka, Kramatorsk, and Nikiforovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost more than 135 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, four armoured fighting vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns. Three ammunition depots and six materiel depots were neutralised. The Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Five mechanised brigades, an infantry brigade, an airmobile brigade, a UAV brigade, an assault regiment of the AFU, a marine brigade, and three national guard brigades have been hit near Novofedorovka, Petrovka, Novogrigorovka, Kucherov Yar, Lenina, Grishino, Belitskoye, (Donetsk People's Republic), Ivanovka, Andronovka, and Novopavlovka in Dnepropetrovsk region. The AFU losses amounted to more than 275 troops, 10 armoured fighting vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, a radar, and three electronic warfare stations. The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, an assault brigade, and four assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Komsomolskoye, Chervony Yar, Rozovka, Kopani, Novoselovka, Vozdvizhevka (Zaporozhye region), Prosyanaya, Mechetnoye, and Gai (Dnepropetrovsk region). The enemy lost up to 275 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, and a 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. The Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of an AFU mechanised brigade near Orekhov and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). Up to 55 troops, 11 motor vehicles, an artillery gun, five electronic warfare stations, one unmanned surface vehicle, an ammunition depot, and three materiel depots were neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack UAVs, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have hit Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 145 areas. Air defence systems shot down three guided aerial bombs and 316 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 671 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 124,731 unmanned aerial vehicles, 652 anti-aircraft missile systems, 28,326 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,690 MLRS combat vehicles, 33,917 field artillery guns and mortars, and 57,130 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Top US 'counterterrorism' official resigns, says 'cannot in good conscience' back war on Iran Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 3:57 PM Joseph Kent, the Trump administration's director of the National Center for Counterterrorism (NCC), has resigned in protest over the US-Israeli aggression against Iran. In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday, Kent wrote: "I cannot in good conscience support the war against Iran." "Iran posed no imminent threat to our country, and we entered this war because of Israel and pressure from its powerful American lobby," he added. Kent cautioned that continuing down this path would only deepen the crisis facing the United States. "You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further towards decline and chaos," he wrote in the letter addressed to Trump. Kent's resignation exposes widening divisions within Trump's political base over the war and signals that serious questions about the justification for attacking Iran have spread to both senior administration officials and the US president's core supporters. Trump has offered shifting reasons for the strikes and has pushed back on claims that Israel forced the US to act. Earlier this month, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested that the White House believed Israel was determined to act on its own, leaving the Republican president with a "very difficult decision." The White House also had no immediate comment on Kent's resignation. The US and Israeli armed forces launched a joint military aggression against Iran in late February by attacking targets across Tehran, assassinating the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials. Since then, Iranian armed forces have retaliated swiftly by launching barrages of missiles and drones at Israeli-occupied territories as well as US bases across the region. According to Iran's Ministry of Defense, Iranian forces have killed and injured at least 600 American troops at various US bases since the start of the aggression. Iranian officials say targeting US military bases in the region constitutes "legitimate self-defense." Referring to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, they say the Islamic Republic has the legal right to defend itself against "acts of aggression" by the United States or the Israeli regime. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Top US Counterterrorism Official Resigns in Protest of Operation Against Iran Sputnik News 20260317 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Joseph Kent on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as director of the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) because of his disapproval of the US military operation against Iran. "After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," Kent wrote in his letter to US President Donald Trump published on X. He said that until June of 2025, Trump understood that wars in the Middle East were a "trap" that robbed the country of lives and depleted the nation's wealth and prosperity. However, during Trump's second term, high-ranking Israeli officials and US media deployed a misinformation campaign that dragged the US into a war with Iran by making the president believe in a lie that aggression could lead to a swift victory - a tactic used by Israel to start the war in Iraq, Kent said. "I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards," he concluded. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Shenzhou-21 taikonauts carry out second extravehicular mission to install space debris shielding Global Times By Du Qiongfang Published: Mar 17, 2026 11:40 PM The Shenzhou-21 crew aboard China's orbiting space station on Monday completed their mission's second series of extravehicular activities (EVAs), including installing a space debris protection device for the space station, which a space expert said is a precaution to protect critical systems from debris that cannot be addressed by robotic arms. The taikonaut trio - Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang - worked for roughly seven hours and completed their tasks at 7:35 pm, assisted by the space station's robotic arm and ground supporting team. The trio installed a space debris protection device for the space station and completed other tasks, according to a statement the Global Times obtained from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). As human space activities rapidly expand, the threat of space debris grows more prominent, making space debris protection devices the "armor" of space stations, the People's Daily reported. Space debris refers to all non-functional, uncontrolled man-made objects and their fragments in orbit, originating largely from defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, collision debris, as well as fragments from human testing activities. Space debris has surged since 1957 when the first artificial Earth satellite was launched, with over 44,000 trackable objects in orbit by 2024 and more than 1 million fragments larger than one centimeter posing risks to spacecraft. Traveling at speeds close to the first cosmic velocity, around 7.9 kilometers per second, these objects carry enormous kinetic energy and pose significant destructive potential, according to the People's Daily. According to a senior space expert who requested to be identified by his surname Pang, space debris larger than 10 centimeters can typically be avoided, while fragments between one and 10 centimeters are harder to detect and pose the greatest threat to spacecraft. Meanwhile, debris smaller than one centimeter can generally be withstood by existing shielding. While core shielding is pre-installed on Chinese space station modules, taikonauts have to conduct spacewalks to install additional protective devices designed for external pipelines, facilities, equipment and experimental apparatus, the People's Daily reported. Due to launch weight constraints, not all shielding can be pre-installed on space station modules, leaving critical systems like fuel tanks and attitude-control components requiring added protection. Additionally, stronger, upgraded shielding has to be installed post-assembly, with taikonauts performing complex spacewalks to equip key areas beyond the capability of robotic arms, Pang told the Global Times on Tuesday. Chinese taikonauts began installing debris shielding during the Shenzhou-18 mission on May 28, 2024, according to the People's Daily. At present, technologies for protecting against space debris are evolving toward an integrated approach that combines avoidance, shielding and repair. Meanwhile, with the advancement of space technology, emerging technologies are paving the way for active debris removal - shifting the approach from passive defense to proactive management, according to CNR. According to the CMSA, Zhang Lu and Wu, who have conducted spacewalk operations, returned safely to the Wentian lab module. Zhang has so far carried out six EVAs, making him one of the Chinese taikonauts with the highest number of spacewalks to date. Since completing the first series of EVAs on December 9, 2025, the Shenzhou-21 crew has carried out equipment inspection and maintenance, environmental monitoring, and health management aboard the space station. The crew members have also conducted in-orbit training exercises, including rendezvous and docking, medical rescue, and emergency lifesaving, according to the report. The scientific experiment and test projects they undertook, covering space life science and human research, microgravity physics, and new space technologies, have been progressing steadily. They also celebrated the Spring Festival in Year of the Horse while in orbit. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military leaders meet to strengthen regional security By Flight Lieutenant Holly Ryan 18 March 2026 International partnerships are key for maintaining regional stability. Senior military leaders from across the globe have arrived in Australia ahead of the Air and Space Power Conference 2026. Hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force's Air and Space Power Centre in coordination with Joint Capabilities Group, this conference brings together leaders, defence officials and strategic thinkers from 30 nations to discuss the role of air and space power in supporting national defence. On Wednesday, 16 March, at Canberra's National Convention Centre, the conference's international program began. Air Force senior leaders hosted a number of bilateral meetings and conclaves with international partners. This provided an opportunity for international leaders to exchange ideas, deepen relationships and explore new opportunities for collaboration across the air domain. As the strategic environment becomes increasingly complex, cooperation between partner nations remains essential. Service Chiefs from the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force gathered to discuss the importance of cooperation between like-minded nations to overcome shared issues. The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, reaffirmed Australia's partnerships make the Air Force stronger. "We are in a strategic autumn so bringing together our capability and amplifying our capacity with partnered nations, through working so closely together and sharing ideas is vital," said Air Marshal Chappell. "By working together, we learn from each other. That allows us to generate and deliver air and space power, contribute to shared challenges but also seize shared opportunities." For the Royal Canadian Chief of Air Force, Lieutenant General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, the importance of strategic partnerships extended beyond geographical distances. "We all bring something different. We can work together in complementary ways and that really makes us stronger together," said Lieutenant General Speiser-Blanchet. "When we look at our shared challenges, it can be reassuring to know our friends and allies are going through many of the same things. So, it is important to celebrate the successes and to celebrate the opportunities of our partnerships because that helps us tackle those challenges together. "It becomes very clear how much we actually have in common, despite the fact that we may be at opposite ends of the globe." By bringing together senior leaders, the conference's international program reinforced the importance of collaboration in dealing with shared security challenges and the collective ability to deter threats. The Royal New Zealand Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb, acknowledged that these partnerships lead to a combined effect greater than the sum of a single force. "If you look at each nation from an individual perspective, we're never going to have enough to respond to everything. It's one of those challenges, which is permanent," said Air Vice-Marshal Webb. "However, if we can bring together the collective efforts of all of our nations, we become stronger as we are grounded in partnership." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nobel Laureate Byalyatski: Continued Pressure Needed For Political Prisoner Releases In Belarus By Anna Sous, RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Merhat Sharipzhan March 17, 2026 The potential release of political prisoners in connection with an anticipated visit by a senior US envoy could signal limited progress in negotiations with strongman Aleksandr Lukashenko's government, but repression will persist without sustained international pressure, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Byalyatski has told RFE/RL. In an interview with RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Byalyatski, a veteran activist who was himself released and removed from Belarus in a US-brokered deal in December 2025 after nearly five years in prison, said negotiations between Lukashenko's authoritarian state and Western officials have increasingly taken on the character of hostage diplomacy. "It resembles negotiations with terrorists when hostages are involved. In fact, our political prisoners are in a similar position," said Byalyatski, 63, who shared the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize with rights activists from Ukraine and Russia and now heads the Vyasna Human Rights Center, an exiled Belarusian organization. Belarus has freed groups of activists, journalists, opposition politicians, and others considered political prisoners in deals engineered by the US over the past year, including the release of Byalyatski and 122 other prisoners in December. A small group, mostly women, were released earlier this month. Activists hope a possible visit in the coming days by John Coale, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, will result in the release of numerous prisoners. "We hope that the number of those released will be larger than in December," Byalyatski said. Pressure And Sanctions According to Belarusian rights groups, more than 1,000 people remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges following a sweeping crackdown on dissent that began after the 2020 presidential election, in which Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory and a sixth term in a vote millions of Belarusians believe was stolen. "We continue to receive information about new arrests, beatings, and long prison sentences for journalists," Byalyatski told RFE/RL in the interview in Prague. Lukashenko has been in power since 1994, extending his rule through elections deemed illegitimate in much of the West. Belarus has faced multiple rounds of sanctions from the United States and the European Union over the government's human rights abuses, antidemocratic actions, and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Byalyatski said the prisoner releases are the result of "long-term economic and political pressure" from the West. He said that the authorities "are looking for a way out of the difficult economic situation and are trying to ease the sanctions pressure.... In relation to the Americans, this is partially successful." The US has engaged with Belarus in Trump's current term. Trump spoke to Lukashenko by phone in August 2025, and on September 11, 2025, when Belarus freed 51 prisoners, Coale met with Lukashenko and announced the US would lift sanctions on Belarusian national air carrier Belavia. The release of Byalysatski and 122 others in December was preceded by an announcement that Washington was lifting sanctions on Belarus's lucrative fertilizer exports -- including its biggest company, Belaruskali -- which provide major source of income to Lukashenko's regime. Without going into specifics, Byalyatski warned that lifting sanctions prematurely would be a mistake while repression continues. "Independent organizations in Belarus are now being labeled extremist. For instance, Belarusian PEN, which brought together writers and cultural figures, has recently been added to this registry, along with the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Vyasna Human Rights Center," Byalyatski said. "In fact, the entire independent civil sector has been pushed out of Belarus. Because of this, ending repression is a necessary precondition; lifting sanctions without it would be unwise," he said. Exile Or Freedom At Home? A key question for many prisoners is whether they will be allowed to remain in Belarus after their release. Byalyatski and many others considered political prisoners were deported upon release. He said the issue of allowing prisoners to stay in the country had previously been raised in talks with Belarusian authorities. "Some people have sick parents or other reasons to stay," he said. "Not everyone wants to leave the country." According to Byalyatski, Lukashenko previously rejected such proposals. However, he believes the government's position may now be evolving. "It is possible that those who are amnestied will be given a choice: to stay or to leave," he said. Byalyatski pointed to the ordeal of veteran opposition politician Mikalay Statkevich as an example of the pressures faced by political prisoners. Statkevich, who is 69 and has spent more than 12 of the last 20 years behind bars, was one of dozens freed in September, but he refused to leave Belarus after his release and was rearrested later the same month. In February, he was released from prison again after suffering a stroke. Last week in Prague, Statkevich's wife, Maryna Adamovich, accepted an international human rights award on his behalf from the Czech humanitarian organization People in Need. Byalyatski said the recognition reflects the continued international attention to the plight of Belarusian political prisoners. "Mikalay has always been a fighter," he said. "Unfortunately, this struggle has had a serious impact on his health." Byalyatski also cautioned that international awards rarely influence decisions by Belarusian authorities. "Even the Nobel Prize did not immediately change my own situation," he said. "I remained in prison for three more years." Culture, Repression, And Justice Byalyatski said repression in Belarus has increasingly targeted cultural figures and the Belarusian language. "There is an attack on Belarusian culture and language in recent months," he said. He suggested this could partly reflect signals from Moscow, though he also noted that the country's powerful security apparatus has its own incentives. "People inside the repressive structures need to show results every month," he said. "They build careers by destroying other people's lives." An investigation launched by the International Criminal Court into alleged crimes linked to Belarusian authorities is an important step toward accountability and "a kind of victory for the Belarusian human rights community," Byalyatski said, but he cautioned that the process will likely take years. "Materials will be collected with the help of human rights organizations and activists who have left Belarus," he said. "This is a long-term process." A Long Struggle Byalyatski was imprisoned from 2011 to 2014 and from 2021 to 2025 on tax evasion charges he and supporters say were politically motivated fabrications. He said the Peace Prize, awarded while he was behind bars, helped draw international attention to the situation in Belarus but did not change his immediate circumstances. He told RFE/RL that he is still adjusting to life after prison, and that recovery takes time. "But now, I have the chance to travel internationally and I use these trips to speak about the situation in Belarus," Byalyatski stressed. "The world changes quickly. We must constantly remind people what is happening in our country." Referring to the upcoming 30th anniversary of the founding of the Vyasna Human Rights Center, Byalyatski said the ultimate goal remains unchanged. "The best gift," he said, "would be a democratic and free Belarus where we can return home." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nobel- laureate-byalyatski-interview-pressure-lukashenko- political-prisoners/33708776.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 Wang Yi Meets with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: March 15, 2026 23:55 On March 15, 2026 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Hanoi with Member of the Political Bureau of the CPV Central Committee and Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. Wang Yi said that as the saying goes, a whole year's work depends on a good start in the spring. The fact that the Chinese side paid a visit to Viet Nam right after China's national "Two Sessions" reflects the high level of China-Viet Nam relations. After the convening of the 14th National Congress of the CPV in January this year, General Secretary and President Xi Jinping had a phone call with General Secretary To Lam in a timely manner, both sides agreed to ensure the success of the first ministerial meeting of the China-Viet Nam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security and the 17th meeting of the China-Viet Nam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation. Following the strategic consensus of the top leaders of the two parties, the two countries should leverage the two important mechanisms to have in-depth discussions on coordinating the two major issues of development and security, identify important steps for advancing the socialist path, and send a positive signal to the international community that China and Viet Nam are united, mutually trusted, and jointly forging ahead. Wang Yi briefed Le Hoai Trung on China's national "Two Sessions", and said that this year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period in China and the first year of a new era of national development in Viet Nam, bringing unprecedented opportunities to the socialist causes of the two countries. In today's turbulent international landscape, the strengths of the socialist systems in China and Viet Nam have become more prominent, and the strategic value of the China-Viet Nam community with a shared future continues to increase. The two countries need to deepen strategic mutual trust, enhance strategic coordination, boost development despite changes, safeguard security amidst crisis, strengthen respective strategic resilience and development impetus, and tackle external uncertainties with the stability of China-Viet Nam cooperation, so as to sustain the effort to improve the well-being of people in both countries, safeguard the socialist cause and build a community with a shared future for humanity. Wang Yi said that China and Viet Nam are both major emerging economies. The development and revitalization of the two countries not only represents the direction of human development and progress, but also provides useful inspirations and a new path for other developing countries. China is ready to work with Viet Nam to follow the overarching goals characterized by "six mores", maintain close high-level interactions, deepen practical cooperation, advance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, enhance multilateral coordination, properly handle maritime issues, support each other in hosting APEC in the next two years, and jointly build an Asia-Pacific community. Le Hoai Trung extended congratulations on the success of China's national "Two Sessions" and on the new progress in China's economic and social development. He said that holding the first ministerial meeting of the China-Viet Nam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security and the 17th meeting of the China-Viet Nam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in Viet Nam indicates that bilateral relations and political mutual trust have reached new heights. Guided by the spirit of "comrades and brothers", the two sides are all the more capable of implementing the strategic consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties. As China's friendly neighbor, comrade and brother, Viet Nam is ready to always stand with China, supports China in its development and growth, in enhancing its international standing, and in making greater contributions to the socialist cause as well as the global peace, stability, development and prosperity. Given the complexity and volatility of the current international situation, and as the two countries share extensive common interests and are advancing respective development goals, it is more important than ever for the two sides to strengthen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust and cement strategic coordination. Le Hoai Trung said that Viet Nam remains committed to the one-China principle and supports China's position on issues related to Xinjiang and Xizang. Viet Nam is ready to work with China to plan for the next phase of high-level interactions, strengthen inter-party exchanges, advance practical cooperation in trade, investment, green development, connectivity and other areas, and implement such people-to-people and cultural exchange programs as tourism cooperation and "Red Study Tour" initiative. Viet Nam stands ready to work with China to jointly uphold peace and stability at sea, support China in hosting this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, and actively participate in the Group of Friends of Global Governance, so as to make joint efforts to solidify and substantiate the China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that is of strategic significance. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ministerial meeting of China-Vietnam '3+3' strategic dialogue held, lifting strategic communication, coordination Global Times By Li Yu and Wang Qi Published: Mar 17, 2026 11:58 PM As an important force for peace, stability and justice in the world, China is willing to work with Vietnam and other countries to strengthen coordination within multilateral mechanisms such as APEC, ASEAN and the Lancang Mekong Cooperation, to spare no effort in safeguarding Asia's common home, to jointly advance the construction of an Asia Pacific community, and to set an example in promoting a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told media on Tuesday, after attending the first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security in Hanoi, according to a readout released by Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security was held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Monday, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and Minister of National Defense Dong Jun chaired the meeting, together with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang. The two sides held in-depth exchanges on developments and changes in the international landscape, safeguarding political security, and advancing defense and law enforcement cooperation, reaching broad consensus, Xinhua reported. Both sides agreed the successful conclusion of the event signifies that China-Vietnam strategic communication and coordination have established a new platform, advanced to a new stage, and been elevated to a new level, according to a release from Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. During the dialogue, Wang Yi said the "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security between the two countries at the ministerial level represents the first strategic communication platform of its kind globally, established by both sides as a vital initiative to safeguard political system security and deepen strategic coordination. The mechanism is both an inherent requirement for advancing the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future and a necessary step for revitalizing the world socialist cause, fully demonstrating the high level and strategic nature of the relations between the two parties and countries, Wang Yi noted. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Vietnamese side said the country is willing to work hand in hand with China to prepare for high-level exchanges, promote cooperation in various fields, and strengthen multilateral coordination to jointly elevate the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level. According to a report by Vietnamese news portal VnEconomy, discussions took place in a "friendly and open atmosphere." Both sides agreed to hold the second ministerial meeting of the "3+3" strategic dialogue in China, and to deepen counterpart exchanges in diplomacy, defense and public security by fully leveraging the role of routine liaison between senior officials under the mechanism, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. The "3+3" strategic dialogue mechanism is a natural outcome of the two socialist neighbors strengthening strategic consensus in response to an increasingly uncertain and unstable regional and global landscape, Ge Hongliang, vice dean of the ASEAN College at Guangxi Minzu University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Ge said that guiding bilateral relations of two countries through ties of two parties, while advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of strategic significance through strengthened strategic dialogue, has become a core diplomatic and strategic orientation for both countries. China's Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong noted that the public security ministries of the two countries should prioritize political security and enhance efforts to prevent and resist "color revolutions," per Xinhua. He added that the two sides should also focus on improving law enforcement and security cooperation mechanisms in areas such as cybersecurity, combating online gambling and telecom fraud, drug control, and fugitive repatriation and asset recovery. China's Defense Minister Dong Jun stated that China is willing to work with Vietnam to continuously enhance mutual trust in military security, further expand cooperation areas, jointly safeguard maritime security and stability through positive interaction, and push bilateral defense exchanges and cooperation to a new level, setting an example of unity and self-reliance for the armed forces of socialist countries, Xinhua reported. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the 9th ministerial conference on collaborative crime combat between the public security ministries of the two countries, along with the 10th border defense friendship exchange, were also scheduled during the meeting. The establishment of the China-Vietnam "3+3" dialogue is not only a joint response by the two countries to a more challenging international and regional landscape, but also helps to jointly address challenges including external interference, separatism and "color revolutions," Ge said. According to the expert, as neighbors, China and Vietnam are reaching increasing consensus on maintaining security, peace and stability in the South China Sea region. Properly managing and handling maritime issues is also a key component in building the community with a shared future between the two countries. The "3+3" dialogue mechanism helps both sides, in ways that serve their mutual interests, manage differences while advancing bilateral relations, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US swiftly denies that any delay in Trump's China visit is tied to request for China to help reopen Hormuz Global Times Washington reluctant to link Iran war with China ties: expert By Zhao Yusha Published: Mar 17, 2026 01:10 PM A Financial Times report, which hinted that US President Donald Trump threatened he might postpone his China visit if Beijing does not help the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz, has drawn immediate denials from multiple senior US officials. Analysts said the swift, coordinated pushback suggests that Washington is wary of tying the Middle East conflict to its relationship with China, recognizing that further strain would not serve US interests at a time of escalating tensions. In an interview with CNBC's Brian Sullivan in Paris, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "if the meetings are delayed, it wouldn't be delayed because the president demanded that China police the Straits of Hormuz." When the reporter said that "there was a report out to that effect this morning," Bessent replied "That's completely false." "If the meeting for some reason is rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics. The president wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort and that, you know, traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal," Bessent noted. Bessent's remarks came after the Financial Times published its interview with the US president, saying that Trump was expecting China to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz before he travels to Beijing at the end of this month. Jumping on the Financial Times report, some foreign media outlets, such as the BBC, started to hype that "Trump told the Financial Times that he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz - a critical waterway for the Gulf's energy shipments." The New York Times also followed the false narrative, saying "President Trump warned that he could postpone a meeting set to begin in just over two weeks if China refuses to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz." When asked in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon if his trip to China was still on, Trump said, "I don't know, we're working on that right now." "We're speaking to China. I'd love to, but because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here, I feel," Trump said. "And so, we've requested that we delay it a month or so," Trump said, according to CNBC. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt likewise said on Monday that changing the dates of Trump's trip to Beijing is "really just a matter of the timing" and the president is primarily focused on the war with Iran. "Of course, the president's utmost responsibility right now as commander-in-chief is to ensure the continued success of Operation Epic Fury, as he is doing 24/7 here at the White House, here at home," she added. Hours after Washington's categorical rejections to false reports, a spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry also commented on the matter. In response to a question from a Global Times reporter, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that China has noted that the US side has already publicly clarified the inaccurate media reports by stating that the reports are completely false and emphasizing that the visit is unrelated to the issue of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Lin said that China and the US have maintained communication over President Trump's visit to China, without providing more details. Misleading rhetoric The Financial Times and other Western media reports leave readers with the impression that Trump is pressuring China to help the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which are misleading, said Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University. The framing reflects what he describes as attempts to shift responsibility for the US-Israel conflict with Iran onto Beijing, while stoking further hostility between the two countries, Li told the Global Times. Subsequent clarifications from US officials suggest Washington does not intend to link China-US relations to its strikes on Iran, Li said. Washington understands the importance of its relationship with China and knows that dragging it into the Middle East conflict would serve neither country's interests, he said. The "Trump threatens to delay China visit if Beijing does not help" narrative was one of many China-related smears advanced by Western media since the breakout of the war triggered by the US-Israeli military operation against Iran. The Diplomat published an article earlier this month headlined "Why China Won't Help Iran," claiming that "Beijing cares about the oil, not the regime." The New York Times, jumping on the fact that the US is moving warships, missiles and air defenses for a war in the Middle East said: "China can use America's seeming disregard for the region's economic pain to argue [even more than usual] that China is the only reliable superpower." Absurd claims from Western media such as "China remains idle on Iran" or "China could emerge as a winner" represent yet another attempt to shift blame and redirect attention, according to an opinion published by the People's Daily. The Western media are simply applying an outdated alliance-based framework to China's partnership-based, non-aligned approach, and clings to the theory that weapons and wars can solve everything, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times. At its core, moving its military resources from Asia to the Middle East is part of the US' global military deployment and is not directly related to China, Liu said, noting that developments in the Middle East more broadly reflect the constraints facing US hegemonic operations, rather than an effort directed at China or an issue directly involving China. Amid the current tensions surrounding Iran, some Western media narratives have amplified the so-called "China factor." These narratives reflect Western media's unease over China's influence in the Middle East, as they try to frame China-US relations as inherently confrontational and to escalate the perceived confrontation without giving consideration to the consequence, Liu said. 'Not our war' Trump on Monday complained that US allies are reluctant to answer his call to join a White House-proposed multinational mission to escort oil tankers through the strait. "We've protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren't that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me," Trump said at a press conference. Trump especially said that he was "not happy with the UK" since British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to assist the US in the initial stages of the US-Israeli war with Iran. Trump's remarks came after Starmer said the UK was working with allies on a "viable, collective plan" to reopen the strait. The UK already has minehunters in the region but there is no decision yet on what action would be taken, Starmer noted, according to the BBC. Koizumi Shinjiro, defense minister of Japan, whom Trump named for requesting help in reopening the strait, said on Tuesday that the US side has not made concrete requests for Japan to send vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, per NHK. Koizumi said the Japanese government is gathering information on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz with grave concern. He added that no decision has been made about whether to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also ruled out a military involvement of Germany in protecting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. During a meeting with the Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in Berlin on Monday, Merz stated that NATO was a defense alliance, not an intervention alliance. Chinese analysts said the US' call for help in the Strait of Hormuz has drawn little action from allies, but instead shown the world the growing divide between Washington and its allies. "What does... Donald Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US Navy cannot do?" Germany's defense minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday, Reuters reported. "This is not our war. We have not started it." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on March 17, 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: March 17, 2026 20:21 Global Times: It's reported that Trump said he could delay his visit to China if China doesn't assist with the Strait of Hormuz. What's China's response? Lin Jian: We noted that the U.S. has publicly made clarifications on the misguided media reports, calling them completely "false." The U.S. side stressed that the visit is not linked to the issue over the Strait of Hormuz. Bloomberg: Actually, it was President Trump himself who said that. So I just want to follow up and ask: he did say that he wanted China to delay the summit that he requested China to delay the summit between himself and Chinese President Xi Jinping for about a month. The reason he gave was the need to oversee the Iran war. Can you confirm this? Has China been notified of any request to delay the meeting and are there any other details or comments that you can offer around the possible delay or the delay of this President Xi-President Trump summit in Beijing? Lin Jian: China and the U.S. remain in communication on President Trump's visit to China. NBC: Could you clarify when U.S. officials first raised the possibility of postponing or delaying the summit between President Trump and Xi. What would be a possible timeline for rescheduling this visit? Lin Jian: China and the U.S. remain in communication on President Trump's visit to China, including the dates. I have nothing to add at the moment. CGTN: The UNHCR recently declared the ongoing crisis in the Middle East a major humanitarian emergency. The affected regions already host 25 million people as refugees, a large number of civilians are killed or injured in Iran, nearly 800,000 people are displaced in Lebanon, and countries such as Jordan and Iraq are affected. Does China consider providing relevant countries with humanitarian assistance? Lin Jian: China stays committed to the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, internationalism and a humanitarian spirit. The ongoing conflict inflicted an excruciating humanitarian disaster on people and countries in the region, including Iran. China deeply sympathizes with people in relevant countries and our hearts go out to them. China has announced the decision to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. We hope this will help ease the difficult humanitarian situation facing the people there. China will continue striving for a ceasefire, an early return of peace and stability to the region, and a stop to the spread of humanitarian crisis. China News Service: It is reported that following days of heavy rainfall in southern Ethiopia, mudslides and landslides have killed at least 100 people, left about 60 people missing and close to 3,500 displaced. The Ethiopian government declared a three-day national mourning from March 14 to 16, during which the country's flags will fly at half-mast. What is your comment? Lin Jian: The mudslides and landslides triggered by torrential rains in Ethiopia have caused heavy casualties and loss of property. China deeply mourns for the lives lost. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. We believe under the leadership of the Ethiopian government, the people in affected areas will recover and rebuild soon. China will do what it can to assist in light of Ethiopia's need. NBC: An additional question. Just to follow up on my question from before. You said that China and the U.S. are in communication, including the dates of President Trump's visit to China. What are those dates that are being discussed? Could you clarify what dates are being discussed? Lin Jian: I have nothing to add at the moment. AFP: Pakistan last night launched strikes and hit Kabul. What is China's comment on this? And is China still playing a mediating role between the two countries today? Lin Jian: Afghanistan and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbor. Issues between the two countries can only be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. China hopes that both sides will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage face to face as soon as possible, achieve a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue. China has urged the two countries to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions there, and will continue to play a constructive role in easing tensions and facilitating the improvement of relations between the two sides via its own channels. NHK: U.S. President Trump said he has asked countries including China to send vessels to the Strait of Hormuz. Has China received the request? What's China's response? (Similar question from Reuters) Lin Jian: We've answered relevant questions yesterday and have nothing to add. AFP: The European Union yesterday imposed sanctions against two China-based and one Iranian companies for cyberattacks against EU member states. Do you have any comment on this? Lin Jian: China firmly opposes the EU's illicit unilateral sanctions against Chinese entities and urges the EU to correct its wrong practices and work with China in a responsible and constructive manner to uphold peace, stability and prosperity in cyberspace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan-U.S.-ROK Public-Private Event to Counter North Korea's Cyber Threats in Europe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan March 17, 2026 On March 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Department of State of the United States of America (U.S.) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK), co-hosted the Japan-U.S.-ROK Public-Private Event to Counter North Korea's Cyber Threats in Europe in Prague, Czech Republic. Mr. MIYAKE Fumito, Ambassador in charge of Cyber Policy and Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the event. In this event, participants explained the current situation of North Korea's malicious cyber-related activities, including cryptocurrency thefts and IT worker activities, and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening protection against such threats through public-private cooperation. Japan continues to strengthen its efforts with the international community such as the U.S., the ROK, and European countries, and private sector, to address North Korea's malicious cyber-related activities, including cryptocurrency thefts and IT worker activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement - Minister's Barrot's visit to the Central African Republic (March 16, 2026) France - Ministere de lEurope et des Affaires etrangeres Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot paid a working visit to the Central African city of Bangui on March 12 and 13. During his visit to the Central African Republic, he met with Sylvie Notefe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francophonie and Central African Nationals Abroad. The two Ministers discussed the bilateral relationship between the CAR and France, as well as major regional and international issues of common interest. The two officials also reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the close and excellent bilateral cooperation that exists between our countries, in accordance with the road map signed by President Macron and President Touadera in 2024. They emphasized the importance of promoting a renewed partnership based on mutual respect, trust, transparency and shared interests, one that is both rooted in history and oriented toward the future. They hailed the vibrant new political dialogue between our two countries and applauded our accelerating cooperation, characterized by a number of projects in such varied areas as governance, justice, culture, gender equality, research, youth initiatives, professional training, sports, the ecological transition, health and entrepreneurship, as well as administrative reform and judicial assistance. The French government reiterated its commitment to supporting efforts by the Central African authorities to strengthen peace, national reconciliation and sustainable development. The Central African government expressed its commitment to strengthening constructive, mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly with regard to investment, institutional support, training and support for key projects. The two Ministers also exchanged views on global security challenges, as well as those affecting Central Africa. They urged compliance with the values and principles of multilateralism, and respect for national sovereignty and international cooperation with the aim of ensuring peace and security. On the bilateral front, the Central African Minister took the opportunity to thank the French Government for its loan of 25 million, equal to 16.4 billion FCFA, for the purpose of strengthening bilateral cooperation and meeting the priority needs of Central Africans, particularly by ensuring the sustainability of public finances and providing support for social sectors, especially healthcare. On the multilateral front, the Minister hailed the French contribution to the CAR's stabilization efforts via the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), as well as European missions: the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) and the European Union Advisory Mission in the Central African Republic (EUAM RCA). They concluded their meeting by praising their excellent discussions and expressed their wish to continue their conversation in a spirit of friendship and cooperation, in accordance with the roadmap. During his working visit, Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also officially opened the Expertise France office and the new Pasteur Institute building in Bangui in ceremonies attended by major Central African figures. He concluded his stay in the Central African Republic with a courtesy call on His Excellency President Faustin-Archange Touadera, during which he reiterated the French President's invitation to his Central African counterpart to take part in the Africa Forward Summit co-hosted by France and Kenya, which will be held in Nairobi on May 11 and 12. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Daily Press Briefing (03/17/2026) France - Ministere de lEurope et des Affaires etrangeres - Press briefing News Statements by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Press briefing Published on March 17, 2026 CONTENTS EUROPEAN UNION The Minister's participation in the Foreign Affairs Council (Mar. 17, 2026) Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot took part in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting held on March 16 in Brussels. The Ministers began by discussing the evolution and adaptation of Europe's security strategy. The Minister took part in a discussion on the consequences of the Middle East crisis for the war in Ukraine, during which the participants reaffirmed the EU's long-term support for Ukraine. The Ministers also met with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and noted the positive momentum in EU-Indian relations. Discussions on the Middle East focused on the regional escalation of the conflict, the safety of our nationals and EU solidarity with our regional partners. EU support for Iranian civil society was also mentioned. The ministers also discussed the humanitarian needs of Lebanon's civilian population. Lastly, they spoke about the EU's Mediterranean policy and the EU's direct relations with its Southern Neighborhood. The Council also adopted 19 new individual sanctions against Iranians responsible for State violence in January 2026. A few days after renewing the 2,600 sanctions that had already been imposed on Russia as a result of its war of aggression in Ukraine, the Council adopted nine new sanctions against those responsible for the Bucha massacre. Four pro-Russian propagandists who defended war crimes were also placed under European sanctions. Lastly, new listings were adopted under the EU's cyber sanctions regime against a private Iranian entity and two private Chinese entities responsible for cyber-attacks targeting EU member states. Upon arriving at the Council meeting, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot made the following remarks: "The uncontrolled and dangerous military escalation in the Middle East is not distracting us from Ukraine, where the peace and security of the European continent have been at stake for the past four years. Against the backdrop of Russia's growing isolation on the global stage - after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Nicolas Maduro and Ayatollah Khamenei - we are staunchly and resolutely continuing our efforts in two areas: maintaining our support for Ukraine and putting pressure on Vladimir Putin. President Macron expressed our support for Ukraine last Friday in Paris, where he hosted President Zelenskyy. He assured [the Ukrainian President] that we are continuing our efforts to ensure that Ukraine has everything it needs, both militarily and financially, to continue resisting the Russian aggression. It is in this context that we strongly hope an agreement can be reached on the 90 billion loan that will shield Ukraine from any financial difficulties for the next two years. As for pressuring Vladimir Putin, last weekend, the 2,600 sanctions adopted since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine were renewed without hindrance. Today in Brussels, we are adding nine listings of war criminals responsible for the Bucha massacre, whose fourth anniversary is coming up in a few days. We are also adding four sanctions against Kremlin propagandists, including one Franco-Russian, Adrien Bocquet, who has been involved in recruiting foreigners to fight in Ukraine, has defended war crimes and has conducted disinformation campaigns in Europe and Africa. In Africa Vladimir Putin continues in vain to undermine EU and French relations with African countries. But what has Russia really contributed to the continent's development? Nothing. On Thursday and Friday, I visited the Central African Republic; on the ground I saw no evidence of Russian contributions. And the numbers don't show anything either. The EU's investments in Africa are 200 times greater than those of Russia. EU trade with Africa is 20 times greater than Russia's. The EU welcomes 10 times more students at its universities than Russia does. That's the reality. So Vladimir Putin has to face facts: the war of aggression in which he plunged his country at the risk of draining and discrediting it must stop. It's a strategic, political and economic failure that must end now." CYBERSECURITY The EU sanctions several private cyber offensive ecosystem actors (Mar. 17, 2026) At the March 16th Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Brussels, member states adopted new listings under the European Union (EU) cyber sanctions regime. Today, the EU is imposing these restrictive measures on the private cyber offensive ecosystem that equips the malicious actors targeting France and Europe. Among the new entities listed are the private Iranian company Emennet Pasargad, which conducted cyberattacks and information manipulation campaigns in France against the newspaper Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The EU also listed Integrity Technology Group and Anxun Information Technology Co. Ltd, two private Chinese companies that have conducted cyberattacks in Europe, as well as two individuals associated with these companies. These five additions join the list of 21 entities and individuals that have been sanctioned thus far by the EU under its cyber sanctions regime. These measures will institute an asset freeze and a travel ban that prohibits those targeted from entering the EU. In keeping with the implementation of the new French national cybersecurity strategy, France is committed to using all the levers at its disposal at both the national and European levels in order to combat impunity and force the adversaries targeting us in cyberspace to pay the price, together with our partners and in accordance with the UN Framework of Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace. France will continue working with the UK to bolster efforts made through the Pall Mall Process to combat the proliferation and irresponsible use of tools developed by the cyber offensive industry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Effective Leader of the IRGC, Ali Larijani, Has Been Eliminated Israel Defense Forces 17.03.26 Another IRGC Leader Struck: Today, the IDF eliminated Ali Larijani in a precise overnight strike near Tehran. The operation was carried out by the IAF, based on IDF intelligence and advanced operational capabilities, targeting him as the de facto leader of the Iranian regime. The de facto leader of the Iranian regime, Ali Larijani, has been eliminated. With the elimination of Ali Khamenei at the start of Operation 'Roaring Lion', Larijani took control, acting as the regime's central figure and directing its actions across the region. For years, he had already been one of the most senior and experienced figures within the system, deeply involved in shaping its policies and strategy. Larijani was appointed Secretary of the National Security Council in August 2025, a position he had previously held from 2005 to 2007. Over the course of decades, he built a long career at the very top of the Iranian regime. He served as Speaker of Parliament for 12 years from 2008 to 2020, was Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and headed the state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, from 1994 to 2004. Earlier in his career, he rose through the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, where he held senior roles and reportedly served in positions linked to the joint command structure. He was also Iran's chief nuclear negotiator in the early 2000s, playing a key role in shaping the regime's international posture. His roots in the IRGC date back to the Iran-Iraq War, where the organization grew into one of the most powerful institutions in Iran. Over time, Larijani became a key architect of the regime's security and political operations. In his role as leader of the national security coordination, he directed the regime's international activity, including engagement with members of the axis. Inside Iran, his influence was just as significant. During repeated waves of protests, Larijani was involved in advancing harsh enforcement measures against civilians. The regime's response was violence - crackdowns, mass arrests, and shootings in the streets were carried out under the leadership of senior figures like him, reinforcing his position as one of the main drivers of internal repression. Following Khamenei's elimination, Larijani consolidated power and effectively became the regime's leading authority. From that position, he directed operations against Israel and coordinated broader hostile activity across the region. Appearing on state television just 24 hours after the strikes that killed Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Pakpour, Larijani delivered a direct and aggressive message: "America and the Zionist regime [Israel] have set the heart of the Iranian nation ablaze," he wrote on social media. "We will burn their hearts. We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions." "The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors," he added. His words were heard, but the lesson he so wished to deliver, was left untaught. Today, the IDF eliminated Ali Larijani in a precise overnight strike near Tehran. The operation was carried out by the IAF, based on IDF intelligence and advanced operational capabilities, targeting him as the de facto leader of the Iranian regime. One by one, each threat to our civilians will meet its end. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gholamreza Soleimani, Commander of the Basij Unit, Eliminated Israel Defense Forces 17.03.26 The Basij Forces: Iran's Internal Security Apparatus: The IDF's strike eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Basij forces, delivering a major blow to the regime's military leadership. The operation targeted key elements of Iran's armed forces, significantly weakening its command and control structure. IDF In a precise strike in Tehran, the IDF eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who had served as the commander of the Basij for the past six years. The strike was carried out by the Israeli Air Force based on IDF intelligence, targeting a key figure within the Iranian regime's armed forces structure. The Basij is a paramilitary force that operates as part of Iran's armed forces. It falls under the authority of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and under Iranian law, it is incorporated within that military structure. The Basij was established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution as part of the system created to defend and preserve the Islamic Republic. Over the years, functioning within the IRGC framework, the Basij has built a wide network across Iran, with units embedded in cities, towns, universities, and civilian workplaces. This structure allows it to mobilize quickly and maintain a constant presence throughout the country. It operates through headquarters, local bases, and coordination centers that organize personnel and manage operations nationwide. In addition to being part of Iran's armed forces, the Basij has played a significant role in maintaining internal control for the Iranian regime. Basij units are widely deployed across Iranian society and have been involved in responding to protests and unrest. Over the years, Basij forces have been associated with the suppression of demonstrations and the enforcement of regime authority within Iran. Under the law of armed conflict, the elements of an adversary's armed forces generally constitute lawful military objectives. In determining whether a particular body indeed forms part of a State's armed forces, international law generally looks to the State's own legal and institutional framework. Because the Basij forms part of the IRGC and therefore part of Iran's armed forces under Iranian law, elements belonging to the Basij form part of Iran's armed forces. When facilities and installations belonging to the Basij or other internal security bodies are attacked, this is due to their status as components of Iran's armed forces under Iranian law, and therefore as part of the military infrastructure of an adversary's armed forces. The elimination of Gholamreza Soleimani adds to that of dozens of senior commanders from the armed forces of the Iranian regime who have been targeted during the operation. It marks another significant blow to the regime's security command structure. The IDF has stated it will continue to act with determination against commanders of the Iranian regime's military and security apparatus. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Speaks with UAE President India - Press Information Bureau Prime Minister's Office PM Conveys Eid Greetings and Discusses current Situation in West Asia Posted On: 17 MAR 2026 10:38PM by PIB Delhi The Prime Minister spoke with HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and conveyed advance Eid greetings. PM Modi and the President discussed the current situation in West Asia. The Prime Minister reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. The Prime Minister and the UAE President agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Shri Modi emphasized that both nations will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security, and stability in the region. The Prime Minister wrote on X; "Spoke with my brother HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and conveyed advance Eid greetings. We discussed the current situation in West Asia. Reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. We agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security and stability in the region." *** MJPS/PRK (Release ID: 2241525) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM Sa'ar holds a press conference in Jerusalem with Estonian FM Margus Tsahkna Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs FM Sa'ar: ""Last night, the IDF took out Commander of the Basij Soleimani and his deputy, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani. The Iranians are safer without them." Type: Press Releases Topic: Foreign Policy Publish Date: 17.03.2026 Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar today (Tuesday, 17 March 2026) in Jerusalem held a press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. Following are FM Sa'ar's full remarks: "I thank my friend Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, for his solidarity visit to Israel. Margus, we appreciate your visit, especially at this time. 2025 was an important year for our bilateral relations. Last November - just a few months ago - I had the privilege of opening Israel's embassy in Tallinn. That was a great day. It reflects the importance I see in our relations. We look forward to continuing the momentum in 2026. I admire the abilities of Estonians in innovation, digital services for citizens. I'm sure we are going to do great together. * The mad Iranian terror regime is the number one source of regional and global instability. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, it has exported extremism, terror and bloodshed in the Middle East, and beyond. Iran has built up a proxy network of terror states across the region: Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen. Iran built the Hezbollah terror state within Lebanon - effectively controlling the country from afar. We see it, again, these days. The regime exports its fanatic interpretation of Islam around the world. The regime is anti-Western and seeks to destroy our Western lifestyle. This mad regime butchers huge masses of its own people, struggling for their freedom. This regime deliberately attacks civilian populations in its neighboring countries and in Israel. It attacks Christians, Jews and Muslims. It attacks holy sites of the three religions. Yesterday, it hit by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem. I spoke this morning with the Patriarch and expressed our solidarity. It also hit the Al-Aqsa compound. On Friday, it hit the Muslim village of Zarzir, injuring 58. It hit a Mosque on Ramadan! On March 1st, it struck a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, killing 9 Jews. This mad regime attacks civilians everywhere, indiscriminately. Israel and the United States are taking out Iran's nuclear program - which it planned on immediately moving to a deep underground facility to achieve immunity from airstrikes. We're destroying its ballistic missiles program and military industry. These don't just threaten Israel, but also other countries in the Middle East and Europe. This will directly impact European security for the better. You of course know the extent of Iran's contribution, in intelligence and weapons, to the war in Ukraine. Last night, the IDF took out Commander of the Basij Gholamreza Soleimani, and his deputy and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani. The Iranians are also safer without them. By the way, we still haven't seen Mojtaba. Wouldn't you like to see him, Minister? He should show his face because it's beginning to be embarrassing for this regime. The Basij, under Soleimani's command, was responsible for the brutal repression of the Iranian people seeking their freedom. Soleimani was under US and EU sanctions for his role in repressing Iranians. Larijani was also under US sanctions, for the same reason, with a 10 million dollar prize on his head. We did it for free, anyhow. The Basij used cruel and violent methods against their own people. In January, the regime butchered probably over 30,000 Iranians. Our actions are weakening its repression mechanism. The regime can only be toppled by the Iranian people. Yet without external help, the Iranian people can't liberate themselves. * The international community is facing a dangerous phenomenon of modern piracy, by terror states. Terror states are violently taking over shipping lanes and harming the global economy. The Houthis, an Iranian proxy, crippled the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Now, the Iranian regime is blocking international shipping and the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. Yet it's giving free and selective passage to Russia and China, for example. This assassination of global order and trade - and the freedom of navigation - is driving up the cost of living in the whole world. This isn't simply and American and Israeli issue. It's a global problem. If this strategy is successful - tomorrow other regimes can act the same way in other places. It can become the problem of the Baltic, Black or Mediterranean seas. If Iranian piracy in the Strait of Hormuz isn't crushed, this form of terror will spread around the world. * Under Iranian direction, Hezbollah joined the war against Israel. So far it has launched around 2,000 missiles and drones at Israel. It's an unbelievable number within two weeks. Many more attacks have been launched from Lebanese territory than from Iran. Our communities in the North are under attack. At times, too close for the sirens to alert them of incoming Hezbollah terror missiles. These are the same citizens that spent a year away from their homes in 2024, after Hezbollah joined Hamas's war against Israel. The story of their suffering is not being told. The international media only reports on what happens on the Lebanese side of the border. What normal country wouldn't act when facing such attacks? Israel will defend its citizens and communities. * I remind you: In 2000, Israel completely withdrew from Lebanon, down to the last millimeter. Since then, the Hezbollah terror state has grown and taken Lebanon hostage. The Lebanese government committed to dismantling Hezbollah in the November 2024 ceasefire. It didn't do it. And now, it's not doing anything to stop Hezbollah's attacks. It hasn't even fired the Hezbollah-affiliated ministers in the government. We expect the Lebanese government to take immediate action to stop the attacks from its territory. If they're not willing to confront Hezbollah - they are in effect handing over Lebanon's sovereignty and future to Iran. * Minister, Estonia has already designated Hezbollah in its entirety - including its "political" wing - as a terror organization. So have other European states: including Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, the UK and the Netherlands. The EU took the clear moral step of designating the Revolutionary Guards as a terror organization. It would be fitting if it designated Hezbollah, in its entirety, as a terror organization too. * Dear Minister, Our bilateral ties are strong. We want to further strengthen them - in economy, defense and many other fields. During my visit to Tallinn, I invited also the Defense Minister to visit Israel and see our defense-tech. Israeli technology and defense products are the finest in the world. They're proving themselves today - on offense and defense. Israel has much to offer, as does Estonia, the world leader in E-Governance. I look forward, dear Margus, to working together to take our ties to the next level. Thank you." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan-Iran Foreign Ministers' Telephone Call Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan March 17, 2026 On March 17, commencing at 10 p.m. for 30 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone call with H.E. Dr. Seyyed Abbas ARAGHCHI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The overview is as follows: At the outset, Minister MOTEGI expressed his grave concern that the exchange of retaliatory attacks has continued since the previous telephone call on March 9, and that damage has expanded, including to neighboring countries. Minister MOTEGI strongly urged Iran to immediately cease attacks on civilian and infrastructure facilities in the Gulf countries, as well as actions that threaten the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Minister MOTEGI also expressed concern over the large number of Japanese-related vessels currently detained in the Persian Gulf and requested Iran to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all the vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including those of Japan and other Asian countries. In response, Foreign Minister Araghchi explained Iran's position. Both ministers concurred on continuing close communication towards the early de-escalation of the situation. Minister MOTEGI reiterated his request for the early release of two Japanese nationals detained in Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Obituary: Dr. Ali Larijani, a man for all seasons who served Islamic Republic until last breath Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 11:08 PM By Press TV Website Staff Dr. Ali Larijani, a seasoned statesman, philosopher and political strategist of the Islamic Republic of Iran, attained martyrdom late on Monday in an American-Israeli act of aggression. The news was announced on Tuesday evening by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which he headed since August last year. His young son, Mortaza Larijani, the SNSC deputy for security, Alireza Bayat, and a number of their bodyguards were also martyred in the same attack, which came 18 days after the US and the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic. The SNSC described martyrdom as Dr. Larijani's "long-held dream," attained following a lifelong struggle aimed at the advancement of the country and its Islamic Revolution. His security leadership during the ongoing Israeli-American war of aggression against the Islamic Republic was widely commended and played a key role in inflicting heavy military and economic costs on the enemy. Top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Judiciary Chief Mohseni Ejei, condoled the martyrdom of Dr. Larijani and vowed to avenge his blood. Which positions did Dr. Larijani hold? Ali Larijani, one of the most seasoned figures in the Islamic Republic's political and security establishment, was appointed secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) in August 2025, a role he previously held nearly two decades ago. An appointment decree by President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized Larijani's role in "prudent and precise oversight," fostering synergy among institutions, and monitoring emerging technological threats while adopting "intelligent, people-centered approaches." Larijani replaced General Ali Akbar Ahmadian, who had held the post since 2023, in a major and important reshuffle following the 12-day Israeli-American aggression against Iran. He was born in 1958 in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, to Iranian parents from a prominent religious family. His father, Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, was a distinguished cleric who moved to Najaf in 1931 due to persecution by the Pahlavi dictator Reza Shah but returned to Iran in 1961 when Larijani was three years old. His academic journey reflected his intellectual depth and philosophical orientation. He initially studied mathematics and computer science, earning a bachelor's degree from Sharif University of Technology. However, after consulting with renowned Islamic scholar Martyr Morteza Motahhari, who later became his father-in-law, Larijani shifted to Western philosophy for his graduate studies. He completed both his master's degree and PhD in philosophy at the University of Tehran, with his doctoral dissertation focusing on the 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant. A multi-faceted personality Larijani had a formidable resume spanning media, legislature, and national security. He began his career in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), rising to the level of deputy commander during his decade of service in the 1980s amid the imposed war. He later gained prominence during his decade-long stewardship of the national broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) from 1994 to 2004, a period remembered by many for expanding domestic programming. In August 2005, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed Larijani as Secretary of the SNSC, replacing Hassan Rouhani, who later became Iran's president. In this role, Larijani also served as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, managing the country's most sensitive foreign policy portfolio during a critical period of international tensions. Under his leadership, Iran resumed uranium enrichment activities, which led to its referral to the UN Security Council by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2006 and the subsequent imposition of illegal and unjustified sanctions. In 2007, he resigned due to disagreements with then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over nuclear policy. Following his resignation from the SNSC, Larijani won a parliamentary seat from the central Iranian city of Qom in the 2008 elections and was elected speaker of parliament, a position he held for three consecutive terms until 2020. During his 12-year tenure as speaker, Larijani played a central role in shaping domestic legislation and foreign policy debates during a turbulent era marked by sanctions and nuclear negotiations. He was instrumental in securing parliamentary approval for the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the Iran nuclear deal. In May 2020, then- Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, appointed Larijani as one of his senior advisers and a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, which mediates disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council. Larijani's political innings Larijani also pursued the highest political office with mixed results. In 2005, he ran for president but finished sixth in the race, receiving 5.94% of the votes. However, he remained in the spotlight and continued to contribute in different ways. A month after the 12-day war, Larijani made a surprise visit to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss Iran's nuclear program and the escalating tensions in West Asia. As the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Larijani was tasked with addressing critical domestic and international challenges facing Iran. His appointment coincided with the establishment of a new defense council, which revived an institution from the Iraq war era to review defense plans and enhance the capabilities of the armed forces in a centralized manner. His philosophical background often informed his public speeches, where he framed Iran's challenges in moral and historical terms. This scholarly perspective influenced his strategic thinking in the crucial roles he occupied over the decades. Now, he has joined other great martyrs, especially his Leader and mentor, Ayatollah Khamenei, exactly 18 days after the latter's martyrdom. In his last social media post, in response to the Israeli-American threat to assassinate him, Larijani cited Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) as saying: "I do not see death as anything but happiness, nor life with the oppressors as anything but torment." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian officials mourn martyrdom of Larijani in US-Israeli attack, vow to avenge his blood Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 10:20 PM Top Iranian officials have paid glowing tributes to the martyred top security official of the country, Dr. Ali Larijani, in the American-Israeli aggression. Dr. Larijani, who headed the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was assassinated along with his son, Dr. Morteza Larijani; his deputy at SNSC, Dr. Alireza Bayat and several of their security guards in the attack late on Monday. In a message of condolence, Iran's President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Dr. Larijani, describing him as a "virtuous, precious, and dear brother." "He was an outstanding and valuable figure who, throughout the era of the Islamic Republic, served in various capacities, yielding extensive and diverse results. During our long collaboration in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and his recent tenure as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, I witnessed nothing but goodwill, keen insight, companionship, and foresight from him," Pezeshkian wrote in the message. He emphasized the profound difficulty of compensating for this loss, noting that Dr. Larijani's martyrdom was both a reward for his lifelong struggle and the fulfillment of a long-held wish. "Although the reward for years of sincere and courageous struggle in various cultural, political, and national security fields elevated dear Dr. Larijani to the lofty station of martyrdom, and his blood was spilled by the most criminal regime in human history, being placed alongside the pure souls of the great martyrs of the Islamic Revolution was his merit and the long-held wish of this dear brother," read the statement. Describing the martyred official as "an outstanding example of those nurtured in the school of Imam Khomeini, Imam Khamenei, and the great master of the Islamic Revolution, Martyr Murtaza Motahhari," Pezeshkian asserted that martyrdom was the fitting reward for his tireless efforts all these years. He also highlighted Larijani's contributions as the head of Iran's top security body. "In his final post and responsibility during his brief service in the Supreme National Security Council, Martyr Larijani exerted his utmost effort to expand peace and security in the region and foster empathy and strengthen brotherhood among Islamic nations. He forged an international persona in the arena of international security and resistance, becoming a target of the spite of the terrorist Zionist regime," Pezeshkian stated. Iran's president warned of severe consequences for the perpetrators of the horrific crime. "Undoubtedly, a severe revenge awaits the terrorist criminals who have stained their foul hands with the blood of the innocent, yet brave and steadfast, martyrs of the sacred land of Iran during the recent terrorist aggressions," he warned. He further stated that the path of steadfastness and resistance, coupled with rationality and foresight, will continue, and a "definitive victory awaits the great nation of Iran. In his message of condolence, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said martyrdom "is a garment that does not fit everybody." "It is an art that distinguishes the men of God, who are true and steadfast to their covenants, from others. It is the ultimate blessedness and the aspiration of all fighters on the path of truth," he wrote, while recalling days spent with Martyr Larijani. "My dear brother, comrade from the days of war against global arrogance, a man of culture, media, management, and politics, the courageous Speaker of three terms of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Martyr Dr. Ali Larijani, attained this lofty station. With a bloodied body, he went to meet his Master, Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon him), depriving the Islamic Revolution of an indefatigable fighter and a soldier in love with his homeland," wrote Qalibaf. Qalibaf said Larijani's martyrdom is "another golden leaf in the honors of the martyr-nurturing movement of the Great Imam Khomeini." "It proves to the world that the red path of martyrdom does not stop with assassination and will continue until the destruction of the front of disbelief and hypocrisy and the removal of threats and dangers from dear Iran and the sacred system of the Islamic Republic," he wrote. The top Iranian lawmaker further emphasized the lasting legacy of the martyred official. "Undoubtedly, the struggles and bravery of this soldier, ever-ready to sacrifice his life for the Leader of the Revolution and the great nation of Iran, will forever remain in our collective memory. History will record his patience and devotion to the Velayat, and future generations will remember a man who spent his entire life defending the Islamic Revolution and dear Iran," read the message. Qalibaf also noted the timing of Larijani's final service - two imposed wars on the Islamic Republic of Iran in less than a year. "During a turbulent period for the country, following the 12-day war, he selflessly accepted the responsibility of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. He did not waver for a moment in fulfilling his duty, and within a short time after the ascension of the martyred Imam of the Revolution, he joined him," he stated. Mohseni Ejei, the head of Iran's judiciary, also issued a statement condoling the martyrdom of Dr. Larijani and paying tribute to his life and legacy. Ejei said Dr. Larijani "received from God Almighty the reward for his long years of struggle in various arenas of serving the people, by drinking the sweet nectar of martyrdom." He pointed to the martyred official's exceptional qualities that defined his decades of service to the nation. "Possessing high managerial and decision-making capacity, courage and eloquence in speech, a serious determination to serve the people, and sacrifice and steadfastness in the path of the ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution were among the outstanding characteristics of this dear martyr of ours," read the statement. He also assured the Iranian nation that the blood of the martyr would not go unavenged. "We are certain that the self-sacrificing armed forces of Islamic Iran, backed by the public support we are witnessing across the country today, will exact revenge for the pure blood of this dear martyr and other exalted martyrs of Islamic Iran from the most wretched of the wretchedthe criminal America and the barbaric Zionist regime," the message declared. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address True Promise 4: Iran and resistance axis ops. against US-Israeli assets on Mar. 17 Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 7:56 PM By Press TV Website Staff Iranian armed forces and resistance groups across the region continue to carry out retaliatory military operations against the United States and the Israeli regime. On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army conducted multiple operations as part of Operation True Promise 4, which was launched immediately after the US-Israeli coalition carried out an unprovoked act of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28. Iranian armed forces have so far carried out 60 waves of missile and drone strikes with advanced weaponry targeting Israeli military facilities in the occupied territories, as well as US occupation bases and assets scattered across the West Asia region. The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have also joined the front against the external aggressors, inflicting heavy blows on the enemy. Hezbollah's operations have been primarily focused on Israeli military sites in the occupied territories. Its operations are both in response to the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the relentless ceasefire violations by the Israeli regime over the past year. Iraqi resistance groups have also been carrying out daily operations, primarily against American military assets in Iraq and other Arab countries. Below is a list of operations carried out by the Iranian armed forces, as well as resistance movements in Lebanon and Iraq, against the US and the Zionist regime on Tuesday, March 17: Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC): IRGC Navy, in a combined missile and drone operation, destroyed a number of US fighter hangars at the Sheikh Isa and Al-Dhafra airbases with highly-explosive cruise missiles. The Al-Dhafra airbase has been the origin of attacks by aggressors against Iranian islands over the past few days. Following this attack, the operational capacity of this base has severely decreased. Wave 57 of Operation True Promise 4, with the blessed code name "Ya Sayyid al-Sajidin, was dedicated to the youngest martyr of the Ramadan war, 3-day-old Mojtaba. The operation was carried out against targets in the occupied territories, including command, control, and missile defense communication infrastructure, using precise, pinpoint-accuracy Kheibar Shekan, Emad, and Qadr missiles. The 58th wave of Operation True Promise 4, with the blessed code of "Ya Ali Asghar", was dedicated to all the child martyrs of the Ramadan War, especially the children of the Minab school and the youngest martyr of the Ramadan War, three-day-old Mojtaba. This operation was carried out against targets in the north and center of the occupied territories, including "Nahariya", "Beit Shemesh", "Tel Aviv", and West Al-Quds, as well as the bases of the US military in Victoria, Ali Al-Salem, Al-Kharj, and the Fifth Fleet. The operation used precise, point-targeting, and super-heavy Khorramshahr missiles with a 2-ton warhead, multi-warhead Ghadr, Fattah, and Kheibar-Shekan missiles, as well as medium-range Fateh and Qiam systems and suicide drones. Al-Udeid base, the location where US forces are stationed, was also targeted using precise, medium-range, solid and liquid-fueled Zolfaghar and Qiam missiles and destructive drones on the 27th night of the blessed month of Ramadan. The 59th wave of Operation True Promise 4 was executed by launching the Haj Qasem missile for the first time. This wave, codenamed "Ya Haydar-e Karrar," was dedicated to the aerospace martyrs and carried out against targets in "Beit Shemesh," "Tel Aviv," and occupied Al-Quds, as well as the bases of the US military in Al-Udeid, Ali Al-Salem, Fujairah, Sheikh Isa, and Erbil. The operation used point-target missilesQadr, Emad, Fattah, and Haj Qasemand suicide drones, as an impact-oriented operation by the grace of God. Iranian Army: In response to the US attack on an Iranian frigate Dena in international waters, which led to the martyrdom of 104 sailors, targeted the technology-cyber centers and the Rafael arms manufacturing complex of the Israeli military with drone attacks. The regime's technology-cyber centers provide guidance-capable weapon system software, hardware equipment, and modern AI-based technologies to the army of the occupying regime for offensive and terrorist operations. The Rafael arms manufacturing centers are responsible for developing mass destruction systems and producing the Israeli army's weapons systems, such as the Iron Dome. Hezbollah: Targeted and destroyed three Merkava tanks in the Taybeh project with guided missiles, after which the Israeli army was forced to bring helicopters to the operation area to evacuate the casualties under heavy fire and smoke cover. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Hadbat al-Ajel site north of the "Kfar Yuval" settlement with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli forces in the city of Khiam, between the stadium and the detention center, with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Katsavia" barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan with a swarm of attack drones. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters shot down an Israeli "Hermes 450" drone in the skies over the city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon using appropriate weapons. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the radar sites and control rooms at the "Ramat David" airbase in northern occupied Palestine with a swarm of attack drones. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Jdeideh Mays al-Jabal with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers south of the border town of Maroun Al-Ras with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the Taybeh project with a guided missile. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a second Merkava tank in the Mashrou' Al-Taybeh area with a guided missile, hitting it directly. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers at the Al-Assi site opposite the town of Meiss El Jabal with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers on Al-Hamames hill south of the city of Khiam with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of "Misgav Am" with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a position of Israeli soldiers inside a tent in the border town of Maroun al-Ras with an attack drone. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the municipality building in the city of Khiam with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, and within the framework of the warning issued by the Islamic Resistance to the occupied "Nahariya" settlement in northern occupied Palestine, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted it with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in "Khirbet al-Manara" opposite the border town of Hula with a rocket barrage. In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their vehicles in Jabal Wardah in the border town of Markaba with artillery shells. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Israeli 'cowardly' strike assassinates Iran's Basij commander: Statement Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 6:56 PM The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced the martyrdom of the head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, in a targeted strike by the American-Zionist enemy. In a statement issued Tuesday, the IRGC praised Soleimani's strategic decades-long service, highlighting his unparalleled efforts to modernize the volunteer force and assist vulnerable populations. The military body emphasized that this "cowardly assassination indicates the importance and role of the Basij in the all-out battlefield against the terrorist US army and the Zionist regime, especially in the recent war." The United States and Israel launched a large-scale, unprovoked war against Iran on February 28, assassinating former Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and a host of senior commanders. Subsequent terrorist strikes on civilian targets have killed hundreds of civilians including more than 200 children. In their legitimate response to the aggression and widespread damage, Iranian Armed Forces have been conducting massive missile and drone strikes against US regional interests and Israeli military targets in the occupied territories. Promising to intensify these retaliatory operations, the IRGC issued a fierce ultimatum to the perpetrators of the strike. "We warn the wicked and terrorist killers of this high-ranking martyr that the combatant Basijis will never abandon seeking revenge for the blood of the martyred Leader, martyred commanders, and the various martyred people," the statement said. The IRGC noted that the spilled blood of these martyrs will undoubtedly "double the resolve of the heroic Iranian nation" and its forces to continue the path of resistance against global arrogance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC chief: Defenders of Persian Gulf islands fully ready for any aggression Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 6:36 PM During a visit to islands in the Persian Gulf, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces Brigadier General Mohammad Karami said forces stationed there are fully prepared to confront any scenario. While inspecting military bases on the islands on Tuesday, Karami said IRGC forces would respond swiftly and decisively to any "stupid move" by the enemy. Meanwhile, Sayyed Ismail Hosseini, spokesperson for Iran's Parliament Energy Committee, said several members of the committee had also visited the islands. He added that oil industry personnel continue to carry out their duties without disruption and with high morale. Speaking to journalists, Hosseini said the delegation included the committee's head Mousa Ahmadi, Bandar Abbas representative Ahmad Moradi, Lamerd representative Sayyed Mousa Mousavi, and Bushehr representative Jafar Pourkapkani. The team traveled to Kharg Island as part of their visit. The lawmakers visited petrochemical facilities, the Kharg oil terminal, and the island's oil hospital, where they met with staff and discussed issues that require attention from parliament and the government. On Saturday, American fighter jets attacked several petrochemical facilities on Kharg Island amid the ongoing Israeli-US aggression against Iran. In response, Iranian armed forces targeted several US military bases in the region, damaging aircraft and avionic systems, including six A-130 refueling transport planes. The United States and Israel launched a joint military aggression against Iran in late February, striking 30 targets across Tehran and assassinating the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with several senior Iranian officials. Since then, Iranian armed forces have retaliated by launching waves of missiles and drones at Israeli-occupied territories as well as US bases across the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 59th wave of strikes: IRGC debuts 'Haj Qassem' missiles in fierce retaliation Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 3:23 PM The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched a new barrage in the 59th wave Operation True Promise 4, deploying the advanced "Haj Qassem" missile for the first time. In a Tuesday statement, the IRGC said that its "effect-based" strike targeted Israeli positions in Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and occupied al-Quds. The devastating strikes simultaneously pounded regional bases belonging to the US "terrorist army," directly targeting installations in Al Udeid, Ali Al Salem, Fujairah, Sheikh Isa, and Erbil, added the statement. Dedicated to Iran's aerospace martyrs and launched under the sacred code "Ya Heidar Karrar," the operation utilized suicide drones alongside pinpoint-accurate Ghadr, Emad, Fattah, and Haj Qassem missiles. Meanwhile, the IRGC announced the dawn of a "new phase of effective and heavy blows" across the region against the American-Zionist enemy. Promising an inevitable defeat for the aggressors, the military force issued a stark warning: "The bones of arrogance will be broken in the streets and squares." This fierce retaliation serves as continuation of Iran's legitimate response to the unprovoked, large-scale war launched by the US and Israel on February 28. Despite ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations, the enemy conducted extensive aerial strikes across Iranian civilian and military installations, causing significant casualties and assassinating former Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei alongside high-ranking military commanders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran: Over 67,000 civilian units damaged after 18 days of US-Israeli aggression Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 3:10 PM The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has released figures on damage to civilian infrastructure following US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, reporting more than 67,000 civilian units and 498 schools affected by enemy strikes. In a statement on Tuesday, the IRCS said 67,414 civilian units have been damaged so far, including 18,180 residential units in the capital city of Tehran and 9,218 commercial units across the country. It further highlighted specific impacts to emergency and medical services, noting that 236 emergency base units as well as medical and health centers sustained damage. In the education sector, the IRCS said 498 schools were seriously damaged in the attacks and the number of teacher and student killed has reached 206 people, and 154 injured. The IRCS further stated that 1,200 of its consultants have answered 84,580 calls to help people suffering from the trauma caused by the enemy's strikes since the beginning of the war. It further called on people to report affected areas, adding that 100,000 emergency workers are ready to assist people under difficult conditions across the country. 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 attacks led to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and more than 1,200 civilians, including women and children, as well as military commanders. 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 Aerospace Force commander vows to break the enemy's back on battlefield Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 2:41 PM The commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced the launch of a fresh wave of rapid strikes against the United States' assets and the Israeli-occupied territories. "A tactical round of effect-based and crushing blows by the soldiers of the Iranian nation against the American-Zionist enemy have begun across the region," said Brigadier General Seyed Majid Moosavi in a Farsi-language post on his X account on Tuesday. Moosavi said "the enemy's back will be broken on the streets and on the battlefields," also referring to the nationwide demonstrations in Iran against the US-Israeli aggression. The statement comes amid continued missile and drone strikes by Iranian Armed Forces targeting US military assets in the region and locations in the Israeli-occupied territories. The IRGC and the Iranian Army have carried out hundreds of missile and drone attacks as part of Operation True Promise 4 to avenge the US and Israeli aggression that began on February 28. The Iranian blows have caused extensive damage to US bases in the Persian Gulf and West Asia, as well as the Israeli regime's military and intelligence facilities. In an earlier statement on Tuesday, the IRGC said the newest round of True Promise 4 attacks, launched at dawn, employed super-heavy, pinpoint-strike systems, multi-warhead missiles, both solid- and liquid-fuel, and destructive drones to hit targets controlled by the American and Israeli enemies. Iranian authorities have made clear that reprisal attacks will continue until the enemy is fully punished and damage on Iran is compensated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran confiscates large number of Starlink satellite systems Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 1:31 PM Iran's Intelligence Ministry has discovered and confiscated a considerable number of Starlink satellite systems sent by the United States and Israel. In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said its forces have managed to identify the location of these satellites via advanced technological tools. The ministry said its operations will continue until the complete discovery of all the satellite terminals, which are all but at the enemy's disposal. The ministry said providing and using the illegal Starlink satellite is a "crime" and at war time, those who use it, particularly the enemy's agents, will receive the harshest punishment. The United States and Israel started their aerial aggression on February 28. The duo had already attacked Iran in June 2025, and were forced into ceasefire given a decisive response from the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran has once again been giving the two adversaries the decisive response by pounding, through barrages of missiles and drones, the Israeli-occupied territories and the US assets in the region involved in the aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran launches 58th wave of Op. True Promise 4, pounding enemy targets with precision missiles Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 12:30 PM The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched its massive 58th wave of retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israeli positions and United States military bases. The massive barrage, conducted in the framework of "Operation True Promise 4," was initiated in the morning, said the force in a statement. This highly successful, "effect-based operation" was explicitly dedicated to "all the martyred children of the Ramadan War," noted the statement. The military statement emphasized that the strike specifically honors the victims of the "Minab school" massacare and the youngest casualty of the ongoing conflict, a three-day-old infant named "Mojtaba," who was killed along his family last night in Arak, centeral Iran. To execute this sweeping operation, Iranian forces utilized a formidable arsenal of highly accurate, pinpoint-striking, and super-heavy weaponry. This included the Khorramshahr missile equipped with a 2-ton warhead, the multi-warhead Ghadr, and the advanced Fattah and Kheibar Shekan missiles. Medium-range systems such as the Fateh and Qiam, alongside a swarm of destructive suicide drones, were also deployed. The sophisticated assault targeted a wide array of strategic locations across the northern and central parts of the occupied territories, including Nahariya, Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and West Quds. Furthermore, the strikes heavily pounded the regional positions of the terrorist US army, directly hitting American bases in Victoria, Ali Al Salem, and Al Kharj, as well as the US Navy's 5th Fleet. The sheer scale of the 58th wave triggered widespread panic across the occupied lands. Warning sirens blared continuously in Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Bat Yam, and 136 other locations across the occupied territories. According to demographic estimates, the massive Iranian missile barrage forced approximately 4,330,000 occupiers to rush to bomb shelters. This fierce military retaliation falls strictly within the framework of the Iranian Armed Forces' legitimate response to a large-scale and unprovoked war launched by Washington and Tel Aviv. The deadly US-Israeli campaign began on February 28 with the cowardly assassination of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, alongside several high-ranking military commanders. That unprovoked aggression was launched despite ongoing, indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program. Since the outbreak of the war, US and Israeli forces have carried out extensive aerial strikes on both military and civilian installations across Iran, resulting in significant casualtiesincluding the massacred schoolchildren in Minab. In response to these ongoing atrocities, Iran has maintained a relentless campaign of massive missile and drone attacks, firmly targeting US interests in the region and Israeli positions throughout the occupied territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dena martyrs make Army's foundation 'firmer', says Larijani as Tehran prepares for massive funeral Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 10:47 AM As the Iranian capital gears up for a massive funeral honoring 84 martyred sailors of the IRIS Dena, top officials declared that the cowardly assassination of these naval heroes will only make the foundation of the country's armed forces "firmer for years." The farewell ceremony for the recovered victims of the American terrorist attack will be held today and tomorrow across 34 main squares and locations in Tehran. These massive processions will see the presence of the martyrs' families, high-ranking civil and military officials, armed forces commanders, and citizens from all walks of life paying their respects to the sacrifices of the Dena crew. Ahead of the grand processions, Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, released a handwritten note. He emphasized that the martyrdom of these naval heroes in the Dena proves the zealous nation's sacrifices "in this era of fighting international oppressors." "Their memory will always remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will make the foundation of the Islamic Republic's Army firmer in the structure of the armed forces for years," Larijani wrote. Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a message inviting the great Iranian nation to participate gloriously alongside one another to lay these heroes to rest. He noted that the brave and patient people of Iran are welcoming maritime youth who were echoing the call for peace in international waters, thousands of miles away from the area of the the imposed war when they were targeted by enemies. The enemies of freedom and security martyred these honorable soldiers in a massive crime and a cowardly, blind attack, trampling on all international, moral, and human laws, Pezeshkian stated, adding that the perpetrators once again revealed their terrorist nature to the world. "Our deceitful enemies must know that in the shadow of the name of each of these high-ranking martyrs, thousands of other brave men will rise, and they will take the wish of the surrender of the children of the land of Iran to the grave," the president warned. The IRIS Dena was brutally targeted on March 4 in international waters while returning from a multinational naval exercise in India, an event it had been officially invited to attend. The vessel was struck by an MK-48 torpedo launched by a United States submarine approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka. According to reports, the maritime terrorist attack claimed the lives of 104 crew members. 32 sailors were rescued. This unprovoked assault occurred in the middle of a large-scale war launched against the Iranian nation by the US and Israel on February 28. The war was ignited by the cowardly assassination of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, alongside several high-ranking military commanders. Within the framework of their legitimate response to these ongoing atrocities, the Iranian Armed Forces continue to execute massive missile and drone strikes against US interests in the region and Israeli positions in the occupied territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Qalibaf: Threat of war against Iran, region must be eliminated Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 10:12 AM Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says threat of war against Iran and the region must be eliminated, stressing that Tehran will no longer accept the cycle of war, ceasefire, negotiation, and war again. In a televised interview broadcast on Tuesday, Qalibaf said, "We are not seeking war, but we will defend ourselves fiercely and respond firmly," amid a US-Israeli aggression against the country which started on February 28. Qalibaf added that the US had expected victory within 72 hours, but instead has seen all its regional bases come under Iranian retaliatory operations, noting that "[US President Donald] Trump now resorts to telling several lies a day out of desperation." He stated that Iran had long warned its neighbors that the US military presence would not bring them security, something now evident to them. He predicted that Islamic countries in the region would establish an indigenous system of economic and security stability through bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Recalling the earlier 12-day war, Qalibaf said Iran accepted that ceasefire only after persistent requests and its final strikes on Israel, but added, "They have now shown that they learned no lessons." Situation in Strait of Hormuz will never return to past conditions Addressing recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz, the Speaker said its current closure was not Iran's decision but a defensive necessity. "We never intended to target neighboring states," he said, "but when missiles are launched toward us, it is our right to respond. Many ships no longer move because the conditions do not permit it." He noted that legal and navigational arrangements in the strait would no longer return to past conditions since "its previous security no longer exists." Qalibaf asserted that Israel had once vowed to reshape the order of West Asia through war. "Indeed, the region's face and order are changing," he said, "but not under America's dominance." Instead, he described a new regional security model based on indigenous cooperation among neighboring Islamic nations. He also warned that US and Israeli policies had destabilized not only West Asia but "the security of East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and even America itself." Highlighting the geopolitical importance of the Strait of Hormuz, Qalibaf called it "one of the world's key points," vital for the transfer of oil and energy. He underlined that there was a "strategic miscalculation" in US involvement, saying Israel had set a trap for Washington, which "fell into it due to immaturity." He further said that the United States and Israel sought to monopolize the region's resources, but "Iran and the regional countries with God's grace will show that these resources and opportunities belong to the people and nations of this region." Qalibaf affirmed, "We will cut off the hands of their greed; this action will definitely take place in the region." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Araghchi rebukes Hegseth's moral bankruptcy, ignorance of armed conflict law Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 8:35 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has lashed out at US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for threatening Iran with merciless strikes, saying the threats denote his moral bankruptcy and ignorance about the law of armed conflict. "When the US Secretary of War declares 'no quarter', he doesn't project strength. He conveys moral bankruptcy and ignorance about law of armed conflict," Araghchi wrote in a post published on his X account late on Monday. He added, "We advise him to review the Hague Convention and Rome Statute of the ICC, unless he aspires to join Netanyahu as war criminal." The United States and Israel launched a large-scale and unprovoked war against Iran on February 28 by assassinating former Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and high-ranking military commanders despite indirect Tehran-Washington negotiations on Iran's peaceful nuclear program. The attacks have involved extensive aerial strikes on both military and civilian installations across the country, causing significant casualties and widespread damage. On the first day of the aggression, the US launched strikes against an elementary school in Minab, southern Hormozgan Province. The ruthless attack killed 165 people, mostly children. Within the framework of their legitimate response, Iranian Armed Forces have carried out massive missile and drone attacks against US interests in the region and Israeli positions in the occupied territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Pezeshkian: 'Iran will not surrender to bullies' Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 7:37 AM President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran "will not surrender to bullies," urging the international community to condemn the US-Israeli act of aggression and to compel the perpetrators to respect international law. In a post on his X account on Monday, Pezeshkian referred to his conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, when he stressed that Iran did not initiate "this savage war." He added that defending against aggression is a natural right that Iran has mastered well. Pointing to the role of US military bases in the region, Pezeshkian stated that their use against Iran which was aimed at disrupting Tehran's relations with its neighbors must be halted. He noted that peace and stability in the region cannot be achieved while ignoring a Zionist-American aggression against Iran. The president reiterated that the country would not bow to coercion and once more called on the global community to condemn the attack and compel the aggressors to abide by international laws. In another part of his remarks, Pezeshkian described the initiation of the war, based on false information and with expansionist motives, as a "medieval act in the twenty-first century." He emphasized that talk of halting aggression would be meaningless until assurances were given that no further attacks would target Iranian soil, reaffirming Iran's firm stance against any violation of its territory. On February 28, the United States and the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked war on Iran, assassinating former Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as well as several top military commanders. Iran immediately began to retaliate against the aggression by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on the US bases in regional countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Confirms Security Chief Larijani, Paramilitary Commander Soleimani Killed By RFE/RL's Radio Farda March 17, 2026 Iranian authorities have confirmed that the country's powerful security chief, Ali Larijani, has been killed, the highest profile official to die since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of US and Israeli air strikes on February 28. Ali Larijani was killed along with his son Morteza, his deputy Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards, the Secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement late on March 17. Larijani was secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. The council's statement came about 12 hours after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Larijani was killed in a wave of air strikes on Tehran that also took the lives of other senior Iranian figures. Death Of Gholamreza Soleimani Separately, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's paramilitary Basij force, giving few details. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had said Soleimani and Larijani were killed in the same series of strikes on March 16. Katz said the two leaders "have joined Khamenei, the head of the annihilation program, along with all those eliminated from the axis of evil in the depths of hell," while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a photo of the premier on the phone with the caption: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the elimination of senior figures in the Iranian regime." The US-Israeli offensive on Iran, now in its third week, has shown no signs of letting up, with air raid sirens heard in several locations around the Middle East on March 17. US President Donald Trump said the conflict has "wiped out their [Iran's] military in every aspect" and reiterated during a press conference in Washington that the United States will leave the war "pretty much the very near future." The Israeli military said it was targeting "Iranian regime infrastructure" in its latest wave of strikes across Tehran, as well as at sites it said were related to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization. Baghdad Attack Meanwhile, Iran has continued to fire missiles and drones at targets around the Middle East, including Israel. The key Strait of Hormuz -- which accounts for about one-fifth of the world's oil transport -- remains largely closed off due to attacks on vessels. An Iranian drone and rocket attack targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad, according to security officials, one of whom told AFP that "at least one drone" crashed inside the embassy compound. A new Iranian drone strike also hit the Fujairah oil complex on the United Arab Emirate's east coast, causing a fire but no injuries, local authorities said on March 17. Explosions were reported in Doha, while Qatar said it had intercepted a missile attack. Trump had called on nations around the globe to help to reopen the vital waterway, but several countries have pushed back on the idea. Later on March 17, he called that reluctance a "very foolish mistake" and that the United States didn't "need any help actually." "This is a great test, because we don't need them, but they should have been there," Trump added. Iran's targeting of crude oil and gas producing nations around the Gulf has pushed energy prices up sharply in many countries. The price of several types of oil jumped around 5 percent again on March 17 over supply concerns. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-iranian-security- chief-larijani-us-war-assassination/33708801.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 Ali Larijani: Iran's Key Power Broker And Canny Operator By Kian Sharifi March 17, 2026 Ali Larijani, one of Iran's most powerful figures and a close confidant of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an air strike in the capital, Tehran, on March 17. Holding the powerful post of secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's key policymaking body, Larijani emerged as the de facto leader of the Islamic republic after Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike on February 28. While not a cleric, he was a unifying figure who brought together competing political factions and maintained strong ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), intelligence services, and clerical establishment. With Khamenei gone, his son a contested successor, and now Larijani dead, Iran faces what is seen as a leadership vacuum of extraordinary depth. His death, experts say, could also complicate any diplomatic efforts to end the current war. "Among those we know are still within the Islamic republic system right now -- the politicians we can confirm are still [alive] -- there is no replacement for Ali Larijani for this role," said Babak Dorbeiki, a Britain-based political analyst. The System's Operator During a political career spanning decades, the 67-year-old Larijani served as a nuclear negotiator, parliament speaker, and state enforcer, among other roles. But above all, he was a survivor. Larijani twice fell from official favor only to mount political comebacks. After Iran's 12-day war with Israel and the United States in June 2025, he played an increasingly prominent role as the national-security chief. Larijani's career underscored his versatility. He served in the IRGC, ran the state broadcaster for a decade, shepherded the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers through parliament, and spent 12 years as speaker of parliament. For the Islamic republic, Larijani functioned as a bridge between the clerics and generals at home and between Tehran and Western capitals abroad. He was never an ideological firebrand. But he was seen as the system's most capable operator. Even then, the system twice rejected him. In 2021 and again in 2024, Larijani was barred from running for president by the Guardians Council, a clerical body dominated by hard-liners. The decisions shocked even his critics. Analysts widely interpreted the disqualifications as factional maneuvering -- a way to clear the field for hard-liners -- but the message was humiliating for a man who had served the Islamic republic at the highest levels for decades. 'Kennedys Of Iran' Born in the holy Shi'ite city of Najaf, in neighboring Iraq, Larijani came from a family so steeped in the political elite that emerged following the Islamic revolution in 1979 that Time magazine once described them as the "Kennedys of Iran." His father was a prominent religious scholar -- and his marriage into the family of Morteza Motahhari, the chairman of the Council of the Revolution tasked with establishing the Islamic republic -- ensured his place near the corridors of power from the outset. Unlike many of his peers who came solely from Islamic seminaries, Larijani also carried a secular academic pedigree, holding master's and doctorate degrees in Western philosophy from the University of Tehran. He wrote a thesis on the works of German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Wartime Resurrection After spending several years in relative political limbo, Larijani's fortunes changed in the aftermath of the 12-day war. In January, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Larijani for his role in the brutal state crackdown on mass protests that erupted in late December 2025 and killed thousands of people. Last month, before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, Khamenei designated Larijani as the preferred candidate to temporarily manage the country in the event of his death. Khamenei was killed just days later. Since then, Larijani had been one of the most vocal official voices in Iran. On March 13, in a show of defiance, Larijani and other senior Iranian leaders appeared on the streets of Tehran as Israel carried out air strikes on the city. That was the last time he was seen in public. Hannah Kaviani of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-iranian-security- chief-larijani-us-war-assassination/33708801.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 Amid US-Israeli Campaign, Iranian Kurds Watch And Wait By Amos Chapple March 17, 2026 After initially voicing support, US President Donald Trump says he doesn't want Iran's Kurds to enter the military operation against Tehran -- at least for now. Still, one group of exiled Kurds is "preparing for war" just in case, according to a photographer who visited one stronghold of Iranian Kurds. Photojournalist Sedat Suna gained access on March 12 to a mountain base of the Komala -- Reform Faction, an armed political entity of Iranian Kurds based in the northeastern region of Iraq that has recently been targeted by Iranian drone strikes. The armed group is part of an alliance of several Iranian Kurdish political parties that was formed shortly before the US-Israeli military operation was launched on February 28. It seeks a self-determining region within Iran that would be similar to the current semiautonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. "They see [the war] as an opportunity," the photographer told RFE/RL, adding that the fighters insisted they are not waiting for a green light from the United States to enter the conflict in Iran. "They say they can make their own decisions." A spokesman for the Komala party has vowed the fighters would "start the liberation," in the Kurdish region of Iran, provided the United States pledges support. Kurds are an ethnic group of around 30-40 million people living largely across mountainous areas spanning parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The mostly Sunni Muslim group is one of the world's largest ethnicities without a country of their own. Iranian Kurds live mostly along the western border of the country and make up around 10 percent of Iran's population of some 92 million. Kurdish relations with Tehran have remained tense since soon after the 1979 Islamic Revolution when the country's new rulers launched mass killings of Kurds, who were viewed as a danger to Iran's territorial integrity. Today, observers say there are immense complications involved with potential Kurdish involvement in the ongoing war in Iran. Kamran Matin, an Iran expert at Sussex University, says exiled Iranian Kurdish groups enjoy widespread support inside Iran's Kurdish region, but he believes only a specific set of conditions would open the door to Iranian Kurds -- both inside and outside the country -- openly entering the war against the Islamic republic. Firstly, Matin says, Iranian regime forces would need to be "significantly degraded in [Iranian] Kurdistan." Additionally, Kurdish groups would require an "explicit commitment from the US for long term military and political support in the form of the establishment of a no-fly zone over Iranian Kurdistan." And, he says, they would need a US pledge of support for Kurdish rights within a future Iran. That level of US commitment appears unlikely for now. Amid reports the CIA was arming Kurdish groups in neighboring Iraq, on March 5 Trump stated he would be "all for it" if Iranian Kurds sparked an uprising. He later walked that back, telling reporters he had ruled out the Kurds getting involved, saying, "We don't want to make the war any more complex than it already is." Photographer Suna says there is widespread goodwill toward the United States among the fighters he visited, with some bearing US flags on their uniforms. In Iraqi Kurdistan, the authorities have ruled out the idea of Iraqi Kurds entering the war in Iran. Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, recently told reporters, "We're not guns for hire." In a message apparently aimed at Iranian Kurdish militant groups in Iraq, the Kurdistan regional government has also stated that "Iraqi territory must not be used as a launching point for attacks against neighboring countries." For its part, Tehran has threatened that if there is any incursion by Kurdish fighters from Iraqi territory, "all facilities of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq...will be widely targeted." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-iraq-kurds-militants- mountains-war/33704824.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 Iran's Oil Exports Uninterrupted Despite US-Israeli Operation - Energy Commission Sputnik News 20260317 TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran's oil exports are proceeding without disruption amid the conflict with the United States and Israel, Ismail Hosseini, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament Commission on Energy, said on Tuesday. "Oil exports are proceeding smoothly. If the opponents have eyes on Kharg Island, they should know that they will be even more humiliated than what happened in the Strait of Hormuz - it will become a grave for the aggressors," Hosseini was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. On Sunday, the Axios portal reported, citing sources, that US President Donald Trump is weighing the seizure of Iran's Kharg Island, which would require a US military landing. Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Adm. Alireza Tangsiri said that a possible US attack on Kharg, where Iran's largest oil terminal is located, would sharply impact oil prices. Iranian armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that oil and gas facilities across the Middle East would become "mountains of ashes" if the United States struck infrastructure on Kharg Island. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Intelligence Sees No Rift in Iran's Leadership - Reports Sputnik News 20260317 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US intelligence has not detected any divisions within Iran's leadership following the launch of the military operation against the country, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Based on US intelligence assessments following the outbreak of war, the Iranian government will remain intact, the report said. There are no clear signs of a split or defections within the Iranian leadership, the report added. US President Donald Trump receives "very sobering briefings" on US intelligence, and even before he gave the go-ahead for the joint conflict with Israel, he was informed of the likelihood of a buildup by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the newspaper reported, citing a source. The US's Arab allies in the Persian Gulf are angry and concerned that they have become the target of Iran's retaliatory strikes, the report added. "They started this war for Israel and then left us to face the attacks by ourselves," an unnamed senior Arab official was quoted by the newspaper as saying. On February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets in Iran, including Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran is retaliating with strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military targets in the Middle East. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq's resistance vows to continue fight until occupiers are expelled Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2026 3:50 PM The Iraqi Islamic resistance group Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba says the resistance will continue until the complete expulsion of occupying forces and the restoration of the country's full sovereignty. The secretary general of the resistance group, Akram al-Kaabi, said in a statement on Tuesday that the occupiers have wrongly assumed that the continued violation of Iraq's sovereignty and repeated acts of aggression could derail, halt, or weaken the Islamic resistance movement's legitimate struggle for liberation. Kaabi said Iraq's resistance is engaged in combat with "criminal occupiers" since 2003 and it has now emerged "more powerful, more experienced, and better-equipped." He said after the US was forced to withdraw its forces from Iraq, it created the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group "out of an inability to confront the resistance." Kaabi stated yet numerous powerful resistance groups successfully defeated the US Daesh project and "once again dismantled the occupying power's colonial scheme." The secretary general reiterated that the resistance is still alive in Iraq, "conducting operations to expel occupiers, achieve complete national liberation, and restore the country's deprived sovereignty." Since the US and Israel launched their joint military aggression against Iran on February 28, Iraqi resistance groups have mobilized to support the Islamic Republic. The resistance groups across the region have been carrying out daily attacks on US assets in Iraq and across the West Asian region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US demand for Hormuz escort puts Japan in an awkward spot; embarrassment reflects structural contradiction in this alliance: Chinese expert Global Times By Fan Anqi Published: Mar 18, 2026 12:01 AM With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz under spotlight, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has recently been put in an awkward spot after US President Donald Trump demanded that Japan and other countries dispatch vessels to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure its safety, given Japan's constitutional limits on taking part in overseas military campaigns and its economy's heavy reliance on energy supply, media reported on Tuesday. The timing is especially tricky for Takaichi as a Japan-US summit is scheduled on Thursday in Washington. A Chinese expert noted that Japan's ambivalence over the Strait of Hormuz escort issue stems from multiple constraints, including legal, diplomatic and energy security concerns as well as public opinion. This dilemma lays bare the structural contradictions in the US-dominated, Japan-following alliance and reflects widening rifts in the US alliance system. Nikkei reported on Tuesday that the Japanese government is caught in a dilemma: while it prioritizes its security alliance with the US, it also relies heavily on energy imports from the Middle East. The report noted that many within the Japanese government believe it is difficult to send Self-Defense Forces (SDF) ships to the conflict-ridden Middle East at present, and they will carefully assess the true intentions of the US. According to the report citing a senior Japanese government official, "the government takes a cautious stance on dispatching the SDF," adding that Japan would "convey to the US what it can and cannot do," signaling a negative attitude toward the deployment. The development came ahead of a scheduled Japan-US summit on Thursday in Washington. Takaichi, at a meeting of the House of Councillors Budget Committee on Monday, also maintained a cautious tone on the possibility of the SDF being dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "Rather than simply responding to a request from the United States, we will make the most appropriate decision based on what Japan can do within its legal framework," The Japan News reported on Tuesday. With Iran imposing restrictions in the shipping in the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israeli attack against Iran, Trump asked several of his allies to escort shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but received cautious response on Monday from countries including Germany, Spain and Italy, drawing criticism from the US president who accused Western partners of ingratitude after decades of support, per Reuters. Xiang Haoyu, a distinguished research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that another concern for Tokyo is the risk to energy security, as 95.1 percent of Japan's crude oil imports come from the Middle East, with 73.7 percent passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to The Japan Times, the conflict in the Gulf region has sent crude oil prices soaring and is beginning to cast a shadow over the Japanese economy. "Joining a US-led escort operation targeting Iran could trigger Iranian retaliation and directly cut Japan's economic lifeline," Xiang said, adding that Japan has long maintained good ties with Iran and is unwilling to sacrifice this Middle Eastern diplomatic asset by blindly following the US. In an interview with NHK on Monday, Hossein Kanani Moghaddam, former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that Japanese vessels "would face danger" if they are sent to secure the Strait of Hormuz at the request of the US. He said if American military bases in Japan are used for launching strikes against Iran, they too will become targets. According to the Nikkei, Japan also faced with its legal red line of Article 9 of "pacifist Constitution" that sets strict thresholds for overseas troop deployment. In the case of the security-related laws, a prerequisite is that the party receiving support must be attempting a counterattack that is lawful under international law. Unless Japan clearly expresses a position in support of the attack on Iran, it will be difficult to join in providing escort support to the US military. On the other hand, applying the right of collective self-defense to the US forces would mean treating Iran, a country that had previously been friendly, as a complete enemy, the Nikkei said. Sending the SDF overseas would be seen as an expansionist action of militarism, expert said, noting that it would also incite public fury, when the public has already expressed dissatisfaction toward the government's vague stance on the legitimacy of the US' military operations. Should Trump directly make such a demand during the upcoming US-Japan summit, it could "put Japan under pressure to take sides" within the framework of the alliance, the expert noted. Japan Times said that any misstep in economic policy or in relations with the US could undermine the robust public support that forms the foundation of Takaichi's political standing, the report said, noting that the administration is now considering its options, with an aide saying, "Leaving a request from the United States unanswered is not an option." Japan is being put in an awkward corner, which lays bare the structural contradictions in the US-dominated, Japan-following alliance and reflects widening rifts in the US alliance system, Xiang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signs decree giving effect to new Constitution Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC) 17.03.2026 [15:20] Baku, March 17, AZERTAC President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday signed a decree on measures to implement the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted during the nationwide referendum on March 15, 2026, Qazinform News Agency reported citing the Akorda. The Head of State decreed to publish the text of the Constitution adopted on March 15 in Yegemen Kazakhstan and Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspapers. Under the decree, the original copy of Kazakhstan's Constitution adopted on August 30, 1995, will be transferred to the Archive of the Kazakh President. It also establishes that the original copy of the Constitution will be held and preserved by the President. The Central Referendum Commission is tasked to transfer the text of the Constitution to the Institute of Legislation and Legal Information to ensure its availability in the Reference Control Bank of Regulatory Legal Acts. The decree provides that under the Kazakh President's legislative initiative, draft constitutional laws on the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and on Khalyk Kenesi of Kazakhstan will be submitted for consideration to the Majilis, while the Presidential Administration together with government agencies concerned are instructed to design and submit for the President's consideration these drafts. It also defines that under the Kazakh Government's legislative initiative, draft constitutional laws on the status of the Kazakh capital and on the administrative-territorial structure will be put forward to the Majilis for consideration. The Government, central, and local authorities are charged with taking necessary measures to align regulatory legal acts with the Constitution. The Government is also tasked to approve a plan for promoting the Constitution before April 7, 2026. Control over the decree's implementation is assigned to the Presidential Administration. The decree takes effect on the day of its signing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian hybrid threats: four individuals added to EU sanctions list for information manipulation activities European External Action Service (EEAS) 17.03.2026 Press and information team of the Delegation to UKRAINE On 16 March the Council decided to adopt restrictive measures against an additional four individuals responsible for Russia's continued hybrid activities, in particular Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) against the EU and its member states and partners. The Council is listing Russian propagandist Sergey Klyuchenkov, who has played an active role in spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation aimed at justifying Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In his TV and radio shows he has repeatedly called for further violence in Ukraine, including against civilians. In addition, he has called for de-Ukrainisation of occupied territories, the occupation of Baltic states and suggested retaliatory strikes against countries which support Ukraine, including the US, Turkiye, Germany, France, and the UK. The new listings also include the Lithuanian-born Russian news anchor Ernest Mackevicius who, as host of the evening news programme on the Russian state television, has regularly spread false narratives about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Ukraine itself and its armed forces. Lastly, the Council is also imposing restrictive measures on propagandist Graham Phillips, and media figure Adrien Bocquet of British and French origin, respectively. Graham Phillips has played an active role in justifying Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine through disinformation and propaganda, regularly filming content in Russian-occupied areas, including interviews with captured British fighters, and writing propaganda articles about Russia's occupied territories of Ukraine. Adrien Bocquet has repeatedly positioned himself as an amplifier of Kremlin propaganda in Europe and in Russia through appearances at symbolic conflict sites, interviews with Russian television, publications on his X account and contributions to Kremlin-funded outlets. Through their activities the designated individuals are responsible for supporting the actions and policies of the Russian government, which undermine democracy, the rule of law, stability, and security in the European Union and Ukraine. With today's decision, restrictive measures in view of Russia's destabilising activities now apply to a total of 69 individuals and 17 entities. Those listed are subject to an asset freeze, and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds, financial assets or economic resources available to them. Natural persons also face a travel ban that prohibits them from entering or transiting through EU territories. The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Background The framework for restrictive measures in response to Russia's destabilising actions was set up on 8 October 2024 to target those engaged in actions and policies by the government of the Russian Federation, which undermine the fundamental values of the EU and its member states, their security, stability, independence and integrity. The sanctions regime targets also those responsible for Russia's hybrid activities against third countries and international organisations. A statement of the High Representative on behalf of the EU from 18 July 2025 strongly condemned persistent malicious activities posed by Russia, which form part of broader, coordinated, and long-standing hybrid campaigns aimed at threatening and undermining the security, resilience and democratic foundations of the EU, its member states and its partners. The High Representative stressed that Russian malicious activities have further escalated since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine and are highly likely to persist in the foreseeable future. On 18 December 2025, the European Council adopted conclusions in which it strongly condemned all recent hybrid attacks against the Union and its Member States. The EU and its member states will continue to draw on the full range of tools available to protect, prevent, deter from and respond to such malicious behaviour. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Jerusalem: Russia is a threat both in Europe and the Middle East Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17.03.2026 | 17:59 Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna was on a visit to Israel today, 17 March, where in meetings with President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar he discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and their links to European security, as well as cooperation between Iran and Russia. "Long-term stability in the Middle East is important to Estonia, and today's visit during an ongoing and active military conflict is proof of that," Tsahkna said. "The Iranian regime's nuclear and missile programme, its support for terrorist groups, its assistance to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and its violent behaviour towards its own people pose a threat to regional and global security. For this reason, we support the steps taken by the United States and Israel to eliminate these threats," the foreign minister said. According to Tsahkna, the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have clearly demonstrated how closely interconnected security in Europe and the Middle East is. "It is also very clear whose side Russia is on in this conflict and whose side Ukraine is on," Tsahkna said. "Russia's exchange of information on targets or tactics in drone warfare is one of the ways in which it supports the regime in Tehran in achieving its objectives. At the same time, Ukraine has offered its assistance both to the United States and to the Gulf countries, including in countering drones." "This demonstrates that it is in the interests of both European and Middle Eastern security to maintain pressure on Russia and to continue supporting Ukraine," Tsahkna said. He added that he commended Israel's support for Ukraine and called for it to be further increased. The meetings also addressed the impact of the hostilities on rising energy prices, which generate revenue for Russia's war machine. "We support all steps to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation. At the same time, it is important to ensure that Russia does not benefit from developments in the Middle East and that its state budget revenues do not increase," Tsahkna said. The situation in Gaza and the West Bank was also discussed. According to Tsahkna, Estonia expects the launch of Phase II of the Gaza peace plan and the disarmament of Hamas. The foreign minister noted that the region's security situation continues to be exacerbated by the development of illegal settlements in the West Bank, the destruction of Palestinian property and settler violence. "These actions jeopardise the two-state solution, which from Estonia's perspective is the only way to ensure long-term peace and security in the region for both Israelis and Palestinians," Tsahkna said. Lebanon was also discussed, where, Tsahkna noted, Hezbollah's involvement in the hostilities and Israel's counter-attacks further complicate the situation in the region. "The greatest suffering is borne by the people of Lebanon. De-escalation must be based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, and the European Union has an important role to play in stabilising Lebanon," Tsahkna said. "Today's visit also lays the groundwork for continuing to advance the bilateral partnership between Estonia and Israel once the international situation stabilises, primarily in the fields of innovation and cyber security, as well as strengthening economic cooperation and cooperation in the field of defence," Tsahkna said. The foreign minister noted that this year marks one hundred years since the Estonian government's decision to grant Jews a unique cultural autonomy, which characterises the long-standing special relationship between our countries. He added that over the decades Estonia has, in many respects, taken inspiration from and learned from the resilience of Israeli society. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Sberbank Management Board Chairman German Gref Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Sberbank German Gref. The discussion focused on the company's performance last year and current operations. March 17, 2026 14:10 The Kremlin, Moscow President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon. How are things going? What results can you report? CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Sberbank German Gref: Thank you, everything is fine. Last year was a good one for us. We have published our performance results under international financial reporting standards, and now we will use them to assess our results and pay dividends. Last year, we increased our net profit to a record 1.706 trillion rubles. Consequently, we will pay out 50 percent of that amount in dividends, which will amount to 853 billion rubles, which is also a record sum. We managed to keep the main parameters within the planned figures. We have a three-year strategy approved by the Board of Directors. We have completed the second year of our strategy by achieving almost all the objectives we had set. Vladimir Putin: Good, congratulations. German Gref: Cost-to-income ratio stood at 30 percent, one of the best in the global market. It is a very good figure for such banks as ours. Only three banks in the world can boast such CIR figures. Last year, in order to maintain strong performance, we worked hard to optimise our expenses, introducing many new processes, using AI to streamline operations, and applying a multi-agent system, which is being used now to implement a number of regular transactions. As a result, our labour efficiency last year increased significantly: usually, the increase is about 6-7 percent but last year it was around 10 percent. We cannot be certain until the end of the year that we will keep within the planned parameters, which will be a challenge, but we plan or at least hope that this year we will be able to report a larger income than the year before in order to achieve the strategic benchmarks set for us. So far, we are sticking to our strategic priorities. We did our best to achieve all our targets these past years, even though there were several critical moments. So, the overall situation is normal. We continue to develop, and I hope that we will fulfil all the tasks set before us. Vladimir Putin: Good, congratulations. The result is good indeed. Thank you. German Gref: Thank you. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Headquarters hosts discussions about Russia's Shadow Fleet NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 17 March 2026 On Tuesday (17 March 2026), delegates and experts from across the Alliance took part in discussions at NATO Headquarters about Russia's Shadow Fleet. The Shadow Fleet Symposium, organised in partnership with the delegations of the Netherlands and Portugal, helped enhance understanding about how to constrain Russia's Shadow Fleet. Senior officials, subject-matter experts, and practitioners from Allied capitals shared their experience and best practice. The discussions included legal and operational updates from Allied Command Operations and an exchange of views with the European External Action Service about future cooperation and how to ensure efforts against the fleet were complementary. Speaking at the event, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska said, "the Shadow Fleet is used by Russia to circumvent international oil sanctions. It finances Putin's war machine and is helping him rebuild his forces. Shadow Fleet vessels are also a danger to the marine environment, to maritime traffic and to the safety at sea in general". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow's Digital Lockdown: Mobile Internet Outages Hit Russia's Capital By Current Time and RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities March 17, 2026 Widespread mobile Internet outages have been hitting Moscow for over a week, causing significant disruptions to daily life and raising fears about how far President Vladimir Putin's government will go to tighten its control over online activity. Residents and businesses in the city of more than 12 million are facing problems with an array of services including online payments, taxi apps, and navigation tools. Sales of offline items such as pagers and paper maps have increased in the capital, a tech-savvy city where a large portion of Russia's wealth is concentrated. Since many of the outages began on March 7, the situation has worsened, with even websites listed on the government's "whitelist" -- state-friendly resources that are supposed to be exempt from restrictions -- becoming inaccessible. The Kremlin has officially attributed these disruptions to increased security measures, but has given few details. "Kyiv is using increasingly sophisticated methods for attacks, so Russia needs increasingly technological protection measures," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 12 in a reference to Ukrainian retaliation against Russia's full-scale invasion of the neighboring country, now in its fifth year. Government critics say state authorities often cite security concerns when they want to tighten restraints on the lives and freedoms of citizens. "Russia's leadership is simply very cowardly. So cowardly that it does not care about civil liberties, the economy, or people's convenience. It absolutely does not care about any of that," said Mikhail Klimarev, an activist and director of the Internet Protection Society. Outages have hit other parts of Russia for months, but the shutdowns in the capital have drawn more attention. "Mobile Internet has been shut down in Russia since June 2025. And only now has all this reached Moscow," Klimarev told Current Time. Mobile Internet has been unavailable almost everywhere in Moscow, both in central districts and surrounding areas, residents said. "I am a freelancer and I need good Internet. I had to give my client a discount because I couldn't meet the deadline," Alina, a Moscow resident, told RFE/RL Siberia.Realities. Putin's government has been struggling for years to manage and restrict Russians' use the Internet. Authorities have targeting Western giants such as Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon while also fostering homegrown alternatives they can control more easily. Activists and others suspect the shutdown of mobile Internet in Moscow is being used to test the "whitelist" system of approved websites. The "whitelist" of resources available during Internet shutdowns began testing last summer. The list includes the websites of mobile operators, pro-Kremlin media outlets, government agencies, marketplaces, and social media companies such as Odnoklassniki, and VK, formerly known as VKontakte. Telegram, the most widely used messaging app in Russia, has also been experiencing access problems, as has WhatsApp. "Telegram's accessibility has dropped by 80 percent" since the previous day, Klimarev wrote on March 16. Russia last year launched it own state-backed messaging app, Max, is facing backlash from critics who view it as a state surveillance tool. State media has dismissed these concerns, maintaining the app is a secure and independent tool. On February 20, Putin signed a law requiring telecommunications operators to suspend services at the request of the Federal Security Service, or FSB. At the same time, the authorities exempted operators from liability to their clients if the service interruption was caused by compliance with the intelligence agency's demands. The Russian government has long censored online content to limit opposition, monitored Internet traffic in the name of security, and tightened control over media. A government clampdown on the freedom of speech, assembly, and other liberties has gathered force since Putin returned to the presidency in 2012 and tightened still further since he start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-telegram-mobile- internet-problem/33708173.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 Indonesia Discussing Oil Purchases With Russia - Energy Minister Sputnik News 20260317 JAKARTA (Sputnik) - Indonesia is discussing oil purchases with Russia, Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia told Sputnik on Tuesday. "At the moment, we are discussing this with our partners in Russia, we still need to study the proposal and the situation... We do not rule out working with any partner country," the minister said on the sidelines of the event in Jakarta. On March 11, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, met with US officials in Miami for talks addressing the crisis in the global energy market. The following day, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the lifting of all restrictions on approximately 100 million barrels of Russian oil currently in transit, following last week's waiver on India's purchases of Russian oil "already stranded at sea." On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The escalation around Iran has led to the de facto halt of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for deliveries of oil and liquefied natural gas from the Persian Gulf countries to the global market, affecting oil exports and production in the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Black box of missing F-16 retrieved after long search: Air Force ROC Central News Agency 03/17/2026 03:14 PM Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Taiwan's military has found and retrieved the flight data recorder (FDR) of an F-16V fighter jet that disappeared off eastern Taiwan in January and will soon send it to its manufacturer in the United States to decode the data. In a statement Tuesday, the Air Force Command Headquarters said the salvage company responsible for the mission successfully retrieved the FDR, better known as the black box, in waters off Taiwan on Monday. The Air Force did not disclose the exact location where the black box was found, but it said the device had been moved ashore and would be sent for decoding to determine the cause of the plane's disappearance. The single-seat fighter jet, tail number 6700, piloted by Captain Hsin Po-yi (), went missing on Jan. 6 after taking off from Hualien Air Base in eastern Taiwan at 6:17 p.m. on a nighttime training mission and heading south. Hsin soon reported that the aircraft was losing altitude, according to the Air Force. At 7:28 p.m., Hsin reported that he was about to eject from the aircraft. Eight seconds later, the jet's signal disappeared from radar while it was flying off the coast of Fengbin in Hualien County, the Air Force said. The Air Force subsequently set up an emergency response center and launched a search and rescue operation, but it has not been able to find Hsin. It has since speculated that there may have been a malfunction in the aircraft's main onboard computer, but its investigation to pinpoint the cause has continued. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls 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 2026.03.17 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Mar. 16 (Mon.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 17 (Tue.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 2 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 2 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1150317_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1150317_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye Hakan Fidan 17 March 2026 17:56 389-17-03-2026 On March 17, 2026, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held telephone talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Hakan Fidan. Key elements of the bilateral agenda were examined, emphasising the necessity for establishing conditions to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of strategic Russian-Turkish energy projects. In particular, given the Kiev regime's persistent attempts to compromise the infrastructure of the Blue Stream and TurkStream gas pipelines, special attention was accorded to the unequivocal importance of ensuring comprehensive pipeline security. Multilateral cooperation platforms, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, were deliberated upon. Sergey Lavrov underscored the imperative of a measured and objective approach when discussing various matters and aspects of collaboration within this framework. Views were exchanged regarding the situation concerning Iran. Russia's principled stance was outlined, advocating the urgent de-escalation of the crisis provoked by strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran by Israel and the United States, as well as the prioritisation of non-forceful political and diplomatic methods. The readiness of our country to facilitate settlement efforts in every possible way - including coordination with Turkiye - to reduce regional tensions, was reaffirmed. Both parties expressed a commitment to maintaining constructive and substantive high-level bilateral contacts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Prime Minister Radosaw Sikorski on support for Ukraine at the Foreign Affairs Council Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland 16.03.2026 Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, EU's relations with its southern neighbours, and the work on a new European Security Strategy were the main topics of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting held in Brussels, attended by Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski. During a working lunch, EU foreign ministers met with India's head of diplomacy Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Council discussed minimising the negative impact of the conflict in the Middle East on Ukraine as it fights the Russian aggressor. Maintaining support for Ukraine must remain Europe's priority underlined Deputy Prime Minister Radosaw Sikorski. Poland's top diplomat called on Hungary to unblock the EU loan for Ukraine and adopt the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. At the same time, he pointed to risks carried by Hungary's reliance on Russian raw materials. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined the current situation on the front line and in the energy sector. When debating the situation in the Middle East, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski called for coordinated efforts to stabilise energy prices in Europe. He also expressed openness to using EU naval missions in the region for stabilisation operations in the Strait of Hormuz once the active phase of conflict with Iran ends. EU foreign ministers also talked with India's top diplomat about further strengthening of cooperation. Referring to the conclusions of the latest EU-India summit, it was agreed that the mutual relations require a new momentum. Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski also took part in an informal discussion regarding the work on a new European Security Strategy. He pointed to the key assumptions that should be reflected in the Strategy, among them recognising Russia as the main threat to the EU in both short- and long-term perspective and enhancing European defence capabilities considerably. *** The Council of the European Union is where ministers from all EU countries meet in ten different configurations to negotiate and adopt EU laws. Foreign Affairs Council is responsible for the EU's foreign policy, and manages its diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. It decides on security and defence matters, concludes trade agreements, and establishes international partnerships. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Russian Federation First Deputy Defence Minister General of Army Valery Gerasimov inspects combat missions progress of formations and military units of Yuzhnaya Group of Forces. 16 March 2026 13:28 During his work at the command post of the Group of Forces, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov was briefed by Colonel General Sergei Medvedev, the Group Commander, on the current situation in the area of responsibility, as well by commanders of formations and other officials on the results of combat missions. In conclusion of his visit, the Chief of the General Staff noted the success of the Yuzhnaya Group of Forces in liberation of the territories of the Donetsk People's Republic and set tasks for further action. Moreover, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov inspected combat operations training at an assault detachment training ground. At the end of the official event at the command post, the Chief of General Staff presented state awards to the most distinguished servicemen and thanked them for their courage and bravery during the combat operations. Department of Information and Media Affairs of Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister McGuinty highlights armoured vehicles donation to Ukraine, visits Roshel facility in Brampton National Defence News release March 17, 2026 - Brampton, Canada - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, visited the Roshel production facility in Brampton, Ontario, to highlight how Canadian industry is supporting Ukraine through the production of armoured vehicles for Ukraine's Armed Forces. On February 24th, Minister McGuinty announced that 383 Senator armoured vehicles manufactured by Roshel will be provided to Ukraine as part of Canada's $6.5 billion military aid package to further strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Canada continues to provide significant military assistance to Ukraine, including amoured vehicles, artillery, ammunition, training, and other critical equipment. Roshel's Senator armoured vehicles have been widely used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, demonstrating the value of Canadian-designed equipment on the battlefield. Continued engagement with Ukrainian forces helps improve the vehicles based on real operational experience. During the visit, Minister McGuinty met with Roman Shimonov, CEO of Roshel, and observed the production of Canadian-manufactured armoured vehicles that are being used by Ukraine's Armed Forces to defend against Russia's ongoing invasion. The visit underscored the importance of Canadian industry in delivering and sustaining critical defence capabilities for Ukraine. Quotes "Roshel creates good jobs for almost 500 workers in Ontario, and will help Canada deliver on our commitments to Ukraine. Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The armoured vehicles manufactured by Roshel will enhance the protection and mobility of Ukrainian forces as they conduct critical operations on the battlefield." The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence "Brampton is proud to play a role in Canada's continued support for Ukraine. The work being done here at Roshel is a powerful example of Canadian innovation and manufacturing strength in action. It highlights how our community is contributing to global security efforts, while also creating good, skilled jobs and strengthening our local economy." Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament "Roshel's Made-in-Canada Senator armoured vehicles and in-support services is the preferred choice of Ukrainians for safety, security, and the efficient transport of troops and civilians. Over 2200 Senators are now deployed in Ukraine. We are proud that this commitment of 383 vehicles, as announced by Minister McGuinty and Prime Minister Carney, will help save Ukrainian lives while supporting close to 500 jobs in Brampton and Mississauga." Roman Shimonov, Roshel CEO & Founder Quick facts Since February 2022, Canada has committed more than $25.5 billion in overall multifaceted aid to Ukraine, including $8.5 billion in military assistance. The approximately $2 billion in military assistance for 2026-27 is drawn from previously approved funding of $1.75 billion from Budget 2025, and an additional $300 million announced today. Canada previously donated 200 Roshel Senator armoured vehicles to Ukraine, valued at more than $90 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Commission reiterates support to Ukraine and Moldova's energy sector following G7+ meeting European External Action Service (EEAS) 17.03.2026 Press and information team of the Delegation to UKRAINE Meeting on the margins of the Energy Council on 16 March, representatives of the EU and G7+, or 'Energy Ramstein', expressed their unwavering support to Ukraine against the backdrop of continued Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. They reiterated their solidarity and continued commitment to support Ukraine and Moldova as they build robust, resilient and reliable energy systems on their path to EU accession. In the meeting, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal debriefed on the extent of damage and reiterated Ukraine's call for immediate and long-term support. Dan Jrgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing said: "With its continuous attacks on critical energy infrastructure, Putin is trying to leave millions of Ukrainians in the dark and cold, with an impact on Moldova's energy system, too. This winter, once again, both Ukraine and Moldova demonstrated their resilience in the face of aggression and manipulation. Our latest Winter Energy Plan will help Ukraine get through this winter and start preparing for the next one with a stronger system. But support is constantly needed, and we need to stand by them for as long as it takes. Ukraine's and Moldova's energy security is part and parcel of Europe's energy security." Ukraine has faced relentless Russian attacks on power plants, transmission lines and sub-stations, resulting in blackouts and disruptions in supply. Moldova has also continued to face pressure on its energy system, from price manipulation to supply disruption. Earlier in the day, the Commission and EU energy ministers reaffirmed their cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova to ensure resilience of their energy systems. In recent months, G7+ partners have stepped up their support, delivering critical air defence systems, high-voltage transformers and supplies for emergency repairs during Ukraine's harshest winter in over a decade. In parallel, the EU and global donors have fast-tracked the delivery of generators and humanitarian assistance. During her visit to Kyiv with Commissioner Jrgensen on 24 February, President Ursula von der Leyen pledged another 100 million for emergency generators and humanitarian aid, alongside a new Winter Energy Plan worth 920 million to 'Repair, Rebuild, Restart' Ukraine's energy networks, expanding decentralised energy generation, heat supply, improving energy efficiency and strengthening grids. In turn, the EU's own energy resilience can be further reinforced thanks to the potential of renewable energy in Ukraine and Moldova. Background The G7+ Ukraine Energy Support Group, so-called 'Energy Ramstein' was set up in 2022 by the G7 to coordinate support to its critical energy and water infrastructure. It consists of G7 and a further 16 countries across the globe, together with international financial institutions and other international bodies. The EU co-chairs the group together with the G7 Presidency, currently held by France. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council on the Druzhba pipeline* European Commission Statement Mar 17, 2026 Brussels Following the renewed Russian strikes on January 27 on the Druzhba pipeline, leading to the interruption of crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, we and our teams have engaged in intense discussions with Member States and Ukraine at all levels to repair and restore the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer. European experts are available immediately. Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens. In this sense, the European Commission will continue to work with the concerned parties on alternative routes for the transit of non-Russian crude oil to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. *Updated on 17 March, 2026, at 12:00 CET. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Parliamentary Secretary Artjoms Ursulskis at the EU General Affairs Council: Amid tensions in the Middle East, we must not forget about Ukraine Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Published: 17.03.2026 On 17 March 2026, the meeting of the General Affairs Council took place in Brussels, where ministers discussed the draft conclusions of the 19-20 March European Council meeting, the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework and the 2026 European Semester process. During the exchange of views on preparations for the European Council, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artjoms Ursulskis, emphasised: "A support loan for Ukraine must be secured immediately, and the 20th round of sanctions against Russia should be adopted with equal urgency. Latvia condemns Iran's unprovoked attacks on its neighbouring countries, but as we address these new challenges, we must not forget to support Ukraine." He pointed out that there is a connection between the Middle East and discussions on competitiveness, particularly in relation to energy. Latvia supports the implementation of short-term measures to mitigate the rapid rise in prices and its impact on the economies of EU Member States. At the same time, it is necessary to continue strengthening the EU's energy security in the long term by enhancing its energy independence. Given that the leaders of the Member States will focus on competitiveness during the European Council's discussion on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework, Artjoms Ursulskis stated that all policy pillars (I, II, and III) can contribute to the EU's competitiveness. Latvia's priorities in the discussions on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework remain unchanged: addressing the socio-economic development of the eastern border regions - a point also acknowledged by the European Commission in its recently adopted communication on the eastern border regions - and ensuring a level playing field for farmers, particularly with regard to direct payments. As part of the annual European Semester process, the General Affairs Council approved the 2026 recommendations for the economic policy of the euro area. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskyy, Starmer Seek To Keep Focus On Ukraine's Defense Against Russia As Iran War Diverts Attention By RFE/RL March 17, 2026 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed members of the British Parliament, met with King Charles, and forged an agreement with Prime Minister Keir Starmer aimed at bolstering supplies of drones to friendly countries. Zelenskyy's visit to London on March 17 came as the US-Israeli war against Iran draws attention away from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and threatens to strengthen Moscow's hand by diverting weapons from Kyiv and putting more oil money in the Kremlin's coffers due to price increases and eased US sanctions. "I think it's really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine," Starmer said as he welcomed Zelenskyy for talks also attended by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. "There's obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we can't lose focus on what's going on in Ukraine and the need for our support," Starmer said. "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin can't be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether that's oil prices or the dropping of sanctions." Addressing members of parliament, Zelenskyy cast Ukraine not as a supplicant but as an ally and a provider of security, touting his country's hard-won expertise at drone warfare and saying it has sent some 200 military experts to the Middle East "at the request of our partners, including the United States," in part to help Persian Gulf countries defend against Iranian drone attacks. Earlier in the invasion, which began in February 2022, Moscow used Iranian-supplied Shahed drones against Ukraine before largely shifting to the use of its own drones, built in Russia using Iranian technology. "Russia then upgraded them, and now we have clear evidence that Iranian Shaheds used in the Middle East contain Russian components," Zelenskyy said. "The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred and that is why they are brothers in weapons, and we want regimes built on hatred to never win in anything," he said. A statement from Starmer's office said he and Zelenskyy agreed on a new military-industrial partnership in which Ukraine's drone expertise will be combined with Britain's manufacturing base to boost the supply of drones, and that they will seek opportunities to cooperate with third countries. Britain and Starmer have been ardent backers of Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Zelenskyy's visit came on a day on which US President Donald Trump criticized Starmer and NATO over the reluctance of Britain and other alliance members to send naval vessels to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a key Middle East oil transit route that shoreline nation Iran has virtually blocked by carrying out attacks and threatening more mayhem. The war in the Middle East also appears to have halted US-Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been a priority for Trump since he took office in January 2025. Little progress has been made on key issues such as control over Ukrainian territory in the Donbas, and Russia has shown few signs of readiness for compromise. A new round of talks had been expected early this month, but it did not take place and no date has been set for he next meeting. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Washington correspondent Alex Raufoglu contributed to this report. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelesnskyy-russia- war-drones-iran/33709182.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 To Send Team To Druzhba In Bid To Lift Hungarian-Slovak Vetoes By Rikard Jozwiak March 17, 2026 The European Union said it will send financial aid and a team of experts to Ukraine with the aim of restoring the flow of oil from the Druzhba pipeline in a bid to lift Hungarian and Slovak obstacles to EU funds for Kyiv and further sanctions on Russia. While no sums are mentioned and it is unclear when the team will arrive at the damaged pipeline, a joint statement issued on March 17 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa notes that "the Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer. European experts are available immediately." The Soviet-era pipeline, which carries Russian oil via Ukraine to the two landlocked central European countries, was damaged by a Russian missile in late January. Both Budapest and Bratislava have accused Kyiv of stalling to repair it for political reasons. Ukraine has rejected the accusation. In the meantime, Hungary and Slovakia have refused to give green light to a 90 billion-euro loan for Ukraine, initially agreed by EU leaders in December, that would bankroll the war-torn country for 2026 and 2027. They have also blocked the latest Russia sanctions, proposed by the bloc in January, that would target Russia's energy sector among other things. There is now hope in Brussels that both vetoes could be lifted before or during an EU summit in Brussels on March 19-20. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently said western allies were blackmailing Ukraine into repairing Druzhba and had previously refused to allow any EU team from visiting or inspecting the pipeline. "The accusations that Ukraine is deliberately obstructing the transportation of oil through the Druzhba pipeline are groundless," Zelenskyy said on March 17, noting Ukraine would accept the EU mission. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-hungary-slovakia-druzhba- pipeline-oil/33708944.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 Press Release Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 51 17.03.2026 In the early hours of Tuesday morning, March 17, the Russian forces conducted a new series of drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, near the river border with Romania, in Tulcea County. Two Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft, that are part of the Air Policing Service, were scrambled at around 01:40, from the 86th Air Base in Fetesti. The National Military Command Center (core) notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations regarding the establishment of alert measures for the population in N Tulcea County and sent a RO-Alert message, at 1.55. Elements of an aircraft that fell on the national territory in the area of Plauru Locality were reported. After the air alert ended, around 3:00, a team began searches in the field. Up to this point, the impact area has not been identified. The searches will continue as visibility improves. The Ministry of National Defence has informed and continues to inform the allied structures in real time about the situations generated by the attacks, remaining in permanent contact with them. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Terror Attacks on Russian Soil Up by 40% in 2025 Shoigu Sputnik News 20260317 YEKATERINBURG, Russia (Sputnik) Terrorist attacks orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services inside Russia were up 40% by late 2025 to 1,830, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. "The Ukrainian criminal regime and its patrons do not abandon attempts to commit sabotage and terrorist attacks inside Russia, the number of which is constantly growing," Shoigu told a government meeting in Yekaterinburg. "In 2025, 1,830 terrorist attacks were committed in Russia, which is 40% more than 1,101 in 2024 and 6.5 times more than 271 in 2023," he added. Kiev is actively using information and psychological warfare via the internet to influence marginalised groups and encourage them to commit crimes, the former defense minister said. "The adversary is actively employing information and psychological methods through various communication channels and the global internet, attempting to influence specific groups of the populationprimarily marginal onesand push them toward unlawful actions driven by either financial or ideological motives," Shoigu said. Russian President Vladimir Putin is paying close attention to threats from the Kiev regime and securing critical infrastructure in the country, Shoigu added. Issues have been discussed by the Russian Security Council. Kiev's primary targets in Russia are military facilities, transport infrastructure and fuel and energy sector sites. "President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is giving these issues the utmost attention," Shoigu stressed. "They have been repeatedly discussed at Security Council meetings, resulting in the necessary measures to improve coordinated efforts. Active work is also underway in the regions." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Liberate Sopych Settlement in Sumy Region - MoD Sputnik News 20260317 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Battlegroup Sever took control of the settlement of Sopych in the Sumy region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "As a result of active operations, units of the Sever battlegroup have established control over the settlement of Sopych in the Sumy region," the ministry said in a statement. At the same time, Russia's Battlegroup Yug took control of the settlement on Kaleniki in the Donetsk People's Republic, the ministry added. Ukraine lost over 280 soldiers in combat against Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to over 280 military personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 10 vehicles, and two field artillery guns," the ministry said in a statement. This is in addition to up to 270 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated over the past day by Russia's Battlegroup Sever, over 255 by Battlegroup Vostok, over 170 by Battlegroup Zapad, up to 200 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 65 by Battlegroup Dnepr, the ministry said. The Russian armed forces have also damaged Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian military, as well as a destroyed seven guided aerial bombs and 421 Ukrainian drones over the past day, the ministry said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Continues Futile Resistance Instead of Opening Way to Peace Process - Kremlin Sputnik News 20260317 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Kiev continues its futile resistance instead of making a responsible decision and opening the way to the peace process, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. "The Kiev regime continues its absolutely futile resistance instead of making the necessary, responsible decision and opening the way for the peace process to continue," Peskov told reporters, commenting on the Ukrainian armed forces' attempts to attack Russian regions with drones. The Russian armed forces continue the special military operation and will further ensure the security of Russian regions, the spokesman added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK-Ukraine joint statement: Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration Press release UK-Ukraine joint statement: Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration. From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Published 17 March 2026 We, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Meeting in a spirit of unity, shared responsibility, and strategic partnership, and guided by our common commitment to peace, security, and global stability, Recalling the long-standing friendship and partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, founded on shared democratic values, mutual respect, and adherence to the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, including of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders, Condemning in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation's illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a violation of international law and gravely undermines Euro-Atlantic and global security and stability, Recognising that Ukraine's defence, resilience, and extensive operational experience, represent a crucial contribution not only to its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to the stability and security of the eastern flank of Europe, NATO, and the Euro-Atlantic community, Acknowledging the profound transformation of modern warfare and rapidly evolving defence technologies, and recognising the need for deeper cooperation in the development of advanced military capabilities, Recalling the existing framework of bilateral agreements and strategic commitments between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, in particular the One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement, signed on 16 January 2025, the Agreement on Security Co-operation, signed on 12 January 2024, the 2020 Strategic Partnership Agreement, and the Declaration of intent relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine signed on 6 January 2026. Affirming our shared determination to deepen our defence partnership and to jointly contribute to the development of future European defence capabilities, Declare the following: I. Purpose and Strategic Vision This Declaration establishes a framework for enhanced security and defence cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening collective defence readiness, reinforcing deterrence, and contributing to the long-term stability and security of Europe. Our two countries share a strategic vision in which Ukraine and the United Kingdom act as partners in developing modern defence capabilities, based on their mutual technological, industrial, innovation and operational capacities and combining Ukraine's battlefield experience. This cooperation reflects the shared understanding that Ukraine is not only a state defending itself against aggression, but also a contributor to the security of its partners and to the strengthening of Europe's collective defence posture. II. Mutual Security Commitments We will seek to ensure that Ukraine's military capabilities develop to such a level that, in the event of armed force or external military aggression against the United Kingdom, Ukraine may be able, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation and procedures, to provide effective military assistance. This reflects our shared ambition to deepen our defence partnership to progressively reach a level of strategic military cooperation and mutual support between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Building on Ukraine's extensive operational experience in the use of unmanned systems in modern warfare, we recognise the growing role of advanced drone capabilities and data that has been captured during the war to help develop capability to protect military forces, defence infrastructure, and national security. In this context, both nations are ready, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation and procedures, to work to develop the respective capabilities of their Armed Forces and defence infrastructure, through the application of world leading R&D, industrial capability, battlefield-proven drone technologies and operational expertise in order to mutually protect and assist each other, when necessary, and to ensure they can respond collectively to new challenges and threats together, if such a need arises. The United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to continue strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities, including through sustained military assistance and cooperation on advanced military capabilities, prioritising air defence, artillery and long-range firepower. The UK will consider the most effective means to boost production. Through the Defence Materiel Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding we will review on a regular basis options for establishing joint co production of long range strike capabilities. We also recognise the importance of the United Kingdom's leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and the Coalition of the Willing in driving partner effort in sustaining Ukraine's ability to defend itself against the full-scale Russian aggression and ensure the long-term development of Ukraine's defence capabilities. III. Defence Industrial and Technological Partnership Our two countries will work toward the development of a joint defence industrial and technological ecosystem based on the principles of innovation, resilience, and rapid adaptation to evolving security challenges. Such cooperation may include the establishment of joint production lines, joint R&D, integration of defence supply chains, and the development of industrial partnerships designed to support the large-scale production of defence systems and components. We will work on accelerating the implementation of the Lyra programme, a portfolio of co-development projects covering drones, air defence, long-range effectors, and other innovative technology areas underpinned by effective data-sharing and appropriate agreements. In this context, we welcome the agreement concluded between the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom enabling the licensed production of the Ukrainian-designed Octopus interceptor drone in the United Kingdom, as an example of joint development of cutting-edge innovative technology. This initiative represents an important milestone in defence-industrial cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It demonstrates the potential for scaling the production of novel and innovative solutions as well as battlefield-proven Ukrainian technologies through industrial partnerships. We commit to strengthen bilateral partnership in air defence systems and air defence missile development and manufacturing to address critical gaps in air defence capabilities in Ukraine, the UK and the wider Euro-Atlantic area. The priority areas will in particular include cost-effective UAS interceptors and sensing, systems integration anti-cruise and the development of anti-ballistic missile capabilities. We recognise that closer industrial cooperation will contribute to strengthening defence capabilities, improving the resilience of defence supply chains, our armed forces and enhancing the long-term security of both countries. We will also seek opportunities for defence industrial and technological cooperation with third countries. IV. Integration of Ukraine's Operational Experience We recognise that Ukraine's experience in defending itself against large-scale aggression represents a unique and valuable resource for the development of modern defence capabilities. We therefore commit to promoting the systematic integration of Ukraine's operational experience into military training, doctrinal development, and capability planning. This cooperation may include the exchange of lessons learned from the battlefield, the analysis of operational practices and tactical innovations, and the integration of these insights into military education, exercises, and strategic planning. Particular attention will be given to the development of capabilities related to unmanned systems, counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare, air defence, and the protection of critical infrastructure. V. Joint Training, Exercises and Operational Cooperation Ukraine and the United Kingdom will deepen cooperation in the field of military training, exercises, and test and evaluation of uncrewed systems, with the aim of strengthening interoperability, operational readiness, and the ability to respond effectively to evolving security challenges. Such cooperation may include the participation of Ukrainian personnel in British training programmes, the involvement of Ukrainian instructors in allied training activities, and the organisation of joint exercises reflecting the realities of modern warfare. We underline the importance of multinational frameworks for defence cooperation and recognise the role of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) as a key platform for strengthening security cooperation in Northern Europe and the Baltic region. In this context, we will work towards deepening Ukraine's engagement with the Joint Expeditionary Force, including training, exercises, and capability development, with a view to strengthening Ukraine's role as an enhanced partner. VI. Exchange of Security Information and Data Recognising that effective defence cooperation requires timely and reliable data and information exchange, we will accelerate cooperation in the exchange of defence-related information and data. This cooperation may include the sharing of operational and situational awareness information, technical data on emerging threats, and analytical assessments relevant to defence planning. We will also explore mechanisms for establishing secure and resilient information sharing channels for the exchange of defence information aimed at improving situational awareness, accelerating decision-making, understanding the performance of our capabilities and enhancing the effectiveness of joint responses to security challenges. VII. Implementation and Coordination To ensure the effective implementation of this Declaration, we will establish appropriate coordination mechanisms at the working level as a part of the Strategic Dialogue. To ensure that their defence cooperation corresponds with the evolving security situation and continues to contribute to the resilience of Ukraine and the UK, we will periodically review the implementation of the declaration, at least once a year. These mechanisms will facilitate cooperation in areas such as capability development, defence innovation, industrial partnerships, training and exercises, and the exchange of information. VIII. Conclusion This Declaration reflects the shared determination of Ukraine and the United Kingdom to strengthen their defence partnership and broader cooperation under the One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement, and to contribute to wider global security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue Press release On 17 March 2026 United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met to discuss the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue. From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Published 17 March 2026 On 17 March 2026 United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met to discuss the UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue. The dialogue provides a comprehensive framework for jointly achieving the UK and Ukraine's shared objectives and further strengthening our bilateral relationship. It ensures the progress of commitments made in the landmark 100 Year Partnership, the 2020 Strategic Partnership Agreement and the 2024 Bilateral Security Agreement. The UK-Ukraine Strategic Dialogue spans eight pillars covering security, trade, transport, energy, justice, science, culture, and foreign policy. The Parties have held dialogues for each pillar to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and identify strategic priorities for the year ahead. In the 2025 Strategic Dialogue, UK and Ukraine discussed the following; Pillar One, Political, Conflict and Stabilisation: The UK and Ukraine commit to coordination on foreign policy priorities aimed at achieving just and lasting peace for Ukraine and delivering mutual security, recovery and growth benefits. These priorities include coordination on: actively supporting Ukraine's participation in US-led peace talks; supporting these efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine through the UK's co-leadership of the Coalition of the Willing, development of a system of politically and legally binding security guarantees (as outlined in the 6 January Paris Declaration) and plans for the future deployment of the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U); sustaining the Ukrainian Armed Forces; returning of deported children; bolstering Ukraine's energy security; delivering an ambitious reform agenda and engaging with US; the Global South and in multilateral organisations. The UK and Ukraine will continue to exert sustained economic pressure on Russia through strengthened sanctions cooperation. We agreed that these efforts would include further measures to tackle Russia's shadow fleet. We also agreed that Russia must pay for the damage it is causing to Ukraine. We will work with international partners to consider all lawful routes to ensure Russia pays, and Ukraine gets the funding it needs. The UK and wider G7 have committed to ensuring that Russian sovereign assets remain immobilised across our jurisdictions until Russia ceases its war of aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. Pillar Two, Defence and Security: The UK will continue to provide long-term defence support to Ukraine in line with its commitment of at least 3 billion per year until 2030/31 and for as long as necessary to support Ukraine. The UK will continue to support Ukraine's air defence requirements through its leadership of the UDCG as well as its previous financial contribution within the PURL initiative, which is vital for strengthening Ukraine's resilience, particularly its air-defence in the face of Russia's relentless attacks on critical and civilian infrastructure. We express the mutual readiness to deepen multilateral cooperation within the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to ensure effective practical implementation of the "Enhanced Partnership between Ukraine and JEF, recognising Ukraine's unmatched practical experience in modern warfare. Building the UK-Ukraine battlefield technology agreement, signed in June 2025, we will continue to collaborate on programme LYRA to scale up production of OCTOPUS interceptor drones and continue to identify mutually beneficial joint defence technology initiatives. The joint declaration announced today by Leaders deepens this cooperation and we will continue to work to facilitate the route for companies to both export and collaborate on capability development. Projects such as Nightfall will ensure Ukrainian battlefield requirements directly shape UK innovation and build UK expertise such that the UK's world-class defence industry can continue to support and enhance Ukrainian capability. The UK will continue to support the training of Ukrainian troops through Operation INTERFLEX. We remain committed to enhance cooperation through multilateral fora to tackle Serious and Organised Crime and will continue to enhance cooperation to combat broader security threats. Pillar Three, Countering FIMI: Building on existing bilateral agreements, the UK and Ukraine seek to advance joint efforts through open-source information sharing, strategic communications support, and resilience-building programmes. Crucially, we aim to coordinate countermeasures to disrupt the actors and networks responsible for Russia's information warfare and its deceptive campaigns, including in third-countries. These activities threaten to undermine international support for Ukraine and our national security and shared democratic values. The UK and Ukraine will enhance cooperation to counter Russian disinformation and disrupt Kremlin-linked entities who play a key role in enabling Russia's information campaigns. Pillar Four, Energy and Climate: The UK and Ukraine will continue to work closely to strengthen Ukraine's energy security and resilience against Russian aggression, while supporting long-term recovery and transition. The UK will support Ukraine in restoring destroyed energy infrastructure and preparing for next winter. This includes engagement with the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, supporting the Green Transition Office, and deepening technical partnerships. We will coordinate international efforts through platforms such as the G7+ Energy Coordination Group. We will advance governance reforms and transparency in Ukraine to attract investment and accelerate Ukraine's path toward EU integration and low-carbon growth. Pillar Five, Justice and Accountability: The UK and Ukraine remain committed to pursuing accountability for Russia's aggression and the atrocities perpetrated in Ukraine. We will work to ensure effective cooperation in documenting, investigating, and prosecuting Russia's international crimes in support of international processes of accountability and redress. We will develop and share best practice in respect of the collection of evidence, investigation and prosecution that will deliver tangible results. We will agree joint action to establish the facts and identify children deported and forcibly displaced by Russia, to return them to Ukraine and reunite them with their families. We will commit to expanding our long-term cooperation on the transformation and resilience of Ukraine's justice sector. The UK and Ukraine will continue work alongside international partners to facilitate the adoption of the Enlarged Partial Agreement for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and to ensure its long-term sustainability and credibility. The UK and Ukraine will also continue to work on the full implementation of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine including exploration of possible sources of funding for the compensation. Pillar Six, Science, Tech and Innovation: In 2026, the UK and Ukraine will drive innovation-led economic growth by deepening collaboration between our space agencies through a new Memorandum of Understanding on the peaceful use and exploration of outer space, and by expanding wider cooperation in the space sector, including through joint bilateral and multilateral projects. We will also strengthen the capacity and capability of medical personnel, and accelerate new opportunities through digital transformation and cooperation on AI to provide best-in-class public services. Both sides will also strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity and AI, including efforts to support responsible development and use of AI technologies. We will also launch the ResearchBridge platform to drive researcher connections in areas of cutting-edge innovation. We will continue to join up tech industry ties through the TechBridge, which to date has helped Ukrainian startups secure over 10 million in funding and partnerships. The UK will extend its DIGIT programme, helping the Government of Ukraine to harness digital innovation to ensure more responsive, transparent and effective service delivery and drive sustainable economic recovery. Recognising the urgent need for comprehensive rehabilitation of veterans as a result of the war, we will deepen our strategic partnership across all areas of state policy concerning war veterans, including physical and mental rehabilitation, sports-based recovery, and the expansion of digital services. Pillar Seven, Sociocultural links, Migration and Sport: The UK and Ukraine will continue to advance partnerships across both education and culture. This includes continuing to deliver the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership programme through the British Council, and the UK-Ukraine Cultural Commission, and fulfilling our commitment to facilitate training and educational exchanges for Ukrainian youth, universities, and the preservation of Ukrainian cultural heritage. The UK will further continue to transform English language learning in Ukraine by training thousands more teachers and civil servants across the country. We reaffirmed our commitment to cooperating on mobility and migration, and to encouraging people-to-people contacts as a foundation of our partnership. The UK and Ukraine agreed to discussions on three main elements: (i) to recognise improvements and undertake a technical exchange on options to further ease travel for government delegations to the UK and where the conditions for well-managed and secure mobility are in place, taking steps to make it easier for citizens to travel, (ii) issues related to combating irregular/illegal migration, documents security and asylum policy, (iii) the long-term approach for Ukrainians residing in the UK under the Ukraine Schemes. This dialogue will be guided by Ukraine's strong desire for its citizens to return home voluntarily, when conditions allow, to support the country's recovery and reconstruction. We also confirmed the importance of coordinating efforts in international sport to restrict the participation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus while Russia continues its illegal aggression against Ukraine, noting the consistent role of the United Kingdom in consolidating the position of like-minded states. Pillar Eight, Economy and Trade: The UK and Ukraine have established a new Economy and Trade Dialogue to drive our joint commitments under the Economy and Trade Pillar of the 100 Year Partnership. The Dialogue aims to support growth in our bilateral trade, by addressing barriers that impede our joint ambition, and strengthening transport links that underpin economic growth. Together, the UK and Ukraine continue to progress on initiatives to improve access to war and non-war risk insurance, revitalise Ukraine's capital markets, support Ukraine's business enabling environment and strengthen the business regulatory environment to accelerate investment into recovery and reconstruction projects. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Defence Partnership set to boost global production and national security Press release The UK and Ukraine are set to agree a new world-leading partnership to boost global defensive capability against the the proliferation of low cost, high tech military hardware, including drones. From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Published 17 March 2026 President Zelenskyy set to visit Downing Street today as leaders agree new military partnership and announce new AI Centre of Excellence in Kyiv Comes as UK and Ukrainian personnel continue to provide defensive drone support to partners in the Gulf in the wake of indiscriminate Iranian attacks NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also expected to visit London tomorrow for discussions on Euro-Atlantic security The UK and Ukraine are set to agree a new world-leading partnership to boost global defensive capability against the the proliferation of low cost, high tech military hardware, including drones. The Prime Minister will host President Zelenskyy in the UK today [17 March 2026] as both Ukrainian and British drone experts continue to support partners in the Gulf from the continued barrage of Iranian attacks. It comes as the two leaders are expected to agree an enhanced security and defence industrial declaration, capitalising on Ukraine's expertise and the UK's industrial base to manufacture and supply drones and innovative capabilities. As part of the agreement, the UK and Ukraine will also look at opportunities for increased defence industrial and technological cooperation with third countries, boosting international security and ensuring the latest defence technology is in the hands of those who need it most. The UK will also fund a new AI Centre of Excellence that will sit within the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. This team of experts, backed by 500,000, will ensure AI is being utilised to its fullest to deliver a battlefield advantage. The UK will then in turn benefit from the lessons learned for our own defence - another example where our collaboration brings advantages for both countries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: We must work in lockstep with our partners and allies to deliver security at home and abroad, and this new partnership with Ukraine will do just that. Drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security, and that has only been further magnified by the conflict in the Middle East. By deepening our defence partnerships, we are strengthening Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russia's brutal, ongoing attacks, while ensuring the UK and our allies are better prepared to meet the threats of the future. Pervasive drone surveillance, extensive electronic warfare, AI-driven targeting, and the rapid, battlefield-driven innovation of uncrewed systems as seen in the ongoing war in Ukraine has changed the way wars are being fought across the globe. In response, Ukraine has honed world leading expertise in defending cities, civilians and command posts from drone attacks with their Armed Forces working hand-in-glove with software engineers and tech experts, iterating and adapting to new threats on an almost daily basis. This latest step in the 100-Year Partnership, which the Prime Minister signed with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv last January, will boost Ukraine's Armed Forces ability to defend itself from Russia's barbaric attacks, while ensuring allies and partners are able to use the lessons learnt on the battlefield to outmanoeuvre Russia and its cronies in contested theatres across the world. It will also cement Ukraine as a leading technology contributor to the global defence industry, with closer collaboration between British and Ukrainian defence firms and a long-term aim of establishing joint production lines, research and development projects and the integration of defence supply chains. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: Ukraine's military expertise is defending against Putin's brutal attacks and boosting European security, and I am proud of how the UK is stepping up support to Ukraine to achieve peace on their terms. The axis of aggression between Russia and Iran makes it increasingly important that we build on Ukrainian expertise and innovation, supported by British industry, and ensure that Ukrainian fighters see benefits from that as they continue to push back Putin's illegal invasion. I pay tribute to the huge courage and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people - military and civilians alike - and I am determined to make 2026 the year this war ends. The Prime Minister is also expected to host the NATO Secretary General at Downing Street as part of the visit. All three leaders will discuss efforts to secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, progress on Coalition of the Willing in the event of a ceasefire and the need to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ministry of Defence launches first AI center of excellence to advance AI integration in defense Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 17 March, 2026, 10:05 AM EET The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is launching the Defense AI Center "A1" - the first center of excellence focused on integrating artificial intelligence into defense processes and advancing technological solutions for modern warfare. The center will become part of a system of military technology centers of excellence being established within the Ministry of Defence. "To be faster than the enemy on the battlefield, we are building a system of centers of excellence in military technologies within the Ministry of Defence. In the near future, a dedicated center will be established for each key area of modern warfare: drones, Middle Strike, Deep Strike, artillery, and others," said Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov. The mission of such centers is to continuously analyze the battlefield environment and technologies, and to determine the next steps for strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, as in modern technological warfare,, the advantage belongs to those who move through the innovation cycle faster. The Defense AI Center "A1" will be the first center of this kind. Its launch is being supported by the Government of the United Kingdom. The center's key areas of focus include: analysis of combat data; forecasting enemy actions; development of autonomous systems; development of new command and control tools. The center will help transform combat experience and frontline data into technological solutions faster and accelerate the adoption of innovations across the Defence Forces. "AI solutions will become part of every domain of modern warfarefrom intelligence to command and control. Our task is to build the most effective defense system in Europe. It will be a next-generation AI-driven army based on the speed of innovation, autonomous systems, and network superiority," Mykhailo Fedorov emphasized. The Ministry of Defence invites specialists to submit their resumes and contribute to the center's activities at people@mod.gov.ua It also invites proposals for the development of defence AI solutions via: ai@mod.gov.ua NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Address by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to the Parliament of the United Kingdom President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 23:45 Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Lord Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Prime Minister - dear Keir, Mr. Secretary General - dear Mark, Dear Members of Parliament, Dear journalists, Ladies and gentlemen, Thank you for all your attention to us, to Ukraine, and for the support that Britain and the British people have given us since the start of Russia's full-scale war. Together, we have saved many lives. And we can save many more. Now, among Ukrainians, trust in the United Kingdom is one of the highest compared to all our partners - and it is absolutely well-deserved. It comes from your support, your leadership, and your cooperation with us. When Ukrainians think of Britain, they know they can trust it. And I thank you for that. Thank you. And I'm grateful that you truly care about what will happen - to security, to our cities and villages, to our countries, and to our Europe, and - to our world. We are another generation that must think about what comes next for the world. This means we are already in history. But it is up to us whether history stops with us, or continues - as human history. Not AI, not drones, not anything like that... will this still be a world where people live above the ground, under the sun - not underground, under concrete, just to stay safe? It is up to us to decide. And we are here in this great building of the British Parliament, calm and safe - not in a shelter. On your way here, you saw tree branches over the streets, not protective nets against FPV-drones. And all of us here worry a little about having fast mobile internet or Wi-Fi nearby - not about whether strong mobile air defense teams are on duty close to us. This way of life - open space, normal streets, normal buildings, not underground - feels so simple, so familiar, as if it has always been there. It is almost impossible to imagine it ending. But what guarantees that it will continue? Only our determination. The world has entered a completely new time - a time of drones, a time of AI. This means - the evolution of weapons - the evolution of war, and the evolution of crime. No one can predict where this evolution will lead. But we must keep up with it - and even more, we must stay ahead of it. People want certainty. And it is always the strongest demand any society makes of its leaders. People want to know what tomorrow will bring. And people want to believe that tomorrow, for their children, for their families, will be at least no worse than today for them. And when they don't see a future, people begin to support those who reject everything - offering something entirely different, something that can break the very foundations of society... So we must have an answer - that tomorrow will be at least safe. This is the foundation. Without security, there is no strong economy, and there are no social services that truly work, and no real hope - hope for a normal life, life for our children. And this is our duty - the duty of this generation of leaders who are acting now. We must deliver real security. Safety on the streets, safety at home, the protection of our culture, and real respect for the rights and security of our people, and national security - proven by war. Ladies and gentlemen, Right now, there are 201 Ukrainians in the Middle East and the Gulf region. And another 34 are ready to deploy. These are military experts, experts who know how to help, how to defend against "shahed" drones. Our teams are already in the Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and on the way to Kuwait. We are working with several other countries - agreements are already in place. We do not want this terror of the Iranian regime against its neighbors to succeed. And I sent these military experts at the request of our partners - including the United States. In fact, this is part of the Drone Deal we proposed to the United States, which we worked on together and which is still on the table. And we are ready to offer similar deals to all our reliable partners - from practical cooperation on drones to future defense alliances. And I don't think anyone would want to leave Ukraine's war-proven strength and capability outside their security. If someone does, it wouldn't be wise. The United Kingdom sees these opportunities clearly - our agreements are always solid, and I'm glad that today we have signed a declaration with the Prime Minister. Thank you very much, Keir. Armies in the Middle East and the Gulf region have good protection against missiles, including Iranian ballistic ones. Patriot and THAAD systems work well - though they are expensive. But terrorist regimes always look for ways to break through defenses and make killing cheaper. Iran began producing "shahed" drones years ago - attack drones that are now, after upgrades, even more dangerous than missiles. In Ukraine, we had to learn how to defend against them. About 3 years ago, Russia received "shaheds" from the Iranian regime. These are drones designed for the low-cost destruction of the expensive critical infrastructure targets. Iran taught Russia how to launch them and gave it the technology to produce them. Russia then upgraded them. And now we have clear evidence that Iranian "shaheds" used in the region contain Russian components. So what is happening around Iran today is not a faraway war for us - because of the cooperation between Russia and Iran. And we do not believe we have the right to be indifferent - even if we are separated from human suffering or shared danger by an ocean, however big and beautiful, or by anything else. Ballistic missiles can strike at thousands of kilometers. Drones can do the same. But if evil wins, the evolution of war will cross any distance on earth - no ocean will help, no desert, no mountains. That is why it is worth helping protect life. The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred - and that is why they are brothers in weapons. And we want regimes built on hatred to never win - in anything. And we want no such regime to threaten Europe or our partners. Can we just live alongside regimes like this? Ukraine tried to live in peace with Russia and - 2 invasions in 10 years. This is the result. The Middle East has not had a single year of real peace while this regime has been in Iran. And we are entering a time when such regimes are gaining new ways to kill - cheaply, over long distances, using AI - and, as before, simply because they want to destroy you, and can force their own people to work for war. One Iranian "shahed" costs about 50,000 dollars. To shoot it down, partners often use missiles - some costing up to 4 million dollars - or combat aircraft, which is also very expensive. Iranians knew that no air defense in the world would be enough to stop such drones, such a number of drones. And we were the ones who changed that. In Ukraine, we stop one such drone with two or three interceptors, small interceptors costing less than 10,000 dollars in total. So our approach is far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today. Dear friends, We must build security the way so that the evolution of security stays ahead of the evolution of war. And it is not only about a state launching attacks, we must be ready for any kind of strike - including from non-state actors - criminal networks, terrorist groups, and even lone attackers who can gain access to such technologies. With the spread of drones, mass attacks no longer cost billions - they cost far less. It is no longer only a wealthy madman like Putin who can afford this. Unfortunately. But even now, and even he is still being given money as sanctions on his oil are lifted. And of course, I thank you. Thank you that the UK is not doing this. Thank you so much. And we see this the same way: strong support for Ukraine, strong sanctions against Russia, and strong joint defense projects are the only basis for effective diplomacy to end this war. Aggressors don't end wars because they suddenly want to - they stop when they can no longer continue. That's why pressure is crucial. I thank you that Britain understands this. Thank you. Right now, I have proof that the evolution of security can be fast - and cheaper than old defense systems. This is an iPad with software that lets us control our security in real time. It's true. We have these iPads - I have one, my Prime Minister has one, our Minister of Defense, and our top military commanders - they have it. It lets us see the front line in Ukraine, and even every enemy killed - with video proof. Right now, 90% of Russian losses on the front are caused by our drones. That's why it's so important to know who has the advantage in drones - and to be fast and strong in defending against them. The iPad also shows every strike in our skies, our sea area, and our long-range strikes against Russia. It gives us real-time control over people's safety, and our infrastructure and energy sector. And I believe the evolution of security will make it possible for every leader, every defense minister - and even ordinary people - to have tools like this, and with them, a high level of protection of life. Leaders and ministers work for people. And if the leaders have power, it is only because people trust them with their security. With tools like this, people will not only trust - they will be able to see for themselves what is being done for their security. In real time. We see every large-scale Russian attack on our cities in detail - launch points, flight paths, likely targets. The system lets us analyze each attack and how our defense responds as a whole. In real time, we see what is happening in the sky and what resources are being used to protect us. It is a clear way to keep control - and to adapt to a real-time situation. And there are almost no nights in Ukraine - and it's true - no nights in Ukraine without Russian "shahed" attacks - sometimes hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles in a single night. But the interception rate is around 87-90 percent. And this number would be higher if we had enough investment in our defense production and enough missiles against ballistic threats. These are our two main shortages - funding and Patriot missiles. That's why we are working to involve our partners in production and to help Europe build all the air defense it needs. Here is a massive attack on the night of March 14. In total, there were, can you imagine, there were nearly 500 Russian air attack weapons - 430 drones and 68 missiles of different types. And we shot down most of them. And in real time, on this iPad - in our system - we could see how our aircraft were working, where electronic warfare was used, and how interceptors were deployed. And of course, our mobile air defense teams are also working. And we see it all on the iPad - across the whole country and down to each individual strike - how the defense worked, what needs fixing, which solutions in which areas will bring the best results. We do this after every, every Russian attack. It means - each day. It is this layered defense that ensures Russia cannot destroy us from the air. Every part of the system must be used. Our newest element is interceptor drones. When conditions and weather allow, we use hundreds of them every day. This works thanks to our production in Ukraine and with our partners - Sting, Merops, P1-Sun and others... and I am glad we have a joint project with the United Kingdom - the Octopus drones. This is a successful decision, successful interceptions depend on well-placed positions of our soldiers, set up to cover as many drone routes as possible. And it is constant hunting - at night, and now even during the day. And you see how many Patriot systems and other air defense systems there are in the Middle East and the Gulf - but there is still not enough security. Why? Why not enough security? Because the Iranian regime's weapons have evolved faster than defenses in these countries. This is a problem that must be solved - and can be solved. And as soon as possible. We all understand what comes next. AI is already in many devices we use every day. Soon, almost everything will run on it. And weapons will too - becoming even more deadly, because they will act faster than any human. By building protection against today's weapons - by investing in the evolution of security - we are also preparing for the weapons of tomorrow. Perhaps we are preventing a problem. And if the world had stopped Putin back in 2022, we would not be thinking today about how to defend against drone warfare. Without his war against Ukraine, the world might have avoided mass drone warfare - cheap and deadly - for many years... And if, together with partners in the Middle East, we build a system like Ukraine's, they will be able to track attacks from Iran or the Houthis in real time, analyze them, keep improving their defense - giving people, critical infrastructure, and trade routes real security. Today, just a few "shaheds" can disrupt oil shipments at a scale that affects entire regions, or destroy desalination plants and hit millions of people in the most painful way. The cost of living is rising everywhere. And terrorists around the world are learning what they, too, can do. And we all know the solutions that can prevent this. Some may think it is enough to just buy interceptors, and protection is guaranteed. But it is not that simple. The key is the system. The system matters. There have already been cases when partners bought interceptors but still had to ask for help, because they did not have a system to use them. And without a system, any interceptor is just a toy - not a real defender. So what do we have? First, we are capable of producing at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day. We can produce more - it depends on investment. We need about 1,000 interceptors a day, and we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies. Second, we know how to build radar and acoustic coverage to respond to how "shaheds" and other drones approach. Third, we have software that allows radars to keep working even under electronic warfare jamming. In real time, we analyze enemy frequencies and respond to them. And because of this system, we understand how effective our defense is against almost every attack drone, and we can move our positions and air defense to get better results. This iPad gives full control of the situation because we have a system for using our defense tools. If a "shahed" needs to be stopped in the Emirates, we can do it. If it needs to be stopped in Europe or the United Kingdom, we can do it. It is a matter of technology, investment, and cooperation. And the fact that we got through this winter, which Russia tried to make deadly for all our families, shows that our solutions work. The key is to keep improving them, in line with the threats we face and those that are coming. The evolution of threats never stops. For example, your military bases in Cyprus. This is what our security proposal could look like - our experts would place interception teams, and set up radars and acoustic coverage, and this would all work. If Iran launched a large-scale attack - similar to Russian attacks - we would guarantee protection. This is the kind of reinforcement we offer, and it may soon be needed across Europe. And drones can be launched not only from land, but also from ships at sea. Such long-range strikes are no longer rare. Different countries already use them. And since European seas still have many tankers from Russia's shadow fleet, launching drones from such vessels is no longer something unexpected. Ukraine did not have a strong navy like Britain or some of our other partners. But we have pushed what is left of Russia's fleet into distant bays in the Black Sea, where their ships hide from Ukrainian sea drones. This is a completely new security reality in our sea. The Russian fleet - which was powerful - has no effective way to counter our drones. Their defenses have been strong - we do not deny that - but our naval drone systems keep evolving, and we focused on the speed of that evolution. And we won - won our sea. We started with simple kamikaze sea drones. Then we built drones with turrets that can shoot down helicopters. Now we have drones that can shoot down Russian fighter jets from the sea. We have developed boats that carry other drones. We also have boats that strike targets on land from the sea. And we are developing more stable drones that can operate longer and more effectively at sea. Soon - and not in the distant future - we will have systems that can operate even in ocean conditions. We are also actively working on underwater systems. So, facing threats in the Black Sea, we are finding the right security solutions. And these solutions can be used in your matters as well - including in complex situations like the Strait of Hormuz today. Drones can solve problems that even a fleet sometimes cannot. And of course, we also have full information about what is happening on the ground. Real ground in Ukraine. At the front-line - completely. This iPad gives full control over movement along the front. All changes are tracked - and fully verified - over any period, not just partially. Ukraine collects, analyzes, and uses data on the full battlefield situation. We track every engagement and every change along the front. And we have video proof for almost every figure of Russian losses we report. This winter alone, Russia lost more than 92,000 killed and seriously wounded - each confirmed by video. So these are people who will not return to the battlefield. This is the first example in the world of full digital tracking of war. Russia may try to mislead satellites or adjust reports in the highest offices around the world. But if this iPad shows that Kupyansk - this is our big city in Kharkiv region - Kupyansk is under our control - then it is true. If it shows that in the past 30 days we have regained more territory than Russia has taken - then it is true. Clear numbers. Clear positions on the map. And without this kind of digital tracking - and without a system to collect and analyze real battlefield data - it is impossible to fight a modern war effectively, defend your country, manage a wartime economy, or understand the cost of peace when this aggression is stopped, and real security is guaranteed. Ladies and gentlemen, Our belief that we can stop even a much stronger enemy and guarantee real independence and real security is not something abstract. Ukrainians are practical people, very practical. Ukraine is the best place today to produce drones, to develop technology. It is also one of the best places to produce artillery and to test what really works - in weapons and in tactics. Ukrainians are creating new ways to protect their life - on the battlefield, in our cities, villages, in our infrastructure, at sea, in the sky. And we didn't become this technological by chance. Our strength through more than 4 years of full-scale war is not by chance, either. This is the result of work. This is the result of a system. And we offer real defense cooperation - and we are already working together - not from zero. On today's battlefield - on land, in the air, at sea - success depends on speed and on smart, system-based solutions. And this is our answer to Russia. We do not say Russia cannot innovate - it can. But it does so to kill. To kill, to maim, to destroy - this is what it does best. As do the ayatollahs. You can see it in how "shaheds" have evolved - from something like weapons of the blitz to drones that are faster, more deadly, and already using AI. But we know how to stop this - because we have a system. The system of defense that works with what you and other partners use. We have strong coordination between the front and our defense industry. And we have something else - the skill and thinking of Ukrainian soldiers. Often, ideas from one unit, one brigade, when scaled up, solve problems that once seemed impossible. All of this works together. And it helps us fight with fewer resources than Russia - but with more dignity. Dignity - this is the main thing that we have: the dignity of our people. We must go further. We must build modern defense forces - together. Only together, with you, with our allies. In Europe, we must produce all levels of air defense - against drones and all types of missiles, including ballistic. Our seas must be secure, and our forces in other seas must be protected from all threats. Europe not only has this potential - it also has a mission: to protect not only itself, but what it believes in. We believe in people, in their rights and freedom. We believe in culture. And we want nations to live in real peace, strong peace, and communities in respect. Together, Europe is a global force - one the world cannot do without, and that no one can stand against. We must grow this strength - and we can do it. And we must direct it - and we can. We must act now so that future generations will say: these leaders acted when it mattered. And that people lived in safety. We are ready to do everything so that our defense stays ahead of those who want to kill. Please work with us as closely as possible - so that neither Kyiv, nor London, nor any of our capitals - will have to hide under drone nets or live under concrete - without a safe sky, safe land, or safe seas - in a world where drones rule instead of people. You should have tools like this iPad - which means having the system of protection. The system we can build together. Today I began my visit with an audience with His Majesty King Charles. And I gave him the iPad. Really, like this. As a sign of respect and gratitude. And to strengthen our cooperation with the United Kingdom, with your great country. Thank you so much. And His Majesty asked me if I had another one iPad. I said: "I only have my own left and I can't give that up." And His Majesty said he would share it with the Prime Minister. Thank you so much. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discussed Strengthening Ukraine's Air Defense and Expanding the PURL Initiative with Mark Rutte President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 21:56 In London, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte discussed the situation surrounding Iran and Russia's role in providing military support to the Iranian regime. The Head of State stressed the importance of increasing sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation to limit its ability to finance its war machine. Particular attention was given to strengthening Ukraine's air defense, bringing new countries into the PURL initiative, and increasing contributions to it. The President thanked Mark Rutte for proposing to hold the first-ever Ukraine-NATO Council meeting in Kyiv at the ambassadorial level. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine-UK Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 21:44 We, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Meeting in a spirit of unity, shared responsibility, and strategic partnership, and guided by our common commitment to peace, security, and global stability, Recalling the long-standing friendship and partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, founded on shared democratic values, mutual respect, and adherence to the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, including of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders, Condemning in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation's illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a violation of international law and gravely undermines Euro-Atlantic and global security and stability, Recognising that Ukraine's defence, resilience, and extensive operational experience, represent a crucial contribution not only to its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to the stability and security of the eastern flank of Europe, NATO, and the Euro-Atlantic community, Acknowledging the profound transformation of modern warfare and rapidly evolving defence technologies, and recognising the need for deeper cooperation in the development of advanced military capabilities, Recalling the existing framework of bilateral agreements and strategic commitments between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, in particular the One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement, signed on 16 January 2025, the Agreement on Security Co-operation, signed on 12 January 2024, the 2020 Strategic Partnership Agreement, and the Declaration of intent relating to the deployment of multinational forces in support of the defence, reconstruction and strategic sustainability of Ukraine signed on 6 January 2026, Affirming our shared determination to deepen our defence partnership and to jointly contribute to the development of future European defence capabilities, Declare the following: I. Purpose and Strategic Vision This Declaration establishes a framework for enhanced security and defence cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening collective defence readiness, reinforcing deterrence, and contributing to the long-term stability and security of Europe. Our two countries share a strategic vision in which Ukraine and the United Kingdom act as partners in developing modern defence capabilities, based on their mutual technological, industrial, innovation and operational capacities and combining Ukraine's battlefield experience. This cooperation reflects the shared understanding that Ukraine is not only a state defending itself against aggression, but also a contributor to the security of its partners and to the strengthening of Europe's collective defence posture. II. Mutual Security Commitments We will seek to ensure that Ukraine's military capabilities develop to such a level that, in the event of armed force or external military aggression against the United Kingdom, Ukraine may be able, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation and procedures, to provide effective military assistance. This reflects our shared ambition to deepen our defence partnership to progressively reach a level of strategic military cooperation and mutual support between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Building on Ukraine's extensive operational experience in the use of unmanned systems in modern warfare, we recognise the growing role of advanced drone capabilities and data that has been captured during the war to help develop capability to protect military forces, defence infrastructure, and national security. In this context, both nations are ready, where appropriate and in accordance with national legislation and procedures, to work to develop the respective capabilities of their Armed Forces and defence infrastructure, through the application of world leading R&D, industrial capability, battlefield-proven drone technologies and operational expertise in order to mutually protect and assist each other, when necessary, and to ensure they can respond collectively to new challenges and threats together, if such a need arises. The United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to continue strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities, including through sustained military assistance and cooperation on advanced military capabilities, prioritising air defence, artillery and long-range firepower. The UK will consider the most effective means to boost production. Through the Defence Materiel Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding we will review on a regular basis options for establishing joint co-production of long range strike capabilities. We also recognise the importance of the United Kingdom's leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and the Coalition of the Willing in driving partner effort in sustaining Ukraine's ability to defend itself against the full-scale Russian aggression and ensure the long-term development of Ukraine's defence capabilities. III. Defence Industrial and Technological Partnership Our two countries will work toward the development of a joint defence industrial and technological ecosystem based on the principles of innovation, resilience, and rapid adaptation to evolving security challenges. Such cooperation may include the establishment of joint production lines, joint R&D, integration of defence supply chains, and the development of industrial partnerships designed to support the large-scale production of defence systems and components. We will work on accelerating the implementation of the Lyra programme, a portfolio of co-development projects covering drones, air defence, long-range effectors, and other innovative technology areas underpinned by effective data-sharing and appropriate agreements. In this context, we welcome the agreement concluded between the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom enabling the licensed production of the Ukrainian-designed Octopus interceptor drone in the United Kingdom, as an example of joint development of cutting-edge innovative technology. This initiative represents an important milestone in defence-industrial cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It demonstrates the potential for scaling the production of novel and innovative solutions as well as battlefield-proven Ukrainian technologies through industrial partnerships. We commit to strengthen bilateral partnership in air defence systems and air defence missile development and manufacturing to address critical gaps in air defence capabilities in Ukraine, the UK and the wider Euro-Atlantic area. The priority areas will in particular include cost-effective UAS interceptors and sensing, systems integration anti-cruise and the development of anti-ballistic missile capabilities. We recognise that closer industrial cooperation will contribute to strengthening defence capabilities, improving the resilience of defence supply chains, our armed forces and enhancing the long-term security of both countries. We will also seek opportunities for defence industrial and technological cooperation with third countries. IV. Integration of Ukraine's Operational Experience We recognise that Ukraine's experience in defending itself against large-scale aggression represents a unique and valuable resource for the development of modern defence capabilities. We therefore commit to promoting the systematic integration of Ukraine's operational experience into military training, doctrinal development, and capability planning. This cooperation may include the exchange of lessons learned from the battlefield, the analysis of operational practices and tactical innovations, and the integration of these insights into military education, exercises, and strategic planning. Particular attention will be given to the development of capabilities related to unmanned systems, counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare, air defence, and the protection of critical infrastructure. V. Joint Training, Exercises and Operational Cooperation Ukraine and the United Kingdom will deepen cooperation in the field of military training, exercises, and test and evaluation of uncrewed systems, with the aim of strengthening interoperability, operational readiness, and the ability to respond effectively to evolving security challenges. Such cooperation may include the participation of Ukrainian personnel in British training programmes, the involvement of Ukrainian instructors in allied training activities, and the organisation of joint exercises reflecting the realities of modern warfare. We underline the importance of multinational frameworks for defence cooperation and recognise the role of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) as a key platform for strengthening security cooperation in Northern Europe and the Baltic region. In this context, we will work towards deepening Ukraine's engagement with the Joint Expeditionary Force, including training, exercises, and capability development, with a view to strengthening Ukraine's role as an enhanced partner. VI. Exchange of Security Information and Data Recognising that effective defence cooperation requires timely and reliable data and information exchange, we will accelerate cooperation in the exchange of defence-related information and data. This cooperation may include the sharing of operational and situational awareness information, technical data on emerging threats, and analytical assessments relevant to defence planning. We will also explore mechanisms for establishing secure and resilient information sharing channels for the exchange of defence information aimed at improving situational awareness, accelerating decision-making, understanding the performance of our capabilities and enhancing the effectiveness of joint responses to security challenges. VII. Implementation and Coordination To ensure the effective implementation of this Declaration, we will establish appropriate coordination mechanisms at the working level as a part of the Strategic Dialogue. To ensure that their defence cooperation corresponds with the evolving security situation and continues to contribute to the resilience of Ukraine and the UK, we will periodically review the implementation of the declaration, at least once a year. These mechanisms will facilitate cooperation in areas such as capability development, defence innovation, industrial partnerships, training and exercises, and the exchange of information. VIII. Conclusion This Declaration reflects the shared determination of Ukraine and the United Kingdom to strengthen their defence partnership and broader cooperation under the One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement, and to contribute to wider global security. Signed in London, 17 March 2026. For Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy President For the United Kingdom: Sir Keir Starmer Prime Minister NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and NATO Secretary General Held a Joint Meeting in London President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 20:27 In London, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held a joint meeting in a trilateral format. Among the key topics discussed during the meeting were joint weapons production and coordination in this direction to strengthen Ukraine and all of Europe. Considerable attention was given to strengthening Ukraine's air defense and ensuring missiles for air defense systems. In particular, the discussion focused on the swiftest possible implementation of the decisions adopted during the Ramstein-format meeting and replenishing the PURL initiative with additional contributions. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Keir Starmer, and Mark Rutte also discussed the situation around Iran and its impact on Ukraine and all of Europe. The Prime Minister and the NATO Secretary General assured that they would make every possible effort to maintain focus on Ukraine and on achieving a dignified peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer Held Their First Meeting in the Format of a Strategic Dialogue President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 19:59 In London, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer held their first meeting in the format of a strategic dialogue and signed the Ukraine-UK Enhanced Security and Defence Industrial Collaboration Declaration. "Thank you for your support and for your personal efforts to help us, and thank you to the United Kingdom for standing with us throughout this difficult winter - it was truly a very hard winter. And, thank God, it is already behind us, but we cannot simply stop - we must move very quickly," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The main focus of the meeting was the development of joint defence production and strengthening Ukraine's air defence with additional missiles for air defence systems. The President outlined the situation on the front line, Russian attacks, and Ukraine's needs to protect lives. The leaders discussed opportunities and ways to ensure the necessary number of missiles. The President and the Prime Minister also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region. "I believe it is crucial for us to make it clear that Ukraine must remain the focus of our attention. Second, it is very important for us to remain clear and consistent that Putin must not benefit from the conflict in Iran, whether through oil prices or through the weakening of sanctions. It is crucial that we remain resolute in our support for Ukraine and do everything possible to weaken Putin's position," Keir Starmer emphasized. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer also discussed diplomatic efforts to achieve a dignified peace and the decisions needed to strengthen sanctions against Russia, including efforts to counter Russia's tanker fleet. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Leaders Statement of Ukraine and the UK on Strategic Dialogue President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 18:13 On 17 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer met to discuss the Ukraine-UK Strategic Dialogue. The dialogue provides a comprehensive framework for jointly achieving Ukraine's and the UK's shared objectives and further strengthening our bilateral relationship. It ensures the progress of commitments made in the landmark 100 Year Partnership, the 2020 Strategic Partnership Agreement and the 2024 Bilateral Security Agreement. The Ukraine-UK Strategic Dialogue spans eight pillars covering security, trade, transport, energy, justice, science, culture, and foreign policy. The Parties have held dialogues for each pillar to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and identify strategic priorities for the year ahead. In the 2025 Strategic Dialogue, Ukraine and the UK discussed the following: Pillar One, Political, Conflict and Stabilisation: Ukraine and the UK commit to coordination on foreign policy priorities aimed at achieving just and lasting peace for Ukraine and delivering mutual security, recovery and growth benefits. These priorities include coordination on: actively supporting Ukraine's participation in US-led peace talks; supporting these efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine through the UK's co-leadership of the Coalition of the Willing, development of a system of politically and legally binding security guarantees (as outlined in the 6 January Paris Declaration) and plans for the future deployment of the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U); sustaining the Ukrainian Armed Forces; returning of deported children; bolstering Ukraine's energy security; delivering an ambitious reform agenda and engaging with the US, the Global South and in multilateral organisations. Ukraine and the UK will continue to exert sustained economic pressure on Russia through strengthened sanctions cooperation. We agreed that these efforts would include further measures to tackle Russia's shadow fleet. We also agreed that Russia must pay for the damage it is causing to Ukraine. We will work with international partners to consider all lawful routes to ensure Russia pays, and Ukraine gets the funding it needs. The UK and wider G7 have committed to ensuring the Russian sovereign assets remain immobilised across our jurisdictions until Russia ceases its war of aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. Pillar Two, Defence and Security: The UK will continue to provide long-term defence support to Ukraine in line with its commitment of at least 3 billion per year until 2030/31 and for as long as necessary to support Ukraine. The UK will continue to support Ukraine's air defence requirements through its leadership of the UDCG as well as its previous financial contribution within the PURL initiative, which is vital for strengthening Ukraine's resilience, particularly its air defence in the face of Russia's relentless attacks on critical and civilian infrastructure. We express the mutual readiness to deepen multilateral cooperation within the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to ensure effective practical implementation of the Enhanced Partnership between Ukraine and JEF, recognising Ukraine's unmatched practical experience in modern warfare. Building on the Ukraine-UK battlefield technology agreement, signed in June 2025, we will continue to collaborate on programme LYRA to scale up production of OCTOPUS interceptor drones and continue to identify mutually beneficial joint defence technology initiatives. The joint declaration announced today by Leaders deepens this cooperation and we will continue to work to facilitate the route for companies to both export and collaborate on capability development. Projects such as Nightfall will ensure Ukrainian battlefield requirements directly shape UK innovation and build UK expertise such that the UK's world-class defence industry can continue to support and enhance Ukrainian capability. The UK will continue to support the training of Ukrainian troops through Operation INTERFLEX. We remain committed to enhance cooperation through multilateral fora to tackle Serious and Organised Crime and will continue to enhance cooperation to combat broader security threats. Pillar Three, Countering FIMI: Building on existing bilateral agreements, Ukraine and the UK seek to advance joint efforts through open-source information sharing, strategic communications support, and resilience-building programmes. Crucially, we aim to coordinate countermeasures to disrupt the actors and networks responsible for Russia's information warfare and its deceptive campaigns, including in third countries. These activities threaten to undermine international support for Ukraine and our national security and shared democratic values. Ukraine and the UK will enhance cooperation to counter Russian disinformation and disrupt Kremlin-linked entities who play a key role in enabling Russia's information campaigns. Pillar Four, Energy and Climate: Ukraine and the UK will continue to work closely to strengthen Ukraine's energy security and resilience against Russian aggression, while supporting long-term recovery and transition. The UK will support Ukraine in restoring destroyed energy infrastructure and preparing for next winter. This includes engagement with the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, supporting the Green Transition Office, and deepening technical partnerships. We will coordinate international efforts through platforms such as the G7+ Energy Coordination Group. We will advance governance reforms and transparency in Ukraine to attract investment and accelerate Ukraine's path toward EU integration and low-carbon growth. Pillar Five, Justice and Accountability: Ukraine and the UK remain committed to pursuing accountability for Russia's aggression and the atrocities perpetrated in Ukraine. We will work to ensure effective cooperation in documenting, investigating, and prosecuting Russia's international crimes in support of international processes of accountability and redress. We will develop and share best practice in respect of the collection of evidence, investigation and prosecution that will deliver tangible results. We will agree on joint action to establish the facts and identify children deported and forcibly displaced by Russia, to return them to Ukraine and reunite them with their families. We will commit to expanding our long-term cooperation on the transformation and resilience of Ukraine's justice sector. Ukraine and the UK will continue to work alongside international partners to facilitate the adoption of the Enlarged Partial Agreement for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and to ensure its long-term sustainability and credibility. Ukraine and the UK will also continue to work on the full implementation of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine including exploration of possible sources of funding for the compensation. Pillar Six, Science, Tech and Innovation: In 2026, Ukraine and the UK will drive innovation-led economic growth by deepening collaboration between our space agencies through a new Memorandum of Understanding on the peaceful use and exploration of outer space, and by expanding wider cooperation in the space sector, including through joint bilateral and multilateral projects. We will also strengthen the capacity and capability of medical personnel, and accelerate new opportunities through digital transformation and cooperation on AI to provide best-in-class public services. Both sides will also strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity and AI, including efforts to support responsible development and use of AI technologies. We will also launch the ResearchBridge platform to drive researcher connections in areas of cutting-edge innovation. We will continue to join up tech industry ties through the TechBridge, which to date has helped Ukrainian startups secure over 10 million in funding and partnerships. The UK will extend its DIGIT programme, helping the Government of Ukraine to harness digital innovation to ensure more responsive, transparent and effective service delivery and drive sustainable economic recovery. Recognising the urgent need for comprehensive rehabilitation of veterans as a result of the war, we will deepen our strategic partnership across all areas of state policy concerning war veterans, including physical and mental rehabilitation, sports-based recovery, and the expansion of digital services. Pillar Seven, Sociocultural links, Migration and Sport: Ukraine and the UK will continue to advance partnerships across both education and culture. This includes continuing to deliver the Ukraine-UK Schools Partnership programme through the British Council, and the Ukraine-UK Cultural Commission, and fulfilling our commitment to facilitate training and educational exchanges for Ukrainian youth, universities, and the preservation of Ukrainian cultural heritage. The UK will further continue to transform English language learning in Ukraine by training thousands more teachers and civil servants across the country. We reaffirmed our commitment to cooperating on mobility and migration, and to encouraging people-to-people contacts as a foundation of our partnership. Ukraine and the UK agreed to discussions on three main elements: (i) recognising improvements and undertaking a technical exchange on options to further ease travel for government delegations to the UK and, where the conditions for well-managed and secure mobility are in place, taking steps to make it easier for citizens to travel; (ii) issues related to combating irregular/illegal migration, document security and asylum policy; (iii) the long-term approach for Ukrainians residing in the UK under the Ukraine Schemes. This dialogue will be guided by Ukraine's strong desire for its citizens to return home voluntarily, when conditions allow, to support the country's recovery and reconstruction. We also confirmed the importance of coordinating efforts in international sport to restrict the participation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus while Russia continues its illegal aggression against Ukraine, noting the consistent role of the United Kingdom in consolidating the position of like-minded states. Pillar Eight, Economy and Trade: Ukraine and the UK have established a new Economy and Trade Dialogue to drive our joint commitments under the Economy and Trade Pillar of the 100 Year Partnership. The Dialogue aims to support growth in our bilateral trade by addressing barriers that impede our joint ambition and strengthening transport links that underpin economic growth. Together, Ukraine and the UK continue to progress on initiatives to improve access to war and non-war risk insurance, revitalise Ukraine's capital markets, support Ukraine's business enabling environment, and strengthen the business regulatory environment to accelerate investment into recovery and reconstruction projects. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense Was Held at the Office of the President President of Ukraine 17 March 2026 - 11:08 First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya and Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense Thomas Byrne, who is on a visit to Kyiv. Sergiy Kyslytsya thanked Ireland for its consistent and principled support for Ukraine both bilaterally and within the European Union. During the meeting, the parties discussed the development of bilateral cooperation in continuation of the agreements reached by Ukraine and Ireland during the first official visit of the Ukrainian President to that country in December last year. Particular attention was given to partnership in advancing Ukraine's accession to the European Union and to the priorities of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026. Ireland supports Ukraine's membership in the European Union as one of the key elements of a comprehensive architecture of security guarantees for Ukraine and for Europe as a whole. The discussion also covered the progress of negotiations aimed at achieving a dignified peace and strengthening sanctions pressure on Russia. The parties exchanged views on the prospects for holding the next meeting in a trilateral format. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine's Technological Solutions Can Be Used in Situations Like the Strait of Hormuz - President in His Address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom President of Ukraine 18 March 2026 - 00:13 Modern world leaders must join efforts to build a real security system - one that can guarantee a reliable future for people and stay ahead of those forces that bring aggression and killing. This was stated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in London, where he demonstrated an iPad with software that enables real-time monitoring of the security situation. The Head of State thanked the United Kingdom and the British people for their constant attention to Ukraine and their support since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. "When Ukrainians think of Britain, they know they can trust it. And I thank you for that. And I'm grateful that you truly care about what will happen - to security, to our cities and villages, to our countries, and to our Europe, and to our world. We are another generation that must think about what comes next for the world," the President said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the world has entered a completely new time, where drones and artificial intelligence determine outcomes on the battlefield. According to the President, this evolution of weapons is unpredictable and creates risks for global security. The Head of State noted that today's generation of leaders must guarantee the security of tomorrow. "We must deliver real security. Safety on the streets, safety at home, the protection of our culture, and real respect for the rights and security of our people, and national security - proven by war," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. The President noted that Ukraine has sent military experts to the Middle East and the Gulf region - experts who know how to defend against Iranian "shahed" drones. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there are currently 201 Ukrainians in the Middle East and the Gulf region, with another 34 experts ready to be deployed. "I sent these military experts at the request of our partners - including the United States. In fact, this is part of the Drone Deal we proposed to the United States, which we worked on together and which is still on the table. And we are ready to offer similar deals to all our reliable partners - from practical cooperation on drones to future defense alliances," the Head of State said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that today Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed an important declaration on deepening cooperation in security and the defense industry. The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine has learned how to defend itself against Iranian "shahed" drones, which Russia has upgraded, making them even more dangerous than missiles. According to the President, Iranian drones shot down in the Gulf region contain Russian components. "What is happening around Iran today is not a faraway war for us - because of the cooperation between Russia and Iran. And we do not believe we have the right to be indifferent," he added. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that the most effective way to counter "shaheds" is through interceptor drones, which are significantly cheaper than deploying combat aviation or missiles costing several million dollars each. "In Ukraine, we stop one such drone with two or three interceptors, small interceptors costing less than 10,000 dollars in total. So our approach is far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The President also drew particular attention to the fact that Russia continues to receive funding for its war due to the easing of sanctions on its oil. "Thank you that the UK is not doing this. Thank you so much. And we see this the same way: strong support for Ukraine, strong sanctions against Russia, and strong joint defense projects are the only basis for effective diplomacy to end this war," the Head of State said. During the address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy demonstrated an iPad with software that enables real-time monitoring of the security situation, including on the front line, where Russia's losses this winter alone exceeded 92,000 killed and severely wounded, as confirmed by video. "It lets us see the front line in Ukraine, and even every enemy killed - with video proof. Right now, 90% of Russian losses on the front are caused by our drones. That's why it's so important to know who has the advantage in drones - and to be fast and strong in defending against them," he said. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this software tracks every strike in Ukraine's skies, at sea, and our long-range strikes against Russia. "I believe the evolution of security will make it possible for every leader, every defense minister - and even ordinary people - to have tools like this, and with them, a high level of protection of life. Leaders and ministers work for people. And if the leaders have power, it is only because people trust them with their security," he said. The Head of State also demonstrated the Ukrainian interceptor drone P1-SUN. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the production of such drones is made possible through cooperation with partners. "I am glad we have a joint project with the United Kingdom - the Octopus drones. This is a successful decision. Successful interceptions depend on well-placed positions of our soldiers, set up to cover as many drone routes as possible. And it is constant hunting - at night, and now even during the day," the President said. No less important, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed, is the development of maritime drones. Thanks to Ukrainian innovations, Russia has lost part of its Black Sea Fleet and its dominance in the region. "Our naval drone systems keep evolving, and we focused on the speed of that evolution. And we won - won our sea," the Head of State said. According to the President, these solutions can be used in complex situations such as a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that investment and protection against modern weapons will help prepare for tomorrow's challenges. "If, together with partners in the Middle East, we build a system like Ukraine's, they will be able to track attacks from Iran or the Houthis in real time, analyze them, keep improving their defense - giving people, critical infrastructure, and trade routes real security," Volodymyr Zelenskyy added. The Head of State noted that Ukraine is offering its partners genuine defense cooperation and that relevant work is ongoing. "Together, Europe is a global force - one the world cannot do without, and that no one can stand against. We must grow this strength - and we can do it. And we must direct it - and we can. We must act now so that future generations will say: these leaders acted when it mattered. And that people lived in safety. We are ready to do everything so that our defense stays ahead of those who want to kill," the President emphasized. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address F1 movie wins Oscar for Best Sound The Hollywood production F1 The Movie has claimed an Academy Award, winning the Oscar for Best Sound at Sunday night's ceremony. Isack Hadjar, Austrailian GP 2026 Red Bull The high-profile Formula 1 film, starring Brad Pitt, had been nominated in four categories - Best Picture, Visual Effects, Best Sound and Film Editing. However, not all commentary around the film has been positive. Finnish culture journalist Visa Hogmander, writing for MTV Finland on the day of the Oscars, criticised the movie's nomination for Best Picture. A minor or major blemish at this year's gala, depending on your perspective, is that there are actually nine films - and one commercial - competing for the Best Picture Oscar, he wrote. That commercial, directed by Joseph Kosinski and written by Ehren Kruger, is called F1. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was closely involved in the project's production, had hoped to attend the ceremony but said his commitments at the Chinese GP prevented him from being there. Hamilton, however, made clear he is proud of the film and of Formula 1's wider growth beyond the racetrack. The sport has taken so many monumental steps, he said in Shanghai. "During my time here, in the early days it was kind of not progressing. And obviously with the growth through Liberty and the steps they've taken, in the beginning it was really frowned upon by some of the people that didn't really want much change within the sport. And now they're seeing it's actually been great for the sport just to see it grow into new audiences. Hamilton also suggested he will be involved in the F1 movie's sequel. We've got the second movie we're going to work on soon maybe, he confirmed, adding that Netflix's Drive to Survive has also played a huge part in the sport's expansion. (GMM) Ferrari pushing innovation amid early Mercedes deficit Ferrari may have emerged as the clear second force behind dominant Mercedes in the early weeks of the 2026 Formula 1 season - but the Maranello team is not standing still. Charles Leclerc, Australian GP 2026 Ferrari After two rounds, the Italian outfit appears comfortably ahead of 'big four' rivals McLaren and Red Bull, but still lacking the outright pace of the Mercedes-powered leaders. Ferrari's response is a continuing wave of technical innovation. So far this year the team has introduced several eye-catching ideas, including the so-called 'Macarena' rear wing concept, a small wing element near the rain light and exhaust, and the best race starts on the grid. During practice in Shanghai, Ferrari also trialled small aerodynamic wings at the base of the halo, although the idea has now been withdrawn amid fears of a political backlash from rival teams over its legality. The team is nevertheless continuing to push development aggressively. Team boss Frederic Vasseur confirmed that a major upgrade package is in preparation and will be evaluated during a filming day at Monza ahead of the Miami GP. We were planning to update the car for Bahrain, but we're forced to postpone it until Miami - it will now be the fourth round, he said. With the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races cancelled due to the Middle East conflict, the longer gap between rounds has reshaped Ferrari's development schedule. The longer break between rounds will allow us to prepare additional solutions for Miami, even if it's an 'update and a half', Vasseur explained. The work schedule was set in advance, but we'll adjust it accordingly. Vasseur admits that Mercedes currently holds a clear advantage, particularly in engine performance. I would like us to be faster. We know that we have a performance gap, especially on the straights, that we need to work on, he said. The Ferrari boss believes an upcoming technical directive regarding engine compression ratio checks may not dramatically change the competitive picture. We don't expect a significant impact from the technical directive regarding compression, Vasseur said. But at some point the ADUO will come in and that will give us the opportunity to catch up. Still, he insists Ferrari's focus is broader than just engine power. We shouldn't focus on just one thing - we need to improve all aspects of the car, said Vasseur. We need to work on the tyres, aerodynamics, chassis, suspension - everything. We're ahead of McLaren and Red Bull, but they will also improve. Vasseur is also firmly opposed to further rule changes aimed at addressing the unusual race start behaviour seen across the grid this year - an area where Ferrari currently excels. When I raised my hand a year ago and warned everyone there would be problems, they told me everyone should design their cars according to the existing rules, he said. "That's what we did. Since then the rules have already changed with an extra five seconds and blue lights at the start, which didn't help us. I'd say that's enough. For us, this issue is closed. Meanwhile Ferrari is expected to race the 'Macarena' rear wing in Japan after shelving it following practice running in Shanghai. (GMM) Newey may step back as Aston boss amid Honda crisis Adrian Newey may soon relinquish his new role as Aston Martin team boss amid the team's horrific start to the 2026 season. Adrian Newey, Australian GP 2026 Aston Martin Racing That is the view of well-known Spanish Formula 1 journalist Antonio Lobato, who says tensions are rising at the Silverstone-based outfit following a disastrous opening to the new Honda-powered era. There's a lot of tension right now at Aston Martin, a lot of disappointment, a lot of nerves, Lobato said on the Soy Motor podcast. The situation, he believes, goes beyond the reliability vibrations that have plagued Newey's first Aston Martin. There is another, much more significant underlying problem, Lobato added, pointing to a power deficit from the Honda engine of well over 50 horsepower . The scale of the problem was highlighted in Shanghai, where Alonso retired after painful vibrations left him struggling to hold the steering wheel. He completed 33 laps, something we hadn't done consecutively before, explained chief trackside officer Mike Krack. Fernando said that if you're fighting for the win, it's possible to drive like that, but we weren't in that situation, so it was an easy decision. Another striking moment during the race came when Sergio Perez swept past Alonso's Aston Martin in the Cadillac-powered entry on the straight, prompting the Spaniard to wave at his friend from the cockpit. Cadillac was half a second faster than Aston Martin on the straights every lap, Lobato observed. The crisis has also raised questions about Aston Martin's unusual new management structure, with Newey combining his traditional design responsibilities with the unfamiliar role of team principal. I would even say there's a lack of leadership right now, Lobato said. In fact, I think there will soon be a new team principal. According to the veteran commentator, Aston Martin is already exploring alternatives. They're looking for one, he said. "They've had three in the last three years, and the last one, Adrian Newey, isn't fulfilling that role. In fact, he shouldn't. He's good at what he's good at. Speculation is already swirling that Red Bull boss Christian Horner could re-emerge as a candidate for the job, particularly as Mercedes now seems more likely to buy the available 24 percent stake at Alpine. Krack insists, however, that Aston Martin is making progress behind the scenes despite the painful start to the year. I think people might laugh if I say we've made progress, he admitted. But we have learned a lot simply by running and racing. He said the vibration issues themselves are not responsible for the team's huge performance deficit. The vibrations are mainly affecting our reliability, Krack explained. It's not something that's costing us seconds. Instead, Aston Martin's main hope of closing the gap lies in potential power unit development once the FIA allows changes under the new ADUO engine rules. If we can have improvements sooner, of course that will help, he said. Krack also defended his drivers after Lance Stroll's curt one-word answers in China raised eyebrows. The drivers are investing a lot of energy in this, he said. They are professional athletes, but they are also human beings. The situation is difficult right now. (GMM) Featured Benso Palm Plantation leads charge with GH6.09 gain as GSE hits fresh record Kweku Zurek Business News Mar - 18 - 2026 , 17:52 The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) continued its relentless march upward on Wednesday, with the GSE Composite Index (GSE-CI) adding 40.66 points to close at a new all-time high of 15,908.77. Trading data for the 7,175th session, held on March 18, 2026, revealed a significant surge in activity, with total volume of shares traded skyrocketing to 6,426,176the highest single-day volume this weekand aggregate value hitting GH39,931,756.27. Market capitalisation stood at GH300.73 billion, maintaining the bourse's position above the GH300 billion milestone crossed earlier in the week. The GSE Financial Stocks Index (GSE-FSI) recorded a decline of 212.65 points to settle at 10,235.57, reflecting mixed performance across the financial sector. MTN Ghana dominates trading activity Scancom PLC (MTNGH) delivered a stellar performance, surging by GH0.19 to close at GH6.48. The telecommunications giant was the undisputed driver of Wednesday's session, accounting for 5,257,765 of the 6.4 million shares tradedapproximately 82 per cent of all trading activity. The stock contributed an impressive GH34,080,370.43 to total market value. BOPP leads gainers with massive jump Benso Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP) emerged as the session's standout performer, skyrocketing by GH6.09 to close at GH92.09. The agricultural stock attracted significant investor interest, with 9,450 shares changing hands and contributing GH885,690 to total market value. Republic Bank (Ghana) PLC (RBGH) rose by GH0.27 to close at GH4.96, while Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) added GH0.03 to GH7.63. Laggards dominate as financial stocks retreat Despite the positive close for the benchmark index, several stocks recorded significant declines. Societe Generale Ghana PLC (SOGEGH) plunged by GH1.07 to close at GH10.76, while GCB Bank PLC (GCB) shed GH1.61 to GH50.39. SIC Insurance Company PLC (SIC) declined by GH0.55 to GH5.04, and Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC (GGBL) fell GH0.40 to GH15.94. Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) dropped GH0.10 to GH2.72, while Cal Bank PLC (CAL) shed GH0.06 to GH0.79. Enterprise Group PLC (EGL) edged down GH0.02 to GH12.13, Fan Milk PLC (FML) declined by GH0.07 to GH15.32, and TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC (TOTAL) fell GH0.10 to GH39.89. Unchanged stocks Several stocks recorded no price movement during Wednesday's session, including Access Bank (ACCESS), Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Aluworks (ALW), Asante Gold Corporation (ASG), Atlantic Lithium (ALLGH), Camelot (CMLT), Clydestone (CLYD), Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Dannex Ayrton Starwin (DASPHARMA), Ecobank Ghana (EGH), First Atlantic Bank (FAB), Mega African Capital (MAC), PBC, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Trust Bank Gambia (TBL), Tullow Oil (TLW), Unilever (UNIL), and NewGold (GLD). On the Ghana Alternative Market, no price movements were recorded. Market Summary The GSE-CI has now gained an extraordinary 81.39 per cent since the start of the year, reflecting the remarkable wealth creation on the Accra bourse this year. Wednesday's session saw the benchmark index set yet another record, driven by heavy trading in MTN Ghana and a spectacular rally in Benso Palm Plantation, even as financial stocks experienced broad-based declines. Gainers; Benso Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP): GH +6.09 (closed at GH92.09) Republic Bank (Ghana) PLC (RBGH): GH +0.27 (closed at GH4.96) Scancom PLC (MTNGH): GH +0.19 (closed at GH6.48) Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL): GH +0.03 (closed at GH7.63) Laggards; Societe Generale Ghana PLC (SOGEGH): GH -1.07 (closed at GH10.76) GCB Bank PLC (GCB): GH -1.61 (closed at GH50.39) SIC Insurance Company PLC (SIC): GH -0.55 (closed at GH5.04) Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC (GGBL): GH -0.40 (closed at GH15.94) Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI): GH -0.10 (closed at GH2.72) TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC (TOTAL): GH -0.10 (closed at GH39.89) Fan Milk PLC (FML): GH -0.07 (closed at GH15.32) Cal Bank PLC (CAL): GH -0.06 (closed at GH0.79) Enterprise Group PLC (EGL): GH -0.02 (closed at GH12.13) Unchanged stocks Access Bank Ghana PLC (ACCESS) GH46.62 Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) GH5.06 AngloGold Ashanti PLC (AGA) GH37.00 Aluworks PLC (ALW) GH0.10 Asante Gold Corporation (ASG) GH8.89 Atlantic Lithium Ltd (ALLGH) GH6.52 Camelot Ghana PLC (CMLT) GH0.14 Clydestone (Ghana) PLC (CLYD) GH0.90 Cocoa Processing Co. PLC (CPC) GH0.09 Dannex Ayrton Starwin PLC (DASPHARMA) GH0.41 Ecobank Ghana PLC (EGH) GH56.00 First Atlantic Bank PLC (FAB) GH7.84 Mega African Capital PLC (MAC) GH5.20 PBC Ltd. (PBC) GH0.02 Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC (SCB) GH79.41 Trust Bank Gambia PLC (TBL) GH1.20 Tullow Oil PLC (TLW) GH11.92 Unilever Ghana PLC (UNIL) GH28.46 NewGold (GLD) GH546.00 Hords PLC (HORDS) GH0.09 Intravenous Infusions Limited (IIL) GH0.05 Digicut Production & Advertising PLC (DIGICUT) GH0.09 Featured GES directs schools to observe Eid and Easter holidays, issues guidelines for boarding students GraphicOnline Education Mar - 18 - 2026 , 18:33 2 minutes read The Ghana Education Service has issued a directive to all regional directors instructing schools across the country to observe the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr and Easter holidays as mandated statutory public holidays. In a circular dated March 17, 2026, and signed by Professor Smile Dzisi, Acting Deputy Director-General for Management Services, the GES reminded school authorities that the holidaysscheduled for March 20 and 23, and April 3 and 6 respectivelyare recognised national festivities and must be duly observed. "Management of the Ghana Education Service wishes to remind all Regional Directors that the Eid-ul-Fitr and Easter holidays, which dates are 20th and 23rd March, and 3rd and 6th April, respectively, are recognised statutory holidays in Ghana and must therefore be duly observed by all schools across the country," the circular stated. The directive, addressed to all regional directors, requires schools to comply with the public holiday arrangements to enable both staff and students to appropriately observe these important national and religious festivities. Provisions for boarding students Recognising that some students in boarding facilities may choose not to travel home during the holiday period, the GES has made provisions for their accommodation and care. "However, Management also acknowledges that some students in boarding facilities may choose not to travel home during the holiday period. In such cases, schools are permitted to allow these students to remain on campus," the circular explained. School heads are required to make appropriate arrangements to ensure the welfare and supervision of students who opt to stay on campus during the holidays. "Appropriate arrangements are to be made by school heads to ensure their welfare and supervision during this period," the directive added. Implementation directives Regional directors have been tasked with communicating the directive to all heads of schools within their jurisdictions through metro, municipal, and district directors. They are also required to ensure that the necessary measures are put in place for the safe accommodation, feeding, and supervision of boarding students who decide to stay on campus. "Regional Directors are therefore requested to communicate this directive to all Heads of Schools within their jurisdictions through Metro/Municipal/District Directors and ensure that the necessary measures are put in place for the safe accommodation, feeding and supervision of boarding students who decide to stay on campus during the period," the circular stated. The GES expressed appreciation for cooperation in ensuring the smooth implementation of the directive. The Eid-ul-Fitr holiday marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims, while Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ for Christians. Both are recognised as statutory public holidays in Ghana. Featured 12 firefighters injured in Potsin fuel tanker explosion Shirley Asiedu-Addo Mar - 18 - 2026 , 07:56 2 minutes read Twelve firefighters have been injured after a fuel tanker exploded while they were battling a blaze at Potsin in the Central Region, in an incident that has once again highlighted the risks faced by emergency responders. The explosion occurred on Tuesday morning (March 17, 2026) along the WinnebaAccra highway after personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) had already brought the initial fire under control and were carrying out cooling operations to prevent a recurrence. In a statement, the GNFS said: Out of the injured personnel, four sustained severe injuries, while the eight others who sustained minor injuries were treated on site by the Ambulance Service team. The tanker, with registration number GT 5671-22, was transporting 54,000 litres of petrol when it caught fire under circumstances that are yet to be established. According to the GNFS, a distress call was received at 5:58 a.m., prompting the dispatch of fire tenders from Apam and Kasoa, supported by a private water tanker. Firefighters arrived at the scene at about 6:26 a.m. to find the vehicle engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading rapidly to nearby properties. It took nearly two hours for the crews to bring the inferno under control, preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome for surrounding communities and infrastructure. The driver and his mate managed to escape unhurt. However, the situation took a dangerous turn during the cooling phase. However, during cooling operations aimed at preventing re-ignition and possible second explosion, the tanker re-ignited and subsequently exploded resulting in injuries to the 12 fire fighters, the statement said. Three of the injured personnel were rushed to the Winneba Trauma Specialist Hospital, while another received treatment at the Potsin Polyclinic. The remaining eight were treated at the scene. All the injured have since been treated and discharged. Senior officers, including the Central Regional Fire Officer, ACFO Merinder Mary Atigah Mensah, and the Director of Operations, Roberta Aggrey Ghanson, visited the injured firefighters and commended their bravery. Firefighters remained at the scene after the incident as efforts continued to safely transfer the remaining fuel from the damaged tanker into another vehicle to avert further danger. The GNFS expressed appreciation to all agencies and individuals who assisted in containing the fire, reaffirming its commitment to protecting lives and property while also emphasising concern for the safety and welfare of its personnel. See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Thursday, March 19, 2026 Previous article: See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Thursday, March 19, 2026 Featured African Lawyers back President Mahamas UN push to declare slavery gravest crime Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Mar - 18 - 2026 , 16:39 3 minutes read The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has endorsed a United Nations resolution to formally recognise the trafficking and chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, backing an initiative to be tabled by President John Dramani Mahama. In a statement issued on March 18, 2026, PALU said: We support the proposed resolution of qualification of this atrocity as the gravest crime against humanity, emphasising that this qualification is descriptive, an articulation of truth, rather than a hierarchical assessment. The motion, which is expected to be presented by President Mahama at the United Nations General Assembly, seeks to advance reparations and reparative justice for Africa and the diaspora, particularly in relation to the impact of colonisation, the transatlantic slave trade and apartheid. According to the union, the resolutionscheduled for debate next Wednesday, March 25, 2026, to coincide with the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Transatlantic Trafficking of Africansrepresents a historic opportunity to reposition the international debate on memory, historical truth, and reparatory justice. PALU said the motion reflects the widely recognised scale, duration and enduring impact of racialised chattel enslavement, describing it as an absolute crime comparable to no other but itself. It added that it stands in solidarity with Ghana, acting on behalf of the AU, in advancing this historic initiative, noting that the move presents an opportunity to strengthen African unity and reaffirm a shared commitment to honouring historical memory and pursuing justice. The union further welcomed growing cooperation between the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), including the Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent. Calling for broad international backing, PALU urged all United Nations member statesparticularly those in Africa and the Caribbeanto vote in favour of the resolution. A unified vote in support of this resolution would signal collective strength and a shared determination to see the pursuit of reparations for Africans and people of African descent through to its conclusion. An abstention or vote against this resolution would place Africa, and the broader international community on the wrong side of history. It will perpetuate the distortion of historical truths and betray the will and aspirations of survivors, and people, for generations to come, it said. The statement stressed that adopting the resolution would not only serve as a moral and historical imperative but also help lay the foundation for long-term progress, restore trust, promote healing and strengthen global solidarity with affected communities. PALU also underscored the need for justice and accountability as essential pillars for development across Africa and the diaspora, adding that meaningful reconciliation must be grounded in truth-telling and recognition of past injustices. It noted that the erasure of African history during and after slavery had caused lasting harm across legal, cultural and economic systems, and called for renewed efforts to address these impacts. The union concluded that the trafficking and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans constituted a defining rupture in world history, shaping global systems and generating wealth that underpinned modern economic structures. As the world's first global industrial enterprise, it generated the wealth that fuelled the rise of the current global infrastructure and fundamentally transformed political, legal, and economic systems across continents, it stated. SIM re-registration will be final: Sam George assures - Process to prioritise convenience, curb fraud Next article: SIM re-registration will be final: Sam George assures - Process to prioritise convenience, curb fraud Featured Fire destroys eight shops at Sakumono Estate Junction Benjamin Xornam Glover Mar - 18 - 2026 , 07:46 2 minutes read A fire outbreak on Tuesday afternoon (March 17, 2026) ravaged a row of shops at Sakumono Estate Junction, destroying properties and disrupting business activities in the area. The incident occurred at a stretch of metal containers used for commercial purposes near the Sakumono Estates junction bus stop. The Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Divisional Officer Grade II Ebenezer Yenzu, said a distress call was received at 2:47 p.m. on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, prompting a swift response from fire crews. He said firefighters from the Motorway, Tema Metro and Industrial fire stations were dispatched to the scene, arriving at 3:06 p.m. to battle the blaze. Extent of destruction He indicated that the fire, classified as commercial, affected a total of eight shops. Four of the shops, including a tailoring shop, a provision store, a bakery, and a water and drinks depot, were partially damaged. He added that four other shops dealing in food, cosmetics, drinks and kitchen appliances were destroyed. Fire contained, items salvaged DO II Yenzu said firefighters brought the fire under control at 4:02 p.m. and fully extinguished it by 4:52 p.m. He said the crew managed to salvage about 42 items from the affected shops, adding that no injuries or fatalities were recorded. Multi-agency response DO II Yenzu said the operation was led by the Katamanso District Fire Commander, ACFO II Mercy Amoah, with support from ADO I Hado Felix of the Motorway Fire Station and ADO I Desmond Dewornu of the Tema Metro Fire Station. He added that the Sakumono District Police, led by ASP Sylvia Owusu, also assisted at the scene. Cause under investigation DO II Yenzu said the cause of the fire was currently under investigation. See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Thursday, March 19, 2026 Next article: See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Thursday, March 19, 2026 Featured Four public institutions hit with GH220,000 in penalties for RTI violations GraphicOnline Mar - 18 - 2026 , 18:09 2 minutes read The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has imposed administrative penalties totalling GH220,000 on four public institutions found to have violated their statutory obligations under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989). In a press release issued on February 5, 2026, the Commission announced that following investigations, hearings, and determinations conducted in accordance with the Act, it had taken enforcement action against the defaulting institutions to uphold the law. The sanctioned institutions are the Ghana Education Service, WBM Zion Senior High School, the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office. The penalties range from GH10,000 to GH100,000 per institution. The Ghana Education Service (GES) was fined GH10,000 in a case brought by Frederick Asiamah of Corruption Watch against the service, while WBM Zion Senior High School received a GH10,000 penalty following a complaint filed by Daniel Yeboah against the school. The National Pensions Regulatory Authority attracted the highest fine of GH100,000 in a case initiated by Innovative Teachers against the authority. The Economic and Organised Crime Office was also fined GH100,000 following a complaint by Gilbert Kekeli against the office. The Commission explained that the penalties were imposed under Section 71(2)(f) of Act 989, which grants it the authority to impose administrative sanctions where public institutions or relevant private bodies fail to comply with their obligations under the legislation. In a strongly worded statement, the Commission warned that compliance with the Right to Information Act is not a matter of choice for public institutions. "The Commission emphasises that compliance with Act 989 is not discretionary. Failure to adhere to statutory timelines, disclosure duties, or enforcement directives constitutes a violation of law and attracts regulatory consequences," the statement read. The Commission directed all public institutions to take immediate steps to strengthen their internal RTI compliance mechanisms, warning that continued non-compliance will attract further enforcement action. "Public institutions are therefore directed to take immediate steps to strengthen internal RTI compliance mechanisms. Continued non-compliance will attract further enforcement action," the statement added. The Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), was passed to give effect to Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the right to access information held by public institutions. The legislation establishes the RTI Commission to oversee its implementation and enforcement. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the right of access to information as a cornerstone of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. The press release was signed by Genevieve Shirley Lartey, Esq., Executive Secretary, on behalf of the Commission. Featured Ghana Armed Forces honoured after hurricane reconstruction mission in Jamaica GraphicOnline Mar - 18 - 2026 , 08:53 2 minutes read The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has held a mission accomplishment parade in honour of a 54-member engineering contingent that returned from a humanitarian reconstruction assignment in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The ceremony, held at the 48 Engineers Parade Square at Wajir Barracks in Teshie on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, marked the formal recognition of the Army Engineer Reconstruction Team (ERT) Company 1, which spent 90 days undertaking critical rebuilding works in the Caribbean country. The team, drawn largely from the 14 Engineer Regiment with support from the 48th, 49th and 50th regiments, was deployed on December 16, 2025, after a formal request from the Jamaican government. Their mission focused on restoring homes and public facilities, particularly in the Saint Elizabeth Parish, including Middle Quarters, Black River and surrounding communities. Addressing the ceremony, President John Dramani Mahama, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the GAF, praised the contingent for its professionalism and discipline throughout what he described as a demanding but impactful assignment. He noted that the operation reflected Ghanas broader commitment to international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The President further described the deployment as a demonstration of solidarity rooted in shared Afro-Caribbean history, emphasising that such collaborations strengthened ties between Ghana, Jamaica and other countries in the region. During the parade, the President presented a citation to the contingent in recognition of its outstanding service and successful accomplishment of the mission, which contributed to improving living conditions in several affected communities. He also commended the Officer Commanding the team, Colonel Emmanuel Asia, for what he described as exemplary leadership. The reconstruction effort included the rebuilding of more than 26 homes and public facilities, with a particular emphasis on roofing works in hurricane-affected areas. The Ghanaian engineers worked in collaboration with the Jamaica Defence Force and partners from the United States to deliver the projects. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, service chiefs, senior military officers, as well as families of the personnel and pupils from schools within the Wajir Barracks enclave. Empower women at early stage of socialisation, not later in life Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie Previous article: Empower women at early stage of socialisation, not later in life Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie Featured Aircraft crash at Tema: TMA Daycare Centre closes temporarily as probe begins Benjamin Xornam Glover Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read The TMA Daycare Centre in Tema has closed temporarily following the light aircraft crash on the premises of the school in Tema last Monday. At the time the incident happened, teachers and some parents were picking up their children, while other pupils were waiting for their parents or guardians. The Headmistress of the school, Florence Agbetorwosor, told the Daily Graphic that the incident had left both facilitators and learners traumatised following the fatal aircraft crash on the schools premises. As a result, school authorities have announced a temporary closure of the facility. The children are traumatised, and the teachers are also affected. We will not reopen immediately. We are waiting for directives from the authorities, she said. She explained that panic gripped the school as the aircraft went down, prompting teachers and parents to quickly evacuate the children to safety. The teachers and parents rushed the children into another classroom immediately after the crash. They were all scared, but thankfully, none of the children was injured, she added. Ms Agbetorwosor said that despite the safe evacuation, the emotional toll on both staff and pupils had been significant, with many of the children still shaken. Incident Two people were confirmed dead following the aircraft crash at the TMA Daycare Centre at Community One, Site 17, in Tema late Monday afternoon. The light aircraft, with registration number 9G-ADV, crashed on the school premises before bursting into flames. The two occupants of the aircraft were partially burnt in the incident. None of the pupils or staff of the school was injured. Preliminary information suggested the aircraft may have lost control while attempting to land near the Oninku School Park. Response Officials from the security and emergency services, including the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation, quickly moved to the scene to contain the fire and secure the area. The crash site has since been cordoned off to allow investigators to begin their work. Investigation While officials were yet to confirm the exact cause of the crash, the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau has begun preliminary assessments to determine the cause of last Mondays aircraft crash. Officials of the bureau were expected to return to the crash scene yesterday to begin removing the wreckage as part of the investigation process, the Commissioner of the bureau, John M. K. Wumborti, who visited the crash scene with a team of investigators last Monday, told the media. He described the incident as unfortunate, coming barely six months after another aircraft crash was recorded in the country. He also gave an assurance that investigators would conduct a thorough probe to establish the exact cause of the crash and help to prevent similar incidents in the future. Mr Wumborti praised the security agencies for their swift response and also for securing the area to allow investigators to carry out their work without interference. For now, the police and the military have secured the crash scene. Tomorrow morning, we will return to collect the debris and secure it for detailed investigations to determine what exactly caused the crash, he said. Featured At 3-day Agrotech Fair: Mahama pushes for radical agric reset Kester Aburam Korankye Mar - 18 - 2026 , 12:57 5 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has called for a fundamental reimagining of agriculture from a subsistence sector to a strategic engine of industrial growth, job creation and national prosperity. Delivering the keynote address to a gathering of farmers, agribusiness operators, innovators, and policymakers at the opening ceremony of the Ghana Agrotech Fair 2026 at the Independence Square in Accra yesterday, President Mahama emphasised that agriculture must no longer be treated solely as a means of survival but as a critical pillar of economic transformation. "Agriculture is not merely about cultivation. Agriculture is also about productivity. It is about value addition. It is about industrial development. It is about jobs and exports. And increasingly, agriculture is about technology and innovation," he stated. Modernisation The President stressed that the future of Ghana's agriculture lay not in expanding acreage but in modernising the entire value chain, from farm to factory, and from production to global marketing. He warned that no nation could transform its agricultural economy while depending indefinitely on imported machinery and technology, making a strong case for local manufacturing capacity. "If Ghana is serious about agricultural transformation, we must deliberately build the capacity to design, to fabricate, adapt, maintain and scale agricultural technologies locally. Supporting Ghanaian manufacturers of agricultural machinery and agri-processing equipment is not simply an industrial policy choice. It is a strategic economic necessity," President Mahama said. He announced a breakthrough in local wheat production by scientists of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), revealing that demonstration farms had produced between four and five tonnes of wheat per hectare. "This will help us in import substitution, because Ghana imports almost $400 million worth of wheat every year," he disclosed, adding that such innovations were critical to reducing the country's import bill and building a self-reliant economy. The President also used the occasion to rally the youth to embrace agriculture as a frontier of opportunity, noting that the modern agricultural sector required engineers, software developers, data scientists, agronomists, logistics specialists and innovators. "Agriculture today is digital, technological and entrepreneurial," he said. 50 Farmer Service Centres President Mahama announced the government's plan to establish 50 Farmer Service Centres across the country to provide mechanisation and extension support to farmers, as part of broader efforts to modernise agriculture and drive economic transformation. The President said he would cut the sod for the first centre on Friday at the Afram Plains, marking the beginning of a phased rollout of the project. "Government intends to build 50 of these centres nationwide in the main agricultural producing areas. The first phase will cover 11 centres, and I'm breaking ground for the first one on Friday at the Afram Plains," he announced at the event. The President explained that the centres would serve as one-stop shops where registered farmers could access mechanisation services, including tractors, ploughing, harrowing, transportation, fertilisers and grain shellers. Economic transformation Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana EXIM Bank, Sylvester Mensah, underscored the fair's role as a catalyst for long-term economic transformation. He explained that the event, jointly organised by the Bank and the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry at the behest of the President, was intended to be a regular platform to promote agrotech innovation and strengthen agribusiness. "Primarily, it serves as a pedestal to showcase practical domestic agricultural technologies and solutions that can improve productivity across the entire agricultural value chain," Mr Mensah stated, adding that it also aimed to connect farmers, innovators, and investors to shape ideas into profitable business partnerships. He further elaborated on the critical importance of agricultural technology in modernising the sector. "Agricultural technology helps farmers produce more efficiently, reduce post-harvest losses, improve quality and increase incomes," he noted. He emphasised that technology made agriculture more attractive to young people by illustrating that the sector was not solely about traditional farming, "but also about engineering, innovation, logistics, data, manufacturing and entrepreneurship." The Ghana EXIM Bank CEO also highlighted the institution's commitment to building a strong export-led economy. He stressed that agriculture did not end at the farm gates, but extended through processing, packaging, branding and distribution. Mr Mensah called for strong collaboration with the government, financial institutions, industry and scientists, adding that "Sustainability means supporting technologies that improve productivity while protecting the environment. It means building businesses that are profitable, inclusive, and capable of lasting beyond today." Agrotech Fair 2026 The Ghana Agrotech Fair 2026, held on the theme "Transforming Agribusiness through Local Innovation and Technology," brings together farmers, manufacturers, innovators, and investors to showcase practical agricultural technologies and solutions. The event aims to stimulate investment in agriculture as a crucial engine for trade, jobs and industrial growth, while enhancing visibility for Ghanaian entrepreneurs and local technological innovations that can be scaled for national and international markets. The fair was attended by ministers of state, officials from partner institutions, representatives of agribusinesses, farmers, and innovators from across the country. Highlighted the institution's commitment to building a strong export-led economy. He stressed that agriculture did not end at the farm gates, but extended through processing, packaging, branding and distribution. Mr Mensah called for strong collaboration with the government, financial institutions, industry and scientists, adding that "Sustainability means supporting technologies that improve productivity while protecting the environment. It means building businesses that are profitable, inclusive, and capable of lasting beyond today." The Ghana Agrotech Fair 2026, held on the theme "Transforming Agribusiness through Local Innovation and Technology," brings together farmers, manufacturers, innovators, and investors to showcase practical agricultural technologies and solutions. The event aims to stimulate investment in agriculture as a crucial engine for trade, jobs and industrial growth while enhancing visibility for Ghanaian entrepreneurs and local technological innovations that can be scaled for national and international markets. The fair was attended by ministers of state, officials from partner institutions, representatives of agribusinesses, farmers, and innovators from across the country. Featured Ghana, Kyrgyzstan sign visa waiver agreement Pacome Emmanuel Damalie Mar - 18 - 2026 , 06:21 2 minutes read Ghana has signed a visa waiver agreement with Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian nation, for diplomatic and service passport holders in a historic bilateral engagement. The visa waiver agreement is expected to be further escalated to ordinary passport holders in the near future, as the two nations have established, for the first time, a diplomatic engagement. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed the newly established diplomatic relations with the Central Asian country in a social media post last Monday following his visit to Kyrgyzstan last week. To demonstrate our resolve and trust as friendly nations, we signed a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports in the interim with plans to expand to ordinary passport holders in the near future, and a second agreement to establish formal political consultations, he said. Mr Ablakwas visit to Kyrgyzstan makes him the first African Foreign Minister to be hosted in that country, where he met with the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, and the Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Jeenbek Kulubayev, on a number of diplomatic engagements. Economic partnership The Foreign Affairs Minister said the two states had also committed to establishing economic partnerships that would be of mutual benefit to both economies. Ghana and Kyrgyzstan are both eager to form a strategic and visionary partnership on a number of priority areas. Ghana, as the leading gold producer in Africa and Kyrgyzstan, being a leading gold producer in Central Asia, with its famous Kumtor Gold Mines, have committed to a mutually beneficial partnership in the interest of our two economies, Mr Ablakwa stated. This new partnership, according to the minister, seeks to explore diversified markets for the countrys growing economy, particularly with Kyrgyzstan, a country celebrated as having one of the best Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rates in the world over the last three years. He expressed delight in the new South-South cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, which was also recently accorded AU observer status. Ghanas drop in Mining Investment Attractiveness Index troubling Abu Jinapor Daily Graphic Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read A former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has described as troubling the recent release of the Global Mining Investment Attractiveness Index, which reveals a decline in Ghanas position, dropping seven places from 46th in 2024, to 53rd in 2025, in the global ranking of mining investment destinations. He said more concerning was the fact that only 68 countries were assessed in 2025, compared with 82 in 2024, when Ghana held the 46th position. In a statement on the ranking, Mr Jinapor stressed that the latest ranking, which positioned Ghana behind other African countries, including Cote dIvoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Morocco and Botswana, was an indication of a relative decline in the countrys attractiveness to mining investors. "This development is concerning for many stakeholders in the mining industry, and as the immediate past minister responsible for the mining sector, this decline constitutes a serious challenge to Ghanas competitiveness and its ability to attract long-term investment in the sector. "This trend is particularly troubling given the central role of the mining sector in Ghanas economy. For decades, it has been a cornerstone of national development, contributing substantially to export earnings, foreign exchange inflows, fiscal revenues, employment, and broader economic growth. The Global Mining Investment Attractiveness ranks jurisdictions according to the extent that public policy factors encourage or discourage mining investment. Ghanas decline in this ranking, therefore, reflects a negative perception of Ghanas public policy environment affecting mining exploration and investment. "This has the potential to erode all the gains made during the past eight years," the former Lands and Natural Resources Minister stated. Previous gains Mr Jinapor said during the tenure of the previous government, many transformational policies were implemented that positioned Ghana as the mining hub in Africa, and among the best investment destinations on the continent. These investor-friendly policies that were implemented, he emphasised, made Ghana attractive to mining investment, and was reflective in the number of mines that were under construction as of the end of 2024. That also resulted in Ghana gaining an additional 12.63 points in investment attractiveness, from 44.35 points in 2023 to 56.98 points in 2024 and helped Ghana to overtake South Africa to become the leading producer of gold on the continent, with gold production hitting a record 4.9 million ounces in 2024 and generating in excess of US$10 billion in export receipts. Recommendations To rebuild investor confidence and attract long-term investment, Mr Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, urged the government to prioritise the development of an effective and simplified mining tax regime, replacing the current complex system to create a more investment-friendly environment. He also emphasised the need for the government to prioritise exploration, saying, That is the lifeblood of the industry and that the country risks suffering a huge decline if exploration spend is not prioritised. Mr Jinapor also called for the resourcing, retooling and the need to build the capacity of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) through dedicated funding to undertake exploration or provide incentives to enable GGSA to enter into public-private partnerships to undertake comprehensive geological investigations. Additionally, he called on the government to develop a comprehensive strategy to integrate the mining sector with downstream industries, supported by regulatory certainty and fit-for-purpose infrastructure. Next article: Church urged to support youth as Tema Methodist Diocese holds memorial lecture GoldBod signs GH27.5m geological investigations deal Daily Graphic Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:57 2 minutes read The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has signed an agreement with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) to conduct geological investigations in Funsi, Atuna and Bensere East areas. The project constitutes Phase One of a wider enterprise into mineral exploration across the country. The cost of the Phase One project of the geological investigation services to be provided by the GGSA is GH27.5 million. It is scheduled to span a four-month period. A statement by the GoldBod said this was a major step by the institution towards supporting responsible and data-driven mining in the country. The project, it said, was aimed at generating credible geological data for the establishment of model mines in the country. The three blocked-out mineralised areas are part of 20 areas released to the GoldBod by the Minerals Commission. Through initiatives like this, the GoldBod continues to work towards promoting sustainability, while maximising national gold output for the benefit of Ghanaians, the statement said. GoldBod The GoldBod is a government-owned entity established under the GoldBod Act 1140 of Parliament in March, 2025. It operates under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and is authorised to buy, assay, sell and export gold and other minerals produced by licensed artisanal and small-scale miners in the country. The GoldBod is the sole authority with exclusive rights to buy, sell, weigh, grade, assay, value and export gold and other precious minerals in Ghana. In January this year, it signed an agreement with Gold Coast Refinery Ltd to refine a tonne (1,000 kilogrammes) of gold each week. Under the agreement, Gold Coast Refinery was to process gold dore (raw gold) supplied by GoldBod into refined bullion before export, marking a shift from the export of raw gold. The initiative was intended to boost export earnings, create jobs and support Ghanas industrialisation agenda through increased local value addition. Until now, almost all of Ghanas gold had been shipped abroad in its raw state, with limited local beneficiation, in spite of having a gold refinery located in the country. The new arrangement was to strengthen the domestic gold value chain and enhance export earnings. Featured KMA bans open display of salt in restaurants across metropolis Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Mar - 18 - 2026 , 08:50 3 minutes read The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly in the Ashanti Region passed a resolution banning the open display of salt in all food establishments across the city. The move aims to reduce excessive salt consumption and to curb rising rates of hypertension among residents in the metropolis.The resolution, which was approved during the assemblys recent meeting, targets a common practice in restaurants, chop bars, and other food outlets where salt is often placed on tables, encouraging overconsumption beyond what is used in food preparation. Outcome of study The policy decision is informed by new local evidence gathered out of an observational study conducted in 2025 by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly of 156 food service establishments. The study found that 62 per cent of establishments openly display salt on tables or counters, enabling customers to add extra salt to meals already prepared with salt. Chop bars recorded the highest prevalence of this practice. This intervention is supported by the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a prestigious global network of more than 70 cities committed to saving lives by tackling preventable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and injuries. It is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the global health organisation Vital Strategies. Not distant health concern Announcing the decision, the Chief Executive, KMA, Richard Ofori Agyeman-Boadi, said hypertension was no longer a distant health concern as it was affecting families and productive lives across Kumasi. He said, By addressing everyday risk factors such as the routine availability of salt on dining tables, we are taking a practical and preventive step to protect the health of our residents. This resolution reflects our resolve to create healthier food environments for all. These measures aim to ensure both compliance and sustained behaviour change, he pointed out. Nutrition officer The Kumasi Metro Nutritionist, Sandra Ama Pomaa Asuming, in an interview said the area in 2023 recorded 18,864 hypertension cases, and in 2024 a total of 18, 344 cases were also recorded in public health facilities. I wish to caution people that they put their health at risk if they put more salt into foods already prepared. It will be in their own interest to do away with this age-old practice as it exposes them to hypertension, she stressed. The Deputy Director for Africa, Partnership for Healthy Cities, Joseph Ngamije, said KMAs decision showed how cities can use local data to take practical action that protects public health. Banning the open display of salt in food establishments is a proven approach to reducing excessive salt consumption and an effective way to prevent hypertension. Kumasi is demonstrating leadership by acting on evidence, he said. World Bank pledges $300m for secondary education reforms Joshua Bediako Koomson Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read The World Bank has committed $300 million to support Ghanas Secondary Education Transformation for Results and Jobs initiative, a flagship programme aimed at improving learning outcomes and expanding job opportunities for young people. The programme forms part of the governments effort to transform the countrys secondary education system through skills training for employment and national development. The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who announced this in Accra, said the initiative would support the upgrading of Category C schools to Category B, while converting some Category B schools to Category A, and expanding infrastructure in existing Category A schools to accommodate more students. Event The minister disclosed this when he, the Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer of the World Bank Group, Paschal Donohoe, and other officials from the bank, visited some beneficiary schools of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP). The team visited the Osu Manhean Basic School and the Forces Senior High and Technical School at Burma Camp, Accra. Mr Donohoe is on a five-day working visit to Ghana and Liberia. This is his first visit to West Africa since his appointment in November, 2025. Mr Iddrisu said the support followed earlier discussions during a Spring Meeting in Washington, when the country presented a proposal outlining the resources required to reform and expand the secondary education sector. He said that such an investment would improve laboratories, technical workshops and vocational training facilities in schools across the country. Mr Iddrisu also announced plans to lay a bill before Parliament to establish a National Defence University to strengthen training within the military. I will be laying a bill in Parliament to establish a National Defence University. I am currently liaising with the Office of the Attorney-General to put the dots into the legislation for legislative scrutiny, he said. Mr Iddrisu said the GETFund had already set aside $25 million to support the take-off of the proposed university. The minister further commended the World Bank for supporting GALOP, which he said had improved teacher capacity, enhanced school management systems and provided learning materials to beneficiary schools. Impact Mr Donohoe said he was impressed by the school and the impact of the banks support to education in the country. It is a great honour to visit your base and to see with my own eyes this extremely impressive school and how the support of the World Bank will make a difference to these schools and to schools all over Ghana, he said. He commended the Minister of Education for his commitment to improving education for young people in the country. I have seen the impact of the GALOP programme and the role that it is playing in supporting pupils in acquiring important educational outcomes with regard to reading and mathematics, he said. Mr Donohoe said the next phase of the partnership between Ghana and the World Bank would focus on ensuring continued support for students as they progressed through the education system. What is so important about the next phase of our partnership is how we ensure that as the youngest pupils receive the teaching and development that they need, we continue with them in their journey as they move into secondary school and higher forms of education, he added. Featured High Court grants Freddie Blay GH800,000 bail Haruna Yussif Wunpini Mar - 18 - 2026 , 15:25 1 minute read The High Court in Koforidua has granted former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, bail in the sum of GH800,000 with two sureties. The grant of bail follows an application by Mr Blays lawyers, led by Godfred Yeboah Dame, challenging a bench warrant issued by the Akropong Circuit Court in connection with an alleged demolition on a parcel of land which is the subject of litigation. The court, presided over by Justice George Krofa Addae, ordered Mr Blay to present two sureties, who must be residents in Accra. The sureties are also required to present their valid Ghana Cards. Mr Blay is expected to reappear before the Circuit Court on 9 April 2026, as investigations into the matter continue. He was handed over to the Akropong Police after a warrant issued for his arrest was executed in Accra on Monday, 16 March 2026. The case stems from claims that he allegedly ordered the demolition of a house under construction on a parcel of land at Kitase. According to the police, the landowner filed a complaint after Mr Blay allegedly failed to honour an invitation to assist with investigations. Charges were subsequently filed, but he did not appear before the court on the scheduled arraignment date in April 2025, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant. Featured Man remanded for allegedly stealing police uniform, pistol and cash GNA Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:14 2 minutes read An Accra Circuit Court has remanded an unemployed man into custody for allegedly stealing a police officers uniform, pistol, mobile phone and cash. Prince Terkpor, who has been charged with stealing, pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mr Dennis Fummy, declined bail and remanded Terkpor into lawful custody until 1 April 2026. Bail opposed The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Seth Frimpong and Inspector Priscilla Avorgah, opposed bail on the grounds that Terkpor was assisting police with investigations into a robbery at Michelle Camp. It assured the court that investigations would be fast-tracked to ensure a speedy trial. Prosecutions case The prosecution said the complainant, Frederick Ablorh, a police officer stationed at the Accra Regional Counter Terrorism Unit, resided at Tesano in Accra, while Terkpor also lived in Tesano and was unemployed. It said that on 18 February 2026, Ablorh returned from work and went to his wifes shop at Lapaz, where Terkpor worked as a shop assistant. Prosecution said the complainant, who had undertaken night duties, fell asleep. According to the prosecution, Terkpor took advantage of the situation, tampered with the CCTV camera by removing its memory chip, and stole Ablorhs bag containing his uniform, identity cards, Ghana Police Service pistol, iPhone XR and GH600. The prosecution said the accused subsequently fled the shop. Alleged robbery and arrest The court heard that Terkpor later sold the iPhone XR for GH400 at Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Terkpor later lodged at a hotel in Ashaiman and allegedly used the pistol to commit a robbery at Michelle Camp before he was arrested at his hideout. During interrogation, Terkpor admitted the offence, the prosecution said. Four public institutions hit with GH220,000 in penalties for RTI violations Next article: Four public institutions hit with GH220,000 in penalties for RTI violations Ministry, GHATOF sign pact to boost workplace safety in tourism sector Daniel Kenu Mar - 18 - 2026 , 18:43 2 minutes read The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, under the auspices of its Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Tourism Federation to strengthen occupational health and safety standards within the countrys tourism sector. The agreement brings together the Ministrys Department of Factory Inspectorate, the Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce and GHATOF to improve workplace safety and compliance across the industry. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards in Ghana, enforced by the Ministry, are primarily governed by the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) and the Factories, Shops and Offices Act, 1970 (Act 328). These regulations require employers to ensure safe and healthy working environments, provide protective equipment and report workplace accidents, with an emphasis on risk management and staff training. Commitment to safety The Chief Director of the Ministry, Hamidu Adakurugu, who signed on behalf of the Ministry, expressed optimism about the partnership, describing the tourism industry as central to Ghanas development agenda. "Once the standards are set and adhere to strictly, Ghana will become one of the best tourism destinations in the world. "In such an industry, safety is key. Once a client is sure of his safety, the place becomes his second home," he said. The Chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Taskforce, Dr Daniel Ayikwei, said the federation remained driver to Ghana's economic growth through revenue generation and creation of jobs. He indicated that the Taskforce would soon roll out training workshops for companies within the hospitality industry to enhance service delivery and ensure standardisation. "The tourism industry is the gateway to the country, and once we get it right, we are good to go," Dr Ayikwei told the Daily Graphic. Industry outlook The President-elect of GHATOF, Seth Okrah, said the agreement was timely and would help position Ghanas tourism sector to meet international standards. He noted that while the industry was performing well, there was significant room for improvement through capacity-building in occupational health and safety. He added that strengthening staff competencies in safety standards would enhance service quality and boost the sectors global competitiveness. Featured Police crack Kusasi Chief murder case, arrest three suspects GNA Mar - 18 - 2026 , 09:04 2 minutes read The Ashanti South Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of the Kusasi Chief, Abdul-Malik Azenbe, with the arrest of three suspects believed to be directly involved in the crime. Chief Azenbe was shot and killed on the evening of Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Asawase F-Line in Kumasi. Eyewitnesses reported that two armed men on a motorcycle carried out the attack, with one wielding an AK-47 rifle. The incident sparked fear and grief across the local community and triggered an immediate response from law enforcement agencies. The suspects now in custody have been identified as Jamil Usman, also known as Babamu or Guru; Suleman Yasir Arafat, also known as Obasanjo; and Ashaidu Sumbieda, also known as Eyeshadow. Investigations by the Ashanti South Police Command have linked all three individuals to the murder of the Kusasi Chief. Suspects to be transferred Superintendent Stephen Antwi, the Regional Crime Officer, briefing the media at Asante Bekwai, said the suspects would be handed over to the Ashanti Regional Police Command, as the crime occurred within their jurisdiction. This arrest is the result of intensive investigative work and strong coordination among our officers. We are determined to ensure justice is served for the late Kusasi Chief and his family, Superintendent Antwi emphasised. Manhunt continues The Ashanti South Police Command has assured the public of a thorough investigation and urged anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward. Meanwhile, a manhunt is ongoing for other suspects believed to be connected to the attack. Featured President Mahama urges tenants to report landlords over illegal rent charges GraphicOnline Mar - 18 - 2026 , 12:46 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has called on tenants to report landlords who demand excessive rent advances, as he pushes for stricter enforcement of housing laws to curb widespread abuse in the rental market. Speaking during a meeting with organised labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, the President said the rising cost of accommodation was placing a growing strain on household incomes and worsening access to decent housing. Housing is a major problem, and for households, it is consuming their income. We need to have a national housing dialogue and decide how, between the private sector, government, and labour, we can come together and come up with a social housing policy to make sure that we provide affordable housing for workers to purchase on a mortgage or to be able to rent at a favourable cost, he stated. President Mahama linked the persistent demand for high rent advances to Ghanas housing deficit, noting that the imbalance between supply and demand had created room for exploitation by some property owners. The reason why the private house owners are taking advantage is because of the deficit in housing. We have the rent court, and we say do not take more than six months of rent advance, but the one who is renting and the house owner are both not prepared to go to the rent court, he added. He urged tenants to take advantage of existing legal mechanisms by reporting offending landlords, assuring that sanctions would be applied where necessary. You can go and report him to the rent court, and we will hold that landlord accountable, he emphasised. The Presidents remarks come against the backdrop of increasing public concern over the widespread practice of landlords demanding up to two years rent in advance, despite legal limits. The situation has been widely criticised as exploitative and a major barrier to affordable housing, particularly for low- and middle-income earners. President Mahama indicated that a broader national conversation on housing would be necessary to address the structural challenges in the sector, including the development of a comprehensive social housing policy that balances the interests of tenants, landlords and the state. Featured Parliament approves GH8.77bn DACF as MPs raise concerns over arrears and metro funding Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Mar - 18 - 2026 , 07:24 4 minutes read Parliament has approved the proposed 2026 formula for the distribution of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), with a total allocation of GH8.77 billion for the year. The figure represents an increase from the GH7.51 billion allocated in 2025, marking a 16.78 per cent rise. An amount of GH166.95 million has been earmarked for prioritised infrastructure and development projects in line with government policy objectives. The total allocation is based on five per cent of projected total revenue for 2026. Already, the Minister of Finance has made full and prompt releases totalling GH6.30 billion for all four quarters of 2025 to the DACF. Arrears raise concern Per the report of the DACF submitted to Parliament by the Administrator of the DACF, Michael Harry Yamson, the Fund drew the Houses attention to 2024 arrears of GH7.33 billion, based on total actual government revenue reported in the national accounts. We ask for Parliaments support to verify and recover the arrears, the report said. Revenue capping questioned The report said the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2025 (Act 1138) capped the share of the DACF at a maximum of five per cent, contrary to the stipulations of Article 252 of the Constitution, the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), and the decision of the Supreme Court of Ghana in the case brought by Benjamin Kpodo and Richard Quarshigah in 2019. We ask Parliament to take steps to review and remedy the capping of DACF allocations, the Fund appealed. Call for fiscal reforms The report pointed out that Ghana required a radical restructuring of its fiscal and governance architecture, anchored on a predictable and automatic transfer mechanism for funding the DACF, if decentralisation was to remain effective and relevant. The Fund therefore called on Parliament to implement such legislative reform in 2026. Education and intervention funding The formula allocated GH68.73 million for educational policies and programmes within selected districts. It also earmarked GH98.22 million for strategic or intervention projects aimed at addressing urgent development gaps and policy priorities. Reserved fund and support for distressed districts Per the report, about GH603.02 million has been set aside for a number of projects. This includes GH87.70 million allocated to support distressed districtsareas facing serious socio-economic and development challenges, including high poverty levels, limited access to basic services, and weak local revenue capacity. Such districts typically have fragile local economies and significant infrastructure deficits, including inadequate roads, schools, health facilities and water systems. They are also often exposed to climate risks, conflict and disasters, and may be difficult to access. Support for MPs oversight role The Fund also allocated GH263.0 million to support constituency monitoring and evaluation of projects by Members of Parliament. This amount would be shared equally among all MPs and shall be accounted for by MPs signing for the quarterly releases with documentary evidence of the usage of the funds, it said. Debate on distribution fairness Contributing to the motion, the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, welcomed the increase in the allocation for the equality factor from 20 per cent to 40 per cent. He said he believed that was the most significant achievement of the House. At least now we are sure that a lot of our deprived areas will have equality of opportunity in determining their own destinies, he said. On the needs factor, which has increased to 53 per cent, he said the adjustment meant that we should be able to manage each and every district in this country. For the seven per cent allocated for service pressure, he called for greater support for metropolitan and municipal assemblies. Mr Speaker, when you look at the formula and the allocation to each of the districts, you can see that the metropolitan assemblies clearly have been short-changed. So I believe that we should make special provisions for them now and going forward to top up some of the metropolitan assemblies, he appealed, he said. He warned that without such support, areas such as Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi and Tema could begin agitating for the creation of separate municipalities for each constituency. Call to clear arrears For his part, the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, said a key issue considered by the Committee of the Whole was the arrears, which had affected the completion of more than 4,767 legacy projects. He noted that the projects, spread across constituencies, reflected the impact of Members of Parliament. I want to urge the Finance Minister to take steps to pay the arrears so that these legacy projects can be completed so the communities can put them to the purpose for which they have been set up, he said. AMD is buying Samsung's HBM4 high-bandwidth memory for its upcoming "AI accelerator", the Instinct MI455X GPU, as well as 6th gen AMD Epyc CPUs codenamed Venice. AI data center operators can combine Instinct GPUs with Epyc CPUs and rack-scale architectures such as the AMD Helios platform to support next-gen AI systems. The memorandum of understanding between Samsung and AMD on these matters was announced today at Samsung's most advanced chip manufacturing complex in Pyeongtaek, Korea. The signing ceremony was attended by AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su and Samsung Electronics CEO and Vice Chairman Young Hyun Jun. Young Hyun Jun said: Samsung and AMD share a commitment to advancing AI computing, and this agreement reflects the growing scope of our collaboration. From industry-leading HBM4 and next-generation memory architectures to cutting-edge foundry and advanced packaging, Samsung is uniquely positioned to deliver unrivaled turnkey capabilities that support AMDs evolving AI roadmap. Dr. Lisa Su said: Powering the next generation of AI infrastructure requires deep collaboration across the industry. We are thrilled to expand our work with Samsung, bringing together their leadership in advanced memory with our Instinct GPUs, Epyc CPUs and rack-scale platforms. Integration across the full computing stack, from silicon to system to rack, is essential to accelerating AI innovation that translates into real-world impact at scale. Samsung's HBM4 is made on a 10nm process and a 4nm logic base die, and features processing speeds of up to 13Gbps and a maximum bandwidth of 3.3TBps. Samsung and AMD will also work together on high-performance DDR5 memory optimized for the 6th gen Epyc CPUs. The two companies will also "discuss opportunities for foundry partnership", the official press release says, "through which Samsung would provide foundry services for next-generation AMD products". Source Lenovo announced a trio of new Android tablets in China with some impressive specs. The Lenovo Y700 (Gen 5) is one of the first tablets to launch with Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. This is actually the same device as the Lenovo Legion Tab, which we got to spend time with at MWC. Alongside the Y700 (Gen 5), Lenovo also unveiled its Xiaoxin Pro 13 and Pro GT 13 slates, which bring high-res 13-inch IPS LCDs, big batteries and top-tier Snapdragon chipsets. Lenovo Legion Y700 (Gen 5) Legion Y700 (Gen 5) brings a compact 8.8-inch IPS LCD panel with 3,040 x 1,904px resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. Its main claim to fame is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which is paired with Lenovos Coldfront Vapor chamber cooling system. Lenovo Y700 (Gen 5) Despite the ongoing RAM shortage, Lenovo is offering the Y700 (Gen 5) with up to 24GB(!) of LPDDR5T RAM. The slate also brings up to 1TB UFS 4.1 Pro storage with storage expansion via the onboard microSD card. Lenovo Y700 (Gen 5) gets the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite 5 chipset And thats not all, the Y700 (Gen 5) also features not one but two (!) USB-C ports so you can charge while listening to audio via wired headphones or output video to a monitor. Theres also a dual-cell 9,000mAh battery with 68W wired charging support. Lenovo Y700 (Gen 5) brings dual USB-C ports and a 9,000 mAh dual-cell battery Lenovo Legion Y700 (Gen 5) comes in white and black colors and is listed at CNY 4,299 ($625) for the 12/256GB trim in China. The top-tier 24GB RAM and 1TB storage option will go for CNY 6,399 ($931). Open sales are scheduled for March 21. Lenovo Xiaoxin Pro 13 and Xiaoxin Pro GT 13 Lenovo Xiaoxin Pro 13 and Pro GT 13 share similar looks, and both feature 13-inch IPS LCDs with 3,504 x 2,190px resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. You get quad-speakers with JBL sound tuning and Dolby Atmos and support for Lenovos Pen Pro 2 stylus. The main difference between the two comes in the chipset and battery departments, with the Pro GT 13 getting Qualcomms Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 while the Pro 13 is equipped with 2024s Snapdragon 8 Elite. Both slates get up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB UFS 4.0 storage. In terms of battery capacity, the Pro GT 13 offers a larger 12,000mAh cell with speedier 68W charging, whereas the Pro 13 packs a 10,200mAh cell with 45W charging. Both also bring 13MP rear cameras, 8MP selfie shooters and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Xiaoxin Pro 13 starts at CNY 2,299 ($334) for the 8/128GB trim while Xiaoxin Pro GT will go for CNY 2,999 ($436). Both slates are scheduled to go on open sale in China from March 21. Government of Guam officials are pushing to rebuild Simon Sanchez High School despite a procurement protest and have filed declarations in support of approving a determination of substantial interest to move it forward. The Department of Public Works is seeking to have construction proceed despite a protest filed by General Pacific Services, GPS. But GPS said the project isnt delayed because of their procurement protest but because of GovGuam. DPW on Feb. 6 filed with the Office of Public Accountability a determination that proceeding with the award of the contract is necessary to protect GovGuams substantial interests. Upon OPAs confirmation, the determination would allow the project to proceed while a protest is pending. DPW identified significant risks associated with continued delay, including impacts on educational delivery, ongoing safety and facility concerns, and escalating construction costs. Both the Guam Department of Education and Attorney General Douglas Moylan concurred with the determination. General Pacific Services filed a notice of appeal on Feb. 9, asking OPA to reject DPWs written determination. OPA will have a hearing on the issue at 9:30 a.m. on March 20, and parties filed documents before the hearing date. Thousands affected Acting Education Superintendent Judith Won Pat, in a March 13 declaration in support of the determination of substantial interest, provided figures on how many people have been affected since Sanchez Highs closure in 2023 after Typhoon Mawar rendered the campus unusable. Won Pat said about 3,000 students and 282 faculty and staff are being affected. These include 1,342 students and 126 staff from Sanchez High, and 1,590 students and 146 staff from JFK High. Since Mawar hit, Sanchez High students have been sharing a campus with JFK High School students in Tamuning. Instructional time has decreased under double sessions, and teacher preparation time is also limited now because JFKHS teachers must leave immediately rather than preparing campus and classrooms for further activities, and SSHS teachers cannot come on campus early to prepare for instruction and activities, Won Pat said. The double-session arrangement also affects family logistics, she said. Many families have limited transportation resources, and some students rely on a single household vehicle or school bus transportation to travel to and from school. Lost students to other schools Simon Sanchez High has lost about 250 students to other schools because of the half-day schedule, she said. Won Pat added that double sessions add considerably to GDOEs expenses because bus drivers work extra, which means GDOE pays them overtime. The campus landlord is also charging GDOE extra for holding double sessions. She said while Sanchez students have been able to adapt the last three years, a permanent home is needed. A campus is not a luxury. It is the foundation of the entire educational structure, Won Pat said. Students resilience must not be used as justification to deny them the resources, support, services, and opportunities they deserve. She said the timely construction of a permanent Sanchez High School is important to restoring stable educational operations for the students and families served by that school. Set back by years DPW Director Vince Arriola also filed a declaration in support of the determination, saying Sanchez High students have already experienced significant disruption to their educational environment. Minimizing additional disruption to students and restoring a permanent educational facility as soon as practicable is therefore a substantial government interest, he said. Arriola said if the award of the project is delayed pending the full resolution of the protest, along with subsequent appeals, the project could be set back by years. He also pointed to public construction projects being susceptible to cost escalation when procurement timelines are extended. Delaying the award therefore creates a risk that the government may incur significant additional public expenditures while facing additional delays in completing the project, Arriola said. He said GovGuams interest in timely completion of the project outweighs the interest in delaying the award pending final resolution of the protest. Arriola therefore issued a written determination to authorize the award of the contract pending resolution of protest. GPS: Delay caused by GovGuam Attorney Joshua Walsh, representing General Pacific Services, argued that the project isnt delayed because of the protest, but because of GovGuam. He said the delay began a decade ago when the original losing bidder, Core Tech International, protested, appealed, and litigated the original procurement to a halt. That protest was resolved two years after a settlement, but DPW didnt issue a new bid for Simon Sanchez reconstruction until March 21, 2025 or seven years after resolving the first protest, Walsh wrote. He pointed out that DPW allowed the procurement stays to remain in place, even as the project languished and delays mounted year after year. Walsh said Guams procurement law establishes a mandatory automatic stay provision that protects the integrity of the protest process. The public auditor must confirm an agencys necessity determination and if any element to override the automatic stay is not met, then there is not an adequate showing of necessity, he argued. DPWs findings rely on generalized assertions of adverse impact, rather than on specific, imminent threats or unique facts compelling enough to warrant lifting the statutory stay, Walsh said. He also used the protests when a new JFK High School was being built as an example of what OPA previously did in this situation. DPW attempted to justify the override of the automatic stay on a number of issues similar to those raised in the current case, and all of them failed, Walsh said. Similar to the JFK cases, it is a truism that this project serves the public interest, but with 10 years of prior delay, it is not reasonable to override a nascent procurement stay that is in place to uphold the integrity of the project, Walsh said. GPS is requesting OPA to reject DPWs written determination and confirm the automatic stay until final resolution of their protests and related appeal. Schoolyard tactic Assistant Attorney General Patrick Lalor, in response to Walshs arguments, argued the government would be harmed by the delay. The record here demonstrates precisely the type of circumstances contemplated by that statute: a major public school construction project affecting thousands of students, teachers, and families, where additional delay would prolong significant operational disruption within the public school system, Lalor said. He said the argument that the rebuild project has already been delayed so the government can tolerate more delays goes against the statute. The fact that the project has already experienced substantial delay underscores the governments interest in avoiding further delay, not the opposite. The statute does not require the government to accept still more postponement simply because the project has already been delayed, Lalor said. He also argued that since GPS didnt prevail in the case, it now seeks to exact its revenge by employing the typical schoolyard tactic of, He started it. Such behavior should be not countenanced. General Pacific Services filed with DPW a procurement protest last year after Public Works said it awarded the contract to Core Tech International to rebuild Sanchez High School. General Pacific Services also filed an appeal with OPA earlier this year. The company raised concerns about DPW allegedly ignoring its procurement protest over incomplete procurement records and awarding a contract well above the cap set by law. Later on, it also alleged a secret project between DPW and Core Tech. It was referring to a separate campus demolition contract, even though, according to the company, the demolition work was originally included within the scope of the main procurement that General Pacific Services and Core Tech had already bid on. A procurement protest triggers a mandatory project pause until the protest is resolved. Core Tech and DPW halted the groundbreaking for the project last year after GPS filed the protest. The Guam Waterworks Authority wants another $5.27 million to put towards the permanent treatment of three water wells contaminated with cancer-linked pesticide dieldrin, and has shut down a fourth well. GWA shared details with the Consolidated Commission on Utilities on Tuesday afternoon. The waterworks authority wants the additional funds on top of $7.4 million already authorized to treat Yigo water well Y-15, Dededo well D-17, and Mangilao well M-4, GWA assistant general manager for engineering Brett Railey told the CCU. Railey said additional funds will also be used to route water from Mangilao well M-3 into the treatment system at nearby well M-4. When we shut down well M-4, we saw an uptick in the amount of contaminant in M-4, which resulted in us shutting that well down, Railey told the CCU. Railey did not specify if it was dieldrin that shut down M-3, whether the well exceeded limits on dieldrin set by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, or when the well was turned off. Clarification was pending from GWA on Wednesday. CCU members voted unanimously to approve the additional funding. It bumps the total amount to treat the now four wells for dieldrin up to $12.67 million. Mangilao wells Both M-4 and M-3 are located in the Adacao area off Route 15, near the Marbo Cave area. Water quality samples from M-4 previously came in above the 0.2 parts per billion level of dieldrin where Guam EPA deems increased risk of cancer unacceptable. Several Mangilao wells near M-4 were above 50% of that 0.2 ppb level, GWA told senators at an oversight hearing last October. The M-4 well was shut down last October. Its unclear when M-3 was shut off. Railey on Tuesday said the additional $5.27 million GWA wants for treatment will help cover the cost to run a water transmission line from well M-3 to the treatment system already planned at well M-4. A treatment system at M-4 will need additional capacity to treat water from well M-3, according to Railey. He said the treatment system for well M-4 will also need dust barriers and other controls due to the presence of endangered snails, additional fencing, and relocation of a granular activated carbon filtration system to the site. That work is expected to be done by June 30, along with a permanent treatment system for Yigo water well Y-15, according to Railey. At Y-15, more funds are needed to install a larger concrete pad, piping and valving. Railey said the Yigo water well will also get four small granular activated carbon vessels instead of two larger ones, to allow for faster delivery to the island. Y-15, across Upi Elementary School near the back gate to Andersen Air Force Base, has the highest levels of dieldrin of any GWA well on the island. It had an interim treatment system installed last October. Dededo well treatment Meanwhile, Railey said well D-17 in Dededo will be the new home for the interim granular activated carbon treatment system at Yigos Y-15. The Dededo well will need a larger concrete support, new piping and other miscellaneous work for the relocation. He said the Dededo well wont have permanent treatment done until Sept. 30. Located near the Northern Community Health Center, D-17 was shut off last July due to dieldrin contamination. Railey said besides those modifications, the additional $5.27 GWA is requesting will help pay for three additional granular activated carbon treatment systems that will be able to treat up to 600 gallons per minute, each. We want to have a capacity available to us on island. Should we have another well with a problem, we wanted to immediately have vessels available, he said. Railey said funding for the additional work will come from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant money, and GWA bond funds. Dieldrin widespread Railey previously called dieldrin widespread among the 120 water wells that GWA has around the island, with 92 or 93 of them containing traces of the pesticide. Most have low levels of the chemical present, below the amounts found in Y-15, M-4, and D-17. GWAs planned islandwide treatment system for PFAS, another contaminant, will also treat for dieldrin. Hundreds of residents in recent months have taken to filing claims of up to $500,000 each against GWA and Guam EPA over exposure to dieldrin, with the help of former attorney general Leevin Camachos law firm. Camacho and his family are impacted by highly contaminated Yigo well Y-15. GWA and Guam EPA were notified by the US EPA of contamination in a number of wells across Guam as early as 2012. Yigo residents first got notices about the dieldrin contamination last September, while GWA has not publicly announced notices of contamination for residents served by M-4 and D-17. The heads of both local agencies have attributed delayed notice to a changeover in leadership and staff after the 2012 notice, which was made during the Calvo administration. Guam EPA Administrator Michelle Lastimoza told senators last October that the US EPA only notified her agency about dieldrin during a 2023 inspection. She said regulations on the chemical, banned in the 1980s, were put on the back burner after Typhoon Mawar struck in 2023. Guam EPA regulations for dieldrin kicked in last August. The agency is currently investigating the source of the long-banned contaminant, used as a pesticide and specifically to prevent termites. Previously contaminated soils disturbed by new construction are suspected. In Yigo, Superfund cleanup sites associated with Andersen Air Force Base are being eyed as a possible source, though the agency must also collect samples from outside the base. Ken Quintanilla has been tapped to lead the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross as its new executive director. He officially started in his new role on March 9. The American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region, in an announcement Wednesday, said Quintanilla brings more than 17 years of experience in communications, community engagement and public service across media, government and the private sector. Quintanillas career has been defined by building trust, strengthening partnerships and serving the island he calls home, Red Cross said. Born and raised on Guam, Quintanilla said he is honored to join an organization that has long supported the island through emergencies, training and vital community programs. Im truly humbled to serve Guam through the American Red Cross and especially excited to work closely with our incredible volunteers and partners. My experiences have shaped my understanding of what the Red Cross means to our island and our people, a force for good and a source of hope every time we mobilize for our neighbors, uplift our families, and lead with compassion, Quintanilla said in a statement. Quintanilla is a University of Guam communications graduate who began his career as a KUAM News reporter covering elections, typhoons, and major community issues. He later served in public relations at Docomo Pacific, leading public outreach during outages and emergencies. Quintanilla also served the lieutenant governors office and Bank of Guam, where he strengthened nonprofit partnerships and advanced regional community initiatives. The position was previously held by Chita Blaise, who retired on Nov. 30 after 27 years with the Red Cross. Im honored to carry forward the legacy built over the years while bringing renewed energy to our mission, strengthening our connections, and ensuring families are prepared, supported, and cared for when they need us most, Quintanilla said. Humanitarian mission, services As executive director, Quintanilla will serve as the face of the Red Cross on Guam, helping deepen community understanding of the organizations humanitarian mission and services, the organization said. He will build and steward relationships with elected officials, community leaders and partners to support humanitarian mission delivery, volunteer engagement, preparedness and disaster response capacity. Quintanilla will also lead chapter fundraising, including board engagement, donor stewardship and support for regional revenue goals. He will work closely with the Red Cross Guam Chapter board, to empower the community to come together and support volunteers who represent the Red Cross in villages across the island. Quintanilla will also serve in the elected officials liaison network, supporting disaster responses locally, regionally and nationally. Kens connections to the island, combined with his experience and genuine care for the community, make him an exceptional fit to lead the Guam Chapter into the next phase, said Jeff Cook, American Red Cross Guam Chapter board chair. His passion for service and his commitment to strengthening partnerships built on a strong legacy will help ensure the Red Cross remains a trusted and vital presence for people across Guam. The American Red Cross Guam Chapter said it has proudly served communities for 109 years and delivers vital humanitarian services across the island, including disaster preparedness education, emergency response, recovery assistance, lifesaving training and support to military members and their families. Every day, people look to the American Red Cross to help them through crises of all kinds, fires that force families from their homes, medical emergencies requiring lifesaving CPR, typhoon disaster response and recovery, and countless other tragedies. Thanks to the volunteers who step up to help their neighbors and to generous donors, the Red Cross Guam Chapter has been able to meet the most urgent needs in times of disaster and helped our community be prepared for the worst, the organization said. For more information about the work of the American Red Cross on Guam or to learn how to get involved, visit redcross.org or call 1800REDCROSS. Guam Education Board member Angel Sablan on Tuesday said a plan to temporarily merge Simon Sanchez High School and Tiyan High School is a disaster, and called for the plan to be rescinded if it is not correct since it didnt have board approval. Sablan, who previously served as board chairman, accused the Guam Department of Education management team of announcing the plan to senators without first notifying the board. During our last board meeting, we specifically asked about the status of Simon Sanchez, JFK, and the double-session plan. At that time, you said it wasnt ready to discuss publicly, not even with the board. Yet now its announced without our knowledge, Sablan said during the boards meeting Tuesday. Acting Education Superintendent Judi Won Pat said GDOE had originally intended to announce the plan at the end of March or beginning of April. Unfortunately, during the legislature hearing, we were asked, and we could not lie. The announcement had to be made, Won Pat said at the board meeting. The principals have been working hard, even over the weekend, with the Department of Public Works to manage details. Leadership of both schools is working diligently to ensure a smooth transition. Sablan said he has received calls and texts from parents, asking whats going on. If stakeholders were involved, I want to see the minutes of those meetings. I want to see the minutes, said Sablan, who is also director of the Department of Parks and Recreation and is running for senator. Sablan warned that the merger could create chaos for students and staff. This is going to be a disasterthis is a slap in the face of Tiyan and Simon Sanchez students, he said. We need to know when this decision was made. Won Pat and her team announced during a March 9 oversight hearing at the Guam Congress Building that Sanchez High would merge with Tiyan High at the Barrigada campus for the School Year 20262027. The combined campus is projected to serve about 2,300 students and will provide shared access to academic programs such as career pathways and Advanced Placement courses. The plan also includes relocating some middle school students and adding temporary classrooms at F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School to restore full-day schedules. The merger will remain until a new Simon Sanchez High School is built in Yigo, though procurement protests could delay construction for years. Rescind plan The board had not approved the merger, Sablan said. Now students from two schools are being forced together. I hope the superintendent will rescind this plan if it is not correct, because it puts the board in a bad light, he said. How did the board approve merging two schools when we were never even asked? He raised concerns about school identity and morale. Administrators, teachers, and students are proud to be Titans or Sharks. This merger could entrench conflicts. Even if F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School is completed, were 0% ready in terms of equipment and materials. Whats the use of completing a campus if students cannot use it as intended? Sablan questioned the use of Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, funds for temporary classrooms. There are already 20 temporary classrooms funded with $8 million. If these classrooms were intended for Simon Sanchez, how can they be used for F.B. Leon Guerrero students? he said. Are we requesting a waiver or exemption? I dont want the board or community to face repayment issues because of mismanagement. He also raised concerns about board oversight and leadership. I heard the superintendents report, and Ive got a headache. Millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars. Yet theres things I didnt hear on your report that I know have come up or were on our last agenda. First, whats the status of your contract? Nothing. I know that they asked for the minutes which Kat was able to deliver last week. So were just waiting for it from them. 90-day acting appointment Sablan raised the issue of Won Pats 90-day acting superintendent appointment, warning of a leadership gap. Your 90 days are coming up at the end of March, and so the board does not meet until April, so theres going to be a gap there. So the pleasure of the board, do we act today at this meeting to do another acting appointment just in case? Or would a deputy thats here now being appointed as an acting...just bring that up because I dont want to come to the point where we dont have an acting superintendent, Sablan said. He noted the lack of communication regarding a double-session plan. We all want the double session to end. But we were never told youre going to merge two schools into one and call them the Tiyan Sharks, Sablan said. I want to see when that decision was made, because as far as yesterday, as youll see, or we havent come to a conclusion. You denounced it yet its not also in your report. He stressed the legacy and success of the schools involved. We all knew it (Tiyan High) was a temporary school to help when other schools are being repaired, refurbished or reconstructed, but we all forgot what the purpose of teaching high school was. Now that youre a living institution with accolades from all over the place about how successful their students are, were going to immerse them with another school, he said. Simon Sanchez High School, on its own, is also a very successful high school. You see all the accolades for that school. Despite the fact that theyre in a double-session, they are succeeding. Other board members said the merger is a temporary measure and falls under the superintendents operational authority. The plan allows both schools to retain their identities once students return to their original campuses, and the board hired Won Pat to make operational decisions while their role is limited to setting policy. By law, the board is responsible for policy but should not interfere in departmental operations, and described the merger as an operational matter. Madam Superintendent, its not that I am asking for board approval. I am asking for respect and transparency, Sablan said. The community is asking why the board approved this, and we have nothing to do with approval. We were simply not informed. He added that the boards resolution to use the recently decommissioned LBJ Elementary School remains valid. If it will not be implemented, he said, it must be returned to the board to formally rescind the resolution. The board ultimately approved the superintendents report and confirmed 2026 GDOE standing committee assignments. The extension of the voluntary monitoring of private communication on the internet by online platforms in the EU has failed. Negotiators from EU states and the parliament could not agree on a compromise, as a spokeswoman for the Cypriot Council Presidency announced on Monday. Continue after ad The current regulation, also known as voluntary chat control, expires on April 3rd. A temporary exception to European data protection rules allows messaging services to scan message histories to detect prohibited depictions of child sexual abuse. Long-term solution sought The EU is actually aiming for a long-term solution for legal provisions to protect children on the internet, which should enable providers to search their users' communications for depictions of child abuse. As negotiations on this are stalled, the current, but temporary, exception was to be extended again. MEPs in the European Parliament voted last week to extend the rules until August 3, 2027. Furthermore, their proposal provides for only controlling users identified as suspects by judicial authorities, thus no longer scanning all chats across the board. No compromise However, the EU states wanted to establish the voluntary and far-reaching control by apps and platforms as a permanent solution by law and were rebuffed in parliament for it. Three years after coming into force, the EU Commission was then to examine whether an obligation for providers would still be necessary. Both sides apparently could not agree on a compromise. MEP Birgit Sippel (SPD), responsible for the law in the European Parliament, announced that, given the expiring transitional regulation, law enforcement agencies must be strengthened and their capacities for the proportionate combating of the dissemination of material on child sexual abuse on the internet expanded. This brings efforts for a long-term solution back into focus. Continue after ad Providers of messaging services automatically scan their platforms for digital traces of child pornography. Because this violates the EU directive on the protection of privacy, the EU hastily created an exception rule in 2021. The obligation for messengers to monitor chats without cause, which was significantly driven by the EU Commission, had failed due to the resistance of some member states, including Germany. The voluntary option was intended to ensure on a transitional basis that providers could continue their scans. (vbr) 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. Larijani is the most senior Iranian official murdered by Israel since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the first strikes together with his family and grandchildren at the start of the illegal US-Israeli war on 28 February . The council described Larijanis death as martyrdom, stating he died after a lifetime of striving for the elevation of Iran, according to remarks carried by Mehr news agency. Irans Supreme National Security Council confirmed that its secretary, Ali Larijani , was killed in an Israeli air strike, while state media also reported the death of Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani . Iranian authorities said Larijani was killed alongside his son, aides, and bodyguards. Israel has not released operational details but has described the attack as part of a campaign against Irans leadership. Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would continue targeting senior figures and infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes aimed to weaken Irans ruling system and create conditions for internal change. We eliminated Ali Larijani, he said in a televised statement. Irans army chief, Amir Hatami, warned of retaliation, stating there would be a decisive, deterrent, and regretful response. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had already launched retaliatory missiles towards Israel following the strike. In Israel, emergency services reported that two people were killed in a missile attack on the Tel Aviv area. Authorities said multiple sites were hit, including residential buildings. The killing of Larijani follows a series of targeted strikes on Iranian leadership figures. At least ten senior officials have been killed since the conflict began, according to compiled reports. Larijani held key roles over several decades. He served as speaker of parliament from 2008 to 2020 and acted as Irans chief nuclear negotiator. He returned to the centre of power in 2025 as head of the Supreme National Security Council. He was also one of the chief negotiators in the earlier rounds of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States. He was seen days before his death attending a rally in Tehran. In a recent message, he urged Muslim countries to support Iran and questioned their response to the conflict. Deliberately targeting and killing political leaders who do not have an active role as combatants is a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocol I (1977) to those Conventions, interpreted together with customary international humanitarian law. Gholamreza Soleimani led the Basij militia, a paramilitary force used for internal security and mobilisation. Iranian media described him as a key figure in organising domestic defence during the war. Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the deaths would not destabilise the countrys political system. The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure, he told Al Jazeera. The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure. He said the system continued to function after the death of the supreme leader and would do so again. If anyone else is martyred, it will be the same, he said. Araghchi also said the conflict was not initiated by Iran and held the United States responsible for its consequences. This war is not our war, he said. The United States started it. HT Contractor pulls out of Fairmont-Cedars project View the Slideshow Related Stories The construction crane at the stalled Cedars Lodge & Spa building site is going away and so is the general contractor on the job, officials say. Crews with a crane-rigging company worked in a cold rain Monday afternoon to begin the process of removing the crane that has stood for more than a year at the Cedars Lodge & Spa development on North Church Street. A man working on the removal told a Lightning reporter that the crew hoped to take down the crane by Friday. The North Main Street sales office for the Cedars was closed on Monday afternoon. Hendersonville City Manager John Connet said city officials learned last week that the developer of the Cedars, Gregg Covin, was seeking new financing and demobilizing the projects general contractor, Turner Construction Co. We were contacted by the developer late last week, Thursday or Friday, to say Turner was demobilizing. They were leaving the site, Connet said. Our understanding is he is still working on additional financing to complete the project. Connet said Carolina Specialties Construction in Hendersonville will be taking over security of the site. The city, he added, has no role in the future of the development. Our only responsibility would be if the site was totally abandoned, we would have to protect the safety of the public, he said. City officials hope developers will be able to obtain financing the finish the project, Connet said. The Lightning was unable to reach Tom Shipman, owner of the property that includes the historic Cedars hotel and the land around it bordered by North Church Street, U.S. 64 West and Buncombe Street, or his daughter Amy, who is sales director for the Cedars-Fairmont project. Covin presided over several successful developments in Miami, including the 709-foot One Thousand Museum skyscraper, completed in 2018; the 50-story Ten Museum Park tower, a mixed-use tower on the downtown Miami waterfront; and Covins Anglers Hotel, a large urban revitalization project. He is married to Tom and Fran Shipmans daughter Shelley. The Shipman family, Covin and investor Brian M. Gaines unveiled plans for the Fairmont Heritage Place-The Cedars in partnership with the renowned global hotel chain in 2022. The 127-unit luxury residential community is set to transform the mountain city that has become the preferred second-home destination for generations of South Floridians and Northeasterners, due to its central East Coast setting and friendly outdoor culture, Fairmont said in a news release in June of that year. The real estate sales campaign for the condos has billed the units as The Finest Residences in Western North Carolina. The construction site has appeared to be mostly abandoned for months. Last year, both Tom Shipman and Amy Shipman said a Duke Energy order requiring a major change in how power meters were installed caused a months-long delay in work on site. As recently as January, Amy Shipman said the project was restarting. We have overcome the slowdown from dealing with fallout from Hurricane Helene and Duke Power requiring us to change the planned meter and transformer system, she told a WLOS-TV. We are targeting summer 2026 to complete the first building and winter 2027 to complete the second building and open the rest of the project. We have sold 66 units. Planning board endorses rezoning for affordable housing A large builder of affordable housing developments is seeking city zoning approval to construct a 77-unit apartment building on Mitchelle Drive next to Shroaders Honda. [CITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT] The city could make a dent in the areas affordable housing deficit if the Hendersonville City Council authorizes a rezoning on Mitchelle Drive near Four Seasons Boulevard. Related Stories A large developer of affordable housing projects won the city planning boards endorsement last week of its plan to construct a four-story 77-unit building on a 3.32-acre tract of commercial property on a hill overlooking I-26. Ohio-based Woda Cooper Companies Inc. petitioned the city to rezone 238 Mitchelle Drive from C-3 Highway Business to Urban Residential Conditional Zoning District. The developer is seeking federal low income housing tax credits through the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to fund the project, called Laurel Meadows. The proposed four-story apartment building would include 13 one-bedroom, 48 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom units all reserved for households earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income. The 110,000-square-foot structure, next to Shroaders Honda and near the Outback Steakhouse, would rise to nearly 48 feet at its peak. The areas total housing need has been estimated at 7,086 new units by 2030; 1,855 are under construction and 4,219 have been approved, leaving a gap of 2,867 total units, Matthew Manley, the citys long-range planning manager, told the planning board. Of the projected need for 2,648 affordable dwellings, just 60 are in place. Those are the Hawkins Pointe senior housing apartments, a Woda Cooper project on U.S. 64 West across from UNC Health Pardee. Ninety-five affordable units are under construction and 551 have been approved, leaving a gap of 2,097 affordable dwellings. Tommy Lowmon, Woda Coopers senior vice president for land acquisition and development, told the planning board that the corporation, founded in 1990, has developed 400 affordable or senior housing complexes and has more than 18,000 units under management. We develop, we construct, we manage, and we do not sell our properties, Lowmon said. We own them in perpetuity. There are a lot of developers that come in and build, and in three to five years, they sell, or they third-party manage. The people youre dealing with today are the people youd be dealing with from here on out. If you guys approve this and were allowed to build this development, we want to make sure were good neighbors. Although it recommended the rezoning in a unanimous vote, the planning board added 10 conditions only some of which had the consent of the developer involving stormwater runoff, traffic and landscaping. A member of the city Tree Board told the planning board the construction would remove too much tree canopy. Two neighboring business owners also expressed concern about the development. Jack Levine, whose family has owned and operated Camp Pinewood since 1967, was concerned that the develop could compromise the quality and volume of water that feeds the camps lake. Weve had development on that property many, many years ago, and it did affect the water volume through the springhead and onto our lake, Levine said. We have no idea what will happen if this construction continues, but we do know that theyre going to be disturbing the land once again and theres going to be asphalt. Crystal Schroader, the granddaughter of Schroaders Honda founders Catherine and Leonard Schroader, feared the traffic safety consequences 77 residential units would bring to the narrow road that winds up a hill. Mitchelle Drive is basically a one-lane road, she said. We have motorcycle customers come in and out, and thats a blind curve there, and so its already difficult for our customers and motorcycles and side-by-sides. And if youre adding 100 plus vehicles a day to basically a one-lane road, thats pretty dangerous. Theyve tried to purchase some of our land because they know that they dont have enough room for parking. The rezoning request would go next to the Hendersonville City Council for a final up-or-down vote. Assyrian Patriarch Meets Indian Consul in North Iraq The Indian Consulate in Arba'ilo (Erbil) hosted a meeting on Tuesday between Mar Awa III and the Consul General of the Republic of India, Brijesh Kumar, as part of efforts to strengthen dialogue and enhance joint cooperation. The meeting addressed the broader situation in the Middle East amid escalating security and humanitarian challenges. Both sides stressed the serious repercussions of these crises not only for the region but also for the wider world. They underscored the negative role of extremism in fueling conflicts and highlighted the need to intensify international efforts to promote a culture of peace and build bridges of understanding among peoples. The two sides reviewed the long-standing history of the Assyrian Church of the East in southern India, as well as the spiritual and cultural ties linking it to local communities there, reflecting the deep-rooted historical presence of Christianity in the region. The meeting also discussed arrangements for a forthcoming visit by the Patriarch to India, where he is set to participate in celebrations organized by the Assyrian Church of the East Diocese, scheduled to take place after Easter, in a step aimed at strengthening ecclesiastical ties and affirming the Church's spiritual presence in the country. The meeting highlighted the importance of dialogue between religious and diplomatic leadership at a time of growing need for initiatives that promote peace and foster closer ties among peoples. In other news, Patriarch Mar Awa III sent a message to the Locum Tenens of the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate, offering condolences to the Patriarchate, the Georgian Orthodox Holy Synod, clergy, and faithful on the passing of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia. In his message, Patriarch Mar Awa III emphasized the late Patriarch's dedicated service to the Church, noting his profound devotion, sincerity, and love for his people throughout a journey that spanned more than six decades of leadership. Following years of severe sanctions, the United States will now allow U.S. companies to do business with Venezuela's state-owned oil and gas company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). The Treasury Department eased some sanctions on the company on Wednesday, allowing PDVSA to directly sell Venezuelan oil to U.S. companies and on global markets. The Treasury's license is designed to incentivize new investment in Venezuela's energy sector and seeks to benefit both the United States and Venezuela while increasing global oil supply, a Treasury official told The Associated Press. In addition, the White House said the Trump administration would waive for 60 days the Jones Act, a century-old law requiring ships transporting goods between U.S. ports to be U.S.-built, owned and crewed, effectively limiting foreign vessels from domestic trade. As noted by the outlet, the law has long been blamed for making gas more expensive. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Jones Act waiver would help "mitigate short-term disruptions to the oil market" during the Iran war and would "allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports." The price of crude oil continues to rise following the United States and Israel's attack on Iran, pushing gasoline prices higher. In just one month, the price of a gallon of gas has increased by more than 80 cents, averaging $3.842 per gallon, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA). The ongoing military conflict has also caused a significant decrease in ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route between the United Arab Emirates and Iran, where about 20% of the world's oil typically passes, as reported by NPR. As noted by The Associated Press, although the license granted by the Treasury Department provides targeted relief from sanctions, it does not lift the penalties entirely. It allows companies that existed before Jan. 29, 2025, to buy Venezuelan oil and engage in transactions that would normally be banned under U.S. sanctions, allowing Venezuela, which has the largest oil reserves in the world, to reenter global markets. Since the U.S. launched a military operation on Jan. 3 to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump has said his administration would "run" Venezuela and its oil. As expected, the decision to allow U.S. companies to buy Venezuelan oil comes with its own set of rules. As noted by The Associated Press, payments cannot go directly to sanctioned Venezuelan entities such as PDVSA, but must instead be sent to a U.S.-controlled account, allowing the United States to oversee the cash flow. The report also notes that deals involving Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and some Chinese entities will not be allowed. Similarly, transactions involving Venezuelan debt or bonds will not be permitted. Originally published on Latin Times In Brief: The Autograph Collection is set to extend its portfolio with the addition of UNFRAMED, a new luxury boutique hotel, scheduled to commence operations in Miami Beach in April 2026. UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection - Image Credit Marriott International UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection is scheduled to open at 1685 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach in April 2026, featuring 149 guest rooms, a rooftop pool, and the first Vilebrequin La Plage restaurant and bar in North America. Key Details UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection will open in April 2026 at 1685 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. The property will offer 149 guest rooms and suites, all with private balconies or outdoor terraces. The hotel includes a rooftop pool, a fourth-floor open-air atrium, and a signature rooftop restaurant and bar, Vilebrequin La Plage, opening in May 2026. The hotel is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection portfolio. Location The hotel is located at 1685 Washington Avenue in the mid-South Beach area of Miami Beach. It is situated near Soundscape Park, the New World Symphony Center, The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre, and The Bass Museum of Art. The property is approximately a 20-minute drive from Miami International Airport and is within easy reach of Wynwood, the Design District, and downtown Miami. Development UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection portfolio. The property is described as the first premium, lifestyle property to open on Washington Avenue in the last decade. The hotels architectural design features undulating white curves on the exterior and interiors with elements such as smooth stone, brushed metal, and wood cabinetry. Guest rooms include king and double queen configurations, with a presidential suite spanning more than 700 square feet. The fourth-floor atrium courtyard is open to the sky and features greenery, water features, and seating areas. Dining and Amenities The hotel will offer a rooftop restaurant and bar, Vilebrequin La Plage, in partnership with French resortwear brand Vilebrequin. The 18,000-square-foot venue was designed by Vincent Darre and developed with 34th Floor and Schulte F&B Group. Executive Chef Gregory Gourreau will oversee a menu inspired by southern France and local South Florida produce. Vilebrequin La Plage Miami is scheduled to open in May 2026 and is the brands first U.S. location, following venues in Cannes, Crete, Doha, and Oman. Meetings and Events UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection will provide indoor and outdoor event spaces for up to 100 guests, including a rooftop pool terrace, a fourth-floor atrium, and the first-floor Soundscape room. The property has partnerships with Soundscape Park and the Miami Beach Convention Center for meetings and events. Timeline UNFRAMED, Autograph Collection is scheduled to open in April 2026. The rooftop restaurant and bar, Vilebrequin La Plage Miami, is scheduled to open in May 2026. In Brief: IHG has disclosed plans for 62 new hotels in Mexico, indicating a significant expansion in the country's hospitality sector. Six Senses XALA - Image Credit IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced a development pipeline of 62 hotels with 8,600 rooms in Mexico, adding to its current portfolio of 187 open hotels and 30,000 rooms in the country as of December 31, 2025. IHG Hotels & Resorts reports that Mexico is its fifth-largest market globally by open hotels and rooms, with 187 hotels and 30,000 rooms currently operating across the country. The company has 62 additional hotels with 8,600 rooms in its development pipeline in Mexico. IHG has maintained a presence in Mexico for more than 50 years, beginning with the opening of the first Holiday Inn in Acapulco in 1970. In the past five years, the company has added more than 6,000 rooms across 14 brands in the country. The companys brand portfolio in Mexico includes properties in the Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials, and Suites categories. IHG has stated its ambition to nearly double its growth pace in Mexico over the next few years. Recent and upcoming property openings include Kimpton Mas Olas Todos Santos in the Baja Sur peninsula, the forthcoming all-inclusive Mayan Riviera resort Kimpton Tres Rios, and the recently opened Hotel Indigo Playa del Carmen. The InterContinental brand is returning to Monterrey, and InterContinental Miyana Mexico City is scheduled to open soon. Six Senses Xala in the Costalegre region is projected to open in 2027. IHG plans to open a new MLAC region headquarters in Guadalajara in the spring, with staffing expected to grow from 40 colleagues to 200 by the end of 2026. The companys growth strategy in Mexico includes expanding its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio across Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with development activity spanning major urban centers, resort destinations, and regional markets. Pittsfield Cultural Council Announces 2026 Grant Awards PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Pittsfield Cultural Council (PCC) has awarded grants to a group of organizations, groups, and individuals who will provide creative experiences for community members of all ages this year. Through funding provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), the PCC is supporting 48 projects that span a wide range of disciplines, including visual arts, music, theater, dance, literature, and community events. Projects will take place throughout 2026. The PCC is among 329 local councils that receive annual allocations from the MCC, a state agency dedicated to providing grassroots funding for projects in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. Each fall, the local council reviews applications and awards grants to projects that align with its mission of fostering a vibrant and accessible local arts and culture scene. Non-profits, businesses, government agencies, and individuals are encouraged to apply for grants for 2027 through the MCC website, which typically begins accepting project proposals in early September. Pittsfield Cultural Council Grant Awards for 2026 Lenox Library Will Host a Know Your Rights Presentation LENOX, Mass. Lenox Library will host a Know Your Rights presentation with Berkshire Immigrant Center on Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public and will take place at Lenox Library, 18 Main Street. This presentation will provide practical information to empower both immigrants and allies. A caseworker from Berkshire Immigrant Center will explain the key legal rights of anyone interacting with immigration enforcement agents, including the role of warrants and how to interpret them. They also will clarify the legal boundaries around bystander support and what to do if someone is detained. A Q&A will follow the presentation. Berkshire Immigrant Center's (BIC) mission is to advocate for the rights of all immigrants by helping them navigate the complex U.S. immigration system with affordable legal services, local resources, and education. BIC serves over 800 clients annually with three caseworkers. OLLI at BCC Announces Upcoming Distinguished Speakers Series Events PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College will host two presentations in its Distinguished Speakers Series on March 24 and March 26, featuring authors and scholars discussing the impact of electricity and the history of regional poverty. Evolutionary Impact of Electricity On Tuesday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m., author Steven Reed Nelson will present "How Electricity Is Affecting Human Evolution." Nelson, a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School, argues that electricity functions as a "new fire" that enables modern human evolution beyond natural selection. Nelson's research, informed by anthropological work in the Peruvian Andes and his career in electrical technologies, suggests that human actions in an electrified environment can override Darwinian states of nature. The talk will address how this transition relates to surviving existential threats such as climate change. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held at BCC and streamed on Zoom. History of Poverty in the Berkshires On Thursday, March 26 at 5:30 p.m., Cynthia Farr Brown will present "Poor in the Berkshires: Poverty and Public Relief Before 1935." Brown, the president of the Board of Directors of the Berkshire County Historical Society, will use primary records to examine how the region supported or excluded those in need from the mid-18th century to the Great Depression. Brown holds a doctorate in United States history and currently serves as Senior Associate Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. Her presentation will analyze legal and customary responses to food and housing insecurity during the settlement of the region. Admission is $10 for OLLI members and the general public. Entry is free for students and staff from BCC, MCLA, and Williams, as well as youth under 17 and holders of EBT/SNAP, WIC, or ConnectorCare cards. Registration Information 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 In December last year, some 2,000 Chinese fishing boats lined up in two near-perfect parallel rows stretching hundreds of nautical miles in the East China Sea. The formation, so vast and orderly that analysts suspected the boats were doing anything but fishing, would appear twice more in the new year. The latest display coincided with Taiwan reporting the resumption of widespread Chinese air force activity around the island after an unexplained week-long lull, raising fresh questions over Beijings intentions as global attention shifted to the conflict in the Middle East. The unusual formations have also alarmed security experts, with some suggesting that they could be linked to Chinas maritime militia or represent a test of Beijings ability to mobilise civilian fleets for strategic use. open image in gallery Fishing vessels marked in circles in a picture taken on 10 January 2026 ( Planet Labs PBC ) The incidents occurred roughly 300km northeast of Taiwan. The largest of the three was recorded on Christmas Day when around 2,000 boats formed two parallel lines stretching 470km, according to ingeniSPACE, a satellite imagery and ship signals data firm which first reported the activity. The second incident took place shortly after in early January when 1,000 fishing vessels again formed an uneven rectangle. The formation was 400km-long and maintained its position for more than a day in the same area in the East China Sea before dispersing. The fishing vessels were so densely packed, cargo ships had to go around or zigzag through to pass, according to tracking data. The repeated formations pointed to a high degree of coordination and suggested the vessels were likely directed not to fish, according to analysts. The scale is extraordinary, said Ray Powell, a former US Air Force officer and director of SeaLight, a maritime grey zone activity tracker. Chinese fishing fleets routinely operate in large groups, but over a thousand vessels holding parallel lines for hundreds of miles over 30 hours has no clear precedent in publicly available data. open image in gallery Satellite image of fishing Chinese boats in formation captured on 10 January 2026 ( Planet Labs PBC ) The most recent formation occurred earlier this month, when around 1,200 boats assembled in parallel rows further east of the previous sites and maintained their positions for over 30 hours. Some analysts say the boats appear to be linked to fishing fleets from Zhejiang province, which hosts the largest number of documented maritime militia units in China. These units consist of commercial fishing boats whose crews may be registered as militia members and can be mobilised to support any maritime operation. Jason Wang, chief operating officer of ingeniSPACE, told AFP that something looked amiss because in nature very rarely do you see straight lines. He said he tracked fishing boats amassing in the busy waterway through a GSP-based shipboard broadcast system used by commercial ships. The Chinese navy is widely considered to be the worlds largest by size and second only to Americas in dominance of the seas. The Asian giant also boasts a huge civilian fleet of fishing boats, ferries and cargo ships that its reportedly preparing for use in the event of a regional conflict. open image in gallery Image of the East China Sea a day before the formations appeared ( Planet Labs PBC ) According to a US congressional report from January, China sees its fishing fleet as a strategic tool to expand its influence, intimidate rivals and tighten control over maritime resources and supply chains across the Indo-Pacific. These vessels operate under the command of the military, the report claims, and feature reinforced hulls and water cannons for coercive tasks while specialised reconnaissance elements track foreign naval activity and report to Chinese military leaders. Powell says the Zhejiang fleet includes large numbers of fishermen who may be enrolled in Chinese militias. These arent purpose-built grey zone vessels like those we track in the South China Sea, he says. Theyre commercial fishing boats whose crews can be called up when needed. Beijing has offered no explanation for the unusual maritime activity so far. It has previously defended its drills and other military activity around Taiwan as part of its "deterrence posture". China has said nothing to explain these formations and that silence is itself strategically useful. Whether directed or weather-driven, the ambiguity forces Japan, Taiwan and the US to assume worst-case scenarios and plan accordingly, says Powell. open image in gallery Fishing boats shelter at a port ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Co-May in Lianyungang, in China's eastern Jiangsu province, on 30 July 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) Other experts suggest the activity may amount to mobilisation testing, demonstrating how quickly China can deploy fleets of civilian vessels to either surveil big swathes of the ocean or complicate an adversarys response in a crisis. Alternative explanations are less threatening. Some analysts point to severe weather conditions at the time, suggesting the vessels likely clustered to ride out strong winds. South Korean fishing boats had returned to port in view of a forecast for strong winds but Chinese vessels remained at sea, grouping close together. Takafumi Sasaki, a professor of marine bioresource science at Hokkaido University, argued that even if the activity was driven by bad weather, it was unusual for the boats to stay in formation for so long. In any case, Beijings regional rivals are paying close attention. open image in gallery Chinese flags fly on fishing boats in Tailu village in Fujian province in 2024 ( AFP via Getty ) Japan seems to be treating the activity as a potential security concern rather than a routine fisheries issue. Tokyo reportedly deployed aircraft to monitor the formations and repositioned patrol vessels in the area. The activity comes against a backdrop of rising tensions in the region. Tokyo and Beijing remain at odds over the control of the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea as well as over Japans increasingly assertive stance on Taiwan. Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have cratered since Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi said last year a crisis in the Taiwan Strait could constitute a survival-threatening situation for her country and prompt the deployment of its military. On 12 February, around the time of the third formation, Japanese authorities seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain about 170km from the southwestern port city of Nagasaki. Tokyo claimed the captain had refused an order to stop for an onboard inspection, according to media reports. The incident served to further complicate bilateral relations. Taiwan, meanwhile, reported renewed Chinese military activity this month after a brief lull. Taiwan would view any large-scale fleet mobilisation in the East China Sea through the lens of potential blockade scenarios. That's unavoidable given the geography, Powell says. China has vowed to reunite Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary, and has stepped up military pressure in recent years, regularly deploying warplanes and naval assets near the island. Analysts say the recent combination of ambiguous civilian fleet activity and fluctuating military pressure underlines the challenges regional powers face in responding to Chinas evolving grey zone tactics at sea. Theres no clean military response to a thousand civilian fishing boats, Powell says. And thats precisely what makes this approach so effective. 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 Yahoo Hong Kong is winding down its news and media content business from April, marking the end of more than two decades of local operations, in the latest blow to the press in the city. The company said that it will begin a phased wind-down of its media content operations in Hong Kong, with completion targeted for later this year, reflecting ongoing adjustments across our global business in line with long-term priorities. Most full-time newsroom employees, including editorial and sales staff, are expected to be laid off by 31 March, with only a small team retained to oversee the transition. The division currently employs around 30-40 staff, with headcount set to be reduced significantly. The decision was delivered during a morning meeting on Tuesday which also included the US management, reported Hong Kong Free Press, citing an unnamed employee. The companys PR firm Above The Line has denied that the decision to suspend operations was linked to the political atmosphere in Hong Kong. During the transition period, third-party content providers are expected to continue supplying material, while a reduced team maintains the homepage until operations are fully wound down. The wind-down will affect services including Yahoo News and its financial news offerings. However, core products such as Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Search will continue to operate in the market. Yahoo Hong Kong began its operation in 1999. It initially relied on sourcing content from other outlets by re-uploading articles from various websites but in 2021, it began focusing on original reporting. According to the Reuters Institute, its weekly reach was only third to TVB and HK01. The Independent has reached out to the Yahoo Hong Kongs PR firm for a comment. The move is likely to intensify concerns about the state of press freedom in Hong Kong where journalists have been navigating a narrowing space in recent years amid Beijings crackdown on dissent following massive anti-government protests that rocked the city in 2019. In recent years, several independent outlets have shut down, been raided, and journalists have faced legal pressures, and newsrooms have adopted more cautious editorial lines. Earlier this year, Jimmy Lai, the founder of now-defunct Apple Daily was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison, the longest jail term so far under the Beijing-imposed national security law. While Yahoos decision has been framed as a commercial one, its exit from original news production adds to a broader pattern of international and local media scaling back operations, underscoring growing constraints on the citys press environment. Hong Kong was ranked 140 out of 180 territories in Reporters Without Borders latest World Press Freedom Index, down from 80 in 2021, with its press freedom situation listed as very serious for the first time. 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 girl in South Korea was injured by a stray bullet at a playground near where an army live fire drill was taking place. The elementary school girl was playing in a playground in Daegu city in north Gyeongsang Provinence when she was injured by a sharp object, believed to be a bullet, on Monday afternoon. The girl, whose identity has not been disclosed, was struck below the neck and was taken to the hospital, local media reports. She has since returned home. A rifle training exercise was taking place in a shooting range operated by an army unit, located about 1.4km from the playground. The military has launched an investigation into the incident to identify whether the girl was injured by a bullet discharged during the training exercise. "We will carry out safety inspections at all army firing ranges and assess potential risks before deciding when to resume training, an army official said, according to the Korea Herald. South Korean army spokesperson, Bae Seok-jin, said that "the military has suspended individual firearms training. "We are investigating on the view that there is a link between the range where firing took place the previous day and the elementary school student's injury, and we are reviewing it because the (rifle's) maximum range could reach the location, he said at the ministry of defence briefing on Tuesday, according to Chosum Biz. The military training range was built in 1995 and is equipped with protective barriers on its boundaries to avoid such accidents, the Korea Herald said. Last year, South Koreas military faced embarrassment and had to suspend live-fire drills after fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs in a residential area, injuring 30 people. South Koreas military was holding routine drills to maintain combat readiness against a potential attack from the North when Air Force KF-16 aircraft accidentally dropped eight bombs on a village in Pocheon city. However, such cases mark rare events of civilian casualties during drills which are regularly held across South Korea, including major war games with allies like US and Japan. 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 Pakistan escalated its conflict with Afghanistan this week by launching a major airstrike on a drug rehab centre in Kabul, which reportedly killed dozens of people as cross-border clashes between the neighbours entered its third week. The bombing left 143 dead and scores wounded, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama). Afghan interior ministry spokesperson, Abdul Mateen Quanie, however said 408 people were killed, with 265 injured at the 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation centre. Pakistan denied claims that it struck the hospital and said its target was miles away from the rehabilitation centre. The Pakistani information ministry said it had attacked a military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site, which it identified as Camp Phoenix. Residents, however, said that Camp Phoenix was an abandoned Nato military base in the city that was turned into a drug treatment centre about a decade ago. Locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or camp of hope, although its official name was the Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital. This is the most dramatic escalation in the conflict between the two south Asian neighbours who have been fighting since February end, the same time US and Israel launched a war on Iranian regime in Tehran. Earlier, Pakistan hit out at multiple locations in Afghanistan and said the country was now in an open war with its neighbour. Experts have pointed out that while both nations have military capacity, Afghanistan falls behind due to its lack of air superiority and war-battered economy. As tensions persist, here is a look at how Pakistan dwarfs Afghanistan's military forces and arsenals, according to data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. Overview Pakistan's armed forces benefit from good recruitment and retention, bolstered by equipment from its main defence partner China. Islamabad continues to invest in its military nuclear programmes and is also modernising its navy and air force. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) The capability of the Afghan Taliban's armed forces, meanwhile, is declining, with a fall in their ability to use foreign equipment that the Islamist group seized when it returned to power in the landlocked country in 2021. A lack of international recognition for the Taliban administration has also hurt military modernisation. open image in gallery ( via REUTERS ) Personnel Pakistan has 660,000 active personnel in its defence forces, of whom 560,000 are in the army, 70,000 are in the air force, and 30,000 are in the navy. The strength of the Afghan Taliban's military is thinner, with only 172,000 active personnel. The group has, however, announced plans to expand its armed forces to 200,000 personnel. open image in gallery File. Afghan Taliban fighters patrol near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province, following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, 15 October 2025 ( REUTERS ) Fighting vehicles and artillery Pakistan has more than 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles, and over 4,600 pieces of artillery. The Afghan forces also possess armoured fighting vehicles, including Soviet-era main battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers and autonomous underwater vehicles, but their exact number is unknown. The precise number of artillery they possess, which is of at least three different types, is similarly not known. Air Force Pakistan has a fleet of 465 combat aircraft and more than 260 helicopters that include multi-role, attack and transport choppers. Afghanistan has no fighter jets and no real air force to speak of. It is known to possess at least six aircraft - some of them dating back again to the Soviet era - and 23 helicopters, although it is not possible to assess how many are in flying condition. Nuclear arsenal While Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country and has 170 warheads, Afghanistan does not have a nuclear arsenal. 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 Families and friends desperately searched for their loved ones on Wednesday, two days after a rehabilitation centre in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, was bombed by Pakistan. The attack, described as the deadliest incident in the months-long conflict between the neighbours, has left hundreds feared dead or injured. The Afghan Taliban government claims more than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in the air strike, which occurred on Monday night as patients and staff at the centre were praying, just days before the end of Ramadan. Pakistan, however, rejected these figures, stating it had "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure". This sharp escalation has further strained relations between the Islamic nations, at a time when the wider region is also grappling with instability following US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Relatives gathered at the site of the drug rehabilitation centre on Wednesday, seeking any news of those recovering there, many expressing uncertainty over whether their family members were alive, dead, or had been moved. "We came here looking for our patient, he is missing," said Mazar, 50, who gave only one name. "We came to find out whether he is well, alive, or what has happened to him." The relative, Mazar said, had been admitted at the centre for the second time and there was no information about him. "We checked the lists, but his name was not in the list of the living. Maybe he is injured or has been killed," he said. open image in gallery A Taliban soldier walks through debris lying at the site of a drug users rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan ( REUTERS ) Another man who did not want to be named said he had come in search of his relative on Tuesday but was not allowed to enter the centre. "We did not find his body, nor was he among the wounded, and his name is not on the list of survivors," he said. "We have come again today for more information." A Reuters witness at the scene saw smoke still smouldering from parts of the compound as firefighters continued to douse small fires, about 36 hours after the bombing. Pieces of furniture, mattresses and clothing lay scattered among the debris. The Afghan interior ministry said funerals of some those killed at the centre would take place later on Wednesday. "Some of the bodies were not identifiable and are currently at the forensic department. Some bodies were intact and were handed over to their families," interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qanie said. "Others were completely destroyed, collected almost like pieces of flesh." Najibullah Farooqi, head of Afghanistan's legal medicine directorate, said bodies were being pulled out of the debris as late as Tuesday night and were being handed over to families. "Some bodies have been handed over after their identities were confirmed. However, a large number of bodies still remain with us," he said. open image in gallery Volunteers clear the debris at the site of a drug rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan ( REUTERS ) Afghanistan and Pakistan have fiercely contested and disputed the target of the air strike. Afghan authorities said the attack had clearly targeted a well-known rehabilitation centre, a former NATO military base named Camp Phoenix that had been converted into a civilian facility about a decade ago. Pakistan has said it hit Camp Phoenix, a "military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site" and that secondary detonations that were visible after the strikes clearly indicated the presence of large ammunition depots there. The EU, UN agencies and international aid groups have said civilian and medical facilities should not be targeted during a conflict and called for immediate de-escalation. The conflict between the allies turned foes began last year after Pakistan accused Afghanistan of sheltering and backing militants carrying out attacks across Pakistan, a charge denied by the Afghan Taliban government. The conflict had ebbed amid efforts by friendly countries including China to mediate, but flared again with Pakistan directly targeting the Afghan Taliban last month and not just locations of Pakistani Taliban militants Islamabad says are across the border. 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 Afghanistans Taliban have accused Pakistan of killing hundreds of civilians in an attack on a drug rehabilitation centre housing people recovering from addiction in Kabul late on Monday night. Afghanistans deputy government spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, said the airstrike from Pakistan hit the Omid addiction treatment hospital at around 9pm local time. The 2,000-bed facility in the Afghan capital was turned to rubble and photos and videos of the airstrikes shared on social media showed a massive fire engulfing the facility. The Taliban spokesperson said large sections of the facility had been destroyed and more than 400 people have been killed and at least 250 reported injured so far. Pakistan denied the accusation and claimed its forces precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure in Kabul and the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, including equipment and ammunition storage allegedly used by insurgents that Islamabad says are responsible for attacks on its soil. This is latest escalation in hostility between the two neighbours who have been engaged in conflict since late February after the Taliban authorities launched cross-border attacks in response to Pakistani airstrikes. open image in gallery A rescue worker inspects the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Pakistani security sources had earlier said they had irrefutable evidence that militants in Afghanistan were causing a wave of attacks and suicide bombings on Pakistans military and police. Pakistan claimed that one attack that killed 11 security personnel and two civilians in Bajaur district in 2024 was undertaken by an Afghan national. The attack was claimed by a Pakistani Taliban group, called the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), formed in 2007 by several militant outfits in northwest Pakistan. The tensions reached a point of full-blown conflict on 28 February when Pakistan announced it was in an open war with the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan and carried out air and ground strikes. They targeted Taliban military posts, headquarters and ammunition depots in multiple sectors along the border, just hours after the Taliban launched an air attack on Pakistans border forces. open image in gallery Taliban rescue workers inspect the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Both sides reported heavy losses in the fighting, with Pakistan saying it has killed 133 Afghan Taliban fighters and wounded more than 200, with 27 posts destroyed and nine captured, following months of tit-for-tat clashes. The Talibans chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 posts seized, while eight Taliban fighters were killed, 11 wounded and 13 civilians injured in Nangarhar province. Pakistani defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, confirmed the aerial raid and said: Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you [Afghanistan]. The Taliban government and Pakistan have been engaged in a diplomatic and military confrontation for months now, despite being in a ceasefire for several months. The tensions worsened after Pakistan launched air strikes on militant targets in Afghanistan, in which 13 civilians were killed, according to the UN data. open image in gallery Firefighters work at the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Border clashes between the two countries killed dozens of soldiers in October until negotiations facilitated by Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia halted the hostilities and a fragile ceasefire was put in place. Pakistans military launched air raids inside Afghanistan in the early hours on 22 February, targeting what officials described as camps and hideouts linked to armed groups blamed for a recent wave of attacks, including a deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad. Pakistans ministry of information and broadcasting said the armed forces carried out intelligence-based, selective operations against seven sites associated with the TTP, and its affiliates. open image in gallery A little girl and a woman watch as rescue workers and officials inspect the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The ministry added that the Isis affiliate in Khorasan province, which claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the capital earlier this month, was also targeted. Afghanistans ministry of defence condemned the strikes, saying they hit a religious school and residential homes in the eastern border provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika, causing dozens of deaths and injuries, including among women and children. The strikes risk undermining a tenuous ceasefire between the South Asian neighbours, brokered after deadly border clashes in October last year left dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected fighters dead. Pakistan said it has repeatedly called on Afghanistans Taliban authorities to curb armed groups operating from Afghan soil, but that Kabul has failed to undertake any substantive action. open image in gallery Residents gather at the site of Pakistani airstrikes, in Bihsud district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, 22 February 2026 ( Reuters ) While asserting that Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region, the statement stressed that the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remains its foremost priority. In October, the two countries declared a ceasefire after several days of intense border fighting that left dozens dead on both sides and sharply escalated regional tensions. What sparked the latest strike? The Pakistani information ministry said Omid Hospital was miles away from Camp Phoenix, the "military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site" that it said was targeted. "The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots," Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. Kabul residents, including a Reuters journalist, said Camp Phoenix, an abandoned NATO military base in the city, was converted into a drug treatment centre locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or "camp of hope", although its official name was "Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital". It was this centre that had been hit, they said, adding that Omid Hospital and Omid Camp were not related. Pakistans earlier cross-border strikes followed a string of high-profile attacks at home. Just hours earlier, a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in Bannu, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. Another suicide attacker, supported by gunmen, drove an explosives-filled vehicle into the wall of a security post in nearby Bajaur. The assault killed 11 soldiers and a child. Officials later identified the bomber as an Afghan national. On 6 February, a suicide attacker set off explosives during midday prayers at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in Islamabads Tarlai Kalan neighbourhood, leaving at least 31 worshippers dead and 170 injured. open image in gallery Residents gather at the site of Pakistani airstrikes in the Bihsud district ( Reuters ) The Islamic State Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for the Islamabad bombing. In Islamabad, security analyst Abdullah Khan suggested that the Pakistani strikes indicate that Qatari, Turkish, and even Saudi-led mediations have failed to resolve tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. These strikes are likely to further escalate the situation, he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. Is Pakistan employing a new deterrence framework? Last year in October, analysts noted that Pakistan was finding it increasingly hard to overlook the rising fatalities caused by attacks that it claims are launched from Afghan soil. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think-tank, more than 2,400 members of Pakistans security forces had been killed in the first nine months of 2025 alone, putting the country on track for its deadliest year in a decade. Attacks had surged since the removal of former prime minister Imran Khan a few years ago. Khans administration had worked with the Taliban to negotiate a TTP ceasefire. While that truce collapsed during his tenure, the frequency of assaults remained comparatively lower. open image in gallery The Pakistan authorities said they targeted camps and hideouts in their strikes last week ( AFP/Getty ) Relations worsened further as Islamabad increasingly carried out airstrikes within Afghan territory, targeting locations it said were used by TTP fighters. Analysts point to the uptick in TTP attacks on Pakistani forces as the primary trigger for the recent border clashes. They believed that Islamabad was attempting to establish a new deterrence framework, signalling that any assault perceived to originate from Afghanistan, whether carried out by the TTP or other armed groups, will trigger consequences for Kabul. Any attack which emanates from Afghanistan will be responded [to] with [the] same ferocity on their territory, with Pakistan implying that [the] Afghan Taliban are facilitating such attacks in Pakistan, and thus are legitimate targets, Abdul Basit, a scholar at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera, at the time. Pakistans border regions have long been hotspots of conflict, dating back to 1979 when the country became a frontline state in the US-backed war against the then Soviet Union in Afghanistan. open image in gallery Pakistan said it launched multiple airstrikes last Sunday targeting militants in neighbouring Afghanistan, where the government reported children were among dozens of people killed and wounded ( AFP/Getty ) According to the defence analyst Abdullah Khan, who is also the managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, the areas instability worsened after the 9/11 attacks. He told the Associated Press in October last year: After the September 11 attacks, Pakistans tribal belt descended into chaos as the Afghan Taliban, al-Qaeda and other groups operated from both sides of the border for attacks on Nato forces and Pakistani security forces. Tensions between the two neighbours are further compounded by Pakistans deportation of tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. Since the decades of conflict began, at least 3 million Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan, creating additional friction between the two neighbours. How have international leaders responded? On 17 March, China, a key ally of both Afghanistan and Pakistan, urged "dialogue and negotiation", saying it will continue to play a "constructive role" to de-escalate tensions between the countries. In October, the Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes drew concern from regional powers, urging both sides to exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue to prevent escalation. Iran, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia all called for diplomacy to maintain regional stability and security. India did not comment, though Pakistan is wary of New Delhis engagement with the Taliban, some observers note. Saudi Arabias ministry of foreign affairs said in October: The kingdom calls for restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom to contribute to reducing tensions and maintaining security and stability in the region. open image in gallery Afghan men search for victims after an overnight Pakistani airstrike hit a residential area in the Girdi Kas village of Bihsud district, Nangarhar province on 22 February 22 2026 ( AFP/Getty ) The kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability and its continued commitment to ensuring security, which will achieve stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples, it added. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said at the time: Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint, and added that stability between the two countries contributes to regional stability. Qatars ministry of foreign affairs also urged both sides to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy, exercise restraint, and work to contain the disputes in a way that helps reduce tension, avoids escalation, and contributes to regional peace and stability. China also called for safeguarding its citizens and investments, Russia urged both sides to exercise restraint, and US president Donald Trump suggested he could step in to help resolve the conflict. open image in gallery A man inspects a damaged car at the site of a cross-border Pakistani army strike in the Behsud district of Nangarh ( AP ) What happens next? Although TTPs presence remains a key irritant for Pakistan, analysts believe the recent Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes are unlikely to escalate into a larger conflict. Afghanistan lacks conventional military strength compared with Pakistan, and both sides appear focused on de-escalation at the moment. However, the border is expected to stay tense for the foreseeable future, as Pakistan has signalled it will continue taking action against militants it claims are crossing from Afghanistan to target its security forces. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice As the Middle East conflict sends fuel costs skyrocketing and threatens to put a dent in the global economy, the argument for reducing the world's dependence on oil and gas and moving towards renewables has grown louder. Ships have been blocked and in some cases burning at the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage near Iran through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas passes. The key supply route has been effectively closed, stopping oil, gas and other essential exports from the Gulf region and sending commodities on a rollercoaster ride. Skyrocketing oil and gas prices are leaving many countries rationing fuel and staring at rising food prices. The International Energy Agency is calling it the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. With no sign the conflict will end imminently, bodies including the UN have called for the world to reduce its dependence on oil and gas, with renewables cited as the most obvious alternative. "The resources of the clean energy era cannot be blockaded or weaponised," UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said last week. open image in gallery Two oil tankers on fire off the coast of Iraq ( UGC ) The European Union's energy commissioner Dan Jrgensen has announced a 75 billion clean energy investment strategy, calling for the EU to take its energy future into its own hands. In India, which along with the rest of South Asia is particularly reliant on Middle East energy imports, prime minister Narendra Modi has described the crisis as a lesson for the world's most populous nation on the need to be self-reliant. But experts are divided over whether renewable energy can actually offer that off-ramp anytime soon, in a way that reduces dependence on oil and gas disruptions. The growth of renewable energy in the last few years has been rapid it now accounts for roughly a third of the world's electricity generation, and solar power costs have fallen by more than 90 per cent since 2010, making it the cheapest source of new electricity in most countries. But that achievement addresses only one part of an energy system that runs on fossil fuels, as experts say the harder challenges are still ahead. "Utilising renewables for electrification is a critical first step," said Chris Wright, principal analyst at Carbon Bridge, "but replacing fossil fuels across the economy including industry, transport and agriculture is not feasible in the medium term for any country I am aware of." Outside electricity, the global economy still runs on fossil fuels in ways renewables have barely begun to address gas powers industrial heat, oil moves freight, ships and planes, and across much of the developing world, cooking cylinders still run on petroleum. open image in gallery Manhattan Bridge is seen behind a display showing the gas prices at a gas station, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York ( AP ) Calls to move away from volatile oil and gas supplies also came following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, noted Julie Jolly, programme director for oil and gas at Global Energy Monitor. The Ukraine war taught us very similar lessons, but it didn't lead many countries to move away LNG (liquefied natural gas), she notes. While renewable electricity has expanded rapidly in the four years since the war began, it hasnt done so at the expense of dependence on oil and gas in those harder-to-change sectors. "The fossil fuels problem is really two problems: transportation, and everything else," said Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at Defence Priorities. For decades, transport was the sector where oil had no genuine substitute, given its energy density and its suitability for powering vehicles on the move, but price-competitive EVs have changed that calculus, she said. The advent of EVs could finally wean automotive transportation off oil in the coming decades, which is a big deal, she says. Yet even in a sector showing relative promise, limitations like the slow adoption of EVs by ordinary consumers and a lack of charging infrastructure in most of the world means its not going to happen overnight. Beyond transport, the picture is even more stubborn. Coal and gas remain central to heating in most countries, and for heavy industry, shipping and aviation, alternatives are not yet close to being deployed at scale. Tara Narayanan, head of upstream oil research at BloombergNEF, said electrification is not feasible for aviation or marine fuels. "There are no easy substitutes for oil use," she said. "EVs and biofuels represent medium-term options, not rapid-response solutions in a time of crisis." More than 80 per cent of the oil and gas that transits Hormuz is headed to Asia, where the disruption has broken two supply chains, neither with a ready substitute. Despite a strong renewable sector, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) still fills cooking cylinders for homes, restaurants and small industries in India, and the shortage has led to thousands of restaurants shutting. Supplies of LNG, which powers industrial facilities and petrochemical plants, have also been curtailed across the region. Fuel rationing in Bangladesh and Pakistan has shut down schools and offices, and even led to incidents of violence. Some of the current dependence on these fuels can be reduced, experts said, but it needs a policy push. Induction-based cooking is already around 14 per cent cheaper than piped gas and 37 per cent cheaper than non-subsidised LPG for a family of four in India, said Purva Jain, energy specialist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. "Options are available for sure," she said. "Maybe we just need to expedite the effort." open image in gallery People queue to buy liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for domestic use, at a gas agency office in Chennai on 11 March 2026 ( AFP/Getty ) The response to the shortage of industrial fuel, experts said, should be less LNG, not more. "This sort of crisis should act as a warning to countries considering investing in imported LNG," said Jolly. "It's not the energy security lifeline that LNG corporations would like people to believe it is." Despite the pressure, countries with more renewables and electrification are faring better comparatively. China, while still buying some of the biggest volumes of oil and gas and also being a coal producer like India, appears better insulated from the current disruption. "China's strategic reserves and the more diversified supply may have an important impact," said Biqing Yang, an energy analyst at Ember specialising in China's transition. But the way China has pivoted so quickly to EVs has also built some resilience. More than half of all new cars sold there last year were electric, and the country is targeting peak oil consumption by 2030, with transport accounting for nearly half of the country's oil demand and electrification steadily reducing it. While calls for faster adoption of renewable energy are one response to the Iran crisis, the other has been to suggest pivoting to whatever fuel is cheapest and most available domestically even if it is also dirtier. In the UK, some politicians have demanded new North Sea drilling licences, even as analysts shows that achieving the UK's net zero target by 2050 would cost less than absorbing a single oil shock. But theres also a broader point to be made here, according to Peter Osbaldstone, research director for Europe power at Wood Mackenzie. He notes that Europe has raced ahead with clean energy since February 2022 to the point where low-carbon sources now provide nearly two-thirds of the continents electricity. Thats good news in terms of emissions, but the fact that it has reduced the diversity of Europes energy sources means it hasnt necessarily made the continent more resilient to shocks. "We've traded one vulnerability for another," said Peter Osbaldstone, research director for Europe power at Wood Mackenzie. "Losing alternative supplies such as coal capacity means gas price shocks hit harder. "It's a process to transition away from oil and gas," he says. "The benefits are not binary. It's not like if you have 100 per cent renewables only, then you are protected. [But] the less oil and gas you have, the more insulated you are from those global shocks. It's worth going down the path." 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 Greene King, Britain's second-largest pub group, is planning to sell up to 150 of its managed sites and convert another 150 into tenanted pubs. This major shake-up of its estate comes amid soaring costs and a tougher trading climate. The group is hiving off about 300 managed pubs into a new business division, with roughly half earmarked for sale. Around 20 of its 1,500 managed pubs are also set to close, though the company noted this aligns with typical annual changes. Impacted staff will be offered jobs elsewhere within the business. Greene King stated the overhaul is a response to a changing consumer and trading environment. The pub sector faces immense cost pressures from rising wage bills, increasing business rates, and a difficult consumer spending backdrop. While the Government has announced a package of temporary support for pubs to offset business rate hikes, the industry has argued it does not go far enough. open image in gallery Greene King is considering putting up to 150 of its managed sites up for sale (PA) ( PA Archive ) Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, said: We are confident that our new pub estate strategy will set us up to deliver sustainable profitable growth for the long term as consumer habits continue to evolve and the operating environment remains dynamic. The firm plans to reinvest a substantial amount of cash raised from the sale of managed pubs into its remaining core estate. It said: In the meantime, the separate business unit will allow Greene King to run the sites on a simplified model, with a renewed focus on maximising financial returns. Greene King has around 2,500 pubs in total, including 1,000 that are leased, tenanted and under franchise. open image in gallery Greene King Britains second biggest pub group is hiving off about 300 managed pubs into a new business division ahead of the proposed changes, with about half earmarked for sale ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) At the beginning of the year, Rachel Reeves offered pubs a 15 per cent cut in business rate bills. The support, which the Treasury has said is worth 1,650 for the average pub next year, came after warnings that a decision in the chancellors Budget to end the rate relief brought in during the Covid pandemic would lead to mass closures and job losses. The Channelor has faced a backlash from Labour MPs, pub landlords and business owners over the wholly inadequate cut in business rates bills. 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 Pharmacies are running out of stock for the meningitis B vaccine as concern rises and demand soars. The spike comes after the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed it is now investigating 20 cases of meningitis in Kent during an explosive outbreak that has left two dead. Boots has implemented a queuing system for customers to enter the vaccination service page of its website, with a warning that demand for its menB jab is currently high. Superdrug has also created a waiting list for the vaccine, with a note on its website informing customers of a national shortage and adding stock is limited. It said it is working with suppliers to secure more doses. The high street pharmacy reported a 65-fold increase in demand compared to last week. open image in gallery Students have been encouraged to take up antibiotics and, if offered, the menB vaccination ( PA Wire ) Some pharmacies in Kent are also running out of supplies, according to Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Independent Pharmacies Association. Medway Pharmacy, in Kent, which offers the menB vaccine privately, said it had only a few doses left of the jab. A pharmacist told the Independent the demand is quite high and they had been experiencing a high volume of calls from parents asking where to get the vaccine from. Parents are worried about their young children, a pharmacist said. Some of them missed out apparently and so they're coming to get it now. The pharmacist added that about seven people have booked to get a vaccine this afternoon. However, UKHSA has said that "there are sufficient MenB vaccine stocks", adding that it "will work with local resilience partners to ensure effective distribution". open image in gallery Superdrug reported a 65-fold increase in demand compared to last week ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) There were online reports of other pharmacies allegedly price-gouging on vaccines on Tuesday and offering them for several hundred pounds. But Mr Streeting said it was immoral for companies to profiteer in this situation. Health chiefs have announced a targeted vaccination programme for students living at Canterbury halls of residence, but not a nationwide roll-out. The menB vaccine has been available on the NHS since 2015 as part of routine childhood immunisations given to babies, but that means many schoolchildren and university students are not vaccinated. Mr Streeting has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines for a wider group of people after it previously ruled a menB catch-up campaign for older children was not cost-effective. Although a targeted vaccine rollout is recommended in this instance, epidemiologists have said the menB vaccine is too expensive and doesnt stop transmission. It is an expensive vaccine, and there are better things to spend the NHS budget on, Keith Neal, professor in the epidemiology of infectious diseases at the University of Nottingham, told The Independent. The vaccine does not cover all group B strains. Unlike the ACWY vaccine, which stops people carrying the bacteria, the B vaccine does not prevent carriage. The menB vaccine is available privately from Boots and Superdrug for 220 for two doses of the jab, which are to be taken at least a month apart. In comparison, the ACWY vaccine is 57 a dose and is offered to teenagers in school on the NHS, but can be given up to the age of 25 if it has been missed. The charity Meningitis Now is calling for the menB vaccine to be made available at a fair price on the high street and for it to be offered to teenagers and young people as part of the NHS vaccination programme. Meningitis Now is calling for the menB vaccine to be available at a fair price on the high street so more people can make an informed choice and have the option to privately vaccinate their loved ones if they wish, a spokesperson said. But we also believe the menB vaccine should be offered to teenagers and young people as part of the NHS vaccination programme. There is no other way to prevent menB disease we must vaccinate young people to protect them. A spokesperson for Superdrug said: Following a significant nationwide increase in demand for the Meningitis B vaccine, some nurse clinics are currently experiencing supply shortages. We are working urgently to secure additional stock and have contacted affected patients to reschedule appointments where necessary. 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 Two men have been charged in relation to spying on locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community for Iran. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian and British national has been charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service relating to Iran. Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, has been charged with the same offence. The alleged offences occurred between July 9 2025 and August 15 2025, Counter Terrorism Police London said. The men were arrested on Friday March 6 as part of an investigation into alleged surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community in the London area. open image in gallery The alleged offences occurred between July 9 2025 and August 15 2025, Counter Terrorism Police London said ( Ben Whitley/PA Wire ) They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPSs Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: We have decided to prosecute two men for an offence under the National Security Act. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, have each been charged with engaging in conduct that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July 2025 and 15 August 2025, contrary to section 3 (2) of the National Security Act 2023. The charge relates to carrying out activities in the UK such as gathering information and undertaking reconnaissance of targets. The country to which the charge relates is Iran. We have worked closely with the Counter Terrorism Command at the Metropolitan Police as they have carried out their investigation. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. open image in gallery The pair were charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service relating to Iran ( Ben Whitley/PA Wire ) Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing said: These are extremely serious charges under the National Security Act, which have come about following what has been a very complex investigation. Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock to gather and assess the evidence and we have liaised closely with colleagues in the CPS to reach this point. We fully recognise that the public and in particular the Jewish community will be concerned, but I hope this investigation reassures them that we will not hesitate to take action if we identify there may be a threat to their safety, and will be relentless in our pursuit of those who may be responsible. Counter-terrorism policing work closely with front line officers across the country to keep communities safe. Any concerns from the public can be shared with local policing teams or via national reporting tools such as gov.uk/ACT. Two other men who were arrested on March 6 as part of the investigation have been released without charge. 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 only known UK-based BritishIsraeli dual national who survived the October 7 attack has claimed antisemitism is "running riot". Anat Ron-Kendall, whose father Shlomo Ron was tragically killed on that day in 2023, offered her harrowing testimony for the first time, describing the scene as one of "dystopia" and "chaos", and a sense of abandonment. Her account forms part of an updated report on the October 7 assault, commissioned by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Israel and spearheaded by historian and Conservative peer Lord Andrew Roberts. Ms Ron-Kendall, then 55, was visiting her parents in Nahal Oz, the kibbutz where she grew up, with her son Jordan on 7 October 2023 when Hamas militants launched their assault. Fleeing to a safe room in their home, she endured intensifying gunfire and shouting, prompting her to call her husband to convey a final message of love to their children, convinced she would not survive. When she was eventually evacuated to safety more than 12 hours later, she recalled a scene of dystopia, it was a scene of chaos. open image in gallery People embrace next to memorials of victims of the 2023 October 7 attacks at the Nova Festival grounds in Reim, southern Israel ( JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images ) She said: There were bodies which I didnt want to look at. It was just like something that you imagine in the movies. Speaking more than two years on from the attack, she described feeling unsafe in the UK, where she said antisemitism has become normalised. She said: I was abandoned by the British government at a time of total vulnerability. The British government is allowing whats going on ever since, in demonstrations and in antisemitism running riot, students in universities suffering Jewish students, communities affected every day since and thats been allowed to happen. To me, I still live under threat. I cannot feel safe in a country that normalises this kind of behaviour. I had no recognition. I came back to the UK, expected to be grateful that I survived and put that event behind me and just function in my everyday life. The first edition of the report was published just over a year ago, naming for the first time all 18 British nationals killed in Hamass attack on Israel in October 2023. The second edition, published on Wednesday, also contains details on the experience of British-Israeli Emily Damari, who was held hostage for more than 400 days after the attack. The report states: She was forcibly taken at 10:33. During the abduction, she was shot in the hand and her leg. Her dog, Chucha, was later found shot dead in her room. open image in gallery A man cleans photos and items of victims of the October 7, 2023 at a memorial in Tel Aviv ( Chris McGrath/Getty Images ) The report described how Ms Damaris mother tirelessly campaigned for her daughters release and how she was reunited with her family during the January 2025 ceasefire hostage releases. Ms Ron-Kendall, whose grandfather fought in the Second World War for the British Armys Jewish Brigade and was captured by the Nazis and held as a prisoner of war for four years, said she believes it is important for people to read the report and know that the October 7 attack really did happen. She added: It happened to me. I am a testament that it did happen and I survived it. Lord Roberts said: As we continue to uncover yet more horrors, the updated report continues to serve as a permanent memorial and enduring resource for governments, educators, and civil society in order to safeguard the truth against denialism and distortion. The purpose of commissioning our report has always been to chronicle the events of 7 October with clarity and meticulous, fact-checking precision, to ensure it is never forgotten, diminished or disregarded by malign forces intent on washing away the true scale of that fateful day . The latest official figures on hate crime recorded by police in England and Wales showed that Jewish people had the highest rate of religious hate crimes targeted towards them than any other faith group. In the year to March 2025, there were 106 religious hate crimes per 10,000 population targeted at Jewish people, the Home Office said in figures published in October. Separate figures covering the 12 months of 2025, published earlier this year by the Community Security Trust (CST) concluded the second-highest annual total ever recorded for anti-Jewish hate incidents, at 3,700 up 4% on the 3,556 incidents recorded in 2024. The CST, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said the annual record high remained at 4,298 antisemitic incidents reported in 2023 the year of the October 7 attack, which prompted a spike in recorded cases of anti-Jewish hate in the UK. The 2025 report was also the first time more than 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate were recorded in every calendar month. A Government spokesperson said: Antisemitism is becoming normalised in the UK, but the Government will not stand by whilst this scourge spreads. We are tackling antisemitism in schools, colleges, universities, and the NHS, and we will continue to work closely with Jewish communities to ensure that our efforts fix this scandal. 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 Tens of thousands of Afghans are still waiting to find out if they will be given sanctuary in the UK five years after the fall of Kabul, with a warning that urgent intervention is needed to relocate all families as planned by March 2029. The National Audit Office (NAO) found that 37,950 people had arrived in the UK under various Afghan resettlement schemes by the end of 2025 with nearly half of these people evacuated in 2021 in the fallout from the Taliban takeover. However, some 29,655 people are still waiting to learn whether they will be allowed to resettle in Britain under the schemes, which will cost the UK 5.7bn in total. The schemes closed to new applicants in July last year, just before it was revealed that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had been responsible for a vast data leak of applicants details that put thousands of lives at risk. The government is working to relocate families eligible to come to Britain due to their previous support of the UK forces in Afghanistan, or due to their data being breached. Ministers have committed to bringing all eligible Afghans to the UK by March 2029 under the new combined scheme, the Afghan Resettlement Programme. However, the officer in charge of the programme believes they will be unable to meet this target unless there is urgent intervention, the NAO report revealed. Problems with the evacuation scheme include a lack of resources to handle the thousands of cases, the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan to Afghanistan before they can be moved to the UK, and a lack of available places to house them in Britain, resulting in greater than anticipated levels of homelessness. The government has so far spent 3.1bn on the schemes, which leaves a further 2.6bn to be spent before 2033, the report said. The report said that officials estimate around 9,741 more people who are already in the resettlement system will be relocated to the UK by 2029. Pictured: Afghan refugees arrive in the UK after the Operation Pitting evacuation in 2021 ( PA Archive ) Government officials also told the watchdog that the MoD superinjunction a gagging order in place for almost two years to cover up the data leak and the resettlement of Afghans due to the data breach impeded their ability to work together across departments. Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said government departments had "worked together in challenging conditions to resettle thousands of Afghan citizens" at risk of reprisals, but still had "more to do to successfully resettle the affected people in the UK". Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of the influential Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the NAO had "provided some much-needed transparency on the costly figures, chaotic arrangements and the inefficient decisions made by the government". He added: "The merger of schemes into the Afghan Resettlement Programme has led to some progress, but many risks, such as poor data and lack of affordable housing, still remain. "There is clearly a need for more to be done to prevent resettled citizens experiencing poor outcomes and minimise the risk of homelessness." The Independent has reported on the difficulties facing Afghan families when they do arrive in the UK. One former Afghan special forces soldier told of his struggle to find suitable housing for himself and his family, despite the large sums given to councils to support such families. A government spokesperson said:"The report clearly sets out the scale and complexity of Afghan resettlement, and recognises the progress that has been made, with around 38,000 Afghans already settled in the UK, and we remain committed to our target of completing Afghan resettlement by the end of this parliament. The Afghan Resettlement Programme, introduced by this government, brings all schemes into a single pathway to deliver better outcomes for eligible Afghans and stronger value for money, with work continuing across government to ensure the programme is delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. We have also recently introduced new key performance indicators to improve case handling times and provide greater transparency for applicants and their supporters alongside an online ARAP eligibility self-checker. 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 Nearly a decade after his passing, the 4m estate of beloved comedian Sean Hughes has finally been awarded to homelessness charity Shelter, following a protracted legal saga over his handwritten will. The London-born Irish comic, who died in 2017 at 51, was a celebrated figure in stand-up, TV, radio and writing. Rising from the 1980s alternative comedy scene, he became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at 24. He later fronted his own cult C4 show and served as a long-standing team captain on the BBCs Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Hughes, who never married, had intended for his 1.8m north London home and two additional properties, valued at 2.15m, to benefit Shelter, a charity he passionately supported. However, ambiguities in his homemade will necessitated intervention from the High Court in London. open image in gallery Sean Hughes died in 2017 ( Getty ) A judge has now ruled that the properties, including his former residence in Glasslyn Road, Crouch End, and two others in nearby Edison Avenue and Elder Avenue, worth 1.5m and 650,000 respectively, should be transferred to the charity. The ruling brings an end to the nearly decade-long saga. Sean was born in Archway, north London, to Irish parents, but spent most of his youth living at his paternal grandmothers house in Dublin. He began appearing at the Comedy Store venue in 1987, before winning the Perrier Comedy Award in 1990 for his groundbreaking show, A One-Night Stand with Sean Hughes. open image in gallery Sean Hughes 1.8m home in Glasslyn Road, Crouch End ( Champion News ) His former promoter Richard Bucknall described him as a pioneering, groundbreaking comedian who changed comedy with that live show, which featured a narrative arc, rather than simple jokes, unlike others of its time. From there, he moved into television, fronting his own award-winning C4 series Seans Show in 1992 before becoming a fixture on the BBCs Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He starred as a captain opposite Phill Jupitus from 1996 to 2002, appearing in 91 episodes across 10 series of the Mark Lamarr-presented show. As well as comedy, he wrote novels and collections of poetry, and from 2002 presented the Sunday morning programme on the then newly founded BBC 6 Music. open image in gallery A 650,000 flat in Elder Avenue, Crouch End, which was left to Shelter by comedian Sean Hughes ( Champion News ) Sean had been a heavy drinker throughout his career and, although he quit in 2012, had begun drinking again before he died, saying: Apparently Im tedious when sober. He died after suffering a cardiac arrest in October 2017, with it later discovered that he was suffering from late-stage liver disease. Seans will ended up before the High Court because, having used an online platform to draft it without legal assistance, he included vague wording. The central problem was his specific bequest of my three houses to Shelter because he in fact only owned one home, while two others were in the name of a company of which he was the only shareholder. Although Seans family agreed that the shares in the company and therefore the properties should go to Shelter, the case had to be referred to a judge to make the decision. open image in gallery The 1.5m house in Crouch Ends Edison Avenue, which was left to Shelter ( Champion News ) And following a short hearing conducted via video link, the judge, Master Iain Pester, concluded that the correct construction of the will was that the shares pass to Shelter. Had the judge declared otherwise, then the two properties would have gone into Seans residuary estate to be held on trust for his wider family. But barrister Aidan Briggs, for the executor of Seans will, and Alexander Learmonth KC, for Shelter, said his family and the charity both agreed that Shelter was the correct beneficiary. Speaking afterwards, Andy Harris, the charitys director of income generation, said: Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelters work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will. We have worked closely with Seans family to ensure his wishes are honoured. Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyones right to a safe and secure home. 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 Milton Keynes, Sheffield, and Blackpool have been selected as leading contenders for the UK City of Culture title in 2029. They join Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Swindon, and Wrexham on the longlist, aiming to succeed Bradford, the 2025 holder. However, bids from Bristol, Carlisle, Exeter, Herefordshire, Isle of Thanet, Peterborough, Plymouth, and Reading were unsuccessful. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed the nine contenders will each receive 60,000 to develop their full bids. For the first time, the winner will secure a 10 million prize for a year of cultural activities, with three others gaining 125,000 for bid elements. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the competition and the first Town of Culture in 2028 recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation. Milton Keynes is among the cites named among the final candidates to be the UK City of Culture in 2029 ( Getty Images ) The longlist was decided by an independent panel chaired by Brookside, Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Sir Phil Redmond. He said the competition used culture as a creative catalyst for change, raising awareness and changing perceptions. Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and, more recently, Bradford, have all demonstrated the quality and depth of cultural activity embedded across the UK, as well as the benefits of simply taking part, he said. The competition brings people together, to talk to each other rather than at each other, sharing commonality and tolerating difference. Above all, allowing places to demonstrate their own pride in their places. More than 230 towns have registered an interest in bidding to be the UKs first Town of Culture and Ms Nandy urged more to enter before the deadline at the end of March. Its a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people, she said. Ms Nandy also said 132 million would go to youth centres, grassroots sports, arts and music programmes in communities that need them most. Stay on top of the latest political news with our View from Westminster newsletter Get the latest political headlines with our free email Get the latest political headlines with our free email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Downing Street refused to commit to a flagship immigration policy set out by the home secretary after former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner criticised the proposal in a major challenge to Sir Keir Starmers authority. The prime ministers official spokesperson said the government is considering responses to a Home Office consultation into the proposals to reform indefinite leave to remain (ILR), repeatedly refusing to reaffirm Sir Keirs commitment to the policy, which would extend the length of time migrants must wait for permanent residence. It is understood that the consultation was primarily looking at how the changes to ILR would apply to those already in the UK the aspect of the policy towards which Ms Rayner primarily directed her criticism. The former deputy prime minister on Tuesday said Shabana Mahmoods planned changes to ILR for people already living in the UK would be a breach of trust, branding them un-British and bad policy, which has intensified infighting between factions in the Labour Party. Ms Mahmoods immigration reforms which include a raft of hardline measures aimed at discouraging asylum seekers and making it easier to remove those who have no right to remain in the country were rolled out to much fanfare last year. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has refused to commit to his own migration reforms ( House of Commons/UK parliament ) The reforms are a central pillar of the governments agenda and form a key part of Labours plan to win back votes from Reform UK amid devastating approval ratings and questions over the direction of Sir Keirs administration. But asked whether the government is still committed to the reforms after Ms Rayners criticism on Tuesday, the prime ministers spokesperson said: Labours always been the party that celebrates the contribution migrant communities have made to our national story. In the four years before the election, we saw record levels of immigration. In the manifesto, we promised to deliver a fair and properly managed immigration system. We are considering responses to the Home Office consultation, and will respond in line with our principles and values. Pressed again, he said: We are considering responses to the Home Office consultation, and will respond in due course. The consultation closed in February, it is understood. Later, the government sought to clarify the situation, with a spokesperson saying its position has not changed. The government will double the route to settlement from five to 10 years. As announced in November, we are consulting to apply this change to those in the UK today, but have not received settled status. We are currently reviewing the 200,000 responses and will outline our response in due course, the spokesperson added. But the row, sparked by Ms Rayners comments on Tuesday night, has already seen major divisions within the Labour Party. Ms Rayner was backed by Labours Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who told BBC Radio 4: I certainly know where shes coming from and the party would always do well to listen to what Angela has got to say. Another MP said: Angelas just saying what most people in the party think. But allies of the home secretary launched an attack on the former deputy prime minister, with one telling The Independent: Her [Ms Rayners] judgement is well off on this issue, especially for someone who is on course to lose her seat to Reform. Others on the left suggested that her time in Sir Keirs government meant they did not trust her on immigration. One MP said they were not convinced by her speech, while another added that it contained very little substance, no analysis, no sense of what change looks like or how. A third MP wondered if she is even a serious leadership contender, given the tax problems that forced her to resign. Reform MPs get away with being investigated for tax fraud, Labour MPs do not. Thats not a complaint, just how it is and, to an extent, I am glad were held to a higher standard, they said. Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Rayner said that for those who came to Britain on the understanding that they could stay if they worked in sectors where they were needed, obeyed the law and paid their taxes, changing the rules pulls the rug from under them. That would be not just bad policy but a breach of trust. The people already in the system, who made a huge investment, now fear for their future; they do not have stability and do not know what will happen. We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts, because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. Its un-British, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne said. open image in gallery Angela Rayner spoke at an event by campaign group Mainstream ( PA ) The Tories seized upon the governments refusal to commit to the policy, warning that if ministers water down the plans, it will show they are too weak to protect our countrys borders. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: If Keir Starmer is too weak to get his backbenchers to vote for this, he can rely on our votes to get this through parliament. We will always put the national interest first. If Keir Starmer and Shabana Mahmood water down these plans, it will show they are too weak to protect our countrys borders because they are scared of Angela Rayner and their own backbenchers. In her intervention on Tuesday, Ms Rayner claimed that the Labour Party has come to represent the establishment, not working people and called for a change of course. She argued that Labour is running out of time to deliver change and cannot go through the motions in the face of decline. Responding, Sir Keirs political spokesperson said: The prime minister shares an impatience to deliver the change people voted for. Were making progress, restoring stability to the economy, cutting NHS waiting lists and, next month, we will begin lifting half a million children out of poverty. Hes firmly on the side of working people. Sir Keir and Ms Rayner maintain a good working relationship, the spokesperson insisted, and reiterated that he would like to see her return to the cabinet. But he said he was not aware of them having spoken in the past week. Stay on top of the latest political news with our View from Westminster newsletter Get the latest political headlines with our free email Get the latest political headlines with our free email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The UKs future relationship with the EU continues to provoke strong opinions among Independent readers, many of whom argue the debate about rejoining should not be dropped entirely. The discussion was prompted by European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, who ruled out both a customs union and rejoining the EU, saying there is no appetite to return to past debates while emphasising that alignment with the bloc is not a dirty word. A recent reader poll showed that 78 per cent of respondents disagreed with Thomas-Symonds, believing the UK could re-enter the EU, while 22 per cent said the debate is over. Readers were divided on whether reopening the question of EU membership is realistic. Some stressed respect for the 2016 referendum result, while others highlighted the ongoing economic costs of Brexit. Many, however, agreed that closer ties with the EU remain vital for trade, security, and Britains long-term global position. Several commenters pointed to the potential benefits of rejoining or deepening alignment, citing examples like Turkey and Norway as evidence of economic gains, and warning that isolation as a medium-sized nation could be risky amid global instability. Others stressed the political risks, noting that revisiting membership could trigger domestic backlash and European scepticism over cherry-picked access, leaving the government to focus on pragmatic reset deals. Overall, readers recognised the tension between public appetite for change and political caution, highlighting the challenge of balancing national interest with democratic debate. Heres what you had to say: Democracy means we can ask the question again I can't see any political party wanting to reopen that debate anytime soon, regardless of the obvious and ongoing damage leaving the EU has done to this country. The lies told by Farage and Johnson are irrelevant to the debate. Whilst the Brexiteers narrowly won the argument in 2016, it will take a much larger majority in favour of rejoining the EU to overturn what is now a minority, albeit a loud and vocal minority. We can only hope a party can get into power that is prepared to put this country first and win the argument for the majority. Of course, we will have to put up with the mock outrage from Farage and his supporters. Democracy means we can ask the question again, especially after the lies of 2016. Speculator No appetite? I think the ministers comments are vacuous and absurd. He says that, talking to people up and down the country, theres no appetite for a customs union or rejoining. This is the same hearsay nonsense that all politicians use when trying to justify their pea-brained opinions. No one has been able to point to a single advantage of Brexit in ten years. Lets hope that, if there is any positive outcome in the Ukraine war, we can get back to the heart of Europe, which is where we belong for economic and defence reasons. If the Americans want to let religious zealots set their foreign policy, then theyll be just as blind as Israel and Iran. Europeans need to show the world that our values are better. JazzyJeff A complete turnaround I remember when Keir Starmer was Shadow Brexit Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn. He backed staying in the EU and kept pushing for a much closer relationship with it basically a soft Brexit. He was also one of the loudest voices in Labour calling for a second referendum, another vote on the final Brexit deal. In the end, that line helped push a lot of traditional Labour voters away, especially in Leave areas, and the party paid the price for it. Then, once the UK had actually left the EU in 2020 and Starmer became leader of the Labour Party, he suddenly changed his tune a complete turnaround saying Brexit was settled and we wouldnt be going back into the EU, the single market, or free movement. Funny how quickly things change. Everlasting Not anytime soon He might not believe that Britain will ever rejoin the EU, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. This is expectation management in the here and now, not a prediction for the future. I think we will rejoin for defence and security reasons as much as economic ones because being a medium-sized, isolated nation is dangerous given the conflicts developing around the world, but not anytime soon, and the EU itself will be different from the one we left in 2020. However, there's not much mileage in proposing rejoining now because I'm not sure that the EU would welcome us while Farage is still a political force, and the domestic backlash may be substantial. Tanaquil2 Let the people decide Short-sighted political bias, to the detriment of the people in the UK. Everyone knows even Brexiteers, who would never admit it that the UK is simply poorer as a result of Brexit. This is why it really should not be a decision in the hands of a few politicians. Rather, a decision of such magnitude needs to go to a referendum. Let the people decide. Let's face it, the decision is too difficult for politicians to get right, and the cost is obvious to see. Theframe Why is the debate off the table? The right wing of the Conservative Party, and every iteration of Reform, confidently agitated for Brexit for decades, so what gives Labour the right to unilaterally declare that discussion is eternally off the table around the UK rejoining the EU, or easing the pain by setting up a customs union, when there is an increasing clamour amongst the general public who can see Brexit has not only delivered zilch, but made things worse? EthelredTheUnsteady Pie-in-the-sky Labour will only get so far with its dynamic alignment, and rejoining is pie-in-the-sky. It's time all the moaners about Brexit learned to respect the decision of the British electorate in 2016. I lived in an EU country for 11 years 2009 to 2020 and had a great time, but I voted to leave and believe it was the right decision for our country. Dogglebird Cherry-picking is being rejected The plans for a tactic of cherry-picking are well understood within the EU and are soundly being rejected by the EU Council and Parliament. EU members are not blind or stupid. They fully understand that the UK population simply does not have the desire for membership to the level required under The Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) ; the UK Parliament most certainly does not; and any membership talks are extremely likely to be cancelled, restarted, and cancelled again on a general election basis. Jonathan Mills Time to move on Well, I for one am glad that at least some of these buffoons realise that returning to rejoin the EU is not an option. We had a referendum and the people of the UK voted to get out of the basket of mafia state-controlled Europe. I say this as someone who voted to stay at the time and now realises that, if given the choice again, I would have voted to keep out. I would like to think that, with the US getting itself into an economic catastrophe of endless wars and unstable energy markets, both the UK and France are at least considering trading more with China and other markets as an option rather than the exception. Roubledominance A political firestorm If negotiations to rejoin the EU were started, the right-wing media and Reform would launch a vicious campaign against the notion, especially as one condition the EU would insist upon is the introduction of the euro. Just think what a furore this would create when even removing Churchill's portrait from current banknotes has caused some people to have tantrums. Having said all this, it's blindingly obvious that the national interest would be served by rejoining the EU. Rover Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity. Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the days top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click log in or register in the top right corner to sign in or sign up. Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment, click here. Stay on top of the latest political news with our View from Westminster newsletter Get the latest political headlines with our free email Get the latest political headlines with our free email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Britain will buy additional missiles for its forces stationed in the Middle East in a move aimed at bolstering Gulf states facing aggression from Iran, the government has announced. The Ministry of Defence confirmed plans to increase its stock of laser-guided Martlet weapons. These missiles have recently been deployed to successfully intercept drones originating from Tehran. For security reasons, the exact number of weapons to be purchased was not disclosed. open image in gallery Defence Secretary John Healey said the armed forces are taking defensive action in the Middle East ( Andrew Matthews/PA ) Manufactured by Thales UK in Belfast, these lightweight multi-role missiles (LMMs) have already demonstrated their "highly capable" performance in regional air defence. The decision follows a Wednesday meeting where ministers and officials convened with defence industry leaders, including Thales, BAE Systems, and Leonardo UK, to address the strategic situation in the Middle East, the government's response to the conflict, and new support for allied nations under attack. open image in gallery Trump accused Starmer of being slow to offer US support for the war ( Reuters ) It comes after US President Donald Trump singled Britain out for censure over its resistance along with other allies to immediately agree to his calls for assistance in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies. Mr Trump has also criticised the extent of UK involvement in the conflict more widely, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of being slow to offer support. At Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir defended his approach, insisting he would not allow UK forces to be drawn into a wider war. Announcing the plans to purchase extra missiles, Defence Secretary John Healey said: Irans indiscriminate attacks are a threat to Britain, our allies and our partners in the region. Thats why our dedicated armed forces are taking defensive action in the Middle East. A nations armed forces are only as strong as the industry that supports them. Im proud of how our military and industry are stepping up together just as we are for Ukraine to offer rapid support to our Gulf partners. This is the best of our British industry, innovators and military in action. 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 Keir Starmer is set to face the wrath of Labour MPs over confirmation of significant cuts to overseas development aid (ODA). The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is expected to make an announcement to parliament on Thursday over reduced allocations for aid, more than a year after the prime minister announced plans to reduce the funds from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 0.3 per cent by 2027. The ODA budget was reduced to 0.48 per cent in 2025/26, then will drop to 0.37 per cent in 2026/27, and will be a mere 0.3 per cent in 2027/28. Ahead of the statement, former international development minister Gareth Thomas, the Labour MP for Harrow West, issued a warning to the government that it was leaving the door open for malign foreign powers such as China to fill the space left by the UK. open image in gallery Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing another backlash (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) ( PA Wire ) He said: In an already unsafe world, cutting aid risks alienating key allies and will make improving childrens health and education in Commonwealth countries more difficult. We risk creating more opportunities for regimes who dont share our values. Our security depends not just on a stronger military but also on building soft power so that our soldiers arent needed. Mr Thomass intervention reflects growing unease on the Labour backbenches about the policy which only leaves guaranteed funding for Ukraine, Gaza, the UKs Overseas Territories and Sudan. It is believed that protections for women and girls will also be maintained. In a post on X, overseas development committee chair Sarah Champion warned: I fear for the international impact, not least to our reputation. Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Health Security Dr Beccy Cooper said: Labour is, and always has been, a party of internationalism. When we step back from our shared commitments, we lose both our strength and our standing in the world. We are a softpower superpower and we should be proud of that. "These spending plans put Britain and the world at risk. When health systems in the poorest countries are not supported to become resilient, diseases spread faster and further. Protecting public health at home means investing in strong health systems everywhere." open image in gallery IDC chairwoman Sarah Champion (UK Parliament/PA) ( PA Media ) The cuts are the latest issue to spark discontent among Labour MPs in a week where a speech by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner describing draconian plans to control immigration as un-British have ignited another civil war within the party. With Labour losing the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election to the Greens and coming third behind Reform in what had been the partys seventh safest seat, Labour MPs are actively discussing replacing the prime minister in a bid to move left. One senior backbencher said: The issue on overseas aid is just another example of the way this government has moved away from Labour values. Under Tony Blair the party had brought in the international standard that 0.7 per cent of GDP should be spent on overseas development, a target maintained by David Camerons Tory government and only reduced to 0.5 per cent by Rishi Sunak after the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision to chop the amount further has seen her attacked by senior Tories including former minister Andrew Mitchell as well as Labour MPs. Previously, The Independent revealed how key figures, including international development committee chair Sarah Champion and business committee chair Liam Byrne, signed a letter calling for the government to commit billions more to the budget, with a roadmap back to 0.7 per cent. The was having to make the cuts because of the state of the public finances left behind by the Tories. The Independent has approached the Treasury and the FCDO for further comment. This article has been produced as part of The Independents Rethinking Global Aid project 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 casual conversation among county officials in Kenya has led to a groundbreaking policy, making Nairobi the first region in the nation to grant female employees menstrual leave. The initiative, which came into effect in December 2025, allows women working for the capitals county government two days off each month to manage the pain and discomfort associated with menstruation. The aim is to boost productivity and overall well-being. Governor Johnson Sakaja, who championed the new practice, said that Kenyas national government and other county administrations have expressed keen interest in its implementation and outcomes. More than half of the 18,000 employees under his governance are women. "Your biggest asset is your staff," Mr Sakaja said. "It starts with dignifying your own staff, for them to feel that theyre respected and dignified." open image in gallery Alima Nasur talks to her daughters, Salama Halima, 13, centre, and Buthaina Halima, 11, right, about menstrual health inside their home in Kibera, on the outskirts of Nairobi ( AP ) While some critics have suggested the policy could deter employers from hiring women, Mr Sakaja said that women perform better when adequately supported. Women currently lead the Nairobi county governments business and health portfolios. "A lot of labour policies were written many years ago by men," the governor said. "Womens rights are not anti-productivity. They are an input that creates productivity. Its actually an investment in your workforce." He added that the policy would have no financial impact, given that the county employs more than one person for each role. "It will not be a train smash if three or four people in a department are not there for a day or two," he explained. open image in gallery Women sew reusable sanitary pads inside the Fempad NGO workshop in Kibera ( AP ) Japan adopted a menstrual leave policy as early as 1947, with Spain following suit in 2023. Other nations, including Indonesia and South Korea, also have similar provisions. In Africa, only Zambia has a nationwide menstrual leave policy, permitting female workers one day off per month without requiring a doctors note. Advocates argue that such policies acknowledge menstruation as a legitimate workplace health issue. Janet Opiata, Nairobi County human resource manager, said that the feedback had been positive. "The feedback we have gotten, especially from the staff that work in public service management, is that its very refreshing. And when they come back, they are able to work even better," she said, adding that at least 12 women from her department, including a senior director, used the leave in February. The policy operates on a "no-questions-asked, no-forms-filled" basis, offering paid leave in addition to standard sick and annual leave entitlements. open image in gallery Dr Eunice Cheserem says women cease to be functional when they get severe menstrual pain ( AP ) Nairobi implemented the policy via a cabinet decree and an internal human resources memo. Marion Kapuya, a 25-year-old revenue officer, said the policy had an immediate impact. "Working with pain or discomfort can lead to mistakes or low productivity," she explained. "When you take the break and you are relieved from the pain, your performance will be top-notch." Ms Kapuya also highlighted the persistent stigma in many workplaces. "Before I get to a point of saying, Excuse me, sir, I am on my period and I dont feel okay, it is so hard," she confessed. The governor acknowledged feedback suggesting that even with the policy, some employees might still feel embarrassed to inform a manager that their time off is for menstrual leave. Christine Akinyi, a private-sector worker in Nairobi, praised the two-day provision as a good start but suggested it should be extended to four days. However, she also voiced a common concern: "People will prefer to employ more men because they dont have these sick leaves." Dr Eunice Cheserem, a Nairobi-based gynaecologist, said that severe menstrual pain affects 50 per cent of the women she treats, though national data for Kenya is unavailable. "If a woman gets severe menstrual pain, she actually ceases to be functional. Some will get vomiting, severe headaches, they vomit everything, they have diarrhoea, they have very terrible cramps," Dr Cheserem said. "Some respond to conventional analgesics, but very many need very, very strong analgesics for them even to be able to function." She said that Nairobi countys new menstrual leave offers much-needed rest and an opportunity for women to prioritise their self-care. 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 Four Canadians currently sit in Hong Kong jails after being arrested on drug charges despite them saying they were duped on social media into being drug mules. While they all arrived on separate flights and did not know one another, interviews from prison suggest they were all lured by the same network. This organization is reportedly led by a big boss who uses encrypted apps and goes only by the handle DOT, a CTV News investigation found. The recruitment process often begins with a simple job post. According to the investigation, a digital roadmap found on a laptop belonging to then-19-year-old Jade from Cambridge, Ontario, exposes the step-by-step grooming process. Jade believed she had been hired for a legitimate role as an international package shipper. The job seemed straightforward, requiring only that the applicant be over 18, have a clean criminal record and possess a valid passport. The recruiter, via Instagram, promised a salary of $5,000 per trip and told Jade that flight, accommodation and food costs would be covered. There was even a $250 referral bonus offered for bringing others into the fold. But her agreement led to her and the other three being arrested, and the police claiming they had nearly 100 kilograms of cocaine in checked luggage. Four Canadians have been arrested in Hong Kong on drug charges. The suspects said they were duped on social media into being drug carriers ( AFP/Getty ) The CTV investigation showed the chats and detailed how Jade was not an experienced traveler the recruiter had to clarify that food is complimentary on international flights. Despite her lack of travel knowledge, she repeatedly questioned the safety of the work. When she asked how she could be sure she wouldn't be "kidnapped and enslaved," the recruiter dismissed her fears. Im 19 myself and would NOT put anyone in danger like that," the recruiters message read, claiming he sent his own "closest homies" and best friend on the same trips. Naderia, Jades mother, told CTV News that reading these exchanges was "sickening," comparing the recruiter's actions to "rolling up a snowball and tossing it in hell." Another detained Canadian, 21-year-old Omar, also from southwestern Ontario, told CTV News he had been lured by acquaintances who insisted the trip would be completely legal. Once in the system, the recruits followed a rigid protocol. They were flown on the same airline, placed in the same Hong Kong hotel, told to check in every two minutes after landing and directed to use currency serial numbers as passwords for deliveries. The demand for cocaine among the affluent in Hong Kong drives a market where the drug costs approximately $200 per gram more than twice the price in Canada. Unless the arrested Canadians can prove they had no knowledge of the 25 kilograms of cocaine found in their possession, they face the possibility of life sentences. 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 Georgia grandfather who pulled over to help his stranded teenage grandson on a highway in Oconee County was killed, and the teen was seriously injured, after an ambulance hit them and pinned both beneath the vehicle Sunday night. John Carter Martin had stopped his maroon Ford F-150 to help his grandson, Connor Lee Schoon, 17, whose Toyota Camry had broken down in the westbound lanes of Atlanta Highway near Whitehead Road around 9:50 p.m., according to the Georgia State Patrol, 11 Alive reported. Investigators said Martin parked his truck in front of the disabled Camry, and both he and his grandson got out to try to fix it. While they were outside their vehicles, a westbound Northeast Georgia Medical Center ambulance slammed into the rear of the Camry, sending all three vehicles onto the north shoulder and pinning both men beneath the ambulance, according to the Oconee County Coroner, 11 Alive reports. Martin was pronounced dead at the scene. Schoon was critically injured and first taken to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center before being airlifted to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Arthur M. Blank Hospital. His mother, Jennifer Martinez, said he suffered multiple lacerations, a broken left clavicle and internal bleeding from a lacerated spleen, requiring a 3.5-hour emergency surgery to stop the bleeding. Connor Lee Schoon (left) and John Carter Martin were pinned beneath an ambulance Sunday night after it struck Schoons broken-down car on Atlanta Highway, killing Martin ( Jennifer Martinez/11 Alive ) He has since been moved out of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit into a regular room and is in stable condition, though still recovering physically and emotionally, Martinez told 11 Alive. Martinez said her son told her both vehicles had their hazard lights on and were pulled far enough off the road to allow passing traffic. He kept asking me, his dad and step-dad, where was Papa? Martinez told Atlanta News First Tuesday. We told him the harsh truth today. He remembers seeing Papa getting hit as well. Please have the community pray for all of us at this time. The Georgia State Patrols Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team has joined the investigation, and troopers say charges are possible once the probe is complete. "Our hearts go out to everyone involved in the accident and their loved ones. We are cooperating with the accident investigation and providing mental and emotional support to staff members who have been impacted," a spokesperson from Northeast Georgia Medical Center said in a statement to Atlanta News First. The Independent has contacted the Northeast Georgia Medical Center and the Georgia State Patrol for an update. 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 Yorks City Council is considering legislation that might upend the way shoppers check out at grocery stores. The council is considering a bill that would require stores with self-checkout lanes to limit those lanes to 15 items or fewer and to require employees to be present to help customers who have problems with the machines, according to PIX 11. If passed, the bill would force grocery stores to have one monitoring employee for every three self-checkout kiosks. According to City Council member Amanda Farias who introduced the resolution the measure is intended not only to make customers' shopping experiences better but also to help preserve retail jobs and curb shoplifting. This is just to help address some of the real problems were seeing in our communities, Farias told the outlet. When questioned about the potential increase in labor costs for grocery stores using the self-checkout systems, Farias said any increases would likely be offset by what they save in reduced theft. A New York City councilor is introducing legislation that would force stores in the city to limit self-checkout lanes to 15 items or fewer and to staff one employee per every three active lanes ( Getty Images ) Less workers means more retail theft, which increases the price of commodities people are buying," she told the broadcaster. "Were seeing this with Target rolling back self-checkout kiosks, and were seeing this in other states where this is being implemented. Target implemented a change similar to what the city council is proposing in its stores last year. In 2025, Target limited its self-checkout lanes to 10 items per person. A spokesperson for the company at the time told Fox Business that the change was driven by "internal testing that showed it increased customer satisfaction." Target's stores were also a hotbed for shoplifting. The big-box retailer reported nearly $500 million in "shrink" financial loss due to shoplifting and inventory errors in 2023, according to Business Insider. The company's shrink losses have declined since then to pre-pandemic levels, though there's no data available to determine how much if at all changing self-checkout kiosk rules may have contributed to that change. The Independent has requested comment from Target. Both Walmart and Dollar General have, in some locations, completely removed self-checkout lanes as an option for shoppers. In Walmart's case, it said it removed the technology to improve customers' experiences. Dollar General was direct about its reasons for removing the self-checkout lanes. The company said it was pulling the technology out of 300 of its stores that experience the worst shoplifting. In 2024, Five Below's then-CEO Joel Anderson told investors that the stores would be removing virtually all self-checkout kiosks, especially in stores with high rates of shoplifting. In addition to curbing shoplifting, Farias believes the bill will improve overall safety at grocery and retail outlets across the city. Weve seen the consequences of removing workers from these spaces: increased retail theft, less oversight, fewer protections for both workers and customers, and generally decreased safety, she said on Tuesday while introducing the legislation. City Council member Joann Ariola, a Republican, is opposing the measure, accusing the bill's proponents of having their priorities backward. This is typical backwards leftist logic, Ariola told the New York Post. Instead of actually trying to punish criminals, my colleagues are pushing to make life even harder for businesses and consumers. Jason Ferraira, a board member for the National Supermarket Association, told the New York Post that he would prefer stricter consequences for shoplifters rather than any kind of regulation on grocery store self-checkout. He called the city council's idea "horrible" and insisted it wouldn't help. You dont prevent shoplifting by making me have a certain ratio of employees, he added. People shoplift in a lot of different ways. Some shoplift through self-checkout. Some through the regular cashier checkout. Some people bypass the checkout altogether, and go straight to the floor. 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 renowned libertarian author Brian Doherty has died after an apparent fall in the Bay Area, according to his colleagues. Doherty, 57, was found dead in Battery Yates, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. He is believed to have fallen while attending an event on March 12. The writers death was confirmed by the libertarian magazine Reason, where he worked as a senior editor. Brian was the historian of the libertarian movement, Reason Foundation President David Nott wrote. He lovingly and comprehensively portrayed the colorful characters in the libertarian world. open image in gallery Brian Doherty, a famed libertarian author, has died after an apparent fall, according to his colleagues ( Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons ) Matt Welch, an editor-at-large at Reason, revealed in his article that Doherty had suffered from a series of physical ailments and setbacks that left him walking with a cane. It is likely that condition contributed to his deadly tumble Thursday, as he took a stroll away from - of course! - an art gathering atop an abandoned World War 2 gun battery, he continued. Born in New York and raised in Florida, Doherty was most known for his 2007 book Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement. His other works saw him tackling controversial issues, including gun control laws and the legacy of former Congressman Ron Paul. open image in gallery Doherty was found dead in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is near the iconic Golden Gate Bridge ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) In 2004, he wrote This Is Burning Man: The Rise of a New American Underground, which documented the origins of the now-infamous festival in Nevadas Black Rock Desert. Doherty majored in journalism at the University of Florida in the 1980s and became associated with a group of artists known as the Cacophony Society in Los Angeles during the mid-1990s, according to Reason. In a Reason article published in 2013, Doherty wrote that the Cacophony Society inspired or created phenomenon ranging from the novel/movie Fight Club to urban exploration, billboard alteration, the Yes Men, flash mobs, and Santa Rampages. Nick Gillespie, another editor at large at Reason, wrote in a tribute to Doherty that his late colleague was the first person that he called after taking the helm at the libertarian magazine in 2000. Doherty had joined the magazine in 1994 but had left towards the end of the decade, according to Gillespie. Come back, I said, Reason needs you, Gillespie wrote. What I liked most about Brian was his abiding interest in things happening on the margins of American culture, politics, and thought, and his deep appreciation for the prodigious bounty that markets deliver reliably and without moralizing. In a statement given to The Independent, a spokesperson for the National Park Service confirmed that the NPS did respond to an incident at Battery Yates on March 12. National Park Service law enforcement, alongside partners at Southern Marin Fire, responded to an incident at Battery Yates on Thursday, March 12 involving a male visitor who reportedly fell from the cliffside into the water, Scott Carr, an NPS spokesperson, said. The individual was recovered and pronounced dead. We do not have any further information to share at this time. 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 Democratic senator has introduced a bill that would prevent the military from using AI to spy on Americans or launch kill strikes without human input. The AI Guardrails Act, introduced on Tuesday, comes from Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who previously angered the Trump administration by taking part in a video encouraging members of the military to refuse illegal orders. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, argues the bill is necessary, given the rapid escalation of AI use in wars like the Iran conflict, as well as the dearth of regulations on the quickly evolving technology. If we were a healthier country politically right now, we would be putting up left and right limits around the use of AI, she said during a recent Armed Services Committee hearing. We have really no guidelines for you all, really no law. Thats not your fault. Thats on us, on a bipartisan basis. The bill would also ban AI-based decisions to launch a nuclear strike. open image in gallery Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) wants to ban the military from using AI to launch kill strikes or nuclear weapons without human involvement ( Getty Images ) The Pentagon, which recently saw negotiations with AI firm Anthropic break down over ethics questions around autonomous weapons, insists it already complies with the guardrails the act is seeking. The Department of War has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement, Defense Department official Sean Parnell said last month in a statement on X. As The Independent has reported, the U.S. military has made extensive use of AI in its Iran campaign. A key tool has been Palantirs Maven system, which pairs with Anthropics Claude large language model to scrutinize intelligence, mapping data, and other systems, giving commanders real-time information about battles and helping generate potential targets. These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds, so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react, Central Commands Adm. Brad Cooper said last week. Humans will always make final decisions on what to shoot and what not to shoot, and when to shoot. ... But advanced AI tools can turn processes that used to take hours and sometimes even days into seconds. open image in gallery The U.S. has heavily integrated AI into its bombing campaign in Iran, which has come under heavy scrutiny after a likely U.S. strike demolished a girls primary school in Minab and killed scores of children ( ISNA ) Other major Silicon Valley players, including OpenAI, Google, Elon Musks xAI, and Anduril, all either already provide or have agreements to supply the U.S. with various defense-related AI systems. U.S. targeting processes have come under heavy scrutiny after a likely American strike leveled a girls' primary school in Iran, killing at least 175 people. In the run-up to the Iran war, the Pentagon sparred with Anthropic about contract terms over how its AIs would be incorporated into defense systems. Anthropic alleges the Defense Department wanted unrestricted use of its AIs, and the company sought assurances its products wouldnt be used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon says it assured the company it would only use Anthropic models for lawful purposes. Anthropic ultimately concluded it cannot in good conscience accept such terms, CEO CEO Dario Amodei said last month, prompting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to declare the company a supply chain risk. The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to stop using Anthropic technology within six months. Anthropic has sued to challenge the risk designation, arguing the administration is punishing the company on ideological grounds. 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 New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdanis administration is seeking to stop representing Eric Adams in a lawsuit accusing the former mayor of sexually assaulting a woman more than 30 years ago, according to a court filing Tuesday. The request comes just months after Mamdani took office, following a bitter campaign in which the two Democrats frequently traded sharp, personal attacks. The lawsuit, filed while Adams was still in office, alleges he assaulted Lorna Beach-Mathura in 1993, when he was a police officer, and demanded a sexual favor in exchange for helping advance her career within the department. Adams has strongly denied the claims and says he does not recall ever meeting her. open image in gallery A spokesperson for Adams said the former mayor remains confident that the facts will ultimately prevail ( AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr. ) The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual assault in stories unless they consent to being named, as Beach-Mathura has done through her attorney. In a statement, Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams, said the former mayor remains confident that the facts will ultimately prevail. The motion from the citys corporation counsel to withdraw from the civil case argues that Adams is not entitled to city-funded legal support because he was not acting within the scope of his City employment at the time of the alleged assault. A spokesperson for Mamdani said Tuesday that the move was made independently by the Corporation Counsel, as is required by law and that the mayor did not direct the Corporation Counsel to undertake this review, nor did he instruct the Corporation Counsel to reach a particular determination. Of course, Mayor Mamdani has full faith and confidence in the Corporation Counsels independent judgment and in his ability to reach the appropriate and just legal conclusions, said the spokesperson, Dora Pekec. Nevertheless, there has been no love lost between Mamdani and Adams. Adams who bowed out of last year's Democratic primary following a federal corruption case that was ultimately dismissed after an extraordinary intervention from the Trump administration ran for reelection as an independent, casting Mamdani as an out-of-touch liberal child of privilege. Mamdani, meanwhile, sought to frame Adams as a corrupt leader whose warm relationship with the Trump administration compromised his ability to serve the city. Adams eventually withdrew from the race altogether, endorsing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's candidacy, but he amped up his attacks against Mamdani in a bid to halt the young progressive's political rise. At one point, Adams appeared to suggest without explanation that a terror attack could become more likely in the city if Mamdani was elected. New York cant be Europe, folks, Adams said at a campaign event where he endorsed Cuomo. I dont know what is wrong with people. You see whats playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism, he continued, citing examples of recent terror attacks in Europe and Africa. Mamdani went on to soundly defeat Cuomo in the city's mayoral election in November, becoming the city's first Muslim mayor and its youngest leader in generations. In the months since, Adams has continued to jab at his successor in social media posts. In addition to the request to withdraw from Adams case, the citys law department recently said it will no longer pay for legal representation for two close allies of Adams in separate matters. The case against Adams was brought under the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law that extended the time limit to bring sexual assault lawsuits. The woman first entered a claim in November 2023, just before the law's expiration, and months later filed a detailed lawsuit against Adams. At the time of the filings, the city's corporation counsel described the allegations as ludicrous and said it expected "full vindication in court. 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 Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Border Patrol commander, is leaving the Department of Homeland Security in order to sidestep fallout from an internal investigation, an insider has claimed. Bovino, 55, announced his retirement Monday in an interview with Breitbart, saying he will step down at the end of the month, closing out a decades-long career that drew national attention and scrutiny during President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. The news of his exit comes less than two weeks after Trump fired Kristi Noem as head of DHS. The greatest honor of my entire life was to work alongside Border Patrol agents on the border and in the interior of the United States in some of the most challenging conditions the agency has ever faced, he told the right-wing outlet, while stopping short of offering an explanation for his retirement. A senior DHS staffer who spoke to The Daily Beast shed light on the decision. He sees where the wind is blowing, the insider said. Hes got an internal investigation looming, and hes already been sent back to El Centro. Now with Noem out, its a sign of things to come. Chosen to jump before hes pushed. The Independent has contacted DHS for comment. open image in gallery Gregory Bovino, a U.S. Border Patrol commander, is leaving the Department of Homeland Security in order to sidestep fallout from an internal investigation, an insider has claimed ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The DHS probe, reported by The New York Times earlier this month, centers on remarks Bovino allegedly made about the Jewish religion. Bovino griped in a January phone call that Daniel Rosen, the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, was difficult to reach on weekends due to his observance of Shabbat, sources familiar with the matter told the outlet. The commander sarcastically asked whether Jewish criminals stopped short of breaking the law over the weekend. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigator later opened an official inquiry into allegations that Bovino made unprofessional comments. At the time, a DHS spokesperson dismissed the story as unverified gossip. Its not the first investigation to be opened into Bovino, who became the public face of Trumps immigration crackdown, overseeing operations in several U.S. cities, including in Minneapolis last winter. The longtime Border Patrol official was frequently seen leading patrols throughout the city, flanked by agents in tactical gear. On March 3, a Minnesota prosecutor announced a probe over misconduct during immigration enforcement operations. It could lead to charges against multiple federal officers, including Bovino, who allegedly lobbed a smoke canister at protesters on January 21. And, in February, DHSs inspector general revealed he is conducting eight individual probes, including into the actions undertaken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Bovino was not specifically named in these probes. open image in gallery Following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Bovino defended Noems domestic terrorist remarks ( AP ) Bovinos comments about Renee Good and Alex Pretti the two American citizens killed by federal officers in Minneapolis also played a part in his downfall, according to The Daily Beast. Following their deaths in January, Noem characterized both individuals as domestic terrorists, comments that Bovino defended on television. According to several senior officials who spoke to the outlet, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller became enraged that Bovino and his turn and burn tactics were the focus of the administrations immigration crackdown. Border czar Tom Homan was later sent to take over operations and ease tensions in Minnesota, while Bovino was ordered to return to his native California and his use of social media was suspended. On March 5, Trump fired Noem as DHS chief, days after she was lambasted by lawmakers over her leadership failures. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been nominated to replace her. Polls show that the public has concerns about the Trump administrations handling of immigration. According to a February Ipsos survey, 58 percent of Americans believe the federal government has gone too far to deport illegal immigrants. 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 Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton has secured the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Illinois, triumphing over two sitting members of the US House of Representatives. Her victory sets the stage for a November general election showdown against Republican nominee Don Tracy, the states former party chair. The retirement of US Senator Dick Durbin, long considered the Senates second-most powerful Democrat, ignited a fiercely contested primary. The race drew Stratton, along with US Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, among other candidates. The campaign was characterised by intense fundraising efforts and sharp political manoeuvring, serving as a significant test of Democratic Governor JB Pritzkers influence. Governor Pritzker, whose name has been mentioned as a potential presidential contender for 2028, threw his weight behind Stratton. These primaries became crucial battlegrounds for some of the Democratic Partys most pressing issues, including support for Israel, immigration enforcement, and the burgeoning cryptocurrency and AI industries. Millions of dollars were poured into these hotly contested races by super PACs. open image in gallery Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has likened President Donald Trumps America to the early days of Nazi Germany ( Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Vox Media ) In this Democratic stronghold, most primary winners are widely expected to secure victory in November, thereby shaping a new generation of leadership within the states congressional delegation. Despite lagging in fundraising, Stratton benefited immensely from Pritzkers powerful backing, with the governor campaigning alongside her across the state. Pritzker introduced Stratton on Tuesday night before her victory speech, where she pledged to champion Medicare for all and higher wages, advocate for the abolition of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and "bring this fight straight to Donald Trumps door." "We are ready to take our democracy back into our own hands," Stratton declared to her supporters gathered in Chicago. The primary, which featured 10 Democrats, proved to be an expensive affair. Raja Krishnamoorthi had dominated fundraising, being the first to air television advertisements in July. He began 2026 with over $15 million in campaign funds, significantly more than Strattons 1 million, according to campaign finance records. open image in gallery Raja Krishnamoorthi had dominated fundraising, being the first to air television advertisements in July. ( AFP/Getty ) Late in 2025, Governor Pritzker injected $5 million into a super PAC dedicated to electing Stratton. During debates, Stratton sharply criticised Krishnamoorthi, particularly focusing on the five-term Democrats voting record and donations received from an ICE contractor. Krishnamoorthi, who has previously called for the dismantling of the agency, stated he had donated the money to immigrant rights groups. In his concession speech on Tuesday, he highlighted his personal journey as an immigrant born in India and raised in central Illinois. "Only in this country can a kid like me serve in the halls of Congress," he said. "And now we must come together as Democrats and as Americans to make sure that we return to the principles that made us a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the world." Rochelle Brockenborough, 64, a voter at the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center in Chicago, said: "I wanted to make sure there was no AIPAC money. Thats important to me." She added that U.S. tax dollars should not be used to support Israel. Candidates frequently highlighted their connections to iconic Chicago figures, including Donald Trumps predecessor Barack Obama and the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, who passed away last month. However, a posthumous endorsement touted by Stratton encountered a snag when Jacksons family withdrew it on Monday, clarifying that the draft was not intended for public release. In the Republican primary, Don Tracy, a lawyer who led the Illinois Republican Party from 2021 to 2024, defeated five other candidates. Illinois last had a Republican in the Senate a decade ago, when Mark Kirk was unseated by the current Democratic Senator. open image in gallery Route 65 begins in Chicago ( GettyiStock ) Election officials had hoped for a robust turnout, especially after the statewide primary turnout in 2024 registered a mere 19 per cent, the lowest in over five decades. Initial estimates from the Chicago Board of Elections indicated a turnout of approximately 25 per cent in Chicago. Crowded U.S. House primaries saw dozens of candidates vying for five open seats in the Chicago area. In Robin Kellys 2nd district, which encompasses parts of the South Side, suburbs, and extends into central Illinois farmlands, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller emerged victorious from a packed Democratic field that included former US Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., son of the late civil rights leader. Miller is set to face Republican Michael Noack, who ran unopposed, in November. Millers campaign received backing from AIPAC, a factor that prompted retiring US Representative Jan Schakowsky, of the 9th District, to withdraw her endorsement of Miller. The open seat in Raja Krishnamoorthis suburban 8th District attracted eight Democrats and four Republicans. Former US Representative Melissa Bean secured the Democratic nomination and will now face Republican Jennifer Davis. "People are ready for change, they want to see a functional Congress," Bean said. "We havent had one in quite some time." Two other House members are retiring after extensive careers. The 7th District, represented by Danny Davis since 1996, covers parts of downtown, the West Side, and suburbs. The candidate he endorsed, state Representative La Shawn Ford, won the nomination over a pool of contenders that included Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin. Chad Koppie won for the GOP. The primary for Schakowskys 9th District seat was the most crowded. Among 15 Democrats, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss narrowly defeated digital creator Kat Abughazaleh and state Senator Laura Fine, who also had AIPACs backing. Republican John Elleson won his partys nomination. Speaking to supporters, Biss hailed Schakowsky, who endorsed him, as his "political hero" and stated that the contest to replace her raised fundamental questions about the Democratic Partys priorities. "Are we going to double down on our progressive values, or are we going to shrink away from protecting the most vulnerable?" Biss asked. "We are going to stand up, we are going to fight." Another open Chicago area seat was that of Representative Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who announced he would not seek re-election citing health and personal reasons. The Democratic primary for the 4th District was uncontested after Garcia quietly arranged for his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, to be placed on the ballot without any Democratic competition. Patty Garcia, who is not related to the congressman, will face Republican Lupe Castillo, who also ran unopposed, in November. Governor Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune who ran unopposed in his primary, is the first governor to seek a third term since the 1980s. A vocal critic of Donald Trump, Pritzker used his victory speech to highlight his efforts to oppose the aggressive federal immigration crackdown in Chicago last year. He criticised the Republican agenda, labelled Trumps presidency an "unmitigated disaster," and vowed to help Democrats across Illinois secure victories in November. "This is the fight of our lives," he told supporters at a downtown Chicago hotel. "Everything we care about is under siege from Washington." Pritzker also took aim at Republican candidate Darren Bailey, a former state senator whom he comfortably defeated in 2022. Bailey, who beat three other Republicans competing for the nomination, stated he approached things differently this time, including a greater focus on Chicago voters. On the campaign trail and in his victory speech, Bailey criticised Pritzkers leadership, attributing rising costs to him. Looking ahead to November, he pledged to include Democrats "who felt overlooked." "I want to work together to make Illinois government work again at all levels," he 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 Officials at the World Health Organization have admitted that they are preparing for a worst-case scenario nuclear threat if the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran escalates. Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, said that staff remain vigilant for a nuclear incident following President Donald Trumps decision to bomb Iran in a joint campaign with Israel. The worst-case scenario is a nuclear incident, and thats something that worries us the most, Balkhy told Politico. As much as we prepare, theres nothing that can prevent the harm that will come the regions way and globally if this eventually happens and the consequences are going to last for decades. The official told the outlet that United Nations staff are preparing for an incident in its broader sense, including if there was an attack on a nuclear facility or the use of a weapon. We are thinking about it, and were just really hoping that it does not happen, Balkhy added. In the wake of the bombing campaign in the Middle East, WHO is refreshing staff on how to respond in the event of a nuclear incident and providing guidance about long-term health risks linked to radiation exposure, Politico reports. I think those who read the history of previous incidents, whether intentional or accidental, are very aware of what were talking about, Balkhy added. Israel and the U.S. have continued to pummel Irans nuclear sites as Trump insisted Tehran was on the brink of getting a nuclear weapon. open image in gallery Flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck by missiles in Tehran ( ISNA ) At the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine insisted the goal of the operation is to eliminate Irans ability to build a nuclear weapon, echoing the same line shared by Trump and the White House when they launched the attacks. This week, Joe Kent, Trumps director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned from his post because he could not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran and the country posed no imminent threat to our nation, he said in a post on X. In her opening remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, Trumps Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, said that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran last summer obliterated Irans nuclear enrichment program. open image in gallery Israel and the US have continued to pummel Irans nuclear sites ( AFP/Getty ) There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability. The entrances to the underground facilities that were bombed have been buried and shuttered with cement, Gabbards opening remarks stated. Trumps artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency czar David Saks caused alarm Monday when he suggested that Israel could escalate the war by contemplating using a nuclear weapon. The president insisted that Israel would never do that when asked about the comments later by reporters. 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 posted a 2020 tweet from Joe Kent on Truth Social in which the now-former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned sensationally Tuesday, argued in favor of attacking Iran. In the message sent to Trump on January 8, 2020, shortly after the president ordered the assassination of Quds commander Qasem Soleimani, Kent wrote: We should not sit and wait for the next attack, wipe Irans ballistic capability out and get our troops out of Iraq they are only targets now. No WIA/KIA [wounded in action/killed in action] is a tribute to the professionalism of our military and intel professionals not Iranian restraint. The repost was an attempt by the president to firefight the storm surrounding Kents resignation, which he announced in a scathing open letter to Trump stressing his opposition to the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that commenced on February 28. open image in gallery Joe Kent announced his resignation from the Trump administration Tuesday with a scathing open letter to the president in which he opposed the Iran war and accused him of being deceived by Israel ( AP ) Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA operator whose first wife, Shannon Smith, was killed in an ISIS bombing campaign in Syria, told the president: I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. He continued: This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again. I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards. open image in gallery President Donald Trump was asked about Kent in the Oval Office Tuesday and said he was nice guy who had been weak on security ( AP ) Asked about Kent in the Oval Office Tuesday during a St Patricks Day sitdown with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, the president said he was a nice guy but added: I always thought he was weak on security When I read his statement, I realized that its a good thing that hes out. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a more comprehensive attack on X, saying his letter contained many false claims and insisting the president had had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first. However, Kents resignation has seen him hailed as a hero and a patriot by influential members of the American right like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Candace Owens while a number of MAGA podcasters cited his decision as the latest evidence of the fracturing of their movement over Iran. open image in gallery Kents resignation has seen him hailed as a hero and a patriot by influential members of the American right like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Candace Owens, shown here ( Getty Images ) Timcast host Tim Dillon said the presidents coalition is shattered and declared: Trump can say I AM MAGA all he wants, and it may be true, but lost support means MAGA is meaningless. Shawn Ryan said: Sometimes the most impactful statement you can make is a strong resignation. It's unfortunate its come down to this. Gods speed Joe Kent I hope this wakes some people up. Prior to Kents exit, another Trump booster, Carrie Prejean Boller, told Piers Morgan Uncensored Monday: MAGA is dead. It is deader than dead. And Americans are furious. We do not recognize President Donald J Trump anymore. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Kents former boss, will appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday tasked with defending a war she herself has previously warned against, describing as stupid and costly. 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 director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, announced his sudden resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about President Donald Trumps strikes in Iran. Kent, 45, said he cannot in good conscience back the administrations war. A former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, Kent was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he oversaw an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. His resignation reflects unease within Trumps base about the war and shows that questions about the justification for the use of force in Iran extend to the right of Trumps base and to senior members of his administration. A former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, Kent was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote ( AP ) This is the letter in full: President Trump, After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation. In your fist administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without geting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonsiratd this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS. Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again. As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, | cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives. I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards. It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation. Joseph Kent Director, National Counterterrorrism Center. 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 Trump administration is temporarily waiving maritime shipping requirements under a more than century-old law known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act requires that goods hauled between U.S. ports be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels. Passed in 1920, this law aims to protect the American shipping sector but it's also faced criticism over the years for slowing the delivery of goods, including critical aid during time of crisis. And its often blamed for making gas, in particular, more expensive. On Wednesday, the White House said that it would suspend Jones Act requirements for 60 days, in a measure that arrives amid wider efforts to counter steep oil prices and cargo disruptions due to the war. Here's what we know. What is the Jones Act? The Jones Act's official name is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Congress passed the law, sponsored by Sen. Wesley Jones of Washington state, in an effort to rebuild U.S. shipping after German U-boats decimated Americas merchant flee during World War I. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the Jones Act waiver would help mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market ( AFP/Getty ) Among other things, the Jones Act mandates that ships carrying cargo and passengers between U.S. ports must be built in the United States and owned by Americans effectively prohibiting foreign-flagged ships from this domestic trade. The vessels are also required to carry U.S. crews. The law can be waived in the interest of national defense, the U.S. Maritime Administration notes, either through the Homeland Security or Defense Department. The Jones Act also was intended to ensure that the U.S. had its own merchant fleet in case of war. It's been strongly supported by some U.S. shipping companies, national security advocates and organized labor. But cutting out foreign competition has also driven up the cost of carrying cargo domestically. U.S.-flagged ships are generally more expensive to both operate and build than foreign ones. And those costs are especially damaging to states and territories that are supplied by sea, such as Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Why is Trump waiving Jones Act requirements now? Oil prices have spiked and swung rapidly since the start of the Iran war. Nearly all tanker movement in the key Strait of Hormuz remains at a halt, which has led major oil producers across the Middle East to cut production. Commercial ships which, beyond fuel, haul cargo from pharmaceuticals to computer chips have also been stalled at sea or faced attacks themselves. That's pushing up prices for businesses and consumers worldwide. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at nearly $109 a barrel on Wednesday, up from roughly $70 before the war began. And U.S. crude is now at about $98 a barrel. U.S. drivers have already seen prices at the pump jump dramatically with the national average for regular gasoline topping $3.84 a gallon Wednesday, per AAA, up about 86 cents from before the war. All of this has left countries scrambling for more supply and alternative shipping routes. The White House confirmed last week it was looking into suspending Jones Act requirements, which Trump called restrictive. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the Jones Act waiver would help mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market during the Iran war and would allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports. Could suspending requirements help bring down gas prices? Many factors contribute to prices at the pump. Opening up domestic shipping routes to foreign-flagged vessels may bring some relief in the form of expanding transportation options, but it isn't a sweeping fix. The Center for American Progress estimated last week that waiving the Jones Act would decrease East Coast gas prices by a modest 3 cents, but potentially raising costs on the Gulf Coast. And the move would also sideline American shipbuilders and workers and allow the oil industry to continue to profit from high prices while reducing transport costs, the research and policy think tank said Friday. The U.S. is looking for additional ways to boost oil supply. Also on Wednesday, the Treasury Department eased sanctions to allow U.S. companies to do business with Venezuelas state-owned oil and gas company. And the Trump administration has announced it will temporarily free up Russian oil from U.S. sanctions, too. Last week, the International Energy Agency also pledged to release 400 million barrels of oil available from its member nations stockpiles, the largest volume of emergency oil pulled in the organizations history. Trump, who previously downplayed the need to tap into reserve oil, confirmed that the U.S. would pull 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve over 120 days as part of the IEA's effort. Still, analysts maintain this will be a short-term bridge. Refineries also buy crude oil in advance, and it takes time for new supply to trickle down to consumers. And, of course, it's possible the pain of higher prices could increase further if the war drags on. The U.S. is a net exporter of oil, but that doesnt mean its immune to global spikes. Oil is a commodity traded globally. And most of what the U.S. produces is light, sweet crude, but refineries on the East and West coasts are primarily designed to process heavier, sour product. As a result, it also needs imports. 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 publicly calling for a third-party candidate to challenge Donald Trump during his first presidency, an influential public relations strategist says she courted Jeffrey Epstein in the hopes of extracting compromising information about the president to stop him from running again. Juleanna Glover, a prominent figure in the conservative Never Trump movement, exchanged several dozen emails with Epstein, arranged for two in-person meetings and held at least three phone calls with the late sex offender over 15 months, according to a recent Politico analysis of the so-called Epstein files released by the Department of Justice. Glover who previously advised John McCains presidential campaign and served in George W. Bushs administration wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post on Wednesday that she had hoped to connect Epstein with a prominent journalist who could publish revealing information about the president. She said she came excruciatingly close and almost got it done before Epstein died in jail while awaiting trial on trafficking charges in 2019. Days after his death, The New York Times published The Day Jeffrey Epstein Told Me He Had Dirt on Powerful People by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James B. Stewart, who wrote that many prominent men and at least a few women must be breathing sighs of relief that whatever Mr. Epstein knew, he has taken it with him. open image in gallery Influential PR adviser Juleanna Glover writes in an op-ed she courted Jeffrey Epstein in an attempt to extract information about Donald Trump ( Getty Images ) Trump whose name has appeared thousands of times in the files socialized with Epstein throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Epstein once described himself as the presidents closest friend. The president has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing, and ones appearance in the Epstein files does not suggest otherwise. Trump has repeatedly denied any allegations of misconduct and insists he cut ties with Epstein years before the wealthy pedophile was under investigation. He has characterized efforts to release files connected to Epstein probes as a hoax perpetuated by Democratic officials to distract from his agenda, and Trump has sued The Wall Street Journal over the publication of an alleged letter to Epstein, a story he labelled false, malicious and defamatory. Just as President Trump has said, hes been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein, no matter how much Trump-deranged individuals living in fantasyland want to pretend otherwise, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told The Independent. And by releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committees subpoena request, signing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and calling for more investigations into Epsteins Democrat friends, President Trump has done more for Epsteins victims than anyone before him, she added. open image in gallery Glover says she spoke with Epstein in the hopes he would agree to meet with a reporter to discuss Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the late pedophile ( Department of Justice ) The messages provide a further glimpse of Epsteins expansive contacts list as members of Congress continue to investigate the sex offenders alleged connections to a broader network of powerful figures. Glover, who was a PR consultant for Elon Musk at the time, has denied trying to rehabilitate Epsteins image. According to messages in the Justice Departments Epstein files, the author Michael Wolff had repeatedly suggested Epstein meet with Glover while Musk battled a Securities and Exchange Commission probe and rumors of drug use as he tried to take Tesla private. She agreed to meet Epstein in 2017, she said, to see if he would talk to a reporter about whatever he knew about Trump, Glover wrote. Glover met him a second time, in 2018, not because I wanted Epsteins help or advice, but because I wanted him to have faith in my strategic recommendations, she said. In August 2018, Epstein and Glover exchanged several emails and calls about Musk, who was looking for wealthy investors to buy out shareholders, according to documents in the Epstein files. If you are advising re: sovereign wealth funds looking to help a prominent company go private, let me know if I can help w any approp additional information, she wrote to Epstein on August 12 2018. Epstein sent her several potential candidates for Teslas board, including Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Barack Obamas former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler, among others. He also offered to help shape your story and gave Glover advice on how Musk should talk on the record to reporters about Tesla, emails show. Will try, Glover replied. The Independent has requested comment from Musks Tesla. open image in gallery Glover exchanged several dozen emails with Epstein, arranged for two in-person meetings and held at least three phone calls with the late sex offender over 15 months before his death and trafficking charges ( Department of Justice ) That same month, Glover floated some radical combinations of third party thinkers to challenge Trump, including former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, former Republican Governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Nikki Haley of South Carolina, and Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates, among others, emails show. Throughout their interactions, Glover continued to suggest that Epstein meet with Stewart, the journalist from The New York Times. In a statement to Politico, Stewart said he was not aware at the time of any relationship between Glover and Epstein and didnt know about anything Epstein might have told her. As I would with any potential source, I reached out to Epstein because Id heard he was recruiting board members for Tesla at the behest of Musk, he said. Epstein wanted to meet in person, so I went to his townhouse. (I subsequently wrote about that encounter.) I dont recall using anything Epstein had to say in any story about Musk. He certainly didnt shape any story I was involved in, he said. In his column from 2019, Stewart wrote that Epstein tried to enlist him to write his biography. He declined. I almost got Epstein to tell his story to a formidable reporter, one not likely to let Epstein slither away from revealing what he knew about powerful people, Glover wrote in The Washington Post. My efforts, episodic but serious, over the course of more than a year, foreshadowed what has become a national obsession: What did Jeffrey Epstein know about Donald Trump? she wrote. 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 Republican senators who are parents of children with dyslexia pushed back on President Donald Trumps comments President Donald Trump said people with learning disabilities should not ever be commander in chief. Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski was stunned Wednesday to learn from a reporter about his words. Should my son not run for president? the moderate, who voted to convict Trump after Jan. 6 and has from time to time criticized him, responded to The Independent. Murkowski said her son has dyslexia. He's one of the smartest guys I know, she said of her son. I guess again, sometimes youve got to look at it in the context in which he said it, but I do not believe that those with a level of disability should automatically be excluded from being president. On Monday, Trump spoke in the Oval Office where he commented on California Gov. Gavin Newsom having dyslexia and said that people who have learning disabilities should not run for office. Honestly, I'm all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president, Trump told reporters. I think a president should not have learning disabilities. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) responded to President Donald Trumps comments about California Gov. Gavin Newsom having dyslexia by mentioning her son has dyslexia. ( Getty ) During his remarks, Trump referred to Newsom by his oft-used derisive moniker for him: Newscum. I know its highly controversial to say such a horrible thing, Trump said, adding that everything about him is dumb. Newsom has been open about the fact that he has dyslexia. After Trumps remarks, the governor pushed back. To every kid with a learning disability: dont let anyone not even the President of the United States bully you, he said. Dyslexia isnt a weakness. Its your strength. But Murkowski wasnt alone in Republican criticism. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, pushed back on Trumps comments. Well, probably somebody with dyslexia and learning disability has been president, Cassidy, a doctor, told The Independent. Cassidy has a daughter with dyslexia. He also added that dyslexia affects about 20 percent of the population. Certainly there are people who are CEOs and famous physicians and reportedly even Albert Einstein, he said. So I think that the idea that someone with dyslexia cannot achieve any goal that he or she wishes to achieve is wrong. They absolutely can. Cassidys wife Laura also helped start the Louisiana Key Academy, a series of public charter schools for students with dyslexia. They can achieve whatever they want, he said. Before and during his presidency, Trump has frequently denigrated people with disabilities, baselessly blaming the airplane crash in the Potomac River early last year on a hiring program for people with intellectual disabilities within the Federal Aviation Administration. He also has repeated the debunked claim that childhood vaccinations cause autism spectrum disorder and last year, said that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could cause children to become autistic. Murkowski has occasionally broken from the president during his second tenure in the White House. She voted against the confirmation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth because of his comments on whether women could serve in combat roles. She also was one of the first two Republican senators alongside retiring Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina to say that Kristi Noem should resign as secretary of Homeland Security. At the same time, she has regularly voted with Trump, voting to confirm some of his more controversial nominees such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She also voted to pass Trumps signature One Big, Beautiful Bill legislation that beefed up spending for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and extended the 2017 tax cuts Trump signed after she received significant concessions. 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 Supporters of Donald Trumps Make America Great Again base overwhelmingly support the war in Iran, with nearly 90 percent backing the presidents military attacks, according to the polls. CNNs Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten shared recent polling on MAGAs approval of military action in Iran on Tuesday. An average of 89 percent approve of the war, while just 9 percent disapprove. This is tremendously popular among the Republican base, Enten said of the U.S.-Israeli strikes that began more than two weeks ago. Entens data was based on a post from Gabe Fleishers Wake Up To Politics Substack published last week. Referenced in Felishers post was an NBC News poll that found 90 percent of MAGA supporters backed the military strikes. open image in gallery Supporters of Donald Trumps Make America Great Again base overwhelmingly support the war in Iran, with nearly 90 percent backing the presidents military attacks, according to the polls ( Getty Images ) A CNN poll mentioned by Fleisher found that 77 percent of Republicans approved of the strikes. MAGA Republicans are 30 points more likely than non-MAGA Republicans to strongly approve of Trumps decision to attack Iran. While MAGA supporters in these polls may be on board with the strikes, some prominent pro-Trump media figures have voiced opposition to the war, which has no end date. Tucker Carlson called the military action absolutely disgusting and evil, in a statement to ABC News Jonathan Karl on February 28. Trump later told Karl, Tucker has lost his way. I knew that a long time ago, and he's not MAGA. MAGA is saving our country. MAGA is making our country great again. MAGA is America First, and Tucker is none of those things, Trump said of the former Fox News host. open image in gallery MAGA shows support for Trumps war in Iran, despite prominent conservative media figures pushing back against the president ( AFP via Getty Images ) Talk radio host Megyn Kelly said on her SiriusXM show shortly after it began that she had serious doubts about the 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, she said. Another conservative commentator, Mark Levin, slammed Kelly on X over the weekend as an emotionally unhinged, lewd, and petulant wreck over his criticism of the Iran war. Micropenis Mark Levin thinks he has the monopoly on lewd. He tweets about me obsessively in the crudest, nastiest terms possible, Kelly responded on X. open image in gallery While Trump may have the support of his base, at least the ones answering the polls, most Americans disapprove of his handling of the Iran war ( Getty Images ) Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who had a falling out with Trump before resigning, backed up Kelly, writing on X, I wholeheartedly support Megyn Kelly telling the world that Mark Levin has a micropenisAnd Trumps gigantic defense of Levin only enraged the base more. People are DONE. MAGA destroyed by micropenis Mark Levin. Trump took to Truth Social to defend Levin amid his social media spat with Kelly, writing, Mark Levin, a truly Great American Patriot, is somewhat under siege by other people with far less Intellect, Capability, and Love for our Country. While Trump may have the support of his base, or at least those answering the polls, most Americans disapprove of his handling of the Iran war. A new The Economist/YouGov poll found 56 percent of U.S. adults disapprove of the way Trump is handling the situation in Iran, while 36 percent approve. 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 top Republican on the Senates Homeland Security committee has ripped into Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who is asking for his colleagues approval to run the Department of Homeland Security under Donald Trump. Mullin refused to apologize for his comments about Sen. Rand Paul, saying in his opening statements to the committee during his confirmation hearing that he understands why Pauls neighbor attacked him, leaving him with several broken ribs. The Oklahoma senator, who is set to be the face of the agency behind the presidents anti-immigration agenda, enters the picture after Trump fired Kristi Noem days after she came under bipartisan fire in congressional hearings earlier this month. Here is a recap of the hearing: 12:15 p.m. Mullin evades questions about super secret trips open image in gallery Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin is Trumps pick to replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ( Getty ) As the hearing was drawing to a close, the committees top senators tried to understand why Mullin couldnt answer questions about his international travel, and even invited him to speak in a classified setting to understand work he was allegedly performing while a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. You brought this up that you were on a super secret mission that you can't tell us about, Paul said. Sen. Gary Peters, the committees top Democrat, said Mullins story always seems to, kind of, change, and noted that the FBI has not named him in any classified materials. Candor, honesty, transparency are absolutely critical particularly at this time to try to build trust as the secretary of Homeland Security, he said. We want to know what this supposed classified work was. I have real questions about it. Mullin insisted it was a classified trip but it wasnt a mission, though he declined to say who assigned it or where he went. I have zero issue with talking about it, Mullin said. I dont have clearance to talk about this this afternoon. I dont know how we would begin doing this without your cooperation, Paul said. A vote on Mullins nomination is expected this week, though Paul said he was willing to hold the vote to get more information about Mullins travel. 11:35 a.m. Mullin questioned about ICE at the polls and 2020 election results We know that President Joe Biden was sworn into office, Mullin told Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin when pressed point-blank who won the 2020 presidential election. I believe my job as DHS secretary is to make sure the elections are fair and people can trust them, he said. Asked whether he would install immigration officers at polling locations, Mullin said only in there was a specific threat I cant sit there and guarantee hypothetically what threat there would be, he said. If we ever get to the point where you are being asked to put armed ICE officers at polling places, we have lost the plot, Slotkin said. We have lost the plot as a country. 10:57 a.m. Mullin asked if he regrets saying ICE officer was absolutely justified in killing Renee Good After she was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Trump administration officials accused Renee Good of committing an act of domestic terrorism by using her car to hit the officer, though video analysis appears to show she was swerving away from the scene. Mullin at the time told CNN that the officer was absolutely justified. Do you regret that? asked Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Mullin said an investigation is going on. There is no investigation, Blumenthal fired back. The Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security has blocked state and local investigations into the killing of Renee Good. I hope that you would allow that to go forward. Mullin said he believes the FBI is looking into the case and said he would determine whether DHS is investigating, if confirmed to run the agency. 10:38 a.m. Emotional Markwayne Mullin tears up while speaking about sons brain injury and Trump support open image in gallery ( Getty Images ) Mullin teared up while speaking about his sons brain injury, recalling a moment when Trump spoke to his son. Do you know why I love your dad? Trump told him, Mullin said. Because he loves you. Because of you, he said, according to Mullin. Man, thats he didn't do it for any other reason, he said. He did it just because he cared. When you want to say why hes a friend? Yeah. We were acquaintances before that. We've been friends ever since. I hope that you will be as emotional about the children who are presently detained at Dilley and other camps where they have been subjected to conditions that would outrage many, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal told Mullin. 10:27 a.m. Mullin grilled over plans for ICE detention warehouses Immigration and Customs Enforcement intends to spend nearly $40 billion on a plan to detain tens of thousands of immigrants in retrofitted warehouses across the country, expanding the Trump administrations mass deportation efforts into cities and towns that are increasingly urging officials to keep them out of their backyards. New Hampshire officials successfully stopped the administration from constructing an ICE facility in Merrimack after the plans were exposed, and after Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan grilled ICEs acting director Todd Lyons on whether he would similarly cancel a project in her state after Republican officials convinced Noem to stop them in their states. On Wednesday, Hassan asked Mullin whether he can make the case for these facilities and explain how they will negatively impact neighboring property taxes. Or if you cant make the case, they shouldnt be built, she said. Mullin said he would obviously work with state and local officials but declined to weigh in on the future of the warehouse model. 10:13 a.m. Mullin regrets calling Alex Pretti a deranged individual open image in gallery Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security committee, asked Mullin whether he regrets call Alex Pretti deranged ( AP ) Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, had previously grilled the chiefs of ICE and Customs and Border Protection over the labeling of Alex Pretti and Renee Good as domestic terrorists after they were fatally shot by immigration officers in Minnesota. The directors of those agencies said that characterization amplified by Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller and their allies never came from them, or officers under their command, they testified. In her congressional hearings, Noem refused to apologize for baselessly accusing them of committing acts of domestic terrorism. Sen. Markwayne Mullin had previously called Pretti a deranged individual. Those words should have been retracted, Mullin said Wednesday. Asked by Peters whether Mullin will apologize to Prettis family, Mullin said I just said I regret those statements. 10:05 a.m. Markwayne Mullin and Rand Paul face off over assault comments open image in gallery Sen. Rand Paul, the Republican chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, immediately ripped into Mullin moments into the start of his confirmation hearing for DHS chief ( Getty Images ) Mullin has refused to apologize for his statements about Republican Sen. Rand Paul, saying in his opening statements to the Homeland Security committee that he understood why his neighbor attacked him. I simply addressed I said I can understand because of the behavior you were having, I understand your neighbor did what he did, Mullin said. We just dont get along. However, sir, that doesnt keep me at all from doing my job, he added. I can set it aside if youre willing to set it aside. Let me earn my job. Im not perfect. I dont claim to be perfect. I make mistakes like everyone else. Paul, in response, said Mullin has shown a lack of contrition, no apology and no regrets. Youre unrepentant, said Paul, noting Mullins machismo, anger, and low-impulse control. You think thats great and to be extolled? he added. I mean, the sheer lack of any kind of awareness that youre going to be leading thousands of men and women who will be using use of force. Do you think justifying that kind of violence sets a good example for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol? 9:30 a.m. Rand Paul rips into Mullin moments into hearing Paul immediately launched into the hearing questioning whether Mullin is an appropriate pick to lead an agency flooded with complaints of violence and unconstitutional use of force. Paul suffered several broken ribs when he was assaulted by a neighbor in 2017. Mullin allegedly called him a freaking snake in response. I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did. And I told him that to his face, Mullin reportedly said. I was shocked, Paul said Wednesday. I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits for the proper use of force. He said Mullin can continue to lie or use his testimony as a chance to clear the record. While youre at it, Paul said, Mullin can tell Americans why they should trust a man with anger issues to run ICE and Border Patrol agents, Paul 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 Pope Leo has declared the provision of universal healthcare a moral imperative. The pontiff's use of such a strong term is unusual for a pope, as it signifies that the provision of healthcare is a fundamental requirement rooted in Catholic teaching. While Leo did not name any specific countries, he is the first pontiff from the US a country without universal health coverage. Speaking at a healthcare conference organised by the World Health Organization and European bishops, he said: "Universal health coverage is a moral imperative for societies that wish to call themselves just." He added: "Healthcare must be accessible to the most vulnerable not only because their dignity requires it but also to prevent injustice from becoming a cause of conflict. Health cannot be a luxury for the few." Previous popes have also advocated for universal healthcare. Pope Leo has declared the provision of universal healthcare a moral imperative ( AP ) Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, called for healthcare systems to be "accessible to all" in 2021, citing Italy's tax-funded health service as a model. Leo urged European bishops at the meeting to tackle inequalities within their healthcare systems. He concluded with a message of collective responsibility: "Only together can we build communities of solidarity capable of caring for everyone. Caring for the humanity of others helps us to live our own lives to the full." Last week, Leo took a veiled swipe at President Donald Trump, saying that Christian political leaders who start wars should go to confession and assess if they are following the teachings of Jesus. "Do those Christians who bear grave responsibility in armed conflicts have the humility and courage to make a serious examination of conscience and to go to confession?" the pope asked in a speech to priests. While Leo did not name anyone, in recent days he has been ramping up calls for an end to the ongoing Iran war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February. Trump was raised in the Presbyterian Christian faith. Several of his top deputies, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are Catholic. 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 Sen. Markwayne Mullin received a chilly welcome from the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday as he began the first steps of seeking congressional approval to replace Kristi Noem as head of DHS. That was primarily due to his botched handling of bad blood between himself and the committees chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican who often breaks with his own party along libertarian ideological lines. The two have publicly feuded ever since Mullin offered sympathetic remarks to a neighbor who savagely beat Paul at his home in 2017, causing serious injuries. Paul ripped into Mullin at the hearing Wednesday, accusing the Oklahoma senator of being a supporter of political violence who was unfit to lead the agency to which he was nominated and calling the former MMA fighter unwilling to grasp the consequences and implications of his own words. Addressing Mullin, Paul criticized the sheer lack of any kind of self-awareness that youre going to be leading thousands of men of women that are going to have the use of force...and you think a violent attack is just fine? "The fact he can't bring himself to say that we shouldn't settle political questions with violence, I think that would be a terrible example for ICE and Border Patrol, Paul told reporters afterwards. But even Mullins personal feud with the committees Republican chair may not be enough to derail his confirmation, thanks to the Republicans not-so-secret weapon: Sen. John Fetterman. open image in gallery Sen. John Fetterman reportedly told Sen. Markwayne Mullin that he would vote for him to serve as DHS secretary. ( REUTERS ) The Pennsylvania senator was, throughout 2025, the Democrat friendliest with the MAGA right and most willing to cross party lines on issues like immigration and foreign policy. On Wednesday, Fetterman signaled that he was willing to let bygones be bygones, even if Paul wasnt. "It's better to just let it all go and find a way forward, Fetterman advised both Paul and Mullin during his allotted question time, during which he also told the presidents nominee: "My experience with you has been constistent kindness and professionalism. While nothing is certain, it looked probable on Wednesday that Fetterman will once again cross party lines and be the deciding vote to push Mullins nomination through committee. The senators office didnt immediately respond to an inquiry from The Independent about whether Fetterman thought Mullin should apologize for his past remarks before being voted through. He repeatedly stressed at Wednesdays hearing that he would keep an open mind to Mullins potential confirmation. What the senator was interested in hearing from Mullin in order to make that decision, however, was wholly unclear. Strikingly, Fetterman didnt ask a single policy-related question of Mullin during his several minutes of allotted time the Democrat, known for wearing sweat suits nearly everywhere, asked a few expository questions confirming details of their past attendance on a bipartisan congressional delegation, and spoke about plans for Fetterman and his wife to have dinner with Mullins family. Sure, he also brought up the Democrats demands for reforms to ICE and immigration enforcement, but only as a means to clobber his own allies on the panel for voting against funding for the agency and to defend his own committment to pressing for reforms. open image in gallery Sen. Markwayne Mullin clashed with committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul during his DHS confirmation hearing on Wednesday ( Reuters ) Punchbowl and other outlets have reported that Fettermans support for Mullin is not in question at all. And, Fetterman has claimed Democratic leaders werent pushing him to oppose Mullins nomination. The love-fest was more akin to the reaction Mullin received from Republicans on the panel minus Paul. Besides Fetterman, Republicans on the panel happily shielded Mullin from tough questions and the furor of their colleague. Democrats, led by ranking member Sen. Gary Peters, pressed Mullin on the knee-jerk response he (and Noem) had to the shootings of two Americans in Minneapolis by ICE and immigration enforcement agents, which Mullin told the committee he regretted. Paul told Semafor after the hearing that he would bring Mullins nomination up for a committee vote on Thursday, but confirmed he wouldnt support him. I think hes unfit. I think his temperament is not suitable. I think his anger issues are a problem, yeah, and so I wont vote for him, but Ive promised to at least get an expeditious vote, the Kentucky Republican told Semafor. Theyve had to have known for weeks that I couldnt be real happy about a guy that wont apologize and thinks that my assault was perfectly understandable. open image in gallery Rand Paul said after the hearing that he would not support Mullins nomination but would not block it, either ( Getty ) With Paul in opposition to the senators confirmation, Fettermans vote will likely decide the fate of his colleague. Staff in the chairmans office told reporters on Wednesday that initial plans were for a vote to be held to advance Mullins nomination out of committee on Thursday. At home, Fetterman continues to get pummeled for his apparent heel turn. Conor Lamb, Fettermans former primary opponent who spent much of 2025 engaging in cautious probing of the senators weaknesses among the Democratic base, is now openly savaging him on social media every chance he gets. Even as the senator has repeatedly stressed that he wont switch parties, it seems like his voting base may have already at least partially made that decision for him. A Philly Inquirer poll publised last month found the senators approval rating among Democrats in his home state to be hopelessly languishing in the murky depths. Six in ten Pennsylvania Democrats say hes doing a poor job as senator, while two in ten support him. Hes hated by more Democrats than even Sen. Dave McCormick, his Republican colleague on the states congressional delegation. 2028 is still a long way away, however, and Democrats may have to come to terms with the fact that one of their own is often batting for the other team for now. 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 paid his respects Wednesday to six U.S. service members killed in a plane crash as their remains were returned to their families at a Delaware military base. It was the second time since launching the war with Iran on Feb. 28 that the president attended a solemn military ritual known as a dignified transfer, which he once described as the toughest thing he has had to do as commander in chief. Accompanying Trump were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and lawmakers including Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Alabama Republicans. All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington state. open image in gallery Trump has attended two of the three dignified transfers since the start of his war against Iran ( Alex Wong/Getty Images ) Every person on that aircraft carried a weight most Americans will never see, and they carried it with professionalism, courage, and a level of quiet excellence that deserves to be recognized, retired Lt. Col Ernesto Nisperos, a friend of one of those killed, said in a text message Wednesday. The crash brought the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members. About 200 U.S. service members have been injured, including 10 severely, the Pentagon has said. Wednesday's dignified transfer was closed to news media coverage at the request of the families in accordance with military policy. Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didn't speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it. Trump last traveled to Dover Air Force Base on March 7 for the dignified transfer of six U.S. service members who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. open image in gallery Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didn't speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it ( AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson ) He saluted as flag-draped transfer cases containing the remains of the fallen service members were carried from military aircraft to vehicles waiting to take them to the base's mortuary facility to prepare them for their final resting place. It's the bad part of war, he told reporters afterward. Asked then if he worried about having to make multiple trips to the base for additional dignified transfers as the war continued, he said, I'm sure. I hate to do it, but it's a part of war, isn't it? U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said that the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace over Iraq but that the loss of the aircraft during a combat mission was not due to hostile or friendly fire. The circumstances were under investigation. The other plane landed safely. open image in gallery Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt ( AP ) open image in gallery Capt. Ariana G. Savino ( AP ) open image in gallery Capt. Curtis J. Angst ( AP ) The crash killed three people assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Maj. John A. Alex Klinner, 33, who served in Birmingham, Alabama; Capt. Ariana Linse Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky. Klinner, who left behind a wife, a 2-year-old son and 7-month-old twins, was known for his steady command and goofy nature, as well as a willingness to help others. Pruitts husband described her as a radiant woman who lit up the room. Savino was a friend, mentee and source of positive energy who was proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and inspired young Latinas, said Nisperos, who is serving as spokesman for her family. She had had this warmth that made you feel seen, a strength that showed up in everything she touched, and a spark that spice that made her unforgettable, Nisperos said. If you knew her, even for a moment, you knew you were in the presence of someone who was going to change the world. The three others were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio: Capt. Seth Koval, 38, a resident of Stoutsville, Ohio, who was from Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, who lived in Columbus; and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus. open image in gallery Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons ( AP ) open image in gallery Capt. Seth R. Koval ( AP ) open image in gallery Maj. Alex Klinner on Jan. 10, 2026 ( AP ) Koval grew up dreaming of becoming a pilot, according to his wife, who described him as a loving, generous fixer of all things. Angsts family said his life was defined by service, generosity and a genuine love for people. Simmons loved confiding in his 85-year-old grandmother and working out with her, Sen. Jon Husted said Tuesday, when he and Sen. Bernie Moreno honored the Ohio airmen on the Senate floor. To the mom and dad of these three young soldiers, I cant even process what youre going through. I cant even imagine the emotions that youre feeling, Moreno said. Just know that America is grateful beyond words for the sacrifice that your heroic young sons made. 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 events company that helped plan Donald Trumps rally on January 6, 2021, where his supporters rioted and marched on the Capitol, has been handed $13 million in no-bid contracts from the administration since he resumed office, according to a report. The Trump administration bypassed normal procedures, where other firms typically bid on the contracts to get the best value for the taxpayer, to award the contracts to Event Strategies, a company that has had ties to the president since his first presidential campaign in 2015, The New York Times reports. On January 6, 2021, the company was responsible for the logistics of Trumps rally on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where the then-defeated president gave a speech and encouraged his supporters to protest against the result of the 2020 election, according to the newspaper. No one at the firm was charged with wrongdoing in connection with the events of January 6. Event Strategies has done business with Trump and his political campaigns since they organized his 2015 presidential bid at Trump Tower. And since then, the company has netted more than $67 million from political committees supporting Trump, according to the newspaper, citing public filings. open image in gallery The events company that helped plan Donald Trumps rally on January 6, 2021, where his supporters rioted and marched on the Capitol, has been handed $13 million in no-bid contracts from the administration since he resumed office, according to a report ( AFP via Getty Images ) The company was responsible for planning publicity events during Trumps 2024 presidential campaign, including when he worked the McDonalds fryer and drive-through, and drove a garbage truck. Of the no-bid contracts handed to the company during Trumps second administration, four were awarded by the Navy to mark the services 250th birthday, exceeding more than $10 million in total, and one was given by the Treasury Department for an event to promote the Trump Accounts, according to the Times, citing federal contracting data. In a statement to The Independent, a Navy spokesperson defended awarding the contracts to the firm due to a compressed timeline to deliver the events. But the way in which Event Strategies was awarded the contracts signals the firms special treatment due to its close ties to Trumpworld, the Times reported. The company has received $22 million in federal contracts during the second Trump administration, with the majority awarded through no-bid, according to the newspaper, which noted that federal agencies are required to award the contracts with complete impartiality and with preferential treatment for none. Tim Unes, president of Event Strategies, told the newspaper that the company was honored to play a role in bringing our nations 250th celebrations to life, and did not respond to questions about the contracts. The Independent has contacted the firm for further comment. The White House said it was not involved in awarding the contracts and that there is a standard federal process that it expects agencies to comply with. open image in gallery Event Strategies was responsible for the logistics of Trumps rally on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, where the president gave a speech and encouraged his supporters to protest against the result of the 2020 election ( Getty Images ) In total, the Navy awarded Event Strategies $12.6 million in contracts for events tied to the 250th celebrations, which were offered to them alone and in a departure from standard practice, according to the Times. They included two separate contracts for $5.2 million each in September 2025 for services the Titans of the Sea event in Norfolk, Virginia, another $2.1 million contract for an event connected to the Navys 250th anniversary in Annapolis, Maryland, and a $189,000 contract for a concert and cookout in Virginia Beach. A Navy spokesperson told The Independent that the firm was the only vendor capable of executing the requirement within the necessary timeframe. ESI had already been directly involved in the planning and execution of Army 250th events and possessed the institutional knowledge, production infrastructure, and operational readiness required to rapidly deliver the full scope of services for the Navy and Marine Corps 250th celebrations, the spokesperson said. The Navy received funding through an interagency transfer specifically intended to support time-sensitive production activities tied to this historic milestone, the spokesperson added. Public documents show that the Treasury awarded a $740,000 contract to Event Strategies in January to provide food, drink and audio-visual services at an event to launch the Trump bank accounts. The company was only hired the day before the event and was awarded the contract through a rarely-used loophole meant for urgent needs, according to the Times. Experts told the outlet that the loophole is usually used in cases of dire urgency, or in wartime situations. In a statement to the outlet, the Treasury said it adheres to all standard processes and procedures for federal contracting and procurement. 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 Rep. Don Bacon has warned that any decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. from NATO would destroy their party and lead to a MAGA civil war. Trump has reacted petulantly in recent days to Americas European allies expressing reluctance to join his war against Iran by escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, lashing out in the Oval Office on Tuesday by declaring: Well, we dont need too much help, and we dont need any help. Despite the fact that we help them so much... they dont want to help us, which is amazing, the president fumed, having claimed that NATO members had previously been very much in favor of his decision to join Israel in launching airstrikes against Tehran on February 28. He also raged on Truth Social that the alliance had become a one-way street and that the U.S. did not need its help anyway. open image in gallery Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon is intervened by Kaitlan Collins on CNN's The Source on Tuesday March 17, 2026 ( The Source/CNN ) Speaking to Kaitlan Collins on CNNs The Source Tuesday, the Nebraska Republican stressed that there had been a loss of trust between the U.S. and Europe and that work needed to be done to repair the relationship. When asked whether Trump was wrong to say he could simply pull the U.S. out of NATO without consulting Congress, Bacon answered unequivocally: Hes wrong. He continued: If he broke up NATO on his own, it would be a civil war in the Republican caucus, or the conference. Most of us would find that totally unacceptable. And Im not alone. Theres a large group of us that believe in our alliances and standing up for freedom and pushing back on China and Russia. We dont want war with these guys, but youve got to be strong. And if he went in and somehow destroyed or tore up NATO, it would probably destroy the party for many years. There would be many that will never forgive that. open image in gallery Rep. Bacon warned Collins that President Donald Trumps threats to withdraw from NATO without seeking congressional approval would have dire domestic political consequences for their party ( The Source/CNN ) Collins clarified: It would destroy the Republican Party? I think it would implode, Rep. Bacon answered, speaking against a backdrop of growing MAGA infighting over Iran. A self-described Reagan Republican, the congressman who has announced he will not run for office again this year has developed a reputation for attacking Trump, criticizing the president over his stance on tariffs, Greenland, and Ukraine and calling out officials such as Stephen Miller and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The U.S. joined NATO in 1949 under Harry Truman, following the Second World War, to cement international stability. Relations between its member states were largely harmonious throughout the Cold War, riding out such dramatic events as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. open image in gallery Trump meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January ( AP ) The bloc activated its Article 5 mutual defense pledge for the first and only time in its history in 2001 to come to the aid of the U.S. following the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., by al-Qaeda. It was only Trump's political ascent in 2016 that raised questions about the alliances future, with the Republican candidate telling The New York Times during the campaign that he considered it obsolete. He subsequently griped throughout his first term about its members failing to meet their commitment to contribute 2 percent of their GDP towards defense, calling NATO a bad deal for the American taxpayer. It is by no means clear what would happen if Trump did attempt to make good on his threat to leave with or without the support of Congress but a gargantuan legal fight, perhaps drawing the Supreme Court into a fresh constitutional dispute over the extent and limits of presidential power, is highly likely. 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 Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned from his post over President Donald Trumps decision to take the U.S. to war with Iran. Kent announced the move in a post on X, writing he could not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran because Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. He added that it was clear that the U.S. war on Iran had been started due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. In an accompanying resignation letter addressed to Trump, Kent accused high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media of having deployed a misinformation campaign to undermine Trumps policies and encourage a war with Iran. He told Trump that an echo chamber had been used to deceive him into believing Iran had been an imminent threat to the U.S. and that attacking would lead to a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again, said Kent, the former U.S. Army special forces soldier and CIA operator. Kent referenced his history as a combat veteran and as a widower whose Navy cryptanalyst wife had been killed in an ISIS bombing in Syria while stating that he could not support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives, though he did so with the use of further antisemitic tropes by suggesting that the U.S. and NATO campaign against ISIS had been manufactured by Israel. Continuing to address Trump directly, Kent continued: I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. open image in gallery Joe Kent has quit his post as head of the National Counterterrorism Center ( Office of the Director of National Intelligence ) You hold the cards, he added. The former Army warrant officers decision to quit his post comes less than a year after the Senate narrowly confirmed him after a bruising, six-month confirmation battle where Democratic senators including those from his home state of Washington slammed him as patently unqualified and called him a conspiracy theorist who espouses white supremacist views. While his confirmation was pending before the Senate, he joined the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as a senior aide to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. He was one of the Trump administration officials who participated in a now-infamous March 2025 Signal chat started by then-White House National Security Adviser Mike Walz that inadvertently included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic while participants discussed classified war plans. Two months later, Kent reportedly used his authority as a senior aide to Gabbard to pressure intelligence analysts to change an assessment of purported links between the Venezuelan government and the street gang Tren de Aragua so it better aligned with the Trump administrations policies. His time in the administration followed a stint as a foreign policy adviser to Trumps 2020 campaign and a four-year span during which he ran two losing campaigns for a Washington congressional seat. During one campaign, Kent was accused of spreading conspiracy theories after he called the Covid vaccine an experimental gene therapy and had to disavow past associations with known white nationalists such as groyper activist Nick Fuentes. Kents resignation from his position atop the terrorism center comes as the joint U.S.-Israeli aerial war against Tehran continues into its third consecutive week with no apparent end in sight. His resignation letter claimed that Israeli officials had deceived Trump into attacking Iran, though it echoes longstanding antisemitic tropes, and is likely to bring fresh scrutiny to the Trump administrations shifting justifications for the war. open image in gallery The US strikes on Iran started in late February and are now stretching into their third week ( Getty ) Initially, the strikes were framed as necessary to prevent Iranian efforts to rebuild a nuclear weapons program Trump has claimed to have obliterated with bunker-busting munitions last June. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on March 5 that the decision to attack was made to preemptively degrade Tehrans ability to retaliate against American bases after an attack by Israel. Rubio, who also serves as Trumps national security adviser, said at the time that the administration knew there was going to be an Israeli action that would precipitate an attack against American forces that would have been far more deadly if the U.S. did not preemptively go after them. But that same day, Trump contradicted Rubios statements during a media availability at the White House after he was asked if Israel had forced his hand with their own attack plans. 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. He also told reporters it was his opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack if we didn't do it. They were going to attack first, I felt strongly about that, he said. The now-former Trump loyalists decision also highlights tensions within Trumps Make America Great Again movement over his decision to launch what could be a costly and long foreign entanglement after years of campaigning against involving America in new foreign wars. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt savaged her ex-administration colleague in a long post on X in which she alleged that his resignation letter contained many false claims and scoffed at his allegation that Tehran had not been an imminent threat to the U.S. She claimed Trump had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first ... compiled from many sources and factors and stressed that the president would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum. The Commander-in-Chief determines what does and does not constitute a threat, because he is the one constitutionally empowered to do so - and because the American people went to the ballot box and entrusted him and him alone to make such final judgments, Leavitt wrote. She also mocked Kents absurd allegation that Trump had been misled by Israel or lobbied on Israels behalf as insulting and laughable. Asked about Kents decision to exit the administration during an appearance in the Oval Office alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Trump called his former employee a nice guy who was very weak on security despite having nominated him to lead a key institution in Americas counterterrorism infrastructure. It's a good thing that he's out, because he said that Iran was not a threat, he 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 President Donald Trump has received unanimous backing from MAGA voters in a new poll a result that left a television analyst stunned. On Wednesday morning, CNN data analyst Harry Enten took stock of the presidents base of support as the war in Iran entered its third week, intensifying across the Middle East and fueling concerns about global economic fallout. Sometimes you look at the polling data and there are numbers that just jump off the screen at you and this is one of those, Enten said on News Central. He pointed to the results of a recent NBC News survey, which found that 100 percent of self-identified MAGA voters support the Republican president, while zero disapprove. You dont have to be a mathematical genius to know you cant go higher than one hundred percent, Enten said, comparing Trump to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who won the Super Bowl that year. open image in gallery President Donald Trump earned a 100 percent approval rating from MAGA voters in a new poll, stunning a CNN analyst ( Getty Images ) Now, there are some Republicans who disapprove of Donald John Trump, but they are not members of the Make America Great Again movement, Enten added. The bottom line is this: if you are a member of MAGA, you approve of Donald Trump. CNN anchor Sara Sidner pointed out that several high-profile online figures have lashed out at the 79-year-old president over the war in Iran, noting the contrast with his campaign pledge to end foreign conflicts and to be the candidate of peace. She may have been referring to podcast host Tucker Carlson, who has described Trumps military campaign as absolutely disgusting and evil. Other notable conservatives, including media personality Megyn Kelly and former Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have also come out strongly against the new war in the Middle East. Is there any sign that people might be leaving MAGA relative to 2024? Sidner asked. Enten said its unlikely, highlighting the poll result that showed 30 percent of Americans now identify as MAGA supporters, up from 28 percent in November 2024. The theme of this segment is Tucker Carlson be darned, he quipped. open image in gallery 'You dont have to be a mathematical genius to know you cant go higher than one hundred precent,' Harry Enten said, describing Trump as 'the 1972 Miami Dolphins' ( CNN ) That 100% that Donald Trump has among MAGA GOP, that is not an artifact of MAGA shrinking, he added. Its just an indication of how strong Donald Trumps grip is on that MAGA base. Enten also noted that 90 percent of MAGA voters approve of Trumps strikes on Iran, while just 5 percent disapprove. Yet while Trumps core supporters remain solidly in his corner, the wider public is far less enthusiastic. According to a Quinnipiac survey released on March 9, 57 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump, and the same share disapprove of his handling of the situation in Iran. 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 Following the Trump administration's recent efforts to push networks to air patriotic, pro-America content in celebration of the countrys 250th year of independence comes a new long-term plan to "rebalance" the media to maintain this heightened nationalist sentiment permanently, according to reports. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr told The New York Post's podcast that broadcasters had accumulated such influence over audiences that new plans, which would give regional affiliates more programming power, would address and "rebalance" what he characterised as programming currently targeting an elite social class. This change would allow broadcasters to stand up for their communities and air more patriotic programming, The Post reported. The introduction of direct streaming services and the revenue it generates for companies producing programming has disempowered local broadcasters, Carr said, effectively reducing them to mouthpieces for the foie gras, oftentimes, they are producing in New York or Hollywood. open image in gallery Media pitbull Brendan Carr, who has called for more patriotic programming, alongside President Donald Trump, who has threatened to remove broadcasters licences because he doesnt approve of their coverage of the Iran war ( via REUTERS ) Carr highlighted Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC as an example of how changes could work in practice. Kimmel's five-day pause in broadcasting came after the comedian's remarks in the wake of the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, and Carr said this may be how such "rebalancing" could occur. At the time, the FCC, under Carr, warned ABC and its local affiliates that they could face repercussions if Kimmel was not punished. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action," Carr warned at the time. But on this week's podcast, Carr characterised the incident differently. He said, "We want to empower those local TV stations to actually stand up for their local communities. If New York or Hollywood is pushing programming that they don't think is a good fit then they can take action. He added: "In fact that is what happened in the Kimmel episode, where you had owners of those local TV stations that said 'right now, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination we don't want to run that'. So they didn't." Following ABC's announcement that they were suspending Kimmel, Trump applauded the network for finally having the courage to do what had to be done and claimed that Kimmel has ZERO talent in posts on his Truth Social network. At the time, former President Barack Obama warned the Trump administration had reached a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesnt like. He added that media companies needed to stand up to government coercion rather than capitulate to it. open image in gallery FCC chairman Brendan Carr has said people can now access real news and information through social media ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Carr's comments this week underscore concerns that the Trump administration as a whole is moving ever closer towards stomping on First Amendment rights by trying to influence what broadcasters air. This week's Pod Force One podcast opened with host Miranda Devine saying that Trump remains delighted with Carr's work, and that the president "keeps tweeting what a great job you're doing", and that he'd been described as the media pitbull" by The Hollywood Reporter. Explaining why trust in "legacy media" is reportedly declining, Carr said one key reason was that the media was "out of touch" with the American public, who can now access "real news and information, including through social media". "What's really key here is President Trump is fundamentally reshaping the entire media ecosystem, and he's doing it in ways that people don't understand. "The core way he's doing this is by rejecting the idea that legacy media gets to set the narrative." He said this has represented "an 'emperor has no clothes' moment for the legacy media, because they can't control the narrative". open image in gallery Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC amid pressure from FCC chairman Brendan Carr a move which pleased President Trump ( Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP ) Last month, Carr urged broadcasters to join the organizations "Pledge America Campaign" to air patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today. Carr's latest comments come amid backlash this week after he threatened broadcasters licenses following Trumps complaints about media coverage of his Iran War. His threats came after the president had repeatedly railed against outlets over stories he didnt like and also threatened to revoke broadcasters licenses for coverage he disagreed with. Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions also known as the fake news have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up, Carr wrote Saturday on X. This prompted rapid concerns among political opponents about a move towards censorship and control of the media. California Governor Gavin Newsom suggested the warning is flagrantly unconstitutional, while Senator Mark Kelly called it an overreach by the FCC. Representative Ted Lieu told the FCC chair to take your fascist s*** and shove it. If you implement your flagrantly anti First Amendment actions, you will be sued and you will lose, he wrote on X. And legal discovery will be awesome. Because the American people can then find out what the Administration keeps hiding. Senator Chris Murphy also accused the administration of telling news stations to provide favorable coverage of the war or their licenses will be pulled. A truly extraordinary moment, he wrote on X. We aren't on the verge of a totalitarian takeover. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. Act like it. The outcry over the Trump administration's pre-occupation with the media comes after Hollywood celebrated an Oscar's win for "Best Documentary Feature" awarded to Mr. Nobody Against Putin, in which a teacher in Russia chronicles the Putin regime's propaganda and patriotism program for the nation's youth following the invasion of Ukraine. open image in gallery Russian teacher Pavel Talankin hoists his Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film for "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" on Sunday ( AFP via Getty Images ) The film highlights efforts by Putin's government to ensure greater nationalistic messaging across the media and in schools, glorifying the country and its leadership. At the awards ceremony on Sunday, the director of the film, David Borenstein, drew a direct comparison with Putin's Russia and Trump's America, warning the film "is about how you lose your country ... You lose it through countless small acts of complicity. 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 reversed Donald Trumps attempt to dismantle state-funded international news broadcaster Voice of America, a target of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and the presidents far-right ally Kari Lake. Senior District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington, D.C, ordered the administration to return more than 1,000 workers who were placed on administrative leave last year. The judge had previously found that Lake a former television news anchor who unsuccessfully ran for Arizona governor and U.S. Senate was illegally serving in her role at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Voice of Americas parent agency. Lake satisfies the requirements of neither the statute nor the Constitution, he wrote earlier this month. In his order on Tuesday, Lamberth said Lake had repeatedly thumbed her nose at legal requirements set by Congress to staff the agency with a flagrant and nearly year-long refusal to do so. open image in gallery A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore more than 1,000 fired workers at the Voice of America after Kari Lake was found to be unlawfully serving in a role directing the institutions parent agency ( AP ) Her cooperation with the case against the administrations cuts has been a Hallmark production in bad faith, Lamberth wrote. Trumps executive order Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy commanded federal agencies to strip down to the bare minimums, which brought Voice of America to a standstill, Lamberth wrote. Voice of America which broadcast in 49 languages to 362 million people before Trumps cuts employed 1,147 people and nearly 600 contractors when the agency was gutted, according to Lamberth. Lake, who was brought on as senior adviser to the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, testified in the case that she was effectively delegated the CEOs authority. Without taking stock of what was needed to keep anything running, the agency immediately began winding down the agency to only skeletal operations, according to Lamberth. More than 1,000 Voice of America staffers were indefinitely placed on leave on what became known as bloody Sunday at the agency. Three employees from Elon Musks DOGE team reportedly camped outside the agency to try to get their hands on the agencys budget and social media accounts. Under her watch, U.S. Agency for Global Media fired the director of Voice of America, laid off virtually all full-time workers, made a deal to carry content from right-wing media network One America News Network, and froze funding for Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, among other decisions that have been central to several overlapping legal battles. In his previous order, Lamberth said such actions under her direction are void. The American people gave President Trump a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government, Lake said in a statement at the time. "An activist judge is trying to stand in the way of those efforts at USAGM. Judge Lamberth has a pattern of activist rulings and this case is no different. open image in gallery Voice of America was broadcasting in nearly 50 languages before DOGE-led cuts under Kari Lake in 2025 ( REUTERS ) Voice of America was first established in 1942 to transmit news, music and domestic programming across allied-captured territories during World War II before expanding across Europe and around the globe with pro-democratic content to counter local propaganda and disinformation during the Cold War and into the digital age. During his first administration, Trump and his allies were accused of trying to manipulate outlets that promote the free flow of information around the world into built-in messaging platforms from the White House. His first administration also marked a turbulent and toxic time for staff at the agency, which was overseen by Steve Bannons ally Michael Pack, who purged staff, dissolved advisory boards, replaced positions with Trump loyalists, refused to renew visas for foreign journalists, and reportedly interfered with news coverage. The administrations attempts to shutter the institution have also dovetailed with the presidents efforts to leverage the federal government against news organizations and journalists airing critical coverage he doesnt like by hitting them with punishing lawsuits or threatening to revoke broadcast licenses. Lake, a Trump loyalist who amplified his bogus claims about the 2020 election and refused to accept her own electoral losses, is now the latest among several Trump appointees to be disqualified from holding office. Now-former U.S. Attorneys Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan stepped down from their roles after federal judges determined they were unlawfully serving as the top prosecutors in their respective states. 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 Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has again been haunted by her past opposition to U.S. intervention in Iran as she emerges from the woodwork to defend President Donald Trumps current conflict. A resurfaced tweet posted by Gabbard on May 16, 2019, when she was a Hawaii Democratic congresswoman running to be that partys presidential nominee, finds her attacking Trump for sabre-rattling against Tehran during his first term. Trump promised to get the U.S. out of stupid wars, she wrote. But now he and [then-national security adviser] John Bolton are on the brink of launching us into a very stupid and costly war with Iran. Join me in sending a strong message to President Trump: The U.S. must NOT go to war with Iran. open image in gallery Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard will appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday tasked with justifying a war with Iran she has long warned against ( AP ) Earlier this month, a Fox News interview with Gabbard dating from January 2020 also re-emerged, in which the she rebuked Trump over the assassination of Quds commander Qasem Soleimani, saying: Speeding towards an all-out war with Iran would make the wars that weve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic. It will be far more costly in American lives and American taxpayer dollars, and all towards accomplishing what goal? What objective? The DNI, a veteran who has made keeping the U.S. out of foreign military commitments a cornerstone of her political brand, will be expected to defend Trumps adventurism when she appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday. Gabbard can expect to be asked about the presidents U-turn on his 2024 election pledge to start no more forever wars and whether she feels betrayed by recent developments. Gabbard endorsed Trumps foreign policy message and characterized his predecessor Joe Biden as a warmonger. Her appearance comes a day after Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation in an open letter to Trump. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards, the letter read in part. open image in gallery Joe Kent, who stepped down as director of the National Counterterrorism Center Tuesday, citing his opposition to the war ( Office of the Director of National Intelligence ) Gabbard responded to Kents bombshell decision Tuesday with a cautiously-worded X post in which she did not mention him by name or venture an opinion on his reasons for stepping down. Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our president and commander-in-chief, she wrote. As our commander-in-chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country. After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion. Trump himself dismissed Kent as a nice guy who was weak on security while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said his letter contained many false claims and insisted the president had had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first. open image in gallery President Donald Trump dismissed Kent as weak on security and will expect a strong performance from Gabbard, who he last year admonished publicly ( PA ) Looking ahead to Gabbards congressional appearance, Justin Logan of the Cato Institute think-tank told NBC News: We havent seen much of Gabbard since Trump attacked Iran, so this will be high stakes for her. People like Gabbard have a tough needle to thread: defend the administration without looking like a forelock-tugging flunky whos thrown her principles into the wind. This is not the first time the DNI has been placed in an awkward spot by Trumps impulsive foreign policy calls and drawn his ire. Last year, just prior to the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Irans nuclear facilities, it was pointed out to the president by a journalist that Gabbard had told Congress she did not believe Tehran was close to building a bomb, to which Trump responded: I dont care what she said. He was also reportedly incensed when she posted a three-minute video on X warning that political elite and warmongers are carelessly fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers, placing the world on the brink of nuclear annihilation. Gabbard cut a remote figure in January when the U.S. swooped in to remove Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela, another intervention she had publicly opposed in the past, posting photos of herself doing yoga on the beach rather than taking her place among the decision makers. 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's administration will now require citizens from 50 countries to post bonds of $15,000 to apply for U.S. entry, according to a new report. A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that 12 countries are being added to a list that already includes 38 other nations, largely in Africa. The expanded visa bond program, which requires those foreign nationals to pay $15,000 for a B1 or B2 visa for business and tourism, goes into effect on April 2. The aim is to prevent visitors from overstaying their visas, the official said. The new nations included in the visa bond program are Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. The official said bonds will be returned to visa recipients who return home in compliance with the terms of the visa and the bond, or do not travel in the first place. open image in gallery Bonds will be returned to visa recipients who return home in compliance with the terms of the visa and the bond, or do not travel in the first place ( Getty Images ) Since taking office last January, Trump, a Republican, has pursued a hard-line immigration policy, including an aggressive deportation drive, revocations of visas and green cards, and screens of social media posts and past speeches of immigrants. Human rights groups have condemned Trump's immigration and travel-related policies, saying they curb due process guarantees and free speech. Trump and his allies say the policies seek to improve domestic security. Last June, he issued a travel ban that fully or partially blocked citizens of 19 nations from entering the U.S. on national security grounds. The State Department official said the visa bond program has reduced the number of people who overstay their visas. The 38 nations previously included are Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote dIvoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 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 JD Vance warned that there would be a rough road ahead for American consumers as gas prices continue to soar because of the Iran war, but promised that the situation was only temporary. This is a temporary blip, the vice president said, speaking at an event in Michigan on Wednesday. Under the Biden administration, the gas prices were high for four years. Gas prices are higher right now, and frankly, they're not even as high as they were in certain parts of the Biden administration. But, Vance, who reportedly was skeptical of Donald Trumps decision to attack Iran, admitted, We've got a rough road ahead of us for the next few weeks. Look, gas prices are up, and we know that theyre up and we know that people are hurting because of it, and were doing everything we can to ensure they stay lower, he said, adding that Donald Trump was working on a number of things to help ease the situation. open image in gallery JD Vance has warned that there would be a rough road ahead for American consumers as gas prices continue to soar as a result of the war in Iran, but promised that the situation was only temporary ( REUTERS ) Vances remarks come as prices of gas in the U.S. continue to rise due to fallout caused by Irans closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has heavily impacted global oil supply chains as the conflict stretches into its third week. Around 20 percent of global oil passes through the Strait. On Monday, the average price of a gallon of diesel reached $5 a gallon, marking the highest rate since December 2022 the only other time it surpassed this worrying milestone, according to GasBuddy. On Tuesday, the average cost for a gallon of diesel stood at $5.04, up from $3.65 the previous month, according to AAA. Experts have warned that the elevated price of diesel, derived from crude oil, will trigger knock-on effects for American consumers. Despite Vances comments, Trump has warned that the war with Iran could continue indefinitely and on Wednesday threatened to leave responsibility for opening the Strait of Hormuz to countries that use the route. open image in gallery Vances remarks come as prices of gas in the U.S. continue to rise due to fallout caused by Irans closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has impacted heavily on global oil supply chains as the conflict stretches into its third week. Around 20 percent of global oil passes through the Strait ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) In a post on Truth Social, the president wrote: I wonder what would happen if we finished off whats left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we dont, be responsible for the so called Strait? That would get some of our non-responsive Allies in gear, and fast!!! President DJT. 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 worlds largest aircraft carrier is setting sail to Crete for repairs after a long string of mishaps, including a fire onboard and blocked toilets. The USS Gerald R Ford has been deployed for nine months, first taking part in Donald Trumps operation against Venezuelas leader, Nicolas Maduro, in October. The Ford was then stationed in the Middle East for the US-Israeli war against Iran, which is now in its third week. But a recent fire onboard the warship a $13bn vessel has injured sailors and destroyed sleeping arrangements, dampening the crews morale. open image in gallery The USS Gerald R Ford warship has been deployed for nine months ( AP ) Officials said more than 600 sailors and crew members had lost their beds and have since been bunking down on floors and tables. The US militarys Central Command said two sailors received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. People on the ship reported that dozens of service members suffered smoke inhalation. One of the officials said nearly 200 sailors were treated for smoke-related injuries when the fire broke out in the ships main laundry area. The fire took hours to bring under control and had an impact on roughly 100 sleeping berths. One service member was flown off the ship for injuries, the official said. The length of the deployment has raised questions about the morale of the sailors on board and the readiness of the warship. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not say how long the Ford was expected to remain in Crete. The New York Times first reported the extent of the damage on board the warship. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After the fire initially broke out, the US military had said that there was no damage to the ships propulsion plant and the aircraft carrier element was fully operational. open image in gallery The USS Gerald R Ford is a $13bn vessel and the worlds largest aircraft carrier ( AP ) The carrier has also reportedly faced significant problems with its toilet system, including clogs and long queues for facilities. A 2020 report from the US Government Accountability Office from 2020 said the ships toilet system was subject to unexpected and frequent clogging and requires acid flushes on a regular basis to clear it, at a cost of $400,000 each time. The Ford, with more than 5,000 sailors aboard, has more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornets. Constructed by Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, the ship weighs approximately 97,000 tonnes and is nuclear-powered. It boasts of using augmented-reality technology, which will give the army more insights into the ships systems and improve efficiency, according to CNet. The Ford has sophisticated radar that can help control air traffic and navigation. Supporting ships, such as the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney and Roosevelt, the Ford includes surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. 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 controversial Australian radio host was sacked and his long-running breakfast programme cancelled after he was accused of misconduct following a breakdown in relations with his co-host and employer. Kyle Sandilands The Kyle and Jackie O Show was cancelled with immediate effect, the Australian Radio Network (ARN) confirmed on Wednesday. It had issued a notice of termination of contract to Sandilands and his company, Quasar Media, over what it described as serious misconduct. As a result, The Kyle and Jackie O Show will no longer be presented. The decision follows a breakdown in relations between Sandilands and his co-host Jackie O Henderson, triggered by an argument during a broadcast last month. According to an ARN statement, Henderson said she cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands and would not present the radio show any more. Sandilands accused Henderson on air of being off with the fairies and said that her interest in horoscopes and astrology made her almost unworkable, stated a report in Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The argument took place while the duo were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsors arrest, and Henderson said she wanted to look up the former royals horoscope. open image in gallery On the broadcast, Sandilands said Hendersons interest in horoscopes and astrology made her almost unworkable ( Getty Images ) The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which first aired in 2004 and dominated breakfast radio ratings in Sydney for years, had also been expanded into other markets including Melbourne, where it was syndicated across the KIIS network. ARN said Sandilands had been given 14 days to remedy this breach or cease to present before the formal termination. During that period, he was taken off air while the station assessed the situation. The deadline for him to respond ended at midnight on Tuesday. Sandilands has rejected the termination and said the network would have to pay the legal consequences. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said: I dont accept it. My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is. He described the incident as a routine on-air disagreement, adding: Jackie and I had a blue on air. Thats it. The kind of thing weve done a hundred times in 25 years. According to News.com.au, Sandilands texted Henderson to apologise, and wrote that he was sorry for anything I said that didnt go down well, and still loved and cared for her. A source told the outlet that Henderson responded saying Sandilands had crossed a line and would be taking time away from the show. Sandilands further accused ARN of escalating the dispute unnecessarily, saying the network had decided to try and burn the place down. Sandilands said he had apologised to Henderson for what he said on-air and has accused the ARN of not running a genuine process when they suspended him. ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down. They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldnt even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show. Once theyd made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, You didnt fix it. Youre fired! open image in gallery Henderson has denied quitting the radio show, saying the news came as a shock to me ( Getty Images ) Sandilands accused the company of deliberately sabotaging negotiations. They didnt want to fix this. They thought they saw a chance to get out of the contract they signed with me a year ago, and they ran with it, he said. Ive got a contract until 2034. Ive got rights under that contract. And ARN hasnt honoured the contract. So, its over to my lawyers. Despite the controversy, the show remained a major commercial asset for ARN, and Sandilands argued that his performance and audience reach did not justify termination. ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. Theyve worked with me for over a decade. They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it because I delivered. Number one ratings. Year after year. Hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for their business. I held up my end. I always have. Im not done. Not by a long way, he said. Henderson has denied quitting the radio show, saying the news came as a shock to me, as it has to everyone else. Over the past few days, there has been a lot of speculation and misinformation about my departure on the show. I want to make one important point very clear: I did not quit or resign, she said in a statement on 6 March, after Sandilands was suspended. At this stage, I am unable to say anything further, as I am addressing this through the appropriate legal avenues. This is an abrupt end to a 27-year partnership between Sandilands and Henderson on Australian commercial radio, during which they became one of the mediums most recognisable and commercially successful duos. At its peak, The Kyle and Jackie O Show dominated Sydneys FM breakfast ratings, before slipping to second place by the end of 2025. ARN had bet heavily on the duos continued appeal, signing Sandilands and Henderson to a A$200m (106.45m) contract that was expected to keep them on air until at least 2034. However, their popularity did not translate to Melbourne, where their market share dropped to 5 per cent. Sandilands has expressed his willingness to return, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he still wants to do the show and listeners want me back on there doing the show. At the end of the day I've got a contract with ARN, I expect for them to honour that, and I do have some options if they don't. The show has long been associated with controversy, with Sandilands in particular drawing repeated criticism over on-air remarks. In 2009, he faced backlash after a segment in which a 14-year-old girl admitted to being been raped, and Sandilands responded asking if it was the only sexual experience she had had. In 2011, he came under fire after calling journalist Alison Stephenson a fat slag and threatening to hunt her down on air. One measure of a documentary films merit is how and why its critics hate it. Mr Nobody Against Putin, which has just won an Academy Award for best documentary feature, is a remarkable testimony of how one provincial Russian school was transformed by war propaganda filmed by one of the teachers at his own workplace. The Kremlin hates it because of its powerful anti-regime message and Russias official news agency, RIA Novosti, simply left out the documentary category altogether as it reported the Oscars results. Many Ukrainians hate it because they believe it humanises ordinary Russians and creates a misleading narrative of good Russians who oppose the Putin regime. The ordinary people who stand up to dictators are the Ukrainians who enlisted, writes Kyiv-based literary translator Iaroslava Strikha, complaining that Ukrainian filmmaker Mtislav Chernov's stunning and heartbreaking documentary 2000 Meters to Andriivka didn't even get a nomination while this farce about ppl who cheer on fascism and do f**k-all to stop it gets lauded. And some anti-Kremlin Russian exiles hate it because it presents a distorted, orientalising view of the reality of life in Putins Russia. The director says this is a film about love, about love for ones homeland, for ones people, for one's city, says Ilya Ber, a fact-checker and creator of the Verified.Media project who fled Moscow for Estonia after Putins invasion in 2022. But I believe Pavel Talankin made this film about love for oneself, one whos different from everyone else, braver and more talented. open image in gallery Russian teacher Pavel Talankin hoists his Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film for "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" at the 98th Annual Academy Awards ( AFP via Getty Images ) Talankin, the films protagonist, spent most of his life at School No. 1 in Karabash, a small industrial town in Russias Urals. Employed as an events coordinator at the high school he once attended, Talankin filmed the formal and informal life of the school and ran clubs for the pupils. In the aftermath of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the school is ordered to implement a new patriotic curriculum designed to justify the war and increase loyalty to the state. Talankin films students competing in grenade-throwing contests, as well as lectures, labelling regime critics as parasites and foreign agents. Wagner mercenaries are brought into school assemblies to teach children how to identify landmines and survive losing limbs. Teachers struggle to learn scripts for state-mandated weekly Talks about Important Things, which cover the supposed de-nazification of Ukraine and vigilance against traitors. Through a web-post seeking documentary footage, Talankin connects with a Western filmmaker working for BBCs Storyville. He agrees to continue filming even as his former pupils join up for Putins Special Military Operation and return home in body bags. The films most powerful scene is at the funeral of one of his dead former pupils, where Talankin records the bereaved mothers heartbreaking sobs. open image in gallery Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with widows of Russian special forces soldiers on Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow on 23 February 2026. (Photo by Mikhail Metzel/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) ( AFP/Getty ) The film is not just about Russia, says former jailed oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, now based in London, whose foundation partly funded Mr Nobody. It is a warning about what happens when institutions teach children that killing is normal, and when silence, adaptation, and self-censorship become habits rather than choices. Thats all true. Mr Nobody is a unique insight into ordinary Russian life in wartime, as well as into how the Kremlin manipulates its people and shapes the younger generations world view. But the films most serious flaws are deliberate sleights of hand by the Western directors designed to put a sinister slant on events that arent, in fact, particularly menacing. The schools hatchet-faced history teacher emerges as the one true fanatic of the new Putinist order in the school, teaching his pupils about the Wests plan to conquer Russia. When this teacher is pictured waving a metal detector over pupils as they dutifully stand in line to go into the assembly hall, its depicted as a sign of the new authoritarian times. Since last year, theres no longer any freedom to be found here, intones the narrator. But the truth is that the kids are going in to sit their EGE final exams, and scanning them for hidden electronic devices has been standard operating procedure in Russia since 2014. Theres another scene where school kids in Soviet-style Young Pioneer caps are filmed marching and singing in a militaristic manner. But what isnt obvious to non-Russian viewers is that the song theyre marching to is A Star Called Sun performed by legendary dissident Soviet rock star Viktor Tsoi. Its a pacifist protest song about the Afghan war. open image in gallery Mr Nobody was about how you lose your country through countless small little acts of complicity ( AFP/Getty ) Talankin is shown hiding hard disks with video footage behind the wallpaper in his apartment, supposedly in case his apartment is searched. How to smuggle out the disks when Talankin leaves Russia is developed as a dramatic plot point. But in an era of cloud computing, that makes no sense (especially as the schools state-funded audio visual department is full of high-tech equipment, including two high-spec video cameras, and a steadycam rig). A police car parked in his courtyard is framed as the sinister signal that he is somehow under surveillance. But at no point is there any evidence that Talankin is ever in any actual danger from the authorities, even while hes making his opposition to the war public. For the most part, Talankins colleagues dont care much about his small acts of protest. When he plays Lady Gagas version of The Star Spangled Banner instead of the Russian national anthem at a school assembly, the authorities just roll their eyes. Then theres the unexplained story of the cameraperson who shot much of the footage of Talankin, who spends about half the film in front of the camera, not behind it. Since most of these shots are of school activities, student parties and the sendoff of one of Talankins students to the army, we can assume this (very talented) cameraperson is probably a pupil or former pupil. And because this person is uncredited, its also reasonable to assume that theyre still in Russia, indeed, maybe in Karabash. If their life and liberty were truly in danger, as the film suggests Talankins is, the BBC would have made very sure to buy him or her a ticket out. But their continued anonymity suggests that neither the cameraperson nor the producers saw any risk. That contradicts the films heavy-handed picture of state surveillance, footage smuggled out of the country and strict totalitarian control. The picture that emerges is not really of Putins Russia as a terrifying dictatorship, but something even more disturbing. Its closer to the banality of evil. The real value of the film is to portray how ordinary people who really dont care much about war, or patriotism, or politics in general, make daily compromises. Conformity, an unwillingness to rock the boat, frank cowardice - all the people around Talankin are, in various ways, living examples of how indifference and peer pressure can become the building blocks of totalitarianism. open image in gallery Russian T-90M tanks travel through central Moscow during a rehearsal for their famous Victory Day parade which happens every May to mark the anniversary of Nazi Germany ( AFP/Getty ) The whole project is a one-way ticket to exile, not because Mr Nobody actually does anything against Putin, but because he dared to document the small ways in which a society moves towards militarism. Mr Nobody was about how you lose your country through countless small little acts of complicity, co-director David Borenstein, an American living in Denmark, told the Academy, turning the films message towards a US audience. You lose it when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities. When we don't say anything when oligarchs take over the media and control how we can produce it and consume it. We all face a moral choice. The tragedy of Mr Nobody and the reason why so many Ukrainian viewers were so irritated by it is that what it documents is not defiance but compliance. Talankin may indeed be against Putin, but all he can do now is join a community of like-minded Russian exiles abroad. Borenstein claimed the film showed that even a nobody is more powerful than you think. But the real, and depressing, message is that inside Russia, pretty much nobody is against Putin. 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 Ukraine has formally urged India to release six of its citizens, who were arrested last week alongside one US national on allegations of illegally entering a restricted border state without permits and crossing into neighbouring Myanmar to train anti-junta ethnic groups in drone warfare. Indian authorities arrested the six Ukrainians as well as the US citizen on the night of 13 March at three separate airports. According to a court order issued on Monday, which remanded the seven in police custody until a hearing on 27 March, they are accused of illicitly travelling to Indias northeastern state of Mizoram. From there, they allegedly crossed into Myanmar to provide drone warfare training to ethnic armed groups opposing the military junta, and illegally imported large consignments of drones from Europe into Myanmar via India. Mizoram borders Myanmar's Chin State, a country that has been engulfed in civil war and a humanitarian crisis since its military overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup. The probe into the six Ukrainians and the American is being led by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), India's main counter-terrorism body. open image in gallery Indian authorities arrested the six Ukrainians as well as one US citizen on the night of 13 March at three different airports ( Associated Press ) In a statement released late on Tuesday, Ukraines foreign ministry said that there were "no established facts proving the involvement of the said Ukrainian citizens in unlawful activities on the territory of India or Myanmar". Its ambassador to Delhi, Oleksandr Polishchuk, met Sibi George, a senior Indian foreign ministry official, and handed over a note of protest "demanding the immediate release of the Ukrainian citizens and access to them," the statement added. The meeting took place on Monday, according to a spokesperson at the Ukraine embassy in Delhi. "We draw attention to the fact that there are certain restricted-access zones in India for foreign nationals, entry to which is possible only with special permits," the statement said. "At the same time, proper marking of such areas on the ground is often absent, which creates a risk of unintentional violation of the established rules." A US embassy spokesperson said the embassy was aware of the situation but "for privacy reasons, we cannot comment on cases involving US citizens." The Indian foreign ministry and a Myanmar government spokesperson did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. open image in gallery The Delhi court order did not name the Myanmarbased ethnic armed groups that the group allegedly met. ( Associated Press ) The Delhi court order did not name the Myanmarbased ethnic armed groups that the group allegedly met. Citing an investigation update, it said the accused were suspected of offering support to proscribed Indian insurgent groups by way of supplying weapons and other terrorist hardware and training them, thus affecting national security and interests of India. Indian officials have said that militant groups that took refuge in Myanmar and fought in its civil war returned in 2024, fuelling a monthslong deadly ethnic conflict in Indias northeastern state of Manipur. India requires foreigners to obtain entry permits for some northeastern border states that have a history of ethnic tension and security volatility. 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 stepson of Norway's crown prince should be sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison on charges of raping four women as well as domestic abuse and other crimes, the prosecutor in the trial told an Oslo court on Wednesday. Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, has pleaded not guilty to the most severe accusations against him, including those of rape, while admitting to some lesser charges. The seven-week trial, which is due to end on Thursday, has transfixed the Nordic country, detailing Hoiby's drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence. The trial coincided with Crown Princess Mette-Marit's apology for "poor judgment" in maintaining contact with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted in 2008. Both events have hurt the overall popularity of the monarchy, according to opinion polls. Lead prosecutor Sturla Henriksboe on Wednesday set out the sentence he was seeking for the 40 charges against Hoiby, which included several counts of rape which investigators said happened when the alleged victims were sleeping or unconscious. open image in gallery A court sketch shows Marius Borg Hoiby during the first day of the trial against him, which takes place at the Oslo District Court in Oslo, Norway February 3, 2026 ( NTB ) Hoiby pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to charges that carry lighter sentences, including offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast and driving without a valid licence. Henriksboe told the court that Hoiby must be treated like any other Norwegian, facing neither tougher nor milder punishment for being part of the country's most prominent family. But in tearful testimony last week, Hoiby said heavy media coverage of his trial had made him "an object of hatred" and portrayed him as a monster, leading to anxiety and clinical depression. "Hoiby is no monster. None of us are," Henriksboe said at the beginning of his closing argument on Monday. "He must not be sentenced for who he is, but for what he did." 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 sanctioned Russian tanker adrift in the Mediterranean poses a serious ecological threat as a gaping hole pours fuel and natural gas into the sea. Nine EU countries have written a joint letter to the European Commission, as one Italian official called the Arctic Metagaz an environmental bomb waiting to go off. The tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy. Its state posed a dual challenge: upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster, against the background of EU sanctions imposed on Russia. The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Unions maritime space, the letter said. open image in gallery The wounded tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy ( Newsbook Malta ) Alfredo Mantovano, the secretary of Italys Council of Ministers, urgently warned that the tanker could explode at any moment, in a statement to Italys Radio 24. The EU said the vessel was part of Russias shadow fleet intended to circumvent sanctions imposed in connection with Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It set out from the Russian port of Murmansk in February but caught fire in early March. Russia condemned the incident as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, claiming the attack occurred near Maltese international waters with drones launched from Libya. Kyiv has not claimed any responsibility for the attack. open image in gallery Fuel and natural gas are pouring into the sea through a gaping hole in the tanker ( Newsbook Malta ) Russias transport ministry reported at the time that all 30 Russian crew members on board the vessel, which caught fire, were safe. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry website that Moscow was in touch with the vessels owner and foreign competent bodies. It had no crew, she said, and was carrying 700 metric tonnes of different types of fuel and a substantial amount of natural gas. The international legal norms applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries ... for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster, Ms Zakharova wrote. Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will depend on the specific circumstances. Russias transport ministry earlier this month claimed the Arctic Metagaz, carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones and said the weapons had been launched from the Libyan coast. Zelensky warns of 'distracted' US as acting ambassador Davis prepares to exit 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 Russia is once again scaling back its annual Victory Day parade in Red Square, saying no military equipment will be used amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The parade is a key event in Russia and is held in Moscow on 9 May every year, marking the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945. Prior to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the parade would traditionally involve a display of tanks and other military equipment, as Moscow flexed its muscles for the world to see. It has been pared back dramatically due to the war, however, and in 2024 Russia was mocked by Ukraine for displaying just a solitary tank for the second year in a row. Russia's defence ministry confirmed no military hardware would be involved in the parade at all this year, though it did not directly link this to shortages or frontline deployments. Meanwhile, Ukraine announced that its air defences shot down more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types in March, a new monthly record in the four-year war. 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 Ukraine will soon face a shortage of missiles to fight against Russia as a result of the Iran war, Volodymyr Zelensky has warned. The conflict in the Middle East has entered a third week, with shockwaves felt by the Gulf as Tehran attacks US bases and assets in the region. On Tuesday, Iran confirmed their chief security, Ali Larijani, had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, as they vowed a decisive and regrettable revenge for his death. With no end to the war in sight, the Ukrainian president has stressed that his country risks facing a deficit in missiles to fight against Russia. For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus, Mr Zelensky told the BBC. In addition to energy prices, it means the depletion of US reserves, and the depletion of air defence manufacturers. So we [Ukraine] have a depletion of resources. He added that he has a very bad feeling about the consequences of the Iran war for Ukraine, saying negotiations towards peace are being constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran. On his visit to London on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky addressed MPs in parliament, calling Russia and Iran brothers in hatred and weapons. open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky: For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus ( AFP/Getty ) He said: We want regimes built on hatred to never, never win in anything. And we want no such regime to threaten Europe or our partners. At Downing Street, the prime minister told Mr Zelensky that Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to benefit from the Middle East conflict. I think its really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer said. Theres obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we cant lose focus on whats going on in Ukraine and the need for our support. He added: Putin cant be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether thats oil prices or the dropping of sanctions. open image in gallery The prime minister has told Zelensky the focus must remain on Ukraine ( PA ) His message comes as the US temporarily loosened some restrictions on Russian oil in a bid to ease pressure on global supplies triggered by the strikes on Iran and Tehrans retaliation against Gulf states. The prime minister also called on European allies to leverage Ukraines hard-won military expertise. Mr Zelensky said he had sent 201 experts in countering Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones to the Middle East and Gulf region. Meanwhile, the UK will put 500,000 towards a new AI centre of excellence in Kyiv, which would be made up of experts working to see how the technology can best be used for a battlefield advantage, No 10 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 confirmed the death of top security chief Ali Larijani on Tuesday, state media reported. Larijani becomes the most senior Iranian figure to be killed by Israel since the assassination of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. Tehran had earlier denied reports that Larijani was dead and a handwritten letter dedicated to Iranian troops was released after Israel claimed he had been killed in an IDF strike. A tribute to Larijani was posted on his social media account on X, it said: Indeed, a servant of Allah has joined his Lord as a martyr. Israel said it had killed Larijani in overnight strikes which targeted a hideout apartment in Tehran. Larijani, who led Irans Supreme National Security Council, had been regarded by experts as among those most likely to step into the power vacuum left by the death of Khamenei. Despite Khameneis son Mojtaba being named supreme leader in his stead, Larijani remained a pivotal figure and was regarded by many observers as the countrys de facto leader. open image in gallery Ali Larijani had been a key power broker internationally and domestically in recent months ( AP ) Israels defence minister Israel Katz said another senior figure, the Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, had also been killed in a separate strike. Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell, Mr Katz said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian state media confirmed Soleimanis death on Tuesday. The handwritten note posted on Larijanis X (Twitter) account, commemorated members of the Iranian navy killed in US attacks on the Iris Dena off the coast of Sri Lank, whose funerals were expected to be held on Tuesday. In the week before his death, he had posted a thinly veiled threat to Trump after the American leader vowed to rain down death, fire and fury on the Islamic Republic. The sacrificial nation of Iran doesnt fear your empty threats, Larijani wrote in a defiant post on X on 10 March in response. Even those bigger than you couldnt eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself. Larijanis aggressive approach had been a key part of the rhetoric in the opening days of the war, following the 28 February strike on Tehran which killed Khamenei. We will not negotiate with the United States, he said in the aftermath of the first US-Israeli strikes, adding that President Trump held delusional fantasies about the unfolding war. Larijani was last seen in public on Friday, attending the AlQuds Day rally in Tehran alongside president Masoud Pezeshkian in a show of support for Palestinians living in the Iranian capital. Who is Ali Larijani? Born in the city of Najaf in 1958, Larijani began his career in government as deputy minister of labour and social affairs. In 1994, he was appointed head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, where he remained for a decade. In 2005, Larijani was appointed as Supreme National Security Council secretary, putting him in charge of Irans nuclear negotiations. He had recently been overseeing Tehrans efforts to reach a nuclear deal with the US. Larijani had not been named among Irans new three-man council following the assassination of Khamenei. Nonetheless power in Iran is believed to remain concentrated within the Security Council, which had reportedly already sidelined Khamenei since the disastrous 12-day war with Israel last June. Larijani's power had also eclipsed that of the official president, Pezeshkian, as he had not only taken the lead in the international arena in recent months, but also domestically. He was among the earliest and loudest voices in Irans leadership calling for deadly violence to crush political demonstrations that erupted at the end of last year as Irans economic crisis deepened. The unrest, the largest uprising since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was met with a brutal crackdown. As many as 30,000 people are believed to have been killed by the regime this year, according to Iran International. How powerful is Larijani? open image in gallery Larijani was among the first officials to call for violence against demonstrators in the uprising in Iran ( AP ) Larijanis grip on power came despite the fact that he had not been among the clerics Khamenei had identified as potential successors. The supreme leader had left a shortlist of three religious figures, with the role formally reserved for a cleric. However he had been regarded by experts not just as a plausible leadership contender for the country, but one who could steer Iran toward an even more militarised model of governance. While Donald Trump has said he wants to see regime change in Iran, the interim leadership has vowed vengeance against the US and Israel. open image in gallery Smoke billows after a US-Israeli strike in Tehran during the first week of the conflict ( AP ) Larijani had accused the US and Israel of trying to plunder and disintegrate Iran, and had warned secessionist groups of a harsh response if they attempted any action. In a post on X, Larijani claimed President Trump had plunged the Middle East into chaos. With his delusional actions, he has transformed his self-made slogan of America First into Israel First and sacrificed American soldiers for Israels quest for power, Larijani wrote. He once again imposes the cost of his cult of personality on American soldiers and families. Today, the Iranian nation is defending itself... the Iranian armed forces did not initiate the invasion. 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 death of Ali Larijani marks the most senior Iranian figure killed by Israel since the assassination of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Iran confirmed the death of its top security chief on Tuesday, despite earlier denying reports that he was dead. A handwritten letter mourning the death of Iranian troops that Tehran claimed was written by Larijani was also released in an apparent attempt to prove he had survived an IDF strike. A tribute to Larijani was later posted on his X account, reading: A servant of Allah has joined his Lord as a martyr. open image in gallery Ali Larijani had been a key power broker internationally and domestically in recent months ( AP ) Israel said it had killed Larijani in overnight strikes which targeted a hideout apartment in Tehran. Defence minister Israel Katz also confirmed the death of Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani in a separate strike. Larijani, who led Irans Supreme National Security Council, had been regarded by experts as among those most likely to step into the power vacuum left by the death of Ali Khamenei. But despite Khameneis son Mojtaba being named supreme leader in his stead, Larijani remained a pivotal figure and was regarded as the countrys de facto leader. Having held senior positions in the Iranian state for 40 years, experts believe that Larijani could have played a pivotal diplomatic role to help end the war. The expectation before his death was that following this war, Larijani might have occupied the leading role in leading negotiations and diplomacy to basically move from the end of the war to the next stage, Professor Maziyar Ghiabi, Director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter, told The Independent. This is something that America, the Europeans, the Chinese, and Russia thought was very plausible. This is a person who had the authority and charisma to sell unsatisfactory diplomatic outcomes at home. open image in gallery Larijani was among the first officials to call for violence against demonstrators in the uprising in Iran ( AP ) In the week before his death, Larijani had posted a thinly veiled threat to Trump after the American leader vowed to rain down death, fire and fury on the Islamic Republic. The sacrificial nation of Iran doesnt fear your empty threats, Larijani wrote in a defiant post on X on 10 March in response. Even those bigger than you couldnt eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself. Despite his fiery rhetoric, Larijani was considered to be a key diplomatic figure with connections across Russia, China and the Gulf after four decades occupying top positions in the IRGC, parliament and Expediency Council. He [was] a very strategic politician within the Islamic Republic, said Professor Ghiabi. A very intelligent person [with a] degree in philosophy and a published author on philosophical matters. open image in gallery Smoke billows after a US-Israeli strike in Tehran during the first week of the conflict ( AP ) Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the idea that Larijanis death could lead to a wider power vacuum. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said: I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions. We have not had anyone more important than the leader himself, and even the leader was martyred, yet the system continued its work and immediately provided a replacement. Professor Ghiabi said out that, during the 12 Day War with Israel last year, the killing of several senior members of Irans military and political elite did not provoke a wider crisis for the regime. They filled out the post very quickly. We expected the same after the surprise attack by the Americans and the Israelis three weeks ago, and the outcome of that was they got their things together quite quickly. open image in gallery Larijanis funeral in Tehran ( Iran state media via Sky News ) He even suggested that Tehran may fill the vacuum left by the former security chief quickly, with speaker of the Iranian parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a decorated military man, and a conservative like Larijani. He is less capable, less of an intellectual, and has less of a religious pedigree. He also doesn't come from a religious family like Larijani does, and he doesn't come from a family with deep connections throughout the system, but he's still regarded as someone who could step up. But while Irans leadership may fill the positions, the assassinations remain a major blow to the regime, according to Professor Ghiabi. Each of these assassinations are a blow to the Islamic Republic. It means that the state has been infiltrated at very deep levels and that the military intelligence superiority of the Israelis and Americans is very clear. It means that the fight for survival goes on even more. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The price of oil has soared past $114 after Iran hit the worlds largest liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar in retaliation for attacks on its own oil fields. Brent crude oil prices surged by more than five per cent following the strike, touching $114 (85) a barrel on Thursday morning, the highest since June 2022 when oil prices peaked at $119 during the Ukraine war. Iran issued an evacuation notice on Wednesday to Saudi Arabias Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complex, the United Arab Emirates Al Hosn Gas Field, and Qatars Mesaieed Petrochemical Complex, Mesaieed Holding Company and the Ras Laffan Refinery. The Ras Laffan Industrial City, where an estimated 115,000 people work, was struck by a ballistic missile on Wednesday sparking a huge blaze, according to the countrys state-owned QatarEnergy company. open image in gallery Oil prices have surged after more strikes on key oil and gas facilities ( Trading Economics ) Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported, the company wrote in a post on social media. QatarEnergy had already stopped production at Ras Laffan because of Iranian attacks. The countrys foreign ministry said it had successfully intercepted four out of five ballistic missiles launched from Iran, with the fifth making impact at the energy-industry hub where the core of QatarEnergys LNG processing takes place. Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh and an attempted drone attack on a gas facility in the east of the country. Thousands of oil facility workers and nearby residents had been warned to evacuate after Iran threatened retribution for strikes on its sites that it blamed on Israel, sending prices soaring and threatening a fresh crisis on the global markets. open image in gallery The attack on Irans huge Pars gas field was the first reported strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure in the Gulf during the US-Israeli war ( AP ) The warning, issued on Iranian state media, declared: These centres have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted in the coming hours. Therefore, all citizens, residents and employees are requested to immediately leave these areas and move to a safe distance without any delay. The threat appeared to be a retaliation for the alleged Israeli bombing of Iranian energy facilities in South Pars and Asaluyeh on Wednesday morning, the first such attack since the war began last month. Qatar and Iran said Israel was responsible for the attack. The IDF has not commented on the reports. Pars contains the Iranian section of the worlds largest natural gas deposit, which it shares with Qatar across the Gulf. Irans Fars news agency reported that gas tanks and parts of a refinery had been hit, with workers evacuated to a safe location while emergency crews attempted to put out a fire. open image in gallery Iranian missiles carrying cluster warheads fly towards Israel in an overnight attack on Wednesday ( Social media ) Dr Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry of Qatar, said the targeting of South Pars was a dangerous and irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region. The US and Israel have previously held back from targeting Irans energy production facilities in the Gulf, fearing that such a move could invite retaliation and make it harder for global markets to recover from a seismic shock to energy supplies. Donald Trump pledged to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz using military force, before backtracking and seeking military support from Western allies without success. In other developments, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the death of yet another top official in the country intelligence minister Esmail Khatib while funerals were held for national security chief Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, who were killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday. open image in gallery Funerals took place for Larijani and Soleimani on Wednesday ( Ali Larijani/X ) Larijani is the most high-profile Iranian official to be assassinated since the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the war. In retaliation for the killing of Larijani, Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying cluster warheads in an overnight attack. The munitions, which disperse into multiple smaller explosives mid-air and spread over a wide area, making them difficult to intercept, are illegal in more than 110 countries. However, neither Iran nor Israel is a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The overnight attack killed two people in a neighbourhood close to the densely populated city, near key military facilities. It brought Israels war death toll up to 14. 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 Israel has claimed responsibility for the deaths of two senior Iranian security officials, a move described as a significant blow aimed at further weakening the Islamic Republic's leadership as it faces its greatest test in decades. Iran confirmed both killings and retaliated by firing salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel on Tuesday. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz stated that Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, were "eliminated last night". Mr Larijani was considered one of the most powerful figures in the country since supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an air strike on the first day of the war. The Iranian judiciary's news agency, Mizan, quoted the Revolutionary Guard as confirming the killing of General Soleimani. Iranian state media also confirmed the killing of Mr Larijani. Both men were key to Iran's violent crackdown on protests in January that challenged the theocracy's 47-year rule. Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, briefly shut its airspace, the second disruption to flights in the city in as many days as the war showed no signs of abating. With concerns growing about a global energy crisis, an Iranian official said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil. open image in gallery Ali Larijani was secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council ( AFP/Getty ) On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said Nato and most other allies have rejected his calls to help secure the strait. The Israeli military said it had begun a "wide-scale wave of strikes" across Iran's capital and was stepping up strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Mr Larijani, a former parliamentary speaker and senior policy adviser, advised the late Mr Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the US Treasury in January for his role in "co-ordinating" Iran's violent suppression nationwide protests. General Soleimani was also sanctioned by the US, as well as by the European Union and other nations, over his role in helping suppress dissent for years through the Basij. The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it struck more than 10 Basij posts across Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killings were aimed at weakening Iran's government. "We are undermining this regime to give the Iranian people the opportunity to remove it," he said. There have been no signs of anti-government protests since the war began, as many Iranians are sheltering from the American and Israeli strikes. The killings of Mr Larijani and General Soleimani came on the eve of Chaharshanbe Souri, or the Festival of Fire, shortly before the Persian new year. Authorities have sent threatening text messages urging the public not to celebrate the festival, warning that the normally rowdy celebrations could be used by "rioters". State media aired footage on Tuesday of pro-government demonstrations, including images of some men in plainclothes branding assault rifles and shotguns on the back of motorcycles - a sign of the government wanting to prevent renewed protests against the theocracy. State television later showed crowds of women wrapped in black and older men waving flags and portraits of the killed former supreme leader. open image in gallery Mr Larijani, a former parliamentary speaker and senior policy adviser, advised the late Mr Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration ( AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File ) Iran kept up the pressure on its neighbours and energy infrastructure around the region. In Iraq, two drones were shot down by the defence system at the US Embassy in Baghdad, while a third drone crashed inside the embassy compound. That is according to two Iraqi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment. An Associated Press journalist in the area saw a massive fire that appeared to be engulfing a structure in the compound. There was no immediate comment from the embassy. In the United Arab Emirates, an oil facility in Fujairah was hit, and a man was killed in Abu Dhabi by debris from an intercepted missile - the eighth person to die in the UAE since the start of the war, authorities said. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones, while air defences could be heard targeting incoming fire over Qatar's capital, Doha. Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, has sparked increasing concerns about a tightening of energy supplies that is unnerving the world economy. A handful of ships have crossed through the strait, and Iran has said the waterway technically remains open - just not for the US, Israel and their allies. About 20 vessels have been struck since the war began. With oil prices rising, Mr Trump said he had demanded that roughly a half-dozen countries send warships to ensure ships can pass through the strait. He fumed on Tuesday that the US is not getting support "despite the fact that almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot" be allowed to secure a nuclear weapon. The European Union's top diplomat says the 27-nation bloc does not want to be dragged into the conflict with Iran. "This is not Europe's war," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told EU legislators on Tuesday. open image in gallery Trump said he had demanded that roughly a half-dozen countries send warships to ensure ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz ( Niall Carson/PA ) "We were not consulted." French President Emmanuel Macron earlier reaffirmed that France is ready to help secure the strait, but only after heavy bombing has stopped. Meanwhile, the Israeli military early on Tuesday said it had launched new attacks across Tehran and targeted Hezbollah militants in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah began firing rockets into the northern Israel after the US and Israel attacked Iran last month. In Iran, it said it hit command centres, missile launch sites and air defence systems. There was no immediate confirmation from Iran, where little information has been coming out due to internet outages, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the conflict, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. The Lebanese army said that three soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes. The Lebanese Health Ministry said that an airstrike near Beirut's international airport killed one person and wounded nine, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israel's strikes have displaced more than one million Lebanese - or roughly 20% of the population - according to the Lebanese government, which says 912 people have been killed since the outbreak of a new Israel-Hezbollah war two weeks ago. In Israel, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 US military members have been killed. 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 Just two days after the US and Israel killed Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in late February, Hezbollah opened a second front in the war by launching six rockets into Israel from Lebanon. The rockets came as a surprise to many. Hezbollah, once one of Irans most powerful proxy fighting forces, had been severely weakened by Israel during 13 months of fighting from late 202324. The militant group had also stopped firing rockets into Israel since signing a ceasefire agreement in November 2024. According to the ceasefire, the Lebanese army was to take control of the territory south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon and prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its infrastructure. Hezbollah was also expected to move its fighters north of the river, about 30 kilometres from the border with Israel. The Lebanese government and the Lebanese army then launched an enthusiastic public campaign to show their commitment to the systematic disarmament of Hezbollahs fighters and dismantling of its missile launches. But this has proved to be a monumentally difficult task for both the government and army. open image in gallery A firefighter walks past rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Bashoura neighborhood ( AFP/Getty ) The Israeli army has continued to carry out airstrikes on Hezbollah military sites and targeted assassinations of Hezbollah fighters on a near-daily basis since the ceasefire. Hezbollah has repeatedly refused to disarm and withdraw north of the Litani River if these strikes continue. So, the ceasefire deal was already shaky. And when fighting resumed earlier this month, Israel decided it was time to finish the job in Lebanon. This week, it launched another ground invasion to completely destroy Hezbollahs remaining military infrastructure, just as was done against Hamas in Rafah, Beit Hanoun and the terror tunnels in Gaza, Israels defence minister, Israel Katz, said. More than 1 million Lebanese people have already been displaced, leading to fears Israel will reoccupy southern Lebanon, as it did for 18 years from 1982 to 2000. There are three possible scenarios for what could happen next. 1. A short-term or limited ground operation Israel does not want a return to its 18-year occupation, when it was dragged into a guerrilla war with Hezbollah and other groups, and by some estimates lost hundreds of soldiers. About the author Mariam Farida is a Lecturer in Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies at Macquarie University. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article. A limited ground operation lasting a few weeks would therefore be the most desirable scenario to minimise troop casualties on the ground. But this carries risk, too. A limited operation would make it difficult for the Israeli army to successfully destroy Hezbollahs infrastructure. Israel has attempted these types of limited operations in the past and so far failed to stop Hezbollah rockets. Hezbollah, too, is unlikely to want to de-escalate quickly. As such, a limited ground operation seems unlikely. 2. A war of attrition that lasts for months This is a more possible scenario since the HezbollahIsrael conflict is closely linked to the USIsrael war on Iran. It has become obvious that Iran is engaged in a war of attrition with its adversaries. The regime doesnt need to win the war; it just needs to hold on long enough for the US and Israel to feel enough global and domestic pressure to stop. Then, the regime can claim victory. In this scenario, Hezbollah is fully capable of mirroring this strategy. If it can withstand Israeli airstrikes, it can retaliate with the type of guerilla warfare it has successfully used in the past to drag Israel into a longer conflict. open image in gallery A building collapses after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut ( AFP/Getty ) There are already signs Hezbollah fighters are adopting these strategies. 3. Another major war that will lead to reoccupation This is the most likely scenario with highest chance of regional ripple effects. If Israel launches a much larger ground operation, it would be aimed at fundamentally reshaping the balance of power with Hezbollah and putting more pressure on the Lebanese government before engaging in any negotiations or diplomatic settlements. This is typical of negotiating processes: one side uses excessive violence to try to establish new facts on the ground and gain more leverage before entering into talks. However, this could result in major losses for the Israeli army, similar to those suffered during its 1982 invasion and subsequent occupation. Another possible outcome is a power vacuum in Lebanon and the outbreak of another civil war. open image in gallery A displaced woman who fled Israeli airstrikes with her family in southern Lebanon cooks food at a school being used as a shelter in Beirut ( AP ) A Lebanese civil war would have serious implications for the region, much as the last one did from 1975 to 1990. Then, Lebanon was torn apart by multiple armed militias with different (and often competing) agendas. Hezbollah emerged from the chaos, giving Iran a powerful proxy group to threaten Israel for decades to come. There would most likely be a major surge of refugees across Lebanons borders, as well. Lebanon is already a fragile and weak country, struggling to sustain some 250,000 Palestinian and 1.3 million Syrian refugees. Now, there are 1 million displaced Lebanese from the recent fighting. This kind of disruption would no doubt spill over into Europe, with displaced people trying to seek refuge there, similar to the height of the Syrian civil war. An Israeli reoccupation of southern Lebanon could also give Hezbollah a much-needed boost in legitimacy among the Lebanese people, if it is able to survive the war and targeted killings of its leaders. Hezbollah will easily be able to frame its operations as a form of resistance or muqawama, much as it did in its early years. This could be viewed in several ways: resistance against occupation, resistance against oppressive regimes and resistance against the US and Israel. Wherever this conflict goes, the Lebanese people and beleaguered Lebanese state will pay the highest price, trapped again in a geopolitical contest they didnt start and feel powerless to stop. 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 After two weeks of turmoil and violence in the Strait of Hormuz, an international cargo ship has transited safely through the Iranian waterway with its tracker turned on in what experts described as a major breakthrough. The Pakistan-flagged ship, the Karachi, also known as the Lorax, became the first non-Iranian vessel to pass through the strait with its automatic identification system (AIS) signal turned on, on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of ships are trapped in the Gulf after Iran claimed complete control over the strait, days after the US and Israel declared war and assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei. At least 16 ships have been attacked in the Gulf since the war started on 28 February, according to the UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO). open image in gallery Oil tankers and cargo ships have been impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz ( AP ) The Strait of Hormuz in particular is considered to be one of the worlds most valuable shipping routes, with 20 million barrels of oil passing through it each day. But experts have suggested that Tehran may be loosening its iron grip on the strait for countries that are willing to negotiate, with certain vessels seemingly granted safe passage through diplomacy. Matthew Wright, a freight analyst from global trade firm Kpler, told The Independent: This is Irans widening strategy. The amount of control Iran has over the waterway is significant. And theyve been able to move their own cargoes pretty comfortably over the last two weeks. Now they are selectively managing oil flows through that checkpoint. At the moment, it appears to be friendly Asian partners. But whats significant is we dont expect this to be a trend that they can expand more broadly without undermining the pressure that theyre able to keep on oil prices. Iran is reported to have asked India to release three tankers seized in February following negotiations over the safe passage of India-bound vessels out of the strait, according to Reuters. open image in gallery The Karachi transited out of the strait with its AIS signal on ( Pakistan National Shipping Corporation ) Indian authorities seized the Iran-linked ships near Indian waters, alleging they had concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea. Meanwhile, Iraqs oil minister said Baghdad is in contact with Iran to allow some oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state news agency reported on Tuesday. Heres what we know about the oil getting out of the Strait of Hormuz. What do we know about the Karachi oil tanker? The Lorax, a Pakistan-flagged ship carrying a crude blend called DAS from Abu Dhabi, had its AIS on to transit the strait, according to Mr Wright. open image in gallery The route taken by the Pakistan-flagged ship is considered to be unusual as it skips the hairpin to detour around the small Larak island near Iran ( Kpler ) We dont have confirmation, but it does suggest that this vessel was probably asked to keep its AIS on and was probably guided by Iran through the strait, he said. We can only speculate as to why that necessarily happened, but it could be so that they can ensure the vessels safety. The Lorax took an unusual route out of the strait. Typically, tankers are forced to tackle a hairpin bend, but the ship went north around the small island of Larak on the Iranian side before exiting. open image in gallery This is more representative of the normal route through the strait. Green is the loaded ship exiting and orange is an empty ship entering ( Kpler ) Mr Wright added that this could have been directed as the safest route out of the strait. Theres been a lot of discussion about some of the waters being mined, he added. Nobody has, as far as Im aware, got definitive proof that the strait has been mined. But this transit is an interesting one. What other ships have successfully crossed out of the strait? At least 20 non-Iranian oil ships have exited the strait since the war began, according to Kpler. The vast majority of these ships have switched off their AIS, which is used for collision avoidance and vessel monitoring in the maritime industry. According to Mr Wright, a lot of sanctioned vessels will switch off their AIS if they arent in a war zone to go dark while handling sanctioned cargo to hide their identity or the origin of what theyre carrying. open image in gallery Dynacom, the company that owns this ship, is considered to be one of the more risk-tolerant oil tanker companies ( YouTube ) What weve seen for non-Iranian cargoes leaving the region, he explained. They will go dark and then they will reappear on the other side and the thinking is its much harder to track and maybe fire on a vessel thats not broadcasting its AIS. Many of the vessels making the transit are run by more risk-tolerant companies, such as the Greek company Dynacom. The SMYRNI oil tanker, owned by Dynacom, is willing to take the risk of transiting Hormuz, according to Mr Wright. Because the rates are very, very high, he explained. Theyve done at least one [transit], if not two more, since this started. Last week, Turkey said that a dry cargo ship had passed through the strait with permission. open image in gallery The SMYRNI was moving through Indian waters as of Tuesday morning ( Marine Traffic ) Where are these ships going? According to Mr Wright, a lot of the Iranian oil will go to China, while much of the non-Iranian oil has gone to India and Pakistan. The Lorax is Pakistan, but then some of the others that have gone on the Dynacom ships went to India, he said. The Dynacom ships loaded at Saudi or UAE and went to India. All of the non-sanctioned oil is going to India and Pakistan. What ships are stuck in the strait? As of 16 March, 743 cargo ships were estimated to be trapped in the Gulf thanks to Irans iron grip over the Strait of Hormuz. But according to Mr Wright, this number has fluctuated. Its come down from 778. Weve got more vessels that have left than come in, he said. With the AIS blackout, its pretty hard to know. Theres definitely been more exit. We have had some vessels come in. For example, six of these Dynacom tankers have come in, which is half of the 12 tankers that have come in total. 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 Bent on regime change by attacking Iran from the air, Israel and America failed to plan for a war beyond bombing, but Tehran has spent decades preparing to frustrate exactly the kind of conflict it is now enduring. Irans regime has a system known as the mosaic defence, which has been implemented for battlefield decision-making, counterattacks and state oppression. Tehran knew that Israel planned to lead American attempts to destroy its theocracy by using its staggering levels of air power. The result, nearly three weeks into the air war against Iran, is that its headless government lives on. It has been planning for the moment when Irans leadership was, literally, wiped out and decapitated, creating a system to devolve, delegate and disperse its decision makers. Its relative success is shown by the continued, though reduced, attacks by Iran on its neighbours and US bases in the Gulf and its ability to strangle the Strait of Hormuz, even though supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been killed, as well as Ali Larijani, who, as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, led Irans systems of state oppression. The doctrine of "mosaic defence has its roots in the cell structures of resistance movements and terrorist organisations going back to the Second World War. open image in gallery The late Ali Larijani, head of Irans National Security Council, gestures as Hezbollah supporters throw rice to welcome him outside Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon ( AP ) The principle is that the chain of command can survive its links being broken because each link is an autonomous, self-regulating and motivating entity. Local leaders are given the authority, capacity and, above all, inviolable orders that they must continue to act. As a result, more than 4,000 airstrikes have been launched against Iranian targets in which command and control centres have been obliterated, and local police stations and any above and below ground structure associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been attacked. Israel and the US are seeking to control the battlefield so that Irans long-suppressed population will rise up against the rule of the ayatollahs, now led by Ali Khameneis son, Mojtaba, as supreme leader. He has not been seen since he was elected after his father and 40 others were killed in an Israeli airstrike that used, in part, US intelligence to target the structures of the Iranian regime. open image in gallery A boat firing a missile during a military exercise by members of the IRGC and navy in the Gulf ( Sepah News ) But that does not matter. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, has already spelt out the Iranian plan. He was drawing on decades of experience gained by the IRGC Quds Force, especially in supporting militia groups that attacked the US in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran has also run Hezbollah in Lebanon and tested some of the best fighters and its finest technology against the Israel Defence Forces and trained alongside Hamas fighters pioneering asymmetric warfare in Gaza for two decades. Weve had two decades to study defeats of the US military to our immediate east and west. Weve incorporated lessons accordingly, the foreign minister said on social media on 1 March. Bombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war. Decentralised Mosaic Defence enables us to decide whenand howwar will end. open image in gallery Rescuers at a site reportedly hit by US-Israeli strikes on Wednesday ( Iranian Red Crescent ) Then, his statement looked like a boast. Now that Irans grip on the Strait of Hormuz remains tight, even though the US president claims to have destroyed Irans navy, and drone attacks continue across the Gulf while Donald Trump claims the war has been won, the boast looks, for now, like a statement of fact. In Iraq in the early 2000s, expert bomb makers from Hezbollah were brought in by Iran to teach Shia militia how to make shaped charge improvised explosive devices (SCIEDs). Using a core of copper that inverted into a molten jet that punched through armour, these SCIEDs were often hidden in fake rocks. These techniques were pioneered against the IDF in Lebanon. But the IRGC were also refining their own plans of how militant groups, in their case the entire security apparatus of the Iranian regime, could survive the staggering firepower and intelligence heft of the US and/or Israel. The key is coping with the removal of the central command. If there is no head to roll, then decapitation is symbolic. In Iran today, IRGC commanders, who also now integrate the Basij militia, are under orders to fight on regardless. And if theyre killed, there are alternative commanders at least four deep down the hierarchy. open image in gallery Rubble is cleared from a house in the Beryanak District after it was damaged by missile attacks last week ( Getty ) Some will work the Strait of Hormuz, using sea drones and covert operations to cut one of the worlds most important fuel trade routes. Others are hitting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar all nations with US bases with drones, sending expatriates fleeing their tax-free lives for flights back home. Israeli military commanders have access to eye-watering levels of human and signals intelligence and will have no illusions about how deep and strong the IRGC survival systems go. They flattened Gaza, killed close to 80,000 people, according to local officials and Hamas still lives on after the October 7 atrocities. Israeli jets are hitting Iranian command posts and regime security bases all over the country. Few are likely to have anyone above ground. But there are no signs of an uprising. There are signs that Trump is losing patience. His advisers may not have understood that Irans regime was planning to survive a long war. open image in gallery There are signs that US president Donald Trump is losing patience ( AP ) They may not have realised that Tehran would dearly love to deal with US soldiers on the ground in a country the size of western Europe. The IRGC studied and contributed to the failure of US-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trump may not have planned for a ground war. But the Iranians have. They also know that Trump removed the most experienced and intellectually independent leaders from the US military and intelligence organisations in the first few days of his second term in office. He is left taking advice from his secretary of war Pete Hegseth, who has what have been interpreted as white supremacist tattoos and seemingly the strategic understanding of a saloon bar drunk. For Irans long-term planners, victory will be a war that Trump has no idea how to end. 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 This article was originally published on March 4, 2026, and is being republished by The Independent after a strike on Irans South Pars gas field. The Middle East plays a central role in global energy and therefore global markets. As tensions escalate and the strait of Hormuz, a key trade route, faces disruption, headlines assessing the wider impact of the Iranian conflict often centre on oil and gas supply. Theres one underlying reason that so many oil tankers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes pass through the strait, and that Middle East conflict shakes global energy markets. That reason is a geological one: an extraordinary concentration of oil and gas accumulations. As the deadly Ukraine conflict showed in 2022, a predominance of supply from one region can, justifiably, ignite concerns over supply disruption. So much of the worlds oil and gas supply is clustered in one region. This helps explain todays volatility. The Middle East is responsible for some 30% of global oil production and 17% of global natural gas production. The revenues from this vast scale of production underpin the economies of many Middle Eastern countries and provides important energy supplies around the world. Incredibly all this oil and gas is found within a single minor tectonic plate the Arabian plate. This plate covers more than 1 million square miles and hosts 55% of the worlds proven oil reserves and 40% of the natural gas. The region also hosts a disproportionate number of giant and supergiant fields. Giant oil and gas fields are those with more than 500 millions of barrels of oil equivalent; supergiant are those with more than 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent. open image in gallery A view of the South Pars gas field facilities near the southern Iranian town of Kangan on the shore of the Gulf. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The Arabian plate is bounded by the Red Sea, the Zagros mountains, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. The Arabian plate separated from the African plate about 25 million years ago. As the Arabian plate shifted northwards, it collided with the Eurasian plate. This resulted in the formation of the Zagros mountains. The Arabian plate hosts a quarter of all the worlds giant and supergiant fields. Historically, more than 500 commercial fields have been found here. Current production today accounts for roughly a third of global output. In Iran, commercial production began in 1908 when oil was discovered just over 50 miles north-east of the city of Ahvaz in western Iran. That oil field is known as Masjed Soleyman. This discovery triggered a century of foreign involvement and political attention. Development of Irans oil and gas resources has changed at each of the previous turning points in its political history, notably the Iranian revolution of 1979 which sent oil prices upwards. Today, Iran hosts hundreds of fields, both onshore and offshore, notably including its share of the worlds largest gas field South Pars/North Dome field, which is shared with Qatar. A shared super-giant field The South Pars/North Dome field highlights the geopolitical complexity of energy supply. Geologically, South Pars/North Dome is a single structure. Politically, it is divided by a maritime boundary. South Pars lies in Iranian waters; North Dome (also referred to as North Field) lies in Qatari waters. The field was first discovered in Qatari waters in 1971, with its northern extent confirmed by Iran two decades later. The gas here is found in a series of reservoir rocks known as the Khuff formation. These rocks are porous and permeable and are between 200 and 300 million years old formed during the Permian and Triassic periods. They are found extensively across the Arabian plate. These rocks lie almost two miles beneath the seafloor. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) The development of this gas field transformed Qatar into the worlds largest exporter of LNG. Until the recent strikes, North Dome, operated by QatarEnergy, the worlds largest producer of LNG, was producing approximately 18.5 billion cubic feet per day. This enables Qatar to process and supply around one-fifth of the worlds LNG. This extraordinary share has resulted in oil and gas accounting for around 80% of Qatars government revenues. On the Iranian side, daily production at South Pars, operated by Petropars, (a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company) is estimated at around 2 billion cubic feet per day. Over the past 25 years, Irans gas output has increased fivefold. Much of this growth has been driven by extensive drilling to increase production across South Pars. Key importers of Iranian gas, by pipeline, are Turkey and Iraq. The National Iranian Oil Company has started developing its own LNG facility to try to meet growing global demand, but this is yet to be complete. While LNG accounts for only about 8% of global gas supplies, it is a crucial marginal source of energy in most countries, except those where electricity supply is dominated by hydropower or nuclear. About the author Mark Ireland is a Senior Lecturer in Energy Geoscience at Newcastle University. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article. The gas price rise of the last week still pale into insignificance compared with those that were ultimately seen as a result of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, although it remains to be seen how this will play out in the longer term. As tensions escalate and energy infrastructure comes under threat, the consequences are already reverberating globally. Disruptions to production in a region that supplies such a large share of the worlds energy inevitably affect short-term prices, longer-term investment and political decision-making far beyond the Middle East. The distribution of oil and gas resources has shaped political relationships, global investment and regional conflicts. Even as the world moves to reduce its reliance on oil and gas, the geological concentration in the Middle East ensures that energy security will remain closely tied to the politics of the region for decades to come. 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 While the United States and Israel continue to pound Iran with relentless airstrikes for a third week, opening the Strait of Hormuz has become an increasingly intractable problem. Hundreds of ships are trapped in the Gulf after Iran claimed complete control over the strait. Within days of war being declared, Iran had laid mines in the 24-mile-wide sea passage, which typically serves as a key waterway for around a quarter of the worlds liquefied natural gas and seaborne oil trade. Irans chokehold on the strait, the only maritime route out of the Gulf, has sent shockwaves through global oil costs, as prices remain just under $110 (83) a barrel as a result of the blockade. Experts have told The Independent that the president was naive for discounting the possibility of Iran blockading the Strait when launching his war. open image in gallery The Strait of Hormuz is a 24-mile-wide sea passage that typically serves as a key waterway for around a quarter of the worlds liquefied natural gas and seaborne oil trade ( PA Graphics ) A former British naval minehunting captain said countermeasures for getting rid of the mines are a slow and grinding business. Explaining how the mines operate, he said: They wait to be activated by unwary ships passing overhead. This can be done magnetically, acoustically or by pressure, or by a combination of those. They can target individual types of ships by their signature. They can count the ships going over and let the first 10 or 20 go and then explode under the next one, when everybody had thought it was safe. The mines can be placed by aircraft, ships, submarines or even individual swimmers. They can be cheap, with some costing as little as $1,500 (1,124), according to the Strauss Center. At least 30 countries produce, and more than 20 export, the mines, which have inflicted 77 per cent of all US ship casualties since 1950. Some estimates say there are around a million sea mines of more than 400 types, with around 400,000 owned by possible adversaries of the US, Defence One reported. The US military is reported to possess less than 10,000 sea mines of three types, with the latest having been introduced in 1983. It is unclear how many the UK possesses, but Britain has not manufactured new mines since around the 1950s, according to naval weapons website NavWeaps. Naval mines can include drifting mines, which float on the surface of the water and follow prevailing currents or winds. The versatile mines, which can be deployed by small boats, have been banned by international law for more than 80 years but have been used by Iran since 1980. Irans drifting mine stockpile is believed to be made up of Soviet, Western and Iranian-made munitions, with US experts estimating they own at least 2,000 of them. Iran also possesses bottom mines, which can have explosive charges up to 2,200 pounds, and rising mines, which fire a projectile warhead at a target and tend to be used in deeper water. Iran is believed to have a substantial number of bottom and rising mines acquired from Russia, China and North Korea, although an exact figure is unclear. open image in gallery Hundreds of ships have been trapped in the Gulf after Iran claimed complete control over the Strait ( AP ) Finding and dismantling these mines can be an arduous and costly task, the former captain explained. Those mines have to be searched for, hunted, and destroyed before they can do damage. This is done using sonar to scan the seabed but the seabed is not flat and smooth, but has endless obstacles and debris all over it. The bed of the Strait of Hormuz has the debris of centuries discarded from passing vessels, and some of this will look very minelike. All these contacts have to be investigated and either destroyed or discarded as safe. This takes time and an immense effort in a waterway as long as Hormuz. The former captain said that although the US and the UK do possess minehunting ships, they would have to be put into harms way, and there is a real risk of missile and drone attacks from the Iranian shore. He added: The Iranians have been threatening for years that, if they were attacked, the Strait of Hormuz would be closed. They have now achieved this, and shipping is bottled up at anchor on both sides of the Strait. So it would seem that the answer has to be that, unless President Trump is prepared to accept severe casualties in ships and people, it will be unlikely that anything will be able to be done to reopen Hormuz until some political settlement is reached, resulting in an end to the shooting. Even then, clearance will take some considerable time. Former British army officer and weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said Trump will not make any progress in this war until he clears the Strait. He said: The Strait of Hormuz is Irans only ace card and they are absolutely playing it. Anything that goes in, Iran can take out. Any mine clearance asset is likely to be attacked. Mr De Bretton-Gordon said to get freedom of manoeuvre, the US will need boots on the ground in Iran to secure the Iranian coast around the Strait, which would require a large force. He added: Until the US can control the Strait, it wont be able to demine it. It seems everyone knows the Strait is Trumps achilles heel except Trump, and hes trying to blame everyone else and mainly the UK for his dreadful oversight. 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 has lashed out at US allies after they rejected his call for help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect global oil supplies. The president described Natos refusal to come to his aid as a foolish mistake, before insisting: We do not need the help of anyone! His outburst came as questions grew over how and when the chaotic war on Iran might end concerns that yesterday prompted his key ally and counterterrorism chief Joe Kent to resign in protest, saying Tehran had posed no imminent threat to the US. And European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged America and Israel to stop the war so everybody saves face, adding: The problem with wars is that its easier to start than to stop them, and it always gets out of hand. Mr Trump has found himself increasingly isolated after several countries, including the UK, Germany and France, declined his request to deploy warships to the vital Hormuz shipping route through which around one-fifth of the worlds oil passes. open image in gallery Trump lashed out at US allies for not supporting US operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz ( Reuters ) The waterway has remained mostly closed since Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces claimed to have taken complete control of it at the start of the war. The United States has been informed by most of our Nato Allies that they dont want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. This, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon. Hitting out at the Nato alliance as one-sided, Mr Trump said: I always considered Nato, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street. We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need. The conflict between the US and Israel and Iran has destabilised the Middle East, drawn in multiple regional powers, and seen oil prices spike with the severe disruption to the worlds oil supply. open image in gallery An elderly woman is helped from the scene of a strike on a residential building in central Tehran on Monday ( Getty ) Ms Kallas said Europe had been trying to find a solution to the ongoing conflict. We have been consulting with regional countries like the Gulf countries, Jordan, Egypt, whether we could also bring forward proposals for Iran, Israel and the US to get out of this situation so that everybody saves face, she said. It would be in the interest of everybody if this war stops. Mr Trump has been under increasing pressure to resolve the conflict as the war enters its third week. US intelligence assessments predict that the Iranian regime will remain intact despite joint US-Israeli operations to topple the Islamic Republic, sources told The Washington Post. Mr Trumps defence policy was dealt a further blow when Mr Kent, a previously loyal Maga figure whose own wife was killed by Isis, quit his job as director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center. In a letter posted on social media, he wrote that he could not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran, adding: It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Negotiations may prove difficult, however, after Israel claimed to have killed Irans top security chief, Ali Larijani, on Tuesday, according to defence minister Israel Katz. open image in gallery Ali Larijani has been killed in an airstrike, Israel claims ( AFP/Getty ) He would be the most senior figure assassinated since supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself, who was killed on the first day of the war in a US-Israeli strike on his compound on 28 February. Shortly after the reports circulated, Iranian state media published a handwritten note purportedly from Mr Larijani commemorating Iranian sailors killed in a US attack, but there was no immediate comment by Tehran. Countries across the Gulf, including Qatar and the UAE who host major US military assets, faced a fresh wave of Iranian missile attacks hitting key oil and gas facilities and causing widespread airspace disruption. Most of the strikes were intercepted. Israels campaign in Lebanon continued as humanitarian groups warned that over a million people have now been displaced. At least 886 people have been reported killed, according to the countrys health ministry. Meanwhile, in Iran over 3.2 million people have been displaced, with more than 1,300 killed. 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 Israels military has confirmed that its tank fire struck a United Nations position in southern Lebanon on 6 March, injuring Ghanaian peacekeepers. The incident underscores the escalating dangers faced by international forces as Israeli operations intensify in the region. The admission on Wednesday followed initial findings from an internal UN inquiry, which had already indicated Israels responsibility for the attack, according to a Western military source who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. The UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL, is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the border with Israel. This area is a flashpoint for clashes between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters. While the mission, slated to conclude at the end of 2026, has frequently found itself caught between both sides in recent years, the prospect of a wider Israeli ground operation suggests that risks could become significantly greater in the coming weeks. In a statement to Reuters, Israel's military acknowledged its troops were behind the incident, but said they had responded to anti-tank missile fire from Hezbollah, which had moderately wounded two of its soldiers. "A comprehensive investigation concluded in recent days determined that the fire that hit the UNIFIL personnel was mistakenly carried out by the IDF troops that misidentified the UNIFIL troops as the source of the anti-tank fire moments earlier," it said. "The IDF regrets the incident and has conveyed its apologies through the appropriate channels to Ghana and the United Nations. The findings of the investigations have been disseminated within the IDF to prevent recurrence of similar incidents." Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel that ignited a new Israeli offensive against the group. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) According to the Western source, the preliminary conclusions led by UNIFILs Force Commander Reserve with support from explosive ordnance disposal specialists indicated that three strikes at the al-Qawzah base were direct hits from the main gun of an Israeli battle tank. They were fired using 120-mm M339 HE-MP-T shells, the source said. "Israeli involvement in the attack against UNIFIL is undeniable, given that these munitions are manufactured by Israel Military Industries (IMI)," the source said. The findings of UNIFIL's probe have not been previously reported. UNIFIL had said on March 6 that Ghanaian peacekeepers were wounded amid heavy firing and called the incident "unacceptable," but did not say at the time who was responsible. "That investigation is not yet complete. Once it is finalized, it will be shared with the parties, per usual practice," said UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel. "Nonetheless, we reiterate the obligation of all actors to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers and avoid harm to civilians. Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a violation of resolution 1701." The Lebanese prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Highlighting the concerns surrounding U.N. peacekeepers, UNIFIL said on Sunday that another group of peacekeepers were likely fired upon earlier that day on three separate occasions in southern Lebanon, "likely by non-state armed groups." It said no peacekeepers were injured. open image in gallery An explosion erupts from a building following an Israeli strike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The M339 HE-MP-T round can be used in anti-personnel, anti-helicopter, anti-materiel, anti-armour and anti-structure roles. The shots were fired within a five-minute window, indicating repeated fire rather than a single stray round, the source said, adding that the bases location and coordinates were well known to all parties operating in the area, raising serious concerns over the safety of U.N. personnel. Three Ghanaian soldiers were wounded, according to the Ghanaian army. "This escalation, far from being isolated, is part of a worrying dynamic, severely testing UNIFILs ability to carry out its peacekeeping mission," the source said. The Israeli military occupies five posts within Lebanon and despite a ceasefire last year had frequently carried out airstrikes in the country's south that it says are targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, among other provisions, states that no armed forces should be operating in southern Lebanon except the U.N. peacekeepers and the Lebanese military. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm and the Lebanese armed forces of failing to disarm the group. Get Travel Insider with Simon Calder. A newsletter packed with tips, deals, inspiration, and the latest travel news Get the Travel Insider newsletter with Simon Calder Get the Travel Insider newsletter with Simon Calder Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Taiwan was made an emergency landing in Alaska after a passenger allegedly hurled racial slurs at flight attendants and triggered what the crew classified as a serious inflight security incident, according to federal authorities. Malcom Martin was arrested when the aircraft touched down in Anchorage on Saturday and charged with interfering with flight crew members a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. An affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for Alaska describes a confrontation that escalated so rapidly that the cockpit door was locked, and the pilots coordinated with Deltas corporate office before diverting the aircraft. The disturbance reportedly began around 7.25 pm on 14 March, while Delta Flight 69 was over the Pacific Ocean. According to Alaska News Source, the trouble started near a galley restroom, where a flight attendant was eating a meal. Martin allegedly grabbed the attendants shoulder to ask whether the lavatory was occupied. The attendant explained that the lock indicator showed it was in use, but investigators say Martin responded with disrespectful comments. open image in gallery The Delta Airlines plane was forced to land at Anchorage in Alaska ( Getty/iStock ) When the restroom became available and Martin returned to the galley, the argument reignited. The attendant told investigators Martin used a racial slur and threatened to fight him when the plane landed. A second flight attendant said the dispute grew so heated that nearby passengers moved toward the galley to help calm things down. That attendant also retrieved restraints and then repeatedly ordered Martin back to his seat. Authorities say Martin swung toward the second attendant but did not make contact. No one was struck during the altercation, though the tension was high enough that two pilots classified the situation as a level three disturbance the threshold requiring the cockpit to be secured. The diversion to Anchorage also required the crew to calculate landing procedures for an overweight aircraft still carrying fuel intended for the long transPacific route. When the plane reached the gate, Anchorage Airport Police and Fire officers boarded and detained Martin. open image in gallery The flight was abruptly rerouted to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport ( Getty Images ) Investigators collected several passenger videos. In a brief review, the FBI agent wrote he could see Martin at the galley entrance exchanging heated words, though he did not observe a lunge or swing in the clips he viewed. Martin was taken to an airport interview room, advised of his rights, and arrested and booked into the Anchorage Correctional Complex. Delta confirmed the diversion, saying an emergency was declared as a precautionary measure. The airline said the unruly passenger was removed upon landing and apologized to travelers for the delay. Per our procedures to ensure the safety and security of our customers and people, an unruly passenger was removed from the flight upon diverting to Anchorage. We apologize to our customers onboard for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience, Delta said. Get Travel Insider with Simon Calder. A newsletter packed with tips, deals, inspiration, and the latest travel news Get the Travel Insider newsletter with Simon Calder Get the Travel Insider newsletter with Simon Calder Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The many delights of the European continent will be easier than ever to reach for American travelers in the coming months, thanks to new non-stop routes being launched by major U.S. airlines, including Delta, United, American and Alaska. The new routes put travelers directly through to world-class beaches, breathtaking architecture and historical sites dating back thousands of years. Here are 10 of the best destinations travelers will be able to reach directly from Seattle, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. 1. Boston to Madrid, Spain Delta open image in gallery Delta is launching a new service to Madrid in May using Airbus A330neos. Pictured is Cibeles Fountain ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Launching: May 6, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo This new direct service puts the Spanish capitals imperious buildings and epic public squares within easier reach. Must-visits include Plaza Oriente, Plaza de la Villa and the Museo del Prado, which houses over 9,000 paintings and sculptures by artists including Velazquez, Goya, El Greco, Titian, Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch. 2. Boston to Nice, France Delta open image in gallery The palm-lined 19th-century Promenade des Anglais curves along Nice's seafront ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Launching: May 16, 2026 Frequency: Three times a week. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo Experience the striking Cote dAzur light via this new service from Boston. Highlights within Nice include Vieux Nice, the citys maze-like old town, and the palm-lined 19th-century Promenade des Anglais, which curves along the citys seafront in front of the glittering Med. 3. Seattle to Rome, Italy Delta and Alaska Airlines open image in gallery The Rome service marks the first time in Alaska Airlines history that it will operate transatlantic flights of any kind. Pictured are the Spanish Steps ( Alberto Giron - stock.adobe.com ) Launching: April 28 (Alaska Airlines), May 6, 2026 (Delta) Frequency: Daily (Alaska), four times per week (Delta). Aircraft type: Dreamliner (Alaska), A330-900neo (Delta) The Rome service marks the first time in Alaska Airlines history that it will operate transatlantic flights of any kind. It will be operated by a widebody 787 Dreamliner aircraft in green liveries inspired by the Northern Lights. They go head-to-head with Deltas Airbus A330neos. Top sights include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple with just one source of light, a hole in the center of the dome called the oculus. 4. Seattle to Barcelona, Spain Delta open image in gallery The Sagrada Familia part cathedral, part work of art is one of Barcelona's top sights ( Getty Images ) Launching: May 7, 2026 Frequency: Three times per week. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo Deltas state-of-the-art A330neos will bring West Coast travelers directly to one of Europes most intoxicating cities, where they can stroll the golden sands of Barceloneta Beach, gaze in awe at the Sagrada Familia part cathedral, part work of art and immerse themselves in tapas culture. 5. New York JFK to Sardinia, Italy Delta open image in gallery Sardinia is one of the Meds most alluring islands, with cute coves and electric-blue water ( Getty Images ) Launching: May 20, 2026 Frequency: Four times per week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER Jump aboard one of Deltas 767s and experience one of the Meds most alluring islands, home to a showstopping coastline think cute coves and electric-blue water. 6. New York JFK to Porto, Portugal Delta open image in gallery The new Delta service will be the first daily direct flight to Porto, set by the Douro River, from JFK by any airline ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Launching: May 21, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER The new Delta service will be the first daily direct flight to Porto from JFK by any airline. Explore its photogenic historic center, a maze of winding cobblestone streets, visit the blue-tiled Sao Bento train station and peruse the shelves of the fairytale-like Livraria Lello bookstore. And earmark a stroll across the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans the Douro River, to Vila Nova de Gaia for a port wine cellar tour and tasting. 7. New York JFK to Malta Delta open image in gallery The Maltese archipelago comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino has sensational shorelines with world-class dive sites. Pictured is the Blue Lagoon on Comino ( Getty Images ) Launching: June 7 Frequency: Three times per week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER The Maltese archipelago comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino has sensational shorelines with world-class dive sites, stunning hotels and three Unesco World Heritage sites: the city of Valletta, the al Saflieni Hypogeum prehistoric underground burial site and the Megalithic Temples of Malta, seven temple complexes where youll find some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. 8. Philadelphia to Budapest, Hungary American Airlines open image in gallery Budapest, set by the Danube river, is a world of beautiful architecture and thermal baths ( Getty Images ) Launching: May 21, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Budapest is famous for its thermal baths, ruin bars set in abandoned buildings and the immense Buda Castle, which stands above the Danube River. 9. Newark/New York to Split, Croatia United open image in gallery United will be the only airline to fly from the U.S. to Split, pictured ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Launching: April 30, 2026 Frequency: Three times a week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER Split offers travelers the chance to explore historic sites like the ancient Roman Diocletian's Palace, the Cathedral of Saint Dominus one of the oldest in the world and enjoy an inviting promenade and harbor. United will be the only airline to fly from the U.S. to Split. 10. Newark/New York to Bari, Italy United open image in gallery Bari is the gateway to the Puglia region, which is peppered with beautiful hilltop towns ( Getty Images ) Launching: May 1 Frequency: Four times per week. Aircraft type: 767-300ER The new flight will serve as a gateway to the Puglia region from Newark/New York, offering travelers the chance to explore the area's beautiful hilltop towns, the turquoise beaches of the Adriatic Sea, historic Old Town and the iconic Trulli buildings. Its one rule for chaps and another for the girls, isnt it? When the video of Chris Martin turning a camera on a shocked couple at a Coldplay concert appeared last summer, my sympathies, once establishing they werent having an affair, were entirely with the unhappy couple. Kristin Cabot, then the head of human resources at a Boston-based tech startup, became the story when the clip of her and the companys chief executive, Andy Byron, was shared on TikTok. And indeed, with Cabot still out of work eight months on, while she says her then-beau (and former boss) is apparently once again employed, my lip was firmly clamped in curlers. I want this woman to have a job. Why hasnt she got a job! Shes a top-of-the-range HR director! Such things as globally nightmarish job market dont apply when youre that senior. Fresh from interviews with The Times and the New York Times about how she cant get past the incident last summer that led to her being labelled Coldplay kisscam woman, this week Kristin Cabot turned to Oprah Winfreys podcast in the hope that its vast listenership may open their hearts and contacts books and manifest a new job. HR exec in Coldplay kiss cam reveals shocking detail from concert day ( The Oprah podcast ) Meanwhile, Byron has taken the duck and cover memo literally. He has said nothing publicly about the incident, and Cabot has said shes heard hes had several job offers. Cabot, on the other hand, not only got a public statement from her ex-husband confirming that they were separated at the time of the concert although, in a mad twist, it turned out he was also there with a date but hired the comms consultant Dini von Mueffling, who has repped both Monica Lewinsky (the self-described patient zero of modern shaming) and the late Virginia Giuffre. The epithet never complain, never explain is much attributed to Kate Moss and the royals well never know, as theyll never tell us. Taylor Swift has also adopted it over the years. Donald Trump, and indeed every powerful man named in the files, either ignore what theyve been accused of or call it lies. So my hand collided with my forehead when I read Cabot blithely telling the New York Times near-13 million subscribers how shed actually been asked to stay in her job, and shed talked herself into leaving: How, given my job is to be the one to show people how we are expected to behave, our standards, our values? Kristin, stop talking! Especially to the New York Times! Why do we do this to ourselves? Or rather, why do we overlap our personal lives and principles with our work selves? Im not suggesting going full Severance, but as an HR dynamo, Cabot would be the first to know that the company comes first and the person second. We are all the main characters in our own lives, but Im not surprised that she has been finding it tricky to get a new job. When the first thing that comes up isnt the event, but extremely in-depth interviews about the event, thats difficult. Cabot, who has now deleted her LinkedIn profile, told Oprah Winfrey this week that it appeared Byron had been receiving lots of interest from employers and several job offers. She said: The entire trajectory of this would have changed if he had put out a statement saying: My wife and I were separated at the time of the concert. Just like my husband did. But he didnt, so I was left still being called a homewrecker. Cabot might not be employed but it seems shes not doing badly. On Tuesday, it transpired that she will speak on taking back the narrative at PRWeeks 2026 Crisis Comms Conference (cost: a cool $875, or 650 + VAT, a ticket). Not to add to the online vitriol that Cabot has received (she has been told, sigh, that more than 90 per cent of it is from women), but in this instance, perhaps discretion is the better part of valour. Its not only about Cabot being a woman, although women do still carry the legacy of being considered a liability in the workplace, which meant we simply werent hired for years. But nobody wants their HR director to have a bigger Google News footprint than their founder. Ms Cabot, I am willing you on to your next role. I am manifesting it for you with all the energy of Oprahs Super Soul Sunday. But perhaps, for the time being, its best to pause the interviews, unless youre aiming to become a demotivational speaker. Firm avails of emergency legislation to extend permission for three years A developer can now start construction on 454 urgently needed homes in Dublin after availing of emergency government legislation introduced last August aimed at increasing housing supply. This follows South Dublin County Council granting a three-year extension to the five-year permission for the 200m 454-residential-unit scheme obtained by Hugh McGreevy & Sons Ltd at Tubber Lane, Adamstown, Co Dublin. The firm secured planning permission for the scheme made up of houses and duplex apartments in October 2022, but in a submission to the council by consultants, Tom Phillips & Associates for the applicants, they state that the scheme was stalled, as over the last two to three years, unprecedented increases in construction costs have delayed financing for thousands of homes across Dublin. Hugh Kelly, senior planner at Tom Phillips & Associates, said that the company is now availing of emergency provisions introduced via Section 42 (1A) of the Planning and Development Act, which allow for a planning permission extension of up to three years for uncommenced permissions with less than two years of the permission remaining. The applicant has been a key contributor to housing delivery in Adamstown This legislation has been specifically introduced to support large-scale housing development projects essential to addressing Irelands housing shortage, such as the subject permissions development, Mr Kelly said. Ireland continues to face a severe housing crisis, with demand for homes far exceeding supply for over a decade and during this period, the applicant has been a key contributor to housing delivery in Adamstown and the wider South Dublin area. Granting this extension will enable construction to commence in 2026 for over 450 urgently needed homes for Dublin. Mr Kelly submitted that the proposed extension aligns with the intent of Section 42(1A) Planning and Development Act provision and the broader public interest and should be approved. He pointed out that the emergency legislation states councils should grant planning extensions where various criteria are met by the schemes. The planning extension will provide the certainty required to secure financing, commence construction as planned and ultimately safeguard the completion of the project, Mr Kelly said. These lands have been zoned in the Adamstown Special Development Zone (SDZ) for significant development as a new area for residential housing, he added. The council has now extended the planning permission by three years to December 2030 after it concluded that it was appropriate to enable the development to be completed in accordance with the conditions. PTSB has confirmed for the first time that Austrias Bawag is in the mix as a potential buyer. Bawag had already been widely tipped as a bidder but the confirmation follows an Austrian media report in Die Presse newspaper that it is preparing a 1.6bn, or 2.94 per share, offer for the Irish bank. Stephen Smith, chairman and co-founder of First National Financial Corp. Photo: Bloomberg Canadian mortgage billionaire Stephen Smith has agreed to buy a minority stake in The Economist Group, marking the first ownership shake-up in the storied British current affairs magazine in a decade. Mr Smith and his family holding company Smith Financial Corp will buy the entire 26.9pc stake held by Lynn Forester de Rothschild, her family and her family foundation, representatives for the companies said in emailed statements. New DarkSword iPhone hack can steal everything just by visiting the wrong website Hundreds of millions of iPhones are vulnerable to a newly discovered hacking toolkit that takes passwords, WhatsApps, wallet details and browser history without the user every knowing iPhone 8 photographed by Adrian Weckler Adrian Weckler Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 16:16 A new Russian hack is capable of stealing almost everything on Apple iPhones if users visit the wrong website. Eoin McGee answers: I started a pension in my early 40s. What do I need to do to catch up and have a comfortable retirement? The Government will bring forward an appropriate intervention in the next week to tackle increased energy prices arising from the war in Iran, Tanaiste Simon Harris has promised. The Irish Independent understands the forthcoming measures are likely to be for a very short period, with intervention on the scale of those put in place after Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022 being ruled out. Hauliers have warned they will take immediate strike action if the Government does not bring in measures to address rising fuel prices. Irish National Stud successfully argued 54pc pay rise to 170,000 for its CEO It argued chief executives in thoroughbred industry are on salaries of up to 300,000 Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale. Photo: Tony Gavin Anne-Marie Walsh Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 The board of the Irish National Stud (INS) argued that CEOs in the thoroughbred sector earn up to 300,000 when it was proposing a 54pc pay rise for chief executive Cathal Beale. A man aged in his 30s has been arrested after the bomb disposal unit responded to an incident outside a shopping centre in west Dublin on Wednesday night. From polite pushback and pained smiles to awkward exchanges: how world media saw Taoiseachs encounter with Donald Trump Micheal Martins visit to White House overshadowed by US presidents comments on Iran and criticism of UK leader Taoiseach Micheal Martin during the meeting with US president Donald Trump in the White House. Photo: Getty Maeve McTaggart Thu 19 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Taoiseach Micheal Martins meeting with US president Donald Trump has been largely overshadowed in the international press by Mr Trumps comments on the Iran war and his criticism of the UK prime minister. Taoiseach walks diplomatic tightrope as Trump targets Starmer and Nato during St Patricks Day meeting Micheal Martin avoids clashes with US president in White House visit Taoiseach Micheal Martin during the meeting with US president Donald Trump in the White House. Photo: Getty Maeve McTaggart and Conal Thomas Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Taoiseach Micheal Martin came to the defence of British prime minister Keir Starmer during a St Patricks Day meeting at the White House that was dominated by US president Donald Trump. The airline has to deal with several thousand no-shows every day on outbound flights Emirates is operating flights to Dubai that are near-empty in some cases as travellers avoid the Persian Gulf, highlighting the challenges for the world's largest international airline to restore its network amid a protracted war. Flights from destinations in the US and continental Europe have been impacted the hardest, with planes returning from Prague or Budapest only about 5pc to 10pc occupied, according to data compiled by the Dubai-based airline that was reviewed by Bloomberg. Several aircraft returning from New York flew with only a fifth of the tickets sold, and at least one flight during the past week departed with fewer than 35 passengers on an Airbus SE jumbo A380 jet that ordinarily seats close to 500. Departures from Chicago operated with half-empty cabins, according to the documents. An Emirates Airbus A380 Pol O Conghaile: Would I be mad to book a trip to Australia or Asia now? Whats the latest Middle East travel advice? Flights leaving Dubai show a very different pattern, as many people depart the city on the reduced number of planes available. Emirates then flies the jets back to its hub with low occupancy. The airline also has to deal with several thousand no-shows every day on outbound flights, according to one memo, underscoring the complexities in running an operation that ordinarily includes hundreds of daily flights that are nearly full. The company is offering refunds and flexible rescheduling for flights until the end of the month. Emirates said in a statement it will continue to restore its network at pace, provided it can do so safely. Given the circumstances, current inbound occupancy is unsurprisingly light, an official said in response to questions. The company said it doesn't comment on specific route occupancy. Before the war, the airline operated about 500 flights out of Dubai International on a normal day - about half of which were departures a figure that had fallen to 71 takeoffs on March 16, according to data by Flightradar24. While passenger demand is slim, the company is also loading cargo into its aircraft, providing another stream of revenue and an inflow of perishable goods, in particular. Despite uncertainty in the region, many future flights are listed to go ahead. Photo: Marcin Golba/Getty Emirates is putting an emphasis on operating Boeing 777 planes because they have more optimal cargo capacity than the Airbus A380. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, making the flights one of the few ways to import supplies. The state-owned carrier has seen its operations severely disrupted by the threats from Iranian missiles in its airspace. Several drone incidents in the vicinity of the airport caused some damage and minor injuries at the hub since the war in Iran started. In the early hours of Tuesday, The United Arab Emirates announced a full airspace closure for around two hours as the Gulf nation intercepted attacks from Iran. The General Civil Aviation Authority said the decision was to ensure the safety of flights and air crew, and safeguarding the country's territory. On Monday, Emirates suspended operations for more than seven hours following a fuel-tank fire at Dubai International Airport caused by a drone incident. Flights on the limited schedule resumed later in the day. Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, the other major regional airlines, have also resumed a thinned-out service, with a focus on getting out stranded customers. Emirates is the largest carrier in the region and has ramped up operations from Dubai since the war started at a faster pace than competitors. Emirates is offering at least six times as many flights as Qatar Airways, the No. 2 Gulf carrier. At the same time, some Emirates aircraft remain out of position in Europe and China. On one flight from Paris, Emirates carried about 25 passengers on an Airbus A380 with a high-density layout that typically accommodates about 600 people, the documents show. That passenger count is almost the same as the number of crew typically needed on an aircraft that size. Traffic out of London Heathrow has fared slightly better, with about 20pc of tickets sold, though well below the near-full occupancy Emirates typically enjoys on its dozen daily services from the UK capital. Forward bookings on inbound flights are at only about a third of capacity, according to one of the memos, a far lower-than-typical figure given the aviation industry is heading into the busy Easter season. Emirates President Tim Clark hasn't spoken publicly about operations or how the airline is managing the situation. The airline has provided updates of its services online, and Emirates now runs daily flights along corridors that are considered safe. Fionnan Sheahan: Micheal Martin sticks to his script in Oval Office cameo role as Donald Trump goes full on Marx Brothers In front of a bust of Winston Churchill, the Taoiseach defended the current UK prime minister as the US presidents body count of victims mounted Taoiseach defends UK prime minister Keir Starmer as an "earnest, sound person" who helped "reset" the UK-Irish relationship Fionnan Sheahan Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 The White House was designed by Irish architect James Hoban in 1792. When the British burnt down the original building in 1814 after the Battle of Bladensburg, Hoban was appointed again to rebuild it. Max Boot: Why theres no easy fix for the US militarys weakness in Iran Many of the vulnerabilities can be fixed by smarter acquisitions decisions, but theres still the problem of incompetent political leadership US and Israeli forces have hit more than 15,000 targets since the start of Operation Epic Fury. Photo: Getty Max Boot Washington Post Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, US and Israeli forces have hit more than 15,000 targets without losing any aircraft to enemy air defences. Those strikes were made possible by superb US and Israeli intelligence, enabling the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian leaders. The Clare St Vincent de Paul (SVP) area President, Denis Carty, has said that a significant amount of people in the county have been coming to the charity for support even before the fuel price hikes kicked off. A man in his 20s has been arrested by gardai in relation to an investigation into criminal damage to agricultural equipment that occurred in Drimoleague in July of last year. The arrest was made as part of a wider investigation, also probing burglary and the theft of cattle, as well as the criminal damage of construction equipment. The man was arrested in relation to the criminal damage of agricultural equipment, and is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in West Cork. Gardai have 24 hours to formally charge or arrest the man in relation to the incident under the provisions of the act. The village of Drimoleague sits on the R586 road, roughly halfway between Dunmanway and Bantry. The Glanmire native has played a key role in major drug developments, including treatments for diabetes and obesity. Dr Sarah OKeeffe, Group Vice President for Product Research and Development at Eli Lilly and Company photographed at the medal award event alongside fellow winner Prof. Lynne S. Taylor, Retter Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy at Purdue University (Academic Medal), Dr Diarmuid OBrien, CEO at Research Ireland, and Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Photo: Taylor Mickal A Cork woman, currently living in the United States and who has risen to become one of the most influential people at one of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies, has been given an award by An Taoiseach Micheal Martin during his recent trip stateside. Glanmire native Sarah OKeeffe entered Eli Lillys Kinsale plant as a postdoctoral scientist, having qualified from University College Cork in 2007, and has spent the last 17 years working her way through the company. In 2017, she made the move across the Atlantic, where she now works in Indianapolis as Group Vice President of Product Research and Development for the company, which specialises in drugs for diabetes, weight loss, oncology, immunology and neuroscience. On Monday, at a ceremony in Washington DC, Ms OKeeffe was awarded the prestigious Research Ireland St Patricks Day Medal for 2026, honouring exceptional academic and industry leaders with strong Irish roots who, from their positions in the United States, continue to champion and support Irelands research community. Dr OKeeffe has become one of the most senior Irish leaders in global pharmaceutical research and development, overseeing more than 1,000 scientists and engineers who translate discovery molecules into medicines for patients worldwide. The Glanmire native has been central to major advances in drug development, including the development of the investigational drug candidate orforglipron, which was recognised by TIME magazine for its potential global health impact in the management of diabetes and obesity. She is now also a central figure in the development of the new $4.5 billion Lilly Medicine Foundry, a state-of-the-art research and development facility located in the state of Indiana. I am delighted and proud to receive this recognition from Research Ireland, said Dr OKeeffe. I would like, firstly, to acknowledge UCC for being the launchpad for my career in industry. Id also like to thank all my Lilly colleagues in Ireland, the United States and internationally over the last two decades for their extraordinary commitment and relentless pursuit of excellence. Pharmaceutical research endeavours are a team pursuit, and collective passion and perseverance through times of challenge and often failure is how progress and success happen. It has been a pleasure to have shared my journey to date with such talented colleagues who have the patient front and centre in all that they do. Speaking of both Dr OKeeffe and fellow award recipient Prof Lynne S. Taylor, Retter Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy at Purdue University, Dr Diarmuid OBrien, CEO of Research Ireland, said: Professor Taylor and Dr OKeeffe embody the vision we have for Irelands research future: excellence, ambition and far-reaching impact. Their track records to date demonstrate how Irish researchers and global leaders with strong connections to Ireland play a critical role in advancing scientific discovery in a spirit of international collaboration. As Research Ireland continues to build a more connected, dynamic and competitive national research system, their achievements remind us of the extraordinary potential of Irish talent on the global stage. We are delighted to celebrate them today, and we look forward to further strengthening the links they have helped forge between Ireland, the United States and the wider international research community. News Taoiseach leads tributes on death of former Cork Lord Mayor Donal was passionate about Cork The Taoiseach has led tributes for a former Lord Mayor of Cork, described as someone who cared deeply about his community and city, who passed away last Monday (April 27). A local councillor has blasted the level of government funding recently allocated to vital road projects on the N71 as absolutely abysmal as she described scenes of daily traffic chaos on the roads around a key West Cork town. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) recently announced 650,000 in funding for an extension to the Bandon bypass and 100,000 to carry out a feasibility study into bypassing the village of Innishannon on the N71 between Cork and Bandon, a project that has been discussed for the last four decades. Speaking at this months meeting of the Western Division of Cork County Council, Bandon Councillor Ann Bambury said the funding, while welcome, is wholly inadequate when you consider how many years it's been since that southern relief road commenced and the fact that Innishannon is in turmoil when it comes to traffic. There's just traffic chaos there now, the village is at a standstill at all peak times of the day. It's affecting residents, businesses, anyone travelling through and especially emergency services I've noticed a lot lately. It's not a new issue, it's been evident for years. I'm really disappointed in the government's allocation of funding. I've had so many people contact me and people that I am meeting that are absolutely disgusted with the allocation of funding for those roads because this infrastructure is having a massive knock-on effect in our community, she said. The Social Democrats councillor said that people coming from the Cork City direction are taking other roads to try to avoid the Innishannon bottleneck, thereby creating extra pressure on local roads, and added that there are also problems on the north side of Bandon, which has seen increased housing development. I'm witnessing it on a daily basis now. We have traffic chaos on all access points to Bandon. Baxter's Bridge is becoming increasingly under pressure with a substantial amount of HGVs passing through. People in their daily routine are trying to avoid Bandon. If youre working in somewhere like Clonakilty, you're using back roads and SATNAV and there is a lot of dangerous driving going on, she said. We're the biggest town in West Cork and we're the gateway to West Cork realistically as well and if we're building more houses and zoning for more houses we don't have the road infrastructure there presently to facilitate those houses and new residents. It's a cart and horse situation here now. We've had planning for housing going in for a number of years and only now are we doing the studies regarding the traffic around that. Cork County Councils roads department has said it is finalising an emerging preferred route for the Bandon bypass extension and will bring it before councillors next month. The N71 Bandon Southern Relief Road Extension Scheme will consist of an extension of the existing relief road to the south and west of the town. The N71 connects Cork city with West Cork and County Kerry. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. The Laugh Lodge is an open mic and will take place every Tuesday from 7:30pm in Clancys Bar on Princes St and the free event will be available on Eventbrite to attract people visiting the Rebel City One of Corks youngest and brightest comedians has founded his own comedy club in a bid to help fellow comics find another place to hone their skills. Rory Connolly (19) from Dillons Cross, located on the northside of Cork City has loved comedy since watching Brendan Grace alongside his grandfather Frankie when he was young. Rory described his style of comedy as similar to Brendan Graces, as well as whatever is topical in the news and niche jokes that any northsider can connect with automatically. I was very quiet in school, but my love for comedy came from my Granda, who would have been my father figure growing up. I remember being nine or 10 years old Id come downstairs at night, and Brendan Grace would be on the TV. I would go make a cup of tea and then watch Brendan with my Granda. What we loved about Brendan was I could watch his comedy at the age of nine and there would be no cursing or dirty jokes, he said. Rory said that Brendans style made an impact on his comedy, but seeing the man himself in the flesh at one of his final shows shaped the comic Rory would later become. I wanted to become a comic since I was about 12 years old because I saw one of Brendans last shows, and I just remember sitting there just amazed at how funny he was. This was a man who was dying of cancer and nobody knew. He was knackered and he sat out in the lobby in the Opera House and signed everything for people and took pictures as well. I admire that so much and I thought leaving the show that I want to be just like him, he said. Rory Connolly with Brendan Grace Rory has dedicated the past two years to comedy, while upping the tempo over the past six months when he decided comedy would be more than a hobby. I grew up on Brendan Grace, Peter Kay, Tommy Tiernan, Kevin Bridges and Brendan OCarroll, who are well-known in both Ireland the UK. Ive never performed to an international audience before and that is one of the main reasons I started the club because it will help people branch out to new audiences every week. That is my plan anyway, he said. The Laugh Lodge is an open mic and will take place every Tuesday from 7:30pm in Clancys Bar on Princes St and the free event will be available on Eventbrite to attract people visiting the Rebel City. Another reason I started the club is to give people I know access to another audience as well because I dont think they get the recognition they deserve at all. They are performing every week, and they make people laugh non-stop. They are all rockstars in my eyes, Rory said. Although only aged 19, Rory has performed in some of Cork citys biggest comedy nights, which are hosted by a number of venues. Rory with his Granda Frankie Ive done the Roundy, and I have to say I love gigging in the Roundy and Fred Zeppelins The Crew Comedy, which is the one that got me a load of spots and improved my stage time. It was like a comedy apprenticeship and the lads in there were so good to me, he said. Luke Roche, who is also a comic and content creator, is better known as Millennial Dad, has had a big impact on Rory with his kindness and support. I speak with Luke a lot, especially since I started the club and he is just a lovely fella and is great with promoting the youth. If you look in the comments section on young peoples TikTok videos, he is more than likely there commenting and giving people a boost. He came to me when he found out about the group and said he loves what I do and said he would love to be a part of it. He is just a lovely guy and if there was ever someone talking negatively about him, I would be the first person to defend him, Rory said. For more information about Rorys comedy and the Laugh Lodge, visit @roryconnollycomedy or @thelaughlodge on Instagram. The Indo Daily: Shooters, ICE and Iran: Is Trumps America too dangerous for the World Cup? State seeks to revoke bail for Mayo farmer accused of animal cruelty Farmer facing multiple charges of animal cruelty to appear before Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court again on March 24 Sean Coughlan Oisin McGovern Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 12:00 The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has sought to revoke bail for a Mayo farmer who is before the courts on multiple charges of animal cruelty. Courts Dole fraudster who claimed 40,000 given time to make arrangements for his daughters home schooling A 51-year-old Northern Ireland man who fraudulenty claimed 40,000 in benefits south of the border has been allowed more time to make alternative arrangements for his daughters home schooling when he appeared before Dundalk Circuit Court. New CAO 2026 data indicates notable shifts in highereducation application patterns across the West and North West, with emerging trends in both regional and crossborder demand. In the main ATU catchment counties of Donegal, Sligo, Mayo and Galway, CAO applications rose from 11,408 to 11,866, a 4% increase that aligns with national trends toward expanded participation in higher education. Several counties recorded notable growth: Sligo applications increased by 8.13% and Donegal by 8.92%, both exceeding the national average. Mayo grew by 4.37% and Galway by 2.11%, indicating sustained demand across the region. Postprimary progression in the region also points to substantial changes. In Donegal, the proportion of students progressing to higher education within the region rose from 47% in 2022 to 60% in 2024. Similar patterns are emerging in neighbouring counties, suggesting that more school leavers are opting to study closer to home and that regional highereducation participation is strengthening year on year. National CAO data shows that student interest is particularly strong in several fields related to health and applied sciences, including the three discipline areas where ATU has recently launched new programmes: veterinary courses recorded a 96% increase in mentions this year, while pharmacy rose by 69% and physiotherapy by 26%. There has also been an increase in CAO applications from Northern Ireland by 6.68% this year, with British applicants rising by almost 9.5%. ATUs own applicant data shows growth in the same period: mentions of ATU programmes from NI addresses increased by 36% between 2024 and 2026, and firstpreference applications rose by 74% in the same period. The university has undertaken targeted engagement work in Northern Ireland, including research on student decisionmaking and dedicated support from a Schools Engagement Officer. Dr Billy Bennett, Registrar and Chief Academic Officer, said:The CAO data highlights continued growth in highereducation participation in the West and NorthWest, with more learners opting to remain in their region while accessing a broad range of study options. Across our region, the proportion of students progressing locally has increased significantly over a short period indicating a meaningful shift in student decisionmaking. We are also seeing increased applications from Northern Ireland, supported by focused school outreach and research into how students make choices about where to study. These findings point to ongoing changes in both regional and crossborder applicant behaviour. Jacinta Ryan Admissions Manager said: Over the last 3 years, between 75% and 80% of students accepting a place at ATU are being offered their firstpreference programme. This consistently high level of alignment between student choice and course allocation further reinforces ATUs standing as a university of choice, ensuring that the majority of applicants commence their studies in their preferred discipline. As participation rates rise, the region appears to be undergoing a structural shift in educational progression, with more students choosing local university options, increased demand for healthrelated and applied science programmes, and growing crossborder engagement. The CAO figures suggest that these trends are likely to continue to shape highereducation patterns in the West and NorthWest in the years ahead. Firms Sligo based CEO says system will effectively eliminate fraud typically associated with card-based payment systems Irish company FacePOS is pioneering the development of a point-of-sale instant payment system that uses AI-enabled facial recognition software to eliminate fraud and reduce costs for consumers and financial institutions. Described as the holy grail of payment systems, FacePOS has been accepted into the Central Bank of Irelands Sandbox Programme for Innovation in Payments an initiative set up by the banking authority to promote and accelerate solutions that deliver safer and faster payments for households and businesses. FacePOS is an instant, pay-by-account (payBAC) payment system at point of sale. Positioned as an alternative to Visa and Mastercard, the revolutionary new software delivers instant payments direct from consumer accounts to merchant accounts without need of a card. The company was founded by CEO James Hannigan originally from Tallaght but now based in Sligo who began his career in on-course bookmaking before moving into retail technology. FacePOS CFO Paddy Bolger was previously CFO of cybersecurity company CWSI. FacePOS AI-enabled facial recognition technology uses liveness detection, which requires users to blink and smile to verify transactions. The software also has built-in proximity verification and confirmation of payee controls as additional security measures. The technology eliminates the need for multiple intermediaries involved in card payments, which in turn reduces the cost to banks and consumers from fraud and errors. The only interoperable instant POS payment solution in Europe, FacePOS is recognised by the European Payments Council, European Third Party Payments Association and the Central Bank of Ireland for instant payments at point of interaction (IP@POI). FacePOS is currently fundraising and has been accepted onto Enterprise Irelands High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) initiative. The company employs a global team of 30 developers and sales people. It has strong support from FinTech Ireland. Later this year, FacePOS is planning to launch a round of fundraising to support regulatory compliance, legal and operational scaling, and its ambitious international expansion plans. Hannigan and Bolger attended the first CBI Innovation Sandbox event which took place at DogPatch Labs in Dublin on January 29. All nine selected companies came together at the innovation hub to introduce their products, services, and visions for transforming payments. It followed the Asian Financial Forum on January 26 in Hong Kong where FacePOS was invited to take part in a closed roundtable discussion hosted by the Hong Kong governments Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), an initiative aimed at enticing innovative companies to set up and scale their operations in the region. Bringing together representatives of financial institutions, regulators, policymakers and industry leaders, the roundtable provided FacePOS with access to key decision-makers from OASES who pitched Hong Kong as a future regional base offering strategic access to the Chinese market. CEO Hannigan said: We are very excited to introduce FacePOS which has been hailed as the holy grail of pay-by-account instant payment systems. It delivers instant payments from consumer accounts to merchant accounts using AI-enabled facial recognition technology. Along with a range of other high-tech security measures, this effectively eliminates fraud typically associated with card-based payment systems and reduces costs for consumers and financial institutions. "The next 12 months promises to be a period of accelerated growth for the company aided in part by our acceptance into the Central Bank of Irelands Innovation Sandbox Programme for Innovation in Payments. Indeed, our place in the initiative is already paying dividends as we recently partnered with Payemoji, our CBI Sandbox colleagues, to provide payment services. We also recently attended the Asian Financial Forum where we heard pitches from officials about the strategic benefits of setting up an Asian hub in Hong Kong. We look forward to more exciting developments in the coming months as we continue our fundraising, engaging with the CBI Sandbox cohort, and working with Enterprise Irelands High Potential Start-Up initiative. Walsh feels she is tackling the issues better and getting around the vast constituency of Midlands -North West more often in her second term as MEP Pictured at City Hall for Sligo Women in Business Network International Womens Day celebrations were Cllr Fergal Nealon, Aishling Kelly-Hunter and Minister of State, Frank Feighan. Pic: Carl Brennan. Seven years on from her first outing as a politician when, by her own acknowledgment, she was still learning the ropes, Maria Walsh is now a seasoned campaigner as she continues to lobby, advocate and fight for change in Brussells and Strasbourg. On a visit to Sligo, coinciding with International Womens Day, the former Rose of Tralee sat down to give an insight into the working life of an MEP and was also forthright on opinions ranging from the EUs role in the war raging in the Middle East to gender quotas and from the Western Rail Corridor to the importance of the EU for Ireland in the current global climate. With her working week split between Brussels and the 15 counties that make up her midlands north west constituency, free time is at a premium but she insists despite the challenges of the role, it is one she is enjoying. Sitting on a number of various committees that offer a snapshot into all aspects of life, in Ireland, the EU and further afield, Maria speaks passionately on the various projects and campaigns she is involved with. Looking back on her seven years as an MEP, Maria readily admits she lacked the experience of a career politician but feels that in no way detracts from her ability to carry out her role, a role she is very much enjoying. Its my second mandate. Youre very kind to say a little bit inexperienced, I was very green. I remember at the time people were saying parachute candidate, dropped in, she has a little podium from something else and thinks she can make it. I actually really embraced that because were all parachute candidates in various fields so for me I didnt really take it as a negative. Her first stint in Europe was disrupted by the covid pandemic but Maria feels since the last election in June 2024 she has had a better opportunity to travel around the enormous constituency, working for areas and causes that she feels need improvement. The first campaign in 2019 and even the mandate, we obviously had Covid and multiple delays with different issues. While I was just getting my feet on the ground to get across the constituency, which is now 15 counties, it stopped and stalled but now since the 2024 campaign Im really trying to get around and play my hand in understanding the relationships that I have grown since the first mandate, getting on files that I am really passionate about that would make a difference to this neck of the woods. It is often said that politicians are only seen in the constituency when they are looking for a vote. This is a perhaps harsh criticism considering how much time they spend outside the country and also how big the consistency is. Arguably the biggest challenge is finding time to enjoy a life outside politics. Giving an insight into a typical week Maria revealed, Im in Brussels Monday to Thursday afternoons typically. If I can get out Wednesday night I will but it is typically Thursdays and then Thursday evening until Sunday I could be anywhere right across the 15 counties. My base is south Mayo so if I can get home one or two nights a week thats great. When Im in Brussels I land on Monday and I sit on four different committees and my main two are agriculture and gender equality, womens rights. I supplement them with regional development which goes hand in hand into everything we are doing as well as justice and home affairs and thats like the soup of Europe; it covers everything from migration, human trafficking, cyber violence, cyber fraud, LGBTI rights, freedom of journalists, it is so widespread. Within those four committees you could have hearings, votes, Im meeting journalists and lobbyists and Irish groups that are out and putting there case forward on something we are working on. This week coming I will miss the Strasbourg sittings for the first time ever because I am travelling to the United Nations conference on the status of women as a representative of parliament. We will meet the Secretary General of the United Nations, we will speak with experts on female issues right across the world and that will feed into the committee work that I am doing on womens health and equalities as well as the gender equality strategy that the commission just launched. Being in the thick of the action at EU level, Maria is in arguably in the best position to be able to assess whether or not Ireland needs the EU as much as ever and her answer was a resounding yes. For sure. When you look at how advanced the likes of ATU Sligo is or the satellite that has become ATU, thats the best example around this neck of the woods. If you look at Letterkenny, Mountbellew, Castlebar, Galway, here in Sligo and the tie-up with St Angelas, it has grown because they have utilised some EU funding and a lot of hard work building their networks across Europe because now with the UK outside the EU we are the only English speaking country. Member States and organisations and colleges like to look to Ireland. The likes of ATU are best in class at drawing down EU funding and building that into research. If you are on a road or a blueway or greenway in this part of the world you will see an EU symbol to show there has been EU investment. I think there is absolutely a way to go in terms of the Western Rail Corridor. At some point in my lifetime I would like to see rail going to Donegal. While a keen advocate for the the advancement of rail infrastructure along the western seaboard, she is also an advocate for the greenways and would like to see progress made on the proposed Collooney to Bellaghy greenway. I think it should be both, was the honest answer when asked if she would prefer one option over the other. We desperately need high speed rail that connects this part of the world but Im conscious its quite a heavy discussion based on where we are. When you look at economic drivers like Galway, Dublin, Cork, soon to be Limerick, we need to be able to transport people to and from and if you look at Spain back in the 90s they invested heavily in rail. High speed rail across all parts of their country, connecting rural areas to urban areas. The role of the EU stretches beyond its borders and Maria is full of admiration for the stance the Spanish have taken with regard to the current war in the Middle East but acknowledges it would be difficult for Ireland to follow suit to the same extent. I think from a security and defence point of view, Im a little bit of an outlier in comparison with my Fine Gael colleagues. I believe in preparedness, I believe neutrality and peace have to be invested in too. When you look at what is happening on the eastern flank of our European Union with the continuous bombardment from Russia and other actors into Ukraine, what we have seen with air strikes in Poland, what we have seen in Cyprus, while it is a UK base it is still Cyprus. We have to get real to the fact the European Union has to remain together and be strategic in how they move forward versus talking about it in seven days time when the world is on fire. I think our tradition with the US doesnt allow for us to be like President Sanchez and make that immediate decision. You can dress it up in many different ways but it is chaos and chaos breeds fury and fury leads to further attacks. Im a child of growing up seeing 9/11 on my screens. Its an interesting move by President Sanchez and as an EPP member, where Fine Gael sits, Ive had colleagues who are saying what is happening in Spain is wrong we have to facilitate this but I dont know, I think our conscience has to weigh out better on this. Returning to matters closer to home, Maria is a passionate campaigner for gender equality and is quick to highlight the challenges facing women in business and women in politics. 51% of our population our women, they have been removed from our history books, they have been ignored in policy to the extent that I will go towards the Sligo Women in Business Network shortly and I will hear openly about the struggles starting a business, getting funding to drive your business, health policy, care responsibilities, you name it. When asked if she is in favour of gender quotas Maria was frank in her assessment: I welcome gender quotas but I dont like them. She continued, Quite controversially, I would like to see them in national politics. Interestingly, Ireland has always had a healthy relationship with sending women to the European Parliament. If you look at the Parliament as a whole, we dropped a percentage point in terms of representation from the last mandate. We have less than 1% persons with disability and different ability, less than 2 or 3% persons of colour, less than 3% persons who are LGBTI. If you look at the 450m citizens we have to represent there is a lot of Caucasian, a lot of similar age individuals walking the halls making decisions. When you look at Ireland, we dont have enough females. Were not putting women in winnable seats, were putting them in too late and I would say this across all parties. If you look online, the narrative is horrible, women shouldnt run and we need to fix that otherwise we will never have a balance in policy making. Touching on the difficulties facing women in politics, the often toxic nature of social media was mentioned with Maria acknowledging, Were doing a lot of work on deep fakes, the rise of pornographic imagery which again disproportionately affects women and young girls. If we dont get stronger legislation on the AI Act and Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act in Europe, they need teeth, our Comisiun na Meain needs teeth. If theyre not holding the likes of X to account with Grok recently, then what are we doing, we are never going to change. I meet a lot of women and men across the constituency and I am constantly asking and recruiting to run and I dont necessarily look for women to put their face on the poster. We need people in policy, we need people advocating, we need people in communications advising. There are so many layers to government at local, national and European level. We need people that are representative of our community. If we didnt have quotas at national level we would never have any form of equality. Maria recently met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and urged him to tackle the scourge of sexual deepfakes destroying the lives of women and girls. She was on an official mission from the European Parliament to the UNs 70th session of the Council on the Status of Women (CSW) and submitted a proposal to Secretary-General Guterres to end the creation and sharing of non-consensual deepfake images and videos. In her proposal, Walsh calls on the United Nations to take three key actions: Recognise sexual deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence, ensuring governments treat the abuse with the same seriousness as other forms of violence against women. Establish a High-Level UN Taskforce on Deepfakes to coordinate global action between governments, tech companies and civil society. Introduce universal standards for technology platforms, requiring the rapid removal of deepfake content, stronger reporting systems for victims, and measures to stop the monetisation of exploitative AI tools. Walsh, a full member of the European Parliaments Gender Equality Committee, said: I have travelled from Ireland to the UN with one clear message; deepfakes are destroying the lives of young girls and women across the world. We have failed to protect victims to date, we now need coordinated international action to end the weaponisation of deepfake technology. This is not a hypothetical problem for the future. At this very moment, anyone with a laptop and a single photograph can create a sexual deepfake of a woman in minutes and spread it across the internet for millions to see. The damage to reputations, careers and personal safety can be immediate and devastating. Women and girls are overwhelmingly the victims. 96% of deepfakes online are pornographic and 99% of victims are women. This is not just a technology issue; its a gender-based violence issue. In fact, I believe it to be the next frontier of violence against women. That is why I have asked the United Nations to recognise non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence and to consider establishing a high-level international taskforce to coordinate action. This issue crosses borders, and no single country can solve it alone. I raised this issue directly with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, emphasising that only the UN has the convening power to bring together governments, technology companies and civil society to stop the spread of this abuse. If we act now, we can ensure that the digital future is safer, fairer and more respectful for women and girls everywhere. In light of the sudden increase in oil and diesel costs, Wexford charities and businesses have called for intervention from the Government to alleviate the crippling and worrying costs that are impacting societys most vulnerable cohort. As diesel prices surpass 2 a litre around the country, Taoiseach Micheal Martin recently stated that there should be no reason for the increase, as the fuels are mainly sourced from the North Sea, and the war in the Middle East therefore shouldnt impact the prices. Yet, they continue to rise, and oil and diesel companies putting the blame on the Governmental levies, with neither taking accountability for whats been deemed by the public as nothing short of price gouging. Irelands home-heating oil costs have increased by 27.3pc, compared to the average rise in most of the other European countries at a 3.3pc rise. The atmospheric evening of performances will showcase the extraordinary talents of Olga Conways students Wexford has been long renowned as a cultural hub, a county with a strong tradition in the arts, a place where young performers can flourish and grow. Helping those performers to grow are people like Olga Conway who, back in 2022 celebrated the 20th anniversary of Discovering Drama, the school she set up in Wexford in 2002. To mark that major milestone, Olga hosted a special gathering in the National Opera House. Among those in attendance were her first ever student Sadhbh Roche, her parents Tom and Hilda and her sons Marcus and Alex. Olgas brother Nigel, a past teacher at the school, and Andrew Holden, a current teacher, acted as the MCs for the celebration. On March 22 at 7pm, Discovering Drama will proudly present its senior showcase for 2026, Shadows, Secrets and Sovereigns, on the prestigious OReilly stage at the National Opera House. This atmospheric evening of performance will showcase the extraordinary talents of over 80 teenage students, bringing together a thrilling blend of murder mystery, mysteries, and scenes inspired by Macbeth. Audiences can expect intrigue, suspense, ambition, and betrayal woven into a dynamic programme that highlights both ensemble energy and individual brilliance. The senior showcase is a chance for all three senior groups to perform together and really show what theyve been working on, said Olga. There are elements of comedy, some Agatha Christie-style mysteries, and even a piece inspired by the two porters in Macbeth. Two of the students will perform scenes from Macbeth to frame the whole evening. Its a really varied programme and a great opportunity for the teenagers to show their talent. Olga Conway. As the Wexford Festival Opera gears up for its 75th anniversary, the desire of performers from around the world to have an opportunity to perform on the main stage is stronger than ever. Opened in 2008 on the footprint of the old Theatre Royal which had been the home to the Wexford Festival Opera for over 50 years, the National Opera House is a world-class cultural venue which the best local, national and international events throughout the year. Olga says that in terms of acoustics and setting, the smaller theatre named after the late, great, Jerome Hynes is sometimes better suited to a play, the opportunity to perform OReilly Theatre stage is a real carrot for her students. The OReilly stage gives the students that extra sense of occasion. When the Opera House offered community nights to local groups, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for our teenagers to experience performing on that incredible stage. The works of William Shakespeare remain pertinent, particularly to Wexfords teenagers. Since the Irish State was formed the study of Shakespeare at Leaving Cert higher level has been compulsory. Back in 2025, then Education Minister Helen McEntee said she wanted works by William Shakespeare to remain compulsory for Leaving Cert English. Shakespeare has always been a huge passion of mine. About 13 years ago I completed a postgraduate course with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon on teaching Shakespeare to young people. Since then, Ive developed a workshop programme that I bring into schools, Olga said. The aim is really to remove the fear around Shakespeare. Many students feel intimidated by the language, but when you approach it physically, getting them on their feet, acting out scenes and exploring the characters, the story suddenly becomes accessible. Celebrating Olga Conway's Discovering Drama 20th anniversary in The Irish National Opera House in 2022 were Olga's family. L/r; Simon Hussey, Marcus Hussey, Alex Hussey, Tom Conway, Olga Hussey (Conway), Hida Conway and Nigel Conway (missing brother Adrian). Now well into her second decade running the school, Olga admitted, that it hadnt always been plain sailing. Running an arts-based business can be tricky because youre balancing the creative side with the reality of running a business. Weve come through recessions and a pandemic, and you always have to keep working to make sure the students are happy and that youre offering them the best possible experience. We started with just nine students in that first year, and by the end of the year that had grown to around 40, which was a fantastic start for a new business. I was very lucky at the beginning because the Wexford School of Ballet allowed me to start in their studio, so I had access to a space and to families who were already involved in the arts. Within about three years we had grown so much that we had to move to the Mercy, and by that stage we were nearing 100 students. Over the years thousands of young people have come through the doors, and what is really special now is that Im starting to teach the children of former students. Thats a lovely full-circle moment, that someone remembers their experience here so fondly that they trust us with their own child. Olga paid tribute to her teaching staff, Andrew Holden, Elizabeth Rose Browne, Ciara Tierney and Etain Doolan, saying that students can benefit from having access to a diverse range of dramatic experience and events. Im very proud that we have nearly 80 teenagers attending classes each week, which is a huge number for that age group. Keeping teenagers interested in drama can be challenging because they have so many pressures and commitments, but its incredibly rewarding. Tickets for the Discovering Drama senior showcase on March 22 at 7pm are available to purchase on the National Opera House website. Rising fuel costs, material shortages and tightening belts due to ongoing costs of living crises have stalled the much-needed project. Volunteers running the rebuild are making a plea for help with materials and funding The volunteers coordinating a community-led renovation of a Wicklow familys home, which was started in January to support a 10yearold cancer patient, have issued a fresh appeal for donations, warning that the project is now stalling due to a shortage of materials and rising costs. Tom Flynn, who stepped in as foreman and project manager to help the Keenan family, from Bray, after learning of their daughter Caoimhes cancer diagnosis last year, said the effort has reached a critical point as supplies pledged earlier in the build have begun to run out. Were at a stage where we need to get more skips, but the companies that were giving them have stopped, he said. Were grateful for what theyve done for us, but its slowing us down now. Caoimhe was diagnosed in July 2025 with Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a rare and highly aggressive childhood cancer. She has since endured intensive treatment across hospitals in Ireland and Manchester, with her family describing her as incredible in the face of the enormous challenges. The wider Bray community has responded with extraordinary generosity, from donating labour and materials to contributing through a GoFundMe set up to support the Keenan family. But the house renovation run entirely independently from that fund has grown into a full rebuild requiring substantial ongoing support, especially materials. Tom said the team had hoped that initial pledges from businesses would carry them through. However, some commitments were reduced, forcing the volunteers to dip into funds raised through raffles and community events much earlier than planned. There is also the issues of rising fuel costs, which are having a bearing on both the ability and willingness of companies to donate. We want to get it done as quickly as possible. The trucks that are delivering things to builders or providers are starting to put up their prices, Tom said. The skip shortage is now becoming a major obstacle. When I dont have a skip, its a massive problem, he said. I cant get things out of the way for other people to get in. Despite the pressure, Tom is confident that, with renewed support, the home can be completed within three weeks. He estimates an additional 5,000 to 10,000 would be enough to get over the line. Its not massive, he said. We can give our time for free, but we cant make materials out of thin air. The Keenan family have been navigating an extremely difficult journey since July 2025. Caoimhes father, Matt Keenan, is the founder of Bray Community Lifeline and has been widely recognised for his work supporting others in crisis, but now finds his own family on the receiving end of the towns generosity. The GoFundMe, set up by Matts business partner, Barry Cotter, raised more than 55,000 to support the family through the crisis. But the separate, community-driven building project is to transform the Keenans home, expanding Caoimhes bedroom, upgrading heating, and giving her the purple-themed space she has always dreamed of, complete with a custom-built dog box that she designed herself. To make an offer of donations or materials, contact Alan Duignam: 086 2201625 St James COI, Crinken Services of Worship for this Sunday The Fifth Sunday in Lent: 10.30am Morning Praise. Church Events/Activities: Please check the Churchs website for regular updates. Rathmichael COI Parish Worship Services for this Sunday, The Fifth Sunday in Lent: 8.30amHoly Communion; 11am Morning Prayer (Rite 1) followed afterwards with coffee in the Erck Hall; 7pm Compline. Sunday Evening Service: Every Sunday an Evening Service is held at 7pm in Rathmichael Church. We invite you to enjoy the silence and contemplation that this service allows a space for in your heart and mind, as you prepare to go into the new week. Wed love to see you at 7pm on Sunday evenings for this quiet and reflective service that includes music and hymns the perfect way to prepare for the busyness of a new week. Service of Wholeness and HealingSunday March 29th: There will be a service of wholeness and healing at 11am in Christ Church, Bray. Lydia Monds, Ministry Leader with the Churchs Ministry of Healing: Ireland, will be present to lead the congregation in contemplative prayer, and to talk about the healing ministry. If you, or someone you know, would like healing prayer, please do come to this service, and please do tell others about it. Prayer IgnitesFuelling faith, hope and change through prayer: Join us each month at Rathmichael Church for a warm and welcoming Prayer Gathering, where we come together to lift up the needs of our community and the wider world. In a quiet, reflective space, we seek Gods guidance, strength, and peacetrusting that our prayers make a difference. Whether you come with personal concerns, hopes for others, or simply a heart open to God, youll find encouragement and fellowship as we pray side by side. The next meeting will take place at 8pm on Wednesday April 18th in Rathmichael Church. Shankill Bible Church Shankill Bible Church, Glenmaris, Eaton Wood Grove - Sunday Worship: 10.30am Sunday Service. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Friday nights at 7pm. See www.shankillbiblechurch.org for further information. St Annes Parish Resource Centre Upgrade: St. Annes Resource Centre is currently closed due to renovation works. A temporary parish office is open at the side of St. Annes Resource Centre from 9.30am to 2pm Monday to Friday. As access will be restricted, all inquiries should be directed by email or telephone wherever possible. Call 01-2822704 / 2822277 or email: info@stannesparishshankill.com. Times of Masses and Blessed Sacrament Adoration: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10am from Tuesday to Friday, and at 5pm (Vigil) on Saturday. There is no celebration of 10am morning Mass on Mondays and Saturdays. On Mondays Evening Mass is celebrated at 7pm with Adoration of Blessed Sacrament from 6pm to 7pm. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 10am, 12pm, and 6pm. All Masses are available online at www.stannesparishshankill.com through the link Watch Us Live. A Holy Hour takes place from 6pm to 7pm on Mondays, from 8pm to 9pm on Thursdays and from 10.30am to 11.30am on Fridays 9.45am. First Saturdays of the Month only: Mass will be celebrated at 10amConfessions will be heard from 9.15am to 9.45am beforehand. Irish Mass: A Mass in Irish is celebrated at 9am on Sunday mornings in St. Peters Church, Little, Bray. The Rosary: This is prayed Monday to Saturday mornings from 9.30am. All are welcome. Bookings for Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office on 01-2822704 or 01-2822277 for more information, or email: info@stannesparishshankill.com. Come Join Us: The Family Mass in St. Annes Shankill takes place every Sunday at 10am with a Special Childrens Monthly Mass at 10am on the first Sunday of every month. The Childrens Liturgy Team would like to invite any children and their parents /guardians/grandparents who would like to be involved in the liturgy (readings, offertory and processions) to contact Rob on 089-4123158 or contact the parish office on 01-2822704 / 01-2822277 or email info@stannesparishshankill.com. Lent: During Lent Mass will be celebrated at 7pm Monday to Friday with Stations of the Cross beforehand at 6.30pm. St Annes Easter Triduum Cards: These are now on sale, 5, from the temporary parish office. Pallottine Union U.A.C Lenten Retreat: Takes place from 11am to 5pm (Mass) on Saturday March 28th in The Pallotine House in Dundrum, Homestead, Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin D16 XK12. All are welcomeplease bring a packed lunch. Youth Invitation: Calling all 7 to 17 year olds. Would you be willing to take part in the Station of the Cross at 12pm on Good Friday April 3rd in St. Annes Church. For further information call Sarah on 086-6088244. Ballybrack-Killiney Parish: Mass Times: Sts. Alphonsus & Columba Church, Church Avenue, Ballybrack Mondays, Fridays at 10am & Sundays at 10.30am; Church of the Apostles, Willow Vale, Ballybrack: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10am, and Sundays at 12pm; Church of St. Stephen, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney: Saturdays at 6pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday morning after 10am Mass until 12 noon, in the Church of the Apostles. All are welcome. Confessions: These are heard in Sts Alphonsus & Columba church from 4pm to 4.30pm each Saturday. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Dalkey: Mass Times: Sundays at 9am and 11am. Vigil Mass on Saturday at 6pm (Taize/Gospel Choir); Daily Mass: 10am. Confessions: These are heard every Saturday morning after 10am Mass unless there is a funeral. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Takes place on Mondays after 10am Mass until 4pm (Except on public holidays when exposition takes place on Tuesday). Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday from 7pm to 8pm. Compline: Takes place every Wednesday at 6.30pm in the Church, with the parishes of St. Patricks and the Church of the Assumption joining together for this short and simple service. All are most welcome. Our Lady of Good Counsel, Johnstown: General Mass Schedule: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; no Mass on a Tuesday; Saturday6pm Vigil Mass and on Sunday at 11am. St. Colmcille Partnership of Parishes: Encounter Jesus this Lent with Lenten Evenings this Friday between 7.30pm to 9pm each night in Johnstown Parish Centre. A Partnership Retreat next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Mass at 7.30pm and Confessions available from 7pm will take place in the Church of the Apostles, Ballybrack. No cost all are welcome. Enquiries to scpartnership2026@gmail.com. St. Brigids Parish, Cabinteely: Weekday Masses are celebrated in St. Brigids Church, Cabinteely on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am, and no Mass on Wednesday. On Bank Holidays Mass is celebrated at 11am. At weekends the Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5.30pm (Saturday). Sunday Mass times are 10am and 12.30pm. St. Michaels Church, Dun Laoghaire: Mass Times: Monday to Friday: 10am; Saturday: 10am and 6pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 9.15am, 10.30am (Irish), 11.30am, and 12pm. The Church will now remain open until 4pm Monday to Friday. The Church will remain open on Saturdays and close after the 6pm Mass. Shankill Library To facilitate essential conservation and improvement works, Shankill Library on Library Road is closed and has been relocated to a temporary library in Stonebridge Community Centre, 7 Stonebridge, Grove, Shankill, until this work is completed, and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 4pm. Space will be available to continue to facilitate regular library group meetings, access to book stock, a seating area for adults and children, newspapers, plus paid printing/copying facilities. Contact details remain the same telephone 01-204 7224 or email shankilllib@dlrcoco.ie. Rathmichael Historical Society Guest speaker for the 8pm Wednesday April 1st meeting of the Rathmichael Historical Society in Rathmichael National School, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, will be Aisling Durkan who will present The Houses of Meath. Members are freenon-members/visitors 5. Those wishing to join the Society can do so at this meeting. Members and supporters of the Rathmichael Historical Society are asked to note that the following events will take place in the coming week today (Wednesday) the AGM of the Greystones Archaeological & Historical Society takes place at 7.30pm in Kilian House, beside the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, and will be followed with a presentation from Enzo Farinella on St. Kilian and the Irish Monks to Europe. All are welcome admission is 3 for members and 5 for non-members; Susan Roundtree will present The History of Bricks & Brickmaking in South Dublin at 8pm to the Dun Laoghaire Borough Historical Society in the Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. All are welcomeadmission is 5. Free hotel parking is available for those attending this lecture. Tomorrow (Thursday) Kieran Devenish will present Ardmore Studios at 8pm to the Bray Cualann Historical Society in the Royal Hotel, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow. All are welcome members are freevisitors/ members 8; David Carroll will present Remembering Dublin Born Admiral Henry Coey Kane at 8pm to the Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend Road, Dublin 4. All are welcomedonation to the R.N.L.I. at the door. Next Tuesday James Scannell will recall Going to the Pictures in the 1950s and 1960s at 7pm in Wicklow Library, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow Town. Admission is free but booking is required as the venue has a limited capacity email: wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie, or call 0404-67025 to reserve a place; Suzanna Murphy will present The Blainroe Estate, the Planned Village at 8pm to the Wicklow Historical Society in the De La Salle Parish Centre, beside St. Patricks R.C. Church, Wicklow Town. All are welcome donation. Next Wednesday Tim McGloughlin will present Alfred McGloughlin, Draughtsman, Artist, Playwright, Irish Volunteers and friend of Volunteer; William Pearse and Patrick at 6pm to the Old Dublin Society in the Conference Room of Dublin City Library & Archive, 139-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. All are welcome admission is free and no booking is required. Next Thursday (March 26th) Ciaran Cooney will present The Annual Film Show at 7.30pm to the Irish Railway Record Society in the Societys Dublin Hueston Station premises strictly members and their guests only; Albert Fenton will present The Most Distinguished Order of the Knights of St. Patrick at 8pm to the Rathmines, Ranelagh and Rathgar Historical Society in Rathmines Town Hall, Rathmines Road, Dublin 6. Members are free / visitors 5. The Swan Car Park Rate is 3.50 for the first 2 hours; 3.50 per hour thereafter. First Saturday Book Sale The April First Saturday Book Sale, which supports the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, takes place from 10am to 1pm on Saturday April 4th in the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, Lower Road, Shankill. Donations of books, which must be in a clean and good condition, are limited to one small bag per donor due to storage issues, and can only be handed into the Book Sale that Saturday morning. Shankill Seniors Thursday Group Last Thursday morning James Scannell from the Old Dublin Society presented a short talk to the Shankill Seniors Thursday Group in the Shankill Seniors Day Centre in which he recalled The Malcolm MacArthur Affair 1982. Next Tuesday James Scannell will recall Going to the Pictures in the 1950s and 1960s at 7pm in Wicklow Library, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow Town. Admission is free but booking is required as the venue has a limited capacity email: wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie, or call 0404-67025 to reserve a place Classical Music Club The April meeting of the Shankill Classical Music Club will take place from 7.45pm to 10pm, including a break for tea/coffee, on Wednesday April 11th in the Shankill Seniors Centre, Lower Road, Shankill, which is located 100m from Main Street with car parking available. The music will be as always a varied programme of classical music on CDs, covering many genres i.e. orchestral, instrumental, vocal, opera, etc. in a friendly setting. Visitors and new and returning members are always welcome. You dont need to be an expert! Charge 2 on the night (waived for first visit). For further information please phone or text Malcolm at 085-8528216. A Wicklow woman who sold tobacco through Facebook Marketplace has been fined 3,444 after a confidential tip-off to Revenue. Emily OCallaghan (49), with an address at Old Conna Grove, Bray, appeared at a sitting of Bray District Court on a summons brought by Revenue. She pleaded guilty to having tobacco that appeared to be intended for illegal sale or delivery. State solicitor Brian Robinson told the court that Judge Aine Shannon had accepted jurisdiction in the matter on February 9. The court heard that in September, Revenue received a confidential report that someone was selling tobacco through Facebook Marketplace. An operation was carried out in which an undercover investigator purchased four pouches of rolling tobacco for 100 from the accused. Revenue later seized 3,800 cigarettes and 1.4kg of rolling tobacco from Ms OCallaghan. She admitted purchasing the tobacco on Irish Ferries, but said she did not sell it commercially, claiming it was for personal use and for friends. Revenue offices. News in 90 seconds - March 18 Mr Robinson told the court that the offence carries a maximum penalty of 5,000 and a minimum fine of 2,500. Solicitor for Ms OCallaghan, Joe Maguire, said his client is a mother-of-four and the sole carer for her child who has autism. He said her child enjoys boat trips, which led her to regularly purchase cigarettes during ferry crossings. It was noted that Ms OCallaghan is a smoker herself, and that selling the tobacco had become a means of funding the trip with her child and supplementing her income. Judge David Kennedy fined Ms OCallaghan 3,444, which represented the loss to the State through unpaid tax on the tobacco. He gave her 12 months to pay. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme The lands are all in grass of good quality suited too livestock and associated farming, and boasts good road frontage. The 6.57 of agricultural land marked in red which is due to go to auction at Ballinameesda Lower, Kilbride, Co Wicklow. A plot of agricultural land at Ballinameesda Lower, Kilbride, Co Wicklow, is set to go under the hammer at a public auction this month with a guide price of 7,610 per acre. The 6.57-acre site is located on a minor road in the parish of Kilbride, accessed from the R772, just off the N11, 2km north of Barndarrig village. The subject lands are in one irregular shaped block and are laid out in four open plan divisions, with mature boundaries of trees and hedging. The lands are all in grass of good quality, suited to livestock and associated farming, and the site boasts good road frontage. This plot is being sold as seen and does not currently have any planning permission, but would make for an ideal location for a one-off house. The site is only 2km away from Barndarrig, while Wicklow town is only 8km and Arklow 17km away. The auction takes place on Wednesday, March 25, at Wilsons Auctions, Kingswood Interchange, Naas Road, Dublin 22. The solicitor involved is Naomi Mullally, Keoghs, 15 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2. The guide price is 50,000. Zofia Szwanda from Dominican College Wicklow at the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad National Final held at DCU. A Wicklow student was among the 100 finalists competing at the 18th All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO), hosted by the ADAPT Centre at Dublin City University (DCU). The finalists represent 56 secondary schools from 20 counties across the whole island of Ireland and are competing for the chance to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bucharest, Romania this July. Among the student finalists was Zofia Szwanda from Dominican College Wicklow. AILO is run by ADAPT, the Research Ireland Centre for AI-driven Digital Content Technology. The competition challenges students to apply logic and reasoning to decode unfamiliar languages by analysing the language data they are given to work out the rules of the new language. These transferable skills are critical in preparing young people for a wide range of careers in computing, linguistics and language. Speaking about the event, director of ADAPT, Professor John Kelleher said: AILO is a showcase of the analytical ability, curiosity and capability of Irelands young people. The students who have reached the final have demonstrated exceptional problem solving skills. "The skills developed here are directly transferable to the real world and we hope will give them a love of computing and data-driven research. We are very proud to host the final at DCU and to support an all-island initiative that opens up these futures to students from every background. The finalists progressed through a preliminary round, involving nearly 1,000 competitors, held in schools earlier this year. The results of the AILO final will be released later in the month. Pakistan denies claims its airstrike killed 400 at Afghan drug rehab hospital Kabul residents have said the hospital was in an abandoned and converted Nato military base Afghan men stand at the site of a drug rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Ariba Shahid and Asif Shahzad Reuters Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 More than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in an airstrike by Pakistan on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, a spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban government said on Tuesday, in the deadliest incident since fighting between the two began in October last year. Britain Kym Marsh: Its devastating to think that my father put off visit to GP until it was too late Europe If these issues arent addressed soon, we face what happened in 1917: Endless war and inflation take toll on Putins popularity Trump cranks up tensions with Cuba as island suffers blackout US President says he will be taking Cuba, as Russia expresses concern about the escalation of tension A man putting petrol into his car manually during the power blackout in Cuba. Photo: AP Abigail Kemp Wed 18 Mar 2026 at 06:30 Large parts of Cuba were without power yesterday after its third blackout in four months underscored the islands deepening energy and economic crises and rising political tensions with US president Donald Trump. A fighter jet launching from US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran. Photo: Reuters One of Donald Trumps top counter-terrorism officials has become the first senior member of his administration to resign over the Iran war. Maternity Benefits in India in 2026: Key Rules, Supreme Court Expansion, and Employer Compliance Learn about maternity benefits in India as of 2026, including the Code on Social Security, 2020 provisions and the Supreme Courts expansion of adoptive mothers rights. Indias maternity benefits framework in 2026 has evolved into a more inclusive and compliance-driven regime. Governed by the Code on Social Security, 2020, the system has been significantly expanded by a March 17, 2026 ruling of the Supreme Court of India, which broadened maternity leave rights for adoptive mothers. Together, these developments reflect a shift toward a rights-based approach to maternity protection aligning with Indias changing workforce dynamics, family structures, and employer compliance expectations. Supreme Court expands maternity leave rights for adoptive mothers On March 17, 2026, the Supreme Court of India struck down a restrictive provision that limited maternity leave for adoptive mothers to cases where the child was below three months of age. The bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan held that: The age restriction failed to reflect adoption realities; It violated constitutional principles of equality and dignity; and Maternity leave must extend beyond biological childbirth to caregiving and bonding. Key takeaway Adoptive mothers are now entitled to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave irrespective of the childs age, effective from the date of handover. For employers, this ruling removes a long-standing ambiguity and requires immediate policy alignment. Align Your HR and Compliance Strategy in India Ensure your business remains compliant with Indias evolving labor and social security laws. Dezan Shira & Associates supports companies with HR advisory, labor law compliance, payroll structuring, and policy alignment. Get in touch with our experts to review your maternity and workforce policies in India: India@dezshira.com Legal framework: Code on Social Security, 2020 Indias maternity benefit regime is governed under Chapter VI of the Code on Social Security, 2020, which consolidates provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The Code integrates maternity benefits into a broader social security architecture, covering: Paid maternity leave Wage replacement mechanisms Nursing breaks and creche facilities Workplace protections and grievance redressal As India progresses toward full labor code implementation, the framework is expected to standardize maternity compliance across sectors. Maternity leave entitlements in India (2026) The maternity leave statutory structure in India remains largely unchanged, with clearly defined entitlements as shown in the below table: Category Maternity Benefit Entitlement Key Conditions First two children 26 weeks paid leave Up to 8 weeks before delivery Third child onwards 12 weeks paid leave Up to 6 weeks before delivery Adoptive mothers 12 weeks paid leave From date of child handover (age restriction to be removed per Supreme Court direction to the central government) Commissioning mothers (surrogacy) 12 weeks paid leave From date of handover Miscarriage / MTP 6 weeks paid leave Subject to medical proof Illness due to pregnancy Up to 1 month additional leave Over and above maternity leave Payment rate Average daily wage / ESI rate Wage replacement during leave Eligibility and coverage under the Code To qualify for maternity benefits, a woman must generally: Have worked at least 80 days in the preceding 12 months; and Meet contribution thresholds where covered under ESI (Employees State Insurance). The Code also expands coverage to broader categories of workers, including those in the unorganized and gig economy, subject to scheme-based implementation. This reflects Indias gradual transition toward universalized social protection. Maternity leave as a broader right: Beyond childbirth The 2026 ruling reinforces a critical policy shift: Maternity leave is not limited to physical recovery it includes childcare, emotional bonding, and early-stage caregiving. By extending this principle to adoptive mothers, the Supreme Court of India has aligned legal interpretation with modern family structures and workforce realities. Additional benefits and safeguards The Social Security Code provides multiple safeguards for women employees: Paid leave in cases of miscarriage or medical termination Additional leave for pregnancy-related illness Continuity of benefits in the event of death Protection against dismissal during maternity leave These provisions ensure both income security and workplace protection. Workplace compliance: Creche, nursing breaks, and flexibility Employers must also comply with workplace support requirements: Creche facilities for establishments with 50+ employees Nursing breaks during working hours Work-from-home options based on mutual agreement Where creche facilities are not feasible, companies may provide a creche allowance, ensuring continuity of childcare support. Enforcement and employer compliance obligations The enforcement framework under the Code includes: Complaint mechanisms before the Inspector-cum-Facilitator Time-bound resolution processes Appellate recourse for disputes Employers must: Maintain compliance records Ensure timely maternity benefit payments Align HR policies with evolving legal standards Non-compliance may result in penalties and reputational risk. Policy direction: Toward inclusive parental benefits A notable observation from the March 2026 ruling is the Courts observation on the need for paternity leave within Indias social security framework. This signals the need for a policy direction toward: Shared caregiving responsibilities Gender-balanced workforce participation Modern parental benefit frameworks Conclusion: A more inclusive maternity framework in India As of 2026, Indias maternity benefit regime reflects a clear progression toward inclusivity, flexibility, and stronger enforcement. The Code on Social Security, 2020 provides the statutory backbone, while the Supreme Court of Indias March 2026 ruling has expanded its scope to better reflect social realities. For employers, this means updating HR policies and compliance frameworks. For employees, it represents a more equitable and comprehensive maternity protection system. Frequently asked questions Q1. What changed in Indias maternity benefit regime in 2026? Answer: The biggest legal change in 2026 came from the Supreme Courts judgment dated March 17, 2026. The Court held that the three-month age limit for an adopted child under Section 60(4) of the Code on Social Security, 2020 was unconstitutional. It ruled that adoptive mothers cannot be denied maternity leave simply because the child adopted is older than three months, and it read the law to mean that a woman who legally adopts a child is entitled to 12 weeks of maternity benefit from the date the child is handed over. This is a significant shift for employers and HR teams in India. It means maternity leave policies must now reflect the Courts broader interpretation, not the earlier restrictive wording tied to the age of the adopted child. Q2. Which law governs maternity benefits in India in 2026? Answer: Maternity benefits in India are governed under Chapter VI of the Code on Social Security, 2020, which covers maternity benefit rights, payment rules, medical bonus, miscarriage leave, nursing breaks, creche facilities, and protection against dismissal during maternity-related absence. Government communications issued in late 2025 also state that the four labor codes, including the Social Security Code, were made effective from November 21, 2025. The Code on Social Security, 2020 consolidates nine existing social security legislations, namely: the Employees Compensation Act, 1923; the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948; the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952; the Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959; the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961; the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972; the Cine-Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981; the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996; and the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008. Q3. How much maternity leave is available in India? Answer: Under Section 60 of the Code on Social Security, 2020, the standard maternity benefit remains: 26 weeks of paid leave for a woman with fewer than two surviving children, with up to 8 weeks before expected delivery . for a woman with fewer than two surviving children, with up to . 12 weeks of paid leave where the woman has two or more surviving children . where the woman has . 12 weeks of paid leave for adoptive mothers , now regardless of the adopted childs age following the Supreme Court ruling. , now regardless of the adopted childs age following the Supreme Court ruling. 12 weeks of paid leave for commissioning mothers from the date the child is handed over. from the date the child is handed over. 6 weeks of paid leave in case of miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy, subject to proof as prescribed. in case of miscarriage or medical termination of pregnancy, subject to proof as prescribed. Up to 1 month of additional paid leave for illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery, premature birth, miscarriage, medical termination, or tubectomy. Q4. Who is eligible for maternity benefit under the Social Security Code? Answer: A woman must generally have worked in the establishment for at least 80 days in the 12 months immediately preceding the expected date of delivery to qualify for maternity benefit under the Code. The benefit is payable at the rate of the average daily wage as defined in the statute. For businesses, this makes employee records, attendance continuity, payroll calculations, and leave documentation especially important. Employers should align internal HR policies with statutory eligibility standards and maintain proper compliance records. Q5. Why did the Supreme Court expand maternity leave rights for adoptive mothers? Answer: The Supreme Court held that maternity benefit is not limited to biological recovery after childbirth. Instead, it serves wider objectives including caregiving, emotional bonding, family integration, dignity, and the welfare of the child. The bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan found that adoptive mothers of children above three months are similarly situated to those adopting younger children, and that the earlier age cap had no rational nexus with the object of maternity protection. The Court also noted a practical problem: by the time the legal adoption process is completed, a child may often be older than three months, making the earlier legal threshold unrealistic in actual adoption cases. Q6. What must employers do to comply with maternity benefit laws in India? Answer: Employers in India must align their HR, payroll, and compliance systems with the requirements under the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the latest judicial interpretations. Key obligations include: Grant statutory maternity leave in line with prescribed entitlements (26 weeks / 12 weeks, as applicable); in line with prescribed entitlements (26 weeks / 12 weeks, as applicable); Extend 12 weeks of leave to adoptive mothers irrespective of the childs age , in line with the 2026 Supreme Court ruling; , in line with the 2026 Supreme Court ruling; Ensure timely payment of maternity benefits at the average daily wage or applicable ESI rate; at the average daily wage or applicable ESI rate; Maintain employee records and eligibility documentation , including attendance and wage history; , including attendance and wage history; Provide nursing breaks and job protection during and after maternity leave; during and after maternity leave; Avoid dismissal or adverse treatment due to maternity-related absence; and due to maternity-related absence; and Facilitate work-from-home arrangements, where mutually agreed and feasible. Failure to comply may expose employers to penalties, disputes, and reputational risks. Q7. Are employers required to provide creche facilities? Answer: Yes. Establishments with 50 or more employees are required to provide creche facilities under the Code on Social Security, 2020. Employers must ensure that: Creche facilities are accessible within prescribed distance norms; Employees are allowed multiple visits to the creche during working hours ; and ; and Adequate safety, hygiene, and staffing standards are maintained. Where physical facilities are not feasible, many companies opt for creche allowances or third-party tie-ups as part of compliance and employee benefit strategies. Q8. How should employers update HR policies following the 2026 Supreme Court ruling? Answer: Employers should immediately review and update internal HR policies to reflect the expanded interpretation of maternity benefits. This includes: Removing age-based restrictions for adoptive mothers; for adoptive mothers; Updating employee handbooks, leave policies, and onboarding documents; Training HR teams and managers on revised entitlements; Aligning payroll systems to process maternity benefits correctly; and Ensuring consistency across India operations, especially for multinational companies. This is particularly important for organizations undergoing compliance audits or labor inspections. Q9. What are the record-keeping and reporting requirements for employers? Answer: Employers are required to: Maintain registers and records of maternity benefits , including leave taken and payments made; , including leave taken and payments made; Issue notices and acknowledgments as prescribed; as prescribed; Retain documentation for inspection by authorities such as the Inspector-cum-Facilitator; and Respond to complaints or disputes within prescribed timelines. Robust documentation is critical to demonstrate compliance and mitigate legal exposure. Q10. What are the risks of non-compliance for employers? Answer: Non-compliance with maternity benefit provisions may result in: Financial penalties and fines under labor laws; under labor laws; Employee disputes and litigation ; ; Regulatory scrutiny and inspections ; and ; and Reputational damage, particularly for foreign-invested enterprises and ESG-focused organizations. For businesses operating in India, maternity compliance is increasingly viewed not only as a legal requirement but also as a core component of workforce governance and ESG alignment. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis met on Wednesday evening at the Foreign Ministry with the US Ambassador and Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker. US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle also attended the meeting. The discussion focused on developments in the wider Middle East, strengthening cooperation within NATO, bilateral relations, and the strategic partnership between Greece and the United States. iefimerida.gr Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ruled out Greek military participation in the Strait of Hormuz, rebuffing mounting pressure from the Trump administration to join a multinational naval coalition in the conflict-strained waterway. Speaking at the Bloomberg Greek Energy: The New Era conference, Mr. Mitsotakis signaled that Athens will not engage in any unilateral military escalation in the Persian Gulf His remarks follow a direct appeal from President Donald Trump for NATO allies to secure the strait, which has remained in a state of "effective closure" since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began Feb. 28. Mr. Trump warned over the weekend that the future of NATO would be "very bad" for members failing to support the mission. "The simple answer is no," Mr. Mitsotakis said during a discussion with journalist Francine Lacqua. "Greece is not going to participate in any operation around the theater of current operations." The prime minister emphasized that Greeces military focus remains defensive and regional. He noted that while Greece was the first to deploy frigates and F-16 Vipers to support Cyprus following recent drone attacks on British sovereign bases, the mandate for Operation Aspidesthe EUs naval missionwill not be expanded to the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Mitsotakis described the likelihood of a European-endorsed combat mission as "very low" at this stage. With global oil prices surging past $116 a barrel, Mr. Mitsotakis called on European leaders to prepare for a "prolonged energy crisis." He urged the EU to deploy a "toolbox" of targeted supports for households, similar to the 2022 response to the Ukraine war. He specifically called for a "realistic Green Deal" that balances climate goals with industrial affordability, suggesting a recalibration of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to protect the shipping and cement sectors from crippling costs. "We cannot wait eight months for a decision this time," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "Everything must be examined through the lens of affordability." iefimerida.gr Greece has launched a formal debate on banning the burqa in state-run facilities and schools, with Migration Minister Thanos Plevris saying that the move is necessary to shield young girls from community pressure and forced concealment. Speaking to broadcaster SKAI, Mr. Plevris clarified that the government is weighing restrictions on full-face coveringsthe burqa and niqabrather than the traditional headscarf. He emphasized that the proposal is framed as a matter of human dignity and children's rights rather than religious discrimination, citing research conducted by Deputy Minister Sevi Voloudaki within migrant reception centers. "We have identified cases of young girls being pressured by male members of their communities to wear full-face coverings," Mr. Plevris said. "The question is not about religious symbols, but whether a child can genuinely choose such a practice while residing in a free society." The minister noted that Greece is reviewing legislative precedents in Austria, France, and Belgium, where the European Court of Human Rights has upheld similar restrictions. While no bill has been finalized, the government is considering two scenarios: a targeted ban within state facilities for minors, or a broader restriction covering all public services. The debate emerges as migration figures show a 60% decline in arrivals over the past year. Mr. Plevris attributed the drop to effective cooperation with Turkish authorities but warned that regional instability, particularly in Afghanistan, requires continued vigilance. Critics of the proposal, including human rights advocates, have cautioned that such a ban could isolate conservative families and hinder the very integration the government seeks to promote. iefimerida.gr Police on the island of Crete have dismantled a major international criminal network suspected of smuggling hundreds of Pakistani nationals into Greece through a sophisticated work-visa fraud scheme. The operation led to the arrest of 21 individuals, including the alleged ringleader. Authorities confirmed the group consists of 16 Greek nationals and five Pakistanis. During synchronized raids across Crete, Thebes, and the Greater Athens region, officers seized more than 200,000 in cash and extensive digital records detailing the syndicate's illicit transactions. Investigators say the ring exploited Greece's seasonal labor programs by filing fraudulent declarations from shell companies and complicit employers. Each migrant was reportedly charged a 10,000 fee to secure a visa. Once in the country, the workers were subjected to debt bondage, forced to pay monthly "installments" of 1,000 to the gang. The network is believed to have been active since early 2024, netting an estimated 5 million in total profits. The crackdown comes as Greece intensifies its border and labor inspections amid heightened regional security concerns and a broader European effort to curb the abuse of legal migration pathways. "This was a highly organized operation that capitalized on the desperation of individuals seeking a better life," a Hellenic Police spokesperson said. Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis praised the specialized anti-trafficking units for the breakthrough. Mr. Chrysochoidis stated that the government remains committed to dismantling "criminal enterprises that undermine national security and exploit human labor." The suspects face charges of human trafficking, fraud, and money laundering. iefimerida.gr Citizens' purchasing power, which is the other side of competitiveness, is expected to be underlined by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Euro Summit meeting in Brussels on Thursday, as a rule to go by, government sources said on Wednesday The agenda of the European Council Summit meeting includes EU competitiveness, the Multiannual Financial Framework, the situation in Ukraine, the latest developments in the Middle East, their impact and European reaction, European security and defense, and the migration issue. PM Mitsotakis is expected to say, according to information, that Europe must rely on the lessons gained from the 2022 energy crisis following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The same sources said that Greece is favorable to proposals set out in a letter to EU leaders by European Commission President Ursula von der Leien, "however, nobody must overlook the fact that the crisis today begins from a different base - higher natural gas and gas emission prices - and proposals should not be adding further burdens." In terms of the war in Iran and the Middle East, the Greek premier will stress that the defense support that Greece provided to the Cyprus Republic first and other countries followed was an expression of European solidarity in action - and that, without even activating article 42.7 of the Treaty of the European Union (TEU) on mutual support of an EU member under threat - which has set a precedent. At the same time, he will underline in the most emphatic way possible the geopolitical importance of the East Mediterranean. According to government officials, "Current developments in the wider region justify the prime minister, who has pointed out in statements to the European Council that the EU's defense strategy (and the EU's map of defense readiness) must involve a 360-degrees approach. That is, Europe must be ready to face threats not just in the east, but also at the southern flanks of the EU. European security is directly linked to developments in the Middle East, as shown by the example of Cyprus, an EU member-state which is facing security threats." Greece's stance is that the EU should aim toward a diplomatic solution with Iran that will manage all aspects, particularly that of Tehran's nuclear and ballistic program. The same officials underlined that Greece does not get involved in war operations and does not intend to do so at the Strait of Hormuz, something the Greek premier has already pointed out. In addition, and on the occasion of the discussion on the possibility of expanding the order for the 'Aspides' operation, they reminded that in the end, at the European operation in the Red Sea, it was only Greece and Italy that contributed forces, a disappointing precedent that should not set the bar of expectations very high. iefimerida.gr In a period of significant international developments, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke extensively about Greeces challenges in energy , tourism, and geopolitical security in an interview with the Australian newspaper Neos Kosmos . The discussion also highlighted the importance of postal voting for Greeks abroad and the bilateral cooperation with Australia Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra staged a protest in the United Kingdom during Bola Tinubus state visit, demanding the immediate release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The demonstrators gathered at key locations across London, including Parliament Square, 10 Downing Street, the Commonwealth Office and the Nigerian High Commission. In a video circulating online, a protester was heard saying, Our message is very clear: Tinubu does not deserve a royal salute. That is our stand today, being the 18th of March. Advertisement Protesters were seen holding placards with the inscription, Free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Many wore red caps and waved Biafra flags, a horizontal tricolour of red, black, and green, featuring a golden rising sun at the centre of the black strip. Watch video: pic.twitter.com/mh7DuDhxad Listen to article 0:00 min In her poem, "To the Chimeras of South Jersey," Jia-Rui Cook writes of teenage heartache, 80s movies, and the gulf between her American childhood and the world of her parents, immigrants from China by way of Taiwan and Singapore. acing / honors English but flunking Saturday / Chinese School: double cherries that ripen / when summer sun runs hot. This world / will feel less than whole for many years Advertisement The Cherry Hill-bred and Los Angeles-based writer is set to release her debut poetry collection, Soft Beasts, next year. The book explores Cooks upbringing in South Jersey, her coming of age in Los Angeles, and the various bodies we inhabit in our ever-changing world. Cook is the 2025 winner of the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, a national prize out of Fresno State University that awards one writer $2,000 and the publication and distribution of a book. As she prepares for the release of Soft Beasts, Cook reflected on her formative years in Cherry Hill, which shaped her career as a writer and figure prominently in her poetry. Cherry Hill was kind of an amazing incubator for young writers like herself, Cook said. Cooks parents settled in Cherry Hill when she was a toddler and sent her to James H. Johnson Elementary School, Henry C. Beck Middle School, and Cherry Hill High School East. At East, Cook played lacrosse, worked on the yearbook, participated in the All-South Jersey band, and wrote for the student newspaper. Cook took an early interest in playing with words (her parents had an Inquirer subscription, and Cook was a habitual reader of the crosswords and comics page). A 1995 Inquirer story profiled Cook (whose maiden name is Chong) and her classmate Gina Kang, both star lacrosse players who were headed to Harvard University. In Cooks high school yearbook, she wrote that it was her goal to write good poetry. Cook studied American history and literature at Harvard, joining the poetry board and studying under writers Seamus Heaney and Helen Vendler. She wrote a thesis on Moby Dick. Cook always wanted to be a writer but didnt know if she could make a living out of poetry. After college, she ventured into another form of storytelling journalism. Cook spent six years at the Los Angeles Times, covering everything from medical research to Asian American life in the city. She left journalism in 2009 and has worked in science and health communications since, including a stint at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Reporting and science writing are grounded in third-person observation and objectivity, Cook said, and as she was writing about rocket launches and research breakthroughs, she missed the creativity that drew her to writing in the first place. She wrote a few poems in the mid-2010s, and won the Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize in 2013, but life quickly became busy with parenthood and work (Cook and her husband, Bryan, who is from the Main Line, have two daughters). It wasnt until 2021 that Cook felt like she could pick up the pen again. You get on this roller coaster of going, going, going, and then when you suddenly stop, you think, Wow, actually, maybe Ive learned some things. I have some things to share, she said, recalling how it felt to return to poetry five years ago. So Cook began to write again about people, animals, her childhood in Cherry Hill, the subtleties of the Chinese American experience she came to understand while living in and writing about Los Angeles. I had to really step away and experience the world for a bit, she said. I had to go out and experience the world and to see it, and maybe try to tell other peoples stories for a while before I really understood, What story did I want to tell about my own life? Anagrams (words or phrases made by rearranging the letters of a different word) figure prominently in her work. In her poem Anagram No. 2, Cook anagrams Cherry Hill, New Jersey, rearranging the letters to make sentences that resemble English, but dont precisely follow its conventions. English was not Cooks parents first language, and there was always this kind of slipperiness with the language in her house, she said. Anagram No. 2 is playing around with the English language in a way that echos the experience of learning it. In January, Cook became a fellow with the Periplus collective, a mentorship program for writers of color. In February, she won the Levine Prize. Jake Skeets, the Levine Prizes final judge, called Cooks poetry both wonder and wander, holding stark, living images of place and teachings on how to be alive in the present moment. For Cook, publishing poetry has been an opportunity to create something meaningful in a world that feels under siege. The immigration crackdown that overtook Los Angeles last summer weighed heavily on her as the child of immigrants. It just was really wonderful and incredibly meaningful to feel like Ive been creating these little, tiny bits of beauty where I can in the world, she said. Winning Fresno States Levine Prize is poignant for Cook. Fresno State was the first place Cooks mother landed when she arrived in the U.S. and was where she learned English. Decades later, the university is helping to publish Cooks first book. It felt like a full-circle moment, Cook said. Though California has been her residence for decades (and Cook says she has decidedly fallen in love with Los Angeles), she still considers South Jersey home. Its the place where she became a writer and where her journey of self-understanding began. It has to start somewhere, she said of her book. So it really does start in Cherry Hill. Inquirer Cherry Hill A weekly newsletter Want to get Inquirer Cherry Hill straight to your inbox every week? Sign up here for our guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in your community. 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. Dorothy M. Davis (left), seated in front of a photo of her father, Griff Davis, discussed his life's work with Lincoln University Art History and Pan-African Studies Professor Michael Wilson during a VIP reception for the exhibit "Lincoln University: Through the Lens of Griff Davis." Read more Listen to article 0:00 min International photojournalist and foreign service officer Griff Davis died in 1993. Since then, his daughter, Dorothy M. Davis, has been on a fierce mission to keep his memory from fading. Davis left behind a legacy of 55,000 historic black-and-white images documenting some of the most significant people of the U.S. civil rights and African independence movements. His daughter has spent the past three decades archiving the photographs and curating exhibitions of his work, including Lincoln University: Through the Lens of Griff Davis, which is open through May 3 at the universitys main campus in Chester County. Advertisement The exhibit showcases Davis photographs of and correspondence with four of Lincoln Universitys most well-known alumni: Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Kwame Nkrumah. Lincoln, the nations first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), was started in 1854. History provides a sense of purpose Davis captured behind-the-scenes photos of Hughes, a leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance, and a young Marshall, who was the first Black U.S. Supreme Court justice. His international subjects included Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, and Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria. These men were in touch with each other and supporting each other, Dorothy Davis said. My dad knew them as people. Through his photographs and letters, he supported them. I was inspired as a student of Lincoln to know I had matriculated at a place where Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, Kwame Nkrumah, and Nnamdi Azikiwe matriculated, said Gordon Linton, a 1970 Lincoln University graduate and former state representative from Philadelphia who was a catalyst for bringing the exhibit to the school. That sense of history provides a sense of purpose that the university holds for its students, he said. Davis was a campus photographer at Morehouse College in Atlanta as a student. A military stint during World War II interrupted his education, but he returned to Morehouse upon discharge. In 1947, during his final semester, he took a creative writing course with Hughes, who was teaching at nearby Atlanta University. That launched a 20-year friendship that lasted until Hughes death in 1967. After Davis graduation, Hughes helped him obtain his first photography job as Ebony magazines inaugural roving editor and encouraged him to attend Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism. There, Davis was the only Black American student in the class of 1949. From photojournalism to foreign service After his graduation from Columbia, Davis worked as an international photojournalist for the newly formed Black Star Publishing Company, the countrys first privately owned picture agency, founded by three Jewish emigres who fled Nazi Germany. Davis, their first Black photographer, was often hailed for bringing dignity to his subjects. I think my father would say he saw himself as a photographer first and a journalist/writer was close second, Dorothy Davis said. He could communicate more accurately with his photos. Her father switched hats and joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1952. His first assignment took him and his new bride to Liberia as the first information officer and audio/visual adviser for the U.S. embassy. Davis worked in many capacities in the Foreign Service for USAID and retired in 1985. Throughout it all, he continued documenting stories with his camera. Dorothy Davis was born in Liberia, unaware of what it meant to be American or Black. It was a deliberate move by her parents, who wanted to shield her from the virulent racism of the U.S. and provide her with a multicultural perspective. He was in the present but always aware of the future, she recalled. I saw him always turning a moment into a teaching about something. Lincoln University: Through the Lens of Griff Davis is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 3 in the Special Collections and Archives department of the Langston Hughes Memorial Library on Lincoln Universitys main campus, 1570 Baltimore Pike. Patrick Melcher poses for a portrait at his business, Natures Edge Woodwork, near Downingtown. He has paid thousands this winter to heat his old stone farmhouse and his workshop on the same property. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min If youre getting burned by high heating bills this winter, youre in good, and equally stressed, company. U.S. households are expected to pay more than $1,000 on average to heat their homes this winter, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Associations projections, which were updated last month. Thats about $100 more than households paid last year, according to the association, which advocates for federal funding for low-income ratepayers. Advertisement Consumers are paying more whether they heat their homes with electricity, natural gas, or heating oil. Residential propane costs are on par with last year. And customers usually pay more in freezing temperatures, when more energy is required to keep their homes comfortable. Philly-area residents were hit with a double whammy: They experienced one of the coldest, snowiest winters in recent memory as rate increases took effect for major utilities, including Peco and PGW. All this occurred after a summer in which some local consumers paid more than ever to stay cool. Spokespeople for Peco and PGW, which provide electric and gas service to millions across southeastern Pennsylvania, said many of their customers saw increased usage this winter due to the cold. They noted that individual bills can also be impacted by thermostat settings, efficiency of appliances, and weatherization of windows, doors, and other parts of the home, as well as whether customers have opted for a third-party energy supplier. READ MORE: Make your home energy efficient with this expert advice Energy affordability remains a priority, and rising supply costs set by competitive markets and not controlled or profited from by Peco continue to be a major driver of customer bills, spokesperson Candice Womer said in a statement, noting a nearly 20% year-over-year supply cost increase for electric customers and a nearly 10% increase for gas. The Inquirer spoke with five people who live across the region, have different types of homes, and use varying fuel sources and heating systems. Heres how much theyve paid to keep warm this winter. Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity. Supporters wait outside a funeral to pay their respects for Corporal Timothy J. OConnor Jr., who lost his life in the line of duty on Sunday, March 8. The funeral was held at St. Joseph Parish, in Downingtown. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Pennsylvania and beyond filled a Chester County church on Wednesday to honor State Police Cpl. Timothy OConnor, gathering in a solemn show of tribute to a fallen trooper remembered for his steadiness, leadership, and devotion to his family. Inside St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown, speakers reflected on OConnors life and service, as rows of uniformed officers sat shoulder to shoulder. In a gymnasium and outside the church, others watched a livestream after the sanctuary reached its capacity. Dozens of people gathered on the sidewalk, holding signs and flags in homage to OConnor. Advertisement Standing at a podium flanked by rows of stained glass windows, OConnors wife, Casey, urged the hundreds of uniformed officers in attendance to carry forward his example of kindness and character. Do not let the bad of this world tarnish your intention of protecting with integrity, she told the assembled troopers and livestream viewers. OConnor was killed on March 8 after a routine traffic stop on a quiet stretch of road in Chester County turned deadly. The 40-year-old trooper had pulled over a motorist who was driving erratically near Compass Road in West Caln Township, authorities said. As he approached the window, the driver later identified as Jesse Nathan Elks opened fire, striking him. Responding officers arrived within minutes to find both men wounded. OConnor was taken to Paoli Hospital, where he was pronounced dead; Elks died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In the days that followed, OConnors death reverberated across law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania. He was the 105th member of the Pennsylvania State Police to die in the line of duty, prompting an outpouring of tributes from officers, elected officials and community members who described him as steady and deeply committed to his work. OConnor graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in 2011 as a member of its 131st cadet class. He had joined the force the year before, according to his obituary, after serving with the Avondale Patrol Unit and as a member of the First West Chester Fire Company. Over the course of his state police career, he worked in the Troop J Vice Unit before transferring in 2022 to the Embreeville Patrol Unit, where he was promoted to corporal. Lt. Col. George Bivens, the acting state police commissioner, said OConnors promotion reflected his leadership and dedication to the badge a career, he added, bound by a promise to never forget those who gave everything in its name. But OConnors proudest role, Bivens said, was at home, as a husband and father to his 7-year-old daughter, Kenzie. OConnor showed her what it meant to be kind, be brave and do the right thing, he said. Casey OConnor described their daughter as her husbands constant shadow, always eager to follow him as he mowed the lawn or worked on projects around the house. And OConnor gave his whole heart to her, she said. He would move heaven and earth for her, she said. She called her husband a steady, reliable man who worked hard to build their family a beautiful life. Casey OConnors final words, she acknowledged, might seem unusual, but they reflected her husbands devotion to the Eagles, which he followed faithfully. Go birds, she said, drawing light laughter from the crowd. Outside the church, Linda Rohm, 66, of Downington, held a miniature American flag. She had taken a half day off work to watch the funeral procession, she said, and show her support for OConnors family, whom she does not know. Things like this just touch my heart, she said. Todd Neuhausel, 58, and his wife, Erica, 52, of Downington, said they had never seen a law enforcement officers funeral. They came Wednesday, they said, to offer condolences for a fallen hometown trooper. As the two stood across the street from a line of parked motorcycles, Todd Neuhausel marveled that several bore New York license plates. They drove all the way here? Wow, he said. Law enforcement officers came from across the country, from as near as New York to as far as North Carolina. As the men and women poured out from the church, Rohm aimed her phone at the churchs driveway, where cranes had hoisted a giant flag and the hearse carrying OConnors body waited to leave the parking lot. Moments earlier, she remarked that OConnors killing had happened too close to home. She added: I just wanted to be a part of his last ride. OConnors commendations included the Commissioners Area Command Significant Achievement Award, the Blooming Grove Service Award, and the Chester County Manhunt Service Award, according to his obituary. Listen to article 0:00 min Bensalem Township Superintendent Samuel Lee has resigned from the Bucks County school district amid what officials have described as severe budget challenges. At a March 11 meeting, the school board unanimously approved Lees resignation, which takes effect April 1. Advertisement The board also approved a separation agreement with Lee, who has been superintendent since 2015 and last March was appointed to another four-year contract. Reading a statement at the board meeting last week, board president Deborah King didnt comment on the reason for Lees departure. After discussion with the board, the superintendent has decided to resign, King said. We thank him for his service to the district and wish him well in his future endeavors. Lee did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. King noted that the leadership change comes as the district is also facing significant financial challenges, including a $12 million budget deficit. Bensalem officials have cited rising special education and charter school tuition payments as major cost pressures. If the district raises taxes by 4.2% next year, it will still be more than $7 million short, John Steffy, the districts director of business operations, said at last weeks meeting. The district could cover that gap by restructuring debt, he said, though doing so will prolong the number of years the district pays it off. In a March 11 letter to the community, Lee said that serving as superintendent of Bensalem Township School District has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life. As I prepare to step away from this role, I want to express my deep gratitude to our students, families, staff, and community members who make this district such a special place, Lee said in the letter. The board last week appointed Victoria Velasquez, currently assistant to the superintendent for K-12 administration, as interim superintendent while it searches for Lees successor. The board also last week accepted the resignation of financial manager Brett Haskin. King said that the departure of Haskin who is taking a job with the Pennsbury School District was not connected to Lees resignation. Mingchu Pearl Huynh, founder of the Northeast Philadelphia Chinese Association, at the Friends Hospital site where a new city-run health clinic is set to open. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min Northeast Philadelphia residents hoped their yearslong fight for more primary care access in the neighborhood was coming to an end, when city officials requested bids from contractors late last year to build a clinic on the grounds of Friends Hospital in Lawndale. Then they saw the citys construction timeline, showing the $45 million project will not be completed until 2030. Advertisement Residents say thats too long to wait. Wait times for appointments at Health Center 10, the areas only city-run primary care clinic, can stretch for months. Thats a really painful thing to hear, you know? said Mingchu Pearl Huynh, the founder of the Northeast Philadelphia Chinese Association and a board member at Health Center 10. The money is there, the law is approved, the proposal is out there, but the timeline is no good. Huynhs organization has floated an alternate proposal, asking the city to direct contractors to start prepping the site for construction while architects complete the facilitys interior plans. They say it will shave about a year off construction time. City health officials met last month with Huynh and other advocates who have circulated a petition asking the city to speed up the timeline. Expanding healthcare access in the Lower Northeast is a primary priority for the city, said Sharon Gallagher, a spokesperson for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. The citys plan would have construction begin at the Friends Hospital health center in 2027, and finish just over two years after that, Gallagher said. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the alternate proposal. A third health center for the neighborhood, at Frankford Transportation Center, is in the early planning stage, she said. Gallagher said the city has identified the need for the new clinics in the Northeast since at least 2018. In community meetings held over the proposal in 2023, some residents said they were concerned about plans to demolish a 170-year-old building on the Friends Hospital campus to make way for the new clinic. The Historical Commission eventually gave the go-ahead for demolition, and City Council approved zoning for the project in 2024. A huge problem West and North Philadelphia each have two health centers. South Philadelphia has a city-run primary care clinic and an urgent care clinic within less than a mile of each other. Northeast Philadelphias lone city-run clinic, Health Center 10, serves a region with few healthcare options. City-run clinics accept patients regardless of their insurance status and charges on a sliding scale, a lifeline in the Northeast. Overall, about 41% of patients at all city-run health clinics are uninsured, a 16% increase since 2017, the city said in its request for proposals for the new clinic. Likewise, in 2023, about 40% of Health Center 10s clients had no insurance. The Northeast is also home to some of the highest concentrations of people who have immigrated to Philadelphia. By law, they cannot qualify for government-funded Medicaid health coverage until five years after they obtain a green card. Those who arent able to afford private insurance rely on clinics like Health Center 10. At a community dinner earlier this year, Huynh said, she sat next to a man who had recently immigrated to Philadelphia with his family. He told her he had no idea where to get healthcare, and that he couldnt afford insurance. What do you do when you get sick? Huynh asked him. We dont get sick, he said. Though its the only option for some, many Health Center 10 patients say they appreciate the quality of the care they receive. People rave about the health centers not just because of the quality of care, but the wraparound comprehensive care you get there. Theres doctors, dentists, pharmacies on site, specialists, said Adam Goldman, the executive director at the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, a nonprofit that has partnered with Huynh and other neighbors to advocate for more health options in the Northeast. [The Northeast] is such a big part of the citys population, and the fact they only have one health center is a huge problem, he said. Huynh, born to parents of Chinese descent in Vietnam, immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1984. She moved to Philadelphia in 2012, became a patient at Health Center 10 shortly after, and worked as an interpreter there for years. She has stayed on as a patient, now with private insurance. Even as an existing patient, Huynh has struggled with long wait times for appointments. Its very frequent that my appointment gets canceled and when its rescheduled, it takes 50 days to two months, she said. It has an impact on everyone Next year, about 300,000 Pennsylvania residents will risk losing federally funded Medicaid coverage because of new eligibility criteria, including provisions for some adults to meet work requirements and reapply for Medicaid every six months, instead of once a year. That could leave many more Philadelphians relying on city health centers for care, said Carol Rogers, who serves as a board member for city health centers. When patients lack insurance and regular access to primary care, she noted, they often end up requiring costly treatment at hospitals for otherwise treatable conditions. We have to advocate for someone to move this timeline up, so people do not have to suffer from treatable healthcare problems that will cause them lifelong problems, she said. Rogers noted that patients who cant get appointments at their closest city-run health center often transfer to others elsewhere in the city, increasing the patient load across the system. It has an impact on everyone, the shortage of care in this one area of the city. Editors note: This article has been updated to correct Carol Rogers title. Experts are overhauling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the dominant guidebook to mental maladies and a key factor in determining insurance payments. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min Amanda Miller was 30 and pregnant with her second child in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when she developed depression. After she gave birth, her depression worsened. It was joined by a slew of unexplained health problems. Advertisement Miller, a neuroscientist, said she saw several psychiatrists and got prescriptions for drug after drug. Over two years, she tried four antidepressants and two antipsychotics. None of that helped until her primary care doctor noticed high levels of an autoimmune marker in her blood. A specialist then ran every test in the book, Miller said. Eventually, she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus and prescribed an inflammation-lowering steroid. Some of her symptoms let up within hours. Her depression subsided not long after. I was convinced it was a placebo effect, Miller said, but then it kept working. Had inflammation been contributing to her mental health problems all along? Miller thinks so, although she cant know for sure. Her psychiatrists never raised that possibility, she said. In most medical specialties, doctors can confirm whether to pursue a type of treatment through tests, such as blood work, imaging, and biopsies. Mental illnesses, however, have historically been diagnosed and treated based on outward symptoms. That could change. The American Psychiatric Association in a January paper included ideas for how it might incorporate biomarkers biological indicators of mental illness that could show up on diagnostic tests into future versions of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The DSM, sometimes called psychiatrys bible because of its influence in the field, provides criteria for diagnoses. Its used by clinicians assessing patients and by insurance companies deciding whether to cover care. Coordinated research needed Psychiatric biomarkers are not ready for widespread use yet, the paper emphasized. Scientists have researched the topic for decades, with little to show for it. More research is needed to prove these metrics are valid and reliable enough to be used in patient care, the APAs paper said, and other researchers have raised questions about how their use could affect healthcare costs, insurance coverage, and patient privacy. Adding biomarkers to the DSM would be a very big deal, said Jonathan Alpert, an author of the January paper and vice chair of the APAs Future DSM Strategic Committee. Access to test results, along with symptoms, could streamline insurance coverage decisions and help clinicians make faster and more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations, he said. If patients biology suggested theyd respond better to one treatment than another, their doctor could waste no time in starting there. Currently, prescribing psychiatric medications can be a bit of a crapshoot, with clinicians unable to predict whether they will work for a particular patient, said Matthew Eisenberg, director of the Center for Mental Health and Addiction Policy at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. In a seminal, early 2000s trial funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, about 30% of the studys participants with depression saw symptoms disappear with their first antidepressant treatment. That study is still one of the most robust antidepressant trials conducted although researchers have more recently argued that fewer people are cured by these medications than its results suggest. Such a trial-and-error approach can lead to ineffective and unnecessary prescriptions, a topic of attack by proponents of the Make America Healthy Again movement, spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy has been especially critical of antidepressants, having linked them to violence after a mass shooting without evidence and blaming doctors for overprescribing medications for children. HHS is analyzing psychiatric diagnosis and prescription trends and evaluating alternative mental health treatment approaches, with a particular focus on children, spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in a statement. Hilliard did not respond to a question about Kennedys previous comments. Biomarkers are already used to guide treatment in other medical disciplines, such as oncology. Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, and more than a dozen other states require insurers to cover such testing. Blood and imaging tests are now used to help diagnose Alzheimers disease as well. The APA included in its article a variety of ways psychiatric biomarkers could be used in the future such as testing for brain activity, genetic profiles, or immune markers associated with certain psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and substance use disorders. In depression, for example, about a quarter of patients have elevated levels of an inflammatory protein, called C-reactive protein, that can be found through a blood test. Research has shown that people with high levels of this protein seem to respond better when given drugs that alter dopamine levels in the brain, rather than using only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, a common type of antidepressant. C-reactive protein still needs to be robustly validated as a biomarker, according to the APAs paper, but its among the most promising currently under investigation. A coordinated, well-funded research effort is needed to achieve such validation, the APA wrote a tenuous prospect since the Trump administration slashed funding for research. The National Institute of Mental Health alone had at least 128 grants, worth almost $173 million, canceled in 2025, according to a research letter in the journal JAMA. Though some grants have since been restored, researchers relying on federal money still fear their work is vulnerable to cuts. Theres a great need for continued, active funding of research related to mental health, Alpert said, but scientists will have to grapple with uncertainties of the funding landscape. Ripple effects on coverage, costs Healthcare costs tend to be higher among patients with poorly controlled mental illnesses, due to expenses like hospital visits, outpatient appointments, and prescriptions. Some research suggests biomarker testing could save money by landing on the right treatments faster and avoiding some of these costs. One modeling study estimated that testing to look for genetic components that may influence a drugs effectiveness could save the Canadian health system $956 million over 20 years if used among adults with major depression in British Columbia. Another study, by Spanish researchers, found that such testing reduced costs for most of the 188 participants with serious mental illness. Whether the same would be true in the U.S. healthcare system is unknown. In the short term, Johns Hopkins Eisenberg said, an approach that uses biomarkers could raise healthcare spending due to the costs of testing. Insurers may decline to cover pricey biomarker tests, he added. It takes a while for new science to be proven safe and effective, Eisenberg said. And once it is, insurance companies dont cover it immediately. Some researchers have raised concerns that insurers or employers could discriminate against people whose biological profiles suggest theyre at risk of developing serious neuropsychiatric conditions. Its a critical moment to consider legislative approaches to protect patients and train clinicians about how to appropriately use these tools, said Gabriel Lazaro-Munoz, a member of Harvard Medical Schools Center for Bioethics. I do not think that the field of psychiatry is currently ready to manage this, he said. The mental health system isnt ready to jump in with both feet, said Andrew Miller, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Emory University School of Medicine, who studies inflammation-related depression. But the APAs embrace of biomarkers signals the beginning of a revolution, he said. This is a recognition that what weve done up to this point has not been good enough, Miller said. And we can do better. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. A resident of Camp Chloe, an encampment along the Delaware River Trail in South Philadelphia, cites a list of demands for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min About 20 homeless residents living in tents on a half-mile stretch of the Delaware River in South Philadelphia woke up to a cowbell last Wednesday. It was another encampment clearing. Advertisement Residents and homeless outreach volunteers said contractors, a handful carrying machetes and wearing hazmat suits, razed four tents before an agreement could be reached with police and the property manager for 1525 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. The agreement gives residents until Friday to leave, though the extension offers little comfort to the group. This marked one of several disbandments residents have experienced in the last several years along that stretch of the Delaware River Trail. These self-described tight-knit communities salvage what they can and move up or down the trail each time, only to undergo the removal process all over again. The constant displacement is too disruptive to build something that is meant to offer safety and solace while those living here are trying to reach a new chapter for themselves, said Colleen Stepanian with South Philly Food Not Bombs, who has been providing encampment residents with food for about three years. Stepanian, other homeless advocates, and residents are demanding Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and other city leaders do more to help some of the most shelter-resistant in Philadelphia. Their main ask is for the city to create safe sleep sites, areas where people could legally camp as they wait for permanent housing. These spaces would have bathrooms, showers, 24/7 security, and a fixed address so people could be easily found by outreach workers. These provisions would address some of the biggest complaints homeless people have regarding shelters: theft, violence, curfews that make it hard to do gig work, and separation from partners and pets. We dont want to leave our significant other or our dog or cat, theyre part of our family, an encampment resident who identified himself as Chris said at a news conference Monday. Residents said they ultimately want to be offered permanent supportive housing directly from the street, a proposition that puts the city in a tough predicament as tens of thousands remain on the housing choice voucher and public housing waitlists. READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle Parkers new budget plan includes fees on Uber and Amazon, 1,000 homeless shelter beds, and $200M for addiction recovery In the absence of immediate housing, theyd like a better system for disbandments. One that doesnt rely on police and helps preserve peoples possessions during these disbandments. Ideally, storage and property receipts, so people can move easily. Finally, the group wants an oversight board, made up of people whove experienced homelessness, to review encampment resolution plans and ensure theyre humane. Were not cattle In October, excavators and dumpster trucks lined up along 1341 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., which city records show stretches across two piers along the Delaware River Trail. The parcels are privately owned and slated to break ground on a 620-unit apartment tower early next year. As the razing of tents and makeshift cooking areas began, most of the roughly 40 encampment members took what they could and left, but not before losing identification, legal documents, and priceless personal items, such as family photographs. The citys Office of Homeless Services was there with medical aid, housing, behavioral health, addiction treatment, and animal care and control services. The city said only five people accepted some form of support at the time. Many others did what theyve done time and time again. They reset camp. This time at 1525 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. They named the community Camp Chloe, after a dog that they said protects the space. Months later, theyre being forced to move once more. Tower Investments Inc., which owns the parcels in question, declined to comment for this story. But Camp Chloe members said the introduction of a cowbell and use of machetes during the first disbandment attempt felt particularly dehumanizing. Were not cattle, said one 56-year-old encampment resident, who declined to give her name because shes hiding from an abusive ex-partner. Kelsey Leon, a harm reductionist who works with Camp Chloe members, said, Residents arent trying to steal anyones land. Residents have said if a property owner asked them to leave, they would, but there has to be dignity in that process, and people need somewhere to go, she said. The city said it was ready to offer Camp Chloe residents social services, including shelter beds, as it has done for past encampments. The City has been in contact with many of these individuals over an extended period of time, and we are committed to working with our partners to address these challenging situations and will continue to do all we can for our fellow Philadelphians, said a statement from the Office of Public Safety. As for how a private property owner manages the disbandment process, the city has long maintained that its hands are tied. Its up to the owner on how to clean and secure their parcels. The city said a 2021 Managing Directors Office directive that laid out the notice required before an encampment resolution and established a system for the city to store personal property for at least 30 days applied only to public property. Leon said residents were offered private storage in the October sweep, but it was for a boxs worth of items to be stored in Kensington, which was of little help. The city did not address Camp Chloes demands otherwise. Camping as temporary shelter Sleeping outdoors has come under increased scrutiny in recent years as the opioid crisis, disruptions from the pandemic, and high cost of living have driven more people into homelessness across the country. Even as other cities reported a drop in homelessness between 2024 and 2025, city data from its annual point-in-time count suggests an increase in the number of people sleeping on Philadelphia streets and in shelters during that period. The issue of whether cities could arrest and fine people for sleeping in public spaces reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024, which held that these penalties were not forms of cruel and unusual punishment. In the first six months after the ruling, an NPR analysis found more than 100 cities imposed bans on sleeping outside and encampments. Philadelphias Office of Homeless Services condemned the decision at the time, saying people experiencing homelessness need and deserve more. This is why OHS and our City partners work together to offer people whove gathered in one location on the sidewalk, or a park or other outdoor venue services from emergency and temporary shelter to substance use treatment, said the statement. Even so, plenty of people remain out of reach for a number of reasons. They cant connect to proper treatment, dont want a shelter bed, or are on a waitlist for permanent housing. As Camp Chloe faces disbandment, residents and their advocates want the city to think of creative ways to address the constant shuffling of people. Safe sleep sites have been implemented in cities like San Diego, which has adopted it as a low-barrier alternative to a traditional shelter two of these sites are now the subject of a federal lawsuit citing inhumane conditions. Vancouver, Wash., had its own twist on the idea, erecting modular shelters on a property that had previously been the site of an encampment. The 56-year-old encampment resident said a legal outdoor camping space would offer people like her a bit of stability as she gets back on her feet. It would address the constant moving, which often means acquiring new tents and other gear, while keeping people living on the street in one place and out of sight. Or theyll be on your streets or on your blocks in front of you, every day when you go to work, said the former business owner, who remembered how she thought it was unpleasant to see homeless people living outdoors before it happened to her a year and a half ago. Im being honest, I know what they must say. Staff writer Jake Blumgart contributed to this article. Listen to article 0:00 min Four U.S. Navy vessels, long counted on to suss out mines planted in Middle East waters, were bound for Philadelphia last week following their recent decommissioning even as the U.S. war with Iran shows no signs of abating. A U.S. Navy official confirmed that the Avenger-class ships the USS Devastator, USS Dextrous, USS Gladiator, and USS Sentry were en route to Philly last week, where they would continue onwards in the inactivation process. Advertisement The timing of the ships Philadelphia arrival is concurrent with the escalation of the war in Iran, in which the Strait of Hormuz through which roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil flows has become a focal point. The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, reported last week that Iran had begun using smaller boats to mine the waters of the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to stall travel through the waterway. CNN has reported that Iran boasted the capability to lay hundreds of mines in the Strait. Replacing the ships For decades, the U.S. had relied on the four recently decommissioned ships to locate such devices. In a September 2025 news release announcing the decommissioning of the vessels, the Navy said the ships had for years been a vital form of defense, using sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that could be released and detonated by remote control, according to the Navy. They were also capable of conventional mine sweeping measures. For more than three decades, USS Devastator, USS Dextrous, USS Gladiator and USS Sentry have been critical to maritime missions around the globe, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. George Wikoff said in a statement last September. Today, just four of the mine countermeasures ships or MCMs remain in use. All are stationed in Sasebo, Japan. According to last years release, the four decommissioned ships were slated to be replaced by four littoral combat ships or LCSs. The Navys current primary surface platform for executing counter-mine warfare operations is the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) equipped with the mine countermeasures mission package, a Navy official said in an email. The MCM mission package is a sophisticated suite of manned and unmanned systems designed to locate, identify, and neutralize seamines, at a safer distance from minefields than the Avenger-class MCMs, the Navy official wrote. Last week, however, the Independent reported that the LCS program has been beset by issues, including budgetary overruns and concerns over the vessels ability to perform in combat situations. Whats more, its unclear how many of the newer vessels have been deployed to the Middle East to replace those taken out of commission. The Navy said last year that the USS Canberra had arrived in Bahrain in May, but that same Navy official last week declined to say whether the other three LCS vessels had arrived in the Middle East referring a reporter to the public affairs office for U.S. Central Command. An email sent to that offices media relations office Monday referred a reporter back to the Navys press office, which did not immediately respond to follow-up questions. Next steps in the war The U.S. Central Command said in a social media post March 10 that U.S. forces had eliminated 16 Iranian minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. In recent days, President Donald Trump has made a number of public statements about the Strait, in which he has downplayed threats even as he issued a scathing warning. If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! Trump wrote last week on Truth Social. If ... they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction! he added. Additionally, we are using the same Technology and Missile capabilities deployed against Drug Traffickers to permanently eliminate any boat or ship attempting to mine the Hormuz Strait. They will be dealt with quickly and violently. BEWARE! Listen to article 0:00 min A 43-year-old West Chester man working for a tree service company was killed Tuesday when a tree fell on him in Delaware County, police said. Gilberto Sinecio Feregrino was working on the 300 block of Earles Lane just before 11 a.m. in Newtown Township when a tree he was not working on fell on him, said Christopher Lunn, the townships police chief. The tree that fell on the employee was unrelated to the work being done by the tree company, Lunn said. Feregrino reportedly worked for Flynn Tree Services, but a representative of the business could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. The accident occurred less than a day after powerful storms swept through the region, but it was not immediately clear if the rain or winds caused the tree to fall over. Listen to article 0:00 min WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps sweeping act of clemency for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol also should apply to a man charged with planting pipe bombs near the national headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, the suspects attorneys argue in a bid to get his case dismissed. In a court filing Monday, defense attorneys assert that Trumps blanket pardons extend to the charges against Brian J. Cole Jr. because his alleged conduct on Jan. 5, 2021, is inextricably tethered to what happened at the Capitol on the following day. Theyre asking U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to throw out the case before trial. Advertisement Justice Department prosecutors didnt immediately respond in writing to the defenses request. In a previous court filing, prosecutors said Cole, under questioning by FBI agents, denied that his actions were related to the Jan. 6 proceedings at the Capitol. On his first day back in the White House last year, Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences and ordered the dismissal of all 1,500-plus people charged in the attack by a mob of his supporters. Nearly a year later, Cole was arrested on charges that he placed two pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night before the riot. The devices didnt detonate before law enforcement officers discovered them on Jan. 6. Coles attorneys said the Justice Departments own framing of the case has explicitly linked Coles alleged conduct on Jan. 5 to the events of Jan. 6, when rioters disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Bidens electoral victory over Trump. That is not happenstance sequencing in time. It is the governments theory of Mr. Coles alleged motive and context, defense lawyers wrote. According to the government, the timing was chosen because of what was scheduled to occur at the Capitol on January 6. They also argued that prosecutors theory of a possible motive places Coles alleged conduct in the same political controversy that animated the Jan. 6 crowd. In court filings, prosecutors have said that Cole confessed to investigators after his Dec. 4 arrest. He told FBI agents that he felt bewildered by conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election and something just snapped after watching everything, just everything getting worse, prosecutors said. Cole has remained jailed since his arrest. His attorneys have appealed Alis refusal to order Coles pretrial release from custody. The judge hasnt set a trial date yet. Cole, 30, of Woodbridge, Va., has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His attorneys say he has no criminal record. Authorities said they used phone records and other evidence to identify him as a suspect in a crime that confounded the FBI for over four years. Listen to article 0:00 min Voice of America employees have spent a full year on paid administrative leave while President Donald Trumps administration has tried to shrink the international broadcaster to its statutory minimum. That extended absence is coming to an end. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the wind-down of operations at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, VOAs parent, is unlawful and ordered the agency to bring more than 1,000 employees back to work. Advertisement U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled that the near-total shutdown of USAGM, which oversees VOA and funds several international broadcasters such as Radio Free Asia, violated federal administrative law. He ordered the full-time employees to return to work by March 23 and told the agency to resume international broadcasting, which it has mostly abandoned during the past year save for some airing in languages such as Farsi. Lamberth, a Ronald Reagan appointee, criticized the governments flagrant and nearly year-long refusal to uphold statutory requirements set by Congress and lambasted Kari Lake, the Trump official who oversaw the dismantling of the agency. Lamberth recently ruled that Lake has been running the agency illegally. The defendants persistent omission and withholding of key information in this case has been a Hallmark production in bad faith, he wrote of Lake and the government in a footnote. The ruling comes in two separate-but-intertwined lawsuits: one filed by VOA Director Michael Abramowitz, a former Washington Post reporter, and another filed by a group of employees against the government. In a statement, plaintiffs in the latter group Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper hailed Lamberths ruling as a monumental decision. We are eager to begin repairing the damage Kari Lake has inflicted on our agency and our colleagues, to return to our congressional mandate, and to rebuild the trust of the global audience we have been unable to serve for the past year, they wrote. Abramowitz said in a statement that he was thrilled with the ruling. Voice of America has never been more needed, he said. I am grateful for the resilience and dedication of VOAs amazing workforce. The ruling vacates a three-page memorandum signed by USAGM officials last March that retained a mere 68 positions at the agency and eliminated all other roles. Representatives for USAGM and the Justice Department did not respond immediately to requests for comment. This story is developing and will be updated. A 2020 drone photograph of the Maasai Mara, the annual migration of wildebeest from the Serengeti National park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara national reserve in Kenya. Read more Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter Hi, Philly. The region saw a tornado Monday night after all. Today, its just cold. Montgomery County school officials expensed international trips, including a 14-day African safari, an Inquirer investigation found. Advertisement And a Northeast Philadelphia health clinic could take years to open. Residents say they need it sooner. Plus, two more security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport will close, and more news of the day. Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com) If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. Executives at Montgomery Countys Intermediate Unit are facing scrutiny for spending around $40,000 worth of public funds on international travel. That includes a two-week safari to Kenya and Tanzania that cost about $18,000. The executive director and assistant executive director for the Norristown-based agency, which provides support services to more than 200 public and private schools, say the trips were for professional development, run by national education leadership associations. The safari, for instance, was about that process of survival of the fittest, and how are you a leader, and what do you prioritize. They also say the Montco IU board president approved the expenses, though at least one former board member questioned their validity. Education finance experts worry about the potential impact of such spending on public trust. Notable quote: We use examples like this to warn people that these are public funds, one expert told The Inquirer. You need to make sure your expenditures make sense and are justified, but also, contemplate the optics. Reporter William Bender has the story. In an area with few primary care options, Northeast Philadelphia residents say a new health clinic needs to open on a faster timeline. Under the citys current plans, the clinic set to be built on the Friends Hospital campus in Lawndale would not be completed until 2030. Meanwhile, waits can stretch for months at Health Center 10, the areas only city-run primary care clinic, which accepts patients regardless of their insurance status and charges on a sliding scale. Health Center 10 is a lifeline for many Philly immigrants who dont qualify for government-funded Medicaid health coverage and arent able to afford private insurance. And more residents could be in need next year, when about 300,000 Pennsylvania residents will risk losing Medicaid coverage because of new eligibility criteria. Reporter Aubrey Whelan has more. In other health news: Philadelphia vaccine experts on Tuesday called a federal court decision reversing changes to the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a win for public health. What you should know today Quote of the day The Citizens Police Oversight Commission, formed via Councilmember Jones legislation, has struggled to be effective because Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 has strongly opposed giving it power to conduct independent investigations of officer misconduct. Now, CPOC leaders say theyre seeing progress with their live audits of investigations by the police departments internal affairs division. Trivia time The Roots Picnics organizers announced last week that the 2026 music festival will be held at Belmont Plateau. What big announcement did they make this week? A) The Roots are no longer involved B) This years event will be headlined by Jay-Z C) This will be the fests final year D) The fest is moving back to the Mann Center Think you know? Check your answer. What and whom were ... Noting: The Market Street ramp to southbound I-95 has reopened. Seeing: Jackie Robinsons game bag and Muhammad Alis robe at the National Liberty Museum. Wondering: What a short porn film about praying mantises can teach us about desire and devotion and sacrifice. Drinking: St. Joseph Universitys Sterling Pig Brewerys Hawk Hill-themed beer. Considering: Kensington as a failure to step in early. Unscramble the anagram Hint: Bistate agency, the Delaware River _ _ YOUTH PORTRAIT Email us if you know the answer. Well select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Chris Garrity, who solved Tuesdays anagram: Frankford Creek. The bridge carrying Frankford Avenue over the Delaware River tributary is closing this week for rehabilitation work and will not reopen for a year. Photo of the day I, for one, cant wait until T-shirt weather is here to stay. Enjoy your Wednesday. By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10. By Mata Press Service The federal government is temporarily loosening restrictions on the hiring of low-wage temporary foreign workers in rural Canada, saying some communities still face severe labour shortages even as unemployment rises nationally. Employment and Social Development Canada said rural employers in eligible regions will be allowed to increase the share of low-wage temporary foreign workers in their workforce to 15 per cent from 10 per cent. The measure, which must be requested by provinces or territories, could take effect as early as April 1 and will remain in place until March 31, 2027. The move creates a targeted exception to Ottawas recent efforts to tighten the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, or TFWP, as concerns grow over Canadas reliance on temporary labour and pressure on the job market. Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said the change is intended to address persistent worker shortages in rural regions while keeping Canadians first in line for available jobs. Canadians must always be first in line for available jobs, but in some rural regions employers are facing persistent labour shortages, Hajdu said in the governments release. She said the time-limited measures are meant to address urgent workforce gaps while supporting the industries that keep rural communities running. Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, said rural Canada cannot be treated the same way as major urban labour markets. In many parts of rural Canada, employers are dealing with tight labour markets, smaller local workforces, and fewer people able to move where the jobs are, Belanger said. The change means qualifying rural employers will be allowed to retain their current number of low-wage temporary foreign workers and, in some cases, hire more up to the new 15 per cent cap. Existing sector-specific exemptions will remain. Employers in health care, construction and food processing will continue to be allowed to hire up to 20 per cent of their workforce through the low-wage stream, while seasonal sectors such as fish and seafood processing and tourism will continue to be exempt from the cap for seasonal positions. The announcement comes at a politically sensitive time. Statistics Canada reported last week that the country lost 83,900 jobs in February and that the unemployment rate rose to 6.7 per cent from 6.5 per cent in January. Youth unemployment is now above 14 per cent, among the highest levels seen in years. That backdrop is likely to intensify criticism from those who argue Ottawa should be reducing, not expanding, access to foreign labour while more Canadians are struggling to find work. The federal government has spent the past two years moving in that direction. Between October 2023 and November 2024, Ottawa introduced a series of restrictions aimed at reducing employer reliance on the TFW program. Those measures included refusing to process low-wage applications in census metropolitan areas with unemployment rates of six per cent or higher, cutting the general cap on low-wage foreign workers from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, and reducing the maximum employment duration for low-wage work permits to one year. The government says those changes reduced overall reliance on the program, but not enough to resolve workforce shortages in some rural areas where employers still struggle to attract and retain staff. Officials say temporary foreign workers account for roughly one per cent of Canadas total workforce and about 10 per cent of all non-permanent residents in the country. At the end of 2025, there were about 220,000 workers with TFW permits in Canada. Ottawa has also been trying to shrink the broader temporary resident population after a sharp surge between 2022 and 2024. As of Oct. 1, 2025, Canada had 2.85 million temporary residents, equal to 6.8 per cent of the population. The federal government has set a target of reducing that share to five per cent by 2027. Business groups welcomed the latest TFW announcement, calling it a practical response to labour shortages outside major cities. Restaurants Canada said the change is a step toward a more predictable workforce strategy for rural, remote and tourism-dependent regions, where employers often struggle to find enough local workers. Access to a reliable and predictable source of labour is essential to the economic and social fabric of these communities, said Kelly Higginson, the groups president and chief executive officer. Higginson said temporary foreign workers make up only about three per cent of the restaurant industrys workforce but help fill key gaps that allow businesses to stay open and continue employing Canadians. Restaurants in rural areas, she said, often need workers for specialized positions such as chefs and cooks or for hard-to-fill overnight shifts. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce also backed the move, saying Ottawa had recognized that labour shortages vary across the country. The announcement moves away from a one-size-fits-all approach and recognizes regional realities, said David Pierce, the chambers vice-president of government relations. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which has warned of disruption as more than 1.3 million work permits are set to expire by the end of 2026, has also argued that many small firms rely on foreign workers out of necessity, not convenience. CFIB says skilled labour shortages remain the second-largest constraint on sales and growth for 39 per cent of small businesses. In a recent survey of firms that used the TFWP, 57 per cent said they would have to scale back growth plans without access to foreign workers, while 52 per cent said they would be unable to fill orders or provide services. Still, the program remains controversial. Labour advocates and critics have long argued that the TFW system gives employers too much power because workers are typically tied to a single employer through closed permits. That structure can leave workers vulnerable to abuse or exploitation because leaving a job can also mean losing the right to work in Canada. The expansion also opens the government to renewed political attacks from those who say the country needs a clearer separation between temporary labour needs and broader immigration policy. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called for the current program to be scrapped and replaced, except for a separate stream focused on agriculture. Agricultural employers are already exempt from the general cap on foreign workers. Large numbers of temporary foreign workers in Canada come from Asian countries including the Philippines, India and several South and Southeast Asian nations. Many fill jobs in food processing, hospitality, caregiving, agriculture and other sectors that employers say are difficult to staff domestically. At the same time, migrant worker advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about insecurity, limited mobility and the lack of pathways to permanent residence for lower-wage workers who help keep essential sectors functioning. The latest announcement does not create any new pathway to permanent residency, nor does it change the closed-permit structure that has drawn criticism from labour groups. Instead, Ottawa is presenting the move as a narrow economic tool for specific rural labour markets. Placards promoting Philadelphia as the host city of the Democratic National Convention in 2016, while the Democratic National Committee was touring the city in August. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min Philadelphia is once again being discussed as a potential host city for the Democratic National Convention. The argument is familiar. Economic impact. National attention. A reminder that this city is the birthplace of the U.S. version of democracy. All of that may be true. It is also only part of the story. Advertisement Political conventions in contemporary America function less as arenas of democratic decision-making and more as carefully produced broadcasts. The nominees are known well before delegates arrive. The choreography is rehearsed. The speeches are calibrated for television. What remains is theater. That observation is not meant as cynicism. Theater has always been part of American political life. Rhetoric matters. Symbolism matters. A speech delivered at the right moment can still move millions watching from living rooms, phones, or laptops internationally. But if conventions are theater, we should at least be honest about the stagecraft. Philadelphia has long been asked to play a symbolic role in this national production. Each time a major political gathering returns here, the familiar narrative is invoked. This is the birthplace of democracy. The place where ideals were first written into law. The place where the American experiment began. Yet anyone who lives here knows the city carries a far more complicated history. The story of American democracy is not simply written in the architecture and myths promoted at Independence Hall. It is written in neighborhoods, in struggles for civil rights, sacrifices for our youth and elders survival and in unfinished battles over who fully belongs within the promise of the republic. I was asked recently to share my thoughts on the possibility of the convention returning, in part because I was one of the producers of a cultural activation during the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia titled Truth To Power. That project brought artists, celebrities, writers, musicians, and organizers together to explore how culture and civic imagination intersect with politics. At the time it felt urgent and contemporary. Looking back nearly a decade later, the moment almost feels like another century. So much of American public life has shifted since then that it is difficult not to view that summer through a different lens. What felt like political turbulence then has hardened into something else entirely in the era of Donald Trump and his particular interpretation dream, seemingly reinterpolating the era of President William McKinley, American imperialism, and expansion of territory like in 1900. The same style of governance our regions most famous military hero, Marine Corps major general and two-time Medal of Honor recipient Smedly Butler decries in his 1935 book, War Is a Racket. In moments like this, it is worth remembering that conventions have occasionally produced genuine sparks of inspiration. One of the most powerful examples occurred in 2004 when a relatively unknown state senator from Illinois addressed the convention on behalf of the Democratic nominee John Kerry. The speaker was Barack Obama. For many people watching that night the speech felt electric. Obama spoke in a cadence that drew deeply from the Black prophetic tradition. His language moved easily between the spiritual and the civic. He described the United States as the greatest nation on earth, a place where you did not have to be rich to achieve something meaningful, a country animated by the belief that ordinary people could shape history. There is a moment in that speech that still lingers. As Obamas words gather momentum the camera pans toward a luxury box where the Rev. Jesse Jackson is seated. Jackson rises first. Slowly and knowingly he stands and begins what becomes a series of standing ovations. Watching the footage now, it feels almost ceremonial. A passing of a generational baton. Jackson had delivered some of the most memorable speeches in convention history during his presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988. His oratory drew from a tradition that merged moral witness with political imagination. When he stood that night in 2004 it felt as if he recognized something familiar in Obamas voice. The cadence of the Black prophetic tradition was moving from one generation to another. Those earlier speeches by Jackson are worth revisiting today. They were not simply political messaging but the distilled language of a movement that had been patiently built through years of organizing in churches, union halls, barber shops, and community spaces across the country. They carried the cadence of lived struggle and the collective imagination of people who believed democracy could still be expanded. Jacksons moments on the DNC stage were performances in the highest sense of the word. Not theater, but the disciplined craft of political oratory rooted in movement work. They were a master class in how rhetoric, memory, and organizing meet. I wont force a perfect comparison, but in retrospect it feels a bit like watching Black Thought deliver that legendary "HOT 97 (Freestyle.)" The depth, the improvisational brilliance, the sense that decades of study and lived experience are being channeled in real time. Obama, by contrast, often lands closer to Drake: enormously successful, culturally fluent, and widely appealing, but operating in a different register of performance and relationship to the tradition. That tradition has always been about more than rhetorical peacocking. It carries the weight and responsibility of lived experience. It speaks from service and struggle rather than from the safety of a stage. Today too many politicians attempt to borrow that cadence when convenient and the cameras are on. The emotional architecture of the moment is well understood by speechwriters, PR consultants, and producers. But the prophetic voice cannot be manufactured purely for broadcast. It grows out of community. The history of American democracy in Philadelphia extends well beyond the founding era. It includes the lives of men and women like William Still and Letitia Still, architects of the Underground Railroad whose work helped guide hundreds of enslaved people to freedom. Their daughter, Caroline Still Anderson, would go on to become one of the first Black women physicians in the United States. Their story reminds us that Philadelphias democratic tradition was not written only by founders in powdered wigs. It was also written by Black families who risked everything to expand the meaning of freedom. Recently Ive had a series of experiences that brought that history into sharper focus. During the Next City Vanguard Conference in Philadelphia in October 2025, a colleague visiting from out of town reflected in a group conversation on how inspiring it was, as a Latinx person, to know of William Stills work. They spoke about the courage of those who built the Underground Railroad while also reflecting on our present moment, when immigration enforcement once again evokes the specter of state sanctioned pursuit of human beings. The language may have changed, but the imagery remains hauntingly familiar. Agents chasing bodies across borders. People fleeing systems that treat them less as citizens than as capital. History has a way of whispering across centuries. Philadelphia hosted another remarkable small gathering. In the summer of 2024, Democracy 2076 convened organizers, civic leaders, and advocates from across the country to imagine what American democracy might look like as the nation approaches its tricentennial. The room was filled with people doing the difficult and often unglamorous work of democratic renewal. Organizers from cities and rural communities alike. Civic innovators experimenting with new forms of participation. Advocates working across dozens of states red and blue to strengthen the fragile infrastructure of democratic life. Their brilliant executive director Aditi Juneja is exactly the kind of voice I would nominate for prime time for the stage of the next Democratic National Convention. Not as a symbolic gesture, but as a reminder that the future of democratic participation is being built every day by people who rarely appear beneath the bright lights of national political theater. Last September, I was in Chicago for the Assembly of Black Possibilities where I witnessed something equally inspiring. In a room filled with organizers, artists, scholars, and civic leaders from cities large and small, a youth and women-led delegation convened a citizen assembly imagining what they called a radical Black future. What struck me across these gatherings was something simple. The future of democracy may not arrive through one grand national spectacle. It may not come through a single speech delivered beneath bright television lights. I increasingly believe it will emerge through thousands of smaller moments. Conversations in community spaces. Kitchen tables, local assemblies. Artists, teachers, organizers, and ordinary citizens choose to participate in civic life even when institutions feel distant or broken. Democracy, at its healthiest, grows like a field of wildflowers. Thousands of small blooms emerging across the landscape at once. It is far more resilient that way. One aging plant sitting alone in a pot on grandpas porch may look dignified, but it does not regenerate the soil. Fields do. If the political theater returns to Philadelphia once again, perhaps the city can remind the nation of something deeper. The most important stories of democracy are rarely written into the script. They are still unfolding beyond the stage. Next Sept. 18, 2026, my colleagues from the Assembly of Black Possibilities will meet in Kensington with Boston Ujima and Kensington Corridor Trust, with practitioners who arent waiting for Big Brothers stage. The Revolution will never be televised, as Gil Scott-Heron told us. Tayyib Smith is a dynamic entrepreneur working at the intersections of art, real estate, and economic vitality. Listen to article 0:00 min President Donald Trumps decision to wage war with Iran raises dozens of questions regarding necessity, war aims, and consequences in the region and beyond. As a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who has served in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and as a State Department strategic planner with the U.S. Embassy in Bagdad, these are some of the questions I have. Advertisement The road to war 1. The Iranian threat. What imminent threat did Iran pose to the U.S., particularly after the June 2025 Midnight Hammer strikes that obliterated Irans nuclear program? 2. White House decision-making. What range of options did the National Security Council and the Joints Chiefs offer to the president? 3. Intelligence. What did our intelligence community assess in terms of the likelihood that U.S-Israeli airstrikes would prompt a popular uprising that would bring an end to the Islamic regime? Was there unanimity across the various intelligence agencies (CIA, DIA, NSA) in their estimates, to include how the Iranian forces would respond to a prolonged bombing campaign? 4. Diplomacy. Were the negotiations between Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian representatives that ended shortly before the U.S. strikes a genuine effort to seek an agreement, or were they part of a deception plan to achieve military surprise and limit U.S. casualties? Boots on the ground 5. Strait of Hormuz. Will the disruption of oil shipments compel the U.S. to conduct an incursion into Iran by parachute assault and/or Marine landings to seize key objectives near Bandar Abbas that control the strait? 6. Irans nuclear program. Will the U.S. insert special operations forces in locations throughout Iran to capture nuclear scientists and technicians and seize nuclear materials? 7. IRGC brutality. How will the U.S. respond should the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (190,000 strong) or the paramilitary Basij (estimated in the hundreds of thousands) murder thousands or tens of thousands of Iranians who take to the street? If this war continues on its current path, hundreds perhaps thousands of U.S. troops will be on the ground in Iran within weeks. That is a certainty. Consequences 8. Iranian actions. What capabilities do Iranian operatives and sleeper cells possess to conduct terrorist attacks targeting shipping, infrastructure, and U.S. service members, diplomats and citizens in the region, in Europe and on American soil? 9. Geostrategic risks. Might China take advantage of a prolonged war in Iran to put to the test our decades-long policy of strategic ambiguity and invade Taiwan? Given the previous airstrikes on Iran, military actions in the Caribbean and Venezuela, and now a sustained air campaign over Iran, would the American people support going to war with China? Might Russia take advantage of the war in Iran to escalate its war in Ukraine? 10. How does this end? Will the results immediate and long-term be worth the cost in terms of American military and Iranian civilian casualties? Some thoughts Revolutionary Iran has been a threat to regional and world security for over 40 years. The regime is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans. The president had a wide range of options short of war to confront Iran, address the lethal threats it poses to the U.S. and its allies, and strengthen the prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East: Build on the success of the Abraham Accords and strengthen relations with nations in the Gulf. Support a genuine ceasefire in Gaza, help marshal the resources to rebuild and govern it, and convince Israel to embrace a two-state agreement with the Palestinians. In cooperation with our allies in the region and globally, pursue a policy of long-term kinetic containment of Iran containment in the broad, political-economic-military-Cold War sense but always with the option to conduct military strikes preemptive or retaliatory, limited or sustained when warranted and necessary. The optimistic outcomes that the Trump administration projects regime change among them will not be achieved with air power alone. If this war continues on its current path, hundreds perhaps thousands of U.S. troops will be on the ground in Iran within weeks. That is a certainty. In the short term, given the precipitous and confused way this war was launched, the most useful regime change might be among the presidents top advisers. Thomas J. Raleigh is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who served in the Infantry, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and as a State Department strategic planner with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Listen to article 0:00 min Lovely bones Pete Hegseth, former Fox News host and current defense secretary, has been providing fairly regular briefings regarding President Donald Trumps war against Iran. Hegseth usually starts by rightfully praising our military for their leadership, competence, precision, teamwork, etc. I am pretty sure most Americans would agree with Hegseths assessment. The U.S. military is second to none. What I would also like to hear is why Trump decided to attack Iran in the first place, when it appears there was no imminent threat to the U.S. Likewise, how will we know when the mission, whatever that may be, has been completed? I realize there is no way to predict how long this war will last. However, I think Trump could probably provide a better answer than when I feel it in my bones. It would also be good if Trump sat down with his crew of negotiating lightweights Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and came up with an explanation as to why Iran was so easily able to close the Strait of Hormuz, thus choking off the global supply of oil coming from the region, and as a result, further driving up gas prices. Advertisement It is unlikely that any seasoned presidential advisers would have failed to see this possibility. This oversight now has Donald Trump begging our allies to provide help protecting ships traveling through the strait. Since Trump has spent a great deal of his time in office alienating our closest allies, so far, he has virtually no takers. Meanwhile, the Russian war with Ukraine rages on, and affordability is even more of an issue. Those two items, both of which were supposed to be dealt with on Day One of Trumps second term, were the centerpiece of his 2024 presidential campaign. It appears Trump is discovering that Iran is no Venezuela. John Willemin, Jenkintown Little excursion Donald Trump has decided to nickname his war with Iran a little excursion. I dont imagine that moniker offers much comfort to the families who have had their loved ones killed or wounded during the last three weeks. In fact, dismissing what they died for as an excursion disrespects the ultimate sacrifice made by those service members. Trumps use of this kind of rhetoric is hardly accidental it comes straight out of Vladimir Putins playbook. Putin has said that his reason for invading Ukraine four years ago was to demilitarize and denazify the country. During World War II, Russia suffered more military and civilian deaths than any other nation, and Putin hoped that by invoking that history as a rationale, his invasion would garner support from the Russian people. Trump has used the threat of an Iran armed with nuclear weapons in the same way, hoping that fear would generate support from the American people. Among other reasons, he said that Iran was very close to having its own nuclear weapons, and the air and naval assault he ordered was necessary to prevent that from happening. There was one major problem with that explanation: We were assured by Trump and his people that Irans nuclear capability was destroyed when he ordered bombings there last year. The question is: Did he lie then or is he lying now? Is he suggesting that Iran, after having its nuclear ability destroyed nine months ago, was able, in very short order, to reconstitute its nuclear ambitions? Paul S. Bunkin, Turnersville Electoral distortions With two years to go until the next presidential election, voters must start the process of eliminating the Electoral College right now. The Electoral College system essentially has the effect of disenfranchising perhaps as many as 49% of all votes cast nationwide in presidential elections. How does that happen? Because the Electoral College awards all of its votes for a particular state based on that states popular vote winner. (Maine and Nebraska are exceptions.) If, in a two-candidate election, Pennsylvanians cast 50.1% of their votes for one candidate, he or she receives all of our Electoral College votes, thereby disenfranchising the 49.9% who voted for the other candidate. If you voted for Joe Biden in 2024 in Pennsylvania, your vote counted for nothing. The same holds true if you voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Five presidents John Quincy Adams (in 1824), Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), Benjamin Harrison (1888), George W. Bush (2000), and Trump 1.0 have lost the nationwide popular vote, but still claimed the White House because they managed to win enough Electoral College votes to prevail there. That cant be allowed to happen again. Periodic efforts to eliminate this archaic system have been attempted in Congress but have never advanced far enough to kick start the long, convoluted process to finally do away with it. We dont know how this will play out in 2028, but its time to start advocating for change. Ben Zuckerman, Philadelphia Not an accident Secretary of State Marco Rubio was completely disingenuous when calling the bombing of an Iran elementary school that killed 175 people most of them children an accident. (Of course, it was an outright lie when President Donald Trump claimed Iran did it.) Why? Per Politico, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ignored military officials when he changed protocols and rules of engagement that protect civilians. Simply stated, checks and balances were removed. In the end, the victims at that school were simply collateral damage justified by military objectives. For reference, does anyone truly believe its by accident that Gaza now looks like a moonscape, and that, according to a medical journal, more than 75,000 Palestinians have been killed, mainly women and children? All of this is a reminder that, as former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld put it, we better hope we are killing more terrorists than we create. When you start a war by bombing an elementary school, you lose hearts and minds and end up looking as bad as the enemy. Dave Gruber, Mays Landing Enough already The Democrats attempt to hurt U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with a partial government shut down has missed its mark. ICE is fully funded. There are some Democrats who are critical of the partial government shutdown. There are others who dont understand that the only people being hurt are the citizens (you and me) of the United States. The effect of the shutdown is that the Department of Homeland Security has halted and curtailed certain nonessential services including border security, immigration processing, Transportation Security Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency inspections. TSA employees are not getting paid. Would you go to work under these circumstances? By not funding border security and immigration processing, the Democrats are playing directly into the hands of the Republicans. If immigration is the issue: fight it. (By the way, when the Obama administration had control of the House and Senate, why wasnt immigration fixed?) To Congress, please fully fund the government and fight another day. This is a losing battle. Gust Callas, Canton, Ohio Disturbing warning FCC Chairman Brendan Carrs threat to remove broadcasting licenses from networks that run critical war coverage that he deems undeserving of the public interest is beyond disturbing. Regulating content should be distinguished from the fundamental right to express an opinion, especially affecting crucial issues such as war and peace. Shouldnt Carr be more concerned with ensuring the nations airwaves are preserved for all voices? Instead of corruptly threatening to pull licenses from entities that dare to criticize the administrations prosecution of the war in Iran, he should be focused on ensuring that government censorship never occurs on his watch. Demanding loyalty and obedience to the nations current administration over the journalistic freedom to air coverage it deems newsworthy and relevant to its viewers is a betrayal of the public trust. The warning by the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission not only chills constitutionally protected speech among broadcasters but also diminishes the American viewers freedom to choose among a range of powerful media sources. Autocrats around the world are taking note. Anthony Arnaud, Laguna Niguel, Calif. Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online. A December study by Consumer Reports found Instacart's AI-driven pricing meant prices between customers differed as much as 23%. The company says it has since changed its practices. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min You could be paying more for that gallon of milk in your online shopping cart than other customers without knowing it. New Jersey lawmakers are trying to ban grocery stores from using surveillance pricing, a term for when companies change their prices for different customers based on their personal data. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has also criticized the practice and said she wants to work with the legislature to curb it. Advertisement But some South Jersey lawmakers think the legislative effort should go further by including more kinds of companies. A Federal Trade Commission study issued under former President Joe Biden found that retailers frequently use data from consumers mouse movements to the products in their shopping carts to adjust the price tag they see. Legislators across the country are scrutinizing this practice. If two people are buying the same product, they should pay the same price, said Assembly member Cody Miller, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Camden and Gloucester counties. Using personal data to charge someone more for an item is unfair and just plain wrong. What is surveillance pricing? Surveillance pricing is when businesses charge certain customers different prices based on where theyre located, what time it is, who they are, and even what kind of computer theyre using, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a national nonprofit which advocates for greater data privacy. Grocery stores can collect consumer information through their past purchases and loyalty programs, as well as from outside data brokers, according to the center. State Sen. Paul Moriarty, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Camden and Gloucester counties, described the practice as high-tech, personalized price gouging. How much money can I get out of Paul Moriarty? Lets see, what do we know about him? Where does he live? Where does he shop? What does he look like? How old is he? its just crazy, he said. This tactic is often used online, but some companies also use digital price tags in brick-and-mortar stores, paving the way for similar practices in person. Moriarty, who is signing onto a bill to combat the practice, said it goes against what a free market should be. I believe that a fair price is what two people agree on but I dont think its fair when someone has used all kinds of algorithms to figure out how much money you have in your bank account and how willing you are to spend it, then give you a price that may be 20-30% more than someone else, he added. What is Gov. Mikie Sherrills stance on surveillance pricing? Sherrill, a Democrat who took office in January, spoke out against surveillance pricing for rent and groceries in her first budget address last week. That means if you have to shop after work, when stores are crowded, youll pay more than if youre free to shop at noon, she said. It means if the store knows you just searched for a certain product online, it might charge a higher price. Thats outrageous. She said she would work with legislators to limit this kind of for-profit surveillance by Big Tech. Darwin Pham, a spokesperson for Sherrill, said the governor is particularly concerned about the tactic for everyday essentials. The governor is very concerned about the impact of surveillance pricing on fairness and affordability and does not believe companies should use personal data to tailor prices, he said. What is the New Jersey legislature doing to stop surveillance pricing? The bipartisan New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill this week called the Fair Price Protection Act that would ban the practice for grocery stores, both online and through electronic signage. Sen. Joseph Cryan, a Union County Democrat and prime sponsor of the bill, said the legislation would prohibit companies from using personal data to set individual prices. Opponents of the bill say it would complicate offering discounts, but Cryan asserted it would not affect loyalty program discounts as long as theyre not based on individualized data. The bill would not interfere with widespread discounts for seniors, veterans, or teachers, for example. Just like when you walk into a grocery store and see a price, you should have the same opportunity online, Cryan said. The bill wouldnt impact companies ability to use customers browsing data to deliver catered ads, but it wouldnt allow them to use consumer browsing data to change the price of goods, he said. Does the bill go far enough? These South Jersey lawmakers say no. Moriarty, who is signing on as a cosponsor but is not a lead sponsor for the bill, said he believes the ban should expand beyond the grocery industry. I dont know why they dont make this go further, because I think it could really be used to extract a lot more money from people on some higher-priced objects, he said. Cryan said he considered making the bill broader but wanted to focus on groceries first after seeing the 2025 Consumer Reports study focused on Instacarts use of AI-driven pricing, which left customers with prices that differed as much as 23% per item. The company said it has since changed its practices and that its prices were not set using personal data. Instacart does not engage and has not engaged in surveillance pricing period, said Instacart spokesperson Brianna Frias. No personal, demographic, or user-level behavioral information about individuals is used by retailers to set item prices on Instacart. Cryan said members of the public have expressed that multiple retailers in the state are using surveillance pricing, and that the practice is also prevalent at the gas pump and for drug prices. Sherrill appeared with the bill sponsors at a Bergen County pharmacy last week to raise awareness about the issue. The bill leaves enforcement up to the Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Miller, the South Jersey legislator, said thats not enough when dealing with big companies and widespread practices. He said he believes consumers should also have a clear path to take action on their own. He also wants the language in the bill to be more expansive about the types of data that cant be used. Overall legislative intent is there, and its a first step in the right direction, he said. And these bills are usually reviewed by multiple eyes before they get to the governors desk. Are there national efforts to ban surveillance pricing? Similar bills have been introduced in several states including Pennsylvania as The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union lobbies for action against the practice. Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate have also introduced a similar bill. The union, which has 1.2 million members in the U.S. and Canada, is also urging lawmakers across the country to ban digital price labels for stores larger than 10,000 square feet. The group calls electronic price tags the missing piece of the surveillance pricing puzzle. This technology allows companies to update prices more efficiently, but it does not necessarily mean they are using data-driven algorithms to set their prices. Walmart, for example, already has these labels in about 2,300 stores and expects them to be in all its locations within the next year. The company has said that it will keep prices consistent throughout the day in a given location, but critics are skeptical. The company says the new method speeds up the process of updating prices from days to minutes, and called it a game changer for customers, workers, and the company. This article has been updated to include comment from Instacart. Ala Stanford at the door to the Marian Anderson exam room at the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity, 2001 W Lehigh Ave. in Philadelphia on Friday, March 13, 2026 Read more Listen to article 0:00 min At times, Ala Stanford feels like she doesnt quite fit in. She is a pediatric surgeon albeit very well-known who is running for political office for the first time, trying to win a seat in Congress that for decades has been held by a seasoned Philadelphia politician. Advertisement At campaign events, when the top Democrats in the congressional race are chitchatting among themselves, Stanford has found herself on the margins. Often, she felt more comfortable talking medical procedures with Dave Oxman, the other physician in the race, than whatever the sitting state representatives have going on in Harrisburg. Oxman dropped out Wednesday and endorsed Stanford, making her the hands-down most prominent outsider in a race that is stacked with political veterans. To amass support ahead of the crowded May 19 primary election the likely deciding contest in one of the nations bluest congressional districts Stanford will have to chart a path that beats both the Democratic establishment and the progressive left, which have chosen other candidates in the wide-open race. Stanford, 55, knows her lack of political experience makes her stand out, and she is accentuating it on the campaign trail. She is highlighting her career as a physician, and she says she will fix a healthcare system her opponents failed to address in their years as public officials. Her candidacy comes as an increasing number of medical professionals are running for office across the country, and as thousands of Pennsylvanians have dropped their healthcare coverage due to rising costs. She has kept pace with three sitting lawmakers who are also running for the seat, in part by lending her campaign $250,000 of her own money. Stanford also has a cadre of healthcare workers uplifting her. She has won endorsements from prominent doctors, as well as a national super PAC, 314 Action, which backs candidates with backgrounds in science and has poured $1.5 million into a pro-Stanford campaign. READ MORE: Ala Stanford gets $1.4M boost from national super PAC in her bid to replace Dwight Evans in Congress The group so far has funded five weeks of television commercials reminding voters that Stanford founded the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium. In the throes of the pandemic, she set up mobile testing sites in majority-Black communities and ran vaccination clinics to inoculate thousands of Philadelphians, a grassroots effort to fill gaps left by government-funded programs. Today, she runs a primary care health clinic in North Philadelphia that bears her name. It is a compelling story that has been told many times across national media, on podcasts, and in Stanfords own memoir. What has not been told is why it means she should represent the 3rd Congressional District, which covers much of Philadelphia, over her opponents, who have spent years in politics. People get so comfortable doing things the same way, the same way, the same way, she said in a recent interview at her health clinic. And no one likes change. But the city needs this. The city needs some change. Other candidates say Stanford does not have a monopoly on talking about healthcare. State Sen. Sharif Street, another front-runner in the race, has touted that he and other government officials helped secure funding for Stanfords pandemic operation. During COVID, he was very proud of his work, Street spokesperson Anthony Campisi said, to ensure that Dr. Stanfords vaccination efforts received the support they needed so that we could get vaccines into arms quickly. Stanfords opponents also clearly know that her status as a physician may be an asset. She submitted paperwork to appear on the ballot as Dr. Ala Stanford. But on Tuesday, a member of the Democratic City Committee which endorsed Street filed a petition in state court, saying Stanfords name should appear without the Dr. in front of it. In the coming days, a judge will decide. Leaning on healthcare as a core issue Stanford does not fit neatly onto the ideological spectrum. Of course, she is not conservative. She does not call President Donald Trump by his name hes 47 and she uses words like tyranny and running amok to describe the current White House. But unlike some of her opponents, she is not of the Philadelphia Democratic establishment. She said she feels like the citys long-entrenched party apparatus had always planned to endorse Street, the former head of the state party and the son of a Philadelphia mayor. Stanford is also not of the populist left. She believes Palestinians deserve to have safety and freedom but thinks it is inflammatory when her progressive opponent, State Rep. Chris Rabb, calls Israels war in Gaza a genocide. I know when you use the G-word how hurtful it is to a group of people, she said. Its like someone saying the N-word around me. I dont want to hear that. And every time you shout that from the rooftops, how many people are you hurting? What she does believe is that government systems have failed underserved communities, and that most domestic issues can be traced back to inequities in healthcare points she has consistently emphasized in her campaign. She has hammered Republicans for not extending pandemic-era subsidies that ensured people on Affordable Care Act health plans did not pay more than 8.5% of their income for care. She has advocated for universal healthcare. And she has harshly criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long been skeptical of vaccines. In this country, wealth is linked to homeownership, homeownership is linked to education, education is linked to health outcomes, and health outcomes are all exacerbated by racial injustice, Stanford said during a recent candidates forum. So when you talk about one, you talk about all. READ MORE: How Affordable Care Act premiums are estimated to rise across the region Stanford is careful to say that her focus on healthcare does not mean she cannot discuss housing, immigration, or the war in Iran. But it is clear that she feels most comfortable talking about what she knows best. Her supporters say that is an asset in the 3rd Congressional District, which has a disproportionately high number of people who rely on public healthcare systems. More than one-third of the districts residents, or more than 284,000 people, were on Medicaid as of December, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Among Pennsylvania congressional districts, that is the second-highest proportion of residents on Medicaid. (The highest is the 2nd Congressional District, which also includes parts of Philadelphia.) The state estimates that more than 30,000 people in the district could lose their healthcare as a result of changes to Medicaid eligibility and coverage under Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act. There were also more than 80,000 people in the district who last year had health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, either through expanded Medicaid eligibility or a plan purchased through the marketplace. That number is also likely lower now since ACA subsidies expired this year and premiums rose. Statewide, one in five people who bought plans last year from Pennsylvanias marketplace, Pennie, opted out for 2026. Stanfords supporters think Philadelphia voters will trust a doctor to ensure affordable access to healthcare. They point to a survey released this month by the Annenberg Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania that found 86% of respondents said their primary healthcare provider is trustworthy. Erik Polyak, the executive director of 314 Action, said Stanfords background differentiates her in a Democratic primary in which most candidates align on key issues. Voters want healthcare decisions made by people who understand patients and the science, he said, and not politicians chasing headlines. Oxman, Stanfords now-former opponent, said physicians running for office can help rebuild a Democratic Party that has lost the trust of so many people. So many people see us as not centered on their needs, particularly their economic needs, he said. If the Democrats are going to build a party that has a chance of winning in Center City Philadelphia and in central Pennsylvania, its got to regain the trust of the voters. New to politics, but not government It was the spring of 2020, and the bills were piling up. Stanford, who was born in Germantown, had given up her well-paying day job as a surgeon to work full-time with the Black Doctors Consortium. She ran COVID-19 testing clinics in Philly parking lots and churches, and amassed about $200,000 in bills, saying she couldnt let one person lose their life for a test that costs $100. That was the beginning of her pandemic experience with the government. A lot of it was begging. As Stanford tells it, she peppered government officials with emails, reporting how many people she and her volunteers had tested that day and asking for help securing funding. U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans was immediately responsive. He connected Stanford with the White House, other members of Congress, and top insurance companies. And he publicly called on then-Gov. Tom Wolf and then-Mayor Jim Kenney to allocate funding to Stanfords organization, citing the groups outreach to predominantly Black communities and its work to address distrust of medical institutions. The money came in several months later. It was finally enough for Stanford to pay for testing, compensate her staff, and prepare to vaccinate thousands of Philadelphians. READ MORE: Ala Stanford, surgeon who helped lead Phillys COVID response, is running for Congress with Dwight Evans backing Fast-forward five years, and Evans has endorsed Stanford to replace him in Congress as he retires after decades of public service. His backing has been invaluable to Stanford, and it surprised some political observers who expected him to endorse one of the politicians he had served alongside. Stanford said Evans support has not convinced some Democratic voters. Some tell her they plan to vote for Street, citing his family name, or they say that its his turn now. What about if he is not whats best for the people? Stanford said. Doesnt that factor in? She tells voters that, despite being new to the campaign trail, she is not new to government. She worked as a regional director for the Department of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden, who appointed her to the role. And she leads medical services at the Riverview Wellness Village, the city-owned drug recovery center opened last year by Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration. Still, Stanford very much sees herself as a doctor. She often works out of a corner office in the North Philadelphia health center, and she still is alerted when the temperature of the vaccine refrigerator dips a degree too low. She has, on more than one occasion, tended to someone experiencing a medical emergency while she was campaigning. She knows that overseeing day-to-day operations at the health clinic will not be possible if she is in Congress. A succession plan is in place. Its just about, how can I have more significance at a larger scale? Congress is definitely a way to do it, but it might be somewhere else, Stanford said. That is, if I dont win. But I want to win. I should win. By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Fertilizer Canada is encouraging farmers to check on local fertilizer supplies as conflict in the Middle East threatens the supply of the important farming material. The instability in the region has the potential to disrupt trade through the Strait of Hormuz, which plays a central role in the movement of fertilizer, Michael Bourque, president and CEO of Fertilizer Canada, said in an email to the Brandon Sun. Any impact to global fertilizer production can be felt around the world, he said. Farmers are encouraged to consult their local agricultural retailers for the most up-to-date information on fertilizer supply in their area, Bourque said. The Arabian Gulf is known for oil production but is also a key producer of nitrogen, phosphate and sulphur and an important transportation route for commodities. Activity in the strait slowed to a halt over the past week following the breakout of conflict between Israel, the U.S. and Iran, a time lapse from the British Broadcasting Corporation showed on Thursday. Iranian Gen. Sardar Jabbari had threatened that Tehran will not let a single drop of oil leave the region, the BBC reported; and Trump has said that the U.S. Navy may escort tankers through the Straight of Hormuz. It is hard to predict how Manitoban farmers will be impacted, however a major factor this spring will be the question of how much fertilizer is already on hand, Keystone Agricultural Producers president Jill Verwey told the Sun. How much fertilizer is in storage right now on farms? How much have producers pre-bought? Verwey said in a phone call. A lot of it relies on what planning producers had leading into this spring. Thats an unknown at this time, but the conflict in the Middle East has definitely caught the attention of farmers, she said. Certainly huge concerns going into spring. And I think more so if this drags out for a long period of time. Souris farmer Curtis Gerow said he does not expect to be impacted this year. He explained to the Sun that he stocked up on fertilizer in the winter, and wont need to purchase any more. Im usually buying fertilizer around January, Gerow said. A lot (of farmers) do buy in the fall and in the winter. The price of the material is usually cheapest then, he said. While uncertainty in the fertilizer market wont impact him this year, Gerow expects to be hit in other ways by the conflict in the Middle East. Its gonna hurt us, input wise, Im sure, Gerow said. The price of fuel, I think its gonna get very high this summer, so were putting in more fuel storage here, for next week, and getting them filled up. I ordered more fuel tanks this morning. Forbes reported on Friday that gas prices spiked 11 per cent in the past week after conflicts broke out in Iran. Forbes also wrote that diesel prices reached a high that had not been seen since December 2023. Bourque said that the Canadian fertilizer association is paying close attention and watching how fertilizer trade may change. Fertilizer Canada is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and any potential implications for global fertilizer markets, Bourque said. This remains a fluid situation, and we are staying closely engaged with our members as conditions evolve. When contacted, the spokesperson for Brandons local fertilizer plant, Koch Fertilizer, declined to comment about potential impacts in the fertilizer market. The uncertainty surrounding the fertilizer industry comes at a bad time, Verwey said on T. She said farmers have been pinched in several ways in recent years, with prices rising on their inputs, but sales prices not changing to help them cover the costs. Its kind of one more thing thats added on top, Verwey said. Weve seen huge costs, direct costs whether thats tariff-related, whether thats just, you know whats happened business-wise. Verwey said it is becoming more apparent that farmers should develop a good relationship with their bankers in order to plan out expenditure and sales. You really have to depend on sharpening your pencil, and looking at the efficiencies at the farm level. The cost of war From a cost of living lens, the Iran war shows up in three places for ordinary Canadians: fuel, food, and financing costs. 1. Fuel and transport National average gas prices jumped about 10% in a week (roughly 12 cents a litre), with forecasters warning further moves higher likely. In practical terms, a commuter burning 5060 litres a week is paying 68 dollars more, which quickly turns into 2535 dollars extra a month just to get to work. 2. Groceries and household essentials Higher oil prices and shipping costs are expected to push grocery bills higher within weeks, with analysts warning of notably more expensive fresh food because it relies on fast, fuel intensive logistics. Experts note the war hits at a disastrous time for agriculture, raising fertilizer and farm fuel costs and feeding into everything from bread and pasta to fruits, vegetables and meat. 3. Housing, debt and interest rate relief With energy driven inflation staying sticky, private sector and central bank outlooks now assume slightly higher inflation in 2026, which reduces room for rapid Bank of Canada rate cuts. That delays much hoped for relief on mortgages, lines of credit and other loans, so renewals stay painful and renters see landlords higher costs passed through in rent hikes. Kirkland said the dashboard has been designed to assist both consumers and regulators. Beyond providing for a comparison between individual firms, this dashboard provides a birds-eye view of how the Australian financial sector handles complaints. This makes it easier to identify key trends, including the reasons complaints are lodged, increases or decreases in complaints handling times, and the sorts of products that attract the most complaints. This in turn allows us to flag emerging issues for industry attention before they become serious problems, he said. 2026 NIBA Convention Committee chair Lynette Walsh said the convention builds on NIBAs national events program. The NIBA Convention continues to be an unmissable opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired. In 2026, we are building on that strong foundation with an experience designed to help delegates look ahead with confidence, embrace new ideas, and prepare for the future of our profession, Walsh said. NIBA president Nick Cook said the theme reflects the environment in which brokers are operating. Brokers are operating on the frontline of a rapidly shifting landscape, shaped by emerging risks, technological disruption, and changing client needs. Being future ready is no longer optional; it is essential, Cook said. Transition from Conaghan to Hogan in the shadow portfolio The reshuffle transfers responsibility for the shadow financial services role from Pat Conaghan MP to Hogan. NIBA noted Conaghans previous work in the portfolio and his engagement with the broking sector. We thank Mr Conaghan for his engagement with the insurance broking profession and for the constructive relationships he built during his tenure. We wish him well in his continuing parliamentary work, Klipin said. In February 2026, NIBA had welcomed the then-new Opposition leadership team, including Taylor as Leader of the Opposition, Senator the Hon Jane Hume as Deputy Leader, and Tim Wilson MP as Shadow Treasurer, while also welcoming the continuation of Conaghan in the financial services brief. By Mata Press Service Two new Angus Reid Institute surveys suggest Canadians are rallying behind a tougher national posture abroad even as they remain divided over how power is being consolidated at home. Taken together, the late-February and mid-March polls suggest Prime Minister Mark Carney is gaining politically from a tense and deteriorating Canada-U.S. relationship, while also facing a growing legitimacy debate over whether a governing majority built through MPs changing parties would reflect the will of voters. The combined picture is one of a country increasingly uneasy with the United States under President Donald Trump, more supportive of a hard-line Canadian response in trade and diplomacy, and at the same time wary of parliamentary manoeuvring that could hand the Liberals a stronger grip on power without another election. The first Angus Reid poll, released February 24, found the Liberals had opened a 13-point lead in federal vote intention, with 45 per cent support compared with 32 per cent for the Conservatives. The same survey found 63 per cent of Canadians approve of Carneys overall performance as prime minister, while 64 per cent say he has done a good or great job handling Canada-U.S. relations. That rise appears closely tied to public sentiment toward the United States. According to the poll, only 21 per cent of Canadians now hold a favourable view of the U.S. under Trump. Just 22 per cent say Canada should treat the U.S. as a friend or ally, while 69 per cent say Ottawa should approach its southern neighbour either with caution or as a potential threat to Canadas interests. Another 67 per cent say they want the federal government to take a hard line in trade negotiations rather than a softer approach aimed at preserving goodwill. The numbers point to a striking change in public mood. As recently as 2023, three-quarters of Canadians viewed the United States as a friend or valued ally. That view has since collapsed, according to the survey, amid tariff threats, annexation rhetoric and ongoing political attacks from Washington. Angus Reids polling suggests that Carneys political standing is now tied closely to how Canadians think he is handling that pressure. The survey also suggests the U.S. file has become central to how Canadians judge the prime minister more broadly. Carneys approval on Canada-U.S. relations, at 64 per cent, is almost identical to his overall job approval of 63 per cent, underscoring how heavily his political fortunes are riding on that relationship. For Carney, that has translated into more than just personal approval. It has also widened the electoral gap with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre at a time when Poilievres own public standing appears to be weakening. The Angus Reid data found that only 33 per cent of Canadians hold a favourable view of Poilievre, while 60 per cent view him unfavourably. The poll described that as tying both a low point for his favourability and a high point for his negative ratings since he became Conservative leader. But even as Carney and the Liberals benefit from a public mood shaped by foreign pressure, a second Angus Reid survey released March 11 shows that many Canadians are uncomfortable with what is happening inside Parliament. That poll came after NDP MP Lori Idlout became the fourth MP during the 45th Parliament to cross the floor to the governing Liberals. Her move added new fuel to an already heated national debate over floor crossing and whether MPs who switch parties mid-term should be allowed to continue sitting under new political colours without first returning to voters. The findings were stark. Only 26 per cent of Canadians say an MP who crosses the floor should be allowed to finish their term under a new party banner. Far more, 41 per cent, say such an MP should have to resign and re-contest the seat in a byelection. Another 22 per cent say the MP should have to sit as an independent until the next election, while 11 per cent say they should vacate the seat altogether until voters choose a replacement. In other words, only about one in four Canadians support the current system as it stands. The survey also found the country evenly split on the broader principle of floor crossing itself. Forty-three per cent say the practice should be allowed, and 43 per cent say it should be banned. That headline number is unchanged from when Angus Reid asked the question in 2018. What has changed dramatically is who now holds those views. In 2018, a majority of Conservative voters, 57 per cent, supported allowing floor crossing. Now, in a Parliament where several MPs have left the Conservatives for the Liberals, that support has collapsed. According to the new poll, just 14 per cent of recent Conservative voters say floor crossing should be permitted, while 78 per cent say it should be banned. By contrast, support is much stronger among Liberal and NDP voters, with 69 per cent in each camp saying the practice should be allowed. That reversal suggests the issue is being shaped as much by political self-interest as by constitutional principle. When defections benefited Conservatives, Conservative voters were more comfortable with the practice. Now that the Liberals are the main beneficiaries, many have turned sharply against it. The poll also points to a deeper concern about democratic legitimacy. Carney is now viewed as being on the cusp of majority territory, depending on the outcome of upcoming byelections and the possibility of additional floor crossings. Canadians are divided on whether that would be a positive outcome. Forty-three per cent say a Carney majority built in part through floor crossing would be good for government stability, while 39 per cent say it would be bad because it would not reflect the will of the people expressed in the last election. Among recent Conservative voters, opposition to such a scenario rises to 80 per cent. That leaves Carney in a politically strong but potentially delicate position. On one hand, he appears to be benefiting from a broad national instinct to close ranks in the face of a more hostile United States. Canadians seem willing, at least for now, to reward a leader who projects steadiness and firmness in dealing with Trump. On the other hand, the closer the Liberals move toward majority power through defections and parliamentary arithmetic rather than a general election, the more they risk provoking public concern that democratic consent is being stretched too far. That tension matters for a broad swath of Canadians, including immigrant and ethnic communities that closely follow both foreign policy and domestic stability. A worsening Canada-U.S. relationship has direct implications for trade, jobs, education, border travel and family connections across North America. At the same time, questions over floor crossing and parliamentary legitimacy go to the heart of whether voters believe the system is still honouring the choices they made at the ballot box. The Angus Reid findings suggest Canadians are drawing a distinction between leadership and mandate. Many appear satisfied with Carneys handling of an increasingly fraught relationship with Washington. Far fewer are ready to give political actors a free pass when it comes to shifting party allegiances inside the House of Commons. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said emergency services resources were being deployed into the region ahead of the expected landfall. Lizard Island has been largely cleared of visitors, with essential staff remaining under cyclone plans, and vulnerable residents in the path of the system including people needing dialysis and pregnant women are being flown out. This may be the biggest system that many people have seen in living memory, and thats why were asking people to prepare as we have, Crisafulli said, calling on communities to use the available time to secure properties or leave if advised. Queensland Police disaster coordinator Chris Stream highlighted the danger from debris during the peak of the storm. This is not the opportunity for you to be outside during the cyclone, getting that TikTok moment. Do not do it. A piece of debris being propelled at 100km [an hour] or more will likely kill you, Stream said. On sustainability, CFO Dr. Jan Wicke noted that the group had already surpassed its 2025 emissions reduction goal. After exceeding our 2025 reduction target in our own operations, we have formulated new ambitions for the period up to 2030, Wicke said. The group cut its greenhouse gas emissions from operations in Germany by 41% compared to 2019 levels, exceeding its original 25% target. It has now set a new goal of reducing global operations emissions by 25% by 2030 compared to 2024 levels. According to Fertmaxs Daejin Lee, war risk premiums are up to 1,000% higher than before the crisis - and he doesnt think that weve reached peak premium yet. Unfortunately its likely to go up further, he told CNBC. "Its not just this region, he continued, were seeing Oman and the Red Sea become Red zones [for insurance] too." The lawsuit calls this position internally inconsistent. Hagan argues the insurer cannot simultaneously maintain that the property was not renovated while relying on an endorsement that, by its own language, applies only to properties undergoing renovation. Reading it any other way, Hagan contends, would stretch the endorsement beyond its plain terms and let the insurer cap payments on any claim - whether or not renovation was actually happening. At a penalty hearing, Spring testified that she had no intention of limiting Barba's maintenance benefits. She explained that she included the reference simply to identify which physician's report supported the maintenance admission a practical concern, she said, because the same doctor does not always address both permanent disability and maintenance care. She also noted that she had already removed the reference from an amended admission filed on June 28, 2024, at Barba's request. That is where Trustgard ran into trouble. The court found that sending a pre-populated quote and application, where the UM limit was chosen by the insurer and the policyholder had no mechanism to change it, does not amount to an affirmative election. The unsigned UM election form did not help either. And while the broker testified that it was his usual practice to explain UM options to clients, he never testified that Sullivan or anyone at Southeast Sealing actually requested the lower limit. Cannon then sued Safeco, arguing that the insurer had acted in bad faith by filing the interpleader and surrendering the policy limits without trying to negotiate a release on his behalf. By doing so, Cannon contended, Safeco removed any incentive for claimants to settle with him within the policy limits. He also alleged that Safeco breached its contract by providing an inadequate defense, claiming the insurer forced its appointed lawyers to work on a shoestring budget. The complaint alleged that when one of the attorneys recommended hiring an accident-reconstruction expert who had already given favorable opinions in Cannon's criminal case, a Safeco agent vetoed the idea, reasoning that there was not much more to be done since the policy limits had already been paid. Cannon further alleged that Safeco failed to interview a key witness who would have supported his account of being cut off by the unknown driver. On top of that, Cannon claimed Safeco refused to pay for an appeal bond, despite the policy containing a provision requiring the insurer to pay premiums on appeal bonds in any suit it defends. The bulletin spells out five conditions that must all be met before a driver exclusion is valid. The exclusion must serve the purpose of avoiding cancellation or nonrenewal and must be agreed to in writing by both the policyholder and the insurer. The carrier must also be able to show that the excluded driver did something that would have justified cancellation or nonrenewal under the relevant sections of state law. The exclusion itself must be documented through an endorsement that has been filed with and approved by the Bureau, signed by both the insurer and the policyholder. And any excluded driver must appear on the policyholder's evidence of insurance or financial responsibility. You can talk about something for three months, but if you can show people something in two weeks and they can see where they could be in three months youve got an engaged partner at that point, he said. Construction is finished on a major Massachusetts offshore wind farm, the first project to reach this stage during President Donald Trumps time in office. Offshore construction was completed Friday night on Vineyard Wind with the installation of the final blades, Craig Gilvarg, a spokesperson for the project, said Saturday. Trump, who often talks about his hatred of wind power, has said his goal is to not let any windmills be built. Vineyard Wind was one of five major East Coast offshore wind projects the Trump administration halted construction on days before Christmas, citing national security concerns. Developers and states sued, and federal judges allowed all five to resume construction, essentially concluding that the government did not show that the national security risk was so imminent that construction must halt. Another one of the five, Revolution Wind, began sending power for the first time to New Englands electric grid on Friday and will scale up in the weeks ahead until it is fully operational. While Revolution Wind just began delivering power, Vineyard Wind has been doing so for over a year as more turbines were finished. Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, located 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. It has 62 turbines that will generate a total of 800 megawatts. That is enough clean electricity to power about 400,000 homes. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has said the completion of this project is essential to ensuring the state can lower costs, meet rising energy demand, advance its climate goals and sustain thousands of good-paying jobs. The Trump administration has been particularly critical of the Vineyard Wind project because of a blade failure. Fiberglass fragments of a blade broke apart and began washing onto Nantucket beaches in July 2024 during the peak of tourist season. Manufacturer GE Vernova agreed to pay $10.5 million in a settlement to compensate island businesses that suffered losses. Vineyard Wind submitted state and federal project plans to build an offshore wind farm in 2017. Massachusetts had committed to offshore wind by requiring its utilities to solicit proposals for up to 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2027. In what might have been a fatal blow, federal regulators delayed Vineyard Wind by holding off on issuing a key environmental impact statement in 2019. Massachusetts Democratic Rep. William Keating said at the time the Trump administration was trying to stymie the renewable energy project just as it was coming to fruition. The Biden administration signed off on it in 2021, as it sought to ramp up offshore wind as a climate change solution. Construction began onshore in Barnstable, Massachusetts. The first U.S. offshore wind farm opened off Rhode Islands Block Island in 2016, at the end of President Barack Obamas tenure. But with just five turbines, its not a commercial-scale wind farm. The nations first commercial-scale offshore wind farm officially opened in March 2024, when President Joe Biden was in office. Danish wind energy developer Orsted and the utility Eversource built that 12-turbine wind farm, called South Fork Wind, 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point, New York. Trump began reversing the countrys energy policies his first day in office with a spate of executive orders aimed at boosting oil, gas and coal. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Friday night that Trump reversed course on Joe Bidens costly green energy agenda that gave preferential treatment to intermittent, unreliable energy sources and instead is aggressively unleashing reliable and affordable energy sources to lower energy bills, improve our grid stability and protect our national security. The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Photo: Giant wind turbine blades for the Vineyard Winds project are stacked on racks in the harbor, July 11, 2023, in New Bedford, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Agribusiness Construction An Iranian missile has struck the area near Australias Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, Anthony Albanese says, just two weeks after the facility was first targeted by Iranian drones. The Al Minhad Air Base is located about 25km south of Dubai and is operated by the UAE air force. It is the regional headquarters of the Australian Defence Force and has been involved in operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and supporting allied forces in Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the Prime Minister confirmed an Iranian projectile had hit the area near the facility earlier that morning, at about 9.15am Sydney (2.15am Dubai) time. I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time, Mr Albanese said. Anthony Albanese was quick to reassure Australians no-one had been hurt in the incident. Picture: NewsWire /Martin Ollman There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting on a road leading up to that base. I have been to that base and spoken to our Australian Defence Force personnel on more than one occasion. They do a great job for Australia, as do every one of the men and women who proudly wear a uniform. Mr Albanese, who was speaking at a press conference in Tasmania, said he had taken the first available opportunity to inform the public of the incident in a transparent way. The war in the Middle East erupted after the US and Israel attacked Iran. Picture: US ARMY / AFP but I can assure everyone that every person there is safe. Ive spoken with the Defence Minister about this, and its important that we recognise that the Iranian regime was continuing to engage in frankly random attacks right across the Gulf region, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he would not be drawn on whether Australia had directly been targeted by Iran. We dont have (access to) the Iranian intelligence the Iranian regime is engaging in random attacks right across the region. We know that is the case, he said. Asked if Australia would reconsider the deployment of personnel to the region, Mr Albanese said: Everyone was kept absolutely safe and weve had a presence in the region for some period of time. The Wednesday attack comes about two weeks after Iranian drones targeted the facility on the first night of US-Israel-Iran conflict. At that time, all ADF personnel had been reported safe and accounted for, with no injuries reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Mr Albanese confirmed Australia had granted a request from the UAE to provide defensive support against Iranian strikes on the Gulf nation. It has deployed an E-7A Wedgetail, supporting ADF personnel and medium range air-to-air missiles to help support the UAE to to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians. A corrections officer at the Rikers Island jail complex pled guilty yesterday to receiving more than $370,000 in workers compensation benefits based on fake injury claims, according to federal prosecutors. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton reported that Todd Faustin faked injuries after incidents where force was used against an inmate. He was arrested and charge last May. Officials said Faustin, of New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements related to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. For years, Faustin was employed by the Department of Corrections at Rikers Island. Prosecutors charged that during that time, he falsely claimed that he was injured while on duty during incidents with incarcerated individuals requiring the use of force. In total, officials said Faustin received at least $370,336.79 in benefits to which he was not entitled. The New York State Workers Compensation Board administers the states no-fault workers compensation system. Payments by the board made to DOC employees are paid from the New York City treasury. False workers compensation claims place a large cost on all New Yorkers. Its even worse when the perpetrator is a city employee. The vast majority of our correction officers do a tough job well and honestly. Faustin is not one of them, commented Clayton. As part of the courts order of forfeiture, Faustin is responsible for the amount of $370,336.79 as part of his sentence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2026. He resigned his job effective March 17, 2026. Topics Claims Workers' Compensation Talent Onex Corp. made a big bet on an insurance startup, and it didnt take long for the losses to mount. First there was the pandemic, then a deep freeze in Texas. In 2022, Hurricane Ian ripped across the Caribbean and Florida en route to becoming one of the costliest storms on record. The investment, Convex Group, was seeing nothing but essentially money going out the door, said Paul Brand, the insurers chief executive officer. But Brand, who has been underwriting risk for more than three decades, knew that disasters and bad luck tend to run in cycles. After its bumpy start, Convex has turned highly profitable in recent years and now Onex is doubling down. Last month, the Toronto-based alternative investment firm completed a deal that will give it long-term control of Convex, partially funded by American International Group Inc., which will become one of Onexs largest shareholders. Read more: AIG Completes Purchase of Minority Stakes in Re/Insurer Convex and PE Firm Onex Its the most radical move yet for Bobby Le Blanc since he took over as Onex CEO in May 2023, as he seeks to lead one of Canadas oldest private equity firms out of the wilderness. With the Convex acquisition, hes channeling Warren Buffett who put insurance at the heart of the $1 trillion conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The strategy also shares some similarities with Apollo Global Management Inc. and KKR & Co., which both built out insurance divisions to capture a slice of the steady capital that business offers. Onex has been a long-term laggard for shareholders, underperforming larger rivals such as Brookfield Corp., Blackstone Inc. and KKR. There are a number of reasons for that, including a weak patch of returns in its flagship private equity group, Onex Partners, which hasnt raised a major new fund since 2017. One signal of how the market views Onex: It had about C$170 a share worth of its own investments at the end of December, no debt and yet the stock lingers just below C$100. The roster of sell-side analysts covering the stock has dwindled to just three. So Le Blanc, who spent several years at Berkshire in the 1990s, said he wants to use insurance to change the makeup of the companys balance sheet and, he hopes, investors perceptions. The more shareholders I spoke to, the more I realized that we were never going to get the credit for the intrinsic value of the business under the way that weve historically operated, Le Blanc said in an interview at Onexs headquarters on Torontos Bay Street. So I said: How can we change the narrative around Onex to become more of an earnings or enterprise-value play, versus a net-asset-value play?' The stakes are high for Onex, which was founded in 1984 by Gerry Schwartz, whose special voting rights expire in May, ending decades of control. In its early days, the firm raised money from investors on a deal-by-deal basis, always keeping a big chunk of any transaction for itself. It didnt launch Onex Partners, its platform for large-scale private equity deals, until the early 2000s. That inaugural fund was a success, producing a 38% net internal rate of return. None of the subsequent vintages came close to that. The firms stumbles really began a little more than a decade ago, when it raised $5.7 billion for the fourth version of Onex Partners. Major institutions such as the California Public Employees Retirement System made large commitments, but the results were disappointing, and the fund returned just 6% annualized. Onexs acquisitions of wealth manager Gluskin Sheff and private credit shop Falcon Investment Advisors fizzled as the firm struggled to grow its assets. Meanwhile, Schwartz remained in charge past his 80th birthday. In 2022, he proposed stepping down as CEO but keeping his voting control until 2028. He eventually agreed to shorten that to 2026. Onex took their eye off the ball on what made them great, then they handled succession very poorly, said Langdon Equity Partners founder Greg Dean, whose funds owned Onex shares until 2019. Image Overhaul Le Blanc is now on a mission to recast the firms image. He cast off some late Schwartz acquisitions, including Gluskin Sheff, and paused fundraising for the sixth vintage of the flagship vehicle. Now he and private equity head Tawfiq Popatia are liquidating holdings to return cash to investors to improve the ratio of distributions to paid-in-capital, or DPI, as they set outto raise another large fund. Le Blanc said a reasonable DPI number is necessary for jumping back into the fundraising market. In October, Onex completed the sale of 25% of WestJet, Canadas second-largest airline, allowing the firm to return all of investors original capital while keeping 75% of the business. Soon after, the money manager sold a majority stake in insurance brokerage OneDigital, fetching about $1.3 billion for the firm and its partners. Theyre past some of the challenging performance the more recent performance has just looked a lot better, Mark Rutherford, portfolio manager at Mawer Investment Management, said in an interview. That should set themselves up to raise subsequent funds and keep growing the business and scale it further. But the Convex deal marks the biggest transformation. Founded in 2019, Convex is led by insurance industry veterans including CEO Brand and Executive Chairman Stephen Catlin. Onex helped capitalize Convex to get it started and stuck with it through those first few years of large catastrophes. Having losses is a good thing, Brand said. It actually enables you to demonstrate there is some purpose in actually buying insurance. Usually, a string of expensive disasters leads to much higher prices for policies. As long as a firm can successfully underwrite risk over time, it can benefit from billions of dollars of cost-free float to invest. It was that insight that led Buffett to put insurance at the heart of Berkshire. Le Blanc is now taking the same approach on a smaller scale. Bermuda Meeting In 2024, during a meeting in Bermuda, Le Blanc proposed a change for Convex. Rather than own the insurer through an Onex-sponsored private equity fund, which would inevitably result in a sale, he wanted to control it for the long-term. The result was a complex deal that values Convex at $7 billion, with Onex owning 63% of the insurer and AIG taking 35%. At the same time, New York-based AIG agreed to acquire a 9.9% stake in Onex and put as much as $2 billion into the Canadian firms private equity and credit funds. We were able to deploy a large part of our balance sheet in a company that we had six-and-a-half years of due diligence on, Le Blanc said. The acquisition, which creates a new stream of earnings, will also boost Onexs asset management business as the parent will now be able to oversee some of the insurers cash. The deal raised concerns for some investors given that Onex made the acquisition at a time when profits from insurance were being squeezed, according to TD Cowen analyst Graham Ryding. Thats where Onex has to sort of demonstrate that even a market where theres pricing pressure, its still going be a profitable business, he said. Le Blanc is open to doing more deals like Convex and looking for ways to free up cash. In addition to slashing the firms allocations to Onexs funds, hes considering selling the firms private equity stakes in the booming secondaries market. Overall we just like the setup, Mawers Rutherford said, adding that governance improved and the stock price is still attractive. Mawer, which had reduced its position in Onex between 2016 and 2020, reinvested in the stock last year. While shares of Onex have dropped 14% so far in 2026, theyve returned 63%, including reinvested dividends, since Le Blanc became CEO, compared with 75% for the S&P/Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index. For now, the CEO spends a large chunk of his time speaking to shareholders, private investors and employees to understand the new strategy. That effort just creates a culture where everybody feels like they understand what were doing and how theyre contributing to it, he said. For Langdons Dean, this bodes well for Onex. This is Bobby coming out and saying: This is what Onex under me is going to do.' Photograph: A Canadian flag flies in a courtyard in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. Photo credit: Galit Rodan/Bloomberg Related: Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Germany plans to encourage investments in data centers to at least double domestic capacity and to boost artificial intelligence data processing at least fourfold by 2030, the government said on Tuesday. In a bid to catch up with the dominant players the United States and China, digital minister Karsten Wildberger proposed a range of measures, including dedicating land for development, that ministers are due to approve on Wednesday. Under the scheme, municipal business taxes will go to the town or city that attracts the new center, no longer to where the company is headquartered Regulatory reviews are to speed up and collaboration between the different companies in the AI supply chain will be encouraged We welcome investment from third countries, according to a document published by the digital ministry. It is, however, primarily targeting European and German companies Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are among the biggest spenders on German data infrastructure German players include Deutsche Telekom, unlisted Schwarz Group AI data centers in Germany boasted total capacity of 530 MW at the end of last year, much of that operated by non-German providers, according to figures from German lobby group Bitkom European countries are pushing for more sovereign control over AI infrastructure due to a rise in tariffs, armed conflicts and sharply diverging online-content regulation ($1 = 0.8640 euros) (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; writing by Ludwig Burger; editing by Madeline Chambers) Photograph: A data centre is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) US President Donald Trump is desperate to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease a growing global energy crisis. He wont achieve that easily without a ceasefire in the war on Iran. Irans sporadic attacks on vessels and the threat of mines have cut traffic in the vital waterway to a trickle, effectively putting Tehran, not outside naval forces, in charge of the flow. The strait carries about a fifth of the worlds oil, and the disruption has led to production cuts, fuel shortages and price increases from Asia to Europe. (Related: US $20B Reinsurance Plan Unlikely to Restart Gulf Shipping Without Liability Cover) Trump has been pressing allies to send warships to help reopen the strait, proposing a multinational naval effort to escort commercial ships. Insurers and banks are likely to remain wary of routes close to Iran, where sanctions exposure and the risk of attack make voyages difficult to underwrite or finance. European and Asian partners are reluctant, with governments from Berlin to Tokyo questioning whether a handful of ships would make any difference against Irans ability to threaten vessels. Officials say additional navies would add little beyond the substantial US presence already in the region and still fall far short of whats needed to meaningfully unblock the strait. It could take several weeks to secure the Strait of Hormuz, said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official. Until weve neutralized Irans layered, asymmetric capabilities mines, fast attack craft, submarines and drones we wont want to put commercial or even escort ships through. Trump responded to the lack of enthusiasm from potential partners on Tuesday, saying via social media the US no longer needs assistance, either from NATO countries or Japan, Australia and South Korea. He didnt specifically mention Hormuz. With the war ongoing, the only transit happening appears to be on Irans terms. A handful of vessels have made their way out by hugging the Iranian coast, suggesting passage depends on Tehrans approval rather than outside protection. The result is a system where the strait isnt formally closed, but access is controlled and normal commercial flows remain far out of reach. Those skeptical of the US escort idea point to the recent history in the Red Sea on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. There, Houthi militia in Yemen used similar tactics to disrupt traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, despite bombing campaigns from the US and others. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that his country wont be dragged into the war and that opening the Strait of Hormuz is not straightforward. You can see that historically when theres been other conflicts that have affected the straits, he said. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said France wont take part in operations in the current context but hes ready to work with others on a system of escorts when the situation is calmer. The military solution is the least good solution, said Tom Sharpe, a former UK naval officer who was previously deployed to the Persian Gulf. Its more of a political issue. What Iran is doing now is what weve seen the Houthis did in the Red Sea, he added. Just a few projectiles and its enough to scare ships away. The war is now in its third week, with no sign of a ceasefire. Since the first US-Israel attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28, Brent crude oil has surged about 40% to more than $100 a barrel. US gasoline prices have climbed, while diesel and jet-fuel supplies have tightened amid attacks on energy infrastructure and the Hormuz disruption. Even if the US pulls together a coalition of countries to provide escorts, any impact would be limited, far from a return to normal traffic. The strait is narrow barely 30 miles wide at its tightest point putting shipping lanes within easy reach of missiles, drones and small boats. Insurers and banks are likely to remain wary of routes close to Iran, where sanctions exposure and the risk of attack make voyages difficult to underwrite or finance. Trump acknowledged the ongoing attack threat at the weekend. Even though Irans military is already destroyed 100%, it would be easy for Tehran to continue threatening ships with drones, mines and short-range missiles, he said. Protection Ships have to be within the weapon-defense zone of a naval vessel to get protection, said John Bradford, a former US naval officer and a cofounder of Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies. That would also mean only so many ships can be protected per escort as they move through the tight waterway. With shipping off limits, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are sending some oil through pipelines, but it cant fully replace what normally moves through the strait. Even an end to the war may not reopen the strait. Iran could continue to disrupt shipping as leverage, sustaining enough intermittent attacks to keep the route too risky for commercial traffic. As long as there is that implicit threat to shipping and weve already seen more than 10 ships in the region attacked Iran doesnt need to close the Strait of Hormuz, Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, said on Bloomberg Television. They just need to present enough of a threat to make travel through it prohibitive or too risk Photo credit: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Related: Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Iran warned countries around the Persian Gulf that a number of energy assets are now legitimate targets after Israel attacked its giant South Pars gas field, sending further shockwaves through oil and gas markets. Facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are on a list of assets now at risk of missile strikes, Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday. Attacks on Irans energy infrastructure will not go unanswered, the Fars news provider reported separately. Israel carried out the strike on South Pars, a senior official from the country said, asking not to be named discussing sensitive matters. Iran shares the Persian Gulf field with Qatar, the latest example of other Middle East countries becoming embroiled in the 19-day war. The Israeli targeting of South Pars is a dangerous and irresponsible step, Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said in a post on X. Brent crude rallied after Irans warning, climbing above $108 a barrel. Oil prices have soared almost 50% since the US and Israel began the war on Feb. 28, triggering a response from Iran thats seen missiles and drones fired at countries across the Middle East. Regional energy giants have been forced to cut production in response, particularly due to the effective shuttering of the critical Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump who has repeatedly complained about a lack of interest from erstwhile allies in joining the war or helping to secure Hormuz said on social media early Wednesday that countries other than the US should take responsibility for the waterway. US allies need to get a grip step up and help open the Strait of Hormuz, he said. Iran launched fresh waves of missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait earlier on Wednesday after confirming the assassination of its security chief, Ali Larijani. It also struck Tel Aviv, killing two people. Israel and the US maintained their bombardment of Iran. Irans military vowed to avenge the death of Larijani as well as that of Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary unit, which maintains internal security in Iran. Israel said Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib has also been killed. The US said it dropped 5,000-pound bunker-buster munitions on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz late on Tuesday. Thats part of Trumps efforts to reopen the vital waterway to commercial vessels. Iran, meanwhile, has been moving its own oil through the strait at close to pre-war levels. Crude loadings at Kharg Island also appear to continue undisturbed, despite US strikes on the export hub. We need to design new arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz and the way ships pass through it in the future, Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera. The rules should guarantee that safe passage through the strait takes place under specific conditions. Trump said on Tuesday that the US would soon be ready to end the war. If we left right now, it would take them 10 years to rebuild, Trump said at the White House. Were not ready to leave yet. But well be leaving in the near future. On Wednesday, he posted that Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business! In Iran, a strike hit an area at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, according to Russias state atomic firm Rosatom, which operates the facility. No Rosatom employees were injured, and about 480 Russian citizens remain at the plant, Chief Executive Officer Alexey Likhachev said, according to Russias Tass news agency. In parallel with the war in Iran, Israel has stepped up an offensive in Lebanon, where its fighting the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes in the country have killed more than 900 people, according to the Lebanese government. That brings the wars death toll to more than 4,000, with more than three quarters of the fatalities in Iran. Dozens of others were killed in the rest of the Middle East, while the US has lost 13 military personnel. Iran set a massive natural gas field in the UAE ablaze on Monday as it stepped up attacks on key energy sites, the first time the Islamic Republic has damaged an oil or gas upstream facility in the neighboring country during the war. Anwar Gargash, a top adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, said Iran miscalculated by firing upon Arab states in the Gulf. The attacks will drive them closer to Israel and the US, while demonstrating why the region cant accept Iranian nuclear and missile programs, Gargash said. He signaled the UAE may be willing to help secure the Hormuz strait. This is the responsibility not only of the United States, but of countries in Asia, countries in the region, countries in Europe, he said. Trump scolded North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies for their reluctance to join such an effort. Ive long said I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us, he said. This was a great test because we dont need them, but they should have been there. Trump also reiterated he started the war to disarm a potent nuclear threat. He claimed, without providing evidence, that Iran was just two weeks away from acquiring a weapon that they would have used very gladly. Iran has long denied pursuing atomic weapons and nuclear experts mostly disagree it could have built weapons that quickly. US gasoline prices have soared in recent weeks, rising to around $3.79 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. Thats the highest level since October 2023 and is piling pressure on the administration ahead of the November midterm elections. White House officials are claiming energy prices will drop rapidly once the war ends and are urging Americans to be patient. In the latest sign of growing domestic opposition to the conflict, Joe Kent, a top counterterrorism official, announced he is resigning in protest against the war, arguing that Israel had dragged the US into the conflict. Photo: Iranians set fire to US and Israel flags in Tehran on March 17. Source: Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. ALM Freight, LLC, an Amazon delivery service company, agreed to pay $47,000 and LMDmax Corp., ALMs employment agency, agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. According to the EEOCs lawsuit, a deaf applicant was offered a driver position with ALM in November 2022. She accepted the position and worked with LMDmax to complete the onboarding process. When she requested an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for her first day of orientation, LMDmax responded with a text message stating that ALM does not provide interpreters and would not proceed with her hiring. Goodrich, Michigan-based ALM knew of the request and approved of LMDmaxs response, according to the suit. The alleged conduct violated the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability, and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. ALM Freight, LLC, and LMDmax Corp., Case No. 2:25-cv-13655) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process. In addition to providing $107,000 in damages to the applicant, the two-year consent decrees entered against ALM and LMDmax, separately, require the companies to submit annual reports to the EEOC regarding disability-related requests for accommodations and provide training on disability discrimination with special emphasis on reasonable accommodation requests. LMDmax must also provide the training to all employees of an affiliated company in India used to onboard new hires in the United States. Source: EEOC Topics Lawsuits Amazon Legislation that would have waived building permits for jobs valued at up to $7,500 failed to pass the Florida House this year, but the key clause found its way into another bill that is now awaiting the governors signature. A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owners contractor from the requirement to obtain a building permit to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owners property, reads House Bill 803. The House approved the bill last week, a week after the state Senate passed it and just before the non-budgetary legislative session drew to a close. If the bill becomes law, it should raise concerns for residential property insurance companies because more construction projects are likely to be done by unlicensed firms and work will not be inspected, one longtime roofing contractor said. Some contractors could officially charge less than the $7,500 threshold, then take cash payments to cover larger jobs, avoiding inspections, said Mike Silvers, director of technical services for the Florida Roofing and Sheetmetal Contractors Association. The Florida Association of Counties spoke against the permit clause in January, arguing it would not allow local governments to inspect work, even if requested by a homeowner. When examining claims, insurers often utilize building permit information in determining if work was properly completed, contributed to a loss, or if the contractor can be sued in subrogation for defective work. A sponsor of the earlier bill said it was designed to help speed up minor projects, such as fences and decking. The final version of the bill also bars local governments from adopting zoning rules or other regulations that treat offsite-built homes differently from factory-built structures. It also directs the Florida Building Commission to adopt, by July 1, 2027, uniform residential and uniform commercial building permit applications to be used statewide. Its one of a number of bills approved by the Florida Legislature this year that would limit the authority of counties and cities in the state. Lawmakers this month approved Senate Bill 1434, which would bar local governments from tightening rules on housing development on contaminated lands. That measure is now on its way to the governors desk. HB 803 could make it a little easier for homeowners to protect their property from storms and flooding. If signed into law, it would order municipalities to exempt homeowners and their contractors from needing a building permit for temporary hurricane and flood barriers. The full text of the final bill can be seen here. Topics Florida Legislation A building where explosives were manufactured in Tennessee was not outfitted with a sprinkler system or fire protection system before a massive explosion killed 16 workers in October, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said this week. Its not clear if fire suppression equipment would have made much difference, however, as one explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility in McEwen triggered multiple other explosions throughout the building, the board said in an update to its ongoing investigation. This is one of the deadliest industrial incidents in our country in years, board Chairman Steve Owens said in a statement. The CSBs focus is to determine how and why this horrific event occurred and identify ways to help prevent a terrible tragedy like this from happening again. The board has yet to release a cause of the deadly incident. But the 19-page update explained that several employees were pouring highly explosive mixtures into cast boosters at the time. Booster are solidified explosive materials used to amplify blasts in industrial and military blasting operations. The first detonation created a pressure wave that set off additional explosives throughout the building, said CSB Investigator Cruz Redman. The series of explosions resulted in fatal injuries to sixteen AES employees, injures to several others, the destruction of Building 602, and damage to multiple surrounding structures. The investigation is continuing. The board did not give a timeframe for when a final report may be released. The explosives plant already has come under criticism for allegedly allowing unsafe conditions. A worker-safety group known as the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health said the blast was preventable. Photo: The aftermath at the military explosives manufacturing plant in Hickman County, on Oct. 10. (WTVF-TV via AP) Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Tesco has agreed 10m in new contracts with four Irish food producers to stock their products in supermarkets across the UK and Europe. The new contracts are in addition to existing contracts for each supplier with Tesco Ireland. The Irish products will now be sold through Tesco outlets across the UK, Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia. Irish food and drink producers are continuing to grow their international footprint, with more than 900m worth of Irish products exported each year to Tesco stores outside Ireland. Over the past year, Tesco Group has significantly expanded the presence of several leading Irish suppliers including Follain, Keohane Seafoods, Killowen Farm and Bandon Vale all of whom produce premium products for Tesco's own brand. Cork-based preserves producer Follain has expanded its international presence fourfold in the past year, growing from 180 to 750 Tesco stores across the group, including new listings in Central Europe. Cork supplier Keohane Seafoods has also continued to grow its overseas footprint, with its Tesco Finest seafood range now stocked in more than 500 Tesco stores across the UK, reflecting strong demand for the product in overseas markets. Killowen Farm, the Wexford-based yoghurt producer, has seen strong momentum in the UK market, with five of its Tesco Finest yoghurts now available in 650 UK stores following their launch in September 2025. Cork cheese producer Bandon Vale has expanded beyond Ireland into Central Europe, now supplying 750 Tesco stores across the group, including in Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary, supported by the international appeal of Irish dairy products. Tesco purchases approximately 1.6bn worth of Irish products annually. Irish suppliers are playing an increasingly important role in bringing high-quality Irish food to customers across the UK and Europe, said Tesco Ireland CEO Geoff Byrne. Their success reflects the strength of Irelands food industry and our shared ambition to help Irish producers grow confidently in international markets. As the worlds biggest retail buyer of Irish food and drink, were proud to champion Irish products to consumers at home and overseas Jim OToole, CEO of Bord Bia said: The success of Tesco Ireland suppliers across the UK and Central Europe is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and world-class standards that define Irelands agri-food sector. At Bord Bia, we are proud to bring Irelands outstanding food, drink, and horticulture produce to markets around the world. "These achievements reflect Irelands growing global reputation and highlight the strength of the partnerships that continue to drive sustainable growth for Irish food and drink internationally. In its most recent accounts, Tesco said food sales in Ireland between November and January grew by more than 5% annually. Its Cork-born chief executive Ken Murphy expects a group profit of up to 3.1bn this year. Tesco in Ireland holds 24.1% of the grocery market slightly behind Dunnes, Irelands most popular chain at 24.5%. Europeans are choosing to prioritise health and cost before sustainability, in their food decisions, according to a survey of 19,954 consumers across 18 countries. But their engagement in high-impact sustainable behaviours such as reducing animal-based foods has fallen, according to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's (EIT) survey. It has revealed interest in sustainable eating steadily declining, falling from 76% in 2021 to 69% in 2025. Only 16% were interested in reducing their consumption of animal-based foods. The survey indicates that lack of affordability and difficulties in breaking old habits are blocking people from making sustainable lifestyle changes. However, the survey shows that younger consumers are more open to sustainable food innovation and regenerative agriculture, and are more likely to purchase organic or ethically sourced products, making them more aligned with long-term environmental goals. But overall, health has become the dominant driver of dietary change, according to the EIT survey. More than half of consumers (51%) said they want to eat more healthily. Europeans recognise the negative health effects of salty, fatty, sugary or processed foods; yet only approximately a third of consumers avoid them. Many Europeans also continue to under-consume key healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and fibre, suggesting that intention alone is insufficient to transform eating habits. There's a gap between intentions and behaviour, with 51% wanting to eat more healthily and 69% wanting to live sustainably, but only a third avoid typically unhealthy foods, and only 48% believe they eat sustainably. According to EIT, the data suggests that dietary change in Europe is constrained less by awareness and more by structural and financial pressures. Without addressing these barriers, aspirations are unlikely to translate into sustained behavioural shifts. EIT Foods mission is to promote healthier and more sustainable diets, and reducing animal-based products is seen as the single most impactful sustainability behaviour. But interest is limited, with only 16% doing so, and EIT says framing plant-rich eating as a path to health rather than a sustainability act may be needed to drive higher engagement. EIT also says industry and policymakers may need to design accessible and convenient healthy products; make such products more affordable, and connect sustainability to personal health benefits. The survey has been conducted every year since 2018 by the academic partners of the EU's EIT Food Consumer Observatory. Consumers were surveyed in Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Israel and the UK, in July and August, 2025. The results reveal that most Europeans are broadly satisfied with their diets, only 14% expressed dissatisfaction. The share of younger consumers who eat a sustainable diet was found to equal to that of older consumers. Among younger consumers, 44% want to eat more protein, likely due to greater awareness of protein-rich diets. And a stronger desire to connect with food production was revealed, with 28% of younger people saying they grow their own food, compared to 15% of over-55s. But consumers aiming to eat more foods purchased directly from farmers fell from 52% to 48% in the survey. The survey showed older consumers are less likely to throw away food and more likely to eat home-cooked meals. The Blackwater Catchment Action Plan was launched this week as part of the Better Farming for Water Campaign by Teagasc. The purpose of the Blackwater Catchment Action Plan is to support farmers to adopt the eight Actions for Change with the aim of improving water quality in the Blackwater catchment, where agriculture is a pressure. The Blackwater is one of eight priority catchments, along with the Boyne, Slaney, Barrow, Nore, Suir, Lee, and Bandon-Ilen rivers, highlighted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a catchment of concern where tailored work plans will set clear targets and timelines for implementing water improvement measures. The EPA highlights that reducing nutrient and sediment losses will greatly contribute towards water quality improvements in both the long and short term. Read More Blackwater disaster: EPA finds no link between discharges and fish kill A Blackwater Catchment Implementation Group has been set up to oversee and co-ordinate the plan. The group will consist of an independent chairperson, catchment-based industry representatives, farmers, regulators, and advisors. The chairperson of the Blackwater Implementation Group is Kevin Twomey, a dairy farmer in the area. Dairygold will be the industry lead and will act as a champion for collective action and foster collaboration among stakeholders. Teagascs own Philip Murphy has been appointed as the Blackwater Catchment co-ordinator and will act as secretary to the group. At the launch, a comprehensive booklet was described as outlining the six Pillars of the Plan that includes: stakeholder engagement, building awareness using detailed maps on water quality, upskilling programmes for farmers, advisors, teachers and industry professionals, an impactful Knowledge Transfer programme, a supporting research programme a communications plan. Speaking at the launch, director of Teagasc, Professor Frank OMara, said: Success depends on a collaborative, multi-actor approach involving farmers, advisors, industry, and regulators working together toward shared goals. "This level of engagement is essential to deliver practical solutions that balance improvements in water quality with agricultural productivity. Also speaking at the launch was chief executive of Dairygold Co-Op, Michael Harte, who said: Improving water quality is a shared responsibility, and it is only by working together that we will deliver real and lasting progress Our farmer suppliers are already implementing practical measures that reduce nutrient and sediment losses. As we look towards the next Nitrates Derogation review in three years time, it is vital that all stakeholders remain focused on the measures that improve water quality, prevent nutrient loss to watercourses and reduce emissions, safeguarding our grass-based farming model. The booklet on the Blackwater Catchment plan and other river action plans are available on the Teagasc website. Scottish actor Mark Bonnar will reprise his role in hit BBC drama Line Of Duty for its highly anticipated seventh series. The 57-year-old, who recently starred in The Celebrity Traitors, will return to the series after more than a decade as former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden. The Shetland star was last seen on the show during its second series in 2014, which saw his character arrested for perverting the course of justice. Bonnar will return to the hit crime drama, which will air next year (Ian West/PA) He will join actors Owen Teale, Perry Fitzpatrick and Christina Chong who will reprise their roles in the next instalment of Jed Mercurios hit crime thriller, which is due to air next year. Elsewhere, Tom Weston-Jones will be joining the cast as new character Detective Inspector Dominic Gough. Gough has been described as the charismatic leader of Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) who has been praised for his success in taking down organised crime operations, but has also been accused of abusing his position in power to act as a sexual predator. Along with Weston-Jones, other new additions to the cast include Laura Aikman, Amy Leigh Hickman and Levi Brown who will play detective constables in the new series. Laura Aikman is among the new additions to the Line Of Duty cast (James Manning/PA) Previously, it has been announced that Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar are among the cast members who will reprise their roles in the next instalment of the hit crime thriller. Scottish actor Robert Carlyle will also be joining the cast to play a guest lead role in the new series. Series writer and creator Mercurio said: Im honoured to be working with our brilliant new cast members, and I know the audience will be thrilled to see some much-loved old faces returning from previous seasons. Simon Heath, World Productions chief executive and creative director, said: Were delighted to be able to welcome such a great new cast to join so many well-loved actors from the history of the show. The upcoming series of the show will follow the anti-corruption unit AC-12, after being disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards, as the team are assigned their most sensitive case so far. Line Of Duty series seven will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer next year, with further details yet to be announced. When its government-funded, were all paying for it. These are our children, theyre the next generation, and they need to be fed right, says Duhallow Community Food Services manager Linda OConnor. In 2025, the Government extended the hot school meals scheme, which had started as a pilot scheme in 2019 with just 36 schools, to all primary schools in the country. It is an important element of OConnors job at the DCFS centre in Newmarket, which feeds children from North West Cork and East Kerry, stretching from the Sliabh Luachra region of Kerry to Mallow, from Mountcollins in the north to Inchigeelagh in the south and all in between. Linda OConnor, manager of food operations, and Maura Walsh, founder of Duhallow Community Food Services, inside the restaurant at the community-based enterprise. Pictures: Chani Anderson She reels off the numbers as we walk swiftly with 72 staff working at the centre, OConnor is always busy through the bustling space on a Monday morning. We supply 30 primary schools with 2,987 meals daily, she says. Each meal, which is made from scratch in our kitchen, includes 120g of carbohydrates, 180g of vegetables, and 80g of protein. Those are the Government guidelines, and we have to hit the mark every time. Parents and pupils receive a menu each week with 10 daily options. Every day, their chosen meal is made from scratch in the fast-paced kitchen, packed and labelled with the childs name, placed into black insulated boxes one per classroom and delivered swiftly so it is still hot when it arrives at schools. Under the hot school meals programme, the meals are free to primary school children. The Government pays 3.20 per meal and Duhallow Community Food Services works to ensure as much of that money as possible stays in the area, using suppliers including McCarthys Butchers of Kanturk, Fenit Fruit & Veg and Murphys Bakery. Its great for the community, says OConnor, keeping money local and providing local employment. More than 2,500 school meals are packed in the kitchens at Duhallow Community Food Services each day. Theres also a focus on nutrition, points out OConnor, a trained chef. The chefs start at 4am and all sauces are made from scratch. The curry sauce contains vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. We absolutely pack it with hidden veg. The ragu sauce is also made up of so many vegetables, she says. We need to be able to support [the children] with a balanced diet. Linda OConnor, manager of food operations at Duhallow Community Food Services, pictured outside the restaurant, which forms part of the wider catering and bakery operation. Some of the rural schools they supply have as few as 18 students numbers that many providers find unviable but DCFS is nimble enough, and local enough, to make it work. Hot meals have a direct impact The hot meals have a direct impact that the teachers can see in the classroom: One teacher told me that the children are more inclined to come to school, says OConnor. Especially on the curry days. Theres great excitement when the lunches arrive. The logistics of the primary school hot school lunches are just one element of OConnors job: shes also responsible for a meals-on-wheels service that feeds 120 people every day; supplying two secondary schools in Kanturk with up to 1,000 meals; feeding 120-160 youngsters at a local creche, and another 30-40 children in a Newmarket after-school programme. Theres also an on-site community cafe, a bakery and a catering service in the one-storey building, which is based alongside the James OKeefe Centre in Newmarket. OConnor estimates that they feed between 4,000 and 4,500 people every day. As we sit in the bright cafe, flooded with rare springtime sun, thats easy to believe. The production kitchens are going full tilt with school food and meals-on-wheels departing in DCFS-branded vans, the bakery ovens are turning out a stream of apple tarts, scones, and brownies, a carvery-style lunch service is about to start, and theres a stream of hungry customers arriving, greeting each other and joining friends at tables as they wait to be served. Staff work in the bakery at Duhallow Community Food Services, where Ukrainian bakers displaced by war are part of the team specialising in cakes and sweet treats for the restaurant and catering orders. This thriving food business has its roots in a programme set up in the 1990s with European Social Funding, says Maura Walsh when she joins us. Walsh is the dynamic founder and director of DCFS and the CEO of IRD (Integrated Regional Development) Duhallow, a not-for-profit enterprise that works to establish and support initiatives focused on generating enterprise to benefit communities in this region of North West Cork. It was born out of a community ethos, says Walsh, starting with a meals-on-wheels service for just eight people in 1996. A selection of cupcakes and iced delicacies prepared in the bakery. From small beginnings, delivering hot nutritious meals to those few elderly individuals from an incubator hub kitchen in Boherbue, they moved to this purpose-built space in Newmarket in 2014, and now their rural meals service is just one aspect of how they support and nourish the people of this region. Right from the very start, we focused on quality, says Walsh. Decent plain food. The further you divorce people from their food source, the worse off we all are. Your core food should be from your region. The quality of the school meals service supporting local food systems and cooking from scratch has drawn recent attention to DCFS. Earlier this month, Walsh and OConnor accepted the 2026 Community Food Award from the Irish Food Writers Guild, which said in its citation: Every town and village in Ireland needs a Duhallow Community Food Service to feed our children, support our farmers and provide meaningful employment. Does DCFS offer a template that other community kitchens could put into action? This could be totally replicated, says Walsh. Local development companies are covering every part of this island, are rooted in their communities, and they have the governance, capacity, and experience of implementing large-scale projects. I think this is why it could be scalable so fast. Were looking at social enterprise, the circular economy and social economy its not all about maximising profit. See: duhallowfoodservices.ie There has been a 40% jump in detections of ketamine in wastewater, providing further evidence of the rising use of the party drug in Ireland. A European study, which examines the presence of byproducts of drugs in wastewater systems, found a strong increase in the hallucinogenic drug in almost 70 cities across Europe including Dublin. The European Union Drugs Agency (Euda) research detected a 42% increase in the presence of ketamine products at Ringsend wastewater treatment plant in Dublin between 2024 and 2025. The amount of ketamine in the wastewater was the seventh highest out of 66 cities that had data for both 2024 and 2025. In relation to other drugs, the Wastewater analysis and drugs report, recorded: An 18% drop in cocaine detections although Dublin is still 20th out of 88 cities with data for both 2024 and 2025. The amount of cocaine present in 2025 was around ten times that of ketamine; A 19% reduction in presence of ecstasy (MDMA) although Dublin was 18th highest out of 78 cities with data for both years. Ecstasy has dropped from being present in almost the same quantities as ketamine in Dublin in 2024 to almost half the amount in 2025; An 8% increase in the presence of cannabis, placing Dublin in 23rd place out of 63 cities with data for both years. Cannabis was second behind cocaine, although its prevalence was one seventh that of cocaine. The HSE has been raising awareness about the side-effects of ketamine for the last four years after increasing signs of its use at music festivals particularly among young people. At an Oireachtas committee meeting last month, HSE addiction lead Professor Eamon Keenan, reiterated his concern at a rise in cases involving young people with ketamine-associated bladder problems. Ketamine can have a toxic effect on urine and can cause pain in the bladder known as K-bladder or K-cramps and this can deteriorate to incontinence and even kidney failure. Dutch research published last year documented a rise in first aid incidents involving ketamine, often when consumed with other drugs, most commonly alcohol and ecstasy (MDMA). It found there was a significantly higher incidence up to six-times more of uropathy, or blockage of the urinary tract, among frequent ketamine users. A separate Euda report said there has been a sharp increase in imports and seizures of ketamine in recent years. It said the drug was increasingly popular among young adults and those active in nightlife and party environments. It said in some countries, particularly Britain, its use was increasingly visible among younger age groups, including school-aged children. Seizure data in Ireland suggests that at least 33kgs of ketamine was seized by Gardai and Revenue in 2025 and at least 10kgs so far in 2026. Dr Lorraine Nolan, EUDA Executive Director, says: "Europes wastewater tells the story of a drug phenomenon that is widespread, varied and in constant flux. This years study, covering 115 European cities, reveals a marked decline in traces of MDMA, alongside continued signs that cocaine and ketamine detections are on the rise. "Wastewater analysis helps us track these shifts early to better understand where attention and resources are needed and to inform evidence-based public health and policy responses across Europe." A seven-year-old girl from Co Clare can now safely eat peanuts after receiving treatment in France to overcome a severe allergy and her mother is calling for the therapy to be made available in Ireland. Sheila Downes and other members of Allergy Action Ireland told the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday that this treatment is available in other EU countries. Her two children, Josh,11, and Erin, 7, who have allergies including nuts, sesame seeds, and peanuts, have been treated largely in the French public health system. Ms Downes said she had spent more than 25,000 between flights to Lille, hotels, and costs for oral immunotherapy treatment since 2023. I take my children to France every six months for oral immunotherapy treatment, Ms Downes told Senator Tom Clonan. Weve had great results." Oral immunotherapy treatment involves the gradual introduction of an allergenic food. It helps reduce the severity of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, but is not a cure. My daughter wasnt able to handle or tolerate any peanut. She was anaphylactic to them when she commenced, Ms Downes said. She now eats two peanuts, three times a week, safely, and that is life-changing and life-saving for her. Ms Downes added: My son has now gone to free-eating for peanut and sesame. My daughter is working towards free-eating for hazelnut I never even thought this was possible in this country. She said four to five visits are typically required, costing about 4,000 to bring a child from being anaphylactic to being able to tolerate their allergen". Cork University Hospital is the only public hospital offering the treatment under a pilot programme that began last summer, the committee heard. To date, it has seen 311 patients, with about 50% of them travelling from outside Cork", said committee chair Padraig Rice. Allergy Action Ireland member Ruth Kidney called for more highquality centres, noting in a recent Irish study, only 29% of the 474 children tested were actually allergic. She said the remainder were avoiding foods unnecessarily. A 54-year old man accused of murdering a Kerry farmer has been further remanded in custody after he appeared briefly before Tralee District Court on Wednesday morning. Michael Kelley, a US national of no fixed abode and with a recent address in Tralee, is charged that on a date unknown between March 20 and March 21, 2025, at Carrig, Kenmare, Co Kerry, he did murder 56-year-old Michael Gaine. A German shepherd/Belgian malinois crossbreed dog that injured a smaller dog at a St Patricks Day parade is a restricted breed and should have been muzzled, the district court has ruled. The prosecution for having a restricted breed unmuzzled in a public place was contested by the dogs owner, Tadgh Kelleher, aged 77, of Aras Glanlea, Sliabh Riach, Macroom, Co. Cork. Inspector Anthony Harrington, prosecuting, told Macroom District Court that the animal was a large dog of an Alsatian type and should have been muzzled at the time of the incident. Witness Sharon Kelleher said she was attending the St Patricks Day parade at Castle Street, Macroom, at about 4pm on March 17, 2025. She had her small jack russell/shih tzu crossbreed with her and noticed a man with a large German shepherd that was not muzzled standing nearby. Ms Kelleher said she told the man identified as Mr Kelleher that the dog should have been muzzled in public. to which he replied, some people should be muzzled. Ms Kelleher said the large dog then attacked her dog and had my dog in its mouth, at which point she screamed. When the dog let go, Ms Kelleher called gardai who questioned both parties. Ms Kelleher took her dog to a vet for emergency treatment they confirmed the dog had sustained a bite attack puncture wounds and bruising. The dogs treatment cost her 146.94 from two visits. Mr Kelleher reimbursed her for one visit, but 42 was still outstanding. Defending himself, Mr Kelleher said his dog was a Belgian malinois and not a German shepherd. He said he had the dog on a choker chain at the time and was able to control the animal but conceded it was not muzzled. He said the small dog had barked aggressively at his dog which caused the incident. Mr Kelleher said he believed he had reimbursed Ms Kelleher for all of her veterinary bills at the same time but could have been mistaken. Dog warden Timothy OSullivan said he went to Mr Kellehers residence in May 2025 where he found the dog loose on the property and unmuzzled. He said the dog had not been licensed but was not aggressive and seemed fine in the company of its owner. Mr OSullivan said he had 40 years' experience as a dog warden and in his opinion, the dog was a German shepherd which may have been crossed with a Belgian malinois. Mr OSullivan said the restricted breed legislation applied to named breeds as well as any cross or type of these listed breeds which would include Mr Kellehers dog. Mr Kelleher confirmed to the court that he had since had the dog chipped and licensed and installed secure gates so that it could not leave his property. Judge Joanne Carroll said it was a most unfortunate situation but she was satisfied the dog did come under the restricted breeds legislation and should have been muzzled. She noted it did not have a licence at the time and advised Mr Kelleher that it should never again be in a public place without a lead and muzzle. She convicted and fined him 450, allowing four months to pay, and instructed him to pay the remaining 42 in veterinary bills. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. In the end there was only a light drizzle to rain on Corks 124th St Patricks Day parade and by the time it fell, the two-hour show was almost over. Garda estimates said as many as 60,000 people gathered in the city centre to see a record 3,600 participants in the parade. With more than 60 community groups involved, the parade was a multicultural celebration of community, friendship, and a Cork that tries to live up to the promised hundred thousand welcomes. This years grand marshals were the volunteers and canine stars of Carrigrohane-based national charity Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, which is 50 years old this year, and the dogs stole the show early on. Leading the parade on motorcycles were 18 volunteers from Blood Bike South, who got around the Cork festivals prohibition on mechanically propelled vehicles by striking out three minutes before the official start. Read More St Patrick's Day parades and events take place at home and abroad From 7pm to 7am weeknights, and 24 hours a day on weekends, Blood Bike volunteers deliver blood, chemotherapy materials, and breast milk to hospitals all over the country, and they rely entirely on public donations. Flanking the Blood Bike volunteers were community garda outriders on bicycles, followed by the Defence Forces Band of the 1st Brigade and members of the Irish Army and the Naval Service. Beginning at 1pm at the junction of South Mall and Parnell Place, the parade made its way along South Mall and Grand Parade, then up St Patricks Street to finish on Merchants Quay. Clara, who recently moved to Cork with her family from North Carolina, gets a front row view of her first St Patricks day parade in Cork city. Picture: Chani Anderson The parade welcomed international groups including The McKinney High School Royal Pride Marching Band from Texas, the DC Everest Senior High Marching Band from Wisconsin, and Batala, the international collection of Samba groups from the UK, France, Austria and America. In all, the parade took just over two hours, and although the weather had been blustery early in the morning, the rain held off until the show was nearly over. More than 60 different community groups took part in the parade, and each one gave it socks, putting their hearts and souls into putting on a show for onlookers all along what was a very long route. By the time the parade wound to a close, there cant have been a child along the front lines who didnt receive multiple high fives from participants. The Rebel Wheelers were showstoppers, shooting basketballs mostly on target at a mobile hoop and eliciting cheers all along the route. Members of the Defence Forces march through the streets of Cork city during the St Patricks Day Parade. Picture: Chani Anderson Grand Marshal Irish Guide Dogs at Cork's St Patricks Day parade Picture: Darragh Kane Conor Coughlan, one of the Rebel Wheelers, stopped briefly for a chat, and then had to wheel all the faster to catch up with his colleagues. We have a range of clubs for kids and adults with disabilities, and Im part of the wheelchair basketball club, we have wheelchair rugby, we have boccia, everything you can name, we have it, he said. Were out here having a great day, its all about having fun today. Much of the days entertainment was supplied by local arts organisations Cork Community Art Link, Cork Puppetry Company, along with national arts organisation Spraoi, which brought large floats and paid tribute to the festival theme of Marsh, Myth and Magic. The magical and dreamlike displays saw a colossal heron craning and jerking along the city streets, heralded by strange, spindly and angular clockwork soldiers, and followed by a bloated frog which licked the air while croaking and belching. At an accessible area for parade viewers who are wheelchair users, Enya Coates sat at the frontline with her dad Graeme. It is such a lovely day, and its so nice to see all of the people in the parade, and everyone is so happy, she said. There was a huge welcome for the Cork LGBT+ group as they carried a preposterously long rainbow flag, and there were particularly warm cheers for the group Mammies for Trans Rights. Performers from the Cork Puppetry Company entertain the crowds during the St Patricks Day Parade in Cork. Picture: Chani Anderson There was colour and excitement on the streets of Cork city as thousands turn up to watch the parade. Picture: Chani Anderson For the Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Fergal Dennehy, inspecting the St Patricks Day parade was a highlight of his year so far. Its absolutely incredible, what a turnout, the largest parade ever, representing the city that we are today, he said. What an honour it is to see multicultural groups from all over our city, groups from America, people from all over the world who are making their home here, and making our city a better place. Its a wonderful day." Up by the viewing stand, members of the Cork Deaf Club enjoyed pole position beside Father Mathew, and Angela Dennehy from Blackpool, speaking through Irish Sign Language interpreter Suzanne Carey, said she always attends the St Patricks Day parade. Its a special day and its so nice to see so many community groups and people from all over the world who live in Cork, she said. It did seem like the flags of every nation were flown proudly at the parade, all of them side-by side with the Tricolour, which felt as welcoming as it was always intended to be. Having started with the guide dogs, the parade ended with a Shetland pony called Dolly representing Cork City Fire Brigade, and pulling a restored fire tender which dates back more than a century and saw duty during the Burning of Cork. Gardai in Cork have arrested a man in his 40s in connection with a fatal assault in the Lower John Street and Knapps Square area of Cork city on Monday evening. The man was arrested on Wednesday morning and is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a garda station in Cork city. It is understood that the victim, believed to be a Ukrainian national who had lived in Ireland since childhood, was stabbed in the chest in the Lower John Street and Knapps Square area shortly after 7pm on Monday after leaving his home to get food. In the immediate aftermath of the assault, the man returned to the apartment he shared with his wife and young child at Camden Court on Carrolls Quay, where his wife raised the alarm. Gardai and emergency services responded at approximately 7.50pm. Despite efforts by paramedics to treat him, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. In a statement, the garda press office said investigations are ongoing. Fear and grief in Cork city flats Drops of blood still trace the young fathers final steps as he made his way home to the apartment he shared with his partner and their young child. She was in bits this morning, one resident in the Camden Court apartment complex on Carrolls Quay said of the deceased mans partner. They were a nice couple. I think he was out working from early every morning. They have a very young child. I think she has family there with her today. The couple are originally from Eastern Europe, the neighbour said. The young woman appears to be in her 20s and their child is still very young, possibly less than one year old, the neighbour said. One resident, Andrew Zammit, who is originally from Malta, said residents of Camden Court were both saddened and frightened by news of the suspected stabbing. He first learned of his neighbours death when gardai knocked on his apartment door on Tuesday afternoon. I was shocked when they said there had been a stabbing, he said. My partner went down to collect food that evening. Its scary to think he could have been attacked too. I was scared for my partner thinking of it. The apartments at Camden Court are peaceful, quiet, and full of professionals, Mr Zammit said. I love it here. And I feel safe in Cork. Ive never felt intimidated here. I love Cork and the people here, it is peaceful. Cork is great. I was shocked to hear this. Were hoping to hear the motive. It is scary if its a random attack, he said. And we pay top dollar here [in these apartments]. Its scary to think of someone dying here. Its so sad for the man and his family. My condolences go to them. Mr Zammits apartment overlooks the Knapps Square area, where the alleged attack is understood to have taken place. He was at home on Monday evening watching Netflix but did not hear anything unusual. However, at weekends, he often hears lads shouting, drinking, he said. I think gardai should pay attention to that area at weekends, he said. Knapps Square, located behind the apartments, leads to a set of old city steps linking the area to John Redmond Street, which runs towards Shandon. The deceased is understood to have gone to buy food in that direction before the suspected assault shortly after 7pm on Monday evening. People working in businesses near the scene said they had not experienced trouble in the area. But we leave around 4.30pm, one man said. Taoiseach Micheal Martin presented a bowl of shamrock to US President Donald Trump, as he wraps up his trip to America for St Patrick's Day. "The shamrock ceremony is always a uniquely special moment. It is a symbol of friendship, a friendship between our peoples which is older than our Republics," Mr Martin said. Mr Trump said they were gathered to celebrate the "incredible feat of friendship" between Ireland and the US. "I feel like I have Irish blood", he said. He also referred to Ireland's $42bn (36bn) trade deficit, saying the country will need to "buy a lot of energy" from the US. The Taoiseach said Ireland is a small country and needs free trade to "make our way in the world". "We like to see as few barriers and tariffs get in the way of that." Mr Martin also addressed both the war in Iran and Ukraine, saying there are too many people dying in wars across various countries. "Like other small countries, we see international rules and order, including the United Nations, as essential to our peace and security and that of the world," he said. "Our own recent history has convinced us that dialogue, negotiation, and de-escalation are the way to make progress. "And we especially want to see progress and peace in the Middle East, as I know you do. "We also need a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. Too many people are dying as a result of conflict in the world we owe it to them all to create a better future." Every day, the team at Aircraft For Sale chooses an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, a good deal, or has other qualities we find interesting. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today's Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily. Today's Top Pick is a 2024 Beechcraft Baron G58. While the aviation world increasingly tilts toward high-performance, single-engine turboprops, the Beechcraft Baron remains defiant at the top of the light twin-engine market. It is a silhouette that has defined executive travel for decades, outlasting its competitors by offering a specific blend of stability, redundant safety, and cross-country authority that a single engine simply cannot replicate. Advertisement Advertisement Stepping into the hangar to find this G58 is less like looking at a pre-owned airplane and more like finding a glitch in the space-time continuum of factory backlogs. Located in North Carolina and boasting just 197 total hours, the airframe represents a rare second chance for a buyer to secure a flagship Baron without the multiyear wait associated with a new factory order. Recently treated to a fresh annual and IFR certification in August 2025, the white-and-bronze exterior remains in pristine, delivery-day condition. The mechanical heart of this Baron beats with the rhythmic precision of twin 300 hp Continental IO-550-C engines. With fewer than 200 hours since leaving the assembly line, these powerplants are barely through their break-in period, promising decades of reliable service. When paired with the long range fuel tanks-carrying 194 gallons-and a factory-installed TKS known icing system, the aircraft transforms from a weekend cruiser into a serious, all-weather mission machine capable of tackling long-distance hauls with ease. 2024 Beechcraft Baron G58 [Credit: Carolina Aircraft] Open the signature double doors and you step into a climate-controlled executive lounge. The cabin is finished in premium tan leather with sand carpeting, centered around a club-seating arrangement that has long been the envy of the piston world. From the integrated executive desk to the modern USB charging ports and Mountain High oxygen system, the interior environment is designed to ensure that passengers arrive at their destination as refreshed as the pilot. Behind the yoke, the transition from legacy steam gauges to the digital frontier is complete. The cockpit is a high-definition command center anchored by the Garmin G1000 NXi integrated flight deck. This suite manages the mission with synthetic vision, GFC 700 digital autopilot, and GWX 75 color radar. With the added security of GTS 800 active traffic and Iridium satellite connectivity, the pilot is equipped with a level of situational awareness that was once the exclusive domain of commercial airliners. Advertisement Advertisement Listed at $1,945,000, this 2024 Beechcraft Baron G58 is a turnkey opportunity to own the pinnacle of the piston-twin lineage. If you're exploring ownership options, FLYING Finance can help get you airborne. Use our airplane loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments, or connect with an aviation finance expert at flyingfinance.com. The Government will finalise an appropriate intervention to rising fuel and energy prices next week, the Tanaiste has said. Simon Harris said measures would be signed off at the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: This Government understands the pressures families and businesses are under. They are feeling it at the pumps where the cost of filling a car has risen considerably in the space of a just over a fortnight and they are seeing it in the cost of a fill of oil. The finance minister said he had spoken to his officials, the Taoiseach and relevant ministers, and added: This evening, I want to confirm to this House that we are now finalising what we believe to be an appropriate intervention, for the areas in which there is most acute pressure and challenge. The Governments response will be agreed at the next Cabinet meeting. Mr Harris said he strongly believed any intervention should, in the first instance, be for a short period of time. The war on Iran saw the price of oil surge another 5% to more than $108 a barrel on international markets on Wednesday. Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny said it seemed a little bit rich that the Government could do nothing, only monitor it until his party brought the motion. He told Mr Harris: Now youve managed to find the road to Damascus and youve turned and youre going to do something about it. They were speaking during two hours of Dail time dedicated to a Sinn Fein motion on energy and fuel costs. The party called on the Government to scrap plans to increase carbon tax on home heating oil on May 1, and to reduce the cost of fuels through emergency legislation on mineral oil taxes. The Sinn Fein Bill would introduce reductions in fuel taxes for a six-month emergency period to provide immediate relief to households, workers and farmers facing escalating energy costs. Earlier, Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty told the Dail: Were two weeks into this crisis, two weeks where workers and families are getting absolutely hammered by skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel and home heating oil diesel now well above 2, and home heating oil has almost doubled. Mr Doherty criticised Government ministers for being too busy packing their bags for Paddys Day to act on fuel prices. He said: People cant wait any longer for the Government who is dithering and delaying. They need to see action and they need to see a Government that is nowhere to be seen. The idea that this government is somehow monitoring the situation boils peoples blood. It means nothing to somebody whos out of home heating oil today. It means nothing to that elderly person in a cold house tonight, afraid to turn on the heating. Mr Harris said the Government had already extended the lower 9% Vat rate on gas and electricity until the end of the decade and increased and expanded the weekly fuel allowance. He also argued that carbon tax is not the cause of the current spike in energy prices and stepping away from the planned long-term approach would delay the transition which ultimately gives us greater control over our energy future. The matter was also raised during Leaders Questions between Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and justice minister Jim OCallaghan. Ms McDonald said home heating oil had reached 900 for a half fill and people cant wait as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael twiddle your thumbs. She said: The Government hauled in an estimated additional 38m in taxes and levies due to these price hikes in just one week. So its blindingly obvious what you need to do, cut taxes on petrol, on diesel and home heating oil. This would immediately bring down prices. Mr OCallaghan said: The Government will respond to this. However, what were not going to do is engage in a knee-jerk response, just for the purpose of being seen to do something immediately. He said the Taoiseach had indicated the Government would look at cutting excise duties, adding that any measures introduced will be targeted at individuals who need them the most. Mr OCallaghan said energy minister Darragh OBrien had written to retail electricity and gas suppliers as well as fuel suppliers in recent days to emphasise the importance of reducing the exposure for Irish consumers from the price shocks created by geopolitical events. Ireland asks a great deal of its Defence Forces cadets. We ask these young men and women to commit up to two years of their lives to one of the most demanding training regimes in the State. We ask them to accept military law, restricted personal freedoms, and relentless scrutiny. We ask them to lead others, often at a young age, and to represent the State at home and abroad. What we do not do is pay them fairly. Cadet pay is not just low, it is shockingly low. In real terms, cadets are paid far below the national minimum wage for the hours they work. Cadet pay remains the lowest in the Defence Forces, at just 503 per week, compared to 550 for a recruit, rising to 627 after 12 weeks. Cadets remain on this pay for the entirety of their first year, while recruits move to a weekly salary of 814 after just six months, or 42,465.65 annually. More striking still, they are paid significantly less than an enlisted recruit, despite being in full-time training for commissioned leadership and bearing far greater responsibility. In the first year, a cadet earns 40.7% less than their enlisted counterpart. This disparity continues long after training. From the moment of enlistment, it takes an officer five years to catch up to an enlisted colleague in terms of career pay, despite undertaking longer training and assuming greater responsibilities. This anomaly would be indefensible in any other profession. In a military organisation that depends on hierarchy, professionalism, and morale, it is actively corrosive. A cadetship is a gruelling, high-intensity apprenticeship like no other. As well as undergoing long hours of education and training, cadets are deployable on aid to the civil power operations, and they are routinely used as the go-to unit for State ceremonial events, representing Ireland at moments of national and international significance. Vital contributions They are expected to deliver flawless standards of foot and arms drills, standards that will likely be on display during Irelands upcoming EU presidency, when the eyes of Europe will again be on Dublin. These are not symbolic duties; they are operational, public-facing, and demanding. Cadets have also demonstrated their value in times of crisis. During covid, they played a central role in the States response, serving as contact tracers at a moment when public services were under immense strain. That contribution is worth remembering now. When the State needed disciplined, adaptable personnel at short notice, cadets were there. Yet even as they perform genuine military service, they are denied military service allowance, which is paid to others precisely because military life involves unique demands and constraints. The contradiction is stark. Low pay might be tolerable if cadetships were short, or if the financial impact disappeared once training ended. But under the single pension scheme, earnings are averaged across an entire career. This means that paying cadets a poverty-level wage for almost two years does lasting damage to their pension entitlements. In other words, the State is not just underpaying cadets now; it is permanently penalising them for having trained as officers. Allowing this to continue is not merely unfair, it is intolerable. The consequences are predictable. Low cadet pay acts as a barrier to entry, excluding capable people who cannot rely on family support or personal savings. Anyone in their 30s with dependants, a mortgage, rent, or other financial responsibilities simply cannot contemplate entering a cadetship on the current rate of pay. This reality renders the recent increase in the maximum induction age to 39 years almost meaningless. On paper, the Defence Forces are open to older candidates; in practice, the pay structure ensures that only the young and financially insulated need apply. It affects the quality and diversity of future leadership. A system that quietly filters out both less well-off candidates and mid-career professionals is one that shrinks its own talent pool. At a time when the Defence Forces are struggling with recruitment and retention across all ranks, that is a self-inflicted wound. Financial incentives There is also a hard financial logic to this debate. Training a cadet is expensive. When cadets or newly commissioned officers leave after a short period, often citing financial pressure or a sense of being undervalued, the State loses that investment. Improving cadet pay would not be a gesture of generosity; it would be a retention measure and a protection of public money. Irelands security environment is changing. Cyber threats, maritime protection, aid to the civil authorities, and international peace-keeping all demand skilled, motivated officers. Attracting and retaining that calibre of leader requires more than appeals to patriotism and service. Commitment does not pay rent, and pride does not cover childcare costs. Cadets are already professionals in every meaningful sense. They serve, they deploy, they represent the State, and they step forward in moments of national need. Treating them as anything less when it comes to pay undermines morale and damages the institution they will one day lead. Defence minister Helen McEntee, seen standing beside Tanaiste Simon Harris, has asked her officials to consider options for enhancing the renumeration package for cadets. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA There are simple solutions to addressing this injustice, and they are simply a matter of political will. All of these options have been advocated for with the Department of Defence and relevant minister for several years. In October 2025, Tanaiste Simon Harris assured Raco delegates that the Government will work to ensure progress is made in the short term, to support the Defence Forces in bringing forward the leaders of the future. Defence minister Helen McEntee has asked her officials to consider options for enhancing the remuneration package of cadets. Yet the ongoing cadetship competition launched last month with much fanfare, and supported by a hugely slick and professional advertisement campaign across all media continues to be undermined by the pay rates (though there is a tendency to misleadingly refer to pay on commissioning, and not on enlistment). The financial strain of living on cadet pay makes joining the Defence Forces less attractive, potentially limiting the pool of highly motivated candidates. Improving cadet pay is not just a matter of fairness, it is essential to attracting, supporting, and retaining talented personnel in the Defence Forces. The Department of Defence and military leadership cannot aspire to becoming an employer of choice while presiding over what is tantamount to exploitation. In the absence of any apparent improvement in this matter, our association has been left with little alternative but to recommend to prospective cadet applicants that they enlist as a recruit in the Defence Forces prior to commencing a cadetship, so they can start a cadetship on a much higher salary. If we want a capable, credible Defence Forces tomorrow, we must start by paying todays cadets properly. That is not charity, it is responsibility; and it is long overdue. Lieutenant Colonel Conor King is the general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers Plans to renovate a former Cork city bank into a hotel have been submitted to Cork City Council. Irish hotelier Shay Livingstone is seeking planning permission, through his company Cadcove Holdings Limited, to redevelop the former National Irish Bank building at No 71 South Mall into a 58-bedroom hotel. Mr Livingstone, who previously ran the Rochestown Park Hotel, outlined proposals for the boutique hotel to Cork City Council in December, including details of the 18.5m development, which he intends to name The Joshua after his son. The plans include a ground-floor bar, restaurant, and cafe, along with the construction of two additional storeys on the former bank premises. The company is also seeking to demolish auxiliary buildings to the rear of the main structure, fronting Morgan Street, as well as to construct a glazed link bridge over five floors across an open atrium. The proposal provides for the preservation and repair of the limestone elevation on South Mall, as well as the addition of a customer entrance and service entrance on Morgan Street. Morgan Street, Cork City The development also includes public realm improvements, ancillary signage, and all associated site development works. Planning permission for a hotel on the South Mall site was previously granted in 2019 to former owners but has since lapsed, with a new application now submitted to City Hall. Mr Livingstone acquired the building in 2023 for more than 3m from hoteliers and investors Ray Byrne and Eoin Doyle, who had planned to redevelop it themselves but later sold it. The building has been vacant since 2012, when Danske Bank/National Irish Bank closed its 27 Irish branches. Speaking to the Irish Examiner in December, Mr Livingstone said that the hotel will have a five-star feel," adding that he intends to use all Irish companies for the project. Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2026. Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the application by May 5, 2026. Irans supreme national security council has confirmed the death of its chief, Ali Larijani, after Israel said it had killed him in an airstrike. The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul of Gods righteous servant, Martyr Dr Ali Larijani, the council said on Tuesday evening, adding that his son and his bodyguards had died with him. After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honourably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service, it added. Read More Taoiseach: Ireland will not join mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz Israel said earlier it had killed Larijani, a linchpin of Iranian politics, in overnight strikes. He is the most senior Iranian figure to die in the war since the supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed on its first day. His death removes a pivotal figure at the heart of the regimes political and security establishment at a moment of acute crisis and represents a devastating blow. Israels defence minister, Israel Katz, said a separate strike had killed the Basij paramilitary force commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, along with other senior Basij figures. Soleimanis death was later confirmed by Iranian state media. Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell, Katz said on Tuesday. Donald Trump also hailed Larijanis reported death, without actually naming him but referring to his supposed role in spearheading the recent crushing of mass protests. Their leaders are gone, Trump said of Irans clerical regime. Its an evil group. I mean, theyve killed much more than 32,000 people. And the man who was responsible for that was also killed yesterday. The twin deaths show Israel still retains intelligence on the movements of Irans top leaders inside Tehran, and can use it and the USs near complete control of Iranian airspace to strike at will. Larijani had been seen days earlier on the crowded streets of Tehran during the annual Quds day rally. He was appointed secretary of the supreme national security council in August after the previous US-Israeli attacks on Iran in June 2025, and on Monday issued a statement to Muslims around the world appealing to them to support Iran in its struggle and challenging Gulf leaders to explain why they were still allowing US bases in their countries to be used to attack Iran. The Guardian What happened overnight Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the global repercussions of the Middle East war 'will hit all' In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi also said that Irans stance against the development of nuclear weapons would not significantly change . . Donald Trump continued to lash out at Nato allies The US military said it targeted sites along Irans coastline near the Strait of Hormuz An Iranian missile barrage killed two people in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have targeted central Beirut Iran has confirmed the death of the Basij militia commander Gholamreza Soleimani A projectile hit the premises of Irans Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday night . A defiant Iran said Israel's killing of security chief Ali Larijani and other key officials would not hinder its operations with replacements swiftly appointed, as Israel launched a swathe of strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the US and Israel did not understand that the Islamic Republic was a robust political system and did not depend on any single individual. The death of senior officials would not disrupt governance and the state would continue to function, Araqchi said in an interview with Al Jazeera published on Iranian state media on Wednesday. Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying cluster warheads in what it said was retaliation for Israel's assassination of Larijani, Iranian state television reported earlier. A statement by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps read on state TV said weapons used included Khorramshahr 4 and Qadr missiles, both of which carried multiple warheads. Israeli authorities said the attacks killed two people in a neighbourhood close to densely populated Tel Aviv, where there are also key military facilities, bringing the death toll in Israel from the war to at least 14. Israel has said that Iran has repeatedly used cluster warheads, which disperse into multiple smaller explosives mid-air and spread over a wide area, making them difficult to intercept. The US-Israeli war on Iran shows no signs of de-escalation nearly three weeks in, with Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, rejecting proposals conveyed to Iran's Foreign Ministry for "reducing tensions or ceasefire with the United States," according to a senior Iranian official who asked not to be identified. Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) Khamenei, attending his first foreign-policy meeting since his appointment, said it was not "the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation," according to the official. Iran had executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, the Iranian judiciary's media outlet Mizan said on Wednesday. The man, identified as Kurosh Keyvani, had been convicted of providing Israel's spy agency Mossad with pictures and information about sensitive locations in Iran, it said. The Israel Defense Forces said strikes on Tehran on Tuesday included the headquarters of the IRGC security unit tasked with suppressing unrest and a maintenance centre linked to Irans internal security forces. A projectile also hit an area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening but caused no damage or injuries, Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for maximum restraint during the conflict to avoid the risk of a nuclear accident. Israel and the US have said preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapons programme was one of the goals of the attacks they launched more than two weeks ago, which killed the country's supreme leader and many other top officials. Israeli strikes across Lebanon Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed at least six people on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said, shaking the heart of the Lebanese capital as Israel intensified its offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Israeli airstrikes also pounded the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, where Reuters footage showed explosions lighting up the night sky. The latest strikes suck Lebanon deeper into the war in the Middle East after Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2, saying it aimed to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Israel has responded with an offensive that has killed more than 900 people in Lebanon and forced more than 800,000 from their homes, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. US-based Iran human rights group HRANA said on Monday that an estimated 3,000-plus people have been killed in Iran since the US-Israeli attacks began at the end of February. Iranian attacks have killed people in Iraq and across the Gulf states, as well as Israel. US targets Iran coastline near Strait of Hormuz The United States military said on Tuesday it had targeted sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz with powerful "bunker buster" bombs because Iranian anti-ship missiles posed a risk to international shipping there. The strait, a transit point for a fifth of the global oil trade, remains largely closed as Iran threatens to attack tankers linked to the US and Israel. Oil prices have soared. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly castigated allied countries in recent days for their cool response to his requests for military help to restore the passage of oil tankers through the waterway. Most US allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have told Trump they don't want to get involved in the conflict, he said on Tuesday, describing their position as "a very foolish mistake." The US has given shifting rationales for joining Israel to attack Iran and struggled to explain the legal basis for starting a new war, underscored by the Tuesday resignation of the head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joseph Kent. Kent wrote in his resignation letter to Trump that Iran "posed no imminent threat to our nation." Iran has responded to the Israeli-US attacks with wide-ranging strikes on its Gulf neighbours. Gulf Arab states have faced more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks on US diplomatic missions and military bases, as well as oil infrastructure, ports, airports, ships and residential and commercial buildings, and most of them aimed at the United Arab Emirates. Araqchi told Al Jazeera that Iranian strikes were not limited to US bases because the US deployed its forces outside military bases and into urban areas. "Wherever there were American forces gathering, wherever there were facilities belonging to them, they were targeted. It is possible some of these places were near urban areas," the top Iranian diplomat said. Saudi Arabia will host a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from a number of Arab and Islamic countries in Riyadh on Wednesday evening to discuss ways to support regional security and stability, the kingdom's foreign ministry said. The International Energy Agency has said the war in the Middle East has caused the worst oil crisis since the 1970s. With no signs of a de-escalation in fighting, oil prices are up around 45% since the start of the war on February 28, raising concerns of a renewed spike in global inflation. The World Food Programme said tens of millions of people will face acute hunger if the war continues through June. Global airlines sounded the alarm on Tuesday over soaring jet fuel prices, warning of hundreds of millions of extra costs, higher fares and cuts to some routes. Global aviation has been thrown into turmoil, with flights cancelled, rescheduled or rerouted as most Middle East airspace remains closed amid fears of missile and drone attacks. - Reuters Israeli warplanes hit central Beirut in the early hours of Wednesday, destroying apartment buildings in some of the most intense airstrikes on the centre of the Lebanese capital for decades, an expansion of the US-Israeli war against Iran. A day after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani in the highest-level assassination since the war's first day, Iran retaliated by firing missiles with multiple warheads into Israel that Israeli authorities said killed two people near Tel Aviv. Iran said the killing of Larijani and other officials would not hinder its operations. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the United States and Israel failed to understand that the Islamic Republic was a robust political system that did not depend on any single individual. Nearly three weeks into the conflict, there are scant signs of de-escalation. An unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies has raised the political stakes for US president Donald Trump. Diesel prices in the United States rose above $5 a gallon on Wednesday for the first time since the 2022 inflation surge that eroded support for his predecessor Joe Biden. Israel has stepped up its strikes on Lebanon and a ground assault in the south in pursuit of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which has fired across the border in solidarity with Tehran. Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has rejected proposals conveyed to Tehran by intermediary countries to de-escalate the conflict, saying that the United States and Israel must first be "brought to their knees", according to a senior Iranian official who asked not to be identified. Worst strikes on centra Beirut for decades In central Beirut's Bachoura district, Israel warned residents to leave a building, which it then completely flattened. Eyewitness video, verified by Reuters, showed the structure crumbling into dust as it was struck at dawn. Firefighters later clambered over a vast pile of smoking rubble. Firefighters spray water on a burning residential building following an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) No such warning was given for strikes that hit apartment buildings in two other central districts, killing at least 10 people, according to Lebanese authorities. Smoke poured from the balcony of one building as residents swept debris from the street, surrounded by wrecked cars. While Israel has been striking Hezbollahcontrolled southern suburbs of Beirut for days, the latest attacks were among the worst to hit central parts of the capital in decades. Inside Israel, an Iranian missile tore a crater into the pavement and set cars ablaze in a residential area of Holon, just south of Tel Aviv. "There was an alarm, we went into the shelter, we heard a crazy boom," resident Leah Palteal told Reuters. "When we were allowed to come out... We saw fire, we went downstairs, we saw that everything here was blown up." Israel has also launched a ground assault in southern Lebanon. It acknowledged on Wednesday that its troops had fired from a tank at a UN base a week into the war, injuring three Ghanaian peacekeepers in what it said was a mistake. Mounting casualities across the region Lebanese authorities say 900 people have been killed in the country and 800,000 forced to flee their homes. US-based Iran human rights group HRANA said on Monday that an estimated 3,000-plus people have been killed in Iran since the US-Israeli attacks began at the end of February. A rescue worker stands on the balcony of a damaged apartment as smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Iranian attacks have killed people in Iraq and across the Gulf states. Fourteen have been killed in Israel. Israel and the United States say their war aim is to prevent Iran from being able to project force beyond its borders and destroy its nuclear and missile programmes. They have also urged Iranians to rise up and overthrow their clerical rulers, just weeks after authorities killed thousands of anti-government protesters. However, there has been no sign of organised dissent inside Iran since the bombing began. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck targets in Tehran on Tuesday that included the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards' security unit tasked with suppressing unrest, and a maintenance centre linked to Iran's internal security forces. Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog that a projectile had also hit an area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening but caused no damage or injuries. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for maximum restraint. The United States military said on Tuesday it had targeted sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz with powerful "bunker-buster" bombs, saying Iranian anti-ship missiles there posed a threat to international shipping. The strait, where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass within a few miles of Iran's coast, remains largely closed as Iran threatens to attack tankers linked to the US and Israel. Oil prices have surged. - Reuters One year ago, the Tata brand, whilst doing well at home, was only in fourth place. Now, after a great January was followed by an even better February, only Maruti Suzuki (MSIL) is ahead of it. A long way ahead, naturally, yet with a 38.3 percent share, the days of MSIL owning more than half of the market are seemingly long gone. As at 28 February, Tata commanded 14.8 percent of Indias market, with deliveries of 132,551 passenger vehicles ahead of Mahindra (123,528) and Hyundai (111,514). Keeping that in perspective, even with its total up by just point one of a percent year-to-date, Maruti is a long way out in front, its total being 335,529. Even so, Tata is clearly on a roll and 2026 could be a great one for the company. Can Punch make it three in a row? Much of the home brands success comes down to near-constant vehicle launches throughout 2024 and 2025. And for the second year in succession, Tatas Punch, a small SUV, was Indias best seller of last year. Will it threepeat in 2026? Maybe not, as the Nexon is already almost four thousand units ahead of Marutis DZire with the third placed Punch lagging the Suzuki by almost 5,000 cars. Advertisement Advertisement The Punch is effectively two cars, the original, which dates to 2021, having been joined by an EV in 2024. The latter was facelifted in January, the ICE variant gaining a new 1.2-litre engine at the same time. Both petrol and electric models will be replaced commencing in 2028. As regards the Nexon, a new model is due in 2027. We can again expect three- and four-cylinder engines as well as an EV. The platform will be an evolution of todays X1. Only two Tatas in Indias top-twenty The Nexon and Punch are Tatas power pair, being the brands sole models in the top 20. The next best sellers are the Sierra and Tiago down in 24th and 25th positions. However, the first of those is still fairly new and sales are building steadily whilst the Tiago is now a decade old and has been twice facelifted. This A segment hatchback is due to be replaced in 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Looking a little deeper at the Sierra, this highly acclaimed SUV has given Tata a far more distinctive design in its size class than that offered by many rivals. It is also a huge leap in every way compared to what was a 31 year old predecessor. Revealed four months ago, sales commenced in January and the life cycle will probably be a decade long. The company says its new 4,340 mm models platform is called ARGOS (All-Terrain Ready, Omni-Energy, and Geometry Scalable architecture). Launched with 78 kW 1.5-litre petrol, 118 kW 1.5 turbo and 87 kW 1.5-litre turbodiesel engines, the Sierra will also gain an electric powertrain option later in 2026. And while for now all variants are front-wheel drive, AWD also comes later. Harrier: a second facelift incoming? Despite dating to January 2019, the Harrier, a 4.6 m long SUV, remains fresh, having been facelifted in 2023. It can be ordered with petrol or diesel four-cylinder engines, or with electric power. Production of the EV did not commence until July 2025. We can expect a second facelift towards the end of 2026 and a replacement in 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Now just over six years old, the Altroz, a five-door hatchback, competes in the sub-4.0-metre class. Available with 1.2- and 1.5-litre engines, it replaced the Bolt and has been far more successful than that car. Most recently facelifted in May 2025, the Altroz will almost certainly have a successor in 2028. Not nearly as strong a seller as had been hoped for since being launched in 2024, the Curvv is perhaps more fairly considered a niche product. This small SUV-Coupe is available with 1.5-litre diesel and 1.2-litre petrol engines or else as an EV (45 kWh & 55 kWh battery choices). Tata terms the platform ATLAS (Adaptive Tech-forward Lifestyle Architecture) for ICE derivatives and acti.ev for the electric variants. There should be facelifts for all Curvvs in 2028 and replacements in 2031 or 2032. Safari EV Just over five years old now, the current Safari had an early facelift in 2023. It will likely be given a second refresh later in 2026. That should keep this SUV selling moderately well until a third generation is launched in 2029. There are rumours that an EV will be added within the next 12 months, joining Tatas own 1.5-litre petrol and the launch engine from 2021, a Fiat 2.0-litre diesel. Advertisement Advertisement Those who think the days of Tata selling ancient models derived from other OEMs bought-in platforms are over should take note of the Winger Plus. The company will likely continue building this vehicle for some years yet. Most recently updated in August 2025, this MPV is based upon the Renault Trafic from as long ago as 1980. And while it has only been in production as a Tata since 2007, the Winger family must surely be one of the oldest vehicles still being manufactured anywhere. Avinya Almost three months into the year in which Avinya was due to premiere, Tata has gone quiet on the topic of its premium brand. Will the first model still be arrive in 2026? Apparently there will be a delay, with sales now due to commence in 2027. The launch model of this electric brand should be revealed in pre-production form later this year. The Avinya X concept (see image) from 2025 is said to have teased the size and shape. Advertisement Advertisement All Avinya models will reportedly be based upon the Gen 3 platform, a flat-floor or skateboard-type design. The code of the first SUV is said to be P1, with up to five Avinyas due to appear by the early 2030s. Tata is said to be planning series production of P1 for the second half of 2027 at its Sanand plant in Gujarat. The second part of two-part series on Tata Motors Limited divisions will be published later in March. Jaguar and Land Rover future models will feature. "Tata Motors future models: 2026-2036" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Advertisement Advertisement For an ancient people, the Romans were atypical in their concern about the moral justification of their wars. Conquest, they believed, was at least potentially nefas (wicked) and risked the communitys suffering religious pollution and divine disapprobation. To engage in a just war (bellum iustum) demanded a ceremonial declaration by a special class of priests who advised the Senate on foreign affairs and treaties. Thus, even after the Second Punic War (218201 BC), during which the Romans so thoroughly defeated the Carthaginians that the rival empire was constrained to little more than their North African city-state, Rome believed it required just cause to finally conquer its historic adversaries. Perceiving an opportunity to strengthen his own hand, the Numidian king Masinissa, an ally of Rome, exploited Carthages inability to effectively defend itself by regularly seizing territory and conducting raids. Finally, in 151 BC, a frustrated Carthage raised an armyin violation of the terms of their surrender to Rome 50 years earlierand counterattacked the far stronger Numidians, who slaughtered the hapless Carthaginians. Here, Romeand particularly the statesman Cato the Elder, who would end his senatorial speeches with the phrase Carthago delenda est (Carthage must be destroyed)had its bellum iustum. In 149 BC, a Roman delegation arrived in Carthage and demanded the city explain why they had used an army against the Numidians without first securing Roman approval. Their punishment, the Roman emissaries decreed, was to abandon their city and move inland, which effectively translated to civilizational suicide. Of course, Carthage refused. The subsequent Third Punic War ended three years later, with the once great city razed, its people enslaved, and the territory incorporated into the ever-growing Roman republic. It was in that same land of the Numidians, five and a half centuries later, that Augustine of Hippo would offer a Christian articulation of that (some may say self-serving) Roman concept of bellum iustum. In City of God, Augustine cites the Roman statesman Ciceros argument that a city should take up arms only in defense of its faith or safety. The bishop of Hippo in the same text observes that it is the injustice of the opposing side that lays on the wise man the duty of waging wars. Elsewhere, in Contra Faustum Manichaeum, Augustine expands on this idea, proposing that Christian citizens have an obligation to protect peace and punish wickedness, which extends to the realm of foreign affairs and military conflict. A later church father, Isidore of Seville, similarly declared: Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without cause. For aside from vengeance or to fight off enemies no just war can be waged. As northern Europe was Christianized in the early medieval period, Catholic clerics such as Gratian in his Decretum encouraged converted political leaders to put into practice these patristic ideas, which medieval theologians argued had scriptural basis in St. Pauls description of a ruler as Gods minister who does not bear the sword in vain (Rom. 13:4). The Council of Le Puy in 975 AD encouraged what came to be called the Peace of God, a popular peace movement demanding that wars be limited to the parties involved; the subsequent Council of Verdun in 1016 even threatened excommunication and interdict for those who failed to abide by these moral exhortations. Early ecclesial edicts also began to prohibit certain classes of weapons between Christian armies, such as bows and arrows (and, later, crossbows). The Truce of God, first proposed by Pope John XV, forbade war on certain days. One synod in 1017 commanded that all warfare stop from the ninth hour of Saturday until the first hour of Monday. Another council forbade fighting on days that marked the most salient moments of Christs life: Thursdays (the Ascension), Friday (the Passion), Saturday (His burial), and Sunday (the Resurrection). In time, many other feast days were added to the list. In the early 13th century, the Italian theologian Thomas Aquinas offered the most robust and systematic articulation of just war theory, in Summa Theologiae II-II, Question 40, Article 1. There he answers the question, Whether It Is Always Sinful to Wage War? Aquinas, building on patristic and early medieval sources, argues no, war is not always sinful, but that three criteria must be satisfied for it to be just. These are: (1) it must be justified on the authority of a sovereign; (2) there must be a just cause; and (3) the belligerents must have a right intention. Per ethicist James Turner Johnson, one of the preeminent scholars of just war theory, sovereign authority is the idea that only a person responsible for the good of an entire community may justly authorize warfare. (The only exception to such a use of arms would be in response to an attack under way or immediately offered.) Johnson notes that for Aquinas to lead with the sovereign as a first principle of just war is not accidental, because the only force that could be justified is that of a legitimate political authority. The second principle, a just cause, means that violence is permissible because of some fault in ones adversary, such as recovery of something wrongly taken or the punishment of evil. Though not explicitly named by Aquinas, presumed would also be a scenario of self-defense against an attack that is already under way or obviously imminent. Johnson argues that for Aquinas, defense of the common goodprotecting just order and therefore peaceis the central rationale for just war as a whole. This stems from the governments responsibility to protect order, justice, and peace, what Augustine termed the tranquillitas ordinis, the tranquility of a just political order. Third, says Aquinas, it is necessary that the belligerents should have a rightful intention, so that they intend the advancement of good, or the avoidance of evil. (This intention derives from one of what are sometimes called first principles of philosophy, which cannot be logically deduced but are simply presumed, such as the law of noncontradiction.) As for the positive, Aquinas relies on canon law in defining right intention as the objective of securing peace or punishing evildoers. Per Augustine: We do not seek peace in order to be at war, but we go to war that we may have peace. Alternatively, the negative side of intention is to stop cruelty, curb rebellion, or block the lust of domination. These Thomistic criteria have informed and defined all later Christian discussions of just war, such as in the Scholastic and Humanist eras. This includes that of the pacifist Erasmus, who asserted in his 16th-century The Complaint of Peace and the Treatise on War that just war theory effectively operated as a justification for violence, and thus argued for more severe limitations on acceptable application of war. That Thomistic influence is also evident in Post-Reformation Dutch Protestant humanist Hugo Grotius, who in his book On the Law of War and Peace identified three just causes for war: self-defense, reparation of injury, and punishment. In the modern era, three prudential criteria have often been added to the classical ones proposed by Augustine and Aquinas: last resort, the assessment that the good done by resorting to force will outweigh the evil (i.e., overall proportionality), and a reasonable hope of success. Johnson notes that the timing and circumstances of when these began to be argued is unclear. These criteria, a fairly recent scholarly development, reflect the same uneasiness with modern war that gave rise to modern-war pacifism and are a prudent exercise of statecraft. Moreover, because of developments in the idea of sovereignty since the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 initiated the movement toward the modern nation-state, international law regarding a nations understood right to use force has focused attention on the right of self-defense. In an American context, it is fascinating to note that the two most important wars in our own national self-understandingthe American Revolution and the Civil Warare still debated by Americans as to whether they satisfied the criteria of a just war. The New Criterion, for example, earlier this year featured a provocative (and expectedly thoughtful) piece by celebrated British historian Andrew Roberts critiquing the traditional reasons given for the colonists repudiation of the Crown as less than satisfying. The Civil War, in turn, more than 150 years removed from its completion, is still viewed by many Southerners as a war of aggression against people who had every right to secede and form their own government. Of course, both these examples are complicated by the fact that they were not technically wars against two adversarial independent political entities but movements of secession, in that the citizens of one nation demanded the freedom to break from the state to which they had earlier, by their own admittance, owed their political allegiance. Many examples in the 20th century also present uncomfortable realities regarding just war theory. In the Spanish-American War (1898), the U.S. ship Maine was blown up and sunk in Havanas harbor, resulting in the deaths of 266 American sailors. Whether or not the Spanish were in any way responsible (a subject still debated to this day), the United States reaction, which resulted in the conquest not only of Spanish Cuba but of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, can hardly be described as meeting the criteria demanded by just war theory. In the Second World War, the United States was of course on much firmer ground. The Japanese, though certainly frustrated by U.S. oil embargos, were unjustified in launching a bloody surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that killed thousands of Americans and could hardly have expected anything less than military retaliation. Indeed, all three of the Thomistic criteria are easily identifiable in the American response, as are the additional three prudential criteria. All this said, I would argue that there are other factors that can further complicate the analysis of what constitutes just political violence. For example, in his novel The Fathers, Southern Agrarian Allen Tate describes a slaveholding Virginia Unionist family whose property and family are attacked by Union forces at the beginning of the Civil War. In such a scenario, even if the broader Confederate cause may not, in the abstract, be justified, it becomes more difficult to make a determination regarding what you, as an individual person, should do as a father, son, brother, or citizen. If an invading army treated you, your family, and your property with rapacious contempt, would you not in some sense be morally justified to react with violence, even if it meant aligning yourself with a broader political cause that is morally questionable? The complexities of modern warfare further complicate these questions. Is a nuclear weapon, under any circumstances, morally legitimate? The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were disproportionately civilian targets, and thus their status as historical recipients of atomic payloads has (understandably) provoked endless debates over the justness of the attacks levied against them. Perhaps if the target were a remote military base, where civilian casualties would be minimized, the calculus of whether such action is justified would change. Today we wonder whether unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones) further complicate what constitutes just military actionthough, one might reasonably retort, the Allies in World War II used piloted aircraft to firebomb a great many German and Japanese cities with far greater devastation to civilian populations than any drone has done today with a few hellfire missiles. Millennia before any human could have imagined a weapon not much bigger than a horse that is capable of killing a hundred thousand people, Aristotle argued in his Politics: The proper object of practicing military training is not in order that men may enslave those who do not deserve slavery, but in order that first they may themselves avoid becoming enslaved to others. Its a problem that is eerily similar to the challenges we face today as we confront threats that, according to who you talk to, are either immediately existential or distantly peripheral. Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. ( Tomdispatch.com ) Jeffrey Epstein was not only a rapist and a child predator, but also wait for it a White supremacist. While some speculate that the Epstein issue is just a distraction from President Trumps virulent and endless racism, others feel that the video the president posted at the beginning of Black History Month of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was meant to divert attention from the growing Epstein fallout. Well, as it turns out, the two crises are not as far apart as you might imagine. Bombshell articles in The Atlantic, Mother Jones, and at MS Now pulled the covers off Jeffrey Epsteins noxious racism. Reporters culling the most recently released Epstein files discovered numerous pieces of evidence in emails and other documents suggesting that he advocated the faux science of racial eugenics and held racist views not distinct from those promoted for decades by Donald Trump. Epstein built (or at least tried to build) ties and develop friendships with some of the most notorious eugenicists and White nationalists around the globe, including Nobel Prize laureate and geneticist James Watson, political scientist Charles Murray, and artificial intelligence researcher Joscha Bach, among many others. He also circulated posts from White supremacist websites that promoted bogus, supposedly genetically-based intellectual differences between the races. Eugenics is the race science that was developed in the latter part of the nineteenth century to justify European slavery and colonialism. Proponents contended that humans were biologically and genetically separated into distinctly unequal races. Everything from intelligence, criminality, and attractiveness to morality was, so the claim went, genetically determined. It should surprise no one that, in such an imagined hierarchy, Whites were at the top and, in most configurations, people of African descent at the very bottom with Asians and indigenous people somewhere in-between. Those four (or five or six) categories were considered immutable. And it mattered remarkably little that, for a long time, social and natural scientists had overwhelmingly argued with irrefutable evidence that racial categories were social constructs invented by humans and distinctly malleable over time as political and social life changed. The real-world impact of racial eugenics theory long shaped public policy, political status, and life opportunities. In the United States, a belief in the genetic inferiority of Blacks helped foster slavery and then Jim Crow segregation, and led to tens of thousands of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and individuals with physical and mental disabilities, as well as prisoners being sterilized. By 1913, 24 states and Washington, D.C., had passed laws allowing enforced sterilization. President Theodore Roosevelt was a firm believer in such eugenics and supported sterilization in order to prevent what he termed racial suicide, a perspective that echoes todays Great Replacement Theory. In Nazi Germany, eugenics led not only to the sterilization of Jews, Blacks, and the disabled, but to the state-organized mass murder of literally millions of people. It was a core tenet of Nazism that all non-Aryans were genetically inferior and a threat to the White race. The Nazis railed against Jews poisoning the blood of White Germans, a term Trump used in describing non-White immigrants from the global South. Despite this history, Epstein came to deeply believe in eugenics and genetic determination, as has Donald Trump. To that end, Epstein sought to connect with the notable race theorists of his day. Epstein on Race Perhaps the most notorious book in the modern era advocating a racial basis for intelligence and a social hierarchy that places Whites on top and Blacks at the bottom was The Bell Curve by Charles Murray and the late Richard J. Herrnstein, published in 1994. Since then, in multiple books and articles, the research behind that book has been thoroughly debunked and overwhelmingly rejected by scholars in the social and natural sciences. Yet, at the time, many Republicans and some Democrats embraced its racist argument in order to contend that government welfare programs should be cut back. Murray aligned with Republicans in giving testimony to Congress in the 1990s that blamed the morality of poor people for their poverty (as a debate unfolded around the future of welfare programs). According to the Epstein files, Epstein himself repeatedly tried to correspond with Murray. However, Murray claims he never received (or remembers receiving) any emails from Epstein and did not correspond with him. Regardless, its pretty clear that Epstein was writing because of Murrays notoriety for his work on race and genetics. This was in 2018, more than a decade after The Bell Curve had been published and Murray had become famous for it. Epstein, according to The Atlantic, was reportedly provided with Murrays email address by James Watson. He and Francis Crick had, of course, discovered the structure of DNA in 1953. Nine years later, they and Maurice Wilkins won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Around 2000, Watsons regressive views on race began to surface. That year, he told an audience that dark-skinned people have stronger libidos, leaning into a centuries-old racial stereotype. In 2007, according to a former assistant in the London Sunday Times, he said that he was inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa because all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours whereas all the testing says not really. Epstein also had ties to a number of other researchers and scientists, including Joscha Bach, who received funding from the convicted felon and was hired at MITs Media Lab with his help. In one exchange in 2016, Bach wrote to Epstein, stating that African American children have slower cognitive development and are slower at learning high-level concepts. With the release of those files in January, Bach tried to explain why his statements were not racist and that scientific discussion about the heritability of traits [is] very complicated and not my area of research. Epstein also spent time on hardcore White supremacist websites. For example, he sent a link to a racist article entitled Race and IQ: Genes That Predict Racial Intelligence Differences to left-wing scholar Noam Chomsky. The article came from the outright White supremacist website the Right Stuff, according to The Atlantic. Chomsky, over email, expressed his disagreement with Epstein about race science. According to the Guardian, Chomsky had a close friendship with Epstein. There is no evidence that Chomsky participated in or witnessed any of Epsteins sex crimes, and Valeria Chomsky, his wife, admitted that the couple made serious errors in judgment in maintaining ties to him. While the statement vigorously denounced Epsteins offences, there was, however, no mention of his racist behavior, which few focused on in all those years. The Great Gene President Epsteins eugenicist views are in line with the longstanding genetic determinism of Trump. There is no bigger racist science believer than the current occupant in the White House. For decades, he has bragged about his genetic superiority relative to the rest of humanity. The examples are endless: Well, I think I was born with the drive for success because I have a certain gene. Im a gene believer. You have to have the rights the right genes. Do we believe the gene thing? I mean I do. I have great genes and all that stuff which Im a believer in. And, of course, in opposition to Trumps right genes are those with the wrong kind. From the presidents perspective that would, of course, include migrants. In an interview discussing them, he opined, You know, now a murderer I believe this its in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now. Over the years, Trump has also shown little empathy for individuals with disabilities. He famously mocked reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis that affects his joints, by twisting and contorting his body to make fun of him. He also reportedly did not want to be around physically disabled soldiers, according to his former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Trump often speaks with a strategic ambiguity so that he can later deny that he was disparaging migrants, people with disabilities, or wounded soldiers. He fools no one. Its notable that one of Trumps go-to insults is to call someone low IQ, and in nearly every case, his target turns out to be a Black person and disproportionately female ones, including his opponent in election 2024 Kamala Harris and Congressional Representatives Maxine Waters, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Al Green, Jasmine Crockett, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, radio host Charlamagne tha God, and New York Attorney General Letitia James among others. Trump has been careful, at least publicly, to not explicitly say that Black people are genetically predisposed to criminality. However, he has endlessly attacked Black-led cities as crime zones, without ever labeling White-dominated cities or states the same way. He also posted fake data supposedly demonstrating that African Americans commit crimes at a higher rate (with the clear implication that race is the driving factor). His eugenicist views are most manifest in his immigration policies and dreams. Theoretically, he is not able to run for president again, so he has little incentive to hide his true feelings. After spending years denying it, in December 2025, he proudly admitted that he had referred to nations in Latin America and Africa as shithole countries back in 2018. In a December 9, 2025, speech in Pennsylvania, he plugged for White and implicitly White only immigration to this country: Remember I said that to the senators that came in, the Democrats. They wanted to be bipartisan. So they came in. And they said, This is totally off the record, nothing mentioned here, we want to be honest, because our country was going to hell. And we had a meeting. And I say: Why is it we only take people from shithole countries, right? Why cant we have some people from Norway, Sweden just a few let us have a few. From Denmark do you mind sending us a few people? In January 2026, Trump essentially halted almost all refugees coming from Africa. The administration stated that it would admit only 7,500 total refugees from around the world in 2026, the lowest number on record. This meant near zero for Black Africans. At the same time, the Trump administration sought to process 4,500 White South African refugee applications per month starting in January. The president also issued Executive Order 4204 in February 2025 falsely, claiming that Whites in South Africa were being mistreated and deserved an expedited process to become permanent residents of the United States. The new target, contained in a previously unreported document from the State Department dated January 27th and reviewed by Reuters, signals a push to ramp up admissions from South Africa, while refugee applications from other areas have been severely curtailed. Racial genetics is Trumps defining worldview (full stop!). That he thinks of Barack and Michelle Obama as less than human should surprise no one who has followed his statements on race over the decades. A compilation of Trumps views on the former president over all these years boils down to this: Barack Obama is an ape-like radical Muslim (founder of ISIS), and socialist who was not born in the United States but engineered a conspiracy involving thousands to pretend that he was (or maybe he actually was), then fraudulently assumed the presidency and now should be arrested for treason and illegally spying on the Trump White House, and no matter what your eyes and brain tell you, he is not as mentally and physically healthy as I am. Beginning in the early 1950s, real science, as opposed to the fraudulent versions embraced by Epstein and Trump, was able to make life-changing breakthroughs as a result of access to what became known as HeLa cells. Those cells would be responsible for understanding and creating vaccines and treatment for polio, cancer, HPV, Parkinsons, measles, HIV, mumps, Zika, and Covid 19, among other diseases. They would lead to the creation of the field of virology. It is highly unlikely (and would likely have been mortifying) that either Epstein knew, or Trump knows, that those cells came from an African American woman named Henrietta Lacks. They were cynically named HeLa, combining the first two letters of her first and last names. In 1951, when she was admitted to Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, deadly ill with cervical cancer, cell tissues were taken from her body without her or her familys permission. That unethical theft legal at the time would lead to countless billions in profits for pharmaceutical corporations. After the publication of Rebecca Skloots book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks in 2010, her story became well known and family-initiated lawsuits proceeded. In 2023, the family reached a settlement with Thermo Fisher Scientific, and, in February 2026, another settlement with Novartis, a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical mammoth. Trump is easily the most intellectually incurious, ill-informed, unread, vacuous, and petulant president in U.S. history. He will never acknowledge or even understand that his rise to power was not due to his having any extraordinary talents, skills, or genetically based genius. It was, without qualification, the result of a lifetime of perpetual race, gender, and class privilege. Copyright 2026 Clarence Lusane Via Tomdispatch.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Although Egypt is not a party to the Iran War, it may cost the country $10 billion in extra energy outlays alone, and will put enormous pressure on the countrys fragile economy. Egypts inertia on green energy and EVs is bringing the pain, as the Iran War and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz provoke an energy price shock that could inflict severe damage on the Egyptian economy. Some 70% of Egyptians live below the UNs poverty line. Egypt imports about half of its fossil gas from Israel, which cut off that supply at the beginning of its war on Iran. That is a $3.2 billion loss for Egypt. The Israelis were sending Egypt fossil gas from two offshore fields in the Mediterranean, which they have closed for fear that they will be hit by Iranian missiles. They have kept open a third offshore field to supply Israel itself, but are hoarding that production at home and declining to export it as a security measure during the war. Egypt will have to replace Israeli fossil gas with shipments of Liquefied Natural Gas from countries such as Russia. LNG is about 30% more expensive than gas from pipelines. Egyptian gas prices for consumers are expected to rise 15% to 20%. The government has already raised fuel and gas prices by 15% to 30%. Instead of quickly moving to wind and solar for electricity generation and heating/ air conditioning, Egypts rulers want to confront the energy crisis by redoubling efforts to find fossil gas in Egypt or off its shores. But no new gas fields have been discovered there since 2015, and anyway even if they could find new fields, putting them into production would take years. A big solar farm can be built in 18 months. That the Israelis so cavalierly cut off gas supplies to Egypt and Jordan after launching a war of aggression on Iran shows how unwise it was for Cairo to depend on Israeli gas rather than more rapidly building out its solar energy capacity. It is not that Egypt is doing nothing on renewables. It has about 9.1 gigawatts in renewable energy capacity, but it didnt install much in the way of renewables last year. Egypt is sunlight central, and it has vast deserts, so if it wanted to invest in solar farms on a large scale it could easily get off fossil gas just as California is doing. Egypt is also cut off from Gulf petroleum, causing gasoline prices to spike. That big increase in gasoline prices will likely cost Egypt an extra $2.9 billion this year. Moreover, because the Gulf Arab economies will contract as much as 14% this year because of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait, they will not be in a philanthropic mood and so Egypt cannot expect the usual infusions of billions in aid and investment in the coming year. The Gulf countries are having to issue bonds and to borrow billions to tide themselves over until the end of the war. Photo of Cairo by Ahmed Ezzat on Unsplash Egypts military junta has done almost nothing to move the country to electric vehicles, declining to build out a charging infrastructure. EVs account for less that 1% of the the automotive sector in Egypt. Likely, this backwardness in moving to electrify transportation derives from the Egyptian elites dependency on periodic hand-outs from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which oppose EVs, though they are less hostile to wind and solar for electricity generation. Petroleum is mainly used for car and truck transportation, and it is the primary export commodity for Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Fossil gas is used for heating, electricity generation and petrochemicals, and there Qatar is the leading regional exporter. Egypt could have saved itself so much pain by moving to solar and EVs quickly. Egypt depends heavily on tourism for its foreign exchange reserves. It had 19 million visitors last year, but the war could cut that number dramatically if it goes on. Rising jet fuel costs will make travel more expensive. Egypt also depends on Suez Canal tolls, which will suffer because of the war. As it is, half of the Egyptian budget is spent on debt servicing. ( Human Rights Watch ) While many Israelis are taking shelter from missile and drone attacks, armed settlers in the West Bank are taking advantage of the fog of war to seize land and advance Israels ongoing dispossession and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. On a daily basis, settlers are invading Palestinian communities, firing live ammunition, setting homes and cars on fire, and attacking families in their homes. Over the past 11 days, armed settlersthree in uniformhave reportedly shot and killed five Palestinians in the West Bank; a sixth reportedly died from cardiac arrest after inhaling tear gas fired by the Israeli army. These events put 2026 on track to surpass 2025, a year that saw Israeli settler violence reaching a two-decade high with armed settlers killing nine Palestinians. The Israeli military said the recent incidents were under investigation. At the end of 2025, Israeli NGO Yesh Din said that of the hundreds of settler violence cases it documented since October 2023, only three percent resulted in convictions. By providing settlers with weapons and failing to hold them accountable for criminal acts, the Israeli government abets and enables settler violence. The Israeli government also emboldens settlers by approving and funding the growth of illegal settlements. Last August, Israel formalized plans to develop the illegal E1 settlement project, long declared a red line by the international community, and published a tender for 3,401 housing units last December. If completed, the project will fully separate the southern part of the West Bank from its northern part. Construction tenders will be awarded to bidders on March 16. The International Court of Justice in July 2024 ruled that Israels 59-year occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful and that Israeli authorities are responsible for apartheid. The court ordered Israel to evacuate all settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and provide compensation for Palestinians. But in the shadow of war, the opposite is underway. File photo, Maan News Agency of the Palestinian West Bank in 2018. With Maans permission. States should act to prevent further atrocities across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including by imposing targeted sanctions on those implicated in ongoing grave abuses, suspending arms transfers to Israel, banning trade with illegal settlements, suspending preferential trade agreements with Israel, and supporting the International Criminal Court and its ongoing investigations, including by executing its arrest warrants. Failing to act now will have grave consequences for Palestinians future. Via Human Rights Watch Denmark's Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit filed by four humanitarian organisations accusing the Scandinavian country of violating international law by exporting weapons to Israel. The Palestinian human rights association Al-Haq, ActionAid Denmark, and the Danish branches of Amnesty International and Oxfam had filed a lawsuit against the Danish foreign ministry and national police, which a lower court rejected in April 2025. They took their case to the Supreme Court, alleging that Denmark violated its international commitments by selling Israel parts for F-35 jet fighters, given what an Amnesty representative called Israel's "war crimes and genocide" in the Gaza Strip. The court was called upon to solely address the question of whether the organisations were entitled to test the legality of Denmark's arms sales in the courts. "The Supreme Court finds that associations that are not themselves specifically and individually affected by the issues that are to be adjudicated ... can only be considered to have a legal interest if special circumstances warrant this," it said in a statement. The court said the organisations had not presented any grounds justifying special circumstances. "Under the UN arms trade treaty and the UN common position on arms exports, states must deny an export license if there is a clear, overriding risk that this equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law," Dina Hashem, an Amnesty representative in Denmark, told AFP ahead of the ruling. "And that risk is clearly present in Gaza." Danish media Danwatch and Information revealed in 2023 that Israel's F-35s were equipped with parts made by Danish company Terma. The four organisations filed their lawsuit in March 2024, on the heels of a similar suit filed in the Netherlands by a coalition of humanitarian organisations. A Dutch court in December 2024 rejected demands by pro-Palestinian groups for a total ban on exporting goods to Israel that can be used for military means. The court ruled the government was respecting rules governing the country's arms trade. Actor Jung Il-woo is getting a lot of attention again after posting about his daily life in Japan. There are also rumors about him dating a business executive that are still going strong. Jung recently posted a cooking video on his YouTube channel that showed his fans what his life is like when he's living alone in another country. The content shows off his cooking skills and his honest updates about his life, which have gotten a lot of attention from viewers. According to MyDaily, the video "Super Simple Cooking for Singles, Pasta Recipe PASTA #UmeboshiPasta #LivingAlone #Cooking #SuperSimple #Umeboshi" shows Jung making a special vongole pasta with umeboshi. He talked about where he got the idea for the dish while looking natural. "Today, I'm going to try making vongole pasta using the umeboshi I bought when I went on a business trip to Hamamatsu," he said. READ MORE: Jung Il-woo's Shocking Confession Stuns Fans Ahead of 'Splendid Days' Premiere: 'I'm Risking My Life!' Jung confidently showed how to cook. As he started to prepare the ingredients, he said, "Vongole is so simple to make, so I'll get it done in no time," showing that he knew his way around the kitchen. Jung got a lot of attention while cooking because he used an unusual ingredient. He said, "I'm going to add Suntory whiskey again today," and then he added the liquor to the dish without measuring it. Naver coverage showed that Jung also talked about his current lifestyle in personal updates. He said, "I am currently living alone in Japan, so I'm making all sorts of things to eat to survive on my own." He added, "I usually eat umeboshi in dishes like ochazuke. For some reason, I thought it would go well with vongole pasta. So today is my first attempt." After finishing the dish, Jung said he was happy with how it turned out. He said, "It's done!" before tasting it and adding, "It's really delicious." He further described the flavor, stating, "It has a slightly sour taste, as if lemon was added, and the seafood aroma of the vongole comes through, really bringing the flavor to life." He also gave viewers tips on how to cook. He said, "You absolutely have to add Italian parsley here. It harmonizes well and goes well together," and added, "The recipe is very simple. I will post the recipe in the description box." Meanwhile, Jung has been the subject of dating rumors lately because he posted a picture that led to rumors about a CEO of a brand he models for. His agency said, "It is difficult to confirm as it concerns the actor's private life." READ MORE: K-Netz Excited as Jung Il Woo Takes Lead in Emotional New Drama 'Splendid Days' News / National by Staff reporter The Government of Botswana has firmly rejected claims that the United States operates a military base at Thebephatshwa Air Base, describing such reports as misinformation circulating in public discourse.The clarification comes amid heightened global tensions linked to the Middle East conflict, which have fueled speculation about foreign military presence in various countries.Minister of State President for Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, emphasized that the air base remains fully under national control."Botswana does not host a US military base. The Thebephatshwa Air Base is a sovereign military installation owned, operated, and controlled entirely by the Government of Botswana through the Botswana Defence Force," he said.Officials stressed that the facility plays a key role in advancing national interests, including emergency response, peacekeeping, and maintaining military readiness.Government spokesperson Tuduetso Mokgosi warned that the spread of unverified claims could undermine regional stability and public trust."Misinformation, particularly when amplified across borders, has the potential to create unnecessary misunderstanding among citizens and between neighbouring countries," Mokgosi said.While Botswana did not elaborate on whether it hosts any form of foreign military cooperation or training arrangements, authorities maintained that discussions around national security must be grounded in verified facts rather than speculation.The government reaffirmed its commitment to regional cooperation and strong diplomatic ties, urging media outlets and political figures to act responsibly when addressing defence-related issues."Misinformation serves no one's interests and undermines trust between nations," Mokgosi added.Botswana also reiterated its stance on transparency and accountability, assuring the public that its defence posture remains aligned with national sovereignty and regional stability. Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - Controversial Kenyan content creator, Lydia Wanjiru, has sparked debate after candidly revealing that prefers she single motherhood than marriage. Taking to Instagram, Lydia clarified that while she does not strongly prefer either option, she emphasized that raising a child would outweigh living with a man in a marriage that does not work. She explained that she has been following different views shared in discussions about family, noting that some opinions have shaped her current perspective. I am so glad that women are waking up, especially story za marriage. Leave alone, children, she stated. According to Lydia, raising a child alone can be more manageable than staying in a marriage that brings unhappiness. She stressed that her opinion is shaped by what she has observed and the conversations she has followed. For me, if I would be pushed to a corner and asked to decide one, even though I really dont like either, I be asked to choose child free ama marriage free. But mimi kuishi na mwanaume. I would rather a child, she concluded. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - A Kenyan lady living in Perth, Australia, has sparked conversation online after candidly sharing the less glamorous side of life abroad. In a viral video, she revealed that her landlord had gone as far as adding an extra padlock to her front door over rent arrears. At first, she managed to remove the lock, but to her surprise, the door now carries three different locks, a situation she described with a mix of frustration and humor. Adding a touch of comic relief, she noted that the type of padlock used by her landlord reminded her of the ones commonly seen back in Kenya. She cautioned friends and relatives who often ask for financial help to understand that sometimes, even those abroad are struggling to make ends meet. Netizens praised her honesty, pointing out that its rare for Kenyans abroad to openly share such struggles. Her story has since sparked wider conversations about the pressures of living overseas and the importance of empathy when reaching out to loved ones abroad. Watch the video>>> below Unahepa Kenya unaenda kufungiwa nyumba Perth, Australia. pic.twitter.com/OqsopNADC3 Rodgers Kipembe Mpuru (@RodgersKipembe) March 18, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - Popular Kameme FM presenter, Muthoni Wa Kirumba, has publicly called out a young woman alleged to be at the center of a brewing marital dispute involving Zimmerman MCA, Kimani Mugo. Speaking during her radio show, Wa Kirumba named the woman as Wambui Eunice, accusing her of being involved in an affair with the MCA, which has reportedly strained his marriage. According to the presenter, the situation escalated after the MCAs wife received a series of abusive text messages from the young woman. The distressed wife is said to have reached out to Wa Kirumba, sharing screenshots of the messages. The MCA is reportedly no longer living with his family, with claims that he has distanced himself from his wife and children. His wife also sought help from popular Kikuyu blogger, Githaiga Wa Chai, and opened up about the challenges in her marriage. She claims the problems began after confronting her husband over infidelity. This reportedly led to their separation, after which she accuses him of neglecting his parental responsibilities. Below are photos of the Gen Z lady accused of wrecking the MCAs marriage. Video>>> of Kameme FM presenter Muthoni Wa Kirumba calling her out live on air for being a homewrecker. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - A petite slay queen left jaws dropping and men buzzing with excitement during the Cooperative University Cultural Festival held at the iconic Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi. The stunning contestant was among those vying for the coveted Miss Cooperative University crown, and she effortlessly stole the spotlight in the beachwear category, clinching the win hands down. The venue erupted in cheers as she confidently strutted across the stage, her poise and elegance drawing comparisons to international runway stars. Many in the crowd joked that she could easily pass for a Victorias Secret model, thanks to her jawdropping physique, radiant smile, and undeniable stage presence. The video has gone viral with netizens praising her boldness and charisma. Watch the video via this LINK>>> The Kenyan DAILY POST News / National by Staff reporter The Government of Zimbabwe has issued a public warning over individuals impersonating the Office of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and his wife, Miniyothabo Baloyi Chiwenga.In a statement released by Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications George Charamba, authorities said the imposters are using foreign phone numbers - particularly from South Africa and Nigeriato contact both citizens and foreigners. Their aim is reportedly to solicit money, services, or sensitive personal information.Officials urged the public to remain vigilant and to verify any communication claiming to originate from the Vice President's Office or his household."All official communication involving the Vice President, his Office or his household follows proper, official channels and is handled by authorised personnel," the statement said.The government also clarified that neither Vice President Chiwenga nor his wife have accounts on X (formerly Twitter), warning that any profiles claiming to represent them are fake and should be ignored.Authorities revealed that several phone numbers have already been used in the impersonation scheme and confirmed that law enforcement agencies are working with telecommunications regulators in South Africa and Nigeria to track down those responsible.Members of the public are encouraged to report any suspected cases of impersonation to the Zimbabwe Republic Police or relevant government offices.The government emphasized that such scams pose a serious risk to public trust and security, and reiterated its commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice. News / National by Staff reporter Suspended NetOne Cellular Chief Commercial Officer Learnmore Masunda has formally challenged his suspension, arguing that the company failed to properly serve him with charge papers.In a letter dated March 16 addressed to NetOne chief executive Raphael Mushanawani, Masundathrough his lawyers at Jiti Law Chambersclaimed that the documents were delivered in an "intrusive and unprofessional" manner.According to Masunda, the suspension letter and accompanying charge papers were allegedly thrown into his yard at night after individuals scaled his gate, an action he says does not meet the standards of lawful service.He insists that any official communication should have been routed through his legal representatives, rejecting what he termed "night service" as invalid.Masunda's suspension comes amid a widening probe into his conduct at NetOne Cellular, with investigators outlining a series of serious allegations.These include claims of sexual harassment, illegal SIM card registrationsdescribed as gross incompetenceundisclosed participation in asset disposal auctions, and abuse of travel and subsistence allowances. Additional accusations involve fuel coupon irregularities, possession of a firearm on company premises, issuing death threats, and broader corporate governance and ethical breaches.The charges point to possible misconduct, conflicts of interest, and violations that could amount to corruption.The suspension follows an independent investigation conducted by DT Guard Security, which reportedly found evidence supporting at least 10 charges against Masunda.The probe included a review of NetOne's internal IT systems and security controls, further intensifying scrutiny on the company's governance structures.Masunda had initially been placed on forced leave on February 2 before his formal suspension without benefits on March 9.The latest developments add to mounting legal and governance challenges facing NetOne's leadership. In October 2025, CEO Mushanawani was arrested on fraud allegations, raising concerns about oversight within the state-owned telecommunications firm.Sources indicate that Masunda has since sought to escalate the matter, reportedly attempting to engage senior government officials, including Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, in a bid to resolve the dispute.The case is expected to test both corporate governance standards and labour law procedures, particularly around the proper service of disciplinary charges in Zimbabwe. David Raleigh A man in his 50s is in a serious condition in hospital in Limerick after being assaulted in the city overnight. It is understood the man suffered stab wounds in an attack at Athlunkard Street in Limerick at around 9.40pm. The man was rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, where he is in a serious condition. A man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the investigation and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Limerick. The scene remains closed off for a technical examination with Authlunkard Street closed between the junctions of Island Road and Corbally roundabout. The street is a main artery into the city from South East Clare and Corbally. Local diversions are in place. Gardai have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them. Any road users or pedestrians who were in the Athlunkard Street area between 9pm and 10pm on Tuesday, March 17th and may have camera footage, including dash cam, has been asked to make their footage available to investigating gardai. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Investigations are ongoing, gardai said. Gardai in Naas have arrested a man in connection to a serious assault in the early hours of Sunday morning. The man, aged in his 20s, was arrested this morning and is being detained at a garda station in the county. The male (30s) injured during this incident remains in Beaumont Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Gardai are continuing to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact them. Any persons who were in the vicinity of North Main Street, Naas, Co. Kildare between 2.20 and 3am on Sunday 15 March 2026 and who may have video footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardai. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. A MAN who trashed a Naas hotel room after a row with his girlfriend three years ago was jailed last week (10 March) for 11 months after he admitted he didnt have the 5,345 in restitution. Robert Spratt (39), with an address at Newberry Grove, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17 for a final hearing on the case which originated in the Killashee Hotel on 20 February, 2023. Sergeant Mary Meade told the court how he had gone there for a break with his partner, but they got into a disagreement, he walked out, and when he had returned she had packed and left which precipitated his spree. She told how he smashed the television, the bed and ripped up carpets in the incident, which cost the hotel 5,345 to repair. Has he paid back this amount? asked Judge Desmond Zaidan. No, said defending barrister Hugo Mills. But since that night he hasnt had a drink." I thought youd say he had got a divorce, commented the judge. Theyre still together, that have four children, said Mr Mills. The hotel quoted me 500 in the first place, then the money just went up and up, said Mr Spratt. I cant afford 5,000. I had 3,000 in my pocket the last time, and you told me to come back with the 5,000, explained Spratt. He said he had 3,000, but he doesnt have it any more. He has four kids at home, and is a delivery driver for an appliance company," said Mr Mills. Alcohol was the catalyst for this appalling behaviour, noted the judge from his notes. It just goes to show the effect alcohol has on some people. They become psychopaths, and this was just pure thuggish. He had an argument and took it out on the room, concluded the judge, as he sentenced Mr Spratt to 11 months in prison. News / National by Staff reporter A warrant of arrest has been issued for Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga after he failed to appear before the Harare Magistrates' Court for the continuation of his trial.The warrant was issued on March 9 by magistrate Sheunesu Matova, following Mhlanga's absence from scheduled proceedings. His legal team has attributed the failure to attend court to ongoing medical treatment in South Africa, where he remains after travelling from Geneva.Geneva Speech and Health ConcernsMhlanga had recently addressed the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, where he sharply criticised the Zimbabwean government, accusing it of "weaponising the law" against dissenting voices.On his return journey, he reportedly sought medical attention in South Africa. His case has drawn further attention due to earlier claims that authorities had initially denied him access to his passport to seek urgent treatment while he was in custody.Mhlanga is facing two counts of transmitting data messages allegedly intended to incite public violence under Zimbabwe's Cyber and Data Protection Act. The charges stem from 2025 broadcasts on Heart & Soul TV, in which discussions reportedly called for the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa during interviews with the late war veterans' leader Blessed Geza.He was arrested on February 24, 2025, and spent 73 days in pre-trial detention. Mhlanga later described conditions at Harare Remand Prison as "hell on earth," citing overcrowding, bedbug infestations, and harsh treatment by prison guards.During this period, he was denied bail three times before eventually being granted release on May 6, 2025, under strict conditions, including surrendering his passport and reporting to police on a weekly basis.Mhlanga's arrest and prosecution have drawn condemnation from international media watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Without Borders, and Amnesty International, all of which have described the case as a "travesty of justice" and called for the charges to be dropped.The Zimbabwean government has dismissed criticism surrounding the case. Information Minister Zhemu Soda described Mhlanga's remarks at the Geneva summit as "malicious."Meanwhile, some hardliners within the ruling Zanu PF party have reportedly called for further action against the journalist, including proposals to strip him of his passport over what they describe as "unpatriotic conduct."Conversely, sections of the media and civil society have appealed to the United Nations to intervene and ensure Mhlanga's safety.The matter has been postponed to April 10, 2026, when the court is expected to conduct a default inquiry to verify the reasons for Mhlanga's absence.The case continues to spotlight tensions between the Zimbabwean government and independent journalists, raising broader concerns over press freedom and the use of cyber laws in the country. News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwean government's push for equitable infrastructure development is gathering pace in Umzingwane District, with construction of a modern science and computer laboratory now underway at Mawabeni High School.The project is part of the country's Independence Legacy Projects, an initiative designed to deliver lasting development beyond annual national celebrations.Authorities say the development forms part of a wider programme targeting the construction of 40 science and computer laboratories across Matabeleland South Province, aimed at improving access to quality education and strengthening competencies in science, technology and innovation.Officials noted that the initiative is aligned with government efforts to ensure development extends beyond Maphisa, which will host this year's Independence Day commemorations.Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe said the project responds directly to long-standing community concerns."As a province, we have long called for science laboratories to bridge the gap in higher education access. The President has responded to that call, and within the next few years, the impact will be evident," he said.Presidential Special Advisor on monitoring government programmes Joram Gumbo described the laboratory as a long-term investment in people-centred development."The importance of this project is that it is a legacy project and it will remain here benefiting the people for eternity. Education is important, and if you have a basic education, your future is guaranteed to be good. This project speaks to the President's mantra that no place will be left behind," he said.At Mawabeni High School, the new facility is expected to address long-standing infrastructure shortages that have hindered the effective teaching of science subjects.School Development Committee chairperson Dumisani Luphahla welcomed the development."There was a shortage of science laboratories at our school, and I think this will improve our learning experience. Our children will now learn science subjects, and this will improve our area," he said.Local residents also expressed optimism, describing the project as a turning point for education standards in Umzingwane and the wider province."This development will allow our children to study science subjects that were previously out of reach," community members said.School head Licksen Moyo added that the facility would significantly enhance learning outcomes and access to quality education.This year's Independence Day celebrations will be held in Maphisa under the theme "Zim@46 Unity and Development Towards Vision 2030," with the government emphasising legacy projects as a key pillar of national development. As most readers will know, Stuff ran a story that said PM Luxon had asked the Samoan Government to give him a title. This was a hugely damaging story. Anyone who read that would think incredibly poorly of Luxon. It was false. This is beyond doubt. This has been confirmed by both Governments. Now to be fair to Stuff, the Samoan PM did say that the NZ High Commissioner said that Luxon had asked for it. So that was newsworthy. However where Stuff went wrong, was rushing out a story before they got a response from Luxon, MFAT etc. There was no journalistic justification for this. This was not an urgent story. Once upon a time media would put a negative allegation to someone for comment, before running a story. Why did Stuff not wait for a response from Luxons office and/or MFAT? Did no one at Stuff think how unlikely it was that the claim was true, and that they should wait for a response before running a story that would lower the view of the PM in the eyes of anyone who saw it? As it happened, the Samoan PM was wrong, or confused, or just making things up. If Stuff had waited for a response from MFAT and Luxons office, then they would have been able to run an accurate story. But instead they ran a story that many saw, and not all will have seen the later story. Even now there are many on social media who are quoting the original story, and spreading it. It seems some claims need to be authenticated before publishing, but not others. 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. News / National by Staff reporter Retired senior military officers and former civil servants have issued a strongly worded response to outspoken politician Temba Mliswa, accusing him of making "irresponsible" and "dangerous" statements following their submission on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3.In a formal statement delivered by Henry Muchena, on behalf of ex-combatants, the group defended their actions and warned against what they described as inflammatory attacks on institutions they say underpin Zimbabwe's stability.The retired officials said Mliswa's remarks trivialised a fundamental constitutional issue and disrespected those who fought in the liberation struggle."One of the key reasons we left our villages to fight was for universal adult suffrage - one man, one vote," the statement read.They emphasised that their correspondence to Parliament regarding Constitutional Amendment No. 3 followed proper legal and procedural channels, dismissing any suggestion that they should have approached Emmerson Mnangagwa directly as "constitutionally illiterate and disrespectful."The group also rejected claims that their intervention was driven by bitterness or lack of employment, insisting their service to the country and the ruling party, ZANU PF, was marked by distinction."To reduce our principled engagement to bitterness born of unemployment is beneath contempt," the statement said, adding that their commitment to national service remains unchanged since the liberation war.They further challenged Mliswa to clarify remarks suggesting they were "not clean," demanding specific explanations.In a pointed section of the response, the retired officials questioned Mliswa's authority to comment on their submission, asking what "locus standi" he had in the matter."Are you the Parliament spokesperson? The Government spokesperson? The Party spokesperson?" the statement queried.They noted that, to their knowledge, Mliswa is neither a sitting Member of Parliament nor a member in good standing of ZANU PF, describing him instead as an opposition figure.The group also took issue with what they described as threats by Mliswa to accuse them of treason over their parliamentary submission."We do not take that lightly, and we advise you not to repeat it ever," the statement warned.The exchange highlights growing tensions around Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 and the role of former liberation war figures in contemporary political discourse.The retired officials maintained that their intervention was lawful, transparent, and rooted in national interest, insisting that "the people's interests and the people's interests only must stand supreme." Weather Alert ...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Missouri... Missouri River at Boonville affecting Howard, Cooper, Moniteau and Boone Counties. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. This product along with additional weather and stream information is available at www.weather.gov/kc/. && ...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Missouri River at Boonville. * WHEN...Until early Friday afternoon. * IMPACTS...At 21.0 feet, Low-lying rural areas along the river flood. At 23.8 feet, Easley River Road and Smith Hatchery Road begin to flood. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 3:04 AM CDT Wednesday the stage was 21.1 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 22.7 feet this afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage early tomorrow afternoon. - Flood stage is 21.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood && Fld Obs Forecasts Location Stg Stg Day/Time Wed Thu Fri 7am 7am 7am Missouri River Boonville 21.0 21.1 Wed 3am 22.5 21.5 18.1 && Auburn, IN (46706) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 57F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The curtain fell last Thursday on an important political gathering in China this year. As the "two sessions" concluded, Beijing sent an unequivocal message to a world grappling with heightened uncertainty: China will remain the most stable engine of the global economy. At this year's two sessions, China set a GDP growth target of 4.5 percent to 5 percent for 2026, markedly outpacing the IMF's January projection of 3.3 percent for the global economy. The target reflects China's confidence that rests on solid fundamentals. Over the past five years, China's economy has grown at an average annual rate of 5.4 percent, contributing around 30 percent to global growth -- more than the combined contribution of the G7 nations. "The world can count on China to deliver new contributions to strong and sustainable global growth," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on the sidelines of the national legislature's annual session. POWERING GLOBAL DEMAND Perhaps the most visible channel through which China is stabilizing the world economy is its massive domestic market. As the world's second-largest consumer market, it is creating vital demand for global goods and services. The 2026 government work report places "building a robust domestic market" first among the major tasks for this year. It pledges concrete measures including 250 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds for consumer goods trade-in programs, a 100-billion-yuan fiscal-financial coordination fund to spur domestic demand, and expanded interest subsidies for consumers and service providers. The policy is already yielding results. In 2025, the trade-in program drove over 2.6 trillion yuan in sales, benefiting more than 360 million consumers. "The trade-in program has given our business a real shot in the arm," said Ai Yucheng, who works at a home appliance store in Yuncheng, Shandong Province. "Foot traffic has more than doubled, and customers are coming in ready to buy." The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) reinforces this priority, vowing to "unleash the potential of service consumption" and "promote the expansion and upgrading of goods consumption." This vibrant demand extends beyond borders. During the recent Year of the Horse Spring Festival, Chinese travelers fanned out across traditional favorites and off-the-beaten-path destinations, with their spending providing a timely boost to tourism economies from Thailand to Europe. The integration of AI with consumption -- creating new scenarios for smart homes, intelligent vehicles, and personalized services -- is generating new demand that benefits the entire global economy. Yet China's economic contribution runs deeper than consumption alone. Committed to high-level opening up, it is advancing trade and investment liberalization on multiple fronts -- anchoring global supply chains while opening its doors wider to foreign goods and capital. Scarcely three months into 2026, foreign investors are already doubling down: Republic of Korea semiconductor equipment maker STI is building a semiconductor manufacturing base in Guangzhou, with a total investment of approximately 12.4 billion yuan; German automotive parts giant Schaeffler is pouring an additional 1 billion yuan into a humanoid robotics factory in Jiangsu Province. The new investments underscore global confidence in China's dual role as both production hub and consumption engine. BOOSTING QUALITY GROWTH Technological innovation has become a key engine driving China's high-quality economic development, and a thriving Chinese economy is, in turn, a boon to the whole world. China has placed a great emphasis on fostering "new quality productive forces" -- a paradigm shift that prioritizes scientific breakthroughs, green transformation, and digital integration over traditional factor-driven growth. These efforts are built on strong fundamentals. China allocated 2.8 percent of its GDP to R&D in 2025, with annual investment exceeding 3.9 trillion yuan, up 8.1 percent year-on-year. The country's STEM graduates -- more than 5 million per year -- form a world-leading talent pool. This human capital advantage is being channeled into strategic frontiers: from the AI model DeepSeek to the launch of the Fujian aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, and the successful test of a 240-tonne reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for commercial spaceflight. Cutting-edge advances are unfolding across the board -- in new energy, integrated circuits, and intelligent transportation. These innovations generate positive spillovers that benefit the global economy as a whole -- driving down costs, accelerating green transitions, and opening new market opportunities. Rather than pursuing technological self-sufficiency in isolation, China is expanding international collaboration. Foreign multinationals -- from Tesla's Gigafactory and Roche's innovation hub in Shanghai to Apple's new applied research lab in Shenzhen -- are deepening their China-based R&D to tap into this dynamic ecosystem. "China's economy offers the world a rare combination of stability, long-term growth potential, and open cooperation. Partnering with China means partnering with opportunity," said Gao Shijie, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission. News / National by Staff Reporter Zimind Publishers (Private) Limited has filed an appeal at the Labour Court challenging an arbitral award that ordered the company to pay outstanding salaries to 46 employees by April 2026.The appeal, lodged under case number LCH 287/26, seeks to overturn the ruling issued on 18 February 2026 by Arbitrator Mapuranga Gadaga, who directed the media house to clear part of the arrears by 27 February 2026 and the balance by 30 April 2026.According to the arbitral award, the dispute stemmed from prolonged nonpayment of wages dating back to September 2024. Employees, represented by the Zimbabwe Graphical Workers' Union (ZGWU), argued that Zimind had failed to honour commitments made during National Employment Council (NEC) engagements, including an undertaking to clear arrears between October and December 2025.The arbitrator found that the workers had suffered "impoverishment" while the employer had been "unjustly enriched", noting that partial payments made by the company did not constitute proper wages. He ruled that salaries for work performed in 2024 could not be deferred to June 2026, as proposed by the employer.Zimind, however, argues in its appeal that the arbitrator imposed an "unreasonable and commercially impracticable" compliance deadline, given the company's financial position. The publisher told the tribunal it is owed more than US$400 000 by government and is in the process of selling immovable property to raise funds.The company contends that its proposed payment plan - to clear arrears by 30 June 2026 - was reasonable and supported by evidence, including asset disposal mandates and cashflow projections. It argues that the arbitrator failed to balance the interests of both parties and disregarded its bona fide proposal.Zimind is asking the Labour Court to set aside the award and substitute it with an order allowing payment of arrears by 30 June 2026, or alternatively permitting settlement through the unitisation of company assets by 30 April 2026.The employees maintain that they have endured hardship for too long and that justice requires timely payment for work already performed.The matter now awaits determination by the Labour Court. News / National by Staff Reporter A lawyer representing Denford Mutashu has alleged that some senior police officers who belong to the Prophetic Healing Deliverance (PHD) church are stifling investigations after it emerged that criminal charges of bigamy and death threats filed a month ago at the Harare Central Police Station have not been acted upon.The lawyer, Norman Mugiya also claimed his client is now living in fear as he is continuously receiving threats of death and disappearance over the phone from PHD founder, Walter Magaya as well as members of his church.Mugiya alleges the case was also reported at Harare Central Police Station over a month ago but no action has been taken.The lawyer identified the investigation officer in the case as Assistant Inspector Makore.ZBC News investigations revealed that the said detective is in the Law and Order Section.Mutashu this month filed a US$500000 lawsuit demanding compensation from Magaya who allegedly committed adultery with his wife, Nomsa Ruvazhe.Under the law, it is permissible to pursue both criminal and civil charges.According to the papers filed at the High Court case number hc6880/14, Magaya allegedly bought a US$10000 Toyota Mark II vehicle for Mutashu's wife.In his declaration, Mutashu said at one stage, Magaya exchanged 13 love text messages with Ruvazhe within 20 minutes and in one of them, the prophet allegedly described the woman as asexually attractive and highly mobile.'The papers claim that Magaya initially admitted to having an adulterous relationship with Mutashu's wife. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. A PORTLAOISE couple who married 22 years ago will renew their wedding vows this summer, after what they describe as a 'miracle' recovery from cancer. Barman Brian Smith was only 50 when he was given between six and 11 months to live, after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer three years ago. It was a devastating shock for Brian, his wife Louise and their three children from St Brigid's Place, who thought they were facing their last year together. Youngest child Kellie was only 12 at the time, while Brian jnr was 19 and Cillian was 16. Instead, the couple are looking forward to renewing their vows on 4 July 2026, since Brian proved suitable for a trial drug that shrank the tumour and allowed surgery. Within the past few weeks, they received the wonderful news that Brian is cancer-free. A delighted Louise (nee Kelly) told the Laois Nationalist: "It's a dream come true, a miracle. We already have the church in Portlaoise booked for 4 July and it will be such a special day, 22 years and two days after we got married on 2 July 2004." The nightmare began nearly four years ago, when Brian found it increasingly difficult to eat and swallow. By the summer of 2022, his weight had plunged from almost 13 stone to just eight stone. A barman at Mick Ryan's pub in Portlaoise for over 15 years, he continued to work but was in constant pain. Multiple visits to Portlaoise hospital followed, before further scans and a biopsy at St Jamess Hospital diagnosed Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in February 2023. With less than a year to live, Brian was placed under the care of Tullamore hospital. Louise recalls: "When Brian asked how much time he had left, he was told anywhere from six to 11 months, depending on whether the cancer would spread. We came home thinking this was his last year and our world was turned upside down." It was during the family's darkest hour that the Portlaoise community came forward, with a generosity that Brian and Louise will never forget. There was huge support for a fundraising music night at Mick Ryan's pub in March 2023, organised by Brian's first cousin Alan Smyth, PJ Dempsey and publican Michael Ryan. Louise says: "The way the whole town rallied round for Brian was incredible. So many people, shops, pharmacies, bars, restaurants and other businesses donated raffle prizes. We couldn't believe how good people are. It was such a good night for such a good cause." The kindness of both friends and strangers meant the couple could take regular breaks in Tramore, Brian's favourite place, without having to worry about the cost. Louise recalls: "We were able to make beautiful memories together, during what we thought were our final months. Brian was under the care of a palliative team in Portlaoise and he had bad pain and tiredness but, during those visits to Tramore, he was able to escape the reality of cancer. "Those times made such a difference and we want to thank everyone who helped us from the bottom of our hearts." Following diagnosis, Brian had eight rounds of chemotherapy and was found to have the BRCA gene, which meant he was suitable to start taking the trial drug Olaprib in May 2023, to reduce the size of the tumour. By last Christmas, the tumour had reduced sufficiently to allow surgery, which went ahead in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, in January 2026. After a 10-hour operation and 58 staples in his stomach, Brian was expected to remain in hospital for four weeks. He recovered so well that he returned home after only seven days. "When we went back to St Vincent's for another follow-up a few weeks ago, they told Brian that the cancer is gone. It really is a dream come true," says Louise. "Thanks to all the thoughtful people who were so kind to us during such a terrible time, we made lots of memories together that we will always treasure. "Although he is still not back to full health after such an ordeal, Brian managed to get down on one knee last Christmas Day and asked me to marry him again. He said he loved me to bits and thanked me for being there for him. We'll always be there for each other, because I love him to bits too." The couple's second wedding in July will be a very special occasion for all the family, including Brian's adult children from a previous relationship, Jennifer and David, and his little grandchildren Brody and Harper. A contract cleaner for the HSE, Louise says: "It has been a long recovery but we are so grateful. From the time Brian got sick, people have helped us so much. When times are hard, you realise that people are there for you. "You often hear the bad about Portlaoise and not the good but there is a fantastic community in the town. All the people in St Brigid's Place, where I was born and reared, have also been amazing and we can never thank them enough. Ours is also a story of hope against the odds. If it gives even one other person hope, it will make us so happy. Pioneering labor leader and feminist activist Dolores Huerta is among several women accusing Cesar Chavez, the late co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW), of sexual abuse, as part of a report published Wednesday by The New York Times. Huerta, now nearly 96, said she remained silent for decades but decided to speak publicly after learning that other women had also come forward with allegations against Chavez. The investigation reports that multiple women, including two who said they were minors at the time, accused Chavez of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. The findings are based on interviews with more than 60 people, including former union members, relatives and aides, as well as a review of union records, emails and archival materials. Huerta, a central figure in the farmworker movement and Chavez's longtime collaborator, told the newspaper that Chavez sexually assaulted her during the winter of 1966 in Delano, California. She said he drove her to a secluded grape field and raped her in a vehicle. Huerta, who was 36 at the time, said she did not report the incident because she feared the impact it could have on the movement and believed authorities would be hostile to union organizers. In a statement later published on Medium, Huerta confirmed her account and explained her decision to speak publicly. "I have encouraged people to always use their voice," she wrote. "Following the New York Times' multi-year investigation into sexual misconduct by Cesar Chavez, I can no longer stay silent and must share my own experiences." Huerta said she experienced two sexual encounters with Chavez in the 1960s. "The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him," she wrote. "The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped." She said both encounters resulted in pregnancies and that she arranged for the children to be raised by other families. Other women described alleged abuse when they were children. Ana Murguia told The New York Times that Chavez began molesting her when she was 13 and that the encounters continued for years. Debra Rojas said Chavez first touched her inappropriately when she was 12 and later had sexual intercourse with her when she was 15: "The knowledge that he hurt young girls sickens me. My heart aches for everyone who suffered alone and in silence for years. There are no words strong enough to condemn those deplorable actions that he did. Cesar's actions do not reflect the values of our community and our movement" Chavez, who died in 1993 and later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, remains one of the most widely recognized figures in the Latino civil rights movement. Huerta said the allegations should not overshadow the broader struggle for farmworker rights. "The farmworker movement has always been bigger and far more important than any one individual," she wrote. "My silence ends here." Originally published on Latin Times A well-known Laois businessman has announced his retirement following a successful 47-year career in the insurance industry. Michael Sparrow of Sparrow Insurance in Portlaoise has thanked the community for their support throughout his many years in business in the heart of the town. Michael began his career with Hibernian, where he spent 22 years learning the tools of the trade and forming lifelong friendships. In the 25 years that followed, he moved into broking, establishing and growing Sparrow Insurances alongside his family and colleagues, including his wife Eilish, daughter Sharon and son David. Sparrow Insurances first opened its doors in Portlaoise in 2001. The business later expanded across the country with offices in Thurles, Nenagh, Roscrea and Dublin. READ NEXT: 'No pub, no post office, no shop' - Laois TD says it is 'awful' what's happened to villages Last year, the business completed a merger which saw it become part of Howden, one of the worlds leading insurance brokerage groups. The former director of Sparrow Insurances has expressed his deep appreciation for the people he has worked with throughout the years. He also paid tribute to his clients in Portlaoise and afar. "As I look back, I feel incredibly fortunate. From my early days in Hibernian to building Sparrow Insurances with my family and colleagues, every stage of the journey has been rewarding," Michael reflected. "Ive had the privilege of working with exceptional people and serving loyal clients who placed their trust in us year after year. Watching the business grow and ultimately join Howden has been a real highlight. Im grateful for the friendships, the support and the shared commitment that made it all possible." Looking ahead to his retirement, Michael said he is looking forward to spending more time with family and turning his attention to his "bucket list." Villages have turned from hives of activity to places where there is 'no pub, no post office and no shop', according to Laois TD Willie Aird. The Portlaoise-based representative made the remarks when speaking in the Dail recently about the closure of post offices around Ireland. He highlighted the loss of offices in the smaller communities around Laois. "Since 2002, when the new currency came into this country, 22 or 23 post offices have closed in Co Laois," he said. The Fine Gael TD called on the Government to back the remaining post offices in Laois, or more will close, as he claimed has been happening annually. "We need to look at the whole structure of the post office. For example, when a contract is up with the postmaster or postmistress, why do the doors close? Obviously, it is because it does not pay them to keep the doors open. READ NEXT: Green light for cafe in old Laois post office "If it does not pay them to keep the doors open, it behoves the Government to bring in some scheme that would help address the situation. For too long, I have heard the suggestions to get other payments through the post office, but all of that is history now. The time for talking is over. The time to do business is now," he said. READ NEXT: Meet the Laois 17-year-old who has opened his own barber shop in Rathdowney The former county councillor said the loss of post offices happened in tandem with the ending of other in-person services. "I have seen the very same changes in the local authorities and the taxation offices. For years, people would be queuing outside the door of Laois County Council to pay car tax, especially at certain times, at the beginning of the month or whatever. It is all online now. Very few people do anything in person now. Everything is online and can be done on the phone," he said. READ NEXT: Doubts emerge over super project to redevelop old convent in Laois Offaly town He said that unless there is an intervention by the Government, there will be far fewer post offices. He added that the loss of the post offices is another example of the rural decline he has seen in his lifetime. "It is awful passing through all our villages now. When I was a young fella they were a hive of activity. Now there is no pub, no post office and no shop," he said. Ireland can address a tremendous trade imbalance with the US by buying American liquified natural gas (LNG), President Donald Trump has said. Mr Trump said Ireland had better do something to bring the trade deficit down. Speaking at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon for St Patricks Day at the US Capitol Building, Mr Trump said: We have a tremendous deficit, by the way. I looked at the numbers. You guys are much better business people than our past politicians. Turning to Taoiseach Micheal Martin, he added: We have to talk about that deficit are we allowed to talk about that today? Mr Trump referenced the more than six billion dollars being invested into the US by Irish companies, before adding: And Im hopeful that well soon reach a deal to sell American liquefied natural gas and thatll bring down your deficit a lot so I think you have to make this deal with us, you better do something. But these companies are going to be fuelling your homes and factories and all of the other things. We got a lot of, we have a lot of energy in this country. We have more than anybody, most energy of any country in the world, by far. So we want to sell a little to you, and the deficit will come down, down, down, and everybodys going to be happy. So you gotta buy a lot of our stuff. It was a sad day in the Laois County Council chambers as the long-standing Fianna Fail councillor Padraig Fleming retired after 17 years of service to the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD. Attending his last MD meeting on Wednesday, March 18, Cllr Fleming said it was "a great honour" to serve Laois and the districts of Graiguecullen and Portarlington. Cllr Fleming, a brother of Laois TD Sean Fleming, served on Laois County Council since 2009 when he was elected to the Luggacurren Electoral Area. He then returned to represent the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD in the 2014 local elections. As well as a successful career in local politics, Cllr Fleming spent years working for Flemings' Fireclays Ltd. in The Swan and was an active volunteer with local youth services. He was Chairman of The Swan Youth Club and Ossory Youth Service for many years. Speaking at his last MD meeting, he noted that there have been a lot of changes in the years since he was first elected, especially the rise in populations of areas like The Swan, Newtown, Doonane, Ballylinan, Graiguecullen, Stradbally and Portarlington. "Above all, what I enjoyed was working with the communities and people at the local level", Cllr Fleming told the council. READ NEXT: Young Portarlington Fianna Fail man tipped for elevation to Laois County Council The Fianna Fail councillor also thanked all the staff at Laois County Council, saying: "They always do their best for the people of the area. No matter what, they try to get to the problem, solve it and move on. I say Laois is the best council in Ireland." Cllr Fleming expressed his appreciation for the local community and his family for their continued support throughout his political career. "I want to thank my wife Catherine and daughters Avril, Rachel, and Stephanie for all their support over the years. They were fantastic. They went out canvassing too and helped get me elected." His fellow councillors all paid tribute to Cllr Fleming at the meeting, all calling him an "absolute gentleman" to work with. Fellow Fianna Fail councillor Paschal McEvoy led the emotional tributes, saying: "I came here in 2014 and myself and Padraig sat together. He's a pure gentleman and what a councillor should be. I'll miss him." Cllr Aidan Mullins remarked that his presence in the council chambers was always one of calm, and added that he never heard Cllr Fleming raise his voice once. More kind words came from Cllr Aisling Moran who said that he was a great man for advice when she was first elected. Despite any disagreements along the way, she said they always left the chambers as friends. Members of Laois County Council also thanked Cllr Fleming for his work over the years and wished him all the best in the future. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Laois PPN, in collaboration with Portlaoise Tidy Towns, recently hosted a Free Native Irish Tree Giveaway to mark the launch of National Tree Week. For more pictures from Denis Byrne, click NEXT or ARROW. More on the story below. Hundreds of trees were distributed to support Community Groups across Laois, highlighting tree planting as one of the most effective ways to combat climate change. "This event was a wonderful celebration of community, biodiversity, and environmental awareness, bringing people of all ages together to support Laois green initiatives," Dan Bergin, Laois PPN Co-Ordinator told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. Laois PPN would like to extend their thanks to Lisa Doyle, Biodiversity Officer, Laois County Council and Michael Buckley, horticulturist with Laois County Council for their support of the event. The trees were generously provided by Trees on The Land, and Brian Gaynor offered expert advice to attendees on the different tree species and which would best suit their planting needs. The event was also supported by students from Scoil Chriost Ri, and attendees enjoyed a delicious selection of sandwiches and sweet treats from Caffe Latte. Portlaoise Mens Shed showcased a wonderful display of bird boxes, bee boxes, and carved walking sticks, which drew admiration from attendees. A particularly popular spot on the day was the Kids Corner, where younger visitors enjoyed engaging activities while learning about nature. Kildare graduates with an interest in psychology but whose degree was in another subject now have a unique opportunity to pursue postgraduate psychology training without putting their lives on hold. ICEP Europes newly approved Master of Science (MSc) in Psychology (Conversion Programme) offers Irelands first flexible pathway for graduates from a wide range of disciplines to gain a QQI Level 9 postgraduate qualification in psychology, while continuing their professional or personal commitments. Delivered primarily online, the programme has been designed specifically for people who may be working full-time, managing family responsibilities, or living far from campus. Students attend two evening sessions per week online, with only four in-person sessions across the two-year programme, making it accessible to learners across Ireland. READ NEXT; All the photos from Newbridge St Patrick's Day Parade. The programme introduces students to the core scientific foundations of psychology, exploring key areas such as human behaviour, cognition, development, and social interaction. As a conversion programme, it is designed for graduates whose original degree is in another discipline, but who wish to develop expertise in psychology and gain a strong grounding in the field. Through this foundation, students develop a robust understanding of psychological science alongside training in research methods and critical analysis. Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to pursue careers in areas where understanding human behaviour is essential, including education, research, public services, organisational settings, and behavioural science. Professor April Hargreaves, Programme Director, explained that the programme was designed with flexibility and accessibility in mind. Many people develop a strong interest in psychology later in their careers but feel that returning to full-time study is not possible. This programme allows students to pursue a full MSc in psychology in a way that fits around real life. The MSc in Psychology Programme has received formal approval from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and will welcome its first intake of students in April 2026. The programme at a glance Award: MSc in Psychology (Level 9) Duration: 2 years, part-time Delivery: Primarily online (two evenings per week) In-person sessions: Four sessions across two years Applications: Now open for April 2026 intake The programme is delivered by ICEP Europe, an Irish higher education provider founded by Dr. Deirdre McIntyre and Dr. Moya OBrien. Further information about the programme, including admission requirements and application deadlines, can be found at:https://icepe.eu/university/master-of-science-psychology/ For travelers tired of pings, alerts, and the pressure to always be reachable, a new report points to a different kind of beach escape. Beach.com ranked the best U.S. beaches for a digital detox and found that Secret Beach in Curry County, Oregon, came in first with a Digital Detox Score of 9.5 out of 10. Mashes Sands Beach in Wakulla County, Florida, ranked second at 9.4, followed by Third Beach in Jefferson County, Washington, at 9.3. The report analyzed more than 800 beaches and reviewed over 88,000 traveler reviews, along with federal data on mobile coverage, broadband access, protected land, and business density. In plain English, the beaches that ranked highest were the ones where it is easier to put the phone away because there is less development, a weaker signal, and much quieter. Secret Beach, Oregon, (stefankoeppel3 / 500px via Getty Images) Secret Beach, Oregon, takes the top spot Secret Beach on Oregons southern coast came out on top thanks to a near-perfect mix of seclusion and natural beauty. According to the report, 74% of Curry County is protected land, mobile coverage reaches only about 52% of the county, and there are just 0.3 businesses per square mile. Even the reviews back it up, with 22% mentioning quiet or isolation. Scenic view of sea against sky during sunset, Mashes Sands Beach (Amy Webb / 500px via Getty Images) A quieter side of Florida stands out Florida is not exactly known for helping people unplug, but Mashes Sands Beach proved it can still deliver a low-key escape. Beach.com found that 48% of Wakulla County is protected land, there are only about 0.5 businesses per square mile, and 27% of reviews mention peace, quiet, low crowds, or relaxation. That helped push it into the No. 2 spot. Low tide at Third Beach in Washington State. (miroslav_1 via Getty Images) Washington rounds out the top three Third Beach in Jefferson County, Washington, ranked third and gave the Pacific Northwest two of the top three beaches on the list. The county has only about 58% mobile coverage, 66% protected land, and 0.4 businesses per square mile, all of which helped make it a strong choice for travelers looking to disconnect. The bigger takeaway is pretty simple: more travelers seem to want vacations that feel peaceful rather than packed. And if this report is any indication, the best beach for your next getaway might not be the one with the strongest Wi-Fi. It might be the one where the signal disappears first. If you only picture Beaver Creek buried under a blanket of snow, think again. When the ski lifts slow down and the slopes turn green, this Colorado mountain town becomes an entirely different kind of paradise. Gone are the crowds in ski boots, replaced by wildflowers, sunlit trails, and the sound of a rushing creek that winds through the village. Summer here feels like the locals secret, and once you experience it, youll wonder why you ever thought of it as just a winter destination. Here are four of the best reasons to pack your hiking boots and head to Beaver Creek when its not snowing. 1. Take a 4x4 Mountain Tour to the Top of the World Forget the gondola, theres something exhilarating about climbing Beaver Creek Mountain in a rugged 4x4. The tour winds its way up through aspen groves and into the White River National Forest, topping out at over 11,000 feet. The higher you climb, the smaller the village seems until its just a collection of toy houses far below. Advertisement Advertisement Your guide will point out wildflowers (Columbines if youre lucky), tell stories about the areas wildlife, and stop at beautiful overlooks that are somehow even prettier without snow. This is the kind of adventure thats less about speed and more about perspective, where every bump in the dirt road leads to another wow moment. 2. Saddle Up for a Horseback Ride and Picnic with Beaver Creek Stables If youve ever dreamed of riding through the Rockies, Beaver Creek Stables makes it easy. Their summer trail rides take you on winding paths through aspen forests, bursts of wildflowers along the way, and views that stretch all the way to the Sawatch Range. No experience? No problem. The wranglers here are friendly, patient, and know exactly how to pair you with the right horse with just the right amount of personality. Halfway through the ride, youll stop for a picnic lunch at one of the most scenic spots while your horse grazes nearby and the mountains spread out around you like a painting. Advertisement Advertisement 3. Pack a Picnic Lunch at Creekside Park If your idea of mountain bliss involves doing absolutely nothing (with snacks), Creekside Park is the place to be. Just a short stroll from Beaver Creek Village, this lush little haven sits right along the water, shaded by aspen trees and dotted with picnic tables. Pick up a basket from one of the local restaurants, maybe something Mediterranean-inspired from Citrea or a wood-fired pizza from Blue Moose, and spread out by the creek. Creekside Park Picnic 4. Hike the Village Loop (and Every Trail Beyond It) Beaver Creek may be famous for its ski runs, but in summer those same slopes turn into a hikers dream. The Village Loop is the perfect warm-up: a short, scenic trail that starts right in the village and offers gentle inclines with big payoffs. Think views of the valley, bursts of wildflowers, and enough breathing room to remind you how fresh mountain air really smells. If youre ready for something more ambitious, the Overlook Trail climbs nearly six miles to the top of the mountain, where you can see for miles in every direction. There are dozens of others, from peaceful creekside strolls to thigh-burning climbs thatll make you earn your views. Beaver Creek in summer is a reminder that mountain towns dont hibernate; they just swap snowflakes for sunshine. You can trade your ski poles for hiking sticks, your apres-ski cocktail for a picnic by the creek, and your winter layers for a light jacket and sun hat. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close WARM tributes were paid to a court clerk at a sitting of Limerick District city court. Opening the sitting, Judge Patricia Harney detailed that Jacqui Harrington has worked as a court clerk in Limerick for almost twenty years. The woman is trading one post for another, by taking up a new position in Revenue. Judge Harney gave a fond farewell to Ms Harrington, and said that the woman has been a fixture of the Mulgrave Street court for the past 18 years. READ MORE: LONG READ: Inside the 'seasonal scourge' terrorising rural landowners across Limerick The judge said Ms Harrington would also sit with her on occasion at Kilmallock Court. Judge Harney proceeded to wish her well on her new trajectory. Sergeant Denis Waters told the court: On behalf of An Garda Siochana I wish her well. President of the Limerick Solicitors Bar Association, Darach McCarthy, said Ive nothing but good things to say about Miss Harrington. Mr McCarthy said that working in the courts can be a stressful environment, but Ms Harrington has a calm demeanour and has always been a pleasure to work with. Solicitor Tom Kiely also thanked her for her service: "I want to wish Jacqui every success in her new role. The revenue is gaining someone exceptional, and it's a real loss for the courts service." "Jacqui has always been an incredibly hardworking, supportive and dependable clerk, and her presence will be genuinely missed by everyone who worked with her in Limerick District Court." Ms Harrington has worked as a clerk in the criminal courts on Merchant's Quay from 2008 to 2012, in the family courts from 2012 to 2018, and in the criminal courts from 2012 to 2026. -Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme STAFF working at Stryker in Raheen were unable to log onto their work devices after the firms computer systems were impacted by a cyber-attack, its understood. The firm, which employs close to 1,000 in Limerick and also has bases in Cork and Belfast, was hit by what is known as a wiper attack. This means it destroys data rather than asking for ransom. Handala, a group believed to be linked to Iran, has claimed responsibility for the attack. BREAKING: Man, 50s, in serious condition after St Patrick's Day stabbing in Limerick They have stated it is retaliation linked to geopolitical tensions, involving the USA, Israel, and Iran. Stryker is headquartered in Michigan, USA. In 2019, it acquired OrthoSpace, an Israeli medical technology firm. Stryker makes medical equipment and devices which help doctors treat patients, especially in hospitals. Its facility in Limerick focuses mainly on orthopedic devices like knee replacements and bone cement. The impact of the cyber-attack locally is not fully known, with Stryker not returning a request for comment from Limerick Live this week. But a spokesperson for the company, giving an international update, stated: Stryker is experiencing a global network disruption to our Microsoft environment as a result of a cyberattack. We have no indication of ransomware or malware and believe the incident is contained. Its teams were working round-the-clock to minimise the impact of the attack on its systems following the attack. By Friday, March 13 the company indicated that its computers were slowly being fixed and the cyber-attack was fully contained. Chief executive Kevin Lobo said in a statement: We believe that this attack did not involve ransomware or malware, meaning there is no risk of system contamination. Our employees and our sites are safe. Our products and our customers are also safe. Our teams are working closely with customers, government partners, and third-party experts to maintain business continuity. READ MORE: Concerned parents warn of dangerous road outside Limerick school as funding is sought Stryker workers across the world had posted on social media to state that the hacker group Handalas logo appeared on their login pages when they attempted to access their devices on Wednesday morning, March 11 when the attack hit. In recent weeks, Handala has claimed a string of cyberattacks on Israeli companies. They are being described as a politically motivated hacking group. AN ELDERLY man who was assaulted by a 15-year-old while out for a walk was punched forcefully up to 12 times and the assault continued when he was on his knees defenseless on the ground. Sentencing in Limerick Circuit Court has been adjourned for a juvenile who has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, along with two other charges of burglary and violent disorder. The court heard that on August 12, 2024, a then 78-year-old man was walking on the Great Southern Trail on the Limerick Greenway near Rathkeale when he was violently assaulted by a 15-year-old. The victim had undergone a quadruple bypass and used to walk the route near his home regularly, as part of his recovery efforts. The man declined to give a victim impact statement and was aware of the sentencing, but chose not to attend. READ ALSO: Limerick school are appealing to the public to help them get to America for international robotics championships On the day, the injured party was out for a walk at around 6.15pm. He saw three girls walking towards him and one of them, who appeared to be intoxicated and was being held up by the others, had fallen and he asked if she had hit her head. The injured party was a retired gentleman who had been trained as a first responder. Detective Sergeant Michael Reidy gave evidence that his only interaction was to express concern. The court heard that a young boy, a brother of the accused, appeared and said to the injured party: Would you ever f**k off, shes my sister. The injured party was allegedly punched by the younger boy, who has been dealt with through the courts by way of a juvenile liaison officer. Detective Sergeant Reidy said that the older man pushed the boy as he feared he would strike him again. It wasnt a forceful push, but just to create distance between them, Det Sgt Reidy said. The boy, aged 15, then got involved and told the injured party: You dont know who youre dealing with. Det Sgt Reidy said that the injured party was struck on the left and right hand side of his head with solid punches. He could feel pain straight away and could feel his left eye closing. After three punches, he was on his knees. There were up to 10 or 12 punches in total, they were full force and he was defenseless and in pain, Det Sgt Reidy said. He added: The assault continued when he was defenseless on the ground. The court heard that the juvenile, 15, told the injured party after the assault: Hes my brother, we back each other up. Photographs of the injuries sustained in the assault were shown to Judge Sinead McMullan. He was bleeding quite heavily. Both of his eyes were covered in blood and he was bleeding from the left ear, Det Sgt Reidy said. READ ALSO: Limerick students to take to the runway to raise funds for an outdoor classroom The court heard that a paramedic who lived nearby was on the scene very quickly and the injured party was taken to University Hospital Limerick by ambulance and was admitted overnight. The man had to get stitches over both of his eyes, his jaw was swollen and he had stitches on his left ear. He also had bruises on his arms and stomach. Det Sgt Reidy said: The elderly man was subjected to a horrific ordeal. Barrister for the defendant Kenneth Kerins BL, said that while admissions were not made at an early stage, the guilty plea avoids a trial. He said: Its egregious and there's no justification for that. A MAN, aged in his 50s, remains in a serious condition this Wednesday morning after a St Patricks Day stabbing-related incident in Limerick. Gardai are investigating a serious assault that occurred on Athlunkard Street in Limerick city on Tuesday night. A garda spokesperson said gardai and emergency services responded to the incident at approximately 9.40pm A man, aged in his 50s, who was injured during the incident was brought to University Hospital Limerick where he remains in a serious condition, said a garda spokesperson. READ NEXT: Long tailbacks in Limerick city as gardai cordon off road for crime scene A man, aged in his 20s, has been arrested in connection with this investigation and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a garda station in the Limerick Division. The scene remains preserved for a technical examination with Athlunkard Street closed between the junctions of Island Road and Corbally roundabout. Local diversions are in place, said a garda spokesperson. Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact them. Any road users or pedestrians who were in the Athlunkard Street area between 9pm and 10pm on Tuesday, March 17 and may have camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardai. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Henry Street garda station on 061 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. Investigations are ongoing, said the garda spokesperson. PARENTS have raised serious concerns about a dangerous road outside a Limerick school, while safety works remain dependent on funding. Raising the issue at the March meeting of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Cllr Michael Collins, said he had received numerous messages from parents of pupils attending Dromcollogher National School. In his motion, he called on the council to carry out the necessary safety works, lighting and pedestrian crossing at the school. READ ALSO: Unusual theft of a recovery truck in broad daylight in Limerick In a written reply, Ben Noonan, Senior Executive Engineer for the district, said: The roads department have been assessing this location following multiple representations including one from the school principal. The location is being assessed in terms of what is required. It is proposed that a plan will be developed, and any works deemed necessary will be carried out subject to funding being available. Cllr Liam Galvin described the road as dangerous, saying he would feel responsible if anything were to happen outside [the school] now that health and safety concerns have been highlighted. He asked whether the Municipal District could call on the Department of Education, as well as the Department of Transport, to help implement safety measures. Cllr Collins clarified the Department of Education is not responsible for the public road adding that when the issue is raised, we can bring it to a higher authority but cannot take responsibility. He noted that, for example, if speed limits are an issue, the matter can be raised with gardai. READ ALSO: This has been an absolute experience of a lifetime: Limerick's Paudie marvels at his DWTS journey Independent councillor Jerome Scanlon said: We can put in all the pedestrian crossings we like, but we will still have the same road, questioning whether measures such as increased lighting are lessening the risk. Mr Noonan said the local authority is actively trying to look at a plan for works in the area, emphasising that any safety measures are subject to funding. He reiterated: We can prepare the plans, but it is cost dependent. NEW DELHI: Indias top drug regulator has reiterated the need for states to adopt uniform licensing guidelines for all drug-manufacturing applications to maintain the same quality standards across the country. The aim of issuing a comprehensive guidance document mandating a dossier-based licensing system is to eliminate regional regulatory discrepancies and enforce a single, rigorous standard for drug approvals in every state and Union Territory to ensure uniform product licensing across the country, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi said in a directive in February. The guidance is now active and state licensing authorities have been requested to adopt the guidance document for uniform product licensing across the country and update the DCGI on actions taken in the matter, an official said. By enforcing good manufacturing practices, the DCGI is effectively raising the bar for all domestic companies in Indias $50 billion pharmaceutical industry, the official added. Also Read | DCGI cracks down on indirect promotion of weight-loss prescription drugs Until now, the licensing of drug products in India was often marked by a lack of uniformity. While the law provided a general framework, the absence of a standardized checklist meant that state licensing authorities could have varying requirements, leading to inconsistent evaluations of drug quality and safety. This fragmented approach raised concerns about maintaining a singular quality standard in India, considered the "pharmacy of the world" for its ability to manufacture cheaper generic drugs. With the unified guidance, the DCGI is trying to close regulatory gaps and ensure that every manufacturer adheres to the same criteria. A shift to the dossier-based approach means that instead of making decisions based on individual evaluations, the regulator will use a "more structured and comprehensive evaluation of relevant information contained in a dossier submitted by the applicant." Under the new protocol, manufacturers must submit exhaustive data through the Online National Drugs Licensing System portal. The DCGI emphasized that this is essential to address concerns regarding the quality, safety and efficacy of the drugs. Rigorous checklist By requiring standardized documentation, the regulator intends to "bring credibility and predictability in the regulatory system." The guidance document has developed a rigorous 41-item checklist split into two critical sections. Part A focuses on administrative and facility-related details such as the site plan and layout of the building. Part B pertains to technical information about the drug such as stability data, process validation data and analytical method validation/verification data to prove its quality. Notably, technical submission is in Form 29, which serves as a valid test license. Also Read | India ups ante on enforcing a 2009 ban on single-drug malaria pills This form is important because it allows manufacturers to legally produce small batches for analysis, testing and examination. It acts as a regulatory bridge between research and commercialization, ensuring that the stability study data and certificate of analysis for three consecutive batches required in the checklist are generated under supervised, legal conditions. However, Dr. G.L. Singhal, the former drug controller of Haryana, said many small companies lack the expensive machinery needed to run these tests. While big companies might comply, the rest of the industry may struggle to move past paper compliance to make truly better drugs. The government has to ensure that compliance is being followed by the industry, Singhal said. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson and the DCGI office remained unanswered till the time of publishing. Also Read | Regulator flagged 185 substandard, 4 spurious drugs last month The dramatic fallout between Anthropic and the US government appears far from over, with no signs of a reconciliation. The Pentagon is now working to build its own alternatives to the Claude-maker's technology, according to a senior US defense official. The move comes after the Trump administration's decision to label the artificial intelligence (AI) company a supply-chain risk amid a dispute over safeguards on the military use of its technology. Anthropic has since challenged the designation in court. In an interview with Bloomberg, Cameron Stanley, the Pentagons chief digital and AI officer, said it would take over a month to begin phasing out Anthropic's products, which are currently being used in US military operations in Iran. However, he added that efforts are already underway to deploy an alternative large-language model (LLM). The Department is actively pursuing multiple LLMs into the appropriate government-owned environments, he said. Engineering work has begun on these LLMs, and we expect to have them available for operational use very soon, he said. What does this mean for Anthropic? Stanleys remarks highlight the defense officials willingness to abandon Anthropic as an AI provider after talks broke down last month. The dispute stems from Anthropic's refusal to drop its demand for assurances that its AI tools would not be used for mass surveillance of Americans or deployment of autonomous weapons. According to multiple reports, the US defense forces employed Anthropic's AI to conduct airstrikes on Iran, which also killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Also Read | Elon Musk vows xAI will catch rivals Google, Anthropic and OpenAI this year Also Read | Anthropic study reveals which jobs face AI risk and which remain largely safe Meanwhile, the supply chain risk designation puts at risk a $200 million deal for Anthropic to supply classified AI tools to the Pentagon and could prevent the company from partnering with other firms on defense projects. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump have already set a six-month timeline for the military and other federal agencies to move away from Anthropic towards other AI developers, Bloomberg reported. While earlier reports suggested a possible patch-up between Anthropic and the Pentagon, the latest developments indicate the government is preparing to move ahead without the AI startup. Impact of Pentagon's remarks about Anthropic Until the dispute escalated, Anthropic was the only AI provider operating within the Pentagons classified cloud, and its Claude tool gained favour among defense personnel for its ease of use, according to Bloomberg. Anthropic said earlier that it could lose billions of dollars in revenue this year and requested the judge to take quick action on its request to block the Trump administrations declaration, the agency reported. In a series of housekeeping steps, Tata Steel Ltd is streamlining its group structure by merging its numerous domestic subsidiaries into a single entity. At the same time, it is infusing capital in its European units from India to consolidate debt on the books of the operationally robust domestic business. At the heart of its India play is the merger of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL) with the parent, a move aimed at streamlining raw material procurement as the steelmakers lease on captive mines expires in fiscal year 2030 (FY30). The merger was announced on Tuesday. At the same time, the board approved an equity infusion of up to $2 billion (around 18,500 crore) into T Steel Holdings Pte. Ltd, its Singapore-based holding arm for international operations. The funds will be deployed in tranches to support overseas subsidiaries through capital expenditure, restructuring costs, and debt repayment. These announcements were made on Tuesday after the steelmaker concluded its board meeting. Analysts view the moves as part of a broader strategic reset. This is a twin strategy where the company is strengthening operations in India while funding the challenging turnaround of its European business, said Aditya Welekar of Axis Securities. By merging with NINL, Tata Steel is strengthening its Indian supply chain to save funds and secure resources, while still sending cash to its struggling European plants to help them go green. The exercise began to simplify the long-term portfolio and as of the latest update in 2024, has completed the amalgamation of five companies into Tata Steel. The five companies are Tata Steel Mining Ltd, Tata Steel Long Products Ltd, S&T Mining Co. Ltd, The Tinplate Co. of India Ltd and Tata Metaliks Ltd. According to Suman Kumar of Philip Capital, the announcements signal a broader strategic reset aimed at strengthening its core business, reviving its European operations and accelerating backward as well as raw-material integration, which are moves seen as critical to long-term stability and growth. "The proposed NINL and Tata Steel amalgamation will create synergies in the business of the merged entity. The amalgamation will consolidate long products assets under a single entity, unlocking opportunity for creating shareholder value," Tata Steel said in an email response to Mint's queries. "The proposed amalgamation will ensure improvement in raw material security for the merged entity. Iron ore sourced from the mines of both NINL and Tata Steel can be used appropriately, which can enhance the overall life of mines of the merged entity," the steelmaker said. Also Read | After a strong Q3, Tata Steel looks set for a firmer Q4 India remains central to this strategy, given its relatively stronger margins and greater demand visibility than Europe. The NINL merger, analysts say, is also part of a broader simplification exercise to consolidate business verticals under a unified structure. Axis Securities Welekar said the merger is part of Tata Steels broader strategy to consolidate and simplify its business structure, bringing its long products portfolio under a unified umbrella. On the raw material front, with mine leases nearing expiry, the company will need to explore options to sustain operations. While early steps like the merger and even Lloyd's move signal intent, developments remain at an exploratory stage, he said. With an eye on securing iron ore supplies after 2030, Tata Steel joined hands with Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd in December to explore iron ore mining opportunities in Maharashtra. The proposed amalgamation will ensure improvement in raw material security for the merged entity. Iron ore sourced from the mines of both NINL and Tata Steel can be used appropriately, enhancing the overall life of mines, the company said in an exchange filing on Tuesday. Also Read | Tata Steel trials Canadian iron ore to hedge against future shortages Analysts expect the backing of its European units to persist until decarbonisation transitions are fully executed across the UK and the Netherlands. The steelmaker had earlier also approved fund infusions of up to $2.5 billion for FY26 and $2.11 billion for FY25 through its Singapore-based subsidiary to support business operations and repay debt. Nvidias resources are also a major advantage in a market where vital components like memory are in short supply and seeing significant price surges. The company ended its latest fiscal year in January with $95.2 billion in manufacturing, supply and capacity commitments, which was up nearly $45 billion from just three months prior and far beyond the annual free cash flow of any other chip competitor. Nvidia will likely keep dominating the AI market for the next few years. How investors will choose to value that is far less certain. Chasing the new India Indias consumer durables market is expected to reach 3 trillion by 2029, with 89% of consumers reporting higher spending on appliances and electronics, according to a February report by GI Group Holding. As appliances become lifestyle upgrades, the market is expanding fast enough to attract startups, but that may not be enough to displace incumbents. International crude oil prices fell over 1% on Wednesday after a sharp rise in US inventories, though losses were limited by supply concerns amid the West Asia conflict. A Reuters report, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute, said US crude stockpiles rose by 6.56 million barrels in the week ended 13 March. At 8:50 am, the April contract of Brent crude on the Intercontinental Exchange was trading at $102.07 per barrel, down 1.27% from the previous close. The April contract of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 1.92% to $94.36 per barrel. Supply risks The decline in prices remained limited due to ongoing global supply concerns linked to the conflict in West Asia. An agreement between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resume oil exports to Turkeys Ceyhan energy hub from Wednesday has offered some relief to markets, experts said. Iraqs oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said on Tuesday that the agreement had been reached to restart supplies to Turkey. Kurdistan is a semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq bordering Turkey. The minister also said that the Iraqi government is in talks with Iran to allow some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Iraqi News Agency (INA). Iraq, unlike Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, does not have alternative routes such as pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained closed for over two weeks. This has forced Baghdad to cut oil production as storage capacities filled up. India impact The surge in global crude prices is already feeding into Indias import bill and fuel supply concerns. India imports nearly 90% of its crude oil needs, making it highly vulnerable to global price shocks. The recent spike has also contributed to an emerging LPG supply crunch, with disruptions in shipping routes affecting availability. Also Read | India taps Iran for safe passage of six LPG, two oil vessels via Hormuz strait Analysts estimate that every $1 per barrel increase in crude prices raises Indias import bill by roughly 16,000 crore annually, underscoring the macroeconomic risks of sustained high prices. The Indian basket of crudewhich reflects the price at which domestic refiners procure oilhas surged sharply in recent weeks. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, has vowed not to support Warshs confirmation until the Justice Department ends its investigation of Powell. One defection is enough to keep the nomination from reaching the Senate floor. Tillis, who plans to retire when his current term ends, said the U.S. Attorneys appeal of Boasbergs ruling will only delay the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair. Aditya Dhar, the director of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, requested fans to protect the movie, urging them not to share any spoilers of the Ranveer Singh-starrer and to let every single fan walk in clueless but curious and walk out with their own deeply personal version of what they felt. Here is my one, heartfelt, earnest requestPLEASE DON'T SHARE SPOILERS! he said in a tweet addressed to his dearest, most extraordinary Dhurandhar family. You made Dhurandhar what it is. Now I'm trusting you to protect what this becomes. Dhar also had another unique request for Dhurandhar fans Oh, and one more thing. Don't leave your seats until the credits have stopped rolling Aditya Dhar on Dhurandhar In a heartfelt X post, Aditya Dhar acknowledged the love Dhurandhar received from the fans worldwide. You didn't just watch our film. You loved it. You lived it. You appreciated every quiet detail, debated every moment, rewatched it and noticed things I never even thought anyone would. He called the unpredictable journey of the first instalment of Dhurandhar as the most humbling, most moving gift a filmmaker can ever receive. Somewhere in that beautiful, unpredictable journey, our film became yours. Then the nations. And then the world's! That is the most humbling, most moving gift a filmmaker can ever receive, Dhar said. Announcing the release of Dhurandhar 2, Dhar said that the Ranveer Singh starrer will hit the theatres worldwide on Thursday, March 19, coinciding with the festivals of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Eid. The sequel is arriving in cinemas just months after the massive success of its first part. Dhurandhar 2's paid previews will open on Wednesday from 5.30 pm onwards. The movie will be released in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. Also Read | Dhurandhar 2 advance booking all set to create history, surpass Baahubali 2 Experience Dhurandhar 2 the way it's meant to bein theatres Dhar, addressing Dhurandhar fans, said that the team has worked very hard to surprise them with the sequel. So when we sat down to make Dhurandhar The Revenge, we knew one thing with absolute certainty: we had to surprise you. We had to make you feel emotions you weren't prepared for. Deeply. Honestly, he said. That is never easy. But for you, we tried our very hardest. We've put our hearts into Dhurandhar The Revenge so you can experience every twist, every emotion, exactly the way it's meant to be felt, Dhar said, urging fans to head to theatres to watch the movie to experience it like it's meant to In a theatre, in the dark, surrounded by friends, family, and even strangers, everyone feeling the same emotions. That's how films should be experienced. Not on someone's phone in a blurry image, he added. Also Read | Lahore becomes Delhi: Check how CBFC changed Dhurandhar 2 before release date Dhurandhar The Revenge gets A certificate The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has certified Dhurandhar The Revenge with an A certificate. The governing body earlier asked for 21 cuts, insertions and modifications. The film's applied running time was around 3 hours and 49 minutes. The movie had to undergo total deletions of 1 minute and 34 seconds and replacements totalling 25 seconds. Livemint For about a decade, LivemintNews Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups, mutual funds, Union ministries, geopolitics, and untapped human interest stories from around the world, helping our readers to stay informed on the latest developments around the globe. Our Coverage Areas 1. Companies: Comprehensive news and analysis on listed and unlisted companies, corporate announcements, corporate chatter, C-suite, business trends, hiring alerts, layoffs, work-life balance, world's top billionaires and richest and more. 2. Personal finance: Insights into mutual funds, small savings schemes like - PPF, SSY, post office savings scheme, stock to watch, personal loans, credit cards, top bank FDs, real estate, income tax and more. 3. Politics: Comprehensive coverage of general elections, state elections and bypolls, Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Parliament, PMO, PIB, finance ministry, home ministry, among other union ministries and government departments. 4. National News: From metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and e to untapped stories from rural India, we cover human interest, health, education, crime and courts, and law and order, among other areas of public interest. 5. Economy: In-depth analysis of India's macro and micro-economic indicators like- GDP, inflation, forex, fiscal deficit, current account deficit, interest rate cycle, economic recovery, RBI circulars, indirect taxes, GST, Insolvency and Bankruptcy imports, exports and everything that impacts Indian economy. 6. Geopolitics: Well-rounded and deeply researched coverage on US News, Oval Office European Union, Ukraine Russia War, middle-east crisis, royal families and global leaders like - Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping and premiers of other leading economies in the world. Meet the Team 1. Gulam Jeelani, Political Affairs Editor 2. Sugam Singhal, Senior Assistant Editor 3. Chanchal, Assistant Editor 4. Sanchari Ghosh, Chief Content Producer 5. Pratik Prashant Mukane, Chief Content Producer 6. Sayantani Biswas, Chief Content Producer 7. Ravi Hari, Deputy Chief Content Producer 8. Garvit Bhirani, Deputy Chief Content Producer 9. Akriti Anand, Senior Content Producer 10. Jocelyn Felix Fernandes, Senior Content Producer 11. Swastika Das Sharma, Content Producer 12. Mausam Jha, Content Producer 13. Riya R Alex, Trainee Content Producer Raqueeb Alam, the lyricist who has found himself at the centre of the controversy regarding the alleged derogatory lyrics in the 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke' song of the upcoming Kannada film 'KD: The Devil' featuring Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi, clarified that he didn't pen the Hindi lyrics of the song, but has only translated it from the Kannada version of the track. While talking to ANI, Alam said that he initially refused to pen the lyrics of the song after he recieved the English version of the Kannada song. "The song was written in Kannada. When I received the translation of it in English, I understood that I would not be able to write it because the lyrics would not work. It will not be censored either. Then they said you can just translate it. I did the translation. They gave me an associate who helped in the translation," said Alam. The lyricist also expressed his disbelief after observing his name in the credits section of the song for the translation of lyrics. Also Read | Karnataka womens commission writes to CBFC over Nora Fatehi track "I spoke to director Prem yesterday. I asked why did you write my name? Please remove the song. The makers have now removed the song from YouTube... I was personally against the lyrics Main bhaut dukhi hu (I am very sad)," he shared. Alam also mentioned that he has now rewritten the lyrics at the makers' request amid the backlash. "They asked me to write fresh lyrics. I wrote it all night and gave it to them," he added. The lyricist Raqueeb Alam also shared his side of the story on his social media and has officially stated saying, "Many things have happened within a few hours, and I have found myself in a situation I wasn't prepared for. Though the song has been taken down by the director, Prem, after my request, I would still like to officially clarify that I have not written the original lyrics of Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke. He continued, "The song was written by the film's director, Prem, in Kannada, and my role was limited to translating it into Hindi. As a lyricist, I take great pride in the words I create, and it is important to distinguish between original writing and translation. I hope this helps clear any misunderstanding regarding my contribution," as quoted by the press note. Meanwhile, after the release of the song The National Human Rights Commission has also issued notices to the Central Board of Film Certification, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Google India over a complaint alleging "vulgar, sexually suggestive, and double-meaning lyrics" in the song 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke' from the upcoming film 'KD: The Devil'. It directed them to inquire into the matter and submit an 'Action Taken Report' within two weeks. The Karnataka State Women Commission has also urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take "strict action" against allowing the obscene lyrics that feature the "derogatory portrayal of women" in films. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 18: Finkurve Financial Services Limited (BSE:508954), a leading tech-first Gold Loan NBFC, announced that the company has crossed 1,035 crore+ in Assets Under Management (AUM), a nearly 10x surge compared to FY23, marking a significant milestone in its growth trajectory within Indias secured lending ecosystem. The milestone reflects consistent portfolio expansions, supported by disciplined underwriting practices, and increasing customer trust across the companys branch-led phygital network. With presence across four states & 100+ branches with a growing customer base of over 50000+, the company continues to strengthen its footprint in the secured retail lending segment. Arvogs growth has been supported by prudent loan to value (LTV) norms and a strong focus on collateral backed lending. The company has also invested in technology-enabled processes to streamline loan servicing, improve operational efficiency, and enhance customer accessibility. Going forward, the company continues to remain focused on sustainable expansion, asset quality discipline, and long-term value creation as we scale further in Indias growing gold loan ecosystem. Commenting on this development Mr. Priyank Kothari, Director, Finkurve Financial Services Limited (Arvog) said, Crossing Rs. 1,035 crore+ AUM is an important milestone in our journey. Our focus has always been on building a stable and scalable gold loan platform grounded in disciplined underwriting and operational efficiency. We believe that long-term value creation in secured lending comes from balancing growth with asset quality and capital prudence. As we scale further, our commitment remains centered on responsible expansion, strong governance, and sustainable return metrics. About Finkurve Financial Services Limited (Arvog): Finkurve Financial Services Limited (BSE: 508954), also known by its brand name Arvog, is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as a non-deposit-taking, middle-layer NBFC. Established in 1984 as Sanjay Leasing Ltd., the Company obtained its NBFC license in 1998 and was acquired by the Promoters in the year 2010. Finkurve focuses primarily on gold loans, which forms the majority of its Assets under Management (AUM), positioning it as a leading gold loan NBFC. The Company also offers personal loans, expanding its financial solutions through partnerships with fintech companies. Finkurve also has a strategic tie-up with Augmont Goldtech, India's largest fully integrated gold platform, serving as a one-stop destination for all gold-related needs. With a growing presence across India, Finkurve remains committed to providing accessible, technology-driven financial services to a broad customer base. For more details, please visit, www.arvog.com Note to readers: This article is part of Mints paid consumer connect Initiative. Mint assumes no editorial involvement or responsibility for errors, omissions, or content accuracy. The assistance is similar to intelligence the U.S. and European allies have given to Ukraine in recent years, analysts say. In the Gulf, Moscows aid is believed to have helped Iran with recent strikes on U.S. radar systems in the region, said the people. Those strikes have included an early warning radar for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, system in Jordan, as well as other targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The reporter learned from the Wuhu Municipal Development and Reform Commission on March 17 that the 2026 Emerging Air Economy Development Conference is scheduled to be held from September 3 to 5 at the Wuhu YiJu International Expo Center. Hosted by the provincial government, the conference, themed "Creating a New Ecosystem for the Low-Altitude Economy and Cultivating a New Pillar Industry," aims to bring together academicians, experts, leading enterprises, and other key stakeholders from both China and around the world. The goal is to establish a high-end exchange and cooperation platform for the low-altitude economy sector. The conference will continue to feature the five core sections: "Conference, Exhibition, Demonstration, Investment, and Implementation." It will include keynote reports, supply-demand matchmaking sessions, cutting-edge achievement exhibitions, and live flight demonstrations. Additionally, major project signings and regional coordination meetings will be held to showcase new technologies, new products, new scenarios, and new models in the low-altitude economy. Since its inaugural edition in 2022, the conference has been held in Wuhu for four consecutive years, establishing itself as one of the most influential annual events in China's low-altitude economy sector. As a benchmark city for the development of the low-altitude economy, Wuhu has gathered over 300 enterprises across the entire industry chain, covering the complete spectrum of research and development, manufacturing, and operations. The self-sufficiency rate for key core components of complete aircraft has reached 100%, and the "one core, two wings, four centers" development layout continues to be strengthened. Currently, the city has established 39 mature practical application scenarios for the low-altitude economy, with over ten included in the provincial capability list. Applications such as low-altitude logistics and cultural tourism are at the forefront. Simultaneously, Wuhu is deepening regional coordinated development by signing co-construction agreements with Shanghai Hongqiao, Suzhou, Jiaxing, and other cities, and launching intercity experimental low-altitude flight routes. This upcoming conference will further showcase the achievements of Anhui and Wuhu in developing the low-altitude economy, promote industrial matchmaking and innovative cooperation, and help propel Wuhu's sprint towards the trillion-yuan low-altitude economy market. Source: Wuhu Daily NVIDIAs GTC 2026 conference this week included announcements that go beyond big tech. Here is what small and medium businesses should know about local AI agents and accessible robotics. Whats happening: NVIDIAs annual GTC conference, running this week in San Jose, has featured a series of major announcements across AI software, hardware and robotics. Why this matters: For SME owners watching the AI landscape, GTC 2026 signals two practical shifts. First, running AI tools privately and without ongoing token costs is becoming accessible at the small business level. Second, robotics and automation, long the domain of large industrial operators, are being deliberately extended to smaller manufacturers through new platforms and partnerships. NVIDIAs GTC 2026 conference this week in San Jose has been dominated by announcements aimed at the largest companies in the world. But buried within the technical detail are two developments that small and medium business owners should understand, because both point to meaningful shifts in what will be accessible and affordable for smaller operators in the near term. The first development concerns where AI runs. For most businesses using AI tools today, processing happens in the cloud, meaning data is sent to external servers, costs accumulate through token usage and privacy depends on third party terms of service. At GTC 2026, NVIDIA announced a new category of hardware and software designed to run AI agents locally, on a businesss own computer or workstation, rather than through cloud services, according to NVIDIAs official announcements. The company introduced new open models including Nemotron 3 Nano 4B and Nemotron 3 Super 120B, designed specifically to run on local devices, as well as NemoClaw, an open source software stack that enables OpenClaw AI agents to run on NVIDIA hardware with local models rather than cloud inference. NVIDIA also announced that OpenClaw, the AI agent platform that has reportedly generated 1.5 million agents in just over three months, can now be run locally on NVIDIA devices using these new models. The practical implication, according to NVIDIA, is better privacy and no token costs for users running inference on their own hardware. For small businesses, the significance is straightforward. AI tools that currently require ongoing cloud subscriptions and involve sending business data to external platforms could, as this technology matures, be run privately on hardware a business already owns or purchases once. That changes both the cost structure and the data privacy calculus for SME AI adoption. NVIDIA also announced Unsloth Studio, a web-based tool that simplifies the process of fine-tuning AI models for specific business use cases. According to NVIDIA, the tool supports more than 500 AI models and removes the need for coding knowledge or deep technical expertise to customise a model for a businesss own data. What local AI means for small business The shift toward local AI is still early. The hardware required to run the largest models, such as the NVIDIA DGX Spark desktop AI supercomputer, is not yet priced for the average small business. However the announcement of smaller, more efficient models designed for standard NVIDIA RTX graphics cards suggests the capability is moving down the hardware stack toward devices that are already common in business environments. For SME owners, the most practical near-term implication is awareness. The AI tools available through cloud subscriptions today are likely to have local alternatives within the next one to two years, with meaningfully different cost and privacy profiles. Understanding that shift now allows businesses to make more informed decisions about which AI investments to make and when. The second development from GTC 2026 with direct SME relevance concerns physical AI and robotics. NVIDIA announced a series of partnerships with major industrial robotics companies including ABB Robotics, FANUC, KUKA, Universal Robots and YASKAWA, focused on building AI-driven automation systems for manufacturing environments, according to NVIDIAs official press release. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang stated at the conference that every industrial company will become a robotics company, according to the official announcement. While that framing is aimed at large industrial operators, one specific partnership in the announcement is directly relevant to smaller manufacturers. WORKR, one of the companies featured in NVIDIAs robotics announcement, is integrating its AI platform with ABB Robotics industrial robots using NVIDIA technology, with the stated goal of enabling small and medium sized manufacturers to deploy a robotic workforce in minutes without programming knowledge, according to NVIDIA. That claim has not been independently verified and the technology remains in development. However the direction is consistent with what the Unleashed Manufacturing Health Index data published earlier this week showed: Australian SME manufacturers are actively seeking automation solutions to manage labour shortages and tighter operating cycles, and the barriers to entry for robotics are a known constraint. NVIDIA also announced new simulation tools, including updated Isaac simulation frameworks and Cosmos world models, that allow manufacturers to design, test and validate robotic systems in digital environments before physical deployment. According to NVIDIA, companies including FANUC, ABB Robotics and KUKA are already integrating these tools into their virtual commissioning workflows. What to watch next For small business owners, neither of these developments requires immediate action. Local AI agents at SME scale and accessible robotics for smaller manufacturers are both directions the technology is heading rather than capabilities that are fully available today. What GTC 2026 does confirm is the pace and direction of travel. AI is moving toward local, private and lower-cost deployment. Robotics and automation are being deliberately extended toward smaller operators. Both shifts have direct implications for how SMEs will compete, hire and invest over the next two to three years. All announcements in this article are sourced directly from official press releases and blog posts published during GTC 2026, 16 to 17 March 2026. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The Bhavya scheme will be implemented in partnership with states and private sector players, building on the experience of industrial smart cities developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. The parks will range from 100 to 1,000 acres, and receive financial support of up to 1 crore per acre provided for core, value-added and social infrastructure. In North Eastern and hilly states with geographical constraints, the minimum size will be 25 acres. Fighting the fake flood While policy gaps are well known, dairy brand manufacturers also find it difficult to counter the rising tide of fake and adulterated products, and incidents such as the one above. Industry experts say the large presence of unorganised players, a complex supply chain, and the high volume of goods sold daily make it difficult to implement anti-adulteration and anti-counterfeiting measures in India. South American niche brandy Pisco belongs to both Peru and Chile, the Delhi High Court ruled on Wednesday, rejecting the Peruvian embassys plea seeking exclusive rights to the name in India. A division bench of Justices C. Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla held that both Peru and Chile have long-standing use of the mark Pisco for alcoholic beverages, and therefore no single country can claim exclusivity over it in India. The court said Peru cannot have exclusive rights to the name Pisco because it is not uniquely linked to any one country. Since both nations have been using the name for a considerable period, the law does not permit granting exclusive GI protection to Peru alone. The court upheld the single-judge order of 7 July 2025, allowing both countries to use the term with clear origin-based labels such as Peruvian pisco and Chilean pisco, ensuring consumers can distinguish between the two. We have dismissed the appeal. We have held, firstly, that both Peru and Chile had established use of the mark Pisco for alcoholic beverages. This is a case where both of them have been using the same mark for a considerable period of time, the court noted orally. The detailed written judgment was not available till press time. The origins of Pisco brandy For lovers of Pisco, a niche premium liquor produced primarily in Perus Ica Valley since the 16th century, the ruling means a wider choice and greater clarity over its origin. It is a clear, strong grape brandy with an alcohol content of around 42%, distilled from fermented Quebranta grapes. Peru argued that Pisco is an integral part of its cultural identity and is widely recognised globally. It said that as many as 82 countries accept Pisco as Perus GI and claimed that Indias position causes irreparable harm and grievance. This is the first case in which two countries have contested GI rights before an Indian court. GIs, under Indias law and the World Trade Organizations Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or WTO TRIPS agreement, identify products as originating from a specific region, such as Darjeeling tea, Basmati rice, and Kanchipuram silk. The dispute centres on homonymous GIs, which are geographical indication names that are identical but used for products from different places. Also Read | Indias liquor market needs the right kick On 7 July, a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court settled the two-decade legal battle by setting aside an order of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB). The court held that the dispute involved homonymous GIs with identical names but different geographical origins, and allowed both countries to sell Pisco in India. This prompted Peru to approach the division bench for relief. Liquor executives and lawyers had described the single-bench ruling as a landmark decision that would strengthen Indias GI framework by ensuring authentic products are properly labelled and protected. Though Pisco imports remain limited, with just a few hundred cases annually, mainly in high-end bars, mixology events and five-star hotels, it sits alongside other niche premium spirits like grappa, mezcal and armagnac in India. Occasionally imported brands include Barsol from Peru, Capel from Chile, La Diablada, and ABA Pisco. In India, Pisco typically retails from 3,200 to 4,400 a bottle, placing it among premium spirits like grappa and mezcal, and just below cognac and armagnac. Two-decade fight The dispute began in 2005, when the Peruvian embassy applied for GI protection in India for Pisco, seeking exclusive rights over the name for its grape-based brandy. Chilean producers opposed the move, arguing that Pisco has long been produced in regions such as Coquimbo and Atacama, with records dating back to 1733. In 2009, Indias GI registrar accepted Perus application, registering it as Peruvian Pisco to avoid consumer confusion. Peru challenged this decision, and in 2018, the IPAB granted Peru sole rights over the name, effectively shutting out Chilean producers. Chilean associations later approached the Delhi High Court, leading to the single-bench ruling that allowed both countries to use the name with clear country labels. The court then directed the GI registrar to update Perus registration to Peruvian pisco and to process Chiles application, prompting Peru to appeal to the division bench. With that appeal now rejected, Peru can seek relief from the Supreme Court. Cargoes of Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean blended crude oila light, sweet Russian grade exported from the Kozmino terminal in the Far East to Asia-Pacific marketsare normally traded one month before loading. But with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, trading has kicked off early as refiners rush to plug supply gaps, according to Kpler. US-Iran war: Crude oil prices declined on Wednesday, March 18, after reports indicated a rise in US crude inventories in the American Petroleum Institute. Brent futures lost $2.31, or 2.24%, to $101.15 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell $3.20, or 3.21%, to $92.46. Back home, crude oil prices on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) also followed a similar pattern, shedding 2.62% to 8,604 per barrel. Crude oil prices have skyrocketed over 40% since the beginning of the US-Iran war, which has disrupted energy supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz and sharply affected global energy markets, especially in Asia. Also Read | Gold rate slips ahead of US Fed policy decision Before the war, crude oil in international markets was trading at around $73 per barrel on February 27. What's driving crude oil prices today? US crude inventories increased by 6.56 million barrels in the week ended March 13, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute, a Reuters report suggested. On the supply front, Iraqs oil minister said the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government have reached an agreement to restart crude exports to Turkeys Ceyhan energy hub from Wednesday, with flows expected to begin at 10 a.m. local time. Meanwhile, National Oil Corporation said that oil flows from the Sharara oilfield were being gradually rerouted through alternative pipelines after a fire, adding that production remains unaffected and no casualties were reported. In geopolitical developments, Iran confirmed that its security chief, Ali Larijani, was killed by Israel, marking the most senior casualty since the onset of the US-Israel conflict. A senior Iranian official also said the countrys new supreme leader has rejected de-escalation proposals conveyed through intermediaries. The US military said it carried out strikes on Iranian coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz, citing threats from Iranian anti-ship missiles to global shipping routes. Mingyu Gao, chief researcher for energy and chemicals at China Futures, was quoted as saying by Reuters that the killing of Larijani and the US strikes on Iranian coastal positions have raised hopes that the conflict could conclude sooner. Crude oil prices outlook Anindya Banerjee, Head of Commodity and Currency Research, Kotak Securities, believes that the US-initiated 86 million barrel release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through a structured exchange mechanism is not a permanent supply addition; it has helped ease immediate market panic and soften prices in the short term. On the technical outlook, Banerjee said that Brent is now approaching a crucial support around $99 a break below this could trigger stop-loss driven selling and may also hint at early signs of de-escalation or improvement in supply flows. WTI has similar support near $90, while on MCX Brent futures, 8,350 remains a key level to watch. However, with nearly 78 million barrels per day still disrupted, the market remains highly sensitive to geopolitical developments, and any sustained downside will depend on visibility of supply restoration, Banerjee said. Meanwhile, Aamir Makda, Commodity & Currency Analyst, Choice Broking, said that crude oil prices are likely to witness moderately bearish momentum in the upcoming sessions. Geo-political risk premiums have been reduced from the Crude oil prices as Iran has allowed Oil tankers to pass from Strait of Hormuz, except their enemies. This has eased down the supply constraints of energy flowing through this narrow pass and triggered profit-booking in Crude oil. Looking at 4-hourly chart, immediate support would be at 50-EMA on 4-hr chart placed at 8029. Breakout of this mark will accelerate downside momentum in Crude oil price towards 7500. Key resistance would be at 9000 9341. We are expecting moderately bearish momentum in Crude oil price in upcoming sessions, Makda said Central Mine Planning & Design Institute IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of Coal India-backed Central Mine Planning & Design Institute will open for public subscription on Friday, 20 March, and will conclude on Tuesday, 24 March. The issue is entirely an offer for sale (OFS) of 10.71 crore shares of face value of 2 each. The price band for the issue has been set at 163 to 172 per share, which means the overall size of the OFS is about 1,842.12 crore. Coal India is the sole promoter and selling shareholder in the OFS. IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Limited and SBI Capital Markets Limited are the book-running lead managers, while KFin Technologies Limited is the registrar of the IPO. Meanwhile, the grey market premium (GMP) of the stock has declined further to the lowest level. According to grey market sources, the Central Mine Planning IPO GMP on Wednesday evening was 11, which suggested the stock could list at 183, a premium of 6% over the issue price. The highest GMP of Central Mine Planning stock was 24, according to grey market sources. Central Mine Planning & Design Institute offers consultancy and support services for coal and mineral exploration, and mine planning and design services. Here are 10 key risks flagged in the issue RHP (Red Herring Prospectus) that investors should know: 1. Top 10 clients contribute more than 90% revenue As per the RHP, the company depends on its top 10 clients that have been contributing more than 90% of its revenue from operations since FY23. The loss of any of these clients could adversely impact the business. 2. Policy risk The company depends on government funding for the drilling and exploration activities. Any shifts in policy decisions, changes in fiscal priorities or budget reallocation may impact business, operations, and financial conditions. 3. Non-availability of credit ratings The company has not received any credit ratings since FY23. It highlighted that the non-availability of credit ratings may increase borrowing costs and constrain access to capital and lending markets. 4. Manpower-intensive business model The business is manpower intensive. So, it may be adversely affected by work stoppages, increased wage demands by employees, or an increase in minimum wages. Moreover, the company is subject to labour legislation and regulations, and any increase in wages and training costs could impact the company's financial condition. 5. Business sensitive to seasonal changes The company's business is sensitive to seasonal changes. Seasonal variations, such as monsoon or extreme temperatures, can disrupt its activities and impact its business. Read all IPO market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar Walmart-backed Indian fintech company PhonePe has temporarily halted its initial public offering (IPO) plans due to geopolitical tensions and instability in global capital markets, the firm announced earlier this week, on Monday, March 16. PhonePe, which operates the most widely used digital payments application in India, intends to continue its listing process once market stability is restored, as stated in a release. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has unsettled market sentiment around the globe, leaving investors concerned about the possibility of extended conflicts. This situation has negatively impacted market launches from Hong Kong to London, with Indian assets facing pressure as the rupee reached all-time lows and the benchmark equity index dropped 5.5% since the onset of the war. In light of PhonePe's decision to temporarily suspend its public listing, certain segments of the market have tried to link the delay to "valuation mismatches." However, one section of market experts believes that this choice might be influenced more by the global economic situation than by other factors. Here's what experts say Anuj Gupta, a SEBI-registered market expert, said PhonePe's IPO delay doesn't come as a surprise but looks like a calculated move taken by the management, rather than a valuation-related metric. Gupta added that amid escalating US-Iran war, the global equities are under pressure and launching an IPO in such a volatile market won't be a wise move. The market was also expecting a pause or some delay in the launch of the much-awaited public issue. Some other much-awaited IPOs have also done this earlier," Gupta said, emphasising the tactical nature of the action. Similarly, Avinash Gorakshakar, a SEBI-registered fundamental equity analyst, said that amid high volatility in the equity market and no signs of de-escalation in the US-Iran war, it would have been a suicidal step" to come up with an IPO that is eagerly awaited. Sometimes, a good quality company's IPO fails to get a strong response because retail investors remain shy of investing due to market volatility. So, PhonePe hasn't taken any surprising step to pause its public offer in the current market scenario and to some extent, even the market was estimating about such a move, added Gorakshakar. Further, Arun Kejriwal, the founder of Kejriwal Research and Investment Services, mentioned that there are two perspectives to consider. The current market environment is not optimal. Certainly, the market experienced a robust rally over the past three days, and in that time recouped nearly 40% of our losses from earlier in the week. Perhaps investors are seeking a more favourable market timing. Additionally, it may also be that, given the current downturn, the valuations that were being offered didn't align with their expectations. So, it's not simply one factor or the other; it's a mix of both reasons, said Kejriwal. However, Mohit Gulati, CIO and managing partner of ITI Growth Opportunities Fund, said that PhonePe's management is playing a valuation maximisation game at precisely the wrong moment. The regulator has been systematically chipping away at their market dominance, the war in Middle East has frozen foreign capital's appetite for high-beta emerging market bets, and global funds the very investors needed to justify a premium valuation are sitting on the sidelines. You can wait for the perfect IPO window all you want, but you cannot wait out a structural regulatory headwind. This is less a calculated pause and more a hand forced by circumstances, said Gulati. Favourable Tailwinds PhonePe is confident that after receiving SEBI approval in January 2026, it has an 18-month period to time its IPO, enabling it to wait for better market conditions instead of hurrying in a volatile environment. On the operational front, PhonePe has achieved free cash flow positivity, producing over 1,200 crore in operating cash flow, which reduces any pressure to secure capital for survival. Although the company continues to face reported losses due to one-time, non-cash ESOP expenses associated with its reverse flip to India, it remains fundamentally profitable, with an adjusted PAT of approximately 630 crore, the company said in a press release. The DRHP filed by PhonePe indicates that the company has significantly reduced its losses over the past three fiscal years. Restated losses declined by more than 1,060 crore from FY23 to FY25, reaching 1,727.41 crore. At the same time, revenue from operations increased from 2,914.28 crore in FY23 to 7,114.85 crore in FY25, reflecting a strong CAGR of 56.25%. The company also turned positive at the adjusted EBITDA level in FY24 and FY25, and reported adjusted EBIT profitability in FY25. PhonePe derives 42% of its revenue from non-payment sectors such as merchant services, insurance, and lending. The company is also looking at diversifying and monetising its user base of 650 million. PhonePe IPO details As per the UDRHP, the public offering will feature an offer for sale of up to 50,660,446 equity shares, led by the major shareholder Walmart, along with other prominent investors such as Tiger Global and Microsoft. Before PhonePe's IPO plans were put on hold, the company was eyeing to list at a valuation in the range of $9 billion to $10.5 billion, according to a PTI report. The other reason could be agentic AIan artificial intelligence system that can perform tasks that human agents can do. For instance, a customer may not have the time to check and compare prices, delivery timelines of a particular product available on various platforms such as Blinkit, Instamart, Zepto. Agentic AI might be able to compare prices and delivery timelines of the product on multiple platforms, and even place the order on behalf of the user. Adani Jaiprakash NCLT Approval: Small-cap stock Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) has received a major development in its insolvency proceedings after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved Adani Enterprises 14,535 crore bid to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Ltd through the insolvency process. This marks a stark outcome for equity holders, for whom nearly 400 crore of investor wealth is set to be wiped out following the approval of Jaiprakash Associates resolution plan. The approval, announced on 17 March 2026, marks a crucial step in resolving the companys long-standing financial stress under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016. We hereby inform you that the Honble NCLT has orally pronounced an order today i.e. March 17, 2026 approving the resolution plan submitted by Adani Enterprises Limited with respect to the corporate insolvency resolution process. Despite the companys prevailing market capitalisation (FF) of around 404 crore, shareholders will receive no payout as the plan provides nil consideration and mandates the complete cancellation of existing shares. With creditors taking priority and recoveries falling short even for secured lenders, no residual value remains for equity investors, resulting in total erosion of shareholder wealth. What is the resolution plan? Adani Enterprises secured approval from creditors of Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) for its 14,535 crore resolution plan to acquire the bankrupt infrastructure firm, outbidding rivals Vedanta and Dalmia Bharat in the process. The CoC of JAL, a company undergoing Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, has approved the resolution plan submitted by Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), the company said in a stock exchange filing. The Adani Group received the highest support, securing 89% of the votes from creditors, ahead of competing bids from Dalmia Cement (Bharat) and the Vedanta Group. JAL had been admitted to the CIRP in June last year after defaulting on loan repayments amounting to 57,185 crore. Earlier, in November, the Committee of Creditors (CoC) had approved the resolution plan submitted by Gautam Adani-led Adani Enterprises for the acquisition of JAL. How investors stand to lose 400 crore in the resolution plan Under the approved resolution plan, the entire existing shareholding structure of Jaiprakash Associates will be wiped out. This includes holdings of both public shareholders as well as promoters, leaving no residual value for any existing equity investors. All pre-insolvency share capital including equity shares, preference shares, and any convertible instruments or warrants will be cancelled and extinguished in full for zero consideration. This means shareholders will not receive any payout, and their investments will effectively become worthless. For promoters, the impact is equally severe. Their stake in the company will be completely eliminated, resulting in a total loss of ownership and control. Post implementation, the companys equity base will be restructured under the new ownership of the successful resolution applicant. More importantly, the resolution applicant has assessed that the liquidation value of Jaiprakash Associates is insufficient to fully cover even secured creditors claims. As a result, no value will be distributed to equity shareholders, effectively rendering their holdings worthless. "In the assessment of the Successful Resolution Applicant, the liquidation value is insufficient to even satisfy the claims of secured creditors in full, therefore, NIL consideration is being offered to the shareholders of the Corporate Debtor as part of the delisting process under the Approved Resolution Plan, and the exit price for the existing shareholders is therefore NIL," the company said in an exchange filing. So 6,45,466 public shareholders will lose as much as 404.68 crore, which is currently the total market cap (free float). It is the value of only those shares that are freely available for trading in the market, excluding promoter holdings and locked-in shares. In insolvency proceedings, equity holders rank last in the repayment hierarchy, and since even secured creditors are not being fully recovered, no value flows down to shareholders. As a result, the entire market value reflected in the 400 crore market cap will effectively be wiped out, leaving retail investors, institutional holders, and promoters with zero recovery. The plan further states that all existing share capital including equity shares, preference shares, and any convertible or outstanding instruments will be completely cancelled and extinguished. This will take place on the effective date, which is expected within 90 days from the NCLT approval. Following this, the companys securities will be delisted, and necessary actions will be initiated immediately in coordination with the resolution professional, stock exchanges, and other stakeholders. In essence, both retail and institutional shareholders, along with promoters, will see a complete erosion of equity value, highlighting the risks associated with investing in companies undergoing insolvency proceedings. That works out to an average daily sale of 6,799.59 crore over 11 sessions of the month. If the FPI selling for the remaining eight days continues with the same intensity, March would clock 1.29 trillion, higher than the record 1.14 trillion FPI outflows seen in October 2024. The U.S. Department of State has designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and intends to designate the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, effective March 16, 2026. The designation was announced on March 9. Sudanese Islamist elements have long been a destructive force in Sudan, most notably during the Islamist regime of former President Omar al-Bashir (Bashir), who governed Sudan for 30 years until 2019. More recently, Sudanese Islamists have played a key role in derailing Sudans progress toward a democratic transition, including by undermining the former civilian-led transitional government and the Framework Political Agreement process. This contributed to the outbreak of fighting between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023. Since then, an estimated 150,000 people have been killed, and more than 14 million have been displaced, giving rise to the worlds worst ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood (SMB), composed of the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing the al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB), uses terror against civilians to undermine efforts to resolve the conflict in Sudan and advance its violent Islamist ideology. The SMB has contributed upwards of 20,000 fighters to the war in Sudan, many receiving training and other support from Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The SMBs BBMB fighters have conducted mass executions of civilians in areas they captured, and repeatedly and summarily executed civilians based on race, ethnicity, or perceived affiliation with opposition groups. The Treasury Department designated BBMB in September 2025 pursuant to Executive Order 14098, Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons Destabilizing Sudan and Undermining the Goal of a Democratic Transition for its role in Sudans brutal war. Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks. All property and interests in property of the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood that are in the United States or that are in possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting business with sanctioned persons. Persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood may expose themselves to sanctions risk. Notably, engaging in certain transactions with them entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to counterterrorism authorities. Sudanese Islamist groups have formed dangerous alliances with the Iranian regime. We will not stand by idly and allow them to threaten regional and global security, said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. The Treasury Department is using our powerful sanctions tools to disrupt this activity and protect U.S. national security. Could the war end soon and cause the market direction to turn up again? Sure, it's possible, but the way things have panned out in West Asia so far, there doesn't seem to be an immediate light at the end of this tunnel. The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open on a steady note on Wednesday, tracking upbeat cues from global markets. The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a mildly positive start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 23,648 level, a premium of nearly 31 points from the Nifty futures previous close. On Tuesday, the Indian stock market ended sharply higher, with the benchmark Nifty 50 closing above 23,500 level. The Sensex jumped 567.99 points, or 0.75%, to close at 76,070.84, while the Nifty 50 settled 172.35 points, or 0.74%, higher at 23,581.15. Heres what to expect from Sensex, Nifty 50, and Bank Nifty today: Sensex Prediction Sensex formed a bullish candle on daily charts and an uptrend continuation formation on intraday charts, indicating that a pullback is likely to continue in the near future. For day traders, 75,500 - 75,300 would act as crucial support zones. Above these levels, the pullback could continue till 76,500. Further upside may also persist, potentially lifting Sensex to 77,000. On the flip side, below 75,300, sentiment could change. If Sensex drops below this level, traders may prefer to exit their long positions, said Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities. Nifty Options Data In the derivatives segment, significant call writing for Nifty was observed at the 23,600 strike followed by the 23,800 strike, while notable put writing was seen at the 23,500 and 23,300 strikes. Considering the ongoing geopolitical tensions, traders are advised to remain cautious near the key support and resistance levels and wait for a clear breakout on either side before initiating fresh directional trades, said Hitesh Tailor, Research Analyst - Research at Choice Equity Broking. Nifty 50 Prediction Nifty 50 index formed a small bullish candle with shadows in either direction, signaling extension of pullback for the second session in a row. A reasonable positive candle has been formed on the daily chart with minor upper and lower shadow. Technically, this market action indicates a formation of high wave type candle pattern after a rise and at the immediate hurdle. This could be a challenging factor for bulls to sustain above 23,600 - 23,700 levels in the short term, said Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities. According to him, the underlying short term trend of Nifty 50 is positive, but the market is not completely out of danger, unless it closes above 23,600 - 23,700 levels in the short term. Any failure to sustain the highs could possibly form a new lower top in the market and subsequent weakness. Immediate support is placed at 23,350 levels, said Shetti. Nilesh Jain, VP- Head of Technical and Derivative research at Centrum Finverse Ltd. noted that the Nifty 50 index is rebounding from oversold levels, and he anticipates a gradual recovery towards the 23.6% retracement of the recent decline, placed around 23,800. However, the broader trend remains weak as long as Nifty 50 sustains below 24,250 levels. On the downside, immediate support is now placed at 23,250, followed by 23,000 levels. Meanwhile, India VIX declined sharply by around 9% and slipped below the 20 mark; a further easing in volatility would lend additional comfort to the bulls, said Jain. Bajaj Broking Research said that the Nifty 50 index holding above Tuesdays low of 23,346 will signal extension of the pullback towards the immediate resistance of 23,700 - 23,800 levels being the confluence of the last week breakdown area and 8 days EMA. Key short term support is placed in the 22,700 22,400 zone, which coincides with the previous gap area and the 78.6% retracement of the earlier major up move, said the brokerage firm. Bank Nifty Prediction Bank Nifty index gained 462.60 points, or 0.85%, to close at 54,876.00 on Tuesday, forming a bullish candle with a long lower shadow, signaling demand at lower levels. In the near term, the 55,250 55,300 zone is likely to act as a key resistance. A decisive move above 55,300 could pave the way for further upside towards 55,800. On the downside, the 54,400 54,300 band is expected to provide crucial support, said Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities. Also Read | Buy or sell: Vaishali Parekh recommends three intraday stocks to buy today Om Mehra, Technical Research Analyst, SAMCO Securities highlighted that the broader setup continues to remain weak, as Bank Nifty is still trading well below its short-term moving averages. The RSI is placed near 31 and has shown a slight uptick from deeply oversold levels, indicating some easing in downside momentum. However, it continues to remain in the lower range, suggesting that strength is still limited. Nifty Private Bank and Nifty PSU Bank indices, despite showing only marginal gains, indicate that the short-term recovery may persist in the coming session, said Mehra. Going ahead, he believes that Bank Nifty sustaining above 54,200 on a closing basis will be important for extending the recovery toward 55,500 56,000. The current move appears to be a short-term pullback within a broader declining trend. Hedge fund legend Ray Dalio is raising an alarm over the US-Iran war. The founder of Bridgewater Associates warns that the Strait of Hormuz, not just oil prices, will determine who wins the war. According to Dalio, this narrow waterway will determine if the US-led global order survives. In a detailed post on X, Ray Dalio explained that the war between the US-Israel alliance and Iran has reached a turning point. The focus is now on who controls the worlds most vital shipping lane. If Iran keeps control over who passes through the Strait, or even the power to negotiate its use, the United States will have lost, Dalio stated. He argued that if Iran "weaponises" the Strait of Hormuz, it proves the US lacks the power to fix the situation. Dalio believes the stakes are massive. The consequences of allowing Iran to shut down the most important strait in the world, through which the right of passage must be ensured at all costs, would be hugely damaging to the United States, its allies in the region (especially its Gulf allies), countries that depend most on its oil flow, the world economy, and the world order, he said. Lessons from 500 years of history Comparing the US failure to the fall of the British Empire, Dalio noted that if America does not gain control of the Strait of Hormuz and keep it open, along with a consortium of other countries, President Trump and the US will have lost. Drawing on patterns from 500 years of history, Ray Dalio argued that a decisive final battle will be the ultimate arbiter of whether an empire falls or survives, and the shift thereafter. Also Read | India taps Iran for safe passage of six LPG, two oil vessels via Hormuz strait Watch out for allies and creditors losing confidence, the loss of its reserve currency status, the selling of its debt assets, and the weakening of its currency, especially relative to gold, he wrote. Conversely, when the world's dominant power demonstrates its military and financial strength, that bolsters confidence in it and the willingness to hold its debt and currency, Dalio added. Why Strait of Hormuz matters If Iran gains control of the Strait of Hormuz to threaten American allies and the world economy, everyone will be hostage to the Iranians, as per Dalio. Donald Trump will be perceived to have picked a fight and lost. He will have left U.S. allies in the region with a huge problem, and he will lose credibility, especially given what he has said, he said. According to Dalio, it will be very difficult for the US and Israel alone to ensure the safe passage of ships without making sure the Strait of Hormuz is cut out from Iranian control. He predicted a ground battle to do so. The outcome is existential for the Iranian leaders and the largest and most powerful segment of Irans population. To the Iranians, this war is very much about revenge and commitment to what matters more than life, he said. Existential battle Ray Dalio compared the stakes of Iran and the US in the conflict, calling Tehran's war existential, while Americans will be worried about high gas prices. They are willing to die as a demonstrated willingness to die is essential for one's self-respect and showing the devotion that brings about the greatest reward, while Americans are worrying about high gas prices and Americas leaders are worrying about midterm elections, he said. Dalio's comments come at a point when the Strait of Hormuz has become the focus of the ongoing US-Iran conflict, with Iran trying to block ships carrying oil and gas from passing through the area. The final battle The US on Tuesday hit Iranian missile sites near the critical waterway with 5,000-pound bunker buster bombs in its first major military action in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Trump has expressed his dissatisfaction over the past few days about countries rejecting his call to send their military powers to regain control of the strait. Dalio described the current situation as a conflict with no diplomatic exit. Also Read | EU nations rebuff Trump's call to send warships to Hormuz Strait While there is talk of ending this war with an agreement, everyone knows that no agreement will resolve this war because agreements are worthless. Whatever happens nexti.e., leaving Hormuz in Iranian hands or taking control away from themis likely to be the worst phase of the conflict, he said. He predicted that a final battle, which will make it clear who won and who lost still lies ahead. Indias crude and gas ships need a safe passage from Strait of Hormuz, both for our energy requirement and the safety of crew on board such ships. Many ships bringing crude and gas from this region are Indian-flagged and hence, they have all Indian seafarers. Despite alternative sources being tapped by the country, this region will continue to be an important supply hub for our energy needs. Diplomatic efforts have started to bear fruit, and I am extremely hopeful that gradually more ships can safely transit Strait of Hormuz, said Rajiv Jalota, former chairman of Mumbai Port Authority and Indian Ports Association, and a maritime sector expert. A devastating fire tore through a multi-storey residential building in Delhis Palam area on Wednesday, leaving at least seven people dead, including three children, and several others injured. Emergency teams raced against time to rescue occupants as flames engulfed the structure, which housed both commercial storage and residential units. Fire breaks out in mixed-use building in Delhi's Palam According to officials, the blaze erupted in a building comprising a basement, ground floor and four upper storeys, topped with a temporary tin shed. The lower levelsbasement, ground and first floorwere being used to store clothes and cosmetics, while families resided on the second and third floors. The presence of flammable materials is likely to have intensified the fire, complicating rescue efforts. Casualties feared, children among victims Rescue teams from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) pulled out multiple individuals from the building and rushed them to nearby hospitals. Total 07 casualties (including 03 children) rescued by DFS and removed to hospital. Officials indicated that the situation remains fluid, with the death toll yet to be formally confirmed. DCP Amit Goel (southwest) said around 9-10 people have been rescued from the building. They are being sent to IG Hospital and other hospitals. It looks like 6-7 have died. We don't have confirmation on the deaths yet, he said. In the early stages of the fire, two individuals reportedly jumped from the building in an attempt to escape and were also taken to the hospital. Massive firefighting operation underway in Delhi The Delhi Fire Service deployed around 30 fire tenders to contain the blaze. Firefighters continue to conduct cooling operations while searching for any remaining occupants inside the structure. Cooling, search and rescue operation continue. Authorities said the fire has not yet been fully extinguished, and efforts are ongoing to prevent further damage and casualties. L-G expresses grief, monitoring the situation Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu expressed deep concern over the incident and confirmed that authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Deeply distressed by the fire incident in a residential building near Palam Metro. My thoughts are with those affected by this tragic loss. Rescue and firefighting operations are being closely monitored, with all necessary support being extended. Delhi CM says extremely distressed Delhi CM Rekha Gupta said in a post on X, Extremely distressed to learn about the unfortunate fire incident at a multi-story residential building at Palam. As per the information received, 6 people are feared dead, and a few people are still trapped inside the building. District Administration, Delhi Fire Service Department & Delhi Police are leading rescue operation. Magisterial enquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. Praying for everyone's safety! The Delhi Fire Department received an emergency call at 7:37 AM, following which ten fire engines were deployed at the scene and with continuous efforts, the fire was brought under control. Further details awaited. Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut has launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him a tapori (rowdy) and criticising his public conduct. Kangana Ranaut has further alleged that women feel uncomfortable around him, intensifying her remarks against the leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, according to a bite the BJP MP gave to news agency PTI. Uncomfortable feel hota hai (It feels uncomfortable), Kangana Ranaut remarked while also drawing a comparison between him and his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The comments have triggered strong reactions across political circles, with leaders expected to weigh in on the escalating war of words. Kangana Ranaut slams Rahul Gandhi Speaking to the media in Parliament complex, the BJP MP said, Hum mahilao ko unko dekhkar bohot hi zyada uncomfotable feel hota hai... ekdum jaise tapori ki tarha aate hain... aur kisi ko bhi ae tu aise karke tu-tadak karte hain... koi interview de raha ho toh unko wo hooting calls karte hain [We women feel very uncomfortable seeing him... he comes like a vagabond... and refers to anyone disrespectfully... if someone is giving an interview, he makes hooting calls]. She added, Rahul Gandhi himself is a shame. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi writes to PM Modi, seeks Bharat Ratna for BSP founder Kanshi Ram Former bureaucrats demand apology from Rahul Gandhi in open letter Kangana Ranaut's remarks came after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter asking Rahul Gandhi to issue an apology for having tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session. The signatories, led by former Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid, said that the incident of 12 March was "deeply concerning," adding that it reflected "conscious disregard for parliamentary authority". The incident occurred on 12 March, when Rahul Gandhi, along with his colleagues, was protesting at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament and was seen sharing tea and snacks. Gandhi's behaviour is not becoming of a LoP, says Vaid The former J&K DGP also criticised Rahul Gandhi's behaviour in Parliament, adding that it is not becoming of a Leader of the Opposition, which is a very responsible post, and indicates a "sense of entitlement and arrogance". Speaking to ANI, Vaid said that Gandhi continues to indulge in theatrics. He sits on the steps of Parliament's entrance and sips tea with his colleagues amid sloganeering. Vaid added that according to him, the Congress MP does not understand the importance of the LoP post. Vaid added that the former bureaucrats want the Congress MP to understand the issue and apologise to the country for everything that has happened till now. Rahul Gandhi was reportedly asked by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to maintain the dignity of the House; however, he did't, the former DGP noted, adding that he has made a "laughingstock" of himself. The signatories want him to fulfil his role as a responsible LoP, Vaid said, adding that there should be humbleness, not arrogance and a sense of entitlement. LPG crisis panic: Amid a nationwide panic regarding a potential LPG cylinder supply shortage due to the US-Iran war in the Middle East, state-owned oil and gas company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has urged curstomer to not panic. The conflict in the Middle East and a blanket block on the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has created a supply shortage in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), and domestic LPG users are panicked by the development especially after the LPG price hike earlier this month. In a post on X on Wednesday, BPCL said that it has sufficient LPG supplies and assured customers that they will receive their cylinders. Theres no need to panic. Bharat Petroleum has sufficient LPG supplies in place, and customers will receive their cylinders as scheduled, it said. The government-owned gas company urged customers to book their LPG cylinder through available options to avoid rush. We are actively ensuring smooth distribution across our network so that households continue to receive uninterrupted service. Customers are encouraged to use the available booking options and avoid unnecessary rush, it said. BPCL also reassured users that its Bharat Gas LPG needs are under control. Your energy needs are secure, and we are here to keep your kitchens running without disruption. The Bharat Gas statement from BPCL comes a day after Indian Oil also issued a similar notice for its Indane gas cylinders, saying, IndianOil continues to ensure steady LPG availability for households across the country. We understand that some customers may be booking refills earlier than usual. However, advance or panic bookings can temporarily increase demand and affect delivery timelines. How to book BPCL Bharat Gas LPG gas cylinder online? You can book a BPCL LPG cylinder online via its website, app, WhatsApp number, SMS or by giving a missed call. How to book Bharat Gas LPG cylinder on website? To book on Bharat Gas website, go to the link https://my.ebharatgas.com/bharatgas/User/Login and log in using your mobile number or LPG ID. Enter the required details and Submit your booking request. How to book Bharat Gas LPG cylinder on Bharatgas app? To book on the BPCL app, download the Bharatgas app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. Register with your credentials and log in. Go to the Refill Cylinder option, enter the details and make the payment. After you have placed your order successfully, you will get a confirmation SMS. How to book BPCL LPG cylinder on WhatsApp, SMS and call? To book Bharat Gas LPG on WhatsApp, save the BPCL Smartline number, 1800224344, in your phone's contact list. Open the chat space on WhatsApp and type Hi or Book. Follow the prompts to book the cylinder. You will get a confirmation SMS after successful booking. To book Bharat Gas LPG via SMS, type LPG from your registered mobile number and send the message to 7715012345 or 7718012345. You will receive your booking status. Cooking gas prices were hiked across India, as a ripple effect of the West Asia conflict. Geopolitical tensions in the region have weighed on global oil markets, driving up crude oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) benchmarks. This uptick pushed up the cost of both domestic and commercial LPG cylinders amid supply disruptions. The price of a 14.2 kg domestic cooking gas cylinder rose by 60, while the price of a 19 kg commercial cylinder increased by 144 in early March across major cities and states of the country. No revisions have been made since. The hike followed a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, followed by Tehran's retaliation. The conflict has disrupted supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which India gets 85-90% of its LPG imports from West Asian nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. City-wise LPG rates The following retail rates are currently active in major cities across India: City Domestic rates Commercial rates New Delhi 913 1,884.50 Mumbai 912.50 1,836 Kolkata 939 1,988.50 Chennai 928.50 2,043.50 Hyderabad 965 2,105.50 Lucknow 950.50 2,007 Bengaluru 915.50 1,958 Patna 1,002.50 2,133.50 It's important to note that the differences in LPG prices across states arise due to local Value Added Tax (VAT) and freight charges. LPG for low-income households Though the government has raised prices of commercial and domestic cylinders, the rates of LPG cylinders under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) remain unchanged, PTI reported earlier. The scheme covers over 10 crore gas connections provided to low-income households across the country. India assures no shortage of LPG The Indian government maintains that there is no shortage of cooking gas. However, the LPG crisis is having a wide impact across the hospitality sector, with several establishments temporarily suspending operations. The shortage has also forced many Indian kitchens to remove certain menu items, while hotels and eateries have raised food prices to cope with higher cooking costs. In cities like Hyderabad, food establishments were even forced to switch to firewood stoves as an alternative. Also Read | India taps Iran for safe passage of six LPG, two oil vessels via Hormuz strait At the same time, the situation has taken on a strategic dimension. The Indian Navy has deployed two task forces of warships to ensure the safe transit of merchant vessels and tankers carrying gas and crude oil to the country through the Strait of Hormuz. To permit the safe passage of Indian-flagged ships, Iran has asked for the exchange of three tankers seized by India, ANI reported earlier. LPG cylinder bookings rise The Oil Ministry said on Tuesday that online LPG cylinder bookings have increased from about 84% to around 90%, and delivery authentication code (DAC) coverage has expanded from 53% before the West Asia conflict to about 72%, which is aimed at preventing diversion of cylinders at the distributor level, Mint reported earlier. The ministry further assured that no dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships, and Several States and UTs, including Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Manipur and Maharashtra have issued orders to allocate non-domestic LPG in line with Government of India guidelines. Meghan Markle would allegedly boss around Prince Harry during Zoom meetings with Netflix, reported Variety, after the streaming platform cut ties with the Duchess of Sussexs lifestyle brand, As Ever. The Variety report, citing sources, said she would talk over or recast Prince Harrys thoughts, and sometimes, when Harry would be mid-sentence, shed touch his arm or thigh during virtual and in-person meetings with Netflix partners. However, Markles lawyer, Michael J Kump, pushed back on the claims, calling it misogynistic. He wrote a letter to Variety, accessed by Page Six, saying that the outlet's claims seem calculated to play into the misogynistic characterisation of her bossing her husband around. Harry also told Variety that the allegation is categorically false. Were done: Netflix A Netflix insider told Variety that the streaming platform was done with the Sussexes, claiming that their behaviour ruffled feathers. The report said that Meghan would allegedly disappear during Zoom meetings when shed get offended. Netflix teams, like the marketing department, were told that Markles long absences from meetings were because she was offended by something that was said, a source told Variety. The mood in the building is Were done, the Netflix inside said. However, Kump contested the claim, saying that Meghan is a work-from-home mom of two young children aged 4 and 6, and often encounters children who enter the space unexpectedly during a meeting. Independent of being a parent who works from home, Meghan is also conscious of shielding her team from the distraction of children, Kump said in his letter. Defending Meghan, Kump said that nearly all professionals need to turn off the audio or camera during a virtual meeting at some point. Ted Sarandos is fed up The explosive Variety report, citing three insiders, claimed that Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos is fed up with the Sussexes. Sarandos wouldnt sit for a call with Meghan unless a lawyer was present on the line, the report claimed. However, a Netflix spokesperson insisted that this was absolutely inaccurate. This is blatantly false, Kemp rebutted Variety. In fact, Meghan texts and speaks with Mr Sarandos regularly, and has been to his home, sans lawyers. The report also claimed that Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria has grown weary of working with the royal couple. But Bajaria herself told Variety shes really enjoyed collaborating with the Sussexes. A source told Page Six that Markle and Harry have a great working relationship with Sarandos and Bajaria. Netflix deal Meghan Markle and Prince Harry originally negotiated a $100 million deal with Netflix via their Archewell Productions after leaving the royal family in 2020. They have since released projects like their hit 2023 tell-all documentary, Harry & Meghan, and Meghan's lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which will not be returning for a third season amid falling ratings. According to media reports, the couple extended their partnership with Netflix, but for an amount much less than the original deal. The Sussexes had several projects in the works, including adaptations of the books Meet Me at the Lake and The Wedding Date, before Netflix dumped As Ever. According to Page Six sources, Netflixs deal with the Sussexes is in a great place, and they have multiple scripted and unscripted projects that are in development. Also Read | Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hit back at deranged claims in new royal book About As Ever Netflix deal A Netflix spokesperson told Page Six that it was always intended for the As Ever founder to continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently. Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Homeland Security, will appear before the Senate on Wednesday (March 18) for his confirmation hearing, where he will face questions on his vision for the department amid the administrations push for mass deportations. Mullin, an Oklahoma senator with 13 years in Congress, is a close ally of President Trump. If confirmed, he would replace Kristi Noem, who was fired earlier this month following mounting criticism of her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Mullin is a former mixed martial arts fighter and plumbing business owner. He has previously expressed support for immigration enforcement operations and is expected to align closely with Trumps agenda. Senate questions focus on immigration enforcement The confirmation hearing marks the first opportunity for lawmakers and the public to hear directly from Mullin about managing the third-largest Cabinet department, which has roughly 260,000 employees. DHS responsibilities range from protecting the president to disaster recovery and deporting undocumented immigrants. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement: Whether it be protecting the homeland from bad actors, stopping dangerous drugs from flowing into American communities, or removing the worst-of-the-worst criminal illegal aliens, Senator Mullin will work tirelessly to implement the Presidents agenda. Democrats, however, are expected to press Mullin on how he intends to balance enforcement with civil liberties. Calls for reforms from Democrats Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), the ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, emphasized the need for straightforward reforms" in line with rules police departments follow. He said the department needs someone with a "steady hand. Peters also expressed reservations about whether Mullin is ready to assume such a significant role amid a challenging national security environment. Fallout from previous leadership Under Noem, DHS faced criticism for aggressive enforcement operations in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Protesters clashed with federal officers, and accusations surfaced regarding mistreatment of bystanders and detainees. The deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis intensified scrutiny of the administrations immigration tactics. FEMA department challenges Mullin is also likely to be questioned about the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has been in the midst of reform under Trump and Noem. All contracts over $100,000 required Noems approval, causing delays in reimbursements for states managing disaster recovery. Trump announced that Noem would become a special envoy for a new security initiative focusing on the Western Hemisphere. Noem praised her tenure, stating she achieved: Historic accomplishments at DHS to make America safe. Security and shutdown concerns The ongoing partial government shutdown has caused long lines at US airports as DHS security screeners continue without pay. Republicans have argued that Democrats refusal to fund the department threatens national security. This photo taken in March 2026 shows coral spawning in Cambodian waters. A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. (Anna Sabrina Petry/Fauna &Flora/Handout via Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. The survey and study of these coral spawning events were conducted from March 7 to 9, with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, Fauna &Flora, Marine Resource Protection Organization, and Song Saa Foundation, among others. During the research, the team conducted night dives and detailed reef monitoring to record spawning activities, assess coral health, and document environmental conditions, the press release said. "These observations provide vital scientific data that help researchers understand coral reproduction cycles, track reef recovery, and identify factors that contribute to effective coral reef management," the press release said. "The information gathered also supports evidence-based strategies for long-term coral reef conservation, benefiting both biodiversity and coastal communities that rely on healthy reefs for food and livelihoods," it said. Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth said the successful observation of coral spawning highlighted the effectiveness of ongoing conservation and management efforts in Cambodia's marine protected areas. "Continued collaboration between government institutions, conservation organizations, and local communities is essential to conserve biodiversity and to sustain these ecosystem services for all generations," he said. According to the press release, the conservationist group also discovered a coral spawning event for the third time in Koh Rong Archipelago in Preah Sihanouk province. "The results of these three consecutive years bear witness to the recovering health of our seas and stand as undeniable proof of our success in implementing fishery protection measures," Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina said. Healthy coral reefs are extremely important for ensuring the sustainability of marine fisheries resources and supporting the livelihoods of coastal communities. Jun Cheng, senior marine program manager of Fauna &Flora-Cambodia Program, said witnessing coral spawning for the third consecutive year is an encouraging sign that Cambodia's coral reefs still hold remarkable resilience. "These findings reinforce the importance of continued scientific monitoring and strong collaboration amongst the government, NGOs, and local partners to ensure the long-term protection of these critical marine ecosystems," she said. Divers record a coral spawning event in Cambodian waters on March 7, 2026. A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. (Kimlong Meng/Fauna &Flora/Handout via Xinhua) Divers record a coral spawning event in Cambodian waters on March 7, 2026. A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. (Kimlong Meng/Fauna &Flora/Handout via Xinhua) This photo taken in March 2026 shows coral spawning in Cambodian waters. A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. (Morokot Long/Fauna &Flora/Handout via Xinhua) This photo taken in March 2026 shows coral spawning in Cambodian waters. A conservationist group has spotted coral spawning events for the first time on Song Saa Island in Preah Sihanouk province and in Koh Sdach Archipelago in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, said a joint press release on Monday. (Morokot Long/Fauna &Flora/Handout via Xinhua) Editor: WXY It has been seven weeks since Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her residence in Tucson, Arizona, before she went missing. Guthrie, who was last seen on the night of 31 January, has been reported missing since 1 February. As officials continue to investigate the case, seeking help from her neighbours and locals, there seems to be no breakthrough in the case so far. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie case update: Body discovered in Tucson as police suspect foul play Amid the ongoing investigation, Guthrie's family is once again in focus and is now under intense scrutiny, particularly her daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni. Both Annie and Tommaso were the last people who saw Nancy Guthrie the night before her disappearance. Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer posted a video on X, in which Cioni can clearly be seen frustrated after a person was seen filming close to his residence. While most of his response was unclear, the person, before ending the clip, said that he would leave. As authorities run into dead ends, here are the latest updates in the Nancy Guthrie missing case: NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin, in a post on X, shared that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is back in Nancy Guthrie's neighbourhood and is questioning residents, including those who moved out before her disappearance. Entin added that they are also now focusing on a nearby home under construction, and are seeking the identities of all crew members who worked there. 2. Two dates are now garnering the attention of the authorities, who are continuously looking for breakthroughs. According to Brian Entin, in addition to 11 January, the officials are now also interested in 24 January, eight days before Guthrie disappeared, and are looking for videos from both these dates. The prominence of 11 January, according to a Fox News reporter, who cited sources, is that this was the date when the image on the right was taken, which showed a masked man, who was seen without his backpack or gun. 3. The Daily Mail recently reported that the Pima County Sheriff's chief, Chris Nanos, who was heading the investigation in Guthrie's missing case, is likely to be fired from his post over his handling of the case. Daniel Butierez, a Republican Congressman, confirmed the same to the New York Post, adding that a process has begun to remove Nanos. Also Read | Man arrested for allegedly circling Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home over 50 times 4. Guthrie family members have passed a polygraph test. News reports are now pointing out to the fact that the entire Guthrie family, including Cioni, who was once declared a suspect by the internet, have all cleared their polygraph tests. It must be noted that Cioni was never declared a suspect by the investigating authorities. 5. Recently, a pair of pyjamas was discovered near Nancy Guthrie's home, sparking speculations online. The development was shared on X by a woman, who also posted a video. Sharing the video, she wrote, What appears to be womens pajamas found in the search for Nancy Guthrie. Berkshire Hathaway founder and chairman Warren Buffett's famous line, Price is what you pay, value is what you get, in his shareholder letter of 2008, highlights a core principle of investing, which is that the market price of an asset does not always reflect its true worth. For instance, a stock may appear overvalued or undervalued based on its current trading price, but what really matters is the underlying business, which includes the company's earnings, growth potential, and long-term prospects. These factors are essential for determining how the company will perform in the near future and whether its shares have the potential to deliver stellar returns to investors and become a multibagger stock later. What does the quote mean for investors? For investors, the quote means shifting focus from short-term price movements to the stock's intrinsic value. Buffett has always believed that buying into fundamentally strong companies at a reasonable or discounted price can generate better long-term returns than chasing trending or overhyped stocks. In simple terms, buying a stock at a low price is not necessarily a good deal. Similarly, making a high-cost purchase doesnt always mean it has the potential for future growth. This holds true for penny stocks, which often attract investors with their low entry prices and potential for rapid gains. However, they also come with substantial risks. Due to low liquidity, high volatility, and limited transparency, they are usually susceptible to manipulation and sudden price drops. Without a clear strategy and solid risk controls, investors may face more losses than gains if they rely solely on the stock's price rather than the company's fundamentals. The quote also underscores the importance of patience and discipline. Markets often misprice assets in the short term due to sentiment, news, or speculation, creating opportunities for those who can identify value. Investors who stick to this principle are more likely to avoid impulsive decisions and build wealth steadily over time. Buffett has offered valuable investment advice over the years. Referred to as the Oracle of Omaha, Buffet is popular among traders and investors for his long-term approach to stocks, his focus on fundamentals, and his calculated yet thoughtful risk-taking. Building on his principles, one of Berkshire's key strategies is to avoid speculative trades, as it may lead to losses. It instead focuses on strong balance sheets, predictable earnings, and capable management teams, which Buffet believes is the key to wealth creation. From early life to net worth All about the ace investor Buffett was born to Howard and Leila Buffett on 30 August 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska. His father worked as a stockbroker and a four-term US congressman. Howard Buffett was a member of the Republican Party, according to Investopedia. Making money was an early interest for Warren, who sold soft drinks and had a paper route. When he was just 14 years old, he invested the proceeds from these endeavours in 40 acres of land, which he then rented for a profit. He later applied to the University of Pennsylvania and was accepted at the age of 16. However, he left that university after two years and transferred to the University of Nebraska. Later, he also attended Columbia University for higher education after being rejected from Harvard. Though Buffett started working with his father at his stockbroking company, he later accepted a job in New York with Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing. Buffett studied under him at Columbia. He married Susan Thompson in 1952. How did Buffet and his friend build Berkshire? Warren Buffett, alongside friend and business partner Charlie Munger, was the architect who over nearly 60 years transformed Berkshire Hathaway Inc. from a failing textile maker into an empire worth billions. Decades of compounded returns made the pair billionaires and folk heroes to adoring investors. In January this year, Buffett handed over the company and his CEO position to successor Greg Abel. But his bull run with Berkshire has been legendary delivering returns of more than 55,00,000% returns over 60 years (1964-2024), to building the group to $1.2 trillion, and expanding Class A shares to a value of $167 billion. Known as the Oracle of Omaha for his surprisingly accurate predictions on stocks, Buffett gained fame and investor confidence for handpicking companies, such as Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and many more. These stocks surged massively and now account for 70% of Berkshire's estimated $274 billion stock portfolio, according to Fintel. Buffett's net worth is estimated at $145 billion, making him the 9th-richest person in the world, according to Forbes data, as of the time of writing. Other popular quotes by Warren Buffett Buffett is known for his investment advice and uncanny predictions. His quotes have been an inspiration for many market participants over the years. Here are his top five quotes that are often mentioned: No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1. 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.' A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. 'If you arent willing to own a stock for 10 years, dont even think about owning it for 10 minutes.' The head of the U.S. Postal Service told Congress on Tuesday it could run out of money in October or November if the agency continues to make required retirement and other payments to the government. U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner told a House Oversight subcommittee that USPS needs higher stamp prices, the ability to borrow more money as well as other reforms from Congress. "We're in a crisis," Steiner told lawmakers. He said if the service defaults on some payments as it has in recent years, it will be out of money in less than a year. "If we stretch those out we're looking at more like February." He laid out options for the loss-making agency to cut costs: ending six-day-a-week deliveries, closing post offices or raising first-class mail stamp prices to $1 or more, up from the current $0.78. USPS is awaiting a report from consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal, which was hired to help with planning for all scenarios. "When you have less than 12 months of cash available, you have to look at everything," Steiner said. Also Read | USPS chief to step down after guiding postal service through financial turmoil Reuters first reported in December that Steiner believed USPS will run out of money as soon as early 2027. The service has reported net losses of $118 billion since 2007 as first-class mail, its most profitable product, has fallen to its lowest volume since the late 1960s. Steiner said reducing deliveries to five days a week would save USPS about $3 billion a year, while closing small post offices in remote areas would save $840 million. But those ideas "may not be palatable to Congress or the American public," he said. Republican Representative Pete Sessions, who chaired the hearing, said he would work with USPS to address concerns but said he does not support raising stamp prices. "We're going to have to make tough decisions," Sessions said. Representative Kweisi Mfume, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, said reforms were needed. "We cannot let the U.S. Postal Service die," Mfume said, adding Congress cannot "do nothing and watch the Titanic sink." Canada released its new immigration policy on 13 March, confirming its permanent resident admission target and introducing measures to dramatically reduce the number of temporary residents, including international students, in the country. Here's what Indians aiming to live, work or study in Canada need to know: Key points | What are Canadas immigration targets for 2026? Canada plans to admit 380,000 permanent residents in 2026, with 64% being economic immigrants by 2027. Temporary resident arrivals are targeted at 385,000 for 2026. 33,000 additional spots have been added to these targets for the TR-to-PR pathway. Canada aims to reduce the temporary resident population to under 5% of the total population by 2027. Now, let's delve deep into Canada's new immigration policy: TR to PR pathway: 33,000 temporary foreign workers to gain permanent residency Canada recently 'soft-launched' the Temporary Residency to Permanent Residency program (TR to PR pathway), which will grant permanent residence to 33,000 temporary foreign workers. The 2026-27 Departmental Plan released by Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on 13 March says that up to 33,000 temporary workers will be transitioned to permanent residency across 2026 and 2027. Also Read | UK business leaders urge Sunak govt to relax immigration rules. Details here It further clarifies that the "33,000 spaces represent an addition to regular permanent residence targets, not a replacement of existing programs like Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program." The "33,000 TR to PR" spaces are limited and targeted at specific worker profiles," the official statement read. What does a 380,000 PR target mean? Canada noted that its permanent residency target peaked at 500,000 in 2025, and the move just stabilises this. "While the reduced target suggests less pressure to issue invitations quickly, IRCC still faces significant application inventories in several programs," IRCC said. Who's is eligible? The government initially indicated that the program would focus on temporary workers who meet several key requirements. While specific eligibility criteria have not been fully released as of now, here's what the government has so far about the eligibility criteria: Candidates must hold valid work permits and have fully complied with the conditions of their stay in Canada. They should have established community ties, stable employment histories, and work in occupations that support the countrys economic goals. Priority sectors mentioned in government documents include agriculture, hospitality, transportation, healthcare, and care services. More details are expected in April 2026. What applicants must keep in mind? Immigration consultants are advising eligible workers to begin gathering documentation now, including employment records, tax filings, community involvement, and proof of language proficiency. Reductions in temporary resident arrivals "One of the most significant policy shifts" introduced in the departmental plan is the aim to "dramatically" reduce temporary resident admissions. With this move, Canada wants to address the growing pressures on its housing and social services. Also Read | 50 Indians stranded in Dubai airport over non-compliance of immigration rules A statement posted on the Canadian government's website read, "New temporary resident arrivals will drop from 673,650 in 2025 to just 385,000 in 2026, representing a 43% reduction in a single year." "This includes both international students and temporary workers arriving in Canada for the first time," it added. The policy will impact only the new arrivals and does not include permit extensions or changes of status for people already in Canada. "The goal is to reduce the total temporary resident population from current levels above 6.8% to under 5% of Canadas total population by the end of 2027," it added. Category 2026 2027 2028 International Students 155,000 150,000 150,000 Temporary Workers 230,000 220,000 220,000 Total New TR Arrivals 385,000 370,000 370,000 Quick Glance | Frequently Asked Questions What should temporary residents whose permits are about to expire do? They must either apply for an extension, transition to a different temporary status, apply for permanent residency through available programs, or leave Canada before their status expires. "Those who dont qualify should explore Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, or other immigration pathways well before their permits expire. Remaining in Canada without a valid status can result in removal orders and future inadmissibility," the official statement added. What does this mean for processing times? Processing times may improve gradually as the department reduces backlogs through the digital modernisation initiative and one-time processing initiatives for protected persons. However, applicants were advised to continue monitoring official IRCC processing time estimates as these vary significantly by program and country of application. International Student Program Reforms Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it is implementing several measures to strengthen the International Student Program and ensure sustainable volumes while maintaining high-quality educational outcomes. Here's what it said: 1. Masters and doctoral degree students enrolling at public Designated Learning Institutions will be exempt from the provincial or territorial attestation letter requirement under the federal cap on study permit applications. "This exemption recognises the contribution of graduate students to Canadas research and innovation ecosystem," the statement added. 2. Doctoral student applications and Global Skills Strategy applications will receive priority processing with a target turnaround of 14 days. 3. The IRCC will continue verifying letters of acceptance from Designated Learning Institutions and monitoring compliance rates through bi-annual reporting. Permanent resident admission targets for 3 years Canada's Immigration Levels Plan sets overall permanent resident targets at 380,000 per year from 2026 through 2028, with an operational range between 350,000 and 420,000 to allow flexibility based on processing capacity and global conditions. The government's statement highlighted its "strategic focus on attracting skilled workers who can fill critical labour gaps in priority industries, including healthcare, emerging technologies, and skilled trades." Canadas humanitarian commitments: The statement also mentioned that additional admission spaces beyond the above targets are included to fulfil Canadas humanitarian commitments. This includes a one-time initiative to process approximately 115,000 permanent residence applications from protected persons in Canada over two years. Citizenship and passport program updates IRCC said the online citizenship test has become the default method for applicants aged 18 to 54, with up to three attempts permitted. The department is targeting at least 80% of citizenship grant applications to be completed within 12 months, with at least 96% of citizenship grant decisions meeting quality management program standards, it added. The immigration department further informed that a new system is being deployed to support passport processing abroad, improving service delivery for Canadians living or travelling overseas. Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Wednesday (local time) reacted to the killing of Ali Larijani, the country's Supreme National Security Council, saying that "criminals have to pay soon for his blood," Reuters reported. Khamenei's remark came hours after Tehran confirmed that the leader was killed in Israeli strikes. Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military said that it had killed Larijani along with Gholamreza Soleimani, the chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Basij unit, a volunteer paramilitary force. Larijani's killing marks an escalation in the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which is now in its third week. According to a Reuters report, he was killed by a US-Israeli air attack as he was visiting his daughter in the eastern outskirts of a Tehran suburb. Who was Ali Larijani? Larijani, who was one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic, was considered an architect of its security policy. He was a close advisor of the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei until he died in an airstrike last month. He belonged to a prominent clerical family whose brothers rose to senior roles after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Larijani was regarded as a shrewd and pragmatic figure, yet firmly committed to preserving the country's theocratic system of governance. He also served as an IRGC commander during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and soon became chief of Iran's national broadcaster and went on to head the Supreme National Security Council, both before and after his time in parliament, where he served as speaker for 12 years. He was Iran's most influential powerbroker, and his killing has pushed the Islamic Republic into a more uncertain phase, further complicating decision-making in Tehran and limiting its options as the war rages on. Tehran loses key leaders in the war The US and Israel waged a war against Iran in late February and targeted the country's military and naval forces. In the last three weeks, Tehran has lost several of its top leaders, including the defence minister and intelligence minister. According to a Reuters report, after the strikes began in February, Larijani was one of the first major Iranian figures to speak and accused Tehran's attackers of seeking to disintegrate and plunder the country. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE News Highlights: Multiple loud explosions were heard early Wednesday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to AFP, as Iran sustained its retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations. Authorities noted that air defence systems were actively engaging incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, adding that the UAE has faced more than 2,000 Iranian drones and missiles since the conflict began, as reported by AFP. The governments Dubai Media Office said the sounds heard across parts of the city were the result of successful air defence interception operations. The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) on Tuesday approved a set of measures to strengthen the stability of the countrys banking sector, as Gulf economies move to cushion the impact of the Iran crisis, as reported by Reuters. Now in its third week with no clear end, the war has disrupted global energy markets and transportation as it spreads, with repeated attacks targeting Dubai and other Gulf nations. While regional banks have remained resilient so far, they are facing significant pressure, the report stated. The UAEs financial system "has demonstrated resilience during the current extraordinary circumstances affecting the global and regional markets without any material impact on the banking sectors health and payment systems," the CBUAE board said in a statement, as reported by Reuters. Iran war: Whats latest? Israels military killed senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, while Iranian state media confirmed that Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani was also killed during a meeting with Basij commanders in a combat tent. Both figures had played key roles in Irans crackdown on protests in January. Gulf Arab countries came under renewed missile and drone attacks from Iran on Tuesday, with regional oil infrastructure among the targets. Israel also carried out fresh strikes in Iran and Lebanon. In Baghdad, officials reported that drones struck the U.S. Embassy compound, where an Associated Press journalist witnessed a large fire. According to officials, the U.S.-Israeli war has resulted in at least 1,300 deaths in Iran, over 900 in Lebanon, and 12 in Israel. The U.S. military added that 13 American service members have been killed and around 200 injured. Get Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE News LIVE Updates here on Mint! The moon-sighting process is in full swing in Saudi Arabia, as Wednesday, 18 March, marks the 29th day of Ramadan in the Arab nation. The sighting of the Shawwal crescent signals the end of the holy month of fasting and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated the day after the crescent is sighted. Has the moon been sighted in Saudi Arabia? In Saudi Arabia, Ramadan began on 18 February, and Wednesday marks exactly one month since the holy period of fasting began. The crescent has still not been sighted. A team of 11 observers, led by noted moon-sighter Abdullah Al-Khudairi, had gathered at the Hawtat Sudair Observatory in Riyadh to look for the crescent. According to a report by Gulf News, the Shawwal crescent for 1447 AH was not sighted anywhere in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. As a result, Ramadan will complete 30 days on Thursday, and Eid al-Fitr is expected to be observed in the country on Friday. Has the crescent been sighted in UAE? The UAE has not yet made any official announcement about when Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated in the nation. The moon was not sighted in the UAE on Wednesday. Hence, Eid al-Fitr will also be celebrated in the Gulf nation on Friday, as Thursday marks the 30th day of Ramadan. When would Eid be celebrated in India? While no official date for Eid al-Fitr has been shared yet, many believe that in India, the crescent moon could either be sighted on Friday, 19 March, or Saturday, 20 March. Once the crescent moon is sighted in Saudi Arabia, authorities in India get a timeline to announce Eid al-Fitr 2026. Usually, India celebrates Eid a day after Saudi Arabia does. But there have been exceptions in the past when both Saudi Arabia and India celebrated Eid on the same day. If the moon is sighted in India on Thursday, 19 March, evening, Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on Friday, 20 March, aligning with Saudi Arabia. Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official and prominent conservative figure within the countrys theocracy, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67. Larijani was widely seen as a potential leader following the killing of Irans Supreme Leader in US and Israeli strikes last month, which triggered a broader conflict. While Israel announced his death earlier Tuesday, Iran did not confirm it for several hours. Ali Larijani married Farideh Motahhari at the age of 20 and together they have four children: Morteza Larijani, Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, Mohammad Reza Larijani and Sarah Larijani. Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani, Larijanis daughter, worked as an Assistant Professor at Emory Universitys medical school in Atlanta. She trained and practised medicine in the United States, including positions at University Hospitals Cleveland and later at Emory Universitys Winship Cancer Institute. She is a specialised cancer doctor who was granted a green card in 2021 under former US President Joe Bidens administration. Earlier in January, the university announced her termination following an online petition that demanded her deportation. View full Image View full Image Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani was removed from Emory University in Georgia. (Source: IranWire) Sara Larijani has largely remained out of the public spotlight, and very little information is available about her life or activities. Morteza Larijani was reportedly killed alongside his father in an Israeli airstrike in March 2026, according to multiple reports and confirmations from Iranian authorities. He was believed to have served as a special assistant or maintained a close role within his fathers office. Mohammad Reza Larijani maintains a relatively low public profile and is believed to live in Iran, possibly pursuing business, religious studies, or other non-political pursuits. Iran's elite status Members of Irans ruling elite have been accused of blatant hypocrisy, with claims that they use state resources to support their adult children living in the West while overseeing worsening economic hardship and repression at home, according to an Febraury report by The Guardian. According to the report by The Guardian, Kambiz Ghafouri, an Iranian writer and human-rights activist based in Helsinki, said: They made Iran a hell for Iranian citizens and sent their children to the West to live happily. If there were a referendum voting on whether people want the children of the Iranian authorities sent back to Iran, I think more than 90% would say yes. Ali Larijani's family The Larijani family hails from Damavand in northern Iran, though Ali Larijani was born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1957, while his father was working there. Born into one of Irans most prominent political families, often likened by media outlets to the Kennedys in the United States, Ali Larijanis relatives have held powerful roles. His brother Sadeq led Irans judiciary, while another brother, Mohammad Javad, served as a senior diplomat and key adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs. The family holds significant sway within Irans political system, forming what one Turkish media outlet described as an influential web of power spanning the upper echelons of the regime. A report from a Jordanian think tank highlights that Larijanis father, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, was a respected jurist, lending his sons early scholarly credibility. His brothers have held key positions, most notably Sadeq Larijani, a jurist and former head of the judiciary, who served on major constitutional bodies and was at times considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The report notes that Larijani holds a PhD in philosophy, a background that influenced his political approach, characterised by measured rhetoric, careful deliberation, and a preference for nuanced, multi-layered solutions. Larijani was also a published philosopher, authoring at least six books, including three focused on the works of German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Larijani was killed late on Monday alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident. In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijani as a virtuous, precious, and dear brother. Eid-ul-Fitr 2026: Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Muslim nations in the Gulf announced on Wednesday that the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr will be on March 20, after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted. This means this year, the Ramadan month of fasting will have 30 days in these countries. In India, Thursday, 19 March marked the 29th day of Ramadan. The moon sighting will be organised in different cities of India on Thursday evening. If the moon is sighted on Thursday, Eid in India will be on Friday. Otherwise, Eid will be on Saturday, 21 March, in India. Usually, India celebrates Eid a day after Saudi Arabia does. But there have been exceptions in the past when both Saudi Arabia and India celebrated Eid on the same day. 1-The significance of the Islamic Calendar Islam uses the lunar calendar. Each month of the lunar calendar begins with the sighting of a new crescent moon called hilal in Arabic. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the lunar months are either 29 or 30 days, depending on the appearance of the moon. 2-How is Eid date decided? Muslims celebrate two Eids one is Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the month-long fasting in Ramadan. The other one is about two months after Eid-ul-Fitr and is called Eid-ul-Adha, which commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim. Eid-ul-Fitr begins on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth Islamic month after Ramadan. The moon is sighted the night before the new month starts. So, the only way to confirm that Shawwal and other lunar months have begun or ended is to see the new crescent moon. The moon is usually sighted on the last night of a month, be it 29 days or 30 days 3- Why physical sighting? Traditionally, Muslims follow the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, who instructed them to start fasting when they see the moon and break fast when it is sighted again at the end of the month. So, if the moon is sighted, Ramadan ends, and Eid is the next day. If not, Ramadan lasts 30 days, and Eid follows the next day. 4-Why different dates? Moon visibility depends on Geography, weather conditions and time zones. Thats why Saudi Arabia, India, and others may celebrate Eid on different days. This year, for example, Ramadan 2026 began in Saudi Arabia on 18 February, while it started in India on 19 February. Saudi Arabia is significant because it houses the holiest Masjids of Islam in Mecca and Medina. 5-Sighting vs Calculation Many Muslim communities now use astronomical calculations to predict the moons visibility, but many still prefer actual sighting to stay true to tradition. Citizens walk past the yard of an ancient academy along the Grand Canal in Cangzhou City, north China's Hebei Province, May 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Luo Xuefeng) At a time when the "Clash of Civilizations" theory still has a foothold in the world, and divisions and conflicts hinder human progress, Chinese academies, with their thousand years of practice, offer Eastern wisdom that promotes dialogue and strengthens cooperation. NANCHANG, China, March 16 (Xinhua) -- As the world seeks ways to engage in dialogue across different civilizations while preserving distinct identities, "shuyuan," or ancient Chinese academies, have emerged as a guide from Chinese history. SEEKING CONSENSUS AMID DIFFERENCES Originating in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), "shuyuan" were unique Chinese institutions combining education, libraries, ritual observance and scholarly debate. By the Song Dynasty (960-1279), they had become China's primary intellectual hubs, where scholars often engaged in critical reflections, rigorous exchanges and debates. Chinese "shuyuan" wisdom began resonating with the West during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the late 16th century, Italian missionary Matteo Ricci visited the Yuzhang Academy in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, and enjoyed the company of Zhang Huang, then head of the renowned Bailudong (White Deer Grotto) Academy. Ricci brought knowledge of Western astronomy, geography and mathematics, while Zhang inherited a millennia-old Confucian theory. Ricci studied the Confucian classics under Zhang's guidance, while Zhang incorporated Western geographical knowledge into his own work, featuring mutual respect and interaction. In a letter to Rome, Ricci wrote that they had found in the Chinese classics quite a few things that agreed with their faith. Xiao Hongbo, president of the Jiangxi Academy of Social Sciences and director of its Academy Culture Research Center, identifies this spirit of "seeking consensus amid differences and building synergy through exchange" as a vital wisdom within traditional Chinese culture for managing divergence and resolving conflict. This spirit of dialogue lives on to this day. In October 2025, nearly 200 scholars from 51 countries and regions gathered at the Kaoting Academy in east China's Fujian for the Conference on Zhu Xi's Philosophy and Dialogue of Global Civilization, to explore how the late Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi's thought could offer insights for resolving civilizational clashes. Attendees of the Conference on Zhu Xi's Philosophy and Dialogue of Global Civilization visit Kaoting Academy in Jianyang District of Nanping City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Oct. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Former UNESCO General Conference President Simona-Mirela Miculescu noted that Zhu's belief in the inseparability of learning and virtue aligns with UNESCO's mission to build peace through understanding, learning and mutual respect. At a time when the "Clash of Civilizations" theory still has a foothold in the world, and divisions and conflicts hinder human progress, Chinese academies, with their thousand years of practice, offer Eastern wisdom that promotes dialogue and strengthens cooperation. NEW PLATFORM FOR CIVILIZATIONAL DIALOGUE Inspired by "shuyuan," Korean scholar Ju Se-bung established Baegundong Academy in 1543 by modelling on Bailudong Academy, the first of its kind on the Korean Peninsula. In the time of about two centuries, over 900 academies sprang up across the region. To date, the Bailudong Academy Directives are still being upheld as school mottos in some institutions in South Korea and Japan. Another leading Korean scholar, Yi Hwang, later expanded Baegundong Academy into Dosan Academy in Gyeongsangbuk-do to promote the philosophy of Zhu Xi. Its cultural imprint is woven into daily life: the 1,000-won banknote features Yi Hwang's portrait on the front and Dosan Academy on the back -- a shared cultural heritage carried by every South Korean. "For modern South Koreans, academies remain part of their daily life and one of the most important cultural symbols," said Keum Jia, an associate professor at Peking University's School of Foreign Languages. A tourist visits the Oksanseowon Confucian Academy in Gyeongju, South Korea, Aug. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) Deng Hongbo, director of the Chinese Academy Research Center, notes that while overseas academies share a bloodline with their Chinese counterparts and retain their core cultural functions, they have developed distinct characteristics influenced by factors such as the time of transmission and geographical location, as Korean academies emphasize ceremonial rites, Japanese academies focus on publishing, while Southeast Asian Chinese academies serve as spiritual anchors connecting communities to their homeland. Deng has found that through the systematic collection and collation of historical documents from the Korean Joseon Dynasty and Japanese academies, valuable archival materials have been revitalized. Such work confirms the academy system's contribution to the East Asian Confucian civilization rooted in Chinese characters, providing solid academic support for the historical practice of mutual learning among civilizations. As academies spread eastward, another path led toward the West. In Naples, Italy, beside a winding lane named "Salita dei Cinesi" (Chinese Slope), stands a three-story ochre building -- "Collegio dei Cinesi" (Chinese College) founded by Italian missionary Matteo Ripa. Serving as a painter and translator at the royal court of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Ripa returned to Italy in 1723 and established the college with a clear mission to overcome language and cultural barriers by nurturing truly inclusive, cross-cultural talent. In more than 100 years to 1868, it educated 106 Chinese students from more than 10 provinces, most of whom returned to China to serve as bridges between the East and the West. When the British Macartney Embassy visited China in 1793, the interpreter was a graduate of the college -- a testament to its legacy. After several name changes, the college evolved into the University of Naples L'Orientale, remaining a leading center for Sinological studies in Italy. In the contemporary era, academies are again serving as platforms for civilizational dialogue. The Nishan Forum on World Civilizations in Shandong Province uses the culture of the academies to connect global scholars. Yuelu Academy in Hunan Province is recruiting international faculty to conduct cutting-edge digital humanities research, while Bailudong Academy's lectures reach a global audience via live streams. These exchange practices centered on academies enable Chinese culture to continuously absorb nutrients, develop and innovate through dialogue with diverse civilizations around the world. Simultaneously, they allow the world to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of China through the window of these ancient educational institutions. Editor: WXY Killing civilians violates the conventions of warfare. Pakistan had hinted at regime change in Kabul before it deployed force in a campaign whose stated goal was to eliminate a cross-border threat of terror. But war plans rarely survive contact with reality, so this looks like just another armed misadventure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the contribution of 59 members retiring from the Rajya Sabha between April and July, calling Parliament "an open university." The prime minister urged the outgoing legislators to remain active in national life. Addressing the Upper House on the occasion of the biennial farewell, PM Modi said such moments naturally dissolve partisan divides. "When an occasion such as this arises -- naturally and spontaneously -- we rise above partisan differences, and a shared sentiment emerges within us all," he said. Also Read | Rajya Sabha elections 2026 result: List of winners for 37 seats in 10 states "In politics, there is no such thing as a full stop. The future awaits you as well, and your experience and contributions will forever remain an enduring part of our national life," he said. Modi reserved special praise for three senior leaders - former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and NCP chief Sharad Pawar -- calling them stalwarts who have spent more than half their lives in parliamentary proceedings. HD Deve Gowda ji, Mallikarjun Kharge ji, Sharad Pawar ji are senior leaders who have spent more than half of their life in parliamentary work. Newly elected MPs should learn from them, he said. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Chairman Harivansh, describing him as "gentle and soft-spoken" yet "a man of rigorous action, constantly working for the betterment of every corner of India". He noted that Harivansh had continued to travel across the country even during recess, engaging the youth on national issues. "Even when the House is not in session, he travels to various corners of the country to interact with the youth, working tirelessly to foster a sense of national consciousness among them," Modi said. PM jokes about Ramdas Athawale In a lighter vein, the Prime Minister singled out Union Minister Ramdas Athawale. Lamenting that wit and humour in the House had declined in the age of round-the-clock media -- "everyone has become extremely self-conscious", he said. Modi added, "While members come and go, our Athawale-ji is truly evergreen. He is departing, yet I am confident that no one here will feel a void; he will continue to serve and contribute tirelessly." The prime minister also noted that some outgoing members had the rare distinction of having served in both the old and new Parliament buildings. He closed by describing a six-year Rajya Sabha term as a transformative experience. "The House serves as an open university. It offers the opportunity to gain insight into the intricate nuances of national life. In a sense, one receives both formal education and initiation here," he said. The experience gained in Parliament is truly expansive. Earlier, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan opened the House proceedings by noting that a total of 59 members from 20 states, including 9 women, will retire between April and July upon completion of their terms. He framed the occasion in constitutional terms, noting that the retirement of one-third of the House every two years "ensures continuity in the functioning of the Council of States while also creating space for new members to join the House and enrich its deliberations. He described Deve Gowda as "a distinguished leader whose presence has added great stature to the House," and said Kharge "has been an important voice in the democratic functioning of this House" across a long career spanning both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. On Harivansh, Radhakrishnan said he "presided over this House with dignity, impartiality and a deep sense of responsibility", adding that his contributions to international parliamentary forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, "will always be remembered with great regard". The House serves as an open university. Radhakrishnan urged the outgoing members to view their departure as a new beginning. "Retirement should not be viewed as an end but as the beginning of new roles and responsibilities," he said. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took a pointed swipe at former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, questioning his political loyalties. While recalling the warmth and camaraderie Gowda had often displayed towards the Congress, Kharge suggested that his ultimate loyalty appeared to lie elsewherewith Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a remark laced with nostalgia and quiet disappointment, the Congress president reflected on a bond that stretched back 54 yearsone built on shared work, trust, and political companionship. Also Read | Rajya Sabha elections 2026 result: List of winners for 37 seats in 10 states Kharge, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister and served in several other capacities. "I have known him for 54 years and have worked with him. But I don't know what happened. He dated us, loved us, but married Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Kharge said, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, drawing a round of laughter from across the House. The Prime Minister, who was present in the Rajya Sabha, was also seen laughing. Gowda was not present in the Upper House when Kharge made these remarks. Gowda's letter to Sonia Kharge was perhaps referring to a letter that Gowda recently wrote to Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, expressing concern over disruptions that have been unthinkingly introduced inside and outside Parliament by Congress leaders. Gowda told Gandhi he had been greatly disturbed by a certain chaos orchestrated primarily by the opposition parties, and said, I strongly feel that Congress parliamentarians, led by the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, have provoked far too many disruptions inside Parliament and in its premises. The veteran leader also claimed that there is an unprecedented scale of disruptions in recent times. Parliament, in recent times, has witnessed an excess of slogan-shouting, display of placards and name-calling. There has been an attitude of non-seriousness, which has assaulted my very idea and construct of Parliament and parliamentary democracy, Gowda said in the letter to Sonia. Gowda and Kharge are prominent political leaders from Karnataka. Gowda, a former Prime Minister, was born in Hassan district, Karnataka, while Kharge, a senior Congress leader, was born in Bidar district, Karnataka. Gowda was the Prime Minister for less than a year after the 1996 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress supported the United Front government led by Gowda. Gowda's JDS tied up with the Congress in Karnataka for the 2018 state polls, and the alliance won. Gowda's son, HD Kumaraswamy, became Chief Minister, but the state government collapsed in 2019 after several Congress and JDS MLAs rebelled. Also Read | Ex-PM HD Deve Gowda hospitalised following infection The JDS later allied with the BJP. Kumaraswamy is a Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. During his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Kharge bid farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, asserting that those in politics and public life "neither get tired nor retire" due to their passion to serve the country. Addressing the upper house of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rajya Sabha said, Those in politics, public life, neither get tired nor retire for the passion to serve the country. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their contributions, wishing them well for their future political endeavours as he emphasised that there was "no full stop in politics". Modi urged the newly elected MPs to learn from veterans like HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar, who he said have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. "HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar are senior leaders who have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. Newly elected MPs should learn from them," he said. I have known him for 54 years and have worked with him. But I don't know what happened. He dated us, loved us, but married Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ramdas Athawale, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Tiruchi Siva, Amarendra Dhari Singh, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are among the 37 retiring MPs. This comes after biennial Rajya Sabha elections were held to fill 37 seats across 10 states. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates were elected unopposed. In a development that has shaken the Congress party's electoral prospects in Assam, veteran politician and Nagaon Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday, a day after submitting his resignation from the grand old party. I have taken this decision with a heavy heart, said Pradyut Bordoloi to reporters after joining BJP on Wednesday (18 March). According to India Today report, the switch was formalised in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia, dealing a fresh and consequential blow to Congress at a particularly vulnerable moment, barely three weeks before the state goes to polls. Party Weakened? Congress Loses One of 3 Assam MPs The timing could hardly be worse. With Assam assembly elections scheduled for 9 April, Pradyut Bordoloi's exit strips Congress of one of its three sitting Members of Parliament from the state. The other two, state president Gaurav Gogoi, who represents Jorhat, and Rakibul Hussain of Dhubri , now carry the weight of an opposition whose parliamentary representation in Assam has been visibly eroded. Pradyut Bordoloi, a former state cabinet minister and two-time MP from Nagaon constituency, carries significant political capital. A Cotton College and Jawaharlal Nehru University alumnus, he served as a four-time MLA from Margherita and had long-standing ties to the state NSUI dating back to his student years. Pradyut Bordoloi had also been serving as chairman of Congress's manifesto committee for these very assembly polls- a role that makes his departure all the more symbolically damaging. The Resignation Letter That Signalled the Split The break became public on Tuesday (17 March), when Pradyut Bordoloi sent a one-line resignation to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. The letter's brevity carried the weight of finality, With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress. State media department chairman Bedabrata Bora confirmed the letter to news agency PTI from Guwahati. Senior Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam, and state party chief Gaurav Gogoi flew to meet Bordoloi in Delhi in an effort to contain the fallout, but to no avail. Internal Tensions Behind the Break Congress's official line was swift to cast the resignation as a manufactured controversy. Gogoi told reporters, "I condemn such news of Bordoloi's resignation. The chief minister, through the media, has been trying to malign him politically." Singh echoed the sentiment, describing the situation as familial: "The Congress blood runs in the veins of Bordoloi. We are members of one family and will remain so." Singh also sought to dismiss speculation of a BJP overture, stating, "No person will go to the BJP. Bhupen Borah recently went, and now he is running to secure a party ticket. No one even greets or invites to share the dais." His reference was to former state Congress president Bhupen Borah, who had quit the party in February under similar circumstances, and whom Singh had similarly assured would not leave. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi backs Youth Congress after Uday Bhanu Chib's arrest Yet the cracks in Congress's internal cohesion run deeper than a single resignation. Prior to quitting, Bordoloi had written to Jitendra Singh warning that he would leave the party if Lahorighat MLA Asif Mohammad Nazar were renominated for the assembly polls. In the letter, Pradyut Bordoloi alleged that Nazar's close aide Emdadul Islam had been involved in an attack on Bordoloi and other party leaders in April 2025, and had been charge-sheeted by police in the case. He further claimed that Gogoi had personally met Islam at his residence earlier this year. Lahorighat falls within the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency that Bordoloi represents. Ripple Effects: A Close Aide Follows The departures did not end with Bordoloi. Nabajyoti Talukdar, a senior Assam Pradesh Congress Committee leader and a close political confidant of the MP, also resigned from the party on Tuesday. Talukdar, who had been a ticket contender for the Guwahati Central seat, stepped away after another candidate was named for the constituency, according to a party source. Son Remains a Congress Candidate For Now One notable twist in the unfolding drama: Pradyut Bordoloi's son, Prateek, remains a Congress candidate from the Margherita seat in the forthcoming polls. Whether the father's high-profile defection will affect the son's campaign, or whether Prateek will hold his position, is a question that now hangs over the party's planning in that constituency. What the Defection Means for Assam's Political Landscape Pradyut Bordoloi's move to the BJP is not merely a personal decision; it is a structural signal. Assam's political terrain has been steadily consolidating around the ruling party under Himanta Biswa Sarma, himself a former Congress heavyweight who crossed the aisle years ago. Each defection reinforces that narrative and makes it harder for Congress to present itself as a credible governing alternative to a state electorate that will cast its verdict within weeks. North Korea's parliament will convene next week to consider revisions to the nation's constitution and the election of state leadership, news agency AFP reported, citing state media. The 15th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) will open on 22 March, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, alongside a list of 687 deputies elected in Sunday's voting, the agency said. Also Read | North Korea fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, says Seoul The election followed a major gathering of the country's ruling party, which directs state efforts across everything from diplomacy to war planning. Kim Jong Un to be the leader When the SPA gathers, the focus will be on whether leader Kim Jong Un will be named president, the top state post that has long been reserved for his late grandfather, North Korean founder Kim Il Sung. "The session is to deliberate on the election of the president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the elections of the state leadership and...the revision and supplement of the Socialist Constitution," KCNA said, as per AFP. North Korea Elections North Korea holds elections, but they are widely seen as symbolic or staged, designed to show unity rather than offer real choice. Kims leadership is maintained through the ruling party and state structurenot competitive elections. The election on Sunday to elect 687 representatives, including workers, farmers, intellectuals, service personnel, and officials to the legislature that formally approves state policy and appoints the country's top officials. The assembly legislates and manages policies in all areas of government, but its approval is only a formality for measures decided by the ruling Workers' Party, which holds ultimate power. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un cast his ballot at a coal mine run by young workers, where he said the coal industry is essential to driving the country's economy and his five-year economic plan, the state media outlet said. North Koreans living in China and other socialist countries also cast ballots, KCNA said. Kim rules the country as the general secretary of the Workers' Party, president of the State Affairs Commission and supreme commander of the Armed Forces. What happened in the elections? North Korea held parliamentary elections on 15 March 2026 for its rubber-stamp legislature, the Supreme Peoples Assembly. In these elections: -There is only one approved candidate per seat -Voter turnout was reported at 99.99% -About 99.93% voted in favour of the candidates -Kim Jong-un himself was not even a candidate, but remains the countrys supreme leader. Kim was re-elected as General Secretary of the ruling Workers Party at a recent party congress effectively reaffirming his leadership. How were the elections reported? The voting and the results were mostly covered by news agencies based on KCNA inputs. Most publications called it rubber stamp legislature. Elsewhere, there was no major coverage so far except in The Sun, which carried an article with RUBBER STAMP Kim Jong-un romps home with 99.9% of vote in sham North Korea election as tyrant pledges to make country less backward as a headline. View full Image View full Image Elsewhere, there was no major coverage so far except in The Sun, which carried an article with RUBBER STAMP Kim Jong-un romps home with 99.9% of vote in sham North Korea election as tyrant pledges to make country less backward as a headline. The long-reigning tyrant has pledged to make his own nation 'less backwards' as he prepares to head up the Supreme Peoples Assembly (SPA) alongside his powerful younger sister, the report said. The Sun cited KCNA saying the result reflected citizens ardent desire and self-confidence to reliably defend their glorious state political system. North Korea is expected to reappoint him as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission in the coming weeks however. He has held the role ever since he created it in 2016 to help solidify his control of the country, it said. North Korea holds elections, but they are widely seen as symbolic or staged, designed to show unity rather than offer real choice. Kims sister, Kim Yo-jong, was among the biggest beneficiaries of the vote as she was elevated to department director within the partys apex central committee. Yo-jong, 38, is feared to be tipped to rule the hermit kingdom with an iron fist until Kims daughter, Kim Ju-ae, 13, is ready to take charge, experts told The Sun. Michael Madden, director and founder of NK Leadership Watch, said Yo-jong has been groomed to be Kims immediate successor and would eventually hand over power to his daughter, Kim Ju-ae. Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, HD Deve Gowda on Wednesday claimed that he was in a forced marriage with the Congress but had to divorce the national party because it was an "abusive relationship". Gowda issued a statement in response to remarks earlier in the Rajya Sabha by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who bid farewell to retiring members. Gowda, the JD(S) patriarch, addressed to his dear and longtime friend Kharge, over his light-hearted comment in Parliament about the JD-U chief having been "marrying" Modi Sahab (BJP) despite being in "love" with the Congress all his life. Deve Gowda said he was not in the House when Kharge spoke, as he had to leave for Bengaluru to attend the Ugadi celebrations on Thursday. "If I were to respond to my friend in the same language of marriage, I would like to say that I was in a 'forced marriage' with the Congress but had to 'divorce' them because it was an abusive relationship," he said, in a statement on 'X'. Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, recalled his association with Deve Gowda, who he said served as the Prime Minister and held several important positions. "I have known Devegowda for a long time 54 years and have worked with him. But I do not know what happened. He fell in love with us, but married Modi sahab (Prime Minister Narendra Modi)," Kharge said in Rajya Sabha, visuals of which were aired in local media. The analogy made the Prime Minister, who was present in the Rajya Sabha, laugh. Gowda reminded Kharge that in 2018, the Congress had sent its leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and offered HD Kumaraswamy the chief minister's post. "I did not consent to this. I told in everybody's presence that Kharge should be made Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah was also there. However, Azad insisted on Kumaraswamy's leadership. But after all this song, dance and a wedding what did they do in 2019? They dumped us. How many Congress MLAs defected to the BJP and who sent them across is now common knowledge," Gowda said. The former PM said that if Congress had acted against the person who instigated defection that day, "today my friend, Kharge, would be in a better position as AICC President." Also Read | Rajya Sabha elections 2026 result: List of winners for 37 seats in 10 states Gowda and Kharge are prominent political leaders from Karnataka. Gowda, a former Prime Minister, was born in Hassan district, Karnataka, while Kharge, a senior Congress leader, was born in Bidar district, Karnataka. Gowda was the Prime Minister for less than a year after the 1996 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress supported the United Front government led by Gowda. Gowda's JDS tied up with the Congress in Karnataka for the 2018 state polls, and the alliance won. Gowda's son, HD Kumaraswamy, became Chief Minister, but the state government collapsed in 2019 after several Congress and JDS MLAs rebelled. I was in a 'forced marriage' with the Congress but had to 'divorce' them because it was an abusive relationship. "So to put the record straight, I did not desert the Congress alliance. It is they who walked away. They left me with no choice but to "divorce" them and seek a more stable alliance," Gowda claimed. Apple CEO Tim Cook has ended all rumors surrounding his retirement from the tech giant. In a recent interview, Cook said he loves what he does and he can't imagine life without Apple. During an interview with Good Morning America, Cook called news of him planning to step back a rumor. Cook then went on to say, I love what I do deeply. I, uh, 28 years ago, I walked into Apple and I've loved every day of it since. We've had ups and downs, but the people I work with are so amazing. They bring out the best in me and hopefully I can bring out the best in them. I can't imagine life without Apple. Notably, a report in the Financial Times last year noted that Apple's board was planning for its long-time CEO to step down in early 2026. With almost three months down in this year, it doesn't seem like that deadline will be met. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman had reported last year that Cook's potential successor Jeff Williams left the iPhone maker in 2025 and left the company without a second-in-command. Since then, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, has been seen as the potential successor to the Apple veteran. Cook had also reportedly given Ternus charge of the company's design team, a responsibility earlier managed by Williams. Notably, Cook, 65, has been at the company for around 28 years and has been in charge of the iPhone maker ever since its founder Steve Jobs stepped down from the role in 2011. Tim Cook on Apple at 50: Asked about Apple's biggest contributions in the 50 years since the company's start, Cook said, You know, you can focus on the product moments, reinventing music, reinventing the smartphone, bringing the, uh, creative arts to the table, the creative graphics, saving people's lives with the watch. OpenAI has launched its new GPT-5.4 Mini and Nano models to its free users. Just weeks after launching the more powerful GPT-5.4 model, the AI startup's new GPT-5.4 Mini model is positioned as a smaller, cheaper alternative in cases where speed and cost matter the most. What's new with GPT-5.4 Mini and Nano? GPT-5.4 Mini is said to come with improved performance across a range of tasks like coding, reasoning, multimodal understanding and tool use. The model is said to be running over 2 times faster than its predecessor and have close performance to the GPT-5.4 model on certain benchmarks like SWE-Bench Pro and OSWorld-Verified. Meanwhile, GPT-5.4 Nano is positioned as the smallest and cheapest version of GPT-5.4 for areas where speed and cost are important. OpenAI says its new model can come in handy for tasks like classification, data extraction, ranking, and coding subagents. These models are built for the kinds of workloads where latency directly shapes the product experience: coding assistants that need to feel responsive, subagents that quickly complete supporting tasks, computer-using systems that capture and interpret screenshots, and multimodal applications that can reason over images in real-time, OpenAI said in a blog post. The ChatGPT maker is also positioning GPT-5.4 Mini as a subagent. The company says that in areas like Codex, developers can create systems where GPT-5.4 handles planning, coordination, and final judgment while seamlessly delegating narrower, parallel subtasks like searching a codebase or reviewing a massive document to the faster GPT-5.4 Mini model. OpenAI also says that GPT-5.4 Mini is highly capable of completing complex computer-use tasks. It can quickly interpret screenshots of dense user interfaces and reason over images in real-time while closing the performance gap with the flagship GPT-5.4 on visual benchmarks like OSWorld-Verified. Benchmark GPT-5.4 GPT-5.4 mini GPT-5.4 nano GPT-5 mini GPQA Diamond (Intelligence) 93.0% 88.0% 82.8% 81.6% SWE-bench Pro (Coding) 57.7% 54.4% 52.4% 45.7% OSWorld-Verified (Vision/CUA) 75.0% 72.1% 39.0% 42.0% Toolathlon (Tool-calling) 54.6% 42.9% 35.5% 26.9% Who can use GPT-5.4 Mini and Nano? GPT-5.4 Mini is available to all ChatGPT free and Go users starting from today. The model can be accessed by accessing the Thinking feature in the + menu. OpenAI's Head of ChatGPT has signalled that the company could be looking to overhaul how it structures its ChatGPT subscription. During a recent interaction, Nick Turley warned that the era of flat-rate monthly AI subscriptions may soon be coming to an end as artificial intelligence models become increasingly resource-intensive. Speaking on the BG2 Podcast, OpenAIs VP of Product, Nick Turley, said, Our power users want to use more and more intelligence. And it's possible that, in the current era, having an unlimited plan is like having an unlimited electricity plan. I would be incredibly surprised if it didn't change, given the magnitude and profoundness of the technical breakthroughs that we've had and the product breakthroughs that follow, Turley added. Sam Altman on AI being a metered connection: The comment by Turley echoes similar sentiments shared by CEO Sam Altman, who had recently compared AI to a utility service which would eventually be metered. We see a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water and people buy it from us um on a meter and use it for whatever they want to use it for, Altman said. One of the most important things in the future is that we make intelligence, to borrow an old phrase from the energy industry that didnt quite work: Too cheap to meter. Notably, the ChatGPT maker is currently trying to maintain its lead in the AI chatbot space while facing direct competition from the likes of Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, both of which have at least equal or better quality models. In fact, a new report from The Wall Street Journal notes that the company has taken Anthropic's rising popularity internally as a wake-up call and is now working to regain the lead among developers and enterprise users. The company currently has a three-tier subscription which starts with a ChatGPT Go plan which offers significantly extended chats with the AI but lacks many other features and also includes ads. This plan is priced at 399/month and is currently free in India in a bid to capture market share. The higher-usage ChatGPT Plus plan is priced at 1,999/month while the Premium Pro plan costs 19,900/month. While there are still restrictions on many other features, the top-end Premium Pro plan gives users unlimited GPT-5.4 file uploads, unlimited image creation and maximum use for deep research and agent mode. A woman visits the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) An exhibit is pictured during the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) A woman visits the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) Editor: WXY A decision has been made to grant permission to Ion Renewables Ltd for the construction of a stationary battery energy storage facility on a site next to the Richmond 110kV electrical substation in Ballykenny, Cloondara. The site in question is owned by Mr David McCann. The director of Ion Renewables is listed on the planning application as John Ward whose registered company address is 16 The Seapoint Building 44-45 Clontarf Road Dublin 3. The proposed facility will include eighteen 20ft containers with 5 medium voltage transformers, and the construction of a single storey sub-station building along with a GRP kiosk and acoustic fence in addition to all associated development works. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Ballymahon goes green and braves rainfall for top class St Patrick's Day parade Objections to the proposal included a submission from local man Frank Beirne, who highlighted what he described as gaps in the application, including a technical form question that had been marked yes without listing reasons as requested on the form. He also pointed out that distances from the proposed battery facility to nearby homes had not been provided and he raised concerns that no planning permission appeared to exist for the site entrance. In granting the application, Longford County Council attached 10 conditions which covered interests relating to road safety, visual amenity, environmental protection, proper planning, and the preservation of the archaeological heritage of the area. The conditions stated that the applicant, Ion Renewables, is permitted to carry out site development and building work between the hours of 7am to 7pm, Mondays to Fridays, and between 8am to 2pm on Saturdays. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Downpours fail to dampen celebratory St Patrick's Day enthusiasm in Lanesboro Work is not permitted to take place on Sundays or public holidays. Also within the conditions is the stipulation that all structures authorised shall be removed when they become obsolete and require decommissioning, and the site re-instated. Those who wish to challenge the councils decision have until Tuesday April 7 to lodge their appeal with An Coimisiun Pleanala. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme A young man died in a single vehicle crash in county Westmeath the early hours of Sunday morning and gardai are continuing to appeal for information and camera footage of the incident. Kamil Gumiela (21) was fatally injured in the collision on the N4 at Ballinafid, between Mullingar and Rathowen in the early hours of last Sunday, March 15. Gardai and emergency services responded to the single vehicle collision which occurred shortly after 12.50am. The driver, Mr Gumiela, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Polish national had been living in the Cam area of Edgeworthstown in recent times and he had previously resided in Longford town. READ NEXT: Ballymahon 2026 St Patrick's Day parade lauded as being the 'best parade to date' The N4 between Mullingar and Rathowen, Co Westmeath was closed for most of the day on Sunday as a technical examination was carried out by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Officers are currently awaiting the results of that examination. Gardai have continued to appeal for witnesses to contact them and they are particularly eager to speak to any motorists who were travelling on the N4 near Ballinafid, county Westmeath on Sunday between 12.30am and 1.10am. Longford Senator Joe Flaherty has said he was sorry to hear about the sudden death of Mr Gumiela and there have been far too many collisions of this nature on our roads. READ NEXT: Planners give green light to county Longford battery storage facility He expressed his sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased man. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Mullingar Garda Station on 044 938 4000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Berehynia' is a thought-provoking and visually striking exhibition by acclaimed Longford-based artist Gordon Farrell which was officially launched by Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Garry Murtagh in The Atrium at Aras an Chontae. Hosted by Longford County Council's Arts Office, 'Berehynia' marks a significant cultural moment 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. Artist Gordon Farrell said, "There is a multicultural shift in Longford in recent years that I have focused on. READ NEXT: Ballymahon 2026 St Patrick's Day parade lauded as being the 'best parade to date' 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), Gordon 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. Interested in mythology and history, Gordon is inspired by the works of Marcel Duchamp, who founded the Dada Movement in the turn of the last century, looking for found objects that he referred to as Readymades. Rather than a painting, Duchamp would use an object as an artwork. There are many other influences. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Ballymahon goes green and braves rainfall for top class St Patrick's Day parade The American Expressionism Movement had Robert Rauchenberg, who mixed materials that he called combines. The third was Anselm Kiefer, who introduced Gordon to scale. Materials, mythology and history and three components that Gordon sticks to with his art. Gordon explained, Ive two approaches to medium. The first is from literature. If I read something, I read it until the story becomes an image. I find the materials and make an image. Then there is material first; I see an object and it speaks to me. A friend, David Newtonhis philosophy is you get one object, add it to another and get a new one. I could be in a market, pass a skip, jump in and out. Thats where material comes in. Most of my ideas are through literature. I stick to medium-to-small sculptures of found objects. 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. 'Berehynia' is open from Monday to Friday during normal county council office hours. The April May edition of Longford Life Magazine features an interview with artist Gordon Farrell. A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray, began meetings in Kyiv on Wednesday the Ukrainian authorities and other stakeholders in the context of an IMF staff visit, IMF Resident Representative in Ukraine Priscilla Toffano said. "The discussions will cover macroeconomic policies and key structural reforms," her statement to Interfax-Ukraine said. Under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved by the IMF at the end of February, Ukraine is required to adopt by the end of March 2026 a package of tax measures that mandatory VAT registration for participants in the simplified taxation system with annual income exceeding UAH 4 million starting January 1, 2027. The Finance Ministrys initial proposal of a UAH 1 million threshold was revised following a wave of criticism from the business community and a successful petition on the Cabinet of Ministers website. As of now, the government has not yet submitted this bill to parliament. In addition, on March 10 parliament rejected bill No. 14025 on taxation of income earned via electronic platforms, which was also part of the agreement with the IMF: only 168 lawmakers voted in favor, short of the required minimum of 226 votes. "A significant portion of international financial support is contingent upon fulfilling jointly agreed conditions and reforms with partners. That is why the Ministry of Finance emphasizes the importance of consistently meeting these commitments. This is a necessary condition for attracting the full volume of planned financing and ensuring the stable functioning of the public finance system," the Finance Ministry told Interfax-Ukraine in a comment. The ministry also reminded that under wartime conditions, the government allocates all domestic budget resources, including tax and customs revenues, as well as proceeds from government domestic loan bonds, to finance the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A judge has said a convicted rapist and murderer who sexually abused his cousin almost 40 years ago is a very dangerous man and will require close monitoring if he is ever released from custody. Patrick Rea (55) is currently serving a life sentence for murder, following a conviction in the Edinburgh High Court in 2011. He was repatriated to serve this sentence here in June 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard his 23 other convictions include one for rape, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1997. His convictions also include one from 2015 for failure to notify under the Sex Offenders Act for an offence date in 2008, theft and road traffic offences. Dean Kelly SC, prosecuting, told the court at an earlier sentence hearing that the victim, Donna Fahy, wished to waive her right to anonymity so that Rea could be identified in reporting of the case. Also read: RIP: Heartbreaking - funeral details announced for Longford man who died in road crash Rea, who is currently in custody in the Midlands Prison, was convicted of one count of rape and two of indecently assaulting Ms Fahy following a trial in January. All of this offending took place on dates between October 1986 and December 1989 at an address in Longford Town, when Ms Fahy was aged between five and seven. Rea was then aged between 16 and 19. Imposing sentence on Wednesday, March 18, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said these offences took place against a very young child who suffered a traumatising and terrifying experience at the time, which have had a long-lasting effect on her life. He said Rea betrayed any conceivable notion of trust or care that exists between family members, that he took advantage of the injured partys vulnerable situation, and that the evidence suggested he knew what he was doing was wrong. Mr Justice McDermott said the court had to take into account that Rea was under 18 and legally a child for some of the period when this offending occurred. He also noted reports state that Rea had mental health issues at the time, adding that these documents do not suggest that Rea had a mental disorder and did not know what he was doing was wrong. The judge said he would set a headline sentence of 14 years for an adult, which he reduced to 12 years to take account of Reas age at the time. Mr Justice McDermott said there was little mitigation, noting that Rea went on to carry out other serious offences. He imposed a concurrent sentence of 12 years backdated to January 23 last, noting that the court may not impose a consecutive sentence to life imprisonment. The judge said that Rea has proven himself to be a very dangerous man, capable of the most serious offending. Also read: Vicious dogs killed or maimed up to 60 sheep during third Longford sheep kill in 24-hours Mr Justice McDermott said the court could have viewed this case as exceptional and imposed another life sentence due to Reas history of offending. He said the court had decided not to do this, noting Reas youth at the time and the guidance of higher courts in relation to young offenders. The judge said Rea is a dangerous offender who will need close monitoring in future and directed post-release supervision for life. He imposed several conditions including that Rea has no contact with the injured party and no contact with a child unless in the presence of another adult. Reading her victim impact statement during an earlier hearing, Ms Fahy said she is now married with children and grandchildren. She said she never chose to become a victim, it was forced into my life, my familys life, my marriage and childrens life. She said she was given a life sentence of nightmares at the tender age of five that she will have to endure for the rest of her life. She said that survival doesn't mean I walked away untouched, adding that she did not go back to who she was before, but has had to learn to live as someone else. Survival is choosing to keep going, she said, later adding I didnt get a soft life. I got chaos and betrayal. I learnt to be a person I didnt choose to be. Im not strong, Im just good at being hyper-vigilant. Addressing Rea, she said: you have no remorse, guilt or shame for what you did to me. You are a foul, disgusting human being, she said, adding that he was a coward, a monster who thrives on disempowering women and children. She said she has survived, is taking her power back and refuses to live the rest of her life in fear or silence. Victim Impact Statement In her victim impact statement, Ms Fahy said her body and mind were innocent and Rea felt comfortable raping and violating my body without regard for the damage he caused. She said not only did he rape and abuse her, but he also stole her sense of security, childhood and ability to trust people and to feel safe in the world. She said the damage from the abuse affected every part of her life. Detective Garda John Gormley previously gave evidence that the victim's family were living in the same house as Rea's when his offending took place. The injured party outlined that there were several incidents of kissing, including one where he kissed her goodnight with his lips on her face. In another incident, he picked her up in the hallway while she was singing and carried her down a corridor, then kissed her on the lips. Rea then returned her to the hallway. This happened a number of times, the court was told. Also read: Explain or refund! Longford MEP questions cost of UAE rescue flights for Irish citizens The court was told the first incident of indecent assault occurred in her aunt's room. Rea got into the bed beside the injured party and started rubbing his body against her backside. She could feel something hard. This incident ended when his father came home and Rea left the room via a window. Rea also indecently assaulted the injured party in the bathroom. He put her hand on his penis, touched her inappropriately and digitally penetrated her vagina. In a separate incident, Rea raped the injured party in the bathroom. She recalled feeling pain and discomfort and trying to focus on items in the bathroom like shampoo bottles while this was taking place. Afterwards, Rea told her not to tell anyone as it was their game. He gave her a similar warning after he indecently assaulted her in the bathroom for the first time, the court heard. The court heard that Ms Fahy's family later moved out of her aunt's house. Evidence was heard that the injured party did not always receive appropriate care and occasionally returned to her aunt's house. She recalled being sent there on an errand by her mother and she was afraid of seeing Rea. She did not go, making an excuse when she returned home. The injured party's mother brought her to a doctor in 1990 due to concerns about vaginal bleeding. She was referred to Crumlin Hospital and an examination determined that her vaginal opening was defective, consistent with a diagnosis of penetrative sexual abuse. The doctor highlighted his concerns to the authorities, and the injured party was taken into care. Her foster mother gave evidence during the trial, describing the injured party as being distressed at night, waking up with nightmares and screaming. She said that the injured party did not speak about what happened and described how the girl made up her own songs. She remembered one of these songs was about someone called 'Paddy Rea' and how much she hated him. Around 2007, the wider family organised a meeting at a local hotel, which Ms Fahy attended with her husband. Rea was confronted about what he did, replying yea, I did but it's your fault. The court was told that Rea was saying it was the injured party's fault he spent time in a psychiatric hospital. She made a complaint to gardai in 2022 and an investigation began. Rea was interviewed once in 2024, during which he denied the allegations in full. He also denied making any admission at the hotel. Det Gda Gormley told John Short SC, defending, that he is unaware if Rea pleaded guilty to the rape charge in 1997. It was accepted that Rea was interviewed about these offences while he was in custody. Mr Short asked the court to consider his client's youth at the time and the contents of several psychological assessments provided to court. He noted his client is serving a life sentence and submitted the court should not impose a consecutive sentence on top of an indeterminate sentence. A medical record provided to the court stated that Rea, who has a previous address in Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, spent time in a psychiatric hospital when he was 17. A still image from footage of the strike on the IRIS Shahid Bagheri. (US Central Command on X). Head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper said on March 16 that the United States has destroyed over 100 Iranian naval vessels. President Trump identified crippling the naval forces of the Islamic Republic as a core priority of Operation Epic Fury. Within just days, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared the Iranian navy to be combat ineffective. The US has targeted various naval assets, including ports, bases, ships, and at least one submarine. As of March 10, US forces had also destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels that threatened the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump stating that the total had reached more than 30 on March 16. The Islamic Republic of Iran operates parallel naval forces: the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N). The IRIN has had ambitions to function as a blue-water force with an area of responsibility that includes the Caspian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and beyond. The IRGC-N is primarily a green-water force capable of operating in the Persian Gulf. However, in recent years, the IRGC-N has expanded its operating capabilities in neighboring seas. The two navies share responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz. The following is a list of the top 10 targets hit by the US in the conflict, including facilities and ships: Major naval ports targeted Bandar Abbas is a major Iranian naval installation situated on the southern coast of the Strait of Hormuz. The port is home to the IRGC-N Headquarters, IRGC-N 1st Naval District, which is responsible for the Strait of Hormuz, and the IRIN Forward Southern Fleet Headquarters. Additionally, key Iranian vessels are based out of the maritime facility. American forces struck the port on at least February 28, March 2, and March 5. Satellite imagery shows that the strikes on Bandar Abbas damaged onshore infrastructure and docked vessels. Chabahar and Konarak are port cities located on opposite shores of the Chabahar Bay on Irans southern coast, near the eastern border with Pakistan. The Konarak Naval Base is the headquarters of the IRIN 3rd Naval District, which has responsibility over the Gulf of Oman. Chabahar, which hosts the IRGC-N Imam Ali Naval Base, is a deep-water port and the Islamic Republics only port directly open to the Indian Ocean. The United States struck naval assets in the areas, including bases, vessels in port, and nearby air and drone bases, on at least February 28 and March 5. Bushehr hosts the IRGC-N 2nd Naval District headquarters, responsible for the northern/central Persian Gulf. It formerly hosted the IRIN 2nd Naval District headquarters but is now a support base for the IRIN 2nd Naval District headquarters, which was relocated to Jask on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite imagery confirmed that the United States struck naval infrastructure and vessels at Bushehr as well as the nearby airbase. Bandar Mahshahr is the headquarters of the IRGC-N 3rd Naval District, located on the northern Persian Gulf near the border with Iraq, and is responsible for the northern Gulf area. Reported satellite imagery shows the port was struck in the first days of the conflict. Significant vessels targeted The IRIS Shahid Bagheri was a merchant vessel converted into a drone carrier with a nearly 600-foot runway. It was the only ship with a ski-jump ramp in the Islamic Republics naval fleet, a feature that enables more and larger drones to launch compared to other IRGC-N and IRIN vessels. The IRGC-N received the ship in February 2025. IRGC officials previously claimed that the carrier could conduct missions for up to a year without refueling, which would have enabled the IRGC-N to significantly extend its operational range and capacity. CENTCOM struck the ship on February 28 in the Persian Gulf, and it was reported to be sinking as of March 3. The IRIS Makran was a converted tanker that served as the IRINs first forward base ship, capable of supporting helicopters and special operations forces independent of shore-based infrastructure. The US-Israeli operation targeted and destroyed the vessel in Bandar Abbas, with satellite imagery from March 2 showing it on fire. The IRIS Dena was a Moudge-class frigate in the IRINs Southern Fleet that was commissioned in 2021. The vessel possessed a helicopter pad, anti-ship missiles, and surface-to-air missiles. It was intended to expand the IRINs ability to operate beyond Iranian waters. On March 4, a US submarine targeted the vessel with a torpedo and sank it in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka as it returned from naval exercises in India. Kilo-class submarines, of which the Islamic Republic has three, are operated by the IRIN and are the most capable class of submarine in the regimes fleet. The Russian-built submarines can launch anti-ship missiles and torpedoes, as well as lay mines. Satellite imagery indicates that a Kilo-class submarine docked at Bandar Abbas was struck and likely sunk. CENTCOM head Cooper said on March 3 that the United States had sunk the most operational Iranian submarine, likely referencing a Kilo-class submarine. The IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shirazi is a Soleimani-class catamaran warship commissioned in February 2024. It is one of the regimes most advanced warships operated by the IRGC-N, with a vertical launch system for missiles and a launch pad for drones and helicopters. CENTCOM announced that it struck the ship on March 3, and it was reportedly still on fire, but not reported sunk on March 4. Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focusing on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the Houthis. Download Image: Web Lycoming Colleges annual James and Emily Douthat lecture series will this spring host Alan B. Farmer, Ph.D., for a talk entitled New Directions in Shakespearean Biography: Shakespeares Authorial Networks, on Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m., in the Trogner Presentation Room in Krapf Gateway Center. The event is free and open to the public. Farmer is helping to bring to publication the nearly-finished work of the late Meghan C. Andrews, Ph.D., a Shakespearean scholar, educator, and beloved member of the Lycoming College community who passed in 2023 at the age of 36 following a lengthy battle with cancer. Farmer, an associate professor of English at the Ohio State University, will talk about Andrews book and Shakespeare research during his lecture, as well as meet with Lycoming faculty and students while on campus. What could there possibly be to say about Shakespeares biography that has not already been said before? This question is one that every biographer of Shakespeare nervously confronts, and it is one that leads to each biographer constructing his or her own version of Shakespeare, some more speculative than others. Despite the challenges of this kind of project, there are nonetheless new directions that can be taken for the study of Shakespeares life as a playwright and an author. This talk grows out of my experience editing Meghan C. Andrewss forthcoming monograph, Shakespeare and Authorial Networks in Early Modern Drama, said Farmer. Meghans work puts forward a compelling new approach for thinking about Shakespeares extended social and theatrical networks and explains how these networks affected the plays he wrote. Her research helps historians and literary critics understand how Shakespeare engaged with other playwrights, with possible patrons, and with the theatrical culture of London. Meghans work, I also want to suggest, helps us to see Shakespeare not only as a playwright concerned with the performance of his plays in the theater but also as an author whose professional networks included booksellers and an ongoing concern with the printing of his plays in revised and corrected texts. Farmer has written extensively about Renaissance drama and the history of the early modern book trade, including essays on the popularity of playbooks, the history of Shakespeare in print, and widow publishers in Renaissance England. He is the co-creator, with Zachary Lesser, of DEEP: Database of Early English Playbooks, one of the longest-running digital humanities projects in English Renaissance Studies. He is the co-editor, with Adam Zucker, of Localizing Caroline Drama: Politics and Economics of the Early Modern English Stage, 16251642 (2006). He is currently working on two research projects, one on lost books in Renaissance England and the other on Shakespeare, print, and popularity in the early modern book trade. Along with Elizabeth Zeman Kolkovich and Sarah Neville, he has recently co-edited Andrewss posthumous monograph, Shakespeare and Authorial Networks in Early Modern Drama, which is forthcoming from Manchester University Press in 2026. James and Emily Douthat Distinguished Lectureship The lecture is sponsored by the James and Emily Douthat Distinguished Lectureship Series in the liberal arts and sciences, named for James Douthat, former president of Lycoming College, and his wife Emily, for their years of service to the College. The annual lecture, which is not field-specific, attracts top scholarly guest speakers to the College and has featured Nobel prize and Pulitzer prize winners. Lycomings chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, a national honor society for all academic disciplines, organizes the lectureship. Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a decision to allocate EUR 1 billion in military support to Ukraine in 2026; a significant portion of this amount will be provided under the European Unions SAFE defense loan program. "I would like to convey to President Zelenskyy new support measures that will focus on two priority areas for the Spanish government. First, a new commitment of EUR 1 billion for military support for 2026. Thus over these more than four years of war, Spains support since the beginning of the conflict amounts to almost EUR 4 billion," Sanchez said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Madrid on Wednesday. According to him, "we intend to cooperate and promote joint production in the defense industry, and to this end, several agreements were signed today by both the Ministry of Defense and various companies that have expressed interest in joint production with Ukrainian companies." The second area, according to the head of the Spanish government, is participation in the program to expand and strengthen the European defense industry. "The European Commission launched several joint funding projects several months ago, known at the European level as the SAFE instrument. Therefore, we will finance part of the support for Ukraine through this European Union SAFE instrument. And we will continue to work to ensure that other Member States also use this instrument, launched by the European Commission several months ago. Therefore, in accordance with the bilateral agreements we signed three years ago with Ukraine to strengthen our bilateral military cooperation, we have announced the allocation of EUR 1 billion in funding in 2026, and a significant portion of this amount will be financed through the European Union SAFE instrument," Sanchez added. Two Mayo students competed at the National Final of the 18th All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO), hosted by the ADAPT Centre at Dublin City University. Castlebar rom St Josephs Secondary School,, were two of 100 finalists representing 56 secondary schools from 20 counties across Ireland. The students were competing for the chance to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bucharest, Romania, this July. Marissa Divilley and Sofie Moser, who are students f AILO is run by ADAPT, the Reach Ireland Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology. The competition challenges students to apply skills of data analytics. Speaking about the event, Director of ADAPT, Professor John Kelleher, said AILO is a showcase of the analytical ability, curiosity, and capability of Irelands young people. READ MORE: 500,000 winning lotto ticket sold in Mayo shop The students who have reached the final have demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills. The skills developed here are directly transferable to the real world, and we hope they will give them a love of computing and data-driven research. We are very proud to host the final at DCU and to support an all-island initiative that opens up these futures to students from every background. He added. The finalists progressed through a preliminary round, involving nearly 1,000 competitors, held in schools earlier this year. The results of the AILO final will be released in mid-March. The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has allocated additional loans to Ukraine: EUR 100 million for the HOME program to compensate citizens for housing destroyed by war, and EUR 20 million to support micro-enterprises and small farms in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, the decision was made by the CEB Administrative Council on March 16-17, in a joint meeting with the Governing Council attended by Deputy Minister Olha Zykova. The HOME program is implemented through a state housing certificate mechanism that allows citizens whose housing was destroyed as a result of Russian aggression to receive compensation for purchasing new housing. With the previously provided and fully utilized EUR 200 million, 3,774 housing units were purchased for more than 13,000 Ukrainians who received new housing. "As of early 2026, more than 98,000 applications for compensation for destroyed housing have been submitted, which indicates the scale of the need to restore the housing stock. The additional financing will allow support for about 3,000 more families, as well as extend the program until June 30, 2028," the Finance Ministry said. Regarding the EUR 20 million, this program will be implemented through the National Development Institution (formerly the Entrepreneurship Development Fund), which will provide financing through partner banks and credit unions. The programs total financing also includes a EUR 4.6 million EU investment grant within the Ukraine Investment Framework, EUR 0.23 million in technical assistance, and a EUR 3 million CEB grant to cover currency risks. The program is focused on supporting entrepreneurs affected by the war, internally displaced persons, veterans, women entrepreneurs, youth, persons with disabilities, and small farms, the Finance Ministry said. It is expected that of the EUR 20 million, at least 50% of the financing will be directed to vulnerable groups, and 30% of investments will go to energy-efficient and sustainable projects. The progress on the project to rebuild the Air Dome at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in East Mayo took an exciting step forward following the delivery of parts of the dome. The landmark facility in Bekan was one of the casualties of Storm Eowyn some 14 months ago in January 2025, when it was destroyed by the high winds. The multi-million euro facility opened its doors in 2020 and was the pride of the provincial board owing to its ability to host games, hail, rain, or shine. John Prenty, Connacht GAA CEO, confirmed to The Mayo News earlier this year that the replacement for the original dome was anticipated to be rebuilt fully in April. "Within hours of it blowing down, we knew we'd rebuild," Prenty stated. "There was no other choice to make, and it has taken a lot of work, a lot of long nights to get this far. "We're happy with the reaction of the insurance company, and we're really looking forward to seeing it back up and running." Now, the project is able to get underway properly following the delivery of the parts. "Momentous day at the COE today as the new Dome was delivered all the way from Slovenia," a statement on X from Connacht GAA read. "Excited for the building process to continue in the next few weeks and whats to come!" The Brackloon Hinterland Communities group is set to launch a collaborative project with Mayo Community Futures on Sunday, March 22. The initiative, which is supported by Mayo County Council and South West Mayo Local Development Company, is a community-led process that assists communities with the preparation and development of a 5-year Community Action Plan for their community. The programme sets out to encourage active community involvement, strengthen and develop community organisations, as well as help identify and progress priority projects and actions. Speaking ahead of the launch, Chairman of The Brackloon Hinterland Community group, Tom Kitterick, said the group has conducted surveys and gathered input from the community residents. READ MORE: Mayo TD confirms Sinn Fein motion on rising fuel costs will be debated in the Dail Weve done our house-to-house surveys, we have a community open day, and now were getting ready for our launch. Detailing the proposed improvement plans, Tom says, A big part of our plans is infrastructure deficits, including road improvements and flooding. In addition, we want to look at cycle lanes and walkways in our community, he said. Were a community of 20 townlands, and it includes the villages of Napa, Brackloon and Liscarny. We want better internet connectivity for those in rural areas. Alongside that, projects on biodiversity and generally everything to do with outdoor activity. The Brackloon Hinterland Community group chairman also said that he has kept local councillors informed of their plans and initiatives. Were starting relatively new at this. Weve done quite a bit of work towards the end of last year and earlier this year, he added. The Brackloon Hinterland Community Group will launch its collaborative project with Mayo Community Futures on Sunday, March 22. READ MORE: HSE West and North West host sustainability conference A strong Mayo presence was felt at one of the United States most prominent St Patricks Day celebrations, as Dr. Norah Patten took centre stage at the annual Irish American Partnership St Patricks Day Breakfast in Boston. The event, held at the InterContinental Boston, marked the 40th anniversary of the Irish American Partnership and brought together more than 480 guests from across political, business and Irish-American communities. Bostons annual breakfast is regarded as a highlight of St. Patricks Day celebrations in New England, celebrating the deep cultural and historic ties between Ireland and the United States. The Mayo presence was further underlined by the inclusion of Norah Patten as a featured speaker. The Ballina native and aeronautical engineer, who is set to become the first Irish person to travel to space, was highlighted as an example of the impact of investment in education. Adding to the occasion, former US President Joe Biden made a surprise appearance, on his deep ties to Co. Mayo, recalling his 2023 visit to Ballina where he was welcomed by thousands during an emotional homecoming. READ MORE: Mayo cancer survivor speaks ahead of Daffodil Day He spoke warmly of the pride and sense of belonging he experienced along the banks of the River Moy, describing the area as feeling like home. Coming up Irish American gave me pride that spoke to both sides of the Atlantic, he said. I learned the values passed down from generation to generation around countless Irish-American dinner tables those Irish values became American values. On this St. Patrick's Day, we honor where we came from, added President Biden. Let us not forget and romanticize the visions of the past. Instead, let us remember what's possible, and recommit ourselves to the unified work that lies ahead. The event was also addressed by Helen McEntee, Irelands Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who delivered the keynote speech, and the event also featured a video message from former President Mary Robinson, who congratulated the organisation on its milestone anniversary and encouraged its continued work. Speaking at the gathering, Mary Sugrue, CEO of the Irish American Partnership, said President Bidens attendance carried particular significance. We were thrilled and deeply honoured that President Biden a proud son of Mayo chose to celebrate St Patricks Day with us, she said. His presence was a powerful reminder of the pride so many Irish Americans feel in their heritage. READ MORE: Are Mayo honeybees under threat? The Irish American Partnership has raised more than $63 million since its foundation in 1986, supporting education and community initiatives across Ireland including significant support throughout the West and strengthening transatlantic links. For Mayo, the presence of Norah Patten at such a high-profile international event highlights the countys growing global footprint, with her achievements inspiring a new generation both at home and abroad. Photo: National Guard Defense Forces of Ukraine neutralized 128 out of 147 Russia air targets overnight into Wednesday; hits from 15 strike UAVs and debris were recorded at 12 locations, Air Force of Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "According to preliminary data as of 08:00, air defense shot down or suppressed 128 enemy UAVs of Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas types, and drones of other types in the north, south, and east of the country," the report says. In total, on the night of March 18 (from 18:00 March 17), the enemy attacked with 147 strike UAVs of Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas types, and drones of other types from directions of Orel, Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, and Gvardiyske in temporarily occupied Crimea; more than 70 of these were Shahed UAVs. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare (EW) units, unmanned systems, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Hits from 15 strike UAVs were recorded at 12 locations, as well as the fall of shot-down targets (debris) at 3 locations. The attack is ongoing, with several enemy UAVs remaining in the air space, the command added. PM Modi highlights key pillars: holistic health, digital literacy, and expanding remote medical reach for all. Highlights: The Indian government has mandated a 50% increase in emergency and trauma care Post-Budget 202627 initiatives will train 1.5L young people for global and domestic caregiving roles India is shifting toward digital telemetry for smarter emergency medical response Trusted Source PM addresses Post Budget Webinar on the theme "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas-Fulfilling Aspirations of People" Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement Viksit Bharat 2047: How is India Becoming a Global Leader in Health and Innovation? Advertisement How is India Strengthening its Healthcare Infrastructure and Medical Reach? Trusted Source Post-Budget Webinar 2026 on "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas - Fulfilling Aspirations of People" lead by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement Innovative Training Models are Shaping the Future of Caregiving How can Telemedicine User Experience be Optimized for Better Navigation? Why is a 50% Increase in Trauma Care Capacity Essential for District Hospitals? Strategic Targets for Expanding Specialized Health Facilities Nationwide Frequently Asked Questions Q: How does 'Viksit Bharat 2047' impact the average citizen? A: For citizens, this means universal access to high-quality healthcare, digital-first governance, and job opportunities for the poor, youth, farmers, and women. Q: How does digital telemetry improve emergency healthcare? A: It allows for monitoring and transmission of a patient's vital signs (like heart rate and blood pressure) from ambulances to hospitals, letting doctors prep for surgery before arrival. Q: How does the Viksit Bharat plan help my family stay healthy? A: Viksit Bharat plan focuses on modernizing hospitals, lowering medicine costs, and expanding healthcare access to all, including rural communities. Q: Will there be more beds available for emergencies in my local district hospital? A: Yes, the government is increasing emergency room capacity by 50% to handle more patients quickly. Q: What should I do if I have an emergency and need an ambulance? A: The system is being integrated with the 112 Emergency Response Support System, so one call can coordinate your ambulance and hospital bed. PM addresses Post Budget Webinar on the theme Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas-Fulfilling Aspirations of People - (https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/pm-addresses-post-budget-webinar-on-the-theme-sabka-saath-sabka-vikas-fulfilling-aspirations-of-people/) Post-Budget Webinar 2026 on "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas - Fulfilling Aspirations of People" lead by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2237164=3&lang=1) The Indian government is progressing towards, beyond traditional interventions to treat illnesses, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whilst speaking to a group ofunder the motifThis vision is being reinforced by the expansion ofwhich focus to bring clinical services and health assistance straightway to every village. The worldwide fame and unification of).The Prime Minister emphasized that sectors like health, education, skill, tourism sports , and culture are the key pillars for achieving the goal of(Developed India) and attaining the ambitions of the people.Viksit Bharat represents the goal of transforming India into a fully developed nation by 2047.Environmentally, the mission promotes green growth and sustainable energy to ensure progress without harming the planet.In terms of governance, the main goal is to createThe vision also focuses on making India a global region for innovation and technology.By upgrading the sectorsthe Viksit Bharat initiative seeks to empower every individual. Ultimately, Viksit Bharat 2047 aims to build a self-reliant and high-standard nation that holds a position of strong leadership and influence on the global platform.There has been a remarkable strengthening of healthcare infrastructure in recent years, including an increased reach of hospitals, clinics, equipment, and resources.A Multitude ofhave been established at the district level to fortify the healthcare workforce and accessibility ().PM Modi highlighted the increasing(domestic consumption) for caregivers, driven by a senior demographic population. He emphasized experts to develop innovative training models and cutting-edge techniques to retrain 1.5 lakh young people in India for multiskilled caregiving roles, generating widespread employment opportunities in the health sector.While telemedicine has successfully penetrated into remote areas and hinterlands, the PM highlighted the need to further optimize the user experience for more instinctive future navigation.He also stressed the importance ofin healthcare to ensure wider adoption.Under the Post Budget 202627 Initiative, the government put forwarded a major strategy to strengthen the emergency healthcare.Scholars reiterated the requirement of well-timed intervention forpinpointing that at present, emergency beds comprise only a very small portion of hospital resource.Dr. V.K. Paul (National Institution for Transforming India Aayog) indicated the necessity for telemetry (digital monitoring), live tracking (real-time tracking), and superior confluence between hospitals and ambulance networks.A various group of health experts, policymakers, and clinicians assembled during an exclusive session to evaluate the Budget Announcement found underThe actual deployment of these government initiatives was the main aim of the discussion. Experts discussed on the targets for amplifying the specialized health facilities such asin a better way nationwide.Integration of these policy goals with clinical needs was the main objective for creating more efficient emergency medical care and responses for the public.Source-Medindia Researchers have identified comprehensive indicators to create the first global system for tracking health before pregnancy. mental health physical health social health Trusted Source Measuring progress in pregnancy planning and preconception health Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement Why are Mental Health and Finances Important in Preconception Care? Advertisement How Will the World Health Organization Implement Pre-Pregnancy Monitoring? Advertisement Preconception Metrics Could Help Governments Evaluate Health Policies Measuring progress in pregnancy planning and preconception health - (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00192-3/abstract) Researchers have uncovered a new system as first global framework to monitor pre-pregnancy health.These metrics track overall well-being before conception. Beyond traditional models,. The worldwide framework aims to reduce pregnancy complications and improve long-term outcomes for families.(The system was developed by researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Southampton, and the study was published in. As rates of obesity, diabetes, and mental illness are increasing,The researchers had previously looked at relevant health indicators already monitored in England, such asbefore pregnancy to reduce birth defects, producing a report on the state of the nations preconception health which was published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities in England in 2022.In their new research, they asked more than 5,000 people from 13 countries, including Australia, Brazil and Ghana,They found that answers to their surveys were remarkably consistent across country and gender, with. These are therefore important factors that monitoring systems should reflect, they say.At an international workshop in Geneva this November, Professor Judith Stephenson and Dr. Danielle Schoenaker will collaborate with researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the public to finalize the list of indicators. They will then call on the World Health Organisation, the NHS and other agencies responsible for national health surveillance to incorporate the indicators, where possible, into existing infrastructuresSenior author Professor Judith Stephenson (UCL EGA Institute for Women's Health) said: This is an ongoing process to prioritise a set of internationally agreed core indicators for monitoring health before pregnancy., but through a rigorous collaborative process we have whittled that number down to around 40.Indicators relating to conception tend to be from a health professionals perspective we have, for the first time, produced a set of agreed metrics which reflect the views of the general public. Together,A strong international collaboration is now needed to achieve consensus on which core indicators can be compared across low-, middle- and high-income countries.Lead author Dr. Danielle Schoenaker, from the University of Southampton and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, said: There is growing evidence that supporting people to optimise health before and betweenBut without the right monitoring systems, governments and health services cannot easily see whether their policies and programmes are working.The right set of metrics could also steer future investment in care and support before pregnancy and parenthood,.Source-Eurekalert On Tuesday, Hemant Dwivedi, Chairman of the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee, addressed the media and stated that going forward, non-Hindus wishing to offer prayers at the temples will be required to submit an affidavit. According to him, such visitors must provide proof affirming their belief in Hinduism. He told the media, If Sara Ali Khan expresses her devotion towards Sanatan Dharma and submits an affidavit, we will allow her to offer prayers." Sara Ali Khan has, over the years, developed a strong spiritual association with Kedarnath Temple, frequently visiting the Himalayan shrine. Her connection dates back to 2017 during the filming of Kedarnath, which marked her debut in Hindi cinema. Since then, she has been visiting the temple almost every year, typically during its open season between April and November. Instagram/Sara Ali Khan Social Media Erupts on Sara Ali Khan-Kedarnath Controversy Users are bashing this development and are saying that everyone should have a free will to visit temples and shrines. One user commented, Is this where we are heading now...?? I will not be allowed to enter Badrinath & Kedarnath temple?? Another user commented, This is humiliating. My religion never accepted segregation. North Indians will ruin everything, even the spiritual experience. One user reacted, Directly dont allowing is better than asking for proof. It's illogical and there is no sense at all. How can one proof ensure that people have faith or not? Sara Ali Khans Statement on Her Kedarnath Visits While Sara Ali Khan has not yet reacted to the recent development, she had previously spoken about the criticism she faces for visiting temples despite not being Hindu. Speaking at the Times Now Summit last year, the actor opened up about her identity and upbringing. Recalling a moment from her childhood, she shared, I was very young, in school, and even when my parents were married and we used to travel abroad together, I used to always wonder Amrita Singh, Saif Ali Khan, Sara Sultana, Ibrahim Ali Khanwhat is going on? Who are we? And I remember asking my mom, What am I? And she told me, You are Indian. I will never forget that. Russia troops shelled 26 settlements in Sumy region with various types of weapons over past day Tuesday; two people were injured, press service of National Police of Ukraine reported. "Over past day, 38 shellings of 26 settlements were recorded in territory of Sumy region. The enemy used guided aerial bombs, MLRS, artillery, mortars, and drones of various types," the report on Telegram states. As reported, as a result of shellings in Krasnopillia community, a 63-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man were wounded, and a private residential building was damaged. In Kyrykivka community, transport infrastructure facilities, an administrative building, and technical equipment were damaged. Investigative and operational police groups and explosives experts worked at the scenes. Law enforcement officers documented consequences of the shellings, recording destruction and collecting evidence. To support businesses in creating safer and more efficient workflows, Toyota Material Handling Europe has introduced Operator Detection Assist (ODA), a new intelligent safety system. Designed as an optional feature for Toyotas powered pallet trucks and stackers, ODA combines advanced sensor technology with real time machine response to help protect operators feet, reduce misuse and ensure consistent, controlled handling during daily operations. Modern warehouses demand both speed and precision. In fast moving logistics environments, where operators work in tight spaces and handle heavy loads, safety remains a critical priority. ODA adds a proactive layer of protection that operates continuously in the background. By monitoring the operators position and detecting unsafe conditions, the system automatically adjusts truck performance to help prevent incidents before they occur. This intelligent intervention supports smoother operations, reduces the risk of collisions and gives operators greater confidence to work efficiently without compromising safety. The system reacts instantly to changing conditions, helping maintain consistent handling even in challenging environments such as narrow aisles or busy loading areas. At the core of ODA is a smart sensor setup that continuously monitors the operators position relative to the truck. When the operator steps in front of the vehicle, the system identifies their location within predefined zones and immediately adapts speed, acceleration and braking. This rapid response reduces kinetic energy and helps prevent foot related incidents. The system operates using three clearly defined zones. The red zone represents the stop area, where the truck halts immediately. The dark green zone triggers speed reduction, while the light green zone manages acceleration reduction and covers all other areas. Together, these zones create a dynamic safety system that supports operators throughout every movement. For longer travel distances, a dedicated transport mode temporarily deactivates certain functions to support extended walking without unnecessary intervention. As soon as the trucks speed changes, all safety zones are reactivated to restore full protection. The system can be configured to suit individual operational requirements, including adjustments to stop zone length and other parameters. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor ODA to their specific workflow, environment and safety policies without compromising performance. Jimmy Henrard, Product Manager Safety Solutions at Toyota Material Handling Europe, explains: With Operator Detection Assist, we are raising the bar in what customers can expect from walkie trucks. Our goal is to create equipment that actively supports operators, not just responds to them. By continuously monitoring inputs, positioning and truck movement, ODA adjusts performance to deliver smoother and safer operations across all applications. With ODA, businesses gain more than a safety feature. The system supports a more secure and efficient workplace by reducing risks, preventing misuse and maintaining consistent handling. Its introduction reflects a wider shift towards adaptive safety technologies that integrate directly into daily warehouse operations, supporting both productivity and operator protection on pedestrian pallet trucks and stackers. Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he has "a bad feeling" regarding the impact of the war in the Middle East on the situation in Ukraine, as US attention is focused more on the Middle East than on Ukraine. "I have very bad feelings regarding the impact of this war on the situation in Ukraine. The focus of Americas attention is on the Middle East more than in Ukraine, unfortunately. Therefore, you see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings are constantly being postponed. And there is one reason the war in Iran," Zelenskyy said in an interview with the BBC. The president, answering a follow-up question regarding the progress of the negotiation process these days, noted that "President Trump is focused on Iran." "The negotiating groups are talking to each other. Our group talks to the American side every day. I know that the Americans also talk to the Russians every day," Zelenskyy added. He recalled that the American side proposed hosting both parties in the United States due to the war in Iran. "We confirmed our participation, but the Russians are against a meeting in the United States of America. Therefore, for now, we are trying to focus on America, proposing a date and place. Ukraine will support any date and any place, but definitely not in Russia," the head of state emphasized. U.S. President Donald Trump is desperate to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease a growing global energy crisis. He wont achieve that easily without a ceasefire in the war on Iran. Irans sporadic attacks on vessels and the threat of mines have cut traffic in the vital waterway to a trickle, effectively putting Tehran, not outside naval forces, in charge of the flow. The strait carries about a fifth of the worlds oil supplies, and the disruption has led to production cuts, fuel shortages and price increases from Asia to Europe and Africa. Trump has been pressing allies to send warships to help reopen the strait, proposing a multinational naval effort to escort commercial ships. European and Asian partners are reluctant, with governments from Berlin to Tokyo questioning whether a handful of ships would make any difference against Irans ability to threaten vessels. Officials say additional navies would add little beyond the substantial U.S. presence already in the region and still fall far short of whats needed to meaningfully unblock the strait. It could take several weeks to secure the Strait of Hormuz, said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official. Until weve neutralized Irans layered, asymmetric capabilities mines, fast attack craft, submarines and drones we wont want to put commercial or even escort ships through. Trump responded to the lack of enthusiasm from potential partners on Tuesday, saying the U.S. no longer needs assistance, either from NATO countries or Japan, Australia and South Korea. He didnt specifically mention Hormuz. With the war ongoing, the only transit happening appears to be on Irans terms. A handful of vessels have made their way out by hugging the Iranian coast, suggesting passage depends on Tehrans approval rather than outside protection. The result is a system where the strait isnt formally closed, but access is controlled and normal commercial flows remain far out of reach. Those skeptical of the U.S. escort idea point to the recent history in the Red Sea on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. There, Houthi militias in Yemen used similar tactics to disrupt traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, despite bombing campaigns from the U.S. and others. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that his country wont be dragged into the war and that opening the Strait of Hormuz is not straightforward. You can see that historically when there have been other conflicts that have affected the straits, he said. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said France wont take part in operations yet. But hes ready to work with others on a system of escorts when the situation is calmer. We are not a party to the conflict and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or free the Strait of Hormuz in the current context, Macron said. Once the situation has calmed down that is, once the core of the bombardments has ceased we are ready, together with other nations, to take responsibility for an escort system. Military analysts largely agree that, absent a truce, escorts are risky. The military solution is the least good solution, said Tom Sharpe, a former U.K. naval officer who was previously deployed to the Persian Gulf. Its more of a political issue. What Iran is doing now is what weve seen the Houthis did in the Red Sea, he added. Just a few projectiles and its enough to scare ships away. The war is now in its third week, with no sign of easing. Since the first U.S.- Israel attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28, Brent crude oil has surged about 40% to more than $100 a barrel. U.S. gasoline pump prices have climbed, while diesel and jet-fuel supplies have tightened amid attacks on energy infrastructure and the Hormuz disruption. Even if the U.S. pulls together a coalition of countries to provide escorts, any impact would be limited. It would be far from a return to normal traffic. The strait is narrow barely 30 miles (48 kilometers) wide at its tightest point putting shipping lanes within easy reach of missiles, drones and small boats. Insurers and banks are likely to remain wary of routes close to Iran, where sanctions exposure and the risk of attack make voyages difficult to underwrite or finance. Trump acknowledged the problem at the weekend. Even though Irans military is already destroyed 100%, it would be easy for Tehran to continue threatening ships with drones, mines and short-range missiles, he said. Protection Ships have to be within the weapon-defense zone of a naval vessel to get protection, said John Bradford, a former U.S. naval officer and a co-founder of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies. That would also mean only so many ships can be protected per escort as they move through the tight waterway. With shipping off limits, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are sending some oil through pipelines that bypass Hormuz. But they cant fully replace what normally moves through the strait. Even an end to the war may not reopen the waterway. Iran could continue to disrupt shipping as leverage, sustaining enough intermittent attacks to keep the route too risky for commercial traffic. Two senior Iranian officials Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament have in the past day suggested the strait wont return to its pre-war status. We need to design new arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz and the way ships pass through it in the future, Araghchi said to Al Jazeera. The rules should guarantee that safe passage through the strait takes place under specific conditions. As long as there is that implicit threat to shipping and weve already seen more than 10 ships in the region attacked Iran doesnt need to close the Strait of Hormuz, Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, said on Bloomberg Television. They just need to present enough of a threat to make travel through it prohibitive or too risky. ___ 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Iran said the United States and Israel struck its giant South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, the latest attack on energy assets in the regionwide conflict. Oil prices jumped after Iranian state TV reported the airstrike, which raised fears of further risks to global crude and gas supplies. Gulf producers have significantly reduced output during the 19-day war, particularly due to the effective shuttering of the Strait of Hormuz. If confirmed, the assault would mark the first time the U.S. and Israel have targeted Irans upstream oil and gas facilities since starting the war on Feb. 28. The Islamic Republic has responded with strikes on Israel and Arab states, upending financial and energy markets. U.S. President Donald Trump who has repeatedly complained about a lack of interest from erstwhile allies in joining the war or helping to secure Hormuz said on social media early Wednesday that perhaps countries other than the U.S. should take responsibility for the critical waterway, which separates Iran from Oman. I wonder what would happen if we 'finished off' whats left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we dont, be responsible for the so called 'Straight?'" he said. Iran launched fresh waves of missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after confirming the assassination of its security chief, Ali Larijani. It also struck Tel Aviv, killing two people. Israel and the U.S. maintained their bombardment of Iran. European gas futures pared some losses after the South Pars news. Brent futures rose as much as 1.8% to trade briefly above $105 a barrel. Irans military vowed to avenge the death of Larijani as well as that of Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary unit, which maintains internal security in Iran. Israel said Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib has also been killed. The U.S. said it dropped 5,000-pound bunker-buster munitions on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz late Tuesday. Thats part of Trumps efforts to reopen the vital waterway to commercial vessels. Iran, meanwhile, has been moving its own oil through the strait at close to prewar levels. Crude loadings at Kharg Island also appear to continue undisturbed, despite U.S. strikes on the export hub. We need to design new arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz and the way ships pass through it in the future, Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera. The rules should guarantee that safe passage through the strait takes place under specific conditions. Trump again said the U.S. would soon be ready to end the war. If we left right now, it would take them 10 years to rebuild, Trump said at the White House on Tuesday. Were not ready to leave yet. But well be leaving in the near future. On Wednesday, he posted that Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business! Trump threatened to expand strikes on Kharg Island after weekend attacks on military installations there. The president has abandoned efforts to recruit partners from Europe and Asia to help reopen Hormuz with naval escorts. That was after most countries showed reluctance or flat-out refused to join such a mission, which military analysts say would be risky without a ceasefire. In Iran, a strike hit an area at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, according to Russias state atomic firm Rosatom, which operates the facility. No Rosatom employees were injured, and about 480 Russian citizens remain at the plant, Chief Executive Officer Alexey Likhachev said, according to Russias Tass news agency. In parallel with the war in Iran, Israel has stepped up an offensive in Lebanon, where its fighting the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes in the country have killed more than 900 people, according to the Lebanese government. That brings the wars death toll to more than 4,000, with more than three quarters of the fatalities in Iran. Dozens of others were killed in the rest of the Middle East, while the U.S. has lost 13 military personnel. Iran set a massive natural gas field in the United Arab Emirates ablaze Monday as it stepped up attacks on key energy sites, the first time the Islamic Republic has damaged an oil or gas upstream facility in the neighboring country during the war. Anwar Gargash, a top adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, said Iran miscalculated by firing upon Arab states in the Gulf. The attacks will drive them closer to Israel and the U.S., while demonstrating why the region cant accept Iranian nuclear and missile programs, Gargash said. He signaled the UAE may be willing to help secure the Hormuz strait. This is the responsibility not only of the United States, but of countries in Asia, countries in the region, countries in Europe, he said. Trump scolded NATO allies for their reluctance to join such an effort. Ive long said I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us, he said. This was a great test because we dont need them, but they should have been there. Trump also reiterated he started the war which began with U.S. and Israeli bombings of Iran on Feb. 28 to disarm a potent nuclear threat. He claimed, without providing evidence, that Iran was just two weeks away from acquiring a weapon that they would have used very gladly. Iran has long denied pursuing atomic weapons and nuclear experts mostly disagree it could have built weapons that quickly. U.S. gasoline prices have soared in recent weeks, rising to around $3.79 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. Thats the highest level since October 2023 and is piling pressure on the administration ahead of the November midterm elections. White House officials are claiming energy prices will drop rapidly once the war ends and are urging Americans to be patient. In the latest sign of growing domestic opposition to the conflict, Joe Kent, a top counterterrorism official, announced he is resigning in protest against the war, arguing that Israel had dragged the U.S. into the conflict. _____ (With assistance from Yuliya Fedorinova.) ___ 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Rick Franco has worn many hats throughout his military career. But the loss of a once close friend catapulted him and three service member buddies to a new venture: making bourbon. Franco, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, along with his friends RJ Casey (Special Forces), Mike Trott (Air Force) and Harold Underdown (Navy), started Four Branches Bourbon to provide active-duty service members and veterans with a product rooted in patriotism, friendship, service and entrepreneurship. The brand, which launched in 2023 and has since helped raise more than $500,000 for veteran causes, has an emphasized impact on Franco. His post-service life harkens back to his early military days, namely one specific individual who changed Francos life in more ways than one. He enlisted in the Marines and the Reserves in 1993, later commissioned as an infantry officer in 1995. He got off active duty in 2002 and then out of the Reserves around 2005 before he began contracting for the CIA. For the past approximately 20 years, hes had his hand in different ventures. That included defense contracting for about a dozen years and being on both the business and ground sides of the equation. He ran a couple different companies and was chief operating officer of a combat veteran nonprofit out of Montana. Franco spoke to Military.com about his bourbon business and what inspired it. Who is Greg Wright? It could be argued that Four Branches Bourbon became a tangible idea decades earlier, through a timeless friendship between Franco and a man named Greg Wright. Franco and Wright started their military careers together roughly 30 years ago at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Their bond was instant. Four Branches is headquartered in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but the bourbon is produced in Bardstown, Kentucky. (Four Branches) When you go to school like that, you bond with other cadets, other classmates, Franco said. So, you know, four years at VMI, Greg and I became friends. I was one class ahead of him and in OCS [Officer Candidate School] and through IOC [Infantry Officer Course], but we all lived on the same island in Camp Lejeune. In fact, he lived down the street. When I went on deployment, he actually stayed at our house. So, we were friends in school; we were friends in the Marine Corps, running around thinking you're Maverick and Top Gun." You got the tiger by the tail and you own the world, right? We were doing that. Franco later did a tour at Lejeune and then another in New Orleans, causing him and Wright to lose touch circa the year 2000. Franco got out of the Marines and as part of a described civilian stint, he was building homes before coming back to work as an anti-terrorism force protection contractor, one of the Marine Corps first, for Booz Allen. Franco was still in the Reserves and then went to a lot of different schools, both on the civilian side for Booz Allen and on the military side, for the Marine Corps. They were all different instructor courses complete with varied military levels. One day at the end of an instructor's course class at Fort Bragg, Franco was approached in a manner that was reminiscent of a movie scene. It was an instructor who provided Franco with a sheet of blank paper with different phone numbers written on it. Franco, having essentially no real defense contracting experience, started calling the numbers on the list. Franco felt it wasnt the right fit for him, so he kept his options open and refused that particular job. He ended up joining a different company, with his first task to head to Iraq. That was a really bad time in Mosul, Franco said. A lot of my time in the agency as a contractor, several times, I felt like I was at the wrong place, the right time if that makes sense. It's timing, right? Most things that happen in people's careers are timing. Rick Franco is seen graduating from the Virginia Military Institute. (Four Branches) Upon his return to the states, Franco got called into the civilian company's office and was asked if he could review myriad resumes. Thats when Franco, who remembers clearly, like it was yesterday, received a phone call. An office secretary was conducting a vetting checklist and said the letters VMI" out loud. It ended up being Greg on the other line, Franco said, adding that he 100% supported the mission and then told office colleagues that Wright was in. 'I Fell on my Knees' The rekindling of friendship between Franco and Wright was unfortunately short-lived. After Hurricane Katrina demolished Francos house in 2005, he put off another deployment to rebuild. At the same time, he knew Wright was going to deploy but didnt know the exact date. While contracting and out at a casual cookout on Dec. 7, 2005, with another Marine officer, Franco received a phone call from a woman who was sobbing on the other end of the line. She kept saying over and over, Putty's dead, Putty's dead, Franco recalled. I'm like, stop. Who is Putty because I didn't know Greg's call sign when he deployed, Franco said. She said Greg and it kind of rocked me to the ground. I fell on my knees, I was like, Oh, f***. That was when he booked a trip to Washington D.C. to help retrieve Wrights body. It led him and colleagues to Germany, where Franco was presiding over 12 coffins returning, Wrights included. The de-briefing of Wrights family coupled with the wake and funeral stayed with me for a long time, Franco recalled. He also developed a rapport with Wrights father, which started by sending him his sons armor. Four Branches, Four Co-Owners Starting his own bourbon-based company seemed like a slam dunk of an idea for a guy like Franco who has excelled in numerous careers. I thought it'd be super simple, he said. I'm thinking, I'm a pretty accomplished guyMarine officer, CIA contractor, run some businesses. Can't be too hard to do that. Buy some glass, get a sticker, put it on the bottle, put it to all my friends on Facebook and we'll be sold out in a day. That's all fine and dandy until Uncle Sam tells you can't sell it on Facebook. So, you learn the hard way. The reality of the distilling industry prompted Franco to reach back to other military roots, including Mike Trottan Air Force veteran and CIA officer whose son worked with Franco on the same base overseas. The pair joked, Everyone needs a SEAL. So, they reached out to Harold Underdown, a retired Navy command master chief, to gauge his interest in the budding business venture. They wanted to round out the new executive team with a veteran from another service. Franco contacted RJ Casey, formerly of U.S. Special Forces, who at the time was on a movie set in Budapest as a military and medical advisor. Building a Brand on 'Honor' The companys headquarters are technically Francos residence in Tennessee. Bardstown Bourbon Company does the heavy lifting for the four, bottling, blending, laying down and distilling the product in its Kentucky factory. This April will be three years since launch. It's been a mix, man, Franco said. As you possibly can imagine, you've got four guys who came from an operations background in the military, [with] no idea of this industry. So, it's been the steepest learning curve we have ever had. Its probably so steep, Franco added, that had someone told them about the regulations and the industry being so cash intensive then it may have never got off the ground. But too stubborn, too dumb for our own good, whatever you want to call itwe forged ahead. The brand has built itself on a reputation of not encouraging a problem but finding a solution, by making bourbon and alcohol more broadly a way for military service members and first responders to be congenial rather than emotionally retreat. As Franco put it, It's not going away. We can either bury our heads in the sand, we can tell everybody not to drink. Well, that's unrealistic, that's not going to happen. So, we can change the message on how we drink, how we honor. Rick Franco holds a bottle of his bourbon. (Four Branches) That led to Four Branches Bourbon slogans: "Serve honorably. Drink honorably," and "Sip to remember, let's not drink to forget. Its about remembering the hard work, the promotions and retirements, the birth of children or passing of friends. Theres a palpable feeling when tying congeniality with purpose. Don't disarm the memories of men and women who did not make it back, but more importantly, please do not disarm your own memory. I will always sip to remember the Gregs in my life, the Greggs that didn't come home. We all will, right? Franco said. Four Branches Bourbon gives back, donating 4% of its gross income to different military and first responder groups, organizations and nonprofits like the CIA Officers Memorial Fund and Folds of Honor. More than 30 organizations have been on their radar. Some bottles have been auctioned off for tens of thousands of dollars. Its not perhaps about the bourbon itself, Franco acknowledges, but the connection between service members. The memories, like the sips, are always remembered. We will undoubtedly have those hard conversations and lean into them because they have to be had, Franco said. And that's what we use our bourbon for, right? We can sit down at the kitchen table around the campfire, wherever it may be, and have that conversation. We might cry, we might laugh, we might do both. That's what it's about. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administrations claim that Iran posed an "imminent threat" in remarks made following the resignation of National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, even though she said the opposite in the past. Kent, a former Green Beret and senior intelligence official who led the National Counterterrorism Center, stepped down on Tuesday after saying he could not support the war. He argued that Tehran posed no immediate danger to the United States, setting off a direct clash with the White House over the intelligence used to justify military action. The National Counterterrorism Center serves as the governments central hub for analyzing and integrating terrorism intelligence across agencies, advising the president and senior national security officials. Kents role placed him at the center of threat assessments tied to Iran, making his public break with the administrations position highly unusual and politically significant. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens as President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order regarding a task force on fraud in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Military.com reached out to the White House, Department of Defense, U.S. Central Command, State Department and intelligence agencies for comment. A White House spokesperson pointed Military.com to a statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said Kents assertion was false and contradicted intelligence reviewed by the president. Leavitt said President Donald Trump acted on strong and compelling evidence that Iran was preparing to strike the United States. The commander-in-chief determines what does and does not constitute a threat, Leavitt said Tuesday, adding that allegations the decision was influenced by foreign governments were insulting and laughable. Washington 3rd District Republican candidate Joe Kent speaks during a debate at KATU studios on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Leavitt said the administration viewed Irans expanding short-range ballistic missile and naval capabilities as a growing danger to U.S. interests and global shipping and defended the military campaign under Operation Epic Fury. The administration viewed Irans expanding short-range ballistic missile and naval capabilities as a growing danger to U.S. interests and global shipping and defended the military campaign under Operation Epic Fury, she added. The press secretary also rejected Kents suggestion that the decision was driven by foreign pressure, calling that allegation insulting and laughable. While Leavitt has previously said on the administration's behalf that Iran posed imminent threats to U.S. interests and risked domestic attacks, she has also stated the opposite. Earlier this month, she said on X in response to an ABC News report: TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did. The Pentagon did not offer a separate public assessment and instead referred Military.com to the White House statement. U.S. Central Command also declined to discuss threat assessments, with a defense official responding on background that the command does not discuss such matters or force protection measures because of operational security. Kent Quits Over Iran War Kent announced his resignation in a public statement on March 16, saying he cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," arguing the U.S. initiated the conflict despite no imminent threat. Reuters and the Washington Post both reported that he was the first senior administration official to resign over the war. Kent oversaw the governments main hub for integrating terrorism intelligence, putting him close to the national security assessments now at the center of the political fight. His break with the White House deepened the clash over whether Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. From left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, raise their arms before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) He also said the conflict was driven by pressure from Israel, a claim that drew immediate backlash. The Washington Post reported that his resignation triggered criticism from some Republicans, while Reuters reported that Virginia Sen. Mark Warnerthe top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committeesaid there was no credible evidence of an imminent threat that justified rushing the United States into war. The resignation sharpened scrutiny on Capitol Hill over how the administration interpreted and presented intelligence to justify the use of force. Reuters reported that Warner publicly backed Kent on the core point about the lack of an imminent threat, giving the story a concrete oversight angle even before any formal hearing announcement. Congress was already moving toward a war powers fight after Trump approved strikes on Feb. 28, underscoring how questions about presidential authority and the scope of the campaign had been building well before Kents resignation. Several Mississippi National Guard units deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in late February in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing American military campaign targeting Iran's military infrastructure, missile capabilities and nuclear ambitions. The state's adjutant general confirmed the deployment in a March 13 statement, identifying a force that spans aerial refueling, strategic airlift and special operations. The scope of the mobilization makes it one of the most well-rounded National Guard contributions to Epic Fury publicly announced by any single state to date. "Mississippi's Airmen and Soldiers stand ready to serve wherever they are needed," Maj. Gen. Bobby M. Ginn Jr., the adjutant general of Mississippi, said in the statement. "Supporting this operation highlights the training, commitment and capability that define the Mississippi National Guard." The Mississippi Guard The Guard identified the 186th Air Refueling Wing, the 172d Airlift Wing, the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the Special Operations Detachment as the participating units. The 186th Air Refueling Wing operates from Key Field Air National Guard Base in Meridian, where it flies the KC-135 Stratotanker. The wing provides aerial refueling to U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft. With more than 1,200 assigned airmen, the 186th is one of the largest military employers in east Mississippi. The unit traces its roots to the 153d Observation Squadron, one of 29 National Guard observation squadrons stood up before World War II, and converted to its current air refueling mission in 1992. The wing has supported operations worldwide, including Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. 186th Air Refueling Wing Airmen reunite with their families after returning home from a deployment at Key Field Air National Guard Base, Mississippi, September 28, 2025. (Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Justin Brown) The 172d Airlift Wing flies the C-17 Globemaster III out of Allen C. Thompson Field in Jackson. The wing's mission centers on strategic and tactical airlift, and in 2003 it became the first Air National Guard unit in the country to receive the C-17. Since then, the 172d has flown combat airlift missions, weekly aeromedical evacuations and disaster relief operations, including the response to Hurricane Katrina. In July 2025, the wing conducted Operation Magnolia Knight, a large-scale readiness exercise across Jackson and Gulfport designed to sharpen its ability to generate combat-ready airlift on short notice. Tech Sgt. Samuel Snider and Tech Sgt. Peyton Hales, loadmasters from the 172nd Airlift Wing, Mississippi secure cargo on a C-17 Globemaster III for departure at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, March 9, 2025. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Elisabeth Gelhar) The 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is headquartered at the North West Street Armory in Jackson and maintains a detachment at Camp McCain near Elliott. The battalion falls under the 20th SFG based in Birmingham, Alabama, one of only two Special Forces groups in the Army National Guard. According to the Mississippi National Guard, the battalion's soldiers are "unique professionals with an unconventional method for waging war and an innovative approach to winning." The Special Operations Detachment provides command and control for Guard special operations elements during overseas deployments. A Long Track Record The deployment continues a high operational tempo that has defined the Mississippi National Guard for more than two decades. During the Global War on Terror, the state mobilized more than 10,000 service members with every deployable unit participating in Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or New Dawn. The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, one of the state's largest ground units, deployed to Iraq in 2005 and again in 2009 before rotating to Kuwait in 2018. The 2-20th SFG sent Green Berets to Afghanistan repeatedly during the same period. This new deployment comes only months after Mississippi sent approximately 2,700 Guard members to Washington, D.C., in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. The 186th Air Refueling Wing also welcomed home more than 100 airmen in September 2025 after a deployment to the Indo-Pacific region Other states have publicly confirmed Guard contributions to Epic Fury, including Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers operating in Kuwait and Iraq and Air National Guard fighter units from Vermont and Virginia. But few individual states have announced a deployment that simultaneously covers aerial refueling, strategic airlift and special operations the way Mississippi's does. A Soldier with 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment, Mississippi Army National Guard, patrols during a raid training exercise during Southern Strike 2024 (SSTK), at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, April 14, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Benjamin Tomlinson) Gov. Tate Reeves expressed his support for the departing service members and their families. "Mississippi is praying for the brave members of the Mississippi National Guard and all U.S. Service Members who have been deployed as part of Operation Epic Fury," Reeves said. "Our state's guardsmen are truly the best of the best, and Mississippi will always be grateful to them and their families for courageously defending our nation." For communities in Meridian, Jackson and across the state, the mobilization carries a weight familiar to any Guard-connected family. The majority of personnel in units like the 186th and 172d are traditional guardsmen who drill part time while holding civilian jobs and raising families in the same towns where they serve. The Mississippi National Guard has not disclosed the total number of personnel involved or their specific locations within the CENTCOM area of operations. Ukraine and Spain to sign bilateral defense agreements during Zelenskyy's visit press secretary On Wednesday, March 18, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a working visit to Madrid, presidential press secretary Serhiy Nykyforov has said. "The President has just arrived at the Sener Aerospace & Defence enterprise. Here, he will inspect equipment samples and production. Ukrainian-Spanish defense agreements will be signed in the presence of the President," Nykyforov told journalists on Wednesday. At 11:30 local time (12:30 Kyiv time), the President is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez. At 13:00 (14:00 Kyiv time), bilateral documents will be signed in the presence of the leaders, followed by a press briefing. At 15:00 (16:00 Kyiv time), Zelenskyy will meet with the President of the Congress of Deputies Francina Armengol and the President of the Senate Pedro Rollan. At 17:30 (18:30 Kyiv time), a meeting with King Felipe VI of Spain will take place. In Riverside, California, the local police department is embroiled in a legal battle over license plates. They are not plates that belong to citizens, but to three police department officers who are also military veterans, and have state issued disabled military veteran plates on their personal cars. Those license plates, the department claims, were improperly obtained by officers Timothy Popplewell, Raymond Olivares and Richard Cranford. Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez has moved to fire the officers after questions were raised over how they can be disabled veterans while meeting the demands of being full-time officers on the force since 2019. Lawsuit filed against Riverside California Police Department over disabled veteran license plates issued to three officers by California Division of Motor Vehicles (CALVET). Three Riverside police officers served our country and now their department wants to fire them. They're ready to work, fully fit for duty, said attorney Matthew McNicholas, who represents the officers, in a video statement posted online thats been shared with Military.com. Their department saw the veteran plates on their cars and suddenly feels their disability status is a problem. According to McNicholas, the officers were suspended in May 2025, despite all three being rated 100% disabled by the Veterans Administration. That, in turn, gave them the legal right to apply for and obtain disabled military veteran license plates from the California Division of Motor Vehicles. Months later, in July 2025, McNicholas filed a lawsuit on behalf of the officers against the police department for discrimination, alleging the officers were wrongfully suspended. Fast-forward to February 2026, and the officers were officially notified of the police departments intent to terminate their employment after the Riverside, California, city council voted against settling the case. And why? questioned McNicholas in his video statement posted to his social media account, FirstRespondersLaw. They are veterans who got injuries, and they happened to get the honor of a special plate from the California DMV. Officers' Lawsuit Claims Discrimination The lawsuit, which has been reviewed by Military.com, states that when the officers were suspended, department officials told them they were being accused of making false claims about their physical limitations to obtain the plates, which allow special parking privileges and reduced fees. McNicholas maintains the officers are being discriminated against, have made no false claims, and are disabled under the standards set by the Veterans Administration. McNicholas also maintains the officers are entitled to whats called a Skelly hearing, where they can review and respond to evidence. To date, no such hearing has been held. In a statement to Military.com, the Riverside Police Department, on behalf of Police Chief Larry Gonzalez, declined to discuss specific details of the case. Riverside, California Police Chief Larry Gonzalez has moved to terminate the employment of three police officers over their disabled veteran license plates (Riverside Police Foundation). I understand that you are attempting to obtain a statement from the department at this point regarding the ongoing Veterans case, wrote Detective Steven Espinosa, the Riverside Police Departments public information officer, in an email to Military.com. At this time, the matter is ongoing, and we cannot comment on anything due to the confidential nature of the personnel action, which has not completed its process. Officers' Military Service Met VA Requirements Officer Popplewell served in the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2011 and, like the other two officers, joined the department in 2019. He has served in the police departments SWAT unit. Officer Olivares was in the U.S. Marines from 2013 to 2019. He was in the police departments Honor Guard at the time of his suspension. Officer Cranford was in the Army from 2010 to 2014. He has also been a SWAT officer for the police department. According to the VAs eligibility protocols, a veteran is eligible for a disabled veteran license plate when a doctor, an optometrist, a chiropractor or another health care professional certifies that he has a severe mobility issue, has lost the use of a limb, has suffered permanent blindness or has otherwise been certified as 100% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The 100% disabled certification appears to be the sticking point. The VA considers several illnesses and injuries, as well as mental health issues, in calculating a disability rating, according to its website. That rating leads to a disability certification and can also be used to determine monthly disability compensation from the VA. Attorney Matthew McNichols represents three Riverside California police officers facing termination over their disabled military veteran license plates (IG: FirstRespondersLaw). Attorney McNicholas believes that how the VA determines disability can be misinterpreted. Their disability ratings are not the same as saying, You are disabled for work, McNicholas said. And the plates have no relevance to their jobs. These officers have done nothing wrong. Both the lawsuit and the officers Skelly hearings are pending. The matter could go to a jury trial. The officers remain on leave until their final employment status is determined. We have been fighting this fight. We tried to get the department to back off, and cut a fair deal, put them to work and no go, said McNicholas. We will fight until the end, and we will show a jury they have been greatly wronged. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine The Ukrainian Red Cross (UCC) has denied information about the issuance of a charitable set by Easter with a cash payment from the organization together with the online store ROZETKA. "False information is being spread on the network about an alleged "charity Easter set" with a cash payment from the Ukrainian Red Cross together with ROZETKA in the amount of 1,900 to 5,100 UAH. In the message, the scammers draw special attention to those who did not receive the set by last Easter. This is fake information," URCS reported on Facebook on Wednesday. URCS has no relation to this initiative. URCS informs about all types of humanitarian aid only through official communication channels. If you discover such fakes, please notify the Ukrainian Ethics Commission by sending a link to the email address: [email protected] or by calling: 0 800 357 100. Assam HSLC Result 2026 likely before Bihu and state elections, check details here The Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) is on track to declare the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination results much earlier than usual. Assam HSLC Result 2026 ASSEB aims to declare HSLC results earlier than last year. Over 4.38 lakh students appeared, highest in ASSEB history. Results likely before assembly elections and Bihu festivities. Did our AI summary help? People called her 'World's Ugliest Woman' but for her kids she was 'World's Greatest Mother' The heartbreaking true story of Mary Ann Bevan, a mother who joined a freak show as "The World's Ugliest Woman" to provide for her four children after a rare disease changed her appearance. People called her 'World's Ugliest Woman' what she did to feed her children will break your heart Mary Ann Bevan worked in a freak show to support her children She suffered from acromegaly, causing her appearance to change Her sacrifice provided food, clothing, and education for her kids. Did our AI summary help? Assam assembly polls 2026: Can Badruddin Ajmal revive AIUDF's dwindling fortunes? The AIUDF, once a significant force in the state's Muslim-majority belts and a spoiler in Congress calculations, was wiped out in the 2024 general elections, with Ajmal himself suffering a landslide defeat. All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal. AIUDF plans alliance with AIMIM for Assam polls Ajmal fields himself in Binnakandi, party announces 21 candidates AIUDF's support base is shrinking after 2024 election defeat Did our AI summary help? Dhurandhar: The Revenge paid previews finally begin after delays in Mumbai-Delhi; Tamil-Telugu shows cancelled with refunds After delays and cancellations, Dhurandhar: The Revenge paid previews finally began in Mumbai and Delhi, with late screenings offering relief to audiences after widespread confusion earlier in the evening. Dhurandhar: The Revenge paid previews finally begin after delays in Mumbai-Delhi; Tamil-Telugu shows cancelled with refunds Dhurandhar: The Revenge previews delayed and confused fans Hindi screenings delayed; Tamil and Telugu shows canceled Refunds issued for cancelled regional language shows Did our AI summary help? Dhurandhar: When Akshaye Khanna said Paagal ho gaya hai kya to Mukesh Chhabra after getting offer of Rehman Dacait's role Akshaye Khanna initially rejected Dhurandhar, calling Mukesh Chhabra paagal, but later agreed after hearing the script, delivering a standout performance as Rehman Dakait ahead of the sequels March 19 release. Dhurandhar: When Akshaye Khanna said Paagal ho gaya hai kya to Mukesh Chhabra after getting offer of Rehman Dacait's role Akshaye Khanna's casting in Dhurandhar surprised the director Ranveer Singh was already locked in before Akshaye joined Dhurandhar: The Revenge releases in theatres on March 19 Did our AI summary help? Khushbu Sundar, Vishnu Manchu slam AIADMK MP over Nayanthara remark: Not political punching bags Khushbu Sundar and Vishnu Manchu criticised AIADMK MP C. V. Shanmugam for his remark on Nayanthara, saying actresses are not political punching bags and deserve respect. Khushbu Sundar, Vishnu Manchu slam AIADMK MP over Nayanthara remark: Not political punching bags Khushbu Sundar, Vishnu Manchu denounce MP's comment on Nayanthara MP Shanmugam's comment sparked backlash and apology Calls for respect for women in public discourse Did our AI summary help? Mangal Lakshmi actor Altamash Faraz opens up on observing Ramzan amid a hectic shoot schedule; says, Its easier when the team is supportive - Exclusive Altamash shares his experience shooting for a tight work schedule and fasting for Ramzan. He mentions how the team looks forward to iftar and the support he gets from the cast and crew. Mangal Lakshmi actor Altamash Faraz Altamash Faraz balances fasting and filming during Ramzan Supportive Mangal Lakshmi team celebrates daily iftar together Ramzan brings special energy and togetherness to the TV set Did our AI summary help? Nora Fatehi on Chunar Teri Sarke official ban: I had no idea about Hindi version, thank you for the backlash Nora Fatehi clarified she had no role in the controversial Hindi version of Sarke Chunar Teri, blamed lack of approvals, and said backlash forced its removal. Nora Fatehi on Chunar Teri Sarke official ban: I had no idea about Hindi version, thought it was a remake of Khalnayak song" Nora Fatehi denies involvement in banned Hindi song version She left the project due to inappropriate lyrics. Nora urges media to hold filmmakers accountable for controversies Did our AI summary help? The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) exposed a new information-psychological operation (IPSO) by Russian special services aimed at destabilizing the situation in Zakarpattia region and increasing tension between Ukraine and Hungary, SBU informs. "As a result of comprehensive measures, it was established that for the IPSO, Russia is using so-called number substitution technology via IP telephony," the Ukrainian special service said in a report on its Telegram channel Wednesday. Specifically, as noted by the agency, the enemy makes anonymous calls with threats to representatives of the Hungarian national community from what appear to be Ukrainian phone numbers. "During the conversations, unknown persons posing as members of national-patriotic formations or even law enforcement officers of our state demanded that community representatives leave the territory of Ukraine, threatening physical violence and the like," the SBU specified. As a result of technical measures, it was established that the calls were made from the territory of Russia. "Currently, the SBU is working to block the specified IPSO," the report emphasizes. The Security Service of Ukraine urges citizens not to fall for such provocations. "In case of receiving threats or suspicious messages, please immediately inform law enforcement authorities. SBU contacts for your reports: Burn the FSB agent chatbot t.me/spaly_fsb_bot, tel.: 0 800 501 482, Email: [email protected]," the Ukrainian special service noted. Raja Shivaji first teaser to screen with Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar 2, Riteish Deshmukh brings Maratha Kings saga to big screen The buzz around Dhurandhar: The Revenge just got a major boost, and this time it comes with a strong emotional and historical pull. Actor-producer Riteish Deshmukh has officially announced that the first glimpse of his ambitious film Raja Shivaji will be showcased alongside the theatrical release of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Sharing the update on social media, Riteish expressed his deep admiration and reverence for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, calling the project a tribute to our king, our pride. The announcement instantly struck a chord, especially among Marathi audiences, who have long awaited a grand cinematic retelling of Shivaji Maharajs legacy. What makes this move interesting is the strategy behind it. Dhurandhar: The Revenge, led by Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar, is already positioned as a high-energy, mass entertainer with strong advance buzz. Attaching the Raja Shivaji teaser to such a film ensures massive theatrical visibility right from day one. Its a smart play that combines scale with sentiment. Riteishs caption hinted at something larger than just a teaser drop. He described the film as an attempt to bring the story of Shivaji Maharaj in a way audiences have never seen before. That line alone sets expectations high. Over the years, several adaptations have tried to capture the life of the Maratha warrior king, but very few have managed to balance authenticity with cinematic grandeur. The film is set for a pan-India release on May 1, 2026, in Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu, signaling a clear intent to take Shivaji Maharajs story beyond regional boundaries. Given the growing appetite for historical epics across Indian cinema, Raja Shivaji could tap into a wide audience base if executed well. For now, all eyes are on March 19, when Dhurandhar: The Revenge hits theatres and audiences get their first look at this much-anticipated project. If the teaser delivers even half of what the announcement promises, this could easily become one of the most talked-about reveals of the year. Rajpal Yadav gets relief; Delhi HC extends interim bail till April 1 in cheque bounce case Rajpal Yadavs interim bail extended till April 1 by Delhi High Court in cheque bounce case. Court noted partial payment of dues. Actor expressed faith in judiciary; next hearing scheduled soon. Rajpal Yadav gets relief; Delhi HC extends interim bail till April 1 in cheque bounce case Rajpal Yadav gets relief; Delhi HC extends interim bail till April 1 in cheque bounce case Rajpal Yadav's interim bail extended to April 1 by Delhi HC Yadav paid Rs 4.5 crore and Rs 25 lakh towards outstanding dues Court to hear main petition arguments at next hearing Did our AI summary help? Sara Arjun calls audience the real Dhurandhars, thanks fans for making the film a phenomenon Sara Arjun thanked fans for the success of Dhurandhar, calling them the real Dhurandhars and crediting them for the films massive popularity. Sara Arjun calls audience the real Dhurandhars, thanks fans for making the film a phenomenon Sara Arjun thanked fans for Dhurandhar: The Revenge's success Ranveer Singh praised audience support and Dhurandhar's music Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar, releases March 19, 2026 Did our AI summary help? South Korean President publicly endorses BTS' Gwanghwamun stage; sparks online debate Lee Jae Myung publicly backed BTSs upcoming concert at Gwanghwamun Square, calling it an opportunity to showcase Korean culture globally while stressing safety measures. However, his endorsement sparked online debate, with some netizens accusing the government of favoritism and giving special treatment to the group, while others supported the move South Korean President publicly endorses BTS' Gwanghwamun stage; sparks online debate BTS to perform at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21. President Lee's message sparks mixed reactions online. Government plans extensive safety measures for the event. Did our AI summary help? Stray Kids Han swept into dating rumour as viral proof leaves fans divided Han is facing dating rumours after alleged sightings and proof linking him to a non-celebrity woman surfaced online. The claims remain unconfirmed, with fans divided and urging respect for his privacy. Han is a member of Stray Kids Stray Kids' Han faces dating rumors with a non-celebrity woman Fans cite alleged couple items and travel sightings as "proof" Han and agency have not released any official statement Did our AI summary help? Telangana Cyber Security Bureau puts anti-piracy measures in place to protect the film industry Officials said that ongoing cooperation between law enforcement and the film industry will be very important for lowering piracy and protecting the jobs of thousands of people who depend on the movie industry. Anti Piracy laws Telangana launches anti-piracy disclaimer in theaters New SOP guides investigation of movie piracy cases Piracy costs Telugu film industry Rs 13,700 crore yearly Did our AI summary help? Can ashwagandha harm your liver? Fortis gastroenterologist explains the science Ashwagandha has many health benefits, but can it harm your liver? A gastroenterologist cleared the air and also shared who should avoid it and why medical advice should be sought before incorporating it into your diet. Health benefits of ashwagandha: It helps induce sleep, reduce cortisol and stress, and, in some men, it might also improve testosterone levels (Image: Pexels) Ashwagandha offers anti-inflammatory and stress-reducing benefits Contaminated supplements may harm liver due to heavy metals. Consult a doctor before using ashwagandha, especially if at risk Did our AI summary help? Revenge bedtime procrastination: Why people delay sleep despite being tired If you are someone who scrolls in bed, spends time watching shows, and does just about anything other than sleep despite being tired, heres what you should know about revenge bedtime procrastination and how it can affect your health. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to mood swings, irritability, reduced concentration, and lower productivity during the day. (Picture: Pexels) Revenge bedtime procrastination delays sleep for personal time. Habitual sleep loss harms mental and physical health. Limit screen time and keep a sleep schedule to prevent it. Did our AI summary help? Root canal treatment can keep heart healthy, lower inflammation, improve lipid profile A recent research from King's College London shows that sorting out an infected tooth isnt just good for your smile, it could have more benefits for your heart, blood sugar, and health. A simple root canal might help reduce inflammation, balance cholesterol, and even keep diabetes at bay. Heres how: As per the study, root canal treatment helps lower blood sugar and reduces diabetes risk. (Picture: Pexels) Root canals may reduce blood sugar and improve cholesterol levels. Treating tooth infections may lower heart disease inflammation. Study links oral health to overall wellness, not just dental health Did our AI summary help? Type 1 diabetes: Early causes and symptoms of juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes What is Type 1 diabetes: Also known as juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, this type of diabetes is not related to lifestyle and may occur suddenly, mostly in young adults and children. Type 1 diabetes happens when the body's insulin-producing centres in the pancreas are damaged, resulting in the production of little or no insulin in the body (image: Pexels) Type 1 diabetes results from immune attack on insulin cells. Early detection prevents life-threatening complications. Symptoms include frequent urination, thirst, weight loss, fatigue Did our AI summary help? Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar stated that he considers it necessary to inspect the situation regarding the repair of the Druzhba oil pipeline section on Ukrainian territory directly on-site. "We have been informed again that, according to Ukraines information, the Druzhba pipeline could be operational within six weeks. However, similar deadlines have been voiced repeatedly in the past. Therefore, we find it necessary to verify the situation directly on the spot with the participation of experts who could also assist with the necessary repair work on the pipeline," the ministers statement was quoted on the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs account on X. At the same time, the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement claiming that Slovakia considers the information provided to date regarding the pipeline situation "insufficient and considers Ukraines approach unacceptable." "EU foreign ministers in Brussels expressed clear support for requests made by Slovakia, Hungary, and the European Commission to Ukraine for information on the status of the Druzhba oil pipeline. Slovakia considers the information provided so far insufficient and considers Ukraines approach unacceptable, as it fuels speculation that does not serve its interests," the statement says. 5 best indoor plants that keep your home cool, protect you from heatwave To keep your home cool during summer, place these houseplants indoors. They have a high transpiration rate and help keep the house cooler. Whats more? They also look stunning. Certain indoor plants have the ability to keep temperatures under control during a heatwave. (Picture: Pexels) Houseplants cool rooms via moisture release through transpiration. Ficus elastica, aloe vera, and areca palm help lower indoor heat Place plants near windows for maximum cooling effect Did our AI summary help? MC EXCLUSIVE Apple redraws supply chain, shifts India-made iPhones away from UAE hub amid Gulf tensions The disruption is already rippling through Indias electronics manufacturing ecosystem, impacting key Apple suppliers such as Foxconn Technology Group and Tata Electronics. People checking devices at an Apple store in Dubai. (Courtesy: AFP photo) BHP ships rare Jimblebar cargo to India amid China dispute The True Champion, carrying about 170,000 tons of BHPs Jimblebar blend fines, is expected to reach Indias JSW Jaigarh Port on March 25 The rare supply to India follows a months-long standoff between the Australian miner and China Mineral Resource Group. BHP sends rare Jimblebar iron ore cargo to India's JSW Steel China restricted Jimblebar ore, prompting BHP to seek new markets JSW likely bought at discount to test sinter-making suitability Did our AI summary help? The company said its UAVs were shortlisted following a demonstration, after which the district moved ahead with the procurement Reliance Jio hires 17 banks for IPO, will raise no new funds: Report Jio's roster of 17 advisors includes Wall Street giants Citigroup and JPMorgan, as well as Indian investment banks Axis Capital, ICICI Securities, IIFL, and Kotak Mahindra Capital Reuters March 18, 2026 / 16:22 IST Reliance Jio hires 17 banks for IPO, will raise no new funds: Report Axis Bank to infuse Rs 1,500 crore in consumer lending arm, shares rise nearly 2% Axis Bank, which has invested Rs 2,375 crore in Axis Finance over the past decade, plans to complete the infusion by March 2027 through a cash consideration in one or more tranches Axis Bank to infuse Rs 1,500 crore in consumer lending arm, shares rise nearly 2% Axis Bank to invest Rs 1,500 crore in Axis Finance by March 2027 Axis Finance to present revised growth plan to board in April Axis Bank shares rose nearly 2% after the investment announcement Did our AI summary help? UTI10 UTI10 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More Chinas AI stocks rise as Nvidias Jensen Huang calls OpenClaw 'the next ChatGPT' OpenClaw is an open-source autonomous AI agent platform that does more than the traditional chatbots Chinas AI stocks rise as Nvidias Jensen Huang calls OpenClaw 'the next ChatGPT' Chinese AI stocks soared after Nvidia lauded OpenClaw's potential. MiniMax and Zhipu shares jumped up to 14% and 11% respectively OpenClaw's popularity boosts China's AI agent market Did our AI summary help? An analyst said that a decisive close above 23,850 could trigger short covering, potentially pushing the index towards 24,000 and higher levels 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. In this edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: Why is the rupee falling despite domestic strength? The answer could be Hormuz. According to data from Motilal Oswal Financial Services Indian Mutual Fund Tracker, 15 out of 21 fund houses or about 71% are overweight healthcare compared to the benchmark. Healthcare made up 7.3% of total mutual fund portfolios in February 2026, making it the fourth-largest sector allocation after private banks, automobiles and capital goods. USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept SEBI bars 18 entities in stock manipulation case, orders Rs 2.94 crore disgorgement, Rs 2.80 crore penalty SEBI noted that the entities involved had family, professional, or financial connections. While some noticees argued that their trades were independent and driven by market conditions, SEBI rejected this contention. SEBI bars 21 entities in stock manipulation case, orders Rs 2.94 crore disgorgement, Rs 2.80 crore penalty SEBI banned 18 entities for manipulating Retro Green shares Rs 2.94 crore disgorgement and Rs 2.80 crore penalties imposed Market bans of 4 to 10 years issued to key noticees Did our AI summary help? The Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the hit on the base of the Russian unmanned technology center Rubikon and an ammunition depot in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region. "The special operations forces conducted a series of Middle Strike strikes on enemy targets in the occupied Donetsk region on the night of March 18. In Donetsk, long-range SSO drones hit the base of the classified Russian unmanned technology center "Rubikon" and the control element of this unit. Also, the coordination center for the work of enemy unmanned systems units was hit in the occupied city," the SSO telegram channel said. Also in the occupied village of Vilne, ammunition depots, property and equipment were hit, as well as a place for the accumulation and distribution of ammunition. The SOF noted that the success of this series of strikes was facilitated by underground members of the Resistance Movement. Stocks to Watch Today: Shree Cement, Varun Beverages, Swan Defence, Strides Pharma, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Ceigall, Aurobindo Pharma in focus on 18 March Stocks to Watch, 18 March: Stocks like Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions, Shree Cement, Varun Beverages, Swan Defence and Heavy Industries, Strides Pharma Science, CESC, Mafatlal Industries, Hexaware Technologies, Wipro, Ceigall India, Aurobindo Pharma, Urban Company, and Apsis Aerocom will be in focus on March 18. Stocks to Watch Today, 18 March Stocks in Focus, March 18: Shree Cement, Varun Beverages, Swan Defence, Strides Pharma, CESC, Mafatlal Industries, Ceigall India, Aurobindo Pharma, Urban Company, Apsis Aerocom Did our AI summary help? CMEESL SC12 VB05 CMEESL NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More SC12 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More VB05 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More At close, the Sensex was up 633.29 points or 0.83 percent at 76,704.13, and the Nifty was up 196.65 points or 0.83 percent at 23,777.80. Trade Spotlight: How should you trade Godrej Properties, Chennai Petroleum, Premier Energies, Lumax Auto Tech, Data Patterns, and others on March 18? The market is expected to consolidate with range-bound trading after the two-day rally. Below are some short-term trading ideas to consider. Sunil Shankar Matkar March 18, 2026 / 03:55 IST Top Buy Ideas for March 18 Experts pick top 8 buy ideas for March 18 including Godrej Properties, Chennai Petroleum, Premier Energies, Lumax Auto Tech, Data Patterns Did our AI summary help? SG RI GP11 SG NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More RI NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More GP11 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High Day Low Volume (NSE) More LCF are allowed to invest in commodities and units of InVIT up to 10% of the assets under management Lost your phone with active UPI apps? Heres how to secure your bank accounts quickly If your phone disappears, acting fast can stop someone from misusing your UPI apps and bank accounts. Representative image Block your SIM immediately to prevent unauthorized access. Inform your bank to temporarily block UPI access. Use Find My Device or Find My iPhone to lock or erase your phone. Did our AI summary help? Thinking of egg freezing? Heres what it costs in India today As more women delay motherhood for work, studies or personal reasons, egg freezing is becoming a decision that involves both medical advice and financial planning. Representative image Egg freezing costs Rs 1.5-3 lakh per cycle in India. Annual storage fees range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000. Most insurance policies in India do not cover egg freezing. Did our AI summary help? JSW Realty eyes over Rs 2,000 crore revenue from luxury housing project in Mumbai JSW Realty said it has signed a "development agreement with the Patel Family for Malabar Court, an exclusive property in Mumbais most established residential neighbourhood". PTI March 18, 2026 / 20:23 IST UAE central bank moves to support lenders as Iran war continues The measures allow lenders to access as much as 30% of their cash reserve requirement balances and tap term liquidity facilities in dirhams and US dollars, the central bank said in a statement Tuesday. Banks will also be allowed to delay classifying loans as non-performing for borrowers affected by the extraordinary circumstances, according to the central bank UAE central bank unveils resilience package for banks amid Iran war Banks can access up to 30% of cash reserve balances for liquidity Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock indexes fell but rebounded slightly Did our AI summary help? Nakatani avoided commenting directly on how Japan could appease Trumps demands for support, instead saying that it was a decision Japan must also make in the interest of its own economy. US govt says Anthropic AI an 'unacceptable risk' to military Anthropic's Claude AI model has been in the spotlight in recent weeks both for its alleged use in identifying targets for US bombing in Iran and the company's refusal that its systems be used to power mass surveillance in the United States or lethal fully autonomous weapons systems. AFP March 18, 2026 / 21:42 IST . US government labels Anthropic as a supply chain risk Pentagon cites AI vulnerability and refusal for military use Microsoft backs Anthropic, cautions against damaging US AI ecosystem Did our AI summary help? Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua During his visit to Spain, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited one of the enterprises of the Sener Aerospace & Defence engineering and technology group. "I met with the leadership of the Spanish engineering and technology group Sener Aerospace & Defence. Today, our manufacturers signed four cooperation documents here, three of which are specifically with Sener. The agreements concern establishing cooperation in the missile sector and air defense. This is what will strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies," he wrote on Telegram. The President added that the parties also discussed production opportunities and the strengthening of Ukrainian air defense. "We talked about the possibilities of production and strengthening Ukrainian air defense. Strengthening air defense and protecting lives is our top priority. We are also interested in joint projects in the field of long-range drone production. Ukraine has new developments and is ready to scale them. We expect that all agreements between Ukrainian and Spanish manufacturers will be implemented as soon as possible. Thank you for the support and readiness to work together," Zelenskyy said. 1.6 million tonnes of oil, 2 lakh tonnes of LNG stranded at Strait of Hormuz; India in talks with Iran for safe passage Addressing the issue of supply of fuels to neighbouring countries, Randhir Jaiswal, MEA spokesperson noted that India has received these requests and is examining those requests keeping in mind the countrys own requirements and availability. For India, the passage for ships is crucial as the country depends substantially on LPG supplies from the Gulf region with 90% of LPG imports passing the Strait of Hormuz. India seeks safe passage for 22 stranded vessels in Persian Gulf Talks ongoing with Iran for ship transit via Strait of Hormuz Indian Navy supports anti-piracy operations in the region Did our AI summary help? 611 Indian seafarers safe in Strait of Hormuz, LPG carriers begin discharge, says govt We have our discussion going on with Iran and other counterparts for safe passage of ships via Strait of Hormuz, says Sinha. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its 'pre-war state'. 9 years on, here's what Yogi Adityanath achieved in Uttar Pradesh: A report card Uttar Pradesh, once associated with weak law and order and sluggish investment, is now being positioned as one of India's fastest-growing state economies with a strong focus on infrastructure, industrialisation and welfare delivery. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Ahead of Assembly polls, senior Congress Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigns from party The development comes a month after former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah quit the party and joined the BJP. Senior Assam Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi. Pradyut Bordoloi resigns from Congress ahead of Assam elections Bordoloi resigns citing humiliation and ignored concerns Assam elections to elect 126 members scheduled for April 9 Did our AI summary help? Ashwini Vaishnaw confirms ban on Nora Fatehi's 'Sarke Chunariya' song: 'Freedom of speech cannot be absolute' The song has already been banned, Vaishnaw said in Lok Sabha in response to a query raised by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadouria The controversy broke out shortly after the release of the song featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt Government bans 'Sarke Chunariya' song after public outrage Minister cites Article 19(2) for restrictions on free speech Song criticised for vulgar lyrics and visuals objectifying women Did our AI summary help? Assam polls: NDA seals seat-sharing deal; BJP to contest on 89 seats, AGP 26, BPF 11 The BJP is set to contest 89 seats in Assam, alongside the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26 seats and the Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) with 11 The Election Commission of India has announced April 9 as the polling date for the state Bengaluru: Commissioner of Railway Safety inspects 5 km CantonmentBaiyyappanahalli West Cabin quadrupling section Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield (37.8 km) quadrupling project, sanctioned at Rs 492.8 crore in March 2018, was slated for completion in 2022 but has missed multiple deadlines. CRS to inspect Cantonment-Byappanahalli section on March 29 Quadrupling project to ease congestion and cut train delays Byappanahalli Metro skywalk to be demolished for project works Did our AI summary help? Bengaluru high-rise projects hit by airport, defence height curbs: DK Shivakumar DK Shivakumar said the issue was raised in a meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, seeking relaxation of norms to bring Bengaluru on par with other metro cities. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, right, meets Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar Bengaluru high-rise construction limited by aviation, defense rules Building height limits impact major projects and urban planning Centre assures review of restrictions after Karnataka's request Did our AI summary help? Former Assam Congress MP joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (Credit: ANI) From foreign fighter to NIA detainee: All about Matthew Vandyke, the American detained by NIA in counter-terror operation The NIA believes they were not just making contact but also providing training and support, including the possible use of drones brought in from Europe. Poroshenko hands over drones to units where former MPs Barna and Solyar are fighting Member of Parliament, Petro Poroshenko, leader of the European Solidarity party, delivered another batch of drones to units of two brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, where MPs Stepan Barna and Volodymyr Solyar of the 8th convocation (2014-2019) are serving, the partys website reported on Wednesday. "Were always ready to lend a hand and help. Thats why today weve prepared strike drone bombers and Molniyas for the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade Edelweiss and the 101st Separate Territorial Defense Brigade, where Stepan and Volodymyr serve," Poroshenko said. He reported that he had already purchased 70,000 attack drones of various modifications for the military at his own expense. "If at least 50% of our drones combat missions were successful, that would mean approximately 35,000 targets destroyed. This number of troops is equivalent to six or seven enemy brigades destroyed," the politician added. Poroshenko called Barna, his fellow party member, and Solyar, a member of the Peoples Front party, "examples of true leaders" who, with the start of the full-scale invasion, "changed their business suits and uniforms and are defending the country as part of the Armed Forces." As reported, Stepan Barnas brother, Oleh, who was also a member of parliament of the 8th convocation, served in the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush and died in 2023 during an assault on enemy positions. In December, India imposed a three-year import tariff of 11% to 13% on some steel imports, in an effort to curb cheap Chinese products. Kharges humorous remark about Deve Gowda in Rajya Sabha farewell speech: Mohabbat humare saath, shaadi Modi se | Watch Kharge says the Constitution grants every Member of Parliament the freedom to express their views fearlessly, and without debate and deliberation, parliamentary institutions hold no true significance. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, during his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha, delivered an emotional address reflecting on his long political journey. Kharge's farewell speech in Rajya Sabha received laughter, applause He joked about Deve Gowda "loving him but marrying Modi" Kharge urged more Opposition participation in legislation Did our AI summary help? PM Modi speaks with Kuwait's Crown Prince; reiterates India's stand on regional peace 'Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid,' PM Modi said in a post on X Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Risk of coersive interrogation': Nirav Modi moves London Court for last try to stall his extradition to India The Government of India opposed the application, arguing that it was both delayed and lacked merit. Supreme Court on Mamata Banerjees presence at I-PAC office during ED raid: Not a happy situation What if tomorrow some other Chief Minister barges into such a raid? Can the ED be left without remedy, says the bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and NV Anjaria, which was hearing a petition by the ED. Before moving the Supreme Court, the ED had approached the Calcutta High Court seeking registration of an FIR against Mamata Banerjee for allegedly obstructing its search operations. Did our AI summary help? Wait for Noida International Airport is over: CM Yogi Adityanath reveals official inauguration date for Indias largest airport at Jewar UP CM Adityanath said that the Noida International Airport will contribute Rs 1 lakh crores to states economy. (File image) Noida International Airport to be inaugurated on March 28 PM Modi invited for airport inauguration by UP CM Yogi Adityanath Airport expected to contribute Rs 1 lakh crore to UP's economy Did our AI summary help? War-hit skies, rising fares: Can Keralites afford 'vote flights' to cast their ballot for Assembly polls? The US-Israel war with Iran has turned Middle Eastern airspace into a high-risk zone, significantly affecting global aviation networks Kerala will go for polling on April 9. Kerala Gulf voters face travel hurdles due to West Asia tensions High airfares and flight cancellations hinder "vote flights" Only a few expatriates may manage to return for Kerala elections Did our AI summary help? 'We sincerely thank the kind people': India sends medical aid to Iran amid tensions "We sincerely thank the kind people of India," said the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India. OPINION | Indias states hold the key to Viksit Bharat India is often described as one economy, yet its growth is driven by unequal regional capabilities.The next phase of development will depend on how intelligently the Union and the states convert this diversity into a coordinated national advantage Urbanisation, which will shape Indias economic future, is fundamentally a state and local governance challenge. Ukraine, Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have agreed on the preparation of new joint initiatives with a potential volume exceeding EUR 100 million following the first meeting of the Tripartite Industrial Policy Dialogue (TIPD). According to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture website, bilateral meetings and the first session of the Tripartite Industrial Policy Dialogue (TIPD) involving Ukraine, Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) were held in Vienna on March 16-17. The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Vitaliy Kindrativ. The Japanese side was represented by Koichi Chiyo, deputy director general for trade policy at the Trade Policy Bureau of Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). According to Ukraines Ministry of Economy, the new initiatives include a project worth about EUR93 million that provides for grant support to enterprises and development of green technologies, as well as initiatives for developing industrial clusters and technological partnerships. The projects will complement the current flagship technology transfer project, which has a total budget of $188 million, the ministry said. This initiative does not provide for direct financing but focuses on launching new production facilities and integrating Ukrainian companies into global value chains. The parties also discussed implementation of artificial intelligence in industry, improving energy efficiency and supporting small and medium-sized businesses through access to Japanese technologies. To strengthen innovation transfer, a catalog of 47 technological solutions that can be implemented through the creation of joint ventures with Japanese companies has already been compiled. The next rounds of the Tripartite Dialogue to monitor implementation of these agreements are scheduled for summer and the end of 2026. Deputy Minister Vitaliy Kindrativ emphasized that the goal of the dialogue is not only to restore what was destroyed, but to build a competitive economy through technological modernization. Koichi Chiyo, a representative of Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), confirmed consistent support for Ukraine, noting that one-third of the more than 100 signed cooperation documents are related to green recovery projects. In Delhi, Naveen Patnaik consulted senior lawyers and chartered accountants and based on their advice, he resolved to establish a trust in Biju Babus name. Amitabh Sinha is the executive editor of News18 India. He has extensive experience in print and TV journalism. He started his career with Patna's 'Times of India' and reported for almost 14 years at 'Aaj Tak'. He has been associated with Network18 since 2015. writes with equal authority in Hindi and English languages and has reported on many important events and incidents in India and abroad. He has a long experience in parliamentary journalism and has special grasp of e policies and schemes of the government. He writes regularly on News18's website in both Hindi and English languages. He is a post graduate from Delhi University. X- @amitabhnews18 OPINION | Safe commutes key to unlocking womens manufacturing workforce participation Unsafe commutes stop many women from working in factories. Better transport and safety systems can increase participation, improve retention, and help India grow its economy faster Deepesh Agarwal March 18, 2026 / 16:19 IST Institute estimates that increasing female labour force participation could add $770 billion to Indias GDP. OPINION | Will China hollow out global industrial capacities in new technologies? Can a system that rewards scale, with innovation being a valuable byproduct, adapt to reward efficiency instead? For the global economy, Chinas inability to reconcile the two, risks exporting price wars Shobhankita Reddy March 18, 2026 / 10:27 IST Chinas technology trajectory will see a tussle between a few forward-looking sectors and their spillover effects 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 1.5% hike felt like an insult: Engineer quits over Rs 1.8 lakh raise, manager blames company policy A managers Reddit post revealed that their best engineer decided to leave after being offered only a 1.5% raise, roughly Rs 1.8 lakh. Despite the companys strong performance, the strict salary increase cap left no room for negotiation. The employee said a 3% raise ($2,000) would have made him stay. (Image credit: AI generated) Lead engineer quit after only receiving a 1.5% salary increase Employee accepted a new job with a 10% pay raise Social media supported the employee's decision to leave Did our AI summary help? Arjun Jain traced a direct line between that 2007 resignation email and his later work in AI research, patents, teaching, and eventually entrepreneurship. Today, he runs FastCode AI and AI MasterClass, which he describes as his 'latest curiosity experiment'. (Image credit: LinkedIn) Career success ritual: Parrot astrologer cheats Bengaluru Income Tax official of Rs 20 lakh Luring the victim with promises of career growth and prosperity through rituals, the accused collected cash and jewellery before police tracked him down and recovered the stolen items. Parrot astrologer cheats Bengaluru Income Tax official of Rs 20 lakh. Man with light fever goes to Apollo Clinic, ends up with Rs 9,900 bill: Absolutely not worth it The Chennai man post drew a response from a doctor with the Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad. 'For a simple fever, I do not consult a doctor; I avoid doing tests/investigations; and do not take antibiotics or even paracetamol. I must have saved lakhs of rupees in the past thirty years,' Dr Sudhir Kumar said. Nestle worker wins Rs 27 lakh after being sacked for vaping in toilet, had caused factory shutdown Luke Billings, who had been employed as a technical operator at the companys Tutbury site in Staffordshire since 2012, lost his job after an episode in October 2023 led to a complete evacuation of the factory and disruption to operations, Daily Mail reported. Nobody asked me to go back to India: CEO shares how Dubai shaped her life and career An Indian entrepreneur shares how living in Dubai shaped her life. From starting her business to raising a family, she says the city gave her safety, freedom, and chances to grow, helping her achieve important personal and work milestones. 'Very big shock': Man claims spicy salsa caused PTSD, demands Rs 92 lakh A German tourist visiting New York claimed a single bite of spicy salsa caused mouth sores, stomach issues, and emotional distress. He sought Rs 92 lakh in damages but lost his lawsuit. Tourist sues Times Square taqueria over spicy salsa. (Image credit: AI generated) German tourist sued NYC taqueria over spicy salsa, lost the case He sued Walmart over WiFi and NYPD for not recording a statement. All lawsuits were dismissed, court said salsa spice is expected Did our AI summary help? Contacts between Ukraine and Israel at the highest level remain on the agenda, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhiy Tykhy said. "The conversation between the leaders is being worked out. Among the possible topics of the conversation: the security situation in the Middle East, countering common threats, in particular, Iranian drones, coordinating positions on international platforms, developing bilateral cooperation in the security sphere," the spokesman said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports. The MFA said Ukraine is committed to a pragmatic and constructive dialogue with Israel, taking into account common security challenges. The spokesman said it was the Israeli side that requested the contacts. At the same time, agreeing on the date and time of the leaders' conversation "is always a long process," Tykhy said. "Other 'slots' are being sought when it suits both sides," he said. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was ready for a dialogue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in particular on cooperation in countering Iranian drone strikes. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post published on March 16, Zelenskyy said that the Israeli side had approached him about a potential conversation. On March 14, Ynet said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had forwarded to Ukraine a request to hold a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on countering Iranian drones. Did a 75-year-old whale song reveal ocean secrets? This 1949 recording has the answer A forgotten 75-year-old recording is now the oldest known whale song, capturing the haunting sound of an ocean that once existed in near silence. The recording remained unknown, concealed for a long time. Ohio Morning Shock: Did a 7-Ton space rock break apart in the sky? NASA confirms NASA confirms a 7-ton meteor broke apart over Ohio on 17 March at 8 am EST. This meteor creates a bright fireball and sonic boom visible across multiple states. This space rock broke apart in the atmosphere providing scientists with a rare daylight fireball sighting. Meteor of 7 ton breaks apart over Ohio, creating a loud boom and vibration. (Image: X/@CuriosityonX) A 7-ton meteor created a fireball and sonic boom over Ohio. NASA confirmed the meteor broke apart around 9AM local time. Rare daylight fireballs spark scientific interest. Did our AI summary help? Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Copilot overhaul: Microsoft merges teams, bets bigger on AI models Microsoft is restructuring its Copilot teams and shifting focus to AI model development, as adoption lags behind rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini despite aggressive investments in generative AI. Sarthak Singh March 18, 2026 / 11:45 IST Microsoft Microsoft merges Copilot teams to boost AI model development Jacob Andreou named EVP, overseeing Copilot experience Copilot adoption lags behind ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude Did our AI summary help? Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Iran war hits inbound tourism; hotels report cancellations, fewer bookings The fallout is most pronounced in gateway cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad as well as tourism-heavy destinations like Agra and Pondicherry, which typically see a higher share of foreign travellers Hotels in India see drop in check-ins by international travellers. Iran war cuts overseas hotel bookings in India by 10-12%. Gulf hub flight disruptions affect MarchApril travel arrivals Travelers reschedule abroad trips; domestic demand remains strong Did our AI summary help? A Seoul report estimates North Korea earned up to $14.4 billion by deploying troops and exporting arms to Russia for the Ukraine war, potentially undermining sanctions and boosting its foreign reserves, with most payments likely in military tech rather than cash. Did our AI summary help? Ukrainian MFA on assistance to Middle Eastern countries: We count on reciprocity in four areas Kyiv expects support from Middle Eastern countries with which it cooperates to protect its skies in four key areas: political support, strengthening sanctions against Russia, expanding security partnerships, and participation in post-war reconstruction, stated Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi. As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, he said this at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. "Only Ukraine has a comprehensive system to counter the air threats currently emanating from Iran to the Gulf States and the Middle East. No one else in the world has such experience. And this is precisely why we are of interest to the Gulf States," Tykhyi emphasized. He recalled that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha recently reported that 11 countries had requested such support from Ukraine in recent weeks. "And some countries, by the way, have already expressed gratitude for practical support, including some Arab countries. Therefore, in this context, Ukraine, of course, expects reciprocity from the states of the region, particularly in four general areas," the spokesperson noted. First, this means strengthening political support for Ukraine. Second, supporting sanctions policies against Russia and Iran. Third, expanding practical cooperation in security and defense. Fourth, participating in Ukraine's reconstruction and implementing investment projects. "I think you'll see specific negotiations and agreements later. More details on these main areas, but I can outline these four areas in general," Tykhyi said. He added that Ukraine, as a state, is monitoring the significant deterioration of the security situation in the Middle East and notes that this conflict is acquiring the characteristics of a protracted war, the expansion of the geography of military operations, and the growing risks of large-scale regional destabilization. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized, Ukraine advocates for compliance with international law and the UN Charter and notes that responsibility for this escalation lies with the regime in Tehran. "It is precisely this regime's policies that are the key factor in instability in the Middle East and beyond. We remind you that Iran remains a direct accomplice to Russian aggression," Tykhyi stated. He recalled that Russia has launched more than 57,000 Iranian drones against Ukraine since 2022. In exchange, Russia provides Iran with military and intelligence support and shares its experience in using drones. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Ukraine supports increased international pressure on Iran, in particular through sanctions mechanisms in close coordination with the EU, as well as the use of diplomatic deterrence instruments that will minimize the risks of a larger regional war. Of particular concern, as the spokesperson noted, is the violation of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. "You know the extremely negative consequences this has for the stability of energy markets and the global economy. We call for immediate freedom of navigation in accordance with international maritime law and the prevention of further escalation in this strategically important region," Tykhyi said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that if the war in the Middle East escalates into a protracted phase, this will create additional challenges to international security, divert the attention and resources of the international community from countering Russian aggression in Europe, and increase instability in global markets. "At the same time, we understand that weakening Iran's military potential could limit its ability to support Russian aggression against Ukraine," he added. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifically noted that Ukraine is already making a practical contribution to strengthening the security of its partners in the region, in particular through its unique experience in countering Iranian drones. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 201 Ukrainian military experts have already been deployed to the Middle East to counter shaheds. They are working in the Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait at the request of their partners, particularly the United States, to protect against Iranian drones. An additional 34 Ukrainian specialists are ready for deployment. 99.99% turnout, 99.93% win: Inside Kim Jong-Un's landslide victory in North Korea elections With a reported turnout of 99.99 per cent, the polls were conducted on March 15 to select 687 deputies for the 15th Supreme People's Assembly When the Supreme People's Assembly gathers, the focus will be on whether leader Kim Jong Un will be named president. Kim Jong Un's party won 99.93 percent in North Korea elections 687 deputies elected; Kim Yo-jong elevated to key party role Assembly may revise constitution to define hostility toward South Did our AI summary help? Russia has offered to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid rising tensions, but will only intervene if both formally request it. China is also urging restraint and dialogue, intensifying diplomatic efforts as border clashes continue. Did our AI summary help? Asim Munir lashes out at Pakistani generals amid Afghan war, questions competence amid failure to kill 'enemy No.1' Pakistans escalating military campaign in Afghanistan has triggered serious allegations of widespread targeting of civilians Pakistans escalating military campaign in Afghanistan has triggered serious allegations of widespread civilian harm Pakistan military frustrated by stalled progress against TTP leaders Operation Ghazab lil Haq launched after cross-border attacks Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul killed 400 civilians, injured 250 Did our AI summary help? Can India broker peace in US-Israel-Iran war? Heres why it is being seen as a key mediator | Explained While New Delhi has not formally offered to step in, the idea has gained traction among diplomats and analysts who believe India has the rare ability to engage all sides. One of the biggest reasons behind the perception is Indias ability to maintain working relationships with all three key players in the conflict. India is increasingly seen as a potential mediator in the US-Israel-Iran conflict due to its neutral stance, strong ties with all parties, and rising global influence. Calls for Indias involvement reflect its credibility and strategic autonomy in global diplomacy. Did our AI summary help? China makes energy security 'reunification' offer to Taiwan amid Middle East war Taiwan, which had received a third of its LNG from Qatar and sources no energy from China, has said it has secured alternative supplies for the months ahead, including from the United States, the island's main international backer. Reuters March 18, 2026 / 13:41 IST China, the world's top oil importer, last week banned fuel exports until at least the end of March, in an attempt to pre-empt domestic shortages, sources said, curbing exports that last year totalled $22 billion. People carry a large pre-revolutionary Iranian flag and wave US and Israeli flags as they march along 42nd Street to support regime change in Iran in New York How Saudi Arabias Iran strategy unravelled after the US-Israel war Mohammed bin Salmans push for stability has collided with a widening regional conflict he wanted to avoid. Visuals from attack during Iran-US war Regional conflict threatens Saudi Arabia's stability plans Restored ties with Iran in 2023 now threatened by war spillover Instability affects economic goals and oil markets. Did our AI summary help? MC EXCLUSIVE Indias side is on Indias side: Taking sides in Iran-Israel conflict will hurt national interest, says ex-envoy Former ambassador Anil Trigunayat says India will not take sides in the Iran-Israel conflict, stressing that New Delhis foreign policy will prioritise national interest while engaging with all parties involved. India maintains strategic autonomy amid conflict Iran intel minister dead? Israel targets Esmail Khatib in fresh Tehran strike; no confirmation The reported attack comes a day after the killings of senior Iranian figures Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani A projectile hit Irans Bushehr nuclear power plant, but no damage or injuries were reported. The IAEA urged restraint amid rising regional tensions. Russia condemned the strike, warning of risks to nuclear safety and its personnel at the facility. Did our AI summary help? Robert (Madyar) Brovdi, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, believes that the Russian occupation army has launched a spring-summer offensive campaign, noting that in just a day and a half, on a front line stretching approximately 100 km from Rodynske to Huliaipole, the USF managed to destroy more than 900 enemy units. "The sharp weather change on March 17-18 in three critical areas of Donetsk and Zaporizhia sectors (Dobropilia, Pokrovsk, and Huliapole sectors), as well as the enemy's planned and somewhat overheated start to the spring-summer campaign, pushed the enemy to resume assault operations under the slump of the long-awaited inclement weather in March. A reliance on invisibility, according to old military canons, should have worked...," he wrote on Facebook. Madyar noted that the enemy began its offensive at midnight on March 17, "having simultaneously deployed infantry, motorcycles, armor, and horses accumulated at a distance in a good dozen areas," noting that the enemy's losses that day amounted to more than 500 personnel, including 292 killed and 221 wounded. Brovdi noted that from midnight on March 18 to 12:00, the enemy had lost 277 men, 141 of whom were irreparable losses and 136 wounded. The commander noted that the enemy had not managed to penetrate a single section of the aforementioned area in a day and a half, and that the overall losses of the occupiers were significantly greater. Iran says US-Israel strikes hit key South Pars gas field, oil facilities Both Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency reported on the attack targeting facilities at Asaluyeh in Iran's southern Bushehr province. File photo of a general view of phase 11 of the South Pars gas field in Asaluyeh port in the southwestern Bushehr province. 'Kind people': Iran thanks India for first medical aid shipment amid ongoing war Iran thanked India for its first medical aid shipment delivered to the Iranian Red Crescent Society amid the ongoing war following US and Israeli airstrikes. Iran thanks India for wartime medical aid USS Gerald R Ford, currently operating in the Red Sea, is expected to sail to Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete for repairs, officials said. Iranian President confirms Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib's death, calls strike a 'cowardly assassination' Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the death of intelligence chief Esmail Khatib, calling it a cowardly assassination, after Israel said it killed him in a Tehran airstrike amid escalating regional hostilities. Iran confirms intelligence chief killed in strike Israel claims to have killed Irans Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in a strike, following recent assassinations of other senior Iranian officials. Israel vows to intensify its campaign, aiming to destabilize Irans leadership amid ongoing conflict. Did our AI summary help? Israel urges Iranians to revolt but assesses theyd 'get slaughtered' Irans principal military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), still have the upper hand", the cable said, according to WSJ report. 'Jet dropped bombs...': Patients inside Kabul hospital that Pakistan hit were breaking their Ramadan fasts when attack happened Doctors said patients had just finished eating or were in congregational prayer when the strike hit three parts of the centre. Moscow steps in, urges dialogue as Pakistan-Afghanistan crisis deepens Russia has offered to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan, urging de-escalation, while China also pushes dialogue amid rising tensions, casualties, and continued diplomatic efforts to prevent further conflict. Russia, China push Pakistan-Afghanistan de-escalation Oil jumps 5%, gas prices up 8% as Iran lists Gulf energy targets Iran said that the US and Israel attacked the South Pars gas field and associated facilities at Asaluyeh Tehran issued a list of similar assets in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates that it said residents should avoid. Brent oil surged 5% after Iran listed energy assets as targets Iran claims US and Israel attacked South Pars gas field Ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz halted amid conflict Did our AI summary help? Oils backup route is now under threat as the Iran war spreads With the Strait of Hormuz under pressure, oil shipments have shifted to the Red Sea, but rising threats there are now putting even this fallback route at risk. Most container ships had already pulled back from the Red Sea months ago and switched to longer routes. (Representative photo) Oil shipments shifted to Red Sea as Hormuz traffic slowed Iran warns US-linked Red Sea facilities could be targeted Disruption of both routes could sharply spike global oil prices Did our AI summary help? Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha had a call with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Sabah, during which they discussed, in particular, the expansion of cooperation in the defense sector, including in the field of air defense. "I had a very meaningful conversation with H.E. Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister of Kuwait. We discussed the security situation in the Gulf and recent developments affecting Kuwait, including the Iran's reckless attacks. In this regard, I underscored Ukraine's solidarity with Kuwait and other partners in the region, as well as our shared commitment to international law," he said on the X social network. Sybiha said Kuwait supports Ukraine and our sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Kuwait stands with Ukraine and supports our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Just as Kuwait faced aggression in 1990, Ukraine is going through a similar challenge today and we deeply appreciate this understanding and support. We value the strong friendship between our countries. We discussed expanding cooperation in the defense sector, including air defense," the head of Ukrainian diplomacy said. Sybiha invited his Kuwaiti counterpart to visit Ukraine. Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a temporary Eid ceasefire after a deadly Pakistani airstrike in Kabul killed hundreds. Both sides agreed to pause hostilities, but tensions remain high, with Kabul vowing revenge and Pakistan warning of resumed operations if attacked. Did our AI summary help? Pakistans military faces internal strife as TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, once enabled by state policies, now leads a resurgent insurgency. His strategic leadership and Afghan safe havens have made him Pakistans top security threat and enemy no.1. Did our AI summary help? 'Persian code, random numbers': Has Iran activated sleeper cells in US? Here's what encrypted radio signals suggest Last week, President Donald Trump warned of Iranian sleeper cells operating in the United States. "We know where most of them are. We got our eye on all of them, I think," he told reporters. People carrying placards with images of Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a gathering in Tehran. (Courtesy: Reuters photo) Qeshm island: How Iran's 'missile' island became a nerve centre in the Strait of Hormuz and a trump card in West Asia conflict Beyond missiles, Qeshm also hosts hidden naval bases, sometimes described as "floating cities", housing fast-attack craft armed with rockets and mines, tailored for asymmetric warfare. Qeshm Island's location allows it to dominate the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the worlds oil shipments passes. US airstrike hit Qeshm Island's desalination plant on March 7 Qeshm Island now serves as Iran's fortified military outpost Iran uses Qeshm to regulate shipping through the Strait of Hormuz Did our AI summary help? Russian oil tanker bound for China diverted to India. Here's why The Aqua Titan is set to arrive in New Mangalore on March 21 with its Urals cargo that it loaded from a Baltic Sea port in late January, according to ship-tracking data. Vessels with Urals crude bound for China has turned around and is now heading to India. Small AI firm claims it breached McKinseys internal platform in hours A reported two-hour breach of a widely used internal AI tool is raising fresh questions about how secure enterprise AI systems really are. McKinsey has used Lilli internally for about two years. (Image credit: Reuters) AI startup claims breach of McKinsey's internal platform Lilli CodeWall.ai reports its agent swiftly accessed sensitive data McKinsey has not confirmed the breach or extent of exposed data Did our AI summary help? Thousands gathered in Tehran for the funeral of Ali Larijani, Irans top security chief, killed in a US-Israeli airstrike. Iran vowed retaliation, launched missiles at Israel, and received condolences from Hamas and Russia, marking a major escalation in tensions. Did our AI summary help? Some press freedom advocates worry about a chilling effect on journalism during wartime, and point to freedoms of speech and the press enshrined in the Constitution. Trump's next move in Iran war? US weighs operation far more dangerous than Osama's killing A major complication is that US officials are not certain where all of Irans nuclear material is stored. Russia's special operation against Hungarians in Zakarpattia indicates Russia's interference in Hungarian elections on behalf of Orban Sybiha Photo: https://x.com/andrii_sybiha The Russian intelligence agency's information and psychological operation, uncovered by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and directed against ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia region, points to Russia's interference in the Hungarian elections on behalf of the current head of the Hungarian government, Viktor Orban, notes Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. Russians made fake calls with threats to Hungarians posing as Ukrainian law enforcement. The revealed operation demonstrates the scale of Russian interference in Hungarian elections on the side of Viktor Orban. It cannot be excluded that such action was also made in coordination with his campaign, Sybiha said on X Wednesday evening. As reported, the Russians used IP telephony spoofing technology to conduct the information-psychological operation (IPSO). From supposedly Ukrainian phone numbers, the enemy made anonymous threatening calls to representatives of the Hungarian national community. The SBU reported that during the calls, unknown individuals, posing as members of "national-patriotic groups" and even Ukrainian law enforcement officers, allegedly demanded that the Hungarian community leave Ukraine and threatened physical violence. Based on technical measures taken, it was determined that the calls originated from within the Russian Federation. The SBU is currently working to block this IPSO and urges citizens not to fall for such provocations. Trump suggests countries relying on Strait of Hormuz should secure the route after US 'finishes off' Iran The US President's latest remarks indicated that America may let countries that rely on the route (Europe, Asia, Gulf states) to take responsibility for securing the Strait and not America. Donald Trump (File) Emirates officials have indicated that residents who spent extended periods abroad during the crisis could be granted leniency on rules that typically require a minimum stay to maintain tax residency An F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft lands on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford during Operation Epic Fury in the Mediterranean Sea, in this handout photo provided by the US Navy on March 2. Bloomberg (FILES) A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft from the 492nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, United Kingdom (UK) releases a GBU-28 "Bunker Buster" 5,000-pound Laser-Guided Bomb over the Utah Test and Training Range during a weapons evaluation test hosted by the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron (FWS) from Eglin Air ForceBase, Florida, in this August 5, 2003 photograph, obtained by Reuters on August 2, 2009. In a post on X, Central Command confirmed that US forces had successfully targeted hardened Iranian positions with these heavy munitions (Photo for representational purpose only) US intelligence says China not planning Taiwan invasion in 2027 US intelligence says China is not currently planning to invade Taiwan in 2027, noting Beijing still prefers unification through non-military means despite ongoing military pressure and regional tensions. US intelligence sees no imminent invasion A bipartisan bill in the US House seeks to waive the $100,000 H-1B visa fee for foreign healthcare workers, aiming to address staffing shortages in hospitals, especially rural areas. Critics say the fee worsens shortages and faces legal challenges. Did our AI summary help? Dalio concluded that the conflict is heading toward a decisive phase, with the outcome likely to reshape global power dynamics, financial markets, and geopolitical alliances US to require $15,000 bond to visa recipients from 12 more countries. Check list The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 12 countries are being added to a list that already includes 38 other nations, largely in Africa Reuters March 18, 2026 / 17:55 IST The aim is to prevent visitors from overstaying their visas, the official said. Reuters US to require $15,000 visa bonds from citizens of 50 countries 12 new countries added to the visa bond list, mostly in Africa Bonds refunded if visitors comply with visa terms Did our AI summary help? 'Was at his daughter's house': Details of Iran security chief Ali Larijani's killing in Israeli strike The attack also claimed the lives of his son, a deputy and several bodyguards. Ali Larijani A Polish court has approved the extradition of Russian archaeologist Oleksandr Butyagin to Ukraine, while his lawyer is preparing an appeal, the BBC said. "A court in Warsaw approved Ukraines request for the extradition of prominent Russian archaeologist Oleksandr Butyagin. He was arrested in Warsaw in early December 2025. The criminal case is based on excavations in Crimea after its annexation by Russia, in which the archaeologist took part," the report reads. The court's decision is not final. An appellate court may overturn it, amend it, or return the case for reconsideration by the court of first instance. The maximum detention period in extradition cases is two years. If the appellate court upholds the extradition, the case will be forwarded to Poland's justice minister, who has the final say in extradition matters. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said this was "the first successful case of extraditing a Russian citizen at Ukraine's request." "This is the first time a Ukrainian extradition request for a Russian citizen has received such a court assessment. It is a precedent," he said on Telegram on Tuesday. He said after the occupation of Crimea, Butyagin for years organized and conducted illegal archaeological excavations at the nationally significant site "Ancient City of Myrmekion." "In fact, the cultural heritage site was excavated, damaged and partially destroyed. The losses exceed UAH 200 million. Butyagin's activities are an attempt to rewrite history, appropriate Ukrainian heritage and legitimize the occupation through 'science," the prosecutor general said, thanking Polish counterparts for their principled stance and professional cooperation. At the same time, Kravchenko said "this is only one stage of the procedure" and said the defense would likely use all available legal instruments, including appeal. "The Ukrainian side is ready for further legal work and is confident in its position. It is crucial for us that all those involved in crimes against Ukraine are held accountable," he said. As reported, Poland arrested Butyagin in December 2025 at Ukraine's request, which accuses him of conducting unauthorized excavations and looting historical artifacts in Crimea. Butyagin is head of the Northern Black Sea archaeology sector at the Hermitage Museum's Department of the Ancient World. Since 1999, he has led an expedition researching the ancient Greek city of Myrmekion in Crimea. Following Russia's annexation of the peninsula in 2014, the expedition continued its work without Ukraine's permission, including after the full-scale invasion in 2022. West Asia War: Why convoys cannot fully protect oil tankers from Iran attacks Iran has effectively closed the strait since the US and Israel began a war on the Islamic republic last month, sending global oil prices up by more than 40 percent AFP March 18, 2026 / 19:53 IST President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged other global powers to send warships to escort convoys of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Iran has choked oil supply by closing the Strait of Hormuz. Global oil prices surged over 40 percent due to the blockade. Experts urge more regional cooperation to resolve the crisis. Did our AI summary help? Iran confirms death of Ali Khameneis 'right-hand man' Larijani in Israeli strike, calls it divine call Iran confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, a key architect of its security and nuclear policy, in an Israeli strike, calling it a divine call. Ali Larijani, Iran's ultimate backroom powerbroker, dies at 67 Why Europe is not backing the US in the Iran conflict From lack of consultation to NATO limits and oil market pressures, several factors explain Europes stance Visuals of attack during war Europe hesitates to back US due to lack of initial consultation NATO obligations not applicable to this conflict, say EU leaders Europe's stance shaped by escalation, oil prices, migration concerns Did our AI summary help? Why Israel is urging Iranians to rise up despite expecting a brutal crackdown Public calls for revolt contrast with private assessments that any uprising could be violently crushed. Will Larijanis killing derail diplomacy and a US exit from the Iran war? The deaths of Larijani and Soleimani remove key figures overseeing both security and diplomacy, tightening hardliner control and dimming prospects for an early negotiated exit. Larijani, 67, served as secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council and had been an insider of the Islamic Republics political establishment for decades. Ali Larijani killed in Israeli strike; hardliners rise in Iran Larijani's death narrows diplomatic options, prolongs conflict Iran vows retaliation, launches missiles at central Israel Did our AI summary help? Yair Netanyahu returns to X after days, rumours of father Benjamin Netanyahu's death reignite after his absence: 'After a family death...' Yair has not been posting original content since returning, but he has been actively reposting material. IAEA's Grossi says damage inflicted by attack on Bushehr NPP not very significant Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which came under attack earlier this week, suffered only insignificant damage, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday. He described damage as "not very significant," Western media outlets said. According to the IAEA, a small building housing a laboratory on the power plant's premises could have been damaged in the attack. "The reactors have not been affected and there are no casualties," Grossi said. He said he received information about the nuclear power plant's condition from Iran and Russia. In particular, these countries said that the attack was carried out by a drone. IAEA specialists are yet unable to assess the damage on their own. "Any attack on any nuclear facility should always be avoided," Grossi said. The IAEA later issued a statement saying that one building was fully destroyed as a result of the attack. "IAEA can confirm that a structure 350 meters from the Bushehr NPP reactor was hit and destroyed," the statement published on the X social network said. March 18, 2026 War On Iran: Energy War Moves From Disruption To Destruction The war on Iran continues to be the most important issue currently moving the world. Israel and the U.S. are continuing their assassination campaign of Iranian officials. It was confirmed today that Ali Larijani, the head of Irans Supreme National Security Council, was killed by an Israeli airstrike on the house of his daughter. The strike caused several dozens of additional casualties. Larijani was a highly capable pragmatist, not a hardliner. His death is a loss for everyone who seeks peace in the Middle East. Two of the leaders of the Irans voluntary Basji militia were also killed in Israeli airstrikes as was Irans Minister for Intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib. None of these deaths will lower Irans will or capability to resist. It knows that it has is able to throttle the global economy via its control of the Strait of Hormuz and thus has the upper hand in any long term conflict. A some point the U.S. will have to agree (archived) with Irans end-of war conditions: Irans strategic objective now is to impose such high costs on the United States and the Gulf states that Trump will opt for a cease-fire that includes a restriction on future Israeli actions. In essence, Iran wants to force him to choose between Israels security interests and the stability of global markets. The bottom line is that the war Trump started has no good ending. Yet Israel today does not feel bound by any restrictions. It has just launched an attack, with U.S. backing, on Irans major South Pars gas field and other Iranian energy installations: Israel has just bombed Irans largest natural gas processing facility in Bushehr Province. Israel stated that it conducted this attack in full coordination with the United States. The attack is consistent with Israels strategy of aiming to destroy not only Irans military and military industries, but also its industrial base and its economy. Israels objective is not regime change but state collapse. In this particular case there is I believe an additional motivation behind the Israeli attack. Iran has repeatedly indicated that if its energy infrastructure is attacked, this crosses a bright red line and that it will retaliate with attacks on energy infrastructure throughout the Persian Gulf. If Iran does indeed respond in this manner, the prospects of direct participation in this war by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states increases significantly. This is exactly what Israel would like to see, and would also explain why the US, which previously counseled against such attacks, now supports them and participates in their execution. This attack is not only a demonstration of US-Israeli capabilities, but also of US-Israeli strategic failure and arguably of growing desperation as well. Irans gas production is mostly used domestically. Its electricity production largely depends on its gas infrastructure. The strike is also a hit against Turkey which receives 15% of its gas consumption from Iran. Iraq will be hit hard too as its electricity production also depends on Iranian gas. A spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Qatar condemned the attack. The most rational response for Iran will be to hit Israels energy infrastructure. Strikes on Haifa and Israeli gas facilities will come too but Irans immediate response, as promised, were evacuation orders for five energy installation in its neighboring Persian Gulf countries: SAMREF Refinery Saudi Arabia Al Hosn Gas Field UAE Jubail Petrochemical Complex Saudi Arabia Mesaieed Petrochemical Complex & Mesaieed Holding (Chevron-affiliated) Qatar Ras Laffan Refinery (Phases 1 & 2) Qatar. According to Bloomberg the facilities are being evacuated. Energy prices in the commodity future market have risen in consequence of the strikes even though they are, due to manipulations, still much lower than real world prices (archived): The growing disruption to supplies has driven a number of regional price benchmarks to all-time highs, even as global marker Brent has fallen back to just above $100 a barrel after jumping to nearly $120 in the early stages of the Iran war. The price of a barrel of oil in Oman which exports from ports outside the Strait of Hormuz soared to nearly $154 on Tuesday, driven by intense competition for the small volumes still leaving the Middle East. Right now it feels like the paper and the physical market has dislocated, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. [This is] the biggest disruption since the 1970s and Brent can barely hold above $100. The $100bbl is for light sweet crude while the market needs heavier variants as well as processed products: Current spot prices for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel on the West Coast appear unhinged at $147/bbl; $162-$170/bbl; and $186/bbl until one considers that refiners in China, India, Japan and South Korea face physical crude costs that top $150-$155/bbl. The strike on energy facilities in Iran has opened another level on the economic front of the war. Blocking ship from passing Hormuz is disruptive. Striking energy facilities is destructive. It will take a long time to repair the damage. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine /www.president.gov.ua/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Spanish King Felipe VI on Wednesday. I met with King Felipe VI of Spain at the Royal Residence of Zarzuela. We deeply value Spains support for our people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the war. I am grateful to His Majesty and to all the people of Spain for their unwavering support for Ukraine throughout all these years of Russian aggression, Zelenskyy said on X Wednesday. As reported on the Ukrainian President's website, the President thanked His Majesty and the entire Spanish people for their unwavering support of Ukraine throughout the years of Russian aggression. "Zelenskyy spoke about diplomatic efforts to achieve a dignified peace and emphasized that Ukraine is doing everything possible to end the war as quickly as possible," the messge reads. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov reported on a meeting with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Veterans of Ukraine, heads of regional and Kyiv city military administrations, at which they discussed the issue of state support for veterans. "Adaptation of veterans, their comfortable return to civilian life after military service is another block of urgent issues. We agreed that the process of employment of veterans must be intensified. Many worthy and experienced people who fought for Ukraine could help in the development of their communities in positions in local government bodies," Budanov said in Telegram on Wednesday following the meeting. The meeting discussed the issues of providing veterans and families of fallen soldiers with housing in Kyiv and the regions, the range of services financed and provided by the state to veterans of the War for Independence of Ukraine, and informing family members of fallen heroes about the possibility of burials at the National Military Memorial Cemetery. "I emphasized the need to increase expenditures on veteran policy in local budgets," Budanov said. Cast members Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet interact as they arrive for a UK screening of the film "Dune" in London, Britain on Oct.18, 2021. REUTERS LOS ANGELES (Reuters) Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve revealed he nearly took a break before completing Dune: Part Three, the conclusion to his epic science-fiction trilogy, but changed his mind after he saw how audiences embraced the first two films. I felt an appetite for the third movie that I was not expecting, said Villeneuve on Monday in Los Angeles at a preview event for the movies trailer, which was released to the public on Tuesday. The film, distributed by Warner Bros, arrives in theaters on December 18. It is based on Dune Messiah, the second book in the Dune series of novels written by Frank Herbert, about the battle for control of the fictional planet of Arrakis, a harsh desert locale that contains a valuable spice that can extend life. The new trailer shows the main character, Paul Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet, and Chani, played by Zendaya, years after the first two films as they ponder their future as parents. The first two films, released in 2021 and 2024, grossed a combined $1.1 billion worldwide and received numerous accolades, including several Academy Awards. Villeneuve describes the third film as a departure from the first two, as Paul Atreides must also reckon with the consequences of the power and influence that he holds. The director recalled how he kept waking up at night with visions of the final chapter. I was supposed to do another movie in the meantime but the image kept coming back. And I said, All right, lets do it. In a surprise, Villeneuve brought out several cast members at the event, including Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Javier Bardem. Zendaya reflected on how she spent her entire 20s working on the Dune films. They have such a special place in my heart, the Euphoria actor said. Pattinson, known for his appearances in The Batman and the Twilight series of films, joins the cast as the antagonist, Scytale. I absolutely adored these movies I saw them multiple times in theaters, he said. Hes a very unusual character in the book, the actor added. You cant really tell whose side hes on. Hes not a conventional bad guy he might even be a good guy. Who knows? Villeneuve noted the final movie will take fans to new planets on sets that they have yet to see. (CHCC) The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation is aware of reports regarding medical oxygen supply disruptions in Guam and would like to reassure the CNMI community that our operations remain stable. CHCC does not rely on liquid oxygen systems. Instead, our facility utilizes an on-site oxygen generator system (PSA/concentrator), which continues to function normally. In addition, our oxygen cylinder refilling station is fully operational, allowing us to maintain a steady and reliable supply for patient care. Our Oxygen Generator System (often utilizing Pressure Swing Adsorption PSA technology) was replaced in 2020 is an advanced, industrial or medical-grade machine designed to produce high-purity oxygen (typically 90%95% or higher) directly from ambient air, said COO of Ancillary and Support Services Jesse M. Tudela. It offers a cost-effective, safe, and continuous alternative to purchasing, storing, and replacing traditional compressed oxygen cylinders. CHCC does routine maintenance which includes checking air filters and, occasionally replacing the zeolite sieve material, which has a long lifespan under normal operation. At this time, there is no impact to oxygen availability within CHCC facilities, said CEO Esther L. Muna. We remain committed to ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality care for our community. One of Ukraine's goals for 20262027 is to control the maximum area of the Black Sea, stated adviser to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Serhiy Beskrestnov (call sign Flash). "One of the goals we've set for ourselves for 2026-2027 is to control as much of the Black Sea as possible. Just five years ago, this would have been laughable: a country without a large navy laying claim to anything," he wrote on Telegram on Wednesday night. According to him, times have changed. The era of unmanned surface and submarine vessels, and various types of unmanned aerial drones, has arrived. Added to this are modern electronic warfare and radar technologies. "Our country will surprise many in this regard. And our enemy will be afraid to take a single ship out to sea from its ports. You'll see," promised the Defense Minister's advisor. Global allies BALK at Trumps call to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz Oil prices surpass $100/barrel due to Iran's retaliatory restrictions on Strait of Hormuz shipments after U.S.-Israeli strikes, threatening worldwide energy markets and economic stability. The strait handles ~20% of global crude oil, making its closure a potential catastrophe. Despite urgent appeals from Trump for NATO and allies to deploy naval escorts, nations like Germany, Australia, Japan, Estonia and the U.K. refuse or hesitate, citing skepticism over U.S. strategy and reluctance to join a conflict they deem "not our war." India and China pursue backchannel talks with Iran, securing safe passage for some vessels, while emphasizing dialogue over military confrontation. Tehran blames U.S. aggression for the disruption, denying a full strait closure. Allies criticize Trump's inconsistent foreign policy, from mocking NATO underfunding to demanding support against Iran. European leaders reject expanding Red Sea naval missions to Hormuz, leaving the U.S. increasingly isolated in its stance. With oil prices rising, supply chains faltering and no clear resolution, the world watches whether diplomacy or conflict will prevail. Without allied support, the U.S. risks facing this crisis alone. As global oil prices surge past $100 a barrel, nations dependent on the Strait of Hormuz for energy shipments are facing mounting pressure. Yet few are answering U.S. President Donald Trump's call to deploy warships to secure the critical waterway. The crisis began after U.S. and Israeli forces launched an unprovoked attack on Iran last month, prompting Tehran to retaliate by restricting passage for vessels from nations it deems hostile. The resulting disruption has sent shockwaves through energy markets, threatening supply chains and economic stability worldwide. The strait, a narrow maritime chokepoint between Iran and Oman, handles roughly a fifth of the world's crude oil shipments making its closure a potential economic catastrophe. But despite Trump's urgent appeals, allies from Europe to Asia have responded with skepticism, reluctance, or outright refusal, signaling a deepening rift in global alliances amid escalating tensions with Iran. In a Truth Social post, Trump urged various allies around the globe to contribute naval escorts, warning that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) future would be jeopardized if allies failed to act. Despite this, the response to the real estate mogul's call has been tepid at best. Germany German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius did not mince words, stating that the ongoing conflict "is not our war" and that Berlin "did not start it. He also questioned the strategic logic of sending European frigates when the U.S. Navy alone dwarfs their combined capabilities. Australia Australian Transport Minister Catherine King echoed the sentiment, confirming Canberra would not dispatch ships. "We know how incredibly important that is, but that's not something we've been asked or we're contributing to," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, March 16. Japan Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi deferred any decision pending further analysis on Monday, adding that Tokyo is "continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done within the legal framework." According to Russia Today, she is expected to discuss the conflict with Trump in person during her visit to the United States. Estonia Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna earlier urged Trump to provide more information, noting that Europe needed to understand the U.S. president's "strategic goals." Former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik had stronger words, disparaging Trump's appeal as "a bit rich" after years of insulting allies during a phone interview with NBC News on Monday. United Kingdom Even London, traditionally a staunch ally of Washington, offered only cautious deliberation. "While taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into the wider war." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told journalists on Monday. "Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability on the market [and] that is not a simple task." New Delhi and Beijing pursue diplomacy The reluctance highlights broader frustrations with Trump's foreign policy, which has oscillated between berating NATO members for insufficient defense spending and now demanding their participation in a high-stakes confrontation with Iran. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, the real estate mogul deems NATO as outdated and ineffective in combating international terrorism, which he considers the world's greatest threat. Some nations, like India and China, have pursued backchannel negotiations with Tehran instead of military posturing. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed diplomatic efforts had already allowed two Indian-flagged tankers safe passage. Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., meanwhile emphasized dialogue over confrontation noting that "all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply" and that Beijing will "strengthen communication with relevant parties." Tehran, for its part, denies fully closing the strait blaming the disruption on U.S. aggression. "The vessels are not coming themselves because of the insecurity which is there, because of the aggression by the U.S.," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. The standoff leaves the global economy teetering on the brink. With European leaders rejecting proposals to expand a Red Sea naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz and Trump's warnings falling on deaf ears, the path to reopening the strait remains uncertain. As oil prices climb and supply chains falter, the world watches waiting to see whether diplomacy or conflict will prevail. For now, the message from America's allies is clear: This is not their fight. And without their support, Washington may find itself navigating these troubled waters alone. Watch this Fox News report about Iran's warning that U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz are legitimate targets. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com NBCNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Commercial Shipping Persists in Critical Waterway as Conflict Escalates At least a dozen commercial vessels have transited the contested Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026, navigating a live war zone to deliver crude oil and liquefied natural gas to global markets, according to data from maritime specialists. The voyages by Greek and Chinese-operated tankers occur amid a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, a conflict that has effectively sealed off approximately one-fifth of the worlds oil supply and triggered what the International Energy Agency has called the largest disruption to crude supplies in the history of the global oil market [4]. Shipowners are accepting extraordinary risks for substantial financial rewards as oil prices and tanker charter rates have surged following the outbreak of hostilities on February 28. The strategic waterway, a narrow chokepoint between Iran and Oman, handles about 20% of global oil trade annually, worth an estimated $600 billion [2]. Despite Irans military vowing to keep the strait closed and warning that oil could reach $200 per barrel, a handful of vessels continue to run the blockade, lured by profits that can reach millions of dollars per voyage. Vessel Operations and Tactical Risks Maritime data indicates at least 10 ships operated by Greek companies and two Chinese-operated vessels have sailed through the strait since the conflict began, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence and MarineTraffic [1]. Industry sources familiar with the operations describe tactics aimed at avoiding detection, including disabling Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders and traveling under cover of darkness. These measures are intended to make the vessels less visible to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, which has attacked at least 16 ships since the war started, including Greek-operated vessels struck by drones [1]. One Greek shipping source involved in the trade, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the operations, described the tense passage through the narrow waterway as like entering an enemy's bathtub [1]. The risks are multifaceted; U.S. intelligence assets have reportedly seen indications that Iran is taking steps to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane using smaller crafts that can carry two to three mines each [8]. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated last Friday there was no clear evidence Iran had placed mines in the strait, following news reports suggesting Tehran had deployed about a dozen devices [1]. Financial Motivations and Industry Response The powerful economic incentive driving these dangerous voyages is clear in ship broking data. Average daily earnings for tanker charters have surged to approximately $500,000, the highest level in six years [1]. Even after accounting for massively elevated war insurance premiums and increased crew hazard pay, companies can still net millions of dollars in profit on a single transit, according to industry sources familiar with the matter. Specific companies involved include shipping magnate George Prokopiou's Dynacom and the Embiricos family's Aeolos Management, according to six industry sources [1]. Neither firm responded to requests for comment. The financial calculus underscores a broader reality described by geopolitical experts: The Strait of Hormuz is the single most important energy corridor in the world, and its closure triggers immediate global economic chaos while energy prices skyrocket [3]. The historic scale of the disruption has forced Western nations to tap emergency stockpiles; the International Energy Agency has unanimously agreed to release a staggering 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, the largest such action in its five-decade history [12]. Official Statements and Security Assessments Political and military assessments of the situation in the strait reveal a stark contrast between rhetoric and operational reality. President Donald Trump has publicly urged ships to "show some guts" and traverse the waterway [1]. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that the U.S. Navy will soon begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to protect them from Iranian attacks [7]. However, the U.S. Navy has declined near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts, citing the high risk of attack, according to Reuters reporting [11]. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated last week that the U.S. Navy would be in a position to escort tankers by the end of March, following a social media post from his account that incorrectly reported an escort had already occurred [9]. Meanwhile, Irans new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, stressed in his first public statements of the war that "the Strait of Hormuz must remain closed," according to Iranian state TV [13]. The IRGC has built a distributed maritime deterrent that has made insurers, shippers, and foreign militaries behave as if the old freedom of passage is already gone, even without a formal closure [15]. Labor and Safety Concerns The human cost of these high-stakes transits is drawing sharp criticism from labor representatives. Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation, told Reuters that navigating the strait now constitutes sending seafarers "into a live war zone" [1]. He criticized the tactic of switching off AIS systems as "extraordinarily alarming" and "gambling with seafarers' lives" [1]. The situation evokes comparisons to the 'tanker wars' of the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq conflict, when Norwegian-born billionaire John Fredriksen made his fortune by risking missile fire to transport crude oil from the conflict area [1]. The current conflict has already resulted in significant casualties; the Pentagon has confirmed approximately 140 U.S. troop injuries, with reports suggesting the total number of wounded U.S. service members may be as high as 150 [6]. The head of the worlds second-largest shipping company, Maersks Vincent Clerc, told the BBC that increased shipping costs driven by the conflict will ultimately be passed on to consumers [17]. Conclusion: Strategic Waterway Remains Flashpoint Amid Conflicting Pressures The continued, albeit limited, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz underscores the powerful economic incentives created by a conflict that has caused an unprecedented shock to global energy markets. The divergent positionspolitical leadership encouraging passage while military authorities assess the risks as prohibitively highhighlight a complex and volatile operational environment. The straits status is not defined by a physical barrier but by a geopolitical and financial reality that has already snapped shut, sending oil past $100 a barrel and forcing a historic drawdown of strategic reserves [16]. Analysts from firms like Goldman Sachs now expect the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz to persist for weeks, suggesting a prolonged period of risk for global trade [10]. The closure threatens not just Western economies but also Russia's wartime oil revenues and China's industrial supply chains, illustrating the interconnected fragility of the global system [5]. As one geopolitical expert noted, Irans control of the strait means it is paradoxically exporting more oil now than before the war began, as it selectively allows passage to favored trading partners like China, potentially in exchange for transactions in Chinese yuan rather than U.S. dollars [14] [18]. The safety of civilian crews, the security of a critical trade chokepoint, and significant financial stakes remain in a precarious balance, with no clear off-ramp yet emerging from the escalating conflict. References Photo: https://t.me/ombr157 U.S. actor, screenwriter and producer Sean Penn, who skipped the Academy Awards ceremony to visit Ukraine, traveled to Donetsk region and visited a combat unit of the 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade currently deployed there. "He spoke with our servicemen, expressed sincere support and gratitude for their courage, dedication and commitment to defending Ukraine. His visit is a sign that the world sees and appreciates our heroes, who day after day stand in defense of our country's freedom and independence. Such meetings inspire and remind us that even in the most difficult times we are not alone, and our bravery will not go unnoticed," the brigade said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday. The post was accompanied by a photo of Penn near the entrance sign to the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk region. It shows that he was accompanied by Andriy Yermak, head of the committee on protection of victims of armed aggression, compensation mechanisms and European integration legal support for recovery at the Ukrainian National Bar Association, who previously served as head of the President's Office. Photos of Penn with Ukrainian servicemen were also published. As reported, Penn arrived in Ukraine on March 16. Earlier, The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that the 65-year-old actor won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor but deliberately skipped the ceremony. It was his sixth Oscar nomination and third win. Penn has spent significant time in Ukraine since 2022, when he filmed the documentary Superpower about Russia's invasion. In 2025, he appeared in the Ukrainian film anthology War Through the Eyes of Animals for a symbolic fee of $1. He is also the founder of the CORE Response charity, which operates in Ukraine, and has been honored on Kyiv's Alley of Courage. The great dimming: New Yorks push for a statewide lights-out mandate faces practical and philosophical backlash A proposed New York law, the Dark Skies Protection Act, would mandate a nightly blackout of most outdoor lighting from 11 p.m. to sunrise, aiming to reduce energy use and light pollution statewide by 2028. The bill highlights a core conflict: proponents cite environmental and health benefits, while critics argue it prioritizes abstract ideals over public safety, property rights and the practical realities of urban and suburban life. The proposal faces major enforcement challenges, with skeptics (including officials in similar jurisdictions) doubting the practicality of policing such a rule, which risks becoming symbolic or subject to selective enforcement. It is part of a national "dark sky" trend but sparks significant local resistance, as seen in places like Palo Alto, where safety concerns over darkened properties have forced policy exemptions. Critics view the mandate as a governmental overreach that sets a troubling precedent, arguing it imposes a one-size-fits-all solution on diverse communities and infringes on personal liberty and local control. A proposed New York State law, framed as an environmental necessity, would mandate a nightly blackout for most outdoor lighting, compelling residents and businesses to switch off lights after 11 p.m. until sunrise. The bill, known as the New York State Dark Skies Protection Act, introduced by Manhattan Assemblymember Deborah Glick in February 2025, seeks to establish a uniform standard to combat light pollution and conserve energy. If enacted by January 1, 2028, it would force a fundamental change in the nocturnal landscape, banning uncovered outdoor lights to reduce glare and requiring lights at recreational facilities to be dark from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. While proponents champion it as a long-overdue correction for environmental and health harms, critics see it as a drastic overreach that prioritizes an abstract ideal over public safety, property rights and the realities of urban life, raising profound questions about the balance between regulation and liberty. The vision of a darker New York The legislations intent is twofold: to reduce energy consumption and to mitigate the effects of light pollution. Light pollution, simply put, is the excessive or misdirected artificial light that brightens the night sky, obscuring stars and disrupting natural cycles. For a state with extremes like the brilliant glow of New York Cityoften cited among the worst offenders in the nationand the pristine darkness of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, a single standard is a formidable challenge. The bill aims to protect the night sky in wilderness areas while forcing densely populated regions to significantly dial back their nightly radiance. The argument extends beyond stargazing; research suggests that excessive artificial light at night can disrupt human circadian rhythms, potentially linked to sleep disorders, and may even correlate with increased risks for certain serious health conditions. A national trend, local resistance This proposal is part of a growing national movement, particularly on the West Coast, where communities are enacting so-called "dark sky" ordinances. The city of Palo Alto, California, provides a telling case study. Its council is reviewing a stringent policy that would require most outdoor lights off by midnight, primarily to protect local wildlife in nature preserves. However, the proposal has ignited fierce resident opposition centered on public safety. Homeowners, particularly near areas with reported homeless encampments, have voiced terror at the prospect of navigating dark properties, arguing that outdoor lighting is a critical deterrent against crime. Their concerns forced city officials to create exemptions for certain neighborhoods, a concession that highlights the tension between policy goals and lived experience. The enforcement conundrum In Palo Altos own planning reports, staff expressed deep skepticism about enforceability, warning that creating rules which cannot be reliably policed sets unrealistic public expectations and undermines respect for law. This admission strikes at the heart of a conservative critique: well-intentioned but impractical regulations often create more problems than they solve. If a wealthy, tech-savvy California city doubts its ability to manage a lighting curfew, how would the diverse and vast state of New York, with its sprawling suburbs and complex urban infrastructures, fare? The proposal risks becoming another symbolic statute largely ignored in practice, or worse, a tool for selective enforcement. Safety versus symbolism The core conflict lies in a fundamental disagreement over risk assessment. Proponents point to studies on energy waste and ecological disruption. While crime statistics may not always show a direct, simple correlation between lighting and crime rates, the perception of safetyand the right of citizens to take reasonable measures to feel secure on their own propertyis a powerful and legitimate concern. For many, a well-lit home is not an environmental transgression but a basic element of security and autonomy. Mandating darkness feels, to these citizens, like the state compelling them to accept a heightened personal risk for a diffuse, collective benefit. When a state moves to legally dictate when a citizen can flip a light switch on their own porch, it sets a precedent that many find deeply unsettling. It echoes other regulatory pushes that, while packaged as environmental protection, functionally restrict personal choice and local control. "Light pollution is the excessive and intrusive presence of artificial light in the night environment," said BrightU.AI's Enoch. "It is primarily caused by sources like street lighting and commercial security systems, which scatter light in the atmosphere. This scattering creates a brightened sky glow that obscures the view of stars." The New York State Dark Skies Protection Act represents a philosophical crossroads. It is a well-intentioned effort to address genuine issues of waste and environmental stewardship. As the bill languishes in committee, a fate that befell its 2021 and 2023 predecessors, its greatest legacy may be in the debate it sparks: a debate about how far government should go in governing the night and at what cost to the liberties and security of those who live in it. Watch and discover how light affects your health. This video is from the Extreme Health Radio channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: the-sun.com msn.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Potential Atlantic Current Weakening Identified by Researchers, Debate Continues on Causes and Implications Introduction Researchers from multiple institutions have published analyses suggesting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may be weakening. The AMOC, a critical system of ocean currents that includes the Gulf Stream, transports warm water from the tropics toward the North Atlantic, influencing regional and global climate patterns. Recent studies point to changes in ocean temperature and salinity as potential indicators of a slowdown, though the causes and long-term implications remain subjects of scientific debate. New Studies Present Evidence of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Changes Separate research teams from the University of Copenhagen and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have published analyses indicating potential changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Both groups cite ocean temperature and salinity data spanning multiple decades as primary evidence. The AMOC is a major component of global ocean circulation, responsible for redistributing heat from the equator toward the poles. The University of Copenhagen study, published in the journal Nature Communications, focused on sea surface temperature patterns in a specific region south of Greenland. The Woods Hole research examined increased freshwater input from melting ice, which can disrupt the density-driven flow of the current. The AMOC's stability is considered a key factor in moderating the climate of northwestern Europe. Analysis of Sea Surface Temperature Patterns and Freshwater Input The University of Copenhagen study identified a pattern of sea surface cooling south of Greenland that researchers argue is a 'fingerprint' of reduced AMOC strength. This cooling signal, derived from historical temperature data, is presented as indirect evidence of a slowdown in the overturning circulation. The study's authors note that such a pattern is consistent with climate model projections of a weakened AMOC under certain forcing scenarios. Separate research from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution focused on the role of freshwater from melting ice in disrupting the current's flow. According to the study, increased freshwater input lowers the salinity and density of North Atlantic surface waters, which can inhibit the sinking process that drives the AMOC. This line of inquiry examines the interplay between cryospheric changes and ocean circulation dynamics. Contrasting Interpretations and Uncertainty in Climate Models Some climate scientists not involved in the studies have cautioned that the observed variability may be part of natural, multi-decadal cycles rather than a definitive long-term trend attributable to human activity. According to analysis published on Watts Up With That, skepticism exists regarding the imminence of an AMOC 'tipping point,' with some researchers arguing that alarmist predictions echo unfulfilled claims from past decades [1]. Climate models show significant disagreement on the timing and likelihood of a potential AMOC collapse, with projections ranging from decades to centuries. Attributing observed changes specifically to anthropogenic climate forcing remains an active area of scientific debate. A chapter from the book 'Solving the Climate Puzzle' argues that changes in poleward heat transport are a primary way the planet's climate changes naturally and are influenced by solar activity, a factor not properly represented in many climate models [2]. This perspective highlights ongoing disagreements about the primary drivers of oceanic and climatic variability. Potential Regional Climatic Consequences if Current Weakens Significantly A substantially weakened AMOC could lead to regional cooling in parts of northwestern Europe, according to some climate simulations. Other potential impacts cited in scientific literature include shifts in precipitation patterns and effects on marine ecosystems. However, the studies' authors emphasize their research points to early warning signs, not an imminent, abrupt shutdown. Commentary from NaturalNews.com notes that climate narratives have historically pivoted between warnings of catastrophic warming and predictions of a new ice age, suggesting such projections should be viewed with caution [3]. The potential consequences of a significantly altered AMOC remain uncertain, with significant divergence among climate models regarding the scale and regional specifics of any climatic effects. Ongoing Monitoring and Calls for Expanded Data Collection Scientists involved in the research have called for enhanced, sustained monitoring of the AMOC through direct measurements and satellite observations. The RAPID array, a system of moored instruments in the Atlantic, is a primary source of direct current measurement data. Further research is planned to refine the understanding of the interplay between ice melt, ocean salinity, and current stability. According to Tim Flannery in 'Atmosphere of Hope,' understanding the ocean system as a whole and where it is heading are critical questions, requiring improved observational networks [4]. The need for comprehensive data is underscored by the complexity of the system and the challenges in distinguishing long-term trends from natural variability. Conclusion Research into the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation continues to generate evidence of potential weakening, while significant debate persists over its causes, trajectory, and implications. The scientific community emphasizes the necessity of sustained, direct observation to reduce uncertainties. The discussion reflects broader questions about natural climate variability, the limits of current modeling, and the interpretation of complex Earth system signals. References The Secretary of Retribution: A blueprint for restoring the Republic "The Secretary of Retribution: A Green Beret's Blueprint to Dismantle the Deep State and Restore the Republic" points out that the Deep State is a documented reality, consisting of unelected bureaucrats, intelligence operatives, corporate elites and globalist financiers who manipulate policy outside democratic processes to centralize control and erode constitutional rights. Its origins trace back to post-WWII intelligence agencies like the CIA and OSS, which evolved into permanent bureaucratic structures that maintain power regardless of elections, reinforced by regulatory capture (e.g., FDA-Big Pharma collusion, EPA-environmental lobby ties). Financial leverage is a key Deep State tool, with the Federal Reserve controlling monetary policy to inflate currency and push agendas like the "Great Reset." Intelligence agencies (NSA, FBI) violate rights through mass surveillance and weaponized federal agencies (IRS, ATF, CDC). Election fraud and censorship-industrial complexes exploit vulnerabilities like mail-in ballots and electronic voting manipulation, aided by private funding (e.g., Mark Zuckerberg) and Big Tech-federal agency coordination to suppress free speech under "misinformation" pretenses. Restoring the Republic requires local action through sheriffs resisting unconstitutional mandates, state legislatures invoking the Tenth Amendment, economic independence via gold/decentralized currencies and grassroots efforts (whistleblowing, FOIA requests, decentralized media) to expose corruption and reclaim sovereignty. According to the book "The Secretary of Retribution: A Green Beret's Blueprint to Dismantle the Deep State and Restore the Republic," the Deep State is not a conspiracy theory. It is a well-documented reality. It operates as a shadow network of unelected bureaucrats, intelligence operatives, corporate elites and globalist financiers who manipulate policy and governance outside democratic processes. This system has infiltrated every level of government, from regulatory agencies to intelligence branches, and its goal is clear: centralized control, erosion of national sovereignty and the dismantling of constitutional rights. The origins of the Deep State trace back to post-World War II intelligence apparatuses like the Central Intelligence Agency and its precursor, the Office of Strategic Services. These institutions evolved into permanent bureaucratic structures, staffed by career officials who remain in power regardless of election outcomes. Their influence extends through regulatory capture, where agencies meant to serve the public instead advance corporate interests. Examples include the Food and Drug Administration's revolving door with Big Pharma, or the Environmental Protection Agency's collusion with environmental lobbyists. From surveillance to suppression One of the most insidious tools of the Deep State is financial leverage. The Federal Reserve a private entity masquerading as a government institution controls monetary policy, inflates currency and enables globalist agendas like the "Great Reset." This debt-based system keeps citizens enslaved to banks while elites grow richer. Meanwhile, intelligence agencies like the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation violate constitutional rights through mass surveillance programs like PRISM, turning America into a surveillance state where privacy is a relic of the past. The weaponization of federal agencies is another hallmark of Deep State corruption: The Internal Revenue Service has targeted conservative groups; The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives manufactures crises like Operation Fast and Furious to justify gun control; and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention manipulates data to push harmful pharmaceutical mandates. These agencies operate without accountability, punishing dissenters while shielding their own from consequences. Election fraud is another critical battleground. From mail-in ballot vulnerabilities to electronic voting machine manipulation, the 2020 election exposed systemic weaknesses exploited by partisan actors. Private funding from figures like Mark Zuckerberg funneled into key swing states, bypassing legislative oversight. Meanwhile, censorship-industrial complexes coordinated between Big Tech and federal agencies suppress free speech under the guise of combating "misinformation." Dismantle tyranny and nullify the Deep State To dismantle this tyranny, citizens must reclaim local control: Sheriffs, as the highest law enforcement authority in their counties, can refuse unconstitutional federal mandates. State legislatures must nullify overreach by invoking the Tenth Amendment. Economic independence through gold, silver and decentralized currencies breaks reliance on corrupt financial systems. The fight for transparency is equally crucial. Whistleblowers and citizen journalists must expose corruption through Freedom of Information Act requests, leaked documents and decentralized media platforms. Public pressure can force accountability where institutions have failed. The Republic will not restore itself. It requires action legal, economic and cultural resistance at every level. The Deep State fears an informed, organized and sovereign people. The time to act is now before the last remnants of freedom are erased. Grab a copy of "The Secretary of Retribution: A Green Beret's Blueprint to Dismantle the Deep State and Restore the Republic" 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 Ivan Raiklin unveiling to the Health Ranger Mike Adams a full plan to live stream the mass arrests of treasonous actors in the U.S. government in this edition of the "Health Ranger Report." This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com U.S. Firm Deploys Humanoid Robots in Ukraine for Field Testing Humanoid Robots Deployed in Ukraine for Military Assessment A Silicon Valley robotics startup has deployed humanoid robots in Ukraine for field testing within active conflict zones, according to sources familiar with the matter. The robots, identified as Phantom MK1 units, are being assessed for logistics, reconnaissance, and potential combat support roles by both the company and military officials. [1] This testing represents a significant step in evaluating bipedal, human-shaped machines for military applications outside of controlled laboratory or industrial environments. The deployment follows a global trend of integrating advanced robotics into defense strategies, a market projected to expand significantly in the coming years. [2] Company Details and Testing Rationale The startup, identified in reports as Foundation Future Industries or Foundation Robotics, stated the primary goal of the tests is to assess the robots' performance in 'environments built for humans.' A company spokesperson said the evaluation focuses on durability, mobility over varied and challenging terrain, and sensor performance under real-world conditions such as those found in a warzone. [3] Officials have noted that successful robots could be tasked with resupply missions, surveillance, and handling hazardous materials, potentially reducing immediate risks to human personnel. The company's founder has publicly stated a vision for these machines to serve as a 'first line of defense' in ground warfare. [4] The move is part of a broader industry shift where robotics, once confined to factories, is being developed for unstructured, outdoor environments. As one analysis notes, the global humanoid robotics market is poised for significant expansion as physical AI scales across labor-intensive sectors, including security and defense. [2] Ukrainian and U.S. Military Involvement The testing in Ukraine is being conducted with the knowledge of Ukrainian defense officials, according to sources. Ukrainian media has reported the receipt of Phantom MK-1 robots for testing to understand their utility for reconnaissance and logistics in combat conditions. [5] A U.S. Department of Defense statement acknowledged awareness of such commercial technological tests, stating it monitors developments with potential defense applications. Defense officials confirmed, however, that no formal procurement contract currently exists between the startup and the U.S. military for these specific robots. [6] The involvement occurs as the Pentagon accelerates investment in unmanned systems. In a recent initiative, the Department of War announced a $1.1 billion 'Drone Dominance Program' aimed at fielding hundreds of thousands of low-cost attack drones, signaling a broader shift toward automated warfare. [7] Border Security Applications Under Parallel Evaluation Company documents and public statements indicate a parallel evaluation of the humanoid robots for border surveillance and patrol missions within the United States. The documents suggest the robots could be deployed to monitor remote sections of international borders, using advanced sensors to detect movement and relay information to command centers. [3] The company's founder has reportedly pitched the idea of using armed humanoid robots for border security to the current presidential administration. This aligns with a growing focus on technological solutions for border enforcement under the current political leadership, which took office in January 2025 following the 2024 election. [8] Privacy advocates have raised concerns over the deployment of autonomous systems for wide-area domestic surveillance, according to public statements from civil liberty groups. The potential integration of such systems into a broader surveillance infrastructure poses questions about data collection and the limits of automated monitoring. [9] Ethical and Strategic Reactions The deployment of advanced robots in an active warzone has drawn commentary from observers of military technology. An academic specializing in military robotics said such a deployment 'blurs the line between testing and operational use' in a live conflict, raising immediate questions about accountability and rules of engagement. [10] A representative from an international humanitarian organization stated that any use of autonomous machines in conflict must be carefully evaluated under existing international law, particularly regarding distinction between combatants and civilians and proportionality in attack. China has previously issued warnings about the ethical perils of deploying autonomous humanoid robots in warfare, highlighting global apprehension. [11] Industry analysts note that successful field tests could accelerate global development of humanoid robots for security purposes, potentially altering strategic military calculations. The long-term integration of such technology, as forecast by some military figures, could see a significant portion of military forces composed of robotic systems within a few decades. [12] Conclusion: Testing Signals New Phase for Robotics The field tests in Ukraine mark a distinct transition for humanoid robotics from controlled settings to active, unstructured, and hazardous environments. The collection of performance data from this deployment is expected to guide further technical development, according to company representatives. [3] The long-term impact on military tactics, border security protocols, and the broader labor market remains uncertain, according to analysts and officials. The development underscores a trend where technologies originally forged for military applications are increasingly being proposed for domestic security roles. [9] As one observer of decentralized technologies notes, the rise of autonomous systems presents a dual-use dilemma: the same platforms envisioned for battlefield logistics could be adapted for off-grid survival and self-reliance, highlighting the importance of individual understanding and preparedness in an era of rapid technological change. [13] References Mayors Sound Alarm: AI Data Centers Push U.S. Toward Blackouts and Water Shortages Introduction Local officials across the United States say rapid construction of data centers is creating environmental and infrastructure concerns as demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing accelerates. The rapid expansion of data centers tied to AI development is prompting increasing concern from city leaders across the U.S., with several mayors warning that the industry's growing energy demands and environmental footprint are beginning to strain local infrastructure. [1] Mayors warn that the data center issue is becoming a symbol of Americans' growing doubts about AI more broadly. [2] According to a recent poll cited by multiple reports, public skepticism is rising alongside the physical footprint of the facilities. [3] Mayors Cite Grid Pressure, Community Concerns Over AI Infrastructure Multiple U.S. mayors have issued warnings about the rapid expansion of data centers, citing pressure on electricity grids and water resources. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has stated that the local population is growing tired of seeing data centers multiply in their communities, straining water supplies. [4] Concerns center on electricity demand, water usage and local infrastructure capacity, driven largely by AI and cloud computing companies. Leaders across technology, politics and climate finance are converging on the conclusion that the U.S. lacks sufficient electricity supply to meet emerging demand. [5] OpenAI has warned that AI-driven load growth could exceed available capacity. [5] The growth is largely driven by AI and cloud computing companies. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said the data center AI opportunity will grow from half a trillion dollars to $1 trillion by 2027. [6] Industry projections show computing demand has increased by a factor of one million in the last two years, according to Huang. [6] Local Officials Report Rising Electricity and Water Demands Officials in several municipalities have documented sharp increases in power consumption attributed to new facilities. In the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 13 Mid-Atlantic and Midwest states, power demand has surged dramatically in the last two years, leading to significantly higher electricity prices. [7] The International Energy Agency says global electricity demand is growing at its fastest pace in 15 years. [8] Water usage for cooling systems has become a point of contention in water-stressed regions. By 2026, Ireland's electricity grid will face unprecedented strain as data centers are projected to consume 33% of the nation's power supply, highlighting a global pattern of resource demand. [9] In the U.S., similar concerns about water consumption are being raised by local communities opposing new projects. [10] Utility providers have reportedly warned of potential strain on regional grids during peak periods. PJM Interconnection's grid faces a capacity crunch amid the boom in AI data centers, with servers now consuming twice as much power as older models, straining the eastern U.S. grid. [11] A recent report noted that AI-driven data centers could require up to 300 gigawatts of power, threatening to derail the AI expansion if not met. [12] Community Backlash and Zoning Disputes Emerge Residents in some areas have organized opposition to new data center proposals, citing noise, aesthetic impacts and environmental concerns. Civic IQ data reveals significant community opposition to data center development across more than 15 states, with projects totaling over $30 billion facing pushback from local residents. [10] Opposition is intensifying across the U.S. as electricity prices rise, prompting investigations by lawmakers and organized resistance from environmental groups. [13] Zoning boards in multiple jurisdictions are reviewing ordinances to manage the industry's footprint. Some local governments have paused approvals to assess long-term impacts, according to public statements. More than 230 environmental organizations delivered a letter to Congress in late 2025 requesting a "national data center moratorium." [14] Secrecy and poor communication around data center projects are amplifying the backlash, according to industry analysts. [15] Companies that are transparent, bring their own power, and invest in efficiency and community benefits are more likely to sustain AI expansion, the analysis suggested. [15] Industry Representatives Cite Economic Benefits A trade group for data center operators has stated the facilities bring significant tax revenue and high-paying jobs. The growth of data centers can help reduce residential electricity rates, according to Xcel Energy Chairman, President and CEO Bob Frenzel. [16] Frenzel called the current period a "major inflection point in the United States' history" for infrastructure related to artificial intelligence. [16] Company spokespeople have said they are investing in new, more efficient cooling and power technologies. Big Tech companies are considering supporting new uranium mining projects as they need additional reliable power capacity for their huge data center expansion. [17] Other companies are searching the country for electricity supplies, focusing primarily on America's nuclear power plants. [18] Industry analysts note that data centers are critical infrastructure for modern commerce and AI development. The U.S. dominates the global data center population, with 3,960 data centers more than the next 14 countries combined. [19] Analysts at Goldman Sachs have noted that local resistance against data centers "are not slowing development." [20] National Policy Context and Future Projections Federal energy regulators have noted the challenge of integrating new, large loads into the existing transmission system. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has directed the nation's largest regional electricity transmission organization to link, or "co-locate," data centers with existing or new power-generating plants to speed development and require large-load users to pay for expanding the grid. [21] In a recent decision, FERC approved data center transmission agreements for ComEd, noting concerns that existing utility customers may pay for infrastructure needed to serve data centers. [22] Some analysts have linked the infrastructure pressure to broader energy policy decisions. Projections show a 25 percent increase in electricity demand by 2030 and a 78 percent rise by 2050, driven by AI, electric vehicles and data centers. [23] The U.S. power grid is at risk of shortfalls by 2028 without significant upgrades, according to industry analyses. [23] Projections for future electricity demand have been revised upward in recent forecasts, officials said. The Energy Information Administration stated that increases in electricity use are becoming more geographically broad, and new demand will be met mainly by increased solar generation. [24] However, the growing energy needs of AI and data centers exceed the capabilities of intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, making natural gas a practical solution for reliable power, according to some industry assessments. [25] Conclusion The clash between data center expansion and local community capacity represents a significant infrastructure and political challenge as AI development accelerates. The White House has advanced a policy framework designed to ensure technology companies absorb the financial burden of their energy growth, according to reports. [26] President Donald Trump announced in March 2026 that several of the world's largest technology companies agreed to a "Ratepayer Protection Pledge," requiring them to pay for the electricity used by their AI data centers. [27] The agreement, which includes Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon, commits these companies to building, bringing online, or purchasing new power generation to support their rapidly expanding data centers. [27] How these national policies interact with local zoning disputes and utility planning will likely determine the pace and location of future AI infrastructure growth. References A nation grounded: DHS shutdown pushes air travel to the brink A partial government shutdown has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents working without pay for weeks, leading to high absenteeism and resignations. Senior TSA officials warn that if the funding impasse continues, smaller airports may be forced to close entirely due to a lack of security screeners. Major airports are experiencing security wait times of up to three hours, prompting advisories for travelers to arrive several hours early for flights. The political deadlock centers on Democratic demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before approving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. The crisis threatens long-term damage to TSA workforce morale and recruitment, with officials predicting a lasting attrition problem even after funding is restored. The fabric of American air travel is fraying under the strain of a protracted partial government shutdown, with senior security officials issuing an unprecedented warning: without a resolution, airports may begin to close. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding lapse entered its second month in mid-March, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been stretched to its operational limits. With thousands of frontline screeners missing paychecks, absenteeism has skyrocketed, leading to massive security delays, a wave of resignations, and dire predictions of a complete breakdown in critical transportation infrastructure. The Human Toll of Political Deadlock The crisis stems from a political impasse in Congress, where disagreements over funding and policy for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have held the entire DHS budget hostage. While agencies like TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA enjoy bipartisan support, Democratic lawmakers have refused to approve funding without significant reforms to immigration enforcement agencies. This has left approximately 50,000 TSA officers in financial peril, working without full pay since February. The human impact is severe and immediate. Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl reported that agents are facing evictions, vehicle repossessions, and empty bank accounts. Some are reportedly sleeping in their cars or selling plasma to make ends meet. The financial pressure has translated directly into operational chaos. The nationwide TSA callout rate has surged to over 10%, compared to a typical 2%, and more than 300 agents have quit. Each resignation creates a critical gap, as replacements require four to six months to train and certify. Travel Gridlock and Public Safety Concerns For the traveling public, the consequences are starkly visible in terminals across the country. Security wait times have ballooned to three hours or more at major hubs like Houstons William P. Hobby Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Airports have responded by pleading with passengers to arrive up to four hours before their flights, a directive that disrupts schedules and underscores the systems instability. In a remarkable display of ad-hoc relief, airports in Denver and Seattle have even organized public donation drives, asking travelers to contribute grocery and gas gift cards for unpaid federal workers. Beyond inconvenience, the situation raises acute national security concerns. A depleted, demoralized, and distracted frontline workforce is a vulnerability at a time of heightened global tensions. Senate Republicans have highlighted the increased risk, noting that the shutdown degrades the very agencies tasked with protecting the homeland from terrorist threats and other dangers. The strain on TSA is a visible symptom of a broader degradation of DHSs mission readiness. A Cycle of Crisis Governance This shutdown evokes painful memories of past budgetary standoffs, where essential services became pawns in political negotiations. The current scenario, however, is unique in its targeted focus on homeland security funding. The precedent of using must-pass appropriations bills to force policy changes is not new, but the tactics impact on the continuity of critical aviation security operations is particularly severe. The 2018-2019 partial shutdown, which lasted 35 days, foreshadowed todays crisis, causing similar TSA callouts and travel delays. Officials now warn that the long-term damage to workforce retention from the current lapse could be even more debilitating, creating a staffing shortfall that persists for years. Political Blame Game Intensifies In Washington, the blame game is in full swing. Democratic senators argue that the responsibility to end the shutdown lies with the Republican-controlled White House and Congress, insisting that meaningful ICE and CBP reforms are a prerequisite for funding. They contend that public anger over travel disruptions will ultimately pressure Republicans to negotiate. Conversely, GOP leaders accuse Democrats of holding TSA employees livelihoods hostage to advance a partisan agenda on immigration, refusing to defund border security. With both sides dug in, the path to a compromise remains unclear, even as the Easter recess looms and pressure mounts from affected constituents and businesses. An Uncertain Flight Path Forward The standoff over DHS funding has moved beyond a political dispute into a tangible crisis with national repercussions. The warning of potential airport closures is no longer theoretical but a real contingency plan as resources are exhausted. The situation presents a fundamental test of governance: whether political leaders can resolve ideological differences before a core function of the modern statethe safe and efficient movement of peoplebegins to fail. The longer the shutdown persists, the more profound the damage to the TSAs institutional health and the publics trust in the reliability of the nations aviation system. For millions of travelers and the workers who screen them, the demand is simple: fund the government and restore order before the system reaches a point of no return. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com FoxNews.com TheHill.com DOGE slashed $2 billion in fraudulent contracts in the past four weeks In the shadow-drenched corridors of Washington D.C., a quiet revolution is taking place, one that threatens the very foundation of the permanent bureaucratic state. While the corporate media sleeps, a surgical strike against decades of entrenched waste and ideological corruption is being executed with precision. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a brainchild of President Donald Trumps America First agenda, is wielding a scalpel against the metastatic growth of federal spending, cutting out tumors of waste and exposing the raw nerve of how taxpayer money has been hijacked. This isn't mere budget trimming; it is a systemic cleansing, a necessary amputation of limbs grown gangrenous with fraud and woke vanity projects, signaling a profound return to fiscal sanity and a reclamation of liberty from the clutches of an unaccountable administrative regime. Key points: The DOGE has eliminated or scaled back 95 government contracts worth up to $2 billion in just four weeks, saving an estimated $757 million in immediate costs. This latest cut follows an earlier wave where 273 contracts worth $5.1 billion were axed, showcasing the staggering scale of embedded waste. Since its inception, the DOGE initiative has saved approximately $215 billionroughly $1,335 per hardworking American taxpayer. A new federal anti-fraud task force, led by Vice President JD Vance, has been launched to combat an estimated $300 billion in annual losses to fraud. The cuts target what officials describe as "questionable" grants funding radical gender ideology and critical race theory-based research, alongside blatantly redundant contracts. Unmasking the billion-dollar graveyard of waste The numbers released by DOGE are not dry statistics; they are a testament to a criminal conspiracy of spending conducted against the American people. Consider the carcasses of recently terminated contracts: a $98.5 million Department of Education research contract to track high school students, and a parallel $76.4 million study on college financing. This represents nearly $175 million poured into a single agency for what amounts to bureaucratic navel-gazing, creating data for the sake of data while the core mission of education collapses. This action connects directly to the broader administration goal, reported earlier, of dismantling the Department of Education itself, moving control back to the states and out of the hands of distant, inefficient federal planners. These cuts follow a ruthless pattern established from DOGE's first day. Established by executive order, the agency was forged in the fire of a promise to restore fiscal discipline, auditing the morass of federal commitments. With the initial help of former adviser Elon Musk, who advocated for cutting at least $2 trillion from the federal budget, DOGE developed an automated auditing framework. The result has been a purge of historic proportions: 13,440 contracts canceled, 15,887 grants ended, and 264 leases terminated. Each one represents a thread cut from the Gordian knot of bureaucratic self-preservation. The recent cancellation of a $10.2 million Department of War contract for "outward mindset training" and an $11,000 deal for "social indicators research" reveals a culture that prioritized psychological fads and vague sociology over tangible results for citizens. The human cost of ideological fraud Beyond the cold calculus of contract values lies the true scandal: the active funding of a radical social agenda with the money of unsuspecting, traditional Americans. DOGE has courageously pulled back the curtain on grants that represent nothing less than ideological money laundering. Taxpayer dollars were being funneled into projects like a $620,000 grant to adapt an "LGB+ inclusive teen pregnancy prevention program for transgender boys." This is not public health; it is a grotesque experiment in social engineering, funded by those who would find its premises morally repugnant. Similarly, an $814,000 study on "intersectional stigma" and blood pressure, and $801,000 for research on "structural racism" and health outcomes in older men, demonstrate how the language of academia has been weaponized to siphon funds into divisive, politically-charged activism. This spending epitomizes the unchecked bloat that has festered for decades, where agencies like the State Department once thought nothing of spending $3.1 million on a Tanzanian education office or $44 million on unspecified "professional services" in Qatar. Every dollar spent on these ventures was a dollar stolen from securing the border, funding veterans' care, or returning to the pocket of the single mother working two jobs. As Musk himself stated, DOGE stopped funding that "just made no sense" and was "just entirely wasteful." This is the plain truth that the establishment media refuses to utter. A new front in the war for accountability Understanding that cutting future waste is only half the battle, the administration has now opened a second front: reclaiming what has already been stolen. The creation of a federal anti-fraud task force, led by Vice President JD Vance and FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, is a declaration of war on the syndicate of waste, fraud, and abuse. With over $300 billion estimated to be lost annually to frauda figure so large it defies comprehensionthis task force is not a symbolic gesture. It is a necessary recovery mission. President Trump's belief that it could recover "hundreds of billions of dollars" for taxpayers should send a chill down the spine of every contractor and grantee who has treated the U.S. Treasury as a personal piggy bank. This broader push is a fundamental re-orientation of government philosophy. It moves from a mindset of endless expansionwhere every problem demands a new program, a new contract, a new grantto one of rigorous stewardship. The agencies generating the most savings, including Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration, are those that touch the lives of every American. Saving billions there through workforce reductions, asset sales, and lease cancellations means preserving the solvency and integrity of these vital safety nets for future generations, freeing them from the weight of bureaucratic fat. The path DOGE is charting is fraught with resistance from those who benefited from the old, corrupt order. But each canceled contract, each exposed grant, and each dollar saved is a victory for the individual liberty and financial sovereignty of the American people. It is a painful but necessary detoxification of a body politic poisoned by easy money and unchecked power. The purge has begun, and its goal is nothing less than the restoration of a government that is efficient, accountable, and finally, truly of the people. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com SlayNews.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai IEA says more emergency oil reserves available as war disrupts global supply The International Energy Agency (IEA) says it can release more emergency oil reserves, with over 1.4 billion barrels still available after a historic 400 million barrel release. The Iran-related conflict has caused the largest oil supply disruption in history, surpassing the 1973 oil crisis and affecting both oil and liquefied natural gas markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about 20% of global oil, remains disrupted, making its reopening critical to stabilizing supply. Oil prices have been highly volatile, and analysts warn the reserve release is only a short-term fix, potentially covering just over 25 days of disrupted supply. Efforts to secure the shipping route are uncertain, as Donald Trump's calls for allied support have received mixed responses, while the global energy outlook depends on how the conflict evolves. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said it stands ready to release additional emergency oil reserves if needed, as the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel continues to strain global energy markets. Speaking at the agency's headquarters in Paris on March 16, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said that after the release of around 400 million barrels earlier in the week, more than 1.4 billion barrels remain available in emergency stockpiles. "Which means we can do more later, as and if needed," Birol said. This decision, as BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, aims to mitigate the severe supply constraints that have been exacerbated by the conflict. Birol warned that the war has already triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history, surpassing even the 1973 oil crisis and other major shocks in recent decades. The disruption has also affected liquefied natural gas supplies, raising concerns over global energy security and affordability. Despite the IEA's record stock release on March 11, which Birol said helped push oil prices lower in the short term, he emphasized that such measures are only temporary. "The single most important thing for a return to stable flows of oil and gas is the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz," he said. The vital shipping lane typically handles about 20% of the world's oil supply but has been severely disrupted by the conflict. Allies split on securing key shipping route Oil prices have remained volatile amid the uncertainty. Brent crude surged to nearly $120 per barrel on March 8, dropped to the low $80 days later, and climbed again above $100. As of March 16, prices were hovering around $101.50 per barrel. Analysts at ING said the IEA's reserve release offers only limited relief. They estimate the 400 million barrels would cover just over 25 days of current disrupted supply and warned that replenishing global supply, particularly from the United States, could take months. In a worst-case scenario, the firm said energy flows could remain largely stalled until late May, with gradual recovery through the summer. Such conditions could drive oil prices to record highs, forcing demand reductions to rebalance the market. The outlook for global energy markets, analysts say, will largely depend on how quickly stability returns to key transit routes and whether the conflict de-escalates in the coming weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged allied nations to help secure the waterway, asking several countries to contribute naval support. He specifically called on nations such as China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to assist in patrol operations. However, responses from allies have been mixed. Germany, Spain and Italy have ruled out participation for now, while the United Kingdom and Denmark said they are considering options but stressed the need to avoid further escalation. Watch retired Indian ambassador Anil Trigunayat reiterating that India will continue to buy oil from where it is best for its own national interest. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Iranian officials warn U.S. of second Vietnam as Middle East conflict escalates Iranian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, warn that a U.S. ground invasion would lead to a protracted, devastating conflict akin to the Vietnam War. Tehran signals readiness for prolonged war unless the U.S. offers credible diplomacy. U.S. President Donald Trump resists full-scale invasion but reviews daily military options, including strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. NATO allies refuse to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Trump to criticize their lack of support. Israel conducts ground operations in Lebanon; Hezbollah retaliates. Attacks hit United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Abu Dhabi missile strike, Dubai airport drone incident) and U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Russia and China may exploit chaos to arm Iran and weaken U.S. influence. Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz (20% of global oil supply) sends crude prices soaring past $100/barrel, risking $250/barrel spikes. Prolonged conflict threatens worldwide economic instability. Nearly 1,500 Iranian and 1,000 non-Iranian deaths (including U.S. troops, Lebanese civilians and UAE casualties). Millions displaced, no diplomatic resolution in sight. Risk of an unwinnable war reshaping global power dynamics indefinitely. As tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran reach a boiling point, Iranian officials have issued a stark warning to Washington: Any ground invasion of Iran would result in a devastating quagmire comparable to the Vietnam War. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh delivered a blunt message to the U.S. in an exclusive interview with Sky News: "Just read what happened in Vietnam. They understand that those who dragged them into this war can also drag them into a quagmire." Khatibzadeh emphasized Iran's readiness for a prolonged conflict, stating that Tehran is not currently focused on diplomacy unless the U.S. and its allies present a viable peace proposal. His remarks come as Iranian forces continue to retaliate against U.S. and Israeli strikes, which have already claimed nearly 1,500 Iranian lives and displaced millions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reinforced this stance in an NBC News interview, declaring: "We have very brave soldiers, who are waiting for any enemy who enters our soil to fight with them, and to kill them and destroy them." BrightU.AI's Enoch engine explains that the Vietnam War (19551975) was a protracted Cold War-era conflict that pitted communist North Vietnam, supported by the Soviet Union and China, against U.S.-backed South Vietnam. The war culminated in the 1954 Geneva Accords that temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with Ho Chi Minh's communist forces controlling the North and a U.S.-supported regime in the South. However, the division was intended to be temporary, and when elections to unify the country were blocked by the U.S. and South Vietnam, hostilities escalated into a full-scale proxy war. The shadow war explodes into open conflict Despite mounting pressure, President Donald Trump has so far resisted calls for a full-scale ground invasion, opting instead for targeted airstrikes, cyber operations and economic sanctions. However, NBC News reports that Trump is being presented with daily military optionssome involving massive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and regime targets. Trump has criticized North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies for refusing to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil passageway blocked by Iran since U.S.-Israeli strikes began on Feb. 28. "We spent trillions and trillions of dollars on NATO to defend other countries. And I always said, but if it ever comes time to defend us, they are not going to be there. Many of them would not be there," Trump told reporters at the White House. The conflict has already spilled beyond Iran's borders: Israel has launched "limited and targeted" ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, striking the city of Taybeh. A missile attack in Abu Dhabi killed one person, while Dubai airport was temporarily closed after a drone strike hit an oil storage site. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad reportedly came under fire, with videos circulating of air defense systems intercepting incoming projectiles. Meanwhile, Russia and China loom as potential wildcards. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed rumors that Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is receiving medical treatment in Moscow. Analysts warn that both nations could exploit the chaos to arm Tehran and undermine U.S. influence in the region. With 20% of the world's oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's blockade has sent crude prices skyrocketingnow 40% higher than pre-war levels. Experts warn that prolonged conflict could push oil to $250 per barrel, triggering a global economic shockwave. The war has already claimed nearly 1,000 non-Iranian lives, including: 886 in Lebanon 30 in Iraq 13 U.S. service members 12 in Israel 7 in the United Arab Emirates With Iran refusing to surrender and Trump weighing military options, the world watches nervously as the Middle East teeters on the brink of a wider war. As Khatibzadeh warned: "[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the Israeli regime have their own agenda to make this war a win for them at the expense of everyone." Unless diplomatic efforts resume, the conflict risks spiraling into an unwinnable, catastrophic confrontationone that could reshape global power dynamics for decades to come. Watch this clip from "Faith and Reason" about the Iran War sparking fears of global escalation and economic collapse. This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com News.Sky.com Express.co.uk TheHill.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Shadow Wars: How globalists weaponize false flags and censorship to control humanity "Shadow Wars: The Covert Battles for Truth, Freedom, and the Future" points out that the Crimea cluster munition attack was a deliberate provocation by globalist powers to escalate tensions with Russia, mirroring historical false flag operations like Gulf of Tonkin and 9/11 to manipulate public opinion and justify war. Western leaders, facing collapsing public support, seek war to distract from failures, cover financial crimes and advance their depopulation goals by provoking Russia into triggering NATO's Article Five. The "Censorship Industrial Complex" suppresses dissent via Big Tech collusion, shadowbanning and deplatforming targeting doctors, journalists and whistleblowers to enforce compliance with the Great Reset's digital surveillance dystopia. Despite globalist control, alternative platforms, lawsuits (e.g., Missouri v. Biden) and decentralized tech (blockchain, encrypted communications) are exposing truth about vaccines, election fraud and false flags, eroding trust in mainstream narratives. To resist tyranny, individuals must secure food, water, precious metals and self-defense tools while adopting privacy tech and building "communities of truth." Globalists fear an armed, informed and spiritually fortified populace rejecting their dystopian vision. "Shadow Wars: The Covert Battles for Truth, Freedom, and the Future" points out that the June 2024 cluster munition attack on civilians in Crimea was no random act of war. It was a meticulously planned provocation designed to escalate tensions between Russia and the West. This event follows a well-established pattern of false flag operations used by globalist powers to manipulate public opinion and justify military aggression. From the Gulf of Tonkin incident to 9/11 and now Crimea, the playbook remains the same: stage a crisis, control the narrative and manufacture consent for policies that would otherwise be rejected by free peoples. The timing of the Crimea attack is particularly revealing, coming as Western leaders face collapsing public support ahead of elections. These unelected globalists desperately need a major war to distract from their failures, cover up financial crimes and accelerate their depopulation agenda. Their goal? To provoke Russian President Vladimir Putin a leader known for calculated restraint into an emotional response that could trigger the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Article Five and justify full-scale war with Moscow. How globalists are erasing truth and enforcing compliance This strategy mirrors the psychological warfare tactics used after 9/11, when fear was weaponized to pass the PATRIOT Act and launch endless Middle East wars. Today, the same shadowy networks intelligence agencies, military contractors and media conglomerates are deploying even more sophisticated methods of manipulation. The Twitter Files exposed how government agencies secretly collaborate with Big Tech to censor dissent. Meanwhile, independent journalists uncovering truths about vaccines, election fraud or Ukraine corruption face coordinated deplatforming campaigns. The Censorship Industrial Complex represents perhaps the greatest threat to human freedom in history. Through tools like shadowbanning, algorithmic suppression and financial deplatforming, globalist elites silence any narrative that challenges their power. Doctors discussing early COVID treatments? Censored. Investigative journalists exposing vaccine injuries? Banned. Whistleblowers revealing government corruption? Prosecuted. This isn't just about controlling information it's about controlling reality itself. At the heart of this battle lies an even more insidious agenda: the Great Reset. Globalists like Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates openly advocate for a post-human future where digital IDs, central bank digital currencies and artificial intelligence surveillance systems enforce total compliance. Their vision? A world where you'll own nothing, have no privacy and be happy or face consequences. The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was merely a test run for this dystopian future, where "health security" becomes the pretext for stripping away fundamental freedoms. How decentralization is smashing the globalists' control Yet despite their control over institutions, the globalists are losing the information war. Alternative platforms are flourishing, with decentralized technologies like blockchain and peer-to-peer networks making censorship increasingly difficult. Lawsuits like Missouri v. Biden are exposing government collusion with Big Tech, while growing public awareness is eroding trust in mainstream narratives. The truth about vaccine injuries, election fraud and geopolitical false flags can no longer be contained. The path forward requires both preparation and resistance: Physically, this means securing food, water, precious metals and self-defense capabilities. Digitally, it requires adopting encrypted communications, decentralized platforms and privacy tools. Most importantly, we must cultivate communities of truth networks of awakened individuals committed to preserving freedom through this dark age of tyranny. As the petrodollar collapses and global tensions reach the nuclear brink, we stand at history's most dangerous crossroads. The globalists want you afraid, isolated and dependent. But their greatest fear is an armed, informed and spiritually fortified populace that cannot be controlled. The choice is clear: Submit to their dystopian vision, or join the growing resistance fighting for humanity's God-given right to truth, freedom and self-determination. Grab a copy of "Shadow Wars: The Covert Battles for Truth, Freedom, and the Future" 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 this conversation between Jeffrey Prather and the Health Ranger Mike Adams about artificial intelligence technology, government censorship and nuclear war escalation. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightLearn.ai Books.BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com On Friday, March 20, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference titled "Forecast of climate change impact on snow cover of the Carpathians." Participants include Director of the Institute of Industrial Ecology, full member of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine Oleksandr Sihal; corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), Head of the Small Energy Department at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the NASU, Professor Natalia Fialko; Head of the Consultative and advisory bodies under the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, PhD in Technical Sciences, State Prize laureate Borys Kostiukovsky (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event will be streamed on the Interfax-Ukraine YouTube channel. Admission requires registration on the spot with ID cards. The Courage of Resignation: How a Single Letter Exposed the Festering Rot of the Trump Regime An Act of Conscience in an Age of Conformity I believe we are living through the final, gasping stages of a corrupt empire. Its internal rot is so advanced that it can no longer be hidden by patriotic slogans or staged rallies. The truth is leaking out, not through grand congressional hearings, but through the quiet, principled actions of individuals who can no longer stomach the lies. Just this week, one such action -- a resignation letter -- cut through the fog of propaganda like a scalpel, revealing the necrotic tissue beneath the MAGA facade. That act came from Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. His resignation was not a retirement or a career move; it was a deliberate, public severing of ties with an administration he could no longer serve in good conscience. His letter was a damning indictment, explicitly tying the catastrophic, illegal war on Iran to Israeli pressure and a fundamental betrayal of American sovereignty and interests. [1] It was an act of moral courage so rare in Washington that it triggered a revealing, vicious retaliation from the regime's loyalists, proving they operate on fealty, not facts. A Resignation Letter That Shook the Foundation Joe Kents departure was a singularity in the Trump administrations second term: a high-ranking national security official leaving not for a lobbying gig, but on principle. His letter did not obfuscate. It named the disastrous war in Iran for what it is -- a conflict long planned by Israel and now executed with American blood and treasure. As one analysis starkly put it, "Israel planned this war on Iran for 40 years. Everything else is a smoke screen." [2] Kent had the integrity to state that this service to a foreign power was a betrayal of the American people he swore to protect. The regimes immediate response was not to debate the merits of his claims, but to launch vicious, personal attacks. This reaction is textbook for a cult of personality. As detailed in the book Breaking the News, when truth-tellers emerge, the establishments first instinct is not to engage but to destroy, to "hurt us, to injure my wife and kids so that I will shut up." [3] The ferocity of the counter-attack against Kent proved his point more eloquently than any follow-up essay could. It demonstrated that in this administration, loyalty to the man and the agenda -- especially the subservience to Zionist imperatives, as critics have noted -- trumps all else, including law, ethics, and national interest. [4] The Unraveling: Lies, War Crimes, and a Leader Unmoored from Reality The personal smears against Kent are a symptom of a deeper disease. This regime operates on loyalty, not truth or law. Its foundational ethos is the psychological need of its leader for a win at any cost, a dynamic that has now escalated into catastrophic, illegal war strategies. The attack on Iran, launched jointly with Israel in late February 2026, was branded "Operation Epic Fury." [5] It was justified with flimsy, reheated pretexts, such as tenuous links to the decades-old USS Cole bombing, a narrative even federal judges have questioned. [6] This is not statecraft; it is a desperate lunge for legacy, serving no coherent American purpose. Worse, the administration is actively covering up the grim reality of these conflicts. From Gaza to Iran, civilian casualties are obscured, and military failures are buried. As one commentator noted, the path to aggressive actions in Venezuela -- and potentially beyond -- "was paved in Gaza." [7] This pattern of obfuscation is the hallmark of a corrupt empire in collapse, one that must hide its atrocities because it can no longer justify them to its own citizens. The regimes foreign policy, as some have argued, often appears to have an Israeli backstory that explains its mindless aggression. [8] It is a policy of serial deception, unmasking the U.S. not as a beacon of democracy but as an engine of destruction and human suffering. [7] The Inevitable Reckoning: Criminal Liability and the Fate of the Complicit By resigning, Joe Kent did more than make a statement; he executed a brilliant escape from a sinking ship of state. He has wisely avoided future criminal prosecution for war crimes he refused to support. The legal and moral reckoning for this era will be historic. Figures within the regime who boast of or justify atrocities -- people like media personalities Pete Hegseth or spokesperson Caroline Levitt -- are, in my judgment, confessing to complicity in crimes on the public record. Their gleeful support for operations like the Delta Force raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro [9] will not age well. Anyone who remains, including former critics turned collaborators like Tulsi Gabbard, is consciously choosing to go down with this vessel. They are betting their futures on the regimes ability to evade accountability. This is a foolish wager. As the empires financial and moral foundations crumble, the domestic legal structures may be the last to fall, and they will fall hardest on those who stayed until the end. The Trump administrations actions, from the illegal strike on Venezuela [10] to the political assassination of Irans leadership [11], have created a mountain of potential liability. Those inside the bunker now are choosing a fate defined by that mountain. The Final, Pathetic Gasps of a Failed Movement What remains of the MAGA movement is a hollowed-out cult, sustained by paid propagandists and individuals utterly devoid of intellectual honesty. The influencers still pushing blind loyalty are either financially incentivized or so psychologically captured they cannot see the collapse around them. Loyalty to a failing man, over timeless principles like peace, sovereignty, and truth, is the definitive sign of a cult, not a viable political movement. The regimes final, desperate act is the intense censorship of truth-tellers while its own propagandists flourish. This is the tyrannical systems last gasp. Weve seen this playbook before. As noted in an article on censorship tactics, the left -- and now this hybrid authoritarian regime -- uses methods akin to McCarthyism, creating blacklists to silence dissent. [12] This climate of fear and enforced ignorance is how corrupt systems maintain control until the very end. Where We Stand: Facing Collapse and Choosing Principle Let us be clear-eyed: no political savior is coming. The American empire, and the corrupt financial system that props it up, is collapsing under the weight of its own lies, debt, and imperial overreach. "Trade turbulence and economic instability will persist," as one trends report for 2026 flatly states. [13] The affordability crisis is real, but the governments response is more war and more deception. [14] Our only sane path forward is to reject cultish loyalty, stand on immutable principle, and demand accountability, even as the old system implodes. From the ashes of this failure, we must build something new. This future cannot be centralized. It must be rooted in decentralization, honest money like physical gold and silver, and an unwavering commitment to truth. We must turn to platforms and tools that empower rather than enslave. For uncensored news analysis, I recommend BrightNews.ai. For deep, honest research that bypasses corporate AI filters, use the free engine at BrightAnswers.ai. For practical knowledge on health and self-reliance -- the ultimate act of decentralization -- trust the articles and infographics at NaturalNews.com. The empire is dying. Our task is not to mourn it, but to ensure we are not buried in its rubble. References Canadian PM Justin Trudeau contemplates resignation as tariff war with the US looms - NaturalNews.com. December 21, 2024. Israel planned this war on Iran for 40 years. Everything else is a smoke screen - Middle East Eye. Jonathan Cook. March 5, 2026. Breaking the News Exposing the Establishment Medias Hidden Deals and Secret Corruption - Alex Marlow. Americans who Love their Country should adopt America First as their New Years Resolution - Ron Paul Institute. Gary Heavin and Mike Adams. December 30, 2025. World Leaders, Lawmakers React to USIsrael Strikes on Iran - NTD. March 1, 2026. Trump says Iran was linked to the USS Cole attack: a federal judge also ruled Iran was complicit - Just the News. March 11, 2026. From Gaza to Venezuela, the US has been unmasked as the serial villain - Middle East Eye. Jonathan Cook. January 6, 2026. What Does Venezuela Have to Do with Israel? - Ron Paul Institute. January 10, 2026. Trump Says U.S. Will Run Venezuela. Maduro, Wife Captured This Morning in Delta Force Raid - The New American. January 3, 2026. January 3: The Peace Presidents Latest Date Which Will Live in Infamy - Antiwar.com. Thomas L. Knapp. January 4, 2026. Political assassination: Moscow blasts US-Israeli strike on Irans leader - RT. March 1, 2026. The Left hated McCarthyism and blacklists of alleged communists but they are now using the same tactic to keep - NaturalNews.com. April 09, 2019. THE UNRAVELLING: 2026 Trends and Predictions from 21WIRE - 21st Century Wire. January 2, 2026. 2025 Ended in Tumultuous Fashion - Daily Reckoning. January 1, 2026. X bans Naomi Wolf after interview with Alex Jones exposing multiple White House coups currently underway - NaturalNews.com. August 16, 2024. Explainer Infographic: The Lawless Trump Regime Begins to Unravel as Joe Kent Resigns on Principle Senior Counterterrorism Official Submits Resignation Letter Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned from his position in the Trump administration on March 17, 2026. The letter, obtained by multiple media outlets, cited fundamental disagreements over U.S. foreign policy, specifically the ongoing military conflict with Iran, as the reason for his departure. In the letter, Kent stated he 'cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran' [1]. He characterized the administration's policy as having abandoned its stated 'America First' principles, arguing the conflict was initiated due to pressure from Israel and its 'powerful American lobby' [2]. The resignation represents one of the highest-profile departures from the administration's national security team since President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Resignation Letter's Specific Policy Criticisms The text of the resignation letter, shared publicly, contained several pointed critiques. Kent asserted that Iran posed 'no imminent threat to our nation' at the time the U.S. entered the conflict, directly contradicting the administration's public rationale for military action [3]. He framed the war as another 'never-ending' conflict that does not serve American interests, initiated at the behest of a foreign ally [4]. Kent's letter suggested that the administration's foreign policy decision-making rewarded political loyalty and external influence over objective analysis and effectiveness. This internal dissent echoes broader historical patterns where, as some analysts note, governments can use fear and external threats to manipulate policy and public perception [5]. The letter concluded by stating that serving as NCTC Director had been an honor, but that he felt compelled to resign on moral grounds. Administration Response and Context of Departure The White House responded to the resignation through public statements from President Trump and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. President Trump characterized Kent's departure as 'a good thing,' claiming the former official was 'very weak on security' [6]. Press Secretary Leavitt forcefully rejected Kent's assessment of Iran, stating his claims mirrored Democratic political attacks and emphasizing the threat posed by Iran's military capabilities [7]. Kent's departure follows a period of reported internal debates over foreign policy within the administration. As a former Green Beret and CIA paramilitary officer with eleven combat tours, his background lent weight to his dissent [4]. His resignation took effect immediately, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard, will oversee the NCTC during the transition [8]. Reactions from Political Observers and Potential Ramifications Political analysts and foreign policy experts offered mixed reactions to the resignation. Some observers noted it highlighted visible fissures within the administration's national security apparatus, particularly regarding the strategic direction of the Iran conflict. Critics of the administration cited the resignation as evidence of failing or misguided policies [9]. Conversely, supporters of the administration's foreign policy dismissed the resignation as inconsequential. Some commentators aligned with the administration argued that internal dissent was being amplified by political opponents. Former television host Tucker Carlson speculated that 'neocons' would attempt to destroy Kent's reputation following his resignation [10]. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), while noting general policy disagreements with Kent, agreed with his assessment that the U.S. entered the war due to the influence of the Israeli lobby [11]. Historical Precedent and Broader Staffing Trends High-level resignations over principled policy disputes are not uncommon in U.S. administrations. Historians note that officials have periodically resigned when they believe their moral or professional duties conflict with administration directives. In his book on surveillance and national security, Timothy H. Edgar reflected on the internal conflict experienced when one learns of programs that clash with their principles, leading to a mental 'resignation letter' long before a physical one is submitted [12]. The long-term impact of a single resignation on policy direction is typically limited, according to government scholars. However, such departures can serve as a public signal of internal discord. Data on overall staffing turnover rates within the current administration compared to previous ones remains mixed, with some reports indicating significant churn in certain departments. The resignation occurs as the administration continues to reorganize agencies, having previously overhauled entities like the U.S. Agency for International Development after revelations it financed groups engaged in censorship campaigns [13]. Possibly the First of Many Resignations Yet to Come The resignation of National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent underscores ongoing debates over U.S. foreign policy and alliance commitments. While the administration has minimized the significance of the departure, it has drawn attention to the arguments surrounding the Iran conflict and the influence of external lobbying groups. The event follows historical patterns of dissent within government and highlights the personal and professional conflicts that can arise for officials when policy and conscience diverge. If you're seeking in-depth analysis on geopolitical trends and foreign policy from independent perspectives, resources like BrightNews.ai provide AI-analyzed news trends across independent media, while BrightAnswers.ai offers an uncensored AI research engine for deeper investigation into such topics. You'll find more answers there as this situation unfolds. References Trump-Appointed Counterterrorism Director Joe Kent Resigns In Protest Over U.S. War With Iran. - Zero Hedge. U.S. Counterterror Chief Quits Over Iran War. Says Trump Deceived by Israel Lobby, Media Propaganda. - The New American. US National Counterterrorism Director Joe Kent Resigns: I Cannot In Good Conscience Support The Ongoing WarIran Posed No Imminent Threat. - 100 Percent Fed Up. US counterterrorism chief resigns in protest over Iran war. - RT. How the Government Uses Fear to Control You. - Mercola.com. Mercola.com. June 18, 2021. Trump: Good Thing Joe Kent ResignedVery Weak on Security. - Breitbart. Leavitt rages over Joe Kent resignation letter, rejects claims Iran wasn't a threat. - Just the News. Trump Denounces Resignation Of Top US Counterterrorism Official. - Forbes. Mike Stunson. Trump's Political Opposition Celebrates Joe Kent Resignation Over Iran War. - Breitbart. Tucker Carlson Says The Neocons Will Try To Destroy Joe Kent Following Resignation. - 100 Percent Fed Up. Bernie Sanders on Joe Kent blaming Israel lobby for Iran War: 'He is right'. - Just the News. Beyond Snowden: Privacy, Mass Surveillance, and the Struggle to Reform the NSA. - Timothy H. Edgar. Trump's shakeup of USAID reveals agency financed censorship and smear campaigns. - NaturalNews.com. News Editors. Explainer Infographic: Western Leaders Issue Joint Warning Against Israeli Ground Offensive in Lebanon The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Monday, March 16, 2026, urging Israel to avoid a significant ground incursion into Lebanon. [22] The statement cited 'devastating humanitarian consequences' and warned that such an offensive 'could lead to a protracted conflict' which 'must be averted.' [21] The warning follows the resumption of intense hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border approximately two weeks prior, as part of a broader regional conflict that began with joint U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran in late February. [12] Israeli military forces have been conducting what they describe as 'limited and targeted ground operations' against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in recent days. [17] Humanitarian Impact and Casualty Figures The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is described as 'deeply alarming' by the Western leaders. [1] According to Lebanon's disaster and risk management unit, one million people in the country have been displaced due to the recent spate of attacks. [13] Casualty figures compiled since the escalation of violence show at least 886 Lebanese killed and another 2,141 wounded. [3] A recent strike on a primary healthcare centre in southern Lebanon killed 17 medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics. [14] The Norwegian Refugee Council reported that Israeli evacuation orders now cover approximately 14 percent of Lebanese territory, affecting about 1,470 square kilometres and forcing mass displacement. [15] Content and Demands of the Joint Statement The leaders' joint statement condemned 'attacks directed at civilians, civilian infrastructure, health workers and infrastructure, as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon,' calling these actions 'unacceptable.' [11] It called on all parties to act in accordance with international humanitarian law. [8] The statement made specific demands regarding Hezbollah. It called for the group's attacks on Israel to cease and for it to disarm. The leaders also condemned 'Hezbollahs decision to join Iran in hostilities, which further jeopardises regional peace and security.' [23] They called upon the Lebanese government to disarm the group and prohibit its military activities. [10] Hezbollah and Israeli Perspectives Hezbollah, an Iran-backed political and military organization, has stated it cannot disarm as long as Israel poses a threat along Lebanon's southern border. [2] The group is described as a deeply entrenched fighting force, separate from the Lebanese national army, with decades of military development and longstanding support from Iran. [5] Israeli officials state their operations target Hezbollah weapons depots and senior operatives they deem an 'imminent threat.' [7] Israel has repeatedly warned it will extend its military operations if Hezbollah attacks continue, with plans for potential larger offensives being discussed for months. [6][9] Regional Context and Calls for De-escalation The current hostilities follow the collapse of a November 2024 truce between Hezbollah and Israel, which had been brokered by the Trump administration. [19] That ceasefire had been violated hundreds of times by Israel prior to the recent major escalation. [20] The Western leaders urged a return to negotiations to avert further escalation, calling for 'meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives.' [24] Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has previously called for direct negotiations with Israel as part of a proposal to end the conflict, while criticizing Hezbollah for dragging the country into a wider war. [16] Regional analysts warn that a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah would consume the entire Middle East, opening a dangerous second front amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran. [3][18] The Western statement represents a concerted diplomatic effort to prevent such a catastrophic expansion of the conflict. References 2026 is predicted to be the year that AI moves from pilot to production, becoming measurably useful across the enterprise. But while many businesses are ready, the underlying infrastructure doesnt seem to be, particularly when it comes to next-stage inferencing. Nvidia says it has overcome these limitations, achieving what it calls a milestone in accelerated computing. The chip company today unveiled the Nvidia Groq 3 LPX inference accelerator for Vera Rubin GPUs. The combined architecture is optimized for trillion-parameter models and million-token context that Nvidia claims can deliver up to 35X higher inference throughput per megawatt, and up to 10x more revenue opportunity. A Pakistani airstrike on an addiction treatment hospital in Kabul has killed over 400 people and injured 250, drawing global condemnation. Simultaneously, Pakistani rocket attacks in Kunar province have displaced nearly 7,500 families, though no casualties were reported there. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, stated the country has lost trust in Pakistan's commitment to diplomatic solutions. The United Nations and India have called for an independent investigation, accountability, and an immediate de-escalation of hostilities. Over 400 killed in Pakistan's Kabul hospital airstrike. 124 rockets hit Kunar, displacing thousands. UN calls for investigation and ceasefire. Kabul, March 18 Over 400 people have been reported killed in the deadly airstrike carried out by Pakistan on an addiction treatment hospital in Kabul, while at the same time, the Pakistani military has fired 124 rockets into the districts of Kunar province over the past 24 hours, as reported by Tolo News. The United Nations has called for an investigation and accountability into the horrific airstrike. According to Tolo News, officials from the Kunar Directorate of Information and Culture said that Pakistan carried out scattered rocket attacks across several areas of the province; however, no casualties have been reported. Zia-ul-Rahman Spin Ghar, Head of Information at the Directorate, said: "The Pakistani military regime has once again launched 124 rocket attacks on districts near the hypothetical Durand Line in Kunar. Fortunately, no one was harmed in these attacks. However, as a result, many of our fellow citizens have been forced to leave their homes." Citing Kunar's Department of Refugees and Repatriation, Tolo News reported that nearly 7,500 families from districts near the Durand Line have been displaced due to these rocket attacks and have moved to safer areas. Messages of condolences and condemnation of the Pakistani airstrike at the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital on Monday evening. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan has lost trust in Pakistan's commitment to diplomacy. Speaking at a meeting with Kabul-based ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of international organisations, FM Muttaqi said the latest strike showed that Pakistan's military establishment had no intention of pursuing a diplomatic resolution. "We must state clearly that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has lost trust in Pakistan's intentions regarding diplomatic solutions. It should now be evident to all countries, especially those that previously attempted mediation or those now wishing to take initiatives, that the Pakistani military apparatus shows no respect for diplomacy," Muttaqi said. Muttaqi gave preliminary figures which indicated that more than 408 people were killed and 250 were injured after the airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul late at night. Many of the victims were patients undergoing treatment and staff working at the centre when the facility was hit. On Tuesday, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Thameen Al-Kheetan called for a prompt investigation of the airstrike, independently and transparently and called for those responsible to be held to account. UNHCR noted in its statement that since the hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated at the end of last month, 289 Afghan civilians, including 104 children and 59 women, have been killed or injured. Tens of thousands, mostly in the south and southeast of the country, have been displaced by the fighting. Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan expressed condolences on the Pakistani military airstrike at the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, underlining that attack on hospitals and civilian facilities are strictly prohibited under international law. It gave a call for de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire and called on parties to comply with their obligations under international law to ensure the protection of civilians. India on Tuesday strongly slammed Pakistan for its barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds and left several injured. India urged the international community to hold the perpetrators of the criminal act accountable and extended condolences to the bereaved families and said that it stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, as per a statement by the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. - ANI Photo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAbUOH7U4IA The development potential of domestic brands is very high, and further expansion should be expected, Kostiantyn Oliynyk, head of the strategic consulting department at UTG, said Wednesday at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency in Kyiv. "Against the backdrop of rapidly growing loyalty to Ukrainian fashion, domestic brands have begun aggressive development, are gaining momentum and moving from online format to physical retail: rikky hype, Katy Soho, Cher 17, Solmar, PetHouse, Gorgany and others. This potential is very large and we can expect that they will continue their expansion," he said. As for new foreign brands, most negotiations have been on pause since the start of the war, but some have not ruled out decisions to enter the Ukrainian market. To compare the activity of foreign and domestic brands: in 2022, stores of American brands DKNY and KitchenAid, Polish DISCOUNTERRA and Italian EA7 opened here, as well as 11 domestic brands (JT fashion club, Oselya, Eternal, Moon Lingerie, iam, Motrych, LesiPak, Taiyo, Lucasheva, Zalizna Kramnytsya and Braided.fashion). In 2023 there was only one new foreign brand Half Price (Poland) and six domestic ones Klimenchukua, Grape Design, YaVereta, Liniya, Notica and RDNT (Andre Tan), in 2024 UGG (United States). In 2025, Polish World box, Czech Captain Candy, Italian Karl Lagerfeld Jeans and Turkish Mavi, and domestic Katy Soho and rikkyhype have opened, Oliynyk said. "After the end of the war, negotiation processes are expected to resume with Starbucks, Uniqlo, Pepco, Peek&Cloppenburg, Kiabi, Abercrombie&Fitch, Hollister, Profuomo, Daily Paper, Suitsupply, MasonGarments. And, considering the increased loyalty to our market, there is a real chance of entry by new brands that previously ignored the country," he said. UTG was created in 2001. The company has developed more than 1,300 real estate facility concepts. During its years of operation, the company has leased 4.7 million square meters of commercial space in Ukraine. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the induction of sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi into the BJP, highlighting a trend of opposition leaders switching sides. He stated that more Congress leaders, including former state vice president Navajyoti Talukdar, are expected to join the ruling party in Guwahati in the coming days. Bordoloi cited being sidelined by the Congress leadership as a key reason for ending his decades-long association with the party. The defections come ahead of the single-phase Assam assembly elections scheduled for April 9, where the BJP seeks a third term. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomes Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi to BJP, says more leaders like Navajyoti Talukdar will join soon ahead of assembly elections. New Delhi, March 18 Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday welcomed sitting Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, a Congress veteran since 1975, into the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that other leaders from the opposition party will also join the ruling party in the coming days. Speaking to the reporters here, the Assam CM said more leaders, including Navajyoti Talukdar, who resigned as the Congress' state unit vice president, will join the BJP in Guwahati soon. Speaking to the reporters, CM Sarma said, "There are a lot of people like Navajyoti Talukdar and others who will join (the BJP) in Guwahati. We are going to clear our party list for candidates this evening. Other people will join in the next two to three days in Assam itself." "Sitting MP from Nagaon, Pradyut Bordoloi, has joined the BJP. His history with the Congress party goes back to 1975; his joining the BJP will strengthen the BJP. We all welcome him to our party. Assam Pradesh BJP will recommend to the central leadership that he should fight the assembly elections. There is no reason for someone with self-respect to stay with the Congress party. We aim to bring more Congress leaders into the party," he added. Sarma's remarks came after Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the ruling BJP days ahead of the single-phase assembly polls scheduled to be held on April 9. Meanwhile, Pradyut Bordoloi accused the Congress leadership of sidelining him, which led to the end of his lifelong association with the party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. He clarified that the resignation stemmed from "multiple issues" as opposed to a singular ticket allocation for the upcoming Assam assembly elections. "For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death. There were multiple issues. What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot," he told the media. "I want to make it very clear that I am in my second term in Lok Sabha, and there are another three years to go. I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave and work," he added. Following Bordoloi's resignation, Congress has fielded his son from the Margherita assembly constituency for the upcoming polls. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the party for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. - ANI The Indian government has confirmed the safety of all Indian seafarers and vessels in the Persian Gulf region, with no shipping incidents reported in the past 24 hours. Over 472 seafarers have been safely repatriated, including 25 in the last day, facilitated by a 24/7 control room. India's maritime ports are operating without congestion, with additional storage capacity being created at key locations like Visakhapatnam. Meanwhile, flight connectivity between India and the Middle East is gradually improving, with increased services from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, though Kuwait's airspace remains closed. Indian government confirms safety of all seafarers and vessels in the Persian Gulf region, with smooth maritime operations and improving flight connectivity. New Delhi, March 18 All Indian seafarers in the Middle East region are safe, and no shipping incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said on Wednesday. At present, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region, with the Directorate General of Shipping continuing close monitoring in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies and Indian Missions, a ministry statement said. LPG carrier vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi, which have returned from the Middle East, are currently discharging cargo as per the schedule of oil handling companies. The DG Shipping control room continues to operate 247 and has handled 3,305 calls and 6,324 emails since activation, including 125 calls and 449 emails in the past 24 hours. The safe repatriation of more than 472 Indian seafarers so far, including 25 in the past 24 hours, from airports and regional locations, has been facilitated, according to the statement. India's maritime sector continues to operate smoothly with no congestion reported at ports, including confirmation from State Maritime Boards such as Gujarat and Maharashtra, the statement said. Ports are closely monitoring vessel movements and cargo operations and have adequate spare capacity, with additional storage space created, including around 2,260 square metres at Visakhapatnam Port Authority. At the JNPA, the situation remains normal with the number of stranded containers reducing further from about 1,000 to around 770. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to monitor shipping movements, port operations, safety of seafarers and continuity of maritime trade in view of the evolving situation in West Asia, the statement added. Meanwhile, flight operations are gradually improving with additional services being introduced between India and the Middle East region, according to an official statement. In the UAE, around 70 flights operated on March 17 and about 75 flights are expected today to various destinations in India. Over 50 flights have been operating daily since 5 March 2026, indicating improved connectivity. Flights continue to operate from Saudi Arabia and Oman to India. The Qatar airspace remains partially open, with 5 flights operated on Tuesday and services to nine Indian destinations announced from Wednesday However, the Kuwait airspace has remained closed since February 28. Special non-scheduled flights by Jazeera Airways are expected from Al Qaisumah Airport in Saudi Arabia. - IANS Argentina has formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, a process that will be complete one year after the March 17, 2025 notification. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno stated the move safeguards Argentina's sovereignty and decision-making capacity in health policy, emphasizing a shift to bilateral and regional cooperation. The decision was initially announced in 2024 on the instructions of President Javier Milei, who seeks greater national autonomy. Officials argue the withdrawal provides greater policy flexibility and does not result in a loss of funds, as Argentina did not receive WHO financing for health management. Argentina officially exits the WHO, prioritizing national sovereignty and bilateral health agreements. The withdrawal process began in 2024 under President Milei. Buenos Aires, March 18 Argentina formally withdrew from the World Health Organization, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said. He said in a social media post on Tuesday that Argentina communicated this decision through a note addressed to the United Nations Secretary-General on March 17, 2025. In accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the withdrawal takes place one year after that notification. "Our country will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, fully safeguarding its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies," Quirno said. The Argentine government announced the decision to withdraw from the global health body in February last year. Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni told a press conference at the time that President Javier Milei had instructed the Argentine foreign minister to withdraw the country's participation in the UN specialised agency, Xinhua news agency reported. The spokesperson said that the decision "gives the country greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context and interests that Argentina requires, as well as greater availability of resources, and reaffirms our path towards a country with sovereignty also in matters of health." Earlier, on February 5, 2025, the Argentine government had announced its withdrawal from the WHO. The presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, told a press conference that President Javier Milei had instructed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to withdraw Argentina's participation in the World Health Organization. Adorni stated that Argentines were not going to allow an international organization to intervene in their sovereignty, much less in their health. The spokesperson further clarified that Argentina did not receive financing from the WHO for health management. Therefore, he argued that the measure did not represent a loss of funds for the country, nor did it affect the quality of services, contrary to what some had suggested on social networks. The official said that the decision gave the country greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context and interests that Argentina required, as well as greater availability of resources. He had added that it reaffirmed their path towards a country with sovereignty in health matters. When asked about the possibility of the South American country adopting similar measures regarding other international organizations, the spokesperson had said he did not know, but he stressed that the president was very categorical about making Argentina freer. - IANS AIUDF vice president and MLA Aminul Islam has resigned from the party after two decades, stating personal reasons and expressing no ill will towards his mentor, party chief Badruddin Ajmal. His resignation follows a six-year suspension by the AIUDF for alleged anti-party activities and support for an opposition party. The AIUDF has announced its second candidate list for the upcoming Assam assembly elections, with Ajmal contesting from Binnakandi. The state will vote in a single phase on April 9 in a contest between the incumbent BJP-led alliance and the Congress-led opposition. AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam resigns after 20 years, citing personal reasons. The party had suspended him for alleged anti-party activities ahead of Assam polls. Guwahati, March 18 Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in Assam, All India United Democratic Front vice president Aminul Islam resigned from the party after 20 years, citing personal reasons. Calling AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal his "mentor", Islam clarified he holds no grudges but remains open to contesting future elections. On Tuesday, Islam told ANI, "I have resigned from the party due to personal reasons. I worked at this party for 20 years under the leadership of Maulana Badruddin Ajmal. I have no grudges with anyone in the party, and Badruddin Ajmal is my mentor. I will talk to the voters in my constituency and if they want me to contest the elections, I will, in whichever party they want." His remarks come as the Mankachar MLA was suspended for six years from party membership. The party order signed by AIUDF general secretary Hafiz Bashir Ahmed said that Islam's "anti-party activities" have "repeatedly been deemed controversial and detrimental to the party's interest". "It is also reported that he is rendering support to an opposite political party and is in all set to join that party," the AIUDF statement read. Reacting to the party's second list of candidates for the upcoming Assam assembly elections, he said that party members want chief Badruddin Ajmal to contest as an MLA from his home constituency. "Presently, our party demanded that he (AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal) should contest as an MLA and from his home constituency, Binnakandi. Certainly, he will win from there," Islam said. The AIUDF on Tuesday announced its second list of candidates for next month's Assam assembly polls, including 12 names. Badruddin Ajmal has been named as the candidate from the Binnakandi seat, while Hafiz Bashir Ahmed will contest from Goalpara East. Nazrul Hoque is set to contest from Dhubri, while the AIUDF has fielded Mazibur Rahman, Ashraful Hussain and Abdul Aziz from Dalgaon, Chenga and Samaguri, respectively. The list also includes names of Shihab Uddin (Karimganj South), Imdad Hussain (Chamaria), Jamsher Talukdar (Golakganj), Musukha Basumatary (Bijni), Mukut Das (Raha) and Anup Kr. Das Talukdar (Ram Krishna Nagar). Elections for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the ECI announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, AGP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), won 75 seats. The BJP was the largest partner in the alliance with 60 seats. The Congress and AIUDF had formed a grand alliance along with the BPF and communist parties. The alliance fought against the BJP-led NDA and won 16 of 126 seats. Voter turnout was as high as 86.2 per cent with over 2. 2 crore registered voters in 2021. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the BJP put up a strong show and won 60 seats, and the Congress secured 26 seats. The AIDUF won 13 seats. The voter turnout for the 126 state assembly constituencies was high at 83.9 per cent. As many as 199,47, 690 voters exercised their franchise in these elections. - ANI Former Congress Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in a significant political shift. He immediately met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, where discussions included contesting upcoming Assembly polls. Bordoloi cited deep admiration for CM Sarma's work ethic and dedication to governance as key reasons for his switch, while expressing disappointment over a lack of respect within the Congress party. The move is viewed as a setback for the Congress and a boost for the BJP's organizational strength in Assam ahead of elections. Former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi joins BJP, meets Home Minister Amit Shah with Assam CM Himanta Sarma, citing admiration for Sarma's work. New Delhi/Guwahati, March 18 Newly inducted BJP leader Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, marking a significant political development ahead of the upcoming elections in Assam. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied Bordoloi to the office of the Union Home Minister, where the two leaders held discussions. The meeting is being seen as an indication of the BJP leadership's growing focus on strengthening its position in the state by inducting key political figures. According to sources, HM Shah encouraged Bordoloi to contest the Assembly polls. Union Minister Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting. Bordoloi also tendered his resignation from the post of Lok Sabha MP soon after joining the BJP. Pradyut Bordoloi said that his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was driven by his admiration for Assam CM Sarma and dissatisfaction with the Congress. Speaking to reporters in the national capital shortly after formally joining the BJP, Bordoloi said he was impressed by the functioning and work ethic of the Chief Minister. "I have joined the BJP after being satisfied with the work of the Chief Minister. His dedication towards governance has deeply attracted me," he said. The former MP also expressed disappointment over his treatment in the Congress, stating that he did not receive the respect he deserved within the party. "I did not get the respect that I should have received in the Congress. I was going through mental distress while being in the party," Bordoloi said. He indicated that internal issues and lack of recognition had been weighing on him for some time, ultimately prompting his decision to quit the Congress and switch to the BJP. Bordoloi further said that he sees a platform in the BJP where he can work meaningfully while upholding Assamese identity and dignity. "In the BJP, I will work towards protecting the self-respect of the Assamese people," he asserted. His remarks come soon after he officially joined the BJP in the presence of senior party leaders in the national capital, marking a significant political shift in Assam's landscape. Bordoloi's move is being viewed as a setback for the Congress in the state, especially at a time when political realignments are gaining momentum ahead of the upcoming elections. His joining is also expected to bolster the BJP's organisational strength in Assam, with party leaders expressing confidence that more opposition figures may follow a similar path in the near future. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi into the Bharatiya Janata Party, asserting that the grand old party no longer has space for "self-respecting individuals". "I extend a warm welcome to Pradyut Bordoloi to the BJP. Today, there is no place for self-respecting people in the Congress," Sarma said, launching a sharp attack on the opposition party. - IANS Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed an Iranian projectile struck near the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, where Australian forces are stationed. He reported no injuries to Australian personnel, though minor damage occurred to an accommodation block and medical facility. Albanese criticized the Iranian regime for engaging in "random attacks" across the Gulf region. The incident follows Australia's recent deployment of military assets to the Middle East to assist with citizen repatriation amid regional travel disruptions. Australian PM confirms Iranian projectile struck near Al Minhad Air Base. No Australian personnel injured. Minor damage reported to facilities. Canberra, March 18 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday confirmed that an Iranian projectile struck near an air base in the United Arab Emirates where Australian soldiers are stationed, but that no personnel were injured. Albanese told reporters on Wednesday that the projectile hit a road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base south of Dubai around 9:15 a.m. local time, Australian Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday (2215 GMT on Tuesday). "I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," he said. "There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base." The Australian Defence Force has used the Al Minhad Air Base as an operational headquarters since 2003, but it has hosted a smaller Australian force since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Albanese said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime is engaging in "random attacks" across the Gulf region, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on March 5, Anthony Albanese had confirmed that Australia had deployed military assets to the Middle East to aid with the repatriation of citizens. Speaking in parliament, Albanese had said that the government deployed military assets to the Middle East earlier in the week as part of contingency planning to help Australian citizens who are stranded in the region amid widespread travel disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict. Local media had reported that the military assets deployed to the Middle East were a transport aircraft and a refueling plane. The government had announced it was deploying six crisis response teams from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade into the Middle East to provide additional consular assistance to citizens. More than 3,200 Australians had returned on 23 commercial flights as of March 11. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously revealed that there are around 115,000 Australians in the Middle East, with around 24,000 of those in the United Arab Emirates. - IANS President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on March 19 to participate in special Hindu New Year ceremonies, including the installation of a Ram Yantra. Elaborate security and logistical arrangements are in place, with officials ensuring minimal disruption to public access. The President will also honor hundreds of workers involved in the temple's construction during her four-hour visit. Following the event, the temple trust plans to open additional shrines to devotees through a pass system. President Droupadi Murmu visits Ayodhya's Ram Temple for Hindu New Year rituals, Ram Yantra installation, and to honor temple workers. Details inside. Ayodhya, March 18 Elaborate arrangements are being made for President Droupadi Murmu's upcoming visit to Ayodhya on March 19. The road leading up to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple has been adorned with saffron flags and pennant banners. Workers were seen putting up banners across the city, depicting President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Speaking about the arrangements and security measures, Ayodhya's District Magistrate (DM) Nikhil Tikaram Funde, told IANS, "We are working towards ensuring a hassle free event." He added that 'VIP darshan' will be closed on that day but common people will be allowed to visit the temple except for the time period during the President's visit. SSP Ayodhya, Gaurav Grover, said, "Today we have been briefed about the security measures and our responsibilities during President Murmu's visit. Right from her landing at the airport to the route that will be taken by her to reach the venue, everything has been planned accordingly." He added, "We will also ensure that common people who will come for 'darshan', don't face any difficulties." President Murmu is scheduled to participate in a series of religious ceremonies at the Ram Mandir Ayodhya, including the installation of the Ram Yantra on the temple's second floor and Vedic rituals as part of special celebrations marking the Hindu New Year. During her visit, the President will also install the Shri Ram Yantra and Shri Ram Naam temple on the second floor of the temple complex and take part in Vedic prayers that will begin at around 9 AM. The rituals will be performed by 51 Vedic scholars from southern India, Kashi, and Ayodhya under the guidance of priest Ganeshwar Shastri. President Murmu will also honour nearly 400 workers who contributed to the construction of the temple and hoist a flag at one of the temples located along the outer precinct, known as the parkota. The President's convoy is expected to reach the temple complex at around 11 AM and she will remain there for nearly four hours. The event will see participation from several religious and social leaders, including spiritual leaders. Around 5,000 special guests have been invited for the occasion, while elaborate arrangements are being made for security, seating, transport, and accommodation. Officials said the temple trust also plans to open access to additional shrines within the complex for devotees after the President's programme. Under the proposed system, about 5,000 devotees will be allowed daily to visit temples within the parkota area through a pass-based arrangement. Meanwhile, the number of devotees visiting Ayodhya continues to rise, with about 1,500 pilgrims from Punjab arriving in the city by a special train on Saturday to offer prayers to Ram Lalla. - IANS Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi is overseeing final city preparations ahead of President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The visit, described as a proud moment, coincides with the first day of the Hindu New Year. District officials confirm that no special VVIP passes will be issued to ensure uninterrupted darshan for ordinary devotees, with temple hours extended for the day. The visit follows a review meeting conducted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Ayodhya. Ayodhya officials oversee final preparations for President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Hindu New Year. Ayodhya, March 18 Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi on Wednesday oversaw cleanliness and necessery arrangement as the city prepares to welcome President Droupadi Murmu. Describing the upcoming visit as a "proud moment", the Mayor confirmed that the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation and local councillors are working "tirelessly" to finalise all necessary arrangements and are eager to welcome the President. Speaking to ANI, Tripathi said, "President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Ayodhya is a proud moment for us. All the necessary arrangements are being taken care of. The Ayodhya Municipal Corporation team and the councillors are working tirelessly to complete the preparations on time. A cleanliness drive is taking place across the city, and we are all eager to welcome our President to Ayodhya." Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a review meeting at the CFC Auditorium in Ayodhya regarding the President's proposed visit. President Murmu will visit the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on March 19, Ayodhya District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said. Speaking to reporters, District Magistrate Funde said that the preparations for the President's visit are underway. He said, "The President is arriving in the district on March 19. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is organising the event. The Commissioner, ADG, and DIG held a meeting with officials from all departments. Everyone has received instructions. Everyone is working accordingly, and the program scheduled for the 19th will be organised very well. The 19th is also the first day of the Hindu New Year." He added that to ensure smooth darshan for devotees, the temple officials will not issue any VVIP passes. "In view of this, we will ensure smooth darshan for the people here. We are making arrangements to ensure that all the devotees who come here can have darshan. The darshan of the temple will begin an hour earlier that day and will continue until late at night. To avoid any problems for ordinary devotees, no VVIP passes or any special passes will be issued. Darshan will continue uninterrupted. Darshan will be closed only for a few moments when the President and our dignitaries visit and perform puja. The rest of the rituals will continue," he said. - ANI The Election Commission of India has established a special monitoring cell under the West Bengal CEO to oversee the daily functioning of all central observers for the upcoming assembly polls. This cell will report directly to the ECI headquarters in New Delhi. The move aims to ensure a foolproof and transparent electoral process, addressing allegations of biased surveillance. The state has the highest number of police observers and a significant deployment of general and expenditure observers. Election Commission creates special cell to oversee daily functioning of 294 general, 84 police, and 100 expenditure observers for West Bengal polls. Kolkata, March 18 Aiming for total transparency in the system of electoral management for the forthcoming two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal next month, the Election Commission of India has now decided to introduce a system for overseeing daily the functioning of the general observers, police, and expenditure observers appointed for the elections in the state. A special monitoring cell under the leadership and direct control of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, will be created, which will not only oversee the functioning of these ECI-appointed observers but also send a report every day on its observations to the ECI headquarters in New Delhi, informed an insider from the CEO's office. "Already, the ECI has appointed a total of 294 general observers for West Bengal, making it the only one among the four poll-bound states and one union territory to have one general observer for each Assembly constituency. At the same time, West Bengal polls will involve 84 police observers, the highest among the poll-bound places. This time, West Bengal polls will also involve 100 expenditure observers, the second-highest among poll-bound states and UT. Now, the ECI has decided to bring its day-to-day functioning under surveillance to make the system absolutely foolproof and transparent," the CEO's office insider said. He also said the initiative was in line with the commitment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar earlier this month to make the West Bengal Assembly polls free, fair and violence-free. "By bringing the functioning of the ECI-appointed general, police, and expenditure observers under a daily screening mechanism, it also wants to send a message of transparency in the system and address the allegations that ECI is limiting its surveillance only to the bureaucrats and cops of the state government," the CEO's office insider said. Meanwhile, after deputing the West Bengal Home Secretary, Jagdish Prasad Meena, as a central observer for poll-bound Tamil Nadu, the ECI has chosen two other departmental secretaries in the state for deputation as central observers to other poll-bound states. They are the state public works department (PWD) secretary, Antara Acharya, and the state food processing secretary, Parvez Ahmed Siddique. However, both have requested the ECI to reconsider the decision to depute them as central observers to other poll-bound states. - IANS Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has requested the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to review building height restrictions around Bengaluru's airports, arguing they stifle development and cause revenue loss. He cited the stalled Skydeck project, which had to be relocated outside a 20 km radius of the airport due to these rules. The Union Minister has agreed to study international guidelines and hold a meeting within a week. The state government is also evaluating locations for a proposed second international airport for the city. Karnataka Deputy CM requests review of building height limits near Bengaluru airports, citing revenue loss and stalled projects like the Skydeck. New Delhi, March 18 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the height restrictions imposed on buildings around HAL Airport, Jakkur Aerodrome, the Indian Air Force base, and the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru are hindering development works, and a request has been made to the Union Civil Aviation Minister to review these restrictions. Addressing the media after meeting Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Shivakumar said: "We discussed the building height restrictions with the Civil Aviation Ministry and HAL authorities. In cities such as Hyderabad and Mumbai, the height limits are comparatively lower. We have requested that Bengaluru also have similar limits as in other cities." "Because of these restrictions, citizens in Bengaluru are reluctant to opt for premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR). As a result, the government is also losing revenue. The Central government itself advises us to reduce FAR and increase premium FAR. Therefore, we need to take several decisions in this regard, and that is why we met the Union Minister," he said. "Union Minister Naidu has said that he will speak with the Defence Minister. Our officials have also held discussions with HAL authorities. I will also seek time to meet the Defence Minister and explain our issues. We will find a solution for the development of Bengaluru," he said. "Minister N.S. Boseraju, Karnataka's Special Representative in Delhi, T.B. Jayachandra, and I met the Civil Aviation Minister today. Bengaluru is growing rapidly, and traffic congestion needs to be addressed. Residential layouts are expanding in the outskirts, and vehicle numbers are increasing. Within the city, there are the HAL Airport, Jakkur Aerodrome, the Air Force base at Yelahanka and Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli. Due to these airports, constructing tall buildings in the surrounding areas is not possible," he said. "I have been trying to build a Skydeck for the past two and a half years. Now we have decided to construct it at Kempegowda Layout. It cannot be built within a 20 km radius of the airport. NGF was a good location for the Skydeck as it had metro connectivity. Another suggestion was to build it near Sompura Circle along NICE Road. However, the NICE authorities did not cooperate. We will decide what action needs to be taken regarding NICE. They did not provide the required no-objection certificate. Those who do not cooperate with the government will receive an appropriate response," he said. "The Union Minister has said that they are studying international guidelines and the rules followed in other cities in the country. A meeting will be held within a week, and our officials have also been asked to participate. With the upcoming Bengaluru Business Corridor, landowners affected by land acquisition may want to construct buildings on their properties. Height restrictions would create difficulties for them," he said. "Regarding the second international airport, the Centre has sent its opinion stating that the state government should identify the location. We have two or three options, and our government will discuss the pros and cons before taking a decision. After I return to Bengaluru, I will examine the Centre's communication. I raised this matter with the Union Minister, keeping Bengaluru's future in mind. The responsibility for developing the new airport will be handled by Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil," he said. - IANS China, Vietnam hold meeting to advance cooperation Xinhua) 09:32, March 18, 2026 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 17, 2026. The 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held in Hanoi on Tuesday. Wang and Son co-chaired the meeting with officials from various ministries and provincial governments of both sides participating online and offline. (Xinhua/Hu Jiali) HANOI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held in Hanoi on Tuesday. Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son co-chaired the meeting with officials from various ministries and provincial governments of both sides participating online and offline. Efficient coordination among various departments and localities of the two countries has led to an upgrade in all-round cooperation, Wang noted. Faced with a complex and volatile international situation, China and Vietnam should join hands to advance the path of socialist modernization, continuously create new prospects for relations between the two parties and countries, and make new contributions to strengthening Global South unity and self-reliance and promoting international and regional peace and stability, according to Wang. He added that both sides should expand the breadth of pragmatic cooperation, including promoting railway connectivity, strengthening cooperation in agriculture, electricity, finance, key minerals, and technological innovation, and jointly safeguarding the multilateral trading system. Efforts should also be made to maintain the momentum of people-to-people exchanges, such as promoting cooperation in media, publishing, radio, and film, and to strengthen the management of differences, advance maritime cooperation, and conclude consultations of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea at an early date, Wang added. For his part, Son said that Vietnam has always regarded China as a top priority and strategic choice in its foreign policy, adding that Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy and opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities. He added that Vietnam agrees with the next steps of cooperation proposed by China, and is willing to further consolidate strategic mutual trust, prepare for high-level exchanges, and strengthen party and parliamentary exchanges. Vietnam is willing to deepen defense and security cooperation, promote mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, agriculture, finance, green energy, and cultural and educational fields, strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, properly manage differences, and advance Vietnam-China relations to deeper and more substantive levels, Son said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, co-chairs the 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 17, 2026. Officials from various ministries and provincial governments of both sides participated in the meeting online and offline. (Xinhua/Hu Jiali) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The government has announced that the Bharat Taxi platform, India's first cooperative-led ride-hailing service, has generated over Rs 35 crore in income for drivers with an investment of around Rs 5 crore. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated the model places driver-members, called 'Sarathis', at the centre of ownership and decision-making, allowing them to retain full earnings. The platform operates on a subscription model for drivers, charging passengers only the base trip fare without additional fees. Launched in 2026 and currently operational in Delhi-NCR and parts of Gujarat, the initiative aims to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional aggregator apps. Govt says Bharat Taxi, a cooperative ride-hailing platform, created Rs 35 crore income for drivers with a Rs 5 crore investment, empowering 20,000+ drivers. New Delhi, March 18 The government on Wednesday said that the Bharat Taxi platform has generated over Rs 35 crore in income for drivers with a modest investment of around Rs 5 crore so far, while creating employment opportunities for nearly 20,000 drivers and 200 support staff. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Bharat Taxi, India's first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, is emerging as a major step towards empowering drivers and promoting inclusive growth in the mobility sector. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said the initiative is designed to put drivers, referred to as 'Sarathis', at the centre of ownership and decision-making. "Unlike traditional app-based cab services, Bharat Taxi operates on a cooperative model where drivers are members and stakeholders, allowing them to retain full earnings from rides," HM Shah stated. The platform does not charge any commission from drivers. Instead, it follows a subscription-based model, ensuring that drivers get fair and transparent income. Passengers, on the other hand, are charged only the trip fare based on distance and time, without additional convenience fees or surge pricing. Bharat Taxi was established on June 6, 2025, under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and was officially launched on February 5, 2026. It has been set up by eight national-level cooperative institutions as part of the government's broader push to strengthen the cooperative sector under the vision of 'Sahkar se Samriddhi'. Currently, the service is operational in Delhi-NCR, including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, as well as in cities like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Somnath, and Dwarka in Gujarat. The government said expansion to other states and Union Territories will be done in phases, depending on approvals and operational readiness. To become a member, drivers must own a vehicle and hold a valid driving licence. They are required to buy at least one share in the cooperative, which has an authorised share capital of Rs 300 crore. The structure ensures democratic participation, where members are involved in key decisions related to operations and management. The government said the project has not only boosted driver incomes but also created a sustainable and dignified alternative to aggregator-based models. - IANS Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hosted what is widely seen as his final Dawat-e-Iftar, a tradition he maintained since 2005. The event was held under strict security with media and personal electronic devices barred from the venue. Attendees, including BJP's minority wing leader, urged Kumar to support PM Modi in Delhi, hinting at his impending national role. Speculation is rife that Kumar may soon step down as CM, with his son Nishant Kumar being groomed for a larger party role. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar hosts his last Dawat-e-Iftar amid speculation of his move to Delhi and a potential leadership transition in the state. Patna, March 18 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hosted what is being seen as his final Dawat-e-Iftar at his official residence in Patna on Wednesday, marking the end of a long-standing tradition he has upheld since assuming office in 2005. Except during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kumar has organised the annual Iftar gathering, personally overseeing the arrangements. The event holds political and social significance, bringing together leaders, community representatives, and citizens. This year's event was conducted under tight security arrangements, with entry restricted to invitees holding valid passes. Attendees were not allowed to carry mobile phones on the premises, and media personnel were also barred from bringing cameras or other electronic devices into the venue. Many participants described the event as a farewell gesture to the Chief Minister. Posters featuring Nitish Kumar alongside his son Nishant Kumar were also seen across areas outside the residence, drawing attention amid speculation about future political developments. Among those present, Tufail Qadri, State President of the Minority Morcha of the Bharatiya Janata Party, said they had come to urge Kumar to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hands in Delhi. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has served Bihar immensely. As he moves to Delhi, he should work alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to take the country forward," Qadri said. Another attendee remarked that although this may be Kumar's last Iftar as Chief Minister, "his spirit will remain here," adding that Kumar himself indicated the Rajya Sabha was the next phase of his political journey. Meanwhile, Anjum Ara, spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United), said the people of Bihar would always remember Kumar's contributions. She also indicated that Nishant Kumar is emerging as a leader within the party and is likely to play a larger role in the future. "The way the Chief Minister personally oversees every arrangement and cares for those observing the fast makes this event special. He will certainly be missed," she said. Nitish Kumar, who has been at the centre of Bihar's politics since 2005, is now expected to take on a more active role in national politics after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. While there is no official confirmation yet, political circles speculate that he could step down as Chief Minister soon, with the possibility of a BJP leader taking over the post. - IANS The BJP has termed the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar a transformative project for Uttar Pradesh and the NCR. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the facility on March 28, highlighting it as the country's largest international airport. The airport is expected to generate massive economic growth and an estimated Rs 1 lakh crore in income for the state. Developed in phases, it aims to eventually handle 70 million passengers annually with world-class facilities. BJP hails Noida's Jewar airport as a major connectivity and economic boost for UP and NCR, with PM Modi invited for March 28 inauguration. New Delhi, March 18 BJP National Spokesperson R.P. Singh on Wednesday asserted that the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar will be a turning point for Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region. Singh told IANS: "It will become a new connectivity route for all of North India." He further added, "As far as accidents are concerned, there have not been any unpleasant incidents this time, which reflects the control under Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's law and order management." Meanwhile, Chief Minister Adityanath, on Wednesday, while addressing an event in Lucknow, said a request has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Noida International Airport at Jewar on March 28. He said, "For connectivity in the country, especially air connectivity, today there are 16 domestic airports in Uttar Pradesh and four international airports. Also, the fifth, which will be the biggest international airport in the country, is coming up at Jewar. We have sent an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting its inauguration on March 28." Adityanath further added, "Imagine the growth that will take place in Uttar Pradesh after this airport is built. The state will also achieve economic development. With this airport, the state government will earn Rs 1 lakh crore income." Notably, Adityanath was earlier presented the aerodrome licence issued by the Government of India to the Noida International Airport (NIA). The Noida International Airport, being developed in Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar, is a major greenfield airport that will connect the National Capital Region and western Uttar Pradesh with major cities across India and the world. The airport is being developed with world-class facilities, combining Swiss efficiency with Indian hospitality. The development of the airport is planned in four phases. In the first phase, one runway and one passenger terminal building have been constructed, with an annual capacity of approximately 12 million passengers. In the second phase, the capacity will be expanded to 30 million passengers. With further expansion in the third and fourth phases, the total capacity is targeted to reach 70 million passengers annually. - IANS The BJP has welcomed the proposed introduction of a Uniform Civil Code Bill in the Gujarat Assembly, stating it aligns with the party's long-standing agenda and ensures equality. Opposition leaders, however, have urged a cautious and inclusive consultative approach, emphasizing the need for public trust. A high-level committee headed by retired Justice Ranjana Desai has submitted its final three-volume draft report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, recommending a common legal framework for personal laws. The report, prepared after extensive studies and public consultations, prioritizes women's rights and follows Uttarakhand's implementation of a UCC. BJP supports proposed Uniform Civil Code in Gujarat, citing equality. Opposition calls for inclusive consultations. Committee submits final report to CM. New Delhi, March 18 As the Uniform Civil Code is likely to be tabled in the Gujarat Assembly soon, the BJP on Wednesday welcomed the development, stating that the implementation of the UCC has long been part of its agenda. However, Opposition leaders have urged caution and sought a consultative approach in the matter. Speaking to IANS, Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi said that the current situation in the country makes it appropriate to implement the UCC. "The UCC should be implemented considering the present conditions. Concerns such as demographic changes have also been raised, and even the Supreme Court has suggested that it should be brought in," he said. BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo reiterated that the UCC has been a long-standing commitment of the party. "The UCC was part of the BJP's agenda for a long time. It has already been implemented in Uttarakhand, where we have seen positive results. It is not appropriate to have separate personal laws within one country. A uniform system will ensure equality and justice, particularly for women. This is a progressive step and should be implemented across the country," he said. However, Opposition leaders have urged caution and emphasised the need for a consultative approach. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, said that while the UCC has been widely discussed across states, its implementation must be handled sensitively. "The Supreme Court of India has indicated that the UCC should involve multi-stakeholder consultations and be implemented only after gaining public trust. I hope that whenever it is introduced in Gujarat, it is done without political motives and with an inclusive approach that genuinely benefits the public, especially women," she said. On March 17, a highlevel committee established by the Gujarat government to examine the implementation of a UCC in the state, submitted its final report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. The committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai, handed over a threevolume draft report to the chief minister, outlining recommendations for a uniform legal framework on personal law matters across all religions and communities in the state. The report was prepared after detailed studies, visits to districts across Gujarat and extensive public consultations, the committee said. It aims to address issues including marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption under a common legal structure. Committee members said the draft prioritises equal rights and safety for women and takes into account the state's geographical and cultural diversity. In addition to Justice Desai, the committee comprised retired senior IAS officer C.L. Meena, senior advocate R.C. Kodekar, former university vicechancellor Dr Dakshesh Thakar and social worker Geeta Shroff. At the report submission, the chief minister was accompanied by senior government officials. The committee's advisor, retired senior IAS officer and former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, Shatrughan Singh, was also present. Uttarakhand has been at the forefront of implementing the UCC in India. The state enacted the UCC of Uttarakhand Act, 2024, becoming the first in the country to make such a law operative when it came into force from January 27, 2025, after the Bill was passed by the state legislature and received presidential assent. The committee emphasised that its recommendations are based on careful examination of legal, social and cultural aspects in the state and reflect the views gathered during its consultations with communities and stakeholders. The draft report has now been formally placed before the state government for further consideration. - IANS The National Indian Film Festival of Australia launched its second edition with the red-carpet premiere of "BOONG," the first Indian film to win a BAFTA. The festival will tour major cities and regional centers across Australia from March to July. Veteran actor Anupam Kher was honored with the International Indian Cinema Icon Award at the event. Kher expressed his deep connection to Australia and highlighted the festival's role in fostering cultural exchange. BAFTA-winning film 'BOONG' opens festival honoring veteran actor Anupam Kher with the International Indian Cinema Icon Award across Australia. Mumbai, March 18 The second edition of the National Indian Film Festival of Australia opened with a red-carpet premiere of "BOONG", the first Indian film to win a BAFTA. The movie shares the story of a young boy named Boong, who embarks on a journey to find his father with his best friend. The launch event was hosted by the Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong in collaboration with the City of Greater Geelong and the Geelong Waterfront Film Foundation. Slated to take place from 18 March to 5 July, the festival brings a diverse array of screenings, gala events, and industry discussions to audiences across metropolitan and regional Australia. The festival will tour all major cities in Australia, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. They will also be extending their reach into regional and outback centres such as Broken Hill and Alice Springs. Another major highlight of the festival is that veteran actor Anupam Kher will be presented with the International Indian Cinema Icon Award. In his career spanning decades, Kher has been a part of many acclaimed international productions like "The Big Sick", "Bend It Like Beckham", and "Silver Linings Playbook," along with others. Expressing his excitement about receiving the latest honor, the veteran actor said, "I am deeply honoured to accept the International Indian Cinema Icon Award at the National Indian Film Festival of Australia. Australia holds a very special place in my heart. Ever since my first visit and filming experience here many years ago, to being on the Jury of AACTA Awards headed by Russell Crowe, I have always felt a deep warmth from its people and a genuine curiosity about Indian stories and culture. It is therefore a great pleasure to receive this award from NIFFA." "Festivals like this play an important role in building cultural bridges and allowing cinema to travel across borders, languages, and communities," added Kher. - IANS The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved funding of 1,718.56 crore for Minimum Support Price operations for the 2023-24 cotton season. This funding to the Cotton Corporation of India aims to provide direct price support to farmers when market prices fall below MSP levels. Cotton is a vital cash crop sustaining about 60 lakh farmers and supporting millions in allied industries. The CCI has established over 508 procurement centers across 11 states to ensure accessible and transparent operations for farmers. Cabinet approves 1,718.56 crore MSP funding to CCI for 2023-24 cotton season to support farmers and stabilize prices. New Delhi, March 18 In a key step towards farmer welfare, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved minimum support price funding of Rs 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India for the cotton season 2023-24. The funding aims to provide direct price support to cotton farmers across the country. During the 2023-24 cotton season, the area under cultivation was estimated at 114.47 lakh hectares, with production pegged at 325.22 lakh bales, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of global cotton output. The government fixes the MSP for seed cotton (kapas) based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). According to the CCEA, the MSP operations are undertaken to safeguard the interests of cotton farmers, particularly during periods when market prices fall below the MSP. "These interventions play a crucial role in stabilising cotton prices, preventing distress sales, and ensuring remunerative returns to farmers. By enhancing inclusivity in agricultural markets, MSP operations contribute significantly to the economic security of cotton-growing communities," according to an official statement. The statement further said that cotton remains one of India's most vital cash crops, sustaining the livelihoods of approximately 60 lakh farmers and supporting 400-500 lakh people engaged in allied activities, including processing, trade, and textiles. The CCI is designated as the central nodal agency for undertaking MSP operations in cotton. It procures all Fair Average Quality (FAQ) cotton from farmers without any quantitative ceiling, whenever market prices fall below MSP levels, thereby providing an assured safety net to farmers. As part of its preparedness, CCI has established a robust procurement network across all 11 major cotton-growing states, with over 508 procurement centres operational in 152 districts, ensuring seamless and accessible procurement for farmers. Further, the Corporation has undertaken several technology-driven and farmer-centric initiatives to enhance the efficiency and transparency of MSP operations. - IANS Recent initiatives, including a $100 million scholarship fund and 300 Mitacs internships, are strengthening academic mobility between Canada and India. The partnerships, announced during a high-level visit, involve over a dozen new inter-university agreements focusing on joint degrees and research in fields like artificial intelligence. These efforts aim to counteract enrollment drops linked to visa caps and cultivate 'future-ready' talent pools. A Joint Working Group will oversee the implementation of these education-focused strategies. New scholarships, internships, and university agreements between Canada and India aim to enhance student mobility and collaborative research in AI and clean tech. Ottawa, March 18 Canadians stand to benefit from India's intellectual capital, reinforcing prosperity in an increasingly competitive global landscape. Recent progress in education mobility between Canada and India offers a vital opportunity to restore people-to-people ties impacted by visa restrictions, a report has highlighted. According to a report in 'One World Outlook', the initiatives, including Canadian dollar (CA) $100 million in scholarships, 300 Mitacs internships, and several inter-university agreements are expected to enhance student exchanges and joint research, contributing substantially to Canada's economy. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent visit to India marked a significant step forward, with 13 new inter-university partnerships announced in Mumbai and Delhi. Among the collaborations, the report said, the University of Fraser Valley in Canada has partnered with Panjab University, alongside a collaboration between Canada's Algoma University and India's Parul University, to promote student and faculty exchanges, joint degree programmes, and collaborative research in artificial intelligence and clean technologies. Foreign Minister of Canada Anita Anand emphasised that these agreements would boost collaborative research and pave the way for hybrid campuses, directly tackling enrollment drops linked to recent visa caps. "The visit launched the Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy, encompassing 24 education-focused Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). A joint statement from Carney and the Indian Prime Minister underscored commitments to dual-degree offerings, offshore Canadian campuses in India, and skills development in emerging technologies," the report highlighted. The report noted that a key pillar of these initiatives is CA $100 million in scholarships, supporting as many as 200 fully funded positions for Indian students and parallel opportunities for Canadians. "The University of Toronto committed up to $25 million for more than 220 Indian scholars. Mitacs renewed its memorandum with India's All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), securing 300 annual Globalink Research Internships, 12-week programmes for elite Indian undergraduates at Canadian universities, commencing summer 2027," it mentioned. "These internships span STEM fields, humanities, and social sciences, with supervision by Canadian faculty to drive innovation. Hybrid study centres, such as Dalhousie University's collaboration with IIT Tirupati, allow students to begin studies in India before transferring to Canada," it stated. The report further said the presence of nearly two million Canadians of Indian descent underscores how these initiatives bolster familial and commercial networks. "They cultivate 'future-ready' talent pools: Indian interns become lifelong alumni advocates, while graduates remain via post-graduation work permits, sustaining economic growth. A Joint Working Group oversees implementation, with its first report due in July 2026," it added. - IANS Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy expressed full confidence that the candidate list announced by Mamata Banerjee will secure the party a two-thirds majority in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. He dismissed the BJP's remarks on the list as irrelevant, stating the BJP has already lost. The West Bengal polls are scheduled for April 23 and April 29, with vote counting on May 4. Meanwhile, in Assam, the AAP announced six more candidates as the state prepares for a single-phase election on April 9. TMC MP Saugata Roy says Mamata Banerjee's candidate list ensures a two-thirds majority, dismissing BJP's criticism as irrelevant for the West Bengal elections. New Delhi, March 18 Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy on Wednesday praised the party's candidate list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, expressing confidence that the party will secure a two-thirds majority in the forthcoming polls. "We are fully confident, and the list of candidates that Mamata Banerjee has announced will give us a two-thirds majority," Roy told ANI. Roy further dismissed the BJP's remarks on the TMC's candidate list, saying the party was already irrelevant. "It's a very good list. Mamata Banerjee herself has announced (the candidates)...Whatever the BJP says is irrelevant because the BJP has already lost," he told reporters. The West Bengal Assembly election will be held in two phases, with polling scheduled for April 23 and April 29. Counting of votes for both phases will be conducted on May 4. The election process is scheduled to be completed by May 6. The last assembly election in the state was held in 2021, conducted in eight phases between March 27 and April 29, amid an intense contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Apart from West Bengal, Assam will also go into single-phase polls on April 9, with counting on May 4. The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday announced six candidates in its second list for the upcoming Assam elections. In its latest list, the party has fielded Ranu Mai Tenopi from Barhampur, whereas Biresh Difoesa will contest from Diphu. Pranab Priyangshu Dutta, Saynul Haque, Elvin Baruah and Ballav Patra will contest from Jorhat, North Karimganj, Palashbari and Dispur, respectively. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. - ANI The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the establishment of 14 new campuses for the National Forensic Sciences University across multiple states to bolster India's forensic infrastructure. Several of these campuses are already operating from transit facilities in locations like Goa, Agartala, and Bhopal while permanent infrastructure is developed. The expansion includes co-locating NFSU campuses with Central Forensic Science Laboratories in six states to better integrate training, research, and operational services. Additionally, approval has been granted for eight new CFSLs across the country to further strengthen the national forensic ecosystem. Centre approves 14 new National Forensic Sciences University campuses across India to enhance forensic infrastructure, scientific investigation, and criminal justice system. New Delhi, March 18 The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the establishment of 14 additional campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University across multiple states-- a broader push to strengthen India's criminal justice system and forensic infrastructure. Apart from its initial campuses in Gandhinagar, Gujarat and Delhi, Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a written reply in the the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, informed new NFSU campuses have been approved in Goa, Agartala (Tripura), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Dharwad (Karnataka), Guwahati (Assam), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Khordha (Odisha), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The MoS further stated that land has already been allocated for campuses in several locations, including Goa, Agartala, Bhopal, Dharwad, Guwahati, Nagpur, Khordha, Raipur, and Chengalpattu. Campuses in these regions, along with Jaipur in Rajasthan, are currently operating from transit facilities while permanent infrastructure is being developed. Highlighting efforts to strengthen forensic capabilities, the MoS noted that collaborations with national and international forensic research institutions are being actively pursued by the Directorate of Forensic Science Services and NFSU within their respective mandates. "These collaborations are part of an ongoing process to enhance research and capacity building in forensic sciences." The reply also mentioned, "the government has undertaken steps to strengthen the forensic ecosystem in the country in order to support scientific investigation and improve the quality and timeliness of the justice processes." In order to promote closer coordination between academic training, research and operational forensic science services to build capacity, enhance availability of skilled manpower and facilitate the adoption of modern forensic techniques, the Central government has inter-alia approved setting up of campuses of the NFSU in co-location withCentral Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in six states namely Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The NFSU has been providing state-of-the-art forensic technologies such as advanced DNA analysis, cyber forensics, digital forensics, forensic psychology, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and ballistic forensics. The NFSU offers more than 60 academic programmes in the field of forensic science and allied disciplines through its campuses. These include undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and doctoral programmes such as B.Sc., M.Sc., B.Tech., M.Tech., MBA and PhD in various specialised areas of forensic science, cyber security, digital forensics, behavioural science, forensic psychology, and related domains. Crime scene management forms an integral part of the forensic science curriculum in these academic programmes. In addition, the University also conducts Short-term training programmes on Crime Scene Management for the capacity building of stakeholders. Apart from the NFSU, modern crime scene management practices, including scientific evidence collection, preservation, and digital documentation, are also supported by the CFSLs. The MoS also mentioned that the CFSLs and the NFSU benefit multiple stakeholders involved in the justice system, inter-alia including State and Central law-enforcement agencies, Central government department, state government department, judicial officers, intelligence personnel, courts, banks, corporate sector, and public sector undertakings. In addition to the already established seven CFSLs in the country located in Chandigarh, Delhi, Kamrup (Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Pune (Maharashtra), and Hyderabad (Telangana), the MoS stated "approval has been provided for setting up of eight new CFSLs in the country in Jammu (UT of Jammu and Kashmir), Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala. Out of these, the MoS added, land has been allocated in Jammu and Kashmir, Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), Khordha (Odisha), and Raipur (Chhattisgarh). - ANI Karnataka's School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa has appealed for calm, asking students and parents not to be misled by social media rumours of question paper leaks as the SSLC Class 10 board exams begin. The exams, which started on March 18 and will continue until April 2, are being conducted with police protection for question papers at 2,870 centres across the state. A total of 8,65,988 students are appearing for the examinations, including over 5,000 specially-abled candidates, with some visually challenged students using laptops. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy have also extended their best wishes to the students, encouraging them to face the exams with confidence. Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa assures students & parents about SSLC exam security. Over 8.6 lakh students begin Class 10 board exams. Bengaluru, March 18 Karnataka Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa on Wednesday appealed to students and parents not to worry about rumours of question paper leaks on social media as the SSLC Class 10 board examinations commenced. In a statement, Minister Madhu Bangarappa said, "Every day, question papers are sent to the examination centres under police protection. Parents are advised not to bother about social media reports regarding question paper leaks and instead encourage their children to focus on their exam preparations." "The parents and students are hereby asked not to be misled by rumours and lures circulating on social media. In coordination with respective districts, elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct the board examinations in a systematic manner," he stated. The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, also known as the Karnataka SSLC Board, said a total of 8,65,988 students are appearing for the examinations. Among them, 7,75,979 are school students, 62,938 are repeaters, 23,510 are private candidates, and 3,561 are private candidate repeaters. Among the regular fresh students appearing for the exams, 3,80,912 are boys, and 3,95,067 are girls. The board also stated that 5,106 specially-abled students are taking the examinations. In Bengaluru South Zone-1, for the second time, visually challenged students are writing their exams on laptops without the help of other persons. The examinations are being held at 2,870 centres across the state. According to the board, 1,77,847 students appearing for the exams belong to the Scheduled Caste community, while 70,039 are from the Scheduled Tribe community. The SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate), Class 10 Board exams commenced on Wednesday and will end on April 2. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "I extend my wishes on behalf of the government and personally to the total 8,65,988 students who are appearing for the SSLC examinations starting tomorrow. Students should face the exams without any anxiety or fear. The government has provided three opportunities for the examination (Exam 1, 2 and 3). Even if students score fewer marks or fail, they will have the opportunity to write the exam again. Therefore, no student should lose confidence or feel anxious," he said while encouraging students. Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumarawamy took to social media X, stating, "As the SSLC examinations begin today, my heartfelt wishes to all the students appearing for the exams." "Face the examination with confidence after making proper preparation. Write your exams with patience and courage. Remember that this is just one step in the path towards your future success," he stated, adding, "My best wishes to all of you, dear children." - IANS Foreign companies remain confident in China's growth under 15th Five-Year Plan People's Daily Online) 13:52, March 18, 2026 Aerial photo shows China-Europe freight trains awaiting departure at Manzhouli Station, operated by China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd., in Manzhouli, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Feb. 26, 2026. (Photo by Huang Xu/Xinhua) During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China's GDP crossed successive thresholds, topping 110 trillion yuan (about $15.8 trillion), 120 trillion yuan, 130 trillion yuan and 140 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 5.4 percent, well above the global average. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) once again presents the world with a transparent, stable and predictable vision for development. With China's economy on a more solid footing, moving along a clearer growth trajectory and showing stronger resilience, a growing number of foreign companies have reached the same conclusion: to take root in China and pursue shared development. Lin Chunmei, vice president of Corning Incorporated and president and general manager of Corning Greater China, told People's Daily Online that China's 15th Five-Year Plan focuses on promoting high-quality development by cultivating new quality productive forces and achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology. The plan also sets out clear objectives for expanding high-standard opening up, advancing institutional opening up and aligning with international rules, Lin said. This not only charts a course for China's economic growth but also creates fresh opportunities for multinational companies to grow alongside Chinese industries. "DHL Express has long been bullish on the Chinese market, and our commitment to investing here remains firm," said Wu Dongming, CEO for China at DHL Express, the German logistics service provider, in an interview with People's Daily Online. This year marks the 40th anniversary of DHL Express operations in China. Over four decades, the company has witnessed and actively contributed to China's economic rise and integration into the global economy, Wu noted. "Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we will continue to deepen our investment, strengthen our service capabilities and provide solid support for Chinese companies going global," Wu said. Anna An, president of Henkel Greater China, said the Chinese market has demonstrated remarkable resilience and long-term growth potential, and the company is fully confident in China's economic development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The year 2026 marks both the 150th anniversary of Henkel's founding and the company's 55th year in China. An said the company would continue investing in local innovation, manufacturing and talent development, deepening its localization efforts in line with the high-quality development goals of the 15th Five-Year Plan. What is the source of this confidence among foreign firms in China? Liu Yunfeng, executive vice president of Volkswagen Group China, told People's Daily Online that China's vast domestic market remains a powerful draw. The country's advantages in industrial capacity, infrastructure and innovation form a combination that is difficult for other economies to match, Liu noted, adding that these advantages constitute a solid foundation for China's long-term economic development. In a world marked by changes and turbulence, rising unilateralism and protectionism, and a sluggish global recovery, certainty has become a scarce resource. Against that backdrop, China continues to contribute around 30 percent of global economic growth, serving as a reliable anchor of stability. China remains committed to joining hands rather than throwing punches, removing barriers rather than erecting walls, and promoting connectivity rather than decoupling. The country continues to embrace the world with open arms, offering a steady and reliable source of certainty. As the 15th Five-Year Plan gets underway, China stands ready to work with all countries to share in its development opportunities and chart a path toward shared global prosperity. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid the foundation for development projects totaling Rs 914 crore in Jamui district. He launched 181 completed projects worth Rs 602 crore and initiated 189 new schemes worth Rs 312 crore. During a public address, he engaged with the crowd, particularly addressing women attendees. The event was attended by senior state ministers as part of his ongoing 'Samridhi Yatra' outreach program. CM Nitish Kumar laid foundations for 189 schemes and inaugurated 181 projects in Jamui district worth Rs 914 crore during his Samridhi Yatra. Patna, March 18 On the second day of the 'Samridhi Yatra', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday visited Jamui district, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated a series of development projects worth Rs 914 crore. During the visit, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for 189 development schemes worth Rs 312 crore and inaugurated 181 completed projects worth Rs 602 crore, dedicating them to the people of the district. Upon his arrival, he was accorded a warm welcome by senior leaders and party workers at the helipad. Among the key projects, Kumar inaugurated the Kundghat Reservoir Project, inspected the site, and issued directions to officials for its effective implementation. He also visited departmental stalls, interacted with beneficiaries, and distributed assistance cheques during the event. Addressing a large gathering at the 'Jan Samvad' programme, the Chief Minister reiterated his government's commitment to the overall development of Bihar, including backward regions like Jamui. During his speech, CM Nitish Kumar made a light-hearted remark while noticing movement in the crowd: "Ladies, why are you running away? Everything is being done for your sake. I was watching you all, and it felt wonderful to see you present -- surely you are not going to leave just because I have started speaking?" Several prominent leaders were present on the occasion, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Cabinet Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Shreyasi Singh, and former minister Sumit Kumar Singh. Following his Jamui visit, CM Nitish Kumar proceeded to Nawada, where he continued his outreach under the yatra. In Nawada, he laid the foundation for 21 schemes worth Rs 244 crore and inaugurated 37 completed projects worth Rs 55 crore. An interesting moment occurred during the Nawada event when the stage anchor mistakenly referred to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary as the "Chief Minister". As Choudhary rose to speak, the anchor repeated the announcement, prompting a brief moment of amusement. Choudhary responded with folded hands before proceeding with his address. - IANS United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) President Pramod Boro has reaffirmed his party's commitment to the holistic development and socio-economic upliftment of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region ahead of the Assam Assembly elections. The party has released its first list of candidates for 15 constituencies, with Boro himself contesting from the Tamulpur seat. The elections in Assam are scheduled for a single phase on April 9, as announced by the Election Commission of India. The counting of votes for Assam and several other states will be held on May 4. UPPL President Pramod Boro outlines party's commitment to BTC region's development and releases candidate list for 15 Assam Assembly constituencies. Baksa, March 18 Ahead of Assembly polls, United People's Party Liberal President Pramod Boro reaffirmed its commitment to the holistic development, rights protection, and socio-economic upliftment of the 26 BTC communities. Boro will contest the upcoming Assam Assembly election from the 43 No. Tamulpur (ST) constituency. On Tuesday, Boro told reporters that the party will field candidates in 15 constituencies, including himself, following public aspirations. "In the upcoming Assembly elections, the UPPL will field candidates in a total of 15 constituencies. I will contest the elections following the party's directive and the aspirations of the people. The UPPL has always been committed to the overall development of the region and will continue this effort in the coming days. The party remains dedicated to ensuring the holistic development, protection of rights, and socio-economic upliftment of the 26 communities of the BTC region," he said. The party has released the first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 9. Boro, who was recently elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, will represent the party in the Tamulpur seat in the upcoming polls. According to an official notification issued by the party, Aninda Basumatary will contest from 1 No. Gossaigaon constituency, while Raju Kumar Narzary has been nominated from 2 No. Dotma (ST) constituency. Lawrence Islary will contest the No. 3 Kokrajhar (ST) constituency. The party has also nominated Nerswn Boro from the 45 No. Bhergaon constituency, Dipen Boro from the 46 No. Udalguri (ST) constituency, and Kamalsingh Narzary from 20 No. Bijni constituency. The candidate list was formally issued by UPPL General Secretary (Administration) Raju Kumar Narzary. In an official notification, the party said that, as empowered by the Central Working Committee and recommended by the Core Committee, the candidates have been approved for the stated constituencies for the ensuing 16th Assam Assembly elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in four states-- Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - along with the Union Territory of Puducherry. According to the schedule, Assam and Kerala will vote in a single phase on April 9, and polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. Voting in Puducherry will also take place on April 9. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. The terms of the current assemblies are set to end on different dates: May 20 in Assam, May 7 in West Bengal, May 10 in Tamil Nadu, May 23 in Kerala, and June 15 in Puducherry. - ANI At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, activist Javad Ahmad Beigh raised serious concerns over Pakistan's alleged crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted the killing of mathematics teacher Anzar Javed Bhatti, who was shot dead while participating in a demonstration organized by a civil society coalition. Beigh stated that the protests, centered on a charter of demands for basic rights like fair electricity and food subsidies, were met with a disproportionate militarized response involving thousands of external police. He called on the international community to address the situation and end a perceived culture of impunity for human rights violations. Kashmiri activist details deadly force against civilians in PoJK at UN Human Rights Council, citing killings and a militarized response to socio-economic protests. Geneva, March 18 At the ongoing 61st UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, serious concerns were raised over the alleged crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. During an oral intervention, Javad Ahmad Beigh, a Kashmiri activist, highlighted what he described as the suppression of democratic rights and excessive use of force by Pakistani authorities. Beigh drew attention to the killing of Anzar Javed Bhatti, a mathematics teacher who was shot dead on October 1, 2025, in Muzaffarabad. According to the statement, Bhatti, who was unarmed and participating in a peaceful civic protest, has since become a symbol of the risks faced by civilians exercising their right to lawful and democratic expression. The protest was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, a coalition representing various professional and civil society groups. Demonstrators had presented a 38-point charter of demands focused on essential socio-economic issues, including access to education and healthcare, fair electricity tariffs despite local hydropower generation, infrastructure development, and equitable food subsidies. Beigh emphasised that these demands were legitimate and aligned with basic human rights standards. However, he alleged that authorities responded with disproportionate force. More than 2,000 police personnel from Punjab, along with 167 platoons of the Federal Constabulary, were reportedly deployed, effectively militarising the region. The use of live ammunition during the protests resulted in at least nine civilian deaths and multiple injuries, according to the intervention. Beigh asserted that such actions reflect Pakistan's failure to meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly with regard to the right to life, freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly. He warned that the incident points to a broader pattern in which peaceful protests are met with militarised responses while accountability for state actions remains absent. Calling for international attention, Beigh urged the Human Rights Council to take serious note of the situation and address what he termed a culture of impunity. He cautioned that continued inaction could embolden further violations and weaken global human rights norms. He also appealed to the international community to closely examine the human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that fundamental freedoms are protected in line with international law. - ANI Crude oil prices skyrocketed to over $103 per barrel following a warning from an Iranian official that the Strait of Hormuz may not return to its pre-war status. The remarks by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf have intensified fears over the safe passage of vessels through this critical global energy chokepoint. Prices have surged approximately 41% since late February, driven by escalating military confrontations involving the US, Israel, and Iran. This sharp increase reflects deep market concerns about sustained disruptions to global energy supplies from the Middle East. Crude oil surges above $103 a barrel after Iran's warning that the Strait of Hormuz may not return to normal, threatening global energy supply chains. New Delhi, March 18 Crude oil prices in the international markets surged again to as high as USD 103 per barrel on Wednesday after Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf indicated that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to normal. These remarks have heightened uncertainty over the safe passage of vessels through the crucial energy corridor. In a post on X, Qalibaf said, "The Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its pre-war status." His statement comes amid escalating tensions in the region following ongoing military confrontations involving the United States, Israel and Iran, raising serious concerns about the stability of global energy supply chains. During Wednesday's trading session, crude oil prices touched USD 103.45 per barrel, reflecting sustained upward pressure in global markets. Prices have surged by more than 40 per cent in just 17 days due to the ongoing conflict, which has disrupted energy supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz and significantly impacted global energy markets, particularly in Asia. Before the beginning of the war, crude oil prices in international markets were trading at around USD 73 per barrel on February 27. However, by Saturday, prices had risen sharply to around USD 103 per barrel. The increase from USD 73 to USD 103 per barrel marks an absolute rise of USD 30, translating into a percentage increase of approximately 41.1 per cent in a short period. The recent escalation in military conflict between the United States and Iran began on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched wide-ranging, direct attacks on Iranian military assets and leadership. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also killed in the US-Israel-led strikes. The sharp spike in crude oil prices reflects growing concerns over global energy supply disruptions as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil transportation, remains at the centre of these concerns. - ANI Naveen Patnaik has announced the creation of the 'Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation,' a charitable trust established in his late father's name for the welfare of Odisha's people. The former Chief Minister clarified that the trust is funded solely from his personal resources, with no money coming from his political party, the Biju Janata Dal. He revealed the planning began before a serious neck surgery last year, involving consultations with legal and financial experts in Delhi. Local residents in Bhubaneswar have praised the initiative, citing it as a continuation of the Patnaik family's legacy of public service and a source of trust and confidence. Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik establishes a charitable trust in his father's name, funded personally to benefit the state's people, not the BJD. Bhubaneswar, March 18 Biju Janata Dal President Naveen Patnaik has said that the 'Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation' has been created for the benefit of the people of Odisha and no money for it will come from BJD or any party funds. Naveen Patnaik, a five-time Odisha Chief Minister, told media persons here that he decided "to open a Trust in Biju Babu's name" for the benefit of the people of the state, and he held consultations for the charitable Trust with lawyers and chartered accountants in Delhi before he was expected to go for a serious neck operation in Mumbai last year. Locals in Bhubaneswar backed Naveen Patnaik's initiative and said he gives them "a lot of trust and confidence". Naveen Patnaik recalled his father Biju Patnaik's charitable contributions as also of his family towards the welfare of people in Odisha. "As you know, Biju Babu was known amongst other things for his charitable activities. At the young age of 30, he donated the UNESCO Kalinga Prize in Paris for the popularisation of science and he did a great many other good works in his lifetime. My brother, my sister and I donated our family home in Cuttack, Anand Bhawan, to the people of Odisha for their use and their interest," Naveen Patnaik said. "When I was expected to go for my serious neck operation which was in Bombay, I went to Delhi first for consultations and there I consulted a number of important lawyers and chartered accountants on trusts because in Delhi they have an expertise on these matters. I decided to open a trust in Biju Babu's name, for the benefit of the people of Odisha," he added. Naveen Patnaik said he started with a small fund of Rs one lakh from his own personal resources. "This is for the benefit of the people of Odisha...None of this money will come from the Biju Janata Dal or any party funds," he said. The former Chief Minister said he wanted to clarify the point to the media as "certain stories that are negative are appearing". Local residents said that Naveen Patnaik has again displayed his commitment to the people of Odisha by taking the initiative for the Foundation, and it is a source of inspiration. They called for full support for Naveen Patnaik so that more and more people of Odisha can benefit from the Foundation's work. They said Naveen Patnaik had drawn inspiration from the charitable works of his father Biju Patnaik, a former Chief Minister of the state. "Naveen Babu gives us a lot of trust and confidence... When Naveen Patnaik became the Chief Minister, development started with him. Now, even when Naveen Patnaik is no longer our CM, he's still helping our people. He's providing us with facilities through a trust. Even though he's not the CM, he's providing us with health facilities. That's why Biju-Naveen's trust has become our inspiration," Aliba Das, a Bhubaneswar resident, said. Another city resident, Biswajeet, said that the state saw a lot of development when Naveen Patnaik was the Chief Minister. "Odisha has seen a lot of development under Naveen Patnaik. For the 24 years, when he was the Chief Minister, people from all sectors, including health and education, benefited. Now, when he is not the Chief Minister, he has opened this trust to help the common people... I request everyone to extend their support to Naveen Babu so that more and more people of Odisha can benefit from it..." Sujit, another resident, said there is a lot to learn from Naveen Patnaik's commitment to people. "When Naveen Patnaik was the Chief Minister, he did a lot for the betterment of the people of Odisha. Naveen Babu stood with the poor and the distressed. Now, Naveen Babu is in the opposition. Still, the way he works for the people is something we should learn from him... Now that he's not in the government, he will still work with the people, for the poor and suffering, whether in Odisha or across the country," he said. - ANI The Delhi government has announced compensation for the victims of the devastating fire in Palam's Sadh Nagar, with 10 lakh for families of the deceased and 5 lakh for deceased children. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia payment of 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased from the PMNRF. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi expressed condolences and appealed for aid, as the death toll climbed to nine with three injured. The rescue operation, led by multiple agencies, is challenging due to significant internal damage to the residential building. Delhi govt & PM Modi announce ex-gratia for Palam fire victims. Death toll rises to 9. Details on compensation and rescue operations. New Delhi, March 18 The Delhi government on Wednesday announced compensation for victims of the Palam fire incident. According to the CMO, a compensation of 10 lakh will be provided to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident, while 5 lakh will be given in case of deceased children. Additionally, 2 lakh compensation will be provided to those who sustained serious injuries in the fire. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased in the Palam residential building fire. Expressing his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident, the PM announced Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. "The fire incident in Palam, Delhi, is saddening. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the PMO wrote on X. Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi expressed condolences on the incident and hopes for the recovery of the injured. She requested the Congress members to extend help to the victims. "The news of the deaths of several people due to a fire in Palam, Delhi, is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured. I appeal to the leaders and workers of the Congress Party to help the victims as much as possible," she said. The fire broke out in a residential building in the Sadh Nagar area of Palam, allegedly due to a short circuit in the wee hours of Wednesday. Delhi Fire Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and other agencies are engaged in relief work. The death toll in the fire has risen to nine, while three people have been reported injured so far, according to fire officers. Eight of the deceased, namely Pravesh (33), Kamal (39), Ashu (35), Lado (70), Himanshi (22) and three minor girls aged 15, 6, and 3 years, were declared dead in Manipal Hospital. Meanwhile, one female, Deepika (28), was declared brought dead in IGI hospital, where two people, Anil (32) and a girl (2) are undergoing treatment. Another man named Sachin (29) is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with approx. 25% burn injuries. Speaking to ANI, National Disaster Relief Force Deputy Inspector Vicky Ranga said that the rescue operation is challenging as the blaze has damaged the building from the inside. "We arrived at the spot within 10 minutes, and Delhi fire service and other agencies were trying to extinguish the fire... We removed two dead bodies from there. The building is damaged from the inside... and doing a rescue operation in such a building is a big challenge... Nearby buildings have been evacuated," he said. - ANI Parliamentary standing committees from India and the United Kingdom held a significant interaction in New Delhi to discuss bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The discussions centered on the historic India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), with confidence expressed that it will significantly boost trade, potentially doubling current volumes. Indian committee chair Dola Sen emphasized the need for a level playing field for Indian traders and highlighted India's large market potential for UK exporters. Both sides reiterated a shared commitment to ensuring the trade deal delivers prosperity for their people through sustained engagement. Parliamentary committees from India and UK meet in Delhi, discuss the historic CETA trade deal aimed at doubling bilateral trade and deepening economic ties. New Delhi, March 18 The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce interacted with an eight-member delegation from the United Kingdom Parliament's Business and Trade Committee, headed by Rt Hon Liam Byrne, on 18th March, 2026, in the Parliament House Complex, New Delhi. During the interaction, the Committee highlighted that India and the United Kingdom share a unique modern relationship, emerging from historical linkages and institutional frameworks, underpinned by shared ideals of democracy and the rule of law. The Committee also noted the signing of the historic India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) during the Prime Minister's visit to the United Kingdom. It expressed confidence that the Agreement will significantly enhance bilateral trade, potentially doubling the existing trade volume, and act as a strong catalyst in further deepening economic cooperation between the two nations. The Committee also underlined that India is the UK's 11th largest trading partner, while the UK is India's 14th largest trading partner. It further noted that the United Kingdom is the 6th largest investor in India. Additionally, India invests in 106 projects and creates 6,067 new jobs in the UK during 2024-25, thereby retaining its position as the second-largest source of FDI after the United States. The meeting reflects the commitment of both India and the United Kingdom to strengthen dialogue, knowledge sharing and exchange of views and insights on issues of mutual interest in the field of trade and commerce. Dola Sen, Chairperson of the DRPSC Committee on Commerce, emphasised the need of Level Playing Field for Importers and Exporters because the tariff rates are not in favour of Indian Business Traders at times. Further, India is an agrarian country and requires traditional, labour-intensive, eco friendly, environment friendly and agro-based industries for the domestic/ export market. The Chairperson also underscored that owing to the huge population of 150 crores, India is a big market for UK exporters. India is also a favoured destination for setting up Industries due to the availability of labour, land and other infrastructure facilities. However, the Committee is of the view that there should be implementation of the Law of the Land as per our constitution and strict compliance with applicable labour and statutory regulations. Speaking on the occasion, Liam Byrne, Chair of the UK Parliament's Business and Trade Committee, stated that it was a privilege for the House of Commons delegation to visit "this great Parliament". Further, he noted that India and the United Kingdom have signed one of the most important free trade agreements in recent history and expressed a shared determination to ensure that the treaty delivers for the people and that it is the people who prosper. The interaction concluded on a positive note, with both sides reiterating their commitment to sustained engagement and constructive collaboration in advancing shared economic objectives. (ANI). - ANI Actor Vikramm Bhambri, who starred in the blockbuster "Dhurandhar," has high praise for director Aditya Dhar's meticulous and collaborative directing style. He reveals that Dhar's best quality is giving actors the creative freedom to add their own flavor to scenes while maintaining his vision. Bhambri credits the franchise with transforming his career from an unknown actor to a recognized name, providing a crucial industry "stamp of approval." He confidently predicts that the upcoming sequel, "Dhurandhar 2," will create history and break records globally. Actor Vikramm Bhambri reveals why director Aditya Dhar is a visionary, praising his collaborative style and predicting Dhurandhar 2 will break global records. Mumbai, March 18 As movie buffs eagerly await the release of "Dhurandhar 2", actor Vikramm Bhambri, who is seen as Shakeel Commando in Aditya Dhar's blockbuster "Dhurandhar" claimed that the second instalment in the franchise will end up breaking all records, calling it a 'Ghatak' period. Praising Dhar for his eye for detail, Bhambri shared, "As a newcomer in this industry, having seen how Aditya Sir has taken the minutest things into consideration right from the culture, the language, the looks, people, and place, I am simply awestruck with the attention to detail in his work. I'm a true believer that Dhurandhar 2 will create history across the globe. Dhurandhar 2 will be GHATAK period." Bhambri said that Dhar is a true visionary and a mastermind. Revealing the best quality of the filmmaker, according to him, he added, "If an actor wants to play his / her character in a certain way, he gives room to the actor to play. He is aware of what he wants in the scene and yet allows actors to add some flavor to it (if it matches the scene). That's really one of many remarkable characteristics of Aditya Sir as a Director." Bhambri admitted that "Dhurandhar" laid an exponential path for him in the industry, turning him from an 'Unknown' to the 'Recognized'. "It has taken an ordinary guy from the audition room to the silver screen." Explaining the fundamental ways in which 'Dhurandhar' and 'Dhurandhar 2' have turned out to be turning points in his career, he said that they have helped establish his credibility as an actor, provided the ultimate training ground, and also expanded his horizon of possibilities in the industry. "In the industry, this movie has given me "stamp of approval" that usually takes years to build. I'm humbled and grateful to the Higher Power, the blessings and wishes of my family and friends. With Dhurandhar as a strong foundation, I am looking forward to the upcoming opportunities to demonstrate my craft and deliver even more impactful performances," concluded Bhambri. - IANS The Digital India program, launched in 2015, has dramatically expanded internet and mobile connectivity across the country. Key achievements include a massive increase in broadband subscribers, a 97% reduction in data costs, and near-universal mobile coverage for villages. The initiative has also driven the adoption of digital public infrastructure, with Aadhaar providing identity to billions and UPI becoming the world's largest digital payment platform. Services like DigiLocker and UMANG have further digitized citizen access to documents and government services. Digital India program boosts broadband users to 103 crore, cuts data costs by 97%, and powers UPI as world's largest payment system. New Delhi, March 18 The government on Wednesday said that the Digital India program has enabled wider access to digital services and opportunities since its launch in 2015. According to a statement by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the program aims to increase access to the internet, provide affordable internet, digital public infrastructure, and enhance digital literacy. "The Government of India launched the Digital India programme in July 2015," the statement said, adding, "These efforts have collectively enabled wider access to digital services and opportunities, thereby fostering inclusive and equitable digital growth across the country." Broadband subscribers have increased from 25 crore in 2014-15 to 103 crore in 2024-25, while mobile base Transceiver stations (BTS) have grown from 7.9 lakh in 2014-15 to 29.50 lakh in 2024-25. The statement added that nearly all villages in India now have mobile connectivity, reflecting the programme's wide reach. "Villages covered with mobile connectivity (2G/3G/4G) have increased to 6.35 lakh in 2024-25, an increase of about 20.5 per cent (near-universal coverage)," it noted. The expansion of optical fibre networks and reduction in data costs have further accelerated digital adoption. "Optical fibre has expanded from 358 km to 6.92 lakh km, while data costs per GB have reduced by 97 per cent," the statement said. The government also highlighted the surge in digital consumption. "Average monthly data consumption per subscriber has increased from 61.66 MB to around 25.25 GB," it added. On digital public infrastructure, the statement underlined the widespread use of Aadhaar and digital payment platforms. "More than 143 Cr Aadhar numbers have been issued, providing digital identity to Indian residents," it said. "India's UPI is now the world's largest digital payment system with more than 46 Cr users and 685 banks. UPI powers 81% of India's digital payments and nearly 49% of global real-time digital payments," the statement added. Using Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile (JAM) Trinity, subsidies and benefits worth Rs 49.82 lakh crore have been transferred directly to the citizens. DigiLocker has provided digital access to authentic digital documents from the original issuer for the common citizen. Currently, 67 crore users are registered on the platform. More than 967 crore documents have been issued using DigiLocker. UMANG mobile application for all government services is operational and offers more than 2,446 services. It has more than 10.51 Cr registered users, and more than 741 crore transactions have been carried out so far. - ANI The Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Sanjay Jaju, stated that digital platforms now contribute nearly 30% of the media and broadcast industry's advertising revenue. He highlighted the evolution of the agency model and the democratization of the ecosystem, allowing small businesses and creators direct consumer access. Jaju emphasized the dual role of AI as a disruptor enabling targeted ads but also facilitating deepfakes and sophisticated scams. He also addressed regulatory actions against gambling advertisements and stressed the need for influencer responsibility and transparency to maintain audience trust. I&B Secretary reveals digital platforms contribute 30% of media revenue, highlighting AI's role and the need for responsible advertising and influencer accountability. New Delhi, March 18 Advertising revenue continues to be the backbone of the media and broadcast industry, with digital platforms contributing nearly 30 per cent of total earnings, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Sanjay Jaju said on Wednesday. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Ad Trust Summit 2026, organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Jaju highlighted the rapid evolution of the agency model, driven by new entrants and increased monetisation linked to the broader digital ecosystem. "All systems are investing to adapt to this changing landscape. The agency model is evolving with new players, enhancing monetisation and commerce. Advertising remains central to media growth, with digital platforms accounting for around 30 per cent of revenues," he said. He noted that the ecosystem has become increasingly democratised, enabling wider participation. "Today, even a small business owner or an individual creator can directly reach consumers. Digital advertising is also transforming through live streaming, short videos, and innovative formats," he added. Emphasising responsible communication, Jaju said freedom of speech must not be misused to spread misinformation. He described artificial intelligence as a significant disruptor in the sector, offering benefits such as targeted advertising and fraud detection, while also posing risks. "AI can make misleading content appear authentic. There are growing concerns around deepfakes, synthetic identities, and highly targeted scams, including fabricated testimonials and fraudulent job schemes," he said. Addressing concerns over gambling advertisements, Jaju said such promotions, especially those targeting youth, remain a serious issue. He added that the ministry has issued advisories and is strengthening cyber enforcement mechanisms to tackle cross-border challenges. On regulatory aspects, he stressed that compliance should be viewed as a driver of responsible growth. "Legal compliance is pro-growth and ensures accountability. It should not be treated as a secondary function," he said. Highlighting the role of influencers, Jaju said they carry significant responsibility and must avoid undisclosed sponsorships or associations with unlawful activities. He added that the ministry has introduced frameworks to guide the industry, with a focus on innovation and safeguarding children. Underscoring the importance of trust, he said, "Even as digital spending grows, authenticity and transparency remain crucial. That is what ultimately connects with audiences." - ANI Rampant illegal gold mining is spreading across more than 3,000 hectares along Costa Ricas northern border, while local authorities declare themselves powerless in the face of mineral theft, deforestation, and the power of criminal networks that exploit the presence of Chinese companies in Nicaragua willing to buy the illicit ore. This so-called dirty gold thrives on prices exceeding $5,000 per ounce, leading Costa Rican authorities to estimate that the plunder could surpass $250 million annually. What began 20 years ago as a government concession to a Canadian company to exploit the Crucitas estate, bordering Nicaraguan territory, is now the scene of a surge in informal mining across a vast area where police presence is insufficient, as the Costa Rican government admits. The key factor is the role of companies that buy gold on Nicaraguan soil, especially Chinese mining companies that have obtained concessions from the Nicaraguan government in recent years, as Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves has mentioned in recent meetings with U.S. officials. The history of mining in Crucitas this century is marked by lawsuits, prejudice, accusations of corruption, environmental claims, and street protests. It has also included international arbitration, proposals for legal gold mining, and, meanwhile, several years of incursions by groups of illegal miners crossing the border in pursuit of their golden dream. However, reports from the beginning of 2026 reveal an even worse reality: illegal mining is growing uncontrollably around the original project and is consolidating itself as a criminal industry in a kind of tropical Wild West of outlaws, deaths, cyanide pits, and an insatiable thirst for gold, topped with geopolitical overtones that further complicate any solution. Being there is a mixture of desolation and danger. Its a mountain in the middle of nowhere, where you know there are many small-time miners, but also armed members of criminal networks in a place where only the law of the jungle prevails, said journalist Cristian Montero, who visited the area where only under-resourced police contingents occasionally arrive, usually more to monitor than to control the area. He and his photographer hiked for up to 10 hours on a hill called Conchuditas, where the coligalleros (small-scale miners) began digging tunnels in mid-2025 and now operate with impunity, as evidenced by newly dug roads, collapsed sections of the mountain, new tunnels, and pools for washing the ore with chemicals whose residue seeps into the soil and water, posing a significant danger to nearby communities. Impact on Conchuditas Hill, in the Indio Maiz Reserve, on March 14. Ministerio de Seguridad Costa Rica Montero went to verify what Security Minister Mario Zamora had reported weeks earlier at a hearing in the Legislative Assembly: Illegal mining had already evolved from artisanal extraction techniques by small-scale miners known as coligalleros (or guiriseros, in Nicaraguan usage) to semi-industrial exploitation with the presence of organized crime, spurred by the rise in the international price of gold. In 2026, a new stage has been reached with new techniques, as it is no longer just sediments being extracted for processing with cyanide and mercury; more than 130 larger pits have been registered. This entails contamination and destruction of the forest cover, not only in the 900 hectares of the original area (of the project); unfortunately, it has expanded across the entire area to more than 3,000 hectares. He also denounced that 90% of the miners are Nicaraguan, and have even altered the boundary markers. That hill is practically nonexistent now, lamented Zamora, who added that the hundred or so police officers patrolling the area each shift, as part of a $1 million security operation, can do little. However, he received strong criticism from opposition parties for not allocating more resources to prevent further violations of border sovereignty. Zamoras special hearing before the legislators has a political undertone: the Rodrigo Chaves administration intends to pass a reform that would make an exception to the current moratorium on open-pit metallic mining and allow a foreign company to be granted a concession for gold extraction, with a percentage of the profits going to the state treasury. The College of Geologists has estimated that there is $3 billion worth of gold in the area. The proposal aligns with the relativistic approach of Costa Ricas traditional environmental positions in official circles, based on the desire to capitalize on natural resources beyond tourism and the argument of fostering development in the rural communities where these resources are located, noted researcher Leonardo Merino of the State of the Nation think tank. The concession is also a political priority for President-elect Laura Fernandez, who has asked current members of Congress to expedite the passage of a bill before the change of government (in May). The proposal is reminiscent of the failed concession contract granted in 2001 to the Canadian company Infinito Gold, which was overturned by a court ruling in 2011, as well as the long-standing national debate about what to do with this ecologically valuable area and how to prevent what has ultimately occurred: the expansion of smuggling with its consequences for the economy, the natural environment, and the security of nearby communities. Reports also mention trafficking in drugs, weapons, and even human organs, as well as human trafficking and threats against the population to prevent them from reporting illegal activities. Reality has surpassed Rodrigo Chavess 2022 promise of government intervention in the area. Now the situation is even more complex, as the conflict takes on geopolitical dimensions due to Costa Ricas accusation against Chinese mining companies that hold concessions for nearly one million hectares in Nicaragua, representing 8.5% of the territory of the country governed by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, according to a recent investigation by the non-governmental organization Fundacion del Rio. The report indicates that the Chinese company Thomas Metal Sociedad Anonima is located in the border area, near an illegal mining camp that houses up to 4,000 people with government tacit approval, within the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve. One of the mining plots is located just 300 meters from the San Juan River, which forms part of the border. Conchuditas Hill is located on the banks of the San Juan River, which is used as a route for gold smuggling. Ministerio de Seguridad Costa Rica This is where the mining material from the illegal extraction of gold from Crucitas and Conchudita in Costa Rica is being processed. Cash gold purchases have also been recorded, Amaru Ruiz, director of the foundation, told the press. However, he expressed skepticism regarding the police coordination announced by authorities from both countries after a meeting held on February 28. This past weekend, operations resulted in 20 arrests, but the problem is much larger. This illegal activity on the Costa Rican side will not stop unless the illegal activity in the Las Cruces area is shut down, he added, referring to the town where the camp operates, according to his findings. The Chinese embassy, however, denies any wrongdoing on the part of Chinese companies and attributes the accusations to a campaign, amid numerous disagreements with the pro-Washington Costa Rican government. This is yet another example of media propaganda without any communication or verification, Ambassador Wang Xiaoyao told this newspaper. We are aware that the mining companies operating in Nicaragua are primarily from Canada or other countries, the diplomat added. For environmental groups in Costa Rica, the legalization of mining would also be a problem, so they oppose the governments project to grant concessions in the border area, arguing that the natural environment is being destroyed, the State has little left, and there is no guarantee that informal mining or security problems will end. Give me a single example of a mining project that has brought development to communities and put an end to illegal mining, just one. You cant, because there isnt one, insisted Representative Priscilla Vindas, of the Broad Front left-wing party, in a meeting of a committee tasked with discussing the project promoted by the executive branch. This would be legalizing the continued theft of our gold in exchange for a paltry 7% of the profits. Theyll be other foreigners, better dressed, but theyll still take the gold, the legislator denounced. Lawmakers enthusiastic about granting a new mining concession lament the slow pace of the debate in Congress and admit there is no complete solution to the problem. Perhaps the gold will be sold cheaply, but it wont be legalized theft or whats happening now, argued legislator Daniela Rojas, another member of the committee, who also acknowledged that eliminating illegal mining and guaranteeing security in the area would require other kinds of efforts. However, the opposition is not optimistic. This is going to happen sooner or later, says one activist, aware that starting in May the ruling party will have an absolute majority in Congress and could also find additional support, even from the United States. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed shock and termed the resignation of Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi as a significant loss for the party. The resignation follows the recent exit of former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah to the BJP. Elections for the 126-seat Assam assembly will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting on May 4. The polls will see the incumbent BJP, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, seeking a third term against the Congress. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar calls Pradyut Bordoloi's resignation a "big loss" for Congress ahead of the Assam assembly elections. New Delhi, March 18 MP Pradyut Bordoloi's resignation from Congress, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, on Wednesday, expressed surprise and termed it a significant loss for the party. "I am very sorry that one of the important members of the Congress family has resigned. It was a surprise to all of us. We never expected it. He was a big role model. Unfortunately, he has quit the party. Today, we have a meeting on the Assam issue. It is a big loss to us. Congress in Assam will definitely get stronger. The people of Assam need a change", he said. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. The apex poll body said that Assam, along with the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, will hold elections to their legislative assemblies, commencing from April 9. While Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 9, voters in Tamil Nadu will exercise their franchise in a single phase on April 23. Assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes for all four states and one union territory will take place on May 4, the Chief Election Commissioner said. - ANI Indian Ambassador to Israel JP Singh visited an injured Indian national at Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital, confirming the individual is recovering well. The Indian Embassy remains in close contact with the Indian community in Israel, urging all nationals to register for timely assistance. It strongly advises adherence to safety guidelines from Israeli authorities, including staying near designated shelters. The update comes amid escalating regional strikes reported in Beirut, Tehran, and the Gulf. Indian Ambassador JP Singh visits injured national in Tel Aviv hospital. Embassy urges Indian nationals in Israel to follow safety advisories and register. Tel Aviv, March 17 Indian Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh visited Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital to meet with an Indian national who was recently injured by shrapnel amid the West Asia conflict. Giving an update on the health of the Indian, the Indian embassy in Israel said that the person is recovering well. In a post on X, the embassy said on Tuesday, "Amb JP Singh visited Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv today. Met Indian national who was injured recently by shrapnel; he is recovering well. Also saw the hospital's emergency preparedness, along with fellow resident Ambassadors in Israel." Meanwhile, Indian Embassy in Israel said that it remains in close contact with the Indian community in Israel, including tourists, short-term business visitors and media persons, who are currently in the country and are affected by the prevailing situation. Indian nationals who are temporarily in Israel are requested to follow the advisory issued earlier and register with the Embassy at the link below to facilitate timely assistance and communication. Indian nationals are strongly advised to strictly adhere to the safety guidelines and instructions issued by the Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command. "All Indian nationals should remain in close proximity to designated shelters and familiarise themselves with the nearest protected spaces in their area of residence or work," the embassy said. Meanwhile, Israel's Defence Minister Katz said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani has been killed. The Israeli army also said it killed Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani in an attack last night. Iran has not commented on the claims yet, as per Al Jazeera. Israeli air strikes have rained down on three neighbourhoods in Beirut while Israeli army says it launched new attacks on the Iranian capital Tehran. Missile and drone attacks continue to target the Gulf region and beyond, with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait reporting interceptions. Lebanon's army says one soldier killed, four injured in Israeli air strike on southern Lebanon, as per Al Jazeera. - ANI The European Union has condemned a Pakistani airstrike that struck the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, calling it a deadly escalation. Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, stated the attack killed over 400 patients and injured hundreds more. The EU emphasized that attacks on medical facilities violate international humanitarian law and urged both nations to exercise restraint. The incident has intensified calls for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomatic dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. EU condemns Pakistani airstrike on Kabul hospital, urges restraint. Hundreds reported killed in attack on drug rehab facility, violating international law. Kabul, March 18 The European Union has condemned a Pakistani airstrike on a medical facility in Kabul, describing it as a deadly escalation in the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The EU urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible measures to protect civilians, warning that attacks on civilian and medical facilities violate international humanitarian law. The statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. "Civilian and medical facilities must never be targeted, as they are protected under International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions. All parties engaged in military operations have the obligation to respect these provisions under all circumstances," the EU said. The EU joined the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, on Tuesday claimed that the attack carried out by Pakistani forces at Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital killed more than 408 patients undergoing drug rehabilitation and injured over 265. Addressing ambassadors, heads of missions, and representatives of international organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said the strikes occurred around 9 p.m. on March 16 and were conducted by "military aircraft and drones of the Pakistani military regime," deliberately targeting one of the most vulnerable groups in Afghan society. He added that the victims were drug-addicted individuals receiving treatment through Afghan government programmes supported by international humanitarian organisations, and warned that the numbers could rise further. Muttaqi accused Pakistan's military of showing no regard for Islamic or humanitarian principles of warfare, deliberately striking civilian and humanitarian facilities, and highlighted that the assault came during the final days of Ramadan and on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. He said Afghan security forces had responded with proportionate and defensive measures, targeting only military sites from which attacks were launched, and reiterated that such actions would continue until Pakistan ceased its "violations and crimes." - IANS European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Australia from March 23 to 25, traveling to Sydney and Canberra. Her trip aims to strengthen EU-Australia ties, with a key meeting scheduled with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The visit underscores the EU's strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific region for shared prosperity and security. It will advance cooperation on priorities like trade, green transition, and upholding a rules-based international order. EU President Ursula von der Leyen visits Australia to meet PM Anthony Albanese and strengthen strategic & economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Brussels, March 18 European Union President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Australia from March 23-25, as per an official statement by the delegation of the European Union to Australia. It was further noted that during her visit, she will travel to Sydney and Canberra to meet the Australian PM, Anthony Albanese. In a post on X, the EU in Australia said, "EU President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Australia from March 23-25 to strengthen ties with a trusted partner in the vital Indo-Pacific region. She will travel to Sydney and Canberra, and meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Australian capital." The European Union's diplomatic service noted on its website how the EU and Indo-Pacific regions share a stake in each other's prosperity and security. Calling the Indo-Pacific region of key strategic importance to the EU, both economically and geopolitically, the EU underlined how the futures are highly interconnected and interdependent. "Given today's complex geopolitical environment, cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners is essential. The EU prioritises upholding a rules-based international order, based on the UN Charter, and promoting responsible international cooperation", the website said. It underlined that by working closely with Indo-Pacific nations, the EU aims to address global challenges and reinforce stability, security, and shared prosperity in the region. The EU Indo-Pacific strategy promotes effective rules-based multilateralism, an open and fair environment for trade and investment, while supporting connectivity with the EU. Close cooperation is key in order to achieve sustainable economic growth while ensuring the diversification of supply chains and resilience in the face of economic shocks and disruption, it further noted. The website noted that the EU's Indo-Pacific Strategy focuses on seven key priority areas, namely: sustainable and inclusive prosperity, green transition, ocean governance, digital governance and partnerships, connectivity, security and defence and human security. "These priorities collectively underpin the EU's commitment to building resilient partnerships that promote peace, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The EU and its Indo-Pacific partners have advanced concrete cooperation across all seven priority areas", the website highlighted. - ANI A video of Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney jogging in London's Hyde Park has gone viral for its discussion of the Bollywood film 'Dhurandhar'. Carney inquired about Stubb's surge in Instagram popularity in India, which the President attributed to his comments about watching the espionage thriller. Stubb noted the film's serious subject matter, stating it was "not a game at all". The casual exchange has been widely shared online, creating an unexpected link between global diplomacy and Indian pop culture. Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian PM Mark Carney jog in London, discussing the Indian blockbuster Dhurandhar and its global impact. London, March 18 A casual morning jog involving Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has unexpectedly brought an Indian espionage saga into global political conversation. In a video shared by the Finnish president on his X handle, the two leaders are seen jogging through Hyde Park while discussing the Hindi blockbuster 'Dhurandhar,' a moment that has quickly circulated among Indian audiences online. The clip shows Stubb and the Canadian prime minister running alongside their spouses during Carney's visit to London. During the exchange, Carney asks Stubb about a recent surge in his popularity on Instagram in India. The Finnish president explains that the attention followed comments he made about watching 'Dhurandhar.' "How was your Insta thing in India?" Carney asks in the video. Stubb responds that the reaction was "huge" after he revealed he had seen the film. Reflecting on the storyline, he adds that after watching it he realised the subject matter portrayed in the movie was "not a game at all," referring to its depiction of terrorism and intelligence operations. The video has since been widely shared online, with many viewers noting the unusual intersection of international politics and Indian cinema. One X user commented, "Great to see leaders of two thriving democracies talking about the largest democracy in the world.." A second social media user wrote, "are you guys talking about DHURANDHAR ...Count me in" "Congrats @AdityaDharFilms @yamigautam @jiostudios. The PM of Canada is discussing about Dhurandhar," another Indian social media user commented. Stubb had earlier spoken publicly about the film during a visit to Mumbai. Speaking to ANI, he revealed that he watched 'Dhurandhar' on his son's recommendation before travelling to India. The Finnish president said he found the story compelling and even joked about being "one part of the narrative," adding that he looked forward to the sequel. The film stars Ranveer Singh as undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi and blends espionage drama with a storyline centred on counter-terror operations. Its follow-up, 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', is scheduled for theatrical release on March 19, with special preview screenings held on March 18. The sequel sees Singh reprise his role, this time deeply embedded in the criminal underworld under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari. The story follows his rise in Karachi's Lyari area after the death of gangster Rehman Dakait, originally portrayed by Akshaye Khanna in the first film. The new instalment expands the narrative from personal infiltration to a broader national-security threat. The plot introduces a terror syndicate that Rangi attempts to dismantle from within, with Major Iqbal, played by Arjun Rampal, emerging as a key target. The film also features Sanjay Dutt as law-enforcement officer SP Chaudhary Aslam and R Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal. - ANI The flight situation between the Gulf region and India is steadily improving, according to Indian official Aseem R Mahajan. Since February 28, approximately 2.6 lakh passengers have travelled back to India from the region. While operations from the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia continue, Kuwait's airspace remains closed, prompting transit arrangements via Saudi Arabia. Qatar Airways has also increased its limited operations to several Indian destinations. Indian official says Gulf flight ops improving. Over 2.6 lakh passengers returned since Feb 28. UAE stable, Qatar airspace partially open, Kuwait restricted. New Delhi, March 18 Additional Secretary, Aseem R Mahajan, on Wednesday said the flight situation between the Gulf region and India is steadily improving despite earlier airspace restrictions across parts of West Asia. During the Inter-Ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Mahajan said, airlines have gradually increased operations, allowing a large number of passengers to return to India in recent weeks. "An update on the flight status and airspace: while there have been operational closures in some countries, overall the flight situation continues to improve with additional flights operating," Mahajan said. He said that since February 28, approximately 2,60,000 passengers have travelled from the region back to India. "Since February 28th, around 2,60,000 passengers have returned from the region to India," he added. Mahajan said the situation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains stable, with airlines continuing to run limited operations based on safety considerations. "For the UAE, airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations. On March 17th, around 70 flights operated from airports in the UAE to India. Today, around 75 flights are expected to operate from various airports in the UAE to different destinations in India, with more than 50 flights operating daily from the UAE to India since March 5th, 2026. The flight situation is reassuring," he said. Mahajan noted that the flights are also operating from Oman and Saudi Arabia to India, while the airspace over Qatar has partially reopened. "Flights continue to operate from Oman and Saudi Arabia to different destinations in India. Qatar airspace remains partially open. Qatar Airways operated five flights to India yesterday," he said. "Qatar Airways also announced flights to nine destinations from today. This will further ease the availability of flights," Mahajan added. However, the situation remains restricted in Kuwait, where the airspace has been closed since February 28. "In Kuwait, the airspace has been closed since 28th February 2026. Special non-scheduled commercial flights by Jazeera Airways of Kuwait are expected to operate in the coming days to India from the Al Qaisumah International Airport in Saudi Arabia," he said. Mahajan said Indian authorities are facilitating transit arrangements for stranded citizens due to the restrictions in several countries of West Asia. "In view of the flight restrictions in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq, we have been facilitating the transit of stranded Indians and for emergency cases, via Saudi Arabia," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, Qatar Airways operated five flights to India, a statement by the Indian Embassy in Qatar said. These included two flights to Delhi and one each to Mumbai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. In total, about 1,600 Indian nationals travelled on Qatar Airways flights that day. It may be noted that Qatar airspace remains largely closed and Qatar Airways is only operating limited, non-scheduled flights. It has announced flights to nine Indian destinations from tomorrow. As advised earlier, bookings can be made through Qatar Airways website, App or through travel agents, the statement said. Embassy of India, Doha continues to facilitate temporary transit visas for Saudi Arabia for stranded Indian nationals who wish to travel to India via Saudi Arabia through land route across the Salwa border. Embassy of India, Doha, will be open on all days in the coming week for consular services, including the issuance of passports. Embassy's Control Room with its helplines, email and WhatsApp continues to function on a 24/7 basis. Qatari authorities have reiterated that adhering to the instructions issued by official authorities and demonstrating awareness and social responsibility in handling information and developments are fundamental pillars in enhancing public safety and maintaining community stability. The Indian community is requested to abide by this public notice. - ANI Former Minister and BJP legislator Ram Pada Jamatia has been elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly. His election follows the passing of the previous Speaker, Biswa Bandhu Sen, in December 2023. Jamatia, a two-time MLA and former Tribal Welfare Minister, becomes only the second tribal leader to hold this post in the state's history. The election occurred during the ongoing budget session, where a major tax-free deficit budget for 2026-27 was also presented. Former Minister Ram Pada Jamatia elected unopposed as Tripura Assembly Speaker after the demise of Biswa Bandhu Sen. Details on the budget session. Agartala, March 18 Former Minister and senior BJP legislator Ram Pada Jamatia was on Wednesday elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tripura Assembly. After the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies -- Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) -- proposed his name on March 12, Jamatia filed his nomination for the Speaker's post. The election for the new Speaker became necessary following the demise of the sitting Speaker, Biswa Bandhu Sen, on December 26 last year. Sen, a four-time MLA, passed away at the age of 72 at a private hospital in Bengaluru after undergoing medical treatment for more than four-and-a-half months. Acting Speaker Ram Prasad Paul announced in the House that Jamatia was the sole candidate to file nomination papers, and with no other contenders, he was declared elected unopposed. Subsequently, Chief Minister Manik Saha, Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Congress Legislature Party leader and former Minister Birajit Sinha, TMP and IPFT leaders and Chief Whip Kalyani Saha Roy, along with other leaders, escorted Jamatia to the Speaker's chair. Jamatia earlier served as Minister of Tribal Welfare and Industry and Commerce (Handloom, Handicrafts and Sericulture) from 2022 to 2023. He is the second tribal leader to serve as Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly since the Northeastern state attained full statehood in 1972, following Sudhanwa Debbarma, who held the post from 1978 to 1983. A two-time MLA from the Bagma Assembly constituency in Gomati district (2018 and 2023), the 69-year-old tribal leader joined the BJP in 2017 after retiring from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Earlier, he worked in the Tripura Jute Mill. Meanwhile, the Budget session of the Tripura Assembly commenced on March 13 with Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu delivering the customary address to the House. Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy presented a tax-free deficit budget of Rs 34,212.31 crore for the financial year 2026-27 on March 16. The budget allocates higher funds to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), as the 30-member tribal autonomous body is set to go to crucial polls on April 13. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath earlier stated that three important bills were introduced in the Assembly to establish new institutions -- Tripura Women's University, Tripura University of Health Sciences, and Tripura Technical University. The Budget session will continue until March 25, the minister added. - IANS Surat, a historic 16th-century international trade port, has transformed into a modern global industrial leader, renowned as the world's diamond cutting capital and a major textile centre. The city's strategic coastal location fostered early global commerce and competition among European powers. Today, it processes the vast majority of the world's diamonds and is a pilot for NITI Aayog's integrated regional development initiative. With an ambitious master plan, Surat aims to lead South Gujarat as a globally competitive economic hub by 2047. Discover how Surat, India's diamond & textile capital, leverages its heritage and NITI Aayog's master plan to become a global economic powerhouse by 2047. Gandhinagar, March 18 Surat, the second-largest city in Gujarat and the ninth-largest in India, has evolved into a global industrial powerhouse. Located on the banks of the Tapi River, it has earned nicknames like the 'Diamond City' and the 'Silk City' due to its industrial prowess in these sectors. As the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for South Gujarat region is scheduled in Surat, the city once again showcases its commitment to progress. Rooted in heritage and driven by ambition, Surat continues to open new avenues of partnership and prosperity. With its unwavering spirit and global outlook, the city is ready to lead the next era of growth for Gujarat and the nation, according to a release. One of India's most progressive and enterprising cities, Surat proudly reflects Gujarat's rich heritage and forward-looking vision. The city has consistently turned opportunities into achievements, building strong infrastructure, efficient civic systems and a dynamic industrial ecosystem. Owing to its strategic coastal location, Surat came to be regarded as an important western gateway of India. It became the most important trade link between India and many other Western countries in the 16th century. The strategic importance of Surat Port led to commercial engagements and competition among the British, Portuguese, French and Dutch. This contributed to the city's expanding mercantile network. At the same time, the city was also a flourishing shipbuilding centre. It emerged as one of the most prominent commercial centres of its time. The city is a leading diamond cutting and polishing hub, as well as one of Asia's largest textile centres, thereby emphasising the precision, creativity and global competitiveness that go into delivering quality products for the world. Surat processes around 90% of the world's natural diamonds and approximately 25% of the global lab-grown diamonds. It hosts around 6,000 diamond-cutting and polishing units, of which approximately 70% are MSMEs. The city's robust MSME sector, skilled workforce and business-friendly environment have positioned it as a major contributor to Gujarat's economic strength. Modern urban planning, enhanced connectivity and sustainable development initiatives have further elevated Surat as one of India's fastest-growing and most livable cities. As part of NITI Aayog's Growth Hub (G Hub) initiative, Surat has been identified as one of the key city regions to pilot a new model of integrated regional development. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive framework and long-term strategy for accelerating economic growth, reducing regional disparities and strengthening competitiveness across interconnected districts, the release noted. Building on this vision, NITI Aayog's Surat Economic Region (SER) Economic Master Plan has set an ambitious roadmap to transform the broader South Gujarat region -- that includes Surat, Bharuch, Navsari, Tapi, Dang and Valsad -- into a globally competitive economic hub by 2047. - ANI Balbir Singh Dhillon, Brand Director of Audi India, states that India's free trade agreements with the UK and EU should be seen as a broad catalyst for attracting foreign direct investment and boosting domestic manufacturing, not just reducing car import duties. He emphasizes that these FTAs will create wealth, strengthen the economy, and subsequently increase demand for premium products like luxury cars. Dhillon highlights India's young demographic and supportive government policies as key growth drivers. He also notes Audi's recent price adjustments due to currency fluctuations and confirms the company's focus on customer-centric product launches. Audi India's Brand Director says India's FTAs will attract FDI, boost manufacturing, create wealth, and increase demand for luxury vehicles. By Nikhil Dedha, New Delhi, March 18 The free trade agreements signed by India with the UK and the European Union should not be viewed merely as a means to reduce import duties on luxury cars, but as a broader catalyst for attracting foreign direct investment and boosting manufacturing in India, said Balbir Singh Dhillon, Brand Director, Audi India. "When there are nine FTAs that India has signed, I think over the next two, three, or five years, you will see a lot of FDI coming into India, a lot of manufacturing taking place, significant wealth creation, and growth in the stock market," said Dhillon in an exclusive conversation with ANI. Dhillon emphasised that while FTAs may eventually impact pricing and quotas for imported cars, their larger significance lies in transforming the Indian economy. "So first and foremost, the FTA that was recently signed will take time to be implemented. My understanding is that it may take one and a half to two years before it is fully implemented. But the FTA should not be viewed only from the perspective that cars will have different import duties or that limited numbers of cars will enter the market," he said. He added that FTAs are expected to create a new economic ecosystem in India that will boost demand for premium vehicles by attracting foreign direct investment and encouraging local manufacturing. According to Dhillon, this will strengthen the overall economy, and increased wealth will translate into higher consumption, including greater demand for luxury cars. "FTA is more about wealth creation in India, which will lead to people buying more luxury goods, including luxury cars," he said. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, Dhillon said that 65 per cent of the country's population is below 35 years of age, which will play a key role in driving future growth. He also pointed to positive government policies, including initiatives such as Make in India, support for startups, and manufacturing incentives, as factors contributing to economic expansion. On the latest price hike announced by Audi for its vehicles in the country, Dhillon said currency fluctuations remain a key factor for the company. He noted that while some cost pressures are absorbed, certain price increases are passed on to customers. This comes against the backdrop of Audi India announcing a 2 per cent price increase across its models. On the outlook for the Indian auto sector, Dhillon said the industry is expected to continue growing, supported by infrastructure development, policy simplification, and measures such as GST reduction. He added that Audi India remains focused on launching progressive and customer-centric products based on consumer feedback, with more launches expected in the coming months. The company has recently launched the Audi SQ8 in India at an introductory price of Rs 1.78 crore (ex-showroom). - ANI India's Feb trade deficit fell to $27.1bn as gold imports plunged 40%. Services surplus provides a buffer, but rising oil prices pose a major risk. New Delhi, March 18 India's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to USD 27.1 billion in February 2026, driven by a sharp decline in gold and non-oil non-gold imports, according to a report by Union Bank of India. "Merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $27.1bln in Feb'26 from the unexpected widening of $34.7bln in Jan'26," the report said, adding that the moderation was "marking an improvement in imports." The report highlighted that imports declined significantly across key segments. "Imports fell significantly, resulting in narrowing in the merchandise trade deficit, led by Gold (down ~40% MoM), NONG (~19% dip) and Oil (~1% slip)," it said. Despite global trade tensions, exports remained steady. "The data clearly highlights that exports (both for goods & services) have remained resilient in FY2026 despite trade tensions and tariff truce," the report noted. Breaking down the components, the report said, "gold deficit moderated to $7.78bln vis-a-vis $12.96bln in Jan'26," while "non-oil non-gold deficit also moderated due to seasonal normalization to $9.78bln vis-a-vis $12.09bln," driven by improvement in volatile sub-segments like machinery, chemicals and metals. The oil deficit, however, remained elevated. "Oil deficit remained elevated with a marginal correction with the latest number at $9.54bln compared to $9.63bln the previous month," it said, pointing to continued strong energy demand. On services, the report noted a strong surplus providing support to the external balance. "Services trade surplus jumped to $23.15bln in Feb'26 and continues to provide a buffer for C/A dynamics," it said. As a result, the overall trade gap narrowed. "Total trade deficit (goods and services combined) moderates to single-digit levels in Feb'26, to $3.95bln vis-a-vis $13.15bln last month," the report added. The report identified gold as the key driver behind the narrowing deficit. "Gold was the prime driver in narrowing of trade deficit," it said, noting that "Demand for physical gold in India softened this week as sharp price volatility linked to the escalating Middle East conflict discouraged buyers." On oil imports, the report highlighted diversification trends. "India's crude imports hit a record 5.3mb/d in February, driven by higher arrivals of non-Russian crude, mainly from the Middle East," it said. Looking ahead, the report warned of potential risks due to rising commodity prices amid geopolitical tensions. "We expect the trade deficit to widen as escalating West-Asia War is putting pressure on higher commodity prices--particularly oil," it said. It also underlined the sensitivity of India's external balance to oil prices. "Every $10/bbl. move in oil price affecting annual C/A balance by close to $15bln," the report noted. However, services exports are expected to provide some cushion. "Elevated services exports provide a cushion against oil price spike," it added, while cautioning that "risks to the current account to remain elevated with the pressure of import shocks driven by commodity volatility." - ANI The review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) began Wednesday in Washington with a meeting between Mexicos Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, and the U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer. Ebrard shared a photo of the two countries teams at the U.S. Trade Representatives office on his social media accounts. The Mexican Secretary explained that the purpose of this first meeting was to discuss the countries expectations for the future of the trade agreement. Mexicos vision is to reduce our dependence on other regions, work as a team, see what we each want to do regarding rules of origin, and how we can secure the supply chain, he explained to Mexican television upon arriving at the meeting. Ebrard had already indicated that Mexicos interests lay in resolving issues such as trade asymmetries, and the tariffs that the Trump Administration has imposed on trading partners in the last year on products such as steel, aluminum, and the automotive sector. The initial talks between the United States and Mexico will serve to outline each countrys expectations for the review, which is scheduled to take place by July 1st, according to the timeline established by the USMCA partners in 2020. Following this, working groups will begin addressing specific aspects of the treatys 34 chapters. Were going to present a lot of data; were well-prepared, to be honest, the Secretary of Economy added this Wednesday at the start of the bilateral discussions. Canada will join the talks later, likely in May. The USMCA represents 29% of global GDP in trade and has become the foundation of the three countries economies in recent years. Greer revealed in December that among the issues of interest to the United States regarding Mexico are economic security and guarantees that Mexico will not be used by countries like China as a gateway to the U.S. market; labor conditions in Mexicoan issue on which there is unanimity across all ideological sectors in the United States; and the restrictions the Mexican government has placed on energy companies entering the electricity and oil sectors. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated the government is continuously engaging with airlines and international regulators to ensure smooth air travel through the West Asia region. He acknowledged operational challenges due to some airports being non-functional amid the ongoing regional conflict. The minister emphasized that the West Asia route is crucial for travel to Europe and America, and the government's priority is maintaining safe and stable airline operations. These efforts come against the backdrop of escalating tensions following the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu says government is in continuous dialogue with airlines and foreign regulators to maintain operations on key West Asia routes. New Delhi, March 18 Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday informed that the government is making continuous efforts and engagements to smooth travel towards the West Asia region. Speaking to reporters, Naidu asserted that West Asia is a "prime route" to travel to Europe and West Asia, adding government's dialogues with airlines, so that they have smooth operations. "We have been engaged with the airlines right from day one because one thing we want is for the airlines to have very smooth operations. Now, when you talk about West Asia, it is one of the prime routes for us to travel to Europe and America, and there is also a lot of travel to West Asia. We have been in continuous engagement... Not only with the airlines but also with different regulators in these countries, we have been in continuous engagement," said Naidu. The Union Minister also admitted the challenge, adding that some airports are not functional, whereas the government is trying its best to accomodate every thing through the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He stated that the government wants to facilitate the passengers, and every interaction with airlines is being taken by keep all things in mind. "However, what we are observing is that in some places, it is an on-and-off situation. Some airports are not functional, so the challenge remains... We are trying to see how best we can accommodate all of this on behalf of civil aviation. The airlines' continuity and stability must be maintained... Safe operations must be ensured... We have to facilitate the passengers. Keeping all this in mind, our interaction with the airlines is happening continuously," Naidu added. The current round of conflict in West Asia, which began on February 28 with the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other. The conflict escalated following the assassination of 86-year-old Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. - ANI The Indian government has expanded its Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework to include solar ingots and wafers, with the new mandate taking effect from June 1, 2028. The move, announced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, aims to strengthen the domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem and reduce dependence on imports for these key components. Provisions are included to protect projects already under implementation, and the initial manufacturer list will only be issued once sufficient domestic capacity is operational. This policy is expected to enhance supply chain security and support employment in the renewable energy sector. Govt expands ALMM framework to solar ingots & wafers to strengthen domestic manufacturing, cut imports, effective June 1, 2028. New Delhi, March 18 The government on Wednesday extended the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers framework to include solar ingots and wafers, with the new norms set to come into effect from June 1, 2028. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced ALMM List-III for ingots and wafers, expanding mandatory domestic sourcing requirements beyond modules and cells to upstream components of the solar value chain. The ministry said "grandfathering provisions" have been included to protect projects already under implementation. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, said the move will strengthen domestic solar manufacturing, reduce import dependence and improve supply chain resilience. In a post on X, he said the expansion of the ALMM framework to include ingots and wafers marks a decisive step towards building a self-reliant solar ecosystem and will help position India as a strong global player in renewable energy. Under the new framework, all projects, including those under net metering and open access, will be required to use ALMM-listed wafers from the effective date. A cut-off date has been set at seven days after the publication of the initial ALMM List-III for wafers. Bids submitted after this date under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003 must specify the use of ALMM-compliant wafers. The initial list will be issued only after at least three independent manufacturers, with a combined capacity of 15 GW, are operational to ensure adequate domestic supply. Manufacturers seeking inclusion in ALMM List-III for wafers will also be required to have equivalent ingot manufacturing capacity. The ministry said that from June 2028, ALMM List-I (solar modules) will include only those modules manufactured using ALMM-listed cells and wafers, while separate provisions will be maintained for existing projects. It added that the order does not affect existing Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) provisions. Wafers are a key intermediate component in solar manufacturing, and India currently relies significantly on imports in this segment. The government said the move is expected to boost domestic manufacturing, improve supply chain security, and support employment generation in the sector. - IANS The 'Green Wall of Aravalli' project has seen 2.30 lakh trees planted in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district over the last two years. State Minister Pravin Mali informed the assembly that the survival rate is very high and the Forest Department will maintain the trees for a decade. The initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to create a five-kilometer-wide green belt along the Aravalli range to combat desertification. Additionally, memorial forests of 562 trees are being created in each constituency to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary. Under PM Modi's Green Wall of Aravalli project, 2.3 lakh trees planted in Sabarkantha with high survival rate. Learn about the large-scale ecological initiative. Gandhinagar/Sabarkantha, March 18 Under the 'Green Wall of Aravalli' scheme, 2.30 lakh trees have been planted in Sabarkantha district over the last two years, State Minister for Forests and Environment, Pravin Mali, informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. The project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5, 2025, from New Delhi, aims to develop a green corridor along the Aravalli mountain range, which extends from Gujarat to Delhi. Responding to a question raised by an MLA, the minister said that the survival rate of the trees planted so far has been very high. "For rapid growth, the Forest Department will prepare saplings of six to 10 feet and distribute them, so tree enthusiasts will not need to procure saplings from private nurseries. The department will maintain these trees for 10 years," Mali said. As part of the initiative marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary, the Forest Department is preparing memorial forests containing 562 trees in each legislative assembly constituency, in memory of the leader's work in uniting 562 princely states. Memorial forests have already been created at Idar, Khedbrahma, Prantij, and Himmatnagar. Mali also provided updates on the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme, stating: "In the past one year, a total of 14 lakh saplings have been planted over 1,508 hectares in Sabarkantha district, including 4.55 lakh saplings over 454 hectares in Khedbrahma." The 'Green Wall of Aravalli' initiative is a largescale ecological restoration programme launched to combat land degradation and desertification along the Aravalli mountain range, which stretches across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The project aims to establish a fivekilometrewide green belt along this range by planting native species of trees and shrubs on scrubland, wasteland and degraded forest areas, as well as rejuvenating surface water bodies such as ponds and streams and promoting agroforestry and pasture development. - IANS A helicopter operated by Air Dynasty crashed while landing in a farmland in Khotang District, eastern Nepal. The aircraft, which had flown from Kathmandu carrying five passengers and a dead body, resulted in one injury but no fatalities. Preliminary investigations suggest high winds or accumulated dust during landing may have caused the accident. A rescue helicopter was dispatched to assist the injured passenger. A helicopter crashed while landing in eastern Nepal's Khotang district, injuring one passenger. The aircraft was transporting a dead body from Kathmandu. Kathmandu, March 18 A helicopter has crashed during landing in Eastern Nepal, leaving one injured. The helicopter of Air Dynasty crashed while landing in Khotang District of Eastern Nepal while landing on a field, officials confirmed. "The helicopter crashed while landing in the farmland. It was carrying a dead body and had flown in from Kathmandu. No human casualties has been recorded. More details are due," Rekha Kandel, Chief District Officer of Khotang District, told ANI over the phone. As per the company, the helicopter had flown for the district with 5 passengers on board. The helicopter with the registration sign 9N-ASQ crashed and landed at around 11:51 AM in Khotang. "One passenger on board the helicopter has been injured. The pilot and other passengers are not injured. Another helicopter with registration number 9N-ANA has also been dispatched for the rescue of the injured passenger," the helicopter company announced in a statement. As per the preliminary investigation, the helicopter might have crashed due to high winds or the dust accumulated during landing. As per the company pilot, Sabin Thapa was on board the helicopter. Further details are awaited. - ANI The Himachal Road Transport Corporation will discontinue bus services on routes with extremely low passenger demand for economic viability. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri assured the Assembly that there is no bias in providing transport services across constituencies. Opposition BJP legislators raised concerns over route suspensions in Chamba, arguing for maintained service in a welfare state. The issue highlights the tension between financial sustainability and public service obligations in the state's transport sector. Himachal Deputy CM announces rationalization of bus services on low-demand routes, phasing out old buses, while addressing opposition concerns over transport access. Shimla, March 18 The Himachal Road Transport Corporation will rationalise its operations by discontinuing bus services on routes with extremely low passenger demand, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed the Assembly on Wednesday. Replying to queries raised during Question Hour, Agnihotri said several routes have also been temporarily suspended due to road damage caused by natural calamities, adding that services would be restored once the affected roads are repaired. He rejected allegations of discrimination in providing transport services, stating that the government functions impartially and ensures equitable access across constituencies, including those represented by opposition leaders. Highlighting the operational challenges, the Deputy Chief Minister said that running buses on routes with negligible passenger volume is not economically viable. He added that buses which have completed over nine lakh kilometres or are older than 15 years are being phased out from the fleet. Agnihotri noted that the corporation continues to play a crucial public service role, transporting around five lakh passengers daily across the state. In Chamba district alone, 203 buses are currently in operation, he said. On connectivity issues, he clarified that there are no plans to introduce a direct bus service between Langera, Salooni and Tanda, as adequate connecting services are already available. Meanwhile, BJP legislators, including D. S. Thakur and Hans Raj, raised concerns over the suspension of bus routes in Chamba, arguing that public transport should be maintained even on unprofitable routes in a welfare state. Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur also urged the government to prioritise public convenience over financial considerations and ensure that transport services are not curtailed in areas represented by opposition MLAs. The issue highlighted the ongoing debate between financial sustainability and public service obligations in the state's transport sector. - ANI Suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir will contest from two Assembly constituencies, Rejinagar and Naoda in Murshidabad district, in the upcoming Bengal polls. He is contesting as a candidate of his own newly floated party, the Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party (AAUP). Kabir stated his goal is to "teach the Trinamool Congress a lesson" and claims some sitting TMC legislators denied re-nomination are in touch with him. His suspension from TMC followed his announcement to construct a mosque modelled on the Babri structure in Ayodhya. Suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir will contest from Rejinagar and Naoda in Murshidabad with his new party AAUP, aiming to challenge Trinamool Congress. Kolkata, March 18 Like the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir, who recently floated his own political party, will contest simultaneously from two Assembly constituencies in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly polls in the state next month. However, he will not contest from the Bharatpur Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, from where he was elected in 2021. Instead, he will contest from Rejinagar and Naoda Assembly constituencies, both in Murshidabad district, as a candidate of the Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party (AAUP), the new political outfit floated by him. Initially, it was perceived that Kabir would contest from the Beldanga Assembly constituency, considering that the Babri Mosque, Kabir's brainchild, is being constructed there. However, on Wednesday, while announcing the names of some of the AAUP candidates, he said he would contest from Rejinagar and Naoda. "I have decided to contest from Rejinagar and Naoda to give the Trinamool Congress a lesson," Kabir said while announcing the names of some of his party's candidates. From Beldanga, AAUP has fielded the party's state president, Syed Ahmed Kabir. It is learnt that some sitting Trinamool Congress legislators in minority-dominated Murshidabad and the adjacent Malda district, who have been denied re-nomination this time, have contacted Kabir and expressed their willingness to join AAUP. "My only goal now is to teach the Trinamool Congress a lesson. That is why a new strategy has been devised. An 'aggrieved' Trinamool Congress leader is in constant touch with me," Kabir said on Wednesday. Kabir was suspended from the party soon after he announced the construction of the Babri Mosque at Beldanga, modelled on the original structure at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which was demolished on December 6, 1992. Soon after that, he announced the formation of his party. Kabir had also made a public appeal for an alliance with political parties and groups opposed to both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. However, except for initial discussions with Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), his efforts to forge broader political alliances have not made significant progress so far. - IANS Israeli forces attempted to assassinate Iranian intelligence chief Ismail Khataib, according to Israeli media reports. The attempt follows the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani, a key security council secretary, and Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Iran's political infrastructure remains solid despite these high-profile losses. Araghchi blamed the United States for starting the regional conflict and demanded accountability. Israeli forces targeted Iranian intelligence chief Ismail Khataib. The attempt follows the killings of senior Iranian officials Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani. Tel Aviv, March 18 Israeli Defence Forces made attempts to assassinate Iranian intelligence chief Ismail Khataib, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post citing sources. As per the Jerusalem Post, certain Iranian media outlets also reported that a strike had been attempted, though there was no information about Khataib's status. The assassination was attempted on Tuesday night, a source confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday and mentioned that while the strike had been successful, no definitive results have been confirmed. This attempt comes shortly after Ali Larijani, who has served as Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council was killed on Monday night. The death of the 67-year-old Larijani, a close associate of the late Ali Khamenei and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, occurred following an attack on Monday night. This represents the loss of the most senior figure in Tehran's leadership since the conflict began 19 days ago. Additionally, Iranian state media confirmed on Tuesday that Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij forces, was also killed in an "American-Zionist enemy" attack. Soleimani had led the internal security force for six years and was considered a key figure in the military response. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated."We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." - ANI The Israeli Defence Forces launched strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon and Beirut, reportedly causing casualties. This follows rocket fire from Lebanon and comes as the IDF deploys additional troops into Lebanon to establish a "forward defence posture." The escalation includes limited ground operations by Israeli divisions targeting Hezbollah. The conflict intensifies as Hezbollah vows a prolonged confrontation and Israel warns Lebanon will pay an "increasing price." IDF targets Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon and Beirut, deploys troops for "forward defence" amid escalating cross-border conflict. Tel Aviv, March 18 Israeli Defence Forces said on Wednesday that it has begun a wave of strikes targeting the infrastructure of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Sharing the details in a post on X, it said "Following the evacuation of residents of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon and in response to rocket fire toward Israeli territory, the IDF has begun a wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon". Meanwhile, Al Jazeera Breaking reported that a loud explosion was heard in central Beirut's Bachoura neighbourhood, after what it called to be an Israeli forces bomb. In a prior update, it said that six people were killed, while 24 were wounded in the Israeli attacks in central Beirut. On Tuesday night, the IDF said that it had struck in Beirut, several of Hezbollah's command centers while in Beqaa, it struck 3 rocket sites and weapon storage facilities used to carry out terror attacks. The development comes after the IDF on Tuesday said that it has deployed additional troops in Lebanon in what it has called efforts to establish a "forward defence posture" to remove threats to the residents of northern Israel against Hezbollah. Sharing the details in a post on X, the IDF said, "Operational Update: Lebanon- Additional IDF troops have been deployed in Lebanon, continuing efforts to establish a forward defense posture in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel against Hezbollah's threat." According to the Jerusalem Post, troops from the 36th Division have begun limited and targeted ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Citing the military, it further reported that the operation is also being conducted with the 91st Division, as forces continue efforts following their previous deployment to establish a forward defence.On Tuesday morning, the Israeli Air Force shared in a post on X that it conducted "extensive strikes toward infrastructures of the Iranian terror regime throughout Tehran, and toward infrastructures of the Hezbollah terror organization in Beirut." The developments come amid the evolving security situation in West Asia and the Gulf. Earlier, Times of Israel reported that Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem asserted that his organisation was prepared for a "long confrontation" with Israel, as Israeli authorities warned that Lebanon would face an "increasing price" through extensive damage to its national infrastructure. The conflict intensified on Friday following Hezbollah's decision to target Israel in retaliation for the killing of the Iranian former supreme leader in joint strikes. Israel Katz, the defence minister of Israel, issued a stern warning following a military assessment, stating that the Lebanese government would be held accountable for failing to disarm the group. According to The Times of Israel, Katz warned that the state would "pay increasing prices through damage to infrastructure and the loss of territory" until military commitments were fulfilled. - ANI India has donated ship spares to the Seychelles Defence Forces, underscoring its commitment to regional security cooperation. The handover occurred during the visit of INS Trikand to Port Victoria for the 11th edition of the biennial Exercise 'Lamitye'. This year's exercise marks a milestone with participation from all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, focusing on sub-conventional operations in semi-urban environments. The joint training aims to enhance interoperability and bilateral military relations between the two nations. India donates ship spares to Seychelles Defence Forces, strengthening bilateral military ties during the joint Exercise Lamitye 2026. Port Victoria, March 18 India on Wednesday donated ship spares to the Seychelles Defence Forces, highlighting New Delhi's MAHASAGAR vision for inclusive, cooperative, and sustainable security and growth across regions. According to the High Commission of India in Seychelles, the ship spares were handed over by Captain Sachin Kulkarni, the Commanding Officer of INS Trikand which is currently visiting Port Victoria for participation in the 11th edition of the biennial Exercise 'Lamitye'. The sea phase of the exercise began on Wednesday. "He also called on the Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. General Michael Rosette and discussed the participation of INS Trikand in the ongoing 11th edition of Exercise Lamitye," the High Commission of India posted on X. An Indian Armed Forces contingent is in Seychelles to participate in the 11th edition of joint military exercise 'Lamitiye-2026' with Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). The Joint Exercise is being conducted at Seychelles Defence Academy from March 9 to 20. 'Lamitiye' meaning 'friendship' in the Creole language is a biennial training event and has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001. According to the Indian defence ministry, this edition marks a significant milestone with the participation of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces. The contingent comprises of personnel from the Assam Regiment and participation from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force including INS Trikand and a C-130 aircraft. "The exercise strives to enhance synergy in the domains of sub-conventional operations in semi-Urban environments and cooperation and interoperability between both the sides during peacekeeping operations. The exercise will also build and promote bilateral military relations in addition to exchanging skills, experiences and good practices between both the armies," the Ministry of Defence stated last week. During the exercise, both sides are jointly training, planning and executing a series of tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in a semi-urban environment, while exploiting and showcasing new generation equipment and technology. The 12-days long joint exercise also includes field training exercises, combat discussions, case studies, lectures and demonstrations, culminating with two days of validation exercise. "The exercise will contribute immensely in developing mutual understanding and magnify jointness between the troops of both the nations," the Ministry of Defence stated. - IANS India's Defence Ministry has informed Parliament it is looking to join one of two European consortia developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft to avoid falling behind in advanced aerial technology. One consortium includes the UK, Italy, and Japan, while the other comprises France and Germany. This move comes as China progresses with its own sixth-generation fighter development and shares fifth-generation jets with Pakistan. Domestically, India is advancing its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) design and co-developing a powerful engine with France for future indigenous jets. India's Defence Ministry plans to join a European consortium developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft to modernize its Air Force and avoid technological lag. New Delhi, March 18 At a time when India is looking to strengthen its Air Force, the Defence Ministry has informed the Standing Committee on Defence that it is looking to join one of the two European global consortia working on developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft. The Committee said one of the consortiums has the UK, Italy and Japan, while the other one comprises Germany and France. "The Committee have been informed that two consortia are working on the sixth-generation aircraft. One is a consortium of the UK, Italy, and Japan and the other is a consortium of France and Germany and both are developing aircraft," the Committee said in its report tabled in Lok Sabha today. "The Committee have also been informed that the Air Force will try to join forces with one of the consortia and begin considering a sixth-generation fighter right away with a view to ensuring that they do not lag behind in achieving the target for advanced aircraft," India has been showing keen interest in the global sixth-generation fighter jet development efforts in recent times. Recently, the Chinese Air Force also released visuals of its sixth-generation fighter jets, which are under development. The Chinese have also fully developed fifth-generation fighters, which they would also be sharing with Pakistan in the near future. On the indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets, the Committee said, "The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has been developed the design and discussions for its making are currently." The Indian Air Force has plans to induct six squadrons of these fifth-generation fighter jets and deploy them from 2035 onwards. India has also chosen to co-develop a strong 110-120 KN engine with a French company and that will be used to power the indigenous fifth-generation planes. - ANI Top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress that cooperation with India is showing some progress in curbing the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals. They warned that Mexico-based cartels remain the dominant force in producing and smuggling the deadly synthetic drug into the United States. The officials also highlighted an evolving terrorist threat, with a shift from large-scale plots to individuals radicalized online by groups like ISIS. Additionally, they flagged artificial intelligence as a growing factor in future cyber, disinformation, and battlefield threats. Top US intelligence chiefs warn lawmakers of fentanyl trafficking, evolving terrorism, and AI-driven threats, highlighting cooperation with India on precursors. Washington, March 18 India is part of U.S. efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals, a top American intelligence official told lawmakers on Wednesday, highlighting cooperation with New Delhi even as officials warned of a widening global threat landscape. Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, James H. Adams III, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, said transnational criminal organisations remain a major threat, particularly through the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs. "U.S. efforts to work with China and India to halt the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals to North America are demonstrating some improvement," Adams said, adding, "There is more work to be done." He said Mexico-based cartels continue to dominate the production and smuggling of fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States, posing "a daily and direct threat to the health and safety of millions of U.S. citizens." At the same hearing, Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, warned that terrorist groups remain a persistent concern despite being weaker than before. "I completely concur... about the threat of ISIS, Al Qaeda and other Islamist terrorist groups around the world," Gabbard said, noting that the nature of the threat is evolving. "We're increasingly... seeing fewer indicators of large-scale, organised, complex threats... and instead, efforts focused on individuals... radicalised by Islamist propaganda," she said. CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers that Iran continues to pose a serious threat to U.S. interests and security. "Iran has been a constant threat to the United States... and posed an immediate threat at this time," Ratcliffe said, warning that its missile programme remains a key concern. He said U.S. intelligence operations have strengthened, adding, "the CIA has delivered," with foreign intelligence collection "up by 25 per cent... in areas like China... up 100 per cent... in areas like tech and AI, up 45 per cent." FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted growing domestic security risks, particularly from online radicalisation and cyber-enabled crime. "They have transferred their capabilities... to online recruitments, which makes any terrorist organisation, including ISIS, all the more powerful," Patel said. He said the FBI disrupted multiple plots, noting, "we... stopped four terrorist attacks... three of which were ISIS-inspired." Patel also pointed to expanded coordination across agencies. "We have 59 Homeland Security taskforces... co-led by the FBI and DHS," he said, describing efforts to tackle terrorism and organised crime nationwide. On cybercrime, Patel warned of increasingly sophisticated scam networks operating overseas. "We're going to... shut down every single scam centre compound," he said. Officials also flagged the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping future threats, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and battlefield decision-making. - IANS The Indian Army's Eastern Command and the Northeast Frontier Railway conducted a joint scenario planning exercise in Guwahati. The primary objective was to align working mechanisms for rapid, coordinated responses during national crises. The session focused on brainstorming contingencies and developing dual-use infrastructure to enhance logistics and save government expenditure. Senior officers attended to draw lessons in synergy, aiming to create a seamless, unified operational front. Indian Army's Eastern Command and Northeast Frontier Railway conduct joint exercise to enhance operational synergy and crisis response in the Eastern sector. Guwahati, March 18 A scenario planning exercise was held on Wednesday in Guwahati under 101 Area and HQ Eastern Command, the Indian Army's largest command covering Northeast India, focusing on understanding mutual strengths and optimizing resource between the Army and Northeast Frontier Railway. According to a statement released by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Defence, the primary goal was to align working mechanisms to ensure rapid, coordinated responses during any national crisis. "The session brainstormed diverse contingencies to bolster operational preparedness across the sensitive Eastern sector. Significant emphasis was placed on developing dual-use infrastructure, a strategic move designed to enhance logistics while ensuring substantial expenditure savings for the government," the release said. Senior officers from NFR, Eastern Command, and Army HQ attended to draw critical lessons in synergy and inter-agency coordination. The statement said that by streamlining these processes, the exercise developed a higher level of confidence among stakeholders. "This collaborative framework ensures that both the military and railways can seamlessly integrate their efforts, providing a unified and efficient front during times of criticality," it added. - ANI The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker 'Jag Laadki' has arrived at Adani Ports' Mundra terminal in Gujarat, carrying a significant shipment of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates. The vessel's cargo will support domestic refinery operations, reinforcing India's energy security amid geopolitical supply challenges. This arrival follows recent safe passages of Indian LPG carriers through the tense Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint. Port authorities will oversee the discharging operations in line with all safety and environmental protocols. The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Jag Laadki has safely berthed at Adani's Mundra Port, delivering 80,886 MT of crude from the UAE to support refinery operations. Bhuj, March 18 The Indianflagged crude oil tanker, 'Jag Laadki', has safely arrived at Adani Ports' Mundra terminal in Gujarat, carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes of crude oil sourced from the United Arab Emirates. The vessel was loaded at Fujairah Port and berthed here on Wednesday, port officials confirmed. 'Jag Laadki' measures 274.19 metres in length overall with a beam of 50.04 metres, a deadweight tonnage of around 1,64,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes. A spokesperson for Adani Ports said the berth was provided following necessary maritime coordination to ensure secure docking. "Adani Ports Mundra continues to support India's energy infrastructure by facilitating the safe berthing and handling of vital energy imports," the statement added. Jag Laadki's cargo is expected to be discharged to support refinery operations that rely on such shipments to maintain production and reinforce India's energy security, particularly amid recent geopolitical supply challenges affecting regional shipping lanes. The arrival follows two energy shipments to India's western ports -- two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, 'Shivalik' and 'Nanda Devi -- which recently navigated the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz amid heightened regional tensions to deliver liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Both vessels reached Indian ports in Gujarat, delivering tens of thousands of tonnes of LPG -- a key fuel for households and industry -- after securing safe passage through the narrow waterway. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical conduit for global energy trade, accounting for roughly one-fifth of seaborne oil shipments. Security risks in the region had led to disruptions, prompting diplomatic efforts by Indian authorities to ensure the continued maritime movement of energy-laden vessels. Officials have maintained that India has sufficient energy resources available. Cargo discharging operations at Mundra will proceed in line with safety and environmental norms under the supervision of the port authorities and refinery representatives. - IANS The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Jag Laadki has successfully docked at Adani Ports in Mundra, Gujarat, delivering a significant cargo of oil from the UAE. This arrival highlights the port's critical role in handling imports essential for the nation's refineries and energy security. The delivery occurs against a backdrop of regional tensions, with India maintaining a naval presence under Operation Sankalp to protect shipping lanes. The government is coordinating with various agencies and has advised ports to provide concessions to ensure smooth maritime trade. Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Jag Laadki arrives safely at Mundra port with UAE oil cargo, as India monitors West Asia tensions. Mundra, March 18 The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, Jag Laadki, has successfully arrived at Adani Ports Mundra in Gujarat, marking a significant addition to the nation's energy imports. The vessel reached the port carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil. The cargo was sourced from the UAE and was loaded at Fujairah Port. Measuring 274.19 metres in length overall with a beam of 50.04 metres, the tanker boasts a deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes. The arrival at Mundra underscores the critical role the Adani Ports facility plays in handling substantial crude imports. Such deliveries are vital for major refineries, which rely on these shipments to maintain consistent operations and bolster India's energy security. These maritime developments have unfolded against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions in West Asia. Earlier, the two Indian-flagged LPG carriers safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz before arriving India on March 16 and 17. MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi - carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG- crossed the Strait of Hormuz early Friday (March 13, 2026). To safeguard its commercial interests, India continues to maintain a consistent naval presence in these waters under "Operation Sankalp." This initiative remains dedicated to ensuring the protection of vital shipping lanes and the safe berthing of vessels like the Jag Laadki. The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with ship owners, Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) agencies and Indian diplomatic missions in the region, a release said. The Union Shipping Minister is actively monitoring the situation, it added. To ensure smooth maritime operations, the government is working closely with ports, shipping lines and logistics stakeholders to minimise any operational disruptions to maritime trade. Ports have been advised to extend relief measures where required, including concessions in anchorage, berth hire and storage charges. - ANI The Indian Navy has commenced the second edition of its Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR initiative. The program involves naval personnel from 16 friendly foreign nations from the Indian Ocean Region. Participants will undergo professional training in Kochi before embarking on a joint sea deployment aboard an Indian Naval Ship. The initiative aims to strengthen interoperability and address shared maritime security challenges through practical engagement. The Indian Navy begins the second IOS SAGAR program, hosting personnel from 16 friendly nations for joint training and maritime security cooperation. New Delhi, March 18 Reaffirming India's commitment to collaborative maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, the second edition of Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR commenced with naval personnel from 16 friendly foreign countries taking part. The Indian Navy assumed the chair of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Feb 2026. Therefore, this Edition includes participation from 16 IONS nations of the Indian Ocean Region(IOR), according to a release. The initiative builds on India's long-standing maritime cooperation efforts and reflects the Government of India's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), while also advancing the broader framework of MAHASAGAR - Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions. IOS SAGAR is designed as a unique operational engagement programme that enables naval personnel from Friendly Foreign Countries to train and sail together onboard an Indian Naval Ship. By integrating international participants into shipboard activities and professional training modules, the initiative promotes practical cooperation, interoperability and shared understanding of maritime operations. As part of the current edition of IOS SAGAR, naval personnel from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries will participate in the programme. The programme will commence with professional training interactions at Indian Naval training establishments in Kochi, where participants will be exposed to key aspects of naval operations, seamanship practices and maritime security concepts. This phase will be followed by deployment onboard an Indian Naval Ship, where international participants will sail together with Indian Navy personnel and take part in operational activities at sea, the release added. During the voyage, the ship will undertake maritime engagement activities and port visits, enabling interaction with partner navies and maritime agencies across the region. These engagements are intended to strengthen professional linkages, encourage exchange of best practices and foster a deeper understanding of shared maritime challenges. - ANI Approximately 183 million Indians now actively monitor their CIBIL scores, with a remarkable 75% of these consumers residing in non-metro locations. Younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are driving this change as the first "credit-native" demographics, accounting for 77% of all monitoring consumers. Women are also engaging more deeply, with their credit monitoring activity growing 38% year-over-year, often maintaining prime credit scores. This widespread shift signifies credit monitoring evolving from a reactive loan-related task into a core component of regular financial hygiene across India. 183 million Indians actively track CIBIL scores, with 75% from non-metro regions. Gen Z and women lead a shift to proactive credit management as a financial habit. New Delhi, March 18 Approximately 183 million Indians now actively monitor their CIBIL scores, marking a significant transition toward informed credit ownership. According to TransUnion CIBIL's latest report, "CIBIL for Every Indian - Uncovering How India Owned Its Credit Journey in 2025," nearly 75 per cent of these consumers reside in non-metro locations. This segment saw a 28 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth as of December 2025, highlighting a shift in financial behaviour that extends well beyond major urban centers. The number of consumers monitoring their credit for the first time grew by 27 per cent year-over-year. This momentum suggests that credit monitoring is evolving from a "one-time, reactive activity typically linked to loan applications into a regular habit and a core component of financial hygiene." Bhavesh Jain, MD and CEO of TransUnion CIBIL, said, "Historically, many consumers interacted with their credit profile only when they needed a product such as a personal loan or a credit card. Today, monitoring is not related merely to a single transaction but is embraced as ongoing financial hygiene. Consumer focus has shifted from a transactional approach towards an asset to build a strong, sustainable credit profile. In effect, India is moving from simply taking credit to truly taking charge. Monitoring is the behaviour that anchors this change, turning the CIBIL Score from a static number into a live indicator of financial health that consumers actively track and improve." Younger borrowers are at the forefront of this change, with Millennials and Gen Z together accounting for 77 per cent of all monitoring consumers. Gen Z, in particular, has emerged as India's first "credit-native" generation. Their monitoring activity grew at a rate of 1.41x, significantly outpacing other demographics. As of December 2025, Gen Z constituted 29 per cent of the total monitoring base. This demographic also showed strategic borrowing patterns post-monitoring, with gold loan originations among self-monitoring Gen Z consumers rising by 61 per cent. Women are also driving significant shifts in the credit landscape. Engagement among women grew by 38 per cent YoY, a rate higher than the 25 per cent increase seen among men. Women now form 21 per cent of all monitoring consumers, and the report found that 63 per cent of monitoring women maintain a prime score of 731 or higher. Non-metro regions account for 71 per cent of these newly self-monitoring women consumers, further cementing the role of smaller towns in India's credit evolution. The impact of regular self-monitoring is reflected in credit quality and outcomes. The average CIBIL score among monitoring consumers stood at 728, and nearly 45 per cent of those who tracked their scores saw an improvement within six months. Furthermore, non-metro areas now lead in credit quality, with 73 per cent of prime-score consumers residing in these locations. Jain emphasised that credit monitoring has become a mass behaviour that is no longer confined to affluent urban centers. "Gen Z and Millennials, India's first credit-native generations, are engaging with credit data early and systematically, and women are stepping into more visible and informed roles in borrowing and credit management. Together, these segments are driving this new credit culture and anchoring a more disciplined, data-driven approach to credit," he said. - ANI India's data centre capacity has grown more than fourfold to over 1,500 MW in 2025, up from just 375 MW in 2020. The Mumbai-Navi Mumbai region dominates the market, accounting for 790 MW of operational capacity. Multiple new submarine cable systems are being commissioned to bolster international connectivity. This growth is supported by government policy and the RBI's mandate for payment data to be stored within the country. India's data centre capacity surges to over 1,500 MW in 2025, driven by govt digital push and RBI data localisation. Mumbai leads with 790 MW. New Delhi, March 18 India's data centre capacity has expanded more than fourfold to over 1,500 MW in 2025 from 375 MW in 2020, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada told the Parliament on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister said the growth reflects the government's focus on strengthening digital infrastructure and expanding access to technology. "In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, the government is democratising the development and usage of technology," he said. Prasada added that efforts are being made to facilitate the establishment of data centres across the country to improve the delivery of digital services. According to the data shared, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai account for the largest share of operational data centre capacity at 790 MW, followed by Chennai (305 MW), Bengaluru (182 MW), Hyderabad (152 MW), and Delhi-NCR/Noida (76 MW). Other cities, including Pune and Kolkata, account for a smaller share. Prasada also said that four submarine cable systems are currently under commissioning at various cable landing stations by telecom service providers. These include India Europe Xpress by Reliance Jio, SEA-ME-WE-6 and 2Africa by Bharti Airtel, and the Raman Cable by Sify Technologies, with landing stations primarily in Mumbai and Chennai. In addition, three more submarine cable systems are under planning, including projects by Tata Communications, Reliance Jio, and Sify Technologies, for which applications have been submitted to the Department of Telecommunications. The minister clarified that the government is not planning to establish new sub-sea gateways at present. He further noted that the Reserve Bank of India has mandated that all payment system data must be stored within India, as part of efforts to ensure a safe and trusted digital ecosystem. The government's policies are aimed at building adequate data storage capacity within the country and strengthening cybersecurity, he added. - IANS India's electronics hardware exports witnessed robust growth of over 32% in 2024-25, reaching $38.58 billion. This surge was primarily driven by telecom equipment, especially smartphones, whose exports climbed to an estimated $24.14 billion. The United States remained the largest market, accounting for 44% of India's smartphone exports. Regionally, North America and Europe were the top destinations, while Tamil Nadu emerged as the leading exporting state. India's electronics hardware exports jumped over 30% to $38.58 billion in FY25. Smartphone exports soared, with the US as the top destination. New Delhi, March 17 India's electronics hardware exports recorded a substantial growth in 2024-25, increasing by 32.47 per cent year-on-year to reach $38.58 billion, according to the report released on Wednesday. The report from the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) said that the exports stood at $29.12 billion in 2023-24, reflecting a sharp increase driven largely by telecom equipment, particularly smartphones. Smartphone exports alone rose to an estimated $24.14 billion in 2024-25 from $15.57 billion in the previous year, making it the largest component of India's electronics hardware export basket. Moreover, the United States remained the top destination, accounting for 44 per cent of India's smartphone exports, followed by the United Arab Emirates (11 per cent), the Netherlands (9 per cent), the United Kingdom (6 per cent) and Italy (5 per cent). Region-wise, North America emerged as the largest destination with exports worth $14.70 billion, followed by Europe at $11.45 billion. Veer Sagar, Chairman of ESC, said initiatives under the Bharat Tech banner are helping Indian companies expand into emerging markets such as Africa, Latin America, CIS, ASEAN and SAARC, while strengthening presence in established regions like North America and Europe. Gurmeet Singh, Executive Director at ESC, said the momentum in hardware exports has been "remarkable", with telecom equipment, led by smartphones, acting as the key growth driver. Meanwhile, exports to Russia and CIS countries more than tripled to $1.10 billion, while the Middle East accounted for $5.20 billion. "Shipments to the Far East, Korea and Japan grew 48.56 per cent to $1.75 billion," according to the report. Among states, Tamil Nadu led with exports worth $15 billion in 2024-25, followed by Karnataka ($7.85 billion), Uttar Pradesh ($5.30 billion), Maharashtra ($3.60 billion), Gujarat ($2.80 billion) and Delhi ($1 billion). The data from the report has indicated that India's electronics manufacturing and export base is expanding beyond traditional clusters, with growth now spread across multiple regions. - IANS Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that the development of an indigenous 4G telecom stack for BSNL is a major step towards India's self-reliance, placing it among a select group of nations. He highlighted BSNL's revival, noting its first quarterly net profit in nearly 18 years and a growing subscriber base. The government is expanding connectivity, with over 1 lakh 4G towers deployed and a focus on covering border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme. Scindia also cited the success of the BharatNet project in connecting over 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats with broadband. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announces India's indigenous 4G telecom stack for BSNL, marking a major step towards telecom self-reliance and network expansion. New Delhi, March 18 Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said the development of an indigenous 4G telecom stack for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited marks a major step towards India's self-reliance in telecom equipment, placing the country among a select group of nations with such capabilities. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Scindia said India is steadily moving towards technological independence in the telecom sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The development of an indigenous 4G telecom stack for BSNL represents a strategic move towards domestic manufacturing of critical telecom equipment, placing India among a select group of nations with such capabilities," he stated. The minister also highlighted the revival of BSNL, saying the public sector telecom company has posted quarterly net profits for the first time in nearly 18 years in FY 2024-25. He added that BSNL's subscriber base has increased from 8.55 crore to 9.27 crore, showing growing consumer trust. "Around 1 lakh 4G towers have already been rolled out, and 5G services will be introduced after the 4G network stabilizes," the minister stated. Scindia further informed the House about the government's efforts to expand mobile connectivity, especially in border and remote areas. He said villages within 50 kilometres of the international border are now being seen as the "first villages" of the country under the Vibrant Villages Programme, reflecting a shift in development thinking. The government is also supporting telecom expansion through the Digital Bharat Nidhi, which funds connectivity projects in rural and difficult areas. In Rajasthan, he said, over 97 per cent of border villages already have mobile coverage. Highlighting progress in Uttarakhand, the minister said 684 out of 705 border villages have already been connected, with efforts ongoing to cover the rest. "India now has one of the world's largest telecom networks, supporting services like digital payments and direct benefit transfers," Scindia added. He also pointed to the success of the BharatNet programme, under which more than 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats have been connected with broadband. - IANS A massive fire broke out in a three-storey house in Indore's Tilak Nagar, claiming at least six lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The blaze, which erupted in the early hours, is suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit from an electric vehicle being charged. Indore Collector Shivam Verma confirmed the fatalities, noting more than ten people were inside the house when the fire spread rapidly. PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia after a fire in an Indore house kills 6. The blaze, suspected from an EV short circuit, engulfed a three-storey building. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Indore fire incident and announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin and Rs 50,000 for the injured. At least six people lost their lives after a fire broke out in a three-storey house in Tilak Nagar area of Madhya Pradesh's Indore in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said. Taking to X, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, "Deeply pained by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured." "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," it added. The blaze erupted during the wee hours, catching residents off guard and spreading rapidly through the building. According to officials, the house belonged to a businessman identified as Manoj. An electric vehicle had reportedly been plugged in for charging outside the residence, and a short circuit linked to it is suspected to have triggered the fire. Within a short span, flames engulfed the entire three-storey structure, leaving little time for occupants to escape. Indore Collector Shivam Verma confirmed the fatalities while speaking to IANS. He said that more than 10 people were present inside the house at the time of the incident. While three individuals were rescued in time, six others could not be saved. He further informed that a firefighting team comprising around 8 to 10 personnel rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after sustained efforts. Neighbours said that the family had guests over when the incident occurred, which increased the number of people inside the house at the time. "At around 3 a.m., we got to know about the fire. We immediately called the fire services. However, the fire was so massive that it quickly spread all over the house. Some of the residents of the house are injured, and some have been confirmed dead," a neighbour told IANS. Councillor Rajiv Jain described the family as well-known and socially active in the locality. "They used to be active in all the works and used to help everyone. It is a very unfortunate incident. We hope that the injured recover soon," Jain told IANS. Meanwhile, those injured in the incident have been admitted to a nearby hospital and are undergoing treatment, while the bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination. Authorities said further details regarding the incident are awaited as the investigation continues. - IANS The government criticized a report by international legal experts that warns of crimes against humanity in the Central American country and lashed out at human rights organizations: Go to hell The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, dominated by the ruling party Nuevas Ideas (NI), on Tuesday approved a constitutional reform sent by President Nayib Bukele that allows life sentences for murderers, rapists and terrorists. Well see who supports this reform and who dares to defend the Constitutions continued prohibition against murderers and rapists remaining in prison, the president had said. Bukele announced the new measure after the publication of a report by international legal experts accusing his government of committing crimes against humanity under the state of emergency that has been in place for the past four years. Imprisonment for debt, infamous imprisonment, proscriptive imprisonment, and all forms of torture are prohibited. Life imprisonment shall only be imposed on murderers, rapists, and terrorists, states the reform to the second paragraph of Article 27 of the Constitution, approved in a plenary session by 59 pro-government deputies, their allies, and two from the opposition, without prior study or debate. Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro arrived at the Bukele-controlled parliament on Tuesday to present the constitutional reforms and delivered a speech against the organizations that have denounced human rights violations under the current administration: They started here talking about victims, about victims rights, and they created laws about victims rights only to end up with the story that the victim was the accused and the perpetrator was a law enforcement officer. Nothing could be more absurd. But their time has come. What we are doing is irreversible, the minister said at a press conference in Congress. Article 27 of the Salvadoran Constitution prohibits life sentences, considering that the prison system is organized with the objective of correcting offenders, educating them and instilling work habits, seeking their rehabilitation and the prevention of crime. Jurisprudence in El Salvador establishes a maximum sentence of 60 years for a convicted person, but in December 2025 the Attorney Generals Office announced that it had secured sentences of up to 1,000 years in prison for a group of gang members. Minister Villatoro dedicated his entire speech in parliament to attacking human rights organizations. Now were going to see these organizations defending, as always, violent criminals, rapists, murderers of men and women, terrorists, and representatives of criminal organizations: your vote doesnt count because you have no sovereign legitimacy over this country. And I would like to tell you this as a citizen, but I have to respect the office I hold. I can simply tell you: Go to hell, he said. Following the publication of the report accusing El Salvador of crimes against humanity, the government launched a weekend-long social media campaign. Bukele, who rarely responds to journalistic reports, angrily wrote on his X account: These human rights organizations, which are receiving extensive coverage from many national and international media outlets [The Guardian, France 24, EL PAIS, Open Society media, among others], and which are being picked up by thousands of local and foreign journalists, activists, and politicians, are demanding that the State of El Salvador release 100% of the gang members captured since the beginning of the State of Emergency. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the death of its secretary, Ali Larijani, in an attack, alongside his son and other officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel was responsible for killing Larijani in ongoing strikes. The incident occurs amid heightened regional tensions from joint US-Israeli attacks, to which Iran and its allies have responded with their own strikes. Iran's Revolutionary Guard also confirmed another senior commander's death and launched a new ballistic missile named after a slain previous commander. Iran confirms Ali Larijani killed in strike; Israel PM Netanyahu claims responsibility. Tensions escalate with US-Israeli attacks and Iranian retaliation. Tehran, March 18 Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed that its secretary Ali Larijani has been killed in an attack, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported early Wednesday. In a statement, the council said Larijani died early Tuesday alongside his son Morteza Larijani, deputy for security affairs at the council's secretariat Alireza Bayat, and several others, Tasnim reported. The council praised Larijani's long service to Iran's development and called for national unity in the face of external threats, Xinhua news agency reported. On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel had killed Larijani in ongoing strikes on Iran. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij volunteer force, in a US-Israeli strike. The deaths came amid heightened regional tensions following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran starting February 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and US interests across the Middle East. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has roundly rejected having had any new contact with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff. Western media reported that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei rejected proposals to reduce tensions or negotiate a ceasefire with the United States. The IRGC launched a new "Haj Qasem" ballistic missile for the first time against Israel, describing it as a precision-guided weapon named after slain commander Qassem Soleimani, according to Tasnim news agency. - IANS Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed by Israel, the third such assassination of a high-ranking official in two days. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed responsibility and stated he and Prime Minister Netanyahu have given standing authorization to eliminate other senior Iranian officials. The killings, which also included security chief Ali Larijani and Basij force head Gholamreza Soleimani, are seen by Israeli analysts as a significant blow to Iran's leadership structure. The U.S. State Department had recently offered a $10 million reward for information on Iran's new supreme leader and other top officials, including Khatib. Iran's president confirms Israel assassinated Intel Minister Esmail Khatib, marking the third killing of a senior Iranian official in 48 hours. Tehran, March 19 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed that Israel killed Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight attack, marking the third assassination of a high-ranking Iranian official in two days, Al Jazeera reported. The announcement on Wednesday comes hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the Iranian minister had been killed, as per Al Jazeera. Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, were also killed in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday. Pezeshkian condemned the "cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues," saying they "left us heartbroken". In a post on X, he added that their "path will continue stronger than before", as per Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim, reporting from the occupied West Bank, said Israeli military analysts regarded Khatib as a trusted figure close to Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Al Jazeera reported. "According to Israeli sources, they said they have been gathering intelligence that allowed them in the past 24 hours to declare the deaths of three senior Iranian officials," Ibrahim said, according to Al Jazeera. According to Al Jazeera, Katz also announced that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the Israeli military standing authorisation to eliminate other senior Iranian officials in their sights without case-by-case approval. "This is seen as another success from the Israeli perspective in targeting the Iranian leadership," she said, Al Jazeera reported. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall said, "In terms of his credentials, he 'ticked every box' in Iran, having graduated from the influential seminary in Qom and previously studied under the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei," Al Jazeera reported. "So he was really one of the top clerics, and he even has the title, Proof of Islam, one of the highest titles in the country. He is really well placed, religiously, ideologically and with decades of experience in the circles of intelligence, particularly civilian intelligence," Vall added. "He's a man whose killing, no doubt about it, will cause a dent to the remaining structure of the regime, the government. So that is what the Israelis are counting on," he concluded, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, the US Department of State offered a $10m reward on Friday for information about Iran's new supreme leader and other top officials, including Khatib. A funeral ceremony for Larijani and Soleimani was held in Tehran on Wednesday, according to Press TV, as officials and mourners gathered to honour the two figures, Al Jazeera reported. Larijani had been one of Iran's most influential political operators, having previously led its nuclear negotiations with the West and served as speaker of parliament, as per Al Jazeera. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired after the killing of Larijani was confirmed by Tehran on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States and Israel had yet to realise that Iran's government does not rely on a single individual, Al Jazeera reported. - ANI A funeral procession was held in Tehran for sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena, which was sunk by a U.S. torpedo off the coast of Sri Lanka. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the strike as an "inhumane crime" and expressed solidarity with the victims' families. The Indian Navy assisted in search and rescue operations following the incident. This event occurs amid heightened regional tensions following the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader. Funeral held in Tehran for sailors killed when US torpedo sank Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. President Pezeshkian condemns "inhumane crime." Tehran, March 18 The funeral procession of the sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena took place at the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in Tehran on Tuesday, as reported by Press TV. The Islamic Republic of Iran Ship (IRIS) Dena sank on March 4 after the frigate was hit by a US torpedo and sunk approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle in Sri Lanka. In a post on X, the Iranian state media said, "Procession of the martyrs of the IRIS Dena at the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in northern Tehran" Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated his condolences over the deaths of sailors aboard IRIS Dena. In a post on X, the Iranian President also condemned the US strike on the vessel as an "inhumane crime", stating that the Islamic Republic still mourns the loss of "20 eternal masterpieces and 84 innocent sea-lovers". He added that the names of the fallen naval personnel would endure "like the steadfast peaks of Dena" and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims and their comrades in the Iranian Navy. "Today, the hearts of the people of Iran grieve for the memory of 20 eternal masterpieces and 84 innocent sea-lovers of the "Dena" ship. The names of the proud men of the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army will remain tall and enduring, like the steadfast peaks of Dena. I once again condemn this inhumane crime and extend my condolences to their patient families and comrades," his post read. The Indian Navy then deployed INS Tarangini and INS Ikshak, along with maritime patrol aircraft, like its P8Is, to assist in the Sri Lanka-led search and rescue operations for the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. Of the estimated 180 crew members on board IRIS Dena, over 80 sailors are reported dead, while other survivors were rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy and admitted to hospitals in Galle. This development comes amid the escalating conflict that began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. Following the death of Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former leader, was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. - ANI A massive funeral was held in Tehran for the 104 crew members of an Iranian frigate sunk by a US submarine and for senior officials killed in Israeli strikes. Among the dead were Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and Basij force commander Gholam-Reza Soleimani. Mourners waved flags, carried pictures of leaders, and chanted slogans against the US and Israel while pledging support for the new Supreme Leader. The ceremony featured vows of revenge for what Iran calls acts of aggression. Mass funeral in Tehran for 104 crew of sunken frigate and senior officials, including Ali Larijani, killed in recent US and Israeli attacks. Vows of revenge. Tehran, March 18 People in large numbers attended a funeral ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran Wednesday for the crew members of a frigate sunk by the United States as well as one the country's top security officials and a high-ranking military commander killed in Israeli attacks. On March 4, the US Navy's Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sunk Iran's Dena frigate in the Indian Ocean, killing 104 crew members on board, and leaving another 32 wounded. Iran confirmed Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and Gholam-Reza Soleimani, Chief Commander of the voluntary Basij force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, were killed Tuesday in Israeli attacks. Along with Larijani, his son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, Deputy Secretary of the SNSC for security affairs, as well as a number of his bodyguards were killed in the Israeli strike. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed in a post on social media platform X that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib has also been killed. The ceremony, which was attended by the deceased's family members, Iranian state officials and military commanders as well as a large number of people from different walks of life, began in the iconic Enghelab Square, featuring a procession to a place in southern Tehran where martyrs are taken for a final farewell before their burial. The mourners waved Iran's flags and held pictures of their "martyrs," including the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as they accompanied the bodies. They also pledged allegiance to and support for the country's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, Xinhua news agency reported. They also vowed to exact revenge on the United States and Israel for their "crimes" and killing of Iranians in their "aggression" against the country. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's supreme leader, high-ranking military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targetting Israel and US assets and bases in the Middle East. - IANS Iran is conducting state funerals in Tehran for top security official Ali Larijani and Basij forces chief Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for sailors killed from the IRIS Dena vessel. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Iran's political infrastructure is a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a fatal blow from the loss of individuals. He emphasized that the escalating regional conflict was started by the United States, which must be held accountable for all consequences. Araghchi also referenced the prior loss of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, noting the system continued to function despite such national tragedies. Iran holds state funerals for top officials Ali Larijani and Basij chief Gholamreza Soleimani as FM Araghchi asserts political structure remains solid. Tehran, March 18 A funeral ceremony is underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. According to Press TV, Iran is holding funerals for Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for the slain sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena. The ceremony is taking place in Tehran as the country mourns the loss of top officials and sailors. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." - ANI CIA Director John Ratcliffe revealed to a Senate committee that Iran is actively seeking intelligence assistance from US adversaries, including Russia and China. He stated that Iran has not scaled back its nuclear or missile ambitions, warning its technological progress could eventually enable missiles to reach the continental United States. Officials also highlighted Iran's plans to target US-linked energy interests in the region and its historical threat to global energy flows via the Strait of Hormuz. The testimony reflects growing concern among lawmakers that the conflict could widen through Tehran's deepening coordination with other major powers. CIA Director warns Iran is requesting intelligence support from US adversaries like Russia and China, highlighting persistent nuclear and missile threats. Washington, March 18 Iran is seeking intelligence support from US adversaries, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers on Wednesday, flagging a new dimension to the conflict as Tehran looks outward for strategic backing. "The Iranians are requesting intelligence assistance from Russia, from China, and from other adversaries of the United States, and whether or not those countries are [providing assistance] is something we can talk about in the classified portion," Ratcliffe said during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats. Ratcliffe's remarks came as lawmakers pressed intelligence officials on the evolving scope of the Iran conflict and the risk of broader geopolitical entanglement involving major powers. He said Iran continued to pose a persistent and immediate threat, rejecting any suggestion that Tehran had scaled back its ambitions. "Senator, no. In fact, the intelligence reflects the contrary," Ratcliffe said when asked whether Iran had ceased its nuclear or missile efforts. Ratcliffe also underscored concerns about Iran's missile programme, warning that its technological progress could eventually extend its reach. He noted that Tehran was "gaining experience in these larger, more powerful booster technologies through its so-called space launch vehicle program." "If left unimpeded, yes, Senator, they would have the ability to range missiles to the continental US," he said, adding that degrading Iran's missile production capabilities under Operation Epic Fury was "so important to our national security." Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the panel that the intelligence community had consistently tracked the risks posed by Iran and provided ongoing assessments to policymakers. "The IC assessment has always taken very seriously the threat of the Iranian regime's missile capabilities very seriously and how our American troops within the region may be put at risk," she said. Gabbard also pointed to long-standing intelligence assessments about Iran's ability to disrupt global energy flows. "Those of us here at the table can point to the fact that historically the Iranians have always threatened to leverage their control of the Strait of Hormuz," she said. She added that the intelligence community had "continued to provide the intelligence related to this operation in Iran before and on an ongoing basis" to inform decision-making. Ratcliffe said Iran had also developed plans to target US-linked interests in the region. "Iran had specific plans to hit US interests in energy sites across the region," he said, noting that advance measures were taken for "force protection and personnel protection" ahead of Operation Epic Fury. The exchanges reflected growing concern among lawmakers that the conflict could widen, especially if Iran deepens coordination with countries such as Russia and China. At the same time, intelligence officials maintained that the United States had anticipated key elements of Iran's response. Gabbard said the intelligence community had "continued to assess the potential threats to the region, the existing threats to the region, and provide those assessments to the policymakers and decision makers." Responding to questions, Ratcliffe reiterated that Iran has been "a constant threat to the United States for an extended period of time and posed an immediate threat at this time," highlighting the stakes for US national security as the situation continues to evolve. - IANS Former Indian diplomat Dilip Sinha states the conflict involving Iran is becoming a prolonged war of attrition, surprising observers with Tehran's resilience against US and Israeli pressure. He highlights Iran's extensive preparations, including hidden weapon stores and a decentralized decision-making structure that persists despite senior leadership losses. Sinha warns India is critically vulnerable due to its heavy reliance on Gulf oil through the now-impeded Strait of Hormuz, urging policy shifts towards diversification and self-sufficiency. He also condemns a recent Pakistani airstrike in Afghanistan, describing it as a deeply troubling and macabre act. Former diplomat Dilip Sinha says Iran's preparedness has led to a war of attrition with US & Israel, exposing India's critical oil import risks. New Delhi, March 18 Former Indian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dilip Sinha, has said that the ongoing war involving Iran is likely to turn into a prolonged war of attrition, as it continues to drag on despite intense pressure from the United States and Israel. While speaking to ANI, Sinha said, "This war is likely to turn into a war of attrition. It is dragging on. Iran has surprised everybody with its capacity to hold on against such a superpower as the US and a very powerful country like Israel, which means that Iran has been preparing for this kind of an invasion for a very long time." He highlighted Iran's extensive preparations, noting, "They are prepared not only in terms of the drones and missiles that they have acquired and stationed, but also in terms of the way they have hidden these missiles in stores that are not easily accessible." Sinha pointed to the resilience of Iran's leadership structure amid significant losses, including the recent killing of Larijani, who was the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a pivotal figure in Tehran's security apparatus. He said, "You mentioned Larijani getting killed. Several other senior Iranian leaders have also been killed. But despite that, decision-making in Iran seems to be taking place fairly well." He added, "People are still attacking all the countries around the Gulf, which means that Iran had also prepared for decentralised decision-making as part of its preparation for such an invasion. So that even when the top leadership was wiped out, and now Larijani has been killed, Iran's decision-making capacity has not been crippled." Sinha said, "It has obviously decentralised not only its weaponry but also its decision-making process, which has enabled it to drag on this war for so long. And we don't know how long it will be able to do it." Shifting to the implications for India, Sinha referenced recent diplomatic engagements and the vulnerability of key energy routes. He said, "Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi spoke to his UAE counterpart, the President of the UAE. He also spoke about the Strait of Hormuz, which is bearing the brunt of the conflict." He explained India's concerns, stating, "We are heavily dependent on crude oil from the Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz is a very narrow strait. It is closed right now. Some ships are able to come out, but it is not an easy strait to defend or to clear." Sinha stressed the need for greater self-reliance, saying, "In this situation, all I can say is that I wish we had, in the past, through our policies, made ourselves a little more independent or less dependent on this kind of situation. For example, there is one pipeline, I believe, from the UAE to the port of Fujairah, which is outside the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudis have built a pipeline to the Red Sea so that they are able to carry oil out of the Gulf without using the Strait of Hormuz." He further urged diversification, adding, "This is something that we should focus on to ensure that we are not dependent on the strait for our oil imports. Secondly, we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil because supply chains have been disrupted not only in oil but in other critical minerals as well. It has been established that unless we are self-sufficient in these, we become vulnerable to foreign pressures." Turning to developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sinha addressed a recent airstrike by Pakistan that reportedly killed 400 civilians in a hospital strike, which Pakistan has denied. He described the incident as deeply troubling, saying, "This relationship is fraught with risks of the kind of war that is taking place right now. There have been such incidents in the past also, but this is a particularly bad and very macabre kind of thing to have done--to have attacked a hospital for drug rehabilitation patients." He criticised Pakistan's stance, noting, "What is particularly troublesome is that Pakistan seems to treat it as a very casual affair. At one level, they are taking credit for having struck terror camps inside Afghanistan, and the official media claims that they are very proud of the fact that they have struck them with great precision. But if Pakistan claims the right to strike at terror camps, then it must concede to India also the right to strike at its own terror camps. So it is a very duplicitous game that Pakistan is playing." Sinha pointed to underlying issues, saying, "It is taking advantage of the fact that Afghanistan is a poor and relatively helpless country. There is also the big territorial dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the issue of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which Afghanistan claims because it does not accept the border known as the Durand Line." He suggested pathways to resolution, stating, "In this situation, one does not see any easy solutions unless the two countries give up their extraterritorial claims and return to diplomacy. They must also accept a certain degree of decentralisation in their own governance and allow people the right to lead their lives the way they want to." He added, "In the past, for example, there were the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), which were not under the direct administration of the British, or even later under the Pakistan government. They were allowed complete internal autonomy. These kinds of administrative measures are important to ensure that there is a certain degree of acceptance by the people of the sovereign rights and territorial integrity of Pakistan and Afghanistan, so that they are able to live in peace with each other." On India's response, Sinha noted that it was swift and firm, as the country condemned the attack as a "cowardly attack." Regarding the role of international bodies, he said, "The UN is a political body. It is controlled by political powers. The bigger powers have more control than the smaller powers. So I do not think we should worry too much about what the UN does. Yes, what various countries say and do is important, but the problem today is that the world is busy with the Gulf War and the Ukraine War. So nobody has the time to look at what is happening between Afghanistan and Pakistan." He added, "I have not seen any comments by others, but India has been right to condemn this attack--for Pakistan's double standards, its double standards towards terrorism, its double standards towards Afghanistan's sovereignty, and its complete disregard for human values in its military operations." Sinha said, "They have good knowledge of Afghanistan, so they would have known what this hospital is about. Either they misfired--in which case they should apologise--or if they targeted it as a brutal, genocidal measure, it deserves condemnation." - ANI Israeli fighter jets have reportedly struck a gas facility in Bushehr, Iran. In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps claims to have struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv. Iran is holding funerals for top security official Ali Larijani and Basij forces head Major General Gholamreza Soleimani. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserts the nation's political structure remains solid despite the losses and blames the United States for initiating the conflict. Iran warns of targeting 'enemy infrastructure' after Israeli strike on gas facility. IRGC claims hitting Tel Aviv, over 230 casualties. Funerals held for slain officials. Tehran, March 18 Israeli fighter jets have struck a gas facility in Bushehr, Iran, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera, as Iran is set to target "enemy infrastructure" following attacks on its gas sites on Wednesday. According to Al Jazeera, Iran warned it would respond to strikes on its gas sites by targeting the "enemy infrastructure". Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said it had struck more than 100 targets in the city of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the martyrdom of Ali Larijani, Iran's former top security official. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced hitting the targets during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4. The hostile objects, it added, were targeted using multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. The IRGC said Operation True Promise 4 had so far either killed or injured more than 230 Zionists. Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. According to Press TV, Iran is holding funerals for Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for the slain sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena. The ceremony is taking place in Tehran as the country mourns the loss of top officials and sailors. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." - ANI A ballistic missile attack from Iran killed a man and a woman in Ramat Gan, central Israel, with shrapnel also causing a light injury in Beni Brak. The Israel Defense Forces responded with airstrikes on Hezbollah rocket launchers and operatives across Lebanon as part of Operation "Roaring Lion." Concurrently, the United States military conducted strikes using deep-penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites. Israeli authorities have urged the public to continue following all safety alerts and guidelines issued by the Home Front Command. Two killed in central Israel by Iranian ballistic missile. IDF responds with strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon as US conducts operations against Iran. Tel Aviv, March 18 Two people were killed in a ballistic missile attack in central Israel due to an Iranian strike, according to Magen David Adom, CNN reported. Paramedics from Magen David Adom (MDA) arrived at the scene in the city of Ramat Gan and declared the death of a man and a woman who suffered severe shrapnel injuries, as per CNN. Shrapnel from the missile also struck the city of Beni Brak, just north of Tel Aviv, lightly injuring one person, CNN reported, quoting the MDA. Meanwhile, Israel's Home Front Command emphasised the importance of following all alerts and guidelines, which have proven lifesaving during ongoing hostilities, and requested residents to act accordingly when notifications are issued. "Home Front Command forces have rushed to scenes where reports of impacts were received in the center of the country Rescue and salvage forces of the Home Front Command, both regular and reserve, are currently operating at scenes where reports of impacts were received in the center of the country, scanning and working to assist the population on site. The Home Front Command calls on the public to continue heeding the guidelines, which have proven to be lifesaving, and to act accordingly as required upon receiving the alert," Israel Defence Forces wrote on X. The Home Front Command also advised residents that it is now permitted to exit protected spaces while urging continued vigilance and adherence to official safety instructions. In a post shared on X, Israel Defense Forces wrote, "Following the situation assessment, the Home Front Command issued guidance that it is permitted to exit the protected space. It is necessary to continue to heed the instructions of the Home Front Command. Rescue and recovery forces are operating at several incident sites across the country where reports of impacts have been received. It is necessary to avoid gatherings in these areas. You are requested to continue to heed the instructions of the Home Front Command and the guidance distributed to you." Additional documentation from the Home Front Command shows their teams actively managing operations in affected central region areas. "Additional documentation of Home Front Command forces in the central region theaters," the X post read. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers and operatives across Lebanon, the military said on Tuesday, as part of its ongoing Operation "Roaring Lion." "IDF Strikes Rocket Launchers and Hezbollah Terrorists Across Lebanon The Air Force struck in the past hour launchers and Hezbollah terrorists across Lebanon, as part of the effort to disrupt and thwart fire toward the territory of the State of Israel. In rapid closure of the circle, launch squads and launchers were struck prior to launch or shortly after the firing," IDF's X post read. "Since the start of Operation "Roaring Lion," the IDF has struck hundreds of Hezbollah terror organisation's rocket launchers across Lebanon to remove threats to the citizens of the State of Israel," the post added. Meanwhile, the Department of War on X shared a post on X in which they wrote, "We are executing President Trump's orders with speed and precision. Operation Epic Fury has decimated Iran's military." United States Navy Admiral and Commander of US Brad Cooper, in a video, said, "We continue to remain centred on our military objectives. These are well-defined and include eliminating Iran's ballistic missiles, drones and naval threats. To date, our Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aviators have collectively flown more than 6,000 combat flights, demonstrating the unmatched capability of America's joint force as we maintain air superiority over Iranian skies. And to the entire operation epvictory team, keep pushing, remain steady, fight to win." Meanwhile, the United States carried out strikes using "multiple 5,000-pound (2267 kg) deep penetrator munitions" on Iran, targeting "hardened Iranian missile sites" along its coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. In a post shared on X, U.S. Central Command wrote, "Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait." - ANI An Iranian ballistic missile equipped with a banned cluster bomb warhead targeted central Israel, causing infrastructure damage but no immediate casualties from that specific strike. However, a separate Iranian ballistic missile attack in the region killed a man and a woman in Ramat Gan. In response to the broader Iranian threat, the United States has launched "Operation Epic Fury," claiming to have decimated Iran's military with airstrikes, including on coastal missile sites. Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces continue their "Roaring Lion" operation, striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. Iranian ballistic missile with banned cluster warhead strikes central Israel, causing damage. US responds with "Operation Epic Fury" against Iranian military targets. Tel Aviv, March 18 An Iranian ballistic missile targeting central Israel appears to have been equipped with a cluster bomb warhead, according to footage reviewed by the Times of Israel. Cluster bomb warheads indiscriminately spread dozens of sub munitions, each with several kilograms of explosives, over a radius of around 10 kilometres. Use of the munitions is banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, whose signatories do not include Israel, Iran or the US. The use of such weaponry has resulted in several impact sites across the central region. While emergency services are actively responding to these reports, medics have confirmed that there have been no calls regarding injuries at this stage. Direct damage to infrastructure has been observed, with the Times of Israel reporting that at least one submunition from the missile struck and damaged a road. Local police are currently on the scene at multiple locations to secure the areas affected by the debris and munitions. Despite the visible damage to property, medical teams reiterate that no casualties have been reported following the strikes. According to the Times of Israel, the latest aerial assault marks a concerning development in the type of ordnance being deployed. Authorities remain on-site to assess the full extent of the impact and ensure public safety. However, the situation has turned fatal in other parts of the region, where two people were killed in a ballistic missile attack in central Israel due to an Iranian strike, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), CNN reported. Paramedics from the MDA arrived at the scene in the city of Ramat Gan and declared the death of a man and a woman who suffered severe shrapnel injuries. The reach of the strike further extended to the city of Bnei Brak, just north of Tel Aviv, where shrapnel from the missile lightly injured one person, CNN reported, quoting the MDA. In response to these casualties, Israel's Home Front Command emphasised the importance of following all alerts and guidelines, which have proven lifesaving during ongoing hostilities. Regular and reserve rescue and salvage forces have rushed to impact sites in the centre of the country to scan for survivors and assist the population. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) wrote on X that Home Front Command forces are currently operating at these scenes. Following a situation assessment, authorities later advised that it is now permitted to exit protected spaces, though they urged continued vigilance and the avoidance of gatherings in affected areas. Parallel to these defensive efforts, the IDF has carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers and operatives across Lebanon as part of its ongoing Operation "Roaring Lion." The military stated that the Air Force struck launchers and terrorists to disrupt and thwart fire toward Israeli territory. Since the start of Operation "Roaring Lion," the IDF has struck hundreds of Hezbollah rocket launchers across Lebanon to remove threats to the citizens of the State of Israel. The regional conflict is being further shaped by American intervention. The Department of War shared on X that they are executing President Trump's orders with speed and precision, claiming "Operation Epic Fury" has decimated Iran's military. US Navy Admiral and Commander Brad Cooper confirmed that US forces remain centred on military objectives, including eliminating Iran's ballistic missiles, drones, and naval threats. To date, American aviators have collectively flown more than 6,000 combat flights to maintain air superiority over Iranian skies. As part of this campaign, the United States carried out strikes using "multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions" on hardened Iranian missile sites along the coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command stated on X that these Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles posed a direct risk to international shipping in the strait, prompting the successful employment of the 2267 kg munitions to neutralise the threat. - ANI An Iranian projectile struck near the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, causing minor damage to Australian accommodation and medical facilities. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed no Australian Defence Force personnel were injured in the incident. The base serves as a critical logistics, surveillance, and training hub for over 100 Australian personnel. This marks the second time the facility has been targeted amid ongoing regional hostilities. Australian PM confirms Iranian projectile hit near Al Minhad Air Base, causing minor damage to facilities. All ADF personnel are safe and accounted for. Canberra, March 18 The Australian Government's Department of Defence has confirmed that an Iranian strike impacted an area at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday morning. The facility, which has hosted a continuous "Australian Defence Force (ADF)" presence for many years, was hit during the early hours of the day. In a formal statement, the department provided reassurances regarding the welfare of its troops, noting that "no ADF personnel were injured in the incident, and all ADF personnel deployed to the Middle East are safe and accounted for." While casualties were avoided, the attack caused physical destruction within the facility. The strike reportedly "resulted in minor damage to an accommodation block and medical facility in the Australian section of the base." Following the impact, military officials have shifted their attention to preventing further risks to personnel stationed in the region. "Defence's focus is on ensuring the safety and security of our people, and we will continue to revise force protection measures as the situation in the Middle East evolves," the statement added. Providing further details on the strike, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that an "Iranian projectile" struck a road just outside the base at approximately 9:15 am AEDT on Wednesday. According to ABC News, the strike ignited a fire which resulted in "minor damage" to Australian medical and accommodation facilities. While it remains "not clear if it was a missile or drone strike," the Prime Minister confirmed that the subsequent blaze affected a clinical area and housing units. "I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," Albanese stated, adding that the damage was caused by a "small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base." The facility serves as a vital "military, logistics, surveillance and training hub" for the ADF. More than 100 Australian personnel are currently stationed at the base, which also provides a home for British forces and a small contingent of United States military members. This marks the second occasion the air base has been caught in the crosshairs of the ongoing conflict. An "Iranian drone strike" previously hit the facility during the initial days of the war, though that specific "strike caused no damage to Australian facilities." When questioned on whether the base was being intentionally singled out, Albanese remarked that the "Iranian regime is engaging in random attacks right across the region." The UAE has faced "heavy bombardment" throughout the current hostilities. ABC News highlighted that the UAE defence ministry estimates nearly "1,700 drones and missiles" were directed at the nation in the first week of the war alone, with approximately "90 per cent" successfully intercepted. Addressing the security of Australian troops, Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson expressed relief that no personnel were harmed but warned that the "attack on Australian facilities at Al Minhad is another reminder that the Islamic Republic regime in Iran is no friend of Australia." He reiterated the Coalition's support for the deployment of "E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft" to assist partners like the UAE. As the regional situation remains volatile, the government is being urged to provide all "resources and support necessary" to ensure the safety of service members. In a post on X, Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed the incident at the facility where the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been stationed for years. He emphasised that the welfare of military personnel remains the government's paramount concern following the strike. "The safety and security of the men and women who bravely wear our nation's uniform is always our first priority, and I want to reassure people that no Australians were injured in this incident," the Defence Minister stated. Marles further noted that the public "may have see the news that a base where the ADF has a long-standing presence has been hit in the UAE by Iran." The statement comes amidst a period of heightened regional volatility, with Australian authorities continuing to monitor the safety of their forces deployed across the Middle East. - ANI Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has launched a major wave of missile strikes, dubbed "Operation True Promise 4," targeting over 100 military and security sites in Tel Aviv. The attack is a direct retaliation for the killing of former top security official Ali Larijani. The IRGC claims its missiles overcame advanced air defenses, causing a partial blackout and over 230 casualties in the targeted areas. Strikes also reportedly hit strategic locations in al-Quds, Haifa, and American facilities across several Gulf nations. Iran's IRGC launches major missile strikes on Tel Aviv, targeting over 100 sites in retaliation for official's killing. Reports of casualties and blackouts. Tehran, March 18 The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has reportedly struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former top security official, according to state broadcaster Press TV. The strikes were launched in response to what Tehran described as unprovoked American-Israeli aggression. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that the targets were hit during the "61st wave" of its ongoing retaliatory "Operation True Promise 4." According to Press TV, the operation utilised multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, alongside Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. These were deployed to avenge the death of Larijani, who previously served as the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The IRGC claimed that during these "intense lightning strikes," the missiles hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of the "occupied territories" without facing "any obstruction." The success of this stage of the reprisal was attributed by the IRGC to "the disintegration of the Zionist regime's multilayered and highly advanced air defence systems." Press TV cited field information indicating that a "partial blackout" occurred in Tel Aviv as a result of the strikes. The report suggested that the situation made it increasingly difficult for forces on the ground to maintain control or conduct rescue operations. The IRGC further claimed that "Operation True Promise 4" has resulted in more than 230 casualties, including those killed or injured. The retaliatory campaign began following the latest military actions initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv against the Islamic Republic. Beyond Tel Aviv, the strikes have reportedly targeted strategic sites in al-Quds, the port of Haifa, and Be'er Sheva, regarded as a technological hub, as well as the Negev Desert. According to Press TV, American outposts across the region have also faced intense reprisals. Impacts were reported at facilities located in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. - ANI Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran. Katz warned of impending "significant surprises" across all arenas, escalating the war against Iran and Hezbollah. The IDF also announced the elimination of Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Basij unit commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Israeli leadership has authorized the military to target senior Iranian figures without seeking additional permissions. Israeli Defence Minister confirms killing of Iran's Esmaeil Khatib, warns of more "significant surprises" in ongoing conflict. Jerusalem, March 18 Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran overnight. Katz also warned of "significant surprises" across all arenas, local media reported. During a security assessment, he said, "On this day, significant surprises are expected across all arenas that will escalate the war we are conducting against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," according to remarks provided by his office, The Times of Israel reported. "The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing. The Iranian intelligence minister Khatib was also eliminated overnight," The Times of Israel quoted him as saying. Katz said that he and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have allowed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to eliminate any senior Iranian figure without the need to seek additional permission. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that Khatib, the Iranian Minister of Intelligence, was killed in a targetted strike in Tehran. "Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest and killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis and Americans around the world. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022-2023). The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against Israeli and Iranian citizens," the IDF posted on X. On Tuesday, Israel claimed that it has killed Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani. In a statement shared on X, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that Larjiani was considered one of the most senior figures in the Iranian regime leadership and a close associate of late Supreme Leader Ayotallah Ali Khamenei. "Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the regime's effective leader, has been eliminated. Throughout the years, Larijani was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership, and was a close associate of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei," IDF posted on X. Later, Iranian media also reported that Ali Larijani along with his son was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran on March 17. "During the most recent wave of protests against the Iranian terror regime, Larijani personally oversaw the massacre that was carried out against Iranian protestors," it added. According to a statement released by the IDF, Larijani functioned as the leader of the Iranian regime after Khamenei's death and led the combat against Israel and countries in the region. IDF also announced that Basij Unit commander Gholamreza Soleimani has been killed. In a statement shared on X, IDF said, "COMMANDER OF THE BASIJ UNIT ELIMINATED. Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years. Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators." Gholam Reza Soleimani was killed in an aerial attack by Israeli fighter jets in Tehran, Tasnim News Agency reported. - IANS The Israeli Air Force announced it completed a wide-scale airstrike on Tehran, specifically targeting command centers and sites of Iran's ballistic missile array. The operation, guided by Military Intelligence, aimed to damage core regime foundations and expand air superiority. This strike followed a major Iranian retaliatory offensive by the IRGC, which reportedly hit over 100 targets in Tel Aviv using advanced missiles. The Iranian operation, dubbed "True Promise 4," was launched in retaliation for the killing of a former security official and also targeted American outposts in several Gulf states. Israeli Air Force conducts wide-scale airstrike on Tehran, targeting Iranian command centers and missile arrays in escalating conflict. Tel Aviv, March 18 The Israeli Air Force has announced the completion of a "wide-scale airstrike in Tehran," confirming that "command centres of the Iranian terror regime were attacked" during the operation. In a post on X, the IAF detailed that the mission, which took place on Tuesday, was guided by Military Intelligence. The operation specifically targeted "command centres, sites of the ballistic missile array, and additional infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime." Visuals released by the military include an aerial reconnaissance photograph of a large complex in Tehran. The image shows a series of industrial-style warehouses and administrative buildings, with a specific section highlighted to delineate the exact target area for the strike. According to the statement, among the sites hit were "the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards' security unit, responsible for handling protests and public order violations in Iran." The IAF further noted that the strikes successfully neutralised a "maintenance centre of the Logistics and General Support Division of the Internal Security Forces" and a "headquarters belonging to the ballistic missile array." Beyond structural targets, the military confirmed that "several air defence systems were attacked with the aim of expanding the Air Force's air superiority over Iranian skies." The operation is described as a strategic effort to escalate pressure on Tehran's military capabilities. The IAF stated that the "completed strikes are part of the phase of deepening the damage to the core arrays of the Iranian terror regime and its foundations." These IAF strikes followed a major offensive by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), which reportedly struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv. According to state broadcaster Press TV, the Iranian assault was in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former top security official. The IRGC strikes were launched in response to what Tehran described as unprovoked American-Israeli aggression. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that the targets were hit during the "61st wave" of its ongoing retaliatory "Operation True Promise 4." According to Press TV, the operation utilised multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, alongside Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. These were deployed to avenge the death of Larijani, who previously served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The IRGC claimed that during these "intense lightning strikes," the missiles hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of the "occupied territories" without facing "any obstruction." The success of this stage of the reprisal was attributed by the IRGC to "the disintegration of the Zionist regime's multilayered and highly advanced air defence systems." Press TV cited field information indicating that a "partial blackout" occurred in Tel Aviv as a result of the strikes. The report suggested that the situation made it increasingly difficult for forces on the ground to maintain control or conduct rescue operations. The IRGC further claimed that "Operation True Promise 4" has resulted in more than 230 casualties, including those killed or injured. The retaliatory campaign began following the latest military actions initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv. Beyond Tel Aviv, the strikes have reportedly targeted strategic sites in al-Quds, the port of Haifa, and Be'er Sheva, as well as the Negev Desert. According to Press TV, American outposts across the region have also faced intense reprisals. Impacts were reported at facilities located in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. - ANI Italy's Foreign Ministry has urgently advised its citizens to leave Afghanistan using available commercial flights due to rapidly worsening security conditions. The advisory follows deadly Pakistani airstrikes, including one on a Kabul facility that reportedly killed hundreds. The Taliban and Pakistan have provided conflicting accounts of the strike's target. International organizations warn of rising civilian casualties as cross-border clashes between Pakistani forces and the Taliban continue to escalate. Italy advises citizens to depart Afghanistan via commercial flights amid deteriorating security and deadly airstrikes. Read the latest advisory. Kabul, March 18 Italy's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged its citizens to leave Afghanistan using available commercial flights, citing worsening security conditions across the country, Khaama Press reported. In its statement, the ministry advised Italians who choose to remain to register their presence and follow safety instructions issued by local authorities, as per Khaama Press. According to Khaama Press, the advisory comes amid rising tensions following recent Pakistani airstrikes, including a strike in Kabul that has heightened concerns over civilian safety. The Taliban claimed the Kabul strike hit a medical facility, killing hundreds and injuring many more, while Pakistan said it targeted nearby militant sites, Khaama Press reported. According to Khaama Press, security conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated in recent weeks due to cross-border clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters, including airstrikes and retaliatory attacks. International organisations have warned of rising civilian casualties as ongoing hostilities continue to affect urban areas and critical infrastructure, Khaama Press reported. The Italian government reiterated its call to avoid non-essential travel and urged vigilance, warning that the risk of further escalation remains high across Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. This comes after more than 400 people have died and hundreds more were injured after a Pakistani military airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, Afghan officials said, according to a report by TOLO News. The attack, which took place late at night, caused massive destruction at the facility and is being described as one of the deadliest strikes on civilians in Afghanistan in recent years. Many of the victims were patients and staff present at the centre at the time. The incident is likely to strain already fragile ties between Kabul and Islamabad. Regional and international observers have warned of the wider implications of such attacks on efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan, which has seen years of conflict following the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. - ANI Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis reveals she's not a horror genre fan, discusses her Blumhouse deal, and why she never aimed to "look pretty" in films. Los Angeles, March 18 Hollywood actress Jamie Lee Curtis isn't really fond of horror movies. The 67-year-old actress established herself as a scream queen with her portrayal of Laurie Strode in the '.Halloween' franchise. However, the actress has said that personally, the horror genre is not her thing, reports 'Female First UK'. Speaking at the SXSW festival in Texas, the actress said, "I don't really love it. I'm not joking; I'm not into it. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. It's just not my genre, not my thing. I owe my life to the genre, but I don't have to pretend that I'm a genre girl and I love it". However, Jamie is pleased that horror movies such as Sinners and Weapons were honoured at the Academy Awards this year. The Trading Places star said: "The fact that it's a genre that now is getting more understanding and appreciation, of course I'm happy. It's fantastic that the Academy is moving along with that and changing and growing, like any good institution". Curtis made a return to the Halloween franchise in David Gordon Green's 2018 sequel Halloween, a direct sequel to the original 1978 flick, and admits that she wouldn't have signed up for the picture if she knew she had to appear in the two follow-up movies 'Halloween Kills' and 'Halloween Ends'. Instead, the True Lies star decided to use the films to land a development deal with movie producer Jason Blum of Blumhouse. Jamie said, "The only reason I am sitting in this chair today is because of Jason. Jason Blum, who runs Blumhouse, is the one who brought back the Halloween movies. "If they had come to me and said it's going to be a trilogy, I don't think I would have said yes. Jason Blum is notoriously cheap. How do you make low-budget movies? You don't pay people". She further mentioned, "That's the model. While we were editing and doing the mix, David said, 'You know it's a trilogy'. I was like, 'Uh, no'. I went to Jason Blum and said, 'I have some ideas, maybe you could give me a first look deal, just pay me a little money'. I said to Jason, 'How about a little development deal?' And I owed him two Halloween movies, so what was he gonna say? Jason Blum gave me a vanity deal". As per 'Female First UK', meanwhile, Curtis revealed last year that she has never been interested in "looking pretty" in her movies. She told Empire magazine, "Looking pretty in the movies was never my thing. It's just not who I am, it's just not my currency. Whether you thought I was pretty or not, it wasn't like I felt like I was a great beauty and that the camera would love me". "Lately I've been able to become characters which have freed me from any vanity, which then frees me as an artiste because then it doesn't matter, because then I'm just doing the work. And I've always wanted to do that work", she added. - IANS Filmmaker Karan Johar posted a heartfelt tribute to his mother, Hiroo Johar, on her 83rd birthday, sharing a rare childhood photo. He admitted he constantly worries about her health and cannot imagine life without her. Despite her health challenges, he celebrated her indomitable spirit, noting she insists on styling her hair and wearing lipstick daily. Johar concluded that her enduring memory of love is a blessing for him and his twins. Filmmaker Karan Johar shares a heartfelt post about his mother Hiroo Johar's health, spirit, and unconditional love on her 83rd birthday. Mumbai, March 18 Filmmaker Karan Johar admitted that he is constantly worried about his mother, Hiroo Johar's health. Wishing his mother on her 83rd birthday, the 'Dharma' head treated the fans with a rare picture from his childhood in which little Karan was seen smiling in his mother's arms. He even had a birthday cap on his head, suggesting it might have been his birthday. In his latest social media post, KJo was seen struggling to describe the profound place his mother holds in his life through words. "It's tough to articulate the most important relationship of your life... words don't have the power to describe a mother's place in a childs life... unconditional is also a tiny word for a force as large as a mother... (sic)," he wrote on Insta. The 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' maker revealed that he often wakes up worried for her mother's health as he is unable to imagine his life without her. "My mom turns 83 today and the only reason I share this feeling is because I know it will deeply resonate with many others out there...I wake up anxious or am constantly in worry for her health and can't imagine a life without her...", added the filmmaker. Karan revealed that even though her mom suffers from several health issues, she continues to live her life to the fullest. He also shared that although her memory has started to fail, she continues to remember the one most important thing in life, 'Love'. "She has combatted numerous health combinations and yet she insists on blow drying her hair everyday and wearing her lipstick everyday and is wheeled out in her flowy kaftan so she can enjoy the sun and doom scroll ( Gen Z you got nothing on my mom) ...Her spirit is my strength...even her memory or her thoughts fails her ... she remembers one very strong aspect always .... LOVE! My twins and I are blessed.:: we count our blessings everyday that we get to kiss her and say "love you mama".... Happy Birthday MOM", concluded KJo. - IANS Kashmiri parents are urgently appealing to India's Ministry of External Affairs to evacuate their children, Indian students stranded at the Iran-Azerbaijan border amid regional conflict. The students face severe conditions, including illness, lack of medicine, and exhausted financial resources. While the MEA reports ongoing safety efforts and some successful evacuations, a group remains stuck with unclear flight statuses. Families are desperate for official updates and immediate intervention to ensure their safe return. Kashmiri families urge MEA to evacuate Indian students stranded at Iran border, citing illness and depleted resources amid West Asia tensions. Srinagar, March 18 Amid escalating tensions in West Asia and worsening security in Iran, many Indian students remain stranded at the Azerbaijan border, due to the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, facing illness and lack of resources despite some being evacuated earlier. Parents of the stranded students have urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to provide immediate updates and intervention to ensure the safe return of all stranded students. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Suhail Muzamil Qadri, a parent, highlighted the worsening conditions. "The issue right now is that the majority of children are stranded at the Azerbaijan border, on the Astara side of Iran. The problems they are facing there are serious. Initially, a group of 17-18 children was taken out, but those had tickets for the 14th. Along with them, children holding tickets for the 18th, 19th, and 20th were also allowed through. Meanwhile, those with tickets for the 15th, 16th, and 17th remain stranded. Many of the children with tickets for the 15th were marked as 'no show', and the same happened for the 16th and 17th, and still nothing has been done," he said. Qadri further emphasised the urgent need for assistance. "We sincerely request that someone from the MEA update us on the situation at the border. Some of the children are ill, suffering from chest infections and influenza, and they are not receiving medicines. Their money has run out, and they are unable to make calls. We desperately need an update on what is happening," he added. Earlier, Mohammed Anwar, parent of a Kashmiri student stranded in Iran, told ANI, "My daughter is in the final year of MBBS. We highly appreciate the efforts of the Indian Embassy in Tehran for relocating them safely. But it is our hand-folded request to the Ministry of External Affairs to evacuate them at the earliest." On Monday, the MEA said more than 2 lakh passengers have been brought back to India from Gulf countries, and Indian nationals in Iran have also crossed into Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of ongoing safety efforts. - ANI North Korea's parliamentary elections resulted in a reported 99.93% victory for Kim Jong Un's ruling coalition with a 99.99% voter turnout. The newly elected Supreme People's Assembly will soon convene to re-elect state leadership and deliberate on a major constitutional revision, which may officially codify a hostile stance toward South Korea. The election list shows a sweeping personnel change, with over 70% of deputies being new, interpreted as a move to consolidate Kim's authority. Key figures like Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, and aide Jo Yong-won are among the new deputies, while former chairman Choe Ryong-hae was notably absent. North Korea's election sees 99.99% turnout, Kim Jong Un's party wins 99.93% of votes. Assembly to revise constitution, possibly defining South as hostile. Seoul, March 18 In North Korea's 2026 parliamentary elections, Kim Jong Un achieved a landslide win as the Workers' Party of Korea and its coalition partners reportedly captured 99.93 per cent of the ballot and every available seat, according to Yonhap News Agency, which cited state media reports. With a reported turnout of 99.99 per cent, the polls were conducted on March 15 to select deputies for the 15th Supreme People's Assembly. Following the results, Pyongyang is scheduled to hold the inaugural session of the new assembly to decide on the election of state leadership and deliberate on a major revision to the constitution. This upcoming legislative gathering follows the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea conducted last month. As reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the assembly will formally address the election of the president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the revision and supplement of the Socialist Constitution. According to Yonhap News Agency, a primary focus for the session is whether the North will officially codify its hostile stance toward the South, defining the two Koreas as two countries hostile to each other in its founding document. Observers are also waiting to see if Kim Jong Un will deliver new policy directions regarding the nation's external relations. The session is widely expected to re-elect Kim as the supreme leader, confirming his role as the head of the State Affairs Commission. While the assembly is frequently characterised as a rubber-stamp parliament, it remains the essential body for legalising decisions made by the ruling party leadership. The latest election list, as noted by Yonhap News Agency, suggests a significant shift in the internal power structure, with over 70 per cent of the deputies being replaced since the previous term. This far-reaching personnel reshuffle is interpreted by experts as an effort to further consolidate Kim's absolute authority. Among the 687 deputies confirmed is Jo Yong-won, a prominent aide to Kim, who is tipped to become the chairman of the assembly's standing committee. Conversely, the former chairman, Choe Ryong-hae, was relieved of the post during the recent party congress and was notably absent from the new parliamentary list. The newly elected deputies also include Kim's influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. State media described these representatives as state political activists chosen from the ranks of workers, farmers, and officials to carry out the party's strategic mission. According to Yonhap News Agency, the KCNA reported that 0.07 per cent of the electorate voted against the candidates. This inclusion of opposing votes is seen as a propaganda tactic to suggest a genuine right to object, despite the fact that North Korean elections are largely regarded as a non-secret formality. - ANI South Korea's automobile exports declined by 20.8% in February, primarily attributed to fewer working days during the Lunar New Year holiday. While overall exports dropped, hybrid car shipments saw a significant 23.5% increase, reaching $1.21 billion. Exports to the United States and European Union fell sharply, but shipments to Latin America surged by 21.7%. Domestically, vehicle sales also decreased by 7.2% last month. South Korea's auto exports fell 20.8% in February due to fewer working days, though hybrid car shipments jumped 23.5%. Get the latest trade data. Seoul, March 18 South Korea's auto exports fell 20.8 per cent from a year earlier in February due to a decline in the number of working days for the month, government data showed on Wednesday. The combined value of automobile exports came to US$4.8 billion last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, reports Yonhap news agency. February's performance was due to a drop in the number of working days for the month amid the Lunar New Year holiday, the ministry said. The value of hybrid cars shipped overseas surged 23.5 percent to $1.21 billion. The combined exports of electric vehicles (EV) and hydrogen-powered cars fell 8.2 percent to $670 million. The ministry noted that the combined exports of eco-friendly vehicles, including EVs, hydrogen-fueled cars and hybrid vehicles, for the first two months of the year was the highest on record at $4.5 billion. By destination, exports to the United States fell 29.4 percent on-year, and shipments to the European Union retreated 20 percent. In contrast, shipments to Latin America surged 21.7 percent from the same period a year earlier, the data showed. Domestically, 123,275 vehicles were sold last month, down 7.2 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, South Korean shares traded more than 3.5 per cent higher late on Wednesday morning, driven by sharp gains in blue chip tech shares, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) had jumped 204.27 points, or 3.62 percent, to 5,844.75 as of 11:20 a.m. Auto giant Hyundai Motor climbed 2.97 percent, and its sister Kia advanced 3.71 percent. Hyundai Motor's auto parts-making affiliate, Hyundai Mobis, increased 3.64 percent. AI investment firm SK Square shot up 6.13 percent, while power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility expanded 2.78 percent. - IANS Raja Krishnamoorthi has conceded the Illinois Democratic Senate primary to Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. Stratton, the preferred candidate of the state's Democratic establishment, had the backing of billionaire Governor JB Pritzker. The primary was exceptionally expensive, with tens of millions spent on advertising by both sides. The winner is virtually assured of victory in the November general election in the solidly Democratic state. Raja Krishnamoorthi concedes to Juliana Stratton in the Democratic primary for Dick Durbin's Senate seat, a race marked by high spending and establishment backing. New York, March 18 Raja Krishnamoorthi, a moderate Democrat member of the House of Representatives but a strong critic of President Donald Trump, narrowly lost the Illinois primaries for the party's Senate nomination. He conceded in a statement Tuesday night that Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton had won. At 10 pm local time in Illinois three hours after the polls closed, when Stratton was ahead of him by about 6 per cent with about 85 per cent of the votes counted, Krishnamoorthi said, "I called Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and congratulated her on winning this primary. I trust that she will continue the lasting legacy that Senator Dick Durbin leaves behind". The winner of the Democratic Party primary is assured of victory in the November general election running against a Republican in the bright blue state where former Kamala Harris outperformed Trump by 11 per cent in the 2024 presidential election. With the primary loss, Krishnamoorthi failed in his ambition to become the second Indian American to serve in the Senate, after Harris, who went on to become the vice president and the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House of Representatives since 2017, ran a heavily financed insurgent campaign against Stratton, the preferred candidate of the state Democratic Party establishment. She had the backing of the state's powerful billionaire Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Tammy Duckworth. Representative Robin Kelly, another African American woman like Stratton, came third in the race for the nomination to succeed Democrat Dick Durbin, who decided not to run again. The primary was cast by some commentators as a contest of wills between Krishnamoorthi and Pritzker, who is running for re-election to a third term, and positioned his trusted lieutenant, Stratton, against him. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt hotel empire, spent $5 million of his personal fortune to back her in a primary that recorded high spending by both sides. A company that tracks ad spending reported that about $29 million was spent on ads backing Krishnamoorthi, while it was about $16 million for Stratton. While Pritzker's largesse for Stratton became an issue in the election, Krishnamoorthi's backing by Fairshakes, a political action committee backed by digital and cryptocurrency interests, also sparked controversies. It was because Fairshake spent money on ads backing Kelly, which was seen as an effort to split African American votes to favour Krishnamoorthi, even though he was not the direct beneficiary of the spending. Krishnamoorthi also received about $250,000 from the Indian American Impact Fund, a political action committee of the community. Krishnamoorthi made opposition to Trump's policies a central plank of his campaign, most recently ramping up opposition to what he called "unauthorised war with no end in sight" in Iran. He voted against Trump's Iran War in a resolution in the Senate that had the support of members of both parties, but failed to pass. He has also backed legislative moves to undo some of Trump's actions against welfare programmes. With the already high prices rising further, fueled by the Iran conflict, the economy and affordability were among his targets. Born in New Delhi, Krishnamoorthi came to the US as a three-month-old infant when his father brought his family over as he pursued higher education - and the American Dream. In his statement, he said, "Only in America can an immigrant with twenty-nine letters in his name go from public housing and food stamps to the halls of Congress. I will continue to fight for our country, the greatest on Earth, to make the United States of America the kind of country we all still believe in." The immigrant background fit in with a central issue in the election -Trump's immigration crackdown that brought his Operation Midway Blitz to the streets of Chicago and led to the arrests of about 1,600 people, many under controversial circumstances. Krishnamoorthi proclaimed in a campaign ad, "I'm an immigrant myself", adding, "That's why stopping Trump and ICE's attacks on our communities is deeply personal to me." He called for ending the Trump version of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency's operations and reforming it. Stratton has called for abolishing it entirely. Krishnamoorthi will be giving up his House seat when his term ends, bringing down the membership of the six-member so-called "Samosa Caucus" of Indian Americans in Congress - unless new members win in November. - IANS The Karnataka government will table the 'Iva Nammava Iva Nammava Bill' to combat honour crimes and protect inter-caste and inter-community marriages. The legislation introduces strict penalties, including a minimum five-year imprisonment and life terms for violent acts, while mandating protective measures like helplines and safe houses. It is named after a 12th-century verse by social reformer Basavanna that promotes equality. The bill follows the brutal murder of Manya Patil, a pregnant woman killed by her family for marrying a Dalit man. Karnataka govt tables 'Iva Nammava' Bill with life term for honour crimes, safe houses for couples, inspired by Basavanna's verse for equality. Bengaluru, March 18 The Karnataka Congress government will table the "Iva Nammava Iva Nammava' Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday, which aims to curb "honour killings" and violence arising from caste-based objections to inter-caste or inter-community marriages. It may be noted that the government decided to introduce the Bill following the rising incidents of violence related to inter-caste marriages, particularly the brutal killing of a pregnant woman, Manya Patil, by her father and relatives in Hubballi for marrying a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste community. The proposed legislation guarantees the freedom of consenting adults to marry, offering protection from family or community coercion, with strict penalties -- minimum five-year imprisonment -- for offenders. State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil will table the Bill in the Legislative Assembly. The bill is named after a 12th-century Kannada vachana (philosophical verse) by social reformer Basavanna, which means "He is ours, he is ours", encouraging equality and rejecting discrimination. It mandates 24-hour helplines and safe houses for couples facing threats from families or communities. The bill covers more than just murder, defining "honour crimes" to include physical harm, forced marriage/divorce, social boycotts, and performing "thithi" (death rituals) for living couples. Offences are categorised as cognisable and non-bailable, with harsh penalties including life imprisonment for certain violent acts. The legislation aims to empower individuals, particularly in inter-caste, inter-community, or inter-religious marriages, to choose their partners without fear of violence. It can be recalled that Manya Patil was hacked to death in Hubballi taluk of Karnataka in December 2025, allegedly by her father and other close relatives, for marrying a Dalit. Police have arrested the father and two others in connection with the case. Police stated that Manya Patil, a Lingayat, had married Vivekananda, a Dalit. Both hail from the same village. They knew each other and fell in love while pursuing their graduation. They became closer through Instagram and later developed a relationship. The couple got married on June 19, 2025, at the registrar's office in Hubballi. Preliminary investigation revealed that Manya Patil had earlier threatened to commit suicide if Vivekananda did not marry her. After the marriage, the police had called both families and brokered a compromise. Manya and Vivekananda later shifted to Haveri. They returned to their village on December 8, 2025, believing their relationship would be accepted as Manya was pregnant. However, tensions resurfaced between the two families. The Hubballi Rural police again called the families and instructed the elders not to trouble each other. Despite this, Manya Patil's father and relatives allegedly barged into her house in the village and hacked her to death. - IANS South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters of gratitude to the leaders of Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for their assistance in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East. The cooperation included Japanese chartered flights, a Qatari special flight, and South Korea's first military airlift from the region, which also transported Japanese citizens. Lee emphasized that the mutual aid has strengthened bilateral friendships and trust between the nations. The evacuations come amid regional instability following the US-Israel war with Iran. President Lee Jae Myung sends letters thanking leaders of Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for cooperation in evacuating South Koreans from the Middle East. Seoul, March 18 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters to the leaders of Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to express his gratitude for their cooperation in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday, with the US-Israel war with Iran destabilizing the region. In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday. Lee also praised the close bilateral coordination between the two countries as Japanese nationals were transported from Saudi Arabia to South Korea on a South Korean military aircraft, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. "The friendship between the two countries has been further strengthened through this cooperation," Lee was quoted as saying. "I hope this will serve as an opportunity to further deepen the friendship and trust between our people, and we will continue to work closely together to protect the lives and safety of our citizens." In a letter to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Lee expressed his gratitude for Qatar's assistance in arranging a special flight that evacuated 322 South Koreans from the Gulf nation last Monday. Lee also sent a letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, thanking him for helping safely bring home 204 nationals from Riyadh over the weekend. It was South Korea's first airlift evacuation using a military plane since the conflict began in the Middle East late last month, Yonhap news agency reported. Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had also expressed gratitude for the evacuation of Japanese nationals stranded in the Middle East via a South Korean military transport aircraft. On March 15, Takaichi had posted on social media X: "A South Korean military transport aircraft that departed from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, shortly before arrived in Seoul carrying Japanese nationals. I sincerely thank the South Korean government and military officials." - IANS The Lok Sabha has granted an extension to the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the 'One Nation, One Election' bills, allowing it to submit its report by the 2026 Monsoon Session. The committee is reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, which aim to synchronize national and state elections. Chairman PP Chaudhary moved the motion for extension, emphasizing that the reform is in the national interest rather than for any political party. The committee recently interacted with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who shared his experience on the matter. Lok Sabha extends JPC tenure on simultaneous polls bill to 2026. Panel Chairman PP Chaudhary moves motion for constitutional amendment. New Delhi, March 18 The Lok Sabha on Wednesday extended the tenure for the Joint Parliamentary Committee's report on the 'One Nation, One Election Bill', allowing the committee to submit its findings by the first day of the last week of the Monsoon Session in 2026. The motion was moved by PP Chaudhary, Chairman of the One Nation, One Election Panel. He requested the House to allow the JPC more time to present the report on the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. "That this House do extend time for the presentation of the Report of the Joint Committee on the 'Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment ) Bill, 2024' upto the first day of the last week of the Monsoon Session, 2026", PP Chaudhary moved the motion. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2024. The bills were sent to the Joint Committee of both Houses for further examination. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, is linked to the proposed reform popularly known as "One Nation, One Election," which seeks to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is also part of the broader framework aimed at facilitating the implementation of simultaneous elections across the country. The JPC is currently reviewing the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. These Bills, introduced on December 17, 2024, in the Lok Sabha and sent to the JPC for further scrutiny, collectively aim to introduce simultaneous elections across the country. Earlier, the JPC met at the Parliament House Annexe (PHA) in New Delhi on March 9. After the meeting, JPC Chairman PP Choudhary said that the One Nation One Election is in the national interest, not for any political party. Speaking to ANI, Choudhary said, "He said that we have to work in the national interest, rising above party interests... One Nation One Election would facilitate a single voter list, saving a lot of time... Gulam Nabi Azad shared his vast political experience... He cleared all the doubts of the committee members and the conclusion was that One Nation One Election is in the national interest, not in political interest." During the meeting, Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad interacted with the committee. - ANI Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly emphasized the robust and growing relationship between India and Ireland, highlighting collaboration in trade, investment, and education. The bilateral engagement was further reinforced by a recent high-level meeting between Indian and Irish ministers focusing on digital economy cooperation. Both nations are optimistic about the potential of the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement to significantly boost economic ties. Ireland's support is also being sought for India's bid to host a major international telecommunications conference in 2030. Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly highlights booming India-Ireland ties in trade, investment & education, with talks on EU-India FTA and digital cooperation. New Delhi, March 18 Irish Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, hailed the importance of ties between New Delhi and Dublin and expressed optimism for the potential of growth between the nations, cutting across sectors such as education, trade and investment. He made the remarks on Tuesday while attending the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Speaking to ANI, Ambassador Kelly said, "We are here to mark St. Patrick's Day. We celebrate it every year all around the world on March 17. For us in India, it's extra special because we have such a strong relationship historically with India and a great future ahead. Between trades and investment and education, there are a lot of things that we are going to do together." On the bilateral ties, he remarked, "The relationship is going from strength to strength. Our relationship with India is very important. It goes back to the early times when we were fighting for independence, to today, when there are Indian companies investing in Ireland and Irish companies investing here in India. So I see great potential for the future." India and Ireland share longstanding ties and have sustained interactions across several areas of collaboration. In February, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held a high-level meeting with Jack Chambers, Ireland's Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform, and Digitalisation. The discussions centred on strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two nations by leveraging their shared status as innovation-driven democracies. The meeting served as a platform to showcase India's rapid technological transformation and to identify new avenues for deeper cooperation in the digital economy. The meeting also touched upon international cooperation within the framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). India is actively seeking global support for its bid to host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2030 (PP-2030), a move that would solidify its position as a global leader in telecommunications policy. By seeking Ireland's endorsement, India aims to build a consensus among democratic nations to lead the global digital discourse toward inclusive and ethical technological growth. In an interview with ANI in February, Chambers hailed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU), noting the "limitless level" of growth of business opportunities between the two "big trading blocs. The Irish minister said that both parties in the deal will have reciprocal trade benefits. Highlighting strong India-Ireland trade ties, he mentioned that business between the two countries has grown by 90 per cent in the last 10 years. Jack Chamber said, "There are huge opportunities in the future, before the free trade agreement between the European Union and India. Trade between Ireland and India grew by 90 per cent in the last 10 years. We expect trade between the European Union and India to double in the next seven years. So there's a limitless level of opportunity for growth between businesses and amongst our two countries." "I'm really excited about the free trade agreement that's been agreed, and it's only positive for the future. We have strong people-to-people links, very much pro-enterprise policies across our two countries, and I really look forward to seeing what will come from this, and part of my visit over the next number of days is really trying to leverage that and show how both businesses in both countries can really drive opportunities to increase their market share," he added. Further, Chambers said that the FTA, amid an uncertain global trade climate, will increase opportunities for citizens in India and Europe. - ANI Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has directed the state government to immediately address the severe shortage of MRI and CT scan machines in Sangamner. He expressed displeasure over previous delays in resolving this critical public health infrastructure gap. Narwekar ordered the administration to compile and present data on the statewide deficiency of such machines before the session ends. He issued a stern warning that failure to provide timely responses could lead to breach of privilege proceedings against top officials, including the Chief Secretary. Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar directs state to address MRI, CT scan machine shortage in Sangamner, warns of privilege action. Mumbai, March 18 Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, on Wednesday directed the state government to take immediate cognisance of the medical equipment shortage in Sangamner from Ahilyanagar district and submit a formal statement before the House. The issue was raised in the Assembly regarding the severe lack of essential medical diagnostic facilities, specifically MRI and CT scan machines, in the Sangamner region. Members of the House expressed deep concern over the hardships faced by common citizens who are forced to travel long distances to private hospitals or larger cities for basic diagnostic tests due to the unavailability of these machines in government-run facilities. Taking a firm stand on the matter, Speaker Narwekar expressed his displeasure over the delay in addressing such critical public health infrastructure gaps. He noted that despite the matter being brought to light previously, a definitive resolution or data regarding the deficiency had not been presented. "The government must take immediate cognisance of the situation in Sangamner," he stated. He further directed the administration to compile and present data regarding the total number of MRI and CT scan machines currently lacking across the state, with a specific focus on the Sangamner case, before the conclusion of the ongoing session. In a stern warning to the bureaucracy, Speaker Narwekar emphasised that directives from the Chair must be followed implicitly. He remarked that if any official believes they are not bound to follow the instructions of the Legislative Presiding Officer, strict action would be initiated. The Speaker clarified that the government is expected to lay the answers to pending 'Calling Attention' motions on the table of the House. He warned that if these responses are not submitted by the end of the next working day, it could lead to breach of privilege proceedings against the Chief Secretary. He reiterated that the state should submit a detailed statement on shortage of MRI and CT scan machines in Sangamner and also present statewide data before the session ends. He warned that failure to provide timely responses may result in Breach of Privilege action against top officials. - IANS Iran launched missiles toward Israeli territory, marking a significant escalation in hostilities. The strikes follow reported Israeli attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure, including a gas facility at Bushehr. Qatar has formally condemned the targeting of facilities linked to Iran's major South Pars gas field, warning against attacks on energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Iran's IRGC claims to have struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv in retaliation for the death of a former official. Iran fires missiles at Israel, escalating conflict. Qatar condemns strikes on Iran's South Pars gas facilities. Tensions rise in West Asia. Tehran, March 18 Missiles were launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, Israel's military said, as tensions escalated following reported strikes on energy infrastructure linked to Iran's major gas field, according to Al Jazeera. The Israeli military said missiles had been fired from Iran towards its territory, in the latest developments in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries. Earlier, Iran issued an evacuation warning to people living near oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report cited by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, a fire that broke out at Iran's South Pars gas facility has been brought under control, and no casualties have been reported so far, a regional governor said, according to Iran's Fars news agency as cited by Al Jazeera. According to Al Jazeera, Qatar condemned the targeting of natural gas facilities linked to Iran's South Pars field, warning against attacks on energy infrastructure amid the escalating West Asia conflict. Israeli fighter jets had struck a gas facility in Bushehr, Iran, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera, as Iran is set to target "enemy infrastructure" following attacks on its gas sites. According to Al Jazeera, Iran warned it would respond to strikes on its gas sites by targeting the "enemy infrastructure". Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said it had struck more than 100 targets in the city of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the martyrdom of Ali Larijani, Iran's former top security official. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced hitting the targets during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4. The hostile objects, it added, were targeted using multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. The IRGC said Operation True Promise 4 had so far either killed or injured more than 230 Zionists. Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. - ANI India's missions in the Gulf region are operating round-the-clock to assist citizens amid the West Asia crisis, maintaining contact with community groups and issuing advisories. A senior MEA official noted a significant decline in calls to mission helplines, indicating many urgent issues have been addressed. Special efforts are being made for Indian students, with missions coordinating with schools and boards like CBSE, which have cancelled exams. The government is also monitoring fuel supply stability following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. MEA reports round-the-clock operations in Gulf, decline in helpline calls, and special measures for Indian students amid West Asia conflict. New Delhi, March 18 India's missions and posts are functioning round the clock in the region in the wake of the West Asia crisis and maintaining regular contact with a large number of Indian community associations and organisations and issuing updated advisories, a senior official said on Wednesday. Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary, MEA, who interacted with the media during the Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia, said that in recent days, there has been a marked decline in the calls and queries on mission helplines. "Our missions and posts across the region are functioning around the clock and maintaining regular contact with a large number of Indian community associations and organisations and issuing updated advisories to keep our citizens informed," he said. "In recent days, we have seen that there has been a marked decline in the calls and queries on our ministries and missions helplines, and an indication that many of the urgent issues relating to stranded nationals and others have been addressed," he added. Mahajan also highlighted special measures being taken for Indian students in the Gulf region, particularly those studying with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). "We have made special efforts to address the welfare of students in the Gulf region. Our missions have been in regular coordination with the schools in the region and the CBSE," he said. He noted that several major school boards have cancelled examinations in the region due to the ongoing conflict. Mahajan said ICSE and Kerala board exams are also cancelled and the respective boards would announce the formulation and determination of marks in these cases. "Our Embassy has facilitated the relocation of several Indian students in Tehran and Shiraz to other cities. All assistance is being provided via the Embassy," he said. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas provided an update on the fuel supply scenario and steps being taken to maintain steady availability of petroleum products and LPG, amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. - ANI Four seriously injured still in treatment The mortal remains of seven pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, killed in a road accident in Nepal on March 14, have been brought to New Delhi. Union Minister L. Murugan confirmed the arrival and stated arrangements are underway to transport them to their hometowns of Pollachi and Chennai. The Indian Embassy in Nepal coordinated the rescue and repatriation efforts following the crash. Four pilgrims sustained serious injuries and remain hospitalized, while three with minor injuries are expected to be discharged. Bodies of 7 pilgrims killed in Nepal road accident repatriated to Delhi. Union Minister L. Murugan confirms arrangements for transport to Tamil Nadu. Chennai, March 18 The mortal remains of seven pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who were killed in a road accident in Nepal have been brought to New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan said on Wednesday. Addressing the media at Chennai International Airport, Murugan confirmed that the bodies arrived in the national capital on Wednesday and that arrangements are underway to transport them to their respective hometowns in Tamil Nadu for final rites. The victims were part of a pilgrimage group travelling in Nepal when the accident occurred on March 14. Among those who lost their lives, four were from Pollachi in Coimbatore district, while the remaining three were residents of Chennai. Murugan said the Indian Embassy in Nepal acted promptly following the accident, coordinating rescue operations and ensuring immediate medical care for the injured. "The Embassy extended all necessary assistance and facilitated the process of bringing the bodies back to India," he noted. Providing details about the injured, the Minister said four people sustained serious injuries and are currently undergoing treatment. In addition, three others, who suffered minor injuries, are expected to be discharged from a hospital in Kathmandu later in the day. The Union Minister also said he personally reached out to officials at the Indian Embassy soon after the incident was reported. "I contacted the Embassy authorities immediately. They informed me that steps were being taken to transport the bodies to Delhi and assist those affected," Murugan said. Authorities are now coordinating efforts to ensure the smooth transfer of the mortal remains from Delhi to Pollachi and Chennai. Local administrations in Tamil Nadu are expected to assist grieving families with necessary arrangements upon arrival. The incident has left families devastated, particularly in Pollachi and Chennai, where relatives are awaiting the return of their loved ones. The government has assured all possible support to the families during this difficult time. - IANS A two-day national workshop was organized to develop operational frameworks for implementing the National One Health Mission at state and local levels. The event highlighted the critical need for integrated surveillance across human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Key speakers emphasized that seamless data flow and inter-departmental coordination are essential for early warning and pandemic readiness. The workshop sessions focused on actionable strategies, biothreat preparedness, and managing wildlife-related disease outbreaks. NIOH Nagpur & ICMR-RMRC Bhubaneswar host a national workshop to translate the One Health vision into actionable state-level strategies. Nagpur, March 18 National Institute of One Health, Nagpur, under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the ICMR-RMRC, Bhubaneswar organized a two-day national workshop themed "Operational Frameworks for One Health: National vision and state action". The workshop aimed to translate the vision of the National One Health Mission (NOHM) into actionable strategies, enabling coordinated implementation at the state and local levels. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the inaugural session of the workshop featured the keynote address by Prof. Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India. Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Government of India, Department of Health Research and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research virtually delivered the special address on this occasion. Dr. Naveena. B. Maheswarappa, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, DAHD, New Delhi addressed the gathering virtually. Prominent dignitaries that graced the inaugural session included Dr. Niteen Patil, Vice Chancellor, MAFSU Nagpur (Chief Guest), Dr. Prashant P. Joshi, Executive Director AIIMS, Nagpur (Guest of Honour), Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, NCDC, New Delhi (Guest of Honour), Dr. Deepak Mhaiskar (I.A.S), Chairman, SEIAA, Maharashtra, and Dr. Satish Raju, Regional Joint Commissioner of Animal Husbandry Dairying, Nagpur and Dr. Pragya Yadav, Director In-charge, NIOH, Nagpur. Delivering his Keynote Address virtually, Prof. Ajay Sood emphasised the urgency of integrated surveillance. He stated, "One Health is not just a concept, but the foundation of our national health security and future pandemic preparedness. Maharashtra has the capacity to become a model for structured One Health implementation, demonstrating how policy, science, and governance can align effectively. Human health surveillance, veterinary disease reporting, wildlife monitoring, and environmental intelligence must move beyond parallel systems and become interoperable to ensure early warning, which depends on seamless data flow across departments." Speaking virtually on the occasion, Dr. Rajiv Bahl highlighted the Mission's architecture and the importance of inter-sectoral coordination in pandemic readiness. He remarked, "The National One Health Mission exemplifies a whole-of-government approach in tackling zoonotic threats and strengthening medical countermeasures. Our ecological diversity and close human-animal interactions create complex health interfaces where new threats can emerge. Strengthening our ability to manage these risks through the coordination of scientific institutions, government departments, and technical partners is an essential pillar of national health security." He further stressed the need for state and district-level outbreak response teams. The two-day workshop explored the complex landscape of zoonotic diseases and spillover risks. The first day featured technical sessions and panel discussions focused on operationalising the One Health approach. The second day centred on biothreat preparedness, the development of medical countermeasures, and investigations into wildlife-related outbreaks. - ANI Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met Varun Chandra, Special Advisor to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in New Delhi. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral collaboration, particularly in FinTech, the digital economy, and financial services. The talks also reviewed the implementation of the landmark India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Separately, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also met Chandra to discuss strengthening trade and investment ties. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman meets UK PM's advisor Varun Chandra to enhance collaboration in FinTech, digital economy, and trade under the CETA. New Delhi, March 18 Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday met Varun Chandra, the Special Advisor on Business and Investment to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, in New Delhi. In a post on X, the Ministry of Finance stated that the meeting involved discussions to enhance the collaboration through FinTech, digital economy, financial markets, banking and insurance, etc. "Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs @nsitharaman met Varun Chandra, Special Adviser on Business & Investment to the UK Prime Minister H.E. @Keir_Starmer, in New Delhi, today. Building on the landmark India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), they discussed avenues to enhance collaboration through FinTech, digital economy, financial markets, banking and insurance, and other shared priorities agreed in the India- UK Economic & Financial Dialogue," the Finance Ministry wrote. Meanwhile, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, also took it to his X and said that the meeting focused on discussing progress and implementation of India-UK CETA and how to strengthen and expand trade and investment between the two countries. "Held a productive meeting with Varun Chandra, Chief Business, Investment & Trade Adviser to the Prime Minister of the UK. Discussed progress on the implementation of the India-UK CETA and explored avenues to further strengthen trade & investment ties between the two countries," he wrote. On Wednesday, Sitharaman moved the Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha during the Parliamentary Budget Session. The Bill seeks to authorise the payment and appropriation of certain further sums from the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2025-26. The Finance Minister will seek the leave of the House to introduce the Bill and subsequently move that it be taken into consideration and passed, subject to the voting of the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, stating there is "no full stop in politics" and wishing them well for future endeavors. He highlighted the unique role of each member and urged newly elected MPs to learn from senior leaders with decades of parliamentary experience. The farewell comes after biennial elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states. Among the notable retiring MPs are Ramdas Athawale, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi. PM Modi bids farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, emphasizing "no full stop in politics" and urging new MPs to learn from veterans. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their contributions, wishing them well for their future political endeavours as he emphasised that there was "no full stop in politics". Addressing the upper house of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, PM Modi said that every member plays a unique role, adding that their experience and contribution will always be remembered. "Discussions take place on various issues in the House, and every member plays a unique role in them. In moments like these, a common sense of respect is generated, rising above party lines. To the leaders who are leaving the House after the end of their tenure, I want to say that there is no full stop in politics. The future is waiting for you. Your experience and contribution will always be remembered," the PM said. He further urged the newly elected MPs to learn from the veterans like HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, who he said have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. "HD Deve Gowda ji, Mallikarjun Kharge ji, and Sharad Pawar ji are senior leaders who have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. Newly elected MPs should learn from them," he said. Speaking about Ramdas Athawale, whose term is coming to an end, PM Modi said, "Sometimes we used to hear that there is a lot of opportunity for humour and satire in the House. These days, perhaps it is gradually decreasing. But our Athawale is evergreen. Athawale is leaving, but no one here will feel any shortcoming. I am fully confident that he will continue to serve satire and humour in abundance." Ramdas Athawale, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Tiruchi Siva, Amarendra Dhari Singh, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are among the 37 retiring MPs. This comes after biennial Rajya Sabha elections were held to fill 37 seats across 10 states. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates were elected unopposed. In Bihar, abstention from Congress and RJD MLAs helped the NDA secure all five seats in the Rajya Sabha from Bihar. NDA had fielded Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, RLM Chief Upendra Kushwaha, JD(U) MP Ram Nath Thakur and BJP's Shivesh Ram. BJP candidates Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, BJD's Santrupt Mishra and independent candidate Dilip Ray will move to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha. BJP's Sanjay Bhatia and Congress Karmeveer Singh Bauddh will move to Haryana. - ANI North India has solidified its position as the nation's powerhouse for green building adoption, with the National Capital Region and Uttar Pradesh leading in registered project numbers and area. The data, revealed at the GreenTech Summit 2026, shows Uttar Pradesh has 1,673 projects while the broader NCR region boasts a massive 2,475 IGBC-registered projects. This growth is being driven by progressive policy frameworks, including incentives like additional Floor Area Ratio for highly-rated projects. Experts emphasize that the current adoption of climate-resilient design and low-carbon technologies is critical for shaping sustainable cities as India works towards its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. North India, led by NCR and Uttar Pradesh, is India's green building hub with thousands of IGBC-registered projects, driving sustainable urban development. New Delhi, March 18 Strong momentum was witnessed in green building adoption across North India, with NCR emerging first followed by Uttar Pradesh, experts said on Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh recorded 1,673 IGBCregistered projects covering 1.78 billion sq. ft. at the GreenTech Summit 2026 convened by the council reflecting the state's rapid progress in embedding sustainability into its urban growth, the CII Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) said. Delhi saw 794 projects spanning 0.63 billion sq. ft., and the region reinforced its position as a key contributor to India's green building movement. The broader NCR region has demonstrated even more significant scale, with a total of 2,475 registered projects covering 2.81 billion sq. ft. of green building footprint. Uttar Pradesh's growth is distributed across major urban centres, with Noida and Greater Noida contributing 748 projects, Gurugram accounting for 651 projects as well as Faridabad and Ghaziabad together contributing 282 projects. The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, technology innovators, and sustainability experts to accelerate the adoption of climate technologies across India's built environment, the release said. As India advances toward its Net Zero ambitions and the vision of Viksit Bharat by India@2047, the summit underscored the growing importance of green technologies, low-carbon materials, digitalization, and integrated design approaches in shaping a sustainable and resilient future, it added. "As India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, with much of its infrastructure yet to be built, we have a unique opportunity to shape our cities through climate-resilient design, low-carbon technologies and digital innovation. The solutions we adopt today will determine the sustainability and resilience of our future cities," said Baljit Singh, Co-Chair, IGBC Delhi Chapter & Executive Vice President, Brookfield Properties. The accelerated adoption of green buildings is supported by progressive policy frameworks, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, it noted. These include an additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for projects that are pre-certified or provisionally certified as IGBC Gold or above, along with an additional 5 per cent FAR offered free of charge by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) for projects achieving similar ratings. Across Asia-Pacific, green building certifications, energy monitoring, and tighter material compliance are raising baseline fit-out costs, a recent report has said. - IANS Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has declared that officers with doubtful integrity will be removed from important government positions, emphasizing direct action over assurances. He made this statement in the Legislative Assembly while responding to a question from BJP MLA Satpal Satti. The announcement came on the first day of the resumed Budget Session, where the Chief Minister was accorded a ceremonial welcome. The session, running until April 2, will see the presentation of the state budget and the discussion of hundreds of questions. Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announces direct action against corrupt officials, declaring zero-tolerance during the state's Budget Session. Shimla, March 18 Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Wednesday, asserted that officers with doubtful integrity will be removed from important government positions, stressing that his government will take direct action instead of offering assurances. Responding to a question raised during the Question Hour by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Satpal Satti, the Chief Minister said the state government has already initiated action against officials categorised under "Officers of Doubtful Integrity" (ODI). "I will not merely give assurances in the House. Officers found involved in corruption are being directly removed," Sukhu said, underlining the government's zero-tolerance stance against corruption. On the same day, the Chief Minister arrived at the Legislative Assembly for the first day of the resumed Budget Session, where he was accorded a warm welcome. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania and MLA Malender Rajan greeted him with bouquets. He was also given a ceremonial guard of honour upon his arrival. The Chief Minister's remarks come amid ongoing political exchanges in the Assembly, with the issue of governance and accountability expected to remain a key focus during the Budget Session. Earlier on Tuesday, Himachal Assembly speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, said that the second phase of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Budget Session, held from March 18 to April 2, with 13 sittings scheduled and as many as 834 questions listed for discussion in the House, the Speaker said on Tuesday. Addressing mediapersons, Pathania said the Chief Minister will present his fourth budget on March 21 for the financial year 2026-27. The session will begin with the Motion of Thanks on the Governor's Address from March 18 to 20, followed by the Chief Minister's reply on March 20. Discussions on the budget estimates will take place from March 23 to 25, while deliberations on demands for grants and cut motions are scheduled from March 27 to 30. The budget is expected to be passed on March 30. The Speaker informed us that a total of 834 questions will be taken up during the session, including 665 starred and 169 unstarred questions. Additionally, issues raised under various rules, 8 under Rule 62, 3 under Rule 102, and 5 under Rule 130 will also be discussed in the House. - ANI Following the impact of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's ISI has seen a sharp 30-40% drop in ideological recruitment for terror groups. In response, the agency has pivoted to a cash-based strategy, luring youth from all faiths with money to build a pan-India logistics and espionage network. The new focus is on gathering intelligence and creating sleeper cells rather than immediate terror strikes, targeting students and those desiring a high-profile lifestyle. Intelligence agencies warn this recruitment drive is expanding, with a particular emphasis on border areas and major cities to map government and military installations. Post-Operation Sindoor, ISI shifts to cash recruitment, targeting youth across faiths to build a pan-India logistics and espionage network. New Delhi, March 18 Post Operation Sindoor, the biggest headache for Pakistan has been recruitments. Prior to the operation carried out by the Indian armed forces that took down terror infrastructure, recruitments into groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba were free flowing. An Intelligence assessment says that recruitments have fallen by nearly 30 to 40 per cent. This has led to the ISI changing its strategy wherein, the recruitments are more driven by money rather than ideology. This strategy remains the same when it comes to recruiting for Islamic groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the espionage network and also the Khalistan terror groups, an official said. The ISI realised that ideology is not exactly a driving force any longer. The damage that Operation Sindoor has done to the morale of terror groups has automatically led to the recruitment drives falling sharply. The ISI has, however, managed to find some success when it comes to drawing youth by luring them with money. What is interesting, the ISI is ready to recruit the youth irrespective of their religion, faith or caste. The ISI's handlers have been scouting for youth in large numbers and has been offering them huge sums of money. The ISI is ready to spend anything in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 200,000 depending on the role that has been assigned to the one who is being recruited. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the lure of money has been working to some extent for the ISI. The target audience are students and those who are in need of money. However, an interesting aspect that has cropped up during the multiple investigations that are being carried out is that the ISI has managed to tap more into those who want to lead a high-profile lifestyle. The traction for this strategy has caught on more for those wanting to better their lifestyle rather than those who are in need of money. An Intelligence Bureau official says that the ISI has instructed its handlers and recruiters not to bother about the religion of the people they are recruiting. This means that a module or a network would have people from various faiths. This ensures that these modules come lesser under the radar, the official added. The ISI implemented the money over ideology strategy first for the Khalistan terror networks. It realised that the movement is not getting enough traction. The ISI has been trying to exploit the drug problem that is rampant in Punjab. It is reaching out to the youth and offering large sums of money, so that they can pay to buy the drugs that flow into Punjab. The Intelligence agencies warn that this recruitment drive is only going to get bigger. The target audience is huge and the ISI is recruiting people from all faiths to run the espionage network and also to provide logistic support to terror groups. There is a particular concern at the border areas, where Pakistani elements are trying to dig out as much information as possible on the movement of troops and military installations. In the major cities the recruitment drive is more focussed on roping in youth to provide logistic support for the terror groups. These youth are paid money to shoot videos of government offices, the buildings that house the judiciary, police stations, railway stations among others. Another official said that in a nutshell, if one looks at the pattern, the ISI is clearly not aiming for an immediate strike. It is biding time trying to build a pan-India network and also gather as much data as possible. Currently the Pakistanis are busy with their war against the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The Pakistan Army is getting assistance from terror groups such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The strategy that the ISI has adopted for recruitments will not only revive the agency, but also all the other terror groups. The ISI is hoping that by the time these groups revive, it would have a minefield of information and an army of recruits in India. The Intelligence agencies have also advised the police to keep a close tab on influencers. The Indian agencies had busted a huge network of spies, which comprised influencers with a large following. The ISI would look to target them once again and then try and win a narrative battle against India, Intelligence Bureau officials say. - IANS Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has praised Iranians for marking the Chaharshanbe-Suri festival despite repression, declaring the national will for liberty unconquerable. He called on people to visit the resting places of what he termed the "eternal heroes" of Iran's freedom struggle. His message comes as Iranian state media reports funerals are underway in Tehran for top security official Ali Larijani and Basij forces head Major General Gholamreza Soleimani. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted the nation's political infrastructure remains a solid structure that is not fatally damaged by the loss of individuals. Reza Pahlavi says Iran's national will is unconquerable, urges visits to graves of freedom champions amid state funerals for officials. Washington DC, March 19 Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has called on Iranians to honour what he called the "heroes" of the country's struggle for freedom, saying the nation's desire for liberty "shall never be extinguished." In a post on X, Pahlavi on Wednesday addressed Iranians after the traditional fire festival of 'Chaharshanbe-Suri', praising people who marked the occasion despite being "in the face of threat and repression." "My brave compatriots," Pahlavi said. " Salutations to you who, on the night of Chaharshanbe-Suri, stood steadfast and united in the face of threat and repression, and kept the ancient flame of Iran alight." "You demonstrated that our national will is unconquerable, and that the flame of liberty and devotion to our beloved homeland shall never be extinguished," he added. Pahlavi also urged people to visit the graves of what he called the "eternal heroes" of the "Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom". "Now, on this last Thursday of the year, I call upon you to visit the resting places of the eternal heroes of the Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom, and to show your solidarity with their families," he said. Referring to the upcoming Persian New Year, Nowruz, Pahlavi said Iranians should renew their commitment to reclaim the country. "On the eve of Norooz, we renew our promise to the brave sons and daughters of Iran: our promise to reclaim Iran, our promise to bring glory to our homeland, and our promise to build a future that is free, prosperous, and bright, " he said. "Long live Iran," he added. Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. According to Press TV, Iran is holding funerals for Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for the slain sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena. The ceremony is taking place in Tehran as the country mourns the loss of top officials and sailors. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." - ANI Judicial adjudication in West Bengal has identified over 34% of processed voters as ineligible for the electoral rolls, amounting to 8 lakh excludable voters from 23.30 lakh cases completed. The process involves 732 judicial officers, including some from neighboring states, working to clear a backlog of 60 lakh cases flagged for discrepancies. The Election Commission will publish supplementary voter lists based on this adjudication, with the first list expected soon. This massive cleanup precedes the state's two-phase assembly elections scheduled for April 23 and April 29. Judicial adjudication in West Bengal finds over 34% of processed voters ineligible. 8 lakh voters excluded as 732 officers work on roll cleanup before polls. Kolkata, March 18 Over 34 per cent of voters in West Bengal, whose judicial adjudication process had been completed till Wednesday night, have been found 'excludable' from the electoral rolls. An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that of the 60 lakh voters in the state whose cases were referred for judicial adjudication after being identified under the "logical discrepancy" category, the process had been completed for 23.30 lakh voters so far. "Out of these 23.30 lakh cases, for which the process of judicial adjudication has been completed, eight lakh voters have been identified as excludable. This means that over 34 per cent of the voters whose adjudication process has been completed have been identified by judicial officers as excludable," the CEO office source said. The final electoral roll in West Bengal, excluding those 60 lakh cases referred for judicial adjudication, was published on February 28. As per the directions of the Supreme Court, supplementary lists will be published in phases based on the progress of the adjudication process. The first supplementary list in this regard is expected to be published later this week. At present, a total of 732 judicial officers, including 100 each from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha, are working to complete the adjudication process. Meanwhile, in a late evening development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a notification deputing Murli Dhar, a 2005-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the West Bengal cadre and current Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, as police observer for Tamil Nadu, which is also heading for Assembly polls this year. The two-phase polls in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, polling will be held for 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase, for 142 constituencies. - IANS US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard presented the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, warning that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development could evolve into intercontinental systems capable of striking the United States. The report highlights that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems to penetrate US defenses, while North Korea continues to expand its nuclear arsenal with existing ICBM capabilities. It also notes enduring security challenges in South Asia, where India-Pakistan relations remain a risk for nuclear conflict, exacerbated by terrorist attacks. The intelligence community assesses that threats to the US homeland will expand from over 3,000 to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035. US Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard warns Pakistan's advancing missile program could develop ICBMs capable of striking the United States homeland by 2035. Washington, March 18 Director of US National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday warned that Pakistan's advancing missile programme could eventually put the United States within range, flagging it as part of a growing set of global threats to the American homeland. Presenting the intelligence community's 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, Gabbard said China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems capable of bypassing US missile defences, while North Korea already has intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach American soil and continues to expand its nuclear arsenal. She added that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development could evolve into intercontinental systems capable of striking the US, placing it in a category of emerging strategic concern for American security planners. "The IC assesses that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems meant to be capable of penetrating or bypassing US missile defences. North Korea's ICBMs can already reach US soil, and it is committed to expanding its nuclear arsenal," she said. "Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with the range capable of striking the Homeland," Gabbard told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Her 34-page assessment of the World Threat gave a similar assessment. "Pakistan continues to develop increasingly sophisticated missile technology that provides its military the means to develop missile systems with the capability to strike targets beyond South Asia, and if these trends continue, ICBMs that would threaten the US," the report said. According to the report, during the past year, South Asia remained a source of enduring security challenges for the US. India-Pakistan relations remain a risk for nuclear conflict given past conflicts where these two nuclear states squared off, creating the danger of escalation. "The terrorist attack last year near Pahalgam, in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrated the dangers of terrorist attacks sparking conflict. President Trump's intervention deescalated the most recent nuclear tensions, and we assess that neither country seeks to return to open conflict, but that conditions exist for terrorist actors to continue to create catalysts for crises," it said. Gabbard told lawmakers that the US secure nuclear deterrent continues to ensure safety in the Homeland against strategic threats. However, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our Homeland within range. "The IC assesses that threats to the Homeland will expand collectively to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035, from the current assessed figure of more than 3,000 missiles," she said. According to the report, relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have been tense, with intermittent cross-border clashes, as Islamabad has become increasingly frustrated with anti-Pakistan terrorist groups' presence in Afghanistan while Islamabad faces growing terrorist violence. On February 26, the Afghan Taliban launched strikes against Pakistani military positions along their shared border, claiming retaliation for prior Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan responded within hours by bombing Afghan border provinces and the capital Kabul - the first time Pakistan has struck Afghanistan's urban centers. The fighting has continued since it erupted, it said. "Pakistan's army chief warned this month that lasting peace requires the Taliban to sever ties with militants targetting Pakistan. The Taliban's public posture has been to call for dialogue, but it has denied harbouring anti-Pakistani militants," the report said. - IANS The Delhi government has announced significant financial assistance for the families affected by a deadly fire in Palam, which claimed at least nine lives. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep sorrow and pledged Rs 10 lakh for each deceased adult's family and Rs 5 lakh for minors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced ex-gratia payments from the PM's relief fund for the victims. Authorities have ordered a magisterial inquiry to determine the cause of the blaze that erupted in a multi-storey building housing a showroom. Delhi CM announces Rs 10 lakh compensation for Palam fire victims' families. PM Modi also offers ex-gratia. Probe ordered into the tragic incident. New Delhi, March 18 The Delhi government on Wednesday announced financial assistance for the families affected by the tragic fire incident in Palam that claimed several lives and left a number of people injured. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and said the government stands firmly with the affected families during this difficult time. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the government will provide Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of each deceased adult, while the families of deceased minors will receive Rs 5 lakh each. She also announced Rs 2 lakh assistance for those who sustained serious injuries in the incident. "Deeply saddened by the tragic fire incident in Palam. The loss of innocent lives is heartbreaking. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to their loved ones to bear this irreparable loss," CM Gupta said in her post on X. She added that the Delhi government is committed to ensuring relief and support to those affected by the tragedy. "Delhi Govt stands firmly with the affected families and will ensure all possible support," she said. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the incident and announced ex-gratia assistance for the victims' families. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be given to the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured will receive Rs 50,000. The fire broke out in a multi-storey building located in Ram Market in the Palam area on Wednesday morning, leaving at least nine people dead and several others injured. Authorities said the blaze erupted in a four-storey building where the basement, ground floor and first floor housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom, while the family of the owner lived on the upper floors. Police and fire officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident at around 7.04 a.m. Rescue teams evacuated several people from the building and shifted them to nearby hospitals for treatment. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe to ascertain the cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the casualties. - IANS The Patna district administration has intensified its drive against the black marketing and illegal storage of domestic LPG cylinders. District Magistrate Thiyagarajan S.M. announced the sealing of four eateries and the registration of five new FIRs as part of the crackdown. He assured residents that there is no LPG shortage and urged them to complete e-KYC verification online to enhance transparency. The administration warned of strict action, including arrests and cases under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, against violators. Patna DM Thiyagarajan S.M. intensifies raids on illegal LPG storage, seals four restaurants, and registers FIRs to ensure household supply. Patna, March 18 The district administration in Patna has intensified its crackdown on the black marketing of LPG cylinders, with District Magistrate Thiyagarajan S.M. warning of strict action against offenders. Addressing the media, the DM said continuous raids are being conducted against individuals and establishments involved in the illegal use and storage of domestic LPG cylinders. He asserted that the administration is committed to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of gas to households and will not tolerate black marketing. As part of the ongoing drive, four restaurants and hotels were sealed on Wednesday, and five FIRs were registered. Four FIRs had already been lodged earlier. Officials have been instructed to take immediate legal action in all such cases. "To curb misuse, Sector, Zonal and Super-Zonal Magistrates have been directed to carry out intensive inspections across hotels, dhabas and other commercial establishments," Thiyagarajan said. The DM clarified that there is no shortage of LPG in the district and urged residents not to believe rumours. "Gas is available in sufficient quantities, and the supply chain is functioning normally," he said, appealing to consumers to avoid panic. He also emphasised the importance of completing e-KYC verification, stating that the process can be done online from home and will enhance transparency in the distribution system while helping curb illegal practices. During the press conference, the DM said booking trends indicate a stable situation. According to data from gas agencies, the number of bookings and crowds at distributor outlets has declined, suggesting there is no panic among consumers. Currently, the district has 136 gas agencies serving over 16.65 lakh consumers, with adequate stock available across distributors. So far, 6.89 lakh bookings have been recorded, with an average of 35,000 to 40,000 bookings daily, and no major issues have been reported in supply or delivery. The administration has advised consumers to avoid unnecessary crowding at gas agencies and instead book refills from home, as doorstep delivery is being ensured by oil marketing companies. A 24x7 LPG helpline (0612-2219810) has also been made operational for public assistance. Officials are maintaining constant coordination with stakeholders, including consumers, gas agencies and elected representatives. A meeting was also held with councillors from all 75 wards of the Patna Municipal Corporation to review the supply situation and gather feedback. Reiterating a zero-tolerance approach, the administration warned that strict action -- including FIRs and arrests -- will be taken against anyone involved in black marketing, hoarding or overpricing. The DM added that violators may also face action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act. "The administration is fully alert and committed to ensuring a transparent and smooth LPG supply system. No negligence or irregularity will be tolerated at any level," he said. - IANS Felipe VIs remarks about colonial-era abuses help restore political ties at a time when Mexico is feeling pressure from the US and cannot keep up the tension with a major historical and trade partner Mexico and Spain are moving toward a thaw after seven years of diplomatic tensions and one year of displays of goodwill. The trail of gestures by Spanish authorities, which their Mexican counterparts have been taking note of, culminated this Monday with the Spanish monarchs acknowledgment of the abuses committed during the colonization of the Americas by the conquistadors. This rapprochement by Felipe VI unthinkable when former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sent him a letter demanding accountability for the atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples during that period marks a turning point. It reverses, at least partially, the rift that opened in 2019. Spain has been softening its position, from a complete refusal to make any concessions, to the kings recent statements, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has welcomed the shift. In the current international scenario, with Donald Trump exerting pressure on Mexico from the north, it is also in her governments best interest to achieve a de-escalation and secure a firm ally with whom it shares fundamental historical and commercial ties. The gesture is significant. We must remember that Lopez Obradors letter was sent to the king, not to [prime minister] Pedro Sanchezs government, notes international relations expert Pia Taracena. Its important that the head of state said it, she adds. Months earlier, the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, had spoken in the same vein and in the same forum: an exhibition on indigenous women of Mexico, organized at the National Archeology Museum in Madrid. Albares was not, however, the decisive speaker that Mexican authorities wanted to hear from; instead, they were still awaiting a response from the monarch that has taken seven years to arrive. The public statements on Monday help to open up political relations at the highest level, and official sources confirm that a visit by a delegation of Spanish ministers to Mexico is expected in the coming months. A harmonious relationship is beneficial to both Mexico and Spain, especially in the current global climate, notes historian David Jorge of El Colegio de Mexico, emphasizing the extraordinary ties between both countries in other areas as well. Spain is the second-largest foreign investor in Mexico, second only to the United States, and Mexico is the third-largest recipient of Spanish investment abroad, also behind the United States and the United Kingdom. The volume of trade between the two countries reached approximately 11 billion (US$12.7 billion) in 2025 alone. The significant political tensions between the two countries stood in stark contrast to this reality. Spain has always considered Mexico a strategic country. Mexico is the most internationalized and open country in Latin America, said the economic and commercial advisor at the Spanish Embassy in Mexico in December. For the European country, she added, Mexico is the key platform for expanding into other markets. The contrast was also palpable in the cultural sphere, which throughout this time has served as a bridge between the two nations and has helped them maintain close ties in a tense political context. The understanding seems set to finally extend to the political arena, where both governments are playing on an increasingly slippery international chessboard. The context for the [Mexican] president is difficult, with pressure from the United States over the fight against organized crime. There cant be so much tension. [Shell say]: If Im going to be fighting with some countries, I already have enough pressure from Donald Trump without keeping up the tension with Spain, Pia Taracena points out. The government of Pedro Sanchez, which is leading the European opposition to Trumps interventionist tendencies, could be a key ally for Mexico, which struggles daily to contain the onslaught from its northern neighbor. Neither side is interested in emphasizing the differences at a time when the two governments, both progressive, share ideological similarities on fundamental issues. On the one hand, Mexico would never receive greater concessions from Spain with a conservative administration, as the right remains reluctant to compromise on the interpretation of history. A case in point: the leader of Spains main opposition group, Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the Peoples Party (PP), responded to the monarchs remarks by asserting his pride in the Spanish legacy. To now re-examine events that occurred in the 15th century is absurd, the PP leader added, making it clear that his party does not share the shift in position taken by the government and the Royal Household. On the other hand, the onslaught from the international right, aligned with Trump and eager to seize control of Mexico, a key country in the region, and to oust the socialists from the Spanish government, forces Mexican authorities to prioritize other issues of greater urgency for their own interests. Finding a balance that will allow them to maintain a good political relationship, beyond their differences on colonization, is more compatible with both the international and bilateral agendas, the international relations expert emphasizes. However, this rapprochement does not bury the underlying problem. The interpretation of that period of history is an open wound that shows no signs of healing in the short term. What for one side is the distant past, for the other continues to have components of present reality, David Jorge observes. From the Spanish side, there is a failure to properly understand that this issue is not merely a diplomatic matter, but rather has an internal dimension, he adds. The current context calls for a de-escalation that shifts this issue from the spotlight it has held in recent years, but it will eventually resurface, and the two countries will have to pick up the conversation where they left off last time. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge participated in farewell proceedings for Rajya Sabha members retiring between April and July. He emphasized that passion for public service ensures people in politics never truly retire or tire. Kharge shared humorous anecdotes involving figures like H.D. Deve Gowda and Ramdas Athawale, lightening the mood. He also acknowledged the contributions of several retiring members to parliamentary debates. Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge bids farewell to retiring MPs, emphasizing enduring public service duty and sharing light moments. New Delhi, March 18 Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday joined members in bidding farewell to those set to retire from the Upper House, emphasising that commitment to public service continues beyond formal positions. Kharge, who himself is scheduled to retire from the Rajya Sabha in June, participated in the farewell proceedings that began with members extending their good wishes to MPs retiring between April and July upon completion of their tenure. Speaking during the discussion, Kharge highlighted the enduring nature of parliamentary responsibilities and the continuity of the House. Addressing the House after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "There are many members who will come back to the House; however, some might not get an opportunity to come back here... Rajya Sabha is a permanent and continuous House, as mentioned by the Prime Minister also. Every six years, members come here after getting elected, and every two years, one-third of the members retire. Today, the same is happening." He underlined that those in public life remain driven by a sense of duty regardless of tenure. "People in politics or public life neither get tired nor retire for the passion to serve the country," Kharge said. Reflecting on his own experience, he noted that his tenure in the House had been enriching. "I became a member of this House for the first time, and soon my tenure here will also end. However, the experience I got from the members in this House is enriching. The things that are discussed here are worth learning. Even after so many years in politics, I learn many things here," he added. On a lighter note, Kharge made a humorous remark about former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda, saying, "I have known him for several years, but I do not know what happened. Prem humare saath, shaadi Modi ji ke saath. This happened recently, but I don't know how," drawing laughter across the House, including from the Prime Minister. Kharge also expressed satisfaction that NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar would be returning to the House again. Speaking about the Republican Party of India chief and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, he said in a lighter vein, "Through his poems, he always praises PM Modi. Always. I don't think he knows any other poem than you (PM Modi)," again evoking laughter among members. He also acknowledged the contributions of several retiring members, including Digvijaya Singh, K.T.S. Tulsi and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appreciating their role in enriching parliamentary debates and proceedings. - IANS A photo exhibition at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva highlighted education reforms and development in Northeast India. Representatives from the Akshar Foundation detailed how the National Education Policy 2020 and AI are making quality, native-language education more accessible. The event aimed to counter stereotypes about the region by showcasing its cultural harmony, tourism potential, and community-led progress. The exhibition emphasized a shift towards experiential learning and vocational skills to prepare students for an AI-driven future. Akshar Foundation spotlights Northeast India's education reforms, cultural harmony, and AI-driven learning at UNHRC photo exhibition in Geneva. Geneva, March 18 On the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, at the Broken Chair Monument, voices from India's Northeast took centre stage. Representatives of the Akshar Foundation highlighted education reforms and grassroots development through a photo exhibition themed "Nai Talim 2.0: Crafting an Equitable AI Future." Mihir Bharali, a software architect from Assam associated with the Akshar Foundation, emphasised how India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is transforming the country's learning landscape. He noted that the policy aims to align India's education system with global standards while leveraging artificial intelligence to make quality education accessible to all. Bharali highlighted that AI-driven tools are enabling students to access educational content in their native languages, helping bridge long-standing gaps in inclusivity. He also pointed to a major shift from rote learning to a more practical, skill-based approach. "The new policy encourages experiential learning, which will benefit students in their long-term professional journeys," he said. Highlighting the Northeast, Bharali sought to counter stereotypes about the region, describing it as peaceful and culturally vibrant. He encouraged global audiences to explore its tourism potential, citing destinations such as Kaziranga and Kamakhya. Parmita Sarma, co-founder of the Akshar Foundation, said the exhibition aimed to present the "lived experiences" of communities in Northeast India to an international audience. She stressed that the region, home to over 200 tribes, offers a unique model of cultural harmony and coexistence. Sarma highlighted that the foundation works closely with government schools to implement NEP 2020 at the grassroots level. "The policy is inclusive and goes beyond academics, focusing on hands-on skills that are essential in an AI-driven future," she said, adding that early exposure to vocational skills can help children build sustainable livelihoods. The exhibition also showcased developmental strides in the Northeast, including digital literacy initiatives, vocational education, and community-led models aimed at reducing school dropouts. - ANI Edtech firm PhysicsWallah has received an income tax demand of over Rs 263 crore, with the tax department treating certain investor funds as taxable income for Assessment Year 2023-24. The company asserts the notice will not impact its operations and plans to appeal the order, citing strong legal grounds. This comes alongside robust financial results, including a 33% rise in quarterly profit and revenue, driven by growth in paid users. Concurrently, PhysicsWallah is expanding through a stake acquisition in Kay Wellness and forming a new student housing subsidiary. Edtech giant PhysicsWallah receives a Rs 263 crore tax demand but reports strong profit growth and expansion plans. Details inside. Mumbai, March 18 Edtech firm PhysicsWallah Limited has received an income tax demand of Rs 263.34 crore, according to a disclosure made to stock exchanges on Wednesday. The company said it received the assessment order and demand notice on March 16. The order, issued by the Assessment Unit of the Income Tax Department, has treated investments received by the company during the Assessment Year 2023-24 as taxable income. These investments included funds from various investors, such as SEBI-registered Category II Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which led to the tax demand. PhysicsWallah clarified that the demand will not have any material impact on its financial position, operations, or overall business activities. The company also said it has strong legal and factual grounds to challenge the order and will file an appeal before the appropriate appellate authority. Despite the tax demand, the company has reported strong financial performance in recent months. In the December quarter, its consolidated profit rose 33 per cent to Rs 102.27 crore, compared to Rs 76.72 crore in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also increased by 33 per cent to Rs 1,082.41 crore from Rs 809.67 crore a year ago. For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, the growth was driven by a rise in paid users. The total number of unique paid users increased to 43.7 lakh from 36 lakh a year earlier. In the online segment, paid users grew to 39.6 lakh from 33 lakh, while offline enrolments rose to 4.1 lakh from 3 lakh. Alongside its earnings update, PhysicsWallah announced expansion plans. The company will invest Rs 1.5 crore to acquire a 50 per cent stake in Kay Wellness. It has also approved the incorporation of a new subsidiary, PhysicsWallah Student Housing, which will provide hostel facilities in key cities as part of its broader growth strategy. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and 50,000 for those injured in the Palam residential building fire. The fire, suspected to be caused by a short circuit, has claimed nine lives and left three injured. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed her condolences and appealed to party workers to assist the victims. Rescue operations by the NDRF and Delhi Fire Services are described as challenging due to internal damage to the building. PM Modi announces 2 lakh for kin of deceased, 50k for injured in Delhi's Palam fire. Congress's Priyanka Gandhi offers condolences. Rescue ops ongoing. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased in the Palam residential building fire. Expressing his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident, the PM announced Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to the injured from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund. "The fire incident in Palam, Delhi, is saddening. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the PMO wrote on X. Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi expressed condolences on the incident and hopes for the recovery of the injured. She requested the Congress members to extend help to the victims. "The news of the deaths of several people due to a fire in Palam, Delhi, is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured. I appeal to the leaders and workers of the Congress Party to help the victims as much as possible," she said. The fire broke out in a residential building in the Sadh Nagar area of Palam, allegedly due to a short circuit in the wee hours of Wednesday. Delhi Fire Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and other agencies are engaged in relief work. The death toll in the fire has risen to nine, while three people have been reported injured so far, according to fire officers. Eight of the deceased, namely Pravesh (33), Kamal (39), Ashu (35), Lado (70), Himanshi (22) and three minor girls aged 15, 6, and 3 years, were declared dead in Manipal Hospital. Meanwhile, one female, Deepika (28), was declared brought dead in IGI hospital, where two people, Anil (32) and a girl (2) are undergoing treatment. Another man named Sachin (29) is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with approx. 25% burn injuries. Speaking to ANI, National Disaster Relief Force Deputy Inspector Vicky Ranga said that the rescue operation is challenging as the blaze has damaged the building from the inside. "We arrived at the spot within 10 minutes, and Delhi fire service and other agencies were trying to extinguish the fire... We removed two dead bodies from there. The building is damaged from the inside... and doing a rescue operation in such a building is a big challenge... Nearby buildings have been evacuated," he said. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi bid farewell to Rajya Sabha members retiring between April and July, acknowledging their service. He specifically praised the long parliamentary tenures and dedication of senior leaders like H.D. Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar. Modi highlighted the continuous legacy of the House, where experienced members guide newcomers. The farewell comes as the NDA strengthened its position in the Upper House following recent biennial elections. PM Modi lauds contributions of retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, including Deve Gowda, Kharge, and Pawar, in a farewell address. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday bid farewell to Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha who are set to retire upon the completion of their terms, acknowledging their contribution to parliamentary proceedings and public life. The proceedings in the Upper House began with members coming together to extend farewell to MPs who will be retiring between April and July after completing their tenure. A total of 37 MPs from 10 states are scheduled to retire from the Rajya Sabha in the coming months. Addressing the House, the Prime Minister reflected on the shared experiences of members, saying, "Many things are discussed in this House. There are bittersweet times. But when times like these come, everyone feels the same amount of respect for their colleagues. Those who are retiring today, some will come back to this House, while some will go on to work for the people in different ways." He also highlighted the contributions of several senior leaders with long parliamentary experience. "H.D. Devegowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar are some of the senior members who have spent more than half their lives in parliamentary procedures. Even after such long experience, new members should learn from them -- how to come to the House with dedication, contribute whatever is possible, and remain completely devoted to the responsibility given by society. We all have something to learn from these senior members. I highly appreciate their contribution because such a long tenure is not small -- it is very significant," he said. The Prime Minister lauded Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh for his role and contributions to the functioning of the House. Speaking about the Republican Party of India (RPI) chief and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, he remarked in a lighter vein, "Our Athawale ji is always jovial. Athawale ji is leaving, but no one here will feel his absence. He will keep serving humour and wit -- we are fully confident of that." Reflecting on the continuity of parliamentary traditions, PM Modi said, "Every two years, a big farewell takes place in this House. But such is the system that new members who come immediately get the opportunity to learn something from the colleagues who have been sitting here for a long time, with four years of experience. In a way, the legacy here continues as an ongoing process. This is a great advantage." He expressed confidence that continuing members would guide newcomers and enrich the functioning of the House with their experience. "The opportunity to remain here for six years is significant not only for contributing to national life through policy-making but also as an invaluable experience that enriches one's own life. When respected MPs come here with their thoughts, understanding, and capabilities, by the time they leave, these qualities multiply manifold through the power of experience," he said. "After leaving, their contribution to national life continues -- they may or may not remain within the system, but their invaluable contribution in building national life continues. Their experience always remains useful. My best wishes to all respected MPs, and I once again acknowledge and appreciate the contribution of all respected MPs," he added. Meanwhile, in the latest round of biennial Rajya Sabha elections held on March 16, the ruling NDA strengthened its position in the Upper House by sweeping all five seats in Bihar and securing three out of four seats in Odisha. Polling was conducted for 11 out of the 37 Rajya Sabha vacancies, covering Bihar, Odisha and Haryana, while the remaining members had already been elected unopposed earlier. - IANS The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a series of major decisions aimed at economic development and public welfare. Key approvals include Rs 1,718 crore MSP funding for cotton farmers, a Rs 6,969 crore highway project in Uttar Pradesh, and the Rs 33,660 crore BHAVYA scheme to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks. A new Small Hydro Power scheme with an outlay of Rs 2,584 crore was also cleared to promote clean energy. Prime Minister Modi hailed these decisions as transformative steps to boost connectivity, support farmers, accelerate industrial growth, and create employment. PM Modi hails Cabinet decisions on cotton MSP, Barabanki-Bahraich highway, BHAVYA industrial parks, and a small hydro power scheme to boost economy. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed a series of Union Cabinet decisions aimed at supporting farmers, enhancing connectivity, accelerating industrial growth, and boosting clean energy, stating that the government is leaving no stone unturned to make the lives of people as easy as possible. In a post on X, the Prime Minister stated that the government has given approval for MSP funding for the cotton season 2023-24, which will ensure the protection of the interests of cotton farmers across the country. "Our government is leaving no stone unturned to make the lives of our farmer brothers and sisters as easy as possible. In this direction, today approval has been given for MSP funding for the cotton season 2023-24. This step of ours will ensure the protection of the interests of cotton farmers across the country," said PM Modi. Earlier, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Minimum Support Price (MSP) funding of Rs 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the cotton season 2023-24. This funding aims to provide direct price support to cotton farmers across the country. As per a statement released by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, "The MSP operations are undertaken to safeguard the interests of cotton farmers, particularly during periods when market prices fall below the MSP. These interventions play a crucial role in stabilising cotton prices, preventing distress sales, and ensuring remunerative returns to farmers." On infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said enhancing connectivity across the country is among the priorities of the government. He emphasises that the development will not only reduce travel time but also boost economic development in the region. "Enhancing connectivity across the country is among the priorities of our government. In line with this, approval has been granted today for the 4-laning of the Barabanki to Bahraich section of the National Highway. This will not only reduce travel time but also boost economic development in the region," PM posted on X. Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the construction of a 4-lane access-controlled National Highway-927 from Barabanki to Bahraich (101.515 km) in Uttar Pradesh on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a cost of Rs. 6969.04 crore. Designed as an access-controlled 4-lane highway with continuous service roads, the project will bypass major habitations, increase average travel speeds, reduce travel time to about one hour, and improve overall road safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle operating costs, thereby enhancing regional mobility and socio-economic development. The Union Cabinet also approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA), with an allocation of Rs 33,660 crore for developing 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country, which aimed at transforming India's industrial landscape and creating employment opportunities. The scheme will deliver plug-and-play industrial ecosystems, enabling industries to move from intent to production with speed and certainty. With pre-approved land, ready infrastructure, and integrated services, BHAVYA will significantly reduce entry barriers for investors. The scheme will be extended to all States and Union Territories, creating lakhs of employment opportunities across the country and accelerating industrial growth nationwide. Highlighting the BHAVYA scheme, PM Modi called it a landmark step towards accelerating India's industrial growth and said it will enable the development of 100 plug-and-play industrial parks, boosting manufacturing, investment and jobs across the nation. "A landmark step towards accelerating India's industrial growth. The Union Cabinet has approved Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA). This will enable the development of 100 plug-and-play industrial parks, boosting manufacturing, investment and jobs across the nation. The scheme will significantly enhance Ease of Doing Business through streamlined approvals and single-window systems. It will boost logistics and services sectors too," PM Modi posted on X. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, with an outlay of Rs 2584.60 crore for the installation of small hydro power projects of an approximate capacity of 1,500 MW. According to an official press release, the scheme will support small hydro projects (between 1-25 MW capacity) to come up in different states and will especially benefit hilly and North Eastern states with high potential for such projects. On clean energy, PM Modi stated that the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme will boost clean energy, attract investments and create employment across rural and remote regions. "The Union Cabinet has approved the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme, which will boost clean energy, attract investments and create employment across rural and remote regions. The Northeast in particular will gain significantly from the scheme," PM Modi said on X. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also posted on X and emphasised that the SHP Development Scheme will accelerate clean energy, generate employment opportunities and promote sustainable development in remote, hilly and North Eastern regions. "The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Shri @narendramodi has approved the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme (FY 2026-27 to 2030-31) with Rs. 2,584.60 Cr for 1,500 MW capacity. This transformative initiative will accelerate clean energy, generate employment opportunities and promote sustainable development in remote, hilly and North Eastern regions. I thank PM Modi for taking this decision which will help India towards sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth." Singh said. The scheme is likely to bring in Rs 15,000 crore of investment in the small hydro sector, giving a boost to the clean energy initiative, investment in remote and rural areas and creating significant employment opportunities. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, focusing on the volatile situation in West Asia. They shared concerns over recent developments, with Modi condemning attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty. A key priority discussed was ensuring safe and free navigation through the critical Strait of Hormuz. The leaders also agreed on the necessity of sustained diplomacy for regional stability and acknowledged Kuwait's support for the Indian community. PM Modi discusses West Asia tensions & safe navigation with Kuwait's Crown Prince, reiterates India's stance on sovereignty and safety of Indian diaspora. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Narendra Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah on Wednesday, discussing the evolving situation in West Asia and sharing concerns over the recent developments. PM Modi reiterated India's condemnation of attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also thanked Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah for continued support and ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait. "Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid. We exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and shared concerns over recent developments. Reiterated India's condemnation of attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains our foremost priority," PM Modi posted on X. "We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential for regional peace and stability. I thanked him for continued support for the safety and wellbeing of the Indian community in Kuwait," he added. The conversation between both leaders took place amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which erupted following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials. In response, Iran launched drone and missile attacks targetting the US and Israeli facilities, regional capitals and allied forces in West Asia. Over the past few days, PM Modi has also spoken with the leaders of UAE, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar as India remains in touch with the governments of the region as well as other key partners over the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region. On Tuesday, PM Modi spoke to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed the current situation in West Asia. PM Modi reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have claimed lives of people and caused damage to civilian infrastructure PM Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Spoke with my brother HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and conveyed advance Eid greetings. We discussed the current situation in West Asia. Reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure." "We agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security and stability in the region," he added. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in a phone call, condemned attacks on the UAE and emphasized the critical need for safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is actively assisting citizens, particularly students, with advisories for crossing land borders into Armenia and Azerbaijan. India is also examining requests from neighboring countries for fuel supplies while its Navy continues anti-piracy operations in the region. Officials reported the repatriation of 25 Indian nationals in the past 24 hours from the area. PM Modi and UAE President discuss West Asia security, condemn attacks on UAE, and agree on ensuring safe navigation in the critical Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi, March 18 Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his phone call with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE and the two leaders agreed on the importance of the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. Jaiswal said that both leaders will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace. "As you would have seen, our Prime Minister spoke to the President of the UAE yesterday. The President of the UAE is His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders discussed the ongoing situation in West Asia. The Prime Minister reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. The two leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Both leaders will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security, and stability in the region," he said. Jaiswal said that Indian Embassy in Iran remains functional and is issuing advisories for all those who want to cross Iranian borders via Azerbaijan and Armenia through land routes. "Another point I want to share through you is that our Embassy in Tehran is helping Indian citizens, especially Indian students. Many Indian citizens want to cross the border to go to Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this regard, our Embassy has issued an advisory. It would be in everyone's interest and convenience to follow the advisory so that the transit through the land borders between Iran and Armenia, and Iran and Azerbaijan, can take place in a convenient manner. I request you all to amplify this point," he said. Jaiswal further said that India is still evaluating the requests from neighbouring countries for fuel. "You had a question on the supply of fuel to some of our neighboring countries. This particular question I have already addressed before; I would like to reiterate that we have received these requests, and we are examining those requests keeping in mind our own requirements and availability. That is where it is," he said. Jaiswal was asked that although India is not a NATO member, has the Indian government taken note of the way the US President has expressed his displeasure regarding NATO. "On the question from our friend here about comments regarding NATO, yes, we have seen those reports... And we have our discussions which are going on with Iran and other countries for the transit of our ships. That is where it is; I have no further update to share with you at this point in time," he replied. Jaiswal was also asked a question regarding the Indian flagged ships coming from the Strait of Hormuz under Indian Navy escort--was there any incident where the Indian Navy had to give a distress call or warning call to another vessel or a flying vessel at 26,000 feet? To this, he responded, "I don't have any information regarding the incident that you referred to. On your larger question, yesterday I had made reference to it--that yes, the Indian Navy is present in the area for anti-piracy operations and they have been supporting several of our initiatives. As for what sort of support they are providing, the Ministry of Defence would be in a better position to guide. But that is how the situation is on the ground," he said. There was also a question that a Russian oil tanker named "Aqua Titan," which was going towards China, is now coming towards India and will arrive on 21st March. Jaiswal denied these rumours. "Regarding the Russian ship tanker you named, I have no information on that; I will find out and then tell you. Second, regarding the vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz, their movement is happening. Specifically, as per the last check, there were three vessels there. Yesterday I also named one vessel that moved and reached India. I will give you more detailed information tomorrow regarding the vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz," he said. Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, highlighted that in the last 24 hours, 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated from various ports and locations in that regional area. "In the past 24 hours, 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated from various ports and locations in that regional area...125 phone calls and 450 emails received by control room in last 24 hours...Cargo discharge from LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi is currently underway as per the schedule of the oil companies...At the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, approximately 2,250 square meters of additional storage space has been created and made available there. No congestion of any kind has been reported at any port," he said. The briefing and remarks come in the backdrop of intensifying Israeli attacks across Iran and Lebanon, with dozens reported killed and wounded. - ANI Assam Deputy Speaker Numal Momin stated that the resignation of Congress MP and APCC vice president Pradyut Bordoloi is a severe blow to the party. Bordoloi officially joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, citing persistent internal humiliation and a lack of support from leadership. He specifically mentioned feeling hurt after allegations he raised were dismissed as fabricated by another Congress leader. The defection is seen as boosting the BJP's position ahead of the upcoming assembly elections where it seeks a third consecutive term. Assam Deputy Speaker calls MP Pradyut Bordoloi's resignation a severe blow to Congress and a positive signal for BJP ahead of 2026 state elections. Guwahati, March 18 Assam Deputy Speaker Numal Momin on Wednesday described the resignation of Naogaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi as a "severe blow" to the Congress party, calling it a "positive signal for Bharatiya Janata Party supporters" ahead of the 2026 state assembly elections. Speaking to ANI on Bordoloi's resignation, Momin said, "At this crucial junction of the election in the assembly, the resignation of Naogaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, as well as the vice president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, is a severe blow to Assam Congress. The wrong signal is going to the Congress voters, and it is a positive signal for the BJP supporters." He further added that the BJP in Assam is in such a good position that every person wants to join the party and appreciates PM Modi's and Himanta Biswa Sarma's good work. "Now, the BJP in Assam is in such a good position that every person wants to join the BJP and appreciates Narendra Modi's and Himanta Biswa Sarma's good work throughout Assam. It is nothing new. Many Congress members and other political parties are joining the BJP to strengthen Himanta Biswa Sarma for the upcoming 2026 election," he added. Earlier today, MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia. After officially joining the BJP ranks today, Bordoloi said his decision to resign from Congress was driven by "persistent internal humiliation" and a lack of support from the party leadership. Referring to a specific Assam Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, Pradyut Bordoloi said he felt hurt after Imran Masood dismissed his allegations against a candidate whom he accused of running a criminal nexus, as "fabricated". Masood, who represents Saharanpur in the Lok Sabha, is a part of Congress's screening committee for the upcoming Assam elections. Speaking to ANI, Bordoloi explained his departure, "There is no one reason. I was feeling suffocated, and I was being humiliated". "I came to know that a communal leader like Imraan Masood said that everything I was talking about and saying about a candidate against whom I had given evidence of a criminal nexus was false and fabricated. Imran Masood, in the presence of the party's top leadership, had the audacity to say that all that Pradyut Bordoloi said was fabricated. The APCC president present there remained silent. This hurt me a lot," said Bordoloi. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. - ANI Former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi has resigned from the party and his Lok Sabha seat, citing feelings of insult and isolation within the party. He has met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who suggested he contest the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi expressed regret over the resignation, suggesting it was linked to ticket allocation disputes. The Assam elections, set for April 9, will see a direct contest between the incumbent BJP and the Congress. Former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigns, meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and may contest the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. New Delhi, March 18 Former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday said he has resigned from his Lok Sabha seat after quitting the party and joining the BJP. Speaking to ANI, on his political move, Bordoloi said he recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who advised him to consider contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam. "I have just resigned from my Lok Sabha seat. I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He has been very kind. He knows everything about him. He suggested that I should contest the Assembly elections in Assam. I have to take a call and I will decide on it," Bordoloi said. He added that a final decision on contesting the Assam Assembly polls will be taken soon. Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said that the resignation of Congress senior leader from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, is "very unfortunate", suggesting that he was "upset" over ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. Priyanka Gandhi wished that the Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi had a conversation with the party leadership before tendering his resignation. "It is very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and we wish we had a chance to have a conversation about it," she said. Bordoloi had claimed that he was being insulted by the Congress party and this had forced his hand. "Today, I have abandoned one of the most important principles of my life, and I am not happy with it.... However, I made this decision because I was being insulted on many issues by anyone who approached me from within the Congress Party, especially in the Assam Congress. Even the Congress leadership was not showing sympathy towards me... I have become very lonely because I have been associated with the Congress all my life," Bordoloi told reporters. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. The apex poll body said that Assam, along with the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, will hold elections to their legislative assemblies, commencing from April 9. While Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 9, voters in Tamil Nadu will exercise their franchise in a single phase on April 23. Assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes for all four states and one union territory will take place on May 4, the Chief Election Commissioner said. - ANI Resistance to Chavismos years-long repression has changed the lives of a entire network of defenders who now demand that the governments amnesty apply to those still behind bars Who owns this prisoner? This is the question that the lawyers Alfredo Romero and Gonzalo Himiob, who lead the non-profit group Foro Penal, have begun their work with in recent years. Their organization has defended more than 14,000 people, including political prisoners and relatives of those killed in the first protests against Chavismo, those of April 11, 2002. Their office holds part of the memory of two decades of political violence and authoritarian drift, which the interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, is now trying to leave behind, pressured by the U.S. military intervention of January 3, in which her former boss, Nicolas Maduro, was removed from power. A contingent of human rights defenders like themsome lawyers, others nothas been on the front lines of the Venezuelan conflict in recent years. They support victims, defend them, accompany themeven during sleepless nights on mattressesverify releases, celebrate them, and also denounce them. In 2026, they havent stopped working or checking their phones. The governments announcement of releases in early January has so far resulted in the liberation of 673 people, according to the tally presented this Thursday by Foro Penal. But 508 people remain detained: 54 women, 179 members of the military, and 44 foreigners or citizens with dual nationality. Parliament claims that 6,071 people have been granted full freedom under the amnesty law, but no one has presented lists to verify this. Alfredo Romero and Gonzalo Himiob in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 4. GABY ORAA The files of political prisoners handled by Foro Penal occupy two of the three enormous filing cabinets that are moved with a lever in their office. When Romero and Himiob talk about their work, they trace a map that runs from the intricacies of the Venezuelan justice system in the early years of Chavismo to the dead end it has become today. Its a Kafkaesque labyrinth of repression, Romero describes. People are subjected to a process and they dont know when it will end or what its even about. The lawyer recalls that when he defended some of the relatives of those killed during the April 11, 2002 coupa case that recently reached the Inter-American Court of Human Rightsthere was still some respect for due process, including the right to a defense. It was then that he met Himiob. Then the criminal justice system began to be restricted, until we reached the case of Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuniwhom Hugo Chavez ordered arrested for applying the law and releasing one of his political enemies. Since then, no judge has made a decision without first consulting the executive branch. Gonzalo Himiob in his office in Caracas. GABY ORAA In 2014, Maduros first year in power, the wave of arrests began. There were only 11 political prisoners then. A decade later, the number had risen to over 2,000, while the deterioration of the judicial system included the denial of private legal representation, the disappearance of detainees, and the concealment of case files. Among desks and thick books on administrative law, a corner of the Foro Penal office has been taken over by teddy bears. This small play area speaks to the transformation these lawyers work has undergone. The office doorbell rings constantly, and the wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters of political prisonerswho, in their pursuit of justice, also carry their children with themhave become their main interlocutors. Foro Penal has grown into a network of 400 volunteer lawyers across the country and 5,000 active advocates who track information in courts and prisons. This has allowed them to keep a detailed record of 19,000 people detained for political reasons over nearly two decades. Case files at Foro Penal, in Caracas. GABY ORAA When private defense attorneys were no longer allowed to litigate, the NGO documented the keys to navigating a flawed judicial system in a strategic litigation manual. Whether a person is released doesnt depend solely on you doing your job well as a lawyer, Himiob explains. Media coverage, peaceful protests, political factors, and international actions also play a role. Since 2024, we havent been allowed access to the courts or to litigate, Romero adds. So we decided to provide assistance to the families so they could act before different authorities: what to say, what not to say, and what documents they should bring. Above all, it is crucial to know which political actor owns the prisoner: that is, whether it was the president, a minister, a governor, or a mayor who ordered the arrest. For them, this logic demonstrates the complete loss of judicial independence. Something that, they assert, the amnesty law has not yet changed. Protest and vigil Diego Casanova was imprisoned when he had barely started university. He was one of the student leaders who in 2014 set up protest camps against the Maduro government, which were dismantled one early morning by the then minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, a former political prisoner and now living in exile in Spain. Protest by Diego Casanova in Caracas, on March 4. GABY ORAA A decade later, with a megaphone and a bandana on his forehead, he has become one of the most visibleand perhaps most belovedfaces among the hundreds of relatives of political prisoners. From El Helicoide to El Rodeo, from Yare to Tocoron or Tocuyito, he has slept more than once in front of these prisons to accompany the families who have been holding vigils since January to demand the release of their loved ones. From a mattress on the street in front of the PNB Zone 7, where he spent the night, he answers the questions for this interview. I became fully involved in this when they arrested my brother after the 2024 elections. He wasnt protesting. He was on his way to work when he passed through a checkpoint manned by colectivos [far-left armed paramilitary groups] and ended up in a cell. When I arrived at the courts, I remember they were full of people. Thats when I understood that my brother was part of the mass repression of those days. At just 30 years old, he is one of the coordinators of the Committee of Relatives and Friends for the Freedom of Political Prisoners of Venezuela (Clippve), created shortly before the 2024 elections to make visible the situation of hundreds of detainees who were practically forgotten names, when there were still no more than 400 registered political prisoners. Diego Casanova, human rights defender and member of the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners. GABY ORAA We didnt know what was coming on July 28th, he says. They had to organize marches to the courts and hold vigils at the prisons to keep their cause on the political agenda. These were the only protests taking place while the repression intensified. For the first time, I heard stories from so many people in so many places across the country who had had a family member taken away. That made me understand that what was happening was serious, with people who didnt even have anything to do with politics, he says. And what could one do about that? he wondered. The only thing I know how to do is this: speak out, fight, struggle, help, make a banner, record a video and post it to denounce what is happening. His brother was in a prison where they gave him rotten food. Every complaint Casanova made confronted him with a dilemma shared by other members of the committee. I would denounce the prison conditions and then remember that my brother was still in prison and that this could affect him. With each release came mixed feelings: joy for those who were freed and sorrow for those who remained inside. His brothers detention ended seven months later, but Casanovas activism did not stop. His life changed so much that he began spending his birthdays with the families of political prisoners. I think a great victory of our work is that we managed to bring this out of oblivion and make it a matter of national and international interest, he says. I have to keep going. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Indian Union Muslim League has announced its first list of candidates for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, with TP Ashraf Ali expressing confidence from the Kondotty constituency. The list features a significant shift for senior leader PK Kunhalikutty, who will contest from Malappuram. Meanwhile, the Congress party has released a list of 55 candidates, and the BJP has named its first set of nominees, including state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The elections are scheduled for April 9, 2026, with the current LDF government seeking a historic third consecutive term. Key parties announce candidates for Kerala's 2026 Assembly elections. IUML's Ashraf Ali confident, Congress names 55, BJP fields state chief. Polls set for April 9. Malappuram, March 18 Ahead of the Kerala Assembly Elections 2026, Indian Union Muslim League candidate from the Kondotty Legislative Assembly Constituency, TP Ashraf Ali on Wednesday emphasised that the party has released an inclusive list with representatives from all sections of society, asserting that they are well-prepared for the upcoming polls. Speaking to ANI, Ali said, "We are prepared for the coming election. IUML state president yesterday declared all candidates. Representation of people from all sections of society has been given in the list...We will take forward the agenda of development." The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Tuesday officially released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, featuring a major shift for senior leader PK Kunhalikutty, who will contest from the Malappuram constituency. The Indian Union Muslim League has announced its candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections. PK Kunhalikutty will contest from Malappuram instead of Vengara. In Vengara, KM Shaji will be the party's candidate. Other candidates announced are: Faisal Babu - Kozhikode South, Fathima Tehliyya - Perambra, Jayanthi Rajan - Kuthuparamba Razaq Master - Kunnamangalam Rahmathulla - Manjeri, Anwar Naha - Tirurangadi. Meanwhile, Congress announced its list of 55 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. The party has fielded Kerala Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph from the Peravoor seat. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan has been fielded from the Paravur seat. This comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released the first list of candidates for the upcoming Kerala state polls. The party has fielded BJP Kerala President Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Nemom seat and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs of India, V Muraleedharan, from Kazhakoottam seat. The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4. The Model Code of Conduct came into place on Sunday, setting in process elections to the 140-member State Assembly, also known as Kerala Niyamasabha. The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23, 2026. In the previous Kerala Assembly election in 2021, the incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance secured consecutive terms in the state. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA saw a decline in vote share and lost its only seat in the Assembly. The 2016 Assembly elections had also seen the LDF come to power, winning 77 seats with a vote share of 34.8 per cent. The UDF secured 47 seats with 38.2 per cent of the votes, reflecting a closely contested political environment at the time. - ANI Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced the state will stake a claim for Rs 1.44 lakh crore from Rajasthan for water drawn since 1960 without payment. He cited a 1920 agreement with the erstwhile state of Bikaner, which mandated payment for water on a per-acre basis. Mann stated that while Rajasthan stopped payments after the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, it continues to draw 18,000 cusecs of water under the old agreement. The Punjab government has raised the issue with the Centre and Rajasthan, seeking a review of the 1920 pact to recover the dues. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann demands Rs 1.44 lakh crore from Rajasthan for unpaid water usage since 1960, citing a 1920 agreement and threatening to stop supply. Chandigarh, March 18 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said the state would stake a claim to Rs 1.44 lakh crore from Rajasthan for decades of unpaid water usage, making it clear that Rajasthan must either release Punjab's rightful dues or stop drawing water, while also calling for a review of the historic 1920 agreement governing this arrangement. Interacting with the media, CM Mann said, "The Rajasthan government owes Rs 1.44 lakh crore to Punjab for the water drawn through the Ferozepur feeder since 1960, for which not even a single penny has been paid. Rajasthan must either release Punjab's rightful dues or stop taking water." He said as per an agreement signed in 1920 between the state of Bikaner, the erstwhile Punjab, and the British, Rajasthan had agreed to pay for water on a per-acre basis. "Payments were made till 1960, but after the Indus Water Treaty, Rajasthan stopped paying despite continuously drawing 18,000 cusecs of water," explained CM Mann. Highlighting the contradiction in Rajasthan's stand, CM Mann said, "Even today Rajasthan continues to draw water under the 1920 agreement, but when it comes to paying dues, it takes shelter under the 1960 arrangement." He further said, "The governments at that time, while entering into the new arrangement in 1960, did not mention payment, but they also never cancelled the 1920 agreement." Raising questions over past inaction, CM Mann said, "The agreement clearly mandated a review every 25 years, but previous governments never raised this issue or pursued Punjab's rightful claim." Reiterating the historical context, he said, "Under a 1920 agreement signed during the British era with Bikaner, 18,000 cusecs of Punjab's water was supplied continuously till 1960. However, after the Indus Waters Treaty, there was no mention of this arrangement. If we calculate dues from 1960 to 2026, Rajasthan owes Punjab Rs 1.44 lakh crore." The Chief Minister further noted, "We have raised this issue with both the Union government and the Rajasthan government. The Punjab government has also written a letter to the Rajasthan government seeking a meeting to discuss this issue." He said Punjab would pursue the matter firmly, stating, "Our government seeks a review of the 1920 agreement so that Punjab can recover its rightful dues. We will raise this issue strongly at all appropriate forums and ensure that Punjab gets what is rightfully its own." - IANS Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge chaired the party's Central Election Committee meeting to formulate a strategy for the upcoming Puducherry Assembly elections. The meeting aimed to strengthen the party organization and create a people-centric roadmap for the Union Territory. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a BJP CEC meeting, highlighting the intensified poll preparations by major parties. The Election Commission has scheduled voting in Puducherry and Assam for April 9, with vote counting for multiple states set for May 4. Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge chair Congress CEC meeting to strategize for Puducherry Assembly elections, as BJP holds parallel poll planning. New Delhi, March 19 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met with the party's Central Election Committee for Puducherry, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, to chart the course for the upcoming Assembly elections. In a post on Facebook, Rahul Gandhi said the meeting at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi focused on strengthening the organisation and shaping a roadmap that reflects the voices, needs, and aspirations of the people of Puducherry. "At Indira Bhawan, New Delhi, met with the CEC for Puducherry, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, to chart the course for the upcoming Assembly elections. Focused on strengthening the organisation and shaping a roadmap that reflects the voices, needs, and aspirations of the people of Puducherry," Gandhi posted. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal, and other senior leaders were present at the meeting. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday also attended the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the BJP headquarters in the national capital. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Nitin Nabin, along with several other party leaders, were present at the meeting. The meeting assumes significance as the Election Commission has announced the schedule for Assembly elections in several states and Union Territories, including Puducherry. Earlier on Wednesday Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi said that the State Assembly election is not about any single political party, asserting that the people of Assam want Himanta Biswa Sarma "not to become the Chief Minister again," as he prioritises only his own family. The Election Commission on Sunday announced elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the assembly. Voting in Puducherry will take place on April 9. Polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Keralam and Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. - ANI The makers of the upcoming thriller 'Patriot' have announced that acclaimed director Rajeev Menon has completed dubbing for his role in the film. This follows earlier confirmations that lead stars Mohanlal and Mammootty have also finished their dubbing sessions. The film, shot partially at an airbase in Sri Lanka, marks the iconic pairing of the two superstars after nearly two decades. 'Patriot' is scheduled for a global theatrical release on April 23, 2026. Director Rajeev Menon finishes dubbing for the mega-starrer 'Patriot', joining Mohanlal and Mammootty in the highly-anticipated April 23 release. Chennai, March 18 The makers of director Mahesh Narayanan's eagerly-awaited thriller 'Patriot', featuring both superstars of Malayalam cinema Mammootty and Mohanlal, have now announced that ace director Rajeev Menon has dubbed for his portions in the film. The makers, through the film's official handles on social media, made the announcement. They wrote, "One more powerful voice added to the journey. Rajiv Menon completes dubbing for Patriot. #Patriot In Cinemas Worldwide from April 23. #RajivMenon #Mammootty #Mohanlal #AntoJoseph." They also released a video clip of ace director Rajeev Menon dubbing for the film. The makers of 'Patriot' have already confirmed that both Mammootty and Mohanlal have completed dubbing for his portions in the film. Just a few days ago, the makers had released a Behind The Scenes (BTS) video made using clips shot on the sets of the film while the crew was shooting in Sri Lanka. Taking to his X timeline, actor Mohanlal had then said, "#Patriot Behind The Scenes : Srilanka. In Cinemas Worldwide from April 23 , 2026." The BTS video released had visuals shot on an airbase, filled with choppers, planes and fighter aircraft. The BTS video also showed glimpses of Mohanlal and Mammootty on the airbase, highlighting the fact that the two legends of Malayalam cinema were coming together after 18 years. One interesting visual showed Fahaadh Faasil sitting inside the cockpit of a fighter aircraft with a professional explaining to him about the controls of the aircraft. It may be recalled that actor Fahadh Faasil had recently disclosed that he plays the villain in the film. For the unaware, Patriot is scheduled to hit screens worldwide on April 23 this year. On January 4 this year, the makers of the film had announced that the unit had wrapped up the film's shooting. They wrote,"That's a wrap. Blood, sweat, belief. #PATRIOT marches on. See you on the Big screen." They also shared a BTS video of all the stars on the sets on the occasion. The film, which has triggered huge expectations ever since it was announced, also features acclaimed actors Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Rajeev Menon and Revathy in addition to the two Malayalam superstars. - IANS A report by Reporters Without Borders details China's strategy of influencing Georgia's fragile media landscape through local intermediaries, particularly pro-Kremlin outlets. Funded programmes and republished content from Chinese state media promote a positive image of Beijing while avoiding sensitive topics. This comes despite Georgian laws banning broadcasters from accepting foreign funding, which authorities have not enforced against the implicated channel. The watchdog warns this creates an ecosystem where authoritarian propaganda erodes media pluralism in Georgia. Reporters Without Borders warns of China using pro-Kremlin Georgian media to spread its narrative, bypassing foreign funding laws. Paris, March 18 Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has sounded an alarm over China's growing influence in a weakened media landscape of Georgia. Since 2022, China has been increasing its influence on information space of Georgia. While it has not not launched a state media outlet in Georgia, China is relying on local media outlets, particularly those who are pro-Kremlin and support the Georgian government to promote their narratives, a report has stated. A 50-minute programme highlighting achievements of China, hosted by two anchors standing in front of a map of the country topped with the communist flag, was broadcast on a leading television channel in Georgia. Often considered pro-Kremlin, the channel was launched by former MP and co-founder of the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia party, Irma Inashvili, in 2010. "Produced using content provided by China Media Group - China's largest State-owned broadcasting company - each programme amounts to nearly an hour of praise of Beijing's economic, cultural and diplomatic successes. Sensitive topics, like the repression of Uyghurs in the autonomous region of Xinjiang or the protests in Hong Kong, are carefully avoided," a report in Paris-based Reporters Without Borders stated. "This format is illustrative of Beijing's foreign influence strategy, which seeks to shape international perceptions of China by concealing damaging information and promoting a positive image of the country. The Chinese Embassy in Georgia funds Obiektivi for this programme, as shown by the 2025 data published on the website of the Communications Commission (ComCom), the country's media regulator," it added. The data for 2026 has not been released yet. However, since April, 2025, amendments to Georgia's Law on Broadcasting have banned broadcasters from accepting foreign funding, with the exception of commercial advertising. The Georgian authorities have not taken steps in response to Obiektivi's apparent violation of this law, according the RSF. Jeanne Cavelier, head of the RSF Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, stated, "Beijing doesn't need to open its own media outlets in Georgia: it uses local intermediaries to spread its narratives. This interference is not limited to disinformation; it also operates through the subtle integration of foreign state narratives and opaque influence relationships with certain media outlets. In Georgia's weakened media landscape, these tactics help create an ecosystem in which authoritarian propaganda mutually reinforces itself, gradually eroding media pluralism." According to RSF, the signing of strategic partnership between Georgia and China in 2023 marked a new phase in the dissemination of China's narrative in Georgia. During that period, articles from China-based leading daily Global Times, which is aligned with the Communist Party of China, were republished in several Georgian outlets. Content from the Global Times is translated and published regularly in Georgia, as per the report. "China's influence is growing as Georgia's media landscape becomes increasingly fragile. Amid political pressure, restrictive legislation and funding difficulties, many independent media outlets are struggling to survive. More than 600 violations targeting journalists and media outlets were recorded between October 2024 and November 2025. In this context, Georgia's information space has provided particularly fertile ground for foreign influence to take hold," the RSF detailed. - IANS Tasha Mauricette Stoppler of the Sambhali Trust addressed the UN Human Rights Council on the urgent need to protect minority rights globally. She highlighted systemic discrimination in education, livelihoods, and justice, drawing from the Trust's grassroots work with women in Rajasthan. While noting India's constitutional safeguards and development programs for minorities, she argued policies alone are insufficient. Stoppler called for meaningful participation of minority communities in decision-making to build equitable societies. Sambhali Trust addresses UNHRC on systemic barriers and empowerment of minority women, citing grassroots work in Rajasthan and calling for inclusive policies. Geneva, March 18 Tasha Mauricette Stoppler from the Sambhali Trust, in her oral statement during the Special Rapporteur on minority issues at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, highlighted the urgent need to safeguard minority rights, stating that equality, social cohesion, and sustainable peace remain unattainable without inclusive protections for vulnerable communities. Stoppler highlighted that minorities across the world continue to face systemic discrimination in access to education, livelihoods, housing, and justice. These inequalities, she noted, leave them disproportionately exposed to marginalisation, exclusion, and violence. Drawing from grassroots experience in Rajasthan, Stoppler shared insights from Sambhali Trust's work with women and girls belonging to marginalised and minority communities. She emphasised that the organisation witnesses daily how structural barriers shape lives and limit opportunities. Through interventions such as education programmes, psychosocial support, safe shelters, and livelihood centres, Sambhali Trust seeks to rebuild confidence and restore dignity among these women. "Minority women are not passive recipients of welfare," Stoppler asserted, adding that when provided equitable opportunities and supportive spaces, they emerge as powerful agents of resilience, cultural strength, and social transformation. She also highlighted India's diverse social fabric, noting that the country officially recognises six minority communities. Constitutional safeguards guarantee equality and protection against discrimination, while targeted initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram have facilitated development in over 1,300 minority-concentrated areas, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare, and skill development. However, Stoppler cautioned that policy frameworks alone are not sufficient. She called on governments, particularly at the state level, to ensure meaningful participation of minority communities in decision-making processes that directly impact their lives. Stoppler urged the international community to prioritise inclusive approaches that empower minority women, arguing that their participation is central to building equitable societies and achieving long-term peace and development. - ANI Saudi Arabia is hosting foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations for a critical meeting focused on regional stability. The talks come amid escalating hostilities following a US-Israeli operation against Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes. The conflict has caused major disruptions to global trade and travel, including repeated airport closures in the Gulf. The meeting aims to establish a unified framework for de-escalation and prevent a further deterioration of the crisis. Saudi Arabia convenes Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh to coordinate on de-escalation amid regional security crisis. Riyadh, March 18 Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has announced that it will host "the foreign ministers of a group of Arab and Islamic countries" for a high-level meeting in the capital, Riyadh, on Wednesday evening. According to a post on X by the Saudi foreign ministry, this consultative session is set to focus specifically on "consultation and coordination regarding ways to support the security and stability of the region." These critical discussions are taking place against a landscape of rapidly intensifying hostilities throughout the Middle East. The regional situation worsened following a combined American and Israeli military operation against Iran on 28 February, to which Tehran responded with multiple rounds of drone and missile strikes. The latest developments come as the broader confrontation between the US, Israel, and Iran enters its 19th day. These retaliatory attacks have since targeted Gulf nations, Israel, and United States assets, marking the most significant security emergency the region has faced in years. The impact of this escalating violence has been felt acutely across major logistics and transport sectors. International airports in Dubai and Doha have been forced to close repeatedly, causing disruptions that have severely hampered global trade, passenger travel, and the delivery of essential medical supplies. In response to these developments, the upcoming high-level meeting follows an intensive period of diplomacy on Tuesday. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan conducted a series of telephone consultations with his counterparts from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to lay the groundwork for the talks. Ultimately, Wednesday's assembly signifies a unified attempt by Arab and Islamic nations to manage the ongoing consequences of the conflict. The primary goal of the gathering is to establish a framework for de-escalation and prevent the regional crisis from deteriorating further. - ANI An Islamic scholar addressed the UN Human Rights Council, detailing the human cost of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch region. He cited over 100 civilian deaths between 2021 and 2023, attributing them to Pakistan-based militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba. Specific brutal attacks, including one in Rajouri that killed seven and injured twelve, were highlighted to demonstrate the targeting of non-combatants. The intervention concluded with a call for the international community to hold responsible actors accountable and prevent further harm. Islamic scholar details over 100 civilian deaths from 2021-2023, citing specific attacks by Pakistan-based terror groups in Poonch and Rajouri. Geneva, March 18 An oral intervention at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva brought renewed focus to the ongoing impact of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly incidents linked to groups based in Pakistan. Speaking on behalf of residents of the Poonch region, Basharat Hussain, an Islamic scholar from Jammu and Kashmir, highlighted the significant human toll of continued violence. He stated that between 2021 and 2023, over 100 individuals lost their lives in terror-related incidents attributed to Pakistan-based groups, pointing to a persistent pattern of civilian targeting. Citing recent cases, he referred to the April 2024 killing of Mohammad Razzaq, a civilian from the Thanamandi area, allegedly carried out by militants associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. He described the incident as part of a broader strategy aimed at instilling fear and destabilising local communities. He also highlighted a 2023 attack in Rajouri district, where armed militants entered residential homes, opened indiscriminate fire, and detonated an improvised explosive device (IED). The assault resulted in seven civilian deaths and left twelve others injured, including women, elderly individuals, and children. Several victims were minors, underscoring the indiscriminate and brutal nature of the attack. Beyond the immediate casualties, Hussain stressed the long-term consequences of such violence. Repeated attacks, he noted, have disrupted daily life, weakened local businesses, and placed immense strain on families already coping with insecurity. He further emphasised that while the people of the region aspire for peace and development, the actions of Pakistan-based terrorist groups have severely impacted the local economy and livelihoods, pushing many families into hardship. Highlighting the moral dimension, he quoted the Quran (Chapter 5, Verse 32), which underscores the sanctity of human life by stating that the killing of one innocent person is akin to killing all of humanity. He noted that such teachings stand in direct opposition to acts of violence against civilians. He concluded by calling on the international community to take serious note of these incidents, recognise the role of Pakistan-based terrorist networks, and ensure accountability for those responsible, to prevent further harm to innocent civilians. - ANI Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has publicly urged the Indian government to take a proactive lead in demanding an immediate end to the West Asia conflict. He argues that neither the US nor Iran benefits from continued hostilities, which are severely disrupting global oil and gas supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict, triggered by the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, has seen military exchanges between Israel, the US, and Iran. Despite the tensions, Iranian officials have assured that Indian vessels will be allowed safe passage through the critical waterway. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calls for Indian govt to lead global demand to end West Asia hostilities disrupting oil, gas supplies. New Delhi, March 18 Amidst the escalating West Asia conflict, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that he has been publicly urging the Indian government to take a proactive lead in demanding an immediate end to the conflict. Speaking to ANI, he argued that neither side was benefiting from the ongoing hostilities, as other nations suffer, given severe disruptions in the global oil, gas and other supplies. The Congress leader said that both American and Iranian objectives have largely been met, making continued conflict detrimental to global interests. "I have been calling publicly for the government to now take a lead in demanding an end to this conflict. I think both sides frankly have reached a point where they're not doing anyone any good. The Americans have said they have hit all the targets they want to hit. The Iranians, at the same time, have the success of being able to preserve their regime and keep themselves going. I think between these two, that should be enough," Tharoor stated. The Congress leader further warned that the region's instability was affecting the world, specifically noting disruptions to essential supply chains. "The world is suffering. We have real problems in getting supplies, oil, and gas through the Strait of Hormuz. The whole region should not be held hostage to this particular conflict. I think the conflict should be ended," Tharoor added. The current round of conflict in West Asia, which began on February 28 with the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other. The conflict escalated following the assassination of 86-year-old Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply. However, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, earlier reiterated that Indian vessels would be allowed to pass through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in West Asia. He further claimed that the Iranian leadership had been informed about expressions of sympathy from people in India and said Tehran was mindful of India's energy needs. Meanwhile, an Indian LPG carrier, Nanda Devi, arrived at the Vadinar port in Gujarat's Jamnagar on Tuesday, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of LPG for ship-to-ship transfer at the anchorage after successfully passing through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday evening, the Indian carrier LPG Shivalik, carrying a total of 46,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas, arrived at the Mudra Port. Of this, 20,000 MT will be unloaded at Mundra, while the remaining 26,000 MT is scheduled for Mangalore. - ANI The Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration organized a study visit to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for nearly 50 women trainee officers. The officers observed the Question Hour session to gain practical insights into the state's legislative process. They met with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, and other ministers who emphasized the core values of public service. The visit aimed to equip the trainees with a comprehensive understanding of the legislative system for their future administrative roles. Women trainee officers visit Gujarat Assembly, observe Question Hour, and meet CM Bhupendra Patel and Speaker Shankar Chaudhary for guidance. Gandhinagar, March 18 As part of the First Common Foundation Course conducted at the Gandhinagar campus by the Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration, Ahmedabad, a study visit to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly was organised for trainee officers under the guidance of SPIPA Director General Hareet Shukla. According to the Chief Minister's Office, nearly 50 women trainee officers participated in the visit. During the visit, the trainee officers observed the Question Hour session of the Legislative Assembly and gained insights into the practical aspects of the State's legislative process. They also received guidance on the Assembly's daily functioning, discussions, and decision-making procedures, which will be valuable in their administrative careers. The trainee officers also had the opportunity for a group photograph with Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Shri Shankar Chaudhary. During the study visit, the trainee officers met Minister Dr Manisha Vakil, Shri Arjun Modhwadia, and Smt. Darshana Vaghela, who shared their guidance. The Ministers emphasised the importance of responsibility, transparency, and prioritising public welfare in public service. Through this study visit, the trainee officers gained a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of the State's legislative system, which will assist them in effectively performing their administrative responsibilities in the future. (AN) - ANI Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has declared that the situation in the critical Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war status, signaling a permanent geopolitical shift. His warning comes amid escalating regional tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which are raising global concerns over energy security. Meanwhile, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly defended President Donald Trump's authority to determine national security threats and his conclusion that Iran posed an imminent danger. President Trump expressed confidence that the Strait would be secured soon, despite acknowledging that NATO countries would not assist in the conflict with Iran. Iranian Parliament Speaker warns of permanent change in Strait of Hormuz as US intelligence defends Trump's actions against Iran. Tehran, March 18 Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its "pre-war state. In a post on X, Qalibaf said, "The Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its pre-war status." His remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region following ongoing military confrontations involving the United States, Israel and Iran, raising concerns over the stability of global energy supply chains. Meanwhile, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Donald Trump's decision-making on Iran, emphasising that the President has the authority to determine threats to national security. In a statement posted on X, Gabbard said, "Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country." She further outlined the role of the intelligence community, stating, "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions." Gabbard added that after reviewing available intelligence, Trump concluded that Iran posed an imminent threat, saying, "After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion." Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the Strait of Hormuz would soon be secured, saying it "won't be too long," even though NATO countries would not assist in the ongoing conflict with Iran, CNN reported. "It won't be, I don't believe, too long. We're knocking the hell out of the coast. It's basically the coast and the water. And it won't be too long," Trump told reporters, as per CNN. - ANI The Communist Party of India has finalised a seat-sharing agreement with the ruling DMK, securing five constituencies for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections. The Congress party has also reached an arrangement to contest 28 seats within the DMK-led alliance. The elections are scheduled for a single phase on April 23, with the Model Code of Conduct now in effect. The main electoral battle will be between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance. CPI to contest 5 seats in DMK alliance for Tamil Nadu polls on April 23. Congress gets 28 seats, MDMK 4. Key contest between DMK-led SPA and AIADMK-led NDA. Chennai, March 18 The Communist Party of India on Wednesday finalised its seat-sharing agreement with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 23. CPI will contest in five assembly constituencies as part of the DMK-led alliance. The development comes amid ongoing discussions among alliance partners to streamline seat allocations ahead of the assembly polls. The agreement was signed before Chief Minister MK Stalin and Tamil Nadu CPI secretary M Veerapandian. Meanwhile, Congress has also reached a seat-sharing arrangement. It will contest 28 assembly constituencies. The DMK had allocated a Rajya Sabha berth to the Congress. Another alliance partner, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), will contest on four seats in the 234-member state assembly. Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced that Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect immediately, with the initiation of the election process for the 234-member state assembly, whose current tenure ends on May 10. The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes DMK, Congress, and other parties, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to make his political debut in this election with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won with 133 seats. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) followed with 66 seats. Congress stood at 18 seats. The state saw a voter turnout of 76.6 per cent. - ANI Preparations for Chaitra Navratri 2026 are in full swing across India, with temples like Delhi's Kalkaji and Jammu's Chichi Mata being decorated with flowers and chunris. Priests have provided specific muhurats for key rituals like Kalash Sthapana to guide devotees. Authorities have heightened security, especially in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district, ahead of the festival coinciding with Eid. Municipal bodies like Varanasi's have also initiated preparations, including cleaning worship sites and ensuring meat shops remain closed. Chaitra Navratri 2026 starts March 19. See temple decorations, key rituals timing from priests, and security arrangements for the festival. New Delhi, March 18 Preparations are on in full swing for Chaitra Navratri. Temples in several parts of the country are being decked up with flowers for the nine-day festival that is dedicated to the worship of the nine forms of Goddess Durga and marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar year. In 2026, the festival will begin on March 19 and conclude with Ram Navami. Each day during this period, a different form of Goddess Durga is worshipped, and each day is associated with a specific colour and offering. The Kalkaji Temple in Delhi has been decorated with bright flowers and colourful 'chunris' for the first Navratri of the year. A crowd of devotees gathered to offer prayers at the temple, on Wednesday, with some posing for pictures at the temple premises. The Chichi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district has also been decked up for Chaitra Navratri festival with devotees queuing up to offer prayers. Workers decorated the premises of the temple with artificial flowers, as part of last minute preparations. Extending his best wishes to all the devotees for the Chaitra Navratri festival, Pandit Bansi Lal of Chichi Mata Temple, told IANS, "Devotees often get confused with the auspicious time to carry out the rituals. The rituals associated with this first Navratri like 'Kalash Sthapana' and others can be performed after 6:40 AM." He added, "Here, at Chichi Mata Temple, the management has made good arrangements for the festival. I urge all devotees to come here and seek blessings of the goddess. The environment here is really good." Speaking about the first day of the festival, Pandit Shipra Sachdev told IANS, "The 'Kalash Sthapana Muhurat' is from 6:50 AM to 7:52 AM while 'Abhijit Muhurat' is from 12:05 PM to 12:50 PM. There are only these two mahurats this time for 'Kalash Sthapana' which is very significant to the festival." Meanwhile, security has been tightened in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh ahead of Chaitra Navratri and Eid. Identity cards of commuters were being checked before they were allowed to pass, amid heavy security deployment. Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sandeep Srivastava, told IANS, "Preparations have begun for (Chaitra) Navratri across the municipal limits. Meat and fish shops will remain completely closed within the entire municipal area. Along with it, all places of worship will be cleaned multiple times during the day." "Arrangement for street lights have also been made," he added. - IANS The author recounts a reluctantly attended theatre production in Mumbai that unexpectedly transformed from an obligation into a profound experience. The show, Tesseract, uses the metaphor of a four-dimensional shape to propose that truth is not fixed but a shifting field that requires constant re-examination. The creators and performers displayed a remarkable restraint, prioritizing substance and meaning over empty spectacle. Five days later, the experience lingers not as a memory of entertainment, but as a revealed sense of intellectual and philosophical responsibility. A Mumbai theatre experience transcends spectacle, leaving a profound question about truth, responsibility, and the art that refuses to fade. By Suvir Saran, Mumbai, March 18 On the 13th of March, I went to a theatre in Mumbai reluctantly, not unwillingly, but with the quiet resistance that cities like Mumbai, Delhi, New York, London, and Paris cultivate in those who live within them. When one exists inside a constant current of spectacle, stimulation becomes surplus. You begin to ration wonder. You choose stillness over sensation, silence over spectacle. Invitations arrive like echoes, and often, instinct says no, not out of indifference, but out of preservation. There is only so much the soul can absorb before it begins to protect itself. And so when Vinay Mishra, indefatigable, insistent, almost devotional in his persistence, called, messaged, reminded, nudged, and then nudged again, Joyce Arora and I did what urban survivors often do. We delayed. We deflected. We resisted. Until finally, we relented. We said yes not to the show, but to Vinay. That distinction matters, because we did not go seeking transformation. We went fulfilling obligation. Even our arrival carried that quiet resistance. We avoided the red carpet--not out of disdain, but out of disinterest. The glare, the glitter, the choreography of cameras and curated appearances--we had no appetite for it that evening. We were dressed for it, yes, but not drawn to it. So we slipped in from the side, like conspirators in anonymity, hoping to witness quietly and leave quietly. A simple evening. In and out. Nothing more. And then, something shifted. Not suddenly, not spectacularly, but with a quiet inevitability, like a room slowly filling with light before you realise the sun has risen. What unfolded before us was not merely a production. It was a proposition. And what it proposed has not left me since. Five days have passed. The world, in its restless rhythm, has moved on, as it always does. News cycles have turned, conversations have shifted, urgencies have replaced one another with ruthless efficiency. The machinery of modern life has resumed its relentless hum. And yet, Tesseract has not receded. It has settled, into thought, into memory, into muscle. It lingers not as spectacle remembered, but as responsibility revealed. I remember looking across the audience that evening and noticing something that felt almost symbolic in its restraint. The creators were present, but not performative. Not dominant. Not declarative. Meera Jain, poised, precise, profoundly present, did not step forward to be seen. She stepped forward to give voice. Her words carried cadence without clamour, clarity without excess. There was circumspection in her delivery, a kind of intellectual elegance that did not seek applause but invited attention. And beside her, Samir Jain, steady, silent, supportive, embodied a rare and radical restraint. In a world where power often clamours for centre stage, his quiet presence spoke louder than any proclamation. He did not reach for the spotlight; he held space for it. That, in itself, was a lesson. What followed on stage mirrored that same discipline. Every movement felt measured, every moment meticulously mapped. There was spectacle, yes, dazzling, dynamic, undeniable, but never at the cost of substance. The dancers did not perform to impress; they moved to mean. The technology did not overwhelm; it illuminated. The music did not command; it conversed. Light leapt like language, bodies bent like questions, and somewhere within that choreography of consciousness, a question began to form, not loudly, but persistently. What is truth, really? We use the word so casually. We invoke it with conviction, defend it with ferocity, and declare it with dangerous ease. But rarely do we interrogate it. Rarely do we sit with its slipperiness, its multiplicity, its refusal to be contained. Tesseract forces that interrogation, not by answering the question, but by expanding it. The metaphor of the tesseract, a four-dimensional cube, impossible to fully perceive from a single vantage point--is not merely scientific curiosity. It is philosophical necessity. Because truth, the production suggests, behaves in precisely the same way. It cannot be held from one angle, cannot be grasped from one position. It must be approached, re-approached, reconsidered. Again and again. It is not a fixed form but a shifting field. And here lies the discomfort. Because we have grown addicted to finality. We crave conclusions, we cling to clarity, we hunger for closure. Complexity unsettles us. Ambiguity irritates us. The labour of sustained thinking exhausts us. And so we simplify. We reduce. We resolve prematurely. We mistake neatness for knowledge. Tesseract denies us that comfort. It refuses to simplify. It resists resolution. It withholds conclusion. Instead, it leaves you suspended, not in confusion, but in consciousness. Five days later, that consciousness has sharpened into something more exacting. Responsibility. Because what the production does, quietly, brilliantly, and irrevocably, is dismantle the illusion that truth is someone else's task. For too long, we have outsourced truth. To journalists. To institutions. To governments. To algorithms. We have expected it to arrive, verified, validated, neatly packaged. We have treated it as a commodity to consume rather than a commitment to cultivate. But Tesseract disrupts that expectation. It insists that truth is not delivered, it is participated in. There is a moment in the performance that has lingered with particular force. The stage erupts into chaos. Movement fractures, information scatters, sound swells into near-overwhelm. It is disorienting, almost exhausting, a physical manifestation of the modern condition. And then, suddenly, everything stills. Not resolves. Stills. That stillness reveals something essential. Clarity is not the absence of noise. It is the discipline to move through it. It is not a gift; it is a practice. And that discipline, today, is in dangerously short supply. We live in an age of immediacy. We react before we reflect. We conclude before we consider. We speak before we understand. Velocity has replaced veracity. We mistake speed for substance, certainty for truth. It is here that, days later, another voice enters my mind--urgent, unyielding, unforgettable. "Bol, ke lab azaad hain tere Bol, ke zubaan ab tak teri hai..." Speak, for your lips are free. Speak, for your tongue is still yours. The words of Faiz return not as poetry, but as provocation. Because Tesseract reveals something deeply unsettling: silence is not neutrality. Silence is participation. Even in silence, we shape the world. Even in silence, we align ourselves--with truth or with its absence. Even in silence, we choose. And so the question shifts. It is no longer: What is truth? It becomes: What is my role in it? That shift is profound. And it is uncomfortable. Because it removes distance. It dissolves detachment. It denies us the luxury of passive observation. It demands engagement. In the days since, I have found myself returning not only to the ideas of the production, but to a feeling it stirred--an unexpected longing. As I sat there, watching this intricate interplay of movement and meaning, I remember thinking, almost involuntarily, I wish my mother were here. I wished my siblings were there, their friends, my friends--an entire constellation of people with whom one could share not just the spectacle, but the stirring. Because this was not something one wanted to process alone. It demanded dialogue. It invited community. And perhaps that is the final, quiet truth of Tesseract. Understanding is not individual. It is collective. We often imagine truth as solitary--a moment of private revelation, a personal clarity achieved in isolation. But the production suggests otherwise. It suggests that truth emerges in conversation, in contradiction, in communion. It is shaped not by singular certainty, but by shared seeking. That is why it lingers. Because it does not end when the curtain falls. It begins there. In the conversations that follow. In the silences that deepen. In the thoughts that refuse to settle. In the days since, life has resumed its rhythm--meetings, messages, movements, the ordinary machinery of existence. But something within that rhythm has shifted. Subtly, but unmistakably. I find myself pausing more. Listening more. Questioning more. Not out of doubt, but out of awareness. Because once you have encountered truth as dimension rather than declaration, you cannot return to flat thinking. You cannot accept singular perspectives. You cannot settle for easy answers. You begin to see complexity not as complication, but as clarity in its truest form. A few days ago, I received a cake--a gesture of gratitude from Meera and Samir Jain for what I had written. It was thoughtful, generous, kind. And yet, as I stood there holding that sweetness, I realised something quietly ironic. There was still so much left unsaid. Because some experiences resist containment. They expand. They evolve. They insist on revisiting. This is that revisiting. Not as repetition, but as continuation. Because Tesseract is not a production one watches. It is a question one carries. And in carrying it, one begins to understand something essential about the world we inhabit. We do not suffer from a lack of truth. We suffer from a lack of engagement with it. Truth is not disappearing. We are--into convenience, into certainty, into the comfort of unexamined conclusions. Tesseract calls us back. Not gently, but necessarily. It reminds us that our voices matter. Our questions matter. Our hesitations matter. Even our silences matter. Because the world we inherit tomorrow is shaped not only by what we say, but by what we choose not to. Five days later, the lights of the theatre have dimmed, the stage has been cleared, the city has surged forward. But somewhere, quietly, persistently, insistently--the tesseract remains. Not on a stage, but within us. Not as spectacle, but as summons. Waiting, not to be understood completely, but to be engaged with. Again and again and again. Because truth does not arrive. It unfolds--only when we do. (ANI/Suvir Saran) (Disclaimer: Suvir Saran is a Masterchef, Author, Hospitality Consultant And Educator. The views expressed in this article are his own.) - ANI The Trinamool Congress has announced its list of 291 candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest from the Bhabanipur seat against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The party has allotted three seats to its ally, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha. Launching a fierce attack, Banerjee accused the BJP of creating an LPG crisis and undermining the state's administration. TMC announces candidates for 291 seats. Mamata Banerjee to contest from Bhabanipur, attacks BJP over LPG crisis and central interference. Kolkata, March 18 Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh expressed happiness in being chosen as the party's candidate for West Bengal Assembly elections from the Beleghata constituency in Kolkata, and thanked the people for putting their trust in him. Kunal Ghosh, while talking to the reporters, said, "I thank our leaders, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, for showing their trust and confidence in me. Beleghata is my home constituency, so I am confident..." On the other hand, the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday fielded sitting candidate Tapash Chatterjee from the Rajarhat New Town assembly constituency for the forthcoming state polls. Tapash Chatterjee, while speaking to ANI, said, " I have received the ticket from the TMC... I have served the public for the past 5 years... I am obliged, and I thank the people..." Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) announced the 291 names of candidates for West Bengal assembly seats ahead of polling, which will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The vote counting will be conducted on May 4. Addressing the press conferences, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee confirmed that they are giving three seats to their ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM). The Anit Thapa party Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha will contest from Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong assembly constituencies. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest from Bhabanipur against Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. TMC Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya fielded from the Dum Dum Uttar seat, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra from the Kamarhati seat, Trinamool Congress Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim from Kolkata Port seat, Kunal Ghosh from Beleghata seat, and Dr Shashi Panja from the Shyampukur seat. However, Former Education Minister Parth Chatterjee did not get a ticket from Behala Paschim, and in his place, Ratna Chatterjee will contest this time. On seat distribution, Banerjee confirmed, "Three seats TMC will not fight, we have discussed this with Anit Thapa. 291 seats TMC will contest." Launching a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and questioning its strategy ahead of the 2026 state elections, she alleged that the BJP has created an LPG gas crisis. Banerjee said, "Before I announce the candidate list, I thank the people of Bengal. I dedicate Maa Maati Manush Banglar Sanskriti to all, and release the candidate list of 294 seats. I want to say something to the BJP - why are you afraid? Don't create a gas crisis if you want to fight; come to the ground in a proper way. ECI, you did a brilliant game... BJP has no chance. This time your seats will decrease as compared to the last time. This is the fight of Astitva of West Bengal. Bengal will win. 'Dilli ka laddu' will not win." Banerjee also raised concerns over central administration in the state, claiming that all her power was removed by the BJP-led NDA government. She added, "All power of mine they removed. If there are any issues like natural calamities, who will take responsibility? If law and order issues arise, who will take responsibility? All my officers who are Bengali are removed, even non-Bengali officers like Vinit Kumar and Murlidhar. Central forces deployed - who will take their responsibility? Outsiders are here because they carry money. If anything happens here, don't blame me." - ANI Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Vidya Bhushan Soni has highlighted the heightened sensitivity of India's northeastern border with Myanmar, describing the situation as becoming "a little bit hot." He linked the recent arrest of six Ukrainians and an American national by the NIA to a pattern where foreign governments hire untraceable contractors to conduct destabilizing activities. Soni explained that instability in Myanmar and a lack of jobs in Ukraine create conditions where such mercenaries can be recruited to smuggle, incite local populations, or undermine governments. He warned that such contractor-based operations are unhealthy for India given the region's historical sensitivity and recent opening to foreigners. Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine says border tensions rising, links arrested Ukrainians to foreign contractors hired to destabilize the sensitive region. New Delhi, March 18 Vidya Bhushan Soni, Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, said on Wednesday that the North East has been made accessible to foreigners only recently, and earlier it was out of bounds, mainly because the local government there was not able to control the area. Soni, while talking about Ukrainians and US citizen being arrested from the area said that it was possible that those people would create disruptions. "Well, first of all, let me tell you the area we are talking about in our northeast is a very sensitive area. And for decades, immediately after independence, that area was out of bounds for foreigners, for the reason that, I mean, there was a possibility of somebody making some trouble there. So it was for that reason it was stopped," he said. Soni further said that across the border, especially in Myanmar, things are becoming unstable, not just because of Rohingyas, but also because of the fact that the local government has not been able to control that area. "But as things have improved and their integration has become much closer, we thought those permissions can be given on a piece by piece basis. So that's why it became possible for foreigners to visit there. But now what is happening is there is a certain amount of tension that has been created for various reasons. I won't go into that. But the important thing is across the border, in Myanmar in particular, things are becoming a little bit hot, not just because of Rohingyas, but also because of the fact that the local government has not been able to control that area," he said. Soni told ANI that miscreants are trying to smuggle from both sides of the border. "So lot of people are trying to smuggle across both sides. From their side, they want to come inside Indian territory, try to form in trouble, incite local tribal people against the central government. From this side, also, there are certain interested elements who go across and try to destabilize situation in Myanmar against the present regime. So that was the situation," he said. Soni said that usually the governments do not want to involve themselves with such people, so the Americans and others have started to hire contractors. "But in this present case, what we do find is the presence of six Ukrainians, as you mentioned, and there is an American national who was probably herding them together and bringing them here. To my mind, in the present day world, you find that these destabilizing situations happen and the governments do not want to involve themselves directly in order that if their agents were caught, then they will be traced back to their local, to their own government. So to avoid that, I think the Americans and others have started to practice what is called hiring contractors," he said. According to Soni, these contractors are untraceable, and are given money in exchange for the work. "So they are hired for a particular contractor, they're given all kinds of facilities, including money and stuff. They're given the mandate, what is to be done and what is not to be done. And so that is the methodology which is being used. To my mind, that's exactly what has happened when these seven people cross the cross. So you cannot trace them back, but I am sure that they're not doing on their own," he said. The former envoy feels, this is not healthy for India considering the sensitivity of the matter. "There is somebody who has hired them or who has detailed them to undertake that kind of activity. So that is not something which is very healthy and particularly from our point of view because of the sensitivity of the matter. You asked me the question about the presence of the Ukrainians," he said. He said that in Ukraine, the government is unstable, and especially youngsters take up whatever work they get for money and hence became involved in this. "To my mind, they seem to be those very people who have been hired kind of mercenaries. Their job is to do whatever there is to be done. And they go there with this definite mandate and then finish the job. As you know, there is such an unstable government in Ukraine. There are no jobs. People, youngsters are without any occupation. whenever an opportunity arrives and somebody offers them certain contracts, then they're obviously willing to undertake that kind of responsibility. This happening in Africa. It's happening in other parts of the world," he said. Soni said that through these people, there was attempt to destabilize the region from whichever side that is. "So to my mind, that is possible, that these six people who have been apprehended while crossing over, they are the ones who may have been hired to undertake that kind of a job. And that is illegal. And so obviously, when they are caught apprehended, you have to investigate. And NIA already has come up with informal first reports that, yes, indeed, there was attempt to destabilize the region from whichever side that is. So their apprehension is absolutely within our laws and regulations. So there is nothing illegal or wrong in their apprehension," he said. Soni further said that India would not unnecessarily victimize Ukraine until it had something solid. "First of all, why were they there in that region without any permission? Because even if you were to go to those areas, you need prior permission, which was not available on their person. So that's the reason why they have been caught and appropriate action will be taken. It's not as if they are victimized. We have very good relations with Ukraine, so why should we victimize their own people unless our laws are flouted and they have done something which is illegal as part of our system," he said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested six Ukrainians and one US citizen for allegedly supporting ethnic war groups in Myanmar by supplying weapons, terrorist hardware and training them. The accused have been identified as Matthew Aaron Van Dyke (US citizen), Hurba Petro (Ukrainian citizen), Slyviak Taras (Ukranian Citizen), Ivan Sukmanovskyi (Ukranian citizen), Stefankiv Marian (Ukranian Citizen), Honcharuk Maksim (Ukranian Citizen), and Kaminskyi Viktor (Ukrainian citizen). They have been arrested in a case lodged under Section 18 (Terror Conspiracy) and BNS. - ANI Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed confidence that the Congress-led United Democratic Front will win the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, despite the challenge of an early poll date compressing the campaign timeline for new candidates. He outlined a dual strategy of criticizing the incumbent LDF government while promoting a positive vision for Kerala's future. The Congress has announced 55 candidates, including state party chief Sunny Joseph and opposition leader VD Satheesan, while the BJP has released its first list featuring prominent leaders. The election, set for April 9 with results on May 4, will see a three-way contest between the LDF, UDF, and NDA as the LDF seeks an unprecedented third consecutive term. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expresses confidence in UDF victory in Kerala elections, discusses strategy and candidate selection amid compressed timeline. New Delhi, March 18 With Kerala Assembly Elections just a few weeks away, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday expressed confidence in a Congress-led United Democratic Front victory, while noting that an early polling date creates a compressed timeline for new candidates. Speaking to ANI, Tharoor, who also represents the parliamentary constituency of Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha, noted that while incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF) members have a preparation advantage, the Congress is focused on a positive campaign for the state's future. "I think this is an election we should win. And the only problem is that the election is much sooner than anyone anticipated. So, because the incumbent government has all the incumbents, they need less time to prepare. Whereas we have new candidates who need to go out and familiarise themselves with the electorate and with the voters. But I'm still confident." Tharoor highlighted a dual-pronged strategy, combining criticism of the incumbent government with a positive vision aimed at Kerala's youth. "I think that we have a strong message, not only a negative message against the failures of the incumbent government, but also a very positive message about the future directions of Kerala," he said, expressing hope that this platform will resonate with voters and secure a win for the alliance. Regarding the potential for sitting MPs to contest, Tharoor emphasised that he did not want to get into the "controversy" but indicated personal support for the idea, calling them "great assets". "There are two or three MPs who would like to contest. And personally, I think they are great assets for the party. So if they wish to contest, I have no difficulty with that," he noted. He reiterated that the final candidate lineup is ultimately determined by the party high command. Congress on Tuesday announced its list of 55 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. The party has fielded Kerala Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph from the Peravoor seat. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan has been fielded from the Paravur seat. This comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released the first list of candidates for the upcoming Kerala state polls. The party has fielded BJP Kerala President Rajeev Chandrasekhar from Nemom seat and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs of India, V Muraleedharan, from Kazhakoottam seat. The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4. The main electoral contest in the State is expected between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, is also in the fray for the Assembly polls. The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23, 2026. In the previous Kerala Assembly election in 2021, the incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance secured consecutive terms in the state. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA saw a decline in vote share and lost its only seat in the Assembly. The 2016 Assembly elections had also seen the LDF come to power, winning 77 seats with a vote share of 34.8 per cent. The UDF secured 47 seats with 38.2 per cent of the votes, reflecting a closely contested political environment at the time. A comparison between the two elections shows a consolidation of support for the LDF between 2016 and 2021, with the alliance increasing its seat tally by 17 seats. The UDF, meanwhile, saw its representation in the Assembly decline from 47 seats in 2016 to 40 seats in 2021. - ANI The DMK has finalised its seat-sharing agreement with the CPI, allocating five Assembly constituencies to the ally for the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls. The pact was signed in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and CPI State Secretary Veerapandyan, marking a key step in consolidating the DMK-led alliance. CPI leaders stated the alliance's primary objective is to defeat the BJP and its allies, justifying the seat reduction as a strategic compromise for unity. With this deal sealed, the DMK moves closer to completing its alliance arrangements for the 2026 Assembly elections. DMK finalises seat-sharing with CPI, allocates 5 seats. Deal signed by CM Stalin & CPI's Veerapandyan. Focus on defeating BJP-led alliance. Chennai, March 18 The DMK on Wednesday finalised its seat-sharing agreement with the CPI, allocating five Assembly constituencies to the ally, one seat less than the six it contested in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The agreement was formally signed in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and CPI State Secretary Veerapandyan, marking a significant step in consolidating the DMK-led alliance ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. With the Election Commission announcing the poll schedule, political activity in Tamil Nadu has intensified, and major parties have been racing to conclude alliance negotiations. The DMK, which is leading a broad coalition, has been engaged in multiple rounds of discussions with its partners to strike a balance in seat allocation. Sources said that the CPI had initially pushed for an increase in its seat share compared to the last election. However, after three rounds of negotiations, the party agreed to a reduced allocation in view of the larger alliance dynamics and the need to accommodate multiple partners. Speaking after the agreement, CPI leaders emphasised that the primary objective of the alliance is to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies. They said that while the reduction in seats may disappoint some party workers, the larger political goal of ensuring a united secular front remains paramount. "The focus is on defeating the BJP-led alliance and safeguarding democratic values. The CPI has always stood with the people, raising issues of workers and the marginalised, and that commitment will continue," a senior CPI leader said. The DMK leadership is understood to have urged its allies to accept fewer seats due to the expanding coalition. The CPI's decision to settle for five seats is being seen as a strategic compromise to maintain alliance unity. Meanwhile, negotiations with the CPI(M) are still underway. The CPI(M) has also reportedly sought more seats than it was allotted in 2021, and talks are likely to continue. In the emerging alliance structure, the Congress party is likely to contest 28 seats, while other allies, including the MDMK, IUML, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, are expected to receive smaller shares. With the CPI deal sealed, the DMK has moved closer to completing its seat-sharing arrangements, setting the stage for a coordinated campaign in the 2026 Assembly elections. - IANS The ruling DMK is expected to finalise its seat-sharing arrangement with Left allies CPI and CPI(M), with indications pointing towards allotting them six seats each as per the 2021 formula. While the Left parties had pushed for an additional seat each, arguing their organisational strength warranted it, the DMK leadership appears inclined towards maintaining the status quo to ensure alliance stability. The decision is likely to be taken after consultations with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, with an official announcement expected soon. Political observers note the DMK is keen to swiftly conclude negotiations to focus on campaign strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections. DMK to finalise seat-sharing with CPI & CPI(M), likely retaining 2021 formula of 6 seats each. Alliance stability key as polls approach. Chennai, March 18 The ruling DMK is expected to finalise its seat-sharing arrangement with its Left allies -- the CPI and CPI -- on Wednesday, as negotiations enter the final stage with indications pointing towards a continuation of the 2021 formula. Sources within the DMK said the party leadership is inclined to allot six seats each to the CPI and the CP(M), the same number they contested in the last Assembly election. The decision is likely to be taken after consultations with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, with an official announcement likely later in the day. The development comes even as both Left parties have been pushing for a marginal increase in their seat share. Leaders from the CPI and CPI (M) had sought at least one additional seat each, arguing that their organisational strength and electoral contribution warranted greater representation in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA). On Tuesday, the CPI(M) leaders met the DMK's seat-sharing committee at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai and reiterated their demand. After the meeting, CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam said the talks were progressing in a positive and constructive manner. "The committee has assured us that they will discuss our request with the Chief Minister and get back to us," he said, expressing hope that a mutually agreeable formula would emerge. Shanmugam had earlier questioned the logic of denying additional seats to the Left parties while larger allies such as the Congress were likely to secure a higher number of constituencies compared to the previous election. However, he clarified that the CPI(M) was not focused on the allocation given to other alliance partners, including the DMDK, and was primarily concerned about its own share. DMK insiders revealed that there were initial discussions within the party about reducing the Left parties' quota to five seats each. However, the leadership appears to have moved away from that position in favour of maintaining alliance stability and avoiding friction ahead of the polls. Political observers believe the DMK is keen to wrap up alliance negotiations swiftly to shift its focus to campaign strategy and candidate selection. Retaining the existing seat-sharing pattern could help preserve unity within the alliance while accommodating competing demands. With the discussions seen as decisive, the DMK's final call is likely to shape the contours of the alliance's electoral strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections. - IANS Former BJP MP Varun Gandhi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his family, sharing pictures and expressing deep admiration for his leadership. In a social media post, Gandhi described the PM's aura as having a "wonderful paternal affection" and called him the nation's true guardian. The meeting follows recent praise from Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who highlighted PM Modi's patient, mentoring leadership style at a global summit. Goyal also outlined India's economic diplomacy goals, focusing on trust and positioning the country to become a $30-35 trillion economy by 2047. Former BJP MP Varun Gandhi met PM Narendra Modi with his family, expressing admiration for his leadership as the nation's "true guardian." New Delhi, March 18 Former BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his family members to seek his blessings and guidance. The former minister Shared pictures of the interaction featuring his wife and daughter. Gandhi expressed deep admiration for the Prime Minister's leadership. In a post on X, Varun Gandhi wrote, "I had the privilege of meeting the revered Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji along with my family and receiving his blessings and guidance. There is a wonderful paternal affection and sense of protection in your aura. The meeting with you further strengthens the belief that you are the true guardian of the nation and its people." Earlier, in February, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday spotlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership approach, describing him as a mentor who "carries his team with him" while fostering critical thinking and collaboration. Speaking at the Global Economic Cooperation Summit in Mumbai, the Union Minister described the Prime Minister as a great listener and leader who leads the team. Further highlighting PM Modi's patient and calm behaviour, Goyal said he has never scolded anyone, praising the PM's critical thinking and team-building skills and calling him responsive. "He is like a father. He has never scolded anyone during his years as PM. He never raises his voice. Like a parent, he hand-holds. He is a great listener, and his concentration is 100%...He is truly a person who carries his team with him, mentors them, guides and encourages lateral thinking, helps navigate situations and is very patient. He also helps you connect the dots. The PM is very responsive...," he said. Earlier, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal outlined an expansive vision of India's economic diplomacy, asserting that engagement, trust and negotiating from a position of strength have defined the country's recent trade successes. "I think the first principle of economic diplomacy is that you don't sit so far away from your stakeholders. Come closer to them," Goyal said at the Summit. Framing India's long-term ambitions, Goyal noted that the country is working toward becoming a USD 30-35 trillion economy by 2047. According to the minister, economic diplomacy today is rooted in expanding trade, securing investments, accessing best-in-class technology, and creating global opportunities for Indian youth and capital. Goyal also addressed India's recent record of concluding eight or nine trade agreements within a short span, some of which had been under discussion for nearly two decades. Summing up his approach in one word, he said: "trust." He said, "The day you can generate enough confidence in your counterparty that you can be trusted, and the day you trust the person on the other side, the country on the other side, the pathway becomes that much easier." - ANI President Donald Trump hosted Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin at the White House for the annual St. Patrick's Day Shamrock ceremony, celebrating the deep-rooted ties between the two nations. Both leaders emphasized the strength and historical contributions of the Irish-American community, with Trump calling them "fighters and thinkers and doers and winners." Martin highlighted the foundational role of Irish figures in early American history, even in coining the term "United States of America." The ceremony underscored the enduring cultural, political, and diplomatic bonds that define the special relationship. President Trump and Taoiseach Micheal Martin highlight shared history and the Irish-American community at the annual St. Patrick's Day Shamrock ceremony. Washington, March 18 President Donald Trump celebrated deep-rooted US-Ireland ties at the White House, hosting Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin for the annual Shamrock ceremony during which the two leaders highlighted shared history, heritage, and partnership. "It's really wonderful being with you," Trump said in a packed East Room of the White House, calling the gathering "an incredible feat of friendship between Ireland and the wonderful place that we call the United States." The Saint Patrick's Day event brought together senior US officials, lawmakers, and Irish representatives, underlining the enduring cultural and political bonds between the two nations. Trump emphasised the strength of the Irish-American community. "It's often said that we have five times as many Irish in our beautiful country than you have on your wonderful island," he said, adding, "They love you." He described Irish-Americans as a driving force in the country's success. "Nobody has had, I would say as a group, more success than people from Ireland," he said. In his remarks, Trump reflected on the historical contributions of Irish immigrants to the United States, noting their role in shaping the nation's identity and institutions. "From the very beginning, America has thrived and prospered and prevailed with the help of incredible people," he said. Trump said Irish-Americans had contributed across sectors, from innovation to public life, and described them as "fighters and thinkers and doers and winners." Martin, in his remarks, stressed that the relationship between the two countries runs deep. The ceremony, he said, symbolises "a friendship between our peoples which is older than our republics." He pointed to Ireland's role in the early years of the United States. "Over a quarter of Washington's continental army were Irish," Martin said, adding that Irish figures were among those who helped shape the new republic. Martin highlighted how Irish individuals contributed to key American institutions. He noted that Irish-born figures were involved in designing national symbols and even in shaping the language of the United States itself. "Even the very term... United States of America was first used in writing by an Irishman," he said. He also underlined the scale of Irish influence in the US today, noting that millions of Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland. "Irish people were there when they were authored, and they remain a great source of pride and inspiration to the 35 million Americans of Irish descent," he said. The Taoiseach described the bilateral relationship as enduring and foundational. "We are in each other's DNA," he said, calling it "deep and enduring" and saying it "will always be special." Martin also emphasised the importance of continued cooperation between the two nations. "Let Ireland and the United States continue to work together... to build a better world, one that is free, secure and at peace," he said. The Shamrock ceremony, a long-standing tradition, symbolises the close diplomatic and cultural ties between the United States and Ireland. It is held annually around Saint Patrick's Day, with the Irish leader presenting a bowl of shamrock to the US president. The United States and Ireland share strong political, economic, and cultural links, reinforced by a large Irish-American population and decades of cooperation across trade, investment, and global affairs. - IANS National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned in protest over the war with Iran, stating he could not support a conflict where Iran posed no imminent threat. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Trump's decision to strike, asserting it was based on intelligence assessments of an imminent threat. The White House and President Trump rejected Kent's claims, while Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell accused Kent of anti-Semitism in his resignation letter. The resignation highlights deep divisions in Washington over the intelligence and justification for the Iran conflict. National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigns over Iran war, calling it unjustified. Tulsi Gabbard defends Trump's decision based on intelligence. Washington, March 18 Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Donald Trump's decision to strike Iran, after National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned in protest, marking the first high-level exit from the administration over the war. Donald Trump "was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief," Gabbard said. "As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people, and our country." Gabbard, the highest-ranking Hindu American in any presidential administration, stressed that the decision was based on intelligence assessments. "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions." "After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion." The remarks came after Kent announced his resignation. "After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today," he said. Kent directly challenged the basis of the war. "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." The White House also rejected Kent's claims. "There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,'" Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over." She said President Trump had "strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first" and that the decision was based on intelligence compiled "from many sources and factors". Trump himself criticised Kent following the resignation. "It's a good thing that he's out because he said Iran was not a threat. Every country recognised Iran was a threat," he told reporters. "I always thought he was a nice guy. But I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," Trump said, adding, "When I read a statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat." The resignation triggered sharp reactions on Capitol Hill. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell accused Kent of anti-Semitism. "Joe Kent testified before the Senate one year ago that Iran and its terror proxies threatened US servicemembers in the Middle East," he said. "The virulent anti-Semitism of his resignation letter makes it clear that Mr. Kent is incapable of upholding these pledges, and those who mistake its baseless and incendiary conspiracies for brave truth-telling are only fooling themselves." "Isolationists and anti-Semites have no place in either party, and certainly do not deserve places of trust in our government," he added. Representative Jared Moskowitz also criticised Kent's record. "This is a guy who went on Nazi Sympathizer podcast," he said, adding that Kent had "espoused pro-Kremlin talking points". "You know, he said Anthony Fauci should be charged with murder. He's not exactly the messenger here that I think we should be putting up, even if you agree with some of his points in the letter." "So I'm glad he's gone. You know he should never have gotten that position, quite frankly," Moskowitz said. Kent, however, stood by his position, warning against repeating past mistakes. He said he could not support sending "the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives". His exit underscores growing divisions in Washington over the intelligence and justification behind the Iran conflict. - IANS India's NIA arrested American Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainians, alleging military training for armed groups, which raised concerns about cross-border insurgency networks and drone imports. Separately, the mysterious death of US Army officer Terrence Arvelle Jackson in a Dhaka hotel last year, amid covert activities and confiscated materials, points to potential espionage. Both incidents underscore how foreign operatives are using South Asian nations as operational theatres near sensitive militant corridors and trafficking routes. These events pose serious questions about regional security vulnerabilities, porous borders, and the competing intelligence agendas at play along India's eastern frontier. Arrest of American trainer in India & mysterious death of US Army officer in Bangladesh expose regional vulnerabilities & competing intelligence agendas. New Delhi, March 18 The recent arrest of an alleged trainer in military warfare in India and last year's espionage-linked death in Bangladesh point to a larger vulnerability and competing intelligence agendas in the region, despite being separate incidents, tied coincidentally only by the identical citizenship of the perpetrators. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended Matthew Aaron VanDyke, an American citizen, alongside six Ukrainian nationals on March 13 at airports in Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow. The incident highlighted the mix of insurgency, technology, and cross-border networks. VanDyke reportedly gained prominence during the Libyan Civil War in 2011, where he fought alongside rebels and was later imprisoned. Following that, he founded Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), an organisation that reportedly provides military training and strategic advice to armed groups in conflict zones worldwide. Earlier, the sudden and mysterious death of Terrence Arvelle Jackson, a serving officer of the US Army's elite 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), in a Dhaka five-star hotel on August 31 last year triggered waves of speculative reports. "While Bangladeshi authorities initially suggested natural causes, the secrecy surrounding the removal of his body, the confiscation of his belongings by US Embassy officials, and his covert activities in the country suggest a far deeper and more troubling narrative," said a Weekly Blitz report in September. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at that time, thus raising questions over an American operative's presence in the region and the subsequent silence in Dhaka and Washington. Some reports described Jackson as a military trainer, supervising army exercises at Bangladesh's Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal. Washington was said to have an interest in the island as a base to keep an eye on trade with Myanmar, India, China, and the Strait of Malacca from this region. The Weekly Blitz report had quoted sources that "Jackson made frequent trips to Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, and Lalmonirhat - districts known for their proximity to militant corridors and cross-border trafficking routes". One of the several possible questions it raised was if he had been "tracking Islamist movements within Bangladesh and their links to Myanmar's Arakan Army". The VanDyke arrest in India also raised similar flags with allegations that he and his companions trained ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, and that drones were imported via India, raising national security concerns. Reports also said that 14 Ukrainians had entered India on tourist visas and crossed illegally into Myanmar. The issue has raised security concerns, raising alarms about India's northeast insurgency, porous borders with Myanmar, and the use of civilian channels for covert military training. The two incidents along India's eastern border involve foreign operatives using South Asian countries as operational theatres, whether for insurgency training or for espionage and covert influence. While New Delhi is working intently on a probe for more details on the case involving VanDyke and his associates, it is yet to be seen if Dhaka's new government will probe the Jackson death, unlike the preceding interim government that overlooked the wider security threat. The police had then told Bangladesh media that Jackson was in the country on a business trip and that CCTV footage showed nothing suspicious. The body was handed over to an American team without conducting a post-mortem autopsy. The Weekly Blitz report had also quoted an unnamed hotel staff member saying that several maps, sketches, and electronic devices were among the items confiscated by US Embassy officials, along with three large suitcases and laptops. - IANS The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defence has announced its air defenses are actively engaging a new wave of missile and drone threats from Iran, marking the second such incident within hours. This follows a major interception on March 17, where defenses downed 10 ballistic missiles and 45 drones launched from Iran. The sustained aerial campaign has resulted in the deaths of two UAE soldiers and six civilians of various nationalities, with 157 others injured. The ministry remains on high alert, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty and security. UAE air defenses intercept Iranian ballistic missiles and drones in a major escalation, resulting in military and civilian casualties. Read the latest developments. Abu Dhabi, March 18 The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defence has announced that the nation's military capabilities are actively engaged in defensive operations following a fresh wave of aerial attacks. According to a statement from the Ministry, the country's air defences are "currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran." This latest military development follows a similar incident reported only four hours earlier, marking a significant escalation as the UAE confirms active engagement against another alleged attack from Iran within a single day. Contextualising the scale of the ongoing hostilities, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that air defence systems successfully intercepted 10 ballistic missiles and 45 drones launched from Iran on March 17, according to a report by Gulf News. The ministry stated that these latest defensive measures are part of a broader, ongoing military response to what it termed as continuing attacks targeting the nation's territory. Since the onset of these hostilities, the UAE's military has neutralised a total of 314 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,672 drones. Gulf News reported that this sustained aerial campaign has resulted in the deaths of two members of the UAE Armed Forces, who were killed while carrying out their national duty. The human cost of the strikes also extends to the civilian population, with six fatalities reported among individuals of Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, and Palestinian nationalities. Furthermore, 157 people have sustained injuries, with conditions ranging from minor to severe. Those affected include both UAE nationals and expatriates from various countries, illustrating the impact on the nation's diverse demographic. In light of these casualties, the Ministry of Defence remains on high alert and is fully prepared to respond to any further provocations, according to Gulf News. The military leadership has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security, and stability, while ensuring the protection of national interests and assets. - ANI UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan strongly condemned Iran's prolonged missile and drone attacks on the UAE, which have targeted civilian infrastructure for 18 days. He extended condolences to the families of victims from Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, naming each individual. The Minister underscored that the attacks violate sovereignty and threaten regional stability, affirming the UAE's right to take necessary measures for self-defence. International support was noted, with over 130 countries expressing solidarity and a UN Security Council resolution demanding Iran cease its attacks. UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed condemns Iran's 18-day missile and drone attacks, extending condolences to victims' families from Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Abu Dhabi, March 18 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah bin Zayed strongly condemned Iranian attacks on the UAE and extended his condolences to the families of people who lost their lives. In his statement shared by the UAE Foreign Ministry, it was noted that the victims were from Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. "Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his sincere condolences and deep sympathy to the families of the victims of Iran's unprovoked terrorist attacks targeting the UAE. The victims, who lost their lives as a result of these blatant attacks, are Alaa Nader Awni from the State of Palestine; Murib Zaman Nizar, Muzaffar Ali Ghulam, and Ismail Salim Khan from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Ahmed Ali from the People's Republic of Bangladesh; and Dibas Shrestha from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal", the statement said. The UAE Foreign Minister underscored the country's continued commitment to the safety and security of all citizens, residents, and visitors and sharply condemned in the continued Iranian missile and drone attacks, which, as per the statement have persisted for 18 consecutive days and involved more than 2,000 ballistic and cruise missiles and drones targeting critical civilian infrastructure, airports, residential areas, and civilian sites across the UAE. Abdullah bin Zayed underscored that the dangerous escalation constitutes a flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty and poses a serious threat to regional and international security and stability. He added, "The UAE strongly condemns this ongoing escalation targeting civilians and critical facilities across the country. These unprovoked attacks, which have persisted for more than two weeks, have been met with strong international condemnation through United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, co-sponsored by 136 UN Member States. The resolution demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease these attacks against the Gulf states and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and affirms that it is fully liable for all damages and losses incurred by the affected countries." As per the statement, he stressed that the UAE reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity, and to ensure the safety and security of its citizens and residents, in accordance with its inherent right of self-defence under international law. He further said that UAE's relevant authorities are fully prepared to address any threats, and that these attacks will not deter the UAE from safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and stability and emphasised that the security situation across the country remains stable, and that readiness levels are at their highest, underpinned by rigorous professional standards and clear institutional frameworks, reinforcing a strong sense of safety and reassurance for all who live in the UAE. The Foreign Minister commended the support and solidarity expressed by more than 130 countries with the UAE, reflecting the confidence the international community places in the UAE and its well-established global standing, built over decades of responsible diplomacy, strong international partnerships, and a commitment to regional and global stability, the statement highlighted. As the security situation escalates in West Asia and the Gulf, the Australian Government's Department of Defence confirmed that an Iranian strike impacted an area at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday morning. While casualties were avoided, the attack caused physical destruction within the facility. The strike reportedly "resulted in minor damage to an accommodation block and medical facility in the Australian section of the base", the formal statement noted. - ANI The United Arab Emirates has committed to supplying crude oil to South Korea as its number one priority, securing a total of 24 million barrels. The announcement was made by a top presidential aide following a trip to the UAE, against the backdrop of regional instability from the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. South Korea has also successfully evacuated most of its short-term citizens from the UAE. President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters of gratitude to the leaders of Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for their cooperation in evacuation efforts. UAE secures South Korea's energy needs, pledging 24 million barrels of crude oil with top priority amid Middle East tensions. Details inside. Seoul, March 18 The United Arab Emirates has pledged to supply crude oil to South Korea with top priority, President Lee Jae Myung's top aide said on Wednesday, saying that a total of 24 million barrels of crude oil have been secured from the Gulf nation. Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the announcement in a briefing after returning from his trip to the UAE, amid concerns over global energy markets with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes entering their third week, reports Yonhap news agency. "The UAE clearly promised us that no country would receive crude oil ahead of South Korea, and that we are the 'No. 1 priority' in terms of its oil supply," Kang said. With the latest announcement, South Korea is set to receive a total of 24 million barrels of crude oil from the UAE, including an earlier agreement of 6 million barrels, according to Kang. Around 3,000 of the 3,500 South Korean nationals staying short-term in the UAE have returned back home safely, he added. Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters to the leaders of Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to express his gratitude for their cooperation in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, with the U.S.-Israel war with Iran destabilising the region. In a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the previous day, Lee expressed his appreciation for Japan's assistance in evacuating 16 South Koreans and their family members of other nationalities to Tokyo on Japanese chartered flights last Wednesday and Friday. Lee also praised the close bilateral coordination between the two countries as Japanese nationals were transported from Saudi Arabia to South Korea on a South Korean military aircraft, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. - IANS The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned a Pakistani airstrike on a hospital in Kabul, which the Taliban government says killed over 400 people. Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation, stressing that attacks on medical facilities are war crimes under international law. The UN reported widespread devastation, with air strikes impacting ten provinces, displacing 115,000 people, and damaging hundreds of shelters. Guterres urged de-escalation and welcomed a temporary Eid ceasefire, hoping it would be extended. UN chief Antonio Guterres condemns Pakistan's deadly airstrike on a Kabul hospital, demands an independent investigation and cessation of hostilities. United Nations, March 18 UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns" the deadly Pakistani air strike on a hospital in Kabul and has called for an independent investigation into the incident, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday. Afghanistan's Taliban government has said that more than 400 people were killed in the Pakistani attack on a drug rehabilitation hospital overnight Monday-Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in Islamabad's onslaught on its neighbour. Haq said the SecretaryGeneral recalled that under international law, patients, medical personnel, and medical facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and protected at all times. He added that Guterres had called for an "independent and impartial investigation into the incident". International humanitarian law grants special protection to medical facilities and personnel and considers attacks on them to be war crimes. Haq said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), ten health facilities were damaged by air strikes. He said Guterres reiterated his call for deescalation and the immediate cessation of hostilities, urging all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians. Haq added that the SecretaryGeneral welcomed the temporary cessation of hostilities agreed to by Pakistan and Afghanistan for Eid and hoped it would be extended. The spokesperson listed the wideranging devastation in Afghanistan resulting from Pakistan's attacks, based on assessments by UN agencies. Between March 6 and Tuesday, air strikes and crossborder attacks have impacted at least ten provinces, including Kabul, Haq said. UN partners report that 115,000 people have been forced to flee, and more than 300 shelters have been destroyed or damaged. About 160,000 people are facing hunger, he added. - IANS The UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has called for an immediate and transparent investigation into a Pakistani airstrike that targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. The strike reportedly killed hundreds of people, with the majority being patients receiving treatment for addiction. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, condemned the attack as a serious violation of humanitarian principles and warned of defensive responses if attacks continue. Muttaqi also urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's actions, citing risks to regional stability. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett demands independent investigation and compensation after Pakistani airstrike hits Kabul drug rehab centre, killing hundreds. Kabul, March 18 The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, on Wednesday, called for an immediate, independent and transparent probe into Pakistan's airstrike on drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. He demanded that compensation should be paid to victims and their families. His statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. "I echo that the air strike by Pakistan impacting a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul reportedly leaving scores dead and injured, must be promptly, independently and transparently investigated, those responsible held to account, and reparations made to victims and families," Richard Bennett posted on X. He made the statement in response to UN Human Rights post on X, where it called for probe and accountability for the blast at drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. In a post on X, UN Human Rights stated, "We call for investigations and accountability for last night's tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that left scores of patients dead. All parties must take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians." On Tuesday, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned Pakistani airstrike on Kabul, terming it a serious violation of humanitarian and Islamic principles. He said that more than 408 people were killed and over 260 others were injured in Pakistani strike, majority of them patients at a drug rehabilitation centre, Afghanistan-based Ariana News reported. He accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian facilities. Speaking to diplomats and representatives from various organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said that the Pakistani airstrike targeted one of the most vulnerable groups in society-people who were receiving treatment for drug addiction. He said that repeated attacks since February, including strikes on civilian areas in various parts of Afghanistan, has diminished trust in diplomatic solutions. He warned that Afghan forces will continue "proportionate and legitimate" defensive responses if attacks continue, emphasising that Afghanistan does not want war but will protect its sovereignty and territory, Ariana News reported. Muttaqi urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's strike, warning that continued escalation by Islamabad risks destabilising the wider region and impacting major economic and development initiatives. - IANS Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insists the country's political infrastructure remains a "very solid structure" and will not be crippled by the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani. He argues that the United States and Israel fail to understand that Iran's system does not depend on any single individual, citing the continuity after the death of the former supreme leader. Araghchi states that the war was started by the United States, which must be held accountable for all its consequences. The deaths of Larijani and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani mark significant losses in Tehran's leadership since the conflict began. Iran's Foreign Minister asserts the nation's political structure remains strong despite the death of Ali Larijani and warns the United States must be held accountable for the conflict. Tehran, March 18 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. Larijani, who was the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was a pivotal figure in Tehran's security apparatus. In an interview with Al Jazeera, which was broadcast after the death of Larijani was confirmed by Tehran early on Wednesday, Araghchi asserted that the United States and Israel have yet to realise that the Iranian government "does not rely on a single individual." "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. "We have not had anyone more important than the leader himself, and even the leader was martyred, yet the system continued its work and immediately provided a replacement," the minister said. He further maintained that "if anyone else is martyred, it will be the same," adding that "if the foreign minister were ever to be martyred, there would ultimately be someone else to take the position." The death of the 67-year-old Larijani, a close associate of the late Ali Khamenei and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, occurred following an attack on Monday night. This represents the loss of the most senior figure in Tehran's leadership since the conflict began 19 days ago. Additionally, Iranian state media confirmed on Tuesday that Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij forces, was also killed in an "American-Zionist enemy" attack. Soleimani had led the internal security force for six years and was considered a key figure in the military response. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." - ANI Asserts right to self-defence under UN Charter Iran's ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, has formally accused Israel and the United States of aggression, violating international law, and causing significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. In a letter to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council President, he demanded the UNSC fulfill its responsibility to protect peace and launch a formal investigation. The envoy cited specific casualty figures and detailed the destruction of homes, schools, and medical centers since late February. Iran asserts its military responses are acts of legitimate self-defence under the UN Charter. Iran's UN envoy calls for UNSC to fulfill its duty, accusing Israel and the US of killing civilians and violating international law. New York, March 18 The Iranian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations has formally addressed the global body, asserting that Israel must be held accountable for "ongoing aggression against Iran." According to state broadcaster Press TV, the envoy's letter further accused the Israeli regime of the "violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," resulting in the deaths of civilians and the destruction of vital infrastructure. In a direct communication sent on Tuesday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the UN Security Council, Amir Saeid Iravani emphasised that the "UNSC must accept its fundamental responsibility towards protecting international peace." He further called for a formal investigation into "egregious violations of the UN charter and international law by the US and the Israeli regime." The diplomatic message warned that the "UN Charter must not be weakened by the Israeli regime's normalisation of use of force." Highlighting the broader regional impact, Iravani noted that such actions represent a dangerous trend of "aggression towards regional countries." Detailing the legal stance of the Islamic Republic, state broadcaster Press TV reported that the letter reaffirmed Iran's commitment to the UN Charter and international law. However, it explicitly stated that the nation "continues to exercise its inherent right to protect its sovereignty, national integrity, and civilians against any aggression." Iravani also addressed the role of neighbouring states, stressing the "international responsibility of governments to prevent their territory to be used for aggression." The envoy called for "the observance of good neighbourliness" and demanded that these nations prevent the "continued use of their territories against the Islamic Republic of Iran." The correspondence categorised the military actions as a "brazen violation of international law," insisting that the UN has a "statutory obligation to condemn the aggression categorically and unequivocally." Iravani urged the Council to hold the "aggressors accountable in accordance with Chapter 7 of the UN Charter." Providing a grim assessment of the conflict's toll, state broadcaster Press TV cited the letter's claim that since 28 February, the Israeli regime and the US have killed "at least 1,348 civilians," a figure that reportedly includes "233 women and 202 children." The document further alleged that "19,734 civilian infrastructure" sites have been compromised. Specific losses cited include the destruction of "16,191 living units, 1,617 commercial buildings, 77 medical centres and pharmacies, and 65 schools." The current hostilities trace back to late February, when US and Israeli forces launched strikes against 30 targets across Tehran. These actions led to the death of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several other high-ranking Iranian officials. In the aftermath of these events, Iranian forces have responded with "barrages of missiles and drones" directed at Israeli-occupied territories and US regional installations. State broadcaster Press TV noted that Tehran views these counter-strikes as "legitimate self-defence." Invoking "Article 51 of the United Nations Charter," Iranian officials maintained that the country possesses the "legal right to defend itself." They argued that these measures are necessary responses to "acts of aggression" carried out by the United States and the Israeli regime. - ANI US lawmakers are advocating for a permanent extension of the WTO's moratorium on customs duties for digital transmissions, a rule in place since 1998. India has emerged as a primary opponent, reportedly linking its support to concessions on public stockholding and farm subsidies. Experts warn that letting the moratorium lapse would significantly raise costs for global digital trade and harm exporters, including India's own growing digital economy. The upcoming WTO ministerial meeting will test the organization's ability to address modern digital trade issues amidst deep divisions. US lawmakers push for a permanent WTO ban on digital tariffs, citing threats to global trade. India's opposition and linkage to farm subsidies is a key hurdle. Washington, March 18 US lawmakers pushed for a permanent ban on tariffs on digital products ahead of the WTO ministerial, with India's opposition emerging as a key hurdle. At a Congressional hearing, officials said extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions is a top priority. The rule has been in place since 1998. The moratorium bars countries from taxing digital trade such as software, data, and online services. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Adrian Smith said the United States seeks outcomes that "benefit American businesses of all sizes." He said the rule should not be used as leverage in negotiations. Experts warned that failure to extend the moratorium could hurt global trade. Stephen Ezell, vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said "It's vital that America's foremost priority at MC 14 be securing continuation of the WTO moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions". "A lapse in the moratorium would significantly raise the cost of global digital trade and harm US digital exporters," he said. He added exports could fall "as much as 1 per cent almost immediately". India was repeatedly named as a key player in this decision-making process. Kelly Ann Shaw, from the Akin's lobbying & public policy practice, alleged "India in particular has held the e-commerce moratorium hostage for nearly 30 years". She said the WTO system allows countries to block decisions. Witnesses said India has linked the issue to other demands. These include public stockholding and farm subsidies. US experts also warned of risks for India. Ezell said India's digital economy accounts for "11 per cent of Indian GDP". "If India ever actually got its way and we lapsed the WTO e-commerce moratorium, it would destroy their digital economy," he said. He said tariffs on digital flows could disrupt sectors such as semiconductors and data services. The hearing also focused on agriculture. Peter Bachmann said global markets are distorted by subsidies. "American rice farmer isn't competing against an Indian rice farmer. They're competing against the Indian government," he said. He said India has pushed for permanent exceptions on public stockholding at past meetings. He warned there is "no reason to believe MC 14 will be any different". Lawmakers also stressed India's importance as a partner. They pointed to cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and clean energy. Ezell said stronger ties would require alignment on digital trade. "If they want to be a critical ally with the United States in advanced technology industries," he said, "it's time... for a more mature approach to trade policy making in the global digital economy." The hearing showed divisions in Washington over the WTO. Some lawmakers defended it as a rules-based system. Others said it struggles to deliver results. Shaw said "an organization driven by consensus... is unlikely to be part of that solution". Bruce Hirsh said the WTO still plays a role. He said its rules and committees help manage trade issues. The WTO has 166 members and works by consensus. The digital trade moratorium has been extended many times but never made permanent. Its fate at MC14 will test whether the WTO can respond to the digital economy. - IANS US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for discussions on critical security and geopolitical issues, advancing bilateral strategic cooperation. The meeting occurs against the backdrop of conflict in West Asia and volatility on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. This follows recent high-level military talks between US Army Pacific Deputy Commanding General Joel B. Vowell and Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on strengthening defence partnerships. The interactions focused on regional security in the Indo-Pacific, joint exercises, and deepening military-to-military cooperation across multiple domains. US Ambassador Sergio Gor meets NSA Ajit Doval to discuss critical security, geopolitical issues, and advancing US-India strategic cooperation. New Delhi, March 18 US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor held a "fruitful meeting" with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday, discussing "critical security and geopolitical issues" and the ongoing strategic cooperation between the United States and India. The meeting took place amid the current conflict in West Asia and the highly volatile security situation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. "Just wrapped up an extremely fruitful meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Covered critical security and geopolitical issues. Strategic cooperation between the United States and India continues to advance," Gor wrote on X after the meeting. On March 12, Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi in New Delhi, discussing ways to further strengthen the defence partnership between both nations. The discussions between two officials focused on regional security in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing interoperability through joint military exercises and exploring new avenues of engagement to deepen military-to-military cooperation across various domains. "Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Pacific (USARPAC), called on General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS and discussed avenues to further strengthen the India-US defence partnership," Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) posted on X. "The interaction focused on regional security in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing interoperability through joint military exercises and exploring new avenues of engagement to deepen military-to-military cooperation across multiple domains. The meeting reaffirmed the growing strategic convergence and shared commitment of both armies towards addressing emerging security challenges," it added. Lieutenant General Vowell also met Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh and discussed avenues to further strengthen cooperation between armies of two nations. The talks between two officials focused on regional security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing military-to-military engagement and increasing interoperability through joint training and exercises. "Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Pacific, met Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, VCOAS, to discuss avenues for further strengthening India-US Army cooperation. The discussions focused on regional security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, expanding military-to-military engagement and enhancing interoperability through joint training and exercises. Both sides also explored opportunities for deeper collaboration across diverse operational domains. The interaction reflected the growing strategic partnership and shared commitment of the two armies towards promoting stability and security in the region," the ADGPI stated. - IANS US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described his meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as "extremely fruitful," focusing on critical security and geopolitical cooperation. Meanwhile, former Indian diplomat Dilip Sinha analyzed Iran's capacity to withstand the assassinations of senior officials by Israel, suggesting the country prepared for decentralized decision-making. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, marking the third high-ranking Iranian official killed in two days. The conflict shows signs of becoming a protracted war of attrition, with Iran demonstrating unexpected resilience against US and Israeli pressure. US Ambassador Sergio Gor meets NSA Ajit Doval for "fruitful" security talks. Former envoy Dilip Sinha analyzes Iran's resilience after Israeli strikes kill top officials. New Delhi, March 19 The United States Ambassador to India, Ambassador Sergio Gor held an "extremely fruitful" meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, highlighting ongoing collaboration on security and geopolitical issues between the two countries. The ambassador talked about the meeting in a post on X on Wednesday, saying, "Just wrapped up an extremely fruitful meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Covered critical security & geopolitical issues. Strategic cooperation between the United States and India continues to advance." Meanwhile, former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva, Dilip Sinha, has said the recent killing of the Iranian top official and security chief, Ali Larijani, by Israel is unlikely to cripple Tehran's decision-making, reflecting Iran's long-term preparation for such conflicts. "This war is likely to run into a war of attrition. It is dragging on. Iran has surprised everybody with its capacity to hold on against such a superpower as the US and a very powerful country like Israel, which means that Iran has been preparing for this kind of invasion for a very long time, and they are prepared not only in terms of the drones and missiles that they have acquired and stationed but also in terms of the way they have hidden these missiles in stores which are not easily accessible," he told ANI. Commenting on the impact of Larijani's death, Sinha noted, "The other important thing that you mentioned about Ali Larijani getting killed, earlier, Ayatollah Khomeini was killed, and several other senior Iranian leaders have been killed. But despite that, decision-making in Iran seems to be taking place fairly well. People are still attacking all the countries around the Gulf, which means that Iran had also prepared for decentralised decision-making as part of its preparation for such an invasion." "So that even when the top leadership was wiped out, Iran's decision-making capacity has not been crippled. It has obviously decentralised not only its weaponry, but also its decision-making process, which has enabled it to drag on this war for so long and we don't know how long it will be able to do it," he added. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed that Israel killed Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight attack, marking the third assassination of a high-ranking Iranian official in two days, Al Jazeera reported. The announcement on Wednesday comes hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the Iranian minister had been killed, as per Al Jazeera. Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, were also killed in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday. - ANI The United States is expanding its visa bond program to cover 50 countries starting April 2, requiring a $15,000 bond for B1 and B2 business and tourism visas. The State Department states the program has been highly effective, with 97% of bonded travelers returning home on time, compared to over 44,000 overstays from these nations in a previous year. The expansion adds 12 new countries, including Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Mongolia, to the existing list of 38. Officials emphasize the policy as a cost-saving measure, preventing an estimated $800 million annually in taxpayer-funded removal costs. The US expands its visa bond program to 50 nations to reduce illegal overstays, requiring a $15,000 bond for B1/B2 visas from April 2. Washington, March 18 The US is expanding its visa bond programme to cover 50 countries from April 2, requiring foreign nationals seeking B1 and B2 visas for business and tourism to post a $15,000 bond, the State Department said Wednesday. The bond will be returned to visa holders who comply with the terms of their stay and leave the US on time, or if they do not travel. The move is aimed at curbing illegal overstays, which U.S. authorities say have been significantly reduced under the programme. "Nearly 1,000 foreigners have been issued visas under the program, and 97 per cent of bonded travellers have returned home from the United States on time," the State Department said. By contrast, in the final year of the previous administration, more than 44,000 visitors from the 50 countries currently under the visa bond framework overstayed their visas, the fact sheet noted. The April 2 expansion will bring 12 additional countries under the policy - Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. These nations will join 38 others already subject to the visa bond requirement, including Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The State Department said the programme could be further expanded based on "a range of immigration risk factors," indicating that additional countries may be added in the future depending on overstay trends and compliance data. Officials also emphasised the financial rationale behind the policy, describing it as a cost-saving measure for U.S. taxpayers. "It costs the U.S. taxpayer over $18,000 on average to remove an alien illegally present in the United States," the department said. By reducing overstays, the visa bond programme is "saving U.S. taxpayers up to $800 million per year that would otherwise be required to remove these aliens who overstay," it added. The visa bond requirement applies specifically to short-term B1 and B2 visas, commonly issued for business travel, tourism, and family visits. The bond acts as a financial guarantee to ensure compliance with visa conditions. B1 and B2 visas remain among the most widely issued non-immigrant visas, particularly for short-term travel. Overstay rates have been a key metric for U.S. authorities to assess immigration risk from specific countries and to shape visa policies accordingly. - IANS The White House announced the United States is intensifying coordination with allies in Europe and the Gulf to secure maritime routes and reopen key shipping lanes. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the U.S. military retains significant capabilities and framed recent actions as part of an effort to neutralize threats from Iran. She confirmed the postponement of a presidential trip to China and addressed the resignation of a top counterterrorism official who protested the administration's Iran policy. Leavitt defended the President's decisions as based on national interest and backed by intelligence. White House announces intensified coordination with allies to secure shipping lanes and counter threats, as a key official resigns in protest. Washington, March 18 The United States is intensifying coordination with allies in Europe and the Gulf as it moves to secure maritime routes and reopen key shipping lanes, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. Responding to questions on maritime security and efforts to reopen key shipping routes, Leavitt said that Washington was working closely with partners. "The President is going to continue to talk to our allies, both in Europe and also in the Gulf of the Arab region," she said. She stressed that the US military retains significant operational capability as tensions persist. "The United States military has a lot of capabilities, as you have seen play out over the last 18 days. They do, still do, have tricks off their sleeve," she said, while declining to provide specifics. "Rest assured, there is a plan... we have seen some progress with respect to that." Leavitt framed recent US actions as part of a broader effort to neutralise threats from Iran and prevent escalation. "120 naval vessels are at the bottom of the sea because of our United States Armed Forces. That's a great thing," she said, adding the operations were intended to ensure "Iran cannot permanently, permanently cannot possess a nuclear weapon." She said the administration's immediate focus was on protecting US interests and forces. "We're in a place right now where we're ensuring that Iran can no longer target the United States. The United States military is doing a tremendous job," she said. On diplomatic engagement, Leavitt confirmed that a planned presidential trip to China had been postponed, with both sides working to reschedule. "We're working with them. They have agreed to postpone the trip," she said. "The President has some things here at home in May that he has to attend to... so we'll get the dates on the books as soon as we can." The Press Secretary also addressed Joe Kent's resignation as the top counterterrorism official in protest against the Iran war and pushed back against criticism of the administration's decision-making. "The President gave Joe Kent a chance... a guy with good military experience. And unfortunately, he was not up for the job," she said. She sharply criticised Kent's resignation letter, calling its claims unfounded. "It's deeply disappointing... that he would resign with a letter filled with falsehoods, accusing the President of the United States by being controlled by a foreign country - that's both insulting and laughable," she said. Leavitt underscored that the US President's decisions were based on national interest. "The President is the leader of the most powerful country [and] military in the world. Nobody tells him what to do," she said. Defending the administration's stance on Iran, she said intelligence assessments supported the view that Tehran posed a significant threat. "We don't want somebody leading the Counterterrorism Task Force who cannot agree that the number one state sponsor of terror in this world did not pose a threat to the United States," she said. She added that Iran was "building ballistic missiles at a rapid rate to build a shield of immunity so they could build a nuclear bomb," and said the President's decision to strike was aimed at pre-empting attacks on US personnel and assets. "It's backed by intelligence... and it's backed by the fact that the president of the United States made the decision to attack Iran before they could attack American troops and our assets and bases in the region," she said, calling it "a good decision... for the rest of the world." - IANS Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Vidya Bhushan Soni has criticized the recent US-Israel strikes in Iran as an unjustified overreaction. He argued the action violates international law as it targets a sovereign nation without proper authority. Soni specifically condemned the bombing of a girls' hostel, questioning the rationale for targeting innocent civilians. Meanwhile, the IAEA reports the Bushehr nuclear site sustained non-significant damage from a drone strike. Former Ambassador Vidya Bhushan Soni calls recent strikes an overreaction, questions targeting of girls' hostel, and critiques violation of sovereignty. New Delhi, March 19 Vidya Bhushan Soni, Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine claimed that the killing of Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani "was a kind of overreaction." Soni, in a conversation with ANI on Wednesday, said that the US and Israel have a very professional system due to which they achieved their targets. "I think it's very unfortunate in this present-day world these kind of things are happening. First of all, it should not have happened because I think the situation was, didn't warrant such kind of an overreaction. It is my personal view, government of India may have a different view, Americans were not primarily responsible," he said on Wednesday. "They were forced or maybe cajoled into taking the situation and you know who the authorities could be behind that. But they thought that things will be over because they have a very professional system from the other side, the Americans and their counterparts in Israel. They are very, the best informed agency which they have, both of them. So they thought that they have all the desired information and so they could target those people. They succeeded initially, absolutely correctly. Khamenei was the target and his family, so that they succeeded," he added. Soni said that regime change is not something which can be pardoned. "So they come up once they have the details about the location of the targeted person. They go full hog. And they do not, because they are professionals, so they will do whatever it requires, even if there is a collateral damage. So what the Americans and their partners are doing is trying to eliminate such kind of uncomfortable people. Regime change is not something which can be pardoned," he said. Soni added that a country cannot take such action against another sovereign nation. "I mean, I am a professional diplomat and as per the laws, international law, you cannot undertake an action which is against any other sovereign nation. And that is exactly what was done. There was no reason for them. After all, the persons who carried out that kind of action, they are not appointed international police person. No police person will ever do this kind of. You can apprehend," he said. Soni critiqued the bombing of girls' hostel in Iran. "They can destabilise, can do anything that you like. But you can't undertake that kind of destructive action where you wipe out the entire innocent population. I mean, just imagine the girls' hostel, which was targeted. What were the girls doing? They were staying, they were not fighting any war. Why is it that they were targeted? Just because, and who gave you the permission? So this is something which to my mind no right thinking person, as you would have seen the voices from the Western European so-called NATO allies have also not condoned this kind of hyperaction," he said. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi says damage to Iran's Bushehr nuclear site appears not to be "very significant" and that a strike on the facility may have hit a small building containing a laboratory. Grossi told reporters that the IAEA had received information about the incident from Iran and from Russia that Bushehr was hit by a drone. He said it did not hit the actual power plant but landed on the premises, as reported by Al Jazeera. He added, "The reactors have not been affected and there are no casualties," he said, adding that his agency had not yet been able to independently confirm the damage, "At the same time, any attack on any nuclear facility should always be avoided." - ANI The United States authorized over $330 billion in arms exports in the last fiscal year, reflecting strong global demand for American weaponry. Senior officials testified that the current approval system is too slow, struggling with a $250 billion backlog and risking that partners will turn to other suppliers. The administration is pushing reforms to accelerate the process, citing urgent operational needs and the strength of the defense industrial base as national security imperatives. Lawmakers are sharply divided, with some defending the overhaul as necessary and others accusing the administration of contempt for Congressional oversight. US authorized over $330 billion in arms exports last year. Officials call system a "Cold War relic" and push reforms to speed deliveries to allies. Washington, March 18 The United States authorised more than $330 billion in arms exports last fiscal year, a senior State Department official said, as the Trump administration moved to overhaul a slow and complex defence sales system to speed up deliveries to allies. Stanley L. Brown, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, told lawmakers the scale of approvals reflects strong global demand for US weapons systems. "That demand reflects the trust our allies and partners place in American defense technology and in the United States as the security partner of choice," Brown said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing here. He acknowledged, however, that the current system is struggling to keep pace. "Our system has not always operated at the speed or scale required to meet urgent operational demands," he said. In his testimony, the State Department official highlighted a series of executive orders, including the "America First Arms Transfer Strategy," aimed at accelerating approvals, strengthening the defence industrial base, and aligning arms sales with national security priorities. However, he told the lawmakers that outdated Congressional notification thresholds and procedural delays risk pushing partners towards alternative suppliers, with "long-term interoperability and geopolitical consequences." Pentagon acquisition chief Mike Duffey echoed the push for reform, linking arms transfers directly to US military readiness and industrial capacity. "Our national security is inextricably linked to the strength of both our defense industrial base and our international partners," Duffey said. He added that the administration is restructuring the system to remove regulatory bottlenecks and speed up delivery timelines. "America First does not mean America alone," he said. Duffey said new arrangements with defence contractors are aimed at expanding production, enabling companies to invest more capital while increasing output of key munitions and systems. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency processes more than $100 billion annually in arms transfers and supports security cooperation across 136 US embassies, officials said. Lawmakers sharply differed over the reforms and their broader implications. Chairman Brian Mast defended the administration's approach, calling the current process "a Cold War relic" that "actively undermines US national security" by delaying weapons deliveries and weakening allies. He also backed the use of emergency authorities to expedite arms transfers, saying such steps were necessary to ensure partners receive weapons "at speed." Congressman Ryan Zinke noted structural inefficiencies in his remarks. There is a backlog of roughly $250 billion in pending foreign military sales, he said, adding that there is no unified tracking system. He called for "speed, lethality, and organising a database" to improve accountability and delivery timelines. Ranking Member Gregory Meeks said the administration has shown "systematic contempt for Congressional oversight," warning that bypassing review processes undermines accountability and weakens alliances. Congresswoman Madeleine Dean criticised what she described as the administration's "ignorance and deep contempt for Congress's constitutional role," particularly in relation to arms transfers linked to ongoing conflicts. - IANS A US Navy amphibious assault ship, the USS Tripoli, is approaching Singapore and is believed to be ferrying additional Marines to the West Asia region. The Marines are from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a rapid-response force. The deployment comes amid heightened tensions following a strike that killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, which Iran blames on the US and Israel. Senior Iranian figures have vowed revenge for Larijani's death. USS Tripoli, carrying Marines from Okinawa, approaches Singapore en route to West Asia as Iran vows revenge for official's killing. Singapore City, March 18 A US Navy Warship, which is believed to be carrying Marines and Sailors to West Asia amid the developments in the region, is nearing the Malacca Strait off Singapore, CNN reported, referring to maritime tracking data. As per the US broadcaster, amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was seen approaching Singapore, at the southwestern edge of the South China Sea on Tuesday morning, as per AIS tracking data seen by CNN. Citing marinetraffic.com, CNN said that it showed a track for an "unspecified US warship" departing Okinawa on March 11, through the South China Sea and nearing Singapore Tuesday morning at a speed of about 22 mph. It reported that while US Navy ships often move with AIS transponders turned off, revealing their positions while transiting areas with heavy maritime traffic, like the waters around Singapore, enables safer operations. It cited a report by Wall Street Journal noting that additional Marines would be brought by USS Tripoli to West Asia and further noted that the Marines come from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)-- a rapid-response force of 2,200 personnel, after the Pentagon ordered the unit to deploy, according to three officials familiar with the plans, CNN reported. While the US Central Command has said that roughly 50,000 US troops are already in the West Asia as part of the conflict with Iran, when CNN asked US Navy's 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet for comment, officials said that the unit was being sent to the West Asia, however did not divulge into further details. CNN reported that a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) comprises of four elements-- command, ground combat, air combat and logistics combat. While they have been typically used for missions such as evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore movements, such as raids and assaults, they also have ground and aviation combat components, and some of the units are trained for special operations. Based in Sasebo, Japan, USS Tripoli, is a small aircraft carrier and carries F-35 stealth fighters along with MV-22 Osprey transports as well as landing craft to move troops ashore. It is the lead ship in an amphibious ready group, which would normally include the amphibious transport docks USS New Orleans and USS San Diego. CNN said that it could not confirm the presence of the smaller ships with the Tripoli in maritime tracking sites. Meanwhile, senior Iranian figures have paid high-level tributes following the death of the nation's top security official, Ali Larijani, who was killed during a military strike carried out by the Israeli and US forces, according to state broadcaster Press TV. Larijani, who served as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed late on Monday alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident. In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijani as a "virtuous, precious, and dear brother". Judiciary chief Mohseni Ejei also issued a tribute, stating that Larijani "received from God Almighty the reward for his long years of struggle" by "drinking the sweet nectar of martyrdom". Press TV noted that Ejei praised Larijani's "high managerial and decision-making capacity, courage and eloquence in speech", and his "sacrifice and steadfastness in the path of the ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution". The head of the judiciary assured that the Iranian military, backed by public support, would "exact revenge for the pure blood of this dear martyr" from those he described as "the criminal America and the barbaric Zionist regime". - ANI The head of the U.S. Export-Import Bank told Congress the agency is being repositioned as a "frontline economic tool" to bolster American exporters and counter massive state-backed financing from China. Lawmakers highlighted that China provided over $23 billion in export credit in 2024, quadruple what EXIM provided, underscoring a critical competitiveness gap. Key initiatives discussed include fully integrating the China-focused CTEP program and launching "Project Vault," a major public-private effort to build a U.S. strategic reserve of critical minerals. With EXIM's mandate up for reauthorization, bipartisan support is seen as vital to ensuring U.S. companies can compete globally against subsidized rivals. EXIM Bank chief tells Congress the US is repositioning the agency as a key economic tool to counter China's massive export subsidies and reindustrialize America. Washington, March 18 The United States is repositioning the Export-Import Bank as a "frontline economic tool," its chief told lawmakers, underscoring a sharper push to bolster American exporters and counter global competition led by China. Testifying before a House subcommittee, EXIM President and Chairman John Jovanovic said the bank is being aligned with efforts to reindustrialise the U.S., secure supply chains, and strengthen economic security. "As many of you have noted, EXIM is one of America's frontline economic tools carrying out President Trump's vision for Reindustrializing America, securing our supply chains and ensuring our economy works for American workers and American companies large and small alike," he said. Subcommittee Chairman Warren Davidson said Beijing remains "the world's largest provider of export credit" and noted that China provided exporters with "over $23 billion in medium and long-term loans" in 2024, "quadruple what Exim provided to American firms. Jovanovic warned that U.S. companies are competing in markets where rivals deploy "massive state financing subsidies and industrial policy," which has contributed to "weakened economic security" and job losses in the United States. A central focus of the hearing was the China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP), created by Congress to counter Beijing's export financing. Jovanovic said the programme has now been integrated into the bank's core operations. "One out of every four transactions we do at the bank looks to the KTP program," he said, calling it "mission critical" for achieving U.S. economic objectives. Lawmakers stressed that reauthorizing and strengthening the programme would be essential to maintaining competitiveness. Representative Andy Barr said it has become a key tool in U.S. economic statecraft, while others warned that uncertainty over EXIM's future could undermine confidence among global partners. The hearing also highlighted "Project Vault," a proposed public-private initiative to build a U.S. strategic reserve of critical minerals. Jovanovic said the project would combine "$10 billion of XM debt financing" with "nearly $2 billion of private sector capital" to address supply chain vulnerabilities. He said the initiative is designed to ensure companies can "have what they need, when they need it most," while reducing dependence on foreign sources of critical materials. Small business support emerged as another key theme. Ranking Member Joyce Beatty said, "90 percent of EXIM authorizations directly benefit US small businesses," calling the bank vital for enabling them to compete globally. Jovanovic acknowledged gaps in outreach, saying he found only "two active relationships" in the community lender programme when he took office. He said efforts are underway to expand partnerships and improve access to export financing across all states. The bank is also seeking to address internal inefficiencies and workforce challenges. Jovanovic said reforms include "clarifying priorities, streamlining internal processes," and improving accountability to ensure faster deal execution. On broader competition with China, lawmakers repeatedly pointed to Beijing's use of state-backed financing to secure global influence. Jovanovic said the U.S. must respond without abandoning its standards. "We don't pollute - we don't disregard the law," he said, adding that the goal is to demonstrate the long-term value of partnering with the United States. Jovanovic also emphasised that EXIM operates at a profit, noting it has "returned nearly $10 billion to the US Treasury" while maintaining a default rate lower than private sector lenders. Congress must reauthorize EXIM before its mandate expires later this year. Lawmakers said a clear signal of bipartisan support would be critical to restoring confidence and ensuring U.S. exporters remain competitive in global markets. Established in 1934 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, EXIM was created to support American jobs by financing exports when private lenders are unwilling or unable to do so. Over time, it has become a key tool for promoting U.S. trade and industrial capacity abroad. In recent years, the bank has taken on a more strategic role as Washington seeks to counter China's expanding economic influence, particularly in infrastructure, energy, and emerging technologies, where state-backed financing has become a central feature of global competition. - IANS The United States conducted airstrikes using massive 5,000-pound penetrator bombs on hardened Iranian missile sites along the coastline near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, a ballistic missile attack in central Israel killed two people, while Iran launched missile and drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait, which reported activating their air defenses. The conflict escalation traces back to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader in late February by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. These events are causing significant disruption to international shipping and energy markets in the volatile region. US uses 5,000-pound bombs on Iranian missile sites near Strait of Hormuz as Iran launches attacks on Israel, UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Washington DC, March 18 The United States carried out strikes using "multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions" on Iran, targeting "hardened Iranian missile sites" along its coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. In a post shared on X, U.S. Central Command wrote, "Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait." Meanwhile, two people were killed in a ballistic missile attack in central Israel, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), CNN reported. Paramedics from Magen David Adom (MDA) arrived at the scene in the city of Ramat Gan and declared the death of a man and a woman who suffered severe shrapnel injuries, as per CNN. Shrapnel from the missile also struck the city of Beni Brak, just north of Tel Aviv, lightly injuring one person, MDA said, CNN reported. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates' air defence systems are currently responding to missile and drone attacks originating from Iran, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The UAE Ministry of Defense said in a post on X that the sounds heard in various areas of the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, with fighter jets also engaging drones and loitering munitions. "The UAE's air defenses are currently dealing with missile and drone attacks coming from Iran, and the Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in various areas of the country are the result of the air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, as well as fighter jets intercepting drones and loitering munitions. UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones," the post read. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) of the UAE urged residents to remain in safe locations and follow official channels for warnings and updates. "Air defense systems are currently responding to a missile threat. Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates," the post read. Meanwhile, Dubai authorities confirmed via the Dubai Media Office that the noises heard across parts of the city were the result of successful interception operations. "Authorities in Dubai confirm that the sounds heard across parts of the city were the result of successful air defence interception operations. Please rely on official sources for updates," Dubai Media Office wrote on a post on X Furthermore, the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain also stated that sirens had been sounded, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe location. "The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," the X post read. Meanwhile, heavy Israeli air attacks on Lebanon's capital, Beirut is reported by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Army said its national defence systems are currently engaging hostile missiles and drones, Al Jazeera reported. The army confirmed that the loud blasts heard across the country were caused by successful interceptions carried out by Kuwaiti air defence batteries, according to Al Jazeera. "The Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks. The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks. Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities," Kuwait Army posted on X. This comes amid the escalating conflict that began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. - ANI The Uttarakhand government has executed a significant administrative reshuffle, removing the managing directors of its power corporations and making new appointments. Simultaneously, scientific studies on maintaining ecological balance during the Badrinath Corridor development were presented to the Chief Secretary. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid the foundation for development projects worth over 41 crore in Tehri, emphasizing timely completion and prioritizing basic facilities in hill areas. The CM also held meetings with the Governor and a senior Army commander to discuss state development. Major reshuffle in Uttarakhand's power corporations. CM Dhami ensures timely project completion, while officials review ecological balance for Badrinath Corridor. Dehradun, March 18 The Uttarakhand government has carried out a major reshuffle in all three corporations of the energy sector. The state government has relieved Vijay Prasad Thapliyal from his deputation as Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and has repatriated him to his parent department, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee. Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) Managing Director Anil Kumar has been removed from his position with immediate effect. Along with him, UJVNL Managing Director Sandeep Singhal has also been relieved of his duties. Additionally, Ajay Agarwal, Director (Projects) at UPCL, has been removed from his post. The state government has assigned an additional charge of UPCL to Gajendra Singh Budiyal, while Ajay Kumar Singh has been given additional responsibility in UJVNL. Meanwhile, Scientists from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) presented a scientific study before Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan regarding maintaining ecological and ecosystem balance during the ongoing construction work under the Badrinath Corridor Development Project in Dehradun. The Chief Secretary stated that such scientific studies are extremely important at the present time. In a mountainous state like Uttarakhand, maintaining environmental balance alongside development activities is essential. He clarified that wherever such scientific assessments are required, their use will be ensured and also directed that the survey findings be verified as needed. Earlier, in Februray, Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Central Command, paid a courtesy call on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Chief Minister's residence. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also attended the inauguration and foundation-laying programme for several development projects along with the Bhoomi Pujan of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) upgradation in Tehri Garhwal on Thursday. He laid the foundation stone for development projects worth Rs 41.21 crore in Ghansali, Tehri district, which includes three inaugurated projects worth Rs 13.43 crore and five new ones worth Rs 27.78 crore. During the ceremony, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation for upgrading the Primary Health Centre, Pilkhi, into a Community Health Centre. He honoured Krishna Gairola and his family for donating land for the hospital. The Chief Minister said, "Projects whose foundation stones have been laid should not face delays, and their timely completion and inauguration will be ensured. The state government is prioritising basic facilities such as roads, healthcare, and education in the hill regions. With strong determination, even the lack of resources can be overcome." Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also paid a courtesy visit to Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) at Lok Bhavan. During the meeting, the two leaders held discussions on various developmental projects in the state as well as other contemporary issues. - ANI Uttarakhand police have seized counterfeit NCERT books worth approximately 10 crore in Udham Singh Nagar. In a related development, the state has achieved first place nationally in implementing the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0. This top ranking, with a score of 93.46, is attributed to effective leadership and the adoption of new criminal laws. The "One Data, One Entry" mechanism ensures seamless data flow between police, courts, and forensic departments. Uttarakhand Police intercept counterfeit NCERT books worth 10 crore. State ranks first nationally in implementing the advanced ICJS 2.0 criminal justice system. Dehradun, March 18 Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar police have intercepted a massive consignment of counterfeit NCERT books valued at approximately 10 crore as part of a statewide crackdown on fake educational materials, the Police Headquarters of Uttarakhand informed. This action is part of an ongoing campaign against counterfeit materials being conducted by the Uttarakhand Police, according to an official statement on Tuesday. A significant breakthrough was achieved in Udham Singh Nagar district, where a large quantity of fake NCERT books was recovered. The Director General of Police, Deepam Seth, has announced a reward of 20,000 for the police team involved in the operation, which is the Police Headquarters of Uttarakhand. Meanwhile, marking a historic milestone in the modernisation of India's judicial and law-enforcement system, Uttarakhand secured the first position in the national implementation of the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0, according to data up to January 2026. This achievement reflects the visionary guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his commitment to building a technology-driven justice system. According to the latest CCTNS/ICJS Progress Dashboard of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Uttarakhand has ranked first at the national level with an outstanding score of 93.46. The performance of the top five states in the national ranking has been highly commendable: Uttarakhand leads with 93.46, followed by Haryana with 93.41, Assam with 93.16, Sikkim with 91.82, and Madhya Pradesh with 90.55. Uttarakhand's success is the result of the effective leadership and continuous monitoring by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. To ensure the implementation of the new laws--Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)--on the ground, the Chief Minister personally took charge.CM Dhami held continuous review meetings with senior government officials as well as field officers at the district level. This top-to-bottom monitoring helped in resolving technical challenges in time and enabled the police department to successfully adapt to the new legal framework. The foundation of this achievement lies in the "One Data, One Entry" mechanism under ICJS 2.0. Through this system, seamless data flow has been ensured among Police (CCTNS), e-Courts, e-Prisons, e-Prosecution, and e-Forensics. Once data is entered, it becomes instantly available to all concerned departments, reducing paperwork and accelerating the disposal of cases. - ANI An Israeli military spokesperson has declared the IDF will pursue and neutralize anyone who threatens Israel, specifically naming Iran's designated next Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The statement comes as Israel reported intercepting a new barrage of missiles launched from Iran, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The IDF is preparing for a "prolonged campaign," including during the upcoming Passover holiday. Meanwhile, regional forces like Bahrain's have reported intercepting hundreds of missiles and drones since the conflict's escalation over two weeks ago. IDF spokesperson vows to pursue Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei as Israel intercepts new missile barrage and prepares for a prolonged campaign during Passover. Tel Aviv, March 18 The Israel Defense Forces will continue targeting anyone who "poses a threat to the state of Israel," including Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, military spokesperson Effie Defrin has said, saying that they have no current information on Khamenei's whereabouts. According to Al Jazeera, when asked about Khamenei's whereabouts, Defrin said on Tuesday that the IDF had no information, adding, "But I can say one thing: we will continue - as we have proven - we will continue to pursue anyone who poses a threat to the state of Israel, and anyone who raises a hand against it is not immune from us. We will pursue him, find him, and neutralise him." As per Al Jazeera, Defrin also said Israel would continue targeting members of Iran's paramilitary Basij forces, stating, "I say here again, we will reach everyone, no matter where or when." The IDF had earlier said it killed Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Defrin further noted that Israel is preparing for a "prolonged campaign, including during Passover," the Jewish holiday observed this year on the first eight days of April, Al Jazeera reported. Meanwhile, Israel said it was working to intercept a fresh barrage of missiles launched from Iran, CNN reported. Air raid sirens were heard across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with visuals showing flashes in the night sky, including what appeared to be a cluster munition missile over Tel Aviv, according to CNN. Israeli fire and rescue teams were dispatched to multiple impact sites in the greater Tel Aviv area, authorities said, CNN reported. Meanwhile, the Bahrain Defence Force said its air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed 129 missiles and 233 drones since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran more than two weeks ago, Al Jazeera reported. - ANI A Western Disturbance is set to bring a spell of intense weather activity to Rajasthan, with thunderstorms, gusty winds, and isolated hailstorms forecast for multiple divisions. The system is expected to peak over the next two days, impacting regions including Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Jaipur. Authorities have advised farmers to take urgent precautions to protect ready-to-harvest crops from potential damage. Conditions are predicted to turn dry by March 21, though light rain may return to Bikaner division later in the week. Western Disturbance to bring thunderstorms, gusty winds, and isolated hailstorms to parts of Rajasthan over the next few days. Farmers advised to take precautions. Jaipur, March 18 A fresh spell of weather activity is set to impact Rajasthan as a Western Disturbance becomes active over the region. The Meteorological Centre in Jaipur has issued an alert for thunderstorms, gusty winds, rainfall, and isolated hailstorms over the next few days. A cyclonic circulation has developed over the western parts of the state on Wednesday, increasing the likelihood of intense thunderstorms, rain with wind speeds of 40-50 km/h, and isolated hailstorms in several districts, said officials on Wednesday. Light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected in isolated areas of the Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions, as well as the Shekhawati region. Most other parts of the state are likely to remain dry. The weather system is expected to intensify, with its maximum impact during these two days. On Thursday, thunderstorms with rain and strong winds (40-50 km/h) are likely across parts of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Udaipur, and Kota divisions. Isolated hailstorms may also occur. Similarly, on March 20, similar conditions are expected over Bikaner, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Kota divisions, with thunderstorms, rain, strong winds, and chances of hailstorms. Weather conditions are expected to turn dry on March 21. However, light rainfall may return in isolated areas of the Bikaner division on March 22. Authorities have advised farmers to take precautions, especially those with crops ready for harvest. Produce lying in open fields or stored in agricultural mandis should be covered or shifted to safe storage to prevent damage from rain and hail. Further updates will be issued as the system evolves, the weather department said. Meanwhile, the maximum temperature recorded in the state was 38 degrees Celsius in Chittorgarh, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 13.5 degrees Celsius in Sirohi. According to observations recorded on Wednesday, the average humidity level in most parts of the state ranged between 32 per cent and 76 per cent. - IANS Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Government to expand the Jal Jeevan Mission across the state. The agreement includes a provision making contractors responsible for infrastructure maintenance for ten years post-completion. Adityanath linked the initiative to a dramatic reduction in encephalitis deaths in eastern UP, attributing past fatalities to impure water and open defecation. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship sanitation and water missions for this public health success. UP CM Yogi Adityanath announces MoU with Centre to provide piped drinking water to all villages, crediting PM Modi's vision for the initiative. Lucknow, March 18 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced an initiative under the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide pure drinking water to every resident in the state. While addressing a press conference here with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, the Uttar Pradesh CM highlighted that over 10,000 of the state's 1,05,000 revenue villages already have access to drinking water through pipelines. The new agreement ensures that contractors will remain responsible for infrastructure maintenance for a full decade after project completion to guarantee long-term service, he added. In this regard, a Memorendum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the centre and the Uttar Pradesh government. "Under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), an initiative has been taken to provide pure drinking water to even the last person in the village. In today's MoU program being done between the Central and State Government for the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Scheme, I thank Union Minister CR Patil and his entire team," Adityanath said. "The state of Uttar Pradesh has over 1,05,000 revenue villages, of which over 10,000 already have access to drinking water through pipelines. With the implementation of the scheme in Uttar Pradesh, we ensured that all the implementing agencies and contractors would be responsible for its maintenance for 10 years after the completion of the work," the CM said. He pointed out that the untimely deaths reported earlier in eastern Uttar Pradesh were due to encephalitis, which occured due to open defecation and impure drinking water. "There were sufficient water resources, and people generally did not face a problem with water quantity. There was a significant increase in complaints (earlier) of untimely deaths due to contaminated water. I will give just one example: there are sufficient water resources in eastern Uttar Pradesh, yet every year, thousands of deaths occur there due to encephalitis. When we analysed all these death figures, it was discovered that these deaths were occurring due to open defecation and impure drinking water," CM Adityanath said. "Today, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, pure drinking water has become available in those villages and toilets have been built in every house. In areas where more than 50,000 deaths had occurred over 40 years, today I am happy to share that in the last five years, we have succeeded in bringing the death toll down to zero," he added. The Uttar Pradesh CM attributed this success to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I attribute this success to the vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister, who launched and implemented the 'toilets in every house' scheme under the Swachh Bharat Mission and the 'tap in every home' scheme under the Jal Jeevan Mission," he said. - ANI Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will hold a press conference to mark nine years of his government, where a comprehensive performance report is expected. The event follows recent activities where the CM distributed financial aid to pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Adityanath emphasized his government's focus on boosting tourism infrastructure and creating employment opportunities across the state. On the same day, he also paid tribute to former Chief Minister Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna on his death anniversary. UP CM Yogi Adityanath to present performance report after 9 years, highlights tourism push and aid to pilgrims ahead of key press conference. Lucknow, March 18 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow, on the occasion of the completion of nine years of the government led by Adityanath. Preparations for this event are currently underway in full swing at Lok Bhawan. Special attention is being paid to every aspect, ranging from security arrangements to media logistics. It is anticipated that, during this event, the government will present a comprehensive report card of its performance over the past nine years and may also announce plans for the future. Earlier on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to 555 pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra at Lok Bhavan. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, "So that the devotees of Uttar Pradesh face no problems, it was for this very purpose that we constructed the Kailash Mansarovar Bhawan in Ghaziabad in 2017-18. The government's effort has been to ensure that devotees receive good facilities at every pilgrimage site. In 2025, more than 164 crore devotees visited various religious sites across Uttar Pradesh, of which approximately 66 crore participated in the Prayagraj Mahakumbh alone." He further emphasised, "The double-engine government's complete focus is on rapidly advancing the potential of the tourism sector and, through these means, accelerating the development of Uttar Pradesh while creating new employment opportunities." Same day on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Union Minister late Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna on his death anniversary. Speaking on the occasion, CM Yogi hailed his contribution to the development of the state and said that he made continuous efforts to promote social public awareness."Today is the death anniversary of the freedom fighter, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna. On this occasion, on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government and the people of Uttar Pradesh, I pay tribute to him...He made continuous efforts to promote social public awareness," Yogi Adityanath said. CM Yogi underlined Bahuguna's efforts to advance social awareness and national consciousness in independent India. - ANI Director Ra. Karthik and Priyanka Mohan discuss filming 'Made in Korea' in Seoul, the language of emotion, and the film's global Netflix release. New Delhi, March 18 Amid the rising popularity of K-dramas among Indian youth, especially Gen Z, director Ra. Karthik's 'Made in Korea', starring Priyanka Mohan, has been released at a timely moment. According to the director, it is the first Indian film to be shot entirely in South Korea. In an interview with ANI, Karthik and Mohan spoke about bringing an Indian story with a Korean touch to the screen, filming abroad and discovering that language difference doesn't matter in the reflection of human emotions. "It's super excited. We've been waiting for this day. It's been almost one year since we started," Priyanka Mohan told ANI, recalling the day her team first landed in Korea for recce. "So, exactly on March 12th... It's a special day. Looks like a very special day." The actress shared anecdotes from the shoot and her connection to Korean culture. "My makeup artist is also from Mumbai. He had gotten the plas, so I used to keep it in the fridge and have it almost every other day. It reminded me of home while being there," she said. Priyanka added, "By the end of the film, we all became a family... even though we had that language barrier in the beginning, we realised you don't need language for human emotions. Korea is a beautiful, vivid country. The people were so cordial and supported us in every way. We had a blast every day on set." The director also reflected on the challenges and joys of filming abroad. "Initially, the first two-three days were a little struggle... language difference, weather, coordinating with the crew, that was slightly difficult. After that, I think all is okay," Ra. Karthik said. Highlighting the creative process, he noted, "In the writing stage, we create the characters... but on set, daily, I'm meeting new strangers, new junior artists... every international shoot has difficulties. But the collaboration between the Indian and Korean teams made it very rewarding." Drawing parallels to iconic Indian films, Karthik said, "In Indian cinema, I felt 'Queen' and English Vinglish were very good references for this kind of story." Priyanka explained how she approached her character: "I re-watched these films, but for my character alone, I didn't want to take direct references in terms of acting or body language. I wanted her to be original." With the rise of OTT platforms, the duo highlighted the film's global reach. "People from different countries and cultures can watch the film. It's dubbed in 14-15 languages with almost 37 subtitle options," Karthik said. Priyanka added, "OTT platforms are bringing the world closer. Today, I can watch a French or Mandarin movie easily. We are catering to all kinds of audiences." The film also taps into the growing popularity of Korean culture in India, especially among Gen Z. "Anyone who enjoys emotional, character-driven stories will connect with it," Karthik added. Set against the everyday pulse of Tamil Nadu and Seoul, Made In Korea follows Shenba as she navigates unfamiliar streets, unexpected turns, and new faces that slowly shape her journey. Through moments of vulnerability, quiet courage, and unexpected connections, the trailer offers a stirring yet emotional glimpse of a young woman finding her footing in a world far from home. Made in Korea premiered on March 12, exclusively on Netflix. - ANI Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that a new automated tobacco treatment system integrated into routine pediatric care helped drive a 3.9% absolute increase in smoking cessation among mothers a population-level impact that could translate to tens of thousands of parents quitting each year and protect hundreds of thousands of children from harmful secondhand smoke exposure. The study, published today in Pediatrics, demonstrates how technology can scale preventive interventions without adding burden to clinical staff. More than 40% of children in the U.S. are exposed to secondhand smoke, increasing their risk of respiratory infections, asthma flare-ups and premature death. Parents who quit smoking not only increase their own life expectancy but also decrease the likelihood of their children becoming smokers later in life. While some parents who smoke may not have their own primary care health physician, they will seek primary care for their children multiple times a year. Researchers have been working implementing the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) intervention to address parental smoking by providing routine access to cessation resources during pediatric primary care visits. We've created a system that removes the traditional barriers, such as provider time, prescribing challenges, and workflow burden. By automating the screening, motivation, and connection to evidence-based treatment, we're reaching parents at scale during a moment when they're already focused on their child's health." Brian Jenssen, MD, MSHP, lead study author, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and pediatrician at CHOP "Millions of parents who smoke attend pediatric visits annually, so even a small but noticeable decrease in smoking cessation can translate to tens of thousands of additional individuals who quit each year, which protects hundreds of thousands of children from secondhand smoke exposure," said co-senior study author Alexander Fiks, MD, a pediatrician and the Director of Clinical Futures and the Possibilities Project: Innovation in Pediatric Primary Care at CHOP. Building upon findings from a prior study, researchers conducted a retrospective study of parents whose children received care across 12 pediatric practices in a cluster-randomized trial between June 2021 and August 2024. An automated EHR-linked parent tobacco treatment system was implemented at six practices, while the other six only implemented screenings with no follow up. This study analyzed self-reported smoking cessation rates among parents who reported smoking during the study period. This analysis included all parents who completed questionnaires during routine care, excluding parents enrolled in the trial. The team analyzed self-reported cessation rates among parents who reported smoking during the study period. With data from more than 55,000 parents analyzed, the study found that cessation rates were 3.9% higher for those receiving care with the system compared with those who did not receive the prompts and connections to evidence-based treatments. This increase in cessation behavior was only observed in mothers who participated. Among fathers who smoked, there was no difference in smoking cessation rates. Overall, the system required no additional training for clinical staff and was implemented within existing EHR workflows, making it readily scalable to other pediatric health systems. "Millions of parents who smoke attend pediatric visits annually, so even a small but noticeable decrease in smoking cessation can translate to tens of thousands of additional individuals who quit each year, which protects hundreds of thousands of children from secondhand smoke exposure," Fiks said. This study was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01-CA245145. Large-scale human data reveal that even a single antibiotic course may leave a measurable microbial footprint years later, raising important questions about long-term health effects and prescribing practices. Study: Antibiotic use and gut microbiome composition links from individual-level prescription data of 14,979 individuals. Image Credit: marevgenna / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine , researchers found that antibiotic effects on the gut microbiome may persist far longer than expected. By linking Swedish prescription registry data with fecal metagenomic profiles from nearly 15,000 adults across multiple population-based cohorts, the study showed that even a single antibiotic course taken four to eight years earlier was associated with lasting differences in microbiome composition. These findings highlight the potential for prolonged microbiome disruption and underscore the need for careful antibiotic use, as even routine prescriptions may have lasting health implications. Gut Microbiome Disruption and Chronic Disease Risk Disruptions to the gut microbial ecosystem are increasingly recognized as a key factor in a wide range of health conditions, including cardiometabolic disease, autoimmune disorders, and colorectal cancer. Antibiotics are a major driver of these imbalances, and repeated or prolonged use has been linked to higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Small intervention studies have shown rapid declines in microbial diversity and shifts in key bacterial groups following treatment. However, these findings largely reflect short-term effects. As antibiotic use remains widespread, understanding long-term impacts on gut microbial communities has become a critical research priority, though robust large-scale evidence has been limited. Population Study Design and Microbiome Analysis Methods In this population-level study of 14,979 individuals, researchers examined the influence of oral antibiotic use over the previous eight years on gut microbial composition. They linked prescription data from the Swedish National Prescribed Drug Register (NPDR) with fecal metagenomic data from three cohorts: CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS), Swedish Infrastructure for Medical Population-based Life-course and Environmental Research (SIMPLER), and Malmo Offspring Study (MOS). The team assessed antibiotic exposure across three time windows: within 1 year, 1 to 4 years, and 4 to 8 years before sampling. Participants with recent antibiotic use, inflammatory bowel disease, or chronic pulmonary disease were excluded. Fecal samples underwent deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and microbial diversity was quantified using indices such as the Shannon Index and inverse Simpson Index. Taxonomic classification was performed using the Genome Taxonomy Database. Multivariate regression models assessed associations between antibiotic exposure and microbiome diversity, adjusting for confounders including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, education, and comorbidities. The models also accounted for medications such as proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), statins, metformin, beta-blockers, antipsychotics, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Sensitivity analyses tested alternative exclusion criteria, while spline-based models explored microbiome recovery over time. Subgroup analyses were conducted by age and sex. Persistent Microbiome Changes After Antibiotic Exposure Antibiotic use was common, with approximately 7074% of participants having at least one prescription over the previous eight years. Broad-spectrum penicillins, penicillin V, and tetracyclines were most frequently used. The largest reductions in microbial diversity occurred within 1 year of antibiotic use. However, significant associations persisted for exposures one to four years earlier and even four to eight years earlier. Each additional course was linked to further declines in diversity. Notably, even a single course taken years earlier was associated with long-term differences in the microbiome. Clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and flucloxacillin showed the strongest and most persistent effects. These antibiotics were associated with changes in the relative abundance of up to approximately 1015% of microbial species. Beneficial species such as Alistipes communis and Odoribacter splanchnicus declined. In contrast, species associated with metabolic risk, including Ruminococcus gnavus, Flavonifractor plautii, and Eggerthella lenta, increased in abundance. Penicillin V showed relatively minimal effects. Microbiome recovery was fastest within the first 2 years after antibiotic use but slowed thereafter and was often incomplete. Recovery varied by antibiotic class, sex, and age, suggesting that microbiome resilience differs across individuals. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings. a, Microbiome diversity metrics (Shannon Index, species richness and inverse (Inv.) Simpson Index) for each additional course of any antibiotic 48 years, 14 years and <1 year before fecal sampling. Estimated marginal means (EMMs) of diversity were obtained using regression models, with antibiotic exposure modeled using restricted cubic splines and adjustment for age, sex, smoking, education, country of birth, site-specific analysis plate, BMI, Charlson Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy and use of PPIs, metformin, SSRIs, statins, beta-blockers and antipsychotics (n = 14,974). Squares represent the EMMs, and bars the 95% confidence intervals. b, Pairwise differences in EMMs of microbiome diversity by number of previous antibiotic courses. Stars indicate significant differences (FDR < 5%). c, Associations between antibiotic use in the 8 years before fecal sampling and gut microbiome species diversity were investigated using regression models adjusted for the same covariates as above, in three cohorts (SCAPIS, SIMPLER, MOS, total n = 14,974), followed by meta-analyses of the regression coefficients. The x axis and diamonds display the meta-analyzed regression coefficients; error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. Filled symbols indicate statistically significant associations (FDR < 5%). Antibiotics with at least one such association are shown. Implications for Antibiotic Stewardship and Future Research The findings suggest that some antibiotics may have long-lasting effects on the gut microbiome, persisting for more than four years. These results support more judicious antibiotic prescribing and stewardship strategies that minimize microbiome disruption. However, the study remains observational and cannot establish causality. Further research is needed to understand long-term health consequences, including links to chronic disease. Findings may not generalize beyond outpatient settings in Sweden and may underestimate total antibiotic exposure due to missing hospital or international prescription data. Anyone with a chronic illness understands the struggle of living with a disease that is deeply unpredictable. Many such illnesses are characterized by long periods of remission broken up by sudden, debilitating flare-ups. Sometimes these flare-ups have obvious causes, but often they seem to come out of nowhere, which can be frustrating and unpleasant. The solution might come from a complex field of mathematics called nonlinear dynamics. This field involves changing systems where the relationships between variables are not proportional. In a nonlinear system, a small change in one area might lead to a very large change somewhere else, something colloquially known as the butterfly effect. This makes nonlinear systems difficult to predict and challenging to study. In Chaos, by AIP Publishing, a pair of researchers from Pusan National University in Korea and Arizona State University used the principles of nonlinear dynamics to calculate the minimal dose of medication required to treat atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema. In health care, nonlinear dynamics are applied to study diseases in neurology, cardiology, endocrinology, and immunology. These applications illustrate a broader principle: Many chronic diseases can be interpreted as nonlinear dynamical systems operating near critical thresholds, where small physiological changes may lead to qualitatively different outcomes." Yoseb Kang, author The researchers used their understanding of nonlinear dynamics to explore why eczema flare-ups happen and how to improve treatment outcomes. "Instead of only describing disease evolution, we aimed to determine the minimal intervention required to deliberately move the system from a chronic state into remission and then maintain stability," said Kang. The duo divided their mathematical approach into two regimes: In the first, the goal of treatment is to suppress an active flare-up. The second regime is a long-term effort to keep eczema in remission and prevent future flare-ups. In both treatments, patients use medications to control the condition, and the amount of medication required is determined by the skin's permeability and the patient's immune response. However, the researchers found the specifics were drastically different between the two regimes. In the first phase, the amount of antibiotics required scales proportionally and predictably with permeability and immune response. But in the second phase, the relationship is highly nonlinear. "In this regime, relatively small physiological changes can significantly increase the maintenance burden," said Kang. Tying treatment outcomes not just to medication dosage but also to patient-specific attributes can provide clarity to both patients and providers, and the predictive power of this analysis could help identify appropriate treatment plans. "This framework may help explain why some patients require strong early intervention and why maintaining remission can sometimes demand sustained effort even after visible improvement," said Kang. "In the longer term, if measurements of barrier function or immune markers are incorporated into models, treatment intensity could be adjusted more precisely to a patient's physiological state." New research indicates that the long-term neurological impact of childhood trauma is not permanently etched onto the brain. An analysis of brain communication patterns in a group of individuals who have experienced childhood adversity shows that lifetime physical activity can reshape neural connectivity, thereby strengthening the brain's internal communication and optimizing its response to stress. The findings from the study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, published by Elsevier, move beyond the idea of a permanently traumatized brain, highlighting physical activity as a modifiable lifestyle factor associated with neurobiological adaptation. Adverse childhood experiences such as emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse or neglect have a profound impact on health and are linked to long-term alterations in brain function. These changes in the brain can increase the risk of psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder. Physical activity is associated with synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and strengthened connectivity within key neural circuits. While the beneficial effects of physical activity are well established for conditions such as depression and anxiety, there is still limited evidence on how physical activity relates to neurobiological outcomes in trauma-exposed populations. In our research, we wanted to challenge the idea of 'scars of the brain' as a deterministic outcome. We investigated whether adversity-related brain patterns may reflect risk rather than fate, and whether a modifiable resilience-related behavior-physical activity across the lifespan-might help explain individual differences in how adversity is expressed in brain function." Christian Schmahl, MD, co-lead investigator, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, and German Center for Mental Health (DZPG) The investigators studied 75 adults with a history of adversity before the age of 18 and used resting state functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) to examine functional connectivity patterns of three key regions involved in stress and emotion regulation: the amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex. They observed significant interaction effects between adverse childhood experiences and lifetime physical activity in the connection between the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala. These interactions were most prominent in the subcorticalcerebellar, visual association, and motor-related regions. These regions overlap with emotion- and sensorimotor-related systems. The study further showed that across clusters, adversity was linked to lower connectivity at low exercise levels, but increased connectivity at higher levels, showing a crossover pattern. This means that physical activity changed how adversity was linked to communication between different brain regions. These effects were most pronounced at lifetime physical activity levels overlapping with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations of 150 to 390 minutes per week, indicating there may be a "sweet spot" of activity engagement where neural configurations supporting stress adaptation are most likely to emerge. Co-lead investigator Gabriele Ende, PhD, Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, and German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), points out that, "We expected that physical activity might moderate adversity-related connectivity, but we were surprised by the consistency of the crossover pattern across multiple clusters and by the prominent involvement of subcorticalcerebellar regions. The cerebellum has traditionally been associated with motor functions, but increasing evidence supports its important role in affective and stress-related processes." Given the increasing global burden of trauma exposure due to conflict and displacement, accessible and cost-effective resilience-related approaches are urgently needed. Physical activity is a modifiable behavioral factor that can be supported across interdisciplinary healthcare settings, including psychiatry, psychology, primary care, and nursing. Editor-in-Chief of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Cameron S. Carter, MD, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, notes, "This study directly examines lifetime physical activity as a moderator of adversity-related brain connectivity, rather than treating physical activity as a secondary variable. By identifying physical activity as a regulator, this work supports a more dynamic and potentially actionable model of resilience beyond traditional deficit-focused views of adversity. Characterizing network-level disruptions in the brain is essential for elucidating adversity-related neurodevelopment and informing targeted intervention strategies." Lead author Lemye Zehirlioglu, PhD candidate, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University concludes, "Childhood adversity can increase vulnerability, but it does not have to define a person's trajectory. Our findings suggest that physical activity across the lifespan may shape how adversity is reflected in brain connectivity, supporting a more hopeful and dynamic view of resilience." Shoulder replacement is the third most common joint-replacement surgery in the U.S. and is likely to become more common as the population ages, according to Penn State researchers. Though most patients go home on the same day as their surgery, those with greater health risks or serious injuries are admitted to the hospital for shoulder replacement. Patients who experience complications like infection or sepsis sometimes need to be readmitted to the hospital for treatment at a later date. In a study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery Open Access, an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers identified the demographic and medical factors related to increased readmission rates after inpatient shoulder replacement surgeries in Pennsylvania. The researchers found that risk factors for readmission included the urgency of initial admission to the hospital, the number of other health problems a patient experienced, where a patient was housed following discharge from the hospital and their insurance type. The results could be used to improve both patient outcomes and the efficiency of the healthcare system, according to the researchers. Shoulder replacement is a very common and very successful surgery. But readmission is costly and difficult for patients, so each readmission that can be prevented is worthwhile. We examined years of data from the highest-risk shoulder-replacements in Pennsylvania - inpatient surgeries - to identify what readmitted patients have in common." Christopher Hollenbeak, senior author, professor and head of the Department of Health Policy and Administration, Penn State Using data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, the researchers reviewed 14,333 cases of inpatient shoulder replacement surgery - known medically as total shoulder arthroscopy - in Pennsylvania between 2010 and 2018. Due to the statewide nature of the dataset, the researchers were able to include patients who received a shoulder replacement in one hospital but were readmitted to a different facility in the commonwealth. Every patient who was readmitted within 30 days was included in the study, regardless of their reason for readmission. Of the more than 14,000 patients who underwent inpatient shoulder replacement surgery in Pennsylvania during the study, 469 were readmitted within 30 days. Patients who were insured by Medicare were 96% more likely to be readmitted than those with private insurance - almost doubling their odds. The researchers also found that people who were discharged from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility were 61% more likely to require readmission, while those discharged with home health care were 28% more likely to return within the month. The risk factors identified in the study were not the root causes of the readmissions, according to the researchers. For example, they noted that people insured by Medicare received the same surgery as people who had private insurance, yet they were almost twice as likely to require additional hospitalization within 30 days. The researchers identified other risk factors for readmission as well. Patients admitted for urgent shoulder surgery - rather than a scheduled procedure - were 65% more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Those who received a reverse shoulder replacement - where the socket is affixed to the humerus, and the ball is on the shoulder joint - were 36% more likely to be readmitted. Patients who had one or two other significant medical conditions - like heart disease or diabetes - were 52% more likely to be readmitted, while those with three or more such conditions were 148% more likely to need to return to the hospital. These results may be interrelated, according to April Armstrong, C. McCollister Evarts Professor and Chair in the Department of Orthopaedics and Therapy Services at Penn State College of Medicine and co-author of the study. For example, sicker people - those with multiple other conditions - often have more complications in recovery. Additionally, reverse shoulder replacements are often performed on patients with a fractured humerus, which means those surgeries are often more urgent. While the risk of readmission after shoulder surgery is driven by factors beyond the control of patients and hospitals, the researchers said the factors identified in this study point to ways to improve patient outcomes and reduce readmissions. "A multidisciplinary approach to discharge planning and care for these patients is extremely important," Armstrong said. "By understanding the challenges leading to readmission, we can better educate caregivers, patients and families. We can also set clear expectations for managing medications, scheduling postoperative follow-up care and addressing factors like an individual's access to care." In addition to more robust discharge planning, the researchers suggested that health care systems could provide additional training for home health workers and staff at skilled nursing facilities. When surgical readmission rates for Medicare patients are too high, hospitals can be penalized and receive reduced payments for those surgeries, so facilities have a financial incentive to provide trainings that would reduce readmissions, the researchers said. "If you could supplement patient visits with observations of the surgical wound site and check for signs of infections of bleeding, patients may be able to get the treatment they need without readmission," Hollenbeak said. "Each readmission is very expensive, so training would be financially worthwhile. More importantly, it's a better outcome for patients." Brian Johnson, a Schreyer honors student who earned a bachelor's degree in business from Penn State in 2025, contributed substantially to this research. Johnson, first author of the paper, initiated the study because he was interested in becoming a physician, Hollenbeak said. Today, Johnson is a student at the Penn State College of Medicine. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who is accompanying National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on his visit to China, in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Turkmenistan should carry forward friendly tradition, firmly support each other, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday. Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who is accompanying National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on his visit to China. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that Berdimuhamedov is an old friend of the Chinese people. The top leaders of the two countries share strong mutual trust and profound friendship, which provides important strategic guidance for the steady growth of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Wang said, calling on both sides to advance China-Turkmenistan relations steadily along the correct path charted by the two heads of state. Meredov extended congratulations on the successful convening of China's "two sessions." He expressed Turkmenistan's support for the four global initiatives proposed by China and its willingness to work with the Chinese side to jointly prepare for the third China-Central Asia Summit. The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Iran and other international and regional issues of mutual concern. Scientists at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center have uncovered a new dual function for a well-known cancer-related protein called ezrin. This finding could potentially open the door to new treatments for osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer in children and young adults, as well as other cancers that are ezrin-dependent. The finding appeared March 17, 2026, in the journal Science Signaling. For decades researchers believed that ezrin was only active in its open form at the cell membrane. Its closed form, found in the cell's interior, was thought to be inactive or dormant. As we know more about the inner working of cancer cells based on laboratory and animal studies, that knowledge often translates to new and better treatment options for patients. Our research into the dual role of ezrin in driving cancer is an example of how basic research plays a major role in helping decrease cancer mortality." Aykut Uren, MD, professor, Department of Oncology and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology at Georgetown, and corresponding author of the published study Each year, about 1,000 new cases of osteosarcoma are diagnosed in the United States. About half of these are in children and adolescents. Five-year survival rates, when osteosarcomas are caught early and haven't spread, range from 6075%. However, if the disease metastasizes, survival rates drop to 530%. It is these metastatic cases that have been the most difficult to treat. One aspect of the scientists' innovative experiments was in zebrafish. Because ezrin pivots between open and closed states, it is difficult to study the function of each state separately as there is always a mixture of both conformational states. So, with the aid of sophisticated genetic techniques, the scientists created a set of osteosarcoma cells that did not express any ezrin protein and implanted them into zebrafish to study their ability to metastasize. They then reintroduced two mutant forms of ezrin; one locked in the open state, the other locked in the closed state. That allowed them to study the function of open and closed forms alone without the interference of the other. Uren and his colleagues found that closed ezrin binds directly to RNA. These RNA interactions allow closed ezrin to influence how genes are translated into proteins - functions that ultimately support cancer cell growth and metastasis. Most concerning was the finding that the closed form of ezrin can restore metastatic behavior in osteosarcoma cells that lack ezrin. Ezrin's dual role may help explain why it has been such a powerful driver of metastasis in osteosarcoma and other tumors and why targeting it has been challenging. "These findings fundamentally change how we think about ezrin. We now know that ezrin's closed form is not inactive at all - it's performing essential RNA-related functions that help cancer cells spread," says Uren. "By revealing that closed ezrin is an active RNA-binding protein, we've identified a completely new angle for therapeutic development." The investigators hope that if future efforts find a way to disrupt ezrin's interaction with RNA, they may be able to slow or prevent metastasis. The good news, says Uren, is his research lab has already identified small molecules that can inhibit both open and closed states of ezrin. They have shown promise in cultured osteosarcoma cells in the lab and in multiple mouse models. But the researcher's next challenge is to work to improve the drug's binding properties and solubility before they can consider possible tests in people. In addition to Uren, authors at Georgetown include Emre Deniz, Prakriti Tiwari, Purushottam B. Tiwari, Eric Glasgow, Brent T. Harris, Chunyan Hou, Junfeng Ma and Jeffrey Toretsky. Anup Tiwari is at Walter Johnson High School, Bethesda, Maryland. Uren and his co-authors report having no personal financial interests related to the study. This work was funded by a grant from the Children's Cancer Foundation in Baltimore. DNA Script, a pioneer in DNA synthesis providing scientists with rapid, on-demand access to high-quality DNA, today announced it has signed distribution agreements with Gencell, Bio-Medical Science Co. (BMS), and BioStream Co., expanding global access to the Company's SYNTAX platform for decentralized, in-house and on-demand oligonucleotide production. Under the agreements, Gencell will distribute SYNTAX across Latin America, Bio-Medical Science will cover South Korea, and BioStream will support customers in Japan. This expansion supports DNA Script's strategy to broaden global adoption of SYNTAX and enable researchers located far from major oligonucleotide production hubs in Europe and the United States to access DNA more quickly and reliably. Each distributor is an established life and health sciences company with strong regional networks, enabling local access to DNA synthesis capabilities without reliance on overseas manufacturing. Oligonucleotides are a critical input for a wide range of applications, but researchers located far from large-scale synthesis centers face project delays due to long delivery times or logistical constraints. DNA Script's automated, benchtop SYNTAX platform addresses these challenges by enabling researchers to synthesize ssDNA oligonucleotides directly within the lab in only few hours, shifting the model from centralized supply chains to local DNA production and ensuring geography does not determine scientific speed. We're excited to enter these new partnerships as part of our strategy to scale global accessibility and availability of ssDNA oligos, making them available to researchers anywhere in the world. These distributor agreements expand global access to the platform, support the Company's continued growth, and enable researchers to access oligonucleotides more quickly and reliably, regardless of location." Marc Montserrat, Chief Executive Officer, DNA Script Fabio Andres Zapata, Chief Executive Officer of Gencell, said: "This alliance represents a fundamental step toward accelerating innovation in Latin America. By bringing technologies like SYNTAX closer to researchers in the region, we help reduce development times and drive local biomanufacturing. We are proud to strengthen the region's scientific and technological capabilities, positioning Latin America as an increasingly competitive player in global science and biotechnology." Dukhyun Lim, Vice President of Bio-Medical Science Co., BMS, commented: "SYNTAX offers researchers greater control and speed in oligonucleotide production, enabling increased independence and control over project workflows, and we are pleased to support its availability in South Korea." Iwabuchi Takeshi, President of BioStream Co., added: "This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver advanced life sciences technologies throughout Japan, helping customers reduce dependence on overseas synthesis and long delivery timelines." In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers. They worked for a bit. But by 2011, Warfield struggled to walk. And "by that time, I was addicted," said Warfield, now living in Shelbyville, Kentucky. After she lost her health insurance, Warfield started buying pills on the street. She tried to quit several times, but the debilitating withdrawal so bad she couldn't get out of bed, she said kept driving her back to drug use. Until last year. Through her church, Warfield learned about the NET device. It's a cellphone-sized pack connected to gel electrodes placed near the ear that deliver low-level electrical pulses to the brain. "Once I got set up on the device, within 30 minutes, I didn't have any cravings" for opioids, Warfield said. After three days on the device in August, she stopped using drugs altogether, she said. Warfield's treatment was paid for with her county's opioid settlement dollars money from pharmaceutical companies accused of fueling the overdose crisis. State and local governments nationwide are receiving billions in opioid settlement cash over nearly two decades and are meant to spend it treating and preventing addiction. Warfield wants them to allot a good chunk to the NET device, which costs counties about $5,500 a person. The pitch is gaining traction. NET Recovery, which makes the device, said it has signed about $1.2 million in contracts with more than a dozen counties and cities in Kentucky. But some researchers and recovery advocates say the company's rapid consumption of opioid dollars raises red flags. They see the NET device as the latest in a series of products that have been overhyped as the solution to the addiction crisis, preying on people's desperation and capitalizing on the windfall of opioid settlements. Many of these products from high-dose overdose reversal medications to body scanners for jails have little evidence to back their lofty promises. That has not stopped sales representatives from repeatedly pitching elected officials or circulating ready-made templates to request settlement money for the companies' products. In fact, a device similar to NET called the Bridge gained popularity several years ago, receiving more than $215,000 in opioid settlement cash nationwide. But serious questions arose about the study backing its effectiveness, and the device is currently off the market. NET Recovery's activity "fits the national trends of these industry money grabs," said Tricia Christensen, a national expert on opioid settlements based in Tennessee. The device "could be helpful for some," she said. "But it's being sold as a silver bullet." This year, 237 organizations working to end overdose including Christensen's consulting company published a road map to guide officials in charge of opioid settlement money. In it, they called the NET device an example of problematic spending on unproven treatment. Treating withdrawal or addiction The FDA has cleared the NET device for a specific use: reducing drug withdrawal symptoms. It has not approved the device to treat addiction. That's a crucial distinction, said Eric Hulsey, executive director of the Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addictions. He co-authored a recent report evaluating the evidence on neuromodulation devices like NET. "The term 'treatment' becomes confusing," Hulsey said. "These devices were cleared to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms, not to treat an opioid use disorder." NET Recovery CEO Joe Winston said the company adheres to FDA rules and advertises the device only for withdrawal management. But "we are finding that physicians are prescribing this to folks for long-term behavior based on the results of our study." He's referring to an October study that he co-authored and the company funded, in which researchers followed two groups of addiction patients in Kentucky for 12 weeks. The first group received the NET device for up to seven days, while the second group received a sham treatment. The study found no significant difference between the groups' outcomes. Participants who got the NET device were similarly likely to use illicit drugs after treatment as those who got the fake. Hulsey, who was not affiliated with the study, said the takeaway is clear: "They didn't find that was effective." A subgroup of participants who chose to use the device for more than 24 hours consecutively, however, went on to use illicit drugs less often than other participants. As the researchers acknowledged in their paper, that subgroup might simply have been more motivated to engage with any form of treatment. The results don't necessarily show that the device is making a difference, Hulsey said. Rapid growth Winston had a different take. He said the success of the subgroup is "intriguing and outstanding." So outstanding, in fact, that the company this month is opening a brick-and-mortar location in Miami, where the device will be available to anyone who can pay $8,000 out-of-pocket. (The cost is higher for individuals than for county governments.) It has also applied for opioid settlement dollars from the state of Kentucky to conduct a larger research study and aims to bring the NET device into metro areas such as Louisville and Lexington. Last year, NET Recovery hired a magistrate in Franklin County, Kentucky, to head up its operations in the state. (Magistrates function as county commissioners.) Kelly Dycus, who is also a mental health clinician, travels to different counties, extolling the benefits of the device and encouraging officials to contract with the company. Her county awarded $75,000 to NET Recovery prior to her joining the company. Moving forward, Dycus said, she would recuse herself from any contract votes in her county. Christensen, the national expert on opioid settlements, called Dycus' new role "extremely strategic" for the company and "an obvious conflict of interest" for a public official. Giving people choice More options for people to enter recovery is generally good, said Jennifer Twyman, who has a history of opioid addiction and now works with Vocal-KY, a nonprofit that advocates to end homelessness and the war on drugs. But settlement funds are finite, she said, and when counties invest in the NET device, that leaves less money to support options like mental health treatment, housing, and transportation programs critical for many people who use drugs. "People slip through these big, huge gaps we have and they die," Twyman said, pointing to photos of dead friends that line her office wall. She added that people should have the option of taking medications such as methadone and buprenorphine the gold standard for treating opioid addiction. National data shows only 1 in 4 people with opioid addiction get them. Many people can't afford them, find a doctor willing to prescribe them, or get transportation to appointments, Twyman said. There's also discrimination against those who use medications, with detractors saying they're not truly abstinent or clean. Companies like NET Recovery sometimes lean into that stigma, Twyman said. For instance, Scott County, Kentucky, jailer Derran Broyles whom the company considers a key champion for its device said in a public meeting to other county officials that medication treatment is just "swapping one drug for another." It's a common refrain from critics that many researchers and clinicians refute. Winston told KFF Health News his company is supportive of all types of recovery but that the NET device can help the "underserved population" of people who don't want medication. Longtime addiction researcher Mark Greenwald has led studies for NET Recovery and consults for Indivior, one of the leading producers of medications for opioid use disorder. He said he sees value in both approaches. It just depends on whom you're trying to treat. For people injecting drugs or accustomed to high doses of fentanyl, who are more likely to return to using drugs after residential treatment, "I would hesitate to recommend the device," he said. Abstinence-based approaches can increase their risk of dying. But for people who are "highly motivated to stay abstinent," the NET device may be a good fit. "Giving people choices is the right thing to do," he said. Community as part of recovery Warfield, who has not used opioids since August, credits not just the NET device with her recovery but her community too. "It's not a miracle cure," she said of the device. "You still have to manage your triggers, but it's easier." She regularly attends individual and group therapy to address childhood trauma. She's found close friends within her church and has reconnected with her daughter. She installed a car seat in her vehicle so she can drive her grandson to preschool. Warfield explained her hope for opioid settlement money to reach others in her community simply: "I want people to get as much help as they can." BAKU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan has dispatched an additional batch of humanitarian aid to Iran on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the state news agency AZERTAC reported on Wednesday. The aid was organized following a telephone conversation on March 8, 2026, between Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, to address the needs of the neighboring country. The consignment comprises 82 tons of aids, including 76 tons of food and foodstuffs, four tons of medicines, and two tons of medical equipment, transported by five trucks, along with festive gifts and Nowruz-related items ahead of the upcoming holiday. Iran's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mojtaba Demirchilou, told reporters that Tehran welcomed Azerbaijan being the first country to send humanitarian assistance to Iran. He added that several third countries have approached Azerbaijan with requests to use its territory as a transit route for delivering assistance to Iran. Reenactors in 18th-century military coats and tricorn hats filled the pews of one of the nation's oldest Catholic churches on Tuesday before firing muskets outside and marching through neighborhood streets, marking the 250th anniversary of the day British forces evacuated the city. Men, horses, and even cattle moved through South Boston's hills in the morning wind as residents watched from stoopssome in pajamas and wrapped in blankets, appearing to have been awakened by the sound of drums and bagpipes, the AP reports. Evacuation Day commemorates March 17, 1776, when British troops withdrew from Boston. The breakthrough came when Gen. George Washington fortified Dorchester Heights with artillery hauled from Fort Ticonderoga by Col. Henry Knox, prompting the British evacuation. The event marked the Continental Army's first major victory of the Revolutionary War, ending an 11-month siege of Boston and securing the city for the American cause. The anniversary also traditionally falls on St. Patrick's Day, a pairing that has shaped Boston's celebrations for decades and was marked again with a combined parade in South Boston last weekend. The ceremony Tuesday began at St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery, where participants gathered for Mass in the 1818 building before forming a procession that moved through South Boston toward Dorchester Heights, the hill where colonial forces positioned artillery overlooking the harbor. The commemoration continued there, with a ceremony featuring Revolutionary War reenactment units, music, and a wreath-laying. The event also marked the reopening of the Dorchester Heights monument following a $37 million renovation project. Ronald White of Milton, dressed in colonial attire, stood with reenactors firing replica muskets in the church's graveyard following the service and said the anniversary carries personal meaning. A member of the New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution, he traces his lineage to an ancestor who fought in the war. His eyes teared up Tuesday talking about how inspired he feels by the nation's founders. "To think that 250 years ago Henry Knox made such a courageous stand, I get choked up thinking about it," White said. "They really were going up against a forceit was kind of a suicidal idea to stand up against Great Britain. And we did it. Here we are remembering it." Greta Gaffin, a Boston University theology student studying American religious history, said the Catholic service struck her as historically ironic. Holding a Catholic Mass to mark the anniversary is a scene the nation's founders might not have imagined. Colonial Massachusetts long restricted Catholic worship, and churches did not take root in Boston until after the Revolution, as religious freedoms expanded and Irish immigration reshaped the city. "I'm here because I think having a Catholic Mass in honor of Evacuation Day is conceptually absurd," she said. "They would have hated thisI had to see it." "And I love parades," she added. Chinese FM outlines outcomes of China-Vietnam cooperation meeting Xinhua) 08:09, March 18, 2026 HANOI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday outlined the key outcomes of the 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shared the outcomes in an interview with Chinese media after attending the meeting and the first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security in Hanoi. Both sides agreed to enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, continuously improve governance capabilities, and jointly explore paths of strengthening the party and developing the country, Wang said. He added that both sides agreed to enrich security coordination, deepen collaboration in areas such as cybersecurity, combating online gambling and telecommunications fraud, and fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, and strengthen cooperation between the two militaries in political work, joint exercises and training, and border and coastal defense. Wang also noted that both sides agreed to expand pragmatic cooperation, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, cross-border economic cooperation zones, and smart ports, and promote cooperation in emerging fields such as technological innovation, digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He said that both sides agreed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, strengthen cooperation in areas such as culture and tourism, education and training, and healthcare, and accelerate the implementation of Chinese aid projects for improving people's livelihoods in Vietnam, making these projects tangible and accessible to the people of both countries. He added that both sides agreed to properly manage differences, make good use of maritime negotiation mechanisms, promote maritime cooperation in low-sensitivity fields, and push for substantive progress in the demarcation of the waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf and joint maritime development as early as possible, so as to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. Both sides agreed to enhance multilateral coordination, uphold genuine multilateralism, practice open regionalism, promote common values of all mankind, and push the global governance system towards a more just and equitable direction, according to Wang. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) BUENOS AIRES, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Argentina formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said. He said in a social media post that Argentina communicated this decision through a note addressed to the United Nations Secretary-General on March 17, 2025. In accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the withdrawal takes place one year after that notification. "Our country will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, fully safeguarding its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies," Quirno said. The Argentine government announced the decision to withdraw from the global health body in February last year. Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni told a press conference at the time that President Javier Milei had instructed the Argentine foreign minister to withdraw the country's participation in the UN specialized agency. The spokesperson said that the decision "gives the country greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context and interests that Argentina requires, as well as greater availability of resources, and reaffirms our path towards a country with sovereignty also in matters of health." A Florida man was executed Tuesday evening for the rape and murder of a young mother who frantically called 911 on her attacker's cellphone while she was tied up in his car. Michael Lee King, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:13pm following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, authorities said. He had been convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery, and kidnapping in the January 2008 killing of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee. Court records show the woman was outside her North Port home with her two sonsa toddler and an infantwhen King drove by, spotted her, and later abducted her while leaving the children home alone, the AP reports. A terminally ill Arizona comedy club owner died in Alaska after attempting to kill his ex-wife and succeeding in killing her father, police say. Authorities say 61-year-old Mathew Thomas Becker first shot at his ex-wife as she tried to unlock the doors of her Anchorage hair salon on Saturday, reports the Anchorage Daily News . The woman reportedly ran and hid from Becker before calling police around 9:30am, saying she feared for her father, who lived nearby. Minutes later, police found the father, 87-year-old Romaine Clark, dead from gunshot wounds inside his home. Police say Becker opened fire through a back window, killing Clark before fleeing. Becker was charged with first-degree murder and third-degree assault while authorities searched for him, per Fox News. The manhunt ended Sunday morning when Becker was found dead in a wooded area in Eagle River, about 15 miles northeast of Anchorage, according to a statement. Officials have not yet released his cause of death. Becker's brother told reporters he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had been living in Arizona, where he owned Chuckleheads comedy club. The ex-wife reported she had no idea he'd returned to Alaska after moving to Arizona following their divorce. Clark was a regular at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, where he handed out food and drinks to competitors, per the Daily News. Iran says two senior figures at the top of its power structure are dead after Israeli strikes near Tehran , marking one of the most severe hits to its leadership since the war began. State media confirmed the deaths of Ali Larijani, who led the Supreme National Security Council and briefly served as Iran's acting leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the start of the war, and Brig. Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, who commanded a major plainclothes force tied to the Revolutionary Guards, the New York Times reports. Larijani's son, Morteza, responsible for his father's security, was also reported killed. According to state media, Soleimani was killed as he met with commanders of the all-volunteer Basij force, which played a major role in violent crackdowns on protests earlier this year, the AP reports. Tehran's outlets hailed Larijani as a martyr and paired his image with that of the late supreme leader, underscoring his status as a central power broker and one of the few figures seen as able to deal with Washington. His removal could tilt influence toward more hardline voices who favor continued confrontation, the Times reports. "The regime will certainly be less sophisticated now," Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former CIA officer, tells the Washington Post. "They just don't have a deep bench of folks who can think things through well." At the White House, President Trump said Larijani had "a lot of blood on his hands" and defended the war, claiming the US had dismantled both Iran's military and its nuclear threat. Asked about a potential Vietnam-like quagmire, he replied he was "not afraid of anything" and said US forces would leave "in the near future," without offering a specific timeline. Florida lawmakers have hit pausenot stopon a move to outlaw marriage between first cousins, Action News Jax reports. Republican state Rep. Dean Black quietly attached an amendment to a Department of Health bill this session that would have barred first cousins from marrying starting in July. The change sailed through without debate and drew little notice until the final day of the legislative session, when disagreements over other parts of the bill killed it as the clock ran out. Florida is one of 16 states that place no limits on first-cousin marriage, while at least 32 states ban or heavily restrict it. Black says Florida should join that majority, arguing that "there are plenty of people" to marry who aren't your first cousin. He expects the proposal, which WFTV reports would have kept all forms of "incestuous marriages" from being recognized in the state, to return next year, either as a standalone bill or tacked onto another measure. Gulf Coast News Now reports that while West Virginia is often the target of jokes regarding cousin marriage, it actually banned such marriages in 1955. Only about 250,000 marriages in the US are estimated to be cousin marriages, whether first or more distant ones. Banksy has gone to great lengths to shield his identity, including legally changing his name to one of the most common in Britain. But now that Reuters has unmasked the street artist as the former Robin Gunningham, now known as David Jones, he stands to benefit from a financial boost, the Wall Street Journal reports. Rather than dampen his mystique, dealers say the unmasking could lift a market for Banksy art that has largely cooled. Fourteen of Banksy's 20 priciest auction results came in 2021-22, including the $25.4 million resale of the shredded "Girl with Balloon," retitled "Love is in the Bin." Since then, nothing has cracked $10 million, and non-shredded versions of "Girl with Balloon" have slid from about $4 million to roughly $1 million, according to longtime dealer Acoris Andipa. While Andipa argues most Banksy buyers "don't care about his identity," per the New York Times, some art insiders expect the artist to draw new collectors now that his secret is out. The market generally favors transparency and Banksy's anonymity "worked against him," argues street art collector Peter Brant, per the Journal. He says collectors want to know an artist's identity, background, and evolution, which helps support long-term value. Jean-Paul Engelen of Acquavella Galleries agrees, noting that while pseudonyms are common, serious collectors like biographical clarity. At the same time, something has been lost. Anonymity has always been "key to Banksy's mystique," adding to "the artist's all-important shock value," the Financial Times reported last year. It also helped Banksy escape authorities after vandalizing public buildings, the Journal reports, noting he might have to change how he operates. How Banksy feels about all this is unclear. His authentication company, Pest Control Office, declined to confirm or deny the Reuters report, saying only that the artist "has decided to say nothing." A shooting at a US Air Force base in New Mexico on Tuesday has left one person dead and another wounded, according to military officials. The Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo, in southern New Mexico, was put on lockdown at about 5:30pm because of reports of an active shooter, according to a statement released by the 49th Wing. The person who was wounded has been taken for medical treatment. Security officials have confirmed the base is safe and the lockdown has been lifted, the AP reports. "Emergency personnel are responding to the situation and there is no threat at this time," the statement said. Neither the names of the people shot nor additional details on the shooting have been released. A Live Nation Entertainment ticketing employee testified Tuesday at the company's antitrust trial that his private instant messages were "very immature and unacceptable" several years ago when he told a coworker some customers were "so stupid" and boasted of "robbing them blind, baby." Benjamin Baker, head of ticketing for Venue Nation, which includes the company's amphitheaters, became a key witness in claims over 30 states are pressing against the concert promotion and ticketing giant after a Manhattan federal judge rejected Live Nation's efforts to exclude his messages from the trial. The Justice Department reached a settlement with Live Nation last week to open up some ticketing and promotional markets to more competition. Federal government lawyers insist the settlement will reduce ticket prices, reports the AP . All but six of 39 states and the District of Columbia that joined the federal government's lawsuit remain in the case. Many states insist the Justice Department fell far short of a goal of destroying a monopoly and forcing the breakup of Live Nation. Jeffrey Kessler, a lawyer for the states, tried to use Baker's communications to support arguments that Live Nation and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, were squelching competition and driving up prices for fans by assuming the behavioral patterns and arrogance of monopolists. Kessler, his voice loud at times, confronted Baker with what he wrote to a fellow employee in early 2022 as they discussed Live Nation's price for access to the VIP area of a show at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa. Baker wrote that the prices are "outrageous," that "these people are so stupid" and that "I almost feel bad taking advantage of them" before writing, "BAHAHAHAHAHA." Baker repeatedly expressed disappointment and regret at the messages he shared on Slack. After Kessler read aloud Baker's message, Baker became emotional and his voice briefly broke as he explained: "I used very immature and regrettable language." Baker explained that he and his co-worker were only talking about "optional" expenses that no ticketholder had to purchase. Kessler responded that for Live Nation, it was "also optional not to exploit every single dollar it can extract from these fans." Later, when Baker explained a rise in revenues from the sale of amenity services, Kessler read Baker's troubling words back to him, saying: "What you were really doing was 'robbing them blind, baby.'" Baker, who has been promoted twice since the private chat, tried to shield his company from harm, saying his conversation with his coworker was "speaking for myself, not Live Nation as a whole." When Kessler asked Baker if he'd been demoted or lost pay from his company, he responded: "No sir, not at this time." Israel's defense minister said on Wednesday that the Israeli military killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. Israel Katz announced Khatib's killing, reports the AP , and said that "significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts," without elaborating. Israel's latest killing follows those of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, Brig. Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani. The US Treasury had sanctioned Khatib in 2022, over the Intelligence Ministry "engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies." Khatib "directs several networks of cyber threat actors involved in cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran's political goals," the Treasury said at the time. In a separate round of sanctions, the Treasury also called Iran's Intelligence Ministry "one of the Iranian government's main security services ... responsible for serious human rights abuses." "Under his leadership, the (Intelligence Ministry) has cracked down on a large number of human rights defenders, women's-rights activists, journalists, filmmakers, and members of religious minority groups," it said. The Intelligence Ministry "has also aggressively persecuted individuals reporting on human rights abuses and violations in Iran, as well as their families, and subjected detainees to torture in secret detention centers during his tenure." First came Khamenei. And in the weeks since, Israel has tracked down and killed other top Iranian officials, with more big names falling this week. This "decapitation" strategy is meant to destabilize and demoralize the remaining leadership in Iran, and possibly encourage ordinary Iranians to revolt. Whether it will work or backfire is the big question. Coverage: More coming: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu made a jokey video with Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, in which the men laugh about crossing names off Netanyahu's "punch card" of targets, reports the Hill. "Today, I erased two names on the punch card, and you see how many more to go on this batch?" asks Netanyahu. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu made a jokey video with Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, in which the men laugh about crossing names off Netanyahu's "punch card" of targets, reports the Hill. "Today, I erased two names on the punch card, and you see how many more to go on this batch?" asks Netanyahu. The list: Axios has a complete roundup of those killed so far. Joe Kent's departure from the National Counterterrorism Center this week came with a pointed critique of US policy on Iranand a deeply personal reminder of the cost of war. In his resignation letter, Kent invoked his first wife, Navy linguist Shannon Kent, who was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria in January 2019. It was her first deployment since having children, Kent explained in a 2024 podcast interview , highlighted by the New York Times . A New York native who joined the military after the Sept. 11 attacks, the 35-year-old was a cryptologic warfare chief petty officer assigned to a Navy unit that supports the National Security Agency and special operations forces. Shannon's easy rapport and language skills, including fluency in Iraqi Arabic, made her especially effective in questioning Iraqis and gathering human intelligence for SEAL and other special operations missions. Joe Kent, a retired Army Special Forces officer with six Bronze Stars across 11 combat deployments, met her briefly in Baghdad in 2007, when she delivered a targeting briefing on an Iranian militant, per the Times. They crossed paths again in 2013 during a yearlong selection course for a classified intelligence unit and soon married, eventually settling near Annapolis with their children. Shannon was then shipped off to Syria in late 2018, where she continued work linked to the NSA. On Jan. 16, 2019, while meeting a source in Manbij, she and three other Americans were killed by a suicide bomber. Kent has since argued she "should have been out of Syria" following President Trump's December 2018 withdrawal order and has criticized what he calls "the administrative state ... desperately trying to keep us in these conflicts." In his resignation letter, he said he could not support "sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people" and accused the US of caving to Israeli pressure to go to war with Iran. Some lawmakers accused him of antisemitism. Trump said Tuesday "it's a good thing that he's out" because he was "very weak on security" and wrong in his assertion that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the US, per USA Today. YAOUNDE, March 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people have died following violent attacks in the Sudanese locality of Tina, which borders Chad, the international humanitarian aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Tuesday. According to the MSF, the agency and Chadian health authorities received 123 wounded people at a newly constructed hospital near the border on Monday. Seventeen of the injured later died at the facility, while 66 were admitted in critical condition. The MSF warned that a sharp influx of casualties, as fighting intensifies across the border, is putting pressure on the hospital's capacity to cope with the ongoing emergency. "We treat patients without water or electricity, using a generator or solar panels. Our stock of machines is running out," the MSF staff said, adding that the situation is worsening for displaced people who are "in desperate need" of aid and protection. Iran has already choked off the world's main oil arteryand now it's signaling that the backup route may be in play, too. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran this week warned that the Red Sea and any facilities supporting the US carrier USS Gerald R. Ford are now considered legitimate military targets . Iran has not said it will directly target commercial ships there, NBC News reports. But its Yemeni ally, the Houthi movement, has a track record of disrupting traffic through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a narrow passage that normally carries about 10% of seaborne oil. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi recently said his fighters are ready to act "at any moment," though they have so far stayed out of the confrontation. Analysts say that restraint is deliberate. The Houthis, who previously slashed Suez Canal transits by 70% and forced many ships to detour around Africa, appear to be weighing internal debates and Iran's broader strategy. Tehran may be holding back its Houthi "card" for a later phase, according to experts at London-based think tanks RUSI and Chatham House. Even so, the mere threat has again thinned traffic through Bab el-Mandeb, according to maritime intelligence firms, just months after tankers and cargo ships had begun cautiously returning to the Red Sea. For global trade, the timing isn't good. Iran's closure of Hormuz has already triggered what the International Energy Agency calls the most severe oil market disruption on record. Regional states are trying to compensate: Saudi Arabia has pushed more crude through its Red Sea pipeline, and the United Arab Emirates has ramped up flows to the Gulf of Oman. But those alternate lines can handle only about a quarter of the volume normally moving through Hormuzand they, too, are vulnerable to Iranian or Houthi action. Should tankers in the Red Sea loaded with Saudi oil come under attack, "I think we (will) then see a material price spike in oil," said Naveen Das, a Kpler oil analyst, per CNN. "Because it basically signals to the market that all of the sort of escape routes (for oil) are being targeted. ... There's no out." More than a decade after an Iowa real estate agent was gunned down in a model townhouse, police say they've made an arrest. West Des Moines police on Tuesday charged 53-year-old Kristin Ramsey with first-degree murder in the 2011 killing of 27-year-old Ashley Okland, who was shot while working alone at a model home on April 8, 2011, according to the Iowa Attorney General's Cold Case Unit. Officials announced the arrest Wednesday but declined to explain what new evidence led to charges, citing the ongoing case, ABC News reports. Dallas County Attorney Matt Schultz said only that a grand jury, after reviewing the evidence, returned an indictment against Ramsey. Ramsey worked in 2011 for Rottlund Homes, the company that built the townhouse where Okland was killed, her former boss Steven Kahn told ABC. He said he never suspected her of any involvement, calling her "the nicest lady" and recalling that he sat next to her at Okland's funeral. "There's nothing from a business standpoint that I could see why it would have happened," Kahn said. I have no idea about anything in her personal life." Files show that before her arrest, Ramsey had no criminal record and her only brush with the law was a speeding ticket from 2001, the Des Moines Register reports. Police described the killing as a case that rattled Iowa and lingered over the real estate industry for years. Under a safety pledge, realtors in the area now meet clients in public places and require them to show identification before they are shown homes. "Ashley's story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds, searching for that missing piece that would tie everything together and lead us down the right path to identifying a person who was responsible for this act," Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes, who has been on the case from the start, said Wednesday, per the Register. At the news conference, Okland's sister, Brittany Bruce, said the family had begun to lose hope that the case would ever be solved. "That Friday afternoon when Ashley was taken from us seems so long ago," she told reporters, adding that they now "have full confidence" in investigators and prosecutors "to see this through." Okland's brother, Josh Okland, thanked investigators for their efforts. "Today is a day my family has thought about very often over the last 14 years," he said, per Fox News. Mental health clinicians at Kaiser Permanente staged a one-day strike in California on Wednesday, protesting Kaiser Permanente's growing use of artificial intelligence tools and warning of risks to patient safety and their own jobs. The walkout involved up to 2,400 psychologists, social workers, and other therapists, with nurses and other unionized hospital staff joining picket lines across the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Sacramento, KQED reports. The National Union of Healthcare Workers said Kaiser has shifted initial mental health screening away from licensed clinicians to phone operators and an online questionnaire powered by AI, which they argue can miss patients at high risk of self-harm or in crisis. Therapists say the company is also trying to scrap workload limits that protect time for existing patients and may steer more care to outside contractors. The union contends Kaiser has declined to put into the contract that AI will not replace therapists. Katy Roemer, a nurse in adult and family medicine, said the California Nurses Association shares the concerns and wants to ensure that humans provide care for other humans, per the AP. "Is AI going to benefit patients? Is AI going to benefit the people that work for Kaiser Permanente? Or is AI going to benefit the bottom line of the corporation?" she said. "So we want AI that's transparent, that is allowing people to do their jobs." Kaiser disputes that it is using AI to make clinical decisions or to cut staff, saying it is expanding its mental health workforce and has nearly doubled it in the past decade in Northern California. The Oakland-based nonprofit says AI is being introduced to reduce administrative burdens and improve access to care, not to replace human judgment. "We see technologyand AI, in particularas a way to support you in managing your practice," the company told employees in a message this week. An expert on digital health at the University of Michigan said anxiety over AI is widespread in health care, per KQED, in part because decisions about deploying the technology are often made without front-line worker input. OSAKA, Mar 18 (News On Japan) - Deer, one of Naras most enduring symbols and animals that have been protected for more than 1,300 years as sacred messengers of the gods, are now beginning to move beyond Nara Park and even beyond Nara Prefecture, raising new questions about what is driving the unusual migration. A Kansai TV "News Runner" reporting team closely tracked the animals movements after deer were spotted in Higashi-Osaka, where residents said such a sight was almost unheard of. A reporter on the scene in Nunoshichi-cho in Higashi-Osaka said a deer had appeared there earlier in the afternoon and was later seen resting quietly near a field. Local residents described the sight as extremely unusual, saying they had never seen anything like it before. According to Higashi-Osaka city officials, there are no wild deer living in the nearby Ikoma mountain range, prompting the question of where the animal had come from. Nara is widely known among tourists from Japan and overseas for its deer, which have long been regarded as divine messengers. The animals roaming freely through the city are one of the regions most iconic sights. But now a major change appears to be underway. Deer believed to have come from Nara Park have been sighted more than 10 kilometers away from central Nara, and reports suggest their range is expanding beyond the prefecture itself. The deer of Nara are said to have inhabited the area for more than 1,300 years and have long been cherished as sacred animals. Those living in Nara Park are designated as a natural monument, and their protection and management have traditionally been carried out with an emphasis on coexistence with people. Recently, however, deer from Nara Park have increasingly been seen outside the park. To understand the scale of the movement, reporters traced just how far the animals had traveled from their usual habitat. Searching westward from the area around JR Nara Station, the reporting team found two deer resting in a residential neighborhood more than 2 kilometers from Nara Park. A local woman who said she owned the land where they appeared said the animals had been there for around three weeks. She said she had lived there for more than 50 years and had never seen deer in the area before. At first there had been one deer, but by the previous week there were two. Both animals were male, and according to an expert, their antlers showed signs of having been cut by humans, suggesting they had come from Nara Park. The team later obtained video shot the previous Tuesday morning showing a group of deer walking boldly through a residential district. Buses were forced to stop as the animals crossed the road. The footage was recorded in Tezukayama, Nara City, more than 10 kilometers from Nara Park. A man who witnessed the deer said about six of them had been grazing nearby before moving along a main road and even causing buses to halt. He said he had lived in the area since 1968 and had never before seen a group of six deer together there. According to the witness, the deer continued moving west. Reporters followed the trail into Ikoma, where some residents said they had heard about sightings in Tezukayama but had not seen the animals themselves. Others said deer had been spotted along a busy roadside in the urban area. At a nearby bakery, staff provided a crucial lead. One employee said another worker had noticed deer passing in front of the shop on the previous Tuesday, prompting everyone to rush outside. They saw six deer moving past the store. Video recorded there at around 9 a.m. on March 10 showed the animals crossing the road in an orderly line, a scene that looked unmistakably like the deer of Nara Park. The timing was roughly two hours after the group had been filmed in Tezukayama. Residents then began hearing that the deer had gone even farther west, toward Ishikiri in Higashi-Osaka, around 20 kilometers from Nara Park and across the Ikoma Mountains. Following those reports, the News Runner team visited the area around Ishikiri Shrine in search of the animals. They quickly found fresh testimony from local residents, who said deer had entered a nearby park. At the site, the team found what appeared to be deer hair scattered on the ground and footprints that may have belonged to the animals. Further investigation found that one of the two deer later seen in the area had been temporarily taken into protection by police and members of a local deer preservation group, while the other fled toward the mountains. Then, during coverage in Higashi-Osaka on the following day, the team finally captured footage of a lone deer in Osaka. The animal, with short antlers, stood looking toward the camera. Since there are no wild deer believed to inhabit the Ikoma Mountains, officials said it may have come from Nara Park. The question then became why so many deer are now moving so far. The Nara Deer Preservation Foundation, which oversees the protection and management of deer in Nara Park, said the animals being tracked were almost certainly deer from Nara. A representative said Nara Park is normally the safest place for deer, and they generally have little reason to leave. But conditions appear to be changing. Looking at the state of the grass and acorns in the park, the foundation believes there is no longer enough natural food to sustain the growing number of deer. As the population becomes too dense, more animals may be getting pushed out. A graph shown in the report indicated that the deer population in Nara Park reached a record 1,465 last year, up 140 from the previous year. The foundation described that figure as abnormal. It said one major reason for the unusually high number is human behavior. Tourists feeding the deer foods other than the designated deer crackers, along with leftovers and other food waste, may have improved the animals nutrition and reduced mortality. Reporters also observed what appeared to be foreign tourists feeding deer from a silver bag rather than using the approved crackers. Once deer begin moving far from the park, however, managing them becomes much more difficult. The foundation noted that animals that travel far away are effectively outside its jurisdiction, yet they remain protected as a natural monument. That means any capture or management action requires legal permission and cannot be done freely. The situation is now raising broader concerns about how people should respond when such deer appear in urban areas. If the animals are indeed protected deer from Nara, touching or relocating them without authorization could create legal issues. On the other hand, feeding them could worsen the problem. Commentators in the program noted that because these deer are used to people, they may be less fearful than truly wild animals, which could increase the risk of trouble involving crops, pets, traffic, or food scavenging. They said rules and a clearer public response may now be needed, including at the national level. Source: KTV NEWS HOKKAIDO, Mar 18 (News On Japan) - Authorities in Matsumae Town in southern Hokkaido conducted a brown bear response drill on March 18th, simulating a scenario in which a bear wanders into a residential area, as police, firefighters and local hunters worked together to confirm coordination procedures and response steps. "Visual confirmation of what appears to be a bear," a police officer announced during the exercise, as firefighters deployed a drone to track the simulated animal moving through the town, sharing real-time information with police and hunting teams. In the drill, a police officer acted as the bear, allowing participants to rehearse realistic movements and verify the sequence of actions leading up to a potential culling, with officers instructing hunters to prepare for firing and confirming communication protocols on the ground. "Please proceed with firing," an officer said, to which a hunter responded, "Understood," demonstrating the final stage of the response plan. The exercise comes amid heightened concern in the region, where a newspaper delivery worker was fatally attacked by a bear in the nearby town of Fukushima in 2025, underscoring the risks posed by increasing encounters. "We must approach this with a strong determination to never allow bears into urban areas," said Shiro Michishita, head of the Matsumae branch of the Hokkaido Hunters Association, emphasizing the need for close coordination between authorities and local groups. Reports related to bear sightings reached a record 5,260 cases in 2025, highlighting a growing sense of urgency among participants, who carried out the drill with the awareness that a real incident could occur at any time. Source: UHB SAPPORO, Mar 18 (News On Japan) - North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in Minami Ward, Sapporo, which closed in September 2025 over unauthorized development, remains home to hundreds of animals as its operator disputes a planned removal order while emphasizing animal welfare concerns. HBC cameras entered the site for the first time since its closure with permission from the operating company, revealing that animal calls still echo throughout the grounds and that a significant number of animals remain on site. Reporter Yui Kitaoka said on March 12th, "Animal sounds can still be heard from time to time throughout the park," adding that five Arctic wolves are still being kept at the facility. As Sapporo City proceeds with procedures toward issuing an order to remove illegal structures, the operating company has submitted a written statement arguing that such an order would be unlawful. The companys president, who recently assumed the role, spoke publicly for the first time amid the controversy. The president of Success Tourism said, "Rather than keeping them here, we want to move the animals to a new location, but that requires securing a new site." The zoo once housed 640 animals as of December 2024, including species such as ring-tailed lemurs native to Madagascar, known for their fox-like faces and long striped tails. Through transfers to other facilities, the number has now been reduced to 224. According to the Animal Welfare Management Center, which is monitoring conditions, there are currently no issues with how the animals are being kept. The president acknowledged violations of the City Planning Act, stating, "Violating the law itself is wrong, and we take that seriously." North Safari Sapporo had operated for around 20 years after constructing facilities without permission in a designated urbanization control area. The previous president resigned in March 2025, and the current president, formerly the zoo director, took over. Of the 183 illegal structures that once stood on the site, nearly 80% have been removed over the past year, though 38 buildings still remain. Addressing how the situation escalated, the president accepted responsibility but explained that the company believed it had obtained necessary approvals for individual facilities, including those related to animal care, dining, and lodging. "We had the perception that if permits were issued, there wouldnt be a problem," the president said. The company argues that further demolition could negatively affect animals whose relocation destinations have not yet been finalized. "If we reduce the buildings any further, there is a very high risk of impacting the animals. The current situation may be the best option for now," the president said, noting that many animals are elderly and that relocation itself poses stress, while anesthesia and long-distance transport can be dangerous, particularly for large predators. Sapporo City has indicated a deadline of October this year for the removal of all structures and is moving toward issuing a formal removal order. In response, Success Tourism submitted a written defense arguing that a forced administrative measure would be unlawful and unnecessary. The company is requesting that, if an order is issued, the deadline be extended to the end of November 2027. "We understand that wrongdoing is wrongdoing, but we must prioritize the animals above all else. We hope the deadline will reflect that," the president said. Meanwhile, a Tokyo-based investment firm is planning to take in the remaining animals and open a new zoo. The operator is currently working with the firm to secure land and has received financial support covering staff wages and feed costs. "We want to safely relocate the animals to a new place with the support of partner companies. That is our top priority," the president added. According to reports, animals including lions, dogs, and horses remain at the site, and staff numbers appear sufficient to maintain care, with scenes such as horses being walked observed during filming. In its written defense, the operator emphasized that the zoo has already ceased operations and that there is no longer a risk of uncontrolled urban expansion. It also argued that demolition cannot proceed because relocation sites for the animals have not yet been secured. The company further stated that issuing a removal order is unnecessary and unlawful, but if such an order is made, additional time will be required, particularly to move regulated species that require permits for transport. Sapporo City, however, maintains that it has repeatedly issued both written and verbal guidance for nearly 20 years and that setting a removal deadline of the end of October is a reasonable decision. A removal order under the City Planning Act carries significant penalties, including up to one year in prison or fines of up to 500,000 yen for non-compliance. The city is expected to issue the order as early as this month. Source: HBC KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's manufacturing sector showed signs of stabilization in the second half of 2025, though firms remain cautious amid uneven demand and persistent cost pressures, according to the latest survey by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM). FMM said in a statement on Tuesday that its business conditions survey found that key operational indicators improved modestly after a weaker first half of 2025. The Business Conditions Index rose to 103 from 77 previously, while production volume and capacity utilisation also edged up to 102, signalling a gradual return to operational stability. However, demand recovery remained fragile, with local sales and export sales staying below the neutral 100 mark at 94 and 93, respectively. Production costs remained elevated at 146, underscoring continued pressure on margins. Looking ahead, manufacturers expect a gradual improvement in the first half of 2026, supported by stronger projections for business activity (104), production and capacity utilization (106), as well as capital investment (110) and employment (106). Despite the cautiously optimistic outlook, firms flagged lingering uncertainties, particularly around demand conditions and input costs, with production costs expected to remain high. The survey also highlighted emerging risks from U.S. reciprocal tariffs. Some firms cited margin compression, reduced orders and supply chain disruptions, pointing to growing concerns over Malaysia's export competitiveness in the longer term. This transparent, nature-inspired and Canadian-manufactured wood stain enhances the timeless character of wood in outdoor living spaces BURFORD, ON, March 18, 2026 /CNW/ - BeautiTone, the number one Canadian-owned retail paint brand, has revealed its 2026 Exterior Colour of the Year: "Bark" (WSBT02). 2026 Exterior Colour of the Year: Bark (WSBT02). (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited) 2026 Exterior Colour of the Year: Bark (WSBT02). (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited) BeautiTone Logo (CNW Group/Home Hardware Stores Limited) "Bark" is a warm, transparent stain that enhances the natural grain of wood, elevating any outdoor structure, from decks, pergolas and sheds to fences and siding. Formulated with advanced resins and UV-resistant pigments, "Bark" is engineered to withstand harsh weather conditions, resist peeling and cracking, and provide dependable protection against moisture damage. In a culture increasingly shaped by the artificial, "Bark" celebrates the beauty of the unaltered, inspired by nature's palette and revealing the natural qualities of the wood surface. "Designed to enrich outdoor living spaces with authenticity and timeless character, 'Bark' is an homage to the quiet strength of the forest," said Kristen Gear, Specialist, Colour & Graphic Designer, BeautiTone Paint and Home Products. "With Bark, the grain of the wood feels deeper, the texture more pronounced, and the colour unmistakably natural. At the same time, contractors can feel confident recommending it for projects that demand both visual impact and reliable, long-term performance." "Bark" is a tribute to nature's imperfections. Its penetrating, transparent formula soaks into the wood fibres to help reduce water intrusion and slow the effects of weathering, making it ideal for high-traffic decks and frequently exposed exterior surfaces. Beyond its design appeal, "Bark" supports project longevity with a durable finish that helps defend against UV fading, mildew growth, and seasonal expansion and contraction. It signals BeautiTone's 2026 shift toward comfort, authenticity, and purposeful design. At the heart of Wood-Shield stain by BeautiTone, the 2026 Exterior Colour, "Bark" is one of many stunning stains available in a variety of opacities. Designed for ease of application and consistent coverage, BeautiTone Wood-Shield delivers dependable results for professional contractors and serious DIYers alike, helping ensure efficient project timelines without compromising protection. For more colour inspiration, visit BeautiTone Paint, Canada's premier retail paint brand | Home Hardware. BeautiTone's 2026 Exterior Colour of the Year is available exclusively at Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, and Home Hardware Building Centre locations across Canada. For more information on "Bark" or the 2026 Colour Trends palettes, visit your local store or learn more at BeautiTone 2026 Exterior Colour of the Year | Home Hardware. MEDIA CAN DOWNLOAD HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES HERE. BeautiTone Paint and Home Products Division Headquartered in Burford, Ontario, Home Hardware Stores Limited's BeautiTone and Home Products Division is one of the most modern paint manufacturing facilities in North America. The BeautiTone and Home Products Division distributes a full range of private label products, including BeautiTone paints, stains, and a wide range of aerosol products. Proudly made in Canada (with domestic and import materials) in Burford, Ontario, BeautiTone is exclusively sold at Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, and Home Hardware Building Centre stores across Canada. BeautiTone produces top-quality paint and home products made available in its Designer, Pure, Signature, Wood-Shield, and PRO series since 1980. More information about BeautiTone is available at beautitone.ca. About Home Hardware Stores Limited Founded over 60 years ago in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Home Hardware Stores Limited is proudly Canadian and the country's largest Dealer-owned and operated home improvement retailer with more than 1,000 stores serving communities across the country. The Home Hardware Dealer network improves life at home by providing superior home improvement retail experiences through helpful advice and a deep understanding of the communities they serve. Home Hardware Stores Limited is designated as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies and recognized as one of Canada's Best Employers. More information about the company is available at homehardware.ca. SOURCE Home Hardware Stores Limited For more information, please contact: [email protected] Homebuilder announces limited-time campaign to cover first 12 months of mortgage payments, helping buyers settle in with confidence CALGARY, AB, March 18, 2026 /CNW/ - Whether it's a first home, a place to grow into, or a home that better fits the next chapter, buying a new home is a big step. Announced today, Mattamy Homes, the largest family-owned homebuilder in North America, is helping make that first year easier with a new limited-time campaign in Alberta that covers the first year of mortgage payments. Mattamy Homes is helping make the first year of homeownership easier with a new limited-time campaign in Alberta that covers the first year of mortgage payments. (CNW Group/Mattamy Homes Limited) Beginning this week, Mattamy Homes will cover the first 12 months of mortgage payments, up to $4,150 per month*, for eligible homebuyers purchasing a Mattamy-built home in Southwinds in Airdrie; Carrington, Cityscape and Yorkville in Calgary; Hearthstone in Sherwood Park; and Stillwater in Edmonton. (CNW Group/Mattamy Homes Limited) Eligible homebuyers can also choose how they receive the incentive. Buyers may opt for a one-time lump sum payment or receive monthly payments over the course of their first year, up to a maximum of $4,150 per month.* (CNW Group/Mattamy Homes Limited) Beginning this week, Mattamy Homes will cover the first 12 months of mortgage payments, up to $4,150 per month, for eligible homebuyers purchasing a Mattamy-built home in Southwinds in Airdrie; Carrington, Cityscape and Yorkville in Calgary; Hearthstone in Sherwood Park; and Stillwater in Edmonton. The First Year Mortgage, On Us campaign is designed to give homebuyers peace of mind during their first year, whether they are buying their first home, moving up, downsizing or purchasing an investment home that they plan to rent out. "You have worked hard to build your future, and your home should help move it forward," said David Wan, Vice President, Sales for Mattamy Homes' Alberta Division. "Covering the first year of mortgage payments can make a meaningful difference, no matter where you are in your homeownership journey. For many, it feels like having the first year of rent on us, easing the pressure early on and helping you get settled with confidence." The incentive applies to all single-family homes, semi-detached homes, rear-lane townhomes and village homes. Eligible homebuyers can also choose how they receive the incentive. Buyers may opt for a one-time lump sum payment or receive monthly payments over the course of their first year, up to a maximum of $4,150 per month.* To support the campaign, Mattamy's Alberta team will also be giving away free coffee, gift cards and local experiences. Look for Mattamy representatives popping up in the community for a chance to receive one of these gifts. These experiences are on Mattamy, and the next 12 months of mortgage payments could be too. "Buying a home is a significant milestone," Wan said. "Covering your first year of mortgage payments helps ease financial pressure during the transition into homeownership, so everyday life can stay on track. From small moments like a free coffee to meaningful support with your mortgage, this campaign is about being a thoughtful partner as Mattamy homebuyers settle in, move forward with confidence and focus on what matters most in your first year." Homebuyers, including those purchasing a home for their own use or as a rental property, are encouraged to visit one of Mattamy Homes' six Alberta-based sales centres to learn more about the First Year Mortgage, On Us campaign. Mention the campaign at the time of visiting to take advantage of the offer. *Additional details, including applicable terms and conditions, are available online at: Calgary: mattamyhomes.com/calgarymortgageoffer Edmonton: mattamyhomes.com/edmontonmortgageoffer Calgary area Carrington 183 Carrington Circle NW Calgary, AB T3P 0R8 1-403-567-8862 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Cityscape 10520 Metis Trail NE Calgary, AB T3J 4G1 1-587-755-1061 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Southwinds 1014 Southwinds Manor SW Airdrie, AB T3B 3T1 1-403-980-8765 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Yorkville 19515 Sheriff King Street SW Calgary, AB T2X 0T9 1-403-471-1538 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Edmonton area Hearthstone 1009 Hearthstone Boulevard Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4V2 1-780-449-1369 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Stillwater 965 Stillwater Boulevard NW Edmonton, AB T6M 1M7 1-780-399-5549 Hours: Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wed: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thu: 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri: Closed Sat: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. About Mattamy Homes Mattamy Homes is the largest family-owned homebuilder in North America, with 45 years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. In the United States, the company operates in 11 markets: Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida. In Canada, its communities stretch across the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. Visit www.mattamyhomes.com for more information. SOURCE Mattamy Homes Limited Media Contact: Kaitlyn Anderson, Director, Communications, [email protected] Regional findings highlight stark differences in vehicle ownership, commuting habits, and costs across Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. TORONTO, March 18, 2026 /CNW/ - Turo, the car rental marketplace, has released new regional findings from its State of Car Ownership in Canada '26 study, revealing how car ownership rates and costs vary significantly across Canada's largest urban centres. The data highlights shifting attitudes toward car ownership in cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal, as rising costs and changing mobility needs influence how Canadians access vehicles. Toronto has the lowest car ownership rate among major cities Among Canada's largest cities, Toronto reports the smallest share of residents who own a vehicle, with just 72% of Torontonians saying they own a car, well below the national average of 85%. Cost pressures appear to be a key factor. The study finds that 40% of Toronto drivers say owning a car forces them to sacrifice spending in other areas of their life. More broadly across the province, Ontario drivers face some of the highest car ownership costs in the country, spending an average of $5,575 per year to own and maintain a vehicle. That is 26% more than drivers in British Columbia. Quebec sees one of the biggest shifts in ownership Quebec recorded one of the most notable year-over-year changes in car ownership in Canada. The share of Quebecers who own a car dropped eight percentage points between 2025 and 2026, falling to 79%, compared to the national average of 85%. Despite the decline in ownership, Quebec also has the lowest average cost of car ownership in Canada, with drivers spending $4,067 per year on average. Car ownership remains high in British Columbia In British Columbia, vehicle ownership remains relatively strong. The report finds that 79% of BC residents own a vehicle, up 3% from 2025. The average annual cost of vehicle ownership in BC is $4,432, down $157 from last year. Vancouver residents drive more frequently than most Canadians, averaging 5.2 days per week, compared to the national average of five days a week or Montreal's 4.6 days a week. Despite how often Vancouverites drive, many are beginning to rethink the financial tradeoffs of owning a car. Twenty percent of Vancouver residents say that if they could go back in time they would choose a different approach to owning a car, compared to the national average of 12%. Cost pressures are also influencing behaviour. Twenty-one percent of Vancouver residents say they are using public transportation more often to reduce car-related expenses, compared to 11% nationally, while 36% say they are driving less to reduce car costs, compared to 32% nationally. Calgary remains Canada's most car-dependent major city The data shows that Calgary remains one of the most car-dependent major cities in Canada, with residents far more likely to own and rely on vehicles than those in other large urban centres. 93% of Calgarians say they own or lease a vehicle, the highest ownership rate among the cities surveyed. 51% of Calgary commuters travel to work by personal car, compared to 39% in Toronto and 28% in Montreal. Calgary workers also commute more frequently than those in other cities, averaging 4.2 commuting days per week, with 58% travelling to work five days a week or more. Even among residents who do not currently own a car, 88% say they would like to own or lease one in the future, the strongest demand for car ownership among major Canadian cities. Car ownership trends are diverging across Canadian cities While vehicle ownership remains common across the country, the study highlights how urban design, commuting habits, and cost pressures are creating very different car ownership patterns across Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. "The way Canadians think about car ownership is increasingly shaped by the city they live in," said Bassem El-Rahimy, Head of Turo Canada. "In major transit-oriented cities like Toronto and Montreal, many people are reconsidering the need to own a car full-time, while in places like Calgary driving remains essential for daily life. As these patterns diverge, more Canadians are starting to think about access to a car when they need one rather than ownership year-round." The regional data builds on findings from Turo's national 2026 State of Car Ownership in Canada report, which examines how economic pressures, tariffs, and changing mobility habits are reshaping how Canadians think about transportation. The survey was hosted on the Angus Reid Forum for Turo and conducted among a representative sample of 1,509 English and/or French-speaking Canadians aged 25 or older. Read the State of Car Ownership in Canada '26 Study. About Turo Turo is reinventing rental to unlock independence for all, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles listed by a vast network of local hosts across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Australia. By removing the hassles and rigidity of the traditional rental experience, Turo lets customers choose the exact vehicle they want, pick it up where they want, and keep it for as long as they need. SOURCE Turo Canada Co ULC Media Contact: Sarah Gooding, [email protected] KABUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Around 300 Afghan nationals have been released from prisons in neighboring Pakistan and returned to Afghanistan during the past week, according to local media Tolo news on Wednesday. According to the report, the individuals re-entered the country via the Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar province. The detainees had reportedly been held for varying durations, ranging from a single day to nearly two months. After crossing back into Afghanistan, the returnees were registered and provided with initial humanitarian support at a transit center in Spin Boldak. They were later assisted in returning to their home provinces, the report said. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China, in Beijing, capital of China, on March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China, on Wednesday in Beijing. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, political mutual trust between China and the UAE has been continuously consolidated, and practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. China has always approached China-UAE relations from a strategic height, Ding said, adding that China stands ready to work with the UAE to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen high-level exchanges, strengthen cooperation in energy, investment, trade and other fields, promote the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, and continuously enhance the well-being of the two peoples. China is willing to make active efforts to restore peace and tranquility in the Gulf region as soon as possible, Ding added. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak expressed that the UAE side is willing to develop bilateral relations with China unswervingly, continuously expand cooperation in various fields, and looks forward to China playing a greater role in promoting regional peace. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China, in Beijing, capital of China, on March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Africa called for the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations (UN) Charter and a renewed commitment to multilateralism, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Speaking at the UN Country Team Annual Retreat in Pretoria, Alvin Botes, deputy minister of international relations and cooperation, said the UN Charter remains the cornerstone of global governance and urged parties to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement or other peaceful means. "Conflicts cannot be solved through military means alone," Botes said, warning against unilateral military actions and practices that bypass international law. He expressed concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East, noting that the widening conflict, including unilateral and illegal military actions directed against Iran and the risk of further regional spillover, threatens the global economy, energy security, shipping routes and fragile diplomatic balances. Multilateralism is a strategic necessity for countries of the Global South, Botes said, stressing that international law serves as a safeguard for sovereign equality and justice. "Let us ensure that multilateralism does not retreat into procedural ritual and institutional self-preservation, but becomes more representative, more inclusive, more development-oriented and more responsive to the Global South," he added. BAGHDAD, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A drone attack targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad early Wednesday, according to media reports. An explosion was heard in the city. BEIRUT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 957, with 2,391 people injured, according to the country's health ministry on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that the heavy exchange of fire, along with escalating air and ground activities and the increased presence of Israeli forces inside the Lebanese territory, are developments that raise "deep concern." In a statement, UNIFIL said that the violent escalation witnessed overnight marks a further worrying deterioration in the situation between Lebanon and Israel. It also expressed concern over the renewed issuance of so-called "evacuation orders" by parties to the conflict, which are affecting civilians on both sides of the Blue Line. UNIFIL renewed its call on all parties to recommit to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to a full cessation of hostilities, describing it as the only path toward achieving lasting stability. It noted that peacekeepers remain deployed at their positions within the area of operations in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line, where they continue to report violations, maintain communication with the parties, and, where possible, facilitate humanitarian access and protect civilians. Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets from Lebanon toward Israel on March 2, the first time since a ceasefire was declared on Nov. 27, 2024. Israel subsequently launched a military campaign against the group, involving intensive airstrikes on several areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, in addition to Beirut's southern suburbs. Without electronica-heavy music festivals like BUKU, New Orleans dance music DJs and artists have kept the local scene alive year-round at bars, music clubs and underground parties. Artists are highly collaborative in the tight-knit community, and they tend to hype each others work, says Brooke Paulus, who spins a blend of 70s rock, disco, world beats and pop music at local clubs as DJ Brookiecita. Everybody builds each other up, and we all promote each others parties and work together to bring good energy, she says. Theres not a whole lot of weird shade, or a competitive nature in our scene. People love and respect and enjoy each other. It's that collaboration and energy that festival producers and music industry veterans Peter Jackson and Big Chief Juan Pardo are expecting to unleash at the inaugural Electric Spring Festival, held Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at the Music Box Village. More than 20 acts are scheduled to perform across three stages that weekend. With the exception of visiting French DJ Electrianz, a longtime friend of Pardo, all of the artists have roots in New Orleans. The state of the local underground scene of dance music was so fertile and robust that we didnt need to look any further than New Orleans itself to host a two-day event, Jackson says. We wanted to give credence to and pay respects to the people who have built this scene. Otura Mun, who performs under the moniker IFE, will kick off the festival with an opening ceremony at 5 p.m. Friday. The producer and artist combines Afro-Cuban sounds and Yoruban religious elements into his sets, which also draw inspiration from Jamaican dancehall beats. He also performs on Saturday at 4 p.m. Other Friday evening sets are by Brookiecita, Chore Boys and DJ Krewe on the main stage, with RQ Away, Funke and Kilabaudd on the Warehouse Stage, which is indoors. Memory Machine plays at 8 p.m. at the Under the Oaks Stage. On Saturday, music starts at noon, and there are early sets by R!llo, Electrianz, Nokerfu, Elliot From Earth and Zevi, among others. Legatron Prime, who largely focuses on music by Black women and gender fluid musicians as well as local bounce and hip-hop artists, is scheduled to perform at 6:30 p.m. Headliner Bouffant Bouffant, a veteran producer and DJ who has long been a fixture on the late-night and queer-centric scene, closes the main stage at 8 p.m. Saturday. There are lots of other sensory components to Electric Spring Fest, and there will be some surprise elements of frivolity, Jackson says. In addition to the permanent, interactive art installations at the Music Box Village, there will be pop-up art installations, stilt-walkers, face-painting artists and hair braiders. The organizers are also expecting some local dance troupes to make appearances. Food and drinks are also for sale. The festival shuts down at 10 p.m. because of the citys outdoor noise ordinance. There are official after-parties both nights at No Dice on nearby St. Claude Avenue. Paulus says she cant wait to be among fellow dance party enthusiasts. Its the best and brightest of New Orleans nightlife, she says. And there's room for everyone." The festival is all ages, but participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. For more information visit electricspringfestival.com. You are the owner of this article. BUJUMBURA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Seven workers died from electrocution on Tuesday in eastern Burundi when they were installing electrical poles, authorities said. The incident happened Tuesday morning in a village in Gisuru district, Buhumuza province, when a pole "came into contact with uninsulated high-voltage power lines," said Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesman of the Burundian Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security. All the victims were from the neighboring zone of Nyabitare, in the same district of Gisuru, the spokesman said. Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health Bruce Greenstein speaks during a Senate Health & Welfare and Insurance Committees hearing at the State Capitol on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. YINCHUAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As spring breezes blow through the Helan Mountains in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the sprawling vineyards on the eastern foothills shake off their winter slumber. For seasoned winemaker Zhang Jing, this marks the beginning of another bustling year ahead. As the weather gets warmer, the Gobi desert will gradually turn green again. "I believe that wines from such a challenging terroir will continue to bring surprises to the world," the 47-year-old said, gazing out over her vineyards. Zhang is a founding member of the Helan Qingxue Vineyard, Ningxia's first demonstration winery. In 2011, her Jiabeilan Grand Reserve 2009 put Chinese wine in the global spotlight by winning a top prize at the Decanter World Wine Awards, marking the first time a Ningxia wine had achieved such a feat. Thanks to its arid climate and abundant sunshine, the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia are widely regarded as a "golden zone" for premium viticulture. But when Zhang first set out to chase her dream, the land was barren and its future was uncertain. "When I first broke ground with a shovel and saplings, few believed that a woman could make a difference here. Some probably thought I had lost my mind, especially after nearly all our vines died in the first year due to high soil salinity," Zhang recalled with a smile. "But dreams have nothing to do with gender." By consulting experts and improving soil conditions, Zhang raised the vine survival rate to 70 percent. She even ditched spicy foods to maintain her sensitive palate and traveled to France's Rhone Valley for training. Zhang put in countless hours in vineyards and cellars, honing her craft. "Nothing is impossible if you never give up easily," she said. "I have proved myself and also proved that Ningxia could produce world-class wines." Today, Ningxia has emerged as a rising star in the global wine landscape, attracting more than 200 domestic and international wineries and producing 140 million bottles of wine annually. Its "wine grape corridor" stretches 195 kilometers along the Helan Mountains, transforming over 400,000 mu (about 26,700 hectares) of once-barren land into lush vineyards. Women are playing a major role in the transformation. Of the region's 130 wineries, about a quarter are owned or managed by women. Among them is Wang Fang, who returned from Germany in 2011 convinced of Ningxia's potential and founded Kanaan Winery. "One particularly harsh winter killed nearly 30 percent of our young vines," Wang recalled. "Starting a business is never easy. Perseverance matters." Today, her wines are exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including Britain, Germany, Italy and Canada. A younger generation is reshaping the industry through innovation, and Yuan Yuan is leading the charge. After graduating from Sun Yat-sen University's School of Tourism Management in 2015, she returned to her family's winery in Ningxia, ready to shake things up with fresh ideas. In 2016, she launched a "wine plus tourism" model, opening the winery to visitors and offering vineyard tours, grape cultivation, guided tastings and behind-the-scenes brewing sessions. The model has diversified revenue sources and created 1,200 local jobs. Over two-thirds of these positions are held by women, who earn over 40,000 yuan (about 5,800 U.S. dollars) annually on average, according to Yuan. Official data shows that women now make up over 40 percent of the workforce in Ningxia's wine industry, with roles spanning the entire value chain, including planting, winemaking, management, brand development and wine tourism. "The wine industry suits women in many ways," Zhang said. "Qualities such as sensitivity, warmth, passion, elegance and intellectuality align perfectly with the character of wine. At the same time, we're not lacking in pragmatism, resilience, innovation, or vision." Looking ahead, Zhang remains optimistic. "Driven by our love for the land and commitment to quality, we will keep striving and step by step, we will leave the mark of Chinese women on the world wine landscape," Zhang said. A voter wears shrimp boots in the voting booth at the Lafitte Barataria Crown Point 4th District Vol. Fire Co. on Election Day in Barataria, La., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune) MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday voiced serious concern over the mounting U.S. pressure on Cuba, pledging necessary support for the Caribbean island nation. "There has been a deliberate effort to ratchet up the atmosphere of confrontation," the ministry said in a statement on its website. "Against this backdrop, Russia reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the Cuban Government and its brotherly people. We firmly condemn attempts to grossly interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state, intimidate it and engage illegal unilateral restrictive measures," it said. It noted that Cuba today faces unprecedented challenges created by the long-standing trade, economic and financial embargoes imposed by the United States. "For our part, we are providing and will continue to provide Cuba with the necessary support, including material assistance," it said. Cuba's national power grid suffered a complete blackout on Monday. For more than two months, no fuel shipments have arrived in Cuba due to the tightening of the oil blockade imposed by the U.S. administration. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened that Cuba is going to "fall pretty soon," but his administration will focus on the ongoing war with Iran "right now." Three police dog teams from Devon and Plymouth have taken the top honours at a major regional competition, placing first, second and third against forces from across southern Britain. The Devon & Cornwall Police dog section dominated the Regional Police Dog Trials 2026, held over three days in Cleveland from 26-28 February, hosted by Avon & Somerset Police. READ NEXT: Pictures: Hatherleigh Science Week draws strong crowds as fair returns to West Devon Highly trained dog teams from Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, Avon & Somerset and South Wales Police were tested in scenarios designed to mirror real operational policing, including suspect searches across buildings and open land, tracking exercises, emergency recalls and simulated confrontations. Sergeant Victoria Ritchie, of Devon & Cornwall Polices dog section, praised the teams performance. She said: I am incredibly proud of all the handlers and their dogs. The dedication, commitment and professionalism they demonstrate day in, day out is reflected in these results. Competing at regional level can be challenging, working under pressure, in front of judges and peers, in scenarios that dont always go exactly to plan. Each of our handlers showed resilience, skill and an excellent partnership with their dogs throughout the three days. Three teams represented the force, each with strong links to Devon communities. PC John Warren and police dog Albert, based in Plymouth, took first place with 835 points. The pair also collected several individual awards, including overall winners, obedience, criminal work and top new team. Second place went to PC Noah Tilley and police dog Gus from South Molton, who scored 807 points and won the tracking trophy. PC Luke Barnard and police dog Sid, based in Ashburton on the edge of Dartmoor, secured third place with 804 points and were recognised for the strongest bite during the criminal work phase. ABOVE : PC Luke Barnard and PD Sid - Ashburton (Image: D&C Police) Across the three phases of the competition, teams could score a maximum of 1,000 points, with 700 required to qualify for the National Police Dog Trials. All three teams delivered outstanding performances across the trials, securing first, second and third place, Sgt Ritchie said. This is a remarkable achievement and a real testament to the high standards our dog section maintains, both on the trials field and in live operational policing. The narrow margins between the scores highlighted the high level of competition, with all three Devon & Cornwall teams qualifying for the National Police Dog Trials in West Yorkshire from 14-16 May. Police said it was the first time each of the teams had competed at regional level, and they will now go on to represent the force nationally. Devon & Cornwall Police congratulated the handlers and their dogs on what it described as an outstanding achievement. Tributes have been paid to one of Torbays best known Rotarians and community stalwarts. Lyn Smith lived in Torquay and was a dedicated member of Torquay Rotary for 21 years until she died last month. She served as a highly proactive president in 2014 and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding service. Torquay Rotary described her as enthusiastic, keen, loyal, committed, thoughtful, challenging, consistent and dogged in everything she undertook. A spokesman said: Lyn was very much a lady of two halves. On one hand she was a stickler for Rotary rules and procedures, always being ready to remind members of the correct way to do things and to point out when they had got it wrong. This meant that not everyone appreciated her views, but she remained steadfast in her beliefs and principles. On the other hand, she was an incredibly kind and caring person, always willing to help those in need. Lyn initiated many projects within the club, including Books on Wheels, which involved delivering library books to housebound residents. This was about far more than books: it was about personal contact. There was always time for a chat and Christmas cards all round. She also organised the collection of unwanted medical equipment to be sent to those in need at home and abroad; coordinated local schools poppy collections; organised collections for Ukraine, along with many other community initiatives. Her organisation of library books for elderly people was remarkable. Many of those she supported were in care homes or rarely able to leave their own homes. Lyn maintained close contact with Torquay Library and personally managed the circulation of books month by month ensuring that deliveries were made even when others were unavailable to help. The Rotary spokesman said: Lyn had a particular passion for educational projects and was instrumental in establishing and developing relationships with local schools. She was also very keen on Bay Sports: not always as a player but always present at events helping to strengthen cooperation between all the Bay Rotary Clubs. She was invariably ready with a perceptive question for any guest speaker and had no shortage of suggestions for how things might be improved. She was also known affectionately as the Raffle Queen. She had a remarkable talent for persuading people to part with their money at fundraising events and invariably supplied a cuddly toy as a prize, one that somehow no one ever quite wanted to win. She has left a very large gap that will be hard to fill. Lyn will be remembered for her dedication, her integrity, her compassion and her unwavering commitment to serving others. She epitomised the Rotary ethos of Service above Self. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- With China's new five-year blueprint ushering in fresh commercial opportunities driven by tech innovation and industrial upgrading, foreign capital is repositioning for another wave of investment in the country's emerging sectors. The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan, released last week, urges steering foreign investment toward advanced manufacturing, modern services, high-tech industries, energy conservation and environmental protection, a move that forms part of the country's broader push to expand "high-standard opening up." Just last Wednesday, U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly unveiled plans to invest 3 billion U.S. dollars over the next decade to scale up its supply chain and manufacturing capacity in China, including the local large-scale production of an innovative oral drug. Huzur Devletsah, Lilly vice president and China general manager, said the company will expand production capacity at its existing Suzhou facility in east China's Jiangsu Province, while also stepping up investment in Beijing to add oral solid dosage manufacturing capabilities. Since the start of 2026, a growing number of multinationals have taken note of China's new emphasis on attracting foreign investment with higher technological added value. Among them, British drugmaker AstraZeneca has pledged to invest 15 billion U.S. dollars in the country through 2030 to expand its manufacturing and R&D facilities. Over the past two years, Shanghai and Beijing have become home to AstraZeneca's two global strategic research hubs. Firms like Pfizer and Bayer, meanwhile, have also set up innovation facilities in China. Now, the call to "vigorously attract foreign companies to establish regional headquarters and innovation centers in China" has been written into the nation's five-year plan. China's biopharmaceutical sector particularly stands out as it transitions from a "follower" to a "source" of innovation, Zhou Xiaolan, executive vice president, Pharmaceuticals Division, Bayer AG, told Xinhua. Bayer is set to invest 750 million yuan (about 109 million U.S. dollars) in rolling out a new project in Qidong, eastern China, in 2028. "Investing for patients in China is also investing in innovation, manufacturing and the export of these medicines to the rest of the world," said AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot. Official data shows that China's innovative drug outbound licensing deals exceeded 130 billion U.S. dollars in total value in 2025, hitting a record high. Betting on China's tech sector extends well beyond biopharma. Republic of Korea semiconductor equipment maker STI signed an agreement in February to build a power semiconductor smart manufacturing base in the country's southern tech hub of Guangzhou. The ceramic substrates produced there will be used in new energy vehicles and smart grids, with operations expected to begin by year-end. Notably, an international tire giant has already put a tech-intensive factory floor into operation to ride the wave of China's tech shift. In January, the Michelin Group inaugurated its first global "future factory" in Shanghai, with a total project investment of 3 billion yuan. The new plant features advanced, flexible production systems designed to serve China's expanding new energy vehicle market. RECALIBRATING RATHER THAN RETREATING Official data from China's Ministry of Commerce reveals that 70,392 foreign-invested enterprises were newly established nationwide in 2025, up 19.1 percent year on year. This momentum has carried into 2026, with 5,306 new foreign-funded firms set up in January alone, marking a 25.5-percent surge from a year earlier. Growth was particularly pronounced in high-tech sectors, as the actual foreign capital used in R&D and design services skyrocketed 175.1 percent in the first month of 2026 compared with a year earlier. Amid headwinds fanned by sluggish global investment and complex geopolitics, China's actual foreign capital inflows have contracted in tandem. Yet, beneath this volatile surface lies a robust structural transformation: high-tech investment in the country is picking up, which signals a pivot away from labor-intensive manufacturing toward high-value R&D, with more small foreign firms and startups accelerating entry into China. China is seeing "a transition from 'growth at all costs' to 'industrial upgrading,'" and its focus is "no longer just on attracting capital, but on integrating foreign technology into China's new quality productive forces," said Shirley Yinghua Shen, Greater China tax policy leader of Ernst & Young (China) Advisory Limited. "With the 15th Five-Year Plan officially commencing, the investment community is looking for strategic continuity," Shen added. Jiang Liqin, a managing partner at KPMG China, told Xinhua that amid undercurrents of "deglobalization," China's embrace of high-standard opening up serves not only as a strategic choice to navigate risks but also as a core driver for high-quality economic growth. China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said at a press conference earlier this month that China is not just a market where foreign firms turn a profit, but also a "gym" where they come to build strength through fair competition with domestic players. This has been echoed by Denis Depoux, global managing director of Roland Berger, who sees China no longer as just a large market, but "increasingly a critical arena for sharpening global competitiveness." The new five-year roadmap also pledges greater convenience for foreign capital to conduct equity and venture capital investment in China, making it easier for them to tap into the country's capital markets. Last Friday, the brain-computer interface startup StairMed completed a 500 million yuan strategic round, partly backed by LAV, a corporate venture subsidiary of Eli Lilly, as the Shanghai firm prepares for trials this year of its 256-channel wireless implantable system -- a technology now designated a future industry in China's government work report. Over the past few months, capital giants including JPMorgan, UBS and BlackRock have been steadily increasing their holdings in Chinese tech stocks through global capital markets. "Chinese companies are demonstrating dynamic innovation in artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing, semiconductors, and new energy -- reshaping global investors' perception of Chinese assets," said Janice Hu, chairperson of UBS Securities. More global investors are recognizing that as China's five-year blueprint unfolds, the question is no longer whether to be in China, but how deeply and quickly to integrate into and benefit from its innovation ecosystem. Sources: Satellite images from 2020 and 2025 by Vexcel. Boundaries from the Licking County Tax Parcel Viewer and the Ohio Power Siting Board. Developers are building power plants by stringing together batteries, along with giant engines and mobile generators to turn natural gas into electricity. Developers are building power plants by stringing together batteries, along with giant engines and mobile generators to turn natural gas into electricity. Companies are so desperate to secure power for these projects that some, like Meta, are looking beyond the electric grid. Companies are so desperate to secure power for these projects that some, like Meta, are looking beyond the electric grid. In a few short years, the technology industry has transformed places like central Ohio, where farmland is giving way to data centers and computer chip factories. In a few short years, the technology industry has transformed places like central Ohio, where farmland is giving way to data centers and computer chip factories. It is the industrial version of what homeowners might do to get through a hurricane. Only in this case, some technology companies are planning to rely on off-grid gas power for many years. This is happening as electricity is becoming a major political issue, with fights breaking out over how much energy costs, where it comes from and who ought to pay for what. Data centers, which consume huge amounts of energy, are at the center of these debates. Going off grid was no ones first choice. Off-grid power generally costs a lot more, partly because developers need to install more equipment than will be used at any one time in case machines break or need servicing. A lot of this gear is also less efficient than the airplane-size machines used at big power plants, meaning it needs to burn more gas to generate the same amount of electricity. But in some states, it might take years to get permission to plug new power plants into the grid. By the end of 2025, an estimated 39 percent of the gas power capacity being developed in the United States was designed to serve data centers on-site, according to the Global Energy Monitor, a nonprofit organization that tracks energy projects. That is up from 5 percent at the end of 2024. Necessity is the mother of invention, said Joe Kava, a consultant who previously led global data center development for Google. The hyperscalers are not going to be curtailed because they cant get power, he said, using a term that refers to large tech companies. Power plants have bloomed in New Albany, Ohio, near Columbus, as if overnight. It was little more than a year ago that Sloan Spalding, the mayor, learned that a data center developer wanted to build the towns first gas-fired power plant. Now, three are under construction, all meant to exclusively power data centers, and at least one other is planned. Green Chapel Road NW Johnstown Utica Road Socrates North, a natural gas plant that will power one of Metas data centers NEW ALBANY Jug Street PowerConneX, a plant from EdgeConneX, a data center developer OH-161 Socrates South, another plant for a Meta data center Morse Road mile Green Chapel Road NW Socrates North, a natural gas plant that will power one of Metas data centers NEW ALBANY Jug Street PowerConneX, a plant from EdgeConneX, a data center developer OH-161 Socrates South, another plant for a Meta data center mile Green Chapel Road NW Socrates North, a natural gas plant that will power one of Metas data centers NEW ALBANY Jug Street PowerConneX, a plant from EdgeConneX, a data center developer OH-161 Socrates South, another plant for a Meta data center mile Green Chapel Road NW Socrates North, a natural gas plant that will power one of Metas data centers NEW ALBANY Jug Street PowerConneX, a plant from EdgeConneX, a data center developer OH-161 Socrates South, another plant for a Meta data center Morse Road mile Green Chapel Road NW Socrates North, a natural gas plant that will power one of Metas data centers NEW ALBANY Jug Street PowerConneX, a plant from EdgeConneX, a data center developer OH-161 Socrates South, another plant for a Meta data center Morse Road mile Sources: Satellite image by Airbus DS via Google. Boundaries from the Ohio Power Siting Board. Frankly, we were all a little surprised, Mr. Spalding said. Together, the plants that are already under construction are expected to rely on about 61 engines, 30 small turbines and 16 other generators, regulatory filings show. All of that equipment burns natural gas to generate electricity, but each operates differently. That does not include battery storage systems to manage demand fluctuations and diesel generators for backup power in emergencies. It is the kind of equipment you might expect in remote oil fields. Were they connected to the grid, the machines being installed in New Albany could potentially power around 600,000 homes. Another power plant that was proposed last week would be big enough to provide electricity for an additional 200,000 homes or more if regulators approve it. For better or for worse, we are the pioneers in this process, Mr. Spalding said. Theres not a lot we can do to stop it. A factory in Florence, Italy, owned by Baker Hughes, an oil field service company that makes the kinds of turbines being used off grid. Clara Vannucci for The New York Times Tech giants generally say they dont want to build or operate power plants. In some places, the companies are fighting efforts to require data centers to rely on their own power sources or reduce energy consumption when electricity systems are under strain. But the tech industrys appetite for energy has become almost insatiable because of artificial intelligence, and there are only so many places where companies can draw large amounts of power from the grid quickly. Wait times vary by region, but it now takes an average of four years or more for data centers to connect to U.S. grids, according to JLL, a real estate services firm. One of the first companies to go it alone was Elon Musks xAI, which opened a data center in Memphis in 2024, powering it with more than a dozen gas turbines rolled in on flatbed trucks. The Southern Environmental Law Center later claimed the company flouted permitting requirements and violated the federal Clean Air Act in Memphis and at another location in Southaven, Miss. xAI, which eventually received permits for some turbines in Memphis and stopped using others, did not respond to requests for comment. An armada of off-grid power plants Dozens of natural gas plants being built to serve data centers will be off the grid Off the grid Connected to the grid Power capacity 250 MW 2,500 7,500 Note: Map shows natural gas plants that have been announced or are under construction. Some plant locations were adjusted to prevent overlap. Sources: Global Energy Monitor, Ohio Public Utilities Commission. By that point, tech companies were flocking to Ohio, so much so that the main electric utility serving the Columbus area stopped accepting data center applications for new grid connections in March 2023. The state quickly became one of the first battlegrounds between utilities and some of the worlds most valuable companies. It was against that backdrop that some developers started going off-grid in New Albany, which is near the western edge of a large natural gas deposit. EdgeConneX, a Washington-area data center developer that did not respond to requests for comment, is behind one of the power plants. Williams Companies, an Oklahoma pipeline operator, is building at least two for Meta, Facebooks parent company. Meta has agreed to buy the power that Williams generates for at least a decade, said Chad Zamarin, Williamss chief executive. Whether they use it or not, we will get paid, Mr. Zamarin said. The power deal is among the most expensive that Paul Zimbardo, an analyst at the investment firm Jefferies, said he had come across. Meta may have agreed to pay Williams $140 to $160 per megawatt-hour, the investment bank estimated, well above the price of grid power. Last week, Williams told regulators that it wanted to build a third power plant in New Albany for an undisclosed customer. These plants will not affect the price of electricity for Ohio residents because the facilities are not connected to the grid, though higher gas demand could drive up fuel prices over time. Meta said the local utilitys pause on serving new data centers, which ended last year, influenced its decision to go off grid. The company, which has pledged to fully offset its greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030, is buying renewable energy to compensate for the electricity it gets from fossil fuels, said Ryan Daniels, a company spokesman. Companies are gravitating to gas because it can theoretically generate electricity all day, unlike the wind or sun. And smaller gas generators and engines can be installed much faster than nuclear power plants. Natural gas will provide most of the onsite power for U.S. data centers Power capacity of publicly disclosed equipment Source: Cleanview. That worries Noah Malik, who lives several miles from New Albanys new plants. By building this infrastructure, youve cemented that dependence on fossil fuels, said Mr. Malik, who is 25. Most of the off-grid power plants being planned around the country are either under construction or about to be, meaning the full environmental effects have yet to be felt. New Albanys new power plants are expected to release more nitrogen oxides a group of pollutants linked to respiratory diseases like asthma for each unit of electricity they produce than the larger gas plants that power most of Ohio, according to an analysis of regulatory filings and manufacturer data by the Environmental Defense Fund. That analysis, performed for The New York Times, accounts for the emissions controls that the developers have said they would install. I do worry about the near-term impacts of this choice on air quality and communities today, said Mark Brownstein, a senior vice president at the Environmental Defense Fund. Why exactly are we rushing? he added. There is a concern that haste is making waste here. A Williams spokesman said the company would meet and exceed all state-established requirements to protect public health and the environment. A spokesman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said it modeled air quality to assess the facilities cumulative impact and ensure compliance with federal standards before giving developers permission to build the plants. Noise levels must remain within five decibels of ambient levels, said a spokesman for the Ohio Power Siting Board, which also reviews major energy projects. A big question is how long this gas power frenzy will last. Manufacturers of gas turbines and related equipment have been wrestling with how much money to invest in new manufacturing lines. Their big concern is that, by the time the new capacity is ready, demand for the equipment might have weakened significantly. Baker Hughes, an oil field service company that makes the kinds of turbines being used off grid, is betting on strong data center demand for at least several years. It is one of many oil and gas companies that have piled into the power business as oil field work has slowed. We dont see this being a fad, said Lorenzo Simonelli, the companys chief executive. Industry analysts and executives also question whether power plants built alongside data centers will remain competitive if it becomes easier to connect to the grid. Siemens Energy makes some of the equipment that the New Albany power plants plan to use. But even that companys chief executive, Christian Bruch, is skeptical about using smaller machines as permanent power sources. These will not be long-term installations, Mr. Bruch said in a recent interview, discussing the broader trend. Is it good in terms of efficiency? And is that a smart power supply solution? Absolutely not. Democratic Primary Voters on the South Side of Chicago and in the citys suburbs are considering sending Jesse L. Jackson Jr. back to Congress a decade after he was convicted in a corruption scandal. (L-R) Joe Crowley, Jeff Denham Former congressmen Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Jeff Denham (R-CA) have signed on to handle the new TikTok on issues related to internet technology and learning-enabled platforms. Established on Sept. 25, 2025, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC serves 200M Americans and 7.5 million businesses. It reflects the shift from Chinese to American majority ownership. Owners include Larry Ellisons Oracle, Michael Dells family office and Silver Lake. Chinas ByteDance retains a 19.9 percent stake. Through their firm, Dentons, Crowley and Denham will deal with data protection and privacy; algorithm security and integrity; content moderation; online safety; interoperability of global platforms; and the economic impact of TikTok. They may also have to explain the the $10B fee that TikTok's new owners are paying the US Treasury to approve the deal. Sen Mark Warner (D-VA) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on March 17, expressing concern that the new ownership group has close ties with Donald Trump. This arrangement, if true, would continue a pattern set by the Trump administration of exercising the power and authority of the government to benefit certain companies and individuals close to the President, and to extract concessions as a condition of doing so, wrote Warner. He also noted: The opaque, uncompetitive, and ad hoc process surrounding the government-brokered sale, with numerous conflicts of interest, has no analogue in modern American history. Zohran Mamdani New Yorks 34-year-old mayor Zohran Mamdani recovered nicely from the rookie mistake that he committed on the eve of St. Patricks Day. When asked by a reporter about whether he would support a united Ireland, Mamdani replied: I gotta be honest I havent thought enough on that question. Mamdani seriously whiffed on that softball question that is relevant and thought enough of by many of NYCs 400K-plus people of Irish descent. The mayors PR advisors must have set Mamdani straight because he was right on target during the big day. At the Saint Patricks Day breakfast held at Gracie Mansion, he spoke eloquently of the more than 800 years of British repression of Ireland. The story of the Irish, both in Ireland and in New York City, is at one time a story of oppression, of subjugation, and of discrimination, he said. As we know, it was on Irish soil that the British Empire developed their colonial project. So much of the exploitation later imposed elsewhere across the world was first honed in the plantations of Ireland. Mamdani upped the ante at the Saint Patricks Day parade. As someone who believes deeply in the principle of self-determination, I think that should be extended to the Irish. He credited the Irish for standing up whenever there has been a person or a people oppressed. Standing up in support of Palestinian freedom is a clear example of that. Ireland has been a leading critic of Israels genocidal activities. Israel closed its embassy in Dublin in December 2004 after Ireland recognized the Palestinian state and supported the International Court of Justice genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel. As Irelands former president Mary Robinson said at the Gracie Mansion breakfast: While we gather to wish each other good health, we know others are living under the shadow of war and suffering in Iran, in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Ukraine, in Sudan, and [in the] Democratic Republic of Congo and in too many other places. For many Irish people, these realities resonate deeply, as the mayor has said. Our own history holds memories of famine, exile, and conflict, she said. Mamdani praised Robinson for standing steadfast alongside the people of Palestine. You can bet the mayor will be prepared for Saint Patricks Day 2027. IRELANDs largest home care provider, Dovida, is inviting people across the Midlands who are interested in exploring a rewarding career in care to take part in National Hiring Day on Thursday, March 26. The Tullamore event is part of a nationwide recruitment initiative aimed at expanding the companys professional care team to meet the growing need for a diverse range of high-quality home care supports. National Hiring Day gives attendees the chance to speak directly with Dovida staff, learn about Caregiver roles, explore available job opportunities, and receive guidance on training and career progression. The event is free to attend and open to people of all backgrounds, whether theyre new to the sector or an experienced professional. This is a unique chance to learn more about us, our values, and the excellent career paths we offer in caregiving and beyond, Dovida Midlands General Manager, Lorraine McLaughlin, said. So, whether youre new to caregiving or an experienced professional, wed love to meet you on the day to discuss whether a career in care is right for you, she added. READ NEXT: Thousands line the streets of Tullamore and Clara for St Patrick's Day parades National Hiring Day in the Midlands Venue: Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, Co Offaly Time: Drop in any time between 10am and 8pm on Thursday, March 26, our staff will be on hand to welcome you and support you with your application. Dovida Caregivers provide a range of vital services that empower people in their community to remain living as independently as possible in their own homes. Whether assisting an older person who needs some help around the house or supporting someone who has a disability to attend events in the community, Dovida Caregivers are there. Dovida offers both full and part-time positions as well as flexible hours in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends, allowing Caregivers to fit their work into their lives and balance it with other commitments, such as family life, community activities or study. The company also provides comprehensive training and support, as well as opportunities for personal and professional development. READ NEXT: Ireland's oldest man opens bumper St Patrick's Day parade in Offaly town People who need support from Dovida want to maintain autonomy over their life, to experience belonging, pursue happiness and find purpose. Our Caregivers are key to ensuring that as many people as possible can do just that, Lorraine McLaughlin concluded. Anyone interested in attending the Midlands National Hiring Day event can register their interest in advance https://dovida.ie/caregiver-hiring-day/ or simply pop along on the day at a time that suits them. The full pedestrianisation of O'Connor Square in Tullamore should be a priority for Offaly County Council according to a leading architect and town planner. Tullamore native, Fergal McCabe sets out his vision for the square in a letter to the Editor of the Tullamore Tribune published in this week's edition. Mr MacCabe writes: Dear Sir, Offaly County Council has published its Draft Tullamore Local Transport Plan and set a deadline of 23rd March for the public to offer their views. This is an excellent and well reasoned comprehensive vision for a future Tullamore. A linked public transport network, safe walking routes to school and dedicated cycle paths will create a more attractive environment, while essential car parking will be well located and accessible. It will take years to fully implement, but it is a great start and an excellent precursor to the anticipated Urban Area Plan for the town. READ NEXT: Ireland's oldest man opens bumper St Patrick's Day parade in Offaly town However, the Transport Plan suggests that in the short term much of the parking be removed from Market Square and be replaced by public areas and planting, while in the longer term OConnor Square might possibly be fully pedestrianised. I strongly urge that this timing should be reversed. OConnor Square is the premier public arena of Offaly and the central focus of Tullamore. It is where great events - the return of victorious teams and the election of a Taoiseach - are celebrated. It contains some of the towns finest architecture and its public library. The pedestrianisation of its northern side has been a great success and its image has become a calling card in the promotion of the town. The imminent link to Church Street will increase its attractiveness. It is a lot more than just a car park. I believe that the full pedestrianisation and landscaping of OConnor Square should be an early priority, especially now that the recently opened Tanyard to High Street vehicular link has made the route through it redundant. READ NEXT: Thousands line the streets of Tullamore and Clara for St Patrick's Day parades Before embarking on an expensive scheme to remove the very convenient pay parking in Market Square and turn this backland space into a planted plaza which, given its relative lack of active commercial frontages and busy public through routes, seems a dubious proposition, the undoubted success of the infinitely more vibrant OConnor Square should be exploited as soon as possible. I urge those who agree with me that the full pedestrianisation of OConnor Square should be an early priority, to make their submissions to activetravel@offalycoco.ie by the 23rd March. Yours Sincerely Fergal MacCabe 4 Summerhill Parade Sandycove Co. Dublin JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia needs to promptly reform its tourism sector to mitigate the impact of the global crisis stemming from the Middle East conflict, which is disrupting global connectivity and increasing travel costs, said the country's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on Wednesday. The country risks losing around 5,500 international tourists and up to 184.8 billion rupiah (around 11.8 million U.S. dollars) in daily foreign exchange earnings if the situation is not addressed, according to projections by the Ministry of Tourism. "Indonesia must immediately undertake reforms to mitigate losses from the global crisis while building a competitive, resilient, and globally competitive tourism sector and destinations," Airlangga said. To that end, the government plans to expand its visa-free policy, with the Ministry of Tourism identifying 20 potential countries for inclusion, while also strengthening the domestic market through a micro-tourism approach. The government will also push for the opening of new international routes, enhance Indonesia's branding as a safe destination, and develop special economic zones such as the Riau Islands and Kura-Kura Bali as hubs for tourists and global digital workers. The Alleged Exodus (Image by ResearchGate) Details DMCA While most of you on this site do not need the following, many of our friends and acquaintances do. So here goes. Suffice that Old Testament stories such as the Exodus and Adam & Eve, have been debunked on numerous grounds, including Archaeology, Genetics & Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology & Paleontology, Geology & Stratigraphy, and Egyptology, they still are being treated as historical facts and wield great power and influence by powerful people within the United States, including all three branches of the government, conservative news platforms, religious leaders, and just the average Joe on social media. Ambassador Mike Huckabee spoke in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on February 22, 2026. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would include much of the Middle East, including parts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He quoted from Genesis Chapter 15 and asked Huckabee if Israel had a right to that land. Huckabee responded: "It would be fine if they took it all." On September 15, 2025, CNBC reported that he also said "It was 4,000 years ago here in this city, on Mount Moriah, where God chose His people. He not only chose a people, but He chose a place, and then He chose for the people in this place a purpose. The people were the Jewish people. The place was Israel." He then invoked the biblical blessing/curse framing: "Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed." Hundreds of complaints from U.S. soldiers have been aired regarding high-ranking officers reportedly told troops that the war is "all part of God's divine plan" to bring about the return of Jesus Christ. We should never forget that George Bush Jr. said that Jesus told him to bomb Iraq. That so many powerful people today in our "modern" world can so easily use the Bible, despite its many contradictions, to cause so much death and destruction and are so successful at manipulating the largest voting block of voters into their camp is breathless. The fact that 80% of evangelicals; those who claim that the Bible is perfect and was inspired by their God, proves that point. Here is an article I published several years ago (slightly revised) on Medium that briefly highlights a few historical rebuttals to the belief that somehow Israel was given a certain piece of land, and that those who support them, will be specially blessed by their God. With the latest attacks on Iran and other middle eastern countries, it is all the more urgent. History teaches us that whenever a people believe that something is God will, anything goes, including murder, genocide, slavery, rapes, and much, much more. They need no evidence that their cause is just or right, just faith alone to do the unthinkable. Ten Reasons why the Bible's Story of the Exodus is not True "When we meet the needs of students who require the most support, we raise the standard of education for everyone." -- Ankur Patel (Image by Ankur Patel) Details DMCA Last Friday, Ankur Patel became the final candidate to qualify for the LAUSD School Board election and will face incumbent Nick Melvoin in June. With only two candidates in the race, this is now a winner"'take"'all election. All challengers were provided with six questions to introduce themselves to voters. These are Patel's responses: 1. What is your current occupation? I have served as the Director of Outreach at the Hindu University of America since 2023. Before this, I served as the Director of Advancement from 2019 to 2023. After earning a B.S. from UCLA in 2007, I taught English for a year in South Korea and six months in Beijing. I then earned my M.S. at CSUN in 2014, during which I served as Reverend James Lawson's Graduate Assistant for a semester in 2013. After being a student activist, I ran for LA City Controller in 2013 and LAUSD BD3 in 2015. 2. Do you or have you ever worked for the LAUSD? If yes, in what position(s)? Yes, I have proudly worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District in multiple roles. From 2015 to 2018, I served as the School and Community Coordinator for LAUSD Board District 3 Member Scott Schmerelson. I also worked as a Substitute Teacher from 2018 to 2023 working across dozens of schools, mostly at Olive Vista Middle School in Sylmar. I had multiple long-term assignments, taught over 100 days in each of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, while being an active member of UTLA. 3. Do you have any children currently enrolled in the LAUSD? Any graduates of the District? My wife Mitsu and I don't have any children yet, but I attended LAUSD schools from K-12, including Chatsworth Park, San Jose, Portola, and North Hollywood High School, where it was my privilege to graduate from the wonderful magnet programs offered by LAUSD. My two younger brothers attended Chatsworth Park, Lawrence, and Chatsworth High School. We are a public school family and will send our future children to LAUSD schools. 4. Why are you running? Quality public education is one of my core values. I have benefited from the great public education I received, and I want to pay it forward. I'm running because I believe in strong public schools as a public good, and because education is the great equalizer. Every child, regardless of zip code, income, ability, language, or immigration status, deserves a high-quality public education. Right now, our system isn't living up to that promise. We can only turn things around if we protect and invest in public schools, not hollow them out. 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). Gaza cover-up the reason why DNC won't release their 2024 autopsy? Watch the Majority Report live Monday--Friday at 12pm EST on YouTube OR via daily podcast at Majority.fm The ... (Image by YouTube, Channel: The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder) Details DMCA When the governing body of the Democratic Party convenes next month, it will face a challenge to its support for Israel. The Democratic National Committee has evaded the fact that large majorities of Democrats oppose continuing military aid to Israel and believe it has committed genocide in Gaza. The stage is set for jarring discord when the DNC's 450 members gather in New Orleans. An NBC poll released this week underscores the depth of the DNC's political folly. The results were lopsided, by a 67-17 percent margin in favor of Palestinians, when the survey asked Democrats: "Are your sympathies more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians?" The DNC leadership has stayed on a collision course with political realities about Israel. Last August, while a Gallup poll was showing that just 8 percent of Democrats approved of Israel's military actions in Gaza, DNC chair Ken Martin said at a meeting of delegates from across the country that "there's a divide in our party on this issue." He didn't acknowledge that the crucial divide is actually between the party's leadership and Democrats nationwide. At that summer meeting, amid contention over U.S. policies toward Israel, Martin withdrew his party-line resolution after it won and after a pro-Palestinian rights measure lost. He called for "shared dialogue" and "shared advocacy," announcing that he would appoint a task force "comprised of stakeholders on all sides of this to continue to have the conversation." Martin declared that "this crisis in Gaza is urgent" and an "emergency." But the "emergency" lost its urgency as soon as the DNC adjourned and the media spotlight disappeared. Six months passed before the first meeting of the task force, which by then had been downgraded to a "working group." The working group's convener (selected by Martin) is James Zogby, a longtime advocate for Palestinian rights. Zogby had greeted Martin's task-force announcement with praise, calling it "politically thoughtful" and a recognition of "the reality that the status quo has become unacceptable and untenable." But more than six months later, the status quo remains undisturbed as the DNC's Middle East Working Group proceeds at a snail's pace. And the composition of the eight-member panel makes it foreseeably incapable of reaching its purported goal to "help us sort out how our party deals with America's policies in the Middle East." 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). Former UN weapons inspector during the 2003 Iraq War, Scott Ritter, explain how the Raytheon-manufactured Tomahawk missile has a special feature which allows it to be turned into a firebomb on impact. Trump has already admitted that the missile which struck the Minab girls elementary school in Iran on February 28, 2026, was a Tomahawk, then went on to say that Iran has Tomahawks which it could drop in an errant attack. Prior to that, Trump had been maintaining that the missile was an unspecified Iranian missile. The idea that Iran has Tomahawks was immediately ridiculed by experts such as General Barry McCaffrey. CNN reported: "Iran definitely does not, repeat does not, have Tomahawks," Jeffrey Lewis, distinguished scholar of global security at Middlebury College, said in a text message Monday evening. "Astonishing bald faced lying. Childish," tweeted retired US Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, a Trump critic, in response to the Trump claim." Former UN weapons inspector Scott Rittersaid in an interview on March 9, 2026": Les Wexner speaks at a prayer vigil held at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus on Sunday, October 28, 2018, (Image by Fred Squillante/Dispatch) Details DMCA Les Wexner was Epstein's boss and funded Epstein's entire pedo-operation. Wexner set up all of Epstein's properties with hidden cameras which were then all routed back to Wexner's property in Ohio. Wexner was the one in charge of the whole pedo-blackmail operation, and Epstein was just his top employee. The media is currently trying to convince us that Wexner was an innocent victim. But this is the same media that has deliberately prevented Maria Farmer from telling us what she knows about Wexner's real role as the mastermind behind Epstein's whole pedo-blackmail operation. After 2019, when Jeffrey Epstein was finally arrested, Maria Farmer was interviewed by all the establishment media and she told all of them about Wexner's role as the one who was really in charge Epstein's boss, but the media all said to her, "We won't be talking about Wexner." and censored everything she exposed about Wexner. ". . .it's so insane. You can mention anyone and they'll research it. But if you dare say the name Leslie Wexner, everybody walks out of the room. . . . Interviews have been cancelled because of it." -Maria Farmer,(Source: from 19:40 of Beyond the Horizon interview "In Their Own Words: Maria Farmer Joins Me For Another Chat" (March 2022) -removed) So, it is not as if the media doesn't know about Wexner, rather, it is that the media's job is that the public doesn't know. Just like what happened with Bill Cosby, the media is never going to tell us a thing about Les Wexner until we already know the truth. That's why we have no choice but to inform ourselves about the real boss of Epstein's pedo-operation, Les Wexner. Here is the short version of Maria Farmer's story: When Maria Farmer first started working for Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine "Gilenn" Maxwell in 1995, Maxwell was already procuring children for Epstein "full time." "When I was with them, she was full time, what she called 'the lady of the house.' And she was full time getting children for him. Full time. I mean full time. And the other person who was always going around with her, this was really weird, Donald Trump's ex-wife, Ivana, was always in the car with her. I mean constantly. No one, not one news organization will mention that. . . . What would happen is she'd say, "I'm going out with Ivana." And she would say, you know, "Maria, come along," and I would ride in the limo and the driver knew what they were doing. ''. . . we would go in the limo and she'd be chatting with Ivana and then she'd go "oh wait, hold on, I see someone" and she'd run out and like talk to a child, and exchange information with them, and then come back and then that child would be like the next day at the house. And I would say "what are you doing?" and she'd say "I'm scouting, scouting, for Victoria Secret models." And these were like kids who'd just gotten out of class so they had their uniforms on . . . twelve, thirteen, fourteen maybe at the oldest, like braces age, you know. And I would say to her . . . "why are there children modeling for Victoria's Secret?" . . . and she's like "oh no, we need nubiles for Victoria's Secret." That was the word she used constantly "nubile, nubile, nubile" . . .I saw at least five girls come in that house a day.. . . I was there a year and I saw thousands of little girls. . . . They were in his offices. There were just constantly little girls there. Constantly." (Sources: #1- from 43:38 in the Whitney Webb interview with Maria Farmer -part I:tu.be/dtD02MeZU4o?t=2618(originally fromtheLastAmericanVagabond.com:https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/epstein-victim-maria-farmer-speaks-with-whitney-webb-full-phone-call-part-1/) -and #2-from 25:13in the Attwood interview:https://rumble.com/v14fu4i-epstein-survivor-maria-farmer-interview-fbi-protected-epsteins-nwo-accompli.html(also available at Odysee.com) "I work for Les Wexner," Ghislaine Maxwell would say to Farmer, and she made it very clear to Farmer that she getting minors to model for Wexner's Victoria's Secret, which was the whole of Wexner's Limited Corporation at the time. After coming back happy and chipper from a long shopping trip, Ghislaine's mood would suddenly turn dark and she'd announce, "I'm going out to get the nubiles," and she'd invite Maria Farmer to come along with her on the drive around the schools as they got out. Over time, Maria Farmer noticed Ghislaine got sloppy, and stopped bothering with the pretence of "recruiting for Victoria Secret models" and would just flat-out say, "Jeffrey needs his nubiles." (Sources: #1-from 25:15and 21:14 in the Attwood interview:Click Here-and #2-from 37:37in the True News interview: 'Maria Farmer :The Head Of The Snake-True News' at odysee.comClick Here) While working the front desk for the front door of Epstein's N.Y. estate, Maria Farmer's job was to fill out the book of people coming and going, basically signing them in and signing them out. "So, I saw a lot of creeps coming in and out of that house," she says. (from 4:03 in the Naturalist Capitalist interview with Maria Farmer: 'Episode 185 -- Maria Farmer Tells Her Story' tu.be/NernEZTcryI?t=243-or, if Google removes it, available at odysee.comClick Here) But when President Bill Clinton came by the Epstein N.Y. estate for a visit, Farmer recalls, that's when "Ghislaine would get in a tizzy." "She's like "the President's coming! The President's coming!" (everyone had to leave before Clinton arrived except for the underage girls who happened to show up that day, the chef, and a couple of maids who would stay behind with Jeffrey and Ghislaine, and Farmer was always the last to leave) . . . "And that happened three times when I worked there, and no one ever believed me because there was no security detail, there was no announcement that the President was coming. But he was going to that house with children. . . .And Ghislaine would say "oh, got to get lots of girls today, the President's coming." And I told the FBI all of this. And he was the sitting president." . . .(from 1:17:47 in the Webb interview -part 1:tu.be/dtD02MeZU4o?t=4667s-originally fromtheLastAmericanVagabond.com:https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/epstein-victim-maria-farmer-speaks-with-whitney-webb-full-phone-call-part-1/) ". . . And Ghislaine would show me pictures later, "Oh, look, look at Bill and I. We did this last night," . . . back when you had to get pictures developed." (from 43:21 in the Naturalist Capitalist interview with Maria Farmer:tu.be/NernEZTcryI?t=2601 -or available at Odysee.com) Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). As of the writing of this story, our country is still bombing Iran. The war isn't popular with the American people or in most countries around the world. However, it's hard to deny that Iran is an authoritarian, terrorist-supporting regime. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in the bombing, was a brutal dictator who had no respect for the ways of a Western-style democratic republic. Many Iranians living outside their home country celebrated his death with champagne and dancing in the streets. For them, his demise represents a better future. Their sentiment is shared by millions in Iran who want the theocratic regime to collapse so the country can move on. But some held a different view. In his story, "The Dangerous Martyrdom of Khamenei: His death Will Strengthen Tehran," writer Arta Moeini stated: "he (Khamenei) was a religious symbol for Shi'ites worldwide. His assassination -- by US-Israeli bombs during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, while fasting and overseeing wartime resistance planning -- instantly transcended geopolitics and entered the realm of sacred myth. For supporters of the Islamic Republic, the symbolism is nothing short of miraculous, and among the Shiite population worldwide, it instantly resonates within their collective memory." He also said Khamenei's death evokes the assassination of Imam Ali, the first Imam of Shi'ism and a central figure in the sect's political theology. Western leaders don't seem to understand the significance of the assassination. Khamenei was elevated overnight to the status of Imam-e Shahid -- the "martyred saint," said Moeini. In Shiite political theology, martyrdom converts political defeat into moral victory and transforms fallen leaders into sources of mobilization. It mythologized Khamenei among his followers, and there are millions of them. Moeini said that Khamenei's death is unlikely to achieve political moderation in Iran. Instead, his successor, now Mojtaba Khamenei, might make the state even more extreme, and it might seek nuclear weapons as a defense mechanism. Even more nuclear arms in the world? Scary! In addition, bombing the country is unlikely to bring about a post-theocratic Iran. Moeini said: "they (decapitation strikes) consolidate regimes by supplying precisely what they lack in times of internal strain: a unifying external enemy and a mobilizing myth." For now, and Moeini pointed it out in his story, it looks like the Islamic Republic will survive. We've yet to see the Iranian military move over to the side of the majority who want the theocracy condemned to the scrap heap of history. Is there a lesson for the US? Yes, wars are not a valuable conduit for spreading Western-style democracy. I would have thought we'd learned that after our adventure in Iraq. For some, President Donald Trump represented a less trigger-happy form of foreign policy than previous Republican presidencies, but on Iran, we can see a continuity with the past! Jason Sibert is the Lead Writer of the Peace Economy Project Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Turkey is increasingly finding itself involved in a widening regional crisis as tensions linked to the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel continue to escalate. On Friday, March 13, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that NATO air defenses stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkish territory. The ministry demanded an explanation from Tehran, marking the third such missile incident since early March. However, the Iranian Embassy in Ankara stated on X, that no projectile had been launched from Iran towards Turkey. NATO later confirmed that its air defense systems had intercepted the third ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkey. Third Missile Since March 4 The latest interception follows two earlier incidents this month. On March 4, NATO air defenses intercepted the first Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Turkey while it was still en route to Turkish airspace. A second missile was shot down on March 9 after it had already entered Turkish airspace. Iran had denied targeting Turkey in the March 4 attack. These incidents represent a growing test for Ankara and the NATO alliance as a whole. Turkey, which possesses the second-largest military in NATO and shares a long border with Iran, has firmly rejected any further attacks. After each incident, Ankara lodged formal protests with Tehran but has so far refrained from signaling any intention to formally request NATO's collective defense protection. Turkey No Longer a Passive Observer The current regional environment has pushed Turkey beyond the role of a mere observer. Ankara now finds itself deeply embedded in a complex geopolitical crisis where the Iranian-American confrontation intersects with longstanding ethnic tensions and historical fears of territorial fragmentation. At the center of Turkey's strategic concerns lies the Kurdish issue. Millions of Kurds live within Turkish borders, while Kurdish populations in Iraq and Syria enjoy varying degrees of autonomous governance that have received international recognition and support. The Iranian Kurds living in self-imposed exile in Iraqi Kurdistan have been receiving arms for the CIA recently in order to pose a threat to Iran and carry out cross-border terrorist strikes inside Iran. The American sponsorship of Iranian Kurds on the Turkish border poses a direct national security threat to Turkey. The Kurds in Iraq, and Syria have a long history of US military support and have traded weapons amongst the groups regardless of international borders. The Kurds believe that 'Kurdistan', though not internationally recognized, extends from Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran in a seamless geographical entity. This concern explains Turkey's continued insistence on maintaining the right to conduct military operations in northern Iraq and northern Syria. Ankara has consistently opposed any international arrangements that could expand Kurdish political rights or enhance their political status, regardless of the humanitarian or political arguments supporting such proposals. A Delicate Balance Between NATO and Iran Turkey's strategic dilemma becomes even more complex when viewed in the context of its relationships with both sides of the broader regional conflict. As a NATO member, Ankara is expected to demonstrate a degree of solidarity with the Western alliance led by Washington. At the same time, antagonizing Iran carries significant risks. 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). TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Japan's exports to the United States fell 8 percent year-on-year in February to around 1.75 trillion yen (about 11 billion U.S. dollars), marking the third consecutive monthly decline, data from the Finance Ministry showed Wednesday. By category, automobile exports dropped 14.8 percent, auto parts declined 15.9 percent, and pharmaceuticals plunged 58.1 percent, indicating the ongoing impact of tariff measures imposed by the United States. DOHA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari on Wednesday condemned the Israeli targeting of facilities linked to Iran's South Pars gas field, which is an extension of Qatar's North Field. In a statement on X, Al-Ansari warned that targeting energy infrastructure in the region threatens global energy security and regional stability, describing it as a "dangerous and irresponsible step" amid the ongoing military escalation. He added that attacks on energy infrastructure pose risks not only to global energy supplies but also to the peoples of the region and the surrounding environment. Al-Ansari reiterated Qatar's longstanding position on the need to avoid targeting vital facilities and called on all parties to exercise restraint and adhere to international law. He also urged efforts toward de-escalation in a manner that preserves the security and stability of the region. Earlier in the day, Iranian state media reported that Iran's natural gas facilities associated with the offshore South Pars field had been attacked. Valter Farina, First Italian WSOP Bracelet Winner, Dies at 72 Eliot Thomas Editor, Poker & Casino Copy link Valter Farina, the first Italian player to win a bracelet at the World Series of Poker, has sadly passed away at the age of 72. Widely regarded as a trailblazer of Italian poker, Farina made history when he won the $1,500 Seven Card Stud tournament at the 1995 WSOP, earning $144,600 and the honor of being the first Italian to capture a gold bracelet. A Seven Card Stud specialist, Farina recorded two consecutive seventh place finishes in the format at the 1994 WSOP, before defeating Steve Karabinas heads-up on April 26, 1995, to secure his maiden bracelet and cement his place in poker history. Alongside his tournament success, Farina was also a regular on the Las Vegas cash game scene and is considered by many to be the first professional poker player from Italy. From the early 2000s, the man from Genoa made his home on the island of Sint Maarten, where he was a popular figure among the local poker community, recording his final career cashes at the WSOP Circuit stop held on the island in 2023. The news was reported by Assopoker on March 15, with tributes quickly flooding in from the poker world. Remembering Valter Farina Max Pescatori, a four-time WSOP bracelet winner and protege of Farinas, paid a touching tribute on Facebook, describing his mentor as a legend. It's hard to find the right words to say goodbye to a life and poker mentor like Valter. He was the first to believe in me and convince my parents that I could become a poker professional, wrote Pescatori. I was honored to spend hours watching and learning from him as he played the highest-stakes game available at the Mirage in Las Vegas, where he was a regular 7-Card Stud player. Without his invaluable advice, I might not have had the courage to quit my job and pursue my dream of becoming a professional. Valter, you will always be a legend. Goodbye, Valter. Alessio Isaia, one of the most successful tournament players to come from Italy, also paid heartfelt tribute, remembering Farina as a great friend, a great human being and a great poker player. Taking to Facebook, Isaia wrote, We shared so many wonderful moments together, and you were one of the few people I truly admired. I'm sure that with your skills and dedication, you'll find your way on this new path that awaits you. I want to dedicate this post and a special greeting to you because you were one of those people who occupy a special place in my heart. I wish you all the best, and I look forward to our future together. A big hug, great Valter Farina! No tears, just celebration, as we always liked. The entire PokerNews team offers its condolences to the family and friends of Valter Farina, a true pioneer of Italian poker. Imagery courtesy of Assopoker, Max Pescatori, Alessio Isaia. Share this article Diving Into The Lodge Affidavit Is this the End of Texas Poker? | PokerNews Podcast #946 Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager Copy link In the 946th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow shoot a show devoted to examining the recently-released affidavit against The Lodge in Texas, which was raided by authorities last Tuesday. What were the details of the warrant? Find out here. Plus, Doug Polk recently issued a new statement and is committed to making sure players are taken care of. But what do the details of the affidavit mean for the future of The Lodge and Texas poker in general? Well, unfortunately, it doesn't look good. Find out why in the latest episode. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud. PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to A newdrops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps Time Topic 00:00 Welcome to the Show 01:00 The Lodge issues new statement 05:09 WPT postpones event 09:30 No formal charges filed at this time 15:00 History lesson on the rise of poker in Texas 22:00 Why no one should be gloating 24:30 What did Brad Owen have to say? 26:00 Speculation abounds 31:40 Poker should just be made legal Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway on X. Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here! You can also find us on Spotify as well as our new page on SoundCloud! Share this article Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, gestures at a regular press briefing in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Xu) BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson said China always cares about the safety of Chinese citizens overseas, noting that China's diplomatic missions helped 93 Taiwan compatriots stranded in the Middle East return home via mainland flights. The Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul assisted Taiwan compatriots stranded in the Middle East in transferring to mainland flights and returning to Taiwan via Shanghai, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. In addition, the Chinese Embassy in Israel and the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai helped many Taiwan compatriots return to Taiwan or evacuate to safer areas after they sought assistance through channels such as the China Consular Affairs app and hotlines. The Taiwan compatriots who received assistance said they felt reassured knowing the motherland was always there for them, and personally experienced that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family, according to Chen. In response to repeated attacks and smears by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities against the mainland's care and protection of Taiwan compatriots, Chen condemned the actions as "shameful." Aiken, SC (29801) Today Becoming partly cloudy after some morning rain. High 81F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Cloudy with light rain this morning...then becoming partly cloudy. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Deep inside a huge lab at the "Science Island" in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, engineers are meticulously upgrading the core of China's "artificial sun," also known as the EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak). This isn't a purely local endeavor, however. The high-temperature superconducting materials used at this venue originate from neighboring Shanghai Municipality, the crucial "armor" from Zhejiang Province, and the insulation from Jiangsu Province, all located in east China. Notably, this geographic diversity isn't a logistical hurdle but is the project's greatest strength, and a direct result of the coordinated regional development strategy reshaping the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), almost 40 countries are advancing fusion programs. China, by implementing a coordinated deployment of the future fusion energy industry in the YRD region, has established a globally leading complete closed-loop system for nuclear fusion, ranging from scientific research to engineering and industrialization. The Chinese government has further called for strengthening coordination among major city clusters like the YRD, urging the improvement of mechanisms for industrial collaboration and benefit sharing in this year's government report. The "artificial sun" project, formally known as a controlled nuclear fusion effort, serves as a powerful case study of how these mechanisms are being put into practice, transforming regional synergy into a tangible competitive edge for businesses, and accelerating the timeline for commercial fusion energy. POWER OF SHARED BENEFITS On the Science Island, staff are manufacturing key components of superconducting equipment. This is the core device of the "artificial sun," functioning like a "magnetic cage" that steadily controls the fusion reaction within the plasma. Constructing this "cage" requires components that can withstand extreme conditions, and their production in China is now a masterclass in inter-provincial collaboration. "The requirements for all fusion devices are non-standard and demand the highest performance," said Zhou Chao, director of the Center for Applied Research for Superconducting Technology at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, adding that most of the necessary equipment and their upstream and downstream factories can be found throughout the YRD. He noted that by posing these extreme technical challenges to suppliers, the project is inadvertently driving industrial upgrades across the region. For instance, at Wuxi Paike New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. in Jiangsu, massive forging machines are producing metal components that must endure ultra-high temperatures, strong radiation and intense magnetic fields. This isn't a one-way street of procurement. The benefits flow back to the companies, fostering growth and innovation. Ding Zuojun, chief engineer of the Wuxi company, said that since joining the fusion project in 2024, the company's annual revenue from high-end forgings has grown by nearly 50 percent. Similarly, Su Cheng, chief engineer at Zhejiang Jiuli Hi-Tech Metals Co., Ltd., highlighted the value of proximity and rapid feedback. Being able to quickly address on-site needs at the Hefei assembly hall allows his team to refine materials for fusion, which in turn enhances their capabilities for developing other high-end products. "This account works out well for us," he said, embodying the "shared benefits" approach. The numbers underscore this success. According to Yang Qingxi, a researcher at the Hefei-based Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), about 60 percent of host components for the fusion device are manufactured within the YRD. Furthermore, the Hefei-based Fusion Industry Alliance has ballooned from just over 60 members in 2023 to nearly 300 today, with roughly 80 percent hailing from the YRD, Yang said. "This is a very positive trend that helps shorten the timeline for commercial application of fusion," he added. This rapid agglomeration is a direct result of coordinated policies that make it easier for companies across provincial lines to plug into a high-tech supply chain, sharing both the risks and rewards of pioneering work. LOCAL COLLABORATION TO GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS The advantages of this regional synergy extend beyond domestic assembly lines, directly translating into global contracts and positioning the YRD as a world-class hub for fusion technology. The consortium led by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and the CAS recently won a cash contract for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. This international recognition, according to Yu Xuefeng, deputy general manager of China Fusion Energy Co. Ltd, is a testament to the robust domestic ecosystem. "The tasks we've secured from the ITER project, combined with domestic research and development needs, are driving the development of high-end manufacturing across the YRD," he said. This model aligns perfectly with expert advice on fostering regional innovation. Duan Xuru, CNNC's chief scientist in nuclear fusion, emphasized that collaborative efforts are crucial to avoid spreading the limited technical talent pool thin and to involve enterprises early in the process, which is vital for breaking through key technological bottlenecks. Looking ahead, a clear roadmap is in place. Leveraging the YRD's integrated strength, China plans to commence fusion burn experiments by 2027, complete its first engineering test reactor by around 2035, and build its first commercial demonstration reactor by approximately 2045. Niu Yilin, director of the cooperation and exchanges office in the Hefei Municipal Development and Reform Commission, frames this as a strategic goal. "Through regional synergy, we further enhance the innovation capability, industrial competitiveness and development level of the Yangtze River Delta," said Niu. Sydney Dunlap covers food and culture for the Free Times. She is a native of South Carolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025. Her work has previously appeared in The State, South Carolina Living and The Hill. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Rain showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High 78F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is committed to creating a conducive environment for small businesses to thrive through regulatory reform and expanded financial support, an official has said. Speaking at the 14th annual Proudly South African Buy Local Summit and Expo in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni said the government aims to support 1 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during its current term through both financial and non-financial assistance. "MSMEs play a crucial role in addressing unemployment and inequality in our country," Ndabeni said, adding that the sector employs millions of people and is a major driver of job creation and inclusive growth. She noted that key measures include implementing the red-tape reduction framework and expanding the e-registration system to simplify business registration and reduce administrative burdens at the municipal level. The government will also scale up access to finance for MSMEs by working with development finance institutions, banks and non-bank lenders, while strengthening market readiness and post-investment support to enhance business sustainability, Ndabeni said. "We will continue to improve the business environment, including by advancing the Business Licensing Bill to make it easier to start and operate small businesses," she added. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 18:00:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 527 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Positioned beyond trend-driven designs, the new model emphasizes torque delivery, structural durability, and stability across uneven off-road conditions.LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2026 / In a market flooded with spec-driven electric dirt bikes, most brands are chasing bigger numbers-more power, more torque, higher top speeds. But on real trails, numbers don't always translate to confidence.What's far less common is a machine built with a different priority: ride like a real dirt bike first, and let electrification follow. That's where ZONVEER takes a different direction.Developed by United Mobility over three years, the bikes weren't shaped in controlled environments alone. Instead, they were tested across forest trails, rocky terrain, loose sand, and steep climbs-conditions that quickly expose weaknesses. Rather than chasing peak figures, the focus was on consistency, durability, and predictable handling.A Progression System That Makes SenseInstead of a single platform, ZONVEER follows a structure familiar to traditional dirt bikes:DX1- lightweight, youth-focusedZX3- full-size, all-terrain platformZX5 (expected H2 2026) - higher-performance modelIt's a straightforward progression: start small, build skill, move up-without changing riding philosophy.Built Around Dirt Bike FundamentalsZONVEER avoids typical off-road e-bike design cues. Both models are built around dirt bike geometry.The DX1, with a chromoly steel frame and ~92 lbs weight, paired with 14/12-inch wheels, feels compact and responsive-ideal for developing riders.The ZX3 moves into a larger platform with a high-carbon steel frame and 19-inch wheels, offering improved stability and comfort for longer, mixed-terrain riding.Hydraulic suspension, large brake rotors, reinforced chassis, and aggressive tire patterns across both models reinforce their off-road intent.Handling: Predictable Over AggressiveOn the trail, the setup prioritizes control.Steering is direct with consistent front-end feedback, while suspension tuning absorbs uneven terrain without excessive bounce. Hydraulic braking remains stable under repeated use, especially on descents.A compact rear design improves maneuverability in tight trails, with some rear movement under aggressive riding-typical for setups favoring agility.Power Delivery: Control Over Peak OutputIn a segment often compared with Sur Ron and Talaria, ZONVEER takes a more measured approach:DX1 : 3000W / ~278Nm torque, strong low-end response for climbs and corner exitsZX3 : 2800W / 110Nm torque, tuned for smoother, more progressive deliveryRather than aggressive bursts, power builds in a controlled, linear way-closer to traditional dirt bikes-improving traction and confidence across technical terrain and mixed riding conditions.Beyond the TrailWhile built for off-road use, ZONVEER is increasingly used in hybrid riding scenarios-trail, urban edges, and street-style riding, including wheelies and light customization.This reflects a growing overlap between electric dirt bikes and street riding culture.First Public DebutZONVEER made its first major public appearances at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show and ASD Market Week.Across both events, thousands of test rides highlighted strong rider engagement. Feedback focused on ride feel rather than specs, with demo areas quickly evolving into real-use scenarios-tight maneuvers, technical riding, and frequent wheelies.The TakeawayZONVEER enters the electric off-road market with a clear perspective:Not everything needs to be more powerful-just better to ride.DX1 and ZX3 are now available in the U.S. zonveermoto.com Contact InformationWebsite: www.zonveermoto.com Email: official@ zonveermoto.com SOURCE: United Mobility, Inc. JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's nuclear authorities have inspected the operational facilities of the Multipurpose Reactor G.A. Siwabessy in Serpong, Banten Province, as part of efforts to revitalize nuclear fuel fabrication facilities, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said on Wednesday. The authorities involved include the BRIN, the Directorate for Nuclear Facility Management, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency, and Gadjah Mada University. "We are conducting a comprehensive inspection of nuclear fuel processing and fabrication equipment to assess their condition, level of damage, and repair needs as a basis for revitalization decisions," said Maman Kartaman Ajiriyanto, head of BRIN's Research Center for Nuclear Fuel Technology and Radioactive Waste. The inspection covers the entire production chain, from material conversion to the fabrication of uranium silicide-based fuel elements and quality control systems, with initial findings indicating that most equipment remains fit for operation despite requiring routine maintenance and minor repairs. The BRIN also recommended revitalizing the ventilation system and internal building infrastructure, as well as accelerating repair measures, given that reactor fuel supplies are projected to last only until 2026. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 00:30:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1054 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 / Core Critical Metals Corp. ("CCMC" or the "Company") (TSXV:CCMC)(OTC PINK:CCMCF)(WKN:A41G8G), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 3,000,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.50 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Unit Share" and each common share in the capital of the Company, a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") to be issued pursuant to Part 5A (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption") of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price per Warrant Share of $0.75 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The Warrants will be exercisable 60 days following the closing date of the Offering.Concurrent with the Offering, the Company also intends to complete a private placement offering (the "Concurrent Private Placement") of units (the "Private Placement Units") at a price of $0.50 per Private Placement Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000. The Private Placement Units will consist of one Common Share (a "Private Placement Unit Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Private Placement Warrant"), with each Private Placement Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share (a "Private Placement Warrant Share") at a price per Private Placement Warrant Share of $0.75 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.All securities issued under the Concurrent Private Placement, including any shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants, will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement for general corporate and administrative purposes and exploration at its properties.Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with NI 45-106 and the policies of the TSXV, the Units issuable under the Offering will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption and will not be subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The securities issued under the Concurrent Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months following the closing of the Concurrent Private Placement, pursuant to applicable securities law.There is an offering document dated March 17, 2026, related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.com . Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.The closing of the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement will take place such date as the Company may determine. Closing of the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary regulatory and exchange approvals. Closing of the Offering is not conditional upon closing of the Concurrent Private Placement.Finder's fees may be payable in connection with the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the TSXV.The securities 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 U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the "United States" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.About Core Critical Metals Corp.Core Critical Metals Corp. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality critical metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential.CORE CRITICAL METALS CORP.Deepak Varshney, CEO and DirectorFor more information, please call 778-899-1780, email dvarshney@ xanderresources.ca or visit www.xanderresources.com 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 information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the terms, timing, and completion of the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement, the anticipated use of proceeds, receipt of regulatory and stock exchange approvals, and the Company's future plans, objectives, and exploration activities. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, and opinions of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the Company's ability to complete the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement on the terms described herein or at all, the receipt of necessary regulatory and exchange approvals, fluctuations in market conditions, volatility in equity and capital markets, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, environmental risks, reliance on key personnel, and changes in laws and regulations. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Compan PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 17:15:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 975 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The Nation's Leading Bridal Authority Bridges Culture and Commerce, Bringing Modern, Luxury Indian Wedding Fashions to its AI-Powered MarketplaceKING OF PRUSSIA, PA / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2026 / Indian weddings are among the most vibrant and fashion-forward celebrations in the world, andDavid's Bridal, Inc. ("David's") is expanding its offering to ensure today's brides and guests meet the moment. The company is partnering with luxury Indian designer KYNAH as its first collaborator in the category, marking a major expansion in David's growing cultural and global bridal and fashion assortment. Brides and wedding guests can immediately start shopping atDavidsBridal.com/KYNAH Through a newly curated digital gallery, a hand-selected assortment of looks from KYNAH is now available to shop online, bringing luxury, craftsmanship, and celebration-ready style directly to brides and wedding guests nationwide. The move reflects David's continued evolution under its "Aisle to Algorithm" strategy, transforming the company from a traditional retailer into a marketplace platform designed to serve every bride, culture, and celebration style. This launch signals the beginning of a broader partnership between David's and KYNAH, with an exclusive collection co-designed by the brands launching later this year.Indian weddings represent an estimated $130 billion global industry, according to a recent Jefferies report highlighted in a Business of Fashion article , with the U.S. market continuing to grow as South Asian wedding celebrations become larger, more design-driven, and increasingly multi-day affairs. By expanding into Indian bridal fashion, David's is entering one of the fastest-growing and most culturally influential segments of the wedding market.Founded in 2017 by Aisha Rawji, KYNAH has become synonymous with elevated fabrics, intricate hand-embellished details, and culturally rooted silhouettes reimagined for the modern global bride. Through this collaboration, KYNAH's couture-inspired designs will now reach a broader U.S. audience through David's expansive digital platform, bringing luxury Indian bridal fashion to scale."Indian weddings are among the most vibrant celebrations in the world. We are not only honored to begin playing a role in these celebrations, but see an incredible opportunity to bring that creativity and craftsmanship to David's incredible market reach," said Kelly Cook, CEO of David's Bridal. "At David's Bridal, we're reimagining the wedding experience for every bride, across every culture. By collaborating with KYNAH, we're introducing modern Indian bridal fashion for brides and guests to our marketplace, combining tradition and innovation while bringing luxury and accessibility to a fast-growing segment of U.S. weddings." "At KYNAH, our mission has always been to redefine the Indian bridal experience for the modern woman," said Aisha Rawji, Founder of KYNAH. "By joining forces with an iconic brand like David's Bridal, we are able to share our passion for craftsmanship and contemporary Indian design with a much broader audience, making high-fashion, culturally significant pieces more accessible than ever before. David's and KYNAH have a shared passion for craftsmanship, heritage, and transformational design." The digital-first strategy of this expansion underscores David's Bridal's commitment to innovation and inclusivity, meeting brides where they are while testing high-growth category expansions. The curated KYNAH assortment is now available to shop ondavidsbridal.com/kynah To celebrate, David's Bridal will be dropping Episode Two of its original docu-style series,Breaking Bridalon its Youtube Channel - youtube.com/@davidsbridal . In this episode, what started as a shared vision between actors Brinda Dixit and Adit Dileep became a larger-than-life celebration on the California coast. From a road trip scouting venues across Los Angeles in a convertible to a breathtaking oceanfront ceremony, the couple set out to create a luxurious, South Indian-inspired wedding that honored their roots while embracing creativity and fun. The result was a multi-day experience that felt like a destination event for loved ones who couldn't travel far. Blending tradition with bold design, Brinda and Adit brought their dream to life through custom outfits crafted in India, vibrant decor moments, and unforgettable events all weekend long. From an ocean-view pool party to a high-energy Jungle Club Miami Vice Disco-themed reception, every detail reflected their personality and flair for the unexpected. This episode showcases a celebration that beautifully merged culture, innovation, and pure joy.MEDIA KITAbout David's BridalWith over 75 years of experience dressing people for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal exists for magical moments. Since its "Aisle to Algorithm" strategic pivot, David's has evolved from iconic bridal retailer to wedding technology company, media powerhouse, and marketplace platform transforming how people plan, shop, and celebrate life's biggest moments. From assuming full production of Vera Wang Bride to launching Diamonds & Pearls, a curated couture boutique experience, David's entrance into this new era marks a pivotal moment for retailers going beyond traditional scopes and expanding into new categories.At the center of David's technological and retail evolution is Pearl by David's, Pearl Planner and Pearl Media Network - the all-in-one digital wedding destination connecting consumers with everything from AI-powered planning tools, inspiration and vendor directories, expanded retail categories and leading content, while enabling brands to tap into David's unmatched market reach to authentically connect with consumers through media across the web, social, podcast, streaming, video, in-store and more.Under the Pearl Media umbrella is Love Stories by David's, the top wedding media brand taking a digital-first approach to wedding content and inspiration with over 20M viewers per month across content platforms, including the wedding industry's sole podcast network, streaming TV and Snap Discover channels, and largest YouTube and TikTok channels, and a library of over 30,000 real wedding videos. Each video comes equipped with wedding data and details, contributing to a marketplace of over 60,000 wedding professionals to help couples better dream about, research, and plan their big day.With more than 190 stores across the US, Canada, and franchise locations in Mexico, David's Bridal offers the convenience of one-stop shopping for every magical event in her life, including weddings, Quinceanera, graduati PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-17 23:30:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 557 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Annual Community Initiative Provides Life-Changing Roof Replacements for Deserving Puget Sound Families and NonprofitsSEATTLE, WA AND AUBURN, WA / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 /Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation, in partnership with KING 5, proudly announces the return of the 2026 Seattle HALO Project, the company's signature community initiative dedicated to providing free roof replacements to deserving homeowners and nonprofit organizations across the Puget Sound and greater Seattle region.Now entering the eighth year, the HALO Project reflects Guardian Roofing's long-standing belief that safe housing is foundational to strong communities. Through community and non-profit nominations, the program identifies families, veterans, seniors, and homeowners facing financial hardship who are unable to afford critical roofing services."For our team, the HALO Project represents the heart of who we are," said Mat Rzucidlo, President of Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation. "Every year, we meet people who have spent their lives giving back to others but find themselves in need of help. Providing a safe, secure roof restores stability, dignity, and peace of mind." A failing roof can create cascading challenges for families already navigating medical expenses, fixed incomes or unexpected hardship. The HALO Project removes that burden by delivering professional installation, materials, and labor at no cost to selected recipients.Since launching in 2018, the HALO Project has delivered more than $200,000 in roofing repairs and replacements throughout the Pacific Northwest, protecting homes, strengthening nonprofits, and ensuring community members can remain safely housed. The initiative continues to grow alongside Guardian Roofing's expanding presence in the Pacific Northwest while remaining rooted in local community impact.Community participation remains central to the program's success. Residents throughout Western Washington are encouraged to nominate individuals or organizations whose service, resilience or community contributions make them deserving of support. Selected recipients are chosen based on demonstrated need and community impact.The HALO Project also brings together employees, local partners, and media collaborators in a shared effort to give back. Working hand-in-hand with KING 5 helps highlight community stories while encouraging neighbors to recognize and uplift those making a difference behind the scenes."At Guardian, protecting homes means protecting communities," Rzucidlo said. "When businesses and neighbors come together to help one another, the impact goes far beyond a roof. It creates lasting security and hope." Nominations for the 2026 Seattle HALO Project are now open through May 2, 2026, at https://www.king5.com/haloproject . Community members are encouraged to submit stories and help identify this year's recipients.For nomination information and program updates, visitwww.GuardianRoofing.comor follow KING 5 broadcasts and digital platforms.About Guardian Roofing, LLCFounded in 2005, Guardian Roofing, LLC is an award-winning roofing contractor serving the Portland and Seattle markets, including Washington state counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clark, and Thurston, and now Oregon counties of Marion, Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Yamhill.Founders Lori and Matt Swanson have more than 60 years of combined roofing experience and employ over 100 skilled craftsmen assisting customers with roof, gutter, attic, masonry, and skylight needs. In 2024, Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation was named a top 100 Roofing Contractor in the U.S. by Roofing Contractors Magazine. The company was also recognized in 2022 as one of the fastest-growing private companies by the Puget Sound Business Journal. For more information, visit www.GuardianRoofing.com Licenses: WA UBI 604-059-205 | FEIN #81-4469822Media Contact: Dana CobbThe Barber Shop Marketing dana@ thebarbershopmarketing.com 972.955.9747SOURCE: Guardian Roofing, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 17:19:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 374 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Gartner, Inc. ("Gartner" or the "Company") (NYSE:IT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Gartner and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until May 18, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Gartner securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On August 5, 2025, Gartner issued a press release announcing its financial results for the second quarter of 2025. During a related earnings call, Gartner disclosed a 7% decline in the Company's contract value ("CV") growth rate from the prior quarter. On this news, Gartner's stock price fell $92.78 per share, or 27.55%, to close at $243.93 per share on August 5, 2025.Then, on February 3, 2026, Gartner again announce a significant decline in its CV growth rate, which fell another 2% (both including and excluding federal contracts), and for the first time disclosed a significant shortfall in its Consulting segment's performance against the Company's internal projections. On this news, Gartner's stock price fell $42.24 per share, or 20.87%, to close at $160.16 per share on February 3, 2026.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 00:00:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 609 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 GoldCoast Closes First Tranche of Private PlacementTORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 /Psyence Group Inc. (CSE:PSYG) ("Psyence" or the "Company") announces that GoldCoast Resource Corp. ("GoldCoast"), the private company with which Psyence has entered into a definitive amalgamation agreement dated November 21, 2025, as amended February 24, 2026 (collectively, the "Amalgamation Agreement"), has completed a brokered private placement through the issuance of 6,853,840 common shares of GoldCoast (each, a "GoldCoast Share") at a price of $0.85 per GoldCoast for gross proceeds of $5,825,764. GoldCoast anticipates that it will complete a non-brokered private placement of GoldCoast Shares at the same price per share to close in tranches over the next several weeks.The financing was completed in connection with the proposed amalgamation transaction previously announced by the Company and is intended to fund exploration activities and working capital of GoldCoast. Completion of the financing satisfies a condition precedent to the proposed amalgamation under the Amalgamation Agreement. Further details regarding the proposed transaction will be included in the listing statement to be prepared and filed in connection with the Company's proposed change of business.Completion of the amalgamation remains subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all required shareholder and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of the requirements of the Canadian Securities Exchange. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.About GoldCoast Resource Corp.GoldCoast Resource Corp. is a private Ontario company founded by a team of experienced mining professionals focused on environmentally responsible near-shore mineral exploration using marine dredge-mining technology.About Psyence Group Inc.Psyence Group Inc. (CSE:PSYG) is a life science biotechnology company focused on the development of nature-derived psychedelic products for mental health and wellness applications.Psyence is currently advancing a proposed reverse takeover transaction with GoldCoast Resource Corp., a private mineral exploration company focused on offshore gold exploration in Ghana. Upon completion of the transaction, the resulting issuer is expected to pursue the business of GoldCoast, subject to receipt of all required regulatory and shareholder approvals.Psyence's current operations are focused on research and development initiatives involving nature-derived psilocybin products. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed as contemplated or at all.Contact InformationLearn more at www.psyence.com Email: ir@ psyence.com Media Inquiries: media@ psyence.com General Information: info@ psyence.com Phone: +1 416-477-1708Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility.FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSThis news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the completion of additional tranches of GoldCoast's private placement, the intended use of proceeds, and the completion and timing of the proposed amalgamation between Psyence and GoldCoast, including the satisfaction of conditions precedent and receipt of required approvals.Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, including the ability to complete additional financing, obtain necessary approvals, and general market conditions. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the inability to complete additional tranches of the financing, failure to satisfy conditions to closing, delays in obtaining regulatory or exchange approvals, changes in market or regulatory conditions, and other risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Psyence's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis, available under Psyence's profile at www.sedarplus.ca Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by applicable law.SOURCE: Psyence Group Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-17 23:10:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 814 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 / Redwood AI Corp. (CSE:AIRX)(Frankfurt:Y0N, WKN:A422EZ) ("Redwood" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Louis Dron, was recently featured in an exclusive interview on Conversations That Matter, a widely distributed long-form program highlighting leaders shaping important industries and ideas. The program is featured in the Vancouver Sun and is broadcast across multiple television networks in British Columbia, Canada, including CHEK-TV, as well as on digital platforms. In the interview, Dron discussed how Vancouver-based Redwood AI is building an artificial intelligence platform designed to help address one of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest bottlenecks by improving how compounds are evaluated, tested, and scaled from early discovery through commercialization, while also highlighting the broader applicability of Redwood's chemistry AI platform in areas such as defense, where rapid chemical analysis, risk assessment, and secure deployment may be important.During the interview, Dron explained how Redwood's platform uses AI, cheminformatics, and large-scale reaction data to help chemists evaluate manufacturing paths in seconds, compare trade-offs across cost, safety, scalability, and environmental impact, and make faster, better-informed decisions across the drug development life cycle. He also discussed the growing challenge facing pharmaceutical companies as they review tens of thousands, and in some cases millions, of compounds while trying to identify which ones are worth advancing.The conversation touched on the broader relevance of Redwood's technology beyond pharmaceutical development. Dron noted that chemistry sits at the heart of many industries, including environmental applications, materials science, Agri-tech, and defense-related fields. Redwood has begun seeing interest in its AI chemistry platform from organizations exploring potential uses in areas such as chemical hazard and threat screening, rapid characterization of unknown compounds, analysis of chemical signatures, and assessment of precursor chemical supply chains. The Company believes this growing cross-sector interest reflects the flexibility of the same core technology it is developing for pharmaceutical discovery, development and manufacturing.Dron also discussed Redwood's focus on efficient, secure deployment. He noted that the Company's chemistry-focused models can be installed locally, including in air-gapped environments, which may be important where security, sovereignty, and intellectual property protection are key considerations."Being featured on Conversations That Matter gave us a valuable opportunity to explain the problem and how we are solving it," said Louis Dron, Chief Executive Officer of Redwood AI. "We are focused on helping improve chemical decision-making across pharmaceutical development, and we are encouraged by the broader interest we are seeing in how this technology could support other chemistry-driven applications, including potential applications in defense and public safety." You can watch the interview online at the Conversations That Matter website, their YouTube channel, their Facebook page, and the Vancouver Sun website. It will also be broadcast on British Columbia based stations, CHEK-TV, CFTK-TV, CJDC-TV, and CKFR-AM. Please check the individual station websites for specific air dates and times.About Redwood AI Corp.Redwood AI uses advanced artificial intelligence to accelerate chemistry R&D, with the aim of assisting in drug discovery and development, and furthering defense and safety solutions. The Company combines expertise in chemistry, AI, and manufacturing to streamline drug synthesis and scale-up. Redwood AI's platform enables faster, more efficient development of new therapies and chemistry-driven applications.ON BEHALF OF REDWOOD AI CORP.,"Louis Dron"Chief Executive OfficerFor more information, please contact:Louis DronChief Executive OfficerTel: +1 888 530 8488 investors@ redwoodai.com The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release.Forward-Looking Statements Caution. This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is generally identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "may", "should", "will", "potential" and similar expressions and, in this news release, includes statements relating to the development and potential deployment of the Company's AI-powered platform and to the safety enhancements made thereto, and the expectation that the platform may be utilized for dug discovery or development or to further defense or safety solutions. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on it, as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking information inherently involves risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.SOURCE: Redwood AI Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 01:25:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 587 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds sellers of common stock of Masonite International Corporation (NYSE:DOOR) between June 5, 2023 and February 8, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 7, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you sold Masonite 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 Masonite class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52802 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 7, 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 handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made material omissions and misrepresentations concerning Owens Corning's offers to purchase all of Masonite's outstanding common stock at significant premiums to Masonite's stock price and Masonite's repurchases of millions of dollars' worth of its shares without disclosing material nonpublic information about Owens Corning's offers, which, if disclosed as required, would have indicated to investors that Masonite's stock was worth significantly more.To join the Masonite class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52802 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 20:36:33 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 855 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 A securities fraud class action has been filed against NuScale executives alleging misrepresentations about ENTRA1 leading to a 12.4% stock plunge.NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2026 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) and certain of the Company's senior executives for securities fraud after a significant stock drop resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in NuScale, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/nuscale-class-action-lawsuit Key Details of the NuScale ($SMR) Class Action:Lead Plaintiff Deadline: April 20, 2026Alleged Misconduct: Misrepresenting the experience and capabilities of ENTRA1 and its role in developing and commercializing NuScale's nuclear power modulesLargest Alleged Stock Decline: November 10, 2025 - 12.4% Stock DropCourt: U.S. District Court for the District of OregonAction: Contact BFA Law to discuss your rightsInvestors have until April 20, 2026 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in NuScale Class A common stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon and is captioned Truedson v. NuScale Power Corporation, et al., No. 3:26-cv-00328.Why is NuScale Being Sued for Securities Fraud?NuScale is a nuclear technology company. Its core technology is the NuScale Power Module ("NPM"), a small modular nuclear reactor ("SMR") designed to generate energy within a broader power plant. Prior to the start of the Class Period, NuScale established a partnership with ENTRA1 Energy LLC. Under this agreement, ENTRA1 was responsible for constructing power generation facilities incorporating NuScale's NPMs and managing the financing, development, and initial operations of the facilities utilizing the NPMs.NuScale allegedly touted ENTRA1's purported wide-ranging capabilities and deep experience developing power plants. According to NuScale, ENTRA1 is an "independent power plant development platform," "led by an executive team of energy, infrastructure, and finance sector veterans," with the type of experience that is "exactly what is required" to commercialize and deploy NuScale's NPMs.As alleged, in truth, ENTRA1 had never built, financed, or operated any significant project, let alone a project in the complex field of nuclear power generation. Moreover, in contrast to NuScale's representations, ENTRA1 had been organized primarily to support the work of one individual, its principal Wadie Habboush, an investor and entrepreneur.Why did NuScale's Stock Drop?On November 6, 2025, NuScale disclosed that its general and administrative expenses had increased from $17 million in the prior year period, to $519 million during 3Q 2025, due largely to NuScale's payment of $495 million to ENTRA1 for its services. Also on November 6, 2025, under pressure from investment analysts, NuScale acknowledged that ENTRA1 did not have any significant experience building nuclear power projects and admitted that ENTRA1 would not actually be "out there building the power plants" but would serve "to coordinate projects, to bring in partners, to get deals and the partners they bring in that can execute." Following this news, analysts with Guggenheim Securities, LLC published a report stating that ENTRA1 is a "3-year old company that has never built, financed or operated anything" and had just "3 employees and 1 investor," and stated a "more accurate description of ENTRA1 would be that it is an entity supporting the activities of a single individual, specifically Mr. Habboush." This news caused the price of NuScale stock to drop $4.03 per share over two trading days, or more than 12.4%, from a closing price of $32.46 per share on November 6, 2025, to $28.43 per share on November 10, 2025.Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/nuscale-class-action-lawsuit What Can You Do?If you invested in NuScale, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.All representation is on a contingency fee basis; there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Adam McCall adam@ bfalaw.com 212.789.3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named "Elite Trial Lawyers" by the National Law Journal, "Litigation Stars" by Benchmark Litigation, among the top "500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers" by Lawdragon, "Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar" by Law360 and "SuperLawyers" by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar, Fonti, & Auld LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-03-18 01:25:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1038 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 17, 2026 /ZEUS NORTH AMERICA MINING CORP. (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRANKFURT:O92) (THE "COMPANY" OR "ZEUS") is pleased to announce that it has upsized and closed the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Placement") through the issuance of 4,035,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of $403,500. Together with the first tranche, the Company has raised a total of $2,575,500 through the issuance of 25,755,000 Units.Each Unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant issued under the final tranche entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share at a price of $0.15 until March 17, 2028.In connection with the final tranche, the Company has paid finders' fees in connection with proceeds raised by the Company from investors introduced to the Company by finders consisting of cash of $29,280 and non-transferable broker warrants (each a "Broker's Warrant") in the amount of 242,800. Each Broker's Warrant has the same terms as the Warrants. All securities issued pursuant to the Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day, expiring on July 18, 2026.An insider of the Company has subscribed for Units pursuant to the final tranche of the Placement. The issuance of the Units to the insider pursuant to the Placement (the "Insider Participation") will be considered to be a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of the Insider Participation.The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Placement for exploration programs on its Idaho and Nevada copper and silver projects, including the Cuddy Mountain Project, and for general working capital purposes.This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.On behalf of the board of directors."Dean Besserer"President and CEOFor more information, please contact the Company at info@ zeusminingcorp.com About Zeus North America Mining Corp.The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 101 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 4,200 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.Forward Looking StatementsWhen used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, statements regarding completion of the Placement, the use of the net proceeds of the Placement, and completion of the Consolidation. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions.The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable la The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UKbased Asset Green Ltd to advance the development of a largescale integrated dairy livestock production and processing platform set to transform Nigerias dairy industry and strengthen national food security. Signed yesterday in London ahead of the State Visit, the MoU outlines the framework for collaboration and the projectdevelopment cost commitments leading up to the formal shareholders agreement. This initiative represents one of the most ambitious integrated dairy investments ever undertaken in Nigeria. It will combine 20,000 hectares of climatesmart, regenerative crop and forage production with a modern 10,000milking cow dairy operation, supported by a stateoftheart processing plant capable of producing fresh milk, milk powders, butter, cream, and up to 15,000 metric tonnes of infant formula annually. Designed to reduce Nigerias reliance on imported milk powder, the project will modernise agricultural practices, improve nutrition, and integrate up to 10,000 rural households into the supply chain through inclusive outgrower schemes. Once operational, the platform is expected to generate over US$620 million annually and create 2,500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs nationwide. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, said: Over a decade ago, the UK provided pivotal support to Nigeria in establishing the NSIA, offering legal and financial expertise that helped lay the foundation for its successful launch and strengthening its governance and credibility. That early institutional investment has paid dividends, helping to build a resilient Nigerian institution capable of creating jobs and driving transformational, longterm development. The NSIA and Asset Green partnership is a powerful example of how that groundwork continues to deliver impact a fullcircle moment that reflects the long-term economic cooperation between the UK and Nigeria and the shared commitment to deepening sustainable, privatesectordriven growth. NSIA Managing Director & CEO, Aminu UmarSadiq, said: NSIA is pleased to partner with Asset Green on this transformative investment. With a project size of almost US$500 million, this is one of the most ambitious initiatives to strengthen Nigerias food and nutrition security in a generation. By combining climatesmart farming, advanced processing capacity, and inclusive outgrower participation, we are laying the foundation for a modern, competitive dairy sector that reduces import dependence, creates meaningful jobs, and delivers longterm value for Nigerians. READ ALSO: NSIA to exit fertiliser scheme after growing blending plants Asset Green Ltd Director & Agrium Capital Ltd CEO, Rod Bassett, said: This partnership between NSIA and Asset Green is the business and investment innovation required to unlock the potential of the agriculture sector in Nigeria, with the development of such a future (dairy) food system. The foundation of the approach is collaboration with NSIA and its shared vision and purpose to establish a platform to catalyse the development of this national strategic priority. We are incredibly proud to partner with Nigerias premier investment institution. The development of greenfield projects has consistently played a major role in our history, establishing industries or nurturing young businesses that can deliver catalytic transformation. This US$500 million greenfield investment in Nigerias dairy industry allows for the development of advanced and necessary infrastructure spanning the full production and supply system to enhance local production, reduce the reliance on the huge imports of dairy goods into Nigeria, deliver environmental services and strengthen national food sovereignty and nutritional resilience. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday detailed steps to implement the Taiwan-related section of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), pledging to advance cross-Strait peaceful development and integration while expanding opportunities for Taiwan residents and businesses. Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, told a regular press briefing that the 15th Five-Year Plan, newly approved by the National People's Congress, provides top-level design and strategic guidance for Taiwan-related work over the next five years. According to Chen, key measures will focus on boosting cross-Strait economic cooperation, including rolling out supportive policies for Taiwan-funded enterprises, encouraging industrial collaboration, and fostering a common market. The mainland will support the development of the Fujian cross-Strait integrated development demonstration zone, as well as cooperation hubs in Pingtan in east China's Fujian Province, Kunshan in east China's Jiangsu Province and Dongguan in south China's Guangdong Province. Qualified Taiwan-funded firms will be encouraged to list on mainland stock markets, alongside the development of multi-tiered financial markets, Chen said. The mainland will also deepen exchanges across the Strait by improving policies and mechanisms to facilitate economic and cultural cooperation, expanding people-to-people exchanges, and enhancing collaboration in areas such as education, healthcare and social services. Measures will aim to ensure equal treatment for Taiwan residents studying, working and living on the mainland, while promoting shared access to public resources. Special emphasis will be placed on youth and grassroots engagement, with expanded opportunities for young people from Taiwan to pursue careers and development on the mainland, Chen noted. In the course of the next five years, the mainland will introduce additional measures to facilitate cross-Strait travel, work to restore and expand tourism exchanges, and promote closer, deeper interactions between people on both sides, he said. Addressing opportunities arising from the mainland's emphasis on developing new quality productive forces, Chen said Taiwan enterprises can upgrade traditional industries through digital and intelligent transformation, expand into emerging sectors with new technologies and products, and tap into future industries by leveraging the mainland's innovation ecosystem. "The next five years, a significant stage for the mainland's development, will also be a period of great opportunities for Taiwan residents and enterprises," Chen said. The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has condemned the visit of TikToker and streamer Habeeb Peller Adelaja, to the Benin Palace, describing it as unauthorised. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Peller visited the palace on 6 March as part of his nationwide tour, during which some palace officials received him. In a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to TVC News, the councils Secretary, Frank Irabor, said the visit amounted to a serious breach of protocol and a desecration of the palaces sacred grounds. He stressed that the palace is not a public space for casual visits or content creation, but a revered spiritual and cultural institution rooted in centuries-old traditions. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mr Irabor added that the palace had taken action against the queen and others who were involved in or featured during the visit. The statement reads in part: The Benin Traditional Council views this incident with the utmost gravity. The palace is not a public thoroughfare or a location for frivolous content creation; it is the ancient and spiritual seat of the Oba of Benin, governed by centuries of tradition, custom, and sacred protocols. A staff member of the Benin Traditional Council, identified as Mr Omuemu, has been detained by the Nigerian Police Force. He has been charged in court for causing a breach of the peace and abetting the unauthorised entry. Furthermore, it is with deep regret that the council confirms that a Queen of the palace, who was unfortunately involved in the incident, is now facing serious disciplinary proceedings. In accordance with Benin traditions and customs, these proceedings may result in her removal from the palace. Apology Additionally, Mr Irabor said the council had invited Peller to appear before a committee of chiefs set up to investigate the matter so that he could present his own account. However, he noted that Peller failed to honour the invitation, despite having used the same palace channels that had earlier granted him access. Mr Adelaja and his entourage entered the palace without the requisite permission from the council, and their subsequent conduct caused significant embarrassment and a breach of the peace within the palace grounds. The council is therefore using this public medium to demand that Mr Adelaja present himself immediately to the relevant authorities within the council. His unapproved visit has caused untold distress to many people, and as such, he must tender an unreserved written apology to the palace for his unauthorised access, and the embarrassment caused, said Mr Irabor. Legal action Mr Irabor further stated that Pellers failure to comply with the councils directives would leave it with no option but to take legal action. The appropriate law enforcement agencies have been duly informed of this matter and are standing by to take necessary action against him. The Benin Traditional Council assures the public and the entire Benin nation that it remains the unwavering custodian of our age-old customs and traditions. While unscrupulous elements may occasionally attempt to undermine our sacred institutions, banking on the fatherly and forgiving disposition of His Royal Majesty, Omo NOba NEdo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, they do so at their peril. He reiterated that the council was fully equipped with the necessary institutional mechanisms to address such breaches promptly and prevent a recurrence. Mr Irabor also expressed appreciation to the public for their concern and continued support in upholding the sanctity and dignity of the Benin throne. As of press time, Peller hasnt responded to the councils demands. Veteran Nigerian filmmaker and producer Wale Adenuga has responded to recent claims by comic actor Abiodun Richard Ayoyinka, popularly known for his role as Papa Ajasco, that he is currently facing financial hardship despite decades of fame. Mr Ayoyinka, 65, made the revelation in an emotional interview with media personality Lucky Udu, during which he appealed to fans to continue supporting the once-popular sitcom, Papa Ajasco and Company. He said the programme had struggled to maintain its prominence in the era of social media and digital streaming. The actor also lamented that despite the fame associated with the character, he has no personal car or house and earns relatively modest fees when new episodes are produced. However, in a statement addressing the controversy, Mr Adenuga sought to clarify what he described as misinformation and emotional commentary that followed the interview. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google No irreconcilable difference Mr Adenuga said he had a cordial relationship with Mr Ayoyinka, describing him as a versatile actor who closely resembled the original cartoon character of Papa Ajasco. My first impression when I watched the Papa Ajasco video now trending on the internet, and local TV channels was: Okay, so this guy has taken Papa Ajasco comedy into the public space, Mr Adenuga said. It is all well and good. I am happy for him, as his money-making strategy using social media has apparently worked for him. The producer added that Mr Ayoyinka had played the role successfully for many years and remained close to him. He is very close to me, and so far there has been no irreconcilable difference between us, he said. Cars and other support Addressing claims of financial hardship, Mr Adenuga said the actor had benefited from several forms of support during his years working on the show. According to him, Mr Ayoyinka previously received a car from the production company and had used several vehicles over the years, including a Mercedes-Benz. On the car issue, we once gave him a car and Pa James as well. He has also used not less than five cars, including a Mercedes-Benz, at different times, he said. Mr Adenuga added that, to the best of his knowledge, the actor also owns a house in Ogun State. Trademark restrictions The producer also clarified that the Papa Ajasco character is a registered trademark, explaining why the actor cannot use the identity independently for personal ventures. He cannot use the copyrighted brand name Papa Ajasco for personal ventures because it is our duty to protect the brand from inappropriate usage that could damage its reputation, he said. However, he stressed that Mr Ayoyinka had not been barred from accepting advertising jobs, provided official approval was obtained from Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP). As he himself stated, all that is required is to seek official approval from WAP. This is part of brand protection, he added. Work opportunities Mr Adenuga also rejected suggestions that actors working on the sitcom were restricted from taking other roles. He noted that several cast members, including Pa James, Mama Ajasco, Boy Alinco, Miss Pepeiye, Akpan and Oduma, regularly appear in other productions using their personal names. According to him, actors on the show typically spend about six weeks a year on set, during which enough episodes are recorded to last for an entire broadcast cycle. This clearly shows that artistes working with us are not restricted from taking other roles, he said. Legacy of a sitcom Papa Ajasco and Company remains one of Nigerias most recognisable television comedies. Created by Mr Adenuga, the sitcom became a household staple in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Known for its exaggerated humour and moral lessons, the show featured memorable characters including Papa Ajasco, Pa James, Boy Alinco, Miss Pepeiye and Mama Ajasco. Mr Adenuga said the programme continues to air on several platforms, including NTA Network, STV Network, WAPTV, and the WAPTV YouTube channel. He maintained that the production company has upheld professional standards in its dealings with actors and crew members. The organisation pays according to industry standards and ensures all financial obligations are fulfilled as and when due, he said. Therefore, any narrative suggesting financial abandonment or exploitation by our organisation is entirely false and misleading. Mr Adenuga concluded by thanking viewers and members of the public for their continued interest in the show. We sincerely appreciate the concerns and support from our viewers and the general public, he said. President Bola Tinubus state visit to the United Kingdom opened with a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle. Mr Tinubu and his Wife, Remi Tinubu, were treated to a 42-gun salute by the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Senior royals, including the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales, had earlier greeted them. Mr Tinubu and his wife, Remi Tinubu, arrived at Londons Stansted Airport on Tuesday. They were received with all the pomp of a royal reception, beginning with a carriage procession followed by a formal military parade in Windsor Castle. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google In a post on X, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that Prince William and Princess Catherine welcomed the President and his wife at the Fairmont Hotel. The meeting on Wednesday (today) marks the first day of the two-day meeting with King Charles III. The BBC reports that the King and President Tinubu will give speeches later this evening at the state banquet. The banquet is expected to be attended by political leaders and celebrities with links to Nigeria. The events schedule also includes exchanges of gifts and displays of items linked to Nigeria in the Royal Collection. Mr Tinubu has visited Britain several times since taking office, but this is his first state visit and the first by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom in 37 years. According to the Nigerian Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, this meeting is about turning a historic relationship into a modern economic partnership transforming trust into opportunity. Nigerias economic reforms are unlocking the potential of Africas largest consumer market. The United Kingdom is a natural partner in what comes next. This visit marks the next step in deepening cooperation across trade, finance and defence, he noted. President Tinubus state visit to the UK, however, comes two days after multiple bomb blasts hit Maiduguri. At least 23 people were killed, and more than 108 other Nigerians were injured, according to the Borno State Police Command. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the explosions, which occurred on Monday evening, struck three locationsthe El-Kanemi Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), and the Post Office area. The police also stated that preliminary findings showed that the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers, an assertion corroborated by the military. This paper also reported that while no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, there are suspicions that terrorists under the command of Ali Ngulde, a Boko Haram commander in Mandara mountain, Gwoza LGA, could be responsible for the attacks. The Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has raised concerns over the impact of escalating hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan on health systems. Mr Ghebreyesus, in a post on X on Wednesday, warned that health facilities and vulnerable populations are increasingly at risk. He said at least six health facilities in Afghanistan have reportedly been affected since late February as fighting between the two countries intensified. He also highlighted a reported overnight strike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Facility in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, managed by the countrys Ministry of Interior, which he said killed more than 400 people and injured at least 250 others receiving treatment for substance use disorders. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mr Ghebreyesus noted that the WHO is working to verify the incidents but warned that the intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on already fragile health systems. The intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on health systems and increasing risks to the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, he said, urging all parties to de-escalate tensions and prioritise peace. Peace is the best medicine, he added. Rising tensions The escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan follows weeks of intensifying cross-border clashes that have evolved into what Islamabad described as an open war, according to Al Jazeera. The crisis deepened in late February after Afghan forces reportedly attacked Pakistani military positions along the border, prompting Pakistan to launch air strikes on multiple Afghan cities, including Kabul. Both sides have since exchanged strikes and artillery fire, with each accusing the other of initiating the violence and causing civilian casualties. The conflict is rooted in long-standing tensions, particularly Pakistans claims that militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, operate from Afghan territory, an allegation Kabul has consistently denied, according to the BBC. Health risks call for de-escalation The latest developments add to growing concerns about the impact of conflict on health systems across affected regions. Health facilities, workers and patients have increasingly come under threat in conflict settings, disrupting access to essential services and emergency care. In Afghanistan, the reported attacks and rising casualties are expected to strain limited health resources further and complicate humanitarian response efforts. Mr Ghebreyesus post adds to a series of calls by the WHO for restraint in conflict or war zones. The warning also comes amid the ongoing US/Israel-Iran war, which has increasingly strained health systems across the Middle East. The WHO recently reported a rise in attacks on healthcare in Lebanon, including incidents that killed 14 health workers within 24 hours, while airspace restrictions linked to the conflict have delayed critical medical supplies meant for over 1.5 million people across multiple countries. The WHO has consistently urged all parties involved in conflicts to protect civilians and health infrastructure, ensure humanitarian access, and pursue de-escalation to prevent further deterioration of health conditions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Africa still accounts for about 25 per cent of the global Tuberculosis (TB) burden, even as deaths and infections continue to decline across the region. Data released by the health body ahead of the 2026 World TB Day show that 378,000 people died from TB in the WHO African Region in 2024, while 2.7 million people were newly infected within the same period. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, described the figures as both alarming and instructive, noting that they highlight persistent gaps in diagnosis, treatment and funding. Mr Janabi, however, said that despite the high burden, new data indicate notable improvements across the region over the past decade. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google The data shows that between 2015 and 2024, TB deaths dropped by 46 per cent, while incidence declined by 28 per cent, reflecting expanded access to treatment and improved public health interventions. Country-level data also show uneven but significant progress. South Africa has already met the 2025 target for reducing TB incidence, while Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia achieved a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths. WHO attributed these gains to strengthened national responses, increased adoption of effective treatment regimens, and growing community engagement. World TB Day is commemorated on 24 March annually to raise awareness of TB and to mobilise efforts, including political commitment to resources and healthcare financing, towards TB elimination. This years theme is Yes! We can end TB, with the slogan Led by countries, powered by people. Treatment advances driving outcomes The report highlighted rapid progress in the adoption of shorter and more effective treatment options, particularly for drug-resistant TB. A six-month all-oral regimen, known as BPaLM, has recorded treatment success rates of over 85 per cent. The African region is leading globally in its rollout. Between 2023 and 2024, the proportion of patients with drug-resistant TB receiving shorter regimens increased from almost zero to about 40 per centthe fastest uptake recorded by any WHO region. WHO said the scale-up of rapid diagnostic technologies is also improving early detection, although access remains uneven. Persistent gaps in diagnosis, care Despite these gains, major gaps continue to undermine progress. WHO estimates that about 600,000 people with TB in Africa are either undiagnosed or not receiving treatment each year. In addition, only just over half of patients have access to WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic tests. The agency also reported that approximately 62,000 people develop rifampicin-resistant TB annually, posing a growing public health challenge. Beyond health impacts, TB continues to impose severe financial strain on affected families. WHO data show that nearly 70 per cent of households dealing with TB face catastrophic costs related to care, with Africa recording the highest burden globally. The report further revealed a significant funding shortfall for TB control efforts in the region. According to the WHO, Africa requires about $4.5 billion annually to mount an effective response, but current funding levels fall short by approximately $3.6 billion. Mr Janabi warned that without increased domestic investment and sustained political commitment, progress could stall. Referencing commitments made at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB, WHO urged governments to scale up efforts to reach 90 per cent of people affected with prevention and treatment services, reduce deaths by 90 per cent, and eliminate catastrophic costs by 2027. The agency emphasised that stronger country leadership, increased financing, and community-driven interventions will be critical to achieving these targets. Response in Nigeria In Nigeria, TB remains a significant public health concern, with authorities intensifying efforts to improve detection, treatment and overall response to the disease. TB is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium that primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body, including the spine and brain. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, making early diagnosis critical to preventing transmission. At a preWorld TB Day press briefing in Abuja, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said the government is deploying new diagnostic technology to expand access to testing. The ministry explained that the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) is spearheading the rollout of the Pluslife Mini Dock diagnostic platform, a near point-of-care system aimed at improving access to molecular testing, particularly in underserved communities. Also, in an earlier report by PREMIUM TIMES, it was noted that Nigeria is expanding its TB response through digital tools and advanced diagnostic technologies to improve case detection and treatment outcomes. The report revealed that over 450,000 TB cases were diagnosed and placed on treatment in 2025, reflecting gains driven by improved technology and strengthened data systems, particularly in underserved communities. The war between the United States and Israel against Iran entered its nineteenth day today (Wednesday). Strikes are intensifying, casualties rising, with the majority of them in Iran. More than 1,500 people have been confirmed dead from the war, with over 1,400 of them killed in Iran. We bring you major updates on the war on its eighteenth day. Larjani, Soleimani killed; Iran vows revenge The Iranian army has vowed revenge the killing of the Supreme National Security Councils Ali Larijani and the commander of the internal Basij militia, Gholamreza Soleimani. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Earlier on Tuesday, Israel announced that it had killed both men in missile strikes. It took hours for Iran to confirm the killings, after which it threatened to launch a decisive and regrettable retaliation. This killing marks the highest level of assassination in the war since joint US-Israeli strikes killed the former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and other military leaders on 28 February. Iran has also intensified attacks against US assets in the Middle East and Israel . IRGC said that its missiles have hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of Israeli territories using multi-warhead missiles. Minister says killing of leaders cant destabilise Iran Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said the killing of the Iranian leaders will not destabilise the government. He told Al Jazeera, during an interview on Wednesday, that the US and Israel had yet to realise that Irans government does not rely on a single individual. I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions. The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure. Of course, individuals are influential, and each person plays their role some better, some worse, some less but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure, he said. Attacks on Gulf states increase As Iran escalates its attacks on US facilities across the Gulf, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all reported intercepting drones and missiles. Iran also launched attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Saudi Arabia said that air defences had intercepted a ballistic missile and 24 drones targeting its territory. Two killed in Israel Irans attacks on Israel increased as well, causing extensive property damage. One of the strikes on Tuesday killed two people in Ramat Gan, a city in Central Israel. Israel has confirmed 15 deaths from Iranian strikes since the war started, with over 3,000 people injured. Trump lashes out at allies over Strait of Hormuz Displeased with their refusal to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out at his countrys NATO allies. He said the US has been notified that most allies do not want to be involved in the Middle East war. In a scathing post on Truth Social, he wrote that he had always considered NATO a one-way street that gives nothing back to the US. I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need, he said. He further added that the US does not need the help of other countries in its war against Irana claim that follows days of demanding the help of allied states. Fortunately, we have decimated Irans Military Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone, and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again! Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer need, or desire, the NATO Countries assistance WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea, he wrote. US top official resigns Meanwhile, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre in the US, Joe Kent, resigned on Monday to protest against Americas war on Iran. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kent shared his resignation letter on Tuesday. In his letter, Mr Kent said he supported the values and the foreign policies that Mr Trump campaigned on in 2016, 2020 and 2024. READ ALSO: UAE ambassador calls on Iran to halt attacks However, he noted that Mr Trump has fallen into a trap in which high-ranking Israeli officials and other influential members have deployed to undermine his America First campaign. After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, effective today. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby, he said. Muslims in Nigeria will continue the Ramadan fast on Thursday after the crescent moon marking the beginning of Shawwal 1447 was not sighted on Wednesday evening. This confirms that the Islamic festival, Eid-el-Fitr, will be observed on Friday, 20 March. This was confirmed by Saad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and head of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Wednesday night. Sambo Wali Junaidu, the chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, in a statement, explained that there were no moon sightings to herald the start of the month of Shawwal. The Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee did not receive any report from various Moon Sighting Committees across the Country confirming the sighting of the New Moon of Shawwal, he stated. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mr Junaidu added that the Sultan of Sokoto has accepted the report and accordingly declared Friday, 20th March, 2026 as the first day of Shawwal 1447AH. (Day of Eid-El-Fitr). His Eminence, the Sultan felicitates with the Nigerian Muslim Ummah and wishes them Allahs guidance and blessings, Mr Junaidu said in the statement. The Sultan while urging the Muslim Ummah to continue to pray for peace, progress and development of the Country. He also wishes all Muslims a happy Eid-El-Fitr. May Allah (SWT) accept our religious deeds. However, the Nigerian government had already declared the 19th and 20th of March as public holidays to mark the Islamic festival. Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi Arabian authorities also announced that the new moon was not sighted anywhere in the country, meaning the month of Ramadan will continue on Thursday to complete 30 days. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Sultan of Sokoto had directed Muslims across Nigeria to begin the search for the new moon from Wednesday. ALSO READ: Nigerian Army warns of terror threats as Ramadan ends Mr Abubakar gave the directive in a statement issued on Tuesday in Sokoto and signed by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sambo Junaidu. The statement provided the following telephone numbers: 0803 715 7100, 0806 630 3077, 0803 596 5322, 0803 594 5903, and 0706 714 6900through which credible sightings could be reported directly to the Sultans office. Eid-el-Fitr signifies the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayers, and reflection observed by Muslims worldwide. Worshippers are expected to gather in mosques and open prayer grounds on Friday for special prayers, marking the beginning of the new Islamic month of Shawwal. Qatar has declared military and security attaches at the Iranian embassy in Doha, alongside their staff, persona non grata. Qatars foreign ministry, in a statement on Wednesday evening, demanded that the officials leave Qatar within 24 hours. Qatar said its decision was a result of Irans repeated attacks on Qatar. PREMIUM TIMES reports that the latest Iranian attack on Qatar targeted the latters largest gas field. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google QatarEnergy said the Ras Laffan Industrial City was targeted with missiles that caused widespread fires and extensive damage. The site was earlier evacuated after Iran said it would target the facility and four others across the Middle East, in retaliation for Israeli and American attacks on its gas fields. Iran has targeted American interests in the Gulf since the US and Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Iran. Qatar, like other Gulf states, reported intercepting large numbers of Iranian missiles and drones since the war began. It claimed many were successfully neutralised. However, some projectiles have evaded interception, causing damage across Qatar. In its statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said it has delivered an official letter to the Iranian Embassy in Qatar to notify it of the decision. Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices, persona non grata. The state has also threatened to take additional measures should Iran continue to attack its territory. These measures, it noted, will be in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security, and national interests. It reiterated that the State of Qatar reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with the provisions of international law. Iran escalated attacks on the Gulf on Wednesday after two of its top officials the leader of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, and the commander of the internal Basij militia, Gholamreza Soleimani were killed. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have all reported intercepting drones and missiles as Iran intensifies attacks on US facilities in these countries. Irans Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, earlier said US military bases in the Gulf countries are a legitimate target. He said that the country was only at war with the US and Israel and asked the Gulf States to pressure the US to end the attack on Iran. Were not attacking our neighbours, were attacking US military bases. US soldiers fleeing to hotels will not prevent them from being targeted, he said. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) called for de-escalation following Iranian airstrikes but insisted on its right to self-defence, according to the UAE ambassador to Germany, Ahmed Alattar. The UAE would continue to work with the United States as a partner to prevent further escalation in the region, Mr Alattar told the Handelsblatt newspaper in remarks published on Tuesday, adding that the UAE retained the full right to self-defence under international law. Iran has been attacking Gulf states since the start of the war around two and a half weeks ago, with the UAE coming under particularly heavy fire. Irans newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has called on Gulf states to close US bases on their territory, warning that otherwise the attacks would continue. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mr Alattar said the UAE was currently in a state of self-defence and called on Iran to halt the attacks immediately. He said the UAE had made it very clear it would not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Iran, adding that Iran was nevertheless deliberately targeting residential buildings, airports, and other civilian facilities with missiles and drones. The UAE had spent years building its image as a safe place in the Middle East, as well as a logistics hub, financial centre, and luxury destination, Mr Alattar said, adding that the Iran war now threatens that business model. He said he had not yet given up hope for a diplomatic solution. (dpa/NAN) The stakes could not be higher for Victor Osimhen, not just in terms of qualification, but availability, as Galatasaray prepare for a defining UEFA Champions League night at Anfield. The Nigerian striker faces the very real risk of suspension that could rule him out of a potential quarter-final first-leg showdown against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, if the Turkish giants successfully navigate their round of 16 clash against Liverpool. A fine line between impact and absence Heading into the decisive second leg, Osimhen is one booking away from suspension. Under UEFA disciplinary regulations, a third yellow card at this stage of the competition automatically triggers a one-match ban, a scenario that could see Galatasarays most decisive weapon sidelined at the worst possible moment. And he is not alone. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Five other Galatasaray players, Ugurcan Cakr, Ismail Jakobs, Abdulkerim Bardakc, Roland Sallai, and Noa Lang, are also walking the same disciplinary tightrope, adding another layer of tension to an already high-stakes encounter. Form that demands attention Osimhens form this season has elevated him into Europes elite conversation. With seven goals in the 202526 UEFA Champions League campaign, the Super Eagles striker has emerged as one of the competitions leading scorers, a driving force behind Galatasarays deep run and growing belief. But his influence stretches far beyond the numbers. In the first leg at Rams Park, Osimhen was relentless, stretching Liverpools defensive structure, forcing errors, and ultimately playing a central role in the narrow 10 victory that now defines the tie. His blend of pace, power, and movement has consistently unsettled top defenders, turning him into both a focal point and a problem few teams have solved. Anfield: Pressure, strategy, and target For Liverpool, the equation is clear, overturn the deficit or crash out. But within that objective lies a tactical subplot: how to contain Osimhen. Expect aggressive pressing, tight marking, and calculated physical duels, not just to disrupt Galatasarays attacking rhythm, but potentially to provoke the decisive moment: a booking that sidelines the Nigerian for the next round. It is a psychological and tactical battle layered within the contest itself. Bigger than one night For Galatasaray, qualification would mark a statement return to Europes elite, with a possible clash against PSG waiting in the wings. For Osimhen, it is a delicate balancing act between intensity and control. One moment of mistimed aggression could cost him a place on the biggest stage. One moment of brilliance could send Galatasaray through. At Anfield, the margins are razor-thin, and Osimhen is right at the centre of it. JERUSALEM/TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli air force has struck Iran's major natural gas facility, located in Bushehr in the south of the country, several Israeli media reported Wednesday. Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that the strike was carried out in coordination with the U.S. administration. It added that the Israeli air force also struck an energy facility in the southern Iranian city of Asaluyeh, and that it was preparing to attack other national infrastructure in Iran. Israel's Channel 12 News quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that only part of the facility was struck as a "message" to Iran, and that "if the enemy does not understand this message, the strikes may expand." Following the strike, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has clarified the legal status of former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. The commission explained in a statement by its spokesperson, Okor Odey, on Tuesday in Abuja, that his continued detention was based on an existing court order and not a new directive. Mr Odey said that the commission appeared in court on Tuesday for the hearing of an application filed by Mr El-Rufai on 6 March, seeking to overturn a remand order earlier granted on March 5. According to him, proceedings in court did not result in any fresh detention order. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Instead, he said, the court adjourned the matter to 31 March, after Mr El-Rufais legal team requested time to respond to the commissions submission. Mr Odey emphasised that the initial remand order had granted the ICPC 14 days to detain and investigate the former governor over allegations bordering on money laundering and abuse of office. Following the expiration of that order, the Commission applied for an extension, which was approved by the court on March 5, Mr Odey said. He explained that an earlier attempt by Mr El-Rufais legal team to set aside the remand order issued on 19 February was dismissed on 9 March. While reaffirming the position of the commission, Mr Odey stated that Mr El-Rufai remains in lawful custody under a valid court order. He added that all actions taken so far were in strict compliance with the law, including the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. The commission also reiterates its commitment to due process and warns against the spread of misinformation; legal matters should be resolved in court rather than through public speculation. The ICPC conducts its duties with the highest professionalism and respect for the rule of law. We urge the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official updates from the commission, he added. (NAN) A Nigerian cultural advocate, Mudiare Onobrakpeya, has called on President Bola Tinubu to strengthen government support for the countrys arts sector as he prepares to attend a Nigerian modernism exhibition at Tate Modern in London. Mr Tinubu is scheduled to be the guest of honour at the Nigerian Modernism exhibition as part of his state visit to the United Kingdom between Tuesday, 17 and Thursday, 19 March. The president and his wife, Remi Tinubu, will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Windsor Castle from Wednesday, 18, to Thursday, 19 March. Appeal In an open letter on Tuesday, Mr Onobrakpeya called on Mr Tinubus government to allocate a fixed percentage of public infrastructure budgets for art. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google He also suggested the establishment of a national museum dedicated to modern Nigerian art, the creation of a comprehensive digital archive of the countrys artistic heritage, and increased support for international exhibitions showcasing Nigerian works. As you walk through these galleries, you will encounter works that helped Nigeria imagine itself at a critical moment in its history, he wrote. He, therefore, called on the federal government to provide tangible support through grants, subvention and structured sponsorship, describing such measures as investments rather than acts of generosity. Mr Onobrakpeya, an artist and curator, argued that integrating artistic works into schools, hospitals and civic buildings would help embed culture into everyday life. If the arts are to take their rightful place in Nigeria, then support must move beyond recognition into commitment. Subventions, grants, and structured sponsorship are not acts of generositythey are investments in a sector that has already demonstrated its value, both economic and cultural, he added Nigerias growing art sector Mr Onobrakpeya noted that the hosting of the exhibition at the Tate Modern underscores Nigerias growing influence in global cultural discourse and the need for stronger institutions at home to sustain that influence. He described the exhibition as a defining record of how Nigeria came to understand itself through art. He said that while Nigerian art is gaining global recognition, with increasing interest from collectors and international institutions, the domestic structures needed to sustain the sector remain weak. Today, Nigerian art is receiving renewed global attention. Collectors are looking. Institutions are engaging. The conversation has shifted. Yet at home, much of the structure supporting this momentum remains fragile, he said. Highlighting the contributions of pioneering modernist artists such as Ben Enwonwu, Uche Okeke, Demas Nwoko and Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mr Onobrakpeya noted that their works shaped a uniquely Nigerian approach to modern art by blending indigenous traditions with contemporary expression. He added that institutions like the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation and the Nike Art Foundation have trained generations of artists and sustained creative development over the years. He pointed to platforms such as the Art X Lagos and the +234 Art Fair, as well as the Art Galleries Association of Nigeria, as key drivers of visibility for emerging artists, noting that their success has largely been achieved without strong government backing. The landmark show is the first major UK exhibition dedicated to the story of modern art in Nigeria, tracing its evolution from the 1940s through to the turn of the 21st century. The exhibition is organised chronologically and thematically, moving through the shifting political landscape of Nigeriafrom colonial rule to independence in 1960 and the subsequent civil war. Health advocates have urged the European Union (EU) to support health equity provisions in the ongoing negotiations for the World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, warning that weak rules could repeat the vaccine inequality witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja at a press briefing organised by AIDS Healthcare Foundation Nigeria (AHF) and other Civil Society Organisations to discuss negotiations around the Pandemic Agreement and the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex Negotiations. Speaking at the event, Country Programme Director of AHF Nigeria, Echey Ijezie, said the EU must stop blocking equity provisions and facilitate the conclusion of a fair and effective agreement. Mr Ijezie noted that a weak Annex could lead to a recurrence of what he described as vaccine apartheid experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting countries at risk. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google He stressed the need for the EU to align its position with the values of solidarity and fairness it publicly promotes by supporting mandatory benefit-sharing, legal certainty, and real accountability in the agreement. According to him, developing countries are demanding binding obligations rather than voluntary arrangements, noting that clear and enforceable obligations were necessary to build trust and ensure fairness in global health response. He said a strong PABS Annex is critical, noting that it is not merely symbolic but essential to saving lives. He added that the EUs position remain pivotal, as it could either unlock progress in the negotiations or weaken the final outcome. Debate over benefit-sharing In his remarks, the president of Lawyers Alert, Romy Mum, criticised the attempts to maintain exclusive control of medical technologies in wealthier countries. Mr Mum emphasised that issues of pandemics and lives are too important to be commercialised, hence the need for equity and justice before signing of the pandemic agreement ratification. He said, when we are collecting pathogens, we do that from all over the world, but when the drug diagnostics are ready, then you are saying the benefits should not be equal. He added that benefits should not mean that the Global North controls licensing, distribution, and decides when the Global South can access them. So let that global framework not be signed except and only if the annex is made equitable, equitable in how we gets the drugs, how we diagnose and all of that should be equal because the pathogens gotten to do the drugs are from all over the world, he said. He warned that pandemics do not recognise national or economic boundaries. Mr Ijezie also warned that without equitable benefit-sharing, efforts by countries to strengthen regional production and achieve health sovereignty could be undermined. He explained that advocacy efforts were focused on key EU powers because of the blocs central role in the negotiations, noting that a shift in its position could help break the current deadlock and ensure a more equitable global pandemic agreement. Demand for transparency The National Secretary, Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Martin Egbanubi, emphasised the rights for every citizen to access healthcare, urging the government to prioritise the health needs of Nigerians. Mr Egbanubi urged the government to invest and commence local production of vaccines to handle health emergencies. He urged Africans to be committed to advocacy, invest in research and development to be able to produce, rather than relying on other nations for support. We must come up with strategies for tackling health emergencies.It is not something we should leave to chat, because the next pandemic, we may not be as lucky as the last one, our ecosystem may not be able to save us, he said. Background The debate over equity in the proposed pandemic agreement is rooted in the unequal access to vaccines and medical supplies witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, data from the WHO showed that by mid-2022, more than 70 per cent of people in high-income countries had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared with less than 20 per cent in many African countries. Public health advocates described the imbalance as vaccine inequity, warning that it prolonged the pandemic by allowing the virus to continue spreading and mutating in regions with limited vaccine access. The disparities triggered global calls for stronger rules to ensure fair access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics during health emergencies. In response, member states of the WHO launched the global WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiations in 2021, aimed at improving international cooperation, preparedness and equitable access to medical tools during future outbreaks. The agreement was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 20 May 2025, marking a historic moment for global public health. A key element of the negotiations is the PABS system, which seeks to ensure that countries that share pathogen samples also benefit from the vaccines, treatments and diagnostic technologies developed from them. READ ALSO: Group unveils first comprehensive data on PWD population in Nigeria Nigerias experience during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout illustrates the broader global inequality that health advocates are seeking to address. Nigeria received its first shipment of vaccines in March 2021, when nearly four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived through the global COVAX facility, months after vaccination campaigns had already begun in several high-income countries. Health experts say the delays revealed Africas heavy dependence on imports and donations for vaccines, strengthening calls for equitable global health rules and expanded local manufacturing capacity across the continent. The Joint Task Force (JTF) South East Operation UDO KA has reclaimed the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State from bandits and urged indigenes of the area to return home. The Garrison Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Obinze, Owerri, Jude Abuo, stated this while addressing reporters during a media tour of the recovered communities in Orsu, Imo, on Tuesday. Mr Abuo, a lieutenant-colonel, said that the JTF, comprising officers of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Deep Blue, Police and civil defence, had carried out the operation since 2 February, with support from the community vigilante. He said that the operation was in line with the Chief of Army Staffs command philosophy to advance the transformation of the Nigerian Army into an adaptable, professional, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional roles within a joint operation and a multi-operational environment. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google He added that the local government area was being cleared of elements of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing. We have been able to push them out of this place, gain more ground, and detonate Improvised Explosive Devices, which they used as force multipliers. We have captured the mother valley, as you can see, and we have not lost any man on this operation. We can assure you that this local government will be free from the IPOB in days to come, and we call on indigenes to return to their homes without fear, he said. READ ALSO: Two Nigerian soldiers feared killed in Cross River clash He further said that the purpose of the media tour was to debunk allegations that images previously released from the operation were manipulated or falsely presented as originating from Oyo and Lagos. He described the images as authentic and taken from the ongoing operations. Speaking, the President-General of Orsu Ihietukwa clan, Chika Obuladike, thanked the Nigerian military for their intervention and urged them to extend the operation to other volatile areas. Also, the Youth Leader of Orsu Ihietukwa, Ezeani Ikedinekpere, pledged continued collaboration with the military to ensure their operational success. (NAN) A United States federal judge has ordered the Voice of America (VOA) to resume its international broadcasting operations. The judge also ordered the reinstatement of more than 1,000 employees at VOA, blocking the President Donald Trump administrations effort to carry out sweeping layoffs at the government-funded international broadcaster. In a ruling issued Tuesday, US District Judge Royce Lamberth directed that affected staff return to work by 23 March, and that VOA resume its international broadcasting operations. The judge said attempts to shut down activities at the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, were unlawful. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google The decision reinforces an earlier temporary restraining order he granted in September 2025 to halt the dismissals. The layoffs were announced in August by Kari Lake, who had been appointed to lead the agency at the start of President Donald Trumps second term. The move followed a March 2025 executive order mandating significant reductions at the broadcaster. Voice of America, established in 1942 during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, broadcasts news and programming in multiple languages to global audiences. It has traditionally been regarded as a key instrument of US public diplomacy. Although legal protections are designed to shield VOAs editorial independence, Mr Trump has frequently criticised the outlet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he accused it of amplifying Chinese government narratives. (dpa/NAN) The Nigerian Army has warned of a heightened threat of terrorist attacks in the North-east as Ramadan draws to a close, urging residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies. According to a security advisory issued by Sani Uba, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east, intelligence reports indicate an increased risk of suicide bombings by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements during the final days of the fasting period. The alert follows recent deadly incidents in Maiduguri, where explosions were recorded at busy locations, including a market, post office, and a hospital entrance, resulting in casualties. PREMIUM TIMES reported that suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers, on Monday, targeted these civilian areas, killing 23 people and injuring 108 others. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Earlier that day, ISWAP terrorists invaded military positions in Baga, Damboa, Buratai and Ajilari, a suburb of Maiduguri near an Air Force base and international airport in the city. The security alert The army noted that terrorist groups often escalate attacks during significant religious periods, particularly around the final days of Ramadan, when large crowds gather in mosques, markets, and other public places. It therefore called on residents to be alert to suspicious movements, avoid overcrowded areas where possible, and immediately report unattended items or unusual behaviour to security personnel. While assuring that troops have intensified surveillance, patrols, and other protective measures across the region, the army stressed that public cooperation remains critical to preventing further attacks. It urged citizens to stay calm but security conscious, emphasising that timely information from residents is key to thwarting terrorist activities and ensuring a peaceful end to Ramadan and Eid celebrations. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has secured the conviction of 10 Filipino sailors and their vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, over the importation of 20 kilogrammes of cocaine. The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NDLEA arraigned the defendants before trial judge Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday. Mr Babafemi said that the illicit consignment was imported into the Nigeria through the Apapa Seaport, with total penalties amounting to six million dollars and N1.1 million. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google He recalled that the sailors and the merchant vessel were arrested on 16 November 2025, after NDLEA operatives uncovered 20 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine concealed deep within the cargo of the ship which arrived from Santos, Brazil. Reacting to the judgement, NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, a retired brigadier-general, described the conviction as a resounding victory for the rule of law and a testament to the renewed vigour of the agency in its mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs. Mr Marwa said the judgement served as an unambiguous signal that Nigerias territorial waters were no longer a playground for illicit narcotics trade. He said the $6 million fine was a stark and expensive lesson to international drug cartels and their local collaborators. Let this judgement be an unambiguous signal to every shipping line, vessel owner and sailor worldwide that if you turn your ships into floating warehouses for illicit drugs, you will not only lose your freedom but also your assets, he said. The NDLEA boss added that the agency had moved beyond mere seizures to targeting the financial base and operational assets of drug syndicates. He commended officers and men of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for their vigilance in detecting the cocaine consignment buried deep within the cargo of the vessel. He said the success, coming on the heels of similar convictions as that of MV Chayanee Naree, showed that the agencys back-to-back strategy was yielding concrete results. The NDLEA chairman also expressed appreciation to the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their diligence in handling the case. He further commended the judiciary for the accelerated hearing, noting that the synergy between the agency and the courts remained critical in dismantling drug supply chains. Mr Marwa reaffirmed the agencys resolve on the fight against drug trafficking, saying is it about defending the future of youths of the nation and ensuring national security. Our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable, he said. Plea bargain Wednesdays conviction of the Filipinos and their vessel is likely the outcome of a plea bargain agreement between the defence and the prosecution following their arraignment on Monday. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NDLEA arraigned the defendants before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday. Although they pleaded not guilty, defence and prosecution lawyers informed the court of an ongoing plea bargain talks over the charges. The prosecution, led by Theresa Asuquo, informed the court that a plea bargain agreement had been signed in line with Section 270(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and intends to file an amended charge. The defendants lead lawyer, Femi Atoyebi, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), confirmed the plea bargain and requested a hearing date. By consent of both parties, Mr Faji adjourned the matter until Tuesday, 16 March, for further hearing. The defendants include Eugene Quinos Corpuz, Mark Joseph Jardiniano, Alexis Navidad Evarrola, Francis Gerard Niones Carpio, and Franz Jude Mayran. The rest are Mahinay Junniel Lagura, Mario Ganiban Malvar, Hormachuelos Lordito Guivencan, Joshua Emmanuel Hufanda, and Edwin Baltazar Reyes. Dauda SulaimanThe Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted six statements made by Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, in the alleged N10 billion money laundering trial. The trial judge, James Omotosho, also admitted two of such extrajudicial statements written by Mr Bellos co-defendant, . Mr Omotosho admitted the eight statements as exhibits after dismissing the objections of the two defendants to their tendering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The judge held that the EFCC complied with the provisions of Sections 15 (4) and 17 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, in obtaining the statements in dispute. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Consequently, the statements of the defendants are admissible in evidence as they were made voluntarily, the judge ruled. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC is prosecuting Mr Bello, a nephew of the immediate-past Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and Mr Sulaiman, on 16 counts of misappropriation and money laundering involving N10.27 billion in public funds. They allegedly committed the offences during the administration of former Governor Bello, who is himself facing prosecution in two separate corruption cases before Federal High Court in Abuja and the FCT High Court. EFCC accused the former governor of diverting N80.2 billion in Kogi States funds in the case before the Federal High Court and N110 billion in the other case before the FCT High Court. The younger Bello, who currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the incumbent Kogi State Governor, Mr Ododo, also faces another money laundering case in which he is accused of diverting N3 billion. Both cases relate to his activities during former Governor Bellos administration. In the course of the N10.27 billion money laundering trial, Mr Bello and his co-defendant had told the court that the extra-judicial statements sought to be tendered by EFCC as evidence against them were made under duress. The statements attributed to Mr Bello were dated 29 November 2022; 30 November 2022; 1 December 2022; 10 December 2022; 11 December 2022 and 12 December 2022. Those of Mr Sulaiman bore the dates 30 November 2022 and 1 December 2022. On 16 February, defence lawyers, Abubakar Aliyu and Olusegun Jolaawo, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), objected to the move by EFCCs lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, also a SAN, to tender the eight statements as exhibits while leading Ahmed Audu Abubakar, the 17th prosecution witness in evidence. Mr Aliyu, who appeared for Mr Bello, insisted that the six statements made by his client were not made voluntarily. Similarly, Mr Sulaimans lawyer, Mr Jolaawo, told the court that his client was threatened by the commissions operatives who took his two statements. However, Mr Oyedepo disagreed with the defences submissions, arguing that most of the statements were obtained in the presence of their lawyer, Z. E Abbas. Trial-within-trial The judge then ordered a trial-within-trial and directed Mr Abubakar, the 17th prosecution witness, to give evidence in the trial-within-trial. After the anti-graft agency called three witnesses for the sideshow trial, Messrs Bello and Sulaiman opened their case. However, Mr Bello only tendered the certified true copies (CTCs) of a judgement and an enrolled order of the Kogi State High Court in his defence of allegations that the extra-judicial statements made were not voluntarily obtained by EFCC operatives. He did not testify or call any other witness to give oral testimony. But Mr Sulaiman testified as a defence witness and narrated how he was drafted into the case. After the parties adopted their written addresses in the trial-within-trial, Justice Omotosho fixed today for ruling. Ruling Delivering the ruling, the judge observed that the EFCCs witnesses denied threatening the defendants while obtaining their statements and that the statements were not confessional as the defendants denied some allegations in the statements. He equally observed that Mr Sulaiman, who testified in the trial-within-trial, though alleged that the officers threatened him with electric chair, the judge said during his cross-examination, he stated that he never saw any electric chair where the statement was being taken. The judge observed that Mr Sulaiman confirmed that a lawyer named Z.E Abbas actually endorsed on the statements that they were made in his presence. He said the defendants did not deny that they were the ones who wrote the statements themselves, but that their only grouse was that they were threatened to make the statements. Mr Omotosho held that the defendants ought to have called the lawyer, Mr Abbas, to give evidence in the trial-within-trial. He said their failure to call the lawyer was a fundamental error. Now, the said Z.E Abbas Esq. is a known person and has appeared for the defendants in this matter. For the defendants to succeed on their claims that the statements were not made voluntarily, they ought to call Z.E Abbas Esq. to testify. The defendants failed to call Z.E Abbas Esq. This failure raises the presumption that the evidence of Z.E Abbas would have been against their interest if they had called him. This omission by the defendants raises a presumption of withholding evidence under Section 167 of the Evidence Act, 2011. Apart from being a case of withholding evidence, the defendants failure to call their counsel, Z.E Abbas Esq., is an admission of the evidence of the prosecution that the statements were obtained voluntarily. The 2nd defendant (Mr Sulaiman) even testified to the credibility of Z.E Abbas Esq., stating that he is a truthful person and that he agrees with whatever he says, the judge said. The judge also agreed that the statements made by Bello on 30 November 2022, 1 December 2022, and 12 December 2022 in the presence of Mr Abbas were all made voluntarily. He said there is credible proof that the said statements were made voluntarily without more. For the other statements of the 1st defendant (Mr Bello), the evidence of prosecution witnesses remains credible and there are no indications on the face of the statements that the 1st defendant was forced or threatened to make the statements. The 1st defendant (Mr Bello) in his statements also used words like I dont know and I cant recall. This court finds it hard to believe that the EFCC officers threatening the 1st defendant to make favourable statements would allow him to use such words. Those words essentially change the nature of those statements to non-confessional statements as they were not direct and unequivocal about admitting the allegations against him, the judge said, citing previous Supreme Courts decision. Mr Omotosho said from the foregoing, Bello was not forced to admit anything and thus this court holds that the said statements were made voluntarily and no force or torture or promise was applied on the 1st defendant in the making of the statements. This court found out that just as the prosecution witnesses testified, cautionary words were administered to the defendants and they signed same. In fact, the cautionary words stated that they were not obliged to say anything as anything they said may be used against them in evidence. This has fulfilled the procedure in taking voluntary statements. Thus, the statements were made voluntarily without any coercion or involuntariness. Without more, this would make the statements admissible in evidence he said. The judge equally dismissed the defence argument that the statements did not comply with provisions of Sections 15(4) and 17(2) of ACJA, 2015, in that there was no video recording of the statement taking. A closer look at the provisions of Section 15(4) and 17(2) show that these provisions only apply where the statement is a confessional statement. This means that it would not apply to all manner of statements but the ones that are confessional in nature. As held earlier, the statements themselves are not confessional in nature as the defendants did not admit to the commission of the offences alleged against them. The defendants in their statements used words like I cant recall and I dont know. These words or phrases imply that they do not admit to the allegations. A statement needs to be direct, unequivocal and must be an admission for it to be confessional in nature. This is the whole essence and meaning of confession under Section 28 of the Evidence Act, 2011. These statements, being non-confessional, do not fall within the purview of Sections 15(4) and 17(2) of the ACJA, 2015. Consequently, this court will not subject the statements through those provisions. In final analysis, the statements of the defendants are admissible in evidence as they were made voluntarily and are non-confessional statements to be subject to the provisions of ACJA, 2015, he ruled. Mr Omotosho, therefore, admitted the six statements made by Bello as Exhibits R to R5 and admitted the two statements made by Suleiman as Exhibits S and S1. The judge, who adjourned the matter until 21 and 24 April for the prosecution to close their case. He threatened that if the EFCC fails to come with all their witnesses, its case would be deemed closed. (NAN) The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned the trial of eight Chinese nationals and two others on illegal mining chrges until 21 April. The judge, James Omotosho, adjourned the matter following an oral application for adjournment by the defence lawyer, Joe Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The prosecution lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, also a SAN, did not oppose the request. When the case was called, Mr Agi informed the court that he could not proceed with the trial due to the absence of their first defence witness in court. The lawyer said the witness was indisposed and could not travelled down to Abuja from Lagos State. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mr Adedipe did not object to the application. If it is on medical ground, we are not objecting my lord, he said. Mr Omotosho consequently adjourned the matter until 21 April for continuation of hearing. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) charged the on three counts of illegal mining. The Chinese nationals among the defendants are Shen Yongchan, Mo Baixian, Xiao Bin, Huang Xu Fa, Ma Bingli, Yang Jian, Le Peiyin, and Que Wenyong. A Nigerian, Hiyk Edward Desmond, and Wanda Quarry Company Limited are also charged as co-defendants. NAN recalls the court had dismissed the no-case submission which the defence filed after the prosecution closed its case. The judge held in his ruling dismissing the no-case submission that the prosecution established a prima facie case against the defendants with the witnesses evidence, requiring them to open their defence. On 25 February, defence lawyer Mr Agi called the first defence witness, Silas Saviour Godwin, who works with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to give evidence. Charges In count one, the prosecution alleged that between 19 October 2022 and 24 June 2024, the defendants and others, now at large, conspired to mine mineral within the cadastral area of Quarry Lease No. 22284QLS belonging to Jinloys Nigeria Limited without lawful authority. The prosecution also accused them of quarrying and carrying out quarrying operations, contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, LFN 2004, and punishable under Section 1 (8)(b) of the same Act. (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday returned more than N3.9 billion in recovered funds to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), following investigations into alleged fraudulent activities. According to a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES by EFCCs spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Wednesday, the handover ceremony took place at the anti-graft agencys headquarters in Abuja. It said that the EFCC Secretary, Mohammed Hammajoda, represented its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. Mr Hammajoda explained that the recovered funds were the result of meticulous investigations into financial irregularities involving some officials within NNPC Ltd. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google On behalf of the Executive Chairman, we will continue to put ourselves on the line to serve over 220 million Nigerians. Along the line, many of our colleagues have paid the price and others will still pay the price as we continue to do our work with courage and integrity. We will serve and continue to serve this country. So, on behalf of the EFCC, I present the sum of Three Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty Six million, One Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Two Naira to you, he said. Receiving the funds on behalf of NNPC Ltd, Executive Vice President, Downstream, Mumuni Dagazau, praised the EFCC for its role in the recovery. NNPC has faced longstanding challenges, and we have continuously worked to reform the system. This recovery demonstrates strong institutional cooperation, and we are proud to have EFCC support in ensuring transparency and accountability, Mr Dagazau said. The statement did not provide specific details of the fraudulent channels through which the recovered funds were stolen from the NNPC or the identities of the alleged perpetrators. However, it is common knowledge that the EFCC has investigated top NNPC officials, including former Managing Director Mele Kyari, over corruption allegations in the last one year. arrested and detained Mr Kyari over various allegations. In September last year, the EFCCMr Kyari over various allegations. the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to him over allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering. About a month earlier, But Mr Kyari has denied any wrongdoing. In May that year, he dismissed reports of his arrest over the alleged diversion of $2.9 billion for refinery rehabilitation as clear mischief aimed at damaging his reputation. EFCC has also investigated other former officials of the NNPC. In June last year, EFCC arrested a former Chief Financial Officer of the NNPC, Umar Ajiya Isa. Mr Isa was arrested in connection with alleged $7.2billion fraud associated with the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries. The three refineries have underperformed and recorded zero production over the years despite annual allocation of turnaround maintenance to them. Sources briefed on the matter told PREMIUM TIMES then that Mr Isa was detained by the agency along with a former Managing Director of Warri Refinery, Jimoh Olasunkanmi. Mr Isa, as CFO, was in charge of release of funds for the Turn Around Maintenance of the three refineries. Other officials also facing probe at the time were Tunde Bakare, Managing Director, Warri Refinery; Ahmed Adamu Dikko, former Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refinery, and Ibrahim Monday Onoja, former Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refinery. None of these persons is known to have been charged with any offence or found guilty of any crime. There is also no publicly available evidence linking the funds recovered by the EFCC to them. However, over the years, NNPC has kept its financial dealings opaque, shielding its officials from public scrutiny. Not the first time This is not the first time the EFCC has returned recovered funds to government institutions. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the commission handed over N387,483,488 to the Jigawa State Government. The funds were recovered following an investigation triggered by intelligence from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), which flagged alleged misappropriation of public funds involving two suspects, Abdullahi Garba and Ayuba Sani. EFCC operatives subsequently launched a probe, leading to the recovery. Both suspects were arraigned in court. Garba pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years imprisonment, while Sani is currently standing trial. The funds were handed over at the EFCCs Kano Zonal Directorate office to the states Director of Treasury Operations, Muhammad Haruna. Acting Zonal Director, Friday Ebelo, said the handover demonstrated the commissions commitment to recovering proceeds of crime and delivering justice. The EFCC remains resolute in its mandate to investigate and recover proceeds of crime. We are committed to ensuring that funds meant for the development of the people are not diverted for personal use, Mr Ebelo said. Mr Haruna commended the EFCC for its efforts, describing the recovery as beneficial to the people of Jigawa. Also, in January, the EFCC returned N1.28 billion to the Enugu State Government after recovering funds from a contractor accused of diverting money meant for public projects. The funds were recovered from Olasijibomi Ogundele, the chief executive of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, following a petition by the state government over an alleged N5.7 billion fraud linked to the construction of smart schools. The EFCC said these recoveries align with its mandate to trace, recover, and restitute proceeds of crime, noting that investigations and prosecutions in such cases remain ongoing. GAZA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A ray of sunlight streams through a gap in the ceiling of the hall that once held the library of the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City's Old City, illuminating piles of books -- torn, burned, and half-buried beneath the rubble. Before the latest chapter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, the library housed an extensive collection of works in literature, history, medicine and law, serving students, researchers and heritage enthusiasts. Today, the hall lies in ruins, prompting volunteers and heritage activists to launch an initiative to recover the surviving books and manuscripts. Operating under the non-profit organization Eyes on Heritage, which documents and protects historical sites in Gaza, the volunteers work cautiously to preserve a part of the city's cultural memory. Haneen Al-Amsi, director of Eyes on Heritage, told Xinhua that the extent of the destruction was shocking when she first visited the site. "Thousands of books were torn or completely burned, and some manuscripts were buried under rubble," she said. "The scene was painful for anyone to be aware of the historical and cultural value of this place." The Great Omari Mosque, one of the largest and oldest mosques in the Gaza Strip, covers about 4,100 square meters. Its library once housed approximately 20,000 books and manuscripts, but early assessments suggest only about 4,000 volumes can be salvaged or restored after the mosque was bombed in December 2023 during Israeli military operations in Gaza. "The western section of the library was completely destroyed, and thousands of books were lost beyond repair," Al-Amsi said. Volunteers, wearing gloves and protective masks, sift carefully through the rubble, using hand brushes and wooden sticks to lift dust and debris without further damaging the fragile materials. "Each book we recover represents a part of Gaza's history," Al-Amsi said. "These are documents that reflect the intellectual and cultural life of the city over centuries." Some manuscripts date back to the Ottoman era and cover topics such as jurisprudence and medicine. Among the volunteers is Faten Shukri, a university student in contemporary history, who uses her mobile phone as a light source to clean scattered books with a small brush. "I joined this team to help preserve the city's heritage," she said. "These books contain information about our history and our people. Handling them carefully is the only way to protect what remains." Shukri added that many books had been trapped under rubble for more than two years, leading to deterioration from humidity and dust. Volunteers face challenges due to the lack of specialized equipment, relying mostly on basic tools to remove dust, separate stuck pages, and prepare books for potential restoration. Despite the difficulties, volunteers emphasize that their work is essential for preserving Gaza's cultural heritage. Al-Amsi noted that the initiative relies primarily on volunteer labor, expressing hope that more resources will become available to support what they consider a precious endeavor. "Saving these books is an attempt to protect a part of Gaza's cultural and historical memory," she said. "They are a testament to the city's resilience and the history it has endured over centuries." MILID Foundations intervention in Praia and Pretoria focused on building population resilience rather than concentrating on high-handed, restrictive technology regulations as a way of protecting and restoring the integrity of the information ecosystem. We see media and information literacy (MIL) as a regulatory buffer to a sub-regional and continental test on information integrity. It is, therefore, important that we prioritise it and understand how it can be integrated into the regional digital governance framework and strategy. Nigeria and Kenya, two of Africas economic powerhouses, will hold general elections in 2027. Nigerias election has been slated for 16 January, 2027, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It will be the eighth general election since military rule came to an end on 29 May, 1999, in Africas most populous nation. Kenyas holds on 10 August, 2027, the second Tuesday in August, in adherence to Article 136(2)(a) of the Kenyan Constitution, which stipulates that elections must hold on the second Tuesday in August every five years. As in other elections, these will be keenly contested not just at the polls but in the law courts and courts of public opinion. In the latter, digital technology the Internet, AI, algorithm, smart phones, etc. will play a crucial role. Across the continent and beyond, digital technologies and their proprietors are shaping how we communicate, impacting debates and conversations both positively and negatively, redefining issues of freedom of expression and the right of access to information. Clearly, the way we respond to this new digital information order would determine whether society benefits or we all become casualties. If coordinated and managed properly, technology and digital platforms can enhance democratic participation, information integrity, reduce online strife and promote intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. In the last six months, first in Praia, Cabo Verde, from 3 to 5 September, 2025, and Pretoria, South Africa, from 10 to 13 February, 2026, UNESCO, the ECOWAS Commission, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Search for Common Ground (SFCG), Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) now Moxii Africa, Article 19, GIZ, Information, Communication Technologies and Media Regulators Forum of South Africa, Social Media 4 Peace South Africa (SM4PSA), the African Communication Regulation Authorities Network (ACRAN), the Francophone Network of Media Regulators (REFRAM), the I4T Knowledge Network, the European Union, and partners, have come together to hold two crucial conferences to focus attention on information integrity and digital platform governance not just in West Africa and the Sahel but across the African continent. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google And nowhere are these issues more impactful or relevant than the democratic and electoral process. Elections are a vital part of the democratic process. The right to vote is an essential act of an informed citizenry. It is important, therefore, that citizens are empowered and knowledgeable consumers of news and information, as well as equal and engaged participants in a democracy. Facts and credible information are essential to making sound decisions and creating an engaged and well-informed voting public. People must know how to recognise fact from fiction and use that knowledge to exercise their democratic rights. Experience has shown that political actors remain committed to weaponising viral false and misleading narratives to undermine confidence in the electoral system. Clearly, in the elections referenced at the beginning of this essay, mis- and disinformation will be pervasive throughout the campaign, the elections, and their aftermath, spreading across all social platforms. Vulnerabilities in the current information environment and their impact on the democratic process in the continent require urgent collective action. This brings us back to the Praia and Pretoria convening. At the Praia conference, participants adopted the Praia Model Policy Framework for Information Integrity and endorsed the Action Plan for Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel, and the Guide for Regulators to Implement the Information Integrity Model Policy Information & Framework in West Africa and the Sahel. These landmark documents mark a significant step forward in the sub-regions shared commitment to: strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships and regulatory bodies cooperation, reinforcing access to information and media and information literacy (emphasis added), fostering human-rights based and systemic responses to phenomena that undermine information integrity, advancing inclusive, context-relevant, and rights-based governance of digital platforms across the region including during elections and crises. In his goodwill message at the Praia conference, Nigerias Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who was represented by Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, director general of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), noted that, We live in an era where the digital landscape has become both a source of empowerment and vulnerability. Given the borderless nature of the digital information space, the need for greater collaboration among nations, especially regional groups, cannot be overemphasised. West Africa and the Sahel nations, and indeed Africa, must speak with one voice to address the neo-tyranny of intimidation perpetrated by digital platforms, using algorithms. Nigeria, as a country, recognises the urgent need to safeguard the integrity of information across our region. As a government, we are taking decisive steps to address the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speechthreats that undermine democratic institutions, social cohesion, and national security. A cornerstone of our strategy is the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), situated at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja. IMILI has emerged as a continental hub for capacity building, research, and policy innovation in media and information literacy. Through partnerships with academia, civil society, and international organisations, IMILI has trained thousands of educators, journalists, women, and youth leaders in critical thinking and digital resilience and other emerging issues in environmental and science communication. Unfortunately, Nigeria was visibly missing when the conversation moved to the continental level in Pretoria, South Africa. With several plenaries and side events that featured regional perspectives on how to strengthen freedom of expression and information integrity online, the Pretoria conference sought to advance human rights-based and multistakeholder approaches to digital governance, and assess progress in the implementation of the UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms. Pretorias Proposition for Action on digital platform governance encapsulates the idea that, Digital platforms have become essential infrastructures for global communication, yet notwithstanding this achievement their governance, in most cases, remains fragmented, opaque, and often disconnected from human rights standards. Effective governance is possible through coordinated action grounded in clear principles and concrete commitments. At the Pretoria meeting, regulatory authorities, governments, platforms, civil society organisations, and researchers agreed that safeguarding freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of association, the right to privacy and the protection of diverse cultural expressions while addressing systemic risks require key actions. This continues the multi-stakeholder approach developed at the UNESCO 2024 International Conference on Digital Platform Governance in Dubrovnik and the UNESCO 2022 Internet for Trust Conference. The Proposition for Action represents a pledge by regulatory authorities and institutions dealing with the governance of digital platforms to multistakeholder approaches to advance on the implementation of the principles of transparency, accountability, due diligence, user empowerment, and alignment with international human rights standards in the public oversight of the design of new products and digital services as set out in the UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms and the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Action Plan for Digital Platform Governance. It reaffirms the importance of respecting, protecting, and promoting human rights, safeguarding freedom of expression, the right to access to information, the right to privacy and freedom of association in all aspects of digital platform governance. Platform governance can no longer be addressed in isolation. It intersects with information policy, data protection, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, competition, election governance, child protection and education policy and cultural policy, thus demanding attention to the specific services and features that generate systemic risks, particularly algorithmic curation and monetization models. Meeting these challenges requires strong independent oversight institutions, consistent accountability, inclusive participation, and a governance vision centered on human rights and human dignity. One of the recommendations is that communities can be empowered by launching coordinated national media and information literacy (MIL) initiatives. Regulators can initiate and support national media and information literacy programs, developed in partnership with educators, media organizations, civil society, and platforms, to strengthen users ability to navigate digital spaces safely and critically. Elevating MIL as a core regulatory strategy and multistakeholder priority, regulators can integrate MIL into supervisory frameworks as a systemic risk-mitigation measure, supported by sustained, dedicated public funding and cross-sector coordination. MILID Foundations intervention in Praia and Pretoria focused on building population resilience rather than concentrating on high-handed, restrictive technology regulations as a way of protecting and restoring the integrity of the information ecosystem. We see media and information literacy (MIL) as a regulatory buffer to a sub-regional and continental test on information integrity. It is, therefore, important that we prioritise it and understand how it can be integrated into the regional digital governance framework and strategy. In the new world information and digital media order, of AI and the challenges of internet regulation, cybersecurity, data protection and information disorder, a strong MIL mechanism will promote democratic resilience, enhance peace, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, even development and regional cooperation. We believe these issues are not mere technical or legal concerns. They are issues that define our democratic future, public safety and even national security. The threat and opportunities they present are things that need a holistic, proactive, and collaborative approach in addressing. Chido Onumah and Chiamaka Okafor-Onumah are co-founders of the Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) Foundation. Politicians, especially of the PDP stock, often undermine their own parties, only to benefit from the resulting chaos. The PDP has harboured many such contradictions. We had hoped that the opposition, whether PDP, LP, NNPP, or now ADC would rise above its challenges and strengthen democracy. But that hope, it seems, was premature, and perhaps fading. In the 28 August, 2024 edition of my column, titled PDP on a self-destructive path?, I touched on the dangers of a lacklustre opposition and how the then PDP might be heading towards self-immolation if the party continues on the same trajectory that led to its defeat in 2015. That certainty of total annihilation is now here; it is not a question of if or when. With only two governors remaining in the middle and undecided, the PDP will soon eclipse from our political space, thanks not only to its actions and inactions, but also to the booby traps and thorns strategically designed by the ruling party to weaken the opposition and ride unencumbered to victory in 2027. The Golden Era of the Opposition Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google The golden era for the opposition occurred when Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in charge. As governor of Lagos, his troubles with President Olusegun Obasanjo were turned into opportunities to advance his political brand. By 2003, when the PDP, under Obasanjos influence, swept most states, Tinubu was the last man standing. Lagos State, under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), survived the onslaught; all other South-West states fell to the ruling PDP. When Obasanjo withheld Lagos State local government funds, Tinubu took the legal route to recover them, while mobilising Lagosians to pay taxes to sustain governance. Never mind that the same Tinubu, as president, has held on to Osun State local government funds, despite a court ruling against this. He became the rallying point and poster boy of opposition politics. That he later advanced this trajectory towards the formation of the APC, becoming its leader with the power to nominate the vice president for Buhari, did not come as a surprise. Becoming president despite formidable forces against his candidature, through strategic alliances and political calculations, and growing the APC into the behemoth that it is today, is the icing on the cake. However, what Nigerians did not foresee was that the party (APC) the president so nurtured, would seek to obliterate other political parties under his presidency. Today, under his watch, the opposition can barely breathe. It is tempting to exonerate the president, but the backstory is replete with intrigues and political machinations. Does the president not know that his appointee, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has destabilised and weakened the PDP, even allegedly leveraging state institutions such as the judiciary? Has he ever called him to order? Who Dunnit? From the Senate under Godswill Akpabio altering key provisions of the Electoral Act, such as removing the real-time transmission of results to clauses designed to deter defections only after APCs consolidation, the opposition space has been systematically constricted. Add to that, the alleged harassment, intimidation, and inducement of opposition figures, and opposition politics is now on life support. Opposition is the lifeblood of democracy. Undermining it risks entrenching opacity, poor governance, corruption, and a lack of accountability. A good legacy must transcend what President Tinubu once described as a sweet victory. The new legal framework that prohibits dual party membership is commendable in theory. But Wike has straddled two political camps since 2023. Similarly, the G5 governors such as Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), remained in the PDP while working against it in 2023. Today, such actions have been criminalised by a National Assembly widely seen as aligned with the executive. Allegations that moles are being sponsored to destabilise opposition parties are deeply troubling and undermine the principles of multiparty democracy, especially under a president with a strong opposition pedigree. The litigation involving Nafiu Bala Gombe against David Mark is a case in point. Why not defect outright, instead of dragging the opposition through the courts? And which courts? The compromised judiciary? We have travelled this road before. The PDP once attempted to weaken the opposition, and today it is on its knees. The APC would do well to learn from that history. While it has much to celebrate, it also has much to fear. Even if the APC secures victory in 2027, what happens in 2031 and beyond, when many of todays actors may have faded from the scene? The real concern should be the survival of institutional democracy and not temporary gains that favour only a fraction of the political class. Opposition is the lifeblood of democracy. Undermining it risks entrenching opacity, poor governance, corruption, and a lack of accountability. A good legacy must transcend what President Tinubu once described as a sweet victory. PDP on a Self-Destructive Mission? (Revisited) Nigeria needs a strong opposition to hold the government accountable. What remains uncertain is whether the PDP and Labour Party (LP) still possess the capacity to play that role effectively. Since losing power in 2015, the PDP has been plagued by recurring crises. Just when recovery seems possible, another crisis occurs. The 2023 general election exposed deep fractures within the party. Peter Obis exit to the LP and Rabiu Kwankwasos move to the NNPP drained significant support, particularly in the South-East and Kano. The rebellion of five PDP governors against Atiku Abubakars candidacy proved even more damaging. Politicians, especially of the PDP stock, often undermine their own parties, only to benefit from the resulting chaos. The PDP has harboured many such contradictions. We had hoped that the opposition, whether PDP, LP, NNPP, or now ADC would rise above its challenges and strengthen democracy. But that hope, it seems, was premature, and perhaps fading. Led by Nyesom Wike, the groups actions not only undermined Atiku but also weakened the party, paving the way for APCs victory. Ironically, Wike continues to wield influence within both the government and the PDP. What party tolerates such dual loyalty, one leg in PDP and another in APC? The partys attempts at discipline and reconciliation have often appeared futile. Disloyalty to the leadership hierarchy was the order of the day. Who exactly should be disciplined? And how do you reconcile factions that no longer share common political interests? Leadership has also been a major challenge. Figures like Chief Bode George, though respected, have sometimes deepened divisions. Atiku Abubakar, rather than serving as a unifying figure, has remained polarising. The failure to manage internal conflicts such as the controversy around Iyorchia Ayus chairmanship further eroded trust and cohesion within the party. Today, with Atiku and Obi aligning under the ADC, questions remain about the viability of their coalition especially in the absence of strong grassroots structures and with many PDP governors now aligned with the APC. An effective opposition requires cohesion, discipline, and a clear policy alternative, not just resistance. Politicians, especially of the PDP stock, often undermine their own parties, only to benefit from the resulting chaos. The PDP has harboured many such contradictions. We had hoped that the opposition, whether PDP, LP, NNPP, or now ADC would rise above its challenges and strengthen democracy. But that hope, it seems, was premature, and perhaps fading. All the same, political actors should understand that saving the opposition is synonymous with saving democracy. Unfortunately, current realities suggest that hope may have been misplaced. Zainab Suleiman Okino (FNGE) chairs the Blueprint Editorial Board. She is a syndicated columnist and can be reached via: zainabokinoogmail.com The Bishop screamed ,the church was vibrant in Rwanda, yet the nation descended into a bloody civil war. I still remember the Bishops voice on an evening in 1995 at our church conference, one year after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, an atrocity that claimed millions of lives. The question behind his lamentation was piercing: How can a praying nation fall so grievously? The church in Rwanda prayed and fasted. Yet the country collapsed like a fragile house of cards. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire (Nehemiah 1:3) The painful truth is as old as Scripture itself: when a nation departs from righteousness and acquiesces to corruption and violence, when leaders unfit for public trust capture the machinery of government, even the sincerest prayers can seem to falter. That observation is not an affront to the power of prayer, prayer remains a foundational pillar of the Christian faith. Rather, it is a sober reminder of a biblical principle: intercession must be joined to obedience, justice, and wise stewardship. Israel learned this at great cost. Consider Israels demand for a king in 1 Samuel 8. God had warned the people through Samuel that choosing a king on their own terms, rather than trusting Gods order, would unleash oppressive policies and grievous burdens. Then came the terrifying caveat: there would be a day when they would cry out because of the king they had chosen, and God would not answer (1 Samuel 8:18). The lesson was not that God abandons His people, but that prayer cannot sanitize disobedience or excuse poor choices, especially in the realm of leadership and governance. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day. 1 Samuel 8:18 (NKJV) We often assume we can elect anyone, based on charisma, tribe, money, or manufactured narratives, and then use prayer to bend their hearts toward righteousness. But what kind of prayer would the church have prayed if it had supported Adolf Hitlers rise in 1930s Germany? Lord, give him more power? Prosper his agenda? A grim irony: blessing a wicked ruler strengthens wickedness. We cannot use fasting and prayer to compensate for bad choices at the ballot box or for the abdication of moral responsibility among faith leaders. Where the Rubber Meets the Road in Nigeria Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Many citizens know the truth, yet are pressured, manipulated, or co-opted, sometimes with the tacit approval of religious voices, to support leaders and systems that perpetuate corruption and deepen social pain. Afterward, congregations are called into prolonged fasting and prayer, hoping to influence the very outcomes cemented by earlier compromise. Predictably, the people suffer. Poverty, insecurity, corruption, impunity, the erosion of trust in institutions, these forces have constrained the hopes and agency of millions. Meanwhile, segments of the church have faltered: cozy relationships with the political class, transactional endorsements, and the elevation of spectacle over substance have undermined moral credibility. These realities echo the dynamics, that once ensnared Germany, though every historical context is unique and must be treated with nuance. The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. Proverbs 14:19 (NKJV) This proverb is not a call to fatalism; it is a promise that righteousness ultimately prevails. But Scripture never teaches that righteousness triumphs without righteous action, courageous truth-telling, or principled resistance to injustice. Prayer is a powerful catalyst, not a substitute for integrity, accountability, and civic responsibility. Historys Cautionary Tale: Germanys Descent and Capture The story of Germany between the World Wars offers a sobering warning. Severe economic hardship, social fragmentation, and the calculated manipulation of fear prepared the ground for the Nazis. The regime consolidated power through propaganda, repression of dissent, co-optation of institutions, and paramilitary terror. A distressing part of that history is that segments of the church were seduced, silenced, or sidelined, through intimidation, patronage, or the false comfort of neutrality. Control of narrative: Media capture and propaganda normalised the abnormal. Crushing of opposition: Parties, unions, and independent voices were neutered or criminalised. Co-opting religious authority: Some church leaders were placated with rhetoric, access, and gifts, until it became clear that the regime intended to hollow out or replace orthodox faith with ideology. We must never weaponize history to vilify entire communities or faiths. Rather, we draw lessons to guard against any form of authoritarian capture, whether through patronage, fear, disinformation, state violence, or the sacralising of political leaders. Nigeria Today: A Moral and Civic Challenge Nigerias struggle is not reducible to a single cause or community. Violent extremist groups, criminal networks, ethnic tensions, and entrenched corruption have converged to test the nations social fabric. Citizens rightly describe a sense of being hemmed in by insecurity and economic distress. Yet laying blame on broad religious or ethnic categories fuels grievance and blinds us to the real drivers: weak institutions, impunity, disinformation, the monetization of politics, and the commodification of faith. The church, and, indeed, all faith communities, can play a historic role in national renewal, not by becoming partisan instruments, but by being the conscience of the state, the refuge of the poor, the advocate of justice, the teacher of truth, and the defender of human dignity. That calling transcends elections; it is the daily work of forming consciences, speaking truth to power, and modeling ethical leadership. In his days, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. reminded the church that it is not the master of the state or its servant, but its conscience. That means the church can neither withdraw into apathy nor dissolve into political patronage. It must stand, with courage and humility, for truth, justice, fairness, and the rule of law, without hatred and without fear. The Prophetic Vocation: Not Coziness, but Courage From Samuel to Elijah to Jeremiah, the biblical prophets were never court chaplains to power. They confronted kings, rebuked injustice, pled the cause of the poor, and warned of judgment when rulers trampled righteousness. That prophetic tradition is not nostalgia; it is a template for moral leadership in any age. G.K. Chesterton reportedly observed that: coziness between church and state is good for the state, but bad for the church. Once the pulpit becomes a platform for patronage, or the altar becomes a stage for political endorsements, the spiritual authority that sustains a nations conscience is diminished. History teaches that regimes hungry for total control first capture narratives, then institutions, and finally the soul of a people. A bought or bullied clergy is a strategic victory for any wouldbe autocrat. The remedy is not rage; it is repentance, clarity, and courage. Church leaders must disentangle themselves from transactional politics, re-centre their ministries on truth and service, and rebuild trust with their congregations through transparency, accountability, and sacrificial love. Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through [email protected]. You can connect with him on: YouTube: @VoiceoftheWatchmen, TikTok: @drayoakerele, Instagram: @drayoakerele, Facebook: @Ayo Akerele Kaduna State has been recognised as a pioneer in the area of land administration and has been chosen as one of the pilot states of the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (NLTRDP). The Deputy Governor of the state, Hadiza Balarabe, disclosed this when representatives of Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development as well as those from the World Bank paid her a courtesy visit at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Monday. Mrs Balarabe commended Governor Uba Sani for upgrading the Kaduna Geographic Information Service(KADGIS), which enabled the Federal Government to select the state as one of the sub nationals that others will learn from. The deputy governor noted that although the Kaduna State has made significant progress in digitalising its land administration processes, she however said that it needs additional support to accelerate ongoing reforms. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Mrs Balarabe also promised that the state will collaborate with the Federal Government and the World Bank to ensure the success of NLTRDP. Speaking during the courtesy visit, the Director General of KADGIS, Bashir Garba Ibrahim, commended Governor Sani for opening up new revenue lines like Sectional Titling, which is only operational at the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos State at the moment. Mr Ibrahim also listed Shop Registration and Farm Lease Programme as some of the revenue lines that Governor Uba Sani has introduced. According to him, Kaduna State is regularising over 100 layouts that have not been documented, to enable people register their houses. So, with all these breakthrough, the World Bank also needs to intervene to help Kaduna State upgrade its system and make sure that all these activities are done seamlessly. We need an alternative Land Administration Software because the one we are currently using cannot accommodate the number of customers and activities that we want to embark upon We need also to create a feedback mechanism through the Land Administration Software, where people can access their bills online, instead of coming to KADGIS physically to collect them; they can easily download their bills and make payments and also download their receipts online, he said. Mr Ibrahim also said that KADGIS has opened a unit that handles federal land titles, for those who want to register them in the state, adding that this will stop the issue of multiple claims. Earlier, the delegation, led by the Director of Lands and Urban Development, Mr Alabi Collins, said that the World Bank will support the proposed NLTRDP. According to him, the programme aims to reform Nigerias land governance and administration system by promoting efficient land titling and registration processes. Mr Collins said that the the goal is to unlock the economic value of land assets for government, businesses and individuals through improved documentation and transparency. The Zamfara State Government has held a high-level meeting with representatives of military, paramilitary and other agencies to review the states security situation and devise proactive safety measures ahead of the Eid-el Fitr celebrations. The Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG), Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada who represented Governor Dauda Lawal, chaired the meeting on Tuesday in Gusau, the state capital. During the strategic engagement, the security agencies briefed the state government about the proactive measures being put in place to ensure security and safety of Zamfara residents throughout the festive period. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google The measures include the massive deployment of about 1,474 Police, Civil Defense Corps, Intelligence personnel, Road Safety Officers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams which specialize in handling bomb and explosive threats. Those gallant officers will work in synergy with local authorities on intelligence, surveillance, patrols and traffic control aimed at maintaining public order across the 14 local government areas of the state. Addressing the security chiefs, the SSG said the meeting was convened at the instance of Governor Dauda Lawal to appraise the security trends in the state and ascertain the level of preparations for the provision of adequate security before, during and after Sallah celebrations. Zamfara State Government is appreciative of the efforts of all security personnel working selflessly to ensure our collective security. You have our prayers and support. I assure you that Governor Dauda Lawal is always willing and ready to provide all the necessary support despite the scarce resources for you to perform your duties effectively, the SSG stated. Mr Nakwada also urged the good people of Zamfara to be security conscious and support security agencies, emphasizing that security of lives and properties is a collective responsibility that requires all hands to be on the deck. He further called on traditional and religious leaders, especially Chief Imams, to intensify preachings that promote unity and peaceful coexistence among people. The SSG also seized the opportunity to, on behalf of the government of Zamfara state, congratulate the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, on his recent promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police. He prayed Allah (SWT) to guide him through the demands of his new role. The meeting was attended by the State Commissioner of Police, the Director State Security Service, the representatives of 1 Brigade Command, National Security and Civil Defense Corps, Road Safety and relevant State Government officials. Kaduna State Government has offered new plots to residents of Malali Low-Cost in Kaduna, whose homes were demolished by the preceding Nasir El-Rufai administration. The Director General of Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), Dr Bashir Garba Ibrahim, presented the land titles to beneficiaries and noted that the gesture fulfills Governor Uba Sanis promise to ensure justice for the victims. Dr Ibrahim recalled that the presentation of the land titles resulted from the January 21 stakeholders meeting, which resolved to investigate the circumstances surrounding the demolition by the previous administration. Speaking during the presentation of the new offers, Dr Ibrahim advised the beneficiaries to develop the plots quickly. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google He further counseled them against reselling the plots of land, adding that we want you to become homeowners and contribute to the growth of our state. Speaking for the beneficiaries, Mohammed Auwal, chairman of the former Malali Low-Cost residents, thanked Governor Uba Sani for addressing their concerns. Recalling their nine-year struggle to get compensation, he also commended the Director General of KADGIS for his efforts in facilitating the new land allocations. Other residents also praised the Kaduna State Governor for being compassionate and people-centered in his leadership style. It will be recalled that the Kaduna State Development and Property Company(KSDPC) had given residents of Malali Low Cost a seven-day quit notice in October 2020. The residents had protested the short notice and the need to give them the right of first refusal and the decision was shelved at that time. However, in March 2021, a three-day notice was served the residents and after the expiration of the notice, over 80 structures were demolished in the first instance. The affected homeowners had been engaging with the Kaduna State Government for compensation or alternative plots since the demolition exercise. Africas Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reiterated its commitment towards building tangible economic bridges and strengthening diaspora-driven investment into Nigeria. UBAs Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, stated this on Monday, while hosting key representatives from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) led by its chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the banks UK office. The strategic visit comes on the heels of UBAs recently launched Diaspora Banking platform, which is designed to provide a seamless, integrated platform for Africans in the diaspora to bank, invest, and manage their financial obligations back home, thus connecting global Africans with investment and wealth opportunities. The bank launched the platform, with leading ecosystem partners representing a major step in redefining diaspora banking beyond remittances toward structured wealth creation and long-term investment. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google During the strategic meeting with the NIDCOM officials at the UBA UK office on Monday, Mr Alawuba underscored the diasporas critical role as a powerful economic force and a generation of builders shaping new narratives for the continent. While emphasising UBAs role as a trusted partner for Nigerians at home and abroad, he said, With UBA, you have a financial partner that is with you, that understands what you are going through, and that can support you to make sure you realise your aspirations, both here and in the country. Mr Alawuba further encouraged the diaspora to leverage the opportunities within Africas economic landscape, stating: You are not limited here; you have opportunities on the continent, and we want you to make good use of them. That is where banking, and we at UBA, become the connecting point that you need to access the opportunities back home. Whether you like it or not, the returns are high in Africa, and we are here to help you navigate that space. He also took time to reiterate the Banks readiness to leverage its global network and innovative financial solutions to support diaspora engagement. The Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa, who commended UBA for being a trusted financial partner over the years, especially with the recent launch of its diaspora platform, praised the resilience and success of Nigerians abroad while calling for a stronger focus on constructive narratives. She said, Many of you here are the real game-changers. For years, it has been wonderful engaging Nigerians all over the world. When I started, it felt like we only heard the bad stories, not the good ones. What we have tried to do internationally is to tell and celebrate the good stories. We have Nigerians doing well all over the world, and they are in this room. We must continue to celebrate you. While remarking that the meeting demonstrates a significant step in aligning public and private sector efforts to deepen diaspora inclusion and accelerate Nigerias development agenda, she pledged closer collaboration in driving policies and initiatives that encourage Nigerians abroad to actively participate in the countrys economic growth. The discussions further highlighted UBAs unique position to facilitate cross-border payments, unlock high-yield investment opportunities, and connect diaspora enterprises to markets across the continent. With a robust global footprint and an unrivalled African presence, UBA continues to serve as the critical link for those looking to engage with the continents growing economy. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology. Troops of the Nigerian Army have repelled a night attack by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Mallam Fatori, killing more than 60 insurgents, including key commanders. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Army said the attack occurred around 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday when the terrorists advanced on foot from the Duguri axis, supported by multiple armed drones, in an attempt to breach the 68 Battalions Main Defensive Area. Vigilant troops, however, detected the movement early and responded with what officials described as overwhelming firepower, the statement read. In a joint operation involving ground forces and air components, the military engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight, killing scores and forcing the remaining insurgents to retreat in disarray towards the Arege area. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Troops have since commenced exploitation operations to pursue and eliminate the fleeing terrorists, while Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms are being deployed to dominate the adversarys withdrawal routes and prevent regrouping, the Army stated. READ ALSO: Two Nigerian soldiers feared killed in Cross River clash It reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against terrorist groups and assured residents of continued efforts to protect lives and property across the North-East and the country at large. The foiled midnight invasion came two days after ISWAP terrorists carried out similar assaults on military bases in Baga, Buratai, Damboa and Ajilari in Maiduguri. The Army, in a statement on 16 March, warned that there may be increased attacks as Ramadan draws to a close. This advisory came after a triple suicide bombing that killed 23 people and injured over 100 others. The suicide attacks, suspected to have been carried out by Boko Haram terrorists under the command of Ali Ngulde, targeted three locations in Maiduguri. A similar incident was recorded in 2024 and 2025 around Pulka and Gwoza, where his Mandara mountain hideout is located. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a petition challenging the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election held on 21 February. Gwagwalada is the only Abujas area council the APC lost in the election. While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the Gwagwalada Area Council, the APC cleared the rest of the five in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The APC candidate , Yahaya Usman, in a petition filed before the Area Council Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja, is contesting the return of Mohammed Kasim of the PDP, who was declared winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that Mr Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat APCs Mr Usman, who secured 17, 788 votes in the election. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google At the heart of the petition challenging the outcome of the poll is Mr Usmans claim that the election did not meet the required legal and procedural standards. The petitioners the APC and its candidates were represented by a legal team led by Chris Udeoyibo. That the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, the petition read in part. That the election and return of the 1st Respondent was invalid by reason of corrupt practices. The petitioners also argue that the declared winner did not secure the majority of lawful votes cast. According to filings before the tribunal, the petitioners dispute the results in 110 polling units across the council area. The petition outlines two broad categories of concern: alleged non-compliance in over 100 polling units and other issues in a smaller number of locations. In particular, the petition points to discrepancies between voter accreditation records and final vote tallies in some polling units, as well as questions surrounding the collation process. Witness statements submitted alongside the petition describe observations made at polling units, including delays in the commencement of voting and differences between announced results and recorded accreditation data. One witness, whose name was not given, stated, That the polling unit did not open for accreditation and voting at the scheduled time, and election officials arrived late. Another deposition reads, That I further observed that the number of votes eventually announced did not reflect the number of voters who were present at the polling unit. The petition also references documentation issues such as result sheets, voter registers, and accreditation reports, which the petitioners say will be relied upon during proceedings. Based on these arguments, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to make several determinations. They state, That it may be determined tat the Chairmanship Election for Gwagwalada Area Council held on 21 February was not conducted in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026. Prayers They pray for among others, An Order canceling the elections in the Poling Units affected by incidents of non-compliance and corrupt practices. They also seek an order nullifying the declaration and return of the 1st Respondent as the winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election. As an alternative, the petitioners ask the tribunal to declare them winners of the election, having, in their view, secured the majority of lawful votes. The case now places the spotlight on the tribunal, which is expected to examine documentary evidence, witness testimonies, and compliance with electoral guidelines before reaching a verdict. With legal proceedings underway, the outcome could either affirm the declared result or change the political leadership of Gwagwalada Area Council, depending on the tribunals findings. (NAN) The Kano State Government has announced restrictions on the Eid-el-Fitr durbar procession traditionally led by the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi. The governments spokesperson, Ibrahim Waiya, announced that the government had banned the use of horses in the ceremony to prevent a breakdown of law and order during the celebrations. Mr Waiya said the governors decision was based on intelligence reports indicating attempts by some individuals to create unrest during the Sallah period. Mr Waiya said the state government received credible intelligence reports through the State Security Council indicating deliberate attempts by some individuals to create confusion and instigate a breakdown of law and order during the Sallah celebrations in the State. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Restrictions Mr Waiya announced that on the first day of Sallah celebration, (Eid Durbar) would be conducted by Mr Sanusi from the Kofar Mata Eid Praying Ground through designated routes to Gidan Shettima, terminating at Kofar Fatalwa of the Kano Emirs Palace He said Hawan Nasarawa will take place in a modified form, but not on horseback. At the same time, Hawan Daushe has been suspended for now and will be observed during subsequent Sallah celebrations. Also, Mr Waiya said the state government had suspended the Hawan Fanisau and Hawan Dorayi for the time being, in the best interests of public peace and safety. Accordingly, all security agencies have been directed to intensify surveillance, ensure strict compliance with these directives, and take all necessary lawful measures to prevent any breach of peace before, during, and after the festive period. The Government therefore calls on all residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperative with security agencies, while also urging the public to avoid the spread of unverified information and to go about their normal activities peacefully throughout the Sallah period and beyond, the state government announced. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks at a video conference on employment and entrepreneurship for college graduates and other young people in Beijing, capital of China, on March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday urged efforts to promote high-quality and sufficient employment of college graduates. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a video conference in Beijing on employment and entrepreneurship for college graduates and other young people. Authorities at all levels should strive to stabilize and expand the employment scale of college graduates, and combine investment in physical assets with investment in human capital, so as to inject new momentum and vitality into high-quality development, Ding said. He also called for greater support for enterprises in stabilizing and expanding employment, encouraging more graduates to work at the grassroots level and improving employment guidance services. Ding stressed the need to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of college graduates and to ensure that this year's employment targets and tasks are fully met. Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin attended the event and delivered a speech. The Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, has sentenced a contractor, Julius Ejiogu, to two years in prison for forging a contract award document. According to a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday, the court handed down the judgement on Thursday, 15 January. Delivering the judgement, the judge, F. A. Olubanjo, found Mr Ejiogu guilty of forgery but acquitted him on the remaining counts of conspiracy and uttering. The court convicted and sentenced Mr Ejiogu to two years imprisonment, with an option to pay a N1 million fine. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google EFCC first filed the case against Mr Ejiogu on 23 March 2021. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, leading the court to schedule a full trial to determine his guilt or innocence. In one of the counts, the anti-graft agency alleged that Mr Ejiogu and one E. Expert, said to still be at large, conspired on 2 August 2013, in Delta State, to commit a felony by creating a document titled Award of Contract for the Construction of Obudu-Oleri Road in Udu L.G.A., Delta State on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) letterhead, knowing it was false. It alleged that the defendants act violated Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007, and was punishable under Section 3(1)(C) of the same Act. The EFCC said the case arose when Mr Ejiogu allegedly obtained a contract award letter for the Obudu-Oleri Road from a purpported Engineer Eshitt of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He allegedly sold the contract document to a petitioner for N2 million, only for it to be discovered that the award was fake. During the trial, prosecution lawyer K.Y. Bello called four witnesses and tendered multiple documents and the court admitted all. Mr Ejiogu testified as the sole witness in his defence. The Benin Traditional Council has introduced new rules for visiting the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, citing security concerns and the need to preserve the dignity of the palace. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the measures are contained in a statement issued in Benin by the Secretary to the council, Frank Irabor, and made available to journalists on Tuesday. The statement read in part: The council has observed with concern that some individuals have continued to abuse His Royal Majestys hospitality and magnanimity by entering the Palace grounds without permission. Considering the prevailing security challenges, the Benin Traditional Council has deemed it necessary to regulate access to the Palace. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google Visitors are now required to submit a written application and obtain prior approval before accessing the Palace. It further stated that loitering and unauthorised movements within the palace had become strictly forbidden. An official Palace Access Pass will be issued to authorised persons and visitors, and the pass must be visibly displayed at all times within the Palace, it added. The council frowned at unauthorised access into the palace, adding that it would take necessary actions against violators. It warned that individuals or groups found without permits or approval within the Palace would face dire consequences. The public is advised to cooperate in preserving the traditions, dignity, and security of the Benin Kingdom, the council stated. (NAN) The Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Henry Ayuk, says deploying drone technology has improved access to essential medicines in remote communities, strengthening healthcare delivery across previously underserved and hard-to-reach areas. Mr Ayuk, a medical doctor, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Calabar on Wednesday. He said the government had leveraged drone technology to improve healthcare delivery and ensure equitable access across the state. He explained that the innovation had expanded immunisation coverage and enabled efficient delivery of essential medicines and supplies to every nook and cranny of the state, including isolated and difficult terrains. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google According to the commissioner, the initiative, implemented in partnership with the delivery and logistics firm Zipline, is designed to serve more than 300 health facilities, especially those in riverine and mountainous areas with limited transportation access. Zipline has had a similar partnership with the Kaduna and Bayelsa states. The use of drones has significantly improved healthcare delivery in Cross River, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness in the distribution of medical supplies to health facilities across diverse and challenging terrains. Beyond faster deliveries to hard-to-reach areas, the system has reduced wastage and helped curb the circulation of counterfeit medicines, thereby strengthening the integrity and reliability of the states drug supply chain, Mr Ayuk added. Mr Ayuk said that Governor Bassey Otus administration had also introduced far-reaching initiatives to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access, and improve the overall quality of medical services across the state. He highlighted ongoing upgrades and renovations to no fewer than 100 primary healthcare centres across the states 18 local government areas, aimed at enhancing service delivery and improving access to basic healthcare. He added that the government had designated some health facilities to serve specifically the elderly, children, and pregnant women, ensuring that vulnerable groups received focused, priority medical attention across the state. According to him, several upgraded primary healthcare centres have been completed, while others are at advanced stages, reflecting steady progress in the governments efforts to revitalise healthcare infrastructure and expand service coverage. He noted that dedicated facilities for elderly persons aged 65 and above, children under five years, and pregnant women were already operational in three local government areas and would be replicated statewide. On disease control, Mr Ayuk said the government combined preventive and curative strategies, emphasising early detection, rapid response, and sustained public health interventions to minimise risks and effectively manage outbreaks across communities. He emphasised that there had been a significant reduction in disease outbreaks due to increased focus on preventive measures, including public health education and awareness campaigns targeted at communities across the state. He explained that authorities provided basic health education and maintained an effective surveillance system that ensured rapid response once cases were reported, helping to contain and mitigate the spread of diseases statewide. Nigerias Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has clarified that five engineers from NELAN Consulting Engineers who went missing during the Effium crisis in Ebonyi State were victims of the wider communal violence between Effium and Ezza-Effium Communities. In a statement by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, on Monday, Mr Umahi explained that the engineers were not specifically targeted during the incident, but were among many victims of the crisis that engulfed the area at the time. The ministers clarification came in response to a peaceful protest by family members and friends of the late engineers. The engineers were abducted in November 2021 by armed men while supervising the Abakaliki Ring Road project in Ebonyi State, a project financed by the African Development Bank. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google They have been identified as Nelson Onyemeh, Ernest Edeani, Ikechukwu Ejiofor, Samuel Aneke and Stanley Nwazulum, all employees of NELAN Construction Ltd. They have not been seen since then. Mr Umahi was the governor of Ebonyi State at the time of the incident. He served as the governor of the South-eastern state from 2015 to 2023. PREMIUM TIMES has documented how the violence was motivated by political interest and aided by locals who pay taxes to fund the crisis. What I did at the time Mr Umahi stressed that he understands the deep pain that comes with losing a loved one, saying no family deserves such grief. The minister, who suggested that the abducted engineers were already dead, claimed he treated the matter with the seriousness it deserved at the time. He said, upon receiving information about the incident, he mobilised security operatives who launched intensive search and investigative efforts to determine the whereabouts of the engineers and track down the abductors. Mr Umahi said he personally visited the incident site with security operatives and was directly involved in the search efforts. He never treated the matter lightly and never looked away from the responsibility of the state to pursue the truth. These efforts led to the arrest of individuals involved in the dastardly act. Those arrested confessed to committing the crime, and they have remained in custody since then, he said. The minister stressed that the matter is still before a court and that the trial has continued even after he left office as governor. It must therefore be clearly understood that the (Ebonyi State) government under Senator Umahi did not abandon the matter, suppress it, or fail to act. Swift investigative actions were taken, arrests were made, and the suspects were handed over to the justice system, where the case continues to be prosecuted, he stated. I never wished for the tragedy Mr Umahi reiterated that he never wished for the tragedy that befell the NELAN engineers in Ebonyi. The communal violence that engulfed Effium at the time created a dangerous environment that sadly led to the loss of many innocent lives, including the NELAN engineers, he said The former governor maintained that he worked tirelessly to address violence at the time. He expressed sympathy to the families of the engineers, adding that the matter remains the subject of an ongoing judicial process. David Umahi remains committed to justice, truth, and the rule of law, and he continues to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and for strength for their families, he stated. Petition to Tinubu, Akpabio, Abbas Before the protest on Monday, wives of five engineers had petitioned President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, requesting their intervention in the matter. READ ALSO: Umahi denies rift with Julius Berger In the petition written by the families lawyers, CNO Attorneys and dated 10 March, the women Patricia Onyemeh, Lovett Edeani, Ifeoma Ejiofor, Esther Aneke and Nwazulum asked the federal government to compel the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to account for the missing engineers and intensify efforts to determine their fate. They also demanded a comprehensive investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the abduction. They said they had endured years of uncertainty over the disappearance of their husbands, who were consultants supervising the road project. According to the petitioners, the security agencies have failed to provide any clear information about the whereabouts of the engineers despite the passage of several years since their abduction. They also alleged that the investigation into the case suffered a setback after an SSS officer, Victor Onyesom, who was handling it, was removed from the probe without formal notice. They claimed his work laptop, which contained investigative materials, was seized by the agency at the height of the investigation. The Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, all members of the National Assembly from Enugu State, and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission were copied in the petition. CHICAGO, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The launch of Action for Healthy Kids' District Impact Network establishes a nationwide community of district wellness professionals, connecting to strengthen student wellness efforts and amplify their impact. Across the nation, district health and wellness leaders are responsible for advancing policies, programs, and partnerships that support student health. The District Impact Network brings these professionals together in a collaborative national community focused on sharing practical solutions and advancing sustainable, systemwide change. Built with direct input from district health and wellness leaders, the network offers evidence-based resources, implementation tools, funding opportunities, professional learning, and peer collaboration to help districts scale effective whole-child wellness strategies. "We've proven what works in student health. The challenge now is making that progress last," said Rob Bisceglie, President and CEO of Action for Healthy Kids. "The District Impact Network helps districts move beyond isolated efforts and build the systems needed to sustain and scale impact over time." Members of the District Impact Network gain access to: Evidence-based tools and practical resources that can be implemented immediately Funding opportunities and implementation support to scale district initiatives Peer collaboration with district leaders across the country Professional learning designed specifically for district wellness professionals District leaders that support school health and wellness initiatives are invited to join the community and collaborate with peers nationwide. Learn more and join the District Impact Network at: https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/district-impact-network/ The District Impact Network supports Action for Healthy Kids' broader goal of helping 25 million students experience healthier school environments by 2035. About Action for Healthy Kids Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a national nonprofit that partners with school districts, families, and communities to create healthier learning environments where every child can thrive. Our evidence-based programs support nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and risk behavior prevention. To help schools put these practices into action, AFHK offers professional development, technical assistance, and communities of practice that build local capacity and drive lasting change. Learn more at www.actionforhealthykids.org. Contact: Roxanne Martinez, Action for Healthy Kids, [email protected], 312-878-7671 SOURCE Action For Healthy Kids LUND, Sweden, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The shareholders in Alfa Laval AB (publ) (Registration number 556587-8054 and registered office in Lund) are given notice to the Annual General Meeting on April 22, 2026 The Annual General Meeting of Alfa Laval AB will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 4.00 p.m. CET at Stadshallen, Stortorget 9, Lund, Sweden. Registration starts at 3.30 p.m. Coffee will be served at the venue. To ensure order and safety for shareholders, the Board of Directors and employees, Alfa Laval will conduct a security check at the general meeting. Among other things, all bags will be checked. To avoid queues, shareholders are encouraged to arrive in good time. Shareholders are also asked not to bring large bags or other large items to the Annual General Meeting. Coffee will be served at the venue from. 3.00 p.m. In connection with the Annual General Meeting, shareholders are offered the opportunity to participate in a tour of Alfa Laval's plate heat exchanger production facility in Lund. Participants must register for the tour at the same time as they notify their participation in the Annual General Meeting. Please see further information below. Participants in the tour will gather at 12:15 p.m. in Lund city center for bus pick-up. After the tour, participants will be dropped off at the same location, well in advance of the general meeting. Further information about the pick-up location will be sent by email a few days before the general meeting. Meeting materials will be published on Alfa Laval's website https://www.alfalaval.com/investors/ after the general meeting. Right to participate in the Annual General Meeting and notice of participation A shareholder who wishes to participate in the Annual General Meeting must be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB relating to the circumstances on April 14, 2026, and notice participation as follows below. A shareholder who wishes to participate in the Annual General Meeting by advance voting (postal voting) must notify their intention to participate in the general meeting by casting their advance vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading Advance Voting below, so that the advance vote is received by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than April 16, 2026. (postal voting) must notify their intention to participate in the general meeting by casting their advance vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading below, so that the advance vote is received by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than April 16, 2026. A shareholder who wishes to participate in the Annual General Meeting at the venue in person or represented by a proxy, must notify participation at the latest April 16, 2026, to Euroclear Sweden AB. Notification of participation can either be made by phone to +46 8 402 91 98, Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., or on Euroclear Sweden's website https://www.euroclear.com/sweden/generalmeetings/ . Please state, name, personal or corporate registration number, address, telephone number and the number of any accompanying advisor(s) (no more than two). Registration for the Product Facility Tour A shareholder who wants to participate in the production facility tour at Alfa Laval in Lund must register participation to Euroclear Sweden AB in connection with the notification of participation to the Annual General Meeting. Registration must be made by phone to +46 8 402 91 98, no later than April 16, 2026. An email address must be provided at the time of registration. Due to a limited number of spots, a place on the tour cannot be guaranteed. Nominee-registered shares In addition to providing notification of participation as described above, a shareholder whose shares are held in the name of a nominee must register their shares in their own name so that the shareholder is recorded in the share register relating to the circumstances on April 14, 2026. The registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested from the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures. This means that the shareholder must notify the nominee in ample time. A voting right registration completed no later than the second banking day after April 14, 2026, is considered when preparing the register of shareholders. Advance Voting A special form for advance voting (postal voting) must be used. The form is available on Alfa Laval's website https://www.alfalaval.com/investors / corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting/ under information about the Annual General Meeting 2026. The completed voting form can either be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to Alfa Laval AB, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, 101 23 Stockholm, Sweden. The advance vote must be received by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than April 16, 2026. A shareholder can also exercise their voting right electronically through Bank-ID verification. Further instructions can be found on https://www.euroclear.com/sweden/generalmeetings/. A shareholder who casts their advance vote electronically must submit the vote no later than April 16, 2026. No special instructions, conditions, or other additions may be added to the advance vote. An advance voting form containing any special instructions or conditions will make the vote invalid in its entirety. For further instructions and conditions, please see the form for advance voting. If a shareholder votes in advance as well as notifies their participation at the venue in person, the advance vote remains valid to the extent that the shareholder does not participate in a voting during the general meeting or otherwise withdraws the submitted advance vote. If the shareholder chooses to participate in a voting during the general meeting, the cast vote will replace the previously submitted advance vote on the item in question. For any questions regarding the advance voting or to request a voting form sent by mail, please contact Euroclear Sweden AB, Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., on telephone +46 8 402 91 98. Proxy etc. Shareholders who vote in advance by proxy must enclose a written and dated proxy together with the completed voting form. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or an equivalent certificate of authority must be enclosed as well. If a shareholder is represented by a proxy at the venue, a written and dated proxy, as well as a certificate of incorporation or an equivalent certificate of authority, should be sent by mail to Alfa Laval AB, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, 101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, well in advance of the general meeting and must otherwise be brought to the general meeting. A proxy form is available on Alfa Laval's website https://www.alfalaval.com/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting/ Proposed agenda Opening of the Annual General Meeting. Election of Chairman for the general meeting. Preparation and approval of the voting register. Approval of the agenda for the general meeting. Election of one or two persons to attest the minutes. Determination whether the general meeting has been duly convened. Presentation by the CEO. Presentation of the annual report and the Auditor's report, the consolidated annual report and the Auditor's report for the group, as well as the Auditor's report regarding compliance with the applicable Executive Remuneration Policy. Resolution on the adoption of the income statement and the balance sheet as well as the consolidated income statement and the consolidated balance sheet, allocation of the company's profit according to the adopted balance sheet, and record date for distribution of profits, and discharge from liability for members of the Board of Directors and the CEO. Presentation of the Board of Directors' remuneration report for approval. Determination of the number of members and deputy members of the Board of Directors to be elected by the general meeting as well as the number of Auditors and deputy Auditors. Determination of compensation to the Board of Directors and the Auditors. Election of Chairman of the Board, other members and deputy members of the Board of Directors, as well as Auditors and deputy Auditors. Closing of the Annual General Meeting. Proposed resolutions Item 2 The Nomination Committee proposes that the Chairman of the Board, Dennis Jonsson, is appointed Chairman of the Annual General Meeting. Item 9 (b) The Board of Directors proposes a distribution of profits in an amount of SEK 9,00 per share for 2025. Record date for the right to receive dividend is proposed to be April 24, 2026. If the general meeting resolves in accordance with this proposal, Euroclear Sweden AB is expected to pay the dividend on April 29, 2026. Item 11 -13 The Nomination Committee proposes as follows. Item 11: The number of Board members, elected by the general meeting, is proposed to be ten elected members with no deputies. The number of Auditors as well as the number of deputy Auditors are proposed to be two. Item 12: The compensation to the Board of Directors is proposed to be SEK 9 185 000 (8 760 000). The compensation is to be distributed among the members of the Board who are elected by the general meeting and not employed by the company, as follows. Chairman of the Board of Directors SEK 2 300 000 (SEK 2 190 000) Other members of the Board of Directors SEK 765 000 (SEK 730 000) In addition to the above proposed compensation, it is also proposed that additional compensation shall be distributed to the elected members of the Board who also hold a position in any of the committees as follows below. Additional compensation to the Chairman of the Audit Committee SEK 370 000 (SEK 350 000) Additional compensation to other members of the Audit Committee SEK 185 000 (SEK 175 000) Additional compensation to the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee SEK 85 000 (SEK 85 000) Additional compensation to other members of the Remuneration Committee SEK 85 000 (SEK 85 000) Bracketed figures refer to compensation for year 2025. Compensation to the Auditors is proposed to be paid as per approved invoice. Item 13: The Nomination Committee proposes re-election of the Board members Anna Muller, Annica Bresky, Dennis Jonsson, Finn Rausing, Henrik Lange, Jorn Rausing, Lilian Fossum Biner, Nadine Crauwels, Ray Mauritsson and Ulf Wiinberg. Further, the Nomination Committee proposes that Dennis Jonsson is re-appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Nomination Committee's proposals above concern elections for the forthcoming year, thus for the time up to the end of the Annual General Meeting 2027. Information on the proposed Board members and the Nomination Committee's reasoned statement are available on Alfa Laval's website https://www.alfalaval.com/investors/corporate-governance/ under information regarding the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting 2026. In accordance with the Remuneration Committee's recommendation, the Nomination Committee proposes that the authorized public accountants Andreas Troberg and Hanna Fehland are re-elected as the company's Auditors for the forthcoming year, thus for the time up to the end of the Annual General Meeting 2027. The Nomination Committee further proposes that the authorized public accountants Henrik Jonzen and Andreas Mast are re-elected as the company's deputy Auditors for the forthcoming year, thus for the time up to the end of the 2027 Annual General Meeting. Available documents In connection with the publication of the notice for the Annual General Meeting, the Nomination Committee's proposals and its reasoned statement, will be held available on the company's website, www.alfalaval.com/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting/ . The annual report and other materials for the resolutions will be available on the company's website, no later than April 1, 2026. Number of shares and votes in the company At the date of this notice, the total number of shares and votes in the company is 413 326 315. All shares are of the same class. Information at the Annual General Meeting The Board of Directors and the CEO shall, if any shareholder so requests and if the Board of Directors considers that this is possible without significant harm to the company, give information on circumstances that may affect the assessment of an item on the agenda, circumstances that may affect the assessment of the financial situation of the company or its subsidiaries and the company's relationship with another group company. Processing of personal data For information regarding the company's processing of personal data and shareholders rights, please see the Privacy Policy at: https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf or contact the company at the following email address: [email protected]. Lund, March 2026 The Board of Directors ALFA LAVAL AB (publ) This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/alfa-laval/r/annual-general-meeting-in-alfa-laval-ab--publ-,c4322913 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Public/905/4322913/8f9ba19cd9a868aa.pdf Notice to attend 2026 AGM in Alfa Laval AB publ SOURCE Alfa Laval NOVATO, Calif., March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Brayton Purcell LLP today responded to major reporting published yesterday by the San Jose Mercury News, which documents the rapidly accelerating epidemic of silicosis among San Francisco Bay Area workers who fabricate crystalline silica artificial stone. The article, written by Ethan Baron, describes the severe health consequences facing workers exposed to dust generated while fabricating artificial stone slabs into kitchen and bathroom countertops. Artificial stone, also known as "quartz", is a material made of at least 90% nanosized respirable crystalline silica particles and ~10% toxic metals, resins and glues and other harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The report emphasizes the widespread and preventable harm caused by fabricating artificial stone among workers who have long relied on this craft to support their families. Jose Pena of Oakland, CA who has silicosis, shares his story during an interview in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2026. Silicosis is an incurable disease caused by prolonged exposure to dust from quartz countertops. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) At the center of the Mercury News article is Jose Pena, a 54yearold Oakland father of five who spent nearly two decades shaping artificial stone countertops in shops from San Jose to San Francisco. Once strong enough to lift 60pound slabs with ease, Pena now struggles to walk down the block and depends on an oxygen tank for daily activities. "Nobody told us it was dangerous," he said in Spanish, reflecting on years spent working with artificial stone and the shock of his diagnosis. Physicians say Pena is headed toward a lung transplant a procedure that Cal/OSHA reports carries a fiveyear mortality rate approaching 40%. Medical Community Warns: Silicosis Caused by Crystalline Silica Artificial Stone Fabrication Is Irreversible and Frequently Fatal As highlighted in the article, California health officials and hundreds of medical professionals have repeatedly warned that crystalline silica artificial stone is uniquely toxic because its extreme silica content produces clouds of ultrafine dust during fabrication. Workers inhale the nanosized particles released when artificial stone is cut, ground or polished, causing inflammation and scarring deep within the lungs. Physicians cited in the article note that many individuals develop advanced disease after as little as two years of working with artificial stone. More than 500 Californians have already been diagnosed with silicosis linked to crystalline silica artificial stone, with more than 50 requiring lung transplants and 29 deaths documented. Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, an occupationaldisease specialist at UC San Francisco who has treated dozens of affected workers, said: "I see people with an incurable lung disease that was preventable. It's frustrating. At the end of the day, sometimes I'm just in tears." Dr. Ann Schraufnagel, a pulmonologist at Highland Hospital in Oakland, emphasized the permanent damage caused by exposure to dust generated from artificial stone: "Most of the time when we see patients in clinic who have this, the damage has already been done. You can't undo that exposure that you've had to the silica particles." Scientific Evidence Confirms: The Product Itself, Not the Process, Creates the Hazard The Mercury News investigation reinforces widespread scientific findings that fabricating crystalline silica artificial stone poses a danger that cannot be mitigated by Cal/OSHA protection methods such as masks, wet cutting, ventilation, personal protective equipment (PPE) or other workplace controls. Unlike natural stone, which contains far lower silica concentrations with particles that are mostly too big to breath in, artificial stone typically contains approximately 90% silica in nanosized particles, creating a level of exposure that is exponentially more dangerous. Even shops that follow safety protocols cannot eliminate the dust generated when artificial stone is cut, and dried residues on clothing and surfaces continue to pose inhalation risks. A Cal/OSHA analysis cited in the article concluded that processing crystalline silica artificial stone "may be so hazardous that even properly designed engineering controls and work practices may be unable to prevent silicosis." This aligns with the conclusions of global research bodies and occupationalmedicine authorities: the inherent composition of the slabs represents a uniquely toxic hazard not the fabrication process. International Response Underscores the Severity of the Crisis The Mercury News also noted that several countries and courts have taken decisive action in response to the dangers of crystalline silica artificial stone. Australia has banned the product entirely. Spain has issued criminal convictions for failing to warn workers about artificial stone. A Los Angeles County jury reached a verdict of $52.4 million in 2024 in favor of a Brayton Purcell LLP client harmed by artificial stone dust exposure. Manufacturers have discontinued the sale and distribution of highsilica slabs abroad, even as they remain widely available across the United States. Workers' Experiences Reveal the Human Toll The article features firsthand accounts from workers who developed silicosis after fabricating crystalline silica artificial stone. Pena described how even with ventilator masks and waterassisted tools, "there was still a lot of dust," and he often ended shifts coated in fine particles from artificial stone. Physicians interviewed compared the resulting lung damage to suffocation, as scarring caused by artificial stone dust prevents oxygen from entering the bloodstream. Perspective From Brayton Purcell LLP James Nevin, a partner at Brayton Purcell LLP and a national leader in crystalline silica artificial stone silicosis litigation, emphasized the importance of the Mercury News reporting: "This important investigation brings crucial attention to the suffering of hundreds of working families in the Bay Area. The medical evidence is clear: crystalline silica artificial stone slabs cannot be safely fabricated into countertops by human beings because the silica dust released ultimately prevents workers' lungs from doing what they are meant to do breathe! The workers harmed by this material are living with an incurable disease that was entirely preventable." Nevin continued: "The voices of workers and the unanimous findings of medical authorities must remain central to this public conversation. Their experiences highlight the severity of the harm caused by crystalline silica artificial stone dumped in California by foreign slab manufacturers, the need for broad public awareness and, ultimately, the need to ban crystalline silica artificial stone." Brayton Purcell LLP currently represents 111 Bay Area clients diagnosed with artificial stone silicosis and has filed many hundreds of cases on behalf of affected workers throughout California and 22 additional states in the U.S. About Brayton Purcell LLP Brayton Purcell LLP is a nationally recognized law firm with decades of experience representing individuals who have developed serious diseases as a result of toxic exposures. The firm's accomplished and dedicated team remains committed to advocating for individuals and families harmed by crystalline silica artificial stone and ensuring that their stories are heard. The full San Jose Mercury News article can be found here 'Nobody told us it was dangerous': Quartz countertop boom linked to incurable lung disease among Bay Area workers Media contact: Nolan Lowry [email protected] 415-399-3107 SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in an overnight Israeli strike in Tehran, according to a statement issued by Katz's office. Katz said, during a situation assessment with senior military officers, that "Khatib was in charge of the regime's internal assassination and repression system in Iran and of promoting external threats." "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the military to thwart any senior Iranian official who is cornered, by intelligence or operation, without the need for further authorization," he added. Katz also stated that "significant surprises" are expected in the Iran and Lebanon arenas throughout the day, which "will escalate the war we are waging against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," and that "the war has reached its final, decisive phase." The Israel Defense Forces also confirmed Khatib's death in a separate statement. BEIJING, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from en.npc.gov.cn.cdurl.cn: The annual report on the work of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, delivered at the fourth session of the 14th NPC outlines the key legislative priorities for the year 2026. Speed Speed Click to learn more about the major tasks on the agenda. SOURCE en.npc.gov.cn.cdurl.cn DENVER, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In-app communication platform CometChat has announced raising a strategic funding of $6.5 million from its existing investors Run VC to up its AI play for key enterprise ecosystems. The company has raised $21.1 million to date in funding including the current round. The capital will be primarily deployed to fuel the CometChat AI expansion strategy built on 3 key pillars: Proactive Outbound Intelligence: Agents that autonomously monitor conditions (like restocks alerts or refund delays) to contact customers before they reach out. Agents that autonomously monitor conditions (like restocks alerts or refund delays) to contact customers before they reach out. Multi-Agent Orchestration: A visual workflow builder where non-technical teams can coordinate specialized agents (e.g., billing, scheduling and recommendations) to work in concert. A visual workflow builder where non-technical teams can coordinate specialized agents (e.g., billing, scheduling and recommendations) to work in concert. Customer Intelligence Layer: Automatic extraction of customer preferences and styles to personalize every subsequent interaction across web, SMS, WhatsApp and Voice. CometChat AI is a platform that enables businesses to build and deploy conversational AI agents - without code or specialized AI expertise. It is built on six years of production-grade communication infrastructure and designed to serve as the primary layer between a business and its customers. Commenting on the fund raise, Anuj Garg, Cofounder CEO, CometChat, says, "The current fund raise is specifically done to accelerate our AI play. Our GTM in this vertical would be to target high-transaction verticals like wellness & beauty, home services, e-comm, hospitality & food service where the combination of inbound responsiveness and proactive outreach drives measurable retention and revenue outcomes. Our existing investors see the value in adding such key services to our offerings and hence decided to back us with growth capital to accelerate our growth trajectory." Brandon Tidwell, Co-founder & GP, Run Ventures, adds, "We have witnessed how methodically Anuj and Anant have scaled the business to make CometChat an intelligent communication layer with several proven use cases. The company has been piloting its AI platform with encouraging early signs as enterprise customers have come onboard. This growth funding will help CometChat to further expedite its AI strategic play." Over the next 12 to 18 months, CometChat is committed to three core strategic priorities to drive sustained momentum scaling AI deployments, GTM expansion and build vertical leadership. CometChat was also featured on 2026 Forbes' list of the Top 500 American Startup Employers. SOURCE CometChat WBENC-Certified Company Continues to Shape the Future of Online Window Covering Design SAN DIEGO, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blindsgalore, the first online retailer to offer custom window coverings, is celebrating Women's History Month with a milestone that reflects the company's roots and its future. The company's workforce is now 75% women. Chelle and Alissa Walters celebrate Women's History Month at Blindsgalore, a WBENC-certified, family-owned online retailer specializing in custom window coverings. Founded in 1998 by Chelle Walters, Blindsgalore pioneered the window covering industry by bringing custom blinds and shades online for the first time. Today, the company remains family-owned and operated by Chelle Walters and her daughter, CEO Alissa Walters, and is proud to be a certified Women's Business Enterprise through the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). "Women's History Month is a great moment to reflect on where we started," said Alissa Walters, CEO of Blindsgalore. "As usual, what's more exciting is what comes next. We're going to continue to grow and build a place where great ideas and great design lead the way." Over the past two decades, Blindsgalore has helped cover more than two million windows nationwide. Since the beginning, the plan was to offer made-to-order blinds and shades, at every price point, customized to fit customer's homes and lifestyles. The San Diego-based team continues to drive innovation across product design and customer experience. "From the beginning, we wanted to make custom window treatments easier and more accessible for homeowners," said Chelle Walters, founder of Blindsgalore. "Seeing so many talented women shaping the future of this company and leading the way is something we're incredibly proud of." While the majority of the home improvement industry still relies on traditional showroom retail, Blindsgalore helped pioneer a new e-commerce model by bringing customization online. With intuitive design tools, free shipping, free samples, and expert in-house support team, the company continues to simplify the DIY design experience for customers nationwide. As Blindsgalore celebrates Women's History Month, a team that is now 75% female highlights the growing role women play in shaping the home design industry and the future of e-commerce. For more information about Blindsgalore and the dynamic female duo credited for its twenty-seven years of success, please visit www.blindsgalore.com. About Blindsgalore Based in San Diego, CA, Blindsgalore is a family-owned-and-run e-commerce retailer that specializes in custom window treatments. Since 1998 the Blindsgalore team has been helping customers simplify the online ordering process and has sold over two million window treatments across the country. CONTACT Megan Brown Blindsgalore (858) 550-4745 [email protected] SOURCE Blindsgalore WASHINGTON, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Finseca released the following statement after today's federal court ruling ending the Department of Labor's (DOL) Fiduciary Rule: "Today's court ruling is a major win for every American saving for retirement," said Finseca CEO Marc Cadin. "The Fiduciary Rule placed barriers to Americans trying to save for retirement. Removing this regulation makes it easier for retirement savers to access the sound professional advice that creates results." BACKGROUND ON RULING: The federal court vacated the DOL's fiduciary regulation following the Department's agreement to the joint trades' motion for final judgment. The fiduciary regulation exposed financial professionals to new restrictions on commissions and other forms of compensation, expanded legal liability, and required them to review their arrangements with carriers and intermediaries. When a similar fiduciary rule was implemented in 2016, a Deloitte study found that more than 10 million American workers' accounts representing approximately $900 billion in retirement savings lost access to professional financial guidance. An Ernst & Young study shows that accessible, affordable, and high-quality advice from financial planning professionals is the key to creating growth and saving for retirement. SOURCE Finseca The Invisible Infrastructure Revolution: Gemba's Ascension in the 2026 Sifted 100 and the Paradigm Shift in Embedded Finance LONDON, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The European financial technology sector has definitively entered a structural inflection point. After a decade characterized by a proliferation of consumer-facing neobanks competing fiercely for primary retail account status, the locus of value creation has pivoted sharply toward the foundational infrastructure that powers the broader digital economy. As the industry prioritizes capital efficiency and sustainable revenue, the market's new hierarchy is crystallizing. 100 Fastest Growing Startups in the UK & Ireland in 2026 Today, it is a profound privilege to announce that Gemba has been officially recognized in the 2026 Sifted 100: UK & Ireland Leaderboard. Backed by the Financial Times, this rigorous index forensically identifies the region's fastest-growing startups based entirely on pure, audited revenue growth over the past three consecutive financial years. Our inclusion among the region's most ambitious scaling companies is a powerful validation of a paradigm we call "invisible banking". The End of the Financial Fortress For decades, the global financial industry operated as an impenetrable fortress, heavily guarded by regulatory moats and legacy technological debt. If a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, digital marketplace, or non-financial enterprise wished to embed financial utilitysuch as issuing branded payment cards or providing cross-border business accountsthe barriers to entry were astronomically prohibitive. It demanded years of exhaustive regulatory navigation and the deployment of immense upfront capital reserves. Gemba was founded to dismantle this fortress. We have engineered a highly sophisticated infrastructure layer that fundamentally alters how non-financial entities access and monetize payment networks. By entirely abstracting the immense complexities of regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) monitoring, and core banking technology, our platform allows any technology company to deploy fully branded banking applications seamlessly. The end consumer interacts exclusively with the trusted brand interface of the software provider, remaining completely unaware that Gemba's heavily regulated, robust financial plumbing is silently processing transactions and safeguarding funds in the background. The Seven-Minute Deployment Standard The most striking technological achievement propelling our hyper-growthand a metric that fundamentally disrupts traditional enterprise software procurementis our unprecedented deployment velocity. We have engineered the capability for global technology companies to launch fully operational, white-labeled banking infrastructure in under seven minutes. Historically, integrating banking rails required a minimum of 12 to 18 months of intensive software development, rigorous security auditing, and protracted partner negotiations. By compressing this multi-year timeline into a seven-minute automated provisioning sequenceaccessible directly via major enterprise cloud marketplaceswe have completely altered the risk-reward calculus for digital platforms. This extreme velocity ensures that founders and product teams bypass the treacherous developmental "valley of death" and transition immediately to product launch and sustainable revenue generation. A Maturing Ecosystem The 2026 iteration of the Sifted leaderboard reflects a survivor's cohort that has navigated an intensely volatile macroeconomic cycle. Companies that exhibit multi-year compound annual growth rates high enough to qualify have done so by achieving undeniable product-market fit. The market no longer rewards user acquisition metrics devoid of monetization strategies; it demands deep operational integration and measurable financial utility. Our inclusion in this prestigious index is a testament to the relentless dedication of the entire Gemba team, and the profound trust placed in us by our enterprise partners who leverage our infrastructure daily. It reflects a multi-trillion-dollar migration rapidly rendering traditional banking silos obsolete, replaced by our frictionless, API-driven paradigm. Gemba is a UK FinTech providing 100% digital payment accounts for SMEs. Their "invisible banking" infrastructure enables tech firms to deploy fully compliant, white-labeled financial services in under seven minutes. Website: https://ge.mba Press Release Service provided by 24-7PressRelease.com. SOURCE Gemba Finance Ltd. A major milestone in propelling industry into the Angstrom era LEUVEN, Belgium, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies, announces the arrival of the ASML EXE:5200 High NA EUV lithography system, the most advanced lithography tool available today. With this strategic milestone, imec reinforces its position as the industry's launchpad into the angstrom era, giving its global partners ecosystem unparalleled early access to the next generation of chip-scaling technologies. Integrated directly with a comprehensive suite of patterning and metrology tools and materials, the High NA EUV system will empower imec and its ecosystem partners to unlock the performance needed to pioneer sub-2nm logic and high-density memory technologies that will fuel the rapid growth of advanced AI and high-performance computing. Left to right: Peter Vanoppen (ASML), Martin van den Brink (ASML), Luc Van den hove (imec), Matthias Diependaele (Flemish government), Patrick Vandenameele (imec) Luc Van den hove, CEO of imec: "The past two years have marked an important chapter for High NA (0.55NA) EUV lithography, with imec and ASML joining forces with the ecosystem in its joint High NA EUV Lithography Lab in Veldhoven (The Netherlands) to pioneer High NA EUV technology. With the installation of the EXE:5200 High NA EUV lithography system into our 300mm cleanroom in Leuven (Belgium), we aim to bring these High NA EUV patterning technologies to an industry-relevant scale and to develop the next-generation High NA EUV patterning use cases. Its unmatched resolution, improved overlay performance, high throughput, and a new wafer stocker that improves process stability and throughput, will give our partners a decisive advantage in accelerating the development of sub-2nm chip technologies. As the industry moves into the Angstrom era, High NA EUV will be a cornerstone capability, and imec is proud to lead the way by offering its partners the earliest and most comprehensive access to this technology." This milestone is a key element of imec's five-year strategic partnership with ASML supported by the EU (Chips Joint Undertaking and IPCEI), the Flemish government, and the Dutch government. Luc Van den hove: "As an integral part of the EU funded NanoIC pilot line, the tool is set to play a pivotal role in strengthening Europe's position as a leader in advanced semiconductor R&D in the decades to come." Having the ASML EXE:5200 High NA EUV lithography system in imec's cleanroom firmly positions imec as the most comprehensive development environment for advanced patterning. Imec's deep ecosystem collaboration with leading chip manufacturers, equipment, material and resist suppliers, mask companies, and metrology experts will allow us to ramp up learning cycles and enhance process stability to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge patterning for next generation logic and memory device technology, driving breakthroughs that will shape the future of advanced computing and AI in the years to come. Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML: "Imec's installation of the EXE:5200 marks an important step into the Angstrom era. Together, we're accelerating High NA EUV extendibility for the next generations of advanced memory and compute." Imec anticipates the EXE:5200 High NA EUV lithography system to be fully qualified by Q4 2026. In the meantime, the joint ASML-imec High NA EUV lithography Lab in Veldhoven will remain operational, ensuring continuity in the High NA EUV R&D activities for imec and its ecosystem partners. About imec Imec is a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies. Leveraging its state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure and the expertise of over 6,500 employees, imec drives innovation in semiconductor and system scaling, artificial intelligence, silicon photonics, connectivity, and sensing. Imec's advanced research powers breakthroughs across a wide range of industries, including computing, health, automotive, industry, consumer electronics, aerospace and security. Through IC-Link, imec guides companies through every step of the chip journey - from initial concept to full-scale manufacturing - delivering customized solutions tailored to meet the most advanced design and production needs. Imec collaborates with global leaders across the semiconductor value chain, as well as with technology companies, start-ups, academia, and research institutions in Flanders and worldwide. Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, imec has research facilities in Belgium, across Europe, the USA and the GCC region, and representation on three continents. In 2024, imec reported revenues of 1.034 billion. For more information, visit www.imec-int.com The imec group holds a global trademark portfolio, including word marks and combined figurative registered and unregistered trademarks, across national, regional, and international territories. Its lawful use requires prior written consent of IMEC in compliance with the IMEC branding guidelines, which may be updated periodically. The latest version is available upon written request. SOURCE Imec TORRINGTON, Conn., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What should homeowners consider before installing a car lift in their garage? Brian Lockhart of Automotive Service Equipment in Torrington, Connecticut, provides detailed guidance in a recent article featured by HelloNation. His insights emphasize the importance of planning, safety, and structural compatibility when selecting and installing home car lifts. Read the full article here. Brian Lockhart, Owner Speed Speed Lockhart explains that successful home car lift installation starts with understanding garage limitations, including ceiling height, slab thickness, and daily use expectations. Two-post lifts, favored by DIY mechanics, require significant vertical clearance for safe operation. In contrast, four-post car lifts offer more flexibility for storage and light service work while fitting within lower ceiling constraints. Measuring accurately and accounting for overhead components ensures the right lift type can be safely integrated into a residential space. Garage floor strength is another critical consideration. Standard slabs often fall short of the concrete requirements for car lifts, especially for heavier vehicles. Lockhart advises that homeowners should consult professionals to verify structural integrity before drilling anchor points. If reinforcement or partial floor replacement is necessary, it should be completed before installation to avoid future instability. Equally important is following the manufacturer's installation instructions and checking all car lift safety features before each use. Reputable lifts include redundant locking mechanisms and durable hydraulic components, which must be regularly inspected to ensure long-term safety. Lockhart also reminds homeowners to select lifts based on accurate weight estimates of their vehicles, including cargo and accessories. Matching garage lift weight capacity to real-world demands reduces the chance of system failure. The article, Safe Setup and Smart Choices for Car Lifts at Home , outlines how careful planning and proper maintenance can turn a home garage into a reliable space for storage, service, and safe vehicle access. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation MENOMONIE, Wis., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What should couples ask before committing to a barn wedding venue to ensure their day feels smooth and comfortable? Insights from a HelloNation article answer this question by outlining the essential topics every couple should address early in the planning process. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson of Emerald Ridge Weddings & Receptions in Menomonie, WI, explains how simple but important questions can shape how enjoyable the event will feel from beginning to end. Teresa Olson - Event Coordinator - Emerald Ridge Weddings & Receptions Speed Speed The HelloNation article begins by explaining why early questions matter so much. A barn wedding venue may appear rustic and charming at first glance, but the comfort of the day depends on what happens behind the scenes. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson notes that many barns differ in their amenities. This means couples must understand the details before signing a contract. The article shows that preparation, airflow, and support services influence whether the day feels easy or stressful. One of the first points in the HelloNation article focuses on air conditioning. Some barns offer full climate control, while others cool only certain areas. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson explains that understanding how the system works helps couples plan for guest comfort. A barn wedding venue often holds events during warm months, so knowing whether the temperature stays steady throughout the space reduces unwanted surprises. Couples benefit when they know where cool areas are located and how the venue handles heat and humidity. Ventilation plays an equally important role. The article explains that barns can become warm even on mild days if the air does not circulate well. A barn wedding venue that uses mechanical air exchange systems supports better airflow throughout the event. Other barns rely on large doors or windows for fresh air. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson notes that couples should ask how the space stays comfortable, because ventilation affects the energy level of the entire day. The HelloNation article highlights the value of understanding the different types of spaces available on the property. Some barns include both open-air spaces and enclosed areas. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson explains that this variety helps couples prepare for shifting weather. Outdoor lawns may be ideal for photos or a cocktail hour, while indoor areas provide comfort if conditions change. A barn wedding venue with multiple options allows the day to flow smoothly without losing the atmosphere the couple wants. Another important topic is whether the venue handles setup, teardown, and cleanup. The HelloNation article shows that some barns offer full support, while others expect couples to coordinate these tasks on their own. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson notes that couples avoid last-minute confusion when they know exactly what the venue provides. A barn wedding venue that takes care of tables, chairs, and event transitions helps reduce stress. Clear expectations support a calm and organized day. Weather preparation is highlighted throughout the article. With Wisconsin's unpredictable climate, couples benefit from knowing how the venue handles rain, sun, or wind. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson explains that barns with covered patios, backup indoor ceremony spaces, or tenting options help keep the tone of the event consistent, even if plans shift. A barn wedding venue that offers a cohesive alternative gives couples more confidence as the day approaches. Lighting also influences the comfort and look of the event. Some barns use a mix of natural lighting, chandeliers, or string lights. Others rely heavily on daylight. The HelloNation article explains that couples should learn how the lighting changes from afternoon to evening. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson notes that well-designed lighting supports photography and helps guests feel comfortable throughout the celebration. Sound quality is another topic that couples should not overlook. Barns with high ceilings or wide spaces can create echoes if the acoustics are not balanced. The article suggests asking how music, speeches, and announcements sound in the venue. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson explains that couples should also check whether the barn provides audio equipment or has recommendations. A barn wedding venue that manages sound well supports clarity and connection during important moments. The HelloNation article concludes by discussing the overall flow of the day. Some venues guide couples through a natural sequence of ceremony, cocktails, and dinner. Others allow couples to design the flow themselves. Wedding Industry Expert Teresa Olson notes that understanding how events typically move through the space helps couples visualize their wedding more clearly. A barn wedding venue that supports steady movement helps keep the day relaxed and organized. In the end, the article explains that a barn wedding can be as inviting and charming as couples imagine when they know what questions to ask. When couples understand the details of air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, sound, weather plans, and support services, they choose a space that fits their needs. With the right information, a barn wedding venue becomes a comfortable and enjoyable setting that enhances the entire celebration. What to Ask Before Booking a Barn Wedding Venue features insights from Teresa Olson, Wedding Industry Expert of Menomonie, WI, in HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation BRONX, N.Y. , March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelle Ng Gong, M.D., M.S., has been appointed chair of the Montefiore Einstein Department of Medicine. Dr. Gong, who was selected after a national search, has served as interim chair since May 2025. Montefiore Einstein and Dandelion Logos (PRNewsfoto/Montefiore Health System) Michelle Gong, M.D., M.S. "It's a privilege to lead this department and its outstanding community of clinicians, researchers, educators, trainees, and staff," said Dr. Gong, a professor of medicine and of epidemiology & population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "I look forward to advancing our exceptional clinical care, research discoveries, and tremendous training programs to improve health in our community." Dr. Gong joined Einstein in 2009 as the director of research in the department's critical care division. In 2019, after a national search, she was appointed chief of the division of critical care medicine. A year later, she also assumed leadership of the department's division of pulmonary medicine. During her tenure, Dr. Gong built a robust clinical research operation, securing $30 million from federal agencies and foundations, and increasing the number of peer-reviewed publications by faculty fourfold. As an NIH-funded principal investigator, Dr. Gong is an internationally recognized investigator in acute respiratory failure, sepsis, and the prevention of acute critical illness. She has led multiple high-impact, federally funded research trials, resulting in several publications in high-impact journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. She has been recognized for her leadership with the Director's Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Dr. Gong also strengthened her divisions' clinical services, including expanding the neuroscience ICU to support Montefiore Einstein's accreditation as a comprehensive stroke center and launching successful quality improvement initiatives. She grew the interventional pulmonary program by introducing innovations such as the Robotic Bronchoscopy Program and collaborated with colleagues to dramatically increase lung cancer screening and diagnosis. The Museum of the City of New York presented her with the Gotham Icon Award for her role in leading the critical care response at Montefiore Einstein during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to her roles at Montefiore Einstein, Dr. Gong has held senior positions in national and international networks. Most recently, she was elected president of the American Thoracic Society, the world's leading medical society for the advancement of respiratory health, representing over 30,000 members across 133 countries. Dr. Gong holds a B.S.E. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine. Following her residency in internal medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, she completed a clinical and research fellowship in Harvard's combined program in pulmonary and critical care medicine. While an instructor at Harvard Medical School, she earned her M.S. degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. She joined the faculty at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 2004 before joining Montefiore Einstein in 2009. About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier academic centers for basic science research, clinical investigation, and biomedical education. Located in the Bronx, Einstein is home to nearly 1,000 M.D., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D. students and more than 2,000 full-time faculty members. Einstein receives approximately $200M in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) each year and houses six NIH-funded research centers, in cancer, intellectual and developmental disabilities, clinical and translational research, AIDS, and two in diabetes. In partnership with Montefiore Health System, Einstein advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook , and view us on YouTube. About Montefiore Health System Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn, or view us on Facebook and YouTube. SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine Celebrating 15 years, FABI Awards honor standout food and beverage products addressing operator needs and evolving consumer tastes CHICAGO, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show has named 28 recipients of its 2026 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards, including 10 earning the FABI Favorites distinction, the program's highest honor. This year's selections span bold flavor profiles, allergen-free alternatives, organic ingredients, and versatile formats designed to simplify preparation and strengthen menus. All award-winning products will be on display at the Show, May 1619 at McCormick Place in Chicago. "The FABI Awards have spent 15 years putting the spotlight on suppliers who are doing the hard work of developing products that genuinely move menus forward," said Tom Cindric, president of exhibitions for Informa Connect Foodservice Group. "This year's recipients bring real flavor credentials and operational practicality. That combination is exactly what operators need when they're looking to add something new and make it work in their kitchens." The FABI Awards acknowledge food and beverage products that help restaurant operators refresh menus, meet shifting consumer demand, and stay competitive. An independent panel of judges representing major industry brands including Wendy's, Aramark, and California Pizza Kitchen evaluates submissions on taste, menu relevance, operational practicality, and profitability potential. "The FABI Awards are a unique opportunity for [food and beverage] manufacturers of all sizes to show their innovative ideas and have a panel of judges [evaluate] what opportunities they present to the foodservice industry," said Farley Kaiser, Senior Director of Culinary Innovation, McLane Company. "There's a flavor component, absolutely, but we also want to see the value operationally what creates opportunities for back-of-the-house efficiencies and cost savings." Among the 2026 recipients, 10 products earned the FABI Favorites designation, introduced in 2023 to recognize the entries judges identified as having the broadest impact on restaurant menus and the industry. These standout selections demonstrate exceptional flavor, versatility, and operational efficiency, earning the program's highest distinction. They will be featured in dedicated tastings and a culinary demonstration at the Show. THE 2026 FABI AWARDEES ARE: FABI FAVORITES Dairy Free Single-Serve Cream Cheese Daiya Foods Inc. Original egglife Egg White Wraps Egglife Foods, Inc. Elote Butter Epicurean Butter Perfect Kebabs Halal Beef Kefta Links Grecian Delight Kronos Churro Chata Dairy-Free Ice Cream Sandwich Klimon Mini Waffle Overseas Food Trading Maple Granules Roland Foods Calabrian Truffle Crunch Sabatino Truffles Plum Gochu Syrup The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley Citrus Ginger Organic Craft Haymaker Tractor Beverage Co. FABI AWARDEES Fred's Salt & Vinegar Cheese Curds Ajinomoto Foods North America Tiramisu Cheesecake-Style Danish Bridor USA Moroccan Spice Cubes Chunk Foods Roth Shredded 3 Chile Pepper Gouda Emmi Roth Hibiscus Flower Beverage Concentrate Gordian Bang Bang Shrimp Gourmet Culinary Partners Dubai Chocolate Phyllo Triangle Gourmet Culinary Partners Creamy Feta Dip Grecian Delight Kronos Garden Feta Dip Grecian Delight Kronos iHOLA Churros Birthday Cake Filled Churro Bites J & J Snack Foods Corp. Smoked Duck Breast Juicybite Beetroot Habanero Sauce Querendona Garlic Confit Roland Foods Gluten-Free Crispy Garlic Chips Roland Foods Tropics Soft Serve & Ice Cream Mix Sunny Sky Products Apricot Peach Organic Craft Haymaker Tractor Beverage Co. DragonBerry Organic Craft Haymaker Tractor Beverage Co. PassionMango Organic Craft Haymaker Tractor Beverage Co. The 2026 FABI Award recipients will be showcased on the Show floor through tastings and culinary demonstrations at The Culinary Experience, sponsored by CJ Schwan's and located in McCormick Place's Lakeside building. Attendees can taste this year's selections firsthand, with dedicated sessions for both FABI Award recipients and FABI Favorites. Culinary Demo Cooking Up Menu Magic with Award-Winning FABI Favorites: Monday, May 18, 10:0010:45 a.m. FABI Favorites Tasting: Monday, May 18, 10:4511:45 a.m. FABI Awardees Tasting: Saturday, May 16, 1:002:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17, 1:152:45 p.m. For a full schedule of FABI programming, click here. For more information on the FABI Awards or to register for the Show, visit nationalrestaurantshow.com. About The National Restaurant Association Show The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is owned and operated by Informa Connect in partnership with the National Restaurant Association. Media Contact: Julie Franks [email protected] SOURCE Informa Connect CANBERRA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday confirmed that an Iranian projectile struck near an air base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where Australian soldiers are stationed, but that no personnel were injured. Albanese told reporters on Wednesday that the projectile hit a road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base south of Dubai around 9:15 a.m. local time, Australian Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday (2215 GMT on Tuesday). "I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," he said. "There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base." The Australian Defense Force has used the Al Minhad Air Base as an operational headquarters since 2003, but it has hosted a smaller Australian force since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Albanese said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime is engaging in "random attacks" across the Gulf region. Under new initiative, ten regional partners will work collaboratively to share knowledge, coordinate action, and strengthen systems for future emergencies. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Working in partnership with ten major regional and national health institutions with deep experience and expertise, Project ECHO at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center will facilitate a new initiative focused on bolstering emergency preparedness and response capacity across the country. The project, which is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), connects local, regional and national partners in a virtual learning and action community to share best practices, improve data sharing, coordination and communication. The new Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Learning and Action Network will support ten regional programs each led by a regional partner that will focus on locally relevant healthcare preparedness and response priorities. These ten programs will then form one larger national network to share real-time information and best practices, align strategy, coordinate response, and strengthen the EPR workforce through training, mentorship, and shared resources. The ten regional partners participating in the network include Cedars-Sinai, Corewell Health, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts General Hospital, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and University of Texas Medical Branch. "The network is a direct response to recent public health crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate disasters, and ongoing disruptions in policy and data structures," said Bruce Struminger, M.D., director of global health initiatives at Project ECHO. "These challenges both expose and contribute to fragmentation in our current preparedness and response systems that need our immediate attention." Anne Zink, M.D., former chief medical officer for the State of Alaska and past president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) will serve as a lead facilitator for the national learning and action network. Dr. Zink is a practicing emergency medicine physician and a Senior Fellow at the Yale School of Public Health. "I was eager to be a part of this work because of the amazing partners it brings together. The combined experience of this group is extraordinary," said Zink. "I see my role as elevating their knowledge, experience, and learnings as well as bringing to them resources and expertise to help us build a community of practice to drive a more resilient and responsive system better prepared and able to respond to the challenges ahead." From the start, the network will learn from and coordinate and engage directly with other efforts currently underway to shore up preparedness and response in the U.S. and globally, including the STAT Network, the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, the West Coast Health Alliance, and the World Health Organization's Global Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. "We're excited to support this effort being spearheaded by the team at Project ECHO because it's clear-eyed about building the approach we need for the time we're in," said Nancy Barrand, senior program officer at RWJF. "It builds from previous work by the ECHO team during the COVID-19 pandemicpartnering with the federal government and health organizations across the countryto share critical, real-time learning. Going forward, we need these strong learning networks in place to respond to emerging threats anywhere in the country as they arise. It's not about putting things together the way they were before, it's about reimagining the systems we need now and for the future." Partner Perspectives: "Healthcare emergency preparedness is critically important to maintaining care of patients during a crisis. I'm excited to be a part of this new iECHO series, the National Emergency Preparedness and Response Learning and Action Network, to strengthen healthcare resiliency not only in our communities but across the country." Julie Bulson, DNP, senior director, Corewell Health "This initiative has allowed us to bridge the gap between planning and practice. By leveraging the ECHO model, we're fostering regional collaboration across public health, healthcare, and emergency management ensuring that preparedness efforts are aligned, scalable, and grounded in real-world operational challenges." Ariana Boshara, project manager for disaster health, Denver Health and Hospital Authority "Our program has been deeply involved in Project ECHO for many years, but now for the first time we have the opportunity to learn from our regional and national partners, leverage our collective expertise and perspectives, and synergize with and strengthen our network to increase disaster preparedness. This project gives us the unique ability to expand our efforts through not just biological threat preparedness but allowing us to run a simultaneous program with our all-hazards preparedness organizations to reach an even broader community, the Southern Regional Disaster Response System, led by Dr. Alex Isakov." Gavin Harris, M.D., director of regional education & training, Serious Communicable Diseases Program, Emory University. "This collective effort highlights the truism that 'all response is local,' and successful response requires building a prepared front line that can be enhanced using a community of practice model." Noreen Hynes, M.D., MPH, director for research, Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center. "This program will help our partners across the entire New England Region continue to strengthen our community of healthcare emergency preparedness practitioners in Region 1. The support from RWJF will allow us to convene healthcare emergency managers and others to share their diverse viewpoints, experiences, successes, and challenges with each other, making us all stronger and more resilient." Eileen Searle, PhD, director of funded projects, Center for Disaster Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital "Project ECHO gives us the opportunity to learn from one another across disciplines and to strengthen preparedness across our region." Margaret L. Aldrich, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, pediatric hospital epidemiologist, Bellevue Hospital "By bringing together regional and national partners through Project ECHO, we are strengthening the capacity of communities to prepare for and respond to emergencies. This initiative creates a regional community of practice where shared learning, coordination, and real time collaboration can translate to better outcomes for public health and healthcare partners." Christa Arguinchona, program manager, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital "Our team appreciates the opportunity to partner with Project ECHO and our expert colleagues from across the United States. We look forward to sharing our experience in biopreparedness and biocontainment and gaining insights from our colleagues on their efforts to build stronger response networks and enhance our collective ability to address current and emerging threats." Angela Hewlett, M.D., medical director, Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, University of Nebraska Medical Center About Project ECHO Founded in 2003, Project ECHO is a global, not-for-profit organization headquartered at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. ECHO empowers practitioners in rural and underserved areas to reduce disparities and improve the well-being of people in the communities where they live. Its low-cost virtual mentoring model addresses some of the world's greatest challenges in clinical medicine and public health. For more information, please contact Ben Milder at [email protected] or (703) 731-9245 Deb Trevino at [email protected] or (505) 358-0550 SOURCE Project ECHO The winery unveils the latest edition of one of its most radical and commercially successful wines and reinforces its ties to its hometown by supporting Estate Teatrale Veronese 2026 VERONA, Italy, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On the occasion of the annual press conference held at the Museo Archeologico at Teatro Romano, Pasqua Wines, the Verona-based winery celebrated for its iconic and award-winning wines, unveils its latest initiatives, combining the launch of the fifth edition of Hey French: You Could Have Made It But You Didn't and its sponsorship of the Estate Teatrale Veronese 2026. The Fifth Edition of Hey French: Pasqua's Radical Project and Global Success Hey French _ All editions @pasquawines At the core of Pasqua Wines is an unmistakable commitment to creativity and innovation. Hey French: You Could Have Made It But You Didn't represents the boldest expression of the winery's experimental spirit. Combining technical mastery, artistic vision, and fearless nonconformity, this radical project pushes the boundaries of winemaking and redefines what wine can be. The annual press conference provided the perfect occasion to unveil the fifth edition, highlighting its evolution and global impact. Since its first release, Hey French has impressed critics with a unique multi-vintage blending technique, rarely used in Italy for still wines. Its provocative name signals a challenge to traditional conventions, while its craftsmanship reflects a playful, boundary-pushing spirit. Over time, the multi-vintage blend has grown in depth and global recognition. In 2025, the label doubled its global revenue among Pasqua's Icons portfolio, driven by strategic markets including Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Each edition of Hey French is not just a reflection of the vintages but also a site-specific work that interprets the exceptional potential of Monte Calvarina (with parcels at 500 meters above sea level) through the winemaker's philosophy. The fifth edition blends six vintages (2020, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2024, and 2015) using a joint maceration technique (from 2019 onwards), followed by 68 months of aging in barriques and tonneaux, and additional refinement in stainless steel before final blending. The result is a wine of remarkable complexity and aging potential. Hey French You Could Have Made It, But You Didn't, 5th Edition, stands out for a bouquet of exotic fruit, chamomile, and sage, complemented by rose buds, with a complex palate revealing almond notes from Garganega, herbaceous hints from Sauvignon Blanc, and subtle volcanic minerality, inviting a second full sip. Riccardo Pasqua, CEO of Pasqua Wines, comments: "With the fifth edition of Hey French, we take another step in our innovation journey. The six vintages blend, interact, and strengthen each other, creating a truly unique and contemporary expression. This project started with a bold idea but could only take shape through the daily, passionate work of our team. It is proof that vision, skill, sensitivity, and dedication are what transform creativity into creation." Celebrating Verona's Cultural Heritage Pasqua Wines has strategically chosen to focus its cultural investments on Verona, joining the list of sponsors for the upcoming Estate Teatrale Veronese, while also continuing its support of the 67 Colonne project at the Arena di Verona launched in 2021 by Fondazione Arena di Verona to sustain artistic activities at one of the city's, and the world's, most iconic cultural landmarks. Riccardo Pasqua, CEO of Pasqua Wines, explains: "We are proud to support the Estate Teatrale Veronese at Verona's Teatro Romano, a landmark that embodies the history and identity of our city a place my family and I hold dear. Through this collaboration, we reaffirm our winery's commitment not only to being a leader on the international wine stage but also an active contributor to the cultural growth of our region. Just as in art, nurturing ideas, helping them grow, and transforming them into experiences is what drives us to experiment and innovate, giving voice to new visions and perspectives for the world of wine." To foster this venture, Pasqua Wines asked Hey French label artist CB HOYO to use his distinctive Gen-Z-inspired visual language to invite citizens and tourists to reconnect with the world of theatre. From 1 to 15 April, a site-specific installation by the artist will be on display on the large external panel of the Teatro Romano itself. This new patronage initiative forms a natural extension of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. Over the past decade, Pasqua Wines has supported cultural projects in Italy and internationally, investing approximately 6.7 million. Throughout the years, the winery has also championed the talent and ambitions of young international artists, promoting initiatives that bring art, wine, and innovation into meaningful dialogue. Immersive and multimedia installations have become a distinctive hallmark of the brand. Open to the public, these projects are developed in collaboration with artists from different disciplines and cultural backgrounds from around the world. Conceived as experiential and participatory works, the installations are designed to transform the wine experience into a shared narrative, engaging audiences in new ways and often extending beyond the exhibition space to involve the broader urban fabric of the city. In 2024 and 2025, Pasqua extended its support internationally, sponsoring London's Saatchi Gallery exhibition Metamorphosis: Innovation in Eco Photography and Film and bringing the artwork Senza Tempo by Adalberto Lonardi at the very same gallery. Through its support of initiatives like the Estate Teatrale Veronese, Pasqua highlights the strong connection between wine and art. Since 2018, the winery has supported cultural projects that highlight the parallels between an artist's creative process and the craftsmanship behind a wine. Wine and art share a universal language: open, barrier-free, and accessible to all. Investments in artistic projects and commissions for emerging talents in contemporary performance have become key tools for the winery to communicate its vision, rooted in innovation, cosmopolitan approach, and Italian heritage. In early 2026, Pasqua launched an international open call that attracted nearly 200 artists worldwide, inviting them to create a new site-specific installation to accompany the launch of a major upcoming wine project. The installation will be unveiled during Vinitaly, reinforcing the winery's commitment to connecting art and enology. Press Assets For more images and press material, download HERE. PASQUA VIGNETI E CANTINE, founded in 1925, is a Veronese wine company owned by the Pasqua family, celebrating its first 100 years of activity. Internationally recognized as a producer and ambassador of prestigious wines from Italy's Veneto region, the company's ambition is to carry forward a century of winemaking expertise into the future through a renewed stylistic vision. Today, President Umberto Pasqua leads the company alongside his sons: Riccardo Pasqua, CEO, Alessandro Pasqua, Vice President North America, and Andrea Pasqua, Head of Business Development. With the third generation actively involved in the company, Pasqua has evolved into the House of the Unconventional - a research-driven laboratory and a space for dialogue, where quality and creativity take center stage. In its centenary year, Pasqua has been selected by winemaker Charles Smith as the global distributor of the House of Smith portfolio, including K Vintners, Sex, and Real Wine, in which Pasqua also holds a minority stake. Also in 2025, the Veronese winery invested in the Pantelleria-based wine project of actress and international style icon Carole Bouquet, acquiring an ownership stake and combining enological vision with the preservation of the island's cultural heritage. FOR MORE INFORMATION Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine [email protected]t www.pasqua.it SOURCE Pasqua Wines NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study found that precise application of radio waves can change the activity of brain cells in ways that could counter neurological conditions. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the work introduces a technique called Transcranial Radio Frequency Stimulation (TRFS), which promises to treat neurological diseases with neither the invasiveness of surgery nor the frequent failure of drugs as patients (e.g., 30 percent of people with depression and epilepsy) develop resistance. Published online recently in the journal Brain Stimulation, the study describes the use of radio frequency, or RF, energy, which is effective at penetrating biological tissue. The study says TRFS could overcome the limits of older technologies because it can, depending on the nature of the disease, target either a small part of the brain or the entire organ, and it can dial nerve signaling up or down. "Our study is the first to demonstrate in live mice the potential of the technology to be highly effective for adjusting neural activity," said senior study author Gyorgy Buzsaki, MD, PhD, the Biggs Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "The need for better, noninvasive techniques is becoming ever more urgent, with 1 in 3 people globally affected by some form of brain disorder during their lifetime," said Dr. Buzsaki, also faculty in the Institute for Translational Neuroscience. Radio frequency waves have long been used in the brain as part of MRI imaging, which creates images by imposing and tracking changes in the energy states of atoms. Radio waves are also used to create heat that destroys cancer cells. Despite these uses, RF energy has not been explored for direct brain stimulation. Although various transcranially delivered effectselectric (direct or alternating current), magnetic, and ultrasoundare used routinely for direct stimulation, each is limited by the nature of the energy used, how it interacts with tissue, or the head's anatomy. Energy sent through contacts placed on the scalp, for instance, cannot focus on one small area. Stimulation applied by electromagnetic coils decays quickly with distance and cannot reach deep brain regions. The skull can interfere with ultrasound, causing side effects. The study authors said they overcame such limitations by designing small, customized antennae made from the tips of coaxial cables. These antennae transmit high-frequency signals to precisely direct RF energy to deep-brain locations. RF delivered in this way heats targeted brain tissue, which changes how easily charged ions flow in and out of brain cells and influences signal strength. Among the study's main findings was that TRFS could be used to either suppress or encourage the signaling activity of brain cells. Using a technique called 1-photon fiber photometry, the team recorded local heat-induced brain cell activity changes in study mice. The results showed that applying RF energy to the intact, normal brain, which they termed the "pristine mode," had a particularly strong effect on brain cells called inhibitory interneurons. Specialized to connect cells in circuits, inhibitory interneurons serve as the brakes on messages that travel from neuron to neuron, sculpting the brain signals into actions, perceptions, and thoughts. The fact that RF energy has a strong effect on these cells is profound, the authors said, because suppressing them has been shown to counter depression, chronic pain, and anxiety disorders. RF energy raised the temperature in normal interneurons and led to dose-dependent suppression of activity. The temperature changes were within the small, normal range for healthy cells (not in the damaging range). In other experiments, the team showed that RF energy could also achieve the opposite effect, encouraging signaling levels in specifically targeted cell types. Called "RF-genetics mode," this second approach combined RF energy with genetic engineering that added more transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channels to the surfaces of target cells. Known as molecular thermometers, TRPV1 channels render cells more sensitive to heat. RF stimulation of TRPV1-overexpressing regions produced temperature-dependent excitation of neural activity once local temperature change exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius. Past studies have suggested that increasing excitation in specific cell types can counter Parkinson's disease, autism, epilepsy, addiction, and other conditions. To demonstrate the capability of TRFS to change behavior in mice in both pristine and RF-genetics modes, the researchers targeted the striatal neurons known to control rightward or leftward turns. TRFS-driven neuromodulation changed the direction of rotation in freely moving mice, depending on which side of the brain the RF energy was applied to. In pristine mode, mice tended to rotate toward the side of the head where the brain was being stimulated, whereas they did the opposite in RF-genetics mode. "Interestingly, the widespread use of cell phones, and fears that they might affect brain function, resulted in a massive body of research literature on the effect of RF energy on the brain," said lead study author Omid Yaghmazadeh, PhD, a former postdoctoral scholar in the Buzsaki Lab. "Our previous work showed that everyday RF doses do not in fact affect neuronal activity, and now we show that higher, yet safe, doses can be harnessed for neuromodulation," said Dr. Yaghmazadeh, now an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boise State University with a newly established lab. Along with Drs. Buzsaki and Yaghmazadeh, study authors were Jiangyang Zhang, PhD, Leeor Alon, PhD, and Zakia Ben Youss in the Department of Radiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, as well as Tanzil M. Arefin, PhD, in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant 1R01NS113782-01A1. About NYU Langone Health NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 118 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for four years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently ranked four of its clinical specialties No. 1 in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. The system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise. Contact: Gregory Williams, [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Health System NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Nidec Corporation (OTC: NJDCY) resulting from allegations that Nidec Corporation may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased Nidec Corporation 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=47559 or 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 September 3, 2025, after market close, CNBC published an article entitled "Nidec shares plunge 22% as China unit probe finds accounting issues tied to management." The article further stated that shares of Nidec fell "after the company announced a probe into allegations of improper accounting in its group. This marks the largest one-day drop in the Japanese electronics components manufacturer's shares." On this news, Nidec American Depositary Receipts' ("ADRs") fell 22.7% on September 4, 2025. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. 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. SEOUL, South Korea, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CLO Virtual Fashion, the global leader in digital garment solutions and developer of CLO and Marvelous Designer, announced today that SHIMA SEIKI, the leading knitting solutions provider and developer of APEXFiz Design software, has officially joined the CLO Ecosystem Partnership Program (EPP). This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to create a seamless, end-to-end digital-to-production pipeline for knitwear, connecting CLO's digital garment technology directly with SHIMA SEIKI's plan-design-produce ecosystem for knitwear. CLO Virtual Fashion announces SHIMA SEIKI Joins the CLO Ecosystem Partnership Program (EPP). The CLO-SHIMA SEIKI collaboration allows CLO users and creators to move from digital concept to knitted output with unprecedented efficiency. By linking CLO with APEXFiz, SHIMA SEIKI's design software, the partnership introduces a frictionless workflow that expands creative capability while eliminating traditional barriers between design and production. For example, if a designer wants a knit garment to appear realistic in CLO, the CLO-APEXFiz plugin streamlines the workflow on both sides. With just a simple click, users can import all relevant materials between CLO and SHIMA SEIKI. Previously, this required manually uploading five to six separate image layers and adjusting settings, which could take many hours. CLO users who value precise knit results, high-quality imagery, and animated video output can now leverage the combined strengths of CLO and SHIMA SEIKI to create truly exceptional work. These digital creations can then be translated into real-world production thanks to the improved communication between the two platforms. This partnership also reflects the growing momentum of the CLO Ecosystem Partnership Program, as leading global companies seek to integrate with CLO's industry-standard digital garment workflow. "We are thrilled to welcome SHIMA SEIKI to the CLO Ecosystem Partnership Program," said Simon Kim, CEO at CLO Virtual Fashion. "Over the past year, we've built a strong network of EPP partners, and the collaboration with SHIMA SEIKI marks a significant milestone, especially for expanding digital knitwear workflows. Together, we're shaping the future of digital-to-physical garment innovation." "We are delighted to embark on this partnership with CLO." said SHIMA SEIKI president Mitsuhiro Shima. "CLO's leadership in digital workflow solutions aligns perfectly with our vision to innovate across digital-to-physical experiences. By combining the strengths of both organizations, we look forward to delivering new value to our customers and accelerating the next generation of digital transformation." The APEXFiz Integration Plugin is set for April, supported by the V-09C update from SHIMA SEIKI in March and the CLO 2026.0 release for enterprise users in April. This strategic integration empowers users of both platforms to exchange data seamlessly, enabling the creation of accurate, production-ready knitwear and eliminating cumbersome manual steps. APEXFiz supports a wide range of design tasks, from original pattern creation and colorway development to knit, weave, print and embroidery simulation, making it an ideal companion to CLO's advanced digital garment environment, especially for e-commerce, visualization, and knitwear-focused product development. About CLO Virtual Fashion (http://www.clovirtualfashion.com/) CLO Virtual Fashion is the creator of CLO, the leading 3D fashion design software used and trusted by designers, small businesses, and titans of the fashion industry to achieve a seamless digital workflow. With over two decades of research and development in accurate garment simulation, CLO Virtual Fashion's mission is to empower users at every step of the garment journey, from concept to design, fitting to manufacturing, from styling to marketing. In addition to 3D garment design software, CLO Virtual Fashion's products include CLO-SET (a digital asset management and collaboration platform), CONNECT (a digital fashion hub and marketplace), and consumer-facing solutions such as e-commerce virtual fittings. CLO's interconnected and ever-growing product ecosystem is built to power the future of everything related to garments. About SHIMA SEIKI (https://www.shimaseiki.com/) SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan is a leading manufacturer in the computerized flatbed knitting machine industry. With complete systems integration from planning, production to sales promotion and retail sales, SHIMA SEIKI has been dedicating its products and services to the knitting industry worldwide through the latest in computerized knitting technology. SHIMA SEIKI is also the pioneer in complete garment manufacturing technologycalled WHOLEGARMENTwherein an entire knitted garment is produced on the knitting machine without the need for linking or sewing afterward. Since its commercial introduction in 1995, SHIMA SEIKI has been the undisputed leader in WHOLEGARMENT knitting technology with 30 years of field experience and know-how, not to mention over 2,900 related patents and patents pending worldwide. Meanwhile SHIMA SEIKI's SDS-ONE APEX series 3D design system and APEXFiz design software feature ultra-realistic knit simulation for creating virtual samples. Virtual samples minimize time, cost and material associated with the sample-making phase. Virtual samples can also be used to gauge consumer response to items before going to market, effectively realizing production based on demand forecasting. Inventory can therefore be optimized to minimize leftover stock, realizing smart, speedy and sustainable production. Link to Image SOURCE CLO Virtual Fashion The 2026 awards address the economic turbulence and changing student loan policies by featuring three new Editors' Choice Awards. WASHINGTON, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today announced the 2026 Lending Awards, with winners across 16 categories, including three new Editors' Choice awards: "Best Lender for Emergencies," "Best Lender for Buying Now and Refinancing Later" and "Best Private Student Loans for Aspiring Nurses." After a year riddled with cross-industry layoffs, changing student loan policies and rising costs of daily essentials, wallets across the country are strained. The 2026 Lending Awards address an active, turbulent economy for millions of impacted Americans, highlighting mortgage, student and personal lenders. "A 2026 U.S. News survey found that 43 percent of Americans do not have enough savings to cover a $1,000 emergency expense," said Greg Garrison, consumer banking analyst at U.S. News. "The data goes on to reveal that the median emergency fund balance in respondents' savings accounts has been sliced in half since this time last year. The 2026 Lending Awards offer resources for consumers who need additional financial support and advice for people wanting to know what their options are." For those in immediate financial need, the Editors' Choice: Best Lender for Emergencies goes to U.S. Bank. In addition to receiving high overall scores, the institution funds its personal loans in as little as one day. It also offers a payday alternative loan program for bank customers seeking small-dollar loans, and these loans may be funded in minutes. With spring homebuying season kicking off, Fifth Third Bank secured the Editors' Choice: Best Lender for Buying Now and Refinancing Later. Through its Rate Drop Protector Program, eligible borrowers can buy a home now and have their lender closing costs waived if they refinance within a certain time frame. The Editors' Choice: Best Private Student Loans for Aspiring Nurses went to College Ave and coincides with the commencement of new borrowing caps for students in the 2026-2027 academic year. 2026 U.S. News Lending Awards Winners *See the full list of the Lending Award winners here. U.S. News determined the winning institutions for each category using comprehensive, data-driven methodologies, evaluating affordability, eligibility requirements, customer service for lenders and more. For additional information about each category, read the awards methodologies for mortgages, personal and student loans. U.S. News also publishes in-depth personal finance and loans content to help consumers make the best financial decisions for them. Consumers can find advice about mortgage rate forecasting, personal and student loans, and much more. The U.S. News Lending Awards can also be found on Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram using #LendingAwards. About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services. SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P. Targets $36 Billion TAM in Early Cancer Detection and MRD. Company in active discussions with global diagnostic leaders to accelerate commercialization. HENDERSON, Nev., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition"), a multi-national epigenetics company, is the first to demonstrate the isolation and analysis of >99% pure circulating tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA). Volition announces the submission of an updated manuscript entitled "Direct analysis of transcription factor protected cfDNA in plasma by ChIP-seq: Measurement of altered CTCF binding in cancer is a novel biomarker for liquid biopsy1". Volition Team Members Discuss Capture-Seq Speed Speed The biggest problem facing liquid biopsy worldwide is that the vast majority of circulating DNA in blood plasma samples comes from healthy cells, not cancer cells. In a world first new technology, Volition has overcome this hurdle and produced >99% pure cancer derived plasma DNA sequence sets for liquid biopsy. Dr Jake Micallef, Chief Scientific Officer, Volition commented: "Distinguishing cancer derived plasma DNA from healthy DNA when the two are mixed is problematic. When the cancer DNA makes up 1% or less of the total DNA it is extremely problematic. Moreover, DNA from cancer and healthy cells has the same double helix structure and has never before been separated chemically. "Our manuscript, submitted in November and previously announced in December 2025, described a new liquid biopsy chemistry for isolating CTCF-DNA from plasma. Our continuing work on CTCF-bound DNA has revealed what we believe to be an unprecedented new discovery; that there is almost no CTCF-bound DNA in healthy plasma and almost all CTCF-bound DNA in the blood of a cancer patient is derived from cancer cells i.e. it is virtually pure circulating tumor-derived DNA. "Removal of background normal cell free DNA from the blood to reveal this level of tumor derived DNA has been a long term goal of liquid biopsy. I believe this is a world-first and could, in my opinion, represent the biggest scientific breakthrough in cancer testing and monitoring in recent years. "In this updated manuscript we report a new, two-step method for preparing pure circulating tumor DNA data sets for cancer patients: i. physical enrichment of the sample and ii. bioinformatic removal of virtually all remaining non-tumor cfDNA sequences from the DNA sequence data set. "This new method produced >99% pure ctDNA sequencing data sets for blood samples from cancer patients and, whilst we capture a subset of the ctDNA (i.e. not all the ctDNA in a sample), it is virtually pure cancer DNA. "These methodological and technological breakthroughs represent a novel liquid biopsy method for a novel class of potentially thousands of liquid biopsy sequence biomarkers. We call this technology "Capture-Seq" and it shows potential for both a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) approach, either alone or in combination with other tests, and the detection of Minimal Residual Disease. "Volition is, I believe, the first liquid biopsy company to focus on circulating cell free nucleoproteins and we have filed a number of new patents to protect this technology." Dr Andrew Retter, Medical Consultant, Volition commented: "From a clinical perspective, the proof of concept and early blinded validation results reported in this paper are extremely encouraging. In two independent cohorts we reported no false positives and detected 49/49 cancers in the first cohort (including 23 early stage I/II and 21 controls) and validated it in a second blinded cohort with 13/14 later stage cancers detected with 10 additional controls We are now working on a further validation cohort of early stage cancers, and expect this data soon. "For patients, the potential significance is huge. If validated in larger cohorts, CTCF Capture-Seq could contribute to multi-cancer early detection and disease management, particularly in combination with Volition's existing Nu.Q assay for lung cancer (H3K27me3) but potentially in combination with other technologies too." Mr. Gael Forterre, Chief Commercial Officer, Volition added: "This scientific breakthrough has generated a lot of interest with potential licensing partners. "We feel that this technology could, with further development, become very widely used, in both the human and potentially the veterinary market, not only for multi-cancer early detection but also the detection of Minimal Residual Disease. "We believe this represents a significant commercial opportunity with a Total Addressable Market on an annualized basis of approximately $23 billion2 for the human MCED use, and over $13 Billion2 for MRD. "We are in active discussions with several large liquid biopsy and diagnostic companies to accelerate the development and launch of this technology as soon as possible." The updated paper should be available on the preprint service Research Square in the coming days. LINK TO Research Square Data on File : Volition TAM Model About Volition Volition is a multi-national company focused on advancing the science of epigenetics. Volition is dedicated to saving lives and improving outcomes for people and animals with life-altering diseases through earlier detection, as well as disease and treatment monitoring. Through its subsidiaries, Volition is developing and commercializing simple, easy to use, cost-effective blood tests to help detect and monitor a range of diseases, including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis. Early detection and monitoring have the potential not only to prolong the life of patients, but also to improve their quality of life. Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and office in the U.S. and an office in London. The contents found at Volition's website address are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. Such website address is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only. Media Enquiries: Louise Batchelor, Volition, [email protected] +44 (0)7557 774620 Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this press release or associated video or link may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other topics, Volition's expectations related to revenue opportunities and growth, the effectiveness and availability of Volition's blood-based diagnostic, prognostic and disease monitoring tests, Volition's ability to develop and successfully commercialize such test platforms for early detection of cancer and other diseases as well as serving as a diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring tools for such diseases, Volition's expectations regarding future publications, Volition's success in securing licensing and/or distribution agreements with third parties for its products, and Volition's expectations regarding the terms of such agreements. Volition's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, results of studies testing the efficacy of its tests. For instance, if Volition fails to develop and commercialize diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products, it may be unable to execute its plan of operations. Other risks and uncertainties include Volition's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products; a failure by the marketplace to accept the products in Volition's development pipeline or any other diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products Volition might develop; Volition's failure to secure adequate intellectual property protection; Volition will face fierce competition and Volition's intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics and disease monitoring market and its rapid technological change; downturns in domestic and foreign economies; and other risks, including those identified in Volition's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that Volition files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Volition's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, Volition does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances. Nucleosomics, Capture-PCR, Capture-Seq and Nu.Q and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this press release or associated video or link are the property of their respective owners. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, all references to "$" refer to the legal currency of the United States of America. Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R11jftp4Vcw SOURCE VolitionRx Limited 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. 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. CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said on Wednesday discussed the efforts aiming at de-escalating tensions and restoring regional stability, according to an Egyptian Presidency statement. In a phone call, Sisi reviewed Egypt's regional and international endeavors to de-escalate tensions and end the war at the earliest possible time. He also voiced support for the Omani mediation efforts between the U.S. and Iranian sides. Condemning the Iranian attacks against Arab states, the Egyptian president stressed that Egypt and the Gulf states share a common destiny and unified national security, highlighting the importance of enhancing joint action to overcome the grave regional challenges and developments. The Omani Sultan expressed appreciation for Egypt's unwavering support for the stability and sovereignty of the Gulf states. The two leaders agreed to maintain consultations and coordination to strengthen regional de-escalation efforts. Also on Wednesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on the developments in Kuwait in light of the current regional tensions, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. During the call, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt's condemnation of the attacks from Iran, saying that they constitute a blatant violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and a clear breach of international law and the principles of good neighborliness. The diplomatic efforts came amid heightened tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East. About this content About Oliver Haill Oliver has been writing about companies and markets since the early 2000s, cutting his teeth as a financial journalist at Growth Company Investor with a focusing on AIM companies and small caps, before a few years later becoming a section editor and then head of research. He joined Proactive after a couple of years freelancing, where he worked for the Financial Times Group, ITV, Press Association, Reuters sports desk, the London Olympic News Service, Rugby World Cup News Service, Gracenote... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Kerry Stevenson Kerry Stevenson joins Proactive Australia's broadcast team part time. As the Managing Director of Gold Events Kerry has been hosting the annual Australian Gold Conference for over 14 years, connecting industry and investment professionals and showcasing the value of precious metals. Kerry is passionate about helping others to secure a safe and solid future by understanding money, finance, and strategy. That is why she created the Making Money Matter channel on YouTube, where... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO, OTC:CXOXF, FRA:7CX) has approved a Final Investment Decision (FID) to restart operations at its Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory, alongside securing a fully funded restart package exceeding $300 million. The FID marks a key milestone for the company, following completion of updated mine planning, engineering studies and operating strategies designed to reposition Finniss as a lower-cost, long-life lithium operation with reduced execution risk. It is underpinned by updated project economics, including a pre-tax NPV of $1.1 billion and forecast free cash flow of $1.7 billion, based on a long-term spodumene price of US$1,500/t. The restart is now fully funded through a diversified financing package combining strategic investment, debt and equity, providing the capital required to move immediately into execution. The funding package includes $170 million (US$120 million) in strategic funding from partners Glencore, InfraVia and Nebari, alongside an intended $120 million equity raising, existing cash reserves and proceeds from recent spodumene sales. Todays approval of the Final Investment Decision and the securing of a fully committed Funding Package is the culmination of 18 months of diligent planning and execution for Core. The restart plan delivers a de-risked, lower cost, long-life operation with robust economics supported by valued Strategic Partners who share our long-term vision for Finniss," Cores managing director Paul Brown said. "With all major approvals in place and a proven processing plant ready for restart, Core will now progress mobilisation activities. Nearterm ore feed will be sourced from the Grants Open Pit, providing a lowrisk and rapid pathway to recommencement of concentrate production. BP33 underground development will occur in parallel, supporting a transition to longlife, highmargin underground operations. "The company remains focused on safe, disciplined execution as it advances a staged restart program through 2026 and 2027 with first spodumene concentrate production targeted for the September quarter 2026. First ore from Grants is targeted within one month of contractor mobilisation, with BP33 first ore expected in midCY2027 and rampup to nameplate production of 1.2Mtpa in mid2028." Funding package underpins restart and near-term execution The funding structure comprises a US$70 million convertible note facility from Glencore and InfraVia, a US$50 million senior secured loan from Nebari, and a two-tranche equity raising totalling $120 million. Core said the mix of funding sources was designed to balance flexibility, cost of capital and shareholder dilution, while aligning the company with strategic partners across financing, marketing and project execution. Proceeds will be directed primarily toward restart capital of about $208 million, covering pre-production works at the Grants open pit, development of the BP33 underground mine and plant and site upgrades. A further $69 million has been allocated to working capital and restart activities, with $30 million earmarked for growth and exploration, including drilling at the Blackbeard prospect. The company has also entered into a marketing agreement with Glencore, which will support the sale and distribution of spodumene concentrate while maintaining offtake flexibility. Glencore is one of Australias largest producers and marketers of critical and strategic minerals. We are pleased to play an important role in this transaction which supports the restart of Finniss Lithium Operation in the Northern Territory and brings significant economic benefits to the entire region. We share the Governments view that this operation is vital to the regions critical minerals strategy and is a key asset for achieving the Northern Territory Governments ambition of a A$40 billion economy by 2030. This is another example of how Glencores unique marketing business can support Australian mining companies while we continue to expand as a leading supplier of critical minerals, Glencores head of lithium Robin Francois said. The integrated funding package provides immediate liquidity and enables mobilisation of contractors, site preparation, plant optimisation and underground development as part of the restart plan. Staged restart and pathway to production With FID approved and funding secured, Core will move into immediate early works, with open pit mining at Grants expected to provide near-term ore feed and a rapid restart pathway. Underground development at BP33 will run in parallel, supporting a transition to long-life, higher-margin operations and a staged ramp-up to nameplate production of 214ktpa. First spodumene concentrate production is targeted for the September quarter of 2026, with BP33 underground ore expected in mid-2027 and full ramp-up to 1.2Mtpa throughput by mid-2028. The restart plan outlines a 20-year mine life, with the operation centred on the Grants open pit and BP33 underground mine, and potential future contributions from the Carlton deposit. Core said the FID and funding package position the company to transition from planning into execution, with a de-risked development pathway, strengthened balance sheet and access to global marketing channels through its strategic partners. The bank's economists argue that what looks like a fragile jobs market is actually a sign that workers and employers have gotten much better at finding each other Central bankers have been nervous about the jobs market for the wrong reasons, according to a new note from Goldman Sachs economists Megan Peters and Joseph Briggs. The low-hiring, low-firing pattern that has characterised labour markets across the developed world since the pandemic is not a warning sign of impending weakness, they argue. It is, in large part, the product of a structural improvement in how jobs get filled. Labour market turnover has fallen to historically low levels across developed economies. Job-to-job switching rates in the US and UK have pulled back particularly sharply. Federal Reserve officials have described this as a fragile equilibrium, on the grounds that any softening in demand could translate quickly into rising unemployment. The Goldman economists take a more sanguine view. The real story is fewer bad hires Their central finding is that the decline in overall labour market churn is driven overwhelmingly by a fall in short-tenure separations: jobs that end within the first one or two quarters after hiring. In the US, declining short-term separations account for 84% of the drop in overall job separations since 2019. In Canada, they explain the entire decline. This pattern holds across industries and cannot be explained by shifts in workforce composition. The Goldman economists conclude that firms and workers have simply become better at identifying good matches before committing to them. On the worker side, platforms such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn and Indeed have made it easier to assess an employer before accepting a role. On the employer side, improved screening tools and the growing online presence of candidates have helped reduce costly hiring mistakes. A recent LinkedIn survey found 59% of recruiters are already seeing benefits from artificial intelligence screening tools, with 93% planning to increase their use over the coming year. So, why does this matter? The implications run deeper than the headline hiring figures suggest. Fewer bad matches mean less replacement hiring, which mechanically reduces the overall hiring rate. Goldman's modelling suggests this channel can explain most of the decline in US hiring rates since 2019. Crucially, less churn also means less frictional unemployment, the kind generated by workers moving between jobs rather than by a lack of work. The bank's model suggests that underlying slack in the US labour market has actually increased by more than the rise in the unemployment rate implies, because the unemployment rate itself has been held down by reduced churn rather than robust demand. The practical conclusion is cautiously reassuring: a labour market that hires less but also fires less, because matches are better from the start, is not inherently unstable. It may simply be more efficient. Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML, OTCQB:RLMLF, FRA:NC3) is preparing to launch a major follow-up drilling campaign at its Horse Heaven gold-antimony-tungsten-silver project in Idaho, with the new program designed to build on the success of its 2025 work at Golden Gate and move the target closer to a maiden resource. The company plans to begin a fully permitted Phase 2 diamond drilling program in early May 2026, comprising up to 45 holes for 13,700 metres at the Golden Gate fault zone. The campaign is a substantial step-up from the Phase 1 program completed in 2025, which totalled 3,780 metres across 14 holes. Horse Heaven Project location map, highlighting the location of the two current major antimony-gold-silver- tungsten targets, the Golden Gate Target (where the Phase 1 Core Drilling Program was conducted) and the Antimony Ridge Target. Also highlighted is the fully-permitted Stibnite Gold Project, which is only 12km due east of Horse Heaven. Note: Coordinates are UTM metres north and east metric system, not latitude/longitude. Following our impressive 2025 drill campaign, it is clear that Golden Gate hosts a large continuous gold mineralised system, with all holes intersecting mineralisation and remaining open at depth," RMLs CEO of US Operations, Craig Lindsay, said. The upcoming drill program is designed to define the size and shape of this system, and to advance Golden Gate toward a maiden JORC-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate. Importantly, mineralisation remains open in multiple directions, and we are only beginning to understand the full scale for the Golden Gate system. New program builds on 2025 campaign Importantly for Resolution, the new drill program follows a first-pass campaign in which every hole intersected gold mineralisation from surface and remained open at depth, giving the company confidence that Golden Gate may host a much larger mineralised system than initially outlined. Phase 1 returned a series of broad gold intercepts that now form the basis for the expanded 2026 campaign, including 253 metres at 1.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold in hole HH-GG25-003C, 197.5 metres at 1.26 g/t gold in HH-GG25-001C, 265.2 metres at 0.6 g/t gold in HH-GG25-002C and 240.8 metres at 0.64 g/t gold in HH-GG25-004C. At Golden Gate North, drilling also highlighted tungsten mineralisation, including 21 metres at 0.06% tungsten in hole HH-GG25-012R, pointing to the projects broader multi-commodity potential. North and south targets in focus The upcoming Phase 2 campaign will target both Golden Gate North and Golden Gate South, with about 60% of drilling currently planned for the southern area and 40% for the north. Two MP1500 core diamond rigs are set to be used, with no reverse circulation drilling planned. At Golden Gate North, Resolution will use a mix of infill and step-out drilling to test strike and depth extensions around earlier results, while also following up tungsten intersections and anomalous tungsten zones near the historic Golden Gate Tungsten Mine workings. Map showing combined Golden Gate North and South Phase 2 drill targets. At Golden Gate South, the company will focus on expanding what it describes as an emerging discovery after hole HH-GG25-013R returned 99.1 metres at 0.38 g/t gold from surface to end of hole, finishing in mineralisation. That result also confirmed near-surface oxidised gold mineralisation extending east of the 2025 drilling area. Next steps point to maiden resource pathway Resolution said the broader aim of the new program is to define the scale and geometry of mineralisation between Golden Gate North and South, test whether the two zones are connected or offset, and support progress toward a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate targeted for Q1 2027, subject to successful outcomes. Assays and geological interpretation from the 2026 field season are expected to guide ongoing step-out and follow-up drilling through mid-August. In parallel, the company is advancing a new plan of operations to expand the drilling footprint along the Golden Gate fault zone, a separate plan for Antimony Ridge, and metallurgical work aligned with project milestones. Activities will include: Diamond drilling program across Golden Gate North and South Step-out drilling to expand mineralisation along strike Deeper drilling to test extensions at depth Ongoing geological logging, sampling and assay results. In parallel, RML is progressing NO INVESTMENT ADVICE The content on this Site is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a personal recommendation, an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, or any other regulated activity. It should not be relied upon as the basis for any investment decision. Before making any investment decision, you should: Read the relevant prospectus, term sheet, subscription agreement, or other offering documentation in full Consider whether the investment is suitable for your individual circumstances, financial position, and objectives Seek independent advice from an appropriately qualified financial adviser Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You may not recover the amount you invest, and in some cases you may be required to pay more. In exchange for publishing services rendered by the Company on behalf of Futura Medical PLC named herein, including the promotion by the Company of Futura Medical PLC in any Content on the Site, the Company receives from said issuer annual cash compensation of typically up to $25,000. NO INVESTMENT ADVICE The content on this Site is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a personal recommendation, an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, or any other regulated activity. It should not be relied upon as the basis for any investment decision. Before making any investment decision, you should: Read the relevant prospectus, term sheet, subscription agreement, or other offering documentation in full Consider whether the investment is suitable for your individual circumstances, financial position, and objectives Seek independent advice from an appropriately qualified financial adviser Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You may not recover the amount you invest, and in some cases you may be required to pay more. In exchange for publishing services rendered by the Company on behalf of Ilika PLC named herein, including the promotion by the Company of Ilika PLC in any Content on the Site, the Company receives from said issuer annual cash compensation of typically up to $25,000. NO INVESTMENT ADVICE The content on this Site is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a personal recommendation, an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, or any other regulated activity. It should not be relied upon as the basis for any investment decision. Before making any investment decision, you should: Read the relevant prospectus, term sheet, subscription agreement, or other offering documentation in full Consider whether the investment is suitable for your individual circumstances, financial position, and objectives Seek independent advice from an appropriately qualified financial adviser Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You may not recover the amount you invest, and in some cases you may be required to pay more. In exchange for publishing services rendered by the Company on behalf of Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc named herein, including the promotion by the Company of Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc in any Content on the Site, the Company receives from said issuer annual cash compensation of typically up to $25,000. About this content About Steve Darling Steve Darling is an award winning broadcaster who has spent the past 20 years as one of the most recognizable faces in British Columbia, reporting and anchoring at BCTV and Global Television. He spent 15 years as the co-host of the number one morning new program in the province. Steve is a tireless worker for charity hosting some 50 events a year. He is an ambassador for the Canucks Autism Network and hosts numerous events with BC Childrens Hospital and the Child Development foundation 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. BISSAU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The transitional government of Guinea-Bissau and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday signed an agreement for the establishment of the bloc's Regional Animal Health Center in Bissau. The agreement sets out the legal and institutional framework for hosting the center in Guinea-Bissau, in a move to strengthen regional cooperation and food security. The signing ceremony was attended by Guinea-Bissau's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities Joao Bernardo Vieira and ECOWAS Resident Representative in Guinea-Bissau Ngozi Ukaeje. Vieira told reporters that the establishment of the regional animal health center in Bissau marked a strategic step for the country, reinforcing its role as host to a specialized ECOWAS agency. "By hosting this reference infrastructure, Guinea-Bissau asserts itself not only as a geographic point on the regional map, but also as a pillar in West Africa's health resilience architecture," Vieira said. According to the document, the initiative forms part of a shared vision to promote regional integration, health resilience and sustainable development among member states. The center will be tasked with coordinating strategies to prevent and combat transboundary animal diseases, which pose a persistent threat to the livelihoods of millions of livestock breeders and to the regional economy. Ukaeje said the selection of Guinea-Bissau reflected ECOWAS' confidence in the country and highlighted the significance of the agreement for harmonizing animal health policies across the region. "This center will be essential to ensuring food and health security by protecting livestock and, consequently, the communities that depend on them," she said. 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 Image Source: envato.com While fasting and communal prayers are the heart of Ramadan traditions across the world, the way the holy month is celebrated varies beautifully to reflect the culture of each place. Communities follow their own unique traditions and customs during this period, making the celebration deeply spiritual and diverse. Cultural history and community traditions shape Ramadan celebrations across countries. Some regions celebrate with colorful lanterns and decorations, while others have unique ways of waking people before dawn for the pre-fast meal. Local foods and simple Iftar sweets are also a central part of the experience, with each country having its own beloved dishes that people cherish. Exploring how different countries celebrate Ramadan in 2026 reflects how rich and unique these traditions are. While the core practices of the festival remain the same, diverse cultural expressions add warmth and a sense of heritage, making each celebration truly special. 1. Saudi Arabia Lantern Processions: Fanoos Riyadh Image Source: envato.com What it is: Across Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Ramadan evenings are illuminated by the gentle glow of decorative lanterns. Families step out of their homes after sunset, carrying beautifully crafted lanterns in evening processions to honor traditional cultural practices that celebrate the joy and togetherness of Ramadan. Why its special: As the sun sets and the streets quiet down, the soft glow of these lights creates a magical scene in neighborhoods. For many families, these moments turn into cherished Ramadan memories filled with happiness and community spirit. The lanterns are also a symbol of joy and hope, reminding people that Ramadan nights are meant to be shared in harmony. In many areas, the festivities extend beyond lantern walks, with homes and small shops decorated with lanterns and lights that bring warmth and a gentle glow to the evenings. As the glowing lanterns illuminate streets and homes, they reflect the welcoming and joyful spirit that Ramadan brings to communities across the region. 2. United Arab Emirates Charity Tents: Iftar Majlis Image Source: envato.com What it is: Large public iftar tents are set up in major cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where people gather to break their fast together. Long tables are arranged with dates, water, and freshly prepared meals, creating a warm and welcoming space for everyone to sit together and share the sacred moment. Why its special: What makes this unique tradition meaningful is its inclusiveness, as residents, workers, travelers, and even those without a company can gather under the same tent. In a diverse place like the United Arab Emirates, these Iftar traditions serve as a powerful symbol of unity, bringing people of different cultures together to share a simple meal. Most of these tents are organized by charities, local businesses, mosques, and community groups that come together to serve thousands of meals each evening. Volunteers often work tirelessly to prepare and distribute food, ensuring that everyone who arrives feels welcomed and cared for. Beyond the food, the atmosphere inside the tents reflects the true spirit of Ramadan, where strangers sit side by side, sharing conversations and gratitude as they break their fast. This tradition also serves as a reminder that Ramadan is about caring for others and sharing blessings with the wider community. 3. Egypt Ramadan Cannon: Midfa al-Iftar Image Source: envato.com What it is: One of the most prominent Ramadan traditions in Egypt is the firing of the Ramadan cannon at sunset to signal the end of the days fast. In cities such as Cairo, this sound of the cannon is a cherished part of the evening during the sacred month. As sunset approaches, many people pause and wait to hear the powerful boom before breaking their fast. Why its special: This tradition has been passed down through generations, dating back to a time when accurate clocks and broadcasts were not available. During that time, the cannons sound served as a reliable signal for people across the city, indicating when the fast could end. Even today, this tradition continues to hold a special place in Egyptian culture, with crowds gathering near the firing site to witness the moment, bringing a sense of excitement and nostalgia to Ramadan evenings. 4. Morocco Chebakia Sweets Preparation Image Source: envato.com What it is: In Morocco, Ramadan kitchens come alive with the preparation of a cherished traditional sweet called Chebakia, known for its beautiful flower-like shape and rich flavor. It is one of the most recognized and enjoyed treats during the holy month and is deeply satisfying after a long day of fasting. Why its special: Preparing Chebakia often becomes a family activity, as relatives gather in the kitchen to roll the dough and twist it into intricate patterns. Although the preparation requires patience and time, the shared laughter and teamwork make it a beloved Ramadan tradition. Beyond the dining table, Chebakia also plays an important role in expressing hospitality and kindness, as it is often shared with neighbors, friends, and guests. Through these simple acts, families strengthen their bonds and celebrate the joy of giving during this sacred period. 5. Indonesia Takbiran Chanting and Market Bazaars Image Source: envato.com What it is: In Indonesia, the final night of Ramadan is marked by a joyful tradition called Takbiran, during which communities fill the streets chanting Allahu Akbar to celebrate the approaching festival of Eid ul-Fitr. These chants are often accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums and the warm glow of lanterns as processions move through neighborhoods. Why its special: Throughout the month of Ramadan in Indonesia, evenings in many towns are filled with bustling Ramadan bazaars, where families come to shop for iftar meals and spend time together. The air is often filled with the aroma of traditional dishes such as kolak and refreshing drinks like es cendol. Beyond the food stalls, these bazaars also feature street performances and cheerful crowds moving from stall to stall, enjoying the lively atmosphere and sharing precious moments with family and friends. The Takbiran celebrations and Ramadan bazaars together create a unique character for the holy month in Indonesia. 6. Turkey Drummers Waking the City: Ramazan Davulcusu Image Source: envato.com What it is: In many cities across Turkey during Ramadan, traditional drummers walk through the streets before dawn to wake residents in time for Suhoor, the pre-fast meal. Why its special: Known as Ramadan drummers, these individuals move through neighborhoods, playing distinctive rhythms that echo across the streets and remind families to wake up and prepare the pre-fast meal. To make this tradition even more special, many drummers don traditional Ottoman-style clothing, lending their performance a rich sense of history and cultural pride. In many communities, residents express their appreciation by offering drummers small donations or gifts at the end of Ramadan. This token of gratitude helps keep the tradition alive and strengthens the bond between neighbors. Even in the modern era, the Ramadan drummer tradition continues to hold a special place in peoples hearts as a reminder of Turkeys cultural heritage and strong sense of community. 7. Pakistan Ramadan Night Markets: Ramzan Bazaars Image Source: IANS/ Wasim Sarvar Ramadan Night Markets What it is: Pakistans Ramadan nights become festive and lively with special markets opening across major cities such as Lahore and Karachi. After iftar, many families head out to these bustling bazaars to enjoy the vibrant energy. Why its special: These markets are filled with colorful stalls offering a wide variety of local foods, sweets, and festive items. One of the reasons these markets are so popular is their late-night schedule, as the bazaars remain open for extended hours, making them perfect for social gatherings and shopping trips. In addition to food and drinks, many stalls sell clothing, accessories, and gifts for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebration. With their lively crowds and festive atmosphere, these Ramadan markets have become one of the most anticipated traditions of the sacred month in Pakistan, bringing communities together to celebrate and share the spirit of the festival. 8. Malaysia Balik Kampung Iftar Trips Image Source: envato.com What it is: Ramadan in Malaysia is not only a time for spiritual reflection but also a meaningful opportunity for families to reconnect. One of the most treasured traditions during this month is returning to their hometowns, known as 'kampungs,' to share iftar with loved ones. As Ramadan approaches, most Malaysians travel to their hometowns to spend time with their parents, grandparents, and relatives. Why its special: Once home, families gather around tables filled with homemade dishes and recipes passed down for generations. As each region has its own local specialties, the gatherings also celebrate the rich culinary diversity across Malaysia. Beyond the food, these reunions are about reconnecting by catching up with relatives, helping prepare meals, and spending quiet moments together after prayers. This tradition of returning to the kampung reflects the deep value Malaysians place on family bonds, making Ramadan a heartfelt celebration of togetherness. 9. Iran Moon Gazing and Traditional Desserts Image Source: envato.com What it is: Irans Ramadan customs beautifully blend spirituality, culture, and community. In some regions, people gather to observe the sacred crescent moon, an important moment in the Islamic lunar calendar. Families and neighbors step outside in the evening, watching the sky in anticipation. This shared act of moon-watching carries deep cultural and religious significance, connecting people with the age-old traditions that have guided the timing of Ramadan. Why its special: Iranian households also prepare traditional desserts such as sholezard, a fragrant rice pudding that has become a signature treat during Ramadan. It is commonly served at family gatherings and community events as a gesture of kindness. Traditions such as moon observation and the sharing of sholezad highlight how Ramadan in Iran is meaningful and communal, bringing people together while honoring faith and celebrating joy. Ramadan is observed by Muslims around the world with a shared spirit of faith and devotion. Yet, each country celebrates this period with its own charm, reflecting local culture and history. These unique customs give the holy month a special character in every location while honoring the shared values of Muslims worldwide. All these traditions reflect the creativity and cultural richness of each region, while also strengthening social and personal bonds. Together, they show how faith can be expressed in many beautiful ways, making Ramadan a true global celebration of culture and community.Ramadan Mubarak!! Washington, March 18 : President Donald Trump celebrated deep-rooted US-Ireland ties at the White House, hosting Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin for the annual Shamrock ceremony during which the two leaders highlighted shared history, heritage, and partnership. "It's really wonderful being with you," Trump said in a packed East Room of the White House, calling the gathering "an incredible feat of friendship between Ireland and the wonderful place that we call the United States." The Saint Patrick's Day event brought together senior US officials, lawmakers, and Irish representatives, underlining the enduring cultural and political bonds between the two nations. Trump emphasised the strength of the Irish-American community. "It's often said that we have five times as many Irish in our beautiful country than you have on your wonderful island," he said, adding, "They love you." He described Irish-Americans as a driving force in the country's success. "Nobody has had, I would say as a group, more success than people from Ireland," he said. In his remarks, Trump reflected on the historical contributions of Irish immigrants to the United States, noting their role in shaping the nation's identity and institutions. "From the very beginning, America has thrived and prospered and prevailed with the help of incredible people," he said. Trump said Irish-Americans had contributed across sectors, from innovation to public life, and described them as "fighters and thinkers and doers and winners." Martin, in his remarks, stressed that the relationship between the two countries runs deep. The ceremony, he said, symbolises "a friendship between our peoples which is older than our republics." He pointed to Ireland's role in the early years of the United States. "Over a quarter of Washington's continental army were Irish," Martin said, adding that Irish figures were among those who helped shape the new republic. Martin highlighted how Irish individuals contributed to key American institutions. He noted that Irish-born figures were involved in designing national symbols and even in shaping the language of the United States itself. "Even the very term United States of America was first used in writing by an Irishman," he said. He also underlined the scale of Irish influence in the US today, noting that millions of Americans trace their ancestry to Ireland. "Irish people were there when they were authored, and they remain a great source of pride and inspiration to the 35 million Americans of Irish descent," he said. The Taoiseach described the bilateral relationship as enduring and foundational. "We are in each other's DNA," he said, calling it "deep and enduring" and saying it "will always be special." Martin also emphasised the importance of continued cooperation between the two nations. "Let Ireland and the United States continue to work together to build a better world, one that is free, secure and at peace," he said. The Shamrock ceremony, a long-standing tradition, symbolises the close diplomatic and cultural ties between the United States and Ireland. It is held annually around Saint Patrick's Day, with the Irish leader presenting a bowl of shamrock to the US president. The United States and Ireland share strong political, economic, and cultural links, reinforced by a large Irish-American population and decades of cooperation across trade, investment, and global affairs. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, March 18 : Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Donald Trump's decision to strike Iran, after National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Director Joe Kent resigned in protest, marking the first high-level exit from the administration over the war. Donald Trump "was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief," Gabbard said. "As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people, and our country." Gabbard, the highest-ranking Hindu American in any presidential administration, stressed that the decision was based on intelligence assessments. "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions." "After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion." The remarks came after Kent announced his resignation. "After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today," he said. Kent directly challenged the basis of the war. "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." The White House also rejected Kent's claims. "There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,'" Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over." She said President Trump had "strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first" and that the decision was based on intelligence compiled "from many sources and factors". Trump himself criticised Kent following the resignation. "It's a good thing that he's out because he said Iran was not a threat. Every country recognised Iran was a threat," he told reporters. "I always thought he was a nice guy. But I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," Trump said, adding, "When I read a statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat." The resignation triggered sharp reactions on Capitol Hill. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell accused Kent of anti-Semitism. "Joe Kent testified before the Senate one year ago that Iran and its terror proxies threatened US servicemembers in the Middle East," he said. "The virulent anti-Semitism of his resignation letter makes it clear that Mr. Kent is incapable of upholding these pledges, and those who mistake its baseless and incendiary conspiracies for brave truth-telling are only fooling themselves." "Isolationists and anti-Semites have no place in either party, and certainly do not deserve places of trust in our government," he added. Representative Jared Moskowitz also criticised Kent's record. "This is a guy who went on Nazi Sympathizer podcast," he said, adding that Kent had "espoused pro-Kremlin talking points". "You know, he said Anthony Fauci should be charged with murder. He's not exactly the messenger here that I think we should be putting up, even if you agree with some of his points in the letter." "So I'm glad he's gone. You know he should never have gotten that position, quite frankly," Moskowitz said. Kent, however, stood by his position, warning against repeating past mistakes. He said he could not support sending "the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives". His exit underscores growing divisions in Washington over the intelligence and justification behind the Iran conflict. Washington, March 18 : US forces have carried out fresh strikes on Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz, targeting what military officials described as a direct threat to international shipping, as Operation Epic Fury intensifies. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes involved "multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions" against "hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz." It added that "the Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait." The latest action marks a significant escalation in the maritime dimension of the ongoing operation, with the strategic waterway emerging as a focal point of US military activity. CENTCOM said, "US Navy aviators have flown hundreds of combat flights during Operation Epic Fury, demonstrating America's unmatched ability to generate air dominance from the sea." According to an official fact sheet released a day earlier, since the campaign began on February 28, "at the direction of the President," tasked to "dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat," more than 7,000 targets have been struck so far. Over 100 Iranian vessels have been "damaged or destroyed," and US forces have conducted more than 6,500 combat flights. The targets include a wide spectrum of military infrastructure. These range from "ballistic missile sites" and "anti-ship missile sites" to "IRGC headquarters buildings," "integrated air defence systems," and "military communication capabilities." The operation has drawn on extensive US military assets across air, land, and sea. Prominent among them include B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers, advanced fighter jets such as F-22 and F-35, surveillance aircraft, and attack drones. Naval deployments feature nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, submarines, and guided-missile destroyers. On land, systems such as Patriot and THAAD missile defences, rocket artillery, and counter-drone capabilities have been employed, highlighting the multi-domain nature of the campaign. The focus on anti-ship missile sites reflects growing concern over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global energy supplies. Any disruption in this corridor could have far-reaching implications for international trade and oil markets. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, March 18 : The US House of Representatives faced a surge in cyber threats in 2025, with officials saying its websites were hit by 3 billion malicious attacks and staff received 178 million potentially harmful emails. The scale of the threat was outlined during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget request for the legislative branch, where senior House officers pressed for increased funding to strengthen cybersecurity and modernise internal systems. Acting Chief Administrative Officer Anne Dressendorfer Binsted said the volume of attacks underscored the urgency of investment in cyber defence. "That's almost 30,000 intrusion attempts during this brief statement alone," she told lawmakers. She warned that Congress remains a high-value target. "Congress is a target in every sense. It's certainly a top target for the most sophisticated state-backed cyber adversaries," Binsted said. The Chief Administrative Officer's office has requested $253 million for fiscal 2027, an increase of 8.5 per cent over the previous year. Binsted said 80 per cent of the increase would go towards sustaining operations, including personnel, hardware, software and licences, while 20 per cent would fund new high-priority projects. Among the key initiatives is the expansion of multi-factor authentication across devices used by members and staff. The House currently operates about 55,000 desktops, laptops and mobile devices, many of them used outside Washington, creating what Binsted described as "an endpoint vulnerability". She said the House was already installing multi-factor authentication on mobile devices and would extend it to all computers. Once deployed, users would rely on more secure systems such as facial recognition, touch ID and push notifications. Another proposal involves building a secure cloud environment where customised artificial intelligence tools can be tested using House data without exposing it to external risks. Binsted said the House needed tailored solutions rather than relying solely on "off the shelf products". She also flagged "shadow IT" the use of unauthorised applications by staff as a major vulnerability. "That's one of the greatest risks in my opinion," she said, adding that better awareness and compliance were essential to reduce exposure. House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland said cybersecurity now sits at the top of his office's priorities as well. "Cybersecurity is definitely at the top of the list," he told the panel, while calling for broader participation by members in existing security programmes. His office is seeking $147.28 million for fiscal 2027, a 4.75 per cent increase, to support initiatives including the Member Personal Security Program, mobile duress applications and expanded cybersecurity protections for lawmakers and their families. Meanwhile, House Clerk Kevin McCumber highlighted ongoing efforts to modernise legislative operations and improve efficiency. His office has requested $51.79 million, a 5.71 per cent increase over the current budget. McCumber pointed to the rollout of an AI-based speech-to-text system for floor proceedings, which he said demonstrated "high accuracy while saving approximately $500,000 per year", including improvements such as closed captioning and Spanish language support. New Delhi, March 18 : The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a plea on Wednesday filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), alleging interference by West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee during its search operations at the office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain in Kolkata. As per the cause list published on the apex court's website, the matter is listed for hearing on March 18 before a Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N. V. Anjaria. During the previous hearing, the ED told the apex court that it had been "terrorised" in West Bengal. Appearing for the federal anti-money laundering agency, Additional Solicitor General S. V. Raju strongly refuted allegations that the ED had "weaponised" its powers. "It (ED) has not been weaponised, it has been terrorised," ASG Raju had submitted, responding to arguments raised by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra. Posting the matter for further hearing on March 18, the Justice Mishra-led Bench had granted time to complete pleadings in the case. The ED has approached the top court seeking directions to register FIRs against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state Director General of Police (DGP), and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, alleging obstruction of lawful duties during the federal agency's simultaneous search operations. In her counter-affidavit, Chief Minister Banerjee has denied all allegations of interference and obstruction, asserting that her limited presence on the premises was solely to retrieve confidential and proprietary data belonging to her Trinamool Congress (AITC). According to the affidavit, CM Banerjee visited Pratik Jain's residence at Loudon Street and I-PAC's office in Bidhannagar on January 8, 2026, after receiving information that sensitive political data of the Trinamool was being accessed during the searches. She maintained that the data was "vitally linked to the AITC's strategy for the upcoming Legislative Assembly election". The affidavit stated that when she reached the premises, she "politely requested the officials of the Enforcement Directorate to be allowed to retrieve the Party's data and the devices they were stored in and files containing prints of the same". It further claimed that "the officers of the Enforcement Directorate present thereat did not object to this request and permitted her to retrieve some of these devices and physical files". "After she had done so, the Answering Respondent (CM Banerjee) left the premises so as not to inconvenience the officials of the Enforcement Directorate in any way," the counter affidavit said, adding that the ED's own panchnamas record that the searches continued thereafter and were conducted "peacefully and in an orderly manner". CM Banerjee has also argued that neither the Trinamool nor its officials are accused in the alleged coal scam, and therefore, the ED cannot claim any right to the party's proprietary data. The counter affidavit has further accused the ED of acting with mala fide intent, alleging that the searches were carried out in the run-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and after a prolonged period of inaction. It has questioned the timing of the operations, claiming they coincided with I-PAC possessing "critical documents", including a proposed list of candidates for the upcoming polls. Alleging violations of statutory safeguards under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the affidavit also states that the ED failed to produce any audio or video recordings of the searches. This, it claimed, raises a "strong presumption" that the searches were clandestine and aimed at accessing confidential political data. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Thiruvananthapuram, March 18 : Dissent has now spread to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Kerala unit following the announcement of its first list of candidates for the Assembly elections, mirroring similar unrest within both the Indian National Congress and in the CPI(M). Thiruvananthapuram, March 18 (IANS) Dissent has now spread to the Bharatiya Janata Partyas (BJP's) Kerala unit following the announcement of its first list of candidates for the Assembly elections, mirroring similar unrest within both the Indian National Congress and in the CPI(M). With Kerala set to go to the polls on April 9, all three fronts appear to be grappling with internal strains even before the campaign gathers full momentum. For the BJP, the turbulence is particularly significant. The party currently has no representation in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly, having lost its lone seat Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram district after its historic 2016 victory. Against this backdrop, the latest discord threatens to further complicate its attempts to regain a foothold. The exclusion of senior leaders such as Kummanam Rajasekharan and P.S. Sreedharan Pillai (both former Governors and also state party president) has triggered sharp reactions within the party. Grassroots workers have openly protested at what they see as the sidelining of veterans who have long served the organisation. The discontent is not confined to leadership circles alone, but has spilled onto the streets in several districts. A major flashpoint has been the decision to shift district president Sandeep Vachaspati from Chengannur to Haripad. Local cadres argue that moving a candidate perceived to have strong winning prospects has weakened the partyas chances in Chengannur. Similarly, the decision to drop Reji Lukose in Kaduthuruthy after allotting the seat to BDJS has angered sections of the Knanaya community, raising concerns about alienating Christian support. Adding to the unease are murmurs within RSS circles over not considering key leaders for constituencies such as Aranmula and Ranni. Questions also persist over whether Sreedharan Pillai will find a place in subsequent lists. Criticism is also mounting against the leadership style under Rajeev Chandrasekhar, with some alleging that strategic decisions are being made without adequate regard for Keralaas political realities. The state leadership has sought to downplay the crisis, asserting that differences will soon be resolved and the full list of candidates finalised. However, with the second list expected shortly, the stakes are high. Failure to accommodate senior leaders could deepen factional divides, posing a serious challenge to the BJPas electoral prospects in the state. New Delhi, March 18 : Around 65-68 per cent of the projected office supply in India during 2026-27 is expected to come up within integrated technology parks, a report showed on Wednesday. New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Around 6568 per cent of the projected office supply in India during 202627 is expected to come up within integrated technology parks, a report showed on Wednesday. A report by CBRE said this suggested a rise from 5458 per cent in 202425. India's total office stock is also projected to cross the 1 billion sq ft mark this year. The report also noted that 2025 was the strongest year for the office market in terms of both leasing and supply. "Annual gross absorption rose to a record 83.1 million sq ft for the third consecutive year, while new supply touched an all-time high of 58.9 million sq ft, up 10 per cent year-on-year," according to the CBRE report. City-wise, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad together accounted for nearly three-fourths of the total leasing activity during the year. Moreover, these cities contributed 69 per cent of global capability centres (GCCs) leasing. In 2025, GCCs accounted for around 39 per cent of total office absorption, leasing about 32.8 million sq ft across major cities, according to the report. The report said GCCs are expected to expand further in 2026, with a greater focus on high-complexity R&D roles and global product ownership. R&D-focused GCCs have grown 1.3 times faster than overall GCC setups in India since 2020. Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO at CBRE, said the increasing share of supply within integrated tech parks reflects alignment between developer strategies and evolving occupier needs. He said GCCs are expanding into areas such as research and development and product ownership, making high-quality real estate a key factor in attracting and retaining talent. "Preference for integrated tech parks remains strong among GCCs. Around 65 per cent of such occupiers expect to expand their portfolios by at least 10 per cent by 2027," according to the report. Kabul, March 18 : The European Union (EU) has condemned a Pakistani airstrike on a medical facility in Kabul, describing it as a deadly escalation in the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The EU urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible measures to protect civilians, warning that attacks on civilian and medical facilities violate international humanitarian law. The statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. "Civilian and medical facilities must never be targeted, as they are protected under International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions. All parties engaged in military operations have the obligation to respect these provisions under all circumstances," the EU said. The EU joined the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, on Tuesday claimed that the attack carried out by Pakistani forces at Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital killed more than 408 patients undergoing drug rehabilitation and injured over 265. Addressing ambassadors, heads of missions, and representatives of international organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said the strikes occurred around 9 p.m. on March 16 and were conducted by "military aircraft and drones of the Pakistani military regime," deliberately targeting one of the most vulnerable groups in Afghan society. He added that the victims were drug-addicted individuals receiving treatment through Afghan government programmes supported by international humanitarian organisations, and warned that the numbers could rise further. Muttaqi accused Pakistan's military of showing no regard for Islamic or humanitarian principles of warfare, deliberately striking civilian and humanitarian facilities, and highlighted that the assault came during the final days of Ramadan and on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. He said Afghan security forces had responded with proportionate and defensive measures, targeting only military sites from which attacks were launched, and reiterated that such actions would continue until Pakistan ceased its "violations and crimes." BANGKOK, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Constitutional Court issued an official announcement on Wednesday stating it has accepted a petition filed by the Thai Ombudsman seeking to declare the House of Representatives election invalid. The Election Commission has been ordered to submit its explanation within 15 days. The ombudsman asked the Constitutional Court to rule against the Election Commission, its secretary-general, and officials, who are accused of designing and printing ballot papers with barcodes and QR codes for the House of Representatives election held on Feb. 8, according to the announcement. The petition argues that such ballot papers could allow voter identities and voting choices to be traced and verified, violating the secrecy of the ballot. The Constitutional Court voted 6 to 3 to accept the petition. Under legal requirements, all relevant parties must submit their defenses and supporting evidence within 15 days. Thailand's House of Representatives had been scheduled to convene on Thursday for a vote to select the prime minister. Under Thailand's constitution, the process of forming the government on Thursday will be carried out by the House of Representatives alone. The results of the Feb. 8 general election have already been confirmed, with the Bhumjaithai Party led by incumbent caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul winning the largest number of seats in the House. March 18 : Lucknow/Mirzapur: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the construction work of Maa Vindhyavasini University on Tuesday. He planted a Maulshree sapling in the campus and also inspected the academic and administrative blocks of the university. Chief Minister directed that the construction of the university be completed by May 31, and also instructed to ensure the construction of internal roads and provision of drinking water within the campus. He directed officials of the construction agency to strictly adhere to quality and timelines under all circumstances. CM Yogi asked the university administration to introduce courses that not only focus on skill development but also connect youth with employment opportunities. This will benefit the youth of Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and nearby regions. The university administration has sent a requisition for the appointment of Group C employees. Chief Minister directed that action be taken on this at the government level. Chief Minister inspected the academic and administrative blocks of the university. After reviewing the construction work, he directed the agency to pay special attention to timeliness and quality. He said that a university is a temple of education. The government has fulfilled a long-pending demand by establishing a university in the name of Maa Vindhyavasini for the youth of Mirzapur. Any negligence in its construction will not be tolerated. CM Yogi Adityanath planted a Maulshree sapling in the university premises and instructed the administration to coordinate with the Forest Department during the upcoming monsoon season to procure a large number of saplings. He asked them to conduct a large-scale plantation drive in and around the campus with the participation of teachers, students, and staff. He also emphasized increasing greenery. On Chief Ministers arrival, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Shobha Gaur welcomed him by presenting a bouquet and a memento. On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Ashish Patel, MLA Ramashankar Patel (Madihaan), Principal Secretary (Higher Education) Mahendra Agrawal, Commissioner Rajesh Prakash, District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, Finance Officer Girish Kumar, Registrar Ram Narayan, Controller of Examinations Mahendra Kumar, Deputy Registrar Sunil Kumar Saroj, and others were present. Bhopal, March 18 : Additional Director General of Police, Raja Babu Singh, who heads the training wing of the Madhya Pradesh Police, has written a detailed complaint to the Bhopal Police Commissioner highlighting an early morning intrusion and threat outside his official residence. The letter dated March 17 describes how two unknown four-wheelers stopped near his house in sectors 1 and 2 of Boudharm Fountain Pride in the Trilanga area of Bhopal between 6.02 a.m. and 6.08 a.m. Some individuals inside the vehicles began shouting abusive slogans loudly, and one youth descended with a stick in his hand, waving it threateningly while yelling near the premises. The security guard, who had just come on duty at 6.04 a.m., managed to scare them off. Despite the presence of private security at the colony, no vehicle registration was recorded, and no attempt was made to halt the intruders. Immediately after the incident, the officer reported it to the Shahpura police station. Sub Inspector Munshiram Thakur arrived at the location for on-the-spot verification and reviewed closed-circuit television footage from the area, along with the footage provided on a pen drive and the formal complaint, police sources said. The ADG has expressed serious concerns linking this event to recent changes implemented in the police training programs under his leadership. Since assuming the role, he has initiated several innovations in the training academies, including the integration of Sanatan Dharma's eternal human values. He has specifically introduced the recitation of Ramcharitmanas during training sessions along with other religious practices. The officer believes that these steps have antagonised certain antisocial elements, leading to a possible conspiracy against him, putting his personal safety at grave risk. In the communication, he has pleaded for a comprehensive probe to expose the entire plot at the earliest. The "trespassers" should be identified, arrested, and "prosecuted" as per law, he said. Furthermore, he has demanded security arrangements for himself and the posting of armed guards at his home at least during the night hours. Raja Babu Singh, a seasoned IPS officer born in Pachnehi village of Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, belongs to the 1994 batch of the Madhya Pradesh cadre. He joined the Indian Police Service in 1994. Having served on deputation with the Border Security Force, he returned recently to Madhya Pradesh to take up the pivotal position of Additional Director General Training. Chennai, March 18 : Actor, director and producer Dhanush has now disclosed that he has watched actor and music director G V Prakash Kumar's upcoming film 'Happy Raj' and has called it a super funny film. Taking to his X timeline, Dhanush wrote, "#HappyRaj #HappyRajTrailer I have seen the film and itas a super funny and surprisingly touching one from @gvprakash and team. Wishing the best of luck." For the unaware, the film, which is a light hearted romantic entertainer, has been directed by Maria Elanchezian. It will feature actors G V Prakash Kumar and Sri Gouri Priya in the lead. The film is slated to hit screens worldwide on March 27 this year. The shooting of the film, which has triggered expectations among fans, was wrapped up in January this year. Sources close to the unit of the film had said that the team had marked the wrapping up of shooting with a light-hearted photo session. Pointing out that the shoot was completed smoothly across planned schedules, a source close to the unit disclosed that the director had expressed gratitude to the entire cast and crew for their dedication, discipline, and collaborative spirit throughout the journey. The team shared that the filming experience was filled with positive energy, mirroring the soul of the story itself. The film, which has been produced by Jayavardhan for Beyond Pictures, is a wholesome, feel-good entertainer that sources claim will resonate with audiences of all age groups. Sources in the unit say the film has taken shape exactly as conceived and that it is rooted in optimism, light-hearted emotions, and relatable moments that will look to celebrate happiness in everyday life. G V Prakash Kumar essays the titular role of Happy Raj in the film and those in the know say that his presence has brought charm, freshness, and a breezy screen presence to the character. Sri Gouri Priya plays the female lead, adding warmth and emotional depth to the narrative. A major highlight of the film is the return of well known Tamil actor Abbas who returns to films after a long sabbatical. Already, news of his return through this film has generated significant buzz about the project among audiences. Apart from G V Prakash and Sri Gouri Priya, the film will also feature a host of actors including George Mariyam, Prarthna, Adhirchi Arun, Madurai Muthu, and Sofa Boy Rasool in pivotal roles. Written and directed by Maria Elanchezian, the film has been co-produced by Jaikanth Suresh. The technical crew features Madhan Christopher as cinematographer, Justin Prabhakaran as music composer, RK Selva as editor, Kumar Gangappa as art director, and Praveen Raja handling costume design. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mumbai, March 18 : Filmmaker Karan Johar admitted that he is constantly worried about his mother, Hiroo Johar's health. Wishing his mother on her 83rd birthday, the 'Dharma' head treated the fans with a rare picture from his childhood in which little Karan was seen smiling in his mother's arms. He even had a birthday cap on his head, suggesting it might have been his birthday. In his latest social media post, KJo was seen struggling to describe the profound place his mother holds in his life through words. "It's tough to articulate the most important relationship of your life words don't have the power to describe a mother's place in a childs life unconditional is also a tiny word for a force as large as a mother (sic)," he wrote on Insta. The 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' maker revealed that he often wakes up worried for her mother's health as he is unable to imagine his life without her. "My mom turns 83 today and the only reason I share this feeling is because I know it will deeply resonate with many others out thereI wake up anxious or am constantly in worry for her health and can't imagine a life without her", added the filmmaker. Karan revealed that even though her mom suffers from several health issues, she continues to live her life to the fullest. He also shared that although her memory has started to fail, she continues to remember the one most important thing in life, 'Love'. "She has combatted numerous health combinations and yet she insists on blow drying her hair everyday and wearing her lipstick everyday and is wheeled out in her flowy kaftan so she can enjoy the sun and doom scroll ( Gen Z you got nothing on my mom) Her spirit is my strengtheven her memory or her thoughts fails her she remembers one very strong aspect always . LOVE! My twins and I are blessed.:: we count our blessings everyday that we get to kiss her and say "love you mama". Happy Birthday MOM", concluded KJo. --IANS pm/ -- Syndicated from IANS March 18 : Lucknow: With the objective of improving air quality in Uttar Pradesh, a significant agreement has been signed in New Delhi between the World Bank, the Government of India, and the State Government. Under this agreement, the Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Program will receive financial assistance of USD 299.66 million. The primary objective of the program is to promote integrated solutions for improving air quality and cleanliness across key sectors such as transport, agriculture, and industry, benefiting not only Uttar Pradesh but also neighboring states. The MoU has been signed in line with the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It was signed on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh Government by B. Chandrakala, CEO of the Clean Air Management Authority and Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department; on behalf of the Government of India by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs; and on behalf of the World Bank by Paul Procee, Acting Country Director for India. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Uttar Pradesh is moving steadily toward becoming a USD 1 trillion economy. Economic growth, productivity, and environmental balance complement each other. Through this program, prosperity will be measured not only by GDP but also by clean skies, healthy citizens, and a sustainable environment." Paul Procee, Acting Country Director of the World Bank in India, said, "The program will help leverage approximately USD 150 million in private capital in the transport and MSME sectors. It will also support investments in electric buses and three-wheelers, emission monitoring systems in industries, and the adoption of clean technologies to enhance productivity." The program will provide clean cooking solutions to 3.9 million households in the state and support more than 700 brick kilns in adopting resource-efficient technologies. It will also encourage the efficient use of fertilizers to enhance farmers productivity. This program is part of the World Banks Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills Regional Air Quality Management initiative, which has a maturity period of 10 years. This joint initiative of the World Bank and the Uttar Pradesh Government will not only help the state tackle air pollution but also strengthen its path toward environmentally sustainable development. March 18 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while distributing financial assistance of 1 lakh each to 555 pilgrims who returned from the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra at a programme held at Lok Bhavan on Tuesday, gave a clear message of coordination between faith, culture and development. He said, "The faith of crores of devotees witnessed in events like the Prayagraj Mahakumbh not only reflects Indias cultural strength but also gives new momentum to the states economy. With this vision, the government is strengthening the resolve of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat by making pilgrimages more convenient, safe and accessible". While welcoming the pilgrims who returned from the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the Chief Minister also informed, completing this journey amidst difficulties, challenges and adverse natural conditions is an extraordinary spiritual experience. In the Indian Sanatan tradition, pilgrimage is not just a religious ritual but has been a powerful medium to connect society and unite the nation. He added, in earlier time, people used the resources earned through their own efforts for travel and service, which provided them not only spiritual merit but also a new perspective to understand society. The establishment of religious sites across India is also rooted in this spirit. The establishment of four Peeths in all directions by Adi Shankaracharya is a testament to this cultural unity, when despite different systems of governance, India existed as a cultural nation. Even today, this tradition continues, and it is necessary to maintain the sanctity and dignity of religious journeys by keeping faith at the forefront so that future generations continue to be inspired by these values. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Giving priority to the convenience of pilgrims, the Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan was constructed in Ghaziabad in the year 2017-18, which serves as the first stop of the journey and where necessary formalities of the Ministry of External Affairs are completed. With changing times, the nature of pilgrimages has also evolved. The number of pilgrims has increased rapidly. In the year 2025, about 164 crore devotees visited the state, out of which 66 crore came to the Prayagraj Mahakumbh alone. The increasing number of devotees at major pilgrimage sites such as Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura Vrindavan is both a challenge and an opportunity. Keeping this in mind, the government is continuously strengthening transportation, accommodation and other basic facilities". Chief Minister also informed, since the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra takes place outside the country, geographical and administrative challenges remain there. In such a situation, the Government of India and the state government can provide better facilities within the country, while the onward journey requires cooperation from other countries. Despite difficult conditions, devotees complete this journey with faith to have the darshan of Lord Shiva. CM Yogi stated, "The focus of the double engine government is to promote the immense potential of religious tourism while creating opportunities for development and employment. In the last 8 to 9 years, extensive development work has been carried out at several pilgrimage sites including Ayodhya, Kashi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Vindhyachal, Naimisharanya and Mathura Vrindavan. Along with this, considering the need for medical and other facilities as expressed by pilgrims, efforts will be made to develop additional arrangements in Ghaziabad in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs. The government is also emphasizing proper maintenance of the created facilities and ensuring the preservation of religious and cultural heritage". CM Yogi Adityanath said, the government is continuously making efforts to make religious journeys more convenient in the future, under which work is also being done to make the Rameswaram Yatra easier for devotees from Uttar Pradesh, so that the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat is strengthened. Wide publicity through the Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs Department is necessary so that more people connect with these sites and strengthen the states economy. The Prayagraj Mahakumbh is a major example of this, where the arrival of 66 crore devotees has given new momentum to economic activities and connected people from across the country. Chief Minister also added, devotees who came to the Mahakumbh appreciated the states improved roads, better arrangements, security and positive environment. Many devotees walked long distances to reach the Sangam and, after taking a holy dip with complete faith, returned with deep emotion. During this time, some attempts were made by certain people to provoke, but the devotees rejected them and made it clear that their faith is supreme. This shows that with true faith, a person can overcome every difficulty and reach their destination, and with the same spirit, the government is fully sensitive and committed to expanding facilities. Chief Minister said, along with promoting religious tourism, it is our collective responsibility to maintain its dignity and sanctity with devotion. While congratulating the 555 pilgrims who returned from the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, he said that the financial assistance provided by the Government of Uttar Pradesh is not just help but a support system, which reflects that the government stands with devotees at every step. He expressed confidence that this support will help in further strengthening pilgrimages in the future. He also prayed to Lord Mahadev that this journey and assistance make the personal, family and social lives of all pilgrims stronger and more prosperous. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed cheques of 1 lakh each to 10 pilgrims on the stage during the programme for completing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. During the event, he appreciated the courage and faith of the pilgrims. On this occasion, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh, MLA O.P. Srivastava, Legislative Council Members Mukesh Sharma and Ramchandra Pradhan, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs Department Amit Abhijat, Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Committee K.K. Singh and other officials were present. New Delhi, March 18 : Following the resignation of Assam Lok Sabha MP, Pradyut Bordoloi, from the Congress, party leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday termed the development as "unfortunate" and "truly regrettable," expressing disappointment over his exit. Bordoloi reportedly submitted his resignation to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, ending his long association with the party amid allegations of internal dissatisfaction. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi said, "It's very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and I wish we had had a chance to discuss it. It's truly regrettable." Meanwhile, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav said the party is taking the resignation seriously and acknowledged its significance. "The BJP often creates such break-ups. While it may not affect the party's core ideology, such developments can have an impact during elections. The top leadership will certainly take this seriously," he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, also expressed concern, alleging that leaders from the Congress are being repeatedly poached. "It is a matter of concern that leaders from the Indian National Congress are being drawn into the Bharatiya Janata Party, with even elected representatives switching sides," she said. Echoing similar concerns, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma pointed to two possible reasons behind the resignation. "Either he did not receive adequate respect within the Congress, or there may have been external pressure. In recent years, several Opposition leaders have shifted towards the BJP," he said. On Tuesday, in a letter addressed to Mallikarjun Kharge, Bordoloi expressed "an overwhelming sense of sadness" while announcing his decision to step down from all posts, privileges, and responsibilities within the party. The brief resignation letter, dated March 17, did not specify the reasons behind his exit, but sources indicate that the move comes amid growing internal dissent and shifting political alignments in Assam. Bordoloi also recently wrote a letter to the Congress leadership expressing his displeasure with the functioning of the Congress party and its state president, Gaurav Gogoi. The central leadership of the Congress did not issue any statement on Bordoloi's letter, which might have fuelled his exit from the party. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed March 17 : The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, on Wednesday, called for an immediate, independent and transparent probe into Pakistan's airstrike on drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. He demanded that compensation should be paid to victims and their families. His statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. "I echo that the air strike by Pakistan impacting a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul reportedly leaving scores dead and injured, must be promptly, independently and transparently investigated, those responsible held to account, and reparations made to victims and families," Richard Bennett posted on X. He made the statement in response to UN Human Rights post on X, where it called for probe and accountability for the blast at drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. In a post on X, UN Human Rights stated, "We call for investigations and accountability for last night's tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that left scores of patients dead. All parties must take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians." On Tuesday, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned Pakistani airstrike on Kabul, terming it a serious violation of humanitarian and Islamic principles. He said that more than 408 people were killed and over 260 others were injured in Pakistani strike, majority of them patients at a drug rehabilitation centre, Afghanistan-based Ariana News reported. He accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian facilities. Speaking to diplomats and representatives from various organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said that the Pakistani airstrike targeted one of the most vulnerable groups in societypeople who were receiving treatment for drug addiction. He said that repeated attacks since February, including strikes on civilian areas in various parts of Afghanistan, has diminished trust in diplomatic solutions. He warned that Afghan forces will continue "proportionate and legitimate" defensive responses if attacks continue, emphasising that Afghanistan does not want war but will protect its sovereignty and territory, Ariana News reported. Muttaqi urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's strike, warning that continued escalation by Islamabad risks destabilising the wider region and impacting major economic and development initiatives. New Delhi, March 18 : Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who is set to retire from the House, on Wednesday expressed gratitude to all members for their cooperation, contributions and the respect extended to him during his tenure. Harivansh Narayan Singh is scheduled to retire from the Rajya Sabha in April and will not be returning to the House after the completion of his term. Speaking during the farewell proceedings for retiring members in the Upper House, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and other members for their "kind words" and support. Addressing the House, Harivansh acknowledged the collective efforts that contribute to the functioning of Parliament and appreciated the cooperation he received across party lines. Expressing his gratitude to the Prime Minister in particular, he said, "Whenever I met him, I always talked to him about the proceedings and what can be done to work effectively for the people." He also conveyed appreciation for the constructive engagement of members, noting that such interactions helped in maintaining the decorum and efficiency of the House's proceedings. The proceedings in the Upper House began with members coming together to extend farewell to MPs who will be retiring between April and July after completing their tenure. The farewell session witnessed members from across the political spectrum coming together to acknowledge the contributions of those completing their tenure. Earlier, PM Modi also bid farewell to Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha who are set to retire upon the completion of their terms, acknowledging their contribution to parliamentary proceedings and public life. Kharge also joined members in bidding farewell to those set to retire from the Upper House, emphasising that commitment to public service continues beyond formal positions. Kharge, who himself is scheduled to retire from the Rajya Sabha in June, participated in the farewell proceedings that began with members extending their good wishes to MPs retiring between April and July upon completion of their tenure. Both the Prime Minister and Kharge lauded Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh for his role and contributions to the functioning of the House. Hyderabad, March 18 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and MLA, K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday alleged that the Telangana government was carrying out a a1.5 lakh crore financial scam in the name of the Musi Riverfront development project. Speaking in the Assembly during Question Hour, he said the BRS was not opposed to the rejuvenation of the Musi River, but was strongly opposed to what he alleged was 'massive loot'. Rama Rao wanted to know from the government if the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared. He said if the DPR was ready, the government should make it public. The House witnessed exchange of words between the ruling party and the main Opposition over the project. Deputy Chief Minister, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and minister for legislative affairs, D. Sridhar Babu, dismissed the allegations levelled by Rama Rao. Sridhar Babu revealed that the DPR for the first phase of the project has been completed and the estimated cost of the first phase is Rs.6,500 crore to Rs.7,000 crore. He also stated that the project may affect 1,435 structures and a final enumeration is currently on. The minister also stated that those who are in the buffer zone will be given Transferable Development Rights (TDR). He said land acquisition, relief and rehabilitation will be done as per the 2013 Act. Protesting against what he called the lack of transparency and the governmentas approach on the issue, Rama Rao announced a walkout from the Assembly. Earlier, Rama Rao and other BRS MLAs questioned the government on several critical aspects related to the Musi project. Key concerns raised included the alleged absence of DPR, large-scale demolition of houses, land acquisition, escalation of project costs, and contradictory statements made by the government at different forums. Rama Rao demanded that the government explain the rationale behind inflating a project originally estimated at a16,000 crore to an alleged a1.5 lakh crore. He claimed that the Chief Minister cites a1.5 lakh crore in public statements, while figures of only a4,000a"a5,000 crore are being given in the Assembly. He further demanded clarity on the number of phases in which the project will be executed, the extent of land acquisition involved, and the number of houses proposed to be demolished. Referring to official Gazette notifications, Rama Rao pointed out that over 10,000 houses are likely to be demolished and more than 3,260 acres of land will be acquired. He also questioned the expansion of the buffer zone, stating that local RDOs claim it has been increased, but the government has failed to specify the extent and the criteria used for such expansion. Rama Rao criticised the government for its lack of transparency, claiming that there is no clear answer on whether a DPR even exists. He alleged that even the Managing Director of the Musi River Development Corporation reportedly stated that no DPR is available. He further alleged that the government has failed to provide accurate details regarding the number of houses to be demolished. He stated that BRS had demanded that the government conduct public presentations among affected communities rather than organising presentations in five-star hotels. It is for this reason that the BRS chose not to attend the governmentas PowerPoint presentation. Rama Rao accused the government of having originally turned the Musi River into a polluted drain and alleged that it is now attempting to exploit the situation for large-scale corruption under the guise of redevelopment. He demanded that if a DPR exists, it should be immediately tabled in the Assembly. Highlighting inconsistencies, Rama Rao pointed out that while the government claimed a 50-metre buffer zone, notices were issued to residents in areas like Hanuman Nagar located nearly 5 kilometres away. He questioned how the initial claim of demolishing 1,400 houses escalated to issuing notices to over 10,000 households. Rama Rao asserted that the government lacks both financial resources and a clear plan, and stated that no loan has been sanctioned by the Asian Development Bank for the project. Rama Rao alleged that the DPR preparation has been assigned to a company named Main Heart, which, according to him, has been banned by several organisations in Singapore, Pakistan, and India. He questioned how a DPR that was earlier said to require at least 18 months to prepare was allegedly completed within just two months, and demanded that such a document be made public. DHAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A seven-day Eid holiday has triggered a massive exodus from Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Millions of Dhaka dwellers are now departing the capital city to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, with their loved ones. On Tuesday in Dhaka, the long-distance bus stations, ferry terminals and train stations were seen overflowing with tens of thousands of home-bound passengers. The Muslim majority in Bangladesh will celebrate Eid al-Fitr on or around March 21 based on the sighting of the new moon. To make travel easy, state-owned transport bodies have started special Eid services to ply on different inter-district routes in addition to the regular services to meet the demand of the home-bound city dwellers. The Bangladeshi government has also declared an extended holiday. According to some estimates, about one-third of Dhaka's approximately 20 million residents usually leave the capital city twice a year on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice. Kabul, March 18 : The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, on Wednesday, called for an immediate, independent and transparent probe into Pakistan's airstrike on drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. He demanded that compensation should be paid to victims and their families. His statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. "I echo that the air strike by Pakistan impacting a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul reportedly leaving scores dead and injured, must be promptly, independently and transparently investigated, those responsible held to account, and reparations made to victims and families," Richard Bennett posted on X. He made the statement in response to UN Human Rights post on X, where it called for probe and accountability for the blast at drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. In a post on X, UN Human Rights stated, "We call for investigations and accountability for last night's tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that left scores of patients dead. All parties must take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians." On Tuesday, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned Pakistani airstrike on Kabul, terming it a serious violation of humanitarian and Islamic principles. He said that more than 408 people were killed and over 260 others were injured in Pakistani strike, majority of them patients at a drug rehabilitation centre, Afghanistan-based Ariana News reported. He accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian facilities. Speaking to diplomats and representatives from various organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said that the Pakistani airstrike targeted one of the most vulnerable groups in societypeople who were receiving treatment for drug addiction. He said that repeated attacks since February, including strikes on civilian areas in various parts of Afghanistan, has diminished trust in diplomatic solutions. He warned that Afghan forces will continue "proportionate and legitimate" defensive responses if attacks continue, emphasising that Afghanistan does not want war but will protect its sovereignty and territory, Ariana News reported. Muttaqi urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's strike, warning that continued escalation by Islamabad risks destabilising the wider region and impacting major economic and development initiatives. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, March 18 : The Karnataka Assembly debated the use of DJ music during cultural and religious festivals across the state, with the Congress-led government seeking the backing of the opposition BJP in issuing an order for a ban. Raising the issue during a discussion on government support for cultural events at the taluk and district levels, Labour Minister Santosh Lad said the growing reliance on DJ music during various jayanthis had become a serious concern. "The organisation of DJ music during jayanthi celebrations has turned into a major problem. Today, processions of our gods do not move forward unless item songs are played on DJs. This trend has become distasteful," Lad said. He argued that loud DJ music served no genuine cultural purpose and appealed for a complete ban, irrespective of which party was in power. "Instead, cultural programmes should be organised. Funds ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh can be provided. At present, budgets run into crores as some artistes charge exorbitant fees," he added. Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadgi supported the proposal and said the government would act if the BJP extended its cooperation. "DJ music is creating several problems. If the BJP cooperates, we will issue orders banning it," he said. However, BJP MLA S.N. Channabasappa, who had earlier raised questions on the organisation of cultural festivals, objected to the discussion, stating that the Assembly need not debate personal likes or dislikes of ministers. IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge said DJ culture was a recent phenomenon and stressed the need to monitor the type of songs played during festivals. "DJ culture did not exist earlier. Attention must be paid to the nature of songs being played," he said. At this point, Channabasappa urged Kharge to ban the Azaan, claiming that the Supreme Court had prohibited it. Kharge responded that the apex court had only prescribed permissible decibel limits for all forms of sound, including Azaan and bhajans. The BJP MLA said he would accept the explanation if the government confirmed it had implemented the court's directions. Speaker U.T. Khader intervened and clarified that the Supreme Court order pertained solely to decibel limits. Senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar said he agreed that DJ music and item songs were not part of Karnataka's cultural tradition. He also warned that loud music could adversely affect people with heart pacemakers. "I have seen people suffer due to loud music. Children often cover their ears, while organisers show little concern, and police remain helpless. Sound pollution must be controlled," he said. Speaker Khader said the House would be allowed to hold a detailed discussion on the issue at a later stage. New Delhi, March 18 : A controversy erupted on Wednesday after Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan was asked to submit an affidavit if she wishes to seek blessings at the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples. The matter has drawn strong reactions from the Opposition, with Samajwadi Party MLA Ashutosh Verma asserting that the Hindu religion and Hindutva are meant to bring people together. The row took place after Badri-Kedar Temple Committee Chairman Hemant Dwivedi, on Tuesday, said that all non-Hindus will be required to submit an affidavit if they wish to seek blessings at the temples, henceforth. MLA Verma told IANS, "Whoever is involved in such things neither understands the true meaning of the Hindu religion nor 'Hindutva'." Highlighting that Sara Ali Khan had done a film based on Kedarnath, he said, "Sara Ali Khan had done such a good film on Kedarnath, which inspired many people to visit the place. No one, among the 140 crore Indians, should be prohibited from visiting any place. Everyone is free to go wherever he or she wants; that is the democratic right granted to all Indians." The SP leader alleged that BJP members are involved in the incident. "Such divisive policies, where BJP members are involved, are not appropriate," he said. Purnea MP, Pappu Yadav, maintained that worship is solely connected to one's belief system. He said, "Any person can visit a gurdwara, church, temple, or a mosque; nobody can stop him or her. Whether it is Shirdi Sai Baba's shrine or Ajmer Sharif Dargah, people are allowed to go everywhere since it is related to one's belief. To give a certificate for such a thing has not been our culture and tradition. I believe it's wrong." However, the BJP defended the decision of the Temple Committee. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said, "Everyone here is 'Sanatani'. 'Sanatan' has no beginning and no end. All religions are 1000-1500 years old. 'Sanatan' is the ultimate truth. She is also 'Sanatani'. What is the problem for her to give an affidavit?" Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi told IANS, "Kedarnath, Badrinath, are pilgrimage sites for those who follow the 'Sanatan' religion, and if we are visiting those places of worship, we should have belief in the Hindu religion. " He added that these are not just tourist places, but for those who fully believe in the 'Sanatan' religion. BJP Spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo claimed there are many holy places of Muslims or Christians where Hindus are not allowed to enter. He said, "This is the decision of the Kedarnath Temple Management Committee, but whoever is questioning this should think that a non-practicing Muslim is not allowed to visit Mecca, Madinah. And whether any Hindu is allowed to be sprinkled with the holy water by the Pope at Vatican city? He asserted that there should be a similar practice in all religions. "Sara Ali Khan will have to accept the decision of the Kedarnath Temple," he said. Bhuj, March 18 : The Indianaflagged crude oil tanker, 'Jag Laadki', has safely arrived at Adani Ports' Mundra terminal in Gujarat, carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes of crude oil sourced from the United Arab Emirates. Bhuj, March 18 (IANS) The Indianflagged crude oil tanker, 'Jag Laadki', has safely arrived at Adani Ports' Mundra terminal in Gujarat, carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes of crude oil sourced from the United Arab Emirates. The vessel was loaded at Fujairah Port and berthed here on Wednesday, port officials confirmed. 'Jag Laadki' measures 274.19 metres in length overall with a beam of 50.04 metres, a deadweight tonnage of around 1,64,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes. A spokesperson for Adani Ports said the berth was provided following necessary maritime coordination to ensure secure docking. "Adani Ports Mundra continues to support India's energy infrastructure by facilitating the safe berthing and handling of vital energy imports," the statement added. Jag Laadki's cargo is expected to be discharged to support refinery operations that rely on such shipments to maintain production and reinforce India's energy security, particularly amid recent geopolitical supply challenges affecting regional shipping lanes. The arrival follows two energy shipments to India's western ports -- two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, 'Shivalik' and 'Nanda Devi -- which recently navigated the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz amid heightened regional tensions to deliver liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Both vessels reached Indian ports in Gujarat, delivering tens of thousands of tonnes of LPG -- a key fuel for households and industry -- after securing safe passage through the narrow waterway. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical conduit for global energy trade, accounting for roughly one-fifth of seaborne oil shipments. Security risks in the region had led to disruptions, prompting diplomatic efforts by Indian authorities to ensure the continued maritime movement of energy-laden vessels. Officials have maintained that India has sufficient energy resources available. Cargo discharging operations at Mundra will proceed in line with safety and environmental norms under the supervision of the port authorities and refinery representatives. Bengaluru, March 18 : The Karnataka government tabled the "Iva Nammava Iva Nammava (He is ours, he is ours)' Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday, which aims to curb "honour killings" and violence arising from caste-based objections to inter-caste or inter-community marriages. Bengaluru, March 18 (IANS) The Karnataka government tabled the "Iva Nammava Iva Nammava (He is ours, he is ours)' Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday, which aims to curb "honour killings" and violence arising from caste-based objections to inter-caste or inter-community marriages. It may be noted that the government decided to introduce the Bill following the rising incidents of violence related to inter-caste marriages, particularly the brutal killing of a pregnant woman, Manya Patil, by her father and relatives in Hubballi for marrying a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste community. The proposed legislation guarantees the freedom of consenting adults to marry, offering protection from family or community coercion, with strict penalties -- minimum five-year imprisonment -- for offenders. State Minister for IT, BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) tabled the Bill in the Legislative Assembly. The Bill will be taken up for discussion later. The bill is named after a 12th-century Kannada vachana (philosophical verse) by social reformer Basavanna, which means "He is ours, he is ours", encouraging equality and rejecting discrimination. It mandates 24-hour helplines and safe houses for couples facing threats from families or communities. The bill covers more than just murder, defining "honour crimes" to include physical harm, forced marriage/divorce, social boycotts, and performing "thithi (death rituals)" for living couples. Offences are categorised as cognisable and non-bailable, with harsh penalties including life imprisonment for certain violent acts. The legislation aims to empower individuals, particularly in inter-caste, inter-community, or inter-religious marriages, to choose their partners without fear of violence. It can be recalled that Manya Patil was hacked to death in Hubballi taluk of Karnataka in December 2025, allegedly by her father and other close relatives, for marrying a Dalit. Police had arrested the father and two others in connection with the case. Police stated that Manya Patil, a Lingayat, had married Vivekananda, a Dalit. Both hailed from the same village. They knew each other and fell in love while pursuing their graduation. They became closer through Instagram and later developed a relationship. The couple got married on June 19, 2025, at the registrar's office in Hubballi. Preliminary investigation revealed that Manya Patil had earlier threatened to commit suicide if Vivekananda did not marry her. After the marriage, the police had called both families and brokered a compromise. Manya and Vivekananda later shifted to Haveri. They returned to their village on December 8, 2025, believing their relationship would be accepted as Manya was pregnant. However, tensions resurfaced between the two families. The Hubballi Rural police again called the families and instructed the elders not to trouble each other. Despite this, Manya Patil's father and relatives allegedly barged into her house in the village and hacked her to death. Srinagar, March 18 : Chief Kashmiri cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Wednesday condemned the targeted killing of Iranian National Security Council Secretary, Ali Larijani, "by the rogue state of Israel". aCondemn the targeted killing of secretary Ali Larijani by the rogue state of Israel! The resilience of the people of Iran and their leadership reflects the spirit of a true Muslim nation, courageous, steadfast with resolute faith in Allah. Such people deserve to lead. aAs the Quraan reminds us: 'And the end is for the righteous' (7:128)", the Mirwaiz said in a post on X. "While other leaders of the Muslim world have exposed themselves as proxies, bereft of courage and conviction", he added. The Mirwaiz also said the authorities had disallowed his participation in a sermon in Srinagar on Wednesday. "Meanwhile the fearful rulers of this police state have by force, once again kept me away from the house of God in the holy month of Ramzan, as I was to deliver a sermon at Gol Masjid in Karan Nagar today. What a Shame!" Authorities are taking no chances with the law and order situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of widespread anti-US and anti-Israel protests that erupted spontaneously in the Valley on March 1 after the news of the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reached here. Firm handling of the situation by the police and the security forces ensured that there was no casualty or damage to public property during these protests. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had met civil society members from religious, political, social, and business communities in Srinagar, appealing for disciplined and dignified observance of grief, and got a positive response from all sections of the society during the interaction. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, March 18 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday warmly welcomed former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the grand old party no longer has space for "self-respecting individuals". New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday warmly welcomed former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the grand old party no longer has space for "self-respecting individuals". Speaking to reporters in the national capital shortly after Bordoloi formally joined the BJP, CM Sarma described his induction as a significant political development, and said it reflected a broader trend of Congress leaders shifting allegiance. "I extend a warm welcome to Pradyut Bordoloi to the BJP. Today, there is no place for self-respecting people in the Congress," CM Sarma said, launching a sharp attack on the opposition party. The Chief Minister further predicted that more senior Congress leaders would follow suit in the coming months. "Within the next two years, leaders like Debabrata Saikia and Ripun Bora will also join the BJP. Many capable leaders in Congress will eventually come to us," he claimed. CM Sarma added that the process of Congress leaders joining the BJP has been underway since 2016 and is likely to accelerate. "In the next couple of days, a large group from the Congress will join the BJP," he said. Clarifying Bordoloi's intent, the Chief Minister emphasised that the former MP had not joined the BJP for power or position. "He has not come here to become a leader or a minister. If he wishes to contest elections, we will support him in every possible way," the CM stated. Highlighting Bordoloi's move as a sacrifice, CM Sarma said, "He has not come to gain something but has given up a lot. He has left a respectable position as a Member of Parliament to join the BJP." Bordoloi's switch is being seen as a major setback for the Congress in Assam ahead of the upcoming political battles in the state. Pradyut Bordoloi claimed that he was "deeply hurt" and "left with no option" but to resign from the Indian National Congress, alleging repeated humiliation and a lack of a conducive environment within the party's Assam unit. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kabul, March 18 : Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with diplomats of Afghan embassies and consulates abroad, giving them necessary instructions and guidance regarding Kabul's clear position, policy and future actions following Pakistan's deadly bombing of a drug treatment hospital in which hundreds of people have lost their lives. According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, in this meeting, the minister shared information about the aggression against the national sovereignty of Afghanistan by the Pakistani military regime and recent events. "He strongly condemned the brutal attack and called it a clear violation of humanitarian principles. Muttaqi encouraged the officials of all delegations to convey the position of the Islamic Emirate regarding the latest situation in the country to the international community," read a statement issued by Kabul. "The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country gave necessary instructions and guidance to his delegation regarding the clear position, policy and future actions of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The meeting ended with prayers for the souls of the martyrs who died due to the bombing by the Pakistani regime," it added. On Tuesday, Muttaqi termed the Pakistani airstrike on Kabul a serious violation of humanitarian and Islamic principles. He said that more than 408 people were killed and over 260 others were injured in Pakistani strike, majority of them patients at a drug rehabilitation centre. He accused Pakistan of deliberately targetting civilian facilities. Speaking to diplomats and representatives from various organisations in Kabul, Muttaqi said that the Pakistani airstrike targetted one of the most vulnerable groups in society people who were receiving treatment for drug addiction. He said that repeated attacks since February, including strikes on civilian areas in various parts of Afghanistan, have diminished trust in diplomatic solutions. He warned that Afghan forces will continue "proportionate and legitimate" defensive responses if attacks continue, emphasising that Afghanistan does not want war but will protect its sovereignty and territory, Ariana News reported. Muttaqi urged the international community to condemn Pakistan's strike, warning that continued escalation by Islamabad risks destabilising the wider region and impacting major economic and development initiatives. Meanwhile, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, on Wednesday, called for an immediate, independent and transparent probe into Pakistan's airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. He demanded that compensation should be paid to victims and their families. "I echo that the air strike by Pakistan impacting a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul reportedly leaving scores dead and injured, must be promptly, independently and transparently investigated, those responsible held to account, and reparations made to victims and families," Bennett posted on X. He made the statement in response to a UN Human Rights post on X, where it called for a probe and accountability for the blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. "We call for investigations and accountability for last night's tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that left scores of patients dead. All parties must take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians," the UN Human Rights stated. New Delhi, March 18 : The Supreme Court has strongly condemned acts of violence by members of the Bar in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district and ordered the immediate release on bail of toll plaza employees who had approached the apex court alleging denial of legal representation and threats from local lawyers. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, while allowing a writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, observed that the "custodians of justice" had themselves turned perpetrators of violence, creating an atmosphere of fear that deprived the accused of effective legal representation. "The custodians of justice (Members of the District Bar Association, Barabanki) have turned into perpetrators of violence, which has led the petitioners to knock the doors of this court to protect their Fundamental Rights," the Justice Vikram Nath-led Bench said. The petitioners, contractual employees of M/s Skylark Infra Engineering Pvt. Ltd. and posted on toll collection duty at the Gotona Bara Toll Plaza on the Lucknowa"Sultanpur highway in Barabanki district, have been in custody for over two months following a scuffle with an advocate over payment of toll charges. According to the FIR, an advocate allegedly refused to pay toll charges on January 14, leading to a verbal altercation that escalated into a scuffle between the complainant and toll staff. A criminal case was subsequently registered against the employees at Police Station Haidergarh under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The employees contended that they were arrested without being informed of the grounds of arrest and were sent to judicial custody on January 16. They further alleged that members of the local bar association began violent protests following the incident. The Supreme Court noted that a resolution was circulated within the local bar calling upon lawyers not to represent the accused. When one advocate filed a bail application on their behalf, members of the Bar allegedly resorted to arson and vandalised his office furniture. Describing the episode as deeply disturbing, the bench said: "The legal profession, which was once regarded as a noble profession, has clearly been tainted and tarnished by the acts of hooliganism perpetrated pursuant to the fracas which took place at the toll plaza." It added that while a sense of fraternity among lawyers is understandable, it "by no means can justify the acts of violence and lawlessness which ensued when a brave lawyer came forward to defend the accused". "These deplorable acts of hooliganism deserve to be deprecated. The disciplinary body, i.e., the Bar Council of India, is expected to take appropriate steps in this regard," the apex court said. Noting that the petitioners had remained in custody for over two months, the apex court held that the denial of bail in the circumstances was unjustified and violative of their fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. "A bare perusal of the FIR is sufficient to satisfy us that it was not a case wherein the accused-petitioners could have been denied bail," it observed. The Supreme Court directed that the petitioners be released on bail upon furnishing personal bonds to the satisfaction of the magistrate concerned. To ensure fair trial and proper legal representation, the apex court also ordered that the criminal proceedings arising out of the FIR be transferred from Barabanki to the Tis Hazari Courts in Delhi. In order to ensure that the accused get proper legal representation and a fair trial, we direct that the proceedings arising out of the FIR No.15/2026 shall stand transferred to the Tis Hazari Courts, New Delhi, for all further actions," the order said. The top court further directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh to ensure the safety and security of the petitioners and to escort them to a safe location upon their release. Before parting with the case, the Justice Vikram Nath-led Bench again condemned the conduct of the lawyers involved in the incident, observing that members of the Bar in Barabanki had indulged in hooliganism by damaging the furniture of the advocate who had filed the bail application for the accused. The apex court also directed that a copy of its order be forwarded to the Uttar Pradesh DGP and the Bar Council of India for appropriate action. --IANS pds/vd New Delhi, March 18 : Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said that 6G technology will not just be about faster internet speeds, but about creating equal opportunities for people across the world, with India set to play an important role in this transformation. Speaking at an international workshop on telecom standardisation, the minister described 6G as the next big step in human progress. He said the technology will go beyond speed and low latency to build what he called an "intelligent internet of everything", powered by artificial intelligence, immersive technologies and real-time connectivity. "6G has the potential to bridge the digital divide by making advanced technology accessible to everyone," Scindia said. "It can open up new opportunities in areas such as healthcare, education and agriculture, especially in remote and rural regions," he explained. Highlighting India's preparations, he said the country is actively working to become a key player in 6G development, particularly in intellectual property rights and global standard-setting. "Multiple dedicated working groups are already in place to strengthen India's role in shaping global 6G standards," Scindia noted. The minister pointed to the efforts of the Bharat 6G Alliance, which is helping India secure a place in international discussions as global standards evolve. However, he clarified that decisions on spectrum allocation for 6G will be taken later by global bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union and 3rd Generation Partnership Project after standardisation is complete. Scindia also highlighted India's strong digital infrastructure, saying platforms like Unified Payments Interface and Aadhaar have already shown how technology can be scaled to serve a large population. "India processes nearly 20 billion UPI transactions every month and accounts for more than half of global digital transactions," he noted. With affordable data and expanding broadband access, he said India has built a solid base for the next phase of digital growth. "In this context, 6G could enable advanced use cases such as remote robotic surgeries, AI-driven farming, and holographic learning, helping reduce gaps in access across sectors," Scindia mentioned. KABUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The counter-narcotics police have set on fire more than three tons of illegal drugs in southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, said a statement of the provincial police office on Wednesday. The contraband, including hashish, ice and opium, had been seized during a series of operations across the province and was publicly burned on Tuesday, the statement said. Dushanbe, March 18 : Tajikistan on Wednesday dispatched 3,610 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Iran in a 110-truck convoy. "Tajikistan's humanitarian aid comprises 3,610 tonnes of cargo, including 45 tonnes of medicines, a large volume of sanitary and hygiene products, children's clothing, various food products, household items, bedding, tents, building materials, and other necessary supplies," the country's Foreign Ministry stated. Last week, citing preliminary assessments, UN Refugee Agency UNHCR had highlighted that between 600,000 and one million Iranian households - representing up to 3.2 million people - are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict. "Most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety. This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs. Also affected are refugee families hosted in the country, mostly Afghans, who are particularly vulnerable, given their already precarious situation and limited support networks. Families are leaving affected areas amid rising insecurity and limited access to essential services," stated UNHCR Director of Emergency and Programme Support and Cross-Regional Refugee Response Coordinator for the Middle East Emergency. It had mentioned that in Iran a" a long-term host to 1.65 million people forced to flee, mostly from Afghanistan a" around 100,000 people left Tehran in the first two days following the US-Israel attacks. Earlier, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani had claimed that at least 1,332 Iranian civilians, including women and children, have been killed in US-Israeli airstrikes and thousands more injured. Over 180 children across the country have been killed and more than 20 schools have been damaged, Iravani told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, earlier this month. Dhaka, March 18 : Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed cabinet ministers and senior government officials to initiate a nationwide campaign to tackle rape and violence against women across the country, warning that swift and tangible action is required to curb the rising incidents, local media reported. Addressing a press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani stated that the directive was issued during a cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on Tuesday. "A suo motu directive was issued regarding rape cases that are occurring or have occurred in the past. Instructions have been given to take swift action to stop these crimes in society," Bangladesh's leading newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted Ghani as saying. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government has decided to roll out coordinated, multi-agency measures aimed at preventing such crimes and expediting the disposal of cases currently under trial. Ghani stated that the authorities have been ordered to ensure prompt investigation and trial through improved coordination among law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the judiciary. He added that the objective is to strengthen the institutional structure by strengthening courts at the district level to facilitate speedy trials. Reports suggest that the law enforcement agencies warned of a possible spike in violence against women during and immediately after the Eid period, prompting the government to step up preventive efforts. According to officials, any surge in such incidents could lead to political protests, placing additional pressure on the administration during a critical period. They added that the cabinet also deliberated measures to further strengthen existing tribunals handling cases of violence against women, highlighting that delays in trials contribute to the perception of impunity. The move comes against the backdrop of wider concerns within the government over maintaining law and order, ensuring market stability and public safety during the Eid holidays, The Daily Star reported. Earlier in January, citing police statistics, local media reported an alarming rise in crime rates in 2025 across Bangladesh, with women and children bearing the brunt of the violence, while incidents such as murder, banditry, and mob violence were also prominently recorded. According to analysts, the spike in the crime rate stemmed from the law and order challenges after the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government assumed power following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government. Citing police crime statistics, Bangladesh's Bengali daily 'Bonik Barta' reported that a total of 1,81,737 cases, including rescue-related cases, were registered in 2025, some of which related to incidents from 2024. The figures revealed that the highest number of cases involved violence against women and children. Bangladesh faced escalating violence against women and children and a deteriorating law and order situation throughout the 18-month tenure of the Yunus-led interim government. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Hyderabad, March 18 : Telangana Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, on Wednesday clarified that there was intervention by the government in the Moinabad farmhouse drugs case. He stated that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Eluru MP, Putta Mahesh Kumar, was granted station bail in accordance with the rules. During an informal chat with mediapersons in Delhi, he was asked if he intervened for the TDP MPas release on bail. He also stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case. The Telangana DGP on Tuesday constituted a nine-member SIT to probe the case in which TDP MP Putta Mahesh Kumar, former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy and some others were arrested for allegedly consuming drugs. The Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Force in coordination with the police had conducted a raid at a farmhouse belonging to BRS' Rohith Reddy at Moinabad near Hyderabad on the night of March 14. As many as 11 people, including a woman who were present there, were arrested and six of them including Rohith Reddy and Putta Mahesh tested positive for drugs. Putta Mahesh, the MP from Eluru in Andhra Pradesh and seven other accused were released on station bail the next day. Rohith Reddy, his brother Ritesh Reddy and Delhi-based businessman Namith Sharma were produced before a court, which remanded the accused to judicial custody. In reply to another question by the media, the Chief Minister predicted that the next Assembly elections in Telangana will be held in 2029 and not in 2028. He favoured early implementation of women reservations in Parliament and the state legislature. Earlier, the Chief Minister accompanied by state Congress chief, Mahesh Kumar Goud, and party MPs met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi at Parliament. Revanth Reddy introduced his close friend Vem Narender Reddy, who was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha, to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. The Chief Minister and TPCC president also met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday night. Kharge congratulated Narender Reddy after Revanth Reddy introduced him to the AICC chief. The Chief Minister and TPCC president also discussed political developments with Kharge. Earlier, they also had a meeting with AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal. Mumbai, March 18 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday appealed to film celebrities in Mumbai not to get scared because of the recent attack on the house of film Director Rohit Shetty. "The person accused in this incident is called Shubham Lonkar, who is working as an operative for the Bishnoi gang. His brother has already been arrested, and Shubham, who is outside the country, will also get arrested soon," CM Fadnavis informed the Legislative Council during question hour. He was replying to the question raised by Shiv Sena(UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir on the systematic targeting of celebrities in Mumbai and the fear among them. "I appeal to celebrities not to get scared. We will not let Mumbai go towards gang war," the CM said, adding that necessary protection is being provided. CM Fadnavis informed the Legislative Council that Lonkar is from Akola district in Maharashtra. "He had earlier threatened the Congress MLA and now even the BJP MLA as well. His style of functioning is to call from foreign countries and threaten individuals. We will surely arrest him sometime," the CM said. He also said that Maharashtra has sought the custody of another criminal, Anmol Bishnoi, presently arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). "The NIA has arrested Anmol Bishnoi. We have also sought his custody, and we will get it. Once the NIA custody is over, we will get his custody as he is wanted in several cases in Mumbai," CM Fadnavis informed. Earlier, CM Fadnavis, in his written reply, informed the legislative council that on the night of February 1, an unidentified individual fired a weapon resembling a pistol towards Shetty Tower, the residence of Rohit Shetty, near the building's compound wall. Based on the complaint filed by the informant, a case was registered at Juhu Police Station, and the case was transferred to the Crime Branch for further investigation. He informed that a total of five rounds were fired outside Shetty's residence. One bullet struck the glass of the gallery. Glass fragments and five empty shells were seized by the Director of the Chemical Analysis Department. Based on CCTV footage of the scene, the firearm used in the crime, the vehicle involved, and mobile phones with SIM cards were confiscated. A further in-depth investigation into the crime is ongoing. A total of 13 accused have been arrested in the crime. As per the orders of the Special MCOCA Court, 12 accused are in judicial custody, while one accused is currently in police custody. A search is underway for the three accused in this case, and the matter remains under investigation. "In light of this incident, protection has been provided to director Rohit Shetty. To prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of citizens in the area, police station-level checkpoints (nakabandi), additional police deployment, and patrolling have been increased. Furthermore, special investigation drives are being conducted in sensitive areas, and preventive action is being taken against habitual criminals," the reply said. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, March 18 : Former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday said that his decision to join the BJP was driven by his admiration for Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and dissatisfaction with the Congress. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi shortly after formally joining the BJP, Bordoloi said he was impressed by the functioning and work ethic of the Chief Minister. "I have joined the BJP after being satisfied with the work of the Chief Minister. His dedication towards governance has deeply attracted me," he said. The former MP also expressed disappointment over his treatment in Congress, stating that he did not receive the respect he deserved within the party. "I did not get the respect that I should have received in Congress. I was going through mental distress while being with the party," Bordoloi said. He indicated that internal issues and lack of recognition had been weighing on him for some time, ultimately prompting his decision to quit the Congress and switch to the BJP. Bordoloi further said that he sees a platform in the BJP where he can work meaningfully while upholding Assamese identity and dignity. "In the BJP, I will work towards protecting the self-respect of the Assamese people," he asserted. His remarks come soon after he officially joined the BJP in the presence of senior party leaders in the national capital, marking a significant political shift in Assam's landscape. Bordoloi's move is being viewed as a setback for the Congress in the state, especially at a time when political realignments are gaining momentum ahead of upcoming elections. His joining is also expected to bolster the BJP's organisational strength in Assam, with party leaders expressing confidence that more opposition figures may follow a similar path in the near future. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warmly welcomed former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi into the party fold, asserting that the grand old party no longer has space for "self-respecting individuals". "I extend a warm welcome to Pradyut Bordoloi to the BJP. Today, there is no place for self-respecting people in the Congress," Sarma said, launching a sharp attack on the opposition party. March 18 : Lucknow: To increase farmers income and ensure they benefit from government schemes, a campaign is being carried out to create Farmer Registry (Farmer IDs) across the state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed that a campaign be launched from January 1 to ensure 100% Farmer ID coverage, which will continue until March 31. Under this initiative, Farmer IDs are being created through door-to-door outreach. In this effort, the Rampur district administration achieved its target of 100% Farmer ID creation ahead of schedule. With this, Rampur secured first place in the state, followed by Ghaziabad in second place and Ambedkar Nagar in third. Across Uttar Pradesh, the target is to create Farmer IDs for 2,88,70,495 farmers, out of which 1,99,42,798 have been completed so far. District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi of Rampur stated that, in line with CM Yogis vision, a special campaign has been running since January 1 to achieve 100% Farmer ID coverage. To meet the target, awareness among farmers was increased through farmer meetings, cultural programs in villages, hoardings, and open public forums at the village council level. Additionally, publicity was carried out through wall paintings and promotional vehicles. Officials from the Revenue, Agriculture, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, and Sugarcane departments were instructed to visit farmers door-to-door to create Farmer IDs. The District Magistrate also reviewed the campaign weekly, rewarding high-performing staff and taking disciplinary action against those with poor progress. The DM stated that Rampur was given a target of 2,09,828 Farmer Registries to be completed by March 31, which was fully achieved by March 17. Rampur has thus secured first place in the state by achieving 100% of its target. He further noted that Rampur had earlier also secured first place by being the first in the state to complete 50% of its Farmer Registry target, earning a top award. Ghaziabad, against its target of 38,909, has completed 36,598 Farmer IDs to rank second, while Ambedkar Nagar, against its target of 3,42,847, has completed 3,10,145 Farmer IDs to secure third place. Other districts in the top ten include Auraiya, Barabanki, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kannauj, Mirzapur, and Bijnor. Benefits of Farmer Registry Farmers will receive uninterrupted benefits under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Fertilizers will be available conveniently at prescribed prices. No need for repeated document verification for obtaining a Kisan Credit Card. Freedom from repeated document verification for enrollment in new state and central government schemes. Integration with AgriStack will enable easier and faster sale of produce at MSP through digital crop surveys. London, March 18 : Baloch pro-independence leader Hyrbyair Marri on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, describing it as another grim reminder of what he called Islamabad's "lies and propaganda", despite portraying itself as the "self-proclaimed defender" of the Islamic nations. He added that Islamabad's expansionist ambitions and anti-Afghan policies have contributed to regional instability, terming Pakistan "a cancer upon regional peace". The statement comes after a Pakistani strike on Monday night targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi area, killing hundreds and injuring several others. The Baloch leader expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured. "I condemn this heinous crime against humanity committed by Pakistan. It is a continuation of the Pakistani Punjabi expansionist agenda. The deliberate destabilisation of Afghanistan through state-sponsored violence and its barbaric attacks on innocent civilians and critical infrastructure must be defeated with unity," Marri posted on X. He accused Pakistan's occupying forces of continuing anti-Afghan aggression through air force and drone strikes while exploiting territories that "rightfully belong to the Baloch and Pashtun peoples". "This illegal occupation has been the primary source of instability in Afghanistan, created by Pakistan. We firmly believe that lasting peace in Afghanistan will only be achieved when these occupying forces are expelled from our lands, sea, and airspace," the Baloch leader added. Reiterating the people of Balochistan's unwavering support for Afghanistan, Marri said, "We stand shoulder to shoulder against Pakistani Punjabi aggression. A future of peace and prosperity lies in cooperation between our two nations. A sovereign, united Balochistan will ensure that its ports serve as gateways of opportunity, welcoming Afghan trade and enabling access to regional and global markets, including those in Central Asia and Europe." He further alleged that Pakistan has consistently shown no genuine interest in peaceful relations with Afghanistan, regardless of the government in Kabul. Marri called for unity between Balochistan and Afghanistan against Pakistani forces to defend their territories and strengthen their shared bonds. "This is a defining moment. Both nations must unite to defend our territories, protect our economic interests, preserve our shared cultural heritage, and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. Together, through unity and determination, we can confront and overcome the forces that threaten our sovereignty and regional stability," he noted. New Delhi, March 18 : Domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production has increased by 40 per cent, the government said on Wednesday, adding that supply concerns remain owing to the closing of the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz. Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry's Joint Secretary, Marketing and Oil Refinery, Sujata Sharma, said during the regular briefing that petrol pumps have enough petrol and diesel stocks. "Domestic LPG production has increased by 40 per cent while no dry-outs have been reported at petrol pumps," Sharma said, adding that crude is available adequately and 100 per cent of piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) are available for the consumers. However, she said that the supply of LPG is still a worry, and most of the countryas supply travels through the Iran-war-affected Strait of Hormuz. Online booking has improved to 93 per cent as of March 17, she said, adding that the government has issued a letter to states and Union Territories (UTs), offering 10 per cent more commercial LPG if they can help in shifting to PNG. "We issued a letter under which states and UT have been offered an additional 10 per cent allocation of commercial LPG, provided they can help long-term transition from LPG to PNG," Sharma said. Under the assistance framework, the government will provide additional commercial LPG supplies to states. "The onus is on the state and Union Territory governments to take these reforms forward, expedite approvals, and ensure connections for both domestic as well as commercial and industrial PNG consumers in their respective areas," Sharma noted. Also, the country has enough stocks of aviation turbine fuel (ATF). Meanwhile, 22 Indian vessels, which are stuck in the Persian Gulf, carry 3.2 lakh tonnes of LPG, 2 lakh tonnes of LNG, and 1.67 million tonnes of crude oil, said Special Secretary, Shipping, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, adding that all vessels and Indian crew members (611 in total) in the Gulf region are safe. "We have our discussion going on with Iran and other counterparts for safe passage of ships via the Strait of Hormuz," he said. The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker 'Jag Laadki' arrived at Adani Ports' Mundra in Gujarat on Wednesday morning. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Quetta, March 18 : Human rights organisation Baloch Yakjehti Committee held a seminar in Karachi highlighting the dire human rights situation across Balochistan and the "arbitrary detention" of its chief organiser, Mahrang Baloch, and other leaders. According to the rights body, the event was organised as part of the BYC's month-long awareness campaign, initiated in response to the "continued targeting of independent voices, the misuse of legal frameworks to suppress democratic activism, and the broader pattern of systemic repression" in Balochistan. The campaign aimed to amplify the voices of affected families, raise sustained public awareness, and mobilise collective action for justice, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights. The BYC stated that the seminar brought together participants to reflect on the human rights situation overlooked in Balochistan. During the session, speakers and attendees drew attention to the systematic restrictions on peaceful political activities, noting that a full year has passed since the detention of BYC leadership and the continued erosion of democratic freedoms in the province. "Discussions highlighted the profound human cost of these policies, particularly the pain endured by families of the forcibly disappeared and those living under the weight of uncertainty and collective trauma. The prolonged and unlawful detention of leaders, including Mahrang, Bebarg Baloch, Sibghatullah Shah Ji, Gulzadi Baloch, and Bebow Baloch, was emphasised as a stark example of the challenges faced by individuals peacefully advocating for their constitutional and human rights," the BYC stated. The rights organisation stated that the seminar marked a significant step in sustaining momentum for the campaign, strengthening a shared commitment to peaceful advocacy. During this, participants reiterated that the release of detained leaders and the restoration of political freedoms are fundamental rights, and the organisation stated that it will continue its struggle for them. Earlier on Tuesday, the BYC voiced serious concern over the continued detention and ongoing trials of its leaders, including Mahrang Baloch, who have been kept in custody for nearly a year while facing "multiple fabricated cases" before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta. The BYC mentioned that detainees have voiced their concerns on record before the court on February 7 and expressed a lack of confidence in the presiding judge. It reiterated that access to a fair, transparent and impartial judicial process is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution. The BYC urged the Pakistani judicial authorities, the legal community, and the Balochistan Bar Council to take the matter seriously and ensure that the concerns raised by the detainees are addressed as per the law. Chennai, March 18 : The Income Tax (I-T) Department on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that it has initiated an independent investigation into allegations of income suppression, misrepresentation, and unlawful enrichment against Ramanathapuram Member of Parliament K. Navas Kani of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Appearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, Additional Solicitor General A.R.L. Sundaresan, assisted by senior standing counsel A.P. Srinivas, submitted that the department had already summoned the MP for questioning. He said Navas Kani had appeared before officials and submitted certain documents in his defence, while also seeking additional time to furnish further records. "The department will continue its investigation and take action in accordance with the law," the ASG told the court, suggesting that the writ petition could be disposed of by recording these submissions. However, the Bench noted that it had earlier directed the legislator to file a counter-affidavit in response to the petition. Accordingly, the court instructed the MP's counsel to submit the counter-affidavit by March 26, observing that the response could assist the I-T Department in its ongoing probe. The case arises from a writ petition filed by Tirunelveli-based advocate K. Venkatachalapathy, who has alleged significant discrepancies in the assets declared by the MP in election affidavits filed in 2019 and 2024. According to the petitioner, Navas Kani's assets, as well as those of his family members, witnessed a steep and disproportionate increase during his first term in Parliament. The affidavit claims that despite having limited known sources of income -- primarily remuneration as a company director and rental income earned by his wife -- the MP's family reported a net surplus of only Rs 5.74 lakh during the five years, while acquiring assets worth Rs 20.84 crore. The petitioner has alleged that such a sharp rise in wealth indicates misuse of official position and possible misappropriation of public funds allocated for constituency development, resulting in unlawful enrichment. He further informed the court that he had submitted a representation to the I-T Department on December 10, 2025, but alleged inaction prompted him to approach the judiciary. The petitioner also disclosed that a separate writ petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the same allegations is currently pending. The High Court is likely to take up the matter again after the MP files his counter-affidavit later this month. DUBAI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Loud explosions were heard across Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), early Wednesday, which authorities said were caused by successful air defense interceptions. Authorities said its air defense systems on Wednesday intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran. Since Feb. 28, when a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran prompted widespread Iranian retaliation against Israeli and U.S. assets in the Middle East, UAE air defences have intercepted a total of 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 UAVs, it added. To date, the attacks have resulted in the deaths of eight people in the country. Port Victoria, March 18 : India on Wednesday donated ship spares to the Seychelles Defence Forces, highlighting New Delhi's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision for inclusive, cooperative, and sustainable security and growth across regions. According to the High Commission of India in Seychelles, the ship spares were handed over by Captain Sachin Kulkarni, the Commanding Officer of INS Trikand which is currently visiting Port Victoria for participation in the 11th edition of the biennial Exercise 'Lamitye'. The sea phase of the exercise began on Wednesday. "He also called on the Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. General Michael Rosette and discussed the participation of INS Trikand in the ongoing 11th edition of Exercise Lamitye," the High Commission of India posted on X. An Indian Armed Forces contingent is in Seychelles to participate in the 11th edition of joint military exercise 'Lamitiye-2026' with Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). The Joint Exercise is being conducted at Seychelles Defence Academy from March 9 to 20. aLamitiye' meaning afriendshipa in the Creole language is a biennial training event and has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001. According to the Indian defence ministry, this edition marks a significant milestone with the participation of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces. The contingent comprises of personnel from the Assam Regiment and participation from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force including INS Trikand and a C-130 aircraft. "The exercise strives to enhance synergy in the domains of sub-conventional operations in semi-Urban environments and cooperation and interoperability between both the sides during peacekeeping operations. The exercise will also build and promote bilateral military relations in addition to exchanging skills, experiences and good practices between both the armies," the Ministry of Defence stated last week. During the exercise, both sides are jointly training, planning and executing a series of tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in a semi-urban environment, while exploiting and showcasing new generation equipment and technology. The 12-days long joint exercise also includes field training exercises, combat discussions, case studies, lectures and demonstrations, culminating with two days of validation exercise. "The exercise will contribute immensely in developing mutual understanding and magnify jointness between the troops of both the nations," the Ministry of Defence stated. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, March 18 : Trinamool Congress MP, Kirti Azad, on Wednesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is destined to be the next Prime Minister, while launching a sharp attack on the BJP. Speaking to IANS outside Parliament, Azad stated, "There are not any allegations against the ECI, the allegations are against the BJP. However, everyone thinks that all these allegations are against the ECI. It is because the ECI is the right hand of the BJP, through which they are trying to fight the elections." He further criticised the BJP, stating, "So, the unsuccessful attempt of the BJP is in progress. You all know that a woman Cabinet Minister of West Bengal was attacked recently. The BJP can stoop to any level. We have seen that whenever the BJP comes to power, lynchings start happening. Riots start happening. We have seen everything." "They can try anything and conduct Assembly elections in seven, eight or two phases, but they can't win West Bengal," he added. Azad also dismissed claims about the BJP's prospects in West Bengal and praised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's leadership. "The misconception that Prime Minister Modi and others have is that they are winning in West Bengal, but they are not. They are not winning because Mamata Banerjee is destined to be the next Prime Minister. Considering the work she has done in Bengal, no chief minister in the country can match her performance," he said. On Tuesday, Trinamool Congress released its list of candidates, containing 291 names, for the two-phase April elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly and set the scene for a "battle royale" in Bhabanipur constituency in south Kolkata, from where CM Banerjee will contest the polls again. As per the candidates' list released by CM Banerjee, she will be contesting from Bhabanipur this time as well, where she will face BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. On Monday, the BJP announced its first list of 144 candidates and nominated Adhikari from his current constituency of Nandigram in East Midnapore district, as well as from Bhabanipur. This is the second time that Banerjee will be pitted against her former aide Adhikari. Adhikari was elected as a legislator from Nandigram for the second consecutive time in 2021, defeating Banerjee. Later, Banerjee was elected from Bhabanipur in a bye-election and retained the post of Chief Minister for the third consecutive term. While the Trinamool will be contesting from 291 constituencies, they have kept three Assembly constituencies in the North Bengal hills, namely Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong, for their political ally in the hills, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), founded by Anit Thapa, who is also the Chief Executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). At Nandigram, Trinamool fielded erstwhile local BJP leader and also a close confidant of Adhikari, Pabitra Kar, who rejoined the Trinamool just a couple of hours before the Chief Minister released the party candidates' list. Meanwhile, aiming for total transparency in the system of electoral management for the forthcoming two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal next month, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has now decided to introduce a system for overseeing daily the functioning of the general observers, police, and expenditure observers appointed for the elections in the state. A special monitoring cell under the leadership and direct control of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, will be created, which will not only oversee the functioning of these ECI-appointed observers but also send a report every day on its observations to the ECI headquarters in New Delhi, informed an insider from the CEO's office. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, March 18 : In a key step towards farmer welfare, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved minimum support price (MSP) funding of Rs 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the cotton season 2023-24. New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) In a key step towards farmer welfare, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved minimum support price (MSP) funding of Rs 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the cotton season 202324. The funding aims to provide direct price support to cotton farmers across the country. During the 202324 cotton season, the area under cultivation was estimated at 114.47 lakh hectares, with production pegged at 325.22 lakh bales, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of global cotton output. The government fixes the MSP for seed cotton (kapas) based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). According to the CCEA, the MSP operations are undertaken to safeguard the interests of cotton farmers, particularly during periods when market prices fall below the MSP. "These interventions play a crucial role in stabilising cotton prices, preventing distress sales, and ensuring remunerative returns to farmers. By enhancing inclusivity in agricultural markets, MSP operations contribute significantly to the economic security of cotton-growing communities," according to an official statement. The statement further said that cotton remains one of India's most vital cash crops, sustaining the livelihoods of approximately 60 lakh farmers and supporting 400500 lakh people engaged in allied activities, including processing, trade, and textiles. The CCI is designated as the central nodal agency for undertaking MSP operations in cotton. It procures all Fair Average Quality (FAQ) cotton from farmers without any quantitative ceiling, whenever market prices fall below MSP levels, thereby providing an assured safety net to farmers. As part of its preparedness, CCI has established a robust procurement network across all 11 major cotton-growing states, with over 508 procurement centres operational in 152 districts, ensuring seamless and accessible procurement for farmers. Further, the Corporation has undertaken several technology-driven and farmer-centric initiatives to enhance the efficiency and transparency of MSP operations. Jaipur, March 18 : Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade stated that women are not the abala (weak female), but the "empowered females" (sabala). He emphasised that when women move forward with this conviction, society progresses rapidly on the path of development. Jaipur, March 18 (IANS) Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade stated that women are not the abala (weak female), but the "empowered females" (sabala). He emphasised that when women move forward with this conviction, society progresses rapidly on the path of development. Addressing the 11th Convocation Ceremony of a private university on Wednesday, the Governor affirmed that women are second to none. Recalling the valour of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, he noted that she challenged the British at the young age of twenty. He stressed that age is no barrier; determination alone is enough to overcome any obstacle. The Governor urged students to remain at the forefront in every sphere of life, cultivating positivity and fearlessness. He highlighted the importance of strengthening intellectual capabilities within universities and encouraged students to pursue their studies with focus and dedication. He underscored that national prosperity must remain our foremost goal. Referring to Lord Macaulay's introduction of the English education system in India, which he said fostered a "slave mentality," the Governor observed that its influence persisted even after independence. He noted that the Government of India has implemented the New Education Policy to revive India's rich indigenous knowledge traditions and re-establish the nation as a 'Vishwa Guru' (global leader). Under this policy, he stressed the need for an education system that empowers the nation's vast workforce -- symbolised by its "240 crore hands" -- to contribute effectively to national development. On the occasion, Governor Bagde conferred an honorary D.Litt. degree upon the State's Deputy Chief Minister, Diya Kumari, in recognition of her distinguished contributions to social and community service. He also awarded gold medals and degrees to meritorious students. Expressing her gratitude, Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari said that education is the most fundamental pillar of national development. Emphasising the importance of girls' education, she stated that true societal progress is possible only when women become self-reliant. She called for ensuring both educational access and equal opportunities for women. She noted that women are making rapid strides across all fields and encouraged female students to fully utilise emerging opportunities. Paying tribute to the university's founder, the late Ashok Gupta, she remarked that establishing an institution dedicated to women's education was a visionary and exemplary initiative. Chancellor Amit Gupta and Vice-Chancellor T.N. Mathur also presented an overview of the university's activities. New Delhi, March 18 : The arrest of 14 youths in Varanasi for allegedly dumping non-vegetarian food into the Ganga during an Iftar party on a boat, triggered sharp reactions from leaders across political parties on Wednesday. The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media showing a group of people holding an Iftar gathering on a small boat in the middle of the river. The video reportedly showed individuals consuming non-vegetarian food and allegedly disposing the leftovers into the Ganga. Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said the Ganga holds special sacred significance in Sanatan Dharma and is revered as a mother. "The Ganga holds a special sacred significance, and in Sanatan Dharma, it is revered as a mother. I believe everyone should respect this and avoid anything that goes against it. The law also functions according to its own rules," he said. He added that while Iftar during Roza is sacred, designated places are meant for it as both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food are consumed. "People consider Maa Ganga sacred; they offer its water to deities. Therefore, all the people of India should take care to preserve its purity," Sharma said. Reacting to the incident, Rajasthan Minister Madan Dilawar said those responsible for polluting the river would face strict action. "Those who commit such acts, disrespect the Ganga, and pollute the river will be severely punished. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will not spare anyone," he said. BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj also stressed the importance of respecting religious traditions and decisions taken by community bodies. "Every religion has its own committees, and if a committee makes a decision, it is our duty to respect and follow it this is everyone's duty," he said. Meanwhile Congress MP, Imran Masood, said maintaining the purity of the Ganga was a shared responsibility but also pointed to larger environmental concerns. "Maintaining the purity of the Ganga is everyone's responsibility. Drains are being directly discharged into the Ganga, get an FIR registered on that too," he said. Another Congress MP, Ujjwal Raman Singh, said he was not fully aware of the details but maintained that action should be taken if rules were violated. "I don't know the full context. If people were observing Roza or Iftar on the boat, what is wrong with that? And if someone has done something wrong, or if there are rules or regulations, action should be taken accordingly," he said. Congress leader Hussain Dalwai also reacted to the development, saying: "What Hitler did in terms of human atrocities is happening now in the nation." Police in Varanasi registered a case following a complaint by a BJP youth wing leader. The case includes sections related to hurting religious sentiments, environmental pollution and public nuisance. According to police, 14 individuals, including the boat operator, have been arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities are also verifying the authenticity of the viral video and identifying others involved. The Ganga holds immense spiritual importance for millions of devotees, especially in Varanasi, where people regularly perform rituals, immerse ashes of their loved ones, take ceremonial baths and make religious offerings along the ghats. New Delhi, March 18 : Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, reacting to the public furore over the explicitly vulgar song 'Sarka Chunar', cautioned the filmmakers on Tuesday against 'abusing' the freedom of speech and called for exercising it within the accepted societal standards. Speaking in Lok Sabha, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "A ban has already been imposed on the song. I must tell the House clearly that we must respect and operate according to the reasonable restrictions under the Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech cannot be absolute; it has to be in the context of the society and culture." The I&B minister was replying to a question on the Bollywood film song 'Sarke Chunariya', raised by SP MP Anand Bhadouria. Vaishnaw added that the government is committed to taking sensible and strict action to protect the impressionable minds, particularly children - vulnerable to the adverse effects of digital exposure. Notably, the highly controversial song "Sarke Chunar" featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt from the film 'KD: The Devil' has created wide uproar among the public over its suggestive lyrics and choreography since its release. It was after intense backlash and criticism from within the film industry, including the filing of complaints against the authorities, that the song was banned on Tuesday. The song was also removed from the video platform YouTube. On Tuesday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also issued a notice to the makers over 'objectionable lyrics and obscene gestures'. "Who can sit with their civilised family and watch this? There is no expectation of morality from Bollywood anyway, but it is shameful for the censor board to license obscenity. This mentally ill person is destroying generations with their psychopathic tendencies. We will not allow this filth to spread in society. We are issuing notices for action," said NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo, taking umbrage over the song. A complaint was also filed with the CBFC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, demanding legal action over the "highly vulgar, sexually suggestive, and obscene" track. Islamabad, March 18 : Pakistan's habit to control media internally seems to be evolving into an effort to influence independent media in other parts of the world, a report has indicated highlighting Islamabad's growing efforts to deliberately suppress independent, fact based reporting that exposes its internal contradictions, security failures, and political vulnerabilities. "Pakistanas long running attempts to shape media narratives are no longer limited to its domestic press environment. Increasingly, they appear to extend beyond its borders, targeting international reporting that challenges the stateas preferred version of events. The pattern is familiar: when coverage aligns with official interests, it is amplified; when it exposes internal instability, it is disputed, pressured, or politically resisted," Dimitrastaikou, a European political analyst and international affairs journalist, wrote in Medium. Journalists in Pakistan, he elaborated, have faced pressure for years, and that pressure has further increased. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said authorities in 2025 continued to suppress dissenting voices, while Committee to Protecting Journalists (CPJ) and other press-freedom groups have mentioned about rising legal harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and threats against journalists. The 2025 amendments to Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) were criticised for allowing the State to have more power over online speech. After a State is used to having control on information at home, it often starts to resent the media outlets it cannot control abroad. International media have reported about Pakistan's worsening security situation, including highlighting the situation of Balochistan, the activity of separatists and continued attacks on Pakistani forces by Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP). The reporting of these issues have drawn attention to the erosion of internal stability, a theme that is against Pakistan's effort to project control and resilience. Such reporting appears to have become a growing source of discomfort for Pakistani officials. "That context gives added significance to the February 24, 2026 visit to Qatar by a Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was also a part of it. Officially, the visit was part of broader bilateral engagement. Yet its timing, amid heightened sensitivity over international coverage of Pakistanas internal security troubles, has prompted scrutiny. The central concern is not merely diplomatic contact with Qatar, but the possibility that Islamabad sought to register its displeasure with Al Jazeeraas reporting and encourage more favourable framing. Whether framed as outreach, lobbying, or objection, the underlying impulse reflects a broader effort to influence coverage beyond Pakistanas own jurisdiction," wrote Dimitrastaikou. After suppressing domestic media and allowing only narratives that are in accordance with the official line, Pakistan has also launched multiple English-language news channels which have hired international reporters and anchors. Outlets headquartered in Karachi were launched to present Pakistanas narratives to the global audience with an appearance of credibility and authenticity. By hiring international news professionals to report on internal issues, Pakistan wants to control the framing of stories. "Taken together, these developments point to a broader and more troubling trend. Pakistanas record of controlling journalism at home appears to be evolving into an effort to contest and influence independent reporting abroad. The issue is no longer simply domestic media repression. It is the projection of that same mindset onto the international information space. On one hand, international platforms can be used to elevate narratives that reinforce Pakistanas strategic messaging, on the other, outlets that foreground insurgency, internal fragility, and governance failures can quickly become targets of political discomfort and pressure," wrote Dimitrastaikou. "The common thread is not the ideology of the outlet, but the usefulness of the story to the state. In the end, the larger implication is clear: Pakistan appears to be deliberately trying to suppress independent, fact based reporting that exposes its internal contradictions, security failures, and political vulnerabilities. When reporting aligns with the state, it is celebrated. When it is grounded in facts that challenge the official line, it becomes a problem to be managed. It suggests that Pakistan is not merely contesting criticism, but attempting to curb the space for independent journalism itself," the analyst added. Mumbai, March 18 : As we gear up to celebrate Gudi Padwa on Thursday, several prominent names from the television industry revealed what the auspicious festival means for them. Actress Shilpa Shinde, aka Angoori Bhabi from &TVas "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai 2", revealed that for her, Gudi Padwa signifies positivity, gratitude, and welcoming new beginnings. Recalling some fond memories associated with the festival from her childhood, Shilpa stated, aGudi Padwa holds a very special place in my heart because it reminds me of the warmth of home and the beautiful traditions of Maharashtra. As a child, I loved watching the colourful Gudis being hoisted outside every house in the neighbourhood. My mother would wake up early to prepare festive dishes like puran poli and shrikhand, and the house would be filled with their delicious aroma. We would dress in traditional attire, visit relatives, and exchange good wishes for the new year." She added that even today, she likes to celebrate the festival in a simple yet meaningful way by following the rituals, spending time with family, and enjoying traditional Maharashtrian food. "For me, Gudi Padwa is all about positivity, gratitude, and welcoming new beginnings with a smile," she concluded. Additionally, actor Amitabh Ghanekar, who plays Panoti Mama in &TVas "Gharwali Pedwali", added that Gudi Padwa has always been about tradition, family, and fresh beginnings. Revealing what it was like celebrating the festival with his family, he said, "The highlight was always putting up the Gudi outside our house, which symbolises victory, prosperity, and good fortune. My mother would prepare a grand festive spread with dishes like puran poli, batata bhaji, and shrikhand, and we would enjoy the meal together after performing the rituals. The entire atmosphere would feel festive with rangolis, new clothes, and cheerful greetings from neighbours and friends." He added that this year, he plans to celebrate the festival with his family and also share the festive spirit with his co-actors on set. "Festivals like Gudi Padwa remind us to pause, appreciate our traditions, and welcome the new year with positivity and enthusiasm," Amitabh revealed. --IANS pm/ -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Jerusalem, March 18 : Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran overnight. Katz also warned of "significant surprises" across all arenas, local media reported. During a security assessment, he said, "On this day, significant surprises are expected across all arenas that will escalate the war we are conducting against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," according to remarks provided by his office, The Times of Israel reported. "The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing. The Iranian intelligence minister Khatib was also eliminated overnight," The Times of Israel quoted him as saying. Katz said that he and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have allowed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to eliminate any senior Iranian figure without the need to seek additional permission. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that Khatib, the Iranian Minister of Intelligence, was killed in a targetted strike in Tehran. "Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest and killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis and Americans around the world. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (20222023). The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against Israeli and Iranian citizens," the IDF posted on X. On Tuesday, Israel claimed that it has killed Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani. In a statement shared on X, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that Larjiani was considered one of the most senior figures in the Iranian regime leadership and a close associate of late Supreme Leader Ayotallah Ali Khamenei. "Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the regime's effective leader, has been eliminated. Throughout the years, Larijani was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership, and was a close associate of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei," IDF posted on X. Later, Iranian media also reported that Ali Larijani along with his son was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran on March 17. "During the most recent wave of protests against the Iranian terror regime, Larijani personally oversaw the massacre that was carried out against Iranian protestors," it added. According to a statement released by the IDF, Larijani functioned as the leader of the Iranian regime after Khamenei's death and led the combat against Israel and countries in the region. IDF also announced that Basij Unit commander Gholamreza Soleimani has been killed. In a statement shared on X, IDF said, "COMMANDER OF THE BASIJ UNIT ELIMINATED. Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years. Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators." Gholam Reza Soleimani was killed in an aerial attack by Israeli fighter jets in Tehran, Tasnim News Agency reported. March 18 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while addressing the release of the book 'Nav Nirman ke 9 Varsh', said that Uttar Pradesh has now transformed into an infrastructure-focused state. Highlighting the rapid development of infrastructure, he said that UP has the largest railway network in the country. Metro services are operational in seven cities- Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut. Countrys first Rapid Rail has started between Meerut and Delhi. First ropeway in the country is being built in Varanasi. First inland waterway in India (Varanasi to Haldia) is also in UP. Talking about air connectivity, he mentioned that 16 airports are operational in the state, including four international airports. Fifth international airport at Jewar is ready and will be the largest in the country. We have invited Prime Minister to inaugurate it on March 28. Jewar Airport will boost economic growth and generate 1 lakh crore in revenue for state government. CM Yogi referred to the poor infrastructure before 2017 and then listed his governments achievements. He said that 55% of the countrys expressways are in UP and with the completion of Ganga Expressway this month, share will rise to 60%. State has improved interstate, international and four-lane connectivity. 'Maitri Dwar' gateways have been developed. Every district headquarters is now connected with four-lane roads, while block and tehsil headquarters are connected with two-lane and four-lane roads. Chief Minister said that recently delegations visited Japan and Singapore, along with the Finance and Industrial Development Minister. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and IT Minister visited Germany. Ministers and industry leaders in these countries said they are investing in UP because of its zero tolerance and zero corruption policies. He added that UP has emerged as a top investment destination. Major investors from Singapore, Japan and Germany are set to invest and proposal letters have already started coming in. Government has begun working on these investments. From a state where investors once hesitated to come, UP has now seen ground-breaking of investments worth 15 lakh crore. An additional 6 lakh crore is ready for upcoming ground-breaking ceremonies. Investment is happening in every district. State has a vast land bank, 34 sectoral policies and investor-friendly platforms like 'Nivesh Mitra' and 'Nivesh Sarathi'. CM Yogi stated that before 2017, investors avoided UP due to lack of security, policies, land availability and government intent. Between 1947 and 2017, fewer than 14,000 industries were established, whereas now more than 31,000 large industries are operational. UP has 96 lakh MSME units employing 3.11 crore people, while large industries employ over 65 lakh people. He emphasized that investment comes only when the governments intent is strong. Taking a dig at previous governments, CM said that those who called faith 'superstition' themselves avoided visiting Noida, believing it would cost them their position. When he assumed office, he decided to break this belief. He said even if it cost him his chair, he would still go to Noida for the states development. Today, Noida and Greater Noida significantly contribute to national growth. Without this change, UP would not have achieved 55% of Indias mobile manufacturing and 60% of electronic component production. The myth of Noida being inauspicious was dismantled to remove obstacles to development. TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A total of 46,370 civilian units have been hit since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran at the end of last month, said a senior Iranian rescue official. Among them, about 39,000 were residential units, Razieh Alishavandi, director of Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) for international affairs, told Xinhua in a recent interview. She said 6,851 commercial units were also damaged, expressing regret over the continued strikes on civilian targets. The attacks also affected medical and educational facilities, striking about 236 pharmaceutical, health and emergency service centers, along with 120 schools and other educational institutions, Alishavandi said. She added that 17 IRCS centers were damaged, and one rescue helicopter belonging to the society was completely destroyed in the attacks. A total of 35 operational vehicles, including ambulances and rescue vehicles, were also hit. Alishavandi said 10 IRCS staff members were injured in the strikes and one was killed. Attacks on educational centers left 206 people dead and 154 others wounded. She added that 16 people working in the health sector were killed, while 96 others were injured. Alishavandi said the IRCS records on a daily basis evidence of the U.S. and Israel's violations of international humanitarian law and sends it to international organizations and bodies. "In armed conflicts, civilian persons, such as children, students and the elderly, and targets, including residential units and schools, should not be struck," she said. She added that the IRCS is raising the issue through international organizations and expects due attention and accountability. Alishavandi voiced the society's readiness to accept international humanitarian aid as well as pharmaceuticals and medical items and equipment "that are not adequately available in the country," saying drugs for cancer patients and those suffering from rare diseases are among the priorities. However, she noted that IRCS pharmacies are operating around the clock and no patients have been deprived of services or medication so far. Referring to mental health support, Alishavandi said the IRCS has launched a hotline, 4030, to provide psychological services. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, high-ranking military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets and bases in the Middle East. Chennai, March 18 : The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Wednesday announced that its leader, actor-turned-politician Vijay, will participate in a special Iftar gathering to be held this evening in Mamallapuram, as part of Ramzan observances. The event is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at a hotel here and is expected to draw selected invitees from across the state. According to a party statement, the Iftar programme is being organised in connection with the holy month of Ramzan and will be attended by Vijay in his capacity as the party President. The event is positioned as a gesture of solidarity and outreach towards the Muslim community during the sacred period of fasting and prayer. The organisers have clarified that the gathering will be conducted strictly as an indoor event with prior permission from the Election Commission, in view of the ongoing election period and the Model Code of Conduct in force. In line with regulatory guidelines and logistical arrangements, participation has been limited to 1,000 individuals. Party sources confirmed that entry to the venue will be strictly restricted to those who have received official invitations. "Only invited guests will be permitted to attend the event. No on-the-spot entry will be allowed under any circumstances," the statement emphasised. In order to ensure smooth conduct and avoid overcrowding, the party has urged supporters and the general public not to gather at the venue without valid invitations. Those not invited have been encouraged to watch the proceedings through television broadcasts, as arrangements have reportedly been made for live coverage of the programme. The TVK leadership also appealed to invitees to extend their full cooperation in adhering to the guidelines and maintaining order throughout the event. With Vijayas growing political presence in Tamil Nadu, the Iftar gathering is being closely watched as part of his broader outreach efforts ahead of the Assembly elections. The event is expected to combine religious observance with political messaging, as parties across Tamil Nadu continue to engage with diverse communities in the run-up to the polls. --IANS aal/vd Kolkata, March 18 : Ahead of the Assembly elections, the Kolkata Police have intensified measures to ensure strict law and order across the city, with a major focus on identifying and confiscating illegal firearms. Soon after taking charge as the new Commissioner of Police, Ajay Kumar Nand issued a series of directives to every police station and Divisional Deputy Commissioner across the city. Most significant among these is the mandate to identify and swiftly confiscate all illegal firearms throughout the city before the elections, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said on Wednesday. According to the officer, specific instructions have been issued to intensify surveillance, particularly in areas identified as sensitive. Police officials have been directed to exercise heightened vigilance in several key regions, including the Bhangar Division. Every police station has been instructed to take proactive action and conduct raids based on intelligence inputs, ensuring that miscreants are denied any opportunity whatsoever to stockpile or utilise illegal weapons. In this context, Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand delivered a clear message to the officers that the police administration is unwilling to take any risks in view of the elections. Acting on directives received from high-ranking officials, the police force across every station in the city -- including the Detective Department -- has already swung into action. Special operations to recover illegal firearms have been launched in various areas. According to sources, as the night progresses, security checkpoints and vehicle inspections will be intensified at key intersections, as well as at the entry and exit points of the city. Strict surveillance will be maintained over suspicious vehicles and individuals. According to a section of the police force, the closer the elections draw, the greater the apprehension regarding a potential rise in the use of illegal weapons by miscreants. Consequently, these measures have been implemented as a precautionary step. Emphasis is also being placed not only on the recovery of weapons but also on identifying potential miscreants and keeping them under close surveillance. New Delhi, March 18 : India's flagship global conference-cum-exhibition for the power and electricity sector, Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 will convene global power leaders here to deliberate on key priorities shaping India's evolving electricity ecosystem, the government said on Wednesday. The summit will be held from March 1922 at Yashobhoomi here, bringing together senior policymakers, regulators, academia, sector experts, utilities, investors, innovators and industry leaders for highlevel technical sessions, an official statement said. The summit, themed "Electrifying Growth. Empowering Sustainability. Connecting Globally.", will feature a comprehensive programme comprising strategic conferences, technical conferences, leadership panels and focused industry interactions aimed at shaping the next phase of growth for the global electricity sector. It will feature over 100 highlevel conference sessions, over 300 speakers, representatives from more than 80 countries, over 500 exhibitors including over 100 startups. More than 25,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, making it one of the largest electricity-focused platforms globally. The summit will focus on vendor development under the 'Make in India' initiative, and on advancing the indigenisation of cross emission systems, solar power, energy storage, transmission infrastructure and digital distribution technologies, the statement from Ministry of Power said. The government highlighted investment opportunities of over Rs 50 lakh crore in generation, transmission, distribution and storage through 2032. The participation of state governments will facilitate critical dialogue on strengthening India's electricity framework, accelerating renewable energy integration, modernising grid infrastructure and enhancing power distribution efficiency across the country. Exhibition spanning over 20,000 sq. metre area, will showcase cutting-edge technologies, innovations and solutions across the electricity value chain. "The exhibition will be organised across thematic zones covering power generation, transmission, renewable and clean energy, energy storage, distribution and smart grid technologies, alongside dedicated areas for energy innovation, startups and emerging technologies," the statement said. Participants from over 80 countries will attend the event showing growing global interest in India's rapidly evolving power sector and its emerging leadership in enabling a resilient, affordable and sustainable energy transition, the statement noted. IANS aar/na Bhubaneswar, March 18 : In response to growing political controversy over the formation of the 'Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation', Leader of Opposition in Odisha and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday clarified that he personally decided to form 'Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation' trust in the name of Biju Patnaik, emphasising that it was created for charitable purposes and not connected to any political party. Patnaik explained that Biju Babu was widely known for his charitable work, including instituting the Kalinga UNESCO Award to promote science. He recalled that he and his siblings had earlier donated Cuttack's Anand Bhavan to the people of Odisha. Detailing the process, Patnaik said he first travelled to Delhi before undergoing a medical operation in Mumbai, where he consulted senior lawyers and chartered accountants. Based on their advice, he resolved to establish a trust in Biju Babu's name. He added that the trust began with a small fund of Rs 1 lakh from his personal resources. "This trust has no connection with BJD or any other political party. It will work solely for the welfare of the people of Odisha," Patnaik stated. Even Naveen Patnaik is not taking his salary from the government. He is fully devoted to the people of Odisha. Meanwhile, during a heated Zero Hour session in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, several BJP MLAs, including Santosh Khatua has reportedly levelled serious allegations against the formation and financial transparency of the Biju Naveen Foundation. Khatua questioned the "mysterious" circumstances surrounding the trust's registration, noting that while it claims to serve the interests of Odisha, much of its administrative groundwork appeared to have been conducted in Delhi with a significant delay in public disclosure. The legislator expressed deep suspicion regarding the foundation's leadership, pointing out that its president is an individual who has officially retired from Odisha politics yet reportedly wields "absolute power" over the entity. Khatua further alleged that the foundation might be serving as a terminal for diverting political funds from the BJD, suggesting that money intended for state governance and party activities is being transferred to this private trust without adequate oversight. He raised concerns that certain individuals may have had their signatures taken for the trust's formation without being fully informed of its bylaws or long-term objectives. Demanding a high-level investigation, the MLA asserted that the people of Odisha have a right to know the source of the foundation's funding and why its operations are being shielded from the state's direct regulatory framework, especially if it involves resources originally contributed by the public. New Delhi, March 18 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over remarks linked to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), accusing the opposition of "defaming India" and aligning with anti-India forces. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said he was speaking "with a heavy heart" as the Congress had shared a post referring to the USCIRF report, which criticised India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Bhatia alleged that Rahul Gandhi's claim of running a "Mohabbat ki Dukan" (shop of love) was misleading and that the opposition leader was instead promoting "anti-India goods". "I want to show you a tweet from the verified Congress handle, which forms the basis of our press conference. An opposition party is hell-bent on defaming India. Rahul Gandhi is siding with anti-India forces," Bhatia said. The Congress post cited a recommendation made by the USCIRF to the administration of former US President Donald Trump, which suggested action against the RSS, including banning the organisation, seizing its assets and restricting the entry of its members into the US. The Congress post also referenced the ban imposed on the RSS by India's first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Targeting Rahul Gandhi further, Bhatia said the USCIRF report recommended targeted sanctions against entities such as RAW and the RSS. "Pakistan fears RAW, and now India's Leader of Opposition has also stood against RAW, with Pakistan. Isn't this concerning?" he said. Bhatia also criticised Rahul Gandhi for meeting US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during his visits abroad, claiming that both had made remarks questioning the state of democracy in India. "Recall that when Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, he meets anti-India elements like Ilhan Omar. She says there is no democracy in India, and Rahul Gandhi repeats the same narrative," he added. The BJP's remarks came after the USCIRF released its 2026 annual report recommending that the US government designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern", alleging a deterioration in religious freedom. According to the report, the panel claimed that religious minorities in India, particularly Muslims and Christians, faced increasing discrimination and violence, and cited legislative measures such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Jaipur, March 18 : Rajasthan Chief Minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over the gas shortage issue, questioning whether the problem was being unfairly politicised. "I find it surprising that when Congress members raise this issue, they reduce it to mere politics. Is the gas crisis limited to Rajasthan? Did Rajasthan create this problem? Or is it a nationwide issue?" the Chief Minister asked. He asserted that the state government acted swiftly to prevent inconvenience to citizens. "We will not allow any citizen to face hardship. On the very day the issue arose, we convened a meeting and issued clear directions to ensure there would be no gas-related difficulties in Rajasthan," he added. Expressing confidence in the Centre, Sharma said the situation was under control. "Earlier, we maintained stock for five days; now it has been increased to eight days, and it will be further augmented in the coming days." Taking a direct swipe at the Opposition, he alleged that Congress leaders were damaging the country's image. "Whether in India or abroad, Congress members seem intent on tarnishing the nation's reputation. They feel agitated when I speak the truth. They should recognise the people's suffering and the work being done for their welfare," he said. The Chief Minister was addressing the 'Udyami Samvad' programme at the Rajasthan International Centre. Criticising the earlier regime, he said there was no clear policy framework. "Youth were misled, entrepreneurs faced hurdles, and central funds meant for schemes were lost to corruption. Internal conflicts further weakened governance," he alleged. The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to providing uninterrupted electricity. "Electricity and water are essential for development. We aim to ensure 24-hour power supply to farmers and industries by 2027," he said. He added that financial assistance was distributed to young entrepreneurs under various schemes, including the Chief Minister's Youth Self-Employment Scheme. In a veiled jibe at the Opposition, CM Sharma remarked, "Policies require hard work and dedication. Work does not get done by staying in hotels." He also claimed strict action against wrongdoing: "We have registered cases and sent around 450 offenders to jail for crimes affecting the youth." He further revealed that an MoU has been signed with Japanese investors to set up an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Rajasthan. Addressing entrepreneurs, Sharma said, "You are not only growing your businesses but also strengthening Rajasthan's economy." Referring to Rajasthan Day, he noted that the state was formed on March 30, 1949, through the integration of princely states, and is now celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. New Delhi, March 18 : A political row and public criticism erupted on Wednesday after the Delhi government floated a tender worth Rs 6.2 crore for two "VIP inspection boats" meant for monitoring and survey operations on the Yamuna river, even as high levels of froth were seen floating on the river near Kalindi Kunj, raising environmental concerns. New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) A political row and public criticism erupted on Wednesday after the Delhi government floated a tender worth Rs 6.2 crore for two "VIP inspection boats" meant for monitoring and survey operations on the Yamuna river, even as high levels of froth were seen floating on the river near Kalindi Kunj, raising environmental concerns. The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department issued the tender on March 12 to procure two vessels, with each boat estimated to cost around Rs 3.1 crore. According to the tender document, the boats will be used for river monitoring, surveys and inspection visits by senior officials. However, the move drew sharp criticism from the Congress. Congress National Secretary Abhishek Dutt alleged that the government was focusing on expensive boats instead of tackling the worsening pollution in the Yamuna. "Today, pink foam is visible in the Yamuna. Pink foam is a combination of sewage waste, industrial waste and dry waste. The pollution levels are thousands of times higher than what the Yamuna's cleanliness levels should be. Yet, this government has no shame; they are buying boats worth Rs 6 crore today," he told IANS. Responding to the criticism, Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht said pollution in the Yamuna was the result of long-term negligence by previous governments. "It is true that all of us are responsible to some extent for the Yamuna's water turning pink. Drains used to flow directly into the Yamuna. The Congress ruled for 15 years and the Kejriwal government for 11 years, but there was negligence in installing effluent treatment plants (ETPs). If ETPs had been installed, the water would never have turned pink, it would not have been polluted and fish would not have died. But our government has come to power only a year ago; we have already started the work of cleaning the Yamuna," he said. BJP MLA Anil Goyal also defended the government, saying efforts to clean the river were already underway. "Ever since our government was formed, cleaning of the Yamuna has been ongoing. Additionally, 22 drains flow into the Yamuna in Delhi, out of which 11 have been dyke-set and treatment plants installed," he said. Meanwhile, residents living near the river expressed concern over the visible pollution and froth in the water. "As you can see, there is foam all over this. Now this drain will go and mix into the Yamuna river," a local resident told IANS. Another local said that the priority should be cleaning the river first. "First clean the Yamuna, then run whatever boats you want. The Najafgarh drain, carrying polluted water and foam, continues to flow into the Yamuna, contaminating the river," the resident added. The development comes at a time when froth and polluted water continue to be seen at several stretches of the Yamuna, prompting criticism from the Opposition and residents over the government's priorities. Bhopal, March 18 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhopal Zonal Office, has provisionally attached 11 immovable properties worth Rs 20.59 crore belonging to M/s Jayshri Gayatri Food Products Pvt Ltd and its Managing Director, Kishan Modi, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attachment order was issued following an ongoing money laundering probe linked to the manufacture, supply and export of adulterated dairy products. The company, which markets its products under the brand name aMilk Magica, is accused of producing adulterated dairy items by substituting milk fat with palm oil and other harmful chemicals. These products were supplied in the domestic market and exported to various countries. To obtain export clearances from the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) in Indore, the firm allegedly submitted forged laboratory test reports from reputed laboratories. Verification with the concerned laboratories later confirmed that many such reports were fabricated and had never been issued. Investigations revealed that, relying on these forged documents, Jayshri Gayatri Food Products Pvt Ltd exported the adulterated products and received export proceeds amounting to approximately Rs 20.59 crore in its bank accounts with Axis Bank and HDFC Bank. The ED has identified these proceeds as aproceeds of crimea under PMLA provisions. The case stems from two FIRs -- one registered on August 29, 2023, at Habibganj Police Station, Bhopal, and another on July 22, 2024, by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal -- against the companyas directors and officials under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Earlier, the ED arrested Kishan Modi on March 13, 2026, under Section 19(1) of the PMLA. He was produced before the Special PMLA Court in Bhopal, which granted the agency custody until March 18, 2026. Subsequently, the court remanded him to judicial custody on March 18. The probe, which began on the basis of the FIRs, has uncovered a systematic fraud involving large-scale adulteration, document forgery and laundering of illicit export earnings. The attached properties include 11 immovable assets linked to the company and its Managing Director. Further investigation is in progress, with the ED likely to pursue additional action, including more arrests and attachments, to dismantle the alleged racket that endangered public health through substandard and harmful dairy products while generating substantial illicit funds. New Delhi, March 18 : Prime Narendra Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah on Wednesday, discussing the evolving situation in West Asia and sharing concerns over the recent developments. PM Modi reiterated India's condemnation of attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also thanked Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah for continued support and ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait. "Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid. We exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and shared concerns over recent developments. Reiterated India's condemnation of attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains our foremost priority," PM Modi posted on X. "We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential for regional peace and stability. I thanked him for continued support for the safety and wellbeing of the Indian community in Kuwait," he added. The conversation between both leaders took place amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which erupted following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials. In response, Iran launched drone and missile attacks targetting the US and Israeli facilities, regional capitals and allied forces in West Asia. Over the past few days, PM Modi has also spoken with the leaders of UAE, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar as India remains in touch with the governments of the region as well as other key partners over the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region. On Tuesday, PM Modi spoke to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed the current situation in West Asia. PM Modi reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have claimed lives of people and caused damage to civilian infrastructure PM Modi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Spoke with my brother HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and conveyed advance Eid greetings. We discussed the current situation in West Asia. Reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure." "We agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security and stability in the region," he added. Gandhinagar/Sabarkantha, March 18 : Under the 'Green Wall of Aravalli' scheme, 2.30 lakh trees have been planted in Sabarkantha district over the last two years, State Minister for Forests and Environment, Pravin Mali, informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. The project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5, 2025, from New Delhi, aims to develop a green corridor along the Aravalli mountain range, which extends from Gujarat to Delhi. Responding to a question raised by an MLA, the minister said that the survival rate of the trees planted so far has been very high. "For rapid growth, the Forest Department will prepare saplings of six to 10 feet and distribute them, so tree enthusiasts will not need to procure saplings from private nurseries. The department will maintain these trees for 10 years," Mali said. As part of the initiative marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary, the Forest Department is preparing memorial forests containing 562 trees in each legislative assembly constituency, in memory of the leader's work in uniting 562 princely states. Memorial forests have already been created at Idar, Khedbrahma, Prantij, and Himmatnagar. Mali also provided updates on the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme, stating: "In the past one year, a total of 14 lakh saplings have been planted over 1,508 hectares in Sabarkantha district, including 4.55 lakh saplings over 454 hectares in Khedbrahma." The 'Green Wall of Aravalli' initiative is a largescale ecological restoration programme launched to combat land degradation and desertification along the Aravalli mountain range, which stretches across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The project aims to establish a fivekilometrewide green belt along this range by planting native species of trees and shrubs on scrubland, wasteland and degraded forest areas, as well as rejuvenating surface water bodies such as ponds and streams and promoting agroforestry and pasture development. PRAIA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Crime in Cape Verde fell by about 11 percent in 2025, Minister of Internal Administration Paulo Rocha has said, highlighting the key role of video surveillance in strengthening public security. Rocha made the remarks Tuesday on the sidelines of the 20th meeting of the National Police Command Council, held in Praia, the capital. Cape Verde recorded 18,255 criminal cases in 2025, down by 2,269 from 2024, representing a fall of 11.1 percent, he said, noting that the decline was registered on all islands except Sao Nicolau, and in 17 of the country's 22 municipalities. The Safe City project, a government initiative on video surveillance and police intelligence aimed at modernizing public security through smart technologies, with a focus on crime prevention and rapid response, has been "crucial" in supporting police work, especially in crime prevention and criminal investigations, Rocha said. "Video surveillance has been an essential tool, not only in deterring crime, but also in supporting evidence collection and the work of security forces," he said. With a strong technological component and Chinese financing, the system covers tourist areas and major urban centers, and also includes the implementation of the single emergency number 112. Mumbai, March 18 : Actor Rajpal Yadav, who has been convicted in a cheque bounce case by the Delhi High Court, has been given the last chance by the honourable court. The court on Wednesday asked the actor asked the actor if he had taken the loan to which he replied in positive. The court then told the actor that he was given several chances but he failed to comply. While presenting his side in court, Rajpal Yadav said that in 2016, the judge said that a sum of Rs 10 crore 40 lakh had to be given. He said that he had brought papers of a friend's property worth Rs 28 crore. He further mentioned that he had returned the money. For the uninitiated, the actor was accused by Murli Projects Pvt Ltd over the default in repayment. Further, the actor also said in the court, that the other party didnat want the money in return but they wanted him to be sent to jail. He argued that when he went to jail, he served his sentence, and the whole debate should end now as he has legally complied. He also informed that Rs 22 crore was spent on the film and not Rs 5 crore as claimed by the other party. He said that he incurred a loss of Rs 17 crore. Rajpal Yadav's lawyer said that they had filed a regular bail application. The interim bail granted by the court is expiring on March 18. Murli Projects Pvt Ltd has been paid Rs. 4.25 crore so far and a demand draft of Rs.25 lakh is being issued today. The court told the actor he is being told for the last time to return the money, and the case will be over. Rajpal Yadav faced legal trouble in a cheque bounce case under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. The court found him guilty over non-payment linked to a financial dispute. Such cases arise when issued cheques are dishonoured due to insufficient funds, leading to criminal liability and penalties. Jaipur, March 18 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma stated that industry and investment are the primary drivers of economic prosperity, and that entrepreneurs, while expanding their own enterprises, are also accelerating the growth of Rajasthan's economy. Jaipur, March 18 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma stated that industry and investment are the primary drivers of economic prosperity, and that entrepreneurs, while expanding their own enterprises, are also accelerating the growth of Rajasthanas economy. He noted that the State Government has created a conducive industrial environment through continuous policy reforms, enabling Rajasthan to script a new chapter in industrial development. Appealing to entrepreneurs, Sharma urged them to capitalise on the investment opportunities available in the state, establish new industries, and actively participate in Rajasthanas development journey. He emphasised that this collective effort would help realise the vision of a aViksit Bharat, Viksit Rajasthana. He also clarified that there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the state, and that uninterrupted supply is being ensured for all consumers. The Chief Minister was addressing the aEntrepreneur Dialoguea programme, organised as part of the Rajasthan Day celebrations at the Rajasthan International Centre on Wednesday. He recalled that the aIron Man of India,a Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had established aGreater Rajasthana (Brihad Rajasthan) on March 30, 1949, on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, marking the Indian New Year under the auspicious Revati Nakshatra and Indra Yoga. He noted that Rajasthan Day is therefore observed on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, and this year, the occasion will be celebrated across the state on March 19 with enthusiasm and festivity. Sharma stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is scaling new heights across sectors and moving steadily towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. He added that the Prime Minister remains committed to the welfare of the poor, youth, women, and farmers, and that the State Government is actively implementing schemes aligned with this vision. Highlighting the rapid transformation of the industrial landscape, the Chief Minister noted that within its first year, the government successfully organised the aRising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit.a Of the MoUs worth Rs 35 lakh crore signed during the summit, projects worth Rs 8 lakh crore have already been grounded. He informed that industrial parks have been developed in Bikaner, Pali, Kishangarh, and Jodhpur, while new industrial areas in Alwar, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, and Ajmer have been opened for land allotment. Logistics parks have also been established at Salarpur and Bichun, near the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Sharma emphasised that Rajasthan is rapidly emerging as a preferred investment destination due to investor-friendly policies. Under aRIPS 2024,a investment incentives have been strengthened, and the timeline for land use conversion has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days. Integration of the aRajNivesha portal with the National Single Window System has enabled over 143 services across 14 departments to be accessed through a single platform. He added that youth empowerment is being promoted through the State Skill Policy and Rajasthan Youth Policy, with employment opportunities provided to approximately 3 lakh youth in the private sector. The Chief Minister stated that the 2026-27 Budget includes comprehensive provisions to boost industrial growth and attract investment. A aDirect Allotment Policya has been introduced, and aPlug-and-Playa facilities will be developed at all divisional headquarters. He also announced that 3,600 hectares of land in the Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar region will be developed with an investment of Rs 600 crore. Additionally, a Department for Domestic and Overseas Rajasthani Affairs has been established to serve the Rajasthani diaspora. The government will also implement initiatives such as Single Window 2.0, integration of IFMS and RIPS portals, extension of interest subvention benefits to the service sector under RIPS-2024, and the establishment of an Energy Transition Skilling Cluster to further ease investment processes. Comparing performance, Sharma stated that the government has made significant progress in industrial development within two years -- surpassing the achievements of the previous government in its full term. He noted that 31 industrial areas have been developed by RIICO in two years, compared to 16 in the corresponding period earlier. Similarly, 2,453 industrial plots have been allotted, and Rs 2,007 crore invested in industrial infrastructure -- substantially higher than previous figures. He added that over 11.61 lakh MSMEs have been established during this period, reflecting a major expansion in entrepreneurial activity. He further stated that over the past two and a quarter years, the government has introduced 34 new policies, creating a more enabling environment for investment and enterprise. New Delhi, March 18 : Flight operations are gradually improving with additional services being introduced between India and the Middle East region, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday. In the UAE, around 70 flights operated on March 17 and about 75 flights are expected on Wednesday to various destinations in India. Over 50 flights have been operating daily since 5 March 2026, indicating improved connectivity. Flights continue to operate from Saudi Arabia and Oman to India. The Qatar airspace remains partially open, with 5 flights operated on Tuesday and services to nine Indian destinations announced from Wednesday. However, the Kuwait airspace has remained closed since February 28. Special non-scheduled flights by Jazeera Airways are expected from Al Qaisumah Airport in Saudi Arabia. For Indian nationals in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq, where airspace remains restricted, transit through Saudi Arabia continues to be facilitated. In Iran, Indian students from Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz have been relocated to safer locations, with all necessary assistance being provided by the Embassy. Since February 28, around 2,60,000 passengers have returned from the region to India. The Embassy of India in Tehran continues to assist Indian students in Iran, including those seeking to cross land borders into Azerbaijan, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Indian nationals are advised to follow Embassy advisories to facilitate smooth land-border crossings into Armenia and Azerbaijan. A dedicated MEA control room remains operational to assist Indian nationals and their families, and coordination continues with state governments and Union Territories. Indian Missions and Posts across the region are functioning round the clock, maintaining contact with community associations and organisations and issuing updated advisories. A decline in helpline queries indicates that many urgent issues of stranded nationals have been addressed. The government emphasised that it remains alert and is maintaining close coordination among concerned Ministries, agencies, and State/UT Governments, with necessary measures being taken to safeguard key sectors and national interests. Patna, March 18 : On the second day of the 'Samridhi Yatra', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday visited Jamui district, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated a series of development projects worth Rs 914 crore. During the visit, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for 189 development schemes worth Rs 312 crore and inaugurated 181 completed projects worth Rs 602 crore, dedicating them to the people of the district. Upon his arrival, he was accorded a warm welcome by senior leaders and party workers at the helipad. Among the key projects, Kumar inaugurated the Kundghat Reservoir Project, inspected the site, and issued directions to officials for its effective implementation. He also visited departmental stalls, interacted with beneficiaries, and distributed assistance cheques during the event. Addressing a large gathering at the 'Jan Samvad' programme, the Chief Minister reiterated his government's commitment to the overall development of Bihar, including backward regions like Jamui. During his speech, CM Nitish Kumar made a light-hearted remark while noticing movement in the crowd: "Ladies, why are you running away? Everything is being done for your sake. I was watching you all, and it felt wonderful to see you present -- surely you are not going to leave just because I have started speaking?" Several prominent leaders were present on the occasion, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Cabinet Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Shreyasi Singh, and former minister Sumit Kumar Singh. Following his Jamui visit, CM Nitish Kumar proceeded to Nawada, where he continued his outreach under the yatra. In Nawada, he laid the foundation for 21 schemes worth Rs 244 crore and inaugurated 37 completed projects worth Rs 55 crore. An interesting moment occurred during the Nawada event when the stage anchor mistakenly referred to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary as the "Chief Minister". As Choudhary rose to speak, the anchor repeated the announcement, prompting a brief moment of amusement. Choudhary responded with folded hands before proceeding with his address. Gandhinagar, March 18 : Gujarat has unveiled a comprehensive financial support framework for artificial intelligence (AI) startups and announced plans for a 'Sovereign AI Park', as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held direct consultations with emerging technology firms in Gandhinagar. The measures were outlined during a startup dialogue organised by the state's Science and Technology Department at the Chief Minister's residence, where around 24 high-potential startups from across India presented their innovations and products. The participating firms represented sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, governance and industry, with five startups focused on agriculture applications, three on healthcare, six on education and about 10 on government and industrial sectors. Addressing the gathering, Patel said the state government would prioritise collaboration with capable and innovative startups. "The government is committed to giving priority to talented startups to encourage innovation and new enterprises," he said. He added that the use of AI would be expanded to increase the speed of government functioning, enhance transparency and ensure that the benefits of public schemes reach citizens more quickly. Referring to Gujarat's technological progress, he said the foundation laid during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as chief minister had enabled the state to adopt new technologies rapidly while maintaining financial discipline. "Gujarat was advancing towards sustainable development through emerging sectors such as AI, semiconductors and green growth," he noted. The state government also announced a structured financial support model under its AI Innovation Challenge to assist startups from the proof-of-concept (PoC) stage to full-scale deployment. Under the scheme, startups will receive direct financial assistance for PoC development based on the complexity of their use cases. Funding of up to Rs 7.5 lakh will be provided for moderate projects and up to Rs 10 lakh for complex projects, disbursed in stages, with 25 per cent released upon selection and the remaining 75 per cent after successful completion of the PoC. Startups that complete the PoC stage successfully will be eligible for further support for full-scale deployment. The government has provisioned assistance of up to Rs 50 lakh for moderate projects and up to Rs 1 crore for complex projects, covering implementation, customisation, feature enhancement and handholding support. The scheme also provides support for up to four years, including access to infrastructure at the Gujarat State Data Centre and the AI Centre of Excellence. CM Patel said, "Increasing the pace of government work through AI, bringing greater transparency and ensuring that the benefits of schemes reach the last person quickly are the main objectives of the government." He further emphasised that quality would remain the primary focus in technology-driven development and that aligning efforts across stakeholders would be essential to realise the state's vision. During the event, the government signed an MoU with Sarvam AI and startup MIKO. Under the agreement, Sarvam AI will establish a Sovereign AI Park in Gujarat. The facility is planned as an integrated campus with high-end computing infrastructure, research and innovation centres, skill development programmes for youth, AI-based solutions for governance and technologies aimed at improving citizen services. Officials said the project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities over the next 5 years and contribute to building a robust ecosystem for AI and emerging technologies in the state. The government will facilitate the project by expediting approvals and clearances, extending policy support and coordinating with relevant departments to ensure timely implementation. Patel also said the state was ready to support startups that contribute to improving administrative efficiency and public welfare, adding that a "unified direction and collective effort would be necessary to achieve the intended outcomes". The dialogue also focused on emerging opportunities in AI, drones, healthcare, agriculture, cybersecurity, sustainability and enterprise technologies, with the government indicating that such engagements would help enhance efficiency, transparency and service delivery across departments. Bengaluru, March 18 : In an important development, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the Congress-led state government to file a detailed statement on the investigation conducted by the police department into the alleged mass burial case reported from the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Dharmasthala. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha, issued the direction following submissions by the petitioner that there were 74 unnatural deaths and that the police, who probed the cases, allegedly did not follow inquest procedures and post-mortem requirements under Section 174(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The court has scheduled the next hearing of the case for July 9. The petitioner, Kusumavathi, the mother of Sowjanya a teenage girl who is among the alleged victims has challenged the SIT probe, claiming that official procedures were not properly followed when the deaths were recorded. She has sought directions from the court to the SIT to identify witnesses and hold the responsible officials accountable. The advocate representing the state government told the court that police records related to unnatural deaths in Dharmasthala prior to 2010 were destroyed as part of a routine administrative procedure, following a government circular that permitted disposal of old records. However, the state said that records from 2010 onwards are still available, and authorities have details of the unnatural deaths registered in Dharmasthala after that period. The state government also argued that the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed very late, nearly 20 years after the alleged incidents, and raised questions over the delay in filing the petition. The state further submitted that it had made efforts to recover bodily remains, but nothing substantial had emerged. The petition filed before the High Court has sought a writ of mandamus (a court order directing a public authority to perform its duty). Through this, the petitioner has requested that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) register 74 separate First Information Reports (FIRs) one for each of the cases mentioned in her representation submitted on October 11, 2025. After hearing the plea, the High Court asked the state government to submit a statement explaining key facts and details of the investigations conducted by the police in connection with the multiple deaths and disappearances mentioned in the petition. The SIT had taken over the probe into the alleged mass burial sites in July 2025. The case came to light after an FIR was registered based on a complaint by a sanitation worker. In his complaint, he alleged that he had been instructed to bury the bodies of women and children in the temple town of Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. However, the sanitation worker, known as the "unknown mask man" and identified as Chinnaiah, was later arrested by the SIT for allegedly misleading the police. Lucknow, March 18 : Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday alleged that another "community" had been insulted in Uttar Pradesh after a question from a Class 7 Sanskrit annual examination paper surfaced on social media, triggering a political controversy. Sharing an image of the purported question paper on the social media platform X, the SP chief claimed that such incidents were happening deliberately at the behest of those in power. In his post, he wrote that the incident indicated a pattern and raised questions about the process through which examination papers were prepared. He suggested that the composition of committees responsible for setting question papers should also be examined. "The real question should not only be raised about the question itself, but also about whether people of the same background as those in power have been placed in the team that prepares the question papers," Akhilesh Yadav said. He further argued that if even a single member from the allegedly "victimised" community had been part of the committee preparing the paper, such an option would not have been deliberately framed. The image shared by Akhilesh Yadav appears to show a Sanskrit question paper for the 2026 annual examination of Class 7 students. One of the multiple-choice questions from the 'Surasmriti' lesson includes options referring to different figures, which the SP leader claimed was offensive to a particular community. The post quickly drew reactions on social media, with supporters and critics debating the intent and interpretation of the question. However, there was no immediate official response from authorities in Uttar Pradesh regarding the authenticity of the paper or the allegations raised by the Samajwadi Party leader. Akhilesh Yadav, a former UP Chief Minister, also posted a series of hypothetical questions to illustrate his criticism, suggesting that if such trends continued, exam papers might begin including politically loaded or controversial questions related to recent events and governance issues. Among the "Special Questions" he listed were: "Is the phrase 'Haata nahi bhaata' a proverb or an idiom? Explain with its meaning." "Who issued notices against the meetings of a particular community?" "Who broke the traditional Sanatani practice of Shankaracharyas taking a holy dip during the Kumbh Mela?" "Who kept a newly married person in jail despite being innocent?" "During whose rule did the incident occur in which a poor mother and daughter's hut was set on fire, leading to them being burned alive?" "On whose instructions was the platform demolished to prevent the installation of a statue of a respected person from a particular community?" "In Barabanki, who got whom beaten up, and what was the underlying purpose and message, and to whom was it directed?" Under "Supplementary Questions", he wrote: "In our country's freedom movement, who were the people playing the underground role of traitors or villains?" "Who are called 'Vanspativadi' (vegetarian ideologues/plant-based adherents)?" "Explain 'withdrawal of cases' with examples." The controversy adds to the ongoing political sparring in the state, where opposition parties have repeatedly accused the government of allowing divisive narratives to seep into public discourse, including education. Amaravati, March 18 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday handed over a cheque of Rs 226.61 crore to families displaced by Polavaram Project as part of third instalment under land acquisition and rehabilitation & resettlement. The Chief Minister met the displaced people at his official residence here and presented them the cheque on the eve of Ugadi, the Telugu new year. Speaking on the occasion, he remarked that the government holds in high esteem the displaced persons who sacrificed their lands and homes for the sake of the Polavaram project. He stated that the project is becoming a reality solely as a result of their sacrifices. Describing the Polavaram Project as lifeline of the state, the Chief Minister said that once it is completed and river interlinking is achieved, it will benefit the entire state. He noted that due to the negligence of previous governments, the diaphragm wall was damaged. After consulting experts, the government has now undertaken reconstruction of a new diaphragm wall at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. CM Naidu said the diaphragm wall will be completed within a week and that project works are progressing rapidly. Stating that work has been accelerated over the past 21 months, he expressed confidence that the project will be completed within two months after next yearas Ugadi, fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the people. The Chief Minister clarified that Rampachodavaram constituency was reorganized as Polavaram district keeping the project and displaced people in mind. Though it is a Central government project, he said the state government is completing it with strong commitment. The Chief Minister stated that compensation payments to displaced families have accelerated only after the coalition government came to power. He said Rs 800 crore was released as the first instalment during Sankranti in January 2025, and Rs 916 crore as the second instalment during Diwali last year. Now, Rs 226.6 crore is being released as the third instalment on the occasion of Ugadi. A total of Rs 1,943 crore has been paid to 26,149 displaced persons over the past 21 months. As part of the two-phase project construction, steps have been taken to relocate 38,068 displaced persons in the first phase. Out of 75 rehabilitation colonies, 26 have already been completed, while 49 are under construction. The Chief Minister further stated that colonies are being constructed for 17,114 displaced persons identified in 2022, with a target to complete rehabilitation by April 2027. Around Rs 3,500 crore more is required for the project. Each displaced family is being provided Rs 3.5 lakh for house construction, and the amount for house sites has been increased to Rs 2 lakh. He said the project was delayed by 6-7 years due to the negligence of previous governments. Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Rama Naidu, Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad and Polavaram R&R officials were present. New Delhi, March 18 : The political row triggered by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's remarks on the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, intensified on Wednesday, with several Congress leaders hitting back at the actor-turned-politician and accusing her of making comments to remain politically relevant. Punjab Congress President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring criticised Ranaut's statement, saying Gandhi's presence in Parliament should not be compared to the glamour world. "How does she feel that they come behaving like goons? Rahul Gandhi isn't coming here to make a film. She might think Parliament is some studio where one has to wear good clothes, be perfectly groomed, and act all polished," Warring told IANS in response to her remarks. He alleged that Ranaut repeatedly targets Gandhi because she believes the BJP has sidelined her. "She keeps remembering Rahul again and again because she feels that the BJP has forgotten her now and that she is no longer of any use. She thinks that if she says something about Rahul, she might stay relevant," he said. Taking a dig at her acting career, Warring added: "Now even her shop in Bollywood is shut, and it is shut here as well. So, just to keep her shop running, she keeps making remarks about Rahul." Congress MP Jothimani also criticised Ranaut, saying that being a celebrity or dressing well does not make someone a good person. "That shows Kangana Ranaut's character. Just because somebody is nicely dressed or is a celebrity does not make them a good person. This is the level of politics she does, so actually she does not have any status to talk about Rahul Gandhi," she said. Congress MLA Aslam Sheikh also reacted strongly to the BJP MP's comments, suggesting that Ranaut should look at her own past before criticising others. "Kangana should know about herself too; no need to go too far back. You can find out from Google what she used to do earlier and what her habits were," Sheikh said. He further took a swipe at the BJP for giving her a party ticket. "When giving a party ticket, information is taken about how a person has worked and served. I would applaud the BJP for promoting Kangana after watching her old videos. What else can you expect from them? Such statements will continue to come," he added. The responses came hours after Ranaut launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his behaviour in Parliament makes women uncomfortable and comparing it unfavourably with that of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The BJP MP had claimed that Gandhi behaves in a "tapori-like" manner in the Parliament complex and said he should learn etiquette from his sister. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mumbai, March 18 : The state Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Maharashtra Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aims to decentralise administrative powers and expedite the disposal of a massive backlog of stamp duty refund applications. During the discussion, Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule highlighted that the existing centralised system forced citizens to travel to Mumbai even for mid-sized refund claims, leading to significant delays and "red-tapism". Minister Bawankule announced the implementation of "micro-zoning" for fixing Ready Reckoner (RR) rates. This policy change marks a shift from broad, zone-based valuations to a more granular, scientific approach aimed at correcting economic disparities in property taxation. He said that once the survey is complete, the zone-wise and plot-wise RR rates will be made available in a transparent, downloadable PDF format through the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) portal. "The initial rollout of micro-zoning will begin from April 1, 2027, focusing on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune, where socio-economic disparities within small areas are most pronounced, such as in Worli, Parel and Borivali," the minister said. The revenue machinery has been instructed to determine separate rates for slums and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects, chawls and older, non-redeveloped buildings, as well as industrial, commercial and residential usage. Micro-zoning for RR fixation will be implemented in the rest of Maharashtra thereafter, he added. The minister pointed out a major flaw in the current system, where small houses, slums and chawls located adjacent to high-end luxury towers are taxed at the same RR rate. Micro-zoning will allow the department to differentiate between these structures even if they fall within the same geographical zone. The government is deploying Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map every property. This will enable plot-wise and building-wise accuracy, instead of applying a blanket rate to an entire street or neighbourhood. Minister Bawankule noted that buyers of smaller or older flats often end up paying stamp duty that is disproportionately high compared to the actual purchase price, as RR rates are inflated by nearby new developments. Micro-zoning aims to align RR rates more closely with actual market realities of specific micro-markets. While the move is expected to provide relief to low-income residents, it will also ensure that high-end commercial and residential projects are accurately valued, preventing developers from using lower average rates to pay reduced development charges and premiums. NANJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- One more survivor of the Nanjing Massacre passed away on Wednesday, reducing the number of living registered survivors to 21, the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders said. Massacre survivor Guan Shunhua died at the age of 101, according to the memorial hall in Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Guan was born in 1925. In 1937, her family fled to Huaian, which is north of Nanjing and also in Jiangsu, before the Japanese invading troops entered the then-Chinese capital. The family returned to Nanjing a month later and took shelter in the refugee zone on Ninghai Road. Her uncle was killed by Japanese troops outside Zhongshan Gate. The Nanjing Massacre took place after Japanese troops captured Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937. Over the course of six weeks, they proceeded to kill approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII. Over the years, the number of survivors who are able to share firsthand accounts of the massacre has continued to decline. In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. The Chinese government has also preserved survivors' testimonies, recorded via both written and video transcripts. Documents related to the massacre were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2015. Hyderabad, March 18 : Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a prohibition & excise inspector and a secondary grade teacher in a corruption case. The anti-graft agency arrested Gundeti Ramu, Prohibition & Excise Inspector, Karimnagar Urban and Jakkani Venu, Secondary Grade Teacher (SGT), Obulapur, Jagtial district. According to ACB, during his tenure as Station House officer of Vemulawada, Ramu received illegal gratifications (Mamools) from a jaggery merchant through his friend and former colleague Jakkani Venu on a regular basis through UPI transactions from 2022 to 2024. Venu transferred the said amounts to Ramu and Ramuas father's accounts, from his SBI and UPI accounts. The ACB identified regular financial transactions. The use of Venu's account as an intermediary strongly suggests a benami arrangement intended to conceal the origin of illicit funds, it said. During the searches at the house of Ramu, unaccounted net cash amounting to Rs 20 lakh was found and seized. According to the ACB, Ramu used Venu as a benami and performed his duty improperly and dishonestly to obtain illegal gratifications. Both the arrested government employees will be produced before the Special Judge for SPE & ACB cases, Karimnagar. The case is under investigation. The details of the complainant are withheld for security reasons, the ACB said. The agency has requested people that in case of a demand for a bribe by any public servant, they can contact the toll-free number 1064 for taking action as per the law. During 2025, the ACB registered a total of 199 cases, leading to the arrest of 273 accused persons. Out of the total cases registered, 157 were trap cases, resulting in the arrest of 224 accused, including 176 government employees. There were also 15 cases related to disproportionate assets against government officials and 26 other cases involving criminal misconduct by public servants, in which 34 accused were arrested. In addition, the anti-graft agency conducted 26 regular enquiries into allegations of corruption. ACB officials also carried out 54 surprise checks at various offices, including sub-registrar offices, RTA check posts, and welfare hostels. New Delhi, March 18 : The Delhi government on Wednesday announced financial assistance for the families affected by the tragic fire incident in Palam that claimed several lives and left a number of people injured. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and said the government stands firmly with the affected families during this difficult time. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the government will provide Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of each deceased adult, while the families of deceased minors will receive Rs 5 lakh each. She also announced Rs 2 lakh assistance for those who sustained serious injuries in the incident. "Deeply saddened by the tragic fire incident in Palam. The loss of innocent lives is heartbreaking. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to their loved ones to bear this irreparable loss," CM Gupta said in her post on X. She added that the Delhi government is committed to ensuring relief and support to those affected by the tragedy. "Delhi Govt stands firmly with the affected families and will ensure all possible support," she said. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the incident and announced ex-gratia assistance for the victims' families. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be given to the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured will receive Rs 50,000. The fire broke out in a multi-storey building located in Ram Market in the Palam area on Wednesday morning, leaving at least nine people dead and several others injured. Authorities said the blaze erupted in a four-storey building where the basement, ground floor and first floor housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom, while the family of the owner lived on the upper floors. Police and fire officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident at around 7.04 a.m. Rescue teams evacuated several people from the building and shifted them to nearby hospitals for treatment. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe to ascertain the cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the casualties. Bengaluru, March 18 : Karnataka aims to increase renewable energy production to 25,000 MW in the next five years and is implementing supportive policies to achieve this target, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Gaurav Gupta said on Wednesday. Releasing a book titled How Can India Make Its Renewable Future a Responsible One at an event organised by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Corporation Ltd (KREDL) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Gupta said the goal could be met "with the cooperation of investors and people". Gupta highlighted challenges in land acquisition for renewable projects. "People are concerned about the impact on their livelihoods, and investors see this as a hurdle. We need to educate people that renewable energy is crucial for the country's development," he said. He added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Energy Minister K.J. George, and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had simplified landacquisition processes and created a special online portal for investors and farmers to facilitate land conversion. Investors can discuss with farmers and register online, after which renewable energy projects can begin, he said. Gupta noted that over the past three decades, KREDL had played a transformative role in positioning Karnataka as one of India's leading renewableenergy states. Karnataka now has more than 23 GW of installed renewable capacity, with solar and wind forming the backbone of this growth. He cited the Pavagada Solar Park, with a capacity of over 2,000 MW, as one of the world's largest solar parks and a model of inclusive development, where farmers benefit from longterm landleasing arrangements. Karnataka has also emerged as a national leader in wind energy, with more than 8,238 MW of installed capacity, Gupta said. KREDL Chairman and MLA T.D. Rajegowda praised the government's initiatives, including the Chief Minister's Solar Agriculture Scheme. "Karnataka has been at the forefront of renewable energy and achieved many awards at the national level. The Chief Minister's Solar Agriculture Scheme, which combines agriculture and renewable energy, is a remarkable project," he said. The event featured discussions on various aspects of renewable energy and was attended by K.P. Rudrappaiah, Managing Director of KREDL, Karthik Ganesan, Director at CEEW, senior officials, and industry representatives. New Delhi, March 18 : The recent arrest of an alleged trainer in military warfare in India and last year's espionage-linked death in Bangladesh point to a larger vulnerability and competing intelligence agendas in the region, despite being separate incidents, tied coincidentally only by the identical citizenship of the perpetrators. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended Matthew Aaron VanDyke, an American citizen, alongside six Ukrainian nationals on March 13 at airports in Kolkata, Delhi, and Lucknow. The incident highlighted the mix of insurgency, technology, and cross-border networks. VanDyke reportedly gained prominence during the Libyan Civil War in 2011, where he fought alongside rebels and was later imprisoned. Following that, he founded Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), an organisation that reportedly provides military training and strategic advice to armed groups in conflict zones worldwide. Earlier, the sudden and mysterious death of Terrence Arvelle Jackson, a serving officer of the US Army's elite 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), in a Dhaka five-star hotel on August 31 last year triggered waves of speculative reports. "While Bangladeshi authorities initially suggested natural causes, the secrecy surrounding the removal of his body, the confiscation of his belongings by US Embassy officials, and his covert activities in the country suggest a far deeper and more troubling narrative," said a Weekly Blitz report in September. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at that time, thus raising questions over an American operative's presence in the region and the subsequent silence in Dhaka and Washington. Some reports described Jackson as a military trainer, supervising army exercises at Bangladesh's Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal. Washington was said to have an interest in the island as a base to keep an eye on trade with Myanmar, India, China, and the Strait of Malacca from this region. The Weekly Blitz report had quoted sources that "Jackson made frequent trips to Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, and Lalmonirhat districts known for their proximity to militant corridors and cross-border trafficking routes". One of the several possible questions it raised was if he had been "tracking Islamist movements within Bangladesh and their links to Myanmar's Arakan Army". The VanDyke arrest in India also raised similar flags with allegations that he and his companions trained ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, and that drones were imported via India, raising national security concerns. Reports also said that 14 Ukrainians had entered India on tourist visas and crossed illegally into Myanmar. The issue has raised security concerns, raising alarms about India's northeast insurgency, porous borders with Myanmar, and the use of civilian channels for covert military training. The two incidents along India's eastern border involve foreign operatives using South Asian countries as operational theatres, whether for insurgency training or for espionage and covert influence. While New Delhi is working intently on a probe for more details on the case involving VanDyke and his associates, it is yet to be seen if Dhaka's new government will probe the Jackson death, unlike the preceding interim government that overlooked the wider security threat. The police had then told Bangladesh media that Jackson was in the country on a business trip and that CCTV footage showed nothing suspicious. The body was handed over to an American team without conducting a post-mortem autopsy. The Weekly Blitz report had also quoted an unnamed hotel staff member saying that several maps, sketches, and electronic devices were among the items confiscated by US Embassy officials, along with three large suitcases and laptops. Tehran, March 18 : People in large numbers attended a funeral ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran Wednesday for the crew members of a frigate sunk by the United States as well as one the country's top security officials and a high-ranking military commander killed in Israeli attacks. On March 4, the US Navy's Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sunk Iran's Dena frigate in the Indian Ocean, killing 104 crew members on board, and leaving another 32 wounded. Iran confirmed Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and Gholam-Reza Soleimani, Chief Commander of the voluntary Basij force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, were killed Tuesday in Israeli attacks. Along with Larijani, his son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, Deputy Secretary of the SNSC for security affairs, as well as a number of his bodyguards were killed in the Israeli strike. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed in a post on social media platform X that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib has also been killed. The ceremony, which was attended by the deceased's family members, Iranian state officials and military commanders as well as a large number of people from different walks of life, began in the iconic Enghelab Square, featuring a procession to a place in southern Tehran where martyrs are taken for a final farewell before their burial. The mourners waved Iran's flags and held pictures of their "martyrs," including the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as they accompanied the bodies. They also pledged allegiance to and support for the country's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, Xinhua news agency reported. They also vowed to exact revenge on the United States and Israel for their "crimes" and killing of Iranians in their "aggression" against the country. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's supreme leader, high-ranking military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targetting Israel and US assets and bases in the Middle East. Gandhinagar, March 18 : Gujarat has reduced the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in livestock to 3 per cent while achieving herd immunity of around 80 per cent in 2025, state officials said, attributing the progress to sustained mass vaccination drives. The development comes as India works towards the target of becoming FMD-free by 2030 under a nationwide vaccination programme launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Gujarat, the campaign is being implemented under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with a focus on improving animal health and strengthening farmers' incomes. Officials said the state's strong performance in milk production is linked to sustained veterinary care and disease control efforts. On the ground, farmers say regular vaccination has become central to their livelihoods. Jigar Patel, a 42-year-old farmer from Lodra village in Mansa taluka of Gandhinagar district, said he depends on the biannual visits of Animal Husbandry Department teams to vaccinate his livestock. "I have 32 animals, and it is very important to keep them disease-free, as my income depends on milk production. Foot and Mouth Disease reduces milk production in animals. Fortunately, every six months, the Animal Husbandry Department team comes to my cattle shed and vaccinates them free of cost," he said. According to Mahendra Patel, secretary of the Lodra village milk producers' cooperative society, vaccination coverage in the village is progressing steadily. "There are more than 1,700 animals in Lodra village, and vaccination against FMD is currently underway. Around 50 per cent of the animals have already been vaccinated," he said. Across the state, thousands of personnel from the Animal Husbandry Department and dairy cooperatives are carrying out vaccinations in villages, farms and cattle shelters. The effort forms part of the Central Government's Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme, which aims to control and eradicate major animal diseases. The National Animal Disease Control Programme, launched on September 11, 2019, is fully funded by the central government and implemented with technical support from states. Dr Falguni Thakar, Director of the Gujarat Animal Husbandry Department, said a fresh vaccination campaign began on March 1 this year. "This vaccination is carried out twice every year. The effectiveness of this campaign can be measured through the declining incidence of outbreaks and reduced virus spread, which is evident from decreasing NSP antibody levels," she said. She added that cases in the state have remained limited in recent years. "In the past few years, only sporadic cases have been reported in the state, and those too have generally been less severe. As a result of vaccination, the virus spread remained only 3 per cent in 2025, while herd immunity reached up to 80 per cent. This clearly reflects the impact of vaccination and biosecurity measures," she said. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that causes fever and blisters in the mouth and feet of animals, leading to reduced appetite, weight loss and a fall in milk production, often resulting in financial losses for farmers. Gujarat has an estimated livestock population of around 2 crore cows and buffaloes, of which 1.71 crore are eligible for vaccination against the disease. In the 202526 financial year, the state is carrying out two rounds of vaccination covering a total of 337.52 lakh animals. Officials said disease control measures are also being supported by digital tracking. Under the National Digital Livestock Mission, animals are being assigned a unique identity through 12-digit ear tags and registered on the Bharat Pashudhan portal, allowing authorities to monitor health records and vaccination status. Animal husbandry remains a key component of the rural economy, and officials noted that reducing the incidence of FMD could also improve India's prospects in the global dairy export market. The disease is estimated to cause annual economic losses of about Rs 24,000 crore nationwide. Authorities said continued vaccination and biosecurity measures are expected to further reduce outbreaks, improve milk yields and strengthen rural incomes while supporting the broader goal of disease eradication. Kolkata, March 18 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday decided to depute two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the West Bengal cadre, both holding the rank of departmental secretaries, as central observers to other states. One of the two officers is Priyanka Singla, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, currently posted as Special Secretary in the state Civil Defence and Disaster Management Department. The other is P. Mohangandhi, a 2004-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, currently posted as Secretary in the state Commerce and Industries Department. Earlier in the day, the ECI had also decided to depute Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary Antara Acharya and Food Processing Secretary Parvez Ahmed Siddique as central observers to other poll-bound states. However, both Siddique and Acharya had requested the ECI to reconsider the decision, citing administrative workload in their respective departments. Earlier, on March 17, Jagdish Prasad Meena, the then West Bengal Home Secretary, who was removed from the post by the ECI hours after it announced the two-phase polls in the state, was later shifted by the Commission to Tamil Nadu as a central poll observer. The Commission had also removed the then West Bengal Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakrabarty, from the post on the same night the polling dates were announced, and barred her from involvement in the election process in the state. While Dushyant Nariala replaced Chakrabarty, Shanghamitra Ghosh replaced Meena. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had strongly criticised the removal of Chakrabarty and Meena and had also written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, raising objections. The two-phase polls in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29. The results will be announced on May 4. New Delhi, March 18 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday extended the interim suspension of sentence granted to Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav in connection with cheque bounce cases. Observing that the actor had already made substantial payments to the complainant company, a single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said it was not inclined to send him back to jail at this stage. "I am not sending him to jail. He has already made substantial payment. I will be hearing the main petition," Justice Sharma orally remarked. Appearing for Rajpal Yadav, his counsel informed the Delhi High Court that a sum of around Rs 4.25 crore has already been paid to the complainant, M/s Murli Projects Pvt Ltd, with a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh being handed over on the day. Justice Sharma also refused to vacate the earlier interim order suspending Yadav's sentence despite an application filed by the complainant seeking its cancellation. "He is not running away. He is still here If the money has to come to you, it will come," the Delhi High Court remarked, adding that it would endeavour to decide the matter expeditiously. It clarified that the actor must either honour the settlement or argue the case on the merits. "If you want to settle, pay the amount and finish the case. Otherwise, argue," Justice Sharma said. The Delhi High Court listed the matter for further hearing on April 1, making it clear that no adjournment would be granted and that the case would be heard and decided on the next date. In the meantime, the interim suspension of sentence will continue. Earlier, on February 16, the Delhi High Court had granted interim suspension of sentence to Yadav, paving the way for his release from jail till March 18 after noting that Rs 1.5 crore had been deposited with the complainant company. The relief had come days after the Delhi High Court took a stern view of his conduct and directed him to surrender before the concerned jail authorities, observing that despite "considerable leniency", he had failed to honour his payment commitments over a prolonged period. Yadav was convicted and sentenced in 2024 in multiple cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act. New Delhi/Imphal, March 18 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against three cadres of the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) terrorist outfit in connection with last year's ambush on an Assam Rifles vehicle in Manipur, in which two paramilitary personnel were killed, the probe agency said. New Delhi/Imphal, March 18 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against three cadres of the banned Peopleas Liberation Army (PLA) terrorist outfit in connection with last yearas ambush on an Assam Rifles vehicle in Manipur, in which two paramilitary personnel were killed, the probe agency said. The charge sheet, filed before the NIA Special Court in Imphal, names the three accused under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The accused have been identified as Thongram Sadananda Singh alias Ngachik alias Purakpa, Khundongbam Oji Meitei alias Keilal, and Irengbam Jugindra Meitei alias Jugin Meitei, all residents of Manipur. They had been arrested earlier by law enforcement agencies. The attack on an Assam Rifles truck took place on September 19, 2025, at Nambol Sabal Leikai in Bishnupur district. According to investigators, the ambush was carried out by PLA cadres as part of a larger conspiracy to spread terror among the public and wage war against the government, with the aim of destabilising the country, an NIA statement said. NIA investigations revealed that on the day of the incident, armed PLA cadres equipped with prohibited firearms and explosive materials had assembled at the Nambol Sabal Leikai crossing and launched a coordinated ambush on the truck. The vehicle was severely damaged in the attack, which resulted in the deaths of two Assam Rifles personnel and left five others grievously injured. The NIA, which took over the case from the local police in November 2025, said that further investigation is ongoing. After the attack last year, a police official had stated that the Assam Rifles team was returning from flood relief operations in the Imphal Valley when their convoy was ambushed by insurgents along National Highway-2 in Bishnupur district. The personnel killed in the attack were Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung, 59, a resident of Meghalayaas East Khasi Hills district, and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap, 36, from Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. --IANS sc/vd Agartala, March 18 : In view of various tribal festivals, the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday preponed the crucial elections to the 30amember Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to April 12. Agartala, March 18 (IANS) In view of various tribal festivals, the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday preponed the crucial elections to the 30a'member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to April 12. The SEC had earlier announced that the polls would be held on April 13, setting the stage for a major electoral contest in the stateas tribala'dominated regions.a The statutory notification for the TTAADC elections was issued by the concerned returning officers on Wednesday.a SEC Secretary Anurag Sen, in a notification, said the Commission had received representations from community leaders, Ministers, MLAs, political parties, and NGOs requesting reconsideration of the April 13 poll date. a The appeals cited that April 13 marks the onset of major tribal festivals such as Garia Puja, Bizu, and Buisu, celebrated widely across many of the polla'bound areas.a Sen said the Commission aims to ensure maximum participation from all communities and therefore considers it prudent to avoid dates that coincide with customary festivals. He added that during the ongoing Budget Session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, the matter was discussed and a resolution was proposed to advance the poll date to April 12.a Considering all aspects, the SEC set April 12, 2026, as the new polling date for the TTAADC elections, while clarifying that all other announced dates remain unchanged.a Tripura State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar had earlier said that the last date for filing nominations is March 25, with scrutiny scheduled for the following day. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is March 28, and counting of votes will take place on April 17.a Since 2021, the politically influential TTAADC has been governed by the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP, led by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma. The council comprises 28 elected members and two nominated by the state government.a In the 2021 elections, the BJP contested 11 seats and won 9, while a BJPa'supported Independent also won. The tribala'based TMP emerged as the dominant force by winning 18 seats, taking control of the council from the CPI(M)a'led Left Front.a The TTAADC administers nearly twoa'thirds of Tripuraas 10,491 sq km area and is home to more than 12.16 lakh people, of whom nearly 84 per cent belong to indigenous tribal communities.a Established on August 23, 1984, following the 49th Amendment to the Constitution, the TTAADC was created to safeguard the rights, welfare, and development of the tribal population. The first elections to the fully functional council were held in 1985, marking a milestone in the movement for tribal selfa'governance.a Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is on a goodwill visit to China, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Turkmenistan should expand the scale of cooperation in the natural gas sector, and elevate trade and investment levels, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Beijing on Wednesday. Xi made the remarks when meeting with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, adding that the two sides should expand cooperation in non-resource fields, including connectivity, agriculture, artificial intelligence, digital economy and clean energy. China's "two sessions" were successfully held not long ago, during which the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development was approved, Xi said. He also stated that the implementation of this outline will lay a solid foundation for China towards basically achieving socialist modernization, which benefits countries around the world. Over the past 35 years since its independence, Turkmenistan has forged an independent development path suited to its national conditions, Xi said. At the beginning of the Year of the Horse, China stands ready to discuss cooperation and share development opportunities with Turkmenistan to promote the building of the China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future, he said. Stressing that mutual support is the core essence of the China-Turkmenistan comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said regardless of how the international situation evolves, China will always support Turkmenistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Moreover, China will always support Turkmenistan in pursuing a policy of permanent neutrality and will remain a trustworthy partner for Turkmenistan. Both sides should accelerate the alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkmenistan's development strategy, he said, calling on both sides to accelerate the progress of establishing Luban Workshops, traditional Chinese medicine centers and cultural centers. China and Turkmenistan must resolutely combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism to foster a secure environment for the development of both countries, Xi said. As a myriad of global challenges keep emerging, China stands ready to work with Turkmenistan to firmly uphold the status and authority of the United Nations and practice genuine multilateralism. Xi called on both sides to adhere to a global governance philosophy that emphasizes extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and lead the transformation of global governance with the principles of fairness, justice, openness, and inclusiveness. For his part, Berdimuhamedov extended his congratulations on China's successful "two sessions," which makes important decisions and arrangements for the development of various initiatives. Noting that China's prosperity and development benefit the world, he said that Turkmenistan-China cooperation has become an important and positive factor in the economic and social development of the two countries and is in the long-term interests of the two peoples. Turkmenistan will, as always, abide by the one-China principle and is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with China, expand practical cooperation in energy, trade, connectivity and other fields, and seek common development and prosperity, as well as promote security and stability, Berdimuhamedov said. He said that Turkmenistan thanked China for its support of Turkmenistan's permanent neutral status, spoke highly of the four global initiatives proposed by Xi, and appreciated China for upholding a fair stance in international affairs. Turkmenistan is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and the China-Central Asia mechanism to jointly safeguard peace and stability of the region and the world at large, Berdimuhamedov said. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is on a goodwill visit to China, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Chinese President Xi Jinping takes a walk with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is on a goodwill visit to China, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2026. Xi met with Berdimuhamedov in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) New Delhi, March 18 : Amid the leadership tussle, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday maintained that the responsibility of maintaining discipline among MLAs lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Interacting with the media here, Shivakumar, asked whether MLAs are holding meetings without informing the party leadership, said: "It is the responsibility of the Chief Minister to control the MLAs. As the leader of the legislature party, the Chief Minister has the responsibility to ensure discipline among MLAs." About reports that first-time MLAs held a dinner meeting seeking cabinet berths and that senior MLAs met the Chief Minister regarding the issue, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, said: "I do not have information about the meeting with the Chief Minister. They have not met me to discuss it." On the confusion over the Davanagere ticket, he said: "I do not have information about that. The Chief Minister and I have discussed the issue, but the report has not yet come. The Chief Minister has called the family members of Meti today and discussed the matter. Aspirants from Davanagere are meeting me. Yesterday I held discussions with the MP from that region and the district in-charge minister. I will submit a report to the high command leaders, and the final decision will be taken by the high command." Asked when the selection of candidates would be completed, he said: "It will be finalised within two to three days." On Congress MP from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, quitting the party and joining the BJP, he said: "It came as a surprise that a loyal Congress leader has left the party. I tried to speak with him, but by then he had already made his decision. We did not expect this. He was considered a role model in the Congress party." On similar developments having taken place twice within a month, he said: "I will not react much on this. Sitting MLAs and senior leaders leaving the party is a loss. The Congress party is strong in Assam, and I know how much impact this could have. However, the people of Assam want change. We will hold a meeting at Indira Bhavan." About the Defence Ministry not cooperating despite requests made for many years, Shivakumar said: "No. The Defence Ministry is now gradually addressing the issue. Similar problems exist in other states as well, and they have said that a comprehensive decision will be taken." Asked whether discussions were held about restrictions on developing or establishing another airport until 25 years are completed, he said: "Kempegowda International Airport will complete 25 years in 2033. By then, we must complete all preparations, including land acquisition. If the Bengaluru Airport Limited undertakes the project, this restriction will not apply. If it is given to others, then such restrictions will remain." About protests against the NICE company, he said: "Those who lost their land must be given sites and compensation. What is wrong with farmers demanding that? If they have not received it even after 25 years, whether it is the fault of the government or the NICE company is another matter. People who lost their property cannot remain silent. New laws have also come into effect now." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bhubaneswar, March 18 : Following the tragic fire accident at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on March 16, which officially claimed the lives of 12 patients, as many as four persons -- including three fire department officials and one engineer -- have been suspended on charges of negligence in duty. Meanwhile, the opposition BJD and Congress on Wednesday intensified protests both inside and outside the Odisha Assembly, demanding the resignation of Health Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling. Acting on findings of negligence, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has already ordered the suspension of four officials, identified as Prakash Kumar Jena, Deputy Fire Officer, Cuttack Circle; Sanjeeb Kumar Behera, Assistant Fire Officer, Cuttack Circle; Abhinab Prusty, Station Officer, SCB Medical College and Hospital; and Ranjan Kumar Biswal, Assistant Executive Engineer, SCB Sub-Division under GED, Cuttack. It may be noted that the Chief Minister had earlier constituted a six-member fact-finding team under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh to investigate the causes behind the fire incident at SCB Medical College in Cuttack. The state government had also constituted a single-member judicial commission of inquiry comprising retired district judge Laxmidhar Biswal. The commission has been instructed to submit its report within 60 days from the date of publication of the notification in the Odisha Gazette. It has been tasked with examining the sequence of events leading to the fire, the role, conduct and accountability of persons or authorities involved, the preparedness of the hospital and other agencies in dealing with such incidents, and the effectiveness of measures taken before and after the incident to save patientsa lives. The government has also asked the commission to make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies. According to reports, a major fire broke out in the ICU of the Trauma Care Centre at SCB Medical College due to a suspected electrical short circuit between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Monday. As many as 12 patients died in the fire accident. Kolkata, March 18 : Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) founder Humayun Kabir on Wednesday, during an interaction with IANS, claimed that in the coming days West Bengal will have a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister. West Bengal will vote in two phases in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 23 and April 29. The results will be announced on May 4. Kabir said: "I have registered a party to form the government. I will lead the Muslims. In the coming days, the Deputy CM will be a Muslim in the Bengal Assembly." He accused the Trinamool Congress of not giving adequate representation to candidates from the Muslim community. He said, "Trinamool is scared. It has placed minorities, including Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and Adivasis, well. But compared to 2011, it had fewer Muslim candidates in 2016, fewer in 2021 and the least in 2026. They have realised that Muslims will not vote for them, which is why they are not giving tickets to Muslim candidates." The Janata Unnayan Party founder also made it clear that his party will not support the Trinamool Congress to form the government. "We have launched the party to form the government. Why would we support them?" he told IANS. While addressing reporters during a press conference, Kabir predicted that he would contest and win from two seats in the upcoming Assembly elections. "I need to reserve a seat. I want to announce that in Rejinagar I will win by 80,000 votes in the elections and in Naoda I will win by 30,00040,000 votes. Later, I will keep one and leave one seat," he said. Both Rejinagar and Naoda constituencies fall in the Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Referring to the Bhabanipur seat, which is set to witness a contest between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, he said, "What will happen in Bhabanipur will only be known after the button is pressed. My candidate will be a non-Bengali Muslim there." Notably, Humayun Kabir was suspended from the Trinamool Congress on December 4 last year after he proposed building a replica of the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district. He later floated his own Janata Unnayan Party. Kabir had announced last year that his party would contest 182 seats in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Patna, March 18 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hosted what is being seen as his final Dawat-e-Iftar at his official residence in Patna on Wednesday, marking the end of a long-standing tradition he has upheld since assuming office in 2005.a Patna, March 18 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hosted what is being seen as his final Dawat-e-Iftar at his official residence in Patna on Wednesday, marking the end of a long-standing tradition he has upheld since assuming office in 2005. Except during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kumar has organised the annual Iftar gathering, personally overseeing the arrangements. The event holds political and social significance, bringing together leaders, community representatives, and citizens. This year's event was conducted under tight security arrangements, with entry restricted to invitees holding valid passes. Attendees were not allowed to carry mobile phones on the premises, and media personnel were also barred from bringing cameras or other electronic devices into the venue. Many participants described the event as a farewell gesture to the Chief Minister. Posters featuring Nitish Kumar alongside his son Nishant Kumar were also seen across areas outside the residence, drawing attention amid speculation about future political developments. Among those present, Tufail Qadri, State President of the Minority Morcha of the Bharatiya Janata Party, said they had come to urge Kumar to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hands in Delhi. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has served Bihar immensely. As he moves to Delhi, he should work alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to take the country forward," Qadri said. Another attendee remarked that although this may be Kumar's last Iftar as Chief Minister, "his spirit will remain here," adding that Kumar himself indicated the Rajya Sabha was the next phase of his political journey. Meanwhile, Anjum Ara, spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United), said the people of Bihar would always remember Kumar's contributions. She also indicated that Nishant Kumar is emerging as a leader within the party and is likely to play a larger role in the future. "The way the Chief Minister personally oversees every arrangement and cares for those observing the fast makes this event special. He will certainly be missed," she said. Nitish Kumar, who has been at the centre of Bihar's politics since 2005, is now expected to take on a more active role in national politics after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. While there is no official confirmation yet, political circles speculate that he could step down as Chief Minister soon, with the possibility of a BJP leader taking over the post. Agartala, March 18 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday announced that the state has achieved a zero dropout rate in primary schools (Class I to V), marking a significant milestone in the state's education sector. Speaking in the state Assembly, the Chief Minister said sustained efforts by the Elementary Education Department and the implementation of multiple studentfocused initiatives had helped maintain this achievement. Saha highlighted that the state is actively working to ensure the success of the NIPUN Bharat Mission, alongside the launch of the Saharsha Tripura programme, which focuses on the social, emotional, and overall development of children. He noted that a wide range of measures are being implemented to support students and prevent dropouts. These include the distribution of learning aids and play materials, digital learning initiatives, and the establishment of libraries in every school. To ensure effective monitoring, student attendance and potential dropouts are tracked through UDISE. The government is also providing special training for outofschool children and residential hostel facilities for students from remote areas. Additional support measures include the construction of separate toilets in schools, stipends for children with special needs, regular teacherparent meetings, and the provision of free uniforms and textbooks. Reaffirming the government's commitment to education, Saha said these collective efforts have played a crucial role in ensuring that every child in Tripura remains connected to primary education. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Chief Minister congratulated Ram Pada Jamatia on his uncontested election as the new Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. The election became necessary following the demise of the sitting Speaker, Biswa Bandhu Sen, on December 26 last year. Sen, a fourtime MLA, passed away at the age of 72 at a private hospital in Bengaluru after undergoing medical treatment for more than fourandahalf months. Saha described the moment as significant for the Assembly and said Jamatia's uncontested election reflected broad confidence in his leadership. He appreciated the new Speaker's address in Hindi, remarking that it brought a refreshing change to the House's atmosphere. "We are delighted to have such a capable Speaker. The Legislative Assembly is a seat of impartiality and democracy, where one must rise above politics," the Chief Minister said. Saha expressed confidence that Jamatia would carry out his responsibilities with fairness and efficiency. He extended his congratulations both personally and as Leader of the House, adding that he hoped the new Speaker's tenure would be remembered for its distinction and contribution to democratic values in Tripura. Shillong, March 18 : Authorities in Meghalaya have extended the night curfew in West Garo Hills district for an additional day amid concerns over a possible escalation of tension following recent violence, officials said on Wednesday. As per an order issued by the District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner, the curfew will be enforced from 6 p.m. on March 19 until 6 a.m. on March 20. However, a 12-hour relaxation has been allowed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to enable residents to carry out essential and routine activities. During the relaxation period, schools, colleges, government and private offices, banks and other establishments will be permitted to function, though authorities said strict monitoring will remain in place to prevent any untoward incidents. The curfew was first imposed on March 17 under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita after incidents of violence disrupted public order in parts of the district. The unrest was reportedly triggered by protests against a notification that barred non-tribal individuals from participating in a tribal council election process. The protests escalated into clashes in Tura and nearby areas, leading to incidents of vandalism and damage to property. At least two people were killed in the violence, officials confirmed. Security has since been stepped up across West Garo Hills, with additional police and paramilitary forces deployed in sensitive locations. Several individuals have been detained in connection with the clashes, and surveillance has been intensified to prevent further disturbances. Alongside the curfew, prohibitory orders remain in force, restricting public gatherings, rallies and processions without prior permission. The administration has also banned the assembly of five or more persons, the use of loudspeakers without approval, and the carrying of weapons or any objects that could potentially incite violence. Officials warned that strict legal action would be taken against violators, adding that the restrictions are based on intelligence inputs and are necessary to restore normalcy and maintain peace in the district. United Nations, March 18 : UN SecretaryaGeneral Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns" the deadly Pakistani air strike on a hospital in Kabul and has called for an independent investigation into the incident, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday. United Nations, March 18 (IANS) UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres "strongly condemns" the deadly Pakistani air strike on a hospital in Kabul and has called for an independent investigation into the incident, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday. Afghanistan's Taliban government has said that more than 400 people were killed in the Pakistani attack on a drug rehabilitation hospital overnight Monday-Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in Islamabad's onslaught on its neighbour. Haq said the SecretaryGeneral recalled that under international law, patients, medical personnel, and medical facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and protected at all times. He added that Guterres had called for an "independent and impartial investigation into the incident". International humanitarian law grants special protection to medical facilities and personnel and considers attacks on them to be war crimes. Haq said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), ten health facilities were damaged by air strikes. He said Guterres reiterated his call for deescalation and the immediate cessation of hostilities, urging all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians. Haq added that the SecretaryGeneral welcomed the temporary cessation of hostilities agreed to by Pakistan and Afghanistan for Eid and hoped it would be extended. The spokesperson listed the wideranging devastation in Afghanistan resulting from Pakistan's attacks, based on assessments by UN agencies. Between March 6 and Tuesday, air strikes and crossborder attacks have impacted at least ten provinces, including Kabul, Haq said. UN partners report that 115,000 people have been forced to flee, and more than 300 shelters have been destroyed or damaged. About 160,000 people are facing hunger, he added. Washington, March 18 : India is part of U.S. efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals, a top American intelligence official told lawmakers on Wednesday, highlighting cooperation with New Delhi even as officials warned of a widening global threat landscape.a Washington, March 18 (IANS) India is part of U.S. efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals, a top American intelligence official told lawmakers on Wednesday, highlighting cooperation with New Delhi even as officials warned of a widening global threat landscape. Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, James H. Adams III, Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, said transnational criminal organisations remain a major threat, particularly through the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs. "U.S. efforts to work with China and India to halt the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals to North America are demonstrating some improvement," Adams said, adding, "There is more work to be done." He said Mexico-based cartels continue to dominate the production and smuggling of fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States, posing "a daily and direct threat to the health and safety of millions of U.S. citizens." At the same hearing, Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, warned that terrorist groups remain a persistent concern despite being weaker than before. "I completely concur about the threat of ISIS, Al Qaeda and other Islamist terrorist groups around the world," Gabbard said, noting that the nature of the threat is evolving. "We're increasingly seeing fewer indicators of large-scale, organised, complex threats and instead, efforts focused on individuals radicalised by Islamist propaganda," she said. CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers that Iran continues to pose a serious threat to U.S. interests and security. "Iran has been a constant threat to the United States and posed an immediate threat at this time," Ratcliffe said, warning that its missile programme remains a key concern. He said U.S. intelligence operations have strengthened, adding, "the CIA has delivered," with foreign intelligence collection "up by 25 per cent in areas like China up 100 per cent in areas like tech and AI, up 45 per cent." FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted growing domestic security risks, particularly from online radicalisation and cyber-enabled crime. "They have transferred their capabilities to online recruitments, which makes any terrorist organisation, including ISIS, all the more powerful," Patel said. He said the FBI disrupted multiple plots, noting, "we stopped four terrorist attacks three of which were ISIS-inspired." Patel also pointed to expanded coordination across agencies. "We have 59 Homeland Security taskforces co-led by the FBI and DHS," he said, describing efforts to tackle terrorism and organised crime nationwide. On cybercrime, Patel warned of increasingly sophisticated scam networks operating overseas. "We're going to shut down every single scam centre compound," he said. Officials also flagged the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping future threats, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and battlefield decision-making. Washington, March 18 : Iran is seeking intelligence support from US adversaries, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers on Wednesday, flagging a new dimension to the conflict as Tehran looks outward for strategic backing.a Washington, March 18 (IANS) Iran is seeking intelligence support from US adversaries, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told lawmakers on Wednesday, flagging a new dimension to the conflict as Tehran looks outward for strategic backing. "The Iranians are requesting intelligence assistance from Russia, from China, and from other adversaries of the United States, and whether or not those countries are [providing assistance] is something we can talk about in the classified portion," Ratcliffe said during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats. Ratcliffe's remarks came as lawmakers pressed intelligence officials on the evolving scope of the Iran conflict and the risk of broader geopolitical entanglement involving major powers. He said Iran continued to pose a persistent and immediate threat, rejecting any suggestion that Tehran had scaled back its ambitions. "Senator, no. In fact, the intelligence reflects the contrary," Ratcliffe said when asked whether Iran had ceased its nuclear or missile efforts. Ratcliffe also underscored concerns about Iran's missile programme, warning that its technological progress could eventually extend its reach. He noted that Tehran was "gaining experience in these larger, more powerful booster technologies through its so-called space launch vehicle program." "If left unimpeded, yes, Senator, they would have the ability to range missiles to the continental US," he said, adding that degrading Iran's missile production capabilities under Operation Epic Fury was "so important to our national security." Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the panel that the intelligence community had consistently tracked the risks posed by Iran and provided ongoing assessments to policymakers. "The IC assessment has always taken very seriously the threat of the Iranian regime's missile capabilities very seriously and how our American troops within the region may be put at risk," she said. Gabbard also pointed to long-standing intelligence assessments about Iran's ability to disrupt global energy flows. "Those of us here at the table can point to the fact that historically the Iranians have always threatened to leverage their control of the Strait of Hormuz," she said. She added that the intelligence community had "continued to provide the intelligence related to this operation in Iran before and on an ongoing basis" to inform decision-making. Ratcliffe said Iran had also developed plans to target US-linked interests in the region. "Iran had specific plans to hit US interests in energy sites across the region," he said, noting that advance measures were taken for "force protection and personnel protection" ahead of Operation Epic Fury. The exchanges reflected growing concern among lawmakers that the conflict could widen, especially if Iran deepens coordination with countries such as Russia and China. At the same time, intelligence officials maintained that the United States had anticipated key elements of Iran's response. Gabbard said the intelligence community had "continued to assess the potential threats to the region, the existing threats to the region, and provide those assessments to the policymakers and decision makers." Responding to questions, Ratcliffe reiterated that Iran has been "a constant threat to the United States for an extended period of time and posed an immediate threat at this time," highlighting the stakes for US national security as the situation continues to evolve. Washington, March 18 : The United States is repositioning the Export-Import Bank as a "frontline economic tool," its chief told lawmakers, underscoring a sharper push to bolster American exporters and counter global competition led by China. Washington, March 18 (IANS) The United States is repositioning the Export-Import Bank as a "frontline economic tool," its chief told lawmakers, underscoring a sharper push to bolster American exporters and counter global competition led by China. Testifying before a House subcommittee, EXIM President and Chairman Jovan Jovanovic said the bank is being aligned with efforts to reindustrialise the U.S., secure supply chains, and strengthen economic security. "As many of you have noted, EXIM is one of America's frontline economic tools carrying out President Trump's vision for Reindustrializing America, securing our supply chains and ensuring our economy works for American workers and American companies large and small alike," he said. Subcommittee Chairman Warren Davidson said Beijing remains "the world's largest provider of export credit" and noted that China provided exporters with "over $23 billion in medium and long-term loans" in 2024, "quadruple what Exim provided to American firms. Jovanovic warned that U.S. companies are competing in markets where rivals deploy "massive state financing subsidies and industrial policy," which has contributed to "weakened economic security" and job losses in the United States. A central focus of the hearing was the China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP), created by Congress to counter Beijing's export financing. Jovanovic said the programme has now been integrated into the bank's core operations. "One out of every four transactions we do at the bank looks to the KTP program," he said, calling it "mission critical" for achieving U.S. economic objectives. Lawmakers stressed that reauthorizing and strengthening the programme would be essential to maintaining competitiveness. Representative Andy Barr said it has become a key tool in U.S. economic statecraft, while others warned that uncertainty over EXIM's future could undermine confidence among global partners. The hearing also highlighted "Project Vault," a proposed public-private initiative to build a U.S. strategic reserve of critical minerals. Jovanovic said the project would combine "$10 billion of XM debt financing" with "nearly $2 billion of private sector capital" to address supply chain vulnerabilities. He said the initiative is designed to ensure companies can "have what they need, when they need it most," while reducing dependence on foreign sources of critical materials. Small business support emerged as another key theme. Ranking Member Joyce Beatty said, "90 percent of EXIM authorizations directly benefit US small businesses," calling the bank vital for enabling them to compete globally. Jovanovic acknowledged gaps in outreach, saying he found only "two active relationships" in the community lender programme when he took office. He said efforts are underway to expand partnerships and improve access to export financing across all states. The bank is also seeking to address internal inefficiencies and workforce challenges. Jovanovic said reforms include "clarifying priorities, streamlining internal processes," and improving accountability to ensure faster deal execution. On broader competition with China, lawmakers repeatedly pointed to Beijing's use of state-backed financing to secure global influence. Jovanovic said the U.S. must respond without abandoning its standards. "We don't pollute we don't disregard the law," he said, adding that the goal is to demonstrate the long-term value of partnering with the United States. Jovanovic also emphasised that EXIM operates at a profit, noting it has "returned nearly $10 billion to the US Treasury" while maintaining a default rate lower than private sector lenders. Congress must reauthorize EXIM before its mandate expires later this year. Lawmakers said a clear signal of bipartisan support would be critical to restoring confidence and ensuring U.S. exporters remain competitive in global markets. Established in 1934 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, EXIM was created to support American jobs by financing exports when private lenders are unwilling or unable to do so. Over time, it has become a key tool for promoting U.S. trade and industrial capacity abroad. In recent years, the bank has taken on a more strategic role as Washington seeks to counter China's expanding economic influence, particularly in infrastructure, energy, and emerging technologies, where state-backed financing has become a central feature of global competition. KATHMANDU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A helicopter belonging to a private company crash-landed in central Nepal on Wednesday, leaving one person injured, an official said. The helicopter, which had taken off from Kathmandu carrying five passengers, met with an accident while attempting to land in Khotang district. "The helicopter lost balance during landing, which led to the accident," Gyanendra Bhul, information officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, told Xinhua. According to Bhul, one passenger sustained injuries in the incident, while the others on board, including the pilot, are unhurt. The injured passenger is receiving treatment. Another helicopter had been dispatched to the site to assist with rescue and necessary arrangements following the incident. Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, March 18 : A state-wide 'Millet Mahotsav and Natural Farmer Market' will be held across 16 municipal corporations in Gujarat on March 21 and 22, with the main event scheduled at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, state spokesperson and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday. The two-day event, organised by the Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation under the state Agriculture Department, will take place simultaneously in cities including Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Navsari, Vapi, Nadiad, Mehsana, Surendranagar, Morbi, Porbandar and Gandhidham. Ministers and other dignitaries are expected to attend events in different cities. Providing details following discussions in the state cabinet, Vaghani said the festival is being held under the slogan "Earth's Gold Adopt Shree Anna, Attain a Healthy Life", with the aim of promoting millets in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Shree Anna' campaign. Around 85 stalls will be set up at the Sabarmati Riverfront venue in Ahmedabad, while a total of 620 stalls will be established across other cities. These have been allotted free of cost to farmer groups, farmer producer organisations and individual cultivators. The initiative is intended to enable farmers to sell millet products directly to consumers, reduce the role of intermediaries and secure better prices. Vaghani said the festival will feature millet exhibitions, food festivals, an agri-technology zone, and stalls by agri-startups and women entrepreneurs. Visitors will be able to purchase millet-based products and sample freshly prepared dishes made from millets. He said millets and natural farming are complementary, noting that millet crops require less water and can be cultivated without chemical fertilisers, making them suitable for cow-based farming practices. "The state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is seeking to promote natural farming and increase farmers' incomes through such initiatives," he added. Bhubaneswar, March 18 : Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested an official of a private bank for his alleged involvement in misappropriating over Rs 5.56 crore of government funds in connivance with his father, a retired teacher. According to Vigilance sources, the accused bank official, identified as Matruprasad Mohanty, was the Branch Head of Jana Small Finance Bank in Bhadrak. The fraud was carried out at the office of the Block Education Officer (BEO), Korei, in Jajpur district, resulting in a total loss of Rs 5,56,11,495. "The investigation by Odisha Vigilance revealed a sophisticated collaboration between the accused Matruprasad and his father, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, a retired headmaster re-engaged at the BEO office," said a senior Vigilance official. The prime accused, Pradip Kumar, during his re-engagement at the BEO office, allegedly gained unauthorised access to the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and targeted the IDs of 13 retired teachers (pensioners). By falsifying official records to show these retirees as still "active" in service, he generated and processed monthly pension bills in their names. Using this fraudulent method over an extended period, he siphoned off funds and routed the money through a series of transactions. The funds were ultimately diverted into bank accounts held by him and his family members across various branches of the State Bank of India (SBI), concealing the trail. The fraud spanned nearly six years, from November 2018 to September 2024. Vigilance sources said that after the fraud came to light, the Education Department referred the matter to Odisha Vigilance. Subsequently, Odisha Vigilance initiated an investigation and arrested Matruprasad on Wednesday. Investigators also ascertained during the probe that a significant portion of the defrauded amount was transferred to Matruprasad's account. Police have launched a manhunt to nab the prime accused, Pradip Kumar, at the earliest. A case (11/26) has been registered at the Cuttack Vigilance Police Station under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and the Indian Penal Code. Chennai, March 18 : Dismissing speculation about the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) aligning with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, party president Vijay on Wednesday asserted that there would be no compromise on the party's core principles of "secular social justice". Addressing an Iftar gathering organised by the party at Mamallapuram, around 60 km south of Chennai, Vijay sought to put an end to ongoing rumours about his party's political positioning. He said that since the very beginning of his political journey, attempts had been made to portray TVK as being aligned with various political camps. "From the time I entered politics, there have been continuous rumours that we are a proxy of one party or another. At different times, people have said we belong to this alliance or that alliance. But I want to make it very clear we are not part of any such team. We belong only to the people's team," he said. Vijay further claimed that after such narratives failed to gain traction, new forms of misinformation began circulating, including recent claims that TVK was preparing to join a political alliance ahead of the elections. He described these reports as a "false campaign" aimed at confusing the public and undermining the party's independent identity. "You may feel confused when you hear such news. That is exactly the intention behind spreading these rumours. Let me reiterate clearly we will always stand by our principles of secular social justice without any compromise," he emphasised. Reinforcing his party's independent political ambitions, Vijay said TVK is not looking to play a supporting role in any coalition but is instead focused on forming the government on its own strength. He recalled his statement at the party's first state conference, where he had underlined that there would be no deviation from its ideological commitments. "There is no room for compromise in our politics. Do not believe false propaganda. With the blessings of God and the support of the people, we will achieve our goal," he added. Vijay's remarks come amid heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu, with alliance talks and campaign strategies intensifying ahead of the Assembly elections. -- Syndicated from IANS Bhubaneswar, March 19 : The Congress on Wednesday submitted a formal petition to the Assembly Speaker seeking the disqualification of two of its MLAs under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, also known as the anti-defection law, for allegedly cross-voting in the recent Rajya Sabha biennial elections. According to the party, MLAs Dasharathi Gamango and Sofia Firdous defied the party line by not voting for the Congress-supported candidate, Dr Datteshwar Hota. Instead, they reportedly cast their votes in favour of BJP-backed candidate Dilip Ray. The petitions state that the two MLAs were served show-cause notices in response to their public remarks and conduct. It is alleged that even after replying to these notices, they continued to challenge and openly criticise decisions made by the party leadership at both the state and national levels. The petitions contend that such behaviour can be interpreted as "voluntarily giving up membership" under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule. Referring to the case of veteran politician Sharad Yadav's disqualification, the party highlighted that under the anti-defection law, a formal resignation is not required for disqualification; it can be inferred from a member's actions, statements, or conduct that conflict with the party's official position. The Congress termed the act a serious breach of party discipline and a violation of constitutional provisions, and has sought cancellation of their Assembly membership. A Congress delegation led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das met Speaker Surama Padhy and submitted a memorandum seeking appropriate action under constitutional provisions. The delegation included Congress Legislature Party Deputy Leader Ashok Das, Chief Whip S. Rajan Ekka, and MLAs Sagar Das, Pabitra Saunta, and Mangu Khila. The party has urged the Speaker to initiate necessary proceedings and disqualify the two legislators in accordance with the law. However, the party has notably not sought the disqualification of Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Jena, who reportedly voted against the party's whip. Kolkata, March 19 : In a late-night development on Wednesday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) cancelled the rehabilitation of several Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in West Bengal who had been given alternative postings by the state government after being removed by the Commission from their earlier posts and barred from election-related duties in the state, which is heading for crucial two-phase Assembly polls next month. On Wednesday night, the ECI issued a fresh notification cancelling the alternative postings of 15 such IPS officers and decided to shift them out of the state by deputing them as police observers to other poll-bound states. The list of IPS officers whose postings have been cancelled and who have been sent on deputation includes Akash Magharia, Alok Rajoria, Amandeep, Abhijit Banerjee, Bhaskar Mukherjee, C. Sudhakar, Dhritimaan Sarkar, Indira Mukherjee, Murli Dhar, Mukesh, Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Priyabrata Roy, Sandeep Karra, Rashid Munir Khan, and Syed Waqar Raja. Among them, Murli Dhar was the Police Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, and Syed Waqar Raja was the Police Commissioner of Siliguri Metropolitan Police. There had been a sustained demand from Opposition parties in West Bengal, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that bureaucrats and police officers barred by the Commission from election-related duties should also be shifted out of the state till the polling process is over, so that they are not in a position to influence the electoral process from within the state. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been critical of the removal of bureaucrats and police officers from their posts without consulting the state government, and had written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar raising objections in the matter. The two-phase polls in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, polling will be held for 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase, for 142 constituencies. Real Estate Upcoming Mega Projects in Dholera Smart City That Will Boost Property Prices Dholera Smart City is rapidly emerging as Indias most promising investment destination, attracting buyers looking for dholera residential plot for sale and long-term growth opportunities. With multiple mega infrastructure projects underway, the demand for plots in Dholera SIR is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. One of the biggest growth drivers is the AhmedabadDholera Expressway, which will drastically reduce travel time and improve connectivity. Alongside this, the upcoming Dholera International Airport is set to enhance global accessibility, making it an ideal location for both residential and commercial investments. Another major highlight is the activation of the Special Investment Region (SIR), where industries, IT parks, and manufacturing hubs are being developed. These projects are creating job opportunities and increasing demand for property in Dholera SIR. As a result, investors looking to buy land in Dholera today can expect strong appreciation in the near future. The governments focus on smart infrastructureincluding underground utilities, wide roads, and sustainable urban planningmakes Dholera property a future-ready investment. Whether you are searching for a plot in Dholera for personal use or investment, this is the right time to enter the market. With rising demand for Dholera residential plots, early investors are likely to benefit the most. Dont miss the opportunity to secure your plot in Dholera and be part of Indias first planned smart city revolution. For More Information: Visit Our Website: plot in dholera Contact Us: 9315782996 PJ Library, the nonprofit that aims to promote Jewish identity by sending free books monthly to families with Jewish children worldwide, launched its $1.2 million Next Level Books Initiative to expand the quantity and quality of titles on March 13. Up to 30% of the money will go to the Next Level Books Fund, earmarked to invest in independent publishers who have projects on their wish list that are beyond their budget. Publishers will be able to apply twice a year for a subsidy from $5,000 to $20,000 per project. Alisa Koyrakh, director of books for PJ Library, said the balance of the $1.2 million is intended to "expand our global author and illustrator pipeline, to strengthen our internal capacity to deliver excellence and ensure that we can secure standout in-demand titles for our readers." Behind the funding is Jewish philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, whose charitable foundation created PJ Library in 2005 and who, at age 96, is still active in supporting its growth. "Harold is very passionate personally about supporting publishers so this very much aligns with his vision," said Koyrakh. Today, PJ Library sends more than 670,000 books monthly around the world, spanning 40 countries in seven languages. It sends 250,000 books per month in the U.S. and Canada. Publishers eligible for project funds must be "independent," said Koyrakh, which is loosely defined as "not owned by a huge conglomerate. We want to support the smaller operations in the ecosystem." Koyrakh stressed that publishers don't need to be Jewish presses to qualify; they need only propose a story told through a Jewish lens. "We're seeing a real hesitancy right now to acquire Jewish books by non-Jewish publishers," Koyrakh said. "In particular, we've heard this from authors directly. So, with this fund, we're showing publishers they have the backing of a strong and robust Jewish community that wants to see these stories in the world." The announcement gave examples of ways the fund could help publishers, such as giving them the ability to hire "a higher caliber illustrator than a small publisher could typically afford," or to add interactive design elements to a title, or to produce a cost-prohibitive graphic novel for middle grade readers. The rules and procedures for applying for a subsidy are intended to ensure that the finished book meets PJ Library's parameters, Koyrakh said. Subscribers opt into the program and give permission to receive books, but they don't get to select the books. So, there are precautions. For example: "We can't send books to families that feature the death of a character or the decline of a family member." Once finished books are accepted, PJ Library creates a custom edition, adding information, activities, pop-up flaps, and other enhancements, then mails titles to children aged 08. Children ages 912 may choose their book from four titles in the PJ Our Way program. Subscribers opt in to the program. We have permission to send books but they don't get to choose the books they receive. Executives for two independent publishers for Jewish children's books told PW they were delighted by the initiative and intend to apply. "This is a great, generous opportunity that is coming at a time when publishing in general is under the gun in the retail market and librarians are getting it from all sides," said Lili Rosenstreich, publisher of Kalaniot Books. When she launched Kalaniot in 2020, her goal was to publish five to eight titles a year, but this year it will be four or five. "A subsidy like this would allow us to take some risks," Rosenstreich added. "We've always looked for up-and-coming illustrators. We could afford them and I enjoyed mentoring them. With a subsidy, I could try to work with some high-end established artists, too." For Leila Sales, editorial director for Kar-Ben, the longstanding Jewish children's book publishing house now owned by Lerner, a subsidy could enable the house to do more books in the graphic format. "Graphic books are so popular today, but definitely cost a lot more money to create," Sales said. "We've done a few, including one coming out this fall, The Cloak from Baghdad by Carol Isaacs, but we could afford it because it is an author/illustrator book. We put out 12 to 14 books a year, mostly picture books and one or two board books, but we only do one or two middle grade books a year now. Funding for a graphics book illustrator would be wonderful." In the days following the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, President Trump reiterated his prediction that the communist regime in Cuba, in power since 1959, would fall pretty soon. He also took full credit for the regimes impending downfall while praising his January 3 operation in Venezuela and promising a quick victory in Iran. Washingtons true goals in Cuba remain unclear. However, the administrations increasing infatuation with regime change could spark a serious regional crisis. Trump has recognized that bad things [could] happen if Washington moves too quickly against Cuba, and he has so far avoided military options, while suggesting leveraging Cubas economic struggles to pursue a friendly takeover. Similarly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is handling the talks, said Washington did not expect Havana to change all at once. Rumors of an economic deal have intensified. Yet Washingtons interventions in Venezuela and Iran have emboldened many Cuban Americans and exiled Cubans to call for an attack designed to topple the regime in Havana. Some even obtained weapons for a counter-revolution and carried out a raid on the Cuban Coast Guard, reportedly for infiltration purposes. According to some reports, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, a long-standing critic of appeasement, and a politician loyal to his South Florida base, has delayed negotiations. President Trump continues to describe Havana as a bad regime thats been bad for a long time and has instructed his administration to prepare potential criminal charges against Havanas leaders. U.S. pressure now builds upon its 66-year-old embargo. Its coup against Venezuela ended Cubas Bolivarian brotherhood, thus jeopardizing its energy security, financial stability, and diplomatic influence. Following a January 29 executive order that labeled Havana an extraordinary threat because of its harboring of foreign agents and terrorists, Trump enforced a total fuel embargo on the island and threatened tariffs on any state that would bypass it. Although Washington has authorized limited resupply by private companies and $6 million in humanitarian aid, Cubas reserves are on track to be exhausted before late March. As such, the U.S. continues to pressure the Cuban people to change their regime. Its blockade, which occurs as Cuba experiences its worst economic crisis ever, with a 10% GDP decline over the past five years, severe shortages of food, medicine, and electricity, and an 89% extreme poverty rate, could result in the death of thousands of civilians. This approach is controversial on the global stage, as demonstrated by the UN General Assemblys 165-to-7 vote against Washingtons embargo in 2025 and a UN expert panels condemnation of Trumps blockade as an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion. U.S. security concerns regarding the weak regime in Havana are overstated. The Pentagon has called Cuba a proximate location for [adversaries] intelligence gathering and force projection. However, while not entirely untrue, those connections mostly originate from Washingtons aggressiveness and remain limited, considering Washingtons regional dominance and Cubas distance from Russia and China. Similarly, Havana has no connections to terrorist groups but a proven history of working with Washington against terrorism and drug trafficking. U.S. hopes of regime change are misguided. Sanctions rarely achieve such results. In that light, Cuba has consistently disappointed Washington, even after the Cold War ended and Fidel Castro passed away. Despite its unpopularity, corruption, and incompetence, Havana maintains a loyal military and a powerful party-state bureaucracy unified through decades of ideological resistance to the U.S. and shared control over Cubas key economic sectors. Most importantly, forcing regime change upon Cuba remains undesirable. The exodus of 2 to 3 million people since 1959 has left Cuba with a small, fragmented political opposition. Its diaspora is also divided. Therefore, Washington likely has no proxy to collaborate with who will be able to muster legitimacy on the island. Regime change could worsen Cubas demographic and socio-economic divisions, especially if there is a sudden influx of exiles. New leaders would find it difficult to replace the regimes food supply, medical care, and energy distribution. Clashes might occur between regime supporters and victims. This chaos could favor drug traffickers and criminal groups or lead to a military takeover. In a worst-case scenario, Washington could become entangled. For instance, a desperate Havana might create a crisis involving U.S. troops at Guantanamo Bay for nationalist reasons. Local unrest could cause many Cuban Americans to die in the fighting. Washington might also be tempted to intervene out of fear of refugee flows or to portray itself as Cuba's liberator. However, many Cubans might resent that decision, considering the parallels with the U.S. intervention in 1898 during their war of independence against Spain, which marked the start of decades of American dominance, which gave birth to frustrations that culminated in the communist revolution of 1959. Instead of chasing regime-change illusions, Washington should pursue diplomacy. Economic engagement and immunity for Havanas leaders could help the U.S. weaken Russia and China, promote trade and investment, and access Cubas large cobalt and nickel reserves, all while maintaining stability and gradually promoting political liberalization. Thomas P. Cavanna is a Non-Resident Fellow at Defense Priorities MADRID, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government has announced it will release 11.5 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves to limit market volatility following the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran. Spain's third deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, confirmed the decision on Tuesday without giving a precise date to start the move. The amount of oil released is equivalent to more than 12 days of national consumption and the move comes within the remit of the International Energy Agency. Aagesen said the move was to "buffer the tension in the markets," following the U.S.-Israeli joint strikes on Iran and the latter's retaliatory attacks on neighboring Gulf countries and partially blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The minister said coordinated action was "vital" in the current situation. Warning that further rises in oil prices could harm the global economy, she said, "We will have to see the effect when all reserves are released in the coming weeks." On Friday, the Spanish government is scheduled to announce measures to protect local consumers from price rises, which reportedly include actions to limit rising costs for producers and distributors of food. We dont always get to choose our friends or enemies. Sometimes they choose us. Moscow shared military intelligence with Iran so it could target American bases, putting American lives at risk. Ukraine sent its cutting-edge interceptor drones and drone warfare experts to help defend those same bases and protect American lives. For three decades, every American president assumed post-Soviet Russia would seek normalization, if not partnership. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, and with it the belief that ideological struggle would define relations forever. Fanaticism and communism were out; the market economy and pragmatism were in. Finally, it seemed no one had to lose for everyone to win. We were wrong. Self-centered in our assumptions and ignorant of how the Kremlin operates and what drives its policies. Putin's Russia needs an enemy to survive. Not occasionally. Constantly. When corruption spreads, when the economy serves only Kremlin-connected oligarchs, when Moscow wages wars on its neighbors, the regime needs a scapegoat. The story is always the same: Russia is under siege, always the victim. And the villain is, you guessed it, Washington. Not by our choice, but by Moscow's. Ukrainians, by contrast, draw inspiration from the same ideals that define these United States. Our allys bravest sons and daughters fight and die for a creed Americans know well: give me liberty or give me death. Russia and Ukraine are not the same. Russia deliberately targets and murders civilians. Ukraine, categorically, does not. The UN has found that in 2025, for every three Russian civilians killed, ninety-seven Ukrainians were. As many as 20,000 Ukrainian children have been taken from homes, orphanages, and boarding schools to Russia since the February 2022 invasion by Moscow. Ukraine does not steal Russian kids. Kyiv wants peace. It accepted the unconditional ceasefire that the Trump administration put on the table. Zelensky did not stall, hedge, or play games. Putin did. The Kremlin treats negotiations with the United States as a joke. A joke at the expense of Americas credibility and Ukrainian lives. Diplomats talk, Russia bombs. While envoys shake hands, Russian-Iranian drones hit apartment blocks murdering mothers and children in their sleep. Moscow mocks American mediation while demanding concessions from Washington and surrender from Ukraine. Negotiating with Ukraine took twenty-four hours. Russia has had a year to accept the same unconditional ceasefire. Needless to say, it hasnt yet. Moscow continues to choose war. Every. Day. Ukraine produces heroes. Russia produces war criminals. Ukrainian soldiers defend their homes, their families, their right to exist. Russian forces defend nothing. They are the invaders who enter other peoples countries to deliver rape, torture chambers, and mass graves. In Bucha alone, more than 450 civilians were found murdered after Russian troops retreated, many with their hands bound and signs of torture. Across Ukraine, authorities are investigating over 150,000 Russian war crimes. Ukraine wants a future. Russia clings to the past. Ukrainians are building a modern democratic state accountable to the people. Like Americans, they believe citizens hire leaders to drive the bus of government, not dictate how they live. The Kremlin, by contrast, tries to resurrect an empire bloodthirsty and cruel whipping Russians into patriotic frenzy every year on Victory Day, glorifying violence, while conveniently forgetting that WWII started with Nazi Germany invading Poland from the west and Soviet Russia from the east. Kyiv invests in institutions, reforms, and a generation that wants to live normal lives in liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Moscow invests in tanks, stokes myths of imperial glory, and launches wars of aggression criminal activity under international law. One country is trying to move forward. The other spreads chaos as far as it can reach, betting that if everything burns, Moscows failures will be harder for its people to see. Ukraines victory would make America safer. Russias victory would endanger Americans everywhere. In 1994, America gave Ukraine security assurances in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons. Breaking that commitment now tells every ally that our promises are far from ironclad. Washington demonstrated willingness to confront hostile regimes in places like Iran and Venezuela. But if Russia the most reckless, revanchist power on earth, which does not wish the United States well can invade its neighbor, commit unspeakable crimes, threaten nuclear escalation, and then get what it wants, American deterrence collapses. If nuclear blackmail works against Ukraine, it will work everywhere. China, Iran, and North Korea are all taking notes. They shouldnt learn that rattling the nuclear saber is the way to bend America to their will. Ukraine is our friend. Russia is our enemy. One country fights for freedom, the other survives by inventing enemies and beating the war drum. The Kremlin turns America into a monster so it can pose as a savior practicing politics of grievance to justify repression at home and atrocities abroad. Ukrainians refuse to be recolonized by Russia and are standing up for themselves. They should succeed in kicking the invaders out, and we must help. Andrew Chakhoyan is an Academic Director at the University of Amsterdam and a former U.S. government official at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. A Ukrainian-American, he studied at Harvard Kennedy School and Donetsk State Technical University. Disney/Bahareh Ritter By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/17/2026 ADVERTISEMENT spoilers have leaked out about Taylor Frankie Paul 's season -- including the identity of her winning bachelor, whether she got engaged at the Final Rose Ceremony, and her current relationship status.Taylor's season of premieres Sunday, March 22 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.host Jesse Palmer recently teased that Taylor's season is going to be "the most explosive season" the show has ever had.In a trailer for the new season, Taylor says she wants to fall in love and find her person.But Taylor agreed to star on after going through two highly-publicized and scrutinized breakups.Taylor was previously married to Tate Paul, with whom she welcomed daughter, Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5.The pair divorced in May 2022 after Taylor admitted to violating the rules of the couple's soft-swinging arrangement they had with their MomTok social circle.The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and #MomTok creator subsequently dated Dakota Mortensen, with whom she welcomed a son, Ever True, in March 2024.Taylor's season is apparently going to have bombshells, breakdowns, jaw-dropping moments, and a crazy ending.Even Taylor teased on social media in January that she was "shocked" by the outcome of her season.And Taylor recently teased of her ending, " It ended in a Taylor way . Some people may know what that means, and some people might not," according to Us Weekly.So what happens on Taylor's season of ? Who does she pick as her winner and is Taylor engaged?Click thelink below to read complete-season spoilers for 's upcoming season, which were originally reported by Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone across his online platforms. BEGIN GALLERY >> Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Instagram / Jonathon Johnson By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/18/2026 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. The Bachelorette alum Jonathon Johnson has hard launched his relationship with Big Brother: Over the Top winner Morgan Willett.Jonathon, 29, took to Instagram on Sunday and posted a carousel of pictures of the happy couple."I have waited a long time for this," Jonathon captioned his post.The photos included the pair kissing, snowboarding, posing in cowboy hats, taking a mirror selfie, and running on the beach.Morgan, 31, for her part, posted photos with Jonathon as well and wrote on March 15, "Worth the wait. Feeling like the luckiest gal & happy to call this guy mine."Jonathon and Morgan met through their manager at Little Red Management, according to Us Weekly.Morgan and the alum have hinted at their relationship for weeks now.Not only did the couple attend a Los Angeles screening of the new movie Youngblood, but they also traveled to Wyoming for a snowboarding trip earlier this month.Jonathon uploaded an image at the time in which he was kissing a woman on the cheek in a window reflection.Since Jonathon decided against disclosing the woman's face and identity, he teased, "Who's that girl?"Jonathon also gushed during the trip on social media, "There's no place I'd rather be."Morgan reportedly wrote via Instagram Stories on March 11 that she's always been a third wheel to her sister's relationship and so she was so happy to "add someone to the gang" and end her trip with "pizza, board games and good [conversation]."One day later, Morgan and her mystery man returned to California."Hopped off the plane and got asked, 'Wanna go to the gym, then jump into the ocean?'" Morgan reportedly wrote via Instagram Stories. "I fear I've found my ideal kind of crazy."Jonathon dated Jenn Tran on The Bachelorette's 21st season and then looked for love on 's tenth season in Summer 2025.When The Bachelor 28 alum Lea Cayanan arrived in Costa Rica, Jonathon was one of the only single men available and so they paired up.Lea, who was friends with Jonathon prior to the show, definitely had interest in Jonathon, and so he asked her out on a date.However, Jonathon realized during the date that he and Lea didn't have a spark or romantic connection.Jonathon and Lea continued to give each other roses so they could stick around longer, but Jonathon finally had to come clean with the bachelorette about how he didn't have feelings for her.Despite the fact they were just friends, the pair continued to compete together as a team for the potential $500,000 prize -- and they seemed to be compatible.Lea and Jonathon proved to everyone that they worked well together, which made them both a threat to win the money, and so the cast ended up voting them out.Both Jonathon and Lea left Paradise single yet optimistic about finding The One, and Lea is now in a new relationship with a drummer named Ricky.As for Morgan, she's a content creator who studied broadcast journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.In addition to winning Big Brother: Over the Top, she has also appeared on Ex on the Beach and The Challenge."February was full of: family time, fun dates, learning about myself, moments of vulnerability, Galentines events, new friends & old," Morgan wrote via Instagram on March 1."A month that is normally just about 'self love' for me -- but ended up including so much more."Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group Discover why Cognizant's Chief AI Officer believes India is uniquely positioned to lead in artificial intelligence development, thanks to its tech-savvy population and robust digital infrastructure. IMAGE: Workers carry freshly plucked tea leaves. Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Key Points India's strong technology foundation and digitally skilled population give it a unique advantage in AI enablement. Despite AI generating more code, software developers remain crucial for building modular systems and evaluating AI outputs. Cognizant has repositioned itself as an 'AI builder' company, focusing on enabling enterprises to adopt AI technologies. Cognizant is embedding AI internally and upskilling employees to foster an 'AI-first' culture. The proportion of AI-generated code within Cognizant is increasing, demonstrating the growing impact of AI in software development. India has a "unique" position in AI enablement due to its deep technology foundation and large pool of people who understand digital systems and processes, according to Babak Hodjat, Chief AI Officer at Cognizant. Hodjat told PTI that while AI tools are increasingly generating more and more codes, developers will still be needed to build modular systems and evaluate the quality of outputs produced by AI. "So this is not going to go to waste...A coder using AI is going to be well ahead of a non-coder using AI," he said. Artificial Intelligence is empowering more professionals across fields, even though core tech expertise remains valuable, Hodjat believes. The recent India AI Impact Summit, held in New Delhi, showed the extent to which the country is prioritising artificial intelligence. India's Advantage in AI Development "India has a unique position because they have a starting point that is ahead of everyone else. Because you have a tech-savvy population and you are building on solid grounds which is the technological foundation and that is what is going to drive AI enablement," he said. People who understand systems, processes and applications will play a key role in building AI systems and accelerating adoption across industries, he said adding "so I do think this is a unique position". Citing India's deep knowledge base and rich culture of entrepreneurship, Hodjat termed it a strong start. Cognizant's Focus on AI Cognizant, he said, has repositioned itself as an 'AI builder' company, focusing on enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence technologies. "We are an AI builder company now, which means, we are AI enabling the future of the enterprise which is our clients. We own the last mile, we understand their business often better than they do, so we are well-positioned to do that," he said. He added that the company is also embedding AI internally, including technologies such as multi-agent systems and context engineering, while tracking returns on investment before deploying solutions for clients. "We are enterprise ourselves, so it makes a lot of sense for us to adopt AI technology, multi-agent system, context engineering and use it in-house ourselves, meter it and ensure we are getting return on investment (RoI), and also passing on RoI to our clients," he said. The company is also focusing on upskilling employees and building an 'AI-first' culture. "And we have empowered all of our associates to make use of AI systems to augment their coding...and coding is just one of the areas where we are making use of AI right now," the senior Cognizant executive said. The proportion of AI-generated code within the company has been increasing. "Last time we announced it was about 30 per cent of code and growing," he observed. The Future of IT Services On the future of IT services, Hodjat said software developers will continue to play a role even as AI writes more code. "Today we can't survive without coders. Coders have to be on top of building programs and writing software, of course, augmented with AI," he said. For Licious, almost 85 per cent of its revenue comes from repeat customers, and 80 per cent of that is from its own channel, licious.com. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Key Points Licious has identified 120 micro markets across India. It aims to have 400 dark stores. In FY25, Licious reported revenue of Rs 795 crore. The last funding round of $914,000 in series G was in 2023. Direct-to-consumer meat and seafood platform Licious is betting big on micro markets within cities as the next lever of growth. The company is looking to deepen penetration in high-demand neighbourhoods rather than expand widely across new geographies, said sources in the know. Licious has identified 120 micro markets The Temasek-backed company has identified 120 such micro markets across India and aims to establish a presence in at least 25 of them by FY27. To cater to these 120 micro markets, the company aims to have 400 dark stores, up from the current 130, they added. A micro market refers to a specific locality within a city where demand density allows the company to scale operations by going deeper into the market. The strategy works particularly well for Licious, as meat is a category with high-repeat consumption. The company, however, declined to comment. The micro markets are... Some of the micro markets identified by the firm include Electronic City and Whitefield in Bengaluru, Thane in Mumbai, and Gurugram and Noida in North India. To give an instance of this opportunity, a study conducted by the company highlighted that Whitefield alone consumes nearly Rs 750 crore worth of meat annually, making it an attractive pocket for focused expansion. The strategy is already showing results. Within a year, revenue from Whitefield has more than doubled from a run rate of Rs 30 crore, and the company aims to take this to Rs 100 crore by June, said one of the sources. Revenue growth This is also expected to help the company deliver revenue growth of over 40 per cent in FY26. Licious will close the financial year with a revenue of around Rs 1,100 crore, said the source. In FY25, Licious reported revenue of Rs 795 crore, up 16 per cent year-on-year. Meat as a category allows the company to go deep into such markets. "This category is not a low-cost item the average customer spend is about Rs 1,800 per month on the platform, added the source. For Licious, almost 85 per cent of its revenue comes from repeat customers, and 80 per cent of that is from its own channel, licious.com. These micro markets will see a combination of dark stores and offline retail outlets. In Whitefield, for instance, Licious currently operates four delivery centres and four offline stores, but its 30-minute delivery coverage still extends to only about 50 per cent of the area. Rather the micro market strategy will also bring focus on 30-minute delivery. For this expansion, the company may not look at tapping equity partners, said the source. Rather, it may now look for a fundraise only before a listing, which has been pushed to two-three years. The last funding round of $914,000 in series G was in 2023. The observations came in a judgment delivered by a Bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan while examining the validity of a provision in the Social Security Code, 2020. Photograph: Lucy Pemoni/Reuters Key Points SC underscored the absence of a comprehensive statutory framework for paternity leave in India. The Bench framed paternity leave as central to both child development and gender equality. The presence of both parents during formative years plays a crucial role: SC The Supreme Court on Tuesday called on the Union government to enact a legal framework recognising paternity leave as a component of social security, stressing that caregiving responsibilities must be shared between both parents. Any such policy must be calibrated to meet the needs of the child as well as both parents, the apex court noted. The observations came in a judgment delivered by a Bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan while examining the validity of a provision in the Social Security Code, 2020 that restricted maternity leave for adoptive mothers to cases where the child was below three months of age. The court found the stipulation unconstitutional and read it down, holding that adoptive mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave irrespective of the age of the child at the time of adoption. The court ruling In the course of its ruling, the top court underscored the absence of a comprehensive statutory framework for paternity leave in India, even as maternity benefits remain formally recognised. It noted that while certain provisions, such as limited leave under service rules for government employees, exist, they fall short of acknowledging paternity leave as a broader social entitlement. The Bench framed paternity leave as central to both child development and gender equality. The court also observed that caregiving has historically been treated as a maternal obligation, a pattern that perpetuates entrenched social norms and sidelines the role of fathers, and described this as a form of invisible injustice embedded within family and workplace structures. Emphasising the importance of early childhood, the judgment noted that the presence of both parents during formative years plays a crucial role in shaping emotional security, attachment, and overall development. It rejected the notion that paternal involvement can be deferred or substituted by intermittent engagement later. The court further highlighted that the lack of paternity leave deprives fathers of the opportunity to participate meaningfully in early childcare, even where they are willing to do so. This, it said, reinforces gendered divisions of labour and limits womens ability to sustain workforce participation. A provision for paternity leave serves an important purpose by enabling fathers to participate meaningfully in the early stages of a childs life and development. "It helps in dismantling gendered roles, encourages fathers to take an active role in childcare, fosters a balanced understanding of parenting, and promotes gender equality within family and workplace, the court said. The Bench concluded by calling for legislative action to bridge the gap, noting that a child ultimately experiences parental presence, not legal entitlements, in deeply personal ways. ABU DHABI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday warned that targeting energy facilities associated with Iran's South Pars gas field poses a threat to global energy security as well as to the security and stability of the region. The UAE stressed that any attacks on critical energy infrastructure risk disrupting international markets and escalating regional tensions, calling for restraint and the protection of vital facilities. L ike the love story told a million times before, the story of geishas in cinema has remained unchanged. Adapted from the book Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, and set in 1930s Japan, it tells the story of a young girl Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) and her journey from being sold by her family to becoming a celebrated geisha, while pining for her true love (think Umrao Jaan, Pretty Woman and a myriad others). The geisha house Chiyo is sold into is ruthless. She has to deal with cruel reigning queen Hatsumomo (Li Gong) who is insanely jealous of her, and a cold-blooded matron. She remains a servant girl for a long time, until another matron Mameha (Michelle Yeoh) turns mentor and insists on converting her into one of the most desired of geishas. Her mentoring comprises tips on how to get and keep a man's attention, beauty makeovers ("agony and beauty go side by side"), tutoring in dance and conversation and explaining the real meaning of a geisha. Strangely, while we are repeatedly told that geishas are "moving works of art, who do not sell their bodies," we see Chiyo's (now known as Sayuri) virginity auctioned to the highest bidder. There is a cold cruelty in the mechanics of the trade -- from rivalry to the nonchalance and manipulation with which a girl's virginity is sold. But Sayuri's heart longs for that one man, the one she calls Chairman (Ken Watanabe). The one who was kind to her years ago when she was a little girl. With the passing of time, Sayuri's love has only grown, despite the age gap that raises a few questions. It makes you want to decry the stupidity of such feelings, while pitying a mind that yearned love so much, it fell for the first touch of kindness. Like in most films about prostitutes or geishas, the central character is pure as snow and shines like a lone star through all the muck. She is kind and chaste, almost inhumanly so. I found several parallels between this film and the 1981 classic Umrao Jaan, especially the focus on music and dance. You may also find yourself remembering scenes from The Geisha House (1999). Performance wise, this is a treat. Young Suzuka Ohgo as the child Chiyo, with her earnest blue eyes, will steal your heart. As Sayuri, Zhang is subtly beautiful and magnificently nuanced. As the jealous Hatsumomo, Li Gong is superb and has already garnered several nominations for her performance. The casting of Chinese actresses in the three central geisha roles kicked up a controversy that led to fiery opinions by the Japanese media and a banning of the film in China. Though the geisha culture is Japanese and it was argued that only a Japanese actor could get the nuances right, director Rob Marshall (Chicago) stood steadfastly behind his choices. Incidentally, Mineko Iwasaki, the geisha on whom the book is based, disapproved of it. She felt that showing geishas as borderline prostitutes was incorrect. She hated the invasion of a writer and director's creative license on her life story. Even technically, Memoirs is marvellous. The cinematography (Dion Beebe, Chicago) is brilliant and unobtrusive, letting the story hold centre stage. The music is ably supportive, never out of tune with the scene's moods. Which brings us to a pertinent question. What is the exotica quotient of the film versus the soul? I believe it succeeds in keeping the story as its focus; it doesn't overtly romanticize or exoticise the premise. It is a neutral eye, not the eye of an American caught in the candy shop of Asian exotica. Memoirs has garnered several nominations in the upcoming Oscars, including best costume design, cinematography and sound. I felt it should have been in the running for best picture as well, for its achievement in storytelling. For making the audience feel for the central character to such an extent that, even after the film is over, you want someone to assure you that Sayuri is going to be okay. If that's not great storytelling, what is? Rishab Shetty's Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 is an ambitious, bold update of the ideas of the first film on a much bigger canvas, discovers Arjun Menon. Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 is a film defined by ambition. Every story beat, each inch of lore and each visual flourish have been accounted for, and expanded upon by Rishab Shetty and his collaborators to double down on the cultural impact and cinematic highs of its predecessor. The hardwork, blood, sweat and tears gone into this mammoth undertaking is evident in each frame. This iteration of the Kantara universe manages to break free from the 'sequel/prequel curse' that has been a constant for popular films that transcend the boundaries of regional language based accessibility. Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 is an inspired prequel project that predates the first installment by centuries and transpires during the reign of the Kadamba dynasty in coastal Karnataka. 'Rooted' is an adjective that gets thrown around a lot when conversation around the 'Kantara verse' happens online. This is not just a buzz word designed to boost engagement but the aesthetic principle of Rishab Shetty and his group of writers, who are tackling relatively untapped mythic concepts and rituals like 'Guliga' and 'Bhootkala'. All these facets of our age old culture have come to became mainstream with the worldwide success of the first film and it's undeniable cultural impact in the way we viewed local legends and mythology. The film begins with the benevolent king (Jayaram), who has handed off his reign to his brash, irreverent son Kulasekara (Gulshan Deviah) who spends most of his time slacking off in alcohol. The only reliable administrative hand being the king's younger daughter Kanakavathi (Rukmini Vasanth). This narrative is interlaced with that of a tribal population, headed by an un-assuming Berme (Rishab Shetty) who takes his first trip from their forest to the royal kingdom, which has been off limits for the tribe for generations. Everything is new to Berme and his friends, who have never been exposed to the way 'civilised' society works. The film spends sometime in setting up their newfound excitement and 'fish out of water' dynamic. Kantara : A Legend Chapter-1 is even more light on its feet and comedic as opposed to the first part, which had the levity distributed unevenly. Here there are funny stretches in plenty and you see Rishab trying to ground the larger than canvass of his highly imaginative ideas in some familiar fun. Like most 'chosen one' narratives, Berme becomes the fulcrum around which kingdoms clash, tribals unite and all hells breaks out. The scale does not overwhelm the second installment, unlike many sequels where original ideas are lost in the over zealous indulgence in the parts of the makers to make everything look, sound and feel bigger and event like. Here the stakes are as high as ever, with imperial trauma and indigenous population's right to land being called upon as important themes like the first film, with even more deadly repercussions and historic context at play. Rishab Shetty takes off where he left off in the first installment, and comfortably sides into the dissident warrior figure, who is tasked with protecting his native hive, which adopted him at a young age, and brought him up as their one of their own. Dogmas clash, ancient traditions lock into conflicts and land becomes a major inflection point for the narrative. Rishab employs his renewed resources with much more scope and scale in this prequel, that uses its platform to delve deeper into the 'Guliga' mythology. The world building is intimate yet wide reaching. Rishab and his team foregrounds the central conflict, and sets up the stakes of the Kadampa era spice trade and business as background detail, that add much specificity to the mileu. Traders, foreign investors and international trade are suggested through the sets, costumes and production design adding much needed sociological context of the times. Rishab Shetty tasks himself with some even more unbelievable physical acting moments in the film, especially like the post interval tribal ambush lead by the clueless young king Kulasekara stretch, which is a showcase for Rishab to launch into a chilling continuation of his work in the first Kantara. The scenes features him transitioning between different modes of 'Guliga', after being forced to fend of the evil king and his men from massacring his tribe. Rishab uses every ounce of his energy and physical prowess to make the different volatile 'Guliga' poses work, maintaining the gestures, body movements and the visceral screams of pain and anguish that bellows and sparkle the scenes. Rukmini Vasanth is steady and eternally luminous as the more than capable princess, with an interesting relationship dynamic with the rebellious and stubborn Berme. Jayaram is world weary as the king caught between age old horror stories and personal scars that have been passed down through generations in his family and kingdom. Gulshan Devaiah elevates a single note, irritating villian archetype into a splendidly unhinged performance that uses both the physicality and a sort of repellant charm to make the villiany stand out. The comic side characters also deliver the goods, though sometimes the film overemphasises the banter in important scenes as momentary pockets of relief in between all the gritty action. Cinematographer Aravind Kashyap is one of the biggest assets of this grant production. He conjures up the wet, mushy lighting schemes and frames his images in a way that the background is as critical to the story as the subjects swirling around in the foreground. Like the first Kantara, he manages to stage night scenes and action blocks with a sort of hand held mobility. In two action blocks in the forest, Rishabh and Aravind decide to go in close to the action with single pan's back and forth without cuts at quick pace. There is a tactile energy to the film resulting from these choices. Ajaneesh Loknath triumphs yet again with a thumping score that uses prayers, chants and concealed anguish to exemplify the action blocks. There is an ambient energy that he adds to the material. The finale is as explosive, if not more than the first installment. Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 is clearly aiming beyond replicating similar affectations to that of the climax of the first film. It's like a new portal opening up that contains a well of new myths, ideas and histories to be unearthed. It's a sight worth beholding on the biggest screens available. This second film continues to elicit genuine awe, wonder and disbelief at the some of the outrageous ideas at the centre of Rishab Shetty's Kantara lore and what he plans to do with this vast universe going forward, which may or may not be everyone's expectations from such a tentpole sequel. Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 Review Rediff Rating: To be sure, Trump is furious, as the trajectory of the war is in a state of Zugzwang, as chess players call it. Trump and Netanyahu stare at two choices -- retreat in humiliation and concede Tehran's demands -- recognition of its rights, reparations, and binding security guarantees -- or perish in a quagmire, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. IMAGE: Smoke rises after air strikes, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video released on March 16, 2026. Photograph: Social Media/via Reuters Key Points Intensified military actions and parallel diplomatic activity suggest the conflict between United States-Israel and Iran could be approaching a decisive stage. Donald Trump reportedly called Vladimir Putin seeking Moscows assistance in brokering a ceasefire, while signalling openness to talks with Tehran. Reports suggest Washington has used intermediaries in Oman to relay messages to Tehran aimed at reviving negotiations. There is an English proverb, 'The darkest hours are just before the dawn.' Maybe, hope should linger on that the cruel, senseless bombing of Iran by the US and Israel is leading to what strategists call the 'endgame'. War and peace are often two sides of the same coin in such complex situations. History is replete with the phenomenon of an acceleration of the war just when one side realises that the war cannot be won. Some sequencing of the strange happenings this past week may be in order. It all began last Monday late in the evening when US President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin with the intent to seek the latter's help to bring about a ceasefire (external link) in the Gulf war. Separately, Trump told the media that he'd be 'willing to talk with Iran, but that depends on the terms'. Trump claimed the war was going to 'end soon'. As he put it, 'We took a little excursion because we felt we had to do that to get rid of some people. And I think you'll see it's going to be a short-term excursion. I think the war is very complete, pretty much... We've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough. We go forward more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory.' Trump was effectively reacting to the formal announcement in Tehran that the Assembly of Experts elected Ayatollah Mojtaba Khomeini as Iran's new leader. Several hours before Trump called him, Putin had already congratulated Mojtaba on his appointment as the Leader. Interestingly, Putin was the first foreign leader to congratulate Mojtaba. Moscow must have had a 'premonition', thanks to the dense security exchanges with Tehran. Putin's congratulatory message was exceptionally warm and friendly and had a rare personal touch (external link). In all probability, Putin had occasion to meet Mojtaba during his visits to Tehran. Importantly, Putin went out of the way to state, 'On my part, I want to confirm our unwavering support of Tehran and our solidarity with our Iranian friends. Russia has been and will remain the Islamic Republic's reliable partner.' All in all, Monday's developments raised expectations that there could be light at the end of the tunnel. (Please see my op-ed column A calm shift of power in tense times (external link) in the New Indian Express) Quite possibly, by the time Trump's call came through, Kremlin would have been aware that Washington was also in touch with Muscat to relay a message to be transmitted to Tehran for resumption of talks. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump returns to Washington, DC, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, March 15, 2026. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Larijani's Gulf Outreach Fuels Speculation of Backchannel Talks In fact, last Tuesday, Ali Larijani, Iran's national security official, travelled to Doha. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi wrote on X that 'we discussed recent developments, especially the Iran-U.S. talks. Regional peace and security is our priority, and we urge restraint and wise compromise.' After receiving the letter from Washington, Larijani also met with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for nearly three hours. Neither Iran nor Oman offered any details on what had been discussed in Larijani's meetings, which were obviously very substantive and profound. The intriguing part is whether Larijani had any mandate to negotiate. He possibly didn't have such a mandate -- although he's favourable regarded by Americans as a 'westernist'. Larijani has political ambitions but lacks popular support. Basically, the US strategy aim will be to create dissensions within the Iranian power structure taking advantage of any power vacuum. This column was written before Ali Larijani was killed by the Israelis on Tuesday. At any rate, Mojtaba's defiant statement on Thursday needs to be understood. Mojtaba, who has the solid backing of the IRGC, does not visualise a normalisation with the US. The core of Mojtaba's message to Washington (external link) was 'Bring it on!' Tehran has since added to its demands war reparations and international security guarantee against any more US-Israeli adventurism. To be sure, Trump is furious, as the trajectory of the war is in a state of Zugzwang (being forced to make a move), as chess players call it. Trump and Netanyahu stare at two choices -- retreat in humiliation and concede Tehran's demands -- recognition of its rights, reparations, and binding security guarantees -- or perish in a quagmire. It may seem the high bar hopelessly complicates diplomacy but this is where the old English proverb gives hope that these darkest hours could presage that dawn is approaching. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has since stated that the Strait of Hormuz is open to everyone except the United States and its allies. Araghchi also signalled that there are currently no concrete initiatives aimed at ending the conflict with the US and Israel. Meanwhile, Araghchi separately also urged BRICS to wet its toes in the running stream; he held phone conversations four times in the past ten days with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar, who also spoke later with his Saudi and Emirati counterparts. Jaishankar since disclosed that Delhi is holding consultations with other BRICS members (read Russia and China) at the level of the 'sherpas' who are preparing the BRICS Summit to be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year. Without doubt, Russia has taken an active role in support of Iran. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's conversation ('substantive exchange of views') with Oman Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who mediated the US-Iran talks in Geneva, must be noted, especially their 'emphasis on finding ways to bring about the swiftest possible end to the military confrontation' draws attention. IMAGE: A first responder looks at the damage at an impact site on top of a residential building, following an Iranian missile strike in Jerusalem, March 14, 2026 Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Russia Warns Against Wider Regional War In particular, the Russian readout underscored, 'They reiterated their position in favour of preventing escalation and immediately returning to a political and diplomatic settlement (external link). The parties specifically emphasised the unacceptability of involving third countries, first and foremost the Gulf States, in the conflict which is fraught with the risk of wider military operations.' Importantly, 'Lavrov highlighted Russia's willingness to assist in identifying compromise-based peaceful solutions founded on respect for the principle of sovereignty and equality of all states, as well as other foundational norms of international law.' Presumably, back channels are at work between Moscow and Washington. There have been media reports also that Mojtaba is in Moscow presumably to receive medical treatment. Clearly, it stands to reason that there are no takers for Trump's call to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. IMAGE: Activists place 'No' stickers on a sign held by a person wearing a cutout mask depicting Donald Trump during a rally against the US demand for South Korea to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz, outside the US embassy in Seoul, South Korea, March 16, 2026. Photograph: Kim Soo-hyeon/Reuters Aside Trump's mood swings, the last serious word from the White House is also that the US administration expects the war to be over in up to six weeks. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council at the White House told Fox News, 'It's not going to last for months. President Trump's team has briefed us that it's going to be four to six weeks, beginning two weeks ago, and that we're ahead of schedule.' Meanwhile, trust Iranian operations to single-mindedly hammer Israel and teach it a hard lesson by inflicting as much destruction on it as possible while Tel Aviv's capacity to interdict incoming Iranian missiles (external link) is reportedly getting depleted. Amidst all this, Pope Leo XIV, in his Sunday noon blessing, has demanded a ceasefire in his strongest comments to date, directly addressing the US and Israel. The Pope said, 'On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict, cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace that the people are waiting for.' The Pope's appeal will resonate in the MAGA camp. Trump cannot ignore it. Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar served the Indian Foreign Service for 29 years. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff If the Iranian regime needs to be punished for promoting quasi-terrorist outfits like Hezbollah and Hamas, then what about Pakistan which has spent decades exporting terror around the world, killing thousands, particularly in Afghanistan and India? asks M R Narayan Swamy. IMAGE: A drug users rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, March 17, 2026, destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike. Photograph: Sayed Hassib/Reuters Key Points India should actually be calling out the US on this score and asking Washington to bomb Islamabad if it really wants to do away with evil -- instead of seemingly siding with the US over Iran. Is India taking sides in this war? Is India suggesting, even if indirectly, that Israel and the US are right in waging war on Iran? Has the US forgotten who hid Osama bin Laden for years while claiming to be America's friend? It is nobody's case that India should not have friendly relations with Israel. The opinion is also split on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have visited Israel amid the visible war clouds. But what is without doubt a blunder is India's studied silence once Israel and the US killed Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and bombed a school in Iran killing scores of innocent children. Unlike Israel and the United States, Iran is an ancient civilisation much like China, India, Greece and Egypt. Ancient civilisations have some deep rooted values. These values, not shared by modern States like Israel and the US, include not killing a foe without notice, more so when you have invited him for peace talks. India might feel close to Israel for more reasons than one. India's leadership may still want to cosy up to America despite being humiliated by Donald Trump. But there is no reason for India to turn a blind eye to the disastrous effects of a horrific conflict for which Israel and the US are to mainly blame. With its own Mumbai terrorist mayhem of 2008 in mind, Indians have a right to sympathise with what Israelis underwent when the Iran-backed Hamas overran southern Israel in 2023. Israel has every right to counter Hamas, which is equally responsible for the immeasurable civilian suffering in Gaza. But all this cannot absolve Israel of the misery it has heaped on the innocent Palestinians who had no role in the Hamas savagery. Modi's Israeli itinerary may have been decided a while ago and it may be sheer coincidence that the trip was immediately followed by the attack on Iran. The optics of the ill-time visit was certainly not favourable. However, it was all the more important for the Indian government to have mourned the death of Khamenei, a head of State, after he was killed with his family by an unexpected air attack by Israel and the US. Take Malaysia, a Muslim country. Malaysia and Iran have always had frosty ties because of deep theological differences. Malaysia is Sunni majority and views Shias as deviants. But in the aftermath of Khamenei's killing, Malaysian MPs remarkably came together across the political divide and mourned the death of a grandfather-cleric who presided over Iran. India, on the contrary, is home to a sizeable Shia population, many of whom held Khameini as the supreme religious head. India owed it at least to its Shia population to express sorrow over his demise. The Silence Of PM Modi IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, in Jerusalem, February 26, 2026. Photograph: @IsraeliPM X/ANI Photo Since Israel has massacred without remorse over 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the vast majority of them civilians, the killing of nearly 150 children in Iran is unlikely to torment Israeli leaders' conscience. But this was a perfect chance for India to voice sympathy with the victims and use the opportunity to underline that if ordinary Israelis cannot be slaughtered, the same holds true for the innocents in Iran -- or any other country -- too. Prime Minister Modi's silence on these two issues - Khamenei's death and the killing of school children -- is all the more galling seeing the alacrity with which he has denounced -- without naming Iran -- the attacks on oil-rich countries in the Gulf as the Israel-US-Iran war sucks in the rest of the Middle East and threatens to go beyond. Is India taking sides in this war? Is India suggesting, even if indirectly, that Israel and the US are right in waging war on Iran? Is India indicating that there is no sin in killing a head of State -- and gloating over it? Instead of offering to play a mediator between Israel and fellow BRICS-member Iran, is India dumping neutrality, something which has kept it aloft for decades globally in this very complex and rapidly changing world? Khamenei may be 'one of the most evil people' in Trump's eyes but the unpredictable US president is neither a historian nor an embodiment of truth. And if the Iranian regime needs to be punished for promoting quasi-terrorist outfits like the Hezbollah and Hamas, then what about Pakistan which has spent decades exporting terror around the world, killing thousands, particularly in Afghanistan and India? Has the US forgotten who hid Osama bin Laden for years while claiming to be America's friend? Whatever is America's intent, its hypocrisy and double standards outshine. Pakistan, The incubator of global terror IMAGE: Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photograph: @khamenei_ir/X Iran is being accused of trying to make a nuclear weapon. But Pakistan, an incubator of global terror, already has nukes! The US turned a blind eye not only when Pakistan built a nuclear weapon in the 1980s (amid the Afghan war when it partnered with Washington) but also when it diverted a part of US-supplied weapons meant for the Afghan mujahideen to militants in Punjab as well as Jammu and Kashmir. India should actually be calling out the US on this score and asking Washington to bomb Islamabad if it really wants to do away with evil -- instead of seemingly siding with the US over Iran. Yes, Iran has been brutal whenever ordinary Iranians revolted against government repression and a failed economy. But surely India is not going to build relations with any country on the basis of its internal political system. As for the US, it is laughable when it claims that it wants democracy in Iran and, in the process, relies on Arab States where individual freedom is anathema. IMAGE: People attend the funeral of the victims of the Israeli strike on a school in Minab, Iran, March 3, 2026. Photograph: Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters A section of the Indian social media alleges that Iran sided with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor? Really? Did Tehran supply weapons to Islamabad a la Turkiye and China? If anything, it was the pre-Islamic revolutionary Iran of Reza Pahalvi which openly backed Pakistan during the 1971 war which led to Bangladesh's creation. Just eight years later, in 1978, Reza Pahalvi was an official guest in India when the Janata Party under then prime minister Morarji Desai was in power. And a key constituent of the Janata Party was the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party whose star leader now is Prime Minister Modi. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Following a disturbing acid attack on a Class 6 student in Sangamner, the Maharashtra government is facing intense scrutiny and criticism from the Congress party regarding the state's law and order situation and the safety of women and children. Photograph: Samuel Rajkumar/Reutersm Key Points An alleged acid attack on a Class 6 girl in Sangamner has prompted criticism of the Maharashtra government's handling of law and order. Congress leaders accuse the government of failing to curb crimes against women and minor girls in Maharashtra. The legislative assembly demands a detailed statement from the government regarding the acid attack incident and the status of the investigation. Concerns are raised about the inefficiency and corruption within the local police force, potentially emboldening criminals. Demands are made for better medical care for the victim, highlighting the severity of her injuries and the potential long-term impact. An alleged acid attack on a Class 6 girl student in Sangamner prompted the Congress to slam the Maharashtra government in the legislative assembly on Wednesday, alleging deterioration in law and order in the state. Calling the alleged incident in Ahilyanagar district "extremely disturbing", Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the government of failing to curb crimes against women and minor girls. Raising the issue through an adjournment motion, Wadettiwar demanded an immediate discussion, claiming that the minor is in a serious condition and the accused are yet to be arrested. He questioned how the accused managed to flee after committing such a serious offence. The Congress leader also criticised the functioning of the local police, alleging inefficiency and corruption, and said such lapses embolden criminals. Wadettiwar further claimed that incidents of atrocities against minor girls have increased in the state, and the government has failed to take effective action. Speaker Rahul Narwekar took note of the issue and directed the government to present a detailed statement in the House on the incident at the earliest. Congress member Nana Patole demanded that the girl be brought to Mumbai and given better medical care for free. He said the girl has suffered serious facial injuries that could affect her future. The incident reflects poorly on the administration, he said. Failure to apprehend the culprit has heightened anxiety among citizens and the victim's family, he added. An acid attack on a schoolgirl in Sangamner has ignited a political firestorm in Maharashtra, with the Congress party accusing the state government of failing to maintain law and order and protect vulnerable citizens. Photograph: Samuel Rajkumar/Reutersm Key Points A Class 6 girl student in Sangamner, Maharashtra, was the victim of an alleged acid attack, prompting strong reactions in the state's legislative assembly. The Congress party criticised the Maharashtra government, citing a decline in law and order and a failure to protect women and minor girls from violent crimes. The Minister of State (Home) has ordered a thorough police investigation into the acid attack incident, which occurred outside a school in Ahilyanagar district. Concerns were raised about the availability of acid in school laboratories and the need for preventative measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. The government has been directed to provide a detailed statement on the incident, and medical expenses for the victim will be covered by a local medical trust. An alleged acid attack on a Class 6 girl student in Sangamner prompted the Congress to slam the Maharashtra government in the legislative assembly on Wednesday, alleging deterioration in law and order in the state. The matter also came up in the legislative council. Replying to the issue raised by independent member Satyajit Tambe, Minister of State (Home) Pankaj Bhoyar said the incident took place outside D K More Janta Vidyalaya in Ahilyanagar district. Terming the incident serious and unfortunate, Bhoyar said instructions have been given to the police to conduct a thorough probe. When asked how the accused got the acid, Bhoyar said it is available in school laboratories. The minister said police are working on ways to prevent such incidents, and a committee will be formed to deliberate on the matter. Political Reactions and Demands Calling the acid attack extremely disturbing, Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar targeted the government in the assembly and accused it of failing to curb crimes against women and minor girls. Raising the issue through an adjournment motion, Wadettiwar demanded an immediate discussion, claiming that the minor is in a serious condition and the accused are yet to be arrested. He questioned how the accused managed to flee after committing such a serious offence. The Congress leader also criticised the functioning of the local police, alleging inefficiency and corruption, and said such lapses embolden criminals. Wadettiwar further claimed that incidents of atrocities against minor girls have increased in the state, and the government has failed to take effective action. Speaker Rahul Narwekar took note of the issue and directed the government to present a detailed statement in the House on the incident at the earliest. Congress member Nana Patole demanded that the girl be brought to Mumbai and given better medical care for free. He said the girl has suffered serious facial injuries that could affect her future. The incident reflects poorly on the administration, he said. Failure to apprehend the culprit has heightened anxiety among citizens and the victim's family, he added. Government Response and Support Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who is also the guardian minister of Ahilyanagar district, said in the assembly that the girl is admitted to Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences at Loni. The trust managed by Vikhe Patil's family will take care of the entire expense of the girl's treatment, he said. The assassination of Ali Larijani, Iran's top security official, in an alleged Israeli strike has sent shockwaves through the region, prompting vows of revenge and raising concerns about escalating tensions. IMAGE: Ali Larijani, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary. Photograph: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters Key Points Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an alleged Israeli strike, impacting Iran's leadership. Gen Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij force, also died in the attack. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian mourned Larijani's death, praising his contributions to regional peace and security. Iranian officials have issued stern warnings and vowed revenge against those responsible for the assassination, particularly the 'terrorist Zionist regime'. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf honoured Larijani as a dedicated fighter and a symbol of the Islamic Revolution. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the country's most powerful official since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed. The Iranian judiciary's news agency, Mizan, also confirmed the death of Gen Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force. Top Iranian Leaders Vow 'Severe Revenge' In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijani as a "virtuous, precious, and dear brother". The president remarked that the late official was an "outstanding and valuable figure who, throughout the era of the Islamic Republic, served in various capacities, yielding extensive and diverse results". Pezeshkian highlighted their professional history together in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and Larijani's recent leadership at the security council, stating that he "witnessed nothing but goodwill, keen insight, companionship, and foresight from him". State broadcaster Press TV reported that the president noted the difficulty of replacing such a figure, suggesting that the manner of his death was a "reward for his lifelong struggle and the fulfilment of a long-held wish". He added that while Larijani's "blood was spilled by the most criminal regime in human history", being placed among the figures of the revolution was his "merit and the long-held wish of this dear brother." Pezeshkian further characterised Larijani as "an outstanding example of those nurtured in the school of Imam Khomeini, Imam Khamenei, and the great master of the Islamic Revolution, Martyr Murtaza Motahhari". Reflecting on Larijani's final role, the president stated that he "exerted his utmost effort to expand peace and security in the region and foster empathy and strengthen brotherhood among Islamic nations". He argued that Larijani had developed an "international persona in the arena of international security and resistance, becoming a target of the spite of the terrorist Zionist regime". Press TV reported that a stern warning was issued to those behind the attack, with Pezeshkian declaring that "undoubtedly, a severe revenge awaits the terrorist criminals who have stained their foul hands with the blood of the innocent". According to Press TV, he affirmed that the nation's path would continue and that a "definitive victory awaits the great nation of Iran". Larijani's Role After Khamenei's Death Larijani was widely believed to be running the country following the killing of its supreme leader in US and Israeli strikes late last month. Larijani, who served as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident. Earlier, Larijani had issued a message asserting that Iran would remain steadfast against the US and Israel, while calling for unity in the Muslim world. Reactions to Larijani's Death Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also paid his respects, stating that such an end "is a garment that does not fit everybody". He described it as "an art that distinguishes the men of God, who are true and steadfast to their covenants, from others. It is the ultimate blessedness and the aspiration of all fighters on the path of truth." Qalibaf remembered his colleague as an "indefatigable fighter and a soldier in love with his homeland", noting his history as a "courageous Speaker of three terms of the Islamic Consultative Assembly". He described the event as "another golden leaf in the honours of the martyr-nurturing movement of the Great Imam Khomeini". The Speaker added that the path of the revolution "does not stop with assassination and will continue until the destruction of the front of disbelief and hypocrisy". He noted that Larijani had accepted his security role during a "turbulent period for the country" following the recent conflict and remained dedicated to his duty until he was killed. Judiciary chief Mohseni Ejei also issued a tribute, stating that Larijani "received from God Almighty the reward for his long years of struggle" by "drinking the sweet nectar of martyrdom". Press TV noted that Ejei praised Larijani's "high managerial and decision-making capacity, courage and eloquence in speech", and his "sacrifice and steadfastness in the path of the ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution". The head of the judiciary assured that the Iranian military, backed by public support, would "exact revenge for the pure blood of this dear martyr" from those he described as "the criminal America and the barbaric Zionist regime". Delhi Police have apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals, including one previously deported, for their alleged involvement in a human trafficking operation and illegal residency within the country. Photograph: Pixabay Key Points Two Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Delhi for alleged human trafficking and illegal stay. The main accused, Robiul Mulla, had been previously deported from India and re-entered illegally. Mulla confessed to facilitating the illegal entry of several women into India for unlawful activities. Police recovered smartphones with evidence of illegal activities, including images of Bangladeshi passports and national identity details. Deportation proceedings have been initiated against the arrested individuals. Two Bangladeshi nationals, including one deported from India earlier, have been apprehended in Delhi for alleged involvement in human trafficking and illegal stay, a police officer said on Wednesday. The accused were caught on March 16 near GTB Nagar Metro Station in Mukherjee Nagar area, following a tip-off about the presence of a Bangladeshi national engaged in trafficking activities, the officer said. The main accused, identified as Robiul Mulla (45), a resident of Jessore in Bangladesh, was intercepted during a trap laid by a team of Delhi Police. During questioning, it was found that he had been deported from India in 2025 but had re-entered the country illegally. Based on his disclosure, police apprehended a 38-year-old female accomplice from Bangladesh's Bogra in the same area. Both were found to be residing in India without valid travel documents, the officer said. Investigation Details and Findings During interrogation, Mulla told the police that he had facilitated the illegal entry of several women into India for unlawful activities. The police said efforts are underway to trace other individuals brought into the country by the accused. The police recovered two smartphones from the duo, which contained a banned messaging application. Images of Bangladeshi passport and national identity details were also found in the phone galleries. The accused were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and deportation proceedings have been initiated, they said. Further investigation is underway, the police added. Pakistani authorities have arrested a female suicide bomber allegedly trained by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), shedding light on the group's disturbing tactics of brainwashing young individuals for terrorist activities. Photograph: Fayaz Aziz/Reuters Key Points Pakistani authorities arrested a female suicide bomber allegedly trained by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The BLA is accused of brainwashing young females and children to carry out terror attacks. The arrested woman appealed to youth to avoid insurgent propaganda on social media. Security forces in Balochistan are implementing preemptive measures to prevent terror attacks. The BLA has previously used female suicide bombers in attacks, including the 2022 Karachi University bombing. An alleged female suicide bomber trained by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army has been arrested ahead of carrying out her mission, a top Pakistan leader said on Wednesday. Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti told a media conference in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, that the arrest of the young girl from Khuzdar had unmasked how the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was brainwashing young females and children to carry out terror attacks. The alleged suicide bomber female was also produced at the conference and, in a brief address, appealed to students, youth and children to avoid watching the propaganda and hate material posted by insurgent groups on social media. She also said she was in the process of being prepared by her handler to carry out the attack sometime after Eid when security forces arrested her from a town in Khuzdar. Bugti, flanked by senior security officials, said security forces and intelligence agencies had been working closely together to execute a policy of preemptive measures which had saved hundreds of lives in the province. BLA's History of Using Female Suicide Bombers In the past, there have been at least three confirmed incidents of the BLA using female suicide bombers to carry out major attacks. The first instance was in April 2022 when Shari Hayat Baloch targeted Karachi University's Confucius Centre, killing four people, including three Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver. The mineral rich and strategically located Balochistan has seen several terror attacks carried out by banned insurgent groups since 2002. In a major crackdown on financial crime, a Mumbai court has sentenced four individuals to jail for their involvement in a Bank of India fraud case involving a forged Letter of Credit that caused a loss of over Rs 3 crore. Key Points A special CBI court sentenced two individuals to five years' imprisonment for their role in a Bank of India fraud involving a forged Letter of Credit. The Bank of India suffered a loss of over Rs 3 crore due to the fraudulent Letter of Credit scheme. Harit Mehta and Abhay Mehta received five-year jail terms, while Manojkumar Mathur and Ilesh Shah were sentenced to three years. The accused were found guilty of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code. The case involved a forged Letter of Credit purportedly issued by HDFC Bank, which led to the fraudulent transfer and withdrawal of funds. A special CBI court here on Wednesday sentenced two persons to five years' imprisonment and two others to three years' jail term in a 2012 case where the Bank of India had suffered a loss of more than Rs 3 crore due to a forged Letter of Credit. Harit Mehta, proprietor of Infinity Transmission, a private firm, was sentenced to five years in jail and asked to pay a fine of Rs 3.50 crore. The director of the firm Abhay Mehta was also sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 crore. Former bank official Manojkumar Mathur, and another accused named Ilesh Shah got three years' jail term with a fine of Rs 50,000 each. Special judge Amit Kharkar found the accused guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Mathur, then a senior manager with the Bank of India (BOI), was accused of entering into a criminal conspiracy with the others. Details of the Forged Letter of Credit Scheme As per the CBI, the Nariman Point branch of the nationalised bank received a Letter of Credit (LC) dated July 20, 2009, purportedly issued by the HDFC Bank on behalf of Jayant Agro Organic Limited for discounting. The beneficiary was Infinite Transmission. The branch discounted the LC for Rs 3,55,32,000 and Rs 2,47,12,213 was remitted in the account of Infinite Transmission. Abhay and Harit Mehta then withdrew the amount. But later it was found that the LC had been forged, causing BOI a loss of Rs 3.4 crore, the central probe agency told the court. Special prosecutor Jeetendra Sharma argued that Mathur, holding charge of the Forex department of the bank, dishonestly discounted the forged LC. A total of 32 witnesses were examined during the trial. SEOUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Workers at Samsung Electronics have approved a strike plan, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday. The vote, held from March 9 to 18, involved about 90,000 union members, representing the majority of Samsung's 125,000 employees in South Korea. The approval cleared the way for the union to stage a strike for up to 18 days from May 21 if no agreement is reached with management, raising concerns over possible disruptions to Samsung's chip production. A strike at the world's largest memory chip maker could further strain global semiconductor supplies, which are already under pressure from strong demand from AI data centers, affecting industries from automobiles and computers to smartphones. The dispute has centered on performance bonuses, with the union demanding that Samsung adopt a system similar to that of rival SK Hynix, which has removed the bonus cap and allocates up to 10 percent of its operating profit to employees. Samsung, however, said removing the cap could reduce funds available for future investment and widen disparities among employees. A 10-year-old boy in Dharwad, Karnataka, was allegedly assaulted by his mother for skipping school and neglecting his studies, triggering a police investigation and intervention from child protection services. Photograph: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay Key Points A 10-year-old boy in Dharwad, Karnataka, was allegedly assaulted by his mother for not attending school regularly and not taking his studies seriously. The incident was reported to the authorities by the Child Helpline, leading to a police investigation. The mother admitted to beating her son, citing his lack of seriousness towards education and irregular attendance as the reason. Authorities found old injuries on the boy's body, prompting a more detailed investigation into the alleged abuse. The District Child Protection Officer is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the full extent of the situation and ensure the child's safety. A 10-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted by his mother for being irregular in attending school and failing to take his studies seriously, police said on Wednesday. The incident that falls under the jurisdiction of Dharwad City police station came to light on Tuesday, they said. Hubballi Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said the incident was reported by the Child Helpline, in which the boy was allegedly assaulted by his 35-year-old mother. "She (mother) has admitted that she beat him, stating that he was not serious about his studies and was irregular in attending school. On that pretext, and without controlling her anger, she assaulted the child," he said. However, upon examination, some old injuries were also found on the boy's body. Therefore, a detailed and thorough investigation will be conducted, he said. The Child Helpline has come forward with a formal complaint, which will be taken up for investigation, the officer added. Child Protection Services Intervention The District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Deepa Javur said that information about the incident was received on Tuesday night, following which staff were immediately sent to the district hospital. The boy, a Class 5 student, was found to have burn injuries on his body, and it has been prima facie established that the assault was carried out by the mother, she said. According to her, the boy's father has been away from the family for the past four years. The mother has reportedly stated that she assaulted the child because he was being stubborn. The DCPO added that a detailed investigation will be conducted to ascertain the facts. The Delhi High Court has ruled that simply asking a married woman to help care for a family member does not constitute criminal cruelty, dismissing a wife's allegations against her husband and his family. Key Points The Delhi High Court ruled that asking a wife to help care for a family member does not constitute cruelty under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. The court quashed criminal cases against a husband and his family, citing vague and unsubstantiated allegations of cruelty and domestic violence. The wife's allegations of torture, dowry demands, and forced responsibility for a relative's child were deemed insufficient to prove cruelty or harassment. The court noted that the criminal proceedings were initiated after the divorce, suggesting an attempt to revive matrimonial disputes. The ruling emphasises that bald and sweeping allegations are insufficient to sustain proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, reflecting ordinary matrimonial discord. The Delhi High Court has said that merely asking a married woman to assist in caring for a family member is not cruelty under criminal law. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna passed the judgment while quashing criminal cases against a husband and his family for alleged cruelty and domestic violence against his wife. The parties married in 2005 in Haldwani, Uttarakhand according to Hindu rites and customs. While it was mutually agreed that after marriage the couple would reside at the petitioner's house in Ranikhet, the wife soon moved back to Delhi to her mother's house and insisted her husband relocate as well. The husband was granted an ex parte divorce in 2012. The wife levelled serious accusations against the husband and his family, including her in-laws, alleging that they were habitual drinkers and tortured her and taunted her for insufficient dowry. In her complaint, the wife alleged that her husband's brother pressured her to take responsibility for his 11-year-old son by keeping him permanently at her mother's house in Delhi. "Merely asking the Complainant to assist in caring for a family member cannot, by itself, constitute cruelty within the meaning of Section 498A IPC," the court ruled in the judgment passed on March 10. The court termed the wife's allegations vague and omnibus, remarking, "It is so simple to make such allegations against the family members; there is no explanation about any specific incident to explain her absolutely vague allegations." The court emphasised that the wife resided with her in-laws "only for a few days" before shifting to her mother's house in Delhi and the husband visited her from time to time. Court's Reasoning and Decision Quashing the criminal cases, the court said the wife's allegations did not amount to cruelty and harassment under Section 498A IPC. "Even if the mother-in-law stayed with the Complainant in the winter months, it leaves to one's imagination how it amounts to cruelty or harassment... There is not an iota of even a prima facie case of cruelty or harassment of the Complainant by the Petitioners," the court concluded. It also held that the chronology of events "clearly indicated" that the criminal proceedings, including the case for alleged domestic violence, were initiated after the marriage was dissolved by a decree of divorce and were, therefore, an attempt to revive matrimonial disputes, which was an abuse of the process of law and an afterthought. Bald and sweeping allegations are insufficient to sustain proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act and the accusations, at best, reflect ordinary matrimonial discord and lack of adjustment, the court said. The court also rejected the wife's claim that the husband and his family members forcefully retained her gold jewellery, saying the allegations lacked details. India's Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) has received over 1 crore grievances in the last five years, prompting government initiatives to improve accountability and efficiency in addressing citizen concerns. Key Points Over 1 crore public grievances were received via the CPGRAMS system in the last five years, highlighting the scale of citizen concerns. The average time for disposal of public grievances by central government entities was 15 days in 2025, with a majority resolved within 21 days. The government has implemented 10-step reforms and comprehensive guidelines to enhance the efficiency and accountability of the public grievance redressal mechanism. Grievance redressal timelines have been rationalised from 30 to 21 days, with emphasis on root cause analysis and citizen feedback. A review meeting module has been introduced in CPGRAMS to facilitate senior-level review of public grievances. Over 1 crore public grievances have been received in the last five years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. These grievances were received on the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), which allows citizens to raise complaints online. As many as 1,11,89,384 public grievances were received between 2021 and February 2026, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. Of these, 20,00,590 grievances were received in 2021, 19,18,238 in 2022 and 19,53,057 in 2023. In the next two years, 26,15,321 and 22,78,256 grievances were received, and between January and February this year, 4,23,922 were recorded, he said. Grievance Redressal Efficiency "In the year 2025, the average time for disposal of public grievances for central government ministries/departments was 15 days, and 82.1% of grievances were disposed of within the prescribed timeline of 21 days," the minister said. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) regularly reviews grievance disposal performance of ministries and departments and states and Union territories through monthly review meetings, he said. "Ministries/departments and states/UTs with higher pendency or delays are advised to take corrective measures," Singh said. Government Initiatives for Improvement The government has undertaken several measures to improve accountability and efficiency of the grievance redressal mechanism under CPGRAMS, including implementation of the 10-step reforms, he said. Further, the Comprehensive Guidelines for Effective Redressal of Public Grievances, issued in August 2024, rationalised the grievance redressal timeline from 30 days to 21 days and mandate the establishment of dedicated grievance cells, emphasis on root cause analysis, action on citizen feedback, and strengthening of grievance escalation mechanisms, Singh said. A review meeting module has also been operationalised in CPGRAMS to facilitate senior-level review of public grievances, he said. A devastating fire in Delhi resulted in the tragic deaths of nine family members who prioritised saving each other, highlighting the profound bonds of kinship amidst the chaos and destruction. IMAGE: A massive fire broke out at a residential building in the Palam area, resulting in multiple casualties, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: Sumit/ANI Photo Key Points Nine members of a Delhi family, including three children, died in a fire near Palam Metro Station. Family members reportedly prioritised saving each other over escaping, leading to the tragic loss of life. The fire engulfed a multi-storey building housing a cloth and cosmetic showroom and the owner's family residence. Workers and relatives described the family as close-knit and always prioritising each other's well-being. The fire required a large-scale rescue operation involving fire tenders, ambulances, police, and NDRF personnel. The chaos of exams had just ended and some family members had only returned from trips. The Kashyap household went to sleep expecting a quieter morning but before dawn on Wednesday, tragedy struck. In the smoke and panic, family and friends believe they turned back for one another instead of escaping, losing their lives while trying to save each other. The multi-storey building near Ram Chowk Market, close to the Palam Metro Station, was gutted from the inside as nine members of the family, including three children, were killed in the blaze, while three others were injured. The building housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom on the ground and first floors, while the family of the owner, Rajender Kashyap, the local market association president, lived on the upper floors. Kashyap lived in the building with his wife Lado (70), their sons and extended family. At the time of the incident, several members were not present in the house. Kashyap was in Goa, while one of his sons and his family were away on a holiday, officials said. Among those killed were Lado (70), her sons Pravesh (33) and Kamal (39), Kamal's wife Ashu (35), their three daughters aged 15, six and three; Lado's daughter Himanshi (22) and daughter-in-law Deepika (28), police said. Family's Selfless Actions Still struggling to process the loss, Riya, a worker at the showroom, said the family shared a rare bond. "I have seen that family up close for years, and I know one thing for sure - they would never have thought of saving themselves first. In that moment, they must have been calling out to each other, trying to gather everyone, especially the children," she said. She said she could not imagine their agony. "There must have been so much smoke, so much panic, but even then, they would have been trying to help one another, to see each other through the smoke, not leaving anyone behind. That is the kind of family they were," she added. A colleague, who did not wish to be named, said the family functioned as a single unit. "In that kind of moment, no one thinks of escaping alone. They would have been moving through the house, waking people up, picking up children, helping elders. In that confusion of smoke and fire, there was very little they could have done," the colleague said. The colleague said that they were unable to come in terms with them yet. "But that is what makes this so painful. They didn't just get caught in a fire; they must have tried to save each other till the very end," he said. Remembering the Victims Speaking about the children, Riya said she had seen them grow up in the same house. "The eldest was so beautiful, the middle one was full of life, always smiling, and the youngest was just like a doll, playful and innocent. That house felt alive because of them. Today, it feels impossible to accept that they are gone," she said. Recalling the family's warmth, another worker said they were always treated like family. "We celebrated birthdays together, cut cakes together, laughed together. They never treated us like staff. That is why this loss feels so personal," the worker said, adding, "Kamal celebrated his birthday on January 14 with all of us." Another employee said there were seven fire extinguishers in the shop area and safety procedures were followed, but the scale of the fire made rescue extremely difficult. Aftermath and Response Family members and relatives waiting outside the hospital struggled to come to terms with the tragedy. A relative said some members were away at the time, including those travelling or visiting relatives, and would now have to return to devastating news. "Rajender Kashyap was in Goa, while his sons Sunil and his wife Gauri were away with their families on a holiday. While Pravesh had just dropped his wife and young son at their maternal home shortly before the fire," relatives said. They further added that their eldest son, Kamal, had only recently returned from a conference in Bali as he lost his life in the fire. "Just imagine the pain they must be going through when they return and learn what has happened," a distant relative said outside the hospital. Anil (32), one of Rajender's sons, tried to save his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter by lowering her from the third floor to the second floor where a ladder had been placed, before jumping himself. Both sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment, officials said. Sachin (29), another family member, jumped to an adjacent building to escape and suffered around 25 per cent burn injuries. He is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital. According to officials, information about the fire was received at 7.04 am at Palam Village police station, following which teams rushed to the spot. Around 30 fire tenders and 11 ambulances were deployed, along with personnel from the police, BSES, Air Force Police and the NDRF, as part of a large-scale rescue operation. An old friend of Rajender Kashyap, Bajaj said the family had built everything through years of hard work. "This is not just the loss of a few lives; it feels like an entire family has been wiped out in one night. What stood there was not just a house, it was a complete family built over the years, and today that entire structure has collapsed," he said. Delhi Police have cracked down on illegal LPG refilling operations, seizing hundreds of cylinders and arresting multiple individuals involved in the dangerous black market scheme. Key Points Delhi Police busted illegal LPG storage and refilling units in Rajpur Khurd and Khyala, seizing 269 cylinders. Accused individuals were operating without valid licenses, posing safety risks to nearby residents. The LPG cylinders were allegedly being sold on the black market at inflated prices, reaching up to Rs 3,000 per cylinder. Police suspect the involvement of gas agency personnel in supplying cylinders to the illegal operations. Cases have been registered under the Essential Commodities Act, and further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the illegal LPG racket. The Delhi Police busted multiple illegal LPG storage and refilling units across the city on Wednesday, seizing a total of 269 cylinders and apprehending six persons in separate operations, an official said. In south Delhi's Rajpur Khurd, police unearthed an illegal LPG storage unit, arresting two persons and seizing 223 cylinders from the premises. The accused, identified as Hitesh Rathi (38) and Arvind Kumar (40), were allegedly operating the facility without valid licence or authorisation, they said. Police raided a plot in Rajpur Khurd village on Tuesday and recovered 223 Indane LPG cylinders, including 16 filled and 45 empty domestic cylinders, and 162 empty commercial cylinders, officials said. An electronic weighing machine and eight safety caps were also seized. Police said the stockpiling of such a large number of cylinders without safety measures posed a serious risk to nearby residents. The accused failed to produce valid documents for storing the cylinders. Officials from the food and supplies department and Indane Gas verified the seizure, police said. Illegal LPG Refilling Units Uncovered in Khyala In a separate operation, police busted three illegal LPG storage and refilling units in Khyala area and apprehended four persons, recovering 46 cylinders. The accused have been identified as Shivmurat Singh (40), Raghuraj (26), Arvind Singh (27) and Ompal (37), police said. A total of 46 cylinders, including 20 of Indane Gas and 26 of Bharat Gas, were seized from the rented premises and temporary sheds. Weighing machines and illegal refilling equipment were also recovered, officials said. Black Market Operations and Ongoing Investigation During interrogation, the accused revealed that they procured LPG cylinders using fake identities and stored them in congested areas to avoid detection. They allegedly extracted gas from filled cylinders and refilled empty ones to create additional cylinders for sale in the black market at inflated prices of up to Rs 3,000 per cylinder, police said. Police suspect the possible involvement of gas agency personnel, as the accused claimed to have sourced cylinders from local agencies. The role of these agencies is being examined. Separate cases have been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway. A Delhi court acquitted two men in a 2020 Delhi riots case, citing unreliable police witness accounts and a lack of crucial corroborating evidence, raising questions about the prosecution's case. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi court acquits two men accused of vandalism and arson during the 2020 Delhi riots. The acquittal was based on doubts about the reliability of police witness testimonies. The court noted discrepancies in the police witnesses' statements and official records. The prosecution's failure to examine a public witness further weakened the case. The accused were granted the benefit of the doubt due to the prosecution's failure to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in the Delhi riots case. A court here has acquitted two men in a case related to the 2020 Delhi riots, saying it will be unsafe to rely on the testimonies of the two police witnesses as there is a serious doubt about the claim that they were present together at the incident site. Also, the prosecution failed to examine the public witness available during the trial, depriving the case of crucial corroboration, Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh said in his order absolving Prem Prakash and Manish, who were accused of vandalism, arson, and looting of shops in northeast Delhi during the February 2020 riots. In the order dated March 14, the court said, "I am of the opinion that it will be highly unsafe to rely upon the testimonies of these witnesses to hand down a finding of guilt against the accused. Both the accused are found entitled to a benefit of doubt". Both were arrested in the case registered at the New Usmanpur police station based on complaints that several shops, including salons, a bakery, a meat shop and a bike repair shop, were vandalised by a mob on February 25, 2020. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimonies of two police witnesses who claimed to have identified the accused as part of the mob involved in the violence. Discrepancies in Witness Statements However, the court found discrepancies in their statements and observed that official records contradicted their presence together at the scene of the crime. "As per official entries, both witnesses had left the police station with different teams for different duties, and there is no explanation as to how they came together at the spot," the court noted. The judge further observed that one of the key witnesses appeared to have been present at another location around the same time, raising doubts about his testimony. "This creates a serious doubt about the presence of the witness at the scene of the crime and consequently about his claim of having identified the accused," the court said. Lack of Corroborating Evidence The court also noted that despite the availability of a public witness during the investigation, the prosecution failed to examine him during the trial, depriving the case of crucial corroboration. Holding that it would be "highly unsafe" to rely solely on the testimonies of the police witnesses, the court said the prosecution had failed to establish the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. "Both the accused are accordingly acquitted of the charges framed against them. Their bail bonds stand cancelled. Sureties stand discharged," the court said. Delhi Police have successfully apprehended two suspects who were on the run following a robbery near the Shadipur flyover in 2025, bringing closure to the case. Key Points Two men, Rahul and Karandas, have been arrested in connection with a robbery near Shadipur flyover in November 2025. The robbery involved the theft of approximately Rs 5 lakh in cash and a laptop from a victim's car. One accused, Akash, was previously arrested shortly after the crime, while Rahul and Karandas evaded capture for several months. Both Rahul and Karandas confessed to their involvement in the robbery and admitted to spending the stolen money. Rahul has a history of criminal activity, with multiple prior cases of robbery and theft registered against him. Two men who had been absconding since carrying out a robbery near Shadipur flyover last year have been arrested, police said on Wednesday. The case dates back to November 15, 2025, when around Rs 5 lakh in cash and a laptop was taken from a man's car. The accused, identified as Rahul (32) and Karandas alias Fukka (31), both residents of Inderpuri, were apprehended earlier this month, police said. On November 17, one accused, Akash (32), was arrested with the scooter used in the crime, and the bag containing a laptop and documents. However, other accused, Rahul and Karandas, had been evading arrest. Arrest and Confession On March 10, acting on a tip-off, Rahul was apprehended from his rented accommodation in Inderpuri. Subsequently, Karandas was arrested on March 15 from the same area following further leads that emerged during interrogation. During questioning, both men allegedly confessed to their involvement in the robbery and said they had spent their share of the looted money, police said. Accused's Criminal History Rahul is a habitual offender with more than five previous criminal cases registered against him, including cases of robbery and theft, they said. In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, authorities in Samba district have seized the property of a notorious drug peddler under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A house belonging to drug peddler Masoom Ali, also known as 'Kala', has been attached in Samba district under the NDPS Act. The seized property, located in Rakh Barotian, is valued at approximately Rs 40 lakh. Masoom Ali is implicated in five FIRs and has been incarcerated in Udhampur jail since last year. The property was allegedly acquired through proceeds from illegal drug-related activities. A house belonging to a notorious drug peddler was attached in Samba district on Wednesday, police said. The house of Masoom Ali alias 'Kala' was attached at Rakh Barotian in Vijaypur tehsil, under section 68-F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, a police spokesperson said. Valued at about Rs 40 lakh, the property, he said, was bought with proceeds from illegal jobs. Masoom Ali has been named in five FIRs registered at three different police stations in Samba, the spokesperson said. He has been lodged in the Udhampur jail since last year. The Election Commission has demanded a comprehensive report on the attack at Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja's residence in Kolkata, raising questions about police response and the deployment of central forces ahead of crucial Assembly elections. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points The Election Commission (EC) has requested a detailed report from Kolkata Police regarding the attack on TMC leader Shashi Panja's residence. The EC found the initial police report incomplete and is seeking more information about the incident timeline and police response. The EC is examining why central forces were not actively engaged during the incident. Nine people have been arrested in connection with the clash between BJP and TMC supporters and the attack on Panja's residence. The investigation occurs amid heightened vigilance by the EC before the upcoming Assembly elections. The Election Commission (EC) sought a detailed report from the Kolkata Police on the alleged attack on senior Trinamool Congress leader and state minister Shashi Panja's residence here ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally last week, a senior official said on Wednesday. The initial report submitted by the city police was found to be incomplete, lacking crucial details about the incident. "The earlier report did not contain a full account of the sequence of events and key inputs. A comprehensive report has now been sought," an EC official said. Investigation Details and Concerns The Commission has asked for clarity on the timeline of the incident, the role of the police, and the intelligence inputs available prior to the incident in North Kolkata's Girish Park area, he said. Questions were also being raised over the utilisation of central forces deployed in the state. "It is being examined why, despite the presence of central forces, they were not actively engaged, and why the local police handled the situation," the official added. Arrests and Complaints So far, the police have arrested nine people for their involvement in connection with the clash between supporters of the BJP and the TMC, and the attack on Panja's residence. Police complaints were lodged by both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP in connection with the incident. The development comes amid heightened vigilance by the EC ahead of the Assembly elections to be held on April 23 and 29. The Enforcement Directorate has intensified its investigation into the Jharkhand rural development scam, filing a chargesheet against engineers and officials for alleged money laundering and corruption. Key Points The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against Jharkhand government engineers and officials in a money-laundering case. The case involves alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's rural development department, with a focus on a commission-and-bribery racket. Former minister Alamgir Alam and his personal secretary were arrested in 2024 as part of the investigation. The ED has quantified the alleged proceeds of crime at more than Rs 90 crore from a total tender allotment of Rs 3,048 crore. Assets worth Rs 44 crore have been attached, and Rs 38 crore in cash has been seized in connection with the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Wednesday it has filed a fresh chargesheet against more than a dozen retired and serving Jharkhand government engineers and officials in a money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the state's rural development department. The agency arrested former rural development minister of the state Alamgir Alam and his personal secretary, Sanjeev Kumar Lal, as part of its investigation in 2024. They are currently lodged in jail. The fifth supplementary chargesheet in the case was filed on Tuesday before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, the federal agency said in a statement. The complaint arrays 14 departmental engineers and officials of the Rural Works Department (RWD), Rural Development Special Zone (RDSZ) and Jharkhand State Rural Road Development Authority (JSRRDA) as accused. This takes the total number of accused across all prosecution complaints (chargesheets) in the case to 36, the ED said. Accused Officials and Engineers The accused named in the latest chargesheet include retired chief engineers Singrai Tuti, Rajeev Lochan, Surendra Kumar and Pramod Kumar, executive engineers Santosh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Ajay Tirkey, Raj Kumar Toppo, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Siddhant Kumar and Anil Kumar (retired) and retired assistant engineers Ram Pukar Ram and Ramesh Ojha. Former superintending engineer (engineer-in-chief) Umesh Kumar has also been made an accused, the agency said. Details of the Alleged Scam The ED has alleged that there was a "systematic" commission-and-bribery racket operating in Jharkhand's rural development department, where a fixed 3 per cent commission of the total tender value was collected from contractors in lieu of tender allotments. The commission was distributed hierarchically -- 1.35 per cent to the then minister Alam (through his personal secretary), 0.65 per cent to 1 per cent to the departmental secretary and the balance to the chief engineers and their subordinate engineers, the ED has alleged. Against a total tender allotment of Rs 3,048 crore, the ED has quantified the alleged proceeds of crime in the case at more than Rs 90 crore. Apart from four earlier chargesheets, the agency has attached assets worth Rs 44 crore and seized Rs 38 crore in cash (including Rs 32.2 crore recovered from a premises linked to Lal). WELLINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Ireland have agreed to advance their partnership on agricultural climate research, signing a joint ministerial statement in Wellington on Tuesday. "New Zealand and Ireland will continue to advance vital research to support the development of tools to give farmers options to tackle agricultural greenhouse gas emissions without reducing production," New Zealand's Agriculture Minister Todd McClay was quoted as saying in the statement. McClay said the partnership will build on a 2022 Joint Research Initiative (JRI) that invested 34.5 million New Zealand dollars (20.2 million U.S. dollars) to boost climate change research and science capability. Ireland's Minister of State Noel Grealish, who visited several of the 11 projects underway during his stay in New Zealand, said they have helped accelerate understanding of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. "Agriculture is at the heart of the Irish and New Zealand economies, and we share the common goal of lowering emissions in pasture-based farming, while supporting farmers to produce more," said Grealish. Both ministries will now identify further projects under the second JRI phase that will drive meaningful reductions in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, the statement said. They also jointly launched the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, aiming to deepen and broaden research efforts in cropping, livestock and paddy rice, noted the statement. Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, authorities have seized a significant amount of cash, precious metals, and freebies, totalling 42.65 crore, as part of intensified election expenditure monitoring efforts. Key Points Authorities in Tamil Nadu seized 2.37 crore in cash as part of election expenditure monitoring. Freebies suspected to be distributed to voters worth 20.80 crore and precious metals worth 16.42 crore were also seized. 18 lakh worth of liquor and 2.88 crore worth of other drugs were seized in Tamil Nadu. The cumulative value of seizures in Tamil Nadu as of March 18 reached 42.65 crore. Expenditure monitoring teams have intensified surveillance to curb illicit cash and inducements during the Tamil Nadu election period. A total of 2.37 crore in cash was seized by the authorities as part of the ongoing election expenditure monitoring, CEO, Tamil Nadu, Archana Patnaik said on Wednesday. Apart from the cash of 2.37 crore, precious metals and other articles were also seized, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said. Articles that are suspectedly meant for distribution to voters as freebies worth 20.80 crore, and precious metals worth 16.42 crore were seized, she added. 18 lakh worth of liquor and 2.88 crore worth of other drugs were also seized, according to Patnaik. Increased Surveillance and Coordination "The expenditure monitoring teams and agencies have intensified surveillance and coordination mechanisms to curb the distribution of illicit cash, inducements and other prohibited materials," Patnaik said in an official release here. The cumulative value of seizures as of March 18 stood at 42.65 crore, the release said. The Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 15, following the announcement of poll dates by the Election Commission. The polling for the Assembly election in Tamil Nadu is to take place on April 23. The FBI is now offering a staggering $1 million reward for tips leading to the capture of its 'Ten Most Wanted' fugitives, including an Indian national wanted for murder and a cyber criminal mastermind behind an international ATM scam. Photograph: Alex Kent/Reuters Key Points The FBI has increased the reward to USD one million for information leading to the arrest of fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list. Indian national Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel is on the list for allegedly murdering his wife in 2015 and is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Anibal Aguirre, wanted for allegedly leading an international ATM jackpotting scheme, is the first cyber criminal to be added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program relies on public awareness and international collaboration to locate dangerous criminals. Since its inception in 1950, the Ten Most Wanted program has led to the apprehension or location of 501 fugitives, with public tips playing a crucial role in many cases. The FBI has increased to USD one million the reward money for tip-offs on fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list that includes an Indian national on the run in an 11-year-old murder case and features for the first time a cyber criminal wanted for allegedly leading an international ATM jackpotting scheme. Addressing a press conference here, Heith R Janke, Assistant Director, Criminal Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said three fugitives were added to the Ten Most Wanted list last week, and one was arrested soon after the listing. Indian national Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel has been on the run after allegedly killing his wife on April 12, 2015, in a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland, and was last spotted in Newark, New Jersey. The FBI said Bhadreshkumar Patel would be about 35 now and should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous." A report in the Washington Post said Patel has been on the Top Ten list since 2017, and remains the longest-tenured person on the current list. Samuel Ramirez Jr, Trung Duc Lu and Anibal Aguirre were added to the Ten Most Wanted list last week, Janke said, adding that Ramirez was arrested in Mexico following a tip-off from community members soon after his listing. "In addition to these three additions, the FBI is increasing the standard reward for all current Ten Most Wanted Fugitives of up to USD one million," Janke told reporters on Tuesday. Earlier, the reward money was USD 2,50,000. First Cyber Criminal on the List The FBI official said Aguirre's addition was historic as he was the first cyber fugitive ever to feature in the Ten Most Wanted list. "Aguirre is wanted for allegedly leading a large-scale international ATM jackpotting scheme tied to the foreign terrorist organisation TdA," Hanke said. He said Aguirre's addition reflects the FBI's commitment to pursuing cyber-enabled financial crime at the highest levels and signals that no matter the method, serious criminals will be pursued with the full weight of this program. The Ten Most Wanted Program According to Janke, the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program is one of the most effective and enduring law enforcement initiatives in American history. Established on March 4th, 1950, it is built on a straightforward but powerful premise: public awareness is one of the most effective tools law enforcement has. "By sharing photographs, identifying details, and case information broadly through media, online platforms, and international partners, the FBI dramatically expands its ability to locate dangerous fugitives," he said. Janke said since the program began, 540 fugitives have appeared on this list; 501 have been apprehended or located, with a success rate of 93 per cent. In 163 of these cases, a tip from a member of the public made a difference. Janke said many fugitives on this list are believed to have crossed international borders, demonstrating how essential international collaboration has become in the pursuit of justice. Global media coverage has directly contributed to 65 Ten Most Wanted Fugitive apprehensions and/or locations outside of the United States, the FBI official said. In a shocking case from Nandigram, Ghaziabad, a man accused of murdering a four-year-old girl was apprehended after a dramatic police encounter, bringing a step closer to justice for the victim and her family. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Gaurav Prajapati, accused of murdering a 4-year-old girl in Nandigram, was arrested after a police encounter. The accused allegedly confessed to taking the child under the pretext of buying toffees before the murder. During the arrest, Prajapati allegedly opened fire on the police, who retaliated, resulting in injuries to the accused. Police recovered a country-made pistol from the accused, believed to be the murder weapon. The case is registered under murder and evidence destruction charges, with potential additional charges under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act pending forensic confirmation. A man accused of killing a 4-year-old girl in the Nandigram area here was arrested after an encounter in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said. The police arrested Gaurav Prajapati, 24, at around 3 am and recovered a country-made pistol, two used cartridges and one live cartridge from him, Nandgram Assistant Commissioner of Police Ziauddin Ahmed told PTI. The post-mortem report of the girl is awaited, with doctors observing multiple pellet wounds suspected to be from a 12-bore firearm, the ACP added. According to officials, Nandgram police station received information at around 9 pm on Monday about a child lying injured in a field, who was taken to a nearby hospital by her parents, where she succumbed to her injuries. The child's family informed the police that their neighbour, Prajapati, had taken the child away with him on Monday evening under the pretext of buying her toffees, after which she did not return. Acting on the family's statement, the police had detained Prajapati, who, during the interrogation, allegedly confessed to the crime, they added. Details of the Arrest and Investigation According to the police, during the recovery operation, Prajapati allegedly opened fire at the police team with the firearm, which he had concealed behind bushes after committing the crime, they said. After police retaliated in self-defence, Prajapati sustained bullet injuries in both legs, following which he was admitted to a hospital, the officials said. Based on the complaint received from the family, a case has been registered against the accused under Sections 103 (1) (murder) and 238(A) (destroying evidence, giving false information) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, they said. Provisions of the POCSO Act and rape charges will be added if sexual assault is confirmed, along with relevant sections of the SC/ST Act, they said. Police in Kanpur are investigating the suspected sexual assault and murder of an 11-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a field, sparking community outrage and leading to the detention of a neighbour. Key Points An 11-year-old girl in Kanpur was found dead in a wheat field after going missing. Police suspect sexual assault and murder based on initial post-mortem findings. A neighbour has been detained as a suspect in the case. Forensic evidence is being analysed to determine the circumstances of the girl's death. The discovery of the body has led to tension and protests in the local community. An 11-year-old girl missing since Monday was found buried in a wheat field with signs of sexual assault in Bidhnu near in Kanpur, triggering outrage and panic in the locality, police said on Wednesday. The family members have accused a neighbour of committing the crime, who the police have detained for questioning. The Class-5 student had gone to graze goats with her elder sister on Monday afternoon. Her sister, who returned home briefly for some work, could not find her when she went back to the field, prompting a frantic search by family members and villagers. A missing person's complaint was lodged at the Bidhnu police station, but the girl could not be traced during overnight searches. On Tuesday, her body was found buried about 500 metres from her house, after some villagers noticed freshly disturbed soil in a wheat field and dug the spot. Police said the girl was found bare-chested with multiple injury marks, with initial post-mortem findings suggesting sexual assault followed by murder. Forensic evidence, including nail scrapings and DNA samples, has been preserved for detailed examination, police said. Police have also found mud-stained clothes from the house of the neighbour they have detained, which have been sent for forensic analysis. Tension flared in the village following the discovery of the body, with angry residents briefly blocking police from taking it for a post-mortem, demanding immediate justice. Multiple teams headed by senior officers, including DCP (South) Deependra Chowdry, have been formed to crack the case, ACP (Law and Order) Vipin Tada said. "Key evidence has been collected, and one suspect has been detained. The case will be solved soon," the ACP added. A bomb threat email sent to the Gujarat Assembly during its budget session triggered an evacuation and police search, which ultimately revealed the threat to be a hoax. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo Key Points Gujarat Assembly received a bomb threat via email during the ongoing budget session, prompting immediate security measures. Police conducted a thorough search of the assembly complex after the bomb threat email, finding no suspicious materials. The bomb threat was declared a hoax, and assembly proceedings resumed after a one-hour delay. Legislators are urging the government to take strict action against those responsible for sending the hoax bomb threat email to the Gujarat Assembly. Similar bomb threat emails have been sent to schools and courts in Gujarat, raising concerns about public safety and security. The Gujarat assembly complex received a bomb threat via email on Wednesday morning during the ongoing budget session, but it turned out to be a hoax after a thorough check of the premises, police said. The threat was received on the official email ID of the assembly just minutes before the House proceedings were scheduled to begin during the ongoing budget session, officials said. The email claimed a bomb had been planted in the assembly complex, following which all staff and MLAs were asked to vacate the premises, Deputy Superintendent of Police Piyush Vanda said. While the House was supposed to start at 9 am as part of the ongoing budget session, the officials got to know about the threat at 8.45 am, he said. "Upon learning about the bomb threat, which was received via an email, local police reached the premises and started the search for explosives," Vanda said. All the MLAs left the premises as a precautionary measure. After an hour, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravi Teja Vasamsetty declared that nothing suspicious was found. "The assembly received a bomb threat email in the morning. Our Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked the premises thoroughly, but nothing suspicious was found. Thus, the assembly resumed its work. A case will be filed against the person who sent the email," the SP said. The House proceedings began after an hour's delay. After the Question Hour, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary informed the House members that nothing suspicious was found during checking. "An official of the assembly received the threat email in the morning, following which the premises were thoroughly checked by police upon my request. Nothing suspicious was found during the exercise," Chaudhary said in the assembly. Reactions to the Bomb Threat Legislators urged the government to take strict action against those involved in sending such emails. "It appears that some elements want to dilute the peaceful atmosphere of Gujarat. They sent such threat emails to schools, courts in the past and now to the assembly. The state government has taken this threat seriously," BJP MLA Mahesh Kaswala told reporters. Congress MLA Imran Khedawala also demanded strict action against those sending such frequent emails. "In the recent past, schools and courts in Ahmedabad received such threats, and now, the assembly too was targeted. Such incidents are happening at regular intervals. Government should take strict actions against perpetrators," Khedawala said. Gujarat ATS dismantles a mephedrone drug manufacturing operation in Uttar Pradesh, arresting two individuals and seizing a large quantity of narcotics, highlighting the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in India. Key Points Gujarat ATS exposed a mephedrone manufacturing unit in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, leading to the arrest of two individuals. Authorities seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, and 88 kg of a key ingredient used in its production. The operation involved a joint effort between Gujarat ATS and Uttar Pradesh police, targeting a suspicious poultry farm. The seized substance, mephedrone, is a prohibited psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The arrested individuals are currently in police custody for 12 days, pending further investigation into the drug manufacturing operation. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested two persons after exposing a mephedrone manufacturing unit at a farm in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar district, officials said on Wednesday. The ATS seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, and 88 kg of a key ingredient needed to produce the banned substance, they said. The arrested persons have been identified as UP residents Kapildev Sharma (31) and Ramshankar, alias Pankaj Parshuram (30), ATS Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Joshi said. A team of personnel from Gujarat ATS and UP police carried out a raid at a suspicious poultry farm on Tuesday. Officials said the team seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, 88 kg of 2-bromo-4-methyl propiophenone, which was recently notified as a controlled substance under the NDPS Act, and 200 kg of raw material and other chemicals, they said. Mephedrone, which has high abuse potential, is listed as a prohibited psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The accused have been remanded in police custody for 12 days, SP Joshi told reporters. Earlier this month, four persons, including Shafaat Ahmed, Sohil, alias Bhura Munirbhai Mirza, Farhan, alias Bhura Faizullakhan Pathan, were arrested for allegedly possessing 4.6 grams of the narcotic substance, a release said. During interrogation, they told the police that Mirza had received 300 grams of mephedrone from the arrested UP residents, it added. Gujarat ATS dismantled a mephedrone drug manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh, arresting two and seizing a large quantity of the illegal substance, dealing a blow to the narcotics trade. Key Points Gujarat ATS exposed a mephedrone manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh, leading to the arrest of two individuals. Authorities seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, and 88 kg of a key ingredient used in its production. The operation involved a joint raid by Gujarat ATS and Uttar Pradesh police at a poultry farm in Ambedkar Nagar. The seized substance, mephedrone, is a prohibited psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The arrested individuals have been remanded in police custody for further investigation into the mephedrone drug ring. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested two persons after exposing a mephedrone manufacturing unit at a farm in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar district, officials said on Wednesday. The ATS seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, and 88 kg of a key ingredient needed to produce the banned substance, they said. The arrested persons have been identified as UP residents Kapildev Sharma (31) and Ramshankar, alias Pankaj Parshuram (30), ATS Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Joshi said. A team of personnel from Gujarat ATS and UP police carried out a raid at a suspicious poultry farm on Tuesday. Officials said the team seized 6 kg of mephedrone, 50 kg of liquid mephedrone, 88 kg of 2-bromo-4-methyl propiophenone, which was recently notified as a controlled substance under the NDPS Act, and 200 kg of raw material and other chemicals, they said. Mephedrone, which has high abuse potential, is listed as a prohibited psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The accused have been remanded in police custody for 12 days, SP Joshi told reporters. Earlier this month, four persons, including Shafaat Ahmed, Sohil, alias Bhura Munirbhai Mirza, Farhan, alias Bhura Faizullakhan Pathan, were arrested for allegedly possessing 4.6 grams of the narcotic substance, a release said. During interrogation, they told the police that Mirza had received 300 grams of mephedrone from the arrested UP residents, it added. A Gurugram man has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman he met on a matrimonial website, highlighting the dangers of online deception and sexual exploitation. Photograph: Pexels.com Key Points A Gurugram man was arrested for allegedly raping a woman he met on a matrimonial website after promising marriage. The accused, Nadeem Khan, allegedly established physical relations with the woman multiple times before refusing to marry her. Khan, a rental broker, was also wanted in another similar case and had a reward on his head. Police investigation is ongoing, and the accused is currently in police remand for further questioning regarding the matrimonial site rape allegations. The Gurugram Police has arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly raping a woman over several months after befriending her on a matrimonial website under the pretext of marriage, officials said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Nadeem Khan, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad, was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation. Khan, who works as a rental broker in Gurugram, was also wanted in a similar case and carried a bounty of Rs 5,000 on his head. According to the police, the complaint met Khan through a profile on a matrimonial platform. In her complaint lodged at the Kherki Daula police station on December 5 last year, she had alleged that Khand invited her to his flat in Sector 86. The police said the accused established physical relations with the woman multiple times on promise of marriage. He later refused to marry her and ended all contact. Investigation and Confession "During preliminary interrogation, the accused confessed to contacting women through matrimonial sites and sexually exploiting them on the pretext of marriage," a police spokesperson said. The police have recovered the mobile phone used in the crime. Khan was produced before a city court, which granted a two-day police remand for further questioning. Further investigation into the matter is underway, the spokesperson added. The Bombay High Court has strongly criticised the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for defying a court order by blocking a US national's exit permit, highlighting concerns over judicial authority and the rights of foreign citizens facing legal proceedings in India. Key Points Bombay High Court rebukes FRRO for obstructing a US national's travel despite a court order. The US national, James Watson, was booked for alleged religious conversion and granted bail with permission to travel to the US. FRRO's refusal to process the exit permit was deemed unjustified by the High Court, undermining the court's authority. The High Court emphasised that government agencies cannot indirectly nullify court orders and must comply with them. The court advised the investigating agency to appeal the travel permission order if aggrieved, rather than obstructing its implementation. The Bombay High Court has censured the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for not processing the 'exit permit' of a US national, booked for allegedly attempting religious conversion, despite a sessions court order. Justice N J Jamadar, in the order passed on Tuesday, said a government agency can not "dilute" or nullify the effect of a court order through indirect means, and directed the FRRO to process the petitioner's application immediately. An exit permit is an official permission granted to a foreign national to leave India in the absence of a valid visa. The FRRO was "not at all justified" in refusing to process the application on an objection raised by the probe agency, the HC said. Background of the Case Petitioner James Watson was booked by Thane police for allegedly attempting religious conversion, and faced charges under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, and the Foreigners Act, 1946. The American national was granted bail by the Additional Sessions Court at Bhiwandi in Thane district in October 2025. On February 27, 2026, the Sessions Judge granted him permission to travel to the United States from March 9 to April 18, 2026, to attend to his mother, who is battling stage II breast cancer. Despite the sessions court granting him permission to travel to the US, the FRRO refused to process the exit permit. He then moved the HC. High Court's Observations Justice Jamdar said such a course of action "cannot be countenanced." "A judicial order of a competent court cannot be denuded of its meaning and content in an indirect manner. Till the order permitting the applicant to travel abroad is in force, it commands obedience by the authorities," the HC said, adding that "the binding efficacy and force of the order cannot be permitted to be diluted or otherwise defeated." If the investigating agency was aggrieved by the order passed by the sessions judge, it should have approached the appropriate court, the judge said. The Maharashtra government is cracking down on IT job fraud targeting fresh graduates at Hinjewadi IT Park, promising new regulations to protect employees and prevent future scams. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Maharashtra government is taking action against individuals involved in a job fraud targeting fresh graduates at Hinjewadi IT Park. Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the IT job fraud case, following intervention by the Labour Department. The government is working on establishing clear regulations to address forced resignations and job terminations within the IT sector. New central labour codes include provisions for a separate tribunal for the IT sector, which will be implemented in Maharashtra upon finalisation of the rules. The Labour Department addresses IT sector employee complaints through conciliation, referring unresolved cases to labour or industrial courts. The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the legislative assembly that action has been initiated against those involved in an alleged fraud targeting fresh graduates with the promise of jobs at Hinjewadi IT Park in Pune. Labour Minister Akash Fundkar said his department promptly intervened after reports claimed that nearly 1,000 freshers were duped on the pretext of jobs. The case was handed over to the police, leading to the arrest of two accused persons, he said. The issue was raised through a calling attention motion by MLA Shankar Jagtap, who also demanded the formation of a special investigation team to help victims recover their money. Jagtap also raised concerns regarding "forced resignations and layoffs" in the IT sector, calling for clear regulations and legal protection for employees. Government Response and Future Regulations Fundkar said efforts are underway to ensure justice for the affected youth and to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He said the government is working towards framing "clear rules to regulate issues such as forced resignations and job terminations in the IT sector". He said complaints from IT sector employees are first addressed through conciliation by the Labour Department, and if unresolved, are referred to labour or industrial courts. The minister also said that provisions under the Centre's new labour codes include setting up a separate tribunal for the IT sector, which will be implemented in the state once the relevant rules are finalised. TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. In a statement, the IRGC said facilities, including the Samref refinery in Saudi Arabia and the Al-Hosn gas field in the UAE, could become "direct and legitimate targets" and may be struck in the coming hours. The statement urged residents and personnel in surrounding areas to leave immediately and move to safe locations without delay. It said that prior warnings had been issued to the leaders of the countries concerned, urging them not to pursue what it described as a "dangerous course of action or risk the well-being of their populations." Earlier on Wednesday, several Israeli media reported that the Israeli air force has struck Iran's major natural gas facility, located in Bushehr in the south of the country. The multi-generational ensemble of world-class musicians is dedicated to the masterful compositions and enduring legacy of the legendary sitar-musician. IMAGE: Pandit Ravi Shankar. Photograph: Kind courtesy worldmusicinstitute.org Ravi Shankar Ensemble Debuts in NYC Honouring sitar-maestro Ravi Shankar's enduring legacy, wife Sukanya and daughter Anoushka Shankar have curated the Ravi Shankar Ensemble, a multi-generational ensemble of world-class musicians dedicated to the masterful compositions and enduring legacy of the legendary sitar-musician. Led by Shubhendra Rao the ensemble will feature him on the sitar, Aayush Mohan on the sarod, Ravichandra Kulur on the flute, Padma Shankar on the violin and vocals, Anubrata Chatterjee on the tabla and B C Manjunath on the mridangam. The World Music Institute event will take place at the Town Hall in New York City on March 20, 2026, at 8 pm EDT. Key Points Sukanya and Anoushka Shankar curated a multi-generational ensemble to honor Ravi Shankar's enduring musical legacy and compositions. The tribute concert will be held at The Town Hall, New York City, on March 20, 2026. The program includes archival visuals and performances of Ravi Shankar's iconic compositions by world-class musicians. IMAGE: Ravi Shankar performs at Woodstock. Photograph: Kind courtesy Markgoff2972/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons In its debut tour, the ensemble will present a special programme featuring visual elements from the Ravi Shankar archives alongside a dynamic selection of the maestro's soul-stirring music. Bharat Ratna Ravi Shankar (1920-2012), born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, is the world's best-known exponent of Hindustani classical music, but his early grounding was not in music but in dance. A part of his older brother Uday Shankar's dance troupe, Ravi Shankar spent his youth touring India and Europe as a dancer. It was only at the age of 18 that he gave up dancing to pursue a career in music, studying the sitar for seven years under the rigorous tutelage of Ustad Allauddin Khan, living in his gurukul. His fellow students were Khan's children Ali Akbar Khan and Roshanara Khan, the latter subsequently becoming his first wife Annapurna Devi. IMAGE: Ravi Shankar and George Harrison in Los Angeles, California, 1967. Photograph: Kind courtesy John Malmin, Los Angeles Times/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons Ravi Shankar's Global Musical Legacy His public debut on the sitar was in December 1939, performing a jugalbandi (duet) with Ali Akbar Khan on the sarod. After completing his musical training in 1944, Ravi Shankar moved to Bombay and did musical stints with the Indian People's Theatre Association (he recomposed the music for the popular song Saare Jahan Se Achcha), His Master's Voice, before moving to New Delhi where he worked as a music director for All India Radio from February 1949 till January 1956. At AIR he founded the Indian National Orchestra and composed for it, combining Western and Indian classical instrumentation. Subsequently he was music director for several Hindi movies including Godaan and Anuradha, and his music for Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy put him on the international map. Starting 1956, Ravi Shankar began to tour Europe and America, playing and teaching Indian classical music, his association with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Beatles guitarist George Harrison marking a fresh start for an Indian musician. His influence on Harrison helped popularise the use of Indian instruments in Western pop music in the latter half of the 1960s, and Ravi Shankar engaged Western music by writing compositions for sitar and orchestras and touring the world in the 1970s and 1980s. IMAGE: Ravi Shankar performs in Delhi, March 2009. Photograph: Kind courtesy Alexandra Ignatenko/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons Bharat Ratna and other honours As his fame spread far and wide honours and accolades were quick to follow He was a recipient of numerous prestigious musical accolades, including a Polar Music Prize and four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for The Concert for Bangladesh in 1973, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score for the blockbuster Gandhi (1982). He was conferred India's highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna in 1999, France's Legion d'honneur, a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth, 18 honorary doctorates, and five Grammy Awards, including a rare Lifetime Achievement Award. From 1986 to 1992, Ravi Shankar served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, and continued to perform till the very end. The Ravi Shankar Ensemble is part of WMI's 40th Anniversary Legacy Series featuring artists who have played an integral role in the 40-year history of WMI, have been frequently presented by WMI throughout the years, and have significantly contributed to the organization's standing in New York's cultural landscape. IMAGE: Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar at a Festival of Indian Music to celebrate 60 years of Independence at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Photograph: Kind courtesy David/Gloucester/UK/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons Event Details WHAT: Honouring Maestro Sitarist Ravi Shankar's Legacy WHEN: Friday, March 20, 2026, 8 pm EDT, doors open at 7 pm WHERE: The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street, New York City. (212) 997-6661/ boxoffice@townhall.org TICKETS Tickets are on a tiered basis. Learn more at Ravi Shankar Ensemble 40th Anniversary Legacy Series (external link). WMI member benefits apply. Learn more at The Town Hall Accessibility (external link) Mabel Pais writes on Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Education, Business, Spirituality, Health and Wellness, and Cuisine. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Following the discovery of an unauthorised IVF centre in Thane, authorities have launched a city-wide inspection of fertility clinics and sonography centres to ensure compliance with medical safety standards and combat illegal egg-selling operations. Key Points An unauthorised IVF centre was discovered operating at a hospital in Thane, leading to its immediate shutdown. The Thane Municipal Corporation has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all IVF and sonography centres in the city. The crackdown follows the exposure of an illegal human egg-selling racket in the Thane district. Poor women were reportedly coerced into producing excess eggs for sale to childless couples, highlighting ethical concerns. Authorities have launched a special campaign against illegal sonography centres to enforce medical safety regulations. A Thane hospital has been found operating an unauthorised IVF, prompting authorities to order a comprehensive inspection of all such facilities and sonography centres in the city, officials said. The crackdown comes against the backdrop of an illegal human "egg-selling" racket busted recently in the Badlapur area of Maharashtra's Thane district. The Thane Municipal Corporation's (TMC) health department initiated action on March 6 by raiding the unlicensed IVF centre at a prominent local hospital, the civic body said in a release. "The centre's approval has been cancelled and three sonography machines at the facility have been sealed," it said. Investigation and Directives Taking serious note of the irregularities, Thane Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar convened a high-level meeting, attended by TMC's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr Prasad Patil and Shiv Sena group leader Pawan Kadam. "The mayor has directed the administration to immediately inspect all IVF and sonography centres within the Thane Municipal Corporation limits," the release said. She further ordered the launch of a "special campaign against illegal sonography centres" to ensure stringent compliance with medical safety norms. Details of the Illegal Activity During the meeting, Dr Patil said, "Poor women were being coerced into producing excess eggs through hormonal injections in exchange for money. These were then extracted and sold for lakhs of rupees to childless couples." Oversight and Accountability To ensure accountability, the mayor has mandated a rigorous oversight mechanism. "The administration should monitor the investigation regularly and submit a report every week. The action taken by the health department must be continued without interruption," the release said quoting the mayor. Delhi Police have successfully dismantled an illegal LPG cylinder storage unit in Rajpur Khurd, leading to the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of 223 cylinders, ensuring greater public safety. IMAGE: Photograph: Manash Das/ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police dismantle an illegal LPG cylinder storage unit in Rajpur Khurd, arresting two individuals. Authorities seized 223 LPG cylinders, including domestic and commercial types, from the unlicensed facility. The illegal storage posed a significant safety hazard to nearby residents due to the lack of safety measures. The accused failed to provide valid documentation for storing the large quantity of LPG cylinders. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Essential Commodities Act, with further investigation ongoing. The Delhi Police has busted an illegal LPG cylinder storage unit in south Delhi's Rajpur Khurd, arresting two persons and seizing 223 cylinders from the premises, officials said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Hitesh Rathi, 38, and Arvind Kumar, 40, were allegedly operating the facility without valid licence or authorisation, they added. Acting on specific intelligence, police raided a plot in Rajpur Khurd village on Tuesday. During the search, they recovered 223 Indane LPG cylinders, including 16 filled and 45 empty domestic cylinders, and 162 empty commercial cylinders, officials said. An electronic weighing machine and eight safety caps were also seized from the location, they added. Safety Concerns and Legal Action Police said the premises were being used as an illegal storage facility, adding that stockpiling such large number of LPG cylinders without proper safety measures posed serious risk to nearby residents. The accused failed to produce any valid documents or satisfactory explanation for storing the cylinders, they said. Officials from the food and supplies department and Indane Gas representatives were called to verify and count the seized LPG cylinders, police said. A case has been registered in this connection at Maidan Garhi police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Essential Commodities Act, and further investigation is underway, they added. Indore authorities have cracked down on an illegal LPG warehouse, seizing cylinders and refilling equipment amid concerns about potential cooking gas shortages, highlighting the importance of regulated LPG distribution. IMAGE: Photograph: Manash Das/ANI Photo Key Points Indore administration files criminal case against illegal LPG warehouse operator. Authorities discovered 66 LPG cylinders (42 domestic, 24 commercial) in the warehouse. Refilling equipment, including electric motors and weighing scales, were seized. The raid occurred amid concerns about cooking gas shortages due to conflict in West Asia. An FIR has been registered against the warehouse operator, Hariom Gupta, for illegal storage and trade of LPG cylinders. The Indore administration on Wednesday filed a criminal case against the operator of an illegal warehouse after 66 LPG cylinders and refilling machines were found in the godown, officials said. The officials said an illegal LPG warehouse was discovered in Indore city's New Loha Mandi area recently, and 42 domestic and 24 commercial cylinders were recovered from the storehouse amid reports of a shortage of cooking gas in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Three electric motors and two weighing scales used for refilling LPG cylinders were also seized from the warehouse, they said. Legal Action and Investigation An FIR has been registered against the warehouse operator, Hariom Gupta, at the Lasudia police station under relevant legal provisions for illegal storage and trade of LPG cylinders, according to the officials. Following an Islamabad High Court order, a medical team examined jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan for his eye condition, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), at Adiala Jail. Photograph: ANI Key Points A medical team examined Imran Khan in Adiala Jail for his central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) eye condition, following a court order. Imran Khan's sons, living in London, are welcome to visit Pakistan using their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP). Khan's party has condemned the government's alleged refusal to allow his sons to meet him and the delay in issuing their visas. Imran Khan has been jailed since August 2023 and faces trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act. A team of doctors on Wednesday visited Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi and examined jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, who is suffering from an ailment in the right eye. Khan was diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), a serious eye condition, according to a report submitted to the Supreme Court in January by his lawyer and the court's amicus curiae, Salman Safdar. The visit of the team of doctors came following an order by the Islamabad High Court last week after hearing a petition seeking the transfer of Khan to a private hospital for medical treatment. Official sources said a five-member medical team, accompanied by supporting medical staff, visited Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi and carried out a thorough two-hour examination of the affected eye of the 73-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder. The jail administration said in a statement that the Islamabad chief commissioner had formed a new medical board comprising specialist doctors for the health assessment of the jailed former prime minister. The team includes ENT specialist Professor Altaf Hussain, cardiologist Professor Akhtar Ali Bandesha, Dr Muhammad Ali Arif, and Professor Nadeem Qureshi from Al-Shifa Eye Hospital. The medical board will submit a comprehensive report to the chief commissioner shortly, the statement added. Earlier, the former prime minister had been taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad twice in the last two months for treatment of his eye. He is expected to receive the third injection in the treatment course on March 23. Khan is believed to have been suffering from the ailment in the right eye since October last year and is under treatment. According to the government, the condition of his eye as well as his vision has improved following medical interventions. Family Visit and Visa Concerns Separately, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X that Khan's two sons living with their mother in London were "welcome" to visit Pakistan on their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP). He said this in response to a post by Jemima Goldsmith, Khan's ex-wife, who had asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for help regarding the delay in issuing visas to Kasim and Sulaiman. "His children are welcome to visit Pakistan on their NICOP cards as Pakistani citizens for which no visa is required. However, they will fully comply with the laws of Pakistan during their stay," he said. He also said that Khan's phone call will be arranged on Eid day with his children, as done in the past as well. Party Condemns Government Actions Meanwhile, Khan's party strongly condemned the government's refusal to allow his sons to meet their father and the extraordinary delay in the issuance of their visas. It said that the details shared by Jemima were "not only deeply concerning, but also evidence that the government has failed to uphold basic human values and family rights". "Such treatment is being meted out to a man who has served as the country's former prime minister," the statement said. The statement also referred to Tarrar's statement, saying Imran's sons had "applied for the renewal of their NICOPs some time ago, yet no decision or response has been given so far". Khan has been jailed since August 2023 and is serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in the Al Qadir Trust corruption case. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act linked to the protest by his party on May 9, 2023. The recent deaths of three India-origin individuals in Canada, under suspicious circumstances, have ignited fears of racially motivated hate crimes and prompted investigations by Canadian authorities. Photograph: David Ryder/Reuters Key Points Three India-origin individuals died in Canada within a week due to homicide and a group clash, sparking concerns about racial hate crimes. Investigations are underway by the RCMP into the deaths of Birinder Singh, Davinder Singh, and Gurkirat Singh Manocha in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. Friends of one victim suspect a hate crime due to rising animosity towards South Asians in the community. The Consulate General of India in Toronto has liberalised the procedure for transporting cremated remains to India to ease the process for grieving families. The death of Gurkirat Singh Manocha highlights the vulnerabilities faced by international students in smaller Canadian communities. Three India-origin persons were killed in Canada during the last seven days -- two cases of homicide, while one died in a group clash -- even as their friends worry they were the target of a racial hate crime, according to media reports. Edmonton resident Birinder Singh, 22, was shot and killed while driving on a highway south of Leduc on March 14; while on March 13, Davinder Singh, 31, died during a workplace shooting at North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and Gurkirat Singh Manocha, 25, became a victim of an "altercation" outside Fort St John the same day. "We just heard a gunshot, and within a minute, everything happened, everything has changed," Birinder's friend, who was in the car with him and another friend, was quoted as saying by Global News on Tuesday. They were headed to the mountains via the QEII on Saturday afternoon, and were just a few minutes south of Leduc, when a pickup truck pulled up beside their Honda Civic. They were on Highway 2 south of Leduc, 35-odd kilometres from Edmonton in Alberta province. Birinder's friends said they had never seen the people in the truck before, and in the absence of any explanation, they wonder if race could be the motivation, the channel reported. The friends worry they were the target of a hate crime, explaining that animosity towards South Asians has been a topic of discussion in the community, it added. "Through an investigation, police learned that a weapon had been discharged toward the Civic, resulting in the driver's death. The major crimes unit is now handling the investigation and trying to determine a motive," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was quoted as saying by the Edmonton City News portal on Monday. Gurkirat Singh Manocha's Death in British Columbia In the second case, in Canada's British Columbia, student Gurkirat Singh Manocha, who had relocated to Fort St John to pursue a business management degree, was fatally injured during an altercation at the Charlie Lake boat ramp around 11:10 pm on Friday, BC Wire news portal said on Monday. RCMP officers arrived to find him critically wounded, and despite emergency interventions, he could not be saved, it added. Gurkirat had relocated from Ujjain in India to study at Fort St John College. The North District Major Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation and is working to determine exactly what happened that night, the BC Wire said. It added that the RCMP has not released details about the other people involved in the altercation or disclosed whether charges might be laid. The death underscores the vulnerabilities faced by students who leave their home countries to study in smaller, more isolated Canadian communities, the portal pointed out. Davinder Singh's Death in Saskatchewan In the third case, CTV News said that Davinder Singh was driving for Crown Cab on March 13 when he responded to a call at the Hitching Post Motel. "Singh had no way of knowing when he accepted that fare that it would be his last. Later, just before 8 am, the RCMP were called to the motel with a report of an injured man. Singh was found unresponsive in the parking lot and declared dead at the scene by paramedics," CTV News said. SaskToday news portal quoted the RCMP as saying that their investigation indicated that one of the two accused allegedly assaulted and pointed a firearm at another individual in the business, and together they allegedly confined that individual to a room at the business. The victim was later transported to the hospital for injuries described as non-life-threatening, RCMP said. Two 19-year-old men, Kojac Adams and Garren Baptiste, have since been charged in connection with his death, the news portal said. The accused both made their first appearance in North Battleford Provincial Court on Monday, where they were remanded in custody until March 30, CTV News said. The owner of Crown Cab, Haris Korath, told CTV News that after closing for the weekend, the cab company has opted to donate all of its earnings from their first day back in business to Singh's family. Korath said many drivers are feeling scared, and some have left their jobs following Friday's events. SaskToday news portal said Singh was married and originally from Moga in Punjab, India. The news portal said he had been living in Canada for the last four or five years. Consulate General of India Eases Cremation Remains Transport Meanwhile, India's Consulate General in Toronto said on Friday that the procedure for transportation of cremated remains (ashes) of Indian-origin persons has now been liberalised to ease the process for families during difficult times. "Any of the documents, viz Death Certificate OR Statement of Death OR Form 16 (for Ontario residents) OR a Burial Permit shall henceforth be recognised as valid document for transportation of cremated remains (ashes) to India," the CGI Toronto said in a post on X. "The rest of the procedure remains the same. Previously, only a Death Certificate was accepted for transportation of cremated remains. Recognising that obtaining this document can be time-consuming for families during an already difficult time, the documents' acceptance has been expanded," it added. The development comes after the deaths of senior figures including Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani in earlier strikes. IMAGE: An Iranian missile with cluster munitions flies over the city in Jerusalem, on March 18, 2026. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Key Points Iran fired missiles towards Israel, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict. Iran confirmed the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib; third top official killed in two days. Israeli strikes targeted Irans gas infrastructure; Tehran threatened retaliation against 'enemy infrastructure'. Qatar condemned attacks on energy facilities and warned of wider regional instability. Israel signalled continued targeting of senior Iranian leadership, raising fears of further escalation. The West Asia conflict escalated sharply as Iran launched missiles towards Israel, while Tehran confirmed the killing of its intelligence minister in Israeli strikes, marking the third assassination of a senior Iranian official in two days. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an overnight Israeli attack. The development comes after the deaths of senior figures including Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani in earlier strikes. Pezeshkian condemned the 'cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues', saying they 'left us heartbroken'. In a post on X, he added that their 'path will continue stronger than before', as per Al Jazeera. Who was Esmail Khatib Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim, reporting from the occupied West Bank, said Israeli military analysts regarded Khatib as a trusted figure close to Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. "According to Israeli sources, they said they have been gathering intelligence that allowed them in the past 24 hours to declare the deaths of three senior Iranian officials," Ibrahim said, according to Al Jazeera. Katz also announced that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the Israeli military standing authorisation to eliminate other senior Iranian officials in their sights without case-by-case approval. "This is seen as another success from the Israeli perspective in targeting the Iranian leadership," she said, Al Jazeera reported. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall said, "In terms of his credentials, he 'ticked every box' in Iran, having graduated from the influential seminary in Qom and previously studied under the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei." "So he was really one of the top clerics, and he even has the title, Proof of Islam, one of the highest titles in the country. He is really well placed, religiously, ideologically and with decades of experience in the circles of intelligence, particularly civilian intelligence," Vall added. "He's a man whose killing, no doubt about it, will cause a dent to the remaining structure of the regime, the government. So that is what the Israelis are counting on," he concluded. US offers reward for info on Mojtaba Khamenei As per Al Jazeera, the US Department of State offered a $10m reward on Friday for information about Iran's new supreme leader and other top officials, including Khatib. A funeral ceremony for Larijani and Soleimani was held in Tehran on Wednesday, according to Press TV, as officials and mourners gathered to honour the two figures, Al Jazeera reported. Larijani had been one of Iran's most influential political operators, having previously led its nuclear negotiations with the West and served as speaker of parliament. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired after the killing of Larijani was confirmed by Tehran on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States and Israel had yet to realise that Iran's government does not rely on a single individual. Iran fires missiles towards Israel Amid the rising tensions, Israel reported that missiles were fired from Iran towards its territory. In response to earlier strikes on its energy infrastructure, Iran warned it would target 'enemy infrastructure', while its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have hit multiple targets in Tel Aviv. Israeli jets hit Iran gas facility Reports also said Israeli fighter jets struck a gas facility in Iran's Bushehr province linked to the South Pars field. A fire at the facility was later brought under control without casualties, Iranian authorities said. Qatar condemned the targeting of gas infrastructure and cautioned against further escalation, even as Iran issued evacuation warnings for areas near oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Despite escalating tensions in the Middle East, Indian-flagged vessels are successfully navigating the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring the continued flow of crucial energy supplies like crude oil and LPG to India. IMAGE: The Indian-flagged vessel 'Jag Laadki', carrying approximately 80,886 MT of UAE-sourced crude oil, berthed at Adani Port, Mundra. Photographs: Adani Port/ANI Video Grab Key Points Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki safely reached Mundra port with 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, despite regional conflict. Four Indian vessels have successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring vital energy lifelines for India amidst heightened tensions. India is closely monitoring the safety of its 22 remaining vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which include LPG carriers, oil tankers, and container ships. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies, has been impacted by recent geopolitical tensions, affecting tanker traffic. India imports a significant portion of its crude oil, natural gas, and LPG through the Strait of Hormuz, making safe passage crucial for its energy security. Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki has reached Mundra port in Gujarat after sailing safely from Fujairah in the UAE, despite an attack on the terminal, taking the total number of vessels transiting the conflict-hit zone to four. The tanker, with 80,886 tonne of crude oil sourced from the UAE, departed from Fujairah Port following the incident and completed its voyage to Mundra Port on Wednesday, according to shipping sources. Jag Laadki is the second vessel from the war zone to have reached Adani group's Mundra port. Previously, LPG tanker Shivalik reached the port on Monday. Adani's Mundra port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, they said. All 22 Indian seafarers onboard are reported safe. Indian Ships Sail Safely Amid Gulf Crisis Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke out following US-Israel attacks on Iran. Of these, 24 were on the west side of the strait and 4 on the east side. In the last one week, two vessels from each side have managed to sail to safety. LPG carrier Shivalik reached Mundra on Monday while another LPG tanker Nanda Devi reached Kandla port in Gujarat early on Tuesday morning. The two ships carried about 92,712 tonne of LPG - equivalent to a day's requirement of cooking gas in the country. Two LPG carriers started their journey on March 13 and crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on March 14. Another tanker, Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously safely crossed the strait and is en route to Tanzania. This takes the number of Indian-flagged vessels or ships to have safely navigated through the war zone to four. Of the 24 Indian-flagged vessels, 22 are on the west side of the strait with 611 seafarers onboard, while two are on the east side. Status of Remaining Vessels Of the 22 remaining Indian-flagged vessels on the west side of the Strait of Hormuz, six are LPG carriers, one is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, four are crude oil tankers, one is transporting chemical products, three are container ships, and two are bulk carriers. Additionally, one vessel is a dredger, another is empty with no cargo, and three are in dry dock undergoing routine maintenance. Impact of Conflict on Shipping The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has effectively been shut following the US and Israel attack on Iran and Tehran's sweeping retaliation. Overall, close to 500 tanker vessels remain confined within the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. These include 108 crude oil tankers, 166 oil product tankers, 104 chemical/product tankers, 52 chemical tankers and 53 other tanker types. Analysts say Iran may be allowing select vessels to transit the strait after verification. At least 4 vessels have transited outbound the strait in the last couple of days with a short diversion via the Larak-Qeshm Channel. This, they say, appears to be a verification process whereby Iran confirms the ownership, cargo and vessel are not of the US, or belongs to those that Iran has permitted transit to. The ships that have passed are 3 bulk carriers (2 Greek / 1 Indian) and one aframax tanker (Pakistan). India's Energy Dependence India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas, and 60 per cent of LPG. Before the war broke out, more than half of the crude oil that India imported came from countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE, which use the strait for shipping. As much as 85-95 per cent of LPG and 30 per cent of the gas came through the strait. While the disruption in crude oil has been partially offset through alternative sources, such as Russia, West Africa, the US and Latin America, gas and LPG supplies to industrial and commercial users have been curtailed. Delhi police have arrested three juveniles in connection with the stabbing of a 16-year-old in Ashok Vihar, revealing a history of disputes and raising concerns about juvenile crime. Photograph: Pixabay.com Key Points Three juveniles apprehended in Delhi's Ashok Vihar for stabbing a 16-year-old boy. The stabbing resulted from a prior dispute between the victim and the accused. One of the apprehended juveniles was recently released on bail in a murder case. Delhi police recovered the knife used in the stabbing incident. The victim identified one of the assailants, providing a crucial lead for the investigation. A PCR call on March 12 reported a stabbing incident in Ashok Vihar area in which one Altaf (16) sustained grievous injuries. Police said the victim was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. With no eyewitnesses, and the victim initially unfit to give a statement, the case posed a challenge for investigators. An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and a team was constituted to probe the matter. After regaining consciousness, the victim disclosed the name of one of the assailants, providing a crucial lead. Acting on local inputs and surveillance, police conducted raids and tracked down the suspects. Juveniles Confess to Stabbing Subsequently, three juveniles were apprehended and, during interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in the crime, police said. The accused disclosed that they knew the victim and had a prior altercation over a trivial issue, which escalated into bitter enmity. Nursing a grudge, they conspired to attack him and stabbed the boy after intercepting him on the day of the incident. Police said one of the apprehended juveniles had recently been released on bail in a murder case registered last year at the same police station. The weapon of offence, a knife, was recovered at the instance of the accused. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the life sentence of Sanji Ram, the key perpetrator in the horrific 2018 Kathua rape and murder case, denying his plea for suspension of sentence and ensuring justice for the victim. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points The Punjab and Haryana High Court denied bail to Sanji Ram, the mastermind behind the heinous 2018 Kathua rape and murder case. Sanji Ram, a former temple caretaker, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Pathankot court for his involvement in the abduction, rape, and murder of an eight-year-old girl. The court acknowledged the severity of the crime and stated that Ram does not deserve suspension of his sentence at this stage. The High Court directed the registry to list Ram's main appeal against conviction for final hearing in September, considering his time already served. The Kathua rape-murder case triggered nationwide outrage, leading to the case being transferred out of Jammu and Kashmir by the Supreme Court for a fair trial. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has said that the mastermind behind the 2018 rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua does not deserve the "concession of suspension of sentence at this stage", while dismissing a plea from former temple caretaker Sanji Ram. Ram, who was caretaker of the 'devasthanam' (temple) where the crime took place in January 2018, was sentenced to life by a sessions court in Pathankot the following year. His nephew Parvesh Kumar and special police officer Deepak Khajuria were also given life terms. A division bench of Justices Gurvinder Singh Gill and Ramesh Kumari passed the order on Ram's plea on March 6. The three-page order was made available earlier this week. Without commenting on the merits of the case, the court said it was of the opinion "that it is not a case where the applicant/appellant deserves the concession of suspension of sentence at this stage". "The application, as such, is dismissed," it said. The court, however, directed the registry to list Ram's main appeal against conviction for final hearing in September this year given the fact that he has already spent a substantial amount of time in custody. According to the 15-page chargesheet filed by the Jammu and Kashmir crime branch in April 2018, the nomadic girl was abducted on January 10 that year and raped in captivity in the small village temple in Jammu's Kathua region that was exclusively manned by Ram. She was kept sedated for four days and later bludgeoned to death, it said. Arguments for Suspension of Sentence Arguing for suspension of Ram's life sentence, senior advocate Vinod Ghai said before the high court that the prosecution examined as many as 114 prosecution witnesses but no concrete evidence was brought on record to establish his involvement. He also said Ram had already undergone a substantial period of more than eight years and deserves the concession of suspension of sentence. The state of Jammu and Kashmir was represented by senior advocate R S Cheema. Advocates Mandeep Singh Basra and Anupinder Brar represented the victim's family. Cheema recalled the manner in which heinous crime was committed and said based on the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and the circumstances brought on record, the accused's complicity is "clearly evident". "It has been submitted that since upon findings of guilt having been recorded by the trial court, the presumption of innocence of the applicant is no longer available to him, the applicant does not deserve to be released on bail," he said. Earlier Judgements and Context The Pathankot sessions court had also sentenced three policemen to five years imprisonment for cover up and destruction of evidence while Ram's son Vishal was acquitted. In June 2019, then sessions judge Tejwinder Singh said, "In the present case, facts are many but truth is one that under a criminal conspiracy, an innocent eight-year-old minor girl has been kidnapped, wrongfully confined, drugged, raped and ultimately murdered. The perpetrators of this crime have acted in such a manner as if there is a 'law of jungle' prevalent in the society." The judge summed up the enormity of the crime with a couplet by Mirza Ghalib: "Pinha tha daam-e-sakht qareeb ashiyaan ke, udhne hi nahi paye the ki girftar hum hue" (hunters had placed the net near a nest and the young one was caught before it could take its first flight). In his 432-page judgment, the judge described the crime as a "devilish and monstrous" one committed in the most "shameful, inhumane and barbaric manner" for which poetic justice needs to be done to its perpetrators. After initial hiccups, the case, which triggered nationwide outrage, was handed over to the crime branch, which unravelled the conspiracy. In 2018, the Supreme Court directed the case to be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir and directed the sessions court in Pathankot to hear it on a daily basis. A Chinese health expert provides medical consultation to local residents during a community outreach and free clinic in Zanzibar, Tanzania, March 18, 2026. Chinese health experts on Wednesday organized a large-scale community outreach and free clinic in Tanzania's Zanzibar to promote safe water practices. The event, organized by the expert team of the China-aided Zanzibar schistosomiasis prevention and control project in collaboration with the 35th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar, attracted more than 300 local residents, according to Wang Wei, leader of the project's expert team. (Expert team of the China-aided Zanzibar schistosomiasis prevention and control project/Handout via Xinhua) DAR ES SALAAM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health experts on Wednesday organized a large-scale community outreach and free clinic in Tanzania's Zanzibar to promote safe water practices. The event, organized by the expert team of the China-aided Zanzibar schistosomiasis prevention and control project in collaboration with the 35th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar, attracted more than 300 local residents, according to Wang Wei, leader of the project's expert team. Wang said that as the rainy season intensifies across the region, fluctuating water levels and flooding have heightened the risk of contamination, raising concerns over waterborne diseases. In response, the Chinese health experts focused on strengthening public awareness of water safety and preventive health measures. During educational sessions, specialists explained the transmission and infection mechanisms of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease linked to contaminated freshwater. Targeted guidance was also provided for high-risk activities such as farming, fishing and children's outdoor play, with an emphasis on minimizing exposure and enhancing personal protection. The team also addressed common rainy-season illnesses, including diarrhea and cholera, outlining how contaminated water and poor hygiene contribute to outbreaks. In addition to health education, the outreach included free medical consultations, parasitic disease screenings, and chronic disease management services, benefiting hundreds of community members. Community officer Omar Abuluda expressed his gratitude to the Chinese health experts, praising their role in strengthening grassroots disease prevention capacity. A fake 'parrot astrologer' has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly defrauding an Income Tax official by promising career advancement through deceptive rituals, highlighting the dangers of fraudulent spiritual practices. Key Points A 59-year-old man posing as a 'parrot astrologer' was arrested for allegedly defrauding an Income Tax official in Bengaluru. The accused convinced the victim to perform rituals promising career growth and a better life, initially collecting Rs 50,000. The astrologer allegedly took gold ornaments and silver articles from the complainant, promising to return them after the ritual, but later threatened him. Police recovered gold ornaments and silver articles worth Rs 20.60 lakh from a jewellery shop based on the accused's information. The accused confessed to the crime, stating his intention was to make quick money through fraudulent means. A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday. With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh. The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said. According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual. Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged. "Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said. When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said. Arrest and Investigation During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said. He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days. During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said. The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added. An engineer has been arrested in Bengaluru for his alleged involvement in an illegal arms supply racket, leading to the seizure of weapons and an ongoing investigation into a wider network. Key Points A 34-year-old engineer was arrested for allegedly running an illegal arms supply racket in Bengaluru. Police seized country-made pistols, revolver parts, and live rounds from the accused's residence. The arrest followed the apprehension of two individuals in Bengaluru who revealed the engineer as their supplier. An investigation is underway to identify the source of the weapons and other members of the interstate arms network. The accused has been taken into police custody for further investigation into the illegal arms trafficking operation. A 34-year-old man was arrested from Mandya Pradesh for his alleged involvement in illegal supply of arms, police said on Wednesday. With the arrest of Irfan, a civil engineer from Bhopal, police claimed to have seized three country-made pistols, parts of one revolver, and two live rounds from him, they said. He was allegedly running an illegal gun supply racket alongside his professional work, police said. A case was registered on February 25 under the Arms Act at the Economic Offences Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), police said. Investigation and Arrest During the course of investigation, police nabbed two individuals identified as Javed Alam (19) and Syed Masood (26) from Siddapura in Bengaluru and seized from their possession a .32 mm country-made pistol and 50 live rounds, a senior police officer said. They revealed that Irfan had illegally supplied weapons to them from Mandya Pradesh, he said. Continuing the investigation, the CCB's Economic Offences Wing police traced and apprehended the accused on March 12 at his residence in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, the officer said. During interrogation, Irfan confessed to illegally supplying pistols and live ammunition. Based on his confession, three country-made pistols, parts of one revolver, and two live rounds kept at his residence were seized, he said. Ongoing Investigation City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told reporters here that further investigation is underway to trace Irfan's source and identify other members of the interstate arms network. The accused was produced before the jurisdictional court on March 13 and was taken into police custody for 11 days. Further investigation is in progress. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has left nearly 1,000 Indians in Iran and disrupted CBSE final examinations for 23,000 students in the Gulf region, prompting discussions on safety, security, and remedial actions. IMAGE: Passengers arrive at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as a special flight arrives from Abu Dhabi, in Shamshabad. Photograph: ANI Video Grab Key Points Approximately 1,000 Indian nationals remain in Iran amidst the ongoing conflict in West Asia, with not all necessarily wanting to leave. Around 23,000 Indian students in the Gulf region were unable to sit their CBSE final examinations due to the disruptions caused by the conflict. The Ministry of External Affairs is consulting with the Ministry of Education to make remedial arrangements for the affected CBSE students. The Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs discussed the safety and security of the Indian diaspora and the impact on oil and gas supplies. The committee also discussed the AI Impact Summit and its implications for India's tech diplomacy and relations with countries in the Global South. Nearly 1,000 Indians are still in Iran amidst the ongoing conflict in West Asia while 23,000 school students based in Gulf region could not appear in the CBSE final examinations due to the turmoil. This was conveyed by the Ministry of External Affairs to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs at a meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday. "Well, there are about 1,000 still in Iran, but not all of them necessarily wish to leave," chairman of the panel Shashi Tharoor told reporters here after the meeting. The Congress leader said Class 10 and Class 12 students based in Gulf region have not been able to write their ongoing CBSE final examinations. "I asked if there could be any steps taken to address their plight. And I gathered that there has already been consultations between the MEA and the Ministry of Education about ensuring that CBSE makes remedial arrangements for 23,000 students in the Gulf who could not write the exams," he said. Parliamentary Committee Discussions Tharoor said the meeting had comprehensive discussions on West Asia and all attendee MPs had questions and concerns about the overall situation, the impact, the safety and security of Indian nationals, the diaspora, the oil and gas supplies, etc. "We got some answers. We didn't get all. The foreign secretary was not available," he said. Sources said the members asked questions related to 'India's silence' on condemning the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and 'condoling deaths of civilians' but no answer came from the MEA officials. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri did not attend the meeting. The sources said there were no answers to the questions related to India's energy security, what is India's stand on US President Donald Trump's call for international forces to protect the Strait of Hormuz and what message has been conveyed to the Indian diplomatic missions on condemnation and condolences. Asked whether the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel just before the conflict started was figured, Tharoor said it was also raised, but he could not go into internal discussions of the committee. He said the situation in the Gulf countries is that it is fairly easy to come in and out by commercial means and flights are operating out of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, less so from Qatar and Bahrain. "Otherwise, anyone can come and go. It is no longer a question of being stranded. But there are still other complications," he said. The Congress leader said the well-being of the Indian diaspora was also discussed, questions were also asked how many ships are stuck with petroleum but the MEA officials did not have an exact number for the number of ships, but there are a few. AI Impact Summit Tharoor also said that the second part of the meeting was on the AI Impact Summit, its consequences, its implications for India's tech diplomacy, as well as for relations with countries in the Global South. "So, it was a good, comprehensive, thorough meeting," he said. The two leaders also emphasised the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a conversation with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi on January 19, 2026. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo Key Points Narendra Modi and Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and condemned attacks on the UAE. India's embassy in Tehran is assisting citizens and issuing travel advisories for land routes via Armenia and Azerbaijan. India is reviewing fuel supply requests from neighbouring countries based on domestic needs. The Indian Navy remains deployed in the region, while 25 Indians were repatriated and port operations continue smoothly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a phone call with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reiterated India's strong condemnation of attacks on the UAE. The two leaders also emphasised the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the leaders discussed the evolving situation in West Asia and agreed to continue working together for the early restoration of peace, security, and stability in the region. Jaiswal added that the Indian Embassy in Tehran remains operational and is assisting Indian nationals, particularly students. Advisories issued for Indian nationals Advisories have been issued for those seeking to cross into Armenia and Azerbaijan via land routes, urging them to follow official guidelines for smooth transit. On fuel supply requests from neighbouring countries, Jaiswal said India has received such requests and is examining them based on domestic requirements and availability. Indian Navy present in the region He also noted that the Indian Navy continues its presence in the region for anti-piracy operations, supporting maritime security efforts, though specific operational details would be provided by the Ministry of Defence. Separately, officials said 25 Indian nationals were repatriated from the region in the past 24 hours, while Indian ports reported no congestion and continued normal operations. The developments come amid intensifying strikes linked to the Israel-Iran conflict escalation across Iran and Lebanon. In a heartfelt farewell, Mallikarjun Kharge and Narendra Modi praised the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their dedication to public service, highlighting the enduring commitment of politicians to the nation. IMAGE: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in Rajya Sabha. Photograph: Sansad TV/YouTube Key Points Mallikarjun Kharge stated that politicians never truly retire due to their passion for serving the country. Prime Minister Modi thanked the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their contributions and emphasised that there is no full stop in politics. Modi urged newly elected MPs to learn from veteran parliamentarians like HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar. The Rajya Sabha recently held elections to fill 37 seats across 10 states, with 26 candidates elected unopposed. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday bid farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, asserting that those in politics and public life "neither get tired nor retire" due to their passion to serve the country. Addressing the upper house of Parliament during the ongoing budget session, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rajya Sabha said, "Those in politics, public life, neither get tired nor retire for the passion to serve the country." Recalling his association with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda of over 54 years, Kharge quipped, "I have known Deve Gowda for more than 54 years, and I have worked with him a lot. Later, I don't know what happened. 'Wo mohabbat humare saath kiye, shaadi Modi sahab ke sath'." WATCH: Kharge's Quip At Deve Gowda Leaves Modi In Splits Modi Praises Kharge, Gowda, Pawar Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked the retiring Rajya Sabha MPs for their contributions, wishing them well for their future political endeavours as he emphasised that there was "no full stop in politics". "Discussions take place on various issues in the House, and every member plays a unique role in them. In moments like these, a common sense of respect is generated, rising above party lines. To the leaders who are leaving the House after the end of their tenure, I want to say that there is no full stop in politics. The future is waiting for you. Your experience and contribution will always be remembered," the PM said. He further urged the newly elected MPs to learn from the veterans like HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, who he said have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. "HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar are senior leaders who have spent more than half of their lives in parliamentary work. Newly elected MPs should learn from them," he said. Tributes to Retiring Members Speaking about Ramdas Athawale, whose term is coming to an end, Modi said, "Sometimes we used to hear that there is a lot of opportunity for humour and satire in the House. These days, perhaps it is gradually decreasing. But our Athawale is evergreen. Athawale is leaving, but no one here will feel any shortcoming. I am fully confident that he will continue to serve satire and humour in abundance." Ramdas Athawale, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Tiruchi Siva, Amarendra Dhari Singh, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are among the 37 retiring MPs. This comes after biennial Rajya Sabha elections were held to fill 37 seats across 10 states. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates were elected unopposed. Concerned about rising tensions, opposition MPs are calling on Home Minister Amit Shah to address alleged threats against the Muslim community in Uttam Nagar and ensure the safety and security of all citizens. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Opposition MPs express serious concerns over alleged threats and intimidation against the Muslim community in Uttam Nagar. The MPs urge Home Minister Amit Shah to direct the Delhi Police to act firmly against individuals spreading hate and attempting to communalise the situation. The letter highlights a perceived inadequate police response and calls for an independent review of police actions to address concerns of bias or inaction. MPs emphasise the constitutional rights of all citizens to equality, freedom, and the right to life with dignity, which they believe are under strain in Uttam Nagar. The letter follows protests by Hindu organisations in Uttam Nagar after the killing of a man, highlighting underlying tensions and the need for government intervention. Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and parliamentarians from some other opposition parties on Wednesday wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged threats to Muslims in Uttam Nagar and urged him to direct the Delhi Police to act firmly against those "spreading hate". Jawed's letter comes days after members of several right-wing Hindu organisations on Sunday staged a protest in west Delhi's Uttam Nagar over the killing of a man earlier this month, demanding strict action against those responsible. On March 4, 26-year-old Tarun was killed following a clash between his family and their neighbours in the JJ Colony area after a girl from Tarun's family threw a balloon, splashing a woman from the neighbour's family during Holi celebrations. Some Hindu outfits staged a protest against the killing and torched two vehicles of the accused family members. MPs' Concerns and Demands In his letter to Shah, Jawed said he writes to him with deep concern and a sense of urgency regarding the disturbing developments in Uttam Nagar, where members of the Muslim community are facing "open threats, intimidation, and a systematic attempt to create fear in their daily lives". "What is unfolding is not an isolated law and order issue, but a pattern of targeted hostility that raises serious questions about the state's ability and willingness to protect all citizens equally. "Public threats, inflammatory slogans, and the circulation of hate-filled content have created an atmosphere where a section of Indian citizens feel unsafe in the national capital itself," he said in the letter that was also signed by some MPs from parties like the SP, JMM and CPI(ML). Jawed said equally troubling is the perception of selective or inadequate police response. "When threats are issued so openly, and yet go unchecked, it erodes public confidence in law enforcement and emboldens those seeking to disturb communal harmony," he said. The MP asserted that the Constitution does not permit fear as a condition of citizenship. He highlighted that Articles 14, 19, and 21 guarantee equality, freedom, and the right to life with dignity -- "rights that appear under strain in Uttam Nagar today," the letter said. Call for Action "I urge you to: take immediate cognisance of the situation and ensure accountability for any lapse in maintaining law and order. Direct the Delhi Police to act firmly and impartially against those spreading hate, issuing threats, or attempting to communalise the situation. "Ensure visible and effective protection for vulnerable residents to restore confidence on the ground," Jawed said. He also called for initiating an independent review of police action to address concerns of bias or inaction. "The silence or delay of the state in such moments sends a dangerous message that intimidation can replace law, and fear can override rights. This must not be allowed in a constitutional democracy," he said. "I urge you to act decisively and reaffirm that the Government of India stands for the security and dignity of every citizen, without exception," Jawed said. Speaking with reporters, Jawed claimed that "terror" is being spread in Uttam Nagar and accused Shah and the Delhi Police of "not taking adequate steps". A Mumbai court has rejected Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde's plea for discharge in a 2016 school assault case, paving the way for charges to be framed against her. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde's plea for discharge in a 2016 school assault case has been rejected by a Mumbai court. The court cited statements from the victimised school teachers and other witnesses as sufficient evidence to frame charges against Tawde. The case stems from an incident at an Urdu medium school in Mumbai in 2016, allegedly triggered by the transfer of a teacher battling cancer. Tawde claimed her presence at the school was coincidental and that the complaint was politically motivated, but the court dismissed her arguments. A Mumbai court has refused to discharge city Mayor and BJP corporator Ritu Tawde in a 2016 case of assault on two school teachers, citing the statements of the victims as sufficient material to "frame charges" against her. The other witnesses also stated that Tawde had assaulted the teachers, Additional Sessions Judge Y P Manathka noted in the ruling on Tuesday. The incident took place on July 29, 2016, at an Urdu medium school of the city civic body in the Vakola area. According to the prosecution, the conflict erupted over the "sudden transfer" of a lady teacher who was reportedly battling cancer. Tawde, along with six others, allegedly entered the school and engaged in a heated exchange with the management over the teacher's transfer, despite suffering from cancer, the prosecution said. Further, the police alleged the accused started hurling abuses at the management and assaulted two school teachers. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on August 11, 2016, and the defence termed the 13-day delay as "unexplained". Tawde, in her plea, claimed her presence at the spot was "coincidental and unrelated to the alleged mob incident". She claimed her status as a BJP corporator appears to have been misused by the "complainant (school headmistress) to gain undue publicity". "The complainant, upon learning of the applicant's political identity, acted with malice and ulterior motives to falsely implicate the applicant (Tawde) in order to lend weight to her otherwise personal grievance," the corporator claimed. The police, represented by additional public prosecutor Iqbal Solkar, however, contended that the victims' statement clearly revealed Tawde had assaulted the two teachers by slapping them. School is a place where students get lessons of life, but at the very place the quarrel took place, and therefore said the act should be viewed seriously, the prosecution submitted. After considering the case facts, the judge noted that the "victims have categorically named the applicant to be the person who beat them by hand inside the school". The court highlighted that other witnesses, too, stated that Tawde had assaulted the teachers. "This is more than sufficient to frame charges against the applicant," the court ruled, while dismissing Tawde's plea. An unauthorised borewell drilling incident in Mumbai resulted in a breach of the Aqua Line Metro tunnel, raising concerns about construction regulations and safety near the city's underground transit system. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff.com Key Points Unauthorised borewell drilling by a private water supplier caused a breach in Mumbai's Aqua Line Metro tunnel. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has filed a police complaint against the water supplier for the damage. Prior permission is mandatory for any construction within 50 metres of the Metro Line-3 to prevent such incidents. An FIR has been registered under section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Metro Act. Metro services remain unaffected, and operations are running normally despite the incident. Drilling of an unauthorised borewell in south Mumbai by a private water supplier earlier this month led to a small breach in a tunnel of Aqua Line, the only underground Metro corridor in the city, officials said on Wednesday. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) lodged a complaint with the police against the private water supplier for damaging a portion of the Metro Line-3 tunnel while carrying out unauthorised borewell drilling near Metro Cinema. "An FIR has been registered, and operations remain unaffected, with services running normally," the MMRC said in a statement. It pointed out that prior permission is mandatory for any construction or excavation within the 50-metre 'influence zone' of the Metro Line-3. "All individuals and agencies are urged to strictly follow guidelines and obtain necessary approvals to avoid such incidents," MMRC stated. The MMRC spokesperson, however, did not disclose details such as when the incident occurred, who the contractor was, and the extent of damage to the metro tunnel. Details of the Incident However, a senior police official said the incident took place on March 5, when drilling activity led to a minor hole on the left side of the underground tunnel. An FIR was registered at Azad Maidan police station on March 13 under section 125 (negligent acts that endanger human life or personal safety) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with the Metro Act, against Rambabu Raay, proprietor of Chandrama Water Supply. The 33.5-km Aqua Line runs between Cuffe Parade station in south Mumbai and Aarey JVLR station in the western suburbs. It is the country's only fully underground Metro corridor. Mumbai Police are seeking custody of notorious gangster Anmol Bishnoi to investigate his involvement in high-profile crimes, including the murder of a political leader and threats against Bollywood celebrities, amidst heightened security measures. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Mumbai Police are seeking custody of Anmol Bishnoi, brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, for investigation into Mumbai-based crimes. Anmol Bishnoi is wanted in connection with the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique and the shooting outside Salman Khan's residence. The Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for a shooting at film director Rohit Shetty's residence, leading to multiple arrests. Authorities have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against those arrested in connection with the Bishnoi gang's activities. Celebrities in Mumbai have been provided with increased protection to prevent gang-related violence. The Mumbai Police have sought the custody of gangster Anmol Bishnoi as he is required to be probed in some cases here, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday. Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and wanted in several sensational cases, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in November last year upon his deportation from the US in a case related to nexus between criminal gangs and terror groups. Absconding since 2022, he is wanted by the Mumbai Police in connection with major crimes, including the killing of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Mumbai in October 2024, firing incident outside actor Salman Khan's residence in April 2024. Investigation into Attacks and Gang Activity In a written reply to a question in legislative council, Fadnavis said on February 1, an unidentified person fired at film director Rohit Shetty's residence of 'Shetty Towers' in Mumbai with a pistol-like firearm. Five shots were fired at Shetty's residence, the CM said. One hit the glass in the balcony. He said of the 13 people arrested, three have criminal background, Fadnavis told the House. In his oral reply, the CM said the accused have been slapped with stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the attack. Government Assurances and Security Measures "The Centre, through its agency NIA, has arrested Anmol Bishnoi. We have requested the central government for his custody to the Mumbai Police since we need him in some cases," Fadnavis said. He further said Shubham Lonkar is one of the main operatives of the Bishnoi gang. His brother has been arrested, while Shubham is abroad, the CM added. To assuage fear, celebrities have been given protection. Gang wars will not be allowed in Mumbai under any circumstances, he asserted. The UK High Court has reserved its judgement on Nirav Modi's plea to reopen his extradition appeal, focusing on arguments that he faces a significant risk of torture if returned to India to face fraud and money laundering charges related to the PNB scam. IMAGE: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Key Points Nirav Modi's lawyers argue he faces a 'real risk of torture' if extradited to India for questioning. The Indian government assures the UK court that Nirav Modi will be treated fairly and safely if extradited. Nirav Modi is wanted in India for alleged fraud and money laundering related to the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The UK court is considering whether to allow Nirav Modi to reopen his extradition appeal based on human rights concerns. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) argues against reopening the case, citing the high-profile nature of the case and assurances from the Indian government. Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi's application hearing seeking permission to reopen his extradition appeal concluded in the High Court in London, with claims that he faces a "real risk of torture" during interrogations by the investigating agencies in India. Lord Jeremy Stuart-Smith and Justice Robert Jay, presiding over the appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice, reserved their judgment at the end of a day-long hearing on Tuesday. "This case is of extreme importance, to Mr Modi and to the Indian officials who have travelled from India. We will deliver the judgment as soon as possible," said Stuart-Smith, as the hearing listed over two days was wrapped up early. The 54-year-old businessman, wanted in India to stand trial on charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam case, appeared via videolink from Pentonville prison in north London. His lawyers relied heavily on the extradition case of Sanjay Bhandari the defence sector consultant accused of tax evasion and money laundering, who was discharged from extradition bail on human rights grounds last year. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government in court, argued against the grounds for reopening a matter in which Nirav's extradition had been ordered nearly six years ago. Arguments Against Extradition Extradition poses a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment or torture arising from interrogation in India, argued Nirav's barrister Edward Fitzgerald KC. He also sought to underplay the assurances given by the government of India as "neither adequate nor reliable" to meet the risk posed by the prospect of additional non-bailable warrants being executed against the diamantaire. He alleged that his client could even be moved from Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai to Gujarat to be interrogated by agencies other than the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Government of India's Position CPS barrister Helen Malcolm KC highlighted the Indian position that not only had Nirav's application been brought out of time, but also on a "false premise". She appealed to the court to adopt a "common sense approach" as the case is "entirely exceptional and significant protective factors exist" which will ensure the assurances given by the government of India are not breached not least due to the prospect of adversely impacting future extradition proceedings between India and the UK. "As to any suggestion that the assurances might be reneged on in secret, the high-profile nature of NDM (Nirav Deepak Modi) and his case make that an unreal proposition," court documents state. If permission to appeal is denied following this week's hearing, the decks are expected to be cleared for Nirav Modi's extradition to be held at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai ahead of his trial in India. There are three sets of criminal proceedings against Nirav Modi in India the CBI case of PNB fraud, the ED case relating to the alleged laundering of the proceeds of that fraud and a third set of criminal proceedings involving alleged interference with evidence and witnesses in the CBI proceedings. In April 2021, then UK home secretary Priti Patel had ordered his extradition to face these charges in the Indian courts after a prima facie case was established against him. Since then, Nirav Modi has gone on to submit several unsuccessful bail applications as well as appeals in the UK courts. HAIKOU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) is scheduled to take place in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, from April 13 to 18, according to a press briefing on Wednesday. Jointly hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hainan provincial government, the expo marks the first edition of the event since the Hainan Free Trade Port fully launched island-wide special customs operations. Canada will be the guest of honor at this year's expo. The main venue for this year's event will continue to be the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center. The expo will feature two dedicated sub-venues: an international yacht exhibition area in Sanya, and an international health consumption exhibition area in the Bo'ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. A full schedule of events has been organized, featuring new product launches, supply-demand matchmaking sessions, and over 10 themed activities designed to stimulate consumption. Additionally, special events will focus on showcasing consumption opportunities within the Hainan Free Trade Port. The 5th CICPE attracted the participation of 1,767 companies and 4,209 consumer brands from 71 countries and regions in 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the contributions of 59 retiring Rajya Sabha members, encouraging them to continue serving the nation and highlighting the importance of their experience in shaping national affairs. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the farewell for 59 retiring Rajya Sabha members, March 18, 2026. Photograph: Screen grab/ANI video Key Points Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to 59 retiring Rajya Sabha members, acknowledging their contributions to Indian Parliament. Modi urged outgoing legislators to continue contributing to national life, emphasising that their experience remains invaluable. The Prime Minister praised senior leaders like H D Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sharad Pawar for their dedication to parliamentary proceedings. Modi highlighted the importance of the Rajya Sabha in providing a 'second opinion' on legislation, strengthening democratic decision-making. The Prime Minister noted the unique experience of members who served in both the old and new Parliament buildings. The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday bid farewell to 59 of its retiring members, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging them to remain active in the service of the nation and its people while noting that there is no full stop in politics. The Prime Minister lauded the contribution of the members, whose tenures will end between April and July, and called Parliament an 'open university' that offers an opportunity to gain insight into intricate nuances of life. Among those retiring are former prime minister H D Devegowda, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and veteran politician Sharad Pawar, who have been in active politics for over five decades. Pawar has already been re-elected to the Upper House. One-third of the Rajya Sabha members retire every two years. Modi reserved special praise for the three senior leaders, calling them stalwarts who have spent more than half their lives in parliamentary proceedings. "The manner in which they continue to attend the House with such dedication -- a spirit from which all new parliamentarians ought to learn -- is truly exemplary," he said. "Such a long tenure is no small feat -- it is a matter of immense significance." Tributes to Senior Leaders Addressing the Upper House on the occasion of the farewell, Modi said such moments naturally dissolve partisan divides. "When an occasion such as this arises -- naturally and spontaneously -- we rise above partisan differences, and a shared sentiment emerges within us all," he said. To members who do not plan to return, the Prime Minister offered reassurance. "In politics, there is no such thing as a full stop. The future awaits you as well, and your experience and contributions will forever remain an enduring part of our national life," he said. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Chairman Harivansh, saying he is 'gentle and soft-spoken' yet 'a man of rigorous action, constantly working for the betterment of every corner of India'. In a lighter vein, the Prime Minister singled out Union Minister Ramdas Athawale. Lamenting that wit and humour in the House had declined in the age of round-the-clock media -- 'everyone has become extremely self-conscious', he said. "While members come and go, our Athawale-ji is truly evergreen. He is departing, yet I am confident that no one here will feel a void; he will continue to serve and contribute tirelessly," Modi quipped. Reflecting on the bicameral structure of Parliament, Modi said it is akin to seeking a 'second opinion' -- a practice that strengthened democratic decision-making. Modi also noted that some outgoing members had the rare distinction of having served in both the old and new Parliament buildings. He described a six-year Rajya Sabha term as a transformative experience. "The House serves as an open university. It offers the opportunity to gain insight into the intricate nuances of national life. In a sense, one receives both formal education and initiation here," he said. "The experience gained in Parliament is truly expansive." Parliamentary Process and Experience Chairman C P Radhakrishnan opened the House proceedings by noting that a total of 59 members from 20 states, including nine women members, will retire. The Chairman described Deve Gowda as 'a distinguished leader whose presence has added great stature to the House', and said Kharge 'has been an important voice in the democratic functioning of this House' across a long career spanning both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. On Harivansh, Radhakrishnan said he 'presided over this House with dignity, impartiality and a deep sense of responsibility'. Radhakrishnan urged the outgoing members to view their departure as a new beginning. "Retirement should not be viewed as an end but as the beginning of new roles and responsibilities. It signifies the passing on of the baton to new members who will carry forward the legacy of this institution with fresh ideas, renewed energy and commitment." He closed with a Tamil sentiment that though one retires, the good done through one's deeds continues to live on. In his farewell speech, Kharge called for a review of the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the House. He also said the House should have more sittings so that issues of public importance can be discussed with all seriousness. He also called for more participation from opposition members in formulating legislation. Any impediment to that would weaken the institution of parliament, he said. "Those involved in politics never retire from public life, nor do they ever grow tired in their passion for serving the nation," he noted. Referring to his long association with Deve Gowda, whose party Janata Dal-Secular has joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Kharge said he 'shared his love and affection with us but tied the knot with Modi'. Deputy chairman Harivansh expressed gratitude in his farewell address to all his contemporaries and seniors for enlightening and inspiring him throughout his political journey. Recollecting memories of working with senior MPs during the initial days of his parliamentary duties, Singh said that, today, he cherishes those memories as they have become guiding principles for him. Several members spoke about their retiring colleagues and remembered their contributions. Members also highlighted the need for giving proper retirement benefits to former parliamentarians. They also demanded that they be allowed to sit in the new Parliament building and space be created for them, just as the old building had the central hall. They also asked the government to issue instructions to empanelled hospitals to treat ex-MPs in the same manner as sitting MPs while availing of CGHS benefits. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the government, saying there was no farewell function for former chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who, he alleged, was 'compulsorily retired'. A Noida man has been arrested for running a sophisticated online travel package scam, defrauding victims of approximately Rs 12 lakh through fake deals advertised on social media. Key Points A man in Noida has been arrested for allegedly defrauding people of Rs 12 lakh through fake travel packages. The accused used social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to advertise attractive, but fraudulent, tour packages. Victims were persuaded to transfer money for bookings that were later cancelled by the accused, who then claimed the refunds. The accused, identified as Aditya Raj, was arrested with three mobile phones and a laptop in his possession, and further investigation is underway. The cyber crime police in Noida have arrested a man for allegedly duping people of around Rs 12 lakh by offering fake tour and travel packages through social media, officials said on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Aditya Raj, was arrested from Amrapali Society by the Cyber Police team, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shavya Goyal said. According to police, the accused lured victims by posting advertisements on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Google, offering attractive tour packages for destinations including Singapore, Nepal, Vietnam and Europe. When contacted, he would share details of the packages and falsely claim that bookings had been confirmed, persuading victims to transfer money into his personal bank account, the police said. He would then cancel the tickets and claim refunds for himself, thereby cheating multiple victims, they added. The police said the accused has so far defrauded people of approximately Rs 12 lakh. Three mobile phones and a laptop were recovered from his possession. Further investigation in the case is underway, they said. In a testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, also said that the threats to the US were set to expand collectively from more than 3,000 missiles at present to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035. IMAGE: Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2026. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Key Points Tulsi Gabbard said Pakistan's long-range missile programme could potentially include ICBMs capable of targeting the US. The US Intelligence Community estimates global missile threats to the US could grow from over 3,000 currently to more than 16,000 by 2035. China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan are all developing advanced missile delivery systems. China and Russia are working on sophisticated missiles designed to evade or bypass US missile defence systems. North Korea already has ICBMs capable of reaching the US, while Iran has technological capability that could enable it to develop such missiles before 2035. United States' intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday told lawmakers that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development could include missiles capable of targeting the US. In a testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, also said that the threats to the US were set to expand collectively from more than 3,000 missiles at present to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035. "The US secure nuclear deterrent continues to ensure safety in the Homeland against strategic threats. However, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our Homeland within range," Gabbard said. She said the US Intelligence Community assesses that threats to the Homeland will expand collectively to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035, from the current assessed figure of more than 3,000 missiles. "The IC assesses that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems meant to be capable of penetrating or bypassing US missile defences," Gabbard said. 'North Korea's ICBMs can already reach US' The US top intelligence official said that North Korea's ICBMs can already reach US soil, and it is committed to expanding its nuclear arsenal. "Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with the range capable of striking the Homeland," Gabbard said. She said that Iran has previously demonstrated space launch and other technology it could use to begin to develop a militarily viable ICBM before 2035, should Tehran attempt to pursue the capability. "However, these assessments will be updated as the full impact of Operation Epic Fury's devastating strikes on Iran's missile production facilities, stockpiles, and launch capabilities is determined," Gabbard said. Amid accusations of civilian casualties, Pakistan has temporarily suspended its military operation against the Afghan Taliban in response to Eid and requests from Islamic countries, raising questions about regional stability. IMAGE: Taliban soldier walks at the site of a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul. Photograph: Yunus Yawar/Reuters Key Points Pakistan announces a temporary pause in Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban for the Eid holiday, responding to requests from Islamic nations. The ceasefire is scheduled from midnight March 18/19 to midnight March 23/24, but will be immediately revoked in case of cross-border attacks or terrorist incidents. Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq on February 26 in response to attacks by the Afghan Taliban forces along the border, resulting in reported casualties on both sides. Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of bombing a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, resulting in hundreds of deaths, allegations which Pakistan denies. Pakistan insists its operations target militant hideouts and infrastructure, aiming to eliminate terrorist sanctuaries along the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a 'temporary pause' in fighting in view of Eid-ul-Fitr and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, a day after the Afghan government accused Islamabad of killing 400 people in an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. Pakistan's Information Minister Ataullah Tarar made the announcement in a post on X, hours after his country carried out fresh attacks on alleged Taliban positions in the border region. 'In view of the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, upon its own initiative as well as on the request from the brotherly Islamic countries' of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye, Pakistan has decided to announce a temporary pause amidst ongoing Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq, he said. Tarar said the pause would be applicable from 'midnight March 18/19 to midnight March 23/24'. He, however, added that in case of any cross-border attack, drone attack or any terrorist incident inside Pakistan, the operation will immediately resume. Hours later, Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the security and defence forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar announce the temporary suspension of the defensive operations. He, however, said that Kabul 'will respond courageously to any aggression in the event of a threat'. Why Pakistan and Afghanistan are fighting Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq on February 26 in response to alleged attacks by the Afghan Taliban forces along the 2,600-km-long border. So far, at least 707 Afghan Taliban personnel have been killed, and more than 938 have been injured, according to the Pakistani government. Security forces carried out strong 'retaliatory actions' against the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij in the South Waziristan sector under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, sources said. "From Shawal to Zarmalan, all identified Taliban positions were destroyed during the operation," an official claimed, adding that the intense military response forced Afghan Taliban terrorists to retreat and flee. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq will continue until all its objectives are fully achieved, the official said. Pakistan's military spokesman, Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, rejected the Afghan Taliban claim of killing civilians in the airstrikes in Kabul and claimed that the site was a weapons depot where they had also stored drones. Pak accuses India of aiding Taliban Talking to Geo News, he also asked why the Afghan government had set up a drug rehabilitation centre near a weapon depot. He said that the concept of civilian and combatant vanished under the Taliban regime as their fighters use civilian dresses to commit terrorism. "When they attack our posts, they are joined by fighters in civil clothes," he claimed. He said Pakistan destroyed 225 posts while capturing another 44. Pakistan also hit inside Afghanistan by carrying out 81 air strikes, he added. He also accused India of providing support to the Afghan Taliban, including providing them with rudimentary drones, which they recently used to attack Pakistan. He, however, did not present any evidence in support of his claim. He said that the Taliban should decide their future. "They (Afghan Taliban) should make a choice if they want to save their regime or they want to save TTP," he said. In a separate incident, the security forces foiled an infiltration attempt in the North Waziristan sector, killing multiple militants and destroying their hideouts. Claims and counter-claims The Pakistan Army carried out an operation in the border area of Mowa Khel, where militants linked to the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij were planning to infiltrate Pakistani territory, an official said. Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). "During the operation, several militants were killed, while others were forced to abandon their posts and flee the area," the official added. "The Afghan Taliban regime will have to decide whether it stands with terrorists or with Pakistan," Tarar said while talking to Geo News. Deputy Spokesman of the Afghan Taliban-led government, Hamdullah Fitrat, on Tuesday said that Monday night's bombardment by Pakistan targeted a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, resulting in the death of at least 400 people. He said 250 others were injured. Afghanistan on Wednesday held a mass funeral for those killed in the attack. Speaking at the funeral ceremony, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani called the attack 'a highly despicable and lowly act against humanity and Islamic principles', Tolo News reported. Rejecting the claims, Tarar said the Afghan Taliban regime attempted to build a false narrative of an attack on a hospital. "Pakistan's position is clear -- terrorist sanctuaries must be eliminated," Tarar said. "Where we carried out strikes, ammunition was stored, and the subsequent explosions are evidence of that." The minister also claimed that the Afghan Taliban had removed 'false posts' related to the alleged strikes. "The Afghan Taliban regime had to delete misleading posts," he said. Pakistan has strongly refuted India's condemnation of its military actions in Afghanistan, escalating tensions between the two nations over regional security and counter-terrorism efforts. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters Key Points Pakistan rejects India's criticism of its military operation against alleged terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan. India condemned Pakistan's airstrike on a drug treatment centre in Kabul, calling it a 'blatant assault' on Afghanistan's sovereignty. Pakistan accuses India of 'hypocrisy and duplicity' and supporting terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. The Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi issued a statement rejecting India's remarks. Pakistan on Wednesday criticised India for what it called "unwarranted" remarks about its military campaign against the alleged terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan. India on Tuesday "unequivocally" condemned Pakistan's "barbaric" airstrike on a drug treatment centre in Kabul and described it as a "blatant assault" on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a threat to regional peace and stability. In a strong reaction to Monday's attack that killed over 400 people in Kabul, the Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of trying to "dress up a massacre as a military operation." "Pakistan rejects the baseless, misleading, and unwarranted statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Pakistan's ongoing action against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan," Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in a statement. Andrabi said that the statement "merely reflects India's blatant hypocrisy and duplicity." He said India should refrain from "supporting and sponsoring terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil." A tragic fire in a Delhi residential building near Palam Metro Station claimed the lives of seven family members, including three children, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the Delhi Fire Service. IMAGE: The fire broke out in a building with a basement and five floors, used for both storage and residential purposes. Photographs: ANI video grab Key Points A massive fire in a residential building near Palam Metro Station in Delhi killed seven family members, including three children, and left several others injured. The Delhi Fire Service deployed around 30 fire tenders, but eyewitnesses alleged delays due to malfunctioning hydraulic equipment and late arrival of cranes. Residents tried to flee by jumping from upper floors -- one man dropped his toddler to safety before jumping himself, while another leapt to a nearby building, sustaining burn injuries. The blaze reportedly started in lower floors used for a cloth and cosmetics shop, with flammable materials like perfumes accelerating the fire in the congested building. A short circuit is suspected, though investigations are ongoing; Narendra Modi and Delhi authorities announced ex gratia compensation and ordered an inquiry into the incident. Nine members of a family, including a 70-year-old woman and three young girls -- one just three years old -- were killed after a massive fire tore through a four-storey residential building in southwest Delhi's Palam area on Wednesday morning. The incident triggered a large-scale rescue operation, with eyewitnesses alleging delays due to faulty firefighting equipment. Three others were injured in the incident, including a two-year-old girl who slipped from her father's hands while he was trying to lower her from the third floor to the second, where there was access to a ladder, in a desperate bid to escape the flames. The child suffered a leg fracture, while her father sustained head injuries after jumping from the building. Her uncle, who leapt to an adjacent building to save himself, suffered burn injuries and is undergoing treatment. Details of the Fire According to eyewitnesses and local residents, the fire broke out around 6.15 am in the building located in a congested lane near Ram Chowk Market, close to Palam Metro Station. However, emergency services reportedly reached the spot only around 7.15 am. They said the ladder of the hydraulic crane, which first reached the spot, failed to get deployed, while the second crane took nearly an hour to arrive, delaying rescue operations. Locals claimed that if the first hydraulic crane had worked, it could have saved lives. The building housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom in the basement, ground and first floors, while its owner, Rajender Kashyap, lived on the second and third floors with his 19-member family. Rajender, the local market association president and an Aam Aadmi Party worker, lived in the building with his wife, their five sons, a daughter, four daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren. Rajender was in Goa, while one of his sons and his family were away on a vacation, officials said. His wife Lado, 70, their sons Pravesh, 33, and Kamal, 39, Kamal's wife Ashu, 35, and their three daughters aged 15, six and three were killed in the blaze. Rajender and Lado's daughter, Himanshi, 22, and daughter-in-law, Deepika, 28, also died in the fire. Another son, Pravesh, had left his wife and son at her parents' home to attend a wedding in Najafgarh. Father dropped 2-yr-old from 3rd floor Anil, 32, the third son, dropped his two-year-old daughter from the third floor to the second. Soon, he too jumped and both sustained injuries, officials said. The couple's fourth son, 29-year-old Sachin, jumped to an adjacent building. He sustained 25 per cent burn injuries and is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. Neighbours said the fire initially started in the basement, ground and first floor, but spread quickly, possibly due to the presence of perfumes and other beauty products in the shop that are highly flammable. According to neighbours, none of the building's windows opened outwards for ventilation, and was fitted with thick glass, which made access to the building hard for the authorities while carrying out rescue operations. They had to be broken using hammers and other equipment by fire officials to gain entry, delaying rescue operations, they said. The building had two entrances -- one shutter opened into the shop, while a smaller shutter served as the main residential entry, leading to the staircase. The basement, spread over nearly 900 square feet, housed the family's undergarment shop, while the ground floor opened directly into their cosmetics store. Neighbours said the first floor was used for storage as well as a guest room, where visiting relatives or the sons' friends would often stay overnight. Sachin was sleeping on the first floor while the rest of the family was on the second and third floors, which served as their living quarters. The roof was fitted with solar panels. As the fire broke out, neighbours of the family made frantic attempts to get them out by attempting to break windows and a portion of the wall of the building, while others alleged that the malfunctioning hydraulic machine of firefighters delayed their rescue. "The hydraulic crane initially deployed could not be operated as its ladder failed to open. Another crane arrived nearly an hour later. By then, Anil, who was shouting for help, had jumped," the neighbour alleged. "We tried to break open the walls and shutters, but that also took time. We even called labourers from nearby areas to assist in the rescue," the neighbour said, alleging gross negligence on the part of the authorities. Short circuit suspected cause of fire Neighbours suspect the fire may have been caused by a short circuit, saying that the electrical board was next to the staircase on the ground floor. However, police have yet to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and are carrying out an investigation. Information regarding the blaze was received at 7.04 am at Palam Village police station, following which teams rushed to the spot, officials said. Around 30 fire tenders and 11 ambulances were pressed into service, along with personnel from the police, BSES, Air Force Police and the NDRF, as part of a massive firefighting and rescue operation. Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing out of the building and rising into the sky, with flames engulfing parts of the structure as firefighters battled the blaze in the congested market area. Firefighters carried out intensive search and rescue operations, navigating through narrow lanes and smoke-filled interiors to evacuate those trapped inside. The fire was doused around 2.20 pm, and a cooling operation began after that. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the fire incident in the national capital as well as the one in Indore, in which eight people lost their lives. He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also announced ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of adult deceased persons and Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those who were minors and died in the Palam fire incident. She has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against unknown persons at Palam Village Police Station under Sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 125(a) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigation is underway. A pregnant YouTuber's alleged murder in Telangana has sparked outrage, with police arresting her husband and investigating claims of dowry harassment, highlighting the ongoing issue of domestic violence in India. Key Points A pregnant 20-year-old YouTuber, Vaishnavi, was allegedly murdered by her husband in Jagtial district, Telangana. The husband, Chittari Hariprasad, has been arrested and is the prime suspect in the murder case. Police are investigating allegations of dowry harassment against the husband and his family. The victim's father claims Vaishnavi was subjected to dowry demands by her husband, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. A 20-year-old pregnant youtuber was allegedly murdered by her husband in Telangana's Jagtial district, police said on Wednesday. The victim, identified as Vaishnavi, was found lying in a pool of blood at her parents' residence in Madhapur village on Tuesday. According to Korutla Inspector Suresh, the woman's parents alerted the police. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's father, S R Durgaprasad, the accused, Chittari Hariprasad was arrested. Police said Hariprasad allegedly killed his wife by strangulation and stabbing her on the face. The couple had been married for about ten months. The victim's father also alleged that Vaishnavi had been subjected to dowry harassment by her husband, as well as his mother and brother. Police said Hariprasad would be produced before a local court and remanded to judicial custody. While Hariprasad has been named as the prime accused in the murder, investigators are also probing the alleged involvement of his family members on charges of abetment. The body was handed over to the family after conducting a postmortem examination, police added. Notorious gangster Ravi Pujari faces new extortion charges in Thane after being extradited to India, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat organised crime. Key Points Jailed gangster Ravi Pujari has been arrested by Thane Police in connection with a 2017 extortion case. Pujari allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore from a construction businessman and threatened him. Pujari was extradited to India from Senegal in 2020 after operating abroad for years. The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Thane Crime Branch took Pujari into custody from a Bengaluru jail. Pujari faces charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Thane Police has arrested jailed gangster Ravi Pujari in a 2017 extortion and firing case in the city and obtained his custody from a local court, officials said. The 57-year-old gangster was on Wednesday produced before a special MCOCA court which remanded him in police custody till March 27. The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Thane Crime Branch took his custody from Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru and brought him to the city on Tuesday, said a police release. Pujari, who hails from Udupi, Karnataka, and had been operating from abroad for several years, was extradited to India from Senegal in 2020. Details of the Extortion Case "The accused Ravi Pujari had demanded a ransom of Rs 10 crore from a construction businessman in 2017. He threatened to kill the businessman if the ransom was not paid and subsequently sent his henchmen to fire at the victim's office," the police release said. A case was registered at Kasarvadavali police station under sections 385 (extortion), 387 (fear of death for extortion) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Later, the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was also invoked in the case. Pujari, who hails from Udupi, Karnataka, has about 44 serious crimes registered against him, the release said. Four individuals have been apprehended in Ranchi, Jharkhand, for their alleged involvement in the murder of a restaurant employee, revealing a wider extortion scheme orchestrated by gangsters operating both within and outside the country. IMAGE: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Key Points Four individuals were arrested in Ranchi for the murder of a restaurant employee related to extortion demands. The arrests followed a gunfight with police, resulting in injuries to two of the accused. The murder was allegedly orchestrated by gangsters Prince Khan, operating from the UAE, and Sujeet Sinha, currently in jail. Police seized mobile phones, weapons, and the motorcycle used in the crime, uncovering 60 bank accounts used for illicit transactions. The investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the extortion network and related criminal activities in Ranchi. Four people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of a restaurant employee in Jharkhand's Ranchi over an extortion demand, police said on Wednesday. The accused were apprehended after a brief gunfight with the police near Kenduadih in Dhanbad on Monday, a senior officer said. Two of them sustained gunshot wounds in their legs and are undergoing treatment at a hospital, he said. Details of the Arrest and Investigation "We arrested four henchmen of two gangs, who were involved in a firing incident at a restaurant near Birsa Munda Airport, for extorting money. The incident took place on March 7, and an employee of the restaurant, identified as Manish Gope, was shot dead," Ranchi City Superintendent of Police (SP) Paras Rana said. The accused had been on the run since the murder of the restaurant employee, he said. Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid in the Bhagabandh area and arrested them, the SP said. "During interrogation, the accused revealed that they attacked Gope after the restaurant owner refused to pay money on the directions of gangsters Prince Khan and Sujeet Sinha. Khan is currently operating his henchmen from the UAE, while Sinha, who operates the Koylanchal Shanti Sena gang, is in jail," the police officer said. Seized Items and Financial Investigation During the operation, the police have seized two mobile phones, arms and ammunition, and the motorcycle used in the firing incident, he said. "Upon analysing the data of the mobile phones, it has come to light that 60 bank accounts have been used for transaction of ill-gotten money. The investigation is underway," the SP said. Actress Sara Ali Khan's access to the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples now depends on her willingness to declare her faith in Sanatan Dharma via an official affidavit, sparking debate about religious inclusivity. IMAGE: Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Sara Ali Khan's entry to Badrinath and Kedarnath temples requires a declaration of faith in Sanatan Dharma. The Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) has approved a proposal to restrict entry of non-Sanatanis into temple complexes. The BKTC has drafted a standardised affidavit format for individuals to declare their faith in Sanatan Dharma. The Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage is set to begin on April 19, with over 6 lakh devotees already registered. The proposal to restrict entry of non-Sanatanis has been forwarded to the Uttarakhand government for consideration. If film actress Sara Ali Khan submits an affidavit declaring her faith in Sanatan, she will be granted entry to the Badrinath and Kedarnath temple complexes, BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference in Dehradun, Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) chairman said, "Those (non-Hindus) who have faith in Sanatan Dharma-and who provide a written declaration stating, 'I am a Sanatani; I believe in Hindutva'-are all welcome." Temple Committee Bans Non-Sanatanis A few days ago, the BKTC had unanimously approved a proposal to ban the entry of non-Sanatanis into the Badrinath and Kedarnath temple complexes. When Dwivedi was specifically asked about the actress, who has visited the shrine multiple times and even did a film "Kedarnath," he remarked, "If Sara Ali Khan affirms that she holds faith and devotion towards Sanatan, and subsequently submits an affidavit to that effect, she will be granted darshan." He further informed that the BKTC has already drafted a standardised format for this affidavit. It is noteworthy that during a meeting of the committee's board on March 10, a proposal to prohibit the entry of non-Sanatanis into the temple complexes and garbhagrihas (sanctum sanctorums) of Badrinath and Kedarnath was unanimously approved. Dwivedi stated that this proposal has since been forwarded to the Uttarakhand government. Char Dham Yatra Preparations On preparations for the Char Dham Yatra (pilgrimage), scheduled to commence next month, he said preparations are proceeding in full swing. Within a span of just 10 days, up until March 16, more than 6 lakh devotees have already registered for the pilgrimage to the four holy shrines, the chairman said. This year's Char Dham Yatra is set to begin on April 19, coinciding with the Akshaya Tritiya festival. The portals of the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will be opened on the same day, whereas those of Badrinath Dham will open on April 23 and Kedarnath Dham's on April 22. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The mainland is ready to provide Taiwan compatriots with stable and reliable energy supplies once peaceful reunification is achieved, said a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Wednesday. Chen Binhua, the spokesperson, made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to a question about the risks of disruptions to Taiwan's oil and gas supplies and widespread concern across the island regarding energy reserves and supply security amid turbulence in the Middle East. Peaceful reunification will create significant opportunities for Taiwan's economic and social development, and result in tangible benefits for Taiwan compatriots, Chen said. Following peaceful reunification, cross-Strait connectivity will be fully realized, making it entirely possible to address Taiwan's shortages in electricity, natural gas and crude oil, Chen noted, adding that the mainland will also ensure that Taiwan compatriots enjoy more affordable, cleaner and more stable energy supplies. Following reports of suspected terrorist activity, security forces have launched extensive search operations across Rajouri, Doda, and Poonch districts in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure regional security. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Security forces launch search operations in Rajouri, Doda, and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir following reports of suspected terrorist movement. A combing operation was initiated in Rajouri after locals reported seeing suspicious individuals moving towards a forest. Search operations are also underway in Marmat, Doda, an area known for terrorist movement between Doda and Basantgarh. Police and Army are conducting searches in Sarlea (Doda), Dandi Dhara, and Ari Sarooti (Poonch) to ensure security. Security forces have launched search operations following reports of movement of suspected terrorists at different locations in J-K's Rajouri, Doda and Poonch districts, officials said on Wednesday. A combing operation was launched at Khandli and its adjoining areas near Palma in Rajouri late Tuesday after a local reported movement of two suspicious individuals, the officials said. They said the suspected persons were seen moving through a nallah towards a nearby forest. No contact has been made with the suspicious individuals so far, an official said. Ongoing Operations in Doda Similar operations are also underway at several villages in Marmat in Doda after some locals reported movement of suspected terrorists. Marmat is used by terrorists to move between Doda and Basantgarh in Udhampur, which also touches parts of the Ramban district. Police and Army also carried out searches in the Sarlea area of Doda, and Dandi Dhara and Ari Sarooti in Poonch district, the officials said. Sonam Wangchuk, speaking after his release from detention under the National Security Act, on Tuesday described the government's decision as a 'win-win' and a positive step toward rebuilding trust. Wangchuk said the Centre has extended a hand for meaningful and constructive dialogue with the people of Ladakh, which has been the core objective of the region's protests. The renowned educationist emphasised that the agitation in Ladakh has always been peaceful and focused on initiating talks, particularly on key demands such as statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. IMAGE: Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, with his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, addresses a press conference at Lodhi Estate in New Delhi on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, here and below. All photographs: Naveen Sharma/ANI Photo Wangchuk noted that unlike many conflict situations, the people of Ladakh have consistently pushed for dialogue rather than confrontation. He plans to return to Ladakh to consult with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been leading the movement for the past five years. While he did not rule out future protests, Wangchuk expressed hope that further agitation, including hunger strikes, would not be necessary if the government engages sincerely. His release follows months of tension after he was detained in September last year after violent protests. With talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre ongoing, his remarks signal a potential shift from confrontation to negotiation. Key Points Sonam Wangchuk termed NSA detention revocation a 'win-win', signalling renewed trust-building between Centre and Ladakh stakeholders. He plans to consult the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance on next steps regarding agitation strategy. Core demands remain statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule since 2019 reorganisation. Wangchuk indicated reluctance for further hunger strikes, expressing hope for meaningful dialogue with the government. His detention followed violent protests in September; release came after sustained pressure and ongoing talks with MHA. Wangchuk Calls Release 'Win-Win' Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff A surgeon in Chhattisgarh has been sentenced to two years in jail for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, following the tragic deaths of 12 women after a sterilisation camp in 2014, highlighting issues of medical negligence. Key Points A Chhattisgarh court sentenced a surgeon to two years in jail for culpable homicide related to the deaths of 12 women after a 2014 sterilisation camp. The surgeon, Dr. R.K. Gupta, was found guilty of negligence during the sterilisation surgeries, leading to septicaemia. The court also imposed fines for each death and additional minor charges, all to be served concurrently. Five individuals associated with pharmaceutical firms were acquitted due to lack of evidence linking them to the contaminated medication controversy. The surgeon was granted bail due to the sentence being less than three years, as per legal provisions. A court in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur has sentenced a surgeon to two years of jail term in connection with the deaths of 12 women following sterilisation surgeries conducted by him here in 2014. The court of First District and Additional Sessions Judge Shailesh Kumar Ketarap on Tuesday convicted surgeon Dr R K Gupta under the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and awarded him two years of imprisonment, Additional Public Prosecutor Devendra Rao Somawar said on Wednesday. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for each of the 12 deaths, he said. The court also sentenced Gupta under other charges, awarding six months' imprisonment with a fine of Rs 500 under one section, and one month's jail with a fine of Rs 100 under another. All sentences will run concurrently, he said. Details of the Sterilisation Camp The case relates to a sterilisation camp held on November 8, 2014, at a private hospital in Pendari near Sakri village in Takhatpur block of Bilaspur district. A total of 83 women from nearby rural areas were brought to the camp for sterilisation procedures, he said. According to the prosecution, Dr Gupta, who was then a senior surgeon at the district hospital, conducted all the surgeries within a span of about three hours. Soon after the operations, the women fell ill and were admitted to different hospitals, including district and CIMS (Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences) hospitals in Bilaspur, where 12 of them died. The prosecution said the deaths were linked to alleged negligence during surgeries leading to septicaemia, as well as controversy over contaminated post-operative medication. Acquittal of Pharmaceutical Firm Representatives Following an investigation, the police had filed a chargesheet against Dr Gupta and five individuals associated with two drug supply firms - Ramesh and Sumit Mahavar of Mahavar Pharma firm, and Rakesh, Rajesh and Manish Khare of Kavita Pharmaceuticals. However, the court acquitted all five accused linked to the pharmaceutical firms due to lack of evidence, he said. Since the sentence awarded to Gupta is less than three years, the court granted him bail as per legal provisions, the prosecutor added. The Maharashtra assembly is embroiled in controversy as the opposition claims teak wood smugglers are enjoying political patronage, hindering law enforcement and enabling illegal logging operations in the Chandrapur district. Photograph: Thalapathy Vijay/Instagram Key Points Maharashtra's opposition alleges teak wood smugglers in Chandrapur are politically protected. Forest officials in Brahmapuri are reportedly threatened and pressured by local leaders to ignore smuggling. A Congress leader claims a local politician intervened to release vehicles seized for teak smuggling. The opposition demands armed protection for forest officials and investigation of call detail records to expose the smuggling network. The Forest Minister has promised an inquiry and strict action against officials found colluding with smugglers. The Opposition on Wednesday claimed in the Maharashtra assembly that teak wood smugglers operating in Chandrapur district are enjoying political patronage. Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged during Question Hour, the first hour of the House proceedings, that forest officials in the Brahmapuri area are being threatened and pressured by local leaders to spare smugglers from action. Wadettiwar said a forest official recently seized two tractors loaded with teak wood, which is widely used in furniture for its durability. However, a local politician barged into the forest office, abused officials and forced them to release both the vehicles and the accused, he claimed. "This is not petty theft but an organised racket involving armed gangs operating in Naxal-affected regions," Wadettiwar said. He also called for providing arms to forest officials working in such sensitive areas for their protection and suggested that the call detail records, or CDRs, of the accused be examined to expose a larger smuggling network. Government Response to Smuggling Allegations Forest Minister Ganesh Naik said an inquiry would be conducted against the officials if they released the accused under pressure, and strict action would be taken. He added that CCTV footage and CDRs of suspects would be examined to trace the network and assured that any organised gang involved in the racket would be dismantled. Two men accused of murdering a shepherd in Thane, Maharashtra, have been acquitted after a court found a lack of evidence and a key witness turned hostile, undermining the prosecution's case. Photograph: Pixabay.com Key Points A Thane court acquitted two men accused of murdering a shepherd due to insufficient evidence. The key eyewitness in the shepherd murder case failed to support the prosecution's claims. Forensic and circumstantial evidence presented in the shepherd murder trial had significant gaps. The court found no proven link between the recovered weapons and the shepherd's death. Inconsistencies in witness testimonies further weakened the prosecution's case in the shepherd murder trial. A court in Maharashtra's Thane has acquitted two men charged with the murder of a shepherd nearly three years ago, citing lack of evidence and the failure of a key eyewitness to support the prosecution's case. In his judgment delivered on March 16, Principal District and Sessions Judge S B Agrawal cleared Anna, alias Abraham Mundarangi (50), and Anil Basavraj Maratha (32) of all charges. The duo had been accused of assaulting Nagesh Raju Kamble with a belt and bamboo on the night of April 12, 2023, leading to his death. According to the prosecution, Kamble worked for Mundarangi. It was alleged that Mundarangi thrashed Kamble after he had returned late with the sheep owned by the former. However, the case faltered when the sole eyewitness, Ganesh Amuksiddha Bhosale, turned hostile. Advocate Sudhakar Parad represented the accused individuals. Court's Reasoning for Acquittal The court noted gaps in the forensic and circumstantial evidence. "The chemical analysis report does not denote anything," the judge observed. Regarding the recovery of the alleged murder weapons, a belt and a bamboo, the court found the link unproven. The recovery is inconsequential because there is absolutely nothing to show that it was this belt and bamboo with which the deceased was assaulted, it said. The chemical analysis report "does not make out said fact or the fact that there were blood stains on these articles", the judge held. While a medical report confirmed "the death was homicidal due to head injuries", the court found the testimonies of the victim's siblings inconsistent. "It cannot be said that the prosecution has been successful in bringing home the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt," the court said and acquitted the two accused of all charges. In a major crackdown, Jharkhand police have arrested five Maoist rebels and secured the surrender of a PLFI commander, highlighting the state's efforts to combat Naxal activity and promote rehabilitation. Key Points Five TSPC members were arrested in Chatra district with arms and ammunition. A PLFI area commander carrying a reward of Rs one lakh surrendered in Khunti. The arrests and surrender are attributed to the Jharkhand government's rehabilitation policy and police pressure. Recovered items include mobile phones, pistols, cartridges, pamphlets, a stolen motorcycle, and walkie-talkie sets. Five members of the banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) were arrested on Wednesday along with arms and ammunition in Jharkhand's Chatra district, police said. A PLFI "area commander", who was carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, also surrendered at Khunti, police said. Both TSPC and the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) are splinter groups of the CPI(Maoist). The suspects were nabbed after Chatra Superintendent of Police (SP) Sumit Agarwal received a tip-off that some TSPC members had gathered near Benti ground under Piparwar police station limits to carry out some subversive activity, a police officer said. Tandwa SDPO Prabhat Ranjan Barwar said, "Six mobile phones, a country-made pistol, two cartridges, 10 pamphlets, and a stolen motorcycle were recovered from them." During interrogation, it has come to light that the accused were involved in a firing incident on March 11, the SDPO said. Police said detailed information has also been received about other accused persons, against whom raids are being conducted. PLFI Commander Surrenders In a related incident, PLFI "area commander" Habil Munda surrendered before Khunti deputy commissioner Ronita R and Superintendent of Police Khunti, Manish Toppo. Habil Munda, a resident of Bamhani village under Murhu police station area, has over 20 cases related to rebel activities lodged against him in different police stations of Khunti district. The deputy commissioner presented a cheque of Rs 1 lakh, the reward amount, to Habil in the presence of his wife and his five-month-old son. SP Manish Toppo told reporters that at the time of surrender, Habil handed over to the police a 9mm pistol, a 7.65 mm pistol, a country-made handgun and 13 cartridges, besides two walkie-talkie sets. "He surrendered, taking advantage of the new rehabilitation and surrender policy of the Jharkhand government and continuous pressure exerted by security forces against extremist outfits," said Toppo. A special NIA court in Mumbai has denied poet Varavara Rao's request to relocate to Hyderabad in the Elgar Parishad case, citing its inability to alter Supreme Court-imposed bail conditions. Photograph: PTI Photo/Rediff Archives Key Points A special NIA court in Mumbai rejected Varavara Rao's plea to permanently relocate to Hyderabad due to restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court's bail conditions. Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, sought relocation citing advanced age, financial hardship, and the need for family support in Hyderabad. The NIA opposed the plea, arguing that the special court cannot modify bail conditions set by the Supreme Court. The court acknowledged Rao's health concerns but stated it lacked the authority to grant permanent relocation outside of Mumbai as per the Supreme Court's directives. The court distinguished Rao's case from Gautam Navlakha's relocation, noting that the High Court's decision was specific to Navlakha's circumstances and not a precedent. A special NIA court in Mumbai has refused permission to poet-activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to permanently relocate to his hometown Hyderabad, citing lack of authority to modify bail conditions set by the Supreme Court. Rao (85), in a plea, had sought permission from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court for relocating to his hometown on grounds of advanced age and financial hardship. His plea was rejected by special NIA court judge Chakor Baviskar on Monday (March 16). The activist was arrested on August 28, 2018, from his Hyderabad residence and is an undertrial in the case. The octogenarian is currently out on medical bail granted by the Supreme Court in 2022. Among others, the bail conditions mandate Rao to reside within the area of greater Mumbai and not leave the metropolis without prior permission of the NIA court. The activist, in his plea, contended both he and his wife were suffering from different diseases. "They (the couple) need consistent support, both emotional and mental, from their family members who live in Hyderabad," the plea said. Rao claimed that it would be easier for him to get medical treatment in Hyderabad as his daughter is married to a doctor and granddaughter is a medical professional. His plea maintained that it was harder for the activist to reside in Mumbai with a meagre income of about Rs 50,000. "He has to borrow from his children and it is affecting his dignity and self independence," the application stated. Court's Reasoning for Denying Relocation The NIA objected to the activist's plea, contending that the accused was seeking modification of the SC-imposed bail conditions, which was not permissible for a lower court to grant. Special Judge Baviskar held that he cannot accept the contention raised by the accused for a simple reason that the trial court "cannot travel beyond the Supreme Court". He noted that the SC's 2022 bail order allowed the trial court to grant Rao permission to travel outside Mumbai, but the consideration "must be temporary of sort". It does not empower the special court to allow Rao to leave its jurisdiction of this court permanently "for whatsoever reasons and however genuine from his point of view", the order observed. Rao's plea mentioned that the Bombay High Court in December last year allowed co-accused Gautam Navlakha to relocate to Delhi. On this, the special judge noted the HC clarified that its "order is passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances".... and shall not be treated as a precedent for extending similar relief to other accused persons". Thus, considering the HC's rider as well as the terms and conditions imposed by the SC, the special court cannot grant the relief sought by Rao, Judge Baviskar's order said. Background of the Elgar Parishad Case The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city. The Pune police, which probed the case initially, had claimed the conclave was organised by people with alleged Maoist links. An FIR was lodged by the Pune police on January 8, 2018 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA later took over the probe in the case, in which more than a dozen activists and academicians were arrested. Most of the accused are currently out on bail. A deadly mob attack in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, resulted in the death of a villager and injuries to several police officers after a police team attempted to arrest a wanted suspect, sparking a violent confrontation. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points A villager in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, died from gunshot wounds during a mob attack on a police team. Four police personnel, including a station house officer, sustained injuries in the violent clash. The police team had gone to arrest a man wanted in connection with two criminal cases when the mob formed. The mob reportedly pelted stones and opened fire on the police, who responded with aerial firing in self-defence. An investigation is underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the violence and the villager's death. A villager died of gunshot wounds, while four police personnel, including a station house officer, were injured after an angry mob attacked a team of law enforcers who had gone to a locality in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district to arrest a man wanted in two cases, an official statement said on Wednesday. The incident took place in Gaighat locality on Tuesday evening. The deceased has been identified as Veer Rai, a local who died of gunshot wounds. The injured personnel are Gaighat police station SHO Raja Singh, Additional SHO Manish Kumar and two Home Guards. Details of the Muzaffarpur Clash According to the statement issued by the district police, a police team, led by the SHO, went to Gaighat locality to arrest Bhikhari Rai, an accused wanted in two cases. Suddenly, a mob gathered and started pelting the policemen and the vehicles with stones and also opened fire at the law enforcers. "The stone-pelting and firing was so intense from the mob's side that it forced the police to fire in the air in self-defence. Somehow, the police personnel managed to escape from the spot... four policemen sustained injuries in the incident. All the injured policemen are undergoing treatment at a government hospital and their condition is out of danger," it said. A villager, identified as Veer Rai, died after suffering gunshot wounds, a senior police officer said, adding that the matter is being investigated and the accused will soon be arrested. He said the situation in the area is currently under control. Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over an incident in which he had tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament. IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi takes part in a protest with other opposition MPs at the Parliament premises over the reports of nationwide shortage of LPG gas cylinders, during the ongoing Budget Session, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: @INCIndia_X/ANI Photo Key Points BJP MP Kangana Ranaut accused Rahul Gandhi of inappropriate behaviour in Parliament. She alleged he 'heckles' people during interviews and behaves in a manner that makes women uncomfortable. Ranaut criticised Gandhi's conduct, comparing it to that of his sister and calling his behaviour 'a shame'. A group of 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter seeking an apology from Gandhi over a March 12 incident at Parliaments Makar Dwar. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged behaviour with fellow parliamentarians, accusing the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha of 'heckling' those giving interviews. Speaking to ANI, Ranaut said, "We, as women, feel very uncomfortable seeing the way he (Rahul Gandhi) conducts himself. He walks in like a 'tapori' and heckles those giving interviews. He should observe the conduct and behaviour of his sister, which is very good. Rahul Gandhi himself is a shame." Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over an incident in which he had tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament. Rahul criticised for 'sipping tea on the steps of Parliament' Led by former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S P Vaid, the signatories stated that the March 12 incident was 'deeply concerning' and reflected a 'conscious disregard for parliamentary authority'. Speaking to ANI, Vaid said that Rahul Gandhi's behaviour in Parliament is unbecoming of a Leader of the Opposition, a highly responsible position, and reflects a 'sense of entitlement and arrogance'. "Eighty-four former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and former lawyers have addressed this letter to the public, stating that Rahul Gandhi's behaviour in Parliament is not befitting of a Leader of the Opposition. His conduct shows a sense of entitlement and arrogance. He indulges in theatrics; he sits on the steps of Parliament and sips tea amid sloganeering. I think Rahul Gandhi does not understand the importance of the post of LoP," he said. He demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi, urging him to fulfil the role responsibly. "We want him to understand this and apologise to the nation for what has happened so far. Despite Speaker Om Birla appealing to him to maintain the dignity of the House, Rahul Gandhi has not responded appropriately. He has made a laughing stock of himself. We want him to fulfil the role of a responsible LoP. "There should be humility, not arrogance and a sense of entitlement. What happened on March 12 was deplorable. Rahul Gandhi must understand his responsibility because people listen when he speaks. The aspirations of the nation rest on the discussions that take place in Parliament and the laws that emerge from it," he added. The letter by the signatories stated that Parliament is not a venue for spectacle or political theatre, and that Rahul Gandhis conduct represents a clear disregard for established norms of behaviour and decorum. A 19-year-old woman's alleged suicide in Hyderabad has triggered a police investigation into claims of harassment by a young man, prompting her family to demand justice. Key Points A 19-year-old woman in Hyderabad has allegedly died by suicide. The woman's family alleges that harassment by a 21-year-old man drove her to take her own life. Police are investigating the harassment allegations and plan to arrest the accused. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death. A 19-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide here, following which her family has alleged that harassment by a youth drove her to take the extreme step. Police said the young woman, who completed X standard, was in love with a 21-year-old man, who visited her residence on Tuesday morning when the family members were not home. He informed her mother that she was not opening doors and they broke open the doors and found her hanging. They rushed her to the state-run Gandhi hospital, where the doctors declared her brought dead. The woman's family reached the police station on Wednesday and demanded the man's arrest. Police said the accused, who works in a book shop, would be arrested soon and the post mortem examination would also throw light on the cause of her death. HARBIN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Heilongjiang Province, dubbed the "grain barn" of China, has entered the peak season recently for the shipment of agricultural materials for the upcoming spring ploughing. China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd. granted priority for the transportation of seeds, fertilizers, agricultural machinery and accessories. The railway hub optimized the transportation organization and precisely allocated the transportation capacity to provide guarantees for the spring ploughing in the province. An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2026 shows the freight trains loaded with agricultural materials at Harbin South Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song) An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2026 shows a worker unloading fertilizers at the Suihua business department of Harbin Railway Logistics Center in Suihua, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song) A drone photo taken on March 17, 2026 shows a worker unloading fertilizers at the Suihua business department of Harbin Railway Logistics Center in Suihua, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song) A staff member issues dispatch commands to freight trains at the dispatch workshop of Harbin South Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Song) A worker unloads fertilizers at the Suihua business department of Harbin Railway Logistics Center in Suihua, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Song) A drone photo taken on March 17, 2026 shows the freight trains loaded with agricultural materials at Harbin South Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Wang Song) Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 68F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. VIENNA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday called for maximum restraint to prevent the risk of a nuclear accident after a projectile hit the premises of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on Tuesday evening. "The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening. No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported," the IAEA said in a social media post. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent the risk of a nuclear accident, the IAEA said. Earlier on Sunday, Grossi warned in an interview with the Russian daily newspaper Kommersant about extreme risks to the Bushehr nuclear plant, calling the situation around it his main concern amid the war in the Middle East. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 68F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. WASHINGTON -- Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has called for unity between the United States and its European allies as US President Donald Trump signals frustration with NATO members after several resisted his calls to help Washington during its military action in Iran. The dispute, driven by a deepening confrontation with Iran and rising global energy prices, is quickly becoming a broader test of transatlantic cohesion -- and of how the alliance responds to crises beyond its traditional scope. Trump voiced frustration on March 17 after most NATO allies reportedly declined requests to deploy naval assets, including minesweepers and escorts, to secure commercial shipping through the narrow waterway, which carries roughly one-fifth of global maritime energy supplies. Pevkur told RFE/RL that Tallinn is ready to discuss options with the United States and other allies, emphasizing that cooperation, not division, is critical. "We are ready to discuss what the options are to solve the situation in the Middle East and also to ensure free trade," he said in an interview in Washington on March 17. The Trump administration's push comes as Iran's blockade -- using mines, drones, and naval forces -- has effectively shut down the strait, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel and pushing US gasoline prices to their highest levels in months. Divisions on Capitol Hill The dispute also has put a spotlight on political divisions on Capitol Hill. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has backed the administration's position, warning that allies' reluctance could have "wide and deep" consequences for both Europe and the United States. He described the situation as deeply frustrating and said it raises broader questions about the reliability of alliances in moments of crisis. Democrats, however, urged a more cautious approach. Senator Dick Durbin told RFE/RL that while NATO -- established in 1949 to collectively defend against the Soviet Union, of which Estonia was once a part of -- is being tested, it remains indispensable. "We need to embrace our allies and build on our friendship," he said. "We don't need to find ways to divide us." In key European capitals, many have made clear they won't participate in efforts to reopen the strait while active hostilities continue. French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would "never" take part in such operations under the current conditions, emphasizing that France is not a party to the conflict. But at the same time, he indicated France and other European countries could contribute to escorting commercial shipping once the situation "has calmed down." Germany has taken a similarly cautious position. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed that the crisis cannot be resolved through military means alone, reflecting broader European concerns about escalation and long-term entanglement. Behind the reluctance is also a practical concern: that European navies could become responsible for a prolonged security mission in the Gulf, effectively policing the strait after the immediate crisis subsides. While Western Europe hesitates, some allies on NATO's eastern flank are signaling a more open approach. Pevkur framed the crisis not only as a security issue but as a global economic one. "The situation in the Middle East affects oil, gas, fertilizers -- everything," he said, noting that rising costs will impact farmers, industries, and consumers worldwide. "At the end of the day, this affects every citizen." He repeatedly stressed that unity within NATO is essential, warning divisions would benefit Russia, especially in its war against Ukraine, which has for more than four years depended on the support of Europe, the United States, and other Western allies to try to keep Moscow at bay. "This is the time to build bridges, and we cannot lose our unity," he said. "Russia has always wanted to divide us." According to Pevkur, rising energy prices linked to the Hormuz crisis will strengthen Moscow's position against Ukraine beyond the economic benefits of increased revenues from oil sales. "When they see cracks in our unity, they are only winning," he said. "When one ally is asking for support, allies should come together and see what we can do," he said. He also stressed the importance of continued vigilance toward Russia, even as attention shifts to the Middle East. "The threat is always there," he said, adding that while a full-scale war with NATO is unlikely, allies must remain alert and maintain close cooperation. A Coalition Problem, Not Just a Policy Dispute Veteran US diplomat Daniel Fried said the current impasse between Washington and NATO reflects both shifting European positions and the difficulty of assembling a coalition for a complex, fast-moving crisis. Speaking to RFE/RL, Fried, a former assistant secretary of state whose career spanned seven US administrations, said European governments had initially signaled an openness to limited military involvement. He pointed to a March 1 statement by Britain, France, and Germany indicating they would consider supporting defensive actions against Iran, including countering missile and drone attacks -- a position he described as relatively forward-leaning. Since then, however, several countries have ruled out participating in naval operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting what Fried called a degree of movement "back and forth" in Europe's stance. At the same time, he said the situation is not fixed. "It's not clear to me that the Europeans are completely opposed," Fried said, noting that some countries -- including Estonia and potentially others -- have signaled openness to discussions about possible contributions. He said European reluctance reflects a combination of political, strategic, and practical considerations, including the risks of escalation, public opinion at home, and uncertainty about the scope and duration of any mission. Even so, Fried argued that European interests are directly engaged, arguing it is "in everybody's interest" to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and defend Gulf states against Iranian attacks, particularly given earlier European signals of willingness to take on a role in the region. He suggested European governments could still look for ways to contribute, particularly in defensive roles or limited missions consistent with their earlier positions. Fried also stressed that any such effort would not formally be a NATO operation. Without invoking Article 5, he said, the more likely framework would be a "coalition of the willing," with individual countries participating on a voluntary basis rather than through the alliance as a whole. "I think they ought to see what's possible and what they could do," he said. Iran threatened to attack energy facilities throughout the Persian Gulf region after announcing that its massive South Pars gas field was hit on March 18 in the first reported strike on the country's Gulf infrastructure since the US and Israel began a bombardment campaign on the last day of February. Hours after Iran vowed to retaliate, Qatar reported a fire at its main gas hub, Ras Laffan, after an alleged Iranian missile attack, with emergency crews deployed to contain the blaze and state giant QatarEnergy reporting "extensive damage." Qatar demanded that Iran's military and security attaches and their staffs leave the country within 24 hours. Saudi Arabia said it had destroyed four ballistic missiles headed toward Riyadh, and reported an attempted drone attack on a gas facility in the east. Fragments of one of the missiles fell near a refinery south of the capital, the Saudi Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile, Iran confirmed the death of its intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, a day after it acknowledged that two other senior figures had been killed. In Washington, the top US intelligence official said Irans government "appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury, the US name for its military operation. Even so, Iran and its proxies remain capable of and continue to attack US and allied interests in the Middle East," US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a Senate hearing. "If a hostile regime survives, it will seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its missiles and UAV (drone) forces. South Pars is the Iranian part of the world's largest natural gas deposit, which the country shares with Qatar, across the Gulf. "A spokesman for Irans central command said Tehran would severely strike the origin of this aggression, calling it legitimate to hit the attackers fuel, energy, and gas infrastructure. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari described the targeting of facilities linked to South Pars as a dangerous and irresponsible step, warning that attacks on energy infrastructure threaten global energy security, regional stability, and the environment. Qatar blamed Israel for the attack, which was also criticized by the United Arab Emirates. Global oil prices -- which have risen as a result of the war and Iran's virtual blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for Gulf oil -- increased after news of the strike, which increased concerns about dangers to energy infrastructure in the region as the conflict persists. The attack...indicates Israels willingness to hit aspects of Irans energy infrastructure, and then of course Irans willingness to retaliate against other energy targets," Gregory Brew, a historian of Iranian oil and a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. It's unclear if "Israel is going to start targeting energy infrastructure more broadly -- this could be a warning shot, a prelude to a more significant campaign. Its also unclear if Irans retaliation against [Gulf] energy targets is going to be significant enough to deter additional attacks, given that its capabilities have been degraded," he said. "So we will have to wait and see but this does suggest that without de-escalation , likely led by President Trump, this war is going to continue and could very well escalate to a point where energy becomes a more prominent target," Brew said. Trump asserted on March 17 that the US campaign "will be over in a week or two and it won't take long." He did not provide a more specific time frame, but added that "everything is moving very quickly" and that "we are well ahead of schedule." Gabbard's appearance at the Senate left questions about the state of Iran's nuclear program. Her prepared remarks said that Tehran's enrichment capability had been destroyed in US-Israeli strikes last June and that the US had not seen efforts to rebuild, while her oral testimony suggested Iran was attempting to recover from damage. Intelligence chief Khatib was the latest in a growing number of senior Iranian figures who have been killed since the longtime supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, died on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli campaign. His son, Ayatollah Mojtabi Khamenei, has not been seen in public since he was named as the new supreme leader. Acknowledging Khatib's demise in an X post on March 18, which also named the head of Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, and the country's defense minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, who died in earlier attacks, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian said that their "cowardly assassination" had "left us in mourning." Early on March 18, a barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people in Israel, near Tel Aviv, as Tehran vowed revenge for the assassination of Larijani. Tehran said the overnight attacks, which brought the war's death toll in Israel to at least 14, were to "honor" Larijani's death. A statement read by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on state television said the attacks used Khoramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, both of which carry multiple warheads. Israel has accused Iran of repeatedly using cluster munitions, which split into several smaller bombs midflight and spread over a wide area, making them difficult to intercept. Iranian media on March 18 reported strikes in Lorestan Province and Hamedan city, both in the west of Iran, as well as the southern Fars Province. Israel also intensified its strikes on targets that it said are related to Iranian-backed Hezbollah -- which the United States and Israel have deemed a terrorist organization -- in Lebanon. Several people were reported dead in the attacks, which are bolstering concerns that the conflict could be widen throughout the Middle East. Meanwhile, Rosatom, the Russian operator of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in western Iran, said a projectile hit an area near the facility on March 17, though no damage or injuries or release of radiation were reported. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated the IAEA's "call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident," the nuclear watchdog said in a post on X. Russian-built Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, is Iran's sole nuclear power plant; it is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the IAEA. Russia has evacuated some staff, but hundreds remain. Several explosions were also heard in Jerusalem on March 18, following the Israeli military's announcement that it had detected a new wave of missiles fired from Iran. Larijani was killed along with his son Morteza, his deputy Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards, the Secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement late on March 17. Larijani was secretary of the council and one of the most powerful figures in Iran following Ali Khamenei's killing. Separately, the IRGC confirmed the death of Qolamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's paramilitary Basij force, giving few details. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had said Soleimani and Larijani were killed in the same series of strikes on March 16. Khatib was killed in a targeted strike on Tehran, the IDF said. "Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protesters," it said in a statement published on Telegram. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defense Ministry had previously authorized the Israeli military to target any senior Iranian official without requiring additional approval. The US-Israeli offensive against Iran has shown no signs of letting up, and air raid sirens were heard in several locations around the Middle East on March 18. Several loud explosions were heard in Dubai early in the day as officials in the United Arab Emirates said the country's air defense systems had intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones launched by Iran on March 18. According to Emirati officials, more 2,000 drones and missiles have been fired at the country by Iran since the start of the war. Trump said on March 17 that the United States had been informed by most of its NATO allies that they don't want to get involved with the country's military operation in Iran. Trump had called for help securing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively shut down with attacks on vessels and threats of more. Some countries had said they'd consider such a move, but many others rejected getting involved. A senior official of the United Arab Emirates said the country is considering joining the US naval initiative. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said negotiations are continuing in this regard, but a final decision has not yet been made, and emphasized that ensuring trade and energy security is the shared responsibility of major countries. Iran's targeting of crude oil and gas producing nations around the Gulf has pushed energy prices up sharply in many countries. With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda and Reuters Iran has launched more strikes at Israel in retaliation for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani, confirmed on March 17, targeting Tel Aviv with numerous missiles. At least two people were killed, according to Israeli officials, bringing the death toll in Israel to at least 14. In Iran, meanwhile, more than 3,000 people have died since US-Israeli air strikes began on February 28, according to rights group HRANA. Emergency workers from the Iranian Red Crescent Society search for survivors trapped under the rubble following ongoing US-Israeli air strikes on Iran. Daily attacks on Tehran have left rescue teams scrambling to deal with the deadly aftermath. Iran has responded with attacks across the region, including on civilian areas. BAGHDAD, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry announced on Wednesday the resumption of crude oil exports from Iraq's northern Kirkuk oil fields to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, ending a suspension that had constrained the country's energy transit capabilities. A ministry statement said that Iraq's North Oil Company has commenced operations at the Saralo pumping station, signaling the resumption of Kirkuk oil exports to Ceyhan with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. This operational breakthrough follows an agreement between Iraq's federal government and Kurdistan Region Government (KRG), contributing to the reactivation of one of the most prominent strategic export outlets and enhancing the flexibility of Iraq's oil export system, it said. "Given the extraordinary circumstances facing the country, and the responsibility we all share to get through this difficult chapter, we have decided to allow oil to flow through the Kurdistan Region's pipeline as soon as possible," Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the KRG, said on social media platform X. A district court in Warsaw has approved a Ukrainian request to extradite Russian archaeologist Aleksandr Butyagin, a prominent scholar accused by Kyiv of illegally conducting excavations in annexed Crimea and damaging cultural heritage sites. The court recognized "the full admissibility" of Ukraine's request, which followed Butyagins arrest in December 2025. Butyagin's lawyer said he would appeal the decision, which Russia's Foreign Ministry called political. The 54-year-old archaeologist will remain in custody in Poland during any appeal. Butyagin was detained in Warsaw while traveling from the Netherlands, where he had been delivering lectures, based on an international warrant issued by Ukrainian authorities. According to prosecutors, Ukraine accuses him of damaging a cultural heritage site during archaeological work in Crimea, causing losses estimated at more than 200 million hryvnyas (about $4.8 million). If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. The charges stem from excavations carried out after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukraine considers such work illegal without its authorization, arguing it violates both domestic law and international conventions on protecting cultural heritage in occupied territories. Butyagin is a senior researcher at the prestigious State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and he has led archaeological expeditions in Crimea for decades, including at the ancient Greek site of Mirmekion near Kerch. His work has earned academic recognition but also placed him at the center of disputes over research conducted in Crimea under Russian control. Ukrainian authorities say such excavations constitute unauthorized interference in protected cultural sites. Russian Protests Russias Foreign Ministry has condemned Butyagin's arrest, calling the charges absurd and politically motivated. In January, the ministry summoned Polands ambassador to Moscow to lodge a protest, describing Butyagin as a world-renowned archaeologist whose work adheres to international academic standards. Russian officials also noted that he had traveled to other European countries without incident, suggesting his detention in Poland was selective. Moscow has framed the case as part of broader tensions with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of targeting Russian scholars for what it describes as purely scientific work. Polish authorities have not publicly commented in detail on the case, beyond confirming that the arrest and court proceedings were conducted in accordance with legal procedures and international obligations. Poland, a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, has consistently backed Kyivs territorial claims. Under international law, including the Hague Convention, unauthorized archaeological work in occupied territories is prohibited unless required for preservation or documentation. Ukraine and much of the international community consider Crimea to be occupied following its annexation by Russia in 2014. Ukrainian officials have also reported the removal of archaeological artifacts from Crimea to Russia, raising further concerns about potential violations of international law. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Current Time, and RIA Novosti High oil prices? Check. Fewer US weapons for Kyiv? Check. Washington distracted from the ongoing war on Ukraine? Check. Europe nervous about energy costs? Check. Tensions in the West? Check. Nearly three weeks into the furious campaign of US and Israeli air strikes, the Tehran government -- Russia's closest partner in the Middle East -- is being shoved toward collapse, regional politics have been scrambled, and Moscow has been left watching, largely helplessly, from the sidelines. The Kremlin isn't entirely unhappy, though. "I do think that it complicates the security and the economic picture for Europe. And it distracts [US President Donald] Trump from Ukraine, and all of that will feel like it gives a lot of extra room to Moscow," said Sam Greene, a longtime Russia expert and professor of Russian politics at King's College London. European policymakers "might begin to shift their willingness to support Ukraine and to maintain their stance on Russia," he told RFE/RL. "It's that sort of thing that blows wind into [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's sails." In the Kremlin's calculus about the fallout from the war on Iran, oil prices are a key variable. Exports of oil and gas have fueled, and funded, Russia's all-out war on Ukraine, now in its fifth year. Western sanctions have chipped away at those revenues, in part because of a "price cap" that essentially limits how much money Moscow can garner. Undermining Unity But the Iran war has now sent oil prices soaring, which means more money for Moscow and the war on Ukraine. That's a welcome development for Putin, given that the Russian economy is sputtering and may be slipping into recession. "High energy prices may not just provide a lifeline when Russia's economy was already under increased strain of sanctions and the high costs of the war, it is also starting to undermine the unity of the countries supporting Ukraine," said Katja Bego, a senior research fellow in Chatham House's Europe Program. "If the energy crisis in the Middle East persists and further deepens, we are likely to see more European leaders start to make such calls, and it will no longer just be countries like Hungary and Slovakia breaking rank," she said. Additionally, with Americans grumbling about high gasoline prices, the Trump administration issued a sanctions waiver allowing buyers to purchase some Russian oil already in tankers scattered around the world. "Moscow's ideal scenario for a Middle East war is not a swift victory or a catastrophic escalation, but a conflict of moderate duration and intensity that keeps oil prices high without significantly disrupting the global economy," Aleksandra Prokopenko, a former Russian Central Bank adviser, said in a post to X. "The beneficiary of this war is Putin, filling up his coffers with oil dollarsand the reduction in support being given to Ukraine," Richard Shirreff, a former British general and ex-NATO deputy commander, told CNN this week. Europe and Canada "must absolutely double downincreasing support for Ukraine." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the decision to grant a waiver for Russian oil, arguing the measure was "narrowly tailored" and would "not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government." "The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long term," Bessent said in the statement posted to X. The White House declined to comment. 'There's Always A Danger That Eventually You Piss Off Washington' A major reason why Ukraine has been able to defend itself against a larger Russian military is Western weaponry. Above all, that's Washington, which has supplied, among other things, air-defense systems to help Kyiv down Russian missiles and drones. Across the Middle East, the United States and Israel -- not to mention US allies like Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates -- have been trying to keep pace with Iran's retaliation, firing scores of their own anti-missile and anti-drone weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Persian Gulf nations had fired more than 800 American-made Patriot missiles in three days alone. The more US stockpiles are depleted, the fewer weapons there are for Ukraine. That's bad for Kyiv and good for Moscow, which continues to pummel Ukraine frontline positions, civilian apartment buildings, electricity grid, and power plants, leaving Kyiv struggling to keep up its defenses. "For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus," Zelenskyy said in an interview with the BBC. "In addition to energy prices, it means the depletion of US reserves and the depletion of air defense manufacturers. So we [Ukraine] have a depletion of resources." Ukraine has also struggled to keep US-backed peace negotiations from tilting too far to Russia's advantage. After multiple rounds, the talks have now sputtered to a halt. Last week, one of the Kremlin's main envoys, Kirill Dmitriev, flew to Florida to meet with the US officials overseeing the Ukraine peace talks: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev later described the talks as "productive." Two days later, the US Treasury Department issued its sanctions waiver on Russian oil. If the Trump administration were distracted by the Iran war, Greene said, that could open a greater role for Europe, which on the whole is seen as more supportive of Ukraine. "I think that that does make Moscow nervous, but at the same time, [the Russians] have been walking this very fine line of trying to stay engaged with the negotiating process without actually giving anything up," he said. "And there's always a danger that eventually you piss off Washington." 'Influence In Decline' The biggest negative variable in the Kremlin's Iran war calculus is the loss of clout in the region, experts said. Moscow was already smarting from the December 2024 collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, where Russia invested decades of resources to build up its military presence. Then this January, US forces swooped into Caracas, and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro -- another ally of Moscow. "This is yet another case of the Kremlin failing to truly support its ally in its hour of need, and [showing] itself largely impotent," Bego said. "It is also yet another regime aligned with the Kremlin finding itself under potentially existential strain." "Russian influence in [the Middle East] appears to be in a steady, and for the foreseeable future, decline," said Maria Engqvist, director of the Russia and Eurasia studies program at the Swedish Defense Research Agency. "For now, Moscow has very limited possibilities to manage this and can't do much about it." Russia has not entirely abandoned Tehran; reportedly Moscow is providing intelligence, and possibly sensitive targeting information, which has helped Iran hit things like the CIA station in Riyadh. "Both cases, Venezuela and Iran, highlight the practical difficulties that the Russian leadership have to implement their own strategic ambitions," Engqvist said. "This is likely to erode the confidence of [Moscow's partners] in Russia as a provider of anything that may be useful to them and their respective relationships." BEIRUT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people were killed and an unspecified number wounded in Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple areas in southern and eastern Lebanon during the early hours of Wednesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said. A Lebanese security source and a Civil Defense source told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes carried out more than 100 airstrikes overnight and into the morning, hitting areas in southern and eastern Lebanon. Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that the strikes targeted several southern areas, particularly the city of Tyre and its surroundings, as well as towns in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun, Nabatieh, and Hasbaya. Some locations also came under artillery shelling. In response, Hezbollah said that it had carried out rocket and drone attacks on various Israeli military targets, including sites near Tiberias and areas in northern Israel. Hezbollah entered the confrontation on March 2, launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024, prompting Israel to intensify military operations targeting multiple areas across Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut at dawn on Wednesday reportedly killed 10 people and injured 27, the ministry said. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and also the World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS, on Wednesday called for international support and participation in global TB prevention and treatment. In a written statement to a virtual event commemorating the WHO World TB Day 2026, Peng said that it is of great significance that the WHO is hosting this virtual event to hold discussions under the theme "Led by countries, powered by people," as it will facilitate joint actions among the international community against TB as a public health challenge. Peng said that with a firm commitment to the mission of protecting people's health and the goal of ending the TB epidemic, the WHO has done a great deal of effective work, and reversed the recent upward trend in global TB cases. Always placing great importance on preventing and treating TB, the Chinese government has coordinated government departments to implement response measures, and facilitated rapid technical and operational progress through scientific and technological innovation, enabling new advances in China's TB response, Peng said. Peng pointed out that China's healthcare network, covering 1.4 billion-plus urban and rural residents, has effectively improved access to TB prevention and treatment services, contributing to a sustained decline in TB incidence, and positioning China as a country with moderate to low TB prevalence. Peng said this year marks the 15th year of China's large-scale volunteer campaign to raise awareness for TB prevention and control. Over the past 15 years, more than 1 million volunteers have participated in this campaign, carrying out over 80,000 programs, she added. "I have been joining many of them on visits to local neighborhoods, schools and healthcare facilities, and I am a proud witness of their compassion, commitment and contribution, as well as the progress in China's fight against TB," Peng said. Peng called on people from all walks of life in all countries to act, to support and to participate in global efforts against TB. "Let us share with each other warmth and care, and build together confidence and hope. Let us work for progress in TB response to the benefit of all humanity, and join hands to build a community of health for all," she said. Ballinlough National School has made national history by becoming the first school in Ireland to be formally recognised as a FASD Aware School, following the successful completion of the FASD in the Classroom training programme by its entire staff team. Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a complex and challenging neurodevelopmental condition that affects up to 7.4% of the population. With impacts on learning, behaviour, emotional regulation, and daily functioning, FASD is often misunderstood or overlooked. By undertaking this comprehensive training, Ballinlough National School has taken a pioneering step to ensure students living with FASD and those with similar support needs receive informed, compassionate, and effective educational support. The whole staff training, delivered by FASD Ireland, provides educators with practical tools and strategies to recognise the symptoms of FASD, adapt classroom environments, and create learning approaches that reduce stress and enable children to thrive. Ballinlough National Schools commitment marks the first time an Irish school has achieved official FASD Aware School status, setting a new benchmark for inclusive and trauma informed education nationwide. Principal of Ballinlough National School Tara Jordan explained that FASD in the Classroom training has had a direct and meaningful impact on teaching and learning at Ballinlough National School. Staff are now more aware, informed and attuned to the diverse needs of children living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in our care. The training we received from FASD Ireland has empowered all team members to confidently manage the complexities associated with FASD in the classroom, on yard or on the bus, ensuring consistent and supportive responses throughout the school day. The principal went on to say: This learning supports not only the children who have been diagnosed with FASD but also those who may remain undiagnosed. By strengthening our understanding and practice for one child through training of any kind, we benefit all learners in our school. Tristan Casson Rennie, CEO of FASD Ireland, praised the schools leadership and vision: Ballinlough National School is leading the way. Their entire staff team from the principal to school bus driver have demonstrated a deep commitment to inclusion and to understanding the unique needs of children with FASD. We hope many more schools will follow their example, so that every child across Ireland can benefit from informed, compassionate teaching. Allies on a mission: the experience of French soldiers in Romania. On NATO's Eastern Flank, allied and Romanian soldiers work together every day, in multinational commands and drills that strengthen security in the region. Foto: Multinational Division South-East Agentia Media a Armatei, 18.03.2026, 14:00 On NATOs Eastern Flank, allied and Romanian soldiers work together every day, in multinational commands and drills that contribute to strengthening security in the region. French soldiers are also deployed in Bucharest, involved in the field of communications and IT, an essential field for cooperation between allied structures. One of them is Sergeant Melvin, with the French National Support Element, a network manager responsible for ensuring communications between French forces and other allied structures deployed in Romania. My mission here, in Bucharest, as a network manager, is to ensure and support intercommunication between French forces and other troops in Romania, he says. Sergeant Melvin has already participated in several international missions and says that the experiences in different regions of the world are very different: I have had other missions. I have been to Chad twice, in Africa, and also twice in Poland. It is different, because it is not the same climate. I think I prefer to be in Central Europe, because my missions in Poland and here allowed me to meet many people from the allies. In Africa I worked mainly with French forces, Sergeant Melvin said. In multinational missions, cooperation between soldiers also involves adapting to different ways of working. Sergeant Melvin also told us what cooperation with allied soldiers means in practice. We share the same technical base. I worked with soldiers from the 45th Communications and Informatics Battalion in Poland, we use the same system, but in different ways. It was very nice to share our working methods and develop new skills, he said Captain Maxime, from the brigade-level Forward Command Element, also works in the same multinational structure, advising the allied command in the field of communications and information technology: My mission is to provide advice and assessments to the brigade-level Forward Command Element commander in the field of communications and information technology, in order to improve the daily working conditions in Bucharest, during international exercises with multinational divisions. As part of our missions, we work in close collaboration with our allies, the Romanians and the British. Beyond military activity, the time spent in Romania also gave them the opportunity to discover local places, tastes and traditions: We had time to visit the Palace of Parliament, we will also see Ceausescus house. We also visited the new cathedral in December. We tasted traditional food, bean soup, mici and papanasi. Captain Maxime told us what he thinks about our country: Romania is a very beautiful country, which has known how to preserve its culture and all its diversity over the centuries, and this seems to me rare in different countries. It is truly beautiful to find all these traditions here, combined with modernity. Experiences that show that, beyond joint exercises and missions, cooperation between allies also means the meeting of people, cultures and traditions here, on the Eastern Flank of the Alliance. (EE) March 18, 2026 A roundup of local and world news Newsflash Newsroom, 18.03.2026, 13:55 MEMORANDUM Romania has concluded a memorandum of understanding with China on cooperation in the field of agriculture. The aforementioned document is setting the framework for cooperation in fields such as food security, investment, the processing of agrifood produce, research and innovation as well as the exchange of modern technologies, opening a series of opportunities of accessing foreign markets. Romanias Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has announced on a social network the completion of technical details for three sectoral protocols on the export of heat-treated chicken meat, dairy products and fish. He also said that talks on extending the exports of cereals and pork products are in an advanced stage. The memorandum is valid for five years and can be extended. TALKS Romanias President Nicusor Dan will be having talks with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. According to the presidential administration in Bucharest, the agenda will include the latest developments in the international security context and in the Eastern Flank with emphasis on the Black Sea region. Also high on the agenda are measures of consolidating deterrence and the collective defence as well as increasing Romanias security within and with NATOs support. President Dan is expected to highlight the importance of the transatlantic relationship reconfirming Romanias role as a staunch ally involved in the regional security and stability the same sources say. Nicusor Dan will recall that Romania is meeting the commitments assumed at the NATO summit in the Hague on raising expenses in the defence sector and will highlight the multi-dimensional assistance for Ukraine, after the Russian invasion. At the same time, the head of the Romanian state will recall the need for strengthening NATO support for partner countries, especially for the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, a country, which has seen a series of hybrid actions mounted by Moscow. FUEL Romanias Energy Minister, Bogdan Ivan, says that Romania has enough fuel stored and there will not be disruptions in the supply chain that may lead to uncontrolled spikes in fuel prices against the background of the Middle East crisis. He added that the ministry he heads has worked on a law, which would enable the government to instate a fuel crisis situation, so that it may intervene on the market when needed. The minister has recalled an agreement in principle in the ruling coalition under which the government could intervene on the fuel market and make moves to prevent any price hikes if the international situation worsened. BUDGET Romanias MPs from the budget-finance Parliament committees have today resumed debates on the law of the state budget this year. A final report is expected to be completed at the end of the talks which will be submitted to the Legislature in the afternoon. On Tuesday, the ruling PSD party managed, with support from the populist AUR, to impose several amendments, which change some of the figures, a move that triggered discontent in their coalition partners, PNL. One of the amendments is focusing on granting support to retired servicemen from the army and the Interior Ministry with small incomes. The funds identified by the Social-Democrats would come from the rising fuel prices and the recovery of the budget debts of some companies. The Liberal Finance Minister, Alexandru Nazare, has pointed out that these funding sources are uncertain and there is actually no money for the PSD amendments. IRAN Romanias Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu on Wednesday said there are no direct threats from Iran and the Romanians can feel safe again. According to the minister, the talks between the press and the spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry didnt have as answer the idea of military retaliation. They explicitly referred to consequences of political or legal nature, which translates into a further round of talks within the United Nations Organisation, Oana Toiu went on to say. She said the Romanian ambassador to Iran went back home but there is still Romanian diplomatic personnel in that country to stay close to the Romanians there. We recall that the Foreign Ministry says that Romania is not part of the Middle East conflict after Iran said that Bucharest might respond legally and politically for having allowed the United States to use bases on its territory for operations against Iran. NADIA Romanias greatest gymnastic champion, Nadia Comaneci, was celebrated in Brussels on the occasion of marking 50 years since she was awarded the first ever perfect 10 in the history of gymnastics at the Montreal Olympics. On this occasion, Nadia said that her participation in the conference entitled European Values and Excellence, The legacy of Nadia Comaneci, 50 years on was for her as if she were competing on a fifth gymnastics apparatus. In Brussels, Nadia was accompanied by the president of the Romanian Olympic Committee, Mihai Covaliu, and by other great Romanian athletes as well as by a group of young gymnastics talents from the CSM Onesti sports club, in eastern Romania. (bill) March 18, 2026 UPDATE A roundup of domestic and international news March 18, 2026 UPDATE Newsroom, 18.03.2026, 18:00 Talks. Romanias President Nicusor Dan will be having talks with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. According to the presidential administration in Bucharest, the agenda will include the latest developments in the international security context and in the Eastern Flank with emphasis on the Black Sea region. Also high on the agenda are measures of consolidating deterrence and the collective defence as well as increasing Romanias security within and with NATOs support. President Dan is expected to highlight the importance of the transatlantic relationship reconfirming Romanias role as a staunch ally involved in the regional security and stability the same sources say. Nicusor Dan will recall that Romania is meeting the commitments assumed at the NATO summit in the Hague on raising expenses in the defence sector and will highlight the multi-dimensional assistance for Ukraine, after the Russian invasion. At the same time, the head of the Romanian state will recall the need for strengthening NATO support for partner countries, especially for the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, a country, which has seen a series of hybrid actions mounted by Moscow. Finances. There is no risk that the governments current payments of pensions and salaries will be suspended, Romanian Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare has assured the public. This statement comes amid reports that, at recent meetings, the ministry has rejected all loan offers submitted by commercial banks. Nazare explained the decision by citing the worsening of financing conditions following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. The finance minister also said that the 4.7 billion euros the government borrowed from foreign markets three days before the conflict began covers approximately half of the external financing needed for 2026. Romania uses the money it obtains from banks, through bonds and treasury bills, to finance the deficit and cover current expenditures when it does not collect enough from taxes and duties. Fuel. Romanias Energy Minister, Bogdan Ivan, says that Romania has enough fuel stored and there will not be disruptions in the supply chain that may lead to uncontrolled spikes in fuel prices against the background of the Middle East crisis. He added that the ministry he heads has worked on a law, which would enable the government to instate a fuel crisis situation, so that it may intervene on the market when needed. The minister has recalled an agreement in principle in the ruling coalition under which the government could intervene on the fuel market and make moves to prevent any price hikes if the international situation worsened. Budget. Romanias MPs from the budget-finance Parliament committees have today resumed debates on the law of the state budget this year. A final report is expected to be completed at the end of the talks which will be submitted to the Legislature in the afternoon. On Tuesday, the ruling PSD party managed, with support from the populist AUR, to impose several amendments, which change some of the figures, a move that triggered discontent in their coalition partners, PNL. One of the amendments is focusing on granting support to retired servicemen from the army and the Interior Ministry with small incomes. The funds identified by the Social-Democrats would come from the rising fuel prices and the recovery of the budget debts of some companies. The Liberal Finance Minister, Alexandru Nazare, has pointed out that these funding sources are uncertain and there is actually no money for the PSD amendments. Iran. Romanias Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu on Wednesday said there are no direct threats from Iran and the Romanians can feel safe again. According to the minister, the talks between the press and the spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry didnt have as answer the idea of military retaliation. They explicitly referred to consequences of political or legal nature, which translates into a further round of talks within the United Nations Organisation, Oana Toiu went on to say. She said the Romanian ambassador to Iran went back home but there is still Romanian diplomatic personnel in that country to stay close to the Romanians there. We recall that the Foreign Ministry says that Romania is not part of the Middle East conflict after Iran said that Bucharest might respond legally and politically for having allowed the United States to use bases on its territory for operations against Iran. Program. The Polytechnic University of Timisoara has launched, as a national first, a degree program in drones and applied computer science in the field of aeronautics. The new specialization will be taught in English and aims to train engineers capable of designing and operating drones and autonomous aerial systems using modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. University representatives say that the establishment of this program is part of a broader strategy to transform Timisoara (in western Romania) into a regional hub for technological innovation. Memorandum. Romania has concluded a memorandum of understanding with China on cooperation in the field of agriculture. The aforementioned document is setting the framework for cooperation in fields such as food security, investment, the processing of agrifood produce, research and innovation as well as the exchange of modern technologies, opening a series of opportunities of accessing foreign markets. Romanias Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has announced on a social network the completion of technical details for three sectoral protocols on the export of heat-treated chicken meat, dairy products and fish. He also said that talks on extending the exports of cereals and pork products are in an advanced stage. The memorandum is valid for five years and can be extended. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Brunei government has taken steps to ease procedures for investors and businesses operating in the country, a government minister said on Tuesday. Speaking at a Legislative Council meeting, Haji Ahmaddin Haji Abdul Rahman, minister of home affairs, said the measures are aimed at improving the ease of doing business and encouraging foreign investment. Among the initiatives introduced is the issuance of long-term passes and a more efficient work process. Under the new arrangement, visas can be issued immediately after foreign worker licences have been approved. The minister added foreigners intending to invest in Brunei are eligible for a professional visit visa or a pass valid for up to 12 months, subject to a recommendation from the Brunei Economic Development Board. In addition, the government has introduced an electronic gate system at Brunei International Airport to facilitate smoother entry and exit procedures. As of March 5, 2026, approximately 39,490 visitors have utilized the e-gate system, reflecting growing adoption of the automated immigration service. March 18, UPDATE (I) The latest from domestic and world news March 18, UPDATE (I) Newsroom, 18.03.2026, 20:00 Budget. Parliamentary debates on the 2026 budget bill were suspended on Wednesday evening, with no date set for their resumption. The discussions took place in a tense atmosphere. Throughout the day, there were numerous moments when deputies and senators exchanged sharp remarks and accusations. The disagreements stemmed mainly from amendments proposed by the PSD, which insists on including aid for vulnerable groups amounting to 1.1 billion lei in this years solidarity package. In the end, no solution was found to break the deadlock. Consequently, proceedings were suspended until the leaders of the governing coalition reach a consensus. In a statement, the PSD says that it will see through the proposed measures for children with disabilities and pensioners and that it will not yield to the blackmail of the new USR-PNL-AUR-POT majority, created ad hoc in Parliament. On the other hand, the USR and PNL are calling on their coalition partners in the PSD to drop the threat of blocking the vote on the state budget law and to act in the interest of citizens, because otherwise Romania will enter a functional vacuum. From the opposition, AUR insists that the pension law be applied uniformly and says it will not vote for aid. The Bucharest press describes as a failure of the four-party governmentdeclared pro-Western, comprising PSD-PNL-USR-UDMRthe fact that Romania entered the second half of March without a state budget for 2026. Finances. There is no risk that the governments current payments of pensions and salaries will be suspended, Romanian Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare has assured the public. This statement comes amid reports that, at recent meetings, the ministry has rejected all loan offers submitted by commercial banks. Nazare explained the decision by citing the worsening of financing conditions following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. The finance minister also said that the 4.7 billion euros the government borrowed from foreign markets three days before the conflict began covers approximately half of the external financing needed for 2026. Romania uses the money it obtains from banks, through bonds and treasury bills, to finance the deficit and cover current expenditures when it does not collect enough from taxes and duties. Talks. Romanias President Nicusor Dan will have talks with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. According to the presidential administration in Bucharest, the agenda will include the latest developments in the international security context and in the Eastern Flank with emphasis on the Black Sea region. Also high on the agenda are measures of consolidating deterrence and the collective defense as well as increasing Romanias security within and with NATOs support. President Dan is expected to highlight the importance of the transatlantic relationship reconfirming Romanias role as a staunch ally involved in the regional security and stability the same sources say. Nicusor Dan will recall that Romania is meeting the commitments assumed at the NATO summit in the Hague on raising expenses in the defense sector and will highlight the multi-dimensional assistance for Ukraine, after the Russian invasion. At the same time, the head of the Romanian state will reiterate the need for strengthening NATO support for partner countries, especially for the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, a country, which has seen a series of hybrid actions mounted by Moscow. Iran. Romanias Foreign Minister Oana Toiu has stated there are no direct threats from Iran and the Romanians can feel safe again. According to the minister, the talks between the press and the spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry didnt end with the idea of military retaliation. They explicitly referred to consequences of political or legal nature, which translates into a further round of talks within the United Nations Organization, Oana Toiu went on to say. She said the Romanian ambassador to Iran went back home but there is still Romanian diplomatic personnel in that country to stay close to the Romanians there. We recall that the Foreign Ministry says that Romania is not part of the Middle East conflict after Iran said that Bucharest might respond legally and politically for having allowed the United States to use bases on its territory for operations against Iran. Fuel. Romanias Energy Minister, Bogdan Ivan, says that Romania has enough fuel stored and there will not be disruptions in the supply chain that may lead to uncontrolled spikes in fuel prices against the background of the Middle East crisis. He added that the ministry he heads has worked on a law, which would enable the government to instate a fuel crisis situation, so that it may intervene on the market when needed. The minister has recalled an agreement in principle in the ruling coalition under which the government could intervene on the fuel market and make moves to prevent any price hikes if the international situation worsened. In this context, the Federation of Romanian Transport Operators has put forward a series of proposals to stabilize the fuel market and support transporters. It calls for the elimination of the additional turnover tax imposed on companies selling fuel, the capping of the markupwhich varies among producers, distributors, and the final retailerand, as a last resort, the capping of the final price at gas stations. Program. The Polytechnic University of Timisoara has launched, as a national first, a degree program in drones and applied computer science in the field of aeronautics. The new specialization will be taught in English and aims to train engineers capable of designing and operating drones and autonomous aerial systems using modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. University representatives say that the establishment of this program is part of a broader strategy to transform Timisoara (in western Romania) into a regional hub for technological innovation. Accident. The Romanian tugboat Astana sank on Wednesday morning in the Port of Midia on the Black Sea. The vessel was assisting with unloading operations for an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag. The tugboat had five people on board, all of Romanian nationality. One, brought ashore, died despite resuscitation efforts. The other four sailors are missing, and the Romanian Navy has joined the search and rescue operations. Authorities have opened a criminal investigation to determine the causes and circumstances of the accident. (MI) Sufficient fuel stocks Romanian authorities announce that they are prepared to overcome the energy price crisis. Photo: pixabay@AlexFedini Daniela Budu, 18.03.2026, 14:00 Romania has sufficient fuel stocks and there will be no supply disruptions that might increase gasoline and diesel oil prices uncontrollably, the Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan has assured. He has specified that the relevant ministry has prepared a law that will allow the government to establish a crisis situation in the fuel sector, in order to be able to intervene in this market when necessary. Bogdan Ivan: Right now, what interests me most is for the price of fuels not to increase due to lack of supply, shortage or other reasons. This is resolved. Secondly, in order to limit the effects on growth to the maximum, I proposed a regulatory framework through which the government, depending on budgetary constraints, depending on how it can work on these scenarios, will make a decision. Right now, the Romanian government must make decisions. We are in a complicated situation, we have options on the table. From the point of view of supplying the oil market, from the point of view of the gas market, we have already made very firm and important decisions through which we ensured that for a year, no matter what happens, the price for natural gas household consumers will not increase. We remind you that the Energy Ministry proposes several measures to combat the increase in fuel prices, measures included in an internal working document that was sent to the Prime Minister and the coalition leaders. These include an emergency ordinance on declaring a crisis situation on the crude oil or petroleum products market, reducing excise duties or taxes, introducing state aid schemes and temporarily restarting the Lukoil refinery in Ploiesti (south). According to the minister, Romania now has an average increase in the price of basic petroleum products of approximately 8.7%, compared to Western European countries, such as Italy, Germany or Spain, which have an increase of 20-23%. He claims that Romania has absorbed much better the shock of the increase in gasoline and diesel prices, because the petroleum products market has been regulated. In the Romanian Parliament, Bogdan Ivan declared that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is an extremely delicate subject, but, at the moment, Romania is not in a situation of not having enough fuel neither diesel, nor gasoline, nor natural gas. In his turn, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare has given assurances that the executive is monitoring the evolution of gasoline and diesel prices and will announce publicly when a decision is made in relation to them. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has also recently stated that the government is monitoring the evolution of fuel prices in order to mitigate their impact, but has stressed that the price increases cannot be canceled. And on Tuesday, President Nicusor Dan said, after a meeting with representatives of OMV Petrom, that the company would collaborate with the government so that Romania overcomes the energy price crisis. We will continue to monitor the situation and act to protect citizens and the economy, the head of state said. (LS) CervoMed Inc. (CRVO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for age-related brain disorders, reported its full-year 2025 financial results while outlining a catalyst-heavy year ahead driven by its lead program, Neflamapimod. The company said it made meaningful progress in 2025 and early 2026, highlighted by positive Phase 2b RewinD-LB data in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and alignment with the U.S. FDA and global regulators on the design of its planned Phase 3 trial. CervoMed has now selected the formulation, dose and dosing regimen- 50 mg three times daily- that will move forward into Phase 3. CEO John Alam noted that the company is "looking ahead to a catalyst-driven 2026," with several clinical readouts expected in the second half of the year, including topline data from two Phase 2a studies and launch of a new ALS trial. For the full year 2025, CervoMed reported a net loss of $27.0 million, compared with a net loss of $16.2 million in 2024. Grant revenue declined to $4.0 million, reflecting the completion of the Phase 2b RewinD-LB study. The company ended the year with $20.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, which it expects will fund operations for approximately six months from the date of the announcement. CervoMed's pipeline includes Neflamapimod, its lead oral small-molecule inhibitor targeting neuroinflammation, and EIP200, a novel co-crystal formulation in preclinical development for multiple CNS disorders. Neflamapimod is being advanced across four clinical programs. In dementia with Lewy bodies, the company plans to initiate a Phase 3 trial in the second half of 2026, subject to securing sufficient funding. Additional data supporting the selected patient population and dosing regimen will be presented at the AD/PD 2026 Scientific Conference in Copenhagen this March. In recovery after ischemic stroke, CervoMed expects to complete enrollment in its Phase 2a RESTORE trial by mid-2026 and report topline data in the second half of 2026. In non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), the company anticipates completing enrollment in its Phase 2a study in mid-2026. Initial biomarker data are expected around the same time, followed by topline clinical results in the second half of 2026. Neflamapimod is also being advanced into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through the EXPERTS-ALS platform trial in the United Kingdom, with first patient dosing expected by the end of 2026. Beyond its lead molecule, CervoMed continues to progress EIP200, a novel co-crystal formulation currently in preclinical development for multiple CNS indications. CRVO has traded between $3.58 and $16.94 over the past year. The stock closed Tuesday's trading session at $4.53, up 5.10%. During after-hours, the stock rose further to $4.57, up 0.88%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Ipsen (IPSEY) showcased new preclinical findings from its early immune-oncology pipeline at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) congress, underscoring the company's ambition to develop next-generation cancer therapies. The data, drawn from programs now in Phase 1 clinical trials, reflect Ipsen's strategy of using precision immuno-modulation to target solid tumors with high unmet need. A key highlight was new data for IPN01203, a first-in-class T-cell activator designed to selectively stimulate V6/V10 T cells. The candidate was featured in AACR's prestigious New Drugs on the Horizon session, where Ipsen presented evidence supporting its differentiated mechanism of action and potential to improve outcomes for patients with solid tumors. Ipsen also revealed ITGA2 as the novel tumor target for its investigational antibody-drug conjugate IPN60300, currently in Phase 1 evaluation. Preclinical results showed that ITGA2 is highly overexpressed across several solid tumor types- including pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal cancers- while remaining low in normal tissues. The company reported that IPN60300 binds specifically to ITGA2 and delivers its exatecan payload efficiently, demonstrating dose-dependent anti-tumor activity in preclinical models. Mary Jane Hinrichs, Ipsen's Senior Vice President of Early Development, said the AACR data reflect the company's commitment to advancing precision-based cancer therapies backed by strong preclinical science. She noted that both IPN01203 and IPN60300 illustrate Ipsen's goal of developing potential new treatment options for patients with limited choices. IPSEY has traded between EUR 87.95 and EUR 167.10 over the past year. The stock is currently trading at EUR 158.50, up 0.51%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, on Tuesday condemned a strike near Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), warning of risks to nuclear safety. Likhachev told RIA Novosti that the attack, carried out in proximity to the plant's operational power unit, was the first of its kind since the start of U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran. Likhachev said the strike took place at 6:11 p.m. Moscow time (1511 GMT) on Tuesday. He said that Russia condemns the attack, calling on all parties to de-escalate tensions around the facility. "Firing on operating nuclear energy facilities is a flagrant disregard for the key rules and principles of international security," Likhachev added. Likhachev said that Rosatom has begun preparations for the third stage of evacuating Russian employees from the Bushehr NPP. Currently, 480 Rosatom employees remain at the station. In a separate statement, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the strike caused no material damage or casualties, but described it as a violation of international legal norms. On Sunday, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned in an interview with the Russian daily newspaper Kommersant about extreme risks to the Bushehr NPP, calling the situation around it his main concern amid the war in the Middle East. People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- People in large numbers attended a funeral ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran Wednesday for the crew members of a frigate sunk by the United States as well as one the country's top security officials and a high-ranking military commander killed in Israeli attacks. On March 4, the U.S. Navy's Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sunk Iran's Dena frigate in the Indian Ocean, killing 104 crew members on board, and leaving another 32 wounded. Iran confirmed Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and Gholam-Reza Soleimani, chief commander of the voluntary Basij force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, were killed Tuesday in Israeli attacks. Along with Larijani, his son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, deputy secretary of the SNSC for security affairs, as well as a number of his bodyguards were killed in the Israeli strike. The ceremony, which was attended by the deceased's family members, Iranian state officials and military commanders as well as a large number of people from different walks of life, began in the iconic Enghelab Square, featuring a procession to a place in southern Tehran where martyrs are taken for a final farewell before their burial. The mourners waved Iran's flags and held pictures of their "martyrs," including the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as they accompanied the bodies. They also pledged allegiance to and support for the country's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and chanted slogans against the United States and Israel. They also vowed to exact revenge on the United States and Israel for their "crimes" and killing of Iranians in their "aggression" against the country. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's supreme leader, high-ranking military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets and bases in the Middle East. People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) A woman attends a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) People attend a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) Genetic and acoustic evidence show that the rare Ijimas leaf warbler (Phylloscopus ijimae) is actually two distinct bird species, including the newly-identified Tokara leaf warbler both with small, vulnerable populations. The Ijimas leaf warbler is a rare migratory bird species found in Japan. It breeds in two Japanese archipelagos, separated by a distribution gap of around 1,000 km: the Izu Islands, southeast of Honshu, and the Tokara Islands. The latter population was only discovered in 1988 on the island of Nakanoshima, and the species has been observed in the breeding season on four other small nearby islands. Birds from these two populations look so similar that comparisons of museum specimens found no clear plumage differences, and only slight variations in measurements such as head and leg length. Their songs, however, tell a different story, according to a new study led by Uppsala University researcher Per Alstrom. Recordings show consistent and measurable differences between the island populations, allowing the authors to distinguish them with high accuracy. Genetically, the divide is even starker: analyses of thousands of genome-wide markers and mitochondrial sequences indicate a deep split comparable to, or greater than, that separating many recognized bird species. This shows how important it is to use genetic methods to reveal hidden biodiversity at a time of global biodiversity crisis, Dr. Alstrom said. These methods can help provide more complete knowledge on which to base future nature conservation efforts. The researchers estimate that the two lineages diverged roughly 2.8 to 3.2 million years ago. Despite seasonal migration routes that could bring the birds into proximity, they found no sign of gene flow between the populations, suggesting long-standing reproductive isolation. The new species is a little cryptic and tricky to define, Dr. Alstrom said. In terms of appearance, it doesnt differ from the Ijimas leaf warbler. It is DNA analyses and differences in song that show that this is a separate species. The Izu population is already classified as vulnerable, and the newly-described Tokara species, named the Tokara leaf warbler (Phylloscopus tokaraensis), may be even more precarious. It has been confirmed breeding on only one island, Nakanoshima, with limited sightings elsewhere in the archipelago. The genomic data also show that both species have low genetic diversity and evidence of past population declines, consistent with small, isolated populations. At the same time, the genomes bear signs of limited recent inbreeding and possible recovery from earlier bottlenecks. The birds face a range of threats typical of island species, including habitat disturbance and invasive predators such as weasels, as well as environmental pressures that could quickly affect such a restricted population. The study highlights a broader problem in conservation biology: species that have not yet been formally recognized may receive no protection at all. By combining genomics with traditional taxonomy, scientists can uncover these hidden lineages before they vanish. Island species are particularly vulnerable to extinction, yet many remain undiscovered, the authors concluded. Our study demonstrates how genomics can uncover hidden biodiversity and provide critical metrics of population health. Our findings highlight the urgent global need to formally recognize and evaluate the conservation status of cryptic species, ensuring that overlooked lineages receive protection in a rapidly changing world. This study adds a whole-genome conservation assessment in passerine birds to the growing body of work applying genomics to conservation. The teams paper was published today in the journal PNAS Nexus. _____ Takema Saitoh et al. 2026. Discovering and protecting cryptic biodiversity: A case study of a previously undescribed, vulnerable bird species in Japan. PNAS Nexus 5 (3): pgag037; doi: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag037 SEOUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's automotive export logged a double-digit fall due to fewer working days that offset solid demand for eco-friendly vehicles, government data showed Wednesday. Car shipment dived 20.8 percent from a year earlier to 4.81 billion U.S. dollars in February, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The downturn was attributed to fewer business days, caused by the Lunar New Year's holidays. Demand remained for eco-friendly vehicles, of which the shipment slightly fell 3.5 percent to 1.95 billion dollars. The eco-friendly vehicles include electric vehicle, fuel cell electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Auto export to the United States dipped 29.4 percent to 1.95 billion dollars, while shipment to the European Union, Asia and the Middle East all dropped in double figures. The number of exported vehicles totaled 189,885 in February, down 18.5 percent compared to the same month of last year. Auto parts shipment tumbled 22.4 percent to 1.45 billion dollars. The number of vehicles, manufactured in local factories, plunged 21.0 percent to 278,248 last month. The number of cars sold inside the country, including locally-made and imported vehicles, was 123,275 in February, down 7.2 percent from a year earlier. MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali on Tuesday denied the report that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is receiving medical treatment in Russia. The news about the supreme leader being in Russia for treatment is a "new psychological war," Jalali said on X. "Iranian leaders do not need to flee and hide in shelters; their place is on the streets among the people." Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida reported over the weekend that Mojtaba Khamenei was transported to Russia on a military aircraft and had already undergone surgery at a private clinic, citing a high-ranking source close to the new supreme leader. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the report during his briefing on Monday. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese military spokesperson on Wednesday urged the Philippine side to immediately stop infringement and provocations after two Philippine C-208 aircraft illegally intruded into the territorial airspace over China's Huangyan Dao without government approval. Zhai Shichen, a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said that naval and air forces dispatched by the theater command had warned and expelled the Philippine aircraft in accordance with the law and regulations. "The actions of the Philippine side, seriously infringing upon China's sovereignty, are highly likely to lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments," Zhai said. He said that the theater command forces remain on high alert at all times, to firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Bruneians have been urged to play a more active role in supporting the local economy by shopping locally, purchasing domestic products, and using local business services, a government minister said on Tuesday. Speaking at a Legislative Council meeting, Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, minister at the Prime Minister's Office and second minister of finance and economy, said such efforts are vital in strengthening the country's economic foundation. The minister noted that increased support for local businesses would enable them to reinvest, expand their operations and improve productivity. This, in turn, would create more job opportunities for Bruneians. He emphasized that a thriving domestic business environment depends significantly on consumer behavior and spending patterns within the country. Emily Berrys love of the outdoors especially the living organisms calling it home first sparked her interest in STEM. The more time she spent out in nature, the more questions she had. I wanted to understand what was happening at the invisible levels inside these ecosystems: why plants grew where they did; how trees knew when to drop their leaves; how eels knew to travel to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean to mate, said Berry. That passion led her to a career in STEM. A lifetime of curiosity fueled by wild wanderings and quenched by museums drew me into environmental science and eventually to landscape conservation, she said. Now, as the president of Youth in Science Rapid City (YISRC), Berry is helping other students find their love of STEM. More than 900 middle schoolers from 28 schools will converge on the South Dakota Mines campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, for the annual Women in Science Conference hosted by Youth in Science Rapid City and co-sponsored by the universitys Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE). YISRCs Women in Science Conference is a free, one-day career-learning workshop designed to provide seventh graders with hands-on opportunities to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). By showcasing exciting careers and positive role models, YISRC hopes to encourage students to take math and science courses during middle and high school and eventually pursue a STEM-related career. YISRC has been hosting the Women in Science Conference since 2009, starting with just a handful of schools and participants, to more than 900 students expected next week. The goal of the Women in Science Conference is to invite students of all backgrounds to learn about STEM careers, meet role models and imagine new possibilities, Berry said. Some of our best moments are with the kids who hadnt seen themselves as high-achieving STEM students before, but learned at the conference that there may be a place for them in STEM, especially if they are curious. Last year, a survey of students who attended the conference showed that before attending, 33 percent were considering a science-related career, and after attending, 73 percent would now consider a career in STEM. In addition, YISRC has students who participated in the conference as seventh graders and are now students at Mines or STEM professionals who return to the conference as speakers and volunteers. We are making an impact, Berry said. The immersion-based experience is designed to provide students with engaging opportunities to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A wide range of STEM careers will be demonstrated by professional women leading interactive exhibits and discussions. The speakers include engineers, physicians, dentists, meteorologists, science educators, veterinarians, geologists and accountants. Jamie Clapham, Ph.D., longtime physical therapist and member of the Rapid City School Board, will deliver this years keynote address. Clapham earned her bachelors degree in health and exercise science from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and her Master of Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. As a physical therapist, Clapham has treated patients from premature babies to a 103-year-old. Her main areas of interest are working with people with brain and nerve injuries and disorders and caring for older adults. She has been on the school board since 2022 and, since 2019, has helped lead the Black Hawk Elementary PTA. For the past 10 years, she has spoken at the Women in Science Conference, encouraging students to explore careers in science. The program is funded by grants and community partners. Sponsors include: Platinum Level ($5,000+): Caterpillar; Gold Level ($1,000-$4,999): KLJ Engineering, RESPEC, South Dakota Mines, Halliburton, Monument Health, South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, Coeur Wharf, Black Hills Energy, Microsoft Alumni Network; Silver Level ($500-$999): Black Hills Chapter South Dakota Engineering Society, BankWest, Wildfire Labs, South Dakota Mines WiSE, and with additional support from the Rushmore Hotel & Suites, Midcontinent Testing Laboratories and the South Dakota Discovery Center. Turkish Defense Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk speaks at a press briefing in Incirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana, Turkiye, on March 18, 2026. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) ANKARA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- NATO deploys an additional Patriot air defense system to the southern Adana province of Turkiye, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Wednesday, after a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace was intercepted last week. "In addition to the measures taken at national level to ensure the security of our airspace and our citizens, a further Patriot system, deployed by Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany, is being stationed in Adana, supplementing the existing Spanish Patriot system already based there," Turkish Defense Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk said at a press briefing. Akturk said a missile launched from Iran on March 13 entered Turkish airspace, which was neutralized over the eastern Mediterranean by NATO air and missile defense units. On March 10, the Turkish Defense Ministry said a Patriot air defense system assigned by NATO to support Turkiye's airspace had been deployed in the eastern province of Malatya and was being prepared for operational readiness. The developments came amid heightened tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East. Turkish Defense Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk speaks at a press briefing in Incirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana, Turkiye, on March 18, 2026. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) Oil prices softened on Wednesday on reports Iraq had resumed crude exports to Turkeys Ceyhan port, as the Middle East producer looks to bypass the stricken Strait of Hormuz. According to multiple reports, crude is now being transported from Iraqs Kirkuk oil fields to Ceyhan via pipeline after Baghdad, the Kurdistan Regional Government and Ankara struck deals to enable flows to restart. That helped calm energy markets, although prices remain elevated. As at 0845 GMT, benchmark Brent crude was 1% lower at $102.42 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate was down 2% at $93.95. However, Iraqs oil production still remains well below normal levels. Prior to the outbreak of war, Iraq was producing around 4.5m barrels of crude per day, but export issues forced it to curtail output. According to Reuters, citing unnamed officials from the North Oil Company, Iraq is seeking to pump at least 100,000 barrels per day of crude through to Ceyhan, while the Iraqi state news agency has said pumping has resumed at a rate of 250,000 barrels. Energy prices have soared since the US attacked Iran, as hostilities escalated across the region and the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel, became too dangerous to use. The majority of Iraqs oil is usually shipped through the waterway. Brent was trading around $70 a barrel at the end of February. Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said: "Oil is sharply down on news that Iraq signed a deal to resume oil exports via Turkey, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, while Saudi Arabia is also rerouting exports towards the Red Sea. The region is reorganising, preparing for the possibility of a prolonged conflict. "Restoring oil exports fully will take time, and we may soon see physical market shortages, likely keep oil prices under upward pressures. "Yet, as flows adapt to alternative routes, the initial surge in oil prices seen at the start of the war could ease." London stocks edged higher in early trade on Wednesday amid easing oil prices, as investors continued to keep an eye on developments in the Middle East ahead of the latest policy announcement from the Federal Reserve. At 0825 GMT, the FTSE 100 was 0.2% firmer at 10,422.37. Brent crude was down 1.1% at $102.23 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was 2.5% lower at $93.80 following news that Iraq has struck a deal with Turkey to resume oil exports through their territory, meaning it wont have to go through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, crude exports from Iraq's Kirkuk fields to Turkey's Ceyhan port have resumed via pipeline, after Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) agreed on Tuesday to restart flows. Reuters said the KRG confirmed the agreement, saying in a statement the two sides would form a joint committee to prepare for resuming oil exports, with revenue to be returned to the federal treasury. Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said: "The region is reorganising, preparing for the possibility of a prolonged conflict. Restoring oil exports fully will take time, and we may soon see physical-market shortages - likely keeping oil prices under upward pressure. Yet, as flows adapt to alternative routes, the initial surge in oil prices seen at the start of the war could ease. "This matters for global economies already pressured by higher energy costs and rising hawkish central bank expectations." As far as the Fed is concerned, its widely expected to keep the funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%. Danske Bank said it expects chair Jerome Powell to "carefully avoid" giving any strong forward-looking signals and emphasise the two-sided nature of the risks stemming from the energy supply shock. "Most FOMC participants still see the current policy rate level somewhat above neutral, and once the energy uncertainty eases, we expect the Fed to eventually deliver two more rate cuts in June and September," it said. "Extending uncertainty could push the expected cuts further out into the future but not erase them completely, which we expect to be reflected also in the updated dots." In equity markets, Diploma rocketed as it hiked full-year guidance on the back of robust first-half trading. The industrial group now expects annual organic revenue growth of 9% and an operating margin of 25%. It had previously forecast 6% growth in revenues and a 22.5% margin. Softcat surged as it lifted its full-year guidance following an "exceptional" first half. The company, which provides IT infrastructure products and services, now expects high single-digit growth in underlying operating profit for FY 2026, up from low single-digit previously. The upgrade came as it reported a 27.3% increase in underlying operating profit to 93.8m for the six months to the end of January, and a 33% jump in gross invoiced income to 2bn. Insurer Prudential rose as it lifted its dividend and reported double-digit full-year profit growth. In the year to the end of December 2025, new business profit rose 12% to $2.78bn, while adjusted operating profit was 5% higher at $3.3bn. The total dividend for the year was 26.60 cents per share, up 15% on the prior year. Moonpig rallied as it announced a new 65m share buyback and said full-year growth in adjusted earnings per share was set to be at the top end of its guidance of 8% to 12%. Mining giant BHP was in focus as it announced that Brandon Craig will take over as chief executive officer on 1 July, succeeding current CEO Mike Henry, who will step down after six and a half years in the role. Craig currently serves as BHP's president of the Americas. London stocks were set to tick higher at the open on Wednesday as oil prices eased, as investors kept an eye on developments in the Middle East ahead of the latest policy announcement from the Federal Reserve. The FTSE 100 was called to open around 15 points higher. Brent crude was down 1.7% at $101.65 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate was 3.1% lower at $93.21. Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone, said: "Markets seem to be becoming increasingly desensitised to incoming geopolitical news flow which, not to take anything away from the significant degree of human suffering that we continue to see, is a relatively common phenomenon when it comes to events such as the present Middle East conflict. "Still, kinetic action continues, the Strait of Hormuz remains essentially impassable, and there has still been little-to-no apparent progress towards de-escalation, or any off-ramps being taken. On this front, I appreciate that I may sound like a broken record, but it remains the assumption that the longer Hormuz remains blocked, the tighter commodity markets will become, hence the higher energy prices are likely to head." As far as the Fed is concerned, its widely expected to keep the funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%. Danske Bank said it expects chair Jerome Powell to "carefully avoid" giving any strong forward-looking signals and emphasise the two-sided nature of the risks stemming from the energy supply shock. "Most FOMC participants still see the current policy rate level somewhat above neutral, and once the energy uncertainty eases, we expect the Fed to eventually deliver two more rate cuts in June and September," it said. "Extending uncertainty could push the expected cuts further out into the future but not erase them completely, which we expect to be reflected also in the updated dots." In UK corporate news, Softcat lifted its full-year guidance following an "exceptional" first half. The company, which provides IT infrastructure products and services, now expects high single-digit growth in underlying operating profit for FY 2026, up from low single-digit previously. The upgrade came as it reported a 27.3% increase in underlying operating profit to 93.8m for the six months to the end of January, and a 33% jump in gross invoiced income to 2bn. Diploma also hiked its full-year guidance, on the back of robust first-half trading. The industrial group now expects annual organic revenue growth of 9% and an operating margin of 25%. It had previously forecast 6% growth in revenues and a 22.5% margin. Trading remained "very strong", it noted, making it confident for the second half. Mining giant BHP announced that Brandon Craig will take over as chief executive officer on 1 July, succeeding current CEO Mike Henry, who will step down after six and a half years in the role. Craig currently serves as BHP's president of the Americas. Elsewhere, Costain said it has won a 45m contract from Severn Trent to upgrade the water utilitys Rugby Newbold sewage treatment works. The programme will run until 2028. As principal contractor Costain will design and build new facilities and upgrade systems to improve "operational resilience and increase the site's feed and storm capacity", the company said. Ithaca Energy shares were falling on Wednesday after the UK North Sea-focused producer reported a statutory loss for 2025 despite delivering higher production, stronger cash generation and an expanded capital returns framework. The FTSE 250 group posted adjusted EBITDAX of $2.03bn, up from $1.41bn in 2024, while net cash flow from operations rose to $1.75bn from $853.3m. Free cash flow increased to $683.3m from $260.8m, supported by average production of 119 kboe/d and an exit rate of around 148 kboe/d, reflecting increased installed capacity heading into 2026. Available liquidity improved to $1.47bn from $1.02bn, although the company reported a statutory loss of $84.1m, compared with a profit of $153.1m a year earlier, due to a one-off $327.6m deferred tax charge linked to the extension of the UK Energy Profits Levy. Adjusted net income was $289.2m. Ithaca Energy delivered another year of excellent operational and financial performance in 2025, said executive chairman Yaniv Friedman. Our acquisitions in Seagull and Cygnus contributed accretive growth, which along with organic investment in the period, achieved an exit rate of 148 kboe/d and allowed us to enter 2026 with significantly increased production capacity. Operationally, the company highlighted strong activity across its core UK Continental Shelf assets, including new wells at Cygnus, Seagull and the J Area, as well as sustained performance at the Captain field. Production growth was supported by acquisitions, with total output rising from 80 kboe/d in 2024. Ithaca also reported a reduction in greenhouse gas intensity to 17.2 kgCO2e/boe from 23.9 kgCO2e/boe, alongside zero Tier 1 and Tier 2 process safety events. The company continued to advance its West of Shetland strategy, with the Rosebank project entering its final development phase ahead of expected first production in 2026/27. Progress was also made on the Cambo and Tornado projects, with both moving towards potential final investment decisions within the next 12 months. In the West of Shetland, we saw material project activity, including at Rosebank where we are progressing in line with our development timeline towards first production in 2026/27, Friedman said. We also saw significant progress on the maturation of the Cambo and Tornado projects, with all activities supporting a potential FID within 12 months. Ithaca returned $500m to shareholders in 2025 and announced a third interim dividend of $200m, equivalent to $0.1209 per share, payable on 16 April to shareholders on the register on 27 March. The company also raised its dividend policy, targeting distributions of 20% to 35% of post-tax cash flow from operations, up from 15% to 30% previously. We remain committed to delivering attractive shareholder returns and I am pleased to announce the third tranche of our 2025 dividend of $200m, taking our total return to shareholders for FY 2025 to $500m, in line with our stated target, Friedman added. Moving forward, as a stronger business, we are raising the targeted shareholder returns range from 15-30% to 20-35% post-tax CFFO. Looking ahead, Ithaca guided for 2026 production of 120 to 130 kboe/d, with continued investment across its asset base and increased spending on the Rosebank development in its final phase. The group said it expected to deliver a dividend of around 30% of post-tax cash flow from operations in 2026, implying a payout of $470m to $520m. Friedman said the company entered the new year with considerable momentum and strength, adding it was well positioned to pursue value-driven growth and deliver sustainable returns. At 0831 GMT, shares in Ithaca Energy were down 5.71% at 255.5p. Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com. See latest RNS on Investegate Shepherd Neame reported steady first-half earnings growth on Wednesday as strong pub trading, particularly in London, offset weaker beer volumes and higher logistics costs. The AQSE-traded Kent-based brewer and pub operator said revenue for the 26 weeks ended 27 December was broadly flat at 84.7m, compared with 85.0m a year earlier, as growth in its pub estate was offset by a decline in its brewing and brands division. Statutory profit before tax rose 2.7% to 4.4m, while underlying profit before tax was unchanged at 4.2m. Underlying EBITDA increased 0.8% to 13.1m, and basic earnings per share rose to 21.0p from 20.3p, with underlying EPS edging up to 20.3p from 20.1p. Net assets per share improved to 12.34 from 12.21. The company declared an interim dividend of 4.50p, up 3.4% on the prior year. Operationally, the group delivered total retail like-for-like sales growth of 4.5%, driven by particularly strong performance in London, where like-for-like sales inside the M25 rose 11.2%, compared with a 1.4% increase outside the capital. Like-for-like tenanted pub income increased 3.1%. Retail like-for-like drink sales rose 5.6% and food sales increased 4.3%, while Christmas trading was robust, with like-for-like retail sales up 8.1% over the five weeks to early January. Divisional revenue in the retail business was flat at 42.3m, but underlying operating profit rose 5.8% to 5.8m. The tenanted division reported revenue growth of 4.8% to 19.0m, although underlying operating profit edged lower to 6.4m from 6.6m. In contrast, brewing and brands continued to face pressure, with revenue down 4.7% to 22.7m and underlying operating profit halving to 0.3m. Total beer volumes fell 6.6%, with own beer volumes down 11.6%. The company said it continued to invest in its estate, with capital expenditure of 6.2m, including two major London projects, while also refinancing its bank facilities on improved terms. A new 15m term loan and 30m revolving credit facility, alongside existing private placement funding, bring total available facilities to 100m. Current trading remained broadly in line with first-half trends, with retail like-for-like sales up 4.4% over the 37 weeks to mid-March and tenanted pub income up 3.0%, while beer volumes remained under pressure. Demand has remained resilient, with a further exceptional performance from our London pubs, and a good trading performance in our tenanted estate, said chief executive Jonathan Neame. Our strong pub trading and some easing of cost pressures gives us cause for optimism going forward, but some caution is naturally warranted given the situation in the Middle East. At 0828 GMT, shares in Shepherd Neame were up 3.19% at 448p. Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com. See latest RNS on Investegate Finding out who owns land in England is to become much simpler because a paywall will be lifted from large parts of the Land Registry, the government is to announce. A small number of landowners control the majority of land but finding out who owns what is difficult to piece together, even for government departments, owing to the way the Land Registry operates. Freeing up access will make it easier to determine ownership of key areas, such as river catchments, grouse moors and peatland. Guardian The UK government is facing calls to spend almost 4bn to launch a social tariff providing cheaper energy for poor households amid growing concerns over the Iran conflict. As households brace for an increase in living costs, the Resolution Foundation said ministers should develop a system of discounted domestic energy bills in time for next winter to protect the most vulnerable households. Guardian Crispin Odey offered 1m to his compliance chief after a row over the hedge fund chiefs suitability to remain at his eponymous firm, a court heard on Tuesday. Jack Satt, the former compliance chief at Odey Asset Management, told the Upper Tribunal that Mr Odey offered him the money after Mr Satt came under pressure to support an application to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for Mr Odey to become a partner. Telegraph The amount of money missing after the collapse of a London-based mortgage lender at the centre of fraud claims could be significantly in excess of the previous estimate of 1.3 billion, administrators have warned. There is compelling evidence of serious financial mismanagement at Market Financial Solutions, insolvency practitioners from Alix Partners said in court documents. The Times Regional mayors could be given control of a share of national taxes including income tax to invest in their areas under plans announced by the chancellor. Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday that the reforms would not involve further tax increases or the creation of levies, but would focus on giving regions a better say over how they spend revenues generated by economic activity in their area. The Times John Lee (C), chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, attends a book launch event in south China's Hong Kong, March 18, 2026. The first volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Economy, along with two volumes of Xi Jinping and University Students, made their debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday. All three books were published in traditional Chinese characters. (Xinhua/Chen Duo) HONG KONG, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The first volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Economy, along with two volumes of Xi Jinping and University Students, made their debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday. All three books were published in traditional Chinese characters, and a seminar was held to mark the launch of the books. The book on the selected works of Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on economy brings together his most important and fundamental pieces on economic development between November 2012 and December 2024. It is an authoritative publication that offers a comprehensive and systematic exposition of Xi Jinping Thought on Economy. The first and second volumes of Xi Jinping and University Students recount Xi's interactions with university students during his years working at both the local and central levels, demonstrating Xi's consistent care for the youth, and university students in particular. John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), officials from the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, along with people from various organizations and sectors in Hong Kong attended the seminar. Published and distributed by Hong Kong-based Sino United Publishing (Holdings) Ltd., the three books are available in major bookstores across Hong Kong and Macao starting Wednesday. This photo taken on March 18, 2026 shows the books of the first volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Economy, and two volumes of Xi Jinping and University Students, in south China's Hong Kong. The first volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Economy, along with two volumes of Xi Jinping and University Students, made their debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday. All three books were published in traditional Chinese characters. (Xinhua/Chen Duo) Middle East war erupts after Israel kills Irans top security chief; missiles and bunker-buster strikes follow. U.S. goes solo, facing internal dissent, NATO refusal, and $20B in munitions losses. Global chaos: oil prices surge, trade routes blocked, and multiple flashpoints ignite worldwide. In a single explosive 24 hours that has rewritten the rules of global power, the Middle East has ignited into open war, blending shocking assassinations, deadly barrages, drone disasters, and a defiant American solo gamble that is draining billions while the world watches in stunned silence. It started with surgical Israeli precision: the confirmed killing of Irans top security chief Ali Larijani in a devastating airstrike. Tehran wasted no time confirming the loss of one of its most powerful insiders and fired back with a blood-curdling vow of decisive revenge that would make aggressors regret every move. True to threat, Iran unleashed wave after wave of missiles tipped with cluster warheads straight into Tel Aviv and major Israeli cities. The retaliation was immediate and terrifying. US forces answered by slamming massive 5,000-pound bunker-busting bombs onto Iranian missile sites hugging the Strait of Hormuz, trying to choke off Tehrans launch capability in one thunderous strike. But Washington is cracking from within. Americas top counterterrorism chief dramatically resigned, publicly branding the entire conflict a war of choice forced by Israeli pressure. He insisted there was no imminent threat from Iran and begged for an instant reversal exposing a stunning rift inside the Trump administration. Strait of Hormuz. When Iran simultaneously struck Persian Gulf neighbours, Trump made it crystal clear, 'We will do what we have to alone if we must', America is now flying solo. Undeterred, President Trump blasted NATO allies as foolish for refusing to help lock down the. When Iran simultaneously struck Persian Gulf neighbours, Trump made it crystal clear, 'We will do what we have to alone if we must', America is now flying solo. The human and financial cost is already staggering. More than a dozen US Reaper drones have been lost in fierce operations. Meanwhile, the war has burned through a jaw-dropping $20 billion in munitions for the US and Israel in just days an arsenal drain happening faster than anyone predicted. Trump even hinted at possible next moves on Cuba, where a total power-grid collapse and oil blockade have created fresh chaos. And halfway across the world, Pakistans airstrike on a Kabul rehabilitation centre killed hundreds, with Afghanistan claiming over 400 dead proving that flashpoints are multiplying by the hour. From Larijanis death and cluster-missile terror to bunker-buster thunder, drone wipeouts, $20 billion losses, internal revolt, NATO snubs, and a lone US stand, today has delivered one message louder than any missile: the world is no longer on the edge it has already fallen over. Oil prices are exploding, trade routes are choking, and every leader on Earth is now asking the same terrifying question, how much worse can this get before it consumes us all? In an era of rapid emergence of new age technology and when India is rapidly emerging as a global digital powerhouse, Chennai is set to take centre stage as a critical hub for data infrastructure innovation. The 3rd edition of Data Centre & Cloud Infrastructure Conclave & Awards Chennai Chapter 2026, organised by Team Marksmen Network, is set to be held on 18th March 2026, Wednesday at Trident, Chennai, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology visionaries to shape the future of Indias digital backbone. Centred around the theme Navigating Growth Imperative of India Digital Infrastructure 2030, the conclave aims to explore the strategic, economic, and technological forces redefining Indias data ecosystem. Positioning Chennai as Indias Global Digital Gateway, Chennai enjoys a strategic location with a coastal advantage of strong subsea cable connectivity and leadership in renewable energy, emerging rapidly as the nations data centre gateway as a Singapore alternative for ASEAN connectivity. The 3rd edition of Data Centre and Cloud Infrastructure Conclave will spotlight Tamil Nadus transformation from a regional hub to a global transit pivot for EuropeAsia data flows, addressing key factors such as latency optimisation, network density, and policy-led growth. Senior bureaucrats from the state government will deliver a keynote address on Tamil Nadus Datacentre Moment, aiming to highlight how the state is leveraging sustainability, decentralisation, and progressive policy frameworks to power Indias next wave of digital growth. Powering Indias Digital Core: Key Themes The day long program is set to host compelling discussions across the most pressing themes shaping the sector, including: Intelligent & Resilient Infrastructure: Transitioning from capacity expansion to capability-driven digital ecosystems Energy as a Differentiator: Renewable integration, energy storage, and PowerGrid readiness for hyperscale growth Cloud Evolution: Hybrid, sovereign, and edge computing at scale Policy & Economics: Tax incentives, investment flows, and regulatory frameworks Sustainability & ESG: Climate-resilient design, advanced cooling, and water-neutral data centers AI & Future Technologies: Preparing infrastructure for AI-driven workloads and deep-tech innovation The day-long agenda will feature an esteemed lineup of speakers and experts from across diverse industries, including global CIOs, CTOs, policymakers, cybersecurity leaders and cloud strategists. The conclave will feature an esteemed lineup of speakers and experts from across industries, including global CIOs, CTOs, policymakers, cybersecurity leaders, and cloud strategists. In addition to thought leadership sessions, the event will also host the Data Center & Cloud Infrastructure Awards, recognising excellence in innovation, sustainability, and leadership across the ecosystem. With participation from industry leaders, government representatives, and technology innovators, the conclave aims to foster collaboration, investment, and actionable insights that will define Indias digital infrastructure roadmap for the next decade. India has launched an anti-dumping investigation into ethyl chloroformate imports from China after Paushak, a domestic producer, alleged that the chemical was being sold at unfairly low prices. The company claims that these cheap imports from China are negatively impacting local businesses by suppressing prices and reducing profitability. Ethyl chloroformate is widely used in pharmaceutical and agrochemical manufacturing, making it a vital chemical in India's industrial supply chain. Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has initiated the probe to assess whether Chinese exporters are dumping the product at below-market prices. If confirmed, the investigation could lead to the imposition of raise costs for drugmakers and agrochemical companies in India. This move aims to protect domestic industries from unfair competition and ensure a level playing field in the market. Thehas initiated the probe to assess whether Chinese exporters are dumping the product at. If confirmed, the investigation could lead to the imposition of anti-dumping duties on ethyl chloroformate, which couldand agrochemical companies in India. This move aims to protect domestic industries from unfair competition and ensure a level playing field in the market. The investigation will cover the period from October 2024 to September 2025, and the DGTR will gather evidence from stakeholders such as exporters, importers, and other interested parties before deciding on the necessity of duties. This action follows Indias broader strategy to address the influx of cheap Chinese goods that have been undercutting domestic industries. Similar steps have already been taken in the steel sector, where India imposed import tariffs to safeguard its local producers. In a related case, the DGTR has also opened an anti-dumping investigation into hexamine imports from China, Russia, and the UAE. Hexamine is another critical chemical used in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These investigations signal Indias ongoing efforts to maintain fair trade practices and protect local industries from damaging pricing strategies. Rajasthan becomes the first Indian state to sign an MoU with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, advancing the Har Ghar Jal goal of safe tap water for every household. The initiative focuses on strengthening rural water infrastructure, improving service delivery, and prioritizing women and remote communities in accessing clean drinking water. The state government is also promoting youth empowerment, skill development, and economic reforms, alongside accelerating major water projects like the Ramjal Setu Link, Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, and Ganganahar-Mahi projects. Rajasthan has become the first state in India to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti under the new Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, a key step toward ensuring water for every household. The agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister C.R. Paatil, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Public Health Engineering Minister Kanhaiya Lal, and senior officials from both the central and state governments. Chief Minister Sharma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative and said the state had actively sought the Centres support to finalize the MoU. He described the agreement as a transformative step to strengthen Rajasthans water-supply infrastructure and provide safe drinking water to every household, including those in remote rural areas. This initiative will improve living standards, particularly for women, by ensuring convenience, safety, and better quality of life, he added. Sharma highlighted that the Jal Jeevan Mission, under Prime Minister Modis leadership, has renewed focus on efficiency, accountability, and transparency. The MoU will ensure regular tap-water supply to rural households, enhance service delivery, and support time-bound targets while strengthening transparency mechanisms. Also Read: Dr S Jaishankar Backs Iran Dialogue To Secure Hormuz Route Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Supply) Akhil Arora, and other senior officials were present at the signing. Sharma also reflected on Indias broader progress since 2014, emphasizing programs aimed at improving the lives of farmers, youth, women, and laborers, while fostering innovation and a strong startup ecosystem. The Chief Minister outlined key provisions in Rajasthans 202627 Budget focused on youth empowerment. These include interest-free loans for 5,000 tribal youth under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana, the establishment of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Global Centre for Advanced Skilling in Jaipur, ICT labs in 50 polytechnic colleges, and promotion of district-specific products under the One District, One Product initiative. He noted that economic reforms and improvements in the Ease of Doing Business have contributed to Rajasthans per capita income surpassing Rs 2 lakh for the first time. Sharma also emphasized that the state government is accelerating key water projects such as the Ramjal Setu Link Project, Dewas Project, Yamuna Water Agreement, Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), and the Ganganahar and Mahi projects. He said these projects, alongside the Jal Jeevan Mission, will ensure safe and reliable drinking water across Rajasthan, transforming lives and supporting sustainable development. MUSCAT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Oman's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the targeting of energy facilities in Iran's South Pars gas field, describing the incident as a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and global energy supplies. In a statement, the ministry strongly denounced the escalation represented by the attack on energy infrastructure in Iran, saying such actions constitute a violation of international law and norms. It stressed the importance of avoiding the targeting of civilian facilities and critical infrastructure. The ministry called for an immediate halt to hostilities, urging all parties to contain the consequences of the conflict and resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels in a way that ensures security, stability and the shared interests of all. Earlier, Iranian state media reported that natural gas facilities associated with the offshore South Pars field had been attacked. Israeli media, citing unnamed sources, said the country's air force carried out the strike. Ugadi blends tradition with modern ambitions for Viksit Bharat. Lifes sweet, bitter, and spicy balance fuels resilience. Innovation and community efforts drive culture and economy. As India awakens to Ugadi 2026 on March 19 (Thursday), the arrival of Parabhava Samvatsara 2026 (also known as Parabhava Nama Samvatsara) delivers more than rituals it provides a profound roadmap for personal growth and national advancement. This Ugadi festival India 2026, celebrated as Telugu New Year in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Yugadi in Karnataka, aligns seamlessly with Viksit Bharat cultural growth. The Ugadi 2026 significance lies in blending ancient wisdom with modern ambitions, fostering transformation and contributing to cultural economy India growth. The Essence of Parabhava Parabhava Nama Samvatsara 2026 marks a transformative phase in the 60-year cycle, symbolizing humility, ego transcendence, and elevation beyond limitations. Parabhava Nama Samvatsara predictions from Vedic sources emphasize harmony between effort and opportunity, urging self-reflection amid challenges for deeper progress resonating with India's push for innovation and sustainability. Families in Ugadi celebration in Karnataka Andhra Telangana kick off with Ugadi rituals and traditions 2026, Abhyanga Snanam (oil bath), mango-leaf toranas, and Panchanga Shravanam (almanac reading). Communities in Hyderabad and Bengaluru transform these into platforms for green startups and skill programs, highlighting how tradition drives progress and Ugadi business trends India. The Pachadi Philosophy Central to the cultural significance of Ugadi is Ugadi Pachadi symbolism sweet bitter spicy a dish mixing neem (bitter), raw mango (sour), jaggery (sweet), tamarind (tangy), chilli (spicy), and salt. Its six flavors mirror life's ups and downs, sweetness of success, bitterness of trials, spice of adventure. In 2026 India, this teaches balance. Telangana farmers blend traditional crops with agri-tech for better yields, while Karnataka youth apply it to career resilience embracing setbacks for growth. This reinforces that India's diversity fuels unmatched strength. Ugadi is a reminder that every new beginning brings endless possibilities. This insight inspires resolutions tied to self-reliance and environmental stewardship. Youth Driving Cultural and Economic Renaissance Ugadi 2026 shines through youth innovation. Andhra students host virtual Panchanga for rural elders, Bengaluru teams create eco-rangoli apps; coastal Karnataka groups run 'Pachadi for Progress' fundraisers for education. These blend heritage with action, boosting regional festival branding India, festive markets, and artisan crafts. The outcome: vibrant cultural economy India growth, enhanced by festive marketing strategies India and festive season advertising India, while supporting Indian festival consumer spending trends and Indian festivals economic impact. As the mango trees blossom, may your dreams bloom with the same vitality. As I Wrap it Up! This Ugadi invites action, family Panchanga readings, mindful Pachadi preparation, and one commitment skill-building, eco-habits, or local support. In Parabhava Samvatsara 2026, small steps amplify into collective success, merging personal joy with India's global ascent. Ugadi 2026 is India's reset for hope, balance, and bold action. Celebrate openly, and let Parabhava guide paths to prosperity and pride. Happy Ugadi!! BUDAPEST, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese heavy machinery manufacturer Zoomlion on Wednesday inaugurated the first phase of its first localized intelligent manufacturing plant project in Europe in Tatabanya, western Hungary. The project, with a total investment of 43 billion forints (125 million U.S. dollars), is expected to create 800 jobs, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said at the opening ceremony. The Hungarian government is supporting the investment with 7 billion forints (20.3 million dollars), Szijjarto said, adding that local companies account for 70 percent of the plant's suppliers. Szijjarto said Hungary has benefited from the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era signed with China in 2024, noting that 30 percent of Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe went to Hungary in 2025. Over the past 10 years, the Hungarian government has signed agreements with Chinese companies on 80 major investments, creating 50,000 local jobs, he added. The new plant marks a key milestone in the company's European strategy, Ren Huili, vice president of Zoomlion and general manager of Zoomlion Access Machinery, said at the opening ceremony. The project will strengthen the company's localized manufacturing, research and development, and service capabilities in Europe, enabling the company to better respond to market demand, Ren added. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesGender equality Opinion BHP couldve made corporate history. Sadly for women, it didnt Elizabeth Knight Business columnist March 18, 2026 3:38pm March 18, 2026 3:38pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A There were two women in the running to take Australias most prestigious corporate job of leading our homegrown global mining giant, BHP. For months, it looked like we were about to see history in the making. But when the board announced its big management reveal on Wednesday, both had missed out. Even though one of women, Geraldine Slattery, who is head of BHP in Australia, was considered the odds-on favourite to get the chief executive nod, neither she nor the other female contender, chief financial officer Vandita Pant, wore a hard hat strong enough to break the glass ceiling. Geraldine Slattery and Vandita Pant both missed out on the top job at BHP. BHPs board instead went with an outside bet a bloke it considered as an up-and-coming star inside the company, Brandon Craig to replace the departing chief executive Mike Henry. Advertisement As with any seismic shift inside an executive management C suite, there will probably be fallout. Missing out on the top job could threaten Slatterys loyalty to the Big Australian. Over the past few weeks, she was also a mooted contender for the top job at energy giant Woodside. In the end, she didnt make the cut at either company, with Woodside announcing on Wednesday that Liz Westcott got that gig. You can almost hear the collective sigh of disappointment among the next generation of female executive aspirants. None of this suggests Craig was not a worthy winner in what BHPs chairman Ross McEwan described as a tight succession race. Craig has a stellar track record, having run BHPs iron ore operations in the past which until this year was the companys biggest earner. And he has more recently overseen its American operations, whose assets are loaded with the companys now-crucial commodity of copper and the future-facing and emerging potash business. Advertisement The board was particularly impressed by Craigs operational bona fides his ability to claw productivity gains from existing operations, eking out improved production at the Escondida copper mine and doing deals with stakeholders such as regional governments in Canada to improve the transportation of potash. From left: BHPs new chief executive Brandon Craig, chairman Ross McEwan and departing chief executive Mike Henry. Louis Trerise One of his first tasks will be to head to China to deal with the six-month stand-off with Chinas state-backed Mineral Resources Group, which has been banning some of BHPs iron ore product as part of a dispute over pricing contracts. That said, BHP has passed up the opportunity to make a historic mark by anointing the first woman to head the company in 140 years. Setting this cultural tone must be important for a company that has worked hard on gender equality, even at the grassroots level by increasing the number of women on work sites and improving their prospects for promotion. Advertisement It wouldve sent a strong and important message, well beyond having equal representation at board level. Loading Coles and Woolworths both broke with decades-long tradition in recent years by placing women at the helm of their companies. Meanwhile, our four major banks are all led by men (although Westpac had previously been run at one time by Gail Kelly). But the male-dominated mining industry has a less stellar history of female leaders among its global players, one of the few being Cynthia Carroll, who ran Anglo American for five years. Rio Tinto last year appointed Simon Trott as its new chief executive from an all-male list of contenders. Most of the senior leadership team inside Rio are men other than its heads of human resources and legal. At the operational level, Katie Jackson runs the copper division. Advertisement Related Article Gender equality The age when pay equality for women gets much worse While most investors are not particularly concerned about chief executive genders, the message carried by BHP placing a woman at the top would have been culturally loud and clear. With Slattery having been such a hot bet to get the job, you can almost hear the collective sigh of disappointment among the next generation of female executive aspirants. The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the days trading. Get it each weekday afternoon. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Gateway uncovers parallel gold target at WA Yandal project Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth March 18, 2026 3:36pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Gateway Mining has discovered yet another gold prospect at its Yandal Gold Project in Western Australias prolific Yilgarn Craton. The company identified a third gold prospect, Rubicon, sitting on a parallel structure directly to the east of its earlier Haflinger discovery and along the same Mustang Trend within the Celia-Mustang structural corridor. Drill rig at Gateway Minings Yandal gold project in Western Australia. Early-stage, widely spaced aircore drilling has defined gold mineralisation over 700 metres of strike. Notably, the system is still wide open to the south - a geologically charged zone now firmly in the companys sights. Headline intercepts from Rubicon included 12m running at 1.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, featuring 4m grading a healthy 2.6g/t gold from 72m. Another hole threw up 4m assaying 2.3g/t gold within a solid 16-metre section at 1.0g/t gold from 72m. A third hole delivered an 8m slice going 1.2g/t gold from 96m. Advertisement These results represent another very exciting prospect discovery. Gateway Mining chief executive officer Richard Pugh Aircore results from a freshly identified prospect should command more than a fleeting glance. What makes Rubicon particularly persuasive is the geological context. The shear zone here is up to 200 metres wide and mirrors the structural setting that controls high-grade gold accumulation at the neighbouring Haflinger prospect. The same geometry at Haflinger subsequently delivered some write-home intercepts as drilling matured. Management is drawing a direct parallel, noting the drilling at Rubicon appears to be entering the strongest part of the system. There is also a convincing kicker in the story. Deep weathering at Rubicon has caused most of the aircore holes to terminate in saprolite without ever testing the shear zone in fresh rock. The mineralised target beneath the weathered profile consequently remains completely untouched, leaving the door wide open for follow-up reverse circulation (RC) drilling to test what lurks at depth. Advertisement Rubicon is the third parallel prospect to emerge along the Celia-Mustang trend, joining youngsters Haflinger and Hummer. Gateway Mining chief executive officer Richard Pugh said: Repeating gold mineralisation on parallel structures within a broader structural setting is precisely the type of setup you expect to see in large gold camps, and thats exactly what the Company believes is emerging across the Celia-Mustang area. The newly discovered Rubicon forms part of the companys flagship Yandal gold project, comprising 1,780 square kilometres of world-class real estate in the Yandal Greenstone Belt, 85 kilometres northeast of Wiluna in Western Australia. The project already hosts a resource of 8.17 million tonnes grading 1.52g/t gold for 400,400 ounces. The resource is centred on the Horse Well gold camp and the Dusk til Dawn deposit, providing a solid foundation for ongoing exploration success. As aircore drilling at the Mustang shear has now wrapped up, the company has freed up the two rigs to test its priority Great Western target, with an additional RC rig due on site shortly. Advertisement Once all assay results are in hand across the broader Celia-Mustang Trend, planning will begin for infill and extensional drilling at Rubicon, Haflinger and Hummer to sharpen up the picture ahead of follow-up RC programmes. Gateway is well-placed to sustain the drilling momentum, with $19.4 million in cash and $9.3 million in liquid investments at the end of December a balance sheet that gives the company plenty of runway to keep drilling without the distraction of fundraising. With three prospects along one prospective geological structure and fresh rocks below that havent yet been touched, the Yandal project is shaping up as one of the more tantalising exploration stories in the WA goldfields right now. Gateway is systematically assembling the building blocks of something that could prove genuinely district-scale. RC drilling is planned, fresh rock is waiting, and assays are still pending across a further 400 metres of strike to the south at Rubicon alone. If the geology continues to deliver what the structural setting is promising - and Haflingers trajectory suggests it might - the conversation around Yandal could look very different by the end of 2026. 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 Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Red Metal, Chalice Mining link up in hunt for next copper-gold frontier Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Craig Nolan March 18, 2026 3:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Red Metal Ltd has linked up with ASX-listed, $560 million mid-tier explorer Chalice Mining under an earn-in joint venture (JV) on ground prospective for copper-gold at Red Metals Callabonna project in South Australias Curnamona Province. The JV will focus on a series of potentially significant magnetic and gravity targets along the northern margin of the site, where wide-spaced historic drilling has identified large hydrothermal breccias reminiscent of an iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) mineralised system. Red Metal Limited and Chalice Mining have linked up in an earn-in joint venture to hunt for a new copper-gold frontier in South Australias Curnamona province. Red Metal says the project has not been sufficiently tested by the drill bit due to its remote location, opening the door to a modern systematic exploration and drilling blitz to unearth a potential new frontier discovery. An exploration program will target large hematite-style or magnetite-style copper-gold deposits. The companys ground comprises two tenements on the northern fringe of the project within the Curnamona Province, a 300 kilometre-by-300km block of shallow to outcropping basement rocks 450km northeast of Adelaide. Advertisement Notably, the province extends east across the border into New South Wales and hosts the Broken Hill orebody, an underground deposit lying beneath the famous mining town. It arguably contains the worlds largest and richest zinc-lead ore deposit. It is within underexplored frontier regions like Callabonna where Australias next giant copper-gold deposit may well be uncovered. Red Metal Limited managing director Rob Rutherford Red Metal holds a 51 per cent interest in one tenement with the right to earn up to 70 per cent in a heads of agreement (HOA) previously negotiated with ASX-listed Variscan Mines. Chalice can now step up to the plate and earn between 65 per cent and 72.5 per cent of Red Metals rights under the HOA with Variscan, by stumping up a minimum of $6 million in exploration across the next four years. Chalices $6 million spend includes a commitment to complete a minimum of two basement drill tests within the first year. Variscans rights remain unchanged by the new JV agreement between Red Metal and Chalice. An additional tenement, wholly owned by Red Metal, is also on the table, with Chalice able to earn up to 65 per cent by kicking in a further $6 million over the next four years. At least one basement drill test needs to be completed within the first 12 months. Advertisement Red Metal retains the right to contribute its 35 per cent share if Chalice completes the minimum earn-in spend. Preparations for drilling in the 2026 field season are due to begin shortly. Red Metal Limited managing director Rob Rutherford said: It is within underexplored frontier regions like Callabonna where Australias next giant copper-gold deposit may well be uncovered. Elsewhere, the company is continuing to make progress on its flagship Sybella rare earths project in northwest Queensland, with results eagerly awaited from a metallurgical column heap leach test on its granite-hosted rare earths ore. Sybella hosts a colossal 4.795-billion-tonne mineral resource grading 302ppm neodymium and praseodymium the key ingredients for high-strength magnets alongside valuable heavy rare earths including dysprosium and terbium at 28ppm, with yttrium coming in at 136ppm. Advertisement Heavy rare earths are worth their weight in gold, as they are critical in producing high-temperature permanent magnets used in wind turbines, medical imaging devices and electric vehicles. Chalice set the sharemarket alight during the depths of the COVID-induced market panic, when it revealed a game-changing palladium-nickel-copper discovery in March 2020, at Julimar, part of its Gonneville project 70km northeast of Perth. The greenfield discovery sent Chalices share price on a rocket-like trajectory, surging from 20 cents at the beginning of 2020 to touch a high of $10 in November the following year. It has an existing resource of 17 million-ounces of platinum group metals (palladium-platinum-gold), 960,000 tonnes of nickel, 540,000 tonnes of copper and a cobalt inventory of 96,000 tonnes. Management says it is the largest undeveloped platinum group metals project in the Western world. Red Metals decision to tackle its South Australian ground with a cashed-up mining firm like Chalice, holding more than $70 million in cash and listed investments and no debt at the end of December, may prove to be a strategic masterstroke. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears West Wits pours first gold at South African mine Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth March 18, 2026 1:29pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A They say gold fever never really dies in the Witwatersrand - the legendary reef that gave the world its most storied gold rush and underpins South Africas identity as a mining nation - and West Wits Mining has just proved it. The ASX-listed junior has poured the first gold from its Qala Shallows underground mine in Gauteng, near Johannesburg, completing the inaugural pour at Sibanye-Stillwaters nearby Ezulwini processing plant yesterday. West Wits Mining chairman Michael Quinert (left) and CEO Rudi Deysel hold the first gold bars poured from the companys South African Qala Shallows mine on 17 March. More than just a first pour, the achievement marks the birth of South Africas first new operational underground gold mine in more than 15 years, a noteworthy footnote in the history of one of the worlds greatest gold provinces. However, it has been a long road to get here. West Wits spent several years navigating the notoriously complex South African regulatory environment to secure its mining rights, raise the project financing, sink the shafts and establish underground operations at Qala Shallows. The fact that the company delivered on its stated Q1 2026 first-gold target on schedule will not be lost on punters who have watched the clock. Advertisement It is immensely satisfying to see West Wits now producing gold from one of the worlds great gold basins. West Wits Mining chairman Michael Quinert CEO and managing director Rudi Deysel and chairman Michael Quinert were on the ground at the Ezulwini plant to witness the pour. West Wits Mining chairman Michael Quinert said: Every mining company works towards the moment of first gold. Seeing Qala Shallows reach this milestone reflects years of disciplined work to secure the Mining Right, finance the project and build the mine. It is immensely satisfying to see West Wits now producing gold from one of the worlds great gold basins. Chief executive officer and managing director Rudi Deysel added that the company set a clear objective to deliver the first gold in Q1 2026 and had successfully nailed that timeline. Qala Shallows is stage one of the companys broader Witwatersrand basin project (WBP), which hosts a substantial global JORC resource of 7.24 million ounces at 4.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold; a grade that most gold miners would envy. Advertisement The WBP sits within the world-class Central Rand goldfield, the same geological address that has yielded over 1.5 billion ounces of gold since the original rush of the 1880s, or roughly 22 per cent of all the gold ever mined. Despite the long mining history, the timing of the gold formation in the sedimentary basin remains controversial and often has crusty old geologists arguing over a beverage or two. However, what is certain is the gold nuggets occur in conglomerates - deposits of pebbly material laid down by ancient rivers. In addition, the area has been mined for uranium, a commodity now seeing a new upsurge in interest. Under a toll-treatment agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater, ore mined at Qala Shallows is trucked to the Ezulwini plant for processing, a savvy arrangement, which has allowed West Wits to avoid the enormous capital cost of building its own processing infrastructure. This pragmatic deal highlights the companys disciplined approach to project economics. With the first gold now in the bag, attention will turn squarely to the production ramp-up. Underground development continues, ore deliveries to Ezulwini are increasing and the company expects to reach steady-state operations within 18 months. When this project hits full stride, it will be one of the biggest positive stories the region has seen in decades. At full tilt, the mine should produce 200,000 ounces per year and potentially support a 20 to 25-year mine life, assuming sufficient reserves conversion, gold prices and overall execution. Advertisement Beyond Qala Shallows, management has made no secret of its ambitions to unlock the broader WBP tenement package as the asset base matures. A broader vision could restore the regions status as a multi-decade gold powerhouse and, if the yellow metals price stays hot, its 200,000-ounce-per-year dream could stretch the project out over generations. Elsewhere, West Wits holds additional exploration optionality with its Mt Cecilia gold and copper project in WAs East Pilbara region, close to world-class operations such as the Woodie Woodie manganese mine and the Telfer gold-copper-silver complex. For now, though, all eyes are on the Rand. The Witwatersrand made South Africa the gold capital of the world and West Wits has just staked its claim as one of its newest contributors. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Advertisement NationalCBD Bob Carr draws Labor luminaries to Macquarie Street book launch John Buckley March 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A After bundling up onto the stage of the Theatrette in NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, former NSW premier and foreign minister Bob Carr was quick to offer momentary relief before getting to what he calls this business of grief. My pockets contain the latest measure of my unsuccess in cooking for myself. I got them from the pharmacy across the road after seeing a doctor around the corner. One is Lofenoxal, three tablets a day. And the other one is Norfloxacin tablets, Carr said, offering a brief pause. It was the worst, the worst indigestion. I followed what I thought were all the junctures about kitchen hygiene. And obviously, there was a fatal miscalculation over how long the chicken had been there. Former NSW premier Bob Carr pictured at the Sydney Summit at the International Convention Centre this year. Sam Mooy Carr was setting up the room of current and former Labor heavyweights for a half hour of heartache to mark the launch of his book, Bring Back Yesterday. Its a tribute to his love and late wife, Helena Carr, and his profound grief following her sudden death. Advertisement Among those in attendance was Premier Chris Minns, who offered the room a speech of his own before handing over to the events emcee, NSW Labor MP Clayton Barr, who introduced Carr to the stage. Related Article Lunch with Bob Carr on marriage, grief and finally learning how to do a load of laundry Also in the room was former Keating, Rudd and Gillard cabinet minister John Faulkner, and Linda Burney, the former Albanese government minister for Indigenous Australians. Former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon was also spotted, as was former NSW premier Barrie Unsworth. In his address, Minns compared Carr to international man of mystery Peter Paul Rubens, known for his dual careers as a court painter and a European diplomat. Friends, we might be forgiven for thinking that for all of Bobs political successes, the 10 years in office, the smashing of opposition parties in multiple elections, the balanced budgets, the new national parks, the greatest Olympic Games ever, all of it was an excuse to write these wonderful books, these wry, self-deprecating, uncommonly honest books, Minns told the room, to Carrs approval. Advertisement And Bob, can I say, in a very hot field with stiff competition, I think this is the best book that youve written. Spotted: Gillon McLachlan and Matthew Grounds The bromance between former AFL boss turned Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan and Barrenjoey co-executive chairman Matthew Grounds is well-documented. So we werent surprised to hear the pair fit a quick catch-up into the diary during McLachlans whip through Sydney this week. Former BHP chairman Ken Mackenzie (green blazer front row), Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan, Laura McLachlan, and Transurban chairman Craig Drummond. (Second row) BHP CEO Mike Henry (left), Barrenjoey chairman Matthew Grounds, and REA CEO Cameron McIntyre at the Australian Open Mens final. Louis Trerise The pair were spotted at Governor Phillip Tower on Wednesday while McLachlan was in town for some meetings with his Sydney colleagues and to meet the companys media partners. The Tabcorp boss has been in Sydney since Monday, CBD hears, and tries to fit Grounds into his schedule whenever hes in town. Advertisement Of course, its not the first time the old friends have been seen out and about this year. McLachlan and Grounds were seen at the Australian Open last month, where they were photographed mixing it up with recently departed BHP chief executive Mike Henry and REA Group boss Cameron McIntyre. Labors SBS U-turn rankles Is that a broken election promise we smell? There are MPs in the Labor caucus known to be a little sensitive to accusations the government is going back on its word. Perhaps none more so than Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has been known to get defensive over even the faintest whiff of the charge. But how else to interpret the Albanese governments decision to dispense with its promise made before the 2025 election to expand SBS to western Sydney? The initial plan considering a relocation of SBS headquarters to western Sydney was watered down to a revised western Sydney expansion, following a feasibility study that ruled out the initial plan over costs. Then Labor promised a new production hub for the multicultural broadcaster to a region where roughly half of the population speaks a language other than English. Advertisement Now that plan, which CBD hears was set to cost $181 million and earmarked Blacktown as the preferred location, has evaporated altogether. In an email to staff on Tuesday, SBS acting managing director Jane Palfreyman said it is disappointing the move was spiked, saying the government indicated its decision was made in the context of the current fiscal environment. Related Article CBD Kellie Sloane goes After Dark with Rowan Dean The timing was cute. On the day of a Reserve Bank cash rate call, and when the Middle East conflict was otherwise dominating headlines, Communications Minister Anika Wells thought time was ripe to take out the trash quietly, before Palfreymans staff memo was obtained by this masthead. The reaction from some of her western Sydney colleagues hasnt been great. The offices of some MPs, CBD hears, wouldve liked a bit more notice of the decision. Others say they saw the move coming from way off, and are more concerned about perceptions of broken promises. Advertisement The initial commitment to look at relocating SBS from Artarmon to western Sydney was first pared back under Attorney-General Michelle Rowland during her time in the Communications portfolio. But the pin was pulled under Wells, her successor, as the government scratches around to find savings ahead of the May federal budget. Regardless of whos responsible, local stakeholders are apoplectic after being strung along for years. And Rowland is just one of the western Sydney MPs who will be left to face them. Others with seats in the region include Education Minister Jason Clare, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and backbencher Ed Husic. The government will not be providing additional funding for the expansion proposed by SBS at this time. We thank SBS for its work in this process, a spokesman for Wells said in a statement. We will continue to support the important work of the SBS now and into the future. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. You have just 10 days for a final visit thats if you can get a table. Popular Japanese restaurant Mizu will close at the end of March. The Teneriffe institution broke the news on social media on Tuesday. After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our store, Mizu owner Michiko Marunishi wrote in the post, announcing the final day of trade will be Saturday, March 28. Mizu will close in Teneriffe at the end of the month after 21 years in business. Matt Shea Until then, we will continue to operate during our normal business hours and look forward to welcoming you. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your support and kindness over the years. It has truly been a pleasure to serve you, and we hope to see you before our final day. Advertisement Review Eating outSydney Theres plenty to love at two-hat Aalias new wine bar. Shame it breaks this important rule The new Martin Place wine bar from the team behind Nour is a strong offering on the plate and in the glass, and the people-watching is primo. Theres just one thing missing. Myffy Rigby March 15, 2026 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A 1 / 9 Aalia Wine Room spans two levels, each with a distinct vibe. Wolter Peeters 2 / 9 Raw tuna and crisp bread. Wolter Peeters 3 / 9 The 42-seat bar, spanning two levels, is designed by architect Matt Darwon. Wolter Peeters 4 / 9 The wine list features Australian and international labels plus a mean Manhattan. Wolter Peeters 5 / 9 Lamb hawashi. Wolter Peeters 6 / 9 The downstairs bar is best for a quick plate and a glass. Wolter Peeters 7 / 9 Primo people-watching: Floor-to-ceiling windows allow incredible views of Martin Place. Wolter Peeters 8 / 9 Eggplant mes'a'aha, labneh and pita bread. Wolter Peeters 9 / 9 Sommelier Sarah ODwyer is behind the drinks. Wolter Peeters Previous Slide Next Slide Aalia Wine Room Bar snacks$$$$ Lovers of chef Paul Farags Middle Eastern cooking, rejoice theres a new bar in town featuring his food. Best of all, you dont need to make a booking to try it you can walk straight in. The latest jewel in the ESCA hospitality crown (see also Nour, Henrietta, Ito, Joji and Besa) is a wine-focused casual offshoot of the groups two-hat restaurant, Aalia, where Farag has helmed the kitchen since it opened in 2022. Here, the former Good Food Guide Chef of the Year winner presents a Middle Eastern and North African-inspired menu that bridges the gap between snack and meal. Raw tuna and crisp bread. Wolter Peeters Advertisement Aalia Wine Rooms party line is wine without rules. Im here to tell you its definitely not food without rules. We find out, once were seated and attempt to order a bite to eat, that were not allowed access to the full menu until 5pm (its 4.45, and they wont budge). We wait the requisite 15 minutes and order raw kingfish, lifted with the citric pops of finger lime caviar, served on a piece of crisp bread. Globe artichokes, fried to an inch of their fleshy, earthy lives, are garnished with a lick of tahini. A puff of scorchy pita bread made on khorasan flour is the perfect foil for labneh housing a pool of caramelised onions, dusted with sumac. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Squooshy Egyptian-style eggplant is cooked down in tomato sauce until it kind of resembles a paste. Lamb hawashi translates as shredded lamb encased in beautifully fine layers of golden pastry with an intense, concentrated black garlic sauce, best served with a squeeze of lemon to cut the richness. Sommelier Sarah ODwyer is behind the drinks here. The curation is pretty thorough. Theres some fun stuff on offer including a crisp, citrusy new-style sauvignon blanc from Tassie producers Torchbearer, and a fruit-forward field blend rose from Blewitt Springs vineyard MMAD. Further from home, theres a dry, oaky and slightly funky ribolla/friulano from Oslavia winemakers Fiegl. Build your own flight from $69 for the standard offering, or spend a little extra and try a few of their rarer drops. And if wine doesnt cut it for you, they make a potent Manhattan. Lamb hawashi. Wolter Peeters Advertisement The 42-seat bar, spanning two levels, is designed by Sydney-based architect Matt Darwon. Downstairs, the light-filled space is spare, mixing stainless steel, timber and iron. Its best for a quick plate and a glass. Upstairs, a softer, more intimate palette of greys, and low-slung tables dotted around banquettes, makes it better for settling in. Wherever you choose to sit, the people-watching is primo. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow the most incredible views of Martin Place, where a mix of cashed-up shoppers, local office workers and rubbernecking tourists all breeze past. Its a wonderful mix of humanity. So heres the rub. Staff dont make a huge effort to be friendly or helpful. Water glasses arent filled when were seated. One floor member seems actively shocked to see us when we arrive. It could easily be because the bar spans two levels and theyre still new (they opened in late January). Or maybe 4pm on a Friday is a weird time to meet a friend for a glass of wine. Maybe were not wearing enough vintage YSL. Whatever the reason, the team could definitely work on bringing some relaxed, friendly energy. This is a strong offering on the plate and in the glass theres plenty to love here on both those fronts. Ultimately, though, Id love to see this wine list and those bar snacks in a setting that feels a little less cool to the touch. Break all the rules you want, except this one: be hospitable to your customers. Three other food-focused bars to try LAvant Cave A sweet, fairy-lit courtyard wine bar brought to you by the team behind cosy upstairs bistro, Porcine, where pate en croute and big chops rule. Heres cheers to French 75s, blousy chardonnays, bread and butter and a cracking minute steak au poivre. 268 Oxford St, Paddington, porcine.com.au/lavant-cave Continental Delicatessen Before the Porteno crew opened Mister Grotto, Joes Tavern and Osteria Mucca on Australia Street, there was this bar/delicatessen. Its still a crowd favourite for tinned cocktails, cured meats and that epic French dip sandwich. Nab a seat on the footpath and enjoy the last gasps of Sydney heat. 210 Australia St, Newtown, paisanoanddaughters.com.au Paradise There are European-style wine bars, and then theres this wine bar run by Europeans Gio and Enrico Paradiso (the brothers behind Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William Street). Expect to never find the same wines twice (just pick a colour), and a menu that changes so frequently it barely serves to mention it. Shop 6C, 11 Ward Ave, Potts Point Advertisement Advertisement LifestyleFashionStyle Yes, you really should wash new clothes before wearing them. Heres why Jillian Pretzel March 19, 2026 5:01am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A In a post on TikTok, a woman showed pictures of her arms, legs and face covered in pink hives a reaction, she wrote, that developed soon after wearing a new dress she bought online. On Reddit, similar stories abound in posts about itchy red bumps and hives cropping up on peoples skin shortly after wearing new clothes. Dr Susan Massick, a dermatologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre, says it was common for her patients to complain about skin reactions to new clothes, especially in areas that experience friction such as armpits, groins, waists and necks. We spoke with experts to find out what might be causing the irritation and whether washing new clothes before wearing them could help. The most common causes of irritation are the thousands of chemicals used during textile manufacturing. Getty Images Advertisement Why do new clothes cause reactions? New clothes often contain a variety of substances that can irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions, says Dr Shamsa Kanwal, a dermatologist in Portland, Oregon. Related Article Home accessories Do you know how often to replace your sponge? How about your mattress? Dirt and dust, which can accumulate in storage, may lead to a red, itchy or painful rash, she adds particularly for those with sensitive skin. The most common causes of irritation, however, are the thousands of chemicals used during textile manufacturing, Kanwal says. Many clothes are treated with various substances like fungicides, chemical finishing agents and fragrances that reduce wrinkling, extend shelf life, resist stains and mildew, and keep garments smelling nice, Kanwal says. Advertisement Not all of these substances will cause reactions, she adds, but dyes are a common culprit especially azo dyes, which are often used on synthetic materials like polyester. Formaldehyde (used to prevent wrinkles), pesticide residues (commonly found on clothes made from cotton) and fragrances can also cause an itchy, red rash in areas of close contact, Kanwal says. In a 2022 study, researchers in Spain examined 120 pieces of baby, toddler and maternity clothing purchased from various retailers in Spain and online. They found formaldehyde in 20 per cent of the samples. Even clothes labeled organic can still have dyes, finishing agents, softeners and fragrance, Kanwal says. Does washing help? Advertisement Washing clothes before wearing them does help remove some potential irritants such as excess dyes, fragrances and formaldehyde, the experts we spoke with say. In our tests, a single short washing cycle with cold water removed almost all of the formaldehyde present, says Joaquim Rovira Solano, a researcher from the University of Rovira i Virgili in Spain who coauthored the 2022 study. Washing clothes before wearing them does help remove some potential irritants. Getty Images But not all problematic chemicals are completely removed by washing, says Sylvana Brickley, a nurse practitioner who specialises in dermatology at Lahey Hospital and Medical Centre in Burlington, Massachusetts. Many chemicals that can irritate the skin, like flame retardants and antimicrobial treatments used to prevent odour in some activewear, are designed to stay on clothes after multiple washes. People who are sensitive to such chemicals may have reactions, no matter how many times the clothes are washed, Brickley says. Related Article Trends The autumn styling tricks from Paris Fashion Week to try now For dry-clean-only items, steaming or airing them out before wearing them for the first time may help dispel some fragrance or other odours, Kanwal says, but it probably wont help with other, more durable finishes like wrinkle-resistant resins, stain resistance treatments and some performance coatings. She suggests wearing a barrier layer, like a thin T-shirt, underneath new clothes that cant go in the wash. Advertisement If a skin reaction persists after youve washed your clothes, Massick recommends consulting a dermatologist. Most often, she says, the reaction is irritant contact dermatitis a typically short-lived red, itchy rash that shows up within minutes to hours after direct contact with a substance and generally doesnt require treatment beyond avoiding the irritant. A more troublesome and less common reaction is allergic contact dermatitis, which occurs when your body develops an allergy to a substance after repeated exposures to it. Even small exposures can cause reactions like an itchy rash, swelling, bumps, blisters, burning or tenderness, which can take two to four days to develop, Brickley says. If you develop any type of rash from wearing clothes, Massick advises resisting the urge to itch, which can worsen the rash or cause skin discoloration or an infection. At the end of the day, Brickley says, washing your clothes before wearing them can come with some drawbacks. Collars may not be as stiff, and colours may not be as vibrant. But it all comes down to whether you want that stuff on your clothes or not, she says. The New York Times 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: Style Nigerian President meets Royal Family The Nigerian President and the First Lady were greeted with British pomp and pageantry as they were welcomed at Windsor Castle this morning. TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Wednesday exchanged views on the developments in the Middle East in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. In a phone call, the two sides discussed the attacks' regional and international consequences and impacts, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Araghchi elaborated on the "crimes" committed by the United States and Israel, especially their attacks on Iranian hospitals, schools, infrastructure, and residential buildings. He emphasized that Iran is determined to defend its territorial integrity and national sovereignty with all its might. Araghchi also strongly criticized the "double-standard and deceitful" approach of some European countries and senior EU officials towards the U.S. and Israeli military "aggression" against Iran, stressing that any support or appeasement towards the "flagrant law-breaking" of the United States and Israel would be tantamount to complicity in the "crimes." He stressed the disruption in shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is the direct result of the U.S.-Israeli war imposed on Iran, and warned of the consequences of the "U.S. conspiracy to drag other countries into its criminal war against Iran." He said that if the EU and European countries are concerned about peace and security in the region, they should seek to exert pressure on the "aggressors and stop their military aggression against the Iranian nation, instead of adopting irresponsible positions." Kallas, for her part, expressed grave concern about the war's security, humanitarian, and economic consequences, highlighting the EU's position regarding the need to immediately end the conflict. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump has called on allies to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flows. Most allies have rejected the request. Queen Mary heads to hometown Danish Royals Queen Mary and King Frederik X head to Hobart this afternoon, the first time the pair have been back to Tasmania since 2005. Advertisement NationalVale Former High Court chief justice Anthony Mason dies, aged 100 Michaela Whitbourn March 18, 2026 3:42pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Sir Anthony Mason, the nations ninth High Court chief justice and a towering figure in the law, died on Tuesday. He was 100. Mason was appointed to the High Court in 1972 and served as chief justice from 1987 to 1995, an era defined by a series of watershed decisions. Sir Anthony Mason pictured in Sydney in 2012. The towering law figure died on Tuesday, aged 100. Photographic In 1992, Mason was among a majority of High Court judges who recognised a constitutional guarantee or freedom of political communication, in a decision that serves as a bulwark of free speech. The freedom acts as a handbrake on parliament and has formed the basis of a series of constitutional challenges to legislation, including recent amendments to NSW protest laws. Advertisement Sir Anthony in 1972, when appointed to the High Court. He served as chief justice from 1987 to 1995. The fundamental importance, indeed the essentiality, of freedom of communication, including freedom to criticise government action, in the system of modern representative government has been recognised by courts in many jurisdictions, Mason said in the seminal 1992 decision. In the same year, the High Court delivered the landmark Mabo decision on Indigenous land rights, sweeping away the legal fiction of terra nullius (meaning land belonging to no one) that had been used to justify British colonisation. The fiction by which the rights and interests of Indigenous inhabitants in land were treated as non-existent was justified by a policy which has no place in the contemporary law of this country, Sir Gerard Brennan, who would become the nations tenth chief justice, said in reasons with which Mason agreed. High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler said at the 2022 launch of a book on Masons legacy that the judicial method of Sir Anthony Mason defies labelling. Advertisement He has never sought to ascribe one to himself, although at the time of his own swearing in as chief justice he made a point of speaking of courts having an obligation to shape legal principles to the conditions of Australian society, Gageler said. He spoke of the need to ensure that judicial development of Australian law responded dynamically to conditions of Australian society. To observe at close quarters this master judicial craftsman at the peak of his powers was an opportunity as rare as it was invaluable. NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell said in a statement on Wednesday that a very fine Australian has left our midst but his impact and legacy will continue. As law graduates, both Bell and Gageler served as associates to Mason. Bell said he counted my year in Sir Anthonys chambers as one of the most important and formative of my professional life. Advertisement To observe at close quarters this master judicial craftsman at the peak of his powers was an opportunity as rare as it was invaluable, Bell said. Chief justice Sir Anthony Mason (centre) with justices Mary Gaudron and John Toohey outside the High Court in Canberra after the trio were sworn in on February 6, 1987. And to be exposed to his rapier wit coupled with his voracious appetite for discussion of the law, the legal profession, politics, sport and world affairs, maintaining a close friendship with him and the late Lady Patricia Mason, together with his other associates, over more than three decades is something that I will both miss but always value. Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said Mason helped shape modern Australia through some of our nations most significant judgments. Guided by a deep respect for fairness and for the rights of all Australians, Sir Anthony devoted his life to the law and to serving our nation, she said. Advertisement He will be remembered for his wisdom and intellect, and his enduring contribution to our legal system, academia and public life. In a statement, the High Court said: Sir Anthonys contribution to the jurisprudence of the High Court, and to the legal system and profession more broadly, was profound and is enduring. He was a jurist who was and continues to be regarded with deep respect and admiration, and a man who is remembered with affection and appreciation by those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. The court will hold a ceremonial sitting in June to honour him. Born in Sydney in April 1925, Mason was educated at Sydney Grammar because it had a reputation of producing a large number of lawyers, he said in an interview and the University of Sydney. Advertisement He was appointed Commonwealth solicitor-general in 1964 and to the NSW Court of Appeal in 1969. Masons retirement from the High Court bench in 1995 ushered in a new period of professional industry for him. He served on courts in Hong Kong, the Solomon Islands and Fiji, as chancellor of the University of NSW and as chairman of the Council of the National Library of Australia. He is survived by his sons, Michael and David, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 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 NationalNSWCrime Luck runs out for glamour rock couple arrested over Sydney drug syndicate Riley Walter Updated March 19, 2026 4:10pm ,first published March 19, 2026 10:11am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A More than a decade ago, rock n roll frontman Azaria Byrne would have counted himself lucky. A day after he handed the keys of a Bali villa to a woman he claimed to have met only once in 2014, police swooped on the luxury digs. By then, though, Byrne had already touched down in Sydney. The woman he gave the keys to, Leeza Ormsby, served a 10-month jail sentence for marijuana possession. Inside the villa Byrne had rented, police found MDMA and hashish weighed, bagged and ready for resale inside a locked drawer. Ormsby wasnt staying at the villa and knew nothing about the drugs, she said. Rock n roll frontman Azaria Byrne and his hairdresser partner, Brooke Mitchell, have been charged with commercial drug supply offences. Instagram Byrne, born in Brisbane in 1980, came to the notice of Interpol, but was never charged over the drug stash, which he denied any knowledge of, as he declared Ormsbys innocence at the time. On Wednesday, though, Byrnes luck seemed to run out. Just after 7am, detectives investigating a large-scale drug supply syndicate in Sydney under Strike Force Dulce arrested the 45-year-old at his Earlwood home. There, they also took his hairdresser fiancee Brooke Mitchell, 28, into custody. Both have been charged with supplying large commercial quantities of a prohibited drug, participating in a criminal group and dealing with the proceeds of crime. Advertisement Byrne, a former boyfriend of Jessica Origliasso one half of Australian pop duo The Veronicas has also been charged with acquiring illegal firearms parts that were allegedly found alongside a flick knife at his home. Police say cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, LSD, ketamine and diazepam were also found at Byrnes home. Mitchells mother, Joanne Cullip, 61, was also arrested at the home, which the trio share and Byrne bought for $1.25 million in 2020, according to property records. She was charged with participating in a criminal group and was granted police bail to appear in court in April. Loading About 20 minutes away, at a converted Leichhardt warehouse that Byrne sub-leases to musicians and recording studios, detectives allegedly found about 25 kilograms of ketamine, 17 kilograms of cannabis, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, 3.5 kilograms of MDMA, 5.6 kilograms of diazepam, half a kilogram of magic mushrooms, 70 grams of methamphetamine, almost 20,000 pills believed to contain LSD, and $200,000 in cash. Police allege the drugs, some of which were found in a secret room at the Leichhardt warehouse by drug detection dogs, have a street value of $5.5 million. For most of Wednesday, detectives searched upstairs rooms at the property used by several well-known bands, taking away carloads of evidence bags. Byrne had recently completed a fit-out of the space worth an estimated $200,000 that he claimed was funded by his work in the construction industry. None of the businesses or musicians renting studios from Byrne are accused of any wrongdoing. Advertisement Byrnes band, The Art, has performed with well-known groups The Pixies, Thirty Seconds To Mars and Nine Inch Nails, as well as Marilyn Manson, according to media interviews he has given. In 2017, The Art supported Jimmy Barnes at a Sydney show. The band was scheduled to tour the country with Australian rock group The Superjesus in June and July. The Harbour Agency, which manages shows for The Superjesus, declined to comment on Byrnes arrest or its implications for the groups upcoming tour. The booking agency represents well-known Australian bands and artists including The Angels, Dragon, John Farnham, Daryl Braithwaite and Guy Sebastian, according to its website. Byrne and Mitchell are led from court after being refused bail. Louise Kennerley Detectives allege Byrne directed the local activities of the syndicate, while Mitchell and her mother helped distribute drugs the group is alleged to have manufactured at a Marrickville lab raided on Wednesday. Police seized ketamine, MDMA and equipment they allege was being used for drug manufacturing at the property. Byrne sobbed during a failed bail application on Thursday, during which prosecutors told Burwood Local Court he was a risk of moving what they called his legitimate as well as his unexplained wealth offshore if he was released from custody, and that it would be in his interest to do everything possible to leave this jurisdiction. Advertisement Byrnes barrister, Hollie Blake, told the court his home was purchased with help from his parents, rather than any unexplained wealth. The court heard Byrne had been captured on surveillance and listening devices supplying prohibited drugs over the nine month-long police investigation. He was remanded in custody to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on May 14. Mitchells lawyer, Alexander Reetov, told the court his client did not play a high-ranking role in the syndicate. Shes a lady of no substantial means, which is in contrast to Mr Byrne, Reetov said. Both Mitchell and her mother were seen accessing the Leichhardt studios where the syndicates drugs were stored several times while police were surveilling the property, the court heard. Advertisement Magistrate Jennifer Price refused Mitchell bail to face Downing Centre Local Court alongside Byrne on May 14. At Potts Point on Wednesday, detectives arrested Oliver Dibley, a little-known producer and vocalist based in Los Angeles, where Byrne had occasionally travelled for work with his tour promotion company, Hi Society Touring. Drugs and $37,000 in cash were allegedly seized in the raid. Dibley, 33, police say, was the offshore ringleader of the syndicate and directed its activities from the United States. He has been charged with dozens of counts of drug supply charges, as well as dealing with property alleged to be the proceeds of crime, and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group. He has zero monthly listeners, according to his Spotify profile. Loading At searches of homes in Marrickville, Balmain and Dulwich Hill, police allegedly found cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, magic mushrooms, prescription medication, cannabis, LSD and more than $40,000 in cash. Advertisement Several other alleged syndicate members who detectives say were helping to distribute the syndicates drugs were arrested over the course of Wednesday. Andrew Donald Kirkby, 38, of Marrickville, Tayler Paul Richard Pride, 37, of Dulwich Hill, and Onur Karaozbek, 43, of Balmain, were all charged with drug supply offences. Kirkby and Pride were both charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime. Dibley, Kirkby, Pride and Karaozbek were remanded in custody to face court in May. A 37-year-old woman, Keisha Seru, of Surry Hills, was arrested and charged with four counts of possessing a prohibited drug and participating in a criminal group after police allegedly found cannabis, magic mushrooms and dexamphetamine on her during a raid of the Marrickville home. She was granted police bail to face the Downing Centre Local Court in April. Tonight, there are less drugs on the streets of Sydney as a result of this excellent investigation, acting Superintendent Gretchen Atkins said on Thursday afternoon. Investigations under Strike Force Dulce are ongoing. 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 NationalQueenslandCrime Father accused of killing baby, partner has mental disorder: lawyer Cloe Read March 18, 2026 11:01am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The man accused of killing his 11-month-old girl and his partner has a schizoaffective disorder, his lawyer has told a Brisbane court. Blake Matthew Seers was charged on Tuesday with two counts of murder over the deaths of his partner Kate Paterson, 37, and their daughter April, after their bodies were found in their Logan home last week. Blake Seers is accused of murdering his partner Kate Paterson and their baby daughter. Seers, 38, had been hit by a vehicle that day, March 12, outside a supermarket near his home in Belivah, south of Brisbane. When officers attended Seers home to alert family of his injuries, they instead discovered Patersons and Aprils bodies. Advertisement The accused killer was charged after he regained consciousness in hospital days later. Detectives at the time suspected the pair had been killed with an edged weapon. Police said Seers had been reported by witnesses running toward the road, and might have had a neck injury when he was struck on Beaudesert Beenleigh Road at Bannockburn shortly before 7.30am. The bodies of Paterson and her one-year-old daughter April were found inside the family home. Seers matter was heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, where his lawyer Nicholas Andrews said his client would need to be assessed in custody for his mental health. Advertisement He said Seers was currently in custody under police watch in hospital. Mr Seers has a diagnosed schizoaffective disorder, Andrews said. Police at the scene in Bannockburn where Seers was hit by a vehicle. The bodies of his partner and daughter were discovered shortly afterwards. AAPIMAGE Andrews said given the case was from Logan, it would need to be transferred to Beenleigh Magistrates Court, to which the court agreed. Outside court, Andrews expressed his sympathies for those who had been affected. Advertisement Its a sensitive matter and our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this tragedy, he said. Lawyer Nicholas Andrews speaking outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Cloe Read But at times like this, I just need to remind myself that there is a job to do. Its currently progressing through the court and theres some mental health considerations here. Seers was remanded in custody, with his case scheduled to be heard in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court next Wednesday. Last week, members of the community, including students from nearby schools, gathered in a park near the Belivah home to remember Paterson, a year 5 teacher at Windaroo State School in Logan, and April. Advertisement Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) on 1800 737 732. 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 NationalQueenslandQueensland government How the CFMEU tried to, and did, influence Qlds biggest rail project Matt Dennien March 18, 2026 8:03pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The CFMEU led a years-long campaign of pressure through, and then on, key government figures before using its influence on the safety regulator to try and achieve its aims on Queenslands multibillion-dollar Cross River Rail project, an inquiry has heard. Queenslands powerful inquiry into the union and broader construction sector has over the last two days taken evidence, culminating on Wednesday, from the projects delivery authority chief executive Graeme Newton about the unions activity. The inquiry has turned to the project after last week laying out a line of inquiry into the potential institutional corruption of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland by the union, with staff telling of unlawful directions targeting CFMEU adversaries. Cross River Rail Delivery Authority chief executive Graeme Newton gave during his day and a half in the Queensland CFMEU inquiry witness box this week. News Corp Australia The Crisafulli government launched the $19.7 million probe last year after reporting by this masthead and 60 Minutes into criminality, corruption and misconduct in the union and construction sector nationwide. Advertisement Through the witness box and an extensive witness statement and accompanying documents totalling more than 480 pages, Newton laid out in detail the efforts of the union from the earliest stages of the project to sway decisions, from personnel at meetings to major contractor selection. The CFMEU and Electrical Trades Union initially declined to attend one meeting offered by the authority to all unions laying out the project scope in November 2018, and subsequently refused to meet with the authority if its workplace relations director Rob McPherson was present. In an early December email to Newton and the authoritys general manager for strategy, Matthew Martyn-Jones, McPherson said he was of the firm view I should attend an upcoming meeting and that the authority cannot accept the demand of the union. McPherson said this would create a precedent where the union could have anyone they disliked or disagreed with removed or sidelined and send a message that the authority was prepared to acquiesce to their demands. Advertisement He said this was particularly important because the CFMEU and others in the Building Trades Group were pushing for an unlawful project agreement with the authority itself, rather than the successful contractors, which could add hundreds of millions of dollars to project costs. Related Article Trade unions CFMEU inquiry updates: Probe digs dirt on Cross River Rail as bosses take stand Newton told the inquiry McPherson ultimately did not attend subsequent meetings, but remained employed by the authority and advised it in the workplace relations space. Newton also accepted responsibility for the decision to sideline McPherson to avoid antagonism. Commissioner Stuart Wood AM KC, in a comment to Newton, questioned the strange decision, noting that if you give in to them, you get more agitation. I dont disagree with you, Newton replied. While the CFMEU and Building Trades Group were pushing to replicate Queens Wharf development deals as a way to land generous conditions for workers and break into the Australian Workers Unions civil construction turf, the AWU were already talking to announced bidders. Advertisement Advertisement After this point, the union escalated pressure on the authority, various ministers including then premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and even Newton himself through private and public commentary to try to damage the authority and the project more broadly, Newton said. This included a campaign of misinformation through media and the unions own social media about safety concerns on the project, on which Newton said key indicators were, in fact, below the national average. CFMEU activity in relation to Queenslands Cross River Rail project by month from June 2019-2025, as charted by the projects delivery authority for the inquiry. Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry After the serious injury of a worker in mid-2023, a safety reset driven by the CFMEU through its presence on sites via subcontractor workplace agreements saw CPB then cede to the unions demands for its own health and safety representatives, the inquiry heard last year. This led to an escalation of the work stoppages initiated by those representatives of which a significant portion lacked clear or substantiated basis and were later overturned or resolved without the need for action, Newtons statement laid out. Advertisement Counsel assisting noted this coincided with a decline in the use of media and other external public pressure by the union. They had their troops inside by then, Wood noted. Related Article Trade unions Six key takeaways from the CFMEU inquirys first week Newton said ultimately the unions activity contributed to up to two-year delays on some work between 2022 and 2025 a period in which the projects estimated completion jumped from 2025 to its current timeline of 2029. While not solely attributing an increase in the apples with apples cost increase from an initially budgeted $6.88 billion to $9.83 billion today to the union, Newton told the inquiry protracted industrial actions did play a role. The inquiry continues on Thursday. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalQueenslandCrime Vigilante charged over fatal highway crash after chasing suspected thief Marissa Calligeros March 18, 2026 1:43pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A One of two drivers charged over a head-on crash that killed an innocent 26-year-old man was chasing a suspected scrap-metal thief the wrong way along the Bruce Highway. Andre Roberts, 26, was killed on February 17 when his Honda Accord was struck head-on by a stolen Isuzu truck travelling on the wrong side of the Bruce Highway near Burpengary, north of Brisbane. In the weeks before the crash, thieves had targeted scrap metal businesses in the Narangba area. The stolen white Isuzu was linked to those thefts. The Isuzu truck was spotted circulating the area on the night of February 17 and information spread to several business owners, who converged on the industrial precinct. Several vehicles were seen travelling on the wrong side of the Bruce Highway at Burpengary. Advertisement The business owners including a 42-year-old man in a Ford Ranger, who worked for one of the businesses began chasing the Isuzu. All but one of the vehicles the Ford Ranger abandoned the chase before the Isuzu driver started travelling the wrong way along the Bruce Highway about 10.30pm. Both the Isuzu and the Ford Ranger were travelling south in the northbound lanes of the highway. At the same time, Roberts was driving home to Caboolture from work, travelling north. Andre Roberts, 26, was killed when a truck travelling the wrong way along the Bruce Highway collided head-on with his car. Nine News Advertisement The Isuzu crashed head-on into Roberts Honda Accord, which caught fire, killing the young driver instantly. The 46-year-old driver of the Isuzu was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The following day, the Ford Ranger was found at a scrap metal dealer on Magnesium Street in Narangba. The 42-year-old man driving the Ford was initially questioned by police and released without charge. Image taken from police bodycam footage of the 42-year-old driver of the Ford Ranger being arrested. Queensland Police In the days after the crash, Detective Inspector David Harbison stopped short of calling the highway chase an act of vigilantism, but described the drivers pursuing the stolen Isuzu as concerned business holders looking after their properties. Advertisement It is alleged prior to the incident, this truck and the driver of the truck was involved in some minor criminal activity involving the theft of some scrap, he told reporters at the time. My understanding is that a number of these businesses have been involved, or have been subject to various property crimes in the last few weeks. Some of these people live on these premises, some of them obviously talk to each other. Very quickly whispers got out that perhaps the truck was casing premises or involved in property crime and phone calls were made to concerned parties to come and look after their own property. The 42-year-old Narangba man was arrested at a scrap metal dealer. Queensland Police During the chase, the Isuzu allegedly hit a barrier near the weighbridge area in Burpengary, spilling what Harbison described as generally just junk, including suspected stolen copper and other scrap metal. Advertisement It is alleged the Isuzu then turned around at a roundabout. Were thinking thats where its come back down the wrong way, Harbison said. Police announced on Wednesday that the driver of the Ford Ranger from Narangba had been charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing grievous bodily harm and was due to appear in court on April 13. The scene of the crash on Bruce Highway at Burpengary, near the Deception Bay Road exit. Facebook The driver of the Isuzu a 46-year-old Redcliffe man has been charged with manslaughter, as well as 10 other charges, including four counts of entering a premise and committing an offence, three counts of stealing, two counts of receiving tainted property and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Advertisement He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on May 12. On Wednesday, Harbison said the Ford Ranger stopped only a matter of seconds before the Isuzu collided with Roberts car on the highway. He said the charges were a small token for Roberts grieving family and pleaded with others not to take criminal matters into their own hands. Dont get involved, things can happen and escalate very quickly, he said. Advertisement We will take the risk if need be, thats our job just refrain from taking things into your own hands. Two other men were charged in relation to the stolen Isuzu, which was taken from a Hemmant business about a week before the crash on February 9. A 49-year-old man and a 36-year-old man, both from Redcliffe, were charged last month with entering premises, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and weapons offences. They have not been charged with any offence in relation to Roberts death. Andre Roberts, 26, was killed on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary on his way home from work. Nine News Roberts partner Pheobe Burns paid tribute to her soulmate on social media, saying: Words truly cant describe what you mean to me and how much my heart aches. You didnt deserve to leave just yet. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Trump lashes out at Australia for lack of help in Iran war Australia has copped a spray from US President Donald Trump, along with NATO nations, for refusing to help the US with efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Exclusive NationalVictoriaDisability Dementia patients found tied to chairs, lying in filth, with open sores Grant McArthur March 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A specialist aged care home has been shut down after authorities found vulnerable residents repeatedly tied to chairs, sleeping on soiled mattresses, suffering open wounds and living in filthy conditions. In one instance an elderly woman was kept in her room for six weeks at Greenslopes Supported Residential Service, which staff said was to keep her safe from another resident. Greenslopes Supported Residential Service in Templestowe Lower has had its registration revoked after Victorias Social Services Regulator uncovered concerning conditions for vulnerable residents. Luis Enrique Ascui Warnings about the state of the home in Templestowe Lower, which catered for vulnerable residents including those with dementia, were first raised in March 2023, though it has taken regulators three years to investigate and close the service. Following a series of inspections and improvement notices from June last year, Victorias Social Services Regulator revoked the 40-bed homes registration on December 8, with a final shutdown deadline of March 5 to allow time to find residents a new home. Advertisement Administrators Ernst and Young moved into the home on March 5 after a legal bid by Greenslopes operators failed to delay the closure, and they had not yet found homes for up to 13 residents, who remain in the Templestowe Lower service. The administrators also changed the buildings locks after the operator, who also lives at the home, refused to move out. Social Services Regulator Jonathan Kaplan has revoked registration for aged care facility Greenslopes SRS. Social Services Regulator Jonathan Kaplan said his office was committed to protecting residents from harm, abuse and neglect, and was working with other government agencies and the administrator to ensure Greenslopes remaining residents were safe, protected and can relocate to a place of their choosing. The safety, welfare and wellbeing of Greenslopes SRS residents is our paramount concern. We know it can be distressing for residents to have to move, and we have arranged dedicated support to make this change as easy as possible in the interests of the safety of all residents, Kaplan said. In a last-ditch effort to remain open, Greenslopes operators Sohal & Company sought a stay of its closure during a March 2 Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal hearing, before an upcoming appeal against the loss of its registration. Advertisement But after being presented with more than 2000 pages of evidence and hours of recordings outlining the conditions endured by residents, VCAT refused the stay, noting the operators repeated non-compliance with its obligations as a provider creates a significant risk to the public. Authorised officer inspections between March 2025 and February 19, 2026, detailed in the tribunal alleged the operator had insufficient staff rosters, failed to manage a residents threatening behaviour, and confined a woman to her room for six weeks, as well as incidents including; Paramedics finding a resident, who had already had multiple hospital admissions, with an infected bed sore after her daughter found her with a soiled pad and no one available to change her dressing. A residents mattress was upside-down with timber on top that was heavily stained with bodily fluids. A man tied to a chair with a blue strap around his chest and under his arms during two separate visits. Officers having to assist a resident with advanced dementia who was calling for help from her room but had no call bell near her bed. A resident in their 90s left hunched over the side of a chair in the lounge during an entire three-hour visit, and another left slumped with her head on the table for long periods. A faeces-soiled incontinence pad left in a residents room, which also had an upright mattress that was soiled with a torn mattress protector. A communal toilet with no seat that was soiled with faecal matter with a slippery mat nearby. And an elderly resident observed with their incontinence aids falling down. Greenslopes had also been issued compliance notices in July 2022 and November 2023 over issues including cleaning and maintenance concerns, incomplete medication records, and non-compliance with criminal history check requirements. It was again issued compliance notices in April 2024 over non-compliant rosters and maintenance, odour and rubbish issues. But Greenslopes director Preet Kaur denied there were any issues at the home, telling The Age she had evidence proving the regulators allegations were false and that she would appeal the closures at VCAT and higher courts. Advertisement Ninety-five to 96 per cent of [their] information is bullshit or manipulated, Kaur said. Related Article Disability Care home closed amid allegations of bullying, abuse and poor food I have evidence, otherwise I wouldnt be fighting it. And I will take it to the Supreme Court as well. The Social Services Regulator replaced Victorias defunct Human Services Regulator in July 2024, and now oversees 480 services. Last year it undertook 184 compliance inspections at 77 service providers. Having first raised issues about Greenslopes in March 2023, Mental Health Legal Centre chief executive Charlotte Jones said she was concerned it had taken years for the regulator to help residents to leave, calling for overhauls and far greater monitoring of the sector. Advertisement We were extremely concerned about what was happening and particularly about the owners behaviour, Jones said. Im horrified. This is modern Melbourne. We highlighted this and issues like these in supported residential services before the disability royal commission over three years ago. Greenslopes SRS is being closed after authorised officers found vulnerable residents repeatedly tied to chairs, sleeping on soiled mattresses, suffering open wounds and living in filthy conditions. Luis Enrique Ascui There are people who go into these places every week who raise concerns. There are nurses, there are advocacy services, there are all kinds of people who walk through the doors of these SRSs and talk about the problems that they see and report these problems. And as far as theyre concerned, they dont see any change. While he said he could not comment on concerns relating to an individual service, Victorias Public Advocate, Dan Stubbs, said the states Community Visitors consistently raise serious concerns about conditions in supported residential services. Advertisement Stubbs welcomed action taken by the regulator, but said stronger, formalised information sharing arrangements with Community Visitors were urgently needed, so issues can be escalated more quickly. Related Article Disability Confronting findings to expose Australias treatment of its most vulnerable These are not isolated problems they are systemic and they go directly to whether people are safe and treated with dignity where they live, he said. No one should be living with broken bathrooms, unsafe facilities or unhygienic conditions. When these basic issues are left unresolved for months, it sends a troubling message about how residents wellbeing is being prioritised or not. Kaplan said his authorised officers have been actively involved with the provider of Greenslopes since the regulator began operations in July 2024, and had taken appropriate action in line with the risk for each issue uncovered. Advertisement There has been a range of education, compliance and enforcement action aimed at lifting the standards and supporting better care for residents. Where prior enforcement action was taken, the Social Services Regulator followed up to ensure the provider returned to compliance, he said. Despite this, Greenslopes SRS failed to maintain compliance. Further and more serious instances of non-compliance detected through 2025 resulted in the decision to revoke the registration of Greenslopes SRS. The decision to revoke the registration of Greenslopes SRS had regard to the best interests and the safety, welfare and wellbeing of residents. 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 NationalVictoriaCrime Gunman on the run after brazen late-night shooting Isabel McMillan March 18, 2026 2:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A man is in hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and a gunman is on the run after a brazen late-night shooting in Melbournes west, believed to be linked to the citys ongoing tobacco war. Emergency services were called to Cafe Squared on Borrack Square in Altona North about 11.30pm Tuesday, following reports someone had been shot. CCTV footage showed a group of panicked men toppling a table and chairs and running inside to escape the bullets. One man climbed through the cafes window, while another two took shelter in corners outside the business. One of the men had to help another up from the ground after he slid from his chair during the shooting. Advertisement When police arrived, they said they found a 49-year-old man who had been shot twice in the arm. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, where he remains. Emergency services were called to Altona North overnight after a drive-by shooting. Nine News Police said a silver Toyota Hilux that had been stolen from an address in Newport last month stopped outside the cafe on Tuesday night before someone inside the vehicle opened fire into a crowd of people drinking coffees and socialising. Detective Inspector Graham Banks from the gang crime squad urged anyone with information about the attack to come forward to police on Wednesday. Advertisement At this stage, we believe there is likely to be connections to the illicit tobacco conflict thats been ongoing for a couple of years, he said. The Hilux was later found burnt out before 3am in Altona North. Police did not say if the man shot was the only intended victim, or even a target at all. One man was shot twice in the arm. Nine News The way this has transpired, it would be impossible to say with any certainty that any person was being targeted. It may well be just a random shooting of that crowd of people to send a message, or it may well be a targeted attack on that person or someone else, and that person has been injured as a consequence, Banks said. Advertisement At this stage, were not ruling anything in or out as far as what the motive would be as far as the people there, or the location itself. Speaking to the possible connection to the illicit tobacco trade, he said: The conflict we see at the moment is seeing random acts of violence that are directed at people who they perceive are opposing people, whether those people were at that premises at the time often is immaterial. Its outrageous, clearly, but unfortunately this is the type of conflict were seeing within this space. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. With Cassandra Morgan Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Crime Isabel McMillan is a breaking news reporter at The Age. TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei offered his condolences on Wednesday over the death of Ali Larijani, secretary of the country's Supreme National Security Council, who was killed in an Israeli attack, while hinting at retaliation. Advertisement NationalWAGuns Estranged brother of WA bikie wins appeal after gun licence revoked Hannah Murphy March 18, 2026 3:41pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The estranged brother of a West Australian bikie has successfully challenged a decision to revoke his gun licence, arguing he hadnt spoken to his sibling in two years. The case came before the State Administrative Tribunal earlier this month, after the WA police commissioner took the mans gun licence away following a domestic violence incident at a house in August last year. The State Administrative Tribunal reversed the decision earlier this month. File photo/iStock WA Police said they seized firearms from the property as is standard protocol, and further investigation into the incident found the mans sibling was a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang who had previously been charged with firearms offences. Police argued the connection meant the man, who cant be named due to legal reasons, was not a fit and proper person to hold a firearm licence under the act due to his alleged association with his sibling. Advertisement However, the applicant argued he had not had any contact with his sibling since 2024, and the bikie was unaware he even kept firearms. Police argued they could not rely on the applicants evidence, as he could be misleading the tribunal, and there was also a risk the applicant and his sibling could rekindle their relationship at some point. It is also possible that [the bikie or his associates] could threaten, intimidate or influence the applicant, the tribunals judgment, published earlier this week, said. [The bikie] could manipulate these relationships to influence and ultimately obtain access to the applicants firearms. Police said a background check of the applicant after the family violence incident in August found he had been stopped in company with several members of the club in late 2013 including his sibling. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Terror charges WA terror-accuseds gun ownership history reveals how he got access to firearms Accordingly, it is not desirable, nor in the interests of public safety, for the applicant to hold the licence, police argued. The State Administrative Tribunal ultimately disagreed with the decision to revoke the mans licence, and determined he was in fact a fit and proper person under the meaning of the act. However, the authority issued an important caveat. It is also the case that the applicant is very much on notice that should they reconcile, or even be seen with [the bikie] in the future, it is very likely that the Commissioner will act pursuant to their powers ... to review their standing as a fit and proper person, the judgment said. Advertisement It is only because of the remoteness of both the applicants... physical and emotional relationship with [the bikie] that we are satisfied that there is, at this time, no realistic risk of [the bikie] accessing the firearms. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the decision revealed WAs firearm laws were working as intended. I am authorised under the Firearms Act of 2024 to make those decisions, or one of my delegates can, he said. The [tribunal] has the full authority to look at the circumstances and decide otherwise. That has happened in this case my response would be, thats exactly how the system is designed to work. 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 InspirationCruises A perfect home away from home on the Mekong Tim Richards March 18, 2026 3:33pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This article is part of Travellers Holiday Guide to river cruising. See all stories . Socola is the Vietnamese word for chocolate. It comes from the French word chocolat. The things you learn when sitting in a church on the shores of the Mekong River. Ive been cruising along this mighty Asian waterway aboard the cruise ship Mekong Serenity, which plies the river northward over seven nights from an embarkation point near Ho Chi Minh City. At the end well be transferred by bus to the Cambodian city of Siem Reap, near Angkor Wat. Mekong Serenity on the river. For the moment, though, Im on my first excursion off the river ship in southern Vietnam. Boarding a sampan, a traditional boat with an upward-curved bow, our group is transported across the river to Cai Be, where we walk to the local church. Its a survivor of the French colonial era, opened in 1934, and though its architecture is very European it seems to have taken on some of the colour and energy of Vietnam. Inside, the bright tropical sunlight brings the stained-glass to vivid life, while the stonework near the altar is decorated with bright purple lilies. Its while were sitting on the pews that our guide, Hung, tells us about the history of the church, followed by a beginners lesson in the Vietnamese language, with its key tonal shifts. The letters ma, for example, can have meanings ranging from horse to ghost, depending on the tone applied to that crucial vowel. Advertisement We then head across the river to our next stop, a small-scale factory in which food and drink is prepared in traditional ways: this includes snake wine, rice paper, and condensed milk compressed into little sweets. The most entertaining thing here is a giant cauldron of heated rice that members of our group are invited to stir with a big stick. The rice pops spectacularly and is then made into a traditional sweet. Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Off the ship in Angkor Wat, Cambodia. iStock Such excursions are fun, of course, but Im looking forward to spending quality time on the ship. Im something of a novice regarding cruises, having spent much more time on trains than boats. Aside from a voyage on a supply ship off the Quebec coast in 2022, my other cruise experiences were many years ago. So Im rusty on cruise etiquette, and the first question that occurs to me is: should you go on all the tours? Since off-ship excursions are included with the fare on APTs Mekong Serenity, it would make sense to join as many as possible. On the other hand, I really like the idea of relaxing on the river ship, watching the broad river flow by while I read Mad about the Mekong, a book describing a challenging French expedition of the 1860s. In the end I decide to mix both: sometimes go on excursions, sometimes stay aboard. The ship is certainly pleasant. On the first day we go straight to lunch, so our first impression of the Mekong Serenity is of its dining room, a tastefully decorated space with comfortable seating and river views from the big windows along each side. Advertisement When I reach my cabin on Deck 1, just above the waterline, I find a spacious suite with a queen bed, sofa, armchair, built-in desk, bar fridge and bathroom. The piece de resistance is a balcony with two chairs, facing the water on the port side. Its too warm during the day to sit there but I can see myself there at night. The room is a comfortable place to relax, and surprisingly large (certainly much bigger than the train compartments Im more used to). There are just 44 suites on board and 44 crew, so the emphasis is on space and service. A deluxe twin balcony suite on Mekong Serenity. With the occasional carved timber statue adding a touch of local culture, the decor throughout the ship has an elegantly restrained look, with dark timber tones. The big communal area is the lounge bar on Deck 2, with plenty of armchairs and sofas, and bar staff ever ready to pour a drink. Most drinks are included in the fare but cocktails are extra though as they start from $US6 ($9), they wont break the bank. One level above the lounge is another bar with open-air seating arranged around a small swimming pool that I intend to use but never do. Deck 3 is also home to the fancy Angkor and Bayon suites, which have extra space and features such as spa baths, and sun loungers on their balconies. Above this level is a sun deck that I never see anyone using, perhaps because the sun is blazing hot at this time of year. Meals are naturally the most social time on board, and as Im travelling solo I make a point of sitting with different people as often as possible. My fellow passengers are mostly Australians, with a few Brits and New Zealanders thrown in, and theyre a diverse lot. After a couple of days Ive met a port controller, a marketing person, two supermarket owners, a bus driver, a retired nurse and a former plant nursery owner. A fair percentage are retirees but many are still working and taking a break from the office. Advertisement An unusual aspect of dining aboard the Mekong Serenity is the display of dishes outside the restaurant door. This sounds potentially tacky but were not talking about plastic models. Instead, the kitchen crew prepare an example of each dish and display it lovingly on appropriate crockery, for guests to examine as we arrive for a meal. Its a good idea because the menu is composed of both familiar Western dishes and less familiar local ones; seeing them on display makes you more likely to plump for the unknown. The Harmony Lounge. The food is excellent. Western dishes are ably handled by the kitchen crew but the local dishes benefit from local expertise. To give you an example of the menu, one lunch features a dim sum selection or papaya pork salad, followed by cream of vegetable soup or chilled pineapple soup, with a main-course choice of pad thai, five-spice pork tenderloin or gnocchi. Dessert is a caramelised citrus tart, fresh local fruit or ice cream. The crew of the ship are superb, always friendly and efficient. Over the seven days a rapport forms between the passengers and the mostly Cambodian serving staff, who remember our little foibles about seating and food choices. Theres a second restaurant on board, by the way, hidden at the far end of the ship. One dinner at Indochine is included for each passenger, and on my night there I enjoy a delicious degustation menu formed entirely of Vietnamese dishes. Advertisement The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: a former secondary school used as Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge regime. iStock Its not all about on-board pleasures: there are several more excursions to teach us more about the world beyond the river. On the fourth day we wake at Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, having crossed the international border the previous day. There are various tours available here, and as a history graduate, Im interested in the Killing Fields tour they were used by the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. The first stop on this grim excursion is a former school that the regime used for interrogations, then we transfer to the local Killing Field (there were many) on the edge of the city. Its now a peaceful place in which the undulating grassy surface is kept pristine while visitors pass by on boardwalks, ending at a towering memorial to the victims. Related Article Ship reviews Ship review: If space is a priority, then this Mekong cruise is for you The following days offer more tours: one to a silk-producing village, one to Angkor Ban, a village left intact by the Khmer Rouge that acts as a time capsule of life before the regime. On board we enjoy culture as varied as a performance of young Cambodian musicians and dancers, and of the crew, who present a funny set of musical performances in competition with each other. Advertisement The food is delicious, the company friendly, and the boat a perfect home upon the water, far from home. THE DETAILS CRUISE An 11-day APT Spiritual Cambodia and the Mekong journey, with eight days/seven nights aboard Mekong Serenity, runs from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap or vice versa and costs from $6995 a passenger. Meals, most drinks and signature experiences are included, along with three nights accommodation at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra resort in Siem Reap. See aptouring.com STAY Park Hyatt Saigon is a stylish place to stay in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. From VND6,272,000 ($359) a night. See hyatt.com The Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra resort offers delightful accommodation near Angkor Wat in Cambodia. From $US210 ($315) a night. See sofitel-angkor-phokeethra.com FLY Singapore Airlines flies to Ho Chi Minh City via Singapore. See singaporeair.com Advertisement MORE See vietnam.travel, tourismcambodia.org The writer travelled as a guest of APT. 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 River cruises Vietnam Cambodia Asia Tim Richards fell into travel writing after living and teaching in Egypt and Poland. Hes a light packing obsessive, and is especially drawn to the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Follow him on Instagram @aerohaveno Donald Trump lashes out at NATO and Australia over Iran Donald Trump says that he never needed or wanted other countries help in Iran, while lashing out at US allies including Australia Advertisement WorldEuropeUK IRA victims come face to face with Gerry Adams as they finally get their day in court Gordon Rayner March 18, 2026 3:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Key points For the first time, former Sinn Fein president forced to answer on oath question about his past. Civil hearing surrounds membership of an organisation. Only one of three co-claimants fit to attend court in person. Barry Laycock has spent the past 30 years seeking the truth about who ordered the terrorist bombing that ended his working life. On Tuesday, he finally faced down the man he believed to be responsible as Gerry Adams entered the witness box at the High Court no more than seven metres in front of him. The civil case against Gerry Adams has raised difficult questions over unresolved episodes of the Troubles. AP For the first time, the former Sinn Fein president and one-time MP was forced to answer on oath the question that he has been avoiding for the past half-century: was he ever a senior member of the IRA? I was never in the IRA, he told the court. Nor, he said, did he have any knowledge of its workings beyond what was in the public domain. That is not the truth, is it? asked Sir Max Hill, KC, representing Laycock and others. Advertisement It is the truth, insisted Adams. He did, though, tell the court that he had never disassociated myself from the IRA. Whatever the outcome of these proceedings, Laycock, together with his co-claimants and fellow IRA bombing victims John Clark and Jonathan Ganesh, has already won a victory of sorts by getting this case to court and forcing Adams to face a public inquisition. Adams, 77, is being sued by Clark, 82, who was injured in a car bombing at the Old Bailey in London in 1973, Ganesh, 57, injured in the Docklands bombing of London in 1996, and Laycock, 86, injured in the bombing of Manchesters Arndale Centre in 1996. The IRA bomb devastated Manchesters Arndale shopping centre in June 1996. PA Images via Getty Images They are asking for a token 1 in damages for the responsibility they claim Adams bears for ordering the bombings, but what they really want is answers. Advertisement Adams, dressed in a navy-blue suit, wore a Palestine flag lapel pin and a Fainne Oir a small gold circle denoting an Irish language speaker together with a sprig of shamrock in his breast pocket. A very happy St Patricks Day, he said to Justice Swift as he entered the witness box. Oh, thats very kind, replied the judge. It was an incongruous start to a day that was to be spent discussing a terrorist organisation, but Adams was doing his best to present as the retired politician he claims to be, softly spoken and measured in his responses. Can I say that I saw Mr Laycock in court today, and I was extremely moved by the testimony he gave to this court, he said, unprompted. The judge told him to stick to answering the questions put to him by Sir Max, a former director of public prosecutions. Advertisement Barry Laycock is seeking symbolic damages from Adams over the bombing that cost him his job. Getty Images Laycock, unmoved, sat with his arms folded as he stared at Northern Irelands most prominent Republican of living memory. This was a scene that would have been unimaginable in the 20th century: an alleged IRA commander answering questions in a London courtroom about terrorist attacks, one of his alleged victims sitting close by, British Army veterans and at least one convicted former IRA member sitting in the small, cramped public gallery without any need for extra security precautions. Adams was once considered so dangerous by the British government that his voice was effectively outlawed. From 1988 to 1994, it was illegal to broadcast his voice, meaning that television and radio news bulletins had to hire actors to dub his speeches. Here, though, he was mumbling so quietly at times that the judge had to tell him to raise his voice, and those in the high-ceilinged, old courtroom were having to strain to make out much of what he said. Advertisement This is not a murder trial, not even a criminal trial, but a civil hearing about membership of an organisation, so there are more references to bundles, tabs and paragraph numbers than blood, bone and sinew. I was never in the IRA Adams began his evidence by explaining that he joined Sinn Fein when he was 16, only a pup in his words, spurred into republican fervour by what he saw as the injustice of the special powers used by the British government, including internment without trial. Others claim he was a senior IRA commander by the early 1970s, but time and again Adams repeated that I was never in the IRA and that he had always come clean about his past. Despite insisting that I like English people, Adams became annoyed at times and showed a degree of contempt for Sir Maxs line of questioning. Advertisement Adams, who denies being an IRA member, helps carry the coffin of IRA man Seamus Twomey in September 1989. Getty Images Youre going to have to do your best not to interrupt me, said Adams irritably as Sir Max tried to cut him short at one point. He also took issue with Sir Maxs terminology, saying please stop using the term mainland when referring to the island of Great Britain. I am from the island of Ireland, he said, his voice now raised. That is the mainland, and this is our nearest offshore island. He became flippant when Sir Max asked him why he wore a black beret associated with membership of the IRA at the funeral of an IRA commander if he was not himself a member of the IRA. Whats the big deal? Adams asked. I did on a number of occasions wear a black beret, but so did many other people Benny Hill wore a black beret. Advertisement Sir Max pointed out the obvious about the former slapstick comedian: That was in rather different circumstances. Despite approaching his ninth decade, Adams remains an imposing, broad-shouldered figure who could pass for a man in his late 50s. His hair and whiskers have faded to grey, but he is otherwise unchanged from the man who, for many, became the face of the Troubles. Time has been less kind to Laycock, who looks every one of his 86 years. Stiff-jointed and reliant on a walking stick and painkillers, his battered body has never recovered from the terrible back and leg injuries he suffered when a lorry bomb exploded outside Manchesters Arndale Centre in June 1996. Advertisement Related Article Royal family Sinn Fein leader makes landmark apology for murder of Prince Philips uncle The 1500-kilogram bomb, the biggest to explode in Britain since World War II, ended Laycocks working life as a railwayman, leaving him living hand to mouth for eight years until he could claim his pension, he has previously said. He blames that hardship, and the wider impact of the bombing, for the death of his wife, Christine, 16 years ago, and has said that it robbed his grandchildren of having a normal granddad. No one was ever charged in connection with the bombing, which injured 200 people, meaning the civil case against Adams is likely to be the closest Laycock ever gets to justice. Sitting on the upright benches of Court No 16 to listen to Adams give evidence was clearly causing him great physical discomfort, though we can only guess at the mental pain of reliving his ordeal. Like the other claimants, he is keeping a dignified silence while the case is ongoing. Clark and Ganesh both suffer from ill health and were not in court. Advertisement Between them, they stand for more than 540 people who were injured and three who were killed by the three bombings, and to a great extent, they also stand for more than 1700 people killed by the IRA during the Troubles, many of whom have never received justice. The Telegraph, London 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: UK Northern Ireland Ireland Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America Opinion Right-wing tradwives have some advice for women do what they say, not what they do Katy Hall Age deputy state topic editor Updated March 18, 2026 7:29pm , first published 7:00pm Updated March 18, 2026 7:29pm ,first published 7:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Something is happening with the tradwives of America. The stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives who rose to fame by peddling the traditionalist lifestyle to a new generation via social media and are now the it girls of Americas Christian cultural zeitgeist appear to be having a crisis of faith. The cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, season 4. From the outside, the reality television stars are the embodiment of what a traditional wife should be. They married young and had kids early, they deferred to their husbands, maintained extraordinary standards of beauty, rarely raised their voices, mostly followed the teachings of their church and worked tirelessly to make it all look easy. In many ways, they are walking, talking billboards for the kind of women conservative commentators want American girls to aspire to be. Advertisement But as the Mormon Wives fame continued to rise throughout the first three seasons, cracks began to show. And in season 4, released last week, those cracks have transformed into something much bigger. All nine women on the show are now far and away the financial breadwinners of their household. They speak openly about their careers and goals for their futures. The monotony of domestic life, as well as the strain that comes with shifting power dynamics in once deeply traditional households, is a topic of near-constant conversation. This disconnect between expectation and reality is, ironically, something that the movements best saleswomen already understand. Erika Kirk has long encouraged women to submit to their husband, but she continues to prioritise taking on high-pressure professional roles. AP Erika Kirk, whose husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated in September, has spoken of the beauty of being in an Ephesians 5 marriage (a reference to a Bible verse that calls on women to submit to their husbands). She has called for a revival of biblical womanhood, said women should prioritise childbearing over careers, and called motherhood the single most important ministry [women] have. Advertisement And yet, the 37-year-old took over as CEO of one of Americas most powerful political organisations following Charlie Kirks death, and last week accepted an appointment to a key advisory board of the US Air Force Academy. The fact she has chosen to work and taken on new opportunities instead of staying at home to care for her two young children is rarely mentioned. Similarly, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, a staunch supporter of conservative Christian values, said she went back to work four days after the birth of her first child in 2024, and continues to work while she is almost seven months pregnant with her second. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday. AP American influencers such as Alex Clark and Caitlin Sinclair arguably push this false dichotomy even harder. Clark, whose podcast celebrating debunked science and the Make America Healthy Again movement has almost 750,000 subscribers on YouTube, last year told the audience of a womens conference to prioritise caring over careers, saying, less burnout, more babies, less feminism, more femininity. Sinclair, a former Turning Point USA spokesperson whose conservative politics podcast has 700,000 subscribers, recently announced the greatest threat to Western civilisation is the declining birthrate because, ladies, weve traded cribs for careers. Both of these successful career women are unmarried and childfree. Advertisement Like the Mormon Wives, Kirk, Leavitt, Clark and Sinclair clearly have no interest in giving up the professional lives theyve worked to establish. But they are a driving force in the movement advocating that other women should. Christian-nationalist pastor Douglas Wilson, a mentor to Trumps Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has said, Women are the kind of people that people come out of and that they can serve as the chief executive of the home. He also advocated that women have their right to vote revoked in favour of household voting, where the head of the home (the man) has the final say on who makes it into power. Nick Fuentes, an American 27-year-old conservative commentator and proud virgin, has gone even further, saying, the number one political enemy in America is women and that women should go to the breeding gulags. But to understand the true realities of trad life, its worth looking to the women who have actually practised what they once preached. Influencer Lauren Southern, one of the most prominent and outspoken conservative voices to decry feminism and champion traditional roles for women during Trumps first term, revealed in her memoir last year that the experience of becoming a mother and a stay-at-home wife who was subservient to her husband left her suicidal and financially destroyed. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Population Two top podcasters have identified a global decline. The problem, they say, is women Katy Hall Age deputy state topic editor Ashley St. Clair, another conservative personality who worked with Turning Point USA and promoted traditional gender roles, also experienced a substantial change of heart after having a child with Elon Musk and facing the wrath of a man she refused to submit to. As for the Mormon Wives,they have navigated gambling, pornography and substance addictions, processed trauma from childhood sexual abuse, battled pre- and post-natal depression and PTSD, and dealt with unplanned pregnancies, divorces, infidelity, eating disorders and domestic violence mostly before the age of 32 and with several young children in their charge. On the one hand, it makes for deeply compelling viewing. But on the other, especially if youre a young conservative Christian woman, the harsh realities of the life you are told to aspire to are difficult to ignore. When the chief proponents of the tradwife ideal are telling you to do as they say and not as they do, it is painfully clear that the idealised stay-at-home wife life might not be the great American dream after all. Advertisement Katy Hall is a senior editor and regular columnist. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Advertisement Analysis WorldNorth AmericaMiddle East at war Trump, hit by the karma bus, wins on battlefield but loses on diplomacy Michael Koziol March 18, 2026 11:53am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A certain Joe Kent, a complete unknown to most people until he resigned as director of Donald Trumps National Counterterrorism Centre, briefly gave Trump-haters some solace as he scorched the earth on his way out. The special forces veteran, appointed by Trump to the senior security post last year, alleged that the president of the United States was goaded into declaring war on Iran by pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Joe Kent, who resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre. AP Not only had Israel drawn the US into the 2003 Iraq war, said Kent, but its officials had quietly sown pro-war sentiment within the Trump administration to encourage the present conflict with Iran. This resignation letter, dripping in conspiratorial antisemitic tropes, was rightly dismissed by the White House as insulting and laughable. Advertisement Taylor Budowich, a former White House deputy chief-of-staff, called Kent a crazed egomaniac who spent his time in office subverting the chain of command and undermining the president. This isnt some principled resignation he just wanted to make a splash before getting canned, Budowich said. Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war as it happened: Top Iranian officials killed, Trump lashes allies, Iran strike near Australian base, War could push inflation past 5 per cent The problem for Trump, of course, is that he appointed this guy. Kent was drawn from the vast pool of far-right fringe dwellers, January 6 apologists and internet conspiracy theorists that make up parts of the America First movement. You reap what you sow. (Trumps response was classic, and internally contradictory: he said he didnt know Kent very well, but he was a nice guy, except he was very weak on security. Odd choice for a counterterrorism chief, then.) At the same time, the US president is mouthing off at allies for refusing his invitation to join the war against Iran. The reluctance of leaders such as Britains Keir Starmer and Frances Emmanuel Macron to send aircraft carriers to the Gulf has affirmed Trumps suspicions that NATO is a one-way street in which the US can be relied upon to help (with Ukraine, for example) but not the other way around. Advertisement Sensitive to this, Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky actually offered to help the US defend against Irans array of cheap drones only to be rebuffed when Trump told Fox News Radio: No, we dont need their help in drone defence. We know about drones more than anybody. Such is the nature of Trump diplomacy. Allies are berated when they dont offer to help, and belittled when they do. Poor old Starmer has copped it most of all. We have a tremendous, long-term relationship with the UK [it] always was the best until Keir came along, Trump said. I like him, hes a nice man but he doesnt produce. Loading Advertisement In Australias case, the Albanese government says it has not been asked to help out in the Strait of Hormuz and yet on Wednesday, Australia was still on the list of countries Trump saw fit to tell in no uncertain terms: we dont need your help and WE NEVER DID. It is a bit like the ostracised child in the schoolyard who, having been left out of every group, claims he never actually wanted to play anyway. Trump ally Lindsey Graham, the pro-war Republican senator from South Carolina, says he spoke with the president on the matter on Tuesday (US time) and had never heard him so angry in my life. The arrogance of our allies to suggest that Iran with a nuclear weapon is of little concern and that military action to stop the ayatollah from acquiring a nuclear bomb is our problem, not theirs, is beyond offensive, Graham said. This attitude towards allies has permeated the Trump administration from day one. In some cases, it is rooted in justified gripes about inadequate defence spending something Trump successfully cajoled NATO nations into starting to fix and a long-standing sense that other countries are free-riding off US generosity. Advertisement Advertisement March 18, 2026 7:10pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The latest round of global chaos unleashed by President Donald Trump began with the name of his war in the Middle East. Instead of going with the obvious choice: The Donald J Trump War for Reasons Too Numerous to Mention but that Definitely Make Sense and are Legal if I Say So, Trump personally selected Operation Epic Fury from a list of options and by doing so made his first mistake. Epic, by definition, requires grandiose scale. Operation Epic Fury, which began as an Israel-US attack on Iran, is living up to its name, exploding out to encompass Lebanon and the majority of the Middle East, and pushing up global fuel, fertiliser and food prices. Epic Furys tidal wave of consequences now includes not just the dead, injured and displaced in the sites of military action but Thai fishermen and Kenyan agricultural exporters, whose livelihoods are threatened without stable fuel supplies. US President Donald Trump unloaded on American allies for declining to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. AP Public schools in Pakistan have closed in an effort to combat fuel shortages and fuel rationing might be coming to Australia. Millions of Filipino, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Ugandan and Nigerian families now face financial ruin, as they are dependent on remittances sent home by family members working in the Gulf states. Its looking like the only geographical location that wont be negatively affected by Epic Fury, is Epstein Island. These global consequences signal that Operation Epic Fury has given way to its sequel: Operation Epic Fallout. In true sequel fashion, the stakes keep getting higher. Now NATO is in the firing line, after Trumps request for international military assistance to secure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz was roundly rejected. Advertisement The social media president was deeply hurt to have countries ganging up on him that he thought were his followers, if not his friends. On Wednesday he posted: We no longer need, or desire, the NATO Countries assistance WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! There has been one big winner from Donald Trumps Epic Fury: Russian President Vladimir Putin. AP Leaving aside for one moment that this post is a cry for professional therapy, it prompts the question: If you never needed anyones help, then why did you ask literally the entire world for help only a few days ago? The answer to this paradox of course, is that despite MAGAs love of America First and the isolationist inclinations of a certain wing of the MAGA movement, having launched once again into foreign adventurism, the US knows that it cannot rely on Israel and Team America alone to close the Pandoras box that they ill-advisedly opened. Related Article Analysis Middle East at war Trump, hit by the karma bus, wins on battlefield but loses on diplomacy With its missile stocks depleted, the Trump administration only has a short timeframe to notch a comprehensive victory before facing voters in November, who are already angry about skyrocketing petrol prices and the multibillion-dollar price tag of the Iran war. Unfortunately for the White Houses plans to retain control of Congress, the unplanned-for consequences of Operation Epic Fallout just keep coming. Advertisement Last Saturday, North Korea launched 10 ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, an incident that coincided with news that the US had moved some anti-missile defence systems from South Korea to the Middle East. In yet another Epic Fallout subplot, after the Pentagon copped significant criticism for what appeared to be disastrously inadequate preparation for the totally foreseeable closure of the Strait of Hormuz, they sought to calm energy markets by lifting oil sanctions on Russia. This will provide Putin with an economic windfall that will directly affect his capacity to continue to wage war on Ukraine. Given that Trump seems genuinely outraged by Europes refusal to fall into line with Epic Fury, perhaps his next cognitive test could include a join the dots activity, which would test his ability to draw a straight line from the US directly supporting Europes nuclear-armed adversarial neighbour to the EUs refusal to support his military action against Iran. Related Article Opinion Trump's White House Trump is using a secret code to motivate extremists. Its everywhere, if you know where to look Melanie La'Brooy Writer Trump has always assumed he can bend reality to his will, that his saying something will make it so, however outrageous the lie or the bluster. Through military force he assumed he could swiftly re-make the world to his liking. He forgot that the leaders of other countries also have agency and competing national interests and will pounce upon opportunities created by instability and chaos. As the geopolitical dominoes continue to fall, it feels inevitable that, in the same way Operation Epic Fury has transitioned into Operation Epic Fallout, Operation Epic Insert-Your-Own-F-word-of-Choice cant be too far away. Because thats the other problem with sequels: they never seem to end. Melanie LaBrooy is a novelist who writes on politics and social justice issues. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs, Dr. Luc Mercelina, addressed several issues at the Council of Ministers press briefing. They are as follows: The Central Bank and Monetary Options The Prime Minister began by emphasizing a fundamental principle regarding the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten. "The Central Bank is not merely an institution serving two autonomous countries. It is a mechanism grounded in shared economic interest, financial stability and regional cooperation," he stated. He noted that the tension field in which the Central Bank functions is not something of today but has been present since the transition to country status. While Sint Maarten remains committed to the partnership, he stressed that "governance of the Central Bank must always reflect equity between both countries, not dominance by one." An 80-20 dynamic shareholdership must never determine governance outcomes, as the integrity of the institution depends on shared decision-making and transparency. Addressing the recent transition to the Caribbean Guilder, which was decided before he took office, the Prime Minister clarified that he is carefully examining all future options, including dollarization. "The Prime Minister did not say that he is going to dollarize the country. No, the Prime Minister is saying that he is looking into options for the best interests of its people," he explained. If dollarization were ever pursued, he noted that the government must ensure a direct and fair conversion to protect purchasing power and prevent artificial price increases. National Advisory Committee for Geopolitical Developments In response to global conflicts and their potential local impacts, the Council of Ministers has decided to initiate a national advisory committee for geopolitical developments. Key areas of focus for this committee include: Continuity of food security Guaranteeing continuity of fuel availability Access to medicine and healthcare continuity Security and public safety preparedness Connectivity and accessibility, including maritime routes and airlift capacity "The objective, of course, is to ensure that Sint Maarten is better prepared, better coordinated and more resilient in the face of both regional and global disruptions," he stated. Addressing Traffic Congestion The Prime Minister provided a stark reality check regarding the island's severe traffic congestion. He pointed out that Sint Maarten is the 11th most densely populated area in the world yet relies on only seven main roads. With approximately 30,160 registered cars for an estimated population of 60,000, there is "one car for each two people in this country." This is compounded by an average of 4,657 cruise tourists and 6,500 stayovers and transfer tourists added to the island daily. "We want the hotels. We want condos. We want the Airbnbs... but we do not want the traffic that comes with it," he observed. To combat this, the government is exploring several solutions: "Looping the traffic" to change two-direction roads into one-way flows Reorganization of public transportation and improving bus stops Opening new access routes, such as the road from Weymouth Hill to Dutch Quarter, and from St. Peter over Marigot Hill to the French side Improving connectivity between Cay Hill and Cole Bay Placing police officers at crucial bottleneck points to help the flow Internal Administrative Matter Before concluding, the Prime Minister briefly addressed an internal administrative matter involving a national decree. "Consistent with my approach in previous matters, I will not divulge the identity of the individual... because I really believe in the integrity of the investigation that has to take place," he stated. He emphasized that the matter remains under review and the appropriate processes will be allowed to take their course to protect the parties involved. TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli attacks on the country's energy infrastructure. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X after airstrikes were carried out on parts of the South Pars gas field in southern Iran. Pezeshkian said such "aggressive acts" will complicate the situation and "could have uncontrollable consequences, the scope of which could engulf the entire world." In a post on X on the same day, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf condemned attacks, saying they mean "suicide for them (the enemies)." "The equation of an eye for an eye is in effect, and a new level of confrontation has begun," Ghalibaf said. Earlier in the day, Iranian state media reported that natural gas facilities associated with the offshore South Pars field had been attacked. Israeli media, citing unnamed sources, said the country's air force carried out the strike. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East. Israel army urges residents to evacuate south Lebanon's Tyre city Beirut, Lebanon, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2026 Israel's military late on Tuesday urged residents of the south Lebanon city of Tyre to leave, warning it would strike targets in the area it said are linked Hezbollah. The military's Arabic language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued an "urgent alert" to residents of the city and surrounding areas, saying it planned to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah, in a social media post that included a proposed evacuation route. Bilal Kashmar, media coordinator for the disaster management unit at the union of Tyre district municipalities, told AFP there was chaos in Tyre and surrounding areas after the late-night evacuation order, as panicked people scrambled to leave, with heavy traffic and shooting into the air in warning. Many families had remained in the area including in several Palestinian refugee camps despite previous Israeli army evacuation orders for vast swathes of south Lebanon, he said. Around 11,000 people displaced from other parts of the country's south have also taken refuge in Tyre and surrounding areas that are under threat, including in collective shelters, he added. Afghan govt says 'around 400' killed in Pakistani strike on Kabul rehab centre Kabul, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2026 The Afghan government said on Tuesday that about 400 people were killed in a Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in the capital, Kabul, in the deadliest attack in the recent violence between the two neighbours. Hundreds more were said to have been wounded at the facility, which was hit Monday night, flattening buildings used to treat people from across the country for addictions to marijuana, amphetamines and other narcotics. There was no immediate independent verification of the toll, but AFP reporters saw at least 30 bodies taken from the site in the chaotic and smouldering aftermath of the attack on Monday night. They then saw more than 65 removed on Tuesday as rescuers picked through the rubble searching for victims and survivors. "The toll is not final as the rescue operation is still going on, but we have around 400 martyrs and more than 200 wounded," said health ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman. Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani gave a toll of "408 killed and 265 wounded" at the same briefing. Afghan authorities have asked families of those killed to accept their relatives being buried in a mass grave. In Geneva, UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan called for a swift, independent investigation into the strike, with those responsible "held to account in line with international standards". But Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Taliban government claims that Pakistan deliberately targeted the clinic were "entirely baseless". "No hospital, no drug rehabilitation centre, and no civilian facility was targeted," he wrote on X. "The targets were military and terrorist infrastructure, including ammunition and technical equipment storage sites and other installations linked to hostile activity against Pakistan." Late Tuesday, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan does not want war but would continue "proportionate and legitimate defensive measures until the other side ceases its violations". The two sides have been in conflict for months, with Islamabad accusing its neighbour of harbouring Islamist extremists who have mounted deadly cross-border attacks on its territory. - Search for survivors - Chairs, blankets, pieces of hospital beds and human remains could be seen in the blackened ruins of the rehabilitation centre on Tuesday. Crowds gathered outside as family members sought news of their loved ones while rescuers picked through the rubble nearby. Habibullah Kabulbai, 55, arrived at the centre on Monday night, hoping to find his brother, Nawroz, who was admitted five days ago. "I can't find him," he said, weeping. "What should we do? I have no words... We are helpless. This has not only happened to me but the whole of Afghanistan." Monday evening's attack triggered panic in Kabul, sending people running for cover as anti-aircraft guns fired back not long after they had broken their daily Ramadan fast. "I heard the sound of the jet patrolling," Omid Stanikzai, 31, a security guard at the drug treatment centre, told AFP. "There were military units all around us. When these military units fired on the jet, the jet dropped bombs and a fire broke out." All of the dead and wounded were civilians, he added. Pakistan's Tarar said the six strikes conducted on Monday also hit the eastern border province of Nangarhar, calling them "precise, deliberate, and professional". - 'Devastating impact' - The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, said his organisation "saw firsthand the devastating impact on civilians and the hospital". "Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted," he wrote on X. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had delivered emergency medical supplies after "hundreds were left wounded" in the attack. At least 76 civilians had been killed in Afghanistan due to the hostilities between February 26 and Monday before the strike, according to the United Nations mission in the country (UNAMA). The UN mission called for "an immediate ceasefire", while Beijing, which had dispatched a special envoy to mediate between the two countries before the Monday strikes, pledged to "play a constructive role in de-escalating tensions". Pakistan's arch-foe India called Monday's attack "a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence" that threatened regional peace and stability. The EU called for "maximum restraint" from both Afghanistan and Pakistan, describing the strike on the Kabul medical facility as "a new and deadly escalation" of the conflict. Israel says it struck Hezbollah targets 'throughout Lebanon' Jerusalem, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2026 Israel said late Tuesday it had struck sites "throughout Lebanon," targeting what it called Hezbollah rocket launching infrastructure after a series of air raid sirens in northern Israel. "As part of the effort to degrade the organisation and thwart rocket attacks against Israeli civilians, in the past hour, the (military) struck launchers and Hezbollah terrorists throughout Lebanon," a statement said. Earlier Tuesday, Israel said it had "detected expanded preparations by the Hezbollah" to launch rockets at Israel. The army added that it hits Hezbollah launchers "prior to, or immediately following, a launch." In successive statements, the Iran-backed militant group announced a major wave of simultaneous attacks on northern Israel on Tuesday evening, saying its fighters targeted around a dozen towns as well as several Israeli military, air and naval bases with barrages of rockets as well as advanced missiles. The group also said it had launched attack drones and artillery shelling targeting locations in northern Israel, and rocket fire at Israeli troops inside south Lebanon, at the same time as the first wave of attacks or immediately after. Blasts heard over Jerusalem after Israel detects Iran missile launch: AFP Jerusalem, March 17 (AFP) Mar 17, 2026 A series of explosions were heard in Jerusalem early Wednesday after Israel's military said it had identified another round of missiles launched from Iran. AFP reporters in the city heard multiple explosions and saw bright flashes in the sky, moments after the army said its air defence systems were "operating to intercept the threat" from the latest Iranian barrage. Air raid warnings rang out across multiple parts of Jerusalem, as the military's Home Front Command ordered residents into shelters. On Monday, Israeli police said they had they found missile and interceptor fragments at holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City, including areas near the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israel strikes central Beirut: Lebanese media Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Lebanese media said Israeli strikes hit central Beirut and the city's southern suburbs early Wednesday, in raids that came without warning. Local media reported one strike hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, where the Israeli military last week hit a Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The area is close to the government's headquarters and several embassies. In last week's strike there, the Israeli military had released an evacuation warning in advance. Another strike hit the central Basta district, where Israel had struck during a 2024 war between Israel and Hezbollah, according to media reports. AFP correspondents in Beirut heard the sound of several explosions early Wednesday. Lebanese media also reported two strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of pro-Iran militant group Hezbollah. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with intense strikes in multiple Lebanese regions and ground operations in the south, and has hit central Beirut several times, both with and without warning. Iraqi security official says drone hits US embassy in Baghdad Baghdad, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 An explosion was heard in Baghdad early Wednesday, an AFP journalist said, as Iraqi officials reported a drone and rocket attack targeting the US embassy. The latest explosion came hours after multiple blasts were heard across the Iraqi capital, where a witness told AFP he saw detonations likely caused by air defences intercepting projectiles over the embassy. Diners at a restaurant in the city seemed undisturbed by the initial sounds of the blasts. Another witness saw a fire on the edge of the embassy grounds from her balcony, and a security official said the blaze was caused by a drone. "The embassy was the target of a drone and rocket attack," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Another drone, targeting a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad's airport, was shot down, according to another security official. Hours later, an AFP journalist heard another explosion, with a security official saying "a drone directly hit the embassy". The official did not specify whether there had been any casualties or damage. A second official said a drone fell "near the embassy's security fence". Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned a "blatant terrorist assault" by unnamed "outlaw groups". Sudani had urged security forces "not to show leniency" in tracking down those responsible, according to a statement from the prime minister's spokesman Sabah al-Numan. Earlier, the powerful Iranian-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group issued a statement demanding that every "foreign soldier" leave the country. "Iraq's instability is due to the malicious American presence, and security will not be achieved until the last foreign soldier leaves Iraqi territory," said the group's newly named security chief Abu Mujahid al-Assaf. He added: "Either everyone enjoys security, or no one does." Iraq was drawn into the Middle East war after having long been a proxy battleground between the United States and Iran. Strikes have targeted Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region. In recent days pro-Iranian armed groups have carried out several attacks against the US embassy, located in a heavily fortified area of central Baghdad, and against the American diplomatic and logistics facility at the airport. MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia strongly condemns the missile strike on the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday. "We strongly condemn the reckless and wholly unacceptable missile strike carried out within the inner perimeter of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant just a few short metres away from an operational power unit," Zakharova said in a statement. She said Russia has repeatedly warned Israel and the United States against creating threats to the lives of Russian personnel at the site, stressing that such actions are absolutely unacceptable. Zakharova urged both countries to halt attacks on nuclear infrastructure, which create real risks of a radiological and environmental disaster on a regional scale. The spokesperson called on all parties involved in the conflict to work toward an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation of tensions, adding that continued hostilities could lead to "unprecedented ramifications" for all of the Middle East, including in the nuclear sphere. The missile strike took place on Tuesday afternoon, according to Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, who condemned the attack, calling it "a flagrant disregard for the key rules and principles of international security." In a separate statement, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said the strike caused no material damage or casualties, but described it as a violation of international legal norms. Trump faces impasse over Iran war Washington, United States, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Having failed to clearly define an objective or exit strategy -- and sell the American public on a new war in Iran -- President Donald Trump finds himself at an impasse, mere weeks into the conflict. Add to that the high-profile protest resignation of a senior US counterterrorism official on Tuesday, who said publicly that the Islamic republic posed "no imminent threat to our nation" and he couldn't "in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran." Trump has repeatedly said Iran has been "decimated" by American and Israeli strikes, indicating he is in the position to declare victory. But the Republican leader has not gone that far -- and for good reason. It takes both sides to end a war, unless an opponent capitulates. Iran, though severely weakened militarily and politically by an onslaught of airstrikes that began February 28, has voiced no intention to surrender. While Trump has said the US has destroyed the Iranian navy, its ballistic missiles and legions of its leadership, US media has reported that he failed to fully anticipate Iran's remaining capacity for broad-ranging retaliation. That may be where the real problem lies for Trump. As the war entered its third week, oil prices soared as violence spread throughout the Middle East, from Lebanon to the Gulf -- including attacks on the hard-won US embassy in Iraq. As such, the US president is paying the price for having joined Israel's side without a mandate, or consulting either Congress or his other global allies. Europeans and other allies politely refused Trump's requests for aid in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf waterway that has been effectively blocked by Iran. On Tuesday, Trump reversed course, saying he no longer needed their help. In a rare admission, Trump said Monday that he was surprised by the Iranian reprisals targeting Gulf countries -- from Saudi Arabia to Qatar -- despite Tehran's repeated warnings. "They weren't supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East," Trump said of Iran. "Nobody expected that. We were shocked." - Dipolomatic stalemate - Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a recent newsletter that "while the United States initiated this conflict on its own, it will require both Israel and Iran to sign on to stopping it." "The longer this war goes on, the more the balance between its costs and benefits shifts toward the former," Haass, a former US diplomat in George W. Bush's administration, added. For the United States, beyond weakening Iran over the long-term, victory means resuming maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to restore global oil supplies, and an end to Tehran's attacks on its neighbors. Many observers say this will not be possible through military force alone. The diplomatic path has narrowed significantly, but it remains an option, and will depend in part on the Islamic republic's goodwill. The question remains, who will come to the table? "There are no clean options at this point, only less bad ones," Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, told AFP via email. "The most realistic path is a negotiated de-escalation that allows all sides to save face. The US can claim it degraded Iran's capabilities, while Iran claims it absorbed the pressure and demonstrated it can retaliate," Toossi said. More broadly, he added, "Persian Gulf stability ultimately requires some degree of accommodation with Iran." Mona Yacoubian, the Middle East program director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the region is "currently living their 'nightmare scenario.'" "Gulf governments will need to find a way forward that acknowledges Iran's enduring regional presence," she said. Until then, America's allies are not hiding their frustration. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday the US war against Iran is not a NATO matter, nor will Berlin join the war or help clear transit in the Strait of Hormuz. Merz stressed talks to find a diplomatic solution can't begin until Israel and the United States say they have achieved their military objectives. US pounds near key strait as Iran vows to avenge death Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The United States said it pounded Iranian missile sites near the key Strait of Hormuz as the Islamic republic fired missiles Wednesday around the region, vowing to avenge the killing of its powerful security chief. Two people died from the missile barrage inside Israel, whose defences have helped it avoid mass casualties since it launched the war alongside the United States. With Iran mostly closing off the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway for one-fifth of the world's oil, the US military said it brought out some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate adjacent missile sites. The United States dropped several 5,000-pound (2,250 kg) bombs -- estimated to cost $288,000 each -- on "hardened Iranian missile sites" near the coast that posed a threat to international shipping, Central Command said. Iran has sought to extract a heavy toll on the global economy in retaliation for the US-Israeli attack, including by driving up the cost of oil. US President Donald Trump earlier Tuesday fumed that American allies, which have largely distanced themselves from his war, were not lining up behind the United States to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump earlier Tuesday boasted that the US military did not need its allies, writing on his Truth Social platform: "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" - 'National awakening' - Israel announced Tuesday that it killed security chief Ali Larijani, a key force leading Iran since the death of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the first strikes of the war on February 28. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in a statement said that the "pure blood of this great martyr, like other dear martyrs, will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance and international Zionism". Iran will hold funerals Wednesday for Larijani and another powerful figure killed Tuesday by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, the Fars and Tasnim agencies reported. Israel vowed also to target Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the ruling clerics chose him to succeed his father. "We don't know about Mojtaba Khamenei, we don't hear him, we don't see him, but I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again called for the end of the Islamic republic, although he and Trump have stopped short of saying that is their goal. The overthrow of Iran's authorities by the people "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands," Netanyahu said in a televised statement. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. "He has effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. "It's the supreme leader who gives the order, but he is the one who carries it out. He is the right-hand man." - Deaths near Tel Aviv - In Israel, medics said two people died after an Iranian missile barrage caused extensive damage to a building near the commercial hub Tel Aviv. AFP journalists also heard loud explosions in Dubai, the glitzy economic hub whose sense of security has been shaken by persistent Iranian drones and missiles. In rare dissent within Trump's ranks, Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation with an open letter. Kent wrote that Iran posed no "imminent threat" to the United States, which he said started the war "due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby". Trump denounced the criticism in personal terms, calling Kent "very weak on security". Israel earlier said it had also targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran. Since the October 7, 2023 cross-border attacks by Hamas into Israel from Gaza, Israel has targeted the leaders of its enemies. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday called the latest assassinations "truly illegal". - Sleeping in cars - The war has taken a particularly heavy toll on Lebanon, where Israeli strikes early Wednesday again hit the heart of Beirut. Hezbollah, the Shia movement backed by Iran, had struck Israel after Khamenei's killing, prompting a massive Israeli air and ground campaign reminiscent of past wars. More than a million people have been displaced across Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed 886 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry says. In the southern city of Sidon, displaced people were sleeping in their cars, according to an AFP team on the ground. "Lots of people are coming every day to ask for shelter but we don't have space anymore, we can't accept them," said Jihan Kaisi, the director of an NGO that runs a school-turned-shelter, where more than 1,100 people are crammed together. burs-sct/sla Iranian projectile hits near Australian military HQ in UAE: PM Sydney, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 An Iranian projectile hit near Australia's military headquarters for the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday but caused no injuries, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. It landed at 9:15 Sydney time (2215 GMT Tuesday) near the Al Minhad base. "I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe," Albanese told reporters. The projectile caused "minor damage" to an accommodation block and a medical facility, the Australian leader said. Al Minhad Air Base -- just 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Dubai -- has hosted Australian forces since 2003 and serves as the primary hub for the country's operations in the Middle East. Up to 80 Australians are on-base at any given time, according to the Australian military. The base was previously hit by an Iranian drone attack following the February 28 US-Israeli strikes that killed Tehran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran missile fire kills two in central Israel: medics Ramat Gan, Israel, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, medics said Wednesday, as the national railway company suspended operations due to shrapnel impact at a station in the city. Authorities reported that falling munitions had hit multiple sites in central Israel in the overnight barrage that triggered air raid sirens across the area, after another day of heavy Israeli bombardments in Iran and Lebanon. The latest deaths took the toll from missile attacks on Israel since the start of the Middle East war late last month to 14 people. Police spokesman Dean Elsdunne said that according to an initial assessment of the deadly impact in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, a residential building was hit by a cluster bomb. Cluster munitions, which Iran and Israel have previously accused each other of using, explode in mid-air and scatter bomblets across a wide area. The munition "collapsed the roof in on an elderly couple that were in their room. Unfortunately, this couple did not go to the safe room when the alarm sounded, and as a result, we have this unfortunate tragedy," Elsdunne said. Omer, a resident of the area of only gave his first name, said "we heard like a streak of booms... it was not just one, it was a splitting missile". AFP footage from the scene showed police officers, rescuers and military personnel on a street strewn with rubble. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said two people were found dead at the scene. "We saw smoke rising from a building with extensive damage and shattered glass," said a statement from the medics. In Bnei Brak, another city in the Tel Aviv area, a man was lightly injured by shrapnel, the medical service said. - Iranian 'revenge' - Images shared by Magen David Adom showed destruction in multiple locations, including cars on fire, destroyed vehicles and rubble. Israel's police said its bomb disposal experts were "operating at several impact sites involving munition debris within the (Tel Aviv) district". The national railway company said in a statement posted online that shrapnel caused damage to platforms at Tel Aviv's main station, announcing that trains were "temporarily suspended across the country". It said no casualties were reported. The military shared footage of Home Front Command teams at a train station, showing shattered glass at a platform and some damage to train windows. In a separate statement, the Home Front Command said its search and rescue teams were "operating at several sites in central Israel where reports of impacts have been received". Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement they had launched missiles at central Israel "in revenge for the blood of martyr Dr Ali Larijani and his companions". Israel said on Tuesday it had killed Larijani, Iran's security chief, and Tehran has since confirmed his death. The Israeli military reported at least two more waves of missiles launched from Iran after the deadly barrage, triggering alerts across central and southern Israel with no immediate reports of impact. Lebanon says Israel strikes on central Beirut kill at least six Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Lebanon said Israeli strikes on central Beirut early Wednesday without warning killed at least six people, as Israel's military warned it would strike a third district in the capital. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with intense strikes in multiple Lebanese regions and ground operations in the south, and has hit central Beirut several times, with and without warning. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a strike in the early hours of Wednesday hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, a densely populated area close to the government's headquarters and several embassies. It said the strike occurred near where the Israeli military last week hit a Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The NNA said two other strikes targeted two apartments in the central Basta district, another densely populated area where Israel had struck during a 2024 war between Israel and Hezbollah. An AFP correspondent saw first responders at the scene in Basta where the walls of apartments on two adjacent floors appeared to have been blasted off. Lebanon's health ministry reported a preliminary toll for both strikes of six dead and 24 wounded. Human remains at the scenes would require DNA testing to determine their identity, the ministry added. - New warnings - The Israeli military subsequently issued an evacuation warning for a building in central Beirut's Bashoura neighbourhood. An accompanying map indicated the target building was the same one that Israel's army struck last Thursday also after an evacuation warning, causing damage but without destroying it. The Bashoura area is adjacent to Beirut's commercial centre, where many large companies and government institutions are based, and is also near residential buildings and food outlets. Local media reported gunfire in the area, to wake people who were asleep in the pre-dawn hours. The NNA also reported strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold which Israel has pounded in recent weeks. AFP correspondents in Beirut heard the sound of several explosions early Wednesday as the strikes hit. Also early Wednesday, local media said Israel's army struck a building in Aaqbiyeh, near the coastal city of Sidon, also after an evacuation warning. Late Tuesday, Israel's army had issued an evacuation order for most of the southern city of Tyre as well as swathes of surrounding areas, saying it planned to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah. Bilal Kashmar, media coordinator for Tyre's disaster management unit, told AFP there was panic after the warning. Many families had remained, including in several Palestinian refugee camps, despite previous Israeli army evacuation calls for swathes of south Lebanon, he said, while some 11,000 displaced people have taken refuge in the area. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported four dead in a strike in the eastern city of Baalbek, and four Syrians dead in a strike on Jibsheet in the country's south. Israel said late Tuesday it had struck Hezbollah sites "throughout Lebanon" after a series of air raid sirens in northern Israel, with Hezbollah saying it had launched a wave of attacks. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes have killed at least 912 people since March 2, while more than one million people have registered as displaced, with more than 130,000 staying in official shelters. Qatar intercepts missile attack as blasts heard in Doha Doha, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Qatar's defence ministry said it intercepted a missile attack on Wednesday as blasts were heard in Doha. "Armed forces intercepted missile attack which targeted State of Qatar," the ministry of defence said in a statement, released shortly after an AFP journalist in the capital heard several blasts. Iran vows revenge for security chief Larijani's killing Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran vowed on Wednesday a "decisive" retaliation for the death of its security chief Ali Larijani, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel which said it killed him in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations intercepted rockets and drones headed for targets including US bases in the region. Iran will hold funerals Wednesday for Larijani and another powerful figure killed Tuesday by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, according to the Fars and Tasnim news agencies. Larijani is the most prominent figure of the Islamic republic killed since Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran on February 28, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and igniting a war in the Middle East. "Iran's response to the assassination of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council will be decisive and regrettable," Iranian army chief Amir Hatami said in a statement. Besides sending missiles and drones into Israel and Gulf nations, Iran has sought to extract a heavy toll on the global economy, including by driving up the cost of oil by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for crude. With oil still hovering around $100 a barrel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Wednesday that the global repercussions of the war "has only just begun and will hit all". As part of an effort to reopen Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's crude transits, the US military said it brought out some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate adjacent missile sites. The United States dropped several 5,000-pound (2,250 kg) bombs -- estimated to cost $288,000 each -- on "hardened Iranian missile sites" near the coast that posed a threat to international shipping, Central Command said. US President Donald Trump earlier Tuesday fumed that American allies, which have largely distanced themselves from his war, were not lining up behind the United States to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump also boasted that the US military did not need its allies, writing on his Truth Social platform: "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" - 'National awakening' - Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which said Wednesday they launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation, warned in a statement that Larijani's death would spur further attacks. The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," the powerful military force said in a statement. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lashed out at Israel, condemning its "political assassinations" of Tehran's leaders as "illegal activities outside the normal laws of war". But Israel vowed also to target Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the ruling clerics chose him to succeed his father. "We don't know about Mojtaba Khamenei, we don't hear him, we don't see him, but I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again called for the end of the Islamic republic, although he and Trump have stopped short of saying that is their goal. The overthrow of Iran's authorities by the people "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands," Netanyahu said in a televised statement. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. "He has effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. "It's the supreme leader who gives the order, but he is the one who carries it out. He is the right-hand man." - Deaths near Tel Aviv - In Israel, medics said two people died after an Iranian missile barrage caused extensive damage to a building near the commercial hub Tel Aviv. AFP journalists also heard loud explosions in Dubai, the glitzy economic hub whose sense of security has been shaken by persistent Iranian drones and missiles. In rare dissent within Trump's ranks, Joseph Kent, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation with an open letter. Kent wrote that Iran posed no "imminent threat" to the United States, which he said started the war "due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby". Trump denounced the criticism in personal terms, calling Kent "very weak on security". Israel earlier said it had also targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran. Israel has gone after leaders of its enemies since Hamas, which is backed by Tehran, attacked on October 7, 2023. - Sleeping in cars - The war has taken a particularly heavy toll on Lebanon, where Israeli strikes early Wednesday again hit the heart of Beirut. At least six people died, Lebanese authorities said, with media reporting that a strike hit an apartment. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes have killed 912 people since March 2, while more than one million people have registered as displaced, with more than 130,000 staying in official shelters. Hezbollah, the Shiite movement backed by Iran, had struck Israel after Khamenei's killing, prompting a massive Israeli air and ground campaign reminiscent of past wars. In the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, displaced people were sleeping in their cars, according to an AFP team on the ground. "Lots of people are coming every day to ask for shelter but we don't have space anymore, we can't accept them," said Jihan Kaisi, the director of an NGO that runs a school-turned-shelter, where more than 1,100 people are crammed together. burs-sct/hmn/ami Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel: judiciary Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iranian authorities have executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, the judiciary said on Wednesday, in the first such execution announced since the war with Israel and the United States broke out. "The death sentence of a spy for the Zionist regime, who had been providing images and information, about the country's sensitive locations to Mossad officers was carried out this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Mizan identified the man as Kouroush Keyvani and said he was arrested during Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June. The United States briefly joined with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. It listed details of his meetings with agents from Israel's Mossad spy agency and said he received training in "six European countries and in Tel Aviv." On February 28, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering another war that has spread across the Middle East. Lebanon says Israel strikes on central Beirut kill at least six Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Lebanon said Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, killing at least six people, as the Israeli military announced it was targeting the country's south. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with intense strikes in multiple Lebanese regions and ground operations in the south, and has hit central Beirut several times, with and without warning. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a strike in the early hours of Wednesday hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, a densely populated area close to the government's headquarters and several embassies. It said the strike occurred near where the Israeli military last week hit a Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm Al-Qard Al-Hassan. In last week's strike, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning in advance, but no such warning was given before the latest raid. The NNA said two other strikes targeted two apartments in the central Basta district, another densely populated area that Israel struck during a 2024 war with Hezbollah. An AFP correspondent saw first responders at the scene in Basta where the walls of apartments on two adjacent floors appeared to have been blasted off. Lebanon's health ministry reported a preliminary toll for both strikes of six dead and 24 wounded. Human remains at the scenes would require DNA testing to determine their identity, the ministry added. - Panic after warning - The NNA later said that a building in central Beirut's Bashoura neighbourhood was hit after an evacuation warning, as AFP correspondents heard a blast and AFPTV footage showed smoke billowing from the area. A map shared by the Israeli military indicated the target building was already struck last week also after an evacuation warning, causing damage but without destroying it. The NNA also reported strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold which Israel has pounded in recent weeks. Also early Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had "begun striking Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon" including in the Tyre area, where the NNA reported at least four strikes including on a house. The Israeli military issued another warning on Wednesday, signaling imminent strikes on four towns in the Tyre area and near the border. Late Tuesday, Israel's army had issued an evacuation order for most of the southern city of Tyre as well as swathes of surrounding areas, saying it planned to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah. Bilal Kashmar, media coordinator for Tyre's disaster management unit, told AFP there was panic after the warning. Many families remained put, including in several Palestinian refugee camps, despite previous Israeli army evacuation calls for swathes of south Lebanon, he said, while around 11,000 displaced people have taken refuge in the area. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported four dead in a strike in the eastern city of Baalbek, and four Syrians dead in a strike on Jibsheet in the country's south. The NNA said a strike on the southern town of Habboush killed at least three people. Israel said late Tuesday it struck Hezbollah sites "throughout Lebanon" after a series of air raid sirens in northern Israel, with Hezbollah saying it had launched a wave of attacks. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes have killed at least 912 people since March 2, while more than one million people have registered as displaced, with more than 130,000 staying in official shelters. Iraq resumes limited oil exports via Turkey: authorities Baghdad, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iraq announced on Wednesday it had resumed limited oil exports of 250,000 bpd through the Turkish port of Ceyhan after the country's output plunged due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. A founding member of the OPEC cartel, crude oil sales make up 90 percent of Iraq's budget revenues. Before the outbreak of war on February 28, Iraq mainly shipped its oil -- roughly 3.5 million barrels per day -- from the southern Basra fields via the Strait of Hormuz. The state-owned North Oil Company said it "has begun operating the Sarlo pumping station to resume pumping and exporting Kirkuk oil to the port of Ceyhan with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day". Iraq resumed oil exports from its fields in the northern Kirkuk province "after a disruptive period that posed a significant challenge to the oil sector," and in agreement with the autonomous Kurdistan Region, through which the pipeline to Turkey's port of Ceyhan runs. Iraq has been scrambling to find a solution to export its oil, and there have been long-running talks with Iraqi Kurdistan to ship it through the autonomous region. Kurdish authorities had asked for several measures in return, before agreeing to let the oil flow through the region's pipeline. The Kurdistan natural resources ministry said that the Sarlo oil station began operating at 6:30 am (0330 GMT) to enable exports via the Kurdistan region pipeline to the port of Ceyhan. Iran has closed the strait, through which as much as a fifth of the world's global crude oil and liquefied natural gas is normally shipped, to vessels from most countries. Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani said his country was in contact with Iran to try to arrange passage for some of its oil tankers through the waterway. Palestinians attend the funeral of the killed victims after shrapnel fell in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, on March 19, 2026. Four Palestinians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday evening by falling shrapnel in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.(Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Four Palestinians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday evening by falling shrapnel in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. Shrapnel struck a women's salon in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron, injuring several women, some in critical condition, WAFA quoted local witnesses as saying. Since the start of the regional conflict, Palestinian police have dealt with missile fragments across the West Bank and warned the public not to approach them for safety reasons, WAFA added. On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Iran. Tehran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East. A Palestinian mourns at the funeral of the killed victims after shrapnel fell in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, on March 19, 2026. Four Palestinians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday evening by falling shrapnel in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.(Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) A Palestinian man inspects the site where shrapnel fell in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, on March 18, 2026. Four Palestinians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday evening by falling shrapnel in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) A Palestinian Civil Defense worker inspects the site where shrapnel fell in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, on March 18, 2026. Four Palestinians were killed and six others injured on Wednesday evening by falling shrapnel in the southern West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) Iran to hold funeral for slain security chief as it vows vengeance Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran will hold a funeral Wednesday for its security chief Ali Larijani as it vowed revenge, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel after it killed the powerful figure in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations intercepted rockets and drones headed for targets including US bases in the region. In Lebanon, pulled into the Middle East war by Iran-backed Hezbollah, Israel conducted a wave of deadly strikes including in central Beirut, with AFPTV's live broadcast showing plumes of smoke rising from one of the targeted areas. According to Iran's Fars and Tasnim news agencies, funerals for Larijani and another powerful figure killed by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, will take place from 1030 GMT in Tehran. Their deaths were announced Tuesday. Larijani is the most prominent figure of the Islamic republic killed since Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran on February 28, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and igniting a war across the Middle East. The slain ayatollah's funeral was due to be held days after he was killed, but that was later postponed indefinitely. "Iran's response to the assassination of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council will be decisive and regrettable," Iranian army chief Amir Hatami said in a statement. - 'Only just begun' - Besides sending missiles and drones into Israel and Gulf nations, Iran has sought to extract a heavy toll on the global economy, including by driving up the cost of oil by all but closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for crude. With oil still hovering around $100 a barrel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Wednesday that the global repercussions of the war "has only just begun and will hit all". As part of an effort to reopen Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's crude transits, the US military said it brought out some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate adjacent missile sites. The United States dropped several 5,000-pound (2,250 kg) bombs -- estimated to cost $288,000 each -- on "hardened Iranian missile sites" near the coast that posed a threat to international shipping, Central Command said. US President Donald Trump earlier Tuesday fumed that American allies, which have largely distanced themselves from his war, were not lining up behind the United States to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump also boasted that the US military did not need its allies, writing on his Truth Social platform: "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" - 'National awakening' - Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which said Wednesday they launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation, warned in a statement that Larijani's death would spur further attacks. The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," the powerful military force said in a statement. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lashed out at Israel, condemning its "political assassinations" of Tehran's leaders as "illegal activities outside the normal laws of war". But Israel vowed also to target the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since he succeeded his father. "We will track him down, find him, and neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again called for the end of the Islamic republic, although he and Trump have stopped short of saying that is their goal in the wider war. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. He had "effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. - Deaths in Israel, Lebanon - In Israel, medics said two people died after an Iranian missile barrage caused extensive damage to a building near the commercial hub Tel Aviv. Meanwhile Lebanon said Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, killing at least six people, as the Israeli military announced it was targeting the country's south. Lebanon was drawn into the war when Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel over the ayatollah's death. Elsewhere, an Iranian projectile struck near Australia's military headquarters for the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. And the Saudi defence ministry said it had intercepted a ballistic missile near Prince Sultan Air Base, which houses US military personnel. burs-ar/ser NGO says 'hundreds killed and wounded' in Kabul drug clinic strike Kabul, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The Norwegian Refugee Council on Wednesday said hundreds of people were killed and wounded in this week's Pakistani air strike on a Kabul drug treatment clinic, in the first independent confirmation of the heavy toll. Pakistan's forces struck Kabul and the eastern border province of Nangarhar on Monday, claiming to have hit military installations and "terrorist support infrastructure". But the Taliban authorities in the Afghan capital on Tuesday said that around 400 people were killed at a drug rehabilitation centre in the capital, with more than 200 wounded. NRC country director Jacopo Caridi said the NGO had teams on the ground in the immediate aftermath of the strikes to assist in the rescue effort. "From what we saw and what we discussed with the others involved in the (emergency) response, we can say that there were hundreds of killed and wounded," he told AFP. Immediate independent confirmation of exact tolls is difficult in Afghanistan, with attacks often in hard-to-reach places and contradictory information from officials. Pakistan, which accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants who have attacked its territory, has said Taliban government claims that the clinic was targeted are "entirely baseless". Caridi confirmed that the medical facility in Kabul was hit and that one of its buildings was "completely burned and destroyed". Rescue teams were still trying to remove bodies from the rubble on Tuesday morning and to find ways of accessing parts of the compound where walls had collapsed, he added. He described the scene, which included body parts in the debris, as "shocking" and indicated that identification of the victims and settling on a definitive toll was not clear. "In Europe, we have the systems to identify the people, even from body parts," he added. "But here, I don't know if they have these systems. But what I saw was a finger in one place, a foot in another place, a hand in one location. It was really horrific," said Caridi. Deadly strikes across Mideast as Iran vows revenge on slain security chief Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran vowed revenge as it prepared the funeral for its security chief Ali Larijani on Wednesday, firing off a wave of missiles against Israel while also reporting fresh Israeli-US strikes across the Islamic Republic. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv overnight, while Iranian media said seven people were killed in strikes in its western Lorestan province, a toll AFP could not verify. Deadly attacks were also reported Wednesday in Lebanon, which has been pulled into the Middle East war by Iran-backed Hezbollah, with the health ministry saying Israeli strikes on central Beirut killed at least 12 people. Larijani is the most prominent figure of the Islamic republic killed since Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran on February 28 with a wave of strikes that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and ignited a war across the Middle East. According to Iran's Fars and Tasnim news agencies, funerals for Larijani and another powerful figure killed by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, will take place from 1030 GMT in Tehran. It was not certain the funerals would go ahead -- the slain ayatollah's funeral was due to be held days after he was killed, but that was later postponed indefinitely. However, the Mehr news agency published a photo of Larijani's coffin bearing his photo and draped with the Iranian flag, alongside that of his son, whose death was also announced. Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation for Larijani's death and warned of more to come. The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," it said. - Deaths in Israel, Lebanon - An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, medics said on Wednesday, while authorities said falling munitions hit multiple sites in central Israel overnight. Police said a cluster bomb hit a residential building in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, and the roof collapsed on an elderly couple. Omer, a resident of the area who only gave his first name, said "we heard like a streak of booms... it was not just one, it was a splitting missile". Iranian media, meanwhile reported strikes in Lorestan province and Hamedan city, both in the west of Iran, as well as Fars province in the south. And in Lebanon, state media said Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, with the health ministry reporting at least 12 dead and 41 wounded in the Basta and Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhoods. An Israeli strike also hit a car in the centre of Sidon, southern Lebanon's largest city, killing two people including a civil defence rescuer, the health ministry said. An AFP correspondent at the scene said the strike hit near the city's civil defence headquarters and the seaside road, where many displaced people are sleeping in their cars. More than one million people have registered as displaced in Lebanon, which was drawn into the war when Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel over the ayatollah's death. - Political assassinations - Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lashed out at Israel on Tuesday, condemning its "political assassinations" of Tehran's leaders as "illegal activities outside the normal laws of war". Israel also said this week it had targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran, part of a strategy since the October 7 attacks by Hamas to kill the leaders of its enemies. It has vowed to target Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since he succeeded his father. "We will track him down, find him, and neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. He had "effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. - US pounds Strait of Hormuz - In addition to its attacks on Israel and its neighbours, Iran has been hitting the global economy through attacks on energy infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf. Its attacks and threats against ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have all but closed the key waterway, through which a fifth of global oil and LNG flows. With oil still hovering around $100 a barrel, the US military said it brought out some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate sites near to the strait. The United States dropped several 5,000-pound (2,250 kg) bombs on "hardened Iranian missile sites" near the coast that posed a threat to international shipping, Central Command said. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday fumed that American allies, which have largely distanced themselves from his war, were not lining up behind the United States to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But he also insisted on his Truth Social platform: "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" Oil prices sank Wednesday after Iraq -- a major oil producer and home to US-led coalition troops who have also been targeted by Iran -- said it had resumed very limited oil exports through Turkey, avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. However, analysts warned the positive mood could fade if the crisis drags on. burs-ar/dcp Iran arrests alleged 'monarchist' networks, suspected spies as war rages Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iranian authorities said on Wednesday they had arrested more than 100 alleged "monarchist cells" plotting against the Islamic Republic, along with suspected spies and individuals accused of cooperating with an outlawed television channel. Forces from the Intelligence Ministry "have identified and arrested 111 monarchist cells across 26 provinces before they could take action on the last Wednesday of the year," the ministry said in a statement carried by Fars news agency. It was not immediately clear how many individuals were involved in the alleged cells. The ministry said four suspected spies linked to the United States were arrested in Hamedan city and West Azerbaijan province, both in the country's west. Authorities also arrested another 21 people accused of cooperating with the London-based broadcaster Iran International, which is outlawed in Iran, it added. They also said they had seized firearms, bladed weapons, stun guns and batons. The arrests come with Iran at war with Israel and the United States since February 28, when Israeli-US strikes killed the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a war that has spread across the Middle East. Authorities have in recent weeks carried out sweeping raids across Iran, arresting in the last few days hundreds of people suspected of cooperating with Israel and the United States, local media reported. On Sunday, police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said a total of 500 people were arrested on suspicion of being spies and "sending information to the enemy and anti-Iranian media," according to local media. Iran has designated Iran International a terrorist organisation since 2022 and has warned that cooperation with the channel is punishable under Iranian law. Israel conducts wave of strikes on Beirut Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel repeatedly struck central Beirut Wednesday, with Lebanese authorities reporting a death toll of at least 12, while people in the ancient port city of Tyre fled their homes in panic after Israeli warnings. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with intense strikes on multiple regions around the country and by launching ground operations in the south. It also hit central Beirut several times, with and without warning. AFP journalists in the Lebanese capital said three densely populated neighbourhoods in the heart of Beirut were hit. In Bashoura, a whole building crumbled into a mountain of rubble after being struck. A map shared by the Israeli military indicated the targeted building had already been hit last week, also after an evacuation warning. "It was at 4:00 am, we were asleep," said Sarah Saleh, a 29-year-old woman displaced from Beirut's southern suburbs, long a Hezbollah bastion but where hundreds of thousands of people live. "We fled in our pyjamas," she told AFP, after she and her family fled a school they were sheltering in nearby. Lebanese authorities on Tuesday said Israeli strikes have killed at least 912 people since March 2, while more than a million people have registered as displaced. - Hezbollah TV - Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) earlier said another strike had hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, a densely populated area close to the government's headquarters and several embassies. The NNA said two other strikes targeted two apartments in the central Basta district, another heavily populated area that Israel struck during a 2024 war with Hezbollah. Another strike hit Zuqaq al-Blat later in the morning, the NNA said. Hezbollah's Al Manar TV said Mohammad Sherri, the director of one of its programmes, had been killed along with his wife in one of the strikes in Zuqaq al-Blat. In last week's strike on the area, the Israeli military had told people to evacuate, but no such warning was given before the latest raid. An AFP correspondent saw first responders at the scene in Basta where the walls of apartments on two adjacent floors appeared to have been blasted off. Lebanon's health ministry reported a preliminary toll for strikes on both areas of 12 dead and 41 wounded, adding that efforts were underway to identify those killed. - Panic in the south - Strikes also hit Beirut's southern suburbs, which Israel has pounded since the start of the war. In the coastal city of Sidon, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle near the main seaside road, where many displaced people are staying and sleeping in their cars, according to an AFP correspondent. The health ministry said two people were killed, including a civil defence rescuer. Also early Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had "begun striking Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon" including in the Tyre area, where the NNA reported at least four strikes including on a house. The Israeli military issued another warning, signalling imminent strikes on the Tyre area. Late Tuesday, Israel's army had issued an evacuation order for most of the southern city of Tyre as well as swathes of surrounding areas, saying it planned to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah. People filled the streets to flee northwards or to Tyre's old quarters, exempt from the warning, an AFP correspondent said. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported four dead in a strike in the eastern city of Baalbek, and four Syrian nationals killed in the country's south. An AFP correspondent in Baalbek saw a two-storey building in the heart of the city completely destroyed. The NNA said a strike on the southern town of Habboush killed at least three people. Israelis shelter with pets from threat of Iran missiles Tel Aviv, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israelis have been rushing to bomb shelters for more than two weeks as sirens warn of Iranian missile strikes, the veterinary service in commercial hub Tel Aviv has a clear message: leave no pet behind. "Alarms? Missiles firing? Don't forget your four-legged friends!" read the service's online guide on caring for animals during the war. "During emergencies, our dogs and cats also experience fear and confusion," it added. Dogs on leads and cats in carriers have been seen by AFP journalists being taken for cover and waiting in the underground shelters across the city. "As soon as the alarm goes off, she understands and comes straight down with me to the shelter," Tel Aviv resident Leron told AFP, caressing her little dog Wendy, aged 10. "In the shelter, people reassure her and stroke her. That's what she needs. But she still keeps trembling even after the alerts." - Strokes and shelters - Israel, like other countries around the region, has come under sustained Iranian missile and drone fire since it and the United States launched a massive attack against the Islamic republic on February 28. The Middle East has since been engulfed in a war that has killed hundreds of people and displaced millions more, with the highest confirmed death toll in Israel's northern neighbour Lebanon. In Tel Aviv, no stranger to incoming missiles following multiple wars in recent years, public spaces such as underground train stations have been turned into shelters. In one such station, a couple cradled a small dog. Its owner explained that whenever the alarm sounds, their pet is the first to run towards the door. At the entrance to a school, where an underground room has been converted into a shelter, a dog pulled its owner along as they ran inside. A brown terrier, on high alert with its ears pricked, remained seated on its owner's lap. A Belgian shepherd, held loosely by a purple lead, wandered quietly through another shelter, nose to the ground, seeking attention here and there. In an underground car park by the beach, a man held his dog close, saying that his pet was having panic attacks because of the sirens. - 'Reduce stress' - According to Israeli government figures, there were some 500,000 dogs owned as pets in the country in 2020. Tel Aviv authorities are clear that "animals may not be prevented from entering the protected area". "Stay calm around them -- they sense your tension," the guidelines say. When in shelters, dogs must be kept on leads and other animals such as cats, rodents or birds, have to stay in carriers or cases. Local media have also offered tips to pet owners. "For our pets... this is a confusing and unfamiliar situation: changes in routine, sudden movement by household members and tension in the air," wrote news website Ynet, in an article offering advice from animal experts. "To keep the dog occupied and reduce stress, owners can bring a familiar toy or item into the shelter. If the dog still appears anxious, gentle petting or massage may help." Hezbollah's Al Manar TV says one of its directors killed in Israeli strike Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Hezbollah's Al Manar TV said the director of its political programmes was killed alongside his wife in Israeli strikes on central Beirut on Wednesday, which killed at least 12 people according to Lebanese authorities. In a statement, the channel said the "director of political programmes at the channel, Mohammad Sherri and his wife" were killed "in the Zionist raid on the Zuqaq al-Blat area in Beirut". His children and grandchildren were wounded and hospitalised following the strike, according to Al Manar. Israel struck three different neighbourhoods of central Beirut on Wednesday, one of them with prior warning but others without. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with intense strikes on multiple regions around the country and by launching ground operations in the south. Al-Manar said that Sherri had recently undergone surgery and was recovering when he was killed by the Israeli strike. On March 3, another Israeli strike hit Al Manar's office in Beirut's southern suburbs, a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold that has been pounded by Israel since the start of the current war. Hezbollah's Al-Nour radio was also targeted that day. In the last war between the two sides in 2024, Israel killed Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afif. Israel alleged Afif was "directly involved in advancing and executing Hezbollah's terrorist activities against Israel". Israel says killed Iran's intelligence minister Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the country's forces had killed Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, adding that the military was authorised to kill any high-ranking Iranian official in its sights without seeking further approval. "Last night Iran's Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated," Katz said in a statement. The killing of Khatib comes soon after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani, and another powerful figure, Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force. The US State Department offered a $10 million reward on Friday for information about Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and other top officials, including Khatib. "The intensity of the strikes in Iran is moving up a notch. We are in the midst of a decisive stretch," Katz said. Katz also said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorised the military to target "any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval." "We will continue to thwart and hunt them all down." "Over the course of this day as well, significant surprises are expected in all arenas that will raise to a new level the war we are waging against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," he added. In a statement announcing Khatib's killing, the Israeli military said he had "played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protestors as well as shaping the regime's intelligence assessment". "In addition to his activities targeting the State of Israel, Khatib led the Ministry of Intelligence's terrorist activities against Israeli and American targets around the world," it added, including during the current war between the arch foes. Pakistani fuel smugglers feel the pinch from Iran war Mastung, Pakistan, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 In Pakistan's southwestern mountains, pickup trucks loaded with plastic cans of fuel smuggled from Iran line dusty roads as youngsters unload the containers, fill smaller cans and strap them onto motorbikes to supply nearby markets. The illicit trade has long thrived in the region but is feeling the knock-on effects of the war which has engulfed the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Supplies coming across the 900-kilometre (560-mile) border between Pakistan and Iran have dropped by nearly half and driven up prices. "Before the war, the rate was good," Hakeem Ullah, a 35-year-old driver, told AFP. "We used to get petrol for 150 rupees ($0.54). But now, after the war, we are getting petrol for 190 rupees per litre." Ullah is one of dozens of young men in the border towns of Balochistan province who transport fuel across the frontier every day in blue Iranian-made Zamyad trucks. A single trip that once earned him a steady profit has now seen his margin cut by half due to the spike in cost and disrupted supplies. "We would make a profit of approximately 40 to 50,000 rupees per vehicle, and buyers would also be found quickly," said Ullah in Mastung, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the provincial capital Quetta. "We have been standing here for the last five days but we are not getting a fair price at which we can sell it." - Poverty - Pakistan is reliant on oil and gas from the Gulf. Since war broke out, prices have increased at the pump and the government has introduced curbs to limit fuel consumption. Measures include cutting the working week for government workers to four days and shutting public schools. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that there would be no military parades and flypasts at next Monday's Pakistan Day public holiday because of the crisis. Ministers say they are trying to prevent having to impose any further fuel price increases, which would hit the country's poorest, including in Balochistan. The sparsely populated province -- Pakistan's largest and most resource-rich -- is also its most impoverished, lagging behind the rest of the country in education, employment and economic development. Ordinarily, petrol price increases on the conventional market would force people to turn to the smugglers, who typically use unpaved desert tracks and mountain paths along the border linking Iranian frontier towns with Pakistani districts such as Panjgur, Turbat and Gwadar, on the coast. The fuel is then transported hundreds of kilometres to Mastung district, where it is offloaded and transferred onto motorbikes in jerrycans for local distribution. Drivers said they were concerned about the squeeze on supplies and price increases -- plus the impact on their livelihoods. "There is no industrial sector in Balochistan and government jobs are limited," said Fazal Muhammad, 28, as he and dozens of others embarked on a perilous journey transporting fuel by motorbike to markets in Quetta. "We were forced to join this profession, where at least we take 2,000 to 3,000 rupees in the evening," he added. Afghanistan vows to avenge Pakistani strike on Kabul drug centre Kabul, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Afghanistan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Wednesday promised retribution for this week's Pakistani air strike that killed hundreds at a Kabul drugs rehabilitation centre. "We will take revenge," the Taliban government minister said at the mass burial of some of the victims in the capital, calling those behind Monday night's bombing "criminals". "We are not weak and helpless. You will see the consequences of your crimes," he added. The Taliban authorities have said that about 400 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in the strike, which was the deadliest attack yet in the recent upsurge in violence between the two neighbours. Not all victims are being buried in Kabul, as some bodies have been sent for burial in their home provinces, interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP earlier. The Norwegian Refugee Council said on Wednesday that "hundreds" were killed and wounded, in the first independent confirmation of the heavy death toll. Pakistan has denied Taliban government claims that the centre was deliberately targeted and said it had carried out precision strikes on "military installations and terrorist support infrastructure". The strike has renewed calls for an end to the conflict, which has seen strikes on both sides of the shared border. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring extremists behind attacks on its territory. Kabul denies doing so. JUBA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan has stepped up its diplomatic engagements with regional and international partners as it prepares for general elections scheduled for December, officials said Wednesday. Thomas Kenneth Elisapana, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the increased outreach, led by President Salva Kiir and the foreign ministry, focuses on strengthening bilateral relations, advancing regional cooperation and mobilizing support for a peaceful political transition. "The government reaffirms its commitment to dialogue and to the peaceful completion of the transitional process through democratic elections," Elisapana told reporters. Elisapana said that continued engagement with partners will be critical to ensuring a credible electoral process and sustaining peace and stability in the world's youngest nation. In February, Kiir participated in the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa. On the sidelines of the summit, Kiir held bilateral talks with several African leaders, including those from Ethiopia and South Africa, focusing on South Sudan's political developments, regional peace and security, and the strengthening of bilateral ties. The president also attended a meeting of the African Union's high-level ad hoc committee on South Sudan, where discussions centered on the country's political transition and preparations for the upcoming elections. Analysts said the growing diplomatic activity signals Juba's intention to build regional and international confidence ahead of the elections while addressing key political, economic and humanitarian challenges. Israel says killed Iran intel chief, tells military to hunt down officials Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel said on Wednesday its forces had killed another top Iranian official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and said its military was authorised to kill any senior figure of the Islamic republic in its sights. The announcement, the day after Iranian security chief Ali Larijani was confirmed killed in an Israeli strike, is part of a longstanding strategy by Israel to target its enemy's leaders. "Last night Iran's Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated," Israeli Defence Minister Katz said in a statement. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval," he added. "We will continue to thwart and hunt them all down." There was no immediate comment or confirmation from Iran, which had responded with fury and vows of revenge to the death of Larijani. The two sides have been at war for more than two weeks since US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and ignited a regional conflict. Israel said this week it had also targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of Hamas-ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran. And it has vowed to hunt down Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since he succeeded his father. David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, described Israel's strategy as "a campaign of 'counter-regime warfare'". It was "aimed at dismantling the regime's politico-security architecture to make it waver on its foundations", he wrote on X before the news on Khatib. - Funeral crowds - Large crowds gathered in central Tehran on Wednesday for the funerals of Larijani and Soleimani, according to images broadcast by Iranian state television. They were held alongside the funerals of more than 80 Iranian sailors killed in a US torpedoing of their frigate off Sri Lanka earlier this month. Trucks carrying coffins draped in Iranian flags moved through the procession, as mourners walked alongside them, carrying portraits of the slain supreme leader and beating their chests -- a traditional sign of mourning in Shia culture. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. He had "effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," Khalfa told AFP. Israel has pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation against Iran and the militant movements it backs in the region. It killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in 2024 as well Hamas's top figures since the Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Despite losing its supreme leader of nearly four decades and now Larijani, a key pillar of the Islamic republic, the powerful Revolutionary Guards and the leadership as a whole have remained defiant. The Guards, the ideological arm of the military, said they had launched missiles at central Israel in retaliation for Larijani's death and warned of more to come. The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," they said. - Deadly strikes - An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, medics said on Wednesday, while authorities said falling munitions hit multiple sites in central Israel overnight. Police said a cluster bomb hit a residential building in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, and the roof collapsed on an elderly couple. Omer, a resident of the area who only gave his first name, said "we heard like a streak of booms... it was not just one, it was a splitting missile". Iranian media meanwhile said Israel and the United States had launched fresh strikes across several areas of the country, including Tehran. Tasnim news agency said "seven people were killed and 56 were injured in an American-Zionist attack on residential areas in Dorud town" in Lorestan province. AFP could not independently verify the figures. The war has engulfed the region, from Gulf nations to Iraq and nearby Lebanon. In Lebanon, Israel struck central Beirut multiple times on Wednesday. The country was drawn into the conflict when the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel over the ayatollah's death. Lebanese authorities reported at least 12 dead, while AFP journalists said three densely populated neighbourhoods in the heart of Beirut were hit. - Iranian gas facility hit - In addition to the human toll of the war, with hundreds killed and millions displaced, the conflict has hit the global economy. Oil prices shot up to around $100 a barrel after Iran attacked energy infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf as well as shipping, all but closing the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a fifth of global oil and LNG travels in peacetime. US-Israeli strikes hit Iranian facilities at a major Gulf gas field on Wednesday causing a fire, Iranian state television reported. The South Pars/North Dome mega-field is the largest known gas reserve in the world, supplying around 70 percent of Iran's domestic natural gas. burs-ar/dcp Iran executed Swedish citizen: Sweden FM Stockholm, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Sweden's foreign minister on Wednesday said that Iran had executed a Swedish citizen, after Iranian authorities announced the first execution of a man convicted of spying since the start of its war against Israel and the United States. "It is with dismay that I have received information that a Swedish citizen was executed in Iran earlier today," Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said in a statement. Since the man's arrest during in June 2025, Sweden has "repeatedly raised the case at various levels with Iranian representatives," she added. "In these contacts, we have emphasised Sweden's expectation that our citizen will receive a fair trial and not be sentenced to death," Stenergard said. "It is obvious to us that the legal process which led to the execution of the Swedish citizen was not conducted in accordance with the rule of law," she added. She did not identify the citizen who was executed. In a separate statement, the Nordic country's foreign ministry said it had "summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the execution of a Swedish citizen". It added that it had "delivered a strong condemnation" of the execution and of the "flawed legal process" that led to his conviction and sentencing. Earlier, Iran's judiciary website, Mizan Online, said a man named Kouroush Keyvani was executed for spying for Israel, and that he was arrested during Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June last year. It listed details of his meetings with agents from Israel's Mossad spy agency and said he received training in "six European countries and in Tel Aviv." This was the first public announcement of such an execution since Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering another war that has spread across the Middle East. Russia slams 'completely unacceptable strike' on Iranian nuclear plant Moscow, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Russia on Wednesday strongly condemned what it said was a "missile strike" on Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which the UN's nuclear watchdog announced earlier was hit by a projectile. "We strongly condemn the irresponsible, completely unacceptable missile strike launched against the inner perimeter of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, just metres from an operating reactor," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing. She added that Russia had warned the United States and Israel against "threatening the lives" of Russian citizens still working at the plant, which Moscow helped build. Russia condemns killing of Iranian security chief Larijani Moscow, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Russia on Wednesday condemned the killing of Iranian security chief Ali Larijani, after ally Tehran vowed retaliation for his death in an Israeli airstrike. Larijani had met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in January, at a time when US navy ships were heading towards Iran ahead of the US-Israeli air campaign launched at the end of February. "We firmly condemn actions aimed at harming the health and, even more, the killing of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran. We condemn such actions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a daily briefing. Moscow is a close ally of Iran and has condemned the US and Israeli attacks, which Tehran has responded to with a barrage of missile and drone strikes on US allies across the Gulf. Last year, the two countries, both heavily sanctioned by the West, signed a broad cooperation agreement, but it stopped short of a mutual defence pact. The version of the document made public only vaguely mentioned that Moscow and Tehran agreed to help each other counter common "security threats" and would not provide "assistance to the aggressor" if one side was attacked. Since the outbreak of the war, Russia has sent humanitarian aid, but otherwise declined to comment publicly on what support it has offered Iran, if any. The Kremlin last week denied a Washington Post report that Russia had passed sensitive intelligence to Iran, including the locations of US warships and aircraft in the region. Iran emerged as one of Russia's main allies during the war in Ukraine, supplying it at the start of the conflict with drones for Moscow to fire on Ukrainian cities. Danish Supreme Court rejects case on arms sales to Israel Copenhagen, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Denmark's Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit filed by four humanitarian organisations accusing the Scandinavian country of violating international law by exporting weapons to Israel. The Palestinian human rights association Al-Haq, ActionAid Denmark, and the Danish branches of Amnesty International and Oxfam had filed a lawsuit against the Danish foreign ministry and national police, which a lower court rejected in April 2025. They took their case to the Supreme Court, alleging that Denmark violated its international commitments by selling Israel parts for F-35 jet fighters, given what an Amnesty representative called Israel's "war crimes and genocide" in the Gaza Strip. The court was called upon to solely address the question of whether the organisations were entitled to test the legality of Denmark's arms sales in the courts. "The Supreme Court finds that associations that are not themselves specifically and individually affected by the issues that are to be adjudicated ... can only be considered to have a legal interest if special circumstances warrant this," it said in a statement. The court said the organisations had not presented any grounds justifying special circumstances. "Under the UN arms trade treaty and the UN common position on arms exports, states must deny an export license if there is a clear, overriding risk that this equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law," Dina Hashem, an Amnesty representative in Denmark, told AFP ahead of the ruling. "And that risk is clearly present in Gaza." Danish media Danwatch and Information revealed in 2023 that Israel's F-35s were equipped with parts made by Danish company Terma. The four organisations filed their lawsuit in March 2024, on the heels of a similar suit filed in the Netherlands by a coalition of humanitarian organisations. A Dutch court in December 2024 rejected demands by pro-Palestinian groups for a total ban on exporting goods to Israel that can be used for military means. The court ruled the government was respecting rules governing the country's arms trade. 119,000 Syrias have returned from Lebanon during Israel-Hezbollah war: IOM Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Almost 120,000 Syrians have returned to their country from neighbouring Lebanon since the latest war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah, according to International Organization for Migration figures provided to AFP on Wednesday. "As of 17 March, 125,784 people have entered Syria from Lebanon" since the fighting there began, "about 119,000 of whom are Syrians", according to the figures from the UN agency's Displacement Tracking Matrix. Lebanon -- which hosts around one million Syrians who fled their country's civil conflict starting in 2011 -- was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel has responded with intense strikes on Lebanon and ground operations in the south, where the health ministry said four Syrians were killed on Tuesday. Syria has so far stayed out of the regional war. More than half a million Syrians returned from Lebanon last year, according to the UN refugee agency, following the 2024 fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was supported by Iran and Hezbollah. 119,000 Syrians have returned from Lebanon during Israel-Hezbollah war: IOM Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Almost 120,000 Syrians have returned to their country from neighbouring Lebanon since the latest war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah, according to International Organization for Migration figures provided to AFP on Wednesday. "As of 17 March, 125,784 people have entered Syria from Lebanon" since the fighting there began, "about 119,000 of whom are Syrians", according to the figures from the UN agency's Displacement Tracking Matrix. Lebanon -- which hosts around one million Syrians who fled their country's civil conflict starting in 2011 -- was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel has responded with intense strikes on Lebanon and ground operations in the south, where the health ministry said four Syrians were killed on Tuesday. Syria has so far stayed out of the regional war. More than half a million Syrians returned from Lebanon last year, according to the UN refugee agency, following the 2024 fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was supported by Iran and Hezbollah. Germany 'would have advised against' US-Israel war on Iran: Merz Berlin, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that if the United States had consulted Berlin about the US-Israel war against Iran, "we would have advised against taking this course of action". "We share with Israel and the United States the objective that Iran should no longer pose a threat in future," Merz told parliament. "For years and decades, the Iranian regime has broken rule after rule, spread terror across the world and destabilised the neighbourhood. This regime bears responsibility for the current crisis in the region," he said. "At the same time, however, we have also made it clear that we still have many questions regarding this war," Merz said, adding that the US and Israel had shown "no convincing plan as to how this operation could succeed". Washington had "not consulted" Germany about the war, Merz noted. "We would have advised against taking this course of action as it has been pursued so far," he said, reaffirming that "we have stated that, for as long as the war continues, we will not take part in it". Merz also called for an end to the conflict as quickly as possible. "Europe has an interest in a swift end to the war, in preventing further regional escalation, and in avoiding the disintegration of Iran as a state," he said. Such a collapse would "severely compromise our security ... would have negative repercussions for our energy supply and could potentially trigger massive migration flows", he said. Israel says hit Hezbollah-controlled gas stations in Lebanon Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel's military said Wednesday it had struck gas stations in south Lebanon belonging to a company owned by the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah. "Overnight, the IDF struck Al-Amana Fuel Company gas stations in southern Lebanon", the military said. A map shared with the statement showed the locations of five gas stations the military said it struck, all in Lebanon's south, including two near the country's Mediterranean coast. The statement added that the Al-Amana fuel company is controlled by Hezbollah "and constitutes fundamental economic infrastructure that supports Hezbollah's military capabilities". It said Hezbollah receives "millions of dollars of profits" from the company via another Hezbollah-owned association to fund its military activities. Since the war with Iran broke out, Israel has also bombed Al-Qard al-Hassan, a financial firm with links to Hezbollah. The interest-free lender, which also faces US sanctions, is a lifeline for mainly Shia Muslim communities battling a years-long financial crisis that has locked Lebanese out of their bank deposits. Lebanon has once again come under Israeli fire since Hezbollah launched attacks against its southern neighbour in support of its backers in Tehran, after Israel killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since the start of the war, at least one million Lebanese have fled their homes and Israel's defence minister has warned that they should not return home until northern Israel is secure. Israel says killed Iran intel chief, tells military to hunt down officials Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel killed another top Iranian official, intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, and declared on Wednesday that its military is authorised to kill any senior Islamic republic figure it gets in its sights. Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian branded Khatib's death a "cowardly assassination" The war erupted on February 28 when US and Israeli forces attacked Iran, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has since been marked by several high-profile killings. News of Khatib's death came the day after Iranian security chief Ali Larijani was confirmed killed in an Israeli strike. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval," Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz announced "We will continue to thwart them and to hunt them all down." Israel has also vowed to hunt down Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since he succeeded his father. - Funeral crowds - Large crowds gathered in central Tehran on Wednesday for the funerals of Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force who was also killed in a strike in Iran this week, according to images broadcast by Iranian state television. They were held alongside the funerals of more than 80 Iranian sailors killed in a US torpedoing of their frigate off Sri Lanka earlier this month. Trucks carrying coffins draped in Iranian flags moved through the procession, as mourners walked alongside carrying portraits of the slain supreme leader and beating their chests, a sign of mourning in Shia culture. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. He had "effectively been the figure in charge of the regime's survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy," David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. Israel has pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation against Iran and the militant movements it backs in the region. It killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in 2024 as well Hamas's top figures since the Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Despite losing its supreme leader of nearly four decades and now Larijani, a key pillar of the Islamic republic, the powerful Revolutionary Guards and the leadership as a whole have remained defiant. US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard to a senate hearing that Washington "assesses the regime in Iran to be intact but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities". The Guards, the ideological arm of the military, said they had launched missiles at central Israel in retaliation for Larijani's death and warned of more to come. The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," they said. - Deadly strikes - An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, medics said on Wednesday, while authorities said falling munitions hit multiple sites in central Israel overnight. Police said a cluster bomb hit a residential building in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, and the roof collapsed on an elderly couple. Iranian media meanwhile said Israel and the United States had launched fresh strikes across several areas of the country, including Tehran. Tasnim news agency said "seven people were killed and 56 were injured in an American-Zionist attack on residential areas in Dorud town" in Lorestan province. AFP could not independently verify the figures. The war has engulfed the region, from Gulf nations to Iraq and nearby Lebanon. In Lebanon, Israel struck central Beirut multiple times Wednesday, with authorities reporting at least 12 people dead. The country was drawn into the conflict when the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel over the ayatollah's death. A line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see along the country's southern coast as residents of areas bombarded in the war fled to the ancient city of Sidon in search of safety. Nidal Ahmad Chokr initially intended to stay put but finally decided on Tuesday to leave his village of Jibchit, as the air strikes intensified. "Bakers died while making bread" in the village square and "municipal workers were martyred while using bulldozers", the 55-year-old said. In addition to the human toll of the war, with hundreds killed and millions displaced, the conflict has hit the global economy. Oil prices surged again Wednesday after Israeli strikes hit Iranian facilities at a major gas field in the oil-rich Gulf, prompting Tehran to call for retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure. The conflict has led to the near total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a fifth of global oil and LNG travels in peacetime. burs-sr/dc Electric vehicles are charged at a charging station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 16, 2026. Ethiopia has called for fuel conservation and accelerated adoption of alternative energy solutions as global oil supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East weigh on the country.(Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang) ADDIS ABABA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has called for fuel conservation and accelerated adoption of alternative energy solutions as global oil supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East weigh on the country. The Ethiopian Petroleum and Energy Authority (PEA) on Tuesday issued a directive urging citizens to conserve fuel products and play their part in shielding the country from the global oil price shocks triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The move comes amid growing pressure on domestic fuel supply, with long queues forming at filling stations in Addis Ababa and some outlets temporarily closing due to shortages. Noting that petroleum products are imported and paid for in foreign currency, the authority has instructed fuel distributing companies and retail stations to operate in a high-conservation way. The PEA also ordered fuel companies and stations to supply oil products primarily to security establishments, state-run projects, manufacturing industries and export companies. On Monday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for responsible fuel use, warning that countries that depend on imported oil are facing difficulties in securing adequate supplies. In a message posted on social media platform X, Abiy urged all stakeholders to conserve fuel and prioritize its use for essential services until the situation stabilizes and normal supply conditions resume. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics issued a national call, encouraging all sectors of society, including government institutions and private enterprises, to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and natural gas-powered vehicles as a critical buffer against external shocks. As part of the efforts to promote electric mobility, Ethiopia in 2024 banned the import of fossil fuel-powered vehicles and introduced tax incentives on EVs. Under the policy, duties were reduced to 15 percent for fully built imported EVs, 5 percent for semi-assembled units and zero for completely knocked-down kits assembled locally, to encourage domestic assembly and wider adoption of EVs. A pedestrian walks past a gas station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 17, 2026. Ethiopia has called for fuel conservation and accelerated adoption of alternative energy solutions as global oil supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East weigh on the country.(Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang) A gas station is temporarily closed due to tight oil supply in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 17, 2026. Ethiopia has called for fuel conservation and accelerated adoption of alternative energy solutions as global oil supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East weigh on the country.(Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang) People queue to refuel their vehicles at a gas station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 17, 2026. Ethiopia has called for fuel conservation and accelerated adoption of alternative energy solutions as global oil supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East weigh on the country.(Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang) Israel army says Ben Gurion airport hit by 'debris' after Iranian missile fire Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The Israeli military told AFP on Wednesday that "debris" had hit Ben Gurion international airport following Iranian missile fire, without specifying when the incident had occurred. Israeli media reported that private planes parked at the airport near Tel Aviv had sustained damage. The army lifted the censorship order regarding the incident on Wednesday but did not authorise the disclosure of the date. Israeli news site Ynet published a photo appearing to show the charred and damaged interior of a small private plane. It is the first time the army has announced that Ben Gurion -- Israel's main international airport -- has been hit since the start of the Middle East war, triggered by the US-Israeli attacks against Iran launched on February 28. On March 5, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted Ben Gurion airport and an air force base in the area. Missile or interceptor debris has fallen in areas near the airport several times since the start of the war. Flag carrier El Al said on Wednesday it was suspending round-trip flights to nearly 30 destinations including Barcelona, Berlin and Budapest from March 22 until March 28. It said this was "in line with the reduced operational framework and current limitations". Israel had closed its airspace on the first day of the war, with El Al and other Israeli airlines subsequently resuming some of their flights under strict security conditions. Israel's transport ministry on Monday announced it wanted to increase the number of passengers allowed to travel from Ben Gurion, depending on security guidelines. Israel says destroyed two bridges on Litani River in Lebanon Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel's defence minister said the military had destroyed two bridges spanning the Litani River in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, alleging they were being used by Hezbollah. "The IDF today struck and destroyed two additional bridges over the Litani River that were used for smuggling weapons and for Hezbollah operatives moving south," Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. "This is a direct action against Hezbollah's use of Lebanon's state infrastructure to advance terrorist activity and also a clear message to the Lebanese government: the State of Israel will not allow such a reality." Earlier on Wednesday, the military had warned residents in the vicinity to evacuate, saying it planned to strike the crossings. "To prevent the transfer of reinforcements and weapons, the IDF intends to attack crossings on the Litani River starting from this afternoon," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee said on X. "For your safety, you must continue moving to the area north of the Zahrani River and refrain from any movement southward, which may endanger your lives." Israel conducts wave of strikes on Beirut, knocks out southern bridges Beirut, Lebanon, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Israel repeatedly struck central Beirut on Wednesday, with Lebanese authorities reporting a death toll of at least 12 including a director for Hezbollah's Al Manar TV channel, and began striking river crossings in south Lebanon. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with intense strikes on Lebanon that have killed at least 968 people and displaced over a million, according to local authorities, and by launching ground operations in the south. AFP journalists in the Lebanese capital said three densely populated neighbourhoods in the heart of Beirut were hit on Wednesday. In Bashoura, a whole building collapsed into a mound of rubble after being struck. "It was at 4:00 am, we were asleep," said Sara Saleh, a 29-year-old woman displaced from Beirut's southern suburbs, long a Hezbollah bastion but where hundreds of thousands of people live. "We fled in our pyjamas," she told AFP, after she and her family fled a school they were sheltering in nearby. - Hezbollah TV - Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) earlier said a strike had hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, a densely populated area close to the government's headquarters and several embassies. Two other strikes targeted apartments in the central Basta district, another heavily populated area that Israel struck during a 2024 war with Hezbollah. An AFP correspondent saw emergency workers at the scene in Basta where the walls of apartments on two adjacent floors appeared to have been blasted off. Another strike hit Zuqaq al-Blat later in the morning, where an AFP journalist saw people clearing dust and glass from cars and the streets. Hezbollah's Al Manar TV said Mohammad Sherri, the director of its political programmes, had been killed along with his wife in one of the strikes in Zuqaq al-Blat. Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos said that targeting "media professionals constitutes a flagrant violation of international law". Hezbollah condemned what it said was Israel's "assassination" of Sherri, describing it as a "deliberate attack". In last week's strike on the area, the Israeli military had told people to evacuate, but no such warning was given before the latest raid. Lebanon's health ministry reported a preliminary toll for strikes on both areas of 12 dead and 41 wounded, adding that efforts were underway to identify those killed. - Panic in the south - Strikes also hit Beirut's southern suburbs, which Israel has pounded since the start of the war, and towns and villages across south Lebanon. In south Lebanon Israel shelled two bridges across the Litani River, which splits the south, the NNA reported. AFP photos showed a bridge in an agricultural area north of the southern city of Tyre partially destroyed, with fires burning in the surrounding brush. Israel said Wednesday it would target bridges crossing the Litani, "to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and weapons" to the frontlines, essentially cutting off a large part of the south from the rest of the country. Israel struck at least five gas stations belonging to the Al-Amana fuel company, which it said finances Hezbollah. This came as Hezbollah announced it had repelled an attempt by "Israeli enemy soldiers to advance" in Khiam, a town about six kilometres (four miles) from the border that has witnessed fierce clashes in recent days. In the coastal city of Sidon, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle near the main seaside road, where many displaced people are staying and sleeping in their cars, according to an AFP correspondent. The health ministry said two people were killed, including a civil defence rescuer. Late Tuesday, the Israeli military had issued an evacuation order for most of the city of Tyre as well as swathes of surrounding areas, sending people fleeing northwards, an AFP correspondent said. In a statement on Wednesday the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said "last night's violent escalation marks a further worrying deterioration". "Heavy exchanges of fire, intensified air and ground activity, and increased presence of Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory are deeply concerning developments," it added. Iraq's gas imports from Iran halted due to war Baghdad, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iraq's gas imports from Iran were completely halted on Wednesday, authorities said, the latest blow to the country's battered economy reeling from the impact of the Middle East war. The country has been unwillingly drawn into the conflict triggered by the US-Israel attack on its neighbour Iran on February 28. The cutoff came as Baghdad had barely had time to celebrate a deal to export a fraction of its oil production through Turkey after disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Ahmed Moussa told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "due to regional developments, Iranian gas supplies to Iraq completely halted an hour ago," cutting about 3,100 megawatts of power, which will "certainly affect the grid". He sought, however, to calm fears of more frequent blackouts, saying the ministry will instead use "alternative fuels and domestic gas reserves". News of the gas stoppage came after Tehran denounced a US-Israeli strike on Iranian facilities exploiting the vast South Pars/North Dome gas field. Despite its abundant oil and gas reserves, Iraq's power plants are highly dependent on gas imported from Iran, which supplies about a third of the country's needs. Electricity shortages are already a frequent complaint in Iraq, which suffers from endemic corruption and dilapidated public infrastructure. Most households rely on private generators to compensate for daily power cuts. Early Wednesday, Iraq said it resumed oil exports from its fields in the northern province of Kirkuk in agreement with the autonomous Kurdistan Region, through which the pipeline to Turkey's port of Ceyhan runs. But it will export 250,000 barrels per day (bpd), only a fraction of the 3.5 million before the war. However, Iraq, whose crude sales make up 90 percent of its foreign revenue, had few options after Iran effectively shuttered the Strait of Hormuz, through which Iraq previously shipped most of its oil from the southern Basra fields. - Fighters killed - The impact of the war is not solely economic. Strikes have targeted Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region. A strike near Iraq's western border with Syria on Wednesday killed three fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, the alliance said. The fighters from the alliance -- also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), now part of Iraq's regular armed forces -- were hit in an US or Israeli strike that targeted their main command centre in Anbar province. Pro-Iran factions have also brigades that operate within the alliance, but have a reputation for acting on their own. On Wednesday morning, an AFP journalist reported at least four explosions in the city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region. It was unclear what the target was, and the projectiles were intercepted over the city, home to a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses US-led coalition troops. Kurdish armed forces also reported that three soldiers were wounded in drone attacks on their positions in Erbil and the city of Sulaimaniyah. Iran executed Swedish citizen: Sweden FM Stockholm, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Sweden's foreign minister on Wednesday said that Iran had executed a Swedish citizen, after Iranian authorities announced the first execution of a man convicted of spying since the start of its war against Israel and the United States. Maria Malmer Stenergard told AFP that she had learnt late Tuesday that the sentence was likely to be carried out. "We immediately contacted Tehran, of course, and I tried to arrange a meeting with my counterpart to ask him to immediately suspend the execution, but unfortunately, he was unavailable," she told AFP. She did not identify the citizen who was executed. Earlier, Iran's judiciary news agency Mizan Online said a man named Kouroush Keyvani was executed for spying for Israel, and that he was arrested during Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June last year. It listed details of alleged meetings with agents from Israel's Mossad spy agency and said he had received training in "six European countries and in Tel Aviv". This was the first public announcement of such an execution since Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering the war that has spread across the Middle East. The man had obtained Swedish citizenship in 2019. When asked about the reasons for his trip to Iran, Stenergard declined to comment. Since his arrest, "we have done everything in our power to try to change this situation. We have been in contact at various levels, both in Stockholm and in Tehran," she said. - Access denied - Sweden had made several requests for consular access. "But Iran does not consider this person a Swedish citizen and therefore did not grant this access," Stenergard said. "This has, of course, complicated our ability to obtain information," she added. In a separate statement, she said she had received the news that the execution had been carried out with "dismay". "It is obvious to us that the legal process which led to the execution of the Swedish citizen was not conducted in accordance with the rule of law," she added in that statement. According to the NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), two more people were hanged in 2026 following convictions for espionage: Ali Ardestani on January 7 and Hamidreza Sabet Esmailpour on January 28. The NGO documented at least 13 similar executions in 2025. During the 12-day war last year, a significant number of people were arrested, accused of spying for Israel. Major questions remain about the fate of prisoners currently held in Iran. "Recent statements by the head of the judiciary ... have heightened concerns about the possible pronouncement and swift implementation of death sentences for espionage," IHR warned. Iran has arrested hundreds of people in recent days suspected of collaborating with Israel and the United States, according to local media reports. On Sunday, police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan spoke of the arrest of 500 people suspected of espionage and of "passing information to the enemy and anti-Iranian media". Another Swedish-Iranian, Ahmadreza Djalali, has been imprisoned in Iran for nearly 10 years. He was convicted in 2017 of collaborating with Mossad. Iran condemned as UN maritime body holds emergency talks on Mideast shipping London, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Gulf states and Western nations strongly criticised Iran at an emergency meeting Wednesday of the UN's maritime body, convened amid growing fears for thousands of stranded ships and seafarers. Numerous nations used opening statements at the International Maritime Organization gathering to lambast Tehran's response to US-Israeli strikes, which has seen Iran target Gulf countries and commercial shipping. That has crippled maritime trade in or near the Strait of Hormuz, leaving around 20,000 seafarers stuck on approximately 3,200 vessels west of the crucial chokepoint, according to the IMO. "Qatar resolutely condemns the attacks and threats from ... Iran perpetrated against merchant vessels and seafarers as well as shipping infrastructure in the region," the Gulf state's IMO delegate told the meeting. The United Arab Emirates called Iran's actions "unprovoked, unjustifiable, indiscriminate and wholly unlawful". Saudi Arabia branded them "utterly unacceptable and unjustifiable under any circumstances". The United States urged countries to "push back against the cynical actions of a regime that seeks to sow economic and geopolitical instability as a strategy for political self-preservation". "We should not allow a country to attempt to degrade the well-being of civilians around the world through leveraging a critical international waterway," the American IMO representative added. - 'Unlawful' - In response, Iran blamed "the recent unlawful use of force and military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime". "Iran did not initiate this war," its IMO delegate told the gathering. "Responsibility for the human, material, and maritime consequences of the present situation rests with those who launched this unlawful aggression." An effective Iranian blockade of the Hormuz Strait -- through which a fifth of global crude and liquified natural gas normally transits -- has dramatically spiked oil prices and spooked markets. Meanwhile at least 21 ships have been hit, targeted or reported attacks since the start of the conflict, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a naval monitor. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez kicked off the gathering at its London headquarters -- open to all 176 member states as well as dozens of NGOs and maritime industry bodies -- by urging members to focus on "practical measures". He called the situation "unacceptable and unsustainable", noting stranded seafarers were "facing high risk and considerable mental strain". "Geopolitics are testing the sector to the limit and every time that shipping is used as collateral damage in these conflicts, the whole world is negatively affected," Dominguez said. - 'Maritime corridor' - Maritime industry bodies have echoed that, urging a "coordinated international approach to security" while demanding that "seafarer welfare must be taken into account". They want measures to ensure their "communications with home can be maintained, crew changes and disembarkation can be facilitated, and the stores and provisions are adequate for the needs of seafarers". The 40-member council of the UN agency -- responsible for regulating international shipping safety -- could vote Thursday on several proposed resolutions. They include one tabled by Japan, Panama, Singapore and the UAE urging the IMO to help "establish a framework to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships stranded in the Gulf". The US delegate at the IMO said Washington welcomed the proposal encouraging "a safe maritime corridor for the safe evacuation of merchant ships from these affected areas". "We urge partners around the world to support efforts to reopen the strait," she said. However, if passed, IMO resolutions remain non-binding. Meanwhile Iran-ally Russia rounded on its critics, accusing them of "completely disregarding the actions which preceded the current escalation and which in actual fact led to this situation". "The overwhelming majority of statements and the documents submitted are seriously one-sided," Moscow's IMO representative said. "This selective approach not only does not contribute to the quest for peace, on the contrary it only reinforces divisions and leads to further escalation." Iran ambassador praises S.Africa ties, urges BRICS support Cape Town, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran's ambassador offered safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for South African cargoes Wednesday and urged all BRICS nations to demand an end to US-Israel "aggression". South Africa's links with Iran are a sticking point in its relations with the United States, which joined Israel in launching the Middle East conflict with strikes nearly three weeks ago. Tehran appreciated Pretoria's condemnation of the attack and its refusal to cut ties after complaints from Washington, ambassador Mansour Shakib Mehr told journalists. "We have a very close dialogue and exchange," he said. Iran had not "blocked" the crucial Strait of Hormuz but was allowing the passage of "friendly countries" such as China and India, he said. "Only those tankers or cargoes which are carrying the United States and Israeli cargoes are stopped," the ambassador said. "If the Republic of South Africa is in need of such an action, we are positively and strongly supporting this idea and we are able to cooperate with them in order to pass their cargoes and their tankers," he said. Shakib Mehr urged South Africa and other countries in the BRICS alliance of emerging nations to "push the aggressor to stop their aggression". "They kidnapped the president of Venezuela. They assassinated the leadership of Iran," he said. "Maybe it happens tomorrow to one of the BRICS members." "We should show our solidarity against these illegal actions." South Africa's presidency has ordered an inquiry into Iran's participation in BRICS naval exercises off Cape Town earlier this year despite orders they should not be present. Tehran's participation, which came during its bloody crackdown on protests, was criticised by Washington. Nigerian troops kill 80 jihadists in northeast: military Lagos, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Nigerian soldiers Wednesday killed 80 jihadists who planned to attack a military position in conflict-battered Borno state, two days after multiple suicide bomber attacks in the state capital, the military said. Fighters from Boko Haram and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group have ramped up attacks on military and civilian targets as Africa's most populous country grapples with a long-running insurgency. The military said it had "successfully" repelled a coordinated overnight attack by insurgents of unclear affiliation, on its positions in Mallam Fatori, near the Niger border. "The terrorists, who advanced in large numbers on foot and deployed armed drones in a desperate bid to breach the defences of locations of troops... were met with overwhelming resistance," said army spokesman Sani Uba in a statement. The military engaged the attackers, killing "no fewer than 80 terrorists", including what the military said are three high-profile terrorist commanders, in one of the highest number of jihadists killed in a single operation in recent months. The Nigerian Airforce was "complemented by rapid strike passes from allied Nigerien air assets", said Uba. The army had initially put the toll at 60. Four soldiers were wounded during the operation, army spokesman said. The military shared images of dozens of bodies lined up on the ground with its statement posted on X. It earlier statement said the attackers were "suspected to be members of Boko Haram/ISWAP". News of the "failed" attack, which occurred shortly after midnight, came as the country's defence chiefs and the vice president visited Maiduguri following Monday's triple suicide bombing in the city which killed 23 people. In Maiduguri, chief of defence staff General Olufemi Oluyede pledged the visit was to "ensure that in the, this will not repeat itself." Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the wounded in hospital. ISWAP staged four assaults on military installations in Borno overnight Sunday to Monday, the army said. Jihadist violence has slowed from its peak in around 2015 but Boko Haram and ISWAP have recently stepped up attacks in northeastern Nigeria in their campaign to establish a caliphate. The insurgency which started in 2009 has killed more than 40,000 and displaced around two million, according to the United Nations. Last month, the United States began deploying 200 troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to soldiers in fighting jihadist groups. sn/giv Iran suffers new blow as Israel kills intel chief Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran suffered a fresh blow Wednesday with the killing of its intelligence minister as the new supreme leader, yet to be seen since replacing his slain father, vowed to avenge the death of the country's security chief. In Washington, the top US intelligence official said the government of the Islamic republic had been degraded but remained intact, three weeks into the conflict that began with US-Israeli attacks which killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel's latest high-profile scalp was intelligence minister Esmail Khatib. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. "We will continue to thwart them and to hunt them all down." Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian branded Khatib's death a "cowardly assassination". News of Khatib's death came the day after Iranian security chief Ali Larijani was confirmed killed in an Israeli strike. After crowds gathered in central Tehran for Larijani's funeral, Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared in a written message that his killers would pay. "Every drop of spilled blood comes at a price, and the criminal murderers of these martyrs will soon have to pay it," added Mojtaba Khamenei, in a message published on his official Telegram channel. The new supreme leader's whereabouts remain a mystery and he has not be seen since the war began, despite taunts from US President Donald Trump that he might not even be alive. Khatib's funeral was held alongside those of Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force who was also killed in a strike in Iran this week, and more than 80 Iranian sailors who were killed when US forces torpedoed their frigate off Sri Lanka earlier this month. Trucks carrying coffins draped in Iranian flags moved through the procession, as mourners walked alongside carrying portraits of the slain supreme leader and beating their chests, a sign of mourning in Shia culture. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. - New oil price surge - US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, in testimony to the Senate intelligence committee, said Iran had suffered heavy blows, but that the Islamic republic was still functioning. The US intelligence community, she said, "assesses the regime in Iran to be intact but largely degraded". She also undercut one of Trump's key justifications for the war by acknowledging that Iran had not been rebuilding nuclear enrichment capacities destroyed last year by the United States and Israel. "As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated," Gabbard said, in prepared testimony for the committee, referring to the June 2025 US attack. "There have been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability." In addition to the human toll of the war, with hundreds killed and millions displaced, the conflict has hit the global economy and the key energy transit route through the Strait of Hormuz has benn almost totally closed. Oil prices surged again after Iran vowed to hit energy facilities throughout the Gulf in retaliation to what it said was an Israeli attack on a facility serving a massive gas field it shares with Qatar. Qatar's interior ministry said later an Iranian attack had set fire to the Gulf state's main gas facility. Israel has pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation against Iran and the militant movements it backs in the region. It killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in 2024 as well Hamas's top figures since the Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Despite losing key figures, the powerful Revolutionary Guards and the leadership as a whole have remained defiant. The Guards, the ideological arm of the military, said they had launched missiles at central Israel in retaliation for Larijani's death and warned of more to come. - Attacks across the region - An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, medics said on Wednesday, while authorities said falling munitions hit multiple sites in central Israel overnight. Police said a cluster bomb hit a residential building in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, and the roof collapsed on an elderly couple. Iranian media meanwhile said Israel and the United States had launched fresh strikes across several areas of the country, including Tehran. Tasnim news agency said "seven people were killed and 56 were injured in an American-Zionist attack on residential areas in Dorud town" in Lorestan province. AFP could not independently verify the figures. The war has engulfed the region, from Gulf nations to Iraq and nearby Lebanon. In Lebanon, Israel struck central Beirut multiple times Wednesday. The country was drawn into the conflict when the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel over the ayatollah's death A line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see along the country's southern coast as residents of affected areas fled to the ancient city of Sidon in search of safety. Nidal Ahmad Chokr initially intended to stay put but finally decided on Tuesday to leave his village of Jibchit, as the air strikes intensified. "Bakers died while making bread" in the village square and "municipal workers were martyred while using bulldozers", the 55-year-old said. burs-sr/dc War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Here are the latest developments Wednesday in the Middle East war: - Israel vows to keep up strikes - The Israeli military vowed to continue targeting senior Iranian officials, after announcing it had killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. "We will continue to hunt down all of the regime's senior officials. The series of eliminations will not stop," a military spokesman said in a televised briefing. - 'Uncontrollable consequences' - Iran's president warned of the risk of "uncontrollable consequences" of attacks on energy infrastructure, after facilities in the giant Iranian South Pars gas field were targeted by Israel. "This will complicate the situation and could have uncontrollable consequences, the scope of which could engulf the entire world," Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X. - Qatar gas complex attacked after Iranian field hit - Qatar's foreign ministry said that Iranian attacks on its main gas facility were a "a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security." The state-run Qatar Energy said that fires set by Iranian strikes on its Ras Laffan complex had caused "extensive damage" but authorities said they had been brought under control with no injuries reported. The Iranian attacks followed strikes earlier on Iran's massive South Pars gas field, which it blamed on Israel and the United States. United Arab Emirates condemned the targeting of Iranian facilities in a gas field shared with Qatar, calling the attack a "dangerous escalation". Qatar also condemned the Israeli attacks as "dangerous and irresponsible". Iran's military said it would in response "severely strike" energy infrastructure across the Gulf. - Saudi capital hit again - More loud explosions rang out over Riyadh late Wednesday, AFP journalists reported, after authorities previously said they intercepted four ballistic missiles headed for the Saudi capital. The defence ministry also said it destroyed a drone headed towards a gas plant. - Khamenei vows revenge - Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message that the killers of security chief Ali Larijani, who died in an Israeli strike, "will have to pay for it". "Every drop of spilled blood comes at a price, and the criminal murderers of these martyrs will soon have to pay it," added Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since taking office. Russia has also condemned Larijani's killing. - 'Debris' hits Israel airport - The Israeli military told AFP that "debris" had hit Ben Gurion international airport following Iranian missile fire, without specifying when the incident occurred. Earlier, medics said missiles from Iran killed two people near Tel Aviv, bringing the death toll from missiles fired on the country to 14. - NATO discusses Hormuz - NATO chief Mark Rutte said allies were discussing the "best way" to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil corridor where Iran has choked off much of the world's oil supply. - Iran confirms spy chief death - Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed what he called the "cowardly assassination" of the country's top intelligence official, Esmail Khatib who Israel said had been killed in a strike. - Germany 'would have advised against' war - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin "would have advised against" starting a war with Iran, had it been consulted by the US or Israel. While Tehran "bears responsibility" for the crisis in the region, Merz said, Berlin had "made it clear that we still have many questions regarding this war," and Israel and the US had shown "no convincing plan as to how this operation could succeed". - Oil jumps - Oil prices surged after the Israeli strike on South Pars. Brent North Sea crude jumped over five percent to $108.60 per barrel, while the main US oil contract West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.9 percent to $98.01. - Nuclear plant hit - The UN nuclear watchdog said Iran reported a strike on the country's only operational nuclear power plant but that it caused no damage. Russia, which helped build the plant and has staff on site, said it had received a report of a missile strike on the plant's inner perimeter and called the attack "completely unacceptable". burs/yad/ KIGALI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda is positioning its textile and garment sector as a central engine for industrial growth and job creation, as the government and industry leaders intensify efforts to expand production, boost exports and attract investment, a senior official said Wednesday. Speaking at the Textile and Garment CEO Forum in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Jean-Guy Afrika, chief executive officer of Rwanda Development Board, said the sector is a key pillar of Rwanda's industrialization agenda with the capacity of large-scale job creation, particularly for women and youth. Emphasizing Rwanda's continued commitment to a conducive business environment, Afrika called for open dialogue and practical solutions to unlock growth, support investor expansion, and accelerate the sector's contribution to national development. "The textiles and garments sector remains one of the most strategic industries for driving structural transformation given its strong potential for employment creation, export diversification and innovation," said Antoine Kajangwe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry. "Globally, this sector has served as a gateway for industrial development as evidenced in several Asian economies, and Rwanda is well-positioned to leverage this pathway," he added. The one-day forum brought together industry leaders, private sector players, and government officials, with discussions focused on advancing investment across the value chain and enhancing the sector's contribution to job creation, exports, and industrial growth. CORRECTED: Afghanistan will 'seek accountability' for Pakistani strike on Kabul drug centre Kabul, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani said Wednesday that Afghanistan will "seek accountability" for this week's Pakistani air strike that killed hundreds at a Kabul drug rehabilitation centre. "We will undoubtedly seek accountability for them," the Taliban government minister said at the mass burial of some of the victims in the capital, calling those behind Monday night's bombing "criminals". Israel army silent on attack on Iran's gas facility in Gulf Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The Israeli military kept silent on Wednesday evening about a strike on a major Iranian gas facility in the Gulf, which Iranian media attributed to an attack by Israel and the United States. Iranian state television reported that parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Economic Zone in Asaluyeh were hit by "projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy". The South Pars/North Dome mega-field is the largest known gas reserve in the world. Asked twice by AFP about the allegations, the Israeli military did not respond. The issue was also not addressed during the evening televised briefing by military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin, whose only comment on the subject was that Israel's military "operates in close coordination with the US military at all levels". "There are no gaps between us, and the coordination is excellent," Defrin said, adding that cooperation between the two militaries was yielding "many achievements". Israeli media initially reported the attack, citing Iranian agencies. Quoting unnamed Israeli sources, some outlets said the strike had been carried out by Israel. Public broadcaster Kan and the Ynet news site said it was conducted "in coordination with US authorities". In a social media post Nadav Eyal, a columnist for the Yediot Aharonot daily, cited Israeli sources saying said the attack was "a coordinated warning signal to the Islamic Republic." It was "meant to make clear that if Iran keeps destabilising the global economy through Hormuz, it will be hit where it gets most, if not all, of its income: the energy sector. "They say this is only a first signal. If Tehran doesn't get the message, more escalation will follow," he added. mib-mj-jd/bs/dc EU calls on Israel to stop Lebanon operations: spokesperson Brussels, Belgium, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The European Union on Wednesday called on Israel to cease its military campaign in Lebanon, after the latest Israeli strikes on Beirut. "The EU is deeply concerned about the ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon which already has devastating humanitarian consequences and risks triggering a prolonged conflict," a spokesperson said in a statement. "Israel should cease its operations in Lebanon," she said. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah militants launched rockets at Israel after the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israeli strikes have killed at least 968 people and displaced over a million, according to local authorities. "We condemn Hezbollah's decision to plunge Lebanon into this war, its refusal to hand over arms and its continuation of indiscriminate attacks against Israel," the spokesperson said. "The attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, healthcare personnel and facilities, as well as UNIFIL are unjustified and unacceptable and should stop immediately." Iran targets Gulf energy sites after intel chief killed Tehran, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iran launched attacks targeting oil and gas facilities around the Gulf on Wednesday, lashing out after suffering yet another blow to its leadership with Israel's killing of its intelligence chief. The death of Esmail Khatib came hot on the heels of the killing of security chief Ali Larijani, which Iran's new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei -- who has not been seen since succeeding his slain father -- vowed to avenge. The spate of targeted killings has wiped out many of Iran's senior leaders, although Washington's top intelligence official said the government of the Islamic republic remained intact, albeit degraded, after nearly three weeks of war. Tehran had vowed to retaliate in kind after a strike on its enormous South Pars gas field, with Qatar's state-run energy company later saying a fire sparked by an Iranian missile attack had caused "extensive damage" at the country's main gas facility. Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said it had thwarted drone attacks on energy infrastructure in the kingdom's east, while a fragment of an intercepted ballistic missile landed near a refinery south of Riyadh. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the attack on its key energy site, the largest known gas reserve on earth, "could have uncontrollable consequences, the scope of which could engulf the entire world". Qatar's foreign ministry said the Iranian reprisal against its own gas facility represented a "direct threat to its national security", later ordering two of Tehran's diplomats and their staff to depart over the attack. The renewed strikes on energy targets caused a fresh surge in oil prices, already high thanks to the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. - 'Price to be paid' - The US-Israeli campaign against Iran began with strikes that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has since claimed the lives of its defence minister, the head of its Basij paramilitary and the leader of the Revolutionary Guards, among others. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said his country's military had been given authorisation to continue eliminating top officials "without the need for additional approval". "We will continue to hunt down all of the regime's senior officials," military spokesman Effie Defrin said. "The series of eliminations will not stop." Iran's President Pezeshkian branded intelligence minister Khatib's death a "cowardly assassination" on Wednesday, the day after security chief Larijani was confirmed killed in an Israeli strike. After crowds gathered in central Tehran for Larijani's funeral, Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared in a written message that his killers would pay. "Every drop of spilled blood comes at a price, and the criminal murderers of these martyrs will soon have to pay it," Khamenei said. The new leader's whereabouts remain a mystery and he has not been seen since the war began, prompting taunts from US President Donald Trump that he might not even be alive. Larijani's funeral was held alongside those of Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij who was also killed this week, and dozens of Iranian sailors who were killed when US forces torpedoed their frigate off Sri Lanka earlier this month. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, in testimony to the Senate intelligence committee, said Iran had suffered heavy blows, but that the Islamic republic was still functioning. The US intelligence community, she said, "assesses the regime in Iran to be intact but largely degraded". She also undercut one of Trump's key justifications for the war by acknowledging that Iran had not been rebuilding nuclear enrichment capacities destroyed last year by the United States and Israel. "There have been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability." - Decapitation policy - Israel has pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation against Iran and the militant movements it backs in the region. It killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in 2024 as well Hamas's top figures since the Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Despite losing key figures, the powerful Revolutionary Guards and the leadership as a whole have remained defiant. An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, medics said on Wednesday, while authorities said falling munitions hit multiple sites in central Israel overnight. Police said a cluster bomb hit a residential building in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv, and the roof collapsed on an elderly couple. Iranian media, meanwhile, said Israel and the United States had launched fresh strikes across several areas of the country, including Tehran. The war has engulfed much of the region, from Gulf nations to Iraq and nearby Lebanon, leaving hundreds dead and millions displaced. In Lebanon, Israel struck central Beirut multiple times Wednesday, with fatalities reported. The country was drawn into the conflict when Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel over Ali Khamenei's death. A line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see along the country's southern coast as residents of affected areas fled to the ancient city of Sidon in search of safety. Nidal Ahmad Chokr initially intended to stay put but finally decided on Tuesday to leave his village of Jibchit, as the air strikes intensified. "Bakers died while making bread" in the village square and "municipal workers were martyred while using bulldozers", the 55-year-old said. burs-sr/smw Kuwait arrests 10 Hezbollah members, thwarts 'terrorist' plot: ministry Kuwait City, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Kuwait arrested 10 militants affiliated with the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group on Wednesday, who were accused of plotting "terrorist" actions against vital infrastructure, the interior ministry said. This was the second Hezbollah-affiliated cell to be arrested in Kuwait this week, as the Gulf faced daily Iranian attacks during the Middle East war, which has seen Tehran-backed groups including Hezbollah join the conflict. "The State Security Agency has successfully thwarted a plot for a terrorist operation targeting vital installations," the interior ministry said. "Ten citizens, members of a terrorist group affiliated with the banned Hezbollah terrorist organisation were apprehended," it added. The ministry shared a video of seized items including Hezbollah flags, small drones and pictures of Iran's slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli attack. On Monday, Kuwait's interior ministry said it arrested 16 people -- 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese nationals -- affiliated with Hezbollah who had planned a "sabotage plot". The ministry said the group had sought to recruit individuals and that it seized a number of weapons, camera drones and morse code communication devices. Hezbollah denied that any of its members were among the 16 arrested. In previous years, Lebanon has faced tensions with Gulf states including Kuwait, which have expressed concern about Hezbollah's influence on the Mediterranean country. About one-third of Kuwait's local population belongs to the Shia branch of Islam, as do most Iranians. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. Israel army says begins striking north Iran Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 The Israeli military said Wednesday it had launched airstrikes in northern Iran for the first time since the war began on February 28. "The Israeli Air Force, acting on navy and IDF intelligence, began striking targets in northern Iran for the first time during Operation Roaring Lion," the military said. Israeli media reports said the air force was striking Iranian navy vessels at the port city of Bandar Anzali, on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The war began with a joint US-Israel attack on Iran and has since expanded across much of the Middle East. Air raid warnings reach southern Israel followed reported Lebanon rocket Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Air raid sirens rang out late Wednesday across Israel from the north to the south following what Israeli media said was one or more missile launches from Lebanon. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on a report from the N12 television channel that a missile fired from Lebanon had been intercepted over the southern coastal city of Ashdod. If confirmed, the launch would mark the deepest strike by Hezbollah into Israel since the Iran-backed group joined the Middle East war following Israel's killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Between about 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm (1830 and 1900 GMT), the military's Home Front Command said air raid sirens were issued for communities in northern Israel, as well as areas near Gaza, about 160 kilometres from the Lebanon border. Three killed in West Bank after Iran missile launch: Palestinian Red Crescent Ramallah, Palestinian Territories, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Three people were killed from falling shrapnel in a Palestinian community in the occupied West Bank late Wednesday, medics said, shortly after Israel's military reported another Iranian missile barrage. The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had responded to "three fatalities and five injuries, one of them very critical," in the Beit Awa area, near Hebron, marking the first Palestinian deaths in the ongoing Middle East war. Iran strikes cause 'extensive damage' at major Qatar gas hub Doha, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Iranian strikes caused "extensive damage" at the world's largest gas hub in Qatar, the Gulf state's energy firm said Thursday, and an AFP journalist saw a vast fire illuminating the night sky, visible from roughly 30 kilometres away. Earlier, Tehran had vowed to target energy infrastructure across the Gulf following a US-Israeli attack on its own facilities. The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's reprisals for the US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also striking energy facilities, to the fury of the hydrocarbon-rich monarchies. And the attacks came as Saudi Arabia was hosting foreign ministers from across the Arab and Islamic world for talks in Riyadh to discuss the fallout from the Middle East war. QatarEnergy said emergency teams had been "deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires," at the Ras Laffan facility on the tiny Gulf state's north coast after it was "the subject of missile attacks". In a statement Qatar's foreign ministry condemned what called a "brutal Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan" saying the targeting represented a "direct threat to its national security". Later, the ministry said Iran's military and security attaches and their staff had been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours. - 'Uncontrollable consequences' - Doha's defence ministry said its air defences intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Ras Laffan with no reported casualties and civil defence said the fire had been brought under control. The incident came hours after US-Israeli strikes hit Iranian facilities on the opposite side of the massive South Pars gas reservoir shared by Iran and Qatar prompting Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to warn of "uncontrollable consequences" of attacks on energy infrastructure. Iran later warned it would destroy Gulf energy infrastructure if further strikes hit its own energy sector, state media reported. In a statement Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed further attacks "until it is completely destroyed", and a "much more severe" response. Iran launched salvos of drones and missiles towards the Gulf states on Wednesday evening with several strong blasts heard in the Saudi capital Riyadh, according to AFP journalists, and a missile threat intercepted in the UAE, according to authorities. Four people were injured when shrapnel from a ballistic missile interception fell on a residential area of the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday, the civil defence said Riyadh's defence ministry said it intercepted four ballistic missiles on Wednesday with a fragment falling near a refinery south of the Saudi capital. Multiple drones were also intercepted and destroyed as they headed towards Saudi gas facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province. - 'Dangerous'- Earlier, Qatar had condemned the attacks on Iran's gas facilities calling them "dangerous and irresponsible". Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari warned that: "Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, to the peoples of the region, and to its environment." In a rare rebuke, the UAE also criticised the targeting of the Iranian facilities as a "dangerous escalation". "Targeting energy infrastructure poses a direct threat to global energy security," Abu Dhabi's foreign ministry said in a statement. The Israeli military kept silent on Wednesday evening about a strike on the South Pars/North Dome mega-field. Asked twice by AFP about the allegations, the Israeli military did not respond. Prior to Wednesday's attacks, Tehran had already sought to knock major Gulf refineries offline while also tightening its chokehold on the strait in a quest to inflict maximum pain on the global economy. In the past weeks, Saudi Aramco's sprawling Ras Tanura facility, home to one of the Middle East's largest refineries, was targeted as well as the UAE's Ruwais refinery -- one of the largest in the world. Earlier in March, Iranian attacks forced QatarEnergy to halt liquefied natural gas production last week and declare force majeure. Energy producers in Kuwait made similar declarations, which are a warning that events beyond their control may lead them to miss export targets. csp/dc 4 Palestinian woman killed in West Bank after Iran missile launch Ramallah, Palestinian Territories, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Four Palestinian women were killed in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday by falling shrapnel, emergency responders said, shortly after Israel's military reported another Iranian missile barrage. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed four fatalities, all women, and six injuries ranging from moderate to minor, in the Beit Awa area near Hebron, marking the first Palestinian deaths in the ongoing Middle East war. The Palestinian medics said the deaths were caused by "shrapnel falling." Shortly before the deaths were confirmed, Israel's military said it had identified "missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel," adding that it was "operating to intercept the threat." Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, delivers a video address at the opening ceremony of the China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum, in Kinshasa, the DRC, on March 18, 2026. The China-DRC Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) KINSHASA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. In a video address at the opening ceremony, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, highlighted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African nations, as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. He said Xinhua will take the forum as an opportunity to work with DRC media colleagues to further interpret the blueprint drawn by the leaders of both countries. Xinhua aims to tell compelling stories of bilateral cooperation, study forward-looking and strategic issues concerning China-Africa development, and organize exchange activities such as the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum, Fu added. These efforts will enhance the representation and voice of both countries in the multilateral governance system, and inject more vibrant spiritual strength into the steady and sustained development of China-Africa cooperation, he said. DRC Vice Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Daniel Mukoko Samba said that the long-standing relations between China and the DRC have been consistently developed on the basis of cooperation and friendship. Africa-China cooperation has provided important support for the development of the African continent, he added. Mukoko pointed out that the media plays a bridging role, helping to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and deepen China-DRC cooperation. Patrick Muyaya, DRC's minister of communication and media and government spokesman, said the forum marks a new step in media cooperation between the DRC and China. Muyaya called on both sides to deepen institutional cooperation, explore the application of new technologies such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence in news dissemination, take joint efforts to tackle the challenge of fake news and continuously push forward bilateral relations. Bienvenu Bakumanya, general director of the Congolese Press Agency (ACP), said the forum signifies that bilateral media cooperation is entering a phase of substantive action. He called on the media of both countries to take on the responsibility as "communication architects" to comprehensively showcase the real dividends in social, economic and technological domains brought by bilateral cooperation. Chinese Ambassador to the DRC Zhao Bin said that current China-DRC relations are at a new historical starting point, and Chinese modernization will provide more opportunities for the DRC's development and revitalization. Noting that the forum marks the beginning of a series of celebrations for the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges in the DRC, Zhao expressed hope that "the media of both countries will further publicize the fruitful achievements of our pragmatic cooperation, tell more vivid stories of civil friendship between the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and help boost the vigorous development of China-DRC relations." Co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and the ACP, the forum also featured a photo exhibition on the achievements of China-DRC cooperation. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Vice Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Daniel Mukoko Samba addresses the opening ceremony of the China-DRC Media Forum in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, on March 18, 2026. The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) Patrick Muyaya, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) minister of communication and media and government spokesman addresses the opening ceremony of the China-DRC Media Forum in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, on March 18, 2026. The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) Bienvenu Bakumanya, general director of the Congolese Press Agency addresses the opening ceremony of the China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, on March 18, 2026. The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) Forum participants view a photo exhibition on the achievements of China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) cooperation during the China-DRC Media Forum in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, on March 18, 2026. The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) Forum participants arrive at the venue of the China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, on March 18, 2026. The China-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Media Forum was held on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. Under the theme of "Chinese Modernization and the DRC's Development Path: Jointly Exploring New Paths for Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation," the forum attracted about 250 politicians, media representatives and business leaders from both countries. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) France's top diplomat to visit Lebanon Thursday: ministry to AFP Paris, France, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 France's foreign minister will visit Lebanon on Thursday, the ministry told AFP, after the EU called on Israel to stop its military strikes on the country. The visit by Jean-Noel Barrot "underlines France's support and solidarity with the Lebanese people, dragged into a war they didn't choose," the foreign ministry said. Barrot is due to meet with Lebanon's president, prime minister and parliament speaker and comes after he spoke by phone with his Israeli and US counterparts. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah militants launched rockets at Israel after the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel retaliated with strikes that have killed at least 968 people and displaced over a million, according to local authorities. The European Union on Wednesday called on Israel to halt its campaign. "The EU is deeply concerned about the ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon which already has devastating humanitarian consequences and risks triggering a prolonged conflict," a spokesperson said in a statement, adding that "Israel should cease its operations in Lebanon." 3 Palestinian women killed in West Bank after Iran missile launch Ramallah, Palestinian Territories, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 Falling shrapnel that struck a hair salon in the occupied West Bank killed at least three women on Wednesday, marking the first Palestinian deaths of the ongoing Middle East War. The deaths came shortly after Israel's military reported another round of Iranian missile launches. The Palestinian Red Crescent had initially confirmed four deaths, but the medics then said that one woman remained in critical condition. Several other people were injured in the strike that hit the Beit Awa area near Hebron. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that the salon had been set up in a metal caravan next to a house. Wafa said missile fragments landed in multiple West Bank locations, including within the city of Hebron. One killed in central Israel after Iran missile launch: medics Jerusalem, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 A man was killed in central Israel after the latest round of Iranian missile fire, medics said Thursday, describing the victim as a "foreign worker." The Magen David Adom emergency services said they responded to an area where "metal shrapnel was scattered across the scene," and found a man "unconscious and suffering," who they later pronounced dead. She added: A broader move away from food might also appeal to investors given the rise in weight loss drugs that is creating a cloud of uncertainty in the food sector, particularly among unhealthier options, and looks set to reshape consumer demand in a way that is yet to be fully understood. The SRC welcomed the new RHL relief announced in the Scottish budget but said that even the RHL rates will be above those in England, while the amount that can be claimed will be capped, unlike those south of the border. Our sector was seen as a very good way of stimulating jobs, and I hope that thats where the UK Government moves to, so that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem. 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 Why Arsenal may be the big winners from PSG vs Bayern thriller Why Arsenal are the big winners from PSG vs Bayern thriller They dont know where they come from. Why did Meghan come here, looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with. We know who we are and dont lose who you are, she said. TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Japan posted a trade surplus of 57.3 billion yen (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in February, ending a two-month streak of deficits, as chip exports to other Asian countries increased, government data showed Wednesday. Exports rose 4.2 percent year on year to 9.57 trillion yen, up for the sixth consecutive month, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. Imports jumped 10.2 percent from a year earlier to 9.51 trillion yen, driven by domestic demand for chips and other electronic components, the report said. The figures reflected trade conditions before the launch of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February, a ministry official said. In bright spring sunshine the Nigerian president, escorted by guards commander Major Ben Tracey and with the King a few paces behind, walked past the first line of troops and was the focus of a march-past by the guard of honour and Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, who earlier fired a 41-gun salute in honour of the visiting president. Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry says it is "thwarting an attempt to attack one of the gas facilities in the eastern region with a drone, after reports that other drones were destroyed as they attempted to approach energy facilities in the same region. JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Please enable JavaScript to proceed. A required part of this site couldnt load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser. TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of visitors to Japan from the Chinese mainland fell 54.1 percent year on year in the first two months of 2026, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the figure dropped 60.7 percent in January and 45.2 percent in February compared with the same periods last year. Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made provocative and erroneous remarks on Taiwan last November, the number of Chinese mainland tourists to Japan has continued to fall, weighing on multiple sectors of the Japanese economy, including retail, accommodation, and food services. Figures from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed that new job openings in the accommodation and food service industry fell sharply by 13.8 percent year on year in January. A ministry official said that some sectors have begun to curb recruitment due to the decrease in Chinese tourists. KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia-based Top Glove, the world's largest rubber glove firm, has reported higher earnings in the first half of fiscal year 2026, which ended on Feb. 28, amid increased sales volume. The firm said in a bourse filing on Wednesday that its net profit for the first half surged 93.92 percent year-on-year to 69.34 million ringgit (17.72 million U.S. dollars). The firm's revenue for the first half also climbed 6.73 percent year-on-year to 1.89 billion ringgit. The group's sales volume rose 36 percent as compared with the same period last year, signalling continued market recovery. As for the second quarter, the firm's net profit grew 1.57 percent year-on-year to 30.76 million ringgit, while its revenue rose 13.74 percent to 1 billion ringgit. The group said it remains confident in the glove industry's recovery, driven by steady demand across sectors. Amid Middle East tensions affecting nitrile latex supply, the firm is working closely with suppliers and customers to manage risks. (1 ringgit equals 0.26 U.S. dollars) VIENTIANE, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government is taking urgent steps to ease the fuel crisis amid rising global energy prices and supply chain disruptions, rolling out measures to stabilize prices, ensure steady supplies, and prevent sudden spikes that could impact households and businesses nationwide. In a notice issued Tuesday, the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced cuts to fuel excise taxes, reducing gasoline from 25 percent to 15 percent and diesel from 10 percent to 0 percent, aiming to prevent domestic prices from rising sharply. The government will also allocate funds from its subsidy program to stabilize prices, ease the burden on consumers, and mitigate sudden spikes amid global market fluctuations. Importers and distributors have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining stable fuel supplies, while authorities pledged to expand storage and distribution, particularly in remote areas. In response to escalating global energy prices and supply chain disruptions, the Prime Minister's Office issued a directive on March 13 instructing ministries to implement measures to reduce fuel consumption and strengthen economic stability. These include rotating staff, increasing remote meetings, limiting unnecessary travel, and enforcing cost-saving measures. Officials will monitor fuel importers and distribution stations, promote fuel conservation, expand electric vehicle infrastructure, and oversee key agricultural product prices to prevent volatility. Meanwhile, authorities will continue encouraging public transport use, assess the impact of the crisis on economic growth, and promote renewable energy. To support residents during the fuel shortage, a mobile fuel service was launched in the Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in Champasak province, authorities began offering a free bus service on main and suburban routes. These measures will remain in place until the fuel situation stabilizes. In a Wednesday press interview, Buakhong Nammavong, Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office, said the conflict in the Middle East has impacted the world, including Laos, contributing to domestic fuel challenges affecting people nationwide. In response, the Lao government has taken urgent measures, including cutting excise taxes, using oil fund resources to moderate prices, and sourcing fuel from various countries. A special committee has also been appointed to address the crisis, while policies on rotating work shifts and remote work have been implemented to mitigate the impact, said Buakhong. DHAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Johannes Zutt, concluded a 3-day visit to Bangladesh on Tuesday and reaffirmed the lender's commitment to fostering job creation and promoting inclusive growth in the South Asian country. "The government places a high priority on large-scale job creation, alongside skills and investment, and the World Bank Group shares this commitment," Zutt was quoted as saying in a statement by the Washington-based lender. "In this context, we are stepping up our focus on supporting the government priority of creating jobs, notably for youth and women." In the past decade, Zutt said 14 million youth entered Bangladesh's labor market, competing for only 8.7 million jobs. This means that nearly half of working-age youth did not find jobs, he said, adding that young women face particularly steep barriers. With global uncertainties rising, he further said it is urgent for the government to undertake the long-pending macro-economic and financial sector reforms that are needed to address foundational bottlenecks to economic growth and job creation. Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sept 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sept 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (17) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sept 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (203) Jul 2013 (291) Aug 2013 (350) Sept 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (437) Jan 2014 (542) Feb 2014 (472) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (526) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sept 2014 (440) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (534) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (578) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (672) Jul 2015 (727) Aug 2015 (803) Sept 2015 (922) Oct 2015 (919) Nov 2015 (798) Dec 2015 (789) Jan 2016 (781) Feb 2016 (834) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (945) Jun 2016 (1042) Jul 2016 (879) Aug 2016 (1034) Sept 2016 (965) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (884) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (895) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (849) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sept 2017 (999) Oct 2017 (1143) Nov 2017 (1045) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sept 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (956) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sept 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sept 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (781) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sept 2021 (790) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (692) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (704) Aug 2022 (702) Sept 2022 (699) Oct 2022 (737) Nov 2022 (718) Dec 2022 (692) Jan 2023 (662) Feb 2023 (611) Mar 2023 (692) Apr 2023 (652) May 2023 (696) Jun 2023 (701) Jul 2023 (742) Aug 2023 (737) Sept 2023 (732) Oct 2023 (749) Nov 2023 (751) Dec 2023 (732) Jan 2024 (746) Feb 2024 (687) Mar 2024 (738) Apr 2024 (723) May 2024 (750) Jun 2024 (712) Jul 2024 (756) Aug 2024 (797) Sept 2024 (770) Oct 2024 (778) Nov 2024 (771) Dec 2024 (709) Jan 2025 (776) Feb 2025 (683) Mar 2025 (755) Apr 2025 (765) May 2025 (836) Jun 2025 (790) Jul 2025 (816) Aug 2025 (850) Sept 2025 (811) Oct 2025 (863) Nov 2025 (727) Dec 2025 (768) Jan 2026 (707) Feb 2026 (654) Mar 2026 (722) Apr 2026 (638) KIEV, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that he sees prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "I believe that in this war of Russia against Ukraine, there are prospects for a peaceful settlement," Zelensky said on X. He stressed that Ukraine is committed to peace and called for efforts toward a diplomatic resolution. "We need to keep looking each day for ways to reach a peace agreement. We need to meet with the Americans. We have a couple more ideas on how we can force this war to end," Zelensky said. Earlier, Zelensky said that a meeting between the delegations of Ukraine, the United States and Russia, initially scheduled for last week, was postponed at the initiative of the United States. The delegations previously held two rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23-24 and Feb. 4-5, followed by another round in Geneva on Feb. 17-18. Clockwise from top left: Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force, Ohio National Guard and courtesy photos) The remains of six U.S. airmen who died after their Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq last week were received at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Wednesday and returned to their families, according to the Associated Press. The outlet reported that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the solemn ceremony, known as the dignified transfer, and paid their respects to the airmen who were killed while supporting Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign against Iran that began Feb. 28. Three of the airmen were part of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron: Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky. The squadron is stationed in Birmingham, Ala., but functions administratively under the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force base in Florida. Also killed were Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, who were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio. The refueling aircraft went down in friendly airspace on March 12. The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation, though U.S. Central Command said it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Another plane involved landed safely. Trump and Hegseth last traveled to Dover AFB on March 7 for the dignified transfer of six service members killed by a drone strike in Kuwait. Thirteen service members have been killed during Operation Epic Fury, which is now in its third week. The Maintenance Man statue and a T-38 Talon are two recognizable features greeting personnel and visitors at the newly constructed Main Gate at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, Nov. 17, 2020. The more than $8 million project is the result of a multi-level partnership between federal, state and local entities. (John Ingle/U.S. Air Force) The Missile Gate at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, has reopened and is back to normal operations Wednesday after four hours of closure. The gate was closed due to an ongoing incident under investigation, the installation said in a Facebook post. Traffic was redirected to the Main Gate for entry on base. Sheppard Air Force Base is known as the Air Forces most diverse training installation, providing technically trained airmen as well as combat pilots for the NATO alliance, according to the installations website. The gate closure comes as bases in the United States are on heightened security amid concerns of threats emerging from the ongoing war with Iran. Also on Wednesday, MacDill Air Force Base in Florida implemented a shelter in place order after a threat was made against the base, the installation said in a Facebook post. On Monday, a suspicious packages was reported at MacDills Visitors Center, prompting closure of the installations Dale Mabry entrance gate. On Tuesday evening, one person was killed and another injured in a shooting at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, the service said. The incident remains under investigation. Also on Tuesday, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey was placed at Force Protection Charlie after suspicious packages were reported on the installation. After investigation, it was determined the packages posed no threat. Overseas, three U.S. military bases in Japan have canceled or restricted attendance at their spring festivals amid heightened security measures. Cars pass through the Dale Mabry gate at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., March 3, 2023. (Lauren Cobin/U.S. Air Force) MacDill Air Force Base was locked down for about three hours Wednesday after a second security incident at the Florida home of U.S. Central Command in recent days, installation officials said. Base officials lifted the shelter-in-place order about 2 p.m., local time after a threat to MacDill had been cleared, according to a social media post. Officials did not describe the nature of the incident on Wednesday but said they take all threats seriously and will continue to prioritize the safety and security of our installation, our mission and our people. MacDill, outside Tampa, Fla., houses CENTCOM, which is overseeing combat operations against Iran in the Middle East. It is also home to U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Forces 6th Air Refueling Wing. The threat Wednesday came just two days after a suspicious package was found at MacDills visitor center, which led to the closure of the center and the bases Dale Mabry gate for about six hours on Monday. Base first responders and the FBI cleared the package from the scene, officials said. FBI Tampa said Wednesday that the suspicious package contained possible energetic materials. The investigation is ongoing. MacDill increased its security posture after that incident, raising it to Force Protection Condition-Charlie, the second-highest security level for federal government installations. Most Defense Department bases were operating at FPCON-Bravo on Wednesday, according to DOD. MacDill officials said Wednesday the base would remain at FPCON-Charlie. They warned that the heightened security index would likely lead to delays and heavy traffic at installation access points. FPCON-Charlie, applies when a terrorist or hostile incident occurs within the [installation] commanders area of interest or intelligence is received indicating a hostile act, some form of terrorist action or targeting of DOD elements, personnel or facilities, according to a Defense Logistics Agency definition. The Wednesday shelter-in-place order at MacDill also comes amid an increase in security incidents across the Defense Department. U.S. Northern Command, which oversees operations and troops in the United States, had already ordered higher-than-usual security measures this month after the U.S. and Israel launched operations against Iran. Those measures include heightened gate security, 100% identification checks of individuals entering installations, more frequent vehicle searches and the suspension of the Trusted Traveler Program, which allows certain Defense Department civilian employees, service members and their dependents to escort people onto installations in their vehicles without a background check. On Wednesday, Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, was also investigating a security incident, which forced it to close a base gate. The gate reopened and was back to normal operations the same day. One day earlier, officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey found a suspicious package on the base, prompting them to raise their security level to FPCON-Charlie. Officials later determine that package posed no threat. On Tuesday evening, one person was killed and another injured in a shooting at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The incident remains under investigation. The incidents come as Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagons operations against Iran, near its third week. The bombing campaign aimed at Irans hard-line regime was launched Feb. 28 alongside Israels military and has since seen American forces strike more than 7,800 targets, according to CENTCOM. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in combat operations, including six killed in the crash of a KC-135 fuel tanker in Iraq on March 12. Three of the fallen members of the Air Force crew were assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, officials said. A Mobile User Objective System replacement antenna mast created by Lance Cpl. Eirick Schule, an engineer equipment operator with the U.S. Marine Corps, sits on a table at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Feb. 12, 2026. Schules replacement masts have saved the Marine Corps more than $600,000. (Makayla Elizalde/U.S. Marine Corps) A cost-saving innovation that is cutting repair expenses and eliminating monthslong supply delays didnt come from a major Marine Corps program office. It started with a junior enlisted Marine. Lance Cpl. Eirick Schule, an engineer equipment operator, was only a week into his assignment at the II Marine Expeditionary Forces Innovation Campus in Camp Lejeune, N.C., when he was presented with a recurring problem. The fiberglass antenna masts used in a satellite communications system were quickly wearing out because of extended use and exposure to the elements, the service said in a statement last week. The masts help extend the range of the antenna on the Marine Corps Mobile User Objective System, a device similar to a cellphone. More than 100 3D-printed antenna masts have been produced since Schule developed the design, saving more than $600,000 and over 60 years in cumulative wait time, the Marine Corps said. I went to a joint exercise in April 2025, and we looked at how many of these pieces were broken across the Marine Corps, and it was over $1 million worth, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Pine, leader of the Innovation Campus, said in the statement. Marines test a Mobile User Objective System radio aboard amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage on Nov. 26, 2022. A junior Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., designed and developed a $10 3D-printed replacement for the systems antenna mast, which wears out frequently and used to leave Marines facing a replacement cost of $5,600, according to the Corps. (Austin Gillam/U.S. Marine Corps) A soldier speaks on a Mobile User Objective System radio at Fort Irwin, Calif., on Nov. 12, 2025. (Tyler Williams/U.S. Army) Schule realized that the problem didnt require replacing the entire device. Instead, a 3D-printed component could restore it to full functionality. With the component that Schule began developing in April 2025, repair costs were reduced to about $10 and production takes less than half a day, according to the release. Before that time, the Marine Corps had spent more than $5,600 to replace an entire antenna assembly and faced wait times of up to seven months for delivery. One of the few obstacles Schule ran into during development was ensuring that the parts could withstand operational use. However, the masts held up for the entirety of a monthlong field exercise to test their durability, according to the statement. Being in an environment where I could apply my hobby felt nice, Schule said. Forty of the 3D masts have been sent to units around Camp Lejeune, and an additional 67 having made their way to units at Camp Pendleton in California, the statement said. Additive manufacturing has become an increasingly common solution across the military services, with units using 3D printing to produce replacement parts. The Army in particular has expanded its use of the technology, notably its Transforming in Contact initiative, which has enabled soldiers at the unit level to produce 3D-printed products such as small drones and components for repairs. gordon.lydia@stripes.com @lydia_stripes BERLIN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) halted all flight operations on Wednesday after trade union Verdi called a strike over an ongoing pay dispute. A total of 445 departures and arrivals were cancelled, disrupting travel for around 57,000 passengers during the day-long walkout beginning at 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). German news agency dpa reported that some disruption was likely to continue on Thursday, although BER was due to resume normal operations at that time. A spokesperson for the Berlin-Brandenburg Business Associations said the suspension of flight operations would cost the capital region millions of euros. Airlines, ground handlers, security companies and other businesses at the airport are facing direct revenue losses, while the disruption is also hitting tourism and hospitality and affecting supply chains that depend on air freight. Verdi called on around 2,000 employees of the BER operator FBB to join the strike, including staff in the fire service, traffic control and terminal management. The union is seeking higher pay for BER employees under a proposed 12-month agreement. It is calling for a six percent wage increase, with a minimum monthly rise of 250 euros (about 287.5 U.S. dollars), as well as an additional day off for union members. However, FBB head Aletta von Massenbach called the strike disproportionate, "especially given the already tense situation due to the ongoing war in Iran." A Marine peers through an infrared observation device during exercise Cold Response in Setermoen, Norway, on March 12, 2026. The Marine Corps recently created Multi-Domain Task Unit specializing in intelligence and cyber warfare is being tested at the ongoing exercise. (Judith Ann Lazaro/U.S. Marine Corps) A new U.S. Marine Corps unit designed to fight in shadowy gray zones is getting its first real test in the Arctic, where NATO is honing its response to potential aggression in the High North. The Corps new Multi-Domain Task Unit brings specialized intelligence and cyberwarfare capabilities to the alliances new Arctic Sentry mission focused on increased allied vigilance in the region, Marine Forces Europe and Africa said in a statement Thursday. Maj. Gen. Daniel Shipley, commander of MARFOREUR/AF, said the debut of the unit in the ongoing exercise Cold Response in Norway centers on giving commanders advanced capabilities and necessary information before a conflict starts. Its about creating a force that can act decisively at a moments notice, and much of that happens in the information environment, Shipley said. Ranging from signals intelligence and reconnaissance to cyberdefense and joint targeting powers, the units capabilities can supplement and enhance those of other NATO forces in the region, the statement said. Maneuvering in whats termed the gray zone has been an area of focus for the U.S. and allied militaries in countering Russia, which often uses tactics such as cyberattacks, disinformation and sabotage to gain an advantage without triggering a full-scale conflict. The incorporation of the high-tech Marine unit in Arctic drills shows how the alliance is preparing for a potential fast-moving crisis in the increasingly strategic High North. In February, NATO launched its Arctic Sentry mission to bolster its presence amid concerns about Russian and Chinese activity in the region. Cold Response, hosted by Norway, is operating in conjunction with the broader the NATO effort. Both the Marine Corps and the Army have been focused on developing multidomain teams in recent years. Such units specialize in gathering intelligence and disrupting adversaries in ways that help commanders see the shape of the battlefield before fighting even begins. Should a crisis escalate, the Marine unit is designed to integrate directly with a larger Marine Air-Ground Task Force, MARFOREUR-AF said. Its presence at Cold Response marks a milestone for the Marine Corps modernization efforts, the statement said, adding that it enhances the services ability to field forces capable of winning in the gray zone. A sailor checks dryer vents in a laundry room aboard the worlds largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, on Nov. 5, 2025. Three sailors suffered non-life-threatening injuries as a result of a fire that started in the ships laundry room last week, according to the Navy. (Alexis Fowler/U.S. Navy) NAPLES, Italy A potent mixture of flammable materials, equipment pushed beyond its limits and human error could be behind a fire last week aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, according to a shipping expert. Its just a smorgasbord of danger all put together, said Sal Mercogliano, an adjunct professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The Ford, along with nearly 4,500 personnel, is operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing joint American and Israeli military campaign against Iran. The carrier left Norfolk, Va., in late June for a then-routine deployment to Europe that unexpectedly included duty in the Caribbean Sea and the Middle East. That extended time at sea also could have been a factor in the March 12 fire in the main laundry areas, Mercogliano said. Equipment that normally would be serviced and taken down may be running at levels past when they need to run, Mercogliano said. Anytime you go past normal operating hours, the chances of mechanical and human error increase. Three sailors aboard the ship were injured as a result of the fire, which the Navy said was fully contained the same day. None of the injuries were life-threatening, and two of the sailors have since returned to duty, while the third remains in stable condition after being flown off the ship for treatment. Its not clear how the fire started, and the Navy has released few details. The fire did not impact the ships propulsion plant, and Ford remains fully operational, the Navy said at the time. On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command said military operations against Iran included more than 8,000 combat flights since launching the campaign Feb. 28. Those flights include hundreds of Navy and Air Force aircraft. The cause of the Ford fire is under investigation, a U.S. military official said Tuesday. As it is being investigated, the ships forces are inspecting and overhauling affected spaces, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of they were not authorized to speak publicly. The official didnt say whether crew living quarters had been affected. But there are indications the fire may have displaced hundreds of sailors, potentially destroying bedding and personal possessions. A sailor assigned to the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier unloads blankets from a dryer in the ships laundry room in this undated photo. Increased operations and deferred maintenance may have been to blame for a fire that started in the ships laundry room last week. (Brian Glunt/U.S. Navy) On Tuesday, the Navy Exchange said it had liquidated its inventory of black boots available for sale at several bases in Europe in support of Ford. The New York Times reported this week that more than 600 sailors and crew members had been uprooted by the fire, sleeping on the floor and on tables. It took more than 30 hours to fully extinguish the fire, according to the NYT report. Also on Tuesday, USNI News reported that Ford would soon leave the Red Sea to undergo repairs at U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete, citing an unnamed senior U.S. official. Military officials contacted by Stars and Stripes would not say whether Ford would depart the Middle East, citing operational security. Shipboard laundry and dry-cleaning facilities on aircraft carriers are vast areas situated in the lower deck areas of vessels. They house industrial washers capable of extracting dirt, grease and other gunk from fabric and powerful dryers that can churn out as much as 100 pounds of clean uniforms and other items per cycle for thousands of personnel. The facilities also include pressers, irons and other equipment and piles of clothing, bedding and other items in various stages of laundering. They require huge amounts of electricity and generate significant heat, requiring ample air conditioning to keep sailors and equipment cool. Electrical problems and delayed maintenance of equipment, including uncleaned lint filters in laundry areas, are among the chief causes of fires on ships, said a Navy sailor not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Those fires most commonly happen in mechanical spaces, laundry areas and berthings, where high temperatures and combustible materials are factors, the sailor said. If Fords firefighters, known as damage controlmen, couldnt immediately put out the fire, they would have sealed the area to isolate the blaze, Mercogliano and the sailor said. That method takes time for flames and heat to subside. Its also why any adjacent compartments, such as a berthing area, would have been evacuated, Mercogliano said, adding that smoke and heat damage may also have affected adjacent compartments. Mercogliano compared the length of time it may have taken to completely extinguish the fire on Ford and ensure there were no hot spots to that of a similar event in August aboard the USS New Orleans near Okinawa, Japan. In that case, it took 12 hours before a fire aboard the amphibious transport dock ship was fully extinguished. Two sailors were slightly injured. Ensuring that a fire is fully extinguished, inspecting affected areas and making sure there is no chance of a reflash isnt an easy, quick process and can take hours, the sailor said. Indications that the Ford fire was limited to the main laundry areas and potentially a berthing space are signs that damage controlmen and sailors quickly responded defensively to the fire. In the aftermath of serious ship fires, such as the one on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard in July 2020, the Navy has redoubled its focus on firefighting and training, Mercogliano noted. That focus is front of mind for all service members who train daily with the mindset that fighting ship fires is every sailors responsibility, the sailor said. Its not something that can be put on the back burner, they said. A street performer entertains visitors to the annual Spring Festival at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, March 22, 2025. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan Three U.S. military bases in Japan have canceled or restricted attendance at their spring festivals amid heightened security measures, scaling back events that typically draw tens of thousands of local visitors. Annual festivals at naval bases in Yokosuka and Sasebo were canceled outright, while the spring open house at U.S. Army Japans headquarters near Tokyo will be limited this year to people who already have base access. The changes follow stricter security measures imposed earlier this month by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, including increased identification checks and vehicle inspections at base entry points, due to threats linked to the war against Iran by the United States and Israel that began Feb. 28. Yokosuka, home of the U.S. 7th Fleet, announced March 6 that it was canceling its annual Spring Festival scheduled for March 21. Last years event drew more than 55,000 people, more than double the bases population of about 27,000. In a Facebook post, the base apologized for the inconvenience and hardship that this abrupt cancellation may cause. Public opposition in Yokosuka to the Iran war appears limited. A small, five-day protest began Monday outside the bases main gate, with about a dozen participants from a local denuclearization group joining on Tuesday. A small group protests the Iran war outside Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, March 17, 2026. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) Sasebo Naval Base, home of the Navys amphibious ready group, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, also canceled its Fleet Friendship Day scheduled for April 18. The base announced the decision in a March 13 Facebook post. The Tripoli, homeported at Sasebo, and roughly 2,500 members of the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are among the U.S. forces being dispatched to the Middle East, multiple news outlets reported March 13. Representatives from Yokosuka and Sasebo referred questions to Navy Region Japan. Spokeswoman Zoe Stagg said the decision to cancel events came after careful consideration but declined to say whether the Middle East conflict was a factor. Open base events on our U.S. Navy installations are an incredible opportunity to celebrate our partnership with our hosts and local communities, she wrote in an email Tuesday. Each community event is important to us, and we will continue to evaluate the schedule for future events. At Camp Zama, the Armys annual Cherry Blossom Festival remains scheduled for March 28 but will be limited to those with base access and their guests, according to a Facebook post. Other spring festivals at U.S. bases in Japan, including events on Okinawa, remained scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon. Stars and Stripes reporters Brian McElhiney, Janiqua Robinson and Seth Robson contributed to this report. Hiroshima atomic bombing survivor Shigeaki Mori, 88, speaks to reporters on the 80th anniversary of the Lonesome Lady B-24 bomber crash in Ikachi, Japan, on July 28, 2025. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes) TOKYO A Japanese atomic bomb survivor who spent decades researching American prisoners of war killed in the Hiroshima attack has died at age 88. Shigeaki Mori devoted nearly 50 years to uncovering the stories of 12 Americans who died in the atomic bombing carried out by the U.S. Army Air Forces on Aug. 6, 1945. Mori gained international attention in 2016 when then-President Barack Obama embraced him at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. Obama was the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site, which honors about 140,000 people killed in the worlds first atomic bombing. Masanori Takenaga, owner of the Ikachi Lonesome Lady Peace Memorial Museum, looks at "A Hopeful Sign" at the public library in Yanai city, Japan, July 27, 2022. (Jonathan Snyder/Stars and Stripes) Mori died Saturday afternoon at a Hiroshima hospital, according to Japanese media reports and the editors of the web-based English translation of Moris book, A Secret History of U.S. Servicemembers Who Died in the Atomic Bomb. He was 8 years old and about 1 miles from the blasts hypocenter when the atomic bomb, dubbed Little Boy, was dropped from the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay and detonated over the city. Mori recalled walking on a bridge, being blown away by the blast and landing in the water without injuries or burns. He later found out that everyone else on the bridge had died. Mori was amazed at his luck, since he was exposed to a large amount of radiation, fallout in the form of black rain and also drank water contaminated with radiation, he told Stars and Stripes in 2015. Decades after the war, Mori began investigating the fate of American airmen captured after their aircraft crashed near Hiroshima. He discovered that several were being held at a Japanese military police headquarters in the city when the bomb fell. Through years of research, Mori reviewed documents and interviewed witnesses to piece together the events leading to their deaths. He later contacted family members, some of whom had not known what had happened to their relatives. Mori also worked to ensure the Americans were recognized among the bombings victims. He built a memorial for them at his own expense, helped secure their inclusion in the registry of atomic bomb victims at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and arranged for their portraits to be displayed there. When I first learned of the American victims, I realized that none of them had been officially recognized as a victim of the atomic bomb. It was shocking to me, Mori told Stars and Stripes in 2015. He said he wanted to shed light on those Americans who were killed in the bombing just like the other victims. Unless someone speaks for them, their sacrifices would be thrown into darkness, he said. U.S. Army Patriot equipment awaits use during an exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov. 6, 2025. A similar system drawn from NATO Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base in Germany is being stationed at Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey in the wake of Iranian airstrikes against fellow NATO member Turkey. (Christopher Neu/U.S. Army) A Patriot air defense system is being deployed to a strategic Turkish air base used by U.S. forces, as allies continue to bolster their defenses in the wake of Iranian airstrikes against NATO member Turkey. The Patriot system, drawn from NATO Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, is being stationed at Incirlik Air Base alongside an existing Spanish Patriot system, state news agency Anadolu reported Wednesday. It cited Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, a Turkish defense ministry spokesman, who gave a news briefing at the base. Incirlik is near the major city of Adana and sits close to the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The move comes one week after NATO sent another Patriot unit to Malatya province, which hosts a critical NATO radar that is manned by U.S. troops. The radar is part of the alliances integrated air defense system. Since the start of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28, at least three missiles have been directed at Turkey, all of which were intercepted by allied air defenses. NATO hasnt indicated which units have been deployed to support air defense efforts in Turkey, but several allied countries possess the Patriot system. The U.S. has a Patriot unit in Baumholder, Germany, that over the years has mobilized for air defense missions in support of allies in places such as Poland and Turkey. NATOs missile defense system incorporates a range of capabilities, bringing together U.S. Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland as well as U.S Navy destroyers out of Rota, Spain. An F-15 drops a GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator bomb, known as a bunker buster, during a test at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., on Oct. 7, 2021. The U.S. dropped several deep-penetrating bombs on hardened Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command. (Samuel King/U.S. Air Force) U.S. forces are targeting anti-ship cruise missiles along the Iranian coast as President Donald Trump seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital commercial sea lane that Tehran closed in retaliation for joint American-Israeli attacks. Multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions were used to go after hardened Iranian missile sites on the coastline along the strait, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday. The anti-ship cruise missiles housed in those sites presented a risk to international shipping, CENTCOM said. Iran is using the missiles, along with drones and naval mines, to threaten the passage of oil tankers through the key waterway. The U.S. has struck more than 7,000 targets in Operation Epic Fury, which began Feb. 28, including more than 100 Iranian vessels, according to CENTCOM. The command did not answer questions about the type of deep penetrator munition. CNN reported that it was the GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator, which was first used in 2021 on a range in Florida. The military developed the 5,000-pound bomb for both fighters and bombers to overcome hardened, deeply buried target challenges, the Air Force said in a statement after its first release. The test run validated that an existing smart bomb guidance tail kit for the Joint Direct Attack Munition could be used to control and navigate the GBU-72, the service said. A GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator bomb, known as a bunker buster, is attached to an F-15 ahead of a test drop at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., on Oct. 7, 2021. On Tuesday, the U.S. dropped several deep-penetrating bombs on Iranian anti-ship missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said. (Samuel King/U.S. Air Force) In the past week, Trump has vowed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He sought to lean on European countries for help, saying the future of NATO will be very bad if they dont back his efforts. But allies have expressed reluctance to get involved in the war the U.S. launched alongside Israel. That prompted a Truth Social post in which Trump said the U.S. no longer wants or needs the help of NATO countries, Japan, Australia and South Korea. On Tuesday, Trump also said that hes not afraid that a ground invasion of Iran would be a repeat of the Vietnam War, and that the U.S. is not ready to leave Iran now but will do so in the very near future. An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 29th Attack Squadron takes off during a routine training flight over Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, Feb. 11, 2026. (Ryan Witkop/U.S. Air Force) The latest information on the incident can be found here. One person was killed and another injured in a shooting Tuesday evening at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, the service said. The installation was placed on lockdown after the shooting was reported, according to a statement emailed that evening by Capt. Daniel Barnhorst, base spokesman. The lockdown was lifted shortly after security personnel arrived around 5:30 p.m. and determined the scene was safe, the statement said. Barnhorst told Stars and Stripes by phone that one person died and another was injured. He declined to comment on reports that the shooting occurred at the base shopette, saying the incident remains under investigation with no further details available. The shopette was closed until further notice, according to a post that evening on Hollomans official Facebook page. Holloman is home to the 49th Wing, where F-16 Fighting Falcon and MQ-9 Reaper drone pilots are trained, according to the base website. The installation is about 12 miles southwest of Alamogordo and roughly 200 miles south of Albuquerque. Daniel Zimmerman, left, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, and Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, head of U.S. European Command, testify during a House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Members of the House Armed Services Committee reproached the Trump administration Wednesday for its rhetoric toward NATO allies who have declined U.S. requests to take an active role in the war against Iran, describing the tone as damaging to longstanding partnerships. The criticism, from Democrats and Republicans, came after Trump lashed out at NATO countries and others in recent days for rebuffing his calls for help opening the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for oil that Iran has made effectively impassable after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Tehran. Trump has warned that NATO allies faced a very bad future if they did not help secure the waterway, fumed that they were making a very foolish mistake, complained that we helped them, but they didnt help us and on Tuesday wrote that the U.S. was the most powerful country in the world and did not need the help of anyone! He also called out European leaders, saying Keir is no Churchill after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Iran war was never envisioned as a NATO mission and remarking hell be out of office very soon when asked about French President Emmanuel Macrons refusal to join a task force to reopen the strait. Such language, coupled with the Trump administrations treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and earlier threats to make Canada the 51st state and take away Greenland from Denmark, has caused grave damage to the alliance, said Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. Ive been very supportive of the president on Iran and I think getting rid of Maduro is a good thing but Ive been appalled by this administrations tone, rhetoric, tactic, strategy, he said, referring to the Venezuelan leader captured by the U.S. in January. When it comes to Europe, the denigrating of our allies has been terrible. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., praised Trump for pressuring NATO countries to step up their defense spending but said he believes maybe we backslid a little bit in terms of relationships because of how Trump has talked about and talked to and talked down to world leaders. Tone matters, he said. I dont profess to tell the president how to talk or how to interact, but I do think its important that we maintain strong relationships. Their concerns, voiced during a committee hearing on the U.S. military posture in Europe, were echoed by scores of Democrats. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the panels ranking member, said Trump has made clear that he has nothing but contempt for NATO partners. The rhetoric has to change, Smith said. We have to make it clear that we support this alliance, or, I guess, we have to decide we dont and walk away from it. Trump on Tuesday said leaving NATO is certainly something we should think about and said he did not need congressional approval for such a decision. A law passed in 2023 requires the approval of two-thirds of the Senate for the U.S. to withdraw from the alliance, though legal experts say Trump could try to bypass it. Daniel Zimmerman, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told lawmakers Wednesday that the U.S. remained committed to NATO and said Trump wants to see the alliance be the best version of itself and for member countries to carry their share of the load. But that defense rang hollow for some lawmakers. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., said if he or Zimmerman spoke to their wives the way Trump speaks about U.S. allies we probably wouldnt be married. Some European countries have bristled at the tone from Washington. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that he hoped we will treat one another with the necessary respect within the alliance. Luxembourgs Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel likened Trumps push for European assistance in the war against Iran to blackmail. Zimmerman acknowledged Wednesday that while there were some discussions with NATO allies before the U.S. and Israel launched their first strikes on Iran last month, the U.S. largely kept allies in the dark in an effort to preserve operational security. Still, European countries such as Britain and Romania have allowed American military aircraft to use their military bases for the campaign. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, head of U.S. European Command, told lawmakers on Wednesday that the support has been critical. The access that our allies provide, the ability to overfly their countries, the ability to operate from their countries many of them are helping in substantial ways in this, he said. MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan held a phone conversation on Tuesday, stressing the importance of ensuring the security of energy pipelines between the two countries. The two sides emphasized the need to ensure the continued operation of "strategic Russian-Turkish energy projects," amid Ukraine's "persistent attempts to compromise the infrastructure of the Blue Stream and TurkStream gas pipelines," said a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The two ministers also exchanged views on the situation in Iran. The Russian side called for an "urgent de-escalation of the crisis provoked by strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran by Israel and the United States," and urged prioritizing "non-forceful political and diplomatic methods." Russia expressed its readiness to help facilitate a resolution to the crisis and to coordinate efforts with all relevant parties, including Turkiye, to ease tensions in the Middle East, the statement said. On March 11, Russian energy giant Gazprom said that since Feb. 24, a total of 12 attempted attacks on the company's gas compressor stations in southern Russia had been repelled. The facilities support the operation of the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines. Laura Ubago Granada 18/03/2026 Actualizado a las 14:01h. From Granada airport (GRX) it will be possible to fly to 12 destinations in the coming months: eight domestic and four international. A new connection to The Portuguese city of Porto was confirmed on Tuesday 17 March with Volotea and will start in November. A flight to Paris will commence on 31 March and will run until 11 June and will allow travel to the French capital from as little as 30 euros. A flight to Nantes started operating in December 2025 and the Amsterdam flight has been operating for some time. There are also plans for flights to Venice and Milan in Italy and the airport hopes to start the connection to London again, which ceased in October and was operated by Vueling. Domestic routes to Madrid and Barcelona will be maintained and during the summer months it will also be possible to travel from Granada to Oviedo, Santander, Gran Canaria, Melilla, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife. There are also negotiations for flights between Granada and Menorca as well as Valencia. Click here to read more stories about transport. SUR in English Melilla 18/03/2026 a las 15:33h. It often goes unnoticed that devotion crosses the Mediterranean and beats with overwhelming force in North Africa itself. Not only do Melilla and Malaga share a diocese, but, in an embrace of faith, even share their patron saint, the Virgin of Victory. With that shared thread of devotion, Melillas five brotherhoods keep the Passion alive in a way that, for many in Malaga, can feel distant, as if it belongs to another place altogether. Yet to glance at Melillas calendar through brotherhood eyes is to discover a captivating hall of mirrors. Melilla doesnt imitate Andalucia, it carries it within and reflects it back as a Holy Week filled with echoes of Malagas 'cofrade' culture. The connection begins on Palm Sunday. In both cities, Pollinica opens proceedings, sharing a bright rhythm of palms and emotion. Alongside walks Maria Santisima de Gracia y Esperanza, that green presence which, in the Andalusian imagination, is not just an image but a way of being. In Melilla, however, incense and the sea breeze merge as the ground trembles to the march of the Tercio Gran Capitan I of the Legion. There, hearing El novio de la muerte is not simply listening to a march, its witnessing a prayer in military step, sung at full voice, as the floats pass among the palm trees of Parque Hernandez. It carries the same intensity, the same shiver felt in Malaga when the legionnaires arrive to accompany the Cristo de la Buena Muerte at the church of Santo Domingo. (Javier Ramirez) The following day, Holy Monday, dazzles in white. In Malaga, El Cautivo advances from La Trinidad in near silence. In Melilla, that same whiteness appears in Jesus Before Pilate (La Sentencia). But theres a twist: the float moves with a different rhythm, following the style seen in Seville. It feels like Andalucia in miniature, with Malaga at its heart and another way of moving in perfect balance. Meanwhile, on Holy Tuesday, Nuestro Padre Jesus Humillado, with his burgundy velvet cloak, inevitably recalls the sober aesthetic of the Estudiantes. (Javier Ramirez) Holy Wednesday offers a striking scene. The Cofradia del Nazareno sets out from the bullring, known as the Mosque of Bullfighting. The Nazareno carries clear Malaga character in both its float and its movement, while Maria Santisima de los Dolores provides contrast, swaying in the characteristic Seville style. Two traditions come together here, reaching their peak in the emotional encounter as the processions return. (Javier Ramirez) Strong emotional link Holy Thursday is perhaps the strongest emotional link between these sister cities. Melillas Cautivo begins its procession surrounded by a large, working-class neighbourhood that shares a name spoken with deep devotion in Malaga, La Victoria. Along the route, the night builds to a powerful moment with the release of a prisoner, one that brings the same lump to the throat as when El Rico gives his blessing in Plaza del Obispo. That said, the connection goes beyond symbolism: a telling historical detail reminds us that the same sculptor, Jose Navas Parejo, created the Cautivo of Melilla and Jesus El Rico. (Javier Ramirez) Following this, the mood shifts and the light returns. The Virgen del Rocio, known as the Novia de Melilla, glows in the darkness, similar to the Novia de Malaga. The parallels keep coming: the Flagelado and Nuestra Senora del Mayor Dolor take to the streets, echoing Malagas Reales Cofradias Fusionadas. Those with a keen memory will also notice that the Cristo de la Paz is now carried on what was, for decades, the float of Malagas Resucitado. It is a powerful image, one of carved wood that has crossed the sea and found a new story. (Javier Ramirez) Good Friday draws to a close with the Soledad de Nuestra Senora, in a mood of quiet reflection that recalls the Servite Order in Malagas historic centre. The wide Avenida Juan Carlos I falls completely dark, and the people of Melilla light the Virgins way with their own candles. For those who stay a little longer, there is something Malaga doesn't have: on Easter Sunday, the Plaza de Espana bursts with faith as the Resucitado meets the Virgen del Rocio, who returns to the streets for this encounter with her son. (Javier Ramirez) Diverse and hospitable All of this is made possible by the tireless efforts of the brotherhood members themselves. The same people who carry the floats one day may be musicians or 'nazarenos' the next. Set to the familiar sound of Andalusian marches, this Passion offers something unexpected: the chance to experience devotion without the crowds or the pressure. There is space to take it all in, to listen to a full march and to appreciate the silence before a levanta or the strike of a bell. People of other faiths also take part in the brotherhoods, reflecting Melillas remarkable multicultural character. For first-time visitors, Melilla is, above all, a place of constant surprise that welcomes you with open arms. Its people are famously hospitable, and the rhythm of daily life adds to the experience. While afternoons and evenings belong to the processions, incense and devotion, the mornings invite you to explore the city in the bright Mediterranean light. What's more, the spring weather makes it hard to resist a first swim of the year on its beaches or a quiet escape to its sheltered coves. Plenty to explore With the sea breeze as a companion, a walk through the city naturally leads to its striking modernist architecture, designed by Enrique Nieto, which turns streets like Avenida Juan Carlos I into open-air museums. From there, the contrast is clear as you step into the walled enclosure of Melilla la Vieja, a fortress city overlooking the sea, where five centuries of history live on within its walls. Walking through this network of stone streets evokes key moments from its past, such as the Siege of Melilla. That history is closely tied to the citys military heritage, which still reflects its strong links with the Spanish Legion and the Regulares. Visitors can explore this legacy through local museums and barracks. After this journey through time, the food takes centre stage. Melillas cuisine tells the same story of coexistence as its streets. Traditional Andalusian fried fish sits alongside Berber spices, while seasonal dishes such as salt cod stew and torrijas remain essential at this time of year. It is a fitting ending in a city where Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus share the same skyline. If you are looking to escape mass tourism and overcrowded streets, consider heading to the other side of the Mediterranean. In Melilla, you will find the perfect place to truly switch off, with quiet beaches and a captivating Passion that evokes Malaga but can be experienced at a slower, more relaxed pace. If you want to breathe deeply and enjoy tradition carried on the Levante breeze and warmed by Africa, create a playlist with your five favourite Holy Week marches. That's roughly the flight time between Malaga and Melilla, your next destination. Make the most of this Holy Week by discovering a truly unique place, a corner of Spain in Africa, washed by the Mediterranean. Find the best discounts on flights at https://bonosmelilla.es/. MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia condemns actions aimed at harming or killing members of Iran's leadership, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday. Earlier, Israel said that Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij volunteer forces, were killed in an attack in Tehran. Iranian authorities have confirmed their deaths. "We certainly condemn actions intended to harm health or, even more so, to kill representatives of the leadership of a sovereign and independent Iran, as well as other countries. We condemn such actions," Peskov said, answering a question related to the Iranian officials' deaths. Commenting on Russia's reported sharing of satellite images of American facilities in the Middle East and drone production technologies with Iran, Peskov said U.S. officials have provided no proof of the claim. Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados. Irene Quirante 18/03/2026 a las 16:28h. The National Police are investigating the murder of 76-year-old Angel in the coastal town of Torremolinos. They have detained a 38-year-old man who was hiding in the building on suspicion that he might have been involved in the crime. A neighbour discovered the victim's body on Monday, after family members asked him to go to Angel's home and check on him. They hadn't heard from Angel in a while and it was unusual for him to go long periods without communicating. The neighbour had a key to the 76-year-old man's home. As soon as he entered, he found Angel's body on the floor, with blood stains around. When the emergency services arrived, they discovered several injuries to Angel's face and other parts of his head. The police suspect that the man might have been dead since Saturday, 14 March. The autopsy will confirm the exact time and the cause of death. For the moment, the police have several hypotheses regarding the motive behind the murder. The detained suspect accompanied the police to the crime scene on Tuesday, allegedly to collaborate in the reconstruction of the crime. Originally from Cordoba, Angel had been living in his flat in Torremolinos for decades. He was single and had no children, but he was close to his neighbours, who describe him as a friendly and outgoing person. Despite his age, Angel was very active and healthy. His weakness, according to those who knew him, was that he was too trusting even with strangers. His neighbours believe that he might have let the perpetrator inside his home due to his kind nature. Click here for more crime news. Emma Perez-Romera Estepona 18/03/2026 Actualizado a las 14:57h. Estepona's wildlife park Selwo Aventura has added a new inhabitant: Hope, a six-year-old Asian elephant from Sumatra. He has arrived from the Madrid Zoo Aquarium as part of the European Endangered Species breeding programmes (EEPs). Conservation and social stability According to Eloy Serrano, head of conservation at Selwo Aventura, the park is now a leading European centre for "bachelor" male elephants. The goal is to: Promote social stability: Allowing young males to learn essential interaction skills. Encourage natural behaviour: Using the parks large pastures to mimic wild conditions. Gradual integration: Hope will undergo a phased acclimatisation process, starting with visual contact with Bogor before progressing to physical interaction. This young elephant, already weighing around 1,500 kilos, will live with Bogor, his maternal half-brother, another Asian elephant that has resided in Selwo since 2023. Both lived together before for almost three years in the Madrid zoo and now they meet again in the facilities of this wildlife park on the Costa del Sol and, if all goes well, they will share adult life together. Meet the herd: The Elephant Trail Hope joins a resident group that has seen significant changes recently: Bogor: Resident since 2023. Jangoli: A 58-year-old female who remains a park staple. Expansion: The arrival of younger males prompted a full remodel of the "Elephant Trail" habitat to accommodate their active lifestyles. Did you know? Hope was born on 8 March 2020, during the first week of the Covid-19 pandemic. His early years were spent in a quiet, visitor-free environment, allowing him to bond closely with the Madrid elephant group. The transfer is part of the coordinated conservation work carried out by the zoos belonging to the Iberian association of zoos and aquaria and their European counterpart through the European Endangered Species programmes. EEPs manage the reproduction and distribution of wild animals for conservation purposes. Head of conservation at Selwo Aventura, Eloy Serrano, explains that "Hope's arrival falls within the framework of the European recovery programme for two reasons: firstly, because we are a leading centre for handling bachelor males, and secondly, so that both males grow up in a socially stable way and learn to interact with other elephants." Serrano also highlights a factor that will facilitate the animal's adaptation to its new environment: his prior bond with Bogor. "Something very positive for this transfer is that they are half-siblings and have already lived in the same space, so we believe the bond will be very quick and they will grow up together." With the arrival of Hope, Asian male elephants now make up the majority of the park's elephant herd. Bogor was the first male elephant to arrive at Selwo since 2016, which prompted the expansion and remodelling of the area dedicated to these animals. At that time, the so-called Elephant Trail was occupied by two adult females: Tima and Jangoli. Tima died of natural causes in 2023, while Jangoli, now 58 years old, "continues to live in the park, although her social needs are different from those of the younger elephants," admits Serrano. During the first few weeks, the new elephant will go through an acclimatisation phase, familiarising himself with all the facilities (sleeping quarters, pastures and the park's daily routines), as well as getting to know his keepers. Eloy Serrano explains that "at the same time, Hope and Bogor will begin to interact gradually, eye contact first and later with protected contact before direct contact is considered". For the park team, this process represents a major challenge. "This addition is a challenge. Although they are young animals, the hurdles in bringing them together, getting them to bond and helping them grow into adults creates challenges for all the professionals working at Selwo Aventura," says Serrano. Born in the midst of the pandemic Hope was born on 8 March 2020 at the Madrid zoo, right at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, an event that certainly shaped his early life. "There were no visitors to the zoo and he was very well cared for by the Madrid elephant group, learning both from the group of females, with his mother leading the way, and from the males", explains Javier Lopez, second in command of land mammal keepers at the Madrid zoo. About to turn six, this young elephant also stands out for his character. "He's about to turn six and he's a bit of a rascal. He's cooperative when it comes to handling certain things and it's a pleasure to work with him," says Lopez. According to Serrano, the characteristics of the Estepona park are particularly suited to his development. "His arrival at Selwo has been very positive and the characteristics of this park are ideal for maintaining this species and also for encouraging their natural behaviours in the wild." Click here to read more new about animals. Jose Antonio Sau 18/03/2026 a las 15:42h. The average waiting time to access an appointment in primary care in Malaga province is 8.7 days. Costa del Sol residents have to wait even longer (10.95 days), while the Antequera district inhabitants wait for about 4.21 days. This data comes from a report former healthcare professionals have compiled with the aim of "denouncing the worrying deterioration in the health system." In other parts of the province, the waiting times are as follows: 9.30 days in the Guadalhorce Valley, 5.60 days in Ronda and 6.25 days in the Axarquia district. More than one fifth of people never get an appointment One in five patients report not getting an appointment at the time of requesting it. The delay for 85 per cent of patients is greater than primary care recommendations, which state that the waiting time between requesting an appointment and going to one should not be more than 48 hours. According to the authors of the study, these prolonged waits "reduce accessibility, increase patient safety risks, threaten continuity of care and lead to overcrowding in emergency departments". According to the authors of the study, these prolonged waits "reduce accessibility, increase patient safety r isks, threaten continuity of care and lead to overcrowding in emergency departments." This is the second study of its kind. The number of observations has tripled compared with the December report. "It is difficult to understand and unacceptable how, in the same health centre and sometimes even on the same day, waiting times of one day coexist with delays of up to 15 days or even no appointments available. This can only happen if appointments suddenly appear that had previously been hidden, meaning that a patient who requests at the right moment can get a same-day or next-day appointment, while another has to wait two or even three weeks. There must be transparency and access to data to understand where these appointments come from and why they were not previously available," the authors say. Both studies confirm the existence of "unacceptable delays" and a "lack of respect for the public". At the same time, the studies highlight "the mistreatment of professionals in the workplace". Furthermore, they point out that it is important to consider that all of this entails an economic cost "much higher than that which would result from a strong, accessible, universal and longitudinal primary care system". The regional government says waiting times are much less In response, the Andalusian regional government (Junta) told SUR that the study's data is false. "We do not know where they obtained the data they present, but in no case does it reflect reality," the response says. According to the Junta, "the average waiting time for a GP appointment in the Antequera district is 1.53 days". On 4 March, the Junta's spokesperson in Malaga Patricia Navarro said that the average waiting time in the province of Malaga is under three days, 2.6 days to be precise. This timeframe is in line with the Andalusian average of 2.3 days, which the Junta attributes to "improvements in internal processes, the modernisation of administrative management and the reinforcement of professional staff". According to the Junta, the new primary care booking system makes sure users receive attention in under 72 hours. Navarro believes that the Andalusian health service manages 100 per cent of appointment requests, either by phone or in person. The Junta's spokesperson also stated that the Junta is currently recruiting more professionals in various parts of the province. Juan Cano Malaga 18/03/2026 Actualizado a las 15:37h. The village of Benarraba in Malaga's Ronda district has confirmed the death of one of the two workers who were crushed by the collapse of a wall at a construction site on Tuesday. The other man, 39, remains in a very serious state in a Malaga city hospital. The deceased is the brother of the Mayor of Yunquera, another town in the district. Both municipalities have declared Wednesday a day of mourning. They are yet to decide whether to extend the mourning period. The incident happened at the construction site of the future mortuary at around 11.50am. The wall that collapsed had withstood the abundant and intense rains last month. For reasons still under investigation, the wall collapsed and fell on top of the two workers. Several residents immediately went to the scene to try and rescue them. The task proved impossible and they called the emergency services. When the firefighters arrived to the scene, they used backhoes to remove the mountain of debris that prevented them from reaching the workers. At the end of the arduous task, the medical team confirmed the death of one of the workers and transferred the other to hospital. The Guardia Civil are in charge of the investigation. Ignacio Lillo Malaga 18/03/2026 Actualizado a las 12:28h. The number of people that the high-speed train carried between Madrid and Malaga during last year's Easter Week illustrates the debacle following the announcement that Malaga's AVE line will not reopen before the end of April. According to SUR's calculations, a total of 75,000 people used the trains of the three operators (Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo) during the festive period in 2025. Given that only Renfe offers trips this year, at a reduced frequency, the number of visitors by train will be hardly a fifth of that. Key travel impact: What you need to know Reduced Frequency: Services have dropped from 26 daily trains to just seven in each direction. Extended Travel Time: The journey now takes 4.5 hours due to a mandatory bus transfer between Malaga Maria Zambrano and Antequera-Santa Ana. Sole Operator: Only Renfe is currently operating; private competitors Iryo and Ouigo have suspended the route during the repairs. Note on Alora Repairs: Engineering teams continue to stabilise the slope and repair tracks in Alora following recent structural damage. The central government insists the rail link will be restored by the end of April. The visitors during this time of year are mostly Spanish residents, either coming to see Malaga's Semana Santa or returning to be with family. Also important is the number of foreigners who land in Madrid after a long-haul flight from the US, Canada, Latin America or Asia and then start their journey through the country. One rail operator This year, only Renfe will run the connection, with a bus alternative from Maria Zambrano to Antequera-Santa Ana and vice versa. Pending confirmation of whether there will be any extra services on the days of greater demand, the alternative transport plan so far includes seven daily departures in each direction, with a journey time of four and a half hours (including bus and train). Planes, private and shared cars and buses will be alternative means of getting to Malaga. In an optimistic estimate, Renfe will only be able to transport around 15,000 people between Malaga and Madrid during the entire Holy Week. Renfe will only be able to transport around 15,000 passengers this Easter with its alternative train and bus services The public company will keep this special transport system in force until the end of the repair works in Alora, with the aim of offering a basic railway connection between both cities at an affordable price. Alternatives: plane, car or bus It's also important to remember that the vast majority of tourists on the Costa del Sol are international. In fact, during Easter week last year, Malaga Airport handled some 2.6 million passengers on nearly 15,200 flights. Malaga Airport set a new passenger record in February, handling almost 1.6 million passengers, a 3.5 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. In its report, airport operator Aena has stated that the high-speed rail crisis, which is particularly affecting the Maria Zambrano station, has driven an eight per cent growth in domestic traffic, especially to and from Madrid (298,159). The shift of passengers from trains to air travel is clear. This Easter, Malaga-Madrid air transport might become a lifeline for thousands of passengers wanting to visit the Costa del Sol. In addition, a considerable increase in road arrivals is also expected this year, both by private car (often shared) and by bus. However, this too will not be without its uncertainties, due to the high price of fuel caused by the war in Iran. In conclusion, as far as transport is concerned, the holiday season will be more similar to Christmas 2007, when the high-speed train first arrived at Maria Zambrano. Maria Jose Diaz Alcala 18/03/2026 a las 16:36h. The public prosecution has requested a ten-year prison sentence for a man who allegedly sexually assaulted his sister-in-law on several occasions in 2022. The trial is going to take place on 13 May this year. SUR spoke to the 30-year-old victim, who prefers to remain anonymous. For the purpose of this article, we will call her Maria. Originally from Colombia, she moved to Malaga in 2022. Her husband's brother had convinced them to move for the opportunities that Spain offers, so Maria settled with her partner and daughter in the province. With tears and rage in her eyes, Maria told SUR that her brother-in-law started abusing her after their arrival. Although she told her husband, things didn't change much. Far from showing remorse, the suspect sent her husband an audio message proposing to "make her disappear". According to the prosecution, the first incident happened in August 2022, when the defendant allegedly touched Maria in the kitchen of the house they shared, taking advantage of the fact that the rest of the family was asleep. Maria then managed to push him away and he left. Two months later, however, the defendant took Maria by the arm and dragged her to one of the bedrooms where he sexually assaulted her. There was nobody in the house at that moment. Despite Maria's resistance and consistent denial of consent, he reportedly abused her on three more occasions. Maria reported him to the police on 2 December 2022. She hadn't done it until then because her abuser had threatened to kick her and her daughter out of the house. Maria didn't have the financial capacity to leave and pay rent at the time. For the prosecutor, the incidents constitute a continuous crime of sexual assault, for which they are requesting a ten-year prison sentence and a restraining order. In addition, they are asking that the defendant compensate Maria 3,000 euros. Maria is one of the women who spoke to SUR on 25 November 2025 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), after her ex-partner breached a restraining order. A lawyer from the 'Mujeres Sin Miedo Malaga' association will represent Maria during the trial. The platform provides both protection and legal assistance. Victims can contact the platform mostly through Facebook, Instagram (@mujeres_sin_miedo_malaga) and email (mujeressinmiedomalaga@gmail.com). "We want everyone to know that there are always ways to regain peace of mind and wellbeing," the association says. Victims, their family members and witnesses who want to report gender-based violence can do so by contacting the 061 helpline, which is available 24 hours a day in 52 different languages. The call is free and does not appear on the phone bill. Incidents can also be reported by emailing 016-online@igualdad.gob.es. Alternatively, there is also the WhatsApp chat at 600000016. In an emergency, the National Police (091), the Local Police (092) and the Guardia Civil (062) provide immediate assistance. If someone is unable to make a call, they can use the ALERTCOPS app, which sends a geolocation alert to the police. BUCHAREST, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A tugboat capsized Wednesday morning near Midia Port in Constanta, Romania, leaving one person dead and four others missing, according to the Romanian Naval Authority. The accident occurred around 8:40 a.m. local time (0640 GMT), when the Romanian-flagged tugboat ASTANA overturned while assisting the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Amades during a docking maneuver at the offshore Monbuoy terminal, approximately 8 km from Midia Port. Emergency response teams were dispatched immediately. One crew member was rescued and brought ashore. Despite the medical teams' efforts of resuscitation, the individual was pronounced dead. The remaining four crew members are missing and presumed dead, as search and rescue operations continue. Divers from Midia Marine Terminal are assisting authorities in the ongoing mission. The ASTANA, built in 2006, measured 26.09 meters in length and was powered by a 2,610 kW engine. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident, which remain unknown at this time. LONDON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The 8th China-UK Economic and Trade Forum was held in London on Wednesday, bringing together around 350 representatives from government, business, finance and academia to explore new opportunities for bilateral cooperation amid a changing global landscape. Held at Merchant Taylors' Hall under the theme "United in Momentum, Deepening Collaboration for a Shared Future," the forum was hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK (CCCUK), with support from the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the UK Department for Business and Trade, alongside several leading British institutions. The event came against the backdrop of renewed high-level engagement between China and the UK, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China earlier this year, as well as fresh policy signals from China's "Two Sessions" and the rollout of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Opening the forum, Fang Wenjian, chairman of CCCUK, said the event has become a key platform for dialogue between the two countries' business communities, stressing the need to translate momentum into concrete cooperation. "We are bridges between the countries," he said. "It is our mission to ensure that this bridge remains solid and strong." In his keynote address, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said business communities in both countries have long served as a driving force in advancing bilateral relations while calling for greater efforts to translate leaders' consensus into tangible outcomes. He said China's new development blueprint will bring fresh opportunities for global partners and inject new momentum into China-UK cooperation. "The rising turbulence of the world makes it all the more important for China and the UK to strengthen cooperation," he said. "We should not shy away from difficulty when doing the right thing, but instead charge ahead." Speaking on behalf of the UK government, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby stressed the importance of maintaining a stable and constructive economic relationship with China. She said China remains a key contributor to global growth and an important partner for the UK, adding that sustained dialogue helps provide greater certainty for businesses. She also highlighted the role of practical cooperation, particularly in areas such as financial services, in supporting growth, innovation and job creation in both countries. In her remarks, the Lady Mayor of the City of London, Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley, highlighted London's long-standing role as a global hub for trade and finance, noting that China-UK economic ties have deep historical roots and continue to evolve. "Strengthening cooperation between our two countries is not only beneficial to both sides, but also contributes to greater stability and resilience of the global economy," she said. The forum also featured two panel discussions focusing on new opportunities arising from China's development of "new quality productive forces" and on practical cooperation in areas such as advanced manufacturing, green transition and global market expansion. Press Release from Business Wire: FPT Corporation (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 TOKYO, March 18, 2026 (BSW) - Global IT services provider FPT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kyushu Financial Group (KFG), one of Japan's leading financial groups, to accelerate KFG's digital transformation, support cross-border market expansion, and unlock new business opportunities that contribute to regional value creation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317759961/en/ Do Van Khac, FPT Software SEVP and FPT Japan CEO, FPT Corporation (L) and Yoshihisa Kasahara, President and Representative Director, Kyushu Financial Group, Inc. (R) Combining FPT's global delivery capabilities and technology expertise with Kyushu Financial Group's regional network, financial leadership, and market insight, the partnership aims to deliver integrated solutions that accelerate digital transformation and generate long-term value. The two companies will work to develop cutting-edge technology solutions, expand KFG and its partners' presence in the Vietnamese market, and explore new business frontiers, building a foundation for its operational excellence and enduring growth across Japan and beyond. "Japan's financial sector is entering a new stage of transformation, where digital innovation and ecosystem collaboration are becoming increasingly critical. By bringing an AI-first approach to this partnership, FPT aims to support KFG in advancing its digital capabilities and accelerating transformation. Leveraging our end-to-end AI platform FleziPT, we look forward to delivering more intelligent, high-impact outcomes at speed and scale," said Do Van Khac, FPT Software SEVP and FPT Japan CEO, FPT Corporation. Building on collaboration with KFG's member companies since 2023, FPT has delivered tangible business impact across the group. A notable project is Tansakukun, a CO? management system jointly developed with Higo Bank, which has since been rolled out nationwide in Japan and recognized as a model case of a regional bank-led business initiative. With a focus on strengthening digital infrastructure, both companies aim to contribute meaningfully to customers, communities, and key industries across the region. FPT recently celebrated 20 years in Japan, reinforcing its standing as one of the market's largest foreign-invested technology companies. The company has built a nationwide presence with 18 offices and innovation hubs, backed by 5,000 employees in Japan and more than 15,000 offshore professionals, supporting over 450 global clients. FPT is targeting USD 1 billion in revenue from the Japanese market by 2027, with the goal of joining the country's top 15 IT companies. About FPT FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam and operates in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam's position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2025, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.66 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260317759961/en/ Contact Media ContactMai Duong (Ms.)FPT CorporationFPT Software PR Manager[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. TotalEnergies faces ruling in Belgian farmer climate case Tournai, Belgium, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 A Belgian judge will rule Wednesday in a closely watched case pitting French oil giant TotalEnergies against a farmer seeking compensation for damage to his farm caused by climate change. Hugues Falys, a farmer from Belgium's western Hainaut region, was backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace in the David-versus-Goliath case they hope could prove a turning point in the climate fight. Together they took TotalEnergies to court on the grounds the French group is Belgium's leading refiner and distributor of petroleum products, launching the country's first climate case brought against a multinational company. The plaintiffs argue the firm can be held liable for global warming because of emissions generated when its products are burned -- a claim rejected by TotalEnergies which accuses pressure groups of "instrumentalising the judiciary." The lawsuit was filed in 2024 before the Tournai business court in western Belgium, and argued over a series of hearings between November and January, with a verdict due at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Wednesday. "The judges have everything they need to make the right decision," Falys told AFP. "But it won't be black and white, given the number of issues to be decided," added the farmer, who also serves as spokesman for an agricultural union. Contacted by AFP, TotalEnergies declined to comment ahead of the ruling. Falys is seeking 130,000 euros ($150,000) in damages for four extreme weather events that struck his farm between 2016 and 2020. First a storm destroyed his strawberry and potato crops, then three periods of drought hurt fodder production, affecting cattle in turn. But the farmer and his backers are also seeking much broader action from TotalEnergies on countering climate change -- notably for it to stop investing in new fossil-fuel projects. - Frequent target - The goals of the lawsuit are "reparation and transformation", said Belgium's human rights league (LDH), which is backing the complaint alongside Greenpeace and food?rights organisation FIAN. Making its case in court, the company called it "absurd" to single out a particular firm over the pace of the energy transition -- arguing that it accounts for less than two percent of the oil and gas sector. "It's a bit easy to blame energy producers for pollution and warming," argued company lawyer Francoise Labrousse back in December, stressing the overarching role of governments in steering climate policy. "TotalEnergies doesn't sell tractors, cars or boilers," Labrousse argued, describing the group's strategy to meet the EU's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 as "ambitious and effective". TotalEnergies is a frequent target of climate and human rights activists, along with other oil giants. In 2021, Dutch courts issued a landmark ruling ordering Anglo?Dutch giant Shell to cut its net carbon emissions, finding they contributed to global warming and its harmful effects. But the judgement was overturned three years later, when an appeals court found that an NGO and individual citizens could not make such demands. The case, known as "People vs. Shell", is now before the Dutch Supreme Court. mad-ec/ub/gv/jhb Belgian court suspends TotalEnergies climate trial Tournai, Belgium, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2026 A Belgian court Wednesday adjourned a case pitting TotalEnergies against a farmer seeking compensation for climate-change damage, pending the outcome of a separate trial against the French energy giant in Paris. Hugues Falys, a farmer from Belgium's western Hainaut region, is backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace in the David-versus-Goliath case they hope could prove a turning point in the climate fight. Together they took TotalEnergies to court on the grounds the French group is Belgium's leading refiner and distributor of petroleum products, launching the country's first climate case brought against a multinational company. The Tournai business court in western Belgium was expected to hand down its verdict Wednesday, but instead decided to suspend proceedings until September -- after the expected conclusion of the Paris case in June. "The decision to adjourn the proceedings was made in the interest of ensuring a fully informed debate," the court said in a statement. "The court retains full jurisdiction over the entire dispute and retains full discretion in its assessment of both the facts and the law for the remainder of the proceedings," it added. It set the next hearing for September 9. The French case referred to by the Belgian court was brought by several NGOs and the city of Paris, which are demanding TotalEnergies stop developing new hydrocarbon projects and cut back oil and gas production. The Paris plaintiffs accuse the firm of having failed to properly consider environmental risks under a 2017 law that imposes a "duty of vigilance" on large companies. TotalEnergies and its accusers are at odds over the reach of the definition of the environment -- whether it means risks on a local scale such as a polluted river or more broadly global warming. The energy firm's lawyers argued global warming is beyond the scope of that law. - Destroyed crops - Similarly, in the Tournai case, the plaintiffs argue the firm can be held liable for global warming because of emissions generated when its products are burned -- a claim rejected by TotalEnergies which accuses pressure groups of "instrumentalising the judiciary". The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and argued over a series of hearings between November and January. Falys is seeking 130,000 euros ($150,000) in damages for four extreme weather events that struck his farm between 2016 and 2020. First a storm destroyed his strawberry and potato crops, then three periods of drought hurt fodder production, affecting cattle in turn. But the farmer and his backers are also seeking much broader action from TotalEnergies on countering climate change -- notably for it to stop investing in new fossil-fuel projects. The goals of the lawsuit are "reparation and transformation", said Belgium's human rights league (LDH), which is backing the complaint alongside Greenpeace and food?rights organisation FIAN. Making its case in court, the company called it "absurd" to single out a particular firm over the pace of the energy transition -- arguing that it accounts for less than two percent of the oil and gas sector. "It's a bit easy to blame energy producers for pollution and warming," argued company lawyer Francoise Labrousse back in December, stressing the overarching role of governments in steering climate policy. TotalEnergies is a frequent target of climate and human rights activists, along with other energy giants. In one closely watched case, a Peruvian farmer took German energy company RWE to court, alleging its emissions helped melt an Andean glacier threatening to flood his home. A German court dismissed the claim against RWE in May last year, but in a major step, ruled that corporate polluters could -- in principle -- be held liable for climate damages. Dutch courts also issued a landmark ruling ordering Anglo?Dutch giant Shell to cut its net carbon emissions, finding they contributed to global warming and its harmful effects. But the judgement was overturned three years later, when an appeals court found that an NGO and individual citizens could not make such demands. The case, known as "People vs. Shell", is now before the Dutch Supreme Court. mad-ub/ec/rmb 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 As unmaskings go, last weeks big Banksy reveal would have made for a pretty drab Scooby Doo plotline. The phenomenally popular artist has kept his real identity kinda-sorta under wraps for more than three decades; fans had varyingly speculated that the man behind street-art favourites Girl with Balloon and Kissing Coppers could be anyone from Massive Attack musician Robert Del Naja to Art Attack host Neil Buchanan. His trademark style is as recognisable as any in contemporary art bold stencil paintings, with pithy political meanings as is his MO for exhibition. Many is the property owner whos woken up thinking oh crumbs, my walls been defaced, only to realise that their wall has become the canvas for some very valuable art. Yet the man himself has always been opaque. This week, Reuters claimed to have definitively identified the enigmatic artist via details from a historical police report as the Bristolian man formerly known as Robin Gunningham (but who is claimed to have legally changed his name to David Jones, in a bid to preserve his anonymity). As surprises go, its a little on the, well, unsurprising side. Jones/Gunningham is a name thats been mooted several times down the years, as far back as 2008 by the Mail on Sunday, and in 2016 by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, who claimed to have proven the artists identity using geotracking analysis. Many of the finer details of Jones/Gunninghams life are still unknown: its reported by The Telegraph that he is very probably the owner of the multimillion-pound company NTS Services Limited, (formerly Nothing To See Limited), that he may now reside in the US, and that he lived for a time with a female partner not too long ago. Gunningham attended private school as a child a vocational irony that did not go unremarked upon by the papers back in 2008. But among Banksy fans, there has long been a general attitude of wilful obliviousness, preserving the veneer of anonymity long after credible-sounding reports of Banksys real identity surfaced. Its much like that scene in Spider-Man 2, when Peter Parkers mask comes off, and a train full of grateful civilians collectively agree to forget his face. Banksys lawyer told Reuters that the artist does not accept that many of the details contained within your enquiry are correct, and reiterated his reasons for keeping his identity private. Part of this is to do with safety: he claims that Banksy has been subjected to fixated, threatening and extremist behaviour in the past. But part of it is broader, more ideological. [Working] anonymously or under a pseudonym serves vital societal interests, he said. It protects freedom of expression by allowing creators to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation, censorship or persecution particularly when addressing sensitive issues such as politics, religion or social justice. open image in gallery An artwork by street artist Banksy in Venice, 2019 ( AFP/Getty ) Perhaps the biggest incentive for Banksy to remain a John Doe is unstated: at heart, more than anything, it may be a branding issue. The mystery around Banksys identity has been one of the most consistently pored-over facets of his work, and the notion that he may in fact just be some guy a former public schoolboy no less will diffuse much of his hard-earned mystique. And yet, its also true that many of the incentives Banksy once had for staying anonymous have dissipated. Hes no longer under any realistic threat of public prosecution for vandalism. His artworks, some of which have sold at auctions for eight-figure sums, have been embraced by the very establishment he seeks to critique (even if theyre regarded by some as trite and simplistic). Whats more, for someone so concerned with anonymity, Banksy has been, in a sense, hyper-visible. Where once he could show up and spray on a random street corner, now his (increasingly ambitious) pieces take military stealth to execute. His artworks have been displayed in galleries. Hes directed an Oscar-nominated documentary (2010s Exit Through the Gift Shop). He has his own Instagram page, where he shares pictures of his art and the occasional behind-the-scenes making-of video. In 2015, he opened his own satirical theme park, known as Dismaland a sprawling undertaking near a Somerset beachfront. Hes often showcased his work at Glastonbury the graffiti-sprayed stab-proof vest worn by Stormzy, or the inflatable migrant boat that bounced around the crowd during a set by Idles. These are not the actions of a furtive graffiti vandal, but the ostentatious performances of an artist in the public eye. Banksy may be the worlds highest-profile anonymous artist, but hes also not the only one. Elena Ferrante, the bestselling Italian author of The Lost Daughter and My Brilliant Friend, has never revealed her true name. Emergent drill rapper EsDeeKid has kept his identity obscured with a balaclava, prompting (now-dispelled) speculation that he was in fact Dune actor Timothee Chalamet. Other artists such as Daft Punk and Orville Peck have opted to keep their faces obscured by masks, even if their real names have been a matter of public record. open image in gallery A Banksy in Chalk Farm, north London ( Getty ) The question, I suppose, is whether the public and the media have a duty to respect an artists desire for anonymity. To some extent, there is a significant difference between privacy a right that everyone has and anonymity. Putting oneself out in the world via art, whether thats in live performance or stencils on buildings, is in itself an act of disclosure, and the bigger Banksy got, the more inevitable it became that his veil of discretion would be dislodged. From an academic standpoint, it is useful to be able to discuss and analyse Banksys work in the light of his personhood. While there are those out there who subscribe to the Roland Barthes Death of the Author school of thought the idea that authorial intention and biography ought to be disregarded in artistic criticism art has, by and large, always been informed and interpreted through the context of its creator. And when an artist is as ubiquitous as Banksy, this context is going to be actively sought out, whether he likes it or not. Knowing who Banksy is or supposedly is doesnt diminish the arts power, but adds to it, infuses it with new meanings and contradictions. I can only imagine that this new unmasking will change very little. Its hard to see Banksy suddenly embracing the celebrity lifestyle, attending movie premieres and going on the Off Menu podcast. Theres something romantic about his fidelity to a pseudonym, and many of his fans will continue to observe it. The truth is, no real man could ever live up to the outsized myth of Banksy. Not even Neil Buchanan. 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 Sean Penn may have missed the 2026 Oscars, where he won Best Supporting Actor, but he still had a worthy celebration of his own. On Sunday night, the 65-year-old One Battle After Another star became the fourth male actor to win his third Oscar. However, he was notably absent from the ceremony, instead choosing to visit the war-torn Ukraine. Penn has been a longtime activist in the country, becoming President Volodymyr Zelenskys closest high-profile ally during the countrys war with Russia. In a new clip shared to X by Ukrainian Railways CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, he presented Penn with a custom Oscar statuette made of salvaged metal from a railcar destroyed by Russia. Youre missing the Oscars, and plus you gave the last one to the president, Pertsovskyi said. During one of Penns early visits to Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion, he gifted Zelensky one of his Oscar trophies. So we made this one, Pertsovskyi said, pulling out the handmade trophy. This is made from the railcar that was damaged by the Russians. The metal survived, so we put some words here. Its very special for us. Its not golden but its very real and from the bottom of our hearts. open image in gallery Sean Penn skipped the 2026 Oscars, choosing instead to visit Kyiv ( Getty ) Giving Pertsovskyi a hug, Penn thanked him, telling him: These are all treasures. In the posts caption, Pertsovskyi added: Sean Penn opted for the trip to [Ukraine] vs. Oscar ceremony at Dolby Theater where he was awarded his 3rd [trophy]. We couldnt leave our great friend and loyal Ukrainian Railways passenger without an award. So, I have presented Sean with our Iron Oscar on behalf of all of us! open image in gallery Penn was gifted a custom Oscar statuette made from the salvaged metal of a Ukrainian railroad car destroyed by Russia ( Ukrainan Railways ) Penn won Best Supporting Actor at Sundays ceremony for his performance as narcissistic Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in Paul Thomas Andersons Oscar-winning revolutionary epic One Battle After Another. He beat his One Battle After Another co-star Benicio Del Toro, Delroy Lindo (Sinners), Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), who were all present at the ceremony. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Kieran Culkin, the categorys previous winner, presented the award. After revealing Penns victory, he said that the actor couldnt be there to accept the award. Sean Penn couldnt be here this evening. Or didnt want to, The Succession alum quipped in his usual wry tone. So Ill be accepting the award on his behalf. Penns absence at the Academy Awards was not a complete surprise, as he had not shown up at several awards ceremonies in the run-up to the Oscars, including the Baftas, where he also won Best Supporting Actor. 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 first action-packed trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been unveiled, promising a dramatic return for the beloved web-slinger as he encounters familiar faces from his past, including Dr Bruce Banner, The Punisher, and Scorpion. The highly anticipated upcoming film will see the teenage superhero, also known as Peter Parker, navigate a profoundly lonely new life. This follows a powerful spell cast to make the entire world forget his real identity, a selfless sacrifice made in order to save the universe. The preview, released by Sony Pictures Releasing UK, shows Spider-Man swinging back into action, poised to face his latest set of formidable challenges. The trailer opens with Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker, observing a video of his ex-girlfriend Michelle Jones "MJ" Watson (Zendaya) and his close friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon). Both have no recollection of his existence since the memory-wiping spell was cast, a poignant reminder of his sacrifice. The footage then transitions to Parker navigating his isolated new life, underscored by a voice-over where he explains his predicament: "Hi, my name is Peter Parker. You dont remember me, but we used to know each other. Something bad was going to happen and the only way to stop it was to make everyone forget about me. Because Im not just Peter Parker, Im Spider-Man." open image in gallery Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day ( Disney/Sony ) The teaser quickly plunges Spider-Man into the midst of a brutal fight scene, where viewers witness his intense encounter with The Punisher, whose real name is Frank Castle. The anti-hero, powerfully portrayed by John Bernthal, is well-known to fans through his eponymous spin-off series. In a dramatic and impactful moment, he hits Spider-Man with his van. Following a brief verbal confrontation, Spider-Man launches himself into the vehicle, causing both to crash violently out of the back. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Following their intense clash, Spider-Man is later seen in his civilian guise at a party, where he watches from across the room as his MJ flirts with another man, highlighting his personal heartbreak. In a poignant voiceover, he states: "Sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing even if it breaks Peter Parkers heart." The trailer then shows Parker waking up inside a spiders web, experiencing heightened senses and displaying strange behaviour, prompting him to ask: "What is happening to me?" Fans also see Parker seeking assistance from Dr Bruce (Mark Ruffalo), widely recognised as the superhero The Incredible Hulk. Another emotional clip reveals him leaving flowers at the grave of his aunt May, who was tragically killed in the most recent Spider-Man film. Over a series of dramatic and intense fight scenes, a mysterious voice ominously states: "Spiders have three life cycles. When between cycles, it can leave the spider vulnerable to threats." A fleeting glimpse of a mysterious character with their face concealed is then shown, which has already sparked widespread speculation among dedicated fans that it could be Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, though her characters identity is yet to be officially confirmed. open image in gallery Sadie Sinks character in the film is yet to be confirmed ( Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images ) The trailer also features the return of Michael Mando as the supervillain Scorpion, who is seen telling Spider-Man to stay out of his way as he wreaks havoc across the bustling streets of New York City. The trailer builds to a thrilling climax with explosions, widespread violence, and a series of action-packed scenes. These show Spider-Man confronting the formidable samurai-wielding ninja clan known as The Hand, a group familiar to fans from the Marvel spin-off series The Defenders. The preview ultimately concludes as Parker brings flowers to a party hosted by MJ and Ned, attempting to blend in by claiming he is "just a neighbour". MJ, however, responds with a knowing nod to the animated spin-off TV series, Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, playfully calling him a "friendly neighbour". Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled for release in cinemas on July 31 2026, promising another epic chapter in the hero's saga. 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 British government will pay back crew members left out of pocket after a new Simon Pegg film was forced to cancel production due to financial problems. Approximately 600,000 ($800,000) is owed to those working on the independent period drama, titled Angels in the Asylum, which filmed for half a month in February 2025 before grinding to a halt. According to Deadline, the UK governments Redundancy Payments Service (RPS), funded by national insurance payments, told crew members to expect a form of remuneration. The report claims that crew members are not expecting to receive the full amount, with one noting they believe they will be paid back a third of the money owed to them. open image in gallery Simon Peggs Angels in the Asylum collapsed due to financial trouble, leaving everyone out of pocket ( Getty ) The RPS aids those who are owed money when businesses run into financial trouble. Last year, the service helped out almost 70,000 people left in the red, and the amount thats given back is funded by national insurance payments. Its absolutely outrageous, the anonymous person told the outlet. The government is paying up for the mistakes of the producers. This is not why I pay my taxes. Pegg and the executive producers could write this off in a second and pay everyone off. Mission: Impossible actor Pegg was an executive producer on the film, as well as its lead star, but he was not paid for his work and didnt have any involvement with the films finances. The Independent has contacted Pegg for comment. A spokesperson for AITA Films, a production company thats been in administration since April 2025, said: Crew payments are being handled through the standard insolvency process. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. At the time the company went into administration, Angels in the Asylum director Rob Sorrenti and producer Heather Greenwood said: We have been forced into appointing an administrator as a precaution. We hope this is temporary while we continue to raise the funds for the film. However, one year on, creditors are owed approximately 3.8m ($5m). Angels in the Asylum is a true story about a group of women who were wrongly imprisoned in a mental institution in Surrey after being deemed to be typhoid carriers in the first half of the 20th century. The film also starred Katherine Waterston, Minnie Driver, Aurora Perrineau, Rose Williams and Alex Jennings. open image in gallery Simon Pegg was set to star in the film about a group of women wrongly imprisoned in a mental institution ( Invision ) Deadline reported that, when the film went into production, its budget was set at 4.9m, but it started shooting without all of its money in place. Just 15 days into the shoot in February, a gap in the budget emerged and production was paused. In an email update, reportedly sent by Sorrenti and Greenwood in March 2025, the crew were told: We appreciate how difficult this is for everyone. Were incredibly sorry. We endeavour to give you all an update as soon as possible, but the situation is incredibly complex Please know we are in this with you, neither of us intended to be in this situation and have been personally affected by it too. A further statement from Sorrenti and Greenwood said: It has taken 15 years to bring the film into production. It was devastating when we were forced to halt filming due to our second round of financing failing to materialise. After being let down, we were forced into hiatus. Since that time, we have been desperately trying to raise finances with the goal of addressing our outstanding obligations to both our cast and crew. We have also put some of our own funds into the project, but sadly, it hasnt been enough to rectify the situation. We remain determined to find a solution. We also want to make it very clear that we, the producers, have not been paid for our work on the production. Pegg reportedly told his colleagues: Were making something really special here, something important. This is a crisis, but its also an opportunity, and well be back soon. There are currently no plans to resume production on the film. WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. forces struck Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Central Command said Tuesday on X. "Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz," the command said. "The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait," it added. Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that Washington is "not ready" to end its strikes on Iran, now in its third week. Trump admitted that his demand for a joint escort mission through the Strait of Hormuz has been rejected by most NATO members and U.S. allies, saying he is "disappointed" in NATO's decision and asserting the United States does "not need the help of anyone." He said Japan, Australia and South Korea also rejected his escort call. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian parliament speaker, said in a post on X on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz "won't return to its pre-war status" but gave no further details. In a recent report by J.P. Morgan, analysts warn that oil producers in the Middle East could sustain output for "no more than 25 days" if the Strait of Hormuz were completely shut. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside Iran itself, depend on this narrow passage to export their crude oil. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told U.S. media last week that the strait remained open to international shipping, except for vessels belonging to the United States, Israel, and their allies. The United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global shipping, sending oil prices soaring and shaking the global economy. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A five-year-old deafblind boy is set to make his acting debut in EastEnders, with his mother expressing hope that his appearance will "break down barriers" for disabled children. Harvey Hind, from Clitheroe, Lancashire, will feature in Wednesdays episode of the BBC One soap, portraying Arlo, a pre-school character who is registered blind. His mother, Kimberly, believes Harvey's role will inspire other disabled children, particularly those who are deafblind, to understand that "they can achieve anything." "Harvey loves being in the spotlight but for us the most important thing will always be raising awareness and breaking down barriers so every disabled child gets the same opportunities as anyone else," Kimberly stated. She added that Harvey "did amazingly at the filming," taking the presence of "four cameras on him" in his stride. In the upcoming episode, Arlo and his mother visit Lauren Branning and Peter Beales home, where Arlo plays with Jimmy, Laurens son, who was revealed to be blind in a storyline last year. Arlos mother offers Lauren advice on raising a blind child. open image in gallery Zack travelling to set with his train assistant ( Kimberley Hind/Sense/PA Wire ) Harvey was diagnosed as blind at three months old after failing his newborn hearing test and his mother noticing an eye flicker around four weeks of age. He communicates using British Sign Language (BSL) and a red-and-white striped cane, commonly used by deafblind individuals, and also wears cochlear implants to access sound. Kimberly described the first two years of Harveys life as challenging, struggling to communicate with her son and eventually leaving work when he became distressed at a mainstream nursery. Support from the disability charity Sense, which assigned a specialist to the family, proved "lifesaving" for her. "I was so anxious when I found out Harvey was deafblind, so his characters storyline resonated with me a lot. I didnt have any experience with disability and I kept imagining the worst-case scenarios," she explained. "Luckily, with the support of organisations like Sense, Harvey is now a really happy child who is eager to learn, loves exploring and has a cheeky personality." open image in gallery Harvey in his hotel the night before filming ( Kimberley Hind/Sense/PA Wire ) Harvey has previously appeared in Senses 2025 Christmas appeal and on television news features highlighting the struggles faced by disabled children in education. The episode of EastEnders starring Harvey will air on BBC One at 7.30pm on Wednesday. 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 Oscar-nominated actor Riz Ahmed has revealed that he was banned from a London branch of Tesco after the supermarket suspected him of shoplifting. The 43-year-old, who will next star in Prime Video comedy Bait, said the incident occurred shortly after starring in 2018 superhero film Venom with Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams. Ahmeds role in Venom made him even more of an international name, with the actor having previously starred in Bafta-nominated black comedy Nightcrawler and Star Wars film Rogue One. After starring in Venom, he took a trip to the Old Kent Road branch of the supermarket chain, but the visit turned awry when security guards accused him of stealing something. They thought I was shoplifting, he told GQ on Wednesday (18 March). My washing machine was broken, so I had one of those massive laundry bags full of all my laundry, and the only clothes I had were insane I had [on] this bright green puffer and pink f***ing swim shorts or something. open image in gallery Riz Ahmed has revealed that he was once banned from Tesco ( Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP ) He said that hed popped to the shop to buy a frozen pizza for his brothers birthday but was stopped after the security scanners began beeping on his way out. They banned me, he said, adding that, at the same time, people were congratulating him on his Venom success. The texts are coming in: Bro, youre smashing it. The Independent has contacted Tesco for comment. He said that it was this experience and others where there is a disjunction between how someone is perceived by the public, and whats actually happening in their life that inspired Bait. Ahmed also spoke about alarming Queen Elizabeth IIs security team after trying to fist-bump the royal, and a time when he practiced spoken-word rap to someone on a train, who he later discovered was an immigration enforcement officer. open image in gallery Ahmed is starring in new Prime Video comedy Bait ( Getty Images ) Were constantly fish out of water, he added. Were constantly living the lie, when the perception looks a certain way. I thought, Just to make sense of this, I gotta write this stuff. Bait follows struggling actor Shah Latif played by Ahmed whose life is upended after the media finds out that hes auditioned to be the next James Bond. Guz Khan, Ritu Arya and Sheeba Chaddha also star in the series. Ahmed began his acting career in 2006, landing a role in Michael Winterbottoms The Road to Guantanamo. He later appeared in satire Four Lions and BBC drama The Fades before landing a breakout role in Nightcrawler. Hes since starred in HBO drama The Night Of, Netflixs The OA and drama Sound of Metal which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He won the award for Best Live Action Short Film the following year for The Long Goodbye, which accompanied his 2020 hip hop album of the same name. Ahmed is set to be one of the first hosts on Saturday Night Live UK next month, presenting the show on 4 April alongside musical guest Kasabian. 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 On a sweltering summer day in 2011, Maya Silver was hiking through Colorados remote Unaweep Canyon when her then-boyfriend started to grow frustrated with her pace. The sun was blazing overhead, the terrain was difficult, and she couldnt keep up. Without a word, he stormed ahead and then vanished from sight. Silver, an inexperienced hiker at the time, spent the next two hours alone, lost and spiralling with fears of rattlesnake bites, heatstroke, and the suffocating isolation of the canyon. After one hour, you start spiralling in your head, she says. I worried that I might never get off the trail and find him, that he had left me completely, or I would take a wrong turn and trip and fall. Silver experienced what has more recently been dubbed alpine divorce, a new dating term that describes the physical abandonment of a significant other, intentionally or unintentionally, in the mountains. Online, women have recounted experiences like Silvers: being guided by a more experienced male partner on hikes, only to be left stranded and with the unsettling sense that their partner does not have their best interests at heart. Some women say in their online testimonies that their experience of alpine divorce was an early sign of their partners emotional or physical abuse. While there are no statistics available to illustrate its scale yet, the uproar online suggests it is surprisingly common: one Reddit post on the topic has more than a thousand comments from women sharing similar experiences. The term alpine divorce dates back to a 1893 short story by Scottish-Canadian author Robert Barr, in which a man plots to push his wife off a mountain. While fictional, the story taps into a long-standing fear of betrayal in remote, high-risk environments. The term went mainstream last month, after Austrian climber Thomas Plamberger was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter for leaving his girlfriend to freeze to death during a hike on Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain at 14,461ft (3,798 meters). The judge ruled that Plamberger was responsible for Gurtner, noting that his mountaineering skills were galaxies beyond hers and criticising him for failing to assess her abilities. (Plamberger has denied criminal wrongdoing and is appealing.) During the trial, his ex-girlfriend Andrea Bergener testified that he had left her alone on a night hike on Grossglockner years earlier though, in her case, she had fortunately managed to descend the mountain safely on her own. open image in gallery Alpine divorce has been likened to ghosting, the act of suddenly cutting off all communication from someone with no explanation ( Getty ) Silver, now an experienced climber and editor of Climbing Magazine, was later reunited with her boyfriend after her two arduous hours of survival and was furious with him. They broke up a few months later. But Silver still wonders what could have happened if she had not safely found her way back. Things could have gone south, she tells me. You can see so many instances where this could have become a really big search and rescue situation, or it could have been fatal. The most common and less extreme form of alpine divorce occurs when one partner walks ahead during a hike, leaving the other alone after a minor argument. Minaa B, a New York-based social worker and eharmony relationship expert, describes it as a form of abandonment trauma. Being left behind on a hike can trigger a powerful fight-or-flight response, flooding the nervous system with fear and leaving a person disoriented and panicked. It can be very dysregulating to the nervous system for somebody to be abandoned in either an unfamiliar environment or even an unsafe environment, says Minaa. Not having access to resources, like a working cell phone or a blanket, can add to the severity of the situation, too. You might feel fear. You might feel extreme stress in that moment, she says. Theres a threat to your safety thats happening. open image in gallery Austrian climber Thomas Plamberger was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter for leaving his girlfriend during a hike on Grossglockner, Austrias highest mountain ( Facebook ) The relationship expert compares alpine divorce to ghosting the sudden, unexplained cutoff of communication in a romantic relationship, often used to avoid confrontation. People who struggle with emotional maturity and direct communication can find it easier to abandon someone versus having a very clear conversation about wanting to end the relationship, says Minaa. This is an extreme form of ghosting, except its not happening in the digital space. Its happening in real life to people. Alpine divorces are usually the result of a communication breakdown, says Dr Jessica Carbino, a relationship expert and former sociologist for Bumble and Tinder. It represents someones capacity to control their impulses, she explains. People who would engage in this type of behaviour are having a challenge regulating their stress and becoming panicked or very anxious. And they then engage in these incredibly impulsive behaviours, like leaving somebody on a mountain, abandoning them and walking away. Power dynamics play a big role, too. The image of a man abandoning a woman, leaving her vulnerable, taps into traditional gender roles that assume the man leads and the woman follows. Men historically have the power to determine the grounds for all interactions, says Carbino. By walking away from a conversation, you are taking the power back. You are denying the opportunity for interaction, and that certainly has a gender element to it. open image in gallery Stories of Alpine divorces range from mid-hike couples spats to much darker incidents ( Getty ) When a partner abandons you in a remote setting, its a profound breach of trust thats hard to repair. According to Minaa B, it may signal that your needs arent a priority and could be a sign its time to walk away. That experience can trickle into how you perceive the relationship, the fact that your partner did abandon you in this way, she adds. And I think the question for that person experiencing that is, What does this mean about trust? As a regular climber with nearly 20 years of experience, Silver now knows what it takes to be prepared for a difficult hike. She hopes that less-experienced climbers, and women in particular, are not put off by these stories circulating online, but that they take extra caution when embarking on dates in more isolated locations. If you have any apprehension or lack of experience, do the research, ask the hard questions, dont accept the answers point-blank [from your partner or date], says Silver. If in doubt, pick somewhere familiar, busy and within cell reception service. If you have any inkling that something isnt right, suggest something much more mellow, go to the climbing gym instead. Or, choose a hiking route that youve done before. Its a sad reality, but one that all women should be aware of. The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 801 0327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org 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 Parents sending their children to nursery for the first time can expect a challenging year of illness, but new research offers a reassuring perspective: this early exposure builds crucial resilience for school. A collaborative study by experts from UCL, the University of Cambridge, Cornell University, and North Middlesex University Hospital, which analysed immunology, infectious disease genomics, and epidemiology data, indicates that toddlers and pre-schoolers are likely to encounter 15 illnesses in their initial year of formal childcare. The research suggests that during this period, children can anticipate an average of 12 respiratory illnesses, such as coughs and colds, two episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting, and at least one illness presenting with a rash. Dr Arindam Das, a Doctify-rated consultant paediatrician, confirms that frequent illness is a normal part of early childhood development. "Its very normal, especially in the first year of nursery, for children to be unwell pretty frequently," he reassures. "When young children pick up these minor infections, their immune system is learning how to fight infections, so catching these bugs is a normal part of childhood." Dr Das highlights six common ailments children frequently pick up in nursery settings: Coughs and Colds These are the most prevalent infections. "The most common infections that children pick up at nursery are coughs, colds, and fever," says Dr Das. Most colds in younger children typically resolve within two weeks. The NHS advises ensuring children drink plenty of fluids and suggests saline nose drops to alleviate stuffy noses. Dr Das stresses the importance of hygiene: "Good hand hygiene is the most effective measure to prevent lot of these infections because they spread via droplets and touch. So, teaching children to wash their hands and to cover their mouth and nose when theyre coughing and sneezing is really important." open image in gallery (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) Fever While often a concern for parents, Dr Das explains that a fever itself is not necessarily a red flag. "You need to look at the whole picture. A fever is a sign or a symptom that the child is fighting a bug." High temperatures usually return to normal within one to four days and can often be managed at home. However, parents should contact NHS 111 or their GP if the child has other symptoms like a rash, if the fever persists for five days or more, or if they are not eating or appear dehydrated. open image in gallery (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) Tummy Bugs Gastrointestinal infections are also common. "We also see a lot of tummy bugs in nursery school-age children," Dr Das notes. He describes a typical progression: "For a tummy bug, the most common scenario is vomiting and then after a few days diarrhoea usually starts. This is a natural progression, and parents shouldnt be alarmed." Most tummy bugs can be managed at home with adequate hydration, and paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used for comfort. However, parents should seek medical help if their child becomes very drowsy or lethargic, is not drinking enough, or is passing very little urine. The NHS advises calling 111 for children under five with signs of dehydration (e.g., fewer wet nappies), persistent vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, or diarrhoea lasting over seven days or vomiting over two days. Conjunctivitis This eye inflammation can be viral, bacterial, or allergic. "If your child has reddening of the eyes and has some watery discharge, then this is most likely to be a viral infection," Dr Das explains. Allergic conjunctivitis primarily causes itching, while bacterial forms present with more purulent, thick, yellowy discharge and the child may appear generally unwell. For minor or viral cases, frequent eye watering and paracetamol for discomfort are recommended. Over-the-counter eye drops are also an option. A GP should be consulted if symptoms do not clear within seven days or if a baby has red, sticky eyes. open image in gallery (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease This viral illness typically presents with a mild to moderate temperature and characteristic rashes. "The other hallmark symptom is rashes on the hand, foot or mouth. There doesnt necessarily have to be rashes on all three places, but is usually on at least two of these areas," says Dr Das. The rashes are blanching, meaning they fade when pressed, and the child usually feels well between fever episodes. Mouth ulcers, loss of appetite, and a sore throat are also common. The NHS recommends cool fluids and soft foods, avoiding hot, salty, or spicy items. Parents should contact their GP if symptoms do not improve after seven to ten days. Chickenpox Dr Das observes an increase in younger children contracting chickenpox. The main symptom is an itchy, spotty rash. "One typical character of a chickenpox rash is that they come out in different times and they look different we call it pleomorphic, which means they come out in crops," he explains. The rash often starts on the face, with new spots appearing on the body while older ones on the face are already changing. Chickenpox is usually self-resolving, but the intense itch can be distressing. Paracetamol or age-appropriate antihistamines can help. Medical attention is needed if the rash becomes yellowy, shows pus, or bleeds. NHS 111 should be contacted if a child with chickenpox shows signs of dehydration. open image in gallery (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) When to Keep Children Home Regarding when to keep children home from nursery or school, Dr Das advises: "The standard guidelines for vomiting or diarrhoea advises parents to not send their child to school or nursery until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped." He also suggests keeping children home if they are actively coughing and sneezing, not only for their own well-being but to prevent wider transmission. The NHS also recommends keeping children with a high temperature off school until it subsides. Dr Das concludes: "I fully understand that the logistics around keeping children at home, so I would just advise parents to use their common sense to judge whether the child is safe and whether they are following the official guidelines or school guidelines." 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 Amazon delivery business owner stole nearly $10 million to buy luxury cars and fund a lavish lifestyle with her partner in crime, federal prosecutors have said. Brittany Hudson, a 40-year-old from Atlanta, was found guilty by a federal jury last week in a fraud scheme where she and an Amazon warehouse manager from Atlanta, Kayricka Wortham, 34, stole millions of dollars. Hudson and her literal partner in crime brazenly stole nearly $10 million from Amazon through a fraud scheme involving fake vendors and invoices, Theodore S. Hertzberg, a U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said in a statement. A federal jury put an end to Hudsons insatiable greed by returning a guilty verdict on 30 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and forgery. Hudson owned Legend Express LLC, a business contracted with Amazon to deliver packages. Wortham, who was romantically involved with Hudson, worked as an operations manager at an Amazon warehouse in Smyrna, Georgia, where she approved new Amazon vendors and vendor invoice payments. open image in gallery An Amazon delivery business owner stole nearly $10 million to buy luxury cars and fund a lavish lifestyle with her 'partner in crime,' federal prosecutors have said ( DOJ ) open image in gallery Brittany Hudson, a 40-year-old from Atlanta, was found guilty by a federal jury last week of a fraud scheme in which she and an Amazon warehouse manager from Atlanta, Kayricka Wortham, 34, stole millions of dollars ( DOJ ) In their scheme that lasted from about January to June 2022, Wortham gave fake vendor information to clueless subordinates for them to put into Amazons vendor system, according to federal prosecutors. Wortham and another unnamed co-conspirator, who worked for Amazon, then approved the fake vendors, allowing the vendors to submit invoices, the prosecutors said. Hudson and Wortham then submitted invoices, falsely stating the fake vendors provided goods and services to Amazon, prosecutors said. open image in gallery With the stolen money, Hudson and Wortham bought a nearly $1 million home in Smyrna and a fleet of top-of-the-line cars, including a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2021 Dodge Durango, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle, prosecutors said ( DOJ ) Wortham approved these invoices and Amazon transferred a total of about $9.4 million to bank accounts controlled by the two defendants and other co-conspirators during the scheme, according to prosecutors. With the stolen money, Hudson and Wortham bought a nearly $1 million home in Smyrna and a fleet of top-of-the-line cars, including a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2021 Dodge Durango, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle, prosecutors said. But Hudson and Worthams lavish lifestyle came to a crashing halt when they were federally charged with defrauding Amazon in September 2022. open image in gallery The fraud scheme that lasted from about January to June 2022 ( DOJ ) open image in gallery Wortham was convicted of fraud in November 2022 after pleading guilty and was later sentenced to 16 years in prison ( DOJ ) While on bond in January 2023, the two falsely claimed to a potential business partner that their charges had been dropped, according to prosecutors. They emailed fake court documents with forged signatures from Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr., who has since retired, and one of the then-prosecutors on the case, Cobb County Magistrate Judge Norman L. Barnett, to back up the lie, prosecutors said. Hudson also emailed fake bank and personal financial statements that inflated the balances of her and Worthams accounts. open image in gallery Hudsons sentencing will take place on June 16 ( DOJ ) For her part in the scheme, Wortham was convicted of fraud in November 2022 after pleading guilty. She was later sentenced to 16 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay about $9.4 million in restitution to Amazon. She also pleaded guilty to forgery of the signature of a federal judge last October and will be sentenced for the charge on March 25. Hudsons sentencing will take place on June 16. The Independent has reached out to Amazon 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 Nearly 15 years after an Iowa realtor was gunned down while hosting an open house in broad daylight, police say they have arrested a suspect in the case. West Des Moines police arrested 53-year-old Kristin Elizabeth Ramsey Tuesday and charged her with the murder of Ashley Okland, officials announced at a press conference. Okland, 27, who worked for Iowa Realty Co., was showing a model townhouse on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines on April 8, 2011, when she was shot twice, according to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa. She later died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. The killing, at around 2 p.m. on a Friday, shocked the community and remained unsolved for years despite its brazen timing. At the time of Oklands death, Ramsey worked as an administrative assistant and sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the developer of the townhome where Okland was shot, according to her LinkedIn and a source familiar with her work history, the Des Moines Register reported. open image in gallery Police arrested 53-year-old Kristin Elizabeth Ramsey Tuesday and charged her with the murder of Ashley Okland ( Dallas County Jail ) Ramsey has been charged with first-degree murder following an indictment by a grand jury in Dallas County, Iowa. Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes, who has worked the case since the beginning, said investigators chased thousands of leads and reviewed countless pieces of evidence over the years. He said it was an unrelenting pursuit of justice that ultimately led to Ramseys arrest, but declined to provide additional details. Ashleys story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds, searching for that missing piece that would tie everything together and lead us down the right path to identifying a person who was responsible for this act, Hayes added. open image in gallery Ashley Okland, 27, was showing a model townhouse on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines on April 8, 2011, when she was shot and killed ( Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa ) West Des Moines Police Assistant Chief Jody Hayes said at the news conference that Oklands murder sent shockwaves throughout the state and haunted the real estate community. Everyone within Iowa Realty and related companies was relieved for the family of our friend and colleague Ashley Okland that an arrest was made for her murder, a spokesperson for Iowa Realty told the Des Moines Register following Ramseys arrest. Her tragic passing was something that not only deeply impacted our company and community, but the national real estate world as a whole. Ramsey is being held in the Dallas County Jail in Iowa on a $2 million cash-only bond. Chief Hayes added that as significant as this arrest is, our work is not done yet. 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 More than five decades after a headless and handless body was discovered along a desolate stretch of road in upstate New York, advances in DNA technology have finally given him a name - but the killer remains unknown. New York State Police announced Friday that remains found on March 20, 1970, on Davis Hill Road in Andover have been identified as Clyde A. Coppage. The gruesome discovery left investigators at the time with few clues. The corpse had no head, hands, clothing or any other items to identify him by, Trooper James OCallaghan said Friday at a press conference. Coppage was 35 years old and living in Genesee, Pennsylvania, at the time of his disappearance. He was never reported missing, further complicating efforts to identify him, police said. Over the course of nearly 56 years, investigating members of the New York State Police continued to track down every lead, but the identity of the male remained unknown, New York State Police said. open image in gallery New York State Police announced this week that the remains found on March 20, 1970, on Davis Hill Road in Andover have been identified as Clyde A. Coppage ( New York State Police ) The case remained cold for years due to limitations in DNA technology, OCallaghan said. In June 2022, the investigation saw renewed momentum when authorities exhumed the body to obtain a DNA profile. State Police, working with the FBI, relied on DNA analysis to identify the body as Coppage. He was identified February 27. Genesee, Pennsylvania is about 27 miles south of where Coppages body was found. Investigators believe Coppage was killed and dismembered elsewhere before his body was dumped along the rural roadway, according to OCallaghan, who spoke to the Albany Times Union. OCallaghan also told the outlet that Coppage worked for Kodak in the Rochester area and was married with children when he disappeared. Its unclear why his family did not report him missing. open image in gallery Trooper James OCallaghan said the evidence suggested Coppage was killed and dismembered somewhere else before his body was left on the rural Davis Hill Road in Andover ( New York State Police ) Investigators have interviewed his wife, who is now in her late 80s, but OCallaghan declined to give any more details. State Police have not revealed Coppages cause of death. The investigation into the death of Coppage remains open and active, the release stated. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Coppage or the circumstances surrounding his death to contact the New York State Police at 585-344-6200. 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 notorious 1990 art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston has generated countless theories over the past three decades. Now, a former FBI agent has addressed those theories ranging from the Corsican mob to the Irish Republican Army in a new book, as well as revealing what he believes really happened. The saga began on March 18, 1990, when two men posing as police officers showed up at the Boston museum and claimed they received reports of a disturbance, according to the FBI. Once they were let inside, the men tied up the museums security guards in the basement. They then stole 13 artworks, worth more than $500 million at the time, in the largest property crime in U.S. history, the agency said. The list includes works by Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet and Rembrandt van Rijn, along with a painting by Johannes Vermeer, which is one of only 34 surviving works by the Dutch Master. The museum now displays empty frames where the works once were. open image in gallery The FBI said two men pretended to be police officers to gain access to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum ( FBI ) open image in gallery Thieves stole 13 artworks on March 18, 1990 ( FBI ) It's an intentional choice designed to send a message to the publica reminder of what was lost and hope that what was once there will someday return, the agency said. The Boston museum is offering up to $10 million to anyone who returns the art in good condition, according to the FBI. Geoffrey Kelly, a retired FBI agent who investigated the theft for more than two decades, detailed the case in his new book, Thirteen Perfect Fugitives, and described how investigators tried to determine who was behind the brazen heist. open image in gallery Johannes Vermeer's 'The Concert' was one of the 13 works stolen ( FBI ) open image in gallery Govaert Flinck's 'Landscape with an Obelisk' was also taken ( FBI ) According to a New York Times review of Kellys book, he dismissed several theories, one of which involved the Corsican mob. Kelly reportedly wrote that this theory was a dead end, after an investigation revealed the group did have access to stolen works, but none were related to the case. Another theory involved the Irish Republican Army and James Bulger, a late Boston gang leader who once had ties to the group. Kelly threw cold water on the idea that Bulger or the IRA were responsible, the paper reports. Kelly also addressed a slew of other questions, including whether the artworks couldve been hidden in the museum all along, a possibility which he also debunked. Investigators current theory centers on a group of Boston mobsters associated with Carmello Merlino, who denied having the art but once told the FBI he might know who did. Merlino died in 2005. open image in gallery The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum now displays empty frames where the stolen artworks once were ( AFP via Getty Images ) Investigators have previously said they believe two of Merlinos associates, Leonard DiMuzio and George Reissfelder, likely carried out the heist. Both men died shortly after the works were stolen. The two men resembled the police sketch of the thieves, and Reissfelders brother has said he saw one of the stolen works at his brothers apartment, Kelly reportedly wrote. The FBI has also looked into Robert Gentile, a well-known mobster who died in 2021. Another mobsters widow once told investigators that her husband gave Gentile two of the stolen works, according to the Associated Press. Gentile repeatedly denied any allegations that he was linked to the stolen artworks. I had nothing to do with the paintings. Its a big joke, he told the AP in 2019. 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 Ohio worker who was crushed to death at one of Fords plants has been named, according to reports. Gregory Knopf was killed at the Sharonville Transmission Plant on Monday after getting pinned by a press machine. He was 64 years old. A Sharonville Police Department spokesperson told The Cincinnati Enquirer that the machine had been undergoing routine maintenance when it inadvertently turned on. First responders were called to the scene at 9.45 am. After the worker was pulled from the machine, medics started performing life-saving measures. open image in gallery Gregory Knopf was reportedly crushed to death during an incident at one of Fords facilities ( AP ) Knopf was subsequently rushed to Bethesda North Hospital, where he later died, according to Sharonville Police. The spokesperson added that there were multiple witnesses to the incident, which is being considered as an industrial accident. Knopfs son, Corey, told WCPO that his father absolutely loved his family. In just a matter of minutes, everything went from going about your day as normal to changing your life for the rest of your life," he added. Miranda Boutwell, Knopfs daughter, said that her father was always willing to help anyone in need. I wish he would be around to see the rest of my life, but I know that he will be proud, and I know that he is proud," Boutwell told WCPO. In his obituary, Knopf is described as a lifelong resident of Cincinnati who was survived by his wife of 39 years and his four children. Greg built a life centered on faith, family, and hard work. He was a skilled plumber and pipe fitter who took pride in his craft and the work of his hands. Above all, he loved the Lord and his family with his whole heart, a love that was evident in the way he lived and cared for those around him, the tribute reads in part. open image in gallery Knopf died in hospital following the incident at the Sharonville Transmission Plant (pictured) ( Google Street View ) The Hamilton County Coroners Office, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Ford Motor Company are all investigating the accident, according to police. Jessica Enoch, a spokesperson for Ford, confirmed the incident in a statement given to The Detroit Free Press. Our deepest condolences are with the friends and family of our team member, Enoch said. Counseling services are available for our employees at the plant. Safety is our highest priority and we are investigating the incident, she continued. We would also like to thank our community first responders. Laura Dickerson, the vice president of the United Auto Workers, shared her own statement about Knopfs death on X. No one should ever go to work and never come home, Dickerson wrote. It is our sacred duty as a union to protect the life, health, and safety of our members on the job. Members deserve a workplace free of threat to life and body, she continued. Our prayers are with the family, co-workers and loved ones of our fallen brother. open image in gallery The Ford workers son said that his father absolutely loved his family ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) There were 5,070 fatal work injuries in 2024, according to the most recent Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey also found that one worker died every 104 minutes from a work-related injury that same year. Workers in transportation and material moving occupations experienced the most fatalities. An estimated 1,391 workers from that sector died from fatal work injuries in 2024, according to the CFOI. The Independent has contacted the Ford Motor Company and the Sharonville Police Department for further 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 Luigi Mangiones lawyers asked a judge Wednesday to postpone his federal trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson until early next year and indicated they will seek to delay his state murder trial until September. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, Mangiones attorneys said the current schedule, with the state trial set for June and the federal trial in September, would put him in the position of needing to prepare for two complicated and serious trials at the same time. They requested that the federal trial be moved to January 2027, giving them a chance to ask State Judge Gregory Carro to reschedule the state trial from June 8 to September 8. Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Carro had previously suggested the state trial could be moved to September, but only if federal prosecutors appealed Garnetts ruling barring them from seeking the death penalty. They declined, leaving the June and September trial dates in place. Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both cases ( Stephen Yang/New York Post via AP ) Keeping the current schedule would violate Mangione's constitutional rights, his lawyers argued. Among other concerns, they said, preparations for jury selection in the federal case would overlap with the state trial, limiting Mangione's ability to review questionnaires filled out by hundreds of potential jurors infringing on his right to participate in his own defense. Back-to-back trials would also rob Mangione of his right to effective assistance of counsel, his lawyers said, because they would be forced to prepare for the federal trial while simultaneously defending him in court at the state trial. Though fierce advocates for their clients, defense counsel cannot be in two places at once, wrote Mangione's lawyers, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo and Jacob Kaplan. Federal prosecutors oppose the request, they said. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan, which is prosecuting the federal case, declined to comment. A message seeking comment was left for the Manhattan district attorney's office, which is prosecuting the state case. Mangione, 27, faces the possibility of life in prison if he's convicted in either case. At a court hearing in February, he spoke out against the prospect of two trials, telling the judge: Its the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition. Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Groups annual investor conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police say the words delay, deny and depose were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims. Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later after he was spotted eating at a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) west of Manhattan. His lawyers have argued that authorities prejudiced his case by turning his arrest into a Marvel movie spectacle, including by having armed officers parade him up a Manhattan pier after he was flown to New York and by publicly declaring their desire to seek the death penalty before he was indicted. In January, Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge murder through use of a firearm that had enabled prosecutors to seek capital punishment, finding it legally flawed. She wrote that she did so to foreclose the death penalty as an available punishment to be considered by the jury when it weighs whether to convict Mangione. In their letter, Mangione's lawyers argued that delaying the federal trial would allow a buffer between his state trial and the beginning of the juror questionnaire process that precedes jury selection in the federal matter. Without a delay, they wrote, Mr. Mangiones potential federal jurors will be constantly bombarded with news reports and social media posts relating to the allegations and evidence against Mr. Mangione as they fill out juror questionnaires and in the subsequent weeks before they are empaneled in the federal case. Arsenal Stand Firm on Calafiori Amid Inter and Juventus Interest Arsenal Strategy Reflects Stability Over Speculation Transfer windows often revolve around movement, yet this situation feels rooted in something quieter, more deliberate. Arsenal have little intention of allowing Riccardo Calafiori to leave this summer despite growing interest from Italy, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal. There is a clarity to that position. Arsenal are not negotiating from uncertainty, nor reacting to pressure from Inter, Juventus or others circling. Instead, they are reinforcing a structure that has been carefully assembled under Mikel Arteta. Calafiori Role Within Evolving Arsenal Squad Calafioris journey in north London has not been straightforward, shaped by injuries and competition. Still, his contribution remains significant. While the 23-year-old has faced some injury setbacks during his time in north London, he has still managed to make close to 60 appearances for the club and remains a valued member of the squad. Versatility has become a defining currency at Arsenal. The ability to shift between left back and central defence offers Arteta tactical elasticity, a way of adjusting shape without sacrificing cohesion. Calafiori has spent much of his time operating at left-back but is equally comfortable playing centrally, offering manager Mikel Arteta valuable defensive versatility. That adaptability matters in a squad where competition is no longer incidental but essential. Competition and Interest from Inter and Juventus The arrival of Piero Hincapie has complicated the landscape, not in a disruptive way, but in a manner that sharpens internal standards. This season he has found himself battling for minutes following the arrival of Piero Hincapie, with the Ecuador international impressing since his move and pushing for a regular starting role. Interest from Italy feels predictable. Inter, Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli recognise a player who understands Serie A and retains potential for further growth. Reports in Italy have suggested Calafiori could be open to a return to Serie A, with league leaders Inter Milan understood to be among a number of clubs monitoring his situation. Yet Arsenals response has been consistent. However, sources have made it clear to us that Arsenal have no plans to move on from the defender and remain fully committed to keeping him at the club. Long Term Vision Under Arteta and Berta There is a broader theme here, one that extends beyond a single player. Arsenal are building continuity, resisting the temptation to treat depth as expendable. Calafiori himself is understood to be settled in north London and not actively seeking a move away from the Emirates. That alignment between player and club strengthens the position. Arteta has been a long-time admirer of the Italian and continues to see him as an important part of the squad, while sporting director Andrea Berta also has no intention of sanctioning an exit. The sentiment is reinforced from within. An Arsenal source told us: He is a big player for the club and has played a big part in where it is now. He is an important player. The squad this year has been phenomenal, and the idea of a squad this strong is not going to change going forward. Even peripheral links carry little weight. Chelsea were recently credited with interest in Calafiori, but the player moving between the two clubs is highly unlikely. Arsenals stance is not shaped by external interest. It is defined by internal conviction. Our View EPL Index Analysis If youre an Arsenal supporter, this report lands as reassurance rather than surprise. There is an understanding now that squad depth is not a luxury but a requirement for competing across competitions. Calafiori represents a certain type of signing, versatile, technically assured, and tactically intelligent. Fans will recognise that losing such a player would weaken the overall structure, even if he is not always first choice. There is also an appreciation for how the club now operates. In previous eras, interest from clubs like Inter or Juventus might have triggered uncertainty. Now it feels different. Arsenal are setting terms, not reacting to them. Supporters may also see this as validation of Artetas squad building. Competition for places is no longer a concern but a strength. If Hincapie pushes Calafiori, that elevates standards rather than creating instability. There will always be curiosity about playing time, about how players balance ambition with patience. Yet the message here is clear. Arsenal are building something that requires depth, resilience, and trust. For fans, that is progress. 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 American college student visiting friends in Spain over spring break has gone missing after a night out in Barcelona, and his family is desperately pleading for answers. James Jimmy Gracey, 20, a junior at the University of Alabama, was last seen around 3 a.m. on March 17 outside Shoko Barcelona, a popular beachfront nightclub on Barceloneta Beach, his family said in a statement on Facebook. My son is a University of Alabama student who is visiting friends in Barcelona who are studying abroad, his mother, Therese Marren Gracey, wrote in the post. They went to Shoko last night. The police have his phone but he didnt make it back to the Airbnb. Has anyone seen him? Police recovered his phone during the arrest of another person, family spokesperson Noreen Heron told Fox News Digital. Gracey, who is from the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, had traveled to Barcelona for spring break to visit friends studying abroad and the group went to Shoko on Monday night. He was last seen around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday. open image in gallery Jimmy Gracey, a University of Alabama student from Chicago, has been reported missing after a night out with friends in Barcelona, Spain ( Supplied ) Mossos dEsquadra, of the Catalan police force, confirmed to CNN that an investigation is underway. We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation, police said in a statement. A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1 AM, reporting a possible disappearance. The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3 AM, in the Port Olimpic area. According to his mother, Gracey was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants probably joggers and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He wears a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He was last seen by his friend at Shoko around 3 a.m. [local time]. The friend was leaving but Jimmy stayed, she wrote. He is about 6-foot 1-inch tall and weighs 175 pounds, his family said. open image in gallery He was last seen by his friend at Shoko around 3 a.m. ( Supplied ) A University of Alabama spokesperson said in a statement, James Paul Gracey is a UA student on a personal trip. UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible. Anyone with information about Graceys whereabouts is urged to contact (224) 505-3886. 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 Thousands of spring breakers are flocking to Floridas beaches this month, prompting police to ramp up their operations and take action against so-called takeover events. Authorities in Volusia County, Florida, are working to penalize social media users who promote large, unsanctioned spring break events sometimes referred to as takeovers. Volusia County is likely to become the first in the state to implement financial penalties for these promoters, Sheriff Michael Chitwood told reporters Tuesday. The county is home to popular spring break destinations like Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. We're going to sue you civilly. We're coming after every asset that you have. This goes to every promoter. You promote a truck event, you promote a takeover event, we are coming after you financially, Chitwood said. These events can endanger public safety, Chitwood explained. open image in gallery Thousands of spring breakers are flocking to beaches in Volusia County, Florida ( Volusia County Sheriff's Office ) open image in gallery Body camera footage shared by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office showed crowds gathered for spring break celebrations last week ( Volusia County Sheriff's Office ) There's a way to do business. Get permits. You do things the right way, he added. Authorities are also ordering a special event zone in the area from Friday at 11 a.m. until at least Sunday, which will allow officers to hand out higher traffic fines and other penalties, Chitwood announced. Tuesday marked the busiest day of spring break so far in New Smyrna Beach, according to the local police department. We are experiencing heavy traffic, large crowds of juveniles, and increased activity throughout the city, especially in beachside areas and along main roadways, the agency said. Expect delays, limited parking, and a high volume of pedestrians. Police in Volusia County seized six weapons and arrested 133 people amid the spring break celebrations last weekend, Chitwood said Monday. open image in gallery Volusia County police arrested 133 people in spring break crowds over the weekend ( New Smyrna Beach Police Department ) open image in gallery Crowds gather on New Smyrna Beach for spring break celebrations ( New Smyrna Beach Police Department ) The sheriff also addressed social media rumors about a shooting on Daytona Beach over the weekend, which he called absolute bulls***. There were zero gunshots on the beach, because what they were doing was crushing a water bottle to make it sound like a gunshot to stampede the crowd, Chitwood said. Video shared by the sheriffs office showed a large crowd of people running on the beach. I was out there, the chief was out there. We were in the middle of it. People might not want to hear this, but everybody who we came in contact with was absolutely polite, Chitwood continued. The sheriff said hes proud of his deputies for the work they carried out over the weekend. We arrested people from Alabama, from Georgia, from North Carolina, from South Carolina, from Florida, you name it. Everybody was here, he said. And again, like I said, everybody we encountered we made an arrest in a crowd of 1,000 people, nobody said anything. They let us do our job. And when we told people to move on, they moved on, he added. Advertisement CultureArt & designExhibitions From Bronze Age to the Met Gala: The evolution of the sari Aarti Betigeri March 18, 2026 4:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A sari woven from hair-thin metal wires stitched together and artfully draped across a form. A cotton lurex sari inspired by Y2K-era hip-hop, designed to be worn with Nike Air Force 1 sneakers. A distressed denim sari draped over a white shirt. A cloth handwoven in fine silk shot through with copper and steel to make a shimmering and delicate fabric. The dramatically ruffled and pearl-encrusted sari worn by Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone on the Cannes red carpet. And a cloth dyed with ink made from particles of pollution collected from the New Delhi air. This is the sari, but not as you know it. The Foila Sari by Indian luxury brand Raw Mango. Shubham Lodha The garments form part of the collection of the exhibition The Offbeat Sari, which takes South Asias most iconic outfit and showcases it in its most contemporary and creative iterations. The exhibition, which was initially produced by Londons Design Museum in 2023, is opening at Melbournes Bunjil Place Gallery. It presents 54 saris on loan from some of Indias top designers, as well as those that showcase innovation in design and production, or that speak directly to social issues. The exhibition is the brainchild of London-based curator Priya Khanchandani at the time, the Design Museums head of curatorial who wanted to highlight how the garment has been reinvented, reshaping how it is understood and worn, and what it says about modern India. Advertisement Curator Priya Khanchandani explores the contemporary movement and context around saris. Suzanne Zhang While living in New Delhi a decade ago, Khanchandani noticed that young women were wearing saris, but with a difference. Instead of silk worn as a marker of wealth or for special occasions they were wearing cotton or linen saris, draped over T-shirts or button-down white shirts instead of the traditional choli blouse. And they were accessorising with trainers, chunky tribal or Western jewellery, even piercings and tattoos. And instead of sticking to the popular Nivi drape, young women were experimenting with different drapes from across the country, such as the style popular with the Koli fisherwomen of Mumbai and Goa, where the sari cloth is wrapped to create pants, giving the wearer ease of movement. For Khanchandani, whod grown up in a London family that rarely wore saris, it was a revelation,. It was cool. I really enjoyed it, she says. The way they were accessorising [saris] differently made me excited to try it too. And there were a whole bunch of emerging design studios that were experimenting with the materiality of the sari, and I started following their work. This experience sowed the seeds for The Offbeat Sari, which seeks to explore the contemporary movement and context around saris from political, cultural and emotional perspectives, also showcasing experimental fashion and street style, and high-end couture seen on celebrities and at weddings. Advertisement We usually see South Asia represented [in galleries] through a colonial or post-colonial lens, particularly because many of the museums in the UK have significant colonial collections because so many items were taken during the 19th century, Khanchandani says, speaking from London. But I know India differently and I know it as a kind of dynamic, evolving, shifting, changing place, and I want to represent that for audiences. The sari is, perhaps, the garment most readily synonymous with South Asia, where it has been worn since Indus Vally Civilisation times, dating further back than 2000BCE. It is a long piece of un-stitched fabric between three and nine yards in length that is wrapped around the body in different ways. Actress Deepika Padukone in a pearl-encrusted sari at Cannes Film Festival in 2022. Getty Images It consists of different parts: the border, the fall, which runs across the bottom to weigh the fabric down, the pallu, the section that rests over the shoulder, and the pleats, which are formed by hand in the midsection. Most saris come with an extra piece of fabric from which a blouse, or choli, is sewn, but its acceptable, even fashionable, to wear a mismatched blouse. Far from being a simple piece of cloth, the sari is imbued with so much: region, class, occupation, identity, even political leanings. Also, history, kinship, notions of femininity and body image. Saris adapt to the wearer, whether through the choice of drape, the width of the pleats or the style of blouse. It also adapts to different body shapes and it can be tied to be revealing or conservative, sexy or regal. Advertisement Saris are passed down through generations: to receive and wear a grandmothers sari is an act of love and filial respect. Writer Sunil Badami wrote about his mothers sari collection for the ABC: [They] were sewn with the golden thread of our family history, tying me and my children to Mum and her mother, and the place she once called home. But at the same time, the sari can be difficult to wear. Politician Shashi Tharoor famously and controversially insisted that Indian women should save the sari in a 2007 newspaper column. Critics lashed out, angrily asking whether Tharoor knew what it was like to run for a bus in a sari. The sari as political statement: women from The Gulabi Gang who fight violence against women, wear pink saris. Alamy Stock Photo His call was not unfounded, however: women across South Asia increasingly turned to stitched garments, particularly in the 1980s and 90s, for comfort and practicality, leading to fears that the sari was indeed dying out. It was against this backdrop that Kanchandani noticed the shift in sari-wearing among young Indians. Over the last 10 to 15 years, partially due to the acceleration of digital media and India has such a young population designers have been experimenting with the form of the sari, the drape, the materiality. Wearers are wearing it in new contexts, embodying it in different ways, accessorising it differently, allowing it to empower themselves, to express themselves, she says. Advertisement Some of the designers featured in The Offbeat Sari are household names. There are two pieces from Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the Kolkata-based designer at the top of every brides wish-list, who dressed Shah Rukh Khan for the Met Gala in 2025. There are pieces from top couturiers like Tarun Tahiliani, Anamika Khanna and Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Then there are the contemporary, more cutting-edge Indian designers represented such as NorBlack NorWhite, HUEMN, Bodice, Akaaro by Gaurav Jai Gupta, Rimzim Dadu and Raw Mango. Raw Mangos Folia Saree, from their 2021 Other collection. Amlanjyoti Bora Saris were selected for display for their aesthetic value, but also for the designers commitment to craft, innovation in materiality or technique, or statements they make about sustainability. Some have been worn by actors and Bollywood celebrities: the Tarun Tahiliani foil jersey piece is a recreation of one worn by Lady Gaga when she appeared at Delhis F1 in 2010. Another on display is by Delhi-based duo Abraham & Thakore, who took used X-ray films from hospitals and cut them into sequins that they sewed onto saris made from recycled PET fabric, speaking to sustainability and circular economies against a backdrop of fast fashion production in South Asia. Its interesting to see how we perceive ourselves now in India in terms of our own culture, says the labels David Abraham, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian clothing and textiles. All these questions are emerging, playing out in contemporary culture, which I find exciting. I see it happening in music. I see it in dance, in fashion, in art. I think theres much more confidence now in what is Indian. Advertisement That confidence in homegrown Indian culture is perhaps the most marked societal shift in India over the past decade. Previously, the long tail of colonialism produced a society obsessed with the West as the ultimate marker of success and taste. But now, for reasons both economic and political, theres much greater value placed on Indian-ness across the spectrum, from language to culture. There are also saris in the collection that point to political or social movements. One is the pink sari worn by Sampat Pal Devi, who founded the Gulabi [Pink] Gang, a vigilante justice movement in rural northern India that forcibly opposes domestic violence, child marriage and injustices faced by women, particularly in cases where the police response is weak. The movement now has hundreds of thousands of members. Abraham & Thakores Gold Khadi Sari. Other garments showcase experimentation in different ways. Delhi designer Rimzim Dadu is known for experimenting with non-traditional materials and, in particular, a sari spun from hair-thin steel wire, which has become unusually popular with brides wanting something unconventional. They look like armour, but move like fabric, says Dadu. She, too, has noted the uptake in sari-wearing on the streets of Delhi. What I find beautiful is that despite all these shifts, the essence hasnt changed. Its still six yards of fabric. The evolution lies in how each generation chooses to wear it. Another garment is the Sari Dress by Toronto-based artist and designer, and the exhibitions associate curator, Rashmi Varma. The dress has a contemporary silhouette with the same draping, blouse and pallu as a sari, but stitched together. It was initially pitched as a little black dress alternative for a younger, globally focused clientele, but it quickly found a vibrant market in Indian high society. Advertisement Related Article Exhibitions New faces, old struggles: Why we need to listen to these young artists It can be worn in Delhi, Bombay, London or New York, and you could wear it with a pair of heels, boots or chappals, says Varma. (I own the dress in its original black: it looks stylish and sleek, but undeniably like a sari.) Varma was also involved in creating The Sari Series, a series of videos demonstrating more than 80 different styles of drapes from across India. The Offbeat Sari is a collection of garments that, when taken as a whole, have important things to say about contemporary Indian society. And yet, for all the X-ray sequins and alternative materials, the thing about the sari is the invisible thread that reaches back millennia, to a time when woven un-stitched cloth was draped exactly as it is now. The Offbeat Sari is at Bunjil Place, Narre Warren, from March 22 to August 30. Curator Priya Khanchandani will give a talk on April 16 and Liverpool Powerhouse from November 7 4 April 2027. On a non-GAAP basis, Andersen reported adjusted net income of $7.5 million (versus an $8.4 million loss a year earlier) and adjusted EBITDA of $9.4 million (versus a $7.9 million loss). Livingston said margins expanded by more than 100 basis points on both metrics. On a GAAP basis, the company posted a net loss of $195.9 million for the quarter, compared with a loss of $9.7 million in the prior-year period. Livingston attributed the GAAP loss primarily to a $193.2 million one-off equity restructuring charge and other IPO-related expenses, resulting in a GAAP diluted loss of $0.22 per share . For the fourth quarter of 2025, Andersen reported revenue of $170.3 million , up 19.6% year over year. CFO Neal Livingston said results exceeded internal expectations and were driven by higher client fees and higher volume, particularly in December, with growth balanced across service lines and no large one-time or project-related items . Andersen Group (NYSE:ANDG) executives used the companys first earnings call as a public company to highlight stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue growth, expanding non-GAAP margins, and an acquisition strategy centered on rolling up long-standing network affiliates. Management also outlined 2026 priorities around productivity, profitability, integration, and technology investment, while providing guidance that includes incremental inorganic revenue and a planned 3% technology surcharge. Growth and efficiency strategy: management is prioritizing rollup acquisitions of longstanding network affiliates (four recent deals adding ~ $21M revenue and ~ 270 people), productivity initiatives (targeting one extra chargeable hour/week, ~ $42M incremental net income), and measured tech/AI investment via pilots (including a JV with the University of San Francisco and licensing from Anthropic ). Strong balance sheet and 2026 guidance: the firm ended 2025 with $258.5M cash and no thirdparty debt, generated $184.6M cash from operations, and is guiding 2026 revenue of $955M$970M (including ~$33M inorganic) with adjusted EBITDA of $213M$220M ; Q1 2026 guidance is $230M$235M revenue and a planned 3% technology surcharge being rolled out to ~twothirds of clients. Revenue growth and margin expansion: Andersen reported Q4 revenue of $170.3M (up 19.6% YoY) and full-year revenue of $838.7M (up 14.6%), with non-GAAP adjusted net income and EBITDA turning positive and margins expanding, while a GAAP net loss of $195.9M in Q4 was driven by a onetime $193.2M equity restructuring/IPO charge. Story Continues Full-year 2025: revenue up 14.6%, client base and pricing expand Members of Congress Bought These 5 StocksShould You? For full-year 2025, revenue rose to $838.7 million, a 14.6% year-over-year increase. Livingston emphasized that growth was diversified across regions and service lines, again with no large one-time items. Private Client Services remained the largest service line at 51.5% of total revenue, with no substantive change in service-line mix. Livingston pointed to multiple operational drivers, including growth in large client relationships and broader engagement activity. Andersen ended 2025 with 687 client groups generating over $250,000 in revenue, up from 629 in 2024. The company also increased the number of active client groups by 650 (a net increase of 5.6%) and grew engagements with those client groups by 10.6%. Pricing also moved higher, with the average hourly rate up about 11% year over year. Palantirs New Partnership Continues Separating Fact From Fiction The company highlighted client diversification, noting no single client represented more than 1% of revenue in 2025 or 2024, and the top 10 client groups accounted for about 5% of revenue in both years. Headcount increased 5% in 2025, and voluntary attrition held at 14%, in line with 2024. On the bottom line, Andersen reported a GAAP net loss of $130.2 million for the year, driven by a $183 million one-off equity restructuring charge and stock-based compensation expense related to the IPO. Effective tax rate on a GAAP basis was -2.4%, and EPS was negative. On a non-GAAP basis, Andersen posted adjusted net income of $217 million with a 25.9% margin (up 72 basis points year over year), and adjusted EBITDA of $226.3 million, up 59%, with a 27% margin (up 75 basis points). Livingston said the margin expansion reflected operating leverage and disciplined cost management. Balance sheet and cash flow: no third-party debt As of Dec. 31, 2025, Andersen had $258.5 million of cash and equivalents and no third-party debt. Net cash flow from operations totaled $184.6 million, up 21% from 2024, which Livingston attributed to strong underlying earnings and working-capital discipline. Capital expenditures were $10.6 million, primarily for non-strategic technology investments aligned with long-term growth, according to Livingston. 2026 priorities: productivity, profitability, integration, acquisitions, and technology CEO Mark Vorsatz said the firms 2026 focus areas include: Productivity: Vorsatz said improving productivity by one hour per week across client service would add an estimated $42 million to net income. Partner Dan DePaoli will lead the initiative. Profitability and cost control: Vorsatz said G&A rose to about 18% (from the high 14s) and he expects economies of scale to reduce that figure by roughly 1% per year over the next couple of years. Partner Peter Coscia will focus on profitability, cost control, and client retention. Integration: Vorsatz said the platforms cross-selling potential is a huge competitive advantage, and described integration as a major opportunity. James Frost will lead integration efforts. Technology: Vorsatz described technology as a competitive advantage and said the firm is taking a measured approach, citing regulatory issues at other firms that introduced AI too quickly. Andersen has run pilot programs through a joint venture with the University of San Francisco, with licensing provided by Anthropic, and plans additional pilots in May and June. Vorsatz also said the firm is already applying technology to improve efficiency in tax compliance and expects leverage to shift over time, including hiring more lateral employees than entry-level associates. Acquisitions pipeline and guidance: $33 million of inorganic revenue included Management said acquisitions will prioritize rolling up long-standing affiliates in Andersens network rather than buying large practices with limited familiarity. Vorsatz said the company signed four deals recentlyCanada (Vancouver-based practice focused largely on Private Client Services), a tax practice in Nigeria, and legal and tax practices in Uruguaytotaling about 270 people and $21 million in revenue. Vorsatz said the deals would be effective April 1. For 2026 guidance, Livingston forecast revenue of $955 million to $970 million (14% to 15% growth), including approximately $33 million of inorganic revenue. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be $213 million to $220 million, implying an adjusted EBITDA margin of 22% to 23%. Livingston said the company expects a GAAP net loss in 2026 due primarily to non-cash equity-based compensation expense tied to vesting of Class X aggregator units issued prior to the IPO, with negative EPS expected as a result. He also emphasized seasonality in the business, with client activity peaking in Q1 and Q3, and noted that Q3 has historically generated more than halfand sometimes up to two-thirdsof annual net income. For Q1 2026, Andersen guided to revenue of $230 million to $235 million and adjusted EBITDA of $55 million to $60 million, with adjusted EBITDA margin of 25% to 26%. Key assumptions include net customer acquisition, productivity initiatives, integration of acquired firms, compensation and operating expense discipline, continued investment in technology and automation, and execution of pricing actions including a 3% technology surcharge. Livingston said the firm was tracking adoption of the surcharge across about two-thirds of clients, noting some clients were given a year before implementation. In the Q&A, Vorsatz described the companys guidance approach as conservative and said he anticipated raising revenue and adjusted EBITDA objectives when the company reports first-quarter results. He also said the company expects to substantially outperform the $33 million inorganic revenue assumption, though he did not provide a specific updated figure. About Andersen Group (NYSE:ANDG) Our mission is to deliver exceptional client service grounded in integrity, transparency, and excellence. Since our founding in 2002, we have experienced rapid and sustained growth, powered by our people, our values and our relentless commitment to innovative, client-focused solutions. Building on the rich traditions and culture of the former Arthur Andersen, we are driven by a bold vision to lead in a complex global marketplace, creating lasting value for our clients, our people and our investors. The article "Andersen Group Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Advertisement CultureMoviesLiterature Forget the Famous Five did Enid Blyton invent the multiverse? John Bailey March 18, 2026 4:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Derivative, repetitive and short on basic compassion, Enid Blytons massive back catalogue is like AI fiction a century before such a thing was imaginable. What it did imagine may be something that was previously unthinkable, though. For all her (many) literary flaws, Enid Blyton might just have invented the multiverse. Blyton churned out books at an astonishing rate, sometimes as many as 50 a year. Through series such as Noddy, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven she has sold more books than Beatrix Potter, C. S. Lewis and Stephanie Meyer combined. Even J. R. R. Tolkien and Stephen King would have to form a supergroup to equal the number of volumes Blyton shifted over the past century. Enid Blyton with her daughters Gillian (left) and Imogen, in 1949. Getty Images Yet, the popularity of Blytons writing has always been in inverse proportion to her respect within literary circles. Publishers often rejected her submissions, while the BBC blacklisted her stories from broadcast. Her response was to call her critics stupid people who dont know what theyre talking about, the mid-century British equivalent of haters gonna hate and her casual dismissal of negative feedback bore all the hallmarks of someone who could light their cigar with a hundred pound note. Her stories were frequently called out as sexist, racist, xenophobic and excessively cruel. Modern editions scrub out all the corporal punishment, while her weird habit of giving characters names like Dick and Fanny has been softened to less nudge-nudge-wink-wink titles like Rick and Frannie. Advertisement Despite all of these shortcomings, her Faraway Tree series does feature a central mechanic who was well ahead of its time. Long before the notion of alternative realities went mainstream via films like Everything Everywhere All At Once or Into the Spider-Verse, Blyton imagined a giant tree whose top granted access to a countless series of strange new dimensions. From the childish wish fulfilment of the Land-of-Take-What-You-Want to the seismically unstable Rocking Land to the brutally violent Land of Dame Slap (or Dame Snap as shes now known), the basic laws of physics at these destinations are always up for grabs. In The Land of Upside Down, everything and everyone is inverted; Roundabout Land never stops revolving; and the Land of Dreams is positively Lynchian in its lack of logic. The Faraway Tree in the Ben Gregors new, sanitised, film adaptation of Enid Blytons classic. Elysian Film Group You could argue that none of this was particularly novel. Didnt Alice, Dorothy and those kids in the wardrobe visit fantastical lands? Sure. But none of them were frequent flyers to a seemingly endless array of worlds, and each of their authors was more interested in conjuring a magical realm to comment on our own. Historian James Gleick has convincingly argued that a similar notion, time travel, didnt really exist before the late 1800s. It just didnt strike anyone that we could jump in a machine or step through a magic portal and end up in a different era. For most of human history, the difference between the world of your childhood and the one in which you died was very little; it was only when technology and society began to undergo rapid, widespread changes that jumping through time became something you might want to consider. Advertisement If a concept now as ubiquitous as time travel has been around for just a little over a century, why should its even nerdier cousin, the multiverse, be any older? You could point to the various heavens and hells and other mythological spaces in different cultures as evidence that the postulation of other realities goes back millennia. But many of those were presented as real places you could physically travel to, with a bit of effort. From Mount Olympus to the Isle of Avalon to the many gates to hell scattered across the globe, gods and demons didnt inhabit other dimensions so much as real places it was a hassle to get to. Blytons own daughter Gillian said the Faraway series was inspired by Norse myths, which centre on an immense tree that connects the nine realms of the universe. It would be an understatement to say that Blyton played fast and loose with that premise, though. The Viking cosmos has its elves and goblins, but its a long way from the Land of the Old Saucepan Man or the one that traps people who lose their temper. If Blyton didnt conjure the concept of the multiverse from whole cloth, she may at least be responsible for its inception in a more sidelong way. It could be that her writing inspired those who would go on to popularise the idea of multiple, perhaps infinite alternative realities. The scientific concept of the multiverse technically named the many worlds interpretation - is typically traced to physicist Hugh Everett. Everett would have been nine when the first Faraway Tree book hit the shelves, but he grew up in the US, where Blyton-fever never really took off, so its unlikely the budding maths geek was ever exposed to the adventures of Joe, Beth and Fanny/Frannie. Advertisement An earlier lecture by Erwin Schrodinger of dead/not dead cat fame presented its audience with the possibility that hard maths can prove that several different histories exist simultaneously. Schrodinger was living in Dublin at the time of The Enchanted Woods release, but he held a visiting position at Oxford, a pleasant half-hours drive from Blytons home in Beaconsfield, England. His first daughter Ruth was born in the university town, and she was five when Blytons Faraway series became a bestseller. Long before the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once, Enid Blyton was dealing with multiple universes in her kids books. Roadshow Did Schrodinger read to his kids? In the absence of one of those time machines, its impossible to tell, but someone probably did. The scientist was living at the time with both his wife and his mistress Ruths mother and his two other children had different mums again. That certainly ups the likelihood that someone was versing the young uns in the various lands at the top of the Faraway Tree, and its not a great leap to imagine little Ruthie passing on those stories to her dad. Its perhaps worth noting that Blytons romantic life was equally unconventional for the time. Biographers write of her extramarital affairs with men and women. Its a mystery how she found the time to pump out 6000 to 10,000 words a day. The evidence thus far: Blytons series hypothesised the existence of an uncountable number of alternative realities that differ from our own to varying degrees. At the time of their release, one of the fathers of the many worlds interpretation of physics was himself a child, and the other had kids of the same age and lived just down the road. An open-and-shut case, clearly. Advertisement Related Article Review Cynical vampires, gritty crime and Bob Carrs moving memoir: 10 new books But to any cynics yet to be convinced by this ironclad argument, consider one final way in which Blyton must be considered the creator of what we now call the multiverse. According to the current leading model of multiverse theory, by which I mean the Marvel Cinematic Universe version, an infinite number of universes will mean every possibility exists as a reality in at least one of them. Theres no denying that somewhere out there, accessible to us or not, there exists The Land Where Enid Blyton Invented the Multiverse. And if you dont accept that, you dont have to guess what shed call you. The Magic Faraway Tree opens nationally March 26. Advertisement CultureMoviesCinema Redeem one of 20 family passes to The Magic Faraway Tree premiere* March 18, 2026 5:07pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This offer has ended. As a subscriber, you have the opportunity to redeem one of 20 complimentary family passes to attend The Magic Faraway Tree Melbourne premiere on March 25.* SYNOPSIS: Adapted from the beloved The Faraway Tree series of novels for children, The Magic Faraway Tree follows Polly and Tim and their children Beth, Joe and Fran a modern family who find themselves forced to relocate to the remote English countryside. Soon after their arrival, the children discover a magical tree and its extraordinary and eccentric residents such as the treasured characters Moonface, Silky, Dame Wash-a-lot and Saucepan Man. The film releases nationally on March 26, 2026. DIRECTOR: Ben Gregor (Britannia, Cuckoo, Black Ops) WRITER: Simon Farnaby (Wonka, Paddington 2) CAST: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan, Jennifer Saunders and Rebecca Ferguson RUNNING TIME: 110 minutes Advertisement Offer details Redeem one of 20 complimentary family passes (admits four) to attend The Magic Faraway Tree Melbourne Premiere. Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Time: 5.45pm arrivals for 6.15pm film start Location: Village Cinemas Rivoli, 200 Camberwall Road, Hawthorn East Advertisement The first 20 subscribers will receive an email to confirm their successful offer redemption. Unsuccessful applicants will receive no communication. This offer has ended. *Terms and Conditions: This offer is available to The Age digital subscribers. This offer is only valid to attend the The Magic Faraway Tree Melbourne premiere on March 25, 2026. There are 20 family pass allocations available, offer ends when the allocation of 20 family passes is exhausted. If you are unable to attend on March 25, your offer will not be redeemable on an alternative date. Successful applicants will be contacted with information regarding their attendance, while unsuccessful applicants will receive no communication. Successful submissions email addresses will be shared with NIXCO for the purpose of emailing the attendees there family pass (four guests) guest list confirmation. Offer may only be redeemed once per subscriber. Advertisement Eating outHot & new A futuristic pitstop, gelato in the hills: Three new Melbourne cafes to try Cafes are evolving faster than a tiramisu latte. From butter doughnuts to 15-second flat whites, discover the latest in cafe culture at three city newcomers. Frank Sweet March 19, 2026 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A As featured in the April 2026 hit list. See all stories . Breakfast gelato? You got it. Corn latte? Right this way. The modern cafe is a maverick, trading the eggs and long blacks of yesteryear for a brave new world. Here are three freshies to try when youre seeking much more than a humble cup of joe. Cafe Effe makes cakes and tarts, its own, gelato, and coffee using Proud Mary beans. Chris Hopkins DOH You want your doughnut maxed out with red bean paste, dont you? I see you, and I urge you to visit Daily Oven Heaven a Korean cream doughnut cafe otherwise known as DOH and ask for an ang butter doughnut. The signature sweet combines a heavy sphere of bean paste with a thick slab of salted butter, then jams it into the plush interior of a fresh doughnut. Advertisement Its one of many reasons to head to their shop next to Queen Victoria Market. The Dubai-ification of confectionery continues here in a pistachio-rich doughnut, and your latte might come in corn, sesame or matcha-tiramisu form. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The vibe is in-and-out what little space DOH has is assigned mostly to doughnut production but you wont be able to sit still, anyhow: youll be full of beans. 9 Dhanga Djeembana Walk, Melbourne, instagram.com/doh.melbourne 1 / 6 Effe co-owners Peggy Xu and Michael Dobson. Chris Hopkins 2 / 6 A latte made with Proud Mary coffee beans. Chris Hopkins 3 / 6 Plum gelato. Chris Hopkins 4 / 6 Plum galette. Chris Hopkins 5 / 6 Spiced date chocolate tart. Chris Hopkins 6 / 6 The couple's Tecoma cafe serves coffee, sweets and gelati. Chris Hopkins Previous Slide Next Slide Cafe Effe Advertisement Coffee suprema girlfriend, gelato maestro boyfriend. A tale as old as time? Maybe not, but a recipe for an excellent cafe. (And a banging affogato!) Tecoma, a suburb at the foothills of the Dandenongs, got everything it ever wanted when barista Peggy Xu and gelatiere Michael Dobson opened Cafe Effe on the main drag at the end of 2025. In the cabinet: darling tarts and galettes often made with produce donated by locals plus cookies filled with the likes of macadamia, white chocolate and the roasted green tea hojicha. At the counter: freshly spun gelato, six pots full. Plum gelato (front) and plum galette at Effe. Chris Hopkins There might be chilli-chai gelato made with local Caravan Chai powder, and another made from a profoundly delicious Mount Zero arbequina olive oil. Dobson, an alum of Kori Ice Cream, is never short of inspiration, but the possibilities here are just about endless, thanks to a flavour suggestion box filled with community entries that are regularly churned to life. Advertisement Ambient records line the walls, young families abound, Proud Mary coffee perfumes the air, and all is quaint in this lush corner of the world. 1551 Burwood Highway, Tecoma, instagram.com/cafe_effe Project Zero How long does it take to make a cup of instant coffee? Maybe 15 seconds? What if we told you the trailblazers at Project Zero are making better time and a vastly superior drink? Important: this is not instant coffee far from it but it is practically instantaneous. Advertisement The espresso is pre-batched, stored below the counter and drawn on demand. The milk is frothed without steam in a newfangled contraption called an Ubermilk machine. The two components come together in record time for a cuppa that trades romance for expedience but sacrifices neither texture nor flavour. Intrigued? Try the Strawberry Cheesecake, a coffee thats been co-fermented with strawberries and tastes strikingly like its namesake, especially when combined with dairy milk. Theres not a lot of lingering space here; use it more like a futuristic pitstop on your way to the office, and pick up an Austro bakery from the cabinet while youre there. 276 Flinders Street, Melbourne, projectzero.coffee High-rise apartments to go up across Melbourne as part of planning reforms Apartment buildings up to 20 storeys high will be approved across parts of inner Melbourne, with the state government finalising height limits for 25 of its proposed high-density zones. Advertisement Cans of Guinness given to state pollies to mark St Patricks Day have turned into a social media hit for state Greens leader Ellen Sandell. Sandell came across boxed deliveries from the Australian Hotels Associations Victorian branch outside the doors of MPs in the Labor corridor early on Tuesday morning and promptly posted an Instagram video of the presents dotted along the hallway. The footage even included a member in the background yelling Why are you in our corridor, Ellen?, as Sandell pointed out to her 20,000 followers that the gifts were an example of soft lobbying in action. They might be small gifts, but the influence of lobbyists is huge, and this is just one small example of how insidious the influence of the pokies lobby and other corporate lobbyists are in parliament, Sandell told CBD on Wednesday as the reel ticked over 245,000 views. Advertisement The fact they are so blatant about the gifts they give MPs, even if those gifts are small, I think, is pretty atrocious. The fact they are cans of Guinness is beside the point. But it turns out government MPs were not the only ones to get the drop, which included a can of Guinness, a Guinness glass, an offer to meet a local publican and a truncated version of the associations state of the industry report. Liberal and Nationals MPs also got the delivery. The Greens and crossbenchers did not. Paddy OSullivan, Victorian chief executive of the Australian Hotels Association, did not back away from the gifting blitz. We engage constructively with those in government and opposition who are responsible for shaping and delivering policy that impacts our industry, he told CBD. Advertisement Wilson lifts game on socials On the subject of social media, state Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has certainly upped the ante in the past couple months with the tone, quality and cut-through of her Instagram bursts. The reel she dropped on Tuesday sticking the boot into the Allan government for the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games and wanton spending on projects has gone gangbusters, pulling in more than 1.3 million views and counting. That clip, pointedly highlighting the Games that Victoria Never Hosted, featured various opposition identities exhibiting their sporting prowess. Advertisement Brad Battin in an Instagram post by Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson featuring MPs taking part in the Games that Victoria Never Hosted. Instagram Brad Battin flexed his muscles doing bicep curls and John Pesutto chucked a discus, while Wilson popped out of a pool. Here at CBD, it made us think: has the opposition got someone onboard to spice up their socials or hired an agency to give them a hand? So we put in a call, and it turns out it is just the four members of Wilsons office working on the reels and a bit of brainstorming coming up with ideas for the clips. The clips are very much aimed at getting the attention of not just media but younger members of the public as the next state election looms. No agency is engaged to produce Jess Wilsons social media content, a spokesperson said in response to our curiosity. Advertisement There is no question the social media clips are talkable. Whether they result in votes remains to be seen. Mayor Jollys brief court appearance Its been a long road from Fitzroys Vintage Garage to the Melbourne Magistrates Court. On Wednesday morning, Melbournes most perennially drama-plagued politician, Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly, swapped the council chambers for a brief video-link appearance in the court. Yarra City Council Mayor Stephen Jolly. Justin McManus Advertisement Jolly is facing a single charge of unlawful assault following his 2024 election after-party at the Smith Street venue. For those unaware, the night was famously gatecrashed by a group of masked intruders shouting unpublishable claims about Jolly (which are denied), who the now-mayor confronted. While the footage (which The Age cannot show for legal reasons) features a female voice yelling, Stephen, stop it, the main argy-bargy appears to happen off camera, and Jolly has maintained his innocence since the night. His lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, was in court for the quick mention, which ended in the matter being adjourned until next Wednesday. Jolly has previously said this party was not his first run-in with masked crazies, saying a group egged him at a public housing rally in 2023. Despite the legal headache, Jolly isnt going anywhere just yet. The charge doesnt meet the serious offence criteria of the Local Government Act, so he remains in the mayoral robes while the court decides the matter. 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 NationalVictoriaPublic transport Victoria ignored risks before $137m blowout, delayed myki overhaul Patrick Hatch Updated March 18, 2026 1:19pm ,first published 12:02pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Victorias transport department failed to resolve early contract disputes and accepted an unrealistic timeline for the rollout of the new myki system before the program suffered a $136.8 million blowout and an 18-month delay, an audit has found. A report by the Victorian Auditor-Generals Office released on Wednesday also highlights the high cost of running the new public transport ticketing scheme, which it estimates will absorb 26 of every $1 it collects in fare revenue. A trial of the new myki system was launched on Monday. Paul Rovere In contrast, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) received advice in 2021 that based on other global ticketing implementations, the cost of fare collection for a modern account-based system could be less than 10 per dollar collected, the audit says. The report comes two days after Transport Victoria launched a trial of the new ticket technology on a handful of V/Line and Metro train lines, allowing passengers to touch on with bank cards and iPhones for the first time. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Public transport Its a touchy subject, but next-gen myki might already be on the ropes Victoria signed a contract, now valued at $1.96 billion, with US outfit Conduent in 2023 to install and run the new ticket system across the state for 15 years. But, as revealed by this masthead, the transport department and Conduent were at loggerheads by June 2024 over the contract and rollout schedule, with a standstill agreement in place for six months. They eventually agreed to reset the project, with a $136.8 million budget increase and 18-month delay. Before awarding the project contract, DTP received advice that [Conduents] delivery schedule was overly optimistic and did not contain enough detail. Ultimately, the schedule was proven to be unrealistic, the Auditor-Generals Office report says. DTP did not address these known issues before signing the contract. It instead deferred this work which contributed to disputes. Advertisement The audit found that the DTP was slow to hand over source code from the existing myki software that Conduent needed so it could continue to run the old and new systems side by side during the rollout, which contributed to delays. The report also reveals that the programs current timeline sets a target to enable tap-and-go payments across the state by mid-2027 and for the entire system to be rolled out by mid-2028. Loading That will include the installation of 23,000 reader devices and introduction of account-based ticketing, which will link customers cards and devices to accounts, apply concessions and automatically calculate the lowest possible fare based on their travel patterns. The audit says the program is on track with the revised timeline, but warns of upcoming challenges that could cause more delays. Advertisement Related Article Public transport I travelled to the last place youd expect for a glimpse of our myki-free future The contractor responsible for developing a system so passengers can use concession fares with tap-and-go payments, HCLTech, told the auditor the DTP had recently paused its work, directly impacting the rollout timeline. Transport department secretary Jeroen Weimar told the auditor that it had paused HCLTechs work in response to policy changes, including the introduction of free travel for under-18s through the new youth myki. The transport department has estimated the project will return a benefit of $1.45 for every $1 spent over the 15-year life of the project. That includes a 1 per cent increase in public transport passengers, a 35 per cent reduction in fare evasion and 50 per cent decline in concession fare fraud, and time saving and convenience for commuters. Advertisement But the auditor said the projects value for money was unclear, as data showed Victoria already had very low rates of fare evasion and concession fraud. Photo: Matt Golding It estimated that the total cost of running the project over 15 years would be $2.8 billion, including the cost of the tender process, new software build, infrastructure rollout and oversight of the new system. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy said: It beggars belief that upgrading transport ticketing could be this hard or this expensive. This latest myki fiasco again shows that Labor cant manage money and cant deliver any projects on time, Guy said. Advertisement Related Article Public transport Inside myki court, where fare evaders challenge their fines and often succeed A spokesperson for the Allan government said international experience showed that it usually took about four years to introduce a new ticket system. Were delivering the projects Victorians need were also making it easier for people to catch public transport, offering better services, cheaper fares, the spokesperson said. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch says police are preparing for an increase in fuel theft and drive-offs in response to growing anxieties about supply shortages. Speaking this morning on ABC Radio Perth, Blanch said the increase in prices, and fear of the unknown, were no excuse to break the law. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch. Hamish Hastie What people would really be doing is just stealing it from someone else who is in the exact same circumstance as you - has the same fear, has the same anxiety, has the same cost pressures - so Im not sure that contributes to a better outcome if you steal someone elses fuel, he said. Its a criminal offence, you can get charged for it, it can ruin your life, you can go to prison, all of those things can happen, even though you might say, But I needed the fuel because I thought I couldnt buy any in the future thats not a reason you can avoid court. Blanch said fuel supply was not the problem, with panic buying and people stockpiling being blamed for the fuel shortages. This is an emerging risk, its not a threat today, he said. Advertisement PropertyNewsProperty market How Michael and Denise sold their home without dealing with an agent Dan F Stapleton March 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Last spring, empty-nesters Michael and Denise Greene decided it was time to sell their family home in leafy Roseville on Sydneys upper north shore. But readying the spacious six-bedder for sale was a daunting prospect: both Michael and Denise worked long hours, and the home was in less-than-pristine condition. Michael and Denise Greene decided it was time to sell their family home. Jessica Hromas We were not looking forward to the process at all, said Michael, a lawyer. We knew how many moving pieces there would be. The couple, who bought the home 23 years earlier, felt unsure about which real estate agent to engage. Advertisement Frankly, the prospect of auditioning a whole lot of agents and choosing the right one seemed like a lot of work, he said. On the recommendation of friends who had recently downsized, the Greenes enlisted Space Vendor Advocates principal Julie Buchanan. Vendor advocates such as Buchanan promise to take the stress out of selling by co-ordinating renovations, liaising with agents and overseeing marketing campaigns. And many sellers are set to face more testing conditions, as the clearance rate slips and interest rates rise. They are often paid out of the real estate agents commission, theoretically leaving sellers also known as vendors no worse off. But experts warn sellers still need to do due diligence about who they choose. Advertisement Thomas McGlynn, president of the Real Estate Institute of NSW, has watched the vendor advocacy phenomenon grow steadily over the past few years. Related Article NSW residential property How Stephen took the stress out of downsizing Agents need to understand that there is a need for this because of how people feel about agents and how stressful choosing one can be. But he said sellers should proceed carefully because vendor advocates are not yet governed by state-level regulations like buyers agents are. He also questioned whether vendor advocates should be paid out of the real estate agents commission. Advertisement If you are appointing someone to represent you, you probably should be remunerating them directly, he said. Buyers agents are paid directly by the buyer, and that ensures that they are representing the buyers interests, rather than aligning themselves with the selling agent. Saturdays can be busy in real estate, but a vendor advocate can offer an extra pair of hands. Oscar Colman Buchanan advised the Greenes to paint and recarpet their home and undertake minor renovations upstairs. She organised the relevant tradespeople on their behalf. The process was seamless, Greene said. Because of her contacts, Julie was able to get people there promptly. Advertisement Buchanan then solicited proposals from prominent agents in the area, whittling down the shortlist in consultation with the Greenes. Working with the couples chosen agent, she oversaw property styling, photography and open homes. The Greenes received an attractive offer and sold the property before the scheduled auction. We certainly were very happy with the price that we got, and Julie was a key reason we achieved that, Greene said. Advertisement Buchanan said most of her clients lead busy lives like the Greenes. Many distrust real estate agents. Whats valuable to them is knowing that someone is watching their back and has their best interests at heart, she said. Related Article Exclusive Title Deeds Heiress who bought Coca-Cola boss house for $8m to resell for $20m A vendor advocate acts as a trusted extra pair of hands, Buchanan said. It could be as simple as arriving early to an open home and making sure the house is set up properly. Agents are rushing from house to house on a Saturday, but with us, they know they can turn up to a house and its ready to be shown. Advertisement Fiona Martin, principal of Melbourne vendor advocacy firm Golden Alliance and a former real estate agent, decided to represent sellers after seeing how other agents were conducting business. Most agents have a very transactional approach. Its not that theyre trying to do the wrong thing by their clients, but essentially, thats what ends up happening, because theyre working for themselves and doing what is easiest and fastest. An effective vendor advocate holds a selling agent to account, Martin said. Im essentially the agents colleague throughout the sale. We work on everything together, and that benefits the vendor because it keeps the agent working hard throughout the sale. Martin would welcome increased regulation of vendor advocacy. She urged sellers to do their due diligence. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Auctions Why the property market just slipped below a key benchmark Absolutely, there are transactional vendor advocates, same as there are transactional selling agents. You have to be really careful about who you pick. She said some vendor advocates did little more than manage communications. They will put themselves in the middle, between the vendor and the agent, and not allow transparent communication, so it looks like theyre taking initiative, but all theyre doing is passing messages between the parties. McGlynn said sellers who could identify conscientious and professional real estate agents themselves had little need for a vendor advocate. Advertisement But he conceded that not all sellers had the time or the savvy to identify such agents. For those people, there is a definite need [for vendor advocates], and thats why I see this trend continuing. Property listings Advertisement Reviews & adviceEurope A train station that makes flying seem far less convenient Jenny Hewett March 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The station Amsterdam Centraal, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Amsterdam Centraal stations ornate facade. iStock The journey Amsterdam to Paris Gare du Nord on Eurostar, 9352; the nearly 428-kilometre international trip takes just over three and a half hours. Advertisement The departure Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. I enter the terminal about an hour before my scheduled departure at 1.10pm and pre-purchase my seat on Eurails Rail Planner app using my Eurail Pass. The trip is covered by my seven-day pass, but I need to pay to reserve a seat. The station is in the heart of the old town next to the IJ River and port (it shouldnt be confused with Amsterdam Zuid station, which is an extension of Centraal and located five kilometres inland). The 19th-century red-brick building is a fine example of gothic renaissance revival architecture, and its ornate facade was designed by Pierre Cuypers (1827-1921), the architect behind the citys Rijksmuseum. With no information about Eurostar departures displayed, its not clear where to go once inside. I head to an information area nearby and a staff member tells me the train departs from platform 15A. Safety + security Boarding on platform. iStock Its not excessively busy, and security is minimal. I use the QR code on my phone to pass through the electronic ticket gates in the main hall, and just a few metres away is the elevator to platform 15. Unlike previous departures from London on the Eurostar, theres no need to lift my 23-kilogram bag onto a hip-high security conveyor belt because Im travelling within the European Union. Advertisement Food + drink The greasy kebabs at The Doner Company look tempting after a late night, but I wander past this and into Dutch convenience store Albert Heijn To-Go which is train-station retail heaven. Theres a fridge full of Japanese-style sandos, a Dutch bread section, freshly cut fruit and vegie sticks, and even fresh sushi and maki rolls. Youll find more hangover cures at Burger King, Dunkin Donuts and sandwiches at Kiosk. Retail therapy While not exactly riveting, you can buy edible souvenirs at Coco & Sebas and artisanal cheese at Henri Willig. If you have more time on your hands, browse chain stores such as Spanish fashion retailer Mango and soap store Lush. Passing time Advertisement Something that most European train stations seem to lack is ample seating once inside the terminals, and this station is no exception. There are a couple of bookstores to peruse, a branch of drugstore chain Etos and a Relay outlet, but I head to the platform early to ease any anxiety about missing my train. Related Article Savvy traveller European sleeper trains cost more than flying. Are they worth it? Boarding The Eurostar train bound for Paris arrives on platform 15A, and my carriage is located all the way to the left-hand side of the platform. I make my way there with my luggage and despite it being busy, its not overcrowded. Once on the train and well into the journey, Im reprimanded by the French train managers for not adding the travel day to my Rail Pass on the Rail Planner app, despite having a QR code proving I have paid for a ticket. They stand at my seat until I figure out how to do it. The verdict Advertisement This station feels intuitive, easy to navigate and the locals are helpful. Just make sure you have your online tickets in order. Planes have revolutionised modern travel, but this experience is so efficient and stress-free that it almost makes flying seem archaic. Our rating out of five The writer travelled with the assistance of Eurail. See eurail.com Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Europe Amsterdam Train journeys Netherlands Jenny Hewett is a Sydney-based freelance travel writer who has lived in South-East Asia and the Middle East, and loves nothing more than being among nature and wildlife. Advertisement Reviews & adviceAir travel Opinion Flying skill is ranked low on what makes a good pilot. Heres why The Secret Pilot takes you inside the world of airlines, offering expert tips and advice from a pilots perspective. In his Traveller column, this active airline pilot lifts the lid on air travel both inside and outside the cockpit. The Secret Pilot Airline pilot March 19, 2026 5:00am March 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A As an Alaska Airlines Boeing 727 roared too fast and too high down its final approach into Alaskas Ketchikan airport in April 1976, the first officer tried to warn the captain they had a problem. Instead of backing up the first officers concerns, the flight engineer sitting behind the pair told a joke. Whats the difference between a duck and a co-pilot? He asked the captain. A duck can fly. A minute later the aircraft skidded off the end of the wet runway and crashed. One person died and dozens more were injured. The first officer was captured on the cockpit voice recorder saying, I told you. A photo from the 1976 Alaska Airlines crash. AP That crash nearly 50 years ago is a significant marker in the evolution of what is known as Crew Resource Management (CRM). These are the soft skills that ensure a crew can work effectively, and safely, together. Following World War II, as the civil aviation sector boomed, many war pilots swapped carrying bombs for carrying passengers. But they brought with them the steep cockpit gradient derived from a strict military system of differing ranks, in which the captain was not to be questioned. Advertisement When the co-pilots eventually graduated to the captains seat, they considered it their turn to adopt the same attitude and so it remained the norm even as the wartime captains were retiring. Meantime, the jets were becoming bigger and faster but had none of the technological safety nets present today, meaning teamwork on the flight deck was crucial something that didnt always happen. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Communication is key when it comes to aviation safety. iStock What has never changed is that captains are human. Mistakes can happen. But in the 1970s, there was very little willingness of other crew to speak up, and even if they did, captains hadnt been trained to actively listen to them. Which is why CRM was born. When thousands of pilots were surveyed about what made an excellent pilot, manual flying skills were ranked relatively low on the list. Rather, situational awareness, decision-making, communication, teamwork and leadership, and workload management were viewed as essential skills. Advertisement Pilot recruitment began to focus on selecting candidates who demonstrated competence in these areas, and this was further developed through training in both ground school and simulator situations. Yes, pilots need to be good at the old stick and rudder skill set because they do still regularly need to manually fly an aircraft beyond the limits of the autopilot, but integrating excellent CRM behaviours into the flying operation is just as important. Another aspect of the CRM revolution was to empower any crew on the flight deck to feel comfortable speaking up if they werent happy with the operation of the aircraft. These crew were trained in managing upwards, providing them with a toolbox of phrases and words to indicate to the captain their discomfort with how the aircraft is flying, or being managed. Equally, captains are trained to be active listeners, to ensure they can effectively recognise when they are being managed and to be open to questions and concerns. No member of the crew is infallible, including the captain, but being open to another crew member picking up an error is the key. What flows from that is the challenge of how pilots go about communicating with each other on the flight deck. It is generally accepted that within any interpersonal communication, just 7 per cent of it is words, 38 per cent is tone of voice, and 55 per cent is body language. But flight decks are designed with the two pilots in the primary control seats facing forwards, and flying at night in a darkened flight deck is common. Advertisement This limitation places a higher degree of importance on the tone and words used by crew to ensure their communication with each other remains effective. Another situation that pilots need to guard against is becoming overloaded, whether that be themselves or their colleague. Poor weather, a significant aircraft system problem and even fatigue can create this overload. Related Article Opinion Air travel Im a pilot, yet my barber tried to convince me the Earth is flat The Secret Pilot Airline pilot Often one of the first senses to be impaired in a situation of stress or overload is hearing. Missing a radio call from Air Traffic Control or not responding to a request from a fellow crew member may indicate that a pilot is overloaded and losing situational awareness. Pilots are trained to recognise when this occurs in themselves or their fellow crew members, and how they can reduce the workload to allow a reset and ensure all crew members are comprehending the situation presented to them. Advertisement Interestingly, the world of medicine has taken notice of the aviation CRM evolution, with aspects of it being introduced into surgical theatres to ensure all members of a surgical team work together to ensure a safe outcome for the patient. Hopefully, the days of the macho pilot are gone, and we are all safer for it. The goal instead is for modern flight decks to be filled with pilots trained as excellent communicators, attuned to their colleagues words and tone to identify concerns if they perceive safety to be compromised. And hopefully the only jokes are the ones everyone can have a laugh at, to fill the long hours in the sky. Shale-focused U.S. oil producers could generate $63.4 billion in extra cash flow if the U.S. benchmark crude price averages $100 per barrel this year, intelligence firm Rystad Energy says. Following the oil price spike to $100 per barrel last week amid the escalating war in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump touted the benefits for the producers, now that his campaign pledge to slash energy costs for consumers by 50% is not mentioned in the White Houses PR campaign to contain the fallout from the war on the American consumer. U.S. producers, however, will benefit those that dont have exposure to the Middle East and are not forced to shut down or restrict operations in a war region with the worlds most important oil chokepoint closed. If WTI Crude, the U.S. benchmark, stays at very high levels and averages $100 per barrel for 2026, U.S. producers are poised to reap an additional $63.4 billion cash flow, per Rystad Energy data cited by the Financial Times. To be sure, most analysts dont expect $100 oil for a prolonged period of time, although short-term spikes are not being ruled out amid the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race For U.S. oil producers, the benefits are not as clear-cut as President Trump suggested in last weeks post on Truth Social, later re-posted by the official X account of the White House. The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money, President Trump said in a controversial post that rattled the oil industry. The oil sector has had to contend with many other image and reputational risks in recent years, apart from the latest suggestion by the U.S. President that it is profiting from a war. Shale producers are also reluctant to rush to boost oil production, aware that the current price spike may not last and the geopolitical situation is too volatile to allow for planning beyond next week. It is this uncertainty that is definitely not in favor of U.S. producers. Any excess cash from the high oil prices would likely go to boost shareholder returns, pay down debt, and hedge production for the coming months, instead of raising production, when prices could crumble in a few weeks, before producers could even contract new rigs and crews. Related: Magnet Wars: How the U.S. Plans to Break Chinas Grip on Rare Earths While the producers with mainly U.S. operations would see a windfall from the price spike, the biggest U.S. oil firms, ExxonMobil and Chevron, as well as the other international supermajors with exposure to the Middle East Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies are already counting the losses. The airline's long-haul route network is set to grow by nine per cent* Increased service from key U.S. destinations including Baltimore, Houston and New Orleans New destinations from London include Melbourne in Australia and Colombo in Sri Lanka In response to the Middle East conflict, the airline also added additional flights to Bangkok and Singapore There is a boost to winter capacity in popular leisure markets across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean NEW YORK, March 17, 2026 -- British Airways has announced a significant planned expansion to its network for winter 2026, increasing its long-haul flying by nine per cent* as the airline continues to invest in new destinations and increased services for customers worldwide. The expanded schedule includes two new long-haul destinations - Melbourne, Australia and Colombo, Sri Lanka - alongside additional flights from several U.S. cities and increased service across key leisure destinations in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. These planned new routes and frequency growth for winter 2026 is in addition to short-term capacity increases to destinations to meet customer demand, as a result of the situation in the Middle East. British Airways added seven extra return services to Bangkok and Singapore in the last week and will continue to review its schedule and add additional flights to destinations as needed. The growth reinforces British Airways' role as a leading global airline connecting North America with Europe and destinations around the world via its London hub. Neil Chernoff, British Airways' Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said: "We're delighted to announce sizable growth to our flying schedule for winter 2026, including two notable new destinations, that I am confident will prove popular with our customers. We're also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world. Together, these changes represent a significant investment in our long-haul leisure network, adding even more options and choice for our customers. "Elsewhere, we know there is short-term demand as a result of the situation in the Middle East. To support customers with alternative routes from popular destinations we have already launched additional flights, and we will continue to monitor customer demand and add flights to our schedule if we're able to do so." Increased service from the United States As part of the expanded schedule, British Airways will increase flights from key U.S. destinations: Baltimore will increase to a daily service to London Heathrow for winter 2026, complementing the existing daily summer service will increase to a daily service to London Heathrow for winter 2026, complementing the existing daily summer service New Orleans will increase to four flights per week to London Heathrow will increase to four flights per week to London Heathrow Houston will increase to 12 flights per week to London Heathrow The additional flights will provide greater flexibility for customers traveling between the U.S., London and British Airways' global network. New destination: Melbourne, Australia British Airways will commence flights to Melbourne in Australia from 9 January 2027, launching in time for the Australian Open and the Melbourne Grand Prix. Flights will operate year-round from London Heathrow, via Kuala Lumpur, on a daily basis. Customers have a choice of four cabins World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Club World (business class) and First. New winter route: Colombo, Sri Lanka Launching on 23 October 2026, British Airways will fly three times per week from London Gatwick to Colombo, the vibrant gateway to Sri Lanka. The route will operate for the winter season only, and customers have a choice of three cabins World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and Club World (business class). Frequency growth In a significant expansion to the current schedule, the airline is increasing frequencies across several of its popular routes. In the Caribbean, British Airways will also introduce a new daily winter service from Barbados to London Gatwick, complementing the airline's existing Heathrow service and providing onward tag flights to Grenada, Guyana and Tobago. Additionally, the airline's St. Lucia service becomes daily non-stop to London Gatwick from 25 October, further expanding travel options to and from the Caribbean. Other schedule changes include: A third daily flight from London Heathrow to Cape Town , South Africa, will start in December , South Africa, will start in December London Heathrow to Haneda in Tokyo , Japan increases to double daily from the end of March, and continues throughout the winter schedule , Japan increases to double daily from the end of March, and continues throughout the winter schedule San Jose in Costa Rica increases to five per week, and moves to London Heathrow increases to five per week, and moves to London Heathrow Kingston in Jamaica and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, both served from London Gatwick, will go up to four per week in Jamaica and in the Dominican Republic, both served from London Gatwick, will go up to four per week Delhi continues to be served three times a day, as the frequency growth introduced at the start of the summer season remains in place continues to be served three times a day, as the frequency growth introduced at the start of the summer season remains in place London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi will return for its planned winter schedule, operating daily from 25 October Short term capacity In addition to the planned growth for winter 2026, British Airways has also introduced seven additional return services from London to Bangkok and Singapore over recent weeks, to meet rising demand for these routes as a result of the situation in the Middle East. The airline has added more than 3,300 extra seats between 10 and 19 March for customers travelling to and from these destinations and continues to monitor its network closely to make adjustments based on where customers want to fly. British Airways has extended the temporary reduction in flights to the region, with flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv cancelled up to and including 31 May, and flights to Doha cancelled until 30 April. Continued investment in global connectivity The expanded winter 2026 schedule represents one of British Airways' largest seasonal network increases in recent years. By adding new destinations and increasing service on high-demand routes, the airline is continuing to strengthen its global network and provide customers with greater connectivity through London to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Tickets for the new routes and expanded services are on sale at ba.com from March 17 2026. *Nine per cent increase based on the number of long-haul flights operated by British Airways from London in the winter 2026 schedule, vs winter 2025. SOURCE British Airways Collaboration reflects shared commitment to professionalism and meeting the expectations of today's informed boat buyers MIAMI, March 17, 2026 -- Boats Group, the leading provider of digital marketplaces, software platforms, and data solutions for the global recreational marine industry, today announced the renewal of its support for the Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA), a professional trade association dedicated to promoting ethical standards, education, and cooperation among yacht and boat brokers. The renewed agreement reflects a shared commitment to strengthening professionalism within the brokerage community while responding to the evolving expectations of today's boat buyers and sellers. As the largest network of recreational marine marketplaces including YachtWorld, Boat Trader, and boats.com Boats Group engages with more than 15 million boat shoppers every month, providing unique insights into how consumers research, evaluate, and purchase boats. Across these marketplaces, one message from buyers has become increasingly clear: consumers want transparency, they want to see the full breadth of what's available on the market, and they want to feel confident that the professionals they work with operate with expertise and integrity. YBAA's longstanding mission to promote education, ethical conduct, and professional standards among yacht brokers closely aligns with those expectations. "Today's buyers are informed and intentional," said Courtney Chalmers. "They want to explore the market, understand their options, and connect with professionals they can trust when they're ready to take the next step. Our support for YBAA reflects a shared belief that a transparent marketplace supported by educated, professional brokers ultimately benefits everyone buyers, sellers, and the industry as a whole." "YBAA exists to elevate the professionalism and credibility of yacht brokers," said JP Skov, Executive Director of the Yacht Brokers Association of America. "The continued support from Boats Group helps ensure our members remain connected to the real dynamics of the marketplace while gaining access to insights and education that help them better serve today's informed buyers. When brokers combine professional standards with the visibility and transparency that modern consumers expect, the entire buying and selling experience improves." As part of this ongoing support, Boats Group will continue to champion the Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) program the industry's premier certification for yacht brokers as the Exclusive CPYB Diamond Sponsor. The certification, administered by YBAA, helps ensure brokers meet rigorous standards of professionalism, ethics, and expertise. Boats Group will also expand educational opportunities for YBAA members by sharing marketplace insights, consumer behavior trends, and product expertise through quarterly webinars and presentations. In addition, Boats Group will participate in YBAA educational programming, including sessions at YBAA University and other association events designed to help brokers stay informed about evolving technology, market conditions, and buyer expectations. Leadership from Boats Group and YBAA will also meet regularly to exchange feedback and discuss emerging industry trends, ensuring the brokerage community continues to evolve in line with the expectations of modern boat buyers. By combining YBAA's leadership in broker education and professional standards with Boats Group's global marketplace scale and consumer insights, the collaboration helps ensure that professional brokers remain at the center of a transparent, trusted, and effective boat buying experience. About Boats Group Boats Group operates the world's leading online marketplaces for buying and selling boats, including Boat Trader, YachtWorld, and boats.com. With a global audience of millions of boat buyers, Boats Group provides data-driven marketing solutions, AI-driven tools, financing services, and industry insights to help OEMs, dealers, and brokers maximize their sales potential. About YBAA Setting the standard since 1920, Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA) advances the highest levels of professionalism, ethics, and expertise in the yacht brokerage industry through its three strategic pillars of Professional Education, Professional Excellence, and Professional Standards. The Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) program is the only nationally recognized credential in the profession and helps define what it means to be a true professional in the marine marketplace. For more information, visit www.ybaa.org. Theft Levels Decline as Nationwide Prevention Efforts Yield Results OAK BROOK, Ill., March 18, 2026 -- Vehicle thefts across the United States declined in 2025 to the lowest levels in several decades, marking a 23% decrease from 2024, according to a new analysis of reported thefts from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation's leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing and combating insurance crime. A total of 659,880 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide last year, a historic low figure for U.S. vehicle thefts and a clear signal of the end of the pandemic-fueled surge in vehicle thefts. This past year's decline in vehicle thefts follows a significant 17% drop in vehicle thefts in 2024 previously the largest decrease in thefts in 40 years. While the national decline is encouraging, vehicle theft remains a significant crime affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. Even as this historic milestone is reached, one vehicle is still stolen every 48 seconds. In some urban areas, the risk of theft is even greater. "Coordinated prevention efforts by law enforcement, auto manufacturers, insurance companies, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau are having a major impact on vehicle thefts nationwide," said NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe. "But with several hundreds of thousands of vehicles stolen in a single year, vigilance and prevention efforts remain key to protecting families, businesses and communities nationwide." In 2025, several states saw substantial year-over-year decreases in their vehicle theft numbers. Washington State experienced the largest percentage decrease of any state with 39% less vehicles stolen in 2025 compared to 2024. Colorado and Puerto Rico followed closely with 35% and 34% declines in vehicle thefts. Top 10 States by Percentage Decrease in Vehicle Thefts # State Percentage Change 1 Washington -39 % 2 Colorado -35 % 3 Puerto Rico -34 % 4 South Dakota -32 % 5 Tennessee -31 % 6 New Mexico -31 % 7 North Dakota -30 % 8 Florida -29 % 9 Georgia -28 % 10 Arizona -27 % Even as the United States overall experiences a decline in thefts, the crime remains heavily concentrated in large metropolitan areas. More than one-third of all vehicle thefts occurred in the top 10 Census-defined statistical areas with the highest volumes of theft. Top 10 Metropolitan Areas by Total Vehicle Thefts # CBSA (Metropolitan Areas) 2025 Total Thefts 1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 53,911 2 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 27,138 3 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 24,299 4 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 23,659 5 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 22,197 6 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 21,638 7 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 19,117 8 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 15,204 9 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 14,111 10 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 12,684 California led the nation in vehicle theft rates among metropolitan areas. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area (477.51 thefts per 100,000 people) and the Bakersfield-Delano area (477.27 thefts per 100,000 people) experienced the two highest theft rates of all metro areas with more than 1,000 thefts. These rates pushed the Memphis, Tennessee metro area which previously suffered the worst vehicle theft rates to third place at 427.75. The Golden State also reported the highest number of vehicle thefts in 2025, with 136,988 vehicles stolen contributing more than 20% of the nation's total. Following California, Texas, Illinois, Florida and New York rounded out the top five states by volume of vehicle thefts. Top 10 States by Total Vehicle Thefts # State 2025 Total Thefts 1 California 136,988 2 Texas 75,269 3 Illinois 28,327 4 Florida 27,142 5 New York 24,206 6 Ohio 20,628 7 Pennsylvania 20,568 8 North Carolina 20,395 9 Washington 18,039 10 Missouri 17,496 The Hyundai Elantra remained the most stolen vehicle model in 2025, with 21,732 thefts reported nationwide, followed closely by the Honda Accord with 17,797 thefts. Most Stolen Vehicles in 2025 # Make/Model 2025 Theft Totals 1 Hyundai Elantra 21,732 2 Honda Accord 17,797 3 Hyundai Sonata 17,687 4 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 16,764 5 Honda Civic 12,725 6 Kia Optima 11,521 7 Ford F150 10,102 8 Toyota Camry 9,833 9 Honda CR-V 9,809 10 Nissan Altima 8,445 Thefts involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles have continued to decline for the third consecutive year. These manufacturers account for 14% of all vehicle thefts in 2025, down from 16% in 2024 and 21% in 2023. The downward trend involving these top-targeted vehicles reflects the impact of software updates and theft-prevention measures implemented in response to the theft trend. Despite national progress, vehicle thefts still bring immense financial losses and personal disruption for victims. To prevent vehicle thefts from occurring, NICB recommends the following tips for vehicle owners: While in your vehicle: Park in well-lit areas . Increased visibility deters thieves, so always park in a well-lit parking lot or spot near a streetlight. . Increased visibility deters thieves, so always park in a well-lit parking lot or spot near a streetlight. Roll up your windows. Limit point of access by making sure your windows are rolled up before you exit your vehicle. When exiting your vehicle: Lock your doors . Some criminals walk through parking lots testing handles to choose which vehicle they take, so always lock your car before you leave it. . Some criminals walk through parking lots testing handles to choose which vehicle they take, so always lock your car before you leave it. Never leave your vehicle running while unattended . An empty vehicle with the engine running is practically an invitation to opportunistic criminals. Always turn off your vehicle when you exit. . An empty vehicle with the engine running is practically an invitation to opportunistic criminals. Always turn off your vehicle when you exit. Always take your keys with you. Even if you're picking up a quick coffee or running back inside your house for something, it only takes moments for thieves to jump in and drive off with your car. For an additional layer of security: Consider using anti-theft technology. These items include steering wheel locks, audible alarms, kill switches, or aftermarket GPS tracking like air tags. These items deter thieves from targeting your car, and if they do take it, ultimately make it easier to find. Vehicle theft may not be evenly distributed across the country, but as a crime of opportunity, no community or individual is immune. About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combatting and preventing insurance crime through Intelligence, Analytics, and Operations; Education and Crime Prevention; and Strategy, Policy, and Advocacy. NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Latest financing round enables BusRight to modernize infrastructure behind $900 billion K-12 education system. Founded by CEO Keith Corso and Chief Product Officer (CPO) Phillip Dunn, BusRight ensures every student can safely and reliably access their education. The company's technology addresses transportation leaders' most critical challenges: a crippling school bus driver shortage, overwhelming parent demands, and increasing route complexity. The platform brings driver navigation, routing, student ridership visibility, parent communication, and live GPS tracking into one unified platform. As a result, transportation leaders can build bus routes in 60 seconds, track buses in real-time, and communicate with parents in a single click. The country's $900 billion K-12 education system is enabled by 13,000 transportation leaders who transport more than 20 million students to and from school every day. Many school bus fleets start each morning unexpectedly short 15-30% of drivers, forcing last-minute route cancellations, triggering a flood of parent phone calls, missed pickups, and even more pressure on an already stretched driver workforce. In an industry underserved by technology, many bus drivers are still handed paper route sheets. Meanwhile, transportation leaders spend their days behind the wheel instead of leading and often work 12 plus hour days just to keep buses running. BusRight is uniquely positioned to address these challenges and usher our nation's largest mass transit system into the modern era. Nearly one million parents, drivers, dispatchers, business managers, and superintendents across 36 states rely on BusRight to help rebuild trust in one of the most foundational sectors of our society: public education. "BusRight has saved us $989,000 in the first year," said Gregory Mott, Superintendent of Schools for the Poughkeepsie City School District. "I can't think of another tool in the district that has had such a profound impact on student safety, while also strengthening the financial position of the school." "Student transportation teams have been underrecognized and underinvested for far too long," said Keith Corso, Co-Founder & CEO of BusRight. "We're proud to partner with Volition Capital, a team that shares the belief that transportation directors, routers, dispatchers, and drivers are the backbone of public education, and they deserve the recognition, investment, and support to match the significance of the work they do every single day." Funding from the latest round will enable BusRight to continue to invest in its state-of-the-art platform, launching new products and services to meet the unique needs of the nation's student transportation operators. Platform enhancements include the first 24/7 AI-powered student transportation agent, precision hyper-local mapping intelligence, and NFC-based child safety features. "My experience in school systems showed me how rapidly education was changing and how urgently it needed better tools," said BusRight Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Phillip Dunn, who previously served as CIO of the sixth-largest school district in the country. "BusRight exists to unlock public infrastructure with the same ease and impact we expect from modern consumer technology." In connection with this financing, Tomy Han, partner at Volition Capital, will join BusRight's Board of Directors. "BusRight is building a category-defining platform in a market that is both massive and mission-critical," said Tomy Han, partner at Volition Capital. "The team has demonstrated exceptional execution, strong customer adoption, and a product that is deeply embedded in daily transportation operations. We're excited to partner with BusRight as they scale a durable, market-leading business." BusRight's momentum comes amid rapid change in student transportation, driven by evolving regulations, new funding for technology adoption, and increasing demand for school safety, real-time visibility, and operational excellence. About BusRight BusRight, the leading all-in-one student transportation technology platform, solves the most mission-critical challenge in K-12 education: transporting students to and from school safely, reliably, and efficiently. Headquartered in New York, NY, BusRight partners with communities across the US to bring innovative solutions to the nation's public education system. Learn more at https://busright.com. About Volition Capital Volition Capital is a Boston-based growth equity firm that principally invests in high-growth, founder-owned companies across the software, Internet, and consumer sectors. Founded in 2010, Volition has over $1.7 billion in assets under management and has invested in and/or provided sub-advisory advice to more than 60 companies in the United States and Canada. The firm selectively partners with founders to help them achieve their fullest aspirations for their businesses. For more information, visit http://www.volitioncapital.com. When a company gets put into a receivership, thats usually a last-ditch effort to save the brand. The receivers job is to literally operate the business, said John Mark Jennings, a partner in the law firm of Shulman Hodges & Bastian LLP to Smart Business. A receivership is an action brought against your company because it is being operated to the detriment of shareholders or creditors. In the case of Uncle Nearest, one of the fastest-growing independent American whiskey brands in recent years and a legendary liquor brand that traces its roots back 159 years, the founder of the company and its largest shareholder, Fawn Weaver, believes that the company should not be controlled by receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. Weaver has filed a lawsuit and for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the brand, which she currently does not control. A look at the Uncle Nearest lawsuit The founders, CEO, and largest shareholder of Uncle Nearest have filed a lawsuit against Farm Credit Mid-America in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, alleging the lender engaged in a smear campaign against the fast-growing whiskey brand by knowingly circulating false accusations, including claims of missing inventory, financial misconduct, negative cash flow, and insolvency, the company shared in a press release. "The accusations circulated about us were not only false. The bank knew they were false when they made them, and they knew those accusations would strike directly at the credibility that allowed this brand to grow against all odds in this industry," said Uncle Nearest CEO Fawn Weaver. Weaver said the company filed for Chapter 11 protection earlier today, bringing the court-appointed receivership to an end. That will lead to a number of things: By Mata Press Service The Philippines wellness economy has grown into a $47.3 billion sector that now accounts for more than a tenth of the countrys gross domestic product, according to new data released by the Global Wellness Institute. The study is putting fresh attention on the countrys push to turn traditional healing, spa tourism and nature-based travel into a bigger economic driver. The figures, released through the institutes partnership with the Philippine Department of Tourism, show the countrys wellness market was up 31 per cent from $36 billion in 2019 and rose 7.3 per cent from 2023 to 2024. In local currency terms, the growth was even stronger at 45 per cent over the same pre-pandemic period, reflecting the drag of peso depreciation against the U.S. dollar. That makes wellness a much bigger part of the Philippine economy than many people might assume. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the sector accounted for 10.2 per cent of national GDP in 2024, placing the Philippines among the top 10 countries globally by wellnesss share of economic output. The country ranked eighth among 45 Asia-Pacific economies and 23rd out of 218 countries worldwide, holding its global position while strengthening its regional standing. The new data lands as the Marcos administration continues to look for higher-value tourism segments that can bring in more spending per visitor and spread economic benefits beyond the usual beach and shopping circuits. Wellness tourism is one of those areas, especially for a country that can market everything from traditional massage and spa therapies to rainforest retreats, mountain escapes and coastal resorts. Susie Ellis, chair and chief executive officer of the Global Wellness Institute, said the Philippines is showing how a country can build on its own strengths to grow a competitive wellness sector. In a statement released with the findings, Ellis said research of this kind gives countries a stronger base for investment, innovation and long-term planning. The Department of Tourism framed the data as a sign that the countrys wellness operators are gaining international recognition. Dr. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, director of the departments Office of Product Development, said the report formally recognizes the role of wellness tourism stakeholders in driving industry growth and gives the government more support for programs aimed at lifting the Philippines profile in domestic and international markets. A key part of that story is travel. The institute said the Philippines recorded 3.18 million wellness trips in 2024, up 16.8 per cent from 2023, with average spending per wellness trip reaching $1,166. Those numbers suggest visitors seeking health, relaxation and holistic experiences are becoming a more valuable travel segment for the country. The report also points to gains across several parts of the wellness economy from 2023 to 2024. Spas posted growth of 18.6 per cent, physical activity grew 12.4 per cent and wellness real estate expanded 11.8 per cent. Those categories matter because the wellness economy is broader than luxury resorts and massage packages. It includes personal care and beauty, healthy eating, fitness, traditional and preventive health services, workplace wellness, wellness tourism and wellness-focused property development. In the Philippines, that breadth helps explain why the sector has become so economically significant. Much of the countrys branding effort rests on offering something distinctively Filipino. The Global Wellness Institute said the local wellness experience is anchored in hilot, the traditional Filipino healing massage, and in experiences shaped by the countrys beaches, forests, mountains, hot springs and island landscapes. It also highlighted destinations such as The Farm at San Benito in Batangas, Nurture Wellness Village in Tagaytay, Chi at Shangri-La, Tranquila at Las Caidas Wellness Resort in Laguna and Amuma Spa at Bluewater Resort in Cebu as examples of the countrys wellness offering. That focus on authenticity may prove important as competition intensifies across Asia, where countries are increasingly trying to capture more tourism spending through health, recovery and lifestyle experiences rather than just conventional sightseeing. Thailand, for example, has also been singled out by the institute as a fast-growing wellness market, showing that the Philippines is competing in a regional race, not operating in a vacuum. For the Philippines, the challenge now is turning momentum into a more durable national advantage. Tourism officials have spent years trying to move the country up the value chain by packaging its natural assets and cultural identity into more specialized experiences. Wellness fits neatly into that strategy because it can draw higher-spending travellers, support local enterprises, and create demand for everything from resort infrastructure to therapeutic services and fitness programming. The latest numbers suggest that effort is gaining traction. The Philippines first appeared as a notable wellness growth story in earlier Global Wellness Institute releases, which valued the countrys wellness economy at $41 billion in 2022 and $43.3 billion in 2023. The jump to $47.3 billion in 2024 shows the sector has continued to expand rather than simply rebound from the pandemic shock. That distinction matters. A rebound implies recovery to old levels. Continued acceleration The Philippines wellness economy is no longer a niche story. It is becoming one of the countrys bigger economic narratives, with tourism, traditional healing and health-focused travel increasingly positioned at the centre of that rise. Coming to its most recent results for Q4 2025, Occidental had a mixed showing, although both net sales and earnings declined from the previous year. Net sales of $5.4 billion were down 5.2% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis. A 14.5% yearly fall in oil and gas net sales to $4.8 billion was the culprit, as daily production remained almost flat at 1,246 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBOE/D) compared to 1,233 MBOE/D in the prior year. Valued at a market cap of $57.1 billion, OXY stock is up a substantial 39% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis. The stock also offers a dividend yield of 1.80%. Piper Sandler's first pick was also one of the last conviction trades of the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, before he hung up his boots as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Founded in 1920, Occidental Petroleum (OXY) is a major integrated oil and gas company involved in three core business segments, namely, oil and gas, chemicals, and carbon management. So, as investment strategies go haywire amid this dire situation, which stocks can protect our portfolios? Well, unsurprisingly, it should be oil stocks. But which ones? Piper Sandler believes that bets should be hedged on these two names. While gasoline prices reached their highest levels since 2022, fertilizer costs such as urea are up by 35%, with the war-torn Gulf region producing nearly 50% of global urea exports. This is being slowly but surely reflected in the prices of everyday essentials such as eggs (up 14% since Feb. 28), bread (up 5% since Feb. 28), and milk (up 3% since Feb. 28), among others. As the war in Iran enters its third week, the world remains on tenterhooks. While concerns persist about the war intensifying and the participating countries deepening their involvement, the primary economic worries are around the surging oil prices. Notably, the prices of April WTI Crude Oil (CLJ26) have witnessed a sharp jump of 48.2% since Feb. 28, the day when the first munitions from the U.S.-Israel combined force were dropped on Iran. Consequently, while Tehran and the wider Middle East remain on the boil, the American public is paying more for gasoline at gas stations, as the damages from Operation Epic Fury are not just beyond its shores. Story Continues Cash flow from operations declined as well to $2.7 billion from $3.1 billion in the year-ago period, with the company ending 2025 with a cash balance of about $2 billion. This was higher than its short-term debt levels of $1.8 billion. Notwithstanding all this, Piper Sandler increased the price target on the company's stock to $66 from $54 earlier. Citing its strong operational presence in the rich Delaware Basin, the broking firm expects the company to maintain its efficiency gains and sustain its levels of production. Overall, the Wall Street community has deemed the OXY stock to be a consensus Hold, with a mean target price that has already been surpassed. The high target price of $69 denotes an upside potential of about 19% from current levels. Out of 27 analysts covering the stock, six have a Strong Buy rating, one has a Moderate Buy rating, 17 have a Hold, and three have a Strong Sell rating. www.barchart.com Oil Stock #2: Murphy Oil (MUR) Another favorite oil stock of Piper Sandler is Houston, TX-based Murphy Oil (MUR). Founded in 1950, Murphy Oil is an independent exploration and production (E&P) company. Its core activities include exploration of oil and natural gas, drilling and production, and development of offshore and shale fields. Its market cap at $5.3 billion is much lower than that of Occidental; however, its dividend yield of 3.80% is more than double. The stock is up 16% on a YTD basis. www.barchart.com Notably, Murphy's results for the most recent quarter were also mixed, with revenues missing but earnings surpassing estimates. Total revenues fell to $613.1 million from $699.6 million in the year-ago period. However, total net crude oil and natural gas production witnessed a rise when compared to the previous year. While total net crude oil and condensate production for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2025, was at 92,702 barrels per day (vs. 91,460 barrels per day in Q4 2024), total net natural gas production in the same period stood at 503,112 cubic feet per day, which implies an annual growth rate of 4.6%. Yet, earnings saw a sharp drop of 60% on a YoY basis to $0.14 per share as it managed to outperform the Street expectations of a loss of $0.04 per share. Net cash from operations fell by 42.4% from the prior year to $249.6 million as the company closed the quarter with a cash balance of $377.2 million. This was higher than the company's short-term debt levels of $281.3 million. Meanwhile, Piper Sandler upped its price target on the stock to $41 from $33. The firm believes that value will accrue to the firm through significant operating leverage and appraisal work at the Hai Su Vang project in Vietnam during the first half of 2026, which could aid its reserves. Thus, analysts have attributed a consensus rating of Hold for MUR stock. While the mean target price has already been surpassed, the high target price of $41 denotes an upside potential of about 11% from current levels. Out of 18 analysts covering the stock, two have a Strong Buy rating, 15 have a Hold rating, and one has a Strong Sell rating. www.barchart.com Final Take As assumptions are there for oil to cross $150 per barrel, the scenario for oil stocks seems to be one of more price appreciation. Both Murphy Oil and Occidental are dividend-paying companies with a balance sheet that has reasonable levels of liquidity and strong operational prowess in some of the richest oil-producing regions of the world. As such, Piper Sandler's assertions should not be scoffed at. Even those who do not believe in the long-term oil and gas story and believe renewable energy is the way forward for our energy needs, a short-term tactical trade would do no harm in these names. On the date of publication, Pathikrit Bose 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 14 held for throwing non-veg food into Ganga during Iftar party on boat in Varanasi NEW DELHI : A VIDEO showing a group of people reportedly holding an iftar party on a boat in the middle of the Ganga River at Varanasi has gone viral on social media, triggering a police complaint after which 14 individuals were arrested. Allegations in the video include eating non-vegetarian food on the river and disposing of leftovers into the holy water, actions that hurt religious sentiments in the sacred city. The clip, widely shared on platforms like Instagram, shows individuals on a small vessel during sunset, with what appears to be chicken biryani and other items being consumed. Critics say the act was disrespectful to the religious sanctity of the Ganga, a river revered by millions of devotees who perform rituals and take ceremonial baths along its ghats. Following a complaint filed by a youth wing leader of the BJP, the Kotwali police registered a case against those involved and the boat operator. Multiple sections of the law were invoked, including those related to outraging religious feelings, environmental pollution, and public nuisance. In connection with the incident, 14 individuals have been taken into custody while the investigation continues. Police sources say they are also verifying the authenticity of the video and identifying all those seen in it. Speaking to IANS, Vijay Pratap Singh, ACP Kotwali, said: Yesterday we received information regarding a video going viral on Instagram of a few people holding an iftar party on a boat, eating and throwing bones into the river. There was a container in the middle holding chicken biryani from which they were eating. After that, 14 people were arrested. Officials have emphasised that no one is above the law, and those found guilty of violating guidelines related to pollution or public order will face legal consequences. They also noted that coastal and river police units are now monitoring boats more closely to prevent similar incidents. The case has reignited discussions about respect for religious sentiments and environmental protection in public spaces, especially in cities like Varanasi where spiritual traditions and tourism intersect. 2 top Iranian officials eliminated DUBAIRANS : top security official and the head of the Revolutionary Guards Basij militia were both killed in overnight strikes in a blow to the countrys leadership, Israels Defence Minister said on Tuesday, while Tehran defiantly fired new salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel. Both security official Ali Larijani and General Gholam Reza Soleimani were eliminated last night, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Irans 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in an airstrike February 28, the first day of the war launched by the United States and Israel, and other top leaders from the Iranian theocracy have been killed since then. Iranian state media did not immediately confirm either death. However, it said a message from Larijanis office would be published shortly. The announcement came after the Israeli military had earlier said it had carried out a wide-scale wave of strikes across Irans capital and stepped up strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Israel also reported two incoming salvos before dawn from Iran at Tel Aviv and elsewhere, and said Hezbollah targeted Israels north. Incoming Iranian missiles on the United Arab Emirates prompted Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, to briefly shut its airspace and a man was killed by the debris of a missile intercepted over Abu Dhabi. Larijani hails from one of Irans most famous political families. A former parliamentary speaker and senior policy adviser, he was appointed to advise the late Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He also served as the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, its top security body. Soleimani, meantime, was the head of the Basij militia forces, which Israels military called an armed apparatus of the Iranian terror regime. During internal protests in Iran, particularly in recent periods as demonstrations intensified, Basij forces under Soleimanis command led the main repression operations, employing severe violence, widespread arrests and the use of force against civilian demonstrators, Israels military said in a statement. The US Treasury lists Soleimani as having been born in 1965. He has been sanctioned by the US, the European Union and other nations over his role in helping suppress dissent for years through the Basij. Killing Soleimani would likely further strain the command and control of the Basij, which would be crucial in putting down any uprising against the theocracy. The Basij and other internal security forces have been a target of attack by both the Americans and the Israelis so far. Iran kept up the pressure on the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, hitting an oil facility in Fujairah, a UAE emirate on the countrys east coast with the Gulf of Oman that has been repeatedly targeted. State-run WAM news reported that no one had been injured in the blast from the drone strike. The man killed by falling debris from an intercepted missile was the eighth person to die in the UAE since the start of the war, authorities said. Irans attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the worlds oil is transported, has given rise to increasing concerns of a global energy crisis. Early Tuesday it hit a tanker anchored off the coast of Fujairah, one of about 20 vessels hit since Israel and the United States started the war with an attack on Iran on February 28. Irans parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said his country had been given no choice but to keep up its pressure on shipping traffic in the strait. They are flying, launching missiles, should we just sit back and do nothing in response? he said in an interview on state television. With Washington under increasing pressure over rising oil prices, Brent crude, the international standard, remained over USD 100 a barrel, up more than 40 per cent since the war started. The UAE shut down its airspace early on Tuesday as its military reported it was responding to missile and drone threats from Iran. The closure was soon lifted, and not long after the sounds of explosions could be heard as the military worked to intercept incoming fire. The Israeli military early on Tuesday said it had launched new attacks across Tehran in addition to the Lebanese capital targeting Hezbollah militants. In Iran, it said it hit command centres, missile launch sites and air defence systems. There was no immediate confirmation from Iran, where little information has been coming out due to internet outages, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. Healthcare offers one of the most compelling long-term investment sectors for several fundamental reasons. The most powerful tailwind is simple demographics the global population is aging rapidly, with the number of people over 65 set to double in the coming decades, driving sustained and largely inelastic demand for medical services, pharmaceuticals, and devices. Unlike most industries, healthcare demand doesn't dry up in recessions, giving the sector a defensive quality that few others can match. Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. We screened our 24/7 Wall St. dividend healthcare research database, looking for stocks with dependable, high yields that still offer significant upside potential and a safety net should the market dive, triggering a correction or a bear market. Five top companies with reliable, regularly increasing dividends stand out as smart choices right now. Technological innovation adds further appeal, with breakthroughs in gene therapy, AI diagnostics, GLP-1 drugs, and personalized medicine opening entirely new revenue streams. Many leading companies in the sector have decades of dividend growth and deep economic moats built on patents and regulatory approvals. Taken together, aging populations, recession resilience, and constant innovation make healthcare one of the rare sectors where the long-term growth thesis is nearly structural rather than speculative. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here . With the odds of a rate cut looking better, dividend-paying healthcare stocks look attractive as we head to the second quarter. High-yielding dividend healthcare stocks may be a great place for worried investors seeking passive income. Even with strong selling pressure recently, the major indices are still just 4% below all-time highs. After a career spanning two decades at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley, I gained an institutional perspective on dividend stock investing. My tenure at these premier Wall Street firms exposed me to fundamental analysis, credit evaluation, and risk management practices that directly translate into selecting high-quality dividend-paying companies. Having witnessed firsthand the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermathincluding the collapse of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, from which I was fortunately spared as I had left I developed an appreciation for balance sheet strength, sustainable payout ratios, and the importance of dividends as a stabilizing force during market turbulence. Story Continues Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and delivering transformative medicines for patients with serious diseases across oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, and other therapeutic areas. This remains a solid pharmaceutical stock to own in the long term, offering an outstanding entry point with a reliable 4.10% dividend. Its platforms comprise chemically synthesized or small-molecule drugs, including protein degraders, as well as biologics produced through biological processes. These platforms also encompass ADCs, CAR-T cell therapies, and radiopharmaceutical therapeutics. Small-molecule drugs are typically administered orally in tablet or capsule form, although other drug-delivery mechanisms are also used. Biologics are usually administered by injection or intravenous infusion. CAR-T cell therapies are administered by intravenous infusion. Its growth portfolio includes: Opdivo Opdivo Qvantig Orencia Yervoy Reblozyl Opdualag Bristol-Myers Squibb's legacy portfolio includes: Eliquis Revlimid Pomalyst/Imnovid Sprycel Abraxane UBS has a Buy rating with a $70 price target. Healthpeak Properties This leading company invests in real estate in the healthcare industry, including senior housing, life sciences facilities, and medical offices. Healthpeak Properties (NYSE: DOC) is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) with a solid 7.01% dividend. The stock is recommended by Morningstar's chief U.S. market strategist, who rates it a five-star stock trading at a discount to fair value with a very dependable yield. The company acquires, develops, owns, leases, and manages healthcare real estate across the United States. It owns, operates, and develops real estate focused on healthcare discovery and delivery. Its segments include: Lab Outpatient medical Continuing care retirement community (CCRC) The Outpatient medical segment owns, operates, and develops outpatient medical facilities, hospitals, and laboratory facilities. The Lab segment properties contain laboratory and office space, and are leased primarily to: Biotechnology Medical device and pharmaceutical companies Scientific research institutions Government agencies Organizations involved in the life science industry Its CCRC segment comprises a retirement community offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing units, providing a continuum of care within an integrated campus. Evercore ISI has an Outperform rating with a $19 target price. Merck Developing and producing medicines, vaccines, biological therapies, and animal health products, Merck (NYSE: MRK) is not just a healthcare company but a global force in the industry. This healthcare giant is a no-brainer, paying a solid 2.79% dividend and raising it for 15 consecutive years. The company operates through two segments. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in: Oncology Hospital acute care Immunology Neuroscience Virology Cardiovascular Diabetes Vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, health management solutions and services, and digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. Merck serves: Drug wholesalers Retailers Hospitals Government agencies Managed healthcare providers, such as health maintenance organizations Pharmacy benefit managers and other institutions Physicians Physician distributors Veterinarians Animal producers Merck's growth is a result of its efforts and strategic collaborations. The company works with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Eisai, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and Gilead Sciences to jointly develop and commercialize long-acting HIV treatments, demonstrating a commitment to innovation and growth. Deutsche Bank has a Buy rating with a $150 target price. Pfizer Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs. The company discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It pays a dependable 6.46% dividend, which has increased annually for the past 15 years. This top pharmaceutical stock was a massive winner in the COVID-19 vaccine sweepstakes, but it has been crushed as many people have not received boosters. However, Pfizer's recovery story is gaining traction, with blockbuster non-COVID drugs delivering strong growth and a potential GLP-1 product launch on the horizon. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including: Cardiovascular, metabolic, and women's health under the Premarin family and Eliquis brands Biologics, small molecules, immunotherapies, and biosimilars under the Ibrance, Xtandi, Sutent, Inlyta, Retacrit, Lorbrena, and Braftovi brands Sterile injectable and anti-infective medicines and oral COVID-19 treatment under the Sulperazon, Medrol, Zavicefta, Zithromax, Vfend, Panzyga, and Paxlovid brands Pfizer also provides medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, such as: Pneumococcal disease, meningococcal disease, and tick-borne encephalitis COVID-19 under the Comirnaty/BNT162b2, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, Trumenba, and the Prevnar family brands Biosimilars for chronic immune and inflammatory diseases under the Xeljanz, Enbrel, Inflectra, Eucrisa/Staquis, and Cibinqo brands Amyloidosis, hemophilia, and endocrine diseases under the Vyndaqel/Vyndamax, BeneFIX, and Genotropin brands Pfizer anticipates full-year 2025 revenues in the range of $61 billion to $64 billion. This includes the expectation that revenues from COVID-19 products in 2025 will be broadly consistent with 2024 levels, after excluding approximately $1.2 billion of non-recurring Paxlovid revenue in 2024. Argus has a Buy rating and a $35 target price. Sanofi While perhaps a lesser-known name, with a strong 4.93% dividend and solid upside potential, Sanofi (NYSE: SNY) could be a total return winner. This France-based healthcare company focuses on patient needs and engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of therapeutic solutions. Its three operating segments are: Pharmaceuticals Consumer Healthcare (CHC) Vaccines The Pharmaceuticals include: Immunology Multiple sclerosis/neurology Oncology Rare diseases Rare blood disorders Cardiovascular Diabetes Established prescription products The Vaccines segment comprises, across all geographical territories, Sanofi Pasteur's commercial operations, as well as research, development, and production activities dedicated to vaccines. The CHC segment comprises the commercial operations for Sanofis Consumer Healthcare products, as well as research, development, and production activities dedicated to those products. The companys products developed in collaboration or franchise include: Dupixent Aubagio Lemtrada Cerezyme Lumizyme Jevtana Fabrazyme Deutsche Bank has a Buy rating with a 100 price target, which is about $116 in U.S. dollars. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. 400 killed in Pak airstrike on Kabul hospital ISLAMABAD : PAKISTAN overnight carried out precision airstrikes targeting what it described as terrorists and their support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan, but the Afghan Government accused Islamabad of bombing a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, killing at least 400 people. The latest strikes came as Operation Ghazab lil Haq, launched on February 26, continued, according to Pakistans Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Pakistan launched the operation in response to alleged attacks by the Afghan Taliban forces along the 2,600-km-long border. Pakistans Armed Forces successfully carried out precision airstrikes on the night of 16 March as a part of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, targeting Afghan Taliban regime terrorism sponsoring military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. He claimed that the technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities at two locations in Kabul were effectively destroyed. The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots, he added. He claimed four Afghan Taliban regime terrorism sponsoring military sites were also struck in Nangarhar, destroying associated logistics, ammunition and technical infrastructure. However, Deputy Spokesman of the Afghan Taliban-led Government, Hamdullah Fitrat, said that Monday nights bombardment by Pakistan targeted a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, resulting in the death of at least 400 people. He said 250 others were injured. In a post on X, Fitrat said the strike destroyed large sections of the hospital and rescue teams were trying to recover the bodies from the rubble. Citing health officials at the hospital, TOLOnews on Tuesday reported that more than 50 bodies are still believed to be trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue. The airstrike destroyed five blocks of the rehabilitation compound, where up to 3,000 patients were receiving treatment, it said. Deputy Interior Minister Muhammad Nabi Omari, who visited the site, said that Pakistan has undertaken a project to kill Afghans. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Afghan Government, said his country will respond forcefully to Pakistans aggression. Tarar, however, claimed that Pakistan precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure, including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij in Kabul and Nangarhar that were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians. Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). False claims made by the propagandists of the Taliban regime cannot fool the Afghans and the World from their heinous actions supporting and sponsoring terrorism in the region, he said. According to the data shared by Tarar, 684 Afghan Taliban operatives have been killed and another 912 injured so far. The Ministry also rejected the Taliban statement that Pakistan strikes hit civilians, adding that Pakistans targeting is precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted. This misreporting of facts as a drug rehabilitation facility seeks to stir sentiments, covering illegitimate support to cross-border terrorism, the Ministry said. Separately, security sources said that in the Afghan province of Nangarhar, Pakistani forces targeted the Afghan Talibans military installations at four spots. Logistics, ammunition and technical infrastructure adjacent to these installations were also destroyed, the sources added. They further said a drone assembly workshop, headquarters from where drones were sent, and weapon stocks were also destroyed in Nangarhar and Kabul. According to the sources, drones were prepared at those workshops using parts made in Israel. Six targets had been successfully targeted in Kabul and Nangarhar, they said, adding that there were also reports of several terrorists having been killed. Earlier, the armed forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Kurram sector targeted and destroyed important Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij hideouts, security sources said. During these operations, several khawarij were killed while the rest managed to escape, a security source said. The armed forces also destroyed Afghan Taliban posts across the Pak-Afghan border in KPs Bajaur sector, security sources said, adding that the forces targeted Afghan Taliban posts with guided missiles. He said their 252 posts had been destroyed, while 44 were captured and then destroyed. He added that 229 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery guns of the Taliban regime had been destroyed. Nearly 73 terrorists and their support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan have been effectively targeted, he added. In a statement, Pakistans information ministry said that the post-strike detonation of stored ammunition being used by the master terror proxy fully contradicts the Afghan Talibans claim. Gudhi Padwa offer: Special discount at Batukbhai Sons Jewellers, Dharampeth Business Reporter : Gudhi Padwa, which marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, holds great significance. This day is considered one of the Saade Teen Shubh Muhurats and purchasing gold on this day is believed to bring prosperity and good fortune. For this special occasion, Batukbhai Sons Jewellers, located in Dharampeth, Nagpur, has introduced an exquisite range of authentic Maharashtrian traditional jewellery for its customers. With a legacy of 60 years and the trust of three generations, Batukbhai Sons Jewellers in Dharampeth is known as a reliable name for buying gold in Nagpur. On the occasion of Gudhi Padwa, along with traditional Maharashtrian jewellery designs, the store has also introduced a range of modern and stylish designs that perfectly blend tradition with contemporary elegance. With the upcoming wedding season approaching, this is an excellent opportunity for customers to shop for jewellery. Customers can choose from a wide variety of ornaments such as necklaces, mangalsutra, earrings, bangles, and other traditional Maharashtrian jewellery like Thushi, Lakshmi Haar, Pohe Haar, Chapla Kanthi, Mekhla, and Kolhapuri Saaj. To celebrate Gudhi Padwa, customers can avail attractive discounts on making charges along with special festive offers. Additionally, by scanning the QR code, customers can also avail exclusive discount offers. On the auspicious occasion of Gudhi Padwa, customers are invited to visit Batukbhai Sons Jewellers, West High Court Road, Dharampeth, Nagpur, and add joy, prosperity, and a new sparkle to their celebrations. For details, call on Mob. 99911 99616. HC pulls up 93 schools for ignoring student safety norms Staff Reporter : The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has taken serious note of non-compliance by several schools in a case related to student transport safety. As many as 93 schools in the city have failed to submit affidavits despite directions from the court. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the safety of students travelling in school buses and vans, a bench of Justice Anil Kilore and Justice Raj Wakode directed the Deputy Director of Education and Regional Transport Office (RTO) to issue notices to the defaulting schools. The court also ordered that a public notice be published in newspapers so that all concerned institutions are informed. The court has further instructed all schools to submit reports of their School Transport Committee by April 8. Out of 131 schools named in the petition, only 38 have filed affidavits so far. However, the court observed that, many of these affidavits lacked complete details as required. The remaining 93 schools have not filed any affidavits, which prompted the court to direct the authorities to serve notices to them. During the previous hearing, the RTO informed the court that there are 3,690 school transport vehicles operating in Nagpur city, including rural and eastern areas. This includes 541 buses and vans owned by schools and 3,149 vehicles operated by private contractors. The High Court had earlier asked all schools to submit a detailed list of their transport vehicles and records of meetings held by their School Transport Committee over the past two years. Stressing that student safety is of utmost importance, the court expressed concern over the lack of seriousness shown by many schools. Advocate Firdos Mirza, assisted by Advocate Isha Thakre, appeared for the petitioners, while Advocate Deepak Thakare represented the Government. Stabbing triggers unrest in Moudhapara, multiple held Staff Reporter : Tension prevailed in Moudhapara area of Raipur on late Tuesday night following a stabbing incident linked to an old rivalry between two groups, prompting heavy police deployment to maintain law and order. According to police, the incident occurred on March 16 around 5 pm near Talab Par BTS Chowk under Moudhapara police station limits, where accused Ravi Raxel, Harsh Kosle, Lokesh Raxel, Abhay Raxel and Jai Raxel allegedly attacked Mohammad Altaf and Rashid Ali with knives with intent to cause fatal injuries. Police sources said the victims sustained injuries in the attack and were provided medical attention. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police-Central (Addl.DyCP) Tarkeshwar Patel told The Hitavada that police rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information and brought the situation under control. A case has been registered under relevant sections pertaining to attempt to murder and rioting. Acting swiftly, police arrested Ravi Raxel, Harsh Kosle, Lokesh Raxel and Abhay Raxel, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused, he added. Following the incident, tension escalated in the area as groups gathered near Marhi Mata temple and outside the residence of one of the accused. Incidents of stone pelting were reported, while some individuals were seen brandishing swords in an apparent attempt to create panic. The Addl.Dy CP also confirmed that separate cases have been registered against individuals from both sides for acts of violence and attempts to disturb public order. Adequate police force has been deployed in the area, and senior officers are closely monitoring the situation. The situation is currently under control and strict legal action will be taken against those involved, he maintained. Top US counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iran war WASHINGTON : JOE Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he cannot in good conscience back the Trump administrations war in Iran. Kent said on social media Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. There was no immediate comment from the White House. Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats. Before entering President Donald Trumps administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA. Democrats strongly opposed Kents confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trumps national security team to discuss sensitive military plans. Still, Republicans praised Kents counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience. Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the intelligence committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe. Trump losing warat home NO US President in living memory has gone to war with less public support than Donald Trump has for the war in Iran. Even Barack Obamas much-maligned Libyan intervention began with 60% of Americans in support in 2011. There is no poll that shows a majority of Americans supporting the Iran war, and multiple polls showing clear majorities against it. And wars usually lose public support as they go on. Trump did not make a public case for the war before it began, because he preferred quick, surprising strikes preceded by theatrical suspense. He presented the vast military buildup in the Persian Gulf as a high-pressure negotiating tactic in the short-lived bargaining sessions over Irans nuclear enrichment. Trump was undoubtedly emboldened by the tactical success of his removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, though that too was not very popular with Americans. Wars are not necessarily better when the US Government invests a huge effort in justifying them. The justification for the disastrous Iraq War, after all, was based on misperceptions, distortions and falsehoods. But by completely disregarding US public opinion before the war, Trump now finds himself in all kinds of trouble as he tries to fight it. Americans dont like seeing themselves as aggressors : Political scientist Bruce Jentleson argued that public support for war in the United States depends not just on how the war is going, but on the publics understanding of the wars aims. The US public is much more likely to support wars aimed at imposing restraints on aggressive powers than wars aimed at bringing political change to other countries. That theory explains why the Bush administration made such an effort to claim Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and was linked to the September 11 terrorist attacks, even though regime change was the aim of the Iraq war. Regime change is also, quite clearly, the aim of the Iran war. Trump has been talking about it for months, and is still talking about it. It was only after the bombs started falling on Iran that Trump and his administration began to make the case that Iran was an imminent threat to the US. It wasnt very convincing. After all, Trump had been boasting until recently that he had completely obliterated Irans nuclear program the year before. In a video released shortly after the attacks, Trump complained about the 1979 Tehran hostage crisis, the 1983 Hezbollah attack on US marines in Beirut, and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which he said Iran was probably involved in. It was left to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to make the convoluted argument that the US was acting in preemptive self-defence, because it knew Israel was going to strike Iran, and that Iran would retaliate against Americans in the Middle East. That did not play well in a country increasingly wary of Israel. A Gallup poll released just before the war began showed that, for the first time this century, more Americans said their sympathies were with Palestinians than Israelis. Recently, the biggest drop in support for Israel has been among political Independents, whose views have shifted significantly during the Gaza War. Tucker Carlson, the loudest critic of the Iran war on the right, immediately labelled it Israels war. Joe Rogan, an influential figure among Trumps 2024 support base of disillusioned young men, said they felt betrayed by the war. Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has tried to sell the war to Americans by gloating about the death, destruction and fear being inflicted on Iran. Even as investigations show the US military was responsible for the bombing of a school that killed more than a hundred children, he dismisses rules of military engagement as stupid. The most recent Quinnipiac Poll showed Hegseths approval rating at 37%. Americans are unprepared for sacrifice: Despite high-profile opponents like Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump still has most of the MAGA base with him for now. They were never really opposed to foreign wars. What they hated was losing foreign wars, and Trump is promising them swift victory in Iran. But Trump has not prepared them or anyone else, including his own cabinet, for the costs this war will incur. Especially the disruption to global oil markets, which the International Energy Agency is calling the largest in history, and which will elevate the cost of everything from travel to food. Trumps rhetoric about the price of war has hardly been Churchillian. One night he posted on social media that a short term increase in oil prices is a very small price to pay for USA, and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY! But the next day he was forced to calm markets by claiming the war was nearly over. The Iranian regime, whose main goal is survival, is well aware of the political and economic vulnerabilities of the US and its Middle Eastern allies, and these appear to be what it is targeting. At the beginning of the war, Irans seemingly scattered attacks on infrastructure, embassies and hotels in Gulf states were a source of mirth for some American commentators. But these were eventually enough to shut down large swathes of energy production and shipping, and inflict far more pain than Trump or his supporters were expecting. Trump was already facing the same domestic problem that Joe Biden faced. It doesnt matter how much you tell Americans about positive GDP, stock market and employment numbers; if they are struggling with the cost of living, their view of both the economy and the President will be bleak. Trumps glib dismissals of the price of oil are sounding a lot like his airy reassurances at the beginning of the pandemic. Few Republicans in Congress have been prepared to stand up to Trump over the war. But as midterm elections approach, many of them will be silently praying he finds an excuse to end it as soon as possible. Visually-impaired students stage protest against ignorant attitude of authorities Staff Reporter : Staging strong objection on the inactive and ignorant attitude of the concerned authorities, the visually-impaired students staged a protest at Collectorate on Tuesday. They also handed over a memorandum to the State and district authorities calling for immediate legal and disciplinary action following the tragic death of Shirish Kumar Namdev, a 25-year-old visually impaired student. The deceased, a resident of Rewa and an MA Final year student at Mahakoshal Arts & Commerce College, Jabalpur, reportedly drowned during a picnic at Ramghat in Amarkantak on February 22. Through the memorandum, the Divyangjan (differently-abled community) alleged that the excursion was organised by the Superintendent, Government State Disabled Welfare Institute, Shivendra Singh Parihar, without obtaining requisite permission from higher authorities. They alleged that the organisers demonstrated a grave lack of security management and failed to provide adequate supervision for the visually impaired students during the trip. The memorandum further claimed that the picnic was conducted for personal gain rather than educational or rehabilitative purposes, leading to the avoidable demise of the student. They demanded the Chief Minister, Principal Secretary, Higher Education and the District Collector to registered a FIR against Superintendent, Shivendra Singh Parihar and Joint Director Ashish Dixit for criminal negligence and remove them from their administrative posts immediately. They also demanded a financial relief of at least Rs. 25 lakh for the family of the deceased student and to initiate an administrative inquiry into the conduct and systemic irregularities at the welfare institute. They also warned to further intensify their protest spanning from Rewa to Jabalpur if their demands are not fulfilled within a week. Rare earth raw material in a laboratory dish beside separated refined metal samples, illustrating the rare earth processing supply chain. Key Points Rare earth and critical-minerals stocks are back on investors radar as geopolitical pressure mounts to build supply chains outside China. Dylan Jovine points to three lesser-known names positioned across the chain: Solvay in processing, Perpetua Resources in U.S. mining with antimony exposure, and The Metals Company in deep-sea metals. The shared catalyst is policy-driven momentumreshoring efforts and permitting decisionsthat could reshape demand for both mining and processing capacity. Interested in TMC the metals company Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Renewed geopolitical tensions and the global race for critical minerals are bringing rare earth stocks back into focus. In a recent conversation with Dylan Jovine of Behind the Markets, attention turned to how the United States and its allies are attempting to rebuild domestic supply chains for materials that power everything from AI infrastructure to advanced weapons systems. Jovine argues the rare earth story is far bigger than most investors realize. These materials are critical to national security, energy independence and the global technology race. As governments look to reduce reliance on China for key minerals and processing capacity, companies positioned across the rare earth supply chain could see renewed investor interest. Data Storage to Data Intelligence: Everpure's Big AI Era Rebrand Three companies stood out in the discussion, each targeting a different part of the rare earth ecosystem: processing, mining and emerging resource extraction. The Geopolitics Behind the Rare Earth Boom Asked about the broader drivers behind renewed interest in the sector, Jovine pointed to an increasingly complex global power struggle between the United States and China. Dollar Tree Planted the Seeds for Triple-Digit Gains in Q4 There are two chess boards that are at play here, Jovine said. Theres the Middle East chessboard, but theres also a bigger global chessboard where the two players are the United States and China. Rare earth minerals have become a central piece of that global contest. While the materials themselves are relatively abundant, processing them into usable components remains heavily concentrated in China. The S&P 500's 3 Best-Performing Stocks So Far in 2026 That imbalance has forced Western governments to rethink supply chains. Jovine emphasized that the issue extends well beyond electric vehicles or consumer electronics. A lot of folks dont know that every F-35 fighter jet carries about 920 pounds of rare earths in it, Jovine explained. This is about national security, AI development and a whole bunch of industries we depend on. The question for investors is whether this is a value opportunity or a value trap. Looking at the fundamentals, the case for opportunity appears stronger. Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has been one of the hardest-hit names in recent weeks, falling almost 18% this month alone and now sitting just over 15% in the red year to date (YTD). Its RSI has dropped to 34, edging close to oversold territory, but it's the valuation metrics that really stand out. DAL currently trades at a P/E of 7.7, with a forward P/E approaching 7, figures that historically signal a potential value buying opportunity. But it's not all bad news. When fear drives fundamentally sound stocks into oversold or deep value territory, it can also create compelling buying opportunities for patient investors. One way to identify those opportunities is through the Relative Strength Index (RSI), which flags when a stock may be technically oversold. Another is to examine forward P/E ratios relative to sector peers, which can reveal when a stock has been punished beyond what its earnings outlook warrants. With that framework in mind, here are five large-cap stocks worth watching closely as the market selloff deepens. A sea of red has swept the market in recent weeks. Inflationary fears are ramping up, the odds of a Fed rate cut are dwindling, and oil prices are surging as the situation in the Middle East intensifies. What began early in the year as selling pressure concentrated in mega-cap technology and software stocks, driven by growing concerns around AI capital expenditure and competitive moats, has since evolved into a broad market-wide selloff. The layers of fear and uncertainty have taken their toll, with the S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA: SPY) closing last week down 1.5% and now sitting almost over 3% in the red for the year. Toyota and Unilever round out the list, with both stocks flashing oversold RSI readings and sitting on key technical support levels despite solid underlying fundamentals. Delta Air Lines, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America have all fallen sharply this month, pushing their valuations into deep value territory while analysts remain overwhelmingly bullish on each. With a broad market selloff pushing many large-cap stocks into value territory, five stocks in particular are worth watching for potential opportunities. Story Continues The S&P 500's 3 Best-Performing Stocks So Far in 2026 Delta posted record full-year 2025 revenue of $58.3 billion, a 10% operating margin, and $4.6 billion in free cash flow, a company record that materially reduced leverage and produced a 12% return on invested capital. Management is guiding for 2026 EPS of $6.50 to $7.50, representing 20% year-over-year growth, alongside free cash flow of $3 to $4 billion and a target leverage ratio of approximately 2x by year-end. Dollar Tree Planted the Seeds for Triple-Digit Gains in Q4 Wall Street is firmly in the bull camp, with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and a price target implying nearly 35% upside from current levels. Institutions echo that sentiment, with $6.4 billion in inflows over the prior 12 months versus $4 billion in outflows. On the chart, DAL is attempting to find support near its 50-day SMA. If the stock can build a base around the $60 level, it could confirm a higher low and the stabilization needed to signal a potential entry point for longer-term investors. JPMorgan Chase: Sector Pressure Creates a Window JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) has been dragged lower alongside the broader financial sector, with the sector ETF falling almost 11% YTD and over 7% this month alone. Selling pressure has been amplified by spreading fears around private credit exposure, moving from alternative asset managers to major banks with lending ties to that space. JPM has felt the brunt of it, falling almost 9% this month and now trading nearly 16% off its 52-week high. As a result, its RSI has dipped toward 32, approaching short-term oversold territory. At the same time, its forward P/E has fallen to nearly 12, a clear value signal for one of the world's most profitable financial institutions. That said, technical caution is warranted. The stock is now trading below all key moving averages, and the broader financial sector remains in a firm downtrend, so timing any entry carefully matters here. Fundamentally, the story remains intact. In Q4 2025, JPM reported EPS of $5.23, beating the consensus estimate of $4.93, with quarterly revenue rising 7.1% year-over-year to $45.8 billion. Analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus rating, with a price target suggesting nearly 20% upside, making this a stock worth watching closely for signs of sector stabilization. Bank of America: Deep Value With an Income Kicker Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) has faced similarly intense selling pressure, declining 13% this month and now down just over 15% year to date, for largely the same reasons as JPMorgan. But the selloff has pushed BAC's valuation into increasingly attractive territory. Its forward P/E has fallen to 9.4, firmly in value territory for a large-cap financial, and the stock currently offers a 2.5% dividend yield, providing income for investors willing to be patient. Like JPM, the technical picture calls for caution, with BAC trading below all key moving averages and the financial sector yet to show meaningful stabilization. Investors looking to build a position may want to wait for the stock and sector to find support and begin forming a base before committing. Analysts, however, are clearly constructive, with a Moderate Buy consensus rating and a price target of $60.30, implying nearly 30% upside from current levels, making this one of the more compelling risk-reward setups on this list if the sector turns. Toyota Motor Corporation: An Earnings Beat Washed Out by Market Fear Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) has declined by more than 15% from its February highs and is down 13% this month alone, despite posting a strong earnings beat just weeks ago. The global automotive giant reported Q3 fiscal 2026 EPS of $6.26 on Feb. 6, handily beating the consensus estimate of $4.35 by $1.91. The stock initially traded higher in the days that followed, but has since been swept lower by the broader wave of market fear and uncertainty. That disconnect between business performance and share price is precisely what makes Toyota worth watching. The stock now trades at an oversold RSI alongside a forward P/E of 9.78, which is attractive for a company of Toyota's scale and global reach. Crucially, the stock remains above its 200-day SMA, suggesting its longer-term uptrend is still technically intact despite the near-term turbulence. Net institutional inflows over the prior 12 months add further weight to the bull case, as does the analyst consensus Moderate Buy rating with a price target implying nearly 38% upside potential, the highest upside on this list. Unilever plc ADR: A Failed Breakout Into a Major Support Zone Unilever plc (NYSE: UL) rounds out the list as a consumer defensive giant that has pulled back sharply after a failed breakout above $70. That failure triggered a fast move lower back into a key support zone near $60, resetting the stock's forward P/E to 15.9 and pushing its RSI to 27, deeply oversold territory. The stock also offers a 3.4% dividend yield, providing an income cushion while investors wait for a potential recovery. What makes Unilever particularly interesting at this level is the higher timeframe context. Despite the near-term breakdown, the stock remains above key moving averages on its monthly chart and is sitting on a significant long-term support zone near $62. Analyst sentiment is more neutral, with a consensus Hold rating, and institutional activity has been relatively flat, with inflows roughly offsetting outflows. But for investors and short-term traders alike, an RSI of 27 combined with a sharp flush into major support makes this a compelling oversold watch candidate. If buyers step in and support firms, Unilever could set up as a strong oversold bounce opportunity. The article "5 Oversold Large-Cap Stocks That May Be Worth Buying Soon" was originally published by MarketBeat. AI is Eating the Office (Literally) - Moby BREAKING NEWS Heres a dispatch from our wacky modern economy: Spending on data centers in the U.S. cleared spending on new offices for the first time in December of last year. Big techs need for all that compute and storage drove $3.57 billion in data center construction through last year, compared to $3.49 billion for offices, reports Bloomberg. That trend has pushed big real estate firms like Brookfield and KKR to invest heavily in data center production, rather than paying for ad campaigns that celebrate coming into work instead than staying home in sweatpants. Its true that remote work has disrupted new office construction, as demand has slipped while the need for data centers skyrockets. Andy Cvengros, the co-lead of U.S. data center markets for the brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle told Bloomberg that because AI is automating even more white-collar jobs, the trend may perpetuate itself. Its going to directly impact the amount of office space people need, he said. Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Hyperscalers, or big tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple have collectively sank billions into data center construction over the last few years. But some local communities are pushing back at all this real estate going to computers, rather than people. They consumer vast amounts of power, and local residents in various municipalities across the U.S. and Canada have sued to stop construction, as they worry it will increase their utility bills or impact the availability of drinking water. Over 25 projects were stopped last year after residents complained, per Heatmap. Large data centers can consume over 5 million gallons of water per day, according to the New York Times. For investors, the picks-and-shovels play is interesting. Companies like Vertiv or Schneider Electric provide the plumbing the cooling system and power modules that make these centers tick. And as both enterprise and consumer adoption of chatbots rises, so will data center demand. But also, watch for NIMBYs. There are very real concerns on the social and environmental implications of this data center construction. That could be a sticking point, especially as more energy flows to power data centers and away from local communities. There are real bottlenecks to watch out for. The trend, though, is clear: For decades, real estate capital flowed to housing people, at desks, on their computers in big, glass towers. Now, capital is cutting humans out of the equation. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here. The News in Brief Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Ilia II, who led the Georgian Orthodox Church for nearly five decades, has died at the age of 93.The announcement was made late on March 17 by Shio Mujiri at the Caucasus Medical Center in Tbilisi, where the Patriarch had been in intensive care after being hospitalized with severe bleeding."He was an epochal figure. This is a great loss for the Orthodox Church worldwide," Shio said. "Through him, through his labors, God brought Georgia back to the faith."Ilia II became Patriarch in 1977 and led the Church through major periods in Georgia's history, including independence in 1991. Under his leadership, the Church grew into one of the country's most influential institutions and remains widely trusted.His tenure also included controversies, including internal disputes, political involvement, and criticism over the Church's privileged position.Shio, who was named locum tenens in 2017, will lead the Church until a new Patriarch is elected.The Embassy of Israel in Georgia said Iran launched missiles toward Jerusalem on March 16, with fragments reportedly falling near major religious sites in the city's Old Town.In a statement, the embassy said debris landed in areas surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall."Last night, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Iranian regime once again fired missiles toward Jerusalem and the holy sites of the three religions in the Old City," the statement said. "This time, missile debris struck within the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre compound, the Temple Mount, and near the Western Wall."The embassy said the incident put civilians and religious landmarks at risk in a city shared by Jews, Muslims, and Christians."The Iranian terrorist regime is targeting Jerusalem, a city where more than one million Jews, Muslims and Christians live, thereby directly putting at risk civilian population and the holy sites of the three religions," the statement said.It also criticized the timing of the attack. "The fact that the Ayatollah regime chose to fire missiles during the holy Muslim holiday at sites sacred to Islam demonstrates its cynical disregard for anything holy or sacred," the statement said.The embassy rejected claims that Israel restricts Muslim worship at holy sites and said such accusations are unfounded."Israel protects the holy sites of all worshipers and uses all necessary defensive means to prevent harm to all worshipers and all sacred places," the statement said. This story was originally published on MedTech Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily MedTech Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Alcon and LENSAR agreed to call off their merger, Alcon said Monday. Alcon CEO David Endicott said the delay and costs associated with a Federal Trade Commission review made the transaction unattractive to pursue further. In a Tuesday statement, the Federal Trade Commission said the merger would have combined the two most significant players in the market for laser systems used in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, or FLACS, threatening to raise prices and reduce innovation. The termination is the second aborted acquisition attempt by Alcon, after shareholders of STAAR Surgical, a maker of implantable lenses, in January rejected Alcons $1.6 billion offer. Dive Insight: Alcon and LENSAR announced the deal a year ago. At the time, Alcon said it would pay up to about $430 million to acquire LENSAR, whose computer-guided laser technology is used to perform cataract surgery. Alcon had expected to close the transaction in mid- to late 2025. The FTC said Alcon and LENSAR were locked in a price war that benefited doctors offering FLACS-assisted cataract procedures and their patients. The vigorous competition between the two companies also drove innovation in the FLACS market, the agency said. Competitors simply cannot attempt to buy out rivals to get out from the heat of pricing and innovation competition, Daniel Guarnera, director of the FTCs bureau of competition, said in the statement. Alcon and LENSAR abandoned the merger rather than risk facing the FTC in court, the agency said. The FTCs work opposing the deal also will protect American manufacturing jobs, Guarnera added. In a separate statement, LENSAR said it agreed with Alcon that terminating the merger was in the best interest of both companies. LENSAR said it would retain a $10 million deposit specified in the merger agreement. Recommended Reading This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) shares rose as much as 2% in Hong Kong trading on Wednesday after the company disclosed price increases for parts of its artificial intelligence and cloud offerings. The company said it will raise prices for selected T-Head AI computing chips, including the Zhenwu 810E model, by 5% to 34%, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg. It also plans to increase fees for its Cloud Parallel File Storage service by 30%, citing stronger demand and higher infrastructure expenses. The adjustments come as Alibaba expands its enterprise AI strategy. The company recently introduced Wukong, a business-focused artificial intelligence platform designed to automate corporate tasks and support AI agent applications in China's competitive technology market. The switching of pricing and introduction of the new platform emphasize the fact that Alibaba is doing all it can to innovate its cloud and AI operations, which have emerged as major growth priorities as the overall technology market invests huge amounts in more powerful computing hardware. By Casey Hall SHANGHAI, March 18 (Reuters) - Alibaba is sharpening its artificial intelligence strategy by focusing on agents that connect the many businesses under its sprawling corporate umbrella. In recent months, Alibaba has rolled out several AI agent integrations and this week, the firm said it would separate its AI businesses from its cloud computing arm. The newly formed Alibaba Token Hub business group, led by Chief Executive Eddie Wu, is the clearest sign yet that the company is shifting its focus to digital assistants powered by AI models that consume far more tokens - units of data used by models to generate language - than traditional Q&A chatbots. Alibaba did not respond to a request for comment on this story. The $325 billion e-commerce giant reports quarterly results on Thursday, with AI monetisation in focus as major tech firms in China and beyond wrestle with how to make the era-defining technology profitable. Analysts expect Alibabas third-quarter revenue to rise 3.8% and net income to fall 42.5%. The quarter included Singles Day, Chinas biggest shopping festival. Facing a prolonged slump in consumer confidence as shoppers save rather than spend, a weak macroeconomic outlook and a prolonged property crisis that has eroded household wealth, Alibaba has turned to new business models to encourage consumption. Last year, the firm invested heavily in acquiring users for its instant retail platform, which competes in the one-hour delivery market with Meituan. This year, Alibabas AI chatbot Qwen has begun moving beyond answering questions to helping users make purchases directly through a chat interface. In February, an early push to get users to try Qwens new functions encountered some hurdles. Alibaba launched the first phase of a 3 billion yuan ($435.7 million) coupon campaign that allowed users to make in-app purchases on Alibaba-owned retail platforms using only chatbot prompts. The coupons proved too popular, prompting a temporary shutdown of the app. According to Brian Wong, a former Alibaba employee and author of "The Tao of Alibaba," the companys wide-ranging ecosystem - spanning e-commerce, food delivery, travel, movie ticketing and more - means executing all those daily functions through a chatbot could fundamentally shift consumer behaviour. "Think of it like having OpenAI, Amazon, Stripe, Uber, DoorDash, Ticketmaster, Expedia, Netflix and Charles Schwab all integrated into one text box you can just use natural language to execute," he said. "This is what the company has enabled through its restructuring and it's happening first in China. I don't see this happening in the U.S. because of the challenges of integrating different platforms from different companies." SEOUL, March 18 (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su is set to visit Samsung Electronics' chip production site in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on Wednesday, where she will tour production lines and discuss expanding cooperation beyond memory into foundry manufacturing, a source with knowledge of the trip said. Su is expected to meet chip executives, including Samsung's chip division chief Jun Young-hyun and Foundry Business head Han Jin-man during the visit, said the source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Samsung has been supplying high-bandwidth memory 3E (HBM3E) chips for AMD's latest artificial intelligence accelerators since last year, maintaining close ties over memory chips. Su is also expected to hold a dinner meeting with Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee following the site visit, the source said. AMD was not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours, while Samsung Electronics declined to comment. (Reporting by Heekyong YangEditing by Ed Davies) Management completed a significant portfolio transformation by exiting underperforming U.K. cast roll and U.S. steel distribution assets, a move expected to improve annual adjusted EBITDA by $7 million to $8 million. The Forged and Cast segment experienced a temporary performance dip in Q4 due to a customer order pause as the industry digested new global steel tariffs and calculated pricing impacts. Air and Liquid Processing achieved record full-year revenue and income, fueled by robust demand in nuclear, Navy, and pharmaceutical end markets. The U.S. Navy's termination of the Constellation frigate program caused a $7.1 million backlog reduction, though management noted this was more than offset by $9 million in new Navy bookings in early 2026. Operational results in Sweden were hampered by a production ramp-up and currency headwinds, specifically the weakening of the U.S. dollar against the SEK and Euro. Its tax season, which means we need to get in receipt documenting mode. Keeping track of receipts and accounting for everything to the last penny in a carefully laid out spreadsheet or app is a headache but keep in mind that its receipts that justify getting our money back from the government when appropriate. We remind our clients that receipts support their deductions, said Brian Zink, CEO and founder of No Upfront Tax Relief. Read More: 5 Tax Loopholes the Ultra-Wealthy Use That Most Americans Dont Know About Check Out: 5 Low-Effort Ways To Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week) When you think of it that way, its a little more motivating to keep track of your receipts all year long, as opposed to scrambling at the last minute to gather what you need come tax season. So on that note, which receipts actually matter to the IRS and which are, well, trash for the shredder? GOBankingRates spoke with CPAs to find out. Also see six money hacks to make doing your taxes easier. Keep It or Shred It? Use This 4-Step Analysis Gene Bott, CPA, tax advisor and partner at Tax Hive, presented a four-step analysis to determine whether a receipt is valuable IRS material (potentially) or junk to be safely discarded. Ask yourself the following questions. Is this a big expense? If its a big expense, always save a digital or physical copy of the receipt, Bott said. The larger the expense, the more likely the IRS or a state is to require a copy of the receipt to justify a deduction. Is it related to a sensitive deduction? Sensitive deductions include charitable contributions, meals and travel expenses, and unusual purchases, Bott said. These are other areas where the IRS or state is more likely to ask for better clarification, including receipts and an explanation. So, keep those receipts. Is it from a company where its hard to tell what was purchased? Think of companies like Amazon, Walmart and Target, Bott said. If the company from which you are purchasing could fit multiple categories, youll want that receipt to prove what you bought and why its deductible. Is it something that may or may not have a sales tax issue, where states are likely to question whether or not you pay sales tax? State sales tax audits will often work with bank and credit card statements, but if its from a company where they wont know if sales tax is typically charged, a lack of a receipt can really hurt you, Bott said. Explore More: IRS Federal Income Tax Brackets How They Work and What They Mean in 2026 You May Not Need To Use the Receipts You Save One important thing to note with receipts and tax filing: You are not expected to provide receipts or copies of receipts in your initial tax return. The point of keeping receipts is to have backup proof if a deduction or loss is questioned later by the IRS. Find winning stocks in any market cycle. Join 7 million investors using Simply Wall St's investing ideas for FREE. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, part of NYSE:BRK.A, has entered the Irish surety market. The company has appointed a new Head of Surety for Ireland to lead the local build out. The initiative is aimed at serving major national and international construction projects across Ireland and Europe. For investors watching NYSE:BRK.A, this move shows the insurance group extending its product set into surety in a new jurisdiction. Surety cover is a core risk tool for large infrastructure and construction projects, and Ireland has seen steady demand from both domestic and cross border sponsors. By adding a dedicated surety presence on the ground, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance is positioning itself to participate more directly in these contract based opportunities. The appointment of a Head of Surety for Ireland gives the business a clear leadership point for building local relationships with contractors, project owners and brokers. As this operation develops, investors can track how the surety offering fits alongside Berkshire Hathaway's broader commercial insurance footprint in Europe and how the group scales its support for complex construction risks. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Berkshire Hathaway by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Berkshire Hathaway. NYSE:BRK.A Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 Beyond the headline: 1 risk and 2 things going right for Berkshire Hathaway that every investor should see. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurances move into Irish surety adds another fee based product to the insurance arm, focused on performance bonds and guarantees for large projects. For a group that holds a sizeable cash and treasury position and has been selective with acquisitions and buybacks, expanding into a specialised line that supports infrastructure and cross border construction can help deepen client relationships without committing large capital up front. The appointment of an experienced Head of Surety in Dublin gives Berkshire a clear local contact point, which can matter when competing with established European insurers for complex contracts. The Risks and Rewards Investors Should Consider Concerns have been raised about the voters register as the election approaches, while officials maintain that safeguards are in place. How confident are you in the integrity of the register? Share your view in our poll. You voted: With graduation season just weeks away, millions of college seniors are preparing to walk across commencement stages and become the youngest members of the workforce. But for the class of 2026, that transition may be rockier than ever, with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink issuing a warning that the promise of a four-year degree as a pathway to a stable career is beginning to crack. More from Yahoo Scout Why does Larry Fink warn of college graduate unemployment? What skilled-trade opportunities is AI infrastructure creating? How is AI disrupting traditional entry-level white-collar jobs? How are other CEOs responding to workforce transformation challenges? Fink stressed at BlackRocks 2026 Infrastructure Summit that hes worried that when this years college graduates enter the workforce, we could see the highest unemployment rate among them in yearseven without a recession. At the core of his concern: tech is rapidly reshaping the very entry-level roles that have long served as the first rung for college graduates. The speed at which AI is changing, were not adapting our society fast enough, the 73-year-old added. Really post World War II, the pathway to a white-collar job was a college education, and AI is going to disrupt many of those types of jobs. The unemployment rate among recent college graduates ages 22 to 27 currently sits at 5.6%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorknear levels not seen since 2013, excluding the pandemic. And demand for early-career roles continues to tighten. Job postings on Handshake, a platform for college students and recent graduates, fell more than 16% between August 2024 and August 2025, while the average number of applications per role has jumped 26%. For Gen Z soon entering the workforce, its an early sign that the traditional first rung of the career ladder is starting to give way. AI will create skilled-trade jobsbut the workforce isnt ready, Larry Fink warns Despite the warning, Fink pushed back on the idea that college is no longer worth it at alland he pointed to his own experience. After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1974 with a political science degree, Fink said he didnt feel ready for the workforce. He went on to earn an MBA with a focus in real estate and then launched a career first at investment firm First Boston (later acquired by Credit Suisse) before spending the last four decades building BlackRock into the worlds largest asset manager. Still, he cautioned that the college-to-career pipeline is no longer universal, arguing that the traditional four-year degree is becoming just one of several viable paths to success. The key for life for everyone is to find their purpose, Fink said. For some people, their purpose will remain to get a four-year or advanced degree, and they could take that forwardbut thats not going to be the pathway for everybody. Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is included among the 13 Extreme Dividend Stocks with Huge Upside Potential. Blackstones Flagship Private Credit Fund Sees Rising Withdrawals as Investor Sentiment Shifts Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash On March 3, Reuters reported that Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX)s flagship private credit fund saw a surge in withdrawals during the first quarter. The increase came as investors grew uneasy about private credit and as smaller rival Blue Owl Capital faced its own challenges. The New York-based investment firm allowed clients to withdraw $3.7 billion from its $82 billion fund, BCRED, according to a filing released. The fund also received $2 billion in new commitments, leaving net withdrawals at $1.7 billion. Blackstones shares dropped 8% the following day to their lowest level in two years after the company said redemption requests reached 7.9% of the fund. The wave of requests pushed the firm to raise its usual redemption cap from 5% to 7%. Blackstone and its employees also invested $400 million to ensure that all withdrawal requests could be met. Shares of rival firms moved lower as well before rebounding later in the day. Broader market indexes were already under pressure as conflict in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. About 24% of Blackstones $1.27 trillion in assets under management comes from wealthy individuals. Investment firms have increasingly focused on this group as slower returns have made some institutional investors, including pension funds, more cautious. Blackstone President Jon Gray told CNBC that products allowing retail investors to withdraw money periodically mean they are trading away a bit of liquidity for higher returns.Institutions tend to lock up capital for longer periods. Even so, Gray said they continue to allocate significant amounts to private credit. Founded in 1985, Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is the worlds largest alternative asset manager operating from its headquarters in New York. While we acknowledge the potential of BX 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: 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading into 2026 and 15 Best Dividend Leaders to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. BMW (BMW.DE) officially unveiled its new i3 EV on Wednesday, a sedan loaded with the automakers sport-oriented DNA and a Tesla-fighting 440 miles of estimated range. The new i3, the second model built on BMWs next-gen Neue Klasse platform, is longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing 3 Series and previews the design of the upcoming gas-powered 3 Series, the standard bearer in the class. More from Yahoo Scout How does BMW's new i3 compare to Tesla's Model 3? What are BMW's new i3 EV key features? When will the new BMW i3 be available in the US? What is BMW's strategy with the Neue Klasse platform? The new BMW i3 50 xDrive. BMW The i3 launches with the 50 xDrive variant, an all-wheel-drive dual-motor setup pumping out 469 horsepower, putting it in direct competition with Tesla's (TSLA) Model 3 Performance, which delivers 510 horsepower. BMW is claiming 900 km of range on Europes WLTP cycle, translating to an EPA-estimated 440 miles on a single charge, with charging capability that can add around 250 miles in just 10 minutes. Teslas Model 3 Premium has 363 EPA-estimated miles of range, with the Performance coming in lower at 309 miles Read more: How to find the best luxury car insurance The new BMW i3 50 xDrive. BMW The i3 powertrain is based on sixth-generation eDrive technology with an 800-volt architecture and new high-energy-density batteries, with 0-60 mph targeting four seconds. The interior also gets a significant overhaul, featuring a panoramic display stretching 40 inches across the instrument panel and an updated iDrive system, alongside BMW's new Heart of Joy computing platform that operates 10 times faster than previous systems. While US pricing hasnt been released, BMW is expected to launch the car in the US at around $55,000, putting it above the Tesla Model 3 Premium AWD, which starts around $47,490, but right at the Model 3 Performances MSRP of $54,990. Inside the new BMW i3 50 xDrive. BMW BMW said production kicks off in Munich this August, with European deliveries starting later in the fall. US deliveries are expected in 2027, with BMW likely bringing more performance variants along the way, including a fully electric M3 confirmed earlier. The i3, along with the iX3 SUV and four additional upcoming Neue Klasse models, represents the single largest financial investment in BMW's history, a massive bet that premium EV buyers are still around and will gravitate toward BMW. The new BMW i3 50 xDrive. BMW EV sales in Europe have been climbing steadily, but in the US, the loss of federal EV tax credits has put a damper on sales. Whether the i3 can chip away at Tesla's grip on the premium EV sedan market in the US remains to be seen. But with its range advantage, faster charging, and BMWs sporty reputation, the i3 is Teslas most credible challenger in the midsize premium sedan market. StockStory aims to help individual investors beat the market. Pras Subramanian is Lead Auto Reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. My bloodline is my rabbit's foot My bloodline is pure Irish on one side and it's really well Dunn. My grandparents, Allen and Laura, both carried the name Dunn when they married in 1876. At age 8, he had come to Rising Star by covered wagon with his mom Sarah and aunt from Arkansas. His dad had been killed in the Civil War, in 1864 when Abe Lincoln was president. I'm one of the few people alive whose grandfather was alive during the Civil War. Not a great grandfather but my dad's dad. Allen died in 1950 in his 90's. Laura was from DeLeon, a few miles from Sipes Springs, near Rising Star. There they would spend the rest of their lives raising their family of six boys and two girls. They are both buried in an old historical cemetery on the hill with some of their children. The cemetery has graves dating back to the turn of the 1800's. They claimed not to be kin, even though my father Clay always claimed that all Dunn's were kin. Their children on the male side left that peanut land to become successful and wealthy. None more colorful then Clay, who was referred to as the "Black Sheep" of the bunch. He's a hundred stories in one. They had few children. Our two sons, Mark and Allen, are the last males who will carry the family name. We have no Dunn grandsons. The family name will some day come to an end, but the bloodline will live on through our daughter Karen, and her boys, Garrett Clay, Sean Cade and Collin Slade Gros, Garrett's children Leland and Juliana, our two granddaughters Amber and Jenna and our great grandchildren, Amber's sons Luke, Liam and Rowan Greeson, Jenna's children Nate Melvin, Chase, Andrew and daughters Delilah and Willow Grace Ballou and our great-great granddaughter, Nate's daughter, newborn Natalie. I guess I'm the ultimate "Black Sheep." Like a white man's son raised by the Indians, I was raised in the Cajun culture by a Cajun mother. While I carried an Irish name. I couldn't speak English before the age of 7, causing me and other Cajun kids to spend two years in first grade. My mom and I spent a life of struggle and poverty after Clay flew the coop when I was a baby. I will soon be 92. Now that I've laid out the background, I'll venture into the purpose for this column. The luck of my Irish side has followed me most of my days. I've always been luckier than I probably deserved to be. Just to escape the extreme poverty and hardships was an accomplishment in itself, but to find a degree of success took lots of luck. To have married Phyl, my partner of 71 years, and to have enjoyed the benefits of our lives took a lot of luck. I've always given St. Patrick credit for that. My Irish side is my rabbit's foot. Time after time good fortune has come to us by just a lucky move, not great knowledge. This St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2026, marks 55 years since we launched Orange County's first successful weekly newspaper, The Opportunity Valley News. I'm still amazed at the success and reception of that publication. It really was phenomenal. I started the paper with a song and a typewriter, in a couple of small rooms in the Frank Manchac Insurance office on Green Avenue in Orange, about the same time Tim Hughes was starting out next door with Superior Tire Service. After struggling through the first year, the Harmon family, Jackie, Corky and Don, made it possible for me to have a permanent building at 109 6th Street. A lucky break. They took the cost of the building out in advertising. Our son Allen still owns that building. We kept it for sentimental reasons, thankful for all it provided us. Even though we ventured into other things and now are proudly publishing The Record Newspapers, Penny and County, the OVN made it possible for us to lead a good life. It may have been, however, some of my imagination and the knowledge of people and what was under every rock that helped make it successful. It was really one lucky thing after another that brought it success. It led to other publications and the purchase of the Triangle Press. We sold it to Cox, parent company of the Port Arthur News and Orange Leader. We sold the OVN, press and publications to Cox Enterprise on my birthday, June 5, 1980, after a memorable nine years. The owners of our OVN then bought the Orange Leader. That move prompted Gordon Baxter to write the poem, "How one simple Coonass made a follower out of the Leader." Maybe so, but the luck of my Irish side played a big part. Cox paid me big money as a consultant. They never took my advice. They were the experts. I was just a simple Cajun with an Irish name. They struggled with the paper through several owners till one day the once great publication was gone, having died a slow death. They still have The Leader and News but are a far cry of what they once were. On my 47th birthday Phyl had all the OVN'S leather bound, along with the other publications, Consumer Beacon in Beaumont and Community Post in Port Arthur, Groves and Mid-County. It's a joy to go through them today but also sad to recall all the wonderful people I've known who are now gone. Even the guys on the front page of the first OVN, Steve Worster, who left us Aug. 13, 2022 and Pete Runnels, who died Feb. 17, 2023. The paper that started on that March 17th day is no more, but I'll never forget it. And I'll always give credit to my Irish. So again this year I remember and give thanks to St. Patrick for that great paper started on his birthday. It's been a wonderful ride Down Life's Highway and still going. Orange is blooming with new business developments as the city continues to give economic development incentives for small and large businesses to build in the city limits. Last week, the city's Economic Development Corporation board of directors, along with the city council, approved on first reading, plans for another $475,000 in grants, plus gave final approval to another $2 million project for a new shopping center. Also, the EDC board discussed the possibility of giving a sales tax break to business owners in the Northway Shopping Center who relocate within the city. Last month, the city approved a $2 million EDC grant to HEB, which will demolish Northway and build a new store. The businesses in the 56-year-old shopping center will have to find a new place to operate. Joe Louis King Jr., is receiving a $35,000 infrastructure grant for King's Klean, a laundry service, to be at 1512 Burton Avenue. The other three projects were given preliminary approval last year. Newton Core LLC is getting a $40,000 infrastructure grant for the construction of eight apartments at 912 12th Street by Park Avenue in the Old Orange Historic District commercial area. Two of the apartments will be allocated for people qualifying for affordable housing under state guidelines. Gulf States Industrial, parent company of STS Industrial, will be getting $200,000 for infrastructure to remodel the former McCoy's Building Supply site at 4514 West Lutcher Drive, or the Interstate 10 West access road. STS Industries is an industrial supply company that sells products to the oil refineries, plants, construction companies and other industries. The company plans to invest $3 million to renovate the site for the new STS Industries to operate. The ITEX Group will be getting a $200,000 infrastructure grant incentive to build and develop Cypresswood FlexPark on Highway 87 at FM 105 with the project's estimated value at $9 million. The site is across Highway 87 from the new Golden Triangle Polymers plant that is in its final stages of construction. The plan is for the business park to have a total of 25 buildings, with 13 constructed in the first phase and another 12 in the second phase. The buildings will have uses as warehouses or offices spaces with parking included. ITEX Group has had numerous residential developments in Orange during the past 20 years, including the Cypresswood subdivision and the Cypresswood Village Apartments, which will be next to the flex park. The city of Orange is the only public entity issuing incentive grants. The incentives come from a special half-cent per dollar city voters approved for that specific use more than 20 years ago. The money approved in the grants are through reimbursements after the developer has had the work completed. The bills for the work are sent to the city, which then pays the developer for the approved costs. The grants are for a maximum amount and if the costs end up less than estimated, the full allotment will not be given. The voters in the city of West Orange two years ago approved a fourth-cent per dollar sales tax and the city formed its own economic development corporation. However, no incentive grants have been made. The Orange County Economic Development Corporation assists with attracting businesses, industries, and other developments to locate in the county. But the county EDC does not have funds to give to businesses, though it can help negotiate a property tax abatement, which must be approved by the entities affected by the abatement. Nagas : First to bear the brunt Call to weed out illegals | The first to bear the brunt of human incursion from across the border is obviously the Naga community and the decision of the United Naga Council to toe the NRC first, then census call is in line with what is actually happening at the ground. Now with the two indigenous groups of people, the Meiteis and the Nagas, toeing the same line, a powerful message has been conveyed. Whether the Centre takes the united call of the indigenes or not is a different matter, but what needs to be said has been laid down in clear cut terms. Incursion from across the border is real, very real for in due course of time, the refugees or illegal immigrants raise the banner of indigeneity and lay ancestral claim on any stretch of land they manage to live on. The examples are galore. From the manner in which Mt Thangjing was found changed to Mt Thangting, to the strong voice of opposition raised by the Foothills Naga Co-ordination Committee, to the stand of the Liangmai community which has been crying foul over the manner in which their land have been encroached upon, the ownership claim laid on Mt Koubru, the recent stand off and clash at Litan in Ukhrul district, are all examples of the impact of illegal incursion from across the border. Oral stories narrated by Tangkhul elders talked about the wandering group of people who used to come to their villages to ask for food provisions and in the process demonstrate their martial prowess, told a story of its own and the significance of such stories have become all that more given the emerging scenario in Manipur. However the focus of the Government of India is on geo-politics and in the type of politics that is being played out, a clear cut message has been rung out and that is, the fate of the indigenous people can be played around. It is against this nasty reality that the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (CJFD) has been organising a series of meetings across the State to mobilise the people to fall in line with the call that illegals should be weeded out first before the head count. The UNC too has raised an important voice and its representation to Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand to first weed out the illegals is significant. Now is perhaps the time for the two groups of indigenous people to join hands and chart out a way to strike a common posture. As stated here, it is the Nagas who are first affected by the unchecked immigration from across the border. As a young Naga researcher pointed out not so long back, the number of Kuki-Chin-Zo MLAs has increased down the years at the cost of the Naga people. Today it will be a tough call for the Naga people to send a representative from Tengnoupal AC to the Assembly and even Chandel is no longer a safe bastion for any Naga candidate. The mushrooming of numerous human settlements along the Imphal-Dimapur line, before reaching Senapati district headquarters should give one an idea of the point that is sought to be made here. Likewise look at the settlement in and around Litan on the Imphal-Ukhrul road stretch. Refugees, this was the term in vogue before the term illegal immigrants gained traction with even a certain Paolienlal Haokip captioning an article, Suffering in oblivion : Burmese refugees in the Northeastern Region of India which was submitted to the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, back on May 23, 2002. The Burmese refugees referred to here included the Kukis, as pointed out by the writer, a Haokip himself, who went on to elaborate that during the Burmanisation programme of Ne Win in 1967, 20,000 Kukis made their way to Manipur. This was nearly 60 years back and no one knows how many of the Kukis who entered Manipur went back to Myanmar. Then during the democratic uprising in Myanmar in 1988 a large number too entered Manipur and again no one knows how many actually went back and how many melded with the local population. The writer also explained how many of the refugees took up drug smuggling to make easy money and to this day Manipur talks about the narco terrorists. The stand of the indigenous people is plain and simple. Weed out the illegal immigrants and then proceed with the census operation or else the danger of including the illegal immigrants in the list of bonafide citizens of the land is clear. Whether the demand is heeded or not is a different matter, but an important point has been delivered. 'Go to China and find green stories across the country': Erik Solheim in an interview with Peoples Daily 08:13, March 18, 2026 By Qu Pei, Chen Xirui ( People's Daily The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway runs through a nature reserve in Kenya. (Photo/Huang Weixin) Erik Solheim, former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, currently serves as co-chair of the Europe-Asia Center. A longstanding champion of global ecological cooperation, Solheim has both observed and contributed to China's sustainable development initiatives, maintaining active engagement with the nation's green transformation efforts. Q: A growing number of Chinese projects are receiving the UN's highest environmental honor, the "Champions of the Earth" award. What does this signify? A: When I first joined the UN, I noticed something surprising: very few Chinese projects had received the Champions of the Earth Award. This was not because China lacked successful cases. Many reviewers were sitting in offices thousands of kilometers away, far from the field, and unable to truly see the green transformation taking place in China and other developing countries. My takeaway was simple: if people are willing to go to China and see it for themselves, they will find green stories across the country. In a relatively short period, China has achieved remarkable environmental outcomes while significantly improving people's quality of life. China's experience offers valuable lessons for many developing countries. Q: How has China managed to achieve rapid progress in green transformation? A: President Xi Jinping proposed the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" resonates deeply with me. It sends a clear message: China no longer views economic growth and ecological protection as conflicting priorities. Instead, they advance simultaneously and synergistically. The key to China's rapid green transformation lies in its highly stable and continuously advancing ecological governance system. First, China's policies show long-term consistency. From the long-range objectives through the year 2035 to the 'two centenary goals' looking toward 2049, China is adept at formulating strategic visions that span decades and implementing them steadily through successive Five-Year Plans. This kind of strategic continuity is a unique institutional strength that many countries can learn from. At the same time, China's market remains vibrant and competitive. Enterprises continuously drive technological progress, reduce costs and expand capacity. By combining effective government guidance with effective market resource allocation, China's green transition has accelerated dynamically. In Hangzhou, China's east Zhejiang province, Solheim (left) joins local residents in an environmental volunteer activity. (Provided by Solheim) Q: In China's 15th Five-Year Plan, what aspects are you paying most attention to? A: I focus most on new quality productive forces and green development. The former encompasses cutting-edge technologies such as AI, big data and advanced manufacturing; the latter drives comprehensive green transformation. These are not separate -- they are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. On the one hand, new technologies are accelerating the green revolution. For example, Huawei uses AI-powered acoustic analysis to track Hainan gibbon, enabling targeted conservation. Energy companies use intelligent algorithms to coordinate power grids, integrating wind, solar, hydropower, and storage systems. On the other hand, green energy is the foundation for technological progress. Without low-cost, large-scale clean energy, we cannot sustain the immense power demands of AI data centres. Green energy powers technological development, which in turn advances green development. Q: Is environmental protection solely an idealistic pursuit? A: If the green transition were driven only by idealism, it would lack sustainability. It must also demonstrate economic viability. Compared to two decades ago, the price of solar modules has fallen to less than 5 percent of its 2005 level. This 95 percent cost reduction stems from intense market competition and continuous technological progress, with China playing a pivotal role. In many developing regions, people urgently need to escape poverty and gain reliable electricity, but energy must be affordable. Without China, the global green transition would not cease, but it would be far more expensive and much slower. If some Western countries take a more open approach to global green efforts, including cooperation with China, the outcome could be mutually beneficial. In this context, China can further promote the global green transition through investment, cooperation and technology sharing. Q: Some argue that using Chinese green technologies could lead to a loss of energy independence. What is your perspective? A: Exactly opposite is the case. Every country has natural resources that can be developed. When you import Chinese green technologies, such as solar panels, you are utilizing your own domestic resources -- this is very different from importing energy like oil. By basing economic development on solar, wind or hydropower, a country taps into its own resources and can achieve energy independence. In this way, international cooperation can help upgrade local technologies and promote industrial development. We must recognize that addressing climate change, tackling ecological crises and eliminating poverty are shared global responsibilities. Through cooperation, these challenges are solvable. However, division and confrontation can render even minor problems insurmountable. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) BNP Paribas has released its 2030 plan for its asset management division, aiming to support the groups goal of reaching a 13% return on tangible equity by 2028. For the period up to 2030, the division is aiming for cumulative net inflows of around 350bn. Following its acquisition of AXA Investment Managers, BNP Paribas Asset Management now manages over 1.6tn, covering all asset classes and operating with a varied strategy and distribution approach. The business intends to use the groups integrated model, including origination and a broad distribution network, and maintains established positions in alternatives, long-term savings, and ETFs. The new strategy centres on four areas: broadening its presence in alternatives, expanding active management and ETFs, growing insurance and institutional partnerships, and increasing its retail and wealth management footprint. Its targets include more than 5% annual growth in assets under management and revenue growth of about 4% per year from 2025 to 2030. It plans to keep operating expenses steady during this timeframe, aiming for a cost/income ratio below 60% by the end of the period. Pre-tax income is projected to nearly double by 2030 compared with expected 2025 levels, while Return on Notional Equity is anticipated to rise from 48% in 2025 to over 65% by 2030. The company expects approximately 150m in revenue synergies and 400m in cost synergies by 2029 through fund consolidation, platform integration, and efficiency improvements. BNP Paribas also plans to use AI across its investment processes and client service operations. BNP Paribas Asset Management CEO Sandro Pierri said: BNP Paribas Asset Management is entering a new phase of transformation and growth driven by structurally supportive trends on savings and investments. With our 2030 Strategic Plan, our ambition is to strengthen our position as one of the most powerful European investment platforms. By combining quality and scale across public and private markets and the strength of the BNP Paribas ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to connect savers and investors with all the opportunities of the real economy. Our mission is clear: deliver sustainable and resilient results for our clients while helping finance the economic transitions shaping the future. Last year, BNP Paribas completed the acquisition of HSBCs private banking business in Germany. "BNP Paribas Asset Management eyes 350bn net inflows by 2030 " was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. Saint-Laurent, QC (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy skies with a few showers this afternoon. High 62F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. By Allison Lampert March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. planemaker Boeing has asked suppliers to identify any impact to production caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, according to a message to suppliers seen by Reuters, as industry concerns rise that a longer conflict could further constrain aircraft production. More from Yahoo Scout What role does the Middle East play in aircraft manufacturing? How is the Middle East conflict affecting Boeing's supply chain? What concerns do planemakers have about production capacity? How might prolonged conflict impact global aircraft demand? Global planemakers are speaking with suppliers and customers as they assess the impact of a war now in its third week, which has pushed oil prices to about $100 a barrel with no clear end in sight. The conflict has disrupted flights and shipping, with Reuters reporting delays in transporting aircraft parts to Middle East carriers. In a recent online communication to suppliers, Boeing asked companies working on its commercial programs to identify by March 9 any work carried out in the Middle East, including by sub-tier suppliers, and any operational impacts. "As we continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East, we are assessing potential impacts to the stability of our supply chain," said the message. Boeing declined to comment. MIDDLE EAST NOT MAJOR PARTS HUB While the Middle East region is not considered a major manufacturing hub of components for new planes, suppliers like Strata in the United Arab Emirates make parts for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner jet. Boeing, however, also sources parts like the vertical fin from other sites. Strata was not immediately available for comment. AIRBUS AND EMBRAER ALSO ON ALERT A senior supply-chain source said the shipping and air disruption at one of the worlds critical transit points could have an impact on Boeing's European rival Airbus if the war dragged on beyond a few weeks. A spokesperson for Airbus said the planemaker is in close dialogue with customers and suppliers across the region. Brazilian planemaker Embraer has also questioned suppliers about the impact of the conflict on output and transport costs, a source familiar with the matter said. In response to questions from Reuters, Embraer referred to comments by CEO Francisco Gomes Neto, who told analysts on March 6 that the planemaker was "taking care of our suppliers, both direct and indirect in the region" and had not seen any "impact in deliveries or even short-term sales." While the impact on aerospace has so far been limited, some analysts say a prolonged conflict that keeps oil prices high could weigh on demand for new aircraft. Some Gulf carriers are among the largest buyers of wide-body jets from Boeing and Airbus. "What I'm really more concerned about is long-term demand for jets in the region," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at U.S. consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory. Boxon has revealed plans to launch a new line of Big Bags made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles, which will be available in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The company stated these are the first recycled Big Bags to receive approval for direct food contact. Developed to address environmental expectations and regulatory measures such as the EUs Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the new packaging aims to help firms lower their environmental footprint while maintaining compliance with supply chain standards. The rPET Big Bags are produced from post-consumer PET bottles and are designed for use in food, chemical, and other industrial sectors. According to Boxon, the bags feature increased resistance to ultraviolet light and abrasion, as well as improved stability during transport compared with conventional products. The bags also allow for higher print quality, which facilitates clearer labelling and supports traceability in regulated industries. Boxon reports that using recycled PET material can reduce carbon emissions by up to approximately 50% compared with bags made from virgin polypropylene. The rPET Big Bags are designed to withstand temperatures ranging from -20C to 140C. Boxon business unit manager Florence Abgrall said: "Companies today need packaging solutions that support both compliance and operational efficiency. Our rPET Big Bags make it possible to transition to recycled materials without compromising durability, handling performance or supply reliability while also meeting strict food-contact requirements." Last year, Boxon Group appointed Linus Lemark as its CEO. Lemark has nearly 20 years of experience in the B2B sector. "Boxon to introduce recycled Big Bags for food industry" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. In a boost to Indias defence indigenisation drive and push for self-reliance in the sector, Amara Raja Design Alpha (ARDA), the specialised engineering R&D arm of the Amara Raja Group, has developed an indigenous Power Conditioning Cabinet (PCC) for naval sonar systems. Naval sonar systems are technologies used by ships and submarines to detect, locate, and identify objects underwater, such as submarines, mines, torpedoes, and seabed features, using sound waves. They form a critical layer of the Indian Navys underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities across its fleet. PCC in naval sonar systems refers to a specialised electrical unit that manages, stabilises, and distributes power to sonar equipment on a ship or submarine. ALSO READ: How Indian Navy is boosting its submarine hunting edge with 'Sea Dragon 2026' According to the company, the PCC will support loads of up to 160 kW, delivering stable, high-reliability power distribution for sonar systems, where acoustic detection equipment requires extremely high power quality during sustained maritime operations. The PCC units developed by the company will comply with global military standards such as MIL-STD-901D for shock and MIL-STD-461 for EMI/EMC, ensuring performance and survivability in demanding naval environments, ARDA said in a statement. 'Made in India' content The company said in the statement that around 61 per cent of the PCCs components are indigenous, enabling nearly 40 per cent cost savings through advanced power engineering and local manufacturing. The development comes at a time when the the Navys budget has grown sharply from 49,623 crore in 202021 to over 1,03,548 crore in 202526, and investments in such subsystems are becoming increasingly important to sustain the forces operational readiness and technological edge in the Indian Ocean Region. ARDA, which provides end-to-end product development services spanning electronics, mechanical and industrial design, power electronics, photonics systems, prototyping, testing, and turnkey manufacturing, plans to expand its role in the next phase by designing power amplifiers, signal interfaces and power amplifier cabinets, helping to build a comprehensive indigenous ecosystem for naval sonar systems. This also signals a broader shift, of private sector players taking on complex subsystems traditionally led by public sector units and defence laboratories, deepening domestic capability in high-end defence electronics. We are excited that our expertise in electronics and power system design and manufacturing can contribute directly to our nations defence systems, said Dr Suresh Nair, managing director, ARDA, adding that the development reflects the companys commitment to building long-term capabilities in strategically important technologies alongside Indias defence research institutions. Headquartered in Kochi, ARDA operates as a design-led engineering and product development company focused on electronics systems design and manufacturing. The general elections of March 5, 2026, have delivered a seismic shift in Nepals political landscape, signalling a definitive end to the decades-long dominance of the traditional Old Guard. The landslide victory of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by 35-year-old Prime Minister-elect Balendra Balen Shah, is more than a change in government; it is a fundamental reconfiguration of the Nepali state. Shahs historic win in Jhapa-5, where he handed a humiliating defeat to veteran leader K.P. Sharma Oli, reflects a Gen Z mandate for radical accountability and economic modernisation. For India, this political sunrise in Kathmandu presents both an urgent challenge and a strategic opening. As Nepal moves away from the ideological volatility of the past into an era of pragmatic, technocratic leadership, the India-Nepal partnership requires a profound recalibration. The moment calls for a move beyond routine diplomacy toward a relationship that respects Nepals sovereignty, while doubling down on the deep civilisational and economic interdependence of the two nations. A political shift in Kathmandu The 2026 election results are the direct consequence of the 2025 youth-led uprisings that demanded an end to corruption and the "musical chairs" style of governance. After 14 governments in 18 years, the Nepali electorate has decisively rejected the traditional communist and democratic factions. The RSP, which did not even exist four years ago, has emerged as the dominant force, capturing a massive majority in the 275-member House of Representatives. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India Balendra Shah, a structural engineer and former rapper, who first disrupted the status quo by winning the Kathmandu mayoralty in 2022, has tapped into a reservoir of anger over mass youth migration and economic stagnation. For New Delhi, the emergence of the RSP necessitates a sophisticated pivot. While India has long-standing comfort with the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, Shahs "Nepal First" ideology is often draped in a populist nationalism that resists external interference." However, the RSPs focus on infrastructure, digital governance, and transparency provides a fresh, modern vocabulary for bilateral cooperation that bypasses the ideological baggage of the past. Deep historical foundations Despite the political churn, the "Roti-Beti" (bread and daughter) relationship between India and Nepal remains the immutable bedrock of bilateral ties. The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship continues to underpin an extraordinary 1,850-kilometer open borderone of the few in the world where tens of thousands move daily without the friction of visas. This arrangement facilitates not just trade, but a profound human connection characterised by shared kinship, education, and labour. Nepals economic stability is fundamentally tethered to India. As the countrys largest trading partner and primary gateway to the sea, India provides the vital oxygen for Nepals land-linked economy. Most of Nepals third-country trade relies on the transit corridors of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. This civilisational bond, enriched by shared religious heritage across the Himalayas, ensures that the partnership transcends the specific personalities in power. For any leadership in Kathmandu, maintaining a constructive relationship with New Delhi is a geographic and economic imperative. Strategic importance of Nepal Nepal remains Indias most critical strategic buffer along its northern frontier. Political stability in Kathmandu is a direct prerequisite for security in Indias northern states. Over the last decade, this strategic relationship has matured into a connectivity partnership. ALSO READ: OPINION | Autonomy 2.0: Indias strategy for a polarised world India has moved from traditional aid to high-impact infrastructure projects, including the Raxaul-Kathmandu cross-border railway and the expansion of South Asia's first cross-border petroleum pipeline. These projects are not merely technical; they are strategic anchors that integrate the two economies. For India, a stable, prosperous, and independent Nepal is the most effective bulwark against regional instability and external encroachment. Chinas expanding role Beijings footprint in the Himalayas has transitioned from a supporting role to a major strategic presence. Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has significantly increased its investment in Nepal, currently pushing the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network. This ambitious plan, which includes feasibility studies for a Lhasa-to-Kathmandu railway, is marketed by Beijing as a way for Nepal to end its exclusive dependence on India. The 2025 political crisis saw Chinese diplomats take a visible role in attempting to mediate between Nepali communist factions, a move that raised concern in New Delhi. However, the geographic reality remains clearly in Indias favour. While China can provide hard infrastructure and commercial loans, India offers a cultural mirror and a natural market that Beijing cannot replicate. The challenge for India is not to compete with China dollar-for-dollar, but to ensure that its own projectslike the Integrated Check Posts and energy linksare delivered on time and with greater transparency than the debt-heavy alternatives. Defence and security cooperation The military-to-military relationship is perhaps the most resilient and trusted pillar of the India-Nepal bond. The unique tradition of granting honorary General ranks to each other's Army Chiefs is a symbol of deep institutional trust that has survived even the most turbulent political periods. The annual Surya Kiran joint military exercises continue to set the standard for regional cooperation in peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and disaster management. Central to this bond is the recruitment of Nepalese Gorkhas into the Indian Army. These soldiers are more than a security asset; they are ambassadors of goodwill who return to their villages in Nepal with lifelong ties to India. Preserving this Gorkha link has been vital for maintaining the grassroots foundation of the security partnership. Hydropower and energy cooperation If trade is the heart of the relationship, hydropower is the fuel for its future. Nepals river systems hold a commercially viable potential of over 40,000 MW, yet the country has long been energy poor. That is changing rapidly. Flagship projects like the 900 MW Arun-III, developed by India's SJVN, are nearing completion and represent a new era of energy synergy. The landmark agreement allowing Nepal to export surplus green energy to the Indian market (and via India to Bangladesh) has been a game-changer. By the 2030s, electricity is poised to become Nepals largest export, providing the foreign exchange necessary to bridge its massive trade deficit. For India, access to Nepals hydro is a critical component of its own transition toward a net-zero carbon economy. This energy corridor is the most tangible path to regional prosperity. Managing recent strains Despite the special relationship, history has left scars. The 2015 border disruptions remain a sensitive point in Nepalese national memory, often cited as a reason to diversify partnerships with China. Similarly, border disputes in the Kalapani-Lipulekh region are periodically weaponised by political actors to stoke nationalist sentiment. A more contemporary strain stems from Nepal, which has recently paused Gorkha recruitment into the Indian Army, expressing concern that the Indian militarys four-year service model does not align with the long-term career expectations of its youth. Addressing these legacy issues requires a move away from bureaucratic rigidity toward high-level political dialogue. New Delhi must be willing to show flexibility to ensure that the bedrock of the defence partnership remains intact. The way forward As Nepal enters this new political era under Balen Shah, Indias Neighbourhood First policy must evolve from a slogan into a proactive strategy: * Engage the new guard: India must proactively engage with the RSP and the younger generation of Nepalese leaders, treating them as sovereign equals rather than junior partners in a regional orbit. * Modernise the 1950 treaty: Both nations should empower the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to review and update the 1950 Treaty, ensuring it reflects 21st-century realities while protecting the open border. * The Agnipath adjustment: A tailored recruitment model for Nepalese Gorkhasperhaps offering longer service or clear post-service pathwayscould resolve the current recruitment deadlock. * Digital integration: Expanding cooperation in fintech, UPI integration, and the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model can modernize the economic relationship for a tech-savvy Nepali youth. Conclusion The 2026 election verdict in Nepal is a mandate for a "New Nepal," and it offers India the chance for a new partnership. Geography and history have made the two nations friendly neighbours, but shared culture, economic interests and mutual respect will make them future-proof allies. For Nepal, the rise of Balen Shah represents a transition from ideological survival to developmental ambition. For India, the lesson is that its influence in the Himalayas cannot be taken for granted; it must be continuously earned through reliable partnership and sensitivity to Nepal's aspirations. If managed with wisdom, this political transition could become the catalyst for the most productive and balanced era in India-Nepal relations in modern history. 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, a young man who transforms into a covert operative, Hamza Ali Mazari, operating deep inside Pakistan, appears to be receiving rave reviews, with some hailing it as a "masterpiece". In an early review, industry tracker Taran Adarsh stated that the movie, the second part of the Ranveer Singh-led spy saga, delivers on every front"scale, drama, emotions, action, performances and impact." He said the movie lives up to expectations, as the director has returned with a "vision that is bigger, sharper and far more ambitious." According to the reviewer, the movie is "tightly written, fast-paced and loaded with goosebumps-inducing moments", and the climax is "explosive, emotional and immensely satisfying." "Beneath the spectacle lies a powerful story of courage, resilience, revenge and justice elements that linger long after the screening ends," he wrote in a social media review. "In short, if you loved the first part, you are going to adore the second installment," he added. R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi return alongside Singh for the sequel, which releases in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. Earlier in the day, Dhar, who has written, directed and co-produced the movie, shared a statement on X and said the film is meant to be experienced on the big screen. "Here is my one, heartfelt, earnest request... PLEASE DON'T SHARE SPOILERS! Let every single fan walk in clueless but curious and walk out with their own deeply personal version of what they felt. You made 'Dhurandhar' what it is. Now I'm trusting you to protect what this becomes," he said. In another post, he wrote, "Oh, and one more thing. Don't leave your seats until the credits have stopped rolling." The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by President Badruddin Ajmal, is the third-largest party in the Assam Legislative Assembly, after the BJP and Congress. In recent years, however, the party has seen erosion in its core vote base, with Congress making inroads into the Muslim-majority belts. With the assembly elections approaching, Ajmal aims to reverse the partys dwindling fortunes by forging a strategic alliance with Asaduddin Owaisis All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). However, it is not clear whether AIMIM will accept the offer. Also, the Bihar election results might have prompted AIUDF to seek an alliance with AIMIM. In the Bihar polls, the AIMIM secured five seats. AIUDF released its second list of candidates for the April 9 election on Tuesday. Ajmal will be contesting from the Binnakandi constituency in Central Assam's Hojai district. So far, the party has announced candidates in a total of 21 constituencies. #WATCH | Guwahati, Assam: On the AIUDF announcing the second list of candidates for the Assembly Election-2026, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam says, "... Presently our party demanded that he (AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal) should be contested as an MLA and from his home constituency, pic.twitter.com/K7xu8ebbyn ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2026 In the 2024 general elections, the party was effectively wiped out, with Ajmal himself suffering a landslide defeat. The Congress was able to consolidate the states significant Muslim vote to its advantage, leaving the AIUDF sidelined in its own strongholds. The party has 15 members in the outgoing assembly. Back in 2006, the AIUDF 's debut stunned the rivals as the party won 10 seats, making the Congress's tally drop from 71 to 53. In the 2011 elections, AIUDF secured 18 seats. In the 2014 parliamentary elections, it managed to win three out of Assam's 14 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress has always tagged the party as BJP's 'B-Team' as it wants to prevent a split in Muslim votes. The party highlights Ajmal and his family's connections with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The partys traditional core support base consisted of Bengali-speaking Muslims. However, experts believe that these communities are now drifting away from the party, fearing that aligning with the AIUDF could jeopardise their livelihoods by reinforcing the perception that the party exists solely to protect Bangladeshis. AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam's resignation after 20 years has also put the party in a spot. Citing personal reasons, he resigned and called Badruddin Ajmal his "mentor". The Mankachar MLA had been suspended for six years from the party membership over "anti-party" activities. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi is now the main opposition party in Telangana. Yet it often behaves as if it is the ruling party, despite its electoral defeat. While the party frequently falls short on substantive governance ideas or policy alternatives, it has never hesitated to launch aggressive attacks on the government and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy often in the most brazen manner, including personal ridicule of his height and appearance. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, who studied and worked in the US, projects himself as a polished politician. However, he has struggled to establish himself as an effective opposition leader. Beyond personal attacks on the chief minister, the BRS has failed to mount any meaningful policy-based campaign or take issues to their logical conclusion. This "ruling party" delusion appears to have deepened with the party's extremely delayed and half-hearted response to a high-profile drugs scandal in March 2026. No opposition party can afford to stay silent when such serious allegations emerge involving its own members. On March 14, 2026, the Telangana police's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) raided a farmhouse in Moinabad owned by former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, acting on intelligence about an alleged drug party. The raid led to the detention of 11 people, the seizure of around 2 grams of cocaine, and reports of shots fired (allegedly to scare officers). Quick urine and blood tests confirmed drug usage among six individuals, including former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy (who tested positive for cocaine) and TDP MP Putta Mahesh Kumar Yadav from Andhra Pradesh (who tested positive for methamphetamine after initial urine test was negative but blood confirmed it). In stark contrast, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which governs Andhra Pradesh, responded swiftly by issuing a show-cause notice to its MP Putta Mahesh Kumar Yadav and placing responsibility on him pending his reply. The TDP's quick action aligned with its ongoing statewide anti-drug campaign, "Say No To Drugs Bro!" prominently led by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, IT Minister Nara Lokesh, and Home Minister V. Anitha. The BRS, however, offered only belated and limited reactions. KTR condemned drug use in general and called for punishment for those involved. Party spokesperson and MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar demanded a full, transparent investigation and punishment for the guilty. But these statements could not substitute for prompt, decisive action against party-linked individuals suspected of drug consumption. This inaction has severely damaged the BRS's image as a pro-growth and responsible party. Why do people expect swift action from political parties in such cases? Drug abuse has become alarmingly rampant across both Telugu states. Andhra Pradesh has made anti-drug messaging a core part of its public campaigns, giving the TDP little choice but to act decisively. The BRS, by contrast, appeared to believe it could simply ride out the crisis. Unlike past controversies, this case refused to fade, as EAGLE swiftly confirmed guilt through on-site and follow-up tests. A prompt disciplinary step against Pilot Rohith Reddy such as immediate suspension or at least a show-cause notice could have demonstrated basic accountability. As the scandal intensified over the following days, the BRS eventually issued a show-cause notice and barred him from party activities pending inquiry, but it was too little, too late. KTR also missed a golden opportunity to counter persistent allegations that he and his associates have fostered a drug culture in Telangana. TPCC chief B. Mahesh Kumar Goud dared KTR to undergo a blood test during an Assembly session alongside leaders from all parties. Though KTR accepted the challenge, no such tests have been reported so far. Undergoing the tests (even if largely symbolic) could have sent a strong anti-drug message to the public. In today's climate, politicians voluntarily participating in such anti-drugs messaging events would not be a bad idea. The belated show-cause notice serves little purpose and reinforces perceptions of reluctance. Telugu media has further amplified the damage by highlighting Rohith Reddy's importance within the BRS. Andhra Jyothi, for instance, published reports alleging that during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections, the BRS pressured Congress leaders not to contest against him in Tandur indicating his close proximity to party chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and KTR. As a result, any action the BRS now takes even expulsion is widely viewed as half-hearted and insincere, rather than genuine accountability. This delayed response has only deepened public skepticism toward the party. Candidates for 21 seats were announced on Wednesday by Humayun Kabir in Kolkata for his newly launched Aam Janata Unnayan Party(AJUP). The remaining candidates will be announced on Sunday. The party will fight from 182 seats in total of the 294 Assembly seats of West Bengal. Kabir will contest from Rejinagar and Naoda constituencies in Mushidabad district. I will win more than 100 seats. Said founder of AJUP Humayun Kabir. I am taking on the captainship for the A team for the party, the results should definitely show. I will win maximum seats. Kabir is the incumbent Bharatpur MLA who won on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket in the 2021 Assembly elections, but defied the party leadership by laying the foundation stone for the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad district on December 6, 2025 in the presence of lakhs of people. BJP called Kabir the B-team of TMC, though the ruling party suspended him. Not just in Malda and Murshidabad, the candidates across Bengal will win many seats. Added Kabir. Kabir is undeterred when he is often accused of indulging in religious politics. The Ram temple is built(in Ayodhya by BJP), Jagannath Dham(In Digha by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee). If I build a mosque, it is religious politics? Who is saying this? If they do it, it is constitutional, if I do it, it is unconstitutional, added the Bharatpur MLA. Who Are The Candidates Fielded? Yasser Haider One of the candidates is Yasser Haider, former son in law of Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakkim. Haider has been fielded from Kandi in Murshidabad district. Haider is unfazed by contesting against the TMC. If I was scared, I would not have joined another party. I am not scared. I am only scared of the almighty Allah. I have a lot of respect for the Mayor and his family, I will always have that, but when I have a chance to stand as a candidate from the AJUP, I will give it my 100 per cent, said Yaseer Haider. Getting a ticket from the AJUP is an opportunity that Haider clearly does not want to miss. He says his mission goes beyond just contesting against the TMC and that he believes in Kabirs Babri Mosque dream. If a person wants to build a Babri Masjid, I dont find it a big issue. I felt the government should have supported his cause. This is not political or against the law. He (Kabir) is building a mosque where people can pray, said Yasser Haider. The Bharatpur MLA is seen as an alternative face for the Muslims. Will this confidence win the AJUP sizeable number of votes is the big question. For the past 15 years, the current government has not done anything for the Muslim community. When the vote is around the corner, they announce welfare schemes, they use the Muslim community. When the vote is over, they dont even bother to look at us, added Haider. Poonam Begum Kabir has fielded a woman candidate Poonam Begum from Bhawanipore constituency, where the fight between Mamata and BJP heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari is making headlines. Why should I be scared? We have made her win as the public, today I am standing in front of her. Winning and losing is part of game, but contesting is a big thing. Allah has chosen me, said Poonam, who is contesting for the first time ever. Begum says she may not have been in active politics before, but has been witnessing the situation in the state as a voter. Begum is a social worker, working with the Marium Foundation for the last 15 years on women-centric issues in Bhawanipore constituency. On being asked why she decided to stand for the AJUP against Mamata, Begum said she rose to the occasion as no one else was willing to. Humayun Kabir was looking for a candidate and no one was willing to stand from here. He (Kabir) wanted me to contest, so I came forward, added Begum who is confident of bagging a sizeable number of Muslim votes which went in favour of Mamata in her constituency. The challenges are many for a party that has just forayed into politics, with a magnum opus vision of playing a key role in West Bengal politics. Candidates of AJUP are riding on the confidence that the Bharatpur MLA has shown. From starting construction of the Babri Masjid to not stepping down as MLA despite being suspended from the TMC and then forming his own party, Kabir is the mascot of hope that a section of the minority community wants to place their bet on. Will the odds be in the rebel TMC MLAs favour? The first UDF rebel in Kerala has emerged in the Kuttanad seat, where the coalition partner, Kerala Congress, is contesting. Alappuzha District Congress Committee vice president Saji Joseph is set to announce his candidature as an independent, protesting against the partys decision to concede the Kuttanad seat to the Joseph faction of the Kerala Congress. Saji Joseph, who is also Youth Congress Mavelikkara Parliament Committee president, has been at the forefront of several party protests on farmers issues in Kuttanad. He announced his plan to contest, alleging that leaders of the ally sold the seat for money. The Joseph faction of the KC, headed by veteran leader P.J. Joseph, announced candidates in eight constituencies yesterday, including Kuttanad. It has fielded state vice chairman Reji Cherian, who is the owner and chairman of the Ramada by Wyndham Alleppey resort. Local Congress leaders have long maintained that the UDF could win Kuttanad if a Congress candidate is fielded. Having contested 10 seats in the previous election, the Joseph faction of the KC had agreed to give up Ettumanoor and Idukki this time. Notably, the Congress leadership had also pressed for the Kuttanad seat, but P.J. Joseph remained firm on retaining it. Saji Joseph is expected to formally announce his decision in the afternoon. The Congress had come up with its first list of 55 candidates yesterday. With the Congress expected to announce the rest of its candidate list today amid infighting and competing claims, there is potential for more rebels to emerge. How the party handles senior leader and Kannur MP K. Sudhakarans claim over the Kannur assembly seat and UDF convener and Attingal MP Adoor Prakashs claim over the Konni assembly seat is also being closely watched. There are indications that if exemptions are granted to the two MPs, others may also raise the banner of rebellion, citing their own claims to contest the assembly polls. The party is already facing strong internal dissent over seat allocations in districts such as Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta. The partys ability to resolve these disputes over the next two days could significantly impact the UDFs electoral prospects. The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, told West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that her move to interfere with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC earlier this year is not a "happy situation". The SC bench, comprising Justice Pankaj Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria, noted that the central investigating agency cannot be left remediless when its functioning is interrupted, in response to the West Bengal government's contention that the ED cannot invoke the remedy under Article 32 of the Constitution. Article 32 gives every citizen the right to directly approach the Supreme Court for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights. According to a report by LiveLaw, the state had argued: "ED is not a juristic entity... it is nothing beyond just a department of the government. It does not have by itself any personality." The state had further said if there is no enforceable fundamental right, the Article 32 petition is not maintainable. However, the bench observed: "The case here is that some chief minister allegedly barges into a government office and interferes with the Central government agency's work. What is the remedy then? What happens if some other CM does it again? We have to respond to an organic situation where some remedy has to be there." ED had accused senior West Bengal police officials, including Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, of obstructing its searches conducted under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On January 8, Banerjee went to the residence of Prateek Jain, head of I-PAC, during the ED raids and left with a laptop, a phone, and some files. She then proceeded to I-PACs Salt Lake office, where another ED team was conducting searches, and came out with more files. A man has allegedly murdered his 20-year-old pregnant wife, who was a YouTuber, in Madhapur village in Jagtial district near Hyderabad, Telangana. C Vaishnavi, who was three months pregnant, had a fan following on YouTube with around 50,000 subscribers. She was known for her family vlogs. She also had 91K followers on Instagram. Days before her death, she had posted a 9-minute video detailing a doctor's visit. She had announced she was pregnant a month ago in a video with her husband. In her last video she told her subscribers, "I am pregnant; the scan went well today. I am unable to make reels now, but will be back soon. Police officials say that Vaishnavi was found covered in a pool of her own blood on Monday morning, the Indian Express reported. Vaishnavi's mother and aunt had reportedly seen her husband running out of the room and speeding away on his motorcycle before they found her body. Police said that Hari killed his wife by strangling her throat and then slashing her face with a knife. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Metpalli) A Ramulu said She had stab wounds on her neck and chest, and there were signs that she was first strangled. Her husband, Hari Babu, is the prime accused. He is absconding. Her husband, Gandam Hari (In some reports, C Hariprasad), 24, who is the prime suspect, had been absconding since the incident. The victim's father, C Durga Prasad has filed an formal complaint at the Korutla police station. Preliminary investigations suggest that the two had a fight late at night on Monday, during which Hari allegedly committed the crime. Korutla circle inspector Suresh Babu said that the couple had married despite Hari's family opposing their relationship. She and her neighbour fell in love a few years ago. Although they both belong to the same community, his family opposed their relationship." The couple had been married for 10 months. "Due to arguments with her in-laws, the couple moved to Vaishnavis home and were living in a separate room. She was three to four months pregnant, he added. The couple had ammased tens of thousands of views on videos of their relationship which they made together and posted on Vaishnavis YouTube channel and Instagram page. The victims father said that her sucess had become a source of friction with her husband. He had also stated Vaishnavi was being harassed for dowry by her husband and her mother-in law and brother in law. Investigators are now probing the alleged involvement of the accused persons family members in aiding and abetting the crime. Hari works at a local private hospital. With the nominations for the April 9 elections in Puducherry to come to a close on March 23, the political parties in the Union Territory are still unsettled with back to back negotiations and hard bargains. In a small union territory where coalitions and alliance equations always decide the victory, both the BJP and the Congress fronts find themselves in a subtle pressure as their allies are threatening to walk away. There can be no excitement lost in the battle for Puducherry. With the negotiation stretching against the hard electoral deadline, sources in the INDIA bloc and the NDA have interesting backroom stories to share. While chief minister Rangaswamy had made the going difficult for the NDA, in the INDIA bloc, Stalin made it tough for the Congress by interviewing the aspirants for all the 30 constituencies on March 16, the day when the nominations began. The seat-sharing within the AINRC-led NDA which seemed settled till a week before is now hanging in balance with chief minister and All India NR Congress leader N. Rangaswamy failing to turn up for a meeting with Manshuk Mandaviya, the BJP in-charge for Puducherry. Rangaswamy has sent strong message to the BJP through his silence since March 17. He has indicated that he could explore options beyond the alliance. The AINRC-BJP combine had earlier concluded the seat-sharing negotiations. Rangaswamys party will contest in 16 seats and the BJP and AIADMK will contest in 14 seats. Out of the 14, BJP had agreed to give two to the AIADMK. The agreement went for a toss on March 17, a day after the nominations for the April 9 election began in the Union Territory as Rangaswamy was not happy with the seat-sharing negotiations. The reason is the BJP's decision to allot two seats from its share to newly floated Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi, floated by businessman Jose Charles Martin. The arithmetic, which was decided well before the election notification had not translated on the ground as both the BJP and AINRC want to contest from common constituencies. In several places, the two parties are into parallel campaigns choosing their own faces. As of now, Rangaswamy who is the face of the alliance and the central figure of Puducherry politics, is in no mood to budge. Rangaswamy feels that his image as Peoples CM can help him play on the ground beyond the BJPs organisational push and its double engine rhetoric. Rangaswamy, who is visibly upset with BJPs hard bargain, seems to have opened a new channel with Vijays Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam. Interestingly, TVKs general secretary Bussy N. Anand who hails from Puducherry was groomed by none other than Rangaswamy. If the ruling NDA is struggling to settle the arithmetic equations, the INDIA bloc is in complete mess. DMKs sitting MLAs have decided to file nominations even when the negotiations with the Congress are under way. The Congress-DMK combine is down and under as the Congress wants to contest in 18 seats. The DMK is not willing to give up and is flexing its muscles to contest in more seats. Pointing to its strike rate in 2021 - it won in six seats - the DMK wants to contest in more seats. The first round of formal talks began on Sunday and it only ended inconclusive. The DMK which began the seat-sharing talks with the Congress suggested that the national partner allocate seats to CPI, CPI(M) and VCK, before coming to the negotiation table. While the DMK leads the alliance in Tamil Nadu, the Congress said it leads the alliance in Puducherry and that the regional party should go by its time tested formula. But the talks have led nowhere with the Congress still fighting hard to convince the DMK. While Seemans Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) had already announced its candidates for 28 out of the 30 constituencies, Vijays TVK is in both sides, talking with Rangaswamy on one side and moving with the Congress on the other. The party, which has been allotted the whistle symbol like in Tamil Nadu, wants to make inroads into Puducherry politics. The idea is not to project anyone as the chief ministerial candidate and field candidates in all 30 constituencies. However, in a small Union territory like Puducherry, the victory margins are always thin, as the total electorate is only 9.44 lakh. And the UTs politics has always been shaped not by rhetoric but by the popular faces, personal equations, blood relationship and loyalties. But in 2026, time factor has added to the list. The alliances that once appeared to be settled and winning are hanging in balance. Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS) is among the best 3D printing stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On March 2, Susquehanna initiated coverage on Carpenter Technology Corp (NYSE:CRS) stock with a Positive rating and a price target of $470. Carpenter Technology Corp (CRS) Is Well-Positioned for Growing Demand in Aerospace and Defense Industries Carpenter Technology is a leading supplier of highly-specialized alloys used in aerospace and defense industries, so Susquehanna sees bright prospects for this company amid increasing demand for next-gen metallurgy for warfighters. Moreover, Susquehanna sees Carpenter Technology as well-positioned to benefit from increasing commercial airplane builds rates and high maintenance, repair, and operations activity. The firm also noted that Carpenter Technology has a massive backlog and robust new order activity. Susquehanna projects that Carpenter Technology can grow EBITDA at 18% CAGR and free cash flow at 25% CAGR between 2025 and 2028. It sees this growth coming from strong execution, better pricing, and capacity expansion. Furthermore, Susquehanna believes Carpenter Technology can easily fund its growth while continuing the share repurchase program and boosting dividends. Read More: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years Read More: 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years Carpenter Technology exited the December quarter with $730.8 million in total liquidity. This consisted of $231.9 million of cash and $498.9 million of available credit facilities. Carpenter Technology is set for executive changes in the coming months. The company announced on February 17 that its current CEO Tony Thene will step down from the role and transition to the executive chairman role. Brian Malloy, the companys current chief operating officer, will step up to the CEO role. These changes will go into effect on July 1. Carpenter Technology Corp (NYSE:CRS) is a leading global provider of high-performance specialty alloy-based materials as well as process solutions. It also offers 3D printing solutions. The company serves industries such as aerospace, defense, medical, and energy. Carpenter Technology is based in Philadelphia. While we acknowledge the potential of CRS 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. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Matthew VanDyke, an American citizen, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency along with six Ukrainian individuals on March 13 at the airports in Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata. The agency said that all of them entered India on tourist visas illegally and were working in contact with anti-India insurgent groups. They also illegally entered Myanmar via Mizoram and contacted ethnic war groups, the NIA has stated. The individuals have been remanded to NIA custody until March 27 as the investigation continues into their alleged links with armed groups operating in the region. This comes after US citizen Matthew VanDyke was arrested on March 13 by the NIA, along with 6 other Ukrainian nationals, over alleged links to anti-India activities. (matthew vandyke mizoram arrest ukrainians, myanmar anti-india groups)https://t.co/u47qeZiQiS THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) March 19, 2026 Among them, the US national Mathew VanDyke has a background described as diverse, with prior roles in conflict zones and private military activities. He is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and according to his website Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), he worked as a soldier, international businessman, war correspondent and columnist. He was a war correspondent for The Baltimore Examiner, and in January and February of 2009, he was embedded with US forces in Iraq. VanDyke came into the spotlight in 2011 when he fought alongside anti-Gaddafi rebels in the uprising in Libya. He was captured during the Libyan conflict and detained for six months in the Tripoli Abu Salim prison before he escaped after the fall of the regime. He claims to be a freedom fighter and documentarian. He also surfaced in Syria during the uprising in Aleppo, where he said he was filming a documentary on the rebel movement. He later admitted to advising fighters on weaponry based on his experience in Libya, becoming an active participant in the movement. Critics have said that his involvement in the combat situation undermines journalistic integrity. The NIA had alleged that VanDyke and the Ukrainian individuals entered India with tourist visas and travelled to Mizoram without the required permits. From there, they reportedly entered Myanmar, where they reportedly conducted training for ethnic armed groups, including drone warfare operations, assembly and jamming technology. The movement has been said to pose security challenges to India. The others arrested from Lucknow were Ukrainian war veterans: Petro Hurba, Tara Slyviak and Ivan Sukmanovski. Three more Ukrainians, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor, were also held in Delhi recently. Central agencies have claimed that the group is an international terrorist network which was led by Van Dyke. The group has been sent to an 11-day police custody by the court in Delhi, citing possible threats to Indian security. Ukraine's Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk has met senior officials in India and submitted a formal note seeking consular access and the release of the six detained individuals. The US meanwhile has acknowledged the development, but refused to comment in detail citing privacy of the citizen involved. Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and a spiraling global energy crisis, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called on Indian government to take a proactive role in demanding an immediate end to the conflict. Tharoor argued that neither side is benefiting from the ongoing war, which is also affecting other nations due to disruptions in oil, gas, and other critical supplies. I have been calling publicly for the government to now take a lead in demanding an end to this conflict. I think both sides, frankly, have reached a point where theyre not doing anyone any good, the Thiruvananthapuram MP told ANI. He noted that since both American and Iranian objectives have largely been achieved, continuing the conflict could undermine regional stability and global interests. The Americans have said they have hit all the targets they wanted. The Iranians, at the same time, have succeeded in preserving their regime and sustaining themselves. I think between these two, that should be enough, Tharoor said. The conflict in West Asia began on February 28 when joint US-Israeli forces carried out an airstrike in Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with a barrage of missiles targeting Israel and other Gulf countries hosting US military bases. Now in its third week, the conflict has driven global oil prices sharply higher, with Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil chokepoint. India is feeling the impact as well, facing a severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), forcing the closure of several restaurants and hotels. Iran has allowed two Indian tankers to pass through the strait, with Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the representative of Irans Supreme Leader in India, affirming that Tehran is mindful of Indias energy needs. Indian-flagged crude oil tanker MT Jag Laadki is the latest to reach Indian shores amid the Middle East conflict that restricted movement via the Strait of Hormuz. Jag Laadki arrived at Mundra Port early afternoon. It carried close to 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil. The crude oil tankers arrival came only a day after LPG carrier MT Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarat. The ship, which had 46,500MT of LPG, navigated through the Strait of Hormuz, along with another vessel, the MT Shivalikthe latter arrived Monday to dock at Mundra Port. Adani Ports operates Mundra Port, said to be the largest privately operated maritime hub in India. #BreakingNews | The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker 'Jag Laadki' arrived at Adani Ports Mundra in Gujarat. It carried approximately 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, sourced from the UAE, and loaded at Fujairah Port. pic.twitter.com/xkEdfzzs0q DD News (@DDNewslive) March 18, 2026 The 80,886MT of crude that Jag Laadki carried was loaded at Fujairah Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). For more maritime and shipping news and views, visit: Maritime, Ahoy! The shipping ministry is yet to provide an official statement on the latest development. Following the killing of Ali Larijani, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera that Irans stance against the development of nuclear weapons would not change significantly. Meanwhile, Lebanon said that at least 111 children have been killed and 334 wounded in Israeli strikes since 2 March, when the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah joined the regional war by firing into Israeli territory. Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, will host a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries as the war with Iran shows no sign of abating. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the meeting in the capital, Riyadh, will include a discussion of means to "support regional security and stability." Gulf Arab states have repeatedly come under fire from Iran, raising anger towards Tehran, as well as the United States and Israel, for the ongoing conflict. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East As things stand, here are five of the latest updates regarding the conflict in the Middle East: 1. In the latest round of airstrikes, Israel tasked its air force with targeting Irans Intelligence Minister, Esmail Khatib. The strikes were successfully carried out, and officials are currently assessing the outcome of the operation, reports said. Iran is yet to respond to the incident, and it remains to be seen if the strike caused casualties. 2. It is unreasonable for Israel to expect the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, Frances special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said. He argued that Israel is demanding something they could not achieve themselves when the ball was in their court. Israel occupied Lebanon for a very long time and failed to eradicate Hezbollahs military capacity. Therefore, they cannot now ask the Lebanese government to do that job in three days under bombardment, Le Drian was quoted as telling France Info radio. 3. Israel's military on Wednesday acknowledged that its tank fire hit a UN position in southern Lebanon on 6 March, wounding Ghanaian peacekeepersan incident that underscores the growing risks as Israeli operations expand. Initial findings by an internal UN inquiry had suggested Israel was behind the attack, a Western military source told Reuters. The UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel. 4. The Arabian Travel Market, which usually takes place in the AprilMay window, has been rescheduled to 1720 August at the Dubai World Trade Centre, its organisers said in a statement. "The decision to reschedule the event has been made to prioritise the safety and well-being of customers, partners, and colleagues, and to give the global travel and tourism community greater confidence and flexibility to attend," the events company RX said. 5. The Iranian armed forces have been cleared to make use of weapons in their arsenal that have not been used in the war so far, the Islamic Republic's army spokesperson was quoted as saying. Asked about Iranian strikes in the Gulf targeting not only US military bases but also impacting residential or commercial areas, Iran's Foreign Minister said this was because US forces had relocated to urban areas. "Wherever American forces were gathering, wherever there were facilities belonging to them, they were targeted," the top Iranian diplomat said. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hinted that he was considering stronger attacks against Iran amid the chaos in the Gulf. He also indirectly criticised US allies for rejecting or ignoring his Monday offer to jointly send warships to escort tankers through the embattled Hormuz Strait. Trump is now mulling "finishing off whats left" of Iran to let the "non-responsive" allies share control of the Hormuz Strait, and whether the idea would spur them to get onboard his Monday plan. "I wonder what would happen if we finished off whats left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we dont, be responsible for the so called Straight (Strait)? he wrote in a Truth Social post. This is one in a series of veiled potshots he has taken at US allies since they rejected the Monday offer. In another post on Wednesday, he also urged them to "get a grip", citing an opinion column in the media. "Remember, for all of those absolute fools out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!" he wrote in a third post. This comes amid a number of developments in the war between Iran and US-Israel forces. Here are five important updates: 1) Israel's defence minister Israel Katz on Wednesday confirmed that an overnight precision strike in Tehran had killed Irans intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib. This comes within 48 hours of the deaths of security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. 2) At least two died and dozens have been injured in fierce Iranian retaliationusing cluster warheadson Israel, especially on Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan, since the deaths of Larijani, Khatib, and Soleimani, an Associated Press report said. 3) An airstrike was confirmed just outside the Al Minhad airbase in the UAE, causing a fire and minor damage to a medical facility used by Australian forces. Saudi Arabian air defences also intercepted a ballistic missile over Al Kharj, near Riyadh. 4) Iran has indicated that the "special conditions" that it has imposed on the Hormuz Strait continues, with access granted to only certain vessels from friendly nations, on a permission basis. 5) At least eight people were killed in an airstrike on a courthouse complex in Irans Larestan County on Wednesday, Irans official judiciary news agency Mizan said. This allegedly includes one lawyer, six clients, and a member of the judicial staff. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Wednesday warned of Tehran's major retaliation against US-Israel forces after the deaths of security chief Ali Larijani, intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib, and other senior leaders over the past 48 hours. "Criminals have to pay soon for his blood," he said in a sharp statement, specifically referring to security chief Ali Larijani's death. In that regard, several loud explosions have already been heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, with some of the city's residents receiving phone alerts of a hostile aerial threat for the first time, a Reuters report said, citing a witness in the city. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday confirmed the death of Tehran's intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib (alias Esmail Khatib) after Israeli strikes. Calling it a "cowardly assassination" and offering condolences to his "dear colleagues", he condemned the Israeli strikes as the war between Iran and US-Israel forces nears 20 days. The cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues Esmaeil Khatib, Ali Larijani, and Aziz Nasirzadeh, alongside some of their family members and accompanying team, has left us in deep mourning, Pezeshkian wrote in an X post. . . . Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 18, 2026 I extend my condolences to the great people of Iran for the martyrdom of two cabinet members, the secretary of the Shura, and the military and Basij commanders. I am certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before, Pezeshkian added further. Khatib is the third major official in Iran's senior administration to be killed in Israel's overnight airstrikes over the last 48 hours after security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Serving in the post since 2021, Khatib allegedly "played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrests and killing of protesters, as well as shaping the regimes intelligence assessment", as per the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The airstrikes have already prompted fierce retaliation from Iran in the form of cluster munitions, or missiles with multiple warheads. At least two have died while dozens have been injured in the attacks, especially in Tel Aviv. Tehran has also reportedly warned Gulf nations that a number of their energy assetssuch as oil facilitieswere now "legitimate targets" after Israel's attack on its South Pars gas field. This comes after US allies rejected/ignored Trump's Monday offer to jointly send warships to escort tankers through the embattled Hormuz Strait. (trump us iran war news uae israel, hormuz strait warships)https://t.co/0Umi27wmYE THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) March 18, 2026 Facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are on a list of assets now at risk of missile strikes, a Bloomberg report said on Wednesday, citing Irans semi-official news agency Tasnim. Iran has already declared that attacks on its energy infrastructure will not go unanswered", while Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson, Dr Majed Al Ansari, called the Israeli strikes a "dangerous and irresponsible step". The Israeli targeting of facilities linked to Irans South Pars field, an extension of Qatars North Field, is a dangerous & irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region. Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as . Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) March 18, 2026 "Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as well as to the peoples of the region & its environment," he added. The UAE's foreign ministry echoed this statement in an X post, saying that "targeting energy facilities linked to the Pars field poses a threat to global energy security". https://t.co/Ros8kdCCUw pic.twitter.com/QkMctKs0lP MoFA (@mofauae) March 18, 2026 "It also entails serious environmental repercussions and exposes civilians, maritime security, and vital civilian and industrial facilities to direct risks," it added. Israels successful strategy of targeting top Iranian leaders claimed a major victim on Monday with the planned assassination of the de facto leader and the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani. Now reports have revealed how Israel tampered with Irans radar system to trick officials into believing it was safe before inflicting the fatal blow that killed Larijani. Besides Larijani, the Israeli airstrike also claimed the lives of Basij paramilitary force commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, and other senior Basij figures. According to a report that appeared in Hebrew media, the operational success of the mission did not rely solely on firepower, but on advance planning that circumvented the most stringent security protocols of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Israel used "digital camouflage" technology in the mission. Irans strategic mind, Ali Larijani, passed away following Israels brutal attack. Ali Larijani had sent an important message while marching shoulder to shoulder with the Iranian people on Quds Day: he emphasized that the Iranian people stand behind their revolution and pic.twitter.com/x3DyPspuna Global Insight Journal (@GlobalIJournal) March 17, 2026 Israel had taken note of the tendency of Iranian officials to demonstrate a public presence to convey resilience. Security sources indicate that Israel tricked Larijani's security apparatus by disrupting his encrypted communication networks and creating a dead zone within Iranian radar systems using advanced electronic warfare. Larijani and his bodyguards were confident that they were moving on a secure route free from exposure. But Israel had already tampered with their communication lines and fed them incorrect information about the level of threat in the region. When the systems in Tehran presented operators with a clear sky image, the Israeli vehicles were already on their way to the target, the report quoted The Wall Street Journal. There is a cumulative effect of deep intelligence penetration here," Sima Shein, a former senior Mossad official, told Hebrew media C14. She noted that the assassinations are causing the remaining senior figures in Tehran to "lower their profile and reduce their communications for fear of becoming a target. Interestingly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus statement to Iranians on Tuesday evening marked the Persian New Year, Nowruz. Invoking the tradition of the Festival of Fire, Netanyahu said: So celebrate, and happy Nowruz. We are watching you from the skies, he said. The killing of two senior Iranian security officials in an Israeli airstrike has prompted a strong retaliation from Tehran, which launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel on Wednesday. Sirens sounded across central Israel, and loud explosions were reported in Tel Aviv. Israels emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, confirmed that two peoplea man and a womanwere killed in Ramat Gan, a district east of the city. Shrapnel from the missile also struck the city of Beni Brak, just north of Tel Aviv, lightly injuring one person, CNN reported, quoting the MDA. Meanwhile, Israel's Home Front Command urged residents to follow all alerts and guidelines, which have proven lifesaving during ongoing hostilities. The Home Front Command also advised residents that it is now permitted to exit protected spaces while urging continued vigilance and adherence to official safety instructions. Earlier, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij, were killed in an Israeli strike. Larijani had been considered one of the most powerful figures in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the war. Reports indicate that Iran also intensified missile and drone attacks on Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other Arab states. In the United Arab Emirates, explosions were reported early Wednesday morning in Dubai, followed by a missile alert. The Dubai Media Office stated that the sounds heard across parts of the city were successful interceptions by air defense systems. Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting drones, while air defenses were active over Qatars capital, Doha, targeting incoming attacks. The conflict, which erupted on February 28, has already claimed more than 1,300 lives, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Flight operations have gradually resumed in major UAE airports, including the Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabis Zayed International Airport, on Wednesday morning, though major carriers have warned passengers to check flight status and travel to airports only if their booking is confirmed. Etihad announced it was operating a limited schedule from Abu Dhabi to key destinations, but planned to expand its flight schedule. Emirates said it was operating a reduced flight schedule from Dubai. Passengers booked to travel between Feb 28 and April 15 whose flights have been disrupted can rebook on alternate flights or request a refund, the statement from Emirates said. flydubai has resumed operations with a reduced schedule, while Air Arabia has also resumed a limited number of flights to and from the UAE, including destinations in India, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and more. Cancellations and suspensions Despite this, several flights to and from the UAE continue to be impacted on Wednesday morning. Abu Dhabis Zayed International Airport, cancelled arrivals included Etihad Airways from Tel Aviv, Hanoi, Manila, Washington, Male, Cairo, Muscat, from Calicut, Geneva and Addis Ababa. Air India Express said it cancelled flights from Kannur, Delhi and from Trivandrum, Calicut, Mumbai and Bangalore. Several Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flights were also cancelled, including from Bahrain, Kuwait, Salalah, Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan. IndiGo flights that were cancelled include those from Kannur and Lucknow. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday claimed that Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in an overnight airstrike in Tehran. Iran is yet to confirm the death of Khatib. Who was Esmaeil Khatib? Esmaeil Khatib was serving as Iran's intelligence minister since 2021. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Khatib "played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrests and killing of protesters, as well as shaping the regimes intelligence assessment". He also quelled the 2022-23 protests over Mahsa Amini killing, as per IDF. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East The Israeli military claimed that Iran's intelligence ministry is the country's primary intelligence organisation. IDF also claimed that Khatib led the intelligence ministry's "terror activities" targeting Israeli and US assets across the globe. Pointing out that the strikes have intensified, Katz said "significant surprises" are awaited in the ongoing conflict with Iran and Hezbollah. The defence minister added that IDF has been authorised to eleminate any senior Iranian figure without prior approval. The intelligence minister's death follows Israel killing top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani. This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. The finance chief of drug distributor Cencora is retiring this summer. James Cleary, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Cencora, will step down from his roles at the end of June, the drug distributor said Tuesday. He will officially retire from his roles on June 30, but remain at the company through the end of the year as an adviser. The Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based company has hired an executive search firm to find a replacement. Cleary was appointed to the top finance position at Cencora in 2018. Prior to that, he was CEO of animal health company MWI Veterinary supply, which Cencora acquired in 2015. Cleary is the second CFO of a drug distributor to announce their retirement this month. Britt Vitalone, the CFO of McKesson, announced his retirement earlier this month after more than eight years in the role. Clearys retirement came as a surprise to analysts, according to research notes published Tuesday morning. Still, they were reassured that Cleary would be staying at Cencora in an advisory role ahead of the company providing guidance in the fall for 2027. While we were not expecting a second distributor CFO to retire, James (Jim) Cleary has had a successful last 7.5 years as CFO, and we appreciate that he is staying on as an advisor through the remainder of the year, Leerink analyst Michael Cherny said in a research note. The CFO oversaw an approximately 14% growth in Cencoras earnings per share through last year, according to a research note from J.P. Morgan. The company, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen, has recently expanded more into specialty service offerings. In December, Cencora said it would acquire a majority stake in OneOncology, a platform for cancer care practices, for $5 billion. It was the second specialty acquisition for Cencora in 2025, after it bought a majority stake in Retina Consultants of America, a management services organization. Cencora has also contended with lawsuits stemming from the opioid epidemic. Last year, the companys leadership agreed to pay more than $111 million to settle allegations that they failed to stop Cencora from perpetuating the opioid crisis. It was the latest settlement for Cencora, which has agreed to pay billions to resolve opioid-related litigation. Also on Tuesday, Cencora reaffirmed its 2026 guidance for adjusted EPS of between $17.45 to $17.75. Recommended Reading At least seven tankers carrying Russian oil have changed their destination mid-voyage from China to India after a surge in demand from major Indian refineries, according to reports. Russian oil-laden tanker, the Aqua Titan, was one of the vessels which made a U-Turn in the South China Sea. The vessel, having originally signaled the Chinese port of Rizhao as its destination, is now being diverted to India and will arrive in Mangalore on March 21, according to a report by Bloomberg. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East Not just the Aqua Titan, even crude oil tanker Suezmax Zouzou N. is signalling Indias Sikka as its next destination. This vessel, carrying Kazakh CPC Blend crude, will arrive on March 25. The vessel was originally headed to Rizhao in China before being diverted to India. The move came after the US permitted buyers to take Russian oil cargoes already at sea in a bid to ease growing pressure on prices as the war in the Middle East continues. Following this, the price of Urals crude oil on the west coast of India reached $98.93 per barrel on Friday. The report added that Indian refineries bought up as many as 30 million barrels of Russian oil in the week following the lifting of restrictions. This move was intended to help the country cope with the loss of supplies from the Middle East due to the war in Iran. Not just India, many Asian countries have expressed interest in buying Russian oil, including China. Earlier, Chinese companies, taking advantage of the 30-day sanctions, suspended purchases following the imposition of US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil. They can now take advantage of a 30-day US sanctions waiver (effective March 12), which applies to tankers already loaded. Since then, more countries have been allowed to resume purchases from Russia. This paves the way for further redirection of supplies from China, which had been Moscow's main customer in recent months after India reduced its purchases By Karen Freifeld, Max A. Cherney and Liam Mo NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - Nvidia has won Beijing's approval to sell its second-most powerful artificial intelligence chips to China and is also preparing a version of the Groq AI chip that can be sold to the Chinese market, sources familiar with the matter said. More from Yahoo Scout How will restarting H200 production impact Nvidia's operations? Why did Nvidia halt H200 chip production? What regulatory hurdles affected Nvidia's H200 manufacturing? What Chinese approvals did Nvidia receive for H200 chips? The long-awaited regulatory approval paves the way for the U.S. chipmaker to resume sales of the H200 chips, which have emerged as a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, in a market that once generated 13% of Nvidia's total revenue. Despite strong demand from Chinese firms and U.S. approval for exports, Beijing's hesitation to allow imports has been the main barrier to shipments of the H200 chips to China. Earlier on Tuesday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that it had been licensed for "many customers in China" for the H200 and had received purchase orders from "many" companies, allowing it to resume production of the chip. "Our supply chain is getting fired up, Huang said at a press conference. The company had halted production last year of the chip because of increasing regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and China, according to a report at the time. Nvidia had been waiting for licenses from both the U.S. and China for months. It has received some U.S. approvals, and a source familiar with the matter said the company had now also received licenses for many customers in China from Beijing. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said they were "not aware of the specifics," and directed questions to "the competent authorities." CNBC also reported on Tuesday that Huang told them the company now has clearance from both the U.S. and China. A Chinese company source said that they did not know if the Chinese government had given final approval, but that Nvidia had told them that they could now place purchase orders. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission late last month, Nvidia said that the U.S. had granted a license in February that would allow "small amounts of H200 products to specific China-based customers." In January, Reuters reported that China granted preliminary approval to three of its largest tech companies - ByteDance, Tencent and Alibaba - along with AI startup DeepSeek to import the chips, although the regulatory conditions for China's approvals were still being finalized. The Chinese companies did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. NVIDIA READIES GROQ CHIP FOR CHINA Nvidia is also preparing a version of the Groq AI chip that can be sold to the Chinese market, Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Core Lithium approves Finniss FID with $300M+ funding package to restart operations Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO, OTC:CXOXF, FRA:7CX) has approved a Final Investment Decision (FID) to restart operations at its Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory, alongside securing a fully funded restart package exceeding $300 million. The FID marks a key milestone for the company, following completion of updated mine planning, engineering studies and operating strategies designed to reposition Finniss as a lower-cost, long-life lithium operation with reduced execution risk. It is underpinned by updated project economics, including a pre-tax NPV of $1.1 billion and forecast free cash flow of $1.7 billion, based on a long-term spodumene price of US$1,500/t. The restart is now fully funded through a diversified financing package combining strategic investment, debt and equity, providing the capital required to move immediately into execution. The funding package includes $170 million (US$120 million) in strategic funding from partners Glencore, InfraVia and Nebari, alongside an intended $120 million equity raising, existing cash reserves and proceeds from recent spodumene sales. Todays approval of the Final Investment Decision and the securing of a fully committed Funding Package is the culmination of 18 months of diligent planning and execution for Core. The restart plan delivers a de-risked, lower cost, long-life operation with robust economics supported by valued Strategic Partners who share our long-term vision for Finniss," Cores managing director Paul Brown said. "With all major approvals in place and a proven processing plant ready for restart, Core will now progress mobilisation activities. Nearterm ore feed will be sourced from the Grants Open Pit, providing a lowrisk and rapid pathway to recommencement of concentrate production. BP33 underground development will occur in parallel, supporting a transition to longlife, highmargin underground operations. "The company remains focused on safe, disciplined execution as it advances a staged restart program through 2026 and 2027 with first spodumene concentrate production targeted for the September quarter 2026. First ore from Grants is targeted within one month of contractor mobilisation, with BP33 first ore expected in midCY2027 and rampup to nameplate production of 1.2Mtpa in mid2028." Funding package underpins restart and near-term execution The funding structure comprises a US$70 million convertible note facility from Glencore and InfraVia, a US$50 million senior secured loan from Nebari, and a two-tranche equity raising totalling $120 million. Corn futures are trading with 11 to 12 cent losses in the nearbys on Mondays midday. Pressure is coming from beans and crude oil slipping $3.19. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price is down 12 cents to $4.11 1/2. Monday mornings Export Inspections report showed 1.658 MMT (65.3 mbu) of corn shipped in the week of 3/12. That was 1.98% below the week prior but 8.95% above the same week last year. Mexico was the largest destination of 446,121 MT, with 281,957 MT shipped to Japan and 150,849 MT to Colombia. The marketing year total is now 42.869 MMT (1.688 bbu) of corn shipped since September 1, which is 39.16% above the same period last year. China was the sole destination for 127,639 MT of sorghum. More News from Barchart The weekly Commitment of Traders report from CFTC showed a total of 140,297 contracts of futures and options added to the spec fund net long position in the week ending on March 10. That was the largest Tuesday/Tuesday bull move since May 2019 and took the net position to 193,271 contracts. Producer selling was noted, as commercials added 143,803 contracts to their net short to 477,414 contracts. AgRural estimate the Brazilian first corn crop at 50% harvested by Thursday, lagging the 72% pace last year. The second crop corn was at 91% planted, behind the 97% pace a year ago. May 26 Corn is at $4.55, down 12 1/4 cents, Nearby Cash is at $4.11 1/2, down 12 cents, Jul 26 Corn is at $4.66 3/4, down 11 1/2 cents, Sep 26 Corn is at $4.68, down 11 1/4 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Cotton futures are trading with 158 to 255 gains so far on Monday. Crude oil is down $3.19 to $95.51, with the US dollar index down $0.362 to $100.00. US Treasury Secretary Bessent and Chinese counterparts met this weekend in Paris to prep for the meeting between President Trump and President Xi later this month. Following the meeting it was noted that China was open to buying more US ag goods, specifically more non-soybean row crops, i.e. possibly cotton. More News from Barchart CFTC data from Friday afternoon showed a total of 6,183 contracts cut from the managed money net short position in cotton futures and options. They took that net short to 66,754 contracts in the week ending on March 10. The Seam showed sales on 4,207 bales on Friday, averaging 59.31 cents/lb. The Cotlook A Index was up 5 points on March 13 at 75.75 cents. ICE certified cotton stocks were unchanged on 3/13, with the certified stocks level at 116,789 bales. The Adjusted World Price was back up just 6 points on Thursday to 51.50 cents/lb. May 26 Cotton is at 68.38, up 253 points, Jul 26 Cotton is at 70.23, up 234 points, Oct 26 Cotton is at 71.19, up 158 points 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 Making $300,000 a year should solve most money problems. But as one couple discovered, a high income doesn't automatically make tough financial decisions any easier especially when debt, housing costs and family priorities are all competing for the same dollars. In a call on "The Ramsey Show," Melissa from Portland, Oregon, told hosts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw that she and her husband had made huge progress cleaning up their finances. Over the past three years, the couple paid off $120,000 in debt and now bring in about $300,000 a year. But despite the income, Melissa said they were facing a dilemma: they still owe $190,000 in student loans and live in a neighborhood she described as "pretty unsafe" with schools she isn't thrilled about and with their oldest child heading to kindergarten soon, she wants to move. Don't Miss: Most founders obsess over the wrong hires. See the 5 startup roles that actually determine whether a company scales or stalls. The Comment Ramsey Wasn't Buying Melissa explained that their current home is worth about $500,000 and that they have roughly $200,000 in equity. Her concern was whether they should sell the house and move somewhere safer before their child starts school. Ramsey, however, immediately pushed back on how she described their situation. When Melissa referred to their area as a rough neighborhood, Ramsey sounded skeptical. "A half-million-dollar home," he said. "Sounds like a rough neighborhood." Melissa clarified that Portland's housing market is expensive and that prices don't necessarily reflect neighborhood quality. But Ramsey still wasn't convinced by the characterization. "There aren't $300,000 slums in Portland, Oregon or $500,000 slums," he said, adding that he'd seen truly rough neighborhoods and didn't think her situation matched that description. A Tougher Choice Than It Seems From Ramsey's perspective, the real issue wasn't the neighborhood it was the couple trying to juggle too many financial priorities at once. Despite their high income, they're still carrying nearly $200,000 in student loan debt. Ramsey suggested a straightforward though not necessarily easy solution: sell the house, use the equity to wipe out the loans, and rent temporarily while rebuilding their finances. Melissa pushed back, noting that their current mortgage is only about $1,600 per month potentially cheaper than renting in Portland's pricey market. Trending: Think you're saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off see why That's when Ramsey's patience started to wear thin. Aoife Commins is a 30-year-old nurse who is living with HIV and is bravely sharing her story as a way to debunk the stigma surrounding the virus. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there was an estimated 40.8 million people living with HIV at the end of 2024. However, Aoife is one of few who are bravely open about their diagnosis because many are scared of people judging them or perceiving them wrongly. While there is no cure for HIV infection, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives, WHO says. READ NEXT: Getting a view on life from the udder side! Human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, is a virus that attacks the bodys immune system and is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. The signs and symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection. It spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. Others may have an influenza-like illness including: fever headache rash sore throat. For Aoife from Galway was living in Australia at the time she was diagnosed with HIV. She was dating her ex-boyfriend for around six weeks. He had HIV but didn't realise it. He tested negative in his early stages. Aoife recalled that time in her life as very frightening for them and despite the doctors denying she too had HIV, she was sure she had contracted the virus. The doctors told her to take post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for four weeks which is given within 72 hours of exposure, but she was outside the 72 hours since her and her boyfriend had unprotected sex. During this time, Aoife was experiencing health issues like mouth ulcers, thrush and a really sore throat. "I was just really run down and I couldn't tell if it was because I was stressed or if it was actually the HIV starting to kick in. "And I remember when I got thrush, I'd never had thrush before. And I Googled it being like, cause of thrush and they came up with HIV. And I knew then that the medication hadn't worked, but I had to finish it anyways". Aoife said that she was incorrectly tested for HIV after the PEP was finished. "You're supposed to get tested six weeks after exposure but they tested me too soon. It's six weeks after finishing the PEP. They just tested me too soon so when I actually got my blood test, they told me I was negative. And I just didn't believe it." "The window period for HIV is 45 days and 90 days for exposure for syphilis and hepatitis. So I'd read online to get tested after three months." But when Aoife asked if she should come back and get tested again she was told that she shouldn't because there was no need. Aoife's health continued to decline, convincing her she did have HIV, despite the negative test result. "Two weeks later, I started to become really, really unwell, it started with back pain. I couldn't really sit still at all. "I was in so much pain so I was going to a chiropractor, I was going to physio and they didn't really know what was going on. It was just getting worse." "I was getting really bad fevers then too, I started spiking fevers and just felt really run down. And I had gotten a COVID test and it was negative. So I was like, okay, something's really going on here." A doctor, who Aoife worked with at the time, thought she had an abscess in her spine and told her to go to A&E. She explained in A&E that she was recently exposed to HIV but again it was shut down by doctors who didn't even test her for it. They told her it was probably glandular fever and sent her home but Aoife's health was getting worse as time went on. "I couldn't do anything. I was just in so much pain. So my boyfriend at the time was like, all right, you need to go back into hospital. "He brought me in. It was a Friday night and we went into A&E again. I'd broken out in a big rash. I just was like feeling miserable." READ ALSO: Galway podcast fan delighted to bring the show right back to the house Aoife's ex-boyfriend told her he had a rash too when he contracted HIV. Again, doctors told Aoife it wasn't HIV and instead it could be cancer in her spine. "She was like, 'no, no, I don't think it's HIV. I think that you've got a malignancy. I think you've cancer in your spine.' "I want you to go for an MRI as an outpatient. Again, they wouldn't test me for HIV in the hospital and they sent me home". Aoife continued to get worse and worse to the point where she wasn't able to eat or sleep or walk comfortably. "At this point I really was convinced that I now had cancer. I went back into the hospital on the Sunday and I basically just started crying, crying, crying. "And they were like, why are you so upset? And I was like, because no one is listening to me and I'm really scared. I think I have HIV, but I don't know." At this point then Aoife's blood was taken and tested for HIV and it showed a positive result. Aoife said that she let out a huge sigh of relief because she was so worried she had cancer and instead finally had confirmation it was indeed HIV. This was a really tough period in Aoife's life, especially while living apart from her family. Her boyfriend at the time told her to keep their diagnosis a secret and told her not to tell her family or friends even though Aoife wanted to. It was only when Aoife went back to Ireland that her mother found out after she discovered her HIV medication. "She confronted me, but not in an aggressive way. I told her everything and we went for a walk. I just remember it being such a lovely day. "I just remember her being really, really good. She was really calm and she asked lots of really good questions." Aoife's father was worried and confused, asking Aoife 'how did this happen, I always educated you guys on safe sex all these years?'. But once Aoife explained that she can't pass on HIV to anyone else, she can still have children and nothing in her life is changed, he realised it was all ok. Aoife has since been on TV, radio, in newspapers and even on The Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE, sharing her incredible story and fighting against the stigma surrounding HIV. Aoife said she had a massive amount of encouragement and support from people in her community and beyond since sharing her story and HIV diagnosis. It was like my whole world changed. I shared my story and my phone blew up. My mum and dad's phones blew up. Like it was incredible. "And mum and dad said that like they got the most amazing messages from family, friends, neighbours, just saying like, wow, your daughter's so brave." Aoife, working in a hospital, shares her knowledge and help with people on STDs and HIV and shows people that you can have HIV and live a completely normal life. Evidence proving Gerry Adams was behind three IRA bombings in England is extremely limited and bordering on non-existent, the High Court has heard. Edward Craven KC, for Mr Adams, said the job of the court should not be to rule on a historical truth but to address a dispute between two parties. John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Mr Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council, and are seeking 1 in damages. The former Sinn Fein president denies the allegations and is defending the claim, telling the court that he had no involvement whatsoever in the bombings and was never a member of the Provisional IRA. After Mr Adams finished giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr Craven said to the judge: You have actually had very little evidence of how, why and by whom these bombings were authorised. That is the central question in this trial. When you actually focus on that, the evidence is extremely limited and we say bordering on non-existent. There is not a single page in the 6,000-page bundle that implicates Mr Adams in any of the bombings. About the evidence given by the 13 witnesses, some of which related to intelligence gathered years ago, he said: All you have is high-level assertions, unsupported by detail, uncorroborated by documents. We say that comes absolutely nowhere close to proving allegations of this magnitude. He added: The desire to establish for the historical record that Mr Adams was a member of the IRA is the purpose that has driven this claim. Mr Adams has claimed that while he was a member of Sinn Fein, and was the organisations president from 1983 to 2018, he was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council, and I never held any role or rank within the IRA. Last week, the court heard from former intelligence operatives working for the British authorities who said they believed Mr Adams was a de facto leader of the IRA and he ran his own fiefdom in Belfast. Sir Max Hill KC, for the three bombing victims, said while cross-examining Mr Adams on Wednesday that a former volunteer, who had at one point been friends with Mr Adams, understood Mr Adams to be a major, major player in the war. He also said that 1,178 people were killed by the Provisional IRA and that Mr Adams has over a long period of time, chosen to stand by the IRA, to which Mr Adams replied: I do not stand by everything that they did, but these were my neighbours. Anne Studd KC, for the bomb victims, previously told the trial that being a member of Sinn Fein and a member of the Provisional IRA was a distinction without a difference for some individuals, including Mr Adams. Ms Studd also told the court that Mr Adams had a foot in each camp of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement. The barrister continued that Mr Adams was directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996. The trial before Mr Justice Swift, is due to conclude later in March. We may not agree BUT . . . Today our favorite community news source offers insight into hyperlocal media and neighborhood organizing in the digital era . . . The main takeaway: ARE FEISTY NEIGHBORHOOD FACEBOOK GROUPS WIELDING UNDUE INFLUENCE?!? In our opinion . . . FB isn't the death of neighborhood news . . . If only because so much of the social media conversation if FAKED BY BOTS FOR NUMBERS and even the most impressive posts only reach a few dozen people who inspire faux "engagement" for faraway firms in Silicon Valley. However . . . This might be one small reason that newsprint remains important for neighborhoods and communities need to think beyond a single platform to distribute info . . . Either way, it's better to welcome more "conversation" if only so that nobody has a monopoly info. Nevertheless . . . We appreciate this insight and practical news about how media impacts locals . . . "The rise of the Neighborhood Facebook Page has eclipsed the Neighborhood Associations in both influence and tone by having more engagement, more influence, and more visibility than the official neighborhood association does. This phenomenon is happening in the Historic Northeast and its important to highlight because either one can make or break a neighborhood." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Northeast News: A Neighborhood Shouldnt Be Governed by Facebook Admins Developing . . . BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. As previously reported, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with the returning residents in Khanoba village of the Khojavend district. The head of state lit the Novruz bonfire together with the village residents. Trend presents the footage: Bank Respublika organized a financial literacy event for school students at Oxbridge Academy Baku, March 18, 2026. Bank Respublika continues to implement initiatives aimed at improving financial literacy and, within the framework of Global Money Week, organized an educational event for school students at the English-language Oxbridge Academy in Baku. The main objective of the event was to equip students with fundamental financial literacy skills, foster responsible financial behavior, and support them in making more informed financial decisions in the future. As part of the event, Bank Respublikas specialists delivered interactive presentations covering money management, budgeting, saving habits, digital payments, and cybersecurity. Participants were introduced to practical real-life financial scenarios and received comprehensive answers to their questions. During the interactive session, a quiz was held, and students who answered the questions correctly were awarded valuable prizes by Bank Respublika. It should be noted that Global Money Week is an annual international initiative led by the OECD/INFE (International Network on Financial Education of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), aimed at increasing financial literacy among children and young people. By joining this initiative, Bank Respublika actively contributes to financial education in the country. Bank Respublika will continue to implement projects focused on enhancing financial literacy among the younger generation. #GlobalMoneyWeek2026 #GMW2026 #SmartMoneyTalks #MaliyySavadllg The ideological transformation of Armenian society is a very complex process. So far, the authorities have not had much success. And it's not about the weakness of the ruling team. It is impossible to destroy in six years what has been built and cemented for two centuries. The myth of the so-called "genocide of 1915" caused particularly great damage to the Armenian identity. This seed fell on fertile ground, which had already been plowed by the church and the Dashnak movement, which laid the foundation for the Armenian terror. It is a lie that Armenians developed cave-like emotions towards their neighbors after the events in the Ottoman Empire and can be justified by "noble revenge." They began to be cultivated immediately after the resettlement of this ethnic group to the South Caucasus, as fuel for the expansion of their habitat. By 1915, the Armenian mentality was ready to accept this, sorry, propaganda sperm and give birth to a monster. The hatred and sense of ethnic superiority fostered by the criminal church have produced the expected results. However, it was only after the Second World War, when the worldwide recognition of the Holocaust prompted the Armenians to become more active. It's hard to believe that the tragedy of the Jewish people could have caused envy, but it did. "How are we worse off?" - the ideologists of "from sea to sea" thought and launched a flurry of activity around the world through the diaspora, which had secured preferences for itself even before the Second World War, playing on traditional European Turkophobia. After the events of the First World War, Armenians moved to Europe and America, clearing a place for themselves in the sun with pitying stories and tears. Turkophobia and Islamophobia have helped open many doors for them. By the way, in September 2023, the Armenians of Karabakh counted on the same effect, having left Azerbaijan en masse in the hope of moving on a tearful wave to Europe and the United States. But neither of them accepted them. Times have changed. It is no secret that the myth of the "Armenian genocide" was born in the middle of the last century in the USSR against the background of Turkiye's accession to NATO, and was spread around the world by the Diaspora. Interestingly, the Armenian theme has always been met with the same understanding in both the West and the East. This is the only issue on which the poles had no discrepancies. Due to this, the "genocide", which had no place in history, became the subject of political pressure, blackmail and scientific research, extending its coverage to the Karabakh conflict, which was also overgrown with myths and fantasies. We started talking about this today in connection with the ongoing fuss in Armenia over the dismissal of the director of the Museum-Institute of "Genocide" in Yerevan. The day before, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan, was bombarded with questions about this It should be recalled that the former director of the institution, Edita Gzoyan, was fired due to the fact that during the visit of US Vice President Jay D. Vance to Yerevan, she undertook to educate the distinguished guest on the topic of the "Artsakh genocide" and other "Armenian genocides" in Azerbaijan. Accompanying Vance to Tsitsernakaberd, Gzoyan took with her the relevant propaganda literature on the "Artsakh issue" and handed the books to the American. Well, to read it during the flight to Baku and demand that Azerbaijan immediately return the Armenians to Karabakh. Having learned about such arbitrariness of the head of a state institution, the Prime Minister of Armenia demanded that the "patriot" write a letter of resignation. Nikol Pashinyan called Gzoyan's behavior provocative and contrary to the government's foreign policy course. This lady was appointed director just two years ago, when ideological transformations had already begun in Armenia. But Gzoyan has worked in a phobic institution for more than twenty years and therefore did not pay attention to the changes in the rhetoric of the authorities. She must have been seriously preparing for Vance's visit, collecting books that should be secretly handed over to the distinguished guest. Knowing Pashinyan's attitude to the issue of "genocide" and his position in the normalization process with Azerbaijan, she chose a convenient moment and presented the books to the US Vice President. In normal States, such steps are not taken without coordination with official structures. The so-called Armenian "genocidologists"... Yes, such a specialty has been invented. So, Armenian "genocidologists" and their foreign counterparts claim that the Museum-Institute of "genocide" is not a tourist site, but a serious research institution. If so, then this office should realize that the vice president of the world's largest power is not a tourist to shove brochures and brochures with bright pictures into his hands at his discretion. The anti-Azerbaijani materials were a provocation, and not so much against Azerbaijan as against the Armenian authorities themselves. While the country's leadership is trying its best to create a positive image for the Republic of Armenia in the eyes of its neighbors, someone named Edita Gzoyan is ruining his efforts. Moreover, it ruins the efforts of not only Pashinyan, but also the president of the United States itself, who considers himself a benefactor of the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement. The world is tired of the "genocide of 1915". This myth has outlived itself, outdated, worn out to the holes. It can now be sold only in one set with the "genocide of Artsakh". This topic is more recent and has not yet become so boring to those circles that have always supported the "Armenian issue", built a career on it and made money. Now the acting director has been appointed instead of Gzoyan. Rumors about his "connections with Baku" are already spreading about him. This means that the brain of this official is not infected with the virus of cave hatred. It is unlikely that he will stay in this post for long. They simply won't let him work. And the former director expects that if (God forbid for Armenia) Pashinyan loses the election, she will be returned to her former post with music and a red carpet. The current government has resolved the issue of Gzoyan irrevocably. "A management issue has arisen. That's the point, and the issue is settled for me," Andreasyan told reporters, adding that the issue of reinstating Gzoyan would not be raised, but she could continue working as a scientist, including at the Museum itself. Unfortunately, the "Artsakh research department" in this institution has not been closed. He continues to work, and the so-called scientific research in this direction continues. There is a whole staff there, and the Minister of Education has stated that they can continue their "scientific activities." At the same time, insider sources of the Armenian media note that Andreasyan did not give any clear answers regarding the work of this department. It would be good if there was no "Artsakh department" in the institution from which the provocateur Gzoyan was asked. A scientific institution in a country should not be prohibited from opening branches dedicated to other countries and regions. It is also impossible to forbid Armenian historians to study the history of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. But this applies only to cases where research is purely scientific in nature and is not a springboard for political provocations, territorial claims and armed terror. The Armenian "genocidology" deals with just the latter. It is funny that the "genocidologists" of Armenia, the United States and Europe, who signed the appeal to the Government of the Republic of Armenia, declare that the museum is a scientific center, and its leadership, they say, should be protected from political interference. It is strange considering that the institution operates according to the instructions of the diaspora and even the diaspora directs the board of trustees. The institution is actually a tool for influencing and maintaining a toxic outbreak in the South Caucasus. Gzoyan hardly expected to lose her post, because so far the so-called museum has done what it wanted, and there have never been any questions about it. The first alarm bells sounded when Nikol Pashinyan questioned the traditional interpretation of the events of 1915. And now he has openly opposed another provocation by the so-called scientists. Because it cannot allow "scientific studies of the genocide in Artsakh" to be conducted under the supervision of the Diaspora against the background of the peace process and all attempts to convince Baku that the Armenian society is capable of correction. It is the Diaspora that is most outraged by recent events. The chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees, Raymond Gevorgyan, resigned in protest. Gevorgyan represents the Diaspora. As you can learn from the Armenian media, he is a French (who would doubt) historian who has devoted himself to the study and teaching of the "Armenian genocide". In the past, he was the director of the Nubarian Library in Paris, and now teaches at the University of Paris Saint-Denis and directs research at the Institut Francais de Geopolitique. In 2010, Gevorgyan was awarded a special prize by the then President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, for his invaluable contribution to the dehumanization of the Armenian mentality. The "debacle" committed by Pashinyan in the museum is a signal to the Diaspora that the Armenian state intends to cut this umbilical cord. Yerevan cannot tell the diaspora, but it is quite possible to block this channel. On Monday, the Chief Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Zare Sinanyan, told reporters that official Yerevan had not given any instructions to the Diaspora structures regarding statements about Karabakh. And that's understandable. Because Armenia was created by the Diaspora, not the other way around. Until now, the Armenian state has served as a toy of world Armenians, and it was behind all the tragedies that have befallen the region in recent decades. Pashinyan wants to turn the country into a real state, and for this it is important to get the main obstacles out of the way. Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging in its complaint that the AI giant has committed massive copyright infringement. Britannica, which owns Merriam-Webster, retains the copyright to nearly 100,000 online articles, which have been scraped and used to train OpenAIs LLMs without permission, the publisher alleges in the lawsuit. More from Yahoo Scout What legal precedents exist for AI training data disputes? Which other publishers have sued OpenAI over similar issues? What specific copyright violations does Britannica allege against OpenAI? How does ChatGPT's RAG workflow allegedly infringe on copyrights? Britannica also accuses OpenAI of violating copyright laws when it generates outputs that contain full or partial verbatim reproductions of its content and when the AI lab uses its articles in ChatGPTs RAG (retrieval augmented generation) workflow. OpenAIs RAG tool is how the LLM scans the web or other databases for newly updated information when responding to a query. Britannica also alleges that OpenAI violates the Lanham Act, a trademark statute, when it generates made-up hallucinations and attributes them falsely to the publisher. ChatGPT starves web publishers like [Britannica] of revenue by generating responses to users queries that substitute, and directly compete with, the content from publishers like [Britannica], the lawsuit reads. Britannica also alleges ChatGPTs hallucinations jeopardize the publics continued access to high-quality and trustworthy online information. Britannica joins a number of other publishers and writers in pursuing legal action against OpenAI over copyright issues. The New York Times, Ziff Davis (owner of Mashable, CNET, IGN, PC Mag, and others), and more than a dozen newspapers across the U.S. and Canada, including the Chicago Tribune, the Denver Post, the Sun Sentinel, the Toronto Star, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, have sued OpenAI. A similar Britannica lawsuit against Perplexity is still pending. There is not a strong legal precedent that establishes whether using copyrighted content to train an LLM is copyright infringement. But in one particular instance, Anthropic successfully convinced federal judge William Alsup that this use case using the content as training data is transformative enough to be legal. However, Alsup argued that Anthropic violated the law by illegally downloading millions of books, rather than paying for them, which warranted a $1.5 billion class action settlement for impacted writers. OpenAI did not respond to TechCrunchs request for comment before publication. Azerbaijans first bank-backed independent investment app, Birbank Invest, launched its 2.0 version. The updated platform offers users broader access to local and global capital markets, alongside an enhanced interface and new analytical tools designed to support informed investment decisions. Access to Azerbaijans capital market With Birbank Invest 2.0, users can now participate in the purchase of shares and bonds of local companies during their initial offerings in the primary market. The platform will soon start offering Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), beginning with PASHA Banks IPO, giving users the chance to become direct shareholders. This will allow users to join the IPO process directly through the mobile application and take part in new investment opportunities emerging in the local capital market. Insights on the U.S. capital market A newly introduced Brief Company Info section provides key information about companies listed in the United States directly within the application. The section provides key details, including business activity, sector, company overview, market capitalization, official website, IPO date, and other essential indicators. This feature allows users to access essential company data directly within the platform, making investment decisions easier and more efficient. Improved user experience The updated version features a redesigned interface, enhanced performance and the addition of Dark Mode, allowing for a more comfortable user experience in low-light environments and reducing eye strain. The Birbank Invest application can be downloaded via: https://www.b-b.az/vHdRj4. Launched in June 2025, Birbank Invest is the first independent investment application under the Birbank brand. Developed in partnership with PASHA Capital Investment Company, the platform provides convenient and secure access to both local and international financial markets. For more information, visit birbankinvest.az, contact the platform via online chat or social media channels, or call the 196 Customer Support Center. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. On March 17, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Friedrich Merz held a telephone conversation, Trend reports. During the call, the sides expressed concern over the ongoing tensions in the Middle East and exchanged views on their potential impact on the South Caucasus region. Friedrich Merz welcomed the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, emphasizing its importance for regional stability. The President of Azerbaijan and the Federal Chancellor of Germany also discussed prospects for bilateral relations, as well as issues related to expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18.Trucks carrying the next humanitarian aid sent from Azerbaijan to Iran on the instructions of President of the Republic Ilham Aliyev have crossed the Astara border checkpoint, Trend reports. The humanitarian aid sent to Iran includes various types of food products, medicines, and medical supplies with a total volume of 82 tons. Of this, 76 tons are food and food products, four tons are medicines, and two tons are medical supplies. The humanitarian aid was sent via five trucks (TIRes). In connection with the accompaniment and presentation of the next humanitarian aid sent by Azerbaijan to the other side, officials from the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Azerbaijan State Reserves Agency have left for a visit to Iran. xxx The next humanitarian aid was sent to Iran on March 18, 2026, in order to meet the current needs of the neighboring and friendly Iranian people, according to the phone conversation between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian on March 8, 2026, Trend reports. The humanitarian aid includes various types of food products, medicines, and medical supplies with a total volume of 82 tons. The humanitarian aid is being sent via five trucks (TIRes). 09:46 The next humanitarian aid is being sent to Iran on March 18, 2026, in order to meet the current needs of the neighboring and friendly Iranian people, according to the phone conversation between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian on March 8, 2026, Trend reports. The humanitarian aid includes various types of food products, medicines, and medical supplies with a total volume of 82 tons. Of this, 76 tons of food and food products, four tons of medicines, and two tons of medical supplies are included. The humanitarian aid is being sent via five trucks (TIRes). Considering that the humanitarian aid is being sent on the eve of the Novruz holiday, the trucks have also been supplemented with appropriate Novruz gifts and holiday products. Previously, on March 10, by the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the humanitarian aid consisting of 10 tons of flour, six tons of rice, 2.4 tons of sugar, more than four tons of water, about 600 kg of tea, and about two tons of medicines and medical supplies was sent to Iran. Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, Trend reports. "Dear Mr. Prime Minister, We were deeply saddened to receive the news of the passing of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, an outstanding religious figure of our time. His Holiness Ilia II devoted his entire life and efforts to noble deeds for the sake of his people and humanity. Through his initiatives aimed at establishing peace, security, solidarity, and interfaith understanding and dialogue among peoples in the Caucasus, His Holiness Ilia II became enshrined in the hearts of millions, regardless of their national or religious affiliation, earning deep respect and sympathy. His Holiness Ilia II made significant contributions to the development and strengthening of the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Sharing the grief of this profound loss, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the entire Georgian people, and the Georgian Orthodox Church, both personally and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov has departed for a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, heading to the capital city of Riyadh, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit will feature Bayramov engaging in a consultative assembly of foreign ministers centered on regional security and stability. A sequence of bilateral discussions with counterparts from various nations is also scheduled as a component of the visit. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev extended his congratulations to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of Novruz holiday, Trend reports. The congratulatory message reads: ''Dear compatriots, I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of Novruz and wish all of you good health, happiness, and success in your work. Novruz, with its ancient roots in the land of Azerbaijan, is a sacred legacy passed down from our great ancestors to present generations. For many centuries, this cherished holiday has been an integral part of our national mindset, making a special contribution to the formation of our cultural values. Our peoples optimism, boundless love of nature, high moral standards, and brightest dreams for the future are fully embodied in the rich traditions of Novruz. Preserving the traditions of Novruz from external influences, enabling them to endure the test of time, and keeping them alive to this day are among the valuable contributions of the Azerbaijani people to their glorious history. As a treasure of high human qualities and profound spirituality, the Novruz holiday, as a valuable example of the worlds cultural heritage, continues to be celebrated in every corner of our homeland with folk festivities, in accordance with traditions preserved in the peoples memory for centuries. I am confident that the refreshing atmosphere of spring will further strengthen our resolve to build our future in line with our aspirations, and that we will transform our ancient homeland, which has regained its freedom thanks to our determination, into a place of beauty under clear skies. May the upcoming Novruz holiday fill your hearts with light, bring you a joyful spring mood, and usher peace, prosperity, and abundant sustenance into your homes. Happy holidays!'' Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Mikhail Zabelin has been awarded the Order "For Service to the Motherland" of the 1st degree, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree. According to the decree, Zabelin was awarded the mentioned order for his long-term fruitful activity in the socio-political life of Azerbaijan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, sent a letter of condolences to her Georgian counterpart, Shalva Papuashvili, on the death of His Holiness Ilia II,Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, a prominent religious figure, on March 18, a source in the parliament told Trend. The letter said that the activities of His Holiness Ilia II for the sake of humanity, his contributions to the promotion of peace, solidarity, and interfaith dialogue in the Caucasus, and his great services in strengthening friendly relations between our countries and peoples will always be remembered with respect. In the letter, the speaker expressed her deep condolences to her Georgian counterpart, Georgian MPs, and the friendly people of Georgia on her own behalf and on behalf of the Azerbaijani MPs. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. President Ilham Aliyev has done much to develop friendship between Azerbaijan and Serbia, said Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Republic of Serbia, Trend reports. Vucic made the remarks on social media following the signing of a commercial contract with the Azerbaijani company AzVirt for the design and construction of a high-speed highway section connecting the Backi Breg border crossing with several northern Serbian cities. The Serbian president attended the signing ceremony. Todays contract with Azvirt represents one of the key elements of our Serbia 2030-2035 plan. The Republic of Serbia will provide financing, and we have agreed to complete the first section within two years. This project is of great importance for citizens in northern Serbia, he said. Vucic noted that the construction of the highway would bring Sombor closer to Belgrade, attract investors, and redirect freight traffic away from city centers. This means cleaner air for citizens and reduced pressure on existing road infrastructure. We will connect cities and people, ensure greater mobility, and provide better employment opportunities. I would like to thank our partners from Azerbaijan and ask them to convey my warmest greetings to my friend and brother, President Ilham Aliyev, who has done much to develop friendship and partnership between our countries. I look forward to visiting Azerbaijan, as well as the launch of the first Air Serbia flight to Baku, which will further enhance cooperation between Serbia and Azerbaijan and strengthen ties between our peoples. I am pleased that we have brought this to completion today. I thank everyone and congratulate the citizens of northern Serbia; this marks a new beginning and a better life for them. I am confident that citizens will be satisfied and that this is the right path for Serbias future," the Serbian president added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, held discussions in Paris on bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France, Trend reports. Hajiyev shared details of the meeting in a post on his official X page. "Following the phone call between President Ilham Aliyev and President Emmanuel Macron, I had a productive meeting in Paris with Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Emmanuel Bonne and other French colleagues. We exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional and global issues of mutual interest," he wrote. On March 8, French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Macron expressed Frances solidarity with Azerbaijan and voiced support following Irans airstrike, while also thanking President Ilham Aliyev for facilitating the evacuation of French citizens from Iran via Azerbaijan. In turn, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his appreciation for the call and the support shown. The two leaders exchanged views on strengthening peace in the South Caucasus, restoring Azerbaijan-France bilateral relations, and advancing future cooperation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Management attributed the Q4 adjusted EBITDA loss primarily to non-recurring wind-down costs of migrant-related programs, marking a definitive shift toward core healthcare services. The acquisition of SteadyMD is a central strategic pillar, exceeding $8 million in quarterly revenue and providing a clinical network to support virtual care across all mobile offerings by Q2 2026. Operational performance in medical transportation is improving as the company successfully filled 206 of 546 open EMT and paramedic roles, directly reducing reliance on expensive third-party outsourcing. Strategic positioning with insurance payers is deepening, evidenced by a 12% sequential increase in assigned lives to 1.45 million and expansion into new geographic markets like Kentucky. The 'Efficiency Innovation Portfolio' was launched to create operating leverage through 12+ projects focused on automating billing, dispatch, and patient outreach via AI. Management initiated a formal process to explore strategic alternatives with an investment bank to maximize shareholder value, though outcomes remain uncertain. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. As previously reported, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with the returning residents in Khanoba village of the Khojavend district. The head of state and the First Lady also visited the home of Beybala Gasimov, a resident who recently returned to the village. A young child from the family climbed into President Ilham Aliyevs car. As he was getting out, he innocently asked for the head of states car, drawing a warm and amused response from President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Trend presents the footage of this sincere moment: BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to the village of Khanoba in the Khojavend district was posted on his social media accounts, Trend reports. The post reads: I have been celebrating Novruz in Garabagh for six years. The first time was in 2021, and since then, every year on the eve of Novruz, I have been in Garabagh, where we light the Novruz bonfire together. This is a great happiness. Global Money Week 2026 (GMW), an international initiative celebrated in over 170 countries to empower children and youth with financial knowledge from an early age, has officially launched in Azerbaijan. Yelo Bank is actively supporting this global campaign, led by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), through its dedicated "Yelo Finance Talks" project. Under the theme "Protect your money, secure your future!", the Bank has already successfully conducted its first series of workshops. The project kicked off with a session for university students and young professionals. Led by Yelo Banks internal trainers, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on essential topics such as budget management, investment basics, digital banking, and strategies for mitigating financial risks. The next stop for "Yelo Finance Talks" was a special session for schoolchildren. The Banks headquarters welcomed unique guests the children of its employees. The workshop featured interactive games and engaging discussions, allowing the young "experts" to learn about the history of money, the difference between wants and needs, and the basics of smart budgeting in a fun and accessible way. A significant portion of the training was also dedicated to online safety, teaching children how to recognize and avoid financial fraud in the digital world. Yelo Bank consistently prioritizes educational initiatives aimed at helping the younger generation make informed financial decisions and enhancing economic literacy within society. Since its inception in 2012, Global Money Week has reached over 71 million young people worldwide, laying a solid foundation for their successful and bright future. Need more information about our banking services? Then call 981 or visit our Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, or yelo.az accounts. Yelo Bank Brighter Banking! BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has delivered 20 tons of the total 25 tons of humanitarian aid allocated for Azerbaijan to the Social Services Agency, Essam bin Saleh Al-Jutaili, Saudi Arabias ambassador to Azerbaijan, told reporters, Trend reports. The ambassador noted that part of the aid was also provided to the Caucasus Muslim Board and the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations. He emphasized that the primary goal is to ensure the aid reaches various segments of Azerbaijani society, particularly those in need. This initiative is also being implemented by Saudi Arabia in other Muslim countries and is seen as a message of solidarity from the Kingdom to brotherly nations, the ambassador said. He added that, given the existing infrastructure of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, priority was given to distributing the aid through this institution to ensure faster delivery to those in need. The ambassador also conveyed greetings from Saudi Arabias leadership to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the government, and the people of Azerbaijan on the eve of the holy holiday of Ramadan. He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection for facilitating the process. In his remarks, the ambassador expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, noting that he greatly appreciated the provision of such aid to the friendly and brotherly people of Azerbaijan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iran's drone attacks on Azerbaijan and other countries violate international law, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Essam bin Saleh Al-Jutaili told reporters today, Trend reports. He recalled that on February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Besides, Iran is alleged to have carried out attacks against Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council member states, as well as Azerbaijan and Jordan. According to the diplomat, these attacks were carried out by drones and mainly targeted civilian facilities, residential areas, oil infrastructure, airports, and diplomatic missions. It was reported that the attacks were prevented by the security forces of Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, and Jordan. "These steps by Iran are contrary to international law and the principles of good neighborliness. The UN Security Council adopted a relevant resolution on the issue, condemning such actions. Saudi Arabia is currently coordinating with other partner countries, including Azerbaijan, on this issue. At the emergency meeting to be held in Riyadh today, the current situation will be discussed, and views will be exchanged on ways to defuse tensions," he delineated. The ambassador added that the meeting will call for preventing attacks against Azerbaijan and other countries, alongside averting the reoccurrence of similar incidents. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, Fuad Muradov, met with Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban during his visit to Turkiye, Trend reports via the committee. According to information, Azerbaijans Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkiye, Rashad Mammadov, also attended the meeting. The sides highlighted the growing brotherhood and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, focusing on diaspora engagement, integration of Azerbaijanis living in Izmir, as well as opportunities in education, employment, cultural cooperation, and public diplomacy. Muradov emphasized that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, diaspora policy remains a key state priority, stressing the importance of strengthening organization among Azerbaijanis abroad, preserving national and cultural identity, and enhancing their integration into host societies. He also underscored the need for closer cooperation between Azerbaijani communities in Turkish cities and local institutions, noting that the principle of one nation, two states is reflected not only in political relations but also in diaspora collaboration. Elban, for his part, expressed a strong interest in furthering ties with the committee and expanding cooperation with the Azerbaijani community in Izmir. He reaffirmed his readiness to support joint initiatives, particularly in the areas of education, employment, and cultural exchange. The meeting included in-depth discussions regarding future cooperation, including the organization of joint cultural and public events, strengthening the relationship between diaspora organizations and local authorities, and encouraging greater youth and student participation in various initiatives. The sides expressed confidence that these efforts would further strengthen Azerbaijan-Turkey relations and promote the continued development of the Azerbaijani community in Izmir. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Nominal household incomes in Azerbaijan increased by 5.6% year over year in JanuaryFebruary 2026, reaching 12,573.8 million manats, or an average of 612.5 manats per person per month. The figures appear in the State Statistics Committees macroeconomic indicators on the countrys economic and social development for the same period, Trend reports. The report says disposable household income totals 10,910.7 million manats. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Premium Iran ramps up its investments in Azerbaijan's economy for 2025 Iran's foreign direct investments in Azerbaijan grew in 2025, contributing to a notable share of the country's total FDI. There were no investments from Azerbaijan in Iran during the same period. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. U.S. President Donald Trump may postpone his trip to China, a move that could significantly affect economic relations between the worlds two largest economies amid ongoing global challenges. As Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a briefing on Tuesday, Beijing and Washington are continuing to discuss possible dates for the visit, though no specifics have been confirmed. The trip was initially scheduled for March 31April 2, 2026. It could become the first state visit by a sitting U.S. president to China in nearly nine years and would serve as a logical continuation of Donald Trumps meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan in October 2025. At that meeting, the two sides agreed to a one-year tariff truce: the U.S. partially reduced duties, while China increased purchases of American agricultural products and temporarily eased restrictions on rare earth exports. However, in recent days, Donald Trump administration has asked the Chinese side to delay the summit by about a month. The main reason cited is the need for the president to remain in Washington and personally coordinate actions related to an operation against Iran, which has affected the situation in the Strait of Hormuz - a key route for global oil trade. "We have a very good relationship. There's no trick to it either. It's very simple. We've got a war going on. I think it's important that I be here," Trump added. Amid rising energy prices and growing risks to global supply chains, tensions continue to intensify. Nevertheless, preparations for a possible visit are ongoing: parallel working-level talks are taking place in Paris between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. If the meeting does take place, its agenda is likely to be highly pragmatic. The two sides may discuss extending the tariff truce, locking in reduced duty rates, expanding Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, corn, and other agricultural products, resuming major Boeing supply contracts, and stabilizing supplies of critical materials and components. The focus is likely to be on consolidating existing agreements and preventing renewed escalation rather than achieving major breakthroughs. The invitation to Trump followed the October meeting in Busan, where both sides signaled readiness for managed competition. Over the past year, economic relations have evolved through mutual concessions and noticeable adaptation. According to U.S. data, the trade deficit with China in 2025 fell to $202.1 billion - $93.4 billion less than in 2024. U.S. exports to China totaled about $106.3 billion, while imports reached $308.4 billion, bringing the deficit to its lowest level in more than two decades. From Chinas perspective, the picture is even more dynamic. In 2025, China posted a record trade surplus of nearly $1.191.2 trillion - an all-time high, exceeding the 2024 figure ($992 billion) by almost 20%. Total foreign trade reached a record $6.36 trillion. Exports grew by 5.56.1% to around $3.773.8 trillion, while imports remained relatively stable at about $2.58 trillion. Despite a decline in shipments to the U.S. (exports in that direction fell by roughly 2030%), China offset this through market diversification, significantly increasing supplies to ASEAN countries, Africa, Latin America, and other regions. In the first two months of 2026, Chinas exports showed even stronger growth - up 21.8% year over year, while the surplus increased by 26.2%. These figures clearly illustrate the deep interdependence of the two economies. Even amid tariff pressures and supply chain reorientation, both sides recognize the risks of full escalation: previous trade wars have already cost hundreds of billions of dollars in losses for businesses, jobs, and global GDP growth. This is why the invitation to Beijing appears logical - an attempt to solidify the truce and identify new areas of cooperation in trade, agriculture, aviation, and critical resources. For now, the fate of the visit remains uncertain and largely depends on geopolitical developments. If the meeting takes place in April or May, the sides may advance concrete agreements and ease tensions, including in energy markets. If the delay drags on, however, the risk of renewed tariff escalation will persist, potentially weighing on global trade. In any case, the economic interdependence between the U.S. and China makes continued dialogue inevitable - regardless of the format or venue of negotiations. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. Chairman of Turkmenistans Halk Maslahaty (People's Council), Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, visited China, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. The visit has officially started on March 17, when Berdimuhamedov arrived in Beijing and was received by Chinese officials. At the course of the visit, Berdimuhamedov met with leaders of political parties and civic organizations of Turkmenistan. During the meeting, the Chairman said that bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and China have reached a new level, highlighting the expansion of interparliamentary and interparty cooperation, as well as regular exchanges. He noted alignment between the two countries on key international initiatives related to security, development, and global governance. Berdimuhamedov also emphasized the importance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, pointing to the growing number of Turkmen students studying in China. According to him, the visit is expected to contribute to further cooperation in education and joint projects. The visit, held at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, will last to March 19. Allan Thygesen: Thank you, Matt, and good afternoon, everyone. In fiscal 2026, DocuSign's AI-native Intelligent Agreement Management, or IAM platform, establish clear market leadership as the agreement system of action for companies of all sizes. After just 18 months, IAM customers are generating over $350 million in ARR and delivering strong retention and expansion. We're proud of the improvements in product, go-to-market and operational execution over the past 3 years that have led us to this inflection point. We are positioned to begin accelerating the business. Fiscal 2026 was defined by consistent execution, positioning us for durable long-term growth. In Q4, revenue was $837 million, up 8% year-over-year, while billings exceeded $1 billion for the first time, growing 10% year-over-year. These non-GAAP measures are not intended to be considered in isolation from, a substitute for or superior to our GAAP results. We encourage you to consider all measures when analyzing our performance. For information regarding our non-GAAP financial information, the most directly comparable GAAP measures and a quantitative reconciliation of those figures, please refer to today's earnings press release, which can be found on our website at investor.docusign.com. I'd now would like to turn the call over to Allan. In particular, our expectations regarding factors affecting customer demand and adoption are based on our best estimates at this time and are therefore subject to change. Please read and consider the risk factors in our filings with the SEC together with the content of this call. Any forward-looking statements are based on our assumptions and expectations to date. And except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these statements in light of future events or new information. During this call, we will present GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. In addition, we provide non-GAAP weighted average share count and information regarding free cash flows, billings and ARR. Matt Sonefeldt: Thank you, operator. Good afternoon, and welcome to DocuSign's Q4 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. Joining me on today's call are DocuSign's CEO, Allan Thygesen; and CFO, Blake Grayson. The press release announcing our fourth quarter fiscal 2026 results was issued earlier today and is posted on our Investor Relations website along with a published version of our prepared remarks. Before we begin, let me remind everyone that some of our statements on today's call are forward looking, including any statements regarding future performance. We believe our assumptions and expectations related to these forward-looking statements are reasonable, but they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results or performance to be materially different. Story Continues ARR ended at $3.3 billion, up 8% year-over-year. IAM represented 11% of ARR. Fiscal 2026 was our first year with non-GAAP operating margins of over 30% and free cash flow over $1 billion. In fiscal 2027, we expect to maintain operating margins at a similar level as we reinvest go-to-market efficiencies into increased R&D investment to accelerate our road map. We will also leverage strong cash flow generation to support our repurchase program, which we have expanded to $2.6 billion. In fiscal 2027, we're focused on 2 priorities to grow IAM. First, helping customers automate workflows and drive business results; and second, expanding our AI data and innovation advantage. IAM is an AI-native end-to-end platform that transforms how customers manage agreements across every part of an organization. In the front office, sales workflows connect to legal, finance and operations teams while also integrating with CRM platforms, enabling customers to close deals faster, deliver a better customer experience and gain meaningful top line benefits. In the back office, IAM's extraction and analysis capabilities enable a CFO in procurement use cases or general counsel and legal use cases to better manage vendor relationships and gain previously unattainable insights into the business across hundreds of thousands of documents using IAM as a system of action. Aon, a leading global professional services firm is implementing DocuSign's Intelligent Agreement Management to surface intelligence buried in its legacy agreements and delivered through Aon's Meridian capability, equipping colleagues with the clarity they need to serve clients more effectively. Bank of Queensland signed a 3-year strategic agreement and upgraded to IAM through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. By leveraging our global partnership, Bank of Queensland will accelerate its digital transformation, streamline agreement workflows to reduce their cost to serve, improve speed to market and strengthen regulatory controls through deeper Microsoft integration. IAM is now the center of gravity across our direct sales, partner and product-led growth motions. Building on significant commercial momentum in fiscal 2027, we will scale IAM with enterprises by adding a top-down C-suite focused sales motion. We're launching IAM consumption-based subscription pricing in Q1. Our partner channel is increasingly emphasizing IAM and made an improved contribution to our direct business in Q4 with total partner contributed bookings growing by over 30% year-over-year. Our product strategy is also focused on delivering more use case value across organizations and enterprises. In fiscal 2027, IAM will cover more surface area for our customers by introducing new IAM SKUs for specific functions within companies, including IAM for HR and procurement. We're also building richer agentic tools for legal teams. This complements existing SKUs for sales and customer experience. We will continue to strengthen trust and compliance functionality through deeper permissioning, access management and auditing as well expanded IAM extensibility to more enterprise-focused third-party public and private applications. Recently launched AI-powered tools bolster IAM's workflow capabilities, Agreement Desk, Agreement Preparation and AI-Assisted Review streamline agreement creation. Workspaces and identity verification speed up secure agreement commitment and Custom Extractions and SCIM for DocuSign deliver sophisticated, scalable capabilities that enterprise customers require. You can see these in action in our demo videos found in the prepared remarks. eSignature remains a thriving part of our platform vision. In Q4, we added AI capabilities to eSignature that make every step of the signing process smarter and more trustworthy. We continue to see consistent year-over-year growth in the eSignature base, especially among customers spending $300,000 or more a year. Q4 envelope consumption once again increased year-over-year at near multiyear highs, while growth in envelope sent remains healthy and consistent. Our focus on improving sales engagement and reducing customer friction delivered year-over-year improvements in gross and dollar net retention. Three years ago, we recognized that AI would transform how agreements are managed, and we began building the AI-native platform that became IAM. We believe that Agreement Management was a natural extension of DocuSign's business and that we had unique competitive advantages. These include a deep understanding of customer agreement workflows and context, a large ecosystem with more than 1,100 integrations, market-leading security and compliance and customer trust and distribution relationships built over decades with companies around the world. Our AI data advantage continues to grow as customers invest in IAM. Today, the number of private consented agreements ingested has expanded to more than 200 million agreements in DocuSign Navigator, our intelligent repository, up from 150 million in December. AI search leader, Elastic, is deploying Navigator to automate contract workflows across the business, while fintech leader, Clasp, is leveraging Navigator and our suite of app extensions to automate agreement workflows and centralize as contract data. DocuSign AI models draw upon an enormous unmatched body of agreement data gathered over 2 decades. By leveraging our customer consented library of private contracts. We believe we can achieve up to a 15 percentage point improvement in precision and recall compared to our models trained on public contract data, while operating at incredible cost efficiency. We've optimized AI processing costs by upwards of 50x compared to running direct prompts on LLMs. We further extend our AI advantage by directly integrating with the leading AI providers. Last month, we partnered directly with Anthropic to make IAM available as part of Claude Cowork. The DocuSign MCP connector is available in beta today through Anthropic's Connectors Directory. It enables DocuSign customers to use Cowork's natural language prompts to automate agreement workflows and securely create, review, send and manage agreements in IAM, all with DocuSign's trusted security and access controls. In addition to Cowork, IAM also connects via MCP server to OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, GitHub Copilot Studio and Salesforce's Agentforce. IAM's ability to integrate with customer workflows and third-party applications delivers significant value to our customers. leading venture-backed fintech company, Vestwell, connected IAM to its CRM and reduced the time required to create a new customer agreement package from 75 minutes to 5 minutes. Move Forward Financial, a real estate lender, is saving money and delivering a better customer experience by using IAM for sales. Payworks, a Canadian developer of workforce management software increased 24-hour contract completion rates from 55% to 87% and recovered more than $400,000 in annual sales representative productivity by integrating IAM workflows with a complex Salesforce implementation. Inside DocuSign, we're adopting AI across the organization, deploying new tools and enablement programs to boost productivity and gain efficiencies. The vast majority of our engineering organization is developing with AI and 60% of new code is AI assisted. In closing, we're proud of the immense value IAM delivers to customers by enabling them to build sophisticated and efficient agreement workflows and unlock the power of the data in their agreements. DocuSign IAM has emerged as the category-leading agreement management platform and puts DocuSign at the leading edge of AI innovation. I want to thank the entire DocuSign team for their dedication to helping our customers move faster, grow their businesses and operate more efficiently, all while transforming DocuSign into a durable long-term growth business. With that, let me turn it over to Blake. Blake Grayson: Thanks, Allan, and good afternoon, everyone. Fiscal 2026 represented a critical year for DocuSign as we continued our transformation, leveraging our recognized leading position amongst the world's most trusted software companies to help customers realize value from their full repository of agreements through IAM. With 1.8 million customers, representing most large enterprises, mid-market companies and over 1.5 million small businesses, we are in a unique position to provide the insights, productivity and velocity companies need to improve their performance, particularly via leveraging AI. Fiscal 2026 was both our first full year integrating IAM into our business as our primary growth driver and our first year generating over $1 billion in free cash flow. We are proud of the progress we've made over the past 3 years and aspire to even greater gains in the future. Q4 total revenue was $837 million and subscription revenue was $819 million, both up 8% year-over-year. For the full year fiscal 2026, total revenue was $3.2 billion, up 8% year-over-year and subscription revenue was also $3.2 billion, up 9% year-over-year. Revenue in Q4 and for the full year benefited from approximately 80 basis points and 20 basis points year-over-year, respectively, from foreign exchange rates. Additionally, as discussed in prior quarters, fiscal 2026 revenue also had a slight tailwind from digital add-ons that launched in late fiscal 2025. Our annual recurring revenue, or ARR, grew 8% year-over-year in fiscal 2026 to nearly $3.3 billion. This is consistent with our fiscal 2025 ARR growth rate of 8% year-over-year. ARR growth this year was driven by accelerating gross new bookings, primarily from IAM customers as well as gross retention improvements. Our ARR growth in fiscal 2025 was driven predominantly by gross retention as we made sizable gains that year. We're excited about the opportunity to accelerate our ARR growth in fiscal 2027 as we continue to become an even more valuable partner to our customers. As a reminder, and as detailed in our filings, ARR is calculated using fixed exchange rates set at the start of the fiscal year. Billings for Q4 were up 10% year-over-year and exceeded $1 billion for the first time in DocuSign's history. Approximately half of the Q4 billings outperformance relative to our guidance was driven by timing with the remainder from FX and bookings. For the full year fiscal 2026, billings were $3.4 billion, also up 10% year-over-year. Billings in Q4 and for the full year benefited by approximately 2.3% and 1.1% year-over-year, respectively, from foreign exchange rates. As a reminder, this quarter will be the last time we report on billings as a top metric as we shift to discussing ARR going forward. Please see Slide 29 in our Q4 earnings deck for a full summary of our top line metrics changes. The underlying foundation of our business remains durable and healthy. Our dollar net retention rate, or DNR, was 102% in Q4, up from 101% in the prior year showing moderate sequential improvement over the last 6 quarters. Both consumption, a measure of envelope utilization and the volume of envelope sent in Q4 continued to improve year-over-year with consumption remaining near multiyear highs across customer segments and verticals. We are seeing continued strong adoption of our IAM platform. In Q4 and after just over 18 months from launch, IAM represented over $350 million in ARR or 10.8% of total company ARR, up from 2.3% at the end of fiscal 2025. Although still early, our first IAM renewal cohorts are performing better than the company average, and we continue to see adoption rates for IAM features climb as users engage with the platform's expanding functionality. In Q4, total customers grew 9% year-over-year to over $1.8 million. We ended the quarter with 1,205 customers spending over $300,000 annually, a 7% increase year-over-year. International revenue surpassed 30% of total revenue in Q4 and grew 15% year-over-year. Our commitment to operating efficiency delivered strong profitability for the quarter and fiscal 2026. Non-GAAP gross margin for Q4 was 81.8%, down 50 basis points from the prior year due to ongoing costs associated with our cloud infrastructure migration, as discussed throughout the year. For fiscal 2026, non-GAAP gross margin was 82.0%, down 20 basis points on a year-over-year basis a better result than the anticipated full percentage point of headwind in our initial fiscal 2026 guidance as higher revenue partially offset the cloud migration impact. Non-GAAP operating income for Q4 was $247 million, up 10% year-over-year. Operating margin was 29.5%, up 70 basis points versus last year. For the full year, non-GAAP operating income was $968 million, up 9% year-over-year, with full year operating margin reaching 30% in the fiscal year for the first time in our company's history, representing a 30 basis point increase year-over-year. We ended fiscal 2026 with 7,044 employees, up modestly from 6,838 a year ago, as we continue to invest deliberately in roles focused on growing the IAM platform. While we are hiring across all of our global offices, the vast majority of our net new head count growth has come from, and we expect will continue to be in lower-cost locations. Also in fiscal 2026, we delivered our first year with over $1 billion of free cash flow, a 33% margin compared to 31% a year prior. In Q4, we generated $350 million of free cash flow, representing 25% year-over-year growth and a 42% margin. Strength in Q4 was driven primarily by improved collections efficiency as well as higher billing seasonality and the timing of billings. Our balance sheet remains strong. We ended the quarter with approximately $1.1 billion of cash, cash equivalents and investments. We have no debt on the balance sheet. In Q4, we also increased our buyback activity repurchasing $269 million in shares. This was our largest quarterly dollar buyback to date. For the full year fiscal 2026, we repurchased $869 million in stock representing 82% of our annual free cash flow. When including the additional funds used to offset taxes due on RSU vesting, this rate is slightly over 100% for the year. In Q4, we established a 10b5-1 program to repurchase shares before the open window rather than our typical buybacks that coincide with open trading windows after earnings. This mechanism extends the potential time frame for share buybacks, and we have already repurchased $158 million to date in Q1. In addition, today, we announced a $2 billion increase to our repurchase program, bringing our total remaining authorization to $2.6 billion. Our focus continues to be on improving free cash flow generation and redeploying excess capital opportunistically to shareholders. Non-GAAP diluted EPS for Q4 was $1.01, a $0.15 per share improvement from $0.86 last year. GAAP diluted EPS for Q4 was $0.44 versus $0.39 last year. For fiscal 2026, non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.84 versus $3.55 in fiscal 2025, and GAAP diluted EPS was $1.48 versus $5.08 last year. As a reminder, GAAP earnings in fiscal 2025 were positively impacted by the tax valuation allowance released that year. In Q4 and fiscal 2026, the buyback program contributed to reducing our share count. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding for Q4 were 204.7 million, a decrease from 214.5 million last year. Basic weighted average shares outstanding for Q4 decreased by 2.8 million year-over-year to 200.5 million from 203.3 million total shares. With that, let me turn to guidance. For ARR, we anticipate accelerating growth in fiscal 2027 compared to the prior year. We expect a year-over-year growth rate range of 8.25% to 8.75% or an 8.5% year-over-year increase to $3.551 billion at the midpoint at the end of Q4 of fiscal 2027. We expect growth to be driven by gross new bookings, primarily from both new and expanding IAM customers as well as by gross retention improvements versus fiscal 2026. Related to this, we expect another year of modest improvement in DNR. We expect IAM to represent approximately 18% of our total ARR at the end of Q4 fiscal 2027, driving IAM to well over $600 million in ARR by the end of this year. This is our first year guiding to ARR and I want to provide some context on our philosophy and approach around it. Our guidance represents our current best estimates for both total ARR and IAM's trajectory based on the business data and bookings forecast available today. Therefore, we intend to only revise our ARR forecast as our underlying bookings expectations evolve for the entire year and not necessarily on a quarterly basis. As you are aware, our bookings are seasonally weighted more heavily to the second half of the year, in particular, Q4, which is typically our strongest quarter. As a result, updating our full year ARR forecast will depend on our visibility later into the year, which will take time to achieve. For total revenue in the first quarter and fiscal year 2027, we expect $822 million to $826 million in Q1 or an 8% year-over-year increase at the midpoint and $3.484 billion to $3.496 billion for fiscal 2027 or an 8% year-over-year increase at the midpoint. After adjusting for impacts from FX and the moderate tailwinds from digital add-ons in fiscal 2026, revenue growth is in line with the prior year. Beginning fiscal year 2027, we will only guide to total revenue, given that subscription revenue has now become the vast majority of our recognized revenue base, specifically 98% of our revenue in fiscal 2026. We will continue to report the breakdown between subscription and professional services and other revenue in the footnotes of our SEC filings based on materiality thresholds. For profitability, we expect non-GAAP gross margin to be between 80.8% to 81.2% for Q1 and between 81.5% and 82.0% for fiscal 2027. We expect non-GAAP operating margin to reach 29.0% to 29.5% for Q1 and 30.0% to 30.5% for fiscal 2027. Our fiscal 2027 operating margins guidance reflects a similar level of margin expansion as we saw in fiscal 2026. We expect non-GAAP fully diluted weighted average shares outstanding of 196 million to 201 million for Q1 and 190 million to 195 million for fiscal 2027, a meaningful reduction from the prior year as we expect that our buyback activity will more than offset dilution. For detailed commentary on top and bottom line factors to guidance, please see the Modeling Considerations appendix in our prepared remarks. In closing, fiscal 2026 was defined by the successful global rollout of IAM and our continued commitment to business fundamentals and improving efficiencies while redeploying excess capital to shareholders. As we look toward fiscal 2027, we remain focused on leveraging efficiency gains to drive product innovation and ultimately accelerating ARR growth delivering the long-term improvements that our customers, shareholders and employees will be proud of. That concludes our prepared remarks. With that, operator, let's open the call for questions. Operator: [Operator Instructions] Our first question is from Rob Owens with Piper Sandler. Rob, please check and see if your line is muted. Robbie Owens: Allan, in your prepared remarks, you talked about being positioned to accelerate the business, and clearly, that's reflected here in the ARR guide. And after 2 years of consistent growth now calling for modest acceleration. So maybe help us unpack what's underpinning that confidence. You talked about gross retention, net retention. But can you stack rank kind of the delta between the 2 with IAM playing a role, maybe speak to some of the top of funnel activity that you're seeing as well? And lastly, on that line -- along those lines, the level of conservatism that you have in this guidance relative to prior years? Allan Thygesen: Sure. Thanks for the question. Overall, I think we're really pleased with the momentum in the business. That's what's reflected in our guide. We continue to see, I think, very strong adoption of product market fit in the commercial segment and accelerating momentum in enterprise, which represents an even larger addressable opportunity. In terms of the drivers of the growth this year, it's a combination of new expansion bookings and retention. And both are very significant focus areas inside the company. On the expansion side, as I said, it cuts across segments, primarily driven by IAM. And on the retention side, of course, the bulk of the business is in design. And I think we're doing a better and better job on retention there reflected in the increasing DNR rates. We're starting to see a modest contribution from IAM as well, which has even higher retention, but it's still a very small part of the book. So that's not a huge driver this year, of course, will become more important as we go further out. Blake, I don't know if there's anything you want to add that? Blake Grayson: Yes. Just kind of ending question on the level of conservatism, I think, Rob, that was in your question. We forecast -- we continue to forecast and communicate what we see in the business. No change in our philosophy there. And as things develop over time, we'll continue to update, but no change in structure or anything like that. Operator: Our next question is from Tyler Radke with Citi. Tyler Radke: I appreciate all the disclosure and prepared remarks, you put out ahead of time and good to see the slight excel on the guide. I guess, Blake, you walked through sort of the guidance philosophy on ARR, which we understand is fundamentally a different metric than billings. But I guess as we just sort of look at the IAM piece implied within your guidance, I mean, very strong growth this year. I think you added about $280 million, $285 million of net new IAM in FY '24, which was up orders of magnitude -- or sorry, in FY '26 up orders of magnitude from the prior year. But if we look at your guide for next year for FY '27, it sort of implies like a similar amount of net new in IAM. So can you just help us understand, I mean, it seems like this is a business that's growing exponentially. You got a lot of new initiatives ahead. You talked about consumption pricing, the C-suite selling. So like why wouldn't that number continue to ramp? And maybe just sort of help frame that in the context of returning to double-digit growth, kind of what else do you kind of need to see to kick in to get back there? Blake Grayson: Sure. Thanks for the question. What we saw this year and what we're expecting to see next year, again, it's a pretty linear progression in the IAM share of ARR. You saw us go from 2.3% to 10.8% this year. We're forecasting approximately 18% by the end of next year. A lot of that has to do with renewal cycles, right? So how are we having those discussions with our customers, getting deeper into their business and a consultative approach around what's right for them. I would just say IAM is tracking as we hoped it would. I'm excited for it to become an even larger percentage of our business over time. It absolutely is a key growth lever for us to get to that aspirational double-digit growth rate. That, combined with improvements in gross retention, which not only are we making those in eSign, but also we are seeing in IAM contribute to that in small shares today just because we're getting our very first renewal cohorts through. But the combination of those 2 things, I think, helps us reach that longer-term aspirational goal of reaching double-digit growth. So hopefully, that helps. Operator: Our next question is from Mark Murphy with JPMorgan. Mark Murphy: Congrats, Allan. It's intriguing to see the 200 million documents have been adjusted into Navigator because I think theoretically, it would give you an accuracy advantage or performance advantage, if you compare it to LLMs that might be out there running queries on their own. You're also saying that the Anthropic partnership is central to your strategy. Could you comment on how much of a priority you want your own sovereign system Iris to be versus kind of working with Anthropic? And basically, how much of an accuracy advantage are you seeing when people are using Iris? Allan Thygesen: Yes. I start just at the highest level, AI has been fantastic for DocuSign over the last 3 years. I think we saw the potential impact on the agreement space early, articulated the IAM vision, you can see how that's powered some incremental growth for us. I want to distinguish between the agreement library and the processing that we do on that and then what's the UI that people interact with. On the data side, we have a huge advantage in using private consented agreements, not just public data. When we started with IAM, we were processing off public data. And now, as you mentioned, we've reached 200 million agreements that have been consented to be processed. And that's powering increased accuracy in our models. At the same time, because we're processing large amounts of data, we've taken significant steps to drive additional efficiency in how we process that data, and that's what's driving the very significant cost advantage that we have in processing these large data sets. So I think it's a -- we are certainly benefiting from the overall model innovation that the Anthropics and OpenAIs and Googles of the world are doing, building on top of that, leveraging the incredible CapEx innovation they're doing. But then we have our own proprietary access to data, workflows and trust from customers that adds to that. In terms of the user experience, we always have the philosophy that we want to reach users and enable them wherever they want to do their work. So they can certainly do that through the DocuSign UI. But we've always been available in Salesforce, in the SAPs of the world, Workday and many other applications. And so it's sort of a logical extension of that to now be available in the leading chatbots like Anthropics or OpenAI, which we announced last fall. And so I don't -- I view that as a continuation of our strategy. And you should expect to see us if new surfaces arise that are important to our customers, we want to make DocuSign data and actions available in those surfaces. Hopefully that helps. Operator: Our next question is from Patrick Walravens with Citizens JMP. Patrick Walravens: Great. And let me add my congratulations. If I could ask one for each of you. Allan, I was intrigued by the comment about the bank. I think it was maybe the Bank of Queensland that bought DocuSign through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. So if you could just comment on the Microsoft relationship and how that's trending, that would be great. And then, Blake, for you, I've gotten e-mails about this. So if you wouldn't mind touching on where you are on your philosophy on stock-based comp, I think that would be appreciated by investors. Allan Thygesen: Yes. So on the Bank of Queensland deal, yes, we -- that was transaction through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, and we've done a number of enterprise transactions there. As you all know, Microsoft has a number of Azure commitment agreements with large companies and often they appreciate being able to buy through that platform. But it's beyond just the convenience factor. I would say I've been thrilled with Microsoft as a partner. They really linked in here and we're a big part of the sale. In fact, a Microsoft leader presented that case at our conference last week to the entire partner community. So they've been fantastic, and we look forward to doing even more with them. Blake, I think there's a second question for you. Blake Grayson: Yes. Thanks, Patrick. So related to stock-based comp. We made a concerted effort around that line item. I think you'll see in the financials that stock-based comp grew -- I mean, it's been pretty flat actually for the past couple of years. Stock-based comp grew 2% year-over-year in fiscal '26. I think that was coming off a slight decrease, negative 1% in fiscal '25. And you can see that in our results if you just take SBC as a percentage of revenue. It's been declining in the past couple of years. And so we're happy with that. I expect it to decline again into fiscal '27. As you all know, there's been a number of actions that we've taken over the past years to manage stock-based comp around whether that's head count resource management, whether it's around fewer executive grants and also shift to more PSUs whether that's making adjustments to equity structures around leaning a bit more into cash comp. We recognize we still have work to do, but I'm proud of the continued progress that we're making and we're focused on continuing that. Allan Thygesen: Yes. So just to add to your question, you asked about Microsoft, but I don't want to -- since you mentioned Bank of Queensland, I think it's an important use case to talk about. So I think you all know that financial services has always been an important vertical for DocuSign. And of course, we powered many use cases from bank account onboarding to mortgages, to loan agreements, et cetera. But historically, we sat just at the end of the process, the execution moment, very important moment, very high value moment, but that has powered -- let's say we basically work with practically every bank, certainly all the large ones. But now we can essentially power the entire onboarding process from the initial presentation of the sign-up process to real-time data validation of the data that a customer enters to real-time identity verification of their documents and that they are present and then, of course, the execution moment and then writing the data back to whatever system powers the next step in the process, which is dramatic simplification and both improvement in the customer experience and improvement in internal efficiency. And Bank of Queensland is an example of one of the early customers for that end-to-end process. And I think we're going to do a lot more of that over the next couple of years. So I just thought that was an exciting use case, not just for what it illustrates about the Microsoft partnership, but what it illustrates for a use case that might not be well understood. Operator: Our next question is from Kirk Materne with Evercore ISI. S. Kirk Materne: I was wondering -- you could you just mentioned banks, and I was wondering, Allan, if you could just talk a little bit about what you guys are thinking about from a vertical perspective. I realize, you're a horizontal platform at its core. But I was just kind of curious what you're seeing in terms of either faster adoption in some verticals for IAM and maybe what you're doing to lean into some verticals where there's a really good product fit for that product? Allan Thygesen: Yes. Thanks for the question. At a high level, I would say we're still an incredibly broad application. And that's true for sign and it's as true for IAM. We see it adopted across the industries, across companies with different sizes and now across geographies. I would say that we are moving increasingly towards functional use cases. So the account sign-up example I just gave for banks, of course, is a customer experience front of the house type application. We also do that in B2B or B2B sales organization. That's, of course, been a long-standing partnership with Salesforce and we do that for other CRMs as well. And now increasingly, more use cases in procurement, where there's a lot of B2B contracting that happens and in HR, where the attraction and recruiting and onboarding of new employees, it mirrors in many ways, the bank account example that I gave you at the beginning. So we are focused on those functional use cases, if you will, more than specific industries to the extent that we focus on industries. Financial services, health care and government are 3 areas that we invest a little extra in because while they're complicated, they're high value, and we do well in them. But it's very broad from an industry perspective. S. Kirk Materne: Okay. That's super helpful. If I could just ask a follow-up for Blake. Just Blake, on gross retention, do you have any sense on how that changes with IAM customers for you all? I realize the cohorts are pretty new here, but I was just kind of curious if that's playing out the way you would have expected in terms of potentially higher gross retention for those customers? Blake Grayson: Yes. We are seeing -- and I'm going to preface this by a very early days of our first renewal cohort. So the sample size is pretty small. But even with that said, gross retention and dollar net retention rates for these IAM early renewal cohorts are better than the company average. So I would say cautiously optimistic, excited. It's frankly what we expected from this because just of all the feature functionality that comes with IAM and we'll see how that develops over time, but I'm cautiously optimistic about that so far. Operator: Our next question is from Allan Verkhovski with BTIG. Allan M. Verkhovski: Allan, it's interesting to see how you've optimized AI processing costs by upwards of 50x compared to running the direct prompts on LLMs. Why is IAM consumption-based pricing the right way of monetizing? And what were your top learnings from the quarter in conversations with your larger customers about how much of an uplift you can drive with IAM? And then I've got a quick follow-up with Blake after. Allan Thygesen: Yes. Just to be clear, the consumption pricing we're referring to is consumption, if you will, of service credits. It's not a straight up token type billing model. So you buy a certain amount of capacity. This of course is not new to DocuSign, as you all know, better than almost anyone. Our eSignature business has historically revolved around an envelope model. We pre-buy envelope capacity. You can take a business as sort of a generalization of that. Now with all the different ways we can deliver value with IAM, we've basically looked at how each of those products and use cases drive value and create a credit system. We've now used that with 40, 50 customers. They've been very enthusiastic. So both our customers and our sales teams appreciate that model, and so we're now rolling it out next month. And I think that will just power most of our enterprise business going forward. We still think that the -- for commercial customers, simpler pricing model, makes sense, but for enterprises where there's so many different ways to deliver value and grow value over time that a consumption-based credit model is the right approach, and that's been validated in the last 6 months of trialing. Allan M. Verkhovski: Got it. And then, Blake, is your internal time line for when you can get to 10% top line growth sooner, unchanged or later after this quarter and why? Blake Grayson: Yes. Just to be frank, on this, that is our long-term aspiration for us. It is for me in the long term achievable. If we can both grow expansion and accelerate gross new bookings and improve our retention rates, that's something we could do. The when on that is not as important to me at the moment. We're going to go as fast as we can at this company and provide value to our customers. I think it's something we can achieve. It's going to take some time for us, as you can see. But I'm really excited about the opportunity ahead. But as far as like time line or anything like that, nothing really to share. Operator: Our next question is from Josh Baer with Morgan Stanley. Josh Baer: A couple on the enterprise opportunity. One, Blake, you were mentioning that around like the linear progression of IAM as a percentage of ARR. I guess I'm wondering -- I know that wasn't like a comment about all years in the future. But I would expect with your positioning and kind of readiness in the enterprise for that to accelerate just because of the size of the enterprise opportunity and now unlocking that. Is there -- I mean, would that be the case? So like how are you thinking about the unlock of enterprise and the impact on that linearity? Allan Thygesen: Why don't you go first and then I'll add. Blake Grayson: Yes. I think, obviously, for us, we've got big aspirations for enterprise. It's still early days for us there. And you heard a couple of examples. You heard Aon's one that we're really excited about internally. And obviously, externally, the other ones that we've talked about. I think for us, we're just going to have to see how this ramps over time, right, is that as our customers use IAM and they experiment it and they use more of it, you can see that ramp over time, but it's a little bit like eSignature, right? You go into maybe through a division and then you're able to expand that to more users and whatnot. But I think that it's still early days for us. We're really excited about the opportunity. Our long-term success depends on growing the enterprise business. We're really excited about that, and we are very head-down focused in order to drive that. And Allan, I don't know if there's more to go on that. Allan Thygesen: Yes. Just on the enterprise topic, it's really shifting into gear for us. It's contributing more of the top line mix. And over time, I expect it ultimately to become a bigger part of our business than it has been historically in eSign. Just because of the addressable opportunity and the pain is so much larger. Just for purposes of illustration, I just want to double-click on the Aon example just for a second. So as you can imagine, Aon being an insurance business, their product is essentially agreements. They literally process hundreds of millions of documents. And they have a strategic project called Meridian. That's basically a customer portal where the customer can access all of their agreements with Aon and derive insights from those agreements and, of course, also create opportunities for additional value for Aon. And they chose DocuSign to power that, which we're honored by. That is a massively complex enterprise project and a project that is transformational in terms of the customer value proposition for Aon. And so it's sponsored by the highest level of the company. We're thrilled to be deeply engaged with them, and they are certainly pushing us in several areas. But that's what you want and expect from your largest customers and partners. And so there's a number of examples like that, but Aon was, I think, the most iconic of this quarter. Josh Baer: Really helpful. And just to stay on this topic, any way to frame the pipeline or demand for IAM specifically in the enterprise? And related, is there -- could there be any initiatives or are there any current initiatives of bringing customers on to AIM before the renewals that we are kind of just talking about with regard to the linear progression? Allan Thygesen: Yes. I mean, look, it's always the case in subscription business, the renewal creates a natural focus point, so to say, for discussions. But we are absolutely working to accelerate discussions with customers who are further out from their renewal and finding ways to do deals out of cycle. We have various contract structures to help facilitate that and as well as opportunity identification for our sales teams and our partners. And as you know, enterprise sales cycles are long anyway. And so you've got to start way ahead if you want to do a big deal like an Aon type deal. So yes, that is a focus. I don't think we'll ever be able to completely avoid the natural timing that's associated around renewals. It's just a fact of life, and customers also anticipate that and work towards that. But we are absolutely pulling a lot of levers to enable our sales teams, our partners and customers to have discussions as soon as customers frankly are ready to entertain them. Operator: Our next question is from Alex Zukin with Wolfe Research. Aleksandr Zukin: I guess maybe 2 quick ones for me. I'll ask the inverse of Tyler's question. If I think about the guidance around ARR, looking at the IAM flat and that implies non IAM ARR is going to actually get -- is guided to get a lot meaningfully better. So just curious what's driving kind of the confidence? Is that a gross retention dynamic continuing to improve? And then I've got a quick follow-up for Blake. Blake Grayson: Yes. Let me see if I can answer the question I think in the spirit and the way you're asking it. Is the -- if you look at the IAM net new ARR and you try to compare it to the company net new ARR, that can be a tricky comparison because the way to think about IAM is really not necessarily as an incremental brand new product, but it's a platform shift, right? Like we have got a lot of people in our in our -- a lot of customers in our installed base that are moving to IAM. And remember, IAM comes with the new signature offer as well. And customers are paying for that. That's part of their IAM deals that they're doing with us. So while IAM has many incremental features on top, it's also driving that platform shift. So I encourage you to think about it because of that as a platform. Use total company ARR when thinking about our absolute kind of dollar growth. For us, retention gains are critical. IAM is one of those big levers for us to be able to do that, that we think that will play out over time, right? Because you got to get somebody in -- a customer to move into IAM, keep them getting excited about it and then renew them as well. And so this is going to play out like over years for us. And I think that I'm really excited about it. But along with that, too, we're making gains in our company -- total company retention as well, which, as Allan said earlier, and I think all of you know, it's still predominantly an eSign business. And so for us, those 2 things matter a lot. I'm really excited to be able to improve upon the gains that we made this year and get even bigger ones next year. Aleksandr Zukin: Understood. And then maybe just with respect to the consumption-based pricing that you guys are introducing, I guess probably how much of the IAM ARR in the year that you're guiding to? Do you expect to be coming from consumption? Or are you not including any of that in the guide? And kind of how do we think about that progression as it applies to NRR improvements gradually throughout the year? Blake Grayson: So this is a -- we're launching subscription consumption-based pricing. So I would say the consumption element is all part of our ARR forecast, whether it's consumption or seats or not. And so I would encourage you to think about it that way. Like Allan said, this is a lot akin to what we do at envelopes today, right. That a person, a customer signs up for a subscription and then they get a capacity that they can utilize against it. So I don't think there's any big swing necessarily just because of the pricing plan. I think it's going to give us an opportunity to appeal to a lot more of these enterprise customers, and I think that's the best way for us to be able to increase usage over time. Allan Thygesen: Yes. I agree with all that. And I'd just say, look, it's primarily relevant in the enterprise space, which is a smaller, but accelerating part of our business. And of course, it does lend itself to, as you implied in your question, potentially realize more growth over time in accounts because you already have the pricing mechanism installed and it should be sort of easier to say, well, you just need more credits. And so let's see where it goes for this year. It's important for the enterprise go-to-market. And probably somewhat meaningful for the overall business, but not the primary driver. Operator: Our next question is from Rishi Jaluria with RBC Capital Markets. Rishi Jaluria: Wonderful. Maybe to start, not to keep harping on the ARR kind of question. But I guess just kind of taking a big value, right, you're guiding to effectively non-IAM ARR being flat, IAM ARR growing hyper growth, call it, 70%, 80%, depending on the assumptions you make, I get that there is a conversion element from it right? And so maybe I'll ask a question that we've been trying to figure out for a while. And hopefully, you have a decent amount of telemetry that make kind of some sort of preliminary indication, but just wanted to get a sense what sort of pattern of behavior do you see in terms of overall ACV, TCV, LTM, whatever sorry, LTV like whatever metric you want to use, but just in terms of so far as you've taken existing customers, move them from just the core eSignature to the IAM platform, how much higher does that spending look like? And then I've got a quick follow-up. Allan Thygesen: Sure. Yes. I mean our focus continues to be on driving our dollar net retention rate up. And that's -- we're going to do that in large part by making IAM the foundation, not only of our expansion strategy but also our retention strategy going forward. So talking about expansion rates, the stuff gets pretty tricky when you start to balance those components. And we are seeing in general, in the vast majority of cases, an expansion opportunity for our customers that are coming. We're not breaking that out. But we also need to see the early renewal cohort customers, and we're encouraged, like I said earlier about that. But it's something that for us, for IAM in total. It provides an expand and retention opportunity, but we're not breaking out the expansion rates right now. Rishi Jaluria: Understood. That's helpful. And then maybe just thinking going back to some of the partnerships that you have with Anthropic, you've got one with OpenAI. We've seen you highlighted on stage with them over the past several months. And it's coming at a time where clearly investors are worried about potential competition either from DIY using those platforms or the platforms themselves. Can you maybe talk a little bit about how is your conversation with both of those and any other model providers as well because I know you have the ability to work with most models out there. But just how those conversations have kind of changed over time and how you've been able to double down on a lot of the things that have made you successful in shaping the nature of the partnership? Allan Thygesen: Yes. Thanks. The reality is, I think every provider of chatbots, the leading ones like OpenAI and Anthropic and Google, but there are many others who are aiming to provide a chat interface to their customers. And as they think about how do I provide value in that chatbot, one of the most important data elements that you want to expose and process that you want to kick off is agreements. And so we've had a lot of inbound interest. Every major provider of models is interested in partnering with us on this, which is reflected in those announcements, and there'll be more like that. And so I just think we are well positioned as the system of record for agreements as well as a system of action, and we can power those actions through our own interface, through third-party agentic interfaces or third-party applications like Salesforce, SAP and Workday. And I'm very bullish on our position as the authority and logical top partner for companies with ambitions to retrieve agreement data, kickoff agreement processes, complete them. We're a good partner for that. And I think that's reflected in what you've seen in the public news. Operator: Our next question is from Scott Berg with Needham & Company. Unknown Analyst: This is [ John DeVries ] on for Scott. One question for us. We noticed the company is conducting some AB testing on self-serve eSignature plans. Have any pricing changes that have been incorporated into the fiscal '27 guidance? Blake Grayson: Well, I'll take that and Allan, you want to add on, go ahead. Our guidance reflects all of our plans for this fiscal year, including tests like that, like we're testing that at the moment. And we'll see how it goes. We're excited about it. But the guidance is a reflection of the plans that we have for this next fiscal year. Allan Thygesen: Yes. We're constantly -- in a digital business, you're constantly testing all kinds of new pricing and packaging. And this is just one of those that we're doing in a couple of geographies. And we'll see which ones work, and which don't. Operator: Our next question is from Brent Thill with Jefferies. Unknown Analyst: This is [ John Bain ] for Brent Thill. Question on AI. I mean, wondering which features or where you're seeing the most traction and momentum? And also whether you're seeing any meaningful usage or volume or lease through the chatbots? Allan Thygesen: Yes. On the first point, look, the foundational major AI platform feature was Navigator, which gives you access to your repository agreements. I think that still powers a tremendous amount of value for customers of all sizes. It's really remarkable. How many different ways people find value from that. But we're now increasingly delivering AI-enabled features across the agreement journey. So for example, we have automated Agreement Review, that's, I think, becoming a very expected thing. We are -- you'll see automated data validation, automated use of AI for identity verification and for risk assessment. We've launched a number of features in that area over the last 6 months. So really across the board, AI is wherever we can use that to power more value for customers, we're going to do that. And you can see that now across the various stages of the journey and in different functional workflows. And there's so much more to come here. So I'm very optimistic that this is going to power value delivery and innovation for us for a while. Operator: Our next question is from Patrick McIlwee with William Blair. Patrick McIlwee: Allan and Blake, one more on IAM, it's great to hear you're expecting absolute ARR from that product to nearly double this year. And I understand a lot of that growth is coming from existing customers transitioning, but can you just provide a quick update on what type of traction you're seeing in going out and winning net new customers with those incremental capabilities? And as we think about that, how you feel this solution is competing against other CLM vendors and broader workflow platforms? Allan Thygesen: Yes. I think that's going extremely well. It's an even larger part of our NewCo dollars then of normal renewals. And I think when you come in fresh, you get to position all the exciting things that IAM has to offer, whereas with some [ ESAB ] customers, they may have an existing perception of what's possible with agreements or what we can deliver for them and you need to change those perceptions. But NewCo will continue to be a core element of DocuSign's growth. Of course, all of our customers start as new customers and many of them started as small customers and grew into very large customers. And so that is an essential acquisition pipeline that we continue to invest in. With all that said, the primary focus of our go-to-market with IAM is with existing customers, and that's the vast majority of IAM revenue. And it's a huge advantage for DocuSign that we walk in. We already have your agreements. We're already a trusted group supplier. We're already generally very well perceived because of the quality of the side product and the experience customers had. And that's an amazing starting point for delivering value and for processing their agreements with AI that's unmatched by any other company. So I think we have a lot of data and product advantages. We also have huge distribution advantages. And that might not be as fully understood. But you can start to see that really come into play with the number of customers that we've already brought on to our new AI platform, a number of agreements that we've ingested and processed. Patrick McIlwee: Okay. Great. And just quickly, you touched on it in the prepared remarks, but the flat guidance for operating margins, understand you're reinvesting some efficiencies from the go-to-market side in R&D. Is there any context you can provide on what those investments are geared towards or what capabilities you're looking at as you invest there? Allan Thygesen: Yes. Maybe just first for context, I know you all know this, but I'm just going to repeat it anyway. We've gone from 20% operating margins to 30% operating margins over the last 3 years, growing revenue 30%, while we've dropped headcount 13%. So I think, DocuSign has been already on some of the improvements that you're all seeking. I think the decision we made in planning for this year is that we're rightsized for the opportunity ahead of the growth acceleration opportunity that we have. That doesn't mean that we're not reprioritizing aggressively inside the company. So we continue to seek incremental efficiency in our go-to-market motion. We've done a lot there, and there's going to be more opportunities and then we're investing some of that in our product and technology organization. The areas that we're investing in enterprise and AI, continued acceleration of our legal tech road map, federal, U.S. federal is a big opportunity for us. So those are examples of things. Security continues to be a key investment area. Those are 5 areas that got sort of incremental funding on top of baseline, freed up by some of the efficiencies and other functions. Operator: There are no further questions at this time. I would like to turn the conference back over to Allan for closing remarks. Allan Thygesen: Thank you, operator, and thank you to all for joining today's call. In closing, we are very excited about the value IAM is delivering to customers in their workflows and through our AI innovation. We will be positioned to begin accelerating the business in 2026 or fiscal '27 while generating strong efficiency and profitability. Thanks for your support. Look forward to talking next quarter. Operator: Thank you. This will conclude today's conference. You may disconnect at this time, and thank you for your participation. Should you buy stock in Docusign right now? Before you buy stock in Docusign, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Docusign wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $508,877!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,115,328!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 936% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 189% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 18, 2026. This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Docusign. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. DocuSign (DOCU) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool Premium Iran sees growth in fixed-income investment fund transactions On March 17, the transaction value of fixed revenue funds in Iran's capital market grew. This growth follows a period of heightened military tensions involving the U.S. and Israel. Meanwhile, other funds like gold, silver, energy, and agricultural funds also saw significant transactions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The initiatives implemented in Azerbaijan in the field of standardization in recent years require the harmonization of state standards with international standards, Chairman of the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, Elnur Baghirov, said at the presentation of the state standard "AZS ISO 20121:2026 Event Sustainability Management Systems" held in Baku today, Trend reports. He noted that standardization is an important component of a highly developed economy. "The improvement of the standardization system, which forms the basis of the quality infrastructure for the production of goods and services that meet modern requirements, ensuring their quality, increasing competitiveness, as well as ensuring access to the world market, plays a special role in the development of the state and the economy. Initiatives implemented in the field of standardization in our country in recent years require the harmonization of state standards with international standards. Thus, with the globalization of the world economy, trade between countries is intensifying, which necessitates the adoption of international standards to ensure the acceptance of products and services in various markets and their compatibility with each other," he explained. Baghirov pointed out that the adoption of national standards based on international standards not only serves to ensure the safety and quality of goods, protect human health and the environment, but also makes a significant contribution to increasing their competitiveness and export potential: "The 'State program for 2023-2025 on the adaptation of the national standardization system to international requirements' was approved by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Within the framework of this program, important steps have been taken towards the formation of a technical regulation system, more reliable protection of consumer rights, and the elimination of technical trade barriers. Also, the 'National standardization program for 2026-2028' was approved in order to develop new standards that achieve the application of modern technologies and solutions in all spheres of the economy and ensure the production of safe, high-quality, competitive goods and services. The adoption of the state standard 'Event continuity management systems - requirements and instructions for use' by the Azerbaijan Institute of Standardization, which operates under the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control and is the country's national standardization body, is an important step. This standard not only serves the systematic application of sustainability principles in the processes of planning, organizing, and managing events in our country, but also allows organizations to apply a sustainable management approach at all stages of events, from planning to implementation and evaluation of results. The said standard was developed on the basis of the ISO international standard and was adopted as a result of cooperation with the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operating Company. The application of this standard, which is fully consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the approaches of the UN-Habitat Program, will make a significant contribution to the development of the event industry in our country on a more modern, responsible, and sustainable basis," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: The press service of the Turkmen Government ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. Ashgabat is hosting the International Investment Forum "Investment to the Future of Turkmenistan 2026" (IFT 2026), Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. The event is taking place at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and brings together international experts, representatives of international companies, and financial institutions. The forum includes a plenary session focused on the role of the private sector in Turkmenistans investment strategy. Participants are discussing issues related to the investment climate, innovation, and economic diversification. The forum is expected to contribute to the development of cooperation and the implementation of joint projects in various sectors. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. About 32% of the planned 41 billion manats ($11.7 billion) in capital investments in Turkmenistan in 2026 will be provided by the private sector, said the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and head of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan Nokerguly Atagulyev, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. He made the announcement during the International Investment Forum IFT 2026, held in Ashgabat on March 18. Atagulyev said the countrys GDP grew by 6.3% in 2025 and highlighted that private enterprises will contribute around 13.2 billion manats to next years investments. Key sectors for private investment include agriculture, construction materials, IT, and electronics manufacturing. He also noted that the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs currently includes more than 29,000 members, who have created over 422,000 jobs over the past 18 years. IFT 2026 is an international investment forum held in Ashgabat and focused on attracting foreign investment and expanding private sector participation in Turkmenistans economy. The platform brings together government representatives, businesses, and international financial institutions. The forum serves as a venue for discussing investment opportunities, establishing business contacts, and exploring potential joint projects across various sectors. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. More than 20 executives from leading Chinese companies expressed their readiness to invest in key sectors of Turkmenistans economy, founder of the Silk Road Economic Alliance and head of the consulting firm Huahe International, Liu Chuanwu said, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. He made the announcement at the International Investment Forum "Investment to the Future of Turkmenistan 2026" (IFT 2026), held in Ashgabat, on March 18. According to Chuanwu, Chinese investors showed interest in modern technology sectors, including smart agriculture, seed production, energy equipment, satellite communications, and IT. Projects already underway or planned include mechanized complexes for cotton farming, solar power facilities, and innovative heating systems. He also emphasized ongoing cooperation between Huahe International and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, noting plans to strengthen collaboration with government agencies, expand trade channels for industrial and agricultural products, and organize regular bilateral business missions. Furthermore, Chuanwu highlighted Turkmenistans stable investment climate and strategic importance as a partner. IFT 2026 is an international investment forum, focused on attracting foreign investment and expanding private sector participation in Turkmenistans economy. The platform brings together government representatives, businesses, and international financial institutions. The forum serves as a venue for discussing investment opportunities, establishing business contacts, and exploring potential joint projects across various sectors. Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 18. Uzbekistan has delivered humanitarian aid to Afghanistan on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. According to the ministry, the initiative was designed to lend a helping hand to the Afghan people while also fostering camaraderie and solidifying the bonds of good neighborliness between the two nations. The humanitarian shipment, weighing more than 290 tons, included flour, rice, wheat, vegetable oil, instant food products, pasta, confectionery, and other essential goods. The official handover ceremony took place in the city of Hairatan. Representatives of the Afghan side, including Deputy Governor of Balkh Province Mawlawi Abu Idris, expressed gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev for continued support and assistance to the Afghan people. The ceremony was attended by Uzbekistans Ambassador to Afghanistan Oybek Usmanov and Surkhandarya region Governor Ulugbek Qosimov. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is ready to deepen cooperation with Turkmenistan with a focus on public-private partnership (PPP) projects, Head of the EBRD Resident Office in the country Eric Livny said, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. He made the announcement at the international investment forum "Investment to the Future of Turkmenistan 2026" (IFT 2026), held in Ashgabat, on March 18. Furthermore, Eric Livny noted that PPP mechanisms are considered an effective tool for infrastructure development and economic growth. According to Livny, this model enables both international and local businesses to participate in large-scale state projects while allowing risk and resource sharing between the public and private sectors. He added that the development of PPPs can facilitate foreign investment inflows and the introduction of advanced technologies in key sectors of the economy. Livny also noted that Turkmen construction companies are showing growing interest in PPP projects, which could provide access to long-term financing and improve their competitiveness. IFT 2026 is an international investment forum, focused on attracting foreign investment and expanding private sector participation in Turkmenistans economy. The platform brings together government representatives, businesses, and international financial institutions. The forum serves as a venue for discussing investment opportunities, establishing business contacts, and exploring potential joint projects across various sectors. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 18. Uzbekistan Airways will resume regular flights on the Tashkent-Dubai-Tashkent route starting from March 19, 2026, Trend reports via the airline. The company has stated that travelers impacted by earlier canceled flights can switch their tickets to any upcoming Uzbekistan Airways service at no cost. The airline pointed out that, given the current situation in the region, flights are being carried out along revised routes created in line with all safety requirements and international aviation standards. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. Turkmenistan and the Netherlands discussed current and prospective bilateral cooperation, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA. The talks were held between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Myahri Byashimova, and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Netherlands to Turkmenistan, Nicolaas Schermers. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between government agencies, the business community, also educational and scientific institutions. The parties also highlighted the need to enhance the legal and regulatory framework between the two countries. Additionally, the officials emphasized the importance of collaboration within international organizations and regional initiatives. Both sides confirmed their readiness to continue constructive dialogue and expand bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. Turkmenistan and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) discussed current and prospective cooperation, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA. The talks were held during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Myahri Byashimova, and UNHCR Regional Representative for Central Asia, Mahir Safarli. The discussions focused on Turkmenistans engagement with UNHCR, including measures to protect refugees and stateless persons. The parties noted progress under Turkmenistans National Action Plan on Statelessness 2019-2024 and highlighted the organization of the Regional Ministerial Conference on Ending Statelessness held in Ashgabat in November 2024. The sides also exchanged views on participation in global UNHCR initiatives, including the Global Alliance to End Statelessness and UNHCR global forums on refugee issues. The meeting addressed Turkmenistans initiative to declare 2028 as the Year of International Law and explored cooperation opportunities with UNHCR in promoting it. Furthermore, the sides discussed regional humanitarian challenges and agreed on developing a joint action plan for the current period. Artificial intelligence startup xAI is undergoing a major reset after problems in its early hiring process, Elon Musk said. "Many talented people over the past few years were declined an offer or even an interview at xAI. My apologies," Musk wrote on X last week. "Baris Akis and I are going through the company interview history and reaching back out to promising candidates." Akis, a talent strategist who has recruited engineers across several of Musk's companies, is helping lead the hiring review. Several members of the original team at xAI have already left as the company restructures and reassesses its hiring process. Don't Miss: Why The Hiring Reset Matters Musk's comments highlight how aggressively AI companies are competing for talent. Engineers and researchers with experience building large AI systems remain in short supply as companies race to develop new models and infrastructure. Revisiting past hiring decisions may help the company recover candidates who were overlooked during the startup's early recruiting push. Correcting those mistakes may be critical as competition intensifies across the AI industry. Companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind are aggressively recruiting top engineers, often by offering multimillion-dollar compensation packages to secure experienced researchers. As companies race to refine their AI capabilities, startups like Rad AI are focused on using data-driven intelligence to help organizations create more effective, measurable content highlighting how competition in the space is pushing both hiring and product development to evolve quickly. Trending: Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier. Signs Of A Broader Rebuild The restructuring appears to extend beyond hiring. Musk last week suggested the company is undergoing a deeper rebuild, writing that "xAI was not built right first time around, so is being rebuilt from the foundations up. Same thing happened with Tesla." Former xAI engineer Sulaiman Ghori has said the company is overhauling parts of its technical infrastructure. "The company is rebuilding its core production APIs," he said on "The Relentless" podcast in January, adding that "xAI is working far ahead." The talent review coincides with strategic hires that signal xAIs push to accelerate product development. In recent weeks, the company hired Andrew Milich and Jason Ginsberg, former product engineering leaders from the AI coding startup Cursor. These additions bolster xAIs efforts to build competitive AI coding tools after Musk complained that the company's offerings were not effectively competing with rivals such as Anthropic's Claude Code and OpenAI's Codex, according to TechCrunch. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. Chairman of Turkmenistans Halk Maslahaty (People's Council), Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on March 18, Trend reports via the Chinese MFA. During the talks, the leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, interconnectivity, agriculture, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and clean energy. They addressed the alignment of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative with Turkmenistans Reviving the Silk Road strategy and discussed infrastructure and cultural projects, including the development of Luban workshops, traditional Chinese medicine centers, and joint cultural centers. The parties also confirmed cooperation on natural gas projects, plans to increase trade and investment, and collaboration in non-resource sectors such as technology and agriculture. Both sides emphasized the importance of security cooperation, including measures against terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Berdimuhamedov and Xi Jinping further discussed coordination in multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and China-Central Asia mechanisms. The Turkmen side noted its permanent neutrality policy and highlighted ongoing alignment with Chinas four initiatives on global governance and international law, which include the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. The meeting also covered Turkmenistans support for Chinas recent Five-Year Plan and the integration of strategic development goals between the two countries. The leaders exchanged views on strengthening institutional cooperation, legislative and interparty exchanges, and practical collaboration in economic and social sectors. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 18. About 1.2 trillion soums ($98.5 million) will be allocated for industrial development in Uzbekistans Samarkand region, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek president. The statement was made during a meeting dedicated to the next priority tasks of the socio-economic development of the Samarkand region. According to the President, the program will be implemented in four districts and the city of Kattakurgan. Of the total funds, 800 billion soums ($65.7 million) will be directed to provide industrial projects with the necessary infrastructure, while 400 billion soums ($32.8 million) will be used to improve roads, water supply, and electricity networks. Within the framework of the program, industrial projects will be launched in the Ingichka settlement, located about 40 kilometers from the city of Kattakurgan, as part of efforts to introduce new industrial facilities and develop the area in line with the concept of the New Uzbekistan. In addition, a bridge over the Narpay canal in the center of Kattakurgan, built more than 60 years ago, will be reconstructed. Photo: The press service of the Turkmen government ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. China and Turkmenistan should maintain friendly relations and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, Trend reports via the press service of the Chinese government. Making this statement during a meeting with Turkmenistans Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov in Beijing on March 18, the Chinese minister pointed out the strong mutual trust and friendship between the two countries, laying out strategic guidance for the steady growth of the China-Turkmenistan comprehensive strategic partnership. Meanwhile, Meredov congratulated China on the successful convening of the two sessions and expressed Turkmenistans support for Chinas four global initiatives. He also confirmed Turkmenistans willingness to cooperate in preparing for the third China-Central Asia Summit. The officials went over regional and international issues, touching on developments in Iran. To note, Chinas four global initiatives include the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 18. China and Turkmenistan discussed strengthening cooperation in the natural gas sector, Trend reports via China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The talks were held during a meeting in Beijing between CNPC Chairman, Dai Houliang, and Turkmenistans Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil and Gas, Guvanj Agajanov. Agajanov noted that gas cooperation between the two countries is strategic and receives close attention from both nations top leaders. He cited joint projects such as the Amu Darya Right Bank and Central Asia Gas Pipeline as examples of successful energy collaboration that have contributed to Turkmenistans economic and social stability. He painted CNPC as a steadfast technical ally and underscored the necessity of further strengthening collaboration in the field. Dai highlighted the importance of mutual respect and understanding, and CNPCs commitment to leveraging complementary resources and markets to advance Turkmen-Chinese gas projects and the broader strategic partnership. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Eni has taken final investment decisions on two major deepwater gas developments offshore Indonesia, advancing projects in East Kalimantan just 18 months after approving their development plans, the company said, Trend reports. The decisions cover the Gendalo and Gandang fields in the South Hub, as well as Geng North and Gehem in the North Hub, underscoring the rapid execution of Enis offshore gas strategy in the region. The projects will combine new technologies with existing infrastructure, including the Jangkrik floating production unit and the Bontang liquefied natural gas plant, allowing the company to cut costs and accelerate time to market. Eni said the developments highlight its fast-track model, leveraging exploration success alongside cooperation with partners and the Indonesian government to boost gas and LNG supply for domestic use and exports. Under the South Hub plan, seven wells will be drilled in water depths of 1,000 to 1,800 metres, tied back to the Jangkrik facility through subsea systems. The North Hub will involve 16 wells in deeper of up to 2,000 metres and a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit capable of processing more than 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day and 90,000 barrels per day of condensate. The two projects hold an estimated 10 trillion cubic feet of gas in place and around 550 million barrels of condensate. Start-up is expected in 2028, with output projected to reach a plateau of about 2 billion cubic feet per day of gas and 90,000 barrels per day of condensate in 2029. Gas will be transported to shore via pipeline to supply Indonesias domestic network and the Bontang LNG plant, while condensate will be stored offshore and exported by tanker. The plan also Bontang LNG . The projects are expected to strengthen Indonesias offshore gas sector and create a new production hub in the northern Kutei Basin, opening additional opportunities for future developments. Eni said the assets will be included in its planned business combination with Petronas, aimed at forming a new company with output exceeding 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2029. Eni has operated in Indonesia since 2001 and is a key gas producer in the country, with a focus on deepwater developments in the Kutei Basin. Premium Italy boosts oil imports from Azerbaijan in 2M2026 Azerbaijan's oil exports to Italy grew in volume but decreased in value during January-February 2026. Despite the drop in value, Italy remained the leading importer. The volume increase highlights ongoing demand for Azerbaijani oil. Premium Azerbaijan's oil exports to Romania decrease in 2M2026 From January through February 2026, Azerbaijan exported a significant amount of crude oil and petroleum products to Romania. The export value saw a decline compared to the same period last year. Despite this, Romania remained the second-largest importer of Azerbaijani oil. Premium Azerbaijan shares figures on its oil exports to Czech Republic in 2M2026 The Czech Republic saw a decline in the quantity and value of Azerbaijan's oil shipments in January and February of 2026. Compared to the same time in 2025, there was a considerable fall in both the value and volume of exports. Regardless, Azerbaijani oil continued to play a significant role in the Czech Republic's imports. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Talks regarding constructing a solar power plant in Azerbaijan's Hajigabul district have taken place between Azerbaijani officials and the Chinese company PowerChina Resources Ltd., the nation's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote in a post on his official X page, Trend reports. During the meeting with He Shiyou, Executive Vice President of PowerChina Resources Ltd., we discussed the implementation status of the solar power plant project in the Hajigabul district, being carried out jointly with SOCAR Green, as well as the next steps in this regard. We also exchanged views on opportunities to participate in potential investment projects in the energy sector, the post said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The talks focused on the implementation of a 160 MW solar power plant, 2 GW offshore wind energy projects, and potential new investment opportunities. Progress on the solar project was highlighted, with plans for its integration into the national grid as part of the second phase of Azerbaijans renewable energy expansion. The results of ongoing grid studies by Chinas Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute (EPPEI) were noted as a key factor. The meeting also emphasized the strategic importance the Chinese company places on renewable energy cooperation with Azerbaijan and its interest in evaluating further investment opportunities. Discussions included Chinas policies on smart grid development, the formation of a new energy system, digital transformation, powering data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) systems with renewable energy, and addressing global energy and industrial value chain challenges. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel But further value comes when data is easily shareable and accessible between all trusts on a single EPR vendor. Epics implementation of separate instances of its EPR can be a stumbling block for data sharing between different geographic areas. Other difficulties also arise, such as different patient engagement apps required across different instances of its EPR, which hinders patient experience. A unified EPR across multiple trusts promises benefits: fewer systems to log into; streamlined workflows for clinicians; shared digital tools to reduce duplicate data entry; more consistent access to patient records. These efficiencies are especially meaningful in rural settings where site-to-site interoperability has historically been patchy. This latest example from Epic is a perfect example of this shift. Epic did have an advantage in the region, since it already had some regional presence with last years Devon & Torbay win. As is often the case with the NHS, organisations are influenced in their choice of technology by their neighbours. This has put Epics EPR in a strong position to win across more trusts in the Southwest. EPRs play a central role in the digital strategy of all trusts across the NHS, and as such, a great deal of attention is paid to picking the correct partner for this critical digital infrastructure. The direction of travel for the NHSs EPR market is clear, with a shift towards larger enterprise-wide solutions, and even regional implementation in some instances. This aligns with the wider trend of consolidation ongoing across Englands NHS, with the merger of six ICBs effective from April, further mergers expected ahead of NHS Englands abolition in April 2027, and the clustering of ICBs for improved efficiency. As healthcare bodies across the country consolidate, procurement of digital systems will similarly consolidate. In early March 2026, a conglomerate of four NHS Trusts across Somerset and Dorset announced that they had signed a 222m contract with US-based electronic patient records (EPR) giant, Epic, in a sweeping move looking to replace legacy EPR and clinical systems with one, federated, enterprise-wide solution. The four trusts (Somerset NHS FT, Dorset Country Hospital NHS FT, University Hospitals Dorset NHS FT and Dorset Healthcare University NHS FT) join a roster of 14 other NHS trusts currently employing an Epic EPR. Epic has been reasonably successful in some of the countrys bigger, urban NHS Trusts, such as Greater Manchester, and Guy's and St Thomas, as well as having a healthy presence across the rest of the London trusts. However, picking up this collection of more rural providers is a slight step change for the vendor, although not Epics first foray into the Southwest, having won a contract with Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS FT and Torbay, and South Devon NHS FT. Story Continues Epic does have precedent for sharing instances of its EPR. Great Ormond Street Hospital was moved onto the Royal Marsdens instance of Epics EPR in 2021, allowing for more seamless record sharing and efficiencies between the two trusts, and it will be interesting to see if there are future opportunities for increased interoperability between Dorset and Somerset, and Devon and Torbay. Epic replaces a patchwork of solutions Epic is replacing a number of different software systems with this move. Incumbent EPRs across the four trusts include at least System C and SystmOne from The Phoenix Partnership (TPP). Somerset Foundation Trust was also one of the few remaining trusts across the UK with no EPR system implemented, and Wes Streeting will be pleased that he is now one step closer to achieving 100% EPR coverage by the end of 2026. It is also not just EPRs that will be systematically replaced by Epics solution, but also patient administration systems (PAS) and other speciality clinical systems. Incumbent PAS vendors under imminent threat of replacement include EMIS Health (Optum), Intersystems, The Access Group, and IMS MAXIMS. It is currently unclear what specialist clinical systems will be replaced by Epic, but it is inevitable that at least some of these vendors will be affected. Without further information on which specialist clinical modules will be replaced as part of the deal, it is difficult to quantify the potential financial savings gained by removing the need for some standalone clinical software, but it is safe to assume that there will be some efficiencies here. Competitive concerns While Epic is one of the leaders of the global EPR market alongside Oracle Health (FKA Cerner), and the company maintain a formidable reputation, there are still some concerned voices chiming in whenever a contract of this scale is announced. In its home market of the US, Epic is facing multiple legal battles around its perceived monopoly of the American market. While nowhere near as dominant in the UK, concerns are still valid when two big players such as Epic and Oracle cover approximately 45% of the UK populations acute hospital trusts (by population coverage). Epic, however, could point out that vendors such as System C and Nervecentre also have contracts in place covering a comparable segment of the population. Another, perhaps more concrete, point raised by some is around cost. Epic is a primarily US-focused company, and its solutions in this core market are designed to facilitate increased revenue for American healthcare providers, which operate in a private, revenue-driven system. The price point for its international solutions is set by the US market, and as a result, in markets like the UK, providers that want to use Epics systems pay the American price. We see comparable contracts (in terms of length and population coverage) awarded for significantly less value, such as Nervecentre winning a ten-year contract in February to supply the EPR system to Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust for 38m or Altera (supplied by Insight Direct) winning a seven-year contract from East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust last August for 20m. However, these tenders are not directly comparable, and it must be noted that Epics EPR and associated modules/functionality can replace a number of clinical/administrative systems, but it is still a viable point demonstrating the premium price tag that Epics product boasts. The bottom line Epics Somerset and Dorset deal is one of its most ambitious rural/regional UK EPR contracts yet. EPR contracts are still, for the most part, being won by large vendors, quite often internationals, despite the broader push for procurement to focus on SMEs. The scale of EPR projects (particularly decade-long, regional coverage contracts like this one) generally means SMEs are less often favoured except in exceptional circumstances. For smaller or mid-sized vendors, the key lies in differentiating not just by functionality but by integration agility, ongoing support, affordability, and how well you can plug into, ot replace, the evolving backbone of NHS digital architecture. Incremental deployments and partnerships may be more realistic ways to build trust and market presence than trying to go head-to-head with Epic or Oracle for whole-region contracts. "Epic secures a 222m federated EPR contract across Somerset and Dorset" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. European Investment Banks development arm, EIB Global, has committed $70 million as a cornerstone investment in PATRIZIAs Emerging Asia Sustainable Infrastructure Fund (ESIF), a climate-focused platform managed with Mitsui & Co., Trend reports via the EIB. The fund aims to mobilize private capital into renewable energy, sustainable cooling, and low-carbon mobility projects across emerging Asian markets, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam, India, and Indonesia. The anchor investment is expected to catalyze additional institutional funding and deliver measurable climate and development impacts. Emerging Asia is at the forefront of the global energy transition but faces a significant funding gap for sustainable infrastructure, said Saji Anantakrishnan, Head of Infrastructure, Australia & Asia at PATRIZIA. The commitment from EIB Global reinforces our ability to scale high-impact platforms in renewables, sustainable cooling, and low-carbon mobility. EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer said the investment demonstrates how the bank can crowd in European and global capital to build clean, resilient infrastructure while advancing EU Global Gateway priorities. The $300 million fund will focus on mid-market equity investments of $2070 million, with at least 50% dedicated to sustainable energy solutions and climate-resilient infrastructure. Upon closing, ESIF will be seeded with three growth platforms Parkwise Inc. and Buskowitz Energy Inc. in the Philippines, and Kaer across Singapore, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia providing immediate exposure to scalable, high-impact energy transition solutions. The strategy leverages Mitsuis extensive infrastructure network across the Asia-Pacific region for local origination and asset management. ESIF succeeds PATRIZIA and Mitsuis Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund, launched in 2008 and fully divested by 2020. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Financial close for the 240-megawatt Absheron-Garadagh wind project in Azerbaijan is expected by mid-2026, Abdulla Zayed, Director, Business and Projects Development at Masdar, the global clean energy leader based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said in an exclusive interview with Trend. We began our journey in Azerbaijan around eight years ago, when we initiated discussions with the government and the Ministry of Energy to support the development of the countrys renewable energy framework. These initial discussions materialized in the 230-megawatt Garadagh solar project, which has been operational since 2023. The project has been a success and has laid a strong foundation for future cooperation between Masdar and the government of Azerbaijan. Building on the success in Garadagh, we agreed with the government to develop additional projects in Azerbaijan. This includes three renewable energy projects currently at advanced stages. Two solar projects in Bilasuvar and in Neftchala are under construction. The third project is a wind farm in the Absheron-Garadagh region, he said. Zayed pointed out that the two solar projects are progressing well, and Masdar expects to inaugurate the Bilasuvar project by the end of this year, as it is more advanced. Were targeting completion of the Neftchala solar project by the first half of next year. The wind project is also at an advanced stage, and we hope to reach financial close by mid-year. Thats when full construction activities will start. Some preliminary work is already happening on the ground, but the main construction is expected to begin once the financial close is finalized, he explained. Zayed noted that these projects represent clear opportunities that Masdar is pursuing in collaboration with the government of Azerbaijan. Together, they will expand our renewable energy capacity in the country to 1.2 gigawatts, with total investments exceeding $1 billion. To give you an example of our impact in Azerbaijan, the 1.2 gigawatts of projects we are developing will supply electricity to more than half a million homes. Beyond these projects, we continue to explore additional opportunities with the government. Azerbaijan has strong solar and wind resources. When planning new capacity, the focus is not only on individual projects or specific sites, but also on aligning with the national grid and the areas where electricity demand is highest. While Azerbaijan has abundant land resources, it makes strategic sense to locate projects where the energy is most needed. This approach has guided our collaboration with the government, exemplified by the Bilasuvar project. We are also continuing discussions on further developments, including the potential expansion of the Garadagh project, he added. Zayed went on to add that Masdar is actively discussing with the government of Azerbaijan opportunities beyond these three projects, as part of its broader green collaboration. As I mentioned, Azerbaijan has abundant renewable resources, with excellent solar and wind potential. Ultimately, our ability to develop additional projects depends on the technical feasibility. As Masdar, an investor from the UAE, we are very eager to expand our presence and increase our investments in Azerbaijan. We have observed strong momentum from the Azerbaijani government in decarbonizing the energy sector, promoting green electricity, reducing dependency on oil and gas, and creating additional capacity that can be exported or utilized in other markets. We value this proactive approach and, building on our successful track record in Azerbaijan, we are committed to doing more and supporting the government in advancing green electricity initiatives, he added. Presenting on outcomes of Masdars activities in Azerbaijan during the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council meeting in Baku, he noted that this meeting continues to be an important platform for the company. Masdar has been participating for many years, and it provides a valuable opportunity to update Azerbaijan, the region, and all stakeholders on our activities in the country. During our presentation, we shared our ongoing projects in Azerbaijan and highlighted our deep appreciation for the collaboration with the Azerbaijani government in promoting green energy, he said. Zayed noted that Masdar has been active in Azerbaijan for a long time, and is extremely pleased with the ongoing collaboration with the government. We are also working closely with SOCAR Green as our local partner, he noted. Zayed pointed out that from day one, SOCAR Green has been involved in every aspect of these projectsfrom developing the concept and business case to discussions with the government, banks, and other stakeholders to bring the projects to fruition. Their involvement has been invaluable. As a local company, they bring critical know-how and experience, and as part of SOCAR, one of the largest international oil and gas companies, they share a strategic vision to decarbonize and develop green energy capabilities. This partnership benefits both sides: it ensures transparent communication between the foreign investor, the government, and the local partner, while also allowing SOCAR Green to build its internal expertise in solar, wind, and other green energy technologies. It positions them to potentially expand their green energy activities beyond Azerbaijan in the future, he said. Talking about regional and global presence, Zayed said Masdar is the largest renewable energy company in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Since entering Azerbaijan in 2018, we have expanded into Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, achieving early successes thanks to supportive government policies. We have implemented bilateral projects in those countries as well. We have also explored opportunities in other countries in the region, however, none are as large or as mature as those in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. Development in the other countries is still ongoing, but there is strong interest in expanding renewable energy, he said. Zayed noted that by the end of last year, Masdar had secured approximately 65 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity internationally. Of the 65GW portfolio, 45GW is operational, under construction, or committed, with a further 20GW of advanced pipeline. We operate globally and are active in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Azerbaijan, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and in the United States. Our portfolio is diversified across solar and wind development, as well as standalone energy storage projects, which are gaining increasing traction, particularly in Europe. Our total investments in the renewable energy sector exceed $30 billion worldwide. Masdar has set an ambitious target of 100 gigawatts by 2030, as defined by our shareholders. To achieve this goal, we view Azerbaijan and the broader region as a core area for growth. We will continue to pursue opportunities here when the resources, regulatory environment, and market conditions align, he concluded. Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 18. Kazakhstan is set to formalize the special legal status of Astana and the city of Alatau through separate constitutional laws as part of the implementation of the updated Constitution, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh Government. The initiative was announced by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, during a government meeting. According to him, the draft laws introduce a fast-track development city regime for Alatau, while clarifying Astanas status to improve the quality of the urban environment. Alatau is expected to adopt advanced international standards, including the development of autonomous transport and digital assets. For Astana, the proposed legislation provides for special governance mechanisms in areas such as urban planning, migration, and transport. Both initiatives aim to attract investment and enhance the efficiency of local public administration. The draft law on Alatau includes a special tax regime and investment protection measures. For Astana, we enshrine governance features that will ensure the sustainable development of the capital. The second reading on Alatau is scheduled for March 27, while the draft law on the capitals status will be submitted to the Mazhilis by the end of April, Zhumangarin said. A nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution was held on March 15. The decree to hold the vote was signed on February 11 by President Tokayev. According to official results, 87.15% of voters supported the proposal. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 18. Kazakhstans new Constitution creates broad opportunities for the systemic modernization of the education sector, Minister of Education Zhuldyz Suleimenova said at a government meeting, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh Government. According to her, the updated Constitution designates the development of education, science, innovation, and technology as core strategic priorities of state policy. Suleimenova highlighted that granting primary education an independent status represents a direct state guarantee aimed at fostering human capital and ensuring equal access to quality education for all children. She identified this as a crucial foundation for national security, social stability, and sustainable development. The minister also pointed out that Kazakhstans education system is evolving in response to profound global economic shifts, rapid technological advancements, and demographic changes. International forecasts indicate the necessity of preparing students for a labor market in constant flux. According to the World Economic Forum and UNESCO, as much as 60% of current students are projected to engage in professions that are either emerging or yet to be conceived. Additionally, Suleimenova stressed that the accelerated renewal of professional skills has become a pivotal consideration. Estimates by the World Bank suggest that by 2030, over 50% of the global workforce will need substantial reskilling due to automation and digitalization. A nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution was held on March 15. The decree to hold the vote was signed on February 11 by Tokayev. According to official results, 87.15% of voters supported the proposal. Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 18. Kazakhstan is introducing modern environmental policy instruments, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev said at a government meeting, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh Government. According to him, the new provisions will be implemented through improvements in sectoral legislation and the adoption of advanced regulatory approaches. Among the key priorities, the minister highlighted the transition to a preventive model of environmental regulation, shifting the focus from eliminating the consequences of pollution to preventing environmental damage. Kazakhstan also plans to introduce automated monitoring systems aimed at supporting the environmental modernization of industrial enterprises, while strengthening their accountability for exceeding emission standards. Another important direction is the development of an integrated environmental permitting system, which will allow environmental requirements to be embedded into industrial planning and management processes. In addition, the government will continue to apply concessional financing mechanisms for projects addressing waste management infrastructure challenges in the regions. This includes 64 planned projects, of which 26 are already financed and under implementation, totaling more than 90 billion tenge (about $187 million). The expansion of economic instruments, including offset mechanisms and environmental payments, is also expected to stimulate the adoption of clean technologies. It is important to note that at the end of last year, the Concept for the management of all types of waste was adopted. This is the first policy document that systematizes the entire sector, Nysanbayev said. A nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution was held on March 15. The decree to hold the vote was signed on February 11 by Tokayev. According to official results, 87.15% of voters supported the proposal. Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 18. Kazakhstan plans to establish a system of protective forest belts to prevent land degradation and combat desertification, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev said at a government meeting, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh Government. Nyssanbayev explained that the new constitutional provisions now designate natural resources as a national asset, emphasizing that their use must align with the long-term interests of society. In this regard, the ministry has introduced a Concept for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through 2035, aimed at enhancing environmental protection measures. The Minister further highlighted that the initiative to plant 2 billion trees across the country will continue beyond the initial target. As part of a broader environmental strategy, efforts are now underway to establish protective forest belts and barrier plantations designed to curb land degradation and prevent the spread of desertification. Nyssanbayev underscored that these initiatives are becoming increasingly critical in the face of climate change and the mounting anthropogenic pressures on natural ecosystems. A nationwide referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution was held on March 15. The decree to hold the vote was signed on February 11 by Tokayev. According to official results, 87.15% of voters supported the proposal. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 18. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Israel Isaac Herzog discussed the current state and prospects for deepening bilateral ties during a phone call, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. President Herzog congratulated President Tokayev on the successful nationwide referendum and the adoption of Kazakhstans new constitution. During the conversation, the leaders focused on expanding trade, economic, and investment ties between the two countries. The sides agreed on the importance of peace as a foundation for implementing long-term economic development plans. President Tokayev underscored the imperative for ongoing engagement in political resolutions to complex global challenges. President Herzog praised Kazakhstans decision to join the Abraham Accords, noting that it demonstrates a strategic approach to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. To recall, back in November 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced his nation would join the accords. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 18. Kyrgyzstan and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) discussed ongoing projects aimed at digitalizing the work of the Kyrgyz parliament, Trend reports via the Kyrgyz Parliament. The issue was discussed during a meeting on March 17 between Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Kyrgyzstan Bolot Ibragimov and Country Director of KOICA Office in the Kyrgyzstan So Yeon Lim. Bolot Ibragimov expressed gratitude to the head of KOICAs office for supporting and implementing projects focused on the digital transformation of parliamentary operations. He emphasized that the introduction of digital technologies will contribute to the successful implementation of modern solutions and strengthen the institutional capacity of the parliament. Touching upon KOICA-supported initiatives, Bolot Ibragimov also highlighted the importance of timely project implementation. For her part, So Yeon Lim spoke about KOICAs activities in Kyrgyzstan, providing details on projects currently being implemented in the country, with particular focus on those aimed at digitalizing the Parliament. The sides expressed readiness to continue cooperation and voiced confidence that joint efforts will contribute to the successful implementation of planned initiatives and the expansion of bilateral engagement. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 18. Tajikistan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are considering expanding bilateral cooperation, Trend reports via the Tajik MFA. The issues were discussed during a meeting between Tajikistans Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Dilshod Rahimi, and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany on March 17, 2026. During the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on further developing cooperation in priority areas, including science and education, the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, as well as water resources and glaciers. The Permanent Representative noted that Tajikistan attaches particular importance to further strengthening constructive cooperation with UNESCO and stands ready to make a valuable contribution to advancing joint initiatives at the regional and global levels. Meanwhile, Tajikistan has been cooperating with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for many years, with joint efforts focused on advancing education, safeguarding cultural heritage, and promoting scientific collaboration. The country is also actively engaged in UNESCO-led initiatives related to water resources and glacier preservation, which remain key priorities on the international agenda. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iranian authorities have confirmed that the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, was killed in US and Israeli strikes, the statement on Larijani's Telegram channel says, Trend reports. His son Mortaza, head of security Alireza Bayat and a group of guards were also reportedly killed along with him. Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the assassination of Iranian National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: DTC custom rug brand Ernesta has raised $20 million in Series B financing to aid in its growth plans, according to a news release. Ernesta secured the funding through venture capital firm Addition, along with existing investors True Ventures and Platform Capital Management. The funds will be used to expand the number of company showrooms in the U.S. and to enhance its technology platforms, specifically around manufacturing and fabrication. More from Yahoo Scout How many showrooms does Ernesta plan to open? What will Ernesta use its Series B funding for? Who are the key investors in Ernesta's growth? What differentiates Ernesta in the custom rug market? Dive Insight: Four-year-old Ernesta is doubling down on physical retail as it enters its next phase of growth. Ernesta currently has six showroom locations, will open a seventh in Manhasset, New York, next month, and is planning to add eight more this year, including in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and Charlotte, North Carolina. It expects to have 30 showrooms by the end of 2027. "Ernesta is building a truly differentiated brand in a massive category that has lacked a modern consumer leader," Lee Fixel of Addition said in a statement. "The team has combined strong product curation, a compelling retail experience, and proprietary technology to simplify the custom rug market." Ernesta founder and CEO John Foley added that rugs are an important design element in homes, but "the category has historically been fragmented, opaque, and difficult for customers to navigate. We are building Ernesta to change that. Ernesta is also expanding its executive team, naming Chief Marketing Officer Alan Smith to the new position of president. Additionally, Alexandria Norton has joined Ernesta as chief financial officer, succeeding Jesse Selnick, who held the post since 2023. Both Smith and Norton report directly to Foley. Since launching in 2022 as a digitally native brand founded by former Peloton executives, Ernesta has found investors willing to support the companys efforts to grab a share of the floor covering market. Six months after securing its first $25 million, the startup released its beta e-commerce platform and by April of 2024, Ernesta was ready to open its first brick-and-mortar store located on Manhattans Upper East Side in New York City. Ernesta has stuck to a strategic plan of opening new showrooms to complement its online business. It opened a second showroom in Bethesda, Maryland, in an area populated by a number of DTC brands. Last year, Ernesta opened a third showroom in Greenwich, Connecticut, followed by Summit, New Jersey; Birmingham, Michigan; and Dallas. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, the IAEA said in a statement on its X page, Trend reports. There were no reports of damage to the station or casualties among the operating personnel. "Director-General Rafael Grossi reiterates call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident," IAEA says. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The U.S. Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has left the region, the Iranian army's statement says, Trend reports. According to the statement, the reason is that the Iranian army fired on the aircraft carrier using powerful missiles. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States (US) and Iran over the nuclear program, the US and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. --- Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iranian forces have attacked hangars at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, which are home to strategic refueling planes, Trend reports via the Iranian army. The attack was reportedly carried out using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Iranian military announced that the operation is set to persist. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 8 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iran confirmed the death of Intelligence and Security Minister Esmail Khatib, Trend reports. Earlier, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Iran's Intelligence and Security Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in one of the airstrikes carried out on Tehran last night. "Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors, and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (20222023). The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against Israeli and Iranian citizens," the IDF wrote on its official X page. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States (US) and Iran over the nuclear program, the US and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned everyone to stay away from oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, says the IRGC's statement, Trend reports. According to the statement, the IRGC mainly called on people living around Saudi Arabia's Samref refinery, Al-Jabil petrochemical plant, the UAE's Al-Hosn gas field, Qatar's Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, and the Ras Laffan refinery. The IRGC pointed out that the mentioned facilities will be targeted in the coming hours. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed the death of the countrys intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, the president wrote on his official X page, Trend reports. Previously, Israel indicated that an airstrike had resulted in the demise of Irans intelligence minister. Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day. On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Irans third Supreme Leader by majority vote. From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East. According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded. The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the regions energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel . BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that its air defense systems intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran during the day, Trend reports, citing the UAE Ministry of Defense. The ministry stated that since the start of the conflict (February 28), a total of 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,669 drones targeting the UAE have been destroyed or intercepted. In this timeframe, there were 6 fatalities, comprising 2 military personnel from the UAE and 4 civilians, with the total count of injuries escalating to 158. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo Credit: iStock Florida's housing market is experiencing a downturn that experts say differs from typical boom-bust cycles. This time, the costs of living with extreme weather are creating long-term changes in home values and affordability across the state, reported Bloomberg. The median home price in Florida dropped 3.1% in April from the same month last year, which marks the biggest decline of any state since 2012, according to data from Redfin Corp. Home inventory has reached near-record highs while the pandemic-era influx of new residents has slowed. What is causing Florida's housing market decline? Rising insurance costs and condominium fees tied to extreme weather damage make Florida homes less affordable for many residents. These expenses often exceed mortgage payments or property taxes for homeowners. Insurance costs have become particularly burdensome. According to the most recent data from the Consumer Federation of America, a Florida homeowner with average credit and a $350,000 home now pays about $9,462 per year for coverage. That's $789 monthly, a 29% jump since 2021, per Bloomberg. Why is this housing trend important? This housing shift signals a permanent change in how weather risks affect property values. "This is a non-cyclical phenomenon," Jesse Keenan, a real estate professor at Tulane University who focuses on climate adaptation, told Bloomberg. "This is resetting the baseline values of housing in Florida." Josh Levy, mayor of Hollywood, Florida, told a Senate committee that insurance rate increases "are pushing households especially those on a fixed income to the brink." Data shows the scope of the insurance crisis. Senate Budget Committee research found that nonrenewals by home insurers jumped from 0.8% to nearly 3% between 2018 and 2023, a 280% increase that has forced many residents onto the state's insurance program of last resort. How Florida's weather costs affect homeowners and communities When storms hit, many homeowners discover their coverage doesn't provide the protection they expected. Collin Ray Plate and his wife, Delilah, are retirees living in Holly Hill, a community near Daytona Beach. After Hurricane Milton damaged their home last year, their insurer denied their claim, calling the interior damage flood-related rather than wind-driven. The couple paid nearly $50,000 out of pocket for repairs. "What's the point of having insurance if they never have to pay?" Plate asked. Some of his neighbors have stopped buying home insurance altogether because they don't trust it will cover storm damage. Downtown San Francisco's office market is improving, according to data from CBRE that shows the lowest vacancy rate in years. (Jessica Christian/The Chronicle) Databricks has doubled down on San Francisco, with the tech company expanding its office footprint at 1 Sansome St. by 90,000 square feet as a resurgent office market - now increasingly powered by artificial intelligence tenants - shows its strongest momentum in years. The expansion comes roughly a year after Databricks committed to a long-term, 150,000 square-foot lease at the Financial District tower, and lands amid a first quarter surging demand for downtown offices, tightening availability in top-tier buildings and a record run of triple digit rents, according to preliminary market data for the first months of the year first provided real estate brokerage CBRE. For years, downtown office vacancy has hovered in the mid-30% range, a historic high resulting from the pandemic-era shift to remote work, a wave of sublease space hitting the market as many companies downsized and muted leasing activity from the city's once-dominant tech sector. Now, there are early signs of a turn: CBRE reports vacancy has edged down to 30.8% in the first quarter, a notable improvement from 33.5% in the last quarter of 2025. The number is driven by renewed demand, which the firm has quantified as tenants in the market that are collectively searching for 8.2 million square feet of office space. That's still a ton of empty offices with no takers. Yet, things are looking up: So far in the first quarter, net absorption - a key measure of whether companies are taking more space than they are giving back - has turned positive, reaching more than 1.8 million square feet, according to CBRE. That marks a meaningful shift for a market that, as previously reported by the Chronicle, has spent much of the past several years mired in negative absorption as tenants downsized or exited offices altogether. The total amount of office space leased in recent months is roughly 3 million square feet, of which more than half was claimed by AI tenants, the firm reported. "The San Francisco office market recorded the highest quarterly net absorption figure in its history," said Colin Yasukochi, executive director of CBRE's Tech Insights Center. "That dropped vacancy by two percentage points to 30.8% compared to Q4 2025. Since demand turned positive in Q4 2024, more than 4.4 million square feet has been newly occupied, mostly by AI tenants." Databricks' expansion at 1 Sansome ranks among the five largest lease transactions of the quarter, bringing its total downtown San Francisco footprint to roughly 240,000 square feet. The company is also scaling up in Silicon Valley, having signed a separate 330,000-square-foot expansion in Sunnyvale, according to a spokesperson. University symposium explores restorative justice Photo courtesy of Ingrid Johnson and Rei Shimizu Ingrid Johnson, left, and Rei Shimizu engage with participants during the 2025 Restorative Justice Symposium at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Practitioners, community members and partners from across Alaska will gather virtually this spring to explore how restorative justice is evolving in communities statewide. The free three-day Restorative Justice Symposium will take place Monday through Wednesday, March 30 through April 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. The symposium will be held online and is open to the public. Hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Social Work and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Justice, the symposium brings together practitioners, scholars and community partners. Theyll discuss the challenges and opportunities of restorative justice work in Alaska. This years event is titled Navigating the Weeds of Restorative Justice Practice. Sessions will highlight experiences in restorative justice processes, explore legal pathways into restorative programs and examine the role of facilitators who guide restorative dialogue. Participants will also take part in interactive program development discussions featuring emerging restorative justice initiatives across the state. The symposium began in 2023 as a collaborative effort between Rei Shimizu of the University of Alaska Anchorage and Ingrid Johnson of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Each spring, the event brings Alaskans together to increase awareness of restorative justice practices, strengthen community-based programs and build networks of support among practitioners and organizations. Restorative justice is a process that focuses on repairing harm by bringing together those affected by wrongdoing to promote accountability, healing and community solutions. This years symposium will feature a mix of panel discussions, information sessions and program development dialogues designed to foster collaboration and share practical insights from ongoing work across Alaska. For example, in the panel Seeds of Hope: Personal Stories of Restorative Justice, participants from restorative programs across the state will share their experiences. Another session, Legal Pathways into RJ Programs in Alaska, will explore how restorative processes intersect with the legal system, including diversion programs and sentencing recommendations. Additional sessions will focus on facilitation practices, youth court initiatives and community-led restorative justice efforts, including programs developed by the Alaskan Samoan Community and the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. Organizers say the symposium reflects the University of Alaskas broader mission to support public service, engaged citizenship and community-based solutions throughout the state. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is available online. More information, including the full schedule, is available on the symposium website. ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Ingrid Johnson, UAF associate professor of justice, idjohnson@alaska.edu; Rei Shimizu, UAA assistant professor of social work, rshimizu@alaska.edu 185-26 President Neville Pinto serves as the 30th president of the University of Cincinnati, where he leads the universitys strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Born in Mumbai, India, he was educated at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, where he earned his bachelors in chemical engineering. He earned his MS and his PhD in chemical engineering at Penn State University. A university teacher, researcher and administrator with 40 years of experience in higher education, he taught and led at UC from 1985 to 2011, when he became Dean of the Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. In 2015, he served as UofLs Interim Provost, and a year later, he stepped in as acting President. Dr. Pinto returned to UC to become Cincinnatis chief executive in 2017. Under his vision, UC is focusing on becoming a leader in innovation and impact with three main platforms academic excellence, the innovation agenda and urban impact. When an emergency occurs, the University of Cincinnati utilizes several tools to communicate with members of our community in a quick and coordinated manner. These tools include: voice notification system text message email electronic signage boards website social media (Twitter and Facebook) Rave Alert If you have a question about the universitys operational status or emergency notification process, please send an email to publicsafety@uc.edu or call 513-556-1111. Our location in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio, isnt a backdrop its a launchpad for real-world experience, vibrant community life, cultural exploration and personal growth. Whether youre pursuing groundbreaking research, immersing yourself in co-ops and internships or exploring weekend adventures, this city is your classroom, your playground and your home. Cincinnati blends big-city energy with Midwestern charm in a way that enhances your academic and personal journey. With a regional population of over 2 million, a thriving startup ecosystem and major corporate headquarters, Cincinnati offers endless opportunities for students to grow, connect and succeed. Karel Rehka is a renowned figure in the Czech Republic for his integrity and courage in speaking uncomfortable truths. Recently, this stancewhich at times involves support for Ukraine (in particular, the general has argued for the advisability and propriety of transferring L-159 aircraft to Kyiv). The general's public stance annoyed the new authorities, who are trying to "rein him in" by canceling a planned foreign visit, banning him from appearing on a popular talk show, and restricting his communication with journalists. The interview with Ukrinform was an exception. We chose not to address those aircraft and instead began our conversation with the military commanders personal commitment to supporting Ukraine. THE MAJORITY OF CZECH SOCIETY IS WILLING TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING UKRAINE - The Czech Republic is known for mobilizing public and private resources to help Ukraine. You yourself are engaged in activists such as Nemesis drone campaign, which is unusual for a high-rank officer. What have been your motives? - I'm not just a member of the military I am also a part of society; I'm a citizen and I just think it's the morally right thing to do. I'm not per se a member of the group, but I support it publicly and I basically give them support. I'm proud that Czech society has been helping from the very beginning and that people do their best to support your country. But I also think it is very good for our defense, our resilience prom the point of view of knowledge, experience from the battlefield, know-how. All these reasons meant that I basically didnt hesitate. And it's not only that I know the people (Skupina D) personally. If anyone else came to me and it was a good project, I would still support it. And actually it's not just me, there are a lot of people who are in the military, but in their own social life or free time they do many other things to support Ukraine. Most of Czech society is still willing to help, even though the war has been going on for a long time. - President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky awarded you in 2023 with the Ukrainian Order of Merit, II degree for a significant special contribution to the value of interstate cooperation, support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. What does that mean for you? - It is a big honour and privilege. But I think its not really about me personally. Its about a lot of people and the whole team. So its an award for all of us. THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAS PROVIDED UKRAINE WITH EVERYTHING IT COULD - Czech was one of the first to come to help Ukraine after the full-scale invasion started 4 years ago. Could you please describe the main forms of Czech military assistance provided to Ukraine so far? - Actually, the first deliveries from the Czech Republic were shortly before February 24. We started supplying whatever equipment we could even before the invasion started, and since the first minutes we were supporting Ukraine. - So you expected something like that? - Well, I wasnt in my current position during those first days, I wasnt part of the decision-making. But it was a political decision to support Ukraine, and I think it was the right one. What I did when I came to my position was that we took a number of internal steps, such as revising our defense plans, our wartime structures, and so on. We also carried out many inventories of our mobilization stocks and supplies, and we tried to identify things we could provide without weakening our own defense. We managed to identify a lot of equipment that was later sent to Ukraine based on governmental decisions, because we had a government that supported it. There was a lot of equipment: tanks, BMPs, air defense systems, a lot of ammunition, medical supplies basically everything you can think of. Actually, the military contribution was just a part of it, and a smaller part much more equipment went through the defense industry. If I consider equipment support, we basically gave almost everything we could give in those first years. - You also provide training. - Yes, different types of training, mostly under the auspices of EUMAM UA. At first, we had maneuver units coming in first at the battalion level, then at the company level, plus specialist training. The specialist training was usually focused on medical training, counter-IED, EOD, engineering training, and CBRN defense (protection against chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons). For example, we had maintenance personnel trained here to maintain certain equipment. When we provided one of the air defense systems, we also trained some crews. We as well provided some planning and staff training for officers. We even provided English language training for a few people. We also have mobile training teams in different military specialties, and we sent them to Poland and Germany to conduct training. In total, in 2022-2024, almost 4,300 military personnel were trained in the Czech Republic, and 2,770 in Poland. In 2025, 365 in our country and 2,115 in Poland and Germany. The organization of training is coordinated in accordance with the requirements of the Ukrainian side. Basically, we tried to react to the demand, and whatever we could provide, we provided. But it's not just that we gave something to the Ukrainian military: as time went on, we got more and more in return knowledge and experience from the high-intensity warfare battlefield, which we wouldnt get otherwise. We learn from them for example, the use of drones, FPV drones, and so on. We built a model battlefield based on satellite and aerial imagery and other experience, we replicated a section of trench warfare essentially part of the frontline in our training area. We built fortifications and then invited experienced Ukrainians who shared their lessons learned about how they conduct operations. Our instructors learned from them, and later when new Ukrainian units came for training, we tried to incorporate that knowledge into the training of new soldiers. So we as the Czech military also gained a lot from it. We had the chance to build partnerships. We organised visits between our military academies. I myself visited Ukraine a few times as well. - How many times did you visit Ukraine? - I visited three times as Chief of Defense. While there, I met with General Zaluzhny and later with Oleksandr Syrskyi. I met members of their staffs, received briefings, including intelligence briefings from HUR. At the beginning I also had the chance to visit some forward positions. Soldiers showed us the places where battles had taken place and explained how the fighting unfolded. I think it is important to be there, to understand the reality and to speak directly with our partners. For me it was also important to identify whether our support was sufficient or whether we could do more. I also think it is morally important to show that Ukraine is not alone. It sends a strong signal. - Do you think Czech support will continue in any form? - Obviously, the forms, shapes, and levels of support are driven by political decisions that we, as the military, have to follow. But I believe and hope it will continue. Some forms of support are still ongoing. I'm very grateful that our government decided to continue the Czech ammunition initiative, because I know that it is really important. And thats not only my assessment it is also the assessment of our Ukrainian counterparts and of NATO. What is also significant, is that its not only the state that is involved. It is also the industry, the private sector, and society. There are a lot of crowdfunding projects here people are still willing to contribute money. I know it may not be the most significant part in terms of scale, but it is important. THE RUSSIAN INVASION IN 2022 CHANGED EVERYTHING - What are the key military lessons European armies, including the Czech Army have learned from this war? How does the war shape Czech Republics defense posture and military readiness? - There are nationwide strategic lessons, operational lessons, and tactical lessons for the military. This large-scale invasion in 2022 changed everything. The war had been ongoing for some time, but this invasion was the final wake-up call that actually worked for NATO, for the EU, for the West. The one after Crimea did not work. Before that, our military had been built during the era of NATO crisis-response operations abroad. That has now changed. We are now in an era of collective deterrence and defense. That shift happened because the perception of the threat has changed. In the Czech Republic this was reflected by the adoption of a new National security strategy and a new National defense strategy, which gave our military completely different tasks. It clearly stated that our military and not only the military, but the whole society, the whole nation should prepare for a large-scale, high-intensity conflict with a technologically advanced enemy that may possess nuclear weapons. Basically, it says that we should be ready for the possibility of war with Russia which is the most imminent and urgent threat for us. I would say that the nationwide lesson is that society as a whole must be resilient. War is not only about the military it is about everyone. That is probably the number one lesson. Another important lesson is the danger of strategic dependencies whether in energy, technology, or other sectors. You have to think carefully about how you build those dependencies so that you cannot be blackmailed later. On military level, one lesson is that attrition is not a dirty word, as people sometimes thought. Attrition is an integral part of any large-scale conflict. It has always been like that throughout history. The operational capacity of militaries is a combination of quality and quantity and quantity matters. In terms of manpower, that means you need a system that generates sufficient reserves, and you need the legal framework that allows you to use them. We still do not fully have this. As for equipment, the lesson is the security of supplies and the importance of the defense industry. If we go down to the tactical level what is happening on the battlefield one key factor is the transparency of the battlefield. The number of sensors has increased dramatically, which shortens decision-making time and reduces the time between the sensor and the shooter including decision-making and information processing. This will likely require greater use of new technologies and disruptive technologies, such as AI, and the ability to process large amounts of data. Another obvious lesson is the widespread use of unmanned systems and, in the future, possibly autonomous systems. And one very important lesson is that adaptability has become an integral part of combat power. It is not enough to have maneuver, firepower, protection, command and control, and information systems organized properly. You must also be able to adapt continuously. This also requires good cooperation with industry and changes in procurement processes, research, and development. RUSSIANS ARE CARRYING OUT MANY DE-STABILIZING MEASURES - President Petr Pavel, while visiting the Baltic states, said that people and politicians there clearly understand the real threat coming from Russia. In some countries in Central Europe and further west, the sense of alert is not as strong. In your view, how can the public be made to understand the situation without causing panic? - That is something I try to do all the time, and sometimes I am criticized for it. During the nearly four years I spent in my position, one of my priorities was to help cultivate strategic culture and to explain things openly. Its not about scaring people. Its about educating them so that they understand. Obviously, the Russians do not like this. They conduct many destabilizing activities in cyberspace, through disinformation, and so on. They try to confuse people, to make them think that there may be another version of reality. They also try to polarize society and create divisions. Sometimes they are successful. They also try to increase mistrust toward the state and institutions. That is critical, because if a state wants to function effectively during a major crisis, it needs a certain level of social cohesion and trust. The only way to solve this problem is to have a society that understands the situation, understands the threat, and has a sense of urgency. I think the biggest difference between the Baltic states, Poland, and other countries on NATOs eastern flank, and countries like ours that are further to the rear, is precisely this sense of urgency in society. If people feel that urgency, they will ask their political leaders: What are you doing about it? - Last week you met here, in Prague your German counterpart, Gen. Carsten Breuer, who says for quite some time that Russia might be able, perhaps by 2029, to attack NATO. Do you share this view? - Well, basically most of us, chiefs of defense, have similar views. When people ask me, Are you saying the war is coming? I answer that I am not saying the war is coming. I am saying that it may come. And if we want to avoid it, we need to be strong and we need credible deterrence collective deterrence as NATO, or perhaps even beyond NATO, together with partners. If you want to have credible deterrence, you must have real defense capabilities and capacities. You also need the will to use them. And your adversary must understand that you have both. We see in Ukraine now that the Russians made a serious miscalculation. They did not expect to become bogged down in a war that has lasted four years and to lose thousands of people every month. I dont think that was their intention. And it is our responsibility to do our best to make sure they do not make such a miscalculation again toward someone else. IF ORDERED, WE WILL FIGHT WITHOUT HESITATION - Still, if Russia were to stage some kind of provocation, say, in the Baltics which seems the most obvious scenario would NATO stand together and react quickly? - If I speak from the military perspective because ultimately this is about political decisions and political cohesion, since political leaders give the orders and make the decisions then yes. Do we have problems with capabilities and capacities? Yes. Do we have problems with stockpiles, ammunition, and other resources? Yes, of course we do. We did not invest enough in defense in previous decades, and for a long time we prepared for different types of scenarios. But let me be clear: if it happened tomorrow we would go and fight with whatever we have. There is no hesitation. As for political cohesion and NATO cohesion yes, I absolutely believe we would activate collective defense if necessary. Because there is no alternative. Because if it did not, that would be the end of NATO. And I believe everyone understands that such a situation would be a tragedy for all of us. And that is exactly what Russia wants. NATO is based on trust on the belief that every member is willing to place part of its sovereignty into the alliance for collective security. And for many countries, it is the best way and sometimes the only way to guarantee their security. It is also the cheapest way to provide citizens with security and defense. And regardless of which government is in power now, was in power in the past, or will be in power in the future, everyone recognizes this. - Russia is provoking every day and is already practically conducting a hybrid war. Wouldnt it have been wise that NATO responds with asymmetric measures? - It is complicated both politically and legally. Article 5 has been activated only once in NATOs history, after the September 11 attacks, in support of the United States. It demonstrated unity. Several times we have also activated Article 4 consultations, which are usually a precursor to Article 5. So the mechanism exists, and it is possible to react. Another element is strategic ambiguity. NATO maintains a certain level of strategic ambiguity, and that is the right approach. If everything were predictable you would become too readable for the adversary. Russia knows that NATO has a wide range of possible responses informational, diplomatic, and military. Then you always have to assess each incident: what exactly happened, how serious it is, and what kind of response would be appropriate. For example, could NATO activate collective defense as a result of actions in cyberspace? Yes, definitely if those actions cause loss of human life, if the consequences are severe enough. In such cases the response might even include conventional military means, not only cyber measures. So such a scenario is possible, but the decision would always depend on political consensus, consultations, and decision-making processes. A STRONG ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE SERVES OUR INTERESTS - Ukraine thankful for whatever help we get, but and not only we say so that at least at the beginning it was too little, too late. Was this because Russia possesses nuclear weapons? Was it caution, fear or perhaps a reluctance to really defeat Russia? - Well, again, this is mainly about political decisions, and I dont want to judge them. But when we discuss it among soldiers, I believe the main reason was that everyone was initially in shock. Even though there had been warnings and predictions. Second, Ukraine was not part of NATO structures, so there was no predefined mechanism for this situation. It was different from collective defense inside the alliance. Supporting a friendly country that is outside NATO is a different situation. But I think the main reason for hesitation was fear of entering an escalation spiral that could theoretically lead to the use of nuclear weapons which would be a horrific tragedy for everyone, including Ukraine. So I think many leaders were acting responsibly and cautiously. Many decisions were influenced more by public sentiment than by strategic analysis. - How do you see the development on the battlefield in the coming period? How long could such a war last? - It is very difficult to say, I dont have a crystal ball. The outcome of the war depends greatly on the support Ukraine receives from the collective West, from democratic and like-minded countries that support Ukraine. Well, no war can last forever. This is purely a war of attrition now and it is extremely costly for both sides. But if you compare the number of citizens and the size of the population the pool for manpower there is clearly an asymmetry, and it is not favourable for Ukraine if this continues indefinitely. I believe it is important to push to start some kind of negotiation process. The problem is that at the moment I do not see Russia trying to end this war. Ultimately, it will be up to the international community to apply sufficient pressure to push Russia toward ending it. Of course, it should not be peace at all costs - the worst thing that could happen would be to end the war at any cost and then simply return to business as usual. We should not forget who the aggressor is, who committed war crimes, who the victim is, and who is defending their country. Any outcome of this war must take this into account. - What kind of post-war security architecture could guarantee Ukraines security and deter future Russian aggression? - Again, this is a very political question. I can only give my personal judgment based on my military and defense experience. There are many debates about whether Ukraine should join NATO or not, whether this is realistic now or in the future, about accession to the European Union, and so on. I personally believe it is important that Ukraine becomes as soon as possible. That is important both for Ukraine and for us. And if that requires new formats or new arrangements, then so be it. The second point concerns the future security architecture. I still believe in NATOs system of collective deterrence and defense. Europe must maintain the strong transatlantic link with the United States, but at the same time take more responsibility and strengthen the European pillar of collective defense as much as possible, integrate the European Unions security and defense agenda with NATO as closely as possible. This is already happening. At the same time, we will probably see more coalitions of the willing. When there is no full consensus within a large organization, or when an organization is not the most efficient framework for a specific task, countries create coalitions to act together. I believe similar coalitions will also play a role in ensuring Ukraines security. However, based on my experience and on many high-level political and military discussions I have witnessed, I believe that the most important guarantee of Ukraines future security in the short and medium term, the most effective deterrent against future Russian aggression is a strong Ukraine and a strong Ukrainian military. Helping Ukraine build such a military is clearly in our best interest. - What about foreign military presence do you exclude that? - No, I do not exclude it. I think it could also be possible. But the main focus of any foreign military presence should be to help Ukraine build its own capabilities. - Is Ukrainian Army, strictly militarily, fit for NATO at this stage? - When it comes to military interoperability the interoperability of doctrines, procedures, mapping systems, and similar technical aspects that is actually the least problematic part. Those things could be fixed very quickly. The bigger issues relate to other requirements, which are more connected to the political system: civilian democratic control of the military and other institutional aspects. So, from a purely military standpoint, integrating Ukraine into NATO would probably be the least difficult part. If there is the political will to do it, I believe it could be done reasonably quickly. In that sense, it is the smallest problem. - For several days we witness a war in the Gulf. We see that Russia helps Iran and at the same time, Ukrainian specialists are advising the Gulf countries to counter iranian and russian drones - What we are observing is something interesting. In the past there was often a transfer of know-how from the Middle East to Europe for example regarding terrorist tactics or improvised explosive devices. Now we see the opposite: a transfer of lessons learned and operational experience from Europe to the Middle East. In particular, it concerns how to deal asymmetrically with large numbers of cheap drones without relying only on a limited number of very sophisticated and expensive weapons. This is exactly the problem Ukraine has faced in the war with Russia. You cannot shoot down every Shahed drone with expensive missiles, for example. So knowledge gained in Ukraine is now helping to protect partners of the US and other countries in the region. - Some people say we are in the Third World War already. What would you say to that? - No, we are not in the Third World War. And I believe we will not be. Much depends on us. If we act responsibly, if we build credible deterrence and defense quickly enough, and if Russia understands that any reckless action would be disastrous especially for them then they will not even attempt it. If they understand that there is no chance of success, then I believe we will remain safe. I am an optimist. Olga Tanasiichuk, Prague The photos are provided by the author Czech instructors have helped train more than 9,500 Ukrainian service members over four years of Russias war against Ukraine, both at domestic training grounds and in neighboring countries. This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Rehka. In total, in 2022-2024, almost 4,300 military personnel were trained in the Czech Republic, and 2,770 in Poland. In 2025, 365 in our country and 2,115 in Poland and Germany, Rehka said, explaining that the Czech military has mobile training groups in various specialties that are deployed to Germany and Poland. The training largely takes place under the auspices of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), he added. The general noted that at the initial stage, maneuver units first at the battalion level, then at the company level arrived in the Czech Republic, along with specialists. Training focused on medical preparation, countering improvised explosive devices, weapons handling, engineering, and protection against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats. Maintenance personnel were trained to maintain certain equipment, including air defense systems provided by the Czech Republic. Some planning and staff training was also provided for officers. The organization of training is coordinated in accordance with the requirements of the Ukrainian side. Basically, we tried to react to the demand, and whatever we could provide, we provided, Rehka said. He added that over time, Czech forces gained increasing knowledge and experience in high-intensity warfare from their Ukrainian counterparts, including the use of drones and FPV systems. At a Czech training ground, a model battlefield was built based on satellite and aerial imagery, recreating trench warfare conditions and fortifications. Experienced Ukrainian soldiers were invited to share their operational knowledge. Our instructors learned from them, and later when new Ukrainian units came for training, we tried to incorporate that knowledge into the training of new soldiers. So we as the Czech military also gained a lot from it. We had the chance to build partnerships. We organized visits between our military academies, Rehka added. As reported, the European Union is considering options for training Ukrainian troops on Ukrainian territory as part of strategic reviews of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) and EUMAM. EU countries are still determining what security guarantees they can offer Kyiv when the war ends. Moldova says a Russian Shahed-type drone once again crossed into its airspace during an overnight attack on Ukraine. That is according to NewsMaker, Ukrinform reports. Moldova's Border Police said that in the early hours of Wednesday, March 18, a drone was detected in the country's airspace. Border guards first spotted the UAV at around 01:46 near the Palanca checkpoint. According to the agency, the drone crossed Moldovan airspace and headed toward the Ukrainian city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. Between 02:14 and 02:25, the drone was again observed over the Palanca area before leaving Moldova's airspace. Read also: Drone found in southern Moldova Border Police later said the drone was destroyed above a harbor, outside Moldova. "The situation was constantly monitored, no incidents were recorded on the ground, and the safety of citizens was not affected," the statement said. At the same time, Moldova's Defense Ministry said its Air Operations Service did not confirm detecting the drone, noting that the object "was not visible on radar." As previously reported, Russian forces carried out a drone attack on the Odesa region overnight on March 18, damaging critical infrastructure facilities and equipment. Illustrative photo President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that 201 Ukrainian military experts are currently deployed in the Middle East and Gulf region, helping to defend against Shahed drones, with another 34 specialists ready for deployment. The Ukrainian President made this statement during an address to members of the UK Parliament, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Right now, there are 201 Ukrainians in the Middle East and Gulf region, and another 34 are ready to deploy. These are military experts experts who know how to help, how to defend against Shahed drones. Our teams are already in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and on the way to Kuwait, Zelensky said. He noted that Ukraine is also cooperating with several other countries and that relevant agreements have already been concluded. We do not want this terror of the Iranian regime against its neighbors to succeed, he emphasized. The President added that he had sent the military experts at the request of partners, including the United States. According to him, this is effectively part of a drone-related agreement proposed by Ukraine to the U.S., which is still on the table. We are ready to offer similar deals to all our reliable partners from practical cooperation on drones to future defense alliances. I dont think anyone would want to leave Ukraines war-proven strength and capability outside their security. And if someone does, it wouldnt be wise, Zelensky said. Read also: Zelensky meets King Charles III at Buckingham Palace As reported, Zelensky and Keir Starmer recently signed a joint statement in London confirming that the United Kingdom will allocate at least 3 billion annually to Ukraine through 2030/31. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine Following a visit by a U.S. delegation to Minsk on March 18, a decision is expected on the release of a group of political prisoners. Belarusian opposition figure and former political prisoner Sergei Tikhanovsky said this in an interview with Ukrinform. He noted that U.S. authorities are holding talks with Alexander Lukashenko's regime on the further release of political prisoners. "Such negotiations are underway. The release of another group of political prisoners is expected after the U.S. delegation's visit to Minsk on March 18," Tikhanovsky said. Asked whether he had personally appealed to U.S. authorities to help secure the release of specific detainees, he said he does not single anyone out. However, during a U.S. Congress hearing on March 3, he highlighted a particularly vulnerable group active resistance members and security personnel whom Lukashenko considers traitors. "They are held in the most horrific conditions, and they are precisely the ones authorities will try not to release," he said. Speaking about Belarusian political prisoners estimated at around 1,140 people, according to the Viasna Human Rights Center Tikhanovsky said he feels responsible for everyone who remains behind bars. "So far, only a small fraction of people has been released. I believe I have something to advise the U.S. administration on regarding the optimal strategy for freeing prisoners. This is not a trivial task. The price of release may vary. The Americans hold strong cards, but Lukashenko is also an experienced player in this poker game," he added. On December 13, 2025, Lukashenko released 123 political prisoners following a meeting with U.S. envoy John Coale. In June 2025, after a visit by Donald Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, 14 opposition figures were freed from prison. Among them was Sergei Tikhanovsky, who had been sentenced by Belarusian authorities to 18 years in prison and spent five years behind bars. He is currently in the United States, where he is undergoing rehabilitation and engaging in human rights advocacy. Photo: Screenshot / Strana dlya Zhizni YouTube channel MILAN/FRANKFURT, March 16 (Reuters) - UniCredit made a low-ball unsolicited bid for Commerzbank on Monday to pressure it into merger talks and unlock an 18-month stalemate over what would be one of the biggest European cross-border banking deals since the 2008 financial crisis. The Italian bank does not expect its offer, worth around 35 billion euros ($40 billion), to convince many shareholders. But the move ratchets up the pressure and gives UniCredit, which already owns nearly 30% of Frankfurt-based Commerzbank, the freedom to acquire more shares on the open market in 2027. More from Yahoo Scout How do regulatory approvals work for this deal? What are the German government's concerns about merger? Why did UniCredit make this unsolicited bid now? What impact would merger have on Commerzbank employees? With governments across Europe determined to have a say on banking consolidation while protecting jobs and the independence of their local industry, politicians are key actors in a saga that UniCredit started when it bought a stake in Commerzbank in September 2024. Here are some of the key players and where they stand: THE BANK EXECUTIVES * Andrea Orcel, UniCredit CEO and architect of the deal. Theformer investment banker has been frustrated at the slowprogress but Monday's offer shows how determined he is to pushon, having failed to buy an Italian lender last year. * Bettina Orlopp, Commerzbank CEO, has long argued for thebank's independence and said on Monday: "This move is notcoordinated with us." THE GOVERNMENT FIGURES * Friedrich Merz, chancellor of Germany, which owns almost13% of Commerzbank, reiterated on Monday that Germany wants anindependent Commerzbank, opposition to a merger that isconsistent with his predecessor's stance. * Lars Klingbeil, German finance minister, oversees thegovernments stake and his party wants to protect jobs. He hascalled UniCredit's advances "unfriendly". * Giorgia Meloni, Italian prime minister, has neverexpressed support for UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel's foreignexpansion plans and only talked about the government's view onthe domestic banking market. * Giancarlo Giorgetti, Italy's finance minister, activelyfought UniCredit's bid for smaller rival Banco BPM, contributingto its failure. THE REGULATORS * The European Central Bank, which favours Europeanintegration, has authorised UniCredit to cross the 10% thresholdand get to 29.9%. It needs to clear further thresholds, such as30% and 50%. * The EU Commission, as competition watchdog, would getinvolved in assessing the deal if UniCredit were to acquire acontrolling majority of Commerzbank LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES * German labour union Verdi has already seen staff atCommerzbank slashed and is fiercely against a takeover.Commerzbank employs nearly 40,000 people. * Sascha Uebel, chairman of Commerzbanks works council anda deputy of the bank's supervisory board, told German newsagency DPA that UniCredit's latest move was shameful andhostile. In Luxembourg, the civic organization LUkraine Association, together with several European embassies and the European Commission, has launched an advocacy coalition in support of Ukraine titled "Defending Our Future Now." The year-long initiative will see partner embassies host monthly events focused on countering disinformation and hybrid threats, Ukraine's reconstruction and resilience, and the role of Ukrainian communities across Europe. Speaking to Ukrinform, LUkraine Vice President Inna Yaremenko explained the idea behind the coalition and its importance. "Supporting Ukraine in 2026 is no longer just an act of temporary aid or charity. It is about defending the foundations of modern Europe built on human dignity, democracy, and law. That is why it is crucial not only to spread messages, but to provide deeper understanding and knowledge about the war its history, as well as the tools of Russian propaganda and disinformation that influence many Europeans today," she said. According to Yaremenko, the coalition was founded by the embassies of Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, alongside the European Commission. "This is a one-year initiative that includes three core pillars and an additional fundraising project. At its center is a digital advocacy platform designed to make support for Ukraine in Luxembourg and across Europe visible, credible, and human. It will publish personal testimonies from diplomats, volunteers, politicians, journalists, community leaders, and citizens explaining why supporting Ukraine matters," she added. Throughout the year, partner embassies will organize monthly events addressing key issues such as countering disinformation and hybrid threats, Ukraine's long-term recovery and resilience, and the role of Ukrainian communities in Europe. "All of this will help build a sustainable support network for Ukraine in Europe, strengthen our agency, and inspire others to support the Ukrainian community," Yaremenko said. The coalition's first public event, dedicated to the deportation of Ukrainian children, will take place on March 23 at the European Parliament in Luxembourg. Speakers will include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk and Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets. Luxembourg's Defense Minister Yuriko Backes and Speaker of Parliament Claude Wiseler are also expected to attend, along with representatives of the European Commission and MEPs. Photo credit: Tetiana Popyk Published March 17, 2026 CAPTION: (L-R) Ireland Aaron, Mateline Bratton, Antoine Iles MONROE, La. Students from the University of Louisiana Monroe history department presented papers at the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society Regional Meeting of Louisiana Chapters in Lafayette, La, on March 6, 2026. The student group included undergraduates Ireland Aaron and Antoine Iles, along with 2025 graduate Mateline Bratton. Ireland Aaron discussed twentieth-century New Orleans red-light district in her essay entitled Queens of Desire: How the Madams of Storyville Weaponized Mixed-Race Fantasies for Power and Profit. Antoine Iles, meanwhile, spoke on Monroes local history, presenting Coca-Cola and the American Dream: How the Biedenharn Family Rose to Fame. Recent history program graduate and soon-to-be LSU doctoral student Mateline Bratton shared her paper titled Between Saints and Sickness, an examination of the many medieval methods used to treat cases of the Black Death. Not only was I excited to see these students seize the opportunity to present, but I was also impressed at the quality of their papers and their communication skills, said Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, Professor of History and ULM History Program Coordinator. Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society is a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. They seek to bring students and teachers together for intellectual and social exchanges, which promote and improve historical research and publication by our members in a variety of ways. Learn more at phialphatheta.org. Carnegie Classifications Affirm Community Engagement, Research as Core to UMBs Mission When the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement this year, the recognition marked more than a new national designation. For many across the University, it also confirmed something they already believed: that working in partnership with communities is not a peripheral activity at UMB it is fundamental to how the institution fulfills its mission. Administered by the American Council on Education in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the classification recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate deep, sustained, and reciprocal partnerships with their communities. Out of thousands of higher education institutions nationwide, only a few hundred hold the designation, just 100 institutions are both community-engaged campuses and top-tier research universities with R1 research activity classification. (Learn more about UMB's classifications on the University's Carnegie Classifications webpage.) For UMB, the designation provides external validation of a commitment that has long shaped the Universitys work in Baltimore and beyond. Volunteers from the School of Dentistry provide care at the Baltimore Mission of Mercy clinic, a partnership with the United Way of Central Maryland that offers free dental services to underserved patients. Efforts like this helped the University of Maryland, Baltimore earn the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. This recognition affirms the kind of partnerships our faculty, staff, students, and community collaborators have been building for many years, said Bill Joyner, JD, MSW, assistant vice president for community engagement and partnerships, who leads the UMB Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE). It shows that those efforts are not isolated projects. They are part of how the University operates and serves the public. Why the Carnegie Classification Matters The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification is unique among higher education designations. Unlike rankings that rely primarily on metrics such as enrollment or research funding, the classification is awarded through a rigorous application process in which institutions must demonstrate how community engagement is embedded across teaching, research, service, and institutional operations. For universities, the designation signals to funders, policymakers, and research collaborators that community partnerships are a meaningful part of the institutions work. For faculty, staff, and students, it highlights how those partnerships strengthen research, education, and professional training demonstrating that community engagement is not simply outreach but also a core part of how universities conduct research and prepare future professionals. At UMB, one example of that work is the coordination of community-engaged health initiatives that bring together researchers, clinicians, students, and community organizations across the Universitys seven schools. As associate vice president for community health, Esa Davis, MD, MPH, helps lead those efforts, connecting faculty expertise with community partners and clinical systems such as the University of Maryland Medical Center to address issues including chronic disease, health disparities, and access to care. Davis said the Universitys approach centers on long-term partnerships with community organizations, including nonprofits, faith-based institutions, and neighborhood leaders. Rather than imposing solutions, the goal is to work alongside communities to identify priorities and develop responses together, an approach that requires trust, transparency, and sustained engagement over time. What makes UMBs approach distinctive is that we dont just talk about community engagement, we show it through sustained partnerships, Davis said. We work with community leaders, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to understand what communities need and how we can address those challenges together. That kind of partnership takes time to build, and the Carnegie designation recognizes that commitment. A University Built for Community Engagement UMBs structure as Marylands only public university dedicated to health, law, and human services places it in constant interaction with communities. Through clinical care, legal assistance, research partnerships, and service-learning opportunities, students and faculty work directly with individuals and organizations across Baltimore and the state. That connection is especially visible in West Baltimore, where UMB collaborates with community partners to address issues ranging from health disparities and economic development to education and public safety. For the Universitys students and trainees, these partnerships provide opportunities to apply classroom learning while working alongside communities facing real-world challenges. Few people have witnessed the evolution of this work as closely as Brian Sturdivant, MSW. More than two decades ago, Sturdivant became the first employee hired in UMBs central administration specifically to focus on community engagement, a role that helped shape many of the partnerships and initiatives that exist today. Because of the kind of institution we are, our work naturally intersects with communities, said Sturdivant, who is director of strategic initiatives and community partnerships, OCCE. Our faculty and students are working alongside communities every day. The Carnegie classification highlights how those activities are coordinated across the University. UMB maintains a network of programs and infrastructure that support community engagement, including OCCE, the Interprofessional Program for Academic Community Engagement, and the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Together, these efforts help connect community partnerships with academic teaching and research, an approach the Carnegie review process specifically evaluates. Strengthening Research Through Community Partnerships Community engagement at UMB also plays a central role in research, particularly in areas focused on health equity and population health. Laundette Jones, PhD, MPH, associate professor and co-director of the Program in Health Equity and Population Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, works with faculty, students, and community partners to address disparities in health outcomes across Baltimore and beyond. Her work often involves community-engaged and participatory research approaches that bring residents and organizations into the research process from the beginning. When we think about addressing health disparities, we cannot do that effectively without engaging communities, Jones said. Community members bring lived experience and insight that help shape better research questions and better solutions. That approach, often described as community-based participatory research, emphasizes collaboration between researchers and community partners throughout the research process. Instead of research being done on communities, it becomes research done with communities, Jones emphasized. These partnerships also impact how students learn, giving them firsthand experience working with communities and understanding the broader factors that influence health and well-being. These experiences dont just build skills, they shape how students learn to show up in relationship with communities, with humility and awareness of the broader conditions that influence health, Jones said. In this way, community engagement strengthens not only the Universitys research enterprise but also its role in preparing future health, law, and social work professionals to serve the public. A Milestone Built on Years of Work While the Carnegie designation recognizes UMBs current achievements, it also reflects years of effort to strengthen and coordinate community engagement across the University. UMB first applied for the classification in 2020 but did not receive it, an experience that helped University leaders identify areas where the institution needed to better document and integrate its community-based work. For Sturdivant, the outcome was less a setback than a turning point. The work was already happening, he said. But the classification requires institutions to show that community engagement is part of their systems and structures its not just individual projects. In response, UMB began strengthening how community-engaged work is documented and coordinated across the University, ensuring partnerships across schools and programs could be tracked and evaluated. One strength highlighted in UMBs Carnegie application was the Universitys ability to measure community engagement across schools and programs. Through tools such as the Collaboratory database, UMB collects information about partnerships, projects, and outcomes across the institution. The data helps the University understand the scope of its work, connect partners across schools, and demonstrate impact. It allows us to see a bigger picture, Joyner said. We can better understand where partnerships are happening, where there are opportunities to connect people, and how the University is contributing to community priorities. Tracking that work is essential for the Carnegie classification, which requires institutions to demonstrate not only that partnerships exist but also that they are coordinated, sustained, and mutually beneficial. The successful application ultimately demonstrated how community engagement has become embedded across the Universitys teaching, research, and partnerships. University leaders say the designation also provides a foundation for strengthening and expanding those partnerships in the years ahead. This recognition reflects progress, but its really just the beginning, Jones said. Now the question is how we build on it. The designation gives us an opportunity to strengthen that collective commitment and make sure we remain accountable and relevant to the communities we partner with. How Zionists in US, Israel weaponized religion to launch unholy wars Across centuries, crusading armies marched across continents to the battle cry Deus vult God wills it, wearing the mask of faith and annihilation cloaked in the mantle of sanctimony. [Tattoos on US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's body include the Jerusalem Cross associated with Crusader iconography and the phrase Deus Vult, the rallying cry of the Crusaders. Beneath this, kafir, a word weaponized to mock and vilify Muslims, has been tattooed in Arabic.] Empires have always cloaked their wars in the language of virtue. Yet, few justifications have proven as destructive as the claim that they are divinely ordained. Across centuries, crusading armies marched across continents to the battle cry Deus vult God wills it. Conquest wore the mask of faith and annihilation was cloaked in the mantle of sanctimony. Religion has inspired humanitys most profound moral visions. Yet, the powerful have repeatedly reshaped it into a weapon that anoints death and dominion. The Roman Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity in the 4th century. Gradually, the once-persecuted faith, rooted in humility and compassion, fused with imperial authority. Scripture was no longer a moral restraint upon violence; it became its justification. Various Inquisition periods saw the institutionalizing of this profane union of theology and terror. Religion ceased to guide conscience and became an instrument of power. Jew and Muslim converts suspected of secretly practicing their old faith, dissenters, alleged witches, thinkers and intellectuals were executed. A grim pattern through time; whenever rulers claim divine sanction, unspeakable horrors follow. Modern wars have not escaped this logic. During the Gulf War, American bombs bore inscriptions from Isaiah chapters 13-14. These passages describe the destruction of Babylon (present day Iraq) as divine judgment. After the 9/11 attacks , President Bush described himself as guided by God in decisions leading to the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Events in the Middle East were framed through the lens of apocalyptic confrontation and biblical prophecy. Also Read: Examining Christian and Jewish Extremism Today, the same framework unfolds from Gaza to Iran. In Gaza, Netanyahu repeatedly invokes religious imagery to justify his Genocide . He refers to the ancient biblical adversary Amalek, a people that the Hebrew Bible commands to be completely destroyed. When texts speak of destroying Amalek, they are referring to eradicating evil and injustice, not a literal people like those of Gaza, or for that matter, Israel. Officials and commentators now invoke biblical prophecy to justify the strikes on Iran. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has received hundreds of complaints from different units across all US military branches. They speak of military commanders framing strikes on Iran as part of Gods divine plan. They also highlight them instructing subordinates that President Trump is anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon. Hubristic designs are being cast as sacred destiny. War has ceased to be a choice; it has been branded as an inevitability. Israel is presented as the worlds timepiece and Gods prophetic clock. Christian Zionists argue it is the centerpiece of an unfolding divine drama. They also assert that restoring Israel to its biblical borders will trigger the second coming of Christ and the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon. Historian Sarah Posner refers to this saying that war is not a tragedy to be prevented but something inevitable, celebratory and desired by God. In this narrative, horrific wars are a fulfillment of prophecy. This extremely dangerous and inflammable rhetoric extends beyond Israel. In the US, influential figures have increasingly framed Middle Eastern conflicts through the lens of religious prophecy. Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, has spoken about rebuilding the Third Jewish Temple on Jerusalems Temple Mount, a site currently home to Al-Aqsa Mosque. In his book American Crusade, Hegseth compares the modern era to the medieval Crusades. Calling for an American one, he frames what are essentially geopolitical interests as a civilizational battle. His personal symbolism has drawn widespread scrutiny. Tattoos on his body include the Jerusalem Cross associated with Crusader iconography and the phrase Deus Vult, the rallying cry of the Crusaders. Beneath this, kafir, a word weaponized to mock and vilify Muslims, has been tattooed in Arabic. For an individual, such symbolism could be dismissed as personal eccentricity. When carried by one overseeing the most powerful military apparatus on earth, it becomes a portent of imminent doom. The French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville observed in 1840 that various forms of religious madness are quite common in the United States. His remark was less an indictment of faith than a warning about the explosive fusion of such religious fervor with political authority. Mike Huckabee, US ambassador to Israel, has advocated for Greater Israel , a vision rooted in biblical promise. Both Huckabee and Hegseth represent the ideological strain of Christian Zionism that believes biblical prophecy should guide American policy in the Middle East. Figures such as Pastor John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, and former leaders like Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo, have promoted this worldview for decades. Within it, war is not a failure of humanity but the preordained realization of prophecy. Amid this incendiary dogma, warnings have emerged from the Vatican. Earlier this month, The Vaticans Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, cautioned that nations do not possess the right to launch preventive wars. He warned that if states start claiming this right based on their own criteria, the entire world could risk going up in flames. This was followed by Pope Leo XIV, an American himself, urging an end to the roar of bombs and calling for dialogue and diplomacy. He warned that the conflict was unleashing a spiral of violence that could plunge the region into an irreparable abyss. He also highlighted the daily civilian suffering in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and condemned attacks on humanitarian facilities as grave violations of human dignity. Yet, the Popes plea shall be ignored because geopolitical ambitions have commandeered the weaponizing of religion. A brazen theological heist, this perversion casts war as divine destiny. What was meant to guide the soul has been twisted into a blueprint for carnage and murder. When rulers crown themselves with halos and claim divine mandate, power masquerades as sanctimony. Their armies unleash devastation and the innocent are pulverized in the inferno of unholy wars. [Mir Adnan explores the forces that shape power, belief and society. He can be reached at miradnanaziz@gmail.com.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic DALLAS The parent company of the pizza buffet chain Cicis Pizza is expanding its restaurant portfolio with the purchase of the casual steakhouse brand Logans Roadhouse. Restaurant operator SSCP Management has acquired Logans Roadhouse from SPB Hospitality, adding the 125-unit steakhouse chain to its growing list of restaurant brands. The companies confirmed the sale, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move gives SSCP control of a restaurant chain known for its casual dining atmosphere, mesquite-grilled steaks and Southern-style menu. The acquisition marks the latest ownership change for a chain that has weathered significant challenges. The chain was founded in 1991 in Lexington, Kentucky, and later expanded across the country. At its peak, the brand had more than 200 restaurants before facing financial troubles and declining sales in the years that followed. The restaurant company filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and again in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the second bankruptcy, SPB Hospitality purchased the brand as part of a group of restaurant chains it acquired for about $93 million. Now the chain is entering another chapter under its new owner. SSCP Management is a Dallas-based restaurant operator that manages hundreds of restaurant locations across the United States. The company owns Cicis Pizza and Corner Bakery and also operates many franchise locations for brands such as Applebees and Sonic Drive-In. SPB Hospitality said selling Logans Roadhouse will allow the company to focus more on its upscale and chef-driven restaurant brands. Those concepts include J. Alexanders, Stoney River Steakhouse and the Garces Collection of restaurants. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Add cleveland.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. By Alimat Aliyeva U.S. chipmaker Nvidia unveiled a range of new artificial intelligence (AI) innovations across graphics, computing infrastructure, and software at its annual GTC developer conference, which opened Monday in San Jose, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. One of the highlights was a new AI-powered graphics rendering technology called DLSS 5. Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said the technology can significantly improve image realism while reducing the computational load on hardware. According to Nvidia, DLSS 5 represents a major leap in visual fidelity for games. It combines traditional 3D rendering techniques with generative AI models that can predict and automatically fill in missing visual details. This allows GPUs to create richer, more lifelike images while maintaining high performance. Twenty-five years after NVIDIA invented the programmable shader, we are reinventing computer graphics once again, Huang said. DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphicsblending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in realism while preserving creative control for artists. On the hardware side, Nvidia also announced plans to launch its next-generation AI computing system, Vera Rubin, later this year. The company stated that the system includes roughly 1.3 million components and could deliver up to ten times better performance per watt compared to its predecessor, the Grace Blackwell platform. Such improvements are especially important as data centers face rising energy demands from large-scale AI models. In software, Nvidia introduced a new stack called NemoClaw, designed to support the development and deployment of AI agents on the OpenClaw platform. This reflects a broader industry trend toward autonomous AI systems capable of performing complex tasks with minimal human input. Interestingly, experts note that Nvidias latest announcements highlight a shift in the industry: AI is no longer just enhancing graphics or computingit is becoming deeply integrated into how digital worlds are created, simulated, and experienced in real time. You can find original article here Nrn. Subscribe to our free daily Nrn newsletters. FAT Brands Inc. may soon be under new ownership as the company prepares to sell all or part of its assets following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in January. The 18-brand parent company of Fazolis and Round Table Pizza aims to maximize value for its stakeholders through a court-approved bidding process and has already reached out to at least 120 potential buyers, according to court filings. The FAT Brands Special Committee tasked with overseeing the bankruptcy process is managing the sale to ensure fairness and transparency. The bidding process explicitly restricts CEO Andrew Wiederhorn and other insiders from evaluating bids or accessing non-public information about them. Regardless of whether Mr. Andrew Wiederhorn participates in a bid to purchase the assets, Mr. Wiederhorn shall not receive any non-public information regarding any bids other than any Wiederhorn Bids, the court documents state. FAT Brands filed for Ch. 11 bankruptcy on Jan. 26 alongside Twin Hospitality, citing mounting liabilities and liquidity challenges of both companies. In the leadup to the companys bankruptcy declaration, last November, FAT Brands debtors, through indenture trustee UMB Bank, declared $1.26 billion immediately due. The company warned it lacked the liquidity to pay off its debts, making bankruptcy a likely option. The companys financial challenges were compounded by a three-year federal criminal investigation into CEO Andy Wiederhorn for fraud and money laundering, which he described as a gigantic waste of $75 million. While the Department of Justice dropped its case against him, an ongoing SEC investigation remains unresolved. The court has established a timeline for the sale process, including an April 3 deadline for interested parties and stalking horse bids, an April 28 auction date, and a May 4 deadline for closing the transaction. The debtors believe such timeline is fair and reasonable under the circumstances and designed to maximize estate value in light of the debtors limited liquidity and extensive prior marketing efforts, the court documents state. Contact Joanna at joanna.fantozzi@informa.com The story of the University of Florida College Republicans' deactivation is moving fast, and each day is adding new layers that complicate both sides of the dispute. On Tuesday, fresh reporting filled in key details about how the controversy began, who was involved, and what the photos that triggered it actually showed raising harder questions about the organization than its lawsuit might suggest. The Photo, the Platform, and the Journalist Who Posted It The immediate trigger for the University of Florida College Republicans' disbandment was a photograph showing at least two student leaders performing a Hitler-style salute in a Guilded chat room a gaming platform that shut down in December 2025. The image was publicly circulated on X on March 12 by North Carolina-based journalist Sloan Rachmuth, who tagged the FBI, the University of Florida, and others in her post. Rachmuth did not post the salute photo alone. She also posted photographs of the group's members pictured alongside Nick Fuentes the white nationalist and neo-Nazi influencer who has hosted former President Trump and Kanye West and Myron Gaines, a far-right "manosphere" podcaster. The combination of the salute photo and the association images painted a picture of a chapter whose leadership had embedded itself in the most extreme fringes of right-wing internet culture. The Florida Federation of College Republicans launched an investigation promptly. By March 14, it had concluded that the chapter had engaged in a "pattern of conduct" not a single isolated incident that violated federation standards. It formally requested that UF deactivate the chapter pending reorganization under new leadership. UF Interim President Donald Landry confirmed receipt of the request and moved to deactivate. What the Lawsuit Claims and What It Doesn't Address The federal First Amendment lawsuit filed March 16 by former Florida state Rep. Anthony Sabatini argues that UF's deactivation was unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination that the university punished the chapter for the political views expressed by a member rather than for conduct it had independent authority to regulate. The suit makes two subsidiary arguments: first, that the FFCR has no authority over the UF chapter because the chapter is affiliated with the College Republicans of America, not the FFCR; and second, that UF provided no notice and no opportunity for the chapter to present its side before deactivating it. Both arguments face significant factual complications. On the affiliation question, archived webpages reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel show that the UF chapter has not been listed on the CRA's website dating back to at least 2023 while past Instagram posts from the FFCR show the UF chapter as an affiliated member. The claim of CRA affiliation appears, on the available evidence, to be contested at best. On the conduct-versus-viewpoint question, the lawsuit's framing that the deactivation targeted "alleged viewpoints expressed by a member" conspicuously avoids engaging with the Federation's finding of a "pattern of conduct." A Nazi salute performed by chapter leadership and photographed in a group chat is conduct; the pattern of association with Nick Fuentes and Myron Gaines may occupy a more ambiguous space. But the distinction between viewpoint and conduct is precisely what a federal judge will need to resolve and the outcome is not obvious. As the Boston Globe reported, the College Republicans said in their lawsuit that the deactivation was not based on any university policy or rule, and that the university failed to provide adequate notice or an opportunity to explain its side. Sabatini's Political Framing and What It Reveals Anthony Sabatini, who is representing the chapter, has offered his own political explanation for the deactivation that goes beyond the Nazi salute. He has argued that the real motivation was to remove a "far-right" chapter leadership and replace it with more mainstream what he called "vanilla" conservatives, partly in retaliation for the chapter's March 11 event with Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback. Fishback's candidacy is itself a flashpoint. He has repeatedly referred to his primary opponent, Rep. Byron Donalds, as a "slave" language that is inflammatory by any measure. The chapter's association with Fishback is part of the broader political context Sabatini has tried to inject into the legal proceedings. Whether those political motivations even if real are legally actionable is a separate question from whether they are politically significant. Sabatini is simultaneously making a constitutional argument in court and a political argument on social media, and the two are not always pointing in the same direction. The FIU Parallel Worse Than Initially Reported As the UF lawsuit moved through its first day in federal court, new details emerged about the Florida International University situation that make it even more disturbing than initially reported. A leaked group chat involving FIU Republican students showed the N-word used more than 400 times, along with messages stating "Crucify Filthy Blacks," messages referring to Black professors as "coloreds," and instructions from a recruitment chair to "avoid the coloreds like the plague." FIU called the chat "abhorrent and extremely disturbing" and said it violated the institution's non-discrimination regulations and Student Code of Conduct. The FIU chat and the UF salute are different in their specifics but connected in their implication: as The New Republic reported, the national College Republicans named a close associate of Nick Fuentes Kai Schwemmer as its national political director earlier this month, signaling that the ideological drift in these organizations is not incidental. It reflects choices being made at the organizational level. The Broader Stakes The UF case has moved rapidly from a campus disciplinary matter to a live federal lawsuit with implications for how public universities across the country handle antisemitic conduct by student political organizations. If Sabatini's First Amendment argument succeeds, it would significantly constrain universities' ability to act even when conduct is as unambiguous as a Nazi salute photographed in a group chat. If it fails, it will establish that public universities can act on a private federation's findings raising its own questions about due process. Neither outcome is clean. The case is before a federal judge. A ruling on the emergency preliminary injunction request is expected in the coming days. The University of Florida has said it will support reactivation of the chapter under new student leadership once the FFCR approves. That framing temporary deactivation pending reorganization may ultimately prove the most durable resolution, regardless of how the litigation proceeds. UWs new Boone and Crockett Working Lands Wildlife Conservation Professorship will advance excellence in research, education and extension in ranch and rangeland management, wildlife habitat conservation and wildlife health. The program directly supports the Boone and Crockett Clubs mission to promote the conservation and management of wildlife -- especially big game, such as moose. (UW Photo) The University of Wyoming has partnered with the Boone and Crockett Club to establish the Boone and Crockett Working Lands Wildlife Conservation Professorship in UWs College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. This professorship will provide faculty support, graduate student opportunities and applied research focused on sustaining wildlife populations while strengthening the productivity and profitability of Wyomings working ranch and rangeland landscapes. The Boone and Crockett professorship will lead the establishment of UWs Working Lands Wildlife Conservation Program, which will advance excellence in research, education and extension in ranch and rangeland management, wildlife habitat conservation and wildlife health. The program directly supports the Boone and Crockett Clubs mission to promote the conservation and management of wildlife -- especially big game -- and its habitat, while preserving hunting traditions and the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America. This partnership reflects the University of Wyomings land-grant mission at its very best, UW President Ed Seidel says. Boone and Crocketts investment will strengthen UWs ability to deliver solutions that support ranching communities, conserve wildlife habitat and help sustain Wyomings iconic big game species. At the center of the program is the creation of the Boone and Crockett Professor of Working Lands Wildlife Conservation, a faculty position designed to bridge multiple academic units, including the departments of Zoology and Physiology, Botany, Animal Science, Agriculture and Applied Economics, and Ecosystem Science and Management. The position also will collaborate closely with the Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership Program, the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, UW Extension, and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. This program exemplifies the integration of agriculture, natural resources and wildlife that defines our college, says Kelly Crane, the Farm Credit Services of America Dean of the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. It will drive practical, on-the-ground conservation that benefits producers, strengthens rural economies and enhances wildlife habitat across Wyoming and the West. In addition to on-campus collaboration, the program will work extensively with state and federal agency partners, including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and UWs Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. A major focus will be the intersection of wildlife disease ecology and wildlife management, including chronic wasting disease (CWD), brucellosis and other diseases affecting big game and livestock. Wyoming has some of the highest CWD infection rates in the nation, making research and management strategies critical to the long-term viability of deer and elk populations. The Boone and Crockett Club is pleased to add the University of Wyoming to its network of partnership universities, particularly with the unique focus on enhancing wildlife on working lands that will have application across the West, says Steven Leath, the clubs executive vice president and chair of the University Programs Committee. This research and extension focus, coupled with training our next generation of conservation professionals, will be critical to improving profitability on private lands while also benefiting natural resources. The Boone and Crockett Professor will lead a vibrant research program focused on voluntary, incentive-based conservation projects that improve both agricultural productivity and wildlife habitat on working lands. The position also will help generate external funding to support wildlife conservation efforts in Wyoming and across the western United States. A key long-term objective of the program is the development of a UW Center for Wildlife Health, Habitat and Management, which will expand UWs and Wyomings unparalleled capacity to develop, implement and evaluate practical strategies to ensure sustainable game populations for future generations. Boone and Crocketts support will help us leverage additional partners, says John Stark, president and CEO of the UW Foundation. Together, Boone and Crockett and UW intend to raise additional support to establish an endowed excellence fund that will provide long-term financial stability for this program and ensure it continues to thrive. Wyoming and UW are global leaders in wildlife research and management, from the conservation of big sagebrush ecosystems to nationally recognized research on mule deer and pronghorn migration. UWs world-class programs, longstanding partnerships with state and federal agencies, and advanced research facilities position the university to make enduring contributions to wildlife conservation. Don Burkhart The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) is welcoming Donald Burkhart Jr. back to UWs Energy Resources Council (ERC). Established by Wyoming statute, the ERC provides strategic guidance to SER on research priorities, educational programs and outreach initiatives. The council is composed of leaders from industry, government, academia and the community, and represents a broad range of perspectives on energy issues. Burkhart, who previously served as one of the statutorily required legislative representatives on the governing body to SER, was reappointed by Gov. Mark Gordon and confirmed by the Wyoming Senate during the recent budget session. There are few people with a more comprehensive understanding of the Wyoming energy industry than Rep. Burkhart, says SER Acting Executive Director Scott Quillinan. Having him return to the council brings a level of institutional knowledge and technical insight that is hard to match. We look forward to his continued guidance as we work to keep Wyoming at the forefront of energy research and development. Burkhart has been a defining voice in Wyomings energy and infrastructure policy for over a decade. A resident of Rawlins, Burkhart represented House District 15 in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 2011-2025, where he held several key leadership positions, including speaker pro tempore. Throughout his legislative tenure, Burkhart played a key role in shaping Wyomings energy policy. As the longtime chairman of the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, he led critical discussions on Wyomings "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, spanning coal, oil and gas, and the emerging nuclear and rare-earth mineral sectors. His expertise in the nuclear field earned him national recognition, including a special award from the American Nuclear Society in 2023 for his work in advancing nuclear energy policy in Wyoming. Before his time in the legislature, Burkhart spent decades in the energy industry. He worked as a safety engineer for BP America Production Co. and on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming-Montana Safety Council. Burkhart succeeds longtime ERC member Mark Doelger, a geologist with Stakeholder Energy and Barlow & Haun in Casper. While we are excited to welcome Rep. Burkhart back, we also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Mark Doelger for his years of dedicated service on the council, Quillinan says. His contributions to Wyomings energy future will be felt for years to come, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter. This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation plans to propose excluding stablecoins from pass-through insurance eligibility, FDIC Chairman Travis Hill said during an American Bankers Association conference event in Washington last week. Hill contended during the ABAs Washington Summit Wednesday that the Genius Act passed last year bars stablecoins from having access to federal deposit insurance. Treating stablecoin holders as the insured depositors, even on a pass-through basis, seems inconsistent with the GENIUS Acts prohibition on payment stablecoins being subject to Federal deposit insurance, Hill said, according to the transcript, referencing a new law pertaining to stablecoin oversight. Dive Insight: Following passage of the Genius Act, which is short for the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, the FDIC and other financial regulators are still sorting out what the legislation will mean for the U.S. financial system. The Genius Act set out to establish regulations for payment stablecoins. But shortly after President Donald Trump signed the bill into law, Consumer Reports criticized it for failing to provide federal insurance protection against consumer losses, providing inadequate federal oversight and not requiring third-party audits to ensure consumer reserves. Now, the FDIC is weighing protections for stablecoins. Pass-through insurance lets deposits placed at a bank by a third party on behalf of a depositor be insured as if deposited directly by the end customer, Hill explained. If payment stablecoins qualified for that protection, the FDIC would insure the deposit account based on the interest of the stablecoin holders in a situation in which the bank holding the account failed, he added. In his remarks, Hill suggested that the FDIC would like to determine the proper regulations for payment stablecoins not subject to the Genius Act sooner rather than later. For now, the extent to which stablecoins would qualify for pass-through insurance remains unclear, Hill said. In my view, we should answer this question definitively by regulation, rather than waiting until a bank that holds stablecoin reserves fails, when different parties may have different expectations on the availability of FDIC insurance, Hill said during the summit. To supplement the Genius Act, Congress is also considering a proposal for the Clarity Act, which would provide guidance as to what roles regulatory agencies will be expected to play in overseeing the use of stablecoins. 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. By Michael S. Derby March 18 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday he'll stick around as head of the U.S. central bank until his successor is confirmed, and will not leave the institution until a criminal investigation into the Fed is resolved. "If my successor is not confirmed by the end of my term as chair, I would serve as chair pro-tem" until that's resolved, Powell said in a press conference following the end of the Fed's latest two-day policy meeting. He said that is what "the law calls for" and "that's what we've done on several occasions, including involving me, and that's what we're going to do in this situation." Powell's term as head of the Fed ends in May. President Donald Trump has nominated former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to succeed Powell, but Warsh has yet to be confirmed into that role by the Senate. The timing of his potential confirmation is unclear, and the process is not likely to move forward until the conclusion of a criminal investigation into the central bank launched by the U.S. Department of Justice. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate Banking Committee, has said Warsh will not be confirmed until the probe is over. A U.S. judge last week quashed subpoenas tied to the investigation, which seemed to open a path for the Senate's formal consideration of the Warsh nomination. A Department of Justice official, however, said the ruling will be appealed. "I have no intention of leaving the Board until the investigation is well and truly over with transparency and finality," Powell told reporters on Wednesday, referring to his seat on the Fed's Board of Governors. Powell can remain a Fed governor until 2028 even after stepping down from the central bank's top job. He told reporters on Wednesday that he would make that decision at the proper time. Fed chiefs usually leave the central bank when their leadership stints end. (Reporting by Michael S. Derby; Editing by Chris Reese and Paul Simao) Iran targeted oil and gas facilities across the Gulf on Wednesday after Israel killed the Islamic republic's intelligence chief, marking another blow to its leadership. The death of Esmail Khatib followed that of security chief Ali Larijani, which Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei -- unseen since succeeding his slain father -- vowed to avenge. The wave of targeted killings has wiped out many of Iran's senior leaders, though Washington's top intelligence official said the government remained in place, albeit degraded, after nearly three weeks of war. Tehran vowed to destroy the oil and gas industry of its Gulf neighbours if there were further attacks on its own energy sector following a strike on its South Pars field, the world's largest gas reserve. "We warn you once again that you made a big mistake in attacking the energy infrastructure of the Islamic republic, the response to which is being implemented," the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by Iranian media. "If it is repeated again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed, and our response will be much more severe than tonight's attacks." Iranian state television reported that parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Economic Zone in Asaluyeh were hit by "projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy". The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment on the allegation, while US sources said Washington was aware but was not part of the attack. Iran's warning came after Qatar's state energy company said an Iranian missile strike sparked a fire causing "extensive damage" at its main gas facility. Qatar responded by expelling two Iranian diplomats. Saudi Arabia said it thwarted drone attacks on energy infrastructure in the east, while debris from an intercepted missile landed near a refinery south of Riyadh. The attacks triggered another surge in oil prices, already elevated by the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz. - 'Cowardly assassination' - The US-Israeli campaign began with strikes that killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei and has since eliminated several top officials. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military could continue targeting senior officials without further approval. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Khatib's killing a "cowardly assassination". After crowds gathered in Tehran for Larijani's funeral, Khamenei vowed retaliation in a written message. "Every drop of spilled blood comes at a price, and the criminal murderers of these martyrs will soon have to pay it," Khamenei said. Khamenei has not appeared in public since the war began, prompting taunts from US President Donald Trump that he might not even be alive. Larijani's funeral was held alongside those of Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij who was also killed this week, and dozens of Iranian sailors who were killed when US forces torpedoed their frigate off Sri Lanka earlier this month. Local authorities said Larijani would be buried at a shrine popular with pilgrims in the city of Qom. In Washington, US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard told Congress the regime remained "intact but largely degraded". She also undercut one of Trump's key justifications for the war by acknowledging that Iran had not resumed nuclear enrichment. - 'Support and solidarity' - Israel has pursued a strategy of targeting senior Iranian and allied leaders. It killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, in 2024 as well as Hamas's top figures since the Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Despite the losses, Iran's leadership and Revolutionary Guards remain defiant. An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub of Tel Aviv, while strikes hit multiple sites overnight, medics and local officials said. Iranian media said US and Israeli strikes continued across multiple regions, including Tehran. The war has spread across the region, leaving hundreds dead and millions displaced. In Lebanon, Israel struck central Beirut multiple times Wednesday, with fatalities reported. The country was drawn into the conflict when Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel over Ali Khamenei's death. A line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see along the country's southern coast as residents of affected areas fled to the ancient city of Sidon in search of safety. Nidal Ahmad Chokr initially intended to stay put but finally decided on Tuesday to leave his village of Jibchit, as the air strikes intensified. "Bakers died while making bread" in the village square and "municipal workers were martyred while using bulldozers", the 55-year-old said. France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot is to travel to Lebanon on Thursday, in a visit that the ministry said "underlines France's support and solidarity with the Lebanese people, dragged into a war they didn't choose." burs-ft/md Norma Brown just wanted to help her estranged husband cover his phone bill. The Orange County, Florida, resident handed Spectrum her debit card in August to make a single payment on his account, which wasnt hers. Brown says she explicitly declined to have her card saved, confirmed it was a one-time transaction and even has paperwork that lists it as such, according to WFTV Action 9 (1). Must Read Then, Spectrum charged her again. And again. And again. By December, four months of unauthorized monthly charges had drained $884 from Browns account. That is ridiculous, she told Action 9. It wasnt until she contacted the news outlet that Spectrum finally promised a refund though as of mid-March, the money had still not been returned. This may not have been just sloppy billing Under federal law, what Brown described should never have happened. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), when a company sets up automatic debits, it must give the consumer a copy of their payment authorization (2) a clear, understandable explanation of how much and how often money will be taken out. Consumers should monitor their accounts to make sure the amount and timing of transfers match exactly what they agreed to. Brown had paperwork showing the opposite: a single payment, on someone elses account, with a note that her card information was not to be retained, according to Action 9. The news outlet reported that Spectrum had not responded to questions about its authorization practices. Why a debit card made this so much worse Had Brown used a credit card, this may have played out very differently, according to the Federal Trade Commission (3). With a credit card, you dont have to pay a disputed charge while its under investigation, whereas with a debit card, the money is already out of your account. This is a distinction Action 9 has documented before. When a billing glitch caused insurer Florida Blue to overdraft some customers accounts by as much as $142,000, the outlet noted (4) the core problem plainly: With a credit card, if youre hit by over-billing issues, fraudulent charges or other charges you did not authorize, no money leaves your hands. Once you report the error to the credit card company, the process of fixing the problem begins immediately. Italy at the Centre of a Drifting LNG Crisis A damaged Russian tanker, crewless and carrying over 60,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas, has been drifting for fifteen days through the central Mediterranean. It has now reached Libyan waters. Rome convened an emergency cabinet meeting, Lampedusa held its breath, and the EU faces a sanctions dilemma it cannot easily resolve. This is Italy's crisis and Europe's. In the early hours of 3 March 2026, a series of explosions tore through the hull of the Arctic Metagaz, a Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas carrier navigating the central Mediterranean approximately 168 nautical miles southeast of Malta. A fire broke out immediately on board. The 30 crew members, all Russian nationals, abandoned ship in lifeboats, some with burns. Rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard and taken to Benghazi, the two most seriously injured were subsequently airlifted to Moscow. The ship, blackened and listing, was left to the sea. Fifteen days on, the Arctic Metagaz is still out there, unmanned, with tanks believed to be still intact, and drifting. The crisis it has triggered, entangled in the war in Ukraine, the EU sanctions regime, and the fragile ecology of the Mediterranean, is growing more complicated by the day. And Italy, whose islands of Lampedusa and Linosa lie within the vessel's initial drifting range, finds itself at the centre of a drama with no obvious resolution in sight. "An environmental time bomb that risks causing serious damage throughout the surrounding area of the Mediterranean Sea." Alfredo Mantovano, Italian Deputy Prime Minister The Attack Russia's Transport Ministry was swift to assign blame: Ukrainian naval drones, it said, launched from the Libyan coast, had struck the Arctic Metagaz in international waters. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called it an 'act of terrorism' and a 'flagrant violation of international law.' President Putin spoke of a 'terrorist attack.' Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied involvement, maintaining the silence that has come to characterise its campaign against Russian energy infrastructure. The vessel had departed from the Arctic port of Murmansk on 24 February, having loaded its LNG cargo at the Saam floating storage unit on 18 February. It had since passed through British and Spanish waters before entering the Mediterranean, apparently heading for the Suez Canal and then China. The attack took place roughly 150 nautical miles from the Libyan city of Sirte. Satellite imagery released in the days that followed showed a dramatically damaged vessel: a large gash opened in the port side of the hull, the stern section severely burned, the ship listing and taking on water internally. The fire, deemed too dangerous to fight given the risk of detonating the LNG cargo, burned itself out. The hull held. The Arctic Metagaz did not sink. The Shadow Fleet The Arctic Metagaz is not just any tanker. It appears on the sanctions lists of the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom as a vessel belonging to Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet', the network of often ageing and poorly maintained ships that Moscow uses to circumvent the sweeping energy sanctions imposed following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The vessel's commercial operator is SMP Techmanagement LLC, a Russian company linked to the Arctic LNG 2 project run by energy giant NOVATEK, itself subject to US sanctions. It is precisely this layering of sanctions that has paralysed the response of European governments: any intervention to tow or assist the vessel risks being interpreted as material support to a sanctioned ship, potentially undermining the very sanctions framework that the EU and its allies have spent four years constructing. Nine Mediterranean EU member states, including Italy, France, Spain, Malta and Cyprus, sent a joint letter to the European Commission requesting an urgent legal carve-out that would permit salvage operations without triggering sanctions violations. The letter acknowledged explicitly the risk of 'undermining the integrity, effectiveness and deterrent value of the EU sanctions regime,' while warning of an 'imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster.' The Environmental Risk in the Sicilian Channel The figures are alarming. According to Italian authorities, the Arctic Metagaz was carrying approximately 900 metric tonnes of diesel fuel and over 60,000 metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas at the time of the attack. Italy's Civil Protection Agency, which has been monitoring the vessel around the clock, confirmed on 18 March that two tanks appear to remain intact, but acknowledged that dispersal of cargo remains 'a very concrete possibility.' "The dispersal of gas is a very concrete possibility." Italian Civil Protection Agency, 18 March 2026 The WWF has followed the situation 'with maximum alert' from the outset. The specific hazards of an LNG incident differ in important ways from a conventional oil spill and are in some respects more alarming. Liquefied natural gas, stored at approximately minus 162 degrees Celsius, is not conventionally toxic, but its release can cause cryogenic effects lethal to marine life, generate gas clouds dangerous to living beings onshore, and, since LNG is primarily methane, produce a potentially enormous contribution to greenhouse gas concentrations. In the worst case, the ignition of released LNG could cause a catastrophic explosion. The waters at risk, between Lampedusa, Linosa and Malta, are among the most biodiverse in the entire Mediterranean basin. The Emergency Summit at Palazzo Chigi On 13 March, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni convened an emergency ministerial meeting at Palazzo Chigi attended by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci and Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. The conclusion was unambiguous: the Arctic Metagaz would not be permitted to dock at any Italian port. The government pledged to share real-time monitoring data with Malta and to provide all available logistical support. The Italian Navy and Coast Guard have maintained vessels and aircraft in the vicinity of the tanker throughout the crisis. Tugboats and anti-pollution equipment have been kept on standby. Lampedusa's mayor, Filippo Mannino, repeatedly sought to reassure residents: 'The situation is absolutely under control; the vessel is currently in international waters.' Favourable currents, particularly in the most critical phase, have pushed the ship eastward, averting any incursion into Italian territorial waters. Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Mantovano, speaking on Radio 24, described the vessel as 'an environmental time bomb that risks causing serious damage throughout the surrounding area of the Mediterranean Sea,' adding that at that moment the ship was 37 nautical miles from Italian territorial waters and that contacts with Malta were 'constant.' Malta, the EU and the Sanctions Impasse Malta found itself on the front line of this crisis as the Arctic Metagaz spent several days within its search and rescue zone. Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that his government stood ready to act if necessary, without specifying concrete measures. Malta's maritime authorities imposed a 5-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the vessel. Foreign Minister Ian Borg brought the matter before the EU Council in Brussels, warning that gaps in the sanctions framework risked undermining Europe's ability to respond to maritime emergencies involving sanctioned vessels. Prime Minister Abela revealed that contacts with Russian authorities and the vessel's owner had not produced any 'definitive solution.' The European Commission is under pressure from multiple directions. Maltese MEP Thomas Bajada called for urgent action from Brussels. The paradox is stark: the very sanctions designed to weaken Russia may prevent member states from averting an environmental disaster in their own waters. 18 March Update: Into Libyan Waters In the latest development on 18 March, Italy's Civil Protection Agency confirmed that the Arctic Metagaz has entered Libya's search and rescue zone, formally shifting primary responsibility for any intervention to Tripoli, a maritime authority with considerably fewer resources and operational capabilities than the European states that have been managing the crisis. Sea conditions in the area are reported as rough, complicating any salvage attempt. Italy has indicated it will continue remote monitoring. Russia has expressed willingness to cooperate, subject to unspecified 'concrete circumstances.' The shipowner wishes to engage a specialist salvage company, but the sanctions impasse has yet to be resolved. No towing operation is imminent. A Crisis That Exposes Europe's Contradictions The Arctic Metagaz affair lays bare, with uncomfortable clarity, the internal contradictions of Europe's energy and sanctions policy. Measures designed to deprive Russia of energy revenues now make it legally awkward to prevent a Russian tanker from becoming an environmental catastrophe in European waters. The success of Ukraine's campaign against Russian energy logistics if the attack was indeed Kyiv's doing, has created a problem that the countries most directly exposed to its consequences are, for legal and political reasons, ill-equipped to solve quickly. Environmental groups, fishing associations and local authorities across the Pelagie Islands have called for urgent European-level intervention. The Commission is under pressure from nine member states. Russia offers sympathy but little practical engagement. Libya, now the formally responsible coastal authority, faces a salvage challenge that would test far better-equipped maritime administrations. Meanwhile, as European governments exchange letters with the Commission and diplomats search for legal workarounds, the Arctic Metagaz continues its drift, a ghost ship laden with gas and with the weight of a war that shows no sign of ending, in a sea that has no business hosting either. Meloni seeks to bypass traditional media to sway young voters on judicial reform. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has appeared as a guest on a podcast hosted by the rapper Fedez in a final push for a Yes vote in the country's upcoming judicial referendum. The interview, scheduled to air on Thursday at 13.00, comes days ahead of the landmark vote which will be held in Italy on 22 and 23 March. The upcoming referendum focuses on a series of constitutional reforms aimed at separating the career paths of judges and prosecutors, and is seen as a key test for Meloni's right-wing coalition. While the government argues the reform is essential to ensure a fair and impartial legal system, the opposition and the national magistrates' association have warned it could undermine judicial independence. The producers of the Pulp Podcast, which has more than 300,000 followers on YouTube, on Tuesday released a picture of Meloni sitting between Fedez and his co-host Mr Marra. "We're not voting on Meloni, we're voting on justice" - the prime minister explained, according to a statement issued by the podcast - "Even those who disagree with this government should evaluate the merits of a reform that aims to improve the functioning of the system." The prime minister has emphasised that the referendum should not be viewed as a vote on her leadership and has also vowed not to resign if the No side win. Strategic media shift By choosing to be interviewed by Fedez - a figure who has frequently clashed with her administration on civil rights and freedom of expression - Meloni is attempting to reach a demographic that remains largely disengaged from mainstream political debate. The unlikely collaboration is being viewed by some analysts as a masterstroke for the Yes campaign however, due to Fedez' confrontational style, the move is not without risks for Meloni. Fedez, the former husband of influencer Chiara Ferragni, stressed that - in relation to the referendum - the podcast has already hosted representatives from both the Yes and No camps. Producers say they have repeatedly invited the leader of the centre-left opposition Partito Democratico (PD) party Elly Schlein, and Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte, to join the podcast. They said that Schlein turned down the offer on Tuesday and that Conte failed to respond. Final countdown The referendum requires a Yes majority from the electorate to confirm the law already passed by parliament last October. As the campaign enters its final few days, and with polls suggesting a significant portion of the public remains undecided or unaware of the reforms specifics, the Pulp Podcast appearance could prove decisive for younger voters. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association The Minister for Justice has defended the Taoiseachs meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, saying he did an excellent job. At Leaders Questions on Wednesday, the Labour Party and People Before Profit leaders criticised Micheal Martins appearance with the US president at St Patricks Day events in Washington DC. Labours Ivana Bacik said: The Taoiseach sat silent, utterly sidelined, while US President Trump ranted and raved about Europe, about Nato, about wind farms, about Keir Starmer, about immigration and much more. And she said it was deeply disappointing he did not push back harder against Trumps delusional ramblings. In particular to condemn Trumps illegal war on Iran, she said. Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan (PA) Representing the Government, Jim OCallaghan said: Any fair-minded person looking at the events in the White House yesterday would recognise that the Taoiseach did an excellent job in extremely challenging circumstances. Had the Labour Party been in power, he said, Ms Bacik would not have made the trip as she had made the decision in advance of the visit that the Taoiseach shouldnt go there. So had the Labour Party been in Government, there would have been no engagement in respect of the United States of America. I thought it was a real advantage for the Taoiseach to be there yesterday as the leader of a European country that isnt a member of Nato. I think he did Ireland and Europe proud in terms of setting out the values of Europe, and indeed in setting back some of the rhetoric of President Trump, which, as everyone can appreciate, can be difficult at times. People Before Profits Richard Boyd Barrett criticised the Taoiseach for celebrating our national day with this warmonger. He said Mr Martin repeatedly claims that this country is committed to international law, but did not offer a single word of criticism of the flagrant murderous breaches of international law that Trump and Israel are engaged in. Mr OCallaghan said there was a real benefit in the Taoiseach going there and being able to speak out, frankly, more so than any other international leaders whove been there recently have done. He added: He was able to speak out in respect of Keir Starmer, he was able to speak out in respect of immigration, and he was able to speak out in respect of Irelands view that we should resolve disputes through pacific methods. He said in politics self awareness is an important characteristic that also applies to us as a country. He added: Ireland is a small non-military country, what we say is effective in terms of diplomacy, He said the country had been able to stand up to people who are our friends and say to themwe think you have gone down the wrong road With the aftereffects of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran continuing to roil most of the Middle East, air travel into United Arab Emirates cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi faces severe disruption. On March 16, an Iranian drone attack hit a fuel tank and set off a fire at Dubai International (DXB), while several such attacks since the start of March have prompted evacuations of the airport. After running evacuation flights for any travelers left stranded immediately after the strike on Feb. 28, local UAE airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways have been running sporadic commercial flights to cities around the world. United Arab Emirates temporarily bans foreign airlines from Dubai airports But amid periodic airspace closures and regular need for diversions, any efforts to return to regular service remain rife with challenges. International airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa have suspended their service to Dubai International for months ahead. On March 17, the UAE government took the extra step of temporarily banning all foreign airlines from flying into Dubai airports after the latest drone strike. Related: Fairmont hotel in Dubai set aflame after Iranian strike "Landing permission for aircraft operating into DXB/DWC airport(s) in the Emirate of Dubai is suspended until further notice," the notice sent to foreign carriers reads. "The concerned authorities in the Emirate of Dubai will update you with regard to the removal of the suspension of landing permission." This means that for the time being, the only way to fly into or out of Dubai is through a local carrier such as Emirates, Etihad, or low-cost airline flyDubai. India-based airlines such as IndiGo are particularly affected, given the large number of flights they run between the two countries. Airports in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar were all targeted by retaliatory Iranian strikes.Shutterstock Shutterstock What is happening with flights in the Middle East in March 2026? "If Indian carriers are not getting to operate from Dubai when Emirates is operating multiple flights per day, this is no level playing field," one anonymous Indian airline official said to aviation news outlet ch-aviation. "The government should cap the number of flights Emirates and flydubai can operate." Along with the UAE, airports in countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait have all been targeted by Iranian retaliatory attacks. More Travel News: Immediately after the strike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Zayed International Airport (ABU) in Abu Dhabi was hit by an Iranian drone in an incident that resulted in one death and seven injuries, while Bahrain International Airport (BAH) and Kuwait International Airport (KWI) were also hit without significant injuries to people inside. The Waterford Rotary Club will host a Daffodil Weekend near Portlaw this weekend, March 21 and 22. People are invited to pick their own daffodils from a local field, with all proceeds going directly to the Irish Cancer Society. Adam from Killowen Orchard has kindly donated use of the field for Rotary to organise the fundraiser. The field is located just outside Portlaw village beside Mountbolton Equestrian Centre, and it promises to be a lovely, family-friendly community event where people can enjoy the stunning display of spring flowers while supporting the fight against cancer. There will be QR codes at the event where people can donate to the Irish Cancer Society. Gardai are making enquiries after a report of a fire at the old Ard Ri Hotel in Waterford. A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana confirmed to the Waterford News and Star that they received a report of a fire at a vacant building at Ferrybank at around 8:45am on March 18. Read More Unfinished housing estates continue to blight Waterford as knock-on effects felt Gardai say no injuries were reported and enquiries are ongoing. It is understood that the fire service also attended. Plans are in place to transform a set of historic buildings in Waterford city. A brand new development named Wallace Townhouse is planned at the former Maryland Hotel at The Mall/Catherine Street, and the adjoining building, Sherlock House on Catherine Street. The proposed development seeks to adapt the buildings for use as a city-centre townhouse, providing a total of 28 en-suite rooms. Plans for the redevelopment Detailed plans Planned at the former Maryland Hotel building which faces the Mall and Catherine Street, is the construction of 20 bedrooms. Proposed is the demolition and removal of the entire third and fourth floor levels. The construction of a new extension at the second-floor level and the construction of new third and fourth floors with increased floor area is planned. A new ground floor street facade facing The Mall providing a new entrance and windows will be also constructed. The front facade of the former Maryland Hotel At the adjoining Sherlock House on Catherine Street, eight bedrooms are planned to be developed in the building. Also planned is the demolition and removal of the existing timber facade facing Catherine Street and the provision of a brand new facade at the first floor level. Protected structure Both Maryland House and Sherlock House are protected structures and the design approach will need to be conservation-led. The building's interior and exterior contain historic features, including a painted plaster coat of arms in the courtyard of Sherlock House, which is presently not visible from the road. It is a protected structure, however its origin is unknown and further investigation is required to determine its provenance. It is recommended that it be repaired and painted. A plaque in the building's exterior courtyard. Planning reports recommend that it be repaired and repainted As part of the plans, the Wallace cartouche', a stone plaque which is dedicated to composer William Vincent Wallace, will be moved from its current position on the front facade of the Maryland Hotel building fronting the Mall, to the side facade of the building facing Catherine Street. The back courtyard of the buildings An architectural design statement which was submitted, says that the developer will take care in protecting the historic elements of the buildings. "The proposal reorganises the currently fragmented layout into a coherent and functional townhouse environment, facilitating an appropriate city-centre accommodation use while protecting the architectural, cultural and artistic value of the protected structures" the statement says. The local authority will decide on whether to accept or reject the development by April 29 MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu has written to Iarnrod Eireann and the National Transport Authority requesting an early morning train on the Heuston to Waterford route. The requested route is to ensure students and workers can arrive in Waterford before 9am. The MEP and EU Transport Committee member described the current arrival time of 9:45am as bizarre and there was enough demand to justify the investment. An online petition has also been launched and has 354 signatures so far. Read More Waterford City River Rescue stood down after responding to emergency situation Ms Ni Mhurchu said that her constituents raise this issue. Ni Mhurchu cautioned that Ireland is potentially facing billions in EU fines unless the 2030 climate targets are met. Getting people out of their cars and onto the train is a key part of our strategy to reduce emissions in advance of 2030, said Ms Ni Mhurchu. Dr Paul Ryan, lecturer at SETU, was recently conferred with the rank of Chevalier de lOrdre des Palmes academiques (Knight of the Order of Academic Palms) by official decree of the Ministry of Education in Paris and the French government. The decoration, instituted by Napoleon in 1808 and the medallion of which remains unchanged since its creation, constitutes the oldest civil honour bestowed by the French Republic and is awarded to distinguished academics in the field of culture, letters, and science. The insignia was presented on behalf of the French Minister of Education by Her Excellence Madame Celine Place, Ambassador of France to Ireland. Madame Place said, Today, France expresses its deep gratitude to you by bestowing this honour. President of SETU, Professor Veronica Campbell, said: We are very fortunate to have his expertise at SETU, which undoubtedly enriches the learning environment for both students and researchers alike. Dr Ryans research speciality is the work of Paul Valery, a French poet, essayist and philosopher. Valery was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature twelve times. Dr Ryan has published numerous volumes of Valerys work and is part of a specialised team that translated these works into three volumes in English. Additionally, Dr Ryan has published his own books. His most recent book Paul Valery Collected Verse appeared in the Oxford Worlds Classics series of Oxford University Press last year and was reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement (London), the worlds premier journal for literature and ideas. Dr Ryan said, "I am deeply honoured to receive this Order, and I am very grateful to the French Republic for bestowing such a prestigious award. Dr Ryan is a lecturer on SETUs Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Arts degree, specialising in French literature, ideas, culture, and language. West Waterford councillor Donnchadh Mulcahy has praised the St Patricks Day parade as a fantastic showcase of community spirit and pride in Cappoquin. The councillor said the streets were filled with colour and the standard of floats and displays was exceptional. Local groups, schools and businesses contributed to make the parade a success. Local groups, schools and businesses took part in the parade, which started on 12:30 on March 17. Days like this remind us of the strength of our communities here in West Waterford and the importance of coming together to celebrate our heritage, said Cllr Mulcahy. Cllr Mulcahy acknowledged the continued growth of the parade and paid tribute to the committee, volunteers, stewards and all those who make the parade possible. The Cappoquin parade was a delight for young and old He said the parade goes from strength to strength each year and continues to attract great support from across the region, and said the event highlights the importance of community-led events in bringing people together and fostering a strong sense of local identity. Waterford City River Rescue say they were stood down this morning following an incident which was successfully resolved by An Garda Siochana. The group posted on social media that an emergency situation arose in the early hours of the morning as a person was entering the water and the Irish Coast Guard requested their assistance. But the group say they were not needed and were stood down quickly. Thank you to everyone involved and to MRCC, who coordinated this incident. We would like to reiterate the absolute importance of an early call to the Emergency Services for water incidents so the relevant services can be dispatched promptly. "Please remember if you see anyone in difficulty on our lakes, rivers or coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for The Irish Coast Guard, who will dispatch the services needed to the scene. "Do not assume somebody has already made that call, wrote Waterford City River Rescue. Waterford City River Rescue shared the following numbers to assist anyone in distress. High Court reporters A nurse who claims there was an alleged delay in diagnosing her breast cancer has sued the HSE in the High Court. Mother of three Aine McSweeney from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, also claims that she had two mammograms in 2020 and 2022, which she says were allegedly incorrectly interpreted as benign. Ms McSweeny (52) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and had to have a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the proceedings, it is claimed that Ms McSweeney had two mammograms at the Breast Clinic in University Hospital Waterford in 2020 and 2022, which were reported back as benign. It is claimed that these should have been reported as being indeterminate. It is contended that the two mammograms allegedly showed clustered calcifications. If the two mammograms had been followed through, the McSweeny side contends there would have been an investigation and treatment. All of the claims are denied, and the High Court heard there is a difference of opinion between radiological experts on both sides. Ms McSweenys counsel, Dr John OMahony, with Cian OMahony instructed by solicitor Brigid ODonnell, told the court the nurse had a family history of breast cancer. This, he said, had to be a factor and taken into account in determining the issue. Mr Justice Paul Coffey has been asked to decide first on whether there was an alleged breach of duty by the HSE in relation to the mammograms carried out at University Hospital Waterford. Opening the case, Dr OMahony told the court the cluster was in the site where the cancer was ultimately found. It was their case, he said, that there was a gradual progressive increase where the cluster became more obvious and ultimately, in 2023, there was a diagnosis of cancer. He said it was their case that a cluster was evident from 2020 and more obvious in 2022. Experts on their side would say the mammograms of 2020 and 2022 should have been investigated and followed through. Counsel said there was no biopsy carried out. If there was an earlier diagnosis, Counsel said it was their case Ms McSweeney would have got appropriate treatment in a timely manner. Counsel said many cancers of the breast are diagnosed based on clusters before the woman has a lump. In the proceedings, it was claimed that an alleged incorrect interpretation was given in a radiology report of a mammogram of October 23, 2020 and that the findings were reported as benign when it is claimed it showed clustered microcalcifications in the left breast and allegedly should have been reported as being indeterminate. It was further claimed there was an alleged incorrect interpretation of a January 7, 2022 mammogram, which was reported as benign and which, it is claimed, should also allegedly have been reported as being indeterminate. It is also contended that if a diagnosis of breast malignancy had been made in 2020, she would have been treated at a time when the disease was node negative and her tumour was significantly smaller than when eventually treated in 2023. All of the claims are denied. The case before Mr Justice Coffey continues. Advertisement BusinessMarketsMiddle East at war Opinion Trumps war is wreaking more havoc than you think Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist March 18, 2026 8:59am March 18, 2026 8:59am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Most of the focus on the implications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been on the price of crude oil. The impacts that matter most, however, are on products that are not so crude. While the headline numbers say that most of the nearly 20 million barrels a day, or 20 per cent of the worlds production, that used to flow through the strait has been stoppered by Irans response to the US-Israel attacks, included within that number is about 3.3 million barrels a day of refined products, or about 13 per cent of the global market. The war inflamed by Donald Trump is having widespread economic effects. AP End-users of the products derived from crude oil dont consume the crude itself, but the products produced from the refineries that process it. Those include petrol and diesel, jet fuels, the raw inputs for plastics, fertilisers, explosives, solvents and even cosmetics and soap. The conflicts spread from Iran into the surrounding region has not only affected crude supply and production. As producers have run out of storage capacity, they have already reduced production by about 7.3 million barrels a day, according to Goldman Sachs analysts. Advertisement It has also caused outages at Middle Eastern refineries that have taken about 2.2 million barrels a day out of production. The International Energy Agency says that more than 4 million barrels a day of refining capacity is at risk. Related Article Analysis US politics With 10 damning words, Pete Hegseth says the quiet part out loud That means there are two layers to the flow-on effects from the straits closure. One is the flow of oil to be processed at refineries outside the region, the other is a direct hit to production of refined products from the Middle East a global production hub itself. The impact of the interruption to supply is generally measured by fluctuations in oil prices, which have soared from about $US70 ($98.50) a barrel before the attack on Iran to about $US103 a barrel this week. The impact on downstream products, however, is more marked and has far more economic consequences. Advertisement Petrol prices, of course, are front-of-mind for consumers. In the US, theyve leapt from $US2.92 a gallon to $US3.79 and, in Australia, have recently averaged (nationally) about $2.30 a litre. Before the conflict, they were averaging just over $1.70 a litre. Soaring fuel prices are not the only consequence of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Janie Barrett Diesel, which feeds into transport costs and ultimately into consumer prices, has traded above $US5 a gallon in the US this week for the first time since the onset of the war in Ukraine. It was $US3.65 a gallon before the Americans and Israelis began the war. In Australia, diesel prices have jumped from about $1.80 a litre to about $2.60 a litre. One of the least processed outputs from refineries is fuel oil, used as fuel for ships, power plants and, in some regions, heating. Its price usually reflects a small discount to crude prices because its production involves less processing, but it is now trading at premiums of 40 to 60 per cent above crude prices. The cost of seaborne transport of goods is rising materially. Advertisement The significance of the reduced supply of refined products from the Middle East and the disruption of crude oil supply to refineries outside the conflict zone isnt, as our farmers and those queuing up for petrol and diesel have recognised, only on prices. Related Article Petrol prices Fuel reserve released as farmers warn of food price hit It also affects availability, which will be of increasing significance to prices and economies if the conflict is prolonged. Refineries are set up to process particular grades of oil with particular levels of sulphur. The Middle East supplies about 30 per cent of the worlds oil, mainly light to medium crudes with high sulphur contents. Already, the prices of some of that oil, particularly from countries whose production isnt affected by the closure of the strait and is therefore still available, have soared well above as much as $US50 a barrel above the benchmark price for Brent crude, driven by a combination of the overall reduction of supply and particular refineries needs for oil with particular characteristics. Advertisement Much of the crude that Persian Gulf producers export nearly 13 million barrels a day goes to Asian refineries (which is where most of Australias petrol and diesel come from), supplying about half their requirements. There it is processed into petrol, diesel, naphtha, jet fuel, fuel oil, lubricants and other products and by-products, such as sulphur and urea, which are key ingredients in fertilisers, explosives, solvents, plastics, the production of paper and detergents. About two-thirds of the urea Australia uses for fertiliser production comes from the Persian Gulf. Global oil benchmarks provide barometers of the market conditions but, until the war ends and the fog of war lifts, the extent and permanence of the damage to the worlds oil-dependent industries and their customer bases cant be calculated. China has already begun limiting its exports of urea to protect its domestic supply. Japan and South Korea, which each import more than 60 per cent of their naphtha supplies, mainly from the Gulf, are already closing petrochemical plants, with other producers reducing their outputs and declaring force majeure because of their inability to meet their contracts with customers. In the US, the Trump administration is racing to find alternative sources of fertilisers to replace the Middle Eastern products, and there are concerns that an extended conflict could have severe implications for global food supply. Advertisement Hardest hit by the reduced supply and spiking fuel, transport and fertiliser prices will be the Asian economies because 90 per cent of their oil and refined products come via the strait, and they have few, if any, energy resources of their own. Europe, also dependent on imported energy, will also face a significant increase in energy costs. Related Article Opinion Trade wars Trump rushes to save his war on the world Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, India, some Latin American economies and Australia will be hurt by the reduced and disrupted supply and the higher prices of fertilisers. The Middle Eastern economies, obviously, are losing enormous amounts of oil revenue $US500 million a day, if not more from their lost sales and reduced production, though they should be able to recover much of that if and when the strait reopens. The degree to which oil-derived products are embedded deeply within economies means that the war will disrupt global supply chains and costs, with some of the effects persisting beyond the end of the conflict and a return to normal operations in the strait, whenever that might be. Advertisement Global oil benchmarks provide barometers of the market conditions, but until the war ends and the fog of war lifts, the extent and permanence of the damage to the worlds oil-dependent industries and their customer bases cant be calculated. It is already apparent, however, that there will be a global price to pay, and a substantial one, for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahus decision to initiate a war within the centre of the worlds most important region for the production of oil and its derivatives. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement NationalVale Former High Court chief justice Anthony Mason dies, aged 100 Michaela Whitbourn March 18, 2026 12:42pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Sir Anthony Mason, the nations ninth High Court chief justice and a towering figure in the law, died on Tuesday. He was 100. Mason was appointed to the High Court in 1972 and served as chief justice from 1987 to 1995, an era defined by a series of watershed decisions. Sir Anthony Mason pictured in Sydney in 2012. The towering law figure died on Tuesday, aged 100. Photographic In 1992, Mason was among a majority of High Court judges who recognised a constitutional guarantee or freedom of political communication, in a decision that serves as a bulwark of free speech. The freedom acts as a handbrake on parliament and has formed the basis of a series of constitutional challenges to legislation, including recent amendments to NSW protest laws. Advertisement Sir Anthony in 1972, when appointed to the High Court. He served as chief justice from 1987 to 1995. The fundamental importance, indeed the essentiality, of freedom of communication, including freedom to criticise government action, in the system of modern representative government has been recognised by courts in many jurisdictions, Mason said in the seminal 1992 decision. In the same year, the High Court delivered the landmark Mabo decision on Indigenous land rights, sweeping away the legal fiction of terra nullius (meaning land belonging to no one) that had been used to justify British colonisation. The fiction by which the rights and interests of Indigenous inhabitants in land were treated as non-existent was justified by a policy which has no place in the contemporary law of this country, Sir Gerard Brennan, who would become the nations tenth chief justice, said in reasons with which Mason agreed. High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler said at the 2022 launch of a book on Masons legacy that the judicial method of Sir Anthony Mason defies labelling. Advertisement He has never sought to ascribe one to himself, although at the time of his own swearing in as chief justice he made a point of speaking of courts having an obligation to shape legal principles to the conditions of Australian society, Gageler said. He spoke of the need to ensure that judicial development of Australian law responded dynamically to conditions of Australian society. To observe at close quarters this master judicial craftsman at the peak of his powers was an opportunity as rare as it was invaluable. NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell said in a statement on Wednesday that a very fine Australian has left our midst but his impact and legacy will continue. As law graduates, both Bell and Gageler served as associates to Mason. Bell said he counted my year in Sir Anthonys chambers as one of the most important and formative of my professional life. Advertisement To observe at close quarters this master judicial craftsman at the peak of his powers was an opportunity as rare as it was invaluable, Bell said. Chief justice Sir Anthony Mason (centre) with justices Mary Gaudron and John Toohey outside the High Court in Canberra after the trio were sworn in on February 6, 1987. And to be exposed to his rapier wit coupled with his voracious appetite for discussion of the law, the legal profession, politics, sport and world affairs, maintaining a close friendship with him and the late Lady Patricia Mason, together with his other associates, over more than three decades is something that I will both miss but always value. Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said Mason helped shape modern Australia through some of our nations most significant judgments. Guided by a deep respect for fairness and for the rights of all Australians, Sir Anthony devoted his life to the law and to serving our nation, she said. Advertisement He will be remembered for his wisdom and intellect, and his enduring contribution to our legal system, academia and public life. In a statement, the High Court said: Sir Anthonys contribution to the jurisprudence of the High Court, and to the legal system and profession more broadly, was profound and is enduring. He was a jurist who was and continues to be regarded with deep respect and admiration, and a man who is remembered with affection and appreciation by those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. The court will hold a ceremonial sitting in June to honour him. Born in Sydney in April 1925, Mason was educated at Sydney Grammar because it had a reputation of producing a large number of lawyers, he said in an interview and the University of Sydney. Advertisement He was appointed Commonwealth solicitor-general in 1964 and to the NSW Court of Appeal in 1969. Masons retirement from the High Court bench in 1995 ushered in a new period of professional industry for him. He served on courts in Hong Kong, the Solomon Islands and Fiji, as chancellor of the University of NSW and as chairman of the Council of the National Library of Australia. He is survived by his sons, Michael and David, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Furniture manufacturer Ashley is preparing to cut hundreds of jobs in Texas as the company consolidates its manufacturing operations. According to the latest Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing submitted to the Texas Workforce Commission, the 80-year-old family-owned furniture chain plans to discontinue manufacturing operations at its manufacturing facility located at Scyene Road in Mesquite, Texas. The decision comes as Ashley consolidates its Mesquite manufacturing operations with other facilities. As a result, it will permanently discontinue all manufacturing operations effective May 7, 2026, and lay off 266 employees. Ashley, which currently employs more than 35,000 team members globally, is the worlds largest furniture manufacturer and the largest manufacturer in the United States. With headquarters in Arcadia, Wisconsin, Ashley has a network of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers across North America. Ashley makes a tough call The company notified employees of the decision on March 5, adding that some were offered the option to join Ashleys other facilities or to fill available positions at its Distribution Center in Mesquite, which is still operational. The furniture retail giant is optimistic that workers will take up new positions. If not, and if they continue working in their current positions until May 7, when their employment ends, they will be offered severance packages. Employees who do not accept other roles and remain in good standing will continue in their current role until May 7, 2026, when their employment will end and theyll be offered severance. Well be meeting with employees soon to offer details about other positions and potential start dates, notes the WARN filing, adding that there are no bumping rights and no employee is represented by a union. The largest group of impacted employees comprises 109 upholstery training workers, followed by 31 machine operators and 24 packing employees, according to the filing. Other positions include kit receiving, material handlers, operations supervisors, inspectors, and quality supervisors. Ashley is consolidating operations at Mesquite, Texas.Shutterstock Shutterstock Furniture industry faces slowing demand The layoffs come as the furniture and home retail industry is facing year-over-year declines in sales. According to data from the US Department of Commerces monthly retail sales, reported from Retail Dive, the home furnishing sector has seen continuous declines since the brief surge during the pandemic, underscoring the ongoing pressures. This is also tied to the sluggish housing market, which, until recently, was dubbed a sellers market. And when housing sales are slow, it directly impacts the related goods industry. Add to this that, in October 2025, the U.S. implemented 10% tariff on timber and lumber and a 25% duty on upholstered furniture. Advertisement NationalWAALP Ex-WA Labor MP accuses party of pandering to vested interests Hamish Hastie March 19, 2026 2:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Former West Australian Labor MP Chris Tallentire has accused his party of pandering to vested interests over the wishes of the community in a cutting letter published in this months Quarterly Essay. Tallentire, the MP for Gosnells for 16 years, has criticised the Cook government in the past, but has now taken his gripes to a national level. Former Gosnells MP Chris Tallentire. Chris Tallentire/Facebook In the letter published this week in the nationally popular periodical, Tallentire said: The power of vested interests to get WA Labor to adopt their policy positions is alarming. The steady stream of cosy business-sector breakfasts and lunches where the premier or a senior minister talks tough about cutting red tape and helping business especially big corporates shows the trap WA Labor has fallen into, he wrote. Advertisement While its hard for lay and elected party members to advance their policy ideas, theres an easy willingness to accept policy ideas from vested interests. Related Article Political donations Rinehart donation triggers WA parliament meltdown after Greens lash backing of right-wing lobbyists Tallentire also claimed that when WA Labor backbenchers began asking for evidence supporting the common line spouted from the Cook government and fossil fuel sector that WAs gas was helping decarbonise Asia the government decided to pull the climate bill introduced in 2023. This was pure pandering to the wishes of vested interests, he said. When faced with the choice between a bill that met the standard set by the federal government, with its legislated independent Climate Change Authority and going to an election with no climate legislation, a situation which suited the gas industry, WA Labor chose the latter. Advertisement Dismissing reasoned argument as ideological purity and relying on the backing of vested interest groups is bad politics. Its a far cry from what Labor really should stand for. Tallentire was Labors environment spokesman before the party was elected to government in 2017 but missed out on a cabinet position. He has previously been highly critical of the changes the Cook government made to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024. He also made a submission to the gas inquiry late last year, criticising the lack of evidence provided for the decarbonisation in Asia claim. A Cook government spokesman did not directly address Tallentires claims about vested interests, but said the climate legislation was under review and the whole Labor caucus was united. Advertisement Since WAs climate legislation was introduced, the way greenhouse gas emissions from industry in WA are regulated has changed, with the Federal Government taking the lead through the strengthened Safeguard Mechanism, the spokesman said. Related Article Mining 8000 appeals: Kimberley fracking plan becomes most contested project in WA history Considering this changed regulatory environment, the state government is taking some time to review the legislation to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for WA. We are focused on ensuring that our approach aligns with the most effective measures available to drive down emissions and support our transition to a decarbonised economy. All state government MPs are united in focusing on the governments priorities of delivering jobs, healthcare, and homes for Western Australians. Advertisement The spokesman said the Cook government had done more than any other government in WAs history to restore the environment, listing its decision to end native logging, getting out of coal by 2030 and expanding the conservation estate. 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 NationalWALocal council Internal emails reveal depth of rift between City of Perths top brass Carla Hildebrandt March 19, 2026 2:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A series of blunt internal emails reveals the depth of tensions between the City of Perths top leadership, with the chief executive warning a rushed council decision was causing much stress among staff, while the lord mayor accused her of actions that undermined council processes. The correspondence captured between October and December 2025, and obtained by this masthead under Freedom of Information laws centres on the tensions within the city following the election of a new council and a controversial workplace culture review. City of Perth Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds (inset, left) and chief executive Michelle Reynolds (right). WAtoday Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds tabled an urgent motion for the workplace review at his first council meeting on November 18, 2025, with councillors given only six minutes notice of the proposal and no opportunity to debate. Chief executive Michelle Reynolds had taken pre-approved leave on November 14. The motion passed, but was criticised from within council and the administration over its legality and lack of consultation, and was later dropped. Advertisement Acting chief executive Peta Mabbs resigned amid the fallout and the matter was referred to Local Government Inspector Tony Brown. Related Article Local council Escalating safety concerns force Perth council vote as Lord Mayor blocks leadership question On November 22, while on leave, Ms Reynolds wrote to councillor Catherine Lezer questioning the urgency of the lord mayors decision to put forward the motion. Responding to an email forwarded by Lezer, Ms Reynolds said there was little information [regarding] rationale particularly for the haste. I am so disappointed I am not able to be present to support the administration I sense the urgency from the [lord mayor] to commence for reasons I am unaware, the CEO wrote. Advertisement ...the leadership team [says] this is causing must (sic) stress and questioning around the new councils view of the city administration. Weeks later, on December 12, the lord mayor responded to a separate email the CEO had sent to councillors. He said the email contained assertions not put to me beforehand and included statements about his conduct that were incorrect, unverified, or based on hearsay. The decision to circulate a lengthy and highly sensitive email to all elected members raises significant concerns regarding judgment, process and impact, he said. Mr Reynolds described the situation as a breakdown in normal professional engagement between himself and the chief executive. Advertisement Other emails lay bare day-to-day friction. On November 12, the lord mayor emailed the chief executive after realising he was due to attend a World Police and Fire Games announcement later that day. Could I please receive a short briefing having this sort of briefing a day or so ahead would help ensure Im fully prepared, he said. The chief executive replied that briefing notes and a speech had already been sent a week earlier and added they had been included in your diary. At any time you would like a briefing we are ready to provide we have been ready since last Wednesday, she wrote. Advertisement The lord mayor replied that he was not being critical, but asked for more proactive briefings for major events. If the executive admin team could look for opportunities to be proactive in arranging one-on-one briefings when appropriate such as in cases like this that would be greatly appreciated, he said. In another email exchange on November 20, councillor Raj Doshi asked the lord mayor if she could speak to the media after a council meeting. Mr Reynolds replied in bold: I do not give permission. Approached for comment about the emails, the lord mayor said they were a professional exchange focused on governance, process and ensuring appropriate protocols and procedural fairness are followed. Advertisement He said while there could be differing views at times, the focus remained on working constructively and delivering for the city. The emails come as the council deals with broader workplace and governance issues. A psychosocial risk report, referenced in the most recent Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee agenda, recommended an experienced mediator repair the relationship between the chief executive and the lord mayor, at a cost of about $17,500. The agenda brief warned governance and elected member support teams were significantly depleted, with eight resignations since August 2025, and said recruitment had been extremely difficult due to adverse publicity about the city. The recruitment challenges are exacerbated by some staff in critical roles taking unanticipated personal leave for extended periods. Advertisement Michelle Reynolds and Catherine Lezer were unable to provide formal comment. 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 NationalWARoad safety Perth drivers take their fight against AI camera fines to court Jenny Schon March 18, 2026 6:41pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Perth motorists who have copped fines after being snapped by AI traffic cameras are taking their fight to court. More than 40,000 fines have been issued in the past six months. Ross Taylor is among many challenging the penalties handed down after being snapped by Perths AI traffic cameras. 9News Perth Perth driver Olivia Wood is contesting the penalty she received after her eight-year-olds seatbelt shuffle was snapped by a camera on the Kwinana Freeway in Salter Point. Wood was hit with eight demerit points and a $550 fine, which almost cost her licence. Advertisement I always make sure that my kids have their seatbelts in at the beginning of the trip and throughout the whole trip, she told 9News Perth. You can actually see her seatbelt is plugged in, she may have momentarily adjusted her knee. The Perth nurse is one of a growing number of motorists who plan to fight their infringements in court. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch maintained his hardline stance on road safety on Wednesday. We want people to make sure at the start of the trip that adults in the car are wearing seatbelts, kids are wearing seatbelts and they continue to do so but that doesnt neglect looking out the windscreen, he said. Advertisement People can do both things at the same time. The Road Safety Commission has also released a video instructing drivers how to strap in. Related Article Updated Police WAs top cop weighs in on AI traffic cameras as the state prepares to double its fleet Ross Taylor, the former chair of the WA branch of the Chartered Institute of Transport, is preparing to go to court, too. Taylor said his granddaughter shifted her seatbelt, landing his daughter in hot water. Advertisement As a single mum with three neurodivergent children, having her car is really fundamental to getting the children to medical appointments, to school, he said. Taylor has started an email account to help others in the same situation, and has so far received about 200 responses. Absolutely 100 per cent of the people that have made contact with me, in every occasion, they acted honestly and reasonably at the beginning of the journey to make sure their passengers were correctly buckled in and also throughout the journey the passenger was completely and continuously bucked in, he said. Among them is a front-seat passenger with a shoulder injury wearing their seatbelt off to the site, which saw the driver hit with eight demerit points and a $550 fine. Meanwhile, a new mother with mastitis who moved the seatbelt off her sore chest was caught twice and slapped with $1100 in fines. Advertisement The Road Safety Commission is reviewing WAs AI camera legislation and penalties, with recommendations expected next year. Related Article Road safety WA drivers vent frustrations as new AI traffic cameras pick up costly mistakes In the meantime, lawyers are preparing to challenge this spate of seatbelt fines in court. Perella Legal barrister and solicitor Tom Dellar said they had been approached by a group with more than 80 potential clients aggrieved by their fines and wanting to explore their legal options. The cameras only capture a single moment in time, Dellar said. Advertisement If the driver honestly believed their passenger was properly belted up and it was reasonable for the driver to believe that then they may have a defence. However, Blanch remained firm: one in five deaths on WA roads is seatbelt-related, and 2026 began with Perths highest road deaths in years. Wear it properly, the police commissioner said. Its designed a certain way by very smart people, much smarter than me, that its worn without a twist, so it can best save your life. 9News Perth 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 Travel newsAir travel Worlds best airport named as Melbourne tops list for Australia Craig Platt March 19, 2026 7:11am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Singapores Changi Airport has been named the worlds best for a second consecutive year, its 14th win at the annual World Airline Awards. Changis chief rival for the top slot, Dohas Hamad International, which was runner-up last year, withdrew from the awards at the last minute, citing the closure of airspace around Qatar due to the current conflict in the region. Singapores Changi has topped the list of worlds best airports for the 14th time. The airport posted a statement saying it was withdrawing from all external exhibitions, conferences, industry events and awards programs during this period, including the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2026 and the Passenger Terminal Expo 2026, London due to the war. Doha has won the top award three times this decade, after it was dominated by Changi in the 2010s. Advertisement Other affected airports in the region remained in the rankings, with Dubai International (the worlds busiest airport for international traffic in 2025) named at No.13, Bahrain at No.20 and Abu Dhabi at No.23. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Former winner Hamad International Airport withdrew from the awards at the last minute. iStock Melbourne again topped the list for Australian airports, coming in at number 21 overall, well ahead of Sydney (52) and Brisbane (40). Other Australian airports in the top 100 were Perth (58), Adelaide (72) and Gold Coast (81). The awards were announced in London at airport design exhibition PTE World. The awards are based on customer satisfaction surveys and cover 575 airports worldwide. Changi won several other awards, including Best Airport Dining and Best Airport Immigration Service. The airport has seen a surge in traffic from passengers travelling between Australia and Europe due to the airspace closures affecting the major Persian Gulf hubs. Data from Flight Centre Travel Group found booking volumes for trips between Australia and Europe via Changi had surged 38 per cent since early March, shortly after the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Advertisement Advertisement The award for most improved airport went to Saudi Arabias Riyadh King Khalid International, which climbed from No.24 to No.14 in the rankings following the upgrade of its international terminal. The country has big plans to become the next major hub in the region, with the full launch of new airline Riyadh Air expected this year and a rapid expansion to 98 destinations (including, at some stage, Australia). Worlds best airports 2026 Singapore Changi Seoul Incheon Tokyo Haneda Hong Kong Tokyo Narita Paris CDG Rome Fiumicino Istanbul Munich Vancouver Helsinki-Vantaa Chubu Centrair International Dubai International Riyadh King Khalid International Vienna International London Heathrow Amsterdam Schiphol Fukuoka International Zurich Bahrain Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Air travel Singapore Craig Platt is the digital editor of Traveller and has had responsibility for the travel content on the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAtoday digital products since 2007. He has worked in journalism for more than 25 years. Craig has a strong interest in aviation and airlines, as well as wildlife tourism and (increasingly) family travel. He has visited every continent, including once visiting six of the seven in a single year (he missed Africa). The Iranian mens soccer team is continuing to prepare for the FIFA World Cup and have no intention of pulling out of the tournament even if they will not travel to the United States, soccer chief Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday. Iran was one of the first nations to qualify for the tournament, but their participation has been in doubt since the conflict began in late February. The Iranian womens soccer team arriving home overnight Australian time. Internet The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 and is being staged in the US, Mexico and Canada. Team Melli are scheduled to play all three of their opening-round group matches in the US but Taj said on Monday the Iranian FA (FFIRI) was negotiating with FIFA to have them moved to Mexico. Edition 2 Building Capacity for Lasting Change The WCO is pleased to present the second edition of our newsletter to share the news, insights and updates that showcase how the WCO brings Customs together for a safer, more prosperous and sustainable world. In this edition we focus on one of the core functions of the WCOs mission to build capacity to foster an environment that facilitates legitimate trade, ensures fair revenue collections and protects society. Happy reading! 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. WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders set the scene in his keynote address stating 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. Read more about the discussions held under the theme The Impact Imperative: Exploring Ways to Measure and Communicate Capacity-Building Success. WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders opens the 17th session of the Capacity Building Committee in Brussels, Belgium. Attendees explore and exchange information on various capacity building projects. The WCO created a Performance Measurement Mechanism (PMM) that outlines the methodology that Customs Administrations can use to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of all Customs competencies. Members are using PMM as a strategic asset that supports modernization, enhances performance and improves service delivery across the Customs Administration. The PMM is seen as an essential tool for the global Customs community to strengthen evidence-based performance measurement. To support Members, the WCO developed KPIs, tools and guidelines to support the development and reporting on PMM initiatives. In December 2025, during the last meeting of the Performance Measurement Mechanism Project Team (PMMPT), the WCO launched the second cycle of its PMM and invited its Members to participate in the self-assessment phase. This self-assessment phase aims to empower Customs administrations to enhance their strategic decision-making by providing them with a comprehensive and standardized assessment framework, covering the full spectrum of Customs competencies. All WCO Members are invited to actively participate in the self-assessment phase of this second cycle by submitting their data via the PMM Platform. To learn more, visit the WCOs PMM Platform and check out the WCOs introductory video. PMM | Home The WCO Performance Measurement Mechanism on YouTube Now in its second phase, the SECOWCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP-II) supports Customs administrations in implementing sustainable trade facilitation reforms aligned with international standards. Funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the programme provides targeted capacity building, technical assistance, and peer-to-peer collaboration to strengthen Customs systems and improve border management. Currently active in Colombia, El Salvador, Moldova, Morocco, Peru, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan, the programme works closely with national authorities and stakeholders to enhance Customs procedures, supply chain integrity, risk management, data governance, and digital interoperability in line with international standards set by the WCO. GTFP Phase II Beneficiaries Through workshops, technical missions, and regional exchanges, GTFP-II supports Members in improving operational efficiency, strengthening Customsbusiness partnerships, and adopting data-driven and coordinated border management approaches. These efforts ultimately contribute to more transparent, predictable, and efficient trade processes, benefiting governments, businesses, and economies by facilitating legitimate trade, improving compliance, and supporting sustainable economic growth. To learn more about the GTFP, visit the programme page. WCO-SECO GTFP-II Missions and workshops to advance trade facilitation WCO Members Celebrate International Customs Day 2026 On 26 January, Customs administrations worldwide proudly celebrated International Customs Day. This years WCO theme Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment invited the Customs community to shine a spotlight on the crucial role Customs play in the safety and well-being of societies and on the dedicated professionals who support this mission. From awareness campaigns to ceremonies honouring frontline officers, each WCO Member administration shared its own way of celebrating this special day. International Customs Day commemorates the inaugural meeting, in 1953, of the Customs Cooperation Council (now WCO). See Members celebrations The WCO will soon be launching a series of webinars that will explore priority areas reflecting major and evolving risks to societal protection and the multidimensional challenges faced by Customs and partner agencies in an increasingly complex global trade environment. Topics will focus on: Combating drug trafficking, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl (30 April registration information coming soon!) Countering illicit financial flows and antimoney laundering Strengthening supply chain integrity Enhancing security focusing on trafficking in weapons, materials of mass destruction and small arms and explosives Addressing environmental crime Registration will be open to all details will be posted on the WCO website and social media channels in the coming days. GlobalDatas latest report, 'Renewable Energy' is among the latest strategic intelligence reports from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialist. The report provides an industry analysis of the renewable energy market, its growing demand and how it is disrupting power utilities and the power sector. The report focuses on the trends related to renewable energy as a theme in technology, macroeconomic and regulatory trends. The report briefs on detailed analysis of the renewable energy value chain. The report is built as a single theme offering in-depth research using data and information sourced from industry associations, company websites, government websites, and statutory bodies. The information is also sourced through other secondary research sources such as industry and trade magazines. Global renewable energy installed capacity is set to expand at a rapid pace over the next five years, driven by the high scalability of solar PV deployment, persistent cost deflation, and increasingly robust policy tailwinds. Worldwide renewable installed capacity is forecast to more than double, from 4.1TW in 2025 to 8.4TW by 2031, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% during the period. Worldwide renewable capacity reached a new peak in 2025, with the AsiaPacific (APAC) region dominating wind installations at 699.5GW and solar PV capacity at 1,550GW, led by China. Across much of the worldagain anchored by Chinarenewable investment and capacity additions continue to accelerate to record levels, while the US enters a phase defined by higher costs, increased volatility, and slower project delivery. Solar PV and wind will remain pivotal to the renewables transition globally. In 2025, solar PV emerged as the largest source of renewable electricity generation, surpassing wind. GlobalData estimates wind output at 2,770TWh in 2025, compared to 2,800TWh from solar PV. PV deployment in China is scaling rapidly, driven by carbonneutrality objectives, expansive investment throughout the supply chain, and sharp cost reductions that have positioned solar among the cheapest sources of electricity. China alone generated 1,150TW, accounting for around 41% of global solar PV output last year. The US and India followed, generating 486TWh and 189TWh, respectively. In both countries, solar PV output is rising rapidly, supported by steep cost reductions, increasingly enabling policy regimesmost notably the US Inflation Reduction Act and Indias flagship solar missionsand a strengthening imperative to decarbonise national power systems. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) Her husband was killed in the Old National Bank shooting. Since that day, Maryanne Elliott creates light in the darkness. "When things in life happen that are tragic to us, where is there that opportunity to bring more love and light to the world," Elliott asks. That question became her answer: StoryFest. The initiative helps local nonprofit leaders tell their stories and turn those stories into impact. "When you tell a good story, it really helps people move and act and give," Elliott said. Participants work with professionals to shape their stories, then take the stage in front of hundreds. The first StoryFest was held on the anniversary of the tragedy, reclaiming a painful day into one of purpose. Each nonprofit also receives grants from the Tommy Elliott Fund. "He loved this community, and he believed deeply in the people in it," Elliott said. Organizers say the initiative is already making an impact. After last years event, participating nonprofits reported measurable growth, including more than $82,000 raised, 87 new individual donors and 10 new board members recruited. Nonprofits from last years cohort also gained nearly 100 new donors and raised more than $80,000 after the event. This years cohort includes leaders from Change Today Change Tomorrow, La Casita Center, Family & Childrens Place, Hip Hop Into Learning, The Center for Women and Families, the Louisville Metro Police Foundation and Gildas Club Kentuckiana. The organizations represent a range of community needs, including youth development, public safety, family support, health care, food access and immigrant services. Elliott says the grief will always be there, but her life is growing around it. "The chair still sits empty and the garage door doesnt go up, but on the other side I have other things that happen in my life that his love and his belief in me and our relationship supports, and StoryFest is one of those," she said. She believes spring is a time of hope and renewal and encourages others to choose to do good with what they have. StoryFest is on April 2 at the Ali Center. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the program begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are on sale now. Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. May corn (ZCK26) futures on Friday rose 4 3/4 cents to $4.67 1/4 and closed at a 10-month high. For the week, May corn was up 6 3/4 cents.May soybeans (ZSK26) fell 2 cents to $12.25 1/4 but for the week rose 24 1/2 cents. May soybean meal (ZMK26) rose $2.50 to $322.70 on Friday, closed at a 3.5-month-high, and for the week was up $5.50. May bean oil (ZLK26) rose 2 points to 67.44 cents and for the week was up 86 points. May soft red winter wheat (ZWK26) on Friday rose 15 1/4 cents to $6.13 3/4 but for the week was down 3 cents. May HRW wheat (KEK26) rose 16 1/2 cents to $6.30, nearer the daily high and closed at a nine-month high close. For the week, May HRW was up 6 1/2 cents. Corn and Soybean Markets Leading the Charge Higher May corn futures saw the fourth consecutive technically bullish weekly high close on a Friday, suggesting follow-through price strength early this week from the chart-based speculators. The recent gains in corn, soybeans, and to a lesser degree, wheat, have been especially impressive given the keener risk aversion in the general marketplace amid the war in Iran. More News from Barchart www.barchart.com Corn and soybean traders will continue to closely monitor growing conditions for South American crops. While there are some dry spots in Brazil and Argentina corn and soybean regions, no major production losses are expected. The late-March USDA planting intentions report is coming more into focus, with spiking fertilizer prices and availability bringing a new twist for corn. There will potentially be fewer corn acres this year, which would mean more soybean acres. While acreage shifts are likely to some degree, they may be limited by rotational practices and general preferences toward growing corn over soybeans. The soybean and bean oil markets last Friday saw some needed chart consolidation following their recent good gains. Fridays technically bullish weekly high close in soybean meal futures is also encouraging to the soybean market bulls. Soybean traders are keeping a close eye on shipments out of Brazil. Some soybean cargoes from top exporter Brazil have failed to clear the countrys own sanitary inspections, raising concerns about potential disruptions at a crucial time for trade with China, Bloomberg reported. A number of cargoes didnt pass sanitary checks held at ports in the past few days, according to people familiar with the issues, who didnt want to be identified as details are not public, said the report. A man with a history of domestic violence against his wife faces a prison term. Mohammad Ahmed, aged 49, of Ellison Street, Castlebar, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting his wife. Gda Ciara Brennan told the court that the attack happened at the family home at Cois Abhainn, Castlebar on March 8, 2024. His wife had questioned her husbands drinking that morning and Ahmed dragged her along the floor by her hair. He punched his wife and put his hands around her neck in an attempt to choke her. Ahmed left the property when Gardai were called. Photographs showing marks to the victims neck and around her right eye were taken by officers. The couples two young sons were present in the house at the time of the assault. Ahmed was arrested later that evening at Tulsi Indian restaurant. He gave a no comment interview. The court heard the couple are married over 20 years and Ahmed had taken ownership of the Indian restaurant at the time. He sustained injuries in an explosion there in January 2025. The court was told there were eight domestic incidents reported at the home since 2022 and Ahmed has one previous conviction for a similar offence. He was serving a suspended jail sentence when he assaulted his wife again. The victim withdrew her statement of complaint but the Director of Public Prosecutions proceeded with the case. The court heard the Bangladeshi native came to Ireland in 1999 and previously worked as a chef and restaurant owner. Judge Eoin Garavan said Ahmed had received a suspended jail term but could not resist resorting to violence again". He noted the bandages on the mans hands following the restaurant explosion. It may benefit the victim that his hands arent in good condition, Judge Garavan commented. He said the offence merits a custodial term and remanded Ahmed in jail until July 1 for sentencing. There has been some media reaction to a recent comment made by Bishop Niall Coll of Raphoe diocese (thats Donegal, mainly). Until recently Bishop Niall was bishop of Ossory (Kilkenny, mainly) and he was moved back to his native diocese to facilitate the impending merger of Ossory and Ferns (Wexford, mainly). Bishop Coll was speaking at the launch of a book entitled Transformative Renewal in the Catholic Church by a Catholic theologian John OBrien - and the bishop had some unusual and unexpected comments to make on young people and on the implications of their changing attitudes to religion to which he attached some significance and, I would suggest, to which he attributed unwarranted credence. Cynics and the world weary might smile patronisingly at any suggestion that the consistently varying opinions of young people deserved such attention as the young almost by definition can change their minds from Tuesdays to Thursdays. But, in this enlightened age when attentive listening and respecting the views of all the baptised are now central to present church reforms, such a ritual dismissal is now unacceptable and rightly so. The following, as I understand it, is Bishop Colls thesis. First, young people in Ireland today, he said those born after 1995 (those under 30 now) who have been dubbed the I-Generation are seeking from the Catholic Church what he called clarity, coherence and tradition rather than wanting the Church to adapt to the modern world as Church reformers are currently suggesting. Second, there are groups of young people who would like the Church to go back to the past who, he said, want a solid doctrinal foundation rather than a Church that adapts to modern culture. I was surprised both at the content and the confidence of Bishop Colls thesis as it is the mirror opposite of the given wisdom of our time. Ask anyone who works with and listens to young people today - for example parents, teachers, youth chaplains - as to what young people are saying and who actually hear them explain the kind of Church that they want to belong to and its not what Bishop Coll was suggesting. Its the very opposite. Young people in my experience - generally but not always - want a very different kind of Church: a Church thats accepting of life and culture in the modern world; that respects developments in science; and above all thats open to change and reform. Most young people, in my experience, are mesmerised by the Catholic Churchs refusal to accept the equality of the sexes and to reject what seems to them as embarrassing strains of misogyny and the present ritual patriarchal diminishment of women. But to be fair to Bishop Coll, he believes that the i-Generation today are changing their views. The problem is that the numbers that are doing so are very small and often these young people are very removed from the perspective of their peers and even sometimes their families. Thus, religion and church become places to take refuge from the world rather than where they can source wisdom and courage to engage positively with life. Many too have been drawn into the web of social media platforms with similar like-minded contemporaries who affirm them in their fears of the world as well as confirm their belief that a traditional church that existed in the past is a far safer, more secure and more authentic place than engaging with the modern world and searching out a faith that speaks to present day life. Young people often gravitate to other like-minded traditional peer groups - conservatively-inclined bishops, priests and laity - who share the same perspectives and often promote them through strong religious devotions of the past such as Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and youth pilgrimages - with others more technically engaged with religious influencers, podcasts and YouTube videos. And out of those bubbles can emanate persistent demands for a church out of sync with the vision of the Second Vatican Council and very much in keeping with what Bishop Coll describes above. Its not surprising that such groups often feed on one another, are often dominated by evangelical-minded individuals and that an unusual number of them can be found north of the border. Though few in number and effectively of fringe influence, they are often quoted as emblematic examples of a gathering conspiracy to inflict a pre-Vatican Two Church on an unsuspecting Church. Bishop Colls apparent suggestion that the present officially church-sponsored campaign to introduce synodality into the Catholic Church be replaced by a hybrid involving a coherence with tradition seems, with respect, out of kilter with the reforming focus on the introduction of synodality, in Cardinal Grechs words, at every level of the Church'. Weve had synods about synodality. Weve an ongoing campaign encouraging priests and people to support it. Pope Francis said it was the only way of being church in the third millennium. Pope Leo has agreed and underlined his intention to introduce it. And at present the main focus of the Irish Catholic Church is preparing for a National Synodal Assembly in Meath on October 17 next. Yet here, it would seem, is Bishop Coll suggesting that Catholic leaders often misread the room - in other words implying that they often get it wrong. An unusual plinth for a bishop to find himself occupying in our church when no other Irish bishop has to date raised even an eyebrow of doubt in relation to the present synodality campaign. It seems to me that hes placing himself on the wrong side of history in seeming to go against the introduction of the reforms of Vatican Two. And placing it on very shaky foundations - what a small percentage of young people think - isnt very convincing. In particular, Bishop Colls proposal integrating synodality with tradition in order to satisfy a small minority of young people makes no sense and is probably unimplementable - apart from derailing the synodality project entirely. We can do better than this. Grant Thornton UK has named David Gartside as its new chief digital officer, with effect from 1 April. Gartside will be part of the companys Strategic Leadership Team as it rolls out a 500m ($667.61m) multi-year programme aimed at overhauling how it serves clients through digital channels and technology. In his new role, Gartside will be responsible for setting and executing the companys digital direction. His mandate covers digital innovation, enterprise-wide technology and data strategy, with a focus on embedding AI, data analytics, automation and modern platforms into day-to-day work with clients. Grant Thornton UK CEO Malcolm Gomersall said: Davids appointment is a significant step in delivering the experience our clients expect. His expertise in building modern, intuitive digital strategies will help us create more connected, seamless interactions and better equip our people to support clients in the moments that matter most. We are delighted to welcome him to the leadership team. Gartside has more than 25 years experience in senior technology roles. He joins from McKinsey & Company, where he was part of the Technology Ecosystem leadership. Before McKinsey, Gartside served as product solutions leader at Google, where he contributed to strategy and the development of tools for human resources (HR) and legal operations. He also worked as a partner at Accenture, acting as Global HR and Talent Practice lead and advising C-suite executives on integrating new technologies and digital practices. Gartside added: Grant Thornton has a bold and compelling digital vision, and I am thrilled to be joining at such a pivotal moment. Technology is fundamentally changing how professional services are delivered. I am looking forward to working with colleagues across the firm to launch and land the digital capabilities that will define the next phase of Grant Thorntons growth. "Grant Thornton UK appoints David Gartside as chief digital officer" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Mostly cloudy; a dry start, but showers becoming more likely towards later afternoon and evening. . Tonight Cloudy skies with some rain showers likely overnight, especially before midnight. British pub operator Greene King is considering divesting approximately 150 of its managed locations, The Mirror reported. Simultaneously, the company is also weighing the transfer of a further 150 pubs to a tenanted arrangement, after identifying a total of 300 locations it believes would be better served under different models. The business has not named the pubs that could be affected. However, those earmarked for change are expected to be placed into a dedicated unit while any transition takes place. The publication added that Greene King has also identified a small proportion of pubs for closure. These account for fewer than 2% of its managed pubs. The group operates 1,500 managed venues across brands such as Greene King pubs, as well as Chef and Brewer, Farmhouse Inns, Flaming Grill and Hungry Horse. It also has around 1,000 leased, tenanted and franchise locations. Reshaping of its pub business is intended to release funds that can be redirected into its core pub portfolio. The British pub operator also plans a 35m ($46.7m) digital programme aimed at enhancing customer loyalty. Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie was quoted by The Mirror as saying: We are confident that our new pub estate strategy will set us up to deliver sustainable, profitable growth for the long-term as consumer habits continue to evolve and the operating environment remains dynamic. The realignment of our estate which leverages our strategically important Pub Partners business enables us to play to the strengths of our brands, capitalise on our investment in digital and loyalty, invest effectively in our core portfolio and most importantly continue to deliver exceptional experiences for our customers. "Greene King weighs sale of 150 pubs report" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. Fresh off his Best Actor win at the Academy Awards, Michael B. Jordan marked the moment in true Hollywood fashion with a late-night stop at In-N-Out Burger, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The actor, who took home the award for his role in the vampire-blues film Sinners, was spotted still dressed in his sleek black red-carpet suit as he enjoyed a cheeseburger with his Oscar statuette placed proudly on the table. Smiling for fans and cameras, Jordan even signed paper hats for restaurant staff, turning the casual meal into a celebratory moment. Photos suggest the star opted for In-N-Outs famous 3x3 burger perhaps a well-earned indulgence after the long awards ceremony. Despite the laid-back setting, the visit was anything but private, as crowds of photographers and excited fans gathered around the restaurant to catch a glimpse of the newly crowned Oscar winner. Jordan joins a long list of Hollywood stars who have made post-Oscars fast food runs part of their tradition. Back in 2005, Hilary Swank celebrated her Best Actress win for Million Dollar Baby with a stop at Astro Burger, still wearing her evening gown. Meanwhile, Julia Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis have also been seen grabbing In-N-Out after Oscars appearances in recent years. The connection between Hollywoods biggest night and the iconic burger chain runs deep. The annual afterparty hosted by Vanity Fair has reportedly served In-N-Out burgers since 1994, cementing the fast food staple as an unofficial Oscars-night tradition. From red carpets to drive-thrus, Jordans celebratory stop highlights a beloved post-ceremony ritualwhere even the biggest stars trade fine dining for comfort food after Hollywoods most glamorous night. The energy transition was the first trend to put the electric grid in the spotlight. Built for baseload generation rather than a swarm of wind and solar installations scattered all over the country, the grid and its expansion to incorporate more wind and solar became the main topic of transition discussions. Then came AI, and the conversation suddenly became really urgent. There is one pressing question, however. Who will pay for that expansion? The U.S. electricity grid, like all national grids, was built out in the first half of the 20th century. According to critics, little has been done on it since then, making the grid as it is unsuitable for modern energy demand and supply trends. On the supply side, there are the wind and solar installations that do not behave like baseload power plants and need new transmission lines to connect to demand centersa problem especially acute in European countries. On the demand side, there is Big Tech and its data centers that are already straining the grids capacity and are about to strain it even further. Big Tech majors have in recent months announced plans to spend a collective $600 billion in their artificial intelligence business this year alone, Reuters Ron Bousso noted in a recent analysis of the electricity needs of the industry and the challenges it faces in finding this electricityand the grid being able to supply it. This is a massive amount of money being committed to a business that seems to require more electricity than there is readily availableand consumers are feeling the pinch in their monthly bills. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race Opposition against data centers has been growing among people in states with high concentrations of such facilities as they drive electricity prices higher. State governments and Washington have in response been mulling over ways to reduce the burden on voters, with President Trump earlier this year suggesting Big Tech build their own power plants. We have an old grid. It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that's needed. So I'm telling them, they can build their own plant. They're going to produce their own electricity. It will ensure the company's ability to get electricity, while at the same time, lowering prices of electricity for you, the U.S. president said in February. The idea of making Big Tech take care of its own electricity supply has been around for a while now, as electricity demand soars and bills follow. Big Tech firms are requesting a supply of hundreds of gigawatts of power for data centers as they connect to the U.S. grid. Power utilities, meanwhile, are allocating billions of dollars on grid expansion in response to the AI-driven surge in demand. Again, the question arises, who will pay for that expansion? Passing the cost on to customers is standard practice for any business, but there is a limit to which an additional cost can be passed on to customers before those customers rebel. This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Harps Food Stores is set to enter Tennessee and Kentucky with the acquisition of 18 stores from the owners of independent grocer Dyer Foods. The transaction, which Harps expects to finalize this summer, includes 17 locations in Western Tennessee and one location in Kentucky. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This deal is the latest step in Harps expansion strategy of acquiring independent grocery stores in states surrounding its home state of Arkansas. Dive Insight: Harps said Dyer Foods informed employees that its banners, employment and operations across western Tennessee will continue with minimal change or disruption. The stores included in the transaction operate in small towns throughout Western Tennessee, fitting with Harps growth strategy focused on rural markets. The transaction also includes a store in Fulton, Kentucky. We are excited to be able to acquire these stores from the Hays Family, Kim Eskew, chairman and CEO of Harps, said in a statement. We love small stores in small towns and these stores fit our strategy perfectly. We have the greatest respect for what the Hays family and their staff have been able to accomplish and look forward to having this great group of people join our company. Harps footprint has expanded significantly over the past several years through transactions like this latest one, creating a significant regional grocery player. Last year, the company acquired 10 stores in Oklahoma, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported, and, a few years before that, the company moved into Louisiana and Mississippi through a seven-store acquisition, according to local Arkansas TV station 5News. In early 2020, Harps picked up 20 locations in Northeast Arkansas and Missouri from Town and Country Grocers. Harps has also purchased single locations through the years, including stores it acquired last year in Fairfield Bay and Mena, Arkansas, according to The Shelby Report. All told, Harps has nearly doubled its footprint over the past six years or so. Once this latest deal is complete, it will operate 178 stores across eight states. Recommended Reading Universities, institutional autonomy and the global knowledge commons With global uncertainty, universities remain one of our greatest intellectual assets. It must draw on the best global minds but keep an eye on social redress. We live through precarious times in a world that scholars increasingly describe as a polycrisis the convergence of climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical instability and conflicts, technological disruption, unemployment and social inequality, among other risks. These are major global challenges that cannot be solved in isolation and that require the public and private sectors, academia and civil society to collaborate across disciplines, institutions, sectors and borders in order to tackle the enormity of these problems. Higher education institutions exist to generate new knowledge, to encourage critical thinking and to enable the free exchange of ideas across physical and intellectual disciplines and cultures. In this sense, universities are not merely national institutions but rather a part of a global knowledge commons. Internationalisation is therefore not an optional add-on to higher education. It is foundational to the modern university. From the earliest centres of learning in Alexandria and Timbuktu to medieval European universities and contemporary global research networks, scholarship has always depended on the circulation of talent and ideas. Knowledge advances when scholars collaborate across disciplines, countries and intellectual traditions. This is particularly true in an era of complex global challenges. The development of clean energy technologies, of artificial intelligence and emergent quantum technologies and the advancement of the health sciences all require international collaboration and the best expertise that the world has to offer. No single country or institution can solve these challenges alone. A great example of such collaboration was South Africas approach to tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. Our leading researchers collaborated with their counterparts across the world to develop new vaccines and led the way in sequencing the Omicron variant. Data scientists and epidemiologists helped model the spread of infection to guide policy responses. Academics collaborated on prevention, education and treatment options and, through partnerships with government and civil society, helped to save millions of lives. In particular, our academics and researchers formed part of the global knowledge commons and were able to collaborate with partners across the Global South and Global North, contributing to international scientific and intellectual debates while remaining deeply rooted in African realities, proving why it is important to have strong local institutions with global reach. These achievements were possible because of open scientific exchange and international collaboration. Similarly, South Africas leadership in fields such as HIV/Aids research, astronomy through the Square Kilometre Array, and emerging technologies such as green hydrogen depends on the global circulation of knowledge and talent. Universities must attract the best expertise in the world, whether those scholars come from South Africa or elsewhere. In many cases, South African academics who emigrated have returned through global collaborations, contributing to the academy and reversing elements of the brain drain. Internationalisation also enriches the intellectual life of universities. The diversity of people, ideas, pedagogies and experiences strengthens scholarship. Scholars from different countries and disciplines bring new perspectives that deepen debate and expand understanding. Universities thrive when they are places where ideas move freely and intellectual disagreement is welcomed. Having said this, there are some who are of the view that universities are using the internationalisation narrative to avoid their obligation to historical redress, while others believe that an employment equity discourse may crudely and expediently be appropriated and deployed by some to mobilise support based on narrow ethno-nationalist politics. It is also deeply disappointing when public discourse begins to slide into xenophobic narratives that frame international scholars and students as threats rather than contributors. Such popular rhetoric misunderstands the nature of universities and the global ecosystem of knowledge in which they operate. Universities are, by definition, international spaces of inquiry, not just in Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas, but across all disciplines. Universities must be able to pursue knowledge and the truth without fear or political interference. History provides sobering lessons about what happens when that autonomy is threatened. During the apartheid era, many academics and students, including some from Wits University, stood courageously against injustice, often at great personal risk. Universities became intellectual sites of resistance where some scholars challenged the moral foundations of apartheid. Here at Wits, Bheki Mlangeni (a lawyer and activist killed by a parcel bomb) paid with his life for the struggle for justice, as did Dr David Webster (an academic) and many others. Globally, universities have endured through some of the darkest chapters of human history. Historic institutions such as Heidelberg and Gottingen survived and outlived the Nazi tyranny. Universities outlast rulers, governments and political fashions because their purpose is larger and longer than any single moment of political power and other temporary masters of their time. For more than a century, universities like Wits have weathered profound national transformations. It has seen the rise and fall of apartheid, the birth of democracy and the continuing evolution of South African society. Throughout this history, the university, albeit not perfect on all fronts, has sought to uphold the values of intellectual freedom and diversity, critical inquiry and institutional independence and an unremitting commitment to excellence. These values are not negotiable. Universities must remain open spaces for debate, inquiry and the pursuit of truth. They must also remain globally connected institutions that draw on the best minds from across the world while remaining firmly anchored in the societies that they serve. Internationalisation, of course, must be balanced with the important directive of social redress in a country like ours. South Africas higher education system is widely respected across the world, and we should hold on strongly to some of the jewels of our nation in order to guarantee the future of those that follow. Our universities have demonstrated that they can work constructively with the state, the private sector and civil society in moments of national crisis while maintaining their independence as institutions of scholarship. In this time of global uncertainty, universities remain one of our greatest intellectual assets. We must continue to create new knowledge and innovation, develop ethical leaders from different walks of life, encourage critical thinking, impact society and exchange knowledge across intellectual, pedagogical and physical boundaries to advance our economy, our democracy and our ability to address the great challenges of our time. Professor Zeblon Vilakazi is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University. The article was first published in the TimesLive. When empowerment becomes elite enrichment The reality is, the former majority ANC governments BEE strategies have largely benefited a small group of well-connected black and white individuals. Since the early 1990s, forty-six (46) largely politically connected individuals secured 60% of all the black economic empowerment (BEE) mining, becoming billionaires or multimillionaires overnight. This is according to a 2015 research report completed for the Chamber of Mines. The report was not publicly released but compiled as a background document for the Chambers mining charter discussions. Peter Major, the mining analyst said a combination of Mineral Resources Department incompetence, deteriorating state infrastructure, corruption, nationalisation threats, and mining value-destroying BEE strategies, have cost South Africa over 500 000 mining jobs. The Bureau for Economic Research, using narrow government data shows there has been a loss of over 300 000 mining jobs since the early 1990s. BEE has taken many different forms. In the private sector, it involves transferring shares in white-owned private companies to previously disadvantaged individuals. In the public sector, national, provincial, and municipal governments, and state-owned entities compel white firms contracting with the state to have BEE shareholding. In the immediate post-1994 privatisation of state-owned companies, BEE was a key requirement for privatisation sales. The reality is, the former majority ANC governments BEE strategies have largely benefited a small group of well-connected black and white individuals, whether ANC leaders or ANC-aligned trade union leaders or companies, trusts and entities linked to them. Intermediaries, whether the law firms transaction brokers and financiers, structuring BEE deals have also richly benefited. Some white owned companies have also benefited from striking repeat BEE deals with the same politically connected black BEE partners. Off course, there has been broad-based empowerment transactions, where ordinary employees received shares following BEE transactions. However, often, even in such transactions, particular connected leading individuals would often receive the bulk of the BEE benefits. Even, when BEE deals are successful in transferring shares to individual previously disadvantaged communities, who are not politically connected, these are rarely financially rewarding. BEE shares are often locked for years, shareholders often do not get dividends, and when they do get BEE dividend payments, these are heavily taxed. Nevertheless, by providing the capital for shares, and not productive assets, is a loss to economy. In 2000, public procurement rules were introduced for BEE in public procurement. South Africa now spends almost R1 trillion on public procurement annually, accounting for 12% of GDP. Significant volumes of this are BEE spent. Testifying at the Zondo Commission, National Treasurys then acting Chief Procurement Officer Willie Mathebula said as an example, in the 2017 financial year, the national procurement bill was R800 billion. Mathebula told the Zondo Commission, more than 50% of the governments annual procurement budget was lost due to intentional abuse of the system, which included manipulation of BEE rules for personal benefit. Off course, incompetence, mismanagement, and corruption are also responsible for the losses. State entities, such as the Public Investment Corporation provide significant BEE funding. The PIC in its 2023-2026 corporate plan, envisaged it would allocate over 70% of its approved funds to BEE Managers. One of the PICs funds, its Isibaya Fund, with over R170bn, holds unlisted investments, funds BEE, such as the Daybreak Foods, in which the PIC invested at least R1.7-billion since 2015. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana last year announced a new enquiry into allegations of misconduct into the PICs unlisted funds. In the 2005 privatisation of Telkom, the Elephant BEE consortium acquired an estimated R9-billion stake in Telkom. Key figures in the Elephant Consortium, led by politically connected individuals such as former Communications Department Director-General Andile Ngcaba and former head in the ANC Presidency Smuts Ngonyama, pocketed more than R3 billion from the sale of its BEE shares in Telkom and Vodacom, and another R1.4 billion in dividends. In the public sector, state capture has often happened through BEE. Evidence presented to the Zondo evidence reported that the Gupta connected companies secured over R57bn in the state BEE deals. State owned infrastructure entities, such as Eskom and Transnet were key sites of state capture, which happened through BEE, public procurement, and cadre deployments. In just one transaction example, Hitachi Power Africa, of which the ANCs investment arm Chancellor House owned 25%, secured around R38bn to build boilers for Medupi and Kusile power stations. The ever-rising costs of building the two stations increased Eskom debt, from R40bn in 2007, to over R400bn in 2024. The fiscus has bailed out Eskom to close to half a trillion rand between 2008 and 2026. The South African Reserve Bank said that Eskoms load-shedding, as a result of failures cause by the combination of patronage BEE, cadre deployment linked mismanagement and corruption, cost the South African economy R1bn a day. The failure of South Africas state rail and port entity, Transnet in 2023 cost the economy R353bn, the equivalent of 4.9% of GDP in 2023. Transnets failure is estimated to the costs South Africas economy around R1billon per day in lost economic output. Swifambo Rail Leasing was established as a BEE company specially to serve as a local front for Spanish railway company Vossloh Espana, to secure the 2012 Prasa contract worth R3.5 billion for the supply of locomotives. Corruption, mismanagement, and the manipulation of BEE contracts are key reasons for South Africas water crisis. As a case in point, tenderpreneur Edwin Sodis Blackhead Consulting, has been fingered in irregular BEE contracts amounting to more than R4 billion. It received a contract to upgrade the Rooiwal wastewater in Tshwane in 2023, but failed to do the work, which contributed to a deadly cholera outbreak in 2023 that killed 29 people. Manipulation of BEE has also been a key reason for lack of service delivery in the health sector. At Tembisa hospital, BEE tenderpreneurs secured R4bn in contracts, corruptly, and delivering very little. If BEE was supposedly successful, it has been success for the few, not broad-based success, as it was intended to do. BEE that involves giving shareholding of existing companies to black political capitalists does not expand the economy but reinforce the concentration of the South African economy. BEE political capitalists who set up companies to get a specific government tender, even if they have no experience, capacity or finances to do so, are partially responsible for endemic public service delivery failures. BEE that has focused on giving slices of white companies to politically connected non-whites has collapsed both black and white legitimate businesses who are not politically connected who have lost out on new or existing contracts as instant political capitalists companies take their state contracts or licences. It has stifled black entrepreneurship. It has a created a culture of using political connectedness, rather than merit or ability to generate wealth or entrepreneurship. It has encouraged the proliferation of middle-men and women who are connectors to government and private sector deals. It has fostered a South African societal culture where hard work, entrepreneurship are not valued, because all one need is connectedness to the ANC and leaders to secure government contracts or BEE shareholding in private companies. No society can foster economic growth, tackle poverty, and unemployment without a merit-based culture, or where hard work and entrepreneurship is valued. It has decimated the productive capacity of the South African economy. It has accelerated de-industrialisation of South Africas economy. In the past there was wide inequalities between whites and non-white South Africans. Now, we also have large inequality discrepancies between rich non-whites and poor non-whites. Effective empowerment strategies historically in successful countries have focused on supporting existing entrepreneurs, not turning politicians into entrepreneurs, creating new industries, a country did not have before, and developing manufacturing products to export to foreign markets, fostering export-led growth. The opportunity costs, the massive development benefits lost if more broad-based alternative empower strategies, were used to the current BEE model, is simply too high, given high black unemployment, poverty, and inequalities. The current model of BEE is a perfect example of the misallocation of capital whether shares for ordinary black public, or for ANC connected BEE oligarchs, that could have generated bigger societal development impact, by investing it in public infrastructure, world-class education, technology, SMEs or assets, such as homes for the poor. William Gumede is Associate Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and author of South Africa in BRICS (Tafelberg). This an edited version of his speech on Remodeling Black Economic Empowerment to the Black Management Forum. BEE-related References Academic papers and chapters William Gumede (2019) The Failure of the Apartheid Corporate Model, in Mia Swart and Ylva Rodny-Gumede (Eds), Marikana Unresolved: The Massacre, Culpability and Consequences, University of Cape Town Press, pp.87-120. William Gumede (2017) Failure to Pursue Economic Reparations has, and Will Continue to Undermine Racial Reconciliation, In Mia Swart and Karin van Marle (Editors) The Limits of Transition: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission 20 Years on, UCT Press, pp. 59-93. William Gumede (2016) The Political Economy of State-Owned Enterprises Restructuring in South Africa, Journal of Governance and Public Policy, Vol 6, Issue 2, pp. 69-113, Hydrabad, India. William Gumede (2015) The Politics of Mine Nationalisation in South Africa, Journal of Public Policy in Africa (JOPPA), Vol 2 (2), pp.119-139, August. William Gumede (2015) Marikana: a crisis of legitimacy in the institutions that form the foundations of South Africas 1994 post-apartheid political settlement, Social Dynamics, Volume 41/5/4, pages 327-343. William Gumede (2015) Administrative culture of the South African public service: A finity of transformation, Journal of Public Administration, Volume 50, Issue 3, pp. 589-599. William Gumede (2014) BRICS Academic Reader, FLASCO-ISA, the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences - International Studies Association, School of Economics, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. William Gumede (2012) Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times, Tafelberg. William Gumede (2010) South Africa in BRICS, Tafelberg. William Gumede and Leslie Dikeni (2009) The Poverty of Ideas, Jacana. William Gumede (2008) Modernising the African National Congress: The Legacy of President Thabo Mbeki, In Peter Kagwanja and Kwandile Kondlo (eds) South Africa: State of the Nation 2008, Human Sciences Research Council. Pp. 35-57. William Gumede (2008) Jacob Zuma and the Consolidation South Africas Democracy, African Affairs, Vol 107, Issue 427, Oxford, pp. 261-271. William Gumede (2008) Labour and Prospect for Alliance building and policy impact in South Africa, In Liv Torres (ed). Democracy and African Trade Unions, Norad, Oslo. William Gumede (2007) Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohandas Gandhi, Contrasting Leadership Styles, In, Onyekachi Wambu (ed), Under the Tree of Talking Counterpoint Press, London. William Gumede (2007) Pursuing Growth and Redistribution, In Hermann Giliomee, Bernard Mbenga and Bill Nasson (Editors). New Illustrated History of South Africa. Tafelberg. William Gumede (2006) Democracy and Dissent, In, Amanda Alexander (ed.) Articulations, Africa World Press. William Gumede (2006) Thabo Mbeki and the African Renaissance, Africultures 2006/1 No. 6, Paris, pp. 61-71. William Gumede (2002) "Down to Business, but Nothing to Show." In: Sean Jacobs and Richard Calland (eds) Thabo Mbeki's World, David Phillip, pp. 201-219. William Gumede (2005) Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC, Struik Random House. BEE Reports William Gumede (2010) Black Economic Empowerment: Overview, Strengths and Weaknesses, Report, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Midrand. William Gumede (2009) Black Economic Empowerment Strategy, Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), Tokyo. William Gumede (2008) BEE in the Mining Sector: Overview of the PGMs Sector, SFA (Oxford), October, Oxford. William Gumede (2007) The ANC and Black Economic Empowerment: Long-term Implications, Chatham House and British Cabinet Office Report, London. William Gumede (2006) Black Economic Empowerment: South Africa, US State Department, Washington DC. William Gumede (2006) Black Economic Empowerment in Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa Survey, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), The Economist, London, November. William Gumede (2005) Expanding South Africa Black Middle Class, Development Enterprise Institute, Johannesburg. William Gumede (2002) Assessing The Effectiveness of South Africas Economic Policies Since 1994, South Africa National Human Development Report 2002, United Nations Development Programme, Pretoria. Official Inquiries Advisor and Facilitator, 2022 South African Human Development Report key priorities, United Nations Development Programme, Pretoria. Member of President Cyril Ramaphosas High-Level Task Team (2019-2021) advising on the restructuring and professionalization of the South African public service. Contributor, Argentinas G20 Presidency report, 2017, on the changing global political and economic dynamics, Argentinian Government, Buenos Aires. Advisor to the UNESCO World Social Science Report 2016. Challenging Inequalities Pathways to a Just World, Paris. Member, Institutional Review Team (2014-2015), conducted an institutional review of the capacity of the Water Research Commission, South Africas water resources and future water needs. Principal Advisor, Presidential Review Committee on State-Owned Entities (2009-2011) to propose reforms to turnaround South Africas failing SOES. Co-Coordinator & Advisor (2009-2010), Proposals to re-organise South Africas Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), National Treasury. Chair, Facilitator, Review of the South Africas State-Owned Enterprises Long-Term Strategy, Department of Public Enterprises (2018). Principal Author and Team Leader (2017-2018), South African Government Review that conducted a review of state-owned property and land; made proposals for how to manage governments state-owned land and properties; modeled a new state entity to hold governments land and property holdings. Co-Founder and Co-Principal Author of the 2012 South African Government Development Report (2009-2012). Co-chaired the South African governments 2009 Developmental State Conference, South African Reserve Bank. Project Task Team: Long-term National Development Plan (NDP) for South Africa (2009), Development Bank of Southern Africa. Co-convener Conference (2002): Constructing a Social Accord between the South African Government, Organised Business and Organised Labour, Financial Mail, Johannesburg. South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1997-1999), Final Report. BEE-related Special Memorial Lectures William Gumede (2018) Rethinking African Decolonisation, The Julius Nyerere Lecture, University of Dar Es Salaam, April. William Gumede (2018) "Decolonisation: Speaking uncomfortable truths to your 'own' side and to the 'other' side", The Nadine Gordimer Lecture, University of the Witwatersrand. William Gumede, an associate professor in the Wits School of Governance and chairperson of the Democracy Works Foundation, delivered the 2018 Nadine Gordimer Lecture at the University of the Witwatersrand. William Gumede (2008) The Global Politics of PGMs: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Russia, The Oxford Platinum Week Lecture, Oxford. William Gumede (2007) Africas Democracy Deficit: Why African liberation movements fail to sustain democratic governance when in power, The Basker Vashee Memorial Lecture special public lecture in memory of the former London School of Economics and student leader, Transnational Institute, De Balie, Amsterdam. William Gumede (2006) South Africa: Growth and Development, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University, Brighton. William Gumede (2005) The ANCs Economic Policy, The Sipho Maseko Memorial Lecture, University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape and University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town. William Gumede (2005) Thabo Mbeki Presidency: Growth and Redistribution Strategies, Columbia University, New York. William Gumede (2005) South Africas Economic Policy Options, Centre for International Strategic Studies, Washington DC. William Gumede (2005) Fostering more equitable economic development and empowerment The Sipho Maseko Memorial Lecture, Jointly sponsored by the Department of Politics and African Studies, University of Cape Town; Department of Government, University of the Western Cape and the Department of Politics, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, April 29. William Gumede (2005) Dissent and Democracy, The Harold Wolpe Lecture, Sponsored by the Wolpe Trust and the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban. William Gumede (2005) The Politics of Economic Policy Making in South Africa, Princeton University. William Gumede (2005) South Africas Economic Future, Stanford University. William Gumede (2005) Thabo Mbeki and the Making of Economic Policy, University of California, Berkeley. William Gumede (2004) Comparing the Truth Commissions in South Africa and Chile: The thorny issue of economic justice and redistribution, The Reconciliation Lecture, In association with the performance of the Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfmans award-winning play Death and the Maiden, looking at Chiles Truth Commission, directed by Bo Petersen. London House, London, September 16. William Gumede (2004) Can South Africa turn its political miracle into an economic one? 10th Year Anniversary of South Africas Liberation Lecture, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, April 26. Landmark South African study shows HPV vaccination protects girls living with HIV New research shows first population-level evidence globally that a national HPV vaccination programme can be highly effective in a high HIV-prevalence setting. In South Africa, where the burden of HIV remains high, women living with HIV face a disproportionately increased risk of cervical cancer, around six times higher than women without HIV. This heightened risk is driven by persistent infection with high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). In settings where access to HPV vaccination, cervical screening and treatment is uneven, the impact on womens health and lives is profound. New research published in The Lancet Global Health provides the first population-level evidence globally that a national HPV vaccination programme can be highly effective in a high HIV-prevalence setting. The study was led by researchers from Wits RHI at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) in partnership with the Kirby Institute (University of New South Wales). The study evaluated South Africas free, school-based national HPV vaccination programme, introduced in 2014, which offers HPV vaccination to girls in Grade 4 (aged nine years and older) attending public schools across the country. Crucially, the research assessed vaccine impact among adolescent girls and young women both living with HIV and without HIV, reflecting the realities of South Africas dual HIV and cervical cancer burden. Until now, most evidence on HPV vaccine effectiveness in people living with HIV has come from studies where vaccination occurred after HIV infection, often after exposure to HPV and in the presence of immune suppression. This South African study, led by Professor Sinead Delany-Moretlwe at Wits RHI, Director of Research, is the first to demonstrate the real-world impact of vaccination delivered early, before most girls are exposed to HPV, within a national public-health programme in a high HIV-burden context. The findings show that the HPV vaccine provides excellent protection, including among girls living with HIV. Researchers observed substantial reductions in vaccine-type HPV infections, demonstrating that high-coverage HPV vaccination programmes can deliver strong population-level benefits, even in settings with widespread HIV. For the first time, we can demonstrate at a population level that HPV vaccination delivered early, through a national public programme, provides excellent protection in a high HIV-prevalence setting. This is a major public health success for South Africa and sends a clear message globally: investing in early, school-based HPV vaccination can dramatically reduce future cervical cancer risk, including among girls living with HIV, says Delany-Moretlwe. These results have major global implications. They reinforce the critical importance of early, school-based HPV vaccination and provide compelling evidence for countries, particularly those with high HIV prevalence, to implement and sustain national HPV vaccination programmes. Such programmes have the potential to dramatically reduce cervical cancer risk, improve womens health outcomes, and ultimately save lives worldwide. About Wits RHI Wits RHI is a research institute of the University of the Witwatersrand, established in 1994 by Professor Helen Rees to support South Africas newly democratic government in shaping national health policies, has grown into a leading African research and implementation Institute with a global reputation for innovation and responsiveness to health challenges. With a 30-year track record in investigator-led and consortia studies, Wits RHI excels in policy development and implementation across diverse populations and all phases of clinical trials. Its multidisciplinary approach integrates research, technical assistance, advocacy, and health systems strengthening to deliver impactful solutions in infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases, maternal and family health, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-related health crises. The Institute applies rigorous epidemiological and qualitative methods to identify health problems, generate evidence, and evaluate interventions in real-world settings. Its work spans vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and modelling, with a focus on HIV, TB, STIs, COVID-19, influenza, Mpox, Rotavirus, and outbreak pathogens including Poxviruses, Ebola, and Yellow Fever. HF Foods Group Inc. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Summary - Moby Strategic Transformation and Operational Context Achieved 2.2% revenue growth despite industry-wide headwinds from tariff pressures and decreased consumer foot traffic. Consolidated two sales call centers into a single operation in December 2025 to enhance process control and customer service while reducing costs. Completed a full ERP implementation across all distribution centers, enabling higher purchasing efficiencies and remediating all IT general control deficiencies. Advanced facility upgrades in Charlotte and Atlanta to optimize the Southeast distribution network and shorten seafood delivery routes. Acquired the Chicago warehouse to exit a lease early, improve operating expenses, and establish a foundation for Midwest consolidation. Positioned the company as the only scaled Asian specialty foodservice provider in a $50 billion addressable market, creating a unique competitive moat. Attributed performance gains to volume growth and pricing improvements in seafood, meat, and poultry categories. 2026 Outlook and Strategic Priorities Expects 2026 performance to mirror 2025 with low single-digit growth across the top line, adjusted EBITDA, and gross profit. Anticipates meaningful incremental frozen seafood volume in the Southeast during the second half of 2026 following the completion of Atlanta's phase two cold storage expansion. Projects that 2026 infrastructure investments in Chicago will drive significant organic growth in the Midwest region starting in 2027. Maintains a disciplined M&A strategy focused on geographic expansion and capturing operational synergies in high-potential markets. Assumes a strategy of ramping up cross-selling to increase share of wallet and mitigate short-term competitive pricing pressures. Structural Changes and Risk Factors Reported a net loss of $38.8 million, which improved year-over-year primarily due to a lower goodwill impairment charge. Confirmed that following the 2025 impairment, the company has no remaining goodwill, eliminating this specific non-cash risk for future periods. Noted that SKU re-categorization during the ERP rollout will cause year-over-year sales category variability until the second half of 2026. Identified ongoing macro headwinds including tariff volatility and shifting consumer spending behaviors as persistent risks. Q&A Session Highlights Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Organic growth opportunities through cross-selling and facility expansion This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: $178.3 million, up 25% year-over-year and 9% sequentially. Adjusted EBITDA: $11.5 million, up 62% year-over-year. Gross Margin: Consolidated gross margin at 25%; Bricks-and-Mortar segment gross margin at 28%. Free Cash Flow: $2.9 million in Q1, a reversal from negative $1.9 million in the previous year. Bricks-and-Mortar Revenue: $150 million in Q1, with a $600 million annual run rate. Same-Store Sales: Positive year-over-year increases despite harsh weather conditions. Store Locations: Added 7 new stores in Q1; 27 stores added in the past 12 months. Cabana Club Members: 2.58 million members, up 47% year-over-year. ELITE Members: 162,000 members, up 100% year-over-year. General and Administrative Expenses: 4.1% of revenue, marking a 6-quarter low. Total Debt: $64.5 million. Cash and Restricted Cash: $46.4 million at the end of the quarter. Release Date: March 18, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Positive Points Revenue for the quarter was $178.3 million, up 25% year-over-year, marking the fastest pace of growth in 10 quarters. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 62% year-over-year, reaching $11.5 million, the fastest growth in 2 years. The Bricks-and-Mortar segment achieved a gross margin of 28%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of sequential gains. The company generated $2.9 million in free cash flow, a significant improvement from negative $1.9 million in the same quarter last year. The Canna Cabana loyalty program saw a 47% increase in membership year-over-year, reaching 2.58 million members. Negative Points The market slowdown in Canada is impacting sales growth, with the company noting a general slowdown in the industry. The Remexian business in Germany is facing challenges due to import permit delays and inventory stalled in Portugal. The e-commerce segment has been a drag on consolidated adjusted EBITDA, although it showed signs of stabilization. The company faces competitive pressures in the Canadian market, which may require adjusting margins to remain competitive. The growth in new store openings is becoming more challenging due to increased competition and a slowdown in industry growth rates. Q & A Highlights Q: Can you explain the impact of the winter storms on same-store sales in Canada during the quarter and how this metric is trending currently? A: Harkirat Grover, CEO, noted that the winter storms significantly impacted same-store sales, particularly in the last 10 days of January and into February. Despite this, same-store sales were up 2% during the months leading to December 2025 and showed a slight increase in January. The market is slowing, but High Tide aims to outperform the industry, expecting sales from marginal players exiting the market to shift to them. Toronto Al-Quds Day demonstration Al-Quds Day, the annual demonstration for Palestinian rights, which has been peacefully observed in Toronto for decades, went ahead on Saturday, March 14. It did so, despite an 11th-hour attempt by Ontarios Doug Ford-led, hard-right Tory government to obtain an emergency court injunction banning the demonstration, on the fraudulent claim that it posed a serious risk of violence. Several thousand people attended a rally in front of the US Consulate and then marched peacefully through Torontos downtown, in the face of an overwhelming police presence and a counter-demonstration organized by Zionists and Iranian monarchist elements, who shouted epithets and threats. The demonstrators included entire families. Many carried placards denouncing the criminal war of aggression the US and Israel have launched against Iran, which has now expanded into an Israeli invasion of Lebanon that has displaced more than a million people. Despite the hysterical fear-mongering from Zionist and far-right elements, including former Conservative MPP Lisa Mcleod and Toronto City Councilors Brad Bradford and Bob Pasternak, who smeared the demonstration as a platform for antisemitic hate and supporting terrorist organizations, the only arrests on the day were from among the Zionist and monarchist counter-protesters. Two Iranian monarchists were arrested, one for assaulting a demonstrator, and the other for assault and public incitement of hatred. Significant threats of violence were made by Zionist activists against the demonstration before it even occurred. Commenting on a Facebook group, Toronto Jewish Community on Alert set up by the leader of the Zionist vigilante group Magan Herut, Marshall Uretsky declared Id like to show up toowith a machine gun!!!! The results are an embarrassing setback for the Ford government and for the far-right elements who have been attacking Al-Quds Day demonstrations for years as part of a concerted campaign to suppress anti-war and anti-imperialist opposition and roll back the basic democratic rights of the working class. Successfully banning Al-Quds Day would set a precedent which Canadian imperialism could exploit as it militarizes society and forces the working class to pay the costs of its role as a protagonist in the imperialist drive to redivide the world. Upon his election in 2018, Ford attacked Al-Quds Day, smearing the Palestinians struggle against their dispossession and expulsion from their homeland as a call for the killing of an entire civilian population in Israel. This is a foul lie. In October 2023, Israels far-right government with the military and political support of the imperialist powers, Canada included, began its now two-and-a-half-year-long genocidal assault on the Palestinians in Gaza. Under the leadership of American imperialism and its would-be fuhrer, President Donald Trump, this war has now developed into an imperialist war of extermination against the people of Iran and Lebanon. Since the genocide began, the Canadian ruling class has worked systematically to intimidate and criminalize anti-genocide protests. The Liberal government at the federal level and provincial governments like Fords slandered demonstrators as antisemites, defended brutal police raids against activists, and affirmed Israels right to defend itself. In the provincial legislature, Fords Tories used their majority to gag NDP MPP Sarah Jama, who was banned from speaking after calling Israel an apartheid state and declaring her support for the Palestinian people. A 2018 tweet from Doug Ford, after his election as premier, vowing to ban Al-Quds Day. [Photo: Doug Ford/Twitter] In a transparent attempt to concoct a pretext to justify the criminalization of Saturdays pro-Palestine/anti-Iran war demonstration, the Ford government seized on the recent, still unsolved shooting incidents at three Toronto synagogues and the US Consulate on University Avenue. In each case bullets were fired at the buildings in the dead of night. No one was injured in these still-unexplained events, which occurred over the preceding two weeks. For obvious reasons, the US Consulate has been a traditional rallying point for Toronto anti-war and anti-genocide demonstrations for decades. Egged on by the National Post, the Toronto Sun and pro-Zionist groups, Ford latched on to these incidents and announced on Friday, March 13 that he would be asking Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey to apply for an emergency court injunction to ban the Al-Quds Day demonstration. Downey filed the injunction at 12:30 p.m. the following day, only two and a half hours before the event was scheduled to commence. The confusion and uncertainty thus created likely deterred many people who would have otherwise attended, and was no doubt part of the governments anti-democratic and frankly authoritarian calculations. The governments hastily thrown together legal brief is itself revealing. It is a 109-page smear, conflating, without any factual basis, the four recent shooting incidents in Toronto, the timing and circumstances of which are suspiciously convenient, as well as other incidents, with the intentions of the Al-Quds Day demonstration organizers. Over the past two plus years and escalating over the last two weeks, the Greater Toronto Area has seen multiple incidents of serious violence, including gunfire, including incidents directed (sic) Jewish school and Jewish-owned businesses, at synagogues and Iranian-Canadians who are opposed to the current Iranian regime went the governments refrain. The Attorney General then sought to smear the demonstration by association with these and other unrelated incidents. Thousands of protesters and counter-protesters are expected at the Rally; There is a serious risk of violence arising from or occurring at the Rally; There is a serious risk that Rally will constitute mischief, a public or common nuisance, and intimidation There is a serious risk that conduct at the rally will constitute public incitement of hatred, wilful promotion of hatred or wilful promotion of antisemitism ... etcetera. Ontario Superior Court Judge Robert Centa rejected the governments crude amalgam, stating: The Attorney General points to horrific acts of anti-Semitic violence around the world as the context for its request for an injunction. However, there is no evidence before me to link those horrible acts to this rally. The Attorney Generals approach comes dangerously close to asking me to hold some people accountable for the conduct of others. In his ruling dismissing the governments injunction application, Judge Centa also noted that the Toronto Police had not indicated any opposition to the protest going ahead, this despite their well-known hostility to left-wing protests and close ties to Premier Ford, who routinely boasts about his love for the forces of law and order. If the rally, posed a clear and present danger of violence, wrote Centa, I would have expected to see affidavit evidence from the Toronto Police Service stating that they believed the rally would endanger lives and safety. There was no evidence at all from any member of the Toronto Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Indeed, the only evidence before the court is that the rally organizers have been working with the Toronto Police Service in advance to ensure that it proceeds safely. While the ruling spared the Al-Quds protest on this occasion, workers cannot rely on the capitalist courts to uphold their democratic rights to protest against imperialist war and barbarism. Under conditions of systemic global capitalist crisis, the defence of basic democratic rights depends upon the intensification of the class struggle under the leadership of the working class. Led by the federal Liberal government, first under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and now Mark Carney, the ruling class has moved to abolish the right to strike, as shown by the recent experiences of postal workers, dockers, rail workers and Air Canada flight attendants. Meanwhile, the use of the so-called notwithstanding clause, whereby governments can trample on basic democratic rights supposedly guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, has become normalized. The ruling class is sending a very clear signal that it intends to dispense with the rule of law to prosecute its wars abroad and silence all dissent at home. In the days following Saturdays demonstration, Ford made a series of unprecedented denunciations of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. On Monday, promoting a proposal to legalize the use of pepper spray by vigilantes under the cover of self-defence, Ford mused, We also need to make sure that were putting the rights of victims ahead of criminals. You know, you always hear about Charter this, Charter thatCharter rights for criminals. How about the Charter rights for the victims? Meanwhile, the editorial board of the Globe & Mail, Canadas so-called newspaper of record, has declared that international law must be abandoned to prosecute imperialisms war of aggression against Iran. In another sign that the US-Israeli war on Iran is not working out as he planned, US President Trump has called for a delay in his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing at the end of March. Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so weve requested that we delay it a month or so, Trump told the media at the White House on Monday. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose ahead of their summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein] The summit was scheduled after Trumps meeting with Xi in South Korea last October produced nothing more than a temporary truce in the escalating economic war that the US president had initiated. Just prior to that meeting, Trump provocatively expanded bans on the export of advanced semi-conductors to China, to which Beijing responded with crippling restrictions on rare earth exports to the US. The truce temporarily averted the economic warfare spinning out of control. In the intervening months, the Trump administration has conducted flagrantly illegal military operations, firstly against Venezuela and now Irantwo countries with which China has had close economic and strategic ties. Prior to those attacks, both countries had been hit hard by sanctions, above all those unilaterally imposed by US imperialism, which China refused to recognise. It had gained access to discounted oil imports from both Venezuela and Iran. The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, the reduction of the country to a US neo-colony and Washingtons control of its oil industry effectively cut off its exports of discounted oil to China. Many considerations undoubtedly went into the timing of the Trump administrations decision to attack Iran on February 28 but the upcoming summit with the Chinese president was obviously a significant one. Having notched up triumphs over Venezuela and Iran, the gangsters in the White House felt the US would be in a strong position to make China an offer it could not refuse. But the plans have quickly gone awry. The criminal assassination of top Iranian leaders has not brought the country to its knees and no US puppet regime has been installed in Iran. Moreover, what Trump apparently did not foresee was that Iran would retaliate by closing the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 percent of global daily seaborne oil passes. As global oil prices have soared, compounding the economic and political crises for the White House, Trump on Saturday called on a number of US allies in Europe and Asia to dispatch naval forces to open up the Strait of Hormuz. The failure of Britain, France, Germany, Japan and other countries to offer immediate assistance only intensified the difficulties facing Trump in a war which he had claimed repeatedly is all but over, but nevertheless continues unabatedly in its third week. Prior to last weekend, the White House gave no indication that it was going to propose a delay in the Trump-Xi summit. In fact, meetings took place in Paris on Sunday and Monday led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng over possible trade agreements to be signed when the two leaders met. Despite being described as very good by Bessent, the talks wrapped up without resolution of the key issues of critical minerals and semi-conductors. In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump gave the first hint saying he may delay the summit with Xi, but also made the suggestion that Beijing should send warships to open up the Strait of Hormuz. I think China should help too because China gets 90 percent of its oil from the straits. The figure itself is a gross overstatementaround 45-50 percent of Chinas oil imports pass through the strait. Appearing to link the summit to the deployment of Chinese warships to the Persian Gulf is deliberately provocative. For more than a fortnight Israeli and American warplanes and missiles have been bombarding military and industrial sites in Iran, assassinating Iranian leaders and killing civilians, including schoolchildren. Though not a formal ally, China signed a 25-year, $400 billion strategy partnership in 2021 to invest in Iranian infrastructure and industry, particularly energy. And now Washington is declaring that Beijing should, under the guise of opening the Strait of Hormuz, assist the US in its efforts to subordinate Iran and the wider Middle East to its interests. Bessent quickly walked back Trumps suggestion telling the media that the US call for a delay in the summit was not because of a false narrative that it was because the president demanded that China police the strait of Hormuz. On Tuesday, Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian simply noted that the US side has publicly clarified these false reports by the media and blandly declared that talks were continuing over the timing of Trumps visit. In line with its overall stance towards the US-led war on Iran, the official Chinese response to the delay and the US request for naval support has been decidedly muted. The state-owned media, however, has given an indication of the top-level discussion behind closed doors. Commenting on the call for Chinese warships, the hawkish Global Times declared: Is this really about sharing responsibilityor is it about sharing the risk of a war that Washington started and cant finish? Far from supporting Iran, Beijing has postured as neutralin effect, equating the US and Israels barbaric acts of aggression with Iranian retaliatory strikes on Gulf States that host military bases used by the US to bombard Iran. It has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, deescalation throughout the region and a return to a negotiating table that the US has now twice used to mask its preparations for war. Beijing is clearly more concerned about cutting a rotten deal with the United States that preserves Chinese economic and strategic interests than even timidly condemning the naked aggression of US imperialism. Speaking to the media on March 8 during Chinas annual meeting of the National Peoples Congress, Foreign Minister Wang Yi made no suggestion that Trumps trip to China would not go ahead. While offering platitudesthe war on Iran should never have happened and the world cannot return to the law of the jungleWang painted a bright future for relations with the United States. He said that 2026 was a big year for China-US relations and that the two sides should treat each other with sincerity and good faith. When and if the Xi-Trump summit will proceed remains unclear. No date has been set. Trumps suggestion of a delay of a month or so is premised on a quick US victory in the war on Iran. But as the days drag on, that outcome is less and less likely. The far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is utilising the USIsraeli war against Iran to establish a Greater Israel, by crushing all resistanceLebanese, Palestinian, and Iranian. Within days of the assault on Iran, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) declared war on Hezbollah. This activated a blueprint drafted well before the group fired a token volley of rockets in response to Israels assassination of Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Debris litters a street from buildings damaged in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, March 16, 2026. [AP Photo/Bilal Hussein] Israel has trampled on the 2024 ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah more than 10,000 times, demonstrating its rejection of any negotiated settlement. Its objective is the destruction of Hezbollah, the elimination of Irans influence, and the subjugation of Lebanon. Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s as a mass movement of the Shiite poor, forged in the crucible of Lebanons civil wara war stoked by US interventionand Israels brutal occupation of the south from 1982 to 2000. It remains the principal obstacle to Israels domination of Lebanon. Israels public broadcaster KAN reports that the government is considering raising the limit on reservist mobilisation to 450,000 reservistsnearly double the current authorised ceilingin anticipation of a full-scale ground invasion. The IDF has ordered the mass evacuation of everyone living south of the Litani River and residents of Beiruts southern suburbs, while sending ground forces into Lebanon. This is a replayon a vastly more destructive scaleof the 1996 Operation Grapes of Wrath. That operation displaced up to half a million civilians and culminated in the shelling of a UN compound in Qana, killing 106 people. Israels current bombardment of southern Lebanon, Beiruts southern and central districts, and the Bekaa Valley has levelled neighbourhoods and infrastructure. More than 912 people have been killed, including at least 111 children; 2,200 have been injured; and nearly one million17 percent of Lebanons populationhave been driven from their homes. The UN human rights office has warned that the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime, and that Israels sweeping displacement orders may violate international law. Schools, municipal buildings, and public halls have been turned into makeshift shelters, yet thousands are sleeping in cars or on the streets. Migrant domestic workers, undocumented refugees, and labourers from Africa and Asia are among the most exploited layers of Lebanese society. Many of them are being turned away from shelters and denied aid. Lebanon, which already hosts one of the worlds highest refugee populations per capita, is being pushed to the brink: roughly 1.3 million Syrians (only around 716,000 officially registered), more than 200,000 Palestinian refugees, and some 160,000 migrant workers from Ethiopia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Kenya, and elsewhere. Lebanons President Joseph Aoun has said Beirut is ready for direct talks with Israel and has called for a ceasefire to enable negotiations. But Israel rejected this out of hand, claiming the Lebanese government has allowed Hezbollah to rearm and rebuild. Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to seize additional Lebanese territory and continue destroying national infrastructure until Hezbollah is disarmed. He declared that Lebanon will pay a price, calculating that terrorising the population will turn them against Hezbollah and force the Lebanese army to act as Israels proxy. Israels campaign is further bolstered by the de facto support of US-backed interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. His forces have tightened control over the Lebanese and Iraqi borders to restrict the movement of fighters and weapons, closing the corridor once linking Lebanon to its eastern hinterland and aligning Syrias security apparatus with Israels war aims. The US has called for Syria to consider deploying forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah. Israel resumes its starvation policy in Gaza No sooner had the USIsraeli assault on Iran begun than Israel reinstated its starvation siege on Gaza, reigniting fears of famine. It closed every crossing for security reasons, cutting off food, essential supplies, and humanitarian workers. This formally buried US President Donald Trumps fraudulent Sharm el-Sheikh deal of 10 October. After UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to reopen the crossings, Israeli authorities grudgingly opened a single gate at Kerem Shalomallowing in a symbolic trickle of aid. By March 8 , just 83 trucks had entered Gaza: 50 carrying humanitarian supplies and 33 commercial goods. On March 10, just 200 trucks were permitted entry170 with aid, 30 with food for markets. With even these meagre quantities throttled, food prices have exploded. Medical evacuations to Egypt have stalled entirely, condemning 18,000 peopleincluding 4,000 childrento health deterioration or death. A man walks through tents sheltering displaced Palestinians amid the ruins left by the Israeli military in Gaza City, Wednesday, January 28, 2026. [AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi] Israeli airstrikes continue unabated, raising fears that a new large-scale assault will be overshadowed by the war on Iran. Warplanes have bombed camps for forcibly displaced families in Gaza City. Since the Sharm el-Sheikh deal, Israel has killed 648 Palestinians in Gaza and injured 1,728 more. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor last week detailed Israels systematic destruction of Gazas education system as deliberate policies aimed at preventing the population from restoring education. The IDF has bombed 668 school buildings, destroyed 179 public schools, and severely damaged 118 others. It has attacked 100 UNRWA schools, obliterated 63 university buildings, and left the remaining higher-education institutions in ruins. Amnesty International reports that maternal and neonatal health services have collapsed. Sixty percent of all health facilities are non-functional. Nearly half of all medications are at zero stockincluding drugs essential for childbirth. Israels siege is a weapon of war: a calculated policy of mass deprivation designed to break Gazas population through hunger, disease, and the destruction of every social institution capable of sustaining life. Israel seeks ethnic cleansing of the West Bank and Gaza Last month, fascist Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, who has responsibility for the civil administration of the West Bank, declared that his long-term solution to the Palestinian question is ethnic cleansing. The next Israeli government must revoke the Oslo Accords and extend Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, he said, and take practical steps to encourage emigration of Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks with Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich during the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 7, 2024. [AP Photo/Ronen Zvulun] No sooner had the war against Iran begun than the IDF imposed a total military closure on the occupied West Bank and gave Israeli settlers a free hand in expelling rural Palestinian communities from their land. It imposed a pre-emptive security cordon. All checkpoints across the Palestinian territory were shut. Roads between cities and villages were blocked with iron gates and earth mounds, and iron gates were installed where none had previously existed. Settlers sealed the Palestinians makeshift passages in areas the army had closed after the Gaza war. This prevents all movement between different parts of the West Bank, leaving people unable to go to work, seek medical treatment, and in some cases to go shopping. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported the forcible displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in the 12 months since November 2024. The office warned that illegal Israeli settlement expansion and the push to annex the territory are accelerating. It has documented 1,732 incidents of Israeli settler violence causing casualties or property damage in the same period. Settlers have escalated their attacks on rural communities, killing at least five Palestinians since the beginning of March. The Israeli human rights NGO Yesh Din has documented at least 50 incidents of settler violence in 37 different Palestinian communities during just the first four days of the Iran war. Settlers operate almost universally with military support. Some Palestinians are being forced to sell their land for a pittance to the settlers just to survive. At the start of the Gaza war, the government banned Palestinians from entering Israel. Over 140,000 had been working there in construction and agriculture, earning more than double the average daily wage in the West Bank. This pushed the unemployment rate to around 40 percent by the end of 2025. Compounding the dire situation is Israels withholding of the tax revenues collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. After putting its staff on short hours and delaying wage payments, it now faces collapse. In a continuation of what has become the deadliest era of state-sanctioned killing in modern Florida history, the state moved forward Tuesday with the execution of 54-year-old Michael Lee King. King was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. His execution marks the fourth in Florida this year alone, following a record-breaking 2025 in which the state led the nation with 19 executions. Michael Lee King King was convicted of the 2008 abduction, rape and murder of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee, a mother of two young sons. The case has long been a flashpoint not only for the horror of the crime itself, but for the systemic failures of the very state that has now executed King in Lees name. On the day of her abduction, Lee managed to use Kings cell phone to call 911, begging for her rescue. Despite her call and at least three other 911 reports from witnessesincluding a woman who reported screams coming from Kings car at a traffic lightcommunication errors and a critical lack of dispatcher training prevented a timely rescue and Lee was killed. The state subsequently passed the Denise Amber Lee Act to reform operator training standards. It was, in effect, an admission that the system had failed her and most likely others. The state has now chosen to respond to this state failure with another act of violence: Kings execution. His case exposes a legal system that disposes of individuals, mostly men, whose minds were fractured long before they ended anyone elses life. King suffered a significant traumatic brain injury during childhoodthe kind of neurological damage that research has consistently shown can permanently and profoundly alter impulse control, emotional regulation and the capacity for moral reasoning. The injury left King with serious cognitive impairments and chronic hallucinations. He fell behind in school, struggled to maintain a stable grip on reality and moved through life carrying the invisible weight of a brain that did not work the way it was supposed to. These are not mitigating factors invented by defense attorneys, but documented neurological realitiesthe kind that should provoke reservations about culpability. In Atkins v. Virginia (2002), the US Supreme Court barred the execution of those with intellectual disabilities, recognizing that diminished culpability renders the death penaltys retributive and deterrent justifications constitutionally insufficient. In Roper v. Simmons (2005), the Court extended similar protection to juvenile offenders, acknowledging that brain developmentand therefore an individuals capacity to make moral judgments about right and wrongis not complete in adolescence. Traumatic brain injury, hallucinatory mental illness and the accumulated psychological wreckage of childhood trauma are real and documentable, yet these factors are rarely considered against the constitutional protections that should apply. The impairment of men like King may be profound and their histories of suffering well documented, but unless they meet the precise clinical threshold of intellectual disabilitythe Supreme Court left this determination up to the statesthe 2002 ruling has limited impact. Advocates for clemency, including the Catholic Mobilizing Network, argued that King had become, in the structured environment of prison, a measure of the person his fractured childhood had denied him the chance to be. Prison officials and fellow inmates described him as a model prisoner, a trusted contributor to the prison community and a man of faith. Study after study has found that death row inmates are disproportionately likely to carry histories of severe childhood trauma, traumatic brain injury and untreated mental illness. But in a legal system that values retribution and vengeance over rehabilitation and mercy, the impact a society wracked by violence and social inequality has had on these condemned prisoners is rarely considered. Kings execution was carried out under a shroud of secrecy that marks Floridas justice system as one of the nations most disreputable. His attorneys, echoing claims raised in several 2025 executions, argued that the Florida Department of Corrections has systematically mismanaged its death penalty protocolspotentially using expired drugs or unauthorized chemical compounds that could cause severe and unconstitutional suffering. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has described this dynamic as a Catch-22: Florida officials routinely refuse to answer basic questions about the contents of the states lethal injection cocktail, while the Florida Supreme Court simultaneously denies inmates access to the very records needed to prove the state is violating the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. This is not bureaucratic oversight but deliberate unaccountability, which insulates the state from legal challenge and allows executions to proceed on a schedule driven by reactionary politics rather than by any transparent process of review. The accelerating pace of Florida executions is driven and sustained by Governor Ron DeSantis, who maintains absolute and largely secretive control over the signing of death warrants and the selection of execution dates. Observers have noted that this unchecked power allows the governor to deploy state killing as a political instrumenta demonstration of subservience to President Donald Trumps pro-death penalty agenda. Under DeSantis, Florida has not only accelerated its pace of executions but has actively eroded the procedural protections historically associated with capital punishment. The state lowered the jury threshold for a death sentence to an 8-4 recommendationthe lowest bar in the United Statesmaking it easier to condemn a defendant to death, even when one third of jurors harbor doubt. Such nonunanimous jury recommendations are clearly unconstitutional and will face legal challenge. Florida leads the nation in death row exonerations, with 30 individuals cleared of wrongful convictions since 1973. These are people who were sentenced to die for crimes they did not commit, and who survived the system long enough to be proven innocent. Others have not been so lucky. Frank Lee Smith spent 15 years on death row before he died of cancer in 2000. Just months after his death, DNA testing cleared him of the crime for which he had been convicted in 1985. The sole witness in the case had recanted her testimony in 198910 years before his deathbut he remained on death row. Floridas history of so-called botched executionsfrom the flames produced by the electric chair known as Old Sparky, to the documented chemical burns suffered by Angel Diaz in a 2006 lethal injection that took 34 minutesunderlines the drive to continue the assembly line of death despite the high degree of likelihood that an execution can go horribly wrong. The execution of Michael Lee King is not an act of justice for a grieving family. It is a demonstration of the cold, calculated power of a state that has decided, systematically and deliberately, that the most appropriate response to violence is more violenceadministered behind closed doors, with the drugs undisclosed. With two more executions already scheduled for March and April, the gears of Floridas death machinery show no signs of slowing. The questions they bury with each bodyabout culpability, about trauma, about the fallibility of the systemshow no signs of going away. Seven people have been executed in the US so far in 2026, including four in Florida, two in Texas and one in Oklahoma. Eleven executions are scheduled by the end of the year: four in Tennessee, three in Texas, two in Florida and one each in Oklahoma and Arizona. This calendar of death is not final, as there are currently 15 pending requests to set additional execution dates across five states and the US military. U.S. Border Patrol agents speak to a truck driver during an immigration enforcement operation at a truck stop Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Hampshire, Illinois. [AP Photo/Erin Hooley] On March 16, the Trump administrations NonDomiciled CDL Final Rule effectively revoked the licenses of roughly 200,000 truck drivers. This is a major new stage in the administrations fascistic assault on immigrant workers and the working class as a whole. The rule sharply limits nondomiciled commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) to a narrow set of temporary visa holdersspecifically H2A farm workers, H2B seasonal nonfarm workers, and certain E2 treaty investors. It also forces state licensing agencies to check every such applicant against federal immigration databases before issuing or renewing a CDL. In practice, drivers who relied on Employment Authorization Documents (EADs)including DACA and Temporary Protected Status holders, refugees and asylum seekers with long records of safe work on US roadswill be allowed to drive only until their current licenses expire and will then be barred from renewing. An analysis by shipper J.B. Hunt estimates that roughly 97 percent of current nondomiciled CDL holders will be unable to renew or reenter the system over the next two to three years. The rule is part of a vicious political campaign to brand immigrant drivers as unsafe and illegal. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has repeatedly used highprofile highway incidents to claim that immigrant drivers pose a safety threat, even though states had issued valid CDLs to those drivers based on then-current federal rules and their work authorizations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) framed the problem as an unacceptable bifurcated standard, arguing that domestic driving records can be queried through the Commercial Drivers License Information System (CDLIS) and the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS), while the driving histories of many immigrants are retained in their countries of origin. Instead of pursuing international datasharing or certification procedures to address that gap, the agency treated immigration vetting as a proxy for safety, converting legal status into the main test of whether someone may earn a living at the wheel. This offensive began during Trumps first term with FMCSA audits and proposals to tighten licensing rules. It escalated at the beginning of his second term with an executive order that falsely linked English proficiency to safety, and continued with a 2025 Interim Final Rule that narrowed eligible categories, shortened license validity to one year or less and required states to verify immigration status through federal databases. Despite legal challenges and a court stay, the administration revoked accreditation for thousands of CDL training centers nationwide at the end of last year and issued the 2026 Final Rule on February 13 with little substantive change. Nowhere has the administrations anti-immigrant campaign been more aggressive than in California, where about 13,000 nondomiciled CDLs were canceled in a single day on March 6. California capitulated after the Department of Transportation threatened to withhold $160 million in highway funds and to decertify the state CDL programa step that would have paralyzed much of the states commercial trucking sector. The order also affected drivers noncommercial Class C licenses, leaving many unable to drive personal vehicles until they reapply. The FMCSA mandated a pause on processing nondomiciled CDLs and Commercial Learners Permits (CLPs) for up to one year while the state proves full compliance with federal standards, leaving canceled applicants in limbo even after a state court ordered the DMV to accept them. The impact will be devastating. A driver in Sacramento told CBS that losing his CDL would destroy everything and all my hard work from the last five years, detailing truck payments, family responsibilities and the years he spent building a small business in Californias freight sector. In comments to Cal Matters, an immigrant owner of a small trucking company conveyed the broader impact of losing Californias drivers: Its a chain. Its not only the driver. You have dispatchers, brokers, farm workerslocal drivers carrying the freight from farms to distribution yards. For each driver, 10 people will be affected. Its not 17,000, he noted, approximately 200,000 people will be affected in the Central Valley alone. Democrats have limited themselves to sound bites and hearings, offering no federal bills or direct legal defense for these workers. In fact, the Democrats built and administered the deportation and immigration enforcement infrastructure that made this rule possible, the mass deportations under both Obama and Biden. The Democrats are co-architects and collaborators in the assault on immigrant workers. While immigrant drivers face the destruction of their livelihoods, the AFL-CIO trade union apparatus has confined itself to narrow legal maneuverstreating the Final Rule as a matter of technical compliance rather than a class attack. The apparatus is opposed to mass strikes or other action to stop this massive assault on immigrant workers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the AFL-CIO, and Public Citizen challenged both the 2025 Interim Final Rule and the 2026 Final Rule, filing suit to block the March 16 effective date. The Teamsters limited themselves to public comments opposing the interim rule, with no workplace action as the Final Rule took effect. Teamsters president Sean OBrien endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention in 2024 and has backed the nationalist and anti-immigrant policies of the Trump government. The Non-Domiciled CDL Final Rule is one front in a coordinated ruling-class offensive against the democratic rights of the entire working class. The same administration that is stripping immigrant truck drivers of their livelihoods is simultaneously mounting a constitutional assault on birthright citizenship, deploying the military and federal agents against immigrant communities and implementing a massive assault on jobs and social programs. The attack on immigrant drivers is an attack on the whole of the working class, and it will only be answered when workers recognize it as such. This rule, like all the fascistic policies of the Trump administration, will not be defeated by lawsuits. The defense of the working class must be taken into workplaces, freight yards and communitiesorganized democratically and united across logistics chains and borders. Workers must form independent rankandfile committees in trucking companies, depots and ports to defend the democratic right to work. USS Tripoli The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault carrier bearing the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, was tracked Tuesday transiting the Strait of Malacca on its way to the Persian Gulf. The warship departed Okinawa on March 11 and is expected to arrive in the Middle East by the end of March. Its deployment comes amid growing calls within the American media and political establishment for a US ground invasion of Iranian territory. Roughly 50,000 US service members are already in the Middle East, supported by two carrier strike groupsthe USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Seawith a third, the USS George H.W. Bush, steaming toward the Mediterranean. The Tripoli and its Marine force will be the first ground combat-capable unit to enter the theater. The deployment comes amid a dramatic escalation of the war, including the Israeli assassination of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council and the countrys de facto leader since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening hours of the war on February 28. On Tuesday, Republican Representative Pete Sessions of Texas went on CNN to openly advocate for a Marine invasion of Kharg IslandIrans main oil export terminal, which handles 90 percent of the countrys crude exportswhile absurdly denying that this would constitute boots on the ground. Sessions said: These 2,500 Marines, the Marine Expeditionary Force, would be to probably secure the island. The island is not, in my opinion, boots on the ground in combat circumstances, it would be to secure the facility. He distinguished an island seizure from combat inside Iran where theyre in the cities, where we go through circumstances weve had in the past of large areas of population, combatants against us, and it is a mess. Sessions remarks were even more explicit than those of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who on Friday posted on X: He who controls Kharg Island, controls the destiny of this war. Semper Fia transparent dog whistle calling for an amphibious Marine assault on the island. Sessions statements followed a Wall Street Journal editorial Sunday titled The Battle for the Strait of Hormuz, which argued that Trump must escalate rather than end the war prematurely. The editorial warned that if Iran succeeds in closing the Strait, it would establish an Iranian veto on energy flows and winning impunity in the future. It concluded: Imagine how the regime would blackmail the worldand get away with itif it were left to amass twice or three times the missiles, or nuclear weapons. Both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have reported in recent days that the seizure of Kharg Island and a ground operation along the Strait of Hormuz are actively under consideration by the Trump administration. On Monday, US President Donald Trump told reporters he was not afraid to send troops into Iran, dismissing comparisons to Vietnam. Im really not afraid of anything, Trump said. The growing momentum toward a ground invasion reflects the failure of the administrations efforts to overthrow the Iranian government by murdering its leaders. Politico reported Tuesday that some of Trumps own allies now believe the president no longer controls how, or when, the war ends. One person close to the White House told Politico: We clearly just kicked [Irans] ass in the field, but, to a large extent, they hold the cards now. They decide how long were involvedand they decide if we put boots on the ground. And it doesnt seem to me that theres a way around that, if we want to save face. A second source told Politico: The terms have changed. The off-ramps dont work anymore because Iran is driving the asymmetric action. Despite more than two weeks of bombingover 7,000 targets struck, more than 100 naval vessels destroyed, the supreme leader and dozens of senior officials killedthe Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the worlds oil passes, remains effectively closed. Shipping through the waterway has collapsed to roughly five transits a daya fraction of the 125 that passed through before the warwhile some 1,100 vessels, a quarter of them oil tankers, sit stranded in the Gulf with nowhere to go. Crude has jumped 45 percent since February 28, from under $70 to roughly $100 a barrel, and American drivers are paying $3.79 a gallon at the pump, a 25 percent increase. The war is deepening into a broader political crisis for the administration. A Data for Progress poll conducted March 6-8 found that 52 percent of Americans believe Trump was at least partly motivated to attack Iran in order to distract from the Epstein scandal, including 81 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of independents. A Quinnipiac poll found 74 percent of registered voters oppose sending ground troops. Trumps approval rating has fallen to roughly 40 percent, down from above 50 percent at the start of his term. Meanwhile, approximately 200 US service members have been wounded since the start of Operation Epic Fury, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM), in addition to the 13 who have been killed. At least 10 suffered serious injuries, including shrapnel wounds, burns and blast-induced brain trauma. The assassination of Larijani marks the latest in a series of decapitation strikes that have done nothing to end the war. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani had been eliminated and had joined Khamenei...in the depths of hell. He added: I have instructed the IDF to continue pursuing the leadership. Irans new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khameneithe son of the slain Ali Khameneihas rejected de-escalation proposals from two intermediary countries, stating that it was not the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation. In Lebanon, the war continues to expand. Since March 2, Israeli bombardment has killed 912 people111 of them childrenand driven more than a million from their homes, close to a fifth of the entire population. Over 100 communities have been ordered to evacuate. The UN human rights office warned that the bombing of residential areas could constitute war crimes and that the systematic mass displacement of the population violates international humanitarian law. In Iran, the health ministry reports at least 1,444 killed and over 18,000 injured since February 28. Amnesty International confirmed that a US attack on a school in Minab killed at least 170 people, most of whom were schoolgirls, and called for accountability. Three-day-old and two-year-old siblings were among those killed in a strike on Arak, along with their mother and grandmother. The war launched by US imperialism and Israel against Iran is dragging the world into a broader conflict in the Middle East and brings closer the prospect of a new world war. In Spain, the government of Pedro Sanchezformed by the Socialist Party (PSOE) and the pseudo-left Sumar partyis posturing as a moderate voice opposed to escalation, calling for no to war and saying it will not allow Washington to use the joint US-Spanish military bases at Rota and Moron. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez with Sumar leader Yolanda Diaz (to his right in the image) at a cabinet meeting, July 2023 [Photo by Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo/Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain] This stance is a fraud. Even as Sanchez issued these declarations, his government dispatched its most technologically advanced frigate, Cristobal Colon, to the eastern Mediterranean to offer protection and aerial defence. Equipped with advanced missile defence systems capable of intercepting retaliatory Iranian drone and cruise missile strikes against US and British bases or Israel, the deployment supports the US-led war effort by shielding key Western military infrastructure and enabling Washington to intensify its bombing campaign against Iran. The PSOE-Sumar government remains fully integrated into NATOs military operations and continues to increase Spains defence spending and back the European Unions accelerating rearmament drive. The zigzags of the PSOE-Sumar government reflect the imperialist interests of the Spanish bourgeoisie. On the one hand, Spain does not feel itself or its European allies militarily strong enough to risk an open clash with Washington and seeks to accommodate US policy. On the other, it both recognizes Trumps anti-European agenda and fears the deep-seated opposition in the working class to imperialist war. It is in this context that the countrys main trade union federations, Workers Commissions (Comisiones Obreras CCOO), close to the pseudo-left Podemos and Sumar, and the General Union of Workers (Union General de Trabajadores UGT), aligned with the PSOE, are seeking to subordinate anti-war sentiment among workers and youth to the government and the broader strategic aims of European imperialism. The unions have co-signed manifestos with Sumar, including one titled, Peace and Democracy for Iran. In it, they call on the Spanish government to maintain a firm and consistent position in favour of peace and an immediate ceasefire, while welcoming measures such as the prohibition of the use of US bases in Spain to support this war. The statement urges that the European Union adopt a clear and unified stance in defence of the cessation of hostilities, the protection of the civilian population and the strict respect for international law, and concludes by demanding that the European Union adopt an unequivocal position in favour of peace, rejecting military escalation and promoting diplomatic mediation. In reality, the imperialist powers within the European Union have backed and participated in US-led wars across the Middle East and Central Asia, from Afghanistan and Iraq, and Libya to Syria and Yemen, and most recently the Israeli genocide in Gaza. While occasionally posturing as advocates of diplomacy or multilateralism, the European governments have in practice supported the imperialist restructuring of the region led by Washington. At the same time, these governments have waged an unrelenting social war against their own populations to finance militarism. For more than a decade, especially since NATO provoked the war on Russia in Ukraine in 2022, Europes ruling classes have imposed austerity, slashed social spending, and diverted vast resources into rearmament. This also applies to the Spanish government. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently pushed back against Donald Trumps rants that Spain underspends on defence, noting that the government of Pedro Sanchez is increasing its defence spending. Spains actual military expenditure is estimated at around 66 billion, compared to roughly 30 billion in 2018, Sanchezs first year in office. This 123 percent increase has been facilitated by the backing of its pseudo-left coalition partnersfirst Podemos (20202023) and now Sumar. The trade union bureaucracy has played a decisive role. The UGT and CCOO are active defenders of the Spanish and European rearmament drive under the banner of strategic autonomythe construction of military forces aimed at sustaining the war against Russia and enabling interventions across the Middle East and Africa, independently of Washington. This entails the transfer of vast resources from social spending to military budgets, the destruction of hundreds of thousands of jobs amid an escalating global trade war, and the reintroduction of conscription. Last year, Unai Sordo, general secretary of CCOO, defended increasing military spending considering an unprecedented situation due to the US trade war threats. He insisted that CCOOs approach will try to ensure that the position of European trade unionism advocates for increasing the strategic autonomy of the European Union. This, he said, must go beyond defence and security and also encompass the energy and industrial sectors. Unai Sordo, general secretary of CCOO, at a national demonstration of public employees in Madrid. [Photo by Comisiones Obreras / CC BY-SA 2.0 Weeks later, general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Alvarez, told Publico on May Day, Europe, above all, must have strategic autonomy That autonomy must exist in taxation and in pharmaceutical [but] also apply to defence policy. Weve seen that its not only about Russias invasion of Ukraine, but also about the production of military industry, where we have an absolutely absurd and inconsistent dependence on the United States. He then went on to urge, The EU should impose a tax on all citizens for defence [spending]. The unions have dressed up their pro-militarism by claiming that, in the words of UGTs Alvarez, defence spending also means the creation of jobs. Not only directly in the manufacture of military products but also from the perspective of research and development. Last month, CCOO even warned that any legal or political blockage of government military modernisation programmes could endanger 10,000 jobs. This is a criminal policy, which rests on the premise that the production of weapons designed to kill workers and civilians in other countries is a legitimate foundation for jobs at home. It subordinates workers to the economic and strategic demands of their own ruling class. UGT and CCOO even dress up militarism as producing social wellbeing. In 2022, UGT FICA posted an article, The defence industry, a driver of economic growth and social wellbeing. In it, the UGT said, We clearly support a substantial increase in our countrys defence industry, adding, we are very clear that the defence industry is a driver of economic growth and social wellbeing. The union explicitly rejected any conflict between military expenditure and social spending, saying, More education, more public healthcare, decent pensions, more infrastructure and more social housing should not be the opposite of increasing the defence budget. When the PSOE-Sumar government presented the deeply unpopular Plan Industrial y Tecnologico de la Seguridad y la Defensa (PITSD) in April 2025, which gave another 10 billion to defence, the trade union bureaucracy moved swiftly to align itself with Madrid. The UGT in Cadiz actively lobbied for a share of the new defence spending, pressing for the F-100 frigate modernisation programme to be awarded to local shipyards. Similarly, CCOO called for multi-year acquisition planning, a state pact to guarantee long-term military procurement, and predictable investment streams to secure defence contracts and allow companies to guarantee long-term investments. All of this must be included in the European Defense Plan. Both unions have now been formally integrated into the military-industrial state machinery. A 2025 executive order created a National Committee for Security and Technological Sovereignty tied to the national security and defence industrial plan, with UGT and CCOO sitting on its advisory council alongside business organisations and the arms industry association, TEDAE. CCOO and UGT function as corporatist agencies of the capitalist state, working with the PSOE-Sumar government ministries, the arms industry, and the military apparatus to promote rearmament while suppressing opposition from below. They offer no path forward for the growing opposition among workers and youth to austerity, war, and dictatorship. Their role is to contain and divert social anger into harmless appeals to the very institutions responsible for the war drive. The struggle against imperialist war requires a conscious break with these organisations. Workers and youth must build rank-and-file committees in workplaces, factories, ports, transport hubs, schools, and universities, independent of the union bureaucracy and the parties of the political establishment, including PSOE, Sumar, and Podemos. These committees must unite workers across sectors and countries, in a common struggle to oppose rearmament and austerity and to take action to paralyse the war effort. Only through the independent mobilisation of the working class on an international socialist programme can the drive toward imperialist war be halted. March 15 marked seven years since New Zealands deadliest mass shooting, in which 51 Muslim worshippers were murdered at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, by fascist Brenton Tarrant. Those killed included four children, the youngest just 3 years old. Another 40 people were injured, some with multiple and debilitating gunshot wounds. The terrorist attack inflicted severe trauma on Muslim communities in New Zealand, and produced profound shock across the world. Tarrant broadcast his massacre live over the internet and issued a manifesto with the aim of sparking other racist attacks. Mass shooters who have cited Tarrant as an inspiration include John Earnest, who killed one person and wounded three at a synagogue in Poway, California (April 2019); Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso (August 2019); and Payton Gendron, who murdered 10 black people in Buffalo, New York (May 2022). Notwithstanding all the official claims that Tarrant acted alone and did not represent any broader movement, he was motivated by the same fascistic and white supremacist ideology that has been systematically promoted by far-right governments in the US and elsewhere. The great replacement conspiracy theory, which was central to Tarrants manifesto and states that white people are being deliberately replaced by immigrants, is promoted by the Trump administration in the United States. Like Tarrant, Trump and his henchmen refer to non-white immigrants as invaders in order to justify violent mass arrests, imprisonment and deportation. Memorial service to mark the seventh anniversary of the Christchurch terror attack, March 15, 2026 [Photo: Christchurch City Council] The anniversary of the mass shooting in New Zealand passed with minimal media coverage. A few hundred people attended a commemorative event in Christchurch. Dr Hamimah Ahmat, whose husband Zekeriya Tuyan was killed, told the crowd that families and friends of the victims continue to live through and go through the memory of March 15th. Rosemary Omar, whose son Tariq was killed at Al Noor Mosque, told Radio NZ that she felt politicians had abandoned the families: I dont believe they have any concept of what families have been through. There appears to be no compassion. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not attend the memorial event. He posted a brief message on social media stating that in 2019 the country showed the world strength, compassion and unity in the face of tragedy. We honour those who were taken from us by continuing to build a country where everyone can live in peace and safety. In Australia, where Tarrant was born and spent most of his life, Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement declaring that our nation stands united with Muslim Australians against hatred and division and pledging to always speak and act clearly against Islamophobia. These statements are profoundly hypocritical and insincere. Tarrant did not emerge from a political vacuum. He was the product of decades of anti-Muslim xenophobia and racism, stoked by governments to justify illegal wars, including the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which successive Australian and New Zealand governments participated in. Since the attack, both countries have further strengthened their alliances with US imperialism under the fascist president Trump, whom Tarrant idolised as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose. Wellington and Canberra support the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has now expanded into a war of annihilation against Lebanon and Iran. Trumps Secretary of War Pete Hegseth promised to wage the war decisively, devastatingly and without mercy, raining death and destruction from the sky all day long with no stupid rules of engagementin other words, using the genocidal methods of the Nazis. Luxon has pointedly refused to criticise blatant US war crimes, including the bombing of an Iranian girls school that killed more than 150 children, and the destruction of residential buildings, hospitals, desalination plants and other infrastructure. Albaneses government is sending a warplane and missiles, along with troops, to the United Arab Emirates to join the war against Iran. Australian military personnel were also onboard a US submarine that attacked a defenceless Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, killing 148 sailors. Far-right, anti-Muslim parties are being emboldened and elevated in the political establishment in both countries. Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was glorified by the worlds media following the attack as a supposedly kind and compassionate leader, governed in a coalition with the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party, which has a long history of racist agitation against Muslim, Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants. NZ First is now part of Luxons coalition government, with its leader Winston Peters serving as foreign minister. Peters has repeatedly launched tirades, which would not be out of place in Tarrants manifesto, against immigrants who dont salute our flag, as well as pro-Palestine protesters, LGBT people and global cultural Marxist influences. Last September, Peters and deputy prime minister and ACT Party leader David Seymour glorified the American fascist Charlie Kirk, following his assassinationas did the Australian government and media. Kirk promoted the same great replacement conspiracy as Tarrant, calling it a strategy to replace white rural America with migrants. His many anti-Muslim statements include: Islam is the sword the left is using to slit the throat of America. In Australia, the racist One Nation Party is now polling more than 25 percent in some polls, feeding off the xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment promoted by the major parties. Its leader Pauline Hanson suggested last month that there are no good Muslims in Australia and declared that non-Islamic people feel unsafe in Lakemba, a working-class suburb in Sydney with a high proportion of Muslims. Following her statement the Lakemba Mosque received a violent threat that explicitly referenced the Christchurch terrorist attack. Last month, West Australian police arrested Jayson Joseph Michaels, 20, and charged him with preparing to commit a terrorist act. He had allegedly planned to target Muslim places of worship across Perth, as well as police buildings and the state parliament. In New Zealand, police have reported a 7 percent increase in the last year in hate crimes directed towards Muslims. Federation of Islamic Associations spokesperson Abdur Razzaq told Stuff that in the last three months there had been three arrests for death threats. For the past seven years public discussion of the Christchurch shooting has been deliberately suppressed. The state outlawed possession of Tarrants manifesto and restricted reporting on its contents, in order to obscure the similarity of his positions to those of NZ First, One Nation and other parties. Ardern declared that she would never say Tarrants name and instructed the media not to report on his statements in the event of a trial. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 29, at the Christchurch High Court after pleading guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism in Christchurch, New Zealand, Aug. 27, 2020. [AP Photo/John Kirk-Anderson] Many questions remain about how Tarrant was able to plan and carry out the 2019 attack without being stopped. A royal commission of inquiry in 2020 produced a report which whitewashed the intelligence agencies and the police, declaring that nothing could have been done to prevent the attack. The commissions hearings were conducted in secret and the vast majority of evidence submitted to the inquiry has been suppressed. The royal commission sought to quash any suggestion that Tarrant was acting as part of an organised movement; its report declared that he had self-radicalised online, carried out the attack alone, with no assistance from any organisation. There is, however, ample evidence that punctures the lone actor narrative. Soon after the attack it emerged that Tarrant had been in contact with members of the Australian fascist Lads Societyformerly the United Patriots Front (UPF), now rebranded as the National Socialist Networkwhich had tried to recruit him in 2017. He sent death threats via social media to an opponent of the UPF in 2016, which was reported at the time to police, but no action was taken. The Lads Societys Thomas Sewell stated in a far-right social media discussion soon after the massacre that Tarrant had been in the scene for a while. In New Zealand, a member of the Bruce Rifle Club, where Tarrant practiced shooting, reported to police in 2017 that he had overheard disturbing anti-Muslim statements from members of the club. The royal commission accepted the claims by police that they did not receive any such complaint. Tarrant also donated to and corresponded with far-right groups in Europe and North America. He travelled extensively, including to centres of fascist activity in Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria and the Balkans. The royal commissions report asserted that Tarrant did not meet or train with any far-right groups during his travels. Australian investigative journalist Joey Watson, however, interviewed a source with intelligence connections in Bulgaria, who said Tarrant had trained with a right-wing migrant hunter vigilante group on the border with Turkey. This was a direct contradiction of the long-held narrative about Tarrantthat he was alone, Watson stated in a podcast released last July. Tarrant has never been publicly questioned about his activities; an interview he gave to the royal commission was suppressed. Early last month, Tarrant spoke at length in a courtroom for the first time, seeking leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence for murder. He claimed that his guilty plea in 2020 was entered under duress, due to poor prison conditions, and was an irrational decision. The Court of Appeal hearing took place amid an extraordinary level of censorship, with media outlets barred from recording the proceedings. Tarrant reportedly answered questions for three hours but hardly any of this has been published. He told the court that when he pleaded guilty he had put on the best front possible to represent the political movement Im part of. It is unclear whether Tarrant elaborated on this statement. The World Socialist Web Site applied to the Court of Appeal to view a transcript of the hearing but this was declined. A minute dated March 17 explaining the decision stated: Acceding to the request would be burdensome for the resources of this Court due to the extent of suppression in place. The court has yet to rule on whether Tarrants appeal can proceed. A coronial inquiry is continuing into the Christchurch attack, but with a very narrow scope. The inquiry, which began in 2022, is focused on the role of online platforms in radicalising Tarrant, how he was able to obtain a gun license, and the events on the day of the attack. Coroner Brigitte Windley announced that she would not investigate whether there were missed opportunities by intelligence, counter-terrorism agencies and other public sector agencies to stop Tarrantciting as her reason the security sensitive nature of the key evidence. The Ardern governments main response to the March 15 massacre was to boost intelligence agencies resources and to create the Christchurch Call to Actionan initiative, backed by the US, France, Britain, Australia and many other governments, which advocates for global mechanisms to censor the internet in the name of eliminating terrorist and violent extremist content. The real targets of such surveillance and censorship machinery are not the far-right, whose ideological representatives sit in parliaments across the Western world, but left-wing, socialist, and anti-war organisations. Most notably, the WSWS has been heavily censored by Google, Facebook and Twitter/Xall of which support the Christchurch Call to Action. In Australia, meanwhile, state and federal governments have exploited the Bondi terrorist attack on a Jewish gathering last Decemberin which 15 people were killed by two gunmen inspired by Islamic Stateto ban protests against the Gaza genocide and to smear protesters as antisemitic. Laws passed in January will allow the government to ban political parties or organisations classified as hate groupsone of the most serious attacks on democratic rights in Australian history. The working class must draw sharp political lessons from March 15, 2019, and from the seven years that have followed. The fight against fascism and Islamophobia cannot be entrusted to capitalist governments that are responsible for both and are intent on crushing opposition to war and genocide. In the US, Israel, across Europe, and in Australia and NZ, the same poisonous ideology that drove Tarrant is being systematically cultivated in order to divide working people and to justify genocidal wars. The descent into fascism and world war can only be stopped through the conscious political mobilisation of the working class, on the basis of a socialist and internationalist program uniting workers of all religions, ethnicities and nationalities against capitalism. President Donald Trump meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Washington. [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein] The European Union (EU) has firmly rejected US President Donald Trumps call to participate in a military operation in the Strait of Hormuz. No one wants to be actively drawn into this war, said EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas following a meeting of EU foreign ministers held in Brussels on Monday. This is not our war. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European heads of government also spoke out against participating in the war. The question is not whether we will participate, said Merz. We will not do so. Regarding NATO, he said it is a defensive alliance, not an interventionist alliance, and therefore its involvement here is not called for. US President Donald Trump had previously urged European allies to help secure the sea route, which has been blocked by Iran since the US-Israeli attack, and threatened consequences for NATO in the event of a refusal. Its only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there, Trump told the Financial Times. If theres no response or if its a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO. He repeated this threat at a Monday press conference. Europes no does not mean a rejection of the criminal war against Iran, nor does it exclude the possibility that the Europeans will intervene in the conflict with their own troops. They are simply unwilling to get involved in a war over whose course and outcome they have no influence. They want to drive a hard bargain for their participation in the war. Merz had assured Trump of his support just two weeks ago, immediately after the war began. We agree that this terrible regime in Tehran must go, and we will discuss what will happen the day after they are gone, he said during a visit to the White House. But since then, it has become clear that Trump did not commit to a limited war that would bring down the Iranian regime like a house of cards. Iran proved to be far more resilient than the war hawks in Washington and Tel Aviv had imagined. It has carried out retaliatory strikes in eight countries and blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the worlds oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, as well as 13 percent of all fertiliser exports, flow. If the blockade persists for weeks or months, the consequences for the global economy will be devastating. Fuel and heating prices, which have already risen sharply, will skyrocket further, as will food prices. The chemical industry, which relies on petroleum as a raw material, will also be severely affected. The disruption of global supply chains will reverberate through nearly every sector of the economy. The Trump administration is responding by preparing a ground offensive that threatens to set the entire Middle East ablaze. Trump, who has neither informed nor consulted NATO allies about his war plans, is now demanding their support in the form of an ultimatum. The European powers are outragedbut not adverse. They themselves have been working toward regime change in Iran for years and have supported economic sanctions against the country. They have backed the Israeli genocide in Gaza, which served as preparation for the war against Iran. They want to secure their share in the redivision of the Middle East and are directly affected by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Yet they are setting conditions. They want to ensure that their own interests are safeguarded. Foremost among these is the continuation of the war against Russia in Ukraine. Iran is indeed one of Russias closest allies, and a defeat there would weaken Russia. Yet in the short term, the war is working in Moscows favour. Ukraine lacks weapons that are now being deployed in the Gulf, and rising energy prices are replenishing the Russian treasury, which the imposition of international sanctions were intended to drain. The fact that Trump has eased sanctions on Russian oil to mitigate the consequences of the Hormuz blockade has been met with outrage in Europe. According to the former German ambassador to Moscow, Rudiger von Fritsch, Russia has earned an additional 6 billion euros since the start of the war in Iran. Wolfgang Ischinger, president of the Munich Security Conference, recommended that the European powers link their participation in the Iran war to counter-demands: That the US re-engage directly in Ukraine, that the long-planned American sanctions package against Russia is finally implemented. Ischinger demanded that the approach to the Ukraine issue, the Gaza situation, and the Iran issue be coordinated among the allies, as was customary in the past. An angry Trump could cause even more difficulties in the war in Ukraine than is already the case, he added. The Europeans are not willing to submit to the command of the US, which they increasingly perceive as an adversary and rival. They do not want to be dragged into a long-running, disastrous, US-led war, as in Afghanistan. They fear that a US-provoked collapse of state power in Iran and an ethnic fragmentation of the country would trigger a civil war and a massive wave of refugees toward Europe. Reports that the US was arming Kurdish groups against the regime in Tehran met with protest in Europe. Emmanuel Macron, the president of Francea former colonial poweris the most vocal advocate for a European military intervention in the region that is independent of the United States. On March 11, at the initiative of France, which currently holds the G7 presidency, the G7 nations agreed to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This is said to be a purely defensive mission to escort tankers and container ships, which will not begin immediately but as soon as possible after the end of the most intense phase of the conflict. The model for this is the EUs Operation Aspides, which protects merchant ships between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea from attacks by Yemeni Houthi militias. However, the missions purportedly defensive nature is contradicted by the fact that Macron has dispatched a naval fleet to the eastern Mediterranean that is unprecedented by French standards, which, according to his statement, may be deployed in the Strait of Hormuz. It comprises eight frigates, two helicopter carriers, and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is equipped with various weapon systems, 30 Rafale fighter jets, and several helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft. A French submarine, as well as frigates from the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Greece, are also accompanying the armada. The United Kingdom, which is a member of NATO but not the EU, is also participating in the military deployment in the Middle East. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference: Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the market. That is not a simple task. So were working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to put together a viable, collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impact. Starmer insisted, however, that he would not allow the UK to be drawn into the wider war. He sent the air defence-specialised destroyer HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean and placed the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales on heightened alert. Germany is represented in the eastern Mediterranean only by the frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen and has stationed 280 soldiers to combat ISIS in northern Iraq, Baghdad and Jordan. In consultation with the EU and NATO, it is concentrating its forces on NATOs eastern flank and the North Atlantic for a confrontation with Russia. Unlike Britain and France, which only allowed the US to use their bases for the war on Iran after initial hesitation, Germany posed no problems whatsoever. Above all, the Ramstein Air Base, where some 9,000 US soldiers are stationed, is indispensable as a hub and logistical base for US wars in the Middle East. Despite Kallass claim that This is not our war, the European powers are deeply entangled in the war against Irana war that violates international law, has already claimed thousands of lives, and threatens to set the entire region ablaze. They do not want to stand on the sidelines in the struggle for the redivision of the world among the great powers. The war is being waged on the backs of the working class and the youth, who must bear the costs in the form of price hikes, massive military spending and the reintroduction of conscription. War and militarism are incompatible with democracy. As in the US, where Trumps war policy goes hand in hand with a frontal assault on workers democratic rights, the ruling class in Europe is also increasingly relying on repression. There is no serious opposition to this among the established parties. From Germanys Left Party to the far-right Alternative for Germany, all have welcomed the treacherous assassination of the Iranian leadership. The war can only be stopped through the mobilisation of the international working class on the basis of a socialist program that links the struggle against social inequality, war and dictatorship with the struggle against their root cause, capitalism. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player A section of the thousands of meatpackers on strike in Greeley, Colorado, March 17, 2026. While the war in Iran and attacks on democratic rights at home show an American ruling class plumbing the depths of barbarism, a different and progressive movement is emerging within the working class. This is demonstrated in the strike of 3,800 meatpacking workers at the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado. Roughly 1,000 workers, who are part of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), have formed picket lines stretching for nearly half a mile along the perimeter of the facility. In a country where strikes have for years been suffocated by a union bureaucracy that limits picketing to a handful of individuals at each entrance, these mass picket lines testify to a profound shift in attitude. New moods are opening up. As one worker explained, We cannot continue to be worked like slaves. The JBS workers embody the international character of the working class. At the Greeley plant, between 80 and 90 percent of workers are immigrants, and more than 50 languages are spoken inside the facility. JBS itself is a Brazilian-based multinational and one of the largest food companies in the world, with operations spanning six continents. It employs between 270,000 and 280,000 workers worldwideapproximately 158,000 in Brazil, 80,000 in North America, 16,800 in Europe and 14,000 in Australia, with additional facilities in Argentina, Canada and beyond. The billionaire Batista family in Brazil holds a controlling share, but significant ownership stakes are held by major institutional investors, including the giant private equity firms BlackRock and Vanguard, an expression of the fact that the companys ultimate master is the global financial oligarchy. The strike is a direct rebuke to Donald Trump and to the union bureaucrats who have long sought to pit immigrant and foreign workers against American workers. In reality, immigrant workers are an essential component of the American working class, just as American workers are part of the global working class. Workers have taken a determined stand in defiance of the ever-present threat posed by Trumps immigration police apparatus. Many of the workers are Haitian immigrants whom the administration is attempting to strip of Temporary Protected Status. Workers report that unmarked vans were stationed around the location of the strike vote, and recent reports indicate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is operating at least nine secret detention sites in Colorado alone. Meatpacking and food processing facilities have long been targets of immigration raids, including one carried out at Greeley in 2006. The conditions against which workers are fighting are horrific, recalling the worst abuses of the late 19th century. Haitian immigrants have filed lawsuits against the company, charging that they were lured to the United States with promises of stable employment and housing, only to be crammed by the dozens into houses without running water or electricity. At least six workers died during the first year of the pandemic, and in 2021 a worker died after falling into a chemical vat. These conditions recall those described in Upton Sinclairs 1906 novel The Jungle. But while President Theodore Roosevelt responded to the public outcry by enacting food safety legislation the following year, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act in 2020 to force meatpacking workers to remain on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reversion to barbaric conditions in the meatpacking industry is the product of a decades-long process in which the union bureaucracy has played a central role. A decisive turning point was the UFCWs suppression of the Hormel strike in 198586. When Local P-9 in Austin, Minnesota sought to break out of its isolation and appeal for broader support, it was decertified by the international union. The UFCW is one of countless unions whose bureaucracies collaborated with corporations to keep operations running during the pandemic. In Waterloo, Iowa, managers notoriously took bets on how many workers would become infected, with the complicity of the union apparatus. At Greeley, UFCW Local 7 responded to spontaneous walkouts by instructing workers to remain on the job. Last year, the UFCW reached a national agreement with JBS covering 26,000 workers, but the Greeley plant was deliberately excluded and kept on a contract extension until just before the present strikea maneuver that has facilitated the transfer of cattle to other facilities, including Cactus, Texas. The UFCW has also declared that the strike will last only two weeks, with an option to extend it if the company does not return to negotiations. This is a clear signal that the union is planning on quickly shutting the strike down. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) urges workers to prepare not only for confrontation with management and capitalist politicians but also with the union bureaucracies, which function as extensions of both corporate management and the state. The first and most urgent task is to take control of this strike out of the hands of the UFCW apparatus. The IWA-RFC urges workers to form a rank-and-file strike committee, democratically elected from the shop floor and the picket lines, to organize the struggle, communicate directly with workers, and prevent any backroom deal. This committee should draw up and publicize a set of non-negotiable demands based on what workers actually needsubstantial wage increases and COLA, safe staffing and line speeds, real health protections, an end to victimizations and retaliation and full protection for immigrant workers. Workers should reject any attempt to shut down the strike on the basis of vague promises that the company will return to the negotiating table. JBS has returned to the table countless times only to drag out talks, wear workers down and impose concessions. Workers should reject the UFCWs self-imposed two-week limit, which is designed to demoralize workers and prepare a retreat. However courageous their struggle, the workers in Greeley cannot prevail on their own against a massive multinational corporation, backed by the fascistic Trump administration. The IWA-RFC urges striking workers to appeal directly to workers at every JBS facility in the United Statesespecially Cactus, Texas and other plants receiving diverted cattleto refuse to handle strikebreaking shipments and to prepare solidarity action. Reach out to autoworkers, teachers, healthcare workers, logistics and rail workers and other sections of the working class facing the same assault on wages, conditions and democratic rights. Build lines of communication and coordinate actions independent of the union bureaucracy, which will try to keep every struggle separated and contained. In particular, preparations must be made for concrete actions to defend workers against attacks on the picket lines or retaliation by ICE. Coordinated actions, including strike action, must be organized to defend workers against the state, which will inevitably act in concert with corporate management. Most importantly, the fight must be taken to the global level. JBS is a multinational corporation with a single global workforce. Workers at JBS facilities in Brazil, Europe, Australia and Canada should be mobilized in coordinated solidarity with the Greeley strikers. The conditions these workers face differ in their legal and political form but share a common economic foundation: the subordination of human life to profit. The nationalist poison of America First and its equivalents in other countries must be rejected in favor of the principle that has animated working class struggles since the 19th century: Workers of the World, Unite! The path forward is international solidarity and rank-and-file controlbuilding an organized counteroffensive of the working class against JBS, the financial oligarchy behind it, and the political forces that will be mobilized to break this strike. HIVE Digital Technologies has achieved a major milestone in its artificial intelligence strategy. The company officially announced that its BUZZ AI Cloud platform in Asuncion, Paraguay, is now operational. Currently, an academic research team from Columbia University in New York is using the platforms GPU compute nodes to power its latest studies. Related: Bitcoin mining company HIVE targets $200 million revenue with new AI expansion A bridge between New York and Paraguay This deployment is the first of its kind for HIVE in Paraguay. It uses a Tier-III data center provided by the nation's largest telecommunications provider. This facility was built specifically to handle AI model training and intense research. HIVE is using this partnership to create a "proof of concept" for high-speed cloud computing between New York and Asuncion. The Columbia researchers are using the BUZZ Cloud to train Large Language Models (LLMs). Their work includes training models that range from 0.2 billion parameters to over 8 billion parameters. They are currently developing special algorithms, known as Muon and MuonClip, which improve AI quality while lowering costs. Early tests show these methods are 1.3 times more efficient than standard baselines. This provides HIVE with important real-world data on how to manage global AI workloads over long distances. Trending on TheStreet Roundtable: Paraguay as a high-tech frontier Paraguay is an ideal location for this technology because of its massive hydroelectric power and nationwide fiber-optic network. HIVE already has a 300-megawatt renewable energy base in the country, with another 100 megawatts currently being developed. Interestingly, the President of Paraguay, Santiago Pena, earned his Masters degree from Columbia University in 2003, creating a unique link between the school and the nation. The path to 2027 HIVEs leadership views this as a vital step in their long-term growth. Executive Chairman Frank Holmes described the move as a way to "beta test" before building a full-scale AI factory. "Before scaling an AI factory, it's prudent to beta test. This deployment marks our first live GPU compute workload in Asuncion and provides the real- world performance data we need to guide our Tier-III expansion roadmap," Holmes said. He noted that adding AI tools to their existing energy base is the next phase for the business. Los Angeles on 2 November 2019. [Photo by mjhbower / CC BY-SA 2.0 In Los Angeles County, more than six homeless people die every day, a staggering toll that reveals the social reality concealed behind the image of prosperity promoted by politicians and the corporate media. In 2024 alone, 2,208 people experiencing homelessness were found dead, after a modest decline from the previous year. The mortality rate for unhoused people is more than four times higher than that of the general population. These deaths occur in a region that is home to 54 billionaires and 516 centimillionaires. California itself, with an economy larger than most countries, is one of the richest territories on the planet. Yet for tens of thousands of people forced to live on sidewalks, in tents, vehicles and makeshift encampments, life expectancy collapses under the weight of poverty and neglect. Behind each statistic lies a largely invisible process carried out daily at the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, whose personnel collect the bodies of the dead from streets, parking lots and encampments throughout the metropolitan area. The causes of death among unhoused people reflect the inhumane conditions imposed by life on the streets. Drug and alcohol overdoses remain the leading cause of death, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all fatalities among the homeless population. Hundreds die every year from overdoses involving fentanyl, methamphetamine and other substances. But substance use alone does not explain the full picture. Homeless mortality is driven by a complex interaction of untreated illness, physical danger and chronic deprivation. According to county health data: Coronary heart disease is the second leading cause of death, responsible for about 14 percent of fatalities. Transportation-related injuries (people struck by vehicles while walking along roads or sleeping near traffic) are the third leading cause, with a homeless person killed by a vehicle roughly every other day. Homicide ranks among the top causes, reflecting the violence faced by people living without shelter. Suicide remains a persistent cause of death, particularly among younger homeless individuals. Many deaths are classified broadly as natural, including heart failure, liver disease and complications from chronic illness that have gone untreated for years due to lack of healthcare. Many bodies are discovered in tents, at abandoned lots, bus stops, sidewalks, vehicles or parks, locations that reveal the reality of daily survival outside the shelter system. The process that follows the death of a person on the street in Los Angeles is both highly bureaucratic and revealing of the scale of the crisis. Police officers, firefighters or paramedics typically respond first. If death is confirmed, investigators from the Medical Examiner-Coroners office are dispatched to document the circumstances of death, collect evidence and arrange transport of the body to county facilities. These teams operate across a sprawling metropolitan region where tens of thousands of people live unsheltered. Coroner investigators regularly visit encampments, alleyways, freeway underpasses and public parks, locations that have effectively become the last homes of many of the deceased. The bodies are transported to the county morgue, where autopsies and toxicology tests are performed to determine the cause of death. Because of backlogs in forensic testing, especially toxicology screening for drugs, official determinations can take months. Identification is often difficult due to the lack of documents, long lost or stolen during life on the streets. Authorities attempt to contact next of kin through fingerprints, missing-person records and other databases. But in many cases families are located only after prolonged investigation, or not at all. Some of the dead remain unidentified for months or years. The grim reality is that large numbers of the deceased are estranged from family or have lost contact with them long before their deaths. The discovery of homeless deaths is itself shaped by a broader political campaign directed from City Hall. Under successive administrations, the city has intensified what officials call encampment resolution operations. These sweeps involve sanitation workers, police, outreach personnel and private contractors clearing homeless encampments from sidewalks, parks and freeway underpasses. During such operations workers frequently encounter individuals who have died in tents or makeshift shelters. The sweeps are carried out under directives that prioritize the removal of encampments near schools, parks and high-profile commercial districts. City officials routinely describe these operations as humanitarian interventions, but in practice they often displace people from one neighborhood to another without providing permanent housing. For many individuals, displacement deepens the instability that contributes to illness, addiction, exposure to violence and, too often, death. While thousands die on the streets each year, the official response to homelessness in Los Angeles has increasingly been shaped by financial and political interests. Central to the citys homelessness apparatus is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), a joint city-county agency responsible for distributing billions of dollars in public funds intended to address the crisis. In recent years, however, political leaders have advanced plans to restructure the system as part of a broader drive toward privatization. Officials in the Los Angeles City Council, including four Democratic Socialists of America councilmembers, and county government have promoted proposals to reorganize LAHSAs responsibilities and shift significant functions to private contractors, nonprofit intermediaries and development firms. Under the banner of efficiency and accountability, these initiatives would further embed profit-making enterprises in the management of homelessness. Even death management would inevitably become a lucrative line of business. Construction companies, real estate developers, consulting firms and investment groups already play a significant role in the homelessness industry. Billions of dollars have been spent on temporary shelters, modular housing projects and service contracts. Yet despite this massive expenditure, homelessness has remained entrenched. Many projects involve extraordinarily high construction costs and lucrative contracts for private firms, while permanent affordable housing remains scarce. The transformation of homelessness into a quasi-market sector, funded by public money but administered through private intermediaries, has created powerful financial incentives that have no connection to solving the crisis. The tragedy unfolding on the streets of Los Angeles cannot be understood simply as a failure of policy or administration. It is the direct product of California Democrats policies, which have reinforced a social system of war and repression that concentrates immense wealth in the hands of a tiny elite while denying basic necessitieshousing, healthcare and stable employmentto millions. Housing costs in California have soared over decades as real estate speculation transformed housing into a financial asset rather than a social right. At the same time, public housing, social services and mental health infrastructure have been dismantled. The result is a society where luxury towers rise beside sprawling encampments and billionaires amass vast fortunes while thousands struggle to survive outdoors. The daily removal of bodies from the streets is the predictable outcome of a system organized around private profit. While political leaders frame homelessness as a technical issue, the deaths expose the profound inequality of American capitalism and the need for a socialist reorganization of social priorities. A volunteer works to clear debris a day after a storm whipped up a tornado through the area, in Union City Michigan, Saturday, March 7, 2026. [AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh] On March 6 a supercell storm system in lower Michigan spawned four tornadoes. An EF-1 tornado touched down near Edwardsburg, Michigan and traveled northeast for 13 miles. The tornado struck a home, causing injuries that led to the death of 12-year-old Silas Anderson. According to a report in the Detroit News, first responders were dispatched to the 6800 block of Conrad Road in Milton Township, near the Indiana state line, after a caller reported they could not find their son following the tornado. A next-door neighbor told WVPE Public Radio in Elkhart, Indiana, that the boy was in his garage when the ceiling fell on him. Family and school officials describe Silas as a bright, muchloved member of the Edwardsburg Public Schools community. His death has become a focal point of public outrage over the lack of advance tornado warnings that day. His parents, through statements shared by their pastor, have emphasized both their devastation and their gratitude for the outpouring of support, while also asking for privacy as the community discussions about the warning failures continue. Beginning at 3:49 pm, an EF-2 tornado with max wind speeds of 130 miles per hour traveled 12 miles through Three Rivers, Michigan, damaging numerous homes and businesses. The tornado tore the roof off a Menards retail store as customers and workers attempted to shelter under a mezzanine inside after receiving tornado warnings on their smartphones minutes before it hit. An EF-1 (Enhanced Fujita Scale) tornado has winds of 86-110 mph, an EF-2 has winds of 111-135 mph, and an EF-3 has winds of 136-165 mph. Local media ABC57 spoke to Levi Spokes, who was shopping with his grandmother when their phones started beeping with the tornado warning. They were unable to get to the shelter before the tornado hit the building. We were, you know, going that way. And then the front area, some more of the roof rips off and I looked behind at my grandma, and the back-ends ripping open. Stuffs just tumbling everywhere. Stuffs flying right behind my grandma, and then in front of us, were dodging stuff in front of us, said Stokes. Over five days, storms in Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana spawned more than 20 tornadoes, resulting in 11 deaths, at least 20 injuries and significant damage or destruction to hundreds of buildings. On March 5, an EF-2 tornado west of Fairview, Oklahoma killed 47-year-old Jodie Owens and her 13-year-old daughter Lexi Owens when it struck their vehicle. Reports indicate that the mother was on the phone with two of her other children warning them to take shelter when the vehicle was hit and the call cut out. On March 6, an EF-3 tornado cut a path of destruction for almost seven miles through Beggs, Oklahoma. It began at the towns middle and high school, damaging the roofs, before heading northeast. It reached a width of 950 yards wide with winds peaking at 140 miles per hour, at which point it struck and destroyed a mobile home, killing 59-year-old Todd McClellan and his wife 63-year-old Becky McClellan. Their son, living at a different house on the property, was injured. The four deaths set a record in Oklahoma for the most ever in March. On March 10, a storm system in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana generated hail up to six inches in diameter and multiple tornadoes. An EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 150 miles per hour began in Kankakee, Illinois at the Kankakee Fairgrounds and headed northeast for 36 miles. It passed through Aroma Park, Illinois where 65-year-old Maurice Norington was killed from damage to his home. It ended in Lake Village, Indiana where it razed the home of 84-year-old Jane Kozlowski and her husband 89-year-old Ed Kozlowski, killing them both. The tornadoes in Michigan were the deadliest since 1980, when a twister went through downtown Kalamazoo killing five people. A worker at American Axle Manufacturing in Three Rivers, Michigan, which employs 1,100 workers, spoke about the experience at the plant during the recent tornado. She said that the company shut down for 40 minutes and crammed all the workers in a small area with windows all around. At 4:33 pm an EF-3 tornado began south of Athens, Michigan with max wind speeds of 160 miles per hour and a maximum width of 500 yards, traveling northeast five miles to Union City, Michigan. It traveled along the north shore of Union Lake, razing multiple homes, damaging numerous buildings and injuring 12 people. Among those killed were 65-year old Penni Jo Guthrie, 54-year-old Keri Ann Johnson, and 63-year-old William Andrew Akers when each of their manufactured homes were lofted and tossed, according to the NWS (National Weather Service). The fact that tornado sirens did not sound and the NWS did not issue a tornado warning is a significant factor in the death toll. In the aftermath of the deadly weather event, every level of government is seeking to avoid responsibility for the lack of preparedness and inability to warn the public about the approaching danger. Two days after the storm, Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer released a video following a helicopter tour of the damage and, through her spokeswoman Stacey LaRouche, pointed the finger at the Trump administration for the tornado deaths. LaRouche said, While tornadoes can be hard to predict, the federal government should investigate whether the failure to issue a watch was related to federal cuts. While it is true that the NWS Storm Prediction Center did not issue a tornado warning for the southwest area of Michigan, it is also true that outdoor warning sirens in Michigan are controlled by counties and local municipalities. The NWS is claiming that warnings were issued, but that no broader tornado watch was put out in advance for southwest Michigan. The official NWS position is that the environment was assessed as lowprobability and very isolated, but a surprise highend supercell formed along a warm front. The NWS claim that warnings were issued as the tornado threat became evident on radar, but there was no earlier watch and only a few minutes of effective warning were provided in the hardesthit locations. Meanwhile, local officials have been saying that responsibility for failing to sound the tornado siren was cause by a planned statewide annual voluntary drill scheduled for March 18 during Severe Weather Awareness Week. This is an absurd argument because the March 6 siren and watch failures arose from forecasting, NWS decisionmaking, and local siren policies, not from any drill schedule. Independent radar analyses suggests at least one fatal tornado may have already been on the ground by the time the first warning went out, highlighting how fast the storm spun up and how short the lead time was. This raises the question of the unprecedented intensity and speed of the storms todaydriven by climate changeand the fact that the present level of technology and data analysis among meteorologists is incapable of responding rapidly enough to developing supercells. While local, state and federal officials are treating the March 6 event in Michigan as unusually serious, there have been previous tornadoes in Michigan with no advance warning given and limited or no siren coverage in the affected area. On March 10, Whitmer traveled to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump, ostensibly to brief him on the deadly tornadoes. A statement from LaRouche referenced the tornadoes only in one sentence. The governor gave an update on the deadly tornadoes that hit southwest Michigan on Friday. The rest of the statement regarded appealing for further disaster assistance for a 2025 ice storm in Northern Michigan and other investments in Michigan. Then Whitmer moved on to military matters, with LaRouche saying, Michigan looks forward to welcoming new fighter jets to Selfridge, which will strengthen our national security, boost base readiness, and protect thousands of jobs in Macomb County. Whitmers groveling before Donald Trump amidst the escalating war against Iran is particularly revealing considering his role in stoking far-right hostility to her pandemic measures and providing political cover for militia groups. In 2020, the armed Wolverine Watchmen conspiracy planned to kidnap and execute Whitmer. Three of the men were convicted for providing material support for a terrorist act and are currently serving prison sentences of 7 to 12 years. Since securing commitments from Trump, Whitmer has stopped calling for an investigation into the lack of a tornado watch before the March 6 storm. The Trump administrations assault on federal workers in 2025 resulted in a net decrease of 10 percent of the US government workforce. This process was spearheaded by Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, who led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before a personal falling out with Trump. DOGE-mandated layoffs and hiring freezes left NWS offices understaffed by 20-30 percent in critical forecasting roles, radar maintenance and data analysis. Overall funding of the parent organization of NWS (NOAA) dropped 14-30 percent from 2025 levels, hitting weather satellites ($209 million cut), climate research labs ($53 million cut) and cooperative institutes that support NWS models. Cuts also terminated contracts for next-gen satellites and research on severe storms, weakening real-time monitoring and predictive tools like those used for tornado detection. The number of tornadoes annually reported by the NWS since 1950 has steadily increased over time. Simultaneously, the number of fatalities has trended downwards. This is due to significant scientific advances in meteorology in the last century. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), founded in 1960, has played a major role in performing science that has led to meteorological advances and increased understanding of the link between climate change and the increasing prevalence and severity of extreme weather. Supercomputers at NCAR operate complex models that forecast hurricanes, track wildfire smoke and project rising sea levels and floods. In December 2025, the Trump administration labeled NCAR as a source of climate alarmism and announced plans to dismantle it. The New York Times reports that proposals under consideration include moving the supercomputer to the University of Wyoming and shifting a space weather lab to a private company. Nearly 900 scientists and engineers work at the NCAR headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Julie Lundquist, Professor of Atmospheric Science and Wind Energy at John Hopkins University condemned the move. She said, This is a terrible move to make at any time, particularly now that weve just had the third hottest year on record and need to better grasp whats coming our way. Lundquist continued, Like many atmospheric scientists in the US, I consider NCAR the single-most vital resource for scientists working to understand and predict Earths atmosphere and weather. Losing NCAR would kneecap our ability to do important work to understand severe storms, flash floods, drought, air quality, wildfires, and weather prediction. The Trump administration is systematically attacking science and destroying critical departments such as those involved in weather prediction. The response of the Democrats is in line with the partys response to the criminal wars abroad and the violations of constitutional rights at home. The Democrats issue statements and posture as opponents while simultaneously providing the votes needed to fund the Trump administrations assault on science and buildup of the US military war machine. Student workers at Columbia University in New York City voted by 91.5 percent last week to authorize a strike in pursuit of their second contract with the university. Their first contract expired in July of 2025. Columbia University students rally against the genocide in Gaza, Friday, January 19, 2024. The 1,129 yes to 105 no vote is a powerful declaration by graduate and undergraduate workers that they will not accept poverty wages, precarious employment and the destruction of democratic rights on a campus that has become a testing ground for authoritarian policies. Their union, Student Workers of Columbia (SWC), is an affiliate of the United Auto Workers (UAW). At the same time, 950 contract faculty members at New York University, also covered by the UAW, are poised to strike March 23 for their first contract amid stonewalling by NYU. At the time of the strike authorization vote, the SWC was demanding a living wage and a cost-of-living escalator clause for PhD workers and hourly workers alike in one of the most expensive cities in the world. It was also demanding stronger protections for non-citizen student workers, expanded healthcare benefits, expansion of childcare subsidies, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment protections, protections against unjust discipline and firings, protections against AI, job security and union rights. The SWC linked economic demands to the assault on democratic rights on campus. The workers were demanding cops off campus, making Columbia a sanctuary campus, stopping surveillance on campus, fairer disciplinary processes and the defense of academic freedom, including the right to protest without fear of expulsion, arrest or deportation. They also connected the contract fight to demands that Columbia divest from weapons manufacturers and institutions connected to the USbacked Israeli genocide in Gaza, as well as companies or governments that violated international law. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) fully supports these demands. Multiple SWC members have been targets of attack on campus by Columbia and federal police working with the Columbia administration. These include Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested and detained for months by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his participation in pro-Palestinian protests; Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained by ICE last April when he appeared for a naturalization interview; and SWC President Grant Miner, who was expelled for taking part in a pro-Palestinian protest. The UAW bureaucracy has threatened to withhold authorization of a strike unless the SWC waters down its demands, which were approved by the SWC membership. On March 14, The Free Press, a right-wing outlet founded by Zionist Bari Weiss, published a hit piece denouncing the student workers demands and hailing the intervention of the UAW Region 9A leadership. Emails and chats by SWC members published by the articles author speak for themselves on the anti-worker role of the UAW apparatus. Several chats reference comments made by Region 9A Servicing Representative Courtney Bither, who made $133,000 in 2024. One said Bither wont support our articles in their current form, and raised the specter that SWC could be put into receivership by UAW if we do not correct course. In a screenshot of Bithers notes to the SWC, she says, Part of getting a strike authorized is showing substantive bargaining process. Part of that means it cant be all of your initial proposals still on the table Based on bargaining right now it seems that its unlikely that IEB will approve of a strike. In response to these threats, SWC President Grant Miner emailed the membership, stating: Our regional director, Brandon [Mancilla], is the one who writes a letter to the IEB to recommend a strike. Courtney meets regularly with Brandon to update him on the substantive issues we are bargaining over and the status of our issues. I want people to understand in no uncertain terms that the region has communicated to us that if we do not alter our proposals to narrow their scope and permissiveness, our strike will not be approved. The changes we made to our articles were in response to feedback solicited with a singular question: What do we have to change in order to be able to honor our workers desire for a strike? In other words, the national UAW bureaucracy has threatened to block a democratically authorized strike if the SWC refuses to capitulate to its demands. This is being done under the auspices of Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla, who is a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, elevated by UAW President Shawn Fain, and under the DSA-Democratic mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Changes were subsequently made to the SWCs demands under UAW pressure, including dropping the demands to end all surveillance and to remove police from the campus. These garnered comments such as: This is clearly against the democratic spirit of this union. The Free Press celebrated this intervention as the voice of hardnosed experience, presenting the UAW bureaucracy as a responsible partner of the university administration and the government. Serious unions, according to The Free Press, the UAW and the DSA, must limit themselves to narrow, purely economic questions and suppress any and all political demands or opposition. This is entirely in line with the role the UAW apparatus has played for decades. Across the auto industry, the UAW leadership has integrated itself into corporate management and the capitalist state, trading away wages, conditions and democratic rights in exchange for dues income and positions for the bureaucracy. At universities, the same apparatus seeks to keep struggles isolated campus by campus, impose concessions and block any movement that threatens to challenge both big business parties. This apparatus fears above all that workers will link up across workplaces and connect their fight for decent conditions to the growing opposition to war, dictatorship and social inequality. The UAW bureaucracyincluding the DSA, which is part of the Fain regimetells Columbia student workers to get in line and threatens receivership at a time when Columbias campus has been ground zero for the Trump administrations repression and attacks on academic freedom, to which the Columbia administration has capitulated. The bureaucracy is intervening not only as a corrupt apparatus, but as an extension of the state. Last year, following mass Gaza solidarity protests, the Trump administration weaponized funding and regulatory mechanisms against Columbia, demanding sweeping changes in policy under the pretext of combating antisemitism. Trump froze roughly $400 million in federal research grants and made clear that future fundingsome $1.3 billion in 2024 alonewould be tied to the universitys willingness to discipline protesters, censor opposition to the Gaza genocide and restructure curricula in line with the needs of US imperialism. Columbias leadership, rooted in the Democratic Party and corporate media elites, responded by collaborating with this offensive. Columbia entered into a settlement with Trump, agreeing to pay more than $220 million and impose farreaching changes in admissions, programming and campus discipline. The deal codified bans on masks at protests, tightened disciplinary procedures, expanded cooperation with the New York Police Department and pledged to create new administrative structures to monitor alleged antisemitisma euphemism for silencing antigenocide activism. The university also committed to share more data on international students with the Department of Homeland Security and to inform federal authorities whenever such students were arrested, explicitly tying immigration status to political repression. The SWCs first contract failed to provide a living wage, something admitted openly by SWC leaders. It included a no-strike clause, of which the World Socialist Web Site wrote: this means that the new contract at Columbia will tie students hands in the future under conditions in which millions of workers are being radicalized and driven into struggle. Today, student workers confront a qualitatively more advanced political situation. Trump is moving to establish dictatorship at home while waging imperialist war abroad. Student workers were and are still up against two hostile forces: the Columbia administration, run by the ultra-wealthy with deep ties to Wall Street, the Democratic Party and the military-industrial complex, and the UAW bureaucracy, which repeats Columbias lies that demands for adequate living and working conditions are not feasible. The way forward for student workers at Columbia and more broadly begins with a break from the UAW bureaucracy and the building of a rankandfile committee independent of the union bureaucracy. If workers defy the UAW apparatus, this will find wide support from tens of thousands of graduate students in the UAW and from autoworkers, and encourage them to do the same. This is the basis of socialist autoworker Will Lehmans campaign for president of the UAW. Lehmans platform seeks not to reform, but to abolish the UAW bureaucracy and transfer power to the rank-and-filetaking the vast resources of the union out of the bureaucracys hands and placing them under the democratic control of rank-and-file workers. His campaign is based on ending corporate collaboration, establishing the international unity of the working class, and defending the democratic rights of immigrants and all workers. HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is one of the 11 Best Tech Stocks Under $50 to Buy Now. On March 2, HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) took part in the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference 2026, where CFO Karen Parkhill discussed the companys strategy and how it is dealing with current challenges. The company reported a strong Q1 2026, with revenue rising 7% and EPS coming in at the high end of the guidance. However, HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is facing higher memory costs and weaker demand for units. To deal with this, the company is following a mitigation plan that includes securing supply and raising prices. HP (HPQ) at Morgan Stanley Conference, Responding to Challenges Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com Additionally, HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is focusing on long-term growth by investing in AI PCs, secure printers, and subscriptions. AI PCs made up 35% of shipments in the latest quarter, up from 30% and 25% in the previous quarters. This shows steady growth in this segment. CFO Karen Parkhill also pointed out that the companys AI-enabled cost savings program aims to deliver $1 billion in savings by fiscal year 2028, with $300 million expected in fiscal year 2026. At the same time, Parkhill confirmed that HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is currently searching for a new CEO and is looking for someone with experience in large, global, multi-segment businesses. Parkhill also noted that HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) has returned roughly $19 billion to shareholders over the past five years and is focused on delivering free cash flow and returning all of it to shareholders. HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is an American multinational technology company that is known for its AI-powered devices, software, subscriptions, and services that serve professionals and businesses. While we acknowledge the potential of HPQ 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: 12 Best Under-the-Radar Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds and 10 Best Stocks Under $20 to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. The IAFs statement, shared in response to the ongoing supply chain crisis caused by conflict in the Middle East, says the apparel sector has the ability to influence the outcome of geopolitical developments. As in previous crises, our role as an industry federation is to articulate how the industry should respond and adapt in order to maintain stability and resilience, the IAF states. We believe that the best way to deal with external shocks is to build the strongest possible foundations for our industry, to improve productivity and to reduce unnecessary waste of capital, material, and human resources. Achieving this requires sustained investments in supply chain processes and deeper collaboration, supported by a framework of responsible purchasing practices. The organisation adds that previous crises have seen the cost and risk of external shocks pushed upstream into the supply chain. However, it warns that manufacturers do not have limitless capacity to absorb rising costs. While transferring all risks and costs upstream may generate short-term benefits for buyers, depriving manufacturers of the capacity to invest, or even to meet existing operational costs, will weaken the industry and create long-term loss for all, the IAF says. Building better systems Citing its Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative, the IAF says it is actively working to build the infrastructure needed to support a more balanced and resilient system for the apparel industry. It argues that the current crisis, based in the worlds largest oil and gas producing region, brings the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels into particular focus. The days that a shift to an energy mix with more renewable energy sources was viewed only as an environmental concern are now behind us. Investments in renewable energy are a shared strategic priority for apparel brands, retailers, apparel and textile manufacturers and governments alike. The IAF says it is working with the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) to support the industry through its Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI). The ATTI launched last year and aims to foster sustainability and innovation by empowering manufacturers to lead change. The IAF says it will share updates from ATTI pilot chapters in Bangladesh and Turkiye in the next few months. The IAF adds: In times of global uncertainty, strengthening the resilience, fairness and sustainability of apparel supply chains is an economic necessity. "IAF says strengthening supply chains is an economic necessity amid Iran crisis" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. With a market cap of $15.2 billion, Invitation Homes Inc. (INVH) is a leading single-family home leasing and management company in the United States, providing high-quality rental homes close to jobs and good schools. The company focuses on meeting changing lifestyle needs by offering flexible living solutions and valuable home features for residents. Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally considered "large-cap" stocks, and Invitation Homes fits this criterion perfectly. Its purpose Unlock the Power of Home reflects a commitment to providing care and convenience to people who prefer leasing a home. More News from Barchart Shares of the Dallas, Texas-based company have decreased 29.7% from its 52-week high of $35.80. Over the past three months, its shares have declined 5.5%, lagging behind the broader State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLRE) 5.5% rise during the same period. www.barchart.com INVH stock is down 8.7% on a YTD basis, underperforming XLRE's 6% gain. Longer term, shares of the company have dipped 24.2% over the past 52 weeks, compared to XLRE's 3.2% return over the same time frame. The stock has been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since late May 2025. www.barchart.com Shares of Invitation Homes fell 4.3% following its Q4 2025 results on Feb. 18, with Same Store NOI growth of only 0.7% year-over-year, as core revenues rose 1.7% while operating expenses increased faster at 4%. Investors were also concerned about declining occupancy and weak new lease pricing, with average occupancy falling to 95.9% (down 90 basis points year-over-year) and new lease rent growth dropping to -4.1%, which reduced blended rent growth to 1.8%. In comparison, rival Equity Residential (EQR) has shown a less pronounced decline than INVH stock. EQR stock has dropped 4.3% YTD and 12.5% over the past 52 weeks. Despite the stocks underperformance, analysts remain moderately optimistic about its prospects. INVH stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from 24 analysts in coverage, and the mean price target of $30.60 is a premium of 20.5% to current levels. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal 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 While there's never really a good time for a conflict like the war in Iran, as far as the automotive industry goes, it's awful timing. Consider that four automakers alone, Honda (NYSE: HMC), Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), General Motors (NYSE: GM), and Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) have combined for a restructuring bill that is nearing $70 billion. The restructuring was designed to pivot away from electric vehicle (EV) strategies until the market was ready. Now, however, the Iran conflict is bringing up many questions for investors. Let's dive into a few, including how this will impact EV sales. Will demand be dented? The simple answer is yes, but exactly how, why, and where get much more complicated. Automotive sales in Iran will obviously be directly impacted, and regionally, it will be extremely challenging to distribute inventory and regulate supply chains amid the turmoil. Automakers with a strong presence in the Middle East will be most impacted, which currently means investors should be concerned primarily if they own Chinese automakers, which are expanding internationally, including in the Middle East, at a rapid pace. 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 Domestic automakers in Detroit and elsewhere have a much smaller presence in the Middle East, if any, and are fairly protected from direct impacts. However, about one-fifth of the world's oil supply travels through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian officials have said they will not allow ships through the passage. In the short term, this will mean higher gasoline prices, which will begin to push consumers to EVs and/or hybrids. Edmunds, an automotive research company, has already acknowledged that consumer research on its website for EVs and hybrids has picked up since March 2, days after strikes were launched on Iran. As gasoline prices only began rising sharply late last week, the impact is still in its early stages. Image source: Getty Images. Thankfully for auto investors, it would take a prolonged period of conflict-driven gasoline price increases to truly change overall vehicle volume and demand. If the past can offer any insight, investors might look to June 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent gasoline prices to a national average of $5.01 per gallon. That year, sales of highly profitable full-size pickups and SUVs declined 7.3% for the year, according to Automotive News. Topline Taylor Frankie Paul, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, addressed growing fallout over an alleged domestic violence dispute between herself and her ex-boyfriend Wednesday morning, saying it is a heavy time. Taylor Frankie Paul stars in "The Bachelorette," which premieres Sunday. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Invision Key Facts Paul appeared on ABCs Good Morning America on Wednesday, telling host Lara Spencer her the alleged domestic violence incident being broadcasted out there in these headlines is like the end of the world. Details about the alleged dispute are unclear, but The Draper City Police Department in Utah confirmed to People on Monday there is an open domestic assault investigation between Paul, 31, and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, and allegations have been made in both directions. Advertisement Advertisement Paul confirmed reports The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has paused production on its upcoming season, telling Spencer she was not involved with the decision and is unaware how long, or why, filming was paused. She said its hard to say what her future on Mormon Wives will be, saying its hard to see past the alleged domestic violence investigation. Reports of an alleged domestic violence dispute between Paul and Mortensen, have overshadowed promotion of Pauls stint as The Bachelorette, which begins airing its new season Sunday. What Else Happened Amid The Paul Investigation Fallout? Cinnabon, which had a partnership with both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, confirmed to multiple outlets on Tuesday it had cut ties with both shows. Recent developments and allegations surrounding the lead cast member led us to reassess this collaboration as it no longer aligns with our brand values, a company spokesperson said. The pause on Mormon Wives production impacts its upcoming fifth season and occurred less than one week after season four premiered. What Do We Know About The Alleged Domestic Violence Dispute? Few details are known about the alleged dispute, though a Draper City Police spokesperson confirmed to People both parties, Paul and Mortensen, were contacted on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. The department said it does not share details about ongoing investigations. Key Background Paul and Mortensens rocky relationship has been documented on Mormon Wives, on which Paul has been a regular cast member since its first season aired in 2024. Paul shared on her TikTok that she and Mortensen began dating in the summer of 2022, months after she divorced her ex-husband. In February 2023, Paul was arrested by the Herriman City, Utah police on three misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child. A release by the Herriman City Police Department said there was video evidence that suggests Pauls minor child was injured by an action of Ms. Paul. Pauls case was referred to the Salt Lake City District Attorneys Office, which charged her with one felony count of aggravated assault and two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. Court documents say Paul threw heavy metal chairs at Mortensenone of which allegedly hit her then-5-year-old child in the headand kicked him and put him in a chokehold, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Paul claimed in an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in September that all charges were dropped and that she never hurt her daughter. Further Reading Cinnabon Cuts Ties With The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Amid Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen Domestic Violence Investigation (Variety) Meghan Markle would allegedly disappear during Zoom meetings with Netflix when shed get offended. After Netflix cut ties with Markles lifestyle brand, As Ever, Variety published a story on Tuesday that shed light on the Duchess of Sussexs relationship with the streaming service. The mood in the building is Were done, a Netflix insider told the outlet, claiming that Markle, 44, and Prince Harrys behavior has ruffled feathers in meetings. Sources told Variety that Meghan Markle (pictured above at the World Central Kitchen Food in Jordan) would allegedly disappear during meetings with Netflix when she was offended. PA Images via Getty Images But Markles lawyer denied that claim in a letter to Variety, noting that Markle (seen above with Prince Harry) has two children that she has to care for. Courtesy of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Sources said Netflix teams like the marketing department were told that Markles long absences from meetings were because she was offended by something that was said. Advertisement Advertisement But Markles lawyer, Michael J. Kump, said in a letter to Variety that she works from home, is the mother of young children aged 4 and 6, and often encounters children who enter the space unexpectedly during a meeting. Independent of being a parent who works from home, Meghan is also conscious of shielding her team from the distraction of children, Kump continued. Nearly all professionals can attest to needing to turn off the audio or camera during a virtual meeting at some point during many hours of virtual business calls. Sources also claimed that Markle would allegedly talk over Harry, which her lawyer and Harry denied. PA Images via Getty Images In addition, insiders alleged that Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos is fed up with the Sussexes. Netflix Markle would also allegedly talk over or recast Harrys thoughts, sometimes when hed be mid-sentence, and then shed touch his arm or thigh during virtual and in-person meetings with Netflix partners, sources said. However, Kump insisted that claim seems calculated to play into the misogynistic characterization of her bossing her husband around. Advertisement Advertisement Harry, 41, also told Variety that the allegation is categorically false. Three insiders claimed that Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos is fed up with the Sussexes, who allegedly directly text Sarandos about their projects. Sources further claimed that Sarandos recently said he wouldnt sit for a call with Markle unless a lawyer was present on the line, which a Netflix spokesperson insisted was absolutely inaccurate. Sarandos, according to sources, allegedly wouldnt sit in for a call with Markle (seen above in her series With Love, Meghan) unless a lawyer was present. JAKE ROSENBERG/NETFLIX But a source tells Page Six that Markle has a great working relationship with Sarandos (seen above at the 2026 Actor Awards) and chief content officer Bela Bajaria. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP This is blatantly false, Kemp told Variety. In fact, Meghan texts and speaks with Mr. Sarandos regularly, and has been to his home, sans lawyers. While the report claimed that chief content officer Bela Bajaria has grown weary of working with the couple, Bajaria herself told Variety shes really enjoyed collaborating with the Sussexes. Advertisement Advertisement Theyre deeply engaged in the storytelling process and bring a unique, global perspective that aligns with the kinds of impactful projects our members respond to, Bajaria shared. A source tells Page Six that Markle and Harry have a great working relationship with Sarandos and Bajaria. Elsewhere in the Variety story, sources claimed that A-list talent and directors are hesitant to work with the couple. Page Six has reached out to the Sussexes and Netflix for comment. The Variety story also claimed that A-listers are hesitant to work with Markle and Harry (seen above in Netflixs Harry & Meghan). Netflix The Sussexes (seen above during their interview with Oprah) negotiated a lucrative deal with Netflix in 2020. VIA REUTERS Markle and Harry originally negotiated a $100 million deal with Netflix via their Archewell Productions after leaving the royal family in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Under the lucrative contract, the couple released projects like their hit 2023 tell-all documentary, Harry & Meghan, their failed Polo doc and Markles critically maligned lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which Page Six exclusively confirmed was not returning for a third season amid falling ratings. Last August, we reported that the couple extended their partnership with the streamer but for an amount much less than the original deal. Netflix recently cut ties with Markles lifestyle brand, As Ever. AP But a source tells Page Six that Netflix and Archewell Productions deal is in a great place and they have multiple projects in development. Netflix The Sussexes had several projects in the works, including adaptations of the books Meet Me at the Lake and The Wedding Date, before Netflix dumped As Ever. But a source tells Page Six that Netflixs deal with the Sussexes is in a great place and that they have multiple scripted and unscripted projects that are in development. Advertisement Advertisement A Netflix spokesperson told Page Six on March 6 that it was always intended for the As Ever founder to continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently. Meanwhile, an As Ever spokesperson told Page Six that the company is grateful for Netflixs partnership and is now ready to stand on its own. A 61-year-old Arizona man was found dead in a wooded area outside Anchorage, Alaska, one day after authorities say he fatally shot his ex-father-in-law and attacked his ex-wife, PEOPLE reports. In a statement, the Anchorage Police Department said officers discovered 87-year-old Romaine Clark dead on Saturday, after responding to reports of gunshots. The following morning, police found the body of Matthew Thomas Becker in a wooded area near Eagle River Campground, approximately 15 miles from where Clark was killed. A medical examiner is working to determine Beckers cause of death. According to court records, Becker also attempted to kill his ex-wife, who survived the attack. The woman arrived at her Anchorage salon on Saturday and discovered the lock had been tampered with. Becker then reportedly jumped out of a vehicle and started shooting at her. Advertisement Advertisement The woman escaped and hid before calling police. She told authorities she was worried about her father, which prompted officers to conduct a welfare check at his residence where they found Clarks body. The extent of the womans injuries was not immediately clear. Beckers brother told a local news station that Becker had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Becker was a stand-up comedian and the owner of the Chuckleheads comedy club in Bisbee, Arizona, according to Local 12. The club issued a statement on Tuesday condemning Beckers actions and calling him complicated to say the least. The quote that has stuck with me through all of this has been: His last actions ruined every positive memory I had of him, the statement read, later adding, Matt ruined everything that the team at Chuckleheads ever tried to build. Advertisement Advertisement The club expressed condolences to Clarks family. Theres no convoluted cancer-medicated-induced rational argument that will ever bring that dad back, the statement concluded. Rest in Peace Romaine Clark. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Add cleveland.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. NEED TO KNOW Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit's health has worsened, and she will not participate in an upcoming state visit from Belgium The royal was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 Crown Prince Haakon's wife hasn't made any public appearances since January Crown Princess Mette-Marit's health has "deteriorated," the Royal House of Norway said amid her public absence. The wife of Crown Prince Haakon hasn't made a public appearance since January, and she won't participate in Norway hosting a state visit from Belgium next week. Advertisement Advertisement "The Crown Princess's health has deteriorated, which is why she is not currently listed in the program for the state visit," Guri Varpe, the head of communications at the Norwegian Royal Palace, told Norwegian outlet NRK. The visit will include a welcoming ceremony, a wreath laying ceremony, a gala dinner and more throughout the week. Crown Prince Haakon will attend the majority of the events, according to the Royal House of Norway's official site. Crown Princess Mette-Marit was diagnosed in 2018 with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes scarred, making it more difficult for the lungs to function. The condition can worsen over time and has no known cure. Earlier this month, Varpe had told Norwegian outlet TV2 that there had been a "negative development" in Mette-Marit's health and that "preparations have begun with a view to an assessment for a lung transplant." Advertisement Advertisement "The Crown Princess has an increasing need for tailored training, rest and recovery, and her official program is adapted to her health condition," Varpe added. Crown Princess Mette- Marit and Crown Prince Haakon in 2024. Credit: Florian Gaertner/Photothek via Getty The Royal Palace first confirmed that Mette-Marit's condition had escalated in a December 2025 statement. "Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. This disease involves a buildup of scar tissue to the lungs, which makes it more difficult for the lungs to carry oxygen into the bloodstream. During the autumn, a number of tests have been carried out that show a clear worsening of the Crown Princess health," said the statement released on Dec. 19. In October 2025, Mette-Marit took time off to undergo pulmonary rehabilitation. She told the press shortly before that she was undergoing the program because she needed "a little more help than before to cope with daily life." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Mette-Marit is also facing other complications in her personal life. Her son, Marius Borg Hiby, is currently on trial in Oslo on 38 charges, including four counts of rape. The trial is expected to end this week, though it could take months for the judges to make their decision, according to The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Marius is Mette-Marit's son from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon. He does not hold a working royal role or have a place in the line of succession. The palace previously shared that his mother and stepfather were "not planning to be present in the courtroom." A courtroom sketch of Marius Borg Hiby in February. Credit: Ane Hem / NTB / AFP via Getty Additionally, on Jan. 30, the Crown Princess was named in a batch of files released by the U.S. Department of Justice relating to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, the late American financier and convicted sex offender. Mette-Marite was named over 1,000 times in the files, according to Norwegian newspaper VG. The princess first released a statement saying that she "deeply regrets" her ties to Epstein a few days after the files' release, and later issued a formal apology. Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Jeffrey Epstein. Credit: Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Corbis via Getty; Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty The royal's apology was shared within a longer statement from the Royal House. Advertisement Advertisement "We understand the strong reactions people have to what has emerged in recent days. The Crown Princess strongly disavows Epstein's abuse and criminal acts," the statement said. "She is very sorry for not having understood early enough what kind of person he was." "The Crown Princess wants to tell about what happened and explain herself in more detail. She cannot do that now. The Crown Princess is in a very demanding situation," it continued. "She hopes for understanding that she needs time to gather herself." Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW Kate Middleton wore a coat dress by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker for the Nigeria state visit kickoff King Charles recently attended Coker's London Fashion Week show, highlighting the rising designer Princess Kate added shimmer with Princess Diana's Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings for the start of the state visit Kate Middleton dressed with intention for the Nigeria state visit kickoff and wore a designer she was possibly tipped to by King Charles. On March 18, the Princess of Wales and Prince William welcomed President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu at the Fairmont Windsor Park hotel in Englefield Green, as the start of the two-day Nigerian state visit to the U.K. officially began. Advertisement Advertisement Welcoming foreign dignitaries has been a go-to duty for the Prince and Princess of Wales during state visits and a sign of their elevated royal role since King Charles' accession to the throne in 2022, and Princess Kate, 44, carefully dressed for the special occasion. Kate Middleton and Prince William pose alongside Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu and his wife Oluremi Tinubu as they greet them at the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor on March 18, 2026. Credit: Yui Mok / POOL / AFP via Getty The Princess of Wales wore a gray coat dress with white accents by Tolu Coker, the British-Nigerian designer whose London Fashion Week Show King Charles attended on Feb. 19. The King, 77, sat front row with Stella McCartney at Coker's show, which opened London Fashion Week 2026, getting a first look at the latest from the rising designer. King Charles at the Tolu Coker fashion show as part of London Fashion Week held at NEWGEN Runway Space on February 19, 2026 in London. Credit: Saira MacLeod/WWD via Getty It was a thoughtful gesture for Princess Kate to highlight a Nigerian designer as the state visit gets underway and a show of fashion diplomacy. Advertisement Advertisement Kate has previously worn looks by local designers during official trips abroad and has practiced flag dressing, honoring nations by wearing a hue or two from that country's national flag, a trend that Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana leaned into as well. Kate Middleton and Prince William attend the Quadrangle at the inspection of the Guard of Honour during a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle on the first day of State Visit by The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 18, 2026. Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The Princess of Wales accessorized her outfit for the Nigeria state visit kickoff with a matching hat by Jane Taylor and added shimmer with Princess Diana's Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings, jewels from her late mother-in-law's collection. Through the years, Kate has worn lots of jewelry that belonged to Diana, who died in 1997, and Prince William famously proposed to her with the iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring that had been his mother's. Advertisement Advertisement State visits are an important way for Britain to bolster its relationships with other nations. The visit from Nigeria is being hosted at Windsor Castle as Buckingham Palace, the traditional residence for such diplomatic engagements, undergoes a years-long renovation. The visit is significant as Nigeria's first state visit to the U.K. in 37 years, and the first day of busy programming will be capped with a glamorous state banquet at Windsor Castle, which might mean tiaras for Princess Kate and Queen Camila. Read the original article on People When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images Prince William and Princess Kate have been on a selfie spree lately, snapping pictures with fans and giving out hugs as they show the more relatable side of the monarchy. Even King Charles has gotten in on the hugging action lately, and while Princess Anne recently dodged a hug from Scottish rugby player Sione Tuipulotu, she finally went in for a cuddle after the teams March 14 match against Ireland. Now, a body language expert says that Anne is helping to eliminate some of those old, stuffy royal traditions once held by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. In a video shared by Scottish Rugby on Instagram, the Princess Royal is seen swerving Tuipulotus hug on Valentines Day in favor of a pat on the arm. The two then shared a jokey moment on March 7 as Anne, who serves as patron of Scottish Rugby, held her arms up in a mock hug and laughed when she congratulated Sione on his win. Advertisement Advertisement But the player finally got his wish after Scotland lost to Ireland on Saturday, March 14. Wearing her hair in her signature updo and dressed in a blue wool coat, Princess Royal leaned in for a warm hug with Sione after walking into the teams locker room. Thank you so much for the hug, Tuipulotu said in the clip, adding, away from the crowd! The Princess Royal shakes hands with Sione Tuipulotu after Scotland's win against France on March 7. | Credit: Getty Images Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton said it was amazing to see Princess Anne finally accept Siones hug. Even the older members of the family are breaking down some of those old stuffy royal traditions, he said. Referring to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, he added, You would never have seen Annes mother and father doing anything of the sort. While Stanton admitted that the Princess Royal is normally very old school and, in many ways, quite similar to her parents, he said that her less tactile nature makes their hug all the more significant. Princess Anne bundled up in a tartan scarf at the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Scotland. | Credit: Getty Images As their royal patron, Princess Anne has built a warm relationship with Scotlands national team, and Stanton noted that shes clearly built a genuine rapport with Sione. Advertisement Advertisement Him finally getting a hug in the changing room really speaks to the rapport theyd built, the body language expert continued. He is clearly a very tactile person, as these meetings have shown, and she fully reciprocated in that hug. She was matching his energy completely. Saturday's match wasn't the first time Anne has shared a cozy moment in the past week. While attending the Cheltenham Festival with Queen Camilla on March 11, Princess Kate's mom, Carole Middleton, wrapped her arms around the Princess Royal as they cheered for the horses. Will Anne's hugging streak continue? Watch this space. The Gist Prince William and Kate Middleton made a glamorous appearance at the U.K.s first state banquet of 2026, where the princess wore her go-to tiara. King Charles and other members of the royal family hosted Nigerias President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for a dinner at Windsor Castle on March 18. The Prince and Princess of Wales had also played a major role in the state visit earlier in the day on Wednesday. Prince William and Kate Middleton made a dazzling appearance at the first state banquet of 2026, honoring Nigerias President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu in a dinner at Windsor Castle. Kate was looked ravishing in an emerald green Andrew Gn gown, likely as a nod to the colors of Nigeria's flag. The floor-length dress featured billowing cuffed sleeves, a mock neckline, and a pleated skirt. She paired the regal look with diamond and gemstone chandelier earrings from the Queen Mother's collection, as well as King Charles's Royal Family Order badge and the Royal Victorian Order sash and star. Atop her head sat her go-to tiara, the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara. The $135 million heirloom is the princess's favorite option out of the five tiaras that she has cycled through during her royal career. It was also worn by her late mother-in-law Princess Diana. Middleton wore the piece on a couple of occasions in 2025, during both the U.S. and French presidents' state visits. Prince Edward, Kate Middleton, and Prince William at the Nigerian State Banquet. Credit: Getty Images At the last state visit back in December, where the U.K. hosted Germany, Kate made waves by debuting a new tiara atop her head: Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara, the largest sparkler she's ever worn and a changeup from the Queen Mary Lover's Knot Tiara, which she typically wears. According to Garrard, the topper was created in 1853 and features 2,600 diamonds. Prior to Kate wearing it at the end of last year, the tiara hadn't been seen publicly in 20 years, since Queen Elizabeth last wore it. Kate Middleton wears the Queen Mary Lovers Knot at the Nigerian State Banquet. Credit: Getty Images In her royal life, Kate has only worn five different tiaras: the Cartier Halo Tiara, which she wore on her April 29, 2011 wedding day; the Lotus Flower Tiara; the Strathmore Rose Tiara; and the aforementioned Queen Mary Lover's Knot Tiara and Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara. Kate Middleton wears the Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara during the German state visit Credit: Getty The Prince and Princess of Wales were the first members of the royal family to greet the First Couple earlier in the day on Wednesday, as they have played an elevated diplomatic role since King Charles took the throne in September 2022. In 2025, the couple were the stars of the show at the U.K.s three inbound state visits, from France in July, the U.S. in September, and Germany in December. Kate Middleton and Prince William at the Nigerian state visit on March 18 Credit: Getty Advertisement Advertisement Royal biographer Ingrid Seward previously told People that Kate is very aware of the spotlight on her at occasions like tonights state banquet. There was a lot of pressure on her, because all eyes were on her, Seward said of Septembers U.S. state banquet in particular. She would be very aware that the most important person there was the King [Charles], but she cant help that all eyes are on her. Of the Princess of Wales, Seward added, She is definitely showing traits of being a remarkable future queen. She has the most beautiful smile, which captivates everyone. Its just magical." Fellow royal biographer Robert Jobson said of the future queen that, at occasions like state visits, She doesnt just represent the monarchy, she embodies its evolution, he told Hello!. She is the jewel in the Crown. Royal biographer Russell Myers recently said of Kate on Hello!s A Right Royal Podcast that What I found time and time again was how interesting and critical she is to the running of the monarchy, and how she really does understand the vision of the future. Kate Middleton earlier in the day on March 18, 2026 Credit: Getty When it comes to the Prince and Princess of Wales, Key to their success will be the strength of their own partnership, Hello!s royal editor Emily Nash said. They complement each others characters and are crucially providing their children with a loving and happy childhood, which will hopefully give the royal family stability long into the future. Read the original article on InStyle "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Leonardo DiCaprio and Vittoria Ceretti just hit a new milestone. The lovebirds, who were first spotted together in August 2023, have kept their relationship fairly private over the two-and-a-half years theyve been linked. But now, theyve made things award-show official. Cerettiwho, at age 27, has broken DiCaprios long-standing under-25 rulewas previously married to DJ Matteo Milleri, known professionally as Anyma. The famed actor, meanwhile, has been linked to the likes of Gisele Bundchen and Camila Morroneand he also reportedly briefly dated Gigi Hadid. Advertisement Advertisement Now, it seems things are serious between him and Ceretti. The model and One Battle After Another actor have been seen dancing in Ibiza, attending Milan Fashion Week parties, soaking up the sun on yachts, and playing beach pickleball. In May 2025, DiCaprio made his Met Gala debut, joining his girlfriend inside. And nearly a year later, they attended the 2026 Academy Awards together. Ahead, a look at their love story and complete relationship timeline. Relationship rumors spark August 2023 In August, DiCaprio and Ceretti are photographed grabbing coffee and ice cream in Santa Barbara, Californiasparking relationship rumors. Later that same month, they are spotted kissing and dancing in Ibiza at the Hi Ibiza nightclubas shown in photos obtained by the Daily Mail. In a March 2025 interview with Vogue France, Ceretti reveals that the pair first met in Milan, Italy, though does not go into any further details about the nature of their first meeting. They meet the families and hit new milestones September 2023 A month after their first public spotting, the two are seen in Italy while Ceretti is modeling during Milan Fashion Week. The two arrive separately to the Versace after-party, and the following day, they tour the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Museum with DiCaprios mom, Irmelin Indenbirken. November 2023 The model helps celebrate the actors 49th birthday in Beverly Hills, California, at a party attended by stars like Beyonce and Jay-Z. Engagement rumors March 2024 On March 27, Ceretti is spotted wearing a ring on her left hand, causing public speculation on the relationship status between herself and DiCaprio. Speaking with Us Weekly, a source then sets the record straight, explaining that the model is wearing a ring shes had for years. They celebrate the holidays December 2024-January 2025 Ringing in the new year, the couple plays a game of pickleball on the beach. In photos shared by the Daily Mail, Ceretti is seen in a silver Blumarine swimsuit with a polka-dot wrap, while DiCaprio keeps things casual in a white T-shirt and shorts. Vittoria speaks publicly March 2025 In an interview with Vogue France, Ceretti publicly opens up about their relationship for the first time, getting candid about the ups and downs of dating someone as famous as DiCaprio is. As soon as youre in a relationship with someone who has a larger public profile than you, you become so-and-sos girlfriendor so-and-sos boyfriend, she shares. And that can be extremely annoying. Advertisement Advertisement Its something you learn, she adds. If what youre experiencing is real, and you know you love each other, then theres no reason to worry. Because love protects and gives confidence. The Met Gala May 2025 Leo makes his Met Gala debut at the 2025 event, and despite arriving solo, meets up with his girlfriend inside. He wears a sleek tuxedo for the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style theme, while she works with Moncler on a minidress with opera gloves and a long train. On the red carpet, Ceretti sheds a cropped puffer poncho to reveal a dramatic Briony Raymond diamond necklace. The Oscars March 2026 At the 2026 Oscars, the two make their first public appearance together. They arrive separately, skipping a red-carpet couple moment, but meet up inside to sit side-by-side in for the ceremony. There, they watch the show next to DiCaprios co-star Teyana Taylor. The two actors are nominated for their work in One Battle After Another. Roger Kisby/The Academy - Getty Images For the occasion, Ceretti wears a burgundy Alaia dress made custom by Pieter Mulier, featuring a sculptural oval accent peeking out of a square neckline. DiCaprio debuts a styled mustache with his Dior suit. Advertisement Advertisement The outing marks the nominees first time bringing a date to the ceremony in six years. (He attended the award show with Morrone back in 2020, and before that, with Bundchen in 2005.) You Might Also Like Grammy-nominated rapper Mystikal is headed back to prison. On Tuesday, March 17, the Louisiana rapper born Michael Tyler pleaded guilty to a third-degree rape charge stemming from a violent 2022 incident. A woman had accused Tyler of beating, choking and robbing her inside his Ascension Parish home. Tyler allegedly confiscated the victim's keys and phone, preventing her from leaving, according to court records reviewed by Us Weekly. When she realized some of her money was missing, Tyler raped the woman. Advertisement Advertisement Afterwards, Tyler, 55, allegedly allowed the victim to leave but first forced the woman to transfer money to him through CashApp. Police Charge Pennsylvania Man, 22, With Raping 3 Women, Including a 95-Year-Old The rapper was indicted for first-degree rape, simple criminal damage to property, domestic abuse battery by strangulation, simple robbery, and false imprisonment in the assault. He ended up pleading guilty to a downgraded rape charge as part of a deal struck with prosecutors. Tyler now faces 20 years in prison at his sentencing in June, and Tyler faces a maximum for 20 years in prison. He had faced a life term had he been convicted of the initial charges against him. Advertisement Advertisement Tyler dealt with similar allegations back in 2004 after he and two of his bodyguards sexually assaulted his hairstylist. He was also accused of extortion, and was sentenced to six years in prison. Tyler has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. His sentencing is scheduled for June. Over the years, Mystikal has been in and out of courtrooms. In 2010, he was charged with domestic battery charges for which he served a two-year sentence. In 2017, Mystikal was arrested again for an alleged rape. The charges were later dropped. He also spent time in a federal prison in 2006 for failing to file his income taxes in 1998 and 1999. The southern rapper first signed with New Orleans-based record label Big Boy Records to release his self-titled 1994 debut, which was re-released by Jive Records the following year as Mystikals major label debut, Mind of Mystikal. Advertisement Advertisement Childrens DJ Accused of Raping Unconscious Teenager and Having Child Pornography He signed with Master P's No Limit Records during the mid-1990s, and the label issued his second and third albums, 1997s Unpredictable and 1998s Ghetto Fabulous. Mystikal enjoyed some commercial success with his single Danger (Been So Long) and Shake Ya A** featuring Pharrell Williams. Over the course of his career, Mystikal has worked with Mark Ronson, Tech N9ne, Lil Wayne, Lil Dicky, Joyner Lucas, Nivea, and Mariah Carey. Meghan Markle has been dubbed the new Sarah Ferguson by some royal watchers following the announcement that the Duchess of Sussex will be participating in a womens retreat in Australia in April. The move raised eyebrows in royal circles after an Aussie podcaster revealed that Meghan will be the star attraction at the Girls Weekend event. Behind the comparison Meghan Markle will pose for group photos for VIP ticket purchasers at the womens retreat. By: MEGA Tickets cost between $1,932 and $2,290, with the more expensive entry fee offering guests the opportunity to have their photo taken with the former Suits actress alongside others seated at their table. Advertisement Advertisement The revelation led one well-placed royal insider to compare Meghan to the former Duchess of York. Shes basically Fergie, the source told the Daily Mail. Over the years, Ferguson, 66, has been described by critics as a grifter for exploiting her royal titles and ties for financial gain. Some believe Meghan, 44, is doing the same after she and husband Prince Harry left Britain as senior working royals and settled into new roles in California, where theyve made deals with companies like Netflix. The firms concerned are hardly FTSE 100, a source told the Daily Mail, referring to the 100 largest, most highly capitalized blue-chip companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Im sure [Meghan and Harry] didnt think theyd face diminishing returns so soon. Inside the event Meghan Markle will appear at the Her Best Life podcasts womens retreat gala dinner in Sydney in mid-April. By: MEGA In addition to hearing Meghan speak, guests will indulge in morning yoga classes, a sound healing experience and a meditation and manifestation session at the five-star InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach hotel. Advertisement Advertisement An ad for the event described it as A girls weekend like no other! An unforgettable weekend for women ready to reconnect, recharge and have some serious fun. The promotion further read, Join us for an intimate luxury weekend by the ocean designed to bring women together for powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter and unforgettable experiences. The highlight of the weekend will be an in-person conversation and gala dinner with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. An intimate gala like no other. This is your chance to step away from everyday life and spend a weekend focusing on connection, growth, joy and celebration. Come by yourself, come with your best friend, or bring a whole group of your favorite women. Advertisement Advertisement Meghan was connected with Her Best Life podcast host Gemma ONeill, whos hosting the womens retreat, after being put in touch by a mutual friend. I have admired [Meghan] and what she has endured and how she has demonstrated how a woman can be pushed down and she can still rise, ONeill explained on a recent podcast episode. Critics react Meghan Markle was mocked by critics on social media for agreeing to participate in a live Q&A session with guests at the upcoming womens retreat. By: MEGA After the event was announced, critics took to social media to voice their dismay that Meghan was attending a ticketed VIP event. One commenter wrote on X, How the mighty have fallen. What next, a [Carnival] cruise package? Another added, A girls weekend retreat now? From royal tours to weekend retreats. That rebrand took an interesting turn. Advertisement Advertisement Yet another person commented, Next up for Meg Hollywood Comic Con. Autographs for $25 apiece and shell throw in a selfie. Still another chimed in, Gotta pay that mortgage! while one other commenter joked, Those poor girls. They should probably bring earplugs, and be wary about eating anything. Despite early reports speculating that Meghan was being compensated for her time, ONeill recently implied the duchess is not being paid to appear. Im going to answer probably something that I think would feel fairly obvious, Oh it must be costing you a fortune to have Meghan come to your event, ONeill said, as reported by Australias 9Honey. Advertisement Advertisement Um, no guys, I think you all know, the community knows, I dont have that kind of money, guys. Thats not on the cards for me. But what I will say is that she is effectively doing this as a favor to our mutual friend, ONeill added, likely a reference to Markus Anderson, a Soho House consultant whos a longtime pal of both women. By Ahmed Rasheed, Yomna Ehab and Muayad Hameed BAGHDAD, March 17 (Reuters) - Crude exports from Iraq's Kirkuk fields to Turkey's Ceyhan port have resumed via pipeline, North Oil Company said, after Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government agreed on Tuesday to restart flows. The KRG confirmed the agreement, saying in a statement the two sides would form a joint committee to prepare to resume oil exports and that revenue would be returned to the federal treasury. The North Oil Company added that Kirkuk crude exports would resume with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. The two sides agreed to take the necessary security measures to protect oilfields and ensure the continuity of export operations, the KRG said. Iraq has begun pumping crude from Kirkuk to Ceyhan at an initial rate of 170,000 barrels per day, with plans to ramp up gradually to 250,000 bpd, Basim Mohammed, the Iraqi deputy oil minister for upstream affairs, said in a televised statement. International oil prices, which have risen by roughly 30% to over $100 a barrel since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began causing a severe disruption of oil flows, fell 1.46%, to $101.91 on Wednesday. KRG PREMIER SAYS EXPORTS SHOULD FLOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a post on X the region would allow crude exports through the Kurdistan pipeline as soon as possible given "the exceptional circumstances the country is confronting". "Discussions with Baghdad will continue to urgently lift restrictions on imports and trade to the region, and to provide the necessary guarantees to oil and gas companies to ensure they can resume production in a safe environment," he added. Barzani later said on X that during a phone call with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, he had told the KRG team to provide all necessary facilities to resume oil exports. Iraq's Kurdish authorities said on Sunday that Baghdad had failed to address security and economic challenges facing the oil sector. Iraq's oil ministry had earlier said the KRG had refused to let it use a pipeline as an alternative route for crude flows disrupted by the Iran conflict and that authorities had put in place arbitrary conditions. PRODUCTION PLUNGE BECAUSE OF IRAN CONFLICT Oil production from Iraq's southern oilfields, where most of its crude is produced and exported, had fallen by 70% to just 1.3 million barrels per day, sources told Reuters on March 8, as the Iran conflict effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz through which some 20% of global oil passes. Niecy Nash celebrates her 56th birthday with an epic Michael Jordan-themed bash and trip to Mexico to remember. Niecy Nash certainly had one birthday to remember. On Friday, March 13, the 56-year-old actress celebrated her Feb. 23 birthday with a belated Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls era-themed bash in Los Angeles that brought out the likes of Ava DuVernay, Winnie Harlow, Kandi Burruss, Jasmine Crockett, Bozoma Saint John, June Ambrose, her Oscar-nominated Alls Fair costar Teyana Taylor, and plenty more. Advertisement Advertisement A Time Was Had, the Claws alum wrote in the caption of a post on Instagram that included a carousel of images from the star-studded function. So much fun! In several of the photos, the actress posed in a black lace-up dress version of Jordans famous #23 Chicago Bulls jersey and a bedazzled pair of red, black, and white Jordans, alongside her spouse Betts, and many friends and family members taking part in the festivities. While she was all smiles during the belated festivities, they stood in stark contrast to how she spent her actual birthday. According to her, she journeyed to Mexico only to be caught in the crosshairs of the recent cartel violence in the country. On Feb. 25, two days after her Feb. 23 birthday, the 56-year-old actress revealed in an Instagram post that she was finally home after getting caught up in the crosshairs of recent cartel violence in Mexico following the killing of Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on Feb. 22 . Advertisement Advertisement FINALLY Home from Puerto Vallarta Went to celebrate my bday with my family, and got caught up in the cartel attacks, the Alls Fair star wrote. She added that the video featuring herself, her mother, her three children, their close friends, and her spouse Jessica Betts, was posted as a thank you to everyone who covered us in prayer, sent well wishes, made calls to the US Embassy and shared your connects to get us out! Challenges for sure showed up BUT GOD! Black people are so resilient! One thing for sure, two things for certain We. Will. Keep. Our. JOY! In the middle that packed airport where so many were frustrated over cancelled flights, long lines, and minimal seating , our joy was on full display! she wrote. Speaking to People magazine at her party, she described the experience as scary. Advertisement Advertisement It was scary because I let my kids bring their friends, she explained. So I had other peoples children. It was scary, but we got out unscathed thanks to the Most High. She added, Thats why you have to take every moment to celebrate joy, celebrate life, all the things. More must-reads: Theres no shortage of sparkle at the state banquet for the President and First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Oluremi Tinubu this evening. The banquet is part of a formal state visit by the Nigerian leaders. Earlier in the trip, couple were welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton, observed a procession by the Guard of Honor, and laid a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II. While Anne frequently opts for her signature Pineflower Tiara for state banquets (she wore the piece for both the U.S. and German state banquets at the end of last yearfor the former, she actually had the piece removed from display at the V&A just so she could wear it), tonight she switched things up, wearing a bandeau style with an equally sweet family connection. Advertisement Advertisement Reportedly created for Annes paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg (also known as Princess Andrew of Greece) the Meander Tiara features a diamond-encrusted Greek key design accented by floral flourished and a central diamond ringed by laurel leaves. It was given by Alice to her daughter-in-law, the late Queen Elizabeth II, though the queen was never pictured wearing it. Anne, though has been appearing in the tiara since the 1960s. Only adding to its sentimental value, the tiara was also worn by Annes daughter, Zara Tindall, on her wedding day in 2011, ensuring that Anne is carrying plenty of family history with her at tonights event. Fox Photos - Getty Images You Might Also Like Rapper Mystikal has pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection to a 2022 arrest, according to court records. The 55-year-old rapper, whose name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape during a hearing in Ascension Parish Court in Louisiana on March 17, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY. He had been facing 10 criminal charges, including first-degree rape. In Louisiana, a guilty first-degree rape charge carries a life imprisonment, while third-degree rape carries a maximum of 25 years in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Tyler is facing up to 20 years in jail, according to KLFY, WBRZ and WAFB. A sentencing date is set for June, the court records said. Mystikal attends the 2013 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards at Hammerstein Ballroom on Aug. 22, 2013 in New York City. On July 30, 2022, Tyler was arrested after a woman who had been admitted to the emergency room accused him of rape and battery, according to the Ascension Parish District Attorney's office. In connection to the incident, Tyler was facing nine other charges, including battery and false imprisonment. During the March 17 hearing, prosecutors filed legal notices known as nolle prosequi for the nine non-rape charges, indicating that they don't wish to continue pursuing them. USA TODAY has reached out to Tyler's attorney and the Ascension Parish District Attorney's office for comment. Woman accused Mystikal of holding her against her will, raping her Mystikal allegedly took the woman's keys and held her against her will, USA TODAY previously reported, citing an arrest warrant. Advertisement Advertisement The woman said she went to Tyler's home to talk about alleged financial commitments he had made to her. After he accused her of stealing cash, the woman said Tyler choked her, pulled out her hair and raped her, The Advocate reported. The victim was treated for minor injuries at a hospital, according to the district attorney's office. Tyler was arrested and faced five charges, including first-degree rape, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, simple criminal damage to property and simple robbery, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said in a media release at the time. During the investigation, police obtained a search warrant for Tyler's home in Prairieville, Louisiana, where they allegedly recovered "valuable evidence to corroborate the victims account of the rape along with a variety of illegal narcotics," the district attorney's office said in a September 2022 news release. Advertisement Advertisement A grand jury indicted Tyler on the five initial charges stemming from the alleged rape plus five additional offenses: three charges of possession of a controlled substance, and one charge each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, according to the district attorney's office. He has been held without bond since his arrest, according to KLFY, WBRZ and WAFB. Mystikal has checkered criminal past Mystikal gained prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s with songs like "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger (Been So Long)." But the New Orleans native has since had decades of run ins with the law. In 2002, Tyler was charged with aggravated rape and extortion by his then-hairstylist. He pleaded guilty to sexual battery the following year and served six years in prison, USA TODAY previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement He returned to music after being released from prison in 2010. In 2016, Tyler was again accused of sexual assault stemming from an encounter at a casino in Shreveport, Louisiana. After surrendering to authorities in 2017, Tyler spent 18 months in jail before being released on a $3 million bond. The district attorney closed the investigation and filed to dismiss the charges after a second grand jury that declined to bring an indictment, USA TODAY reported. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mystikal pleads guilty to rape. Rapper faces up to 20 years in jail. Eric Dane's widow, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two children made their first public appearance in Los Angeles since the "Grey's Anatomy" actor's tragic death on Feb. 19. Gayheart, 54, brought her daughters Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14, to the Tuesday night, March 17, premiere of "The Drama." The teen girls shared a hug with their late father's "Euphoria" costar Zendaya, who stars in the A24 film opposite Robert Pattinson, at the event's afterparty, according to Vogue. Dane died on Feb. 19 from respiratory failure at age 53 following a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the rare degenerative disease that can impact the brain and spinal cord, more commonly known as ALS. Rebecca Gayheart, centered, with daughters Georgia Dane and Bille Dane attends the Los Angeles premiere of "The Drama" at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater in Los Angeles on March 17, 2026. USA TODAY obtained a copy of his death certificate confirming his cause of death on March 2. Advertisement Advertisement He spent his final days "surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," his representative, Melissa Bank, said in a statement on Feb. 19. How long were Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart married? Gayheart and married Dane tied the knot in 2004. Following his death, she thanked friends, family and fans for the "outpouring of love and support" on her Instagram Stories on Feb. 22. "There aren't enough words to express our gratitude. You are truly holding us up during this difficult time." The pair filed for divorce in 2018 before Gayheart legally dismissed the divorce three years later, around the time Dane revealed his ALS diagnosis. In December, Gayheart wrote about their unusual relationship in an essay for The Cut, sharing that they lived in the same home for eight years while not being exclusive. Advertisement Advertisement "He's dated other people; I've dated someone. It's a very complicated relationship, one that's confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it's a familial love," she wrote. "Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I'm going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me." Actor Eric Dane has died following a battle with ALS. He was 53. He leaves behind two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, and wife Rebecca Gayheart. Look back at the family through the years when they joined together in the public eye. Actress Rebecca Gayheart and actor Eric Dane attend the Chrysalis 3rd annual Butterfly Ball at a private residence on April 17, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. Rebecca Gayheart and husband Eric Dane attend the afterparty for the opening night of "Steel Magnolias" on Broadway on April 4, 2005, in New York City. The pair married in 2004. Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart arrive at the premiere of A&E original film "Wedding Wars" at the ArcLight Theater Dec. 4, 2006, in Los Angeles. Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart watch the show at the 6th annual General Motors TEN event at Paramount Studios on Feb. 20, 2007, in Los Angeles. Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane arrive at the premiere of New Line Cinema's "Valentine's Day" held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Feb. 8, 2010, in Hollywood, California. Rebecca Gayheart, Eric Dane, Billie Beatrice Dane, Georgia Dane and guests attend the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Built To Amaze! show on March 21, 2013, in New York City. Georgia Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Eric Dane and Billie Beatrice Dane attend Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival at Madison Square Garden on March 23, 2013, in New York City. Rebecca Gayheart, Eric Dane and their daughters attend the Huggies Snug & Dry and Baby2Baby Mother's Day Garden Party held on April 27, 2013, in Los Angeles. From left: Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Georgia Dane and Billie Beatrice Dane attend the 14th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 6, 2015, in Los Angeles. Rebecca Gayheart, Eric Dane and their family attend Amazon Video's Tumble Leaf Family Fun Day hosted by Au Fudge on Sept. 13, 2015, in Los Angeles. From left: Billie Beatrice Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Georgia Dane and Eric Dane attend the 15th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball at a private residence on June 11, 2016, in Brentwood, California. From left: Rebecca Gayheart, Eric Dane, Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Dane attend the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017, in Brentwood, California. From left: Eric White, Patricia Arquette, Rosetta Getty, June Getty, Balthazar Getty, Violet Getty, Eric Dane, Billie Beatrice Dane, Rebecca Gayheart and Georgia Dane at the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017, in Los Angeles. Eric Dane and his daughters Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Dane attend the Los Angeles premiere of "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on May 30, 2024. Eric Dane's family journey in photos 1 of 14 Actor Eric Dane has died following a battle with ALS. He was 53. He leaves behind two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, and wife Rebecca Gayheart. Look back at the family through the years when they joined together in the public eye. Actress Rebecca Gayheart and actor Eric Dane attend the Chrysalis 3rd annual Butterfly Ball at a private residence on April 17, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. Is Eric Dane in Season 3 of 'Euphoria'? Eric Dane's performance as troubled father Cal Jacobs is set to be Season three of the Emmy-winning HBO series "Euphoria." "I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of 'Euphoria' next week," he told People magazine in April 2025. He played the real-estate businessman and closeted bisexual father of Jacob Elordi's Nate Jacobs since the teen drama premiered in 2019 alongside Zendaya, Colman Domingo, Hunter Schafer and Sydney Sweeney. Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eric Dane's wife Rebecca Gayheart and two daughters make appearance NEED TO KNOW Shaquille O'Neal is covering the funeral expenses for 12-year-old Jada West, who died days after a fight at a Georgia school bus stop intersection on March 5 O'Neal said the girl's story "touched my heart the moment I saw it," in a statement to ABC News and Savannah Now The girl's death is being investigated by law enforcement Shaquille O'Neal is covering funeral expenses for a 12-year-old girl who died after a fight at a school bus stop. O'Neal, 54, said Jada West's story "touched my heart the moment I saw it in the media," in a statement to ABC News and Savannah Now. Advertisement Advertisement "As a father, my heart goes out to Jada's family. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and if there is anything I can do to ease even a small part of that burden, then it is the right thing to do," said O'Neal, who moonlights as the director of community relations for the nearby Henry County Sheriff's Office, a position he's held since 2021. "Our community must surround this family with love, support, and compassion during such a painful moment," O'Neal concluded his statement. Shaquille O'Neal on Nov. 14, 2022 Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty According to ABC, O'Neal is partnering the Henry County and Douglas County sheriffs both located outside of Atlanta to help the family with the funeral. Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds told the outlet, "When a child's life is taken so tragically, it affects all of us. Our goal is simple. We want Jada's family to know that they are not alone and that communities across Georgia stand with them during this incredibly difficult time." Advertisement Advertisement Jada, a student at Mason Creek Middle School, had collapsed on March 5 following a fight with another student at a school bus stop near her home in Winston, Georgia, per ABC. Video shared by the family's attorneys showed Jada's head appearing to hit the pavement during the fight, according to the Atlanta News First. She died in the hospital days three days later, which her mom said was due to a brain injury. ABC reported that her death is being investigated by Villa Rica police. Jada West via GoFundMe Credit: GoFundMe Jada, whose family said she was a new student at the middle school, reportedly went into cardiac arrest after the fight, which lasted roughly 25 seconds, according to Atlanta News First. Her family said they are looking for "accountability" and are pushing the state of Georgia to remedy what they say is a "bullying problem." Police spokesman Sgt. Spencer Crawford said to ABC on March 11 that detectives are looking at the video footage of the fight recorded from a phone, as well as additional evidence, and will review autopsy results once they're complete. Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers representing the girl's family alleged "reports of bullying" against Jada before the altercation on March 5, the outlet reported. In a statement, the Douglas County School System said, "This incident did not occur on school property or during school hours, and there is nothing to indicate that this is related to any on-campus activity," per ABC. O'Neal also covered the funeral costs for a family who lost four young daughters in a North Carolina house fire last September. "This was not just a gesture of support, it was a moral responsibility," he said at the time. Read the original article on People Shia LaBeouf is making headlines again after a wild moment in an Italian hotel lobby, appearing in just his boxer briefs with a cigarette dangling from his mouth while asking for a match. The actor, in Italy to attend his fathers baptism, has faced ongoing legal troubles stemming from a Mardi Gras bar fight in New Orleans, including misdemeanor battery charges. Shia LaBeouf is also facing marital issues, as it was revealed he has been separated from his wife, Mia Goth, for over a year now, but remains involved in his daughters life. Shia LaBeouf Strips Down And Stirs Drama In Italian Hotel Snorlax/MEGA Shia LaBeouf made quite the scene in an Italian hotel lobby, barely clothed and in his boxer briefs, with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Advertisement Advertisement Video footage obtained by TMZ shows the actor pleading with someone nearby, Cmon, bro got a match? Give me a f-cking match! Meanwhile, a woman nearby appeared uneasy and quickly walked away from the commotion. The actor is in Italy for a personal reason: attending his fathers baptism. Initially, LaBeoufs request to leave New Orleans was blocked because he was supposed to continue his substance abuse treatment. However, his lawyer successfully petitioned the court, which approved the trip. Shia LaBeouf was seen in his underwear in an Italian hotel lobby begging for a light. pic.twitter.com/EOIWy8zP1A TMZ (@TMZ) March 17, 2026 LaBeoufs latest legal troubles stem from an incident earlier this year. During Mardi Gras in February, the former Disney star was involved in a bar fight in the Marigny neighborhood, allegedly punching two men and head-butting a third around 12:45 a.m. at R Bar. Following the incident, he was briefly jailed after receiving medical attention at a hospital. The Actor Allegedly Used Homophobic Slurs During His Mardi Gras Fight Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office / MEGA After LaBeoufs arrest, allegations surfaced that the Fury actor used homophobic slurs during the Mardi Gras altercation, prompting Judge Simone Levine to set his bond at $105,000 on February 26, most of which had to be posted before he could remain free after his release. Advertisement Advertisement Two of the alleged victims are part of the LGBTQ+ community: one identifies as queer, while the other sometimes dresses in drag. The latter has publicly urged prosecutors to consider hate crime charges, citing a state law that enhances penalties for crimes motivated by actual or perceived gender or sexual orientation. Shia LaBeouf Addressed His Mardi Gras Arrest And Controversial Remarks MEGA In a YouTube interview with Channel 5 at his New Orleans home, LaBeouf cited his traditional Catholic faith and described feeling intimidated by big gay people while addressing the arrest incident. He defended his behavior, claiming the violence occurred after the alleged victims touched him in a way that made him uncomfortable. Advertisement Advertisement Three gay dudes [were] next to me, touching my leg I got scared, he said. Acknowledging the controversy, he added: Im sorryif thats homophobic, then Im that. The actor, however, noted that he was in the wrong for touching anyone, ever. And thats the end of my statement on this whole sh-t. The Actor Admits He Has A Small Man Complex CAN/Capital Pictures / MEGA During the chat, LaBeouf also reflected on his behavior, suggesting that anger and ego, rather than alcohol, were at the root of his issues. I think I have a small man complex, he told Andrew Callaghan. Im gonna address it I think its something that has to do with anger and ego more so than my drinking, but thats where Im at now on my journey, and Im trying to navigate it. Advertisement Advertisement Amid the controversy, LaBeoufs attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, argued that her client should not face harsher treatment because of his celebrity status. No regular person would be required to post over $100,000 in bonds and be jailed twice for a single misdemeanor incident, she said. Just as he does not deserve preferential treatment, Mr. LaBeouf also does not deserve to be treated more harshly by the police and courts just because he is a public figure. Shia LaBeouf And Mia Goths Split Faces Conflicting Accounts From Their Inner Circles MEGA Meanwhile, sources close to LaBeouf tell TMZ that he was not the cause of his breakup with Mia Goth, though people close to Goth offer a different perspective. LaBeoufs circle says the actor still cares deeply for the actress, even after their split last year, and insists the relationship just didnt work out. They reject claims that he was responsible for the breakup. Advertisement Advertisement Despite living in New Orleans to care for his family, LaBeouf reportedly remains very involved in their daughter Isabels life, making time for her while Goth focuses on work. Sources close to Goth, however, deny that her career played any part in ending the relationship. Friends of LaBeouf say he tried everything to make the relationship work, from taking vacations together to turning toward religion. One friend noted that he became more devout after his previous breakup with FKA Twigs. According to LaBeoufs inner circle, Goth still cares for him but does not want to be married. Meanwhile, sources close to Goth argue that LaBeoufs drinking and personal struggles were the primary issues, leaving her unconvinced he could grow or address his problems. The Shia LaBeoufs Issues Take A Messy Turn As Actor Begs For A Match While In His Underwear At An Italian Hotel first appeared on The Blast Shia LaBeouf has attracted attention for the wrong reasons again, as the Fury star was caught on video causing a commotion in a hotel lobby in Italy. The 39-year-old actor, who has seen his share of legal issues, was caught on camera in just his boxers, asking for matches in a hotel lobby while holding a loose cigarette in his mouth, Shia LaBeouf spotted asking strangers for matches in hotel Shia LaBeouf had recently gotten into legal trouble after a bar brawl and a subsequent battery charge. He has once again drawn attention for the wrong reasons at a hotel in Italy. The 39-year-old Hollywood star was caught in a video wearing nothing but his boxers. He was asking people at the hotel lobby for a match. He carried a loose cigarette in his mouth. LaBeouf seemingly caused quite a scene as some people reportedly looked uncomfortable with the behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Cmon, bro give me a f***ing match. You got a match? LaBeouf can be heard in the video obtained by TMZ. Shortly before this, a judge ordered LaBeouf to return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. This was after he was charged with two counts of battery over an alleged assault that took place in February 2026. In an interview with Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan, the actor admitted that it was his own fault. Its not nice to hurt people ever, its f***ing lame. People got hurt, weve gotta deal with that. Im gonna deal with that in full, he said, Ill eat it all. It was on me, not on them. It was on me. I f***ed up. The actor further explained that clout chasing was the reason he ended up in the brawl. The actor explained his action, saying, I was drunk, and then I felt infringed upon like in terms of my proximity. But I wasnt in my right mind, and so its on me. The post Shirtless Shia LaBeouf Demands F***ing Match From Strangers in Bizarre Video appeared first on Mandatory. Tessa Thompson went for dark layering and fabric play for her appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Tuesday night in New York City. The Hedda star merged three distinct pieces together for a seamless variation on layered styling in a Eckhaus Latta gossamer top in obsidian and the gossamer skirt in obsidian from the fall 2026 collection. The top Thompson wore was crafted with a flowing, sleeveless silhouette, designed with a material that included a bevy of subtly shimmering elements. More from WWD Tessa Thompson on 'Late Night' Transitioning to the skirt of her look, Thompson wore a felt-style miniskirt in a dark shade, which included a black skirt with sheer fabric beneath. The Marvel Cinematic Universe star further accentuated her dark layered look with black peep-toe heels. Accessories were kept minimal in favor of a quiet luxury bent, and Thompsons hair was worn down with a bevy of curls, with makeup that included bold brows and dark glossy lips. Advertisement Advertisement Prior to her Broadway debut, Thompson kicked off the year promoting her Netflix series His & Hers, costarring Jon Bernthal. During her press tour, Thompson opted for a few designer pieces, including looks from Chanels spring 2026 collection. Thompson is a close friend of the French luxury fashion house, recalling at Chanels Coco Crush celebration at Chateau Marmont in January her earliest memories of the brand, including a sense memory from the first time she bought a bottle of Chanel No.5 as a teen. Tessa Thompson on 'Late Night' I would leave work smelling like lemons and oil, and I was going to hang out with someone I had a crush on and didnt have time to go home and shower, she said. So I went into the bathroom, freshened up. I got paid that day it was a Friday and I was going to buy myself a bottle of perfume and put something on before I went to meet this crushI didnt even really know. It just seemed chic. Thompson costars with Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the Broadway adaptation of The Fear of 13. The real-life story follows Nick Yarris, a convicted inmate on death row, who meets a prison volunteer, played by Thompson. Together, they fight to clear his name and Yarris becomes the first man on Pennsylvanias death row to be discharged thanks to DNA evidence. Performances for The Fear of 13 begin Thursday. Teyana Taylor at The Critics Choice Associations 8th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on December 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Ryan Destiny at The Critics Choice Associations 8th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on December 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Tessa Thompson at The Critics Choice Associations 8th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on December 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Advertisement Advertisement View Gallery Launch Gallery: Teyana Taylor, Tessa Thompson and More at the Critics Choice Associations 2025 Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy kept things stateside when it came to their intimate Cumberland Island wedding. Recently brought to life in an episode of Ryan Murphy's Love Story, the ceremony embodied the brides's visions of a "rustic and lowkey" ceremony and the romantic, unfussy simplicity of the celebration remains a inspiration to couples to this day. But when it came to their honeymoon, they opted to go internationalheading to Turkey for a romantic getaway even more private than their nuptials. Love Story doesn't delve into John and Carolyn's honeymoon the same way the show brought their fabled wedding to life. Instead, Episode 7 focused the paparazzi maelstrom that ignited upon the newlyweds' return. But it does nod to a few of the scant details the public knows about the trip. Advertisement Advertisement The decision to go to Turkey was inspired by John's late mother, Jackie. As C. David Heymann tells it in his biography, American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy, Jackie had visited the country with her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, and allegedly told John that if he ever married, it was an ideal place to honeymoon. Eye Ubiquitous - Getty Images They finished up their trip cruising on a yacht, but for the first week of their adventure, John and Carolyn took up temporary residence at the sprawling Ciragan Palace Hotel in Istanbul, an opulent Ottoman palace originally built by Sultan Abdulaziz between 1863 and 1867 and later restored in the 1980s. The luxury five-star hotel was recommended by John's close friend, journalist Christiane Amanpour. NurPhoto - Getty Images Managed by Kempinski Hotels, the glimmering white palatial hotel sits proudly along the banks of the Bosphorus strait. The interiors sparkle with pristine marble, the ceilings drip with intricate chandeliers, and there are multiple grand staircases. John and Carolyn stayed in one of the hotel's penthouse suite under the alias Mr. and Mrs. Hyannisa name no doubt inspired by John's family compound in Hyannis Port. Heymann's book reports Amanpour allegedly called the hotel one of the most luxurious in the world, even by Kennedy standards. Seems like it fit that bill for the couple. NurPhoto - Getty Images You Might Also Like Sarah Ferguson has been lying low since before her ex-husband, former prince Andrew, was arrested. In fact, she was barely seen in the last few months of 2025, since she and Andrew were evicted from Royal Lodge. The only glimpse the public got of her was in December, during the christening of her granddaughter. She has not been seen in public at all in 2026, amid reports that she could also be under investigation or, at least, that shell be expected to testify against Andrew. But where is Ferguson? According to RadarOnline, she has been secretly living with Priscilla Presley in the United States. New York, to be precise. Before that, she reportedly moved between the U.A.E., Switzerland, the French Alps, and Ireland. More from StyleCaster Advertisement Advertisement Related: Heres what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth Away from the public eye, Sarah is secretly living under Priscilla Presleys roof, using it as a temporary refuge while she navigates her current, and pretty sad, sofa-surfing existence, a source said. Its not a permanent solution by any means more a stopgap while she tries to figure out her next move, the source explained. Reportedly, there are no long-term plans in place. At the moment, she doesnt have anything resembling a settled home base, so shes leaning heavily on the goodwill and support of a very small circle of trusted friends just to get through day-to-day life. Ferguson and Presley reportedly formed a close bond through Fergies friendship with Presleys late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Lisa Marie died in 2023 at the age of 54. Advertisement Advertisement But, of course, this is nothing like what Ferguson is used to.The contrast of this set-up with Fergies previous life couldnt be more striking. She was once surrounded by the structure and visibility that came with royal status, living in grand residences and operating in the public spotlight. Things have changed. Now, shes in hiding like some kind of fugitive, moving discreetly between locations and trying to keep a low profile. And reportedly, shes been having a hard time with the change. That kind of shift has been incredibly difficult for her to process, and those close to her say its had a real emotional impact as she adjusts to a completely different reality. All of this comes after People reported that Sarah Fergusons whereabouts remain unknown following the arrest of her ex-husband. All reports indicated she spent at wellness centers in Switzerland and Ireland in the last few months, but there was no confirmation as to where she was staying right now. Globe reported that Presley is doing more than just offering a place to stay, though. Instead, shes reportedly urging Fergie to tell her side of the story. Priscilla got a huge amount of relief from writing her own memoir and shes urging Sarah to do the same, a source said. She sees no reason she should stay quiet. Advertisement Advertisement Plus, Presley has also promised to find some eligible American bachelors to set her up with. Priscilla is very well-connected and has a huge group of friends, so the odds are in Sarahs favor that shell be able to rustle up some decent options, the source added. Best of StyleCaster Sign up for Stylecaster's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Nazrin Abdul Amid the ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, Qatars capital, Doha, has once again come under ballistic missile attack, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The Qatar Ministry of Defence said explosions heard over the city were caused by missiles intercepted and destroyed mid-air by the countrys air defense systems. Authorities urged residents to remain calm. The escalation follows a breakdown in negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehrans nuclear program. Since February 28, the United States and Israel have carried out airstrikes against Iranian targets. In response, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military facilities across the region. On the first day of the strikes, Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military officials, was reported killed. On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts elected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the countrys third Supreme Leader. Between March 1 and 5, the confrontation expanded further, drawing in multiple countries across the Middle East. The United States has reportedly suffered 13 fatalities and more than 140 injured personnel. The conflict has also placed regional energy infrastructure and maritime transport at significant risk. Heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have driven a sharp rise in global oil prices, while several countries have urged their citizens to leave the region. Iute Group has officially launched its banking business in Ukraine under the brand IuteBank. Earlier this year, Iute Group acquired a local banking licence from a bridge bank. The acquisition included a transfer of certain low-risk assets and retail deposit liabilities amounting to roughly 4m ($4.6m) from RWS Bank. In its initial phase, IuteBank will offer a limited range of banking services, including current accounts, deposit products, and instant payments for its current customers. Iute Group CEO Tarmo Sild said: Beginning banking operations in Ukraine marks an important milestone in Iutes expansion strategy. Completing the transition process and starting operations earlier than initially expected reflects the constructive cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities and the strong commitment of our team. Our focus now is on building a digital bank that provides everyday financial services for customers in Ukraine, with a full-scale digital offering planned for early 2027. Our entry into Ukraine reflects our long-term confidence in the countrys financial sector and its future as part of the European economic space. Expansion of the banks digital services, including mobile banking features and customer acquisition activities, is scheduled for early 2027. During the transition period, Iute Group strengthened IuteBanks capital by investing Hrv293m ($6m), falling within the companys previously announced investment of up to 15m allocated for Ukrainian market entry. The National Bank of Ukraine has verified that IuteBank has satisfied all regulatory requirements and completed the necessary supervisory inspection, allowing the bank to commence standard operations. IuteBank CEO Arthur Muravytsky commented: Our immediate priority is to ensure a smooth restoration of banking services for existing customers. In the next phase, we will strengthen the banks corporate governance and leadership structure, gradually expand services for existing customers and prepare the launch of our mobile banking application with account and deposit functionality. "Iute Group starts banking operations in Ukraine " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. A sense of outrage compelled Oscar-nominated producer Poh Si Teng to make her directorial debut, the searing American Doctor, now screening at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. I was very angry and then came despair, she explained in a talk at the CPH:Conference on Tuesday. I didnt know what to do with those emotions. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Her emotions sprang from the catastrophic loss of life in Gaza under Israeli bombardment, invasion and blockade after the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians men, women, and children have been killed since October 2023. By one count cited by the UN, more than 250 journalists have been killed in Gaza in that period, some of them known to Teng from her time serving as a documentary commissioner for Al Jazeera English. A year into the genocide, it was very difficult to see people that I respected in the craft of journalism and Al Jazeera being targeted and executed, she told moderator Thom Powers, podcaster, author, and documentary programmer at TIFF. Teng expressed dismay over what might be termed a collective shrug regarding the huge death toll of reporters, photographers and others trying to cover Gaza. I was a journalist for the New York Times, I worked for the Associated Press, I worked for ABC News, and to not see that kind of solidarity where journalists always come together when somebody has been taken by the Russian government [for instance], its like, what is happening here? Director Poh Si Teng in conversation with moderator Thom Powers at CPH:DOX. Anguished by the extreme bloodshed in Gaza, she described making a dramatic career pivot. I just felt like whatever I was doing at that time, it didnt make sense anymore, she said. I needed to find something else. Advertisement Advertisement Her feeling of mission galvanized after Teng attended a speech by Dr. Mark Perlmutter, an orthopedic surgeon in North Carolina who had volunteered his time in Gaza to try to save the lives of children badly injured by Israeli weaponry. The doctor had become an outspoken critic of Israels war in Gaza, declaring it genocide. He spoke about the conflict not from the ivory tower or the pundits chair, but as a doctor who has held the shattered bodies of Palestinian children in his hands. L-R Dr. Thaer Ahmad, Dr. Mark Perlmutter, director Poh Si Teng, and Dr. Feroze Sidhwa at the Deadline Hollywood Portrait Studio during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2026 in Park City, Utah. Tengs subsequent meeting with Dr. Perlmutter set her on the course to make American Doctor, which focuses on three U.S. physicians who volunteered in Gaza each from distinct backgrounds. In addition to Dr. Perlmutter, who is Jewish, the other two protagonists are Dr. Thaer Ahmad, a Palestinian American doctor from Chicago, and Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon from California with roots in Pakistans Parsi minority that follow the Zoroastrian religious tradition. Teng said when she embarked on the documentary project, she was told, Youre not going to be able to make it. Its not going to go off the ground It will never happen because of the subject matter. And I was like, We shall see I get a real thrill when somebody tells me it cannot be done. Not that it proved easy. Quite the contrary. She tapped into her life savings of $150,000 to finance the production (Teng addressed her young daughter, who attended the CPH:DOX talk, telling her, This is all the money I saved for you, my kid, my child, but maybe one day you will understand why.). She convinced her filmmaking collaborators to halve their usual pay rates, a team that includes Oscar-nominated producer Kirstine Barfod (The Cave), and Oscar-nominated editor and filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki (Black Box Diaries, Instruments of a Beating Heart). Advertisement Advertisement Six months into filming, in the middle of 2024, Tengs funds had been exhausted. I was just crushed, she recalled. But people in Tengs native Malaysia stepped up. A friend of mine from Malaysia, he said, Look, I dont know how it is in the United States but come back home. Were not divided on genocide here. I made two trips back home to Malaysia in summer and in the fall, and we raised almost $200,000, donations, cash. An injured child receives treatment at Nasser Hospital after an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) targeted a tent with multiple missiles resulting in many Palestinians, including two children being injured and two people losing their lives in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, Gaza on January 5, 2026. At that stage, Teng said, she discovered an evolving perspective on the war in Gaza back in the U.S. By that time, society in the U.S. had shifted and grants were made available to us. In the first half of 2025, all the doors were shut, but institutions are only made out of people and people have changed. Theyre not scared anymore. So thats what happened. American Doctor premiered in U.S. Documentary Competition at Sundance. Before heading to CPH:DOX, it screened at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece and at True/False in Columbia, MO. Advertisement Advertisement True/False was our biggest audience. In the Midwest, in the United States, in Missouri the Missouri Theater, 1,200 [seats], Teng recounted. And it was full, it was packed. In the film, Dr. Perlmutter urges the medical community to view genocide as a public health issue, not simply as an abstract geopolitical term. The titular physicians condemn the killing of innocent Palestinians in moral terms and criticize the U.S. for its role in the conflict as Israels chief military sponsor. That has been revelatory for some audiences, Teng said, citing reaction at True/False. When [the screening] ended, people were like, We didnt know. I think people really dont know the extent of what the U.S. has done, Teng averred. And I say the U.S. because its so easy to point fingers, Oh, look at Israel. True, maybe, but what is our role? What is our role as taxpayers of the United States? What is our role as citizens of countries in the West that have supported or normalized relationships with a country, with Israel, that has this military thats just massacring and genociding people? So its easy. I would implore everybody to look at themselves in the mirror and what their skillset is and what their experience, what they have, and what they can do in this moment in time, and then do something rather than point fingers. And so that is why we made American Doctor I just thought its too much blood on our hands. American Doctor screens again at CPH:DOX on Thursday and Friday. On Friday, it also kicks off the 2026 Movies That Matter Festival at The Hague in the Netherlands (Teng and Dr. Perlmutter will be present for that screening). Watermelon Pictures is among the backers of the film, but distribution plans have yet to be determined. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Shepherdstown Palestine Film Festival will take place March 2021, bringing a series of films that highlight Palestinian experiences and perspectives to the Shepherdstown Opera House. The festival, organized by Eastern Panhandle T.E.A.M. (Together Educating and Advocating for Peace in the Middle East), aims to challenge, humanize and amplify Palestinian voices through cinema, according to a community announcement. Over two days, the festival will present films that explore themes of memory, resistance, history and lived experience in Palestine. Screenings will take place Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening. Advertisement Advertisement These movies are garnering awards, Oscar nominations, and rave reviews worldwide because they provide a window into one of the most beleaguered regions on the planet, one in which our country is deeply involved and yet as Americans we struggle to understand. This is not the Palestine you see in the news, but a nation with a rich history where families toil, celebrate and struggle, and whose deeply human stories deserve to be told, Gonzalo Baeza, a member of Eastern Panhandle T.E.A.M., said in the announcement. What films will be shown? The festival will open at 7:30 p.m. March 20 with The Voice of Hind Rajab, which was nominated for the 2026 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The film tells the real-life story of Red Crescent volunteers working to rescue a child named Hind Rajab trapped in a car under Israeli fire in Gaza. Director Kaouther Ben Hania constructs a narrative around the archival audio of the distress call, according to the announcement. The second film, Palestine 36, will screen at 2 p.m. March 21. It revisits the 193639 Arab Revolt against British colonial rule, blending historical insight with dramatic storytelling. The festival will conclude at 7:30 p.m. March 21 with All Thats Left of You, which explores themes of memory and belonging after displacement. Advertisement Advertisement Tickets for all screenings are available at operahouselive.com. Who is organizing the festival? Eastern Panhandle T.E.A.M. was founded in 2024 by residents of West Virginias Eastern Panhandle concerned about the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the decades-long oppression of the Palestinian people. The groups mission is to educate the community about the history and current crisis in the Middle East to achieve peace, safety and justice for all people in the region, according to the announcement. As the daughter of survivors of the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe in Arabic), which caused my parents to leave their home in Haifa and immigrate to Weirton, West Virginia, I have a keen interest in the history of Palestine, Fay Stump, founder of Eastern Panhandle T.E.A.M., said in the announcement. I encourage those in our community who seek to be more informed to attend the festival and watch three groundbreaking films. The Shepherdstown Opera House is at 131 W. German St. For updates and additional information, visit facebook.com/EPTEAMWV. Advertisement Advertisement This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Shepherdstown festival to highlight Palestinian films COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Central Ohio will serve as the backdrop for an upcoming horror movie starring actors from the well-known TV series Shameless, You and Atypical. NightFlirt is set in the Columbus area, with filming taking place in central Ohio during February and March. The movie follows a chronically online college dropout and an underage OnlyFans streamer in parallel storylines set in 2009 and 2025, as both characters come into contact with the same online stalker, according to producer Bryn Kelly. How much you need to earn to be middle class in Columbus and Ohio in 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Its a horror movie, psychological thriller, Kelly said. Its kind of following this internet-era story in two different time periods and seeing how they connect. The main cast includes Ethan Cutkosky, who played Carl Gallagher on Shameless. Cutkosky is joined by Keir Gilchrist, who starred as Samuel Gardner in Atypical, Luca Padovan, who played Paco in season one of You, Elsie Fisher, known for her role as Kayla Day in the film Eighth Grade, and Caden Martel, a newcomer who Kelly called unbelievable. She described the cast as a really fun group. The movie was filmed at multiple locations in central Ohio, including The Olympic Diner and Sloopys Pub in northwest Columbus near Hilliard, as well as The Delaware Diner off U.S. 23 and a few Columbus-area hotels, according to Kelly. Crews completed additional filming at Savko Plastic Pipe & Fittings in north Columbus, which Kelly said was transformed into a 2009-era electronics store. Everyone loved the local business owners, Kelly said. They were all incredibly, incredibly generous with their time and with their space, and we were so grateful to be able to shoot there. Advertisement Advertisement Deborah Holt, a manager at Sloopys, said she came in for her shift one night and found Kelly waiting for her. Central Ohio coffee shop creates searchlight sleeves to highlight missing people She wanted to ask if wed be willing to let them use the space for a scene for a movie they were doing, Holt said. That was kind of shocking. It was exciting because its a small, little bar. I didnt think that would ever happen. Holt said the crew filmed one scene at the bar on March 2, from about 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., when the business opened for the day. She got to watch the filming take place and meet some of the production team and cast, who she called really nice and very professional. Holt and Cutkosky. (Photo courtesy/Sloopys Pub) (Photo courtesy/Sloopys Pub) It was really exciting to watch it, Holt said. You never know how much equipment and time and effort goes into it. Like they had so much stuff in here. It was awesome. It was only one scene, but they did it that whole time over and over again until they got it the way they liked it. Advertisement Advertisement Kelly said she visited central Ohio multiple times before selecting filming locations to find establishments with the right look for the movie. It was a lot of Google searching and looking around on maps and clicking around and then going in person and talking to people and driving around, Kelly said. Lawmaker advocates for nurses with proposed law According to Kelly, filming is currently wrapping up and the crew will soon start post-production, a phase of filmmaking involving assembling the footage, editing, adding visual effects and color grading to create a final product. Its honestly been incredibly fun, Kelly said. We were a team of people from all over the country. We all came out to stay in Delaware, which is where I grew up in part, so its been wild. Advertisement Advertisement An exact release plan has not yet been determined. The movie is an independent film, so Kelly explained that the plan is to take it to festivals and find a distributor to release it, whether through theatrical release or on a streaming platform. Regardless of how the movie is released, Holt said she is excited to watch it. 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. Spains Audiovisual From Spain, the brand run by Spanish trade and investment body ICEX to drive the interational impact of Spanish talent, is heading to Cannes with newly unveiled short films La Tarara and La Llama, plus Carla Simons previously introduced Flamenco as it expands its 2026 Where Talent Ignites campaign across film, fashion, music, design and contemporary culture. With Flamenco already unveiled in February at the Rotterdam Film Festival, the main Cannes reveal is the launch of La Tarara, starring Ingrid Garcia-Jonsson and La Llama, built around the creative universe of Spanish designer Jaime Hayon. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Together, the two new pieces sharpen Audiovisual From Spains push to frame Spanish screen talent as part of a wider creative ecosystem with clear international reach. Spain is enjoying a standout moment in audiovisual, said ICEX CEO Elisa Carbonell in a statement, describing the new phase of Where Talent Ignites as a bid to back high-impact creative pieces that showcase the countrys talent, creative excellence and current momentum. Directed by Nicolas Mendez and produced by Audiovisual From Spain in collaboration with Canada, La Tarara moves into the territory of fashion film and contemporary visual storytelling. Starring Garcia-Jonsson, whose credits include Los Javis-produced Netflix series Superestar and musical comedy My Heart Goes Boom!, alongside Lucas Catala, the piece is positioned as a symbolically charged work in which performance, design and cinematic language converge in a tightly stylized frame. Additional internationally recognized Spanish talent attached to the short is set to be announced. Advertisement Advertisement For its part, La Llama opens onto animation, architecture and design. Produced by Audiovisual From Spain in collaboration with White Horse and Apartamento, the piece takes Hayons conceptual and visual universe as the spine of a poetic audiovisual journey through more than a century of Spanish creativity. The creative team includes White Horses Pol Gonzalez Novell, Apartamentos Nacho Alegre, Turbo, The Post Office, writers Leti Sala and Vincenzo Angileri and character designer Hayon. Conceived around a mutating house in constant transformation, La Llama frames Spanish design as a living, evolving language capable of dialog with global contemporary culture without losing its own identity. Previously unveiled, short film Flamenco, directed by Simon and produced by Audiovisual From Spain in collaboration with Mamma Team, stars Rocio Molina and features El Nino de Elche, revisiting flamenco through a contemporary lens that explores the tension between heritage and creative freedom. Following their premiere at Mays Cannes Film Festival, the three pieces will continue their international rollout at further events as flagships of the 2026 Where Talent Ignites campaign. Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Bernie Lynch, frontman and co-founder of Eurogliders, the Australian pop group that enjoyed several hits in the mid-1980s, none bigger than Heaven (Must Be There), has died following a battle with throat cancer. He was 72. Its with a heavy heart Im posting this to let everyone know that Bernie passed away last Thursday (March 12), writes vocalist Grace Knight, who was married to Lynch in the 80s. I am heartbroken and dont know how to proceed without him. More from Billboard Advertisement Advertisement Knight continues, I dont know how many shows Eurogliders have done over the years, it must be thousands, and for every single one of them, Ive had Bernie there, standing beside me. Its been such a wonderful, wonderful journey and Im so very proud and honored to have shared it with him. Lynch formed Eurogliders in Perth, Western Australia back in 1980, a hotbed for alternative rock and post-punk. Eurogliders had an international breakthrough with 1984s Heaven, housed on the album This Island. The song reached No. 2 on the the ARIA Chart, impacted the Billboard charts, and continues to reverberate more than 40 years after release. Currently, it soundtracks a major real estate TV campaign in Australia, and the song was identified by music historian The Professor of Rock as one of the most underrated, overlooked songs of its era. The band would enjoy a slew of domestic hits, including 1985s We Will Together, sung by Lynch, and 1986s Cant Wait to See You, before disbanding at the end of the decade. Eurogliders reunited several times, both in the mid-2000s for an album release and to perform on the Countdown Spectacular nostalgia tour, and again in 2023 for the Sunset Sounds beachside festival. Advertisement Advertisement Lynch was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2024, and underwent successful treatment. The illness, however, was later found to have spread into his bones and organs, and he started to deteriorate rapidly, Knight explains. Bernie was an incredibly kind and caring person and generous to a fault. Hed fuss about making sure the band were happy and had after show cheese and biscuits and a refreshing beverage. Hed come to stay at my house and turn up with bags of food and take over the kitchen. He was funny and intelligent and engaging. If you werent well, or life had thrown you a curve ball, hed be the first one on the phone to see how you were going, she continues. And, of course, theres the songs. Without Bernies songs, there would be no Eurogliders, Knight explains. Songs he wrote as a young man that are still being listened to, songs that 40 years later still get played on the radio, songs that people still sing along to at our shows, songs that have brought so much joy to so many people. What a great legacy and such a fantastic contribution to the cultural landscape of this country. Best of Billboard Sign up for Billboard's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The 1980s saw the release of several influential albums Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen, Purple Rain by Prince, Thriller by Michael Jackson, and Synchronicity by The Police. But it is an album released in 1982 by the British punk band The Clash that stands above them all. Combat Rock, which includes the hits Rock the Casbah and Should I Stay or Should I Go, is the Most Perfect Rock Album of the 1980s, according to a ranking released Monday by Collider. Advertisement Advertisement In a thematic sense, Combat Rock is a true punk album, rife with sharp criticisms of Western violence and authoritarianism, writes Collider reporter Gabrielle Ulubay of Combat Rock. However, its eclectic sound sets it apartsomething particularly noticeable on the mainstream hit Rock the Casbah and on the hard rock anthem Should I Stay or Should I Go. By subverting the expectations of both the mainstream and the punk rock movement itself, The Clash created an inimitable work of art in Combat Rock that still influences musicians today." Most fans of The Clash dont consider Combat Rock the bands best album thats usually reserved for London Calling, which was released in 1979 and often is ranked among the best albums of all time. Advertisement Advertisement The remainder of Colliders top 10 are, in order, Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses; Springsteens Nebraska; Let It Be by The Replacements; Master of Puppets by Metallica; Hounds of Love by Kate Bush; Lets Dance by David Bowie; Back in Black by AC/DC; Slip It In by Black Flag; and Glass Houses by Billy Joel. Of course, all lists ranking albums or artists are subjective, and a recent list of top 1980s albums from Screen Rant reached a different conclusion for the best record, giving Appetite for Destruction the nod. In an era dominated by polished production and hairspray, Appetite for Destruction was a much-needed punch to the gut," writes Screen Rant music editor Sarah Polonsky. It brought the danger and the dirt of the 70s back to the mainstream, anchored by Slashs iconic riffs and Axl Roses banshee wail. Polonskys list doesnt include Combat Rock and instead focuses more on the mainstream hits from the 1980s, including The Joshua Tree by U2 and Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Add cleveland.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is incoming and were ready to make it our entire personality! Andy Cohen recently made an appearance at SXSW, and took a moment to hype up the showwhich premieres this coming April. Like, were mere weeks away! According to Andy (via Deadline) RHORI is giving me everything that I love in Housewives. He added that The women are all stars. Theyre so funny. They are the drama. You know, we were talking about Rhode Island backstage. Its our smallest state and they all seem to know each other, or be related, or went to high school together, or all of the above. Theyre all in each others lives and its super dramatic. Its also serving as a destination, in the way that Housewives should in that I really want to go to Rhode Island in the summer. Its the Ocean State. Its beautiful. We shot it in the summer. Its all water, and its just great. Tibrina Hobson - Getty Images There is not a dud episode in the bunch. Youre going to love it. And Im not over hyping, Andy gushed, We were worried about saturation, like eight Housewives ago. It appears there is a market for new places. Advertisement Advertisement The RHORI cast includes Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, Jo-Ellen Tiberi, and Dolores Catania (as a friend). Oh, and go ahead and enjoy the shows dramatic log-line: Welcome to the Ocean State. It's Americas smallest, but dont be fooled the drama is wicked wild. In a place where everyone knows everyone, nothing is ever truly forgotten. Friendships are built over decades, loyalties are deeply rooted and secrets are guarded at all costs until betrayal strikes and the cracks show. Get ready for chaos, if the trailer is anything to go by! You Might Also Like Dr. Mehmet Oz whos currently serving as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is exploring a return to television once his time in government wraps, sources tell Straight Shuter. He misses TV. He misses the audience. And he definitely misses being the one in charge of the conversation, a media insider says. Washington is powerful, but its not exactly entertaining. The renowned cardiothoracic surgeon built a massive brand during his years in daytime television on The Dr. Oz Show which ran from 2009 to 2022 before stepping into politics and public service. Advertisement Advertisement Hes still a recognizable name with a built-in audience, a television executive says. The question isnt whether he can get back on TV its what kind of show makes sense now. Another source says, Some people see him hosting health specials, others see him on cable panels or building a digital platform. Read More From National Enquirer This story Dr. Oz Could Return to Television After His Time in Washington Ends: He Misses the Audience first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A Local 12 meteorologist known for his cat-themed segments is leaving the station after 8 years on air. Paul Poteet, a 40-year media veteran, will depart the WKRC-TV studio after the noon broadcast on Wednesday, March 18, according to a Facebook post from Poteet's colleague, Chief Meteorologist John Gumm. Poteet reports the weather from Saturday through Wednesday morning on the CBS affiliate, according to WVXU. During his Saturday morning forecasts, known as "Caturdays," he shares photos of cats submitted by the audience. Poteet is leaving his Local 12 gig to free up his weekends for his grandkids, WVXU reported. The 63-year-old will still be hard at work, though. He will continue to record weekday weather forecasts for 14 radio stations, record a morning show and afternoon show for various radio stations in Indiana, provide voice-overs for film and commercials, and more, according to the local NPR station. Advertisement Advertisement Poteet began his career on the air as a teenager, DJing for a radio station in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He moved to television weather in Indianapolis in the mid-80s. As a kid, the Huntington, Indiana, native would pretend to do TV weather in the basement of his childhood home, studying positions of weather systems, according to his staff bio. He was named Best Indianapolis Weatherman by the readers of "NUVO" four times and even came in second for Sexiest TV Personality in 2005, WVXU reported. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Local 12 weekend meteorologist Paul Poteet leaves station NEED TO KNOW Miley Cyrus tells Variety about her journey to playing Miley Stewart, a.k.a Hannah Montana, on the Disney series Miley's memories include her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, auditioning to play her dad on the show Miley tells Variety about how the project held special meaning for the Cyrus family Miley Cyrus says her time as Hannah Montana meant a lot to her family. The entertainer, 33, is recalling the fateful road that led to her getting the lead in Disney's Hannah Montana in a conversation with Variety, noting she was turned down for an initial audition when the network to go in a different direction after seeing Miley's first taped audition. Advertisement Advertisement A year later, she was brought to Los Angeles to try again, in person, which is when she was awarded the role. As they worked on casting the rest of Hannah's family for the series, mom Tish Cyrus recalls a Disney casting director with a little crush on Billy Ray Cyrus joking, "Too bad we cant afford her real dad." Tish's response was, "Oh, maybe you can," seeing an opportunity for the family to spend more time together. Billy Ray was, at the time, splitting time between Canada and Tennessee while shooting the TV drama Doc. 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. Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus Credit: JOERG KOCH/DDP/AFP via Getty The only problem facing the family was that Billy Ray almost gave the role away when coming in to audition. Miley explained that her dad was "too nice" and started encouraging other dads attending auditions for the show with their daughters to audition for what became the role of Robby Ray Stewart. Advertisement Advertisement "He goes out into the parking lot, grabs other dads, brings them into Disney and is like, You should hire this guy! Hes a great actor! " Miley recalled. "And my mom was behind him, squeezing his back, saying, Shut up! We need you to get the role so we can all move out here!' " My dad always says, When you knock em out, you dont need a judge. We knocked em out, Miley says of the situation, which ended with Billy Ray's casting. Robby Ray appeared in 99 episodes of the series. "It was so obvious, after all the other dads, that you cant fake the kind of connection that we have. The inside jokes, the nicknames, the handshakes, singing the songs together. It was a TKO." Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana Credit: DISNEY CHANNEL/BYRON COHEN Miley also noted that having her dad on set helped protect her from the dark reality other child stars have faced over the years. Advertisement Advertisement My parents didnt need me to be famous to survive or to be stable, she explained. What happens to a lot of these kids is their parents want it more than they do, or the kids become responsible for the entire income of the family. That was never my job. Every penny I ever made went into my bank account because my parents were good. Miley and Billy Ray had connecting dressing rooms on the Hannah Montana set, with an office between the two that served as headquarters for Miley's fan club, managed by her grandmother, Loretta "Mammie" Finley. "My dad was on set every single day, so there was nothing that could happen that he wouldnt know about. There was never a time where I was going to be alone in that dressing room," Miley says. The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, premieres on March 24 exactly 20 years after the original series first aired on the Disney Channel on Disney and Disney+. Read the original article on People Quick Read iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) has fallen 9% in the past month despite holding a 5% year-to-date gain, as rising oil prices linked to Middle East conflict threaten Japans economy, which depends on the region for 95% of its oil supplies with most traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. Japans vulnerability to oil shocks has undercut the Takaichi trade, a bet on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichis pro-growth agenda and corporate reforms, as Brent crude has climbed from $62.54 in December 2025 to $70.89 in February 2026, risking stagflation and real wage erosion. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Providing investors with access to the Japanese stock market in a single trade, the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ) was one of the best-performing developed-market funds through early 2026, riding political optimism traders dubbed the "Takaichi trade." That run has hit a wall. EWJ is down 9% over the past month, even as it holds a 5% year-to-date gain and a 20% one-year return. Unsurprisingly, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has sent oil prices surging, and Japan's economy sits directly in the line of fire. The Takaichi trade was built on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory and her pro-growth agenda. The Nikkei 225 crossed a new milestone in February as investors priced in higher spending, tax relief, and corporate reform, all while EWJ pulled in $1 billion in a single week in late February 2026 as global investors rotated out of U.S. equities. Then the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran escalated, and the calculus changed fast. As it stands today, Japan relies on the Middle East for around 95% of its oil, with the bulk of that oil traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices surged on fears of prolonged shipping disruptions. An upcoming BOJ policy meeting will be the first real signal of how seriously Tokyo views the threat. Takaichi acknowledged the government was considering emergency measures to prevent gasoline prices from reaching unsustainable levels. Read: Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. 24/7 Wall St. 24/7 Wall St. This infographic details the performance of the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) amidst the 'Takaichi Trade,' highlighting its recent decline and the influence of rising oil prices and social sentiment. The Joe Rogan Experience, where he discusses everything from politics to pop culture for a is Joe Rogan the host of the #1 global podcast , where he discusses everything from politics to pop culture for a roughly 80% male audienceis going viral for sharing his thoughts on the state of the world right now. Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images Rogan is no stranger to voicing his opinions, but he's been drawing increased attention lately after becoming particularly critical of Donald Trump, whom he hosted on his podcast during the presidential campaign cycle and later endorsed in the 2024 election. Rogan's endorsement was considered crucial for Trump's campaign. Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images But since Trump's second go-around in office, Rogan has grown increasingly outspoken about his handling of several issues. He said Trump's decision to strike Iran seemed "so insane based on what he ran on" and said many supporters feel "betrayed" by the war in Iran. He also criticized the administration's handling of the Epstein files and the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by immigration agents, calling Trump's immigration policies "crazy" and an "overcorrection." Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images Triggernometry podcast hosts Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin both comedians and political commentators known for engaging in Now, while speaking withpodcast hosts Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin both comedians and political commentators known for engaging in "anti-woke" conversations Rogan began with a discussion of geopolitics. "OK, so when we scheduled this, there's nothing happening. It was so peaceful," Rogan kicked off . "Every time we're here, something crazy is going on, man," Kisin replied. "Yeah. Uh, maybe we manifest it," Rogan said. The Joe Rogan Experience / Via youtube.com Advertisement Advertisement "To be honest...2026 did start with a bang," Foster quipped. The Joe Rogan Experience / Via youtube.com Related: "Who's Gonna Tell Him": This Fox News Host Tried To Drag Gavin Newsom, And It Backfired In The Funniest Way "Yeah. Well, a lot of things, you know it's just, nothing seems stable," Rogan continued. "Everywhere. Everywhere in the world seems f***ed right now. Like, this is in all of my years, this seems the most unstable globally." The Joe Rogan Experience / Via youtube.com It was that last comment that got clipped and went viral online and many were quick to clap back at Rogan's observation. "You don't get to help start a fire and then complain that it's too hot." youtube.com @HQNewsNow / The Joe Rogan Experience / Via x.com Related: Cheryl Hines Tried Defending RFK Jr. And Accidentally Revealed The Most Bonkers Thing About His Brain Worm "*votes to destabilize the world* 15 months later:" youtube.com @HQNewsNow / The Joe Rogan Experience / Via x.com Advertisement Advertisement Lonely Island Classics / @HQNewsNow (x.com / The Joe Rogan Experience / Via youtube.com "I refuse to let white people do this again. They will pour all the oil in the water to kill all the minorities and when the water is no longer drinkable for their communities, they then say, 'why would someone do this?' YOU DID THIS." "Gee, Joe, if only someone had warned you this was going to happen. Oh thats right WE ALL DID." Related: People Just Noticed What Trump's FBI Director Secretly Wrote On A Note To Himself During A Hearing, And They Can't Stop Laughing "Congratulations Joe, you gave them the matches " Advertisement Advertisement "This fkn moron." And lastly, "Buyer's remorse." Thoughts? Opinions? Concerns? Want to scream into the void? Me, too. You Might Like: 17 Things To Make Your House Smell Amazing 24/7 You Might Like: 22 Things On Sale At Amazon This Week Youll Be So Glad You Bought Especially At A Discount Read it on BuzzFeed.com The worlds of NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Origins are set to collide when a young Dwayne Pride visits California and fans wont want to miss it. Pride is such a beloved character and specific, Shea Buckner exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, March 16, of stepping into the role of a younger Pride on NCIS: Origins after Scott Bakula originated the character on NCIS: New Orleans. Buckner, 39, reminded Us that Pride who is also known as King has charm and charisma and he's got an accent and he's got gravitas, and he's a leader and there's so much to him. Advertisement Advertisement To take it all on, it was daunting, to say the least, Bucker confessed. And it wasn't lost on me how important he is. How NCIS Universe Characters Compare to Their NCIS: Origins Counterparts: Gibbs, Ducky, Pride During the upcoming Tuesday, March 17, episode titled Feelin Alright? NIS Panama agents, including Pride, are called to assist on a case connected to a possible international smuggling ring. When Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) comes face-to-face with Pride, it becomes apparent they are not instant friends, as fans of NCIS and the spinoff New Orleans might remember. In fact, CBS teased that Gibbs considers Pride an old nemesis until they are forced to go undercover together. Advertisement Advertisement You're going to see what is the beginning of a very fruitful relationship and formed in a not very typical way, Buckner teased of Pride and Gibbs dynamic on the episode. Greg Gayne/CBS The actor revealed that while Gibbs is very much aware of who Pride is when he sees him on the scene, Pride plays it cool and pretends theyve never met. Although Gibbs will have a hard time letting go of their shared past which includes someone getting into a bar fight Bucker told Us Pride has a different approach. I do know who he is, but I also think that we have a dead body sitting in front of us, and we have a job to do and I'm not gonna let my ego or past grudges get in the way when we're in front of a team, Buckner explained. I'm not gonna let that vendetta fully creep in. I'm gonna smile at them, you know, and layer on the charm, and then get down to business and try not to let the past creep in until it comes out. Advertisement Advertisement How Many NCIS Shows Are There? A Complete Guide to Every Navy Spinoff Over the Years Bucker hinted that going undercover might be just the thing that both Pride and Gibbs need to get over their feud and become the close friends fans see later in the NCIS universe. (Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, later helms the Washington, D.C. office for NCIS, while Pride is the head of the New Orleans headquarters.) We leave with a mutual respect and trust saying, Hey, we got this done in a way, and I can rely on you, and that's more important than anything else, Buckner shared. Wilmer Valderrama Teases Torres Romantic Future With Knight After Bishop Kiss, Possible Damages Advertisement Advertisement He added, What we'll see develop and grow throughout the episode, I hope, is that trust and the formation of the brotherhood. We are two strong opposing forces. But there's that respect and trust. Fans of NCIS: New Orleans, which ran from 2014 to 2021, will also get a taste of Prides mannerisms and his iconic traits throughout the episode. He's always eating, or he's commenting on food, talking about food, and it's a big part of his life. With the New Orleans culture, food is such a part of what it is, Buckner told Us, confirming he tried his best to show off Prides love of food and music by playing the piano as well. NCIS: Origins airs on CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Seven years ago, I traded Sydney's sea, sun and sand for the hustle and bustle of London, and one thing completely surprised me moving here: the UK's obsession with a tan. Whether achieved by sunbathing, using sunbeds or slathered on from a bottle, the lengths many Brits will go to to look sun-kissed has shocked me. While I also love a healthy glow, it has been drilled into me since birth that sun protection is one of the most important things you can do to look after your health. Advertisement Advertisement There have been various ads and campaigns over the years from Cancer Council Australia to encourage sun safety. One particularly powerful ad that has still stuck with me warned, "Tanning is skin cells in trauma." Additionally, tanning beds are banned in all Australian states and territories. After all, the country has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer globally, and approximately two out of three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. Skin cancer rates in the UK are also cause for concern, as they have risen sharply over the past few decades. According to Cancer Research UK, data from 2018, 2019 and 2021 reveal there are approximately 18,300 new melanoma skin cancer cases each year, equivalent to 50 diagnoses every day. Attractive young woman tanning in solarium and smiling. (LuckyBusiness via Getty Images) The use of sunbeds well and truly disturbs me Despite this information, sunbeds remain legal in the UK and, according to data from charity Melanoma Focus last year, 29% of the public use them. Advertisement Advertisement Shockingly, they're increasing in popularity with younger generations, with 34% of 16 to 17-year-olds admitting to using sunbeds. This is despite the fact that they can increase the risk of skin cancer. "Sunbeds give off ultraviolet (UV) radiation, just like the sun does, and too much UV radiation from the sun or sunbeds causes skin cancer," Dr Claire Knight, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, tells Yahoo UK. "In the UK, up to nine in 10 cases of melanoma skin cancer could be prevented by staying safe in the sun and avoiding sunbeds. There is no such thing as safe tanning from UV radiation. "People with a lighter skin tone, freckles, moles, or a history of sunburn are at higher risk, but anyone using sunbeds increases their chance of skin cancer." People use unregulated tanning injections and nasal sprays Some people even go as far as using illegal nasal sprays and injections to achieve their dream skin tone, with Melanoma Focus stating that 20% of British people have used them. Advertisement Advertisement Tanning injections containing Melanotan II are synthetic hormones designed to stimulate melanin production in the skin. Nasal tanners also contain Melanotan II but are designed to be sprayed into the nostrils. According to Melanoma Focus: The health risks associated with these tanning methods are increasingly coming to light, and no forms of melanotan-II have been approved for human use in the UK. Some people have turned to tanning injections. (SimpleImages via Getty Images) People laugh at sunburn I'm not the only one who's concerned with people's attitude to skin health. Sir Chris Bryant MP previously hit out at people's "obsession with laughing at people" who get sunburn and said too much exposure to the sun can be fatal. The trade minister has previously been treated for melanoma on the back of his head. Speaking at a conference in Westminster, Sir Bryant said: "One thing that is very close to my heart, because Ive had stage four melanoma, which probably sprang from my years in Spain when I was a child, is about responsible use of the sun. Advertisement Advertisement "We know that it kills, getting it wrong. The British obsession with laughing at people because theyve gone lobster pink is daft. We need to do better about this." burnt female skin in the sun close-up in a blue t-shirt. (IURII KRASILNIKOV via Getty Images) How you can protect yourself It isn't often that we get to see the sun. It's understandable that when it's shining, we all want to go out and enjoy it, but I encourage everyone to make sure they're doing so safely. I wear SPF 50 on my face every single day and am constantly reapplying sunscreen on my body when lying out in the sun. If you need the extra encouragement, here's your reminder that sun damage significantly contributes to premature ageing and can lead to wrinkles and age spots. In 1981, Cancer Council Australia launched the memorable "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign, urging people to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat to protect against harmful UV rays. The campaign has since evolved to include two more steps: "seek" shade and "slide" on sunglasses. This is what I encourage everyone to do. Advertisement Advertisement This is similar to the advice from Cancer Research UK, which advises: Spend time in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm Cover up with clothes, a wide-brimmed hat and UV-protection sunglasses Regularly apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 stars When it comes to babies, children and sun protection, the NHS urges parents to take extra care. Their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin, the NHS states, and damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing in later life. The NHS advises that from March to October in the UK, children should: Advertisement Advertisement cover up with suitable clothing spend time in the shade, particularly from 11am to 3pm wear at least SPF30 sunscreen, not forgetting the face, ears, feet and backs of hands Babies aged under six months should be kept out of direct strong sunlight. I'm a geek about history. I find it fascinating to learn about how life was 100 years ago, how the different political systems were, and just how people used to live lives we know little about. It seems surreal to read about it, but it did happen at one point. Given this, when I came across a Reddit thread where a user asked, "What dark part of history isnt talked about enough?" I was horrified and astonished to learn about some of these events. This should have been taught to us in school, but it was never really discussed out loud. And that's a shame. Hand of God / Via giphy.com Here are 27 dark parts of history that we never learned or discussed out loud, and it's a heavy read: Disclaimer: The following content has mentions of historical events, violence, death, and other sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised. The following responses have been edited for clarity and length. 1. "In 1794, when French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre realized he was to be executed, he attempted suicide by shooting himself in the mouth. He was unsuccessful, and when they took him to the guillotine, the executioner ripped off the bandage holding his wounded jaw together, causing him to scream in agony before the crowd until he was silenced by the blade of the guillotine." Mikroman6 / Getty Images 2. "The Great Migration. In the early 20th century, Black people in the South faced severe exploitation. As factories in the North expanded, many Black people began moving north in search of better-paying jobs and safer working conditions. This shift created a labor shortage in the South, and white communities used a range of tactics to prevent Black people from leaving. Police sometimes went to train stations and tore up tickets purchased by Black men traveling north. Train stations near Black communities were dismantled, and labor agents from the North were barred from advertising jobs. In some cases, Black people faced violent retaliation if local white residents learned they were planning to leave. These abuses were most severe in smaller towns, where close-knit white communities worked together to restrict Black mobility and maintain control." Chicago History Museum / Getty Images 3. "One of the creepiest events I tell students in my Western Civilizations class is the ecclesiastical trial of Pope Formosus around 875 AD. This event was called the Synodus Horrenda, also known as the Cadaver Synod. Formosus had been dead for 7 months, but the new pope, Pope Stephen VI, found it necessary to exhume Formosus' body and bring it to the papal court to answer for accusations of perjury and acceding to the papacy illegally. Granted, the Catholic Church has gone through many strange things over the course of its history; however, this event always gets a reaction, especially when the Jean-Paul Laurens painting is shown." Heritage Images / Heritage Images/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 4. "The year 536 is considered the worst in history; there were a series of volcanic eruptions that blocked the sun that caused famine and droughts. The bubonic plague also started to take hold this year, which took out 1/3 of the human population in Europe." Arctic-Images / Getty Images 5. "The Einsatzgruppen has always freaked me out. They were the Nazi death squads that went around and shot people into mass graves. But they started to go crazy having to look people in the eye and shoot them, so the high command came up with the idea for death camps. The whole series of events is basically the worst game of dominoes ever. Also, I think the cost of bullets was too highanother contributing factor to developing gas chambers." Photo 12 / Universal Images Group via Getty Images 6. "In Switzerland, we used to sell orphan children to farmers where they had to do hard work. It was basically slavery and lasted until the 1970s. Similar stuff happened in Germany and Sweden as well." George Pachantouris / Getty Images 7. Unit 731 . If you know, you know; if you don't know, I'd think twice about looking it up. It was a Japanese experimental facility where their subjects were seen as logs rather than humans. It had some seriously messed-up experiments, which included infecting people with STDs and getting them to infect the other subjects, whether consensual or not. Honestly, it gets into way too much gruesome **** to say on here, so if you're really curious, look it up, but be warned it's really messed up. Seriously though, I never hear anyone talk about it. It only happened like 100 years ago, so it's not too far back in history (1937-1945)." Pictures From History / Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Pictures from History / Contributor Advertisement Advertisement 8. "I live in a city named Halifax in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. During the potato famine in Ireland, thousands of immigrants would land here first before heading on to other parts of Canada. Many did not survive the crossing, so mass graves were dug. One day, workers who had been loading bodies into these graves went to lunch and upon their return found one person had crawled out." Heritage Images / Heritage Images via Getty Images Related: I Distracted Myself From The Horrors Of Being Alive In 2026 By Reading These 33 Threads Posts, Laughing At Them, Then Remembering Why I Was Distracting Myself, Then Scrolling More 9. "The 2nd-century decline that basically set in motion the fall of the Roman Empire but also set the groundwork for the challenges faced by the Parthian Empire (Persia), the Han Dynasty (China), the Gupta Empire (India), and the Kushan Empire (Central Asia). Basically the whole civilized world started to fall and forever change course during that era." Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images 10. "The Raft of the Medusa. In 1816, France sent a ship called the Medusa to go reclaim the French African colony of Senegal. The captain was appointed based on politics rather than merit. Captain Dumbfuck ended up running the ship onto a sandbar and refused to dump the cannons in order to make the ship light enough to get back into the sea. The giant raft they built to hold the ship's cargo was eventually used to float the 147 people who couldn't fit onto the lifeboats. The idea was that the lifeboats could tow the raft to shore. The lifeboat folks, including Captain Dumbfuck and the governor, decided to cut off the raft and leave everyone for dead while they sailed to land. After two weeks, there were only fifteen men left alive on the raft, and boy, did they have a story to tell." Heritage Images / Heritage Images/Getty Images 11. "Zhang Xianzhong, also known as Yellow Tiger, was the leader of a seventeenth-century peasant revolt that conquered the Chinese province of Sichuan in the end days of the Ming Dynasty. There he lived the life of a warlord, in constant battle, and eventually descended into madness and barbarism, wherein he turned upon his own people in merciless slaughter. He would pile the heads, hands, ears, and noses of those he had killed so as to better keep count of his murders. In Chengdu, there was erected a stele to commemorate his murders. It has come to be known as the Seven Kill Stele and reads, 'Heaven brings forth innumerable things to nurture man. Man has nothing good with which to recompense Heaven.'" Wolfgang Kaehler / LightRocket via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 12. King Leopold II of Belgium should be remembered on the same level as Hitler and Stalin, and I really don't understand why he isn't." Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images 13. "The labor wars in the USA. Child labor laws, 5-day work weeks, safe working conditionsall bought with the blood of grandparents and great-grandparents. This NEEDS to be taught but, AFIK, is glossed over. History doesnt repeat, but rhymes. And here we are again." Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 14. "Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler. It's said that when he impales the Ottomans, he'd use a stick with a dull tip to impale them from the anus through the mouth STRAIGHT UP. And from what I've heard, he used sticks that have dull tips because it would push the organs aside rather than stabbing through, so they wouldn't just die right away but would have to suffer painfully. I can't imagine being a soldier marching through a forest of my comrades moaning in pain, knowing that if I make one mistake, I will end up with them suffering their fate." Stock Montage / Getty Images Related: I Just Spit Out My Diet Coke Laughing At These Complete Strangers Who Came Barreling Out Of Nowhere With The Funniest Possible Reply To A Random Comment 15. "Mediterranean galley slavery seems like something an edgy grimdark author cooked up, yet it was the economic backbone for the Italian kingdoms, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire for centuries." API / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 16. The Harrying of the North. I only know a bit about it because it was mentioned in a history lesson, but William the Conqueror killed 100,000 people? That seems like a lot, even for the Norman conquest." FPG / Getty Images 17. "How the Japanese treated anyone not Japanese: China, PoWs, Pacific Islanders, etc." Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images 18. "Enver Hoxha, Albanias dictator for 40 years under Communist rule. He did things that make North Korea seem warm and fuzzy. He wasnt deposed either. He died of old age in 1985, and it took another six years for communism to fall in Albania. Things have slowly gotten better, but Ive heard the country is still struggling." Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 19. "The Guangxi Massacre and the Chinese cultural revolution in general. It was a series of politically motivated mass killings with widespread cannibalism, torture, and just an insane level of brutality and violence. It broke out in a rural area, and yet around 100,000 people were killed." Swim Ink 2 Llc / Corbis via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 20. "Up until the 1970s, many unmarried mothers in Ireland had their babies forcibly taken away from them, and they either died and were buried in mass graves, adopted, or even sold to the UK or America. It was a massive scandal, rarely talked about." Charles McQuillan / Getty Images 21. "The Tuskegee Syphilis experiment was pretty ****** up. African American men were told they would get free treatment but instead were left untreated so scientists could study the progression of untreated syphilis." By Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Public Health Service. Health Services and Mental Health Administration. Center for Disease Control. Venereal Disease Branch (1970 - 1973). / Via Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org 22. "I find The Killing Fields of Cambodia to be very disturbing. Pol Pot murdered a huge percentage of his country through starvation and, of course, execution." Pictures From History / Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Related: 21 Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Dark And Tragic Wiki Pages About Missing People 23. "Madame Delphine LaLaurie was a wealthy socialite in New Orleans, Louisiana, who happened to be a most disturbing sadist and serial killer with a secret torture chamber in the attic. She tortured and killed her servants and was exposed because of a fire that started in her house." By Unknown author - headstuff.org Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org / piemags/DCM via Alamy Advertisement Advertisement 24. "The Hittite law book has a disturbingly long list of *** crimes. Some highlights include over 10 different kinds of bestiality, with punishment depending on the kind of animal and who topped, and necrophilia, which was 100% legal." Ullstein Bild / ullstein bild via Getty Images 25. "The lobotomization and shock 'treatment' of unruly women and lesbians." Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 26. "In the past, people used mummies for everything from medicines to colors to paint with. There was even a tonic to drink that had ground up mummies as part of the ingredients. As for painting, the color was called 'mummy brown.' It became in such high demand that, in some instances, the remains of executed criminals were mummified and used to satiate the demand of artists." Print Collector / Print Collector/Getty Images 27. "During the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949, all Shih Tzus were killed because they were associated with wealth. The modern Shih Tzu is descended from just 13 dogs that were imported to England and Scandinavia between 1928 and 1952." Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement I literally had goosebumps reading about these events from history that I had no clue about. How can such major moments not be discussed and taught about in modern times? I will definitely be reading up more about these, and I would suggest everyone do so too (if you can handle it). What other dark parts of history do people gloss over or don't discuss at all? Let us know in the comments. You Might Like: If Youre Overwhelmed By All The Products TikTok Is Throwing Your Way, Allow Us To Narrow It Down To These 33 Fan Faves You Might Like: Friends Don't Let Friends Not Know About These 43 Cheap Swaps For More Expensive Products Read it on BuzzFeed.com FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The 4th Annual Arkansas Pottery Festival is scheduled for May 24 at the Community Creative Center in downtown Fayetteville. The event is free and open to the public. According to organizers, programming will include pottery demonstrations and lectures from artists Brad Schwieger and Lorna Meaden on Friday and Saturday. Organizers say more than 50 regional potters will participate in a weekend-long exhibition and sale. The event is also set to include a display of works from private ceramics collections, as well as a University of Arkansas ceramics student sale and exhibition. Advertisement Advertisement Northwest Arkansas housing market remains strong despite interest rates, report says A handmade flower and plant sale fundraiser is planned as part of the event, featuring planters and locally grown plants. An after-party with live music is scheduled for Saturday night at Kingfish Bar. The festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The center is located at 505 W. Spring St., across from TheatreSquared.. 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 KNWA FOX24. There really is no other state quite like Alaska. Colonized by Russia before being sold to the United States in 1867, Alaska has a multitude of cultures American, Russian, Native American, and Finnish and a stubborn independent streak, all of which manifest in a state that sometimes feels like its own country. Its unique qualities are even found in its food. Case in point: Alaska's love of reindeer sausage, a dish we're fairly sure most people in the other 49 states haven't tried. Reindeer sausage is just what it sounds like: sausage made with reindeer meat, rather than more common options like pork or beef. In Alaska, it's a beloved dish statewide, and one that you can find at just about any time of year. The sausage isterrific grilled or pan-fried, as the star of a dish, or as an addition to stew. All sorts of local restaurants serve the dish in major cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks or in tiny huts on the side of the road. If you're worried that it'll taste too gamey, don't be reindeer sausage is a little stronger than the sausage you may be used to, but it's still milder than venison. Read more: 11 Tried-And-True Regional Food Classics In The United States Reindeer meat is common in the Arctic Circle A reindeer. - Brittany Crossman/Getty Images Reindeer meat may sound exotic to those of us who don't live in the North Star State, but it's important to bear in mind that the state's isolation and forbidding geography makes it difficult to grow food and expensive to import it. Alaska doesn't have many pig farms or cattle ranches, and the astonishingly high prices in Alaskan grocery stores may make those Jimmy Dean sausage links eye-wateringly expensive. But it has plenty of reindeer, and Alaskan herders can and do raise them as livestock. So why not make use of all that protein-rich meat? Advertisement Advertisement Other places around the Arctic Circle use reindeer meat in a similar way. You'll find reindeer sausage in Finland, just like in Alaska, and you'll find the meat in soups and cut into steaks as well. Meanwhile, in Scandinavia, you'll be able to buy canned or ready-made reindeer meatballs (although the ones you'll find in IKEA are still made of boring old beef, at least until IKEA gets that plant-based option off the ground). For a meat most of us will never eat, reindeer offers a surprising amount of versatility. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter and add us as a preferred search source. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout. asked Recently, PhotographLeast9976 r/askanything , "Whats the most unprofessional thing a professional has done in front of you?" And we thought we'd share some of the top responses. NBC 1. "I'm not sure if you'd call someone at Jiffy Lube a professional, but I once had a vehicle inspection over twenty years ago." "I was watching the technician, and he pulled something out of his pocket and started working it around the frame of my headlights. At the time, I didn't understand what he was doing. He went inside and spoke to the person at the counter. The person at the counter then called me up and informed me that I had failed the inspection because the frame supporting my headlight was broken. They followed up by saying they had an on-site mechanic who could replace the broken part, for a fee of course. I immediately realised I had watched the technician break the frame. I asked to see the manager and told them I had seen the technician break it. The technician just happened to be the on-site mechanic." anarkistattack 2. "Two doctors who smirked and rolled their eyes at my son's MRSA infection after cancer surgery." "He was a former addict, and they didn't believe he was still clean. When I saw the hurt and pain in his eyes, after all he had been through, I was enraged. We took this all the way to the top, and they were both censured by the AMA and the hospital they worked for. Advertisement Advertisement They bent over backwards with cupcakes, gift cards, apologies, and letters. There were protests outside the hospital, naming them specifically. Where they made their mistake was when the hospital administrator spoke to them about it, and they laughed in her face. I'm so glad I followed it up, that look in my son's eyes." Few-Cod-6623 3. "Watched my boss in a corporate job cheat on his wife during a work trip and then asked me to keep it a secret." BiOkie44 HBO 4. "New dentist covertly and overtly arguing about office politics with his assistant while working on my fillings. His narcissistic tendencies were impossible to ignore." NotePossible6009 5. The director of our corporate technology walked in on me taking a **** in the broken stall TWICE. It wasn't on purpose, but dude has seen my **** twice. After the remodel, I poo in the single person bathrooms like a king now. HumbleFruit4201 6. "Dental hygienist was prepping the floss to do a cleaning on my teeth. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose while wearing her gloves, then went right back to pulling floss. I was having none of it." True_Dimension4344 CBC Television Related: 17 Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Dark And Tragic Things I Just Learned About That Should Honestly Be Illegal To Know 7. "CEO tried to urinate on my shoes at a urinal when he was drunk at a conference." AGHOSTISBORN420 8. "Not something she did, but something she said: she was my job counsellor, and she told me that my son should have been an abortion because it would have made it easier for me to find a job." Miss_Galoldriel 9. "Psychiatrist, planning and making phone calls about his holiday while I was having a breakdown due to many factors, including losing my insurance after losing my job his advice: 'cheer up'." Gardener_of_Weeden NBC 10. "The doctor I was consulting with about a lot of work I wanted done had cocaine all around her nose." MK_ULTRA2point0 Related: Only Real Grown-Ups Can Answer These 30 Basic Adult Questions, So Let's See How You Measure Up 11. "I was getting a membership at a gym, and the manager wouldn't stop hitting on me. He ended the conversation with, 'I'm fighting to keep this professional.' He was not doing a great job." cloudgoblin 12. "A clerk literally unzipped his pants, shoved his whole hand in his fly up to the mid forearm, and tucked his shirt in better by yanking down." spongebob_sideboob New Line Cinema Advertisement Advertisement 13. "CEO accused me of something on a call with twelve people because he had the wrong balance sheet in front of him. He used numerous vulgarities. I called him out on it on the spot, knowing the numbers were wrong. He apologised after the call with an email, but the damage was done." shockwagon 14. "I dont know if this is professional, but I once asked a toll booth worker how he was doing. He said, and I quote, 'How the **** do you think Im doing? Im in a ******* toll booth!'" Master_Turn6262 15. "I had a psychologist who fell asleep halfway through our second session." Due_Operation_4195 Related: I Curated The Hardest "Would You Rather" Questions Submitted By Real People Now You Have To Choose NBC 16. "After returning to my job from a devastating and unexpected out-of-state funeral of a close family member, my boss (who knew about it and the circumstances surrounding the loss) said, 'Well, well, well, welcome back to the land of the living!'" Relative_Roof8216 17. "A lawyer at a law firm I worked at told a law clerk that she was too fat and needed to get better-fitting clothes to cover up 'this area,' as she gestured to the clerks stomach. The lawyer then bought the law clerk a few new outfits, gave them to her, and with every day that passed afterwards, interrogated the clerk if she was not wearing any of the clothes the lawyer had bought for her." Puzzleheaded_Yak9229 H/T to PhotographLeast9976 and r/askanything for having the discussion! Any of your own to add? Let us know in the comments below! Additional thumbnail credits: @instaagrace via TikTok, HBO You Might Like: Just 32 Incredibly Cool Products You Didnt Know About Until This Very Moment You Might Like: 17 Things To Make Your House Smell Amazing 24/7 Read it on BuzzFeed.com Dance and Fitness Class Every other Saturday All year long, except holidays) 9:00am 10:00am 357 S 6th Street, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420 Fun paced world music exercise class for women and men. New dancers are welcome. Free! _________________________ Preschool Storytime Every Tuesday 10:30am North Bend Library 1800 Sherman Ave Enjoy stories, activates, and a craft for children ages 2 5. _________________________ Advertisement Advertisement Coos Sand n Sea Quilters First Thursday each month 6:15 pm-8:30 pm Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 1290 Thompson Rd New members welcome. Open to anyone with an interest in quilting or any level of quilting experience.Come share our joy & camaraderie in quilting! _________________________ Memory Cafe Coos 1st Wednesday each month North Bend Public Library Older adults living with memory loss & their care partners are invited to an informal social gathering. _________________________ Yoga in the Museum Every Wednesday 9:30am 10:30am Coos Art Museum 235 Anderson Ave$5. _________________________ County Line Dancing Advertisement Advertisement Every Thursday 5:00pm 6:30pm Upstairs at the Eagles Lodge 568 S 2nd St., Coos Bay $5 per person. Teaching step-by-step for beginners & advanced dancers too! _________________________ Baby Play Every Thursday 10:30am North Bend Library 1800 Sherman Ave Enjoy stories, music and play designed to encourage the early literacy skills of children under 2. _________________________ Toddler Music and Movement Every Friday 10:30am North Bend Library 1800 Sherman Ave Enjoy music, moving and grooving for children ages 2-3. _________________________ Friends of Coos County Animals (FOCCAS) Every Saturday 10:00am 4:00pm Other times by appointment Advertisement Advertisement Pony Village Mall 1611 Virginia Ave., North Bend All of our adoptable cats and dogs live in foster homes. For more information, visit: https://friendsofcooscounty animals.org _________________________ Peaceful Democratic Rally Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month 12:00pm 2:00pm Coos Bay Boardwalk 200 S Bayshore Dr. Do you have something you would like to express about the federal government? If so then come join us, meet a community of like minded people, hold your sign up for passing motorists, and cheer on democracy. _________________________ Brownies and Board Games 1st Tuesday each month 4:00pm North Bend Library Advertisement Advertisement 1800 Sherman Ave. The North Bend Public Library is hosting a monthly get together for teens. Teens, ages 13 18, are invited to play their favorite games and snack on brownies. All games and refreshments will be provided, but teens are welcome to bring their favorite games to share. _________________________ CHM First Tuesday Talk 1st Tuesday each month 6:00pm 7:00pm Coos History Museum 1210 N Front St. Admission price of $7 for non-member adults, $3 for youth, $5 for zoom regardless of membership, or FREE for CHM members in person. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged. Reservations can be made online at https://cooshistory.org/event-registration/, by phone at 541-756-6320 or register in person at the museums front desk. Walk-ins are welcome! Advertisement Advertisement _________________________ Furry Friends Therapy Dogs, Inc Meeting (4th Thursday each month (Except 3rd Thursday in November & December) Cedar Room Coos Bay Library Are you interested in sharing your dog and making people smile? Meetings are open to any interested community members. 541-267-7427 _________________________ Pacific Home Health and Hospice: Grief and Loss support group 1st Friday each month 12:00pm 2:00pm Kaffe 101 171 S Broadway, Coos Bay All are welcome. For questions, call 541-266-7005. _________________________ Womens Empowerment Book Club 1st Saturday each month 11:00am 12:00pm Coos Bay Library Advertisement Advertisement 525 Anderson Ave. Join our womens empowerment book club where we read and discuss books that celebrate the achievements and resilience of women from all walks of life. _________________________ Sketchbook Club 1st Saturday each month 11:00am 12:00pm - free Cam Studio 187 Central Ave, Coos Bay _______________________ Building Programs using Lego Building Blocks: Build it Saturdays 1st Saturday each month 12:00pm 1:30pm Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Ages 0 - 14. Children under the age of 11 must be accompanied by an adult. No preregistration required. For additional information about programs being offered by the Coos Bay Public Library please contact the library by calling (541) 269-1101 x 3606 or visit the Librarys website at www.coosbaylibrary.org Advertisement Advertisement _________________________ Building Programs using Lego Building Blocks: Build it Challenge 2nd Thursday each month 3:00pm 4:00pm Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Ages 0 - 14. Children under the age of 11 must be accompanied by an adult. No preregistration required. Use librarys brick collection to build. For additional information about programs being offered by the Coos Bay Public Library please contact the library by calling (541) 269-1101 x 3606 or visit the Librarys website at www.coosbaylibrary.org _________________________ The Coos Bay and North Bend Parkinsons Support Group 2nd Thursday each month Advertisement Advertisement 1:00pm 2:30pm Coos Bay Public Library (Myrtlewood Room) 525 Anderson Avenue The support group is sponsored by Parkinsons Resources of Oregon (PRO). Local contact information: Aaron - 541.808.1336. Learn more about PROs services at www.parkinsonsresources.org _________________________ Oregon Bay Area Beautification 2nd Saturday each month 9:45am Locations vary; visit www.4obab.org/ for details Whether youre someone who enjoys light duties or someone whos ready to dive into more demanding tasks, we have a project for you. _________________________ The Southwest Chapter of the American Council of the Blind Advertisement Advertisement Meets every 2nd Saturday Venture Inn Restaurant at Inland Point Retirement Community 2265 Inland Dr. Lunch at 11:30 and meeting at 12:00. For more information please call 541-707-2226 _________________________ Free Admission to the Museum Every 2nd Sunday 11:00am 5:00pm Coos Art Museum 235 Anderson Ave _________________________ ASL Practice Place 3rd Thursday each month 12:00pm Zoom: bit.ly/3m6j2WG Attendees will have the opportunity to sign in ASL as a group for one hour in a casual, informal environment. This is not a class, but we will provide ideas for conversational topics This program is free and open to anyone who wishes to sharpen their ASL conversational skills. Register for this event @ https://bit.ly/3m6j2WG _________________________ Arts and Crafts: Craft Takeout Every 3rd Saturday 12:00pm 6:00pm Coos Bay Public Library 525 Anderson Ave. Pick up a free monthly Craft Takeout kit each month. Limit one Craft Takeout kit per person. Kits are available for pickup in the library while supplies last. A limited number of kits are available and are first come, first serve. _________________________ Spanglish: Spanish Conversational Program Every 3rd Saturday 10:30am 11:30am Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Program is for those who wish to practice their Spanish conversational skills and help other learners in a friendly setting. This is NOT a class, but we will provide ideas for conversational topics. Beginners are welcome. Lets talk! This program is FREE and open to anyone who wishes to sharpen their Spanish conversational skills. ________________________ Community Cooking with the Co-Op Every 4th Thursday 5:30pm Zoom: bit.ly/3powyqG Coos Bay Public Library, in partnership with Coos Head Food Co-op, will co-host Community Cooking With The Co-Op. Coos Bay Library has teamed up with Coos Head Food Co-op to provide safe, easy, and healthy recipes to create at home. Join us virtually for this fun community event! This event is FREE and open to everyone. _________________________ Al-Anon Meeting Every Wednesday 7 p.m. Harmony United Methodist Church, Coos Bay Friends membership can be purchased at the book sale or in advance at the North Bend Public Library for an annual membership of $15. ________________________ Cam Studio Presents: Life Drawing Group Every 4th Sunday 2:00pm 4:00pm 187 Central Ave, Coos Bay $120 for 6 sessions. 21 and up. Register online at coosart.org _________________________ Preschool Art Program Every 3rd Thursday 10:00am 11:00am Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Artists 0-6 years old (January 15, February 19, March 19, April 18, May 21). For additional information about programs being offered by the Coos Bay Public Library please contact the library by calling (541) 269-1101 x 3606 or visit the librarys website at www.coosbaylibrary.org. _________________________ OSU 4-H Program Cooking Club for Teens Friday, January 9, February 13, and March 13 from 2:00-3:30pm. Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Artists 0-6 years old teens and tweens ages 10-14. To register or to find out more about programs at the Coos Bay Public Library, visit the Coos Bay Public Librarys website at www.coosbaylibrary.org. Registration is also available over the phone; call Jennifer at (541) 269-1101 x 3606. _______________________ STEAMTime Tuesday mornings at 11:00am Coos Bay Library 525 Anderson Ave. Geared towards older preschoolers and homeschool students ages 4-8, each program will feature a book and a hands-on activity revolving around a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) concept. The program is free and doesnt require registration. For more information on other programs, visit the Coos Bay Public Librarys website at www.coosbaylibrary.org, call (541) 269-1101 x 3606 or email Jennifer Knight at jknight@coosbaylibrary.org. North Bend Public LibraryEvents in March North Bend Public Library Folk Dancing Class Tuesdays in March - 10:00AM _________________________ Finch Robots Petting Zoo March 23 - 11:00AM & 2:00 PM An interactive coding program for Children ages 5-12. _________________________ Finch Robot: Dance Party Edition March 25 - 4:00 PM A teen coding program. _________________________ Friday Night Mysteries! March 20 - 6:00 PM Iinteractive crime-solving game. _________________________ Unbook Club March 26 at 1:00 PM Discuss your latest read in a book club withoutassigned reading. Attend in person or online at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/958309491 _________________________ Len Hodgemans Exhibit The month of March 6:00 PM North Bend Public Library Conference Room The North Bend Public Library is pleased to present an exhibit showcasing the work of local artist Len Hodgeman. For more information about his works, go to www.lenhodgeman.com/gallery. _________________________ A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder a musical comedy March 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, & 28 at 7pm and March 15, 22, & 29 at 2pm The Liberty Theatre 2100 Sherman Ave, North Bend Event Contact: Shirley Kintner Email: kintner60@gmail.com Phone: 541-207-2418 Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thelibertytheatrenorthbend/ Follow us on Instagram: thelibertytheatre _________________________ City of Coos Bay Open House March 25, 2026 6:00 PM Eastside Elementary School Cafeteria 370 2nd Avenue Coos Bay, OR 97420 The City of Coos Bay and the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay invite community members to attend upcoming open houses regarding a feasibility study exploring the potential development of a 100-acre site in the city. Drop-in style open house, and community members may arrive anytime to review materials and speak with project staff. _________________________ Mostly Jokes Stand up Comedy show April 3 at 7:30pm The Dolphin Playhouse 580 Newmark, Coos Bay, OR Tickets are $20 each and 20% of all sales will be donated to the local non-profit Alternative Youth Activities, helping local at-risk youth. ________________________ Acoustic Circle Jam March the 21st from 1 - 3 PM Odd Fellow Hall in Bandon We play only acoustic instruments, no horns, woodwinds or percussion. Everyone is welcome, its free, as we are a (statewide) nonprofit. We always have a lot of fun and you are welcome to come listen, dance, or sit in with us. There will be refreshments and coffee. For more information please call 541-297-3419 or 541-982-4445. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis traded the Capitol for fish and chips vibes recently, making a festive stop at Culhanes Irish Pub, and sharing his stop on his Diners, Drive-Ins and DeSantis series on social media, his own spin on Food Network's popular longtime show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Triple D Nation. Joined by his wife and three children, the governor leaned into Irish tradition, sampling hearty classics and embracing the Irish pub's cheerful spirit. The lively visit blended family, food, and a touch of TV flair, turning the Jacksonville favorite into a St. Paddys Day destination worth raising a pint to. So far, DeSantis has visited six other locations in Florida as part of the 'Diners, Drive-Ins and DeSantis' series, including a recent visit to the iconic Yoders Restaurant & Amish Village in Sarasota. Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at what happened during his visit to Jacksonville's local pub. Who owns Culhanes Irish Pub? How long has it been open? Culhanes Irish Pub was established in 2005 and has been in business for 21 years. The pub is owned by four sisters from Ireland, who proudly described their pub ownership as Four sisters living the American dream here in Jacksonville. Where is Culhanes Irish Pub? Culhanes Irish Pub boasts two locations in Northeast Florida, including: 9720 Deer Lake Court, Jacksonville, FL 32246 967 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Florid Gov. Ron DeSantis recently visited Culhane's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Jacksonville as part of his "Diners, Drive-Ins and DeSantis" series shared on social medial. What food did DeSantis and his family try during his visit to Culhanes Irish Pub? During his visit to Culhanes Irish Pub, Ron DeSantis sampled some of the restaurants signature Irish dishes and highlighted what makes the menu appealing for families. Advertisement Advertisement He started with a classic favorite: fish and chips. The dish is made with fresh Alaskan cod thats filleted in-house, coated in homemade beer batter, and fried until crispy. Its served with French fries, tartar sauce, lemon, and coleslaw. The meal was a hit with his son, who said, This might be better than McDonalds, prompting the governor to note it was high praise coming from him. DeSantis also pointed out another traditional item on the menu: shepherds pie. He encouraged others to try it, describing it as a must-have. The pubs version features certified Angus beef topped with mashed potatoes and finished with either American cheddar or imported Irish cheddar, then toasted for a golden crust. His son also approved of this dish, calling it pretty good. Florid Gov. Ron DeSantis recently visited Culhane's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Jacksonville as part of his "Diners, Drive-Ins and DeSantis" series shared on social medial. Overall, the DeSantis kids had their own takes on the menu. Madison, the oldest daughter, appeared to be a fan of the fish and chips. Meanwhile, youngest daughter Mamie kept it simple, opting for hot dogs. Advertisement Advertisement As the segment wrapped, DeSantis described the pub as more than just a place for food and drinks, emphasizing its welcoming atmosphere and good cheer, which he saw as a key part of the experience. Watch 'Diners, Drive-ins & DeSantis' St. Patrick's Day episode Food Network's Guy Fieri visited Culhane's Irish Pub in 2023 Celebrity chef/host Guy Fieri featured Culhane's in an April 2023 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Triple D Nation. During that visit, his second to the restaurant, Fieri sampled a number of menu favorites, including Culhanes Irish-inspired egg rolls Lyndas Reuben Egg Rolls made with corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, wonton wraps, fried and served with hot mustard, the Times-Union previously reported. He also tried Culhanes Guinness Beef Stew (Its outstanding), made with certified Angus Beef, savory demi Guiness gravy, barley, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and potatoes, denoted on the menu as Guy Fieris Fav! Also featured on the episode are Kayes Pasta Mac with Smoked Brisket, made with Cavatappi, 5 Sisters Spirit Vodka cream sauce, parmesan, cheddar jack and goat cheese and smoked brisket; and Blarney Lamb Sliders (I could eat 100 of these!), made with ground lamb, lettuce, tomato, red onion, curry aioli. Advertisement Advertisement Gary T. Mills of the Times-Union contributed to this story. Doris Alvarez is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for The Florida Times-Union. You can get all of Jacksonvilles best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free Daily Briefing and News Alerts newsletters at jacksonville.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: DeSantis spotlights Jacksonville Irish pub on his own dining series Ramadan is soon coming to an end, and some Muslims in Kentucky might be wondering when to ask their boss for the day off for Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that commemorates the end of the religious observance. On the Islamic Calendar, a lunar calendar, the sighting of a crescent moon signals the beginning of the next month. With the expected sighting of the waxing crescent moon toward the end of March, nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide and the 1% of Kentuckians who are Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. Advertisement Advertisement Here are the possible dates and what to know about Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan. Children celebrate the start of the holy month of Ramadan in Mosul, Iraq, on Feb. 17, 2026. Ramadan is a period of prayer, reflection and abstinence that coincides with the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which depends on the lunar cycle. It ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe a fast from dawn to sunset, meaning they do not eat or drink at all during daylight hours. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected to fall on the night of March 20, Saudi Arabian moon spotters confirmed via a post on X, formerly Twitter, after the Shawwal moon was not sighted. BREAKING NEWS: Eid Al Fitr is on Friday, 20 March 2026 The Crescent of month of Shawwal 1447 was NOT SIGHTED anywhere in the Kingdom today, subsequently the month of Ramadan will complete 30 days tomorrow and Eid Al Fitr will be on Friday pic.twitter.com/2OF7cv500a The Holy Mosques (@theholymosques) March 18, 2026 What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is the first of two celebratory days in the Islamic calendar, both observed every year. Though the holiday is marked on one day, some Muslims celebrate this festival for as long as three days. Eid is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, it follows the Islamic Hijri calendar, a lunar cycle. Each year, the start of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Eid in Arabic means "festival" or "feast," and Fitr means "breaking the fast." So, Eid al-Fitr literally means festival of breaking the fast. Muslims perform the morning prayer around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca at the start of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, early on March 30, 2025. How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated? Muslims will wake up early in the morning, preparing food and getting ready to attend Eid prayers at local masjids. Eating during daylight hours after a month of fasting may feel strange for Muslims, but it is actually forbidden for Muslims to fast on Eid al-Fitr. On Eid, just like every day, Muslims will follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Sunnah in Islam. Specific Sunnahs on Eid include: Taking a bath or shower Wearing ones best clothes and perfume Saying Takbeer or praising God on the way to Eid prayers Taking a different route home from attending Eid prayer Advertisement Advertisement Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid traditions vary from country to country. But friends and families will commonly gather and spend time together at each others homes, enjoying sweets and delicious food after Eid prayers in the morning. Children will receive gifts and money, also known as Eidi. What is Zakat al-Fitr? Between sunset on the last day of fasting and before Eid prayer the next morning, Muslims with an income are obligated to give a charitable donation Zakat al-Fitr. This donation is meant to cover the cost of ones meal. Charity to those who are poor is an important value in Islam. The donations are given to the needy so they can also celebrate Eid. Muslims can donate to nonprofits. Mosques holding Eid prayer will also collect these donations, directly giving them to those in need. When is Eid al-Adha, the second Eid in the Islamic calendar? The second Eid, Eid al-Adha, will fall on the 10th day in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is predicted to fall on the evening of May 26, 2026, and end on the night of May 27. How do you wish someone a happy Eid? Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Advertisement Advertisement Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Eid alFitr 2026: See possible dates for end of Ramadan International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is included among the 14 High Growth Dividend Paying Stocks to Invest in Now. JPMorgan Lowers IBM Target after Confluent Deal, Sees Balanced Risk/Reward On March 18, JPMorgan lowered its price recommendation on International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) to $283 from $317. It reiterated a Neutral rating on the shares. The update followed the companys $11B acquisition of Confluent. The firm viewed the early completion of the deal as a positive step. At the same time, it pointed to recent compression in peer valuation multiples as a reason for the lower target. JPMorgan said IBMs risk/reward looks balanced at current levels. A day earlier, on March 17, The Wall Street Journal reported that IBM had closed its roughly $11 billion acquisition of the data-streaming company Confluent. The deal was first announced in December. It is meant to help businesses access and use their data more effectively for AI agents, or bots that can act on their own. Right now, corporate data sits across many systems, from software applications to private data centers and cloud platforms. For AI agents to function properly, that data needs to be accessible in real time.You need to be able to get data wherever it is, and get it instantly, IBM Chief Executive Arvind Krishna told The Wall Street Journal. He added that Confluent has been something that we have been keeping an eye on for a long time. IBM, based in Armonk, New York, is making this move as more technology vendors roll out tools to help companies build and manage AI agents. These tools are spreading quickly across large organizations, even as many are still figuring out how to manage and scale them safely. The acquisition also fits into Krishnas broader plan to position IBM as a stronger player in hybrid cloud and AI. It is the companys second-largest deal and is designed to help businesses make better use of existing IT systems and data in an AI-driven environment. International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) provides hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, and consulting services globally. Its business is organized into Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. While we acknowledge the potential of IBM 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: 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading into 2026 and 14 Quality Stocks with Highest Dividends Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Update: Saudi Arabia has confirmed the date for Eid al-Fitr 2026, end of Ramadan. It's the last few nights of Ramadan, and many Muslims are preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that commemorates the end of Ramadan, which began on Feb. 18. But when is Eid al-Fitr in 2026? On the Islamic Calendar, a lunar calendar, the sighting of a crescent moon signals the beginning of the next month. With the expected sighting of the waxing crescent moon toward the end of March, nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide and less than 1% of Oklahomans who are Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. Advertisement Advertisement When is the end of Ramadan? When is Eid al-Fitr? Here are the possible dates and what to know about the holiday that marks the end of the holy month. Hundreds of Muslims participate in Eid al-Fitr in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on April 10, 2024, in New York City. The traditional prayer marks the end of Ramadan, the holiest month on the calendar for millions of Muslims around the world. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected to fall on the night of March 19 or March 20, depending on when spotters see the waxing crescent moon, according to Islamic Relief. Shawwal, the Islamic month that follows Ramadan, begins immediately with the sighting of the crescent moon, or "Shawwal moon." The first day of Shawwal brings Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is the first of two celebratory days in the Islamic calendar, both observed every year. Though the holiday is marked on one day, some Muslims celebrate this festival for as long as three days. Advertisement Advertisement Eid is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, it follows the Islamic Hijri calendar, a lunar cycle. Each year, the start of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. Eid in Arabic means "festival" or "feast," and Fitr means "breaking the fast." So, Eid al-Fitr literally means festival of breaking the fast. How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated? Muslims will wake up early in the morning, preparing food and getting ready to attend Eid prayers at local masjids. Eating during daylight hours after a month of fasting may feel strange for Muslims, but it is actually forbidden for Muslims to fast on Eid al-Fitr. On Eid, just like every day, Muslims will follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Sunnah in Islam. Specific Sunnahs on Eid include: Advertisement Advertisement Taking a bath or shower Wearing ones best clothes and perfume Saying Takbeer or praising God on the way to Eid prayers Taking a different route home from attending Eid prayer Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid traditions vary from country to country. But friends and families will commonly gather and spend time together at each others homes, enjoying sweets and delicious food after Eid prayers in the morning. Children will receive gifts and money, also known as Eidi. What is Zakat al-Fitr? Between sunset on the last day of fasting and before Eid prayer the next morning, Muslims with an income are obligated to give a charitable donation Zakat al-Fitr. This donation is meant to cover the cost of ones meal. Advertisement Advertisement Charity to those who are poor is an important value in Islam. The donations are given to the needy so they can also celebrate Eid. Muslims can donate to nonprofits. Mosques holding Eid prayer will also collect these donations, directly giving them to those in need. When is Eid al-Adha, the second Eid in the Islamic calendar? The second Eid, Eid al-Adha, will fall on the 10th day in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is predicted to fall on the evening of May 26, 2026, and end on the night of May 27. How do you wish someone a happy Eid? Eid Mubarak meaning? Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid al-Fitr pronunciation The celebration of Eid al-Fitr is commonly pronounced "eed al-FIT-er" or "eed al-FIT-uh," according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The "Eid" part rhymes with "feed," and "Fitr" rhymes with "bitter." The phrase translates to the "festival of breaking the fast." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What day is Eid al-Fitr 2026? How is end of Ramadan celebrated? FAIRMONT Tuesday mornings snow storm could not stop Kathy Puskas from getting her corned beef and cabbage. We had snow squalls that were almost white outs, Puskas said. They had cindered the roads, but thats secondary out there. But, I have never missed a Saint Patricks Day in here. I love this family. Puskas was one of several customers who stopped by for McAteers Annual Saint Patricks Day meal on Tuesday. The meal is a Fairmont tradition, one that Puskas, 71, has attended for at least half a century. Puskas, who descends from Hungarian roots, said it nonetheless wouldnt feel right if she didnt stop at the restaurant for the Irish heritage holiday. Advertisement Advertisement Its a joyous, triumphant occasion, Puskas said. I think you can let go of all the bad that you hear every day, and for one single day, just celebrate, appreciate and spread love and good cheer, because thats what Irish people are all about. Tim McAteer, owner, started the tradition after returning from a trip to Ireland in the 80s. He said he wanted to bring some of those traditions back and give Fairmont a little taste of what they do in Ireland. Aside from corned beef and cabbage, Irish people also join in fellowship and camaraderie with their compatriots. As for the meal itself, McAteer said it became an Irish staple because cabbage is a crop that grows in Irelands cold climate and corned beef was affordable. Saint Patricks Day is the biggest day of the year for the restaurant. Its our Christmas and New Years, all rolled up into one, McAteer said. Advertisement Advertisement McAteer said it was important for him to represent Ireland because hes proud of his Irish heritage, as well as his family. Its something he wants to share with people from other nationalities. Pat Stowe has been helping McAteer in the kitchen for 13 years. He said McAteers family comes from a small town in Northeastern Ireland, and he said the McAteers are very proud of their heritage. Stowe himself is a mix of Scotch and Irish heritage. He said the Saint Patricks Day meal is something that the McAteer family is well known for in the city and county. The meal is also part of Brendan Gallaghers tradition. He sat at a table in the restaurants spacious dining room, waiting for his son, a college student at Fairmont State. Gallagher said Irish history is full of the struggle to be free, to fight against English oppression and maintain Irish autonomy as a nation. He said that the desire to be free, which is part of Irish heritage, is one that speaks to all people. Advertisement Advertisement Irish immigrants, many who were exploited as indentured servants, faced many hardships when they came to the U.S. Those immigrants fought hard to become part of American society and culture, and took on jobs as firemen and police officers because they werent wanted in other aspects of life, Gallagher said. Gallagher also descends from Ireland. His father immigrated to the U.S. as a child. As a father of six children, Gallagher is trying to pass his heritage down to his kids. Ive been raised with it my entire life, Gallagher said. I dont know another way to do it. Its just a great environment. They do it right. The people here are very friendly, and its got the whole Irish vibe to to it. Its just a great place to come and get a little bit of the homeland. Metro Detroiters looking for a fun place to play as spring break rolls around are in luck, as Slick City Action Park, full of slides and interactive attractions, opened in Troy this week. The indoor play space at 1820 Crooks Road hosts slides like the "Avalanche," "Royal Flush" and "Riptide," according to its website. It includes attractions like a "Swing and Trapeze" and "Sport Air Court, as well as specific play structures for kids under 5, such as the "Junior Jungle" and "Web Crawler." What is Slick City? People slide head-first down a slide at Slick City in Troy, which opened to the public on March 16. Slick City Action Park is a national chain of indoor slide parks for all ages. The first Slick City opened in Colorado in 2022. It now has over 40 locations open or coming soon across the U.S., according to its website. Advertisement Advertisement The park in Troy, owned by the owner of Troy Gym, Toby Buechner, is the first Michigan Slick City location. Customers in Troy can use mats to ride down spiraling slides like the "Tailspin," race down the "Turbo Twin," and shoot down the steep "Riptide." Along with slides, the park offers a "Swing and Trapeze," "Zip Rail" and more. What are the hours? On weekdays, Slick City is usually open 1-8 p.m. On Saturday, the park is usually open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sunday, the usual hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours may vary, and a calendar can be viewed on the website. In the future, Slick City in Troy hopes to host specific "Little Sliders Club" events for kids under 7, "After Hours" glow-in-the dark events, "Adults Only Night," and more, according to its website. Advertisement Advertisement More: Kids will be on break soon. Can they stay home while you're working? More: New claw machine arcade in Troy wants to make sure players win What does it cost? Tickets for ages 4+ start at $27.99 for an hour and 30-minute pass. Two-hour passes start at $32.99. Junior tickets for ages 3 and under grant access to "Soft Play" and "Air Courts" only. Those tickets cost $14.99 for an hour and a half and $16.99 for two hours, according to the website. Children must be 4 or older to use the slides. Riders are required to wear CitySocks, which cost $3.99 and can be kept and reused. Spectators do not have to pay to enter the park, according to the website, though anyone entering the park, participating or not, must have a valid waiver on file. Guests under 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Spectators will receive a separate wristband. The inside of Slick City in Troy is filled with different slides and attractions. The indoor park at 1820 Crooks Road is now open to the public. Children under 13 are required to have an adult with them at all times in the park. Advertisement Advertisement Slick City also offers party packages. A 10-participant party starts at $325, according to the website. How to get tickets Tickets can be purchased at slickcity.com/mi-troy/pricing/#tickets. Slick City in Troy is cashless and accepts Visa or Mastercard only. It does not accept Apple or Google pay, according to the website. More information about Slick City in Troy is available at slickcity.com/mi-troy Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Indoor Slick City Action Park now open to sliders in metro Detroit A local service member has been reunited with the cat she met while deployed more than 4,000 miles from home. US Army Captain Emma Pennock told Boston 25 she spotted Guru while stationed in Poland. He had been living outside in the bitter cold temperatures. Emma says Guru came to her one night while she was walking home, creating a special bond. SPCA International helped get Guru to Weymouth, where the pair reunited on Wednesday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement He immediately ran over to me, which had not been typical at all of any of the other cats that I had seen on base, Pennock described. Having him here feels so surreal, but hes doing right now exactly what we just talked about where he is just so fearless, hes so brave, he truly is unfazed." Captain Pennock told us she also just adopted a rescue dog. She says she is excited for her move to Maine to see her pets explore. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) As the crow flies, north central West Virginia is more than 3,500 miles from the Emerald Isle of Ireland, and for more than 25 years, McAteers Restaurant in Fairmont has been closing the gap between North America and Europe by offering its annual St. Patricks Day special. Those looking for a taste of Ireland headed to the Fairmont staple on Tuesday in order to try some Irish classics. Ireland Flag (WBOY Image) McAteers (WBOY Image) Annual Fairmont Armory Spring Craft Show kicks off weekend of shopping Advertisement Advertisement From 10 a.m. until the food was gone, McAteers had only one menu item today as an ode to Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland. Restaurant Owner Tim McAteer first got the St. Patricks Day special idea after taking a trip to Ireland in the 1980s. The only thing you can get today is corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and a roll. Thats what they do in Ireland, McAteer said. My mother, especially, and my father were both Irish. They were very proud of where we came from and what we do and what we stand for. Community members have been enjoying this Fairmont tradition for many years. Bill Furgason, a Marion County native, said he enjoys how this brings the Fairmont community together to celebrate Irish heritage. Advertisement Advertisement Its just a family tradition, and this is where friends come to meet in Fairmont, Furgason said. According to findings from the West Virginia Legislature, more than 15% of West Virginias population is of Irish descent, which represents a higher figure than that in Boston or New York City. 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. A Mississippi hunter was about to call it quits after an unsuccessful morning of trying to get gobblers within shooting range, but as he thought about giving up for the day, a rare turkey made an unexpected appearance and the hunter bagged a bird of a lifetime. Because the traditional opening date of spring turkey season in Mississippi, March 15, fell on a Sunday, turkey season opened a day early, Saturday, March 14. While hunters were lucky and got an extra day to hunt, it wasn't a lucky day for Gavin Lynch of Belmont. "We heard some birds gobbling, but all we had were some jakes come around us," Lynch said. "The gobblers went around us on some property we didn't have permission to hunt on. We didn't see any gobblers that day." Advertisement Advertisement Lynch was hunting with his father, Chris Lynch, and the two decided to give it another try on Sunday morning, but the hunt quickly began to look a lot like the previous day's experience. "We heard some birds gobbling about 500 yards away," Lynch said. "They were on some property we can't hunt." Gavin Lynch of Belmont harvested a rare turkey with copper-colored feathers and black wing feathers. Mississippi turkey hunter tries a different approach Lynch called the birds and they responded, but didn't move any closer to him. Then they went silent for about an hour. Lynch called again and the gobblers responded, but they hadn't moved. Since the birds weren't budging, Lynch and his father made a change in plans. "Me and my dad decided to go to a field about 100 yards from us," Lynch said. "We sat there because I'd seen some gobblers there about a week prior to opening day." Advertisement Advertisement The two hunted there for about an hour and didn't hear anything. So, Lynch decided to return to their original location. He heard gobbles in the distance, but they were hundreds of yards away. "I was about ready to pack it up and go home," Lynch said. But at that moment, he heard something walking in some tall grass along the edge of the field and then saw a gobbler. "I could see his beard and his head," Lynch said. "He walked about 25 yards to my left and came out of the thick stuff into some hardwoods." Justin Hutton of Madison bagged a rare red phase turkey while hunting in Madison County. Justin Hutton of Madison said harvesting a rare red phase turkey still hasn't really sunk in even a month after his hunt. Addi Wiindom, 12, of Bogue Chitto and her brother Blayten, 16, pose with a rare silver-colored turkey that Addi harvested on opening weekend of youth turkey season in Mississippi. Jack Faulkner, 10, of Amory, harvested a rare albinotic turkey on opening day of youth turkey season in Monroe County. Todd Peltier of Ocean Springs harvested a rare turkey with traits of both black and red color phases. Glace Rone of Kosciusko harvested a rare white wild turkey on opening day of turkey season in Mississippi. Glace Rone of Kosciusko harvested a rare white wild turkey that had a black beard, pink legs and white nails. Hunter Hill of Iuka recently harvested this rare cinnamon-colored turkey that had black wing feathers. Brody Brock, 7, of New Albany ended his turkey season with a rare smoke phase gobbler. Raif Long of Meridian, left, harvested his first turkey this season and his father, Trey Long, harvested a black-winged, double-bearded gobbler the following day. Trey Long of Meridian harvested a turkey with black wings and a double beard. Kenzi Morelock (left) harvested her first turkey while her twin sister, Mallory, harvested a 6-bearded turkey on the same hunt. Tyler Anderson of Carthage bagged a red phase gobbler and as if that isn't rare enough, it had three beards. After waiting hours, Hunter Waltman of Kiln harvested a white gobbler he'd been watching since October. Hunter Waltman's gobbler had white spurs and claws. Here are some of the strangest turkeys bagged in MS through the years 1 of 15 Justin Hutton of Madison bagged a rare red phase turkey while hunting in Madison County. MS turkey hunter harvests gobbler too rare to know how rare it is That was Lynch's chance. Lynch fired his 20 gauge shotgun loaded with #9 tungsten shot and the bird dropped. As he walked toward the bird, Lynch saw it had white feathers on its underside, which is abnormal. When Lynch got to the gobbler, he realized he'd harvested something unusual. Advertisement Advertisement "I just noticed the solid black wing feathers," Lynch said. "I thought that was odd and then I noticed the bronze-colored feathers on the tail fan and on the wings. I really didn't know what to think." Hunters in Mississippi harvest more than 20,000 turkeys each year, but very few like Lynch's. Todd Peltier of Ocean Springs harvested a similar turkey in 2024. In 2025, Hunter Hill of Iuka harvested a very similar bird, too. Coincidentally, both Hill and Lynch harvested their birds in Tishomingo County. Caleb Hinton, Wild Turkey Program coordinator with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, spoke with the Clarion Ledger about Hill's gobbler in 2025 and said the odd coloring is caused by a recessive genetic trait. Hinton also said it's so rare, there's not enough data to determine how rare it really is. Advertisement Advertisement For Lynch, the gobbler is rare enough that it may get a rather unusual display spot in his home. "I called my wife and told her I was going to get it full-body mounted and put it on the kitchen table," Lynch said. "She never said no, so I'm going to take it to the taxidermist this week." A lifelong outdoorsman and wildlife enthusiast, Brian Broom has been writing about hunting, fishing and Mississippi's outdoors for the Clarion Ledger for more than 14 years. He can be reached at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi hunter shoots rare black and copper colored turkey Oregon's abundance of waterways and riparian corridors provide ideal habitats for snakes, offering plenty of shade, food and easy access to water. But where are the slithery reptiles most abundant? WorldAtlas, an online geography and educational website, recognized this connection in a list of "snake-filled waters in the Pacific Northwest" and highlighted four waterways in Oregon where snakes are more commonly seen. Oregon is home to 15 native species of snake. Some of the state's waterways and river corridors attract a variety of snake species, including Oregon's only venomous snake, the Western rattlesnake. Advertisement Advertisement Here are a few rivers and waterways in Oregon where snakes are most commonly found. Oregon's abundance of waterways and riparian corridors provide ideal habitats for snakes, offering plenty of shade, food and easy access to water. The Willamette River The Willamette River runs north through western Oregon, flowing through several major cities including Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, Albany, Salem, Keizer, Newberg, Oregon City and Portland before eventually merging with the Columbia River. "In this lusher corridor, garter snakes are common near reed beds, while gopher snakes may also use drier banks, grasslands, and other sunlit edges nearby," World Atlas said. The side creeks and backwaters of the Willamette River form a diverse habitat that provides snakes with cover and easy access to food. Advertisement Advertisement The publication noted that the river supports "thriving fish, waterfowl and beaver populations," making it a "deeply diverse ecological corridor" that weaves through some of Oregon's busiest cities. Some of the most common snakes found near the river are the northwestern garter snake and the western terrestrial garter snake. A map of the Willamette Basin. Some of the most common snakes found near the Willamette River include the northwestern garter snake and the western terrestrial garter snake. The Columbia River The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, with about 309 miles running along Oregons northern border and through the Columbia River Gorge. "The Gorges sun-bathed rocky slopes and lush riparian zones create multiple habitats for species such as gopher snakes, common garter snakes, and western rattlesnakes," World Atlas said. "In late spring and summer in particular, local snakes can often be seen basking on sunlit rocks near the river or moving through grassy fields and marsh edges. Advertisement Advertisement The Columbia River Gorges forests, cliffs and riverbanks offer a diverse mix of ecosystems that provide ideal habitat for prey such as rodents, amphibians, fish, and other small snakes and lizards. The most common types of snakes found along the Columbia River include gopher snakes, garter snakes, rubber boas and occasionally western rattlesnakes. View of the Columbia River. Species of snake found near the Columbia River include gopher snakes, garter snakes, rubber boas and occasionally western rattlesnakes. Klamath Basin The Klamath Basin is a watershed that runs through southern Oregon, known for its blend of wetlands, marshes, marshes, riparian shorelines, lakes and agricultural land. The basin is anchored by the Upper Klamath Lake and Klamath River and provides critical habitat for some of the state's birds and reptiles. Snake habitat extends beyond wetlands, and people are more likely to see snakes during the warmer months, when they can be found basking on rocks, tangled in reeds, or winding through shoreline vegetation. Advertisement Advertisement "Official wildlife checklists for the basin include snakes such as the common garter snake, western terrestrial garter snake, gopher snake, racer, and western rattlesnake, giving the area a strong case as one of the Pacific Northwests more snake-prone wetland regions," World Atlas said. The Snake River The aptly named Snake River runs north along the border of Oregon and Idaho, cutting through deep canyons and wide-open farmlands and providing a variety of habitats ideal for snakes. The Snake River also contains numerous tributaries and oxbow wetlands that offer a reprieve from the areas desert-like landscapes and create diverse habitats that support a wide range of reptiles and other wildlife. The river "boasts huge lengths of undeveloped banks, sandy bars, and warm, slow-moving sections that create favorable conditions for western rattlesnakes, garter snakes, gopher snakes, racers, and other species," World Atlas said. Advertisement Advertisement Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval is a lifelong Oregonian who covers trending news, entertainment, food and outdoors. She can be reached at gsandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Here are the most snake-filled waterways in Oregon ENDWELL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) -Rachel Murat is a beloved teacher in the Maine-Endwell community. News 34s Lindsay Arons shows us how Murats impact is felt both inside and outside of the classroom. Rachel Murat has been working at Maine-Endwell High School for 30 years now, and she wears many hats. From teaching to being the work-based learning coordinator to Key Club president to sophomore class advisor to founder and president of the school food pantry. Murat founded M-EALs and Leadership in 2009. It is a federally recognized non-profit that currently feeds 131 families in the district that are facing food insecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Rachel Murat says, One of the things that is so pivotal with this is that the kids are involved. They learn empathy, they understand that maybe not everybody is similarly situated. So, they really understand that this is something we should be paying attention to. While the pantry is in its 17th year, Murat is in a milestone year with this being her 30th year of teaching at Maine-Endwell. She says whats kept her there for so many years is the students. Rachel Murat says, They keep me on my toes, they keep me laughing, they really are why I do what I do. I think teaching is something that a lot of people dont feel like is worth it anymore, and Im here to tell you that it is so worth it. The kids that you would be impacting and will be impacting need you in their lives. Murat won the New York State Teacher of the Year award in 2020. However, she says she didnt always want to be a teacher. She grew up in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo. She said when the time came to go to college, she did not want to go for education, as she had many teachers in her family and wanted to do something different. Advertisement Advertisement Murat attended Ohio University for pre-law, before an advisor told her many law students dont go on to become practicing lawyers. She then decided to switch her major, and said many of her friends were studying education and she had an interest in social studies. She says this decision led her to her life-long passion. Rachel Murat says, I always tell the kids that thats such an important lesson because I almost closed a door that would have led me to not find my purpose. So you always have to leave doors open. Murat says after graduating she worked at a daycare before securing an interview for a teaching position at Maine-Endwell. Rachel Murat says, I did not realize when I interviewed that I won the lottery in the sense that to be a Spartan, and I bleed blue and gold now because this district. I would never want to work for another district in a teaching capacity just because I love this community so much. Advertisement Advertisement Superintendent Jason Van Fossen says, Shes one of a kind. Ive had the pleasure of working with Rachel for over 20 years. The work that she does in the classroom many times is overlooked because of how much she does outside of it. If you were to build a prototype teacher, one who had the best interest of students in mind at all times, it would be Rachel Murat. Murat says whether its through the food pantry, clubs or to her Entrepreneurship and AP Government students, she is always preaching the importance of giving back to the community. Rachel Murat says, I really feel like if were gonna talk the talk with the kids about sense of community we also have to walk the walk. Thats why I really feel like I have a responsibility to make sure that I am giving back to this community, and hopefully they see that so they can think, oh maybe I can do that too. Murat has served as an inspiration to students over the last 30 years, and by founding the M-EALS program, her impact will undoubtedly be felt beyond her teaching career. 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 WIVT - News 34. It's the last few nights of Ramadan, and Muslims in Oklahoma and around the world are preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that commemorates the end of Ramadan, which began on Feb. 18. But when is Eid al-Fitr in 2026? At the end of the month, when a waxing crescent moon is spotted in Saudi Arabia, nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide and less than 1% of Oklahomans who are Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. Advertisement Advertisement Have they found the Shawwal moon yet? Has Saudi Arabia confirmed Eid al-Fitr 2026? Here's what to know. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia confirms Eid al-Fitr date Many Muslim communities around the world rely on Saudi Arabia and their trained moon spotters to confirm the date of the first day of the month of Shawwal, Eid al-Fitr, according to Middle East Eye. Saudi Arabian moon spotters have officially confirmed Eid al-Fitr 2026's date to be on Friday, March 20, via a post on X, after the Shawwal moon was not sighted. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected to fall on the night of March 19 or March 20, depending on when spotters see the waxing crescent moon, according to Islamic Relief. Advertisement Advertisement Now we know Ramadan will end and Eid will begin on Friday, March 20, 2026. Shawwal, the Islamic month that follows Ramadan, begins immediately with the sighting of the crescent moon, or "Shawwal moon." The first day of Shawwal brings Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is the first of two celebratory days in the Islamic calendar, both observed every year. Though the holiday is marked on one day, some Muslims celebrate this festival for as long as three days. Eid is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, it follows the Islamic Hijri calendar, a lunar cycle. Each year, the start of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Eid in Arabic means "festival" or "feast," and Fitr means "breaking the fast." So, Eid al-Fitr literally means festival of breaking the fast. How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated? Muslims will wake up early in the morning, preparing food and getting ready to attend Eid prayers at local masjids. Eating during daylight hours after a month of fasting may feel strange for Muslims, but it is actually forbidden for Muslims to fast on Eid al-Fitr. On Eid, just like every day, Muslims will follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Sunnah in Islam. Specific Sunnahs on Eid include: Taking a bath or shower Wearing ones best clothes and perfume Saying Takbeer or praising God on the way to Eid prayers Taking a different route home from attending Eid prayer Advertisement Advertisement Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid traditions vary from country to country. But friends and families will commonly gather and spend time together at each others homes, enjoying sweets and delicious food after Eid prayers in the morning. Children will receive gifts and money, also known as Eidi. What is Zakat al-Fitr? Between sunset on the last day of fasting and before Eid prayer the next morning, Muslims with an income are obligated to give a charitable donation Zakat al-Fitr. This donation is meant to cover the cost of ones meal. Charity to those who are poor is an important value in Islam. The donations are given to the needy so they can also celebrate Eid. Muslims can donate to nonprofits. Mosques holding Eid prayer will also collect these donations, directly giving them to those in need. When is Eid al-Adha, the second Eid in the Islamic calendar? The second Eid, Eid al-Adha, will fall on the 10th day in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is predicted to fall on the evening of May 26, 2026, and end on the night of May 27. How do you wish someone a happy Eid? Eid Mubarak meaning? Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid al-Fitr pronunciation The celebration of Eid al-Fitr is commonly pronounced "eed al-FIT-er" or "eed al-FIT-uh," according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The "Eid" part rhymes with "feed," and "Fitr" rhymes with "bitter." The phrase translates to the "festival of breaking the fast." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia confirms end of Ramadan From Kentucky to Scotland to Jamaica and beyond, women working across the spirits business describe an industry that has changed significantly over the past two decades. More women now hold leadership roles, contribute across technical and creative disciplines and gain recognition for their work. At the same time, they point to ongoing challenges around visibility, equity and access to opportunity. Below, some of the most important women working in the spirits industry sound off on the state of the industry. We asked each how the industry has grown in terms of representation and equity, and where it still has room to grow. Elizabeth McCall, Master Distiller, Woodford Reserve (Photo: Woodford Reserve) The industry has come a long way in the almost 17 years Ive been in it, and Im proud to be part of that progress. What excites me most now isnt looking back at how things were, its looking forward. Advertisement Advertisement Im really focused on whats ahead for women in this industry. I want them to see a clear path to leadership, whether thats in distilling, production, or brand management. Im fortunate to work alongside incredible women at every level at Woodford Reserve, and my goal is to make sure thats the norm across the industry, not the exception. Theres still room to grow. I think the biggest opportunity is continued visibility. The more women in this space see someone who looks like them in a leadership role, the more attainable it feels. I look forward to the day when women leading brands and serving as master distillers is so commonplace that its no longer considered newsworthy. Thats when well know weve really gotten there. Joy Spence, Master Blender, Appleton Estate (Photo: Campari Group) When I joined Appleton in 1981, women were simply not seen in this space. Being appointed Master Blender in 1997 was historic precisely because it had never been done before. Today, I look around and see women as Master Blenders, Master Distillers, and category leaders, and that fills me with enormous pride. The institutional support that now exists forums, mentorship programs, partnerships, etc. none of that existed when I was carving my path. The change has been real and meaningful. Advertisement Advertisement Representation at the very top, in ownership, investment, and funding, still has a long way to go. And I think often about the young women in STEM across Jamaica, the Caribbean, and beyond who have all the gifts but dont yet know a career like mine is possible for them. That is why mentorship is not optional for me; it is a responsibility. Satisfaction will come when a woman walks into this industry and nobody thinks to remark upon it. We are not there yet, but we will be. Andrea Wilson, Master of Maturation, Michters (Photo: Michters) It is an amazing time to be in Kentucky Bourbon. While the industry has always included women, I feel there are now more women being recognized for their contributions to the industry and holding influential positions of leadership to shape the next generation of producers. With the explosive growth of the industry, it is opening many opportunities for women to explore their full potential in a variety of careers. Everything from accounting, science, engineering, supply chain, logistics, graphics, marketing, research, and development to name a few areas. You dont have to be a science wizard to get into the industry. There are so many more facets to the industry than the traditional fields of distillation and maturation. However, I think it is incredibly important to continue to attract young women to S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) careers by making it approachable and to help them make the connection to what they can uniquely contribute. In order for the industry to continue to grow we need to continue to increase the diverse backgrounds within it. We have all heard the old saying about if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. While there are many paths you can take in the bourbon industry, it takes great passion, perseverance, love and a constant effort to strive for excellence knowing that you are creating something to be enjoyed all over the world to celebrate lifes precious moments. Nancy Fraley, Master Blender (Photo: Joseph Magnus) When I first entered the spirits industry, there were few women in technical roles like blending and distilling, and even fewer whose work was publicly recognized. Much of the craft was still treated as a very traditional, male-dominated space. Over the years, it has been incredibly encouraging to see more women stepping into leadership roles across production, education, and brand stewardship. There is also far greater visibility now. Women are not only doing the work, but they are also being acknowledged for their expertise and contributions. Advertisement Advertisement Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of working across a range of spirits and helping to shape blends that are meant to tell a story, and to invoke passion and interest. For me, blending has always been an artistic endeavor that is rooted in science. It is about understanding how different mash bills, types of barrels, the age of the spirit, potential finishes, and maturation environments can create something greater than the sum of its parts. That perspective has guided my work throughout my career and continues to inform the way I approach projects like Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon. What has been very encouraging over the years is seeing more women entering the industry and taking on visible roles in production, education, and leadership. There is a level of recognition and amplification today that did not exist when I first started. At the same time, there is still room for growth. As of late, I have seen a fair number of my female colleagues being laid off from all of these positions, and I find it very troubling. In light of this, continued progress will come from ensuring that women have access to mentorship, technical training, and meaningful opportunities to shape the future of distilling and blending. The spirits industry thrives on creativity and collaboration, and the more diverse the voices contributing to that work, the stronger and more innovative the field will become. Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender, Dewars Photo: Bacardi When I graduated from University, the Scotch Whisky industry was not that visible to me. There were no female role models that were spotlighted for me to aspire to. When I became the first female Master Blender for DEWARS in 2006, I vowed that I would not be the last! As such, I have made it my mission to mentor, encourage and recruit talented to my team. Advertisement Advertisement Now, as we enter DEWARS 180th year, my talented team are largely female, and across the industry were seeing more women taking on visible and influential roles, from distillers and blenders to brand leaders. Im proud to have been part of that shift and to play a role in supporting and inspiring the next generation of women in whisky. There has been real progress in terms of representation, but theres always more we can do to ensure the industry continues to welcome different perspectives and create opportunities for the next generation coming through. Mentorship is deeply important to me. I was fortunate to have people who believed in me and gave me constructive, honest feedback, and I feel a responsibility to do the same. Through Bacardis graduate and intern programs, and organizations like Our Whisky Foundation, I mentor more broadly across the industry. Within my team, I focus on creating an environment where people feel supported and valued and making sure opportunities arent quietly missed. I also encourage women to speak up, name inequities when they see them, and never feel the need to diminish themselves. I want the next generation to feel empowered, curious, and confident in shaping the future of Scotch. Amanda Beckwith, Director of Liquid Development and Lead Blender, Virginia Distillery Company (Photo: Virginia Spirits) After a decade plus in the spirits industry Ive seen a lot of change. The one constant, and something Im very proud of, is the creativity and passion I see daily from women in the spirits space. While the same old tired questioning and inappropriate comments (mostly from older men, but occasionally from other more unexpected places) has remained disappointingly consistent, there are some big gains to celebrate. I do see men (some of whom I am fortunate enough to work alongside) becoming increasingly aware of systemic inequalities that have been taken for granted for a long time. Education, awareness and actively rejecting a system created to look out for male interests over the good of all doesnt happen overnight, and I try to remember that this is a long term struggle that many women have been walking through for generations before me. Advertisement Advertisement The most wonderful difference between now and my early days in the industry is the established networking and communal spaces that women have carved out for each other. I was lucky to be mentored early on in my career by the brilliant Nancy Fraley this was at a time when there werent many options for people like me. Today, there are organizations and internships created to connect, educate and provide community and resources for women. In 2015 I couldnt have dreamed of access to things like the STEPUP Foundation, Our Whisky Foundation or the Spirited Collective all places filled with incredibly accomplished women who are unendingly generous with both their time and their knowledge. Today, Im humbled and inspired to share a space with these women, and I know Im not alone when I say that I am reminded daily of how challenging this journey has been for each of us, but how strong we are together. I hope I never forget this, and I am determined to give back and continue to make space for the women who are just now finding their footing in the spirits industry. Samantha Olvera, Distiller, Garrison Brothers Distillery (Photo: Garrison Brothers) [The state of the industry] has changed dramatically. When I first started making bourbon at Garrison Brothers Distillery 11 years ago, I had to do extensive research to find other women distillers, not just online but asking around too. Through my search, I discovered that women have always been a part of distilling and that inspired me even more. We have all the room of the world to grow! Even though women are coming out of the woodwork in full force in the industry there is still much work to do to push for some visibility. Women have been a part of the alcohol industry from pouring your drinks, to selling it, promoting it, making it and even running a distillery/business for years and years. Yet, we dont always receive the recognition we deserve. While Womens History Month is important, I hope to see female leaders in this industry celebrated year-round, inspiring more women to pursue careers in this field. Lauren Trickett, National Brand Ambassador, Mount Gay Rum The first bartending job I ever applied for, I was told I could only be a cocktail server because bartenders needed to be able to lift a keg. The irony, of course, was that most of the male bartenders couldnt lift a keg either; they relied on the barbacks to change them out. In reality, it was simply a way of keeping the bar a boys club. Advertisement Advertisement That was 20 years ago, and I have worked my way up the ranks from bartender to beverage director, cooperate consultant and menu developer to now national brand ambassador for Remy Cointreau. While our industry has certainly made progress in creating opportunities for women, there is still work to be done. Today, we see more women in leadership roles like Trudiann Branker, our first female master blender for Mount Gay rum, and many women including myself working on the trade advocacy and marketing sides for spirits companies. These are meaningful steps forward, but true equity means women being represented at every level of the industry. Having a seat at the table matters. And we want to be in those rooms not because we are women, but because we are qualified. But the fact that we are women, should not exclude us from those rooms. One of the most powerful ways we can continue to move this industry forward is through allyship. For those who come from a place of privilege, its important to remain mindful of the people around you to recognize whose voices may not yet be heard, and to ensure you are helping create opportunities for others to step forward and succeed. Kaylan Rexer, Chief Marketing Officer, Ilegal Mezcal When I first entered the spirits industry, there were far fewer visible pathways for women in leadership roles. That has changed in meaningful ways over the past decade, but theres still a lot of room to grow. Advertisement Advertisement At Ilegal Mezcal, the brand was operated by John Rexer, Michelle Ivey, and myself, so the majority of the leadership team were women. But what stood out to me was how unusual that still felt in the broader industry. We would walk into distributor meetings or industry gatherings with fifty people in the room and Michelle and I would often be the only women at the table. It made it very clear how much the industry still relied on a fairly traditional leadership pipeline. One of the biggest opportunities for growth is broadening where companies recruit talent. Leadership in spirits still often comes from the same networks and pathways. Expanding that pool brings in new perspectives and opens doors for more diverse leadership. And visibility matters. When we highlight women founders, distillers, winemakers, and executives, it changes what leadership looks like to the next generation. But I would argue that part of visibility is distribution. When women-led brands are supported with real market access, shelf space, placements, and investment, it ensures theyre not just visible in stories, but visible in the market. That kind of visibility is what truly changes the landscape. A big thank you to all of the smart, important and talented women who contributed their time and thoughtful responses to this article. Scan any liquor bottle to see all expert reviews in one place with the free Daily Pour app. Download today! Founded by Dan Abrams, The Daily Pour is the ultimate drinking guide for the modern consumer, covering spirits, non-alcoholic and hemp beverages. With its unique combination of cross-category coverage and signature rating system that aggregates reviews from trusted critics across the internet, The Daily Pour sets the standard as the leading authority in helping consumers discover, compare and enjoy the best of today's evolving drinks landscape. Julius Baers $30 Million Pay Package Shows the Price of a Banking Reset - Moby THE GIST Julius Baer just handed its new chief executive one of the biggest pay packages in European banking. On paper Stefan Bollinger earned nearly CHF24 million ($30.5 million) in 2025, more than UBS boss Sergio Ermotti. But the headline number says less about performance than it does about the price Julius Baer is willing to pay to restore credibility after its disastrous exposure to Rene Benkos collapsed Signa property empire. WHAT HAPPENED Julius Baer said chief executive Stefan Bollinger received total compensation of CHF23.96 million for 2025, his first year leading the Zurich-based private bank. The figure immediately stood out in Swiss finance. UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti earned CHF14.9 million for the same year, while Novartis chief executive Vasant Narasimhan received CHF24.9 million. But the Julius Baer package requires context. Bollingers pay for his work during the year totaled CHF8.27 million. The rest came from replacement awards worth CHF14.76 million that compensated him for deferred bonuses he forfeited when leaving Goldman Sachs to take the job. In other words, most of the payout was a recruitment cost rather than a reward for his first years performance. Bollinger took over the bank in January 2025 after the departure of former chief executive Philipp Rickenbacher. His predecessor stepped down following the fallout from Julius Baers heavy lending exposure to the Signa property group controlled by Austrian investor Rene Benko. The collapse of Signa forced Julius Baer to take large write-downs and triggered serious questions about its risk management culture. The episode damaged the reputation of a bank long known for conservative private banking and disciplined wealth management. The institution has spent the past year trying to reset its strategy. Julius Baer says it is refocusing on its core wealth management business and stepping back from riskier activities that complicated its balance sheet. Operationally, the bank reported a mixed picture for 2025. Assets under management rose 5% to CHF521 billion and the group attracted CHF14.4 billion in net new money during the year. Underlying profit before tax rose 17% to CHF1.266 billion and efficiency improved. But reported net profit fell 25% to CHF764 million, reflecting one-off charges and CHF213 million in credit losses linked partly to the Signa clean up. The bank also remains under an enforcement proceeding by Swiss regulator Finma related to earlier risk management failures. Until that process is resolved Julius Baer cannot resume share buybacks, limiting its ability to return capital to shareholders. A reunion for members of Helicopter Marine Light, HML-771 is planned for October, with support from cranberry giant A.D. Makepeace Company, according to a community announcement. The unit, which was based at South Weymouth Naval Air Station, includes veterans from Vietnam, Desert Storm and Afghanistan. The event is set for Oct. 17 at the Marriott Boston Quincy, with nearly 200 veterans and guests expected to attend, according to the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement ADM/Redbrook contributed $1,000 to help book the venue and has also encouraged other local businesses to support the effort. Paul Jennings and Dan Gorczyca of Plymouth This is one small way we can thank these veterans and their families for their service, said Dan Gorczyca, vice president of the A.D. Makepeace Company and project executive for Redbrook, in a statement. Donations will help offset the cost of the reunion and provide financial support for family members within the Helicopter Community. Some of them dont have the finances that some of us do, said organizer Paul Jennings, a retired Marine master sergeant and combat veteran of Vietnam and a veteran of Desert Storm, in a statement. Jennings later became a detective with the Plymouth Police Department, retiring in 2017. The organization will also donate to the Wounded Warriors Program and Tunnel to Towers Program on behalf of those who have supported the reunion, according to the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement Military Helicopter Air Crew Veterans Org. is a nonprofit registered with the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office. For information about donating to the reunion, email Jennings at pjhml771@aol.com. Visit admakepeace.com for more information, and Redbrookplymouth.com. This story was created 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 wickedlocal.com: Helicopter Marine Light HML-771 reunion planned for October in Quincy Eleven Indian nationals have been charged in connection to the ring of staged armed robberies that aimed to fast-track people to legal immigration status, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. Most of the 11 charged in the case were "unlawfully" residing in Massachusetts, with one in Worcester, where the fake robberies also "hit" Austin Liquors on Park Avenue, according to authorities. More: Court: Austin Liquors in Worcester the scene of staged holdup; two plead guilty Advertisement Advertisement The goal of the robberies was for clerks to apply for a U nonimmigration, or U, visa that is available to those who have been helpful to law enforcement. Foley's office said that the 11 charged in relation to the case were alleged to have either arranged with the organizer to set up each robbery or paid for themselves or a family member to participate as a victim. Six residing in Massachusetts were also arrested in Massachusetts and released following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on March 13, while a 40-year-old living in Weymouth was deported to India. Another four, who were arrested and made their initial appearances in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio, will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date, Foley's office added. Advertisement Advertisement Two New York-based Indian nationals were charged last year for running the scheme that included setting up staged armed robberies of at least six liquor stores and fast-food restaurants in Massachusetts and as many as 18 across the country. The scheme dated to March 2023, when Rhambai Patel, 38, would seek out people who would want to participate as victims of purported armed robberies, presumably qualifying them to apply for a U visa as the victim of a crime. Patel would charge the fake victims tens of thousands of dollars to participate, according to federal prosecutors. Fake robbers hired by Patel would storm into each store brandishing a replica firearm and demanding cash from the fake victims working as clerks behind the register. Advertisement Advertisement The robber would leave with no more than $200 and hop into a nearby getaway car. After five minutes, which would be sufficient time for the robber to leave the scene as instructed by Patel the clerks would call the police in hopes of later using the help toward the visa acquisition. Patel amassed about $850,000 across all 18 staged robberies in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. At least 24 of the fake victims submitted forms to local police departments requesting to be named as victims with 11 of the applications requesting U visa designation. Patel was subsequently arrested after an FBI undercover agent posing as a person interested in acting as a robber communicated with him in November 2023. Advertisement Advertisement He was sentenced to 20 months and eight days in jail in August and forfeited the $850,000 he amassed throughout the scheme, while his collaborator Balwinder Singh, 41, has also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to committing visa fraud. The names and residences of those arrested in March are as follows: Mitul Patel, 40, of Worcester; Amitabahen Patel, 43, of Plainville; Maheshkumar Patel, 36, of Randolph; Sangitaben Patel, 36, of Randolph; Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, of Quincy; Dipikaben Patel, 40, of Weymouth; Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, of Marshfield; Minkesh Patel, 42, of Perrysburg, Ohio; Sonal Patel, 42, of Perrysburg, Ohio; Rameshbhai Patel, 52, of Eubank, Kentucky; and Ronakkumar Patel, 28, of Maryland Heights, Missouri. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: US Attorney: Fake-robbery scheme promised pathway to visas Two men suspected of trying to smuggle contraband into an Alabama prison were arrested when their ride apparently left them. The Alabama Department of Corrections was notified at 6:42 a.m. Wednesday that a Barbour County Sheriffs Office deputy was at the Department of Human Resources in Clayton with two men. The men had called the sheriffs office, said ADOC spokeswoman Kelly Betts, because they were cold and their ride have left them. Advertisement Advertisement Larry Jerome Pinkston Marshal and Eddie Cortez Smith were dressed in all black with their heads covered, and they were wet and muddy, according to ADOC. Investigators determined the men were involved in attempt to introduce contraband into Ventress Correction Facility in Clayton. Prison tracking dogs led agents to the spot where the suspects were dropped off. Multiple packages were discovered along the track. The confiscated contraband included 444 gross grams of suspected marijuana, 32 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 34 cell phones, a Wi-Fi hot spot, four wireless earbuds, 14 USB drives, 10 SIM tools, 10 charging blocks, two knives, 18 Black & Mild cigars and a digital scale. Advertisement Advertisement Both men are charged with trafficking methamphetamine, first-degree possession of marijuana and first-degree promoting prison contraband. They were being held in the Barbour County Jail. Stories by Carol Robinson Read the original article on al.com. Add al.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. North Carolina is home to two of the nations trendiest places and theyre not your usual boomtowns. Greensboro ranks No. 23 and Asheville is No. 24 on a list of cities drawing the most year-over-year interest from potential newcomers. They received nods as people are dreaming about settling in up-and-coming destinations, according to the online moving tool moveBuddha. The cities with the biggest year-over-year surges in move searches made in moveBuddhas moving cost calculator are practical places with economic momentum, real jobs, relative affordability, and room to put down roots, the website wrote in its Monday, March 16 report. To determine the top 25 places surging in popularity, the website said it studied 415 cities across the United States. It focused on the places people looked up on its website during two time periods: Advertisement Advertisement March 1, 2024 through Feb. 28, 2025 March 1, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026 For each city, we calculated an in-to-out move ratio for each period by comparing the number of searches from people looking to move in with those from people looking to move out, the website wrote. We then calculated the year-over-year percentage change in that ratio. Why NC cities rank high Of the two North Carolina cities that earned spots on the list, Greensboro ranked the highest at No. 23. The city had 16% growth in year-over-year interest, results show. Meanwhile, Asheville landed just behind in the No. 24 spot after it was found to have a 15% uptick in year-over-year interest. Advertisement Advertisement For the past few years, weve seen North Carolina as one of the countrys top states for relocation, earning way more interest for moves into the state than out, a moveBuddha spokesperson told The N&O in a Tuesday, March 17 email. What truly stands out here is not that Greensboro and Asheville are getting attention, but that they are the two North Carolina cities that continue to attract significant interest even after years in the spotlight. Asheville ranks among the nations hottest places drawing year-over-year interest from potential new residents. While the report said the national winners resembled Everytown, U.S.A., Greensboro and Asheville have a lot going for them. Since 2025, restaurants in both of the cities have received wide recognition. Also, Asheville was named one of the best cities for beer and a top place to visit. Many of those rankings praised the citys residents for working together to rebuild after Hurricane Helene unleashed devastating flooding in 2024, The News & Observer previously reported. Which other cities are popular? Nationwide, the top-ranked place was Chico, California, a roughly 90-mile drive northwest from Sacramento. Here are the other cities rounding out the top five: Advertisement Advertisement Anchorage, Alaska, at No. 2 Broomfield, Colorado, at No. 3 Idaho Falls, Idaho, at No. 4 Fort Myers, Florida, at No. 5 Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea youd like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you. You can submit your question by filling out this form. NC has among the highest diversity of hummingbirds. See what they look like Whats that smell? Bradford pears blooming in NC with a bounty on their heads NC has among the highest diversity of hummingbirds. See what they look like Two teenagers riding an e-bike were hospitalized with serious injuries after colliding with a vehicle in New Jersey on Tuesday. The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Jewell Street and Columbus Avenue in Garfield. Police say an e-bike, ridden by two 14-year-olds, collided with a vehicle. They were both rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. One of the teens is in critical condition, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New Jersey news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Download our connected TV app 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 three Ohio airmen killed overseas will return to the United States in a dignified transfer on Wednesday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wrote in a social media post that it will take place at Dover Air Force Base. He and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine will join families, along with Ohio National Guard senior staff, to pay respects to Captain Curtis Angst, 2014 Wilmington High graduate, Captain Seth Kovaland, and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons (who was posthumously promoted by Ohios Adjutant General from the rank of technical sergeant. I have received notice that the dignified transfer of Ohio's three airmen killed overseas last week will take place tomorrow. Fran and I will join senior staff from the Ohio National Guard to travel to Dover Air Force Base to pay our respects to Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 17, 2026 TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The three Ohio airmen from the 121st and 6th Air Refueling Wings were killed during Operation Epic Fury in Iraq, according to a previous News Center 7 report. US Central Command is investigating what caused two KC-135 tankers to collide in midair while refueling an aircraft within friendly airspace. So, we talk about this great tragedy of human loss that weve just suffered in the 121 and the Ohio National Guard, there are people right now ready to go replace them, knowing the danger, Maj. Gen. David B. Johnson, assistant adjutant general for air with the Ohio National Guard, previously told News Center 7. I dont know of another organization that has that dedication to service. Angsts hometown community in Wilmington recalls his fascination with flying at a young age. Advertisement Advertisement The sky was not his limit, but his calling. Angsts family said he loved his wife, the outdoors, and music. They are not the only family grieving. They released a statement that said in part: Curtis lived a life defined by service, generosity, and a genuine love for people. He was dedicated to serving his country. He deeply valued the people he had the privilege to serve alongside. Our hearts are with the family and friends of his fellow crew, and we share in their sorrow. The deadly crash is still under investigation. After the dignified transfer at Dover, efforts are underway to determine when the three fallen airmen will be returned home to Ohio. News Center 7 is working to get in touch with the families of Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons and Capt. Seth Koval, who served with Angst in Columbus. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] This story was updated to add new information. Federal regulators have flagged 34 California airports, including those in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, as having "airport surface hot spots," or areas that are known to be at potential risk of collisions or runway confusion. The airports that appear on the Federal Aviation Administration list range from some of California's major international airports to smaller but frequently used regional airports like San Jose Mineta International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport and Santa Barbara Airport. Advertisement Advertisement An airport's inclusion on the list doesn't inherently mean it is unsafe to travel through, but it does indicate that the FAA aims to highlight known problem areas to ensure "heightened attention by pilots and drivers" and "avoid confusion." An Emirates plane lands at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Many of the "hot spots" listed relate to issues such as aircraft taxiing into the wrong taxiway, short distances between parallel runways, or pilots needing to navigate taxiways with heavy vehicle traffic. "The FAA for many years has published a 'hot spot' list showing pilots where incidents have occurred on runways and taxiways at airports nationwide," an FAA spokesperson said. "The purpose is to alert pilots to be extra attentive when operating in these locations, which are typically complex or confusing intersections." USA TODAY reached out to Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports for comment regarding their inclusion in the FAA's list. At Los Angeles International Airport, the FAA identified three hot spots in its report: Advertisement Advertisement Due to the short distance between parallel runways 24 and taxiways V, W, and Y, pilots occasionally become confused about the "appropriate" place to stop on the runway, as the markings are difficult to see. Sometimes pilots cross the runway 25's designated holding position without authorization. As aircraft taxi from taxiway F to A, pilots are frequently instructed to hold short of the runway's marking before entering a specific taxiway to avoid confusion. At San Diego International Airport, the FAA indicated one hot spot: specifically, confusion some pilots encounter when taxiing. Pilots have mistakenly taxied into the wrong taxiway. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 07: A United Airlines plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on November 07, 2025 in San Francisco, California At San Francisco International Airport, the FAA identified four hot spot areas in its report: Pilots sometimes taxi to the wrong taxiway due to a "complex intersection" near the runways. Occasionally, as pilots are taxiing onto the taxiway, they miss their turn and continue across a runway by mistake. There are two runways where pilots are told to hold short, as the markings on the runways are difficult to see or "position signs exist with no surface painted markings." Advertisement Advertisement In an email statement to USA TODAY, SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel said: "We review these hot spots regularly with the FAA, airlines, and ground operators to heighten awareness and develop mitigation strategies." "Such strategies may be procedural, or they may be consist of physical improvements, such as a taxiway improvement project completed in 2024, or a runway project starting later this month, which includes adjacent taxiway improvements," he added. Of the 34 California airports on the FAA's list, Livermore Municipal Airport and Hayward Executive Airport appear to have the most "hot spots" reported by the agency, with the FAA identifying six spots for Livermore and five for Hayward. 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. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FAA flags LAX, SFO for 'hot spots' at risk of collisions, confusion KANSAS CITY, Mo. Four people were hurt late Tuesday night in a crash on U.S. 71 highway near 19th Street in downtown Kansas City, according to police. The crash, involving a car and a semi, was reported just before midnight Tuesday in the northbound lanes of U.S. 71. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri According to Kansas City police, a Mercedes S55 was traveling north at a high rate of speed when it rear-ended a semi tractor. The semi then rotated across two lanes before coming to a stop on the left shoulder. Advertisement Advertisement The crash caused the Mercedes to catch fire in the middle of U.S. 71. The driver and a front seat passenger from the Mercedes were critically injured and taken to a hospital. By Wednesday morning, police said the Mercedes driver remained in critical condition while the passenger was in serious condition. The driver and a passenger from the semi were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening. Part of the highway was shut down for several hours, but it has since reopened to traffic. The investigation into the crash 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Half of Ukrainians consider Hungary a hostile nation, according to a survey conducted by Gradus Research Company and shared with the Kyiv Independent on March 18. The findings place Hungary alongside countries widely viewed in Ukraine as aligned with Russia's war effort, including Iran (52%), North Korea (57%), and Belarus (72%). Russia itself was excluded from the list of potentially hostile nations in the poll. Advertisement Advertisement The results come as tensions escalate between Kyiv and Budapest over the Druzhba pipeline, a key route that transported Russian crude to Central Europe before being damaged in a Russian attack. Hungarian rhetoric toward Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks amid a domestic election campaign. Prime Minister Viktor Orban widely regarded as one of the EU's most Kremlin-friendly leaders faces growing pressure as his ruling Fidesz party trails opposition forces. Hungarian parliamentary elections are scheduled for April 12. The survey, conducted among 1,000 respondents aged 1860 between Feb. 13 and Feb. 16, found that 50% of Ukrainians viewed Hungary as hostile a 3% increase compared with March 2025. Advertisement Advertisement The results, however, do not reflect the most recent developments in bilateral relations. Budapest blocked the European Union's proposed 20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 23, as well as a planned 90-billion-euro ($107-billion) macro-financial assistance package for Ukraine, linking its support to the resumption of oil transit through Druzhba. At the beginning of March, Orban also threatened to use "force" over the pipeline dispute. Hungarian authorities further detained and expelled seven employees of a Ukrainian state-owned bank in early March on suspicion of money laundering, a move widely interpreted as politically motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Countries ranking above Hungary in the survey have directly or indirectly supported Moscow's war effort. Iran has supplied Russia with attack drones, North Korea has provided ammunition and military personnel, and Belarus remains the Kremlin's closest regional ally. Hungary has repeatedly used its veto power within the European Union to delay sanctions against Russia and assistance to Ukraine, a tactic analysts say Budapest employs to secure political and financial concessions from Brussels. Read also: Well become Belarus Orbans opponents see election as last chance Read also: On Hungarys National Day, two futures took the streets Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ultium Cells, the battery joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution (LGES), plans to produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells for energy storage at its Spring Hill, Tennessee site from the second quarter of 2026. The venture is putting $70m into converting production lines at the plant so it can make LFP cells designed for stationary energy storage systems (ESS). The changeover is set to bring back about 700 employees who were temporarily laid off in January 2026, when demand for electric vehicles softened. The workforce is currently being retrained ahead of the planned start of ESS cell manufacturing in Q2 2026. Ultium Cells president & CEO Injae Pahk said: This announcement marks Ultium Cells first major retooling of the Spring Hill process equipment and reflects the companys continued evolution as a diversified battery cell manufacturer. Under the agreement, Ultium Cells will supply LFP battery cells to LGES Vertech, the US-based energy storage arm of LG Energy Solution. These cells will be incorporated into large-scale ESS enclosures intended for grid-level and data centre applications across North America. The Spring Hill site will draw on LG Energy Solutions experience in ESS production, including capabilities developed at its facility in Holland, Michigan. LG Energy Solution is targeting global ESS battery production capacity exceeding 60GWh in 2026, with more than 80% of that capacity located in North America. The Spring Hill plant will become part of a regional manufacturing network that includes sites in Michigan and Ontario, along with the joint venture with Honda, L-H Battery Company. By the end of 2026, all facilities in this network are expected to allocate part of their output to the companys JF2 LFP pouch cell designed for ESS use. Energy storage systems enable electricity generated from conventional and renewable sources to be stored and deployed when needed, supporting grid stability and reducing infrastructure development timelines. Ultium Cells said its manufacturing platform can accommodate multiple battery chemistries, allowing production to shift in response to changing demand. Earlier this month, LGES announced that its Canadian subsidiary, NextStar Energy, held an opening ceremony for its newly built battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario. Commercial operations at the plant actually began in November 2025, with production having already surpassed one million battery cells. LGES claims NextStar Energy is Canadas first and only commercial-scale advanced battery manufacturing company. A sanctioned Russian tanker adrift in the Mediterranean poses a serious ecological threat as a gaping hole pours fuel and natural gas into the sea. Nine EU countries have written a joint letter to the European Commission, as one Italian official called the Arctic Metagaz an environmental bomb waiting to go off. The tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy. Its state posed a dual challenge: upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster, against the background of EU sanctions imposed on Russia. Advertisement Advertisement The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Unions maritime space, the letter said. The wounded tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy (Newsbook Malta) Alfredo Mantovano, the secretary of Italys Council of Ministers, urgently warned that the tanker could explode at any moment, in a statement to Italys Radio 24. The EU said the vessel was part of Russias shadow fleet intended to circumvent sanctions imposed in connection with Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It set out from the Russian port of Murmansk in February but caught fire in early March. Advertisement Advertisement Russia condemned the incident as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, claiming the attack occurred near Maltese international waters with drones launched from Libya. Kyiv has not claimed any responsibility for the attack. Fuel and natural gas are pouring into the sea through a gaping hole in the tanker (Newsbook Malta) Russias transport ministry reported at the time that all 30 Russian crew members on board the vessel, which caught fire, were safe. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry website that Moscow was in touch with the vessels owner and foreign competent bodies. It had no crew, she said, and was carrying 700 metric tonnes of different types of fuel and a substantial amount of natural gas. Advertisement Advertisement The international legal norms applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries ... for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster, Ms Zakharova wrote. Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will depend on the specific circumstances. Russias transport ministry earlier this month claimed the Arctic Metagaz, carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones and said the weapons had been launched from the Libyan coast. The 4th annual Aberdeen Burger Battle recently wrapped up another successful year of celebrating local restaurants while making an impact on the community by crowning its 2026 champion. Three22 Kitchen + Cocktails won this year's burger contest with a mouth watering burger. Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce announces the 2026 Battle of the Burger winner. The Downtown Aberdeen restaurant earned the title by tallying the highest rankings from participants for its Jalapeno Popper Burger, topping a field of competing burgers. Advertisement Advertisement The winner was unveiled at the Chambers March 12 Business After Hours networking event. More: Webster has a one-stop shop for everything anglers and hunters need During the multi-week competition, residents and visitors were encouraged to try featured burgers at participating restaurants and submit rankings online. More than 15 restaurants from Aberdeen and surrounding areas participated this year. Burger connoisseurs visited participating locations, explored creative burger offerings and supported local dining establishments. They also rated each burger they ate, totaling 1,500 burgers. In addition to the friendly competition, the event generated significant community support. Through participation fees and sponsorships, the event raised $6,000 for the Salvation Army of Aberdeen, helping fund programs that provide meals, assistance and essential services to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Participating restaurants reported selling approximately 6,600 burgers, generating nearly $100,000 in direct sales. If each burger generated $10-$15 additional spending on average, that amounts to $79,200 in additional restaurant revenue. The Aberdeen Burger Battle was originally created by the 2023 Leadership Aberdeen class as part of its class project. The goal was to raise awareness of food insecurity in the community while generating funds to support local hunger relief efforts through a fun, community-driven restaurant competition. More: HealthFix brings health-focused food options to Aberdeen The Burger Battle is a great example of how creativity and collaboration can benefit our entire community, Meg Pew, Quality Quick Print and member of the 2023 Leadership Aberdeen class, said. It highlights our local restaurants, encourages residents to try something new and helps support the Salvation Army, which is working to address food insecurity in our community. Advertisement Advertisement With the new year and winter typically difficult for restaurants, the fundraiser also helps to bring in additional business. "The Aberdeen Burger Battle is about more than just great burgers; its about community. What began as a class project for the 2023 Leadership Aberdeen class has grown into a community tradition that encourages people to support local restaurants while also giving back," Aberdeen Chamber CEO Gail Ochs told the Aberdeen News. "Over the past four years, the event has helped raise nearly $30,000 for the Salvation Army, showing how a simple idea can create a lasting impact. Its really been incredible to see how the community has embraced this eventIts a fun way to celebrate our local food scene while also making a meaningful difference for the Salvation Army." This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Aberdeen Burger Battle winner announced Virginias new governor, Abigail Spanberger, is demonstrating the likely Democratic strategy for winning the midterm elections and the 2028 presidential contest: Campaign as a centrist but then govern as a leftist. Its the political version of bait-and-switch. Spanberger won Virginia's governorship last November by saying the word "affordability" so often that aides reportedly lost count. At one press conference she used it 37 times. Voters got the message and rewarded her with a double-digit victory, thinking they had cast their ballots for a moderate Democrat. Now they're getting an entirely different message. Two months into her tenure, Spanberger isnt the centrist cost-cutter that she campaigned as. Shes the leader of a Democratic trifecta that has introduced more than 50 new taxes and tax increases in the current General Assembly session that target everyday transactions, such as dog walking, Uber rides and fantasy sports. Thats not a typo: 50. Advertisement Advertisement The specifics are worth dwelling on. Democratic legislators have proposed two new income tax brackets8% on income above $600,000 and 10% above $1 millionalong with a 3.8% piggyback tax on net investment income. For some Virginians the combined state rate on investment income would hit 13.8%, placing the commonwealth in the same high-tax tier as California and New York. Neighboring states are moving in the opposite direction: West Virginia is phasing out its income tax entirely, and North Carolina's flat rate dropped again on January 1. Then theres energy. Spanberger has committed to rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI, a cap-and-trade program that functions as a carbon tax of roughly $550 million on energy producerscosts that will hit ratepayers. Her predecessor exited RGGI specifically to keep utility bills down. Spanberger is walking that back in the name of climate change while simultaneously promising Virginians relief on their energy costs. Talk about a contradiction. The governor has also endorsed a state-managed paid family-and-medical-leave program funded by a new payroll tax, which analysts estimate would approach 1% of wages, split between workers and employers. Small businesses in particular will feel that pinchand they will pass it along. To be fair, Spanberger hasnt publicly endorsed every tax proposal filed by Democratic legislators, and Republicans have seized on some bills the governor has neither backed nor pledged to sign. But the broader trajectory of her administration isnt in dispute. The executive orders, the energy policy reversal, the spending agendaall point in one direction: bigger, more expensive government. Advertisement Advertisement Heres another worrisome development. Trial lawyers are pushing two bills through the legislature that would slam businesses, making Virginia a distinctly unfriendly place for private enterprise. Rising legal costs and litigation uncertainty are toxic for future prosperity. Will the governor have the backbone to block these and other moves by the trial bar, which is a powerful part of the Democratic party? Not likely. Spanberger also seems ready to undo the efforts of Glenn Youngkin, her predecessor, to push back woke ideology in schools and foster genuine intellectual diversity. The governor, who was chosen to deliver the Democrats response to President Trumps State of the Union address, clearly has national ambitions for 2028. To win the partys presidential or vice-presidential nomination means appeasing the Democrats far-left factions. Look: Democrats inherited a $2.7 billion budget surplus and are still reaching for new revenue. When a party taxes more in the face of a surplus, it isn't responding to fiscal necessity; it's revealing its preferences. Virginians voted for affordability. They are discovering what they actually elected: a socialist in a moderates clothing. https://www.forbes.com/video/92a23ec1-e055-46e9-8929-6bcf55f237d5/ This article was originally published on Forbes.com By Jody Godoy March 18 (Reuters) - Companies efforts to sidestep U.S. antitrust scrutiny through tactics such as acquihires - a strategy some Big Tech firms use to snap up talent at artificial intelligence startups - are a red flag, the top U.S. antitrust enforcer told Reuters on Wednesday. Acquihires, where the world's biggest technology firms pay large sums in deals with promising startups to take their technology and talent, but stop short of formally acquiring the target, are increasingly being viewed by antitrust regulators as an attempt to evade merger rules. In one recent example, Nvidia in December agreed to license chip technology from startup Groq and hire its CEO, without buying the company. Advertisement Advertisement When companies make acquisitions, they hand over information about a proposed transaction to federal antitrust enforcers. "Acquihires" allow companies to essentially absorb other firms without going through that formal merger review process. "When I see conduct that appears aimed to circumvent that process, as a litigator, as an enforcer, that's more of a red flag to me than if you had just participated and complied" with the review process, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi. He said companies should be willing to engage in the merger review process. That way, the DOJ can quickly understand and address any concerns, or, if the deal has no competitive issues, end its review early and let the deal close, he said. Assefi declined to discuss ongoing matters or particular companies. (Reporting by Jody Godoy; editing by David Gaffen) FRANKFORT The Kentucky Senates version of the state budget proposal keeps cuts made by the House to tobacco cessation. Barring any changes, the legislature will put just shy of $1.8 million in the 2026-2027 fiscal year and about $1.6 million in the 2027-2028 year into tobacco cessation efforts. The 2024 budget allocated nearly $1.9 million for 2024-2025 and $2 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate unveiled its edits to House Bill 500, the budget bill, on Wednesday. It passed the Senate unanimously. Doug Hogan, the government relations director in Kentucky for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, has asked lawmakers to invest $4 million per year toward tobacco prevention in a state where smoking kills nearly 9,000 Kentuckians every year and costs the state billions in health care costs. The funding cuts, Hogan said, come as the need for funding for tobacco prevention programs has never been greater. Kentucky is losing ground when it comes to preventing youth from using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, Hogan said. A well-funded, fact-based tobacco control program is needed to counteract the $251 million per year that tobacco companies are spending on marketing their deadly and addictive products in Kentucky. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are trying again this year to reroute Juul settlement dollars from the General Fund into a specific cessation trust fund. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 74 passed the Health Services committee on Feb. 18 but was recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue committee, where it has awaited a hearing since Feb. 19. House Bill 187 has been stuck in the Appropriations and Revenue committee awaiting a hearing since Jan. 14. Both propose putting the remaining money Juul, an e-cigarette company, owes Kentucky into prevention and cessation efforts aimed at youth. Settlement payments started in 2022, when Juul owed the state $14 million. About $6 million could go to cessation at this point, if the legislature moved the funds this year. Senate President Robert Stivers told reporters Wednesday that there is appetite to boost cessation and prevention efforts in this way but its not necessary to do it in a bill. Advertisement Advertisement Its kind of like our task force method. We want everybody to introduce (a bill) if they think there should be a task force, but were not going to pass a task force bill. Well just do it by an agreement between the House and the Senate to convene one. Those types of dollars for intervention: Introduce your bill, but thats all going to be done and rolled into the budget. Hogan, meanwhile, renewed his plea with lawmakers to reroute those funds. At a time when smoking still causes 37.2% of cancer deaths in Kentucky, now is the time to be investing more in tobacco prevention and cessation, not less, he said. His organization calls on the Kentucky Legislature to invest $4 million annually, as well as all revenue from JUUL settlement payments, in fact-based tobacco prevention and cessation to reduce tobacco use, protect kids and save lives. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Afghanistan has accused Pakistans military of launching an air strike on a hospital treating drug users in the capital, Kabul, killing at least 400 people. Pakistan dismissed the claim as false and aimed at misleading public opinion, saying it only targeted military installations in Kabul and the province of Nangahar on Monday. The attack on Kabuls Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital took place at about 9pm local time (16:30 GMT), according to Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for Afghanistans Taliban government. Advertisement Advertisement The hospital is a 2,000-bed facility, and the raid destroyed large sections of the building, he wrote on X. Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400, while around 250 others have been reported injured. Rescue teams are currently at the scene, working to control the fire and recover the remaining bodies of the victims, he added. Local television stations posted footage showing firefighters struggling to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building. Omid Stanikzai, 31, a security guard at the hospital, told the AFP news agency that he had heard jets patrolling in the sky before the attack. Advertisement Advertisement There were military units all around us. When these military units fired on the jet, the jet dropped bombs and a fire broke out, he said. All of the dead and injured were civilians, he added. Crime against humanity The attack came hours after Afghan officials said the two sides had exchanged fire along their common border, with four people killed in Afghanistan, as the deadliest fighting between the neighbours in years entered a third week. Zabihullah Mujahid, another spokesman for the Afghan government, condemned the hospital strike on X earlier, saying Pakistan has once again violated Afghanistans airspace and targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. He said the Afghan government considers such an act to be against all accepted principles, and a crime against humanity. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, dismissed the allegations as baseless, saying that no hospital was targeted in Kabul. In a post on X, Pakistans Ministry of Information said the strikes had precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure, including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban and Afghanistan-based Pakistani fighters in Kabul and Nangarhar. It added that the facilities were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians. Pakistans targeting was precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted, the ministry said. The ministry said Mujahids claim was aimed at stirring anti-Pakistan sentiment and to cover what it described as the Talibans illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement The comments came hours after the United Nations Security Council called on Afghanistans Taliban government to immediately step up efforts to combat terrorism. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harbouring armed groups, particularly the Pakistan Taliban, which it says carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Security Council resolution, adopted unanimously, did not name Pakistan, but condemned in the strongest terms all terrorist activity including terrorist attacks from within Afghanistan. The resolution also extended the UN political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, for three months. Pakistan often accuses Afghanistans Taliban government of providing safe haven to the Pakistan Taliban, also known as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, as well as to outlawed Baloch separatist groups and other groups who frequently target Pakistani security forces and civilians across the country. Kabul denies these claims. No off-ramps in sight Earlier, Afghan officials said four people, including two children, were killed, and 10 other people were wounded in southeastern Afghanistan in Mondays exchange of fire. Mortar shells fired from Pakistan overnight struck villages in the Khost province and destroyed several homes, said Mustaghfar Gurbaz, a spokesperson for the provincial governor. Advertisement Advertisement Fighting between the two nations erupted last month when Pakistan launched air strikes in Afghanistan that Islamabad said were targeting armed groups. Afghanistan called the strikes a violation of its sovereignty and launched its own attacks. The clashes disrupted a ceasefire brokered by Qatar in October after earlier fighting killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected rebels. China said on Monday that its special envoy has spent a week mediating between the two sides and had urged an immediate ceasefire. But South Asia expert Michael Kugelman, from the Atlantic Council international affairs think tank, told the AFP that the fighting showed little sign of ending soon. Advertisement Advertisement The Arab Gulf nations that mediated previous rounds of Afghanistan-Pakistan talks are now bogged down by their own war. Other mediators, including China, have had limited success, he said, referring to the US and Israels war on Iran and Tehrans subsequent attacks on Gulf countries that host US bases. Pakistan appears intent to keep hitting targets in Afghanistan, and the Taliban is determined to retaliate with operations on Pakistani border posts, and, potentially, with asymmetric tactics from launching drones to sponsoring militant attacks in wider Pakistan, he said. There are no off-ramps in sight. Pakistani Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that the military has killed 684 Afghan Taliban forces, a claim rejected by the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which says the casualties are far lower. Advertisement Advertisement Afghanistans Defence Ministry and other officials have said that Afghanistan has killed more than 100 Pakistani soldiers. On Sunday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it had begun mobilising to provide immediate lifesaving food to more than 20,000 families that have been displaced in Afghanistan due to the conflict. By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Ariba Shahid KABUL/KARACHI, March 18 (Reuters) - Pakistan and Afghanistan said they were pausing their military operations against each other on Wednesday for the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Fitr, a surprise move two days after a drug rehab centre in Kabul was hit in the deadliest strike in months. The Afghan Taliban government has said that more than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in the airstrike that took place on Monday night, just as people and staff at the centre were praying. Advertisement Advertisement The casualty numbers shared by authorities have not been independently verified. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Wednesday that 143 people were killed and 119 wounded in the attack. Pakistan rejected the Taliban's statements about the strike, saying it had "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure". PAUSE A GESTURE IN GOOD FAITH, PAKISTAN SAYS Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Islamabad was pausing the military operations due to Eid, which marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan and is set to be celebrated at the end of this week. Advertisement Advertisement The pause, he said in a post on X, was on Pakistan's own initiative and at the request of Islamic countries Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. The pause would take effect at midnight on Wednesday and last until midnight on March 23. "Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms," he said, adding that operations would resume with renewed intensity if there was any cross-border attack, drone attack or any "terrorist incident" inside Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban followed with a similar announcement soon after Tarar. Kabul was calling a temporary halt to defensive operations on the occasion of Eid and also at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, Taliban government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Afghanistan would respond to any aggression in the event of any threat, he added. Tarar also said that 707 people have been killed so far in Pakistan's action against Afghanistan. Both sides have regularly claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on the other and independent verification has not been possible. UNAMA said that before the rehab centre incident, 76 people were killed and 213 injured in Afghanistan, the majority of them women and children. SITE WAS USED TO STORE DRONES, PAKISTAN SAYS The airstrike on the Kabul drug rehab centre marked a new low point in the relationship between the Islamic neighbours and former allies at a time of heightened instability for the region due to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Afghanistan and Pakistan have fiercely disputed the target of the airstrike. Afghan authorities said the attack had clearly targeted a well-known rehabilitation centre, a former NATO military base named Camp Phoenix that had been converted into a civilian facility about a decade ago. Pakistan has said it hit Camp Phoenix, a "military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site". It added that secondary detonations visible after the strikes indicated the presence of large ammunition depots there. On Wednesday, the Pakistani military said in a statement that the facility targeted was also being used as a site to store drones, equipment to launch drones, and "reportedly also housed SCUD missiles of the Soviet era". Advertisement Advertisement "We also know that the site was used for training of suicide bombers," it said, adding that intelligence confirmed that the site was used as a drug rehab centre a few years ago. The Pakistani military did not provide evidence to back its accusations and there was no immediate response to them from the Afghan Taliban. DISPUTE OVER TARGET OF AIRSTRIKE Independent experts said it was challenging to establish the truth about the target in the face of the competing claims without a third-party investigation. There are enough elements to confirm that this was a civilian facility that was hit, said Jacopo Caridi, country director for aid group the Norwegian Refugee Council in Afghanistan, adding that military infrastructure may have been located nearby. "They might have missed the objective, but the result is that civilians were killed or injured. Advertisement Advertisement Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, a political scientist at the University of Pittsburgh and an Afghanistan expert, said it was plausible for civilian facilities to be located within or near former military sites in Kabul. The conflict between the allies-turned-foes began last year after Pakistan accused Afghanistan of sheltering and backing militants carrying out attacks across Pakistan, a charge denied by the Afghan Taliban government. The conflict had ebbed amid efforts by friendly countries including China to mediate, but flared again with Pakistan directly targeting the Afghan Taliban last month and not just Pakistani Taliban militants Islamabad says are in the country. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul, Ariba Shahid in Karachi, Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Saad Sayeed in Bangkok; Writing by Tanvi Mehta and YP Rajesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Alexandra Hudson and Alex Richardson) Yinkas view In the year since dismantling USAID, the Trump administrations nascent Africa policy team has signaled a clear break from the past. The language is consistent commercial diplomacy, trade not aid and so is the intent: to recast a decades-old, often paternalistic relationship on more transactional terms. The shift has drawn predictable backlash, particularly over abrupt cuts to health and humanitarian programs that could put millions at risk. But in private, African officials and business leaders have been more sanguine. Some have even been publicly supportive, arguing that a more transactional framework offers leverage to negotiate for national priorities. Even former US officials have acknowledged the earlier systems shortcomings. Advertisement Advertisement But the new approach is already beset by tensions. Proposed bilateral health and development agreements, intended to replace USAID programs, have sparked pushback from governments and civil society in Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, questioning whether deals framed as partnerships tilt too far toward US interests. To be sure, the Trump administration is following through on its stated goals, pursuing agreements designed to deliver tangible returns for the US. After a visit to Lusaka in December, a senior State Department official said Zambia had committed to reforms aimed at unlocking substantial US support in exchange for cooperation in mining and improvements to its business climate. However, aid tied explicitly to economic and strategic concessions is precisely what gives some African leaders pause. Zambian officials are now closely reviewing a multibillion-dollar package that could grant the US access to key minerals, such as copper and cobalt, in exchange for health support and citizens health data. The stakes are not abstract. Thousands still depend on US-backed health programs. But in countries with long memories of external exploitation, the political risk of appearing to trade sovereignty for aid is acute. As one Zambian official told me: We want to be sure were signing something that is in line with our sovereign values. They have until May, when the US deadline expires, to decide. Notable OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond says his office, alongside 12 other state attorneys general, is taking OneMain Financial, Inc., and related entities to court after alleging additional charges consumers faced nationwide in hidden fees and interest. Drummonds office says One Main Financial has 19 branches operating in Oklahoma, advertising high-cost installment loans with clear, upfront terms, but alleges the loans pack hidden insurance policies and other add-on products, inflating the cost of the loans under a rushed process that includes sometimes misrepresenting them or charging consumers who reject them. Oklahomans deserve honesty and transparency when they walk into a lenders office, Drummond said. Lenders should not be hiding costly products in the fine print or rushing borrowers through contracts. My office will continue to hold companies accountable when they attempt to take advantage of hardworking consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma Insurance Department warns of bail bond scam The lawsuit alleges the following about OneMains bait-and-switch scheme, according to AG Drummond: OneMain does not advertise that it sells add-on products, so consumers who come through its doors have no reason to expect the company to push these products. OneMain has written policies that purport to prevent unlawful add-on packing, but the companys actual processes operate nothing like its written policies. OneMain puts financial pressure on its employees to pack add-ons. OneMain rushes consumers through a loan closing process in which its employees often control the computer screen that shows the loan documents. This does not allow the consumer time to review each page of the loan application as the employee scrolls through the contract. OneMain buries the fine print that mentions the add-on products inside 50 pages of legalese, which OneMain prevents consumers from reading before accepting the loan contract. OneMain often closes loans on smartphones, where already small print shrinks to an illegible size. OneMain also misleads consumers when encouraging them to refinance their loans by tacking on add-on products and by hiding key terms. Drummond and the coalition are seeking the following remedies: Advertisement Advertisement Seeking restitution for consumers who were unlawfully charged for these add-on products Penalties for violating state laws Release all unlawful profits Seeks a court order preventing OneMain from continuing its illegal practices Requiring OneMain to withdraw any negative information reported to credit agencies that may impact its customers credit scores Abandon any legal proceedings against customers related to the add-on loan products An official with OneMain financial refutes the claims by the Attorneys General and sent KFOR this statement: The states allegations are simply untrue their case is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law and attempts to relitigate issues that were already reviewed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and fully resolved. We operate honestly and transparently, in full compliance with all laws and regulations, as we provide responsible and much needed access to credit for hardworking Americans. This matter does not change how we operate our business or serve our customers. We will litigate this case vigorously and look forward to proving the truth in court. The states joining Drummond are Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you believe you are a victim of the business practices of OneMain Financial, contact the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 1-833-681-1895 to file a complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Read the lawsuit here. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee saw mixed results in the first major test of its political muscle in the midterms, drawing fresh recriminations from its foes and some allies for its interference in four competitive Illinois House primaries. Two of AIPACs supported candidates won their races Tuesday night, with Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller denying former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. a comeback in the 2nd District and former Rep. Melissa Bean defeating a slew of progressive challengers in the 8th District. But the group faced criticism from within the pro-Israel Democratic community and harsh words from its opponents after it failed to secure its preferred outcome in the two races where it spent the most money. Advertisement Advertisement In the 9th District, the group spent $7 million, some of it aimed at attacking Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, whose mother is Israeli, making an enemy of a likely soon-to-be U.S. representative who has been critical of Israels actions in Gaza but who had previously been willing to engage with the group. Biss won the crowded primary Tuesday night, after AIPAC pivoted from attacking him to instead concentrate its negative ads on progressive social media influencer and Palestinian American Kat Abughazaleh. And in the 7th District, an AIPAC-affiliated super PAC spent nearly $5 million backing Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who lost to state Rep. La Shawn Ford. The split scorecard comes a month after AIPAC angered its own centrist allies by going after another fairly pro-Israel candidate, former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) a move that ended up handing the primary to a stronger critic of Israel, progressive Analilia Mejia. There was once again a vast amount of money spent and wasted trying to dust up a candidate who, by almost anybodys reasonable analysis, Israel should be happy to have in Congress supporting a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, one longtime AIPAC member, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said of the groups spending against Biss. AIPAC, the person added, should take a look at the results in [the 9th District] and New Jersey and reconsider their strategy. Advertisement Advertisement AIPAC-aligned super PACs spent nearly$22 million in the Illinois primaries, more than one-fifth the total $100 million warchest it has in hand so far for the 2026 midterms, to win two of four open-seat races while losing the one that drove the most national attention. At his victory party Tuesday night, Biss slammed the group for spending heavily to buy this seat to support the idea that we cant accept nuance on the U.S.-Israel relationship. "AIPAC found out the hard way the 9th District is not for sale, Biss told supporters. AIPAC pushed back against the notion that the group struggled in Tuesday nights elections. Advertisement Advertisement Illinois voters rejected half a dozen anti-Israel candidates across several heavily Democratic open-seat races, Deryn Sousa, an AIPAC spokesperson, said in a statement Tuesday night. These results further demonstrate that campaigns defined largely by opposition to AIPAC, our members, and the values we represent continue to fall short on election night. The controversial organization, already a foil for Democrats grappling with growing anti-Israel sentiment in their party, is facing fresh animosity and renewed scrutiny over its campaign spending as the U.S. and Israel wage a joint war on Iran thats further soured Americans on their longtime ally. Recent polling shows Americans and Democrats, in particular shifting further away from Israel. A NBC News poll released this week showed 57 percent of Democrats view Israel negatively, a dramatic shift from when just 35 percent held a negative view of the country after Hamas attacked it on Oct. 7, 2023. A Quinnipiac University survey showed 44 percent of voters think the U.S. is too supportive of Israel the highest percentage since the pollsters started asking the question in 2017. Among Democrats, 62 percent think America is too supportive of Israel, compared with just 22 percent who think the support is about right and 8 percent who think its not supportive enough. Its clear the organization is aware of its standing in Democratic primaries its ads focused on everything but Israel, accusing candidates of not being progressive enough on other issues. But AIPACs involvement became a major talking point for those it was attacking, especially in the 9th District. Advertisement Advertisement The Illinois Democratic delegation likely wont have a significant ideological shift on Israel from the races results. Bean will replace Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, another pro-Israel candidate, who lost his Senate primary contest to Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. Bisss views on Israel arent far from those of outgoing Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who endorsed him and has sharply criticized AIPAC in the past. Rep. Danny Davis has supported Israel but denounced its Gaza intervention; Ford has refused to commit to unconditional aidto Israel. The biggest potential change is Miller replacing Rep. Robin Kelly, who has called the war in Gaza a genocide. She also didnt advance through the Illinois Senate primary. We consider this a pro-Israel win. We are better off in the Chicago delegation than we were yesterday, said Patrick Dorton, the spokesperson for the AIPAC super PAC United Democracy Project, pointing to the new incumbents in the Kelly, Schakowsky and Davis seats. Dorton also argued that if the groups pop-up super PAC didnt go negative with more than a million dollars in spending to defeat Abughazaleh, she may well have beat Biss. Advertisement Advertisement And AIPAC allies took a more generous read on their groups performance. You win some, you lose some, said AIPAC ally Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who backed Fine, Miller and Bean in their races. Schneider added that if a group wins every race theyre involved in, you probably haven't pushed the boundaries as far as you can. Brian Romick, president of the Democratic Majority for Israel, which often overlaps in its preferred candidates with AIPAC, said Tuesdays results showed that Israel wasn't a determinative factor in these primaries and none of the extremist anti-Israel candidates won. Opponents of AIPAC crowed that voters had spurned the groups hardline tactics, including AIPACs use of shell PACs to obscure the source of the outside spending. And they held up Biss victory in particular as reassurance for candidates wary AIPAC will wade into their primaries that the group can be defeated. Democratic candidates and strategists are bracing for the group to intervene in a range of upcoming House primaries, as well as the Michigan and Minnesota Senate primaries. Advertisement Advertisement Tuesdays results should send a clear message to candidates across the country: you do not have to fear AIPACs spending or intimidation, Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, a rival organization that spent $350,000 backing Biss and worked to counter AIPAC in other Illinois House races, said in a statement. Yet AIPAC is poised to remain formidable through the midterms. One pro-Israel Democratic donor adviser, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said even with AIPACs misfires, the money is likely to keep pouring in. Their donor talking points arent going to be, we only got half. They'll say, we took out two of the worst people, said the donor adviser of Tuesdays results. They know how to sell it, and there's no shortage of money. Shia Kapos contributed to this report. CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to include Ford's views on aid to Israel. NEW YORK (AP) Macys reported stronger-than-expected profits in the crucial fourth-quarter and comparable sales rose again. The department store said an overhaul of its merchandise and improved customer service led to more spending by shoppers. The company, which also operates upscale Bloomingdale's and the beauty chain Bluemercury, offered a mixed outlook for the year projecting sales above Wall Street expectations, but a conservative outlook on profits. Macy's CEO Tony Spring said the reserved outlook reflects the "tension" between Macy's relatively healthy business and external economic volatility, namely uncertainty from President Donald Trump's tariffs and the war in Iran that has sent energy prices soaring. Sitting here today, theres more unknown than there is known, Spring told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. Shares rose around 3.9% in morning trading. Spring, entering his third year leading Macy's and attempting to recharge the storied retailer, said Wednesday that Bloomingdales booked its highest holiday sales performance on record. Some of that outsized performance has been attributed by industry analysts to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the company that runs Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Yet Macy's is contending with the same hurdles that have pummeled its rivals and the retailer sector as a whole. The U.S. has upended global trade with tariffs that have driven prices higher, and many Americans have reprioritized where their paychecks go. The Iran war that began late last month has added to those pressures, driving sharp increases in the price of gasoline and even more so, diesel, used predominantly in shipping. The newest cost increases have hit consumers directly at the pump, and may soon be felt at the retail counter. Some additional costs, namely from tariffs, have made for some difficult decisions for retailers, ranging from what they can put on shelves, to how much of their increased costs will passed on to their customers, which are already being more careful with spending. The Supreme Court struck down the largest of President Donald Trumps tariffs though the administration is seeking to replace them with new ones. And while a federal judge ruled companies are entitled to refunds from tariffs overturned by the Supreme Court, retailers are not sure when or even if they will get them. Against this background, consumer spending has been uneven with higher income households continuing to spend more freely, while lower income families pull back in what is often referred to a K-shaped economy. An Alabama House committee on Wednesday approved legislation to require school districts to post the Ten Commandments in different locations. HB 216, sponsored by Rep. Mark Gidley, R-Hokes Bluff, would require schools to display a poster of the religious document in fifth through 12th-grade classes and within the common areas, such as cafeterias and school libraries, in every school within the district. This is strictly a historical reference to remind our students of one of the documents that was one of the foundational principles of the founding of this country, Gidley told the House Judiciary Committee. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Several Democrats on the committee expressed concerns about the legislation. It feels like we are continuously, especially in the last two years, trying to force Christianity on students no matter what their religion may be, said Rep. Penni McClammy, D-Montgomery. Gidley filed the same bill in 2025. It passed the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate. Earlier this month, the House Education Policy Committee approved the bill with little discussion before it was referred to the Judiciary Committee for consideration on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Alabama approved a constitutional amendment in 2018 to allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public spaces, and federal courts have allowed the document to be displayed for historical, and not religious or moral, context in schools. In 2024, Louisiana passed a law that required the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, but a federal court last June blocked the law. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision last month but did not rule on whether the law was constitutional. A federal court on Monday blocked six school districts in Arkansas from enforcing the states law that required them to display the Ten Commandments. The legislation says the Ten Commandments are a key part of the Judeo-Christian religious and moral tradition that shaped Western Civilization and ultimately the founding of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement HB 216 requires the display to be contingent on available funding. Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Bessemer, asked if the legislation would allow other religions if a teacher decides to place a different set in their classrooms in the historical sense. Gidley said that would not apply because he considers the Ten Commandments is one of the nations founding documents. Let me remind you that there were no other religions that were part of the founding of our country, Gidley said. The bill moves to the full House. There are six days left in the 2026 regular session. An Alabama House committee on Tuesday approved a bill allowing south Alabama counties to regulate solar farms but delayed a vote on another bill imposing a one-year moratorium on construction of new solar farms in the state. HB 618, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, would allow county commission located along the states coastline in Mobile and Baldwin counties to regulate the construction and operations of solar farms in their jurisdiction. We are not trying to impact other areas that have solar farms that are important to their districts and important to their areas, Simpson told the House Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure committee. We are not trying to hurt the economic development throughout the state. But what we are trying to do is make sure the environmental impact of these are studied and that there is some type of process to go through, and that there is some type of body of authority that can regulate them. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The legislation comes amid ongoing controversy over a solar farm project in Stockton, an unincorporated area of Baldwin County. Silicon Ranch, a renewable energy company based in Nashville, wants to construct solar panels on 2,000 acres of a 4,500-acre parcel of unzoned property, but the project has drawn criticism from residents. A lot of members of the community were not aware of that, Simpson said of the proposed solar farm. It just popped up on them. The bill allows counties to regulate each step of the construction of solar power facilities, from establishing permits, construction and the location, to the operation of the facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Counties may also set the standards and specifications of such sites along with deciding where they can be built in unincorporated areas of counties. It also allows counties to levy up to a $1,000 fine for violating the provisions in the bill. Simpson said residents are concerned about the solar farms potential environmental impacts. It is in a hilly area off the river, Simpson said, and residents are concerned about water runoff that could get into the river and, eventually, Mobile Bay. Rob Riley, director of project development at Silicon Ranch, said the company opposes the legislation. Recent discussions surrounding the project in Baldwin County have been dominated not by evidence, but by speculation, inflammatory rhetoric, fabricated claims and misinformation, Riley said during the public hearing for HB 617. Advertisement Advertisement He said that the company did not announce the project because of potential changes that could happen that affect the expectations of area residents. Renewable energy advocates said they did not have an issue with allowing local governments to regulate solar farms. Solar moratorium? The committee held a public hearing on HB 617, also sponsored by Simpson, which prohibits the construction and operation of a new solar facilities for one year after it is enacted into law. Several renewable energy advocates spoke against the legislation. If there are concerns about the sighting of a single, local solar project, then the solution should not be a statewide, overbroad ban on an entire industry, said Christina Andreen Tidwell, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, an organization that litigates to protect the environment. With high electricity rates and bills at the top of everyones mind, banning affordable solar energy doesnt make sense. Advertisement Advertisement John Dodd, policy manager for Energy Alabama, an organization that advocates additional renewable energy in the state, said he also opposes a statewide ban to address a local issue. We do not think that the way to fix the problem is to shut down large scale solar buildout for an entire year, he said in an interview after the meeting. That is a large and growing industry in Alabama that would prohibit a lot of revenue to be made, jobs to be gained, industries to be invited to the state of Alabama. Dodd said he would have preferred it filed as local legislation, but it was too late in the session to accommodate his request. Simpson said he would be open to negotiating the bill, saying the committee has already received an amendment so that the legislation does not affect any projects related to the Tennessee Valley Authority. That is a friendly amendment, I would absolutely support that amendment and any other amendments that we need to bring to help other areas of the state, he said. Alaskas Republican U.S. senators are pushing the Trump administration to waive a recently hiked visa fee for all public school employees. The Trump administration raised the fee for highly skilled workers visas, known as the H-1B visa program, from $5,000 to $100,000 per visa in September. That has consequences for Alaska school districts, which have grown to rely on international hiring to fill teaching and staff positions. As soon as this proclamation was released last year, I have been sounding the alarm with the administration about the importance of the H-1B visa program to Alaskas school districts, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a prepared statement announcing the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Murkowski introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate on Mar. 12, saying it would help alleviate financial strain for Alaskas school districts. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan signed on as a cosponsor of the bill on Tuesday. The H-1B visa program provides non-immigrant visas for U.S. employers to recruit highly skilled workers, with at least a bachelors degree, in fields such as healthcare, technology or education. The visa is valid for up to six years. Our public school classrooms have been facing a staffing crisis for years, but teachers in Alaska on H-B visas have been instrumental in bridging that shortage and serving our students with talent and care, Murkowski wrote. This legislation offers a commonsense exemption that will ensure Alaskas schoolchildren have access to more high-quality educators while keeping class sizes reasonable. The Alaska House of Representatives introduced a resolution this month urging the visa waiver for teachers. Advertisement Advertisement There are close to 600 international teachers working in Alaska and 341 of them use H-1B visas, according to data provided by the Alaska Council of School Administrators, which assists districts in recruitment and hiring. In some rural districts, visa teachers make up 50% to nearly 80% of the teaching staff, said Lisa Parady, the councils director, in a statement with the bills announcement. School districts already invest $6,000 to $12,000 per teacher to recruit and sponsor educators through the H-1B visa process. Adding a $100,000 federal visa fee has made it financially impossible for many districts to continue hiring the teachers their students depend on. Alaska districts are also in the process of hiring teachers for next year, and officials say the fee imposes an impossible financial barrier. Cyndy Mika, superintendent of the Kodiak Island Borough School District, said in a written statement with the bills announcement that nearly 20% of teachers district wide and 75% of village teachers are international hires through visa programs. Advertisement Advertisement These educators are not replacing American teacherswe simply do not have applicants for these positions, she said. Without access to international educators, districts like Kodiak will struggle to fill classrooms and provide consistent learning environments for students. The situation is exacerbated in Alaskas rural districts by recent additional restrictions on the J-1 visa program, which requires visa-holding teachers to be placed in areas with access to health care services, transportation and other public services. Tammy Dodd, superintendent of the Bering Strait School District, said in a statement the new J-1 visa restrictions put rural districts at a unique disadvantage. So the H-1B visa is the only choice, she said. The Bering Strait School District employs 86 international teachers, which is roughly 40% of certified staffing. With the new fee in place, the district would be unable to replace those positions with international hires. Advertisement Advertisement Murkowski sent a letter of concern to the former U.S. Sec. Kristi Noem with the Department Homeland Security, which administers the visa program. Noem responded in a letter on Dec. 15 shared by the senators office. Noem wrote that some exemptions are possible. Exceptions to the $100,000 payment are extremely rare and are granted only in extraordinarily compelling circumstances. Petitioning employers may seek an exception by sending their request, Noem wrote. Evidence should support the alien workers presence in the United States as an H-1B worker is in the national interest, no American worker is available for fill the role, the alien worker does not pose a threat to security or welfare of the United States, and requiring the petitioning employer to pay the $100,000 payment would significantly undermine the interests of the United States, she wrote. Jennifer Schmitz, director of the Alaska Educator Retention and Recruitment Center, a division of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, said by email Monday that some districts have sought individual exemptions from DHS for teachers with pending H-1B visa applications, but have received no response and no timeline from the department. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Key Points Dr. Praegers is recalling Aldi-exclusive Simply Nature Spinach Bites after possible contamination with rodent hair, according to the FDA. The recall affects 7,894 units of 12-ounce boxes distributed only in Maryland and Pennsylvania, identified by lot number G25CF-02B and UPC 4099100247992. The FDA classified the recall as Class II, advising consumers not to eat the product and to discard it or return it for a refund. Check your freezer. Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods Inc., of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, is recalling the Aldi brand Simply Nature's Spinach Bites because the product may be contaminated with rodent hair, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The frozen item is sold in 12-ounce boxes and wrapped in plastic inside of the box. The affected product is sold exclusively at Aldi stores but was only distributed to locations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. A total of 7,894 units are being recalled. Advertisement Advertisement If you purchased the Simply Nature Spinach Bites, look for the following information on the packaging: Lot number: G25CF-02B Product number: AL-SP UPC: 4099100247992 The FDA is currently classifying the recall as Class II, meaning the recalled product "may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences." While the agency did not offer any specific guidance, the recalled frozen bites should not be eaten. Instead, throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Read the original article on Martha Stewart Ali Larijani, Irans top national security official and one of the regime's most powerful figures, was killed in overnight strikes. He was 67. Israel's defense minister first announced his death and Iranian authorities later confirmed it. Larijani is the most senior leader killed in the country since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei late last month, and his death is a significant blow to the ruling clerical regime. Advertisement Advertisement Larijani was officially the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, but was considered by many to be the countrys de facto leader after Khameneis death. He comes from a political dynasty that many referred to as Irans equivalent of the Kennedys. For many years, Larijani was seen as the bookish front man for the regime, a counterpoint to his more fiery colleagues. But in recent months, the close adviser to Khamenei took a more hard-line turn as security chief and directed the brutal crackdown on anti-government protests that left thousands dead. The State Department offered a $10 million reward last week for information on Larijani and other top regime officials. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told a news briefing Tuesday that Larijani and Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Basij volunteer paramilitary force that Iran uses to crush civilian protests, were killed Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement Katz did not offer details of how Larijani was killed, but thanked air force pilots and ground crews, as well as intelligence personnel and our American partners, in carrying out the operation. The late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, and Larijani, far right, in Iran in 2014. (Anadolu / Getty Images file) (Anadolu) Irans Supreme National Security Council later confirmed the death of Larijani in a statement, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency. The statement also noted that Larijanis son Morteza had been killed but did not provide details about either of their deaths. And the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later confirmed Soleimanis death in a statement posted on Telegram by the semiofficial Fars News agency but did not provide any details about how he was killed. Advertisement Advertisement Larijani was born June, 3, 1958, in Najaf in neighboring Iraq, where his father, Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, was studying at the Shia seminary. Larijani's father was a well-respected cleric and his standing among the clergy gave Larijani and his brothers a boost as they rose through the political ranks after the establishment of the Islamic Republic. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Larijani served in the Revolutionary Guards, which is now the most powerful military, economic and political force in the country. Larijani, center, participates in the Quds Day rally in Tehran on Friday. (Supreme National Security Council / ZUMA Press via Alamy) (Supreme National Security Council) Despite growing up in a clerical household, Larijani chose to pursue university studies. He received a bachelors degree in computer science from the Sharif University of Technology and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Tehran where he focused his research on the works of Immanuel Kant, according to the semiofficial Mehr news agency. Advertisement Advertisement "The Mathematical Method in Kants Philosophy" is one of the books that he wrote based on his studies. Larijani, who was generally seen as a pragmatist in Iranian politics, served in several senior positions before becoming Irans top national security official. He was the speaker of Parliament for 12 years and Irans chief nuclear negotiator not long after its nuclear program was first made public. His brother Sadeq Larijani, a cleric, was the head of the judiciary for a decade and another brother, Mohammad Javad Larijani, a University of California, Berkeley, graduate who speaks fluent English, served as the head of a top human rights body where he often appeared as Irans representative at international gatherings. For several years, Larijani and Sadeq Larijani simultaneously served as the heads of the legislative and judicial branches of the Iranian government. Advertisement Advertisement In January, Larijanis daughter, Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, left her position as an assistant professor in the department of hematology and medical oncology at the medical school of Emory University, according to The Emory Wheel, the student newspaper at the university. Her departure came after a protest at the university over Larijanis role in the bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in early January. The Treasury Department sanctioned Larijani for his role in the crackdown in January. "Larijani was one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people," the statement from the Treasury said. Advertisement Advertisement After the death of Khamenei, it was Larijani, rather than Khamenei's son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei, who became the public face of the regime. He made appearances at political gatherings like the Quds Day rally in Tehran last Friday, where he was walking in the streets with crowds. Larijani has also been one of the most outspoken Iranian officials since the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28, repeatedly berating President Donald Trump on social media. "Trump says he is looking for a speedy victory. While starting a war is easy, it cannot be won with a few tweets. We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation #TrumpMustPay," he wrote in a post on X last week. Advertisement Advertisement In another, he warned Trump that The Iranian people do not fear your hollow threats, adding that more powerful forces than Trumps White House had failed to wipe them out. He urged the U.S. to beware, lest you are the ones who are eliminated. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A former Amazon delivery business owner purchased luxury cars and a $1 million home in metro Atlanta with millions stolen from the company, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. A federal jury found Brittany Hudson guilty on 30 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and forgery. Hudson is one of seven people who have been charged in the scheme, which goes back to 2022. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to court documents, Hudson owned Legend Express LLC, a company Amazon contracted with to deliver packages. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors say Hudsons girlfriend, Kayricka Wortham, worked at an Amazon warehouse in Smyrna and had the authority to approve Amazon vendor payments. The couple would submitted fake invoices and transfer nearly $9.4 million to their bank accounts. Prosecutors say they used Amazons money to purchase a $1 million home in Smyrna and the following cars and motorcycles: 2019 Lamborghini Urus 2021 Dodge Durango 2022 Tesla Model X 2018 Porsche Panamera Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle The U.S. District Attorney for Northern District of Georgia charged Hudson and Wortham in January 2023. But while they were out on bond, prosecutors say the women told a business partner that their charges were dropped and that Hudson forged two judges signatures to make it look legit. Advertisement Advertisement Leveraging personal relationships, she stole millions from Amazon and was so confident she wouldnt be caught, she even forged the signature of a federal judge with the intent of defrauding a second company. Thanks to the diligent work of our agents and the prosecution team at the U.S. Attorneys Office, her days of defrauding others have come to an end, Robert Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office, said. A jury convicted Hudson on March 13. She will learn her sentence in June. Wortham pleaded guilty in June 2023 and was sentenced to 16 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $9.5 million in restitution to Amazon. She also forfeited the vehicles. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] American universities have been struggling over the past couple of years with three mounting crises the long-anticipated demographic cliff, cuts to federal research funding, and growing doubts about the value of higher ed. Now, a fourth crisis is blowing up application portals. Last year, applications from international students declined modestly a warning sign that most institutions shrugged off. New enrollments in the fall of 2025 told the real story: the number of new international students in U.S. universities declined by 17 percent. The impact was even greater in business schools, engineering schools, and other programs that attracted large numbers of international students. If last years Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) application trends survey was a brush fire, this years reality represents an inferno. Anecdotal stories from fellow deans indicate that some programs are seeing 50 to 70 percent drops in international applications for fall 2026. THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES ARE ENORMOUS To understand why, look one year back. In 2025, international students did everything they normally do to study in the U.S.: they took tests, applied, obtained admission, paid deposits, and made travel plans. Then, over the summer, just as they were about to come, the U.S. government paused new student visa interviews. Tens of thousands of admitted students could not even get appointments, much less visas, shattering their dreams just days before classes began. This years application collapse is, in part, the rational response of their friends: after watching classmates spend months in limbo, many simply decided, I dont want to go through that. Advertisement Advertisement The economic consequences are enormous. International students contributed $55 billion to the U.S. economy in 202425, and supported 378,000 jobs. The impact flows well beyond northeastern elite universities. Twenty-five percent of the 47,000 students at The University of North Texas last year were international students. Twelve thousand residential graduate students were enrolled at Georgia Tech in the fall, representing a majority of its in person graduate program. The University of Central Missouri produces graduates in nursing, technology and manufacturing for the region near Kansas City. UCM saw a 62% decrease in graduate enrollment in the fall of 2025. If you have aging parents, like I do, how grateful are you for their foreign-born nurses and caregivers? HOW TO ERASE TRADE DEFICITS? EXPAND INTERNATIONAL EUCATION The stakes for our innovation economy are even greater. Forty percent of U.S. Nobel Prizes in science since 2000 were awarded to immigrants. At least 59 of the top 100 unicorns have a foreign-board founder. Many of the leaders who built the American economy we enjoy today arrived on student or other visas, including Microsofts Satya Nadella, Elon Musk, and Katalin Kariko, whose mRNA research won the Nobel Prize and made COVID vaccines possible. They didnt take from America. They built it. If policymakers want to erase trade deficits, they should expand, not contract, international education. Each year, we export more than $50 billion in educational services, roughly comparable to our exports of autos. Texas alone generates an estimated $2 billion annual educational trade surplus. Missouri, prior to the dramatic decline in 2025, ran an 8.3-to-1 ratio of incoming international students to outgoing study-abroad students. Advertisement Advertisement This seems like a pretty good trade for us: America exports educational services and imports founders. For todays potential applicants, the damage has been immediate and psychological. Young peoples social media feeds in India, Nigeria, and the Gulf states should be stuffed with glossy campus videos. Instead, algorithms fill their screens with clips of ICE detaining people that look like them. Layer on social media screening requirements, threats to revoke visas, and tough rhetoric, it is no surprise that students are telling each other, in group chats and on TikTok, that the United States feels more like a risk than an opportunity. A SELF-INFLICTED CRISIS WITH LONG-LASTING CONSEQUENCE Meanwhile, the demand for high-quality education has not disappeared; it has moved. Global graduate management applications grew 7 percent in 2025, but none of that growth is happening stateside. Domestic applications in India surged 25 percent, East and Southeast Asia jumped 42 percent, and European schools are reporting double-digit gains. Spain has launched a fast-track visa program to capture the students we are turning away. GMAC, in its report called The Great Rerouting of Global Business Talent, found that 40 percent of international candidates are now less likely to study in the United States, the highest figure ever recorded. This crisis is self-inflicted. Closing off these pathways will hurt U.S. competitiveness for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Americas edge has never come from being the only country with great universities. It has come from being the country that ambitious young people around the world believed would welcome them, educate them, and give them a fair shot to contribute. My own institution, American University, has a rich history with international students; today, they are CEOs, investors, and physicians and teachers in the United States. We want more international students, not fewer. My grandparents fled antisemitism in Poland and landed, poor and uneducated, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, an unlikely landing spot for Eastern European Jews. Each of their children went from Cheyenne Senior High School to college and build successful careers and families. International students arrive with skills, ambition, and grit; they give far more to this country than they take. Turning them away is a choice. And unless we change course, it is a choice that will make America poorer, less innovative, and less influential in the world for years to come. David Marchick serves as Dean of American Universitys Kogod School of Business and is a retired senior partner at the Carlyle Group. The post Commentary: Americas Best Trade Deal: Export Education, Import Founders. Its Sadly Ending appeared first on Poets&Quants. Mar. 18An Anchorage doctor and her husband, who prosecutors say orchestrated a lengthy, multimillion-dollar health care fraud scheme, were sentenced in federal court Tuesday after pleading guilty to fraud and tax evasion charges last year. A federal grand jury indicted Dr. Claribel Tan, 61, and 70-year-old Daniel Tan in 2024 after investigators uncovered what they described as a 15-year-long scam the duo operated from their Anchorage rheumatology clinic that netted them millions in unlawful earnings. The couple failed to pay taxes of more than $4 million on profits from the scheme, prosecutors said. The Tans each pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax evasion last November, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement "For well over a decade, Dr. Tan and her husband operated a fraud scheme and squirreled away millions of dollars at the expense of their patients, callously disregarding the medical needs of those suffering from debilitating diseases so they could become rich," Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, said in a prepared statement. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason sentenced Dr. Tan to 6.5 years in prison the full 78-month prison sentence prosecutors asked for, according to a March 13 sentencing memorandum followed by three years of supervised release, court records show. Dr. Tan sought a sentence between 33 and 41 months of house arrest to care for her ailing husband, according to a March 13 sentencing memorandum filed by her attorneys. Tan also surrendered her medical license, prosecutors said. Daniel Tan, who suffers from numerous serious health conditions, was sentenced to three years of probation, two of which are to be served under house arrest, according to court records and the statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alaska. Advertisement Advertisement Between 2009 and 2024, Tans received $12.5 million from health insurance reimbursements for thousands of medical injections they had not bought or administered to patients they were treating for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, prosecutors said. The Tans misled hundreds of patients, according to prosecutors, by injecting them with different medications than prescribed or expired medication doses, among other deceptions. Prosecutors are also seeking at least $16.7 million in restitution from the Tans, according to sentencing memos. Prosecutors have already seized $10.4 million in illegal proceeds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alaska. The Tans also submitted a $6.3 million payment on Tuesday to be applied to a final restitution amount, according to the statement. In addition, the couple has paid $1.8 million to settle civil health care fraud claims, prosecutors said. A restitution hearing is scheduled for May 6, according to court records. With rising labor and product costs as well as a customer base that is watching their spending more carefully, economic problems have also seeped into the automotive industry at every level. California-based off-road racing car manufacturer Alumicraft, auto parts giant Marelli Holdings Co., and auto parts company First Brands Group are some of the U.S. companies that filed for bankruptcy protection in the last year. In the United Kingdom, parking lot operator National Car Parks (NCP) has became the latest to file a notice expressing its intent to go into administration. The latter is a process similar to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., with the key difference being that administrators are given control of restructuring the business. National Car Parks, owner of 340 airport parking lots, will go into administration The NCP operates more than 340 parking facilities across the country, including ones at many major airports such as Heathrow, Manchester, and Birmingham. As first reported by local outlets, "shifts in commuting and customer driving patterns" led to its consistent failure to bring in the necessary revenue. Global audit company PricewaterhouseCoopers has been assigned as the administrator overseeing the case. Related: After Chapter 11 bankruptcy, airline makes surprising comeback While the statement released by the company promises that it will "engage with landlords" and "make changes to the business designed to improve the viability of as many of the sites as possible," the administration puts the future of the 680 people employed by NCP at risk, given its precarious position. The 800 parking sites, including airport lots, operating across the U.K. will stay open for the time being. Along with airports, NCP operates long-term parking lots at transit hubs such as the London Underground and National Rail system. National Car Parks operates parking facilities at airports in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, among other cities.Shutterstock Shutterstock "The company now has insufficient cash available to meet its financial obligations" "The Company's performance has deteriorated over a number of years post COVID-19 as demand for parking has not recovered to historic levels, particularly across city-centre and commuter locations," jointly appointed administrators Zelf Hussain, Rachael Wilkinson, and Toby Banfield said in a statement. "Continued shifts in commuting and customer driving patterns have impacted site occupancy, while the high concentration of long-term, inflexible leases has meant the Company has been unable to reduce costs in line with revenue or to exit loss-making sites, resulting in ongoing trading losses. An unmarked airplane was spotted in Fresno this past weekend circling the citys airport, at least the third such incident in a string of unusual appearances in the state of military-level aircraft. The Navy Boeing E-6B Mercury, nicknamed the Doomsday Plane, flew about 30 minutes Sunday in an unusually low level. It was not clear what the aircraft was doing. That type of plane typically provides airborne headquarters and communications for the U.S. Navy. The aircraft serves as a nuclear control platform and strategic command post. Videos show the white plane with glaring lights descending and taking off. The E-6B Mercury was spotted in Fresno making mock landings for two hours. The aircraft can remain airborne for up to 12 hours without refueling. Naval Air Systems Command In March 8, another E-6B Mercury was spotted in Fresno making mock landings for two hours. Two days later, a Boeing P-8 Poseidon, known as a submarine hunter, flew over Fresno as well, the California Post previously reported. Many residents heard the Poseidon before they saw it, according to FOX26, describing the aircraft as big, loud, and flying unusually low. Advertisement Advertisement The appearances come amid a leaked FBI memo of an unverified report that Iranian drones could attack California from a ship, but authorities have downplayed the memo. No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously said on X. The aircraft can remain airborne for up to 12 hours without refueling and is capable of refueling mid-flight to extend missions even longer. It is built to maintain global communications and operate even if ground command centers are disabled, essentially functioning as a mobile Pentagon in the sky. It is common for aircraft to conduct touch-and-go operations at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Vikkie Calderon, a spokesperson for the airport, told the LA Times. In addition to serving as a public-use airport, Fresnos geographical location, runway capabilities, and Instrument Landing Systems make it an optimal choice for a wide range of aircraft operations. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here! California Post App: Download here! Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here! A fire Sunday night critically injured an inmate at Indiana State Prison. The fire comes just days after 13 Investigates released a documentary revealing years of systemic failures to address widespread fire safety issues at the facility. According to the Indiana Department of Correction, the fire started around 9:30 p.m. The department said staff and the prison's on-site fire department, staffed by trained inmate firefighters, responded and put out the fire. Advertisement Advertisement 13News has learned a 43-year-old inmate went to the hospital in critical condition and is now being treated for serious burns. On Tuesday, IDOC told 13News the Indiana State Fire Marshal is helping with the investigation and that a cause has not yet been determined. The fire happened nine days after 13 Investigates released a documentary exposing how inmates burned alive while locked in their prison cells. The "Burned Alive" documentary detailed systemic problems, chronic inaction and a lack of accountability at Indiana State Prison. Josh Devine died in a fire in 2017, and Michael Smith died in a 2023 fire. Investigators ultimately determined both fires were electrical and started accidentally. For its investigation, 13News obtained chilling video and internal reports that have never been publicly released. Using those reports, the video of the fire that killed Smith, legal documents, interviews and thousands of pages of records obtained through dozens of open records requests, 13 Investigates assembled a detailed timeline of events leading up to the deadly fires. Advertisement Advertisement The documentary also exposes the egregious warning signs, ongoing problems and documented failures by IDOC and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security that preceded the fires and continue to put inmates at risk today. The investigation focused first on the the story of the fire in Devine's cell. According to court records, on the night of his fire, despite desperate screams for help from Devine and other inmates throughout the cellhouse, correctional officers at the prison did not begin to investigate the fire for nearly ten minutes. And when they did, the guards did not take keys to release Devine from his cell or fire extinguishers to put out the fire. Correctional officers also failed to release the prison's trained inmate firefighter brigade to respond to the fire until it was much too late. 13 Investigates discovered the 2017 fire was not an isolated incident, but rather a culmination of well-documented problems that date back more than 100 years. The investigation reveals the prison's long history of electrical fires, its failure to properly train staff in fire safety and procedure, its ability to avoid oversight and accountability, and years of inaction and indifference by prison administrators. The shortcomings contributed to another inmate, Michael Smith, burning alive in his Indiana State Prison cell just a few years later. You can watch the full documentary "Burned Alive" on WTHR+ and on the WTHR YouTube channel. A New York judge has come under fire for repeatedly declining to seal records for transgender people legally changing their names. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ + news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. New York State Supreme Court Justice James Walsh has, over the past two years, declined to seal records, including once for a 13-year-old, only to see appellate courts overrule his decision, according to the Times Union in Albany. Advertisement Advertisement The judge, who declined to speak on cases to the newspaper, in court proceedings offered reasoning that public interest concerns such as background checks and genealogy records outweighed fears of online harassment, work discrimination, or the risk of hate crimes. Related: Judge nixes Justice Department subpoena of telehealth trans health care provider Related: Federal court rejects Trump Justice Departments effort to access trans kids medical records An appellate judge, in a February decision overturning Walsh, noted the history of his rulings. We are once again confronted with the denial of a sealing request in a Civil Rights Law article 6 proceeding by the same Supreme Court justice predicated on amorphous public interest concerns, wrote Appellate Judge Eddie J. McShan in a ruling. Advertisement Advertisement The habit of denying privacy concerns for transgender New Yorkers drew media attention last year, when Them noted the Supreme Court Appellate Division, on the same day, overturned three rulings by Walsh denying record seals on name changes. In a customary case like this one, protecting the applicant from the threat of harm posed by an open court record of a name change proceeding necessarily takes priority over the publics ability to access that court record, wrote Appellate Justice Sharon A.M. Aarons in a decision at the time. Related: Conservative Supreme Court justices curb Californias effort to shield transgender students from forced outing Walsh did not deny requests to change the peoples names, but repeatedly declined to seal records from public scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Sealing of records happens automatically in New York for divorce proceedings, adoptions, and other legal matters involving the changing of legal names, but it must be requested when an individual elects to change their legal name for another purpose, such as gender transitioning. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Appeals court rebukes New York judge for repeatedly refusing to seal trans name change records RELATED LINCOLN A new amendment to the Nebraska state budget eliminates a $3.5 million bridge program to use state dollars to offset attendance costs at private K-12 schools, possibly ending the fight for the year. The latest amendment filed Wednesday to Legislative Bill 1071 by State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislatures budget-writing Appropriations Committee, leaves out the $3.5 million program and the extra $150,000 in associated administrative costs. State Sens. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, Tom Brandt of Plymouth, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Christy Armendariz of Omaha, from left, meet on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. March 10, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) An amendment to remove that funding failed in the full Legislature on a 23-17 vote last week. But State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth had pledged to fight again. Advertisement Advertisement Brandt and Clements each confirmed that leaving the provision in would leave the Legislature short of the necessary 33 votes to end second-round debate on the budget and move forward. Brandt and State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, both Republicans, promised to vote against the full budget if the funding remained. Nearly all Democratic senators were expected to do the same, though some for broader budget concerns. I didnt really want to go through another fight to pull it out and argue over it when I didnt have the votes if it stayed in, Clements said. The bulk of the funding is meant to help students currently attending private schools under voter-repealed state funding be able to still attend the school of their choice this fall, before a new federal tax credit comes online next year. Voters defeated a similar state law at the ballot in 2024, with 57% of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement If additional funding had been left after the bridge funding, public, private and home school students could have applied for scholarships through the Nebraska Department of Labor. The Appropriations Committee limited the new program to families earning up to 185% of the federal poverty level. For 2026, thats $40,034 for a family of two, or $61,050 for a family of four. Chairs amendment But this time, Appropriations did not vote on the funding, nor did the full Legislature. It was Clements alone, in a unilateral decision. Clements described the latest amendment as the chairs amendment, making the change as he couldnt get 33 solid yes votes for cloture, a procedural motion to end debate after a set amount of time. State Sens. Rob Dover of Norfolk, Christy Armendariz of Omaha and Dave Murman of Glenvil, from left, at a ceremonial signing of a state proclamation declaring National School Choice Week in Nebraska. Jan. 28, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The bill itself also needed at least 33 votes to become law. Advertisement Advertisement While the Clements amendment still needs 25 votes Thursday to take effect, it includes various other Appropriations proposals toward reaching a balanced budget. It is expected to pass. State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, a Democratic member of the Appropriations Committee, said some of her colleagues probably would have preferred to meet to fight for the program but understood Clements decision to remove it. His opposition would have given 5-4 votes to remove the program, a flip from the 5-4 vote to put it in, she noted. State Sens. Christy Armendariz of Omaha and Rob Dover of Norfolk were Appropriations members who had been among the staunchest supporters of the funding. Armendariz declined to comment, and Dover said he was sad it couldnt come back to the floor for a full vote. Dover said he would have preferred the committee weigh in. Advertisement Advertisement I do understand some of the dynamics behind it, he said. But I dont think that anyone in the Legislature would know for sure if the budget would have gone to cloture. It was not immediately clear whether lawmakers would fight to reinclude the funding Thursday, when debate on the budget bill resumes. Budget obstacle removed Democratic State Sens. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Wendy DeBoer of Omaha were considered two swing votes, who would cancel out Brandt and Riepe. But multiple senators said at least two other Republicans made the same pledge. Lauren Gage of Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, far left, speaks at a ceremonial signing of a state proclamation from Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen declaring National School Choice Week in Nebraska. Lawmakers in attendance were, behind Gage from left, State Sens. Dan Lonowski of Hastings, Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, Jared Storm of David City, Tony Sorrentino of the Elkhorn area, Christy Armendariz of Omaha, Dave Murman of Glenvil, Loren Lippincott of Central City, Rita Sanders of Bellevue, Rob Dover of Norfolk and Teresa Ibach of Sumner. Jan. 28, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Brandt said he communicated that status to Clements and Speaker John Arch of La Vista. Brandt said he was glad that they saw the wisdom of taking out the program, given the states budget deficit, totaling $646 million, while other cash funds and programs have been cut. Advertisement Advertisement For me, this was the only obstacle to voting for the budget on second round, Brandt said. I look forward to moving that ahead and keeping us on track. Of further comments, Clements said simply, Im sorry. He noted he has been a strong supporter of such programs and that thousands of families pay property taxes to local public schools, but their children dont receive that public service. I think it was a small amount to ask to give them some gap assistance for low-income families, Clements said. I thought it was a very reasonable request, but it couldnt get votes for cloture. Reactions to the decision Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen initially called for $7 million in funding and praised lawmakers for sustaining the reduced $3.5 million funding. His office had no immediate comment Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Lauren Gage of Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, a scholarship granting organization, spoke against the latest amendment. The organization formed in 2023 to route state tax credit savings to students under one school choice law and later partnered with the state for a direct appropriation law in 2024, a second program that replaced the first and was repealed by voters. If state senators adopt the budget amendment as-is, it will put the education of thousands of Nebraskas most vulnerable children and families at risk the very same type of children and families that will be served by the child care subsidy program, Gage said in a statement. Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association. July 17, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) That refers to the Appropriations Committees decision last week to fold in funding to extend income eligibility for the state child care subsidy program, also at 185% of the federal poverty line. Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, which has led opposition to such private school funding and voucher laws in recent years, was grateful for the change. Advertisement Advertisement Were thankful for the bipartisan group of senators who drew a firm line in the sand and were consistent in their stance that the budget could not move forward with vouchers in it, Royers said in a statement. We thank them for respecting the will of the voters on this important issue. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX March 17 (UPI) -- Diplomatic tensions between Argentina and Iran escalated after Iranian state media accused President Javier Milei of crossing an "unforgivable red line" by calling the Islamic Republic an enemy and reaffirming his strategic alignment with the United States and Israel. The warning appeared Monday in an editorial published by the Tehran Times, an English-language newspaper seen as reflecting the views of Iran's political and religious leadership. The article said Milei's government had become an "instrument" of Israel and the United States. "Milei's statements in recent months, especially after the illegal military aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, once again revealed a bitter and dangerous reality. The Argentine government has become an instrument of the Zionist regime and the United States to advance the project of Iranophobia," the editorial said, according to Argentine newspaper La Nacion. Advertisement Advertisement The piece, titled "Milei, Quo Vadis?" was published amid recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iranian targets. "Iran cannot remain indifferent to the hostile positions of the current Argentine government. It will have to design a proportionate response to this enmity. Argentina has officially presented itself as an enemy of Iran and has aligned itself with the United States and the Zionist regime in military aggression against our nation. This is an unforgivable red line that has been crossed," the article said. The dispute intensified after Milei spoke March 9 at Yeshiva University in New York. "Iran is our enemy. I do not like Iran. They planted two bombs on us: one at AMIA and another at the Israeli Embassy. Therefore, they are our enemies. In addition, I have a strategic alliance with the United States and Israel," Milei said. Advertisement Advertisement AMIA is the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina --the central Jewish community organization in Argentina and the site of the country's deadliest terrorist attack, the 1994 AMIA bombing that killed 85 people. It functions as a major social, cultural and community institution for Argentine Jews, and its name is now inseparable from the long, unresolved investigation into that attack. Milei also said he was "proud to be the most Zionist president in the world." The remarks came against the backdrop of two major terrorist attacks in Argentina that prosecutors have linked to Iran and Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Shiite political and militant group backed by Tehran and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries. Advertisement Advertisement On March 17, 1992, a bombing at the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires killed 29 people and injured more than 200. Two years later, a truck bomb destroyed the headquarters of AMIA, killing 85 people and injuring more than 300. Although no final convictions were secured due to the failure to extradite suspects, Argentine courts have blamed senior Iranian officials and Hezbollah for planning the attacks. Tensions rose again in 2026 when Iran appointed Ahmad Vahidi, one of the suspects accused by Argentine prosecutors of planning the AMIA bombing, as head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Argentina called the move an "unacceptable provocation." The Tehran Times editorial denied Iranian involvement in the 1992 and 1994 attacks, describing Argentine judicial findings as "false" and part of a decades-long Iranophobia campaign. Advertisement Advertisement The article accused Argentina of acting under foreign pressure and of becoming "the Israel of Latin America," alleging that local companies are participating in operations against Iran and financing military aggression. In Buenos Aires, officials reaffirmed their position during events marking the anniversary of the 1992 embassy bombing. "Thirty-four years after the attack against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, we reaffirm our commitment to justice and the fight against terrorism," Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno wrote on X. "We remember the 29 victims murdered on March 17, 1992, and honor all those affected. Clarifying this attack remains a nonnegotiable duty of our Nation, and the regime of Iran, responsible for its planning according to Argentine justice, must answer for its vile acts," the Argentine government said in a statement on its official X account. Advertisement Advertisement Amid tensions in the Middle East, Milei will again take part in a tribute marking the bombing of the Israeli Embassy. The event will be held at the site at which the diplomatic mission once stood and will carry the slogan "The first time is not forgotten," aimed at preserving the memory of the first terrorist attack in Argentina. Argentina has finalised its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), following in the footsteps of the United States and formally severing ties with the global health body. On Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pablo Quirno confirmed Argentinas withdrawal from the international agency, which monitors health trends, tracks disease, promotes healthcare access, and trains medical providers. The move was first announced in February last year, and a month later, Quirno explained that the government of right-wing President Javier Milei had issued a formal notice to the WHO. Advertisement Advertisement Today, Argentinas withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) takes effect, marking one year since the formal notification was made by our country, Quirno wrote in his social media post on Tuesday. Argentina will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, while fully preserving its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies. Mileis decision to pull Argentina out of the WHO echoes a similar decision made under his right-wing ally, US President Donald Trump. Both leaders have lashed out at international organisations that they accuse of advancing progressive policies in areas such as health and medicine. Advertisement Advertisement Last years announcement that Argentina would step back from the global health agency came roughly a month after Trump made a near-identical move. In a statement at the time, the libertarian Milei blasted the organisation for its health advice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures to limit the spread of the virus, such as masking, social distancing and vaccinations, became a common target of right-wing ire in countries around the world. In a social media post, Milei accused the WHO of being a nefarious organization that executed the greatest experiment in social control in history, referring to COVID safety measures. The WHO, however, is largely an advisory body, and it does not dictate policies to member states. Advertisement Advertisement As of Tuesday, the agency listed 194 members, including Argentina, on its website. The US formalised its withdrawal in January for similar reasons, a decision lamented by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Unfortunately, the reasons cited for the US decision to withdraw from WHO are untrue, Ghebreyesus said in a social media post at the time. The notification of withdrawal makes both the US and the world less safe. To see our latest updates on the Nancy Guthrie case, please click here. The Arizona sheriff leading the Nancy Guthrie investigation is being called to be removed from office over misrepresentation of his career as the search for the missing 84-year-old intensifies. A recall petition calling for Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos to be ousted from his position has been circulating the town, as first reported by the Arizona Republic. Advertisement Advertisement Tucson Republican Daniel Butierez, who is running in Arizona's 7th Congressional District, is going around attempting to collect signatures for a recall of the sheriff. "I'm looking for people to help us out, get involved, go out, get signatures, you can have Democrats, independents, Republicans, sign these as long as they live within Pima County. Help us get these done, get these signed, and let's get the sheriff out of office and get someone in there that we can feel confident in," he explained in a Facebook video. The Arizona sheriff leading the Nancy Guthrie investigation is being called to be removed from office over misrepresentation of his career as the search for the missing 84-year-old intensifies. (savannahguthrie/Instagram) The potential recall comes after Nanos failed to reveal details about the beginning of his career, within a sworn deposition in December, during which he was asked whether he had ever been suspended, to which he replied, "no." However, it was later revealed that he was suspended eight times during the early days of his career. Advertisement Advertisement The Pima County Sheriff's Department previously attempted to ease concerns by issuing a media update that addressed furious backlash over "errors" that were identified in Nanos' online biography, insisting that these were simply "clerical" mistakes. "The Pima County Sheriff's Department recently identified two clerical errors in Sheriff Nanos' publicly posted resume," the statement read. "Both date discrepancies were administrative in nature and were not intended to mislead or misrepresent Sheriff Nanos' work history." According to the department's spokesperson, the errors identified related to the dates listed for Nanos' professional achievements. The lack of clarity surrounding his work history is set to be discussed when the county's Board of Supervisors meets on March 24. Advertisement Advertisement Pima County Supervisor Matt Heinz made his opinions on Nanos clear, telling the Republic, "When you see something this troubling and serious going on with one of the county officeholders, it's very, very important for us to investigate as fully as possible and to find out more information." He added, "This man has been living a fraud for the past 43 years in Pima County. I would like to see him removed." Realtor.com reached out to Butierez, Heinz, and the Pima County Sheriff's Department for comment. Nanos' career has been thrust into the spotlight since the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, AZ, home on Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement The Arizona sheriff leading Nancy's kidnapping case previously admitted that he believes the 84-year-old was "targeted," warning that the suspect will "absolutely" attack again. A recall petition calling for Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos to be ousted from his position has been circulating the town, as first reported by The Arizona Republic. (CNN) Tucson Republican Daniel Butierez, who is running in Arizona's 7th Congressional District, is going around attempting to collect signatures for a recall of the sheriff. (Facebook) Nanos previously opened up about the motives of the suspect who kidnapped the mother of the "Today" co-host from her Tucson, AZ, home Feb. 1. While speaking to NBC News, Nanos revealed, "We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted, but we, we cant, were not 100% sure of that." He noted that while he didn't want to alarm the public, he also wanted to ensure they were staying safe. Advertisement Advertisement "So itd be silly to tell people, Yeah, dont worry about it. Youre, youre not his target. Dont think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, youre safe. No, keep your wits about you," he explained. Nanos refused to provide any further details on the case of the missing 84-year-old. Anyone with any information about Nancy Guthrie's case should call 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME, or visit https://tips.fbi.gov/. Authorities have continued to search the area around Nancy's home, while also conducting additional interviews with her fellow residents in the local community. Advertisement Advertisement On March 9, it was revealed that local police in the Tucson area were examining a damaged utility box at a property near Nancy's home. Officials believe this could be related to an internet outage that was reported in the early hours of Feb. 1, the day that she disappeared. The potential recall comes after Nanos failed to reveal details about the beginning of his career, within a sworn deposition in December, during which he was asked whether he had ever been suspended, to which he replied, "no." (Getty Images) Nanos previously opened up about the motives of the suspect who kidnapped the mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, from her Tucson, AZ, home Feb. 1. (Getty Images) Meanwhile, Savannah has returned to her home in New York City, where she lives with her husband, Michael Feldman, and their two children, Charley and Vale. Savannah, 54, was pictured paying an emotional visit to the "Today" studios on March 5, when she was pictured being embraced by her colleagues and co-stars, including Hoda Kotb, who has been filling in for her on-air since Nancy was first reported missing. A spokesperson for NBC confirmed at the time that Savannah does fully intend to return to her hosting duties on the morning showbut did not indicate when this will happen, noting that the mother of two is focused fully on the search for her missing mom. Advertisement Advertisement "Savannah Guthrie stopped by the studio this morning to be with and thank her 'Today' colleagues," the spokesperson said. "While she plans to return to the show on air, she remains focused right now supporting her family and working to help bring Nancy home." What is the full timeline of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance? Pima County Sheriff Nanos noted during a media briefing on Feb. 5 that, while times are approximate, his team has pieced together several pieces of evidence that indicate Nancy's movementsand the timeline of her apparent abduction. Nancy, 84, was reported missing at around 12 p.m. local time on Feb. 1, around 14 hours after she was dropped off at the property following a family dinner. When she failed to turn up at her usual church gathering on Sunday, her friends alerted her family, who found her home was empty. SATURDAY, JAN. 31 5:32 p.m. Nancy travels to Annie's house in an Uber for "dinner and playing games with the family." Advertisement Advertisement 9:48 p.m. A garage door at Nancy's house opens when she was dropped off at the property by her daughter. 9:50 p.m. The garage door closes, indicating that Nancy was inside the home. SUNDAY, FEB. 1 1:47 a.m. Nancy's doorbell security camera is disconnected. 2:12 a.m. Movement is detected on a security camera at the home. No footage of this is currently available. 2:28 a.m. Nancy's pacemaker app indicates that the device has been disconnected from her phone. 11:00 a.m. Nancy fails to arrive at the home of a friend, where she had been due to watch a church service livestream. Advertisement Advertisement 11:56 a.m. Nancy's family travels to her home to check on her and finds the property empty. 12:03 p.m. The family calls 911 to report Nancy missing. 12:14 p.m. Police officers arrive at Nancy's home. Amid the ongoing search for Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, the future of the Arizona sheriff leading the investigation is in question. A recall petition is being circulated against Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos in light of outrage over the misrepresentation of his work history in a sworn deposition, according to reporting from the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. Daniel Butierez, a Tucson Republican running in Arizona's deep-blue 7th Congressional District, is currently collecting signatures for a potential recall of Nanos. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm looking for people to help us out, get involved, go out, get signatures, you can have Democrats, independents, Republicans, sign these as long as they live within Pima County," he said in a Facebook video. "Help us get these done, get these signed, and let's get the sheriff out of office and get someone in there that we can feel confident in." Court records show Nanos, who is serving a second elected term as the top law enforcement officer for Pima County, also misrepresented his early work history on his public resume. His work history will be up for discussion when the county's Board of Supervisors meets on March 24. When you see something this troubling and serious going on with one of the county officeholders, it's very, very important for us to investigate as fully as possible and to find out more information, Pima County Supervisor Matt Heinz, a fellow Democrat, told the Republic in a telephone interview. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media on Feb. 3, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona, answering questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie. What did Sheriff Chris Nanos misrepresent? During a December sworn deposition, Sheriff Nanos was asked whether he had ever been suspended during his career in law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Nanos answered "no," although El Paso Police Department employment records show he was suspended eight separate times as a young police officer. "This man has been living a fraud for the past 43 years in Pima County," Heinz said. "I would like to see him removed." Heinz's agenda item for the March 24 meeting is a starting point for discussion, he said. The supervisor and his team met with outside counsel to discuss how to handle the Nanos issue on Monday, March 16, he said. The supervisors are set to meet at the Pima County Administration Building in Tucson, Arizona, at 9 a.m. local time March 24, though a public agenda was not yet available as of March 16. Nanos was suspended for 37 days as young officer in El Paso Nanos resigned in lieu of termination from El Paso police after facing discipline for excessive force, a shot fired, off-duty gambling and other issues, according to public documents. He was suspended or placed on leave without pay for a cumulative 37 days, records show. Advertisement Advertisement He also misstated his departure date from El Paso police on a public resume posted to the Pima County Sheriff's Department website. Nanos revised the document, which said he left El Paso in 1984, on March 10 to reflect that he resigned in 1982. Nanos had been a rising star at the El Paso Police Department and won an officer of the year award for saving his partner's life in a 1979 incident. However, records show that his disciplinary problems caught up to him by the early 1980s. The sheriff initially brushed off questions about the deposition and his public resume. When a Republic reporter asked Nanos for comments, he sent flippant emails saying "good luck with your hit piece" and "ignore her." Today show host Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance. Gifts, signs and tokens of support line the curb outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills on March 11, 2026. Gifts, signs and tokens of support line the curb outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills on March 11, 2026. Gifts, signs and tokens of support line the curb outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills on March 11, 2026. Catalina Ochoa visits a memorial for Nancy Guthrie in front of the KVOA news station on March 3, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. One month after Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, went missing, law enforcement officials continue to analyze evidence from the crime scene and follow leads and tips from the public. Catalina Ochoa visits a memorial for Nancy Guthrie in front of the KVOA news station on March 3, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. One month after Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, went missing, law enforcement officials continue to analyze evidence from the crime scene and follow leads and tips from the public. A Pima County Sheriff vehicle sits in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's home on Feb. 26, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. A photograph of Nancy Guthrie is seen on a sign that people can leave messages on Feb. 26, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. A person prepares to repair a leaking irrigation system next to the front door of Nancy Guthrie's home on Feb. 26, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. A Pima County Sheriff deputy watches as workers place "No Trespassing" signs around the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 24, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Savannah Guthrie announced a $1 million reward for anyone who helps find her mother. Armelinda Valenzuela is hugged after she sang and prayed in front of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 25, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Valenzuela said, "Her heart breaks for the Guthrie family." Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Catherine Lopez carries a backpack she found in a culvert, while joining other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Lopez was able to give the backpack to Pima County Sheriff deputies. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Lisa Pollak (R) joins other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Jamie Messick walks through a culvert as he joins other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Media outlets set up across the road from Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 19, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. An anonymous donor contributed $100,000 to the total reward offered in the Nancy Guthrie case, bringing it to over $200,000. Two AI-generated images with the likeness of Nancy Guthrie sit in a memorial near her residence on Feb. 19, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. An anonymous donor contributed $100,000 to the total reward offered in the Nancy Guthrie case, bringing it to over $200,000. A sign sits in a memorial setup outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 18, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. A Pima County Sheriff's vehicle sits in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 18, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Jeannie Maggard visits a memorial setup next to the driveway of the residence of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 18, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Alex Stone (ABC News) reports live outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 16, 2026. A Pima County Sheriff looks on after escorting a person off Nancy Guthrie's property on Feb. 16, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. The search enters its 3rd week with law enforcement officials claiming to have found several items of evidence, but having made no arrests. The FBI and Pima County SheriffOs Department deputies process evidence from a late-model, gray Range Rover as they investigate the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, at a CulverOs in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 13, 2026. A sign in support of the Guthrie family stands next to several bouquets of flowers left outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson on Feb. 12, 2026. Members of the Reed family pay their respects at a makeshift memorial outside of the residence of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 16, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. The search continues for Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on February 1. Law enforcement officials say they have found several items of evidence, but have made no arrests. A backpack sits in this handout image, part of new visuals the FBI released regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. A well-wisher leaves a note and handmade flowers outside of Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026 Jennifer Bond signs a banner that reads "Bring her home" and shows a photo of Nancy Guthrie, U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's abducted elderly mother, at the KVOA newsroom, where Savannah worked earlier in her career, in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026 News broadcasters are stationed outside Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb.12, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials have claimed to have found several items of evidence as searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Yellow bows are tied to trees on the street of Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026. Members of the media follow investigators as they search the edges of Nancy Guthrie's street in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 11, 2026. A member of the FBI surveils the area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 11, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Residents deliver flowers to a makeshift memorial at the entrance to Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 11, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continues for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Investigators canvass Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Investigators canvass Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continues for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. An investigator canvasses Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie speaks in a video message, thanking supporters and asking for help in locating her elderly mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home several days ago, in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released Feb. 9, 2026. Broadcast journalists report live outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, accompanied by her siblings Annie and Camron, speaks in a video message, addressing that they are willing to pay for the release of their elderly mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home several days ago, in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released February 7, 2026. A Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy on Feb. 10, 2026, patrols the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Live-streamers, journalists and a Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy gather at the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. A sign and other objects showing support from neighbors is posted at the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie is missing, and Arizona officials say they are investigating her disappearance as a "crime." "Today" show cohost Savannah Guthrie, accompanied by her siblings Annie and Camron Guthrie, speaks in a video message addressing a possible kidnapper who might be holding her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released Feb. 4, 2026. Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, U.S. February 5, 2026. The Pima County Sheriff's Office in Arizona received a 911 call reporting Nancy Guthrie missing from her home outside Tucson around noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 1. Investigators showed renewed interest at the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 4, 2026, stringing up crime scene tape for a time in the late afternoon. They removed it shortly before 6 p.m. Guthrie had been missing since Jan. 31, 2026, with investigators saying she had been taken from her home northeast of Tucson. Guthrie is the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie. Investigators showed renewed interest at the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 4, 2026, stringing up crime scene tape for a time in the late afternoon. They removed it shortly before 6 p.m. Guthrie had been missing since Jan. 31, 2026, with investigators saying she had been taken from her home northeast of Tucson. Guthrie is the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. She was reported missing from her home in a community just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Media broadcasts as private security stands guard in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 4, 2026. The front of the home of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 3, 2026. Nancy Guthrie was abducted from the home some time after about 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. She was reported missing after not attending church the next morning, the Sheriff's Department said. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 2, 2026. Television media set up at the house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie's mother, on Feb. 3, 2026, in Catalina, Ariz. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, is pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, on "Today with Hoda & Jenna. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, U.S. February 5, 2026. Savannah Guthrie and her mom Nancy together through the years 1 of 63 Today show host Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance. Search for Nancy Guthrie continues Pima County is home to more than 1 million people and has been put in the national spotlight after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of the "Today" anchor. Advertisement Advertisement The 84-year-old was last seen on Jan. 31 and was presumably abducted in the early hours of Feb. 1 by a suspect shown in doorbell camera footage. More than a month after Nancy Guthrie's suspected abduction, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a Friday, March 13, update that investigators continue to analyze evidence, including "material from laboratories as well as images and videos captured by camera." On a March 12 episode of "NBC Nightly News," Nanos said authorities believe they know why the suspect kidnapped Guthrie but did not share the theory. "Don't think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you're safe. No, keep your wits about you," he told NBC correspondent Liz Kreutz. "From day one, we had some strong beliefs about what happened, and those beliefs haven't diminished." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sheriff Chris Nanos faces recall efforts amid Nancy Guthrie search This story was originally published on K-12 Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily K-12 Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Six Arkansas districts will not have to comply with a state law requiring all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments following a district court judge's ruling that "nothing could possibly justify" the requirement. In a strongly worded ruling on Monday, the judge said "the only reason to display a sacred, religious text in every classroom is to proselytize to children. The State has said the quiet part out loud. The decision follows two district court rulings last year in Texas and Louisiana that temporarily blocked the Ten Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, however, reversed Louisianas injunction in February. Dive Insight: Arkansas Act 573, passed in 2025, requires public schools to prominently display the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place in all classrooms and libraries. Advertisement Advertisement However, 13 parents sued Arkansas' Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Siloam Springs, Conway, and Lakeside School Districts before the law took effect. The parents argued that the requirements violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and burden their religious practice under the Free Exercise Clause. Prior to the Arkansas law's enactment, Louisiana in 2024 became the first state to approve a law mandating that public schools display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Texas passed a similar law in 2025. While district courts in all three states have ruled against the laws,the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February reversed the Louisiana pause in a rehearing of the case. The appellate court said it was too early to decide whether the displays violated the First Amendment. The 5th Circuit also heard the Texas lawsuit alongside Louisiana's in January, but has not yet announced decision in that case. Advertisement Advertisement In the Louisiana case, the 5th Circuit said that because the lower court paused the law before it was implemented, the context in which school districts would display the Ten Commandments is unknown. The 5th Circuit panel said Ten Commandments displays could, for example, have accompanying materials that teachers could reference during instruction. The statute allows additional content such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance to be displayed alongside the Ten Commandments, the judges said. However, Monday's decision penned by Judge Timothy Brooks, for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas' Fayetteville Division, veered from that stance. Nothing could possibly justify hanging the Ten Commandments with or without historical context in a calculus, chemistry, French, or woodworking class, to name a few," Brooks said. "And the words curriculum, school board, teacher, or educate dont appear anywhere in Act 573. Accordingly, there is no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated by Act 573. One doesnt exist. Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she intends to appeal the ruling, in a statement reported by local media. In Arkansas, we do in fact believe that murder is wrong and stealing is bad, Sanders said in the reported statement. It is entirely appropriate to display the Ten Commandments the basis of all Western law and morality as a reminder to students, state employees, and every Arkansan who enters a government building, and I look forward to appealing this suit and defending our states values. Arkansas is under the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Recommended Reading Mastercard has agreed to acquire BVNK, a stablecoin payments infrastructure provider, in a deal valued at up to $1.8bn. The payments group said the transaction is intended to widen its end-to-end capabilities in digital assets and the movement of value across different currencies, payment rails and geographies. BVNK provides stablecoin payments infrastructure via a single API that links banks with blockchain networks. Through the platform, businesses can send, receive, convert and hold stablecoins and fiat currencies across multiple payment systems and blockchains. In a press statement, Mastercard said BVNK has built deep expertise and industry-leading infrastructure since launching in 2021, aimed at connecting fiat money with stablecoins. Mastercard added that BVNKs platform currently supports customers sending and receiving payments across major blockchain networks in more than 130 countries. It said the technology connects traditional financial systems with decentralised rails, which it described as an important component for emerging payment models. The purchase price includes $300m tied to contingent payments, and the parties expect the deal to complete before the end of 2026. Mastercard has not said whether the acquisition will be funded with cash or stock. The agreement comes after previous talks between BVNK and Coinbase Global on a potential $2bn transaction did not proceed. Mastercard chief product officer Jorn Lambert said: This acquisition reinforces what we have always done, using innovation and technology to power economies and empower people. Adding on-chain rails to our network will support speed and programmability for virtually every type of transaction. BVNK co-founder and CEO Jesse Hemson-Struthers said: This deal brings together complementary capabilities to define and deliver the future of money. Together, were able to deliver an unprecedented infrastructure for digital currency-based financial services. "Mastercard to buy BVNK in $1.8bn deal" was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. Austria wants to temporarily reduce its fuel tax to lessen the pressure on petrol prices. In a first step, the tax on diesel and petrol is to be reduced by 5 cents (5.8 US cents) per litre, the federal government announced in Vienna on Wedenesday. In addition, the possibility will be created to temporarily freeze profit margins along the supply chain. "The state must not become a crisis profiteer," said Chancellor Christian Stocker, alluding to the fact that higher petrol prices lead to higher state revenue. Advertisement Advertisement The petrol tax in Austria is already lower than in neighbouring Germany. As a result, petrol is generally around 20 to 25 cents cheaper per litre. According to the OAMTC motor club, the fuel tax in Austria is currently 39.7 cents for a litre of diesel and 48.2 cents for a litre of petrol. Price increases at petrol stations in Austria are only permitted three times a week, at least until mid-April. Prices can be lowered at any time. Overall, the price of petrol per litre in Austria could ultimately fall by up to 10 cents per litre as a result of the new measures, according to Stocker. "We are limiting the profit margins of refineries and petrol stations," said Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler. Advertisement Advertisement The recent sharp rise in prices as a result of the Iran war should not lead to a weakening of purchasing power and competitiveness, he said. The measures would come into force from April 1 at the latest, and would be limited to the current year. The package is expected to be put before parliament next week, and will require a two-thirds majority in order to come into effect. As New Mexicans weighed in on two natural gas-powered microgrids set to fuel the massive data center campus Project Jupiter, partners and allies of the project have been pushing to change hearts and minds. Americans are split on data centers but seem to be getting more skeptical amid concerns about pollution, water consumption and electricity costs. Communities around the nation have lobbied in some cases, successfully against data centers setting up shop. A February poll found only 28% of Americans would support a data center in their community and 52% would oppose it, a drop in support from last year. As President Donald Trump put it recently, Data centers ... they need some PR help. Advertisement Advertisement Concerns about the data center complex planned in Santa Teresa have largely focused on the speedy approval of $165 billion in industrial revenue bonds and on the projected emissions associated with the natural gas power source. A Texas transmission company recently submitted an application to build an 18-mile, $60 million natural gas pipeline in Dona Ana County to service the new campus. At the same time, Project Jupiter has been trying to make inroads in the community. In January, company officials announced a $1.5 million donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces, and in February funded a trip for Gadsden Independent School District students to the state Capitol to advocate for funding for their dual-language program. In a news release, Boys and Girls Club officials said the donation brought them close to the funds needed to build a new facility to triple the amount of kids they can serve a project decades in the works. This contribution is among the first made by Project Jupiter based on its commitment to the community, said Dona Ana County Commissioner Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez in a Jan. 6 release. Advertisement Advertisement But theyre also aiming to shape opinions beyond Southern New Mexico, with mailers and digital ads, including some on TV streaming services, that have been reaching people in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Retired Santa Fe utility attorney Bruce Throne said with the exception of a planned but ultimately failed merger between energy company Avangrid and Public Service Company of New Mexico, he hasnt seen a statewide campaign like this one. Ive never seen this before for a project like this, Throne said. I thought to myself, well theyve already got the legislative basis for this. Why are they doing all this stuff now? Project Jupiter campaign Advertisement Advertisement During the public comment period, a group known as Elevate New Mexico sent mailers all over the state touting the projects benefits of job creation and private investments in county water systems and local schools. They urged people to voice their support for the air quality permit applications for the microgrids set to power the hyperscale data center campus. We have a real chance to shape growth that works for New Mexico strengthening the basic infrastructure we depend on and creating opportunity that lasts, one of the mailers said. And we can do it while maintaining the values that make this place home. The LLC was formed Jan. 13, 2026 just a few weeks before the public comment period opened according to filings with the Virginia Secretary of State. The return address on the mailers also lists a Virginia address. But its unclear who actually owns the fledgling company the filings only include the name of a registered agent company headquartered in Spokane, Wash. or how much its spending on the campaign. A request for additional information from the registered agent company was not returned. Advertisement Advertisement Questions to BorderPlex Digital Assets, the developer of Project Jupiter, did not receive a response. A spokesperson for the state Environment Department wrote in an email that permit applications for the microgrids received roughly 5,200 individual comments. The department has yet to decide whether to hold a public hearing on the applications. Annie Ersinghaus, a Las Cruces-based filmmaker and member of Fight Chihuahuan Desert Extraction, said she didnt receive a mailer but had friends who did. Ersinghaus, a critic of Project Jupiter, believes the mailers might have come in response to efforts from her organization and others to solicit comments in opposition to the air quality permits currently in front of the Environment Department. Ersinghaus isnt sure whether the campaign will have an impact on Las Cruces residents. But she said it could sway people unfamiliar with the development. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of people, surprisingly, who still dont know [about Project Jupiter], Ersinghaus said. Due to the technical nature of utilities and permitting, Throne said hes not convinced the mailers will convince many people to submit supportive comments. Regardless of the content, he added, the value of public comment is to determine if any apply to the legal test required for permit approval its not a popularity contest. At the end of the day, the Environment Department doesnt decide stuff based on the weight of public comment, Throne said. Faltering projects The number of canceled and delayed data center projects has been increasing, said Miquel Vila, a New York-based analyst with Data Center Watch, a nonpartisan project from artificial intelligence safety firm 10a Labs. Advertisement Advertisement In just a three-month period last year, Data Center Watch, which tracks opposition to data center projects, found 25 had been delayed or canceled. At the same time, the number of signatures for petitions opposing data centers skyrocketed and the number of grassroots groups challenging developers roughly doubled, Vila said. Pushback doesnt necessarily mean a project will be blocked, and local opposition isnt the only reason a project might be delayed or canceled. Supply-chain issues and challenges accessing land or power can also stymie development. But Vila said for the cases Data Center Watch lists, pushback appears to be at least a factor in the decision. This is a trend that is getting bigger in all senses, Vila said. Also, we began to see translation into politics and policymaking ... like in the past election. Advertisement Advertisement Opposition typically centers on environmental concerns like water use, transparency and questions about regulatory authority, Vila said. In some cases, developers have been successful at quelling concerns, Vila said, by making changes to the project scale or design or offering additional investment into the local infrastructure and job market. Some concerns are easier to address than others, however. If a rural community fears changes to its culture, for instance, Vila said thats harder to reach a compromise on. Theres not a one-size fits all approach for developers to address concerns, Vila said. When there is communication, usually things go better, Vila said. And then it depends on the community, what can be done. Advertisement Advertisement Vila said some companies are trying to navigate pushback, generate better press and improve engagement with communities, including a handful of hyperscale data centers that have offered to take on utility costs. But he said it remains to be seen how some of those efforts will play out. This is a cost-and-benefit discussion in most cases. ... The essence of the discussion is who pays for that cost, and who gets the benefit. Why New Mexico? Reilly White, a professor of finance at the University of New Mexico, said data center developers are typically seeking two things: land and affordable power. New Mexico has those in spades, White said, making the state attractive for developments like Project Jupiter. Advertisement Advertisement The risk is that some areas of the state might not have sufficient resources like water and energy infrastructure. These facilities are very power hungry, White said. They can require up to a gigawatt of electricity, and thats a huge load for regional utilities. Thats an issue we have to grapple with. Rural economic development is incredibly important, White said, but tricky, and data centers may not be a silver bullet. The facilities can bring high-paying jobs and long-term tax benefits, but White stresses one data center alone isnt going to revitalize a region. An economic ecosystem needs to be built around a data center to ensure people stay or move into an area. Initially, Project Jupiter developers estimated the campus would create roughly 700 permanent, full-time jobs, with annual salaries between $75,000 and $110,000, well above the median household income in Dona Ana County. Officials recently bumped up those estimates, announcing in January they believed the project could support more than 1,500 jobs on-site or in the county. Those are real jobs ... and for everybody working at those facilities, I dont want to understate, it can be career-changing in those areas, White said. But it isnt the order of magnitude that you need. Hes not expecting pushback on data centers to go away, given the potential strains on natural resources and relatively small permanent job creation. A solution could be community benefit agreements to ensure both parties are getting something out of the agreement. Theres no saying how long this will last this way, White said. A lot of our economic focus has been building this infrastructure-heavy investment, [and] we do not know if this is going to be a three-year thing, a 10-year thing, or what its going to be. Video above: News 5 Now Top Stories from March 18, 2026 BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) The Baldwin County Commission and the City of Loxley are working together to build a new road that will connect U.S. 31 to Alabama 59, according to local officials. Theodore woman charged with murder, aggravated child abuse According to a Baldwin County news release, the $16.3 million project is a 30 Cubed Roadway Project and will extend and connect existing roadway, creating a continuous route from Bedrock Boulevard near Spanish Fort to Alabama Highway 59 in Loxley. Advertisement Advertisement The project includes a 480-foot bridge over Fish River. A new connector road is proposed between U.S. Highway 31 and Alabama Highway 59 in Loxley. (Photo courtesy of the Baldwin County Commission) While portions of this route already exist, this project represents the critical link that will fully connect these two major roadways, significantly improving travel efficiency across this area of Baldwin County, the release said. Loxley City Engineer Greg Smith said the project will not only make it easier and faster to get across that part of the county, but it will also help with traffic. Once completed, this project will help relieve congestion on U.S. 31 and provide residents in the area with another option to access Highway 59, Smith said. This project has clear regional benefits, and we appreciate the Baldwin County Commissions partnership in helping bring it to completion. Advertisement Advertisement The 30 Cubed program is an initiative to improve transportation capacity and connectivity throughout the county with projects that are expected to be under contract or completed by 2030. The projects are joint projects between Baldwin County and municipalities within the county. For this specific project, the Baldwin County Commission and the City of Loxley will split the costs equally, including the cost of design, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, permitting, construction, engineering, and inspections. Loxley will oversee the design and construction process, and once complete, the city will maintain portions of the road that are located within the city limits. Basil, a Basset Hound/Retriever mix in Mobile, needs a forever home Advertisement Advertisement The project is expected to take approximately 36 months. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The Rev. Dr. Robert Turner began a 40-mile march for justice at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Warren County, calling the journey to the State Capitol in Raleigh both symbolic and necessary. By midday, Turner had already covered about 20 miles, walking along U.S. 1 through Youngsville and toward Wake Forest, holding a sign that reads "Reparations Now." "I'm cold. My feet are exhausted. I've been up since 3 o'clock," he said during a brief stop. Advertisement Advertisement Around 9:30 p.m., Thompson reached his destination in Raleigh. The Rev. Robert Turner reaches the end of a 40-mile march from Warren County to the State Capitol in Raleigh on Tuesday night. Turner said each step is intentional, rooted in a long history of injustice. "What happened here in 1982 was never repaired for. What happened in 1619 is still not repaired. What happened during Jim Crow is still not repaired," he said. The 42-year-old Baltimore pastor acknowledged that he did not train for the grueling distance, but said adrenaline and a deep sense of purpose are carrying him forward. He began the march at a historic marker commemorating the 1982 PCB protests, when Black residents in Warren County opposed the state's decision to place a toxic waste landfill in their community. The landfill was ultimately built, contaminating the area and helping spark what is widely recognized as the environmental justice movement. Advertisement Advertisement Turner argued that the effects are still being felt. "There's a lack of health care, lack of transportation to get to jobs, and continued disinvestment in rural Black communities," he said. "It's not too late to make it right." Turner has made similar symbolic marches before, including multiple 40-mile walks from Baltimore to the White House, echoing the unfulfilled promise of "40 acres and a mule" issued at the end of the Civil War by Union General William T. Sherman. He was not entirely alone on this journey. Raleigh pastor the Rev. Larry McDonald of St. Paul AME Church walked alongside him for part of the route, while others, including Associate Minister Bill Kearney, followed in cars to provide support and raise awareness. Advertisement Advertisement "My role has been to meet him, support him along the walk, and help people understand what's happening today," Kearney said. Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App Turner said the response from the public has been unexpectedly positive. Drivers have honked in support, and some have even stopped to check on him. "A White gentleman pulled over to see if I needed a ride. A police officer did the same," Turner said. "I was pleasantly surprised because I've experienced the worst. I thought I was going to get the worst," he said. Turner, a mentee of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, said that he is continuing that legacy following Jackson's recent death. Advertisement Advertisement "My heart still aches for the family, but his work will never die as long as I'm alive," Turner said. "I will continue to advocate in his memory." Turner said the march was part of a broader effort to raise awareness nationwide, with plans to continue into Virginia next month. SOUTHAVEN, Miss. Over the last three years, Devan Jenkins has watched the trees around her family home give way to industrial development. Directly in front of her property along the Mississippi-Tennessee border sits a tangle of massive power lines, an extension of the electrical grid operated by Memphis Light, Gas and Water. At the end of her street, a few hundred yards away from her bedroom, sprawls Colossus 2, the second data center built by Elon Musks company xAI to power his controversial AI chatbot, Grok. Advertisement Advertisement And less than two miles across the state line in Southaven, Mississippi, is an xAI-owned energy plant with over two-dozen towering gas turbines. The arrival of the turbines last summer has disrupted daily life on Jenkins property, adding a deep, persistent drone that seeps through walls and windows and permeates the house she shares with her grandparents. The sound continues through the day and often intensifies at night, she explained, making it hard to think clearly and even harder to fall asleep. You can feel it rattling your eardrums, said Jenkins. It makes you feel like youre going insane. Jenkins is one of many area residents who oppose xAIs growing presence in their backyards, fearing what its operations could mean for their health and the surrounding environment. At a public hearing in Southaven last month, hundreds of community members and allies denounced the companys practices, accusing it of violating federal law and recklessly endangering public safety. Advertisement Advertisement The hearing centered on a then-proposed permit allowing an xAI subsidiary to install over 40 permanent gas turbines at its Southaven plant. Those machines would replace 27 temporary turbines that have operated without permits for the better part of a year. Though the plan drew unanimous opposition at the Southaven public hearing, some residents worried that xAI would still get its way. Angie Davis delivers a statement at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality public hearing held on Feb. 17, 2026, in Southaven, Mississippi. Her daughter and granddaughter live near an energy plant acquired by xAI, and she worries the installation of permanent gas turbines at the facility will put their health at risk. (Mississippi Free Press / Illan Ireland) It seems to me that we are being very thoroughly thrown under the bus, said Angie Davis, a former choir director who moved from Memphis to Southaven three decades ago. Her daughter and granddaughter live in the neighborhood next to the unpermitted gas turbines, and she believes the location of the engines and xAIs broader incursion into Southaven was no accident. I dont think it would have been done if the powers that be thought we could fight back. A Familiar Pattern xAIs activities in Memphis and subsequent push into Mississippi have been contentious, even by data center standards. To get its inaugural data center, Colossus 1, up and running as swiftly as possible, the company relied on unpermitted combustion turbines powered by methane gas, installing as many as 35 of the machines in Memphis Boxtown neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement The move sparked widespread backlash and sustained protest from residents, leading xAI to obtain permits for some of those turbines last summer. xAI has followed the same blueprint for Colossus 2 in Memphis Whitehaven neighborhood, placing up to 27 unpermitted turbines at a nearby facility in Southaven and using them to meet the data centers energy needs while construction is ongoing. The company plans to build a third data center in Southaven in the coming months but has yet to reveal how the facility will be powered. In addition to being noisy, methane gas turbines emit an array of harmful air pollutants, including highly reactive gases known as nitrogen oxides that contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. They also release particulate matter a mix of airborne particles and droplets found to worsen asthma and other chronic conditions and formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Despite these public health risks, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has allowed xAI to forgo permits for the turbines at the Southaven plant, claiming state permitting requirements exempt turbines classified as temporary-mobile engines for up to a year. Critics say the absence of permits means that xAI has been free to operate the machines without set emissions limits or pollution controls since August 2025. Advertisement Advertisement (xAI) has a long and sordid history of running their temporary turbines well before permissions were in place for them to do so, Charly Park, an area resident and member of a local coalition opposing the xAI plant, said at the public hearing on Feb. 17. They did it in Memphis, and as expected, they did it again in Southaven. On Jan. 15, the Environmental Protection Agency updated pollution control standards for gas turbines under the Clean Air Act, including language that environmental groups say affirms that temporary gas turbines do require permits. The update puts xAIs Southaven turbines at odds with federal law, the groups allege, opening the door to legal challenges like one announced by the NAACP on Feb. 13. Federal law supersedes state statute, LaTricea Adams, founder and president of the nonprofit Young, Gifted and Green, said at the Feb. 17 public hearing. The Clean Air Act is not optional, but somehow xAI is still actively breaking the law. xAI did not respond to multiple requests for comment. xAI continues building out Colossus 2, the companys second Memphis data center powering its controversial AI chatbot, Grok. To meet the facilitys energy demands, xAI applied for a permit to install 41 permanent gas turbines across the state line in Southaven, Mississippi. (Mississippi Free Press / Illan Ireland) MDEQ, meanwhile, maintains that the EPAs new standards do not explicitly impose permitting requirements on temporary turbines like the ones located in Southaven. That decision, agency officials explained, still falls on state authorities. Advertisement Advertisement There are federal regulations that outright mandate that a (pollution) source get an air permit, MDEQ Air Division Chief Jaricus Whitlock said in an interview last month. We have seen no such language like that in this new turbine rule. New Permit, Same Power Source To supply long-term power to its Colossus 2 data center, xAI requested a state permit last summer authorizing 41 permanent gas turbines at its Southaven plant. The installation would create a behind-the-meter electrical plant with a power generation capacity of about 1.2 gigawatts more than half the maximum output of Hoover Dam. Because emissions at the site would exceed certain regulatory thresholds, xAIs plant would be subject to several Clean Air Act requirements, like equipping its turbines with various control technologies to curtail harmful releases. Plant operators would also have to conduct an analysis showing that facility emissions would not cause or contribute to violations of ambient air quality standards. Advertisement Advertisement By adhering to the emission limitation operational restrictions and compliance assurance mechanisms incorporated into the permit, the proposed facility can comply with all applicable Mississippi and federal environmental laws, regulations and air quality standards, MDEQs Jaricus Whitlock stated at the public hearing in Southaven. In the lead-up to that hearing, however, the Southern Environmental Law Center released an independent study showing far-reaching public health harms from xAIs proposed power generation facility. Led by a researcher at Harvard University, the study found that adding 41 permanent turbines to the xAI site would dramatically increase particulate matter pollution in the Memphis metro area. Researchers calculated that this spike would translate to up to $44 million in estimated health damage each year, due to premature deaths, hospital visits, lost productivity and other factors. Exposure would be most pronounced in South Memphis neighborhoods, which are disproportionately Black and already overburdened with chronic illness. Advertisement Advertisement This is a clean, clear-cut case of environmental racism, said Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, whose district includes part of the area. Communities that have been historically polluted are consistently being polluted by new entrants and new corporations thats the playbook that theyre following. At the Southaven hearing, attendees warned that xAIs requested turbines would add hundreds of tons of yearly pollution to an area already experiencing poor air quality. Last year, DeSoto County, Mississippi, and Shelby County, Tennessee, both received an F rating from the American Lung Association for ozone pollution, residents pointed out, and the turbines would introduce new contaminants on either side of the state line. A covered fence surrounds xAIs recently acquired energy plant in Southaven, Mississippi, on Feb. 18, 2026. The company has reportedly been operating as many as 27 unpermitted gas turbines at the facility to power its data center, Colossus 2, across the state line. (Mississippi Free Press / Illan Ireland) Bottom line, its an unprecedented amount of air pollution, and its scary, said Lauren Van, a resident of Walls, Mississippi, living a few miles from the xAI power plant. We all breathe the same air, and the pollution is not isolated to Southaven. Other participants warned that the permit would have lasting consequences for public health, noting that their families are already feeling the effects of the unpermitted turbines at the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Breathing has become more difficult than it should ever be. This is not an inconvenience this is a health crisis inside my own home, said Chestela Farmer, a Southaven resident and mother who lives in the neighborhood next to the xAI plant. No parents should have to watch their child struggle to breathe and wonder if the air around them is the cause. With xAI continuing to run its temporary turbines and expanding its footprint in Southaven, public hearing attendees urged regulators to prioritize people over industry and avoid bringing more pollution into the area. The people of Southaven are not collateral damage, said Rodney Paullus, a Southaven resident and medical professional. We are not expendable. Turbines Win Approval Those who feared xAIs request would be granted were correct. Exactly three weeks after the public meeting in Southaven, a Mississippi regulatory board unanimously approved the permit, clearing the way for the company to begin adding permanent turbines at its local plant. Advertisement Advertisement The approval sparked absolute dread in resident Shannon Samsa, who described the decision as an inflection point for Southaven and neighboring communities. For us, this is not just one more permit application, Samsa told the Mississippi board shortly before the decision was announced. It is our homes and our health, our community, and it is our entire lives. Samsa says Southaven residents are now contemplating legal action to address noise and air pollution from the xAI plant. Shes lost hope that state authorities will place tougher constraints on the site and shield her community from further harm. Every single system and person whos supposed to protect us has failed to do so, she concluded. Its clear that (xAI and its executives) think theyre invincible and are just going to do whatever they want, consequences be damned. This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation. Belarus is training migrants to fight European border guards, the head of Latvias security service has said. In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Normunds Mezviets said the migrants were being trained in combat at special camps and pushed across the European Unions borders into Poland and the Baltic states. Tens of thousands of migrants have been transported across the frontier in recent years as part of Russias escalating hybrid war with the West. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking from a windowless bunker inside the headquarters of Latvias VDD state security service, the equivalent of Britains MI5, Mr Mezviets recounted how the tactics of Belarus and Russia had evolved with time. I remember the first years, they were pretty, pretty calm but in the last year its becoming more aggressive, the spy chief said. The Belarusian authorities developed a variety of tactics for riling up migrants before they were forced to make the crossing into Latvia. An influx of migrants from Belarus have descended on the borders of Latvia and Poland - Leonid Schheglov/AFP Mr Mezviets described one tactic as an information operation against his country. Before being thrust across the frontier, migrants were shown videos with fake testimonies from people at the hands of bad, violent border guards beating them up, tormenting them and kicking them out, he said. Advertisement Advertisement When the security chief and his analysts were poring over these propaganda videos, there was one tell-tale sign which proved they were entirely fictional: the scars. Theyre showing their scars, and without being a great expert in this field, I can say theyre not real scars, Mr Mezviets added. Were they added to the footage using sophisticated AI, or was it the best make-up the film industry in Belarus and Russia had to offer? It was just poor, quite simple make-up, he replied. But there is a more sinister threat facing the Latvian border guards charged with protecting the frontier. Advertisement Advertisement Weve had some information that they are training them [to be more violent], Mr Mezviets said. The EUs eastern border with Belarus has become Natos frontier with Putin - Wojtek Radwanski/AFP The security chief wasnt keen to reveal exactly what his intelligence agents had found. He said that Belarus had built infrastructure on the border, including depots and hotels, and had set up camps more recently to train migrants in combat before pushing them into Latvia. Polish officials recently told The Telegraph that underground tunnels had been specially constructed on the EUs eastern frontier to push migrants across the border. We still havent seen tunnels as our Polish friends have but from the start weve seen a massive build-up of Belarusian authorities and Belarusian KGB and border guards openly promoting this illegal migration, Mr Mezviets said. There is a grudging respect between the Latvian and his opposite numbers across the border. Advertisement Advertisement Their jousting predates Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, which is seen by most as the start of Russias hybrid war against Nato. Considering the lessons learned, with a wry smile, Mr Mezviets acknowledged: I understand how such kind of operations can be conducted. If I ever need to do it, Ill be more prepared for it. Looking at it professionally, its very interesting to see. This concept is a very good, very smart one strategically quite clever. They will kill us all As a Latvian, he understands the consequences of ignoring the threat posed by Russia more than most of his European counterparts. The tiny country has spent years living under some form of occupation, from the 700 years when ethnic Germans formed the ruling elite to the decades spent under brutal Soviet rule from the 1940s to the collapse of the USSR. Advertisement Advertisement I understand very well that if Russians come here for the third time, it wont just be the end of our statehood, Latvia as a country, our sovereignty, it will be the end of Latvian ethnicity they will kill us all, Mr Mezviets said. Some Western intelligence officials believe the Kremlin could be ready to mount an attack on Nato within five years. In recent years, the alliance has witnessed efforts to destabilise it, mostly through mysterious acts of sabotage against the support networks set up for Ukraine and critical national infrastructure. Europes railways have become one of the main targets for espionage, according to Mr Mezviets. Advertisement Advertisement This is a particular concern for the Baltic states, which would need vast quantities of military equipment transported to them by rail should Moscow invade. Russia has been collecting intelligence for years to establish the various routes Nato would use to send soldiers, tanks and artillery to the front line of a potential war. The head of Latvias security service said Belarus developed a variety of tactics for riling up migrants before they were forced to make the crossing into his country - Jamie Lorriman Mr Mezviets recounted how a Russian agent was arrested after the VDD foiled his operation to collect information on Latvias state-owned rail company. He was collecting intelligence on the railway system security regimes, bridges all things that are necessary for when things can be targeted to slow down a response, he said. Advertisement Advertisement In January, when almost 50 people were killed in two separate train accidents in Spain, the Latvian said it was only natural to raise questions over potential sabotage as part of the following investigations. The deadly incidents were found to be purely technical, but his omission highlighted just how concerned security chiefs are when it comes to the railways. This jousting between Russia and the West will continue in the shadows for years to come. Mr Mezviets said: Of course, there are a lot of plans, concepts and orders. While he seeks to defend his country and its allies, the Latvian returns to the idea of respect in the tradecraft being executed by his enemies: Professionally, its interesting to see. Unfortunately, theyre our opponents. 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. Former President Joe Biden made a surprise appearance in Boston on St. Patrick's Day. The 46th president spoke at the Irish American Partnership (IAP)'s 31st Annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Celebration at the InterContinental hotel on Tuesday, March 17, though his visit had not been publicly announced. Biden, known for expressing "deep pride in his Irish roots," was welcomed to the stage by former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin and addressed a crowd of about 480 guests, the IAP said. Advertisement Advertisement "Coming up Irish American gave me pride that spoke to both sides of the Atlantic heart and soul, the truth of the old and the new," Biden said to the crowd. "I learned the values passed down from generation to generation around countless Irish-American dinner tables, just like my own. Those Irish values became American values." Former President Joe Biden made a surprise appearance at the Irish American Partnership's 31st Annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Celebration in Boston on March 17, 2026. In his remarks, Biden emphasized unity and the importance of working together. "On this St. Patrick's Day, we honor where we came from. Let us not forget and romanticize the visions of the past. Instead, let us remember what's possible, and recommit ourselves to the unified work that lies ahead," Biden said. Other speakers at the event included Gov. Maura Healey; Helen McEntee, Irelands minister for foreign affairs and minister for defense; and Irish aeronautical engineer Dr. Norah Patten. Advertisement Advertisement "This breakfast is the Massachusetts-Ireland connection in action. No two places on this earth are separated by 3,000 miles but feel like they're right next door," Healey said at the event. Breakfast-goers also heard from former Irish President Mary Robinson via a video message. Mary Sugrue, president and CEO of the Irish American Partnership, said the group was honored that Biden chose to attend the Boston event. "As we celebrate our 40th year, his presence was a powerful reminder of the pride so many Irish Americans feel in their heritage and of the extraordinary bonds that continue to connect Ireland and America," she said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The Boston-based nonprofit Irish American Partnership works to strengthen ties between the people of Ireland and the U.S., according to its website, and seeks to promote a "peaceful and prosperous" Ireland. Is former President Joe Biden still in Boston? It appears Biden didn't hang around Boston for any St. Paddy's Day revelry after the breakfast on Tuesday. Social media users mentioned spotting the former president at Logan International Airport, leaving Massachusetts that evening. "Joe Biden was on my flight from Boston to Philly today......... not me having a ginger ale 18 rows behind the ex leader of the free world," an X user posted at 6:13 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Biden served as U.S. president from 2021 to 2025, U.S. vice president from 2009 to 2017, and a U.S. Senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Former President Biden surprises guests at Boston St. Patrick's Day event A bill to add oversight to federal immigration enforcement in Colorado passed its first committee hearing at the state Legislature on Tuesday, while that same committee killed another bill that would have required local law enforcement officers to be identifiable and trained on the states immigration-related laws. Communities are questioning whether public safety systems are there to protect them or to harm them, said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Glenwood Springs Democrat sponsoring one of the bills. I believe that we are at a time where we must end up against the Trump administration to protect our state. The pair of bills comes in the second year of the Trump administrations mass deportation effort against immigrants who lack permanent legal status, resulting in skyrocketing numbers of arrests and detentions. That campaign includes targeted crackdowns in cities like Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, which have seen multiple fatal shootings as immigration agents clash with protestors. A lawsuit in Colorado alleges that immigration officers are arresting people without warrants despite a court order barring them from doing so. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Legislature is also considering a bill this year that would allow individuals to sue U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers over constitutional violations. The bill that passed committee Tuesday, House Bill 26-1276, would require state agencies to publish the unsealed version of any subpoenas they get from federal immigration authorities, as well as notify a person when their information is being sought, after the subpoena is executed. Colorado law strengthened through a bill last year prohibits state and local employees from sharing personal identifying information with federal agencies like ICE and Customs and Border Protection, unless required by a court order, subpoena or other law. If your information is turned over because of a subpoena, you actually have a right to know, bill sponsor Rep. Lorena Garcia, an Adams County Democrat, told lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, a Denver Democrat and former immigration judge, said she worries about unintended consequences of publishing subpoenas. She joined Republicans in voting against the bill. My concern reading the bill as it was drafted is that its creating a vigilante opportunity for individuals, she said. The publication of that information on the website, that the subpoena has been issued, may encourage individuals to go track those individuals down who are listed. The bill would also extend the existing civil liability for employees who share information in violation of the law to the governmental agency they work for. If your information is turned over because of a subpoena, you actually have a right to know. Colorado state Rep. Lorena Garcia Last summer, a labor department employee sued Gov. Jared Polis over his intended compliance with an ICE subpoena purportedly related to a human trafficking investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the bill would ban the use of public resources like buses, trains and airports for the transportation of people detained by ICE. A recent report from the watchdog group Human Rights First found that 137 immigration enforcement flights departed from Denver in 2025 using Denver International Airport and Centennial Airport. If there is an airline that does engage with ICE to transport immigrants, they can go ahead and use a military base, Garcia said. The bill would also allow at least four unannounced inspections of immigration detention facilities, such as a privately-operated ICE site in Aurora, per year to review its conditions. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment would examine food safety standards, water quality, the level of care provided to people and the overall confinement conditions. The facility would be liable for a $50,000 fine and having their license revoked if it denies an inspection. Advocates have warned of poor conditions inside the Aurora facility and have documented substandard food offerings and lax medical attention in a recent report that draws from the experiences of detained people. Advertisement Advertisement This bill does not solve every problem, said Christopher Nurse, the political director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. No bill ever really does, but it promises something just as important that we will not look away. We will gather the information, we will conduct the inspections, and when we find something wrong, there will be consequences. The bill would require law enforcement agencies to report their participation in multi-jurisdictional task forces that result in an immigration consequence, such as a detention or deportation. Members of law enforcement told lawmakers Tuesday that the bills reporting requirements are ambiguous and create risk of civil penalties for officers who are part of task forces that end up having immigration enforcement actions. Colorado law enforcement does not participate in immigration enforcement. There are a lot of times where there are criminal investigations that result in immigration violations and potentially deportations, either because it is discovered later or because its a part of a plea bargain, said Todd Reeves, deputy chief of the Arvada Police Department. This bill, the way its written, doesnt differentiate between those two and doesnt allow for the fact that a criminal investigation can parallel an immigration detention, and it still holds us accountable. He said the complexities of law enforcement will ultimately override the intent of that part of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement HB-1276 passed on a 6-5 vote and it now heads to the House Finance Committee. Law enforcement identification bill fails Lawmakers on the committee voted against another bill, House Bill 26-1275, that would have prohibited Colorado law enforcement officers from concealing their name and agency while in the field. Supporters said it was crucial for community trust that Coloradans can distinguish between local law enforcement and the often masked, unidentifiable federal agents carrying out Trumps immigration policies. Your neighbors, your fellow students, people sitting next to you, theyre begging for help, Rep. Michael Carter, an Aurora Democrat, said. Theyre begging not to be afraid in their own city and not to be afraid of the police. The bill would have also created a duty to intervene for Colorado police officers if they witness ICE officers using excessive force. It would have let the Peace Officer Standards and Training or POST Board review a former ICE or CBP officers internal files if they wanted to work in Colorado. And it would have required standard training for officers on the states immigration laws. Advertisement Advertisement A provision that would have prevented former immigration officers from working as law enforcement in Colorado was amended out during the committee hearing. Colorado already has some of the strongest police accountability laws in the nation, including mandatory reporting and intervention requirements for excessive force, said Mark Reeves with the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. Creating vague and associated statutes only creates confusion over standards that already exist. Espenoza and Rep. Chad Clifford joined Republicans in defeating the bill. Clifford said most of the testimony in favor of the bill centered on the behavior of ICE officers, which the bill doesnt affect. Instead of making a difference on that issue, he said the bill would create additional burdens for agencies. What we really want to do here is have a say over how federal agents function in our jurisdictions, and were going to have to figure out a way to focus on what it looks like when they operate outside the color of their authority, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Espenoza said she worries people would misinterpret the intent of the bill. Regardless of how transparent you are, they think somehow this bill will help us identify the rogue ICE agents, she said. It cannot. My first priority is always to do no harm to the immigrant community by misleading them to think they have protection that they dont. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Micron (MU) stock fell more than 4% in early trading Thursday, despite posting better-than-anticipated second quarter earnings after the bell on Wednesday. The company also provided strong guidance for the current quarter, topping Wall Street estimates. According to William Blair analyst Sebastien Naji, the market reaction is likely the result of fears that Micron wont be able to continue its torrid growth rate. Micron stock is up more than 342% over the last 12 months and 58% year-to-date. For Q2, the company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $12.20 on revenue of $23.86 billion. That amounts to an EPS increase of 682% year-over-year and a revenue jump of 196%. Wall Street was anticipating EPS of $9.00 on revenue of $19.7 billion year over year. Micron also said it expects Q3 revenue above analysts estimates. Despite the initial market reaction, Naji, in a note to investors, wrote that Micron stock is trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 6 times William Blairs 2026 estimates calendar 2026 estimatebelow its historical multiple. We continue to view Micron as a core beneficiary of the AI supercycle as memory accounts for a growing share of the total server bill-of-materials, bolstering Microns earnings power, he added. BofA Global Researchs Vivek Arya was also positive on Microns results, raising the firms price objective on the stock to $500 from $400. But, he also said that the companys gross margins could hit a peak in Q3. [Micron fiscal Q3 gross margin] guide of 81.0% could be near peak cycle, eventually stabilizing toward 60-70% historical high prior to AI, he wrote. The company posted gross margins of 74.9% in Q2. The AI market continues to drive massive demand for memory chips around the world. Memory, or RAM, is an integral component of data center servers for both GPU-based systems by Nvidia (NVDA) and CPU-based systems by the likes of Intel (INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The explosion in AI training and inferencing and the broader push into agentic AI are driving a shortage of memory supplies, raising prices and impacting the cost of consumer and enterprise electronics. In February, market research firm Gartner said the memory shortage will cause PC shipments to drop 10.4% in 2026 and smartphone shipments to decline 8.4%. Micron logo at the companys booth at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, China, on Nov. 5, 2025. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov) REUTERS / Reuters Prices on those products will also increase 17% and 13%, respectively, versus 2025 levels. Micron is one of a small number of global memory chip suppliers, alongside SK Hynix and Samsung (005930.KS). Those companies produce DRAM, which is used as part of the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) necessary for AI data centers, as well as in double data rate (DDR) memory, which is used in various permutations in smartphones, laptops, and most other computers. An Iowa Senate subcommittee advanced a bill Wednesday that would allow for the legal, medical use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, in state-approved psychiatric treatment programs. House File 978 was passed by the Iowa House in 2025. The measure as passed by the House proposes establishing a Psilocybin Production Establishment Licensing Board within the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. But Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, who floor managed the measure in the House, said at the Senate subcommittee meeting Wednesday he planned to introduce an amendment to the bill that would add oversight of psilocybin to the existing Medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board, changing the bodys name and adding four additional experts on the substance to the panel. Wills said he referenced laws establishing similar boards in Utah and Arizona while writing the legislation, in addition to using the framework created by the states Medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board while drafting the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The measure would also grant licenses for both production and administration of psilocybin products for individuals with certain mental health needs, alongside setting new restrictions on accessing the substance, including an age restriction of 21 and limit of 5,000 patients who can be recommended psilocybin treatment. Though it was not taken up by the Senate last year, it has remained eligible for consideration as a bill discussed during the two-year window of the 91st General Assembly. Advocates speaking in favor of the bill said psilocybin has been found effective when used in clinical environments with psychiatric support to help people dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. During House debate on the bill in 2025, Wills said he believed this treatment could provide an avenue for veterans and others dealing with PTSD who have not found success with currently available treatments. Advertisement Advertisement Wills told senators Wednesday that from speaking with veterans and experts, his understanding is that psilocybin taken in a medical setting can help people form new reactions to stimulus and events that are PTSD triggers. When youre in a PTSD state, your brain its on a circuit, and it cant get out of that circuit, Wills said. So, you hear a loud noise, and you flash back to that bomb explosion, or a gunshot and you cant get out of that circuit. psilocybin allows your brain to reform those connections and get off that circuit so that now an explosion doesnt cause you to go back to that panic mode. Lobbyists with national veterans organizations including Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions and the ALEC Veterans and Military Affairs Task Force spoke in favor of the bill, saying similar programs have been implemented successfully in other states and recent studies show that these treatments are effective. But advocates like Amy Campbell with the Iowa Behavioral Health Association and Leslie Carpenter with Iowa Mental Health Advocacy said they did not support the bill, because the substance can cause adverse mental health effects for people in certain situations and at certain doses. Campbell said she understood there were promising studies showing the efficacy of psilocybin in some treatments but said the Iowa Psychological Association would prefer to wait for federal approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration instead of pursuing a separate state legalization and authority structure. Advertisement Advertisement Though there were questions about how quickly the FDA would be able to move to approve this treatment, Campbell said the FDA process is actually being fast-tracked compared to other things, because there is a growing body of the research on it. She also said routing this drug oversight and legalization structure through the state instead of waiting for federal rescheduling would require additional funding. Theres a fiscal note on this, to have a state board do it, Campbell said. When you have an FDA approval, then it would go through a pharmacist to a provider, to the person in a controlled setting. So, I mean, I think that there are ways to do this. Wills said he and other supporters were concerned that waiting for federal approval could prevent veterans with PTSD, at higher risk of suicide in comparison to the average population, from accessing care that could help resolve mental health problems. The Veterans Administration is moving towards this, but with the federal government, its going to take years before they get (to) even this point, Wills said. Advertisement Advertisement The amended legislation would also allow the board to consider expansion in future years to allow psilocybin use for other mental health disorders that the drug has proved effective in treating, given sufficient research and medical support. These expansions would require legislative approval, Wills said. Though the measure moved forward, senators on the subcommittee said they still had questions about the bill and about psilocybin as a substance. Sen. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, asked questions of Wills and Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, about how the drug works, and why psilocybin could not be formulated and sold like an over-the-counter drug like Tylenol if it has a low addiction propensity. The measure would not allow for over-the-counter sale of psilocybin, but only allow for use by approved parties in medical facilities with professionals overseeing the treatment. Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, said he supported moving the bill forward to have a broader conversation in our full caucus, which means I got to understand this enough to bring it to the caucus. The measure has the potential to come before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Thursday, he said. I am willing to recommend passage with an amendment because we are working on some things about the board, which will hopefully mitigate some of the expense and the the fiscal note on here, Guth said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A global company founded by Bill Gates has selected a long-vacant South Philadelphia site - once home to the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery - for a new $450 million manufacturing facility that will produce rare medical isotopes used in cancer-fighting drugs. City officials say the project by TerraPower Isotopes marks a major step in transforming the former refinery land, which many residents still associate with the 2019 explosion and fire that shook surrounding neighborhoods. The new facility means new life for the area. "It's a really big deal!" said Karen Fegely, the city's commerce director, about the new development. Advertisement Advertisement Fegely said Philadelphia's growing life sciences sector helped secure the project after officials with TerraPower considered sites across the country. "They chose to locate here in Philadelphia because we have so much of this great research and science and life sciences industry here in Philadelphia," she said. A rendering shows the planned flagship facility, which will be built on part of the site now known as The Bellwether District. The land, owned by the company formerly known as Hilco and now renamed HRP Group, has undergone years of environmental cleanup and remediation that has been regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. EPA. Advertisement Advertisement For community members like Shawmar Pitts of Philly Thrive - an environmental justice group that spent years protesting the refinery - the memory of the explosion remains vivid. "It just blew up!" he said. "That day was like one of those days you've always dreaded, and then you say, 'Oh my goodness, it's happening.'" Pitts said the group wants to ensure the redevelopment benefits nearby residents. "We want a community benefits agreement," he said, adding that Philly Thrive also wants to continue to ensure that the land is safe. The group had long advocated for a business that is not a refinery to be located on the land. The TerraPower facility is in line with the types of businesses that Philly Thrive thinks are acceptable. Advertisement Advertisement City officials say the TerraPower Isotopes project will bring more than 225 jobs and help reshape the area into an industrial and innovation hub. "It's really exciting to see this new life at Bellwether District," Fegely said. "It's a really important time and a really important opportunity for Philadelphia." The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is investing $10 million in the project and offering tax incentives. TerraPower Isotopes is expected to begin operations in 2029. Lori Henderson has already lost her husband. A man drove a car into retired Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson, killing him as he worked at the University of Cincinnati's spring commencement. She can't imagine reliving Larry's death at regular parole hearings. "Justice is not truly served when victims families are condemned to a lifetime of reliving their loss through endless parole proceedings," Lori Henderson told state lawmakers. "Once the trial is over and a sentence is given, families should not have to fear being dragged back into that same nightmare every few years." Advertisement Advertisement Stay informed: Sign up for our weekly Ohio politics newsletter Hamilton County Sheriffs Deputy Larry Henderson. House Bill 372, titled the Larry Henderson Act, would eliminate the possibility of parole for anyone who kills a police officer, corrections officer, prosecutor, first responder or military member. Instead, those convicted murderers would face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. That bill is one step closer to becoming law as a House committee unanimously approved the measure on March 18. A full vote of the Ohio House of Representatives could come as soon as next week. The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police all support the changes championed by Reps. Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison Township, and Phil Plummer, R-Dayton. Both lawmakers previously worked in law enforcement. Members of the Hamilton County Sheriffs department attend the services for Deputy Larry Henderson, 57, at Xaviers Cintas Center, May 9, 2025. The proposal faces opposition from the Ohio Public Defender and death penalty opponents. Advertisement Advertisement "This legislation is built on a troubling ethical premise," said Zachary Miller, legislative officer with the Ohio Public Defender. "By mandating the most extreme penalties based on the occupation of the victim, the bill inadvertently suggests that some lives are more valuable than others." This story will be updated. Tell us what you think This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio lawmakers to advance Larry Henderson Act ending parole for cop killers TOPEKA A bill safeguarding protections for Kansas law enforcement agencies working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement advanced Wednesday in the Senate. House Bill 2372 sets rules for Kansas law enforcement agencies working officially or unofficially with ICE, defining specifics of enforcing immigration law and mandating insurance coverage. Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, called it a public safety bill and broke it into three sections. Advertisement Advertisement The first defines the legal authority of Kansas law enforcement to hold a person in jail on an ICE detainer or warrant, and the second requires insurance coverage from municipal insurance pools to cover any liability from doing so. The third section says the state will cover liability for law enforcement agencies that signed 287(g) agreements with ICE. These agreements include confirming immigration status on people in the agencys custody who have active or pending criminal charges, according to ICE. The agreements, which have been signed by about 20 agencies in Kansas, according to an ICE website, are voluntary, Thompson said. Lawrence Democrat Sen. Marci Francisco questioned Thompson about whether the bill applied to criminals already in jail or to those who might be in the country without authorization. Advertisement Advertisement If youre here against the law, you have committed that crime, Thompson said. But what they are focusing on are the violent offenders. If they detain somebody on a crime and theyre in jail, they check to verify their status as a citizen. Being in the United States without authorization is a civil violation, not a crime. Its a point bill opponents made in testimony, and they emphasized that it affects more than violent criminals. The bill allows local law enforcement to hold people up to 48 hours on an immigration detainer form, which is not connected to criminal activity. The bill authorizes sheriffs to detain individuals indefinitely solely based on a federal immigration detainer (ICE Form I-247A) or certain administrative warrants, said Logan DeMond, director of policy and research at the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, in written testimony. These are civil immigration documents, not criminal warrants signed by a judge. Advertisement Advertisement DeMond said the Fourth Amendment authorizes detention only for probable cause and, most often, with judicial authorization. Immigration detainers, however, are administrative requests issued by federal agents and arent reviewed by a judge, he said. Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat who is running for governor, said she was voting against the bill because of its broad language, calling it an unfunded mandate to local law enforcement to support federal immigration laws. In its form as it is written, (the bill) does shift legal and financial responsibility for federal immigration enforcement onto Kansas taxpayers because of the actions it requires, she said. Holscher said the bill creates increased risk of wrongful detention and due process violations. Advertisement Advertisement Ordinarily, when government actors violate constitutional rights, financial liability serves as an accountability mechanism, DeMond said in written testimony. It encourages careful adherence to constitutional standards. Kansas taxpayers should not be required to underwrite potentially unconstitutional detention practices. Section 1: Detaining immigrants Thompson said the bill outlines clear guidelines regarding warrants and detainers from ICE, including providing a copy of the ICE document to the individual detained, informing ICE the person is in custody, and making sure all sections of the written request are filled out appropriately. The sheriff would also be required to release a person if the detainer request is canceled, if it doesnt meet the requirements of the statute, or if the person provides proof of citizenship, Thompson said. Advertisement Advertisement Section 2: Insurance Thompson said the bill requires municipal insurance pools to maintain coverage when law enforcement agencies work with ICE. He said some agencies with 287(g) agreements received letters from the insurance pools indicating they might lose insurance coverage for the federal immigration work, Thompson said. They need that protection in case theres any kind of civil action as a result of their cooperation with ICE, Thompson said. The bill requires coverage for all agencies, even those without 287(g) agreements, and says agencies will receive coverage for enforcing federal laws to the same extent they receive it for state and local laws. Advertisement Advertisement Thompson said that includes agencies other than ICE, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. That applies whether the cooperation is under a written agreement and whether the officers involved are deputized by the federal agency, the bill said. Section 3: 287(g) agreements Section 3 says the state will pay judgment costs or any portion the U.S. Department of Justice doesnt cover when a Kansas agency or law enforcement officer faces a judgement if they were acting in good faith, according to the bill. Thompson said law enforcement agencies would be immune under state law and the attorney general would provide representation in civil lawsuits, federal civil actions and habeas corpus actions. Advertisement Advertisement Holscher questioned whether the bill increases taxpayer costs. Thompson gave no dollar amount, reiterating that the bill is about addressing violent criminals. I guess the question would be at what cost do we allow violent offenders to run free or potentially be released in this case, he said, pointing to a case in late 2025 when 10 people who were in the country illegally were arrested on violent offenses. I dont think it really adds any cost at all, because its just an agreement with the federal authorities to detain that person in jail, he said. The fiscal note on the original bill, which was Senate Bill 525, said possible costs associated with legal decisions were unknown. In fiscal year 2027, the bill was projected to cost about $134,000 in salary and benefits and $146,000 in operating expenditures. Over the long term, the bill would result in ongoing litigation-related responsibilities and expenses, the fiscal note said. A recent survey in Iowa shows bi-partisan support for programs that make food more accessible. Results show that more than 70% of Iowans think food insecurity is a concern. Food pantries across the state want lawmakers to pass legislation to address the issue. Iowans want proactive, responsible programs that feed the community, said Chris Ford, CEO of River Bend Food Bank. The cost of food has increased over the past few years, and that has impacted the charitable food ecosystem. Last year, the Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA), so those six food banks, we collectively spent $9 million more in 2025 than in 2024, said Katie Sorrell, executive director for the IFBA. A state-wide survey of more than 900 voters was conducted in Iowa to gauge their support of efforts to make healthy food more accessible. You can read more about those results here. Seventy-seven percent of Iowans have had to make changes to how theyre eating and how theyre spending their money in the grocery store. But then at the same time, 71% of Iowans think food insecurity is an issue here in Iowa. And I wonder if those are related, said Sorrell. Advertisement Advertisement On Jan 1, 2026, SNAP changes at the federal level went into effect. (The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the biggest federal nutrition-assistance program in the country, providing benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer card to help low-income families buy nutritious food.) Hunger-relief partners say its shifted the responsibility to address food insecurity to the state level. (The IFBA is) trying to support Choose Iowa, and Double Up Food Bucks, as well as protecting SNAP, said Sorrell. Ford says programs such as these fill in gaps where food banks cant. SNAP is by far the most effective tool that we have to fight hunger, said Ford., saying the six Iowa food banks have been advocating for legislative support that, based off current studies, reflects the opinions of Iowans across the state. I think people need to understand that addressing food insecurity is a shared responsibility, said Ford. It is not one political party or another. Theres bi-partisan support for Iowans who are hungry and supporting policies and programs that help them. 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. If you ask Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has not been closed. You just have to do it Tehran's way. "Iran now channels 'verified' shipping through a path well inside Iranian territorial waters north of Larak island and away from the international corridors in Omani waters," Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, described the arrangement to Euronews. Since the outbreak of the Iran war, Tehran has used coercion be it threats or outright force to redirect cargo ships attempting to pass through the bottleneck passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea into Iranian territorial waters, where Iran can impose its own rules. Advertisement Advertisement If you want to pass through the narrow waterway, there are three options. Some tankers are still coming through with their tracking transponders switched off, navigating dark. Tehran has allowed a few others to pass, including Chinese-, Turkish-, Indian- and Pakistani-flagged vessels. Most captains and companies are not willing to try their luck, as Iran has attacked at least 17 ships in Hormuz since the outbreak of the war on 28 February, according to shipping security monitors, with some reports counting as many as 21. On Wednesday, maritime data firm Lloyds List Intelligence said that only some 89 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz between 1 March and 15 March including 16 oil tankers down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war. Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) the elite military unit meant to answer directly to the ayatollah has built up multiple means of intimidation to be deployed in the strait if something goes awry. As part of its arsenal, the IRGC Navy maintains Basij militia craft and civilian fishing vessels as cover for surveillance, keeping a line of sight from the fortified island clusters it controls. Abu Musa, the most strategically significant of the islands Iran controls at the mouth of the Gulf, looks in Nadimi's description like "a mini version of an IRGC missile city it has elaborate underground fortifications," drone bases, landing strips, missile and rocket batteries. Farur island houses an IRGC special operations unit. "They are trained to launch clandestine operations among them sneaking into marinas and blowing up multi-million dollar yachts," Nadimi said. "These are the kinds of things they might do further up the escalation ladder." FILE: An Iranian military member attends an annual drill in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, 30 December 2022 - AP Photo While Irans conventional navy has been badly damaged, the IRGCs naval asymmetric capabilities the small boat swarms and submersibles in particular have barely been touched, and they might be the preferred next move instead of a sudden intensification of hostilities. Advertisement Advertisement "If they lay contact mines in the shipping lanes, that will mark the top level of escalation, because when you lay those mines, you just cannot backtrack, Nadimi explained. You make those shipping lanes and anchorages inoperable for a considerable period of time months. It would take weeks if not months to sweep those waters." Instead, to spike insurance premiums or freeze shipping decisions without crossing a red line a full mining campaign would, the IRGC could opt for something much simpler. "They can use localised attacks small boats, or submersibles with mines, by sneaking into anchorages and lay a limited number of contact mines to create chaos," Nadimi said. Advertisement Advertisement According to Nadimi, considering Irans stated objective of oil reaching $200 a barrel, we can assume they will cautiously escalate. No quick and decisive war The caution does not equal weakness, experts say. According to Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, Iran and the US are not fighting the same war. "The United States and Israel want a quick and decisive victory," he told Euronews. "Iran has a very different assumption. Simply resisting and surviving is tantamount to victory." "Iran doesn't see the war in quick and decisive terms, it sees it in terms of a very prolonged conflict, one in which over time Iran would grind down American and Israeli resolve and steadily increase the pain inflicted on them." Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard fire a missile from a helicopter targeting the mock-up aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, 28 July 2020 - AP Photo Kamrava has studied the region for long enough to find the current situation grimly familiar. "Whenever a more powerful state attacks a less powerful state, he explained, in none of those cases has the superior power been able to declare victory, he said. Advertisement Advertisement They've inflicted a lot of damage, but they have not been able to declare victory. And apparently that historic lesson is lost on Donald Trump and company." Nadimi said Tehran is adhering to "a measured, phased escalation," with Iranian forces using Russian and Chinese satellite imagery and, he believes, direct intelligence to assess damage and adjust their daily barrages of missiles and drones targeting neighbouring countries. The Pentagon has been trying to reduce Iranian launches to what it calls "persistent low rates of firing." It has largely achieved that. "However," Nadimi added, "even those few projectiles that manage to pass through defences seem to be very effective." Believing in regime's zero-sum game The basic principle behind the IRGCs game of patience has nothing to do with orders instead, it is driven by belief. Advertisement Advertisement The IRGC is a highly ideologically indoctrinated military force," Nadimi said, "and many of them still believe the regime can lead them in a zero-sum game toward a perfect Islamic civilisation in a region where Israel and the United States have no place." At the same time, Tehrans command and control remains questionable, if not outright non-existent. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the US-Israeli strikes in the opening salvo of the war on 28 February. Policemen stand guard next to the banners showing portraits of the late Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Enqelab-e-Eslami square in downtown Tehran, 14 March 2026 - AP Photo His son Mojtaba Khamenei, installed as supreme leader following his fathers death, has been seen nowhere since he was appointed, while his first public statement was read by an anchor on state-run TV just last week. "We don't even have a recording of his voice," Kamrava said. "Does that mean he is on his deathbed, he's been injured, he has been disfigured? We don't know." Advertisement Advertisement Ali Larijani, Tehrans top powerbroker and secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council the man widely seen as pulling the strings for the past weeks instead of Mojtaba Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike overnight on Tuesday. Kamrava believes that none of it may matter much, as the Iranian regime engineered a system over the past decades to keep functioning even if decapitated. "The Iranians had based their military and political structure in a way so as to be able to continue to function and make decisions somewhat autonomously without the top leadership being there, he said. In the context of Hormuz, to Nadimi the crucial figure is not the ayatollah but the commander of the IRGC Navy, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri. "As long as he is still alive, I believe they will be able to maintain some cohesion of command," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "I do not believe they have started a wholehearted fight yet they are probably preserving capabilities for a perceived next phase, which could be some kind of an attempt to seize islands, or a major landing operation." 'Trapped in this conflict' Meanwhile, the war has caught the Gulf states in a position they spent years trying to avoid. Iran has struck targets in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Manama acting on the assumption, Kamrava said, that the Gulf countries integrated radar systems make them silent partners in the US-Israeli campaign, and that inflicting further pain on others will kill Washingtons appetite for a prolonged intervention. "In international relations we refer to this as entrapment," he said. "These states are literally trapped in this conflict. Regardless of how much they might try to distance themselves, in the eyes of the Islamic Republic they are active partners in attacks on Iran." Advertisement Advertisement Both Qatar and the UAE have publicly credited European defence cooperation in intercepting Iranian strikes an acknowledgement that has not gone unnoticed in Brussels and European capitals. "What we saw was a realisation across the GCC that the United States is not always a reliable partner," Kamrava said. "For the time being the safest bet, apart from the United States, is the European Union." The partnership is likely to deepen once the shooting stops, whenever that is. Meanwhile, according to Kamrava, Turkey and Oman are trying to broker an off-ramp, and Qatar and Saudi Arabia are engaged in the process. However, the fundamental question of how the war will unfold and ultimately end remains unanswered. "Tomorrow Trump could declare victory and say: we've achieved our political and military objectives, and the war is over," Kamrava said. "The question is who's going to blink first." FILE: Plumes of smoke rise as strikes hit the city during the USIsraeli military campaign in Tehran, 5 March 2026 - AP Photo On whether the war ends with the Islamic Republic still standing, both experts are careful. The United States and Israel can inflict major damage and can destroy infrastructure and missile batteries but they cannot win this war against Iran in the same way that so many others tried in the past," Kamrava said. "One preferred objective of this extensive air campaign is obviously regime change," Nadimi said, "but that is ultimately the job of the Iranian people to secure that goal. I do not have a definitive answer to whether an air campaign alone can convince those people to give up. You can't ignore the fact that most of those people who have guns are still alive." Aadel Haleem contributed reporting. NEED TO KNOW A body removed from a Massachusetts lake on March 17 is believed to belong to 45-year-old Jason Thomas Thomas, a scientist with Novartis, disappeared on the night of Dec. 12, 2025, and has not been seen since Thomas' wife said her husband had been struggling with the recent death of his parents when he vanished from their home A body pulled from a Massachusetts lake is believed to belong to a scientist who has been missing for three months. The body was recovered from Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17, according to a news release from Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan. Advertisement Advertisement A detective from the Wakefield Police Department (WPD) was searching the area around the lake, which was previously frozen over, around 12:30 p.m. local time when they located what appeared to be a body in the water, which was later recovered. Preliminary information, including the victims clothing, suggests the body is that of 45-year-old Jason Thomas, Ryan said. Jason Thomas, who was reported missing in December 2025 Credit: GoFundMe Thomas, a scientist at Novartis, was reported missing on Dec. 13, 2025 after he left his home the night before. He has not been seen since. His parents both died before he vanished, according to NBC affiliate WBTS. 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. Kristen Bartoli, Thomas wife of a decade, told Dateline that her husband had been struggling with his parents deaths prior to his disappearance. Thomas parents reportedly died within an hour of each other. Advertisement Advertisement He had never lost somebody so close before. And then to lose both of them, Thomas wife said. An image of Jason Thomas from the night he disappeared in December 2025 Credit: Wakefield Police Department Bartoli said everything seemed normal the night Thomas disappeared as they took care of their dogs after one of their first social outings since the death of his parents, according to Dateline. After Thomas left their home, Bartoli allegedly spotted him outside after she heard their mailbox close. She then went to sleep, but realized her husband had not returned when she woke up a short time later. Bartoli later learned that Thomas had left his phone and wallet on their bathroom counter, and found his Apple Watch in the mailbox he had opened earlier that night. Advertisement Advertisement Thomas was later caught on camera while walking near a set of train tracks on North Avenue by Chestnut Street, according to Fox affiliate WFXT. Wakefield Police were expected to search Lake Quannapowitt, where Thomas would occasionally walk his dogs, this spring, Dateline reported. Jason Thomas, who was struggling with his parents' deaths when he was reported missing in December 2025 Credit: Wakefield Police Department The WPD previously said Thomas was last seen wearing a puffer-style jacket that has white and either gray or black coloring, as well as black pants, black sneakers with white laces, a black winter hat and gloves. The district attorney announced Tuesday that police had "conducted an extensive search of the area" for Thomas, "utilizing resources from the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC), K-9 units and drones." Advertisement Advertisement The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the identity of the victim and their cause and manner of death, according to the district attorney. No foul play is suspected in connection with the victims death, she added. Read the original article on People Former national security adviser John Bolton pushed back at President Trumps claim that nobody expected Iran to target neighboring countries in retaliation for the U.S-Israeli war against Tehran, saying he briefed Trump on multiple such scenarios in the presidents first term. Speaking on CNN Tuesday evening, Bolton said that on multiple occasions he brought up scenarios in which Iran was attacked and responded with retaliatory strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere. Well, I know for a fact that he was aware of those potentials. I raised the option of regime change in Iran several times during the time I was national security adviser, Bolton said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump claimed Monday that Iran wasnt supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Tehran has also attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for crude oil. Nobody expected that. We were shocked, he said at a Kennedy Center board meeting at the White House. Later that day when asked whether he was surprised that nobody briefed him ahead of time that Iran might retaliate in such a way, Trump replied: Nobody, nobody, no, no, no. No, the greatest experts, nobody thought they were going to hit they were I wouldnt say friendly countries, they were like neutral. They lived with them for years. Numerous experts, however, had publicly warned that Iran would likely respond to attack by targeting nearby U.S. allies, with top Iranian officials themselves vowing that Tehran would do so. Advertisement Advertisement Bolton, who served under Trump before a public falling out, said he was surprised by Trumps claims. He said that every time he raised the scenario of striking Iran in a push for a regime change, others raised a whole long list of difficulties that are entailed. If youre going to embark on it you better have answers to them, and certainly closing the Strait of Hormuz was always one of them and so were attacks on the Gulf Arab states, particularly their oil infrastructure, so he knew about it in his first term, Bolton said. I find it hard to believe that he forgot about it in the intervening years. Trump and his administration have faced mounting criticism over his handling of the war in Iran, which he began with shifting objectives and no clear end in sight. Now in its third week, the war has led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and injuries to at least another 200, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and criticisms from allies and within the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Look, if we left right now it would take 10 years for them to rebuild, but were not ready to leave yet, but well be leaving in the near future, Trump said Tuesday when asked about plans for a post-war Iran. On Tuesday Joe Kent, the national counterterrorism director, became the first high-level U.S. official to resign in protest of the conflict, claiming in a letter to Trump that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. 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. SAO PAULO, March 17 (Reuters) - Truck drivers' unions in Brazil are advocating for a strike as early as this week after the recent jump in diesel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East, a union head said on Tuesday. A truckers' strike could have dire consequences for Brazil, if it is widespread, as the country is heavily reliant on the drivers to transport products across the country and into ports. In 2018, a massive truckers' strike brought the country to a halt for about 10 days with numerous road blockades. As diesel prices surge, calls for a strike have taken shape, but without clear dates or any signal of the adherence level. Advertisement Advertisement "It's a fight for survival," Wallace Landim, head of truckers' union Abrava told Reuters in an interview, adding a strike could kick off this week. The average price of S-10 diesel, the most widely sold type in Brazil, has risen around 19% nationwide since February 28, when the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began and lifted global oil prices, data from payments firm ValeCard showed on Tuesday. It is not the first time since 2018 that drivers have attempted a wide strike, but Landim said past attempts were politically driven while now truck drivers are feeling "the same pain we felt in 2018." In a bid to soften the impact of higher global oil prices on consumers, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government scrapped taxes on diesel last week, and Brazil's oil regulator launched an operation to combat fuel price gouging. Advertisement Advertisement But it is unclear whether the government's efforts will be enough to prevent truck drivers from turning off their vehicles. "Truck drivers are at their limit," said Carlos Alberto, a director at CNTTL, a transport workers' union, in a statement. (Reporting by Alberto Alerigi; Writing by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Jamie Freed) March 18 (Reuters) - Microsoft is considering legal action against its partner OpenAI and Amazon over a $50 billion deal that could violate its exclusive cloud agreement with the ChatGPT maker, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Last month, Amazon and OpenAI signed several agreements, including one that makes Amazon Web Services the exclusive third-party cloud provider for Frontier, OpenAI's enterprise platform for building and running AI agents. The dispute centers on whether OpenAI can offer Frontier via AWS without violating the Microsoft partnership, which requires the startup's models to be accessed through the Windows maker's Azure cloud platform, the FT report said, citing sources. MICROSOFT: CONFIDENT OPENAI UNDERSTANDS LEGAL OBLIGATION OpenAI and Microsoft recently stated together that "Azure remains the exclusive cloud provider of stateless OpenAI APIs," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement, referring to software interfaces used to access OpenAIs models. "We are confident that OpenAI understands and respects the importance of living up to this legal obligation," the spokesperson added. Amazon and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. FT said Microsoft executives believed the approach was not feasible and would violate the spirit, if not the letter, of their agreement, and added that the companies were in talks to resolve the dispute without litigation ahead of Frontier's launch. "We know our contract," a person familiar with Microsofts position told the newspaper. "We will sue them if they breach it. If Amazon and OpenAI want to take a bet on the creativity of their contractual lawyers, I would back us, not them." Microsoft was one of OpenAI's earliest investors, injecting $1 billion in 2019 and $10 billion at the beginning of 2023. In September, the two signed a non-binding deal under new relationship terms, paving the way for OpenAI to sign deals with SoftBank, Nvidia and Amazon. (Reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru and Anna Peverieri in Barcelona; Editing by Janane Venkatraman, Rod Nickel) British Airways (BA) has paused the majority of its flights to parts of the Middle East until at least June as Iranian strikes on the Gulf region continue. All flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv are temporarily cancelled until May 31, while flights to Doha are suspended until April 30, and will resume with a limited schedule planned until June. Abu Dhabi flights remain cancelled until October. The airline industry is facing its most challenging time since the Covid pandemic after Israel and the US launched attacks on Iran, with Tehran retaliating with strikes on its Gulf neighbours and Israel that shut down airspace in the region. Advertisement Advertisement While airspace has reopened, the situation is uncertain, with Iran continuing to strike key infrastructure sites of US allies across the Middle East. UAE airspace was shut overnight due to a drone attack on a fuel storage tank, causing fresh flight disruption. Britons among thousands stranded in Dubai as flights across Middle East grounded Some air fares more than quadruple as conflict drives price surge A drone attack temporarily closed Dubai airport on Monday. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours, forcing the worlds busiest international airport to suspend flights. BA's services to Riyadh and Jeddah are continuing to operate as planned and customers booked onto any of these routes can change their flights until May 31. Advertisement Advertisement The UK Foreign Office is warning British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a statement, British Airways said: "Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, weve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region. "Were keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options. "Since the situation in the Middle East began, weve helped thousands of customers return home and operated eight relief flights from Muscat in Oman. We are also operating additional flights to and from Singapore (x4) and Bangkok (x3), and continue to review options to bring back more customers who have been disrupted." Subscribe for free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... These Bay Area men have mammoth problems. Two friends from Petaluma have been arrested after smashing a woolly mammoth tusk while roughhousing at the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum in Missouri. The tusk was around 10,000 years old and said to be worth $200,000. The men were arrested and booked on one count each of first-degree property damage. Brett Howard, 46, and Todd Azevedo, 48, were visiting the museum on March 8 when one of the men hopped on the others shoulders. Advertisement Advertisement The man on top allegedly then reached out to the 200-pound tusk, causing it to fall to the ground and shatter into multiple pieces. Todd Azevedo was arrested along with his friend and booked on one count of first-degree property damage. Bay Area man Brett Howard in his mug shot. The man was attempting to hang on the tusk, 1011Now reported. An employee at the museum witnessed the incident on security monitor around 10:50 a.m., according to reports. When the employee tried to make contact with the two men, they bolted, but were later arrested and charged. The huge mammoth statue at Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum at Ridgedale, MO. Instagram/@Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum The men have since been bailed out on $15,000 bond. If convicted, they each face up to four years in prison, The Kansas City Star reported. Per the conditions of their bond, the men cannot have contact with each other or visit any Top of the Rock or Bass Pro property in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement The museum is part of Big Cedar Lodge, owned by Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops. Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels told SFGATE that he mourned the lost fossil. Its a one-of-a-kind artifact, and you cant get another one. There are still some large pieces, but there was a lot that broke off. Its not replaceable, he said. You wouldnt think grown men would do that type of thing. But here we are. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here! California Post App: Download here! Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here! This article was originally published in EdSource. Thousands of California school employees have received preliminary pink slips in recent weeks as districts scrabble to close budget gaps caused by falling enrollment and rising costs. Most went to school administrators and classified school staff, such as clerks, administrative assistants and paraeducators. Districts were complying with a state law that requires them to send preliminary pink slips by March 15 to any employee who could potentially lose their job before the beginning of the next school year. Many of the notices are withdrawn by May 15 the last day final layoff notices can be given as districts make decisions about seniority. Advertisement Advertisement This year the layoffs have taken a dramatic turn as district leaders increasingly target classified and central office staff to balance budgets. School districts have lost both average daily attendance funding, due to declining enrollment, and federal Covid dollars. At the same time, districts are paying more for pensions, health care, supplies and special education. You have some large school districts and even some mid-sized and smaller school districts that are in complete financial crisis right now, and on the verge of insolvency or going into receivership, said Troy Flint, chief information officer for the California School Boards Association. When the deficit is so great you almost have to make hatchet-type cuts. District offices in the crosshairs District staff are being targeted by some districts. In Sacramento City Unified, everyone working in the district office, including the interim superintendent, was issued a pink slip. Los Angeles Unified and Oakland Unified are also planning to make major cuts to their central offices. Advertisement Advertisement The board directive, ever since we declared the deficit, has been pretty clear: Whatever cuts we have to make, keep them as far away from the classroom as possible, said Brian Heap, Sacramento City Unifieds chief communications officer. District officials cant say how many employees at the Serna Center Sacramento City Unifieds headquarters will ultimately lose their jobs until they complete a plan to restructure the office, Heap said. We have to have somebody running payroll. We have to have somebody in the business office. We have to have somebody in our academic office, Heap said. But what does that look like? Thats what were trying to figure out. Sacramento City Unified officials have announced they will send layoff notices to 800 employees, most who are classified employees, to help reduce a $134 million budget deficit. Advertisement Advertisement Im certainly nervous, said Heap, who also received a pink slip. I mean, Id be lying if I said I wasnt. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted in February to issue 3,200 layoff notices, including 657 to central office staff and other centrally funded classified positions. The layoffs, expected to actually result in 650 lost jobs, are estimated to save the district about $250 million. The district is facing an $877 million deficit next school year and $443 million the following school year, according to board materials. Oakland Unified could cut up to two-thirds of its central office staff along with counselors, case managers, attendance clerks, community school managers and other support staff to make up $21 million of an estimated $103 million deficit, according to media reports. The district planned to issue a total of 421 preliminary layoff notices and reduce the hours of 144 employees, according to Oaklandside. Nonteaching jobs often cut first Classified staff are often targeted for layoffs for practical and political reasons, Flint said. Advertisement Advertisement They [districts] try to concentrate layoffs among classified staff and administrative personnel simply because teachers have the most direct impact on student experience and academic achievement, and because teachers as the school employees who are most well known to parents and the community generally are the most sympathetic profession in the education field, Flint said. The California School Employees Association, which represents about 240,000 of the states K-12 classified school support staff, reported that at least 2,700 pink slips had been issued to its members by the states March 15 deadline. An additional 519 members received notices that their hours would be reduced and another 254, with jobs funded by federal dollars, were given 60-day layoff notices, according to a union report issued on March 6. Districts should make sure they have cut every possible expense before they start removing staff from school campuses, said CSEA President Adam Weinberger, who works in the Perris Union High School District in Riverside County. When classified employees are laid off, students lose more than services; they lose trusted adults in their lives bus drivers, educators, custodians and office staff who build relationships with our students. And those connections are essential to a safe and supported learning environment, Weinberger said. Advertisement Advertisement California school boards also approved layoff notices for administrative staff and workers represented by other unions, including members of the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 50,000 classified school employees in California districts including Sacramento City Unified. SEIU officials could not be reached to provide information about the number of members who received layoff notices. Teachers did not get off unscathed Even with efforts to shield teachers from layoffs, more than 1,900 pink slips were sent to members of the California Teachers Association by March 13, according to the union. The union represents teachers, librarians, school healthcare workers and school counselors. Last year about 2,000 teachers received notices. The pink slips are being issued at the same time that many bargaining units of the CTA and other unions are negotiating with their school districts for new contracts, most asking for higher salaries and improved benefits. San Diego Unified approved a contract with its teachers early this year that prohibits the district from laying off teachers or other certificated staff for the 2026-27 school year. Instead, the district sent layoff notices to 133 classified school support staff, according to the CSEA. Advertisement Advertisement San Diego Unified board member Sabrina Bazzo said she is proud of the decision not to cut teachers, saying its not what is best for students. There are still many districts laying off large numbers of teachers, as well as classified support staff. According to the CSEA, Long Beach Unified officials planned to send pink slips to 515 teachers and other credentialed staff, 15 to managers and 54 to support staff. Santa Clara Unified planned to send pink slips to 113 credentialed staff and 49 to classified workers. Antioch Unified approved a resolution reducing its credentialed staff by 104 positions and its classified staff by at least 193 positions, according to a union report. Pasadena Unified indicated it had also issued 161 pink slips to its credentialed employees and 240 to classified school support staff. Advertisement Advertisement The reductions are significant and affect every school and department in our district, said Pasadena Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco in a statement. We are living within our fiscal reality, as difficult as it is, to protect student learning, the districts long-term ability to serve future generations, and local control. Annual ritual causes anxiety Many have called the annual ritual disruptive to schools and demoralizing to the employees who receive them. Our members are working paycheck to paycheck, and theyre looking for stability, Weinberger said. I know we have many members that get one every year and, then theyre rescinded and that creates instability in their lives. Eventually, those employees begin to look for other, more stable, jobs to ensure they can provide for their families, he said. EdSource reporter Mallika Seshadri contributed to this report. California prosecutors have filed nearly 20,000 drug possession felony cases under a tough-on-crime measure passed in 2024. But despite promises to get people into services, the vast majority of those arrested have not received drug treatment, state data reveals. Proposition 36, a state ballot measure, enacted harsher penalties for minor theft and drug offenses, with proponents pledging the crackdown would lead to mass treatment to keep people alive, out of jail, and off our streets. Case records, however, suggest the state is largely failing to meet the central goal of getting people help and instead conducting mass arrests and incarcerating more people with addiction. In Prop 36s first year, less than 1% of drug felony charges resulted in defendants completing treatment programs, data shows. Advertisement Advertisement Prop 36 was overwhelmingly passed by voters amid concerns about public drug use, shoplifting and other non-violent crimes tied to Californias homelessness crisis. The initiative turned certain misdemeanors into felonies that carry prison time, rolling back parts of a landmark 2014 reform that had kept low-level offenses out of prison and reduced dangerous overcrowding behind bars. The new data has revived concerns of civil rights advocates, who warned Prop 36 would expand incarceration without addressing underlying public health challenges. No mass treatment Prop 36 allowed prosecutors to file felony drug possession cases against people with two or more previous drug convictions. Those charges, called treatment-mandated felonies, allow defendants to avoid prison if they complete treatment. In 2025, prosecutors filed a total of 19,104 drug possession felonies under Prop 36, according to data from the Judicial Council of California, the government agency that oversees state courts. But courts reported that defendants entered treatment in only 2,853 of those cases (15%). As of the end of 2025, only 57 of those cases (0.3%) completed treatment and had charges dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement The figures, along with incarceration data, were analyzed by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), a San Francisco-based nonprofit that advocates for reforms and shared its research with the Guardian. The Judicial Council cautions that its data is incomplete as some counties did not report comprehensive case information. Of the roughly half of California counties that disclosed detailed data, 12% of drug felony cases resulted in treatment referrals, and of those, 3% completed programs so far and 7% failed and were convicted. The number of case dismissals is expected to increase, with courts reporting more than 850 people were still in treatment as of the end of 2025. Defendants may also select treatment later in the court process. The courts surveyed by the Judicial Council reported numerous factors contributing to the lack of treatment. Some defendants chose time in custody over treatment, declined to be evaluated for treatment or missed court dates. Some faced more serious charges, making treatment unfeasible. Advertisement Advertisement Some courts reported a general lack of access to the necessary treatment services within their county. Some defendants did not financially qualify for county treatment programs. And state funding for Prop 36 treatment services was not yet doled out last year. The CJCJ, which collected accounts from public defenders about Prop 36, reported that people who relapse can get kicked out of programs, despite relapses being common in recovery. Some defendants chose convictions instead of treatment, because the programs are too long or intensive, public defenders reported. Prosecutors have at times used the threat of a felony to secure a plea deal for a lesser misdemeanor, the CJCJ added. In those cases, defendants might never be offered treatment or have little incentive to enter a program. Imprisoned for shoplifting Prop 36 allowed prosecutors to file felony charges for petty theft or shoplifting if defendants have two prior theft-related convictions. Those charges previously would not lead to prison time. Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, prosecutors filed 15,508 theft felonies under the new measure, with an estimated 38% resulting in conviction, the Judicial Council reported. Many cases are still pending. More than 850 people have been sentenced to prison on Prop 36 charges from January 2025 through January 2026, the CJCJ reported, with prison admissions steadily increasing each month. A total of 606 people were imprisoned for theft while 250 people had drug offenses. The public defenders office of Alameda county, which includes Oakland, said one client was charged with felony theft after stealing a $13 belt, and another was charged with a felony for allegedly stealing $33 in soda and hygiene supplies. A central California public defender reported that a client who stole shoes was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in part due to a 1998 conviction. Another client who stole roughly $200 of items from a grocery store was charged with felony theft and sentenced to two years in prison, the public defender said. Advertisement Advertisement Californias jail population also increased by roughly 2,600 people from November 2024 to November 2025, which is likely due in part to Prop 36, though jail data is not broken down by charge, the CJCJ said. Maureen Washburn, senior policy manager at the CJCJ, noted this crackdown was happening amid significant drops in crime rates. Did Californians voting for Prop 36 really understand that they would be driving an increase in prison populations for low-level drug and theft cases? she said. Its so counter to the direction weve been moving in as a state over the last few decades. Unequal outcomes The implementation of Prop 36 has also been uneven across California, the CJCJ found. Orange county, in southern California, is home to 8% of the state population, but accounted for nearly 20% of Prop 36 charges, the group found. Orange county residents were about 10 times more at risk of landing Prop 36 drug felonies compared to residents of neighboring Los Angeles, the group estimated. Advertisement Advertisement Kern and Stanislaus counties, in the Central Valley, filed Prop 36 charges at a rate more than twice the state average, the CJCJ found. Racial disparities were also stark. In Contra Costa county, in the Bay Area, Black residents make up 9% of the population, but accounted for 52% of Prop 36 theft charges, according to the CJCJ. In Napa, Black residents are 2% of the population, but 26% of theft cases. In Santa Clara, Latinos are 21% of the population, but 55% of Prop 36 drug charges. We see people committing crimes of poverty stealing diapers, hygiene supplies, essentials, and instead of trying to address the poverty, were sending people to prison, said Brendon Woods, Alameda county public defender. Charging someone with a felony is that really going to curb their criminality or lead to some rehabilitation? There is no job training or anything to help people get better or improve their economic situation. Woods said 63% of Prop 36 felony defendants in his office were Black, while his county is only 10% Black. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA), a group that backed Prop 36, said early reports show the model works well in counties with better systems in place. She provided data from several DAs showing treatment enrollments through September, including 531 people in treatment in San Diego (out of 1,634 cases filed); 370 in treatment in Riverside (out of 1,999 cases); and 215 in Orange county (out of 5,114 cases). In a statement provided by the CDAA, Harriet Salarno, founder of Crime Victims United of California, another Prop 36 backer, defended the measure, saying it was designed to hold habitual offenders accountable and connect people to treatment. She also called for an additional $400m in the state budget to support implementation: Without more resources, we risk failing the voters balanced mandate and leaving victims exposed. In response to questions about the racial disparities in charges, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara district attorney said in an email that many factors go into why people commit crimes, how they get caught, and what charges are filed against them, adding: We do note that in our community the income disparities by race are very similar to the disparities in the criminal justice system. A Contra Costa DA spokesperson said Prop 36 cases, like all prosecutions, go through a race-blind review process prior to any charging decision following state law aiming to reduce unconscious bias in prosecution. A Napa DA spokesperson said comparing the race of defendants to the countys general population was misleading, in part because not all defendants may live in Napa. DAs from other counties with disparities did not respond to inquiries. Advertisement Advertisement Weve already seen this play out with tough-on-crime initiatives and the war on drugs from the 80s and 90s, said Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, a criminal justice reform group. It has a generational impact. People who ended up with felony drug charges faced lifetime restrictions on housing and employment, with sanctions passed onto their children. She added: It doesnt make anyone safer to have someone struggling with addiction now living with a legal barrier preventing them from stabilizing their lives. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that a new contractor will oversee Camp East Montana in El Paso, the largest migrant facility in the nation that has been under fire since its opening. ICE has released the following statement to KTSM about the new contractor: Amentum has been a close partner with ICE in managing Camp East Montana and was best suited to take over as the prime government contractor for this facility. Amentums size, maturity and pedigree make them the right partner at the right time and we will work closely with them in their implementation of higher standards of medical care, more thorough case processing and intake procedures, and delivery of performance requirements according to well-defined accountability measures. ICE will continue to ensure that all of the detainees in our custody receive the level of care, service, and medical support they need to match our high detention standards. This comes after the facility has come under fire after three deaths in the six months that Camp East Montana has been open, a call for closure from Democrats and others, and residents raising their voices about having the facility in their backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Francisco Gaspar-Andres, Geraldo Lunas Camps and Victor Manuel Diaz were all detainees who have died at Camp East Montana. The El Paso County Medical Examiners Office ruled Lunas Campos death as a homicide, saying he died of asphyxia due to neck and torso compression. Autopsy: Cuban man detained at Camp East Montana died of asphyxia; manner ruled homicide Attempted suicides, fights, pain: 911 calls reveal misery at ICEs largest detention facility U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, along with 23 other Democratic members of Congress, have called for the closure of Camp East Montana. She and her colleagues sent a letter last month to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, questioning the conditions at the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Camp East Montana was constructed in a matter of weeks and opened before construction was complete, and it does not have enough federal staff on-site to provide adequate oversight. Over the last several months, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, in whose district this facility is located, has sent multiple letters to DHS and ICE regarding concerns about the conditions at Camp East Montana, and has received no responses, read part of the letter. Congresswoman Escobar, others call for closure of Camp East Montana Escobar has also voiced her concerns about detainees health conditions as there has been a measles outbreak at the facility, with 14 cases confirmed on March 3. DHS has said they will enforce a quarantine until March 19 or 20. Local leaders, advocates and residents have also come out to speak against Camp East Montana. Many protests have happened in Downtown El Paso and in front of the facility. El Paso Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz issued a pastoral letter on the mass deportations and detentions, saying they represent a grave moral evil. Advertisement Advertisement For these reasons, I must make clear, the current national campaign of mass detention and deportations is a grave moral evil, one which must be opposed, with prayer, peaceful action and acts of solidarity with those affected. In these acts, we touch the wounds of Jesus Christ, and in this solidarity, we carry forward the hope of the Resurrection. God is on the side of justice, and as we journey towards Easter, we know that God is fashioning a new humanity that reflects Gods blessings for all people, read part of Seitzs letter. Seitz calls mass detention, deportations a grave moral evil KTSM 9 has reached out to Amentum for comment. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released more information in a deadly shooting that involved Bartow County deputies on March 17. GBI said Justin Eric Hardin, 45, of Canton, was shot and killed. No deputies were hurt. Channel 2 Action News reported from the scene of the shooting, where a large law enforcement and firefighter presence was seen at Interstate 75 and Highway 20. Hardins vehicle was stopped in connection with an attempt to execute a drug task force arrest warrant by the Bartow County Sheriffs Office and Bartow Cartersville Drug Task Force at around 3 p.m. March 17. Advertisement Advertisement GBI said Hardin drove off from the attempted stop in the parking lot of the Days Inn motel on Highway 20. Deputies pursued his vehicle a short distance before performing a PIT maneuver under the overpass at Highway 20 and Interstate 75. A passenger, Angela Green, 44, of Acworth, got out of the vehicle and was taken into custody. She was taken to Bartow County Detention Center. Authorities said Hardin didnt follow commands to leave the vehicle. Deputies used a spray in the vehicle to get the suspect to leave it. When deputies broke the drivers side window to get Hardin out of the vehicle, he shot at deputies, authorities said. Deputies returned fire, shooting Hardin. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The GBI said a large amount of suspected methamphetamine were found in the vehicle. An independent investigation will be conducted by the GBI, and the case file will be given to the Bartow County District Attorneys Office for review. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journals free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here. Please subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get all the Ohio news you need to know right to your inbox every weekday morning. If you already subscribe, please share with your family and friends so they know about the Ohio Capital Journal too: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/subscribe/ Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Catching Our Eye Making out, in more ways than one The Columbus Dispatchs Emma Wozniak reports, OSUs Carter sat on over 20 boards, including Bitcoin miner that paid him $400K. During his roughly two years as president of Ohio State University, Ted Carter held more than 20 board and advisory roles some tied to the university, others with outside organizations ranging from a Bitcoin-mining company to a music hall of fame. And one alone paid him a total of nearly $400,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to Carters financial disclosures. Too many universities? The Cincinnati Enquirers Jessie Balmert reports, Vivek Ramaswamy wants to consolidate Ohio universities. We have too many. Advertisement Advertisement The Republican running to replace Gov. Mike DeWine, floated the idea of consolidating Ohio universities to pay for eliminating the states income tax. Polls. Newsweek reports, Vivek Ramaswamy Dealt Double Polling Blow in Ohio Governor Race. A Quantus Insights poll released Monday gave Acton a slight lead over Ramaswamy. She received 45.9 percent support in the poll, compared to Ramaswamys 44.9 percent. It surveyed 809 likely voters from March 13-14 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points Just last week, a poll from the Ohio Environmental Council showed Ramaswamy trailing Acton by 10 points. In that poll, Acton received support from 53 percent of respondents, while Ramaswamy received support from 43 percent. It surveyed 1,343 likely voters from February 10-22 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. Advertisement Advertisement And boom goes the meteor. Ideastreams Stephanie Metzger-Lawrence, Gabriel Kramer report, What was that boom? National Weather Service says meteor likely traversed Northeast Ohio. Northeast Ohioans started their St. Patricks Day with a literal boom. It was heard around 9 a.m. Tuesday, with many witnesses reporting the sound of a sonic boom and shaking ground from both the east and west sides of Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs. Early speculation included earthquakes and explosions, but the National Weather Service in Cleveland said imagery suggests that a meteor may have been the cause. Oil and gas. Notus reports, Trumps DOGE Cuts Slashed Staff That Handled Middle Eastern Oil and Gas Crises. Advertisement Advertisement Six months before the Trump administration started bombing Iran, the Department of State fired its oil and gas experts. As the war in Iran stretches into its third week, and the Strait of Hormuz through which 20% of the worlds oil supply usually flows remains effectively closed, the U.S. government is without the resources it once had to handle such crises, former State Department employees tell NOTUS. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Newly released autopsy findings reveal the cause of death for an elderly man who was thrown headfirst onto parking lot pavement by an Oklahoma City police officer in 2024. According to a summary report obtained from the state medical examiner's office on Wednesday, March 18, the "probable cause of death" for Lich Thanh Vu was metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma, or thyroid cancer. The one-page document also lists other significant conditions that contributed to Vu's death, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease that built up plaque in his arteries; remote blunt force trauma; a neurogenerative disorder called tauopathy; and type 2 diabetes. Advertisement Advertisement Despite listing cancer as the probable cause of death, the summary report also marked his manner of death as "unknown." Management at the medical examiner's office said the full report, containing "significant observations and injury documentations," would be released March 24. Vu died Oct. 3, 2025, at the age of 72. His attorney Devon Jacob did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. He has argued in a federal civil lawsuit that police brutality hastened his death. What happened in encounter with police? Vu was injured Oct. 27, 2024, while he was arguing with a police officer, Sgt. Joseph Gibson, over a traffic ticket following a minor vehicle collision in Oklahoma City. Body camera video released by police shows Vu became upset after the officer told him, "I have to write you a ticket for improper U-turn." The video shows Vu declined to sign the ticket and got out of his car. Gibson told him he would go to jail if he didn't sign. "I'm ready to go to jail," Vu responded. Advertisement Advertisement At the argument grew more heated, Vu said to the officer, "You shut up." At that point, his lawyer said, Vu lightly tapped Gibson with the back of his right hand on the outside of the officer's bulletproof vest, a single time, then gestured with an index finger against his lips for the officer to be quiet. Attendees listen to the discussion between the council at the Oklahoma City Council meeting Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The video shows the officer taking Vu down and handcuffing him behind his back. Gibson would later resign in February 2025. The incident sparked local outcry, with Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna describing Gibson's actions as unreasonable. He would be charged in December 2024 with aggravated assault and battery, a felony. When charging Gibson, Behenna said the interaction escalated to the point where Gibson performed a takedown on Vu, which caused Vu to fall headfirst on the pavement. Her office said Vu sustained significant injuries, including an orbital fracture, neck fracture and a brain bleed. Advertisement Advertisement But that same month, Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond took over the case and dismissed it, saying he would not let police officers "face criminal prosecution for conduct adhering to their training." That dismissal came less than a month before Drummond, a Republican, announced he was running for governor and had the support of the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police. The AG's decision drew serious objection from prominent voices in Oklahoma City, particularly within its Asian community, which has historically been based in the city's northwest enclave. "There's been anger. There's been hurt. Many are upset. Most importantly, there's been feelings of distrust in our leaders, in our leadership," said Thuan Nguyen, an advisory board member for the Asian District Cultural Association. Advertisement Advertisement More: Federal suit filed against OKC, police in use-of-force case that left 71-year-old seriously injured In this screenshot from a business video, Lich Vu, 71 at the time, is shown being taken down and handcuffed by Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson after arguing with him about a traffic ticket on Oct. 27, 2024, in Oklahoma City. The federal lawsuit from Vu's family against Gibson and the city is ongoing. Jacob argues in the suit that Gibson's actions during Vu's arrest were "objectively unreasonable" and violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. "The method used by Gibson to take Lich Vu to the ground deviated from standard law enforcement training regarding controlled take-down techniques," Jacob wrote when he filed the suit last year. "Standard controlled take-down techniques are designed to ensure the safety of both the officer and detainee. They do so by controlling the speed of the detainee's descent to the ground and the position in which they land, while maintaining control over the detainee." "No exigency or legitimate law enforcement interest required Gibson to take Lich Vu to the ground in an uncontrolled manner that deviated from standard law enforcement training," Jacob wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Spokespeople for the Oklahoma City Police Department could not comment on pending litigation. Contributing: Nolan Clay, Dale Denwalt. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Lich Vu autopsy shows cause of death after OKC police officer incident Dozens of CBS News employees walked off the job Tuesday after union contracts broke down during negotiations with MAGA-curious boss Bari Weiss. The networks streaming services 60-person unionized staff launched a 24-hour strike at its New York headquarters and the KPIX-TV CBS News Bay Area office in San Francisco. Contract negotiations between CBS News 24/7 staff and leadership imploded last week after both sides could not reach an agreement on raises, defined schedules, and severance, leaving their three-year contract to expire, The Wrap reported. Advertisement Advertisement We agree that streaming news is definitely the future, Jordan Lilly, a CBS News 24/7 producer and member of its bargaining committee, told The Wrap. Weve been doing it here for 12 years. Glad that the rest of the world is catching up, he added. But if thats going to be where they stake their claim as the future of the company, they need to invest accordingly. The streaming service continued to operate on Tuesday as the strike was ongoing. / CBS 24/7 Lilly also said that managers have demanded that some employees work weekend shifts, often up to 12 hours, even though CBS News 24/7 does not have weekend-specific programming. He said the new demands from the higher-ups come with a get on board or get out mentality. We generally get treated like we are lucky to be here even though we are the ones that make everything show up on your screen, he said. Advertisement Advertisement It is Weisss first time negotiating with a union, as her anti-woke website, the Free Press, is not unionized. Last year, CBS News acquired her news and opinion blog for $150 miliion and installed Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief, despite her having no prior experience in TV news. Weiss has previously shown little regard for unions as she crossed the picket line to participate in a puff piece on herself in her hometown paper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, while employees were engaged in a years-long strike there. Bari Weiss, who had no experience in TV news before being tapped to lead CBS, has been a controversial figure at the network. / MIKE BLAKE / REUTERS A CBS News spokesperson told the Daily Beast in a statement, We continue to negotiate in good faith and hope to reach a fair resolution quickly. Tiffany Hudson, another CBS News 24/7 producer, said Weisss interactions with CBS News 24/7 staff have been very limited. Advertisement Advertisement Our members have been hearing things essentially through trade publications, in the rumor mill, about changes to our workplace, she said. With this contract, we want to make sure that the protections that were fighting for are in it, so no matter what happens, we at least have comfort in knowing that we have strong protections around severance, strong protections on overtime, things like that. Improving severance remains one of the most important issues for union members, as the network has plans to lay off 15 percent of its staff as Weiss restructures CBS. The fear of layoffs has become even more evident after Paramount announced a $110 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, CNNs parent company. But Lilly and Hudson both said that managers have remained quiet about what cuts could look like. With the prospect of layoffs, with or without that merger sort of perpetually on the horizon, Lilly said, the best way to insulate our colleagues from damage is to just make sure that they have an equitable exit package should they lose their job. Advertisement Advertisement The Daily Beast reached out to CBS News for comment. Bari Weiss, founder of The Free Press blog, has been criticized for lacking the necessary experience to lead CBS News. / Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Weisss time running CBS News has been nothing short of tumultuous, as top talent has departed the network, ratings for its signature news programming have been abysmal, and the network has been highly criticized for making itself more Trump-friendly. CBS News has four main bargaining units, including the Writers Guild of America, which represents CBS News 24/7. The Writers Guild of America previously told employees that they did not have to comply with a demand from Weiss, who requested that they provide her with a DOGE-style list of what they work on each day. The union said in a statement at the time, We are aware that Bari Weiss sent an email asking CBS employees to provide information about their jobs and feedback about CBS News. Many of you have expressed concern to us about the purpose of the email, and we share those concerns. Akbar Novruz Read more Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew the United States into the conflict, calling it a strategic "miscalculation" in an interview with Al Jazeera, AzerNEWS reports. "Americans were drawn into this war by Israel, or more precisely by Netanyahu himself," Araghchi said. "I think they themselves don't even know what their ultimate objective is." He added Washington shifts its goals daily, citing "regime change dividing Iran collapse of the government [and] unconditional surrender." "Those who are demanding unconditional surrender from us now seek help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz," he said, adding the US "must acknowledge that it made a mistake." Araghchi noted countries including China could mediate, saying Beijing had previously played a "positive" role in brokering agreements between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for a new international framework governing the Strait of Hormuz once the current conflict ends. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Araghchi stated that "after the end of the war, we should design new mechanisms for the Strait of Hormuz and the way ships pass to ensure permanent peaceful passage under specific regulations." He emphasized that this must account for "the interests of Iran and the region." Araghchi stressed that any new protocol should be developed between countries on both sides of the strait, "because they are the main parties to the issue." "We do not believe in a ceasefire. We believe in the end of the war; the end of the war means precisely the end of the war on all fronts to witness peace throughout the region in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and other countries in the region," he added. person in blue shirt putting quarters in piggy bank next to laptop - Take Production Studios/Shutterstock Among the savings tools that workers have available, the 401(k) is perhaps the most versatile. This savings account offers a wealth of investment potential and is generally structured as a workplace perk rather than a tax-advantaged savings tool you'd set up on your own (like an IRA or 529 plan). However, self-employed individuals and freelancers can open their own 401(k) to take advantage of the benefits without a defined workplace program covering them through the usual channels. 401(k) accounts enjoy significantly higher annual contribution caps than IRAs 2026 figures are $7,500 compared to $24,500 and can be established in both Roth and traditional treatments, too. The benefits are obvious, but Gallup found in 2025 that roughly 59% of Americans have retirement savings in at least one tax-advantaged account. Capitalize found in 2023 that roughly 20% of Americans have money sitting in a forgotten 401(k) account established while working at a former job. This number has only grown in the years since, with nearly 32 million "forgotten" 401(k) accounts sitting dormant in the background of savers' financial lives as of September 2025. Saving for retirement takes on many forms, but the 401(k) is a guiding light in this endeavor. It's also a tool that offers free money through employer match perks that average 4.6% of employee salaries. With the value of the 401(k) so clear, it can act as a great barometer for where you stand financially as you continue to age and reassess your savings targets. These are the typical figures for savers in each decile of life, based primarily on Empower Personal Dashboard data from January 2026, although other sources will also come into play. Read more: Retirement In 1960 Looked Completely Different. Here's What Changed Median and average 401(k) values for early career workers young workers in an office - Paperkites/Getty Images Those in their 20s don't tend to have as much exposure to savings tools as the older cohort they work with. It's commonly advised to start saving for retirement by the time you turn 25, and this age recommendation lines up with an important age grouping that data is available for. According to data reported by Vanguard in 2025, the average American under 25 has a 401(k) balance of $6,899, with a median figure pegged at $1,948. This is a great start, and it indicates that younger people are indeed beginning their retirement savings journey "on time." This also suggests that young people entering the workforce in earnest are also gaining access to employer perk packages, which are hard to come by or nonexistent in much of the gig-dominated economy that rules the present moment. Statista data shows that Millennials are by far the most likely to participate in the freelancer ecosystems (as of 2023), with 45% of the generation's population working in this capacity. In contrast, Gen Z (those aged between 14 and 29 years old) participate at a 15% rate, although some may be too young to start working. On another note, Gallup's reporting on retirement savings in 2025 found some notable discrepancies across the age divide. Uptake among those between 18 and 29 lags behind older generations, with over 62% of those in every age bracket over 30 maintaining at least one retirement savings account. In contrast, just 39% of those under the big three-oh have opened one. As such, the results are something of a mixed bag for those in the early stages of their career adventure, but fortunately there's still plenty of time to hop on board. Your 20s offer significant early growth potential a young professional in an office - Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock Vanguard's findings point to substantial growth in both average and median values for workers 25 and up. In the 25 to 34 age range, Vanguard found an average balance of $42,640 and a median savings of $16,255 parks in 401(k) accounts. Empower clients had even more saved in their accounts, with those in their 20s averaging 401(k) balances of $116,872 alongside a median savings figure of $43,192. This is a great start, either way, although if you've saved in this neighborhood while falling within the age range, you'll enjoy a much more stable path forward if you're still near the bottom of the timeline as opposed to the end of the age group. Some experts suggest using your salary as a yardstick for measuring your savings targets rather than arbitrary numbers. This can be particularly helpful early in your career, since the decades separating your savings from their distribution date can muddy the waters when it comes to determining how much you anticipate needing to comfortably exit the fray. A common early target of roughly matching your salary figure by the time you reach 30 acts as a good starting point. Many early career professionals will find themselves right on track if they are within striking distance of the median figure offered by Empower, and likely significantly ahead of the curve if they're sitting around the average savings. 30-somethings average nearly a full doubling businessman in his 30's looking at laptop - Insta_photos/Getty Images After reaching 30 (but before 40), Empower reports an average balance of $212,356 and a median 401(k) value of $78,857. Fidelity offers two snapshots of the decade, based on 2024 Q4 account information. Those between 30 and 34 average $45,700 and 35 to 39 year olds have an average of $73,100 saved in their 401(k) accounts. A theme is emerging in the data, suggesting that savers across the consumer landscape exhibit wildly different savings behaviors. Reporting on accounts held with one brokerage firm can be entirely different from that of another. Even so, a trend in the crossover into a person's 30s appears to hold. Regardless of the outlet, account values nearly double in this progression from a saver's 20s into their third decade. This is a healthy sign of growth, certainly, but it also establishes a different pattern that will continue to hold long into the future. Notably, many of the age ranges leave plenty of leeway for interpolation and guesswork. However, a moderately aggressive investment portfolio should double roughly every seven years, while more conservative approaches require as many as 10. These numbers suggest an even slower pace of growth, which either signals that savers aren't utilizing the appropriate asset allocation framework (such as the 120-minus-age rule) or are slowing their deposit pace and allowing the portfolio to grow mostly on its own. Those in their 40s often hit some important marks a business professional in her 40s - Stock 4you/Shutterstock The trend of slightly stifled growth rates continues into savers' 40s, on average. A refocus of priorities often takes place around the 30-year mark, since this is around the time that the average American will get married, have children, and engage in other important life events. These are all costly endeavors, with the average wedding running a couple $32,000 for a hometown event and $41,000 for international affairs, according to The Knot. The median first-time homebuyer is now 40, however, shifting one big ticket item a bit later and making this another potentially expensive decade of life. But pushing back against lifestyle creep to maintain a focus on savings is essential, even if it's grounded in some crucial milestones that you have dreamed about for many years. Fidelity's data indicates that 40 to 44 year olds have amassed an average 401(k) balance of $109,100, while those between 45 and 49 have $199,900 saved, on average. Empower clients have notably more socked away, with a median figure for those in their 40s of $156,675 and an average 401(k) balance of $409,686. These numbers still underperform a full doubling, but the average figures see a 92.9% increase from Empower clients in their 30s to their 40s as opposed to an 81.6% jump from those in their 20s to their 30s. Fidelity data shows a 138.7% increase from the 30-34 age range to 40-44, although the ranges skew the numbers a little more. At 50, balances grow and contribution caps expand a middle aged couple - insta_photos/Shutterstock Those over 50 have the ability to utilize catch up contributions to expand their savings volume. This raises the limit on both IRA and 401(k) accounts, with the latter enjoying an additional $8,000 contribution limit in 2026. This means that individuals nearing their decade of retirement can double down on their savings strategy to better position themselves to hit their goals. Vanguard data shows a major jump from the 45 to 54 age range to the 55 to 64 bracket, potentially indicating that savers are indeed utilizing this critical tool. Average 401(k) balances for those over 45 stand at $188,643 with a median figure of $67,796, while the 55 to 64 bucket rises substantially to a $271,320 average and a median figure of $95,642. Empower numbers show a modest bump in growth over the previous decade. Those in their 50s average a balance of $629,000 with a median 401(k) balance of $246,554. The average numbers rise by a notable margin higher than $200,000 over the previous decade, while the increase from savers in their 30s to their 40s is boosted by less than this round mark. Fidelity data, on the other hand, exhibits a slowdown in the dual-break age groups for this decade. Clients have average balances of $199,900 in the 50 to 54 age range and $244,900 from 55 to 59. The jump from 45-49 up to the 50-54 bracket is nearly $48,000, while the next age range increases by $45,000, suggesting that Fidelity savers may be largely failing to take advantage of the expanded cap. Savers in their 60s start to refocus on drawdown strategies an older worker on a jobsite - Vukasin Ljustina/Getty Images Upon reaching your 60s, things begin to change rapidly in the retirement savings strategy department. The average American worker leaves their career behind at 62. With full retirement age (for most) pegged at 67 and the maximum Social Security benefit amount coming for those who wait to start taking checks until they reach 70, most will see their transition from retirement account saver to spender happen in this decade. It's important to understand where you fall personally, and some key indicators can signal that delaying your retirement may be beneficial. However, the numbers are clear, and the early half of a person's 60s hold up as the standard pivot point. Fidelity savers see a massive slow down in the value increases upon reaching 60, with balances boosting from $244,900 before this age to just $246,500 for those 60 to 64. The 65 to 69 age range sees another increase, but this is similarly miniscule, averaging $251,400. These trends suggest that active savings strategies essentially come to a halt in this decade, but aggressive drawdowns aren't yet in the cards, either. Empower's numbers tell a different story. Savers in their 60s do see a reduction in value, dropping from their peak in the prior decade to a $576,755 average balance and a median figure of $187,249. 401(k) accounts are subject to required minimum distributions at 73 seniors looking at financial documents - Stockphotodirectors/Getty Images At 70, you'll surely be drawing Social Security checks. There's no benefit to waiting beyond this age, so all eligible retirees should turn on the flow of this income stream by 70 at the very latest. Your Traditional IRA and 401(k) accounts see another important milestone in this decade of life, namely the initiation of required minimum distributions (RMDs). This value is calculated based on factors including your life expectancy and the amount you've stored away in accounts that are subject to these distributions. Your Roth accounts are not required to pay out RMDs, for instance. As a result of this new obligation, retirees across the board must be prepared for the tax liabilities that come with this new distribution schedule. Up to this point, it's possible to avoid taking any money out of accounts that come with a tax hit. But with RMDs active once you reach 73, you'll have to take at least some cash every year out of an account that experiences a taxable event. Utilizing one or more key distribution strategies leading up to this age and beyond can help minimize your tax liability as a retiree. Naturally, Empower clients see another steep decline in balances entering this decade. The average 401(k) account for those in their 70s maintains a balance of $431,834, with a median figure of $95,931. Fidelity clients 70-plus finally see their balance decrease, but only to an average of $250,000, down from a peak that's just $1,400 higher. Octogenarians still retain strong 401(k) values older seniors smiling together - Fg Trade/Getty Images The average life expectancy for Americans as of 2024 was 79.0, with a figure of 81.4 for women and 76.5 for men, according to Scientific American. However, the percentage of the U.S. population over 65 has steadily risen through the years with the fastest growth rate from 2010 to 2020 since decade ending in 1890, according to the Census Bureau. In 2022, Social Explorer reported that 1.27 million Americans were over 80, and that in 2020 there was a greater percentage of the population in their eighth decade of life than those older than 75 in 1970. It's a fact that people everywhere are living longer, and therefore need a stronger financial plan to support themselves in retirement than those who came before. Empower clients over 80 retain strong 401(k) balances in aggregate, signaling good financial stability and even the ability to pass on a potentially significant amount of wealth to their loved ones after passing. Average balances for those in their 80s stand at $429,614, while the median 401(k) value for those 80-plus is $77,086. Of course, anyone with a strong portfolio entering this decade of life will want to start thinking about what they'll do with the remainder of their money. It's entirely reasonable to start splurging on vacations and lifestyle enhancers, but those who will remain steady and leave assets in a 401(k) to spouses or children will need to have a conversation about what that means for anyone named as a beneficiary. Inheriting a 401(k) as a non-spouse comes with certain rules, for instance. But this kind of gift can do wonders for a younger saver's own retirement accounts. Found this helpful? Subscribe to the Money Digest newsletter and unlock your financial potential. And add Money Digest to your preferred sources for smart money insights! Read the original article on Money Digest. Topline California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said he would be open to renaming the state holiday honoring Cesar Chavez amid allegations of sexual misconduct and rape against the late civil rights leader that have been called "disturbing" and "difficult to comprehend. United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez protesting the use of toxic pesticides in the growing of table grapes. Bettmann Archive Key Facts Newsom on Wednesday said he hasnt yet spoken directly with state lawmakers about a new name, but that he would be OK with something else that honors the farm workers rights movement Chavez was so closely aligned with. United Farm Workers, the still-operating farm union Chavez co-founded in the 1960s, called allegations against him "crushing," "disturbing" and "indefensible and said it would cancel all Cesar Chavez Day events planned for March 31. Advertisement Advertisement The Cesar Chavez Foundation, which develops affordable housing and provides educational services to underserved Latino communities in his name, said it was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the allegations, and the Cesar Chavez Community Action Center at San Jose State University said it is re-envisioning programming planned to honor him this month. Legislative leaders in California, where much of Chavezs activism took place, have also spoken out: California state Sen. Monique Limon, who holds the No. 2 role in the chamber, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said in a joint statement the allegations are "devastating" and extended sympathies for the victims and everyone carrying this pain. The city of San Antonio has canceled its Cesar E. Chavez march, which has been held annually for almost 30 years, as did Corpus Christi, Texas. A handful of other events in states like Texas, Arizona, California and Michigan have also been canceled, though Cesar Chavez Day is a state holiday in California and will remain a paid day off for state employees. Advertisement Advertisement Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: Were launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the days headlines. Text Alerts to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes. Contra Sacramento, Californias 24th Annual Cesar Chavez March, scheduled for March 28, will go on as scheduled, with organizer Francisco Garcia saying the event never romanticized the idea of Chavez, saying the event instead honors the work he did for farm workers. What To Watch For If San Francisco will cancel its Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta Parade and Festival scheduled for April 11. No formal announcement had been made as of Wednesday. Big Number Almost 50. Thats how many schools are named after Chavez in California alone, more than are named for Martin Luther King Jr. There are dozens of other streets, schools, parks and other monuments named for Chavez all over the country. Statues of him stand in San Fernando and Fresno, California, Austin, Texas, Phoenix and Las Vegas, among other places. President Joe Biden displayed a bust of Chavez in the Oval Office of the White House when he was in office. President Barack Obama in 2014 designated March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day, a U.S. federal commemorative holiday. Key Background Chavez was born a first-generation American and grew up as a migrant farm worker. He worked in fields, orchards and vineyards in California before co-founding the United Farm Workers in 1966 and becoming a leading voice for farm workers' rights in the state. He organized nonviolent protests, strikes and boycotts to demand better pay and safe working conditions, and became a national symbol for civil rights and social justice. This week, more than 30 years after his death, reports have surfaced of Chavez behaving inappropriately with women and minors at the height of his activism. Two women spoke to the New York Times about their stories of sexual abuse, both of whom said they were 12 and 13, respectively, when they were first abused by Chavez. Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded UFW, told the Times she, too, was raped. Crucial Quote Unfortunately, he used some of his great leadership to abuse women and children, Huerta told the Times. Its really awful. Allegations of sexual assault by Cesar Chavez have shaken Californias Central Coast, where the farm labor organizer spent decades mobilizing agricultural workers. The New York Times investigation, published on Wednesday, March 18, includes allegations that Chavez sexually abused two girls while they were under the age of 18. The Times also reported that Chavez raped Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded the UFW in 1966 in Delano, California. Huerta later released a statement regarding the encounters with Chavez. Advertisement Advertisement The recent allegations concerning Cesar Chavez, as reported in the New York Times, are serious, deeply troubling, and demand our full attention," Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said in a statement. "We must approach this moment with a clear commitment to truth, accountability, and justice. The voices of those who have come forward must be heard, respected, and taken seriously." The UFW canceled planned celebrations in honor of Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) upon learning of the allegations. Dolores Huerta details alleged sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez Huerta's statement detailed two sexual encounters that resulted in pregnancies that were kept hidden. As a young mother in the 1960s, I experienced two separate sexual encounters with Cesar, Huerta said. The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didnt feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to. The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped. Advertisement Advertisement Huerta, 95, said in her statement that those encounters led to pregnancies that she kept secret, and that she had arranged for those children to be raised by other families. She said that despite developing a deep relationship with these children, no one knew the full truth about how they were conceived until just a few weeks ago. Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta's deep times to Central Coast Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta speaking at the June 10, 2025 meeting of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in Salinas, Calif. Both Chavez, who died in 1993, and Huerta have deep ties to the agricultural communities in the Central Coast. Last year, Huerta attended a ceremony in Salinas honoring the Bracero workers who worked in the Salinas Valley during the '40s-'60s and spoke at the No Kings rally in Watsonville. Chavez's legacy can be found in the public spaces that bear his name. Advertisement Advertisement In Salinas, a library, neighborhood park and school are named after Chavez. In a statement, Alisal Union School District, which includes Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School, said they are "heartbroken" over the recent news concerning Chavez and stand in solidarity with the victims. It continues by saying they will be "engaging our community in conversations about the implications of this news and what it means for our school community." Salinas City Councilman Andrew Sandoval said he strongly denounced "the actions alleged involving the late Cesar Chavez and am deeply troubled by the recent statements that have come forward. I also acknowledge and support Dolores Huerta for her strength in sharing her experience." The statement continues to say he will be asking the city to "reconsider the naming of our park and library currently named after Cesar Chavez. The decision must reflect our community's values. I will be seeking community input to help guide this process." Advertisement Advertisement Monterey County also released a statement after the New York Times article published. "Considering recent allegations about Cesar Chavez, the County of Monterey remains committed to ensuring that survivors of violence are heard and treated with dignity and respect. The Farmworker Rights Movement was advanced by thousands of individuals and families dedicated to the fair treatment of those who labored to put food on tables worldwide, ending in a historic change for themselves and future generations of farmworkers. This work continues and advances through ongoing advocacy by us in the community, the next generation which has inherited the reins of this effort on a path paved by history makers." Advertisement Advertisement State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, who grew up in a farming community outside Hollister, released the following statement: For survivors and their families, the weight of their pain is real and ongoing. The first priority is to listen to them with humility and compassion. The farmworker movement has never been about one man; it is bigger than any one person, and its values of dignity and justice are more important now than ever. To those who have found the courage to come forward, my heart is with you. Elected officials urge support for survivors following allegations Assemblymember Dawn Addis, who represents the 30th district, which includes parts of San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, released the following statement, which began by thanking Dolores Huerta "for her strength and courage in coming forward." "I am also grateful to United Farm Workers for believing survivors and taking appropriate action in this moment. Across our state and nation, too many survivors have been forced to carry their experiences in silence: ignored when they try to speak, dismissed, or even attacked by those in power. Survivors must be believed. They must have full access to justice, and their voices must be heard. Together, we must continue this fight." Advertisement Advertisement Alejo acknowledges "there is real pain and hurt being felt across the Latino community and beyond. That pain cannot be dismissed or minimized." He continued: "Allegations of abuse, especially sexual abuse, must always be met with a firm stance that survivors deserve to be believed, supported, and treated with dignity."At the same time, we must be clear-eyed about history. The farmworker rights movement was never the work of a single individual. It was built by thousands of courageous farmworkers, organizers, and families who sacrificed, organized, and fought for basic human dignity in the fields and beyond. Their legacy is real, and it endures." (This story has been updated with the statement from Monterey County and a statement by Salinas City Councilman Andrew Sandoval) This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Central Coast leaders react to Cesar Chavez sexual assault allegations Central Wisconsin residents are still digging out after a record-breaking snowstorm that moved through the area beginning late March 14 through midday March 16. Most of the region saw a blanket of snow accumulation ranging between 20-25 inches, Gus Kaiser, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Green Bay, told a USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin reporter, with some reports of snow depth amounts reaching more than 30 inches. The amount of snow accumulation resulting from the storm event likely approached or broke a number of records across the region for single-day accumulations, single storm event accumulations, and daily record totals for March 15 or 16, Kaiser said. The storm will also contribute to other records for total snowfall for the month of March and for the total season snowfall. Advertisement Advertisement More Central Wisconsin weather: Central WI snowstorm cleanup underway as officials urge patience More Central Wisconsin weather: How much snow fell during March 14-16 blizzard in Central Wisconsin? Wausau sets new all-time snowfall records An official observer in Wausau confirmed a new all-time record snowfall amount from a single storm at 30.9 inches for the duration of the nearly 36-hour event and a new 24-hour record of 23.4 inches on March 15, Kaiser said. The National Weather Service does not have similar official observers in other Central Wisconsin cities to confirm record-breaking amounts but it is likely other cities and villages set new records, too, Kaiser said. The highest snowfall total was reported in Mountain at 34 inches followed closely by reports of 33 inches in Shawano, Sturgeon Bay, and Egg Harbor, Kaiser said. Advertisement Advertisement Notably, the storm also produced blizzard and near-blizzard conditions for an extended period of about 12 hours late March 15 into March 16 with sustained gusts above 30 mph, sometimes reaching above 40 mph, and visibilities below 1 mile, which is unusual for the region, Kaiser said. More snow expected March 17-18, then warmer temperatures expected Another system will move through the region beginning late in the evening on March 17 to mid-morning on March 18, which will bring about another inch of light, powdery snow accumulation that may lead to a slower morning commute on March 18, Kaiser said. Temperatures will remain near 20 degrees on March 17 before a warming trend begins on March 18 with temperatures reaching the mid-30s, Kaiser said. March 19 and 20 will likely see high temperatures in the 40s during the day, which drop back to freezing overnight, and a potential for 50s for March 21 and 22. The slow warming trend combined with an already unfrozen ground largely eased earlier concerns for flooding in upcoming days but some rivers are still expected to reach bankfull stages, Kaiser said. Advertisement Advertisement Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Wausau broke 2 all-time snow records during March 14-16 blizzard The United Farm Workers (UFW) on Tuesday announced that it will not celebrate the birthday of its founder, civil rights icon Cesar Chavez, later this month after the labor union received troubling allegations in connection with family issues and abuse of young women and minors. As a women-led organization that exists to empower communities, the allegations about abusive behavior by Cesar Chavez go against everything that we stand for, the UFW said in a statement. These disturbing allegations involve inappropriate behavior by Cesar Chavez with young women and minors, they are shocking, indefensible and something we are taking seriously. For nearly 20 years, the UFW Foundation has worked to advocate, organize and provide direct services that protect and serve farm workers and immigrantsmany of whom are women, and many of whom have shared their painful stories with us, the labor union added. Advertisement Advertisement We know this is difficult and painful and the healing and safety of survivors is of utmost importance to us. Ana Murguia told The New York Times that when she was 13, she was summoned for sexual encounters with Chavez dozens of times over the next four years. She accused Chavez of molesting her. I wanted to die, she told the news outlet. Debra Rojas, a woman who alleged that Chavez raped her when she was 15, told the Times that he arranged for her to stay at a motel during a weeks-long march through California. Both women said their mental health suffered in the years after they claim Chavez abused them. Advertisement Advertisement Murguia said she suffers from panic attacks and depression, while Rojas said she began seeing a therapist at 16 and developed a drinking habit as well as a panic attack habit and a bad relationship habit. The Times also interviewed Esmeralda Lopez, who alleged that Chavez in 1988 invited her into a camper alone and told her he could use his influence to have something named after her if she slept with him. Lopez also said she was 19 years old at the time and he was 61, adding that she rebuffed Chavez and was fired from her job at a union health clinic 10 months later. Lopezs mother, Cynthia Bell, who was the daughter of a union staff member, also told the Times that Chavez made sexual advances toward Bell. The Times also interviewed Dolores Huerta, a key ally of Chavez, co-founder of the UFW and an outspoken activist and organizer to this day. Now 96, she also alleges that Chavez sexually assaulted her, a claim she has never made previously. Advertisement Advertisement Huerta alleged in a blog post on Medium that she became pregnant after two sexual encounters with Chavez. Huerta said she hid both pregnancies and arranged for the children to be raised by other families that could give them stable lives, adding that she later developed deep relationships with the children. I have never identified myself as a victim, but I now understand that I am a survivor of violence, of sexual abuse, of domineering men who saw me, and other women, as property, or things to control, Huerta wrote. The knowledge that she hurt young girls sickens me, she wrote later in the post. My heart aches for everyone who suffered alone and in silence for years. There are no words strong enough to condemn those deplorable actions that he did. Cesars actions do not reflect the values of our community and our movement. Huerta concluded the post saying she kept her secret long enough. Advertisement Advertisement My silence ends here. Other women told the Times that they were discouraged from speaking out and sharing their stories because of the implications on Chavezs legacy. Chavezs family told the Times that they honor the voices of those who feel unheard and who report sexual misconduct. These allegations are deeply painful to our family. The UFW told the Los Angeles Times that canceling Cesar Chavez Day events will provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose. The Los Angeles Times also reported that events recognizing Chavezs birthday across Southern California, Arizona and Texas were canceled in recent weeks with very little explanation from organizers. Advertisement Advertisement Nine states, including California, Arizona and New Mexico, recognize Chavezs birthday on March 31 as a state holiday. Washington state observes Cesar Chavez Day, while it is an optional holiday in Texas and Colorado. Former President Obama first proclaimed March 31 as national Cesar Chavez Day in 2014. Former President Biden also commemorated Cesar Chavez Day throughout his term. He entered office in 2021 with a bronze bust of Chavez on display in the Oval Office. Chavez was one of many leaders from the 1960s who fought for equal rights, specifically for California farmworkers of Mexican or Filipino descent. He protested against poor pay and work conditions, and organized fruit pickers. Chavez and other labor leaders organized farmworkers to go on strike in the grape fields of Delano, Calif., in 1965, according to the U.S. National Park Service. Chavez has been compared to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and allied himself with former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, who embraced Chavezs movement. Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the new allegations, critics slammed Chavezs views on undocumented immigrants. In the 1970s, Chavez launched the Illegals Campaign to raise awareness about illegal immigration and urging people to report undocumented workers to federal officials, the Austin, Texas-based KUT News reported in 2022. Updated at 12:03 p.m. EDT 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. Thousands of spring breakers are flocking to Floridas beaches this month, prompting police to ramp up their operations and take action against so-called takeover events. Authorities in Volusia County, Florida, are working to penalize social media users who promote large, unsanctioned spring break events sometimes referred to as takeovers. Volusia County is likely to become the first in the state to implement financial penalties for these promoters, Sheriff Michael Chitwood told reporters Tuesday. The county is home to popular spring break destinations like Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. Advertisement Advertisement We're going to sue you civilly. We're coming after every asset that you have. This goes to every promoter. You promote a truck event, you promote a takeover event, we are coming after you financially, Chitwood said. These events can endanger public safety, Chitwood explained. Thousands of spring breakers are flocking to beaches in Volusia County, Florida (Volusia County Sheriff's Office) Body camera footage shared by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office showed crowds gathered for spring break celebrations last week (Volusia County Sheriff's Office) There's a way to do business. Get permits. You do things the right way, he added. Authorities are also ordering a special event zone in the area from Friday at 11 a.m. until at least Sunday, which will allow officers to hand out higher traffic fines and other penalties, Chitwood announced. Tuesday marked the busiest day of spring break so far in New Smyrna Beach, according to the local police department. Advertisement Advertisement We are experiencing heavy traffic, large crowds of juveniles, and increased activity throughout the city, especially in beachside areas and along main roadways, the agency said. Expect delays, limited parking, and a high volume of pedestrians. Police in Volusia County seized six weapons and arrested 133 people amid the spring break celebrations last weekend, Chitwood said Monday. Volusia County police arrested 133 people in spring break crowds over the weekend (New Smyrna Beach Police Department) Crowds gather on New Smyrna Beach for spring break celebrations (New Smyrna Beach Police Department) The sheriff also addressed social media rumors about a shooting on Daytona Beach over the weekend, which he called absolute bulls***. There were zero gunshots on the beach, because what they were doing was crushing a water bottle to make it sound like a gunshot to stampede the crowd, Chitwood said. Advertisement Advertisement Video shared by the sheriffs office showed a large crowd of people running on the beach. I was out there, the chief was out there. We were in the middle of it. People might not want to hear this, but everybody who we came in contact with was absolutely polite, Chitwood continued. The sheriff said hes proud of his deputies for the work they carried out over the weekend. We arrested people from Alabama, from Georgia, from North Carolina, from South Carolina, from Florida, you name it. Everybody was here, he said. And again, like I said, everybody we encountered we made an arrest in a crowd of 1,000 people, nobody said anything. They let us do our job. And when we told people to move on, they moved on, he added. CHESAPEAKE A former Chesapeake sheriffs deputy attempted to publicize jail footage of an incident involving an inmate by sending it to an independent reporter, according to recently obtained court documents filed in a criminal case. According to a criminal complaint filed in Chesapeake General District Court, Jeremiah Harrell solicited the footage from a current sheriffs employee. The complaint says Harrell specifically asked a personnel member to record secured footage of a January incident via cell phone and send it to him through a Facebook messaging app. The Chesapeake Sheriffs Office last week charged Harrell in relation to allegedly soliciting, stealing, and distributing leaked jail footage and confidential documents. Charges include three felony counts of theft/destruction of public records and one count of disabling computer software, which is a misdemeanor offense. Advertisement Advertisement But Harrells attorney pushed back against what he deemed politically motivated charges, telling The Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday the video depicts abuse of an inmate and that the sheriffs charges are politically motivated. They are attempting to stifle the free speech of citizens who were discussing a concerning video of a defenseless inmate being allegedly unlawfully tased by a family member of the command staff, said his attorney Brandon Fellers. Harrell resigned Dec. 31. The footage he sought was of an incident occurring in Chesapeake Correctional Center on Jan. 5, 2026, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators wrote in the complaint that Harrell sent a direct message to Rhoda Young, a local independent reporter, on Jan. 27 with a picture of a handwritten note containing personal information of an inmate involved in a jail incident and a recorded copy of secured jail footage not received through Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators also wrote the information is based on findings from search warrants conducted on Harrells personal Facebook. Its not clear when Harrells personal Facebook was searched. Its unclear what was depicted on the video. Reached by phone Tuesday, Young would not specify whether she received the message and video footage from Harrell and declined to comment further. Young said she was not aware she was listed in the court documents and did not want to be involved. The court documents said the video Harrell asked for is maintained on a secured computer network with individual login credentials and not accessible to the public. Its unclear who the current employee is referenced in the complaint. The Chesapeake Sheriffs Office would not identify the personnel member and declined to answer specific questions about whether the individual has or will be investigated. Fellers said he believes Harrell will be vindicated in court. Advertisement Advertisement We are disappointed that the Chesapeake Sheriffs Office has chosen to abuse the criminal justice system for political gain and to cover up their own alleged abuse of an inmate by bringing these frivolous charges against former Captain Jeremiah Harrell, who has served honorably in law enforcement the last 22 years, Fellers said. Fellers was unable to provide evidence on Tuesday of what was described as happening in the video. Harrell had worked at the office from May 2008 up until his resignation, according to a sheriffs office spokesperson. Harrell was released on an $8,000 bond last week. His next court hearing is slated for May. Multiple attempts to reach Harrell have been unsuccessful. Court records indicate as of Tuesday that local attorney Brandon Fellers is representing him. Advertisement Advertisement Chesapeake Commonwealths Attorney Matthew Hamel, whose office is tasked to prosecute the case, did not respond to a request for comment. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com (NewsNation) A University of Alabama student has been reported missing after visiting a nightclub in Spain, and police suspect foul play. Jimmy Gracey, 20, from Elmhurst, Illinois, hasnt been seen since the early hours of Tuesday. His mother, Therese Marren Gracey, said on social media that her son was in Barcelona visiting friends who were studying abroad. Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie missing case faces recall Advertisement Advertisement He visited beachfront club Shoko Barcelona with a friend on Monday night. The friend left, but he stayed. Therese Gracey confirmed police had her sons phone, but he did not return to the Airbnb where he was staying. It is unclear how the police obtained his phone. Were doing the best we can, taking it minute by minute, Graceys aunt Beth OReilly told Jesse Weber Live on Wednesday. Were all just hanging together and doing the best we can to get his story out so people see his face, recognize his face, and if they know anything, that theyll bring it to the authorities. Graceys father has traveled to Barcelona amid the search, OReilly told NewsNation. Jimmy Gracey: Police suspect foul play, Barcelona reporter says A reporter from El Periodico in Barcelona told NewsNation affiliate WIAT that police are reviewing surveillance video and suspect foul play. Advertisement Advertisement Police examined CCTV video and saw Gracey outside the club, and said he left with someone else. Investigators are working to determine his next steps. Timeline in the case of missing Air Force General William Neil McCasland They dont believe this is like a typical case of someone going out, partying and not returning for a couple days, said Barcelona-based reporter Gisela Macedo. The person Gracey was seen with has not been identified, nor do police know their relation to Gracey. Jimmy Gracey is a beloved brother, fraternity says In a statement, the University of Alabama said Gracey was on a personal trip and that it was in touch with the family to offer support. Advertisement Advertisement The president of Graceys fraternity chapter, Cavin McLay, is also in Barcelona. He told NewsNation, in a statement, Jimmy is a beloved brother and a man of upstanding character. He serves as a mentor to younger classes in our chapter and guides our brothers on their journey with their Faith as our Chaplain. He also serves as one of our Philanthropy Chairman and devotes his time to giving back to others. Hes the guy that goes out of his way to be there when someone needs it. Aunt of college student missing in Spain hopes public can help McLay said the group is working closely with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., the U.S. State Department, and the embassy in Barcelona. Advertisement Advertisement Thank you to everyone sharing the story and helping to raise awareness. Were keeping our heads up and remaining hopeful that we find him safe, he added. Graceys family has not made a formal statement, but they reportedly plan to hold a news conference in the upcoming days. Jimmy Gracey last seen at Barcelona club JimmeY Gracey disappeared after visiting a nightclub in Chicago. (WGN) Jimmy Gracey is 6 ft, 1 inch tall and weighs 175 pounds. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants before he disappeared, along with a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. Anyone with information is asked to contact 224-505-3886. NewsNations Anna Kutz 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. Nearly 30 years after a Massachusetts woman was kidnapped and assaulted in an attack marked by chilling cruelty one that included using rose thorns as a weapon the woman convicted of her killing appeared before the parole board, hoping for release. That request, however, was denied. Nichole Fernandes, once sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, is set to remain behind bars for at least three more years. Fernandes was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Helena Gardner in 1997. She had been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Advertisement Advertisement However, in January 2024, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Mattis that sentencing people, ages 18 through 20 at the time of their offense, to life without the possibility of parole was unconstitutional and amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to transform the law, experts said. Essentially, the brains of what we are calling late adolescents or emerging adults function very much like juveniles, Northampton attorney Paul Rudof, one of the lawyers who successfully challenged life sentences for individuals aged 18 to 20, told The Republican . There were 210 cases that fell into the Mattis decision across Massachusetts, including Fernandes. Advertisement Advertisement She went in front of the parole board for the first time on Oct. 9, 2025. During the hearing, the parole board and Fernandes talked about what happened on March 25, 1997. A group of people, including 19-year-old Fernandes, went to a Boston homeless shelter in search of 19-year-old Gardner to confront her about bad mouthing Fernandes and previously dating her boyfriend, the Boston Globe reported in 1997. They convinced Gardner to come with them to an abandoned trailer in Cambridge, which they frequently used as a place to sleep. Once they were all inside the trailer, Gardner was bound with wire and gagged. Advertisement Advertisement You can have anything you want, Gardner pleaded with the group, according to the Globe in 1997. I want your life, Fernandes responded. Fernandes struck her with a metal rod several times and used thorns from a rose stem to cut Gardners face. She then lit Gardners hair on fire and stabbed her with scissors, which were left embedded in her neck. Fernandes took a sledgehammer and struck Gardner repeatedly on the head, the parole board stated. Some of Gardners teeth were found in her stomach, prosecutors said. Im your worst fear incarnate, Fernandes said, according to the Globe. Once Gardner had died, the trailer was set on fire and the group left. Advertisement Advertisement They were arrested 10 days later. During the trial, a psychiatrist testified that Fernandes was mentally ill and her confession to police could not be trusted. The defense told a jury Fernandes heard voices and had been abused as a child. After deliberating for more than five hours, Fernandes was convicted by a jury in Middlesex Superior Court. During the past 26 years in prison, Fernandes has received 54 disciplinary reports and remains a high risk to reoffend. The parole board also considered the oral and written testimony of Gardners family in opposition to parole, which comes a few years after one of the other group members, Randy Williams, was granted parole. Advertisement Advertisement The courts Mattis decision has been devastating for the families of those killed as they are forced to relive the trauma, often going in front of the parole board and the incarcerated individual to make their own case. Families have described the process as a nightmare , stating they feel betrayed and that the system is treating murderers as victims while their own pain is ignored. One family member during a different hearing walked out, feeling as if his side wasnt being fairly heard after the incarcerated individual was told they did a good job. On March 11, Fernandes parole was denied with a review in 3 years. The parole board has so far granted freedom to about 50 people, which is a significant majority of those who have had hearings and decisions issued. About 20 people have been denied parole following the Mattis decision. More on the Massachusetts Parole Board Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) - China will continue mediating to push for a ceasefire and an end to fighting in the Middle East, its foreign minister said, adding the war should never have happened and had no reason to continue, according to a foreign ministry statement. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting in Beijing with the UAE presidential special envoy to China, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, in which he also voiced support for the UAE in safeguarding its sovereignty and security. (Reporting by Shi Bu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Andrew Heavens) BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) - China offered on Wednesday what it said would be energy stability to Taiwan if it agreed to Beijing's rule, part of a campaign by China to convince the island of the benefits of "reunification", which it has long rejected. Governments around the world are scrambling for alternative energy supplies during the Middle East War and severing of shipping lanes through the vital Strait of Hormuz. Taiwan, which had received a third of its LNG from Qatar and sources no energy from China, has said it has secured alternative supplies for the months ahead, including from the United States, the island's main international backer. Advertisement Advertisement Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that "peaceful reunification" would bring better protection of Taiwan's energy and resource security with a "strong motherland" as its backing. "We are willing to provide Taiwan compatriots with stable and reliable energy and resource security, so that they may live better lives," he said, responding to a question about Taiwan's energy supplies during the war in the Middle East. There was no immediate response to the comments from Taiwan's government, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future. Speaking at a meeting of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te reiterated that energy supplies for this month and next are assured, and from June more U.S. gas will be imported. Advertisement Advertisement "Taiwan has adopted a diversified and multi-source strategic approach to energy imports," Lai said, according to a party statement. China has long offered Taiwan "one country, two systems" autonomy if it agrees to be brought under Beijing's control, which no major Taiwanese political party supports. In October, China's official Xinhua news agency mapped out what it said were the advantages Taiwan would enjoy after "reunification", including economic support, but said the island had to be run by "patriots". China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Advertisement Advertisement China, the world's top oil importer, last week banned fuel exports until at least the end of March, in an attempt to pre-empt domestic shortages, sources said, curbing exports that last year totalled $22 billion. (Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Michael Perry) This story was originally published on ESG Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily ESG Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The United Nations-backed Net-Zero Asset Owners Alliance updated its target-setting guidance earlier this month, which builds regional flexibility into the framework and introduces quantitative climate solution investment targets and a new transition target category. The revised guidance, released March 6, now allows signatories to choose between setting sector-specific targets or transition targets, with the latter focused on increasing portfolio coverage of transition-aligned assets in high-emitting sectors. NZAOA last updated its target-setting protocols in April 2024, with that version extending coverage to include all private assets. The latest revision represents the fifth version of the protocols and also includes a phase-in schedule for when asset owners should set targets and begin reporting metrics for each asset type. Dive Insight: The alliance is run by the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative and currently includes 86 global signatories with $9.2 trillion in assets under management, according to NZAOAs website. Its membership includes six U.S.-based asset owners, including the California Public Employees Retirement System the nations largest pension fund and the New York City Employees Retirement System. NZAOA signatories commit to transition their investment portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in line with a maximum temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius, establish intermediate targets every five years and regularly report on progress. Signatories agree to set targets in at least three of four categories: engagement targets; sector or transition targets; sub-portfolio targets and climate solutions investment targets. The latest guidance also updates key performance indicators for target-setting and clarifies the methodologies used for how asset owners track private assets, including real estate and infrastructure, according to its March 6 announcement. NZAOA said the refined guidance provides a more actionable pathway for investors to drive the transition to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Asset owners that choose to utilize the new transition target category, in lieu of setting sector-specific targets, should have targets that cover at least 80 percent of total financed emissions in scope. That should, but is not required, to include the asset owners internally classified five highest emitting sectors. Fossil fuels are required to be included in transition targets. Chicago City Council has voted to freeze tipped wages in the city. An ordinance was established two years ago to slowly increase wages for tipped workers. On Wednesday, a majority of city aldermen voted to halt the automatic increases. Shortly after the City Council meeting ended, Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to veto the freeze on tipped wages. It was bustling Wednesday inside The Dearborn in downtown Chicago, where seven-year server Jose Garcia says he's relieved following a 31-to-18 vote by City Council that halts a promised wage increase for tipped workers like himself. Advertisement Advertisement "Removing the tipped wage - it will just be another nail in the coffin for independent-owned restaurants like here at The Dearborn," Garcia said. An ordinance was established two years ago to slowly increase wages for tipped workers. But restaurants and small businesses in Chicago say it's left them struggling. The move is led by a group of aldermen and restaurant leaders with the backing from The Illinois Restaurant Association. "If tip workers don't make the minimum wage through a combination of their base wage and their tips, their employer is required to make up the difference. Everyone makes at least the minimum wage," Sam Toia, Illinois Restaurant Association president and CEO. Advertisement Advertisement The One Fair Wage ordinance was put in place two years ago to gradually raise the wage of tipped workers over a five-year period. The current One Fair Wage ordinance phases out sub-minimum wages over five years, and eventually, tipped workers will earn the full minimum wage, plus their tips. Right now, the hourly wage for tipped workers is $12.62/hour. Chicago's minimum wage is $16.60 for employers with four or more employees. The proposal before City Council, however, would freeze the city's tip credit, providing needed stability. Proponents say for restaurants like Bronzeville Winery, facing growing costs and economic uncertainty. Advertisement Advertisement The owner, Eric Williams, said he cannot stay in business if wages continue to increase and City Council doesn't step in. "Last year, to be very transparent., we lost $60,000," Williams said. "Of that $60,000, $40,000 of that was because of the One Fair Wage and the increase in the minimum wage for tip workers, I put in it's a lot of my own money just to keep the place going," Eric Williams, owner of Bronzeville Winery, said. "I am really concerned, because I make significantly more from tips than I would from a flat hourly wage, but because restaurants are facing higher base costs, they have had to cut hours," Shanell Oliver, a server at Bronzeville Winery. "I'm working fewer shifts. I'm taking home much less money, which is putting a real strain on my family." An opposing group of restaurant workers impacted by the proposed wage freeze also rallied at City Hall Wednesday morning, saying this vote could take away raises they were counting on at a time when rent, groceries, childcare and transportation costs continue to rise. "I find it disgusting that some in City Council would think that it's appropriate to take wages from workers during such an economically and politically volatile time, not just in our city, but in our country," Raegn Draper, executive director of CHAAD Project. Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's decision came after two rallies were held outside of City Hall, one supporting the measure and the other against it. "Sub minimum wage is not enough for anyone to live on and to try to freeze it or stop it at this point is inhumane, like rent is ridiculous," bartender Cheryl Taylor said. "Rent has gone up over 40% in the last two years, and if you freeze our wages, how do you expect us to live? Some of us actually go food pantries, to make it week. Mayor Johnson says active food business licenses have gone up by more than 1,400 since One Fair Wage took effect. "We can ensure our workers have the support they need and grow business in our city," Johnson said. "And, for these reasons, I will continue to act in my full authority and ensure that this ordinance does not see the full light of day." Advertisement Advertisement City Council's vote was only four votes shy of reaching the threshold needed to avoid a veto by the mayor. Other business in City Council The City Council also approved several ordinances Wednesday. Those included giving the Civilian Office of Police Accountability the power to investigate alleged violations of the welcoming city ordinance by members of Chicago police. A $27 million settlement to the family of a woman killed during a crash involving a police chase was approved by the full city council. READ MORE | Chicago Finance Committee approves $27M settlement for family of woman killed in crash involving CPD City leaders also approved and a new 1.5% tax on hotel stays downtown Chicago. The money will help boost efforts to promote Chicago tourism. Civil rights leader John Perkins will lie in state at Jackson City Hall on Friday, March 20, in honor of his life, legacy and service to the city. Jackson Mayor John Horhn announced the tribute in a press release Tuesday, March 16. Perkins will lie in state from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a police motorcade escort to New Horizon Church International where a wake will be held at 5 p.m. John Perkins from the Voice of Calvary Fellowship in Jackson, Miss., talks to representatives from churches during a statewide dialogue on racial reconciliation at the Cornerstone Church in Jackson in 1998. Civil rights activist John Perkins speaks on his life, the struggles of blacks in America and the healing needed among the races for the good of all during the Clarion-Ledger Black History Month Program in 1999. John Perkins of the Perkins Center in 2001. Voice of Calvary Ministries Founder John Perkins participated in a round-table discussion for the Jackson Project in 2003. John Perkins speaks outside Jackson City Hall before the Feet to Faith Prayer Walk to Smith Park. John Perkins, center, escorts Belhaven University students to their Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day projects Monday at the Spencer Perkins Center at 1831 Robinson Road in Jackson. Rev. John Perkins and Allean Currie John Perkins visits at the Spencer Perkins Center playground in west Jackson, Miss., in 2015. The center is named after his late son. Civil Rights movement activist John Perkins 1930 - 2026. See photos 1 of 8 John Perkins from the Voice of Calvary Fellowship in Jackson, Miss., talks to representatives from churches during a statewide dialogue on racial reconciliation at the Cornerstone Church in Jackson in 1998. Dr. John Perkins was one of the moral giants of our time, and our city is grieving his loss. He poured his life into the work of justice, reconciliation, and community, and Jackson is better because he chose to make this city his home, Horhn said. What I will remember most about Dr. Perkins is that he never gave up on people, and he never gave up on this city. On behalf of the City of Jackson, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Dr. Vera Mae Perkins, to the Perkins family, to the Foundation, and to all who were shaped by his teaching and his example. As we mourn his passing, we also commit ourselves to carrying his work forward. Advertisement Advertisement Perkins died Friday, March 13 at his home under hospice care surrounded by his family members. He was 95. A leader of the civil rights movement, Perkins and his wife, Vera Mae Perkins, would start what would become one of Mississippi's first Head Start programs. The pair also led the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation. He also authored several books and was honored with almost 20 honorary doctorate degrees and many awards for his service, including the Mississippi Medal of Service in 2010. Candlestick Park tornado remembered: Silence to roar. The Candlestick Park tornado that reshaped South Jackson A slice of Britain in MS: Why is there a red telephone booth in Jackson? Curious Mississippi explains Perkins' homegoing celeebration is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at New Horizon Church International with Horhn paying tribute. Other speakers announced include Perkins' pastors and "Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, pastor and author Rick Warren, senior pastor Tony Evans, pastor and broadcaster David Anderson, and U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson. Advertisement Advertisement The service will be livestreamed on Youtube, which you can find at this link. The internment is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, March 22, at Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in New Hebron, where Perkins was born. Instead of sending flowers, Perkins' family asks that people donate to his foundation's work at jvmpf.org/donate. Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. You can contact him at cdrape@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Civil rights leader John Perkins to lie in state at Jackson MS City Hall SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The cold, winter weather did not stop people from celebrating the so-called luckiest day of the year, Saint Patricks Day. Around 100 people lined the streets in downtown Sioux City to see the parade. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement A couple of dozen entries participated in the free event honoring Irish heritage. The parade went down historic 4th Street from Iowa Street to Nebraska Street. The annual community celebration allows businesses, local organizations, and families to participate in the parade. We just try to bring my daughter out here, you know, she likes taking a look at the different cars and the parade. You know she likes the horn, she likes the candy, she likes the good vibes, said Fernando Aguilar, parade-goer. The parade is anticipated to return next year for another round of celebrations. 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 KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA/QUITO, March 18 (Reuters) - Explosions in cocaine labs in Colombia near its border with Ecuador killed 14 people in January, Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday, when asked to clarify accusations by Colombian President Gustavo Petro that an Ecuadorean security operation resulted in more than two dozen deaths in the area. Ecuador's defense ministry said in a statement it had conducted a legitimate operation in its own territory, and was working together with Colombian officials to establish "the reasons why the explosive appeared in Colombian territory." Advertisement Advertisement Sanchez said Colombian and Ecuadorean authorities are examining together whether sovereignty has been violated. Petro this week suggested Ecuador had bombed Colombian territory, leaving behind 27 charred bodies, though he provided no further evidence or information. Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa flatly denied the accusation, saying his country had bombed drug traffickers within its own territory and the locations were hideouts for narco-terrorism groups of mostly Colombian origin. PEOPLE WERE BURNED ALIVE: MINISTER Twelve people in the border province Narino were killed on January 22 and two others died days later, Sanchez said, when asked by journalists about the figure of 27 dead given by Petro. Advertisement Advertisement "The information we have at this moment is that those people died after being burned alive. The site where they died was a cocaine laboratory, and the causes and who was behind it are under investigation. Two other people died under similar conditions at another site on January 24," he said. "It is very difficult to speculate, to say that it is so or that it is not," Ecuador Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld told radio station FM Mundo when asked whether the bomb belonged to Ecuador. "We are open to receiving the diplomatic note ... so that we can respond technically, with due importance given to that case." Sommerfeld reiterated that operations carried out by Ecuador take place in Ecuadorean territory and said her country was open to dialogue to resolve the impasse. Petro on Tuesday reposted an image from Colombian state-run television station RTVC that it said showed one of the bombs, a dark green cylinder lying in foliage. On Wednesday, he added in a new post that the bomb, which Sanchez said had been disarmed, was found just over the border near a site bombed by Ecuador and was fired from a low-flying plane. Advertisement Advertisement Ecuador on Sunday launched a two-week-long security operation in four provinces on or near the Pacific coast to beat back gang violence. It has repeatedly held operations on its Colombian border, a major hub for trafficking of drugs that are then smuggled north to the U.S. by sea. Ecuador has said its anti-drug trafficking operations are supported by allied countries, including the United States. Noboa had repeatedly courted the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump for his anti-crime initiatives. Noboa raised duties on Colombian goods to 50% last month, claiming the neighbor was not doing enough to fight drug trafficking, and Colombia said it was considering a reciprocal measure. Earlier in March, U.S. President Donald Trump gathered a raft of right-wing aligned Latin American presidents to a summit in Florida known as "Shield of the Americas" where leaders agreed to prioritize military tactics against organized crime. Advertisement Advertisement Petro, who also uses military operations but emphasizes social and economic programs such as crop substitution initiatives for coca farmers, was absent from the summit. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota, additional reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito, writing by Julia Symmes Cobb, editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel and Diane Craft) NEED TO KNOW Authorities believe Matthew Thomas Becker fatally shot Romaine Clark Becker was found dead in the woods the day after Clark's fatal shooting Becker, who also tried to kill his ex-wife, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, according to reports An Arizona man traveled all the way to Alaska, where he fatally shot his ex-father-in-law before trying to kill his ex-wife, authorities say, according to reports. Officers responding to reports of shots fired in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, March 14, found 87-year-old Romaine Clark deceased, the Anchorage Police Department said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday morning, officers found the body of 61-year-old Matthew Thomas Becker in a wooded area near Eagle River Campground, about 15 miles from where Clark's body was found, the department said in an update. A medical examiner is working to determine how he died. According to court records cited by Arizona's Family, Becker also tried to kill his ex-wife, who survived the shooting. The woman had arrived at her salon in Anchorage on Saturday and was unable to get in because the lock had been tampered with, according to the records. That's when Becker jumped out of a car and began shooting her. She managed to escape and hide before she called police, per the records. She told authorities she was worried about her father, prompting them to check the residence, where they found his body. Advertisement Advertisement The extent of the woman's injuries was not immediately clear. 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. Becker had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer, his brother told a sister station of Arizonas Family in Alaska. Becker was a stand-up comedian, per Local 12, and owner of the comedy club Chuckleheads in Bisbee, Ariz., according to Arizona's Family. The comedy club issued a statement on Tuesday, expressing their condolences over Clark's death and condemning the actions of Becker, who they said was "complicated to say the least." Advertisement Advertisement "The quote that has stuck with me through all of this has been: 'His last actions ruined every positive memory I had of him,'" said part of the statement, which later added: "Matt ruined everything that the team at Chuckleheads ever tried to build." "There's no convoluted cancer-medicated-induced rational argument that will ever bring that dad back," read the statement, which was signed off with: "Rest in Peace Romaine Clark." If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People Connecticut has spent years trying to curb balloon releases. Now, some lawmakers want to take a different approach by targeting the helium that makes the balloons float. A bill before the General Assembly's Environment Committee would ban the sale of helium used to fill "lighter-than-air" balloons often seen at celebrations, parties and other events. Because helium is less dense than air, it allows the balloon to rise and float. Advertisement Advertisement Environmental advocates say the bill would tackle the problem at its source. Balloons released outdoors eventually fall back to earth as litter, sometimes ending up in waterways or being mistaken as food by wildlife. They also can cause power outages. But the idea has drawn criticism from balloon retailers and decorators, many of them small business owners who say the measure would go too far and could shut them down. State officials also have expressed doubt over whether such a ban could realistically be enforced. Here's what to know about the proposal and Connecticut's existing balloon laws: What the bill would do The bill would prohibit the sale, import or distribution of helium intended to fill lighter-than-air balloons starting Oct 1, 2028. Advertisement Advertisement The measure itself would take effect Oct. 1, 2026, giving state agencies and balloon retailers time to prepare before the restriction begins two years later. The commissioners of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Department of Consumer Protection would be responsible for enforcing the law "within available resources," the bill states. Helium has many other uses besides filling balloons. In the medical field, for example, it helps cool MRI machines and is also a "critical component" in scientific research, manufacturing, space exploration and national defense, according to the federal Bureau of Land Management. The sale of helium for those purposes would still be allowed. What Connecticut law says about balloons Current state law makes it illegal to knowingly release 10 or more lighter-than-air balloons within a 24-hour period. Violators face a $35 fine, though extra fees bring the total to $75. Advertisement Advertisement Passed in 1990, the law was intended to discourage the intentional release of balloons that can drift hundreds - even thousands - of miles before landing in forests, waterways such as Long Island Sound and other natural areas. Ribbons attached to balloons can entangle wildlife, while deflated plastic fragments can get stuck in animals' digestive systems, killing them. In recent years, lawmakers have pushed to tighten the state's balloon laws. A 2023 proposal would have made it illegal to intentionally release even a single balloon. The measure passed the House but didn't advance in the Senate. Lawmakers also considered a 2024 proposal that would have required balloons sold in Connecticut to be biodegradable so they would break down more quickly in the environment. 'Only sustainable solution' Supporters of the proposal say it would address the root cause of balloon pollution by making it harder for people to release balloons in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Michael Finley, senior director of government affairs at Mystic Aquarium, told lawmakers the bill would limit access to helium for balloon use, reducing the likelihood that balloons would be released into the environment and eventually reach waterways. Mystic Aquarium's rescue teams have seen the effects firsthand, he said. In April 2025, the aquarium's Animal Rescue Program treated an adult harp seal that had ingested balloon fragments and later "passed pieces of balloon material" during rehabilitation. While the seal survived, Finley said ingesting balloons "poses a significant health risk, and can be fatal for marine mammals and other wildlife." Aquarium staff and volunteers regularly remove "large numbers of balloons and balloon fragments" during shoreline cleanups, he said. But those efforts, he added, only address the problem after debris already has entered the environment, and aren't a long-term solution. "Preventing balloons from becoming marine debris in the first place is the only sustainable solution," Finley said. Advertisement Advertisement Julianna Larue, an organizer with the Sierra Club's Connecticut chapter, said the bill was "an important step toward reducing plastic pollution and protecting wildlife." She noted how as balloons break down - a process that can take up to four years for latex balloons, according to the Environmental Nature Center - they contribute to microplastic pollution, she said. Larue called the use of helium to fill balloons an "unnecessary waste of a limited resource." The proposal also drew support from a commercial fisherman in Milford who submitted written testimony to lawmakers without providing their name. In two days, the fisherman said they pulled about a dozen mylar helium balloons from the water, including one wrapped around a dead seagull's neck. "PLEASE BAN HELIUM," the fisherman wrote in all capital letters. "We are tired of seeing this. We pick them up all the time and hope that this will end in CT." Advertisement Advertisement Supporters also pointed to a 2019 study - which was brought up during the debate over the 2024 balloon law - that found birds that ingested balloons are 32 times more likely to die than those that consume hard plastics. 'An overreach' Some balloon retailers say the bill goes too far and would hurt small businesses without actually solving the underlying problem of balloon debris. Christopher Edwards, owner of Beach Party Balloons in Milford, said the bill was "an overreach" that would "inflict significant economic harm." Banning helium sales, which make up about half of his transactions, he said, would simply push consumers to buy balloons in neighboring states or online, undermining local businesses and limiting opportunities to educate customers about responsible use Instead of a ban, Edwards urged lawmakers to adopt what he called a "responsible-use framework" that includes clear "do not release" messaging, proper balloon weights and a "zero tolerance" policy for intentional releases. Advertisement Advertisement "This approach directly addresses the problem while preserving consumer choice and supporting local businesses," he said. Others in the balloon industry shared similar concerns. Norma Diaz, owner of Love of Balloons, a small decor business in Hamden, said doing away with helium sales would "disproportionately harm small businesses like mine," and "force many balloon professionals to reduce services or close entirely, while doing little to address the root cause of environmental harm." She noted helium balloons bring joy to families, schools, nonprofits and local businesses. Balloon artists "already follow strict industry standards to prevent releases," she said, including using weights, educating customers and promoting proper disposal. Instead of a ban, Diaz called for more public education about how to handle balloons responsibly and stronger enforcement of the existing law. "A ban removes a product, but it does not change behavior," she said. "Education does." Advertisement Advertisement Enforcing a ban on helium sales is another issue, according to state officials. DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said the agency's Environmental Conservation Police lack the "experience, training or staff required to enforce" such a ban. Doing so, she said, "falls well outside" their primary responsibilities, which include enforcing fisheries, wildlife and boating regulations, and overseeing 142 state parks and forests. Dykes added that "the proposal as written is unlikely to meaningfully reduce the number of balloons released or provide substantive additional protection for wildlife." Staff Writer Jesse Leavenworth contributed reporting to this story. This article originally published at Connecticut bill would ban helium used to fill balloons to curb pollution, protect wildlife. HARTFORD - A proposed $40 million state-funded program would fill the gap for Connecticut residents losing federal food benefits due changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including new work rules. The state legislature's Human Services Committee heard testimony Tuesday on a committee bill that proposes to authorize a one-year transitional food assistance program. The measure would be funded out of the $332.1 million balance from a special $500 million contingency fund established in November. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, the committee's Senate chairman, and anti-hunger advocates said during a news conference before Tuesday's hearing that the proposed bridge program would temporarily provide food benefits for the upcoming 2027 fiscal year that starts July 1. Coralys Santana, campaign manager for the Connecticut Project Action Fund, conveyed a level of urgency during the news conference. "People are losing their food right now seniors who have worked all their lives; parents trying to keep their families fed; veterans; people with disabilities; families who are doing everything right and still can't catch a break," Santana said. But Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner of the state Department of Social Services, testified about the logistical and practical challenges of running the current SNAP operation while establishing a parallel state program. She offered to work with legislators on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement "We're not disagreeing with you philosophically or in terms of policy," she said. "What we're saying is that practically can we work together to figure out what we can do? And if this is not the solution to creating a state SNAP program, then let's try to work together to find something that would be." DSS advised legislators last fall that about 36,000 Connecticut residents could lose or see reductions in SNAP benefits due to new work requirements and eligibility changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. President Donald Trump signed that federal tax and spending bill into law in July. The new SNAP eligibility requirements affect previously eligible parents who are caregivers to children ages 14 to 19; young adults aging out of the foster care system; older adults ages 55 to 64; adults diagnosed with autism who are not otherwise classified as disabled; veterans; unhoused people; and immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Under federal law, able-bodied adults without dependents are allowed to receive SNAP benefits for only three months within a three-year period, unless they meet certain work rules or qualify for an exemption. The new rules require people to work or participate in a work training program for 80 hours a month to maintain SNAP eligibility. Another change limits the ability of states to waive work requirements in communities and regions with high unemployment. Advertisement Advertisement Marisa Rodriguez, a single mother from New Britain, said she has fallen on hard times and struggles to cover her rent, utilities, children's needs and her daily medication. "Eating a meal at least twice a day is a human right. Every human in Connecticut should be able to get the help they need when they need it," she said. "Having food is not a luxury. It is a human right that everyone deserves to have, especially when they have health issues that need to be managed on a daily basis." In her written testimony, Barton Reeves reported that DSS estimates the annual costs of the proposed transitional program likely would exceed $83.8 million. DSS projects it would cost at least $1.2 million to design and set up a state-funded program, not including costs for the additional work necessary to identify, enroll and track newly eligible participants, she noted. The new state program would provide benefits of at least $194 per month for 12 months, plus access to job training and case management to help document compliance with work requirements. Barton Reeves also expressed concerns in oral and written testimony about another committee bill that proposes to update electronic benefit transfer cards with security chip technology. She testified that DSS estimates replacing all current EBT cards with a new card that has a security chip would cost $1 million, plus another $3 million for necessary upgrades for card vendors and retailers. She further estimated that system changes, printing and delivery of new cards would take about 12 to 24 months to accomplish. Advertisement Advertisement According to DSS figures, approximately 204,000 state households are receiving SNAP benefits, and the department replaces about 13,000 EBT cards per month. This article originally published at Connecticut weighs $40M plan to replace lost SNAP benefits amid new federal rules. Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller won the Democratic primary in Illinois 2nd Congressional District Tuesday as voters rejected a comeback effort by former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Miller, who ran a campaign focused on health care, had 40.7% of the reported vote at 8:16 p.m. Tuesday evening when the Associated Press called the race. Jackson, behind her at 28.8%, ran to win back the seat he once held for 17 years, but resigned in 2012 amid a campaign finance misuse investigation that landed him in prison. Advertisement Advertisement The primary winner is all but guaranteed the seat in the heavily Democratic district that stretches along the lakefront on the South Side and includes suburbs like Harvey, Dolton and Pontiac. Outgoing Rep. Robin Kelly, who has held the seat for 13 years since winning a special election following Jacksons resignation, is running for U.S. Senate instead of seeking reelection. Kelly had 19.3% of the reported vote with over half of expected results in Tuesday evening, a distant third to the races two leaders. Excitement had building all evening at Millers Chicago Heights watch party as initial returns showed her jumping out to an early lead that never shrank. A squad of youth cheerleaders wore green-and-gold shirts with the refrain made famous in the district because of the massive spending that backed her: Go Donna Go! Millers campaign manager, veteran political strategist Delmarie Cobb, pinned the victory Tuesday night on the optimistic tone the candidate sought to strike as opponents made attacks. Advertisement Advertisement We decided to stay positive, keep our heads high and just let the chips fall where they may, Cobb said. I think it worked for us. Cobb said Millers campaign targeted older Black women. Thats who comes out, thats who votes in record numbers, Cobb said. Miller, first elected to the Cook County Board in 2018, carved out a moderate lane in the crowded field of 10 candidates vying to replace Kelly. Throughout the congressional campaign, other candidates slammed Miller for the money she raised and the outside spending that supported her. The opponents alleged the money stemmed from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which advocates for Israels interests and supports both Democrats and Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement About two-thirds of the $2 million she raised through late February came from people who had recently contributed to AIPAC or AIPAC-affiliated groups. The dark-money super PAC Affordable Chicago Now, which opponents described as an AIPAC shell group, spent $4.4 million to support her. Altogether, the money made her campaign one of the most financially well-supported Democratic primary campaigns Chicago has ever seen. She zeroed in on improving health care a her top priority on the campaign trail and insisted that her record as a commissioner, including securing $3 million for a Cook County Health doula program and expanding CPR training, shows she can deliver results. We have to get back to data and science and focus on results, and we need to quit chasing headlines, she said during her campaign. A lifelong resident of the district, she said she is part of its woven fabric, an apparent effort to distinguish herself from Jackson, who spent time in D.C.; Peters, who lives several blocks outside its Hyde Park boundaries; and Preston, who lives outside the district in Auburn Gresham. Advertisement Advertisement You cant just come to a district to pop in and out, she said. People know me, they see me. I walk the block. Though all in the field promise to forcefully fight President Donald Trump and would likely make similar votes, the leading candidates differ sharply in style and priorities. Jackson, who held the seat for 17 years before stepping down amid an investigation into campaign finance fraud that landed him in prison, argued he deserves a second chance after completing his sentence. He urged voters to instead weigh his experience, promising no learning curve if he wins once again. The former congressman says he would push for a constitutional amendment enshrining a right to health care and focus on landing a long-considered south suburban airport near Peotone if elected. Advertisement Advertisement Miller made the airport a similar priority while staking out several more moderate positions than other top contenders in the left-leaning field. A health care consultant who served as board chair for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Miller promised to bring health expertise to Washington, D.C., while pushing for maternal health programs and a return at the federal level to evidence-based medicine. Peters pitched himself as the most progressive candidate in the contest while citing his close connections to Chicago organizers and endorsements from the likes of Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. He argued that health care companies should be broken up with anti-monopoly laws and taxes on Americas wealthiest people should be raised. Brown touted progressive bona fides of her own while zeroing in on environmental justice as a key agenda item. She said she will make infrastructure investments a top focus if elected, citing experience responding to flooding as Water Reclamation District commissioner. State Sen. Willie Preston described himself as a butt-kicker ready to take on Trump, a label he has proved by regularly criticizing opponents during town halls. He pointed to his own experience being stabbed to call for more investment in South Side and south suburban medical trauma centers and mental health care. Advertisement Advertisement The race was in part shaped by over $7 million in spending by outside groups, an amount on par with other competitive Chicago primaries this year, but far above past races. Two super PACs that oppose restrictive regulations for cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence spent $1.4 million to support Jackson and over $800,000 to oppose Peters. Miller raised nearly $1 million in direct contributions through a late February filing deadline, while Peters raised $1.1 million. Jackson raised $206,000, Preston raised $138,000 and Brown raised $107,000. The death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson also cast a shadow over the race. Since the death of the civil rights leader who called the district home, few opponents have targeted his son the best-known figure in the field with direct attacks. Jackson has been thrust into a national spotlight as every politician in the city and even three former U.S. presidents attended memorial services honoring his father. _____ This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Niron Magnetics announced Monday that it has begun a formal site selection process for a high-volume, iron-nitride magnet manufacturing plant in the United States, valued at over $1.8 billion. The company is working with global real estate advisory firm Savills to find locations that can support a highly specialized, scalable manufacturing operation, Executive Managing Director Ken Biberaj said in a statement. The facility would span 1.6 million square feet, create more than 700 jobs, and produce up to 10,000 tons of iron-nitride permanent magnets per year. Construction is set to begin in 2028. Dive Insight: The two companies are evaluating locations based on access to transportation infrastructure, energy capacity, workforce availability and alignment with environmental and economic development priorities, according to the press release. Once the proposed facility begins production, the site will support up to 2% of the global permanent magnet market. This process is about identifying a partner that shares our commitment to rebuilding U.S. manufacturing capability for technologies that are essential to the global economy, Niron Magnetics CEO Jonathan Rowntree said in a statement. Permanent magnets are foundational to everything from electric motors to defense, and expanding domestic production with the right partner who shares this vision will be critical to strengthening supply chain resilience. No other details were disclosed, but the company said in the press release it will share updates on key milestones reached during the site selection process. The proposed facility would be Nirons second in the U.S. In September 2025, the rare-earth-free magnet manufacturer broke ground on a $169.7 million facility in Sartell, Minnesota. The plant will span 190,000 square feet and create 175 jobs, supplying rare-earth-free permanent magnets for data center cooling pumps, automobile motors, robotics, consumer electronics, defense and drone equipment, and other critical applications. The Sartell site is anticipated to begin operations in early 2027. Niron was established in 2013 through a partnership with the Department of Energy and the University of Minnesota. The company developed a manufacturing process for high-performance, rare-earth-free permanent magnets and formed partnerships with global producers across the automotive, industrial and technology sectors. CHEYENNE Members of the Cheyenne City Council are nearing the end of their process to repeal the citys stormwater runoff management system user fee before it ever went into effect. The repeal proposal was supported on third reading at the councils Finance Committee meeting Tuesday. The council approved ordinances creating the stormwater runoff management system and the fee schedule in December 2024. The fee was set to start in January, but the city announced last December it would be delayed until April. Advertisement Advertisement Before it was delayed, the program was scheduled to impose a fee on nearly all land within city limits based on the total square footage of hard surface area. It would have charged property owners a rate of 24 cents per 100 square feet of hard surface. However, since the ordinances approval in 2024, city residents have expressed opposition to the fee, with one local business owner, Brian Tyrrell, filing a complaint stating the fee is unconstitutional. The original ordinance would have delayed the start of the fee until March 5, 2027, but at the councils Finance Committee meeting March 3, a substitute was introduced and approved to repeal the fee entirely. Over the past couple of meetings, some council members have opposed repealing the fee because they dont think state legislators will hold up a promise they made to help Wyoming cities specifically Cheyenne find alternate ways to manage stormwater runoff. Advertisement Advertisement At the meeting Tuesday, Councilman Pete Laybourn, who is not on the committee, came forward during the public comment period to urge committee members not to vote in favor of the repeal. We spent over a year, a lot of money, and really did quite a bit of outreach to communicate the dangers that we face from stormwater runoff, Laybourn said. And while I recognize what happened at the legislature, I wonder if thats adequate. I wonder if this is really going to be the end here, or if theres an interim study of many water-related issues. Laybourn emphasized climate change and global warming, referencing the wildfires currently sweeping through Nebraska, tornadoes on the East Coast and Southeast Wyomings hurricane-level wind storm Thursday. Because of these natural disasters, Laybourn said its essential the council does not wait for state legislators to take action on their behalf. Advertisement Advertisement I just have real concern with the Wyoming Legislature at the present moment in the way theyre operating, Laybourn said. Im sorry that this is happening, but its one of the challenges I think we have to face. And when we do that, we need to be able to tell our constituents, business people, children, the community, that were not just throwing up our hands. Councilman Mark Moody, who is on the Finance Committee, has remained against the stormwater fee since he was sworn in, in January 2025. He said a fee like this should be up to the voters, and directed other committee members and members of the public to the citys Hard Surface Assessment map, which allows property owners to view how much their fee would be. Moody urged council members and the public to view larger industrial buildings in town, stating that Union Pacific Railroads monthly fee, for example, would be $18,433. He also pointed out that some small business owners would face a monthly fee from $33-50. Advertisement Advertisement How can we say were business-friendly when these are the monthly fees? Theyre pretty high, Moody said. Lets get back to the basics. Thats what our constituents demand. The proposed repeal passed through the committee unanimously. It will go before the full City Council for final consideration Monday. The Executive Council approved sole-source contracts to two college systems and two nonprofits to serve as four of the six hubs that will manage more than $1 billion in federal grants to expand access to rural health care in New Hampshire over the next five years. The unanimous vote on Monday came two weeks after councilors tabled the first contracts under the Governors Office of New Opportunities & Rural Transformational Health (GO-NORTH) over concerns about the councils role and transparency regarding its spending. Executive Councilor John Stephen, R-Manchester, praised Gov. Kelly Ayotte and GO-NORTH Director Donnalee Lozeau for making changes so the council stays more in the loop than originally had been designed. Advertisement Advertisement Many of the things discussed are in these four contracts today. This is exactly what the taxpayers deserve, Stephen said. With that kind of value, I think the taxpayers are being protected today. For example, Stephen asked for a 10% cap on administrative or indirect costs unless the council agreed it should be greater. That limit is included in the new contract. Stephen has railed in the past against other contracts that permitted 25% or more of spending to go toward overhead. Lozeau noted the federal law creating this $50 billion program for states gave the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sweeping powers for that federal agency alone to decide how the money can be spent. Advertisement Advertisement CMS has tied these funds up pretty tight, how they want to see it. My goal is to ensure with GO-NORTH that the council will receive these plans ahead of time, Lozeau said. The approvals gave GO-NORTH the authority to spend $133 million for the first year for four contracts: Foundation for Healthy Communities $66.6 million to support rural providers such as federally qualified health centers, critical access hospitals, county nursing homes, home health agencies, and EMS units to expand access to primary care and prevention. Community College System of New Hampshire $6.7 million to develop better career pathways in the rural health care field from high school to post-graduate work. Advertisement Advertisement University of New Hampshire $15.7 million to expand site-based and online educational programs for rural employers and to launch the Governors Health Scholars Awards Program with the goal to further grow the rural health professional workforce. Community Development Finance Authority $43.8 million for rural capital improvement programs that will support large county nursing home renovation projects in Coos and Merrimack counties along with working to embed child care programs within rural health care providers. Lozeau said she will seek the councils approval next October for the second year of this five-year initiative. A fifth contract with the N.H. Community Behavioral Health Association will come to the council at a future meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Lozeau said there remains another $30 million available to spend under the program with the purposes to be outlined. She told Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, she would welcome suggestions from councilors about spending priorities for that final hub. The council will also vote later this spring on nine competitive requests for proposals that these groups will be issuing before they make decisions on how to spend the money, Lozeau said. Ayotte said shes agreed to bring any additional sole-source contracts to the council for prior approval. And the governor stressed that Lozeau as head of GO-NORTH, can review and object to any of the hub spending plans. Were going to keep working closely with you on all of this, Ayotte said. Lozeau estimated further, sole-source contracts represent less than 1% of total spending. klandrigan@unionleader.com BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A couple was arrested in Houston after being accused of shooting at a Baton Rouge restaurant owner. According to an arrest warrant, on Feb. 2, Baton Rouge police officers were called to a restaurant in the 1100 block of S. Flannery Road about a reported shooting. When they arrived, officers found a woman with a gunshot wound. She was taken to the hospital to be treated for her injuries. During the investigation, officers reviewed video footage from the business security system. Detectives spoke with one witness who said two customers, later identified as Daylin Woods, 18, and Savannah Spears, 21, entered the restaurant, ordered food, paid, and left. Minutes later, Woods called the restaurant to complain that his order was incorrect. The cashier attempted to help Woods before he became argumentative and irate, causing the employee to end the call. The cashier told the officers that the duo returned to the store, using profane language. The employee offered to remake the order, but Woods and Spears continued yelling. The employee confirmed that Woods had a gun in his hand and placed it on the counter during the argument. Advertisement Advertisement The owner became involved, instructing the employees to enter the freezer and contact the police. While in the freezer, the employees heard gunshots. The warrant states that after the shots rang out, the witness saw the owner on the ground with a gunshot wound. Detectives spoke with the owner, who stated that during the argument with Woods and Spears, she armed herself with her personal gun. Shortly after, Woods and the owner exchanged gunfire. She added that Woods fired additional shots outside of the establishment, striking the business. Witnesses said that Woods and Spears fled the area in a white Kia with a Louisiana license plate. Woods was identified through video surveillance, and Spears was included in a six-person lineup that witnesses positively identified. The couple was wanted on charges of attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and aggravated criminal damage to property. Advertisement Advertisement Both were arrested in Houston on March 11 and booked into the Harris County Jail on fugitive charges. Woods and Spears have a court date of March 26. 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. Crews are still working to repair a major water main break in Jamaica Plain, where the impact is continuing to affect businesses and residents days after the rupture Tuesday afternoon. On Columbus Avenue, the scene remains active as crews take on what officials describe as a complicated repair processdigging deep into the ground, fixing the pipe, and eventually rebuilding the road above it. I think were looking at a full days work here..., said Stephen Mulloney. Advertisement Advertisement As repairs continue, residents in the area may experience low water pressure or discolored water while crews work to bring the system back online. Were excavating the hole; we still have not made the repair the main is down. Theres a lot of water there, Mulloney said. Were pulling out the pavement; were trying to pump the hole out and get to the pipe and make the repair. According to Mulloney, the pipe involved dates back more than a centuryit was originally installed in 1897adding another layer of complexity to the situation. Until crews can fully access and inspect the pipe, much of the work remains uncertain. As you can see its on a major road, could it be corrosion over time in age, is it the vibration of the road, the trucks and the cars, who knows? Well know better later, when we get down into the hole and see the pipe itself, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Despite the disruption, officials say there should be minimal impact on water service in other parts of the city. For now, crews remain focused on accessing the damaged pipe and completing the repair. Theyll be plates and patch and filling done, but well see what happens. We have to get down in the hole first, Mulloney said. Until you see the pipe and the condition and then we get it fixed and make the connection, everything is on hold. Crews are aiming to reopen the road as early as Thursday, though officials caution that timeline depends on what they find underground. That would be the most optimistic, certainly, Mulloney added. Advertisement Advertisement Boston Water and Sewer officials say they are still working to determine what caused the break in the first place. 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 BRIDGEPORT - The family of a 46-year-old man who died after being attacked by a fellow patient at a Groton-area rehabilitation center two years ago is suing the facility, alleging negligence in his death. Gerson Chiluisa, a Bridgeport resident, died hours after being assaulted by a recently discharged patient at the Stonington Institute on March 25, 2024, according to a complaint filed in state Superior Court in Bridgeport earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement The complaint says Chiluisa was "nearing the successful completion of a voluntary alcohol rehabilitation program" at the rehab center, when Antwan Strickland attacked him in the parking lot shortly after being "involuntarily administratively discharged due to his aggressive behavior toward other patients." Chiluisa suffered "catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injury from blunt force to the head" and died hours later at Yale-New Haven Hospital, according to the complaint. On Jan. 15, 2026, Chiluisa's sister filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Stonington Institute and its parent company, UHS of Delaware Inc., claiming their negligence "proximately caused" her brother's death. The complaint cites failures to exercise an "acceptable and appropriate" level of care, enact proper policies and procedures for the safety and protection of patients, and properly train, educate and supervise staff. Advertisement Advertisement "It was a tragic situation that was entirely avoidable had the facility followed its own policies," Bill Bloss, the Chiluisa family's attorney, said Monday. "We will have to determine what their reasoning was for not doing so, but this did not have to happen." Bloss said he hopes the case will lead Stonington Institute and other similar facilities in Connecticut to "reemphasize and reevaluate their policies and ensure their staff follow policies that are designed to protect clients and patients from threats of violence from other patients." Despite facility policy requiring discharged patients to be separated from other clients while awaiting transportation, court documents say Strickland was "allowed to remain on the premises unsupervised" after being discharged the morning of March 25, 2024. The complaint says a case manager at the facility told an investigator Strickland was supposed to remain in her office until transportation arrived - at which point he was to be escorted outside by a safety officer - but left her office following the completion of his discharge paperwork and never returned. Advertisement Advertisement The case manager also was unaware of Stonington Institute's policy requiring two staff members to inform a client of an administrative discharge, the lawsuit claimed. The complaint says the facility also failed to report the March 2024 incident to the Department of Public Health the day it occurred, and the report that was eventually made "contained a wrong time of the incident." The wrongful death lawsuit also includes one count of intentional assault against Strickland, who is also listed as a non-appearing defendant in the case. Court records show Stonington Institute and UHS of Delaware Inc. filed motions in February, requesting more time to respond to Chiluisa's sister's complaint in the case. Advertisement Advertisement The attorney for Stonington Institute could not be reached for comment Monday. UHS of Delaware Inc.'s attorney, Elizabeth Lacombe, declined to comment on the case. This article originally published at Family of slain Bridgeport man sues rehab facility that discharged patient accused of fatal beating. (NewsNation) A senior State Department official tells NewsNation the humanitarian situation in Cuba is not due to U.S. sanctions. Widespread blackouts have sadly become common for many years in Cuba a symptom of the failing regimes incompetence and inability to provide even the most basic goods and service for its people, the official said. Officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout Monday affecting some 11 million people, as its energy and economic crises deepen and its power grid continues to crumble. Advertisement Advertisement The Ministry of Energy and Mines on X noted a complete disconnection of the countrys electrical system. It said it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when the grid collapsed. Live updates: US strikes hit Iranian anti-ship missile launchers along Strait of Hormuz This is the tragic result of over sixty years of communist rule. An island that was once the crown jewel of the Caribbean has plunged into extreme poverty and darkness, the State Department official added. As President Trump has said, what is left of the regime should make a deal and finally let the Cuban people be free and prosperous, with the help of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump said Tuesday Cuba was in bad shape and that the country was speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Trump administration is demanding Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for the lifting of sanctions. Trump has also raised the possibility of a friendly takeover of Cuba. The Associated Press and Sean Noone 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. Cuba might not be the first country people think of when it comes to renewable energy and solar power. Instead, news about solar energy often focuses on countries like China, thanks to the sheer scale of its solar-focused megaprojects. In fact, the domination of large countries in matters relating to solar power often obscures achievements made by smaller countries. Take Cuba as an example. This country is making major strides when it comes to developing renewable energy and China is playing a big role in the process. Cuba received global attention in February 2026 when the country announced that it generated more than 800MW of solar power one afternoon. The very next day, Cuba broke its own record with 900MW. This prompted a celebratory tweet from the country's Ministry of Energy and Mines. These numbers came shortly after Cuba invested in its solar capacity in 2025, marking a major shift in the country's energy policy. In fact, in 2025 alone, the share of solar power in the country's total energy generation jumped from a meager 5.8% in January 2025 to a respectable 20% by the same time the following year. For a long time, Cuba has been heavily dependent on expensive imported fossil fuels to fulfill its energy needs in part due to prolonged U.S.-imposed sanctions. In recent years, however, China has stepped in to help create dozens of new solar parks across the country. Cuba aims to ultimately construct 92 parks with the help of China by 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Every Ford EcoBoost Engine Ranked Worst To Best How China helped Cuba beef up its renewable resource infrastructure Solar panels and wind turbines absorb energy on farm near a bay - Ke Zhuang/Getty Images There is no denying that Cuba is making rapid progress in terms of solar power generation. However, the fact that this source is available only during daylight hours makes things a little tricky. In Cuba, the demand for power peaks between about 7 and 8 p.m., which is past sunset. Unless the country has a robust battery storage capacity, all this solar-generated power during the day will have nowhere to go. To help with this problem, China is also exporting batteries to Cuba. Besides helping Cuba increase its solar power generation, China is also playing a key role in installing standalone solar power kits, somewhat similar to the ones recommended by SlashGear. Unlike the ones in our list, the kits supplied by China are designed for homes and institutions that are not yet connected to the national electrical grid. More than 10,000 such individual kits which are good enough to power a small home and run basic things like refrigerators, fans, and TVs have already been installed across the country. While it may not sound like much, access to these systems could be life-altering to thousands of people across Cuba. China's contribution to Cuba isn't just restricted to solar energy programs. The country is interested in harnessing Cuba's wind energy potential and is also investing in that space. So far, wind farms set up in various parts of Cuba by Chinese firms have already prevented several tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the air. Advertisement Advertisement 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. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has vowed to stay in power and resist any potential U.S. takeover. In a post on X, translated to English, Diaz-Canel wrote: "In the face of the worst scenario, Cuba is accompanied by a certainty: any external aggressor will clash with an impregnable resistance." Trump and Rubio escalate rhetoric on Cuba The warning comes as rhetoric from the Trump administration ramps up, with Cuba increasingly framed as a potential next front in U.S. foreign policy. President Donald Trump said earlier this week it would be his "honor" to take over Cuba. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, echoed that statement Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Rubio pointed to the country's struggling economy, calling it "non-functional," and said Cuba has long relied on subsidies from Venezuela and Russia. "They don't get subsidies anymore, so they're in a lot of trouble," he said. "And the people in charge, they don't know how to fix it, so they have to get new people in charge." Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM Diaz-Canel warns of US intentions Diaz-Canel accused the U.S. of using Cuba's economic crisis as a pretext for intervention. "The US publicly threatens Cuba almost daily, with overthrowing the constitutional order by force," he said. "They intend and announce plans to seize the country, its resources, its properties, and even the very economy they seek to strangle to make us surrender." US-Cuba talks tied to leadership change As Straight Arrow News reported this week, citing the New York Times, U.S. officials have told Cuban negotiators that Diaz-Canel must step aside. Advertisement Advertisement The reported strategy focuses on removing him as head of state without dismantling the Community Party. Both sides have confirmed talks are taking place. Trump has said he can do "anything I want" when dealing with what he describes as a weakened nation. Energy crisis deepens pressure on Cuba The tensions come as Cuba faces a worsening energy crisis. Power started to come back Tuesday night after a nationwide blackout that lasted almost 30 hours. A man walks while cars cruise along a street during a blackout in Havana on March 16, 2026. Cuba suffered a widespread power cut on March 16, 2026, according to the national electricity company, against the backdrop of a severe crisis on the island caused by the US energy blockade. (Photo by Yamil LAGE / AFP via Getty Images) The crisis has intensified following the U.S. operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro earlier this year, cutting off a key source of subsidized oil to Cuba. Russian signals support, but aid unclear Russia is now signaling support for its longtime ally. Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow "is ready to provide all possible assistance," with discussions underway. But there are no clear signs that aid is arriving. The Moscow Times reported that no Russian oil shipments have reached Cuba since early January. Related Links Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has fired back at comments made by US President Donald Trump about a possible takeover of Cuba. On Monday, Trump told reporters he thinks he will have the "honour of taking Cuba." "I do believe I'll be ... having the honour of taking Cuba. That would be good. That's a big honour," he said during an executive order signing at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Diaz-Canel said the US would face "unbreakable resistance" if it attempted a takeover. In a post on X, Diaz-Canel said the US publicly threatened Cuba, almost daily, to overthrow the constitutional order by force. "This is the only way to explain the fierce economic war being waged as collective punishment against the entire people." For weeks, Trump has been repeating that Cuba is on the brink of collapse. Under Trump, Washington has increased economic pressure on Cuba, aiming to cut off the flow of foreign currency and oil to the Caribbean island. The pressure intensified after US authorities carried out an operation in January in which Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, was arrested in the capital Caracas and taken to the US. Advertisement Advertisement The move deprived Havana of one of its most important allies, which had long supported the island, particularly through oil supplies, amid the decades-long US trade embargo with Cuba. Currently, Cuba is in one of its most severe economic crises since the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959. Japans Nissin Foods Holdings is taking control of its instant-noodle joint venture in the Philippines. The Tokyo-based maker of Cup Noodles has agreed to acquire an additional 21% stake in the venture from its Philippine partner Universal Robina Corp. (URC). Nissin Universal Robina Corp. (NURC) was originally established in 1994. When the deal is finalised, Nissins stake will rise to 70% from 49%, while URCs holding will fall to 30% from 51%. Nissin cited its focus on international growth as a driver for the move, highlighting Southeast Asia as a promising market. As part of our mid- to long-term growth strategy 2030 announced in May 2021, we set a target to achieve circa 45% of our core operating profit from overseas businesses, it said. In a separate disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, URC said it is refining" the partnership with Nissin to "further accelerate NURCs development. According to URC, the deal will enable Nissin to take on an enhanced leadership role in product innovation and brand building. URC will continue as the local partner, handling day-to-day operations. The transaction price was not disclosed by the companies. In October, Nissin announced plans to establish a subsidiary in Turkiye for noodle production. The move included an agreement to buy a factory in Sakarya province from pasta manufacturer Oba Makarnaclk Sanayi ve Ticaret, along with its production equipment and fixed assets. At the time, Nissin said the plans would mark the companys strategic re-entry into the country, where growth opportunities are robust. "Nissin buys control of URC venture in Philippines" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. March 18 (UPI) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected what he described as public threats by the United States against his country and said any attempt at external aggression would face an "impregnable resistance." "The United States publicly threatens Cuba, almost daily, with overthrowing the constitutional order by force,." Diaz-Canel said on Tuesday in a message posted on X. He contended that Washington uses the island's economic hardship as an "indignant pretext," adding that the Cuban economy has been "attacked and subjected to isolation for more than six decades." #EEUU amenaza publicamente a #Cuba, casi a diario, con derrocar por la fuerza el orden constitucional. Y usa un indignante pretexto: las duras limitaciones de la debilitada economia que ellos han agredido y pretendido aislar hace mas de seis decadas. Pretenden y anuncian planes... Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez (@DiazCanelB) March 18, 2026 Diaz-Canel's remarks came in response to comments Monday by President Donald Trump, who said it would be "an honor to take Cuba" and that he could do "whatever I want" regarding the island. Advertisement Advertisement Over the past two weeks, Trump has referred to Cuba's economic and energy crisis, citing widespread fuel shortages and prolonged blackouts across the country. The situation has intensified since the United States renewed its national emergency declaration regarding Cuba, a legal measure that allows the president to impose economic sanctions and special restrictions under federal emergency powers. The declaration provides the framework for maintaining and expanding financial and trade sanctions against the island. Diaz-Canel accused Washington of announcing plans to "take over the country, its resources, its properties and even the very economy they seek to suffocate in order to defeat us." He said current U.S. policy amounts to a "fierce economic war" applied as "collective punishment against the entire people." Advertisement Advertisement "In the worst-case scenario, Cuba has one certainty: Any external aggressor will face an impregnable resistance," he said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Tuesday at the White House that recent economic measures announced by Cuba's government are insufficient to reverse the island's structural crisis. He said deeper changes are needed and that Cuba requires "new leaders." Rubio conditioned any sanctions relief on significant political reforms. Relations between Cuba and the United States are at one of their most tense points in years. While both governments have acknowledged diplomatic contacts, the public exchange of accusations has escalated rhetoric on both sides. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Cuba experienced its sixth nationwide blackout in 18 months after a failure in the National Electric System left nearly 10 million people without power and basic services, including communications. The collapse highlighted the strain on aging infrastructure and limited fuel supplies. Shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, the national power grid resumed interconnected operations across the country, from the westernmost province of Pinar del Rio to the eastern province of Guantanamo, the official newspaper Granma reported. Cuba's Electric Union said on its official channels that all provinces now have electricity service, but power outages persist nationwide due to a generation deficit. Cuba operates a centralized electrical system, so when a "total disconnection" occurs, the entire country is left without power. Advertisement Advertisement Recurring blackouts have slowed industrial activity and disrupted public services across the island. The situation has triggered recent citizen protests in several cities, some of which turned violent and led to arrests. According to Infobae, the nongovernmental organization Cuban Observatory for Human Rights reported that authorities arrested 15 people for participating in recent protests. Of that group, 12, including two minors, remain in custody or lack official confirmation of their release. In its report, the organization said it documented at least 35 repressive actions between March 13 an 16, targeting protesters, journalists, activists, relatives of political prisoners and opposition members. The group also warned of "threats, permanent police surveillance of homes, house arrests and police brutality against protesters," and said "these events show a pattern of pressure and control aimed at silencing protest and restricting the exercise of fundamental rights." ROME, March 18 (Reuters) - The damaged Russian liquefied natural gas tanker that has been adrift in the Mediterranean for the past two weeks has now entered Libyan search and rescue waters, Italy's civil protection agency said on Wednesday. The agency, which is monitoring the vessel, told Reuters that the most significant current risk is the potential release of gas, although no leaks have been detected so far. "The dispersion of gas is a very concrete possibility," a spokesperson said, adding that it was still unclear how much gas remained aboard the ship, as two tanks were reported intact but some of the cargo may already have dispersed in the sea. Advertisement Advertisement Italy, France, Spain and six other southern EU countries have warned in a letter to the European Commission that the Arctic Metagaz represents a major ecological threat and urged the EU to take action. Italy's civil protection agency said any intervention on the tanker would now fall under Libyan authority due to its location, where sea conditions are currently rough. The EU said the vessel was part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used to circumvent sanctions imposed after Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Ministry has acknowledged that the vessel was adrift in the Mediterranean and said Moscow's involvement in resolving the situation depended on "concrete circumstances." Advertisement Advertisement Russia's Transport Ministry earlier this month said the Arctic Metagaz, carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones and said the weapons had been launched from the Libyan coast. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for any such attack. (Reporting by Matteo Negri, editing by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Ros Russell) The 24 U.S. Army service members aboard the C-47 Skytrain transport plane were excited for a day of sightseeing. Less than four months before World War II ended, the aircraft called the Gremlin Special took off from Sentani Airport near Wamena, New Guinea (in what is now Indonesia) on May 13, 1945. The group, including eight Womens Army Corps (WAC) soldiers, was to receive a birds-eye view of the Baliem Valley, which local pilots had nicknamed Shangri-La Valley after the kingdom in James Hiltons novel, Lost Kingdom. Related: The WWII bombardier whose family spent 12 years bringing him home from the ocean floor What happened next was no ones idea of paradise. The Gremlin Special took off in clear weather, but as it lumbered over the valley and between peaks, the tropical forest shrouded the mountains in clouds and mist. The pilot, Col. Peter J. Prossen, was now flying blind. Then he made the tragic decision to descend. Transport Plane Crashes into Mountain The Baliem Valley is a high mountain valley at the foot of the Trikora Crest mountain in western New Guinea, Indonesia. (Shutterstock) Some believe a sudden downdraft caught the plane, causing it to slam into the mountainside. Others attributed the disaster to pilot error and heavy cloud cover. One passenger, Lt. John McCollom, said the impact snapped the tail off, setting off explosions, and flattened the fuselage to the point he could not stand up. McCollom was one of five service members who survived the crash initially, but WAC members Eleanor Hanna and Laura Besley died shortly thereafter. That left McCollom, Sgt. Kenneth Decker, and WAC Cpl. Margaret Hastings as the lone survivors. McCollom, whose twin brother Robert died in the crash, emerged from the wreckage relatively unscathed. However, the other two survivors were badly hurt. Decker sustained burns on his back and a deep head wound, and Hastings suffered cuts and burns on several parts of her body. Despite their injuries, they slowly made their way through the thick jungle to the valley, which was 40 miles long and 8 miles wide. With little water or food, they hoped to be spotted in a small clearing. Encountering the Dani Members of the Dani tribe of the Baliem Valley in what is now Western New Guinea, Indonesia, are considered gentle warriors. (Shutterstock) As they decided their next move, the Dani (a tribe indigenous to the region) spotted them. Little was known about the Dani at the time. They lived a Stone Age existence, and while they once were believed to be headhunters, they later were regarded as gentle warriors. As the survivors and Dani assessed each other suspiciously, McCollom walked slowly forward across a large log and met the tribal leader halfway. McCollom told Decker and Hastings to smile, and when they did, the Danis leader smiled back. As McCollom and the leader shook hands, the survivors breathed a sigh of relief. While the soldiers awaited their possible rescue, they and the Dani developed a friendly rapport. Devising a Crazy Rescue Mission A C47-Skytrain and Waco CG-4A glider on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio. (U.S. Air Force) On May 16, three days after the crash, search aircraft finally spotted them. Although there was no place for them to land, B-17 planes dropped supplies, including medical equipment, field rations, beer, and a walkie-talkie to the survivors. The Army Air Forces, however, still hadnt devised a plan to extract them from the valley. Whatever they decided would require overcoming an extremely high degree of difficulty. In addition to the treacherous terrain, thousands of Japanese soldiers were believed to be hiding in the dense jungle. What the U.S. military finally settled on was a crazy rescue mission: Filipino-American paratroopers from the 5217th Reconnaissance Battalion would jump in to assist McCollom, Decker, and Hastings before a C-47 Skytrain would extract the soldiers by towing Waco CG-4A gliders out of the valley. A Rescue Nearly 7 Weeks in the Making Advertisement Advertisement After the entire 5217th battalion volunteered, Lt. C. Earl Walter selected 10 other jumpers, including two medics, for the mission. While the medics dropped in near the survivors, the other paratroopers jumped in about 45 miles away. Three troopers set up a camp at that site, and the others headed toward McCollom, Decker, Hastings, and the medics. The survivors and paratroopers made their way to a temporary landing strip created by the rescue team. To extricate them successfully, a hook on the C-47 would snatch the gliders tow line suspended above ground by two poles. The hook on the transport plane attached to a 1,000-foot steel cable, which connected to a winch to soften the shock during contact. The survivors were rescued 47 days after the crash on June 28, 1945. The first of three flights involved rescuing the three survivors, and it almost ended in disaster. When the hook grabbed the tow line, the glider took off, but a parachute on the ground caught in its skids. The chute began tearing holes through the gliders canvas skin. Thinking quickly, McCollom crawled to the gliders tail and pulled the stuck parachute into the cabin, preventing a potential catastrophe. All personnel finally made it out of the valley. Capturing Americans Attention While McCollom, Decker, and Hastings awaited rescue, a memorial service was held above the crash site. In 1958, a team from the Graves Registration Service disinterred the victims bodies and brought them back to the U.S. for proper burials. When the survivors returned, the military played up their survival story to the folks at home. They were sent out for seven weeks on the last Liberty Bond tour of World War II. Their rescue slowly faded from the headlines. But the Gremlin Special and the rescue from Shangri-La were a feel-good story that grabbed Americans attention for a few weeks. Dont Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty Featured F-15 Downed over Kuwait Reddit Air Force How Kuwaits air defenses downed three American F-15 Strike Eagles By Adam Gramegna department of education building rulemaking committee getty Veterans Benefits Veteran experts were nominated to determine federal education rulemaking By Gina Napoletano Atoms for Peace Cold War How Eisenhowers Atoms for Peace program started Irans nuclear program By Stephen Ruiz Smoke rises after Iran carried out a missile strike on the main headquarters of the U.S. Navyas 5th Fleet in Manama in retaliation against US-Israeli attacks, in Bahrain February 28, 2026. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Military News Lessons Learned: How Iran was able to bruise the US Navys 5th Fleet By Adam Gramegna operation eagle claw desert one socom Special Operations Operation Eagle Claw: The story behind the failed hostage rescue in Iran By Blake Stilwell CHICAGO Downstate farmer Darren Bailey, the unsuccessful Republican 2022 nominee against Gov. JB Pritzker, defeated three primary rivals Tuesday night to win his bid for a Nov. 3 rematch opposing the two-term Democratic chief executive, according to the Associated Press. With 37% of the expected statewide Republican primary vote counted, Bailey had 49% to 32% for Ted Dabrowski and 10% for James Mendrick and 9% for Rick Heidner, according to unofficial results. Pritzker, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, spoke to supporters less than a half hour after the polls closed and with his GOP general election challenger still undecided. He used his victory speech to launch the Nov. 3 campaign and made it clear he will use it as a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump as he ponders a potential 2028 White House bid. Advertisement Advertisement Friends, this is the fight of our lives. Everything we care about is under siege from Washington, said Pritzker, a businessman and billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotels fortune. The Carnival Barker in Chief sorry, the Commander in Thief says theres no federal money for health care and food assistance for families in need. But they had no trouble finding tens of millions of dollars to send masked troops with assault weapons onto the streets of Illinois to terrorize Americans. Pritzker said under his leadership, as other states capitulated to Donald Trump, the seemingly unstoppable force of Trumps unrestrained power met the immovable object of Illinoisans courage. What is the Illinois Republican Party doing to help everyday people? Nothing. They want to roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump and his failed policies. Not once have they lifted a finger when Trump is closing rural hospitals or taking food away from poor children, he said. Pritzkers remarks came as Bailey, Dabrowski, Heidner and Mendrick competed for the GOP nomination in what to the public has been a low-dollar, low-visibility contest for an office Republicans last held when one-term Gov. Bruce Rauner won in 2014, only to be defeated four years later by Pritzker. Advertisement Advertisement Though all four pledged their fealty to Republican President Donald Trump, he did not endorse in the contest, as he had four years ago by backing Bailey. Bailey was seeking a second chance against Pritzker after his near 13 percentage point general election loss to the incumbent governor four years ago. In the 2022 primary, Bailey captured an overwhelming 57.5% of the vote, defeating a field of five rivals, none of whom received more than 11% of the GOP ballots. A charismatic evangelical Christian conservative from Xenia, Bailey downplayed the religious beliefs that had driven his previous campaign but turned off voters in the key Chicago suburbs. Lacking the money pumped into his win in a crowded primary field in 2022, Bailey this time counted on name recognition, chiefly among a solidly ruby red core of Republicans, to bolster his campaign. While Bailey didnt get Trumps endorsement, the president encouraged him to make another run following the deaths of his son Zachary, daughter-in-law Kelsey and grandchildren Vada Rose, 12, and Samuel, 7, in a helicopter accident in southeastern Montana on Oct. 22. I have no doubt that you will continue to Fight! Fight! Fight! for your beloved state in honor of your beautiful family. Trump wrote Bailey in a letter of condolences. Advertisement Advertisement Bailey, who in 2024 lost a primary challenge to veteran U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro, mounted his second bid for governor with a mea culpa tour, apologizing for terming Chicago a hellhole in his initial run and saying he now had a better appreciation of the citys and suburban voters. Dabrowski of Wilmette, the former president of the Wirepoints conservative activist organization, was backed by some of the same people who supported Baileys 2022 run but deemed him unelectable this time. They included far-right radio talk show host and GOP political operative Dan Proft of Naples, Florida, and Jeanne Ives, a former state representative of Wheaton, who founded her own right-wing advocacy group. Dabrowski, a former bank executive, said he could appeal to suburban voters because he and his running mate were professionals, an apparent reference to Baileys farming background. Proft, a paid Dabrowski consultant who has helped send countless past campaigns to defeat, used a social media post to question the intelligence of Bailey supporters. He is solely living off residual awareness from four years ago. His supporters come from two camps: (1) those who lack intellectual curiosity to investigate the race, and (2) those who are baffled by the plot twists in Jim Varney movies, Proft posted. Advertisement Advertisement That prompted Bailey to say on social media that Dabrowskis camp is paying a single consultant $25,000 a month to call Illinois Republicans unintelligent and compare them to the Beverly Hillbillies is a window into how they really see this state. In his campaign, Dabrowski showed little charisma. Instead, he resembled a life insurance salesman touting actuarial tables, presenting the equivalent of PowerPoint presentations to potential voters, displaying number-filled charts and graphs about Illinois spending. He vowed to declare a safety emergency and use gubernatorial executive orders to overturn state laws blocking local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents who lacked a judicial warrant and creating cashless bail for nonviolent offenders. But such a pledge was of dubious legal authority since past emergency declarations by governors dealt with medical reasons, such as the pandemic. Heidner, of Barrington Hills, a real estate developer and video gambling firm operator, made a late entry into the race, ran a few TV commercials, and sought to convince voters that they needed a businessman to run the state. He offered taxpayer funded tax credits to attract business with a goal of lowering taxes. Advertisement Advertisement But Heidner also had problems understanding how state government functions. And he came off as an aggrieved businessman after Pritzker blocked the sale of property in Tinley Park that Heidner proposed for a horseracing track and casino following a Tribune report about his past connections with reputed members of organized crime. I have zero ties to organized crime, he said at a recent debate. Heidner also apologized for making past donations to Democratic politicians, including former Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. He explained he saw the money he gave to Johnson as an entry into discussing bringing legalized video gambling into Chicago with the mayor which Dabrowski said appeared to be pay-to-play politics. Mendrick, the two-term DuPage County sheriff from Woodridge, was the first candidate to enter the GOP contest but gained little traction. Cash-limited to social media videos, he often sounded like he was on a grade-school field trip when he visited downstate locations and marveled that you could travel seven hours and not leave Illinois. Avidly opposed to immigrants, Mendrick echoed the call of the widely debunked, white nationalist Great Replacement Theory, contending we are being replaced by an immigrant population. He also has shown support for another debunked theory involving constitutional sheriffs which wrongly holds that sheriffs are the pre-eminent constitutional authority in their jurisdiction, even above the court system. _____ Death Under Watch is an ongoing series by MassLive and The Springfield Republican investigating deaths in Massachusetts prisons and jails. Massachusetts prisons and jails have seen more than 140 deaths since 2022, yet the reasons people are dying are harder to pin down. There is no publicly accessible data on in-custody death causes in Massachusetts. Deaths in custody drew heightened scrutiny last year from all corners of the state: Advertisement Advertisement A rash of unexpected deaths has been reported in Massachusetts prisons, including six suicides. The December death of Shacoby Kenny under restraint at the sheriff-run Suffolk County House of Correction prompted renewed calls for Gov. Maura Healey to strengthen correctional oversight. Last year, the Hampden County Sheriffs Department settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Madelyn Linsenmeir, a 30-year-old mother who died in their custody in 2018. When she was booked by police, she was experiencing chest pains and begged for medical care. A week later, she died of a heart infection. Her obituary gained national attention. While Massachusetts mandates all in-custody deaths be handled by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for review or autopsy, the state doesnt have a central tracking system for causes of death that is publicly accessible. To understand how many people died in the states prisons and jails and why since 2022, MassLive and The Springfield Republican submitted public records requests to every sheriffs office as well as the state Department of Correction. The news outlets decided to start with 2022 to avoid spikes from COVID deaths, which made 2020 and 2021 anomalous years for the DOC. The data proved especially hard to obtain from county jails/sheriffs offices, with most denying the record requests in full or in part until the states appeal process required them to provide the information. Advertisement Advertisement More than 140 people died in Massachusetts prisons and jails between January 2022 and December 2025, according to compiled public records data. Prisons are overseen by the Department of Correction a state agency under the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security while sheriffs oversee county jails. More than 90 of those deaths occurred in the states prison system, according to data obtained from the DOC. There, deaths peaked in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data collected by UCLAs Behind Bars Project shows, then trended downward each year until 2025. About half of the states prison deaths were categorized as expected in 2022 through 2025. That indicates almost half of the people could have been eligible for medical parole, according to Dr. Nicole Mushero, a geriatrician at Boston Medical Center. She authored an analysis of deaths from 2021 through 2023 and reached that conclusion. Few people are released each year under the states medical parole law. Advertisement Advertisement In Massachusetts, cause of death tracking varies greatly by agency representing a national issue with data on in-custody deaths. Three deaths in Suffolk County, for example, are listed simply as due to substance abuse. Essex and Barnstable counties said they dont maintain or track prisoner causes of death. Across the country between 2020 and 2024, more than 26,000 people died in prisons and jails, according to data reported to the Department of Justice under the Death in Custody Reporting Act. But a review by The Marshall Project of federal data from 2019 to 2023 found it riddled with errors, including missing death records and entries lacking key details such as race, age or the agency responsible for custody. The analysis showed that 44% of reported causes of death were listed as either unavailable or unspecified. After submitting a public records request to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, it took MassLive and The Republican months and an appeal to obtain the data the state reports to the federal government under the Death in Custody Reporting Act. The general manner of death whether it was a suicide, homicide or natural was included, but specific causes of death were omitted. There appears to be an appetite among lawmakers on Beacon Hill to increase oversight of the states carceral system. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Russell Holmes, D-6th Suffolk, meets regularly with the African American Coalition Committee at MCI-Norfolk. Concerns about K2 and suicides have come up repeatedly in recent months. He is sponsoring legislation that would establish a corrections oversight committee. Similarly, Senate legislation would create a correctional inspector general. Unexpected deaths, for example, would go to a proposed oversight committee akin to the states Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission for police officers. We understand that these are very difficult facilities, Holmes said. Im for having an environment that allows everybody to go home safely COs (corrections officers) and those who are inmates. Sen. Liz Miranda, D-5th Suffolk, said Kennys death at the Boston jail in December, which occurred while under the restraint of corrections officers, underscored the urgent need for correctional oversight. Advertisement Advertisement For too long, the lack of independent oversight of Massachusetts jails and prisons has contributed to systemic dysfunction and lackluster responses to reports of mistreatment of incarcerated people, Miranda wrote in a letter to Healey. More prisons Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The death of a 12-year-old girl in Enfield has prompted a police investigation Wednesday. Enfield police said they responded at 10:25 a.m. to a home on Elm Street after receiving a 911 call about the girl, who was reportedly unresponsive. First responders confirmed that the girl's death. Police said she was a resident of the home. The Chief Medical Examiner's Office is working to determine the girl's cause of death. Advertisement Advertisement Police secured a search warrant to investigate at the home. They are expected to remain at the residence throughout the evening. Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters: Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines There is currently no public safety concern or immediate danger to the public, police said. The Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad is assisting with the investigation. PALATKA, Fla. (AP) It was supposed to be Florida's version of the Panama Canal a shortcut for boats to pass through the middle of the state from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf instead of navigating around the peninsula. But work on the Cross Florida Barge Canal was stopped in 1971 over environmental concerns. Since then, a dam and reservoir built for the aborted canal in northeast Florida has drowned a chunk of the Ocala National Forest, put 20 springs underwater and disrupted wildlife crossings, including some used by migrating manatees. Every couple of years, when state workers empty the reservoir to clean out muck, those lost springs reemerge and cypress saplings begin growing on previously submerged land. For several months, the area returns to its natural state. Advertisement Advertisement The latest drawdown of Rodman Reservoir, the first in six years, started in October and ended in early March. But environmentalists want to permanently open the 7,200-foot (2,200-meter) Kirkpatrick Dam and reunite the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers with Silver Springs, one of the largest spring systems in the U.S. By removing the dam, we would reunite the waters, said Nina Bhattacharyya, executive director of Florida Defenders of the Environment. We would have springs reemerge. Wildlife would be able to move back and forth -- migratory fish, manatees and so much more. Removal of the dam would really fix a wrong that was created decades ago. A legislative setback, and vows to keep fighting The latest effort to make that happen, after decades of trying, failed last week when lawmakers didn't pass a bill before the legislative session ended that would have supported a $70 million project to restore the Ocklawaha River by opening up the dam over four years. Advocates for restoring the river said they plan to regroup and identify the best strategy for moving forward, but they remain optimistic given how close they came. The measure had passed the Florida House and was awaiting a Senate vote before the session ended last week. Advertisement Advertisement While the bill did not receive a final vote in the Senate this session, the strong bipartisan support it earned reflects growing momentum for restoration, Bhattacharyya said Monday. During the drawdowns, what used to be on the 9,500 acres (3,844 hectares) of submerged land becomes visible. Bear and deer tracks are spotted. Wild turkeys and sandhill cranes return to the dried-out land. Thousands of drowned and ghostlike cypress, palm and maple tree trunks reveal themselves as the water drops. It's haunting, like a graveyard, Karen Chadwick, a charter boat captain, said recently as she maneuvered her boat among decayed and graying tree trunks jutting from the water. There are also concerns about the safety of the dam, which is past its life expectancy. Advocates for opening the dam say a structural collapse could endanger hundreds of nearby homes. Advertisement Advertisement Something is going to happen, maybe next year, maybe in a couple of years, Republican state Sen. Jason Brodeur, the legislations sponsor, said last month during a committee hearing. Something has to be done. This system is a national treasure Nature filmmaker Mark Emery told Florida lawmakers recently that the Ocklawaha River was unique as it was historically fed by the extensive Silver Springs system. But huge schools of mullet and catfish have disappeared from Silver Springs since the dam choked the flow of the river and reduced the number of fish getting into the springs, he said. This system is a national treasure, Emery said. Hundreds of millions of gallons of fresh water feed and cool the river. Before the dam, you had a direct waterway to the ocean with small springs all along the way. Some angling groups oppose anything that would permanently empty Rodman Reservoir, saying it has become a world-class fishing spot and supports a local economy of largemouth bass fishing, camping and birdwatching in rural Putnam County, which is among Florida's poorest counties. Supporters of emptying the reservoir say it will remain an outdoors haven, if not more so. Advertisement Advertisement Plus, the reservoir reduces nutrient levels in the water and could be used as an alternate water supply at a time when Florida's population is booming, Steve Miller, president of Save Rodman Reservoir, told lawmakers in February. There's a bigger picture than what is being shown, Miller said during a legislative hearing. Don't gamble away on speculative outcomes. Fixing misguided projects While the construction of the dam was a mistake, locals have made the best of the situation by creating businesses geared toward outdoorspeople, said Putnam County Commissioner Joshua Alexander. We have created chicken salad out of chicken, Alexander told lawmakers. We are not a rich economy, and I believe it would affect our economy. Advertisement Advertisement A restoration of the Ocklawaha River would be part of a long history in Florida of restoring a natural environment that was upset by a misguided public works project. The Everglades in South Florida had shrunk to half its size due to water supply and flood control projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before a multibillion-dollar effort was launched at the start of this century to restore the network of wetlands. Similarly, the corps dredged the Kissimmee River and installed canals in the 1960s to reduce flooding in the interior part of the state, but ended up upsetting the floodplain's ecosystem of birds and fish. Efforts to restore the river were launched two decades ago and completed in 2021. Nature is very resilient, Chadwick said, if you just get out of the way and let it do its thing. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. March 18 (UPI) -- When Jose Antonio Kast was inaugurated as Chile's president on March 11, he inherited a country under real strain. Crime and immigration have become flashpoints. Fiscal pressures are mounting. Social divisions remain sharp. Chile also faces a difficult external reality: deep economic dependence on China. In Washington, attention to Chile has focused on what Kast's arrival could mean for relations with the United States. That focus is understandable. His priorities on border control, immigration, organized crime, business policy and support for Israel align more naturally with the current U.S. administration than did Gabriel Boric's outgoing government. Yet to define Kast chiefly through his ties to Washington is to miss something important. His governing style, including his emphasis on decency and firmness, may matter just as much as ideology as Chile confronts a difficult set of domestic and strategic challenges. A tone that surprised many Kast has long been portrayed as an ultraconservative, a label that for many suggests a hard and exclusionary politics. His inaugural speech, however, struck a notably inclusive tone. Advertisement Advertisement He argued that Chile's real adversaries are not fellow citizens who simply think differently, and pledged to govern for all Chileans -- including those who did not vote for him -- and to restore security and opportunity for the country's youth. His thanks to his family and embrace of his wife gave the moment an unexpected human warmth. Whether Kast's inaugural moderation reflects a genuine governing posture or tactical rebranding is one of the central questions of his presidency. Security will define his early presidency Kast began his term by declaring a "government of emergency" and issuing six executive decrees, most of which were focused on border security and immigration enforcement. That move reflected the issue that most helped carry him to office: public insecurity. Advertisement Advertisement The northern border with Peru and Bolivia has become a growing channel for irregular migration, narcotics and other illicit flows, feeding public anxieties over crime and insecurity. Although Chile's homicide rate remains relatively low by regional standards, the public sense of vulnerability has risen sharply. A 2025 study by the Center for the Study of Organized Crime documented a major increase in organized criminal activity across the country, with human trafficking concentrated in the north. Among the best-known is Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, implicated in the 2024 kidnapping and murder of Venezuelan dissident Ronald Ojeda. Peruvian gangs such as the Pulpos, Gallegos and del Callao, along with Colombian extortion networks running gota-a-gota ("drop-by-drop") loan-sharking schemes, have also taken hold. By the time Chileans went to the polls in 2025, insecurity had become the country's leading concern. Kast's focus on security was central to his decisive victory over Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara. His government has already moved aggressively. Kast declared the most vulnerable stretches of Chile's 1,100-kilometer northern border a military zone, giving the armed forces expanded authority there. He appointed Alberto Soto as special presidential commissioner to oversee a stronger interagency border effort. The government has also begun work on what it calls the "Northern Shield," including a trench along the Chilean side of the border and a broader physical barrier. Advertisement Advertisement Kast's approach has drawn comparisons to El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, whose campaign against gangs has attracted attention across the region, though Kast has not adopted the Salvadoran model wholesale. Audits, austerity and business reform Beyond crime, Kast has moved quickly to assess the state he has inherited. He has announced government-wide audits to clarify the fiscal and administrative condition of Chile's ministries, citing what he describes as a lack of transparency under Boric. In the fiscal arena, his government has signaled a mix of budget cutting and market-oriented reform. Kast has announced plans to reduce the federal budget by 3% to address a larger-than-expected fiscal deficit. He has also floated cuts in social spending, including the possible elimination of free college tuition for people over 30 and a temporary block on new universities entering the publicly subsidized system. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, he has proposed measures meant to stimulate business, including reducing the corporate tax rate from 27% to 23%, eliminating capital gains taxes and temporarily suspending the value-added tax on housing. He has also indicated that he wants to roll back his predecessor's lithium nationalization policies and possibly reform the state mining firm CODELCO. This agenda is likely to deepen resistance from the Chilean left, which retains significant congressional strength, and could intensify protest in an already polarized country. The China dilemma For all the importance of crime and fiscal reform, the biggest long-term dilemma confronting Kast may be how to manage Chile's growing dependence on China while preserving strong ties with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, China bought 40% of Chile's exports, including three-quarters of its copper and lithium exports and 90% of its cherries. Chinese companies control 57% of electricity distribution in Chile and are deeply present in telecommunications and other digital sectors. That places limits on any geopolitical reorientation. Kast may want closer ties with Washington, but Chile's economic structure gives Beijing enormous weight. The dilemma is further complicated by the fact that the previous Boric government had already expanded certain forms of defense cooperation with China, even as it halted Chinese construction of the Ventarrones space facility in the Atacama Desert amid concerns about its possible strategic use. A meaningful test During his inauguration, Kast said he was assuming control of a country in worse condition than he had imagined. He has already begun moving quickly on his promise to retake Chile's streets and institutions. Advertisement Advertisement It matters for Chile and the wider region whether his government succeeds. The coming months will show whether the Border Shield delivers results, whether the audits uncover real mismanagement or merely political theater, and whether Kast can manage Beijing's economic weight without weakening the Washington alignment he is counting on. Above all, the question is whether the governing style he projected on inauguration day will hold up in practice. Evan Ellis is a senior non-resident associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His latest book, "China Engages Latin America: Distorting Development and Democracy," is published by Palgrave Macmillan. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. Ukrainian and Spanish defence industry companies have signed four documents on cooperation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported during a visit to Spain. Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: During his visit to Spain, Zelenskyy met with the management of the Spanish engineering and technology group Sener Aerospace & Defence. Quote: "Today, Ukrainian manufacturers signed four cooperation documents here, three of which are specifically with Sener. The agreements concern establishing cooperation in the missile sector and air defence. This is what will strengthen the protection of Ukraine's skies. We discussed production capabilities and bolstering Ukraine's air defence." Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine had expressed interest in joint projects in the field of long-range drone production. "We expect that all agreements between Ukrainian and Spanish manufacturers will be implemented as soon as possible," he added. As part of his visit, the president also met with a number of senior Spanish officials. Background: Zelenskyy's visit to Spain comes the day after his trip to London, where he and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a declaration on enhancing cooperation in security and the defence industry. Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that signing this document effectively means the creation of a defence alliance between Ukraine and the UK. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) When an emergency happens, some of the first people to learn about it are 911 dispatchers, and with the up and down weather across central Ohio in the last few days, call centers experienced an uptick in calls. Delaware Countys 911 Director Lauren Yankanin said every day in the 911 center is unpredictable, and Friday was no different. We just got very overloaded with calls, Yankanin said. Advertisement Advertisement Central Ohio coffee shop creates searchlight sleeves to highlight missing people She said that at the peak of the severe weather, responders took more than 600 calls in six hours; more than half of those calls were to 911. The winds were picking up outside, Yankanin said. We started getting a lot of reports of damage from winds, power lines down, wires down all over the place. She said people were calling in all kinds of emergencies like a tree falling on a car with someone trapped inside to a semi-trailer truck blown over by the wind to downed powerlines. Yankanin said the 911 dispatchers job is to stay calm, gather as much information as possible and facilitate that information to the right team to send help. Advertisement Advertisement If it were not for them answering those phone calls and talking to people who are in their worst moments, we wouldnt have the information we need as far as where an emergency is occurring, exactly what is happening, and being able to figure out who we need to send to assist our communities, so they are a critical piece in getting help where it needs to go, Yankanin said. Ohio State records detail former President Ted Carters trip with podcaster The Delaware County call center also had an uptick in calls on Monday, specifically for auto accidents due to the snow. Yankanin said she was impressed to see how her team multitasked and worked together in the last few days. Im very proud of them, she said. Im proud of how they serve the community and the responders and seeing how they all come together and work as a team in such chaotic and adverse conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Yankanin said that on Friday, every 911 operator they have responded to a call for extra help. She said that every desk in the main center and backup center was full of people working. 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. In its early days, the Elon Muskled Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) bragged it could cut up to $2 trillion from the U.S. federal budget. In December, Musk conceded the special advisory saved only $200 billion in zombie payments for canceled contracts or fraudulent unemployment claims. But a recent estimation of DOGEs overall impact indicated any savings it found did little, if anything, for the deficit. In a deposition video from January, which recently went viral, DOGE employee Nate Cavanaugh said cost-cutting efforts fell far short of its original $2 trillion goal. The deposition was part of a larger lawsuit filed by the American Council of Learned Societies, a nonprofit consortium of scholarly institutions, alleging DOGE used OpenAIs ChatGPT to identify and then cancel more than $100 million in diversity, equity, and inclusion grants. You dont regret that people might have lost important incometo support their lives? one attorney asked Cavanaugh regarding the grant cancellations. No. I think it was more important to reduce the federal deficit from $2 trillion to close to zero, said Cavanaugh, who is also the founder of AI-powered accounting firm Flow Finance. Did you reduce the federal deficit? the attorney asked. No, we didnt, Cavanaugh replied. The White House did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment. Judge Colleen McMahon of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ordered videos of the deposition, which also included a deposition of DOGE staffer Justin Fox, to be removed online following social media backlash. DOGE, formed the first day of President Donald Trumps second term, was part of an effort to root out waste, fraud, and abuse from the federal government. Over the course of the 10 months it was operating under centralized leadership, the group eliminated the roles of more than 300,000 federal employees and claimed to have canceled 13,440 contracts. The recent lawsuit is the latest instance of DOGE coming under scrutiny. Cybersecurity experts warned the group had access to U.S. payroll systems that presented unprecedented power and control over Americans information, while the mass layoffs could have created opportunities for countries like China and Russia to recruit informants who had access to classified data. Management experts claimed DOGEs purported savings were completely overblown. Signs of DOGE increasing U.S. government spending From the beginning of Musks tenure as head of DOGE, which was not a real department but instead an advisory office, economists were skeptical about its ability to slash the federal deficit as the national debt soared beyond $38 trillion. The Brookings Institution Hamilton Project tool tracking federal spending found that as of Dec. 19, 2025, government spending increased nearly 6% to $7.558 trillion from $7.135 trillion a year earlier. A Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Taiwan was made an emergency landing in Alaska after a passenger allegedly hurled racial slurs at flight attendants and triggered what the crew classified as a serious inflight security incident, according to federal authorities. Malcom Martin was arrested when the aircraft touched down in Anchorage on Saturday and charged with interfering with flight crew members a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. An affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for Alaska describes a confrontation that escalated so rapidly that the cockpit door was locked, and the pilots coordinated with Deltas corporate office before diverting the aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement The disturbance reportedly began around 7.25 pm on 14 March, while Delta Flight 69 was over the Pacific Ocean. According to Alaska News Source, the trouble started near a galley restroom, where a flight attendant was eating a meal. Martin allegedly grabbed the attendants shoulder to ask whether the lavatory was occupied. The attendant explained that the lock indicator showed it was in use, but investigators say Martin responded with disrespectful comments. The Delta Airlines plane was forced to land at Anchorage in Alaska (Getty/iStock) When the restroom became available and Martin returned to the galley, the argument reignited. The attendant told investigators Martin used a racial slur and threatened to fight him when the plane landed. A second flight attendant said the dispute grew so heated that nearby passengers moved toward the galley to help calm things down. That attendant also retrieved restraints and then repeatedly ordered Martin back to his seat. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say Martin swung toward the second attendant but did not make contact. No one was struck during the altercation, though the tension was high enough that two pilots classified the situation as a level three disturbance the threshold requiring the cockpit to be secured. The diversion to Anchorage also required the crew to calculate landing procedures for an overweight aircraft still carrying fuel intended for the long transPacific route. When the plane reached the gate, Anchorage Airport Police and Fire officers boarded and detained Martin. The flight was abruptly rerouted to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Getty Images) Investigators collected several passenger videos. In a brief review, the FBI agent wrote he could see Martin at the galley entrance exchanging heated words, though he did not observe a lunge or swing in the clips he viewed. Martin was taken to an airport interview room, advised of his rights, and arrested and booked into the Anchorage Correctional Complex. Advertisement Advertisement Delta confirmed the diversion, saying an emergency was declared as a precautionary measure. The airline said the unruly passenger was removed upon landing and apologized to travelers for the delay. Per our procedures to ensure the safety and security of our customers and people, an unruly passenger was removed from the flight upon diverting to Anchorage. We apologize to our customers onboard for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience, Delta said. There is no doubt the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has a great deal of power and influence. Yet in the Democratic Party at least, a dwindling number of candidates want to be publicly associated with the countrys most prominent pro-Israel political organization. It is no surprise, then, that multiple news organizations, including The New York Times and Chicagos WBEZ, have found links between AIPACs donors, registered agents and vendors and new super PACs with innocuous-sounding names like Elect Chicago Women and Affordable Chicago Now. Those groups have poured at least $21 million into open-seat congressional primaries in and around Chicago, blanketing the airwaves with ads that dont mention Israel at all. AIPACs goal of keeping Israel a bipartisan cause looks increasingly endangered. For all the money it invests, AIPACs goal of keeping Israel a bipartisan cause looks increasingly endangered. In many races, AIPAC cant find a Democrat who will unequivocally stand by the Israeli government the way it would like. While Republicans have long been mostly unanimous in supporting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government, AIPAC also wants to elect Democrats who wont put conditions on aid for Israel or be too critical of Israels government because a bipartisan cause is more insulated from the shifting political winds of a particular moment. But this election year is making clear how rapidly the politics of support for Israel is shifting, to the point where even among candidates who have historically supported aid to Israel, support from AIPAC has become a black mark with which few Democrats want to be tarred. Advertisement Advertisement The complex dynamics were on particularly vivid display Tuesday in Illinois 9th Congressional District, where Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss emerged as the projected winner in a field of candidates vying to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. At first, groups believed to be linked to AIPAC boosted state Sen. Laura Fine and attacked Biss. But with Fine attracting little support, AIPAC turned its sights onto Kat Abughazaleh, a young Palestinian American progressive and first-time candidate but again, not by mentioning Israel. (One ad savaged her for supporting Marco Rubios presidential candidacy when she was 16 years old.) Abughazaleh turned the tables by making AIPACs attacks a centerpiece of her campaign, mocking the group and its ads to her substantial social media following. AIPAC then tried to peel off support from Abughazaleh by boosting trailing candidate Bushra Amiwala, who harshly condemned the group for helping her. Even Biss, despite being the front-runner in the race he won, used AIPAC as a foil. AIPAC finds someone like me really scary, he said. Someone whos Jewish, someone whose mother is Israeli, someone whose grandparents survived the Holocaust and who is willing to stand up and say, Listen, the conduct of the national government in Gaza has been a horror. Despite AIPACs best efforts, the seat will likely be filled by someone who sees AIPAC as more foe than friend. The group has become an issue in the other Illinois races where it is spending money. The group has become an issue in the other Illinois races where it is spending money. In the 8th District, AIPACs support for centrist former Rep. Melissa Bean helped Junaid Ahmed garner endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. In the 2nd District, Rep. Schakowsky withdrew her endorsement from Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who is running for that seat, because Schakowsky came to believe that AIPAC donors and PACs affiliated with AIPAC were behind that candidate. Schakowsky said, Illinois deserves leaders who put voters first, not AIPAC or out-of-state Trump donors. According to returns Tuesday, Miller was projected to win the Democratic nomination for that seat. Advertisement Advertisement And Gov. JB Pritzker, the most important Democrat in the state and a possible presidential candidate, was once a financial supporter of AIPAC, but now says he walked away from the group a decade ago when he says it turned to the right. Pritzker is not the only one shunning AIPAC. Multiple Democratic politicians who have received support from AIPAC in the past have said this year they will refuse any contributions from the group. That includes Rep. Valerie Foushee, D-N.C., who just squeaked out a narrow primary win against a progressive Muslim challenger, and Rep. Seth Moulton, who is running for Senate in Massachusetts. Moulton even said he would return the money he received from AIPAC in prior campaigns. It might be a matter of principle, but those candidates could also be making a simple political calculation. Recent polls have shown that support for Israel has become deeply partisan. For instance, pollsters have long asked whether people feel more sympathetic toward the Israelis or the Palestinians (a problematic question, but one that can still be revealing), and last month, for the first time in Gallup polling, more Americans said they sympathize with the Palestinians. But the party divide is stark: Among Republicans, Israelis receive more sympathy, 70% to 13%, while among Democrats, Palestinians receive more sympathy, 65% to 17%. An even more recent NBC News poll produced almost identical results. This split reflects the changing political character of the Israeli government itself, which has become more and more right wing in recent years. The last Labor Party prime minister, Ehud Barak, left office 25 years ago, and the Israeli left has shrunk into irrelevance. As Israel has pursued its brutal war in Gaza and kept Palestinians in the West Bank under a system fairly described as apartheid, fewer and fewer Democrats can find a way to conclude that Israel represents the liberal values they believe in. AIPAC plays its own damaging role by demanding unquestioning fealty to the Netanyahu government. So while the ultimate fault for the decline in support for Israel lies with the countrys government and its policies, AIPAC plays its own damaging role by demanding unquestioning fealty to the Netanyahu government. The barest hint of concern for the lives of Palestinians and their aspirations for self-governance can get a candidate targeted with a wave of negative ads. Advertisement Advertisement But rather than cower in fear of AIPACs power, more Democrats are wearing the groups opposition as a badge of honor. That draws them closer to their own constituents and suggests that in the near future, AIPAC will lose even more support among Democrats, making it what Democratic candidates seem to already believe it is: just one more Republican interest group. The post What Democratic races in Illinois tell us about AIPACs influence and how its perceived appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now Democratic voters in Illinois handed the partys nominations for five open seats in the House of Representatives to candidates that included Daniel Biss, Evanstons mayor, and Donna Miller, the Cook county commissioner, after heated and at times bitter campaigns that saw significant spending by outside groups, most controversially the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac). The primaries acted as a test of the style of politics voters were looking for ahead of the midterm elections in November, when Democrats hope to regain control of Congress. All five districts are heavily Democratic, making the primary victors favorites to triumph in the general elections. Related: Juliana Stratton wins Illinois Democratic Senate primary race Advertisement Advertisement Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, won the race to replace retiring longtime Representative Jan Schakowsky in Illinoiss ninth congressional district. The race in Chicagos north suburbs was one of the most closely fought primaries, with 15 candidates vying for the nomination. The contest, which turned heavily on the partys divisions over Israel, included Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old and former researcher for the leftwing media organization, Media Matters, and Laura Fine, a state senator. Fine drew support from Elect Chicago Women, an outside group reportedly tied to the pro-Israel lobbying group. Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, the leftwing group that works to defeat corporate Democrats and had backed Abughazaleh, called the results a massive loss for Aipac. No amount of shell Pacs or covert funding can hide their toxicity from Democratic voters, their monopoly over this partys agenda is coming to an end, she said. Advertisement Advertisement The Progressive Change Campaign Committee celebrating Bisss nomination as proof that voters can see through corporate-funded ads that package corporate-backed candidates as bold economic populists. Aipac, which had not formally acknowledged its role in trying to defeat a string of candidates critical of Israel, said on Tuesday that it was proud to have helped defeat Abughazaleh, a first-time candidate and Palestinian American who frequently criticized the group and said Israels military operations in Gaza amounted to a genocide. A great night for the pro-Israel community and a terrible night for anti-Israel candidates, Aipac wrote in a post on X. Ten candidates were standing to replace Robin Kelly in the second congressional district, after she opted to retire from the House and instead run for the US Senate seat vacated by Dick Durbin. But it was Miller, the Cook county commissioner and former health care consultant, who prevailed, AP reported. Advertisement Advertisement The majority Black district covers South Chicago and nearby suburbs, and has been represented by African American lawmakers for decades. Jesse Jackson Jr, the son of the late Jesse Jackson, was hoping for a comeback to the district after he resigned in 2012 amid health issues and an investigation into misuse of campaign funds, for which he served time in prison. But Miller had the cash advantage, though the Chicago Tribune has found that more than half of her donors had previously contributed to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or affiliated groups. Miller nonetheless sought to distance herself from Aipac. In the seventh district on Chicagos west side, La Shawn Ford won the nomination to replace Danny Davis, who represented the area since 1997. He prevailed against a dozen candidates, with the Aipac-affiliated United Democracy Project running ads in support of Chicago city treasurer, Melissa Conyears-Ervin. Melissa Bean, a moderate former congresswoman who had lost re-election to a Republican in 2010, emerged from an eight-way contest to win the primary to replace Raja Krishnamoorthi, in the eighth congressional district in Chicagos western suburbs. In the final days of the campaign, Bean had received a rush of support from Elect Chicago Women, to help fend off a progressive rival, progressive rival, Junaid Ahmed. Advertisement Advertisement The race to replace longtime Jesus Chuy Garcia in the majority-Hispanic fourth district attracted considerable controversy, when Garcia opted to announce his retirement at the same time that his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, jumped into the race. That effectively left voters with a single choice for the Democratic primary, prompting Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a moderate Washington representative, to successfully propose a House resolution condemning Garcia for undermining the process of a free and fair election. As expected, Patty Garcia, who has no relation to the congressman, won that primary, according to AP. Together, were going to abolish ICE, build a humane immigration system with a real pathway to citizenship, and put an end to the terror being visited on our communities, Patty Garcia said in a statement, declaring victory on Tuesday night, adding: And were going to hold Trump accountable. This article was amended on 18 March 2026. An earlier version misgendered La Shawn Ford. Summer-like temperatures are on the way to Colorado this week, but water utility companies said homeowners shouldn't treat their lawns like it's June, July or August. "Step away from their irrigation systems," Denver Water spokesperson Todd Hartman said. "Its only March. Typically, those dont get turned on till May anyway. But I know the warm weather, the very warm weather were projected to have, is going to tempt some people to do that. Its critical they dont do that." Hartman said weekend snow should have provided enough moisture to get through the upcoming heat wave without needing to turn on sprinklers. Advertisement Advertisement "So thats one good reason not to turn them on," Hartman said. He added there's still time for moisture to come to Colorado in April or May, and if that leads to a freeze, it could cause damage to a sprinkler system that's been turned on early. "We want people to understand that weve seen some of the worst snowpack on record, and what that means is weve all got to work together to keep water in the reservoir in case this drought continues," Hartman said. "And by turning on your sprinklers for a few hot days in March, youre not helping that situation." Hartman said many customers tend to set their sprinklers to turn on and forget about them. He said if that routine is enacted too early in the year, it could lead to impacts on water resources. Advertisement Advertisement "We are not going to run out of water this year, but our reservoirs are a bit below the average level," Hartman said. "Theyre about 80% full right now collectively. Typically, right now, they would be about 85% full." He said given the abnormal winter weather so far, the Board of Water Commissioners is considering Stage 1 drought restrictions. "If we go forward with that, that would limit you to two days of watering a week and you would be assigned those days, most likely," Hartman said. He said most Denver Water customers are on a three-day water scheduling during the May to October water season. Advertisement Advertisement The board is set to discuss enacting the restrictions at its next meeting on March 25. Hartman said the last time he remembers drought conditions this bad in Colorado was in the early 2000s. He recalled a snowstorm that rebounded conditions in a way Colorado could benefit from this year. It hit March 17, 2003. "Were at March 17 today, [but] no sign of that," Hartman said. "No sign of a March miracle so this could be a tougher stretch. We hope not but were asking people to be thoughtful about their watering." Amanda Isabel Fanego Cardoso was about 11 weeks pregnant when she was detained last September, then transferred between five immigration facilities over several months. Because her medical care was so limited, she said, it was only after her release this February that she learned she had developed potentially life threatening pregnancy-related conditions. Cecil Elvir-Quinonez was about eight weeks pregnant and still breastfeeding her 5-month-old when she was detained in January. She received emergency room care on January 6 after experiencing heavy bleeding and cramps in federal custody. The next day, she was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, where, though her bleeding continued, she received no follow-up medical attention or prenatal visits, according to her family. A pregnant woman in Minnesota was pulled over by immigration officials on her way to work in January. While detained, she developed abdominal pain, according to her lawyer. She, her husband and two children were sent to a Texas detention facility that did not have an OBGYN on staff. A nurse she saw took her blood pressure, but did not do anything to address the stomach pain, said her lawyer, who asked that The 19th not name her or her client, who fears retaliation for speaking about her experience in detention. Advertisement Advertisement Marianela Leon Espinoza, who was detained last July in California while pregnant, had only one medical visit during her detention which was just shy of two months according to court filings. Government detention standards say that when pregnant people are detained, they should receive comprehensive health care, including routine prenatal visits, specialized follow-ups if needed, prenatal vitamins and proper nutrition and exercise. But court documents and interviews with pregnant detainees and immigration attorneys across the country paint a different picture: Pregnant people in detention facilities say they are receiving sporadic medical visits and slow or limited medical care even when they experience bleeding, pain and other complications that could threaten their pregnancies. Some who have received medical visits say they were not given test results. Allegations of improper medical care for pregnant people are piling up. The 19th has spoken to two women who were pregnant while detained and four attorneys whose clients were pregnant while detained, and reviewed court records related to another similar case from last summer. A new report suggests that lack of medical care is endangering pregnant immigrants, who suffer complications in detention and do not receive timely treatment. For a report published Wednesday from two advocacy groups, the Womens Refugee Commission and Physicians for Human Rights, researchers traveled to Honduras to spend a week interviewing recently deported people, including three women who were visibly pregnant and four who said they were recently postpartum. All four postpartum women had been separated from their children, including one who was just two months old, according to the report. None of the womens names were published. Advertisement Advertisement Three pregnant women said they had little to no medical care, and lack of access to clean water or healthy food, according to the report, which did not specify where they were detained. Only one said she was taken to a medical facility for prenatal care; she said she was shackled for the entire appointment and monitored by guards even when providing a urine sample. In the same report, Honduras-based medical personnel at a center that receives deported immigrants described additional instances of people arriving in the country after receiving limited care for pregnancy-related complications experienced in detention. Medical staff described a woman who was deported 10 days after being diagnosed with a missed miscarriage in which a pregnancy is lost but tissue remains in the uterus, raising the risk of infection. She did not receive treatment in the United States, and required emergency medical care upon arriving in Honduras, clinic staff said. Another medical worker described a pregnant woman who, like Elvir-Quinonez, experienced bleeding while in detention but said she did not receive medical care even after informing guards about her condition. She also required hospital care upon reaching Honduras, the worker said. The 19th was not able to speak with any of the women in the report or medical personnel referenced in it. Advertisement Advertisement Youre putting large numbers of people who might suffer from all kinds of health or life-threatening conditions in this place and then not being attentive to how their bodies might be having health or life-threatening infections, said Zain Lakhani, a lawyer and director of migrant rights and justice for the Womens Refugee Commission and one of the reports authors. With pregnant people and lactating women, theres an additional level to the fact that pregnancy is always dangerous. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said that detention of pregnant people is exceedingly rare, and that as of February 16, .18 percent of detained people were pregnant. Pregnant women receive regular prenatal visits, mental health services, nutritional support, and accommodations aligned with community standards of care, the spokesperson said. This includes medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to necessary medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare many of these individuals have received in their entire lives. The same spokesperson said that use of restraints on a pregnant person only occurs in the exceedingly rare situation where doing so would protect the life and safety of the detainee. Advertisement Advertisement But the spokesperson did not specifically answer questions about how the agency responds to incidents such as missed miscarriage or bleeding, including in Elvir-Quinonezs case. ICE said that Elvir-Quinonez received full medical treatment while in detention. Espinoza already knew about her pregnancy when she was detained in mid-July, and per court filings, her doctors deemed her high-risk because of a previous miscarriage. While detained, her lawyers wrote, her only medical attention was a summary visit with a clinician where she received vitamins and folic acid. When asked about Espinozas prenatal care specifically, the DHS spokesperson said she was released 23 days after her pregnancy was confirmed. Women are supposed to be tested for pregnancy upon being detained. Espinoza first petitioned for release on August 29, and a judge ordered her release at the beginning of September. Advertisement Advertisement Some pregnant patients have received regular health care in detention facilities, including weekly prenatal visits, attorneys said. But just how common that is versus how many are receiving limited medical care, at best is difficult to ascertain. But under President Donald Trump, DHS has stopped providing reports tracking how many pregnant, postpartum or nursing immigrants are in detention facilities, or detailing the conditions of facilities. Dating back to fall 2019, DHS used to release reports every six months. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not responded to repeated requests from The 19th for detailed reports, including one filed through the federal Freedom of Information Act. People do get taken for visits sometimes, and it depends on the whim of the officers taking care of them, whether or not the people working in the clinic inside the detention center advocate or push for it, said Amanda Hefferman, a longtime nurse-midwife and professor of midwifery at Seattle University who has worked with many pregnant detainees and studied their treatment in government facilities. Its not set up for any type of consistency or regularity which is exactly what prenatal care is. Immigrant rights advocates have raised concerns about the conditions and the consequences for immigrants health. Multiple facilities have been forced to impose quarantines because of measles outbreaks. Last year, ICE reported 31 detainee deaths, the highest number since 2004 and more than over the entire course of the Biden administration. At least 11 have died so far this year. Most detainees died after experiencing medical complications, including one man whose family said he died because of an infection stemming from an untreated toothache. None of these people were pregnant or postpartum. Advertisement Advertisement The extreme risk is clear, Lakhani said. Cardoso, 22, said she received few medical visits over the several months she was detained, with visits under supervision of facility guards. Clinical staff would use a stethoscope to check for cardiac activity, but did not perform any ultrasounds. When she received blood tests, she said, she was never informed of the results. Her doctors have not received any medical records from when she was detained, despite repeated requests, according to her lawyer. People detained by ICE have a legal right to their medical records, but the process of obtaining them can be complicated and cumbersome, Lakhani said. The DHS spokesperson said that Cardoso saw an offsite OBGYN regularly while detained, and that the agency provides medical records to any detainee who requests them. One time I fainted and fell and I asked them to please make sure everything was good with the baby. And they only heard the heartbeat and they said everythings OK, Cardoso said in Spanish. Advertisement Advertisement Now back home in Florida, Cardoso is seeing a doctor who has diagnosed her with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. She is not sure if she developed those conditions while detained or after her release. While detained, she received the same meals as everyone else: dishes like pasta, rice and chicken. The days would pass, and I wasnt able to know how my baby was, she said. Her doctors have given her a tentative due date of March 27. They are concerned about the health of her pregnancy, noting that the fetus has been losing weight. Cardoso said doctors are scheduling extra visits to ensure that her daughter is growing appropriately. ICE has abandoned a guidance that discouraged the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing individuals putting more people into facilities that may not have onsite medical specialists who are equipped for pregnancy care. Research examining 21 detention facilities from 2019 to 2022 found that most did not have a continuous doctor on staff for at least a year. Detention centers have pushed to hire more medical providers in the past year. Advertisement Advertisement After being transferred to a Louisiana facility in early January, Elvir-Quinonez waited until the end of February for her first doctors visit, according to her cousin Genesis Turcio. At that visit, she was found to have high blood pressure and to be at risk of preeclampsia. Days later, on March 5, she was deported to Honduras. Elvir-Quinonez is now about 16 weeks pregnant. She has not received any treatment for her blood pressure. Her brother is visiting her in an effort to help her find long-term housing and appropriate medical care. Theyre really providing no health care in there, Turcio said. Shes not really that good. Her two sons are still in Florida, staying with her family. They have been told their mom is traveling for work. Elvir-Quinonezs baby, less than a year old, still doesnt quite understand whats happening, Turcio said. But her 5-year-old often asks where his mom is, and when shell be home. He still asks for his mommy every night, she said. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Depositions released as part of a federal lawsuit reveal that employees from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency used brief ChatGPT prompts to slash more than a thousand National Endowment for the Humanities grants last spring, wiping out funding for research projects and cultural institutions across Oregon and the country. The cuts, which eliminated roughly 97% of the then-appropriated humanities grants, affected Oregon projects ranging from Indigenous history exhibits and climate research to library renovations and gun violence studies. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are seeking to restore the funding. Depositions from DOGE staffers, filed as part of the lawsuit, show workers asked ChatGPT whether grant projects were related to diversity, equity and inclusion. They did not define DEI in their prompts and limited responses to 120 characters. Advertisement Advertisement One staffer repeatedly struggled to define DEI during his deposition, ultimately deferring to the language of President Trump's executive order, which also did not define the term. "Well, (DEI is) exactly what was written in the EO," said Justin Fox, a DOGE employee. When asked whether he had any regret about the mass termination of grants, DOGE employee Nate Cavanaugh acknowledged that the actions didn't reduce the federal deficit, despite that being the stated goal. "I think it was more important to reduce the federal deficit from 2 trillion dollars to close to zero," Cavanaugh said in his deposition. "Did you reduce the federal deficit?" he was asked. "No, we didn't." Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the DEI query, DOGE also targeted grants that had received funding during the Biden administration, regardless of their subject matter. The Oregon impact At the University of Oregon, English professor Mattie Burkert was six months into a multi-year NEH grant to expand the London Stage Database a free, publicly accessible online portal compiling 52,000 nights of theater records that span 140 years of London's history. The grant to grow the resource, which had attracted scholars, genealogists, historians and data journalists, required a year of preparation and more than 50 pages of application materials, plus a competitive process and scrutiny from five peer reviewers. Her grant was terminated by the DOGE team. Advertisement Advertisement "These were grants that were awarded incredibly competitively on the basis of extensive expert peer review," Burkert said, referring to the revelations in court documents. "Of course, I find it incredibly concerning." This week, out of curiosity, Burkert tested if artificial intelligence would recommend grant cuts if it had been provided with that context and information. "I actually asked Claude yesterday whether I could ask it to help me make some decisions about whether to terminate some federal grants," she said. "The answer I got was, no, you really should not, that is not an appropriate use case for a large language model because of context and expertise and regulations." She noted the inconsistencies in the limited ChatGPT review. While her research was not flagged as being "related to DEI," a similar project from another researcher seeking to create a mapping database was flagged. Advertisement Advertisement "The chatbot flagged it as, yes, it's DEI, because this could enhance our understanding of issues of inclusion in early modern London," she said. "The prompts did not actually provide a working definition of what was meant by DEI or what it would mean for a project to be related to DEI." The University of Oregon provided bridge funding to help Burkert continue a reduced version of her work. Burkert praised the university's help, saying humanities grants, while small relative to the overall federal budget, deliver outsized value to the general public. "These grants far over-deliver in terms of the value that they offer to our shared public and civic life, far beyond the really relatively small financial investment that's being made by the American people," Burkert said. Advertisement Advertisement Multiple other University of Oregon professors are listed as having lost funding via the NEH cuts. Changes in the high desert In Bend, the High Desert Museum lost $750,000 across five grants, according to executive director Dana Whitelaw, who has led the museum for 12 years. The cuts impacted funding for an exhibit on the plateau's indigenous peoples and a project documenting how climate change is affecting the high desert and its people and animals, among other initiatives. The museum was forced to rescind a job offer to a University of Oregon graduate as a result. Whitelaw said the impacts will compound over time. "What we lose with these dollars is the documentation of our humanity and our communities," Whitelaw said. "We lose the ability to hire an ethnographer, an anthropologist, to go out into rural Oregon and collect stories of how climate change is impacting their communities." Advertisement Advertisement One canceled grant would have made the museum's vault, which holds nearly 30,000 objects, more fire-resilient a pressing concern given the wildfire risk in the region. Whitelaw said the effects won't be immediately visible to museum visitors but will be felt for generations. "We're not going to feel that right now," she said. "We're going to feel it a couple of decades from now. Our job is to be collecting the stories of today for the curators and visitors of tomorrow." A political process? The NEH's acting director, Michael McDonald, said in his deposition that in his experience of more than two decades at the agency, only a handful of appropriated grants had ever been terminated. Advertisement Advertisement In those cases, recipients had failed to meet requirements or complete the work, McDonald said, cutting grants for political reasons is highly unusual. Burkert said established processes exist for changing agency funding priorities, but they were bypassed entirely. "There are circumstances under which grants can be terminated and processes to do so," she said. "I think in this case, none of those processes were followed." She said the swift purge showed a lack of careful deliberation. The Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Portland Art Museum also had NEH grants canceled, though both institutions told KGW they had fortunately already drawn their funds before the terminations took effect, as their projects were near completion. Burkert said she hopes the episode prompts a broader reckoning. "Maybe it can renew our attention to and our care for the role of the humanities in our public and civic life," she said. The shooting occurred at Holloman Air Force Base on Tuesday evening. (Air Force) Editors note: This story was updated to include the identity of the civilian involved. A domestic-related shooting broke out Tuesday evening at a New Mexico Air Force base, resulting in one person dead and another injured, according to military base officials. The shooting occurred at Holloman Air Force Base around 5:30 p.m. and a brief lockdown was placed following the reports of an active shooter, base officials told Military Times in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement The lockdown was lifted shortly thereafter when security forces personnel confirmed that the scene was safe, the 49th Wing statement said. Officials said that it was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to our community. The injured individual is an active-duty service member assigned to the Holloman base, per the statement, and the deceased was a military veteran that was previously stationed at the base. Based on the current investigation, this incident was domestic related, but the individuals were not married, the statement reads. The injured service member was transported for medical treatment and is in stable condition, according to the statement. Officials said the civilian was declared dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The name of the injured service member will not be released due to privacy reasons, officials said. The civilian who died was Ashanti Stewart, according to a base statement provided to Military Times on Friday. She took her own life after firing at the active-duty service member, the statement says. Base officials confirmed in a statement to Military Times that the shooting took place near the shoppette. The shoppette was closed until further notice following the shooting, the base announced Tuesday on its Facebook page. The base later announced on the page that the shoppette would resume normal business hours Friday. Advertisement Advertisement The 49th Wing Security Forces Squadron and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are tasked with handling the investigation. Officials said that more information will be provided as it becomes available, as the investigation is still underway. Holloman Air Force Base contains the 49th Wing, which deploys worldwide to support national security objectives, according to the bases website. The wing also trains F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operations, while also delivering Air Transportable Climes and Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources to personnel. The base is located in southern New Mexicos Tularosa Basin between the Sacramento and San Andrea mountain ranges. It is roughly 90 miles north of El Paso, Texas. I remember, during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, seeing teenagers and old men being given green keys to Paradise and marched off to be cannon fodder for the Iraqi guns. When they were killed (or martyred), their parents or children, and the whole neighbourhood, were ordered to celebrate their martyrdom with lights and religious music. Since childhood, I have been familiar with the Shia celebrations of Muharram, when the martyrdom of Hussain, grandson of the Prophet of Islam, at the hands of a so-called usurper of the Caliphate, Yazid, is mourned with weeping, chanting, self-flagellation and ordeals of fire, as a way of identifying with the martyrdom. Hussains brother, Hassan, is also thought by the Shia to have been killed by Yazids father, Muawiya, through poisoning. Thus giving to him also the title of martyr or shahid . Their father Ali, cousin and son in law of the Prophet, regarded by the Shia as their first Imam, had earlier been murdered by a fanatic, too. This makes him, in Shia eyes, another martyr indeed the pre-eminent martyr. Advertisement Advertisement The subsequent history of the various Shia sects was often of persecution, exile and death, at the hands of whichever group happened to be dominant at the time. This has evolved into an entrenched understanding of the virtue of suffering for their beliefs, which is not found in more triumphalist versions of Islam. The martyrdom of Hussain, grandson of the Prophet of Islam, is mourned by weeping and self-flagellation - Atta Kenare/AFP In the run up to, during, and following the Islamic revolution in Iran, such an understanding of suffering has been pressed into service by its leaders. Every act of repression by the Shah and his agents, every setback and every difficulty has been understood in the context of the martyrdom of the first Shia imams or leaders. Among the Ithna Ashariyya or Twelver Shia, the dominant sect in Iran, the age-long expectation that the twelfth Imam or Mahdi, who is believed to be in hiding, will return along with Jesus and establish a rule of justice remains lively. A leading Ayatollah once asked me, When Jesus comes again will he be with our Mahdi? An understanding of suffering and of striving in the way of Allah has been married to this eschatology, or theology of end time. As an Iranian government minister said to me, Irans foreign policy is built on the struggle for justice for the oppressed (musta dafin) everywhere. This is because such a struggle hastens the return of the Mahdi and his rule of justice. As the Iran-Iraq war demonstrated, if this struggle results in mass martyrdom, this is thought to only hasten the coming of the Imam Mahdi. Advertisement Advertisement Irans creating of and strengthening of its proxies, whether in Iraq, Syria, the Yemen or Gaza, is based on such an eschatology of establishing the rule of God and thus hastening the return of the Mahdi. It should not be seen as merely the creation of Iranian hegemony in the region, though, in terms of realpolitik, such an ambition cannot be excluded. When British sailors were taken captive, during Ahmadinejads presidency, they were released precisely at Eastertide and the reason given was that this was to acknowledge Jesuss ascension to heaven, from where he will return to aid the Mahdi in establishing his just kingdom. Then Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad released 15 detained British sailors as an Easter gift in 2007 - STR/AP This supposed commitment to justice, of course, sits uneasily with revolutionary regimes record of brutality to its own people. Thousands of the political opposition were martyred in the 1980s, leading to even some Ayatollahs protesting and dissociating themselves from such actions. Religious minorities, such as the Bahai and Farsi-speaking evangelical Christians, have regularly been imprisoned, excluded from civil society and killed, either judicially or extra judicially. Members of the ancient Jewish community have had their property confiscated, as enemy possessions, if they had a relative in Israel. The Zoroastrians, Irans native religion, have been so reduced that there are now more of them in India and Pakistan than there are in Iran. Over the years, protests led by students and women have been dealt with harshly, as have the most recent ones, demanding an end to the regime. Advertisement Advertisement The populist paramilitary group known as the Basij, under the supervision of the IRGC, has been responsible for much of the harassment of women regarding modest dress. They have also been behind extra-judicial killings, the confiscation of property and the closing of churches and other places of worship not to the regimes tastes. As a movement, the Basij are heavily invested in the Iranian market and derive much of their strength from these resources. They are also the group that has supplied the IRGC with personnel for adventures in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Both corporately and individually, their membership has bought in heavily to Shia ideas of martyrdom and has given them an innovative twist in justifying both their domestic and their international operations. The Basij militia is known for violently suppressing anti-regime protests - Anadolu What the West, and its allies, need to understand is that the rhetoric coming from Tehran is influenced by this martyr complex. It is not merely bluff or defiance but is deeply rooted in Shia psychology, understood in the light of contemporary circumstances. If the regime were to fall, either as a result of aerial warfare or because of boots on the ground, the Islamist revolutionaries have a ready-made force for indefinite resistance to whatever takes the place of the present regime and to its allies. Withdrawal to the mountains and deserts, as well as exile, is an aspect of sharing in the sufferings of their imams, and resistance to the ungodly will be understood as hastening the return of Imam Mahdi and the restoration of Sharia-based rule. Advertisement Advertisement Such an awareness of a martyr complex needs to be fed into the political and military calculations now being made. If the regime survives, this will be seen as a vindication by Allah of the sacrifices made by the IRGC, the Basij and the regime generally. Their programme of theocracy, or Wilayat Al Faqih (the rule of the Ulama or experts in Sharia), will be reinforced as expressing the will of the absent Imam. This means the Iranian people having to bear even more repression and denial of their basic freedoms of thought, expression and belief. If the military action results in a change of regime, there must be preparations to prevent the Basij and other elements from being able to wage an indefinite guerrilla war, whether from within or outside Iran or both. The difficult tasks of maintaining the structures of civil society, as well as of creating new institutions, need to be planned for now rather than later, which, as Iraq has shown us, maybe too late. There are large numbers of people in Iran students, women, minorities, academics and even elements in the Iranian Bazaar or market who will want to cooperate in the emergence of a new Iran. It will need to be rooted in Irans ancient civilisation, from which it can draw inspiration for the urgent task of reconstruction when the ayatollahs fall. Michael Nazir-Ali is former Anglican bishop of Rochester and is now a prelate in the Roman Catholic Church 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. Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has made a prediction about when President Donald Trump will quit, claiming the commander-in-chief will voluntarily step down within the next year. The 81-year-old political insider shared his forecast in a video for Politicon published March 16, suggesting mounting political pressures and international crises will push Trump to quit. James Carville predicts when Donald Trump will quit Carville, known for his blunt commentary and decades of political experience, didnt mince words about why he believes Donald Trump will quit and not finish his term. Everything that he tries blows up in his face, Carville stated. Im telling you, I think hes just going to quit next year by this time. I think hes just going to fing walk away because the Democrats control the House and the Senate. The prediction hinges heavily on upcoming midterm elections, which currently show Democrats holding a modest lead in the most recent polls, according to The New York Times aggregate. Carville argues that with a Democratic Congress, Trump would find himself irrelevant and frustrated. No ones going to pay attention to him, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Carville pointed to multiple crises facing the administration, including the escalating war with Iran that began on February 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces launched joint aerial bombing efforts. The human toll has been striking, with U.S. Central Command reporting 13 American military personnel killed and over 200 wounded or injured. Six troops died on March 1 after an Iranian drone struck a mobile operations center in Kuwait, and six more perished when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. Moreover, the war has directly impacted American wallets after Iran shut off the Strait of Hormuz on March 2, sending oil prices skyrocketing. The national average gas price has climbed to $3.80, nearly a dollar higher than the $2.94 average just one month earlier. The fiscal condition of the country is beyond the ditch. The Iran thing has turned into just a catastrophe of the first order, Carville said. The White House has pushed back against Carvilles assessment. The post Donald Trump Going to Quit Next Year, Predicts Political Strategist appeared first on Mandatory. Donald Trump is making headlines for misgendering two foreign leaders in consecutive press conferences this week. The President seemingly assumed that Irelands Catherine Connolly and Venezuelas Delcy Rodriguez were men. Donald Trump makes same mistake about two female leaders On Monday, March 16, during a luncheon with the Kennedy Center board members, Donald Trump made a faux pas while referring to the acting Venezuelan President, Delcy Rodriguez. The U.S. President addressed his relationship with Venezuela two months after authorizing the military operation to capture their longtime president, Nicolas Maduro. Notably, Rodriguez is currently serving as Venezuelas acting president. Venezuela, whos been great, by the way, the relationship with Venezuela has been fantastic, Trump said. The president has done a really good job. We get along with him really well, the POTUS added, mistaking Rodriguez for a man. The following day, Trump made a similar blunder when he referred to Catherine Connolly, the President of Ireland. Amid the recent St. Patricks Day celebration at the White House on Tuesday, March 17, with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, Trump responded to Connollys recent statement about him (via People). Advertisement Advertisement During the event, a reporter asked Trump, The Irish president has said your war against Iran is illegal and an attack on international law. The U.S. President replied, saying, Look, hes lucky I exist. Thats all I can say, misgendering Connolly as a man. Trump continued, If youre going to allow countries that are sick and demented to have nuclear weapons Everybody in the whole world should be very thankful, and Im disappointed in NATO. He added, Im very disappointed, Im disappointed in a couple other countries too, but they should be very thankful that this group of people feels the way we do. As of writing, Donald Trump has not publicly addressed the misgendering incidents. Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh on Mandatory. The post Donald Trump Makes Major Mistake While Talking About Female Foreign Leaders appeared first on Reality Tea. Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU) is one of the Cheap Stocks to Buy for High Returns in 2026. On March 10, Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU) announced the appointment of Kim Farrell as Global Marketing Director to help boost international growth and global branding. Kim Farrell will oversee global brand architecture, governance, and campaigns. Moreover, she will also work towards forming strategic partnerships to ensure brand consistency as the bank expands beyond Latin America. The report noted that Farrell will report to Cristina Junqueira, co-founder and CEO of the emerging US business. She brings more than 15 years of experience from TikTok and Google. Most recently, she was serving as Global Head of Creators at TikTok, with prior roles at Google and Booking.com. Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU) operates as Nubank, one of the largest digital banking platforms in the world. The company ranks ninth in the list of 12 low price high volume stocks to buy right now. It was founded in 2013 and operates primarily across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. Nubank offers mobile-first financial products, including credit cards, digital accounts, loans, and investment services designed to deliver low-fee banking solutions to underserved consumers. While we acknowledge the potential of NU 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: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Drivers may see more police in Montgomery County today. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) announced that it will work with several law enforcement agencies on a joint traffic enforcement on State Route 48, according to an OSHP spokesperson. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The enforcement operation is from noon until 6 p.m. in Montgomery County. State troopers will work with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, Dayton Police, and Englewood Police officers. The partnership aims to reduce deadly crashes and stop crime on local roads, the spokesperson said. Additionally, the initiative aims to raise awareness, provide education, and promote community transparency through traffic safety measures, concluded the spokesperson. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] March 18 (Reuters) - A drone attack targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and an explosion was heard in the area, security sources said early on Wednesday, a day after a series of strikes. Security sources had said on Tuesday that rocket and drone attacks had targeted the embassy, triggering sirens with an explosion heard near the diplomatic compound. At least three explosive drones also targeted a U.S. diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport, activating C-RAM air defence systems, the sources said on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Tehran-backed militias have been attacking U.S. interests in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Enas Alashray; Editing by Tom Hogue) The United Nations leading Haiti human-rights observer says he remains alarmed by the daily reality Haitians face even as a recent visit to the volatile country revealed some glimmers of hope in its gang-ridden capital. During his recent 10-day trip, William ONeill said he saw signs of territory being liberated from gang control and a more motivated, visible police force. There are slight areas where the gangs have been chased away, but theyre very small, he said. Its not clear the police can hold those areas. Advertisement Advertisement The U.N.s independent expert on human rights, ONeill said Haitians still struggle every day to survive, especially the youth, and individuals living in soiled encampments after being forced to flee their homes and neighborhoods by armed gangs. Sexual violence is rife in these sites, he said. Meanwhile, thousands remain trapped in areas controlled by gangs or along shifting front lines. Young people in these communities live under constant threat. They are also frequently stigmatized or suspected simply because of where they live, sometimes by security forces, sometimes by others in the population. This places them in an impossible situation, caught between violence and suspicion. ONeills recent visit come as Haitians both at home and in the United States continue to face mounting challenges. Shortly after ONeills press conference on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear oral arguments next month on the Trump administrations request to end temporary legal protections against deportations for hundreds of thousands of Haitians. The decision would affect more than 300,000 Haitians and could lift a stay granted last month by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, after she ruled that a group of five Haitian nationals challenging the termination were likely to succeed on the merits of their case. The Haitians sued to block the administration from ending the program, citing its hostility toward nonwhite immigrants, including disparaging comments made by President Donald Trump and others about Haitians and Haiti. Haitis human-rights situation Violence and instability has now displaced more than 1.45 million people from their homes, according to the latest numbers from the U.N.s International Organization for Migration. The figure is quickly approaching the scale of the devastating 2010 earthquake, when 1.5 million people were forced to abandon their homes. Advertisement Advertisement ONeill fears that any mass deportations of Haitians from the U.S. would further strain an already dire and catastrophic situation. Theres no guarantee that there could be a safe and dignified and durable return, given the situation in Haiti, he said, noting that he, along with the High Commissioner of Human Rights and the High Commissioner for Refugees, have repeatedly called for a halt to deportations. The human rights situation, he added, is significantly worse today than when the Obama administration designated Haiti for Temporary Protected Status after the 2010 quake. U.S. lawyer William O'Neill has been designated as an independent expert on human rights in Haiti for the United Nations. He was appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Chief on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Miami) My question is, where would people who have been out of the country for many years and maybe dont have family anymore, or theyre from gang neighborhoods that are very dangerous where would they go? How would they live each day? he said. Advertisement Advertisement Ive seen how the internally displaced barely survive. I just dont see how you could take in another 200,000 to 300,000 from anywhere to Haiti and see that they could have a dignified, even a remotely dignified, survivable, living condition. Its so I very much urge no deportations to Haiti now, because its just not viable in any sense. Missing journalists in Haiti The dangers Haitian continue to face were also reinforced on Monday as the family of two missing journalists and a local media associate pleaded for their release by their captors. Junior Celestin of Radio Television Megastar and Osnel Esperance of Radio Uni FM were kidnapped on Friday while reporting near the presidential palace, and their whereabouts and conditions are unknown. Now Haiti is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, ONeill said. Human rights defenders are also at risk. A number of my colleagues that Ive known for many years now regularly get death threats. Advertisement Advertisement Since 2022, at least nine journalists have been killed in Haiti. The area where the two journalists went missing is largely controlled by the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition, which the U.S. has designated a foreign terrorist organization. Haitian police on Monday reported that several gang members were killed Monday and their weapons seized as police continued to make inroads in reclaiming parts of downtown Port-au-Prince. The progress, which allowed police to gain entry into areas for the first time since 2022, is among the glimmers of hope ONeill said he saw. Haitians, he added, are exasperated by the violence and just want to live well and safely. Prison conditions During his visit, ONeill toured the prison in Cap-Haitien, the countrys second-largest city, and a jail facility in the capital originally intended for children but now housing adult women and men as well. Advertisement Advertisement The conditions I observed were inhuman and degrading, he said, adding the facilities are overcrowded and unsanitary. Such treatment is unacceptable and reflects deeper structural failures within the justice and detention systems, he said. Strengthening the accountability will be essential. In addition to improved prison conditions, ONeill, whose history with Haiti dates back decades, called for greater transparency on the soon-to be deployed U.N. authorized Gang Suppression Force. While there are high expectations for the force, few people understand its role, its mandate or the composition of the 5,500 mostly military personnel, he said. Greater transparency will be needed to build public trust, ONeill said, adding that security measures are not enough. Advertisement Advertisement Haiti must also invest urgently in violence reduction and prevention, particularly for young people, he said. Drone strikes ONeill also raised concerns about the increased use of explosive drones by a government-backed security task force supported by Vectus Global, a firm owned by Erik Prince, the founder of the private military company Blackwater. I heard serious concerns about police operations and the reported use of drones that have resulted in deaths and injuries, he said. Efforts to restore security are essential and desired by most, but they must fully respect international human rights law. The concerns Haitians shared come as other human rights groups raise increasingly scrutinize the government's use of drones to fight gangs. Last week, Human Rights Watch reported that at least 1,243 people were killed in drone strikes between March 2025 and Jan. 21, 2026d. The attacks, carried out with quadcopter drones armed with explosives in densely populated areas, in some cases killed or injured dozens of people, including children and civilians not linked to criminal groups. Advertisement Advertisement Among those killed in 141 operations were at least 43 adults not believed to be gang members and 17 children, the report said. The deliberate use of lethal force is permissible only when strictly unavoidable to protect life, the organization said, and any use of force must be necessary and proportionate. The organization said the strikes appear to be deliberate extrajudicial killings and warned that Haitian authorities could be violating international law. The number of armed drone attacks in Port-au-Prince has significantly increased in recent months, with 57 reported between November and January 21, nearly double the 29 from August through October, the group said in a statement. Over 40% of reported killings took place between December 1 and January 21. The average number of people killed per operation is 8.8, with the most lethal operation killing 57 people. Human Rights Watch said Haitian authorities should transparently investigate all allegations of unlawful killings, prosecute those responsible and provide reparations to affected families. The government should also clarify the command structure behind the drone operations and the role of private military contractors. Advertisement Advertisement Haitian authorities should urgently rein in the security forces and private contractors working for them before more children die, said Juanita Goebertus, the groups Americas director. Restoring security in Haiti is essential, she added. But unlawful attacks with armed drones are adding a new layer of abuses to the violence that has devastated communities for years. A person associated with the drone operations previously told the Miami Herald that precautions are taken before operations are launched, and police announce to the population the zones that will be targeted. Nevertheless, human rights groups in Haiti have reported on a number of civilian casualties, which Human Rights Watch used. That analysis coincides with a recent report by Port-au-Prince based Fondasyon Je Klere/Eyes Wide Open slamming the government of interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime for the signing of the $53 million drone contract and two other onerous inked with private and international firms. Advertisement Advertisement One of the contracts is for the construction of a prison; the third is a 10-year border-security contract with a consortium of firms. Under the border agreement, the firms involved can earn more than $1 billion over a decade, the human rights group said, accusing the government of undermining national sovereignty by privatizing state responsibilities. Miami Herald staff writer Churchill Ndonwie contributed to this report. The easing of sanctions on Russian oil by the White House could land the Kremlin $150 million a day to fund its war machine in Ukraine, U.S. Democratic senators have warned. "President Trump's decision to provide sanctions relief to Russia is yet another example of how Putin has been one of the prime beneficiaries of President Trump's poorly conceived and executed war against Iran," Senators Elizabeth Warren, Jeanne Shaheen, and Chuck Schumer said in a March 13 statement shared with the Kyiv Independent. While Russia has already set its military budget for this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned the Kremlin would likely spend additional revenues on weapons, particularly drones used in Russia's deadly mass attacks on Ukrainian cities. Russias President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on March 4, 2026. (Sergey Fadeichev / Pool / AFP / Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent calculated how many of these and other weapons Russia could buy with $150 million. Attack drones Russia began using Iranian-made Shahed drones against Ukraine in October 2022. It now domestically produces its own copy called a Geran in vast numbers, which is one of Russia's most widely used weapons in the war against Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement They are typically launched in large nighttime swarms to overwhelm air defenses and hit cities and infrastructure. A person stands beside the remains of a Russian-made, Iran-designed Shahed-136 drone, known in Russia as a Geran-2, alongside a decoy drone known as a Gerbera, displayed with other Russian drones, glide bombs, missiles, and rockets in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on July 30, 2025. (Scott Peterson / Getty Images) Russia has rapidly scaled up their use. In January alone, Moscow launched more than 6,000, Zelensky said. Some overnight attacks now include more than 500 drones at once. Gerans are relatively cheap compared with missiles. Analysts estimate Russian-produced drones cost around $20,000$50,000 each, depending on the model. At that price, $150 million could fund approximately 3,0007,500 Shahed drones. That is roughly equal to a full month of Russia's drone attacks against Ukraine. Cruise missiles Cruise missiles are one of Russia's main long-range strike weapons, launched against Ukrainian cities from the safety of Russian airspace and territory. The most commonly used include Kalibr, Kh-101, and Kh-22/Kh-32 missiles, launched from ships, aircraft, or ground systems, and capable of hitting targets all over Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement These missiles have been used in some of the deadliest attacks on Ukrainian civilians. In June 2022, a Russian Kh-22 cruise missile struck a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine, killing at least 21 people. In November 2025, a Russian Kh-101 missile hit apartment buildings in Ternopil, a city about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Polish border, killing at least 38 people and injuring more than 90. A Russian Kh-101 missile shot down in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine on Jan. 26, 2023. (Ukraine's Air Force/Wikimedia Commons) Rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential multi-story building in Ternopil, Ukraine, on Nov. 19, 2025, after overnight drone and missile attacks that killed 19 people, including two children, and injured 60 others, including 16 children. (Andriy Bodak / Suspilne Ukraine / JSC UA:PBC / Global Images Ukraine / Getty Images) Cruise missiles are far more expensive than drones. According to Russia's procurement documents obtained by media outlet Militarnyi, a Kh-101 cruise missile costs approximately $22.4 million, while Kalibr missiles cost about $22.3 million per unit. A ground-launched Iskander-K missile costs roughly $1.5$1.8 million. At those prices, $150 million could fund approximately 6275 Kh-101 missiles, around 6575 Kalibr missiles, or roughly 83100 Iskander-K missiles enough for 3-5 mass aerial attacks. Ballistic missiles Unlike cruise missiles or drones, ballistic missiles are rocket-powered and launched high into the atmosphere before arcing back down toward their target at extremely high speed, giving air defenses very little time to intercept them. Advertisement Advertisement Russia's main ballistic weapons include the Iskander-M missile, launched from ground systems, and the hypersonic Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile.Russia relied on these weapons during its winter campaign to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said Moscow significantly increased the use of ballistic missiles in 20252026, including around 15 major attacks over the winter, targeting the Ukrainian energy grid. The remains of a Russian Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile in Kyiv on May 12, 2023. (Oleksii Samsonov /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) Stopping them is also much harder than drones or cruise missiles. Ukraine critically lacks air defenses capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Zelensky said in February 2026 that around 80% of Ukraine's territory remains exposed to Russian ballistic missile strikes. In terms of price, Iskander-M missiles cost approximately $2.43 million per unit, while Kinzhal missiles cost about $4.5 million each. This means that $150 million could fund roughly 33 Kinzhal missiles and 50-62 Iskander-M missiles. FPV drones FPV drones small first-person-view attack drones controlled by an operator using live video have become one of the most widespread weapons on the battlefield. Cheap and precise, they are used to strike vehicles, trenches, and increasingly, civilians near the front line. Advertisement Advertisement In Kherson, where Russian forces remain on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River, FPV drones have been used in systematic attacks on civilians, known as "human safari." According to the open-source monitoring project Tochnyi, 3,152 civilians were injured or killed in Kherson Oblast in 2025, including 332 deaths, as Russian drone troops increasingly targeted people in streets, cars, and evacuation vehicles. The scale of drone use has grown rapidly. At the beginning of 2025, around 5060 Russian drones entered Kherson each day. By the end of the year, the number exceeded 300 per day. Ukrainian drone manufacturer Eskadron told Militarnyi that a typical FPV drone costs around $300$700, meaning $150 million could finance around 214,000 to 500,000 FPV drones. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Inside Russias everyday manhunt of Ukrainians in Kherson Sign-up bonuses In its war against Ukraine, Russia relies on contract soldiers paid volunteers who sign military contracts and can be sent to fight. Contracts operate alongside Russia's regular conscript army, whose soldiers by law cannot be sent abroad. To attract recruits, Moscow offers large one-time sign up bonuses. According to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), payments can reach around $30,000, depending on the region. To keep the war going, Russia must sign up more soldiers than it loses now around 30-35,000 a month, with Ukraine aiming to raise that to 50,000 this year. Advertisement Advertisement At those rates, $150 million could finance around 4,4005,500 new Russian soldiers. With daily Russian losses typically hovering around the 1,000 mark, this is enough cannon fodder for 4-6 weeks. Read also: Former US general got drunk in Kyiv, suffered concussion, left classified maps on train, watchdog finds Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. On June 21, 2025, a routine trip to a car dealership turned into a legal nightmare that would later spark a lawsuit and raise serious questions about dealership errors and police conduct. For Shane Sprag, a member of the United States Coast Guard, buying his dream truck had been years in the making. He had his sights set on a GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X, a rugged off-road focused pickup known for its high-end suspension and premium features. After saving diligently, Sprag walked into Doral Volkswagen in South Florida ready to make it happen. A Seamless PurchaseUntil It Wasn't According to the lawsuit and body camera footage later obtained by media outlets, Sprag spent roughly four hours at the dealership finalizing the purchase. The truck he selected was a used example with around 22,000 miles. Not actual car / Image Credit: GMC. The price came to about $61,230. To secure the truck, Sprag put down a $15,000 deposit and traded in his 2012 Ford Focus, which the dealership valued at roughly $1,500. Advertisement Advertisement By the end of the afternoon, everything appeared to be complete. Sprag digitally signed the sales documents, received registration paperwork, and drove off the lot in the pickup he had dreamed about owning. A dealership employee even snapped a celebratory photo of him sitting in the drivers seat and later sent a text message thanking him for the purchase. For the next ten days, Sprag used the truck like any new owner would. He drove it daily from his home in Sunrise, Florida to work at the Coast Guard station in Opa-locka. There was no omen in the sky, no calls from the dealership, and no indication that anything was wrong with the transaction. Then, on July 1, everything changed. Surrounded by Guns After leaving work that afternoon, Sprag headed to a physical therapy appointment in Broward County. When he returned to the parking lot and climbed into his pickup, an unmarked Ford F-150 suddenly rammed the rear of his truck. Within seconds, multiple deputies from the Broward County Sheriff's Office surrounded him with guns drawn. Image Credit: The Civil Rights Lawyer/YouTube. The deputies ordered him out of the vehicle and demanded he lift his shirt to show he was not carrying a weapon. In full view of bystanders and medical staff, Sprag was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police cruiser. Advertisement Advertisement Confused and shaken, he repeatedly asked officers what was happening. The answer was vague. Deputies told him he was not technically under arrest but was being detained while they investigated something related to the truck. Image Credit: The Civil Rights Lawyer/YouTube. His pickup was searched, his belongings were moved around, and the vehicle was eventually towed. Sprag himself was transported to a police station and placed in a holding cell. Even after arriving there, he still had not been clearly told why he had been detained. The Truth EmergesAlong with Proof of Purchase The explanation finally emerged during an interrogation with detectives from the Doral Police Department. According to investigators, the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X he was driving had been reported stolen by the dealership that sold it to him. Image Credit: The Civil Rights Lawyer/YouTube. Sprag immediately pushed back, explaining that he had legitimately purchased the truck. He described the sales process, the down payment, and the financing agreement. Crucially, he also told detectives that he had proof on his phone. Advertisement Advertisement Once he was allowed to access it, Sprag showed investigators text messages exchanged with the dealerships salesperson. The messages included the congratulatory note sent after the purchase and even referenced the truck directly. Detectives eventually called the dealership employee and reviewed the documentation. At that point the situation began to unravel. Investigators confirmed that Sprag had indeed purchased the vehicle on June 21 and that the report of it being stolen likely stemmed from a dealership clerical mistake. Released, But Not Made Whole Image Credit: The Civil Rights Lawyer/YouTube. More than an hour after being detained at gunpoint, Sprag was finally released. Police informed him where his truck had been towed so he could retrieve it. But the incident did not end there. Sprag later filed a lawsuit against Doral Volkswagen, alleging that the dealerships erroneous stolen vehicle report triggered the chain of events that led to his public detention. Advertisement Advertisement The case also raised broader questions about police response protocols. Critics argue that a simple verification at the scene could have resolved the situation within minutes instead of escalating into a high-risk vehicle stop involving drawn firearms. Read More Muslim people around the world are preparing for the end of their holy month with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, began on Feb. 18 and will end with the crescent moon this week. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan with charity and morning prayers, followed by evening gatherings where friends and family share meals. While Eid al-Fitr is only one day, the last ten days of Ramadan are especially revered as they are believed to be overflowing with Gods mercy and forgiveness. Advertisement Advertisement Here is what to know about the countdown to the end of Ramadan. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected to fall on the night of March 19 or March 20, depending on when spotters see the waxing crescent moon, according to Islamic Relief. A new month begins when the crescent moon is spotted in the evening sky after the new moon phase. The rules of what constitutes a valid sighting vary so that some communities may celebrate two days, or sometimes even three days, before or after other communities. What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is the first of two celebratory days in the Islamic calendar, both of which are observed every year. Though the holiday is marked on one day, some Muslims celebrate this festival for as long as three days. Advertisement Advertisement Eid is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, it follows the Islamic Hijri calendar, a lunar cycle. Each year, the start of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. Eid in Arabic means "festival" or "feast," and Fitr means "breaking the fast." So, Eid al-Fitr literally means festival of breaking the fast. How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated? Muslims will wake up early in the morning, preparing food and getting ready to attend Eid prayers at local masjids. Eating during daylight hours after a month of fasting may feel strange for Muslims, but it is actually forbidden for Muslims to fast on Eid al-Fitr. On Eid, just like every day, Muslims will follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Sunnah in Islam. Specific Sunnahs on Eid include: Advertisement Advertisement Taking a bath or shower Wearing ones best clothes and perfume Saying Takbeer or praising God on the way to Eid prayers Taking a different route home from attending Eid prayer Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. Eid traditions vary from country to country. But friends and families will commonly gather and spend time together at each others homes, enjoying sweets and delicious food after Eid prayers in the morning. Children will receive gifts and money, also known as Eidi. What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is filled with prayer, spirituality, fasting and charity. It is believed that this is the month when the Quran was revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammed. Is Ramadan the same time every year? No. Similar to other Abrahamic religions (Judaism and Christianity), Islamic holidays are based on the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar that most people observe today. Advertisement Advertisement Ramadan begins with the sighting of the crescent moon, which this year was on Feb. 18. What do Muslims do during Ramadan? During Ramadan, followers of Islam are encouraged to spend more time praying along with the fasting that takes place. What are the Five Pillars of Islam? The Five Pillars of Islam are the most essential practices in Islam, according to Islamic Relief UK. Muslim people are obligated to fulfill the pillars throughout their lifetime. The pillars are Shahada for faith, Salah for prayer, Zakat for Almsgiving, Sawm for fasting and Hajj for pilgrimage. Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: When is Eid al-Fitr? When will we know when Ramadan ends in 2026 During the holy month of Ramadan, the Muslim community fasts from dawn to sunset, abstaining from food and drink, spending time in prayer and worship. At the end of the month, when a waxing crescent moon is spotted, Muslims celebrate with Eid al-Fitr. 2 billion Muslims are awaiting the confirmation of the Islamic holiday, Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Many Muslim communities rely on Saudi Arabian moon spotters to confirm Eid. Have they found the Shawwal moon yet? Has Saudi Arabia confirmed Eid al-Fitr 2026? Here's what to know. Evening light falls on Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center as women make their way to a special sister's iftar dinner, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Naima Wedow, 23, talks with a friend at the beginning of a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Kaha Abdi, prays after speaking during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Women gather to pray the evening prayer after breaking fast during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Nabila Mohamed, 1, walks around as her mother and other women pray the evening prayer after breaking fast during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Women gather for their iftar dinner after evening prayers at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques. Ramadan, observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Attendance during Taraweeh can easily reach over 3,000 people on a single night. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Attendance during Taraweeh can easily reach over 3,000 people on a single night. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. Tasneam Al, of Worthington, left, and Dalya Anwer, of Hilliard, right, chat at the Yemeni coffee shop downtown, Qahwah House, as other Muslims gather after a day of fasting and prayers during the month of Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. When the day ends, Ramadan nights come alive in Columbus 1 of 24 Evening light falls on Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center as women make their way to a special sister's iftar dinner, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia confirms Eid al-Fitr date Many Muslim communities around the world rely on Saudi Arabia and their trained moon spotters to confirm the date of the first day of the month of Shawwal, Eid al-Fitr, according to Middle East Eye. Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabian moon spotters have officially confirmed Eid al-Fitr 2026's date to be on Friday, March 20, via a post on X, after the Shawwal moon was not sighted. BREAKING NEWS: Eid Al Fitr is on Friday, 20 March 2026 The Crescent of month of Shawwal 1447 was NOT SIGHTED anywhere in the Kingdom today, subsequently the month of Ramadan will complete 30 days tomorrow and Eid Al Fitr will be on Friday pic.twitter.com/2OF7cv500a The Holy Mosques (@theholymosques) March 18, 2026 Does Eid al-Fitr have a definite date? Eid al-Fitr 2026 was expected to fall on either Thursday, March 19, or Friday, March 20. But the date of the celebration depends on when spotters see the waxing crescent moon, according to Islamic Relief. Now we know Ramadan will end and Eid will begin on Friday, March 20. Shawwal, the Islamic month that succeeds Ramadan, begins immediately upon the sighting of the crescent moon, or "Shawwal moon." The first day of Shawwal brings Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan. Imagine explaining to your boss that you need a day off, but you are not sure if Eid is going to be on Thursday or Friday. You won't know for sure until the night before, since you must wait to see if the crescent moon is actually spotted. Once it is sighted, Muslims prepare for one of the largest celebratory days in Islam. SHAWWAL 1447 Crescent search today! Join us as we bring you coverage of the Shawwal 1447 crescent search today in Saudi Arabia which will determine the Day of Eid Al Fitr 1447 Announcement of the results of the search will be made around 6:10pm (Makkah time) pic.twitter.com/q3jmZXzs5c The Holy Mosques (@theholymosques) March 18, 2026 What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is the first of two celebratory days in the Islamic calendar, both observed every year. The Eid al-Fitr is marked on one day, but some Muslims celebrate the festival for as long as three days. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar. Advertisement Advertisement Eid is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, the date of the holiday is determined by the Islamic Hijri calendar, which follows a lunar cycle. Each year, the start and end of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. What does Eid mean? Eid in Arabic means "festival" or "feast," and Fitr means "breaking the fast." In other words, Eid al-Fitr literally means festival of breaking the fast. How do you pronounce Eid? "Eid" can be said like the word "feed" without the "f." But here's a quick Arabic language lesson if you want to know how to really pronounce it. "Eid" is "" in Arabic and is actually pronounced as "'ayid." The first Arabic letter of the word, '', is a consonant, which is pronounced using the back of your throat. How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated? What do people do on Eid? Muslims will wake up early in the morning, preparing food and getting ready to attend Eid prayers at local masjids. It may feel strange for Muslims to eat during daylight hours after a month of fasting between dawn and sunset, but it is actually forbidden for Muslims to fast on Eid al-Fitr. Advertisement Advertisement On Eid, Muslims will follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Sunnah in Islam. Sunnah is not followed just on Eid, but every day. Specific Sunnahs on Eid include: Taking a bath or shower Wearing ones best clothes and perfume Saying Takbeer or praising God on the way to Eid prayers Taking a different path home from attending Eid prayer Eid traditions vary from country to country, but friends and families commonly gather and spend time together at each others homes, enjoying sweets and other delicious food after Eid prayers in the morning. Children will receive gifts and money, also known as Eidi. How do you wish someone a happy Eid? Muslims will hug their friends and family and greet them with Eid Mubarak, meaning blessed festival in Arabic. When is Eid al-Adha, the second Eid in the Islamic calendar? The second Eid of the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha 2026, will fall on the 10th day in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is predicted to fall on the evening of May 26, and end on the night of May 27. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Ramadan over? Saudi Arabia confirms Eid al-Fitr 2026 date After Congress failed to extend federal discounts for state health exchange enrollees this year, Rhode Island leaders want a more reliable source of funding based on math instead of Washington D.C.s political will. An executive order signed by Gov. Dan McKee on March 12 aims to amplify federal tax credits for HealthSource RI participants by $12 million, saving 20,000 enrollees roughly $500 a year on average on their annual premiums in 2027. The directive comes two-and-a-half months after a separate set of pandemic-era federal subsidies for state insurance marketplaces lapsed, spiking premiums and sinking enrollment in state health insurance marketplaces nationwide. In Rhode Island, 10,000 people enrolled in HealthSource RI dropped coverage during the 2026 open enrollment period due to rising costs. Those who remained saw their average premiums increase more than twofold: from $109 to $220 a month, according to HealthSource RI. Advertisement Advertisement Its too late to ease the pain expected to ripple across the states health care landscape this year, as sick and uninsured people flood emergency rooms and doctors offices, while insurers seek to offset their own rising cost and risks by charging more for commercial plans. But state leaders have devised a partial solution in time for the 2027 open enrollment period on Nov. 1 by manipulating the federal formula that determines aid to state health insurance marketplaces. This is the year to be taking out every tool in our toolbox, Lindsay Lang, director of HealthSource RI, said. Unfortunately, what everyone had been anticipating with federal tax credits happened. Now, its time to double down on strategies. A key part of the strategy: make the federal formula work for Rhode Island by increasing the premium costs for health exchange insurance plans. It sounds counterintuitive higher premiums typically mean more out-of-pocket costs for consumers. But in this case, its the federal government that would pick up the tab. Going for silver The concept known as silver loading has been implemented across the country since 2017, after the federal government ended indirect payments to health exchange insurers to offset losses for covering lower-income enrollees. Advertisement Advertisement Insurers refused to be left holding the bag, but state leaders didnt want their residents picking up the cost, either. Instead, states directed or allowed insurers to incorporate their payments into their total premiums for certain, mid-tier insurance plans. The premium associated with the second-lowest silver metal plan is used as a benchmark to determine total federal discounts for state health exchanges, so increasing the premium in turn triggers more federal funding which can then be applied to discount the net cost of both higher and lower-metal plans. Its a pretty widespread practice, said Robert Hackey, a health sciences professor at Providence College. I think a lot of states have been doing that. This is the year to be taking out every tool in our toolbox. Unfortunately, what everyone had been anticipating with federal tax credits happened. Now, its time to double down on strategies. Lindsay Lang, director of HealthSource RI Rhode Island has informally employed limited amounts of silver loading since 2017, Lang said. McKees order turns practice into prescription, directing Lang and Rhode Island Health Insurance Commissioner Cory King to develop a legitimate method for maximizing federal tax credits through silver loading. Advertisement Advertisement The details are still being finalized, said King, whose office sets instructions for commercial insurers to calculate and propose annual insurance rates, including in the state health exchange. But preliminary analysis suggests that mandated silver loading will bring relief in time for 2027. We think we can create a methodology to be able to offset premium reductions and generate higher tax credits, King said. The extra $12 million in federal funds expected from inflated silver-level premiums next year would be restricted to HealthSource RI participants who earn 200% or less of the federal poverty level: $31,920 per year for a one-person household, or $66,000 for a family of four based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines. But even exchange enrollees who dont meet the income limits would still benefit, because regular premiums for all metal plans except silver including more expansive coverage through platinum or gold plans would come down, Lang explained. Advertisement Advertisement The end result: more affordable, better health insurance for more people, at no cost to anyone except the federal government. My plan supports Rhode Islanders by keeping costs low, putting more money in their pockets, and sending a clear message that we will not gamble with their health and well-being, McKee said in a statement. Except, it doesnt help those who already dropped insurance coverage because it was too expensive, Hackey pointed out. Lang acknowledged it would have been better to incorporate silver loading into 2026 premiums, potentially preventing what was a dramatic 20% drop in enrollment. But, by the time it became clear Congress would not extend the tax credits, it was too late, she said. A 2027 comeback Preserving Rhode Islands sixth-in-the nation, 98% health insurance coverage rate is not a lost cause. Lang thinks HealthSource RI can bring back at least half of the participants who dropped coverage next year under the formula adjustments and additional state funding. Advertisement Advertisement McKee has already proposed using $9.5 million in state dollars to replace some of the lost federal tax credits as part of his fiscal 2027 budget plan. Unlike the executive order, however, McKees plan for spending from state coffers still requires sign off by the Rhode Island General Assembly when it finalizes the budget in late June. Companion bills introduced in January by Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat, and Sen. Pam Lauria, a Barrington Democrat, would set up a state program to replace the entire $60 million in lost federal subsidies, ensuring discounts are available to all eligible state marketplace enrollees. In Hackeys view, the more state money poured in to offset federal cuts, the better. He pointed to neighboring Massachusetts, where Gov. Maura Healey injected another $250 million from a state trust fund to subsidize insurance plans through the Commonwealths health exchange. If were really concerned about access and affordability, the governor and the General Assembly need to be doing more on this front, Hackey said. Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson remained noncommittal. The reality is that people have lost health care coverage because they can no longer afford it without this federal assistance, they said in a joint statement Wednesday. Unfortunately, no state has the resources to fully replenish all of the harmful cuts in federal aid, which are impacting everything from health care to food insecurity. McKees executive order also addresses broader issues around health care price transparency, facility fees and insurance rates for commercial and Medicaid markets, calling for: A public health care price transparency dashboard that lets consumers search and compare prices for imaging, labs and outpatient procedures, available through OHIC no later than Oct. 31; A comprehensive review and recommendations on how to ban or limit facility fees for outpatient and off-campus health care services, due from OHIC and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services by Oct. 31; A comprehensive review of how state insurance mandates affect premium costs and annual rate hikes, including ways to improve transparency and affordability, due from OHIC no later than Dec. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, one of two insurance companies that provides coverage through the state health exchange, expressed preliminary support for McKees executive order. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is reviewing Gov. McKees executive order, and we share the governors concerns about the steep rise in the cost of healthcare, Rich Salit, a company spokesperson, said in an emailed response. We are committed to working with policymakers to help stabilize the individual market, protect access to coverage, and address the underlying drivers of healthcare costs that continue to make coverage less affordable for many Rhode Islanders. Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, the other insurer that supplies marketplace coverage, declined to comment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Nvidia has received purchase orders from Chinese customers for its H200 processors and is restarting production, CEO Jensen Huang said this week marking the first concrete movement toward resuming chip sales to China after months of regulatory maneuvering in both the U.S. and China. "We have received purchase orders, and we're in the process of restarting our manufacturing," Huang told reporters at the company's GTC conference in San Jose, according to CNBC. "Our supply chain is getting fired up." Huang said Nvidia now has regulatory clearance from both the U.S. and China. The sticking point had been China's side of the approval process, according to Reuters. U.S. export licenses were in place, but Beijing had held back from clearing imports. An SEC filing from Nvidia last month disclosed that the U.S. had issued a license in February covering limited H200 shipments to specific Chinese buyers. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that China has now issued licenses for many customers. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said they were "not aware of the specifics." The H200 is Nvidia's second-most powerful AI chip. It sits below the company's current-generation Blackwell line, which remains off-limits for export to China under the terms of the arrangement. Export licenses come with conditions: The U.S. takes 25% of chip sale proceeds, shipments are capped, and sales must go through third-party verification, according to CNBC. Before export controls took hold, China was responsible for roughly 13% of Nvidia's total revenue and generated at least a fifth of its data center business. In its most recent earnings guidance, Nvidia assumed zero data center revenue from China meaning any resumed sales would represent additional upside, according to CNBC. Huang had previously said the company was "100% out of China" and had been lobbying Washington to find a path back. The H200 export framework emerged earlier this year as a compromise between a full ban and unrestricted access to Nvidia's most advanced hardware. In January, Reuters reported that China had granted preliminary approval to ByteDance, Tencent, Alibaba, and AI startup DeepSeek to import the chips. A separate prior attempt to revive Nvidia's China business through a lower-capability H20 chip stalled after Beijing signaled that state-linked firms should favor domestic alternatives. By Lunga Masuku MBABANE, March 17 (Reuters) - Eswatini joined a handful of countries to officially roll out new HIV prevention drug lenacapavir on Wednesday, announcing that 2,000 Swazis had received the jab since December. The United States, where the drug was formulated, and seven other African countries with high HIV prevalence rates have introduced it so far. "People have been very receptive," Sindy Matse, programme manager for the Eswatini National AIDS Programme, told Reuters, adding that stock was nearly exhausted by the initial uptake. Advertisement Advertisement U.S.-based Gilead Sciences' drug lenacapavir is a subcutaneous injection given twice a year. It aims to overcome problems associated with daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis pills (PrEP), such as forgetting to take them and failing to acquire enough pills to keep taking them consistently. Matse said the programme aimed to have it available in all 206 health facilities that had been offering PrEP. Eswatini is a small South African kingdom formerly known as Swaziland. Around a quarter of Swazis between the ages of 15 and 49 carry the virus, according to the latest data, from 2023, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But new infections fell by nearly threequarters between 2010 and 2024, to 4,000 from 14,000, owing to better prevention and treatment, the CDC says. (Reporting by Lunga Masuku; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Alex Richardson) Milan, Italy As Cuba faces a nationwide blackout and energy crisis, the first members of a global aid mission taking more than 20 tonnes of food, medical supplies and solar panel equipment arrived in Havana on Wednesday. Organised by an alliance of progressive groups, Nuestra America Convoy to Cuba (NACC) is being pitched as an act of humanitarian support for the island nation and a protest against the United States total oil blockade on Cuba. The convoy includes representatives of European left-wing political parties, trade unions and advocacy groups, who left from Milan on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Since the USs January operation to remove the Venezuelan president and Cuban ally, Nicolas Maduro, Washington has piled maximum economic pressure on Havana with a complete oil blockade, meaning that no foreign fuel shipment has reached the country in the last three months. The activists say this dramatic escalation, which intensifies Washingtons decades-long embargo, has been largely ignored by its traditional allies across the Atlantic. The European Union, the Italian government, and the British government alike should oppose and put pressure on President Trump to lift this embargo on Cuba, said Mauro Trombin, one of the delegates who is affiliated with the Italian political party Europa Verde (Green Europe). Prior to the current crisis, the EU had urged the US to end the embargo against Cuba, with most European countries voting against sanctions during last years United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Advertisement Advertisement Iain Wallace, a Scottish member of the Public and Commercial (PCS) trade union and NACC participant, said the oil blockade is illegal by every measure. I would have expected [European] countries to reify trade relations and cultural exchange with Cuba, he told Al Jazeera. Cuba needs fuel We can take as much humanitarian aid as we can, but that is masking symptoms, not treating the cause. As it suffers from a severe fuel shortage, Cuba faces total humanitarian collapse, the UN has warned. The governments of China, Chile, Mexico and Canada have either sent or pledged to send humanitarian aid to the island. Spain has also promised to channel aid. Advertisement Advertisement The Cuban crisis comes at a time when European powers are questioning their relationship with the US, as it, along with Israel, wages war on Iran. BREAKING The first delegation of the Nuestra America Convoy arrives to Havana. pic.twitter.com/WEaln5H84S Progressive International (@ProgIntl) March 18, 2026 Maria Giovanna Tamborello, an NACC delegate and member of the Switzerland-Cuba association, said European governments condemn the blockade every year at the UNGA, and then nothing happens. Jose Luis Darias Suarez, the Cuban consul general in Milan who met NACC members at Malpensa airport before their departure, struck a more conciliatory tone. At present our relationship with the European Union is maintained by the dialogue agreement, which was implemented some years ago and lays a foundation for, above all, a cooperative relationship between good [diplomatic] partners, which we, Cuba and the European Union, are, he said. Advertisement Advertisement The agreement refers to the 2016 EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA), a legal framework designed to promote Cuban and European human rights and democracy that has governed EU-Cuba relations for the last decade. But the European Parliament recently approved an amendment to its foreign policy report that called for the PDCA to be suspended because of Cubas alleged worsening human rights record. The amendment was tabled by the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR). Suspending the PDCA could mean halting humanitarian funds. Between 1993 and 2020, the EU provided Cuba with 94 million euros ($109m) in humanitarian aid and set aside an additional 125 million euros ($144m) for cooperation with Cuba for the 2021-27 period. Advertisement Advertisement According to the European Commission, the funds are designed to boost Cubas private sector, help its renewable energy transition and further economic modernisation. Polish MEP Arkadiusz Mularczyk, one of the authors of the parliamentary amendment, told Al Jazeera, Cuba had fundamentally failed to uphold the commitments that form [the PDCAs] legal and moral foundation. Instead, the Cuban regime has grown more authoritarian and repressive. He added that the EU should not get in the USs way. Suspension of the PDCA would signal that the EUs partnerships are conditional on genuine respect for democracy and human rights, he said. Advertisement Advertisement In February, Amnesty International warned that political prisoners and their family members were subject to harassment in Cuba. In its annual report on Cuba, Human Rights Watch said, the government continues to repress and punish dissent and public criticism. The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights documented at least 390 incidents of repression within civil society in January, including 42 arbitrary detentions an increase compared with previous months. The story was published in collaboration with Espacio. A federal jury has awarded the former head of the Upper Bucks County Technical School nearly half a million dollars in damages and back pay for violation of his First Amendment rights when the board fired him in 2022. The jury ruled in favor of Jeff Sweda, who served as executive director from 2018 until he was fired in 2022 amid allegations of misuse of school property and using "abusive language" against staff. The Pennsylvania education secretary upheld Sweda's firing in 2023 for violating the school's language policies, but rejected the other allegations. The ex-administrator's attorney, Edward Sweeney, argued at the time that Sweda had never received prior warnings about his language. Upper Bucks Tech student Raymond Slifer speaks with executive director Jeff Sweda (center) and Pennsylvania Department of Education Acting Secretary Noe Ortega as he offers a tour of the campus facilities. The tenure hearing that led to the secretary's ruling was held parallel with the federal case where Sweda recently prevailed in challenging his termination. Advertisement Advertisement Sweda alleged in a 2022 lawsuit that he was fired for publicly opposing the tech school board's "mask optional" policy during the COVID pandemic. He alleged he was ousted because it was "perceived he would not ascribe to their political belief regarding allowing parents to opt out of government mask mandates. Sweda specifically alleged discrimination of his First Amendment rights of political belief and association, the right to protected speech, the deprivation of due process for an employee, and violation of the states whistleblower law. The U.S. District Court jury agreed that Sweda's firing was retaliation against protected speech a violation of the First Amendment awarding the ex-administrator $100,000 in damages and $394,000 in back pay. The historic stone home on the Hart property traces back to the 18th century and underwent renovations in 1857 and again in the 1950s. Zaveta Custom Homes plans to renovate and transform the home's interior with modern amenities while preserving its historic character. The historic stone home on the Hart property traces back to the eighteenth century and underwent renovations in 1857 and again in the 1950s. Zaveta plans to renovate and transform the home's interior with modern amenities while preserving its historic character. Right to left: The existing barn, spring house and outbuilding are to be preserved and restored under a current proposal to the Bucks County Historical Society. The Bucks County Historical Society is currently using a large metal warehouse to house some of their collections. The organization has plans to move the artifacts closer to the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle. The current proposal from the Bucks County Historical Society and Zaveta Custom Homes for the 24-acre Hart property include preserving the historic structures and building three townhomes with 36 total units. Zaveta envisions using stone and other natural materials for the proposed townhome buildings on the property. The 24-acre Hart property in Doylestown Township has become overgrown after years of minimal upkeep. A structure can be seen through the trees at the historic Hart property at 2250 S. Easton Road in Doylestown on March 3, 2026. Take a look at the Hart property's historic structures, housing plans 1 of 8 The historic stone home on the Hart property traces back to the 18th century and underwent renovations in 1857 and again in the 1950s. Zaveta Custom Homes plans to renovate and transform the home's interior with modern amenities while preserving its historic character. It was not immediately clear this week whether a payout would come from the tech school itself, or from the school's insurance provider. Students from Quakertown, Palisades and Pennridge attend the school. Advertisement Advertisement Sweda's 2022 salary as Upper Bucks Tech's executive director was $165,000. He was put on unpaid leave at the end of 2021 before his firing the following April. After the jury issued its finding, the tech school's lawyers made a motion for the judge to consider overriding the verdict and ruling in the school's favor. That request is still pending, according to the court docket. If the tech school appeals, the case would go to the federal appeals court. Sweda's lawyer declined to comment on the verdict. Sweda's team filed a motion on March 16 after the verdict, requesting his reinstatement as executive director of the tech school. Advertisement Advertisement The former assistant director, Michael Herrera, has led the tech school since late 2021, when Sweda was put on unpaid leave. Herrera declined to comment on Tuesday because the case is still pending. Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Ex-Upper Bucks Tech's Jeff Sweda awarded $500k for COVID-era firing Late into their Tuesday meeting in the Oval Office, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin turned toward President Donald Trump, leaned forward and offered a rebuttal to his counterparts earlier claim that immigrants have ravaged Europe. First of all, I would say that Europe is still a very good place to live in. Just to let you know, Martin told Trump. Im glad to hear that, Trump said, smirking. Advertisement Advertisement Our view is you have to have robust and fair rules around migration, Martin continued. But on the other hand, a lot of people within the European Union have free mobility. In Ireland our population is growing, but in a very positive way. Martin said that no one is in favor of illegal migration, but pushed back against Trumps assessment of immigration policy in the EU and United Kingdom as a disaster. You have to have robust rules for that [immigration]. But fundamentally, I think sometimes Europe gets characterized wrongly in terms of it being overrun or whatever like that, Martin said. And I think its important that that understanding is there. Watch Advertisement Advertisement Martins defense of immigration came in response to Trumps earlier remarks. Before Martin spoke, Trump had issued a scathing takedown of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer before condemning the EUs migration policies. I think hes a nice man, but I disagree with him on two things, Trump said of Starmer. Primarily, immigration, his immigration policy is a disaster. Youve allowed millions and millions and millions of people to come into your country that shouldnt be there, Trump added. And by the way, thats all over Europe. Europe is a different place. Bad, bad things have happened to Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Trump then urged Starmer and the EU, which consists of 27 member states, to do something about immigration ... or you wont have a Europe. The exchange between Trump and Martin underscored the swelling debate over immigration both in the U.S. and Europe. Trump has adopted a hard-line approach that has drawn praise from his base and scorn from his critics. Recent concerns over the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda and deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in major citiesduring which two U.S. citizens were killed by federal officers in Minneapolisprompted Trump to remove Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem effective March 5. Advertisement Advertisement A Feb. 27 Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 58% of Americans disapprove of Trumps immigration policies. In Ireland, Martin has sought to tighten some components of the countrys immigration system in response to the increasing number of asylum seekers. In January, Martin said it was important to get the balance right in asylum law, according to the Irish Examiner. I think we have to have a fair system in terms of the asylum process, he said, per the Examiner. The most important aspect of that, I think, is to have a faster application process that people get results to their applications earlier, both in terms of the initial phase of the application and then subsequently in relation to any appeals. Advertisement Advertisement While both leaders are grappling with how to address immigration, Martin offered a proposal to Trump just before their Tuesday meeting concluded. Id love if we could develop a legal [immigration] pathway between the U.S. and Ireland in the future because of our history and so on, Martin said. Tracking the Trump Administration Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A Central Florida soldier who died in the line of duty will return home on Wednesday. U.S. Army Reserve Captain Cody Khork, who died in the Middle East, will return to Polk County on Wednesday afternoon. A law enforcement procession will escort his remains from Lakeland Linder International Airport to Winter Haven starting after 1:00 p.m. The Polk County Sheriffs Office and several partnering agencies will transport Captain Khork from Lakeland Linder International Airport to the Oak Ridge Funeral Home. Advertisement Advertisement The procession is expected to impact local commuters for a portion of the afternoon. Traffic along the route will be stopped or congested for approximately 2 hours from the time the group departs the airport. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd requested the communitys support and cooperation during the transfer. Thank you in advance for your patience and respect as we bring Captain Khork home for his memorial service, Judd said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A popular Southern California winery has found itself in the crosshairs of animal rights activists after offering guests a chance to ride camels after sipping Merlot. Orfila Vineyards and Winery in Escondido is facing a stampede of vitriol over claims the hump-backed attractions were being exploited. The winery, known for its scenic views and acclaimed reds, recently introduced the rides as a unique weekend draw but the move has left a sour taste in the mouths of PETA types. An Escondido winery is facing some backlash on social media and from animal rights groups after hosting a day of camel rides. Instagram/@orfilavineyards Please stop using animals as part of your weekly activity line-up, Nicole Escudero responded on one of Orfilas social media posts. Advertisement Advertisement It is really disappointing that you are continuing to do so. not sure if I will continue my membership there as I do not enjoy going there when you do events like these. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here! California Post App: Download here! Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here! This entire idea of torturing animals for your drunken pleasure makes me sick, another critic wrote on Instagram. The backlash began when local activists caught wind of the desert dwellers being led around the vineyards grassy lands last Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of the boycott claim the animals are subjected to being yanked for amusement and a quirky photo-op. Social media videos showed employees leading the rides sporting gear from Giddy Up Ranch, near Phelan. Instagram/@orfilavineyards Encouraging day-drinking customers to clamber on top of a skittish camel in a strange and hectic environment is a recipe for disaster, since injuries are common whenever wild and exotic animals are often beaten and whipped into submission and worked to exhaustion, Debbie Metzler, managing director of Captive Wildlife for the PETA Foundation, told Fox 5 San Diego. Its a little sad seeing some of the negative comments here, another countered. Orfila has always been about bringing people together and trying fun, creative events for the community. If its not someones thing, thats totally fine but a lot of us appreciate the effort and the experience. The camels at the center of the sandstorm appear to be commuters themselves. Social media videos showed employees leading the rides sporting gear from Giddy Up Ranch, a business located in Phelanroughly 116 miles north of the vineyard. Advertisement Advertisement While Giddy Up Ranch bills itself as a premier outfit that serves Southern California with the best camel rides, pony rides and friendliest petting zoo, the long trek to the vineyard has only added fuel to the fire for protesters claiming the animals are being overworked. Last year the winery had a giraffe attraction that drew a similar outcry. Instagram/@orfilavineyards This latest dust-up comes hot on the heels of giraffe gate. In November 2025, Orfila received massive backlash after hosting a live giraffe on the property for a Groovin with a Giraffe event. The stunt was so poorly received it triggered a federal complaint from PETA and reportedly led to many Orfila Wine Lovers club membership cancellations. Founded in 1994 by Alejandro Orfila, a former Argentine ambassador who once navigated the waters of international relations as the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Advertisement Advertisement Orfila even presided over President Jimmy Carter as he signed the Panama Canal Treaty with Panamas General Omar Torrijos in 1977. Orfila Vineyard and Giddy Up Ranch did not respond to a request for comment. FBI and IRS agents are forming a new initiative to investigate nonprofit organizations over suspected possible links to domestic terrorism, sources briefed on the matter told CBS News. In December, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to prioritize efforts to investigate and prosecute groups and individuals who belong to the anti-fascist antifa movement or are deemed "extremist." "These domestic terrorists use violence or the threat of violence to advance political and social agendas, including opposition to law and immigration enforcement; extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders; adherence to radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity," Bondi wrote in the Dec. 4 memo. Advertisement Advertisement The memo asked law enforcement agents to consider potential "tax crimes" in which extremist groups are "suspected of defrauding the Internal Revenue Service." A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. "The Department of Justice is fully committed to preserving the rule of law, protecting law enforcement from coordinated attacks, ensuring everyone has the freedom to speak in the public square, participate freely in the electoral process, and practice their faith without fear of violence or harm, and bringing to justice the full range of criminal actors engaged in criminal conduct matching Congress's definition of domestic terrorism," a Justice Department spokesperson said. In a statement, a spokesperson for IRS Criminal Investigation confirmed its agents are partnering with the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement "IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is collaborating with federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to investigate individuals and entities that may be funding domestic terrorism or political violence," the spokesperson told CBS News. "This coordinated effort allows agencies to leverage their respective strengths, including IRS-CI's specialized expertise in financial investigations, to support enforcement actions and safeguard national security." The new "mission control command center" that is probing nonprofits will be based at the FBI, with agents from IRS Criminal Investigation working on one-year temporary assignments, one of the sources added. It is not yet clear what groups could be targeted for investigation, though Bondi's memo instructed all federal law enforcement agencies to scour their files for intelligence on antifa groups and forward it to the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI was also ordered to develop a list of groups that are engaged in acts that "may constitute domestic terrorism," as defined by federal law. Such individuals or groups are, according to the law, involved in "acts dangerous to human life" that occur within the U.S. and may be intended to intimidate or coerce people, influence government policy through intimidation or affect the conduct of the government "by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping." Although the term is defined in the law, there is no criminal charge on the books for domestic terrorism. Prosecutors typically charge defendants with other crimes and seek terrorism enhancements at sentencing. Tom Brzozowski, the former domestic terrorism counsel at the Justice Department's National Security Division, said the investigative approach laid out by Bondi in her December memo is concerning and raises questions about what predication the FBI has in order to legally justify creating a list of groups that should be targeted for criminal investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Federal investigators "can look at open source information all they want. They don't need any kind of particular predication to do that," he told CBS News. "If you're going to pull down information and retain it in a government data set, you have to have predication to do that especially if you're looking at it through an investigative lens." Bondi issued her memo after President Trump in late September issued an executive order on domestic terrorism that was sparked by a series of high-profile events, including the 2025 assassination of far-right influencer Charlie Kirk. In addition to the FBI-IRS joint initiative, the deputy attorney general's office has also been involved in creating a task force focused on looking into funding into antifa-linked groups, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. U.S. attorney offices, meanwhile, have also been asked to assign a domestic terrorism coordinator, one of the sources added. Advertisement Advertisement To date, there have been relatively few public criminal cases involving antifa. The most prominent took place in northern Texas, where nine people accused of being part of a so-called antifa cell were convicted earlier this month for their roles in using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder of an Alvarado police officer and correctional officers at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center. Antifa, short for "anti-facist," did not come up on Wednesday when FBI Director Kash Patel testified alongside other senior government intelligence officials before the Senate Intelligence Committee during its annual hearing on worldwide threats, nor was it referenced in the 2026 unclassified annual threat assessment of the intelligence community. Patel is slated to appear again for the second of two worldwide threats hearings on Thursday, this time before the House Intelligence Committee. Advertisement Advertisement During a hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee in December, a senior FBI official testified that antifa represented one of the biggest threats, but struggled to answer questions about the organization, its structure, or why the FBI labeled it as such. Jury finds Utah mom Kouri Richins guilty of murdering husband Steve Hartman's Oscar for a short film meant to make us feel again Dogue, parody fashion magazine for dogs, sued by Vogue owner Conde Nast The Trump administration announced nearly $890 million in federal funding Tuesday for water infrastructure projects across the Western United States, with California receiving about 60% of the total to repair sinking canals, modernize pumping systems, and plan an expansion of Shasta Dam. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the funding is aimed at strengthening water security, improving aging infrastructure, and supporting agriculture and communities that depend on reliable water deliveries. These investments strengthen our nations water security, modernize aging infrastructure, and support the farmers, communities, and industries that depend on reliable water supplies, Burgum said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Much of the California funding focuses on canals in the San Joaquin Valley that have been damaged by decades of land subsidence the gradual sinking of the ground, largely caused by excessive groundwater pumping. Which California water projects are getting funded According to the Department of the Interior, California will receive funding for five major projects tied to water conveyance and storage: $235 million for the DeltaMendota Canal , the largest single allocation, to rehabilitate aging sections, raise embankments and repair check structures. The 116mile canal supplies water to 1.2 million acres of farmland, wildlife refuges and communities in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond. $200 million for the FriantKern Canal to continue correcting damage from subsidence that has reduced parts of the canals capacity by as much as 60%. $50 million for the San Luis Canal to address subsidencerelated reliability issues. $15 million for the TehamaColusa Canal Authority pumping plant to improve flow rates and system performance. $40 million for planning and preconstruction work to raise Shasta Dam, which would increase water storage by about 634,000 acrefeet enough water to supply roughly 2.5 million people for a year. Interior officials said the projects are intended to remove bottlenecks in Californias water system that limit the ability to move water during wet years and store it for droughts. What subsidence is and why its damaging Californias canals Retired U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist Michelle Sneed displays the depth of subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley between 1965 and 2018. Land subsidence occurs when groundwater is pumped faster than aquifers can recharge, causing underground layers to compact and the surface to sink. Once that compression happens, scientists say much of the damage is permanent. Advertisement Advertisement A recent Stanford University study found parts of the San Joaquin Valley sank nearly an inch per year between 2006 and 2022, with the worst sinking occurring during droughts when surface water deliveries were cut and farmers relied heavily on groundwater pumping. The consequences go far beyond cracked earth. Subsidence has: Warped canals and aqueducts Reduced watercarrying capacity Increased flood risks Damaged wells and other infrastructure Altered groundwater systems permanently The impacts of the subsidence are severe, the studys authors wrote, citing damaged aqueducts, modified flood behavior and longterm changes to aquifers. Why the FriantKern Canal repairs matter The FriantKern Canal, which carries Sierra Nevada water to farms and communities in eastern Tulare and Kern counties, has become a textbook example of subsidence damage. Advertisement Advertisement In some areas, the ground beneath the canal sank by more than 13 feet, forcing the canal to be raised and dramatically limiting the amount of water it could carry. During wet years, that loss has meant up to 300,000 acrefeet of water couldnt be delivered south. Related: Sinking home prices linked to sinking ground in Californias Central Valley Repairs that began in 2022 are restoring flow along a critical 10mile stretch, but officials say the full project could cost around $500 million, funded by a mix of federal, state, and local dollars. With Californias Sustainable Groundwater Management Act placing limits on pumping, surface water delivered through canals such as FriantKern is expected to become increasingly important for farms and small communities. Shasta Dam expansion draws renewed attention and opposition An aerial view of the lake level conditions at Lake Shasta and the dam in Shasta County, California on December 14, 2023. On this date, the reservoir storage was 3,038,265 acre-feet (AF), 67 percent of the total capacity. Operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, Shasta Dam backs up water from the Sacramento River for more than 35 miles to form the lake and controls flood waters, while supplying water for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, wildlife habitat maintenance and power generation. The funding announcement includes $40 million for planning for raising Shasta Dam, Californias largest reservoir a longdiscussed and highly contentious proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Supporters, including agricultural water districts, argue that expanding the dam would improve drought resilience and help maintain the colder water salmon need during hot summers. Critics, including environmental groups and members of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, warn the project could flood sacred sites, damage salmon habitat, and violate Californias Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which protects parts of the McCloud River. Environmental advocates also note that federal estimates indicate the project would increase annual water deliveries by less than 1%, raising questions about costs, benefits, and ecological trade-offs. USA TODAY Network's Visalia Times-Delta and Record Searchlight contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: $540M federal plan targets sinking California water canals Baton Rouge, La. An Arkansas law requiring that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms was struck down by a federal judge Monday. The law is among those pushed by Republicans, including President Trump, to incorporate religion in public schools. Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas all have enacted similar laws requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms. And as such, each mandate has faced legal challenges that many expect to eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state's new law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library. The lawsuit named six school districts in Arkansas as defendants. While it is unclear how many school districts or publicly-funded universities have hung up posters, local media outlets have cited multiple examples over the past five months. That includes the Ten Commandments being posted at the University of Arkansas on the Fayetteville campus, the Arkansas Advocate reported in October. Critics argue that the mandate is unconstitutional and violates separation of church and state. Proponents of the legislation say the Ten Commandments have historical significance and are part of the foundation of U.S. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks said in his written judgment that "nothing could possibly justify hanging the Ten Commandments - with or without historical context - in a calculus, chemistry, French, or woodworking class, to name a few." Brooks, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, went on to write that there is "no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated" by the 2025 law; "One doesn't exist," he wrote. While Brooks' judgment blocks the requirement, it's unclear how broadly his decision can be applied - if it is limited to the specific school districts named in the lawsuit or if it applies to the entire state. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas called the ruling "a victory for religious freedom and church-state separation." Advertisement Advertisement The ruling "is a resounding affirmation that public schools are not Sunday schools. The Constitution protects every student's right to learn free from government-imposed religious doctrine," said John C. Williams, legal director for the ACLU of Arkansas. Megan Bailey a spokesperson for the ACLU of Arkansas said the ruling "makes clear the law is unconstitutional. Given that, it would be unwise for any school district in Arkansas to move forward with posting the Ten Commandments," Bailey told The Associated Press. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that she plans to appeal the ruling and "defend our state's values." In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to mandate poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, from kindergarten through college. While the challenge has wound its way through federal courts for nearly two years, a ruling last month vacated an earlier court order that had prevented the law from taking effect - clearing the way for displays to be installed in classrooms. Immediately following the Feb. 20 ruling from the full 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals, Gov. Jeff Landry instructed schools to follow the law and post the Ten Commandments. In a letter to educators, Landry wrote that the court's decision "removes any obstacles to the implementation of Louisiana's Ten Commandments law" and that schools "should now proceed with placing the posters in classrooms." The law requires schools to accept donated Ten Commandments posters, which must have "large, easily readable font." Earlier this year, a conservative advocacy group, Louisiana Family Forum, sent posters to most of the state's parish school systems, The New Orleans Advocate/The Times-Picayune reported. There have not yet been widespread reports of schools hanging up the posters, with some school officials expressing worries about potential litigation. However, others say it is imminent. Among them is Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse, who said the university intends to comply with the law but, as of last week, has not received donated posters. Last year, a similar mandate in Texas took effect - marking the widest-reaching attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. With no shortage of strong opinions among teachers, parents, and students, the posters began going up in classrooms as school districts accepted donations or paid to have them printed. About two dozen of the state's roughly 1,200 school districts were barred from hanging the posters after federal judges issued injunctions in cases against the law. In January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over the Texas law and litigation is pending. Federal court ruling blocks mandate in Arkansas, Republicans vow to appeal Louisiana schools encouraged to hang up posters after most recent ruling Posters go up in Texas classrooms. Iran strikes U.S.-owned oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz FBI official ousted under Trump says Patel's Bureau has had "loss of expertise" Jury finds Utah mom Kouri Richins guilty of murdering husband An Atlanta couple is facing charges for breaking into a business to steal cash, cigarettes and hundreds of lottery tickets. Police say that back in January, they were caught on surveillance camera breaking in and grabbing $5,000 in cash, several packs of cigarettes and lottery tickets. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They must have won something off those tickets, because one of them was captured on camera at a different store that same day, cashing in some of those tickets. Advertisement Advertisement Martell Johnson, 28, and Gabrielle Murray, 31, were arrested last week during a traffic stop. Body camera video shows officers finding 315 lottery tickets in the car. Both Johnson and Murray were charged with burglary and theft by taking. A few days after their arrests, Murray was released on a $45,000 bond, but Johnson remains in jail. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jensen Huang took the stage at Nvidias (NVDA) GTC event in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, clad in his usual leather jacket, to provide the world with an update about what the worlds most valuable company has been cooking up over the last few months. Huang was as indefatigable as ever as he ran through his roughly two-and-a-half-hour keynote in front of some 30,000 attendees. But whats come to be known as the Super Bowl of AI featured a noticeable shift in Nvidias overall AI strategy a deeper focus on inferencing, or powering AI models, and agents. Nvidias chips are traditionally known for their general-purpose use. They can train and run AI models, power robots, and serve as the backbone of self-driving cars. And while Nvidias offerings are still the industry standard, upstart chip companies like Cerebras and Groq have begun designing and rolling out processors geared specifically toward running AI models, creating a potential threat to Nvidias formidable AI moat. Huang and company answered that at GTC with a slew of announcements meant to prove Nvidia is the inferencing leader to beat, including the debut of its Groq 3 chip and rack system. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang participates in a Q&A at the company's annual GTC developers conference in San Jose, California, on March 17, 2026. (JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images) JOSH EDELSON via Getty Images Nvidia didnt just go further with its inferencing capabilities, though. The company also showed off its addition to the much-hyped world of OpenClaw high-powered AI agents. OpenClaw, which debuted as Clawd in November 2025 before being renamed Moltbot and finally OpenClaw in January, has taken off thanks to its ability to run AI agents powered by different AI models on users machines via apps like WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, and others. Now, Nvidia is getting in on the buzz with its NemoClaw platform designed to improve the security and privacy of the agents. They are evolving in a big way, not only in inference, agentic, too, TECHnalysis Research founder and chief analyst Bob ODonnell told Yahoo Finance. The switch to OpenClaw, and now NemoClaw, to me, is even more indicative of this. It just shows how quickly they are reacting to the market. Nvidia moves further into inferencing Nvidias decision to include Groq 3 as one of the seven chip platforms that make up Vera Rubin is part of its effort to stay ahead of the broader industry. Nvidia signed a $20 billion deal with Groq in December, hiring founder Jonathan Ross, president Sunny Madra, and other members of the Groq team and giving Nvidia access to Groqs intellectual property. The results of the deal are Nvidias new Groq 3 language processing unit (LPU) and Groq 3 LPX server rack. Thats right, Nvidia now has graphics processing units (GPUs), LPUs, and central processing units (CPUs). Its a lot of units. What started as a minor lawsuit over access to a local Facebook group in a small New Jersey city has spiraled into a fight over a state law intended to discourage powerful interests from suppressing free speech. Now, a small-town dispute online has spilled into the courts, with the New Jersey ACLU on one side and one of New Jerseys most politically connected law firms on the other. The pair of original plaintiffs Rahway married couple Alan Levy and Lisa Vandever-Levy stand accused of malicious abuse of process for unsuccessfully attempting to disqualify the law firm, Rainone Coughlin Minchello, from representing three Facebook community group administrators who are political insiders in Rahway. Theyre suing us for being critics. Not defamation. Not harassment. For criticism, said Alan Levy, an attorney who, together with his wife, filed suit in September 2024 after they were kicked out of a 20,000-member Facebook group called Rahway Community Voice. Advertisement Advertisement In legal filings, attorneys from the firm argue their claim is based on Levy and Vandever-Levy abusing the legal process to achieve his political ends. Levy is a Republican whos currently planning to seek an at-large council seat in town, while Vandever-Levy is a progressive Democrat who in 2024 unsuccessfully sought a council seat. Plaintiffs are admitted critics of the City of Rahway, its Mayor, and the law firm of Rainone Coughlin Minchello, the defendants' counterclaim reads. Plaintiffs routinely post comments on social media sites criticizing the City, its Mayor, and this law firm. Now, the ACLU is intervening on the plaintiffs' behalf. The law firm representing the defendants was co-founded by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, New Jerseys third-most powerful elected official, and earns millions each year representing local governments, including Rahways. The public should care because its designed to stifle and squelch and chill political speech and criticism, Levy said. Advertisement Advertisement The ACLUs involvement is an early attempt to set the precedent for enforcement of the states Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, which former Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2023 as a way to ensure the powerful cant use lawsuits and litigation threats to punish and silence those who might speak unfavorably about them. (Coughlin, who has no personal involvement in the Levy case, voted in favor of the law along with every other assemblymember present.) The law is New Jersey's version of an anti-SLAPP statute, an abbreviation for "strategic lawsuit against public participation." New Jerseys long-fought for Anti-SLAPP law was enacted in 2023 to provide procedural protections to New Jerseyans whose constitutional free expression rights have been targeted in the courts because of their public participation, ACLU Legal Director Jeanne LoCicero said in a statement. For more than a year, the ACLU of New Jersey has been filing friend-of-the-court briefs in appeals including in Levy v. OReilly to ensure that trial courts apply the law broadly as the legislature intended. Levy is a regular presence at council meetings, where he animatedly criticizes local officials over what he sees as restrictions on speech, even using profanity to illustrate his point at a meeting earlier this month. David Minchello, a named partner at the law firm, sits next to Council President Jeffrey Brooks at the dais and is often a target of Levys criticism, along with his law firm. Advertisement Advertisement Weve seen in the past year where certain cities, like the City of Edison, humiliated itself on national TV for kicking out a guy for holding up an American flag because they wanted to ban props. And then we had the City of Plainfield that recently embarrassed itself by trying to ban singing, pantomiming and non-verbal speech, Levy said at a March 2 council meeting. The fact that the same law firm that represents the City of Rahway happens to represent the City of Edison and the City of Plainfield that are making directed efforts to silence peoples speech is humiliating, its embarrassing, and it should shock all of you. Rainone Coughlin Minchello was founded in January 2017, just months before Coughlin secured the votes to become speaker in 2018. The firms client base and revenue from public bodies quickly grew, to $8.1 million in 2024 from $1.8 million in 2017 , according to disclosures filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission. That year, it reported $650,000 in legal work for Rahway and its redevelopment agency, according to documents the firm filed last year with ELEC, and $15,600 in donations to the Rahway Democratic Organization. The Levy lawsuit dates to the fall of 2024, when the couple was banned from the Facebook group for allegedly violating its rules by making posts that constituted political promotions or bashing. Levy and Vandever-Levy claim the Facebook page, though privately run, is effectively a town square in which free speech rights have to be respected. The Facebook group administrators they initially filed suit against have political connections in town. Advertisement Advertisement Thomas OReilly, the first named defendant, is a Rahway library trustee who in 2024 chaired the campaign committee for the citys Democratic councilmembers, according to public campaign documents. Bill Tomkiewicz is a member of its Zoning Board of Adjustment. And Joanna Papadakis is a former school board member. In one instance, according to the initial suit, Vandever-Levy, then running in the Democratic primary for council, saw her account suspended until after the primary election, when she compared the newly mandated office block ballot structure to the just-invalidated county line ballots that New Jersey Democrats and Republicans had relied on for decades to help cement their power. By contrast, the lawsuit provides examples of OReilly praising the citys mayor and councilmembers, including one post he tagged with #RayhwayDemocrats2024 #VoteColumnA #RahwayDems. Levy said all he wanted was for him and his wife to be restored to the Facebook page. They were in talks with Tomkiewicz and Papadakis, according to Levy, both of whom he said had verbally agreed to let them back in. But then Rainone Coughlin Michello, which OReilly had initially hired, began representing them, those talks ended. Levy and Vandever-Levy then attempted to disqualify Rainone Coughlin Minchello from representing the administrators, citing alleged conflicts of interest surrounding its work in Rahway government. Judge Robert Mega denied the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Thats when a minor court fight transformed into something much more serious. The three defendants in July filed a cross-claim against the couple, alleging they had committed malicious abuse of process by using the litigation to intimidate, harass, and abuse the Defendants and Defendants counsel, arguing that Levy and Vandever-Levy had personal vendettas against the citys leadership and the law firm, using their Facebook posts criticizing officials and the firm as examples. Levy and Vandever-Levy sought to dismiss those claims based on the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, claiming the plaintiffs tried to hamper their free speech rights through a strategic lawsuit against public participation. But Mega let the complaint stand. The Court does not have to decide on the ultimate merits of the proposed counterclaim, but rather if the proposed complaint states a cause of action, not if the party will eventually succeed on the merits, he wrote. The Court is satisfied that the proposed counterclaim sufficiently states a cause of action. It is apparent to this Court through the various motions an corresponds submitted by both parties that there is some animosity between counsel for both parties. Levy and Vandever-Levy appealed to a higher court. Thats when the New Jersey ACLU stepped in, filing an amicus brief on their behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiffs had a right to set forth their theories of conflict, regardless of the ultimate impact of that filing; in other words, even if it could ultimately deprive Defendants of their chosen counsel, such a motion is not an abuse of process, especially when it is based on protected speech, attorney Bruce Rosen wrote in the ACLUs brief. Minchello and Brian Trelease, the firm's attorney who's on the case, declined to comment. The defendants attempted to prevent the ACLU from entering the case with an amicus brief, writing that New Jersey courts and beyond have made clear that litigation activity which is undertaken for a collateral or ulterior purpose constitutes the malicious abuse of process. But according to the ACLU, the appellate granted allowed it to enter the case and to participate in oral argument. ROME (AP) Five southern European nations are seeking an urgent solution for an unmanned Russian tanker drifting in the Mediterranean, warning the European Commission that it poses a major environmental threat, according to a letter confirmed by Spains government on Wednesday. The Arctic Metagaz is part of Russias so-called shadow fleet transporting sanctioned fossil fuels. The tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas, was badly damaged in a suspected sea drone attack near Maltese waters earlier this month. In early March, Russia blamed an attack by Ukrainian sea drones for hitting one of its tankers carrying liquefied natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya. Advertisement Advertisement In a joint letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the leaders of Italy, Spain, Malta, Greece and Cyprus warned that the vessel poses an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster, and requested to activate the blocs civil protection mechanism. In addition to the Spanish government, three EU government officials confirmed the contents of the letter. The three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The five leaders urged a coordinated EU-level response to mobilize resources quickly, citing the tankers damaged condition and hazardous cargo as key concerns. The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialized cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the unions maritime space, they wrote in the letter. Advertisement Advertisement All crew members survived but the damaged tanker, which was carrying LNG and other fuels, is now drifting without crew and a payload of explosive fuel. In their letter, the five leaders highlighted broader risks posed by vessels operating outside international standards, warning of threats to maritime safety and the environment across the Mediterranean. The leaders said they intend to raise these issues at this weeks European Council meeting, expressing willingness to cooperate with the commission to ensure a swift, European-led resolution. Earlier this week the tanker was adrift between Malta and the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, while it is now moving closer to Libya, Maltese media reported on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Italys undersecretary to the premier's office Alfredo Mantovano told an Italian radio program on Monday that Malta had imposed a ban on approaching within 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the tanker, because the vessel could explode at any moment. ___ Elena Becatoros in Athens and Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus contributed to this report. The average price for a gallon of gas in Florida is nearing the $4 mark. The last time the state saw gas prices this high was all the way back in July of 2022. Now, Floridas Democratic lawmakers are calling for state leaders to the same thing they did last time: Suspend the states gas tax. Floridians are feeling the pinch at the pump, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to drive up the price of gas. Advertisement Advertisement The average price for a gallon of gas in Florida is nearing the $4 mark. The last time the state saw gas prices this high was all the way back in July of 2022. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Hurting pretty good, Duval driver Lauri Philip said. But some said theyre willing to wait out the pain. They were a lot higher three or four years ago, another driver, Dave Wilson, said. When gas prices skyrocketed in 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis called for a five-month suspension of the states gas tax. In the end, the Florida Legislature approved a one-month gas tax holiday, which cut the price of a gallon of gas by about 25 cents that October. Advertisement Advertisement Now, with gas prices climbing again, House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) and other Florida Democrats are calling on their Republican colleagues to run back the playbook. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Since the War in Iran gas prices in Florida have increased by at least around a dollar a gallon and so people could really use some relief right now, Driskell said. The one-month holiday in 2022 cost the State of Florida roughly $200 million. But Driskell argued the state could easily afford the cost, pointing to the states healthy reserves. The Governors always bragging about our rainy-day fund. I would say to the Governor, sir, its raining for Floridians right now, Driskell said. Advertisement Advertisement Even with session technically over, the legislature still has an opportunity to act. Thats because state lawmakers still have to pass an annual budget, and along with the budget theres the annual tax package. Back when the gas tax was suspended in 2022, lawmakers used the tax package as the vehicle to make it happen. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Floridians we spoke to at the pump said theyd appreciate any relief they can get. Cause it would mean we save some money in our pockets, Philip said. Even those who arent panicking over prices at this point. Sure, every bit helps, but Im not that concerned with it, Wilson said. Advertisement Advertisement Action News Jax reached out to the Governor, House Speaker and Senate President asking if theyd support including another gas tax holiday in this years tax bill. The Senate President declined to comment and we did not hear back from the Governor or House Speaker. 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. The big story: The Florida Department of Education has a new email hotline for public school students and staff who believe their religious rights have been violated. Asserting the departments commitment to constitutional protections for voluntary prayer and religious expression, as outlined in recent federal guidance, education commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas on Tuesday unveiled FLFaith@fldoe.org as a place to submit complaints. In a letter addressed to parents, Kamoutsas said department officials would investigate each email received, reporting every complaint and any legal charges to the federal government. He offered examples of what should be expected from the schools, such as treating religious speech the same as secular speech. Advertisement Advertisement An essay with religious content should be graded with the same grading standards as a secular essay, he wrote. Religious student organizations should be treated the same as secular student organizations. The federal rules are not new. But the latest set of guidelines are intended to replace those promulgated by the Biden Administration. They state that while individuals may pray in school, they may not do so on behalf of the school and they may not coerce or require others to participate. Also, schools may regulate student speech that disrupts course work or invades the rights of others. The latest directive comes weeks after Kamoutsas warned educators against indoctrinating students with anti-law enforcement messages, and threatened to take action against anyone who encourages student protests and walkouts. Advertisement Advertisement Students have a right to express their political views, he said, as long as they follow state law and school district policy. In related news ... Two national groups have called on the Duval County school board to stop opening its meetings with prayer, Jacksonville Today reports. A federal judge struck down an Arkansas law requiring the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms, Associated Press reports. Hot topics Session postmortem: Florida lawmakers had a light load when it came to education legislation this year. Take a look at three bills that passed, and four that didnt. Now attention turns to how they handle the budget. Some Arizona politicians have their eyes on Floridas debate over accountability measures for school vouchers, KNPX reports. Excess property: The Wakulla County school district is offering to transfer its former Education Center to the county government, WCTV reports. Advertisement Advertisement Campus threats: At least five Volusia County juveniles were arrested in one week on accusations of making threats of violence against schools. What happens to them next? WKMG explains. Budget cuts: Miami-Dade County school district officials are looking to stabilize their reserve accounts as enrollment shrinks, WLRN reports. The Leon County school board is poised to slash nearly $7 million in spending as it confronts a growing revenue shortfall, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Artificial intelligence: Miami Dade College debuted its AI Innovation Hub to train students in emerging technology and applied artificial intelligence, Refresh Miami reports. From the court docket ... An Alachua County teacher continues to fight the education commissioners effort to have her disciplined amid accusations that she targeted a conservative student, WCJB reports. Hot takes Florida cannot afford vouchers that are unaccountable and have no income limits. Legislators, as you consider our budgets that are facing deficits, do the right thing. Implement the recommendations of the Auditor General and of SB 318. If not, we have to ask, why not? Laura Hine, Pinellas County school board member, in Florida Politics Advertisement Advertisement Floridas social studies standards are exactly what civics education ought to be and precisely what Thomas Jefferson had in mind when he envisioned an American public education system that would not only create an informed citizenry, but also a virtuous people who would uphold the American republic for generations. Chris Talgo, The Heartland Institute editorial director, in The Hill Quick quiz As Florida and other states require professors to publicly post their syllabi, free speech advocates predict a chilling effect. How has it played out at the University of North Florida? a) A professor changed his syllabus after being asked to remove the words diversity, equity, inclusion and culture b) A professor was fired after refusing to revise her syllabus or course content Advertisement Advertisement c) A professor was disciplined after reframing his course description without shifting course materials or objectives Find the answer in this story from Higher Ed Dive. Dont miss a story. Heres a link to yesterdays roundup. Jeffrey S. Solochek is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here. Michael Lee King ( Florida Department of Corrections) A Florida man has been executed for the brutal murder of a young mother who made a desperate 911 call from her attacker's mobile phone while tied up in his car. Michael Lee King, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. on Tuesday evening following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He had been convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery, and kidnapping in the 2008 killing of Denise Amber Lee, who was 21. The curtain to the death chamber was raised at 6 p.m., the scheduled execution time. King delivered a nearly inaudible final statement, the text of which was later released by Governor Ron DeSantis's office. "Since finding Jesus in prison, I have tried to live as His disciple obeying the Two Great Commandments: To love God with all my heart, my mind and all my being, and to love my neighbor to include everyone my family, Denise Lee's family, everyone in the gallery," he said, also mentioning Catholic volunteers and "those on the team to end my life." Notably, King offered no apology or plea for forgiveness. A clergy member stood at the foot of the gurney beside him. Advertisement Advertisement All movement ceased within minutes. The warden attempted to rouse him, calling his name, but received no response. A medic subsequently confirmed his death. Court records detail the horrific circumstances of the crime. On 17 January 2008, Ms Lee was outside her North Port home with her two young sons a toddler and an infant when King drove past. He later abducted her, leaving the children alone at the property. King took Lee to his home where he bound and raped her, investigators said. Later that day, King drove to his cousin's house to borrow a flashlight, shovel and gas can, according to prosecutors. While Lee was bound in King's car, she managed to get his cellphone and called 911. She can be heard on a recording of the call begging for her life so that she could see her husband and children again. King eventually drove Lee to a remote area of North Port, a southwest Florida community, where he shot her in the face and buried her, authorities said. A state trooper pulled King over a short time later because his 1994 green Chevrolet Camaro matched the description give by another 911 caller. A woman had heard screams coming from the vehicle while stopped at a traffic light and had called police to report a possible child abduction. Michael Lee King (Florida Department of Corrections) Investigators later recovered Lee's hair and belongings from King's home and vehicle, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Months later, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed the Denise Amber Lee Act, which provides better training for 911 operators. The Denise Amber Lee Foundation, created by her husband Nathan Lee, continues to promote training and raise public awareness nationwide. The foundation said that besides Lee's 911 call, at least four other 911 calls were made by others that day, including from her husband and people who saw parts of the crime unfolding but that communication failures and other issues prevented help from being sent. Nathan Lee, as well as the victim's father and one of Lee's two sons were among relatives who witnessed the execution. All wore shirts in pink, her favorite color. Afterward, the husband said he was relieved to close out this chapter and continue to focus on improvements to the nation's 911 system. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm just super blessed that I got to know Denise, let alone marry her and have two amazing kids with her," he said. The entrance to Florida State Prison in Starke, Fla. is shown Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 (AP) Richard Goff, the woman's father, pointed out that King didn't even apologize. "If you can't say something from your heart, don't say it," Goff said. He added his daughter was a hero after purposely hiding hair and other DNA in King's car and making sure to leave fingerprints for investigators to find. Noah Lee was 2 years old when his mother was killed and said he still feels her loss. "I unfortunately didn't get the opportunity to know her and be raised by her," the young man said. Advertisement Advertisement King's execution was the fourth this year in Florida and the seventh overall in the U.S. in 2026, including two executions in Texas and one in Oklahoma. Two more Florida executions are scheduled this year on March 31 and April 21. A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025, including a record 19 executions last year in Florida. All Florida executions are carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected King's final appeals without comment Monday. Across Florida universities, some sociology professors are quietly choosing not to alter their courses in response to new state guidelines restricting how topics like race, gender and sexuality can be discussed. Rather than rewriting syllabi or removing foundational material, as the new demands would call for, they say they are continuing to teach their classes as designed. The professors view the preservation of their curricula not as an act of defiance, but as a professional responsibility to provide students with a full and rigorous education. In late January, Floridas department of education introduced what many professors are calling a censored sociology textbook for use in the states public colleges and universities, along with a list of proposed guidelines at state schools, restricting various discussions related to systemic discrimination, gender and sexual identity, race-conscious remedies, and the structural causes of inequality. Faculty members say this move reflects a broader effort to narrow academic freedom in higher education and follows several years of legislation aimed at reshaping public university curricula under the banner of combating woke ideology. This is part of a coordinated assault on civil rights in the state, in the country, including censoring the nations history, said Zachary Levenson, an associate professor of sociology at Florida International University. The warning is clear to professors: shut up or lose your job. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Only Nazis ban books: on the frontlines with students fighting Trump over higher education What the new Florida guidelines prohibit Professors say the new proposed guidelines, introduced alongside the textbook, are intentionally broad, discouraging instruction that could be interpreted as promoting certain perspectives on privilege, oppression or structural discrimination. Its left at a level of vagueness where its unclear what exactly might get faculty in hot water, said Levenson, who is a United Faculty of Florida union member. There is no stated sanction. We have repeatedly requested this language and they refuse to provide it, he added. FIU did not respond to a request for comment. Levenson pointed to a list of prohibited topics outlined in the proposed guidelines document, which bars course content that frames systemic or institutional discrimination as a driving cause of present-day inequality, suggests that bias is inherent among Americans or describes institutions as intentionally oppressive. The guidelines also restrict discussions that argue that most gender differences are socially constructed, that propose race-conscious remedies to address historical discrimination or that assert a causal relationship between institutional sexism and unequal outcomes. Even course material explaining how individuals understand or determine their sexual orientation or gender identity falls within the scope of what instructors are instructed to avoid. For sociologists, whose field often analyzes structural inequality through those very lenses, the language is unsettling. What I find most concerning is that were in this phase now where instead of telling us what not to teach, theyre telling us what to teach, Levenson said. That feels especially terrifying and authoritarian. Floridas department of education did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Levenson, who has studied historical sociology, said the pattern wasnt unprecedented. Even where the language does not explicitly forbid a topic, its ambiguity encourages self-censorship, Levenson said. I think the purpose of it is to remain at this very ambiguous level so that the chill effect can be really effective, said an associate professor at Florida International University who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. Theres no discussion, theres no email trail. And so this is how authoritarianism works: everyone starts complying and stepping into their intended agenda. Similar efforts to restrict how universities teach race, gender and inequality have emerged in legislatures across the country. This isnt just about Florida, and it isnt just about sociology. Theres a much broader attack happening nationally on academic freedom and freedom of speech in universities and elsewhere, warned Ruth Milkman, a sociology professor at the City University of New York and former president of the American Sociological Association. I think all of us in academia have an obligation to speak out and protest when our rights are being trampled on. And thats whats happening here. Levenson pointed to Chile under Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s and 80s as one example of where a government didnt always begin by dismantling entire disciplines outright. Instead, it started by banning certain textbooks, then gradually replaced them with state-approved versions and required their use. The stakes for the discipline Sociology emerged in the 19th century as a discipline devoted to studying the structures that shape social life, from labor markets to family systems, and education to criminal justice. To remove sustained examination of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation from that framework, scholars argue, is to hollow out the field. Advertisement Advertisement Some faculty members worry about the long-term impact on students, especially those whose identities are directly implicated by the bans. Restrictions on discussing structural inequality, they say, risk sending a message that certain histories and lived experiences of their students are unimportant. Theyre being told, not only that they dont matter, but that narrating their own experiences is a threat, Levenson said. The legislative push to reshape sociology and other disciplines has been championed in part by Ron DeSantis, Floridas governor, who is aligned with the national conservative movement a loose coalition of thinkers and policymakers who argue that universities have become ideologically captured by progressive values. These are people who are committed to a kind of white replacement theory. They think that their own interests are threatened by the advancement of civil rights for people of color and women and immigrants, Milkman said. In this zero-sum view, she argued, expanding education about systemic inequality and the historical exploitation of marginalized groups is seen not as progress, but as a threat. Advertisement Advertisement National conservatives often frame their critiques as efforts to restore intellectual balance or prevent political indoctrination. Sociology, with its focus on systemic inequality, becomes a flashpoint in that debate. But faculty members say the framing mischaracterizes the discipline. These classes arent meant to make white people feel guilty. Its to give marginalized people words to understand violence and pain and to help them work through it, the FIU professor said. It is so critical that not just people of color, but white students also, have words to understand the world that we now inherit. Organizing and risk Faculty resistance has taken multiple forms. Some advocates, such as former FIU professor Marvin Dunn, who teaches Black history outdoors, have organized learning opportunities and events for students, separate from universities. Others have coordinated with colleagues across Florida campuses to draft public statements or seek legal analysis. Part of the work weve been doing is building networks across all the campuses so we can exchange information, Levenson said. We have to know whats happening across the state so we can all protect ourselves. Because the unions collective bargaining agreement guarantees academic freedom, professors like Levenson have the right to take legal action if they are disciplined for refusing to follow the Florida board of governors rules on teaching, but the process can be long and exhausting. The United Faculty of Florida, the statewide union representing many public university professors, has also been vocal about legal protections. Were reminding people that they cant discipline you based on word of mouth. If theyre threatening to suspend or investigate someone, or issue a letter of caution, it has to be based on something, said Robert Cassanello, president of United Faculty of Florida and an associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida. Were telling everyone to demand written directives, which would give us grounds for legal challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Yet union protections themselves are under pressure. Recent legislative proposals could weaken collective bargaining rights for public-sector faculty including senate bill 1296, introduced by Republican lawmakers during the 2026 legislative session a prospect that has intensified anxiety. The bill is now headed to the senate for a vote. Without union protection, the stakes for speaking out will reach a new level, said Anne Barrett, a sociology professor at Florida State University. Collective bargaining agreements provide enforceable protections, including provisions related to academic freedom. Faculty at all ranks will be more exposed to political and administrative pressure. FSU did not respond to a request for comment. In that kind of environment, self-censorship can become a rational response, inevitably diminishing the integrity of the curriculum. Tenured professors may feel somewhat insulated, though tenure in Florida is not a means of absolute protection. In 2023, the state mandated post-tenure review for university faculty, undermining one of the traditional safeguards of academic freedom. Tenure no longer provides the level of protection from political pressure that it historically did, Barrett said. Under this new policy, tenured professors must undergo periodic performance evaluations, typically every five years. The reviews are conducted by departments and university administrators, placing greater authority in the hands of boards of trustees who are appointed by state political leaders. For adjunct and non-tenure-track faculty, who are often employed on a semester-to-semester basis, dont receive benefits, and in some cases are working multiple jobs to make ends meet, even minor scrutiny can have serious consequences, including the loss of a contract renewal. Advertisement Advertisement Theres also a risk of being shamed in public, being dragged, said the FIU professor, mentioning an incident where a sociology professor was attacked on X. In this climate, choosing to resist could be very dangerous, especially if youre part of a marginalized group. The censorship is also affecting who wants to work in Florida. These attacks on academic freedom are leading to a growing number of professors leaving Florida schools and making it hard to recruit some of the best talent, said Cassanello, who has been a union member for nearly 20 years. The people who are leaving are the people that the lawmakers in the state of Florida want to remain in Florida. They dont realize the damage theyre doing to higher public higher education. University of Central Florida did not respond to a request for comment. For now, several sociology classrooms in Florida continue under heightened scrutiny, even as some professors say they refuse to restrict or alter what they teach. What remains uncertain is whether the discipline can retain its critical core under mounting political scrutiny as Barrett put it: It is difficult to fully grasp how profoundly our workplaces could change if those protections disappear. State officials will soon have the power to label terrorist groups, placing an enormous amount of power in the hands of a few politicians. That should give Floridians pause regardless of political party. Last week, the Legislature passed HB 1471, which allows the state to designate groups as a domestic or foreign terrorist organizations. Once designated, individuals associated with that group could face serious legal consequences. Students, for example, could face expulsion from public universities. Critics see the potential for abuse. This bill could easily be turned into a political weapon against perceived enemies, and it puts free speech directly in its crosshairs. Gov. Ron DeSantis will certainly sign the legislation given his office helped write it, the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau reported. Advertisement Advertisement Supporters say the bill creates a formal process for identifying terrorist organizations and combating extremism. But thats a power that should be left to the federal government. The question isnt whether terrorism should be addressed. Its who gets to decide what qualifies as such and whether guardrails exist to prevent abuse of power. Traditionally the U.S. State Department has the authority to designate terrorist organizations. Republican state Sen. Erin Grall, the Senate sponsor of the bill, told the Miami Herald, These are very significant decisions. But they deserve not to be the topic... of a press conference or a press release, but of a process, a deliberative process of consideration of evidence. That process, however, offers less protection than Grall suggests. Under the bill, a group can be designated a terrorist organization even if no crime has been committed and no one in the group has been convicted of wrongdoing. The head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement a position appointed by the governor would make a recommendation, which would then go to the governor and the cabinet for a vote. The Florida Cabinet is chaired by the governor and has three other elected officials: the attorney general, the chief financial officer and the commissioner of agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Groups could challenge the designation in court, but that would take time and money and may only happen when the group becomes aware of the designation. By then, the damage may be done organizations dismantled, careers upended, students expelled. Thats not due process. The concern isnt hypothetical. A federal judge recently blocked an attempt by DeSantis to do exactly what the bill now legalizes. DeSantis issued an executive order labeling the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker struck down the governors executive order earlier this month, writing, The First Amendment bars the Governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an executive office to make a political statement at the expense of others constitutional rights. Walkers ruling shouldve been the end of it. Instead, the Legislature has now handed the governor a statutory framework to try again. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Constitution protects Americans right to assemble and speak freely protections that exist to prevent the government from punishing political speech. In a statement, Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said, If dissent can be labeled terrorism, democracy cannot survive. The Constitution places a heavy presumption against systems that allow government officials to silence expression. Our democracy depends on the freedom to criticize those in power, to organize around shared values, and to advocate for change without fear that the government will label those efforts a security threat. Jacksons warning should be taken seriously. Terrorism is a genuine threat and deserves a serious response including independent review and checks on executive power. That oversight has traditionally and appropriately belonged to the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement HB 1471 risks becoming a political weapon masquerading as a public safety measure. The Legislature should have thought twice before opening Pandoras box on executive authority. DeSantis would be wise to remember that one day he wont be governor and the same power could rest in the hands of a different party with different political priorities. The governor and cabinet should focus on governing, not deciding who is a terrorist. Granting that authority pushes Florida into dangerous and uncharted territory where political power could end up at odds with the First Amendment. This article has been updated because an earlier version contained an inaccuracy. NEW BEDFORD Former Police Chief Paul Oliveira has withdrawn an application with POST to relinquish certification but will pursue a private investigator's license. He has not withdrawn an application to become a licensed private investigator, as was incorrectly stated in an earlier version of this story. The request was to have been heard by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission during its March 19 meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Oliveira stated on his application that he was in the process of applying for a private investigators license. Former Police Chief Paul Oliveira has withdrawn an application with POST to relinquish certification but will pursue a private investigator's license. The application was presented to the board at its Feb. 19 meeting but tabled so that POST staff could review new information and present a supplemental memorandum. POST attorney Heather Hall said during the Feb. 19 meeting that they had learned of an additional matter that Oliveira had not provided. Applicants are asked, Have you been involved in any civil or administrative agency actions related to alleged conduct involving: unlawful bias; civil rights violations; violence, abuse, or excessive force; prejudice to justice; injury or death. Advertisement Advertisement Oliveira answered negatively to all in his first application. POST learned of unlisted lawsuit Hall said they had learned of a lawsuit that had not been listed, and asked Oliveira to supplement his application. Oliveira provided a supplemental application stating he had been involved in a lawsuit involving alleged civil rights and violence, abuse, or excessive force. He wrote, I, as Chief, along with other members of the New Bedford Police Department and the City of New Bedford were named in a civil lawsuit, Robinson V. City of New Bedford et al., No 1:22-CV-10942 -RGS - in US District Court of Massachusetts. I spoke with City Solicitor Eric [Jaikes] on February 2, 2026, and learned that matter had been resolved on April 22, 2024, for $17,500. It was formally dismissed in May of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement However, Hall said a second lawsuit involving Oliveira had been brought to their attention during a public comment period prior to the February commission meeting. She said, For these reasons were asking the commission to table this review of Mr. Oliveiras application until the commissions next meeting as staff will need additional time to review this new information and present a supplemental memorandum. And I will also just say we really appreciate the public comment with respect to these applications, and we appreciate when people are engaged in the process. States on POST website that Oliveira has withdrawn Its now stated on the POST website that Oliveira has withdrawn his application. A relinquishment of POST certification does not constitute a revocation of license, also known as decertification. Advertisement Advertisement Oliveira retired last February after 32 years with the New Bedford Police Department. He had served as chief since 2021. Record came under attack in Boston Globe series Oliveiras record with the NBPD came under attack in a multi-part Boston Globe series, Snitch City, which began last March. It was denounced by the department and Mayor Jon Mitchell for relying on questionable sources. Oliveira had never been charged with a crime or disciplined by the department, its noted in the series. However, it alleged that New Bedford police had abused the confidential informant system in every way imaginable and was rarely disciplined during his time as deputy chief and chief. The department released a statement in a response to the series, which said in part: Its important to note that much of the Boston Globesreporting is based on interviews with questionable or unnamed sources, terminated employees, and convicted criminals. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford's former chief drops POST request, will pursue PI license KANSAS CITY, Kan. A former detective with the Bonner Springs Police Department (BSPD) is facing charges following a misconduct investigation. Agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) executed an arrest warrant on Wednesday for 39-year-old Kyle P. Rector, near Parallel Parkway and Village West Parkway. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree held a news conference on Wednesday, announcing formal charges against Rector, including five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, five counts of breach of privacy, five counts of official misconduct, two counts of unlawful acts concerning computers and one count of stalking. Advertisement Advertisement The majority of these charges occurred while he was employed as a detective with the Bonner Springs Police Department, Dupree said. He was placed on administrative leave January 26, 2026. The BSPD requested for the KBI to investigate Rector after he was suspected of using department resources to monitor and stalk his spouse while on duty. The KBI says during the investigation, child sexual abuse material was also discovered. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV He was booked into the Wyandotte County Detention Center and has since been released on a $150,000 bond, according to jail records. Advertisement Advertisement The penalty range is life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment not being less than 25 years, Dupree said. Likewise, he can be fined up to $500,000. The investigation is ongoing. This is a developing story. FOX4 will continue to keep you updated as additional information becomes available. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. A young girl was found dead at a psychiatric facility in Anson County and now local police, and the state are trying to uncover what happened. This comes less than two months after three girls escaped from the Cornerstone Treatment Facility in Wadesboro. Now, some in the community have told Channel 9s Gina Esposito the facility must close. READ MORE: Joint investigation underway after teens death in Wadesboro Advertisement Advertisement A former employee told Esposito that her job was to keep the girls at the facility safe but claims she wasnt fully trained to handle their mental health challenges. Esposito was told the facility is doing more harm than good. It is, its heartbreaking, said Miriam Meme Liles, community advocate, mental health worker. Its like anguish there because it involves a child. Liles wants answers after the childs body was discovered. I dont believe anybody placed people in these facilities with the expectation of hearing that their child or their adult is dead within the facility, Liles said. In January, Cornerstone said three girls hatched an elaborate plan to escape. A man is facing kidnapping charges after police found the girls in other counties. Advertisement Advertisement The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services investigated the incident and released a report in February. Multiple clients had a history of elopement and there were no goals and strategies to address it, the report said. This deficiency constitutes a Type A1 rule violation for serious neglect and must be corrected within 23 days. A former employee, who didnt want to be identified, told Esposito that overnight staff are supposed to check on residents every 15 minutes. Work wasnt done as it was supposed to be done, the former employee said. She told Esposito that it didnt happen, and notes were fabricated when she was there. Advertisement Advertisement The former employee said she quit after witnessing one of the girls showing suicidal behavior. I dont think that I was trained ... like I was supposed to, to be able to handle the situation, which was my breaking point, she said. She believes Sundays death couldve been prevented. I think they just failed her, the former employee said. The woman said she wants to see the facility close. I just feel like its just not equipped, she said. The people are not trained, and I just wish that they could just get help from somewhere that is better suited for their condition. The district attorney told Esposito she is looking into what may have led up to a child losing their life. Advertisement Advertisement She said its possible charges could be filed if there was evidence of negligence at the facility. Cornerstone sent the following statement on Thursday: We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a youth at one of our treatment facilities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young persons family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Emergency services responded immediately and the appropriate authorities were notified. We are fully cooperating with all agencies involved as they review the circumstances surrounding this incident. Because this involves a minor and confidential healthcare services, we are unable to provide additional details at this time. Our immediate focus is supporting the youth in our care and the staff members who were affected by this tragic event. As for the previous elopement issue, we have submitted a plan of correction to NCDHSR and have implemented the plan. VIDEO: Wadesboros interim police chief says priority is to hire more officers A former Hillsdale County man accused of sexually abusing two minors in 2025 has been charged, officials said. Kevin Murphy, 58, was arraigned on Monday in 2B District Court in Hillsdale, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office said. The Kentucky resident is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to court records. A magistrate set the defendant's bond at $200,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 25. Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, he faces up to 15 years for each criminal sexual conduct count. Court records did not list an attorney for Murphy on Wednesday. Officials said the Hillsdale County Prosecutors Office initially charged Murphy in October 2025. The defendant was extradited last week from Kentucky to Michigan under Operation Survivor Justice, Nessel's office said. The program is a partnership between Nessel's office and the Marshals Service to find and arrest Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants. It was launched in 2024, and Michigan contributed $1 million in funding. "I continue to be grateful for the success of Operation Survivor Justice to extradite fugitives accused of heinous sexual assaults back to Michigan," the Michigan Attorney General said in a statement. "We will continue to work to apprehend and prosecute offenders to pursue justice for survivors." Advertisement Advertisement Murphy is the latest defendant to be returned to Michigan under Operation Survivor Justice. Last week, the attorney general's office said a Dallas man accused of sexually abusing a child in Oceana County in the 2000s was extradited to Michigan. Earlier this month, a Florida man convicted of sexually assaulting a relative years ago in Michigan was sentenced to 19 to 30 years in prison. Last month, a Tennessee man was charged with criminal sexual conduct after being extradited to Michigan. He is accused of sexually assaulting three victims under the age of 13 while he lived in Osceola County. cramirez@detroitnews.com @CharlesERamirez This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Former Hillsdale Co. man charged in sex abuse of minors Attorneys for New York City are withdrawing from former Mayor Eric Adams' sexual harassment lawsuit. In a court filing, the city's corporation counsel says Adams was not acting in the scope of his city job when the victim claims she was sexually assaulted in 1993. It says this means he doesn't qualify for representation from its attorneys. This comes after the city corporation counsel pulled representation from former mayoral aide Timothy Pearson and former NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey. Advertisement Advertisement Adams has denied the allegations. His spokesperson says he remains confident that the facts will ultimately prevail. "We do not comment on ongoing litigation. What we can say is that throughout his time in office, MayorAdamsconducted himself with professionalism and a deep commitment to the people of New York City," said Adams' spokesperson Todd Shapiro. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Download our connected TV app 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. By John Irish PARIS, March 18 (Reuters) - It is unreasonable to expect the Lebanese government to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah while the country is being bombed by Israel, France's special envoy for Lebanon said on Wednesday. Jean-Yves Le Drian said only negotiations would resolve the crisis, in which Lebanese authorities say over 900 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Hezbollah entered the regional war in support of Tehran. Advertisement Advertisement "Israel occupied Lebanon for a very long time and failed to eradicate Hezbollah's military capacity. Therefore, they cannot now ask the Lebanese government to do that job in three days under bombardment," he told France Info radio. Israel has rebuffed an offer of direct talks from Beirut as too little, too late by a government that shares its goal of wanting Hezbollah disarmed but fears that acting against it could risk civil war, sources familiar with the situation said. President Joseph Aoun has expressed a willingness to begin direct negotiations with Israel, which has carried out airstrikes in Lebanon since Hezbollah fired on Israel on March 2. Hezbollah has rejected the move and fought on. FRANCE SEEKS MEDIATING ROLE Advertisement Advertisement France has historical ties with Lebanon and, with the United States, has sought to mediate in the conflict. "There is a process of negotiation and discussion that is possible, but all the parties must want it," Le Drian said. France last week presented counter-proposals to U.S. ideas to bring an end to the conflict, two diplomats said. Three diplomats said the U.S. had been lukewarm to the proposals, but discussions with Washington were continuing. Israel has rejected the proposals, they said. According to an informal document seen by Reuters, France's position centres around a three-month period to end hostilities and move towards a comprehensive and permanent non-aggression pact between Lebanon and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement It includes demarcation of the land border and deployment of troops from a coalition of volunteers mandated by the U.N. Security Council to verify disarmament in the rest of Lebanon. It also sets out proposals ranging from an Israeli withdrawal from various points in Lebanon to reconstruction efforts and commitments to reform Lebanon's economy. "Lebanon and Israel would declare that the state of war between them has come to an end and commit to refraining from any use of force against one another," the document says. "Both sides would undertake to establish peaceful security arrangements along the border and to address disputes exclusively through diplomatic channels and agreed mechanisms." Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon's inability to rein in Hezbollah following a 2024 ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. and France to end an earlier conflict has raised questions about Beirut's credibility at negotiations. France foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, is expected to visit Lebanon soon, diplomatic sources said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Sunday Israel's government was not planning direct talks with Lebanon in coming days. (Additional reporting by Maya Gebeily in Beirut, Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Timothy Heritage) Fresno City councilmembers plan to introduce a motion to restore former street names along Cesar Chavez Boulevard after renewed controversy. The move comes after recent reports have raised serious allegations about Chavez, accusing the late labor leader and civil rights activist of sexually abusing women, including minors, and fellow leader Dolores Huerta, who came forward to say the repeated sexual assaults led to pregnancies and multiple children. Fresno councilmembers Annalisa Perea, Mike Karbassi, Nelson Esparza and Miguel Arias have confirmed they plan to restore the original names of roadways currently designated as Cesar Chavez Boulevard. RELATED: Dolores Huerta alleges assault by Cesar Chavez Arias was one of the most vocal proponents of the original renaming, which created a single, continuous Cesar Chavez Boulevard stretching just over 10 miles through the heart of Fresno and connecting West Fresno with downtown. Advertisement Advertisement On March 9, 2023, the Fresno City Council voted six to one to rename portions of California Avenue, Ventura Street and Kings Canyon Road as Cesar Chavez Boulevard. All councilmembers voted in favor except Garry Bredefeld. The approved renaming included: California Avenue, from Marks Avenue to Hughes Avenue and from West Avenue to Mayor Avenue; Ventura Street, from Mayor Avenue to Cedar Avenue; and Kings Canyon Road, from Cedar Avenue to Peach Avenue. The decision drew pushback from some residents and business owners along the corridor, who cited the cost of changing street signs, postal information and voter registration records. At the time, opponents said their concerns were not with Cesar Chavez himself, but with the loss of historic street names, some of which were more than 100 years old. The renaming also prompted a lawsuit, which delayed implementation. Because of those legal challenges, the city did not complete the installation of all 222 Cesar Chavez Boulevard street signs until fall 2024. The city awarded $142,287 to a contractor to change the signs. RELATED: Renaming of Kings Canyon Road to Cesar Chavez Boulevard in southeast Fresno completed City officials say all of the former street signs remain in storage, meaning most would not need to be remade if the council approves another renaming, reducing the overall cost. Advertisement Advertisement The video above is from an earlier story and will be updated. EDITORS' NOTE: A prior version of this story reported that Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias said he planned to bring forward the motion at the next regular city council meeting on March 26, but he later announced a special meeting. Stay with ABC30 for the latest details on this developing story. A funeral service was held Wednesday for Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Timothy O'Connor Jr., who was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop earlier this month. Family members, fellow state troopers and law enforcement officers from across Pennsylvania and beyond gathered at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Downingtown to honor O'Connor's life and service. During the service, O'Connor was remembered as both a dedicated trooper and a devoted family man. Advertisement Advertisement Casey O'Connor, widow of Cpl. Timothy O'Connor, speaks at funeral service "I hit the husband lottery. He was raised to be a true partner in our marriage and to put our needs above his own," his widow, Casey O'Connor, said. "He worked hard to build us a beautiful life." In her closing remarks at the funeral, Casey O'Connor added a brief personal note. "Now my last remarks might seem strange, but I already spoke with Father Auletta and it's okay to say it back," she said, and then continued, "Go Birds." Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lt. Col. George L. Bivens also spoke, saying, "He was a son, a husband, a father, a colleague, and a protector of the people of this commonwealth." Advertisement Advertisement Acting Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens speaks at funeral for Cpl. Timothy O'Connor O'Connor was a 15-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police. At the funeral, speakers reflected on his service to the department, his mentorship through programs such as Camp Cadet, and his role as a husband and father. Community mourning loss of trooper killed during traffic stop Outside the church, lines of officers surrounded the building as an American flag was raised high by cranes, a visible sign of respect from the law enforcement community. The funeral followed a public viewing held Tuesday, when hundreds of people, including police officers from departments across the region, paid their respects. Advertisement Advertisement Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel attended the viewing and said it was important to show support for O'Connor's family. "It's important that I bring my entire team down here to show that honor and that reverence to his family that his work matters. That he mattered," Bethel said. O'Connor, 40, was killed March 8 after stopping an erratic driver in West Caln Township. Police said that within seconds of approaching the vehicle, the driver opened fire, killing O'Connor. Authorities identified the driver as 32-year-old Jesse Elks, who then turned the gun on himself. WEST DES MOINES, Iowa Visitation and funeral services have been scheduled to take place this week for Major Jeffrey OBrien, who was one of the six members of the 103rd Sustainment Command killed in Kuwait on March 1. A visitation will be held on Friday March 20th from 2 to 5 p.m. at Valley Church in West Des Moines. Funeral services will he held at 10 a.m. on Saturday March 21st, also at Valley Church. Major OBrien will be buried at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter. His obituary states he grew up on a farm near Coggon and graduated from North-Linn High School in 1999. He attended Iowa State University, where he obtained a degree in Computer Engineering. Advertisement Advertisement He is survived by his wife, Roxane, and his three children, Samira, Nicolette, and Conor. Members of the 103rd Sustainment Command, which is based in Des Moines, were deployed to the Middle East last September. Six Army Reservists were killed in an Iranian drone strike one day after the U.S. and Israel began military operations against Iran. The other soldiers killed in the attack include Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California. Governor Kim Reynolds previously told reporters that Chief Warrant Officer Marzan lived in Iowa for some time and still considered himself an Iowan. She also said his children still live in the state. Advertisement Advertisement The six soldiers were brought home to the United States on March 7th during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Members of Iowas congressional delegation attended. The Iowa Army Reserve has not announced yet when the bodies of the two Iowa soldiers will return to the state. 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 who13.com. For the first time since the start of the war, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard faced pointed questions Wednesday on whether Iran posed an "imminent threat" to the U.S. as President Donald Trump has maintained. Lawmakers pressed Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel and other national security officials on the conflict, and other global matters, on the intelligence community's annual assessment of such worldwide threats on Capitol Hill. Gabbard was also questioned on her presence at an FBI raid of an election center in Georgia in January. Advertisement Advertisement The hearing came one day after the resignation of Joe Kent , the Trump administration's top counterterrorism official, who stepped down over his objections to the war, arguing there was no "imminent threat" from Iran. Gabbard says only Trump can determine an 'imminent threat' in contentious exchange Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff pointedly questioned Gabbard about the intelligence community's assessment on Iran's nuclear capabilities. President Trump previously said Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated" by U.S. strikes last summer. Among its several justifications for the current war, however, the White House said Tehran posed an imminent nuclear threat. "Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was an imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?" Ossoff asked Gabbard. Advertisement Advertisement "Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president," Gabbard said. Jose Luis Magana/AP - PHOTO: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testifies before the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings to examine worldwide threats on Capitol Hill, March 18, 2026, in Washington. Ossoff pushed back, accusing Gabbard of not answering directly because her response would contradict a statement from the White House. "It is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States. This is the worldwide threats hearing, where, as you noted in your opening testimony, you represent the [intelligence community's] assessment of threats. You are here to represent the IC's assessment of threats," Ossoff said. Gabbard's counterpart at the CIA, Ratcliffe, did say Iran posed an "immediate threat" when the U.S. attacked Iran, outlining a series of provocative actions he assessed Iran to be taking, including a missile buildup during ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Gabbard: Iran made 'no efforts' to rebuild nuclear enrichment program Gabbard also contradicted the president's claim that Iran was restarting its nuclear weapons program. Advertisement Advertisement "They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program and in particular nuclear weapons," Trump said during his State of the Union speech days before launching the war. "Yet they continue, theyre starting it all over." But Gabbard told Congress on Wednesday in her written testimony that Iran has actually made "no efforts" to rebuild its nuclear enrichment program. "That's the assessment of the intelligence community?" Sen. Ossoff asked. "Yes," Gabbard replied. Ratcliffe said the regime halted enrichment of its nuclear material. Tehran has "been unwilling and incapable of enriching uranium to 60% as a result of" last summer's strikes, he told senators. Advertisement Advertisement Lt. General James Adams, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, would not discuss the nuclear material still in Iran -- likely buried under sites the U.S. struck -- in a public hearing. Asked whether the U.S. would deploy boots on the ground to secure the material, he promised to discuss the issue in "great [detail]" with senators in a classified hearing. Gabbard says Iranian regime appears 'intact' but 'largely degraded' In her opening statement, Gabbard provided the latest intelligence community assessment on Iran. Gabbard had repeated a longstanding Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that Iran could build a missile that could reach the United States before 2035. That finding was cited by the administration as a justification for its military action in Iran. On the country's current leadership, Gabbard said the regime "appears to be intact, but largely degraded due to attacks." Jonathan Ernst/Reuters - PHOTO: Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, March 18, 2026 in Washington. "Its conventional military power projection capabilities have largely been destroyed, leaving limited options. Iran's strategic position has been significantly degraded," she said. Advertisement Advertisement She also warned that while "internal tensions are likely to increase" inside Iran as its "economy worsens." "If a hostile regime survives, it will likely seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] force," Gabbard said. Officials pressed on planning for Strait of Hormuz, Gabbard sidesteps Gabbard sidestepped questions on whether she briefed the president on a probable response from Iran -- which has now been borne out with Iranian strikes against U.S. partners in the region and a closure of the critical Strait of Hormuz. Asked by Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, whether that contingency was "communicated to the president," Gabbard would only say that the U.S. military took "preemptive planning" measures ahead of its attack. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters - PHOTO: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 18, 2026. She later acknowledged that its "long been an assessment of the IC that Iran would likely hold the Strait of Hormuz as leverage." Advertisement Advertisement "Did you brief the president, if he starts a war of choice, that the likely result would be that Iran would strike adjacent Gulf nations and close the Strait of Hormuz?" Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked Gabbard at one point. "I have not and won't divulge internal conversations," Gabbard replied. Gabbard faces questions on Fulton County election raid Gabbard and Sen. Warner sparred over her presence at the FBI raid of an election center in Fulton County, Georgia, earlier this year, where agents seized election materials tied to the 2020 election. Warner asked Gabbard to explain her "authority" to be involved in the matter. Advertisement Advertisement "I did not participate in a law enforcement activity, nor would I, because that does not exist within my authorities," Gabbard testified. "I was at Fulton County, sir, at the request of the president and to work with the FBI to observe this action that had long been awaited. I was not aware of what was in the warrant," Gabbard added. Trump previously said Gabbard was in Georgia at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Warner said in his opening statement that Gabbards appearance at the raid "suggests something that should alarm every American: an organized effort to misuse her national security powers to interfere in domestic politics and provide a pretext for the presidents unconstitutional efforts to seize control of the upcoming elections." Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner delivers an opening statement during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats in the Hart Senate Office Building, March 18, 2026 in Washington. Gabbard provided additional details about the day in Fulton County, including the now-viral photo showing her standing on what she described as an empty truck while being questioned by Sen. Ossoff. Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard declined to say how President Trump personally communicated his request that she be there, saying only that the message was delivered and that it was "a request from the presidents administration to go and help oversee this warrant being executed." She later argued that her presence fell within her statutory responsibilities, saying, "It is my role, based on statute that Congress has passed, to have oversight over election security, to include counterintelligence." Gabbard also addressed the image of her speaking on the phone during the operation, describing it as a photo taken while she was inside what she called "an empty truck." The group that led the gas tax referendum effort is suing Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read in federal court after a Marion County judge ruled against it March 11 in a suit over legislation that moved the vote from November to May. The new lawsuit, filed on March 17, has a different focus from the first one and more closely resembles a different federal case where the judge granted some of the requests. The new suit was filed against Read on behalf of the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC, four individuals and an unspecified number of unidentified people. The PAC has connections to the referendum's chief petitioners: Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, and Jason Williams, founder of the Taxpayers Association of Oregon. Advertisement Advertisement The suit's central argument is that Read's office violated the First and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act by enforcing the argument deadline. Oregon Democrats pushed a bill through in the short session that moved the vote on the gas tax from November to May, after Read told lawmakers they must pass the legislation by Feb. 25 to ensure people who wanted to submit an argument for the voter's pamphlet would be able to. Submitting arguments for the voters pamphlet required collecting 500 signatures or paying $1,200 by March 12. Oregonians were told they have a voice, then the state put a $1,200 price tag on it, Diehl said in a statement. Thats not democracy. Thats a pay-to-play system designed to shut out ordinary citizens. The four individuals and other people listed in the suit represent some of the 52 argument statements that will not be included on the voters' pamphlet as of now. Attorney Julie Parrish, right, argued on behalf of the anti-gas tax petitioners in Marion County Circuit Court. She will represent the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC again in federal court. The suit's claims were at least somewhat validated in an earlier suit. A federal judge ruled in favor of Mary Martin, a 73-year-old low-income, disabled Klamath Falls resident, saying the submission requirements may have posed an ADA issue. The judge allowed Martin to submit her argument without meeting either requirement. Advertisement Advertisement The judge, however, declined to extend that to a broader class of people, as Martin's suit requested. Martin's argument is one of 35 that will be published in the pamphlet. The plaintiffs in the March 17 suit requested the judge issue a temporary restraining order and require Read to include their arguments in the voters' pamphlet. In Marion County Circuit Court, a judge ruled against the PAC, along with the chief petitioners and 36 county petition circulators on March 11 in a different suit. In that case, the judge said lawmakers have the authority to move the election date to May. The March 17 suit is at least the fourth filed in response to the referendum date change. Advertisement Advertisement 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: Anti-gas tax group sues Oregon secretary of state in federal court Oil prices decreased slightly on 18 March following an agreement between the Iraqi Government and Kurdish authorities to restart oil exports through Turkey's Ceyhan port. This development has eased some concerns regarding Middle East oil supply disruptions, reported Reuters. Despite this, tensions related to the ongoing conflict involving Iran continue, with Brent crude futures holding steady at above $100 per barrel (bbl) during the last four sessions. By early Wednesday, Brent crude futures experienced a minor decline of $0.31, or 0.3%, settling at $103.12/bbl, as reported at 09:02 GMT. In parallel, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell by $1.56, or 1.6%, reaching $94.65/bbl. According to Iraqi state media, the countrys Oil Minister, Hayan Abdel-Ghani, announced that oil flows through Ceyhan were expected to resume at 07:00 GMT on 18 March. Previously, officials indicated plans for Iraq to pump a minimum of 100,000 barrels per day through the port. Production from Iraq's primary southern oilfields has decreased by 70% to 1.3mbbl/d, largely due to the conflict involving Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passageway for approximately 20% of global oil trade, remains effectively blocked amid these tensions. Iran also confirmed that its security chief, Ali Larijani, was killed in an Israeli attack. This marks the highest-profile casualty since the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February, following the launch of the US and Israels Operation Epic Fury. A senior Iranian official stated that the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had turned down de-escalation proposals forwarded by intermediary nations. In response to emerging threats from Iranian anti-ship missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, the US military has conducted strikes along Irans coastal region. "Oil prices dip as Iraqi exports resume through Ceyhan" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. President Trump has begun to define Gavin Newsom signaling that the California governor has moved into a small circle of Democrats he and his allies view as a serious threat. In recent days, Trump has been road-testing attacks on Newsoms dyslexia which the governor recently wrote about in his new book trying to portray Newsom as a low IQ person and dumb. Or, as Trump declared on Monday: I think a president should not have learning disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement The criticism, even the presidents allies acknowledge, reflects a familiar move from Trumps playbook: highlighting a perceived vulnerability to see how it lands. The dynamic also provides a window into Trumps thinking on the next presidential election and who he thinks is worth his insults ahead of the midterm elections. This feels like something he is road-testing to see if its resonating, said Republican strategist Brian Seitchik, who worked on the presidents 2016 and 2020 campaigns. This is what the president does. He likes to get input from various folks to see what works and what doesnt work. We may hear it again. We may not, Seitchik said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has a history of seeking to define opponents even Republicans through repetition and ridicule, in an effort to distill political rivals into bite-sized caricatures. During the 2016 Republican primary, he described Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as Lyin Ted and Marco Rubio who is now his secretary of State as Little Marco. During his 2016 race against Hillary Clinton, he dubbed her Crooked Hillary. During the 2020 and 2024 elections, he called rival Joe Biden Sleepy Joe. Trumps attacks on Newsom are not new. He has repeatedly labeled the governor as Gavin Newscum and has used California almost as a political foil of its own, highlighting crime and homelessness in the state. Advertisement Advertisement But the ramped-up attacks on Newsom and his dyslexia are a new, more personal line of attack. Even Trumps allies say it shows that the president considers Newsom, who many Democrats and Republicans view as a front-runner for the 2028 Democratic nomination, as a problem. He attacks people he sees as weak or he attacks people he sees as a threat, and I think Newsom falls into the second bucket, one GOP strategist said. Last week during a rally in Kentucky, Trump also sought to draw attention to the matter, saying Newsoms political career is over because of his dyslexia: Im for everybody, but, you know, when it comes to president, you got to be sharp, Trump told the crowd. You got to be sharp as hell. The topic came up again unprompted and this time behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office on Monday when Trump was speaking about voter identification in California. Advertisement Advertisement Honestly, Im all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president, Trump told reporters. I know its highly controversial to say such a horrible thing, Trump continued, before twisting Newsoms last name. The president of the United States, Gavin Newscum, admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia everything about him is dumb. The president who is known to brand opponents he deems as threatening also went on to say that Newsom had mental problems and a mental lack of ability. The White House doubled down on the presidents remarks. President Trump is right. Gavin Newsom is the worst governor in America, and he also may be the dumbest, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said. Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, who has typically relished fights with Trump, chose to post a comment to children with learning disabilities instead of landing a punch: To every kid with a learning disability: dont let anyone not even the President of the United States bully you. Dyslexia isnt a weakness. Its your strength, he said. Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor, told The Hill that Newsom is living rent free in Trumps head. Susan Del Percio, a longtime Republican consultant who does not support the president, said Newsom has clearly gotten under Donald Trumps skin and this is all Donald Trump has to reply with. Advertisement Advertisement Del Percio called Trumps comments weak and predicted it could cause a problem for Republicans. People are going to ask, Do you agree with the president? Del Percio said. Once again, Donald Trump is showing he does not care about anybody but himself and has no problem leaving Republicans to clean up his mess. Seitchik sees it differently. Newsom, he said, is first among equals in the presidents view. He certainly seems to have the highest profile among 2028 aspirants and as of today hes certainly running the hardest, he said. And from Trumps perspective, he added, kicking the governor of California is beneficial for his political brand. 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. Russia has lost around 1,282,570 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on March 18. The number includes 1,710 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day, nearly twice the amount as reported over the same period the day before. According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,786 tanks, 24,229 armored combat vehicles, 83,974 vehicles and fuel tanks, 38,506 artillery systems, 1,688 multiple launch rocket systems, and 1,333 air defense systems, 435 aircraft, 349 helicopters, 184,333 drones, 33 ships and boats, and two submarines. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine's General Staff has not revealed its own losses during the full-scale invasion, citing operational secrecy. While Ukrainian officials rarely disclose figures, President Volodymyr Zelensky told France TV on Feb. 4 that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since the beginning of the full-scale war, in addition to many more classified as missing in action (MIA). The intensity of Russian drones and fighting has made it difficult for Ukraine to retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers, which are needed for DNA confirmation. Independent Western think-tank reports agree that the Russian casualties significantly surpass Ukraines losses, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimating the ratio to be "roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1." A January 2026 CSIS report said Ukraine has likely suffered between 500,000 and 600,000 casualties from February 2022 to December 2025, of which between 100,000 to 140,000 are thought to be killed in action (KIA). Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russias ex-Defense Minister raises alarm over Ukraines drone strikes Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The family of the woman serving a life sentence for killing a driver after a minor accident hopes the Georgia Supreme Court grants her a new trial. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A Clayton County jury convicted Hannah Payne of the murder of 62-year-old Kenneth Herring back in 2023. She now claims her attorney during the trial made serious mistakes that contributed to the jury finding her guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Paynes family says she is relying on her faith to get her through. She stays in prayer, and she believes in the system, her godmother, Renee Novotny, told Channel 2s Tom Jones outside the Nathan Deal Justice Center. The family spoke after the justices listened to oral arguments in the case. They are hoping for the best. Id like to see them rule fairly and require that she be given a fair trial, Novotny said. Payne says she didnt get a fair trial because her trial attorney, Matt Tucker, made serious mistakes by not telling the jury she shot and killed the 62-year-old Herring because she was acting in defense of others while making a citizens arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Her attorney told the justices this was no minor mistake. The defense that he chose is basically inapplicable, said Andrew Fleischman. MORE COVERAGE OF THE HANNAH PAYNE TRIAL: The state says Tucker didnt instruct the jury on citizens arrest or defense of others for a reason. Advertisement Advertisement Because the instructions were not supported by the evidence. Trial counsel was not deficient, Deborah Leslie with the Clayton County District Attorneys office stated. Payne chased Herring after he hit a tractor-trailer and left the scene in Clayton County in 2019. She ignored 911, telling her not to chase. Prosecutors said Payne went to Herrings truck and struggled with him before shooting him. Her attorney said he attacked her by pulling her into his truck, punching, and scratching her. Fleischman said she had a black eye and was defending herself. The justices had questions about the claim Tuckers trial performance was deficient. Advertisement Advertisement Say, if we say it was deficient, was it prejudicial? Did it prejudice her? Justice Verda M. Colvin asked. Why would there be prejudice here if there was deficient performance? Chief Justice Nels S.D. Peterson asked. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] We have to say no reasonable attorney would have done what this attorney did, Justice Charles J. Bethel said. Attorney Tucker told Jones he chose the jury instruction he did because he didnt believe telling the jury it was a citizens arrest would be successful. The justices will decide whether or not to grant Payne a new trial by the middle of July, or before that. A senior German foreign policy expert believes ending the Iran war today would mean "a clear strategic defeat" for the United States and a major "boost" for the leadership in Tehran. "If [US President] Donald Trump were to declare now, we are ending this operation, that would mean, first of all, that the [Iranian] regime is still in power," conservative lawmaker Norbert Rottgen told journalists in Berlin on Wednesday. Iran would also still be in possession of over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, Rottgen said, adding that he believed Tehran would be more determined to build an atomic bomb after the war. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Iran would also have been able to assert its power over the global economy due to its ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to Rottgen, a lawmaker in Germany's lower house of parliament since 1994 and a long-standing member of the foreign affairs committee. Trump and other US government officials have given various reasons for attacking Iran alongside Israel since the start of the assault on February 28, ranging from regime change to the desire to weaken Iran's nuclear and military capabilities. The expected timeline also remains unclear, with Trump suggesting last week that the war could be over "soon" as there was nothing left to target, while Israeli officials have said they are planning for it to last at least another three weeks. Several NATO states, including Germany, have vehemently rejected becoming involved after Trump called on allies to help protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or else face "a very bad" future. Advertisement Advertisement When asked about Trump's demand, Rottgen said he did not believe the US president was actually appealing for military support. Instead, Rottgen suggested Trump may be trying to frame a scapegoat, likely aware that the campaign could ultimately be unsuccessful. The US president might also be realizing that having allies would help to legitimize the operation, Rottgen added. The war is also demonstrating the importance of NATO to Washington, according to the foreign policy expert. While he stressed that the US and Israel are militarily powerful enough to wage their campaign on their own, it would be "completely impossible for the US to carry out these military attacks without having European bases at its disposal." German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered Guatemala a comprehensive expansion of cooperation as he visited the Central American country on Tuesday. "Germany is ready to deepen our bilateral partnership in all areas," he said in Guatemala City at a press conference with President Bernardo Arevalo. This applies to trade and security, but also to strengthening liberal democracies and the United Nations, Steinmeier said. "Together, we should protect what protects us." Advertisement Advertisement Economically, Guatemala is a promising location in the region with good connections to Central America, Mexico and the United States, the president argued. "There is room for growth in both trade volume and development cooperation; the potential is far from exhausted. We must maximize this," said Steinmeier. The German president is on a five-day trip to the region, having visited Panama City on Monday. President Arevalo emphasized that Guatemala's economic potential is not limited to the country itself. "Guatemala is an ideal platform for reaching other markets in the region," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Arevalo sees great opportunities for expanding exports and intends to modernize production methods in agriculture. The Guatemalan president pointed out that the country is beginning to invest more heavily in its infrastructure, which also presents opportunities for German companies. Germany and Guatemala have been linked by 179 years of diplomatic relations, established in the 19th century then through the Hanseatic cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck. Trade between the two countries today is low, however. In 2024, the trade volume amounted to around 600 million ($692 million), with German exports to Guatemala totalling 500 million, and imports from the Latin American country at only 100 million. Advertisement Advertisement Steinmeier made it clear that, for German companies in particular, "reliability, predictability and freedom from corruption" were prerequisites for investment. Germany supports President Arevalo's fight for the rule of law and against corruption, Steinmeier said. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier offered Guatemala a comprehensive expansion of cooperation as he visited the Central American country on Tuesday. "Germany is ready to deepen our bilateral partnership in all areas," he said in Guatemala City at a press conference with President Bernardo Arevalo. This applies to trade and security, but also to strengthening liberal democracies and the United Nations, Steinmeier said. "Together, we should protect what protects us." Advertisement Advertisement Economically, Guatemala is a promising location in the region with good connections to Central America, Mexico and the United States, the president argued. "There is room for growth in both trade volume and development cooperation; the potential is far from exhausted. We must maximize this," said Steinmeier. The German president is on a five-day trip to the region, having visited Panama City on Monday. President Arevalo emphasized that Guatemala's economic potential is not limited to the country itself. "Guatemala is an ideal platform for reaching other markets in the region," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Arevalo sees great opportunities for expanding exports and intends to modernize production methods in agriculture. The Guatemalan president pointed out that the country is beginning to invest more heavily in its infrastructure, which also presents opportunities for German companies. Germany and Guatemala have been linked by 179 years of diplomatic relations, established in the 19th century then through the Hanseatic cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck. Trade between the two countries today is low, however. In 2024, the trade volume amounted to around 600 million ($692 million), with German exports to Guatemala totalling 500 million, and imports from the Latin American country at only 100 million. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to visit the famous Maya ruins in Guatemala's Tikal National Park on Wednesday on the second day of his visit to the Central American country. Tikal's temples, palaces and plazas, as well as the tropical forest in which they are situated, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The ruins bear witness to a lost civilization. Between the 6th century BC and the 10th century AD, the city was one of the most important political, economic and religious centres of the Maya people. Advertisement Advertisement The descendants of the Maya are now part of Guatemala's indigenous population, which continues to exert a significant influence in the country. With his visit to Tikal, Steinmeier wishes to pay tribute to Guatemala's rich, centuries-old cultural heritage. Germany has called on the European Union to expand economic relations with Syria to help the country recover and stabilize more quickly after more than a decade of civil war, according to a position paper addressed to the European Commission. In the text obtained by dpa on Wednesday, Berlin suggests starting talks with the European Investment Bank, which is owned by the bloc's 27 member states, on a potential return to Syria. The paper also proposes a review of potential trade facilitation measures for the Syrian agricultural and textile sectors. Advertisement Advertisement In the long term, a more expansive partnership agreement between the EU and Syria should be considered, it said. Millions of Syrians fled the country during the rule of long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in December 2024 by an Islamist-led rebel alliance after years of bloody civil war. Despite the regime change, many of those who came to the EU as refugees have so far hesitated to return, as Syria's economic outlook remains dire despite the lifting of EU sanctions. Minorities are also concerned whether they will have a place in the country under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda fighter. Advertisement Advertisement Once an insurgent leader, al-Sharaa has since renounced both al-Qaeda and Islamic State. However, doubts remain as to whether he has fully abandoned extremist ideology. The EU removed sanctions imposed on al-Sharaa, who was previously included on the bloc's terror list, in November. The German position paper notes that a lack of economic prospects might jeopardize the political transition process and, consequently, the country's overall stability. The EU, the paper concludes, must therefore place particular emphasis on policies to support economic recovery and post-war reconstruction, which is estimated to cost at least $216 billion, according to a World Bank calculation cited in the text. Advertisement Advertisement Per capita income in Syria has recently fallen well below the international threshold for low-income countries, according to the World Bank analysis. One in four Syrians lives in extreme poverty, while two-thirds of the population are below the poverty line for lower-middle-income countries. Diplomats told dpa that other EU member states, including France, Italy, Sweden and Austria also back the position paper. The EU's latest loan for Ukraine must "urgently" be disbursed to Kiev, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday, upping the pressure ahead of the summit in Brussels. In a nod to Hungary during his address to the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, Merz said leaders "must not show any consideration for a single country from the European Union that is currently creating this blockade in Europe because of domestic political reasons and an election campaign being waged there." Budapest has blocked the 90 billion ($104 billion) loan despite it being approved by the European Parliament and EU leaders, arguing that Kiev is preventing the flow of Russian oil to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline. Advertisement Advertisement The loan is intended to cover Ukraine's most urgent financial needs until the end of 2027, and enable the country to continue its defence campaign against Russia. However, the European Council must also give its approval before the funds can be disbursed, with Hungary threatening to vote the loan down, as well as a fresh package of sanctions on Moscow. Merz emphasized that now is the right time to increase the pressure on Moscow together with the US and European partners. Tennessee lawmakers are moving to create a family advisory board to hear prison safety complaints amid concerns about extortion and inmate deaths. Republican Sen. Tom Hatcher of Maryville said Tuesday 35 inmates have died in state prisons since January as he introduced Senate Bill 2531, a measure designed to give inmates family members a stronger voice in prison safety, communication and policies for re-entering society. The measure received a 9-0 vote in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. It restores trust in basic safety for incarcerated people and their families, fixes the communication crisis so families can get timely and accurate information, Hatcher said. It structures the family advisory board to be independent, representative and accountable to the General Assembly and to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Hatcher, who chairs a Senate correction committee, said the states prisons have alarmingly high death rates that cause fear among inmates family members. The Department of Correction did not immediately confirm the figure of 35 deaths. Families also report widespread gang violence as well as staff-enabled extortion and open drug use that endangers inmates and prison guards, he said. The governor and House and Senate speakers would appoint three people each to a nine-person board, including family members of prisoners, which would open talks with the Department of Correction to advocate for inmates. Advertisement Advertisement Initially, the bill included hiring an employee to run the board, but that was removed to avoid budgeting problems. Board members would serve voluntarily. Republican Rep. Clark Boyd, who is carrying the House version of the bill, HB2111, said Tuesday he learned about problems within Tennessees prisons from Lebanon resident Tim Leeper, whose son died of a drug overdose while serving time in Trousdale Turner Correction Center, a prison run by state contractor CoreCivic. Its interesting they decided it should not be housed under the (Tennessee Department of Correction) lest it be a pointless board, because if you put it under the TDOC, theyre just going to kill it, and theyre not going to let it grow legs, Leeper said. Putting the board under the legislature gives it a better chance for accountability through transparency, Leeper said. Advertisement Advertisement The board likely would set up a website where family members could make requests, share grievances and let people know how to file complaints, Leeper said. If problems arent taken up by the state, the board would step in and look at them when it meets quarterly in different parts of the state, he added. It restores trust in basic safety for incarcerated people and their families, fixes the communication crisis so families can get timely and accurate information. Sen. Tom Hatcher, R-Maryville Republican Sen. Ed Jackson of Jackson, who has worked on correction committees for more than a decade, said Tuesday he receives numerous phone calls from family members of inmates who are held in the states prisons and privately-run facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Family members and loved ones are being extorted for thousands of dollars, forced to put money into accounts to keep inmates from being harmed or even killed while in prison, he said. Its horrible whats going on there, Jackson said. A Trousdale Turner inmate sued the warden and staff in 2025, alleging they allowed gang members to assault him and extort money from his mother. Filed in May in U.S. District Court in Nashville, the lawsuit claims gang members at Trousdale Turner threatened to assault inmate Charles Anderson if his mother and two family friends didnt send them money. They beat and sexually assaulted him anyway after he complained to prison staff, according to the filing. Advertisement Advertisement Trousdale Turner already faces a federal civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for gang violence and murders. Correction Commissioner Frank Strada told the Lookout recently he understands the investigation remains open. After what was described as a riot at the prison last summer, the Department of Correction removed some of the most violent inmates from Trousdale Turner and left only inmates older than 50. Staff and policies were revamped as well, officials said. Senators are pushing for a body camera pilot program for officers at Trousdale Turner. But Strada has opposed body cams, mainly citing problems with inmate privacy and opting instead for a central monitoring facility. Trousdale Turner has had the highest number of deaths in a state prison for men the past few years, with 98 confirmed by death certificates from 2019 through 2022, including 30 overdoses, according to state figures. Whiteville Correctional Facility in Hardeman County had 53 deaths, 21 of those by overdose, in those four years. South Central Correctional Facility, also run by CoreCivic, reported 46 deaths, nine of them by overdose in that time frame. In comparison, Morgan County Correctional, a state-run facility, had 41 deaths, including 11 overdoses. Northwest Correctional Facility reported 44 deaths with 19 overdoses in those four years. Akbar Novruz Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reports on Wednesday that Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an overnight airstrike in Tehran, AzerNEWS reports. "The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing. The Iranian intelligence minister Khatib was also eliminated overnight," Katz said during a security assessment, adding that he and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "authorized the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to [eliminate] any senior Iranian figure without the need for additional approval." The Israeli minister also claimed that "significant surprises" are expected "across all arenas," noting that they will escalate the war against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli military has been given the authority to eliminate any senior Iranian official without the approval of the leadership. Israeli attacks have intensified across Iran and Lebanon, with dozens reported killed and wounded. In retaliation for the killings of its security chief, Ali Larijani, and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, Iran has launched more attacks on Israel, resulting in at least two fatalities in Israel. Irans Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, asserts that Tehrans political system remains strong and that the assassination of its leaders will not undermine the country. In addition, attacks have targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, while Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates report intercepting drones and missiles. Orthocell device supports nerve repair surgeries for injured Ukrainian soldiers Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC, OTC:ORHHF) has reported that its Remplir nerve repair device has been used in 23 surgical procedures on Ukrainian soldiers injured in combat, marking an important real-world application of the technology in frontline trauma care. The update follows a humanitarian delivery of Remplir to Ukraine in April 2025, with the company now receiving confirmation that the device has been successfully deployed by local surgeons in both primary and secondary nerve repair procedures. In a time where there are multiple global conflicts, the application of Remplir in trauma-related nerve injuries is highly relevant. The successful remote training of surgeons and subsequent use of the device across 23 patients reinforces its unique handling, transportability, and clinical utility as a leading collagen-based nerve repair solution, Orthocell managing director Paul Anderson said. Real-world use highlights impact on battlefield injuries The use of Remplir in active conflict conditions underscores its role in treating severe nerve injuries sustained during combat, where rapid and effective surgical intervention is critical to preserving function and mobility. Designed to connect, protect and cap severed nerves, the device has been applied across 23 patients, with surgeons reporting positive feedback on its handling and clinical performance. The outcomes demonstrate the products suitability for major trauma settings, particularly in defence environments where injuries are often complex and time-sensitive. Remote training enables deployment in conflict zone A key aspect of the program has been the ability to train surgeons remotely, enabling adoption of the device despite the challenges of operating in a war zone. Ukrainian surgeons were trained via video by Orthocells key opinion leader Dr Alex OBeirne, with the successful rollout following remote instruction highlighting the accessibility and practicality of the technology in constrained environments. The devices portability, room-temperature storage and three-year shelf life have also supported its use in field and hospital settings, where logistics can limit access to specialised medical equipment. Program lays groundwork for broader defence engagement Orthocell will continue working with Ukrainian surgeons to monitor patient outcomes and, where possible, collect clinical data from the procedures. The company expects this real-world evidence to support ongoing discussions with defence organisations globally, as it evaluates further opportunities to expand the use of Remplir in military and trauma care settings. The program represents an early demonstration of the devices application in conflict-related injuries, with the results providing a potential pathway for broader adoption across defence and emergency medicine sectors. EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was revised to include more detail regarding Oneida County's school milk pilot program and remarks from Assemblywoman Buttenschon. Got milk? Oneida County public school students do especially if they are studying in districts participating in a pilot program sponsored by New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D- Marcy, to improve access to milk in public schools while increasing farm-to-school" programs allowing upstate New Yorks seminal dairy farming industry to partner with schools to provide greater access to fresh, locally sourced milk during the school day. Advertisement Advertisement Buttenschon secured funding for the milk pilot program for four participating school districts in Oneida County as part of New Yorks 2024-25 state budget including New York Mills Central School District, Oriskany Central School District, Utica City School District, and Whitesboro Central School District. Buttenschon recently visited Oneida Countys Oriskany and Whitesboro Central School Districts to talk with staff and students to gather feedback on the response to the pilot program. Every time I visit a school and see students choosing milk because it is accessible, easy, and delicious, I am reminded of why this program matters, Buttenschon said in statement. This is about giving our children a healthy option every single day, and I am proud to see that vision becoming a reality here. New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, Oriskany Superintendent of Schools Gregory Cuthbertson, enjoy Oriskany HS student's "Got milk?" hoodie during Buttenschon's visit to gather feedback on Oriskany district participation in her sponsored school milk pilot program. Courtesy of the Office of New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon - Utica, NY What inspired milk pilot program premise? The school milk pilot program was inspired by a unique problem faced by school meal programs in 2023 when a shortage of the traditional half-pint milk cartons caused by a fire at a milk carton production plant "severely disrupted" reliable distribution of milk for consumption by students when enjoying in-school meals. The alternative proposed at the time was to serve water in place of milk until the supply of 1/2 pint milk cartons was restored. Women in Agriculture 2025 Industry Legend Award Winner, Terri DiNitto, who had worked for 15 years as a substitute teacher in Oriskany public schools, went to Buttenschon who herself partners to own and operate a family Christmas Tree Farm in Marcy with what Buttenschon called in a statement an innovative approach inspired by DiNitto - a local expert and principal of DiNitto Farm in Marcy - to solving the milk carton shortage problem ... bulk milk dispensers in school cafeterias where students can access fresh, cold milk by pouring it into cups. Terri DiNitto, of DiNitto Farms in Marcy, feeds a calf. DiNitto was recently honored with the Industry Legend Award in the Women in Agriculture Awards handed out during the annual Woman's Day breakfast at the New York State Fair in Syracuse on Aug. 27, 2025. Shes been a good advocate for the agriculture industry, DiNitto said of Buttenschon. She understands and she knows that some of these rules and regulations that come down the pipe arent going to work. We dont have to do a lot of explaining to her. Shes always willing to listen and that matters. Advertisement Advertisement DiNitto - who has been recognized for incorporating local agriculture into her school lessons - has identified as "definitely an advocate for the dairy industry" where the concept of milk dispensers in school cafeterias rather than or in addition to the traditional 1/2 pint cartons opens up 'farm-to-school' local sourcing, especially in Upstate New York, a region famed for dairy farming. Buttenschon described bulk milk dispensers in school cafeterias in a statement as "a common-sense approach to ensuring our children have access to delicious and nutritious milk during their school day" "I want to thank Teri DiNitto," Buttenschon goes on to say, "for coming forward with this innovative approach. Hopes to expand 'common sense approach' Since implementation, the feedback has included positive responses from students, in addition to providing a healthy choice during their school day. Advertisement Advertisement Buttenschon noted that milk in 1/2 pint cartons is still available to students in the pilot districts who travel to BOCES. "Ultimately we hope to see an increase in our farm-to-schools' program," said Buttenschon in the statement, "which in turn will support our local dairy farmers." Buttenschon will continue to monitor the program's progress in hopes to expand it county wide. I would like to add more districts to the pilot," said Buttenschon. "There could be potential funding in the Farm-to-School program to include additional school districts that are interested. This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: County milk pilot promises better 'farm-to-school' fresh milk access. The conversation about fully restoring sovereignty to the Wabanaki Nations will be pushed off to the next governor. Gov. Janet Mills and each of the Wabanaki Nations reached agreement on two bills that initially sought to grant greater self-governing power to the Tribes on Tuesday, though the amended versions are far narrower. One would create additional tax exemptions for tribal members. The other would create a task force to assess tribal access to beneficial federal laws a panel reminiscent of the one the Legislature convened years ago thats led to incremental change so far. Advertisement Advertisement These compromises solidify Mills legacy of blocking sweeping overhauls of the Tribal-State relationship while ushering through piecemeal reforms on a case-by-case basis. The Democratic governor terms out this year and is running for U.S. Senate, notably against a primary opponent, Graham Platner, who had testified in support of the original versions of both of these bills. Anything short of sovereignty is subjugation, Platner said. Several gubernatorial candidates have already made day one pledges to restore tribal self-rule as well. The Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mikmaq Nation collectively known as the Wabanaki Nations are treated differently than other federally recognized tribes, more akin to municipalities than sovereign nations because of a 1980 land settlement agreement. The Maine Legislature formally recognized a need to alter the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act in 2019 by tasking a group of state legislators and tribal chiefs to recommend changes. Those 22 recommendations have been taken up in several proposals with varying success. Advertisement Advertisement LD 785 started out as omnibus legislation that would implement the remaining task force recommendations. LD 395 had originally sought to adopt one of the recommendations, restoring the Wabanaki Nations access to beneficial federal laws. The amended version of LD 785 now offers tax exemptions and ensures each Tribe can have a representative in the State House, while LD 395 was turned into a resolve to create a task force. While chiefs and legal counsel from each of the Tribes said they support the amended versions, they made clear that the measures leave long-term efforts to restore sovereignty still unaddressed. Its unfortunate that we couldnt get to a place to address the substantive issues of the sovereignty bill, said Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis, referring to the omnibus legislation. I dont see this as a replacement for that bill or a substitute for it, but more of a vehicle to get to the good things that we were able to accomplish. Tax exemptions Remaining barriers to self-governance have left persistent disparities between tribal citizens and other Mainers, such as health disparities and limited economic mobility. Francis commended the economic benefits that would come from LD 785 for both tribal governments and citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Specifically, the bill would provide enrolled members of the Wabanaki Nations a Maine income tax exemption for compensation earned as an employee of one of the Tribes, regardless of where they live. Current law only offers such an exemption for those living on tribal land. The Judiciary Committee passed the bill 10-4, with Republican Rep. Mark Babin of Fort Fairfield joining Democrats in support. Its going to create an inequality between your average everyday Mainers and tribal citizens, said Rep. Rachel Henderson (R-Rumford). Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cumberland) responded, Currently, there is an imbalance. The proposal builds upon changes made to the state revenue code by the Legislature four years ago to address economic disparities that stemmed from the Settlement Act. Advertisement Advertisement The Maine government has certain tax benefits that go to providing government services for the people of Maine, Carney said, but the tribal governments hadnt until four years ago been on a level playing field. The bill would also expand sales tax exemptions to manufactured homes, vehicles and other property sourced to tribal land. Under current law, the state controller transfers sales tax revenue collected by the state on Indian territory or trust land to each of the respective Tribes on a monthly basis. The bill would also do this for tribally owned fee lands. The final portion of the bill is a component that Democrats and Republicans both agreed on. It would allow the Mikmaq Nation to have a tribal representative to the Legislature. The other three tribes already have that right, though only two currently send representatives. The Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe withdrew their representatives in 2015, citing frustration with the state not recognizing their sovereign rights and with former Republican Gov. Paul LePage rescinding an executive order that sought to improve cooperation with the Tribes. The Passamoquoddy Tribe is now represented by Aaron Dana, who sits on the Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians sent a representative back last year for the first time since 2018. Advertisement Advertisement They cannot vote on the floor but can speak, vote in committees and present legislation. Another task force The Settlement Act made it so the Tribes are unable to benefit from any federal law passed after 1980 that interferes with state law, unless they are specifically mentioned in the law. LD 395 originally sought to flip that paradigm by allowing the Wabanaki Nations to access federal laws unless they are expressly excluded. Now, the bill will create a task force to study how to make such a change possible. Supporters offered cautious optimism about the compromise. It feels like a very, very honest place to land, said Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland), the sponsor of both bills and several earlier iterations. Advertisement Advertisement Maliseet Tribal Chief Clarissa Sabattis said she hopes the task force which would be composed of nine members, including four legislators and five tribal chiefs will streamline future negotiations. This lets everybody have a conversation and then we can come together with recommendations, Sabattis said. I do think that it really changed the narrative when it comes to sovereignty when we had the task force before, so Im hoping that this will have the same kind of outcome. But Sabattis, Francis and other chiefs underscored that sizable work remains. We look forward to continued work on the efforts to be able to get to a point where the Passamaquoddy Tribe, along with all the Wabanaki Nations, at some point, are recognized as full sovereigns in this state, said Chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Mohtakomikuk William Nicholas Sr. I think its important that we keep that in mind at all times. Advertisement Advertisement These compromises come out of years of conversations with Mills, who Nicholas and others have commended for setting a new tone for Tribal-State relations. Those conversations yielded results on another issue earlier this winter. After Mills postponed her decision last session on a bill to grant the Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to operate internet gaming in Maine, she allowed it to become law without her signature in January. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis ATHENS, March 18 (Reuters) - Greek shipowners and other companies are scanning their computer systems for evidence of cyberattacks after advice from the National Cybersecurity Authority, two sources said on Wednesday following incidents that have been linked to the Iran war. The authority last week sent an advisory, seen by Reuters, to security officers of shipping companies, banks and firms in the transport, telecommunications, health and energy sectors, a source at the authority said, adding that the move was pre-emptive. Advertisement Advertisement An Iranian-linked hacking group claimed responsibility on March 11 for a cyberattack on U.S.-based medical device and services provider Stryker, according to messages posted to the group's Telegram channel. Albania has also confirmed a cyberattack on the digital infrastructure of its parliament last week that local media said was by the Iran-linked, self-styled "Homeland Justice" group. Albanian authorities told Reuters that any attempt to compromise the country's critical infrastructure has been successfully repelled. GREEK ADVISORY URGES SCANS The Greek advisory, marked "high-priority", urged firms to perform the scans and inform security officers of a confirmed incident that affected a "large international organisation" abroad. It did not name it. Advertisement Advertisement It listed indicators of possible compromise, including IP addresses, tools and malware, such as the VShell Remote Access Trojan. Anyone finding evidence of attack should immediately review their systems and block those IPs, it said. Two separate sources said at least two shipping companies have received the warning. Electronic interference with commercial ship navigation systems has surged in recent days around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf. All the sources asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media. The first two said Greece had yet to find evidence of a significant attack, although one of them said "some sort of activity" had been tracked. Advertisement Advertisement The Greek advisory said an investigation into the confirmed incident had pointed to an unidentified, sophisticated threat actor using two layers of infrastructure to scan activity, attempt unauthorised access, host malware or run command-and-control mechanisms and avoid being traced. The second source said that some of the IP addresses listed in the Greek advisory originated from Iran. In 2022, Albania cut diplomatic relations with Iran after a cyberattack against state institutions that it blamed on the Islamic Republic. On Tuesday, the Albanian parliament adopted a resolution declaring Iran a "sponsor of terrorism" and condemning cyberattacks carried out against Albanian institutions. Asked to comment on the latest attack, government spokesperson Manjola Hasa told Reuters the country has built one of the most advanced cyber defence systems in Europe and will keep strengthening its defences. (Additional reporting by Fatos Bytyci in Pristina; Editing by Barbara Lewis) A new initiative could boost the enforcement of tenants rights in Tacoma as organizers start gathering signatures to put the measure to voters. Tacoma for All, the group that spearheaded an effort to get voter approval for a Tenant Bill of Rights in 2023, is starting the process to get voter approval for a measure that would strengthen requirements for landlords to comply with the citys tenants rights laws. The group has started collecting signatures for what its calling the Safe Homes for All campaign, with the goal of obtaining about 9,000 by June 15. If Tacoma for All gets the signatures it needs in time, it would pave the way for the measure to appear on the ballot in November. The group is doing so using Tacomas citizens initiative process a process outlined in the city charter that allows residents to ask the voters to approve or reject ordinances, instead of the City Council. What would the measure do? The measure consists of several programs and rules that seek to improve landlords compliance with the citys existing tenant protections. Tenants and landlords in Tacoma are subject to the voter-approved Tenant Bill of Rights, also known as the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative and the city of Tacomas Rental Housing Code. Advertisement Advertisement The Landlord Fairness Code outlines requirements like a school-year and cold-weather eviction moratorium and a requirement for landlords to provide tenants with relocation assistance in the event of a rent increase at 5% or more. Felicia Medlen, Tacomas housing division manager, said those protections can only be enforced through individuals pursuing legal action. The Rental Housing Code includes requirements like a cap on late fees for unpaid rent and a 180-day notice requirement for rent increases. Medlen said the city enforces those rules and has a penalty process in place for landlords who dont comply with the Rental Housing Code. The new initiative would require landlords to pay a per-unit rental license fee, proceeds from which would cover the cost of the enforcement of the citys tenant laws. It would also require landlords to pay penalties for each violation of the citys tenant laws to the tenant: at least $500 and not more than five times the monthly rent for the unit in question, according to the measure. Large for-profit landlords would face additional penalties for repeat violations to cover the costs to the city of managing enforcement. The measure would allow the city of Tacoma to develop a separate rental-license fee structure for nonprofit low-income housing providers. Advertisement Advertisement It also would require the city to start a program to educate both landlords and tenants about the citys existing tenant laws. Noncompliance with the city of Tacomas tenant safety and protection laws remains a serious problem that erodes the safety and wellbeing of thousands of tenants across our city, the measure states. Ty Moore, co-executive director for Tacoma for All, said hes confident the group will get the signatures it needs. We want to have a real deterrence, and we want to have a system that brings tenants justice for when their rights and their lives have been violated and disrupted, Moore told The News Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Tacoma for All doesnt want the taxpayers to bear the cost of funding the enforcement of tenants laws, Moore said, hence the license-fee structure. There may be some limited startup costs that will have to come out of general fund, but the program is designed to be implemented on a phased-in timeline, he said. The city of Tacoma is facing a structural budget deficit in its general fund, and city officials have warned of a $15 million shortfall in the 2027-2028 biennial budget, The News Tribune reported last year. Sean Flynn, executive director of the Rental Housing Association of Washington, criticized the initiative, saying it would drive housing providers away from the city. Flynn said the cost of the per-unit rental license fee that the initiative proposes would trickle down to tenants, which would in turn drive rent prices up. Advertisement Advertisement If you want more affordable and more abundant housing in Tacoma, this is not the way to do it, he told The News Tribune. A controversial process The group used the citizens initiative process for its Tenant Bill of Rights campaign in 2023, and a Workers Bill of Rights campaign in 2025, which sought to strengthen protections for workers in Tacoma and proposed raising the minimum wage to $20. City leaders challenged both initiatives. For the Tenant Bill of Rights, the Tacoma City Council put forward another renters rights measure at the same time, but after a lawsuit a judge ruled that the city couldnt do so. The City Council last year embarked on an effort to update some of those rules, drawing unprecedented numbers of public commenters , former Mayor Victoria Woodards said at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Litigation over the Workers Bill of Rights is ongoing. After the activists submitted signatures to put the measure on the ballot in November 2025, the Tacoma City Council had the option to enact it or reject the initiative and submit it to Pierce County elections officials to put it to the voters. The council last year opted for the latter option but did so days after the countys deadline to receive ballot measures for the November election. That meant the measure could not appear on the ballot at least not until Tacoma for All and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367 sued the city and county, and a judge ordered the measure to appear on the February 2026 ballot. The city took the matter to the state Court of Appeals, which issued a stay of the judges decision as the appellate court reviews the case. The case is ongoing, according to court records. Moore said it will be a challenge to get the 9,000 signatures the group plans to collect by mid-June far more than the roughly 5,000 it needs to submit to the city. But with that extra wiggle room in signature count and timeline, it should be enough to get the measure to the November ballot, he said. Advertisement Advertisement If we submit signatures by June 15, council cant make any excuses, he said. It is possible that the City Council could choose to enact the measure directly without putting the measure to the voters, a decision that Moore said Tacoma for All would welcome. That would be a great outcome, he said. But I guess Im not holding my breath that that would be their decision. What would it cost the city? Medlen said she wont know what it might cost the city to implement Tacoma for Alls new initiative until the measure is confirmed to appear on the ballot. Until we have some more concrete information around that, its going to be hard to really quantify costs associated with it, Medlen told The News Tribune. If voters approve the measure and city staff determine that it will require an additional cost to implement, it would be up to the city manager and City Council to decide how to set aside funds for that purpose, she said. Amid an ongoing outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent, England, GSK has said it is ready to work with UK health authorities to widen its meningitis vaccines slot on the countrys immunisation schedule, if needed. The drugmakers MenB vaccine, known under the brand name Bexsero, is currently on the UK schedule for infants only. It has been used in the UK's routine immunisation programme for babies since 2015. However, this means many people, including teenagers born before this date, are not protected unless they obtained the vaccine privately. An ongoing outbreak of meningococcal disease at a university in Kent has meant the government is evaluating the vaccines broader use. Two people have died as a result of the outbreak, with 20 potential cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that a targeted vaccination programme will begin, starting with students residing at the University of Kent. Health secretary Wes Streeting said in the House of Commons that he would ask government advisers to consider expanding the existing schedule to age groups beyond infants, such as teenagers. Advertisement Advertisement A GSK spokesperson told Pharmaceutical Technology: We are ready to engage with any proposals from UK health authorities regarding the broader use of MenB vaccination/Bexsero, to address the current outbreak in Kent. The details of any such proposals are not yet established and so we cannot comment further at this stage. Meningococcal disease is caused by invasive infection with the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. The bacteria are transmitted by exhaled droplets or by direct contact with the respiratory secretions of an infected individual. Teenage groups, such as students, are at higher risk of infection because of social culture and group-living arrangements. The MenB vaccine, administered via two doses, has been on the UK routine immunisation programme for babies since 2015 and has led to a 75% reduction in infections for vaccinated groups. Bexsero has been designed to offer broad coverage against most MenB strains causing meningococcal disease, though it cannot offer complete protection, given that new mutations arise. Antibiotics remain the most effective treatment to limit the spread of invasive meningococcal disease. The UKHSA said that over 2,500 doses have been given to students, along with their close contacts, in the Kent area. Advertisement Advertisement Commenting on the ongoing outbreak, the UKHSAs chief, Susan Hopkins, said: This looks like a superspreader event, with ongoing spread within the halls of residents in the universities. Private sectors diminishing supply GSKs MenB vaccine has also been available privately since the jabs original approval in 2013. Both private surgeries and pharmacies have reported a surge in demand for the vaccine since the outbreak in Kent. A GP at a private surgery in London, who wished to remain anonymous, told Pharmaceutical Technology: Were being inundated with calls. All our vaccine supplies are now used up and we cant get any more. The surgery said it received an alert from its medical supplier, stating: We have sold out of Bexsero vaccines. Currently, we dont know when we will be able to get more as priority is given to the NHS. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, high-street pharmacy chain Superdrug reported a 65-fold increase in booking demand for the vaccine. There is currently a national shortage of the Meningitis B vaccine, and stock is limited. We are working with suppliers to secure more doses, the company said in a statement. "GSK prepared for potential expansion of meningitis vaccine schedule amid UK outbreak" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch has been suspended for 60 days effective immediately by the Georgia governor's office after he was arrested for a DUI last month, according to an order obtained by 11Alive. According to the sheriffs office, the incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 27 while Couch was driving a county-issued vehicle. A deputy in an unmarked patrol car observed a black Chevy Tahoe traveling along Green Hill Road and noted it was unable to stay within its lane. The deputy was unable to initiate a traffic stop because the unmarked vehicle was not equipped with emergency lights or sirens, according to the incident report. Instead, he followed the Tahoe to a residence, where Couch exited the vehicle. The deputy then requested assistance from the Georgia State Patrol to handle the investigation, noting the driver was the sheriff. Advertisement Advertisement When a state trooper arrived, the report indicates, the deputy briefed him on what had happened and said Couch stated he had come from the bank. The trooper also made contact with Couch and reported detecting the odor of alcohol. According to the report, Couch admitted he began drinking Four Loko beverages around 6 a.m. and had his last one around 8 a.m. Four Lokos are highly-concentrated alcoholic beverages. The trooper then administered field sobriety tests. Authorities said Couch consented to a breath test, which showed a reading of 0.212, well above the legal limit of 0.08. He was then taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper found two open containers, both of which still contained liquid, according to the report. After his arrest, Couch was taken to have his blood drawn and then taken to jail. Advertisement Advertisement GSP said Couch faces the charges of DUI, failure to maintain lane and open container. Couch posted a $1,560 bond and was released at approximately 6 p.m. the same day of the arrest, according to the sheriffs office. The agency took possession of the county-issued SUV he was driving. RELATED: Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch arrested for DUI: Governors Office and Couch's attorney respond Following the arrest, Couch's attorney shared a statement saying the community should allow the investigation and court process to play out before rushing to judgment. Read the full statement below: "Because this matter is ongoing, we will not try the case in the press, nor will we litigate facts outside of the courtroom. Sheriff Couch intends to continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities and is confident that a fair and thorough review of the evidence will bring clarity to the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Couch has dedicated more than 40 years of his life to serving this community in law enforcement. Throughout his career, he has upheld the law, protected the public, and led with integrity. That decades-long record of service deserves to be considered alongside any present allegations. We respectfully urge the community to allow the investigation and court process to proceed without rushing to judgment. Our system of justice depends upon fairness, due process, and the presumption of innocence for all of our citizens and the Sheriff is no exception. Out of respect for the integrity of the ongoing proceedings, we have no further comment at this time." Casella Waste Systems plans to bring millions of tons of out-of-state trash to New Hampshires North Country pursuing landfill operations in Dalton, and in Bethlehem, and a trash transfer station in Twin Mountain/Carroll. If these projects are permitted, they will harm the regions environment and community life for generations. This is the area where the White Mountains border the Great North Woods, an area treasured by residents, visitors, and vacationers alike. New Hampshires backyard. It drives over $1 billion in outdoor recreation and tourism income annually. State and industry spokespeople report no need for new landfill development in New Hampshire for New Hampshire trash for several decades, but Casella aims to make the North Country New Englands dump, importing trash that will bring them tremendous wealth at the regions expense. And it is notable that this company just made the largest settlement agreement on record with the New Hampshire Department of Justice for solid waste infractions a $1.9 million fine for dangerous, chronic operational and safety violations at its Bethlehem landfill. There is jeopardy for the areas environment, rural towns, and economic vitality as operations continue. Advertisement Advertisement In good news, last April the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services denied Casellas solid waste permit for the Dalton dump. However, the corporation has sued the state and filed an appeal with the Waste Management Council to overturn the denial. There is no indication that they will back down. A citizens group is engaged in both the lawsuit and the appeal to uphold the states decision. Casella is simultaneously attempting to expand its landfill in Bethlehem that is slated to close permanently in 2027. Against the towns wishes, the landfill operator is pushing two bills in Concord to overturn the binding legal agreements and zoning regulations that prohibit expansion in Bethlehem (House Bill 707, amended, and Senate Bill 593). The townspeople are working to defeat the proposed bills and retain their control of the towns future, but the outcome is uncertain. Further, Casella made a proposal in Twin Mountain/Carroll in December to build a large trash transfer station by 2028 to handle 200 tons of trash daily. Town officials and citizens are stridently opposed, as they await further information and possible permit applications. And the company is working on a rail transfer station looking at other ways to move waste around the state of New Hampshire. This interest raises further North Country concerns as freight service is resuming in Whitefield. Advertisement Advertisement In February remarks to shareholders that I found shockingly brazen and callous, Ned Coletta, the corporations new CEO, asserted that the Northeast needs New Hampshires trash capacity and commented, theres a little bit too much local politics standing in their way. My understanding is that Colettas local politics references the fact that, to date, citizen action has prevented the Dalton landfill from being built. And legal agreements in Bethlehem are obstacles to Casellas intent to force expansion in that community more troublesome local politics. Coletta continued to say the company is working with the Legislature to fix the problem of local governance and very much focused on having a good outcome for shareholders. Remember, as this plays out, that New Hampshire doesnt need more trash capacity, but Casella, a company aggressively acquiring contracts for waste disposal throughout the Northeast, needs a great deal of trash capacity. There is a broad coalition of citizens, conservation organizations, scientists, legal experts, and legislators working every day to safeguard the North Countrys water, air, land, and communities from the degradation of unneeded and irresponsible landfilling and trash handling. They know the environment in the northern part of the state is the foundation of its iconic quality of life and its thriving recreation and tourism industries. Advertisement Advertisement No one can predict the outcome of Casellas advances in any of these towns. Community opposition is consistently strong, and the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Gov. Kelly Ayotte have favored local control over landfill decisions. However, the Senate is thus far aligned with Casellas plans. If you care about the North County about outdoor fun and playtime in everyones backyard and if you care about the future of your own New Hampshire hometown, be aware that HB 707 and SB 593 will eliminate every citizens and every municipalitys right to influence the siting of a nearby landfill. These bills will usurp all local control and leave new waste facilities location and expansion decisions solely in the hands of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Alternatively, House Bill 1189 aims to form a Solid Waste Site Evaluation Committee that considers the broad community impacts of major solid waste disposal facilities and mandates public participation in their permitting process. Thats a constitutional and democratic approach that empowers communities to determine if proposed projects bring more public benefit than harm, a time-honored hallmark of New Hampshire governance. This is the time to be in touch and share your opinion with your New Hampshire representatives and your state senator. These three bills are moving through legislative committees and headed to final votes in the next few weeks. The votes will determine the future of the North Country, the states renowned playground and perhaps the future of your hometown, too. CNNs chief data analyst Harry Enten on Tuesday said recent polling among traditional U.S. allies shows how the chickens are coming home to roost for Donald Trump, amid a lack of global support for his Iran war. The reason for the limited backing is really simple, Enten told News Central anchor John Berman. The people in those countries hate, hate, hate the U.S. military action in Iran, he noted, pointing to net approval ratings of -27 in Canada, -73 in Japan and -34 in the United Kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement My goodness gracious, he said at one point. Key U.S. allies, the people in those countries, absolutely despise the U.S. military action in Iran, he continued. No wonder the leaders in those countries are, lets just say, a little apprehensive about helping out the U.S. Enten said the reaction is part of a broader decline in how America is viewed abroad. The favorable view of the U.S. in 2025 under Trump versus 2024 under former President Joe Biden is down among 79% of residents across 24 countries surveyed, he noted. Politics: CNN Data Chief Says Americans Have 'Turned' Against Trump Over This Key Issue The analyst concluded: The bottom line is this: The folks overseas are far less likely to view the U.S. favorably, and those chickens are coming home to roost in this situation, as theres very little support abroad for the U.S. military action in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Watch here: Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Dozens of streets, schools and parks bear his name. Public libraries and state offices close to honor his birthday in the three large states where it's a holiday. American presidents honored him with the Medal of Freedom and a National Monument in Keene, California. For decades, Cesar Chavez, the revered late leader of the United Farm Workers union, was heralded as a labor and civil rights icon, even more so after his death over three decades ago. He came to personify Mexican American and Latino identity. Yet this week, Chavez is in the spotlight for an array of horrifying allegations. His legacy faces a reckoning after several women, including union cofounder Dolores Huerta, said he sexually assaulted them, including some who were children at the time. Most kept the dark secrets hidden. Others were purged from UFW ranks when they spoke out, a New York Times investigation published March 18 found. Some labor advocates and scholars said the revelations could provide a much-needed opportunity to reconsider the importance of female workers and activists, rather than attributing the movement's collective successes to one man. Advertisement Advertisement "The farmworker movement has always been bigger and far more important than any one individual," Huerta, now 95, said in a statement that detailed her sexual assault by Chavez, which resulted in two children she said she gave up for adoption. "Cesars actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for farmworkers with the help of thousands of people. We must continue to engage and support our community, which needs advocacy and activism now more than ever." Chavez became the face of a national farm labor movement in the 1960s, pushing for better wages and working conditions for agricultural workers and leading consumer boycotts of grapes and lettuce to give workers leverage. The union is now a shadow of what it was at its peak decades ago, when it landed historic victories against abusive practices. But that heyday was also, Times reporting found, when several sexual assaults by Chavez allegedly took place. Dolores Huerta, the 94-year-old renowned American labor leader and civil rights activist who cofounded the United Farm Workers union alongside Cesar Chavez, poses for a portrait outside the Dolores Huerta Foundation headquarters in California's 22nd congressional district in Bakersfield on Sept. 19, 2024. Calls to rename holiday, streets As groups who championed Chavez reckon with years of his alleged abuse in their ranks, the country is now reconsidering markers that honor Chavez. The union he founded has tried this week to distance itself from him, canceling its participation in events marking his March 31 birthday, which would have been his 99th. Advertisement Advertisement That day is a state holiday in California, where much of the UFW's historic victories took place, along with Minnesota and Washington. Its a commemorative holiday for the federal government and an optional holiday for state government departments in Texas. While the union-aligned Democratic Party has led the embrace of Chavez, Democratic elected officials who tend to support women's rights and more strongly oppose sexual violence have also been among the first to drop the celebrations of his legacy. In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs' office announced the state won't honor Chavez this year. Milwaukee Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa announced the cancellation the city's annual celebration. In Los Angeles, a major avenue through the historic heart of the citys Mexican American community, in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles, bears his name. Elementary, middle and high schools are named after him. At the University of California, Los Angeles, the Cesar E. Chavez Department of Chicana/o and Central American studies bears his name. Advertisement Advertisement "I think its time to change the name of our March public holiday to 'Farmworker Day' in Los Angeles County," County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. Democratic presidents have also honored Chavez. Bill Clinton in 1994 awarded Chavez the Presidential Medal of Freedom a year after his death. In 2012, Barack Obama established the Cesar Chavez National Monument at the UFW headquarters, where alleged abuse took place, near Bakersfield, California; the same year, Obama awarded Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Joe Biden placed a bust of Chavez in the Oval Office upon taking office in 2021. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, the first Latino elected to represent California in the Senate, supported removing Chavezs name from landmarks and institutions, according to spokesman Edgar Rodriguez. In 2025, Padilla introduced legislation to create the Cesar E. Chavez and the Farmworker Movement National Park across Arizona and California. Rodriguez said Padilla would instead work to rename the legislation to honor farmworkers. "Confronting painful truths and ensuring accountability is essential to honoring the very values the greater farm worker movement stands for values rooted in dignity and justice for all," Padilla said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement What happens to this legacy and how history is reshaped by these allegations remains to be seen, although experts and labor leaders noted that Chavez's centralized power came at the expense of women, immigrants and others who made significant achievements for farmworkers nationwide. Cesar Chavez, the United Farm Workers leader, in 1978. "Its unfortunate that Cesars legacy hangs over all of the really important work they did," said Matt Garcia, a Dartmouth College professor who wrote the 2012 history "From the Jaws of Victory: The Triumph and Tragedy of Cesar Chavez and the Farm Worker Movement," which chronicled some of Chavezs abuses as a leader. "But it is the case he almost singlehandedly submerged what was an amazing movement in its time." Garcia said the union facilitated Chavezs unchecked power, failing to build democratic processes that could have protected those who were at odds with him. In light of the allegations, the UFW and the Cesar Chavez Foundation said they are establishing a "safe and confidential process for those who wish to share their experiences of historic harm." Garcia questioned how organizations with people by Chavezs side when the abuse occurred could collect and investigate the incidents. Huerta's statement directed people who may have experienced sexual assault to a list of state and nonprofit resources that didn't include the union. Advertisement Advertisement Even before allegations of sexual abuse, some Latino and farmworker advocacy groups criticized Chavez's anti-immigrant stances. He once supported hard-line immigration enforcement against undocumented immigrants, believing they were used as strikebreakers who undermined American workers. Some conservatives who advocate for immigration restriction have argued that the left should learn from his immigration positions. Today, over two-thirds of crop farmworkers are immigrants, including an estimated 40% who are undocumented, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. UFW membership peaked at around 60,000 in the 1970s. Today, it has fewer than 5,000 members. University of California, Davis data shows less than 1% of farmworkers are unionized, compared with about 1 in 10 American workers overall. But some of the movement's victories remain intact. The Times noted California vineyard workers who once earned $1.20 an hour less than $11 today now make between $17 and $25 an hour in peak season, with health benefits and overtime pay. Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas addresses a large crowd at the grand opening of the Hebbron Family Center Jan. 31, 2026, in Salinas, Calif. In farm country, movement goes beyond Chavez In Californias farm country, where the UFW launched strikes for better working and living conditions, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, a Democrat representing the Salinas Valley, traced his political rise in part to his Mexican American familys connections to the UFW, including with Chavez and Huerta, according to his official biography. Advertisement Advertisement In a March 18 statement, Rivas said his first priority is to listen to survivors and their families "with humility and compassion." "The farmworker movement has never been about one man; it is bigger than any one person, and its values of dignity and justice are more important now than ever," Rivas said in a statement. "To those who have found the courage to come forward, my heart is with you." Beyond Chavez, Garcia said the movement's success, such as the creation and execution of boycotts and strikes, and subsequent contract negotiations, were done in a group effort, not just one person. That understanding may help further farmworker advocacy that continues today. Contributing: Paris Barraza, USA TODAY Network; Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happens to Cesar Chavez holidays, naming amid assault allegations MILAN More Italian fashion companies have come under scrutiny for their ties to subcontractors allegedly involved in labor exploitation and sweatshop schemes. Paul & Sharks parent Dama SpA and Aspesis Alberto Aspesi & C. SpA have been put into judicial administration by a Milan court for their alleged negligence in auditing their suppliers. More from WWD The development comes as part of a labor abuse case filed by Milan prosecutors Daniela Bartolucci and Paolo Storari, who reportedly found that both companies subcontracted part of their manufacturing to Chinese-owned firms Gmax 365 Srl and M&G Confezioni Srl, both based in Garbagnate Milanese, in the Milan suburbs, which allegedly exploited their workers in reportedly underpaid, 14-hour work shifts. As per Italian law, judicial administration is a legal action enforced as a prevention measure, leveraged by the court as a reprimand of the company, in this case allowing it to impose on Paul & Sharks and Aspesis parents a court-named consultant tasked with helping the enterprises enhance their auditing across the supply chain by implementing adequate operational mechanisms. In a statement shared with WWD, Aspesi said that during inspections carried out at the suppliers premises, no elements emerged that could give rise to doubts as to the compliance of the working environment with applicable regulations. Likewise, the company has never been aware, in any way, of the suppliers use of premises as dormitories or of the employment of irregular or undocumented workers. Finally, the company has instructed its legal counsel to protect its interests and rights, including vis-a-vis third parties, while making itself immediately available to all competent authorities. Aspesi also countered Milan prosecutors claims that the subcontractors were paid inadequately to ensure fair wage. Alberto Aspesi & C. SpA. states that such supplier has always been paid amounts sufficient to ensure that its employees received compensation that could in no way constitute worker exploitation within the meaning of Article 603-bis of the Italian Criminal Code, the company said. Aspesi was established in 1969 as a shirt brand by the namesake designer and entrepreneur, who added full mens and womens ready-to-wear collections at the end of the 70s, collaborating with designers including Walter Albini and Franco Moschino. The Armonia fund has owned a controlling stake in the Milan-based brand since 2017, concurrently with the exit of the founder. In 2024 it appointed Alessandro Pescara chief executive officer. Fayette Circuit Court is located in the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse in Lexington. (Kentucky Court of Justice) FRANKFORT A Kentucky House committee has decided to file charges of impeachment against a sitting Fayette County judge, days after she and a local prosecutor testified before the committee. House Impeachment Committee Chair Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said, following a Wednesday afternoon meeting mostly held in private, that the committee would file a resolution with articles of impeachment against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman. The resolution was online later that evening. Fayette Circuit Julie Goodman (Kentucky Court of Justice photo) On Monday, Goodman and her attorneys refuted claims made against her in a petition filed by former Republican state Rep. Killian Timoney. She said that Timoney has never appeared before her in court to her knowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Goodman also refuted claims by Fayette Commonwealths Attorney Kimberly Baird of bias against prosecutors and said she was holding the commonwealths attorneys office accountable. The judge pointed to two cases when people who had been in jail for about a year had their charges dismissed after evidence was heard in court. I am not biased towards the commonwealth, but what I do demand of the commonwealth is that she represents citizens, Goodman said. But all Kentuckians are citizens. It is not about convictions. It is about justice. Baird said that she was asked by the committee to give comments on Goodmans conduct. In addition to testifying Monday, she sent the committee a letter and hundreds of pages of evidence. During the meeting, she said her office tells victims and families of victims to expect Goodman will not rule in their favor before a proceeding. She also said she was unaware that Timoney was going to file his petition. Yes, its uncomfortable, but I came because I thought it needed to be done, Baird said. I am the commonwealth. I represent the citizens, and if I dont think that the citizens are being served correctly, then I think I need to speak up. Advertisement Advertisement Goodman had attempted to block the impeachment petition by filing a lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court seeking its dismissal. Instead, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd held a hearing Tuesday and the case is still pending. Timoney, a Fayette County Public Schools employee, is seeking reelection in the 45th House District after losing a Republican primary in 2024. The seat is currently held by Democratic Rep. Adam Moore. An attorney for Goodman did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. A link to the impeachment resolution was added to this story. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Tuesday said theres a legitimate problem with the U.S.-NATO relationship, though he suggested it might not be the fault of the U.S. alliance. Smith said there are noticeable differences with how the alliance handled U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, versus the current conflict in Iran. Well, there is a legitimate problem with the relationship with NATO. Theres no question about it. Now whos most responsible for that is debatable, Smith said during an appearance on NewsNations On Balance. Advertisement Advertisement But the other way to look at how NATO is reacting to this is NATO stood with us in Afghanistan, in Iraq. They stood with us in the global war on terror. I was over there. They stood up a whole special operations command, Smith said, and their general take, and the general take of Donald Trump when he ran for office was that a lot of mistakes were made in those so-called forever wars. President Trump and Vice President Vance have said they dont intend to launch another long war in the Middle East, and Trump has suggested the military action against Iran could end soon. However, Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. isnt quite ready to pull out of the conflict, and there have been questions raised about how long it could go on. Were not ready to leave yet, but we will be leaving in the very near future, the president told reporters on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement He later added that NATO was making a very foolish mistake by not intervening to help open the Strait of Hormuz to secure a safe passageway for ships transporting oil. Trump said alliance member nations could have sent mine sweepers to help out. Its not a big deal. It doesnt cost very much money. But they didnt do that, he said. GOP lawmakers have cautioned Trump to remain in NATO, with Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) stating that leaving the alliance, as he threatened to do in his first administration, would destroy the Republican Party. If he broke up NATO on his own, it would be a civil war in the Republican caucus, or the conference, Bacon told CNNs Kaitlan Collins. Most of us would find that totally unacceptable, and Im not alone. Theres a large group of us that believe in our alliances and standing up for freedom and pushing back on China and Russia. 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. BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungary and Slovakia have agreed to build a pipeline that will transport oil products like gasoline and diesel in what Slovakia's Energy Ministry on Tuesday called a step toward improving the stability of fuel supplies in the region. The pipeline, which will link Hungary's refinery in Szazhalombatta with Slovakia's refinery in the capital Bratislava, will be 127 kilometers (79 miles) long and be capable of transporting 1.5 million tons of gas and diesel per year, the ministry said. Work on linking the two refineries, both of which are owned by Hungary's Mol Group, should be completed by the first half of 2027, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday from Brussels, where the agreement was signed. Advertisement Advertisement Szijjarto said the fuel link would add further value from the perspective of Hungarys energy supply and diesel supply, while helping to counter the effects of wars around the world. The agreement comes as Hungary and Slovakia, the only two countries in the European Union that continue to import Russian oil, have been locked in a bitter feud with Ukraine over their access to pipeline supplies that cross Ukrainian territory. Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline have been interrupted since late January. Ukraine says a Russian drone strike damaged the pipelines infrastructure, and that repairing it carried risks to technicians. Even if restored, Ukrainian officials say, the pipeline would remain vulnerable to further Russian attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Hungary and Slovakia's governments have accused Ukraine of deliberately holding up supplies of Russian crude, and vowed to take strong countermeasures against Kyiv until oil flows resume. Hungary's government has already blocked a 90-billion euro ($104 billion) EU loan to Ukraine in response to the interruptions. In its statement, Slovakia's Energy Ministry said the supply disruptions had highlighted the vulnerability of energy infrastructure and the need to diversify supply routes and sources. The new pipeline should therefore improve supply flexibility and enable more efficient fuel transfers between refineries in both countries, it said. ___ Associated Press writer Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report. Illinois Central College student residences will reopen beginning in August following their sale to a local investment group. ICC announced Wednesday that ICC Educational Foundation has completed the sale of the student residences to a group led by longtime Peoria-area real estate investors Brad Joseph, Bill Joseph and Chad Joos. The sale was finalized March 6. WoodView Commons, located at 100-600 Woodview Lane in East Peoria, was sold for $4.5 million to Educate Lane LLC, MAM Student Housing LLC, and Syndicate Holdings Student Housing LLC, according to property records. Advertisement Advertisement More: Real estate sales in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford counties for the week of March 2 The property will be professionally managed by Young America Realty. The residential complex, which can accommodate up to 320 students, will reopen for the upcoming academic year. "On-campus housing strengthens the overall college experience," said ICC Interim President Bruce Budde. "We are pleased to partner with an organization that shares our commitment to students and to this community. Students who live on campus are often more engaged and more successful, and we look forward to once again offering that opportunity at ICC." The new owners are currently undertaking a rehabilitation project focused on improving appearance, comfort and functionality. Planned updates include new carpet, fresh paint, updated kitchen appliances and refreshed furnishings, along with other improvements designed to create a more welcoming environment for students. Advertisement Advertisement "Having local ownership matters," said Joos. "We understand this market, we care about this community, and we see the value in creating a quality living environment that enhances campus life." An apartment building in the Woodview Commons on-campus housing complex at Illinois Central College in East Peoria. The sale follows a multi-month evaluation process led by the ICC Educational Foundation. Multiple qualified bidders participated in the process to ensure the selected partner represented the strongest long-term fit for ICC students and the college community. WoodView Commons opened in August 2004 and offers 330 units in four buildings. The future of on-campus housing availability was uncertain after the school announced last March that property managers Illinois Central College Student Housing LLC and the ICC education foundation would not be leasing apartments after the Spring 2025 semester due to a need for major facility upgrades that would exhaust the housing project's financial reserves. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: ICC student housing property sold for $4.5 million in East Peoria The tough-guy former MMA fighter Donald Trump has primed to replace DHS chief Kristi Noem cant stop dropping hints about his secret war-zone missions. Noem, dubbed ICE Barbie by the Daily Beast for her propensity to dress up and not do much actual work, became the first major casualty of Trump 2.0 when the president decided to fire her on March 5. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma was quickly readied as her replacement, with Trump crowing on Truth Social that the MAGA Warrior would make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security. He faces a confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement The 48-year-olds resume includes stints running the family plumbing business, a short but undefeated pro fighting career, 10 years as a congressman, and three years as a senator. There is no mention, however, of any stint in the military. Mullin is set to replace larping DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images This is strange, given Mullins propensity to mentionbut never elaborate onsecret war-zone missions. Three colleagues who have been privy to his incessant hint-dropping have told Axios that he just cant help himself. Hes just talked about his time overseas, like, you know, protecting our country without specifics, one lawmaker said. Another colleague said that Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered some clarity by insisting he wasnt a part of the Armed Forces. Hes not trying to bolster himself up. It was just sort of a matter-of-fact story, the lawmaker said. Hes very clear that he wasnt in the armed services. The colleagues said that Mullin had suggested he did dangerous security work for the U.S. government, likely in Middle East war zones. Axios reported that in at least one private meeting, Mullin said he doesnt mention his service in Afghanistan in public because of the sensitivity of the work. Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, Mullin refused to offer any light when approached for comment. Brother, you know that I cantI cant talk about any questions like this, he told Axios. Youve got to refer all your questions to the White House. The Daily Beast has approached Mullin and the White House for comment. The latter referred the Beast to Mullins Senate hearing where he largely avoided explaining his previous remarks. He said the information was classified. He did concede that he was involved in a trip abroad as a House member that was to help do training. But in 2015 I was asked to train with a very small contingency and go to a certain areaI have spoken general about my experiences, but Ive never spoke specifically on details, on dates or on the mission, and that was official, he said. Later in the hearing, Sen. Joni Ernst said they went to Syria. A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people including 13 U.S. troops, at Kabul airport in 2021. / WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP via Getty Images A spokesperson for the senator conceded that he has participated in CODELs [Congressional Delegations] in his official capacity to represent the United States abroad, advance U.S. national security interests, and strengthen our allied partnerships. Advertisement Advertisement Over the years, prior to public service, Mullin did mission work and provided individual mentorship supportfrom a Christian perspectiveto U.S. troops as they transitioned home, as well as trusted allies who have helped support Americas interests, they told Axios. Mullin hasnt mentioned this particular part of his resume in any of his five runs for the House, or in his 2022 Senate campaign. However, it is likely to come up when he goes before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. Mullin has kept quiet on the detail, but hasnt exactly kept his lips sealed. In fact, he has incessantly hinted at some secret past. Just days before Noem got the chop, Mullin was on Fox News talking about the smell of war. Mullin with Trump during a wrestling championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2023. / Shane Bevel / NCAA Photos via Getty Images War is ugly, it smells bad, and if anybodys ever been there, and been able to smell the war thats happened around you and taste it and feel it in your nostrils and hear it, its something that youll never forget, and its ugly, he vividly recounted. Advertisement Advertisement The next day, during a podcast, he admitted he took part in special assignments but never wore the uniform or the flag. In 2021, he was part of an attempted rescue mission of Americans in Afghanistan after suicide bombers attacked Kabuls airport, killing 13 U.S. service members. The Washington Post reported that a wild plan to eject Americans was knocked back by both the Biden administration and other countries close to Afghanistan. He has put on record his disappointment with this. They would never let us in Afghanistan, he complained on Fox News after the failed operation, saying that Joe Biden has blood on his hands. After mentioning that tier 1 operators, DELTA guys, special forces were involved, he humbly added, Im nobody. Im just a congressman. Im not Rambo. I never pretended to be Rambo. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a yearlong $100 million recruitment campaign late last year. From removing age limits for applicants to offering $50,000 signing bonuses, ICE's "wartime recruitment" campaign is a full-on blitz. The agency's recruitment methods have drawn a lot of critical scrutiny for at least two reasons. First, the ads resemble wartime propaganda posters. One Instagram recruitment post, for example, features an image of Uncle Sam, fist clenched, saying, "Greatness is a Choice: Join ICE Now." A post on X features President George Washington in battle dress atop a rearing horse with the words "Defend the Homeland." In another post, an armored Lady Liberty urges ICE enlistment to "Protect Your Nation." Second, the imagery and language of many ads have raised concerns that ICE's recruitment methods are attracting far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and even neo-Nazis. An ad late last year, for example, prominently featured the phrase "America for Americans," a slogan long used by the Ku Klux Klan. ICE recruitment posts have been reshared by radical-right groups with responses like "message received." While ICE's parent, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), denies deliberately targeting the far right to join the ranks of ICE, the agency has been remarkably clear that "wartime recruitment" is the appropriate phrase for its campaign. Another ad posted to social media states, "America has been invaded by criminals and predators." Speaking about illegal immigrants within the United States, President Donald Trump stated that "this is a time of war" and that he would "stop the migrant invasion," as though immigrants are a foreign military force. Now-former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials have echoed such sentiments. America has been invaded by criminals and predators. We need YOU to get them out. https://t.co/tqZ8y0E36q pic.twitter.com/7CVqGG6uLy Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 29, 2025 If it's a war you want to fight, you need soldiers. Naturally, the DHS has targeted veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Declaring that it "values the commitment, work ethic, specialized skills and experiences vets bring to the workforce," ICE is offering expedited pathways for veterans to join, including veteran internship programs and special hiring authority for disabled veterans. Veterans' applications earn explicit "preference" points over applications from their civilian counterparts. ICE recruitment videos and other marketing materials contain strong military visuals. From tactical gear and weapons training to work on a shooting range, the DHS unequivocally frames ICE as a way for veterans to "continue serving." ICE's overall recruitment drive has been remarkably effective. The agency has reportedly grown its ranks by some 12,000 over the last year, swelling its forces to nearly 22,000. ICE's push to employ veterans has been effective too. About a third of the agency's employees have prior military experience, and approximately 40 percent of deportation officers are veterans. Deportation officers are those directly responsible for conducting surveillance, locating, and arresting individuals of interestin other words, interacting regularly with civilians. It's easy to understand why ICE would want to fill its ranks with veterans. They have ample experience working within a rules-based chain of command, have demonstrated capacity to carry out tactical operations, have experience with reconnaissance, and have firearms training. Some may already maintain security clearances. Advertisement Advertisement But the integration of veterans into ICE has a clear danger. The militarization of domestic forces perverts the functions of both the military and the civilian-facing forces, and it raises real concerns regarding further militarization of immigration enforcement. Enemies, Foreign and Domestic? The Founders recognized a clear need to distinguish between the military and those enforcing domestic laws. Historically, these groups have been trained to serve very different functions, and early laws made clear distinctions between police and military. In the mid-1800s, the Posse Comitatus Act explicitly prohibited the use of federal troops as a civilian police force. Domestic law enforcement entitiespolice, sheriff's deputies, and even federalized organizations such as the National Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and ICEare meant to serve as internal peacekeepers. They are to uphold domestic laws and protect the rights of the public. This includes perpetrators and victims of crime, citizens, and immigrants, regardless of their legal status. For these domestic law enforcement groups, violence is to be used only as a last resort. Consider the mottos of many U.S. police departments. Phrases like "Protect and Serve" are common, as are slogans emphasizing community and service, underscoring these groups' intimate interactions with the communities they engage. While ICE does not have a singular motto, the agency emphasizes that its mission is "enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety." Homeland Security Investigations, a part of ICE, states that its core values are honor, service, and integrity. Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, the military is tasked with fighting the enemies of the United States in international conflicts. It uses violence proactively to destroy enemies and advance the government's interests abroad. This is embodied by the Soldier's Creed, which reads in part: "I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States in close combat." The militarization of U.S. domestic policing operations is not new. For more than a decade, scholars, journalists, and other policy analysts have discussed how the integration of military tools, tactics, and institutional structures has come to be common practice within the United States. For example, SWAT teams, now ubiquitous across the United States, were not introduced until the 1960s. Following the race riots in Los Angeles in 1967, a Vietnam veteran saw an opportunity to use his war training as a means of domestic crowd control. He proposed to incorporate the structures and tactics deployed by the Marine Corps' elite force reconnaissance units in Vietnam in Los Angeles. The idea stuck, and the first SWAT team soon became a permanent fixture. During the war on drugs, these units spread across the United States, with myriad negative consequences, including botched raids, injuries to both police and civilians, and deaths. In addition to SWAT teams, the integration of surplus military equipment into state and local police departments (through initiatives such as the 1033 Program) equipped civilian police forces with tools designed for use against enemies abroad, with clear consequences. Recent photos from Minneapolis, with federal officers clad in heavy Kevlar with high-powered weapons, illustrate the widespread adoption of these tools. Advertisement Advertisement These SWAT dynamics are relevant within the context of ICE as well. ICE's Special Response Teams (SRTs) are specialized, paramilitary units that are "ready to deploy." Like their counterparts in other SWAT units and throughout ICE, veterans are heavily recruited into SRTs. Take a behind the scenes look at the training of ERO's Special Response Team (SRT). Read more about ERO SRTs: https://t.co/7W0Eylsdcu pic.twitter.com/Ziy5lEFcHR U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) March 28, 2019 Trained at Ft. Benning in Georgia, transported by armored personnel carriers, and equipped with military-style gear, assault rifles, and heavy "less lethal" weapons like pepper balls and flash-bang grenades, these units are modeled after U.S. Special Forces, not civilian police. Indeed, a recent $30,000 DHS contract revealed that members of SRTs would be undergoing sniper training. As with SWAT teams, the outcomes were wholly predictable. In 2025, ICE launched 37 separate investigations regarding excessive use of force. Between 2015 and 2021, ICE agents were involved in at least 59 shootingswith 24 fatalities. While reporting requirements make it difficult or impossible to separate incidents involving SRTs from standard ICE units, the involvement of SRTs in the shootings in Minneapolis paint a grim picture. Other events point in a similar direction. In 2023, a federal judge awarded a $1.17 million settlement following a raid conducted by DHS paramilitary units in 2018. The judge ruled that agents had detained people without warrants, detained people without probable cause, and utilized excessive force. A slew of other civil lawsuits allege similar behaviors. Some dismiss these concerns, arguing that domestic law enforcement officialsincluding ICEneed such tools to do their jobs effectively. But this is simply not the case. ICE is not encountering heavily armed enemies on some foreign battlefield; it is encountering civilians on the streets of the United States, including young children. From the Barracks to the Streets The integration of military tactics and equipment into immigration enforcement matters, but who is integrated matters too. Some might suggest that since veterans are former military and not on active duty, concerns about militarization are overblown. And it's true that such veterans are formally separated from the military. But there's more going on. Advertisement Advertisement Just as the education, work, and other life experiences we possess are carried forward into our future endeavors, the same is true for military veterans. The training that taught members of our Armed Forces to engage with enemies of the United States in close combat doesn't disappear when they come home and return to civilian careers. The integration of military ideas and attitudes is a core component of the overall phenomenon of militarization. Some of those issues might be mitigated if officials made a clear distinction between military operations and ICE operations. But as the ads and other statements referenced above show, they're doing the precise opposite. Veterans are being encouraged to bring the tools of foreign wars to the streets of the United States. They are, after all, fighting "invaders." Some of these problems might also be lessened if veterans joining ICE received the training necessary to shift their mindset from one of interacting with foreign enemies to one of interacting with civilians. But this does not appear to be the case either. With the rapid increase in ICE's ranks, many have questioned the agency's ability to train so many recruits appropriately within such a short timeframe. Some agents receive as little as six weeks of training before being sent into the field. Freelance journalist Laura Jedeed laid bare these concerns when she was hired to be an ICE deportation officer after just a six-minute intervieweven though she hadn't received a background check, hadn't signed an affidavit that she'd not been convicted of domestic violence charges, and was unlikely to pass a drug test. Jedeed, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, told Democracy Now! that the officer who interviewed her was clear that she wouldn't be "given a badge and a gun right away" but was emphatic that "we want everyone on the street with guns eventually." Advertisement Advertisement The recruiter, she also said, was also a veteran, and he told her that "he had a lot of trouble assimilating, as a lot of veterans do. And so about six months later, he decided to go for law enforcement.He's been an ICE agent, he said, for about a decade.This is very sad to me and also emblematic of a problem we have where we use this language of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction and freedom and democracy at the barrel of a gun. We did this overseas, and it's come home in every conceivable way." When you combine those factorsmilitary tactics, military tools, military human capitalviolent outcomes are predictable, like the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, The language used by our leaders, the tools provided to immigration enforcement, and the human capital being recruited into immigration enforcement all point in one unmistakable direction: the continued militarization of domestic law enforcement. The line that once separated civilian peacekeepers from the military was a safeguard intended to help maintain a free society, not a trivial technicality. When domestic law enforcement, immigration or otherwise, is framed as "war" and carried out by those trained to conduct such operations, we cannot be surprised when the institutions of war come to be used at homenor can we be surprised that violence and death are the outcomes. The post ICE Is Bringing Military Occupation and Recruitment Tactics to America appeared first on Reason.com. Four Democrats running to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell debated Tuesday night on how they could flip the script and win a U.S. Senate in Kentucky something that hasnt been done since 1992. Former state Rep. Charles Booker, former U.S. Senate and House candidate Amy McGrath, Louisville horse trainer Dale Romans and state House Minority Floor Leader Pamela Stevenson all said at a debate hosted by Spectrum News Tuesday that they could flip the seat, which McConnell is leaving at the end of the year. Candidates talked through major issues in the Democratic Party like affordability, health care, the conflict of Iran, U.S. relations with Israel, immigration and more. Advertisement Advertisement On the federal stage, the Kentucky Democratic Party has been in the been in the wilderness for more than a decade. No Democrat has held a U.S. Senate seat since the late Wendell Ford exited politics in 1998, and no Democrat outside of Louisvilles 3rd Congressional District has held a U.S. House seat since 2012. Stevenson, who ran for attorney general unsuccessfully in 2023, struck a progressive chord and cast herself as a movement builder with experience working across the aisle. Romans said he was the most moderate of the bunch, and that combined with his unorthodox background as a horse trainer, could carry the day in November in a way that the party hasnt come close to doing since 2004, when a Democrat nearly defeated late Sen. Jim Bunning. McGrath said that she was the most proven candidate at winning over moderates and independents, while refraining from casting herself as too moderate or too progressive. Advertisement Advertisement Booker argued that his uniquely progressive approach hes called for a general strike, universal basic income and Medicare for All would win the day despite Kentuckys conservative electorate. Booker said he believes the candidate with the boldest vision is who is most likely to win. All candidates agreed that most actions of President Donald Trump have been misguided, and that major efforts of his, like the Big, Beautiful Bill, and changes to immigration enforcement, need to be rolled back. Democratic candidates who did not meet Spectrum News threshold to join the debate stage they limited it to candidates who either raised $100,000 from outside sources or had previously appeared on the ballot in a statewide election include Lexington attorney Logan Forsythe and Vincent Anthony Thompson. There were, however, significant areas of disagreement on electability, Israel and more. Democrats in detail The first question of the night from Spectrum News host Mario Anderson was on electability given Democrats woes at the ballot box. Advertisement Advertisement Romans gave the most explicit case: he thinks hes the most moderate, and that will help, repeating the line that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We need to start governing from the center. You know, Im not a lawyer, not college-educated. I never was in the military, but I think I have a PhD in life, and I think that that would do me a lot of good when I go to Washington, Romans said. McGraths argument was more circumstantial. With Beshear having won reelection by five points in 2023, this years open seat and more Americans growing leery of Trumps presidency given high prices, health care cuts, and conflict in the Middle East pave the way for someone like her to win. Stevenson leaned on her experience in the legislature, where she recently became leader of the House Democratic Caucus. Advertisement Advertisement Booker said the voters would put trust in his consistent activism for progressive policies, which he argued has had crossover appeal. The people of Kentucky need a proven leader who will stand on the front line in the streets, on the picket line in the halls of government, lifting up a vision to put more money in their pocket to make sure they dont have to ration their medicine, to make sure they can live a good life, Booker said. On the matter of affordability a political buzzword that Democrats and Republicans alike have leapt on with Americans still concerned about prices they all pushed back hard on Trumps agenda. This tariff policy that was unilaterally put in place by our president and championed by our Republicans in Congress is a tax on all of us. It hurts our bourbon industry, hurts our farmers, hurts all of us at the checkout (line). Lets repeal that, and then lets get back these Affordable Care Act subsidies. Why? Because right now, people cant afford health care, McGrath said. Advertisement Advertisement All three candidates essentially agreed with McGraths analysis of Trumps economic policy, offering criticism of the president in that regard. Similarly, all were against the conflict in Iran, which Trump initiated alongside Israel in late February. McGrath, a former U.S. Marines fighter pilot, excoriated the cost of war, which is running around $1 billion per day, and cited previous conflicts in the Middle East she characterized as needless. We spent 20 years and $3 trillion to replace the Taliban with the Taliban in Afghanistan, McGrath quipped. Booker tied expensive military campaigns to his own progressive policies. He argued its always said that change isnt possible until it happens. He linked the U.S. spending on military action to the inability of Congress to pass his preferred policies. Advertisement Advertisement I believe that if we can find endless wars, we can fund Medicare for all. If we can fund endless wars, we can fund food support for our children. If we can fund endless wars, we can make sure that no one has to struggle, Booker said. Stevenson struck a similar chord on cost for policies. We put a man on the moon when we said it was impossible, she said. If were brave enough, we can make sure that working families have the things they need. The candidates largely kept to themselves on the debate stage, eschewing bickering sessions and focusing on their own platforms. There was one notable moment when discussing Israel, however. Advertisement Advertisement In discussion of Israels role in American politics, Booker called Israels campaign in Gaza where more than 70,000 are estimated to have been killed in the countrys response to Hamas surprise attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 Israelis a genocide. Thats been seen as a dividing line among some Democrats in more progressive states. Romans went on the offense when Booker reiterated his commitment to take no money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, also known as AIPAC. First of all, youre not gonna take money from AIPAC because theyre not gonna offer you any money. So its easy to stand up here and point your finger, Romans said. Romans went on to affirm that he cant be bought, but if AIPAC wants to send some money, Ill take it, because it takes money to win a race. I wont be ashamed of it. Advertisement Advertisement Including Booker, the other candidates indicated they would not take AIPAC money. McGrath mentioned that she agreed with Dale, but later said she would not take the funds into her campaign. On immigration, they found more common ground. All of the candidates had harsh words for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, which has been under heightened scrutiny since the high-profile killings of two American citizens in Minnesota this winter. Booker and Stevenson said they would abolish ICE, a popular call among many national progressives. Romans and McGrath did not say theyd do so, but offered serious criticisms and pushed for big reforms in its use of force. In the candidates only lightning round yes or no question, they were asked if theyd abolish the filibuster, the U.S. Senate rule essentially limiting most legislation without a 60-member majority from passing. Hardline conservatives and progressives alike have argued in favor of doing so to enact more dramatic and impactful legislation. Booker was the only one to say yes. Romans was the only one to say no. Neither McGrath nor Stevenson gave definitive answers, but seemed open to fixing established rules that they see as broken. A West Coast heat wave is pushing into Idaho, bringing unseasonably warm weather. A strong high-pressure system building inland will result in record-high temperatures starting Tuesday, March 17, the National Weather Service said in its most recent Idaho state forecast discussion. Wednesday, March 18, through Friday, Feb. 20, could be among the warmest days ever recorded so early in the year, the weather service said. Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about the forecast for the week ahead: How hot will it get in Idaho? The heat wave is expected to last for most of the week before temperatures cool off on Sunday, according to the weather service. According to the National Weather Service, six Idaho cities are expected to set new maximum temperature records this week, including Boise. Baker City, Burns, Jerome, McCall and Ontario could also see record-breaking heat. Warm weather is hitting during a crucial time for the Gem States snowpack. The warm weather will accelerate snowmelt at mid-to-high elevations and lead to increased flows in small streams and creeks in central and eastern Idaho, the weather service said. Advertisement Advertisement However, Idaho is not at risk to severe flooding, forecasters said. The view at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area on March 13, 2026, from the Pine Creek Cam shows snow at the ski area but bare mountains nearby. Bogus Basin officials announced they would close March 22 after a forecasted heatwave in southern Idaho. (Bogus Basin Pine Creek Cam) When will Bogus Basin close for ski season? Bogus Basin will close for the winter ski season on Sunday, March 22, weeks earlier than usual, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. Operations could extend if conditions allow, the ski resort said in a Friday, March 13, news release. Caldwell firefighter Mike Aguilar sprays water into the air as Oliver Shetler, 6, runs by, at Brothers Park in Caldwell, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com) Whats in the forecast for Boise? According to the National Weather Services most recent seven-day forecast for Boise, the City of Trees will see hot, sunny weather for most of the week. On Tuesday, Boise was expected to have a high temperature about 72 degrees and an overnight low temperature of 47 degrees. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be the hottest days of the week, with high temperatures hovering in the low 80s. Advertisement Advertisement Overnight lows will range between the high 40s and the low 50s on these days, the weather service said. Only partial relief is expected on Saturday as the high makes a 10-degree drop to 72. The overnight low will be 41. The next cooling trend will arrive on Sunday, as the high drops another 10 degrees to 62. Sunday will have an overnight low of 41 degrees. High water on the Boise River flows between trees on the banks of the Greenbelt east of the Parkcenter bridge, Friday, April 21, 2023. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com) What are flood risks in Idaho? Predictions for melting mountain snow coincide with Idaho Flood Awareness Week, which started March 15 and runs through Sunday, March 22. As spring snowmelt and seasonal rain increase the risk of flooding, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management is raising awareness about the potential dangers flooding poses, the state office said on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Emergency management will host an educational webinar on Wednesday afternoon, March 19 at 1 p.m. This webinar provided insights on how to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of spring flooding in Idaho, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management said. In addition, the National Weather Service offices across Idaho will share information on flood preparedness daily on social media. The National Weather Service shared tips to prepare for flooding before it happens in a X post on Monday, March 16. They include: A 12-day-old infant boy named Benjamin, Benji, died in Nampa in December, despite calls to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare asking the agency to check on the baby. The families who tried to get officials to respond to their concerns about the parents, who had prior child abuse convictions and terminated parental rights of five other children, have been calling for a change in policy to prevent this from happening again, IdahoNews.com reported. Rep. Steve Tanner, R-Melba, talks to Rep. Anne Henderson Haws, D-Boise, on the House floor on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) In response to the death, Nampa Republican Rep. Steve Tanner sponsored House Bill 776, which advanced to the House floor on Tuesday. The House Health and Welfare Committee voted 12-4 to approve the bill that would require a high prioritization of an assessment for infants below the age of 1 if theres a child protection report, and if child faces certain risk factors. Advertisement Advertisement Its a light, but yet firm touch, Tanner told the committee. It does not instruct the department to adopt any new procedure or new course of action. It simply instructs the department to give the situation its highest priority and immediate focus. This bill does not instruct the department to take any specific action regarding the child or child custody. It simply says, Get your eyes on the situation as quickly as possible. The bill faced some opposition from those who believed it restricted parental rights. I want to take a minute and represent the parents of Idaho, Pocatello Republican Rep. Tanya Burgoyne said. There are rights that are at stake here for parents. This is a loss to parental rights. This is government overreach. Reps. Tanya Burgoyne, R-Pocatello, and Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls, chat with a colleague on the House floor on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Burgoyne joined Republican Reps. Lucas Cayler of Caldwell, David Leavitt of Twin Falls, and Faye Thompson of McCall in voting against the bill. Advertisement Advertisement The public hearing lasted about an hour and featured nearly a dozen people providing emotional testimony in support of the bill. No one testified against it. What would the bill do? Under the bill, if the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare received a report of potential child abuse or neglect of an infant with certain risk factors, the department would be required to verify reported risk factors within 12 hours of receiving the report. If the risks are verified, the health agency would need to respond with a safety assessment as a top priority. The risk factors to require more timely action would be when the parent, guardian or legal custodian: Appears in the agencys child protection central registry for substantiated abuse, neglect or abandonment within 10 years. Had parental rights terminated. Had their child born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, in which an infant experiences drug withdrawals at birth after exposure to substances in the womb. Testimony argued Benjis wasnt an isolated incident Everyone who testified at Tuesdays hearing spoke to the tragedy of Benjamins death, but many argued that there are other infants who could be helped by the changes in HB 776. Advertisement Advertisement Monique Peyre said she adopted Benjis older siblings, and she knew the conditions those children were exposed to before Peyre adopted them. My children have overcome severe trauma through significant amounts of therapy, but the idea of another child living through this broke me every minute he was alive, Peyre said. To be told repeatedly that history doesnt matter, and this is a new case. To help locate the family and be disregarded, and then to find out the infant died the next day with no welfare check being done, is an experience I would never wish upon anybody. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX We cant go back in time, she said later in her testimony. But we can take steps to protect the next infant born into a similar situation. This was systemic failure on multiple levels, and it needs to be addressed. Advertisement Advertisement Nampa hospital social worker Gabrielle Messick said shes seen many child protective cases. She said providers and social workers in the hospital at times encounter situations where babies are born into high-risk situations, but all they can do is report to Child Protective Services. I will immediately call CPS as soon as we have confirmed that there is reason to, Messick said. But we dont often get a response. Sometimes even days will go by to the point that that baby will discharge home with those parents with very real concerns. Janelle Anderson said she was seized from her home as a baby when a social worker found that she had been strangled, squeezed through the middle, and was wearing an old, soiled diaper. People say that have heard my story, Oh, Janelle, youre so lucky, Anderson said. Babies shouldnt have to rely on luck. Lawmakers debate bills impact on parental rights The committee members who supported the bill said it would speed up the timeline of the child protective process that already exists, not create any new power for the health agency. State Reps. Lucas Cayler, R-Caldwell, (left) and Cornel Rasor, R-Sagle, chat during the Idaho Houses Local Government Committee meeting on March 16, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Those who opposed it said they were worried it infringed on the rights of those parents. Advertisement Advertisement Cayler, a Caldwell Republican, said the bill seemed to presume guilt. He likened it to the movie Minority Report, in which agents try to stop crimes before they begin. Committee Chairman and Nampa Republican Rep. John Vander Woude said the bill was easy to support. Its to protect the most vulnerable, the little kids that are out there, Vander Woude said. Its sad that this happened, and I remember when it happened, I thought, Well, what can we do? The bill will go to the House floor for further consideration. If passed, the bill will go to the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Idaho Senate is calling for an end to the rapid increase in the number of bills introduced each year by the Idaho Legislature. In a unanimous, bipartisan vote on Wednesday, the Idaho Senate signed off on a new rule that would limit the number of draft bills that legislators can have prepared each year. Senate Concurrent Resolution 114 seeks to create a new Joint Rule 24 in the Idaho Legislature. If it is also adopted by the Idaho House of Representatives, the proposed joint rule would limit every member of the Idaho Legislature to requesting a maximum of 25 pieces of draft legislation each fiscal year and no more than 10 completed pieces of legislation prepared for introduction called routing slips, or RSs. Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon (Courtesy of the Idaho Legislature) Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, sponsored the proposed new rule limiting the number of new bills that can be requested. Guthrie argued that the Idaho Legislature is intended to be a part-time, citizen-driven legislature that acts efficiently and effectively. He warned the increase in legislation introduced recently changes the Idaho Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement I think sometimes the volume of legislation gets to a point that is not necessarily compatible with that directive, that expectation, Guthrie said. Guthrie said the limits would reduce stress on legislative bill drafters and help keep the Idaho Legislature efficient and focused. I just think at this juncture the volume (of legislation) were seeing is maybe getting to be a level of concern, Guthrie said. The proposed new rule includes exceptions for budget bills and if House or Senate leaders wish to make an exception to the limit. Data shows sharp increase in number of bills Idaho Legislature has introduced over the past two years In 2025 the Idaho Capital Sun reported that there were more pieces of legislation prepared during the 2025 legislative session than in any session for at least 30 years if not ever. Advertisement Advertisement This year, legislators have prepared even more bills than last year. Through the first nine weeks of the 2026 legislative session, there have been 893 pieces of legislation prepared, according to the week-to-week progress report published by the Idaho Legislative Services Office. That compares to just 857 pieces of legislation prepared during the first nine weeks of the 2025 legislative session. In contrast, legislators had prepared 739 pieces of legislation during the first nine weeks of the 2021 legislative session, records show. Based on the volume of bills introduced in 2025 and 2026, the Idaho House could introduce a House Bill 1000 for perhaps the first time in state history this year. Bills are numbered sequentially, and the most recent bill introduced in the Idaho House on Wednesday was House Bill 932. In order to avoid confusion between House bills and Senate bills, House bills are given numbers sequentially starting with House Bill 1, while Senate Bills start with Senate Bill 1001. The bill numbers start over every two years after a new Idaho Legislature is elected. Clerks on the House floor Wednesday said they were not aware of any time in state history when the Idaho House has introduced a bill with a number as high as House Bill 1000. Advertisement Advertisement The proposed legislative rule limiting the number of draft bills a legislator may request heads next to the Idaho House of Representatives for consideration. It takes a two-thirds supermajority vote in each legislative chamber to amend joint rules. ProgressRpt SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Perry's Restaurants Ltd. has been removed from a lawsuit alleging it was involved in a Costa Rican medical marijuana farm that ripped off a former employee. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle) Perrys Restaurants Ltd. and three individuals have been removed from a lawsuit alleging company CEO Chris Perry deprived a business partner of tens of millions of dollars in equity in a Costa Rican medicinal marijuana farm. Perry himself remains a defendant. Craig Aumann, an Austin businessman, says he was pushed out after investing a year of his life, relocating to Costa Rica and creating Hybrida Farms, an operation now worth $100 million. His suit says he had been made CEO of Vantage Point Global, the company that owned the farm, along with promises of equity. Attorneys for Perry countersued, saying Aumann never had equity, was not an employee and misrepresented and defrauded Perry and David Cree Crawford, another owner at times threatening physical violence. READ NEXT: Austin jury awards $49M in one of largest Texas Business Court verdicts In a Tuesday hearing, Perry attorney Dylan Jones asked a judge in the 3rd Business Court Division to throw out the case because it failed to include sufficient facts and was a shotgun pleading including multiple parties on multiple claims and established legal rules. He also accused the plaintiffs attorney of using artificial intelligence to create filings. Frankly, a lot of these documents the plaintiff has filed indicate that they've been prepared using artificial intelligence without proper oversight, Jones said. A screenshot of Hybrida Farms website featuring an image of its main facility. The farm is at the center of a lawsuit involving the scion of Perrys Steakhouse. (Courtesy Hybrida Farm) He pointed to inappropriately cited cases and formatting in the petition that didnt comply with court rules. Judge Melissa Andrews declined to dismiss the case but did ask for the petition to be refiled in the correct format. She agreed that AI may have been used and reminded attorneys of the limitations of the digital tool. The attorney for the plaintiff, Jonathan Kovar, was unable to attend the hearing but filed a motion afterward. In it, he argued the steakhouse should continue as part of the case as money paid to Vantage Point came from Perrys Restaurants corporate accounts. Along with the restaurant group, its executive Lesa Sorrentino and alleged investor Denis Stavinoha were dismissed with prejudice. All but a civil conspiracy claim was dismissed against Michael Sorrentino. Claims of business disparagement, tortious interference, conversion and breach of implied employment agreement were also dismissed. In an email after the court order was issued, Kovar said Aumann would probably appeal the rulings. We don't agree with the decision to remove the restaurant group, since the funds came directly from their account, but that wasn't a totally unexpected decision, he wrote. Hassan Ali Marwan was previously responsible for the divisions operations, commanding the launch of missiles, UAVs, and rockets toward the State of Israel and IDF troops in southern Lebanon. The IDF eliminated the commander of the Imam Hussein Division in Beirut on Tuesday, a week after eliminating his predecessor, the IDF announced on Wednesday. Hassan Ali Marwan was responsible for the divisions operations and had been appointed its commander following the elimination of the former commander, Ali Maslam Tabajeh, along with his deputy, Jihad al-Safira, and several other senior operatives. Advertisement Advertisement In his position, Marwan had commanded the launch of missiles, UAVs, and rockets toward the State of Israel and IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon. In addition, during Operation Northern Arrows, Dhu al-Fiqar, who had commanded the division before Tabajeh, was also eliminated, making Marwan the third commander of the division to be eliminated since the start of the operation. According to the IDF, the Imam Hussein Division is a military force used by the Iranian Quds Force to advance the interests of the Iranian terror regime and to carry out attacks against the IDF and Israeli civilians. An Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fires rockets while flying along the border between northern Israel and southern Lebanon on March 18, 2026. (credit: Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images) IDF strikes two bridges over Litani River in Lebanon The IDF struck two bridges over the Litani River in Lebanon on Wednesday after warning Lebanese civilians to evacuate the area. Advertisement Advertisement According to the IDF, the bridges were used by Hezbollah terrorists to move weapons southward, such as rockets and launchers, to be used against IDF troops and Israeli civilians. The IDF noted that the bridges were targeted to prevent harm to both Israeli civilians and Lebanese civilians. This photograph shows the destroyed Qasmiye Bridge built over the Litani River, following an Israeli airstrike, in Qasmiye on March 18, 2026. (credit: KAWNAT HAJU / AFP via Getty Images) "Israel will not allow Hezbollah to use Lebanese state infrastructure," said Defense Minister Israel Katz, describing the strikes as a "clear message to the Lebanese government." IDF warned Lebanese civilians ahead of strikes The IDF had warned residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate northward on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the strikes, citing Hezbollah infiltrations into the area. Advertisement Advertisement Due to Hezbollah's activities and the transfer of terrorist elements into southern Lebanon under the protection of the civilian population, the IDF is compelled to conduct a broad and precise targeting of Hezbollah's terrorist activities, IDF Arabic spokesperson in Arabic Avichay Adraee announced on X/Twitter. Adraee specifically noted that the IDF intended to strike Litani River crossings to thwart Hezbollahs southward movement of weapons and personnel. For your safety, you must continue moving to the area north of the Zahrani River and refrain from any movement south that could endanger your lives, said Adraee. Donna Miller is projected to win the Democratic nomination for Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, the seat vacated by Rep. Robin Kelly. This is a breaking news update. The following is from an earlier report. While a lot of money has been poured into the Illinois U.S. Senate race, there are several House seats also open. In Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, 11 candidates are looking to fill the seat that's being left open by U.S. Representative Robin Kelly as she runs for U.S. Senate. The district covers parts of the city's South Side down to the south suburbs and parts of central Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement A name familiar to Chicagoans, and particularly voters in the 2nd Congressional District, is Jesse Jackson Jr. Jackson is still mourning the loss of his father, Reverend Jesse Jackson. Jackson Jr. represented the 2nd District from 1995-2012, and then served time after pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. The former congressman is hoping the voters give him another chance to represent them. RELATED | 2026 primary elections: Voter information in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller has been campaigning throughout the long district from 43rd Street in Chicago to Kankakee. Out-of-state donor money for Miller has gotten publicized, but Miller contends voters are more interested in what she can do to help families of the 2nd District. Advertisement Advertisement State Senator Robert Peters has been talking with voters over the last few months on the campaign trial. The South Side native and former community organizer was appointed to the state legislature in 2019 They are vying for the seat Rep. Kelly holds as she is now running for U.S. Senate. READ MORE | Democratic US Senate candidates make final Election Day push in tight race Illinois voters on Tuesday selected Democratic and Republican candidates who will represent the parties in the Nov. 3 General Election. Candidates advanced on both the local and statewide level. Here's a look at some of the races pertinent to Springfield-area readers. Sangamon County Sheriff Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch Feb. 11, 2026. Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch defended her seat against former sheriff's deputy David A. Timm to win the March 17 Republican primary. Advertisement Advertisement Crouch garnered 54% of the vote with 100% of the precincts counted. Democratic candidate Marc Bell announced on Feb. 9 his intention to withdraw from the sheriff's race, though he remained on the ballot and received more than 11,000 votes Tuesday night. More: Crouch staves off challenge from Timm to win sheriff's GOP primary 708 Mental Health Board Sangamon County voters approved a 0.50% sales tax hike that will fund a 708 Mental Health Board. Consumers will now pay 50 cents more on a $100 purchase of some general retail goods. The vote garnered 53% on its first try with strong bipartisan support throughout the county. The sales tax rate will increase to 10.25% in Springfield and 11.25% in the South Central Business District, some of the highest rates in the state. Advertisement Advertisement More: Voters approve sales tax to fund mental health board in Sangamon County U.S. Senate Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton speaks during Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. Gov. JB Pritzker's former Lieutenant Governor won a heavily crowded Democratic ticket to fill the void being left by Dick Durbin, D-Springfield. The Associated Press called the race around 9:40 p.m. with about 85% of the votes counted. Stratton secured 39.7% of while Raja Krishnamoorthi trailed with 33.4% of the vote. Don Tracy was the Republican winner. AP called the race at around 8:40 p.m., with 67% of the votes counted. 40% of voters wanted Tracy on the Republican ticket. He was among five Republican contenders. Durbin, the country's longest-serving party whip, announced last April he would not be seeking re-election this year. U.S. House, 13th District Nikki Budzinski advances on the Democratic ticket for the General Election on Nov. 3. She will face Republican Jeff Wilson. U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, was declared the winner for the Democratic primary in District 13. She will be squaring off with Republican Jeff Wilson, who was also declared a winner. Advertisement Advertisement The 13th Congressional District, helmed by Budzinski since January 2023, includes most of the population in St. Clair and Madison counties and stretches from East St. Louis to Springfield and Urbana-Champaign. Budzinski garnered more than 75% of the votes between her and competing Democratic candidate Dylan Blaha at the time of the declared win. Around 72% of the votes had been counted. Jeff Wilson was declared the winner in the Republican race, with 67% of the vote earned at the time. 42% of the votes had been counted. Wilson had squared up against Joshua Loyd. More: Budzinski, Wilson win Illinois Primary Election in District 13 U.S. House, 15th District Voters will decide between Republican Mary Miller and Democrat Jennifer Todd in Illinois' 15th Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, easily secured her spot on the Republican ticket in Illinois' Primary Election for the 15th Congressional District. She will face Democrat Jennifer Todd. Advertisement Advertisement The seat spans most of central Illinois with the exception of a narrow strip with Springfield within it. The Associated Press declared Miller the winner at around 8:45 p.m. with 85% of the votes counted. Miller was among three Republican candidates. She garnered 73.5% of the votes. AP declared Todd the winner a little after 10 p.m., with 77% of the votes counted. Todd beat out three other Democratic contenders with her 45.7% lion's share of the votes. Todd is a registered nurse and said she wants to fix issues she considers non bipartisan, including keeping rural hospitals open, lowering prescription drug costs, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, supporting family farms and small businesses. Advertisement Advertisement More: Mary Miller to face Jennifer Todd in race for Illinois' 15th District Governor Gov. JB Pritzker was the sole candidate for the Democratic party. Republicans again chose former State Sen. Darren Bailey as their candidate. The Associated Press declared Bailey the winner around 8:30 p.m. with 91% of the votes counted. Bailey was among four candidates. He secured 53.8% of the votes. Darren Bailey speaks at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield after winning the Republican nomination in Tuesday's Primary Election on March 17, 2026. More: Illinois governors race will be a rematch in 2026 DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick and businessman Rick Heidner, who spent more than $1 million of his own money on the campaign, according to Capitol News Illinois, each had under 10% when the race was called. Advertisement Advertisement This will be the second time Pritzker and Bailey have faced off against each other in the governor's race. Bailey went on to lose the general election, 55% to 42%, after Pritzker swept Cook County and most of the collar counties. Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois Primary: Recapping the top races in Springfield and the state Indianas attorney general is defending the state Election Commission in court after the panel denied an attempt to remove Alexandra Wilson from the ballot for a Republican state Senate nomination. Whatever decision the judge makes will impact the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, who works for the attorney generals office and has President Donald Trumps endorsement against current Sen. Greg Goode in the GOP division over congressional redistricting. The dispute over Alexandra Wilsons candidacy for the Terre Haute-area Senate seat landed in court after the commission deadlocked over whether she was ineligible for the primary ballot because of a state law prohibiting someone convicted of a felony crime from holding elected office. Advertisement Advertisement Clay County Circuit Court Judge David Thomas is scheduled to hear arguments in the case on Wednesday even as Alexandra Wilsons attorney has asked for a change in judge. Trump-backed candidate works for Rokita Brenda Wilson is a Vigo County Council member and has worked since September 2025 for Republican Attorney General Todd Rokitas office, where she is an outreach coordinator with a $62,000 salary, according to state records. Prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson and calls her candidacy a ballot trick by local Republicans to help Goode survive the primary by taking votes away from Brenda Wilson. Attorney Jim Bopp. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilsons candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement The commissions two Democratic members sided with arguments from her lawyer that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor. Bopp dismisses the suggestion that Rokitas office might not meet its legal obligations of defending the Election Commissions action because of Brenda Wilsons employment and his past legal work representing Rokita that ended in 2014. Bopp pointed to a Monday court filing in which the attorney generals office opposed his arguments for removing Alexandra Wilson from the ballot. Hes arguing for the very position that the Democrats claimed in the hearing, Bopp said of Rokita. Now the Republicans rejected that, but hes not. Advertisement Advertisement The attorney generals office did not answer questions Tuesday about its handling of the case. A filing from the office argued Alexandra Wilson did not plead guilty to a felony as needed for disqualification and the petition is without merit. Judge change requested Alexandra Wilsons lawyer, Samantha DeWester, filed a motion Monday asking for a new judge in the case. DeWester didnt give a reason for the request, which Bopp criticized Tuesday as a delay tactic since he filed the court case March 2 and asked the judge for expedited action as county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on March 21 ahead of the May 5 primary. Brenda Wilson, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Indiana Senate District 38 seat. (Photo from Wilson campaign Facebook page) Bopp told the Capital Chronicle that he was troubled about ballots going out and voters being deceived on which candidate is what, because of the name similarity, and so the right to vote is being undermined. Advertisement Advertisement We think this is dilatory, Bopp said about the new judge request. Shes had almost two weeks to intervene and make any motion she might want to make, including change of judge, and didnt try to intervene until the very last minute. DeWester did not immediately reply Tuesday to questions from the Capital Chronicle about the request for a new judge. She did not directly criticize the involvement of Rokitas office when asked about it last week, but said I would certainly want to avoid any appearance of a conflict or impropriety if the roles were reversed. Neither Brenda Wilson nor Alexandra Wilson responded Tuesday to messages seeking comment about the case. Advertisement Advertisement Brenda Wilson is among five Republican primary challengers endorsed by Trump running against Goode and other Republican senators who in December joined with Democrats in the 31-19 vote defeating the redistricting plan aimed at giving GOP candidates all nine of Indianas U.S. House seats. Vigo County Republican Party Chair Randy Gentry, who certified Alexandra Wilson for a GOP candidacy, denied Bopps accusation of ballot manipulation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX From the gas pump to grocery prices, Hoosiers are hurting. Real estate broker Joel Clausen says, "As great as the Midwest is we are being affected more than most folks are because of the rising cost, because of our lower incomes, our affordability. People are stretched thin right now." So thin that Indiana ranks the highest with foreclosure rates in the country, according to ATTOM, which Clausen sees more often than you think. Advertisement Advertisement Clausen explains, "It's really tough because people overpaid during COVID and now the assessments are catching up to them, and the mortgage payments are going up, and people just can't afford it." ATTOM found one foreclosure for every 1,579 housing units in the state, a 60% increase from just a few months ago in November. "There's a lot of things that are happening right now to kind of cause some of these inflated numbers and stress on folks that we generally don't see," he said. "So, it's just kind of a perfect storm of a lot of things happening right now that Indiana kind of getting kicked in the teeth a little bit." Clausen adds that the prices of homes in Indiana are also weather dependent because of different seasonal extremes, so the cost of utilities also contributes to the problem. Advertisement Advertisement "We have higher gas prices, people still have to drive. We have higher groceries at the grocery store right now that people have to have to eat. And so, it's just a lot of the perfect storm right now and with the war going on as well," he says. Clausen helps homeowners across central Indiana when it comes to foreclosure. "They don't ask for help when they first kind of get a notice or they first get behind, they think, you know, hey, I can just pick up a few more hours of work, I can do DoorDash, I can do whatever to make some money, and it just, it compiles on top of things and generally when I talk to folks, it's almost too late," he says. He says a lot of people who get stuck in that spot may be living well above their means. Advertisement Advertisement Clausen suggests budgeting and asking for help early on. IU Center for Real Estate Studies Associate Director Sara Coers saw the writing on the wall. "The foreclosure rate is the first indication of really deep trouble," she says. "We're headed for a time where affordability is going to continue to erode, and basically it's just going to become a harder and harder situation for people in Indiana to afford their housing," Coers said. "We tend to lag the rest of the country in trends when it comes to housing, but we're the first to show the negative impacts, so our prices haven't slowed down the way the rest of the country has, but we don't have the economic conditions to keep us ahead of the curve. I don't know that we're going to become California anytime soon, but I do think that we're headed in the wrong direction compared to the country." Advertisement Advertisement On top of rising costs, Coers believes the state's low wages don't help. "People who are using 1995 wages to try and buy 2025," Coers explains. "We're kind of like a rubber band stretched to its limit all the time on affordability, and the minute it starts to get a little too stretched, we're the first to snap because we're a very low wage dependent economy," she says. Coers suggests a few solutions such as more affordable housing, incentives and higher paying jobs because Hoosiers don't want to feel that rubber band snap and see a foreclosure sign in their front yard. "This is definitely not a list that we want to be at the top of, because when employers see this list, they think, oh, do we want to bring jobs to this state?" Coers says. Its been 20 years since Jeremy Warriner has gotten to enjoy a state park to its fullest. He became a double amputee after a flaming vehicle wreck in 2005. Before I lost my legs I was a backpacker. I have a family that loves to get out into nature, Warriner said. Many of us tell ourselves these lies when we acquire disabilities, that were not going to be able to do those things again. But as technology improves all of these things open back up, he said. Warriner is the founder of disability advocacy group Walking Spirit. Advertisement Advertisement He spoke to reporters after completing his ceremonial first ride of an all-terrain, battery-powered trackchair on Tuesday, outside Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis. It turns on a dime! Warriner exclaimed minutes beforehand, then launched himself up a hill. Forty-five shiny new trackchairs will soon be available for use at every Indiana state park and state park inn free of charge. Through surveys, our guests tell us that hiking is the most popular park activity, but unfortunately, our friends with mobility limitations frequently cannot experience the joys of our amazing trails, said Alan Morrison, director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Department of Natural Resources Director Alan Morrison (center) and officers celebrate the purchase of 45 all-terrain chairs outside The Garrison Conference Center at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The trackchairs, he said, allow those Hoosiers to explore off-road, rugged environments. Advertisement Advertisement DNR used about $1 million from the Lilly Endowment to buy 45 trackchairs and portable generators, or about $22,000 per set. The money is part of a $50 million grant awarded in 2024. Trackchair maintenance will come out of DNR operating funds, per Morrison. Theyll supplement the dozen or so powered mobility chairs currently available, mostly via friends of groups and other donations, according to State Parks Director Brandt Baughman. Weve had a few of these out in our system for several years now, and they just get a great amount of use, he told reporters, recalling his time managing Indiana Dunes State Park. Getting rugged Ric Edwards, the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance director for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, celebrates the purchase of 45 all-terrain chairs at The Garrison Conference Center at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) DNR leaders applauded Ric Edwards, the agencys Americans with Disabilities Act compliance director, for leading the initiative and training parks on how to use the trackchairs. Advertisement Advertisement I grew up in Spencer, Indiana, visiting McCormicks Creek State Park and going in creeks and woods until a car accident caused me to have to use this wheelchair, Edwards said. I believed, wrongly, that those days were over. People like me and my family, my friends and some that we will never know, will be able to experience nature in a way not previously possible. To use one, call a state park office and get your name put on a list ahead of time, or roll into the office and sign up day-of, according to Baughman. Itll be first-come, first-served. DNR hopes to roll out an online reservation system in the next few months, however. The charge lasts up to eight hours. So, if we dont have anyone thats waiting on it, you would be welcome to take it out for that entire time frame, Baughman said, or until closing time. Advertisement Advertisement The trackchairs can accommodate anyone from the size of a small child up to a full-grown adult, said Adam Henning, the marketing director for ATX Manufacturing. An ATZ manufacturing employee (right) shows Jeremy Warriner, the founder of disability advocacy group Walking Spirit, how to use a new all-terrain chair ahead of a ceremonial first ride on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) They have six adjustment points, including the armrests, which can be made shorter or longer for different arm lengths, as well as different torso widths or core functioning. The footrest also goes up and down. The controls can be moved for right- or left-handed driving. Theyre mounted on tracks from a snowmobile manufacturer, Henning said. Each weighs in at about 450 pounds, adding further traction and stability. DNRs batch of Axis model trackchairs came outfitted with outdoor accessories: fishing rod holders, firearm holders and more. Advertisement Advertisement The machines also have hour meters on them, so DNR will track their usage. The agency will set out defined areas for trackchair use to ensure there are no terrain issues, no ruts, or anything that would be dangerous for them, Baughman said. If a trackchair user runs into trouble in a low-reception area, well probably have an idea of where theyre at and if theyve been out for a while, he added. Theres no single date for when all the machines will be available at all parks. The first 22 came in last week, with the remaining 23 distributed Tuesday. After the demonstration, DNR and ATX Manufacturing employees loaded the trackchairs onto large trailers hooked onto agency pickup trucks to deliver them to their new homes. Department of Natural Resources and ATZ manufacturing employees secure new all-terrain chairs to truck-drawn trailers for transport to state parks on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Morrison said its just the latest initiative to improve accessibility in Indianas public lands. Advertisement Advertisement DNR also has beach mats to make it easier to reach the water, fishing piers with ramps and lower railings, wheelchair-accessible hunting paths and hunting blinds, special viewing stations and more, he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Ananda Teresia JAKARTA, March 18 (Reuters) - Indonesian military authorities said on Wednesday that they have arrested four officers allegedly involved in an acid attack on an activist known for his opposition to the expanded role of the military in civilian life. Andrie Yunus, a deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, a rights group also known as KontraS, suffered burns to 20% of his face and body from acid thrown by assailants from a motorcycle on March 12. Advertisement Advertisement The alleged perpetrators were members of an intelligence unit belonging to the military, said Major General Yusri Nuryanto, Commander of Indonesian Armed Forces Military Police, adding that they were also from the Navy and Air Force. "We have now taken the four alleged suspects into custody at military police headquarters and we are conducting a thorough investigation," he told reporters. Since President Prabowo Subianto took office after a landslide 2024 election victory, rights groups and students have expressed concern about the use of the military to implement his policy goals, which triggered nationwide unrest in August last year. The activist was attacked after recording a podcast episode about the military's expanding role in Indonesian politics. Advertisement Advertisement Yusri said authorities were currently investigating any potential motive the four suspects may have had for the attack, including the possibility that it came from an order by their superiors. The suspects will be subject to an investigation by military police and face a military trial on charges of serious assault, which could bring sentences of up to seven years in jail, he said. He did not identify the four by their full names, giving only their initials and their ranks of captain, first lieutenant and second sergeant. At a separate press conference, Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri confirmed that four suspects have been accused of being involved in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Another police official, Iman Imanuddin, said more people could have been involved. Alghifari Aqsa, a lawyer representing Yunus, raised questions about the transparency of the investigation and urged the government to form an independent fact-finding team to reveal the "big operation" behind the attack. "We want authorities to find the masterminds and the people who fund this operation," Aqsa said. (Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway) MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (WPRI) Gravy, the infamous turkey known for chasing cars in Middletown, hasnt learned his lesson. Gravy spent more than a month with the wildlife rehabilitation center Congress of the Birds in Glocester after he was hit by a car in early February. The turkey was underweight when he was brought in for treatment and had abrasions on his feet and swelling to one of his eyes. BACKGROUND: DEM says Gravy the turkey should return to Middletown Advertisement Advertisement The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management confirmed to 12 News on Tuesday that state biologists recently released Gravy, but despite his previous injuries, the turkey is chasing vehicles once again. After receiving care from Congress of the Birds, DEM biologists returned the turkey to a large area of suitable habitat within its home range in an effort to reestablish it in the wild, consistent with our policy of not relocating healthy wildlife, DEM spokesperson Evan LaCross explained in an email. However, the turkey has continued its behavior of chasing cars. FILE Gravy the turkey chases a Middletown police cruiser. (Courtesy: Kerry DAngelo) The DEM is now evaluating options for Gravy, including possible relocation. Congress of the Birds Director Sheida Soleimani previously told 12 News that she had concerns about Gravy being released back in Middletown, noting that an animal control officer told her this wasnt the first time the turkey had been hit by a vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement He is going to get hurt again, inevitably, if hes back in that intersection, Soleimani said. I mean, this is the fourth time that hes been hit. Prior to his release on Aquidneck Island, Soleimani had suggested the DEM release Gravy at Congress of the Birds property where there is plenty of space and fewer vehicles. MORE: Gravy the turkey gains notoriety for holding up traffic in Middletown Gravys future remains uncertain at this time, but LaCross said the DEM will try to do whatever is best for both Gravy and public safety. DEMs goal is to place this turkey in a setting that offers the best chance for its long-term survival, LaCross said. While the bird has drawn considerable public and media attention, it remains a wild animal. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. For roughly 20 days, hundreds of Hornell-area residents stayed glued to social media, especially Facebook, tracking the sightings of Ellie, a white, medium-sized pitbull mix, who went missing following a devastating motor vehicle crash in Hornellsville. Amherst couple Blake and Jen Verpoten were in town visiting their cabin in the Hornell area on Feb. 22 when they were involved in a two-vehicle accident at state Route 36 and county Road 66 in Hornellsville. Both Verpotens were seriously injured in the crash and hospitalized at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, while another of one of their dogs, Violet, was killed in the accident. Advertisement Advertisement Ellie survived the crash but apparently slipped away during the frantic emergency response to the incident. Dog Gone Trapping chosen to lead search for missing pet With the Verpoten family determined to recover Ellie, the couple's niece contacted Kelly Shearing of Dog Gone Trapping and Pet Recovery in Gainesville, New York for help on Feb. 23. Dog Trapping and Pet Recovery is a donation-based service for safely tracking and trapping pets. It also offers basic in-home training for dogs. Typically, Shearing focuses most of her efforts a little closer to her home base in Wyoming County, rarely venturing into Steuben County for a job. There are practical reasons for that. Ellie, a white pit mix, turned up missing from a serious motor vehicle crash on Feb. 22 in the town of Hornellsville. Dog Gone Trapping and Pet Recovery safely recovered the dog on March 12. Going an hour away is tough, because you really need to be around once you arm a trap," she explained. "You dont want an animal trapped for too long. They can hurt themselves." Advertisement Advertisement Shearing said there are also occasions when other animals, including cats, are trapped unintentionally. She knew taking the job in Hornell would mean some long overnights away from home. "But I just couldn't say no because of the tragic (accident) and what happened with the family," Shearing told The Evening Tribune. Key development: Ellie spotted across the road from St. James Hospital After a couple of days without any reported sightings, on Feb. 27 a St. James Hospital employee spotted Ellie across the street from the facility. A photograph confirmed it was the missing pooch. From that point forward, Shearing's trail cameras consistently spotted Ellie on a hill between Route 70A and the Econo Lodge. Advertisement Advertisement Shearing said Ellie would go on the west side of 36, across from the accident scene, then traverse North Main Street Extension as far as Madison Avenue. "Then she usually showed up at one of my camera/trap spots around 5-6 a.m. on the east side of Route 36. The following evening she would show up between 9 and 10 p.m. and then move off, stay on the east side of 36 using the trails and passing a camera on Yankee Lane," Shearing said. Ellie was missing for nearly three weeks after a two-vehicle crash in Hornellsville on Feb. 22. She was recovered on March 12. Shearing said Ellie was seen on trail cams 1.5 miles down Route 70A and as far south as Heather Heights and Dennis Avenue. Shearing said Ellie was in "survival mode" following the motor vehicle crash. It's a state where dogs are motivated by primal instincts, causing them to focus on safety, food and shelter and avoid interactions with people. Advertisement Advertisement Shearing said there were some cases where would-be rescuers tried to track Ellie after photos and locations were posted online. That made the trapping job more challenging. She said, "I train dogs myself. I am very good with dogs, but no one is good with a dog who is in survival mode. You cant catch them by sitting down and throwing treats at them. They view all humans as a threat. Shearing spent three nights in her cargo van at the Harbor Freight parking lot, tracking Ellie's movements. She set up two conventional box traps, but Ellie visited each one time and never went back. More: Hornell gets serious about unlicensed dogs. Here's what city is doing 'Missy Trap' proves to be the right choice for recovering Ellie After the box traps proved ineffective, Shearing and a friend built a Missy Trap. A Missy Trap is a large, modular, and humane live-capture trap designed specifically for catching fearful, skittish, or "trap-shy" dogs that avoid conventional, small box traps. Advertisement Advertisement Ellie made three trips to the inactivated Missy Trap on March 11, showing she was comfortable with the device and was likely to return. Shearing activated the Missy Trap on March 12 and Ellie visited the device and was finally captured around 9:30 that night. Ellie was trapped about one mile from the accident site. She did not appear to have any injuries from the crash or serious ailments from nearly three weeks spent outdoors. She seemed pretty good. I dont know if she had lost much weight. But she is good," Shearing said. "She had some ticks. It was very important that she was taken to a vet to have a once over checkup and given a few days to decompress. Blake and Jen Verpoten's daughter, Terra, was the first family member to be reunited with Ellie. Advertisement Advertisement "It was a wonderful reunion. And then the next morning they took Ellie back to the Buffalo area where they live. Jen was reunited with Ellie for the first time since the accident," Shearing said. How the community helped reach a happy ending in Ellie search Shearing was effusive in her praise for the community, thanking "the wonderful people of Hornell who have supported me and donated to my business." Shearing said the Feb. 27 sighting of Ellie on Yankee Lane was critical to establishing the dog's general area. Shearing singled out Judy and David Landry, who she said allowed full access to their property to set up cameras, food plots and traps. "Ellie was the Nomad of North Hornell for 20 days," Shearing said in a Facebook post. "I cannot stress enough how much I appreciated everyone who listened and supported the process, although it can take time, it has to be slow for a safe outcome." Advertisement Advertisement Email Neal Simon at nsimon@gannett.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Missing dog Ellie recovered after serious car crash in Hornell area Sam Altman argued it was "already feels difficult to remember how much effort it really took" for coders to write software. Thousands of tech workers are being laid off, from Atlassian slashing 1,600 jobs to Jack Dorseys fintech company Block firing almost half its workforce. Metas latest round of layoffs is rumored to affect an astonishing 20 percent or more of the company. A common thread among these devastating cuts is industry leaders touting the capabilities of AI, claiming that the tech has made the workers who find themselves on the chopping block redundant. Whether those claims align with reality, or whether the layoffs are actually the result of corporate bloat and pandemic-era overhiring, is a topic of much debate. In a Tuesday tweet that can only be described as twisting the knife, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman argued that I have so much gratitude to people who wrote extremely complex software character-by-character. It already feels difficult to remember how much effort it really took, he added. Thank you for getting us to this point. Its a particularly tone-deaf and borderline vindictive missive that suggests Altman has long given up on the idea of fairly compensating content creators and coders for their work. Its no secret that OpenAIs AI models were trained on data that was shamelessly scraped from the web, a controversial practice that has triggered a litany of copyright infringement lawsuits. Altmans remarks drew an overwhelmingly negative reaction. Youre welcome, one user responded. Nice to know that our reward is our jobs being taken away. Others called him a f***ing psychopath and scum. Nothing says youre being replaced quite like a heartfelt thank you from the guy doing the replacing, one user wrote. The news comes as OpenAI desperately tries to keep up with the competition in an increasingly crowded enterprise and code-facing AI software landscape. On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that executives had started ringing the alarm bells, calling for the company to double down on coding and enterprise customers. We cannot miss this moment because we are distracted by side quests, OpenAIs CEO of applications, Fidji Simo, told employees in a memo, as quoted by the WSJ. We really have to nail productivity in general and particularly productivity on the business front. Meanwhile, OpenAIs competitor Anthropic has made major strides, with its Claude Code and Cowork chatbots triggering a trillion-dollar selloff last month over concerns that AI could make legacy enterprise software a thing of the past. In short, its difficult not to read Altmans latest tweet as a sleight, directly capitalizing on widespread fears of an AI jobs apocalypse to tout the capabilities of his companys offerings. More on OpenAI: Panicked OpenAI Execs Cutting Projects as Walls Close In Iowa Republican lawmakers are finding themselves in an unusual position: at odds with business groups and taxpayer advocates as they seek to raise taxes on some health insurance providers. Republicans have proposed the tax increase on health insurance providers, known as health maintenance organizations or HMOs, to fill a growing gap in the state's Medicaid budget. But Iowa's major employers and business groups criticized the proposal, House File 2739, at a public hearing March 18, saying it would raise health care costs on employers and Iowans. Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa House is expected to vote on the bill March 19. Iowa House lawmakers hear testimony on House File 2739, which would raise taxes on health maintenance organizations in Iowa, at a public hearing on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at the Iowa Capitol. Business groups criticize proposed tax increase Logan Shine, a lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, was critical of lawmakers' lack of action on the group's priorities this year. "NFIB came into this legislative session with three priorities: reduce health care costs, property tax relief, energy rate reductions," he said. "We have yet to see any meaningful passage of any of those three priorities, and the first thing that it looks like were going to be seeing is a tax increase on health care premiums." Shine said the top concern among the organization's 10,000 member businesses in Iowa is the cost of providing health insurance to their employees. Advertisement Advertisement "Obviously this legislation does not help that," he said. "It only adds to the growing concern." The tax on health maintenance organizations would rise from 0.925% to 3.5% between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 of this year. Beginning Oct. 1, the tax would lower to 0.95%. The tax increase is expected to bring in $123 million to shore up an expected $90.6 million Medicaid budget deficit in the current fiscal year, which will rise to $167.6 million in fiscal year 2027. More: Iowa senators weigh $120M health care tax hike to fill Medicaid hole Nate Ristow, president and CEO of the Iowa Taxpayers Association, which has advocated for Iowa's state tax cuts, accused Republican legislators of not practicing responsible budgeting, noting that the state's budget increased by roughly 5% in each of the last two years. Advertisement Advertisement "The divergence from responsible budgeting has led us to a point where making up less than 1% of our overall budget in order to cover additional costs in Medicaid apparently requires a tax increase on Iowans and Iowa businesses," he said. Scott Sundstrom, a lobbyist for Wellmark Inc., said the company expects to pay $24.2 million more in taxes this year because of the increase. "That money will be passed on to Iowans as all taxes are and always have been," he said. "So, Im not here talking today about the costs Wellmark have to pay, Im talking about the costs that Iowans have to pay in increased taxes on their health care costs." He said Wellmark estimates that its customers who are covered by the company's plan will see a $115 tax increase per person. Advertisement Advertisement "So for a family of four thats nearly $500 in taxes that they did not expect before the year began," he said. State officials say tax increase is needed to fill Medicaid shortfall State officials defended the need for the increase, saying it will bring in needed funds to fill the state's Medicaid shortfall. "This represents a way to bring in some one-time revenue for what is obviously a very concerning budget shortfall that we have in Medicaid here in Iowa," said Iowa Medicaid Director Lee Grossman. "This additional revenue would be about $123 million for the Medicaid program, which is obviously a significant one-time source of dollars." Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen disputed the idea that the tax increase would automatically increase bills for Iowans. Advertisement Advertisement "The tax in this bill applies to an HMO directly," he said. "It does not directly apply to Iowans or Iowa businesses. If the costs associated with this tax are passed to business customers, that would be within the business decision of the HMOs." Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, said the state also plans to fill the Medicaid shortfall with general fund dollars. The bill provides an additional $70.3 million to the state's Medicaid program. "We have plenty of money in the general fund to do it," she said. "But we also expect the companies that provide care to pitch in as well." She echoed Ommen's argument that the bill does not mean an automatic increase in Iowans' health care premiums. Advertisement Advertisement "This bill does not direct the health care insurance companies to increase their rates for the nine months," she said. "They would be making that decision on their own." Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Republicans at odds with business groups over proposed tax hike The Iowa House passed a measure Tuesday implementing citizenship and work eligibility vetting requirements for Iowa school staff and other public employees, which also included changes to state law on pretrial detentions of undocumented immigrants who register to vote. Senate File 2218 passed the Iowa Senate unanimously in February. The language passed in the Senate bill requires the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to have applicants for new and renewing licenses provide information to the board of their legal authorization to work in the country. Educators not subject to license renewals are required to submit evidence to the BOEE every five years proving their ability to work and remain in the country in order to stay licensed. The bill also requires public school boards, the entities overseeing charter schools and nonpublic schools to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals who accept a job offer at their institution. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX These provisions were introduced, and approved with bipartisan support in the Senate, in response to the immigration arrest of former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Ian Roberts in September 2025. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports, Roberts was given an order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024 and faced previous criminal charges. But the House amended the bill during floor debate Tuesday to include several other proposals related to citizenship verification and immigrants status in Iowa. Citizenship verification for state employment, licensing The bill incorporates language from Senate File 2412 a bill which also passed the Senate and has a companion in the House codifying an executive order from Gov. Kim Reynolds on licensing and public employment. The legislation requires the government and licensing boards to use the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database and E-Verify system to verify citizenship and legal status of people seeking state government jobs or professional and occupational licenses. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Angelina Ramirez, D-Cedar Rapids, criticized the measure for relying on federal systems like SAVE that have been proven to be faulty, sometimes resulting in false positives. Ramirez said these false positives often occur with women who change their last names related to marriage, and for legal immigrants. A meaningful portion of our licensed health care workers are legal immigrants, Ramirez said. If Im a doctor and have a visa and Im choosing where to work in the Midwest, will I willingly work in Iowa where I have the possibility of having my license be denied renewal because of a false allegation that Im undocumented, or would I choose to work in a state where that risk is not there? Iowans are already facing a health care crisis. This bill will drive out critical health care workers out of our state, lengthen wait times, and make it harder for Iowa families to get the care that they need. Language was also added to state undocumented immigrants who register to vote illegally are subject to a Class D felony charge, and that these individuals, if arrested, would also be denied pretrial release. Ramirez said the bill also categorically denies bail to entire classes of defendants, which she said is unconstitutional. Democrats also criticized majority Republicans decision to wrap multiple measures into one bill, instead of debating them as individual measure. Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, called the amended measure a franken-bill that will affect all sectors in their hiring processes and cost the state significant money. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, the bills floor manager, said each of measures incorporated into the bill were passed through the House committee process. I simply say that, on the amendment, that safety is a priority and we did have an opportunity to talk about each one of these bills before they were amended into this bill, Boden said. This is an employment verification bill that wraps youre right multiple agencies into this, but each one of these bills have already moved through our committees, and weve had plenty of time to have that discussion. The measure passed the House in a 78-16 vote, and returns to the Senate for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An amendment introduced to House File 2694 in Iowa would restrict the governors actions during an emergency. The move is a response to restrictions put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Kim Reynolds included religious services in a temporary ban on gatherings of more than 10 people at that time. The governor could no longer do that if this passes. Governors could recommend a business close in a similar emergency situation but not require it. The bill would take away the governors ability to require vaccines. The bill passed the Iowa House last week when the amendment was filed. A vote in the Senate is pending. Advertisement Advertisement For more information, click here. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Although many Iowans rarely check the nitrate levels in their homes, thats beginning to change thanks to Iowa Citizens for Community Improvements (CCI) new water-testing initiative. Iowa CCIs water testing initiative is gaining momentum. The program encourages people to regularly test both their tap water and nearby rivers or streams, which can carry health risks if contaminated. One of the reasons that were hearing so much talk about nitrates in testing for nitrates is their connection to cancer, said Ava Auen-Ryan, the Farming Environment Organizing Director for Iowa CCI. And various different types of cancers, and the fact that so many people in our state are impacted by that, and the rates just keep going up. Advertisement Advertisement Story continues below Recently, Iowa CCI reported that the Iowa House cut nearly $500,000 from the Iowa Water Quality Information System budget. The funding was taken away at the State House in 2023, said Auen-Ryan. And so, since then, its been operating under budget, underfunded. And if we dont restore that funding of the State House this session, we actually run the risk of losing that network of sensors. Advertisement Advertisement This loss of funding could hit Iowans wallets hard, especially in rural communities. When youre in that situation, its often times those costs fall on the individual, and they can be pretty astronomical even if you do have a stable, good-paying job, said Auen-Ryan. One Iowa CCI volunteer knows this struggle first-hand. After high nitrate levels were found in her well, she had to pay out of pocket for a reverse osmosis system. Right away, we start drinking the water, and we got, you know, bottled water. And then we contacted a reverse osmosis company that would sell us a reverse osmosis system, said Joann Sadler, a volunteer for Iowa CCI. And because the way things are in our state, you know, I had to put that bill completely by myself. Its quite expensive to get a reverse osmosis system. Advertisement Advertisement Thats just one reason Iowa CCI is calling on more people to help test not just their tap water, but rivers and lakes across Iowa. People have rigged up different contraptions to like lower the buck and stay out of the water, said Auen-Ryan. And pull it up and shared knowledge that way. And then ultimately, all of that data is from the people testing. And our crew goes into the nitrate watch hub. With community support, Iowa CCI hopes to capture the attention of lawmakers at the State House. I think the goal, of course, is water testing program is to create an informed group and also is to use what we learned to advocate for long-term solutions from elected officials who can give us those things. We want people to know whats in their water, and we want that to be publicly available, Auen-Ryan expressed. Advertisement Advertisement Experts from Iowa CCI encourage Iowans to get involved, whether by contacting elected officials or volunteering. To learn more about volunteering, click here. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Lawmakers heard concerns Wednesday that health care costs would grow for Iowans under a proposed retroactive, one-time tax increase on health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in fiscal year 2026 without addressing the problems advocates argued are causing budget problems in the states Medicaid program. Advocates representing insurance organizations and Iowans on Medicaid and other impacted health coverage plans spoke at a public hearing on House File 2739. The bill was tentatively scheduled for debate Thursday in the Iowa House after it passed the Appropriations Committee in a 14-10 vote Monday. The bill would raise premium taxes for HMOs, a type of Medicaid Advantage plan offered by private companies, from the current 0.925% rate to 3.5% between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2026. In October, the rate would decrease to 0.95%, slightly higher than the current rate. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal also would transfer $296.2 million from the Iowa Taxpayer Relief Fund to account for state revenue decreases caused by tax cuts through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act approved by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, alongside a $70.3 million transfer from the state general fund to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services put toward the states Medicaid program. The companion bill in the Senate, Senate File 2464, is also available for floor debate. It contains many of the same provisions related to HMO premium taxes and funding transfers, but takes a different approach to how funds can be moved in future years from the Taxpayer Relief Fund to address state revenue shortfalls. Senators supporting the change said 85% of the increased taxes would be paid by the private entities overseeing Iowas Medicaid system known as Managed Care Organizations, or MCOs Amerigroup Iowa, Inc., Iowa Total Care and Molina Healthcare of Iowa and 15% by other HMO plans. But advocates said during subcommittee meetings and at the public hearing the change would raise costs for other insurers. Scott Sundstrom, a lobbyist for Wellmark, Inc., said he spoke in opposition to the bill Wednesday not on behalf of our company, but on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Iowans that we serve, and who paid premiums that will now see a massive increase on the premiums they pay. Advertisement Advertisement Sundstrom said Wellmarks HMO will face a retroactive tax increase of $24.2 million in 2026 under the proposal. That money will be passed on to Iowans, as all taxes are and always have been, he said. He said Iowans who use Wellmarks HMO for health coverage will see an estimated $115 increase in costs per person this year because of the tax increase, representing roughly $500 in increased costs for a family of four. As we all know, health care is incredibly expensive, Sundstrom said. It is too expensive. It is a system with lots of problems and costs, and this is going to make it worse. Doug Ommen, the state insurance commissioner, said with the proposed timeline of enacting the temporary increase to 3.5% followed by the reduction to 0.95% for HMO tax rates, Iowa will remain competitive with other states, and will operate with one of the lowest tax rates in the country, with both insurance premiums, as well as for HMO related taxes. Advertisement Advertisement He also disputed characterizations that the proposal will increase health insurance costs for Iowans in the current year. He said under current law and through the states actuarial review process, these expenses cannot be added to any rates in the individual or small group market in this calendar year. He also emphasized the measure is not directly increasing costs for Iowans health coverage plans. Others have suggested that the idea that the costs associated with this tax will be spread to Iowans and other businesses operating in Iowa, Ommen said. The tax in this bill applies to the HMO directly, and does not directly apply to Iowans or Iowa businesses. If the costs associated with this tax are passed to business customers, that will be within the business decision of the HMOs. Lee Grossman, Iowa Medicaid director with the state Department of Health and Human Services, said the tax increase represents an additional estimated one-time funding source of $123 million to address a very concerning budget shortfall that we have in Medicaid here in Iowa. The state Medicaid Forecasting Group on March 12 estimated Iowa Medicaid will face a $90.6 million deficit in FY 2026, and a $167.6 million deficit in FY 2027. Advertisement Advertisement During meetings on the bill Monday, Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, said over the next five to seven years, lawmakers are expecting to see a $600 million shortfall in Medicaid costs in the state of Iowa. He said he supported the measure as a way to have health insurance providers who make profits through this industry contribute to addressing Medicaid deficits. Grossman also added at the public hearing that other states use HMO premium taxes to fund their states Medicaid programs. I would also offer that this is a relatively common way for Medicaid programs across the nation to finance their Medicaid programs, Grossman said. Iowa is one of about 22 states that currently finance Medicaid through this particular mechanism. He said the proposed tax increase represents a way to have some one-time funding in a way that does not result in reductions or costs to cuts to vulnerable Iowans. This argument that the tax increase is needed to ensure Iowans receiving Medicaid coverage do not see cuts to care was also brought up by Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, in earlier discussions on the bill. Advertisement Advertisement But several individuals speaking at the public hearing argued the best way to support Iowans on Medicaid was to reverse Medicaid privatization. Zach Mecham, a disability rights advocate, said as a recipient of Iowa Medicaid, the budget shortfall is an issue he and other Iowans who receive health coverage through the program warned lawmakers about when the program was privatized in 2015. He said because of the Medicaid budget deficit, people on Medicaid are facing service reductions. This year, Mecham said, he was questioned by his MCO if his health care providers have tried to wean me off of my ventilator, which I rely on to breathe. He said only an organization that is desperate to cut services would ask that of someone like me. The temporary tax hike would not solve this issue, Mecham said. The solution this year is to kick the can down the road, Mecham said. Im worried that if we dont solve these budget issues which frankly, I think means getting rid of privatized Medicaid were going to see more and more increases on their costs, and those costs are going to trickle down to us in the form of service cuts, Mecham said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE With large expat populations and large numbers of foreign workers, Gulf States thrive based on trade and having airports open and oil tankers able to transit the Strait of Hormuz. As Iran continues its attacks on the Gulf countries, particularly the UAE, there could be a narrative shift about what should happen next. This means that countries that were publicly very cautious about the outbreak of war and appeared to prefer de-escalation may now want to see Iran defeated in a long-term campaign. They may still be wary of escalation, and this includes attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. While they dont appear ready to commit their own armed forces, some are more open to a longer campaign to make sure that Iran cant threaten the region again. Advertisement Advertisement This double-edged sword of discussion in the Gulf is complex for a region that has prized regional stability over conflict. The Gulf countries dont benefit from conflict. With large expat populations and a myriad of foreign workers, they thrive based on trade and oil tankers able to transit the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran has shown that it is not a responsible steward of the Strait. It has basically closed the Strait to traffic, which is causing a disruption in energy markets. In addition, Iran has launched thousands of drones and missiles at countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Irans attacks have not been equal for each country, and have targeted the UAE the most. It has also targeted different sites in different places, including US forces and energy sites. Iran and Iraq map. Ilustration. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK) Iran has historically attacked oil tankers Iran has long been an aggressive country in the region. It has backed militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen, both of whom are a threat to the security of the Gulf countries. Iran has also attacked oil tankers in the past, particularly back in 2019. Thus, Irans aggressiveness has always been an issue that these countries are wary of. Back in 2019, Iran attacked Saudi Arabia using drones and cruise missiles, targeting the Abqaiq energy facility. Advertisement Advertisement In the past, the Gulf countries have not wanted to respond. However, Saudi Arabia did lead an intervention in Yemen in 2015, along with the UAE. Later, Riyadh also led the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt to cut ties with Qatar from 2017-2019. These days, things are more unified in the Gulf. The Iranian attacks have likely unified the countries further. The Gulf countries have had slightly different views of Iran over the years. Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait have attempted to have amicable ties. Saudi Arabia was very vocal in its opposition to Iran from 2012-2022, but a China and Iraq-backed deal helped Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to settle some of their differences. Iran also did outreach to Egypt. Iran has been very vocal in its anger over the Abraham Accords, which Bahrain and the UAE joined in 2020. As such, it appears clear that Irans disproportionate targeting of the UAE is partly due to the UAEs ties to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Irans attacks may backfire. Initially, many Gulf states appeared to oppose the conflict. They even hinted they would like to help bring it to an end. Now, things may have gone too far. Irans aggressive actions show that the regime is not reliable or pragmatic as a partner in the Gulf. Iran has often tried to portray itself as a pragmatic regime and pretends to adhere to international law. Even though the regimes many crimes make this seem ridiculous, it is one of the facades that allowed many countries to try to to get along with Iran. Now, the facade is destroyed. How can other countries trust Iran again after what it has done? It didnt merely lob a few symbolic missiles at US bases in the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait. It has carried out thousands of attacks. Bachar el-Halabi, an expert in the region, wrote on X/Twitter: Senior Gulf officials have told me there is absolutely no way they would accept an outcome where Iran controls passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a global choke point governed by international maritime law that guarantees transit for all. Advertisement Advertisement Hasan T. Alhasan, a senior fellow for Middle East Policy at IISS, also commented on a headline at Al-Jazeera, which noted, UAE could join an international effort led by the US to secure the Strait of Hormuz, says adviser Anwar Gargash. Commenting on the headline on X, Alhasan noted, This is highly significant, but not entirely surprising. As I wrote in my latest piece, the Gulf states have a vital economic interest in resuming maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and possess considerable military capacity to help do so. At The Wall Street Journal, Chief Foreign-Affairs Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov notes that the UAE and other Gulf states want the Iranian regime neutered before the war ends so that they can never be battered with missiles and drones again. Ghanem Nuseibeh, a London-based consultant and analyst, also writing on X, said, The optimal time for the Iran war to stop with least damage has passed. If it stops now, the regime will likely regroup for another round. If it doesnt stop, then it will be many months of attrition, that will be not only costly, but unaffordable to the region. Unless a miracle happens, I cannot see a near-term positive outcome. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran broadened its strikes on major energy facilities in the Middle East, eliciting strong warnings Thursday from Gulf Arab states that called it a dangerous escalation that threatened to draw them into direct combat with Tehran. The strikes come after Israel killed Irans intelligence minister and reportedly attacked the worlds largest natural gas field in Iran as the war escalated pressure on the regions economic lifeblood: energy. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all denounced the Iranian attacks targeting their natural gas fields, with Saudi Arabias top diplomat saying assaults on the kingdom meant what little trust there was before has completely been shattered. Advertisement Advertisement It remains unclear what steps the Gulf Arab states might take militarily as theyve sought not to enter combat alongside the United States and Israel in the war, now in its third week. While Israel did not claim the South Pars gas field attack, Defense Minister Israel Katz promised more surprises after saying it killed Irans intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in an earlier airstrike as it works to decapitate the leadership of Tehrans theocracy. Iran condemned the strike on South Pars, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warning of uncontrollable consequences" that "could engulf the entire world. In Washington, President Donald Trump said that Israel would not attack South Pars again, but warned on social media that if Iran continued striking Qatars energy infrastructure, the U.S. would retaliate and massively blow up the entirety of the field. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, Trump said on social media. Oil prices surges amid attacks on major energy supplies The United States was informed about Israels plans to strike Irans massive South Pars natural gas field, but did not take part in it, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not say if the Trump administration agreed with the Israeli decision to attack the gas field part of the worlds largest such resource and a pillar of Irans energy supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Iran escalated strikes on its Persian Gulf neighbors energy facilities, hitting gas facilities in Qatar after Israel launched the attack against the South Pars offshore natural gas field it shares with Doha. Qatar in response ordered Iranian Embassy officials to leave the country within 24 hours. Tehran also struck the Habshan gas facility and Bab field in the United Arab Emirates, which the government there called a dangerous escalation in the Islamic Republics war against Israel and the United States. Authorities in Abu Dhabi say the gas operations had been shut down after interceptions over the sites. The attacks on Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are ratcheting up pressure on the Gulf Arab states, which have been defending against Iranian attacks since the war began on Feb. 28 but havent taken any offensive action against Iran as their military bases, civilian sites and energy operations have come under attack. The price of oil surged another 5% to over $108 a barrel on international markets as Iran continued to squeeze the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel through which one-fifth of the worlds oil travels. Advertisement Advertisement As the Trump administration looks for ways to boost oil supplies, the Treasury Department eased sanctions on Venezuela Wednesday, saying U.S. companies will be allowed to do business with the country's state-owned oil and gas company. A day earlier, Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards Basij force, Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani. Iran retaliated by unleashing missile strikes against Israel. Israel said an Iranian missile hit the occupied West Bank, marking the territorys first fatalities during the Iran war, though missile debris has damaged homes and businesses. Iran also attacked Saudi Arabias vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. First fatalities reported in West Bank during Iran war The Palestinian Red Crescent said at least three people were killed in the occupied West Bank town of Beit Awa as Iran fired missiles toward Israel. At least 13 others were injured. Earlier authorities said at least four people had died, but they adjusted the number as crew assessed the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military told The Associated Press an Iranian missile not shrapnel from an interception hit in the West Bank. Officials described it as a cluster munition that got past Israels air defense system. Gulf countries' oil facilities take more hits Qatar Energy said on X that a missile hit its massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility, sparking a fire that caused extensive damage before it was extinguished. The company had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks. The company warned Thursday that additional Iranian missile attacks damaged more liquefied natural gas sites in the energy-rich nation, causing sizable fires and extensive further damage" but no injuries and crews were battling the blazes. An attack set a ship ablaze early Thursday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, authorities said. The British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, which has resulted in a fire onboard. Advertisement Advertisement It said the vessel was just off the coast of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. Over 20 vessels have been attacked during the Iran war so far as Tehran tries to effectively close the waterway, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the U.S. or its allies. Iran launches more multiple-warhead missiles at Israel Responding to the killing of Larijani, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday it had attacked central Israel with multiple-warhead missiles that have a better chance of evading defense systems. Larijani a senior policy adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in January for his role coordinating Irans violent suppression of nationwide protests. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei expressed condolences for the slaying of Larijani, saying in a statement published in Iranian media that his killing "shows the extent of his importance and the hatred of the enemies of Islam towards him. Advertisement Advertisement The younger Khamenei has not made a public appearance since his father was killed in the wars opening salvos, during which he reportedly was also wounded. More than 1,300 people in Iran have been killed during the war. Israeli strikes have displaced more than 1 million Lebanese roughly 20% of the population according to the Lebanese government, which says 968 people have been killed. In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed. ___ Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, and Watson from San Diego. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Darlene Superville, Aamer Mahdani and Michelle L. Price in Washington, and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report. We are ending today's live coverage of day 19 of the war in Iran, during which Tehran has fired retaliatory barrages early on Wednesday at Israel and its neighbouring countries, as it looks to avenge the IDFs killing of two of its top security officials the day prior. Israel announced on Tuesday that it eliminated the powerful Iranian security chief, Ali Larijani, and Gholam Reza Soleimani, who heads the all-volunteer Basij paramilitary unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps in overnight strikes on Tehran. Iranian state media said that Israel attacked Iran's South Pars natural gas field part of the world's largest such gas resource and a pillar of the country's energy supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Facilities associated with the gas field near Asaluyeh on Iran's Gulf coastline were on fire on Wednesday, state media reported, and Iran vowed it would attack energy facilities in other Gulf countries in retaliation. Iran retaliated Wednesday by unleashing attacks against Israel, where two people were killed near Tel Aviv. Iran also attacked Saudi Arabias vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Israel repeatedly struck central Beirut, with Lebanese authorities reporting a death toll of at least 12 including a director for Hezbollah's Al Manar TV channel, and destroyed two bridges in south Lebanon. Israel said Wednesday it would target bridges crossing the Litani, "to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and weapons" to the frontlines, essentially cutting off a large part of the south from the rest of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has hinted at a potential exit from NATO after the defence alliance ruled out deploying naval assets in his bid to assemble a global coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to address soaring energy costs. Brent crude continued to trade over $100 a barrel on Wednesday. SEOUL, March 18 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday that it expects to start volume production of Tesla's chips at Samsung's factory in Texas in the second half of next year. The comments were made by Han Jin-man, Samsung Electronics President and Head of Foundry Business, at a shareholders' meeting. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Heekyong Yang; Editing by Himani Sarkar) The meeting between President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Washington on Thursday was meant to be a celebration involving cherry blossoms, big investment checks and an affirmation of close ties between the two allies. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has scrambled that agenda. Japan depends heavily on oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz the waterway that Tehran has effectively closed to international shipping since the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran a little over two weeks ago. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has asked allies, including Japan, to send naval ships to help keep the strait open to cargo vessels. Advertisement Advertisement The Iran conflict creates an overlay of anxiety for the meeting, said Kurt Tong, who served as deputy chief of mission and charge daffaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo from 2011 to 2014. Japan has so far declined to commit to helping in the strait, and Takaichi has suggested that doing so may be not be allowed under Japanese law Trump, in turn, has expressed growing frustration with the lack of assistance from allies. He suggested in a social media post Wednesday that the U.S. may choose to withdraw from the region after it has finished off Irans Terror State and leave the safety of shipping through the strait to our non-responsive Allies. Hes likely to push Takaichi for a commitment to assist in the strait, even if he can only win a vague one. The White House declined to comment on whether Trump will raise the issue with Takaichi. Advertisement Advertisement Takaichi has pledged to bring up the increasingly tense situation surrounding Iran and said her top priority on the Iran conflict is the early de-escalation of the situation, in a press briefing Wednesday prior to departing for Washington. But she is also prepared to lay out the limitations on what Tokyo can and cannot do to help safeguard ships transiting the strait, the Japan Times reported Wednesday. The Japanese government will also seek reassurance that the Trump administration doesnt plan changes in U.S. policy toward Tokyos neighbor Taiwan. Over the past few weeks, the administration has gone quiet on Taiwans relevance to the U.S. defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific. That has stoked concern in Tokyo that the administration may be reassessing its traditional support for the self-governing island, raising the risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait. Japan is really worried that there will be a U.S. policy change toward Taiwan because Japan is on the front line, according to a person familiar with Japans summit planning. The individual was granted anonymity to speak candidly about diplomatic matters. Tong argued that if it hadnt been for Taiwan and Iran, the visit would have been downright celebratory. Takaichi and Trump have struck a warm relationship marked by a strong personal chemistry and a mutual desire to end Beijings dominance of the critical minerals supply chain. The visit is even supposed to include Takaichis gift of 250 cherry trees. Advertisement Advertisement But Japan is one the countries hit hardest by the interruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Around 70 percent of Japans imported oil comes through the strait and about 6 percent of its imported liquid natural gas. Takaichi said Monday that Japans crude oil exports will decrease significantly around March 20 if the strait remains impassable. Supply interruptions threaten Tokyos ability to provide adequate electrical power for both its industrial sector and Japanese consumers. That doesnt mean Takaichi is willing or able to help secure the strait. On Tuesday, she said Tokyo is vigorously examining whether the dispatch of escort vessels is within the bounds of the law, per the Japan Times. That hesitation likely reflects the restrictions imposed by Japans post-war Constitution, which forbids armed troops to be dispatched to the land, sea, or airspace of other countries with the aim of using force. While Japan has deployed naval forces for anti-piracy escort operations in the Gulf of Aden off of Somalia over the past decade, the active hostilities in and around the Persian Gulf would put Japanese vessels at much higher risk of active combat. Advertisement Advertisement The Japanese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Takaichis latest thinking on helping on the Strait of Hormuz. So far, Japan and other Asian nations that are facing shortages have received little guidance from the U.S. on what the administrations goals or endgame is in the Iran war. Rahm Emanuel, who served as ambassador to Japan under President Joe Biden, argued that Trump should be ready to offer some plan to ease Tokyos economic pain. The president made a decision on Iran without consulting allies, and they're bearing the brunt of it, Emanuel said. So the president obviously needs to appreciate the cost that Japan will bear. Before the war in Iran intruded on the agenda, both sides had planned to focus largely on the economic relationship. Trump had hoped to see progress on Japanese investment commitments tied to a trade deal the two countries struck last year, while Tokyo was looking for reassurance that the agreement would remain stable and that new U.S. tariffs would not hit its export-heavy auto sector. Advertisement Advertisement A White House official said the talks will focus on continued implementation of that trade deal, as well as discussions about energy, supply chains, regional security issues, and cooperation in science, technology and defense. The official was granted anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly. Japan was the first major trading partner to strike a trade deal with the U.S. after Trump threatened economy-scorching tariffs last April. That deal, which became a model for other Asian countries, involved a massive $550 billion investment pledge that gives Trump the final say over which projects get funded. Japan has already committed $36 billion in funding for a trio of projects that include a liquid natural gas plant in Ohio, an oil export platform off the coast of Texas and a Georgia plantproducing synthetic industrial diamond grit. The two countries still plan to toast the next tranche which will include Japanese investment in a nuclear power plant, a copper refinery project and a deal to manufacture a Japanese-designed screen display system for use in civilian and military vehicles, the person familiar with Japanese preparations for the summit said. Advertisement Advertisement Takaichi is also looking to deepen U.S.-Japan defense ties. The Japanese leader will announce that Tokyo will collaborate with Trumps signature Golden Dome anti-missile defense initiative, Reuters reported last week. The two leaders will also seal a deal aimed to reduce their dependency on Chinas global monopoly on rare earths and critical minerals. At the same time, Japan is also trying to protect the economic assurances from last years trade deal. Tokyo has quietly pressed Washington on trade policy ahead of the meeting. Japans trade minister, Ryosei Akazawa, said Tokyo asked the U.S. not to include Japan in a potential tariff increase from 10 percent to 15 percent, warning that higher duties could hit the countrys auto industry. It remains unclear whether the administration plans to move forward with the increase, although the president and administration officials have not publicly backed off the claim. The administration recently announced two separate trade investigations involving Japan and other countries, including one into unfair trade practices and another on forced labor, which could be used as the legal justification to impose higher tariffs. Takaichi may also make the case for the U.S. to help Tokyo push back against Beijings monthslong targeted economic punishment that has clobbered Japans tourism sector, cut rare earth exports and placed dozens of Japanese companies on Chinese export restriction watch lists. Beijing launched that economic coercion campaign after Takaichi announced in November that military aggression across the Taiwan Strait could represent a survival-threatening situation requiring a Japanese military response. Those moves have negative knock-on effects on the Japan-U.S supply chain. Advertisement Advertisement The auto transmissions that go into cars produced in the U.S. include components manufactured in Japan made from rare earths from China, the person familiar with Japans summit planning said. Cuts in rare earths exports from China to Japan mean U.S. auto manufacturers cant produce and that affects American jobs. Megan Messerly contributed to this report. The fires caused by airstrikes on Gulf gas facilities have been brought under control, the governor of Iran's Asaluyeh district said on Wednesday, according to the Fars news agency. One fire is still burning, he said, but that is linked to residual gas in the pipelines. Once these have been emptied, the flames will extinguish themselves. There is no danger to the population of the surrounding towns, he said. Advertisement Advertisement The Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr reported earlier on Wednesday that petrochemical plants near the industrial city of Asaluyeh were hit in the strikes. The Times of Israel newspaper meanwhile cited Israeli government sources saying that Israel's air force had attacked Iranian gas production facilities in the south, including the largest facility in the province of Bushehr. South Pars, the largest gas field in the world, which Iran shares with Qatar, is located off the shore of Asaluyeh in Bushehr province. The region is central to Iran's energy sector and accounts for around 70% of the country's domestic gas supply. The governor of Asaluyeh held US forces partly responsible for the attack. Israel attacked facilities in the South Pars gas field during the 12-day war with Iran last June. Iran is asking Russia to share intelligence on U.S. military assets in the Middle East, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe confirmed during a congressional hearing on March 18. Ratcliffe's comments follow multiple reports that Moscow has provided Tehran with information on the locations of U.S. military facilities, including ships and aircraft in the Middle East, amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Russia has denied the allegations. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that Russian President Vladimir Putin denied sharing any intelligence with Iran during a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement "We can take them at their word," Witkoff said. When asked about Witkoff's remarks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, Ratcliffe offered a different assessment. "No, I don't take Vladimir Putin at his word," he said. Ratcliffe confirmed that Iran is seeking intelligence assistance from Russia and other countries, but would not say publicly whether Moscow had provided the requested information. "The Iranians are requesting intelligence assistance from Russia, from China, and from other adversaries of the United States, and whether or not those countries are is something we can talk about in the classified portion," Ratcliffe said. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: US officials ask What does Putin have on Trump? over downplayed Russian intel to Iran U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard also refused to share details on Russian intelligence sharing during the open session. "What I can tell you is that, according to the Department of War, any support that Iran may be receiving is not inhibiting their operational effects," Gabbard said. Gabbard's remarks are an apt summation of the Trump administration's response thus far to reports that Russia is helping Iran attack U.S. targets in the Middle East. Trump has been dismissive of the claims, saying that intelligence sharing would make no difference in Iran's ability to strike the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. has also temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil transit in response to spikes in global energy prices brought on by its war against Iran. The move followed a decision to grant India a temporary waiver to purchase Russian crude already loaded on tankers at sea Even before the sanctions were lifted, Russia had already begun to reap financial benefits from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Moscow raked in an additional $6.9 billion in oil revenues during the first two weeks of fighting, according to an analysis by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Trump has claimed that the U.S. will reimpose restrictions once the war ends though no resolution is currently in sight. Read also: Amid Iran war, Ukrainian drone makers fear Zelensky risks missing window of opportunity Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. March 18 (UPI) -- Iran is threatening to execute retaliatory strikes on oil and gas facilities near the Persian Gulf after Israel launched an attack on its South Pars gas field on Wednesday. No one was harmed in the strike by Israel on one of the world's largest natural gas fields. Qatar also operates facilities in the South Pars gas field. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansai, was critical of Israel over the attack, calling it "reckless and irresponsible." Several potential targets are bracing for retaliation by Iran. Saudi Arabia, which is across the Persian Gulf from Iran, has at least four major gas fields and refineries near the gulf coast. Advertisement Advertisement Iran issued evacuation orders for civilians near three energy facilities in Saudi Arabia: the SAMREF refinery, al-Jubail petrochemical complex and Masaiid Holding Company. It also called for evacuations for the areas near the al-Hosn gas field in the United Arab Emirates and the Ras Laffan refinery in Qatar. "As previously warned, if the fuel, energy, gas, and economic infrastructures of our country are attacked by the American-Zionist enemy, in addition to a powerful counterattack against the enemy, we will severely strike the origin of that aggression as well," the Iranian military said in a statement. "We consider targeting the fuel, energy, and gas infrastructure of the countries of origin legitimate and will retaliate strongly at the earliest opportunity." The oil market responded quickly to the South Pars attack with oil prices jumping to more than $108 per barrel. As the fighting continued to escalate, Saudi Arabia plans to host foreign ministers in Riyadh to discuss the war and potential resolutions. However, Israel and the United States have continued attacks. Earlier Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Former Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh was also killed in the attack. By Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The war on Iran has not delayed shipments of weapons to Taiwan or changed U.S. policy toward the island, officials from President Donald Trump's administration told members of Congress on Tuesday, despite the demands of the intense air campaign. "Have we delayed moving things to Taiwan? We haven't," Stanley Brown, principal deputy assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, told a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. and Israel began airstrikes against Iran on February 28, a campaign that has raised concerns among some U.S. officials that the U.S. defense industry would be unable to keep up with demand and could be forced to slow shipments to buyers such as Taiwan, which faces steadily rising military pressure from China. There was already a multi-billion-dollar backlog of U.S. arms shipments to Taiwan before the Iran war started. Brown said the administration was looking at ways to expedite shipments, without providing specifics. Speaking at the same hearing, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency Michael Miller said in 2023 he signed a directive to prioritize Taiwan above other buyers that may be in the queue for competing weapons purchases. "That remains standing guidance. So, in the matter of whether there was a competition between provision of Harpoons to Saudi Arabia or to Taiwan, Taiwan would take priority," he added, referring to the anti-ship missile. Advertisement Advertisement "The provision of security cooperation, security assistance, to Taiwan is our top priority." TRIP TO CHINA POSTPONED Several members of the House committee raised concerns about the island during the hearing, which took place on the day Trump said he was postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Taiwan was one of the issues expected to be discussed by the two leaders. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to take the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. Advertisement Advertisement China held its most recent war games around Taiwan in December, and its warships and warplanes regularly operate around the island. Reuters reported last week that a major U.S. arms package for Taiwan that included advanced interceptor missiles was ready for Trump's approval and could be signed after his trip to China. With a price tag of about $14 billion, the arms deal would be the largest ever for the democratically governed island, which faces steadily rising military pressure from China. It was not immediately clear whether the trip's delay would affect the timing of that arms deal. Trump's Republicans and Democrats in Congress have also been sparring bitterly over Trump's declarations of national emergencies in order to sidestep congressional review of foreign weapons sales, including the decision this month to expedite the sale of $650 million worth of bombs to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement At the hearing, committee Chairman Brian Mast of Florida and other Republicans accused Democrats of delaying crucial assistance to important allies as they face international threats. Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the panel's top Democrat, said that bypassing congressional review of major deals weakened human rights oversight. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina; Editing by Alison Williams and Shri Navaratnam) By Steven Scheer TEL AVIV, March 18 (Reuters) - Iran has launched dozens of missiles with cluster munition warheads at Israel since the start of the war, posing a challenge for Israel's missile defence shield as they need to be hit before they split and disperse into smaller explosives. Israel failed to intercept one of the cluster missiles overnight, and its small bomblets scattered into civilian areas in Tel Aviv. A couple in their 70s was killed, and one of Tel Aviv's main train stations suffered damage. Advertisement Advertisement Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters that the couple was killed in their apartment by a single, cluster munition bomblet. "This cluster bomb was fired by the Iranian regime towards a centre of mass population, firing dozens of rockets towards the civilians, deliberately targeting civilians," he said. "This is a war crime by the Iranian regime..." Shoshani said the military was doing all it could to intercept these missiles as "high up as possible" to minimize damage. MUNITIONS BANNED BY MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES Cluster munitions open in mid-air and scatter as many as several hundred "bomblets" over a wide area. They often fail to explode, creating virtual minefields that can kill or injure anyone who finds them later. Advertisement Advertisement More than 100 countries agreed at an international conference in Dublin in 2008 to ban the use of cluster munitions. However, Israel and Iran have not joined the ban, and neither have major powers including the U.S., China and Russia. Israel's Home Front Command, which issues safety directives to citizens during wartime, has published videos warning of the dangers of munitions, saying they can "become dangerous explosive traps", particularly for small children or pets. The military has said about half of the missiles fired from Iran since Israel and the U.S. jointly attacked Iran on February 28 have been cluster warheads. They were also fired by Iran during a 12-day Israel-Iran war last June. An Israeli military official said Iranian cluster warheads have about 24 submunitions, each containing approximately 25 kg of explosives. They break apart at an altitude of 710 km above the ground, creating dozens of separate impact sites. Advertisement Advertisement "Each submunition can detonate when it hits the ground or another hard surface," the official said. "Its effect is similar to the explosion of a grenade - relatively limited local damage but highly dangerous to anyone nearby." 'MUST BE INTERCEPTED ABOVE THE ATMOSPHERE' Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, said most missiles are intercepted by Israel's Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system. To prevent damage, "they must be intercepted above the atmosphere as far as possible from the target area," Kalisky said. "There's no other way, because once the cluster bombs are released (in the atmosphere), you cannot intercept them." Advertisement Advertisement Shoshani said Israel's offensive capabilities were also crucial. Israel says it has bombed hundreds of targets in Iran, including missile launching sites. An estimated 3,000-plus people have been killed in Iran since the start of the war, according to the U.S.-based Iran human rights group HRANA. "We've been degrading their ability to fire missiles, (along with) active defence systems and the passive defence system, sirens and people going to the safe rooms," said Shoshani of efforts to prevent Israeli casualties from Iranian missiles. "The combination of all that has had great success, but is still not perfect." (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Additional reporting by Dedi Hayun; Editing by Rami Ayyub and Gareth Jones) DUBAI, March 18 (Reuters) - Iran's stance against the development of nuclear weapons will not significantly change, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera in remarks relayed by Iranian media on Wednesday, cautioning that the new supreme leader is yet to publicly express his view on the matter. Former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, opposed the development of weapons of mass destruction in a fatwa, or religious edict, issued in the early 2000s. Western countries, including the U.S. and Israel, have for years accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, while Iranian authorities have said their nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Araqchi said fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist issuing them and added he was not yet in a position to judge the jurisprudential or political views of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader. A NEW PROTOCOL FOR THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ Iran's foreign minister said he believed that after the war comes to an end, countries that border the Gulf should draft a new protocol for the Strait of Hormuz, to ensure that safe passage through the narrow waterway is carried out under certain conditions aligned with Iranian and regional interests. Iran shut the vital energy gateway, through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied gas passes, saying it "won't even allow a litre of oil" to reach the U.S., Israel and their partners. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Iran's parliament speaker tweeted that the Strait of Hormuz' situation won't return to its pre-war conditions. The U.S. has sought to build a naval coalition to escort vessels navigating the strait, with most NATO allies saying they don't want to get involved in military operations against Iran. NATO-member France said it would only consider a joint international coalition to secure passage through the strait following a ceasefire and prior negotiations with Tehran. Araqchi said an end to the war was only conceivable if the conflict is permanently over throughout the region and Iran receives compensation for damages incurred. Advertisement Advertisement STRIKES NEAR URBAN AREAS BLAMED ON US RELOCATION Asked about Iranian strikes in the Gulf not only targeting U.S. military bases but also impacting residential or commercial areas, Iran's foreign minister said this was because U.S. forces relocated to urban areas. "Wherever there were American forces gathering, wherever there were facilities belonging to them, they were targeted. It is possible some of these places were near urban areas," the top Iranian diplomat said. Araqchi acknowledged that regional countries are "upset and their people have been harmed or bothered" by Iranian strikes, but added that the blame lay entirely with the U.S. for starting the war on February 28. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom, Jana Choukeir; Editing by Tom Hogue and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Before the assassination was confirmed, two sources gave The Jerusalem Post different indications on the likelihood of the success of the operation, which took place Tuesday night. The IDF carried out a targeted assassination on Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib, the military and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Wednesday. Khatibs death marks one of the most significant assassinations in Iran since the early days of Operation Roaring Lion, aka Epic Fury, alongside the killing of Irans de facto leader, Ali Larijani, and Basij militia chief Gholamreza Soleimani on Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement Khatib had been the intelligence minister since August 2021, when ultra-hardliner and former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was elected. When Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash, and Masoud Pezeshkian succeeded him as Iranian president, Khatib remained in his role, an unusual move since traditionally new presidents replaced top ministers with their own close associates. Khatib was close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and was viewed as a hardliner who could keep Pezeshkians more moderate positions in check. Iran's intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib (C) sits with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian (C-R) before a speech to members of parliament in the capital Tehran, on August 17, 2024, as he defends his cabinet selection. (credit: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images) Over the years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began to shift aspects of the authority and power of the Intelligence Ministry, causing friction and competition between the bodies. Khatib seen as hardliner close to Khamenei checking Pezeshkian Raisi was closer to the IRGC than former president Hassan Rouhani had been, and Khatib spent much of his career in the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC. Advertisement Advertisement When Raisi moved Khatib from the IRGC to run the Intelligence Ministry, it also cemented some of the IRGCs new intelligence powers. Khamenei wanted to keep Khatib in place partially to ensure continued IRGC dominance. Although the IRCG was viewed by Khamenei as more loyal and ideologically committed to his causes, The Jerusalem Post has reported that the Intelligence Ministry was viewed by CIA and Mossad officials as the far more professional and competent of the two. While IRGC intelligence officials could, at times, be promoted to their roles due to ideological loyalty, top Intelligence Ministry officials usually only achieve promotion based on outstanding spycraft. CIA and Mossad officials have even seen the ascent of IRGC intelligence over the Intelligence Ministry as a positive development for them since they viewed the IRGC as slightly less formidable. Pezeshkian denounces strikes on Iranian leaders, including Khatib, Larijani, defense minister, Basij leaders Pezeshkian corroborated the IDF and Katzs announcement of Israeli strikes killing senior Iranian leaders in a post on his official X/Twitter on Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement The cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues, Esmaeil Khatib, Ali Larijani, and Aziz Nasirzadeh, along with some of their relatives and others, has left us in deep mourning, he wrote. He also extended condolences to the people of Iran for the martyrdom of two cabinet members, the Shura secretary, and military and Basij commanders. "I am certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before," he concluded. James Genn and Tzvi Jasper contributed to this report. March 18 (UPI) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Wednesday that an Israeli airstrike killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. He said the targeted attack also killed Aziz Nasirzadeh, a military officer and former minister of defense, and members of the men's family's. Pezeshkian said the attack left him in "deep mourning." "I extend my condolences to the great people of Iran for the martyrdom of two cabinet members, the secretary of the Shura, and the military and Basij commanders," the president said in a post on X. "I am certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before." Advertisement Advertisement Israel announced Wednesday that it had killed Khatib in a "targeted" strike by fighter jets overnight. Khatib's killing was announced by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement in which he said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to "assassinate any senior Iranian official without the need for additional approval." "Significant surprises" were planned for Wednesday as the "intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing," added Katz. The Israeli military said Khatib died in a "targeted strike" in Tehran, saying his Intelligence Ministry was central to the regime's "repressive and terrorist activities" and that he personally had a "significant role" in mass detentions and killings of people participating in mass street protests in January and in 2022-2023 after the killing of student Mahsa Amini. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military said the ministry wielded a range of advanced intelligence competencies, including "surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against the State of Israel and Iranian citizens." Khatib had headed up the ministry since 2021 after being reappointed to the position in 2024 by Pezeshkian when he replaced President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May of that year. "[Kahtib's] elimination joins dozens of other eliminations of senior commanders of the Iranian terrorist regime and significantly degrades the regime's command and control structures," the Israeli military said. Khatib's death came a day after the killings of two other senior regime officials, security chief Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Soleimani, in Israeli strikes early Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement The funerals of the pair drew large crowds in Tehran on Wednesday afternoon. Earlier, Russia issued a rebuke to Israel and the United States over what it called efforts to "murder, eliminate," or "harm the health" of Iranian leaders. "We unequivocally condemn any actions aimed at harming the health of, or indeed murdering or eliminating, members of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran, as well as those of other countries. We condemn such actions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The Israeli military on Wednesday said it has attacked petrol stations in Lebanon linked to the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the stations are operated by al-Amana, an organization affiliated with Hezbollah. They are primarily located in areas with strong Hezbollah support, including the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country. The petrol stations are part of the parallel economic system set up by Hezbollah, which operates a state within a state in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement During fuel shortages linked to past economic crises, Hezbollah was able to prioritize supplying its supporters through al-Amana, strengthening its base while state-run stations were left empty. Israel also targeted several bridges in southern Lebanon, Defence Minister Israel Katz stated, accusing Hezbollah of using them to smuggle weapons. There are concerns in Lebanon about further Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure such as the international airport, as occurred during the 2006 war in the country. Hezbollah, for its part, again claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on Israeli positions. The Health Ministry in Beirut reported that 968 people have been killed since the latest escalation in Lebanon earlier this month. By Hyunjoo Jin PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, March 17 (Reuters) - The biggest workers' union at South Korea's Samsung Electronics has threatened to disrupt chip production as members vote on a plan to strike in May, its leader told Reuters. A strike at the world's largest maker of memory chips could worsen bottlenecks in global supply of semiconductors stemming from robust demand for artificial intelligence data centre operations that has curbed supply to industries from cars and computers to smartphones. "I expect there would be production disruption," Choi Seung-ho, who leads the Samsung Electronics Labour Union (SELU), said last week, as voting got underway. About 90,000 unionised workers from Samsung's South Korean workforce of 125,000 are eligible to cast ballots in voting that runs until Wednesday. If the workers fail to agree a deal, they plan to strike for 18 days from May 21, Choi said, adding that could affect about half the output at Samsung's sprawling semiconductor complex in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, the capital. A Samsung official said production halts caused by "even a single strike" could damage trust with customers and take years to recover, speaking on condition of anonymity, as the issue is a sensitive one. A Samsung spokesperson said the company would continue its dialogue with employees "in a sincere manner." UNION MEMBERSHIP SURGE Samsung employees' growing frustration over a pay gap with key rivals drove a surge in membership of the union in the weeks after chipmaker SK Hynix accepted its union's demand for compensation reforms in September, Choi said. "The chip industry is booming, but those gains arent trickling down to us. Thats why were fighting." In the past three months, more than 100 union members have left South Korea's biggest employer for firms such as SK Hynix, which approved a plan to lift its bonus cap and devote 10% of operating profit to a bonus pool, Choi said. The Samsung union is seeking a 7% increase in base wages, the scrapping of a cap on performance pay at 50% of annual base salary and the introduction of a bonus pool based on operating profit to replace criteria the union calls outdated and opaque. Samsung posted record fourth-quarter profit in 2025 and analysts expect annual operating profit to more than quadruple to over 200 trillion won ($134 billion) this year. In an internal memo to employees early this month, Samsung said it tried to reach a 2026 wage deal by offering "unprecedented" compensation proposals. Israel intensified its strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting central Beirut, its southern suburbs as well as eastern and southern Lebanon, in retaliation for rockets fired into northern Israel by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. Heavy strikes targeted southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa region, Lebanese security sources said. In the southern port city of Sidon, three Israeli strikes hit a car, killing two people, one of them a paramedic, and injured another civilian, the Health Ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Strikes hit near the city's civil defence headquarters and a seaside road, where many displaced people were in their cars after the Israeli military issued an evacuation call for residents of the porty city of Tyre and nearby areas, the security sources said. "For your safety, leave your homes immediately and head north of the Zahrani river," a military spokesman said in a statement posted X. The Health Ministry said in an updated toll that 12 people died in Beirut and 41 people were wounded. Earlier, a loud explosion was heard in the Bashoura area, which had been targeted by an Israeli strike last week. Advertisement Advertisement A building was reduced to rubble, according to a dpa photographer at the scene. The strike came after a warning from the Israeli army. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that one strike hit an apartment in Zokak al-Blat, where the Israeli military last week targeted a branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm al-Qard al-Hasan (Benevolent Lending). Hezbollah-run al-Manar TV announced the killing of its director of political programmes, Hajj Mohammad Sherri, and his wife in the Israeli airstrike on Zokak al-Blat, saying the strike hit civilians in their homes and also wounded their children and grandchildren. The channel described Sherri as a veteran journalist and long-time political programme director known for his commitment to what it called the power of the word." It vowed to continue its path and mission, honouring him and the other victims. Advertisement Advertisement Another strike hit the central Basta district, according to media reports. Witnesses in the Basta area said several explosions were heard. All the areas hit early on Wednesday are located near Lebanese government buildings, particularly the Finance Ministry and the prime minister's headquarters. The strikes came after Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets into northern Israel overnight. Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in a targeted attack during the night, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday. There was initially no confirmation from Iran. Khatib was responsible for repression within his own country as well as "external threats," Katz said, according to his office. Israel has already killed dozens of leading figures in Iran's power apparatus during the war which began on February 28, including Iranian supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the influential secretary general of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, was also targeted and killed. Larijani's son was fatally injured in the attack in Tehran. Sanctioned by the US for cyberattacks Khatib was born in the early 1960s in the south-western province of Khuzestan. For the past five years, the Shiite cleric had been the minister for intelligence of the Islamic Republic. Previously, he had served in various roles within the Iranian security apparatus. Khatib was considered to be exceptionally well-connected and retained his ministerial position even after the 2024 government reshuffle, when the ultraconservative government was replaced by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. In 2022, the US imposed sanctions on Khatib. The background was cyberattacks that the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence was said to have commissioned. The Union of Journalists in Israel has accused the police of using violence against reporters, including photographers from foreign media. The organization was "appalled by the conduct of the police in Jerusalem last night," it said in a statement posted on the X platform on Wednesday. Police officers had attacked several journalists without provocation and damaged their equipment, the union claimed. Advertisement Advertisement They also confiscated memory cards documenting their actions. A producer from the US broadcaster CNN suffered a broken wrist during the incident. The union called for an immediate internal investigation and for action to be taken against the officers involved. The police said on enquiry that they were investigating the allegations. The Jerusalem reporter for the Israeli Haaretz newspaper wrote that the incident took place in the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem, where the police had violently dispersed a gathering of several dozen Palestinians. The photographer of a Chinese media outlet who documented the incident was beaten. A Palestinian photographer who tried to help his colleague was also attacked. His camera was destroyed and the memory cards were confiscated. The police justified their actions by claiming that the reporters, who did not identify themselves as journalists, had disturbed public order and had violated the instructions of the Home Front Command in wartime. By Laila Bassam, Mohamed Azakir, Tom Perry and Khalil Ashawi BEIRUT, March 18 (Reuters) - Israel stepped up airstrikes on Beirut on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and destroying a 10-storey building near the city centre in the third week of its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Lebanese authorities said. In a further escalation, Israeli warplanes began striking bridges over the Litani River that link southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, destroying at least two of them, Lebanese state media said. The Israeli military said it would target bridges on the Litani to prevent Hezbollah transferring fighters and weapons, and reiterated a warning for residents to leave the south. Advertisement Advertisement The Hezbollah-Israel conflict has become the deadliest spillover of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran since the Iran-backed group fired at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, with more than 900 people killed in Lebanon and 1 million displaced. Thousands have also been wounded. Dr. Wael Mroueh, the head of the Jabal Amel University Hospital in the southern port city of Tyre, told Reuters he had seen terrible injuries. "Victims are coming without lower extremities, (needing a) craniotomy, with open wounds and all those things together. The victim is coming torn up and in bad shape," Mroueh said. ISRAEL HITS LEBANESE INFRASTRUCTURE Advertisement Advertisement As strikes escalated around Tyre, doctors had brought their families to stay with them at the hospital, Mroueh said. But with the roads at risk of closure, they were now starting to leave with their families to head north. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel's military had destroyed two additional bridges over the Litani that he said Hezbollah had used to smuggle weapons and operatives south. Katz described the action as "a clear message to the Lebanese government: the State of Israel will not allow such a reality." Israel destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday and dropped leaflets in Beirut threatening Gaza-scale devastation. Advertisement Advertisement Fears are growing in Lebanon that cutting off southern Lebanon from the rest of the country could pave the way for a large-scale Israeli military operation into Lebanese territory. On Wednesday, an Israeli military officer commanding troops operating in Lebanon told Reuters that his troops are "prepared to do all kinds of operations" if the military issued orders to establish positions as far as the Litani, nearly 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. FOUR STRIKES IN EIGHT HOURS The escalation in central Beirut, where Israel targeted four buildings in eight hours, followed what Hezbollah described as a large rocket attack against Israel late on Tuesday. Some 100 rockets were fired, Lebanese security sources said. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military said preventative strikes had blunted the Hezbollah attack, and an overnight wave of strikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. The Israeli military statement said it had "struck assets" of a Hezbollah-run financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, in Beirut, and that the Israeli navy had targeted Hezbollah militants in the city. It did not say exactly where. Human Rights Watch determined that Israeli strikes on Al-Qard Al-Hassan branches during a previous war in 2024 amounted to war crimes, saying that Hezbollah-affiliated civilian institutions were not lawful military targets. The airstrikes in Beirut hit buildings within walking distance of the headquarters of the Lebanese government. Advertisement Advertisement The targeted districts are historically mixed neighbourhoods where large numbers of Shi'ite Muslims live. Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said one of its broadcasters, Mohammad Sherri, had been killed along with his wife in one of the strikes in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood. ISRAELI STRIKES 'TERRIFY CHILDREN' Beirut resident Abu Khalil said he had helped people flee their homes in the Bachoura district after Israel's military posted a warning that it would hit the 10-storey building, before levelling it with a strike. "It's just an operation to hurt, to terrify people, to terrify children. What is there here?" he said. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military issued no warnings before the three other strikes, which tore through two buildings in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood and another building in nearby Basta. No fatalities have been reported in Israel from Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks. The Israeli military says two of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. At least 40 medical workers have been killed in Israel's strikes on Lebanon since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said. On Tuesday night, a strike left 11 rescuers in the south wounded and badly damaged the civil-defense center, its head Hussein Fakih told Reuters. The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said on Wednesday that it had noted "heavy exchanges of fire, intensified air and ground activity, and increased presence of Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory" overnight. (Reporting by Laila Bassam, Tom Perry, Ahmed Kerdi, Mohamed Azakir and Maya Gebeily in Beirut; Steven Scheer in Jerusalem; Enas Alashray in Cairo; Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Jamie Freed, Kevin Buckland, Michael Perry, Lincoln Feast, Ros Russell and Diane Craft) Vice President JD Vance deflected a question about potential federal interference in the midterm elections during his March 18 speech in Oakland County, while reiterating his support for a national law requiring all voters to show identification at the polls. Vance's visit to Michigan came as the U.S. Senate is preparing to vote in coming days on the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and tighten identification rules at the polls. What JD Vance said in Michigan Vance took questions from reporters after his speech at EDSI, an Auburn Hills manufacturing facility, and was asked about concerns in Michigan that President Donald Trump might try to interfere in the November elections. Advertisement Advertisement "What do you mean by the federal government interfering in the election?" Vance asked the reporter, adding that it was the first he had heard of it. The reporter replied that Trump had talked about nationalizing elections, for example. Vance said the administration wants everybody voting to show identification. That statement prompted applause and chants of "U.S.A," from the crowd. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The audience reacts to Vice President JD Vance after he spoke at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Second Lady Usha Vance waves to the audience after U.S. Vice President JD Vance announces that she is pregnant with their fourth child at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks before U.S. Vice President JD Vance at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Michigan Senator Ruth Johnson speaks during a visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Rock Haus, owner of EDSI, greets people as the enter the building for the the Vice President JD Vances visit in Auburn Hills, Mich., Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance visits manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills 1 of 13 Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Trumps past comments about Detroit elections As he signed legislation ending a temporary government shutdown on Tuesday, Feb. 3, Trump specifically mentioned Detroit as an area of concern for what he called "rigged, crooked elections" after his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 in Michigan, which he still contests was corrupt despite a lack of any evidence of widespread fraud there or anywhere else. Advertisement Advertisement "Go to 2020 and look at the facts that are coming out, rigged, crooked elections," said Trump. "If we have areas Take a look at Detroit, take a look at Pennsylvania, take a look at Philadelphia. You go take a look at Atlanta, look at some of the places, horrible corruption on elections. And the federal government should not allow that. The federal government should get involved." Michigan Democrats concerned Trump's statement seemed to validate worries, voiced by Michigan Democrats, that the administration or Republicans in the House and Senate might use specious claims of fraudulent voting in the 2020 election to try and take further steps to restrict or oversee voting in this year's midterm elections, when Trump is hoping to maintain Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress. It also appeared to contradict statements out of White House staff that suggested Trump's earlier comments about nationalizing elections were only intended to voice support for legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections (even though noncitizens cannot vote and there is no evidence that they do so in any broad fashion), since he didn't mention it specifically. In February, the U.S. Department of Justice seized 2020 election ballots from Georgia, which Trump has also identified as a state he suspects of election fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Critics argue that provisions in the SAVE America Act would disenfranchise voters, including those who changed their names after a marriage and people who don't have passports or other proof of citizenship for registration. Washington, D.C. Correspondent Todd Spangler contributed to this report. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Vance deflects on potential 'nationalization' of Michigan elections Vice President JD Vance offered words of support and encouragement for the community of a West Bloomfield synagogue that was attacked last week. During a trip to Michigan to deliver remarks at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, on Wednesday, March 18, Vance had a message for the Temple Israel community six days after an attacker rammed his pickup truck through the doors of the building before, according to the FBI, he fatally shot himself. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The audience reacts to Vice President JD Vance after he spoke at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Second Lady Usha Vance waves to the audience after U.S. Vice President JD Vance announces that she is pregnant with their fourth child at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks before U.S. Vice President JD Vance at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Michigan Senator Ruth Johnson speaks during a visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Rock Haus, owner of EDSI, greets people as the enter the building for the the Vice President JD Vances visit in Auburn Hills, Mich., Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Vice President JD Vance visits manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills 1 of 13 Vice President JD Vance speaks to an audience at EDSI, a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Noting that the venue for his speech was in close proximity to where the synagogue attack happened, Vance said that "when something happens to any member of our American family, and this particular incident happened to Jewish members of our American family, it is something that all of us have to stand up and say, Its disgusting, its unacceptable and were not going to tolerate it in the United States of America.'" Advertisement Advertisement Vance said he wanted everyone at Temple Israel to know that he is thinking of them and praying for them, as is his administration. "We love you and were proud of how youve handled this particular situation because it is tough," he said. "In particular, there was a police veteran who was a security guard by the name of Danny Phillips, and Danny Phillips was one of the heroes that day. He was injured protecting the people in that community, and I hope all of us will give a big round of applause and a prayer for Danny Phillips. Hes the very best of this country and sometimes you see the very best on our worst days." Both Temple Israel leaders and other officials have credited the work of security during the attack. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI says Ayman Mohamad Ghazali parked his truck in the parking lot of Temple Israel on the morning of March 12 and sat there, not moving, for more than two hours. But at approximately 12:19 p.m., he drove the truck through a door on the southeast corner of the synagogue. Private security fired upon Ghazali, said Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, during a recent news conference. He became lodged in the truck after ramming it into the building before shooting and killing himself, Runyan said. Fireworks and what appeared to be gasoline in the truck ignited, contributing to a fire at the building. The Free Press obtained video footage showing Ghazali spent more than $2,000 on fireworks at a Livonia store two days before the attack. Steven Ingber, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, said following the attack that the Jewish community spends significant money on security because of a climate of antisemitism. He said the figure is "in the millions." Advertisement Advertisement Around the time of the attack, Dearborn Heights police received a call for a welfare check on Ghazali, saying "he is mentally unstable due to all his family dying overseas in the war," according to a police report obtained by the Free Press.As the Free Press previously reported, Israeli bombings in Lebanon recently killed four of the suspects relatives, including two of his brothers. There have been contradictory reports from national media outlets and the Israel Defense Forces about whether some family members had ties to Hezbollah. Asked by a reporter after his speech what was being done to keep Americans safe with the war in Iran and attacks like the Temple Israel one here at home, Vance said, "it is an obsessive focus of the entire US government to understand where the threats are, where people might attack innocent americans and what we can do to address it, get ahead of it and if god forbid something does happen, to respond to it as quickly as possible." This story was updated with additional information. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: JD Vance says 'we're not gonna tolerate' attacks like Temple Israel CHICAGO Former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. fell short in his attempt to return to Congress on Tuesday, after resigning more than a decade ago amid a federal corruption investigation. Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller defeated him and a host of other candidates to win the Democratic primary for Illinois 2nd district, a seat currently held by Rep. Robin Kelly, who left to run for the Senate. Jacksons comeback bid transformed the race into a high-profile showdown, with the former representative leaning on his deep name recognition. But Jackson who resigned in 2012 and served prison time after pleading guilty to wire and mail fraud for misusing $750,000 in campaign funds was unable to successfully reframe his past as a redemption story. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Miller consolidated support across key parts of the district and benefited from spending by a group aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which funneled more than $4 million into ads promoting her campaign. The contest drew national attention in part because the group, Affordable Chicago Now, gave Millers campaign substantial airtime in the Chicago media market and funded mail pieces highlighting her record. The spending helped elevate Millers profile even as a separate political action committee, the Leading the Future PAC, which is funded by OpenAI stakeholders, spent more than $1 million to promote Jackson after he signaled support for the industry with op-eds and ads. Miller focused her campaign on her work on public health, public safety and budget oversight. She also underscored her longstanding ties to Democratic womens organizations, as vice president of Illinois Democratic Women, former president of the Democratic Women of the South Suburbs and past board chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and its political action committee. She made a concerted effort not to attack her opponents, saying she was the only candidate in the race to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Other notable names in the race included state Sens. Robert Peters and Willie Preston. The 2nd District, which stretches from Chicagos South Side into the south suburbs and rural counties, is heavily Democratic and Miller is expected to win easily in November. A reclusive international gambler known as The Joker has acknowledged helping finance a 2023 operation that bought nearly every possible combination in a Lotto Texas drawing, guaranteeing a win and raising questions about oversight in the states lottery system. Zeljko Ranogajec, an Australian high-stakes bettor who wagers billions annually, confirmed his role in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. The coordinated effort produced a $57.8 million jackpot payout, with organizers netting roughly $20 million in profit after costs. I was involved in the funding of the Texas lottery play, Ranogajec said, the Herald reported. Advertisement Advertisement He added that the scale would have been impossible without full cooperation from the Texas Lottery Commission. The scheme centered on the April 22, 2023, drawing, when a group purchased virtually all 25.8 million number combinations through four licensed retailers in Round Rock, Spicewood, Waco, and Colleyville. Millions of tickets were printed over 72 hours using specialized equipment and extra terminals supplied by the state agency. The Texas Lottery Commission has come under scrutiny for providing pallets of paper and additional machines to retailers that had sold few tickets in prior months, while overlooking apparent rule violations. Former executive director Gary Grief claimed he was unaware of the full scope, but that account has been challenged by participants who said they received prior approval. The operation involved Bernard Marantelli, who handled logistics, along with David Walsh and others with histories of large-scale lottery plays. Earlier attempts in April 2023 resulted in losses but produced statistically unusual second-place wins. Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a Texas Rangers investigation in February 2025, stating that Texans must be able to trust in our states lottery system. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a separate probe, expressing concern that non-citizens were attempting to rig the system. More than a year later, neither office has released findings. Ranogajec and Marantelli told the Australian newspaper that investigators have not contacted them. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Rangers, said the inquiry remains an active and ongoing investigation, and no additional information is currently available. Lawmakers and regulators are now considering whether new safeguards are needed to prevent similar large-scale ticket-buying efforts that critics say undermine the lotterys reliance on chance. By Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL, March 18 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics' unionised workers in South Korea voted on Wednesday to authorise a strike, deepening a labour dispute over bonuses and raising the risk of production disruptions at the world's biggest memory chipmaker. A total of 93% of its 66,019 workers who cast ballots approved the strike plan, the union said. If the workers fail to agree a deal, they plan to strike for 18 days from May 21, the union has said. The union said the overwhelming support is a "strong warning" that management should respond to union demands. Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A strike at the chipmaker could worsen bottlenecks in the global supply of semiconductors, amid robust demand for artificial intelligence data centre operations, which has squeezed supply to industries from cars and computers to smartphones. Union members began casting ballots last week after wage negotiations that started late last year collapsed. The unions represents nearly 90,000 workers, accounting for more than 70% of its total workforce of 125,000 in South Korea. Growing frustration among Samsung employees over a pay gap with key rivals drove a surge in union membership in the weeks after chipmaker SK Hynix accepted its union's demand for compensation reforms in September. The Samsung union is calling on the company to follow in the path of SK Hynix and scrap its bonus cap and link its bonus pool to operating profit. Samsung said lifting the cap would make it challenging for them to fund future investments and shareholder returns in a capital intensive, cyclical industry. Samsung relies heavily on South Korea for its memory chip production, producing 100% of its DRAM chips and making two thirds of its NAND chips at home, according to data from researcher Counterpoint. The union will face an uphill battle to reach an agreement because of the sticky issue of abolishing the bonus cap, which is currently at 50% of annual salary, said Sohn In-joon, an analyst at Heungkuk Securities. Lifting the cap could widen a pay gap between chip businesses and other businesses such as phones and TVs, which are expected to post sluggish earnings due to competition and surging chip prices, Sohn said. (Reporting by Hyunjoo JinEditing by Ed Davies) A Superior Court judge this week tossed a lawsuit filed by the former executive director of the states election commission who claimed he was pushed out of his job by former Gov. Phil Murphy in retaliation for writing a satirical article criticizing dark money in politics. Judge Douglas H. Hurd ruled in favor of Murphy and some of his top deputies, who had argued that Jeff Brindle, who once led the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, had no First Amendment protection against termination because Brindle conceded he wrote the article pursuant to his official duties. If Brindle doesnt appeal Hurds ruling, the decision ends a legal fight that started three years ago. Brindles attorney did not return a request for comment. A Murphy spokesman declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Brindle published the article at the center of the case, How Not to Enter Politics (A Satire), in October 2022. He claimed top Murphy officials almost immediately demanded he resign over an email in which Brindle mocked National Coming Out Day to a staffer, and when he wouldnt, they suggested they would release it to the press to embarrass him. The dispute went public months later when lawmakers unveiled an election finance bill that aimed to give the governor the power to appoint and dismiss members of the Election Law Enforcement Commission without legislative approval (Murphy signed the bill in April 2023). Brindle filed his lawsuit in March 2023, and in July 2024, a judge dismissed most of his claims but allowed his First Amendment claim to proceed. He announced his intention to retire that month and he formally stepped down that November. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A Denver judge is expected to rule this week on a lawsuit that seeks to keep a Democratic candidate for Colorados 4th Congressional District out of the caucus and assembly nominating process. The case could determine whether the June Democratic primary in the district will be uncontested. Whoever wins the Democratic primary is expected to face the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican, in the November election Trisha Calvarese, a Democrat running in the 4th District, filed the lawsuit in Denver District Court alongside Lisa Chollet, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party 4th Congressional District Central Committee. They claim the state party violated its bylaws and state election laws by intervening to ensure candidate Eileen Laubachers eligibility. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The lawsuit says that Laubacher is ineligible to participate in the Democratic caucus and assembly process because she was not registered as a Democrat for at least 12 consecutive months, as required by the partys bylaws. It alleges that Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib also broke state election law when he unilaterally pushed back district assemblies by one day to make Laubacher eligible. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral and former National Security Council official, registered as a Democrat on March 27, 2025. The lawsuit says she should not be eligible to participate in a district assembly that was initially scheduled for March 26 but was moved by Murib to March 27. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit claims Chollet as the District 4 central committee chair has the sole authority to schedule the time and place of her districts assembly. Calvarese and Laubacher are the leading candidates in the Democratic primary for the 4th District. Laubacher has already raised more money than every other candidate of either party in the race combined. John Padora and Jenna Preston have also filed to run for the 4th District seat as Democrats. County assemblies have occurred over the past several weeks, and the vast majority of delegates have been awarded to Laubacher. If Denver District Court Judge Mark Bailey rules that she can still participate in the assembly nomination process, it is likely that no other Democrats will make it onto the June primary ballot via assembly. Candidates in Colorado can access the ballot through the assembly process or by gathering voter signatures and filing with the Colorado secretary of states office. Calvarese is not pursuing the ballot through a petition. Confusion over leadership roles Oral arguments in the case were heard Monday and Tuesday. The court heard testimony from leaders of the 4th District Central Committee, officials with the state party, Laubacher and her campaign manager, and the chair of the Douglas County Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for both the Democratic Party and Laubacher said the lawsuit was Calvareses attempt to target her opponent so that she will still have a shot at making it onto the primary ballot. Candidates at the assembly must receive 30% of delegate votes to make it into the ballot, and Laubacher is on track to receive more than 85% of delegate votes, meaning no other candidate would receive 30%. Because Ms. Calvarese doesnt have a delegate count, she is seeking to prevent Ms. Laubacher from participating in the assembly so that she can make the 30%, Christopher Beall, Laubachers attorney, said. Leaders of the Colorado Democratic Party said dates for district assemblies are fluid and frequently change to accommodate schedules of the delegates until an official call is distributed 10 days before the assembly. Miscommunication between the state party and 4th District leadership led to confusion over who was serving as the chair and who the state party should have been coordinating with. Chollet was on leave throughout the last year while supporting another candidates campaign, and then because she was running for office. Party leadership testified that they relied on 4th District 1st Vice Chair Bob Massaro and Treasurer Dianne Bailey as their primary contacts while Chollet was on leave. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Party rules say that the district chair shall fix the time, date and place for assemblies within their jurisdictions in coordination with the state party chair. Chollet testified that she coordinated with Murib to select March 26 as the assembly date, but received no communication from him on moving the date to March 27. Murib testified that he discussed the change repeatedly with Massaro, who was understood to be the acting chair at the time. Karin Asensio, executive director of the Colorado Democratic Party, and Murib both testified that the earlier date was chosen arbitrarily and that date changes are a frequent occurrence when scheduling assemblies. They said dates are not considered fixed until an official call is sent out. Murib said he had the authority to move the assembly dates under the partys delegate selection plan, a governing document the state central committee votes to approve. Martha Tierney, attorney for the Democratic Party, said both Chollet and Massaro voted to approve the state partys delegate selection plan, which gave power to the state party chair to fix the date of the assembly. The plan says the assembly must occur between March 26 and April 11. Without malice or favor While the plaintiffs attorneys argued the change was made to favor Laubacher specifically, Murib said party rules are meant to encourage participation of all candidates, not restrict it. He said the party has an obligation to follow the rules in a way that enables participation, and to correct an arbitrary decision that disenfranchises voters from supporting their candidate, or disqualifies a candidate. Advertisement Advertisement The 4th Districts committee leaders sent a call for the assembly Sunday night without the approval of state party officials, and that call excluded Laubacher. Chollet said she had to send the call out to preserve the March 26 date. State party officials argued the call was not legitimate because delegates were not finalized by the time it was sent out, and not every delegate received the call. Chollet said her insistence on maintaining the March 26 date is not about liking one candidate more than another, but because its super important that were applying everything fairly, equally, without malice or favor. She said she would have backed the legal action regardless of which candidate didnt meet the eligibility requirements. My job, my whole reason for getting involved in all of this, was to make sure that the rules and the playing field apply to everyone evenly, and that no candidate has benefited or treated poorly because of anything, Chollet said. Everybody has access in specific ways, its on them to meet those guidelines, and when we move a goalpost for any reason, then we are unfairly advantaging one candidate in this case and disadvantaging two candidates on the other side. Calvarese and Chollet are represented by attorneys with First and Fourteenth, a conservative Colorado Springs-based law firm that has ties to the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit seeks a final court order declaring Muribs date change void and Laubacher ineligible for the caucus and assembly process. If the suit is successful, Laubacher can still get on the primary ballot through a petition process. Attorneys for the plaintiffs asked the court to issue a decision within three days. Boebert beat Calvarese in the 2024 election by 12 percentage points. The 4th District, which includes most of Douglas County and the Eastern Plains, is the safest Republican-held district in the state. Colorados primary election will take place June 30. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A judge has ordered three counties to hold off mailing absentee ballots in an Indiana legislative primary where President Donald Trump has endorsed a challenger to Republican Sen. Greg Goode. At issue is a dispute over whether one of two women with the last name Wilson who filed to run against Goode in the primary should be removed from the primary ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction. Clay County Circuit Court Judge David Thomas issued an order Wednesday directing the county clerks in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties to immediately cease sending, mailing, or otherwise distributing absentee ballots involving the Republican Senate District 38 race. Advertisement Advertisement Under state law, county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on Monday ahead of the May 5 primary. Thomas did not rule on arguments that candidate Alexandra Wilson should be taken off the ballot because of a state law prohibiting someone convicted of a felony crime from holding elected office. There is also still a pending motion to change judges. Alexandra Wilsons attorney argued before the Indiana Election Commission last month that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor. Advertisement Advertisement The dispute has gained attention because of its possible impact on the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County Council member who has Trumps endorsement against Goode following the senators December vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan. The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilsons candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot. Prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun and is supporting Brenda Wilson, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson. Bopp calls her candidacy a ballot trick by local Republicans to help Goode survive the primary by taking votes away from Brenda Wilson. Vigo County Republican Party Chair Randy Gentry, who certified Alexandra Wilson for a GOP candidacy, has denied Bopps accusation of ballot manipulation. A Republican-appointed federal judge has ordered that more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) employees be reinstated after a Trump administration order effectively dismantled the radio network, triggering mass layoffs. In two separate rulings made Tuesday, the US district judge Royce Lamberth said that attempts to shut down operations of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an independent federal agency that oversees VOA, are illegal and mandated that employees return to work by 23 March. Lamberth further instructed the agency to create a plan for how it will return VOA back to the air. Advertisement Advertisement Lamberths latest order comes only 10 days after he ruled that former USAGM director Kari Lake illegally led the agency, writing that Trumps attempts to place Lake and others into leadership are unlawfully withholding mandatory agency action. Lake oversaw USAGM from 31 July to 19 November 2025, laying off more than 1,000 employees. In a statement posted to Twitter, Lake said she planned to appeal Lamberths ruling on the lawful status of her leadership. Last year, Lake was also blocked by a federal judge from removing Michael Abramowitz as VOA director. Abramowitz and another group of employees later filed separate lawsuits against the government. Abramowitz hailed Lamberths ruling in a statement to the Washington Post. Voice of America has never been more needed, he said. I am grateful for the resilience and dedication of VOAs amazing workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiffs in the other suit, former employees Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper, called Lamberths ruling a monumental decision in a statement to the Post. We are eager to begin repairing the damage Kari Lake has inflicted on our agency and our colleagues, to return to our congressional mandate, and to rebuild the trust of the global audience we have been unable to serve for the past year, the group wrote. VOA is the USs largest and oldest international broadcaster, providing funding for news agencies such as Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe. Its employees have been on paid administrative leave for a full year, the Post reported. The Trump administration has tried to defund the agency since 2025, instructing Lake to shrink the agency down to minimum presence and function required by law. Key parts of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s controversial vaccine overhaul were blocked on Monday by a federal judge in Massachusetts. In a 45-page ruling, Judge Brian Murphy, a Biden appointee, ruled that Kennedys decision to limit the number of vaccines children receive from 17 to 11, along with no longer recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, was done improperly. Murphy said that in bypassing the independent vaccine advisory board, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Kennedy had not followed procedure. Advertisement Advertisement There is a method to how these decisions historically have been made a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements, Murphy wrote. Unfortunately, the government has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions. Murphy also retroactively blocked the appointments of 13 members to ACIP after Kennedy fired their predecessors, temporarily negating the decisions made by those members. He wrote that only six of the 15 panelists could be said to have any meaningful experience in vaccines. This procedural failure highlights the very reasons why procedures exist and raises a substantial likelihood that the newly appointed ACIP fails to comport with governing law, Murphy wrote. The decision came just days before a key ACIP meeting was to take place. An HHS official told Salon that the meeting has been postponed following the voiding of Kennedys ACIP appointments. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision. We look forward to this judges decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon wrote on X. When asked for comment, the HHS directed Salon to Nixons statement. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., criticized the decision in a post on X, comparing the ruling to Biden-era racial gender policies. Progressive district court judges claim RFKs vaccine policies arent based on science yet had no problem with Bidens radical gender policies, Banks wrote. Seems like theyre the ones not following the science! Reactions from proponents of the Make America Health Again movement were muted, with many influencers and activists remaining quiet about the ruling. At the time of writing, Kennedy himself has yet to release any statement on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Isaac Belfer, a lawyer for the Trump administration, argued earlier this month that Kennedy has broad, unreviewable authority in his ability to make national vaccine policies. In his ruling, Murphy shot this notion down. The court disagrees, he wrote. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. Dr. Tina Hartert, co-chair of the American Thoracic Societys Vaccine Advisory Committee, criticized the credentials of Kennedys ACIP, which includes noted vaccine skeptics. She said their decision-making is just as reckless as letting a group of amateur pilots dictate how our airplanes should fly. The stakes in both scenarios are life and death. The medical and scientific backlash against this hasnt changed anything, Hartert said in a statement to Salon. Hartert called for a critical legal defense to protect the health of our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the ruling was a welcome outcome for children, communities and pediatricians everywhere. This decisionrepresents a critical step to restoring scientific decision-making to federal vaccine policy that has kept children healthy for years, Racine said in a statement on Monday. For Kennedys critics in Washington, the ruling was vindication. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., a member of the Senate Committee on Health, called Kennedys overhaul a dangerous vaccine schedule. Today a federal judge proved it. Vaccine policy must be guided by science, Alsobrooks wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Other senators chimed in, with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., saying the decision was a win for science, and calling Kennedy a stain on public health. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., also a member of the Senate Health Committee, accused the secretary of creating policies based on conspiracy theories and dangerous misinformation. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the ruling offers a temporary reprieve from the madness, but worried that the damage has already been done. RFK Jrs changes to our nations childhood vaccine schedule fly in the face of science and threaten the lives of kids nationwide. This ruling offers a temporary reprieve from the madness, but Im afraid the damage has already been done. https://t.co/lP8FUWVaHd Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 16, 2026 Brad Woodhouse, president of Protect Our Care, an affordable health care nonprofit, echoed Durbins concerns in a statement shared with Salon. Its clear the Trump administration is determined to resuscitate their agenda in a higher court because they care more about their anti-science agenda than keeping kids healthy, Woodhouse said. The post A judge shot down RFK Jr.s vaccine overhaul. The fight is far from over appeared first on Salon.com. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) An Arkansas law requiring that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms was struck down by a federal judge Monday. The law is among those pushed by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to incorporate religion in public schools. Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas all have enacted similar laws requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms. And as such, each mandate has faced legal challenges that many expect to eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Here is a closer look at the status of the mandates, which have stirred the long-running debate over the role of religion in government institutions. Federal court ruling blocks mandate in Arkansas, Republicans vow to appeal Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state's new law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library. The lawsuit named six school districts in Arkansas as defendants. Advertisement Advertisement While it is unclear how many school districts or publicly-funded universities have hung up posters, local media outlets have cited multiple examples over the past five months. That includes the Ten Commandments being posted at the University of Arkansas on the Fayetteville campus, the Arkansas Advocate reported in October. Critics argue that the mandate is unconstitutional and violates separation of church and state. Proponents of the legislation say the Ten Commandments have historical significance and are part of the foundation of U.S. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks said in his written judgment that nothing could possibly justify hanging the Ten Commandmentswith or without historical context in a calculus, chemistry, French, or woodworking class, to name a few. Brooks, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, went on to write that there is no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated by the 2025 law; One doesnt exist, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement While Brooks judgment blocks the requirement, its unclear how broadly his decision can be applied if it is limited to the specific school districts named in the lawsuit or if it applies to the entire state. Megan Bailey a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, one of the groups representing the parents challenging the law, said the ruling makes clear the law is unconstitutional. Given that, it would be unwise for any school district in Arkansas to move forward with posting the Ten Commandments, Bailey told The Associated Press. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that she plans to appeal the ruling and defend our state's values. Louisiana schools encouraged to hang up posters after most recent ruling In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to mandate poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, from kindergarten through college. Advertisement Advertisement While the challenge has wound its way through federal courts for nearly two years, a ruling last month vacated an earlier court order that had prevented the law from taking effect clearing the way for displays to be installed in classrooms. Immediately following the Feb. 20 ruling from the full 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals, Gov. Jeff Landry instructed schools to follow the law and post the Ten Commandments. In a letter to educators, Landry wrote that the court's decision removes any obstacles to the implementation of Louisianas Ten Commandments law and that schools "should now proceed with placing the posters in classrooms. The law requires schools to accept donated Ten Commandments posters, which must have large, easily readable font. Earlier this year, a conservative advocacy group, Louisiana Family Forum, sent posters to most of the states parish school systems, The New Orleans Advocate/The Times-Picayune reported. There have not yet been widespread reports of schools hanging up the posters, with some school officials expressing worries about potential litigation. However, others say it is imminent. Among them is Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse, who said the university intends to comply with the law but, as of last week, has not received donated posters. Posters go up in Texas classrooms Last year, a similar mandate in Texas took effect marking the widest-reaching attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. Advertisement Advertisement With no shortage of strong opinions among teachers, parents, and students, the posters began going up in classrooms as school districts accepted donations or paid to have them printed. About two dozen of the states roughly 1,200 school districts were barred from hanging the posters after federal judges issued injunctions in cases against the law. In January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over the Texas law and litigation is pending. Topline Two Balkan countries and two Baltic states, along with the Czech Republic and Canada, are the only six of 32 NATO members that have issued public statements of support for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, as President Donald Trump faces broad resistance from the coalition to his request for aid in the military operation. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to board Air Force One on March 18, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Images Key Facts Trump acknowledged this week that most NATO members have said theyll stay out of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. So far, the only NATO members that have come out in support of the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran are Canada, the Czech Republic, Albania, North Macedonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Advertisement Advertisement Others, including Denmark, Finland and Luxembourg, have remained neutral in their opinions of the strikes, while issuing broad criticisms of the Iranian regime. Many, such as Italy and Spain, are outright critics. These Six Nato Countries Have Expressed Support For U.s.-Israel Operations Canada: Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Minister of Affairs Anita Anand initially said in a statement Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security, though Carney later clarified to reporters that Canada supports the operations with regret, because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order, noting the U.S. didnt consult allies before the attacks. Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama: We support the United States in militarily supporting Israel today under the leadership of President Donald Trump, he wrote in a post on X on Feb. 28, the first day of the attacks, condemning Irans cyber aggressions against Albania, which severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2022 following a major cyberattack on Albanias government. Advertisement Advertisement North Macedonia Minister of Foreign Affairs Timco Mucunski: We stand with our American allies in confronting destabilizing threats in the Middle East, he wrote on X, adding, the United States has made clear that diplomacy is always the first option but deterrence remains essential when credible risks persist. Lithuania Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda: The U.S. and Israel acted correctly in attacking Iran after Iran did not take into account U.S. demands to stop enriching uranium, to stop producing nuclear weapons, he told Lithuanian National Television and Radio, calling it an unavoidable matter. Latvia President Edgars Rinkevics: To a large extent, this operation is a consequence of what Iran has been doing for decades, he said in a March 3 press conference, adding that he prefers diplomacy, but diplomacy will only have a place at the moment when Iran abandons any plans to develop a military nuclear program . . . taking all these aspects into account, the operation currently being carried out by the United States and Israel is understandable. Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis: The uncontrollable Iranian nuclear program and support for terrorism are a danger to us and to all of Europe, adding in a post on X, the Czech Republic therefore stands by our allies, and I believe that stability and peace will soon prevail in the region. Advertisement Advertisement The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on X the U.S.-Israel military operation reflects long-standing concerns regarding the policies and actions of the Iranian regime. News Peg Trump suggested Wednesday the U.S. would refuse to provide military protection to the Strait of Hormuz once the U.S. has finished off Iran and it reopens, instead forcing other countries that use the oil passage to secure it. He said on Truth Social that would get some of our non-responsive Allies in gear, and fast!!! Trump made the threat after saying repeatedly for days the U.S. doesnt need the help of anyone, including NATO allies, in response to NATOs refusal to help ships pass through the strait, which has been closed since the start of the conflict, driving up global oil prices. Crucial Quote NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte initially praised the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, telling Germanys ARD TV, its really important what the U.S. is doing here, together with Israel, because its taking out, degrading the capacity of Iran to get its hands on nuclear capability, their ballistic missile capability. He said, there are absolutely no plans whatsoever for NATO to get dragged into this or being part of it, other than individual allies doing what they can to enable what the Americans are doing together with Israel. Chief Critics Many NATO allies have strongly criticized Trumps demands for assistance in the Strait of Hormuz, while others have broadly condemned the U.S.-Israel strikes, with some leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spains Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, suggesting they were in violation of international law. Among the leaders rejecting Trumps request for help with the strait, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said earlier this week at a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels, NATO is a defensive alliance, not an interventionist one. And that is precisely why NATO has no place here at all. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel equated Trumps demands to blackmail, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a press conference this week that his country will not be drawn into the wider war. Tangent Most NATO countries have given mixed reactions to the conflict. Some, including Denmark, Finland and Estonia, have expressed neither support nor opposition to the U.S. and Israels strikes against Iran, but have said they are open to NATO assisting the U.S. to secure the Strait of Hormuz. "Even if we don't like what's going on, I think it's wise to keep an open mind on whether Europe ... in some way can contribute, but with a view towards de-escalation," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told EU leaders in Brussels earlier this week. Finlands President Alexander Stubb also told Bloomberg we have to take everything that the president of the United States says seriously, adding, the countries that have the capacity and the will to help the United States will do that, and should do that. Others, including Luxembourg and Iceland, have condemned the Iranian regime and said it cant have nuclear weapons in the wake of the attacks, calling for de-escalation, but stopping short of endorsing the U.S.-Israel military campaign. Iran must put an end to all activities that threaten international peace and security, in particular its nuclear program. Luxembourg supports all diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, its government said in a statement. Multiple NATO allies, including the United Kingdom, Romania, Italy, France and Portugal, are allowing the U.S. to use their bases for its operations in Iran. Some NATO countries, including Montenegro and North Macedonia, have also condemned Irans retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries in the Middle East. Correction: This story has been updated to include Canadas position on the Israel-Iran war and remove Kosovo, which is not a NATO member. Further Reading Trump: Most NATO Allies Say Theyll Stay Out Of Iran War (Forbes) Trump Suggests U.S. Could Finish Off Iran And Let Other Countries Secure Strait Of Hormuz (Forbes) JD Vance Disappears Amid War With IranAfter Opposing A Conflict For Years (Forbes) By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Ariba Shahid KABUL/KARACHI, March 18 (Reuters) - Former heroin user Nazar Mohammad said the Kabul rehabilitation centre bombed by Pakistan cured him of his drug addiction two years ago and helped keep him alive. He even stayed on to work there as a live-in carer for the 2,000 patients. Now he fears he could relapse. On Monday, he left the clinic and watched "as a plane dropped a bomb", he said. He rushed back to find a scene of devastation. Advertisement Advertisement "People were screaming from every direction. There were wounded and dead bodies everywhere...From under the rubble...we pulled out four people alive but wounded. The rest had died. The bodies were unrecognizable" The Afghan Taliban government has said that more than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in the air strike on Monday night. Those casualty numbers have not been independently verified. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan told Reuters on Wednesday that 143 people were killed and 119 wounded in the attack. Pakistan denies striking a rehabilitation centre, saying it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure". Independent groups and witnesses have confirmed the rehabilitation centre was hit. A dispute is raging between Kabul and Islamabad over whether it was deliberately struck or a wrongly identified target. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking from a part of the clinic that remained intact, Mohammad said he fears he will have to leave, and his future is uncertain in a country with scant medical facilities. "I stayed in this camp (after treatment) because if I left, I was afraid I might become addicted again," Mohammad told Reuters on Wednesday. "We were able to fight it here and survive, but after this, I don't know how we will overcome it," he said. CONFLICT AND ADDICTION Mohammad said he had been "clean" for two years after undergoing a three-month treatment that involved detoxing for 15 days followed by medication. Some people are prescribed cold water baths, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Patients were given three meals a day, he added tea and bread in the morning followed by rice for lunch and dinner. About 15% of Afghanistan's estimated population of 40 million suffers from addiction, according to Ahmed Kassas, country director for the International Medical Corps. Experts say the problem is fuelled by issues ranging from poverty and unemployment to physical pain and family challenges. The facilities that exist are stretched and overcrowded. OPIUM BAN The Taliban government banned narcotics cultivation in the country in 2022 then the world's top opium producer and the land used to cultivate opium poppy dropped to 10,200 hectares in 2025, down from the 232,000 hectares prior to the ban, according to a U.N. estimate published in November. Advertisement Advertisement The drop in opiate production has, however, spurred a move to synthetic drugs and misuse of pharmaceutical drugs, the U.N. said. The destruction of a rehabilitation facility has wider implications than damaging the progress of its patients, said Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution. "You have very few treatment facilities in Afghanistan, so the loss of one as a result of fighting is a very hefty blow to the amount of services available," she said. FIGHT AGAINST KETAMINE ADDICTION Ahmad Bilal Taimoori, a dentist and father-of-two, arrived at the Kabul rehab centre only 20 days before it was struck, to undergo treatment for ketamine addiction, which left him under the influence for about 22 hours a day. Advertisement Advertisement He felt he was making progress, but now that has been shattered. "My father brought me here. At first I was unhappy and did not want to stay, but after about a week, when I started to feel better, I myself wanted to recover," he said. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Ariba Shahid in Karachi, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh, Alexandra Hudson) The Kalispell Fire Department is looking for a firm to design and build a new station on the rapidly growing west side of town. The forthcoming station, the citys third, is slated to go up on city-owned land at 490 Mountain Vista Way just east of Farm to Market Road. City Hall formally issued the request for proposals last month. Department officials have a general idea of what Fire Station 63 will look like, but Chief Jay Hagen said a professional firm will finalize the design, determine the cost and develop a construction timeline. He expects work on the building to wrap up in two years. Advertisement Advertisement Hagen held a conference on March 4 to help interested firms fine-tune applications before submitting them. He said he wont know the final number of applicants until the submission window closes but estimated that representatives from about 20 companies attended the gathering. A review committee will select a firm from the pool of applicants after the submissions window closes on March 18. Hagen expects to then seek Kalispell City Councils blessing. The station will be fitted with three full-length apparatus bays, a kitchen, dining room, lounge, fitness room and individual sleeping rooms. Funding for the facility will come from a mix of impact fees and revenue from the voter-approved emergency services levy. The city has called for putting aside $7.5 million for the station in its five-year capital improvement plan. Advertisement Advertisement The mill levy, which took effect on July 1, 2024 the start of fiscal year 2025 has bolstered the Police and Fire Departments with extra tax dollars to hire additional staff and acquire new equipment. The funds are accumulating like snow in a snowbank, Hagen said. Those dollars will also be used to hire staff for the fire engine and ambulance at the new station. Hagen said the department will start by hiring three employees, then expand to five and eventually to eight. Hagen had hoped to begin work on the new station when he joined the department in May, but turnover among city managers and the need to wait for additional levy funds delayed the start. Advertisement Advertisement We dont want to be rushing this to the point of not having adequate funds, he said. City Council began moving on a levy request in 2023 after reviewing the results of an independent audit of the municipality's emergency responder agencies. Conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Safety Management, the audit found that both departments provided quality service but lagged behind the national average in response time. Before the levy was approved, former Chief Dan Pearce said the department struggled to keep up with increasing call volumes as the city expanded, leading to a growing reliance on mutual aid. The expanded department including two new training captains will allow for more efficient response times, which could help improve the citys ISO rating. The Insurance Services Office rates fire departments on a scall of one to 10, with one being the best and a higher number leading to higher insurance costs. Kalispell holds a rating of three. Advertisement Advertisement The levy has provided for more training to captains, so were going to try to shore up and were going to do the very best we can to try and improve that rating, Hagen said. Hagen said the city will receive a new rating in the next few months. As the project chugs along, Hagen plans to reach out to the surrounding neighborhood that the new station will be tucked in with. We want this to be something that that community out there is proud of, and we want to be a good neighbor, he said. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. TOPEKA In what founding document does the phrase Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness appear? Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War? Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators? These are among the 128 questions on the U.S. citizenship test, and they could become study material for Kansas students. Under a bill that also mandates teaching students about the dangers of communism and socialism, high school freshmen would be required to take a 100-question exam based on the civics test that prospective U.S. citizens take during the American naturalization process. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 381 lumps the test into state-mandated American history and civics classes in public and accredited private and parochial schools, and students would have to pass the test before earning a diploma. The bill passed the Senate on Thursday in a 26-14 vote. It also requires the State Board of Education to craft curricula that teaches K-12 public school students about negative impacts of communist and socialist regimes and ideologies. The bill is rooted in conservative circles concerned about anti-Americanism and contested statistics that purport Gen Z Americans are attracted to communist and socialist ideals. Sen. Brad Starnes, a Riley Republican and former school superintendent, put forth the bill and assured the House Education Committee on Monday that neither the civics test nor the curricula will replace existing units on American history. The committee on Tuesday approved an amendment to the bill to add fascism to the curricula. Advertisement Advertisement Research on younger generations inclination toward socialist or communist causes is muddy. A 2019 Gallup poll found millennials and Gen Z, ages 18-39, view capitalism and socialism with equal favorability. As a whole, however, Americans still viewed capitalism in a more positive light than socialism. Joshua Reynolds, a policy analyst for Cicero Action, a conservative think tanks advocacy arm, backed the bill, citing three separate polls indicating favorable views of communism and socialism among 18-39 year olds. Reynolds cited in testimony a 2020 poll from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation that 63% of Gen Z and Millennials believe that the Declaration of Independence guarantees freedom and equality better than the Communist Manifesto, compared to 95% of the Silent Generation. Leah Fliter, assistant executive director of advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards, said socialism and communism curriculum might be inappropriate and complex for early grades. Advertisement Advertisement We feel that this bill has been drafted without looking at the Kansas state standards for graduation, she said Monday. The Kansas State Board of Education already recommends instruction on communism and socialism, according to Monday testimony from board members Cathy Hopkins and Beryl New. The board, they wrote, has established history, government and social studies standards that prepare students to be informed, thoughtful, engaged citizens as they enrich their communities, state, nation, world and themselves. If passed, both of the bills provisions would go into effect July 1, making next school years freshmen the first group to be required to pass the civics test as a condition of graduation. During the naturalization process, most prospective U.S. citizens must complete an interview and citizenship test, which consists of an English portion and civics portion. People must answer at least 12 of 20 civics questions correctly, which are selected at random from a cache of 128 questions about foundational American events, figures, principles and procedures. Kansas high school students would have to take a 100-question exam containing questions substantially similar to those that appear on the citizenship civics test, the bill said. Advertisement Advertisement Arizona has required its high schoolers to pass a civics exam based on the U.S. citizenship test since 2017, and in 2026 raised the passing threshold, requiring students to answer at least 70 of 100 questions right instead of the original 60. Wisconsin has required the test since 2015. Arizona only offers the test in English while Wisconsin offers versions in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The Kansas proposal does not specify a designated language. Students could request to take the test as early as seventh grade, and they can take it as many times as necessary to pass. Students must get an 80% or higher on the test to pass. This story has been updated to include information about bill amendments. By Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL, March 18 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics' unionised workers in South Korea voted on Wednesday to authorise a strike, deepening a labour dispute over bonuses and raising the risk of production disruptions at the world's biggest memory chipmaker. A total of 93% of its 66,019 workers who cast ballots approved the strike plan, the union said. If the workers fail to agree a deal, they plan to strike for 18 days from May 21 after holding a rally on April 23, the union has said. The union said the overwhelming support is a "strong warning" that management should respond to union demands. Samsung said in a statement: We will make our best efforts to conclude the 2026 wage negotiations amicably." A strike at the chipmaker could worsen bottlenecks in the global supply of semiconductors, amid robust demand for artificial intelligence data centre operations, which has squeezed supply to industries from cars and computers to smartphones. Union members began casting ballots last week after wage negotiations that started late last year collapsed. The unions represents nearly 90,000 workers, accounting for more than 70% of its total workforce of 125,000 in South Korea. Growing frustration among Samsung employees over a pay gap with key rivals drove a surge in union membership in the weeks after chipmaker SK Hynix accepted its union's demand for compensation reforms in September. The Samsung union is calling on the company to follow in the path of SK Hynix and scrap its bonus cap and link its bonus pool to operating profit. Samsung said lifting the cap would make it challenging for them to fund future investments and shareholder returns in a capital intensive, cyclical industry. Samsung relies heavily on South Korea for its memory chip production, producing 100% of its DRAM chips and making two thirds of its NAND chips at home, according to data from researcher Counterpoint. The union will face an uphill battle to reach an agreement because of the sticky issue of abolishing the bonus cap, which is currently at 50% of annual salary, said Sohn In-joon, an analyst at Heungkuk Securities. Lifting the cap could widen a pay gap between chip businesses and other businesses such as phones and TVs, which are expected to post sluggish earnings due to competition and surging chip prices, Sohn said. (Reporting by Hyunjoo JinEditing by Ed Davies) TOPEKA The Kansas House passed a bill Wednesday prohibiting utility companies from including in general rate increases the cost of building and operating electric vehicle charging stations. The original legislation was sought by businesses expressing interest in investing in EV infrastructure to serve vehicles requiring charging stations, but concerned electric utility companies had an unfair advantage in that market. More than a year of negotiations among lobbyists for fuel retailers, electric utilities and EV interests led to Senate Bill 380. Under the bill, utility companies wouldnt be allowed to receive future consumer rate adjustments to cover costs of building or operating EV recharging stations. Utility companies would be forbidden from charging themselves a lower price for electricity used at their EV charging locations than the amount assessed other companies operating EV charging facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Lauren Bohi, an Olathe Republican who carried the bill on the House floor, said private fuel retailers were reluctant to invest in charging-station infrastructure because regulated utility companies engaged in discriminatory business practices. This bill does not prohibit any Kansas electric utility from owning a charging station, she said, but it does prevent them from socializing the cost broadly to all their ratepayers. The initial version of the bill was unanimously approved by the Senate, but an amended version was endorsed 122-2 by the House. The chambers would need to reach a compromise before a bill was sent to Gov. Laura Kelly. Brian Posler, executive director of the Fuel True Independent Energy and Convenience trade association, said the bill needed to address non-utility retailers concerns about market imbalance in the EV charging arena. At this point, he said, Kansas ratepayers were compelled to subsidize growth of a utility companys network of charging stations. Advertisement Advertisement He said a level playing field was necessary for fuel retailers to take on potentially risky, significant upfront capital investments necessary to offer EV charging services. It is out goal to make recharging an EV in Kansas as convenient as it is today to fill a car with gas, Posler said. Laura Lutz, a lobbyist for Evergy, the states largest electric company, said Kansans would benefit from current law allowing Evergy to seek cost recovery from the Kansas Corporation Commission whenever engaged in under-invested areas, including the EV charging marketplace. She said Evergys 300 charging sites had served the public for nearly a decade. She said Evergy offered a rebate program to incentivize non-utility entities, including gas stations, to install, own and operate their own charging stations for EVs. Advertisement Advertisement This dual approach not only enhances the accessibility and convenience of EV charging for all Kansans, but also fosters a collaborative effort in building comprehensive and reliable EV infrastructure, Lutz said. She said a state law adopted in 2021 permitted unregulated businesses to install charging stations and set no restrictions on the price they could charge EV customers. Evergys charges had to be analyzed and scrutinized by the KCC during an inherently transparent general rate case process, she said. A Kansas City man accused of fatally shooting his brother last year in what was described as a Cain and Abel situation, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. As part of a plea agreement, Jacob Ackerman pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of armed criminal action; a judge handed down the sentence on Monday. Ackerman had initially been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing. Advertisement Advertisement An attorney who represented Ackerman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening. Ackermans brothers body was found in July in the area of Missouri Route 291 and Missouri Route 210 in the Sugar Creek area after a relative who could track the brothers location using an app reported that his location had not moved for several hours. A Sugar Creek detective wrote in court documents that relatives believed Ackerman was responsible for the killing, and a medical investigator reported that on a call with relatives, someone could be heard describing the killing as a Cain and Abel situation, a reference to the first killing recorded in the Bible in which Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. After Ackerman was found in Kansas City, relatives told police that ...Jacobs mental health had been declining and Jacob had been jealous of the victim for most of his life due to the victim being successful in life and Jacob struggling, the detective wrote in court documents. When he was interviewed by police, Ackerman admitted he stood behind his brother and shot him in the head after they had argued over a girl, according to court documents. PLATTSBURGH A Plattsburgh man has pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife last year. The murder occurred Oct. 18, 2025, at the AuSable Marsh in Peru where Keith Henry shot his wife, Chloe Rinn Henry, 25, of Mooers, in his car with their two young children in the backseat. Keith Henry then admitted to moving Chloe Henrys body 25 miles away from the Peru area and dumping her on Ridge Road in the Town of Chazy. In Clinton County Court on Wednesday, Keith Henry, through teary eyes, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, concealment of a human corpse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child as part of a plea agreement with the District Attorneys Office. In doing so, he also waived his right to a trial. Advertisement Advertisement He is now facing a possible sentence range of 20 years to life or 25 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder charge, with the final determination left to Judge William Favreau. Sentences for the other charges would run concurrent. His sentencing is scheduled for June 30 at 1 p.m. As part of the plea agreement, Keith Henry must show New York State Police where the murder weapon is located, which he agreed to do. Assistant District Attorney Vivian Joo also requested he pay restitution for funeral expenses in the amount of $7,338.04 to the Office of Victim Services. An order of protection was put in place for both of his children, as well. Advertisement Advertisement When court was adjourned, Keith Henry was remanded to Clinton County Jail. Todays plea ensures that Keith Henry will be held fully accountable for the murder of his wife, Chloe Henry, and for the trauma inflicted on their children, District Attorney Andrew J. Wylie said in a statement. Our office will continue to pursue the maximum lawful sentence. We remain committed to securing justice for Chloe and to hold all responsible parties accountable. Chloe Henry had plenty of support in the courtroom Wednesday. Abi Wells, Chloe Henrys best friend, was one of many who was wearing a shirt honoring her and other domestic violence victims. Advertisement Advertisement Just to represent her, be a voice for her, spread her word around. Especially not just hers, but anyone that's dealing with domestic violence, that there's a way out, Wells said about the shirt she was wearing. Wells said her adrenaline was high, and she was feeling a range of emotions after seeing Keith Henry in court. When asked if she thought his tears were genuine as he was pleading guilty, Wells said she didnt buy them. I think it's more of, I'm in this situation. Let me shed a tear, because when he was doing it, I doubt he showed any type of remorse (or emotion) besides anger, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Now, it's more like, Oh, wow, I really did it. Its sinking in. Let me shed a few tears to show that I care. Wells said there was a pattern of abuse throughout their relationship and Chloe Henry tried to leave, but with the two kids, it was hard to stay away. He's beat her a few times, she said. She ended up in the hospital because of it, and it was just behind closed doors. He promised her the first time, when he got out, he would change, and he never changed. It just continued to be the same pattern. Wells said Keith Henry pleading guilty was a start, but she still doesn't have closure. Advertisement Advertisement Him being locked up and pleading guilty, that's awesome. He should own up to something that he did, she said. But at the same time, that's still not enough closure because she's gone. Wells said she is still looking for a reason as to why he killed her. I met them through my boyfriend. (I want to ask him,) 'Why didn't you reach out to one of us? Why didn't you reach out to my boyfriend?' He would have went over, she said. Y'all could have hung out, talked about something. If something like that was going through your mind, you didn't have to do what you did. Advertisement Advertisement Now, all Wells can do is cherish the memories with her best friend, her favorites being the adventures they went on in the car. There were always good moments, she said. We went on our Walmart trips, Target trips, park trips, Comfort Inn trips when we would take them (the kids) swimming or holidays, birthdays Fourth of July, Christmas. We've done Thanksgivings together. We've done it all since I've known her. FRANKFORT, Ky. The Bluegrass State's next two-year budget isn't on Gov. Andy Beshear's desk yet. But it cleared a significant hurdle this week at the Capitol. House Bill 500, the proposed executive budget for Fiscal Year 2026-28, passed out of the Senate's Appropriations and Revenue Committee in the morning of March 18 and was taken up by the full chamber that afternoon, where it was approved on a unanimous vote with no debate. The $31 billion proposal is similar to what was passed out of the House in late February. It's a tighter budget than in years past, with several offices and programs facing two-year cuts of 4% and 7%. Exemptions include the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky fund, the state's teacher retirement system, Medicaid benefits, juvenile justice and more. Advertisement Advertisement Still, after alarms sounded following the release of the initial budget, the Senate's changes restored funding for several groups that were bracing for significant reductions, including postsecondary education, which had millions in funding cuts in the House budget restored in the latest version. It also includes long-awaited funding for a juvenile justice facility for girls, with a price tag of $45 million, and a $35 million investment in a facility for high-acuity youths. Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, presents House Bill 96, an act related to the postsecondary education working group, in the Senate Committee on Education meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2026. House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, presents House Bill 607 during a House Committee on Local Government meeting on March 10, 2026. Rep. Marianne Proctor, R-Union, presents House Bill 4 on the House floor on Feb. 4, 2026. The bill, which would define and criminalize predatory behavior commonly referred to as grooming, was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives. Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, presents Senate Bill 199, which would limit lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers, on the House floor on March 17, 2026. Rep. Matt Lockett, R-Nicholasville, speaks a bill regarding water fluoridation programs during House floor proceedings on Feb. 5, 2026. Rep. Ryan Bivens, R-Hodgenville, takes a picture of the vote board as his bill related to on-farm animal health, House Bill 111, passes on the House floor on Feb. 20, 2026. Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, sorts through bills on the first day of the 2026 Kentucky legislative session. Jan. 6, 2026 (Left to right), Rep. Josh Branscum, R-Russell Springs, Rep. Peyton Griffee, R-Mount Washington, House Speaker Pro Tempore David Meade, R-Stanford, and Rep. Derek Lewis, R-London, watch the vote count on an amendment to House Bill 2 on Feb. 27, 2026. Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, presents House Bill 2, which would make sweeping changes to the state's Medicaid program, on the House floor on Feb. 27, 2026. Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, (left) and Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, confer on the Senate floor on March 9, 2026. Sen. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, speaks on the Senate floor on Feb. 20, 2026. Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, speaks on Senate Bill 199 during Senate proceedings on March 5, 2026. State Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, speaks about House Bill 500 on Feb. 26, 2026. Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, presents Senate Bill 2 during a Senate Committee on Education meeting on Feb. 5, 2026. Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, presents House Bill 1 on the House floor on Feb. 24, 2026. From left to right, Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington; Rep. Marianne Proctor, R-Union; and Rep. Nancy Tate, R-Brandenburg, look over bills prior to the House floor proceedings on Feb. 13, 2026. Sen. Matt Nunn, R-Sadieville, presents Senate Bill 104, an act related to impeding a first responder during Senate proceedings on Feb. 19, 2026. House Speaker David Osborne presides over the Kentucky House at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly begins. Jan. 6, 2026. Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives gather at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway. Jan. 6, 2026 House Speaker David Osborne, left, speaks with Rep. Lindsey Burke at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly begins. Jan. 6, 2026. Senate President Robert Stivers speaks to members of the media at the Capitol in Frankfort after the Senate adjourns during the 2026 General Assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Savannah Maddox, right, and Rep. Felicia Rabourn pose for a photo on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., before the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Steven Rudy speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Pamela Stevenson speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. House Speaker David Osborne presides over the Kentucky House at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly begins. Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Marianne Proctor takes photos on her phone as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. House Speaker David Osborne and Rep. Pamela Stevenson share a hug on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly begins Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives confer on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Lindsey Burke speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Rep. Suzanne Miles shares a laugh on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Temporary House chambers at the State Capitol in Frankfort stand empty ahead of the 2026 General Assembly. The purpose-built facility houses both chambers during major renovations to the Capitol. Jan. 6, 2026. Temporary Senate chambers at the State Capitol in Frankfort stand empty ahead of the 2026 General Assembly. The purpose-built facility houses both chambers during major renovations to the Capitol. Jan. 6, 2026. The 2026 Kentucky General Assembly is underway. See photos from Frankfort 1 of 32 Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, presents House Bill 96, an act related to the postsecondary education working group, in the Senate Committee on Education meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2026. State retirees will also celebrate the inclusion of a "13th check," an $81 million expense to account for cost-of-living increases in recent years. Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, serves as chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee and told reporters the proposed investment is "the right thing to do," as those retirees have not had a cost-of-living adjustment since 2010. The budget gives 2% annual raises to all state employees as well. The budget also puts less money toward the state's Budget Reserve Trust Fund Kentucky's "rainy day" expense account. The House had proposed putting nearly $1 billion in the account, with $250 million available in case Medicaid costs are higher than anticipated. Medicaid costs have seen "explosive" growth amid federal cuts, McDaniel noted during comments in committee, and the Senate proposal reduces payments to Medicaid care vendors by 2.5% each year, with savings to go toward increasing reimbursement rates for fee-for-service vendors. The new proposal is more in line with Beshear's budget proposal the progressive Kentucky Center for Economic Policy had said the House proposal underfunded Medicaid by $1.5 billion over the course of two years. Advertisement Advertisement A little over $100 million from the general fund also goes toward SNAP benefits, which had federal funding cut significantly in 2025. That figure remains unchanged from the House budget. Keep up with the legislature: Sign up for the Courier Journal's politics newsletter. In a statement, McDaniel said the proposal "reflects a disciplined approach to governing." "We fully fund our obligations, protect critical services and make targeted investments while maintaining a structurally balanced budget," he said. "We are reducing long-term liabilities, preserving strong reserves and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly not just for today, but to secure the commonwealths financial future. Advertisement Advertisement Several other budget measures passed in the Senate as well, including House Bill 503 (the legislative budget), House Bill 504 (the judicial budget) and House Bill 900 (one-time spending, an $810 million proposal with few public details currently). As those bills were also amended in the Senate, they'll need to go through the House again as well, and McDaniel said HB 900 still needs significant work before passing both chambers. Legislators' goal is to get the bill approved and sent to Beshear by the end of the month, so any vetoes from the governor can be overridden when lawmakers gavel back in briefly in mid-April. Tell us what you think. Submit your letter to the editor. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky budget bill clears Senate. What's changed from House version Four Democratic candidates for Kentucky's open U.S. Senate seat found plenty of common ground during a debate March 17 until the topics turned to Israel and ICE. The field for Kentucky's Senate race has been pretty crowded since U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell announced he wouldn't run for an eighth term, with over a dozen candidates vying for the seat. Although seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary this May, only four appeared on the debate stage: former Senate nominee Charles Booker, former Senate nominee Amy McGrath, famed horse trainer Dale Romans and Rep. Pamela Stevenson, who serves as Minority Floor Leader in the state House. Advertisement Advertisement The debate, hosted by Spectrum News 1, was limited to those who had run previously run for office and received at least 10% of the vote or who had raised at least $100,000 through individual contributions. Keep up with the race: Get updates on the U.S. Senate race in our weekly politics newsletter. During the hour-long debate, candidates largely agreed on kitchen-table issues like affordability, health care and term limits, but they were split on some of the issues facing the Democratic Party nationwide, like whether to accept money from Israeli lobbying groups and whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is worth reforming or should be abolished altogether. When asked about affordability, all four candidates said they would work to restore funding to Medicaid and make life more affordable for everyday Kentuckians. When asked about the war in Iran, all candidates criticized President Donald Trump's entry into the war, reaffirming that Congressional approval is needed for continued action. Advertisement Advertisement All four candidates also raised concerns about civilian casualties in the war in Iran as well as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza but only Booker went as far as calling it a genocide. U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker speaks during a Fairness rally at the Capitol Education Center in Frankfort, Kentucky February 25, 2026. This is about humanity, and I do believe that in no way, we should be funding a genocide, and we can't be afraid to say that, Booker said. This is about standing up for humanity, and so, no, I would not support any funding until we address the humanitarian challenges, and we end genocide. Booker also pressed his fellow candidates on whether or not they would receive money from AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful lobbying group that advocates for pro-Israel policies and funnels millions into campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans. Booker, Stevenson and McGrath said they would not take AIPAC money if offered. Romans said he hadnt received any yet, but it takes money to win a race. Advertisement Advertisement They want to give me something, I'll take it, but I'll tell you what, I can't be bought, just because they contribute to my campaign, Romans said. I'm gonna do everything I can to get a Democrat into Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill. Romans, who described himself as unorthodox and an independent Democrat broke from the pack again when it came to funding for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Roman said he wasnt a fan of ICE, but he wouldnt support the Democratic efforts to withhold funding from DHS, saying the Senate shouldn't hold people's paychecks hostage for a political dispute. McGrath proposed reforms for the system, saying ICE needs to be reined in, needs to be reformed immediately. Former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky in 2026. But Booker and Stevenson said the system was too far gone to repair. Both candidates called for the abolition of the department, with Booker supporting the prosecution of agents involved in the deaths of Renee Goode and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement I'm for abolishing ICE, because it's so broken that you can't return to sanity, Stevenson said. The primary is set for May 19, with the winner of the Democratic primary taking on the GOP nominee in the November general election. Democrats will likely have an uphill battle in that race the state hasn't had a Democrat in the U.S. Senate since Wendell Ford retired in 1999, and Trump won more than 60% of the vote in Kentucky in the last three elections. Rep. Pamela Stevenson speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Frankfort as the 2026 General Assembly gets underway on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Other takeaways from the debate: Candidates united again on the SAVE Act, calling it a distraction and unnecessary. Booker said it was an effort to disenfranchise voters, while both Stevenson and McGrath pointed out issues for married women whose birth certificate might not match their legal names, as well as many Kentuckians' lack of a valid passport or birth certificate. One of those Kentuckians? Romans, who said, Who knows where their birth certificate is? I know I couldn't find mine, and I know my passport's expired. All four candidates endorsed term limits and said they would work to get dark money out of politics. Romans and Stevenson emphasized how much it costs to run for office, saying campaigning should be more accessible to everyday Kentuckians. No one could quite agree on the Senate filibuster, that long-held, long-hated tradition in the Senate used to grind legislation to a halt and give the American public some of its most beloved C-SPAN moments. Booker called it archaic, while Romans believe its one of the most important things in the Senate chamber. For Stevenson and McGrath, well, it depends whos on the floor. We need to fix our democracy, and I'm for anything that will fix our democracy, McGrath said, while Stevenson said the intent of those using the filibuster is the real danger. Advertisement Advertisement What the Republicans had to say: Barbs, zingers but no major policy breaks in GOP's KY Senate debate Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com or follow her on X at @keely_doll. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY Democrats divided on Israel, ICE in Senate debate. What they said FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) Kentucky is short nearly 200,000 homes to meet the needs of a growing state, according to the Kentucky Housing Corporation. Democratic lawmakers are sharing their proposals, hoping to bring on GOP allies. I dont own a home right now, Rep. Joshua Watkins (D-Louisville) shared. Its a reality that thousands of Kentuckians have felt, and even a few state lawmakers have. The American dream of homeownership is a distant goal constantly hovering out of reach. Advertisement Advertisement Read more of the latest Kentucky news The states committed to aggressively addressing the housing challenge. Will be the states that attract the workers, grow their economies, and keep their communities strong. Kentucky must be one of those states, Watkins said. On Wednesday, House Democrats unveiled a proposal they dub Homenibus 2.0, a widespread housing proposal building on a prior bill the caucus pitched last year. Watkins was among the Democratic voices serving on the states housing task force that met in the lead-up to the session, co-chaired by Sen. Robby Mills. Mills is carrying the GOP-backed housing proposal, Senate Bill 9. Advertisement Advertisement There are a handful of developers that, you know, money is not an issue, but a lot of developers actually have got to do the calculus of, you know, Im putting X amount in, how quick am I going to get that back? Is this worth me doing this project? I think this money is going to push them over the edge to say, yeah, this is a good project. Now, if I can get some help with infrastructure, Mills said about the bill during a media conference in February. Democrats hope to find common ground in parts of the proposal, such as investing more money in the affordable housing trust fund, creating new tax credits for first-time home buyers and renters, limiting bulk home purchases by corporations, and stronger renter protections, among others. I hope that by hearing our proposal and then by comparing it a little bit to his, that we can meet somewhere in the middle with a sizable first-time investment to get that off the ground, Watkins said. 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 FOX 56 News. FRANKFORT Gun manufacturers and sellers would be shielded from lawsuits over the actions of their customers under a bill approved Tuesday by the GOP-controlled Kentucky House of Representatives. Rep. TJ Roberts, R-Burlington, sponsor of House Bill 78, told lawmakers that criminals should be held liable for their actions not manufacturers, not sellers who had no clue that someone was going to act that way. Whenever it comes to someone who followed the law and sold a firearm and it is later used in a crime, the criminal is the person who should be held accountable, Roberts said. We have to ensure that our constitutional rights are protected from extralegal efforts to suppress these basic rights. Advertisement Advertisement The bill would also bar local governments from passing laws or issuing regulations that impose liability on gun sellers, manufacturers and trade associations because of criminal misuse, alteration, or modification of firearms. The Kentucky House voted 75-17 to advance the bill to the Kentucky Senate. The minority of Democrats strongly opposed the bill, arguing the legislature was determining court outcomes in advance instead of allowing courts to weigh whether specific claims against a gun manufacturer or seller can move forward. Rep. Erika Hancock, D-Frankfort, said she was a survivor of gun violence and that she understood points made about individual responsibility with guns. Hancock wrote on social media that her grandparents were shot to death on their front porch in Boone County. Advertisement Advertisement Accountability in our system does not stop with the individual who commits the crime. Courts exist so then when tragedy happens, the facts can be examined and responsibility can be determined wherever it belongs, Hancock said. Another Democrat, Rep. Anne Donworth, D-Lexington, expressed concern about pending lawsuits against gun sellers and manufacturers, saying she wanted to make sure those plaintiffs would still be able to have judicial interpretation of the law. A Jefferson Circuit Court judge ruled last year a civil lawsuit could move forward against a firearms dealer who sold a semi-automatic weapon and accessories to the shooter who killed six people and injured eight more at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville. Lawyers for the defendant have argued the firearms dealer should not be held civilly liable. Roberts told Donworth that the bill would go into effect immediately once it becomes law because of an emergency clause but that there is not a retroactive impact on court cases. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, also criticized provisions in HB 78 that bar local governments from taking action against the gun industry. Were effectively telling our cities and our counties that when it comes to this one singular industry that local control ends at the courtroom door, Moore said. Roberts responded to Democratic critiques by saying that civil liability lawsuits arent seen in other industries like they are with the firearms industry. He made an apparent reference to a situation in 2021 where a man drove an SUV through a parade of people in Wisconsin, killing six people and injuring another 62 people. I think of an incident in Waukesha, Wisconsin where a man drove a truck through a crowd of people. I dont think the manufacturer of the truck was sued. I dont think the dealer of the truck was sued, Roberts said. The narrative that this has nothing to do with the Second Amendment just is not true. If there is no industry, if there is no supply, that right may as well not even exist. Republican lawmakers in Kentucky overrode Gov. Andy Beshears veto of a contentious education bill on Tuesday. The Kentucky Senate voted 31-5 to override Beshear's veto of House Bill 1. It comes a day after the state House voted 77-14-1 to override the veto. House Bill 1 would allow Secretary of State Michael Adams to allow the state to opt-in to a new federal tax credit scholarship program. The program lets people receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to organizations that grant scholarships to students at private and public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Beshear vetoed the bill on March 13, arguing it would allow public dollars to be diverted to private and charter schools, a ballot measure that Kentucky voters overwhelmingly struck down in 2024. Every budget cycle, the supermajority fails to provide necessary resources, and instead repeatedly passes bills that would divert needed dollars to private or charter schools, Beshear said. The Republican Party of Kentucky condemned Beshears veto, and promised to override it. HB1 doesnt take a single dollar from state funding. Its a federal tax credit that will help get more resources to the people who need them most, the GOP added. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Tuesday, the Kentucky Democratic Party accused Republicans of using federal dollars to prop up exclusive schools for the wealthiest Kentuckians. Kentuckians want elected officials to fix public schools, the party continued. Republicans have instead spent the past decade trying to defund them, defying voters in all 120 counties while they cook up new schemes to send public dollars to private education. Kentucky lawmakers are moving forward with the process to impeach a Fayette County judge in what could be a historic case against a sitting judge. On March 18, Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, introduced House Resolution 124, which recommends that the General Assembly impeach and remove Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman. The impeachment petition was filed by former state Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Lexington, who spent two terms in the state House before losing in 2024 to a primary challenger who used Timoney's centrist record against him. Timoney at times voted with Democrats during his stint in the legislature, including voting against a wide-ranging 2023 bill cracking down on transgender youth. Advertisement Advertisement In the petition, Timoney alleges Goodman refused to obey binding legal precedents, demonstrated outrageous bias and engaged in an egregious pattern of judicial activism in six cases she presided over. An impeachment petition has been filed against Fayette Circuit Court Judge Julie Muth Goodman. Timoney is running for office again in 2026 in House District 45, his old seat. It's currently occupied by Rep. Adam Moore, a first-term Democrat. Goodman, in a response filed to the House Impeachment Committee, said Timoney failed to allege a misdemeanor in office, is creating a threat to judicial independence and is seeking impeachment based on his disagreement with her rulings. Goodman was elected to the circuit court in 2019 and was reelected in 2022. But after hearing testimony, the House committee found Timoney's petition valid, moving forward with the impeachment process. If the House passes the resolution, a committee will be formed by the Speaker of the House, Rep. David Osborne, R-Prospect, to prosecute the articles in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Stay up to date: Sign up for the On Kentucky Politics newsletter. Earlier in the day, the House Impeachment Committee held an hour-long executive session, after which Nemes said the committee had decided to issue articles of impeachment. The decision comes after a nearly four-hour hearing the committee held March 16, in which Goodman and her lawyers gave testimony. During that hearing, Fayette County Commonwealths Attorney Kimberly Baird attested that Goodman should be impeached, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Baird told the committee her office offers plea deals in an effort to avoid Goodman's courtroom and prepares victims for unfavorable outcomes or disparaging remarks." Advertisement Advertisement Three of the six cases referenced in the petition have been overturned in appeals, including the case of Cornell Thomas, who was charged with murder in 2021 after a 2020 car crash that resulted in the death of Tammy Botkin. Goodman dismissed the case, citing a pattern of unequal charging decisions against defendants of color, according to the petition. The case was reinstated by Attorney General Russell Coleman and sent to the appeals court, which remanded Goodman for her decision. Goodman is a graduate of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky. Prior to becoming a judge, Goodman worked in private practice, as well as for the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Kentucky has had four impeachments in its history, with the last occurring in 1991. The state has never impeached a sitting judge based on judicial rulings, which lawyers worry could set a dangerous precedent. Advertisement Advertisement The House Impeachment Committee has been asked with reviewing five impeachment petitions against elected officials during the 2026 legislative session. Two have already been dropped, while others remain open against Goodman, Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education Chair Tyler Murphy and Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwine. Tell us what you think. Submit your letter to the editor. Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjounal.com or on X @keely_doll. Reporter Lucas Aulbach contributed to this story, reach him at laulbach@couriernournal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY legislature advances process to impeach Judge Julie Muth Goodman The King is rolling out the red carpet for the first UK state visit by a leader of the West African nation in 37 years, and the first by a Muslim leader during Ramadan in almost a century. Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, will begin their two-day state visit on Wednesday, before Charles hosts a state banquet in St Georges Hall in their honour, attended by the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales. William and Kate will be on duty during the day, greeting the president and his wife at the luxury spa hotel Fairmont Windsor Park, on the edge of Windsor Great Park, in the morning and escorting them to the town centre to formally meet the King and Camilla. Advertisement Advertisement The King, the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and Mr and Mrs Tinubu will then travel in a carriage procession in a show of traditional pomp and pageantry through Windsor to the castles quadrangle to see the Guard of Honour for the ceremonial welcome. Thames Valley Police said extensive security measures are being deployed in the Berkshire town, as the event takes place against an international backdrop of the deepening Middle East crisis. The King with the president of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2024 (PA) The grand royal occasion comes less than a month after the Kings brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of sharing confidential reports with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, amid the ongoing scandal facing the monarchy. The Sun reported that removal vans were seen at Andrews new home, Marsh Farm on the Kings Sandringham estate in Norfolk, on Monday, prompting speculation the disgraced former prince was preparing to relocate from his temporary home at Wood Farm. Advertisement Advertisement The president and the first lady arrived in the UK on Tuesday on a Nigerian Air Force flight as scheduled, and were met at Stansted Airport by the deputy lieutenant of Essex, Mark Bevan, on behalf of the King. Their visit went ahead despite suicide bombings in north-eastern Nigerias Borno state on Monday, which killed 23 people and injured more than 100. President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu arriving at Stansted Airport in Essex (PA) Mr Tinubu condemned the evil-minded terror groups and said he mourned those who lost their lives, saying Nigeria will not succumb to fear. The last Nigerian state visit to the UK was in 1989, when Queen Elizabeth II welcomed military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida to London. Advertisement Advertisement This time, the two-day visit falls at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which many Muslims fast and refrain from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset so there will be no traditional lunch with the King in the castle for the president during the day. The programme has been specially adapted, and Charles will receive the president during an audience in the afternoon instead of hosting the usual welcome lunch. In 1928, Charless great-grandfather King George V hosted King Amanullah Khan of Afghanistan, for a three-day state visit from March 13-15, when Ramadan fell between February 22 and March 22 that year. Queen Elizabeth II and Nigerias military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, travel by carriage from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace in 1989 (PA) There are no known records showing whether or not King Amanullah observed Ramadan. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Tinubu will break his fast privately at sunset on Wednesday before joining the King and Queen for the nighttime state banquet. The first lady, who is known as Remi, is a Christian and an ordained Pentecostal pastor. Eid-al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan, begins on Thursday evening, when the president and his wife will leave the UK. The King will also join the president and first lady in the castles Vicars Hall to meet organisations working on interfaith dialogue, on Wednesday. Today, I honour and celebrate every mother across Nigeria. Your love, care and sacrifices do not go unnoticed. Beyond the big sacrifices, it is the small, quiet moments that truly define a mothers love. On this special day, we carry those moments in our hearts and say thank for pic.twitter.com/xZHIWtfQEE Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 15, 2026 The Nigerian leaders stay, aimed at strengthening the UKs position as a global hub for African business, coincides with the Department for Business and Trades announcement that hundreds of new jobs are to be created as a series of Nigerian companies scale up their operations in the UK. Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the Kings son, the Duke of Sussex, carried out a quasi-royal tour to Nigeria with the Duchess of Sussex, after Meghan disclosed she was 43 per cent Nigerian after a genealogy test. Mrs Tinubu was later accused of criticising Meghans choice of outfits when she gave a speech reprimanding young Nigerian women for dressing indecently and accusing them of mimicking film stars from America. They dont know where they come from. Why did Meghan come here, looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with. We know who we are and dont lose who you are, she said. The first ladys office said she was not talking about Meghans outfits, but that she meant Meghan appreciates the people we are and hence her coming here. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped its case against BitClout founder Nader Al-Naji and relief defendants, a recent filing with the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York shows. The civil enforcement action, originally filed in July 2024, has been dismissed after a "reassessment of the evidentiary record. In the exercise of its discretion, the Commission believes dismissal of the claims against Defendant and Relief Defendants is appropriate, the filing reads. The jointly stipulated filing was signed by representatives for the SEC and defendants in the last two weeks and officially filed on March 12. Al-Naji, a former Google engineer, ran decentralized social networking site BitClout, which tokenized user profiles on Twitter (now X). The platform, which asked users to exchange Bitcoin for BitClout tokens in order to claim their profiles, ultimately earned funding from notable firms like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Coinbase Ventures, as well as the founders of crypto exchange Gemini, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss. Years after the sites launch though, Al-Naji was hit with charges by the Department of Justice and the SEC, with the Justice Department alleging that he lied to get access to millions of dollars, then gave the money away to family and friends. The agency charged him with one count of wire fraud. Last March, though, the charges from the DOJ were dropped and the complaint was withdrawn without prejudice. Despite that, the SECs lawsuit against Al-Naji, which alleged that he raised more than $257 million in unregistered securities and sales of the BitClout token, was still outstanding as the sides worked on a resolution. Justin Sun Deal Complicates SEC's Crypto Stance, Legal Experts Say Now that too has been dismissed, adding the BitClout founders case to the list of notable crypto enforcement actions or lawsuits that have been disbanded or dropped since President Trumps more crypto-friendly administration has taken the helm. Since President Trump returned to the White House last year, cases against financial services firm Ripple, Coinbase, and other prominent crypto firms have since been dismissed by the SEC. Earlier this month, the Commission moved to settle a case with Tron founder Justin Sun, which required Rainberry Inc., the company behind the BitTorrent protocol, to pay a $10 million civil penalty. By Sarah Young LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles hosted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, in the first state visit by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, which is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. With trade between the two countries at a record high, Charles is using the two-day visit to highlight the pair's deep cultural and commercial links. Advertisement Advertisement After a carriage procession, Tinubu arrived in a courtyard at the castle for a royal salute, where he joined Charles in the sunshine to inspect British soldiers in traditional scarlet jackets and bearskin hats. The state visit did not include a lunch as Tinubu is a practising Muslim who is fasting during Ramadan, but a state banquet will take place later on Wednesday evening. STRONG LINKS WITH NIGERIA Britain is home to a large Nigerian diaspora, with about 300,000 Nigerians living in the UK. One of the most high-profile Britons of Nigerian heritage is Kemi Badenoch, the main opposition Conservative leader who is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party. She was born in London to Nigerian parents. Advertisement Advertisement The British government hopes the visit will reinforce the UK's role as a global centre for African business. Charles spent the afternoon showing Tinubu items related to Nigeria from the royal collection, accompanied by their wives, Queen Camilla and Oluremi, and heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Kate. Among the items were a manuscript written by Ben Okri, the Nigerian-born British poet and novelist, who was the first Black writer to win the Booker Prize, and a Yoruba throne, stitched with thousands of small, coloured beads, which Nigeria had presented to Charles's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth in 1956. The visit also included a trip to her tomb in St George's Chapel to lay a wreath of flowers. Advertisement Advertisement Charles, who is still undergoing regular treatment for cancer, has hosted several high-profile state visits over the last nine months, welcoming German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. The government advises the monarch on his relations with foreign leaders in Britain, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not been shy in harnessing the soft power of the royal family to try to boost the country's stagnant economy. Starmer is due to meet Tinubu on Thursday, while the president's wife, Oluremi, a Christian, is due to visit Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (Reporting by Sarah YoungEditing by Ros Russell and Louise Heavens) While some states like Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas hold their primary elections in March, primaries in Colorado will be held at the end of June. Pueblo will play a pivotal role in the 2026 election season, hosting the state assemblies of both major parties. The Democrats will be at Pueblo Memorial Hall on March 28. The Republicans will be at Colorado State University Pueblo's Massari Arena on April 11. At their respective state assemblies, parties will nominate statewide office candidates to be on the June 30 primary ballot. District and county assemblies are also held in Colorado to determine ballot placement of candidates for district and countywide offices, according to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Pueblo County Democrats and Republicans both held their county assemblies on March 14. What is the schedule for primary season? Important dates for the 2026 primary elections in Pueblo County, according to the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder's Office, are as follows: May 15: Ballots will be sent to military and overseas voters. June 8: Ballots will be sent to the general population. June 8 will also be the final day before the primaries that an individual will be able to change their party affiliation. June 30: Election Day for the 2026 primaries in Colorado will be held. July 8: The final day for voters to cure signatures and the final day that military and overseas ballots will be accepted. Who gets to vote in the primaries? There were over 53,000 unaffiliated voters, over 34,000 registered Democrats, over 26,000 Republicans and over 2,000 voters affiliated with another party in Pueblo County as of September 9, 2025, according to the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder's Office. Advertisement Advertisement An unaffiliated voter is permitted to cast a primary ballot. However, they must cast a single ballot for a single political party of their choosing. If an unaffiliated voter returns primary ballots for multiple parties, votes will not be counted. Voters affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican party are permitted to cast a primary ballot with their respective party. Those affiliated with a minor party may also vote in their party's primary if one is being held. Voting stickers from Election Day 2023 in Pueblo County. What's going to be on the ballot in Pueblo County? While the candidates on primary ballots are yet to be finalized, several federal, state and local offices are known to be up for election in 2026. Here's a list of 2026 races that are pertinent to Pueblo County. Candidate names are sourced from Ballotpedia and TRACER. Information is accurate as of March 16, 2026. U.S. senator: Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper faces primary challenges from Karen Breslin, Julie Gonzales, Brashad Hasley, Jessica Williams and Anthony Zimpfer. Republican hopefuls include Mark Baisley, Amanda Calderon, Dathan Jones, Janak Joshi, George Washington Markert and Sean Pond. Colorado's 3rd Congressional District: Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd is the incumbent, but Hope Scheppelman has the endorsement of President Donald Trump. Democratic candidates include Kyle Doster, Alex Kelloff and Dwayne Romero. Governor of Colorado: U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser are the big names on the Democratic side. Scott Bottoms, Barb Kirkmeyer and Victor Marx are the three Republican candidates who have reported spending over $100,000 as of March 16. Colorado Senate District 3: This seat represents all of Pueblo County. Democrats looking to be Nick Hinrichsen's successor include Aaron Gutierrez and Taylor Voss. Dana Charles is the Republican running with hopes of flipping the seat red. Colorado House districts : Colorado House districts 46, 47, 60 and 62 are the four with Pueblo County territory. All of them are up for election in 2026. Pueblo County Commissioner District 3: Republican incumbent Zach Swearingen is running for reelection. Angela Giron is running for the seat as a Democrat. Other state races: Additional state races being decided in 2026 include Colorado secretary of state, Colorado state treasurer, Colorado attorney general, the Colorado State Board of Education, and the University of Colorado Board of Regents. Other Pueblo County races: The Pueblo County offices of assessor, clerk and recorder, coroner, sheriff, surveyor, and treasurer also are up for election in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Italian American of the Year: Pueblo's Joe Arrigo named Colorado's Italian American of the Year Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news; subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: How to vote in the 2026 Pueblo County primary elections BEIRUT (AP) The latest war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has escalated quickly. Israeli strikes hit multiple neighborhoods in central Beirut, bringing down a multistory apartment building on Wednesday on a main thoroughfare and blasting out walls in others. The bombardment came after Hezbollah launched a barrage of dozens of missiles into Israel the previous night. In southern Lebanon, Israeli troops are massing in preparation for a potential major ground invasion, while combat is already underway in some border areas. Advertisement Advertisement Attempts by Lebanese officials to enter into direct negotiations with Israel to halt the fighting have been unsuccessful. Neither Hezbollah nor Israel appears to have any immediate desire to stop the war. Israel hopes that this round will finally enable it to defang the threat on its northern border. Hezbollah sees it as an existential struggle. Whatever the outcome, the war will have farther-reaching consequences in Lebanon and throughout the region. What led up to this war Israel and Hezbollah have fought multiple wars since the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group was formed in the 1980s as a guerrilla force fighting against Israels occupation of southern Lebanon at the time. On March 2, two days after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran, sparking the widening war in the Middle East, Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel. It said that the salvo was in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and for repeated Israeli aggressions in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement The resumption of fighting between the two longtime enemies came 15 months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted their previous war. Since the ceasefire, Israel had continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon, which it said aimed to stop Hezbollah from regrouping. Israeli troops also continued to occupy five hilltops on the Lebanese side of the border. Hezbollah, meanwhile, was under domestic and international pressure to surrender its remaining arsenal. The group stayed largely quiet and didn't enter the fray during last years Israel-Iran war. Many believed that the group was too weakened to fight after suffering heavy losses in the 2024 conflict. Why Hezbollah entered the war Hezbollahs decision to resume the war startled and angered many in Lebanon including from within the group's Shiite base who accused the group of giving Israel an excuse to escalate. But Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, said from Hezbollahs perspective, entering the regional war was rational. Advertisement Advertisement Iran was facing an existential threat, and Hezbollah is backed and funded and trained by the Iranian regime, he said. The collapse of the Islamic Republic would basically mean the death of Hezbollah as a project. Furthermore, had Hezbollah not entered the fray, Hage Ali said, the militant group expected that Israel would still have likely launched an offensive against it sooner or later. From Hezbollahs perspective, he said, Theres no point in continuing to be a sitting duck until Israel finishes off your main ally and comes for you. It makes more sense that you join your ally in the war and try to achieve a ceasefire as part of a package. Impacts of the war As of Wednesday, 968 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, including 77 women and 116 children, according to the countrys health ministry, with more than 2,400 wounded. Advertisement Advertisement More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon, where Israel has issued a series of blanket evacuation warnings for the country. Many are sleeping in cars, on the streets or in overcrowded schools turned into shelters. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday in a statement that since March 2nd, Israel has been attacked from Lebanese territory more than 2,000 times with missiles and drones. Most were intercepted or fell in open areas. The Israeli army has announced that two soldiers were killed fighting in southern Lebanon. It hasn't said how many were wounded. No serious civilian casualties have been reported in Israel as a result of fire from Lebanon, but the steady stream of missiles and drones has residents on edge in northern Israel. Many are angry that the government hasn't offered to pay to evacuate them as it did during the last war, when tens of thousands were displaced. Ground invasion prospects U.N. peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon have seen an evident buildup of Israeli forces along the border, said Kandice Ardiel, spokesperson for the peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL. Advertisement Advertisement Peacekeepers are seeing concentrations of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) troops in at least half a dozen locations near the Blue Line in Lebanese territory, she said, referring to the border between the two countries. UNIFIL forces have heard clashes around the villages of Odaisseh and Khiam and have seen IDF ground incursions in some cases at least 5 kilometers (3 miles) into Lebanese territory, Ardiel said. But they have then withdrawn rather than setting up permanent positions, she said. An Israeli military official said that several thousand soldiers are inside Lebanon, concentrated primarily along the border area for what he described as a defensive operation meant to protect nearby Israeli communities. He said that the operation is still in the beginning stages of a gradual process that could lead to a large-scale invasion and deeper incursion. He spoke on condition of anonymity under military briefing guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon's army hasn't been an active participant in the fighting, but on Tuesday, three Lebanese soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes. The Israeli military said that it was investigating. Lebanon-Syria border Tensions have also been rising on Lebanon's eastern border with Syria. Last week, Syria's military accused Hezbollah of launching artillery shells across the border toward Syrian army positions, which Hezbollah denied. Reports later surfaced that the U.S. had proposed that Syria whose government has hostile relations with Iran send forces across the border to fight Hezbollah. U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack on Tuesday denied the reports. Advertisement Advertisement A high-ranking Syrian official also denied that such a plan had been proposed and said that discussions had centered only around preventing cross-border smuggling and the use of Syrian land by Hezbollah. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to comment publicly, said that Syria had informed the Lebanese government that it wouldn't interfere in Lebanon. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told The Associated Press on Saturday that Turkey had been approached by the Lebanese officials about trying to diffuse the tensions and we talked with our Syrian counterparts to facilitate it. Fidan said that Turkey hasn't spoken directly with Hezbollah since the war started. ___ Josef Federman in Jerusalem, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Wednesday condemned what it called "the murder" of Iran's leaders in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, a day after Iran's semi-official Fars news agency confirmed that Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed in Tehran. "We unequivocally condemn any actions aimed at harming the health of, or indeed murdering or eliminating, members of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran, as well as those of other countries. We condemn such actions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Russia's reaction to Larijani's death. Russia, which built and helps run Iran's only nuclear power station, has strongly criticised the U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran, a close partner, and has called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported on Tuesday that Russia has been expanding its intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Tehran, providing satellite imagery and improved drone technology to aid Irans targeting of U.S. forces in the region. Asked about the media report, Peskov suggested it was fake news: As you know, there are currently a great many different reports circulating about this war. The vast majority are nothing more than disinformation, so we do not consider it necessary to comment on each and every one of them." "However, official representatives of the United States have made statements on this matter, saying themselves that they have no information on the subject," he added. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Andrew Osborn Editing by Guy Faulconbridge) This story was updated to add new information and a video. An "unrelenting pursuit of justice" led to the arrest of Kristin Ramsey, 53, in the 15-year-old cold case of Iowa Realtor Ashley Okland, West Des Moines police said Wednesday, March 18. When Okland was killed, Ramsey, of Woodward, worked as an administrative assistant and sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the developer of the townhome where Okland was shot, according to Ramsey's LinkedIn and confirmed by a source familiar with her work history. Most recently, Ramsey was an employee at Midland Title & Escrow, an organization that's part of Iowa Realty Co., where Okland worked at the time of her death, an Iowa Realty spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement "Everyone within Iowa Realty and related companies was relieved for the family of our friend and colleague Ashley Okland that an arrest was made for her murder," said the spokesperson, adding the company was "stunned" to hear of Ramsey's arrest. "Her tragic passing was something that not only deeply impacted our company and community, but the national real estate world as a whole." Ramsey was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder after an indictment by a Dallas County grand jury, police said. West Des Moines Assistant Chief Jody Hayes speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. West Des Moines Police Chief Craig Bellamy speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's siblings Josh Okland and Brittany Bruce speak after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of their sister March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's sister, Brittany Bruce, speaks after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of her sister March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's brother, Josh Okland, speaks after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of his sister, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. See photos as police announce arrest in 2011 death of Ashley Okland 1 of 6 West Des Moines Assistant Chief Jody Hayes speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Okland, 27, was showing a model townhouse in West Des Moines on April 8, 2011, when she was shot twice. An employee with Rottlund Homes heard a commotion inside the house at 558 Stone Creek Court and went to investigate, according to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa. Inside, the employee discovered Okland on the floor and called 911, reports said. Okland later died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Advertisement Advertisement Ramsey was not the person who called 911, according to a Des Moines Register story from June 2011. More: A decade after her death, West Des Moines Realtor Ashley Okland's unsolved killing haunts family, friends, police Police followed thousands of leads in Ashley Okland death Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes, who has worked the case from the beginning, said at a news conference police followed thousands of leads and reviewed "countless" items of evidence and materials since Okland's death. The mystery was national news and was among the most high-profile cold cases in central Iowa. It even changed the way real estate agents show houses, which now include a safety pledge that they will not show a home to a stranger until they have met the prospective buyer in a public place and asked them to submit identification. Advertisement Advertisement Ashley's story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds, searching for that missing piece that would tie everything together and lead us down the right path to identifying a person who was responsible for this act, Hayes said. Ashley Okland is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Police on Wednesday declined to give any additional details on the case, citing the integrity of the case as it moves through the court system. Because Ramsey was charged by indictment, court documents do not include a criminal complaint with an affidavit laying out probable cause. Ramsey's attorney Alfredo Parrish declined to comment. As significant as this arrest is, our work is not done yet," Hayes said. Hayes said police in the cities of Clive, Urbandale and Windsor Heights, as well as the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the FBI and its behavioral analysis unit, the Iowa Attorney Generals cold case unit, the Dallas County Attorneys Office, Polk County Crime Stoppers and the community helped in the investigation that led to Ramseys arrest. Advertisement Advertisement He said police arrested Ramsey without incident on Tuesday. She's being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $2 million cash bond. Hayes said police do not anticipate any other arrests in the case. More: Iowa inmates given playing cards featuring cold cases to help generate new leads Dallas County Attorney Matt Schultz said he will personally prosecute the case alongside Assistant County Attorney Andrea Lovig and Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown, who leads Iowa's cold case unit. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird formed the unit in 2024 to investigate the state's more than 400 cold cases. Okland's brother, Josh Okland, was there when she announced the unit, saying he was optimistic it could generate new leads in his sister's case. Every person here today believes one thing for sure, no one should ever get away with murder, Bird said on Wednesday. Families deserve answers and there needs to be justice for every victim. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Police work 'a true gift from God,' sister says At the news conference Wednesday, Josh Okland said the day Ramsey was arrested was a day my family has thought about very often in the last (15) years. Advertisement Advertisement He and sister Brittany Bruce, both Okland's younger siblings, thanked authorities, family and friends for their support over the years. That Friday afternoon when Ashley was taken from us seems so long ago, Bruce said. We had lost our hope in finding answers and having any justice for Ashley. It was really difficult to accept that the case went cold. West Des Moines police were "given the chance to work on Ashley's case, dedicating their focus and time to it, so that was definitely a gift to us," Bruce said. "Their dedication, commitment to Ashley, their drive and work ethic is a true gift from God that we feel fortunate to be touched by." Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Deb Cochran is seen at the tombstone of her daughter, Ashley Okland, at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley in March 2012. She regularly visits her daughter's gravesite. Okland was a Realtor found shot to death in a model condo in West Des Moines in 2011. No arrests were made in the case. A Iowa Realty sign, to the far left, with other signs at the corner of 84th Street and E.P. Tru Parkway in West Des Moines. In the background, crime scene tape flutters in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where a woman was reportedly shot twice on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Deb Cochran stands near the tombstone of her daughter Ashley Okland at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley on March 22, 2012. Okland was killed on April 8, 2011. Committee members and supporters throw some dirt as they break ground during a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. Flags fluttered on April 8, 2011, at the model home where Ashley Okland was killed, in West Des Moines. The family of Ashley Okland Brittany Bruce, left, Tim Okland, center, and Josh Okland, right express their appreciation at the 2014 ribbon-cutting and donor reception held by Variety: The Children's Charity of Iowa for a playground for children with cognitive and physical disabilities in Des Moines. Ashley Okland is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. A year later, in March, 2012, friends and family are still looking for answers in the shooting death of Ashley Okland. Ashley's mom, Deb Cochran, visits her grave at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley. The family of slain West Des Moines real estate agent Ashley Okland poses with Gov. Terry Branstad, far right, and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, far left, at a memorial event in 2012. A year later, in March, 2012, friends and family are still looking for answers in the shooting death of Ashley Okland. Ashley's mom, Deb Cochran, visits her grave at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley. Crime scene tape flutters in the wind as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where Ashley Okland was killed on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. The building is the model home for the Stone Creek Villa homes, off of EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Cookies for attendees during a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. A Iowa Realty sign, to the far left, with other signs at the corner of 84th Street and E.P. Tru Parkway in West Des Moines. In the background, crime scene tape flutters in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where a woman was reportedly shot twice on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. Brenna Finnerty, of Waukee, walks past shovels for a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. Crime scene tape fluttered in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where Ashley Okland was killed, on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. The building is the model home for the Stone Creek Villa homes, off of EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Arrest made 15 years after Iowan Ashley Okland slain at open house 1 of 17 Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Who is Kristin Ramsey? Before West Des Moines police arrested Ramsey on Tuesday, the Woodward resident did not have a criminal record, according to Iowa Court files. Her only legal blemish? A speeding ticket in Dallas County in 2001. Advertisement Advertisement The former Kristin Pommer got married in 1995 to Toby Ramsey. He is the owner of a local concrete and snow removal business, according to his LinkedIn page. Toby Ramsey also sits on the Board of Adjustments and Appeals in Woodward, a city about 30 miles northwest of Des Moines with a population of about 1,000. He could not immediately be reached for comment. Kristin Ramsey had worked in Des Moines real estate for almost 30 years, according to her LinkedIn profile. In 1997, she joined the Iowa division of The Rottlund Co., then a major builder of townhomes and condos. Okland was killed inside a Rottlund townhome that was on the market. At the time of Oklands death, Ramsey was a Rottlund sales manager after working at the company for about 14 years. After the broader housing market downturn, Rottlund shuttered and sold off assets when creditors demanded $29 million in 2011. Grayhawk Homes, another developer, bought Rottlunds Iowa division, according to Builder Magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Ramsey became a title officer at Midland Title & Escrow, a division of HomeServices of Iowa, a major parent company of several local real estate businesses. In a sign of just how wide-reaching HomeServices is, the companys holdings include Iowa Realty, the states largest real estate company where Okland had been affiliated as an agent. As a title officer, Ramsey would have researched real estate deals before they closed to make sure the transactions were legal. Midland Title & Escrow removed Ramsey from its website on Wednesday. "While we take comfort that Ashleys family and our community as a whole finally has closure, it is with tremendous shock and sadness that we learned of the arrest of Kristin Ramsey, an employee of Midland Title & Escrow, an organization which is a part of Iowa Realty," the statement from Iowa Realty said. "Kristin became associated with the company several months after the events of 2011. Along with everyone in our community, we are understandably stunned." Register courts reporter William Morris contributed to this story. Advertisement Advertisement Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com. Tyler Jett is an investigative reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at tjett@registermedia.com, 515-284-8215, or on X at @LetsJett. He also accepts encrypted messages at tjett@proton.me. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ashley Okland murder suspect Kristin Ramsey worked for home builder Kuwait detained 16 people accused of having links to Hezbollah and plotting to spread chaos and disrupt public order. But its the interior ministrys styling of the guns, bullets, and other contraband thats stealing the show. Small drones, laptops, a lone VHS tape, bows and arrows, axes, pocket knives, and brass knuckles all laid out alongside pills and rolling papers, three half-filled bottles of booze, and a wooden replica of the twin-pronged sword held by the prophets nephew Ali who Shia Muslims consider their first Imam. Everything is arranged in piles, bordered by police tape, and framed by Hezbollah figures and Shia clerics, as if they were shrines. Theres no discounting the threat, but the haul doesnt give the impression of a highly organized militant cell. In the mug shots, most suspects appear well past 50. State Rep. La Shawn Ford declared victory Tuesday evening in the Democratic primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, appearing to emerge victorious from crowded field of candidates who wrestled over how to stand up to President Donald Trump amid heavy outside spending in the Chicago race. Were the nominee but we still have to win in November, Ford told supporters. The work continues. Ford will face GOP nominee Chad Koppie in the November election. Advertisement Advertisement Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervins camp released a statement saying she congratulated Ford that night on clinching the nomination. As someone born on the South Side, raised on the West Side and who is caring for my disabled sister relying on SNAP and Medicaid, Ive lived the devastating impact of the Trump Administration and Ill continue to fight back on behalf of my constituents, she wrote in a statement. While this is not the outcome we were hoping for, I am comforted by the words of Scripture: I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith. As of about 7:50 p.m., La Shawn Ford was leading at 23.1% of the vote, with 78% of the estimated vote counted, according to returns. Melissa Conyears-Ervin was trailing at 19.6%, while Anthony Driver was coming in third at 11.5%. Supporters of Ford were upbeat early Tuesday night as the Wobble song pumped through the National Association of Letter Carriers headquarters on Chicagos South Side. Among the supporters making an early appearance was outgoing U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who for the first time in nearly three decades did not have his name on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, Daviss historic announcement that he will forgo a 16th term triggered a mad dash of more than a dozen candidates to represent one Americas bluest congressional districts. The longtime dean of the Illinois delegation leaves behind a legacy as a forceful progressive voice in Congress, and the question of who should replace him in the racially and economically diverse district spanning downtown, swaths of the West and South sides and the west suburbs has drawn national interest, with super PAC dollars upending the fundraising ground game. Trumps toxic brand among local Democratic voters has been an undercurrent of the primary, prompting candidates to tack left and try to tie their opponents to the president as dark money from special interest groups that align with conservatives has entered the fray. Conyears-Ervin, Chicagos treasurer since 2019, launched her second bid for the seat after falling short of unseating incumbent Davis two years ago. Her candidacy has focused on her working-class roots and role as a caretaker for a disabled sister. Advertisement Advertisement She also got the support of a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, sparking some of the sharpest attacks in the race given the special interest groups eminence as a leading target of the political left following the 2023 Gaza war. Her critics have also pounced on a smattering of ethics scandals throughout her tenure as city treasurer. I am a Black woman born in Englewood, raised on the West Side, Conyears-Ervin retorted at one candidates forum. I dont have to prove anything to anyone. In 2024, the Chicago Board of Ethics determined she misused taxpayer resources for a series of church events and found probable cause she improperly fired two whistleblowers, slapping her with the maximum $70,000 fine. She agreed to pay $30,000 to settle both cases while denying all wrongdoing. Another whistleblower filed a wide-ranging ethics complaint last fall, alleging her political campaign staff pushed a questionable plan to boycott U.S. Treasury bonds in protest of Trump over internal objections, among other allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the campaign, Conyears-Ervin deflected from her controversies by framing herself as a scrappy politician who is the right candidate to defend the districts most vulnerable residents. Asked publicly to step down over her scandals, Conyears-Ervin shot back, To think that I would resign from city treasurer because I stood up to Donald Trump is insane. State Rep. Ford, Davis pick to succeed him, has touted securing funds for financial aid, behavioral health and test prep programs at colleges and universities. Hes also fought off attacks from the pro-cryptocurrency PAC Fairshake after he voted for Springfield regulations of the digital asset. The groups ads on his past felony bank fraud charges were decried by Ford as slanderous. Advertisement Advertisement Running for office is very challenging, and when you stand up for the people, you actually get punished, Ford said during a debate. In 2014, Ford agreed to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor tax count in exchange for federal prosecutors dropping all 17 felony charges. Jason Friedman, the highest fundraiser in the race, touted putting cranes in the sky and creating union jobs as owner of Friedman Properties in River North. He also went negative on Conyears-Ervin as the primary season went on and her war chest benefited from the AIPAC-affiliated super PAC, United Democracy Project. He released an ad this month knocking her for being funded by Trumps MAGA allies. Advertisement Advertisement Thats despite the fact that his campaign also took in money from AIPAC and UDP donors last year. Friedman has also been attacked for pulling a Republican ballot in the 2012 primary election and donating to a GOP candidate the next year. His campaign responded to questions about those voter and campaign finance records with Jason Friedman is a lifelong Democrat. In her fourth run for this seat, activist Kina Collins stressed on the campaign trail that she was fighting the Democratic establishment long before the rest, and supported abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and defunding the police long before they had their moments among the political left. Collins has struggled with meeting a recent campaign finance reporting deadline and is being sued for credit card debt, the latter of which she said is even more of a reason for someone like me to go and represent working-class people. Dr. Thomas Fisher, an emergency room physician at the University of Chicago Medical Center, sought to run as an outsider to politics, one who swore off corporate PAC dollars. He was the second-highest fundraiser in the race after Friedman. Advertisement Advertisement This is the opportunity for voters to choose, Fisher told the Tribune. Do they want more of the same, or do they want a difference? Labor leader Anthony Driver angled to be the progressive movements candidate during the primary. He touted his time on the picket lines as executive director of the Service Employees International Unions state council, and as the inaugural president of the citys Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, in stressing his passion for left-leaning causes. Driver on the campaign trail also questioned his opponents working-class bona fides, arguing he has the actual lived experience. Advertisement Advertisement Other candidates that ran in the Democratic primary were immigrant rights advocate Anabel Mendoza, former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, ex-U.S. Justice Department lawyer Reed Showalter, Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, engineer Felix Tello and UIC adjunct lecturer David Ehrlich. Also Tuesday night, the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia officially begins after his chief of staff, whom he hopes to anoint as his successor, is poised to clinch the uncontested Democratic primary Tuesday evening. Democratic nominee Patty Garcia will face Pilsen Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Lyons Mayor Chris Getty and Mayra Macias, former executive director of the Latino Victory Project, in the November general election. The latter three are running as independents after a controversial last-minute ballot maneuver from the congressman, who late last year announced his retirement after serving for four terms. Also running in the general election are Republican nominee Lupe Castillo and Ed Hershey, the candidate for the Working Class Party. ____ The U.S. Forest Service will manage 480 acres on a Colorado 14er after the property was purchased by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture said it purchased land on Mount Bross from The Conservation Fund, which acquired the property last September, to secure recreational opportunities and access to Colorados high mountain peaks. The agency plans to manage the land on Mount Bross for public trail access and to protect critical headwaters and wildlife habitat. Advertisement Advertisement The purchase includes a portion of the DeCaLiBron Loop Trail across Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross between Mount Lincoln and Mount Bross. The agency said while this acquisition improves access on Mount Bross, it does not include the summit, which remains privately owned. Public access to the summit remains restricted at this time, the U.S. Forest Service said. "We are excited to bring access and conservation efforts that will benefit the community and wildlife in such a popular recreation area," said Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Forest and Grassland Supervisor Ryan Nehl. "We could not have accomplished this without the support of The Conservation Fund, Park County and many other partners, with whom we are honored to care for the land and ensure its protection for many generations to come." "Mount Bross is a place where Colorados recreation, heritage and natural wonder all come together. This project shows whats possible when local communities, conservation partners and the Forest Service move quickly together to protect Colorados most cherished landscapes, said Kelly Ingebritson, senior field representative at The Conservation Fund. Advertisement Advertisement "Park County celebrates this community driven project. Our Land and Water Trust Fund grant was a catalyst to protect the Mount Bross lands and headwaters, strengthen our outdoor recreation economy and preserve significant water resources for our communities, said Lucas Meyer, Park County manager. Protecting another key portion of the DeCaLiBron trail and viewshed is a win for the 14ers and for hikers. This is one of the most popular 14er area hikes in Colorado, with over 15,000 hiker use days last year, said Lloyd Athearn, executive director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. We are glad to partner on this project that helps with trail access and protecting these peaks that make Colorado great. We are thrilled to see Mount Bross lands protected and added to public lands. We have been glad to be a part of this effort to ensure the Mosquito Ranges exceptional alpine biodiversity and headwaters support our local communities and provide critical wildlife habitat, said Cara Doyle, executive director of the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative. Colorado Mountain Club Foundation is pleased to help with this important acquisition, said John Lacher, a board member of the Colorado Mountain Club Foundation. RELATED: Private owner sells land on Mount Democrat, opening 14er to hikers RELATED: Colorado 14er hiking use drops to lowest level since 2015, report says Capping rent increases, increasing the minimum wage, and banning corporate money in politics are just some of the issues two democratic socialists are advocating for in their campaigns for state Assembly. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) received national attention due to Zohran Mamdanis victory in the New York City mayoral race in November 2025, as the schism between the progressive and establishment wings of the Democratic party deepens over how to engage with working class voters after failing to defeat Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Mamdani openly described himself as a democratic socialist throughout the primary and general election and is a member of the New York City DSA. Here in Nevada, Assembly candidates Shaun Navarro and Val Thomason do not shy away from the label. Both are members of Las Vegas Democratic Socialists of America, or LVDSA, which is a political activist organization, not a political party.. Advertisement Advertisement Rich people tell us what to do at our job, they write our laws, Thomason said. We dont even have control of our own tax money. Democratic socialism to her is taking control from the rich and giving it to the working class. Thomason is running in the Democratic primary in Assembly District 10, a Las Vegas Valley district which covers areas north and south of Charleston Boulevard west of I-15.. The district is 43.5% Hispanic or Latino and the largest population group by age is 18-39 years at 29.8%. Thomason first ran for the district in 2024 but finished second second in a three-way primary to Venise Karris, who was backed by the Assembly caucus. Karris is now running for a second term. This time its only a two-person Democratic primary, and whoever wins it will automatically win the seat during the general election as no Republican or third party candidates filed to run. Navarro is running in the Democratic primary for Assembly District 34, which runs from Summerlin eastward to North Jones Boulevard. The median household income in AD34 is $71,147 and the poverty level among adults with less than a high-school diploma or equivalent equals the poverty level of high school graduates and university degree earners combined. Advertisement Advertisement Its people over profits, Navarro said of democratic socialism. The big institutions of our daily liveshealth care, jobs, education should be for the benefit of everyday working people and not for a handful of elites. LVDSA has 600 members and runs a monthly mutual aid event for the unhoused, as well as workplace organizing training and the free brake light clinic, where low income families are able to have brake lights repaired for free. The key issue for both LVDSA candidates is housing. Thomason believes most lawmakers are looking at the problem wrong. Its not just a supply issue, she told the Current, but that landlords want to keep increasing rent. Thomason believes a first step to help solve the problem is to revive a failed 2023 rent stabilization bill. Senate Bill 426 proposed tying rent increases to the annual cost of living or the Consumer Price Index, ensuring they do not exceed 5%, requiring 90-day notices of rent increases for tenants, and prohibiting rent hikes during the first year of tenancy. The bill died in committee. Advertisement Advertisement The passage of a broad rent stabilization bill would have an immediate effect and people would feel it in their pocket the first day legislation is passed, Thomason said. Corporate homeownership also plays into the housing crisis. Navarro sees it as a threat to the sovereignty of Nevada. The Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas estimated investors owned roughly 15% of homes in the City of Las Vegasa percentage expected to grow in Nevada and across the country. Navarro would like to see the state Legislature take a firmer stance against corporate homeownership. Senate Bill 10 of the 36th Special Session aimed to stop corporations from swallowing up available housing units en masse by enforcing a 1,000-unit cap on the total aggregate number of homes that could be purchased in a year by private investors. Though falling short by one vote in the state Assembly, both Democrats and Republicans said they shared a goal to reintroduce a similar bill in the next legislative session in 2027. Navarro agreed with the version of the bill that was introduced during the 2025 regular session by Democratic state Sen. Dina Neal. This measure, Senate Bill 391, would have enforced a 100-unit cap on corporate ownership. Neal chose the stricter cap after she learned that corporate investors purchased 264 homes in a single day for $98 million. Advertisement Advertisement We have to go much further to hold corporations accountable. The max cap should be 100 homes, Navarro said. Homes should belong to families, not corporations. Bernie won Nevada twice Progressive challengers like Navarro and Thomason face challenges when it comes to fundraising. Both have committed to not taking money from corporations. Assemblymember Karris, Thomasons opponent, has a 12-to-1 advantage in campaign contributions, according to campaign filings. Karris reported raising $46,500 in contributions as of Jan. 15. That included contributions from Southwest Gas, NV Energy, and various unions. Thomason reported having $3,800 through small individual contributions. Assemblymember Hanadi Nadeem, Navarros AD34 primary opponent, raised $23,025, including contributions from Southwest Gas, MPC Summerlin South and the Nevada Justice Association. Navarro has not yet had to file a campaign finance report. Advertisement Advertisement The next round of campaign finance reports are due April 15. In 2024, Thomason lost the primary to Karris by 12.8 percentage points. After the race, Thomason and LVDSA identified flaws in her campaign, specifically not getting enough people out to canvas and a lack of social media presence. This race, she said, theyre much more prepared. Both canvassing and social media are means of filling the gap in campaign contributions for Navarro and Thomason. To celebrate Navarros 40th birthday, LVDSA held a canvassing event and party at Rainbow Park in Las Vegas, where dozens of volunteers, trained in canvassing, went in pairs to knock on doors to speak directly to AD10 and AD34 constituents. Though canvassers were not able to get some Nevadans to the door, the ones that did were receptive to LVDSAs platform, stressing to the canvassers how the affordability crisis is affecting them. Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic party establishment, said Navarro, has lost sight of the future. Were at a real turning point in our country. Were either going to go far right or far leftthere is no more center ground, he said. Though not a part of DSA, many key races feature candidates that are running against the grain of the party establishment. In the Democratic gubernatorial race, Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill is running against Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, who has received endorsements from all of Nevadas Democratic U.S. congressional delegation. One member of that delegation, U.S. Rep. Susie Lee, is being challenged by Dr. James Lally, a cardiologist who entered the race citing Lees vote in support of the Laken Riley Act and her campaign receiving funds from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In several Democratic primaries nationwide, accepting campaign finance support from AIPAC has been equated with supporting Israels devastation of Gaza under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement Nevada has structural obstacles that hinder progressive upstarts from challenging party favorites, such as closed primaries that nonpartisan voters cannot participate in. Voters in 2024 also rejected adopting rank-choice voting, a system similar to one that allowed Mamdani to stay competitive in New York City. But Thomason suggests its anachronistic to assume Nevadas voting base itself is an obstacle to progressive values. The last two Democratic presidential caucuses before the state switched to a presidential primary were both won by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent and a a democratic socialist, who defeated Hillary Clinton in Nevada in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. There was a time, around 2016, where you could say that mostly college educated young people support democratic socialism, said Thomason. She doesnt believe thats true now. Im a working class person. During Sanders 2020 presidential bid, which Thomason helped organize for, she was an Uber driver. She has an associates degree but not a bachelors degree. Advertisement Advertisement When Im talking to people, its not just the college educated people who are agreeing with me. Its the working moms, the construction and service workersthe types of workers who are the ones getting left out of the Democrats conversations, Thomason said. [Editors Note: This article has been updated to clarify Thomasons educational background.] U.S. President Donald Trump pledged Israel would make no more attacks on Irans major South Pars gas field, but if Iran attacked Qatar again the U.S. would retaliate and massively blow up the entirety of the field. Trump made his threat on social media Wednesday night as the war roiled global energy markets and Iranian missiles hit Qatar. The United States was informed about plans for an Israeli strike on Irans massive offshore South Pars natural gas field Wednesday but did not take part in it, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is escalating pressure on the region's energy sector, the price of oil surged another 5% to over $108 a barrel on international markets, increasing the cost of gasoline and other goods while squeezing the global economy. Global oil prices rose on news of the Pars field attack due to fears of Iranian retaliation on Gulf energy infrastructure. Hours later, authorities in Qatar said a ballistic missile hit the countrys key natural gas site, sparking a fire that caused extensive damage, and Qatar ordered some Iranian Embassy officials out of the country. Iran has been striking its Persian Gulf neighbors energy facilities since the war started on Feb. 28, and has made the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, through which one-fifth of the worlds oil travels, nearly impassable. Iran and Hezbollah have also been firing drones and missiles at Israel. The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 960 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members have been killed and about 200 wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Here is the latest: Ship hit by a projectile off coast of Qatar A projectile hit a ship off the coast of Qatar on Thursday morning, authorities said. The British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the incident off Ras Laffan, an important natural gas supply point which had been repeatedly hit by Iranian fire overnight. The UKMTO said the ships crew was safe. It wasnt immediately clear if the vessel had been deliberately targeted or potentially struck by falling debris as Qatar fired off missile interceptors at incoming Iranian barrages. South Pars gas crucial for Iran Attacking Irans South Pars natural gas field, which it shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf, threatens electricity supplies in the Islamic Republic. Advertisement Advertisement Some 80% of all power generated in Iran comes from natural gas, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. It also is used to supply household heating and cooking across the Islamic Republic. That is why Iran responded with an aggressive series of attacks targeting gas fields and infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Latest reports of live fire Mobile phone alerts sounded Thursday morning in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, warning of incoming Iranian missile fire. Kuwait said it shot down Iranian drones incoming to the oil-rich Mideast nation early Thursday morning. Latest reports of live fire Israel warned the public of another Iranian missile salvo early Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Bahrain sounded its missile sirens early Thursday over an incoming Iranian attack. Trump threatens to blow up South Pars gas field if Iran attacks Qatar again U.S. President Donald Trump pledged Israel would make no more attacks on Irans major South Pars gas field, but if Iran attacked Qatar again, the U.S. would retaliate and massively blow up the entirety of the field. Trump made his threat on social media Wednesday night as the war roiled global energy markets and Iranian missiles hit Qatar. Trump said in his post that the U.S. knew nothing about the attack, but a person familiar with the matter said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. was informed about Israels plans to strike the gas field but did not take part. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved in Israels attacks on Irans gas field, but, Unfortunately, Iran did not know this and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked Qatar. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, Trump said in his threat. He added that he would not hesitate to do so, if Qatars liquified natural gas sites were attacked again. Australias leader condemns reckless Iran reprisals Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Irans reckless reprisal attacks in the Middle East. Im deeply concerned by attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, including the latest overnight in Qatar, Albanese told reporters in Hobart on Thursday. We do not want to see the conflicts escalate further. Qatar says Iran missiles damage more liquefied natural gas sites Qatar warned Thursday that additional Iranian missile attacks damaged more liquefied natural gas sites in the energy-rich nation, causing sizable fires and extensive further damage. Advertisement Advertisement Qatar Energy, the nations state-owned oil and gas company, announced the damage. It said firefighters were working to halt the blazes and no one had been hurt so far. Qatar is a key source of natural gas for the worlds energy markets. It already shut in its production earlier in the war, but extensive damage could delay Qatar in getting its supplies to the market after the Iran war ends. Arab summit ends with renewed call for Iran to end attacks A summit of Gulf Arab countries and others ended a meeting Thursday with a renewed, unified call for Iran to halt attacks on its neighbors. A statement by the nations at the summit denounced these deliberate Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones, which targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential buildings, and diplomatic missions. Advertisement Advertisement The participants emphasized that these attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way, the statement said. The nations represented at the summit were Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Analyst group calls gas field attack clear expansion of war A New York-based think tank, the Soufan Center, described Israels decision to attack the Iranian offshore natural gas field as a clear expansion of the conflict. Unlike oil storage depots that can be replenished and rebuilt on a shorter timeline, liquefied natural gas production facilities cannot be as easily ... repaired, especially against a backdrop of war, the center said Thursday. Extended timelines for repairs are a major blow to Irans economy, but above all else, they will be felt by Iranian civilians. Advertisement Advertisement The center added, Israels target selection in this war has heavily focused on the institutions, leaders and infrastructure within Iran that have been used for domestic repression, aiming to shape the conditions ripe for successful anti-regime mobilization by Iranians. It now seeks to inflict additional pressure on the regime by making the living conditions for civilians intolerable. Ship ablaze after attack off UAE An attack set a ship ablaze early Thursday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, authorities said. The British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, which has resulted in a fire onboard. It said the vessel was just off the coast of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the worlds oil and natural gas typically flows. Advertisement Advertisement Over 20 vessels have been attacked during the Iran war so far as Tehran tries to squeeze shippers as part of its pressure campaign over the conflict. US Senate vote on Iran war fails along familiar lines U.S. Senate Democrats forced another vote on legislation that would have halted President Donald Trump from continuing the war with Iran without congressional approval, but the vote failed along familiar lines. The vote breakdown was unchanged from last week on a similar war powers resolution. Democrats forced this vote mostly to bring up another debate on the war and force the Senate for a couple hours officially off the topic of a GOP push to impose strict voter identification requirements. Democrats are threatening to force more votes on the war unless Republicans agree to hold Cabinet-level hearings on the conflict. Latest reports of live fire Israels military warned the public early Thursday of an incoming Iranian missile attack. Saudi Arabias foreign minister harshly criticizes Iran after overnight attacks What little trust there was before has completely been shattered, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said after a meeting between foreign ministers of the Gulf Arab states and others over the Iranian attacks tearing at the wider Middle East. The attacks on my country and on my neighboring countries that are not involved in this conflict thats all Im interested in, Prince Faisal said. Were going to use every lever we have political, economic, diplomatic and otherwise to get these attacks to stop. He criticized Irans attacks on Riyadh, the capital hosting the meeting. I cannot see it as coincidental, he said. Thats the clearest signal of how Iran feels about diplomacy. It tries to pressure its neighbors, and thats not going to work. UAE says Iran attacks targeting key gas sites are a dangerous escalation The United Arab Emirates early Thursday denounced Irans attacks targeting its Habshan gas facility and Bab field as a dangerous escalation. Authorities in Abu Dhabi say the gas operations had been shut down after interceptions over the sites. Iran also had attacked gas facilities in Qatar after Israel launched an attack against Irans South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf that it shares with Doha, Qatars capital. Saudi Arabia also reported downing Iranian drones targeting its natural gas facilities overnight. No robust debate ahead of Trumps decision to strike Iran, former counterterrorism official says Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent says he and other senior administration officials with doubts about the Iran war were prevented from sharing them with President Donald Trump. Speaking on Tucker Carlsons show, Kent, who resigned this week, claimed Israel forced Trumps hand despite what he said was no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S. A good deal of key decision makers were not allowed to come and express their opinion to the president, Kent told Carlson. There wasnt a robust debate. Kent, a former Green Beret, declined to say who blocked his access to Trump when Carlson asked. Cargo ship struck by projectile off UAE coast The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that a vessel about 11 nautical miles east of Khawr Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman off the United Arab Emirates eastern coast, was hit by an unknown projectile, igniting a fire aboard. UKMTO issued the report early Thursday, saying authorities were still investigating the cause of the strike and that the ships crew managed the blaze. Since the Iran war started, some 20 vessels in the region have come under attack as the Iranian fire effectively halts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded passes. Qatari authorities warn of possible incoming attack Qatari authorities issued an emergency alert on mobile phones early Thursday, warning of a possible incoming attack. Kuwait says Grand Mosque to be closed to worshippers on major Muslim holiday Kuwaits ministry of information said early Thursday that the largest mosque in Kuwait City, which can accommodate thousands of worshippers for major prayers, will be closed to worshippers on Eid alFitr due to the current circumstances. Eid alFitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and is expected this year on March 1920 typically draws tens of thousands of Muslims to pray together across Kuwait, including at the Grand Mosque. Authorities across Gulf countries have announced that Eid prayers will be held only inside regular mosques, with no large outdoor gatherings as a precaution. The ongoing Iran war has prompted Gulf states to curb large public events and gatherings. Fatality and injury counts in strike in West Bank are in flux Medics and doctors were still assessing victims early Thursday morning as the Palestinian Red Crescent adjusted their toll to at least three killed and at least 13 injured. It had earlier reported four deaths. Those injured were taken to hospitals in nearby cities, Dura and Hebron. The group called the count preliminary and said the deaths resulted from a direct strike and falling missile fragments. House Speaker insists US operation in Iran all but done Speaker Mike Johnson still declines to call it a war, but he acknowledged the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is dragging it out a little bit. The Republican who is close to Trump told AP and others at the U.S. Capitol that the president was right to ask countries who have interests in the region to help in securing the strait. I think its pretty absurd that those requests were rebuffed, he said. I do think the original mission is virtually accomplished now: We were trying to take out the ballistic missiles and their means of production, and neuter the Navy, and those objectives have been met, he said. As soon as we bring some calm to the situation, I think its all but done. Israels medical service says man in South Sharon region killed by shrapnel Israels Magen David Adom said early Thursday that a foreign worker in his 30s was killed by shrapnel wounds at a scene in the South Sharon region, where its paramedics responded. Israel had said that it detected a new missile launch from Iran targeting the country late Wednesday, and that its defense systems were working to intercept the threat. Paramedics in West Bank say their response to strike was delayed due to Israeli military gates Palestinian Red Crescent said it sent five ambulances to the Hebron-area strike site, where crews treated and rushed victims to the nearest hospital and clinic. Paramedics said they faced serious delays getting there, slowed by gates the Israeli military has set up around Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank and kept largely closed during the war. This forced closure caused significant delays, compelling ambulances to take long, rugged alternative routes, which critically impacted the golden hour essential for life-saving interventions, the organization said in a statement. Israeli military says an Iranian cluster munition escaped Israeli air defense The Israeli military told the AP that the hit in the West Bank was from an Iranian missile impacting not shrapnel from an interception. The Israeli military said it had been a cluster munition that was not intercepted by Israels air defense system and crashed into a structure. The strike killed at least four people and injured at least eight more, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. The tally of those killed or injured has increased as medics continue to assess the scene. At least 4 killed in West Bank from Iranian missile attack, Palestinian medics say The Palestinian Red Crescent says first responders were treating people for shrapnel wounds in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday night as Iran fired missiles toward Israel. It said a strike killed at least four people and injured at least six others in Beit Awa. At least two wounded survivors were transported to a hospital. Palestinian Red Crescent medics are continuing to assess the scene, and the tally of those dead or injured may change. The fatalities were the first in the occupied West Bank during the Iran war. Missile debris has damaged homes and businesses during the first two and a half weeks. Palestinians lack the shelter and siren system that Israelis rely on to stay safe from incoming missiles or debris from Iran or Hezbollah. It was not immediately clear if the deaths and injuries were a result of a direct strike or debris from an interception. USS Ford will head to Mediterranean for repairs after a fire The USS Gerald R. Ford is heading back to the Mediterranean for repairs and resupply following a fire, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to The Associated Press. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans, said the Navys largest and newest aircraft carrier will pull into either the Navys base in Crete or another port in Europe. The carrier is currently operating in the Red Sea and its departure will mean U.S. Central Command will only have one aircraft carrier supporting operations against Iran. Last weeks fire in a laundry room rendered more than 100 beds unusable and led to about 200 sailors being assessed for smoke inhalation, according to military officials. They also said that while the fire was extinguished in a few hours, broader damage control efforts took around 30 hours. ___ By Konstantin Toropin Key things to know about Iran's South Pars field The natural gas field under the Gulf is the worlds largest. Its shared by Iran and Qatar, and is called South Pars on the Iranian side and the North Field on the Qatari side. Iran is the fourth-largest consumer of natural gas in the world, and 80% of it comes from South Pars. Although the field mainly supplies Irans domestic needs, global oil prices rose on news of the attack due to fears of Iranian retaliation on Gulf energy infrastructure. Qatar, which has a much smaller population than Iran, has invested billions in developing the field as a source of liquefied natural gas for export. Iran tried to develop similar LNG exports but was blocked by sanctions over its nuclear program. Read more Israels military says it is striking northern Iran for the first time since the war began The military said it was launching the strikes based on naval and military intelligence. Trump pays his respects as the remains of 6 US service members return from the Middle East It was the second time since launching the war with Iran on Feb. 28 that the president has attended the solemn military ritual known as a dignified transfer, which he once described as the toughest thing he has had to do as commander in chief. All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. Wednesdays dignified transfer was closed to news media coverage at the request of the families in accordance with military policy. Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didnt speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it. Read more Qatar orders Iranian Embassy officials out of the country Qatars Foreign Ministry wrote on X Wednesday evening that it had declared the military and security attaches of the Iranian Embassy as well as the staff in their offices persona non grata. The ministry said it had requested they leave the country within 24 hours. The decision came after repeated Iranian targeting and acts of aggression toward Qatar, the ministrys statement said. Shelters are crowded in Lebanons Sidon after an Israeli evacuation warning The city of Sidon on southern Lebanons Mediterranean coast was crowded with freshly displaced people Wednesday after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning a day earlier for residents of the city of Tyre, farther south on the coast, and nearby villages and Palestinian refugee camps. The Lebanese University campus in Sidon opened its doors to people displaced from the Tyre district, initially without any supplies. Unfortunately, we had to accommodate them without mattresses or blankets at first, said Saad Ghazzawi, a shelter organizer. Batoul Shamseddine, who fled the Tyre area, said after receiving the warning, we immediately packed whatever we could and ran out to the street. ... We found people everywhere out in the streets, everything was in chaos, like the Day of Judgment. More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon by the renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah. Egypt condemns attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf The foreign ministry said it stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and condemned attacks on their oil and gas facilities. It also condemned a reported Israeli attack on Irans natural gas field as a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international law. 4 people wounded in Saudi capital by debris from missile interception The Saudi Civil Defense agency said the four were hurt when shrapnel fell on a residential area in Riyadh, causing limited damage. It said they were not Saudi citizens but did not provide their nationalities. The agency warned that attacking civilian sites was a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. The specific data point anchoring Lin's argument is Nvidia's market cap trajectory. According to Fortune , the chipmaker crossed $1 trillion in June 2023, $2 trillion in February 2024, and $3 trillion in June 2024. Lin's timeline on X adds that Nvidia crossed $4 trillion in July 2025 before becoming the first company in history to breach $5 trillion in market capitalization on October 29, 2025 . The company had been valued at approximately $400 billion before the public debut of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022. The conventional explanation for this misjudgment is a failure of imagination. Investors, the argument goes, simply could not picture a world in which companies like Airbnb, DoorDash, or Uber would be worth what they are today. Lin acknowledges that argument but pushes further. The deeper cause, he contends, is the systematic underappreciation of consistent compounding over multi-decade time horizons. A handful of companies that were already valued in the hundreds of billions, compounding at 10 percent annually for 15 years, would mechanically arrive at several trillion dollars in market capitalization. The math, Lin notes, is not exotic. Lin's framework identifies investment cost estimation as the area where practitioners are most reliable. Probability of success, he writes, is systematically overstated, with more experienced investors tending toward greater optimism. Time horizons beyond one year are routinely underestimated. But the variable where the industry is most consistently, and most consequentially, wrong is the size of the prize. The post, which drew more than 64,000 views within hours of publication, was timed to coincide with the opening of Nvidia's annual GTC developer conference , where CEO Jensen Huang presented what he described as an unprecedented revenue pipeline. Lin, who co-hosted a pre-event session alongside Sarah Guo, used the occasion to lay out a reductionist investment framework built around four variables: the size of the prize, the probability of success, the total investment cost, and the time to exit. When Alfred Lin joined Sequoia Capital roughly 15 years ago, the largest technology companies in the world carried market capitalizations of a few hundred billion dollars. Earlier today, the newly appointed co-steward of one of Silicon Valley's most storied venture firms published a detailed framework on X arguing that the entire venture industry needs to revise what a successful outcome looks like, pointing to Nvidia's ascent past $5 trillion as the clearest evidence yet that the conventional mental model of company value is structurally obsolete. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 6, 2025. Gadgets, robots and vehicles imbued with artificial intelligence will once again vie for attention at the Consumer Electronics Show, as vendors behind the scenes will seek ways to deal with tariffs threatened by US President-elect Donald Trump. The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opens formally in Las Vegas on January 7, 2025, but preceding days are packed with product announcements. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) Story Continues That trajectory, condensed: it took Nvidia three decades to reach $1 trillion and just over two years to add the next $4 trillion. The milestone was driven in large part by the company's dominance in AI accelerators. CNBC reported that Huang disclosed at the GTC Washington conference that Nvidia had secured more than $500 billion in orders for its Blackwell and Rubin AI chips through the end of 2026. TechCrunch noted that the company controls an estimated 90 percent of the market for AI chips used in data center training and inference, supplying Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, OpenAI, and others. Lin uses Nvidia's arc to frame a broader probabilistic argument: if the company were to compound at just 10 percent annually for another decade from its current $5 trillion base, it would cross $10 trillion. He is not issuing a forecast. The figure is illustrative of how compounding, applied to already-massive bases, produces outcomes that strain prior mental models of scale. A New Taxonomy of Outcomes In a recent conversation with Sourcery , Lin outlined how the change in scale has already altered Sequoia's internal benchmarks. When he joined the firm, an investment had to generate $100 million in returns to be recognized on the firm's wall of legendary outcomes. That figure has since increased to well over $1 billion, and Lin expects the threshold to continue rising. In the same conversation, he noted that when he joined Sequoia the largest market cap companies were in the $300 to $400 billion range, and that companies worth $4 to $5 trillion are now the comparable reference point. In the X post, Lin maps out a generational compounding arc for outlier founding teams: in a decade, a seed-stage company could become worth $1 billion to $10 billion; in two decades, the same company might reach $10 billion to $100 billion; in three decades, $100 billion to $1 trillion; and in four decades, $1 trillion to $10 trillion. This is the architecture of the venture business, he argues, but it requires patience measured in decades, not fund cycles. In response to a reply from Molly O'Shea summarizing his argument, Lin offered a naming convention for the next tier of milestone companies: "$1T = Teracorn? $10T = Titan?" A Structural Challenge For The VC Industry Standard fund structures are built around a ten-year life, creating distribution pressure that cuts against holding the most compounding assets for the three or four decades the framework envisions. A March 2026 analysis by Invezz found that more than 1,500 unicorns collectively worth $6 trillion have no clear path to exit following years of frozen IPO markets, with distributions to limited partners falling to roughly 6 percent of assets under management in the first half of 2025, less than half the ten-year historical average. At the same time, capital concentration has intensified. According to an OECD policy brief published in January 2026 , AI firms captured 61 percent of all global venture capital in 2025, totaling $258.7 billion of $427.1 billion deployed. A Cambridge Associates 2026 outlook noted that continuation vehicles are expected to represent at least 20 percent of distributions in 2026 as limited partners seek liquidity through secondary markets, a workaround that reflects the mismatch between fund timelines and the actual arc of compounding returns. The concentration dynamic runs even deeper. SVB's 2026 State of the Markets report found that in 2025, nearly $340 billion flowed into U.S. venture-backed companies, but the top 1 percent of companies by valuation captured a full third of all capital, while the bottom half received just 7 percent. The number of individual deals declined 15 percent year over year even as total dollars deployed rose 53 percent. Running The Distance The second half of Lins thesis is behavioral. Updating the size of the prize is necessary but insufficient. The harder task is recalibrating what it means to remain committed to a company or investment over four decades, through multiple technology waves and against the constant pull of near-term performance pressure. Lin has articulated a version of this philosophy in other contexts, including a Harvard Innovation Labs profile in which he described his personal framework for sustained improvement as becoming one percent better each day. At annual compounding, that yields a 37.7x improvement over a year. The same arithmetic logic that makes Nvidia's trajectory legible in hindsight makes it predictable in structure, if not in outcome, in advance. A Fortune interview from March 2026 found Lin continuing to push back against narratives that AI foundation models will render software businesses obsolete, arguing that durable companies are built on compounding customer value, not on any single technological layer. Since 2020, Sequoia has distributed more than $43 billion back to its limited partners, positioning the firm as what Lin describes as a net liquidity provider rather than a capital accumulator. The core argument in Lin's post amounts to a recalibration memo for an industry that has spent decades systematically underpricing the far end of the probability distribution. The math of compounding is not new. What is new is that several companies have now lived long enough, and grown fast enough, to make the output of that math visible in real time. Lin's contention is that investors who fail to update their priors accordingly are not being conservative. They are, in the original sense of the word he uses, underestimating the prize. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Thirteen law enforcement officers were honored in Baton Rouge for the work they do outside of their normal duties. The members were nominated by their agencies for acts of kindness last year. New interim director for Livingston Parish Library named Officers were presented with the Heart of Law Enforcement award. Members of the Livingston Parish Sheriffs Office and the Port Allen Police Department were among those honored. Advertisement Advertisement And the whole thing behind it is what the deputies do beyond the badge, and it just says a lot about their character, and Im just proud theyre part of my team, said Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard. Deputies from the Calcasieu and Lafourche Parish Sheriffs offices and the Louisiana State Police were also honored. 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. LINCOLN Lawmakers advanced a revenue package Wednesday that is expected to bring the Nebraska Legislature more than $21 million closer to filling the projected budget deficit theyve been working to close all session. State senators advanced Legislative Bill 901 via a voice vote, pushing the bill to its third and final round of floor debate. The amended legislation includes a package of different bills that together would add more than $21 million to Nebraskas general fund, according to State Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area, chair of the Legislatures Revenue Committee. Wednesdays debate also saw the apparent death of an effort to increase Nebraskas tobacco taxes after a similar proposal was shot down through a controversial filibuster two weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement The primary revenue generators in LB 901 include an increase to Nebraskas tax on profits from skill game machines from about 5% to 10%. The other component would roll back sales and use tax exemptions on game birds, biochips and other recently passed tax exemption measures using the last in, first out philosophy lawmakers cited last year while working to fill a separate deficit. The increased tax on skill games, initially proposed by State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, was praised as a solid compromise following negotiations between Spivey and the Revenue Committee. Skill games are the electronic devices in gas stations, bars and restaurants that resemble slot machines and let players risk money for the chance to win more. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a committee member, said she thought it was wise to increase taxes on the skill game industry because not so long ago, lawmakers didnt know how prevalent skill games would become or how profitable they would be. State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner said there were 430 skill games in Nebraska in 2007, and today there are roughly 6,000. A key value in LB 901 is its benefit to balancing Nebraskas state budget, which still has a $125 million projected deficit that is in reality closer to $140 million. State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said the bills passage gives lawmakers a path to close the deficit without pulling more dollars out of Nebraskas rainy day fund. Advertisement Advertisement Budget balancing was also the intent of AM 2650 from State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward. The amendment included multiple components: Increase Nebraskas cigarette tax from 64 cents per pack to $1 per pack in 2027, then to $1.36 per pack in 2028, matching Iowas current rate. Increase taxes on vape products to 30% wholesale. Slow Nebraskas phased income tax rate reductions from 4.55% currently to 4.35% in 2027, with a two-year gap before it reaches 3.99% in 2029. Halt the escalators to Nebraskas property tax credit programs for two years, keeping the credits at the same amount instead of increasing each year. Altogether, the amendments provisions were estimated to generate over $144 million in revenue in the next fiscal year, and an additional $280 million the year after. The cigarette and vape tax proposals are similar to what was proposed in LB 1124, although the cigarette tax provision is scaled back. The original bill would have increased the cigarette tax by $1, going from 64 cents per pack to $1.64 per pack in one year. Advertisement Advertisement The slowdown of Nebraskas income and property tax relief measures stemmed from Hughes concerns about future budget challenges. While she said she is confident lawmakers can balance the budget this year, after back-to-back years of filling two separate deficits, she feels the Legislature has already shook the cushions out regarding spending cuts. Im not a bomb thrower, Hughes said. Im just trying to logically think this through. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Hughes said she is concerned about what shes seeing in the economy both Nebraskas and nationally. If the continued volatility creates projected deficits in future budgets, shes concerned that lawmakers will look to reduce the states property tax credits as a way to fill the hole. Advertisement Advertisement Nebraskas two property tax credit programs use about $2.45 billion of Nebraskas revenues in the current biennium to dole out refunds on residents property tax statements, with baked-in accelerators slated to increase the credits indefinitely. Hughes said she would not support attempts to reduce property tax credits if such proposals are introduced, but she would seek to rollback business incentives instead, something she acknowledged is also popular across the state. Hughes called AM 2650 a responsible, reasonable approach to managing Nebraskas budget over the next few years. She added that this year is lawmakers last chance to slow the states income tax rates before the rate is scheduled to level off at 3.99% in 2027. Few senators expressed support for Hughes amendment, and Hughes acknowledged multiple times that it likely lacked enough votes to pass. State Sen. Tony Sorrentino of the Elkhorn area said he was hesitant to jump onboard with a drastic measure that has many implications lawmakers havent yet considered. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth was the only lawmaker besides Hughes to speak in support of AM 2650. He called it a commonsense measure that approached the state budget from all three legs of the stool. State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus said there were several proposed amendments that he believed would improve LB 901, but cautioned that some of them would risk siphoning votes from the underlying bill and jeopardize its chances of passing. Hughes seemed to agree, because shortly after Moser spoke, she motioned to withdraw AM 2650. I hope in two or three years, I dont look back on this day and say Darn it, I feel like we should have done that, Hughes said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Lawmakers, union leaders and several community organizations expressed their shock and disgust after several women shared allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior and abuse by the late labor organizer Cesar Chavez. The New York Times released an investigation on Wednesday detailing the allegations, which revealed that for years the co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union had groomed and sexually abused girls who were involved in the movement. The report has led to multiple cancellations or rebranding of events that were meant to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, which is observed annually on 31 March, Chavezs birthday. States including California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Minnesota have recognized the holiday. Advertisement Advertisement Before the Times released the report, media inquiries about the allegations prompted the UFW to cancel celebrations honoring Chavez, calling the allegations disturbing, shocking and indefensible. Related: United Farm Workers union cancels Cesar Chavez events over abuse allegations Gavin Newsom said in a press conference on Wednesday that all of us are processing the allegations and emphasized that the farm workers movement and a labor movement are much bigger than one man. That will be our focus as we process what the next steps are, the California governor said. Were for justice. Were for the truth. Were for transparency. We want to have the backs of our victims. Advertisement Advertisement Adelita Grijalva, a US representative of Arizona, where Chavez was born, said she was deeply troubled by the allegations and extended her support for the victims. The state of Arizona has announced it will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day on 31 March as a state holiday. To the survivors: estamos con ustedes we are with you, Grijalva said. We hear you, we believe you and we admire the immense courage it takes to speak out. I know that there is a profound sense of grief in our community today that may bring mixed emotions, she said. The betrayal of trust by a leader who had such a significant impact on our community is difficult to comprehend. We still have more questions than answers. However, it is important to remember that one person does not define a movement. We, the people, are the movement. Advertisement Advertisement Chavez gained international prominence with boycotts and fasts for higher wages and better working conditions for immigrant workers who picked grapes and performed other agricultural labor. He died in 1993 at the age of 66. In 1994, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, for his activism. Joe Biden also displayed a bronze bust of Chavez in the Oval Office. The Times investigation includes allegations by Dolores Huerta, one of the countrys most influential labor activists and Chavezs ally, who said he forced her to have sex with him in the 1960s. Huerta released a statement on Wednesday saying she can no longer stay silent. Huerta told the news outlet that Chavez drove her to a grape field in Delano, California, in 1966 and raped her. She was 36 at the time. The rape led to a pregnancy, as did a second sexual encounter, according to her statement. Huerta had not publicly shared her story, and said in the statement that she chose to come forward after the Times indicated that I was not the only one there were others. Advertisement Advertisement Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, praised the courageous women who came forward, including Huerta, a close personal friend and ally. Related: Dolores Huerta says she was abused by Cesar Chavez: My silence ends here We must listen to the survivors, speak their truth, and uphold the values of dignity and justice in the face of conduct that deplorably betrays those principles, Pelosi said, adding: No legacy is above accountability. Speaking at an event on Wednesday, Newsom said he was open to renaming Cesar Chavez Day in California, which became a state holiday in 2000 and is commemorated on 31 March. Advertisement Advertisement Lou Correa, a California representative, also condemned the late activists abuse of women. Whether it is the president of the United States, a British prince or a leader of farm workers, all sexual predators must be held accountable, Correa said. There must be zero tolerance for sexual predators, especially those who prey on young children. Katie Hobbs, Arizonas governor, became the first governor to say that her state would stop recognizing Cesar Chavezs holiday. A spokesperson for Hobbs said in a statement that she is deeply concerned by the troubling allegations. As a social worker who worked with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, Governor Hobbs takes allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against women and minors very seriously, the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Lurie, San Franciscos mayor, said in a post on X that he was in touch with labor and community leaders in San Francisco and will continue to ensure we are supporting this community and all survivors. It takes immense bravery to come forward, and my heart goes out to all of the survivors, including Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and Dolores Huerta, he said. The accounts of abuse are deeply disturbing and unacceptable. In Texas, La Union del Pueblo Entero (Lupe), another advocacy group co-founded by Chavez, is also cancelling events before the Cesar Chavez holiday, calling the allegations against Chavez indefensible. LUPE in South Texas is an organization that was built primarily by women and is led primarily by women, and we understand the severity of this news and the pain and distress it will cause to so many people, especially survivors of abuse, the organization said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The San Antonio Express-News reported in early March that the Cesar E Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation in Texas announced it was cancelling its 28 March event, citing a sensitive matter. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the USs largest labor federation, said: These horrific, disturbing allegations come as a deep shock to us. Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one especially children should ever have to survive. No legacy can excuse it. The AFL-CIO will not participate or endorse any upcoming activities for Cesar Chavez Day. In the Bay Area, several groups addressed the allegations and are considering renaming memorials that honor Chavez. Advertisement Advertisement Myrna Melgar, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors, told the Times that the street and the elementary school named after Chavez will be renamed in due time, and called for the conversation to revolve around the harm for now. The Cesar E Chavez Community Action Center at San Jose State University said in a statement that it is appropriate that we pause to determine our next steps. In Sacramento, a local news outlet reported that the citys annual Chavez march was still on as of late Tuesday, though organizers were discussing a possible rebrand. Xavier Becerra, former US health and human services secretary and former California attorney general, emphasized the impact made by the UFW and called the allegations against Chavez a painful side to this story. Advertisement Advertisement Iconic labor leader Dolores Huerta has come forward to tell her story and use her voice to empower other survivors to tell their story, Becerra said. We must stand behind the truth and those who live it. Alex Padilla, a California senator, called the allegations heartbreaking and commended the women who came forward. His remarks come about a year after he and the US representative Raul Ruiz introduced legislation to create the Cesar E Chavez and the Farmworker Movement national historical park. These are heartbreaking, horrific accounts of abuse, Padilla said. I stand with the survivors, commend them for their bravery in sharing their stories and condemn the abhorrent actions they described. The survivors deserve to be heard. As the U.S. Senate debates the high-stakes, election year SAVE Act, key Rhode Island state lawmakers are introducing their own bill the Rhode Island Voting Rights Act. While Rhode Island already has its own "Voter ID" law requiring prospective voters to show a photo identification to cast their ballot, the bill introduced by House Majority Whip Katherine Kazarian and championed by Secretary of State Gregg Amore, is designed counter some of the more controversial provisions in the SAVE Act, including one that may make it more difficult for married women, who have changed their legal name from their birth name, to register to vote. Republicans have hit back against the assertion that married women could be excluded from registering to vote if they cannot readily produce documentation that explains why their married name does not match the name on their birth certificate, but the new Rhode Island Voting Rights Act would give anyone excluded from voting for that reason the right to sue. Supporters rally for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (also known as the SAVE America Act) outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. What is driving the bill? Under pressure from President Donald Trump, the U.S. Senate opened debate on March 17 on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act. Advertisement Advertisement The SAVE Act would specifically require Americans to show proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when they are registering to vote. This would mean that married women who have changed their surname would have to show citizenship documents that match their current legal name. The SAVE Act also requires Americans to show an ID to vote. Trump has demanded Congress pass the legislation, which he and his Republican allies claim is needed to combat their unproven claims of mass voting by noncitizens. He has called the measure his No. 1 priority, saying it would guarantee the midterms for his party, according to the New York Times and has threatened to stop signing other bills until the SAVE Act is passed. But opponents warn the bill has the potential to disenfranchise millions of voters, especially among groups that typically support Democrats, such as naturalized citizens, people of color and lower-income people. Critics of the legislation say it will also make it harder for married women to register or re-register unless they have documentation readily at hand for why their adult names don't match their birth certificates. What do RI voting laws already say? In Rhode Island, those registering to vote are already required to prove their identity by presenting a state ID or state drivers license or the last four digits of their Social Security number. And prospective voters are asked to provide a photo ID at the polls. Voters who show up to vote without a photo identification can cast a provisional ballot, which is then verified through a signature match. Advertisement Advertisement Noncitizens are prohibited from voting in elections. What does the RI Voting Rights Act do? The bill is intended to codify the protections in the federal Voting Rights Act into state law, as was done to protect women's abortion rights. Broadly speaking, it seeks to protect Rhode Islanders against "voter suppression and vote dilution," with suppression defined as discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other characteristics, including a newly added category marital status that "limits a voters access to voting." "Vote dilution" is the drawing of voting districts that weaken or cancel out the voting strength of racial minorities. Advertisement Advertisement To enforce these protections, the proposed new law would allow individuals, groups and the attorney general to "bring legal action against any jurisdiction that subjects voters to suppressive voting tactics or dilutes the power of their vote." Why is the bill needed? "As you know, what has been sold solely as a voter ID law, the SAVE Act, is much more a voter registration change law," Amore told The Journal on Wednesday, March 18. "The requirements, either a passport or a birth certificate plus a marriage certificate, would place barriers for married women who changed their name." "This is important because registration is not a one time thing," Amore said. If a Rhode Islander moves, they would need to re-register to vote in person, and with the documentation required, according to the SAVE Act. Moving from, for example, Riverside to the state veterans home, would require the same thing. Advertisement Advertisement "These are people that, in many cases, have been registered for decades and they would have to present this documentation," which for many may be difficult. Nearly half of Americans don't have passports, and only Enhanced Driver's Licenses, not REAL IDs, indicate citizenship. Those Enhanced Driver's Licenses are only available in five states New York, Vermont, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington. As a man who hasn't changed his name, Amore said: "I have to present a birth certificate. Okay? That's it. A woman whose name was changed after marriage would have to present much more. And to me, that's a violation of the 19th Amendment. So this is much more than a voter ID law." "And there's a cost associated with the passport. There's a cost associated with getting a duplicate of your marriage certificate. And I'd say that bumps up against the 24th Amendment, which bans poll taxes." Advertisement Advertisement Nine states have their own Voting Rights Acts: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington. What about lawsuits? The legislation opens the door to lawsuits against "jurisdictions" that suppress voting or dilute minority representation. Asked who the targets could be, Amore said the General Assembly because they oversee redistricting, the Board of Elections because they oversee polling locations and local canvassing boards, and even the secretary of state themselves, because they certify nomination papers, produce ballots and manage the voter registration system. Asked how a lawsuit would help a married woman denied the right to vote, Amore acknowledged the remedy would not be instantaneous. Advertisement Advertisement But he said the goal is to create a "right of private action" to defend an individual's right to vote that could then go through Rhode Island's courts and, if appealed, end up in the federal courts. This story has been updated with new information. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: This RI bill is meant to counter the SAVE Act. What it does. At least 23 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in multiple suspected suicide bombings in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, shattering its reputation as a relative oasis of calm in recent years as a long-running insurgency was pushed to the rural hinterlands. Authorities said the explosions went off at the post office and market areas, as well as the entrance to the University of Maiduguri teaching hospital, on Monday evening during iftar, the breaking of fast in the month of Ramadan. The post office and Monday market areas were regularly targeted by suicide bombers at the height of Nigerias Boko Haram insurgency, when Maiduguri was a conflict hotspot. Advertisement Advertisement Ten years ago this month, 58 people were killed and more than 140 others injured in four separate suicide blasts including in both locations, in one of the deadliest days in the citys history. The latest explosions came on the heels of an attack at a military post on the outskirts of the city, the capital of Borno state, on Sunday night into Monday morning. While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the incident, Nigerian authorities said the reported bombings had been carried out by suspected Boko Haram terrorist suicide bombers using improvised explosive devices. The cowardly attacks targeted crowded public areas in an attempt by the terrorists to inflict mass casualties and create panic within the metropolis, Sani Uba, a military spokesperson, said in a statement. More than 2 million people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands killed in the region by Boko Haram and its offshoots, including the Islamic West Africa Province (ISWAP), as they battle the Nigerian state in an attempt to establish an Islamic caliphate. Advertisement Advertisement Boko Haram was founded in 2002, but intensified attacks after the extrajudicial killing of its then leader, Mohammed Yusuf, in July 2009. During the regime of his successor, the more aggressive Abubakar Shekau, the sect splintered, with ISWAP becoming the more dominant faction and regularly engaging in lethal turf war with its rivals. Most of the resulting terrorist activity has occurred in rural hinterlands outside Maiduguri, the birthplace of the insurgency. Until a Christmas Eve bombing at a mosque killed at least five people and wounded dozens more last year, there had not been a major attack since 2021 in the city. The mosque attack happened a day before airstrikes by the US in conjunction with Nigeria against Islamic State militants in the north-west. Last April, the Borno governor, Babagana Zulum, raised the alarm that the jihadists were staging a comeback. Many fear that his warning, which led to a spat with federal authorities, was not properly heeded. On Tuesday morning, President Bola Tinubu, who is on a state visit to the UK, announced that he had directed security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation and locate them, confront them and completely defeat them. By Ahmed Kingimi MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, March 18 (Reuters) - Nigerian troops backed by air support repelled a coordinated assault by Islamist insurgents on a military base in the northeastern state of Borno, killing at least 80 fighters including senior commanders, the army said on Wednesday. Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have intensified attacks on military bases in recent weeks in Borno, the epicentre of Nigeria's 17-year Islamist insurgency. Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's assault followed multiple suicide bombings on Monday in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, that killed at least 23 and left more than 100 wounded. The attacks on the northeast's most heavily defended city suggested that the Islamic militant groups have shifted tactics to counter intense government operations against them. The pre-dawn attack targeted an army position in Mallam Fatori near the border with neighbouring Niger, with insurgents advancing on foot and deploying armed drones, military task force spokesperson Sani Uba said in a statement. Troops had anticipated the assault and mounted what Uba described as an "offensive-defensive" response, beating back the attack with ground fire and air support. Nigeria's air force carried out precision strikes, while allied Nigerien jets hit retreating insurgents. Four soldiers were wounded and evacuated for treatment, Uba said, adding that airstrike damage assessments were ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement The military said three "high-profile" insurgent commanders were killed, though Reuters could not independently verify the claims. Troops also recovered a large cache of weapons, including assault rifles, RPG launchers, machine guns, ammunition, improvised explosive devices, and armed-drone components, Uba said. (Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Miduguri; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo) City leaders are considering a task force to address issues involving the homeless community within Lebanon, including increasing resources to help those experiencing homelessness. During the Feb. 17 City Council meeting, Lebanon officials expressed concerns that local businesses and gathering places are being impacted by unsheltered homeless individuals. Ward 2 Councilor Geri Ashley said constituents told her business owners have seen employees and customers harassed or threatened and that loitering has impacted the image of Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Weve cleaned up a number of the encampmentsI know that [Lebanon Police Chief Mike Justice]s team is working on this, but theres a tremendous amount of loitering, Ashley said. There had been some damage done at the Pickett Chapel, or at least some property damage done in terms of encampments and things like that [which] had been cleaned up by volunteers. I was there on [Feb. 14] and there were people that were laying on the handicap ramp. When I went around to the back of the building, there was a man defecating [there], Ashley continued. I went up the street to College Street and there [were] five to six men sitting on cinder blocks. Ashley said she commends people who step up to help people experiencing homelessness, but when businesses are being affected, something more needs to happen. Im hoping that we can form some type of task force to address this issue so that we can be more collaborative that we can work with the services that are providing homeless shelters and talk to [Justice] and determine what type of resources are necessary for him to be able to make sure that everybody stays safe in the process, Ashley said. I think that there is litter everywhere, theres loitering everywhere and I dont think this is what we want our city to look like, and its a serious problem. Advertisement Advertisement After some discussion between the councilors, Justice was asked if he had adequate resources for patrols and other means to address unhoused concerns. I think the resources are there. I think weve got to become educated on what other people are doing, how we fix this, Justice said. We cant arrest our way out of it because its not illegal to be unhoused. According to Justice, Lebanon is one of the few cities in the midstate that has a police department-based mental health worker. We asked [for her] to start accompanying us to try to find some of these encampments, Justice said. Im not really versed on what all our agencies around here are doing for people, but I dont understand handing somebody a tent when they dont have property to put it on. So, trying to get them some other form of help, to me, would make more sense other than feeding them and handing them a tent because all were going to do is get a call to go find the tent. Advertisement Advertisement Justice said a usual flow of events involves a property owner requesting homeless encampments be cleaned up, costing several thousand dollars, and then trespass the individuals, ultimately meaning if they are found on the property, they get arrested. He said LPD has received multiple calls to Walmart on South Cumberland Street regarding unhoused individuals. At the same time, city leaders were discussing halfway homes and sober living houses and recent issues involving a location, resulting in both topics being intertwined. Some of Justices responses to Councilor Ashley and Ward 3 Councilor Camille Burdine were addressing questions regarding sober houses and homeless encampments. In some instances, the topics do go together as some individuals facing drug addiction or mental health crises can drift between homelessness, sober living houses and homeless shelters. It is a difficult issue, Ward 4 Councilor Chris Crowell said. Obviously, I think we want to care for the people [who] are on the street. Any of us could wind up on the street at any time and any of us could be addicted to something at any time, and I think weve all probably dealt with that in our families. Advertisement Advertisement So, I want to deal with people with compassion and the intent to help them and make our community the best place that it can be, Crowell added. Ward 5 Councilor Tick Bryan said hes had experience helping people experiencing homelessness, driving a bus for Compassionate Hands for the previous four years during winter. If there is a homeless task force, Id like to be on that task force, Bryan said. I have a lot of different ideas Id like to pass on. Two weeks later, during the March 3 meeting, Burdine said council members will reach out to property owners, sober living facilities and nonprofits regarding unhoused members of the Lebanon community to continue a dialogue about being good neighbors and working together for the benefit of all. These are difficult, dangerous days in Lebanon, and this country, which is no stranger to the challenges of war, finds itself unsure of what is to come. Ask anyone here, "What is your feeling? And you get the same answer. As one senior politician put it, Every day I wake up with a different gut feeling, but every day I know its not going to be good. The civilian death toll is rising, and nowhere feels safe. Displaced children fleeing Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon and Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburb. Credit: AP In 2024, most of the Israeli attacks were on areas more directly associated with Hezbollah. Now the strikes are happening in more random areas, each one eroding the sense of safety. Advertisement Advertisement I spoke with the Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister today. He had just come back from meeting with families displaced from the south of the country. Some of the women asked him if their village still existed or if the bombs from Israel had destroyed it. What could I tell them? I said that to the best of my knowledge it was, but who knows, I told them, let's hope you can return to your homes, but knowing very well that they may never be able to get back. He describes what is going on in the south as the systematic destruction of an entire area with the consequential displacement. Expelling people from their homes under the pretext of protecting their lives is a war crime, he says, though it is clear he has little hope of any investigation. Talking to ITV News' Emma Murphy, Lebanon's Deputy PM said 'expelling people from their homes in the pretext of protecting their lives is a war crime' Tarek Mitri is a man trying to hold on to a belief in the rules-based order. But he is watching it slip away at the cost of his countrymen and women. Advertisement Advertisement You know, in international humanitarian law, the Geneva Convention and the protocols which elaborate further, there are two basic principles. "The principle of distinction, distinguishing between combatants and civilians, and the principle of proportion and proportionality. And Israel, through and through, is not respecting either of those two principles. He cites the death toll: one hundred children in two weeks. More than 800 dead in total, 800,000 displaced. He fears this will be a long war and takes threats by Israeli ministers seriously to turn parts of Lebanon into the same rubble as Gaza. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. There is another parallel he draws. If the war objective of the Israelis is to disarm Hezbollah, to make Hezbollah surrender, well, taking this would take years, not months. Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanese government is tasked with disarming Hezbollah. He accepts it is not something that is being done at pace but slowly and surely. The weakness of the Lebanese armed forces compared to the military might of Hezbollah is one stumbling block; the continued presence of Israeli jets is another. Those are not explanations that will sit easily with the international community. There is an exhaustion here with the continual sense of jeopardy, the risk and reality of war. Israel and Americas war with Iran has only increased the dangers for this country and its people. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... DES MOINES, Iowa A Senate subcommittee advanced a bill on Tuesday which would require passive radon mitigation systems in newly constructed homes. House File 2297 would make passive radon mitigation systems a requirement of Iowa building code for single-family or two-family residential construction. Active radon systems use an electric fan to pull radon from soil and vent it, but a passive system doesnt require a fan or the use of electricity. Instead, it relies on natural air pressure differences. Advertisement Advertisement Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that can build up in homes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists all 99 of Iowas counties as having the highest potential for indoor radon measurements. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers, and the second leading cause overall behind smoking. According to data from the Iowa Cancer Consortium, 400 Iowans die every year from lung cancer just from radon exposers. At the subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, Maria Stelle of Adel spoke out in favor of the bill. She currently has lung cancer as a result of elevated radon levels in her home. I was not a high risk for lung cancer, and I went home and we tested our house for radon because we knew of it but I didnt realize the prevalence of it here in Iowa was 70% of Iowa homes being high in radon. I live in Adel. Our home was twice the level that it shouldve been, she said during the subcommittee meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Senators Scott Webster of Bettendorf (R, District 47), Ken Rozenboom of Pella (R, District 19), and Art Staed of Cedar Rapids (D, District 40) all voted to advance the bill. Senator Webster said he is recommending an amendment to the bill, slightly altering the language. The one concern I have is this calls for the state to adopt these codes. Local jurisdictions could be less restrictive than the state in the building code. I believe this bill needs to be amended to say that state and local jurisdictions have an authority where in the building code should have to do this, he said during the subcommittee. The bill is scheduled to be considered by the Senates State Government Committee on Wednesday. This week is the second funnel deadline of the session and all bills needs to advance out of a full committee in the opposite chamber in which the bill was introduced by Friday in order to stay alive this session. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a radon mitigation law passed in 2022, is still more than a year away from its first deadline. The Gail Orcutt Radon School Safety Act requires school districts to test all buildings for radon. Depending on the results, school districts could be required to develop a radon mitigation plan. Despite being signed into law four years ago, the first testing deadline is July 1, 2027. Last session, legislators allocated $1 million dollars to the University of Iowa to investigate Iowas high cancer rate. The first phase of results for this research was presented to representatives last week. Researchers identified Iowas lung cancer rates as a striking concern. Since smoking is the leading cause for the disease, researchers recommended increasing the states tobacco tax. Advertisement Advertisement A new poll released on Tuesday by the Iowa Healthy Initiative shows that 66% of registered voters support raising tobacco taxes by $1.50 per pack, along with increases on other nicotine products. That same poll found that only a minority of Iowans favor increases in taxes on gas (17%), sales (17%), or utilities (5%). 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 who13.com. Another Maine city has restricted local assistance with federal immigration enforcement to a greater extent than a forthcoming state law. The Lewiston City Council passed an ordinance 5-2 on Tuesday night amending its city code to ban employees and resources from being used to assist or cooperate with any federal agency in any immigration enforcement operation, except where legally required to do so by law or court order. The ordinance is identical to one passed by the city of Rockland in December. The applicability of these ordinances to all city employees is broader than the new state law, which restricts state and local law enforcement from working with immigration authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Portland will soon be considering the ordinance as well, according to councilor at-large Pious Ali. Before Rockland passed the measure, Portland had been the only municipality in the state that limited what its employees could share with immigration authorities. But Portlands restrictions, passed back in 2003, are much narrower, only prohibiting city staff from inquiring into immigration status. The thinking being that if youre not inquiring into immigration status, then you dont know anyones immigration information, and if you dont know anyones immigration information, then you cant share any of the information and therefore endanger immigrants, said Michael Kebede, policy director of American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, which helped draft the ordinance used in Rockland and Lewiston. But now, Kebede said, Sharing someones name and address, sharing someones whereabouts, sharing someones place of employment, sharing other information about someone with federal immigration authorities could be sufficient to endanger an immigrant. Advertisement Advertisement There is no enforcement mechanism in the ordinance that specifies consequences for violations, however cities can establish their own disciplinary processes. In tandem with the ordinance in Rockland, which took effect Jan. 7, that city council passed an order directing their city manager to develop such policies within a reasonable period following adoption. Gov. Janet Mills allowed the statewide measure to become law without her signature this winter, after postponing her decision last spring when both chambers of the Maine Legislature narrowly passed the legislation following lengthy debates. Mills delayed decision, which supporters criticized, means the law wont take effect until 90 days after the current Legislature adjourns, which is slated for April 15. Although, Maine State Police is already following the law. Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck issued a directive in December that essentially implemented its underlying policies. Local police are already not required to and generally do not have the authority to enforce immigration laws, but the Trump administration revived a program called 287(g), which deputizes local police officers to detain immigrants. Maine currently has no such agreements after the Wells Police Department the only local agency that had entered into such a contract canceled its agreement in the fall following public opposition. The new law also bans these agreements. Absent official agreements, police in Maine have still looped federal immigration authorities into routine work, such as traffic stops, which have resulted in drivers, passengers and people who later arrived at the scene being detained for alleged immigration violations. By Alimat Aliyeva New Zealand and Ireland have agreed to strengthen their partnership in agricultural climate research, signing a joint ministerial statement in Wellington on Tuesday, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. According to Todd McClay, the two countries will continue advancing research aimed at giving farmers practical tools to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions without cutting production. McClay noted that the partnership builds on the 2022 Joint Research Initiative (JRI), which invested 34.5 million New Zealand dollars (about 20.2 million U.S. dollars) to expand climate research and scientific capabilities in the agricultural sector. During his visit, Noel Grealish toured several of the 11 ongoing projects and said they have already helped accelerate understanding of emissions from farming. He emphasized that agriculture plays a central role in both the Ireland and New Zealand economies, and that both nations share the goal of reducing emissions in pasture-based farming while maintaining productivity. The two governments plan to identify new projects under the second phase of the JRI, focusing on practical solutions that can deliver meaningful emission reductions. They also jointly launched the 20262030 Strategic Plan for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, which aims to expand research across key areas such as livestock, crop production, and paddy rice systems. Interestingly, both countries are global leaders in pasture-based farming, making them ideal testing grounds for climate-friendly agricultural innovations. Some of the research already underway includes developing low-emission animal feeds and breeding livestock that naturally produce less methanesolutions that could eventually be adopted by farmers worldwide. Josh Giegel, founder and CEO of Gambit, holds a miniature version of a robotic AI dog at the defense tech company's North Hollywood offices on Jan. 16, 2026. The former SpaceX engineer said he was encouraged by passage of a bill to preserve funding for defense startups like his. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) A bill restoring crucial federal funding to defense startups in Southern California is on its way to the president's desk after making it through Congress on Tuesday. The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act was passed following a months-long impasse over funding the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and related programs. The dispute imperiled funding that was deemed essential for Southern California's resurgent defense and aerospace sectors. The bipartisan bill, which extends the programs through 2031, was passed by the Senate this month and, after delays due to the Iran war, was approved by the House on Tuesday. President Trump has vowed to not sign any legislation until Congress approves the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote a measure strongly opposed by Democrats. Read more: L.A.'s defense industry is booming. Federal funding crunch could change that However, the SBIR reauthorization bill can become law before the end of the month without his signature. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The SBA programs provide more than $4 billion in seed funding to private startups across various industries that provide valuable services to the government and public, stimulate the economy and help maintain the country's competitive edge. The money is awarded by multiple agencies, including the Health and Human Services and Energy departments and NASA, with the military distributing the largest portion. The SBA funding ran out Sept. 30 as lawmakers clashed over proposed reforms. The money has helped launch defense and aerospace startups across Southern California founded by SpaceX alumni and other entrepreneurs. In 2024, 71 California companies received $173 million of the SBA funding awarded by SpaceWERX, an El Segundo-based arm of the U.S. Space Force that supports defense startups, as well as aerospace startups that also have defense businesses. Local SBA funding recipients include Costa Mesa autonomous weapons maker Anduril Industries, now valued at more than $30 billion, and satellite platform manufacturers K2 Space in Torrance and Apex Space in Los Angeles. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, held up reauthorizing the program over concerns that some startups had become too reliant on the money instead of developing viable commercial businesses. She proposed a bill with a $75-million lifetime funding cap for individual companies. (NewsNation) On St. Patricks Day, President Donald Trump met with Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, as Ireland worked to shore up economic ties between the two countries. The Irish helped to build America, and were very proud of that connection, Martin said as the two leaders spoke to reporters. Trump said the leaders planned to discuss trade and tariffs. He also criticized NATO after multiple countries declined to become more involved in the war in Iran and to protect the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Advertisement Whats in Trumps SAVE America Act? In recent days, Trump has called on allies to help secure the critical channel for global oil distribution, expressing anger at the lack of help with the U.S. campaign. Several countries have already declined to send ships to help secure the strait, as oil prices have continued to rise. I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake, Trump said, before praising allies in the Middle East for their support. The president also said he would not need Congresss approval to withdraw from NATO. Trump has previously criticized European countries he perceives as taking advantage of the U.S., a list that has at times included Ireland. Advertisement Advertisement Martin is expected to emphasize the two-way relationship between Ireland and the U.S., including Irish investments in the United States. Live updates: Israel says it killed Iranian security chief, militia leader The visit comes as members of Irelands government have condemned U.S. strikes on Iran, with some suggesting the U.S. is undermining international law. In a statement shortly after the war began, Martin expressed concern about escalation and the risk of wider conflict. Ireland has always believed that conflict should be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation, in line with the principles of the UN Charter and international law, he said. That must apply in this situation as much as in any other. 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) President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to destroy Irans South Pars gas field if Tehran launches another attack on Qatar, escalating tensions after a strike on a key energy facility in the region. The threat comes after Iranian strikes on Qatars energy infrastructure elicited strong warnings from Gulf Arab states that called it a dangerous escalation threatening to draw them into direct combat with Tehran. Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard repeatedly declined Wednesday to say whether she warned President Donald Trump about potential fallout from striking Iran, including the risk to Gulf nations and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Advertisement I have not and wont divulge internal conversations, Gabbard said before the Senate Intelligence Committee, adding intelligence officials continue to provide the president with objective assessments. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the committees top Democrat, pressed for clarity, pointing to Trumps past remarks suggesting he did not expect Iran to retaliate against Gulf states or disrupt the critical oil transit route. Earlier Wednesday, Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was eliminated in an overnight strike, according to Israels defense minister. Moodys economist: Recession will be hard to avoid if oil stays high Advertisement Advertisement The strike follows the deaths of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guards all-volunteer Basij force. Iran launched retaliatory strikes toward Israel and neighboring Gulf countries, with explosions heard in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and interceptions reported in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. also carried out strikes on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly using 5,000-pound bombs. The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 900 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members have been killed and about 200 wounded. Trump threatens destruction of South Pars In a social media post, President Donald Trump threatened to destroy the South Pars gas field if Iran attacks Qatar, saying the United States was not privy to the attack plans. Advertisement Advertisement Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as the South Pars gas field in Iran, Trump said on Truth Social. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape or form involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen. Trump said Iran attacked Qatars facility without knowing the facts regarding the attack, calling it unjustified and unfair. The president went on to say no more Israeli attacks on the gas field would be made, before threatening to massively blow up the entirety of South Pars should Iran again attack Qatar. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatars LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so, Trump said. Dignified transfer President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of the remains of six U.S. service members killed while supporting Operation Epic Fury. Trump was accompanied by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and lawmakers including Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Alabama Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington state. President Donald Trump salutes as a transfer case carrying the remains of a U.S. service member arrives during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Wednesday, in Dover, Del. Six service members were killed in the crash of a KC-135 refueling aircraft in western Iraq. (White House via X) President Donald Trump stands with military personnel during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Wednesday, in Dover, Del., as the remains of U.S. service members killed in a KC-135 aircraft crash are received. (White House via X) Military personnel and officials, including President Donald Trump, walk near a transport aircraft during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Wednesday, in Dover, Del., honoring six service members killed in a plane crash in western Iraq. (White House via X) The tail of a U.S. Air Force aircraft is seen above a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, Wednesday, in Dover, Del., where the remains of six service members killed in a KC-135 crash were returned. (White House via X) Members of the U.S. military carry a transfer case past President Donald Trump during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Wednesday, in Dover, Del., honoring service members killed in a refueling aircraft crash in western Iraq. (White House via X) Qatar orders Iranian security personnel to leave country Qatars foreign minister declared the security and military attache in Irans embassy as persona non grata. They have been given 24 hours to leave the country. U.S. did not coordinate South Pars strike: Source A source in the region told NewsNation that Israel did not coordinate with the U.S. regarding the strike on South Pars, a gas field Iran shares with Qatar. Israeli officials previously said the strike was coordinated with and approved by the Trump administration, according to reporting from Axios. Advertisement Advertisement Another source told NewsNation the U.S. was aware of the strike but not part of the attack. Oman condemns strike on South Pars The country called the targeting of Iranian energy facilities in the South Pars oil field a dangerous escalation and said it represents a direct threat to the regions energy supplies and security. CIA director declines to confirm Iran could threaten U.S. in 6 months CIA Director John Ratcliffe declined to confirm whether Iran could have developed a missile capable of striking the U.S. within six months. He told lawmakers Wednesday that while the threat is real, no specific timeline was provided. Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ratcliffe said an unconstrained Iran could have produced missiles with a range of about 3,000 kilometers enough to reach parts of Europe. Advertisement Advertisement He also warned that continued advances in booster technology could eventually enable Tehran to threaten the United States. However, when pressed by Sen. Tom Cotton on whether that capability could emerge in as few as six months, Ratcliffe didnt confirm the timeline, saying only the concern was valid. His comments come as Trump administration officials previously told congressional staff in private briefings U.S. intelligence did not indicate Iran was preparing a preemptive strike against the U.S. Gabbard deflects as Democrats push for answers on Iran Democratic senators pressed Gabbard over the war with Iran, including whether she warned Trump that Tehran could move to block the Strait of Hormuz if attacked. Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard repeatedly declined to detail what intelligence she shared, frustrating Democrats who used the rare public setting to push for answers on the escalating conflict. When asked directly by Warner whether she had advised that Iran might retaliate by targeting Gulf nations or shutting down the vital oil route, Gabbard sidestepped. I have not and wont divulge internal conversations, she said, adding that the intelligence community continues to provide the president with its best objective assessments. The exchange comes as Trump urges allies to help secure the critical waterway, while voicing frustration that NATO and other partners have largely rejected those calls. Advertisement Advertisement The annual hearings are unfolding amid heightened scrutiny of the U.S. military campaign in the Middle East and growing concerns about potential threats at home following recent attacks in Michigan and Virginia. Iran confirms killing of intel minister Iranian state television has confirmed the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Khatibs killing an unfair assassination. The U.S. sanctioned Khatib in 2022 for alleged cyber-related activities against the U.S. and its allies. CIA director disagrees with official who resigned over Iran war In an exchange with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe said he disagreed with Joe Kent, who resigned from the National Counterterrorism Center over the war in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Kent said Tuesday that he could not support the war, and Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. Is there anything to indicate that Iran had ceased in its nuclear ambitions or in its desire to continue to build ballistic missiles capable of threatening American troops and allies in the Middle East? Cornyn asked. Ratliffe responded, No, in fact, the intelligence reflects the contrary. So you disagree with Mr. Kent? Cornyn asked. I do, Ratcliffe said. Iranian regime appears intact but largely degraded: US intel chief Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says the intelligence community assesses that the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran have diminished the regimes power, but it remains capable of attacking allied interests in the Middle East. The regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities, she said Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Its conventional military power projection capabilities have largely been destroyed, leaving limited options. Irans strategic position has been significantly degraded. She continued: Even so, Iran and its proxies remain capable of and continue to attack U.S. and allied interests in the Middle East. The IC assesses that if a hostile regime survives, it will seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its missiles and UAV forces. Trump to waive Jones Act requirements for 60 days The Trump administration on Wednesday announced a 60-day waiver of Jones Act shipping regulations to help ease deliveries of fuel and fertilizer to combat rising prices and supply disruptions caused by the conflict in Iran. It applies to goods shipped between U.S. ports to be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels. The 1920s law, designed to protect the American shipbuilding sector, is often blamed for making gas more expensive. The move comes as global oil prices have spiked after Iran halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the worlds oil typically passes from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide. Swedish citizen executed in Iran, Sweden says Iran executed a Swedish citizen on Wednesday, Swedens foreign minister said. The person, who was not named, was arrested in Iran in June of last year and Sweden has repeatedly raised the case with Iranian officials, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said. Stenergard condemned this decision. The death penalty is an inhumane, cruel and irreversible punishment. Sweden, together with the rest of the EU, condemns its application in all circumstances, Stenergard said. The legal proceedings leading up to the execution did not meet the standards of due process, she added. US intel officials testify about Iran war, threats to US Top Trump administration intelligence officials testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee at its annual hearings, which examine worldwide threats to the U.S. The other officials testifying include CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, National Security Agency chief Lt. Gen. William Hartman and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. James Adams. The back-to-back congressional hearings starting Wednesday are expected to focus on the war with Iran, including a deadly strike on a school, as well as the FBIs capacity to prevent terrorist attacks inside the U.S. From left, FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Intelligence Agency Director James Adams, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Acting Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command William Hartman, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe are seated before the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings to examine worldwide threats on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Qatar blames Israel for attack on natural gas field shared with Iran Qatar on Wednesday blamed Israel for an attack on an offshore natural gas field it shares with Iran. The accusation came from Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatars Foreign Ministry. The Iranian side of the field, the South Pars field, came under attack Wednesday and was burning. Al-Ansari called the attack a dangerous & irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region. Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as well as to the peoples of the region & its environment, he wrote on X. We reiterate, as we have repeatedly emphasized, the necessity of avoiding the targeting of vital facilities. We call on all parties to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, & work toward de-escalation in a manner that preserves the security & stability of the region. Iran threatens energy assets in 3 countries after attack on its gas facilities Irans state television published a threat Wednesday, saying the Islamic Republic would be attacking oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The threat resembled other attack warnings put out by Iran during the war, copying the style used by the Israeli military. Iran specifically threatened Saudi Arabias Samref Refinery and its Jubail Petrochemical Complex. It also threatened the UAEs Al Hasan Gas Field and the petrochemical plants and a refinery in the Qatar. It comes after Iran said its South Pars gas field and associated infrastructure came under attack earlier Wednesday. Iran wants to move its World Cup matches to Mexico The public wrangling between Iran, FIFA, and Trump over the narrative of playing in the World Cup has shifted to Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday seemed open to a suggestion by Islamic Republic diplomats that Irans games in June be moved to her country. The Iranian ambassador and embassy in Mexico City said the country was negotiating with FIFA to move Irans three group-stage matches from the U.S. to Mexico after Trump last week discouraged the team from attending the 48-nation tournament, citing safety concerns. It was already unclear whether such talks were even happening before FIFA said such unprecedented changes in World Cup history werent planned to a match schedule agreed three months ago. Trump will attend second dignified transfer Trump is set to pay his respects on Wednesday at a Delaware military base when the remains of six U.S. service members killed in the crash of a refueling aircraft are returned to their families. It will be the second time since launching the war on Iran on Feb. 28 that the president will attend the solemn military ritual known as a dignified transfer, which he once described as the toughest thing he has had to do as commander in chief. All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington state. The crash brought the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members. About 200 U.S. service members have been injured, including 10 severely, the Pentagon has said. Iranian state media says natural gas facilities attacked Facilities associated with Irans massive offshore South Pars natural gas field came under attack Wednesday, state media reported. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency reported on the attack targeting facilities at Asaluyeh in Irans southern Bushehr province. They did not immediately elaborate. Iran shares the offshore field in the Persian Gulf with Qatar, which it has repeatedly attacked during the war, along with other Gulf Arab nations. It wasnt clear if Israel or the U.S. had carried out the attack; however, the U.S. has been operating primarily in southern Iran. The U.S. previously attacked Irans Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, its main oil terminal. At least 8 killed in Iran courthouse airstrike At least eight people were killed in an airstrike on a courthouse complex in Irans Larestan County on Wednesday, according to Mizan, Irans official judiciary news agency. The head of the Fars province judiciary told Mizan that one lawyer, six clients and a member of the judicial staff were killed. But the agency reports the exact number of those killed and wounded is not yet known. Allies should step up to help secure Strait of Hormuz: Trump President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised the question of what would happen if we finished off whats left of the Iranian Terror State, suggesting that other countries should take responsibility for protecting the Strait of Hormuz. He added that such a move would force non-responsive Allies in gear, and fast!!! Trump took to social media as he continues to press allies to help safeguard the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway. NATO has rejected Trumps calls to help secure the strait from Iranian attack. Israel says Iranian intelligence minister killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was eliminated in an overnight strike Wednesday, according to Israels defense minister. There has been no confirmation from Iran regarding the reported death. The strike follows the deaths of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards all-volunteer Basij force. Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib attends the inauguration ceremony of the 6th term of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran, Iran, May 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File) Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts, without elaborating further. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Khatib in 2022 over the intelligence ministry engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies. Khatib was a Shiite cleric who worked in a variety of positions in Irans judiciary and the Intelligence Ministry. He served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and was wounded in combat. Dubai intercepts Iranian strikes In the Gulf, United Arab Emirates air defenses intercepted incoming Iranian missiles and drones. Authorities in Dubai confirmed all threats were successfully neutralized, with no injuries reported, and urged the public to follow official updates. Iraq resumes exports of Kirkuk oil via Turkey Iraq said Wednesday it has resumed oil exports from fields in the city of Kirkuk through a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The development came after the Iraqi government reached a deal with the autonomous Kurdish administration north of the country, the Iraqi oil ministry said. The move avoids the Persian Gulf altogether; the ministry said it will initially export 250,000 barrels per day of crude oil. The war in the Middle East and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz have severely impacted Iraq, where the economy depends overwhelmingly on oil. Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut leaves 10 dead, dozens wounded Lebanons health ministry reported that 10 people were killed and 27 wounded in airstrikes that began around midnight. More than 900 people have been killed and 2,000 wounded in Lebanon since the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, the ministry said. Iran: Civilians and judicial staff hit in targeted attack Irans judiciary reported Wednesday an enemy attack killed and wounded civilians and judicial staff in the countrys southern region. The site in Larestan County in Irans Fars province, was targeted in an attack by the enemy, the judiciarys Mizan news agency reported. A number of staff members and civilians were martyred and injured, the exact number is still unknown, the agency reported. Mizan described the site as a judicial complex, hit during working hours. The agency later blamed the airstrikes on the U.S. and Israel. Drones intercepted over Riyadh Saudi Arabias defense ministry says its forces shot down a second drone Wednesday over the capital of Riyadh. The drone was approaching the citys diplomatic quarter, where the U.S. embassy and other foreign missions are located. Earlier Wednesday, the ministry reported it had destroyed a drone headed for its diplomatic quarter. Israeli strikes in central Beirut leave residents unsettled Israeli strikes overnight against central Beirut have destroyed the illusion of safe areas in the capital, residents and first responders said. In the renewed fighting with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israel has concentrated most strikes where the group has a strong presence in southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs. But several attacks early Wednesday hit city center neighborhoods, some without warning. Today, Beirut is no different from the southern suburbs, fire brigade Capt. Neshat Berri said in the Bachoura neighborhood, where emergency crews dug through rubble. Near a building damaged by a strike in the Basta neighborhood, resident Hassan Jaber said there was no safety. We will continue to be exposed to this. Beirut is no different (from other areas), he said. May God protect us. Israeli strikes kill 2 in Bekaa Valley Israeli airstrikes Wednesday killed at least two people in Lebanons western Bekaa Valley, Lebanons health ministry said. The strikes in the town of Sohmor also reportedly wounded at least six others. Islamic, Arab foreign ministers to discuss regional security Saudi Arabia on Wednesday will host a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries as the Iran war shows no sign of abating. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the meeting in the capital Riyadh will include a discussion of means to support regional security and stability. Gulf Arab states have repeatedly come under fire from Iran, increasing anger at Tehran as well as the U.S. and Israel for launching the war. 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. Localised air quality monitoring networks are helping communities to protect residents health and gain a greater understanding of how air pollution is impacting our lives, according to a new analysis. The report by the American Lung Association argues community-based air quality monitoring reveals pollution patterns traditional networks cannot capture and can help support local clean air initiatives. It examines six communities impacted by distinct pollution sources and their successful efforts to track this pollution locally. Advertisement Advertisement These include projects Albanys South End in New York and West Oakland, California, where monitors have been deployed monitors near freight corridors to detect harmful pollutants to advance policies that reduce emissions and improve health. The study also examines how communities in Montana and Methow, Washington implemented air quality sensors to detect wildfire smoke and take action to protect the health of residents, with a special focus on children. And it looks at how communities in Commerce City, Colorado and Louisville, Kentuckys Rubbertown implemented monitoring projects, which revealed evidence of exposure to toxic air pollutants. According to the new report, while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) monitoring network remains the foundation for enforcing air pollution standards, it does not always capture pollution trends at the hyperlocal level. Advertisement Advertisement It says this information is especially important for communities near busy highways and major industrial sites and in wildfire-prone regions. As a result, many communities are strengthening their ability to measure and respond to air pollution through collaborative partnerships which use low-cost sensors, mobile monitoring, and other research instruments that translate data into tangible protections. The American Lung Associations assistant vice president of nationwide clean air policy, Will Barrett said air pollution impacts people where-ever they live, in an interview. Barrett added the current national air quality monitoring network is not designed to capture very local levels of pollution. Advertisement Advertisement He said many communities have started looking at ways to better understand the air they are breathing, and to help them develop strategies and solutions to reduce air pollution. Barrett added there are many low-cost air quality monitors now available to buy, which can be set up quickly and easily, which will allow families to monitor the situation in real time. He said any community or group interested in setting up their own hyper-local network needs to think about what kind of information they are looking for, who will use this information and for what purpose. Local monitoring can really provide location-specific data, which can help to protect your family, and explain the challenge to local policymakers, who might be sympathetic to what you are experiencing and in your shared community with them, Barrett told me. Advertisement Advertisement If community members are putting the monitors in place and using them to better explain what they are feeling on the other side of the fence line from a factory, it can be a very powerful tool. They can really help continue telling the story when there is an absence of federal, state or local oversight, he added. Shaina Oliver, one of the Colorado field organizers from the advocacy group Moms Clean Air Force, said quality monitoring is a necessity, in an email. Oliver added she and her children live in North East Denver, which has some of the worse ground-level ozone in the country and is frequently impacted by toxic air contaminants like tailpipe pollution, oil and gas pollution, and wildfire smoke Advertisement Advertisement Widespread access to local and accurate air quality data doesnt just empower communities to take better care of their health, said Oliver. It also makes it easier to advocate for clean air," she added. "Its much easier to talk to leaders about a problem when you can put numbers to it. Air monitoring helps us to make the best decisions we can for our families and to demand action when its needed. There are other examples of localised air quality monitoring networks around the world. In 2022, a network containing 225 sensors and which provides publicly available data on a street-by-street basis, was launched in the . Local colleges and universities are among 43 institutions awarded more than $1.7 million by Gov. Josh Shapiros administration to combat sexual assault on campuses. This third round of Its On Us PA funding will support education, awareness and survivor empowerment programs. The investment brings the administrations total spending on the initiative to nearly $5 million since 2023. The Its On Us campaign was originally created by the Obama Administration to teach students how to identify dangerous situations and intervene to protect their peers from non-consensual sex. Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe emphasized that violence prevention requires environments where students know help is available when they are in crisis. This is particularly vital on college campuses where many students are experiencing independence for the first time. Healthy relationships and violence prevention require safe communities where people of all backgrounds and communities know that resources and help are available when they have questions and when they are in crisis, Rowe said. The Its On Us PA campaign challenges all of us to confront the problem of sexual violence directly through awareness, prevention and support services for survivors. These efforts make a real difference in the lives of young people. The University of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County received $43,725 from the grant program. The university plans to expand its Help is Available awareness campaign into more physical spaces across its campus. It will also offer self-defense classes to the campus community and continue its weekly drop-in hours with a victim advocate from Pittsburgh Action Against Rape. Here are the other local institutions awarded funding by county: Allegheny County: La Roche University, $40,000 Duquesne University, $40,000 Community College of Allegheny County, $21,795 Chatham University, $40,000 Carnegie Mellon University, $50,000 Indiana County: Indiana University, $40,000 Lawrence County: Westminster College, $40,000 Westmoreland County: Seton Hill University, $37,975 Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Eight local teachers are part of the inaugural class of 12 instructors from around the state inducted into the Montana Digital Academy Teacher Hall of Fame. The Teacher Hall of Fame Class of 2025 includes Columbia Falls High School teachers Becky Bates and Jenny Lovering; Glacier High School teachers Aaron Denney, Adam Harbaugh, Stephanie Hill and Anthony Lapke; Flathead High School teacher Chris Putzler and Kalispell Middle School teacher Lynne Rider. The hall of fame honors teachers, who have served as the program's guiding light. The 2009 Montana Legislature established the distance education program in partnership with public schools. Public school teachers throughout the state teach Montana Digital Academy classes. Advertisement Advertisement The online academy is meant to supplement middle and high school curriculum offerings, particularly in rural schools that may not have the staff or funding to offer them otherwise, such as Advanced Placement or dual credit programs. Academy instructors must be employed by a Montana public school district. Most inductees are full-time classroom teachers or administrators in their local communities while simultaneously providing expert instruction through the academys distance learning program. Bates started teaching algebra at the academy in 2010 and, for the past 15 years, has served as the lead personal finance teacher. At Columbia Falls, Bates teaches business courses and is the Career and Technical Education department chair. Denney, a member of Glacier's International Languages department, has taught at the academy for 15 years. Denney teaches Spanish 2, serving as the lead teacher for eight years. Harbaugh teaches Spanish (including Advanced Placement and dual enrollment classes) at Glacier, where he is also an instructional leader. Harbaugh has taught at the academy for 10 years, where he is the lead Spanish 1 teacher. In addition, Harbaugh has worked with the academys credit recovery program, supporting students across a variety of subject areas. Advertisement Advertisement Hill is the lead French 2 and 3 teacher at the academy, where she has taught for 11 years. At Glacier, Hill teaches French 1, 2, and 3 (including Advanced Placement and dual enrollment classes). Lapke has taught at the academy since 2010 and is the lead Advanced Placement Calculus teacher. He is also a teacher representative on the academys governing board. At Glacier, Lapke teaches Individual Learning Pathway Algebra 1, Individual Learning Pathway Geometry, Individual Learning Pathway Algebra 2, Advanced Placement Calculus and Principles of Engineering. Lovering started teaching at the academy in 2013, starting with World History and switching to Advanced Placement United States History in 2019. Lovering is in her 26th year at Columbia Falls High School, where she teaches multiple psychology and American government classes, including Advanced Placement courses, and serves as the schools integrated technology specialist. Putzler, who has taught at the academy since its start, is the biology lead teacher. At Flathead, where hes worked for 26 years, he is the science departments instructional leader and teaches freshman biology and International Baccalaureate Biology 1 and 2. Rider has taught at the academy since its start and is the lead geometry teacher. She teaches math at Kalispell Middle School. In addition to teaching at the middle school level, Rider is a professor at Grand Canyon University, where she teaches graduate-level courses to students obtaining masters and doctoral degrees. A new effort to remove fluoride from public drinking water supplies in Louisiana would allow local residents to vote on the matter, though dental professionals say it would be a step backwards in health care. Changes made Wednesday to a bill Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, has sponsored would create an avenue for local elections to either add or remove fluoride. Fesis proposal was originally similar to one he authored last year that would have banned fluoride from all water supplies. It advanced from the Louisiana Senate before stalling in a House of Representatives committee. Fesi presented his new proposal Wednesday to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, labeling fluoride a hazardous waste that he blames for lowering the IQs of children and other health issues. Research backing those claims has been highly criticized by most recognized dental and public health organizations, who point to the extremely low levels of fluoride (0.7 parts per million) added to drinking water. Advertisement Advertisement The Louisiana Dental Association and other state health organizations oppose Fesis bill, noting that less than 40% of Louisiana residents live in water districts that add fluoride. They point to health studies that show improved long-term dental health in areas with fluoridated water. Fesi said he is perplexed as to why dentists continue to use fluoride in their practices and support adding it to water supplies. The senator indicated he would opt for health safety over healthy teeth. Whatever the reason the dental association doesnt want to treat cavities is unknown to me, Fesi said. An outright statewide ban on fluoride is the only way under state law to remove it from individual water systems, Fesi said. If a city or parish wanted to add fluoride back to their water, 15% of affected voters would have to raise a petition to put the question on an election ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Sen Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, argued areas that want to keep fluoride in their water should not be forced to mount a campaign to have it restored. With Fesis support, Boudreaux amended the bill to avoid a statewide ban. Instead, any locality that wants to remove fluoride would need to meet the same 15% threshold for a petition to hold a vote on the matter. Fesis amended bill was advanced to the full Senate. The 15% of voters needed for a successful petition is a lower bar than what Louisiana requires for efforts to recall elected officials, which have rarely been successful. The minimum signatures needed for a recall range from 20% in areas with 100,000 or more voters to 40% for locales with fewer than 1,000 voters. One of Arizonas prominent volunteer organizations has a new name and a renewed emphasis on healing. Free Arts AZ is now Art Heals AZ. The title is meant to place greater emphasis on the therapeutic power of music, theatre and visual arts, said CEO Matt Sandoval. As 12News reported last year, the organization teaches trauma-informed care to staff and 300 volunteer mentors. Children in the state's foster program participate in weekly classes at group homes, single-day events, and summer camps. Advertisement Advertisement Launched in the 1990s and sustained by small donors and wealthy philanthropists, including the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation, Art Heals AZ is built on the belief that art heals is not just a motto. Research suggests artistic endeavors lower cortisol levels and regulates the nervous system. The nonprofits Canvas of the Heart Podcast features stories of healing and growth, and gives potential volunteers and donors a glimpse into the world of art therapy. The nonprofit is working to expand into southern Arizona and is always looking for volunteers. Donors can also utilize Arizonas foster care tax credit Watch 12News for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app! Advertisement Advertisement The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. 12+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12+ app to add to your account, or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. CLEVELAND (WJW) Its the talk of the town! People across the area felt, heard and even saw what the National Weather Service believes was a meteor in the sky over Northeast Ohio Tuesday morning. Loud boom reported across NE Ohio: Heres what we know It was reported just before 9 a.m. The National Weather Service in Cleveland said on X that imagery does suggest the boom was the result of a meteor. Lucky for us, we live in the digital age, and weve compiled a list of videos viewers sent in. Advertisement Advertisement Check them out below! Olmsted Falls Cameras at the Olmsted Falls City Schools bus garage on Shady Road captured the meteor streaking across the sky. In other parts of Northeast Ohio, residents captured the loud boom on cameras. See below for more videos from FOX 8 viewers. Parma Stow Twinsburg Norwalk If you have pictures or videos, send them to tips@fox8.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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man wanted out of Louisiana was arrested by the New York State Police on Tuesday. On March 17, around 6 p.m., the State Police received an alert about a vehicle traveling on the Thruway that was associated with a wanted person in Louisiana. Shortly after, State Police from Troop E located the vehicle at a 7-11 near the Geneva Thruway. Troopers identified the driver as 23-year-old Ethan T. Middleton and arrested him. Inside the vehicle, in plain view, Troopers saw a sawed-off shotgun and an AR-style pistol, both loaded. Advertisement Advertisement Middleton is wanted in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, for attempted murder in the second degree, illegal use of a weapon or dangerous instrument, and aggravated assault with a firearm. Middleton was charged in New York with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, and driving while intoxicated. The vehicle was taken to Canandaigua, where police say a search warrant will be sought. Middleton was taken to Ontario County Jail, where he is being held on NY charges as well as a fugitive from justice pending extradition to Louisiana. 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 RochesterFirst. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A bill that would change the name of a bridge in the area to honor a 19-year-old who was killed in a crash was approved by Louisiana House lawmakers and now heads to the Senate. House Bill 354, authored by State Rep. Lauren Ventrella (R-Greenwell Springs), proposes redesignating Mangolia Bridge on Louisiana Highway 64 over the Amite River as the Caleb Easterling Memorial Bridge. It passed through the full House unanimously Wednesday. Calebs life was taken far too soon by a drunk driver. This is about making sure he is never forgotten. Grateful to his family for trusting me with this and grateful to my colleagues for their support and compassion, Ventrella wrote on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Becky Easterling, Calebs mother, told lawmakers in committee that the family seeks to honor her sons memory. Troopers reported that Easterling died from his injuries after a three-car collision on Louisiana Highway 64 near Louisiana Highway 1019 in Livingston Parish on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 12, 2023. A Baton Rouge man, William Cokes, was charged and later sentenced to 15 years after pleading no contest to a vehicular homicide charge. 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. Soybeans are collapsing on Monday, with midday losses of 50 to 61 cents in the front months as doubt is growing on additions Chinese purchases. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price is down 60 cents at $1.90 3/4. Soymeal futures are down $8.60 to $9.20 at midday, with Soy Oil futures were down 276 to 296 points. Crude oil is down $3.19 at midday. US Treasury Secretary Bessent and Chinese counterparts met this weekend in Paris to prep for the meeting between President Trump and President Xi later this month. Following the meeting it was noted that China was open to buying more US ag goods, specifically more non-soybean row crops, putting some doubts on another 8 MMT for the current MY suggested by President Trump last month. Late on Sunday President Trump stated there could be a delay in the meeting with China, while also expecting to see China help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, with some thinking that the two are tied to one another, though Secretary Bessent has stated they are not. More News from Barchart USDAs FGIS tallied soybean export shipments at 966,082 MT (34.5 mbu) during the week ending on March 12. That was 8.9% above the week prior and 45.4% larger than the same week last year. China was the top destination of 545,858 MT, with 224,944 MT headed to Egypt and 20380,194 MT to Mexico. Marketing year exports for 2025/26 are 28.06 MMT (1.031 bbu) since September 1, which is now 28.3% below the same period last year. NOPA data from this morning, showed a February record 208.785 mbu of soybeans crushed among members. That was up 10.57% from a year ago but down 1.52% from January. Daily crush of 7.46 mbu was a record for any month through NOPAs history. Soybean oil stocks were 2.08 billion lbs, a 38.37% yr/yr increase, with a monthly jump of 9.49%. Weekly CFTC data via the Commitment of Traders report indicated another 23,205 contracts added to the managed money net long in soybean futures and options. That took the net position to 222,107 contracts. Specs in bean oil added another 33,329 contracts to their net long at 108,838 contracts. Brazils soybean harvest was tallied at 61% complete by Thursday according to AgRural, behind the 70% pace from last year. May 26 Soybeans are at $11.64 1/2, down 60 3/4 cents, A state lawmakers proposal to close Louisianas child welfare agency has been put on hold while she and the head of that agency work on a compromise that will address the departments chronic issues. For years, Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, has been critical of the state Department of Children and Family Services and its inability to intercede in child abuse cases before they result in serious injury or death. She has authored a bill to abolish the department but agreed Tuesday to instead work with DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris to replace her proposal with one that directly addresses the agencys shortcomings without dismantling it. If the compromise requires new legislation, it has to be filed before the March 31 deadline for lawmakers to introduce new bills. Another option would be for Barrow to submit a substitute for her current proposal, which she said she was open to considering. Advertisement Advertisement Before agreeing to those next steps, Harris heard a bevy of bipartisan complaints from members of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare during a hearing on Barrows bill. Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, noted that legislation he sponsored in 2023, known as Ezekiels Law, was intended to improve investigations into child abuse cases. Its inspiration was the death of 2-year-old Ezekiel Harry, whose body was discovered a year earlier in a duffel bag placed in a trash can yards away from the Houma Police Department. Records show DCFS had been made aware of abuse concerns at the childs home in 2020. Fesis measure created the Partners in Protecting Children Subcommittee under the governors Childrens Cabinet Advisory Board. Its members include representatives of DCFS, police agencies, prosecutors and other interest groups, and they were tasked with making legislative recommendations to address longstanding child welfare concerns. Fesi said he was unaware how often or how many times the subcommittee has met since Ezekiels Law was approved. Harris confirmed the group has been meeting quarterly but has yet to produce any suggestions for lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks before the body of the Houma toddler was found, Baton Rouge authorities responded to the death of Mitchell Robinson III, attributed to a fentanyl overdose. DCFS had been alerted at least three times previously about the boy being in peril, including two instances when he was brought to a hospital unresponsive, treated with Narcan and released to his mother. Barrow said her bill is the culmination of years of frustration with Children and Families Services since the death of Robinson, who lived in her district. Other senators shared Barrows discontent. Sen. Thomas Pressly, R-Shreveport, spoke in an exasperated tone to Harris when she could not provide examples about best practices for responding to child abuse from other states. Advertisement Advertisement Someone has to be doing it better than Louisiana, Pressly said. Most committee members leaned toward having Barrow make adjustments to her bill rather than proceeding with the abolition of the department, though Sens. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, and Katrina Jackson-Andrews, D-Monroe, told Harris they would be willing to support Barrows legislation as is unless the secretary commits to working with Barrow on substantial changes for the department. Harris appeared before Jackson-Andrews and Barrow a week earlier at the meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, when the senators directed the secretary to revise the departments budget and ask for more resources to address child welfare. The committees chairman, Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, also encouraged Harris to identify ways her department could expand its capacity, rather than DOGEing your way to efficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Jeff Landry appointed Harris DCFS secretary last year, effective Aug. 1. She replaced David Matlock, a retired juvenile court judge. Her first two months on the job involved steering the governors One Door initiative, which moved Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from her agency to the Louisiana Department of Health and related employment and training programs to the state labor department. Harris began her reorganization of the child welfare division in October, starting with reassigning some 100 supervisors with office jobs to field work responding to abuse cases. The secretary also shifted the agencys abuse hotline from a team of 50 remote workers located across the state to a call center staff based at DCFS. Other than employees in the Baton Rouge area, all other hotline workers were reassigned to field work at regional offices. Jackson-Andrews said she has fielded more than a hundred calls, emails, texts and direct messages from DCFS employees unhappy with the reorganization. Records from the Louisiana State Civil Service show 80 employees from the departments child welfare division have resigned, retired or been removed from their jobs since Oct. 20, excluding temporary workers. Senators acknowledged the problems at DCFS predate the arrival of Harris. But some committee members were dismissive when the secretary touted new dashboards shes put in place for department staff to better track reports of child abuse and follow-up. Advertisement Advertisement Persistent pressure for change at the department comes after 53 child deaths were reported to the state last year, with 28 substantiated as abuse- or neglect-related. The total was down slightly from 2024 when 31 deaths were linked to mistreatment. So far in 2026, there have been 12 child deaths reported to the state, Barrow said Tuesday. A DCFS official said last week most of the investigations into causes of those deaths were still ongoing, though three have been confirmed to be the result of abuse. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (The Center Square) Louisiana lawmakers are pushing several laws meant to support and supercharge the states blue-collar workforce to meet the demands of the states economic comeback. Like last year's session included a "mini session" on insurance, this year's includes one on workforce development, Rep. Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, told The Center Square. The expected workforce demand is in the tens of thousands. Most are in trade jobs and construction. The expected demand is being met with changes to trade scholarships, school activities exposing students to blue collar opportunities, expanding the state's capacity to teach and train in those fields, and other efforts aimed at steering more students and workers into high-demand skilled trades. Advertisement Advertisement This is about anticipating increased demand, and making sure we're in position to meet it, Susana Schowen, secretary of Louisiana Works, told The Center Square. Schowenn testified before the House Education Committee on Wednesday, which heard several bills seeking to support those efforts. One of those measures, House Bill 807 by Rep. Ken Brass, would create a new Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System aimed at helping campuses recruit and retain the instructors needed to expand training in high-wage, high-demand fields. The bill creates a special fund that could be used for rapid-response instructor deployment tied to major economic development projects, recruitment incentives, contract instructors, salary supplements and accelerated program expansion, though it does not yet include a dollar amount. The bill passed the committee 13-1 with Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, voting against. College system officials said the proposal is meant to address a basic bottleneck: not a lack of student interest, but a lack of instructors qualified to teach the skills employers need. Dr. Chandler LeBoeuf, the systems vice president of education, said current higher education funding is not enough to meet the growing demand, especially when schools are competing with industrial employers that can often pay welders, line workers and other skilled tradespeople more than colleges can offer to teach. Advertisement Advertisement We just can't traditionally pay what they can make in that industry, LeBoeuf told The Center Square. Brass is the author of a couple of bills that seek to offer greater incentives for blue-collar workers in the state, including lowering the eligibility requirements for TOPS-Tech award, which would make the states workforce scholarship more accessible to students pursuing technical and trade credentials. Another bill by Rep. Chris Turner, R-Ruston, that would increase the award amount. House Bill 268 by Carver would require schools to give students earlier and more targeted exposure to high-demand careers. Many of those opportunities involve the skilled trades, Carver told The Center Square. With this bill we are seeking to develop a pipeline of Louisiana talent with our students. Advertisement Advertisement The bill requires certain career activities for middle school students to be tied to Louisiana Works priority sectors and requires at least one such activity before the end of fifth grade. Legislation aside, Louisiana Economic Development has made efforts to pursue similar objectives, collaborating with state agencies and companies alike in a whole of government approach. As previously reported, the agency has committed to funding workforce training centers in collaboration with major companies investing in the state, including Hyundai and Bulldog Microchips. The agency has tasked themselves with making sure the jobs brought by the major investments stay in the state and dont leave as soon as a project is complete. We want to create enough of a pipeline for them to go to another site in Louisiana to do the same kind of work, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois told a Senate committee on Monday. The agency's budget for next year includes $2.7M for educational workforce development initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement With these efforts comes a great deal of spending, some already budgeted for and some still to be appropriated. The bills expanding the TOPS-Tech awards are likely to carry a hefty price tag. According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, every 41 additional students who qualify for TOPS-Tech under Brasss bill would mean about a $100,000 annual increase in state general fund spending, though the office said it could not estimate the total cost because it is unknown how many more students would qualify under the expanded rules. Currently, there is no fiscal note for Turners bill that would increase the award amount. The workforce training centers to supply Hyundai and Bulldog Microchips with workers will be developed at no cost to the company. In the midst of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, blue-collar workers may be among those best positioned for the changes ahead. Carver said that he recently toured a facility in St. Tammany parish where he was told by an employer that "she would hire 100 welders right now." The skilled trades are booming as a result of the AI revolution, Schowenn said, though she added that she was not so pessimistic about white collar workers. A political action committee supporting Republican state Sen. Rick Edmonds' 5th Congressional District bid has created a campaign ad almost exclusively using artificial intelligence. The Louisiana First Victory Fund super PAC claims the TV ad "Shaken" is the "first-ever 100% AI-generated political advertisement to air on broadcast television is Louisiana." In the ad, AI-generated images that aren't real people dramatically fret over Edmonds' conservative platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana First describes the figures as "woke caricatures from blue-haired protesters and safe-space seekers to climate activists" who are "shaking" as the prospect of an Edmonds' victory. Louisiana First said it's investing $250,000 for the ad's rollout on broadcast and cable TV. The AI portion of the ad ends with a narrator who says, "You think liberals hate Rick Edmonds now; just wait until he gets to Congress." It ends with an actual photo Edmonds surrounded by family and supporters. A super PAC spokesman said Louisiana First created the ad because "in a crowded political landscape, being another 'suit in a field' doesnt cut it; we wanted this ad to stand out because Rick Edmonds is anything but ordinary." Advertisement Advertisement Others running in the May 16 Republican primary election include Board of Regents Chair Misty Cordell, state Rep. Michael Echols of Monroe and New Iberia state Sen. Blake Miguez. Louisiana Senate race: Julia Letlow poll has her leading Louisiana Senate race, Trump influence Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1 This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana super PAC uses AI for political ad supporting Rick Edmonds BATON ROUGE, La. (LSU Manship School News Service) Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said a federal data program that verifies citizenship status uncovered the 403 noncitizens registered to vote in Louisiana out of a total voting pool of 2.96 million, with 83 having voted in at least one election since the 1980s. The state used the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program for the first time this year after President Donald Trumps administration removed system fees. If you keep your voter rolls clean, thats the foundation of election integrity, Landry said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Landrys findings have come as the U.S. Senate begins debate this week on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (or SAVE America Act), a Republican bill that would require proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, REAL IDs or passports when registering to vote and picture IDs, such as a drivers license, when casting a ballot. Would you need a passport, REAL ID to vote if SAVE Act passes? President Trump has claimed that between 3 million and 5 million illegal votes caused him to lose the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and that tens of thousands of non-citizen votes in swing states handed the White House to Joe Biden in 2020. He is pressuring the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act to stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections. Voting rights advocates say his claims are greatly exaggerated and that the act could disenfranchise Americans who do not have passports or copies of their birth certificates or who have changed their names after getting married. Advertisement Advertisement We have a problem in this country already with voter participation, where about half our country doesnt vote, said Bruce Reilly, deputy director of Voters Organized to Educate and Voice of the Experienced, two Louisiana nonprofits focused on promoting social justice and democracy. So, you want to reduce that further in the face of a non-problem, an invented problem? According to the secretary of states election statistics, only 36.3% of Louisiana voters participated in the states last gubernatorial election in 2023. Landry said even a small number of ineligible voters could affect an election. Every ineligible voter that is on our roll and every time they vote it cancels out the vote of a valid voter, a person who is eligible to vote, Landry said. Advertisement Advertisement Landry said she was not surprised there are noncitizens registered to vote in Louisiana because voter registration is offered when a person fills out other state paperwork, such as in applying for a drivers license. If theyre getting a document put in front of them some of them may have just gone ahead and registered, Landry said. Concern about election integrity, especially non-citizen voting, has been an ongoing concern for Republican-led states and policymakers. But recent examinations by other states of non-citizen registrations closely track Louisianas results. Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said of the states 2.1 million registered voters, just one confirmed non-citizen was found, and that person had never voted. Advertisement Advertisement An audit of voter rolls in Georgia in 2024 found 20 registered non-citizens out of 8.2 million registrations. In 2024, Idaho discovered 36 very likely registered non-citizens in a total pool of 1 million voters. Montana recently found 23 possible noncitizen registrants in a voting pool of about 785,000. In 2024, Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order requiring all state agencies to include a written declaration on applications for public assistance and voter registration that only citizens are eligible to vote. Rep. Gerald Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, recently proposed a bill mandating the use of the federal citizenship verification program in Louisiana. Weve had an increasing number of folks come across our Southern border, and theres been a crackdown on that, Beaullieu said. If we have more people who are in our country illegally, you would think that you would more than likely have an uptick in activity with people trying to illegally vote. Whats in the voting bill that Republicans are pushing to the Senate floor Advertisement Advertisement The secretary of state had been hesitant to use the SAVE program in the past due to high costs $1.50 for every name examined but in his second term, Trump removed the transaction fee. If the SAVE America Act passes, states would be required to detect noncitizen voters by using either the federal program or other databases that cross-check Social Security numbers. Records from state agencies that administer identification cards and drivers licenses could also be checked. After the U.S. Senate failed to pass the act in 2025, Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, promised to bring the bill to another vote. Thune recently said there does not appear to be enough votes to break the filibuster in the Senate, a procedure that would require 60 of the bodys 100 votes. The Brennan Center, a nonprofit law and public policy institute, says 21 million U.S. citizens of voting age do not have ready access to documents proving their citizenship, and only about half of American adults have a passport. Advertisement Advertisement That group includes newly married women whose birth certificates may not align with their new names and prevent them from voting. The center said two-thirds of Black Americans and many young voters lack a valid U.S. passport or access to necessary documents. Louisiana voters can check and update their registrations at GeauxVote.com or via the GeauxVote mobile app. The deadline for voters to update their registration is 30 days before an election, if mailed to the secretary of states office, or 20 days before an election if done online. Educational videos regarding closed-party primaries are also available on the secretary of state website. 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. Kalispell City Council on Monday night held a sparsely attended public hearing on its new land use plan, which is intended to guide development over the next 20 years. City staff and a consulting firm spent the past year meeting community stakeholders and hosting open houses to encourage public involvement in the new land use plan, as required under the 2023 Montana Land Use Planning Act. A slew of written comments were submitted to City Hall over that time, but Mondays hearing saw little involvement from the public. I was expecting more people to come out here, I think we all were, said Councilor Jed Fisher. Now is the time to get involved ... [These are] some major things we are doing now. Advertisement Advertisement One public comment came from Kindee Nelson, a resident of Kalispells west end and frequent attendee of Council meetings, who asked Mayor Ryan Hunter to step aside from the upcoming vote on the land use plan. I feel he has a personal agenda, she said. Her request followed an accusation leveled against the mayor by Fisher earlier in the month. Fisher charged Hunter with helping to draft a letter from the Flathead Land Trust his employer urging the city to remove agricultural land used by sandhill cranes from its future growth plan. Hunter said he was not involved in writing the letter. The large chunk of the West Valley area lies outside city limits but within the citys planning boundary, and it serves as a migration stop for hundreds of cranes. Hunter initially supported the nonprofits request to strike the area, but city staff advised against it, saying the change would hinder development and undo extensive planning work completed in 2007. Advertisement Advertisement Hunter reached out to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for guidance. The agency sent a letter to Council on Monday recommending that the land be designated as an area of concern, identifying the site as an important stopover for tens of thousands of migratory waterfowl. If Council chooses to keep the area in its future growth boundary, the state agency recommended maintaining large lot sizes with only one house and restricting road building. Promoting high-density development would be incompatible with preserving the area, the letter read. Councilor Sam Nunnally on Monday asked Hunter to consider submitting to questioning from the city attorney to assure the public that there is no conflict of interest. I am not saying you are guilty of anything. I am not saying that. What Im saying is I think its an important step that we take, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Hunter said that he would be happy to involve the city attorney before the April 6 vote. REPRESENTATIVES FROM the Montana Department of Transportation and an engineering firm presented a plan outlining how access points to U.S. 93 between Kalispell and Whitefish should be managed. The plan intends to limit the number of entrances and exits onto the highway by consolidating them, such as by creating shared approaches along property lines. The document is needed to establish a clear plan because requests for highway access have increased along with the areas growing population, according to Jacquelyn Smith with Robert Peccia and Associates. Advertisement Advertisement Once adopted, the plan will guide where access points are placed as new development occurs, property ownership changes and funding becomes available, Smith said. COUNCILORS AGREED to fast-track the project to replace city well sites contaminated with what are colloquially known as forever chemicals. The plan would reduce downtime and limit impacts on the municipalitys water system by allowing the city to hire a contractor earlier than usual. The move is expected to shorten the construction timeline. The city has used the alternative method in the past, such as to hasten upgrades to the municipality's wastewater treatment plant. Advertisement Advertisement The city plans to drill two well sites to replace the Grandview Wells and Armory Well, which have consistently detected levels of per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, or forever chemicals, since they were tested in 2022. The Grandview Wells are currently being treated with a system installed in October 2024 that has effectively filtered out the chemicals, but this setup is only temporary. Public Works Director Susie Turner hopes to replace the wells before the resin in the filtration system needs to be changed out. Council also approved the final plat for a subdivision on the west side of town. JCM Development, LLC, requested approval of the Autumn Creek Subdivision that will consist of 28 lots on 8.5-acres along Hathaway Lane, north of U.S. 2 West. Advertisement Advertisement Hunter was the sole vote opposing the development, reiterating past concerns that it impeded on nearby wetland. During general public comment, Arthur Dunn a candidate for House District 6 urged Council to create a policy requiring the city to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. We need to enforce our laws, and we need to protect Americans that live in the Flathead, Americans that live in Kalispell. That's your duty, is to the citizens here, not to foreigners who are not supposed to be here, he said. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. CHICAGO Hours after winning the toughest race of her decade-long political career, Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wasnt easing up Wednesday morning as she looked ahead to November, when she could become just the sixth Black woman and the second from Illinois to be elected to the U.S. Senate. In heavily Democratic Illinois, Stratton, who hails from Chicagos South Side, enters the general election race as the prohibitive favorite to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, whose 30-year tenure ends in January. Her Republican opponent is former Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy of Springfield. Im going to work hard every single day to make sure that I can earn the support of those that perhaps were not with me in this primary campaign, Stratton told reporters before greeting commuters in the Great Hall at Chicago Union Station. And I want to represent all Illinoisans, and I want to take their voices with me. Advertisement Advertisement Strattons victory in Tuesdays Democratic primary also was a decisive one for billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker, who backed his two-time running mate with at least $5 million given to Illinois Future, an ostensibly independent political action committee staffed by veterans of his political operation. Her win further demonstrated Pritzkers primacy in Illinois Democratic politics as he pursues a rare third term as governor in November and considers a potential 2028 presidential run. With 93% of the estimated vote tallied, Stratton defeated five-term U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg by nearly 7 percentage points, 40.1% to 33.2%, in the 10-way race, according to unofficial results. Seven-term Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood finished a distant third with 18.1%. Stratton was also backed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who will become Illinois senior senator when Durbin retires. Stratton drew votes from across the state. More than half her total came from Cook County, but she carried at least 46 of Illinois other 101 counties, from the Wisconsin border to the Kentucky state line. The margin was notable given the financial firepower arrayed against her. Krishnamoorthi had stockpiled nearly $30.5 million the second-largest fundraising haul among federal candidates nationally this election cycle and spent more than $25 million on television ads that blanketed the state beginning last July. Outside groups aligned with his supporters added to that total. Advertisement Advertisement One of the more aggressive outside spending efforts against her came from Fairshake, a pro-cryptocurrency super PAC funded in part by donors who have also contributed to Krishnamoorthis campaign and supported President Donald Trump. While the Republican Senate primary was a relatively low-cost race with little outside spending, Stratton said shes prepared for whatever opposition might arise in the coming months. The outside spending from pro-crypto groups wasnt really about pushing back on industry regulations, Stratton contended, but rather because they know that Im somebody thats going to stand up for working families, stand up to Donald Trump. They clearly had the intention of trying to silence a voice like mine, she said Wednesday. And as I said last night, a voice like mine is not always represented in the United States Senate, but it should be. Advertisement Advertisement A Stratton victory in November would carry significant historical weight. More than three decades after former Illinois Democratic Sen. Carol Moseley Braun became the first Black woman elected to the Senate, Stratton would become only the sixth. She would join current Democratic Sens. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, who last year became the first Black women to serve concurrently. Stratton would help set a new record at three. And she and Duckworth, who is Asian American, would be the first women of color to represent the same state in the Senate at the same time. Making sure that our voices, the voices of our communities and the entire state, of course would be right at the center of policymaking is a big deal because its never happened before, and its going to bring a much needed perspective to what we need to do to move our party forward, to move our state forward and to move our country forward, Stratton said. Anyone looking for a clear sense of broader Democratic voter sentiment in Illinois primaries up and down Tuesdays ballot was likely disappointed as the outcome of each major race reflected a unique set of circumstances. But Stratton was confident her progressive platform which includes abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, immediately raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $25 per hour, establishing universal health care coverage, and aggressively confronting the Trump administration resonated all across the state in ways that many were very surprised by. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic voters want to know that somebody is going to fight for them, Stratton said. Democratic voters, and voters in general, are looking at Washington, D.C., and dont see their lives improving, regardless of whos in office. At Strattons election night celebration at CineCity Studios Chicago on the Near West Side, Pritzker took the stage to praise his longtime partner and their work together in Springfield. A lot of people have suggested this was personal to me, Pritzker said before Stratton gave her victory speech. They were right. It was. Should both win in November, Pritzker, who had a sometimes-tense relationship with Durbin, would have perhaps his strongest ally yet in Washington as he embarks on a third term and contemplates a White House bid. Stratton, who was a first-term state representative when Pritzker chose her as his running mate in 2018, said she feels no need to distance herself from the governor. Advertisement Advertisement What would be the reason for separating myself? she said, pointing to a record that includes raising the Illinois minimum wage to $15 per hour, bringing stability to the states chronically shaky finances, and making Illinois an island for reproductive freedom. Thats what people want to see. They want to know that their leaders are getting things done, Stratton said. When we ran, we ran saying were going to think big for Illinois, and were going to get big things done, and weve delivered. That is the blueprint for what we need in Washington. Still, Stratton and Pritzker may have some work ahead to consolidate support among Black voters, both in Illinois and nationally, after some of Kellys supporters in the Congressional Black Caucus criticized the governor for heavy-handed involvement on behalf of his former running mate. A last-minute dispute also shadowed the final days of the campaign, when Stratton claimed a posthumous endorsement from the Rev. Jesse Jackson. After conflicting accounts emerged, Jacksons son Yusef issued a statement Monday saying the civil rights icon and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition had begun but not completed an endorsement process before Jacksons death last month. Advertisement Advertisement In their concession speeches Tuesday night, both Krishnamoorthi and Kelly acknowledged Pritzkers influence on the outcome. Speaking to supporters in a Westin hotel ballroom on the Near North Side, Krishnamoorthi thanked county Democratic Party chairs across the state who had the courage to defy the party establishment and endorse the candidate with 29 letters in his name, along with 14 labor unions and his family. Though he raised roughly 10 times as much money for his campaign as either of the other top rivals, Krishnamoorthi said the nearly 90,000 individuals who contributed to his campaign committees over the past decade enabled me to compete against very wealthy interests. Kelly, speaking at the historic South Shore Cultural Center, returned to a theme she had sounded throughout the campaign that the dominance of big money in high-profile races discourages capable people from seeking office. It is hard to be, especially in Illinois, unbought and unbossed, Kelly said. Advertisement Advertisement Also seeking the Democratic nomination were Kevin Ryan, Steve Botsford Jr., Bryan Maxwell, Jonathan Dean, Sean Brown, Awisi Bustos and Christopher Swann. They accounted for 8.6% of the estimated votes counted. The scale of Tracys challenge in November was visible in Tuesdays turnout figures: Fewer than 600,000 ballots were cast statewide in the Republican Senate primary, compared with nearly 1.2 million on the Democratic side, according to unofficial results. The last Republican elected to the Senate from Illinois was Mark Kirk in 2010, and the GOPs last statewide victories came in 2014, when Bruce Rauner was elected governor and Judy Baar Topinka won the race for state comptroller. Tracys own record as state party chair offers little encouragement: He was ousted in 2024 amid factional infighting after failing to rebuild the Illinois GOP during his three-year tenure. His successor as chair, Kathy Salvi, lost the 2022 Senate race to Duckworth by more than 15 points; Durbin defeated his 2020 Republican opponent, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, by 16 points. Advertisement Advertisement Tracy drove three hours north from Springfield on Wednesday morning to attend a GOP unity breakfast in Naperville alongside other statewide and local Republican candidates and officials. Tracy, who lost a state Senate race as a Democrat in 2002 and finished third out of six in the Republican lieutenant governor primary race in 2010, painted himself as a moderate bridge-builder this election. In his remarks Tuesday night in Springfield, he said Stratton was out of touch with mainstream voters and called her the most extreme far-left U.S. Senate candidate in the states history. A lawyer and a member of the family that owns food redistributor Dot Foods, Tracy said he would self-fund to a reasonable extent and said he would attract financial support for his candidacy from outside Republican sources by running a great campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Ive been raising money for Republican candidates for the last 20 years, including as state chairman, and so I know theres resources in this state and nationally, Tracy said. With their help, well be competitive. GOP megadonors whove helped bankroll previous campaigns mostly sat out the primaries, and it remains to be seen whether any of them will open their checkbooks for the general election. _____ (Chicago Tribunes Gregory Royal Pratt and Talia Soglin contributed.) _____ Two-term Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton of Chicago defeated a pair of experienced members of Congress in Tuesdays Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat long held by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. The Associated Press called the race for Stratton just before 9:40 p.m., a short time after five-term U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and seven-term Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood conceded. Stratton will face former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy of Springfield in November. With 90% of the estimated vote tallied in the race for Illinois first open Senate seat in 16 years, Stratton had 40% of the vote to 33.2% for Krishnamoorthi and 18.2% for Kelly, with the remaining votes divided among seven other candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Strattons victory also marked a major win for Gov. JB Pritzker, who in 2018 chose the then-freshman state representative to be his running mate. The decisive win on Tuesday demonstrated the billionaire governors broader political influence as he seeks a third term in November and considers a potential 2028 presidential bid. Pritzker, unopposed in the primary race for governor, contributed at least $5 million to an ostensibly independent super political action committee, Illinois Future, which reported spending roughly $12.2 million to boost Strattons campaign. Tonight we showed whats possible when you listen to the people and give the people what they want, Stratton said in a victory speech shortly after 10 p.m. at her election night party at CineCity Studios Chicago on the Near West Side. Stratton thanked her family, her opponents in the primary race and Illinois voters, promising to be a fighter in Washington for all voters, no matter who you cast your ballot for. Advertisement Advertisement Stratton underscored her campaign pledge to push to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and alluded to community resistance to President Donald Trumps Operation Midway Blitz immigration enforcement crackdown and other aspects of the presidents agenda. Ive seen the very best of Illinoisans who have taken to the streets, stood up for their neighbors and refused to back down, she said. Together weve confronted one of the most frightening moments of our lifetimes, but despite the fear, we never lost sight of whats most important, and that is courage, she said. Courage inspired me to run. Courage powered this campaign. And courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trumps door. Stratton also had the backing of Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and if Stratton wins in November, the pair would be the first women of color to represent the same state in the Senate at the same time. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking before Stratton at her campaign celebration, the governor said, a lot of people have suggested this was personal to me. They were right. It was. Krishnamoorthi nodded to Pritzkers influence in the race as the northwest suburban lawmaker conceded, thanking county Democratic Party chairs across the state who had the courage to defy the party establishment and endorse the candidate with 29 letters in his name, 14 labor unions that backed his campaign, and his family. Although he raised about 10 times as much money for his campaign as either of the other top candidates, Krishnamoorthi said the nearly 90,000 individuals who contributed to his candidate committee over the past decade enabled me to compete against very wealthy interests. Only in this country could my story happen, Krishnamoorthi said. Only in this country could a kid like me serve in the halls of Congress. Now we must come together as Democrats and as Americans to make sure that we return to the principles that made us a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the world. Advertisement Advertisement While the three candidates largely aligned on many issues, the race fueled by tens of millions of dollars in campaign and outside spending exposed fissures within the states dominant political party, including how far to go in overhauling the federal immigration system in the wake of Trumps militarized enforcement crackdowns and how aggressively Democrats should embrace economic populism. Krishnamoorthi amassed about$30.5 million in his campaign fund, money he had stockpiled for years while representing a safely Democratic suburban district for a decade and preparing for a Senate run. The total ranked second-largest among federal candidates nationally this year, allowing him to begin running TV commercials across the state in July, months before his rivals. As Election Day neared and those funds dwindled, outside political committees funded at least in part by Krishnamoorthi supporters poured more than $11.6 million into the race. The vast majority was spent by a pro-cryptocurrency PAC, Fairshake, on ads attacking Stratton, but some was also spent on ads supporting Krishnamoorthi and, in an effort to drive Black voters away from Stratton, boosting Kelly. The most experienced of the top candidates, Kelly struggled to break through the bickering, a dynamic her campaign referenced in a closing commercial in which she knocked over a television playing dueling ads featuring Stratton and Krishnamoorthi slamming each other. Pritzkers full-throated support for Stratton, which some of Kellys backers in the Congressional Black Caucus decried as heavy-handed, revived past tensions over the governors maneuvers four years ago to oust the south suburban congresswoman as head of the state Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Kelly noted the role of big money in the campaign when she took the stage at the historic South Shore Cultural Center at about 9 p.m. and conceded the race. As she had throughout the campaign, Kelly bemoaned the big spending that dominates high-profile races, which she said discourages good people from running for or remaining in public office. It is hard to be, especially in Illinois, unbought and unbossed, Kelly said. Also seeking the Democratic nomination were Kevin Ryan, Steve Botsford Jr., Bryan Maxwell, Jonathan Dean, Sean Brown, Awisi Bustos and Christopher Swann. The accounted for 8.6% of the estimated votes counted. In heavily Democratic Illinois, where the last Republican elected to the Senate was Mark Kirk in 2010 and the GOPs last statewide victories came in 2014, Stratton will be the prohibitive favorite in the general election to replace Durbin following his 30-year tenure in the Senate. In a statement, Durbin said, I look forward to passing the torch to Juliana Stratton at the end Advertisement Advertisement of my term, and he called for Democrats to unite behind their nominee. In the GOP race, Tracy, whose tenure leading the state party came to an end in 2024 amid squabbling among various factions, led a field that also included attorney Jeannie Evans, a first-time candidate; Casey Chlebek, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP Senate nomination in 2020 and 2022; Pamela Denise Long; Jimmy Lee Tillman II; and R. Cary Capparelli. With 89% of the estimated vote tallied, The Associated Press called the race for Tracy, who had 40% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Unlike in the Democratic contest, the Republican Senate primary drew little outside spending. Advertisement Advertisement Well work hard every single day to win this open U.S. Senate seat for working families, Tracy said to his supporters at his election night party at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. With your help, well deliver that underdog victory in November that will shock the nation and make Illinois a better, more balanced state. While disputes over campaign contributions and spending from outside backers dominated debates and negative ads, the three leading Democratic candidates also staked out differing positions on several issues, most notably how to push back on the aggressive, sometimes deadly tactics of ICE and Border Patrol under Trump. Stratton called to abolish ICE, without offering a thorough explanation of what would replace the agency. Krishnamoorthi said he wanted to abolish Trumps ICE, a position he repeatedly noted he shares with Pritzker. Kelly, who introduced articles of impeachment against now-former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, called for a complete overhaul of the Cabinet-level agency. Economic concerns also loomed over the campaign as Democrats nationally sought to turn affordability issues that helped propel Trump back to the White House against the president and his party in the midterm elections. All three top candidates supported raising the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage. Stratton called for an immediate increase to $25 an hour a position her opponents, who supported a gradual increase to $17 per hour, said reflected naivety and a lack of Washington experience. Advertisement Advertisement The candidates also all called for changes to make health care more affordable and accessible, with Stratton and Kelly backing the so-called Medicare for all proposal and Krishnamoorthi favoring more immediate steps to shore up coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Trumps decision to go to war with Iran in late February thrust a new issue into the final weeks of the campaign, but it was one that saw little divergence among the candidates. All argued that it was an illegal action because Congress did not give authorization. _____ (Chicago Tribunes Jack OConnor and Rebecca Johnson contributed.) _____ Phillipston firefighter Ryan Levesque and Templeton firefighter Matt Demar are among the 33 graduates of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program. The graduates, who completed the program which was delivered on nights and weekends to accommodate their schedules, represent fire departments from 20 communities, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine said in the announcement. The 240-hour program covers a wide range of skills, including chemical and environmental emergencies, rescue operations, equipment maintenance and fire suppression tactics, according to the announcement. Graduates are now prepared for the diverse challenges they may face in their roles. The newest Phillipston firefighter Ryan Levesque. The training program is designed to make training more accessible to firefighters in suburban and rural areas, allowing them to practice skills with instructors and better preparing them for the demands of the job. Advertisement Advertisement The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, a division of the Department of Fire Services, has offered the program since 2003, with more than 3,000 recruits graduating since its inception, according to the announcement. The newest Templeton firefighter Matt Demar. What does the program entail? The program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and live firefighting practice. Students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack to graduate. Upon completion, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. They may also seek certification to the level of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials Operational Level Responder, according to the announcement. This story was created by Kimberly Green, KGreen@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Phillipston and Templeton firefighters among MFA training graduates MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) The Alabama Department of Corrections says a woman was arrested in Madison on Wednesday as part of an investigation into synthetic cannabinoids in state prisons. ADOC said Laquita Shanta Edwards was arrested and charged with trafficking after a search of her home on Honor Way in Madison. The department said that officers found 565.23 gross grams, or about 1.25 pounds of synthetic cannabinoid sprayed paper, envelopes, stamps, printer paper and printer ink in the search. Advertisement Advertisement Synthetic cannabinoids are a family of designer drugs that are chemically similar to THC and CBD found in cannabis plants, though the National Institute of Drug Abuse says they often have very different effects than those compounds. The institute said synthetic cannabinoids are typically added to liquid cartridges used in vapes or sprayed on a dry material for smoking. ADOC said the arrest is a part of an ongoing investigation into synthetic cannabinoids in Alabamas correctional facilities. The department said that Edwards was transported to the Bibb County Jail on a trafficking warrant. ADOC said additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues. 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 WHNT.com. A large water main break in Boston caused several businesses to be evacuated as crews worked to fix the flooding. The Boston Water and Sewer Commission alerted residents shortly before 4:00 p.m. to steer clear of Jackson Square as workers tried to get the flooding under control. BWSC investigating major water main break Columbus Ave near intersection Centre and Ritchie Sts Jackson Sq. Traffic impeded in all direction at intersection by flooding. BPD on scene rerouting traffic. Avoid area. Stay tuned for updates. BWSC (@BOSTON_WATER) March 17, 2026 Boston fire officials told Boston 25 News it was a difficult response because 3 separate daycares had to be evacuated and parents had to come and pick them up. Advertisement Advertisement The water main that broke is 36 inches in diameter and moves water from one side of the city to the other but not to individual customers, Boston fire officials said. Boston firefighters shared photos of Columbus Avenue completely coated in water. Things that sit in the ground for long periods of time dont always work the way we want them to, Boston Fire District chief Joseph Walsh said. He called the response due to the water and the daycares complicated. District Chief Walsh said they were making preparations for overnight work in the area. He finished, We expect the temperature to drop down low. So, were getting ready for icy conditions. We have DPW coming out. Theyll be on standby with sanders throughout the evening. 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 Soybeans are trading with 4 to 7 cent gains so far on Tuesday morning as new crop November us up 12 cents. Futures were down 60 to the 70 cent limit on Monday across the front months. Expanded limits of $1.05 are set for Tuesday. Open interest was down 21,862 contracts on Monday, mostly in May (18,356). The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 70 1/2 cents at $10.80 3/4. Soymeal futures were down $5.10 to $11.50 in the front months to close out the day, with Soy Oil futures down the 350 point limit through September. Crude oil was down $4.49 on the day. US Treasury Secretary Bessent and Chinese counterparts met this weekend in Paris to prep for the meeting between President Trump and President Xi later this month. Following the meeting it was noted that China was open to buying more US ag goods, specifically more non-soybean row crops, putting some doubts on another 8 MMT for the current MY suggested by President Trump last month. Late on Sunday President Trump stated there could be a delay in the meeting with China, while also expecting to see China help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, with some thinking that the two are tied to one another, though Secretary Bessent has stated they are not. More News from Barchart USDAs FGIS tallied soybean export shipments at 966,082 MT (34.5 mbu) during the week ending on March 12. That was 8.9% above the week prior and 45.4% larger than the same week last year. China was the top destination of 545,858 MT, with 224,944 MT headed to Egypt and 20380,194 MT to Mexico. Marketing year exports for 2025/26 are 28.06 MMT (1.031 bbu) since September 1, which is now 28.3% below the same period last year. NOPA data from Monday morning, showed a February record 208.785 mbu of soybeans crushed among members. That was up 10.57% from a year ago but down 1.52% from January. Daily crush of 7.46 mbu was a record for any month through NOPAs history. Soybean oil stocks were 2.08 billion lbs, a 38.37% yr/yr increase, with a monthly jump of 9.49%. Brazils soybean harvest was tallied at 61% complete by Thursday according to AgRural, behind the 70% pace from last year. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.55 1/4, down 70 cents, currently up 4 1/2 cents Ukraine's General Staff said that its troops had struck an aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia's Ulyanovsk Oblast, located about 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) deep inside Russia, on March 16. Building structures designed to hold aircraft and aircraft parking areas were hit at the Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant near the city of Ulyanovsk, the General Staff reported on March 18, citing its preliminary information. The General Staff does not elaborate on what weapons it used to strike the plant. Moscow has not reacted to the General Staff's report yet. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the General Staff's report. Advertisement Advertisement Ulyanovsk Oblast Governor Alexey Russkikh claimed that five Ukrainian drones were "intercepted and destroyed" by the Russian air defense over the region on March 16, making no mention of the aircraft manufacturing plant allegedly suffering a hit. Aviastar, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation, produces Il-76 MD-90A heavy military transport aircraft and Il-78M-90A refueling aircraft, as well as providing maintenance for An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft, according to the General Staff. The General Staff added that the company's premises sustained varying degrees of damage, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on March 16, citing an unnamed Ukrainian source, that the Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant was struck as media reports on it began surfacing on the internet. Advertisement Advertisement "The Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to strike key strategic facilities involved in supporting the Russian Federations military until the Russian Federations armed aggression against Ukraine is completely halted," the General Staff said in its Telegram post. Outgunned and outmanned on the front, Ukraine has attempted to slowly grind down Russia's war machine from afar, striking military targets and infrastructure supporting the Russian army mainly with its domestically produced drones. United Aircraft Corporation is a subsidiary of Rostec, a major Russian state aviation cluster. Rostec manages hundreds of Russian enterprises, such as Aviastar, manufacturing over half of Russia's weapons and military equipment and exporting high-tech products for the Russian military-industrial complex, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. Read also: Amid Iran war, Ukrainian drone makers fear Zelensky risks missing window of opportunity Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. There is a new push to address the housing crisis in New York City as Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed his plan Wednesday to make it easier for homeowners to turn extra space in their homes into rentable apartments. Ancillary dwelling units, or ADUs, are sometimes called granny flats and can be basement apartments, attic conversions, an attached addition, a detached backyard unit or a converted garage. Basically, they are anything that can be built on the same lot as the main house. Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Mamdani announced his plans to launch an online library of pre-approved ADUs, a cost-estimator, tools to cut red tape, financing up to $395,000, and a website called ADU for You. The city started taking applications again for the Plus One ADU Program that provides financial assistance to homeowners and pre-approved options meant to streamline the process. "It's certainly something that will help our broader housing challenges and it's specifically a tool to help homeowners who are struggling, help them afford the city and age in place," said NYC Deputy Mayor for Housing Leila Bozorg. ADUs, whether they are built in basements or on top of garages, are not cheap. They easily cost six figures and many properties don't quality. According to some, the rollout is short-sighted. Advertisement Advertisement "More housing is great, more flexibility for homeowners is great, but if we don't have the infrastructure to support that, it's madness...makes no sense," said NYC Councilmember Frank Morano. Morano represents part of Staten Island and he wants the city to make critical investments first. "Before we can talk about adding density, we need to add infrastructure, sidewalks, sewers, schools, mitigating traffic concerns, none of that is taken into account with the mayor's plan," Morano said. And while he's filed suit to gain more local oversight, the mayor hopes ADUs make living in New York City easier and more affordable. Advertisement Advertisement "By making it easier for New Yorkers to turn their homes into an extra place for a loved one or a little more income, we're allowing our city to grow while keeping the character of the neighborhoods we love," Mamdani said. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul tried, and failed, to pass legislation to incentivize municipalities to allow ADUs to be built in neighborhoods zoned for single families. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City 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. Police have arrested a man they say exposed himself to women at a park in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh police told Channel 11 on Tuesday that theyd received several reports of a man acting lewdly in different parts of Riverview Park, located in the Perry North neighborhood. That same day, police made an arrest in connection with the incidents, which reportedly happened between Friday and Sunday. Online court records show Jonah Roby, 33, is charged in four different cases, with offenses including indecent exposure, open lewdness and stalking. Advertisement Advertisement According to police paperwork, victims describe being in the park when a man in a vehicle approaches them. In two cases, Roby allegedly asked for directions before exposing himself. Officers reportedly conducted a traffic stop on Roby while he was leaving Riverview Park on Sunday, after his vehicle matched the description of one involved in the indecent exposure incidents. Police say Roby also matched victims descriptions of the suspect. During the stop, police say they found an open jar of lubricating oil inside Robys vehicle. Investigators note that Roby is a registered sex offender out of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Roby was released, and his car was towed because he did not have a valid license, records say. On Tuesday, police showed four victims an array of photos, including one of Roby. Three of the four identified Roby as the suspect, and a warrant was requested for his arrest. Court records show Roby is in police custody awaiting arraignment. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW NEED TO KNOW A man was arrested for trespassing after climbing into viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng's enclosure at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand on Tuesday, March 17 The zoo confirmed that Moo Deng and her family were "unharmed" following the incident in a translated statement shared on Facebook The zoos director, Narongwit Chodchoy, told the Associated Press that the intruder, from Thailand, who was initially charged with trespassing, had since been released on bail A man has been arrested after climbing into viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng's enclosure at a zoo in Thailand. On Tuesday, March 17, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province confirmed in a translated statement that at around 5:00 p.m. local time, a Thai national had trespassed into the beloved animal's enclosure. Advertisement Advertisement The zoo said that the individual was found to have taken advantage of the time when officials were performing their evening duties" before sneaking into the restricted area, per the post. In security footage obtained by the Bangkok Post, the man could be seen appearing to film or take photos of the pygmy hippos on what appeared to be a tablet, before climbing back out of the enclosure. Moo Deng had been in the enclosure with her mom Jona at the time of the incident, the Associated Press reported. Moo Deng is seen inside her enclosure with her mother in July 2025 Credit: Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP via Getty Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Authorities are reportedly investigating the mans motive, the zoo's statement said. Advertisement Advertisement The zoos director, Narongwit Chodchoy, told the AP that the man, who was initially charged with trespassing, had since been released on bail. Narongwit said that the man in question did not try and touch Moo Deng and her mother Jona, and that both the animals were safe, per the news agency. The zoo's statement shared on Facebook also confirmed that Moo Deng and her family "were unharmed." Autthapol Benz Nundee, Moo Dengs keeper, said of the incident, Fortunately, he did not get bitten, the Bangkok Post reported, citing a Facebook post. Moo Deng skyrocketed to fame in September 2024 after videos of her at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo spread on social media. Advertisement Advertisement She often receives visits from both national and international members of the public, per the AP. The entrance to Khao Kheow Open Zoo Credit: Carola Frentzen/picture alliance via Getty The zoo confirmed in Tuesday's translated post that, The veterinary team will closely monitor [the animals] behavior, following the trespassing incident. They added, The zoo would like to express its gratitude to all members of the public and fans who have continuously reported incidents and shown concern. Your cooperation is a vital source of encouragement for our staff to diligently care for the welfare of the wild animals. Moo Deng Credit: Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP via Getty The zoo then reminded visitors to strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for the safety of both themselves and the wildlife," adding, "If any risky behavior is observed, the zoo will take legal action without exception. PEOPLE has reached out to the Royal Thai Police and Khao Kheow Open Zoo for comment regarding the incident, but didnt immediately receive a response. Read the original article on People The defense attorney representing Demaurea Grant, the man charged with the 2024 murder of Jacksonville Sheriffs Office corrections officer Bradley McNew, is asking for the victims occupation to be excluded during the trial. The defenses argument behind the motion for limine regarding McNews occupation will be heard by the judge on March 27. Action News Jax spoke with Chris Carson, a criminal defense lawyer not affiliated with the case, who told us its unlikely the judge will grant the request. Advertisement Advertisement He said that its up to the judge to decide if the prejudicial effect of the evidence McNews job in law enforcement outweighs its relevance. In October 2024, Grant was arrested for the murder of McNew after investigators said he shot and killed him outside of a Loves gas station. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Reports say that McNew approached Grant after seeing that he had thrown the woman he was with, Makayla Huggins, to the ground following an argument. Investigators say that Grant shot McNew as he was driving away. Huggins pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact in April 2025. She has not yet been sentenced, according to court records. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Grant was arrested the day after the shooting in North Carolina following a nationwide manhunt. He has been at the Clay County jail since May 2025. Advertisement Advertisement His trial is set for November. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A 30-year-old man has been charged with murder after the fatal shooting of 51-year-old Billyjack Curtis in Augusta, state police said Wednesday. Edward Longley of Skowhegan was arrested Wednesday afternoon, at approximately 2:14 p.m., state police said in a statement. He is charged with murder and elevated aggravated assault in connection with a Feb. 2 shooting on Flagg Street in Augusta. Longley was transported to the Somerset County Jail, where he is being held without bail. Advertisement Advertisement Curtis, an Augusta resident, died from his injuries. An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be gunshot wounds and the manner of death to be homicide. A second victim, a 40-year-old Brunswick woman, was also injured during the shooting, state police said. She was taken to local hospitals and later released, and is currently recovering from her injuries. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A 23-year-old central Minnesota man has been charged in a stabbing that left the victim with life-threatening injuries. Christian Ray Denio, of Motley, is accused of stabbing a 53-year-old man with whom he shares a last name, though the criminal complaint does not specify their relationship. The Morrison County Sheriffs Office says it received a report around 7:15 a.m. Sunday of a person who had been stabbed in a home off Cherry Lane in Scandia Valley Township, about 20 miles northwest of Little Falls. Advertisement Advertisement A deputy who was first to arrive to the scene found the victim laying on a bed as a family member applied pressure to several stab wounds, including to his chest and face, according to the complaint. Witnesses stated that the man was stabbed multiple times by Denio, who had fled from the home, but was eventually located and arrested at a nearby gas station. According to the complaint, Denio agreed to give a statement, saying he drank alcohol the night before and woke up angry about an allegation that the victim raped Denio's mother many years ago, believing nothing was ever done about it. Denio said he then grabbed a knife and went to the victim's bedroom, where he stabbed the man several times until other family members intervened. Advertisement Advertisement Denio faces first- and second-degree assault charges. He's being held in the Morrison County Jail. This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Officials are investigating after a man was found dead in the Quequechan River in Fall River on Wednesday morning. A person called authorities around 9:00 a.m. after finding the body in the river in the area of the Quequechan Trail. Responding police officers pulled the body out of the water. The Bristol County District Attorneys office says the man was fully clothed at the time of death. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is examining the body and the man will be identified after. Advertisement Advertisement Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit with the Bristol County District Attorneys Office and the Fall River Police Department are investigating the death. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A 30-year-old woman was stabbed on her way to a bus stop in an unprovoked attack in Elmhurst, Queens, according to police. The woman was stabbed in the hand and back at 94th Street and 23rd Avenue just before 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday, police said. The victim's family says the young mother is recovering in the hospital, but is in a lot of pain. She said it is hard for her to move her arm and back, where she suffered stab wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Her attacker, a total stranger, wore a ski mask and didn't utter a single word as he stabbed her on a street corner before sunrise. The unsuspecting woman was waiting to cross the street when he grabbed her from behind. Video shows the moments he plunges a knife into her repeatedly. "She called me saying mommy, I'm hurt. I've been stabbed," her mother said to Eyewitness News. The victim's frightened mother said the suspect apparently stalked her and attacked her without provocation. After the man grabbed the 30-year-old mother, he swung a knife at her seven times. The video shows him briefly walk away before running back to attack the bleeding woman more. Advertisement Advertisement The victim's neighbor takes the same route home from work. "I kept like looking around like back and forth because you know, it's very unexpected it can happen to anybody," Erick Zhagnay said. Her family says the attack should not have happened to the mother of three who was doubled over in pain on a cold street corner next to stunned onlookers. "My daughter is a good girl. She's serious. She has good friends. She doesn't have any issues with anyone in our neighborhood," the victim's mother said. The family said police recovered a knife at the scene, but are still looking for the suspect who was wearing all black and fled eastbound on 23rd Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement The victim's mother stressed how important it is for police to catch the attacker quickly, so he doesn't hurt any more innocent people. * 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. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) demanded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarify his "no quarter" comments, noting the phrase legally means killing enemy combatants instead of taking them prisoner. Kelly Questions No Quarter Comment On Monday, Kelly said in a post on X that Hegseth must explain his comments about U.S. military operations. "Secretary Hegseth needs to explain exactly what he meant when he said no quarter,'" Kelly wrote. Advertisement Advertisement He added, "It's well established that it means to take no prisoners to kill them instead of accept their surrender." Don't Miss: In a formal letter to the Pentagon, Kelly said the phrase carries a clear meaning under the laws of armed conflict and is explicitly prohibited. "Historically, and legally, it refers to a declaration by a military commander that no enemy combatants can be taken prisoner- that is, that they are to be killed rather than permitted to surrender," Kelly wrote. Advertisement Advertisement He added that declaring "no quarter" is banned under international agreements such as the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions and could constitute a war crime under the U.S. War Crimes Act of 1996. Kelly asked Hegseth to clarify whether his statement "we will keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies" reflected actual U.S. policy or rules of engagement. Trending: Own the Characters, Not Just the Content: Inside a Fast-Growing Pre-IPO IP Company The senator also asked Hegseth to confirm that U.S. operations will comply with international law and that service members have the duty to refuse unlawful orders. Secretary Hegseth needs to explain exactly what he meant when he said "no quarter." It's well established that it means to take no prisoners to kill them instead of accept their surrender. That is illegal under U.S. and international law, would put our servicemembers at greater pic.twitter.com/xRDBtb7lJX Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) March 16, 2026 USIran Conflict: Casualties, Spending And Intelligence Updates On Sunday, A senior White House official said the Pentagon expected the U.S. conflict with Iran to last several more weeks, with Americans facing higher energy prices. Advertisement Advertisement Kevin Hassett said the military estimated the operation could take four to six weeks and was progressing faster than expected. See Also: This Under-$1 Pre-IPO AI Company Is Still Open to Retail Investors Learn More Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized Pentagon spending after reports showed Hegseth oversaw $93 billion in one month, allegedly spent on luxury items rather than public needs. Hegseth also acknowledged that more American casualties were likely as operations continued, but said losses would strengthen U.S. resolve. He added the administration was monitoring reports that Russia had shared intelligence with Iran on U.S. military positions and said the U.S. was adjusting planning accordingly. Read Next: Blue-chip art has historically outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, and fractional investing is now opening this institutional asset class to everyday investors. Photo Courtesy: Mark Reinstein on Shutterstock.com Advertisement Advertisement Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga: This article Mark Kelly Demands Pete Hegseth Explain 'No Quarter, No Mercy For Our Enemies' Comment, Citing Potential War Crimes originally appeared on Benzinga.com Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is one of the Cheap Stocks to Buy for High Returns in 2026. On March 12, Reuters cited a Bloomberg report noting that Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is considering partnerships with Chinese automakers to inject cash into its underperforming European business. According to the report, the companys executives have talked with Xiaomi and Xpeng for potential investments. The report noted that the investments could include Chinese firms buying stakes in specific brands. Notably, management pushed back on the companys split rumors, calling them pure inventions. The executives noted that they always have discussions with other companies to improve customer options. Management noted that a complete breakup between the US and European arms is not an option. Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is a global automotive manufacturer headquartered in the Netherlands. The company produces passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and mobility solutions and operates both industrial manufacturing activities and a financial services division across major automotive markets in Europe, North America, and other regions. While we acknowledge the potential of STLA 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: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Maryland law enforcement leaders gained some national attention in their fight against a law banning formal agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week. Lt. Col. Allen West, the executive director of the national conservative legal nonprofit American Constitutional Rights Union, met with officials in Harford and Carroll counties Monday to discuss his concerns about the constitutionality of the bans. The visit coincided with recent progress toward legal action against the state law banning 287(g) agreements, which previously allowed local jails to transfer undocumented immigrants directly to ICE. Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, a Republican who is running for reelection, said that there are positive indications of legal action, and the sheriffs will be discussing options at a meeting this week. Advertisement Advertisement How can they make a law that says that a law enforcement officer cannot enforce a law? West asked during his meeting with Gahler and Patty Morin, the mother of Bel Air murder victim Rachel Morin, along with other local leaders, at the Harford County Detention Center. We will make sure that justice is served, and there will be no more Rachel Morins in the United States of America, he said. Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, who was raped and murdered on the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air in 2023, spoke in favor of 287(g) agreements. Morin said her daughters killer, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, of El Salvador, entered the country illegally before he killed Rachel. Democratic leaders have defended the ban. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks called ICE a murderous organization and said Maryland is protecting residents from brutal and unconstitutional policies. Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the agency is not focused on the worst of the worst and that Maryland is within its rights to refuse cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement West later met with Carroll County Sheriff James T. Jim DeWees, Carroll States Attorney Haven Shoemaker and Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins. DeWees and Jenkins are also Republicans running for reelection. Harford, Carroll and Frederick counties are three of nine jurisdictions in the state that had 287(g) programs prior to the state law prohibiting them, which was signed by Gov. Wes Moore on Feb. 17. The other counties are Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, St. Marys, Washington and Wicomico. Carroll States Attorney Special Counsel Allan Culver said West reached out and wanted to meet with the local officials to discuss their fight. He is so passionate about constitutional rights and making sure that constitutional rights are upheld, Culver said. It just goes to show you that its apparent across the country that what has been done is unconstitutional. Its just blatant. Advertisement Advertisement West formerly served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida and was the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. When asked about the constitutionality of the ban on 287(g) agreements, West pointed to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which gives federal laws authority over conflicting state laws. When you have a state like Maryland that is saying, We are not going to support federal immigration law, thats unlawful, West said. A cohort of Maryland sheriffs have met with federal partners recently to discuss any legal path forward to continue their relationships with ICE, Gahler said. Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis, who is running for reelection, recently said the sheriffs are very much interested in pursuing a lawsuit, but there is no clear path right now. ________ KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday declared a temporary pause in escalating fighting, two days after Kabul blamed Islamabad for a deadly airstrike in the Afghan capital that it said killed hundreds of people at a drug rehabilitation hospital. Both said they were suspending fighting before Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. The three countries have been trying to mediate a cessation of hostilities since Afghanistan and Pakistan renewed cross-border fighting in February, and had also been involved in helping broker a ceasefire between the two in October. The announcements came shortly after Afghan authorities held a mass funeral in Kabul for some of the victims killed in Monday's strike. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the suspension of strikes on Afghanistan would take effect at midnight Wednesday and remain in place until midnight Monday. Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms, Tarar said in a statement. However, he said that in case of any cross-border attack, drone attack or any terrorist incident inside Pakistan, the operations will immediately resume with renewed intensity. Afghanistan's government spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, didn't specify a time frame for the pause on the Afghan side. But he said that his country will respond courageously to any aggression in the event of a threat. Military installations targeted, Pakistan says Pakistan has rejected Afghanistans accusation that it targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, insisting its strikes in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan Monday had been against military facilities. It has dismissed Afghan claims of hundreds of people killed as propaganda. Advertisement Advertisement Monday's attack in Kabul was the deadliest in a conflict that has been escalating between the two neighbors since late February. Afghan officials have put the death toll at 408 people, with 265 wounded. The toll couldn't be independently verified. The fighting has seen repeated cross-border clashes as well as airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including several in the capital, despite international calls for a ceasefire. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven for militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially for the Pakistani Taliban. The group is separate but closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge. Mass funeral in Kabul Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday's mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn't be identified. Advertisement Advertisement Light rain fell as ambulances lined up outside the cemetery and began unloading dozens of plain wooden caskets. Some contained the remains of more than one person, Zaman said. The 2,000-bed Omid hospital was hit at around 9 p.m. on Monday. It had been renamed and expanded in size roughly a year ago from a previously existing treatment facility as part of the Taliban governments efforts to stamp out a significant drug addiction problem in the country. Afghanistans vast poppy fields have been the source of much of the worlds heroin, which in combination with decades of conflict and widespread poverty has fueled drug addiction that the countrys government has vowed to combat. The site, near Kabuls international airport, is adjacent to a former NATO military base, Camp Phoenix, where U.S. forces used to train the Afghan National Army. It wasnt immediately clear what was now housed at the site. Advertisement Advertisement The strike caused an intense fire at the hospital, with footage from local television showing rescue crews combing through the wreckage with flashlights late into the night as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze. Pakistan warns Afghanistan to make a choice In an interview with The Associated Press in Islamabad earlier Wednesday before he announced the pause in fighting, Tarar said Pakistan had "only targeted terrorist infrastructure. We have just gone after the Afghan Taliban regime, their military setups, their terrorist infrastructure, and all the setups which are supporting or promoting terrorists, Tarar said. He told the AP that Pakistan's strikes have been very precise and these strikes were carried out in an ammunition depot in Kabul. In the aftermath of which, we saw fumes and flames in the atmosphere in Kabul." Advertisement Advertisement He said the subsequent loss of life, which he did not quantify, occurred because there was ammunition, there were technical equipment, there were arms there in that depot. Tarar said Pakistan has given a clear choice to Afghanistans government: Either you are with Pakistan or you are with the terrorists. So, they will have to make a choice, and they will have to make the choice very soon, he said. Bodies were still being pulled from the smoldering remains of the hospital on Tuesday morning. Mujahid, the Afghan government spokesman, condemned the strike, accusing Pakistan of targeting hospitals and civilian sites to perpetrate horrors. He said those killed were innocent civilians and addicts. Latest conflict began in February The fighting, the most severe between the two neighbors, began after Afghanistan launched cross-border attacks in response to Pakistani airstrikes about three weeks ago. The clashes disrupted a ceasefire brokered by Qatar in October, after earlier fighting killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan declared last month that its in open war with Afghanistan. The conflict has alarmed the international community, particularly as the area is one where other militant organizations, including al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, still have a presence and have been trying to resurface. ___ Munir Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Elena Becatoros contributed to this report from Athens, Greece. A Cambridge man has been indicted on charges related to sex trafficking four women in seven states, including one who he began trafficking when she was a minor, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office announced Wednesday. A federal grand jury indicted 36-year-old Daniel Rodriguez on charges including four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and single counts of sex trafficking a minor and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a press release. The multi-state sex trafficking operation Rodriguez is alleged to have coerced four women into being part of his sex trafficking operation between 2017 and 2025, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He tried to coerce a fifth victim in 2017, but failed. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez is alleged to have trafficked four of the victims in Massachusetts, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine between 2017 and January 2026, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He controlled the victims using physical violence, stalking, fraud and threats. In January 2026, one victim a 27-year-old woman tried to leave Rodriguezs operation, but he located her by posing as a sex buyer and forced her to return to Boston with him, the U.S. Attorneys office said. How Rodriguez was apprehended Rodriguez is alleged to have been trafficking the 27-year-old woman at various hotels in Massachusetts when police tried to pull him over for a traffic violation on Jan. 13, the U.S. Attorneys office said. As officers approached his vehicle, he sped away at 100 mph, leading police on a high-speed chase through Randolph. The chase ended when Rodriguez crashed his vehicle and ran away, leaving the injured victim behind, the U.S. Attorneys office said. She was taken to a hospital, but he sent an accomplice to pick her up later that day. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez began advertising commercial sex with the victim within hours of her leaving the hospital, the U.S. Attorneys office said. He was arrested in Middleborough on charges related to the police chase the following day. The charges against Rodriguez During his Jan. 14 arraignment in Quincy District Court, Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to charges including leaving the scene of a car crash involving personal injury, larceny over $1,200, negligent operation and driving with a suspended license, according to court records. The judge ordered him held on $20,000 cash bail and set conditions for his release, including wearing a GPS monitor. Rodriguezs bail was revoked during a Feb. 9 hearing after he violated his release conditions, according to court records. He has remained in state prison since then. Rodriguez is due back in Quincy District Court on April 16, and his bail status is set to be reviewed on May 7, according to court records. He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on the sex trafficking charges in the coming weeks, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez faces 10 years to a lifetime in prison, at least five years of supervised release and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines if convicted on the sex trafficking charges. More local crime stories Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. KIHEI Maui County is grappling with widespread damage and a prolonged recovery effort after a powerful Kona-low storm swept across Hawaii over the weekend, flooding neighborhoods, cutting off roads and straining already limited infrastructureeven as another storm threatens to slow cleanup and deepen the damage. The state Department of Transportations Highways Division is projecting $23.04 million in damage statewide, with roughly $7 million on Mauisecond only to Oahu, which has a larger, more complex highway system. The remaining estimates include about $2 million on Hawaii island and $35, 000 on Kauai, covering contractor response, debris clearing, rock removal, guardrail and sign repairs, bridge inspections, traffic signal fixes and road repairs. Maui County officials caution that the figures only begin to reflect the storms toll in Maui County, where widespread flooding and infrastructure damage across South Maui, Lahaina, Molokai, East Maui and Upcountry have left communities facing a recovery expected to last weeks or longer, with more rain threatening to compound already dangerous conditions. Advertisement Advertisement This is a countywide event, Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday. Theres damagesignificant damagethroughout the county, not in just one major area. From South Maui to Lahaina, and across Molokai, East Maui and Upcountry, crews are still working to assess the full extent of destruction. Lonokailua-Hewett said damage assessment teams are in the field alongside aerial reconnaissance units, including drone teams and support from the Civil Air Patrol, to map impacts and prioritize response. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami told the Star-Advertiser that seven county officials have been deployed to Maui to assist with recovery efforts. Preliminary reports indicate South Maui has been hit especially hard, with the highest volume of damage reports. Floodwaters left behind thick mud, silt and debris that continue to block access in some areas. Theres access points to allow people to get out, but theres going to be a lot of debris removal, mud and silt thats going to take a few weeks, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Kihei hit hard Along South Kihei Road, families are still cleaning up after floodwaters surged into homes Friday night. It was crazy, Latai Tongi, 21, said. The rain was coming, we knew there was a storm, but then all of a sudden it was slowly coming into our house. Thats not normal for us. Tongi said water began pushing up from the ground and into her fathers bedroom, eventually flooding the space. It just kept rushing into my fathers room, and everything flooded, she said. It wasnt just our houseit was the houses around us, their houses were flooding, too. Everyone was helping each other. Advertisement Advertisement As water levels rose, family members and neighbors moved between homes, trying to bail out buckets of water wherever it was worst. It was never ending, Tongi said. Up until midnight, it just didnt stop. Her sister, Naua Tongi, 18, said floodwaters rose higher than anything the family had experienced before. Weve had floods before, but its never been past our feet, said Naua Tongi, who stands about 5 feet, 7 inches. This time it was up to, like, mid-chin. The experience was frightening, Latai Tongi added, especially as the storm intensified. Weve seen bad storms, but this time was different, Tongi said. The wind was hard, the rain wasnt stopping. I was thinking, what are we going to do ? Advertisement Advertisement Naua Tongi noted that the damage was concentrated in their parents bedroom, where personal belongings were at risk. It was scary, she said. Everything my parents (worked for ), all their stuff was going to be washed out. Officials estimate debris removal alone could take two to three weeks, followed by a longer period of infrastructure repair. Full restoration timelines remain uncertain, as crews race to restore essential services like power and communications. . As of Tuesday afternoon, Hawaiian Electric crews were working to return power to about 1, 000 customers still without electricity. About 240 of those affected customers are in East Maui, where repairing roughly 20 damaged utility poles and multiple spans of downed lines could take several more days. Advertisement Advertisement We want to be able to restore 100 %power, telephone or cell coverageand were working really hard with our partners to ensure that happens as fast as we can, Lonokailua-Hewett said. The threat of additional rainfall later this week is complicating recovery and could worsen already dangerous conditions. Saturated ground across Maui has heightened the risk of flooding, landslides and further infrastructure damage. Although the worst of the storm has passed, forecasters with the National Weather Service say conditions will remain unsettled. The system expected to arrive Thursday is not forecast to be as severe as the weekends Kona low ; however, a wet pattern is expected to persist across the islands this week, with bands of showerssome heavy at timesmoving through the state. Winds are forecast to be lighter and variable through midweek before shifting to a more southerly flow later in the week. Saturated ground is a big concern, Lonokailua-Hewett said. The weather coming in will exacerbate what our situation is currently. Advertisement Advertisement County officials, according to Maui Mayor Richard Bissens office, have identified Lahaina, South Maui and Molokai as among the hardest-hit areas. Key roadways, including parts of South Kihei Road, remain partially closed, though crews are working to create limited access for residents. Cleanup is expected to take several weeks, with road repairs and full restoration potentially stretching into months. Officials cautioned that timelines could shift depending on the extent of underlying infrastructure damage, which remains unclear until debris is fully cleared. The storm also displaced residents, though many have since found temporary shelter with family or through community networks. At the height of the emergency response, more than 350 people sought refuge in shelters across Maui, with assistance from partners including the American Red Cross. The county is moving displaced residents into temporary housing, but ongoing housing shortages pose challenges for longer-term recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Ongoing Oahu risks Even islands that saw comparatively less-severe impacts are dealing with widespread, if less catastrophic, damage. On Oahu, Honolulu Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Molly Pierce said crews spent all of Tuesday conducting both in-person and virtual damage assessments across the island, including neighborhood windshield surveys, in which teams assess damage by looking out of vehicles to quickly identify flooding impacts, downed trees and minor rockfalls. Nobody got spared, Pierce said. Everywhere really took hits on this one. Teams were deployed to the North Shore and Windward Oahu, where flooding pushed water onto properties and into garages and carports. However, Pierce said fewer homes than initially feared appeared to have sustained flooding inside living spaces. Advertisement Advertisement We had a lot of flood damage on property but we didnt have a huge volume of homes reported to us that had water damage inside the living spaces, she said. With major roadways largely cleared, Pierce said the focus is beginning to shift toward secondary impacts such as debris removal, downed trees and potholes caused by saturated ground. Ive been driving around all day, and I can attest that Ive seen a lot of pothole patching that has been done, she said. Theyre working on it as fast as they can. Like Maui, Oahu faces ongoing risks as another storm approaches. Pierce warned that saturated soil increases the likelihood of falling trees, rockfalls and shifting ground, even in a weaker storm system, and urged residents to use cautionincluding avoiding potentially contaminated brown water after storms. Advertisement Advertisement Back on Maui, officials are racing to balance recovery with preparation as another round of rain looms. Crews are clearing drainage systems, lowering the water level in retention basins and pre-positioning equipment, even as resources remain stretched. Resources are stretched thin and everybodys working really diligently and really hard, Lonokailua-Hewett said. The (incoming ) storm will inevitably delay us as well. Despite the challenges, he emphasized the importance of community resilience as Maui moves forward. We live on an island. We know that we get storms, he said. We need to continue to prepare our families, prepare our homes and support one another. Were in this together.Staff writer Chloe Jones contributed to this report. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Recent measles exposures have been reported at two locations in Salt Lake County, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department. Heres a list of the exposures and time frames: March 10, 2026: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, 12:45 p.m. 7:30 p.m. March 11, 2026: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, 12:15 p.m. 7:30 p.m. March 12, 2026: Intermountain Health Salt Lake Clinic, 1:15 p.m. 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there have been a total of 443 cases of measles in this current outbreak, since June 2025. 246 of those cases have occurred this year and a total of 35 cases have required hospitalization. Measles spreads easily through the air and can make people very sick, an update from the health department states. Watch for symptoms: fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash. Statewide measles cases rise to 405, with over 200 in Southwest Utah If you develop symptoms, please stay home and call your health provider before visiting a clinic. If youve had the MMR vaccine, your protection is strongso theres no need to panic, the department said. This alert is meant to keep the community informed, not scare anyone. Advertisement Advertisement For exposure updates, visit the Salt Lake County Health Department website here. What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through the air through coughing and sneezing. The CDC said those infected wont see symptoms appear until about a week after infection, and common symptoms include high fever, cough, and a rash. Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin. Measles can cause serious health complications, especially for those who are not protected through the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Those complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis or brain swelling, seizures, and death. Advertisement Advertisement The measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Getting vaccinated According to DHHS, 90% of Utahns are vaccinated against measles and experts are urging those who are not vaccinated to get the MMR vaccine. Utah State Epidemiologist Leisha Nolan says that the most effective prevention against the measles is vaccination. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 910 newly confirmed measles cases throughout the United States in 2026, associated with five new outbreaks and other outbreaks that started in 2025. In 2025, a total of 2,280 confirmed measles cases were reported by 45 jurisdictions in the United States and among international visitors to the U.S., according to information from the CDC. There were three measles-related deaths last year. Advertisement Advertisement CDC data also indicates that there have been 47 measles outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) in 2025. In comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024. According to a study conducted by the DHHS, immunization rates with specific vaccines have decreased amongst kindergarteners throughout Utah since 2014. Amelia Salmanson, a measles epidemiologist with the DHHS, told ABC4.com that anyone who is exhibiting measles symptoms or is sick should do their best to stay home and away from others. They can also call ahead when seeking care so clinics can prevent spread in their waiting rooms. Latest headlines: Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A total of 85 new measles infections have been confirmed in Utah over the past two weeks, indicating that its spreading faster. The state has reached 443 cases since the outbreaks early days in June 2025. More than half 246 were from the first two and a half months of 2026. Measles is spreading fastest in Utah County, just south of Salt Lake City and home to Brigham Young University in the city of Provo. Health officials report 25 cases there in the past two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement TWO WEEKS AGO: Utah measles cases climbing over past 2 weeks as Arizona outbreak slows The outbreak originated along the Utah-Arizona border in a community of fundamentalist LDS followers. The Utah town of Hildale and neighboring Colorado City on the Arizona side of the border are known for antivaccine sentiments. From there, cases started popping up in the nearby towns of St. George and Hurricane. Now, its in the states urban centers. An NBC report late last week indicated childhood vaccinations in Washington County, where St. George is located, arent high enough to stop the spread. An NBC investigation in September found the rate among kindergarteners there is 79.2%. In Salt Lake County, its 92.6%. Advertisement Advertisement Health officials say an immunization rate of 95% is needed to achieve herd immunity. Experts say measles is so contagious that it will find 95% of unvaccinated people in a given population. The map below shows the number of cases in Utahs health district jurisdictions since the beginning of the outbreak. The Southwest Utah area includes five counties: Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane and Washington. The spread of measles has declined, nearly to a halt, in northern Mohave County, Arizona. Only two cases were confirmed in the past two weeks. >>Download the 8 News Now Vegas streaming app Metro Las Vegas has had a few brushes with out-of-state residents with the measles traveling to Harry Reid International Airport to catch a flight. And last week, a person who was in town to attend the ConExpo show at the Las Vegas Convention Center was confirmed with measles, possibly exposing others March 6-8. Advertisement Advertisement Only one infection involving a Clark County resident has been confirmed during the Utah-Arizona outbreak. Despite the low level, health officials are watching the situation. Last week, Nevadas threat classification for measles was raised to Tier 3: Warn, according to a report from the Nevada Hospital Association. 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. Starting January 1, 2027, Arkansans on Medicaid will officially have new community engagement requirements. The new requirement is part of President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill and requires people to work or serve 80 hours a month to be on Medicaid. They need to be either employed, participating in some type of training program or involved in education [or] school, or doing some type of community service or volunteering, said Mary Franklin with the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS). Advertisement Advertisement According to Franklin, these new requirements will apply to those between the ages of 19 and 64. DHS wants to make sure everyone on Medicaid is aware and prepared for the new requirements that is why theyll begin outreach and testing their own systems as soon as this summer. In Arkansas we are planning to soft launch this program in July with the goal to educate our clients about what the requirement is, Franklin said. There are exceptions in the bill for caregivers, people with disabilities, disabled veterans, and those who are pregnant or postpartum, among other things. While those are some of the exceptions, one policymaker in D.C. feels that it doesnt go far enough and should include more people. Advertisement Advertisement What we're asking for in Arkansas is the governor to exempt people with HIV from the work requirements, Carl Schmid said. It's not that we don't want them to work, but it's that you have no choice. Schmid is the Executive Director of the HIV and Hepatitis Policy Institute. He said that while many with HIV can and do work, others face barriers due to their condition and being taken off Medicaid would be disastrous for the 6,000+ people in Arkansas who have the disease. Medicaid is just so important for people living with HIV, Schmid said. Around 40% of people with HIV in the United States get their health care through Medicaid. Thats what's keeping them alive. Advertisement Advertisement Schmid has written a letter to DHS asking them to consider a blanket exemption for people with HIV. Meanwhile, DHS plans to roll out a new website this summer with more information on the new requirements and exemptions. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) This years Clark County Youth Mayor, a local fifth grader, is a strong advocate for kids mental health resources and awareness. Each year, the Nevada Institute for Childrens Research and Policy team up with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to elect the Clark County Youth Mayor as part of their Step Up for Kids program. >>Download the 8 News Now Vegas streaming app The Strong Start Youth Mayor program gives fourth and fifth-graders the opportunity to run for Clark County Youth Mayor. Around 6 candidates are selected to campaign for the position on social media and in person at an annual Step Up for Kids event to voters aged 17 and younger. Advertisement Advertisement The elected mayor holds the position for a year, and the other candidates have the option to be a part of the Youth Mayor Council. This year, the mayor is fifth grader Sophia Schafer. She became the countys mayor last fall, and she explained to Anchor Sherry Swensk that the programs goal is to educate kids about the political process, as well as leadership and speaking skills. Sophia Schafer is Clark Countys newest Youth Mayor. Photo Credit: Melissa & Jesse Schafer Sophia Schafer is Clark Countys newest Youth Mayor. Photo Credit: Melissa & Jesse Schafer Sophia Schafer is Clark Countys newest Youth Mayor. Photo Credit: Melissa & Jesse Schafer Sophia Schafer is Clark Countys newest Youth Mayor. Photo Credit: Melissa & Jesse Schafer I always loved politics because I wanted to make a change for everyone and I thought that making all of these big decisions is so important, Schafer added. Her priorities as youth mayor? My priorities are access to mental health resources and awareness, positive role models, affordable after-school activities, and a safe and loving family environment, Schafer told Swensk. Advertisement Advertisement When asked why she thought it was so important for kids to have good mental health, Schafer talked about how your mental health can affect your grades in school. It can affect it in a positive way or a negative way, Schafer said. And I feel [like] your grades arent your future, but it is a big part of your future. Her advice for the next Youth Mayor of Clark County? Pick priorities that are important to you, and that can benefit the kids of the county. As part of her reign as mayor, Schafer has helped organize both a toy distribution and a turkey distribution. In addition, Mayor Schafer has plans to film a PSA commercial. Advertisement Advertisement Step Up For Kids program brings people together to show support for investments in children and families. Participants in the program include child advocates, politicians, parents, and kids. The program includes events held across the county to raise awareness among voters and political candidates regarding the issues American children face, such as access to early care and learning, after-school programs, poverty, child abuse and neglect, and health care. To learn more about the program, visit this website. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Lansing A group of Michigan Democrats has asked the Republican chairman of the state House Oversight Committee to investigate the relationship between sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. In a letter to Oversight Chairman Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, seven Democratic members of his committee cited a trove of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice and allegations that Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, used the northern Michigan arts school to "prey on girls." "It is our collective duty to ensure the safety of all children who have attended or will attend Interlochen by investigating these allegations to ascertain whether children attending this esteemed academy were exposed to Jeffrey Epstein, the extent of Interlochens awareness and response and how it intends to protect children from sexual predators," the Democrats' letter said. Advertisement Advertisement Maureen Oleson, director of communications for the Interlochen Center for the Arts, said the nonprofit organization "has fully cooperated with all requests" related to federal investigations. "We take these matters very seriously," Oleson said. "We would respond to any additional inquiries from elected officials or oversight bodies as appropriate and remain committed to transparency." The center previously released a statement, saying it had conducted an internal review and found "no record of complaint or concern about Epstein." "We are appalled at what we have learned about the scope of conduct by Epstein and his co-conspirators, and we expect that a more comprehensive understanding of the full scope will continue to evolve," the center's past statement said. Advertisement Advertisement The center, which is located on 1,200 acres in Grand Traverse County, is home to summer arts camps and what it describes as the "nation's premier arts boarding high school." The center's website says it's "the global destination for artists and arts enthusiasts of all ages." Documents related to Epstein and released by the federal government last year included a lawsuit that claimed he met his first known victim at Interlochen in the 1990s. Epstein attended Interlochen in the summer of 1967 and was a donor to the organization from 1990 to 2003. His giving included the donation of a cabin on the campus that was referred to as the Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge," the House Democrats said in their new letter. "Documents and survivor accounts appear to show that Epstein utilized the lodge on numerous trips to Interlochen over the 1990s," the letter said. Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, Epstein died in jail in New York after being charged with sex trafficking. The Democrats' letter said the House Oversight Committee should "utilize all necessary powers and processes to examine and investigate the Interlochen Center for the Arts and its relationship with Jeffrey Epstein." During a Tuesday House Oversight Committee meeting, DeBoyer acknowledged he had received a letter from Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, and others regarding an investigation request. DeBoyer said there would be a discussion in the coming days about how to move forward. Later Tuesday, House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said he wasn't aware of the request and would have to look at it. Advertisement Advertisement Asked by a reporter whether it would be concerning for a pedophile to have a relationship with a school, Hall replied, "I am not familiar with what the subject is. So I'd have to look at it." cmauger@detroitnews.com Staff Writer Sarah Atwood contributed. This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan Democrats request probe into Epstein's ties to Interlochen It's only been a couple of weeks, but the war in Iran has roiled markets. Oil prices have spiked, and investors are contending with a new source of uncertainty as the trajectory of the war and its impact on the global economy are difficult to predict. 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 President Trump has promised that the war will end in weeks, but Iran may not cooperate with that goal, and the Middle Eastern country has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, which is the main reason oil prices have soared. The situation hasn't just upset the U.S. economy. Markets around the world have been shaken by the war. Arguably, nowhere has been more impacted than the Asia-Pacific region, which counts on the Persian Gulf region for most of its oil. In fact, more than 80% of the oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) leaving through the Strait of Hormuz is going to Asia, and the bottleneck is critical for markets like Japan and South Korea. Approximately 95% of Japan's oil and 70%-75% of South Korea's oil comes through the Strait of Hormuz, meaning the spike in prices and the supply shortage are having a significant impact on those countries. Japan and South Korea have begun releasing their strategic oil reserves and are taking other measures to ensure they have adequate energy access. Stock markets in both countries have plunged in response to the crisis in Iran. However, South Korean stocks have been hit especially hard in the wake of the war's outbreak. Image source: Getty Images. The South Korean juggernaut The South Korean stock market, or Kospi, has been one of the best-performing in the world in recent years. South Korea is home to leading technology companies like Samsung and SK Hynix, top memory chipmakers that have benefited from the boom in demand for AI chips. Additionally, leading automakers and EV makers like Hyundai and Kia have driven a surge in the Korean stock market, and corporate governance reforms have boosted investor confidence in the country. Even after soaring, South Korean stocks still trade at a discount compared to their U.S. counterparts. As a result, the Kospi has more than doubled over the last year, despite the recent pullback. Even after a rebound this week, as of Tuesday, the Kospi is down 10% from where it was before the Iran war started. 1 ETF poised to pop if oil prices fall Few stocks have fallen as much on the Iran crisis as those in South Korea, but the dip looks like an opportunity if the Strait of Hormuz reopens in a reasonable time frame. A Millcreek Township long-term care facility was cited twice by the Pennsylvania Department of Health after a patient suffered a broken hip, a torn wrist ligament and went into shock when a nursing assistant improperly tried to lift them out of bed. The resident was hospitalized for 10 days. Greenfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation, 1521 W. 54th St., was cited for failing to keep the patient free from abuse and neglect, and keeping them free of accident hazards. Advertisement Advertisement "I was lifted up and fell out of the lift," the resident told a state health inspector. "I hit the floor hard and got a terrible gash to the back of my head." The incident occurred Sept. 29 but the citations were issued following a Jan. 27 inspection, the results of which the state health department published on its website in early March. Greenfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation, 1521 W. 54th St., was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for dropping a resident, causing them to suffer a broken hip and to go into shock. Nineteen citations have been filed against the Millcreek Township long-term care facility in 2026. It is the latest in a series of incidents at Greenfield that have resulted in state health department citations. It received 19 citations in January, and six more in November and December. No fines or licensure status changes for the facility have been issued, according to the state health department website. Previous violations included residents lying in their own urine Citations reported in the past year include: Advertisement Advertisement Repeatedly not having enough nurses or nursing assistants working. Not emptying a resident's bedside commode for more than 13 hours, despite that it was filled and its lid had fallen onto the floor. Residents lying in bed, soaked in their own urine, despite pressing a call bell for more than an hour. Not strongly enforcing the facility's nonsmoking policy for a patient on supplemental oxygen. Residents not given pain medications in a timely manner. Patient care staff working while wearing ear buds or talking on their cell phone. Greenfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation, 1521 W. 54th St., was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for dropping a resident, causing them to suffer a broken hip and to go into shock. Greenfield officials did not return repeated calls seeking comment on the citations. The facility was cited in connection with the patient's fall because only one nursing assistant using a mechanical lift was attempting to transfer them from a bed to a wheelchair. State health codes require two people to assist when a resident can't help themselves. The employee involved received a disciplinary action and the staff was "re-educated" on the proper use of a Hoyer lift with two assistants, according to the inspection report. Many violations are due to a lack of staffing Greenfield officials did not explain in the report why only one staff member was attempting to lift the resident, but many of the 19 citations issued in January deal with a lack of staffing at the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Many, but not all, long-term care facilities in Erie County and across Pennsylvania are struggling to meet updated staffing levels for nurses and nursing assistants. Since July 2024, facilities have been required to provide at least 3.2 hours of direct, daily care to each resident. The staffing minimums for nursing assistants are now one for every 10 residents during the day, one for every 11 in the evening, and one for every 15 overnight. The minimums for licensed practical nurses are one per 25 residents during the day, one per 30 in the evening and one per 40 overnight. Also, there needs to be at least one registered nurse for every 250 residents. Tips for selecting a long-term care facility If you have a parent or spouse who will be moving into a long-term care facility, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging's long-term care ombudsman offered several tips for selecting a facility: Advertisement Advertisement Look at publicly available information such as health inspection reports and reviews. Talk with people in your community about their experiences with a facility. If at all possible, make sure you make a site visit and see the place for yourself. To contact your local ombudsman, call (814) 459-4581 ext. 593 or email them at ombudsman@gecac.org. Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com or by calling 814-870-1736. (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PA Health Dept. cites Millcreek nursing home after patient fall An effort is underway to help a Minnesota man hospitalized in Vietnam after he fell from a second-story balcony. Cole Voller was backpacking in the southeast Asian country when he suffered "traumatic injuries throughout his body" in the freak fall on March 7, according to a GoFundMe created by friend Aubrey Wiles. The injuries included a "major brain bleed, multiple spinal, scapular, and collarbone fractures, and several cracked ribs," per the fundraiser, and he required "life-saving surgery." Cole Voller, left.GoFundMe (GoFundMe) He is currently hospitalized in Da Nang, where is awaiting medical clearance to return to Minnesota, where he will require further medical treatment. Advertisement Advertisement "Cole is currently facing a long road to healing, with significant medical bills and ongoing rehabilitation," the fundraiser reads. "Every donation will go directly toward covering his medical expenses. "Any support means the world to Cole and all of us who care about him." Voller's Facebook page lists him as a native of Ramsey, Minnesota, and a graduate of Anoka Senior High School. This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) The Mississippi Senate is giving it another shot to try and get bills to reform the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) of Mississippi across the finish line. The same bills died earlier in the session, including a cash infusion to help pay down on approximately $26 billion of debt. The Senate added the six bills to a House bill through an amendment, which passed on March 17, 2026. Some of the reforms include lowering the years of service to start drawing full retirement benefits from 35 years to 30 years for employees hired under Tier 5. Advertisement Advertisement Mississippi Senate advances bill for additional tax credits State Sen. Daniel Sparks (R-District 5) said the return to work would allow retired employees to come back to work and potentially make up to 80% of the money for the job while receiving their retirement benefits. It would not interfere with their retirement. This is something that across the board would be beneficial, because institutional knowledge would return to the classroom and into the field, said Sparks. Anyone who has retired and wants to return to work has to wait 90 days under current law. The Senates proposal would allow retirees to come back to work after 30 days. Advertisement Advertisement The Houses proposal would only allow retired teachers to return to work while receiving PERS benefits. Its up to lawmakers to try and reach a deal in the final weeks of the session. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is asking for the publics help in the search for a woman from Charleston, Missouri, who has been missing since August. Amber Drury, 38, was last seen on August 30, 2025, and was last known to be at a Walmart in Ozark. She also goes by the names Amber Gordon and Amber Cates. Amber Drury (Courtesy: Missouri State Highway Patrol) Amber Drury (Courtesy: Missouri State Highway Patrol) Amber Drury (Courtesy: Missouri State Highway Patrol) Advertisement Advertisement Amber is a white female who is 5-feet-7-inches, 150 lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She also has many tattoos, with the most notable being a tattoo of a heart with a blood drop on her right cheek and a tattoo in scripted font of the word Rhyder on the right side of her neck. Anyone who has information on Amber Drurys whereabouts is urged to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrols Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 5735266178. 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. Monroe police officers uncovered a suspected drone-assisted drug smuggling operation during a traffic stop on Tuesday morning. Investigators believe the suspects intended to use the technology to deliver the drugs into a correctional facility. ALSO READ >> Drone drops steak, crab legs into prison yard, but guard finds it first Officers stopped two men from Ohio around 9:30 a.m. near the intersection of Hanover Drive and Williams Road after noticing the vehicle had a fake license plate. Advertisement Advertisement Dalontae Harris Spears, 31 and Myles Summerville, 33, told police they were traveling from Ohio through Monroe on their way to South Carolina to go dolphin watching. During a search of the vehicle, the officer found a large quantity of marijuana and THC crumble wax alongside a drone and fishing line. A closer inspection of the materials revealed an oddly wrapped package hidden inside the crumble wax. Once the package was opened, officers discovered individually wrapped bags of marijuana, cardstock paper soaked in cocaine and a large bag of fentanyl. Both men were taken into custody at the Union County Detention Center. They now face multiple charges, including trafficking in fentanyl and trafficking in cocaine. Other charges include felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. VIDEO: SC fights rising drone contraband drops at prisons with high-tech unit Even before the New Hampshire House failed to meet its deadline to vote on dozens of bills last week, Speaker Sherman Packard was in a tight spot. On March 10, Republican Rep. Travis Corcoran, of Weare, had taken to X to add this revolting nugget to the New Hampshire political conversation: We need a final solution for theater kids in politics. While fully abhorrent as a general, standalone post, Corcoran was directly responding to an invitation from a fellow lawmaker, Manchester Democratic Rep. Jessica Grill, who was trying to get people together for a bipartisan karaoke night at a restaurant near the State House. Grill is Jewish, and apparently Corcoran decided it wasnt enough to reject her wide-open invitation by ignoring it. He needed to reference Adolf Hitlers final solution of the Jewish question. The murder of millions. Systemic annihilation. The Holocaust. All because she had the audacity to invite people together for something light, something fun and apolitical, amid so much heaviness. Advertisement Advertisement Grills invitation went out on March 9. Corcoran broadcast his depravity the next morning, and that night House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson condemned Corcorans frequent use of antisemitic and racist rhetoric without consequence. Finally, after lunchtime on March 11, Packard broke his deafening silence by way of an emailed statement: The recent rhetoric shared by Rep. Corcoran is deeply inappropriate and has no place in the New Hampshire House, the speakers statement reads. Any language that invokes violence, hate, or intolerance is unacceptable by any member. What is appropriate for Republicans, it seems, is to overwhelmingly vote for policies that are in full alignment with the far-right, racist movement that Corcoran represents. The same day that Packard issued his condemnation, House Republicans passed House Bill 1706 (of which Corcoran is the prime sponsor) to repeal the states refugee resettlement program. Every single House Democrat rejected the measure, but only eight of the 178 Republicans who cast a vote broke with their party. Eight. Advertisement Advertisement What the bill essentially does is reject full federal funding of the program granted through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which is then administered by the state Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health Access. The state partners with two main resettlement agencies, Ascentria Services for New Americans and the International Institute of New England, and last year assisted 189 people with housing and employment, as well as health, education, and other services. Its important to understand that were talking about refugees: People who cant go home because of the risk of persecution or death. Importantly, they undergo up to two years of vetting before theyre resettled. This is not a Biden- or Obama-era program. It is a system that has been in place since the end of World War II. Last year, New Hampshire welcomed new residents from more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Venezuela. Now, the vast majority of the states Republican caucus wants that assistance to end. America First, with a twist of the knife. To be clear, New Hampshires push to repeal the resettlement program is in line with desires of President Donald Trump, who on the first day of his second term issued an Executive Order aimed at realigning the United States Refugee Program. The effect was not so much realignment as suspension of the program. Advertisement Advertisement When the administration got around to welcoming the first small group of refugees after the order, which happened in May, the choice was very much on brand for this White House: about 60 white Afrikaners from South Africa. Two months later, the administration capped refugee admissions at 7,500 for fiscal year 2026 a record low. The cap was less than a tenth of its previous level of 125,000, the Council on Foreign Relations reports, with most slots reserved for white South Africans. You see, its not just about the number of refugees; its about who and from where. Its about what they look like. Corcoran, the sponsor of New Hampshires resettlement program repeal, has clearly made no effort to hide his racism. Advertisement Advertisement Co-sponsor Rep. Mike Belcher, a Wakefield Republican, calls diversity programs evil and is also trying to dissolve the Office of Health Access, which helps all residents find health care and disability services in addition to administering the states refugee program. The Concord Monitor reported last week that another co-sponsor, Rep. Matt Drew, a Manchester Republican, referred to the states nonprofit resettlement partners as parasitical. Co-sponsor Rep. Jason Osborne, the House majority leader and Free State Project figurehead, also has a predilection for racist rants. This is not just, as Packard said, language that invokes violence, hate, or intolerance. It is language that expresses allegiance with a global movement of hate that is now directly shaping policy in New Hampshire, and with overwhelming Republican support. Advertisement Advertisement Im glad the House speaker got around to condemning Corcorans words. I really am. But I wish he and other Republican leaders in the state, from the governor on down, were as committed to rejecting the policies born of that same hate and intolerance. Its hard not to draw conclusions about why they wont. In the wake of the devastation suffered by the groups, who are some of the most significant figures remaining in Hamas and Hezbollah? More than two years of conflict marked by heavy Israeli airstrikes, ceasefires, ceasefire violations, and subsequent reprisals have taken a significant toll on the leadership of Iranian proxy terror organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. In the wake of the devastation suffered by the groups, the following are some of the most significant figures remaining in the two organizations. Hamas leadership Following the Israel-Hamas War, which began on October 7, 2023, Israel decimated Hamass leadership. High-profile killings have included arch terrorists Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammad Sinwar, and others. Advertisement Advertisement In Gaza, the current highest-ranking member of Hamas is Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who is one of the remaining masterminds of the October 7 massacres in southern Israel. Haddad is the current chief of Hamass so-called military wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, which he assumed command of following the death of Mohammad Sinwar. Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of the northern Gaza brigade, and alleged replacement for Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT) Aside from Haddad, however, the majority of the terror groups senior leadership resides in Doha, Qatar. There, Hamas has a five-person ruling committee. The head of the committee, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, leads Hamass Shura Council, the groups main authoritative body. Darwish assumed the position in mid-October of 2023, after the IDF killed his predecessor, Osama al-Mazini, less than two weeks after the start of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the committee, has served as the groups chief negotiator and as the leader of its delegations in indirect talks with Israel. Another member of the council is Khaled Mashaal, widely regarded as one of the groups most significant remaining leaders. Mashaal, who led the group from 2004 to 2017, is often the Hamas leader interviewed by media outlets and representing the group at major events. In February, Mashaal, at an Al Jazeera Forum, reiterated the groups rejection of disarmament, a key stipulation in the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Zaher Jabarin, another member of the council, leads Hamass Financial Bureau as well as its West Bank operations. Advertisement Advertisement He also heads Hamass Office of Martyrs, Wounded, and Prisoners and is a key member of the groups negotiation team. The final member of Hamass five-member leadership council is Nizar Awadallah, who has been in Qatar since before the start of the war. Awadallah is a long-time member of the group and was close to its co-founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Hezbollah leadership At the head of Hezbollah is Secretary General Naim Qassem. Qassem was selected to lead the terror group after his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut in late September of 2024. Under his leadership, the group, after sustaining heavy losses in infrastructure, leadership, and fighters from a year of IDF military action, signed a ceasefire with Israel a month later. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem is pictured during an interview with Reuters at his office in Beirut's suburbs, Lebanon August 3, 2016. (credit: REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER) Shortly after Israels initiation of Operation Roaring Lion against the Iranian regime last month, fighting again broke out between Israel and Hezbollah after Qassem directed the groups entrance into the conflict on Tehrans side. Advertisement Advertisement Another major figure in the organization is Mohammad Haidar, a politician in the groups political wing and a senior security official in Hezbollahs Jihad Council. The council is responsible for the terror groups military and security operations. It reports to Hezbollahs Shura Council, the organizations top decision-making body, which oversees its overall military strategy and political direction. Talal Hosni Hamiyah, also a member of the Jihad Council, heads Hezbollahs Unit 910, the unit responsible for clandestine operations outside of Lebanon. The unit is responsible for notorious global terror attacks, including the 1994 AMIA bombing, the 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing, and the 2012 Burgas bus bombing. The unit also works closely with Iranian intelligence and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force. Advertisement Advertisement The US is currently offering a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to Hamiyah's capture. Another senior figure in Hezbollahs military apparatus is Khalil Yusif Harb, a close adviser to Naim Qassem and, before him, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The US State Department, which has a bounty of up to $5 million for information on Harb, notes that he has served as Hezbollahs chief military liaison official to both Iranian and Palestinian terrorist groups. In addition to these individuals, Hezbollahs political wing is comprised of numerous senior officials, such as Mohammad Raad, who heads the groups parliament bloc, Ali Damoush, who heads Hezbollahs Executive Council, Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, who heads the groups Political Council, and Mohammad Yazbek, a Shura Council member who heads Hezbollahs Judicial Council. Responding to an inquiry from The Jerusalem Post, the IDF affirmed that it was ready to strike at the decision-makers in terrorist organizations that operate to threaten the State of Israel. Wildlife sightings at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, a park located within the greater Howard Buford Recreation Area, are common. In 2026, sightings of coyotes have been more common than usual. Frequency of coyote sightings in the park has increased dramatically in the first three months of the year, with more than 30 sightings reported in January alone. Lane County Parks compared coyote sighting locations from 2015 to 2025 with reports made in 2026 and found stark differences in behavior. Rather than sightings taking place on less-populated trails and coyotes bolting after seeing a human, coyotes have been reported following people and dogs. Coyotes weren't scared away by people attempting to chase them off, and also have been approaching vehicles in a way that suggests they are begging for food. They have been observed taking food that is not properly disposed in garbage cans. Christopher Yee, a district wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, initially recommended posting signs informing park visitors about the increased sightings and what to do if they are approached. Once the signs were posted, chatter started on social media about coyotes approaching people and being seen in parking lots. Signage advises people not to feed the coyotes near a trailhead at Mount Pisgah Arboretum on March 17, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. Wildlife biologists found coyote scat in the area appeared to contain pet food, supporting the claims from park visitors that people were feeding the coyotes. The frequency, nature and behavior observed during coyote sightings, partnered with the likelihood of increasingly aggressive encounters, has prompted Lane County Parks officials to take action. Advertisement Advertisement One coyote has been euthanized. And it may not be the last if coyotes continue to approach park visitors. "We advised the park to consider lethal removal at this point because the problem was not going to go away," Yee said. "And it's going to escalate, and someone's pet or some person is going to get bit." Yee said officials did not want to euthanize the coyote, but the team didn't catch the problem behavior in time. A coyote wanders the parking lots at Mount Pisgah Arboretum on March 17, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. Hazing and relocation were considered, but ultimately not an option Officials considered non-lethal options like adversive conditioning before resorting to euthanasia. Hazing involves using deterrents to scare them away, teaching coyotes to be afraid of humans again. Deterrent options include being loud and large, making noises, throwing projectiles like rocks or sticks or spraying water to frighten the coyote. Advertisement Advertisement Lane County Parks officials said habituated coyotes do not respond to hazing and may ignore it or resume concerning behavior when active hazing stops. It was clear to Yee that at least one coyote at Pisgah was past the point of adverse conditioning being effective, based on previous case studies that he and his coworkers are familiar with. "In a lot of cases, they tried the adverse conditioning, but it was too late, because the animal was habituated and food conditioned," Yee said. "The animals would sometimes get scared away for a couple of weeks, and then would go right back to the same behavior and not really address the problem." ODFW discourages relocating coyotes in Oregon, claiming the practice does not usually result in a positive outcome. It is also generally considered inhumane. Because coyotes are territorial, a relocated animal is often killed by coyotes that already live in the area. Further, a habituated coyote might not change its behavior and could ultimately attack a human in a different part of the state. Advertisement Advertisement "There's nowhere that you could put the animal where it wouldn't find a small community, campground, or another park and ultimately continue its habituated behavior," Yee said. "Now we've just exported the behavior instead of solving the problem." Sightings of coyotes, like this one seen March 17, have increased at Mount Pisgah Arboretum. The animals aren't frightened by humans and officials suspect people are feeding them. How to safely interact with coyotes ODFW says coyotes are uniformly distributed throughout the state, inhabiting grasslands, shrubby areas, and boreal forests. They can be found anywhere from remote wilderness to highly urbanized areas. Yee said scuffles between coyotes and humans are most common in Southern California and recently in Portland, where a 9-year-old was bitten on the ankle in October of 2025. "Ninety-nine percent of coyote attacks are caused by habituation," Yee said. ODFW officials say the best way to avoid conflicts with coyotes is to remove food sources and not to feed them, whether on purpose or by accident. Feeding coyotes is illegal in Oregon. Though they are rare, when coyote attacks do occur, they are often linked to humans feeding the animals. Advertisement Advertisement The Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah posted about unusual coyote behavior within the park on social media in early January. The organization recommends against feeding or approaching coyotes and to keep dogs on a leash at all times within the park. If a coyote approaches you, maintain distance and make noise, and slowly back away. Yee recommends carrying an airhorn to scare off coyotes or pepper spray if you are confident using it. Yee stresses that education is an important part of maintaining a healthy relationship, and a healthy distance, between humans and coyotes. "The educational component needs to be put into place because we don't want to end up right back to the same situation with other animals," Yee said. A coyote munches on a bird in the parking lot at Mount Pisgah Arboretum on March 17. Is Mt. Pisgah safe to visit? The park is still safe to visit, but, Yee said, visitors need to be aware of the ongoing coyote problems. More than 600,000 people visit Mt. Pisgah a year, according to the Lane County Parks Department, some of whom might not know that coyotes are in the park at all. Advertisement Advertisement "As long as this situation exists, you need to be aware of what is occurring and do what you can to protect your pets and yourself," Yee said. He also said coyotes fixate on their prey. That means a coyote that goes after a small child or animal could come back even after it's chased away. "You'd better pick the kid up, and know that the attack is not over," Yee said. "You'll see that, in the case history of coyote attacks, people will think that they're safe and the attack is over, but the animal will come back in." Yee emphasized dangerous run-ins with coyotes at Mt. Pisgah are completely avoidable. Advertisement Advertisement "Most of our wildlife conflicts are caused by people intentionally or unintentionally feeding wildlife," Yee said. "And it's the animals that are paying. That's the worst part of my job, having to put down an animal that was the victim." Samantha Pierotti is the food, drinks and "things to do" reporter for The Register-Guard. With tips on restaurants and local happenings, you can reach her via email at spierotti@registerguard.com. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Mt. Pisgah coyote euthanized after behavior changes observed in park Redding leaders are in the hot seat to fix the city's finances fast. With Redding's expenses outpacing revenues, the city's general fund will be under scrutiny at upcoming budget workshops. And while councilmembers agree that personnel costs will need to be taken into account, there is no consensus on how exactly to reduce these costs. To contextualize Redding's salaries and understand how pay is determined, the Record Searchlight surveyed the public salaries of city workers and spoke with department and personnel officials, councilmembers, and an expert in the field of taxpayer advocacy. The Record Searchlight also compiled a list of the highest paid workers, tracked the change in their base salary from 2020 to 2024, and compared Redding's salaries to those in other California cities. Advertisement Advertisement Explore these findings and reports on salaries across each of these various city departments below. City of Redding employee salaries in 2024 The debate over how to mitigate personnel costs boils down to two questions: Should there be salary reductions? Or should the city let employees go? Some argue that city salaries are set where they're at to remain competitive in the job market and retain talented employees, but an expert in the field of taxpayer advocacy has some concerns over cost effectiveness. "The taxpayers want the people in government jobs to be good at what they're doing and not to be heading for the door at the first opportunity. So there's a sweet spot there," says David Kline, vice president of communications and research at the California Taxpayer's Association. When Kline heard that Redding's city manager, Barry Tippin, had a base salary of $329,979 in 2024, for example, he recalled that Gov. Gavin Newsom's base salary during the 2024-25 fiscal year was under $243,000. Advertisement Advertisement "When you're making significantly more than the person who's the chief executive of one of the largest states in the union, you have to ask what the taxpayers are getting for their money," Kline says. Find out how much top Redding city officials were paid in 2024 and councilmembers' thoughts. Redding Electric Utility salaries in 2024 Redding Electric Utility (REU) has floated raising rates to cover rising costs, and one councilmember believes personnel could be an underlying cause. See how much top REU employees were paid in 2024 and read more on councilmembers' thoughts here. Redding Police, Fire departments salaries in 2024 As the city's finances come under close examination, one of the major costs in Redding's general fund to consider will be firefighters and police officers. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, police and fire made up nearly 75% of net personnel costs to the general fund, $34.5 million going to police and $22 million going to fire. Advertisement Advertisement But, while Redding councilmembers agrees personnel needs to be discussed when looking at budget cuts, there is no consensus on how exactly to do so, especially when it comes to public safety. Read more on Redding's top firefighters and police officers salaries in 2024 here. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding top city salaries in 2024 Sen. Markwayne Mullin has never been known for being subtle. The Oklahoma senator characterizes himself as blunt and someone who, if he has something to say, will say it directly to your face. That character trait was on full display Wednesday during his high-profile confirmation hearing to become the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, a position that has become politically potent in recent months under the Trump administration. Mullins nomination comes at a rocky time for the department, which has been shut down for over a month due to Democratic protests over how federal immigration officers operate particularly after two fatal shootings in Minneapolis earlier this year. His consideration also comes after current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was abruptly removed from the departments top position, and Mullin was tapped as her replacement in the same surprise announcement. Advertisement Advertisement The Oklahoma senator faced tough questions from Democrats who pressed Mullin on whether he would run the department differently from Noem, while Republicans praised his work in Congress and instead focused their attacks on Democrats for the current shutdown. Despite the political divide, Mullin is on track to be approved by the Senate when it comes up for a vote. A slim majority of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has said theyll advance him, and Mullin will only need a simple majority of the full Senate to be confirmed. However, a clear path is not guaranteed especially among questions about secretive travel the senator took while in the House roughly a decade ago. Even if he is confirmed, Mullin could still face challenges if he is elevated to the position, especially as hell have to work with some skeptics in Congress including a top Republican who will directly work with the secretary on homeland security issues. Advertisement Advertisement Here are the top takeaways from Mullins confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Mullin clashes with top Senate Republican on homeland security Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., President Donald Trump's pick for Homeland Security secretary, is sworn in before testifying during Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing, Wednesday, March 18, 2026 on Capitol Hill in Washington. | Manuel Balce Ceneta Despite Mullins confirmation likely having a path forward, the Oklahoma Republican must face skepticism from an unlikely source: the Republican chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Chairman Rand Paul of Kentucky wasted no time to lay into Mullin at the top of the hearing, noting he was unsure of Mullins candidacy because of previous comments he had made against Paul. Paul was specifically referring to comments in which Mullin called the Kentucky Republican a freaking snake for his opposition to a funding bill in February, and for suggesting he understood why Pauls neighbor attacked him in 2017 an attack that left him with broken ribs and other injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Tell it to my face, tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung, Paul said in his opening statement. Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, speaks before Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., President Donald Trump's pick for Homeland Security secretary, testifies before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. | Manuel Balce Ceneta Mullin responded by saying he is very blunt and direct to the point, acknowledging that he and Paul just simply dont get along. But, Mullin pushed back against characterizations that he is a liar because he criticizes people to their faces. The truth is, I have a job, and I dont like to fail at all, Mullin said. So I can set it aside if youre willing to set it aside. Let me earn your respect. Paul criticized Mullin for what he considered to be a refusal to apologize, questioning why the Senate should approve a man with anger issues. Advertisement Advertisement Do you think that justifying that kind of violence sets a good example for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol? Paul said. Mullin regrets comments he made disparaging protesters shot by immigration officers Mullin said he regrets his previous comments calling Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old who was shot by immigration officers in Minneapolis in January, a deranged person but stopped short of apologizing for his remarks. I shouldnt have said that, Mullin said. Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the committee, pressed him further: Is that the same as an apology? I havent seen the investigation, Mullin replied. Well let the investigation go through, and if Im proven wrong, then I will, absolutely. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., questioned Mullin on comments he made about Renee Good, who was also fatally shot by federal immigration officers about two weeks before Pretti. After that shooting, Mullin had told CNN he found the officers response justified. Its very clear that an officer had to make a split decision, Mullin said. In that case, a car was running towards him and did strike him. At that point, that car becomes a lethal weapon, and an officer that was there was another officer obviously giving her verbal commands. Youre saying you do not regret that statement? Blumenthal cut in. Im saying that the investigation is going on, Mullin repeated. Advertisement Advertisement Blumenthal pushed back to say an investigation has not been opened into Goods death, pressing Mullin on whether he would open an inquiry as DHS secretary which the Oklahoma senator said he would look into whether an investigation has been initiated. Republicans praise Mullins character, criticize Democrats for shutting down DHS As questions pingponged between senators in different parties, Republicans overwhelmingly used their time for questions to praise Mullins character and criticize Democrats for politicizing DHS in the ongoing shutdown. Im going to ruin everything for the audience: You will be confirmed, you have the job, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said. And youre going to make this country safer and better, and for that, I thank you. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., used his seven minutes of questions to ask Mullin about personal stories of his relationship with President Donald Trump, who the Oklahoma senator said was a friend. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin got visibly emotional when telling a story about his son who suffered a serious brain injury in 2020, recalling that Trump called the family every day for two weeks to check on his progress and even paid a personal visit to his son during treatment. From my standpoint, when youre trying to select somebody to run an operation, you want somebody with integrity, somebody with that passion toward the mission keeping this nation safe, and having this love for this country, Johnson said. Its also, I think, incredibly important that when you serve your administration, you have a good relationship with the president. Democrats want Mullin to change direction of DHS For Democrats, their line of questioning focused mostly on the premise of: Will you be different from your predecessor? Under Noem, Democrats argue, public trust in the department has decreased and collaboration with Congress has been strained. Throughout their questioning, the minority party pressed Mullin on some of Noems most controversial policies particularly on carrying out arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin broke from Noem to say that the department, under his direction, would only enter places of residences or workplaces for an arrest if they had a judicial warrant or if the subject being pursued ran into that home. A judicial warrant will be used to go into houses, in a place of businesses, unless were pursuing someone that enters in that place, Mullin said. I have not minced words with that, and I havent changed my opinion about that. Democrats also pressed Mullin on a policy implemented by Noem that any grant over $100,000 needed her personal approval, which the minority party argued slowed the funding of certain projects for FEMA and other agencies. Mullin said he would not adhere to that policy, calling it a form of micromanaging. Im not a micromanager, Mullin said. We will have a very clear line of communication with every one of our agencies and well discuss but were also going to be very responsible for the taxpayer dollars. LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Boosted by paid streaming services, global recorded music revenues grew 6.4% to $31.7 billion in 2025, their 11th straight year of growth, the IFPI organisation representing the recording industry worldwide said on Wednesday, while also urging action on streaming fraud. Accounting for around 70% of global recorded music income, total streaming revenues surpassed $22 billion. Paid subscription streaming rose 8.8% and accounted for 52.4% of total revenues, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said in its annual Global Music Report, adding there are now 837 million users of paid streaming subscription accounts. Fan demand helped physical formats return to growth, with revenues up 8%. Vinyl, which rose for a 19th straight year, was up 13.7%. Great music from incredible artists, aided by record company partnerships and investment, is driving global growth with more people than ever before paying to engage with it on paid streaming services worldwide," IFPI chief executive Victoria Oakley said in a statement. She said record company partnerships with generative AI developers showed how "technology can be harnessed to support and enhance creativity, not replace it". "We are asking policymakers to support this work by upholding the copyright laws that are the bedrock for this progress," she added. Oakley also called on the industry to take action against streaming fraud, calling it "theft, plain and simple". "The organisations with the data, scale and leverage to prevent this fraudulent activity, including streaming services, content aggregators and distributors, must take decisive action, she said. Recorded music revenues rose in all regions, the fastest in Latin America, up 17.1%, followed by the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa, both at 15.2%. The United States and Canada, the worlds largest recorded music region, saw revenues rise by 3.5%. The report did not say what share of the revenues record labels passed on to the artists. Taylor Swift was 2025's best-selling global artist, the IFPI said last month, the sixth time she has won the title, following the success of her latest record, "The Life of a Showgirl", which the body said was the biggest-selling global album of 2025. (Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, editing by Andrei Khalip) Markwayne Mullin dodged a slew of pointed, personal questions during his confirmation hearing for the post of Secretary of Homeland Security on Wednesday. The Republican senator from Oklahoma defended the policies of Donald Trump, calling the president a friend, in the midst of a grilling from his fellow lawmakers. Trump tapped Mullin for the job following the ouster of Kristi Noem. Mullin has been a staunch loyalist for Trump. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Mullin extraordinarily qualified for the role shortly after Noem was fired. Advertisement Advertisement Facing the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Mullin ran into trouble straightaway. Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky, laid into Mullin for questioning Pauls loyalty to the Republican Party. Mullin has called Paul a freaking snake for breaking with Trump on key issues. He added that he empathized with a neighbor of Pauls who assaulted the senator in 2017. I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force? Paul asked. Mullin refused to apologize for pointing out [Pauls] character. Following the hearing, Paul called Mullins refusal to apologize unacceptable. Throughout the hearing, Mullin showed his loyalty to Trump. When asked who won the 2020 election, Mullin sidestepped the question, responding that President Joe Biden was sworn into office. Advertisement Advertisement Im not here to debate what happened in 2020, he said. Mullin was pressed on comments he made about two protestors who were killed by DHS agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. Mullin had referred to Alex Pretti, a nurse who was shot in the back while agents had him pinned to the ground, as a deranged individual bent on causing max damage. Those words probably shouldve been retracted. I shouldnt have said that. I regret those statements, Mullin said. Mullin maintained that the killing of Renee Good was justified. Good was killed while attempting to drive away from ICE agents in Minneapolis. Mullin said that Goods car was a lethal weapon and that the officer had to make a split[-second] decision. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. Mullin stressed the need for restore DHS funding, telling senators he would lead the department in a way that avoided national headlines. Notably, Mullin said he would cooperate in an inspector general probe into Noems time as DHS secretary. Advertisement Advertisement My goal at six months is that were not in the lead story every single day. My goal is for people to understand were out there. Were protecting them, he said. The post Mullin takes Senate grilling, makes case for top job at DHS appeared first on Salon.com. An arrest has been made in the 15-year-old cold case of 27-year-old Iowa Realtor Ashley Okland. Kristin Ramsey, 53, was charged with first-degree murder after a Dallas County grand jury issued a indictment, according to a news release from West Des Moines police. Ramsey was arrested on Tuesday, March 17 and is being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $2 million cash bond. Police did not provide more information on the nature of the charge but planned a news conference for 9 a.m. Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Kristin Ramsey worked for townhome builder where Ashley Okland killed Okland, an employee of Iowa Realty Co., was showing a model townhouse in West Des Moines on April 8, 2011, when she was shot twice. An employee with developer Rottlund Homes heard a commotion inside the model townhouse at 558 Stone Creek Court and went to investigate, according to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa. Inside, the worker discovered Okland on the floor and called 911. Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Deb Cochran is seen at the tombstone of her daughter, Ashley Okland, at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley in March 2012. She regularly visits her daughter's gravesite. Okland was a Realtor found shot to death in a model condo in West Des Moines in 2011. No arrests were made in the case. A Iowa Realty sign, to the far left, with other signs at the corner of 84th Street and E.P. Tru Parkway in West Des Moines. In the background, crime scene tape flutters in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where a woman was reportedly shot twice on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Deb Cochran stands near the tombstone of her daughter Ashley Okland at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley on March 22, 2012. Okland was killed on April 8, 2011. Committee members and supporters throw some dirt as they break ground during a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. Flags fluttered on April 8, 2011, at the model home where Ashley Okland was killed, in West Des Moines. The family of Ashley Okland Brittany Bruce, left, Tim Okland, center, and Josh Okland, right express their appreciation at the 2014 ribbon-cutting and donor reception held by Variety: The Children's Charity of Iowa for a playground for children with cognitive and physical disabilities in Des Moines. Ashley Okland is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. A year later, in March, 2012, friends and family are still looking for answers in the shooting death of Ashley Okland. Ashley's mom, Deb Cochran, visits her grave at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley. The family of slain West Des Moines real estate agent Ashley Okland poses with Gov. Terry Branstad, far right, and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, far left, at a memorial event in 2012. A year later, in March, 2012, friends and family are still looking for answers in the shooting death of Ashley Okland. Ashley's mom, Deb Cochran, visits her grave at the Fjeldberg Cemetery outside Huxley. Crime scene tape flutters in the wind as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where Ashley Okland was killed on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. The building is the model home for the Stone Creek Villa homes, off of EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Cookies for attendees during a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. A Iowa Realty sign, to the far left, with other signs at the corner of 84th Street and E.P. Tru Parkway in West Des Moines. In the background, crime scene tape flutters in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where a woman was reportedly shot twice on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. Brenna Finnerty, of Waukee, walks past shovels for a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 5, 2014, celebrating the Ashley Okland Star Playground, a playground at Ewing Park that will benefit children with cognitive and physical disabilities and memorialize past board member, Ashley Okland, who was killed in April of 2011. Crime scene tape fluttered in the wind, as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where Ashley Okland was killed, on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. The building is the model home for the Stone Creek Villa homes, off of EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Arrest made 15 years after Iowan Ashley Okland slain at open house 1 of 17 Ashley Okland, left, is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Okland later died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. More: A decade after her death, West Des Moines Realtor Ashley Okland's unsolved killing haunts family, friends, police Advertisement Advertisement The mysterious death of the young real estate agent generated headlines in Iowa and around the country. In a news release issued on the four-year anniversary of Okland's death, West Des Moines police said it had investigated nearly 900 leads and interviewed about 500 people. Crime scene tape flutters in the wind as a West Des Moines police officer stands in front of the site where Ashley Okland was killed on Friday afternoon, April 8, 2011. The building is the model home for the Stone Creek Villa homes, off of EP True Parkway in West Des Moines. Her photo and case details were featured in a deck of playing cards given to Iowa inmates last year in an effort to obtain new information about ongoing cases. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird distributed the playing cards about a year after forming a unit dedicated to investigating Iowa's more than 400 cold cases. Who was Ashley Okland? Ashley Okland is seen in an undated photo. Okland was shot and killed during an open house at a townhome development in West Des Moines in April 2011. Okland was born Dec. 30, 1983, in Ames, Iowa, according to her obituary. She grew up in Huxley. As a youth, she was involved in sports, dance, 4-H and piano. She attended Ballard High School. She graduated from Iowa State University in 2006 after transferring from the University of Iowa. She began her real estate career in 2007 and was hired by Iowa Realty in 2010. Advertisement Advertisement More: Who killed Ashley Okland? What we know about Iowa Realtor, her 2011 murder in West Des Moines When not working, Okland was involved in a number of groups, including Young Variety and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Okland was "passionate about helping children," her father, Tim, told the Register previously. In May 2014, Ashley Okland Star Playground, a specialized park for handicapped children, opened in her name. West Des Moines Assistant Chief Jody Hayes speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. West Des Moines Police Chief Craig Bellamy speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's siblings Josh Okland and Brittany Bruce speak after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of their sister March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's sister, Brittany Bruce, speaks after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of her sister March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley Okland's brother, Josh Okland, speaks after the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of his sister, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. See photos as police announce arrest in 2011 death of Ashley Okland 1 of 6 West Des Moines Assistant Chief Jody Hayes speaks about the arrest of Kristin Ramsey in the 2011 shooting death of Realtor Ashley Okland, March 18, 2026 at the West Des Moines Police Department. Ashley was all-inclusive in her personality, which is exactly what this playground is, Susan Hatten, a longtime friend of Okland who conceived the idea for the playground, told the Register in 2014. It caters to children of every ability, whether they have special needs or not, and she would have loved that. Advertisement Advertisement Located at Ewing Park, 5300 Indianola Ave., the playground features adapted playground equipment for children with cognitive and physical disabilities. For several years, The Young Professionals Connection awarded the Ashley Okland YP Community Service Award annually to "a young professional who exemplifies the volunteerism and spirit" of Okland, who had been one of the organization's board members. Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ashley Okland murder case leads to arrest 15 years later The volatile, fast-moving US-Israeli attack on Iran has a very different character from the grinding war in Ukraine. From both conflicts, however, one development is increasingly clear: Starlink, Elon Musks satellite internet system, has become the most important strategic business on Earth. And Musk, who owns approximately 40 per cent of Starlinks parent company, SpaceX, and controls 80 per cent of the voting rights, holds a level of geopolitical influence unprecedented for a corporate figure. There is no real parallel [to Starlink], says Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks, an independent global internet monitor. There is probably no equivalent in modern history. You could argue people are equally dependent on AWS [Amazon Web Services, a cloud computing company] but it doesnt have the same political aspect. Advertisement Advertisement After months of slow Russian advances, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, announced on Sunday that Ukraine had regained 168 square miles and thwarted a planned Russian offensive. The spring campaign, as it had been planned, drowned in this spring for the Russians; they were unable to advance, Zelensky told reporters. According to the Institute of Study for War (ISW), a think tank based in Washington, DC, one factor in Ukraines recent resilience could be battlefield communications. On Feb 1, Musk turned off his Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine for everyone except operators approved by the Ukrainian government, depriving Russian units who had been using the system to communicate with each other and guide their drones. According to analysis by Kentik, a network infrastructure firm, Starlink traffic in Ukraine fell by 75 per cent after the switch-off, implying that three out of every four terminals had been in Russian hands. Starlink has become critical for both sides in this war, and the February 1 blocking of Russias terminals has had critical battlefield effects in recent weeks, says Christina Harward, Russia deputy team lead at the ISW. Russias inability to use their Starlink terminals has also degraded their situational awareness and complicated their command and control. Ukraine has been able to exploit these Russian vulnerabilities on the battlefield. Ukrainian counterattacks there have been quite successful recently, with Ukraine liberating more territory than it has lost some weeks. Advertisement Advertisement There have also been reports that the Kremlin has banned forces from using Telegram, the messaging system, for fears it has been compromised. According to one Russian military blogger, the blocking of Telegram will likely degrade Russian command and control and exacerbate existing issues with communication that Russian forces have struggled with since the February 1 Starlink block. Starlink began in 2015 as a subsidiary of SpaceX, Musks private rocket company, which was already launching satellites for government customers. The aim was simple: provide fast, relatively cheap internet access in hard-to-reach places. The first 60 satellites were launched in 2019. We think this is a key stepping stone on the way towards establishing a self-sustaining city on Mars and a base on the moon, Musk said at the time. The system has since become a lifeline for remote populations, from research bases to the remote Pitcairn island. In Iran, meanwhile, Starlink has been a vital tool for bypassing government restrictions. In the weeks leading up to the current US-Israeli military action, the Iranian regime brutally cracked down on protesters, killing thousands. In early January, it shut down the internet. Starlink receivers, however, are as small as a sheet of A3 paper, connect to thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit and can bypass conventional infrastructure. An X post showing Iranians bypassing the regimes internet shutdown using Starlink - Nioh Berg/X While governments can shut down the traditional networks which rely on cables, towers and other nationally owned apparatus, Starlink users direct connection to overhead satellites is much harder to control. Advertisement Advertisement Starlink is banned in Iran, both by the government and by US sanctions, but smugglers have found ways to bring the devices across the border. As many as 30,000 terminals are thought to be in the country, up from just 200 four years ago. [Starlink smuggling] started in 2022 when Elon Musk and the State Department made it so that Starlink could work inside Iran, says one person involved with smuggling Starlinks into Iran. Because of sanctions, smuggling has always been part of Iranian life. After the 12-day war broke out last June, Starlink dishes were specifically outlawed inside of Iran, with heavy penalties, and cars going in and out of cities were being searched. The government asked folks to snitch on each other, to report any sightings of dishes. Irans access to the [regular] internet goes through a single choke point, so it can in effect be turned off for the whole country with the flick of a switch, they add. To get around this, you need to find alternative communication methods. A VPN [virtual private network], for example, would still try to find some kind of hole or gap inside the firewall that locks all of these connections. Starlink doesnt require you to cross that firewall at all. Its an alternative system entirely. As the Iranian regime cracked down this year, protesters used Starlink to broadcast news to the outside world. In February, Russian and Iranian officials complained to the UN about Starlink, with Tehran saying the illegal operation of the system violated national sovereignty and amounted to unauthorised military use of a commercial satellite mega-constellation. Advertisement Advertisement Fereidoon Bashar, executive director of ASL19, a digital rights organisation focused on Iran, says demand has pushed prices of Starlink receivers sharply higher. Theyve gone up now to around $3,500 [2,620] each; they were around $2,000 just a month ago, he says. More and more people are planning and preparing for when the internet will be shut down again and Starlink proved to be one of the most effective tools. It is not only protesters who have found Starlink useful. This week, an Iranian hacker group called Handala used another Musk platform, X, to announce a retaliatory cyber operation against US and Israeli attacks. It reportedly used Starlink to do so. The account was shut down soon afterwards, but the episode showed the dilemma facing Musk, an outspoken free-speech advocate who now wields enormous influence. Starlinks success boils down to one thing: thanks to its consumer user base, it has a critical mass which military networks have never really achieved, says Toker. So it offers high-strength global coverage, and it blends into global traffic so [signals] dont stand out. It is also relatively low-cost. And even though SpaceX is a private company, it is still within the purview of US policy. It works out well for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Starlink is increasingly appearing on the battlefield itself. In Iran, the US has used its new Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or Lucas, for the first time. This kamikaze drone resembles the Iranian Shahed drones that have caused such destruction in Ukraine. Some are equipped with Starlink receivers. Experts say Starlinks design makes it particularly useful in war. Starlink provides two main things in a military context, says Dr Thomas Withington, a fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a defence think tank. Firstly, it provides battlefield trunk communications. We can use cell phones in daily life because of the infrastructure around us. When a military deploys, it has to take all its communications with it. Not just radios, but the network that enables those to work. Military radios can generally only communicate as far as the eye can see, about five or 10 kilometres, so Starlink becomes very attractive to use for long-distance military communications. The other thing Starlink is used for is drones. If you want a drone to travel long distances, you need a way of sending commands to it and receiving information back. Compared to other systems, Starlink has a couple of tricks that make it unique. First, it can carry large amounts of data, so you can send videos, which is useful for a commander. Second, its hard to jam, because the signal is incredibly narrow. Starlink has unique benefits when used for drones in war (pictured: a member of the Ukrainian army operates a drone) - Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Harward, of the ISW, says the Starlink shutdown has had a decisive effect on Russias drone capabilities in Ukraine. One area where Russia has suffered since the [Starlink] shut down is their mid-range strike campaign, she says. Russian forces were putting Starlinks on their tactical and long-range drones at scale in early 2026. This helped to extend the range of Russian FPV drones so they could strike Ukrainian supply lines, threatening areas in the rear that were previously not under threat. Advertisement Advertisement But Starlink has been politically charged long before its recent shutdown. Musk activated the service at the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 in response to requests from Zelenskys government. Later that year, Musk said he had spent $80m (60m) out of pocket providing it. In September 2022, in response to a request from Anthony Blinken, the US secretary of state, Musk activated Starlink in Iran. A 2023 biography of Musk by Walter Isaacson also alleged that he had turned off the service during a Ukrainian operation near Sevastopol. There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol, Musk said on X in response. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation. Musks latest action, restricting terminals so only those on a Ukrainian government white list could operate, marks a firmer line than he has taken before. Speaking to the BBC, one Ukrainian drone operator estimated the move reduced Russian offensive capacity by 50 per cent. There have been mixed signals over Ukraine, says RUSIs Withington. Initially SpaceX were supportive of getting terminals into Ukraine. It really made a difference. Then they started to blow hot and cold over things, saying this is being used for military purposes. But this recent thing, of working with Ukraine to register terminals with the government, has created some real problems for Russia. A Ukranian serviceman on the frontline in 2024, preparing a Starlink system for use - Reuters/Inna Varenytsia Despite the controversy over Sevastopol, Musk has rarely used Starlink in ways that diverge far from US policy. SpaceX relies heavily on government contracts. But Musk is also an unpredictable political figure who played a prominent role in Donald Trumps second election. Advertisement Advertisement Starlink is changing lives, says Toker. It is making a difference. But [politics] is probably going to become a problem down the line. As long as it stays in the hands of SpaceX and Elon Musk, the risk of a blowout is going to be there. One of these political debates is probably going to boil over. But for now, its still the good times. The concentration of so much power in one company raises questions about state capacity and vulnerability. It becomes a Clausewitzian centre of gravity, where if you dont have [Starlink] on the battlefield its really bad news, says Withington, referring to the Prussian military theorists concept of hubs on which a battle depends. The US military uses Starshield, a secure military and government arm of Starlink. Other countries are moving to minimise their dependency on Musks service. Some are considering building their own systems, though it is doubtful whether they can match Musks scale. Advertisement Advertisement The UK Government does not have a shining track record when it comes to building big infrastructure, says Toker. Maybe it is better to outsource it. Musk has largely used Starlink in ways that align with US foreign policy (pictured: A SpaceX rocket carrying Starlink satellites being launched) - Jennifer Briggs/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock The private sector is responding too. Earlier this year, Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced a rival satellite network with 5,400 satellites in low orbit. Meanwhile, recent disputes between the US government and AI companies, such as Anthropic and OpenAI, concerning military use show that the relationship between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon is far from simple. In the short term, increasingly desperate Russian forces are having to jury-rig solutions to the Musk-imposed shutdown, says Harward. Russia is already trying to find an alternative to Starlink, experimenting with things like stratospheric balloons with 5G connectivity, she says. But even Russian sources doubt that such systems will be able to fully replace Starlinks complex communications network. Russian forces have in the meantime been resorting to less than ideal solutions, like placing antennas high on top of roofs in frontline villages. Ukraine has only increased its strikes against these antennas in response and are even using the antennas to find Russian drone operators themselves, to strike right at the source. For now, Starlink remains the only satellite network operating at scale on modern battlefields. And its mercurial boss has the power to shape not just who has access to rural broadband, but the fate of nations. 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 North Jersey town is facing a legal challenge over a plan that could allow a massive data center to be built on a 34-acre site instead of affordable housing. Fair Share Housing Center, a statewide advocacy group, claims Montvale in Bergen County has proposed a settlement agreement with a developer that violates New Jerseys affordable housing laws. Under the agreement signed by borough officials last month, the developer could either build about 250 housing units, including 50 affordable homes, on the site or construct a data center, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement The data center option would also come with a Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement known as a PILOT that would exempt the property owner from paying standard property taxes in exchange for yearly payments to the municipality. Critics say the plan is unfair because it could make it more appealing for the developer to build the data center than affordable housing. The site slated for development is a former office campus of the global accounting firm KPMG on Chestnut Ridge Road. It is one of the largest redevelopment opportunities in Bergen County, housing advocates said. Montvales mayor, Mike Ghassali, is so dead set on blocking affordable housing that he promised special treatment and tax breaks to a developer building a massive data center without giving residents of Montvale and surrounding towns an opportunity to weigh in on its impacts, Adam Gordon, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement However, borough officials dispute that characterization of the plan. Montvale filed a response in Bergen County Superior Court on March 2 arguing its housing plan, built around agreements with multiple developers, complies with state law and should be approved. Officials say the plan would allow for hundreds of new housing units, including more than 100 affordable homes, across several redevelopment sites. In a statement to the Press Group, the mayor dismissed Fair Share Housing Centers claims, calling the groups statements a defamatory smear campaign. Ghassali said no formal plans for a data center have been submitted and noted the property is already zoned for that use. Advertisement Advertisement A property owner wanting to retain the right to build a permitted use on a site is not news, and it certainly should not generate the histrionics in Fair Shares press release, Ghassali said. The mayor has also been vocal about the issue on social media, arguing a data center could bring economic benefits to the borough. A data center brings no residential traffic, no impact on our schools, creates jobs, and increases ratables for the community, all practical benefits that Fair Share Housing opposes, Ghassali said. The developer, SHG Montvale MB VI, did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Data centers often resemble warehouses from the outside but house large networks of servers that require significant amounts of electricity and water to operate and stay cool. Proposals for these facilities have drawn opposition in communities across the state over environmental and quality-of-life concerns. It is unclear if any potential data center in Montvale would be used for AI, which requires higher levels of cooling and energy. Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit advocacy group, works to enforce New Jerseys affordable housing requirements under the Mount Laurel Doctrine a series of state Supreme Court rulings dating back to 1975 that require municipalities to provide their fair share of affordable housing. The dispute in Montvale centers on whether the boroughs settlement with the developer complies with the states affordable housing rules. Advertisement Advertisement By 2035, New Jersey towns must add or renovate over 146,000 affordable housing units, based on quotas calculated by the state. The requirements have sparked tensions, with some municipalities suing the state over what they argue are unfair obligations. Montvale has been at the center of that fight, leading a group of three dozen mostly affluent suburban municipalities that have repeatedly challenged the rules. Those efforts have been rejected in court, including by the U.S. Supreme Court last month, which declined to pause the law or delay compliance deadlines. Still, Montvale exceeded its affordable housing requirements in the last cycle, with 365 units built, according to Ghassali. The dispute over the settlement with the developer is expected to go before a judge later this spring or summer, where a decision will determine how the site can be used, housing advocates said. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. NASA's giant moon rocket will soon be towering over Florida once again as the agency moves closer and closer to launching its first human lunar mission in half a century. The 322-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, developed specifically for the U.S. space agency's renewed lunar program, is due to be rolled out for the second time in 2026 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The impending move to the launch pad would mark a critical milestone ahead of a mission known as Artemis 2. The second mission under NASA's multibillion-dollar Artemis program, Artemis 2 would mark the agency's first lunar venture with humans aboard since the Apollo era came to an end in 1972. Originally slated for a February launch, the mission has encountered delays amid issues with the SLS rocket that prevented it from getting off the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Now, after the rocket was moved from the launch pad more than three weeks ago for repairs, NASA will roll it back out again in the coming days. Here's everything to know about the SLS rollout, and how to watch NASA's live coverage of the move. Space exploration: How Florida's Space Coast will have a central role in 2026 spaceflight When will SLS moon rocket be rolled out to launch pad in Florida? NASA looks to soon roll the 322-foot rocket Space Launch System (SLS) rocket topped with the Orion crew capsule back to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. The target date for the rollout has fluctuated as NASA teams determine when the integrated spacecraft will be ready for the arduous 4-mile trek back to Launch Pad 39B. After bumping the rollout from Thursday, March 19, to Friday, March 20, NASA now says it may be possible to transport the SLS on the earlier day after all. Advertisement Advertisement The original possible delay was due to an electrical harness on the core stage's flight termination system that needed to be replaced. Regardless of the day the rollout takes place, the target launch date would remain the same, NASA said. The impending move comes after the giant rocket, which was first rolled to the launch pad in mid-January, has been back in NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building since the end of February as engineers made repairs. Watch NASA coverage of moon rocket rollout at Kennedy Space Center When a date and time for the rollout is finalized, NASA plans to provide live coverage of the move expected to take up to 12 hours as the fully-stacked rocket is slowly transported on a massive vehicle known as a crawler-transporter. The event is not listed on NASA+, the agency's free streaming service. A livestream is likely to be available on NASA's YouTube channel. When is the Artemis 2 launch date? NASA targets April liftoff from Cape Canaveral NASA is working toward an April 1 launch of its historic Artemis 2 mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement But if the weather or any other factors were to cause the launch to be delayed, several other days in April remain possibilities under NASA's timeline, including April 2-6 and April 30. The announcement, made during a March 12 news conference, followed a flight readiness review in which officials assessed a variety of factors, including the status of the lunar rocket, before committing to a target launch date. What is Artemis 2? Will there be a moon landing? Hitching a ride atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket, the Artemis 2 astronauts are due to pilot an Orion capsule on a 10-day trip around the moon. While no moon landing is in store for the mission, the crew will test systems and hardware for future expeditions to the surface while traveling about 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon the farthest humans have ever ventured in space. While NASA tested its spacecraft during the Artemis 1 mission in 2022, Artemis 2 will be the first time that the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule will fly with humans aboard. Advertisement Advertisement A moon landing is now due to take place as early as 2028 during a mission known as Artemis 4. Prior to that mission, Artemis 3 astronauts aboard the Orion capsule are due to meet and dock in 2027 in Earth orbit with at least one of the commercial lunar landers being developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. Who are the astronauts on the Artemis 2 mission? The crew of Artemis 2 includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen. With a target launch date set, the astronauts will be required to isolate in quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for about two weeks before the mission in order to avoid exposure to any illnesses. NASA has not yet announced when the quarantine process will begin. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA to move SLS rocket back to Cape Canaveral launch pad. How to watch The House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety is looking at how state regulations for involuntary commitment and guardianship could affect how Irynas Law is implemented in North Carolina. Legislators passed Irynas Law last September after a Ukrainian woman named Iryna Zarutska was killed on public transit in Charlotte, sparking national headlines. It limits pretrial release options for those accused of violent crimes, ramps up scrutiny of court magistrates and attempts to restart the states death penalty process. Gov. Josh Stein signed the bill into law in October. He praised its changes to pretrial release but described its attempt to expedite the death penalty process as barbaric. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, state House lawmakers have been looking into what changes might be needed to keep the public safe from people with mental illness who could harm others. Wednesday, professors from the University of North Carolina School of Government presented a case study of a 36-year-old unhoused woman named Paula, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and substance use disorder. A court adjudicated Paula as incompetent three years ago. She doesnt have any assets, and the county department of social services serves as her guardian of the person. Paula has been subject to two involuntary commitments in the past six months. What happens when that court adjudicated Paula as incompetent is they took away her authority to make decisions for herself that can be related to her property or her person, her healthcare, her finances, associate professor Meredith Smith said. They removed her authority to make decisions from her and they gave it to someone else. Advertisement Advertisement Paulas grandmother recently filed a motion for guardianship over concerns with Paulas living situation. If granted, it would transfer responsibility for Paula from the county to her grandmother. Botts said in some cases, family guardianship is a better outcome for the patient, but not always. Maybe the guardian is doing all they can do, maybe theyre not, associate professor Mark Botts said. But even when theyre doing all they can do, theres limits, because you need Paulas cooperation. Rep. Donna McDowell White, a Republican representing Johnston County, said the system is obviously very broken. Issues regarding guardianship were common in her work as a public health nurse, White said, and they still exist today. Advertisement Advertisement I guess this is why we have Irynas Law, she said. Some lawmakers on the panel have suggested increasing the states capacity to hold people in involuntary commitment if they are mentally ill and could harm someone. But Botts said its not that simple. Under Irynas Law, a magistrate considering conditions of pretrial release must consider whether theres reasonable grounds to believe the individual may be dangerous, mentally ill or dangerous towards others. If so, the magistrate issues an order that starts the involuntary commitment process. But, Botts said, it doesnt mean the patient gets to the end of the process. Advertisement Advertisement That doesnt mean that they necessarily get to an inpatient facility. That doesnt mean they will necessarily get treatment, Botts said. Even if they do get to the facility and get inpatient treatment, at some point, theyre going to be discharged. Botts said the measure also doesnt cover all scenarios like if theres a safe place to discharge a patient or someone to monitor their medication. Rep. Marcia Morey, a Democrat from Durham, said North Carolina law restricts court officials authority to send people to involuntary commitment. For example, it only allows officials to order a local psychological evaluation for people charged with nonviolent misdemeanors. Local hospitals can and do refuse to hold them for the evaluation, Morey said. They cannot hold them without an allegation of danger to self or others so these folks have to either be released with a date and time to appear for their evaluation or held in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Morey said situations like these are frustrating. This person may not be in immediate danger to themselves or others, but theres an accentuated mental health issue, she said. This is one of the gaps that we may need to address that we have not done with Irynas Law. A state senator has asked the State Board of Elections and the state auditor to look into a colleagues campaign activity as it relates to a powerful lobbyist and his wife. Sen. Terence Everitt, a Wake County Democrat, wants the elections board to investigate the nearly $59,000 paid by state Sen. Dave Cravens campaign to a company owned by the wife of lobbyist Kevin Wilkinson for consulting services. The News & Observer last week reported the spending, which appears to be the only campaign work the business has done. Sen. Terence Everitt A review of Cravens campaign reports by Bob Hall, the retired executive director of Democracy NC, shows that more than 20% of the money Craven raised in the last election came from people with ties to Wilkinsons clients. Some of the campaign donors have been successful in winning favorable law changes or state appropriations. Advertisement Advertisement These circumstances raise questions about whether the payments made by the campaign committee (to Megan Wilkinsons business) were for legitimate campaign services and whether those expenditures were properly reported under North Carolina campaign finance law, Everitt wrote. Craven in the N&O report said that Megan Wilkinson is a longtime friend who had done planning and managing of campaign events. She, her husband and Craven are UNC Charlotte alums who attended the university at roughly the same time. But Craven, a Randolph County Republican, did not respond to the N&Os requests for documentation showing what work Megan Wilkinsons business was paid for. Everitt asked the board to request and review that documentation. Advertisement Advertisement Given the public interest in maintaining confidence in our campaign finance system, I respectfully request that the Board review the relevant campaign finance reports and any supporting documentation necessary to determine whether the payments in question represent legitimate campaign expenditures and whether all reporting requirements under North Carolina law have been satisfied, he wrote. The N&O wasnt able to reach Craven or the Wilkinsons on Tuesday. Everitt wants State Auditor Dave Boliek to investigate the billions of dollars lawmakers have handed out in directed grants to various government, nonprofit and for-profit entities, some of which are clients of Wilkinsons. Recent public reporting has highlighted the intersection of campaign fundraising, lobbying relationships, and legislative appropriations in North Carolina, Everitt wrote. While that reporting may concern particular circumstances, it also raises broader questions about whether the directed grant system provides sufficient transparency and accountability in the allocation of public funds. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview, Everitt said Republican lawmakers have been directing public money to people with connections and wealthy interests who have the ability to boost their campaigns financially at the expense of everyone else. Theyve had other priorities with that money for the last 15 years, Everitt said. I mean, we should be investing in ourselves and in our infrastructure and our people and our public schools and our roads and bridges and hospitals. Everitt has been a state lawmaker since his election to the House in 2018. He first won election to the Senate in 2024 and is seeking reelection this year. Hes also the executive director of the nonprofit N.C. Voter Protection Alliance, which was formed in June last year. Michael Weisel, an attorney and former Wake County Democratic Party chairman, filed the incorporation papers. Everitt has been one of the more outspoken Democrats in the legislature and has paid a price for it in both chambers, which Republicans have held with near or outright supermajorities with the help of redistricting. In 2023, then-Speaker Tim Moore, a Cleveland County Republican, moved Everitts legislative office into a former supply closet in the basement after Everitt requested an investigation into Moores romantic relationship with a state employee who was married at the time. Advertisement Advertisement In November, Everitt received a written rebuke from Senate Rules Committee Chair Bill Rabon for remarks Everitt made during the vote to redistrict the states 14 congressional seats. President Donald Trump had requested that Republican-controlled states redraw districts to expand GOP control. And North Carolina lawmakers changes are expected to bump up the Republicans control from a 10-4 to an 11-3 split. North Carolina is considered a purple state, with Democrats and Republicans serving in statewide offices, but state lawmakers draw the districts for themselves and U.S. House members. The North Carolina State Board of Elections took no action during its meeting Wednesday morning regarding a request from Senate President Phil Berger's campaign to address undervotes and overvotes in the Senate District 26 Republican primary. "I think the most important thing to understand here is the Board took no action because they want to see the process play out, which is laid out in statute. I think it's premature to consider any of these other things that are coming from the campaign at this time. Again, we have a process in place that calls for a full machine recount, followed by a sampling," said NCSBE Executive Director Sam Hayes. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page currently leads Berger by 23 votes. Advertisement Advertisement An overvote is when a voter fills out more than one bubble (or greater than the maximum amount allowed) in a particular race, while an undervote is when a voter does not fill out a section, or only does so partially. Examples of an undervote could range from a checkmark or 'X' in a box instead of filling out a bubble, or simply circling the candidate's name. "When there's an undervote, it just means that a voter did not select anyone in that particular race. There was no way to define voter intent there, and certainly a machine can't account for something that was not there," said Hayes. In a statement, Berger Recount Spokesman Jonathan Felts wrote: "As noted yesterday, 220 overvotes and undervotes could obviously change the election results. To be very clear, these votes have never been counted. Close election results like this are why the review and recount process allows and insists for a careful inspection. The point of a recount is to make sure every legal vote cast is counted. Advertisement Advertisement "If unchallenged, an overvote and an undervote yield the same result: a ballot being kicked out and a voter being disenfranchised. But, while an overvote is automatically flagged in real time, an undervote is not. These citizens obviously made the effort to vote, and one can safely assume they want their vote to be counted. Their ballot deserves to be examined for voter intent. "Our request was very simple: save everyone the time and go ahead and determine voter intent where possible. Today's ruling leaves little recourse for every legal vote being counted other than to seek a hand recount. But no decision has yet been made on that front." Following Wednesday's meeting, Patrick Sebastian, who is serving as Page's Post-Election Supervisor, wrote: "Senator Berger resorted to asking the Board to ignore state law in his attempt to cling to power after losing more than two weeks ago. That's not how elections work in North Carolina -- and the Board made that clear today. Phil Berger should concede the race he lost so the Republican Party can unite behind Sam Page for the general election." Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's meeting coincided with an ongoing machine recount in Guilford County, which was requested by the Berger campaign late Tuesday morning. A machine recount in Rockingham County is set to begin Thursday morning. Following the conclusion of a machine recount, the trailing candidate will have 24 hours to request a hand recount of 3% of precincts. If the results of the sample show a difference that, once extrapolated to the entirety of the race, would lead to a change in outcome, then a full hand recount would be ordered. Download the ABC11 News app "It is extraordinarily rare for a recount to change the outcome of an election from what people have said after the first canvass. But it has happened, and it's happened in big, high-stakes races before. In 2008 in Minnesota, we saw a recount changing the outcome of the U.S. Senate race at a statewide level," said Jason Husser, the Director of the Elon University Poll. Advertisement Advertisement The Berger campaign has also lodged four separate protests with the North Carolina State Board of Elections, including a series of claims from voters, including an allegation of one voter's registration not being processed correctly, eight voters who allege they were given an incorrect ballot, one voter who claims their party affiliation was not updated properly, and three unaffiliated voters who claim they requested a Democratic ballot -- began voting -- and then went back to request a Republican ballot. "I think it's premature to consider any of these other things that are coming from the campaign at this time. Again, we have a process in place that calls for a full machine recount, followed by a sampling. And I we need to we need to see that thoroughly," said Hayes. Husser, noting the big money already spent in the election, remarked how challenges can drag out when the race will ultimately be settled. "We have a precedent in North Carolina with very close, very high-stakes races, that the races don't get determined until much longer than what people initially expect. It's too early to know. It's going to depend in part on will there be lawsuits filed on Team Berger's behalf? If so, this might not be answered for a while," said Husser. LINCOLN A proposal to give the state auditor more oversight of no-bid state contracts is back in committee as lawmakers seek to reconsider whether to attach an unrelated bill that would let people outside city limits vote in city elections. The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 5-3, along ideological lines, to pull back Legislative Bill 997, from State Sen. Bob Andersen of Sarpy County, and reconsider attaching LB 951, from State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln. That effort failed 4-4 last week, with State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul breaking from his four fellow Republicans. State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul, center, speaks with State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, left, and then-State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn. Dec. 7, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) On Wednesday, Meyer said he had studied Ballards bill more and understood it better. LB 951 would allow voters in extraterritorial zoning jurisdictions to vote in municipal elections, including for mayor and city council members. Advertisement Advertisement The bill has been limited to just Lincoln and Omaha, the broader zones of which stretch 3 miles. With Meyers vote, the committee attached LB 951 on a 5-3 vote. The committee delayed a vote on whether to advance the amended LB 997 until Thursday to consider one more amendment. We dont want to change elections, Ballard said Wednesday. We just want to give people a voice. Disconnect in our representative democracy The goal of LB 951 is to provide representation for residents subject to city regulations, such as planning or permitting fees, who Ballard said face taxation without representation. At a January hearing, Ballard said that is inherently in conflict with democratic values and has no place in Nebraska. Ballard and local officials say the purpose of the zones is to help with future city growth and ensure properties have similar plans. Some cities share similar requirements to their counties. State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, center. Jan. 21, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Supporting Ballards bill in January were multiple residents in extraterritorial areas, such as former Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, plus Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen. Advertisement Advertisement I believe its appropriate, in light of the extent of impact and authority that the city has, that we should be allowed to vote for city council and mayor positions, Peterson said. Evnen described it as a disconnect in our representative democracy. Tell our citizens what to do State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha asked Evnen at the time whether Ballards bill would create an electorate with more say in aspects of life theyre not subjected to, such as in day-to-day city regulations or taxes. Evnen said its a fascinating thought that those outside city limits could control city council composition. Evnen said that isnt likely and that the fundamental interest of property owners is paramount. State Sens. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, left, and John Cavanaugh of Omaha before a meeting of the General Affairs Committee regarding medical cannabis legislation led by both senators. Holdcroft is committee chair. Cavanaugh is committee vice chair. Feb. 2, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Omaha City Attorney Matt Kuhse, Gretna Mayor Mike Evans and David Cary, director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning and Development Services Department, opposed Ballards bill on similar grounds as Cavanaughs question. Advertisement Advertisement Gretna, for instance, Evans said, has a population of around 9,300 people and 12,000 people in the surrounding jurisdictional area. Evans said it might be representation without taxation that could directly impact affordability, quality of life and the voice of city citizens. The people in this ETJ can effectively tell our citizens what to do, Evans said. Kuhse said the bill would require constantly evaluating council districts. He described a nightmare scenario in which new boundaries might boot a council member from their district. I do think that this is a solution in search of a problem, Kuhse testified. I do not think that this is an issue of importance to the extent that we should allow people to vote in these types of elections. Forced marriage Andersen, vice chair of the Government Committee, supports adding Ballards bill to his own. Andersens LB 997 was introduced on behalf of State Auditor Mike Foley and backed by the Nebraska Governors Office. Advertisement Advertisement It comes amid controversy of a no-bid emergency contract between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and a lobbyist Gov. Jim Pillen recommended, the specifics of which were the subject of a state audit now being reviewed by the Lincoln Police Department. Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Foley testifies before the Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Feb. 5, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LB 997 on its own had advanced 8-0 last week. Committees must report out bills within eight days after final action. That clock has now reset. As a resident of Sarpy County, Andersen said he is an extraterritorial resident subject to regulations and fees but with no voting power for certain city officials. Cavanaugh on Wednesday suggested adding to Ballards provisions the option for Lincoln or Omaha city officials to eliminate their extraterritorial zone if they didnt want to add the electors. Advertisement Advertisement If the goal is representation, Cavanaugh said his amendment provides an alternative. If were going to say this is a forced marriage, we should at least let them split up before were forcing them to have this situation, Cavanaugh told his colleagues. Effects on elections? State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue said Cavanaughs amendment was out of order under self-imposed committee rules that amendments or bills up for committee votes must be presented to committee members with at least a days notice. Cavanaugh, at one point during a committee meeting Wednesday, expressed concern about whether Ballards amendment would put the thumb on the scale of Lincoln or Omaha elections. Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, left, signs an agreement with Gov. Jim Pillen to cooperate in providing utilities to a newly selected site for a state prison northeast of Lincoln in August 2023. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner) Asked to describe what he thought the effect would be, Cavanaugh said he doesnt know the makeup of the targeted extraterritorial zones but that the bill targets the two largest cities which happen to both have Democratic mayors and Democratic-majority city councils. Advertisement Advertisement Lincoln and Omaha planning departments also already include extraterritorial representatives, Cary and Kuhse said. Lynn Rex of the League of Nebraska Municipalities, who also opposed LB 951, said many municipalities have one or even two dedicated representatives. If you think that those representatives dont have enough authority, there are ways you would address that, rather than allowing people in ETJs to vote in city elections affecting potholes and trash pickup and police and fire, Cavanaugh said. If its only about zoning jurisdiction, theres a much more narrow way to approach this. Andersen said Cavanaughs view that the bill is putting the thumb on the scale of Omaha or Lincoln elections is Cavanaughs interpretation. Andersen said he wasnt going to question Cavanaughs motivations but noted it is an election year for Cavanaugh, a Democrat running for Congress in Nebraskas Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) Ballard said he needed to look at Cavanaughs amendment, which hadnt been brought to him before, but described it as an interesting proposition. His main concern is whether it could hamper growth. Advertisement Advertisement Ballard said in the case of Lincoln and broader Lancaster County, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, won reelection by nearly 8,000 votes in 2023 54.65%, with 46.22% turnout. Ballard, a Republican, said there arent enough votes in the extraterritorial zone to sway the election anyway. Both Lincoln and Omaha have city elections in odd years, with Lincoln every two years and Omahas election every four years, the next in 2029. Neither Andersen nor Ballard said they have concerns that adding LB 951 would hurt the no-bid contract provisions of LB 997. Both expect broad support for the package, with Ballard saying both bills are important and about accountability and transparency. The Government Committee will consider Cavanaughs amendment and whether to advance LB 997 at 10 a.m. Thursday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX March 17 (Reuters) - Medical device maker Stryker said on Tuesday it has contained a cyberattack that caused widespread disruption to its business and was now prioritizing restoring systems that directly support customers, ordering and shipping. A cyberattack on March 11 had affected Stryker's operations, hindering order processing, manufacturing and shipments. An Iran-linked hacking group called Handala claimed responsibility for the attack the same day, claiming it was retaliation for a strike on a girls' school in Minab, southern Iran. Stryker's staff found that cellphones, laptops and other remote devices that were running Microsoft's Windows operating system and could connect to its computer platforms had been impacted by the attack. No patient-related services and connected medical products were affected, the company noted, though it did not reveal details on the financial impact of the attack. Stryker, which has 56,000 employees and operates in 61 countries, said it is coordinating with appropriate authorities and external cybersecurity experts as part of its investigation into the incident. (Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda) LINCOLN Democrat Cindy Burbank is suing to get back on Nebraskas U.S. Senate ballot, and shes short of time. Burbank filed her lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court on Tuesday, arguing that Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnens decision to remove her from the ballot violated her First Amendment rights and the U.S. Constitutions qualifications clause. Nebraska law does not regulate the underlying motivations of candidates running for office, nor prohibit candidates from running in a primary election while also openly promoting another candidate for the general election, Burbanks lawyers argue. That is all Ms. Burbank is accused of doing, and it is perfectly within the bounds of conventional political advocacy. Advertisement Advertisement She was kicked off the ballot on Tuesday, when Evnen decided she wasnt a good-faith candidate after the Nebraska Republican Party filed a complaint arguing that she has no plans to serve in the office she seeks. The state GOP pointed to her campaign website, which she named NOT a Pete Ricketts plant. On it, Burbank wrote that if she won the Democratic nomination, she would support nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn against Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts to give Osborn a fair shot against Ricketts. State law says that the secretary of state can reject a candidate filing if the states top election official determines someone is not a good-faith candidate. It does not define what the term means. She is the second Democratic candidate election officials have kicked off the 2026 primary election ballot this cycle. Mark Martinez, who was running for Douglas County sheriff, was placed back on the ballot Wednesday by a Nebraska Supreme Court justice, who overturned his removal last week by the new Douglas County election commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday is the deadline for a judge to overturn the decision, as it would be 55 days before the primary election, according to state law, but during the roughly one-hour hearing at the Lancaster County District Courthouse, the judge seemed open to a different deadline of Friday, when Evnen would have to finalize the ballot. The judge said that he would rule as soon as possible. He had issued no ruling as of Wednesday evening. Arguments during the Wednesday hearing largely echoed what Burbank and the state GOP wrote to the Secretary of State. Attorneys for the Nebraska GOP and Evnen argued that Burbanks website and comments from Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb showed Burbank doesnt plan to serve in Congress. They also reinforced that the secretary of state can reject a candidate under those circumstances. Attorneys for Burbank argued that voters should be able to decide who the nominee is and that the same scrutiny should also be applied to the other Democrat in the Senate race, William Forbes, as some have alleged he is trying to help Ricketts a characterization the state GOP lawyer objected to, saying there is no proof that Forbes is a plant. Advertisement Advertisement One of Evnens attorneys said nothing is stopping Democrats from voting for Osborn if Forbes, a pastor and anti-abortion Democrat, is on the ballot. Lancaster County District retired Judge John Colborn said before adjournment that the case presents a novel issue. Nebraskas primary election is May 12. The general election is Nov. 3. Burbank is seeking a temporary injunction from the court to require Evnen to place her name back on the ballot. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LINCOLN A Nebraska Supreme Court justice put Democratic Douglas County sheriff candidate Mark Martinez back on the countys general election ballot Wednesday, ruling him eligible to run. The state high court overrode a decision by the new Douglas County election commissioner, who had determined he didnt qualify to run for the position following receipt of a complaint from the Douglas County Republican Party questioning Martinezs eligibility under a relatively new state law. Martinez had asked the court to put him back on. Former U.S. Marshall for Nebraska Mark Martinez is seeking to unseat Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson. (Courtesy of the Martinez campaign) Nebraska Supreme Court Justice William B. Cassel, in his opinion, wrote, The language of the statute is plain. It does not distinguish between an active or inactive certificate. It merely requires that the candidate possess a certificate I decline to rely upon legislative history where a party urges me to detect ambiguity by initially resorting to legislative history. Advertisement Advertisement The county GOP complaint had argued Martinez was ineligible to file for election to the office under a 2024 state law that requires a candidate for sheriff to possess a certificate or diploma from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center before filing to run or being appointed to the job. The party said Martinez, a former U.S. marshal for Nebraska under former President Barack Obama, no longer had an active law enforcement certificate. The Martinez campaign argued that Nebraskas 2024 law does not specify that a law enforcement certificate must belong to an active law enforcement officer and that Martinez has more than the laws required law enforcement certificate and diploma, that he has both. Martinezs campaign had also argued his eligibility to run for sheriff had been reviewed and green-lighted by the Douglas County Election Commission, the Douglas County Attorneys Office and the Nebraska Secretary of States Office before the GOP complaint was filed, the same people the countys top election official said she consulted before deciding Martinezs fate. Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson. Aug. 5, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) First-year Douglas County Election Commissioner Danielle Jensen said in a statement that she removed him from the ballot after further reviewing the law and consulting with the county attorney and secretary of state. Jensen formerly worked as a communications director and senior policy adviser for U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., before Gov. Jim Pillen appointed her to the elections post in Nebraskas most populous county late last year. Advertisement Advertisement Jensen, in a statement, said she welcomed the ruling for clarifying language in the 2024 law that she thought was unclear due to questions raised in the objection to Martinezs candidate filing. Her statement said that since no other candidates are running for sheriff, both Martinez and Hanson will head to the general election and will not appear on the primary ballot in May. Martinez will face incumbent Republican Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson in November. The Martinez campaign, through a spokeswoman, said they were ecstatic about the decision and that he plans to hold a press conference on the ruling Thursday. Like the situation in a similar ballot qualification case, I address only the statutory qualification to be placed on the ballot, Cassel wrote. Whether to support a candidate lacking an active certification status is for the electorate to decide. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The timing of the elections will heavily depend on the results of the war and can cause the date to be moved up, said Prof. Gideon Rahat, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute. As the war continues with no clear end in sight, speculation has grown over whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to move up the date for Israels upcoming elections, using Operation Roaring Lion as leverage to boost his polling prospects. The timing of the elections will heavily depend on the results of the war and can cause the date to be moved up, Prof. Gideon Rahat, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institutes Political Reform Program, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Elections are currently scheduled for the end of October, at the latest. As an expert in political science, Rahat laid out the strategic considerations that could influence both the timing and the outcome of the elections. The idea that war could boost polling has long been part of political considerations. However, Rahat cautioned that the reality was more complex. The pattern in wars is that at the beginning theres support and enthusiasm, and gradually it declines because people dont see a way out, and its unclear whether youre actually winning like youre being told, he explained. ISRAELI SECURITY and rescue forces inspect the damage at the scene where a missile fired from Iran toward Israel caused damage and killed two people in Ramat Gan, central Israel, March 18, 2026. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90) The Iranians arent replacing their regime. Hezbollah is taking heavy blows but keeps firing. So, slowly, enthusiasm declines. People lose patience, especially when unrealistic expectations were set, and thats whats happening now. War buys time but clouds election plans The state budget vote at the end of the month had seemed like a potential opening for early elections, with the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties threatening to vote against it over the conscription bill that the government had been advancing. By law, if the budget fails to pass, elections are automatically triggered. Advertisement Advertisement However, the prime minister announced that the controversial conscription legislation would be set aside for wartime unity, reducing immediate tensions within the coalition and increasing the likelihood that the budget will pass. Rahat noted that, in this case, the war was able to buy Netanyahu more time, and, politically, its quite a successful maneuver. He also explained that leaving elections until October could be harmful to Netanyahu, as the date would coincide with three years since the October 7 Hamas massacre in 2023. The proximity of October 7 to the elections could create negative associations for voters, Rahat pointed out. Advertisement Advertisement Investigating government failures on October 7 has become a central issue uniting opposition parties. Netanyahus rivals have increasingly called for a change in leadership following the massacre, as well as for a state commission of inquiry into the governments handling of October 7, which the political echelon has repeatedly blocked. Reports have speculated that elections could be moved up to the summer, around June, which Rahat said had initially appeared to him to be the most strategic timing. However, he noted that his assessment has shifted since the war began, as an unsuccessful outcome if the war ends near summertime could also harm Netanyahus polling. Recent polling since the start of the war has not shown a dramatic shift in support for the prime ministers Likud party. Advertisement Advertisement The polls didnt move much, Rahat said. Over-promising on matters such as regime change in Iran and victory over Hezbollah could ultimately drive voters away from Netanyahu, he suggested. He concluded that the prime ministers main strategy was to do whatever it takes to stay in power. As long as the war continues without a decisive outcome, the question of whether Netanyahu will opt for early elections remains open, Rahat said. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners suspended the license of a physician who worked inside a state prison after he tested positive for drugs, including methamphetamine, according to documents obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators. Dana Marks has faced disciplinary actions from the board at least three times since 2008, records show. On Sept. 29, 2025, respondent provided a laboratory drug testing facility which demonstrated that respondent received positive results for the substances amphetamines and methamphetamines, indicating use of mood-altering drugs, the complaint states. Advertisement Advertisement The medical board found that the health, safety, and welfare of the public is at imminent risk of harm if Marks is permitted to continue practicing medicine, the order of suspension states. The board alleged two counts in the complaint, including knowing or willful failure to comply with a board order, and having an alcohol or substance use disorder. Marks agreed with the state medical board in 2023 to remain in substance abuse treatment for five years and to refrain from drug and alcohol use, according to an Oct. 14 complaint. It is unclear what led to the 2023 agreement. The 8 News Now Investigators reached out to Marks on Tuesday afternoon. He referred to a medical condition, said the matter is personal and still being investigated and worked out, and that it is too early to make a formal statement. Advertisement Advertisement Marks first worked for the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) in 2016, returned in 2020, and worked at Lovelock Correctional Center until last November, a spokesperson told the 8 News Now Investigators. Marks most recently worked as a senior physician with an annual salary of nearly $220,000, according to the NDOC. The department refused to comment further on the circumstances surrounding Marks. In 2014, Marks agreed to a settlement with the medical board after he showed up to a scheduled work shift at Banner Churchill Community Hospital intoxicated and an hour and a half late, a Dec. 2014 settlement agreement stated. A test revealed a blood alcohol content of .223, according to the agreement. The board agreed to reinstate his medical license if Marks substance abuse treatment, random alcohol and drug tests, join a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous, and submit proof of his attendance. In 2008, Marks wrote multiple prescriptions for controlled substances for two women who were not patients, according to a complaint. Later that year, he entered into an agreement with the board, which included probation, a public reprimand, a $1,000 fine, reimbursement of more than $2,700 in costs associated with his case, an ethics course, and a drug and alcohol evaluation, records show. The following year, the medical board released Marks from probation. Advertisement Advertisement To research a physician: https://medboard.nv.gov/. To reach investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, email vmurphy@8newsnow.com. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. New Jerseys Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments over the mental state required by a law that creates civil and criminal penalties for individuals who disclose the personal information of judges, law enforcement officials, and some other public officials. The case before New Jerseys high court asks whether the statute, known as Daniels Law, carries strict liability that is, liability that does not weigh a persons intent for individuals who keep protected information up after receiving a request to take it down. Critics of the law who are challenging it argue that it does, a point key to claims in a related federal case that could invalidate the laws enforcement mechanism. The laws defenders argue it uses a looser standard that does consider a persons ill intent or guilty mind, known legally by the Latin phrase mens rea. A legislative fix is needed. The answer here is clear: The statute requires no mens rea, said Michael Berry, an attorney for Thomson Reuters who argued on behalf of data firms sued over compliance with the law. Advertisement Advertisement Daniels Law was enacted in 2020, months after a gunman shot and killed the son of a federal judge in her New Jersey home. It was intended to allow judges and law enforcement officials to shield their home addresses and other personal information from public view. The case before the court centers around a dispute between Atlas Data Privacy, a firm that enforces Daniels Law on behalf of the people it covers, and a bevy of data brokers Atlas sued in 2024 for failing to respond to tens of thousands of requests to remove personal information. Though initial versions of Daniels Law contained language that required data brokers and others disclosing protected information to weigh whether a reasonable person believed the disclosure could cause harm to a protected person, that language was eliminated by amendments in 2023. Current law does not enumerate any standards for most violators, saying only that those who violate its provisions shall be liable and may face civil action in state Superior Court, which shall award actual damages of $1,000 per violation, plus attorneys fees and other costs. Advertisement Advertisement The law does require willful or reckless disregard in order to award punitive damages, and amendments made in 2024 gave government records custodians some protections from consequences for disclosures that violate Daniels Law. The lack of other standards in the bill, plus its own language, made clear legislators intended Daniels Law to carry strict liability, including in situations where it was impossible to comply with takedown requests, Berry argued. They took the reasonable person standard out. The Legislature put a reasonable effort standard in for government custodians. For civil liability, there is nothing, Berry said. Historically, courts have struck down laws that impose strict liability on speech as unconstitutional over the chilling effects they have on activities protected by the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement The state Supreme Court is hearing the case due to a request from the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, which is weighing a case on the constitutionality of Daniels Law. Lawyers for Atlas and the Office of the Attorney General argued that the text of the law, rather than requiring strict liability for violators, merely requires proof that people who violate it acted with negligence. Under Daniels Laws current construction, covered individuals or their agents send letters to individuals or companies that have disclosed protected information. Liability attaches if the information remains available 10 days after the notice is received. Noncompliance with that notice requirement makes one negligent, and that means negligence is still the standard under the law, argued Eric Palmer, an attorney for Atlas. Advertisement Advertisement I think the Legislature did not explicitly use the words negligence or negligent disregard of the law that makes sense in context because its presupposed, generally, when you have a tort statute, youre not creating strict liability except in contexts like abnormally dangerous activities, certain things involving wild animals or animals that cannot be controlled in various ways, Palmer said. Palmer and New Jersey Deputy Solicitor General Michael Zuckerman pointed to the negligence standard in prior versions of Daniels Law, which required people who disclose data to weigh whether a reasonable person would believe the disclosure creates a risk of harm. Legislators would not have removed that and intended for the law to carry strict liability, the attorneys said. Daniels Law is severable, which means a decision that strikes down part of the law will leave other parts intact and operative. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A North Carolina mom has been arrested after she allegedly left two young children inside of a hot vehicle while she was shoplifting inside of a Walmart. The incident took place on the afternoon of Saturday, March 14, when officers were called to a Walmart store in response to a trespassing complaint, according to authorities in Washington, North Carolina. Police said that Erika Johnson was inside the store with her 3-year-old daughter when employees noticed she was exhibiting suspicious behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson, 35, allegedly tried to hide stolen merchandise in a trash can inside the store, according to arrest warrants viewed by WINT. After Breaking Up a Bar Fight, Cops Discover Wyoming Woman Left Her Toddler Home Alone for Hours As officers prepared to take her into custody for shoplifting, authorities realized Johnson was committing another crime when her 3-year-old daughter reportedly told officers there was another child waiting in a vehicle in the parking lot. Johnson initially gave officers incorrect information about where the vehicle was parked, though store employees later showed the officers surveillance footage from outside of the store in order to determine which car was hers. Advertisement Advertisement Once officers made it to the car, they found a 3-month-old infant and a 2-year-old child were inside the vehicle, according to the warrants. While speaking to reporters, authorities said that the children were sweating and not moving when they were found. Police officers added that their behavior immediately caused them to be concerned for their safety. Once the kids were found safe, Johnson was taken into custody. Police said that she is now facing two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, shoplifting, second-degree trespassing, two counts of resisting a public officer and simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, per the outlet. Court records also showed that she was cited with parking in a handicap spot, according to WBTV. A judge set Johnsons bond at $35,000 and it was specified that she would not be allowed to go on any premises of Walmart in the world if she is released, per the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson is currently being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center, according to police. It is not currently known if she has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest. Authorities also said that the children appear to be recovering after they were found in the hot car. Mom, 2 Friends Arrested After Allegedly Leaving Baby in Cold Car to Go Barhopping Investigators have not released additional details about the case, including how long the children were in the vehicle before they were found. It is also not currently clear who has custody of the children following the incident. Advertisement Advertisement The case is currently under investigation as Johnson awaits her first court appearance. The Washington Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weeklys request for comment regarding the case. It is extremely dangerous for children to be left alone in hot cars. More than 1,000 children have died of heatstroke in the past 25 years after they were left inside of a hot car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, so their temperature can rise more quickly when left inside of a hot car and the situation can become deadly. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, and a body temperature becomes deadly at 107 degrees or above. North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) has requested a recount after unofficial election results showed him narrowly trailing his challenger in the GOP primary race for his state Senate seat. Berger and his opponent, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page (R), were separated by just 23 votes following the March 3 election, according to Decision Desk HQ. The race was too close to call on election night as the two candidates were only separated by two votes, despite Page declaring victory. North Carolina law allows a candidate to ask for a recount when the margin is less than one percentage point. The deadline to do so for the past election was Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE), Berger requested a hand recount in Rockingham and Guilford counties, claiming his campaign had identified examples of overvotes and undervotes in each. Based on a review of available records of the SD26 race, there are 1 overvote and 134 undervotes in Rockingham County and 2 overvotes and 83 undervotes in Guilford County, which total more than the 23-vote margin in the Senate District 26 race, Berger wrote. These overvotes and undervotes could very likely determine the outcome of this race, he added. Bergers campaign also previously expressed concerns that some voters in the district may have received the wrong ballot on Election Day, according to Queen City News. Advertisement Advertisement Guilford County was expected to conduct its recount on Tuesday. Election officials in Rockingham County told WGHP its recount would be performed on Thursday. The county boards of elections have put in long hours, working tirelessly throughout this election and the post-election period, NCSBE Executive Director Sam Hayes said in a news release explaining the recount process. Our goal is to provide the counties with the resources they need during any recounts to ensure the process is transparent and orderly. The outcome of the recount could have major implications for the North Carolina legislature, as Berger is widely considered the most powerful Republican lawmaker in the state. President Trump endorsed Berger last December, urging Page at the time to come work for us in Washington, D.C. rather than enter the race. Advertisement Advertisement The winner of the primary is set to face Democrat Steve Luking in the general election in November. 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. North Dakota state revenues remain on target for now amidst unpredictable oil prices, but budget officials urged caution. Theres really a perfect example of North Dakotas volatile revenues, Allen Knudson, budget analyst and auditor for Legislative Council, told lawmakers Wednesday afternoon. Its way up one day and way down the next. Oil prices have greatly fluctuated in recent weeks amid the United States and Israels war in Iran. Before that, prices were low due to high supply. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the price for North Dakota crude oil was about $50 a barrel, but is now about $80 and potentially going up, Knudson said. That $30 per barrel increase equates to about $3 million in additional state revenue each day, he said. Its looking good now, but again, it could change in a short amount of time, he said. Well need to proceed with caution. Overall, North Dakota revenues as of Feb. 28 were in line with state forecasts. Under the budget approved by the Legislature last year, the state expected to pull in $1.687 billion in revenue between July and February. The states actual revenue over that time frame was $1.689 billion, North Dakota Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette told lawmakers Wednesday morning. Were about $2 million ahead of forecast, which is a very, very small margin of error, a 10th of a percent variance, he said. Advertisement Advertisement North Dakota has exceeded budget projections in recent years, including beginning the 2025-27 budget cycle with a surplus of $1.3 billion in the general fund. Budget officials are not expecting to have large surpluses ahead of the 2027-29 budget cycle, however. That prompted the state to offer voluntary buyouts to state employees last month. A total of 19 state agencies are taking part in the program, and about 200 state employees participated in a call to learn about the incentive, Morrissette said. The window for employees to apply for the voluntary buyouts is March 31. In 2018, the last time the state offered similar retirement incentives, 200 employees participated, Morrissette told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, said hes concerned that voluntary buyouts could result in agencies losing some of their best employees. Replacing more expensive employees with less expensive employees, the reality is, were also losing that much institutional knowledge, he said. North Dakota is projected to collect about $130 million less in individual and corporate income taxes due to changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Morrissette said Wednesday the state doesnt expect to know the full impact of the bill on state tax collections until after April. As of Feb. 28, corporate income tax revenue came in at roughly $134.2 million, or 17.4% greater than what was forecast. Advertisement Advertisement Sales tax revenues the states largest general fund revenue source as of February were roughly the same as projected in the budget forecast. The state expects to make a total of $5.3 billion in revenue over the course of the 2025-2027 budget cycle, which ends June 30, 2027. Lawmakers on Wednesday also approved four requests from executive branch agencies for gap funding forwarded by the North Dakota Emergency Commission. The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation asked for $105,000 in state general fund contingency money so it can start using GPS monitoring for people in transitional and work release programs. Advertisement Advertisement The three other requests were for authority to spend federal money. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction asked for approval to spend $5.26 million as part of a federal education research grant to expand an artificial intelligence-assisted reading tutoring program for grade schoolers. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services requested authority to accept $1.96 million in federal funds for technology upgrades to its Medicaid system. The agency also requested authority to accept $1.19 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for technology upgrades to make the states Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program more efficient and to reduce errors. Advertisement Advertisement In both cases, the funding going to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services is needed to comply with federal requirements implemented in the reconciliation bill passed by Congress last year, Morrissette said. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com DEARBORN HTS, MI - Officials in Dearborn Heights condemned the attack at a synagogue in West Bloomfield and said the city is coordinating with investigators after authorities confirmed the suspect lived in the community. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon at Temple Israel, where authorities say a man rammed a vehicle into the building and exchanged gunfire with synagogue security before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mayor Mo Baydoun said the city stands with the Jewish community following the attack. Advertisement Advertisement While we are grateful that no worshippers, staff, or children were seriously harmed at Temple Israel, we acknowledge that fear to enter a sacred space is its own type of injury, Baydoun said in a statement. No one should have to live with that fear. Federal investigators have identified the suspect as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Dearborn Heights resident. Baydoun said the actions of one person do not reflect the values of the city. This is not who we are. There is never an excuse for violence, especially violence directed at a sacred space, he said. Our Jewish brothers and sisters deserve to worship without fear. Advertisement Advertisement City officials said they have been in communication with law enforcement agencies leading the investigation, including federal and regional partners. Baydoun said he also reached out to West Bloomfield officials to express solidarity and offer support following the attack. Police in Dearborn Heights are increasing patrols around houses of worship, schools and other gathering spaces in response to the incident. Officials said there is currently no credible information suggesting an ongoing threat within the city, but authorities will continue monitoring the situation and coordinating with investigators. Community awareness is one of the strongest tools we have to keep each other safe, Baydoun said, urging residents to report suspicious activity to the Dearborn Heights Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Baydoun said residents across the city have reached out to express concern and report incidents of threatening language or behavior in the aftermath of the attack. We stand with the Jewish community, just as we stand with every resident of Dearborn Heights who is feeling the weight of these interconnected tragedies, he said. Read the original article on mlive.com. Add mlive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Women may be more vulnerable as AI takes over some jobs. getty A new analysis of AIs impact on the workforce suggests womens careers may be at greater risk than mens. While the researchers focused on identifying who is most vulnerable, their findings also point to steps workers can take to prepare for whats ahead. The study was completed by researchers at GOVAI, an organization that studies the policy implications of AI progress. The research was posted on the NBER website as a working paper and has not been peer-reviewed. Rather than focusing solely on who is most likely to lose their jobs to AI, as much previous research has, the researchers took a broader approach. They considered who is best positioned to find new roles if their current job is transformed by AI. Workers who can weather a job loss and transition into another role face less risk than those who cannot. To assess this ability to transition, the researchers analyzed the skills required for different occupations and identified the most transferable ones. They also considered factors like savings and where workers live, which can also play an important role in workers ability to transition to a new job. The good news is that, according to the research, around 70% of workers in careers with the greatest exposure to AI have the skills to adapt or to switch roles. More specifically, the researchers found that of the 37.1 million workers in jobs most likely to be impacted by AI, 26.5 million are in a good position to adapt or find other jobs, if necessary. The bad news is that about 6.1 million workers face a much tougher situation. These workers, who are concentrated in clerical and administrative roles, are also likely to be affected by AI. However, workers in these roles will have a tougher time adapting or moving into new roles because they lack transferable skills, dont have much savings and tend to be employed in smaller towns. Women make up a large share of this vulnerable group, accounting for a whopping 86% of workers in these positions. By contrast, many jobs dominated by men, including plumbing, construction, and electrical work, depend on hands-on physical tasks and, for now, appear less vulnerable to AI. The researchers stop short of offering specific advice for workers wanting to ensure their career stability. Instead, their findings point to the factors that make workers more adaptable, such as transferable skills, financial resources, and access to new job opportunities. These factors suggest steps individuals can take to better position themselves in a changing job market. The Importance Of Financial Flexibility When workers lose their jobs, those with greater savings can weather income shocks more effectively, the study authors write. They explain that those with more savings can afford longer job searches. This allows workers to hold out for a better job rather than having to accept the first offer that comes their way. Amid the ongoing war in Iran, the soaring price of oil since shipping was disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz has caused great alarm. On March 2, Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced that the Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the worlds oil and gas is transported was closed, a move that sent oil prices soaring higher than $100 per barrel. But experts say a parallel crisis is looming a considerable threat to global food security, caused by a looming shortage of fertiliser, essential for food production. INTERACTIVE - Strait of Hormuz - March 2, 2026-1772714221 Why is there a shortage of fertiliser? Nearly half of the worlds traded urea the most widely used fertiliser and large volumes of other fertilisers are exported from Gulf countries via the Strait of Hormuz, making global agriculture highly exposed to any disruption there. Advertisement Advertisement Recent disruptions to gas supplies and shipping have already forced fertiliser plants, which use natural gas to manufacture fertiliser, in the Gulf and beyond to shut or cut their output. After its LNG facilities were attacked, Qatars state-run energy firm, QatarEnergy, halted output at what is the worlds largest urea plant after it shut down gas output. Since LNG output from Qatar has dropped off, India has cut output from three of its own urea plants. Bangladesh has also shut four out of its five fertiliser factories. The US is already close to 25 percent short of fertiliser supply for this time of year. Advertisement Advertisement Compounding shortages, urea export prices from the Middle East have surged by about 40 percent, rising from just less than $500 to a little more than $700 per metric tonne as of last Friday, according to Argus, a specialist energy and commodities price reporting agency. The price is currently close to 60 percent higher than this time last year. How much of the worlds fertiliser does the Gulf produce? According to one shipping services company, the Signal Group, 20 percent of the worlds fertiliser originates in the Gulf, while 46 percent of global urea supply comes from the Gulf. Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), considered the worlds largest urea supplier, alone supplies 14 percent of the worlds urea. Advertisement Advertisement Analysis by Kpler, a data and analytics company, shows that as much as one-third of global fertiliser trade could be disrupted if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz persists only a handful of Indian, Pakistani and Chinese-flagged vessels have been allowed to pass safely in recent days. According to Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein, nitrogen fertiliser prices could roughly double from current levels and phosphate prices could climb by about 50 percent, the Reuters news agency reported this week. Which countries depend the most on this fertiliser? As of 2024, Asian countries were most heavily dependent on Gulf fertiliser exports, receiving 35 percent of Gulf urea exports, 53 percent of sulphur exports and 64 percent of ammonia exports, according to Kpler. Advertisement Advertisement These exports are particularly vital for key agricultural markets, particularly India, Brazil and China, with significant volumes also going to Morocco, the United States, Australia and Indonesia. India is particularly dependent on the Middle East for fertilisers, sourcing more than 40 percent of its urea and phosphate fertilisers from the region. Meanwhile, Brazil is almost entirely reliant on imports for its fertiliser supply, nearly half of which transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Why will fertiliser shortages hit food production so hard? The timing of this disruption is especially bad because it falls in the middle of sowing season, or spring plantation season, which generally runs from mid-February to early May in the Northern Hemisphere. Advertisement Advertisement For commercial farming, fertiliser is essential for almost every crop if growers want strong yields. But different crops require different kinds and amounts of fertiliser. The world was already reeling from a urea shortage when Europe was forced to cut its supplies after it lost access to cheap Russian gas, in the wake of the onset of Russias war on Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, Beijing restricted fertiliser exports, including urea, to ensure supplies for Chinese farmers first. What does this mean for global food security? Several of the biggest importers of Gulf fertilisers including India, Brazil and China are also among the worlds largest food producers. Advertisement Advertisement India is one of the worlds largest producers of agriculture and food products such as rice, wheat, pulses and fruit. In 2024, Indian rice accounted for roughly a quarter of the worlds rice exports. According to the US Department of Agriculture, Brazil now accounts for nearly 60 percent of global soya bean exports. The country also exports sugar and corn. China is a major tea producer, supplying tea leaves worldwide as well as other agricultural staples such as garlic and mushrooms. Hence, a prolonged fertiliser shortage and a hike in fertiliser prices could lead to some farmers skipping fertiliser use entirely. This would reduce crop yields. Advertisement Advertisement That could affect food security worldwide. Lower yields for staple crops like rice, wheat, maize and soya beans would restrict global supply. In turn, that would be likely to hike food prices and potentially create localised shortages, especially in importdependent countries. Bullets hit several vehicles during a shootout in a Dayton neighborhood on Sunday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers responded just before 4 p.m. on March 15 to the 5000 block of Northcrest Drive on a reported shooting, according to Dayton Police Lt. Eric Sheldon. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Two men engaged in a shootout with each other, and bullets hit numerous vehicles. Officers found a 33-year-old man hiding in the woods near the shooting location. He admitted to being part of the shootout. The man was also aware that he was prohibited from possessing a gun, Dayton Police said. The male has previous convictions for felonious assault and having weapons while under disability, said Lt. Sheldon. He is still on probation in regard to his 2023 conviction of having weapons while under disability. The second suspect ran from the scene but has been identified. Witnesses told Dayton Police that this was not the first incident between the two men. No one was hit by gunfire. Advertisement Advertisement The Montgomery County Prosecutors Office has accepted charges against the 33-year-old man, and the case will go directly to a grand jury, according to Dayton Police. The incident remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] If New York legislators have questions about the efficacy of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, they should look closely at a recent 340B transparency report from the Minnesota Department of Health a report that paints a bleak, concerning portrait of a program failing to achieve its intended mission. The federal 340B program, created by Congress in 1992, allows certain hospitals and clinics to buy prescription drugs at steep discounts, enabling them to stretch limited resources and support care for vulnerable patients in underserved areas. Its an honorable mission. But as the program has grown, serious questions have emerged about how those savings are used and whether the program still works as originally intended. Minnesotas recent 340B report revealed data from a program far more complex and costly than is often acknowledged. The states covered entities, including hospitals and other grantees, brought in about $1.34 billion in net revenue from the sale of 340B prescriptions in 2024. More than 20% of that revenue was generated by the states own healthcare offerings. Presently, New York State lawmakers are considering a proposal that would essentially put the cart before the horse. The state Senate included language in its one-house budget that would allow for unfettered expansion of the 340B program. This action would bypass a significant portion of the lawmaking process and, in doing so, remove the decision from public input. These decisions are too substantial and impactful to relegate to the state budget process. What can New York learn from Minnesota's experience with 340B prescriptions Lets examine some of the complexities of the Minnesota data. Minnesotas report found that covered entities spent about $165 million to administer their 340B programs. Most of those dollars did not stay within the hospitals or clinics. Instead, more than 80% of total operating costs went to external vendors and intermediaries, with contract pharmacy fees accounting for nearly 90% of those outside payments. In effect, about 10% of Minnesotas total 340B profit ultimately flowed to entities that are not covered entities at all. The remaining funds were spent on internal costs, including personnel. Advertisement Advertisement The programs revenue sources documented in the report also raise important questions about its focus. Nearly 20% of Minnesotas total 340B net revenue was generated from publicly funded programsMedicaid and MinnesotaCare. The remainder came largely from prescriptions written for patients with commercial insurance and Medicare, underscoring how much the program relies on payments tied to insured patients rather than the uninsured populations it was originally designed to support. How much of the revenue generated by 340B savings is being used to support patients in need? Prescription drugs in a medicine cabinet Digging a little deeper, Minnesotas reporting revealed that the states covered entities have relationships with 1,172 child sites (outpatient facilities) and 2,472 contract pharmacies. Every prescription filled at these sites is eligible for 340B savings, generating even more revenue. However, close to half of those contract pharmacy relationships were between covered entities in Minnesota and out-of-state pharmacies. This practice is very common across many states. According to the Pioneer Institute, 25% of contract pharmacies for the top New York hospitals are located out of state, including Texas. Worse still, about 64% of New Yorks contract pharmacies meant for low-income patients are in affluent neighborhoods. Opinion: Why we have to make health access easier and faster in NY How New York can do better with 340B Minnesotas experience illustrates a fundamental tension within the 340B program. A system designed to help safety-net providers has evolved into a complicated financial system, one in which administrative costs, vendor payments, and revenue incentives continue to shape the program. As a result, the program has driven up government costs, private-sector healthcare coverage, and employer and worker costs. Advertisement Advertisement New York legislators have a critical opportunity to reform and improve the 340B program. Before acting on legislation in the state budget that expands the program without necessary accountability measures and guardrails in place, our state leaders should review Minnesotas thorough and eye-opening report and work toward a plan that ensures funds from 340B are spent in accordance with the programs intent, benefiting the patients it was designed to support. Effective 340B reform should start with transparency and reporting requirements that would expose any form of abuse and restore accountability. Minnesota has sounded the alarm. New York lawmakers should heed the warning and respond. Real reforms of the 340B program cannot wait. Steven Newmark, JD, MPA, serves as the chief policy officer for the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses by advocating for improved access to health care at the community, state, and federal levels. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York 340B prescription reform is needed | Opinion Wildlife officials have denied a pending record fish due to questions about where it was caught. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife congratulated Victor Gelman of New York on March 2 for catching a 45-pound muskie caught through the ice on Greenwood Lake, but an official told the Asbury Park Press on March 13 that the fish wont qualify for a New Jersey record because it was caught on the New York side of the lake between the two states. Shawn Crouse, chief of the states Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries, told the newspaper that the fish was caught on the far northern end of the lake, more than three miles into New York. Advertisement Advertisement We discussed it with New Yorks fisheries chief and we felt we should be consistent with our records, Crouse said. This should not diminish the catch. Were proud of the fish and the angler and love that it came from our hatchery. Gelman told Outdoor Life that he caught the trophy fish on Feb. 24 and that it came from New Jerseys Hackettstown Hatchery, which has been stocking Greenwood Lake with muskie for years. It is well short of the New York record, a nearly 70-pound fish caught in 1957. New Jerseys record for the species was set in 1997 when a 42-pound, 13-ounce fish was caught through ice at the Monksville Reservoir by Bob Neals. Read the original article on mlive.com. Add mlive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Residents are being warned about scams targeting utility customers, including recent schemes involving people posing as PSE&G, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office. Scammers may contact customers by text message, email or phone call, claiming service terms have changed, a payment is overdue or a credit is available, authorities said. Messages often include links to websites with subtle typos or misspelled words. In one payment scam, a caller posing as a PSE&G representative tells the customer that a technician is scheduled to disconnect service for nonpayment. The caller may confirm the customers address and direct them to call 1885889167 and press option 1 to speak with a manager to resolve the issue. Advertisement Advertisement The scam can be used to steal passwords and personal information, the prosecutors office said. Residents are advised to ask for identification if someone comes to their door claiming to be a PSE&G employee. All PSE&G employees are required to carry identification and present it upon request. If residents are not convinced, they should not allow the person inside and should call 911 or PSE&G at 1800436PSEG (7734), where a customer service representative can verify whether a technician has been dispatched. Residents should only use the official 1800436PSEG number to verify employees and should not call phone numbers provided by unknown individuals. Authorities also noted that PSE&G will never send employees to a home or small business offering cash refunds for deposits or utility charges. The company issues refunds by crediting customer accounts or mailing a check to the service address. Advertisement Advertisement As an added precaution, customers are urged not to share personal information such as dates of birth, Social Security numbers, account login credentials or financial account details. Customers should enable twostep verification when available, block scam phone numbers and report suspicious texts as junk or spam. Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a scam should contact their local police department. Scams also can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission or the Internet Crime Complaint Center. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: How to spot and report PSE&G imposter scams in New Jersey Dog owners take note: sweeping changes to Ohio's dangerous dog law take effect March 20. Avery's Law, named after 13-year-old Avery Russell of Columbus, will require euthanasia of dogs that seriously injure or kill a human in an unprovoked attack and will authorize wardens to immediately impound dogs involved in attacks. Gov. Mike DeWine signed Avery's Law in December, nine months after publication of an investigation by The Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch, Akron Beacon Journal and Canton Repository into how existing laws fail victims and allow owners to skirt accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Here's what the new law calls for: Owners of dangerous or vicious dogs must carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance. Owners of dangerous or vicious dogs must keep the dog confined when invited people are visiting their property. Owners could face stiffer criminal penalties if they negligently fail to prevent their dog from biting or attacking someone. Dog wardens must investigate every complaint, health care providers and veterinarians must report bites within 24 hours and local health boards must submit an annual dog bite report to the state. Avery Russell: the kid who pushed for reform Drew Russell looks at her daughter Avery Russell, 12, after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 247 into law at the Ohio Statehouse on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. The new dangerous dog law is named Averys Law. In June 2024, Avery went on a playdate with a friend. When she entered the Reynoldsburg house to use the restroom, two adult pit bulls began menacing her. Her friend's mom, Jessica Henry, tried to intervene but the dogs snapped at her too. Avery ran to the backyard; the dogs gave chase. The pit bulls ripped into Avery's face, tore away her ears and robbed her of her peace of mind. Henry, who ran to the backyard to stop the attack, suffered serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Henry's cousin, Stephanie Ayers, who owned the dogs, was convicted in Franklin County Municipal Court of failure to register and control her dogs, including one deemed dangerous. She was sentenced to four days in jail and ordered to pay $450 in fines. Police killed one dog the day of the attack. The court ordered the second dog destroyed more than a year after the attack. The case illustrated weaknesses in Ohio's dangerous dog laws, showing how victims are sometimes left with devastating injuries and medical bills while dog owners face minimal fines and consequences. Avery's law marks the first major revisions to Ohio's dog laws since 2012. Advertisement Advertisement State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@usatodayco.com and @lbischoff on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio's new dangerous dog law takes effect When most Oklahomans think about nursing homes and long-term care facilities, they think about health care and rightly so. These are the places where seniors and people with disabilities receive compassionate care, where families know their loved ones can live with dignity, comfort and support close to home. But a new economic study shows something many rural communities have understood for years: Long-term care facilities are not only health care providers. They are among the most important economic engines keeping rural Oklahoma alive. The newly released report, The Economic Impact of Long Term Rural Healthcare in the State of Oklahoma, prepared by University of Central Oklahoma economist Russell Evans, finds that rural long-term care operations generate more than $1.8 billion in economic activity statewide, support more than 15,000 jobs, and produce over $762 million in household income much of it circulating directly through small-town economies. Advertisement Advertisement More: Banking data rules could have major impact in rural Oklahoma | Opinion At a time when economic opportunity is increasingly concentrated in metropolitan areas, these findings should reshape how policymakers think about long-term care. Over the past several decades, Oklahomas economic geography has changed dramatically. In 1969, the states population was evenly split between rural and metropolitan counties. Today, nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans live in metro areas, according to the reports analysis of long-term demographic trends. Personal income and job growth have followed the same pattern, with metro-area counties adding roughly four jobs for every one created in rural Oklahoma since 2001. For many rural towns, that shift has meant shrinking populations, fewer employers and declining economic stability. Advertisement Advertisement And yet, long-term care facilities have remained. In community after community, nursing homes are among the largest employers often second only to the local school district. Rural facilities directly employ more than 10,000 Oklahomans, according to the report, providing stable, skilled jobs that allow nurses, therapists, administrators and support staff to build careers without leaving their hometowns. When local purchasing and employee spending are included, the sector supports more than 15,000 jobs statewide roughly one-third of all net new jobs created in rural Oklahoma over the past two decades. That is not just health care infrastructure. That is economic infrastructure. The importance of these facilities will only grow. Rural Oklahoma is older than urban Oklahoma, with residents age 65 and older making up a significantly larger share of the population. Long-term care providers allow seniors to remain in the communities where they built their lives close to family, churches and lifelong relationships while also sustaining local economies through wages, purchasing and community investment. Advertisement Advertisement But this economic engine is under strain. More: Anti-tenure bill would hand political win to lame-duck Stitt | Opinion Rural providers face workforce shortages, aging buildings that need modernization, rising transportation costs tied to accessing specialized medical care, and reimbursement systems that often fail to cover the true cost of providing care. In Oklahoma, the challenge is especially acute. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has long projected that the cost of care for each Medicaid resident is more than the Medicaid reimbursement rate, meaning some portion of care goes unfunded. Providers absorb these losses in order to continue serving residents, a funding gap that has contributed to nursing home closures, reduced access to care in rural communities and growing financial strain on facilities that remain open. When a rural long-term care facility struggles or closes, the loss extends far beyond health care access. Communities lose one of their largest employers. Local businesses lose customers. Young professionals lose a reason to stay. The economic ripple effects can reshape an entire town. Advertisement Advertisement That is why long-term care policy should not be viewed solely through a health care lens. It is also rural economic policy. If Oklahoma is serious about strengthening rural communities, supporting long-term care must be part of that conversation. Investments that stabilize and modernize these facilities are investments in jobs, local economies and the long-term sustainability of rural Oklahoma itself. The lesson from this study is simple: Caring for our seniors and sustaining our rural communities are not separate goals. In Oklahoma, they are deeply connected. Steven Buck Steven Buck is the president & CEO of Care Providers Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma must support long-term care to boost rural towns | Opinion Election officials disqualified just one state House of Representatives candidate seeking a spot on the June 2 primary ballot, according to online records. Tuesday marked the deadline for election officials to qualify candidates for statewide and county offices who filed paperwork to run last week. Each of the state House of Representatives 70 seats is up for re-election this year, though fewer than one-third of incumbents face a challenger. Advertisement Advertisement Brandy Laughter, the vice chair of the Democratic Party of McKinley County, initially filed to run for the District 9 seat currently held by Rep. Patricia Patty Lundstrom (D-Gallup) on March 10. However, she told Source NM that when she turned in her nominating petition, she had accidentally marked it 2025 instead of for this year. That rookie mistake invalidated all of the signatures she gathered, she said. I take full responsibility. You have to learn the ropes, Laughter told Source NM Wednesday. Maybe this wasnt my year, but its always a race, so never give up. Tuesday was also the last chance for major party candidates who didnt fare well at New Mexicos Republican and Democrat pre-primary conventions to turn in enough signatures to make the June 2 primary ballot. Officials with the Secretary of State have until March 24 to notify those candidates of whether they made the ballot, a spokesperson told Source NM. Some candidates like Republican gubernatorial candidates Duke Rodriguez and Sen. Steve Lanier (R-Aztec) did not earn enough support at their partys pre-primary convention to automatically make the ballot, though both candidates told Source NM they turned in enough signatures to make the ballot. Neither candidate participated in the partys pre-primary convention in Ruidoso. To make the ballot without pre-primary convention approval, candidates must turn in signatures equal to 4% of their partys vote for Republicans, thats 2,351 signatures. Rodriguez and Lanier said they turned in about 8,000 and 6,000 signatures, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement I feel good. Just getting that many signatures says a lot, Lanier said Wednesday. Jonas Moya, a Democrat running for State Land commissioner, and Matt Dodson, a self-described Democratic Socialist running for U.S. Senate, both announced that they qualified for the ballot. Moya will face Juan De Jesus Sanchez III, a former political director for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, and Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Galisteo) in the primary. Dodson is running against U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) Sonya Smith, a former state cabinet secretary, also did not garner enough support at the Democrat pre-primary convention to make the June ballot. She did not respond to Source NMs request for comment, but in a public social media post, she acknowledged that she would not advance. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, Tuesday was an equally important day for those seeking office as write-in candidates, who had until the end of day to file signatures to run for office. The Secretary of State has until Friday to notify them of whether they qualify for the election. Running as a write-in candidate is traditionally an uphill battle as their names are not printed on the ballot. But for some, like former Public Regulation Commission member Jim Ellison, a Republican formerly seeking a place on the gubernatorial ticket, it presented an opportunity to drop out of one crowded race and find another with an uncontested primary. As of Wednesday, seven write-in candidates filed to run, according to the Secretary of State. Other write-ins who filed to run Tuesday include Roswell Republican Larry Marker for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Ben Ray Lujan; Albuquerque Republican Joshua James Ryan Lawrence for the Office of the State Auditor; Albuquerque Republican Richard Zubia for the state House of Representatives seat currently held by Democrat Rep. Miguel Garcia; Radium Springs Democrat David Mooney for the state House seat currently held by Republican Rebecca Dow; Rio Rancho Republican Adam Prior for the state House seat held by Democrat Kathleen Cates; and Albuquerque Democrat Jacob Trujillo for the Public Education Commission. Opponents of gas tax hikes are once again suing the state of Oregon over a law that rescheduled the date of a gas tax referendum from November to May. The Right to Vote on the Gas Tax Political Action Committee organized by Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee; Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, and the Taxpayer Association of founder Jason Williams filed a new lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of Oregon in Portland one week after a Marion County judge denied their original claims, ruling that the gas tax vote would remain on the May ballot. The lawsuit alleges Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read violated the First and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Americans with Disability Act because it didnt provide Oregonians with enough time to collect the 500 signatures needed to get an argument into the Oregon Voters Pamphlet before the March 12 deadline if they cant pay the alternative $1,200 fee. Advertisement Advertisement Oregonians were told they have a voice, then the state put a $1,200 price tag on it, Diehl said in a statement. Thats not democracy. Thats a pay-to-play system designed to shut out ordinary citizens. Four people and an unspecified number of unidentified people who intended to file arguments but missed the March 12 deadline are also listed as plaintiffs. We will continue to follow the law as it is set out by the Constitution, the legislature and the courts, Read said in a statement. We hope this issue will be resolved quickly because there are rapidly approaching deadlines for elections officials to produce the voters pamphlet in a timely manner. The lawsuit stems from when Oregon Democrats on March 2 secured enough votes to pass a law rescheduling the date Oregon voters can approve or reject parts of a controversial 2025 transportation law that would raise the gas tax by six cents, double the payroll tax used for public transit and increase title and registration fees. Advertisement Advertisement No Republican in either chamber supported the bill. Just one Democratic senator and five House Democrats voted against it. Gov. Tina Kotek signed the bill into law immediately. Lawmakers blew past a Feb. 25 suggested deadline Read gave them to pass the law to allow time for Oregonians to collect signatures. The lawsuit says Read admitted that lawmakers compressed the timeline for Oregonians to include their arguments in the voter pamphlet after missing the deadline. Senate Bill 1599A collapsed the existing statutory framework meant to provide robust public processes related to explanatory and fiscal statements, racial impact statements, and avenues for citizens to engage in pure political speech, the lawsuit reads. The plaintiffs claims are similar to those made by Mary Martin, a disabled senior living in Klamath Falls who filed a lawsuit in federal court and argued that the state violated federal disability rights by requiring she quickly submit 500 signatures or pay the $1,200. The judge in that case ordered Read to let her submit her argument against the measure without a fee or gathering signatures. Tuesdays lawsuit is at least the fourth lawsuit filed after lawmakers changed the date of the gas tax referendum, the Statesman Journal first reported. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Police in Oregon have arrested a father who called them to report his infant son missing before telling them the baby boy was dead and dumped in a river, Us Weekly has learned. Authorities have filed first-degree murder charges against Jared Scott Jeremy Stoller, who lives in Roseburg. In a statement issued via Facebook, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said Stoller called 911 on Sunday, March 15, shortly before 10:00 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement The 27-year-old dad "reported to dispatchers that his 11-month-old son, Jackson James Stoller, was missing from his hotel room at the Relax Inn in Sutherlin, Oregon, the statement explains. Cops from the Sutherlin Police Department responded to the hotel where they immediately determined the circumstances surrounding the child's disappearance were suspicious. As Jared was interrogated by detectives, he allegedly opened up and eventually confessed that he had murdered Jackson days earlier in Roseburg. Missing 4-Year-Old Boy Found Dead After Disappearing on New Years Eve, Alabama Sheriff Says He then allegedly told investigators that "he had disposed of the childs body in the South Umpqua River." He later led police to the very spot where he dumped the baby's corpse. Advertisement Advertisement Divers from the Sheriffs Office's Dive Team assisted by boats from the Oregon State Police and Douglas County pulled Jackson's body from the river just before 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. An autopsy was ordered on the child's remains, and should be completed before Thursday, March 19. At this point, it is unclear how the baby was killed. However, Us has learned that Jared allegedly told police the boy had died accidentally. In addition to the sole first-degree murder count, Jared who is being held without bond was also charged with abuse of a corpse. The Douglas County Major Crimes Team is continuing to investigate the child's homicide. If a motive is known at this point, police are not willing to share that information. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who may have any information about Jared or his infant sons death are asked to contact investigators at (541) 440-4471 and reference case #26-0836. According to court records accessed by Us, Jared had been ordered to pay the boy's mother child support in 2025. But it wasn't clear why the boy was in his custody or why he had booked a hotel room only 20 miles from his home. If he is convicted by a jury, Jared faces lifetime imprisonment. Stoller has not yet entered pleas, according to court records. His attorney was unavailable for comment. If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 14% in Q4 and 21% for the full year, impacted by losses on risk management activities. Tariff-related disruptions, particularly from US tariffs on Brazilian coffee, caused sourcing and blend composition challenges. Early signs of market normalization in 2026, with coffee futures prices decreasing and improved purchasing activity from customers. Process volumes increased by 2% for the year, indicating steady demand for Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc ( SWSSF )'s products. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript . Cash and Net Working Capital: Year-end cash was $6.6 million compared with $8.5 million at the end of 2024; net working capital was $42.3 million compared with $4 million at the end of 2024. Green Coffee Costs: Q4 average was USD3.83 per pound, up 35% from USD2.83 per pound in Q4 2024; full year average was USD3.36 per pound, up 55% from USD2.35 per pound in 2024. Adjusted EBITDA: Q4 adjusted EBITDA was $4.2 million, down 14% year-over-year; full year adjusted EBITDA was $11.3 million, down 21% compared with the prior year. Net Income: Q4 net income was $1.2 million compared to $2 million in Q4 2024; full year net income was $1.6 million compared to $1.3 million in 2024. Cost of Sales: Q4 cost of sales was $58 million, up 37% year-over-year; full year cost of sales was $231.7 million, up 58% year-over-year. Story Continues Q & A Highlights Q: How flexible is Swiss Water in reorienting coffee sourcing if market normalization is interrupted? A: Frank Dennis, President and CEO, explained that Swiss Water can rapidly adjust sourcing when availability is constrained or differentials become too high. The company can rebalance focus on different origins within 90 days if necessary, guided by roasters' needs and quality levels. Q: Are there regional differences in buying patterns and caution among buyers? A: Frank Dennis noted that Europe shows a heightened focus on cost management and reluctance to carry coffees, while North America is slowly starting to refill pipelines. However, the elevated futures market still poses constraints due to banking line limitations. Q: How long does it take for working capital on the balance sheet to unwind as coffee prices decrease? A: Iain Carswell, CFO, stated that it typically takes about three to six months to see a meaningful reduction in inventory levels on the balance sheet, assuming modest growth and stable business conditions. Q: Does the volatility in the coffee market affect the sales cycle for new market penetration, such as the Middle East? A: Frank Dennis acknowledged that elevated futures markets slow down development efforts. A downward trend in coffee prices would aid development efforts, as Swiss Water's pricing becomes more competitive at lower levels. Q: What impact does the recent price decrease have on customer confidence and inventory levels? A: Iain Carswell expressed optimism that falling coffee prices could boost customer confidence, encouraging them to extend their inventory levels, which would support Swiss Water's growth. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. A former high school principal in Columbia County was sentenced to just over five years in prison last month for possessing and sharing images of child sex abuse. Jeremy P. Williams, a 50-year-old Longview, Washington resident, had previously worked across the state lines as the principal of Rainier Junior/Senior High School in Oregon. Williams was already on paid administrative leave for making negative comments about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk when he was arrested on multiple charges in September, according to a Sept. 17 letter written by Rainier School District superintendent Chad Holloway. Advertisement Advertisement Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a Utah campus a week earlier. Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill said at the time that authorities received automatic alerts from several social media sites after known sexually explicit images of children were traded by an internet address linked to Williams. There was no indication Williams had possessed images of students at his school, the deputy said. A reporter for the Daily Chronicle in Longview wrote that Williams made a barely audible apology in court on Feb. 23, adding that Willaims had previously boasted about winning awards for his erotic fiction. Advertisement Advertisement Williams had been principal of the high school since 2022, according to school board minutes. He retired in November with a final salary of $99,500 a year, according to The Chronicle. Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Thad Scudder sentenced Williams to five years and one month in prison during the hearing, and ordered the ex-educator to register as a sex offender. Scudder also ordered Williams to pay $3,000 in court fees and imposed three years of probation. There are just under 800 students enrolled in the Rainier School District, according to state data. Latest Public Safety News Read the original article on oregonlive.com. Add oregonlive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Passengers and crew members aboard a long-haul Amtrak train ride had a fairly terrifying experience after the train hit an 18-wheeler truck while passing through Texas. On March 17, the train traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans came into contact with the truck's green trailer. TODAY reported that Amtrak said in a statement: A vehicle came into contact with the train on Union Pacific Railroad tracks near Houston. The incident occurred in Missouri City, which is about 20 minutes outside Houston. Aboard were just over 90 passengers and 11 crew members, and luckily none of them were seriously injured. The driver of the truck was reportedly uninjured as well. There were, however, two people who had to be treated for minor injuries on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Though the train was not derailed, the truck was capsized and there was a fuel leak that was addressed immediately. It was contained by a hazardous materials crew and poses no immediate threat to public safety. Firefighters were also called to the scene to handle a small blaze ignited by the collision and extinguished the fire. As a precaution, customers were moved off the train. They will continue east aboard chartered buses, Amtrak said in a statement. Before passengers boarded the buses, they spoke with ABC 13 Houston and described the incident as "surprising," but said they were ultimately grateful they walked away unharmed. Weirdly enough, this wasn't the only train accident to happen in Texas. A second train accident, this time a 23-car derailment, happened on March 18 between Rosenberg and Richmond and has blocked roads in historic downtown Richmond, Texas. Richmond Police said in a Facebook statement that there were luckily no injuries and that it happened in a non-residential area. Officials believe there is no need to evacuate the city due to hazardous materials, but note cleanup efforts could be lengthy. Advertisement Advertisement Don't miss a beatsubscribe now for trending travel updates and destination guides. This story was originally published by TravelHost on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. DAYTONA BEACH, FL Authorities in Florida are escalating a clampdown on spring break crowds at local beaches after gatherings organized through social media led to more than 100 arrests, medical calls, and the seizure of weapons over the weekend. Thousands of people flocked to Volusia County, which covers popular destinations like Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, Florida, during the first weekend of spring break. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office blamed promoters on social media for amplifying the turnout by publicizing unsanctioned events, referred to as "takeovers." During a news conference on Tuesday, March 17, Sheriff Mike Chitwood warned online promoters that they could face legal action for organizing events without permits and contributing to unsafe conditions. Advertisement Advertisement "Spring Break Invasion promoters are on notice," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "We're coming after you financially for the costs your chaos brings to our community. Also, a special event zone with enhanced penalties will be in effect in Daytona Beach for your next chaotic pop-up event." Chitwood said Volusia County will be the first county in the state to enforce financial penalties for these promoters and that his office has already sent two cease-and-desist letters to such organizers. He added that authorities will sue if organizers do not stop promoting "takeover" events. The sheriff noted that large gatherings organized on social media can "endanger public safety" and strain community resources, including increased calls for emergency medical services, deputies working overtime, and crews dealing with significant trash cleanup. "There's a way to do business. Get permits. You do things the right way," Chitwood said. He also said authorities have declared a special event zone in the area from Friday, March 20, at 11 a.m. local time until at least Sunday, March 22, allowing law enforcement to hand out heavier penalties. Over 100 arrests made in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach During another news conference on Monday, March 16, Chitwood said deputies made a total of 133 arrests on the first weekend of spring break, with 84 arrests in Daytona Beach and 49 in New Smyrna Beach. Advertisement Advertisement About 17 minors were processed at the Volusia County Family Resource Center, including several whose parents were notified to come pick them up because they were drunk or high, Chitwood said. Deputies also seized six guns, including two from one adult and a stolen gun from a juvenile, according to Chitwood. He reported 20 encounters when deputies questioned someone for carrying an open container and the person volunteered having a gun in their backpack. All of the encounters were with adults. "And there's nothing wrong with that. You can carry your gun concealed. They can carry a weapon open carry. So it's a new generation in dealing with spring break," Chitwood said, adding that there were many people who were armed with guns "on top of the bad guys" who had guns. Travel: Spring break travel fears rise amid war, TSA lines and unrest Crowd panic mistaken as a shooting Chitwood addressed a video that went viral on social media showing a large crowd of people running on the beach after hearing what they believed were gunshots. The sheriff said he had more than 50 deputies in the crowd and confirmed that no gunshots were fired. Advertisement Advertisement "There were zero gunshots on the beach, because what they were doing was crushing a water bottle to make it sound like a gunshot to stampede the crowd," Chitwood said at the March 16 news conference. "I was out there. The chief was out there. We were in the middle of it." But authorities in Daytona Beach did respond to four separate shootings over the weekend, which injured three people, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. None of the shootings occurred on the city's beach, where videos showed large numbers of apparent spring breakers running across the sand and law enforcement vehicles slowly approaching with their emergency lights and sirens activated. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spring break 'chaos' leads to more than 100 arrests in Florida NEED TO KNOW On March 13, Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center announced one of the 25 gray wolves released into the state since 2023 had died The deceased animal is the 14th gray wolf to die after being released into Colorado as part of the state's wolf reintroduction program The cause of death for the 14th wolf is under investigation by state and federal officials A wild gray wolf recently died in Colorado, marking the 14th death of a wolf brought to the state for reintroduction efforts. According to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) on Friday, March 13, the agency confirmed the mortality of "gray wolf 2310," though details surrounding how the animal died remain limited as officials continue to investigate. Advertisement Advertisement Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the death is under review, with standard procedures, including a necropsy, expected to help determine the cause of death. As a federally protected species, such investigations will often involve coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A timber wolf at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center (CWWC) in Divide, Colorado on March 28, 2023 Credit: JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty The latest loss adds to a growing number of gray wolf deaths in Colorado since the state began reintroducing the species in late 2023, following voter approval of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, which aimed to rebuild a self-sustaining gray wolf population in Colorado through an experimental population of wolves brought in from other parts of North America. Since the plan's approval, at least 25 wild gray wolves have been brought into the state from Oregon and British Columbia. However, survival has been uneven. Reporting from The Colorado Sun found that over half of the relocated wolves have died within the program's first two years, raising concerns about long-term viability. State officials, however, have cautioned against jumping to conclusions about what these deaths may mean. A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife previously said the mortality rate should not be overinterpreted "over such a short time period and with such a small sample size," emphasizing that early losses can naturally occur in wildlife reintroduction efforts. A gray wolf a the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center Credit: JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Still, each new death has drawn increased attention, particularly as the program faces logistical challenges, including delays in bringing additional wolves into the state. Advertisement Advertisement The state's proposed wolf restoration plan calls for releasing 30 to 50 wolves over a three- to five-year period, with success measured not just by survival, but by the formation of breeding pairs and the growth of stable packs. However, state officials confirmed earlier this year that no wolves will be introduced into Colorado's ecosystem in 2026 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. Colorado officials said monitoring efforts for the remaining wolves already released into the state will continue as they work to better understand the factors contributing to wolf mortality and what that could mean for the future of the reintroduction program. Read the original article on People Pakistan and Afghanistan have announced a pause in fighting to honour the sacred Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr that marks the end of the holy month of the Ramadan. The "unilateral pause" was set to come into force from midnight (1900 GMT) and last until March 23, Pakistans Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. The surprise halt - which Tarar said followed a request from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey - comes after weeks of fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement It was confirmed by Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on X. Pakistani fighter jets and drones have been targeting the Talibans outposts at the border and ammunition dumps in Kabul in airstrikes that started in late February. Islamabad has accused Afghanistan of sheltering and facilitating the Islamist militants who are allegedly behind a surge of cross-border attacks. Kabul rejects the accusations. The Taliban on Tuesday said a strike by Pakistani jets in Kabul hit a rehab hospital for drug addicts, killing more than 400 people. While Islamabad has denied targeting the facility, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has demanded an independent investigation into the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects are strictly protected, spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement on Tuesday. Preparations were under way on Wednesday for the mass burial of victims, with dozens of unidentified bodies to be laid to rest in a hillside grave, according to Afghan media reports. Meanwhile, the Taliban has also been targeting military facilities in Pakistan with drones, stoking fear among the population and keeping Islamabad's air defence systems on high alert. Eid al-Fitr, a festival that is observed across the Muslim world with religious fervour, is due to begin in Pakistan and Afghanistan this week. IOWA (KCAU) Candidates are continuing to reach out to voters less than three months before the Iowa primaries. The Woodbury County Democratic Party gave residents the chance to meet some of the people who will be on the ballot this summer at an event called Parade of Quality Candidates at Winnies. Candidates from multiple races, including Iowas 4th Congressional District, Iowa House Districts 1 and 2, and the Woodbury County Attorney, attended the event on March 17. Advertisement Advertisement Story continues below Those candidates introduced themselves to voters, listened to their concerns, and provided details on their respective campaigns. Its really exciting to see so many people get their paperwork done for this cycle because it seemed like we were begging folks to try and sign up and run for office, you know, last cycle, said Democrat candidate for Iowa House District 1 Kenny Kroll. But now its just such a diverse race, now. Well, I think its very exciting, and I think it speaks to the times. Advertisement Advertisement So many people are frustrated, and there are so many people who are ready to do something about what were seeing coming out of Des Moines and out of our legislature, said Shawn Olorundami, Democrat candidate for Iowa House District 1. The Democratic candidates who attended included: Dave Dawson (U.S. House District 4) Kenny Kroll (Iowa House District 1) Jess Lopez-Walker (Iowa House District 2) Ben Mulford (Woodbury County Attorney) Shawn Olorundami (Iowa House District 1) Stephanie Steiner (U.S. House District 4) Ashley WolfTornabane (U.S. House District 4) The primaries in Iowa take place on June 2. 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 KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Accused war criminal Vladimir Putin has hidden himself away at the Kremlin and beefed up security over reports of an unexpected threat to his safety. The Federal Protective Service of Russia, essentially the secret police corps of Putins personal bodyguards, is said to have dramatically upped their presence around his official residence in Moscow, with pro-Kremlin military bloggers reporting a flood of armed operatives both around the perimeter and inside the Kremlin walls, along with a surge of armored vehicles throughout Red Square. Putins residence in Sochi has also gotten a security upgrade, according to The Moscow Times. The frantic security boost comes in the midst of an ongoing comms blackout across the Russian capital, with residents now going without mobile signal for the better part of two weeks amid mounting fears the regime may be laying the groundwork for a comprehensive internet firewall comparable to Chinas. Propagandist Alexander Dugin attributes the perceived threat to Israel, others to Ukraine. / Getty Images While Russian authorities have chalked the drastic measures up to threats from Ukrainian drones, an unnamed source in the security services was quoted by the INSIDER-T Telegram channel saying Putin faced an internal threat that had sparked a frantic response. That report claimed someone within the Russian leaders inner circle was suspected of plotting to plant biochemical material in his bedsheets or install an explosive device in an area hed be sure to visit. Advertisement Advertisement Those claims, while unsubstantiated, have set off a wave of panic as the Kremlin faces a reckoning of sorts over Putins dwindling popularity and anger over his perceived weakness in defending longtime Russian allies against the U.S. Ilya Remeslo, a longtime Kremlin henchman known for targeting Putins critics, made waves late Tuesday with a furious manifesto accusing the Russian president of betraying his people and destroying the country. Vladimir Putin should resign and be put on trial as a war criminal, Remeslo wrote. While some were skeptical of Remeslos motivesquestioning if he was perhaps creating a pretext for the Kremlin to turn the screws even more on internet accesshis complaints echoed those frequently made in recent weeks by other traditionally pro-Kremlin bloggers. Advertisement Advertisement Russia has already blocked access to major social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and is pushing ahead with enforcing a limited white list of sites internet users are allowed to access by law. Telegram has also largely been blocked, infuriating military bloggers who said the app was an important tool for troops on the battlefield in Ukraine. Trump's aggression toward Venezuela and Iran has made the Russian leader look increasingly weak. / Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Russian philosopher-propagandist Alexander Dugin, often described as Putins Brain, has suggested the tyrant may also be facing a threat from Israeli intelligence amid Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahus ongoing war against Iran, a Russian ally. Israeli Defense Forces spokeswoman Anna Ukolova told a Russian radio show earlier this week that Netanyahus government will look to punish any country that shows hostility toward Israel. Moscow has already been under a comms blackout for the better part of two weeks. / Maxim Shemetov/Reuters I think that the mere elimination of these very important figures, the top brass of all these proxies, including Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, already demonstrates that our capabilities are quite substantial, she said. Advertisement Advertisement None of those who seek to harm us will be left unscathed, she went on, adding: I hope Moscow does not wish Israel ill at the moment. Dugin took her comment to mean that Israel could easily hit whoever it wantsincluding Putin, and that sentiment was shared by some Russian military bloggers as well. U.S. and Israeli drone strikes have killed Putin's ally Khamenei. / ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images Perhaps more telling than theories behind Putins apparent rush to protect himself are the speed at which speculation on the nature of the threat has spread. The Daily Beast reported Tuesday how a seemingly innocuous video of the Russian leader feeling a little under the weather has, in fact, exposed what appears to be a dwindling control of his own government amid fierce infighting and a steady bleed of approval among younger Russians. The state of Putins health has long been a closely guarded secret. A brief clip of him coughing, spluttering and stumbling over his own words, sparked an uproar after it was posted on the Kremlins official Telegram channel, something that under ordinary circumstances would never be permitted to happen. Advertisement Advertisement There are at least two Kremlin towers working on Putins public appearances; one information tower is under a long-time propaganda supervisor and the other is responsible for Putins image, Ilya Shumanov, a board member of Transparency International Russia, said. Its possible that the towers are at war, weve seen constant interagency tensions, arrests of senior bureaucrats, generals, military commanders, he went on. One tower might be demonstrating the other towers inability to control Putin. The blunder, which Kremlin officials have since shrugged off as a mistake, comes at a time when White House aggression against longtime Russian allies Venezuela and Iran has made the 79-year-old look increasingly weak and powerlessa far cry from his shirtless-strongman calendar days of riding horseback and tackling Judo opponents. Approval among the younger generation is also continuing to sink following years of steady decline. Its estimated that only 18 percent of Russians under 24 years old now approve of his government. Putin has cancelled a number of upcoming trips and high-profile meetings and has not otherwise appeared in public since March 8. He held virtual meetings with members of the government on Wednesday, while his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters the Russian president had not yet been contacted by any European leaders eager to resume cooperation on energy suppliesbut he was still ready and waiting by the phone. Police say a man charging for parking was shot near the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Tuesday evening. The shooting, which happened in the 8400 block of Hearth Drive, took place around 9 p.m., according to police. A lieutenant with the Houston Police Department told ABC13 that the incident took place at an apartment complex, not an official rodeo parking site, where people were paying to park. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators believe three people in a Cadillac Escalade -- a man and two women -- got into an argument with the man who was charging over whether or not they were allowed to park in a particular place. "Our victim was acting as a parking attendant. Evidentally, they were taking money to let people park in those parking lots," HPD Lt. R. Willkens said. HPD says the victim was shot in the leg by the man before the three individuals in the SUV left the scene. The man who was shot is expected to survive his injuries, Willkens added. Anyone with information on this investigation can call the Houston Police Department at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. (8477) For news updates, follow Chaz Miller on Facebook, X and Instagram. Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul fiercely criticized Senator Markwayne Mullin during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, calling him a "man with anger issues" after Mullin previously called Paul a "freaking snake." Mullin also once said he understood why a neighbor attacked Paul in 2017. Mullin is appearing before the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs after President Trump nominated him to replace Kristi Noem as the Secretary of Homeland Security. Mr. Trump said earlier in March that Noem would leave the position at the end of the month. During his opening remarks, Paul addressed political violence, recounting being attacked in his yard. He described his injuries, including multiple broken ribs and a damaged lung, and a long, painful recovery that felt like "1,000 knives." Advertisement Advertisement "I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force," Paul said. He then accused Mullin of responding to a policy disagreement by attacking him personally and appearing to condone that violence. "You told the media that I was a 'freaking snake' and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted," Paul said. "I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain. ... You went on to brag that you'd already told me to my face that you completely understood and approved of the assault." Chairman Sen. Rand Paul delivers an opening statement during a confirmation hearing for U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin on March 18, 2026 in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images (60 Minutes) Paul said that Mullin had never made such a comment to his face, then challenged Mullin to clarify his past remarks. Advertisement Advertisement "You've got a chance today. You can either continue to lie or you can correct the record. You never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified. So today you'll have your chance," he said. "Tell it to my face, if that's what you believe. Tell it to me today. Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung." He then said that Mullin should "explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents" and referenced an 2023 incident where Mullin challenged Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a physical fight in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing. At the time, Mullin taunted O'Brien to "stand (his) butt up" before committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders intervened. O'Brien and Mullin later became good friends, and O'Brien was present at the hearing. "Explain how a man who has no regrets about brawling in a Senate committee can set a proper example for over 250,000 men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security," Paul said. In Mullin's opening remarks, he addressed Paul's comments directly, but he did not apologize. Advertisement Advertisement "I said I could understand, because of the behavior you were having, that I can understand why your neighbor did what he did," Mullin said. "As far as my terms and snake in the grass, sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems. I worked with many people in this room. Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us. I did address those remarks. I did explain your gimmicks by the amendment you put forth." Mullin also accused Paul of spending "millions of dollars in my campaigns against me, because we just don't get along," but then said he would set aside "partisan bickering" to "earn the job" of Homeland Security Secretary. During his first round of questioning, Paul doubled down, asking that the record show "a lack of contrition" from Mullin. He then said that while it was one thing to set aside "political differences," he could not accept Mullin's "unrepentant" tone. "When you say that you agree with a felon, a Trump hating felon who attacked me somehow, you think I'm just going to set that aside? 'Oh, it's no big deal?'" Paul said. "You know, I lay in pain for two months, had six ribs broken, three of them separated, grinding upon bone on bone, for months, had part of my lung removed. And you think that's great, and to be extolled. I mean, the sheer lack of any kind of self awareness that you're going to be leading thousands of men and women." Advertisement Advertisement Paul then played a video compilation of aggressive remarks by Mullin, including his 2023 exchange with O'Brien. Further, a source familiar with the proceedings confirmed to CBS News that Paul blocked Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican, from introducing Mullin at the confirmation hearing Britt leads the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and has been involved in negotiations over funding the department. Britt confirmed that she was kept from introducing Mullin. "I'm really disappointed," she told reporters. "I asked obviously for the opportunity to speak about our colleague and my dear friend. I would've hoped that would've been something the chairman would have allowed to happen. We did speak. He told me that was not something he was going to let me do." Advertisement Advertisement Britt said she will instead submit her remarks for the record. Even if Paul votes against Mullin, Democratic committee member John Fetterman has already said he would support the nomination, so he likely will advance to the full Senate for a vote. A simple majority is needed to confirm him. Jury finds Utah mom Kouri Richins guilty of murdering husband Dogue, parody fashion magazine for dogs, sued by Vogue owner Conde Nast Tax filers face refund delays as IRS pushes to phase out paper checks The News Sen. Rand Paul will oppose Markwayne Mullins nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security. He also wont stand in the way of it. The Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman says hell allow his colleagues confirmation to move forward despite his own issues with Mullins record and a highly strained relationship that was on display during a heated hearing on Wednesday. I think hes unfit. I think his temperament is not suitable. I think his anger issues are a problem, yeah, and so I wont vote for him, but Ive promised to at least get an expeditious vote, the Kentucky Republican told Semafor. Theyve had to have known for weeks that I couldnt be real happy about a guy that wont apologize and thinks that my assault was perfectly understandable. Know More During Mullins confirmation hearing, Paul confronted him directly about his past criticism of Paul as a freaking snake and his remark that he understood why Paul was physically attacked by his neighbor in 2017. Mullin declined to apologize to Paul. It seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us, Mullin added. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin also seemed to dig himself into a deeper hole with Paul and the committees top Democrat, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., over a secret overseas trip. During the hearing, Mullin mentioned that he took an official classified trip from 2015-2016 that only four people knew about. The senators pressed Mullin for details, accusing him of not being transparent about his classified work. Paul pushed Mullin to agree to talk about the program in a classified setting, though Mullin said that he would not be able to tell the senators most of the details since they were not cleared to hear them. Paul agreed to discuss that matter privately with Mullin in a classified setting on Wednesday afternoon and said if that discussion went smoothly he would move forward with a committee vote to advance Mullins nomination on Thursday. President Donald Trump wants Mullin to replace outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem by the end of the month, but before he can be confirmed Mullins nomination must get approved by Pauls committee. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a member of GOP leadership, said hes still confident that Mullin will be confirmed, though with Pauls no vote Mullin will need a Democratic supporter in the narrowly-divided panel (Paul said he expected Mullin to get at least a Democratic vote). Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has said he would support Mullin and acknowledged after the hearing thathe likely controls the decisive vote. Fetterman said he has an open mind on Mullin and that he hadnt heard anything that changed his mind. FILE: Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes is pictured during the announcement of a tech hub in Sydney on June 25, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) Atlassian, an Australian tech giant known for its workplace productivity software, is laying off 252 workers in California. The company announced a 1,600-worker layoff last Wednesday, cutting 10% of the company in a move that CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes wrote was meant to fund more investment in artificial intelligence and sales. Atlassian revealed its California cuts in a WARN filing - as is mandated in the event of mass layoffs - that noted nearly all the workers were remote employees. The state WARN document lists around 100 cuts to engineering workers, plus more than a dozen each in data science, design and product management. It notes that the laid-off workers did not report to Atlassian's San Francisco office, which is its U.S. headquarters. Cannon-Brookes tried to soften the blow with his Wednesday announcement. He recorded an extremely apologetic video - "Days like these are among the toughest that we have as a company," and "I am deeply sorry for the disruption this creates in your life" - and offered extensive severance packages. Workers who sign will receive prorated bonuses, at least 16 weeks of pay and $1,000 for returning their corporate laptops. In a blog post, he praised the company's financial results but wrote: "The bar for what great' looks like for software companies on growth, on profitability, on speed, on value creation has gone up. We are choosing to adapt." After arguing that the layoffs would help Atlassian push toward profitability and "move faster," Cannon-Brookes went deeper on the topic of AI. His company's layoff comes just a few weeks after a sweeping cut of more than 4,000 workers at Block, whose CEO, Jack Dorsey, pointed to new AI tool capabilities. Atlassian's leader, in his blog, hinted at similar reasoning. "Our approach is not AI replaces people,'" Cannon-Brookes wrote. "But it would be disingenuous to pretend AI doesn't change the mix of skills we need or the number of roles required in certain areas. It does." The company makes most of its money from the workplace tools Jira and Confluence and touts more than 300,000 customers. But Atlassian still loses tens of millions of dollars each quarter, and investors have beaten down the company's stock by more than 50% since the beginning of January. The company is worth just under $20 billion. Work at a Bay Area tech company and want to talk? Contact tech reporter Stephen Council on Signal at 628-204-5452. The parents of a 3-year-old Pennsylvania boy found dead, suffering with bone fractures, have been charged with his killing, Us Weekly has learned. Lagomau Malu was arrested by Allegheny County Police on Wednesday, March 11, and charged with criminal homicide. She called 911 to her home in Penn Hills just before 1 p.m. after finding her toddler son had stopped breathing. When cops arrived at her home, they found the 23-year-old mother performing chest compressions on her unresponsive child, identified as Devin Goodson. Advertisement Advertisement Goodson was rushed to UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh and was declared dead within the hour. Malu shared the child with her boyfriend, Adam Chirico, police said. Grandmother, Parents Charged After 2 Toddlers Hospitalized With Skull Fractures Chirico, 32, has also been arrested, but faces less serious charges. Doctors at the hospital who treated Goodson told police he had numerous bone fractures, indicating the child endured "a significant level of violence," according to police. Nine of the fractures were healing while two others were recently inflicted, according to investigators. The boy had breaks in his right arm, both feet, his hands and collarbone, reported TribLive. Advertisement Advertisement Malu allegedly told police she was the angry one between the two parents and regularly hit the boy with her hands. She would also strike the child with wooden drumsticks. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports she initially said she didnt know what had happened to her son but eventually admitted hitting him in the face two to three times because hed had an accident the night before. She said he screamed and fell down, so she put him in a diaper and then put him to bed. He was unresponsive the next morning. Malu said she uses physical discipline on the boy because hes the problem. She also said she would hit the child until he screamed, but he doesnt care. While speaking to Chirico, he acknowledged being aware of the alleged abuse and said when he discovered the boy was dead on Wednesday, he asked that Malu hold off on calling 911 until after he and their youngest child could leave. Advertisement Advertisement Malu is also charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. Autistic Nonverbal Child Severely Beaten by Moms Boyfriend Dies After Weeks on Life Support Chirico has been charged with endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. Malu is being held in the Allegheny County Jail. Information on her bond was unavailable. Chirico was released without bail. Neither had entered pleas to the charges they face as of Tuesday, March 17, and it was unknown who their lawyers might be. If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. President Donald Trump had a brutal reaction after being briefed that the new supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, may be gay, the New York Post reported. Trump couldnt hide his surprise at the revelation and laughed aloud when he was briefed on the intelligence, sources said. Others at the briefing also found the intel hilarious and joined in the presidents jovial reaction. A person familiar with the briefing said that one senior intelligence official has not stopped laughing about it for days. Advertisement Advertisement The Post reported that Khameneis father, former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, feared that his son for that reason would not make for a suitable successor as Iranian leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in air strikes launched by Trump. The claim about Mojtaba Khamenei was described to The Post by two intelligence community officials and a third person close to the White House, the newspaper reported. The three sources said that the implausible-sounding allegation is viewed as credible by U.S. spy agencies and not as false information meant to undermine Khamenei, 56, who was selected to succeed his father on March 8. Advertisement Advertisement Sources insisted the tip is solid, with one saying it was derived from one of the most protected sources that the government has. The fact that this was elevated to the highest of high levels shows you theres some confidence in this, added a second source. But those on social media slammed the president for his reaction. So fascinating that trump laughs at him for possibly being gay and then claims theyre liberating Iran in the name of gay people and women or whatever, one wrote on X. Be careful guys, theres more propaganda here, wrote another. Trump praises Irans LGBT while at the same time Mojtaba Khamenei is slandered as gay. For Gods sake, this has already entered the war of social media slander, its too cruel. Read the original article on silive.com. Add silive.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Nearly two months after two teens were shot and killed at a bus stop in Rainier Beach, a suspect is now in custody. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes announced they arrested a boy Tuesday morning. While this arrest cannot bring back the lives that were taken, it represents an important step toward accountability and toward providing these families and our communities some measure of closure, said Chief Barnes. Advertisement Advertisement Tyjon Stewart and Traveiah Houfmuse were students at nearby Rainier Beach High School. Police say they were shot and killed in a targeted attack, in front of other kids. At Tuesdays news conference, police were a bit cryptic about the arrest. No information was given on the suspects age, because of the ongoing legal process, or how they identified him or where they arrested him. The arrest was not made in Seattle it was made outside of Seattle. I would not give the address because were still working in that particular area, said Barnes. Barnes did say there could have been a relationship between the suspect and victims, but that the suspect is not a student at the school. Advertisement Advertisement At this time, were only focused on a single suspect. However, if theres other information that does come about through the investigation of this case, we will let our community know, but at this time we believe we have the person in custody who was responsible for this crime, said Barnes. The victims families were also at the news conference, but declined to speak. R.C. Demmings, a community activist, says the killings have devastated the communitys sense of safety and is calling for police to have a more active presence. Yes, youre short-staffed on police officers but theres other ways to intervene in order to try and stop these things that are going on in our community, said Demmings. A Skowhegan man has been charged in relation to a February shooting in Augusta that left one man dead and a woman injured, according to Maine State Police. Edward Longley, 30, was arrested on Wednesday in Skowhegan. State police charged him with murder and elevated aggravated assault. The shooting happened around 11:15 p.m. Feb. 2 at a home on Flagg Street in Augusta, according to police. Billyjack Curtis, 51, of Augusta, died from gunshot wounds, according to officials. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide. Advertisement Advertisement A second person, Sherry Gilley, 40, of Brunswick, was also hurt. Police said she was taken to MaineGeneral in Augusta and later transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland. She has since been released and is recovering from her injuries. Longley was taken to the Somerset County Jail, where he is being held without bail. For more local stories, continue with us on our NEWS CENTER Maine+ streaming app. For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app. Chopper 7 was over a police chase on Interstate 294 in the north suburbs. Bensenville police said they first responded to the call of a suspicious gold Lexus at a parking lot in the 400-block West Irving Park Road. When police tried to pull him over, the suspect drove off. About an hour later, the driver was found in a Jewel-Osco parking lot located at 1127 S. York Road, police said. SEE ALSO: West suburban police chase on I-88 ends with 3 arrested, including 1 in Aurora basement | Video Advertisement Advertisement Police tried to take him into custody. However, the driver allegedly rammed into a squad car and initiated the pursuit. The chase got onto eastbound Interstate 90 from Elmhurst Road. Chopper 7 was over the police chase on I-294 at about 11:30 a.m. The slow-moving chase was moving north. At one point, the driver was seen smoking a cigarette. The chase came to a stop after police used two stop strips on the vehicle near mile marker 13, not far from the Wisconsin state line. Video from Chopper 7 showed the driver being taken into police custody at about noon. Chopper 7 was over a police chase on I-294 in the north suburbs. Stickney police said the suspect also rammed into a squad car at one point. Advertisement Advertisement Police have not said what charges the driver is facing. That will be up to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Heavy traffic was building on the northbound lanes amid the chase. Illinois State Police were assisting in the investigation. Lake County police and a Chicago police helicopter were also involved. CHICAGO TRAFFIC See LIVE drive times A crash on the north end of Elkhart County, near Bristol, injured several people early Tuesday morning. According to Elkhart County deputies, at 5:22 a.m., John Borowiec Jr., 18, was traveling east on C.R. 2 in a silver 2013 Chrysler Town & Country when he crossed the center line near C.R. 37 and drove head on into a green 2003 Jeep Liberty driven by Rolland Lucas, 65, of White Pigeon, Michigan. Domino Ruiz, 62, of Elkhart, was also traveling east on C.R. 2 in a white 2022 Chevrolet Silverado and came upon the crash. He stopped behind it. Advertisement Advertisement On the other side of the road, Jeffery Ballard, 34, of White Pigeon, Michigan, was traveling west on C.R. 2 in a silver 2006 Buick Lucerne and drove into the back of the Jeep, causing it again to collide with the Chrysler as Borowiec was attempting to exit the vehicle, police reported. Borowiec was struck by his vehicle and launched over it, the report reads. Ballards vehicle continued west, crossing the center line to travel into the eastbound lanes, where it struck Ruizs white 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, the report reads. Borowiec suffered a broken leg and head injury, and Rolland had rib pain. Advertisement Advertisement HIT-AND-RUN Goshen police received a report at 8:35 a.m. Monday of a hit-and-run crash at Walmart, 1375 Lincolnway East. A 35-year-old man reported to Goshen police at 9:15 a.m. Monday that someone crashed into her vehicle and left the scene while it was parked at Forest River Plant 27, 3010 College Ave. A Goshen man reported to Goshen police at 9:48 p.m. Monday that another vehicle ran into his vehicle near Lincoln Avenue and Chicago Avenue and fled the scene. CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS A 60-year-old woman reported to Elkhart County deputies at 9:45 a.m. Monday that someone shot the north side of her home in the 26000 block of Roseland Road in Elkhart. Advertisement Advertisement OFFICERS REPORT A 23-year-old man reported to Elkhart County deputies at 12:02 p.m. Monday his wallet was lost containing his personal information. FRAUD A 46-year-old man reported to Goshen police at 7:28 a.m. Monday, someone was using his credit card. An 81-year-old man reported to Goshen police at 12:23 p.m. Monday someone used his debit card. SIOUX FALLS The South Dakota Supreme Court heard arguments for the first time Wednesday on whether a voter-backed amendment to the state constitution prevents the public disclosure of victims names, including the names of police officers involved in altercations with members of the public. Voters passed Marsys Law in the 2016 general election. Among other provisions, it says crime victims can, upon request, prevent the release of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victims family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information about the victim. Since its passage, law enforcement agencies in South Dakota have regularly used it to justify their refusal to release the names of the officers involved in shootings. This week, during the South Dakota Supreme Courts traveling term at Augustana University, the justices were asked if the release of victim names alone constitutes a violation of Marsys Law. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, a judge in Sioux Falls said it does not. The case stems from assault and attempted murder on law enforcement charges filed against a man named Samir Albaidhani, whos alleged to have exchanged fire with officers in April 2025 before a high-speed, multi-county chase that began in Sioux Falls. A state trooper later shot and injured Alabaidhani in Union County, and the state Division of Criminal Investigation ruled the shooting justified. After the first few documents were filed in Albaidhanis case, the Sioux Falls officers and their police union asked that the Minnehaha County States Attorney and Second Judicial Circuit Clerk of Courts redact the officers names from those records. They also asked that any future documents that might list their names be filed under seal. They attempted to force the redaction and mandate the sealing of future documents through a writ of mandamus in civil court, which is meant to compel action by a government agency or official, and were granted a temporary order to seal documents containing their names. Judge Bobbi Rank dismissed the civil case, however, saying Marsys Law gave the officers the opportunity to argue for privacy during regular court proceedings. She agreed to keep the names under seal as the officers made those arguments. Advertisement Advertisement The Sioux Falls judge assigned to Albaidhanis criminal case would later rule that Marsys Law doesnt explicitly shield victim names from disclosure. Instead, Judge Susan Sabers wrote, it prevents the release of information that could be used to locate or harass the victim. The name alone isnt enough to qualify, Sabers wrote. Marsys Law does not provide a crime victim with a right of complete anonymity, Sabers wrote, who also noted that the U.S. Constitution grants people the right to confront their accusers in court. Jeffrey Beck, a lawyer for the officers and their police union, spoke first on Wednesday, telling the justices his clients appealed Sabers ruling to protect their constitutional rights as victims. Jeffry Beck, a lawyer out of Sioux Falls, presents his oral argument to justices on the South Dakota Supreme Court on March 18, 2026 at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. (Courtesy of KELOLAND media) Publicizing the officers names could lead to harassment, Beck told the justices, especially given the widespread availability of personal information online. He said hed entered his name into a free search engine before attending the oral arguments, and that the results showed his full name, the names of his relatives and his birth month and year. The search also turned up his current and prior addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, among other information enough information to locate and harass him. Advertisement Advertisement Courts can manage requests from victims to opt in to Marsys Law protections without infringing on a defendants right to due process, he argued. The officers names are known to the defense lawyers, he said, so Albaidhanis right to confront witnesses remains intact without their public disclosure. Albaidhanis lawyer, Kylie Beck of the Minnehaha County Public Defenders Office, said public disclosure is important for defendants and their counsel. She and her co-counsel may have access to the law enforcement officers names, she said, but shielding the names from public view restricts their ability to use them to mount a complete defense. We cant send off subpoenas for information on these individuals because their names would be protected, she said. As the case moves toward trial, she said, questions of when the names can and cant be used might further hamper her ability to defend her client. In their written arguments to the high court, she said, the officers legal team said that when it comes time to trial, whether or not the identities of the victims would become public would ultimately have to be litigated. Advertisement Advertisement Shes not confident her clients right to confront his accusers will be preserved, she said. Clearly, this is not a situation where this is all thats going to be requested, she said of the redactions and sealing of documents with the officers names. She conceded that a persons name constitutes information about a victim, but said a name alone isnt enough to qualify as information that could be used to locate or harass a victim under Marsys Law. When Jeffrey Beck returned to the lectern for his rebuttal, Justice Mark Salter asked him if there are implications for the publics right to know in instances where a victim invokes a right to privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Its not really in front of us as an explicit argument from Albaidanis lawyers, Salter said, but what do we do with that? Is that just not part of this case? We would say that the publics right to know does not take away a constitutional protection, of Marsys Law, the officers lawyer said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Police in Prince George's County are asking for the public's help to find three people who robbed a Fort Washington business and sent an employee to the hospital. Investigators are offering a cash reward for information. On March 7, just before 2 a.m., three males robbed a convenience store in the 700 block of Allentown Road. During the robbery, police say one of the suspects stabbed an employee, leaving them with critical injuries. The employee's current condition is not known. All three suspects were caught on surveillance cameras. Investigators released images of the wanted people on Wednesday and ask anyone who recognizes them to reach out. The photos can be seen below: Advertisement Advertisement If you recognize anyone in the photos, you're asked to call the police department's robbery unit at 301-516-2830. Anonymous tips can be submitted via Prince George's County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Please refer to case number 26-0011533. The police department is offering a reward for information that leads to arrests and convictions in this case, but did not say the amount of the reward. Additional details have not yet been made public. RELATED: Suspects use jaws of life to take cash from ATMs in Fairfax County, surveillance video shows RELATED: Fairfax police interrupt 7-Eleven robbery in progress, juvenile arrested Video above: Family, friends remember Army Reserve Capt. Cody Khork killed in Kuwait WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) U.S. Army Reserve Captain Cody Khork, who was one of six service members killed in a drone strike in Kuwait, will return home to Polk County on Wednesday. The Polk County Sheriffs Office said that, sometime after 1 p.m., law enforcement and military officials will escort Khorks remains from Lakeland Linder International Airport to a funeral home in Winter Haven. PCSO warned that traffic along the route will stop or be delayed for approximately two hours. Advertisement Advertisement Khork attended Florida Southern College, where he enrolled in the ROTC program and then became an Army Reserve officer. Speaking to 8 On Your Side last week, his family described him as a leader and said he always wanted to serve his country. His family started a scholarship at Florida State College in his honor. 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 WFLA. As United States President Donald Trump faces mounting global criticism for starting the war on Iran with Israel, he is also facing a battle at home with opposition lawmakers who have challenged his authority to conduct the conflict. Democrats argue that Trump, a Republican, wrongly sidelined Congress to start the war on Iran and has failed to explain the reasons for it or what the USs endgame is. Trumps cabinet says he has the right to order emergency measures in self-defence against an imminent threat posed by Iran. On February 28, the day the US and Israel launched their strikes on Iran, Trump described the actions as major combat operations, not a war. Indeed, the two allies code-named the strikes, in which Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other senior officials were killed in Tehran, Operation Epic Fury. Advertisement Advertisement In early March, Republican senators and one Democrat rejected a Democratic-led war powers resolution by a vote of 53-47. It sought to halt further US action in Iran and essentially end the war. Supporters of the resolution argued that Trump had exceeded his constitutional authority by launching the war. Under Article II of the US Constitution, presidents are permitted to launch such attacks only in self-defence in response to an immediate threat. Otherwise, Congress has the sole power to declare war. Trump has justified the attacks by arguing that despite holding talks with Iran, he believed Tehran was planning to strike first thus invoking the self-defence justification. Since then, however, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, which advises both the president and the director of national intelligence on terror threats, has resigned over the war with Iran. In a resignation letter posted on X, Joe Kent said he could not in good conscience support the war. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby, he said. Advertisement Advertisement So who in the US ultimately has the power to declare war on another country? Heres what we know about what the US Constitution says: US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said Americans deserve answers about a war they didnt ask for [Ken Cedeno/Reuters] Who has the power to declare war? The US Constitution lays out a sharing of war powers between the president and Congress through a system of checks and balances. But Congress ultimately holds the upper hand, a move calculated to rest decisions about war in the hands of the peoples representatives rather than in one person. Under Article I, US lawmakers have sole power to: Officially declare war or grant authorisation for such a declaration Grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal that is, to authorise private US actors to capture enemy vessels Make rules concerning the capture of enemy property on land and water Provide for the Army, Navy and related militia Control the powers of the purse, meaning only lawmakers can authorise funding for war efforts Advertisement Advertisement Those powers were on display when the US Congress issued an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) three days after the al-Qaeda attacks on New York and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Lawmakers also passed a similar resolution before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. However, under Article II, the president has powers as commander in chief of the military and can decide how a war is fought. Additionally, the US president, in cases of a sudden attack on the US or an impending attack, may give directives for a military response in self-defence without first receiving congressional approval. An Iranian woman takes part in a rally in Tehran on March 13, 2026, on al-Quds Day, an annual commemoration in support of the Palestinian people [AFP] Have US presidents always stuck to the constitution? Not really. US presidents have a long tradition of working around the legal guardrails in the constitution to push on with military action abroad while bypassing Congress. Advertisement Advertisement In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution during the Vietnam War with broad bipartisan support after news leaked that President Richard Nixon had approved military action to expand the conflict into Cambodia without seeking permission from lawmakers. Like now, debates broke out over who had the power to approve military action abroad, leading to the vote. The successful resolution mandated that a president may deploy the US military only after a congressional green light or in the case of an emergency, such as an attack on the US or its assets. Even then, the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of commencing military action, and if there is no legislative approval for it, forces may not remain deployed for more than 60 days. A recent example of a president who did not seek approval from Congress on war-related matters is former President Joe Biden. Observers argued that he in effect joined Israels genocidal war on Gaza without approval from lawmakers by fast-tracking arms shipments to Israel after the war broke out in October 2023. Advertisement Advertisement In a 2024 report, Brian Finucane, a former war powers adviser at the US Department of State and an analyst at the International Crisis Group, argued that Congress had not done much to stop Biden from doing this due to broad support for Israel across party lines. However, the report warned that Bidens government was setting precedents for future wars that could have negative consequences. When Trump bombed Irans nuclear facilities on June 22 during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, he did notify Congress of the strikes the following day. Classified briefings to explain the decision to Congress were postponed from June 24 to June 26, drawing widespread criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Is Trump justified in launching strikes on Iran now? Many analysts do not believe he is. Finucanes predictions appear to be bearing out as Trumps war on Iran amounts to a dramatic usurpation of Congresss war powers not seen in recent decades, he noted in a report this month, just days after the first US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Trump administration officials have also released conflicting statements about the aim of the attacks, ranging from regime change to ending Irans ability to continue a nuclear programme and manufacture ballistic missiles. Trump has also claimed he wants to free the Iranian people from a government he called brutal. Tehran is accused of massacring thousands of antigovernment protesters in January. Advertisement Advertisement In a February 28 address after ordering the launch of the war, Trump stated that the US had decided to strike because Washington knew Israel was going to hit Iran and Tehran would retaliate against the two allies. This has since been called into question by the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, who has resigned from his post, stating, Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the US-Israeli move. On February 28, Guterres warned that the attacks and Irans retaliation across the region would undermine international peace and security and called for an immediate end to the hostilities. Analysts said the US also had no justification for striking Iran. The administration has not articulated any plausible claim for how the attack on Iran might be reconciled with Article 2(4) as an exercise in lawful self-defense in response to an armed attack or even a threat of an imminent armed attack, Finucane wrote recently on The Contrarian website. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps attack on Iran thus conflicts with and undermines not just the US constitutional order and its allocation of war powers but also the international legal order the United States helped establish in the wake of two world wars and the Holocaust. What does international law say about US-Israeli strikes on Iran? Rights experts said Washington has violated international law in striking Iran. For one, the US and Israel have been accused of targeting civilian infrastructure, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The bombing of a girls primary school located near an army base in the southern city of Minab at the start of the war caused global outrage. The US said it is investigating the incident, but a preliminary US military investigation has confirmed what independent experts have said: A US Tomahawk missile appears to have hit the school, killing more than 160 people, most of them children. On March 7, one week into the war, US air strikes targeted a desalination plant on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The strike, which Tehran branded a flagrant crime against civilians, cut off freshwater supplies to 30 surrounding villages. Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, the US has come under fire for torpedoeing an Iranian warship filled with sailors while it was in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. At least 87 people were killed, and scores were injured. Critics said the US submarine that fired on the ship ignored the Geneva Conventions, which state survivors from such an attack should be given assistance, something the submarine failed to do. While some experts argued that the US was justified in hitting an enemy ship, others said targeting the vessel in international waters far from Iran potentially violated the UN Charter on prohibiting aggression. Iran has also been accused of violating international law in its retaliatory strikes on infrastructure and US military assets in neighbouring Gulf countries. Could Democrats block Trump from continuing the Iran war? Several opinion polls have shown that most Americans do not support the US war with Iran. Estimates put the mounting cost of the war at about $11bn for the first six days alone. Overall, it is expected to be costing the US about $1bn per day since then. Globally, the economic blowback could be huge with the price of oil already surging past $100 a barrel. Advertisement Advertisement After the Democratic-led resolution to curb Trumps war powers was voted down last week in the Senate, however, opposition lawmakers will have to find other ways to counter Trump, analysts said, as the White House refuses to provide a clear timeline for the conflict. One suggestion is that lawmakers wield the power of the purse by stalling approval for any additional funding for the war. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who has been at the centre of the war resolution efforts, told the US news site The Lever that blocking funds is the only way to end the war. This war is costing taxpayers nearly $1 billion per day and burning through critical munitions, Khanna said in a statement this week. This kind of spending is unsustainable, and Americans are already feeling the consequences as gas prices soar and economic uncertainty mounts. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. Their 53-47 majority in the Senate means, however, that they are unlikely to attain the 60-vote threshold required to pass many types of legislation in the upper chamber. To do so, they would need at least seven Democratic votes, and Democrats could use these rules to block supplemental war funding. This approach has had success in the past, including during the Vietnam War. Along with the War Powers Resolution, a Democratic-led Congress passed two pieces of legislation in 1970 and 1973 that banned the use of federal funds for US combat operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, hindering Nixon, a Republican, in his war efforts. Congress also limited the number of US personnel permitted to be deployed in Vietnam. Similar funding cuts were also passed in 1982 when Congress used the tactic to stop the overthrow of the Nicaraguan government as well as in 1993 when it ended the US military presence in Somalia. Nazrin Abdul On the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has dispatched another humanitarian aid shipment to the Iran, AzerNEWS reports. The assistance follows a phone conversation between President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on March 8, 2026. The aid aims to support the current needs of the people of Iran, described as a neighboring and friendly nation. The latest shipment totals 82 tons, including 76 tons of food supplies, 4 tons of medicines, and 2 tons of medical equipment. The humanitarian cargo was delivered via five freight trucks. In light of the upcoming Novruz holiday, the aid convoy also includes festive gifts and traditional Novruz goods. Officials from the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Azerbaijan State Reserves Agency have also traveled to Iran to oversee the delivery and handover of the assistance. Titan Minerals lifts Dynasty resource to 3.9Moz gold as Cerro Verde drives growth Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Titan Minerals Ltd (ASX:TTM, OTC:TTTNF) has delivered a substantial upgrade to the mineral resource at its 100%-owned Dynasty Gold Project in southern Ecuador, lifting contained gold by 25% to 3.9 million ounces (Moz) and silver by 19% to 26.1Moz The updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) now stands at 65.6 million tonnes at 1.85 g/t gold and 12.38 g/t silver, reflecting the impact of an extensive drilling campaign completed over the past year. Dynasty Gold Project Combined Total Mineral Resource Estimate reported by deposit area. The increase is largely driven by growth at the Cerro Verde deposit, where resource expansion and infill drilling have confirmed strong continuity at depth and defined additional zones of mineralisation. Cerro Verde drives resource growth Cerro Verde now hosts 50.8 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.66 g/t gold and 9.89 g/t silver for 2.7Moz of gold and 16.2Moz of silver, accounting for the bulk of the projects total resource. Drilling has expanded mineralisation at both the Brecha-Comanche epithermal system and the Kaliman porphyry prospect, with the latter highlighting the presence of broader, lower-grade mineralisation alongside higher-grade vein systems. The update adds around 780,000 ounces of gold and 4.1 million ounces of silver compared to the previous 2023 estimate, marking a significant step forward in defining the scale of the project. The updated resource remains weighted toward Inferred material, with around 17.4Mt classified as Indicated and 48.2Mt as Inferred, highlighting scope for further drilling to upgrade confidence levels. Dynasty Gold Project Combined Total Mineral Resource Estimate reported by resource categorisation. Titan CEO Melanie Leighton said the result reflects a focused and cost-efficient drilling program. We are very pleased to have delivered substantial growth at the Dynasty Gold Project, with an increase of 25% in contained gold ounces from the previous July 2023 MRE, she said. Open at depth and along strike Importantly, mineralisation across the Dynasty project remains open both laterally and at depth, with further drilling set to begin imminently targeting additional resource growth and conversion. Recent drilling has also improved geological understanding, demonstrating strong predictability of mineralisation and reinforcing confidence in the broader system. The Cerro Verde resource extends from surface over a roughly 2-by-1.7-kilometre area and down to depths of about 670 metres, supporting both open pit and potential underground mining scenarios. Long section looking northeast (300m viewing window), showing classified resource blocks coloured by gold (Au g/t), pit optimisation used to constrain MRE reporting (open pit reported > 0.5 g/t Au, below pit MRE reported > 1.5 g/t Au). I dont mean to alarm anyone, but President Donald Trump, the guy who catapulted America into a war of choice with Iran, doesn't seem like hes doing well in the think-y/speak-y cognitive department. In just the past few days, the leader of our new mission-less war has: boasted of a conversation with a former president that doesnt seem to have happened; forgotten the gender of two world leaders, including one he helped put in place; and forgotten the drill, baby, drill line he has used endlessly, instead slurring out a bizarre three-word motto used by a New York City energy company in the 1950s. During a March 16 news conference, Trump talked about whether other countries will provide help to secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying that we want them to come and help us with the strait, and that numerous countries have told me theyre on the way. He segued briefly into saying, I predicted Osama bin Laden would knock out the World Trade Center. Advertisement Advertisement Then he continued talking about other countries aiding America in the strait, saying, Theyre coming already and They've already started to get there. And then: Were the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military by far in the world. We don't need them. President Trump isn't making any sense President Donald Trump arrives for a St. Patricks Day event at the White House on March 17, 2026, in Washington, DC. As it became clear on March 17 that NATO countries and other nations were not going to bail him out of his Iran mess, Trump, allegedly of sound mind and body, posted on social media: Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer need, or desire, the NATO Countries assistance WE NEVER DID! Another view: Why aren't the NATO allies Trump keeps attacking helping more? | Opinion So we want them to come, and theyre coming, or maybe theyre already there, but we dont need them, so who cares? This is exactly the kind of consistent, cogent logic you want to hear from a wartime president, and Im sure all Americans and our brave soldiers overseas feel confident theyre in good, capable hands. Advertisement Advertisement Either that or were all going to die. Pay attention to how much Trump has declined US Iran war widens across Middle East Much of what you hear from Trump is sanitized by news organizations that, for reasons of space or broadcast time constraints or whatever, use quotes sparingly, missing the broader, often more bizarre context. Its odd, given that those same news organizations bent over backwards to highlight any time former President Joe Biden made a verbal gaffe or forgot something, but such is life. So allow me to highlight the signs of an apparent cognitive decline youre often not seeing or reading about. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Advertisement Advertisement On March 16, Trump was speaking about Venezuela, the country we invaded before invading Iran, and said of that countrys leader, whom Trump effectively installed: The president has done a really good job. We get along with him really well. Cool. Only problem is, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez is a woman, not a man. Lest that be considered a one-off goof, the next day, while meeting with the Irish prime minister at the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter to respond to Irelands president saying the Iran war is illegal. Look, hes lucky I exist, Trump said. The president of Ireland is Catherine Connolly, who, like the acting Venezuelan president, is not a man. Is our wartime president imagining conversations? From left, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, former first lady Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden attend a memorial service for the Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago on March 6, 2026. On March 16, Trump told reporters about a recent conversation he had with a former U.S. president who praised him for invading Iran: Ive spoken to a certain president who I like, actually. A past president, former president, he said, I wish I did it. I wish I did. But they didnt do it. Advertisement Advertisement Later that day, he repeated the claim, declining to name the former president: I dont want to say because a member of a party, a member of a party, they have Trump derangement syndrome, but its somebody that happens to like me, and I like that person, whos a smart person, but that person said, I wish I did it. OK, but I dont want to get into who. I dont want to get him into trouble. A smart question from the press corps wouldve been: Mr. President, is the former president in the room with us right now? Because representatives of every living former president deny that such a conversation happened, so these are the only possible explanations for Trumps tale: He was imagining a conversation with a former president who wasnt there; he had a conversation with himself, since he is technically a former president; or he just made the whole thing up out of whole cloth. At some point, the news media has to recognize Trump's cognitive decline "I always thought he was weak on security." President Donald Trump reacted to counterterrorism chief Joe Kent's resignation. As an American watching oil prices spike and the United States descend into another Middle Eastern quagmire, none of those options is good. Advertisement Advertisement On March 17, when Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest over the Iran war, Trump quickly commented: I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. What? When he nominated Kent for the post in February 2025, Trump wrote on social media: Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard. So did the president put a guy he now says is weak on security in charge of counterterrorism? Or did the president put a guy he promised would keep America safe in charge of counterterrorism? IT CANT BE BOTH, GRANDPA! Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: MAHA? HAHA! Trump benches RFK Jr. and goes pro-herbicide. Having an aging, addled leader drag America into a war is suboptimal Finally, theres drill, baby, drill, unquestionably one of Trumps favorite and most-repeated lines throughout his chaotic time in politics. On March 16, claiming America doesnt need oil coming through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump changed the slogan entirely, slurring: We didnt need em before we started 'dig we must.' Dig me wust, thats the Trump policy of lots of oil. Dig me wust? Hoo boy. If Biden had said that, Fox News would have spontaneously combusted. For the record, Dig We Must was a slogan used by New York City energy giant Con Edison Company in the 1950s. Trumps addled brain was likely remembering times gone by. Advertisement Advertisement Thats not a top quality you want in a wartime leader. It might be past time to worry about whether our president is all there. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's cognitive decline on vivid display as Iran war rages | Opinion Emmanuel Saez doesn't look like a political provocateur. Tall and lean, with graying temples and rectangular eyeglasses, the UC Berkeley economics professor favors V-neck sweaters, drives a 2009 Honda Fit and speaks so softly in his French accent that colleagues lean in to hear him. But in recent years, updating his most famous tax chart started making him angry. On his computer screen was what he saw as unmistakable proof of soaring inequality in the United States: a line that shot almost straight upward, showing the richest 1% capturing much of the nation's economic gains. Advertisement Advertisement "That chart kind of radicalized me," Saez said. A leading scholar on taxation and inequality, Saez, 53, is a co-author of the boldest - and most viable - state-level wealth tax in U.S. history. California's proposed billionaire tax, a one-time 5% levy on the net worth of the state's richest residents, isn't just dividing Democrats and causing some billionaires to flee the state. It thrust a self-described "bookworm" into the center of one of America's most contentious economic arguments: Is inequality simply the outcome of capitalism, or a danger to democracy itself? Saez's research has long shaped the intellectual framework for the modern wealth-tax movement, a burgeoning effort to tax the assets of the super rich rather than their incomes. Now, after years of writing op-eds in The New York Times, debating wealth-tax opponents like Larry Summers, and advising Democratic presidential campaigns, he is completing his transformation from introverted academic to polarizing public figure. Whether you view Saez as a champion of the oppressed or a risky zealot might depend on your tax bracket. Though some believe he's orchestrating a campaign that threatens to ruin California's economy, others laud the French American economist as the mastermind giving the billionaire tax a legitimate shot in November's election. Advertisement Advertisement Introduced by a health care union called SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, and currently gathering signatures to qualify for the ballot, the billionaire tax packs several lofty ambitions into one straightforward proposal. If it overcomes intense opposition from the state's wealthiest class, it could generate tens of billions of dollars for health care programming, validate the wealth-tax movement, and make the nation's richest state less socioeconomically stratified. "This tax has the potential to change how people around the country - and even the world - handle matters of inequality," said French economist Gabriel Zucman, one of Saez's most frequent collaborators. "Emmanuel is as well-equipped as anyone to take on an assignment of that magnitude." Emmanuel Saez said he was in part inspired to coauthor a proposal to tax California billionaires by his experiences in the Bay Area, where inequality was jarring to him when he arrived from Europe. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle) Once content to stick to analysis, Saez began to delve deeper into policy discussions about two decades ago. His work tracking how wealth and income are distributed convinced him that the U.S. is a plutocracy. Advertisement Advertisement According to Federal Reserve data, the wealthiest 1% of Americans now hold as much money in stocks and mutual funds as the remaining 99% of the country. Saez fears that the longer money and power flow unchecked to a tiny fraction of the richest families, the more inequality will balloon, social mobility will erode and public trust will crumble. "It really feels like everything has led up to this moment," Saez said on a recent afternoon in his sixth-floor office at UC Berkeley's Evans Hall, where posters of Spanish Renaissance painter El Greco and the Monterey Bay's rugged coastline decorate the cinder-block walls. "We're at a crossroads. Will we reverse the trend, or continue to stand by and watch our democracy give way to a full-blown oligarchy?" Taxation can be a useful tool in helping narrow the chasm separating the top 1% from everyone else. But to use it, policymakers must first understand why the rich keep getting richer. The problem with taxing billionaires has long been that they don't always report much income. Instead, their wealth tends to be tied up in assets like investments, which are taxed at lower rates than wages. Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, when Saez co-authored "The Triumph of Injustice" with Zucman, the internet was abuzz with one of the book's key findings: Billionaires had been paying lower effective tax rates than middle-class workers for decades. Saez's chart - the one with that near-vertical line showing the wealthiest families' ceaseless accumulation of wealth - went viral, amplifying calls to tax the rich. { "__type": "devHubFreeformEmbed", "__id": "Datawrapper", "__fallbackImage": "https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Qw7db/mobile.png", "__data": { "datawrapper_id": "Qw7db" } } In the afterglow of "The Triumph of Injustice," Saez helped design federal wealth-tax proposals that Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders promoted during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Then, in the early 2020s, state Assembly Member Alex Lee, D-San Jose, worked with Saez on several state tax proposals, but none came close to passing. The proposals were loaded with complex jargon about tax code and little-known loopholes, making it hard for them to gain traction with the general public. Saez kept all that in mind last summer. After coming across a 2019 New York Times article about his work, SEIU-UHW - a health care union known for backing pro-labor policies with ballot propositions - asked for Saez's help crafting a wealth-tax proposal that would backfill some of the health care funding cut by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Over frequent emails and Zoom conversations with the tax's three other co-authors, all tax law experts, the group identified taxation thresholds and guarded against possible litigation. Saez also insisted on keeping the proposed ballot measure uncomplicated. Emmanuel Saez believes that California can set a new national agenda with a proposal to tax the super rich. "It really feels like everything has led up to this moment," he said on a recent afternoon. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle) Since most billionaires keep their wealth in public companies, the proposal would simply tax their shares, which are easy to value based on stock price. To keep California billionaires from flocking to more tax-friendly places like Texas and Florida, Saez and his co-authors decided on a one-time tax on any billionaire who was living in the state on Jan. 1, 2026. That expedited timeline would ostensibly make it difficult to avoid. "What makes the California billionaire tax different from previous proposals is that it really gets at the heart of the matter," Lee said. "Nothing is easy when you're going up against powerful billionaires, but I like our chances this time. And Emmanuel has a ton to do with that." Advertisement Advertisement The youngest son of a high school Spanish teacher and a local phone company manager, Saez spent his formative years in the Basque region of southwestern France, where debates over Basque identity unfolded in the shadow of the ongoing Basque separatist conflict in neighboring Spain. A high-performing high school student, he moved nearly 500 miles away to study at Ecole Normale Superieure - a Paris university renowned for producing some of France's top intellectuals. After earning a math degree, Saez shifted his focus to economics and quickly became fascinated by taxation's role in shaping inequality. That passion only grew when a 29-year-old Saez accepted a tenure track professorship with UC Berkeley's economics department. Over his quarter-century there, he has cemented himself as one of the most revered - and divisive - economists of his generation. Brian Galle, a UC Berkeley tax law professor and co-author of the billionaire tax, called Saez "one of the real geniuses of our time." It's not just that Saez has won a John Bates Clark Medal, the most prestigious economic laurel not named the Nobel Prize. Working with him, Galle said, "can sometimes feel like the tax-policy equivalent of a 10-day-contract guy trading passes with LeBron James." But his critics have a different take. Many view Saez, who holds dual French and American citizenship, as a radical leftist helping spearhead Americans' misguided attack on the billionaire class. Advertisement Advertisement Enrico Moretti, a prominent tax economist and UC Berkeley professor with an office just down the hall from Saez's, takes issue with the billionaire tax. He called his colleague's estimate it would yield roughly $100 billion in revenue "way overly optimistic." According to a recent study from Stanford University's conservative-leaning Hoover Institution, the tax could actually reduce state revenue by nearly $25 billion by triggering a mass exodus of billionaires. Saez projects that only about 10% of the state's 200 or so billionaires will find ways to avoid the tax. "That's not right," Moretti said. "When billionaires are faced with a tax like this, they'll leave in droves." Emmanuel Saez, Professor of Economics, director, Stone Center on Wealth and Income Inequality, UC Berkeley; stands for a portrait at UC Berkeley on Monday, February 23, 2026, in Berkeley, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle) Online vitriol has been far harsher. David Gamage, a University of Missouri tax law professor and co-author of the billionaire tax, said that one man was so incensed by the proposal that he created a website dedicated to harassing all four of the billionaire tax's co-authors. Advertisement Advertisement On it, the man posted each of the co-authors' pictures, accompanied by their phone numbers and home addresses. The man also sent a barrage of emails Gamage characterized as "mildly threatening" to Saez and his fellow co-authors. The website has since been removed. "I do find myself worrying about Emmanuel's safety sometimes," said Casey Gardner, Saez's wife. "The stakes just feel really high right now." Saez agrees. In addition to a bid for much-needed revenue, the billionaire tax is an attempt to reconcile perhaps the state's most confounding paradox. Despite having the largest state economy in America, California remains one of the most unequal. Tech fortunes measured in the billions coexist with some of the country's highest housing costs and poverty rates. On many workdays at UC Berkeley, Saez has walked past homeless encampments in People's Park before stepping into class, where his students sometimes include the children of Fortune 500 founders. Advertisement Advertisement "The inequality out here can be jarring," Saez said. He and his co-authors now hope to set an important precedent. If California becomes the first state to implement a true wealth tax on members of the three-comma club, other states could follow. Zucman described the billionaire tax as "a test of whether modern governments can reassert fiscal power over massive private fortunes." Asked on that recent afternoon about all that comes with trying to effect so much change, Saez leaned back in his chair, raised his arms and glanced around his dimly lit office with cinder-block walls. On his MacBook screen were tabs of research. Just a few feet away, a bookshelf was filled with literature from some of history's great economists, including his own friend and collaborator, Thomas Piketty. "As you can see, I'm not one for the limelight," Saez said. "I wasn't even sure at first if I should do this interview. But I feel passionately about what I do, and it's more important than ever to fight for equality." Less than eight months until November's election, the billionaire tax faces crucial questions: Will the proposal attract the roughly 875,000 valid signatures it needs to qualify for the ballot? Could SEIU-UHW negotiate with billionaires and withdraw the measure? Will more billionaires bolt from California? Reports suggest that at least a handful of California's uber-wealthy residents - including Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin - began severing ties with the state before the proposed tax's Jan. 1 move-out deadline. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has pledged to fight the proposal, is just one of many critics who worry that the tax could hamper the state's financial outlook. "It has the potential to completely destroy California's economy," Moretti said. "It has become trendy to bash the rich, but those billionaires are owners of Silicon Valley's biggest companies. California needs them." Saez remains adamant that concerns about a billionaire exodus are overblown. But regardless of what happens, he said, now is the time to take risks. According to a recent New York Times analysis, the richest Americans have seen their net worth skyrocket 120% since President Trump first took office in 2017. The financial picture of lower- and middle-class people, meanwhile, has hardly changed. Saez looked out his office window. There, in the distance, were the skyscrapers and high-rises of San Francisco's financial district. "The Bay Area has more billionaires than any other metro area in the world, yet many of the roads are littered with potholes," Saez said. "Something has to change." This article originally published at Progressives love him. Billionaires hate him. Can a Berkeley professor pass California's wealth tax?. NEED TO KNOW Police are sharing new details surrounding the investigation into Stefanie Pieper after she was found dead inside a suitcase in November The late content creator was first reported missing on Nov. 23 by a colleague when she didnt show up to a scheduled photoshoot Pieper's ex-boyfriend was arrested in connection with the case and allegedly "confessed to the crime," police previously shared in a press release Police are sharing new details surrounding the investigation into Stefanie Pieper after she was found dead inside a suitcase in a forest a week after she went missing. On Nov. 23, Pieper was reported missing by a colleague when she didnt show up to a scheduled photoshoot, the Styrian Police Department previously shared in a press release. After receiving direction about Piepers whereabouts from her 31-year-old ex-boyfriend who was in police custody for the missing persons case Slovenian authorities located Pieper inside a suitcase buried in a forest, per the release. Stefanie Pieper Credit: Stefanie Pieper/Instagram Spokespeople for the Graz Public Prosecutor's Office previously told PEOPLE that an autopsy determined Pieper "had been subjected to violence" and was strangled before her death, but in a new statement to German outlet Bild, the office said they were uncertain when Pieper died. Advertisement Advertisement "The autopsy could not definitively determine when the young woman died," a spokesperson told the outlet, per Bild. "It is entirely possible that she was still alive when she was placed in the suitcase. However, it is equally possible that she was killed by strangulation beforehand." PEOPLE reached out for further comment on March 18. Piepers ex-boyfriend, considered by police to be a suspect, was arrested on Nov. 24. The following day, police searched a wooded area south of Maribor, Slovenia, to which the ex-boyfriend had close family ties" without finding any evidence of Pieper, police previously shared. On Nov. 28, after he had been extradited from Slovenia to Graz, Austria, the ex-boyfriend allegedly confessed to the crime and gave the police directions on where to search for the missing woman," police previously shared. Slovenian authorities searched the location he provided, and eventually Piepers body was found inside a suitcase buried in a forest. 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. Stefanie Pieper Credit: Stefanie Pieper/Facebook During the investigation, authorities also arrested two of the ex-boyfriends family members after receiving indication that they may have been connected to the influencers disappearance. Both were released from custody after the ex-boyfriends alleged confession and Piepers body was found, per the police's Nov. 30 release. Advertisement Advertisement Pieper's ex-boyfriend is currently in pretrial detention in Austria, awaiting a trial scheduled for later this year, per Bild. He faces life in prison if he is convicted. Pieper maintained a following of nearly 50,000 on Instagram, where she was known for sharing fashion and lifestyle content. She seemingly last updated her account on Nov. 9, posting a video getting a pedicure. Read the original article on People Health officials have warned people in Southern California about unsafe swimming conditions at Los Angeles-area beaches as the region grapples with scorching and dangerous temperatures. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued warnings advising beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in the ocean waters stretching from Malibu, California, to Santa Monica, California, due to high bacteria levels. Recent water samples taken at several beaches found bacteria exceeding health standards, the department said March 16 in a notice on its website and on social media. Excessive bacteria in water can increase the risk of illness. A deep freeze across the South, a spreading heat wave in the West and a trail of high winds and downpours leaving the East are in the forecast on March 17 after a weekend of bizarre weather across the country. On the heels of a major storm that delivered downpours, high winds and thunderstorms along the U.S. East Coast, the National Weather Service is predicting a "quieter" period of weather for many. See the storm's toll in photos. Work crews clear downed trees on Holtville Road north of Wetumpka, Ala., after early morning storms on Monday March 16, 2026. One World Trade Center is shrouded in fog and rain on March 16, 2026, in New York City. New York City, along with other parts of the Eastern U.S., is expected to get severe rain and wind as a storm system moves through the area. A car drives through a flooded lane on March 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. Severe storms brought high winds, thunderstorms and tornado warnings to parts of Washington, D.C. and Maryland on Monday. Stan Anderson, left, and Chris Gilson clear snow during a snowstorm on Sunday, March 15, 2026 in Kimberly, Wis. The Storm caused heavy snow, sleet and a blizzard warning. Holtville Road north of Wetumpka, Ala., is completely blocked by downed trees after early morning storms on Monday March 16, 2026. Snow blows across the road on Monday, March 16, 2026, in Ledgeview, Wis. A winter storm dumped about 2 feet of snow throughout the region between Saturday and Monday. Work crews clear downed trees on Holtville Road north of Wetumpka, Ala., after early morning storms on Monday March 16, 2026. A Kaukauna police officer assists a driver who slid off of Crooks Avenue during a snowstorm on Sunday, March 15, 2026 in the Kaukauna, Wis. The storm caused heavy snow, sleet and a blizzard warning. A skid steer clears drifting snow from a driveway Monday, March 16, 2026 just north of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The area received about eight inches of snow from the spring storm. Mailboxes covered with snow pictured on March 16, 2026, in Ledgeview, Wis. The winter storm dumped about 2 feet of snow throughout the region. A departure board displays multiple canceled and delayed flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on March 16, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. Parts of the Eastern U.S. are expected to get severe rain and wind as a storm system moves through the area. A car drives through heavy rain on Clara Barton Parkway on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. Severe storms brought high winds, thunderstorms and tornado warnings to parts of Washington, D.C. and Maryland on Monday. Work crews clear downed trees on Holtville Road north of Wetumpka, Ala., after early morning storms on Monday March 16, 2026. Severe weather slams parts of the US. See the toll in photos 1 of 13 A deep freeze across the South, a spreading heat wave in the West and a trail of high winds and downpours leaving the East are in the forecast on March 17 after a weekend of bizarre weather across the country. On the heels of a major storm that delivered downpours, high winds and thunderstorms along the U.S. East Coast, the National Weather Service is predicting a "quieter" period of weather for many. See the storm's toll in photos. Work crews clear downed trees on Holtville Road north of Wetumpka, Ala., after early morning storms on Monday March 16, 2026. Bacteria levels can increase due to rainstorm runoff, which carries contaminants to the ocean, the department's warning said. Advertisement Advertisement Toxic tides terrorize beaches: Here's how scientists are fighting back. Which Southern California area beaches are affected? The warnings issued by the L.A. County Health Department apply primarily to areas near creeks, storm drains, and runoff outlets, where bacteria levels tend to spike. Current ocean water use warnings apply to these locations: Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica: 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier. Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu: 100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon. Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach: 100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms. Escondido State Beach: 100 yards up and down the coast near Escondido Creek. Puerco Beach: 100 yards up and down the coast near the Marie Canyon Storm Drain. Will Rogers State Beach: Near Will Rogers Tower 18, along the coast near Santa Monica Canyon Creek. LOS ANGELES COUNTY OCEAN WATER UPDATES. For more info, visit: https://t.co/rGRyRCECW5 pic.twitter.com/ZgzDsYch69 LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) March 16, 2026 The warnings have been in effect at some beaches for more than three weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Several previously affected areas, including inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, California, and the Herondo Street storm drain area in Hermosa Beach, California, have been cleared after new samples showed bacteria levels back within state standards, The Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported earlier this month. Health officials are concerned about the public entering water over the coming days as Southern California faces a major-to-extreme heat risk through March 19, with warm overnight temperatures offering little relief. The Los Angeles County Public Health Department has issued extreme heat warnings through Friday, March 20. Much of southwest California broke temperature records on Tuesday, March 17, and there are "no significant changes in the forecast the rest of the week," the National Weather Service said. The National Weather Service has issued a dangerous heat wave warning for Los Angeles and the surrounding area, through Friday, March 20. When could the beach warnings be lifted? Health agencies monitor coastal ocean water quality year-round, and the L.A. County Health Department will lift warnings when followup testing confirms bacteria levels have dropped back within California safety standards. Advertisement Advertisement Contributing: James Ward, The Desert Sun Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA County beaches hit with bacteria warnings amid scorching heat Qatar has said Iranian missile attacks on the Ras Laffan Industrial City, the countrys main gas facility, have caused significant damage. The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City, which caused fires resulting in significant damage to the facility, Qatars Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. Qatars Ministry of Interior said a fire at the site had been preliminarily brought under control and that no injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time, said QatarEnergy, the worlds largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer. In a later statement early on Thursday, QatarEnergy said that several other LNG facilities had also been attacked, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage. The announcements came hours after Iran threatened to attack oil and gas facilities across the Gulf region in retaliation for an Israeli attack on its South Pars gasfield, as the fallout from the United States-Israeli war on the country continues to escalate. Irans warning of attacks was directed at Qatars Mesaieed Petrochemical complex, Mesaieed Holding Company and Ras Laffan Refinery; Saudi Arabias Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical complex; and the United Arab Emirates Al Hosn gasfield. Advertisement Advertisement Qatars Foreign Ministry declared the Iranian embassys military and security attaches as persona non grata, along with their staff. The ministry said it demanded that they leave Qatar within 24 hours, adding that the decision came as a result of Irans repeated attacks. Qatar considers this assault a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security, it said. The Iranian side continues its escalatory policies that are pushing the region toward the brink and drawing countries not party to this crisis into the conflict zone. French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and US President Donald Trump following the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement It is in our common interest to implement, without delay, a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water supply facilities, Macron said. Civilian populations and their essential needs, as well as the security of energy supplies, must be protected from military escalation. On March 2, Qatar suspended LNG production following an attack on the Ras Laffan facility as well as on a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed Industrial City. The Ras Laffan complex, located 80km (50 miles) northeast of Doha, is the worlds largest LNG production facility and produces about 20 percent of the global LNG supply, playing a major role in balancing both Asian and European markets demand for the fuel. Advertisement Advertisement This is what Qatars wealth is built on, Al Jazeeras Victoria Gatenby said. Weve also had alerts here in Doha and the threat level has been raised. Rachel Ziemba, a senior fellow at the think tank Center for a New American Security, said the fact that Ras Laffan had already paused production meant there would be no new global supply shock in the near term. But it could put further pressure on regional power supplies, Ziemba told Al Jazeera. She added that it also risks prices staying high for longer. Babak Hafezi, professor of international business at American University, said rising LNG prices would affect European markets. Advertisement Advertisement Since the start of the Ukrainian war and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines, the Germans and the [European Union] have become net importers of LNG, Hafezi told Al Jazeera. Other countries reliant on LNG include Japan, Turkiye and India. The smaller countries with weaker economies in the Global South will be hurt the most, as LNG price increases will lead to demand destruction, he said. The attack on Ras Laffan comes as Saudi Arabia was scheduled to host a meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim-majority countries in Riyadh to discuss finding an off-ramp from this conflict. Advertisement Advertisement The focus of this meeting now will very much be on the threats they are facing from Iran and dealing with the aftermath of those attacks, Al Jazeeras Gatenby said. Saudi Arabias Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said its air defences had intercepted four ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh, as well as two launched towards the countrys eastern region. Alerts were issued warning of danger in the governorates of Riyadh and al-Kharj by Saudi Arabias National Early Warning Platform for Emergency Cases. The UAEs Defence Ministry said its air defences dealt with 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones coming from Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Operations were suspended at the Habshan gas facility as authorities responded to two incidents of fallen debris after the successful interception of a missile, Abu Dhabis media office said. The Bab oilfield was also targeted, the office added. No injuries were reported. The Defence Ministry said that since the start of the attacks, it has faced 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 drones. By Yomna Ehab, Jaidaa Taha, Yousef Saba and Jana Choukeir March 19 (Reuters) - Iranian aerial attacks since Wednesday have caused extensive damage to the world's largest gas plant in Qatar, targeted a refinery in Saudi Arabia, forced the UAE to shut gas facilities and set off fires at two Kuwaiti refineries. Tehran's retaliation against Israeli attacks on its own gas facilities marks a further escalation of the nearly three-week war. Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, a drone fell on the Aramco-Exxon refinery, SAMREF, the Saudi defence ministry said, adding damage was being assessed. It also intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards Yanbu, the port city that is currently Saudi Arabia's only outlet for crude exports and where the refinery is located. Also on Thursday, one of the operational units at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation's Mina al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries was targeted by drones, resulting in fires at both sites, Kuwait's state news agency said. Qatar's state oil giant QatarEnergy said on Wednesday that Iranian missile attacks on Ras Laffan, the site of the country's core LNG processing operations, caused "extensive damage", while the UAE shut gas facilities after intercepting missiles early on Thursday. The Iranian attacks, which drew a furious response from U.S. President Donald Trump, came hours after Tehran issued evacuation warnings for several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, following strikes on its own energy infrastructure in South Pars and Asaluyeh. Advertisement Advertisement MAJOR LNG OPERATIONS DISRUPTED IN QATAR QatarEnergy, the world's second-largest LNG exporter, said in a statement that its emergency response team was deployed immediately to contain fires caused by the attack. By early Thursday, all fires at Ras Laffan had been brought under control, with no injuries reported, Qatar's interior ministry said. Ras Laffan, located 80 km (50 miles) north of Doha, is an energy-industry hub and hosts several international companies including Shell, the world's biggest LNG trader. "We are currently assessing any potential impact on any asset operated or utilised by Shell in Ras Laffan Industrial City and will provide further information in due course," a Shell spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement The energy major has a 30% stake in a 7.8 million-metric-tons-a-year LNG facility and investments in yet-to-produce LNG plants at Ras Laffan. It also fully owns the Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in the hub, with capacity to process up to 1.6 billion cubic feet per day of wellhead gas. QatarEnergy said the Pearl gas-to-liquids facility had suffered extensive damage. Several LNG facilities were hit by missile attacks in the early hours of Thursday, causing "sizeable fires" and further damage, it said. Shell later said the Pearl GTL facility had sustained damage, saying a fire was quickly put out and it was now in a safe state and that damage was being assessed in close coordination with authorities and QatarEnergy. TRUMP THREATENS RESPONSE Advertisement Advertisement Qatar produces 77 million metric tons annually of LNG, which is used in power generation and industries. The Laffan refinery primarily processes condensate into refined products including aviation fuel. In a statement on social media, Trump warned Iran not to attack Qatari LNG facilities again and threatened to "massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field" if it did so. He said Israel had attacked South Pars without informing Qatar or the United States. Qatar's foreign ministry told Iran's security and military attaches to leave the country within 24 hours and declared them "persona non grata". In a statement, the ministry condemned the attack on Ras Laffan as a "direct threat" to Qatar's national security and accused Iran of taking an "irresponsible approach." Advertisement Advertisement Saul Kavonic, head of research at Australia's MST Marquee, said attacks on Ras Laffan "could cause a lasting global gas shortage, but this won't pressure the Trump administration because the U.S. benefits economically from high global gas prices". GAS FACILITIES SHUT DOWN IN UAE In the UAE, authorities said they were responding to incidents at the Habshan gas facilities and at the Bab oil field caused by falling debris from intercepted missiles. The gas facilities were shut down and no injuries were reported, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. The Habshan complex, operated by Abu Dhabi state oil giant ADNOC, is one of the world's largest gas processing facilities, comprising five plants with a total capacity of 6.1 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscfd), according to ADNOC. (Reporting by Yomna Ehab, Jaidaa Taha, Marwa Rashad, Florence Tan, Hatem Maher, Yousef Saba and Jana Choukeir; Editing by Stephen Coates, Tomasz Janowski and Louise Heavens) Three brothers charged with a 2020 murder will remain behind bars. The decision comes just hours after a Superior Court judge cleared the way for their release. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) issued an emergency stay Monday, temporarily blocking bail for Billoeum, Billy, and Channa Phan. The stay freezes a decision by Middlesex Superior Court Justice Christopher Barry-Smith, who had previously ruled that the equities of the case justified bail after five years of pretrial detention. The initial order to grant bail was not based on the strength of the murder charges, which the judge acknowledged as extremely serious, but rather on the conduct of the prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Judge Barry-Smith found that the current delay in the trial is attributable in full to the prosecution. At the heart of the controversy is the late disclosure of what the judge called the Quigley factor. State Police homicide detective Scott Quigley, a lead investigator in the Phan case, was involved in a fatal, on-duty crash in December 2023. Hospital records allegedly show Quigley was over the legal alcohol limit. However, the Commonwealth did not disclose this information to the defense until January 2026, during jury selection in the Phan brothers 2nd trial. The judge noted that the brothers have been held without bail for over five years and that a previous attempt to try the case in 2024 ended in a mistrial. Under the terms of the now-stayed order, each defendant would have been eligible for release on $25,000 cash bail under strict conditions, including full-time home confinement and GPS monitoring. Advertisement Advertisement I know that some family members are looking at that and possibly maybe taking out a large loan or maybe a mortgage on a house Its my understanding that there may be some possibility at that $25,000, said William Dolan, an attorney for Channa Phan. The Commonwealth immediately appealed the ruling to the states highest court, arguing that the defendants should remain held without bail given the nature of the charges and their criminal histories. SJC Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt granted a temporary stay of the bail order today. This means that even if the families of the defendants were to post the $75,000 total bail, the brothers cannot be released. The defendants remain committed without bail while the SJC reviews whether Justice Barry-Smith acted correctly by granting bail as a remedy for the prosecutions disclosure delays. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Cut my property taxes. I cant keep up. Im going to lose my home. If you serve in public life in New Hampshire, you hear this every day. I heard it loud and clear when I campaigned for state representative in 2022 and 2024. And people are right. Property taxes are crushing working families, retirees on fixed incomes, and young homeowners just trying to build a life here. Yet for decades, weve heard proposals that nibble at the edges never solutions bold enough to actually fix the problem. Chris Muns On March 3, I stood with the Cut Our Property Taxes group in front of the State House in Concord as they introduced their plan to do so. Its called the 3-3 Tax Savings Plan, and it would lower property taxes, stabilize school funding, and restore fairness to our system. Advertisement Advertisement The plan is simple: A flat 3 percent income tax with generous exemptions A $3 true statewide school property tax Both are structured to be far more progressive than the system we use today, which relies overwhelmingly on local property taxes, regardless of whether your income rises, falls, or disappears entirely. The system in place today effectively drives up the cost of homeownership and forces those who are earning less to have to pay more. Under our current system, if you lose your job, your spouse, get sick, or retire, your property tax bill does not care. It keeps climbing. The 3-3 Plan fixes that. Your contribution adjusts with your income. Advertisement Advertisement Using 2024 data the most recent complete statewide numbers the results are striking. Today, the state covers only about 20 percent of public-school costs; local property taxpayers like you and me pay the rest. The 3-3 Plan raises that to roughly two-thirds, enabling our towns and school districts to lower what we have to pay locally. Funding is distributed by student need, so communities with higher poverty or special education populations receive more support but every district benefits. Base per-pupil state aid would rise from about $4,300 to $10,000. Aid for children living in poverty increases from $2,300 to $5,000. Special education adequacy state aid jumps from $2,100 per student to $25,000. There is also a $1,000 transportation stipend per pupil. The impact on property tax rates would be dramatic: Advertisement Advertisement Manchesters school tax rate falls to $3.00 Claremont drops from $13.81 to $3.67 Concord falls by about one-third Portsmouth drops by 10 percent; and Hampton drops by 9% Half measures will not solve this crisis. Marijuana revenue $25 to $35 million wont do it. Reinstating the Interest & Dividends Tax wont do it. Reversing business tax cuts wont do it. Even eliminating every school administrator in the state (as some in Concord have suggested) would save only about 5 percent nowhere near enough. Advertisement Advertisement A properly structured income tax will. Under the plan, the first $35,000 of income per taxpayer is exempt. There is a $15,000 exemption per dependent and for heads of household. A two-parent household earning $100,000 with two children pays zero income tax and sees their property taxes plummet. A single worker pays no income tax on their first $35,000. Because income taxes dont capture second homes or commercial property, the plan also includes a $3 statewide school tax with a $250,000 homestead exemption. A homeowner with a $500,000 home would pay just $750 in state school tax. Renters receive a $750 credit. The revenue is dedicated exclusively to education and must replace not supplement local school taxes. If voters choose, that protection can be enshrined in the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement You can test the plan yourself to see how your taxes are affected by going to nhtaxsavingscalculator.com and entering your assessed property value and income level from 2024. The math is public. Run your numbers. New Hampshire is at a breaking point. Housing costs are soaring. Young families are leaving. Retirees are squeezed. Meanwhile, our schools remain unevenly funded, and our property tax system grows more unstable each year. The 3-3 Plan is only a proposal at this point, and since, as they say, the devil is in the details, I am not yet ready to fully endorse it. But it is a well-thought-out plan, and if we are going to provide real property tax relief, we need to be willing to have an open and honest debate about all available options; nothing should be off-limits. Elected officials should not be bound by pledges created 50 years ago when circumstances in New Hampshire were quite different. The 3-3 Plan is an option that merits serious consideration. It is fair, and its transparent, and I hope that everyone will take it seriously. There are already those who disagree with the plan and have said, absolutely not. They certainly have the right to that point of view, but they should also be willing to offer real alternatives that are as well thought out, fair and transparent. Advertisement Advertisement Chris Muns is one of Hampton's five NH state representatives. He is currently serving his third term, having previously served between 2012 and 2014 and 2022 and 2024. Members of the Cut Our Property Taxes Group include Elizabeth Hager of New Hampton, Clifton Below of Lebanon, Mark Fernald of Sharon, Rep. Peter Lovett of Holderness, Rep. Thomas Oppel of Canaan, Ted Morgan of Tamworth, Rep. David Preece of Manchester, and Andru Volinsky of Concord. Technical support for Cut Our Property Taxes was provided by the Institute for Tax and Economic Policy (ITEP). This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: A real plan to fix New Hampshires property tax crisis: Muns A state appeals court panel on Tuesday upheld the conviction of socialite Rebecca Grossman, who was convicted of killing two young brothers in a 2020 crash in Westlake Village. The co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation was accused of speeding and hitting 11-year-old Mark Iskander and his 8-year-old brother, Jacob, on Sept. 29, 2020. Grossman was convicted Feb. 23, 2024, of two counts each of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run driving in connection with the deadly crash. Advertisement Advertisement She is currently serving a prison sentence of 15 years to life. Grossman's attorney was trying to have her second-degree murder conviction overturned, arguing the judge in the trial failed to properly instruct the jury on the definition of "implied malice." On Tuesday, a state appeals court upheld her conviction. L.A. socialite Rebecca Grossman, who was convicted for the death of two young brothers in a hit-and-run crash in 2020, was sentenced to 15 years to life. Prosecutors argued during the trial that Grossman and her then-boyfriend -- former Dodger Scott Erickson -- had been out for drinks earlier that evening and were heading toward her nearby home in separate vehicles when Grossman's white Mercedes-Benz SUV struck the boys while they were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road with their parents and siblings in a marked crosswalk. Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff's officials said the family of six was crossing the three-way intersection -- which does not have a stoplight -- in the crosswalk when the mother heard a car speeding toward them and both parents reached out to protect two of their children, but the two boys were too far out in the intersection and were struck. The older boy died at the scene, and his 8-year-old brother died at a hospital. Prosecutors said that despite the airbags going off, Grossman continued driving after striking the boys, eventually stopping about a quarter-mile away from the scene when her car engine stopped running. The prosecution alleged that Grossman was speeding at 81 mph in a 45-mph zone just seconds before impact, and that data from the vehicle's so-called black box showing that she was driving 73 mph at the time of the crash was reliable. Advertisement Advertisement Grossman's attorneys insisted during the case that it was Erickson who struck the boys first with his black SUV. Erickson was never called to testify in the case. For nearly six years, the boy's mother, Nancy Iskander, has been fighting for justice. "I am definitely thankful and happy that the conviction was upheld, but I'll be moving on in life, now that that's behind me, knowing that Mark and Jacob are not coming back. I always knew that they were not going to come back. It's just another reminder that they were murdered," she told Eyewitness News on Tuesday. Iskander also spoke about the healing process. Advertisement Advertisement "I'd like to encourage everyone who hears me today to turn their pain, their struggles in life, into something good. Try to support somebody who is going through the same thing, maybe, or share their experience, how they overcome it every day. Some things you just have to overcome every day," Iskander said. City News Service contributed to this report. (Corrects media key words to USA-PENTAGON/ANTHROPIC, previously USA-PENTAGON/USA) By Jack Queen NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration said in a Tuesday court filing that the Pentagons blacklisting of Anthropic was justified and lawful, opposing the artificial intelligence labs high-stakes lawsuit challenging the decision. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic, the maker of popular AI assistant Claude, a national security supply chain risk on March 3 after the company refused to remove guardrails against its technology being used for autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance. The Trump administration's filing says Anthropic is unlikely to succeed on its claims that the U.S. action violated speech protections under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, asserting the dispute stems from contract negotiations and national security concerns, not retaliation. "It was only when Anthropic refused to release the restrictions on the use of its products which refusal is conduct, not protected speech that the President directed all federal agencies to terminate their business relationships with Anthropic," the administration's legal filing said. The filing, from the U.S. Justice Department, said "no one has purported to restrict Anthropics expressive activity." Anthropics lawsuit in California federal court asks a judge to block the Pentagons decision while the case plays out. Some legal experts say the company appears to have a strong case that the government overreached. In a statement, Anthropic said it was reviewing the government's filing. The company said "seeking judicial review does not change our longstanding commitment to harnessing AI to protect our national security, but this is a necessary step to protect our business, our customers, and our partners." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. President Donald Trump backed Hegseths move, which excludes Anthropic from a limited set of military contracts but could damage the companys reputation and cause billions of dollars in losses this year, according to its executives. The designation came after months of negotiations between the Pentagon and Anthropic reached an impasse, prompting Trump and Hegseth to denounce the company and accuse it of endangering American lives with its usage restrictions. Anthropic has disputed those claims and said AI is not yet safe enough to be used in autonomous weapons. The company said it opposes domestic surveillance as a matter of principle. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump dropped his push Tuesday for U.S. allies to join in protecting the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian threats an about-face that came just one day after he called upon nations to get involved so oil tankers can safely navigate the crucial shipping lane. First on social media and later in an Oval Office meeting, Trump said the outside military support he has been working to muster is no longer necessary in the war, which the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran on Feb. 28. We dont need any help, actually, Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office as he hosted Irelands prime minister, Micheal Martin. Advertisement Advertisement President Trump has great relationships with foreign leaders around the world. At the same time, he has long called attention to the disproportional dynamics that have been enabled by weak Presidents for decades including the United States extensive financial support of NATO and unfair trading practices that hurt our farmers and workers, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement. The President was resoundingly elected to put America First, and he will continue to bolster US national security through Operation Epic Fury, with or without NATO. Trump had gotten a chilly response from U.S. allies hed tried to enlist in a joint effort to police the strait, which has been effectively shut down in the face of Iranian attacks that have jeopardized oil supplies. On Monday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, This is not our war; we have not started it. Before Trumps Oval Office meeting Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would never take part in operations to open or free the Strait of Hormuz in the current context but was prepared to play a role once the fighting stopped. Asked about Macrons statement, Trump said he will be out of office very soon. (Macrons term ends in May 2027.) Advertisement Advertisement Trump was measured in discussing the dustup within the NATO alliance, though one of his confidants, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on X that he had spoken to Trump about it and had "never heard him so angry in my life." "The repercussions of providing little assistance to keep the Strait of Hormuz functioning are going to be wide and deep for Europe and America," Graham wrote, saying he shared Trump's anger. Trump had talked repeatedly in recent days about assembling a coalition that would help repel Iranian attacks against oil tankers and other ships navigating the strait, a narrow passageway that has become a choke point for the worlds oil. The war has triggered a spike in gas prices, creating political problems for Trump at home ahead of the congressional midterm elections in November. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Monday at the White House that numerous countries have told me they are on their way to help. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be making an announcement. No announcement or list has yet been released. As for the holdouts, he said, we strongly encourage the other nations to get involved with us and get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm. The Iran war amounts to a test of Trumps "America First" approach to global conflict. He has long been skeptical of military alliances, warning that the U.S. builds a protective umbrella around other nations without any guarantee that those beneficiaries of American power would come to its aid when needed. That position has alienated NATO countries that have sent troops to U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, only to see them die in action. Advertisement Advertisement The one time NATO invoked the Article 5 mutual security guarantee was in defense of the U.S. following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Trumps bullying and tendency to negotiate by megaphone dont go down well with European allies, Peter Westmacott, a former British ambassador to the U.S., told NBC News. In 1990-91, President George H.W. Bush knitted together a broad coalition of nations to confront Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, before he launched Operation Desert Storm. By virtue of Bushs painstaking diplomatic work, that conflict became, literally, Saddam Hussein against the world, said Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official and now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Advertisement Advertisement No such consultations took place before the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, various diplomats said. Some coalition-building efforts are unfolding now, more than two weeks after the strikes started. In a State Department-wide cable Monday, all U.S. diplomats were directed to tell foreign governments, at the highest appropriate level, that they must move expeditiously to diminish the capabilities of Iran because of an elevated risk of attack on their own countries. A European diplomat told NBC News: Hes asking us to help for a war he started. There is not much enthusiasm for this. And even if European navies are sent to the Gulf, it would not ensure the strait is reopened. Iran can keep it closed as long as it likes because all it takes is a drone or a mine. In the run-up to Operation Epic Fury, Trump ignited a series of confrontations with NATO countries that have soured relations on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump rattled U.S. allies with his focus on acquiring Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement For a time, he wouldnt rule out using force, if necessary, but then he backed off in favor of a negotiated solution to Greenlands status. Its not possible to just forget what happened with Greenland. Trust has been damaged, and its not easily repaired, said a second European diplomat. Trump also has confounded European allies by not using more coercive sanctions to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to get him to make peace with Ukraine. More than two months ago, Graham said that Trump had greenlit a bipartisan bill that would have imposed tougher sanctions on Russia and that a Senate vote could happen in a week. The measure is still languishing in Congress. The Trump administration appears to have moved in the opposite direction, temporarily lifting sanctions last week against Russian oil that was at sea, in hope of boosting supplies and curbing prices. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told NBC News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been far more difficult to make a deal with than Putin in ending the war. Those comments unnerved current and former officials at home and abroad. A former senior U.S. military officer said they were incredulous that Trump would place blame on Zelenskyy, whose democratic country was invaded by Russian forces. A third European diplomat said they were upset that Trump saw fit to criticize Zelenskyy, as opposed to Putin. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to talk freely. Marko Mihkelson, who chairs the Estonian Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, told NBC News: If President Trump would like to achieve peace as he has promised and worked for then he has to change tactics against Russia. You cant be a neutral mediator in this war. Russia is not going to stop unless they are stopped. Added Westmacott: On Ukraine, Trump has been a huge disappointment to Americas European allies. They are dismayed by his tendency to believe the lies Putin tells him, to see Ukraine as a purely European issue and to depict Zelenskyy as the obstacle to peace when Europeans, and the facts, show the opposite to be the case. Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear whether the position Trump laid out Tuesday will hold. By his own acknowledgment, he hadnt made a full court press for additional help. Differences aside, America and its European allies need to recognize the stakes and accept that their interests are aligned, Mihkelson said. "Europeans must understand that to succeed in this very turbulent world today and to safeguard our security and stability, we have to stick together," he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A callery pear buyback program began this week around Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation is partnering with the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, the Missouri Community Forestry Council, Magnificent Missouri, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and the Missouri Prairie Foundation to host the 2026 buyback in locations around the state. As we prepare for spring, many Callery pear trees also known as Bradford pears will soon begin to bloom, Missouri Invasive Plant Council Chairperson Carol Davit said in a statement. The profuse white blossoms of this highly invasive tree make their alarming spread especially apparent in spring along roadsides, in fields, parks and on private property. Advertisement Advertisement Participants who cut down one or more of the pear trees on their properties can get a free native tree at the event. Replacement trees will be potted in 3-gallon containers and will be between 2 and 4 feet tall. One free native tree will be provided to each registered participant at the selected location on the day of the event. People can register for the buyback through April 16, then pickup native trees in more than 20 communities around the state from 3-6 p.m. April 21 at sites around the state, including Joplin, Pineville and Springfield in Southwest Missouri. Locations will be provided when people register. In Joplin, native trees being provided include blackgum, deciduous holly, elderberry, northern red oak, red maple and swamp white oak. Advertisement Advertisement In Pineville, species include blackgum, swamp white oak, redbud and pawpaw. In Springfield, species include blackgum, deciduous holly, northern red oak, Ohio buckeye, red maple, silky dogwood, white swamp oak, redbud and pawpaw. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, callery pear trees pose numerous problems for landowners and wildlife. Their top-heavy canopy and brittle branch structure results in trees that break in storms. Their flowers also have a foul smell and many varieties of this tree have thorns. The trees aggressive growth also causes problems for wildlife, native plant species and property owners. Jon Skinner, community forester with the department, said the trees became popular because they had white spring flowers and winey or purple fall color. Originally, they were thought to be sterile when introduced into the United States, but they have since been able to cross-pollinate with other cultivars and have exploded across the landscape. Advertisement Advertisement This is an education program to help folks understand this is a problem, Skinner said of the buyback campaign. He said whitebud (white redbud) serviceberry and dogwood are recommend alternatives for those who are planting trees. More information is available at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/invasive-plants/callery-pear-control. Register for the buyback event began Monday and goes through April 16 at moinvasives.org/ pear-buyback. The website also includes information on how to identify callery pear trees and a list of native tree species offered. WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) As temperatures slowly begin to increase across Connecticut, so do the number of bear sightings in our state. Connecticut black bears are coming out of hibernation and there are a few new things people should know about what to do if they see one. 3 Connecticut students qualify for World Irish Dancing Championships West Hartford had more than 1,000 reported bear sightings last year, the most of any locality in the state, and the number continues to grow. DEEP estimates the states current bear population to be at least 1,200. Advertisement Advertisement The number is growing because humans keep feeding them. People should avoid feeding bears, so any birdfeeders should be brought in and any trash should be locked up. Mama bears teach their cubs how to get into trash bins and birdfeeders, knowledge which keeps getting passed from generation to generation. The ones that have had a lot of access to human source food, they are having much larger litter sizes than the ones that havent and that is a good example of how we can inadvertently influence whats happening with the bear population, Jenny Dixon of DEEPs wildlife division said. The average litter size has grown from between two and three cubs per litter. DEEP is doing a study this summer on the increase in the bear population to get an accurate grasp on exactly how many are out there. Advertisement Advertisement When we start seeing multiple cubs per litter, particularly, when youre getting over two cubs per litter, that means the population is going very, very quickly, Dixon said. DEEP recommends anyone with chickens or other livestock to install an electric fence around their enclosures. The department asks anyone who sees a bear in Connecticut to report it on their website instead of calling. 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. WASHINGTON D.C. (WAVY) Rep. Bobby Scott led a moment of silence in the House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon for Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and the ODU community after the shooting that happened on campus on March 12. The moment of silence comes after the shooting that occurred at Constant Hall in the university that led to the deaths of Shah and shooter Mohammed Jalloh. Two people were also injured during the incident. Students render gunman no longer alive after campus shooting that killed 1, injured 2 Advertisement Advertisement The office of Rep. Scott provided the congressmans full remarks today: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Dean of the Virginia Congressional Delegation, and as the representative of Norfolk, Virginia, we are gathered here today with my colleagues across the Commonwealth with a heavy heart as we honor the victims of the recent shooting at Old Dominion University. This was an act of terrorism, and like all mass shootings, it has become far too commonplace. On Thursday, as students and faculty gathered for classes just like every other day, tragedy struck Old Dominions campus when a gunman opened fire in Constant Hall, targeting an ROTC class. The gunman took the life of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and injured two others before he was stopped by a brave group of students. Brandon Shah graduated from ODU in 2007 and returned a few years later to oversee the Army ROTC Monarch Battalion. As we reflect on his extraordinary life of service, our hearts are with his family and loved ones, as well as the two injured students, and we pray for their swift recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Our hearts are also with the entire Old Dominion community. Today, we are all Monarch Strong. So, Mr. Speaker, let us take a moment of silence to mourn the loss and honor the life and service of Lieutenant Colonel Shah, and demonstrate support for the entire Old Dominion University community. Thank you, and I yield back. For more information, you can visit Rep. Scotts website here. Download the WAVY News App to keep up with the latest news, weather and sports from WAVY-TV 10. Available in both the Apple and Google Play stores. 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. Israel has bombed parts of Iran's gas industry in the Gulf, according to media reports on both sides of the war. Petrochemical plants near the industrial city of Asaluyeh were affected, the Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr reported on Wednesday. The Times of Israel newspaper reported, citing government sources, that the air force had attacked Iranian gas production facilities in the south, including the largest such facility in the province of Bushehr. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Axios portal, which cited Israeli government sources, the attacks were coordinated with the US. South Pars, the largest gas field in the world, which Iran shares with Qatar, is located near Asaluyeh on the Persian Gulf. The region is central to Iran's energy sector and accounts for around 70% of the country's domestic gas supply. Several gas extraction industrial sites have been hit, Tasnim reported, citing the deputy governor of Bushehr province. The authorities warned the population not to approach the locations that had been attacked. Iran's military leadership threatened to retaliate, saying "these attacks on Iran's civilian and vital infrastructure are not a military victory, but political suicide," in a statement published by the Fars news agency. Advertisement Advertisement The time of limited battles is over, the statement continued, with the conflict moving in the direction of a "comprehensive economic war." The Iranian state broadcaster cited gas fields and refineries in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as possible targets for a retaliatory attack. "These facilities have become direct and legitimate targets and will be attacked in the coming hours," it said, quoting a statement from the Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In both red states and blue ones, abortion opponents have been on a terrible losing streak on ballot initiatives in the four years since Roe v. Wade was overturned. This coming November, though, they may have finally found a way to change their luck: by confusing voters about what exactly theyre voting for. Since the 2022 Dobbs ruling, the anti-abortion movement has largely failed to stop a barrage of ballot measures on reproductive rights. First, in 2022, voters in Kansas rejected an effort to undo a state Supreme Court decision protecting abortion. There were further setbacks in California, Vermont, New York, Kentucky, Montana, Michigan, and Ohio. Most strikingly, Missouri, a state with some of the nations harshest abortion laws, passed a ballot measure protecting reproductive rights, even as voters elected a Republican supermajority to the state Legislature and favored Donald Trump by an 18-point margin. Advertisement Advertisement The few bright spots for abortion foes cant be all that comforting. In one of the reddest states in the union, South Dakota voters rejected a strange proposal to reinstate something like the antiquated trimester framework from Roe v. Wade. And Nebraska voters enacted a ballot measure that banned later abortions (with exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies), leaving most procedures in the state untouched. That left the anti-abortion movement without a clear ballot-initiative playbook moving forward. Wins might be possible in the nations most conservative states, or in jurisdictions like Florida that require supermajority support before a ballot measure became part of a state constitution. Everywhere else, it wasnt obvious how abortion opponents could stop the bleeding. In Missouri, conservatives went to court, insisting that the states reproductive rights ballot measure actually allowed for fairly sweeping abortion restrictions. In Ohio, some Republicans even trotted out the independent state legislature theory, best known as a way for election deniers to hand partisans exclusive control over elections, stripping state courts of power to implement new reproductive rights. There was always the possibility of replicating the Nebraska strategy in Missouri, but that required permitting abortions early in pregnancy, when the vast majority of terminations take place. And that wouldnt do anything to reverse the constitutional amendments already on the books. Advertisement Advertisement Missouri Republicans may have finally landed on a recipe for success: focusing on transgender Americans. You may wonder what transgender rights have to do with restoring Missouris rigid abortion ban. The answer: nothing at all, except in the minds of voters that Republicans seem to have successfully courted. Like many conservative states, Missouri has banned gender-affirming care for minors since 2023. Missouri also excludes gender-affirming procedures for anyone of any age from the states Medicaid program. But panic about transgender rights has been politically powerful, and Missouri Republicans know it. Last year, the Legislature created a new ballot measure that would undo the one that voters just chose to make law. The ballot measure appeals to popular positions: emphasizing that it would make abortion legal in cases of rape or incest, for example, without stressing the aim of the proposal: to criminalize every other abortion in the state. The measure also stresses that it would prohibit gender-affirming care for minors. And like the measure that Missouri voters just passed, this one would also be called Amendment 3. A fight about how the measure is framed has unfolded in Missouri courts, with reproductive rights supporters asking courts to force the state to disclose the impact the amendment would have on abortion access. In December, an appellate court forced Republicans to clarify it would repeal the 2024 Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement But recent polling by St. Louis University and YouGov suggest that focusing on gender-affirming medicine for minors may be even more important. Missouri voters support banning gender-affirming care by overwhelming marginsnever mind that state law already has done so. The poll revealed that voters were willing to support the Republican proposal, Amendment 3, by a margin of 47 to 40 percent. That suggests that Republicans may be able to ban virtually all abortion simply by attaching it to symbolic initiatives targeting transgender teenagers. Thats not an entirely new idea. Abortion opponents in Congress, in red states, and in interest groups have been pressing the Trump administration for new restrictions on mifepristone, a drug used in more than half of all abortions. Trump hasnt just ignored these requests; the administration has actually approved a new generic form of mifepristone and asked courts to dismiss lawsuits intended to place limits on mifepristone. To placate social conservatives, Trump has offered anti-trans measures as an alternative. Republican presidents have long enforced the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits international aid groups that receive U.S. funding from providing abortion services or counseling (even with other funding). To mark the annual March for Life, Trump announced that the Mexico City Policy would now also prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and gender ideology, clearly a catchall term for ideas and services for transgender people. Trump has rolled out any number of related policies, and sprinkles interviews on a wide range of topics with warnings that his opponents pursue transgender for everyone. The plan is clear: Americans who want an abortion ban might just be satisfied if the president does and says enough to condemn gender ideology. That strategy doesnt seem to have convinced anti-abortion Americans, who, after all, have been mobilized for more than a half centuryand see their cause as the human rights fight of our generation. But Missouri Republicans have reason to think that focusing on transgender issues may work as a way to ban abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear what will actually happen in Missouri on Election Day. After all, passing Missouris new Amendment 3 wouldnt actually change anything about gender-affirming care for minors, but it would have major effects on abortion. The measure allows abortion in cases of medical emergency and fetal anomalies, but doesnt clearly define either one. Weve already seen in other states how physicians are afraid to rely on this kind of ambiguous language, even when a patients life or health is on the line. And it would write all of this into the state constitution, which could be changed only with another ballot measure like the last one. Educating voters about what exactly is on the line will be key to whatever happens next with Amendment 3. But unless something changes, the Missouri experience suggests that Republicans will try to use their success against transgender rights to destroy reproductive liberty too. (WHTM) Catherine Wallen will represent Pennsylvanias 193rd House District after a special election Tuesday. The district covers parts of Adams and Cumberland counties. Wallen will serve the remainder of Torren Eckers term, who resigned the position after he was elected judge of the Adams County Court of Common Pleas last year. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania The AP called the race before 10 p.m. with Wallen leading Democrat Todd Crawley by more than 1,500 votes. Wallen, a York Springs native, served as Eckers district director. She will be the first woman to serve as a state representative for Adams County. Advertisement Advertisement Its a vital hold for the Republican Party in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where Democrats hold a one-seat majority. Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford Fulton) celebrated the victory, along with another in the 79th House District, though both districts are Republican strongholds. Pennsylvania holds tons of special elections. That costs taxpayers millions. Mark my words: House Republicans will continue to carry our message of lowering taxes, fighting for families and unleashing the economic potential of every corner of the Commonwealth, Topper said. Wallen could soon have a rematch with Crawley, a retired HACC public and environmental health and safety director from Shippensburg Township. Both candidates previously pledged to get enough signatures to run in their parties May primary, as the seat is up for reelection in November. 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 ABC27. This story was originally published on Cybersecurity Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Cybersecurity Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: North Koreas remote IT worker schemes rely heavily on Western collaborators, an elaborate hierarchy of roles and the extensive use of an open-source messaging application, IBM and the cybersecurity vendor Flare said in a report published on Wednesday. The new research details the tactics and technologies that North Korean operatives use to trick companies into hiring them and fly under the radar while they funnel their salaries to Pyongyang. Flare and IBM said the report could help businesses improve their ability to root out North Korean operatives posing as legitimate employees. Dive Insight: The Flare/IBM report describes a sophisticated operation through which North Korea places operatives inside Western and other businesses, fooling everyone including executives, hiring managers and coworkers at those organizations while siphoning their revenues and potentially compromising sensitive data. Advertisement Advertisement The scheme involves recruiters who approach potential IT workers, facilitators who review recruiters recommendations, the workers themselves and the brokers in Western countries who offer services such as financial transfers and operating laptop farms. Notably, some IT workers dont realize they are serving Pyongyang when asked about adopting a more US American name, the report said, candidates express confusion rather than acceptance a reaction inconsistent with knowing theyd be working for the DPRK under false American identities. The supervisors of these operations have shown a particular interest in IT workers with experience in WordPress, blockchain technologies and Microsofts .NET framework, according to the report, indicating the kinds of roles in which Pyongyang seeks to place its operatives. North Koreas remote IT worker schemes generate approximately $500 million annually for the regime, according to a UN report. Flare and IBM obtained copies of slide decks used to help recruits obtain IT jobs, with advice such as Address[ing] the letter to the hiring manager or recruiter by name increases your chance for an interview by 26%. Advertisement Advertisement North Korea expects operatives to keep detailed records of how much time they spend looking for jobs. The report describes documents that urge workers to track their time down to the second. Analysis of available timesheets indicate that time worked is averaged out, and groups/individuals are labelled with a number rank, the report said. It added that this kind of ranking may be part of North Korean life, referencing self-criticism sessions common in the country. The report describes several of the software programs that North Korean IT workers use to communicate with their handlers, including the Pyongyang-owned VPN NetKey and the open-source messaging tool IP Messenger. The latter program is especially valuable, according to the report, because it does not use central servers, making it easier for North Korea to evade detection by messaging-platform owners such as Google or Discord. Operatives living in North Korea, China or Russia use commercial VPN services, especially Astrill VPN, to obscure their locations and pretend to be living in Western countries. But Flare and IBM also obtained data from likely North Korean-controlled servers showing searches for free proxy servers. Flare and IBM offered a range of recommendations for keeping North Korean operatives out of organizations workforces, including forming close relationships with applicants. With the help of [W]estern collaborators, North Korean operatives have more capability to bypass traditional vetting processes such as identity verification and background checks, researchers wrote, but by building a personal relationship with candidates from day one, the warning signs can be detected early, and the level of personal engagement can make an infiltration attempt infeasible for the operative and the collaborator. A teaching assistant in Rhode Island has been arrested after a small bag of cocaine was allegedly found in a bathroom in the elementary school she works at. Police responded to Chester W. Barrows Elementary School on Thursday, March 12, around 11 a.m. after they received a report regarding the drugs, according to the police report obtained by Us Weekly. Upon their arrival, the schools principal gave officers a clear plastic bag that contained a white powdery substance and a small straw. The principal explained that the school nurse found the bag in the sink in the nurses bathroom, which the school department said is used by both staff and students. Advertisement Advertisement The substance weighed about 2 grams and tested positive for cocaine, according to police. Authorities also noted that no additional contraband was found in the nurses bathroom or office. Washington Elementary School Teacher Arrested for Allegedly Raping Student in Her Classroom After the substance was found, police spoke to teachers assistant Stephanie Cicilline Given because she was the last known adult to have used the bathroom. Given told police that she used the bathroom around recess time, 10:15 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. or so, per the police report. Police also asked if she had seen anything that didnt belong in the restroom, and she responded by asking the officer if he had found her vape. Advertisement Advertisement The officer then said that a bag of cocaine had been found and Given asked if she needed a lawyer. However, the officer said she hadnt been accused of anything, and he was only talking to her to learn information about the case. The police report stated that Given became nervous and repeatedly asked if police had her vape, and she added that she didnt see anything suspicious in the restroom and said she didnt know who the bag of cocaine belonged to. Police also spoke with two other adults who used the restroom earlier that day, and they both said they didnt see the bag. Given later returned and told the officers she wanted to tell them something. I dont want all these teachers to go through this. What if I said the cocaine was mine? What would happen next? she asked, per the report. Advertisement Advertisement She went on to state that she wasnt admitting the cocaine was hers, though said she occasionally used cocaine. However, she added that she had never used it on school property. Given also said she wanted to help, though was worried about being fired. I asked her if the bag she took may have had her cocaine in it and accidentally fell while emptying her bag on the sink to do her makeup in the bathroom. She laughed and said she just doesnt want to see anyone else get into trouble or be bothered, an officer wrote in the report. I asked if the cocaine was hers and she laughed saying she did not say that. I offered to show the picture to see if the cocaine and straw looked like hers and she said no. Texas Elementary School Workers Arrested for Restraining and Injuring a Special Needs Student Advertisement Advertisement Given eventually told police she wanted to speak with an attorney, and they continued their conversation at a later time at the Cranston Police headquarters. Following the conversation, Given was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of cocaine. She is next scheduled to appear in court on April 21. It is not currently clear if Given has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest. The Cranston Police Department told Us Weekly they had no additional details to share. Cranston Public Schools has since issued a statement acknowledging that officials discovered a small bag of suspected narcotics. The school district notified police immediately, as well as the parents of students who use the restroom. Cranston Police Department promptly conducted a search of the entire building with trained K-9 dogs and confirmed that no other drugs were found in the building, the statement read, per 12 News. The district takes this matter extremely seriously and is fully cooperating with the ongoing police investigation. OMAHA The U.S. Senate appears poised to puff from the long-held public disclosure pipe dream of greater financial accountability for congressional stock trading. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., on Wednesday proposed the Senate companion to a House proposal to limit and disclose the stock purchases and sales by members of Congress. The timing is noteworthy: Senate Republicans let Ricketts carry the bill as the former two-term governor faces his toughest general election test against registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn. Advertisement Advertisement So is the messenger: Ricketts family built TD Ameritrade, an Omaha-based international business that gave more people the ability to trade stocks, where he was an executive. The family eventually sold it to Charles Schwab. U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn, a registered nonpartisan, held a press conference in Lexington on Dec. 9, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) Ricketts proposal would ban stock purchases by representatives and senators, spouses and dependent children while the member is in office and require 7 to 14 days notice before a stock sale. The sales portion of the bill, modeled on a House bill from Wisconsin Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, would disclose the date of the transaction, description and number of shares. Both proposals would create a financial penalty tied to any transaction that violates the law, fining the members $2,000 or 10% of the stock transactions value, whichever is greater, as well as any profit from the trade. Advertisement Advertisement Ricketts said he knows the proposal will garner bipartisan support and hopes he can find the 60 needed votes. He focused particular attention on the rules forcing disclosure of stock sales before they happen. He said that a one- to two-week window would give the market time to adapt to the information. And Ricketts said making sure Congress cant profit is important in helping people who are spending their hard-earned money understand that investors will not be the last to know. We want to increase trust people have for their officials in Washington, D.C., Ricketts said. We want to make sure that Congress cant do insider trading. Advertisement Advertisement The measure would not let the member pay the fines using office or campaign funds. It does not require stocks be held in a blind trust or force members to sell stocks they already owned before being elected to Congress. It also would not restrict the spouses of members of Congress who are stock traders as their profession, a carveout meant to protect spouses day jobs. Ricketts said his proposal strikes a balance between a ban that keeps Congress from profiting from valuable information but lets entrepreneurs who invested in their own companies serve in Congress. He said it is the next logical step to build on the disclosure foundation laid by the 2012 Stock Act, which let people learn more about who was making money while serving in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement He said the goal of any legislation like this should be to help rebuild the publics trust in their representatives. They want to know Congress isnt getting rich on their dime. The U.S. Capitol as seen in September 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) As members of the Congress, we get access to information because of our jobs, Ricketts said. We want to make sure our constituents know were not using that for insider trading. Critics have argued the House GOP measure Ricketts proposed in the Senate doesnt go far enough, but have acknowledged that it makes progress toward limiting congressional stock trades. Osborn spent parts of his 2024 race against U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and parts of his race against Ricketts criticizing what he calls the rigged game of politics. Advertisement Advertisement He has called for changes to go farther and ban stock trading by members of Congress. President Donald Trump supported the GOP version of the bill during his State of the Union speech. Osborn in a December 2025 post on X, wrote, Not only do I think there should be a BAN on congressional stock trading, I think members of Congress caught trading stock should go to jail. Ricketts pointed to the investing success of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and GOP U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, often discussed on conservative media. Ricketts has been a focus of some of those outlets reporting, including a New York Post article in January that listed Ricketts as having made the third-highest percentage of profit off stock trades in Congress in 2025, 37%. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Wednesday afternoon from his campaign, Osborn said letting Ricketts propose this bill was like putting Bernie Madoff in charge of fraud prevention. He said the bill does not go far enough and that its all a show. Said Ricketts: Congress has a low approval rating. Part of it is the public doesnt trust Congress, and its because the public perceives that we can use this information for insider trading. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If this were a horse race, Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) and Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) would be pretty much neck and neck down the final stretch. But it's not a horse race: It's instead a race to launch a viable air taxi service using electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Both companies' designs are being evaluated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Both are planning to launch overseas operations. Both are partnering with heavy hitters in the aviation, ride-hailing, and artificial intelligence (AI) industries, including Nvidia. 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 And last week, both got a big boost from the Trump administration -- but one got a bigger prize. Here's how this could tip the playing field. Image source: Joby Aviation. The prize On Monday, March 9 -- which was, ironically, the same day Archer filed a countersuit against Joby in court -- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Department of Transportation, together with the FAA, had selected eight proposals for its new Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The eight proposals were selected from more than 30 that the eIPP received from states and municipalities across the country. Multiple states could collaborate on programs, and the eight winning proposals span 26 states. More crucially, each proposal identified the project partners that would be providing the technology for their proposals. Both Archer and Joby were winners in that they were each named as partners in multiple projects. But between the two, one came out on top. Which one won? The big winner of the eIPP program was Joby over Archer. Here's why. Almost all of the winning programs named multiple corporate partners. In fact, Joby and Archer were both selected as partners in the following three programs: A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey program to bring eVTOL operations to the Manhattan heliport and across New England. A Texas Department of Transportation initiative to bring air taxi networks to support regional flights connecting Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. A statewide effort by the Florida Department of Transportation with multiple phases. Image source: Archer Aviation. But while those were Archer's only programs, Joby was selected as a partner in two others: A Rochester man has been accused of stabbing and beating a man to death inside an Avenue D apartment last fall. William Cooke, 29, of Rochester, on Tuesday was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Aaron Johnson-Haygood, said Capt. Frank Umbrino of the Rochester Police Department. Johnson-Haygood, 37, was found dead in the basement of 484 Avenue D on Nov. 16. Johnson-Haygood did not live in the house, but was known to "hang out" there, Umbrino said. Although vacant, 484 Ave. D was an active drug house," Umbrino said. Advertisement Advertisement "It was being used to both sell and use drugs," he said. Umbrino said that the slaying appeared to be related to drug sales. Cooke was apprehended on Joseph Avenue Tuesday afternoon after a short foot chase, he said. Cooke is a predicate felon currently on Federal probation for a 2019 conviction for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute & possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Umbrino said that Cooke was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison but it was "not clear when he was released." Cooke had several outstanding arrest warrants including for violation of his federal probation, and a second-degree criminal contempt warrant out of the City of Rochester, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement He is scheduled to be arraigned in City Court on Wednesday morning for the murder charge and outstanding contempt warrant, Umbrino said. A federal detainer for his violation of probation is forthcoming. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: William Cooke charged in drug house slaying in Rochester NY MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused the West of creating a security threat for Moscow in the Arctic and of building up its military activity there in a way which increased the chance of a military confrontation, a scenario it said Russia did not need. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, made the comments at a news briefing. She said Moscow would do its best to maintain peace and stability in the region. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva Editing by Andrew Osborn ) The Russians attacked an energy infrastructure facility near the town of Novovolynsk, Volyn Oblast, on the evening of 18 March. Source: Novovolynsk mayor Borys Karpus; Air Force of Ukraine; Roman Romaniuk, Head of Volyn Oblast Military Administration Quote: Early reports indicate that there was a strike on an energy facility near Novovolynsk. Power has gone out in part of the hromada. There are also disruptions to the water supply. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Details: The Air Force had earlier reported that a drone was flying over Volyn Oblast. Update: Romaniuk confirmed that a critical infrastructure facility had been damaged. As a result, one of the districts in the oblast has been left without power. As of now, more than 30,000 consumers are without electricity. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! TOPEKA A proposed sales tax break for Kansas gun owners could undermine gun safety goals, according to some opponents, and cut millions in state revenue if passed. Senate Bill 209 would eliminate the sales taxes on firearms, ammunition, gun accessories, gun safes and safety devices, which is estimated to draw down annual state revenues by and save gun owners at least $10 million in its first year. The bill simultaneously incentivizes firearms and safety equipment purchases, benefitting Kansas $167 million firearms industry but neglecting to follow other states that have elected to exempt only safety devices to encourage safe firearm use and storage. Advertisement Advertisement States have typically favored education over regulation when it comes to safe gun storage, but several states Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia and Washington offer tax breaks on safe storage purchases. Tennessee lawmakers in 2016 passed a one-year sales tax exemption for gun lock, gun safe and other safety device purchases. Carla Oppenheimer, a private citizen who wrote to the Senate tax committee in opposition to the bill, said she feared gun owners would take advantage of the tax break to buy more firearms and ammo instead of improving home safety by investing in quality gun safes. She said the bill undermines the very safety goal the proposal appears to promote. Instead, it provides a broad tax exemption that primarily benefits the firearms industry while weakening the intended safety incentive, she said. She suggested in its place a tax relief policy limited to gun safes and secure storage devices, which would directly prioritize secure storage practices and send a strong message that responsible gun ownership includes protecting children, families and communities from preventable harm. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Joe Claeys, a Wichita Republican, introduced the bill in February, but neither he nor anyone else testified during the March 11 hearing before the Senate tax committee. Spencer Duncan, mayor of Topeka and government affairs director for the League of Kansas Municipalities, requested in writing that the committee add a five-year sunset to the bill so the Legislature could review the exemptions effectiveness. This should be standard policy for the Legislature on all tax exemptions, Duncan wrote. The league of municipalities didnt take a position on the intent or merits behind the policy, Duncan said. Advertisement Advertisement Rather, we emphasize the expected reduction in local revenue attributable to expanding property tax exemptions and the ongoing concern about tax base erosion and burden shifting, he said. The bill, which hasnt advanced out of committee, is one of a slate of tax relief proposals making its way through the Legislature that chip away at the states revenue. The Kansas Department of Revenue estimated that exempting firearms and associated equipment from sales taxes would decrease state revenue by $10 million in fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, and $11 million in fiscal year 2027. Thats a lot of school lunches, said Dave Webster, a private citizen who wrote to the committee in opposition to the bill. Advertisement Advertisement He said a tax break for firearm owners, incentivizing further gun purchases, is a luxury. We need to provide necessities first, Webster said. The league of municipalities and the Kansas Association of Counties said the bill, if passed, could hurt local sales tax collections, which fund local governments and services. SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) An ER doctor out of Sarasota is thankful to be back home after she had to travel around the world to get back due to the war in the Middle East. Dr. Stephanie Reynolds said it was the trip of a lifetime for her, her husband, and their two children, but they never thought their scuba diving adventure would end in a race to get home. Polk County soldier killed in Kuwait to return home on Wednesday Advertisement Advertisement Reynolds is used to a crisis from her experience being hands-on in the emergency room, so when her family found themselves 1,800 miles away from the war in the Middle East, she remained calm. Drawing on our resources, my husband and I from all of our years of emergency experience and dealing with different crises are having to maintain composure the whole time, she said. In order to get to the Maldives where they were going to scuba dive and vacation on a livable yacht, she said they flew through Dubai. When we watched the news show that the Emirates air terminal, gate B13 got hit with a drone strike, and four people severely injured, we had been there the day before, Reynolds said. Im thinking about my family and my children and how close we came to near death. Advertisement Advertisement She said they were all safe on their boat in the Indian Ocean, but the problem was what to do when they docked because they planned to travel back through the Middle East. Our ship docked on March 6, to all of us standing on the dock in Male, Maldives with hotels all booked up, flight cancellations, and nowhere for us to go, she said. Her family had to stay in any hotels they could find, regardless of what it cost. Many of the resorts in the area took advantage of the demand, and at $2,000 a night, we found a place for us to stay for the next five nights, Reynolds said. According to the ER physician, everyone at the scuba diving excursion went to great lengths to avoid the conflict zone. Advertisement Advertisement When you think 1,800 miles, ah, thats New York to Florida, thats not that close, but when fighter jets are going overhead and cargo ships are coming close to you, its a lot closer than you want, she said. The family of four was finally able to get a flight out of the area, but that flight took them to Shanghai, China. From there, they had to bounce around getting any flight they could. They went from the Maldives to China, China to San Francisco, from there to Newark, from Newark finally home to Sarasota. In the end, Reynolds said it took them 36 hours of flying time, but what matters most is that they made it home. Advertisement Advertisement But were home, were safe, and we got through this pretty much unscathed, she said. 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 WFLA. Saudi Arabia just confirmed the date of Eid al-Fitr 2026 as Friday, March 20, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Ever wondered why Muslim communities rely on Saudi moon spotters to determine the start of each Islamic month? Here's a little background on the practice. Why do Muslim communities look for the moon to confirm Islamic months and holidays? Eid al-Fitr is not on the same date every year. Like Ramadan, the holiday's date is determined by the Islamic Hijri calendar, which follows a lunar cycle. Each year, the start and end of Ramadan and both Eid holidays fall about 11 days earlier than the year before because of the lunar cycle. The sighting of the waxing crescent moon determines the start of these holidays. Though there is a predetermined calendar of Islamic months and holidays, a waxing crescent moon must be sighted to determine the start of each Islamic month. Evening light falls on Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center as women make their way to a special sister's iftar dinner, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Naima Wedow, 23, talks with a friend at the beginning of a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Kaha Abdi, prays after speaking during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Women gather to pray the evening prayer after breaking fast during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Nabila Mohamed, 1, walks around as her mother and other women pray the evening prayer after breaking fast during a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for a special sister's iftar dinner at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, on the 10th night of Ramadan. The event included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Women gather for their iftar dinner after evening prayers at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques. Ramadan, observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Attendance during Taraweeh can easily reach over 3,000 people on a single night. Worshippers from dozens of backgrounds Somali, Palestinian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bengali and more, gather at Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, one of central Ohio's largest mosques, for evening prayers during Ramadan. Attendance during Taraweeh can easily reach over 3,000 people on a single night. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. The devout gather for evening prayers in the gymnasium of Sunrise Academy in Hilliard, which serves as overflow during the month of Ramadan. In Islamic congregational prayer (Salah), standing shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot is practiced to strengthens unity. Tasneam Al, of Worthington, left, and Dalya Anwer, of Hilliard, right, chat at the Yemeni coffee shop downtown, Qahwah House, as other Muslims gather after a day of fasting and prayers during the month of Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holy month is widely known for fasting Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. When the day ends, Ramadan nights come alive in Columbus 1 of 24 Evening light falls on Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center as women make their way to a special sister's iftar dinner, on the 10th night of Ramadan. More than 150 Muslim women gathered for the event that included a melodic Quran recitation, community announcements and encouraging reminders about the meaning of Ramadan from female leaders. What makes Saudi Arabian moon spotters reliable? In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it's not just one observatory that spots the waxing crescent moon. There are multiple observatories with different sunset times, and a committee that determines the start of important observances, such as Ramadan and Eid. The Scoop Corruption investigations in Saudi Arabia rose last year to the highest level on record as the government embarked on a review of excessive spending and started scrapping some of its most ambitious projects. The number of unannounced raids also rose to the highest level since 2022, according to data compiled by corporate intelligence firm Secretariat and shared first with Semafor. A chart showing anti-corruption activity in Saudi over the years. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 launched a high-profile effort to stamp out graft, kickstarted by the detention of hundreds of princes, ministers, and business moguls at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. That was considered by many to be a powergrab by MBS, as the then-deputy crown prince is widely known. At the time, he was on the rise but his brash style and willingness to embrace significant changes to decades of government policy was creating opposition among some members of the religious and business elite, as well as within the Al Saud royal family which has ruled the country since 1932. Advertisement Advertisement Yet in the years since, Nazaha as the Saudi anti-corruption watchdog is known has grown in power and continued to pursue those misappropriating state funds, making it clear that the kingdom is carrying out a sustained push to fight graft at all levels. The 2017 arrests were part of an effort by MBS to assert control over the country and its centers of power and influence, said Michael Ratney, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Continuing to arrest significant numbers of people suggests the Saudi government is putting citizens on notice about the seriousness with which it is going after corruption, he added. Matthews view In the first few days of every month, all the phones in Saudi Arabia buzz in unison with updates on corruption arrests over the past four weeks. The monthly SMS messages from Nazaha are a rare countrywide broadcast and detail how many people have been arrested, and what entities are being investigated. Its a frequent reminder of the governments efforts to tackle a persistent problem. While it would be naive to say the 2017 Ritz-Carlton detentions were entirely about corruption, it would be equally naive to think that the bureaucrats being rounded up today serve any political threat. What started as a way to neuter other potential centers of power and tackle a corrupt elite, is now trying to root out a genuine problem. Advertisement Advertisement The challenge in an economy with huge state controlled resources at its disposal, limited managerial oversight (most ministers sit on dozens of boards), and pressing timelines, is that the potential for money to be poorly spent or contract values to be inflated is high. Not all of this will be corruption, though some of it will be. Telling the difference wont always be obvious. Know More In total, more than 32,000 raids and 4,800 investigations were conducted by Nazaha last year, according to Secretariat. The number of arrests dropped to 1,504 last year, but analysts expect that to rise as a result of the higher number of investigations and raids over the previous 12 months. Saudis anti-corruption push is increasingly credible because it is becoming more institutional, said Ralph Stobwasser, managing director at Secretariat. Nazaha widened institutions it was scrutinizing in 2025 and Id expect that high tempo to continue into 2026, he said. Advertisement Advertisement There are also some signs that the government has been turning its attention to investigating state-controlled entities working on efforts to diversify the economy. Two senior individuals at Diriyah a more than $50 billion project owned by the Public Investment Fund and being developed on the site of the ancestral home of the Al Saud family were detained last year and placed under investigation, Semafor first reported. And in 2024, the chief executive of the Royal Commission for AlUla, a heritage district being transformed into a tourism and wellness destination, was arrested and accused of abuse of authority and money laundering. Those arrests came as the government embarked on a review of spending and the feasibility of some of its large infrastructure projects linked to MBS economic diversification plans. Saudi officials had come to realize that government spending commitments were getting too large and were fretting about how projects were being managed. The large numbers of people that Nazaha has arrested indicates the scale of the countrys corruption problem. The whole system was totally corrupt and the culture had to change, said Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton. Its just not that easy to do. Another unexpected outcome of trying to tackle graft is that it has made some officials fearful of approving any significant contracts for fear they will later be investigated, said Haykel. Theres a feeling in Saudi Arabia now of people not wanting to take any responsibility and thats created this paralysis in some institutions, he said. Advertisement Advertisement The kingdom said that the 2017 anti-corruption drive netted around $107 billion in settlements from those detained. Current investigations are unlikely to have recovered anywhere near that amount. The prior process led to billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, former Finance Minister Ibrahim Alassaf, and head of the Saudi Binladin construction company Bakr Bin Laden, all being held for several months. There were no public trials or charges made against those accused by the government, most of whom reached private settlements. That lack of transparency has continued to be a theme of the kingdoms anti-corruption drive. The authorities have only rarely revealed details of those being held or the accusations against them, and not provided further information about settlements reached or the terms attached to them. Notable The Washington County Quorum Court will meet Thursday and consider a resolution drafted in response to school walkouts staged earlier this year. The measure is titled "A resolution emphasizing good citizenship among the youth of Washington County schools" and is sponsored by Justice of the Peace David Wilson. The resolution said that while every U.S. citizen has constitutional rights, some Washington County residents were concerned about how local kids were using those rights, specifically when participating in school walkouts. Advertisement Advertisement Walkouts were organized at schools in Springdale and Fayetteville in protest of ICE enforcement across the country. "Recent demonstrations in Washington County in February resulted in students walking out of class," the resolution said. "A number of Washington County citizens voiced their concern for the safety of the school during such walkouts, as well as the safety of the students that took part." The citizens, who weren't identified in the resolution, reportedly requested that protests and demonstrations be held outside of regular school hours. According to the Arkansas State Code, county governments in the state aren't allowed to enact legislation regarding schools. As a resolution, Wilson's proposed measure technically cannot change school district policy, and is purely symbolic. Advertisement Advertisement If it were to pass, the resolution would essentially mean the quorum court is endorsing the following: That school districts in the county revisit policy on managing these issues and keeping students safe throughout the school day That efforts be made by local districts to "teach responsible citizenship" to students and to "help them express their concerns and exercise their legal rights in a respectful manner" As part of a weekly newsletter from Justice of the Peace Beth Coger, she included documentation from the Washington County Republican Women supporting Wilson's resolution. Other groups, like the Young Democrats of Arkansas, encouraged residents to attend the meeting and speak against the measure. The resolution will be considered by the quorum court on Thursday, March 19. SIOUX FALLS When he moved there, Daniel Sindorf was not expressly prohibited from brandishing a gun on the grounds of his survival bunker community near Edgemont. Then the community rules changed, and his landlord tried to evict him for allegedly pointing a firearm at a fellow resident. The provisions of Sindorfs lease, he learned, allowed his landlords to change the rules at any time. But Sindorf, who disputes that he threatened another person with a weapon, argued in court that a lease whose provisions can change at the whim of the landlord is unenforceable, and he won at least initially. The landlords appeal played out on Wednesday at Augustana University, where the South Dakota Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments during its spring traveling term. The U.S. Army built the Black Hills Ordnance Depot in 1942 on about 21,000 remote acres south of Edgemont to store and handle munitions during World War II. The depot closed in 1967. The federal government transferred the land, with about 15,000 acres sold to the city of Edgemont in 1968, and the rest going to the U.S. Forest Service. Advertisement Advertisement The land was abandoned for years, aside from ranchers grazing their cattle, until California-based Vivos XPoint Investment Group bought the property and refashioned its 575 decommissioned bunkers into what it calls the largest survival community on Earth. Sindorf signed a 99-year lease for a Vivos bunker in 2020, paying $35,000 up front to cover the entirety of the leases term. The lease said that the communitys rules are a part of, and a material condition to all Vivos xPoint Lease agreements, and that failure to adhere to them could result in eviction. It also said that Vivos could change the rules at any time, with notice. In 2023, Vivos accused Sindorf of pointing a gun at a female resident and moved to evict him. Sindorf would later argue that hed pulled the pistol to protect himself from her dogs. Vivos said hed violated a rule added after he moved in that prohibits the brandishing of firearms. Sindorf acknowledged he received timely notice of the rule change. Advertisement Advertisement The company also said the violation entitled it to keep the entirety of his $35,000 up-front fee, and that Sindorf would need to give up ownership of $105,000 worth of improvements hed made to the bunker property. Sindorf had already left the premises by the time the eviction was filed, but he refused to grant the company access to the bunker, and still does. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Sindorf challenged the eviction, arguing that the leases clause allowing Vivos to change the rules at any time rendered it illusory. A circuit court judge agreed, saying the rule change was unilateral and gave Sindorf no recourse. Advertisement Advertisement Vivos appealed to the state Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the justices spent much of their time probing whether the lease was, in fact, illusory, and what the implications might be if the circuit court judge was correct. Vivos lawyer, Eric Schlimgen, argued that the case should have focused on possession of the property and whether Sindorf violated the lease terms. Vivos is entitled to take back its property, he said. But if the high court were to overturn and determine the lease to be valid, Justice Mark Salter asked, wouldnt Vivos first need to prove that Sindorf had violated the rules and brandished a firearm? Advertisement Advertisement Yes, there would have to be a trial as to that specific violation, Schlimgen said. Sindorfs lawyer, Matthew Hays McCoy, argued that the lease was unenforceable from the start, so Vivos had no cause to evict him. The court cannot enforce an illegal lease, Hays McCoy argued. But you cant either, Salter said, because its not there. Salter asked Hays McCoy what would give Sindorf the right to that property under a nonexistent contract. McCoy said in the event a lease is determined to be invalid and a lessee is already in possession of the property, South Dakota law would default to a month-to-month lease. Advertisement Advertisement If Vivos wanted to evict Sindorf, he said, they would need to restart the eviction process and give him the opportunity to dispute it or renegotiate a new lease. The trouble, Hays McCoy said, is that a lease that reserves the right to change the terms for eviction at any time removes his clients right to due process and to dispute his landlords reasoning. He is at the whim of what they decide, whereas they arent bound at all, Hays McCoy said The Supreme Court will issue a decision at a later date. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WASHINGTON (AP) Jay Allen is a fan of President Donald Trump, and voted for him on the belief that the Republican would cut taxes and trim regulations, helping his manufacturing business in northeast Arkansas. But the tariffs at the core of Trump's economic agenda have wreaked havoc on his company, Allen Engineering Corp., which makes industrial equipment used to install, finish and pave concrete. The import taxes have raised the costs of engines, steel, gearboxes and clutches made abroad that Allen needs to build power trowels that can sell for up to $100,000 each. Allens experience embodies a growing body of evidence that the tariffs that Trump said would help American factories are, in fact, squashing many of them. The problem could get worse as the administration scrambles to craft new tariffs to replace the emergency import taxes that the Supreme Court ruled illegal in February. Allen said he ran his company at a loss in 2025 because of tariffs. His payroll has fallen to 140 workers from a peak of 205. To get by this year, he has hiked prices by 8% to 10%, even though that might mean fewer sales. Whats really sad is the unintended consequences of his tariffs are hurting manufacturing in our country, said Allen. Unfortunately, the working-class people are getting squeezed. Manufacturing jobs have declined during Trumps first year back Trumps core rationale for tariffs has been that they would force more factories to open in the U.S. and would generate enough revenue to close federal budget deficits. But that hasnt materialized. Factories continue to shed workers, with 98,000 manufacturing jobs lost during Trumps first full 12 months back in the White House. American companies that foot the bill for tariffs are now suing the Trump administration for more than $130 billion in tariff refunds. Meanwhile, the federal deficit is projected to climb over the next decade. The White House maintains that construction spending is high, more workers are being hired to build factories, new investments are being made and labor productivity in manufacturing is increasing which could eventually fuel a factory revival. It takes time to get production online, and therefore it will be some more time before we fully materialize the benefits of the presidents policies, Pierre Yared, the acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said in an email. Construction is up but thats due to Bidens bill Some of the bright spots in construction cited by the White House appear to be the result of programs launched by then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat. This week's return to colder temperatures across Connecticut has many residents calling it "second winter," but it's a far cry from the bitter polar plunges we endured multiple times over the past few months. Wind chills could drop as low as 15 degrees in parts of Connecticut on Wednesday morning, although the wind will be much lighter than Tuesday's gusty breeze. (Pivotal Weather) Wednesday looks quiet but cool, with mostly cloudy skies and highs struggling to reach the upper 30s to near 40 degrees. Winds will ease up compared to Tuesday, so while it's still chilly, it won't feel quite as harsh. Advertisement Advertisement The warming trend begins on Thursday, with a mix of sun and clouds and highs climbing back into the mid 40s. A light south wind will develop during the day, signaling a gradual shift toward milder air. A weak clipper system on Friday morning could bring a snow shower or two, although there likely won't be any accumulation due to warmer temperatures moving in. By Friday, temperatures rebound into the lower 50s with partly sunny skies, offering a much more seasonable feel as we head toward the first full weekend of spring. Overall, the next few days bring a classic March pattern: cool, quiet weather in the short term, followed by a gradual moderation as we head toward the end of the week. Wednesday's forecast by region Shoreline (including Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, New London): Increasing clouds. Highs: 34-39. Advertisement Advertisement Inland (including Danbury, Waterbury, Greater Hartford, Windham): Mostly cloudy and chilly. Highs: 35-40. Litchfield Hills (including Torrington, Litchfield, Winchester): Mostly cloudy. Highs: 33-38. This article originally published at 'Second winter' continues in Connecticut on Wednesday, but a warmup is in sight. Here's when.. Tucked into the national fight to ban noncitizens from voting in federal elections is a provision that has been pushed by President Donald Trump for years: limiting who can cast their ballots by mail. The Senate has begun debate on the SAVE America Act, Utah Sen. Mike Lees flagship legislation to establish proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements for Americans to register and vote in federal elections. The process could take days, if not weeks, of floor time and its future is still uncertain as Democrats and a handful of Republicans say they wont support it. I think it would be a suicidal move for us as Senate Republicans, for Republicans in general, if we dont give everything into this, Lee said on Wednesday. I think we need to debate this as long as it takes to get it done, and were not there yet. Advertisement Advertisement One of Democrats main concerns with the bill is proposed language to restrict mail-in voting, saving that option only for those with illness or disability, or those who are in the military. The SAVE America Act does not explicitly ban mail-in voting. But it does restrict the process by no longer permitting election officials to automatically send ballots to individuals on the voter rolls and instead requiring them to opt in. Those voters must then also prove their citizenship through some form of documentation. But a proposed amendment to update the bill would seek to end mail-in voting altogether, except for some limited exceptions. What Im proposing in the amendment to deal with mail-in balloting fraud and these scams that exist is just to make sure ... were no longer going to allow ballots to be sent out willy-nilly without verifying addresses, said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who is leading the amendment. If you have a hardship because of a disability or an illness or because of travel, or youre a caregiver or some other hardship that the state can identify, you can vote by absentee, you have to request it, and then you vote absentee. Advertisement Advertisement That could bring major changes to Utahs vote-by-mail system, which has been in place for over a decade and roughly 90% of voters utilized during the 2022 midterm elections. Lee argued the changes would not be disruptive as Utah has handled the process safer than how most states handle it. For example, he said, Utah does not engage in ballot harvesting and the state has established pretty good signature verification procedures. But, the Utah senator acknowledged, if changes are made through the SAVE America Act, he said he was confident the Beehive State could adjust. My state is very capable, Lee told reporters on Wednesday. Should that amendment pass and the bill as a whole become law with that (provision) in there, Im confident that Utah can catch up, and other states can do that as well. Advertisement Advertisement Despite hailing from a state that lauds its vote-by-mail system, Lee warned that absentee ballots can lead to widespread voter fraud when applied nationally. The fact that (Utah voters have) grown accustomed to it doesnt mean that we couldnt adjust it again, Lee said. The SAVE America Act has become a political flashpoint in recent months, even getting the attention of Trump, who has instructed Republicans to make it their No. 1 priority heading into the midterm elections. But the bill still has an uphill battle, and its chances of becoming law are still slim. Still, Lee and other Republicans say they are prepared to continue debate until it becomes law which could delay other must-pass legislation depending on how long that takes. Markwayne Mullin defended his ability to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and expressed regrets for comments he made about a US citizen killed by immigration agents at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, which began on an unusually quarrelsome note when a fellow Republican senator accused him of encouraging violence. Donald Trump earlier this month nominated Mullin, a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, to lead DHS, after the president ousted Kristi Noem amid public blowback against the administrations aggressive approach to its mass deportation agenda and the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Appearing before the Senate committee on homeland security and governmental affairs, Mullin struck a conciliatory tone and signaled he would seek to avoid some of the mistakes made by Noem, whose publicity-heavy approach to leading the agency reportedly led to the president souring on her leadership. Advertisement Advertisement But he simultaneously cast himself as a defender of the president and his campaign to remove all undocumented immigrants from the country, while pressing Democrats to end their blockade of funding for the department, which has been in a partial shutdown since mid-February. My goal in six months is that were not in the lead story every single day. My goal is for people to understand were out there, were protecting them, and were working with them, he said. But we have to get DHS funded. Related: Tulsi Gabbard tells Senate panel US strikes on Iran are strategic success All signs point to a quick confirmation for Mullin, who was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving five terms in the House of Representatives. Republicans have praised his nomination, and their control of the Senate gives them the numbers to push his appointment through, even if Democrats oppose him. Advertisement Advertisement But the senator seems set to be opposed by the committees chair, Rand Paul, who opened the hearing by demanding from Mullin an explanation as to why he called Paul a freaking snake and said he completely understood why a neighbor had attacked him in 2017. Tell the world why you believe I deserve to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken and a damaged lung, Paul said. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it, and while youre at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] and Border Patrol agents. Mullin responded by telling Paul, a Kentucky senator known for his libertarian streak, that it seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us, but nonetheless tried to win him over. If youre willing to set it aside, let me earn your respect. Let me earn the job. I wont fail you, Mullin said. I dont claim to be perfect. I make mistakes, just like anybody else, but mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from them, and you can move ahead. And Ill make that commitment to you. Advertisement Advertisement Paul was unsatisfied, accusing Mullin of a lack of contrition, then playing a video of him threatening to fight the Teamsters president, Sean OBrien, during a Senate hearing in 2023 and defending the incident in subsequent interviews. Mullin replied that OBrien, who was sitting behind him at the hearing, is now a close friend and they agreed we could have done things different. The committees top Democratic senator, Gary Peters, seized on several recent statements by Mullin, including that Pretti, an intensive care nurse employed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, was a deranged individual that came in to cause maximum damage. Those words probably should have been retracted. I shouldnt have said that, Mullin replied. I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately, without the facts. Thats my fault. Advertisement Advertisement When Peters asked if he wanted to apologize to Prettis family, Mullin declined, saying his death remained under investigation: Well let the investigation go through, and if Im proven wrong, then I will absolutely. Peters also sought details fromMullin, who is not a military veteran, about commentsthat seem to indicate he had seen combat, including when he told Fox News in a recent interview that war is ugly, it smells bad. Your statements in public interviews and your responses to the committee are, quite frankly, are confusing and they are inconsistent, Peters said. Mullin responded by saying that in 2015, he had been asked to train with a very small contingency and go to a certain area, though declined to reveal exact details, saying they were classified. That prompted Peters to ask: Where did you smell war? Advertisement Advertisement The nominee repeated that the details were classified, prompting Peters to say that he would seek more information about his activities and if youre portraying yourself in a truthful way. As the hearing concluded, Mullin agreed to share some details about the program with senators in a classified setting. Mullin otherwise cast himself a reliable, if perhaps more diplomatic, ally to the president in his campaign against undocumented immigrants. When Rick Scott, a Republican senator, asked Mullin how he would deal with sanctuary cities that limit their cooperation with immigration enforcement agencies, he said he believed police and mayors in those areas still love their community, they still love their their cities, they still love this country. Maybe its a misunderstanding we can work by. But he also backed the presidents campaign to cut funding to such municipalities, despite court rulings against it. That would be a last option, but at the end of the day, taxpayer dollars have to be used for the right purposes, Mullin said. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats tried to pin down the extent to which he agreed with Trumps worldview, and how far Mullin would go for him. The president would never ask me to do that, he told senator Maggie Hassan, who questioned Mullin about what he would do if Trump asked him to break the law. Mullin dodged when Elissa Slotkin asked who won the 2020 election, saying: Joe Biden was sworn into office. He was the president for the last four years. He also shrugged off concerns from Andy Kim, a Democratic senator, about the possibility that immigration agents could be deployed to polling stations in upcoming elections, perhaps to intimidate voters. I dont understand what the concern about enforcing immigration at polling places is anyways. Because, honestly, if youre not a citizen, you shouldnt be voting anyways. So technically, there shouldnt be any illegals at the polling spot, Mullin said. Under questioning from Richard Blumenthal, another Democratic senator, Mullin rejected the reported practice of ICE agents entering homes with only an administrative warrant, which is approved by a supervisor at the agency, rather than a judge. Advertisement Advertisement We will not enter a home or place of business without a judicial warrant unless were pursuing the individual that runs into a place of business or a house, Mullin said. Related: Trump fires homeland security secretary Kristi Noem The senators nomination collides with a standoff in Congress over funding for the homeland security department, which Democrats have refused to support unless the Trump administration and their Republican allies agree to a host of new guidelines including a ban on officers wearing masks and making random stops of people suspected of being in the country illegally, as well as the creation of a use of force policy. The sole Democrat thus far to say he will vote for Mullin is Pennsylvanias John Fetterman, a member of the homeland security committee. My experience with you has been consistent: kindness and professionalism, Fetterman told the senator at the hearing. The committee has scheduled a vote on Mullins nomination for Thursday, after which it can be considered by the full Senate. An underperforming tax on IT and data services could be reevaluated in the coming year. Senate Republicans fell just four votes shy of repealing the year-old surcharge during debate Tuesday on the states proposed $70.8 billion fiscal 2027 budget, which won preliminary approval. But Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) hinted after the floor session that there may be a willingness to alter or possibly repeal the tax. Ferguson said that probably all 47 [senators] would love to give tax relief if it were feasible, but thats not a viable option at the moment if were going to balance our budget. But it does set up a broader conversation that we have to have in the next term about what exactly we are incentivizing and disincentivizing, and how are we funding the things and our aspirations of what we want to provide. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) proposed the repeal as an amendment to a budget reconciliation bill that is part of the overall budget package this year. The 3% sales tax on information technology and data services was projected to bring in $500 million when it was proposed last year as part of a package to close a projected $3.3 billion structural budget gap. But collections in the first two quarters of this year have totaled just $35 million. This was not a minor shortfall but actually a fundamental miss, Hershey said. The Bureau of Revenue Estimates lowered its official projections to just $112 million for the current year and $220 million next year. Advertisement Advertisement Sixty cents of every dollar of that tax collected so far from about three dozen businesses. The reasons behind the sluggish collections are unknown though theories abound. Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) proposed eliminating the year-old IT and data sales tax. (Photo Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Some, like Hershey, suggest that businesses are adjusting, sending work out of state or moving operations. Others, like Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) said businesses are still trying to understand if the law applies to them. A narrow majority voted down Hersheys amendment after Guzzone said the revenue was a key part of the budget. It is true that the IT tax is not yielding what was anticipated, Guzzone said. However, it is a part of the structural long-term solution to what we are all dealing with every year. And removing that would cost, over the course of time, billions of dollars. Advertisement Advertisement But the 20-24 vote suggests some senators are willing to consider eliminating the tax. I think there were a few more senators that really would have liked to vote for it, Hershey said. When a tax is easy to avoid, hard to enforce and fails to raise the revenue promised, the responsible thing to do is repeal it. Ferguson, speaking to reporters after the Senate met, hinted that the chamber might be willing to consider altering or abolishing the tax. I would say that we are certainly looking at it as a transition year right now to make it through this budget cycle and then leave room for broader conversations about what our plan is for the next term, Ferguson said. As we look towards industries that we want to see supported, I think we want to have on the table, lots of different possibilities for how to make sure that we are staying competitive. I think there is some angst about the technology taxes, as people have dubbed it. Advertisement Advertisement But he said there is also concern about data centers, saying the tax was put in place so that as data centers are here, that there would be some realizable benefit from them. And so we really do have to figure out, as our economy changes and becomes more technologically adept and more productive, whether our tax base is keeping up and so thats a question were going to have to handle and take it, Ferguson said. Hershey welcomed Fergusons comments. It appears hes recognizing that the tax is underperforming, businesses are quickly changing behavior and its putting Maryland at a competitive disadvantage, Hershey said. The responsible course of action is to correct it. Spending plan gets preliminary approval The Senate, meanwhile, gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a nearly $71 billion spending plan that erases a projected $1.5 billion structural deficit without new taxes or fees. Instead, the plan relies on one-time budget transfers, including $300 million diverted from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund. The plan also contains some cuts and swapping cash for bonds. Sen. Paul Corderman (R-Washington and Frederick) called the plan budget sorcery. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans offered four amendments to the budget and more than a half-dozen to the companion reconciliation bill, but most were easily rejected by the Senates Democratic supermajority. Corderman proposed a 5% across-the-board cut, excluding essential services and public safety, a move he said would reduce the size of the budget by nearly $530 million. But Guzzone called it very difficult to sort of do across the board cuts. They just dont work because across the board, things hurt people differently. The Senate also rejected by voice vote Sen. Johnny Ray Sallings (R-Baltimore County) effort to strip state funding for abortions, a perennial amendment in both the House and the Senate. Senate GOP scores small win(s) Senators did not reject every idea. bSen. Johnny Mautz (R-Lower Shore) at least got a hearing for his idea that nonprofits be in good standing with the state in order to receive state grants and other funding. Advertisement Advertisement It is a real as a significant issue, whether blame be laid upon the government for not providing enough instruction to the nonprofits, or blame be driven to the nonprofit for sloppily running their financials and their organization, Mautz said. The mere fact that there is this wide scope of discrepancy and problems, and its been noted, there are 9,000 notices sent by a state office and whats most troubling about that is nothing has changed. The amendment failed but not because Guzzone wasnt supportive of the idea. It certainly is a friendly concept, Guzzone said, adding later that it was the right thing to do. He told Mautz and the Senate that his committee is still considering some kind of accountability requirement. Advertisement Advertisement I am committed to seeing something in the budget that addresses this and addresses it completely, Guzzone said. I would prefer to take the time to work it out through conference. One change was accepted: Sen. J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore and Harford Counties) amendment requiring that a vehicle be at least 25 years old to qualify for historic license plates. Current law, adopted last year, changed the requirement to any car made before 1999. Republican victories on the budget are historically few. They also can be short-lived. Last year, Senate Republicans scored a win on an amendment that dedicated a $5 per tire tax to road and bridge projects. But when the plan went to a conference committee, Senate leaders gave up the mandated funding dedication as part of final negotiations. A final Senate vote could come as early as Wednesday on the budget, which is expected to pass and head to the House. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WASHINGTON A bitter, Trump-induced fight over dramatically tightening voting restrictions ahead of a potentially bruising midterm election season for Republicans is about to eat up all of the Senate's time. Senators decided March 17 to move forward with considering the SAVE America Act, officially titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. It was a nail-biter, though: Every Democrat and one Republican (Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska) voted against proceeding with the bill, a priority of the president's that could create barriers at the ballot box for tens of millions of Americans, estimates show. The close vote was a testament to just how much the legislation has divided Congress and a preview of long, acrimonious days and nights of debate ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: White House says Trump's SAVE Act threat not applicable to DHS funding President Donald Trump marked St. Patrick's Day with a green tie and the holiday's annual visit from the Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on March 17, 2026, in Washington, DC. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance greet the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin (2L) and his wife Mary O'Shea (L) for a St. Patrick's Day breakfast at the Vice President's residence in the US Naval Observatory in Washington, DC on March 17, 2026. The Irish prime minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip under pressure to talk tough to US President Donald Trump amid the Iran war. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on March 17, 2026. The Irish prime minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip under pressure to talk tough to US President Donald Trump amid the Iran war. Vice President JD Vance speaks during breakfast in honor of the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin at the Vice President's residence in the US Naval Observatory in Washington, DC on March 17, 2026. The Irish prime minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip under pressure to talk tough to US President Donald Trump amid the Iran war. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), tapped by US President Donald Trump to replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, attends a breakfast for the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin hosted by Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance at the Vice President's residence in the US Naval Observatory on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Irish Prime Minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip and will meet with President Donald Trump later today. Second Lady Usha Vance listens during a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in honor of the Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin at the Vice President's residence in the US Naval Observatory in Washington, DC on March 17, 2026. The Irish prime minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip under pressure to talk tough to US President Donald Trump amid the Iran war. The Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin speaks during a breakfast hosted by US Vice President JD Vance (L) and second lady Usha Vance at the Vice President's residence in the US Naval Observatory on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Irish Prime Minister arrived in the United States March 13 for an annual St Patrick's Day trip and will meet with US President Donald Trump later today. President Donald Trump (L) speaks during a meeting with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin as U.S. Vice President JD Vance (R) looks on in the Oval Office of the White House on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. Martin traveled to the United States for the Irish leader's annual St. Patrick's Day visit where he will attend a luncheon with Congressional leaders. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin as (L-R) U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright look on in the Oval Office of the White House on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. Martin traveled to the United States for the Irish leader's annual St. Patrick's Day visit where he will attend a luncheon with Congressional leaders. Trump, Vance wear green with Irish prime minister on St. Patrick's Day 1 of 9 President Donald Trump marked St. Patrick's Day with a green tie and the holiday's annual visit from the Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on March 17, 2026, in Washington, DC. Aware they don't have enough votes (with a 53-seat majority) for the bill to clear the Senate's 60-vote threshold, GOP leaders are trying to exhaust as much political oxygen as possible to demonstrate to the White House that they've done practically everything they realistically can to fulfill the wishes of a president wary of losing full control of Congress after November's midterm elections. "We don't know that we don't have 60 votes yet," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, told a skeptical reporter at the Capitol just before the vote to proceed with debating the bill. "You're making an assumption that at the end of this debate, that none of the Democrats will be won over ... How it ends remains to be seen." Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) listens to a question from a reporter as Senate Republican leaders hold a press conference following their weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill on March 10, 2026. The bill would require photo ID to vote and documentary proof of citizenship to register. It would also make states turn over their voter rolls to the federal government and establish a continuous program to remove noncitizens from them. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, warned March 17 the SAVE America Act isn't a voter ID bill. Instead, he called it a "voter suppression bill" that could disenfranchise 20 million Americans. "The SAVE Act is not about protecting the votes," he said. "It's about making it harder to vote and easier to steal an election. We know what the deal is here: Donald Trump says if Republicans pass the SAVE Act, it guarantees the midterms." Read more: You'll need these documents to vote if the SAVE Act passes At the heart of the SAVE debate is two realities: First, that the approaching midterm elections are likely to lose Republicans their majority in the House of Representatives, potentially derailing the rest of the second term of a president who has previously blamed voter fraud (without evidence) following lost elections. Advertisement Advertisement The controversy also reflects one of the rare areas where Senate Republicans have fiercely disagreed with the president. Trump has repeatedly urged GOP lawmakers to end the Senate's 60-vote threshold, also known as the filibuster, in particular in order to pass the SAVE America Act. Yet a critical number of Republican lawmakers wary of the long-term consequences of axing the filibuster when a Democrat is eventually back in the White House have taken a hard stance to defend it. Backed into a political corner, Thune has set up a long debate on the bill. But if the legislation is almost certain to fail, the clamoring from those within his party, including from the president, is unlikely to die down. It could all have reverberating political consequences: Some Republicans in the House of Representatives, where the GOP can't afford to lose virtually any more votes, have pledged to hold up other legislative business if the SAVE America Act doesn't pass. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, a fierce supporter of the SAVE America Act, accused Thune of "political tap dancing," and supporting a legislative strategy he knows will eventually fail. "The Senate thinks the American people are stupid, but the truth is everyone knows their upcoming vote on the SAVE America Act is nothing more than a SHOW VOTE," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Trump throws transgender rights curveball Feb 24, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, before President Donald J. Trump delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington on Tuesday. Mandatory Credit: Kenny Holston-Pool Photo via Imagn Images Trump also has demanded that senators attach amendments restricting gender-affirming care for minors to the SAVE America Act, further complicating the political dynamics in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement In a March 8 social media post, he called on lawmakers to add provisions ensuring there are "no men in women's sports" and "no transgender mutilation for children." "Do not fail!!!" he warned. Speaking March 17 on the Senate floor, Thune said the chamber would be taking up "a package of commonsense measures united around two themes: protecting our elections and protecting our youth." He didn't clarify exactly what that would look like. Any further SAVE amendments, including ones involving transgender rights, would need to clear the 60-vote threshold, which is unlikely. Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Senate's SAVE Act fight is starting. Is it already doomed to fail? Ontario Premier Doug Ford congratulated a homeowner who shot and injured an alleged home invader in Vaughan, Ont., this week, saying intruders "need to be shot." "Congratulations for shooting this guy should have shot him a couple more times as far as I'm concerned," Ford said, after being asked about the incident at an unrelated news conference Wednesday. Ford went on in his response to attack the federal government for "going after legal, law-abiding gun owners," as well as "weak-kneed judges" who are letting people out on bail. Advertisement Advertisement "They always want to protect the bad guys, the judges always want to protect the Charter rights how about the charter of rights of the people, to keep them safe rather than always protecting these criminals," Ford said. "I'm just sick and tired of it." Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles called Ford's statement "very irresponsible nonsense" when speaking with reporters Wednesday morning. "This premier has been premier of this province for eight long years now," she said. "If people in Ontario feel less safe today, then that's on him as the premier of this province." Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner echoed those sentiments in a statement to CBC News. Advertisement Advertisement "It is irresponsible for the Premier to be making comments encouraging violence or celebrating the loss of life," he said. "He should focus on investing in measures that will make our province safer and empower first responders to do their jobs to serve and protect our communities. Video captures glimpse of incident York Regional Police said earlier this week that no charges were being laid against the resident, who used a legally owned and properly stored gun during the incident. A middle-aged man and an elderly woman were home at the time, police said, and no one living at home was injured. Advertisement Advertisement According to investigators, officers responded just before 1 a.m. Tuesday to reports of a shooting at a home in the area of Carrville Woods Circle and Crimson Forest Drive, near Rutherford Road and Dufferin Street. They say multiple suspects, allegedly armed with at least one firearm, forced their way into the home. The suspects were later seen getting into a black pickup truck and fleeing the scene. Police released video of the incident on Tuesday that shows masked suspects entering and leaving the home. Rapid gunfire can be heard as they run from the home to the truck. Investigators say they later determined the man who was shot had been dropped off at a Toronto-area hospital shortly after the incident. Man facing multiple charges In a news release issued Wednesday, police said a 24-year-old man of no fixed address is now facing charges of robbery with a firearm and disguise with intent. Advertisement Advertisement He was also charged with breaching a probation order, as he was out on probation for unrelated offences at the time, police said. The man is in stable condition in hospital in police custody, according to the news release. Investigators say the accused is known to police and was wanted by multiple forces for "numerous violent offences." In a social media statement posted Wednesday, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca said he was thankful the homeowner wasn't charged, considering this was an act of self-defence. "We have seen far too many of these incidents involving individuals who were already known to police and out on release orders, highlighting a deeply broken bail system that is failing our communities," he said. Scientists have identified a prehistoric python stretching more than 13 feet long from a single fossilized vertebra found near Tainan, Taiwan part of a vanished ecosystem that also included 23-foot crocodiles, saber-toothed cats and mammoths. One Vertebra, One Giant Snake The fossil was recovered from the Chiting Formation, a geological deposit in southwestern Taiwan formed roughly 800,000 to 400,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch. Cheng-Hsiu Tsai of National Taiwan University and colleagues analyzed the bone and identified it as belonging to a python based on its structural features. Using the vertebra, the team modeled the snake at approximately 13 feet in length. Advertisement Advertisement Modern Taiwan is home to more than 50 snake species, but none come close to the size of this prehistoric python. The team ruled out other large snake species by comparing the vertebras shape and structure to known python fossils from around the world. This fossil represents the largest and most unexpected fossil snake from Taiwan, wrote Tsai describing the find. No python species live on Taiwan today. The discovery of one that once thrived there, and at such an impressive size, dramatically changes the understanding of what the islands wildlife once looked like. An Island of Giants The giant python was far from the only oversized creature roaming prehistoric Taiwan. Additional fossils from the same region paint a picture of a dramatically different and far more dangerous ecosystem. Advertisement Advertisement Among the most striking finds is the remains of a 23-foot crocodile, identified as Toyotamaphimeia taiwanicus. Thats roughly the length of a large pickup truck, dwarfing most crocodilian species alive today. Crocodiles are no longer present on the island at all. Evidence of a saber-toothed cat likely belonging to the genus Homotherium has also been found in the regional fossil record. Mammoth remains round out the picture of an island once home to apex predators and massive herbivores sharing a landscape virtually unrecognizable to anyone walking through modern Taiwan. Todays Taiwan, while rich in biodiversity, has nothing remotely comparable to these ancient giants. How Did They Get There? During the Pleistocene epoch, fluctuating sea levels sometimes reduced the distance between Taiwan and mainland Asia, allowing large animals to migrate to the island. When seas dropped low enough, land bridges or narrow crossings would have made it possible for these creatures to walk, slither or swim their way to what is now Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement The giant python may not have evolved on Taiwan in isolation. It may have arrived as part of a broader wave of large animals moving from mainland Asia during periods when the sea retreated. Researchers note that further discoveries from the same formation could clarify whether giant pythons were long-term inhabitants of Taiwan or only occasional arrivals. That question remains unanswered. A Predator Gap That Persists Today The fossil record suggests these massive creatures disappeared during the sweeping extinctions that marked the end of the Pleistocene. We propose that the niche of top predators in the modern ecosystem may have been vacant since the Pleistocene extinction, wrote Tsai. Advertisement Advertisement When these giant snakes, crocodiles and saber-toothed cats vanished, nothing else stepped in to fill their role at the top of the food chain. The islands ecology shifted fundamentally, and the loss of those apex predators left a gap that persists to this day. The shape of Taiwans modern wildlife is still defined, in part, by what disappeared hundreds of thousands of years ago. A Globally Rare Discovery Python fossils from the late Pleistocene are rare globally, with comparable finds reported in only a few regions, including India and Eritrea. That makes this vertebra from the Chiting Formation an exceptionally valuable piece of the paleontological puzzle. Before being studied, the fossil was held by local collector Li-Ren Hou, who later donated it to National Taiwan University , where it was formally analyzed and preserved. The study was published in Historical Biology in January 2026. This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI. The Slovak government has decided to impose restrictions on fuel sales due to the country's energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the war in Iran. The regulation is initially set to apply for 30 days, but could be extended if necessary, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Wednesday following a Cabinet meeting. As a measure against panic buying and fuel tourism, each vehicle may now only purchase diesel and petrol up to a maximum value of 400 ($460). Advertisement Advertisement Transporting more than 10 litres in jerry cans or other containers brought along is also prohibited, even within this limit. Fuel sales abroad will also be restricted. The government sees this as an alternative to drastic price increases for consumers. Vehicles with foreign number plates are subject to a higher price than domestic ones. This is calculated as the average of the prices currently in force in neighbouring Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland. Particularly in the border region between Slovakia and Poland, fuel was temporarily unavailable at several petrol stations recently. Following the outbreak of the Iran war, the government in Bratislava had agreed a voluntary price cap with the Slovnaft refinery. Advertisement Advertisement As a result, fuel prices in Slovakia have risen less sharply than in neighbouring countries, triggering fuel tourism from Austria and, above all, Poland. A month ago, Slovakia declared an "oil emergency" because no oil has been flowing from Russia via Ukraine through the Druzhba pipeline since the end of January. Slovakia's oil supply, like Hungary's, has so far been largely dependent on this pipeline. Bratislava and Budapest accuse Ukraine of deliberately obstructing oil deliveries and of refusing to allow an independent inspection of the pipeline, which, according to Kiev, has been damaged by Russian drone attacks. Slovenia's prime minister Robert Golob has accused "foreign services" of interfering in the country's upcoming parliamentary elections after reports emerged that officials from Israeli private spy firm Black Cube allegedly visited the country in December and met the main opposition contender. A Slovenian rights group, together with an investigative journalist and two researchers, in a press conference on Monday claimed Black Cube was behind videos showing alleged corruption and linked it to former Prime Minister Janez Jansa's Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). "This is a direct attack against our sovereignty," Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon told Slovenian journalists in Brussels when asked about the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement She slammed "an attack against democracy" if the alleged foreign interference was proven. The entrance to Black Cube's offices in central Tel Aviv, 8 February, 2019 - AP Photo Earlier this month, a series of secretly recorded conversations with an influential Slovenian lobbyist, a lawyer, a former minister and a manager were published. The videos show them suggesting ways of influencing decisionmakers in Prime Minister Robert Golob's centre-left coalition government in order to speed up procedures or gain contracts. Some of those implicated said they had been recorded secretly at meetings with people claiming to represent foreign investors and were manipulated to compromise them and the authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Black Cube, which was founded in 2010 by former Israeli intelligence officers, describes itself as providing "intelligence services for high-profile litigations, arbitrations and white-collar crime cases." Nika Kovac, director of rights group Institute 8 March, told reporters earlier on Monday that the publication of the videos was "very similar to those released ahead of the elections in other countries in Europe and the world mostly attributed to intelligence company Black Cube." President of the Slovenian Democratic Party and former Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa speaks in Budapest, 25 April, 2024 - AP Photo Weekly Mladina's investigative journalist Borut Mekina told the same press conference that he discovered Black Cube officials had visited Ljubljana three times by the end of last year. On their last visit on 22 December, Jansa welcomed them personally at the SDS headquarters, Mekina said, citing undisclosed sources. Advertisement Advertisement Jansa's SDS in a statement said they had never heard about Black Cube. He slammed "unprecedented corruption of the leftist elite" revealed through the videos. President Natasa Pirc Musar, who is not aligned with any political party, also raised concerns about the allegations. "The extent of the activities of external actors has not yet been fully disclosed or explained, but the activities presented to date seriously undermine the democratic foundations of the Republic of Slovenia, regardless of who leads the government or who is in the opposition," she said. Related Sunday vote Slovenians head to the polls next Sunday for parliamentary elections that could see the conservative opposition retake power from the liberal government of Prime Minister Robert Golob. Advertisement Advertisement While the conservative leader Janez Jansa has long held a lead in the polls, the gap has closed significantly in recent weeks in the former Yugoslav nation of two million people. Jansa, a three-time prime minister and ally of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has campaigned to restore "Slovenian values," focusing on the "traditional family" and cutting state funding to NGOs. A man prepares his ballot for a presidential election at a poling station in Ljubljana, 23 October, 2022 - AP Photo Also an admirer of US President Donald Trump, Jansa has frequently clashed with Brussels and drawn mass protests at home, with critics accusing him of attacking media freedom and the judiciary and of undermining the rule of law during his third mandate as prime minister, which ended in 2022. "If the right-wing bloc wins, this would mean the fall of another liberal stronghold in Europe," argues political commentator Aljaz Pengov Bitenc, noting the rise of far-right parties across the continent. The partnerships flagship initiative, Taste of the Trades, was born from a deceptively simple insight: many high school students have to work during the summer, and their need for income steers them toward retail and food-service jobs rather than career-building experiences. By combining federally funded summer youth employment wages with industry-designed curriculum, the program pays students to explore energy and infrastructure careers instead. One of them said, I would have been working two jobs over the summer, being a hostess in a restaurant, Drago recalled. By adding a paid component, they were able to contribute to their family household income and also learn about this career. The program adapts its content to reflect the shifting energy landscape. The first year focused heavily on offshore wind to align with Long Islands Sunrise Wind project; subsequent cohorts incorporated a broader mix of energy sources. The key, Drago emphasized, is making sure the curriculum stays current with market conditions and industry direction. The challenge facing the energy sector isnt just a shortage of workersits a shortage of awareness. Young people, OConnor explained, simply dont know where their electricity comes from or who builds and maintains the systems that deliver it. On the industry side, Drago pointed out that construction and energy work have an image problem that obscures the sectors increasingly technical reality. People dont realize how high-tech and innovative and creative the construction side is, Drago said. They have a very antiquated view of construction just being hammers and nails and excavators. The demand is acute. OConnor noted that members of Stony Brooks Advanced Energy Centers Industrial Advisory Board, which includes major players such as the New York Power Authority (NYPA), National Grid, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), have identified power engineering as their single biggest workforce need. One partner, he said, told the university it needed 80 power engineers yesterday. The power industry is staring down a workforce crisis. An aging labor force is heading for the exits, new recruits arent arriving fast enough to replace them, and a historic wave of energy infrastructure investment is only widening the gap. Against that backdrop, a partnership between Stony Brook University and Haugland Groupan infrastructure services company specializing in energy and civil constructionoffers a compelling blueprint for how academia, industry, and government can work together to build a durable talent pipeline. In a recent episode of The POWER Podcast, Derek OConnor, Workforce Development Manager in the Office for Research and Innovation at Stony Brook University , and Rosalie Drago, Vice President for External Affairs and Strategic Engagement with the Haugland Group , discussed the suite of workforce programs theyve developed, the model that makes them work, and why the industry needs to invest in workers long before theyre ready to step onto a job site. Story Continues From Exposure to Employment What began as a single summer program has grown into five distinct offerings that span from high school through university, each designed to feed into the next. High-performing Taste of the Trades participants can advance into a drone piloting certification program, where they earn their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 credentials. An HVDC (High-Voltage Direct-Current) Power Systems training draws community college students to Stony Brooks power systems lab. A cybersecurity program called CyberLearn connects undergraduates with utility-sector internships. And EmpowerHER specifically targets young women entering the construction trades. What we tried to do is build programs that could either be scaled up for advanced audiences or scaled down for K12 hands-on audiences, OConnor explained. At the same time, that repository of content is able to be used in the professional education space. The results are tangible. Drone program graduates have gone on to study civil engineering at Stony Brook and The State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. One William Floyd High School student who had no interest in college earned his drone certification, interned at Haugland, and was offered a full-time position. A Bellport High School student discovered a passion for government affairs and energy policy while interning at the company. The cybersecurity program grew from 27 to 42 students between its first and second years, with utilities recruiting directly from the cohort. Opening Doors for Women A particularly encouraging trend has been the rise in female participation across every program. Drago attributed much of this to visibilityyoung women need to see people like themselves succeeding in these careers. The feedback we got from all of those young women was, I needed to see that someone like me was doing this work. I didnt really know if I could succeed in that space, Drago said. The EmpowerHER program was born from conversations with women already working in the field, all of whom said they got into the industry through a program specifically designed for women. Each week, participants learn about a different construction tradesoldering, pipe cutting, weldingvisit union halls, and complete a final project. Braided Funding What makes the Stony BrookHaugland model distinctive is its funding architecture. Rather than relying on any single source, the programs braid together government workforce dollars, industry sponsorship, university seed funding, and in-kind contributions. The Suffolk County Department of Labor covers student wages. Haugland provides wraparound services and recruits other industry partners to share costs. Stony Brook contributes research expertise and curriculum development. Community colleges and national labs host training sessions. This partnership is government, industry, education, and community organizations all together, Drago said. That is probably one of the most unique aspects, and really one of the reasons for success. The approach addresses a structural gap in the talent pipeline: employers have well-established internship programs for college students, but few mechanisms to invest in high schoolers. By using government-funded youth employment dollars to cover student wages at the high school level, the model lets employers focus their resources on the college interns theyre already set up to support, while ensuring younger students dont fall through the cracks. Training the Teachers A less obvious but critical element of the model is its investment in teacher training. Rather than delivering one-off programs that disappear when the summer ends, the partnership trains high school teachers to bring current industry knowledge back into their classrooms during the school year. We invested in not just training the students, but in training teachers so they could go back during the year and bring that back into the school district for sustainable knowledge, Drago explained. Theyre getting industry knowledge thats not stalewhatever the industry is looking for now, they can bring that back. Educating the Community Drago made the case that workforce development programs deliver a return on investment that goes well beyond filling job openings. When students learn about power generation and delivery, they bring that understanding home to their families and communities, helping to demystify energy projects that often face public skepticism. When the students gave their presentations on graduating, they said, I completely have changed my thinking about these different types of power delivery. My parents had heard X, Y, and Z, but I was able to go back and actually explain it now, Drago said. That doesnt have a dollar amount on it. Thats something we need to do as part of the civic fabric of the communities we live and work in. Scaling the Model The partnership is already replicating its approach. A program with Con Edison was modeled directly on the Stony BrookHaugland template. Regional think tanks have adopted it as a framework for workforce grant applications. And Stony Brook recently received approximately $700,000 from NYPA to run multiple cohorts of Taste of the Trades and drone training in the Brentwood area, along with teacher training in solar panel and heat pump installation. Looking ahead, OConnor sees opportunities in geothermal energy, battery storage, utility-scale solar, and potentially nuclear energy. He urged industry stakeholders to reach out with their specific workforce needs. Come to the Table with a Partner For utilities and companies looking to replicate this model, OConnor offered a clear starting point: dont go it alone. Come to the table with at least one partner ready to go, he said. Ive never launched a program here completely just out of this office. All of our programs are with an industry partner, a government sponsor, a community organization, or a K12 school. Drago echoed the point, noting that every community in the country already has the building blocks: a university, a workforce training center, a government employment agency with federal summer youth funds, and local employers. The challenge isnt a lack of resourcesits getting the right people in the same room. Everyones got the tools, she said. They just need to get together and work to use them. To hear the full interview with Drago and OConnor, listen to The POWER Podcast. Click on the SoundCloud player below to listen in your browser now or use the following links to reach the show page on your favorite podcast platform: The POWER Podcast 206. How a University and Industry Partner Are Building Tomorrows Power Workforce For more power podcasts, visit The POWER Podcast archives. Aaron Larson is POWERs executive editor. [Ed. note: Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.] MOGADISHU, March 17 (Reuters) - Somalia's South West state said on Tuesday it was suspending all cooperation and relations with the government in Mogadishu, the latest sign of strain in the Horn of Africa country's fragile federal system. * At a press conference, South West officials accused thefederal government of arming militias and trying to unseat thestate's president, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. * Somalia's defence and information ministers did notrespond to Reuters' requests for comment. * Disputes over constitutional changes, elections and thebalance of power between Mogadishu and regional administrationsrepeatedly open up political faultlines in Somalia. * The South West administration says relations withMogadishu worsened after the federal government pushed throughconstitutional amendments opposed by some state leaders. * Travel agencies told Reuters on Tuesday that commercialflights between Mogadishu and Baidoa, the administrative capitalof South West state, had been halted. Humanitarian flights,including for United Nations operations, were continuing. * Baidoa, which lies about 245 km (150 miles) northwest ofMogadishu, is a politically and militarily sensitive citybecause it hosts federal troops, regional security forces andinternational humanitarian operations in a zone affected bydrought, conflict and displacement. * The Mogadishu government's relations with other stateshave also been fraught. Somaliland declared independence in 1991and has long been outside Mogadishu's control. * The administration of semi-autonomous Puntland said inMarch 2024 it would no longer recognise the federal governmentuntil disputed constitutional amendments were approved in anationwide referendum. * Semi-autonomous Jubbaland suspended ties with Mogadishu inNovember 2024 in a dispute over regional elections. (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Vincent Mumo Nzilani; Editing by Alexander Winning, Ammu Kannampilly and Andrew Heavens) Republican senators who are parents of children with dyslexia pushed back on President Donald Trumps comments President Donald Trump said people with learning disabilities should not ever be commander in chief. Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski was stunned Wednesday to learn from a reporter about his words. Should my son not run for president? the moderate, who voted to convict Trump after Jan. 6 and has from time to time criticized him, responded to The Independent. Murkowski said her son has dyslexia. Advertisement Advertisement He's one of the smartest guys I know, she said of her son. I guess again, sometimes youve got to look at it in the context in which he said it, but I do not believe that those with a level of disability should automatically be excluded from being president. On Monday, Trump spoke in the Oval Office where he commented on California Gov. Gavin Newsom having dyslexia and said that people who have learning disabilities should not run for office. Honestly, I'm all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president, Trump told reporters. I think a president should not have learning disabilities. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) responded to President Donald Trumps comments about California Gov. Gavin Newsom having dyslexia by mentioning her son has dyslexia. (Getty) During his remarks, Trump referred to Newsom by his oft-used derisive moniker for him: Newscum. Advertisement Advertisement I know its highly controversial to say such a horrible thing, Trump said, adding that everything about him is dumb. Newsom has been open about the fact that he has dyslexia. After Trumps remarks, the governor pushed back. To every kid with a learning disability: dont let anyone not even the President of the United States bully you, he said. Dyslexia isnt a weakness. Its your strength. But Murkowski wasnt alone in Republican criticism. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, pushed back on Trumps comments. Well, probably somebody with dyslexia and learning disability has been president, Cassidy, a doctor, told The Independent. Cassidy has a daughter with dyslexia. Advertisement Advertisement He also added that dyslexia affects about 20 percent of the population. Certainly there are people who are CEOs and famous physicians and reportedly even Albert Einstein, he said. So I think that the idea that someone with dyslexia cannot achieve any goal that he or she wishes to achieve is wrong. They absolutely can. Cassidys wife Laura also helped start the Louisiana Key Academy, a series of public charter schools for students with dyslexia. They can achieve whatever they want, he said. Before and during his presidency, Trump has frequently denigrated people with disabilities, baselessly blaming the airplane crash in the Potomac River early last year on a hiring program for people with intellectual disabilities within the Federal Aviation Administration. Advertisement Advertisement He also has repeated the debunked claim that childhood vaccinations cause autism spectrum disorder and last year, said that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could cause children to become autistic. Murkowski has occasionally broken from the president during his second tenure in the White House. She voted against the confirmation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth because of his comments on whether women could serve in combat roles. She also was one of the first two Republican senators alongside retiring Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina to say that Kristi Noem should resign as secretary of Homeland Security. At the same time, she has regularly voted with Trump, voting to confirm some of his more controversial nominees such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She also voted to pass Trumps signature One Big, Beautiful Bill legislation that beefed up spending for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and extended the 2017 tax cuts Trump signed after she received significant concessions. MADRID, March 18 (Reuters) - Spain plans to evacuate and relocate troops deployed in Iraq in the coming days due to the conflict in Iran and the wider Gulf region, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Wednesday. Around 300 Spanish troops are deployed in Iraq, both as part of an international coalition against the Islamic State formed in 2015 under Operation Inherent Resolve and a separate NATO mission advising Iraqi government forces since 2018. The ministry had already said on Sunday that a special forces unit comprising 71 soldiers had been temporarily relocated from their base given the impossibility of carrying out tasks such as training Iraqi counter-terrorism forces. Advertisement Advertisement Robles did not elaborate on where the troops would be moved to. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week, has quickly become a regional conflict that shows no signs of de-escalation. Spain has criticised the offensive and banned U.S. aircraft from using jointly operated bases in southern Spain. Other NATO allies such as Germany or Norway are also sharply drawing down their presence in the region due to the security risks. Berlin has pulled Bundeswehr troops from Lebanon and northern Iraq's Erbil, while Oslo said it was relocating some of the around 60 soldiers it has in the Middle East. A drone attack in northern Iraq killed a French soldier and wounded six others last week. (Reporting by Emma Pinedo; Editing by David Latona and Alison Williams) Spain will give Ukraine military aid totalling 1 billion ($1.15 billion) this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday. A large part of this aid will be financed via the EU defence fund SAFE, Sanchez said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Madrid. "We stand firmly by Ukraine, today and in the future," Sanchez said. Zelensky, who had held talks in London the previous day, was on his fourth official visit to Spain since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of his country. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Zelensky had also asked for further aid in London, and has expressed concern that the war in Iran could affect arms deliveries to his own country. Sanchez and Zelensky said that their countries, and companies from both states, wanted to cooperate in the development and production of weapons in the future. "Ukraine is ready to pass on its knowledge, the bitter experience it has gained during this war in the field of drones and technologies," said Zelensky. At the same time, he emphasized how important it was for Ukraine that the 90 billion EU loan for his country, which has been blocked by Hungary, should be released. Advertisement Advertisement Some of Spain's aid for Kiev has been provided over the years in the form of direct deliveries of military equipment, including Leopard battle tanks, arms purchases and humanitarian aid. However, most of the support was provided through Spain's participation in EU and NATO programmes. Spain also took in more than 300,000 Ukrainians under the EU's Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Refugees Directive. A St. Louis man who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise from Kohl's has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for the scheme. U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey issued the sentence on Feb. 26 to Marshall Lampkin, federal court records show. A jury in August 2025 convicted Lampkin, 36, of five felony counts of mail fraud in the Kohl's Cash scam. Following his prison term, Lampkin will spend three years on supervised release, Autrey ordered. A spokesperson for Kohl's, which is based in Menomonee Falls, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the judgement. Advertisement Advertisement Lampkin conducted the scam over several months between October 2021 and March 2022. According to court records, he would make in-store purchases using Kohl's Cash coupons, then, before the store's system could account for the purchases and remove the Kohl's Cash from his account, he would make online orders of the same amount, using the same Kohl's Cash. Lampkin would then return the merchandise he purchased in-store, and receive a full refund in the form of Kohl's Cash. His actions defrauded Kohl's of around $200,000, court records show. A Missouri man was convicted of stealing more than $200,000 worth of merchandise in a Kohl's Cash scam. As part of the scam, he shipped many purchases to a shipping container to late resell, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. He repeated the scheme more than 100 times, at 40 stores across 13 states, including Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. Most of the purchases were made in Illinois, but Lampkin made a nearly $1,000 purchase at a Janesville Kohl's in November 2021 as part of the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Lampkin had his online purchases shipped to storage units in St. Louis and a relative's house in Illinois, then sold or tried to sell those items through Facebook. The purchases included furniture, flooring and small appliances. Investigators found hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Kohl's merchandise in Lampkin's storage units, according to the attorney's office. As part of Lampkin's sentence, Autrey ordered him to pay more than $300,000 in restitution to Kohl's. Court records indicate Lampkin has appealed the decision. Kelli Arseneau contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: St. Louis man gets 7 years in prison for $200,000 Kohl's Cash scam NEW YORK Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew a parallel between the Palestinian and Irish struggles on Tuesday though he also hit a St. Patricks Day quagmire as he faced questions over his position on Irish unification. Mamdani, whose support of Palestinian rights is central to his political identity, noted that Irish leaders like former President Mary Robinson have long stood in solidarity with Palestinians, saying that it was on Irish soil the British Empire developed their colonial project. Over the past few years, as weve witnessed a genocide unfold before our eyes, there has been deafening silence from so many, Mamdani said. Advertisement Advertisement For those who have long cared about universal human rights and the extension of them to Palestinians, silence, however, is nothing new. For Palestinians are so often left to weep alone. Yet former President Robinson has never been silent. Ireland in 1980 became the first European Union country to call for Palestinian statehood. The mayor also celebrated the luck of the Irish by attending Mass at St. Patricks Cathedral and marching in the annual parade up Fifth Avenue. Asked Tuesday if he supported Irish unification, an idea backed by Irelands major left-wing, democratic socialist political party, Mamdani responded that the Irish people should have final say. Advertisement Advertisement Theres always more to learn, but I can tell you as someone who believes deeply in the principle of self-determination, that I think that should also be extended to the Irish. I think when it comes to the future of Ireland, the best people to listen to are the Irish, Mamdani said. Asked the same question a day prior, Mamdani laughed in response and said I gotta be honest, I havent thought enough on that question. Gov. Kathy Hochul took a more decisive stance Tuesday, in a rare outflanking of Mamdani from the left: Indeed I do, she said when asked during the parade if she supported a united Ireland. Mamdani was greeted by cheers from fans and some jeers as well as he marched alongside Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. _____ (Sheetal Banchariya contributed to this story.) _____ Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed MPs in Westminster to show how he thinks his country's experience fighting Russia can help in the Middle East. ITV News' Carl Dinnen reports The Iranian and Russian regimes are "brothers in hatred", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told MPs in an address to Parliament. Zelenskyy said that the war in Iran is "not far away" from Ukrainians, and warned of the global consequences if "evil wins". Advertisement Advertisement "Ballistic missiles can strike thousands of kilometres. Drones can do the same," he said. Ukraine's president highlighted the co-operation between Tehran and Moscow on Shahed Kamikaze drones, which have been used to target both Ukraine and Gulf states. He added: "If evil wins, the evolution of war will cross any distance on earth. No ocean will help, no desert, no mountains. That is why it is worth helping protect life. "The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred. They're brothers in weapons. You cannot live in peace alongside regimes like this." In his speech on Tuesday, he thanked the UK for keeping sanctions on Russia in place. The US lifted a raft of restrictions on oil earlier this month, as conflict in Iran and the Middle East sent prices skyrocketing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street. Credit: AP Zelenskyy's address in Parliament came after meetings with Sir Keir Starmer and the King earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Starmer previously told Zelenskyy the UKs focus "must remain on Ukraine" despite the war in Iran when welcoming the president to Downing Street. The PM said: "Theres obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we cant lose focus on whats going on in Ukraine and the need for our support." He added: "Putin cant be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether thats oil prices or the dropping of sanctions." The Ukrainian president said he would update Starmer on battlefield developments and energy security, saying: "Of course, we cant sleep, we must move quickly." Advertisement Advertisement The King met Zelenskyy in Buckingham Palaces first-floor drawing room before the president was invited to take tea with the monarch in his private study during the 25-minute meeting. Charles meets with Zelenskyy at Buckingham Palace. Credit: PA It is understood that Charles and Zelenskyy greeted one another with mutual warmth and respect, building on their many previous encounters. The King, who in January paid tribute to the Ukrainian peoples resilience and the countrys valiant strength, and expressed his hopes for a just and lasting peace, is said to have rearticulated these sentiments in person to Zelenskyy. Starmer was among around 60 MPs and peers attending Zelenskyys speech. Advertisement Advertisement Defence Secretary John Healey, leaders of the opposition parties and Nato chief Mark Rutte were present. Rutte joined Starmer and Zelenskyy to talk with soldiers from The Rifles who will be using Ukrainian-made Nemesis heavy drones, which have been credited with the destruction of 158 Russian tanks in Ukraine. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... The owner of a Clovis dairy said hes been in survival mode since a plume of forever chemicals was found impacting his cows in 2018. After finding that his cows milk was contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, Art Schaap was forced to euthanize roughly 4,000 cows. Now, eight years later, his Curry County property is still in limbo as Schaap awaits mitigation or cleanup. Advertisement Advertisement Schaap has been in the dairy business for almost 40 years and a neighbor of Cannon Air Force Base for more than three decades. He remembers seeing series of planes fly over his home, shaking the structure as the engines were tested, as he set up Highland Dairy in 1992. Not everybody likes being neighbors with a dairy, Schaap said, as cows mean flies and manure. But the base didnt seem to mind, and, for years, they were good neighbors to Schaap and his wife, he said. Never thought we were ever going to have an issue like this, Schaap said. Schapp is among a handful of dairy owners in Curry County who entered into agreements with the state to allow for testing of existing groundwater wells on their properties. Its the first step in remediation, which the state hopes to complete, then present the U.S. Air Force with the bill. Advertisement Advertisement What were doing is seeking just the testing of wells, and [the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act] allows us to seek those damages from the U.S., said New Mexico Environment Department general counsel Zachary Ogaz. The plan right now is to go out, do the investigation ourselves, and seek to get those costs as part of our damage claims. The four-mile plume is associated with firefighting foam known as aqueous film-forming foam, which contains two long-chain PFAS: PFOA and PFOS. While short-chain PFAS are more mobile, long-chain PFAS like to stick to things, making them accumulate in the environment as well as the human body. In early March, Cannon Air Force Base announced it had disposed of more than 4,500 gallons of aqueous, film-forming foam and rinsate earlier in the year. It also announced it had removed soil contaminated by a leak of thousands of gallons of PFAS-contaminated water in July 2024. A spokesperson for the base did not respond to questions from The New Mexican. The state is currently in the midst of a rulemaking on the use of PFAS in consumer products. The Environmental Improvement Board is expected to resume deliberations next week. Advertisement Advertisement The state also is mired in litigation over PFAS around Cannon Air Force Base. Ogaz said two cases involving the contamination one filed by the U.S. Air Force and another filed by the state are awaiting action and currently at the mercy of the court. According to a Thursday release, the state already has spent $12 million in the court battles. Schaap is also in a legal battle of his own. He is seeking compensation for damages incurred against his business, and is hoping to eventually relocate and restart the dairy. Hes frustrated with delays by the federal government in responding to the contamination off base, especially when he sees cleanups of forever chemicals going forward in other states. My farm was taken from me, my business was taken from me and my animals were taken from me, Schaap said. So Im asking in my lawsuit to just replace what I lost, and so whatever that is, whatever that looks like, thats all Im asking. Staunton Circuit Court Clerk Staci Falls recently announced that property owners in the city can now enroll in a new program, VADeed Alert, in an effort to combat fraud. Developed by the Office of the Executive Secretary, VADeed Alert allows property owners to receive electronic notifications whenever a document is recorded in the local land records that matches their name or Parcel ID number (PID). The alerts can provide early warning of potentially fraudulent activity, such as unauthorized deed transfers or filings, a press release said. It's a "free, voluntary notification system built to help Virginians protect their property from deed fraud," the City of Staunton said in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Waynesboro is also using the alert service. According to a deed fraud study published last year by the General Assembly, "Deed fraud, also referred to as title fraud, title theft, and seller impersonation fraud, occurs when a property title is fraudulently transferred by a bad actor impersonating the rightful property owner or otherwise fraudulently listing the property for sale." Falls said deed fraud is a growing concern nationwide, and that the alert "gives property owners a simple and effective way to stay informed and take quick action if something doesnt look right. In the General Assembly's study, authored by the Virginia Housing Development Authority, it said deed fraud often involves vacant land and homes that are not regularly occupied. Properties with clear titles tend to be targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Staunton man extradited from Texas on child pornography charges "Fraudsters may use publicly available records to identify vacant, unencumbered properties and information about true property owners. They may use unknowing real estate agents and title agents during the transaction process and may successfully bypass notarial identity verification," the study said. "The problem for us is that if a document comes to us and it meets all of the recording standards, we've got an obligation to record that," Falls said. Falls said her office came across a fraudulent deed in 2024. "It's become a concern, of course, nationally but we have seen it in Staunton," she said. Advertisement Advertisement While the new program won't stop deed fraud in its tracks, it will assist property owners by helping them to quickly combat it. "This program will allow folks to be notified if there is a recording in the local land records that matches their name or their parcel identification number," Falls said. "So, while it's not a preventive measure, it does allow people to be made aware of the filing as quickly as possible. They can take action right away." More: Staunton man extradited from Texas on child pornography charges Waynesboro Circuit Court Clerk Nicole Briggs said fraudsters often use an illegally obtained deed as collateral to borrow against it without the real property owner knowing. Like Falls, she noted that while the program won't prevent fraud, it will give people the ability to swiftly respond to suspicious filings. Advertisement Advertisement "It's a notification that something has been recorded in your name," Briggs said. "The sooner you can catch it, the sooner you can try and remedy it ... and start fighting it, which is a civil fight." The service is free to use and is available to all property owners in Staunton and Waynesboro. Enrollment can be completed online and notifications will be sent by email. Property owners can visit https://risweb.vacourts.gov/VADeedAlert/#/login to register. For questions about VADeed Alert or local land records, contact the Staunton Circuit Court Clerks Office at (540) 332-3874. The Waynesboro Circuit Court Clerk's Office can be reached at (540) 942-6616. Augusta County uses a different vendor, Logan Systems, Inc., for its property notification system, which has been in place since October 2023, said Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk Steve Landes. For Augusta County property owners, visit the county's web page for recording land records to set up a notification. Advertisement Advertisement More: Explore Virginias largest open-air history museum in Shenandoah Valley Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: VADeed Alert now available in Staunton, Waynesboro Lying about having served in the military could soon carry a serious prison sentence in Louisiana. Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, cleared the state Senate with unanimous support Tuesday and will head to the House of Representatives for consideration. Kleinpeters bill would make whats known as stolen valor a crime. It encompasses false claims of military service and armed services members taking credit for medals, rank or other insignia they did not receive. Penalties could range from small fines to several years in prison, depending on the severity of the crime. Advertisement Advertisement A fraudster who fakes a service record to get certain benefits reserved for veterans or active duty troops could yield the most severe sentence of up to five years. A lesser offense, such as a civilian claiming to be in the military or a veteran, could be fined up to $1,000. It would also be a crime to wear or claim unearned military citations, such as the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart and others considered to be among the nations highest honors. Kleinpeter amended his proposal Tuesday to also include lesser awards for general combat service, such as the Combat Action Ribbon or a Combat Action Badge. Such military decorations are not well recognized among civilians but widely revered in the service. They are also relatively common among veterans and easy to buy from military surplus stores. So far, the measure has been sailing easily through the legislature. Apart from some brief words by Kleinpeter, debate on the bill was nonexistent on the Senate floor Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Stolen valor is recognized as a crime in at least 15 states and is also a federal offense, but Kleinpeter said its often difficult to enforce. He told his colleagues he authored the bill at the request of constituents who are veterans and have seen it in their communities. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By Jarrett Renshaw March 18 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are betting the oil-price shock sparked by the Iran crisis will be too short-lived to hurt them politically in November, but traders and industry analysts see signs that U.S. pump prices will stay painfully high long after any diplomatic breakthrough. Oil prices have surged as the conflict disrupted global supply. U.S. crude topped $100 a barrel for the first time since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine shock. U.S. diesel climbed above $5 a gallon, its highest since late 2022. The disruptions stem in large part from Irans effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point through which roughly one-fifth of global oil normally flows. Trump has repeatedly said the higher energy costs are a small price to pay for neutralizing Iran. On Tuesday, he again predicted energy prices would "drop like a rock" after the conflict ends. But oil futures, government forecasts and seasonal summer demand point to elevated crude and gasoline prices persisting even if tensions ease, analysts warned, noting that energy costs tend to fall slower than they rise. "Its going to take time for those prices to come back down," said Matt Smith, an analyst at energy consultant group Kpler. If fuel costs stay high through the summer, voters could blame Trump's Republican Party for straining household budgets and punish its candidates in November's midterm elections. Polls show voters are worried about the cost of living. Affordability is the key issue for Democrats, who are within reach of getting a majority in the House of Representatives and narrowing Republicans' margin of control in the Senate. Trump has long used social media and the White House megaphone to shape the political narrative, but gasoline prices are hard to spin, said Chris Borick, a pollster and political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. "It's the most in-your-face reminder of affordability concerns, and it's almost impossible to convince voters of some kind of contextual case that outweighs their emotional reaction," Borick said. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Trump has been "right about everything," and oil prices are no different. Once the military objectives of Operation Epic Fury are completed and the Iranian terrorist regime is neutralized, oil and gas prices will drop rapidlypotentially even lower this before the strikes began," Rogers said. SIGNS POINT TO HIGHER FOR LONGER A college student from Elmhurst is missing in Spain, where he was visiting friends, his family said. James Gracey, 20, was last seen on Tuesday at a club in Barcelona. He was last seen outside of Shoko, a club in Villa Olimpica area on the Barceloneta Beach, in an area popular with tourists, according to his family. Local media in Spain is reporting that Gracey was seen leaving the club with another person. Advertisement Advertisement "Jimmy is a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother. It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends," his family said in a statement. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and dark pants and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross. "Jimmy" is a junior at the University of Alabama and a graduate of Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. His parents said he was in Spain for spring break. "He's very responsible," aunt Beth O'Reilly said. "This is very out of character for him. For him to be out of pocket like this and not responding to family or friends." Advertisement Advertisement The 6'1", 175-pound student is well known as a caddy at Hinsdale golf club, Local police have been using helicopters and maritime patrol in the Olympic Village area, which suggests they're concerned he may have fallen into the sea A local reporter says Barcelona has a network of surveillance cameras and local police are trying to reconstruct Jimmy's movements. "Security cameras at Shoko show that he didn't leave alone, but it is not clear who he was with," Spanish newspaper journalist Gisela Macedo said. Cavin Clay says Gracey is a member of their Theta Chi Fraternity at the University of Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement "We're enjoying a good time, unfortunately he got separated from the rest of the group later in the night, and that was the last time we heard from him," Clay said. "We have the guys who were staying with him they're all out on the beach right now handing out flyers with pictures of his face and just getting as many eyes looking out for him." The friends in Spain say they are heartbroken. Jimmy's is now in Spain as well, no doubt tirelessly searching for his son. The Gracey family is asking for help to find out what happened to him. Anyone with information is urged to contact (224) 505-3886. The U.S. State department has been alerted, and issued the following statement: "The Trump Administration has no greater priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department stands ready to provide all consular assistance to Americans in need abroad. Advertisement Advertisement "When Americans are missing abroad, we can help their families and friends to file missing persons reports and help them understand local procedures. "Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing additional to add at this time." ABC News contributed to this report. State agencies have scheduled a community meeting in Sunland Park to gather input from residents affected by arsenic contamination in drinking water. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 7 at Dona Ana Community College (Sunland Park Center, 3365 McNutt Rd.) and will be hosted by the New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Department of Health. According to a news release announcing the meeting, the state will also provide updates regarding the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority related to failures to treat arsenic in drinking water in recent years. Although the Dona Ana County Board of County Commissioners voted in May 2025 to terminate its joint powers agreement with Sunland Park for the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, CRRUA has continued to serve its 20,000 water users in Sunland Park and Santa Teresa until the two sides finalize how assets will be split. In December 2025, Sunland Park and the County approved a rate increase for CRRUA customers that went into effect in January 2026 that will make a residential customer's bill go up by about $7 a month, from about $20 to $27. Advertisement Advertisement Increasing rates were presented as the only option to fund the troubled utility that relies on customer rates at its lone revenue source. In February 2026, the state announced a settlement between NMED and CRRUA that requires the utility to pay the state nearly $200,000 in fines to make up for five violations committed by the utility since 2023. CRRUA will pay $168,000 for the violations and an additional bad faith payment of $21,000. Map showing the service area of the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority. According to a news release, NMED is seeking an independent manager to oversee operations at CRRUA and working to require CRRUA to provide free arsenic test strips to customers, implement real-time arsenic monitoring, provide alternate drinking water sources if arsenic levels exceed state limits and to conduct monthly public meetings. According to the news release announcing the meeting, "The forum on April 7 is an opportunity for Sunland Park residents to be heard and explore what resources might best serve them. NMED and NMDOH are committed to working alongside this community to address the impacts of arsenic exposure and prevent future harm." This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Sunland Park arsenic in water community meeting scheduled Professional journalists continue their quest for objective and fair reporting every day and it is appropriate to recognize their work as we celebrate Sunshine Week, which began Sunday. Sunshine Week is a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in journalism, government and the civic, education and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records, open government and the peoples right to know. The Arkansas Press Association, the oldest trade association in the state, is one of the national endorsers of Sunshine Week, which is coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The organization provides research, expertise and advocacy for journalists, policymakers and the general public in acquiring government information to foster an engaged and informed citizenry. Advertisement Advertisement Brechner Project Director David Cuillier was a featured speaker at the 2024 APA Convention in Jonesboro. In his address titled Partly Cloudy: Getting Public Records in an Age of Secrecy, Cuillier said journalists should humanize citizens frustrations when public-records laws dont allow access and publicly report whenever they are refused government records. I think journalists have a duty to tell the public when theyre denied public information. Its not about the journalists, Cuillier said. Its about the public. Cuillier went on to say that information is essential in a well-run society, pointing out that transparency requests lead to improvements such as cleaner drinking water, safer restaurants, better schools, fewer wasted tax dollars and less government corruption. In short, freedom of information improves peoples lives and encourages government to be more accountable, cost-effective and honest. Under leadership of the late Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller, Arkansas adopted in 1967 one of the strongest Freedom of Information Acts in the country. The law has been a model for government transparency efforts nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement However, recent years have seen broadside attacks on the law, as well as many attempts to chip away at its provisions. In addition to protecting the FOIA moving forward, we must also ensure it be used responsibly by both the government and the public. State and local officials must make sure there is no lack of enforcement of the FOIA laws, and citizens also have a responsibility to use the FOIA in a meaningful and responsible way and not as a weapon for which it certainly was not intended. Last years landmark legislation, Act 505 of 2025, is a great example of groups working together to make FOIA stronger and clearer. It originated in the Attorney Generals FOIA Working Group and was led in the legislature by Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Jon Eubanks and co-sponsored by a host of other legislators. The act defines what constitutes a public meeting and gives recourse if decisions are made by a public body while in violation of open meetings laws. It is a good piece of legislation, passed with bipartisan support, and one from which Arkansans will benefit for decades to come. The challenges for newspapers across the nation have been well documented, but despite those challenges we are pleased to note there is at least one APA member newspaper covering each of our 75 counties. Dedicated journalists continue to tell compelling stories about their communities daily. While obviously proud of the continued presence of so many committed community journalists across our state, it must be emphasized that in some counties a lone newspaper is the sole consistent watchdog present. Advertisement Advertisement As these watchdogs, Arkansas newspapers are at the forefront of keeping that light burning, but it should be stressed that the effort to make sure that government remains transparent is of utmost importance to every citizen. APA has been a leader in the effort to maintain and promote the tenets of our states FOIA, and we thank the many individuals and groups who have partnered with us in this cause. It has been dramatically shown in the past few years that support for the FOIA is one of the few issues that crosses the normally wide gulf of political partisanship. APA salutes media outlets across the state as they consistently shine light on the state Capitol, as well as delving into the way government at all levels affects the average citizen in our state. We also thank you, our loyal readers, for helping us celebrate Sunshine Week and its importance in maintaining access to information and truth. Sign up for Executive Dysfunction, a weekly newsletter that surfaces under-the-radar stories about what Trump is doing to the lawand how the law is pushing back. On April 1, the Supreme Court hears oral argument in Trump v. Barbara, a class-action lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for certain people. No one will be surprised to hear lawyers discussing the text of the 14th Amendments citizenship clause and the history that led to its ratificationthat clearly relates to the Trump administrations claim that birthright citizenship doesnt apply to children of undocumented or temporarily present noncitizens because their parents cannot establish domicile, meaning permanent presence in the country. But court watchers may not expect to hear debate about an 1844 inheritance case from New York. Yet that case, Lynch v. Clarke, has become incredibly important. Indeed, it may be instrumental in determining the fate of millions of American-born infants. In the 1844 case, Judge Lewis Sandford held that Julia Lynch, the child of Irish parents who was born during their temporary sojourn in New York, was a U.S. citizen. The issue arose amid a heated battle over the fate of Lynch & Clarke, a firm that sold bottled spring water from Saratoga Springs to New York City residents in the early 1800s. Thomas Lynch and John Clarke were partners in the firm until Lynch died in 1833. Lynch had no will, and his only surviving heirs, which included his brother Bernard and a deceased brothers daughterhis niece Julialived in Ireland. A year after Thomas death, when Julia was 15, she and her uncle Bernard sailed to New York and geared themselves for a fight for Thomas property. Advertisement Advertisement Things came to a head in the early 1840s when the case became a family battle over Julias citizenship. In New York, as in many other states at the time, noncitizens could not inherit land. Bernard therefore argued that Julia was not a citizen, which meant that his claim over the property was stronger than hers (he was born in Ireland, but had naturalized in 1834). But Bernard faced a problem: Julia was born in the United States. To get around that issue, Bernard and his lawyers painted a picture of U.S. citizenship law that would be familiar to anyone who has read the Trump administrations brief in Trump v. Barbara. They claimed that Julia was not a citizen because her parents were only temporary visitors to the United States and lacked a permanent residence or domicile there. In Bernards telling, citizenship was not the product of mere accidental birth, but rather the political condition of the parents. He conceded that Julia would be an American citizen under English legal principles, under which everyone born in her dominions was a subject, but he argued that the colonists, when declaring independence from British tyranny, had also liberated themselves from the common-law rule of birthright citizenship. Judge Sandford rejected these arguments. His opinion was a firm endorsement of the principle that being born in the United States entitled someone to citizenship, no matter the domicile of their parents. He did not rely on Julias argument that she was a citizen because her parents were, in fact, domiciled in the United States when she was born. Instead, he explicitly concluded that though Julias parents lacked any permanent domicile or expectation of remaining in the country, these facts did not prevent her from acquiring American citizenship by birth. Sandford also rejected Bernards argument that Americans had abandoned the English concept of birthright citizenship. He acknowledged that American authorities had rejected some aspects of British law and society. But he concluded that birthright citizenship was by now distinctively American. As Sandford recounted, the Founders understood that their new nation was, in James Madisons words, indebted to emigration for her settlement and prosperity. American authorities therefore embraced the rule of birthright citizenship, referring, for example, to a natural born citizen in various statutes and cases. Advertisement Advertisement In todays birthright citizenship battle, Sandfords opinion in Lynch v. Clarke is a problematic precedent for the Trump administration. By holding that neither the temporariness of a noncitizens stay in the United States nor their intention to remain there had any bearing on the citizenship of their U.S.-born children, Lynch illustrates that the traditional concept of citizenship was broader than the permanent-allegiance-and-domicile rule that Trumps lawyers are advancing. To be sure, Lynch is not a Supreme Court case, and it was decided over two decades before the 14th Amendment was added to the Constitution. But Lynch sheds light on the meaning of the 14th Amendments citizenship clause because it represents the state of the law before the amendment was ratified, and the clause, according to its Framers, was ratified to confirmnot changethis aspect of existing law. The Trump administration doesnt disagree that Lynch is bad precedent for its side. Instead, it emphasizes that the case was just a single case, and points to two instances where other authorities disagreed with Sandfords opinion. What the administration neglects to mention is that the opinion was a big part of the 19th-century legal culture from which the citizenship clause emerged. Lynch was cited by several members of the Congress that drafted the 14th Amendment. In 1866, for instance, Rep. William Lawrence of Ohio made a speech highlighting Sandfords declaration in the syllabus, or published summary of the case, that Julias birth in the United States made her a citizen without any regard to the political condition or allegiance of their parents. (While one scholar emphasizes that this quotation doesnt appear in Sandfords opinion, the summary was written by Judge Sandford himself, because Sandford, unlike many judges, wrote and published the reports of his own cases.) Several years later, Illinois Sen. Lyman Trumbull, who played an active role in the citizenship clauses passage, cited Lynch while recounting the drafting of the clause. Whats more, the case was quoted in several legal guides, including one international law tome that the Trump administration itself cites in its brief, and in Kents Commentaries, which one historian called the most influential American law book of the antebellum period. Advertisement Advertisement Lynch made its mark on the executive branch, too. It was cited by two attorneys general when resolving issues of citizenship law. Local newspapers publicized Sandfords opinion as well, both by publishing the speeches of the lawmakers who discussed it and by recounting the story of a young woman from Ireland and the great and laborious research project Sandford undertook to confirm her citizenship. In part, Lynch was influential because of the deep connection between birthright citizenship, racial equality, and abolitionism. As scholars like Amanda Frost, Kate Masur and Martha Jones demonstrate, abolitionists and free Black activists used the concept of citizenship by birthright to make claims of freedom and otherwise challenge inequitable and terrifying circumstances. This activism inspired official action. For example, Abraham Lincolns attorney general, Edward Bates, cited Kents Commentaries (which, again, cited Lynch) to describe the true principle of birthright citizenship in an influential opinion concluding that Black Americans were citizens of the United States. (Lawmakers cited Bates opinion, in addition to Lynch, when drafting the citizenship clause.) Cases like Lynch helped legitimize claims for Black citizenship, portraying birthright citizenship as an American tradition. As one newspaper (which, you guessed it, cited Lynch) recounted, these cases served as a notification that the law, which is considerably older than the Republican party, is just as radical as Radicals. Scholars and advocates on both sides of Trumps citizenship order have engaged in what feels like a battle of the citations to elevate or undermine Lynch v. Clarke. To some extent, the battle over Lynch is emblematic of legal practice in the Supreme Courts text-and-history era, in which lawyers arm themselves with text-searchable databases to undercut one anothers claims about what happened in the past. But in this case, the extent of historical evidence that the government ignores to make its claim is staggering. To be sure, Lynch is just one case, but it is an important one. The Supreme Court should appreciate that. Islamabad, Pakistan On the evening of March 13, drones struck three locations across Pakistan. Two children were wounded in Quetta. Civilians were also injured in Kohat and in Rawalpindi, the garrison city that houses the headquarters of Pakistans armed forces and neighbours the capital, Islamabad. Pakistans military said the drones were intercepted before reaching their targets. But President Asif Ali Zardari said Kabul had crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians. It was not the first such incident. In late February, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said anti-drone systems had brought down small drones over Abbottabad, Swabi and Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Another attack was reported in Bannu in the same province, where five men were injured after a quadcopter hit a mosque. Advertisement Advertisement While the Taliban group in Afghanistan claimed to have struck military targets in Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the latest attacks last week, Pakistans military dismissed those assertions as propaganda, describing the drones as rudimentary and locally produced. Al Jazeera reached out to the Pakistani military to seek its views on the latest drone attacks but received no response. Yet, analysts say, irrespective of how the Talibans drones are characterised, these recent incidents point to an increasingly troubling pattern for Pakistan: drones over garrison cities, drones over places of worship, drones over urban centres. The government responded by imposing a nationwide ban on drone flights and briefly restricting airspace over the capital. As much as Pakistan is downplaying these drones, the point is not what level of drone they are; the point is that drones are coming, and they are coming to the capital. That is the central danger, said Abdul Basit, a senior associate fellow at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) in Singapore. For many in Pakistans security circles, the question is no longer whether the drones caused significant damage. It is whether their ability to penetrate deep into the country, at a time when Pakistan has been engaged in an open war with Afghanistan for three weeks, reveals holes in its preparedness against a threat that is increasingly emerging as the future of warfare. A conflict years in the making The escalation with Afghanistan has not occurred out of the blue, analysts point out. By 2025, Pakistan was experiencing one of its deadliest periods in nearly a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Attacks by armed groups were concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, and particularly carried out by the Pakistan Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan insists that the TTP is an ideological ally of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and that the latter has given the Pakistan Taliban shelter and support in attacks on Pakistani soil. The Taliban has rejected Pakistani allegations that it is complicit in the TTP attacks against Pakistan. Even as Islamabad and Kabul traded charges and engaged in occasional border clashes the attacks in Pakistan last year surpassed the total for 2024 well before the year ended, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. Islamabad repeatedly pressed Kabul, both bilaterally and through partners such as China, to act against the TTP and other armed groups, but Afghan authorities denied harbouring anti-Pakistan armed groups on its soil. The first serious escalation between the two neighbours came in October 2025, when they engaged in a week of intense border clashes, the worst since the Talibans return to power in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkiye produced a fragile ceasefire, but core differences remained unresolved. Pakistan continued to demand that Kabul act against the TTP, while the Taliban insisted that it was not to blame for the neighbouring countrys internal security challenges. By February 2026, Islamabad appeared to conclude that diplomacy had run its course. On February 21 and 22, Pakistan launched air strikes on what it described as terrorist camps in Afghanistans Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost provinces, targeting groups linked to TTP and ISIL (ISIS). The Taliban responded with artillery fire across the border, attacking border posts and launching drone attacks into Pakistani territory while Pakistan, relying on its superior air power, continued its aerial campaign. Advertisement Advertisement The fighting has persisted since. Afghan authorities accuse Pakistan of killing dozens of civilians. On March 16, Kabul said a strike hit the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility, with hundreds of people killed in the attack. Pakistan rejected the allegation, calling it false and aimed at misleading public opinion, and said its strikes had precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan said he was dismayed by reports of civilian casualties and urged all parties to respect international law, including the protection of civilian sites. Amid a wider regional conflict that saw the United States and Israel bombarding Iranian cities and Irans retaliatory strikes across the Gulf region, the Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation has drawn less global attention. Advertisement Advertisement Yet analysts say the introduction of drones into the conflict marks a significant shift. This dimension is a paradigmatic shift in conflicts all over the globe, said Iftikhar Firdous, cofounder of The Khorasan Diary, a research and security portal focused on the region. Loitering munitions are cheap, tantalising and effective, a perfect weapon for non-state actors or states with sub-par military equipment to counter and respond to bigger powers, he told Al Jazeera. A new threat in the skies Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state with a standing army of more than 600,000 personnel and one of the largest air forces in the region. A mortar round falls towards a target from a drone, in this still image from a handout video, said to show Pakistani forces conducting a strike on a Taliban post on the Afghan border, in Spin Boldak, October 15, 2025 [Handout/Inter-Services Public Relations via Reuters] Still, the Talibans rudimentary drones managed to force an airspace closure and target locations deep inside Pakistani territory. Advertisement Advertisement This escalation is dangerous in both its horizontal and vertical dimensions, ICPVTRs Basit told Al Jazeera. Horizontally, you are seeing this reach urban centres, Rawalpindi, the capital itself being hit, and hit persistently. Vertically, the threat is now coming from the air, with suicide bombing mechanisms delivered by drones. The drones are not exactly new to Pakistans landscape. The TTP and other armed groups, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been deploying weaponised quadcopters against checkposts, police stations and military convoys since at least 2024. Despite a ban on importing drones, analysts estimate such devices cost between 55,000 and 278,000 Pakistani rupees ($200 to $1,000) and are commercially available in Pakistani markets, sourced mostly from Chinese manufacturers. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations, the militarys media wing, in a news conference in January this year, acknowledged that the country suffered 5,397 terrorist incidents in 2025, of which more than 400, nearly one in 10, involved quadcopter drones. Advertisement Advertisement In December 2025, the Pakistan Taliban announced the formation of its dedicated air force unit, which indicated the groups first official acknowledgement that it possessed drone technology. Peshawar-based Firdous said, perhaps in their current form, these drones do not have the sophistication to cause large-scale damage. Pakistans air defence system can easily tackle them. But as the Taliban and the TTP get their hands on better technology, he said, that situation could change. On the other hand, Muhammad Shoaib, an academic and security analyst at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, said drones are arguably the most effective weapons the Taliban can use against Pakistan. Advertisement Advertisement Their reliance on drones and extensive propaganda based on the footage suggests that the relations between the two sides are likely to deteriorate and violence will increase, he told Al Jazeera. Experts say the use of drones by the Taliban marks a shift from the groups history of using improvised explosive devices in its war against NATO forces to standoff aerial attacks that allow operatives to remain beyond the range of return fire. The parallel with IEDs is instructive, said Basit, who has extensively written and researched on drone warfare. The Taliban relied on rapidly evolving, adapting techniques to fight against American forces during the so-called war on terror. Now these drones are effectively a suicide bomber from the air. The tactical sophistication will keep increasing, and no matter what countermeasures you bring, the sheer volume and variety could exhaust the defence over time, he said. Limits of defence Intercepting these drones is harder than it sounds, say analysts. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistans air defence systems were designed primarily to counter high-altitude threats, such as fighter aircraft and ballistic missiles, particularly from India. Low-flying, slow-moving quadcopters create a different problem. Pakistans current air defence network can counter numbered drone projectiles via soft-kill and hard-kill measures, said Hammad Waleed, a research associate at the Islamabad-based think tank Strategic Vision Institute. He was referring to electronic jamming and signal disruption on the one hand soft-kill tactics and the physical interception or destruction of a drone hard kill measures on the other. But in the case of swarms of drones or overwhelming drone usage, the country will struggle. Traditional air defences were made for fighter jets, mostly in medium- to high-altitude combat. Drones fly at lower altitudes, dodging radar coverage, he told Al Jazeera. Adil Sultan, a former Pakistan air force (PAF) air commodore who has written extensively on emerging technologies in conflict, particularly drones, said there is no foolproof system to intercept all kinds of drones. Drones that are commercially available and hover at slow speeds, and can be launched from anywhere, including from our own territory against certain targets, are particularly difficult, he said. It may be difficult to shoot down every incoming drone, and it is also not a cost-effective strategy, Sultan told Al Jazeera. Recent incidents underline these limitations. In Kohat, police jammed a drones signal, causing it to crash. Falling debris still injured two people. Basit, the Singapore-based scholar, said Pakistan and other militaries needed to prepare for a future where drone attacks would be the norm. This is the new normal, and somewhere along the line, a drone will get through and hit a target. Ukraine and Iran are instructive examples. A drone on its own is low-yield, but the day they combine it with other tactics, a vehicle-borne IED followed by a drone strike simultaneously, the consequences become far more serious. As this becomes more sophisticated, cracks will begin to show, he warned. Russias ongoing four-year war against Ukraine, and now the US-Israel war on Iran, have shown apparently weaker countries putting up strong resistance against significantly larger, more powerful armies by using hundreds of drones to counter their offensive. Expanding threat The Talibans drone attacks came less than a year after Pakistans air defences were tested along its eastern frontier. A man inspects debris at the site of an alleged Indian drone strike in Karachi, Pakistan, in May 2025 [Rehan Khan/EPA] During Indias Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the bigger neighbour deployed Israeli-made drones, specifically HAROP loitering munitions, which Waleed of the Strategic Vision Institute described as a means to map Pakistans air defence network before follow-on missile attacks. We are looking at a complex mosaic of conflict in what we call a triple-stretch in military studies. Iran-Afghanistan on the western flank and India on the eastern, Firdous said. That could really exhaust the resources of Pakistan. In that scenario, civilian targets are usually the last; Pakistans economic and military architecture will face the brunt, he cautioned. Waleed went further in his assessment of the combined threat, presenting an ominous picture of what Pakistans security apparatus could face. If a two-front threat materialises, Pakistan would be better off neutralising the western threat first. Otherwise, you risk India and the Taliban synergising their operations, sleeper cells targeting PAF bases, drone attacks and suicide bombings from the west, while Indias air force exploits a military already stretched thin dealing with multipronged attacks from the other direction, Waleed said. Basit said a simultaneous two-front scenario, while unlikely, is no longer unthinkable. Pakistans air defence architecture is fairly capable, and the military learns from experience, he said. But a two-front war does not suit anybody. The more pressing question Pakistan needs to ask itself is: what exactly is it doing with Afghanistan? What is the rationale, and where does it draw the line? New war dynamics Some analysts believe that Pakistans counter-drone response has been reactive rather than strategic. The response has been reactionary and ad hoc, Waleed said. A proper counter-drone strategy is required that addresses response options in civilian airspace, sets penalties for the sale of off-the-shelf systems to militant groups, and formulates a technical doctrine. And if the trajectory of the threat continues unchecked, the consequences could extend well beyond border skirmishes. If a drone were to strike a senior civilian target, or a high-profile urban installation, the consequences would be severe; it could even become an aviation nightmare, said Basit. The urgency is underscored by what may be coming, Waleed warned. Quadcopters could evolve into kamikaze drones of the kind Iran uses, with the next stage being fast-speed first-person view (FPV) drones along with artificial intelligence-driven drone swarms, he cautioned. State militaries, characterised by traditional war doctrines, have been slow to grasp the lessons of drone warfare, especially from the Ukraine war, he said. As the war between Israel, U.S. and Iran escalates, Texas university students in Qatar are sheltering in place or leaving the country. Last Saturday, 282 students from six U.S. universities living in dorms in Qatar briefly evacuated during an Iranian missile strike. Texas A&M University is one of the six U.S. universities with campuses in Education City, a hub of learning run by a nonprofit, the Qatar Foundation. Education City is typically considered safe due to high security, despite the volatility in the region. Advertisement Advertisement The evacuation may have included students from Texas A&M University, which has had a campus in Qatar since 2003. The TAMU Board of Regents voted to close the campus in 2024 to center learning in the United States and Texas, but the closure wont go into effect until 2028 due to contractual obligations. Spokesperson Tim Eaton said 330 Texas A&M University students study at its Qatar campus, but its unlikely any Texas A&M students were involved in the evacuation. He said 90% of the Texas-based schools students are residents of Qatar or Qatari nationals, making it unlikely they were part of Saturdays evacuation. Amid the fighting, 10 Texas A&M students chose to leave the country voluntarily and continue their studies remotely. Two-thirds of faculty and staff have also left Qatar temporarily, Eaton said. Since the U.S. and Israel forces targeted and killed Irans leader Feb. 28, the conflict has spread to at least a dozen countries, including Qatar, Al Jazeera has reported. Education City shut down all events until further notice and switched to remote online learning. Advertisement Advertisement Eaton said Texas A&M University at Qatar will be remote at least until April 5. The semester ends the last week of April. Most students who chose to relocate temporarily have either returned to their home country or are staying with family in a third country, Eaton said. There has been no change to the academic calendar, and students are attending classes online. Students in dorms had been sheltering in place for almost three weeks since the conflict began. Some left the dorms just before 2 a.m. on Saturday amid threats of an attack. The Qatar Ministry of Defense said it intercepted a missile that night, and the students returned to campus later the same day, Inside Higher Ed reported. Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, a Qatari official told media that its early warning system had successfully protected residents, and that shrapnel from the missile was reported at 600 sites, according to Al Jazeera. Classes suspended When the conflict broke out, the U.S. Department of State warned Americans to be alert or leave 14 countries potentially affected by the conflict, including Qatar. But thousands of flights were cancelled, preventing many from fleeing. Southern Methodist University cancelled a program for graduate business students in Dubai after the war began, and the Dallas-based university confirmed that the students and staff have safely returned back to campus after a week away. Three Texas A&M University College Station students were studying abroad in Qatar, Eaton said. Two were out of the country when the war began, and one sheltered in place until eventually leaving Qatar, Eaton said. Advertisement Advertisement Texas A&Ms Qatar campus suspended classes a day after the conflict began and shifted to remote operations on March 2. The U.S. Embassy advised Americans to shelter in place, and Texas A&M shared that guidance and emergency updates with its students throughout the week. As of Tuesday, the embassy is still asking Americans to shelter in place and consider taking available commercial flights out of the region. Texas A&M Interim President Tommy Williams told campus in an email March 5 that the university is closely tracking developments in the region as the university works to evacuate students. In line with Embassy recommendations, we are making preparations to support their safe evacuation as soon as it becomes possible, Williams wrote. He also shared mental health resources with students. In a message immediately after the conflict began, he said he is praying for stability in the region and promises the university will continue to stand with you and support you in every way we can. MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - Telegram messaging app is still not complying with Russian laws, the state communications regulator Roskomnadzor said on Wednesday, according to staterun news agency RIA. Russian authorities have repeatedly accused Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in Russia, of allowing itself to be used as a platform for illegal and extremist content. Telegram rejects the charges and has accused Russia of trying to throttle its services in order to force people to switch to a state-run app called MAX. (Reporting by ReutersWriting by Maxim Rodionov; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Former Washington State congressional candidate Joe Kent has resigned as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. In a social media post on Tuesday, Kent said he cannot in good conscience support the presidents war against Iran. It comes as a shock, as Kent was one of the presidents biggest supporters. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Eye on Northwest Politics Kent is a decorated former Green Beret and CIA operative whose military wife, Shannon, was killed in 2019 while serving in Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Kent lost twice to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Southwest Washingtons 3rd congressional district in 2022 and 2024. He was appointed as director of the National Counterterrorism Center last summer. He was a close advisor to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, but he was consistently against involvement in Middle Eastern wars. While posting his resignation letter on X, he stated, Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Kents full letter to the president can be read below. President Trump had this reaction to Kents resignation: Advertisement Advertisement I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. When I read his statement, I realized that its a good thing that hes out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it. Sen. Ron Wyden reacted to Kents resignation, posting that even the most inept people in this administration can see that Donald Trump has no plan to get us out of this war in Iran. That should terrify every American. Sen. Patty Murray added, Good riddance to Joe Kent, a disgraceful white supremacist, but thats a major public admission that there was NO justification for this war. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson said, I dont know where Joe Kent is getting his information, but he wasnt in those briefings. Clearly. Advertisement Advertisement However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Italian wine exports declined in 2025, heavily impacted by US tariffs and the resulting dollar devaluation, new data suggests. Export value reached 7.78bn ($8.9bn )last year, down 3.7% from 2024, according to findings from the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) Observatory, using data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). Volumes slipped 1.9% to 21 million hectolitres. Italian wine exports to the US shrank 9.2% in value terms to 1.76bn, losing 178m and driving nearly 60% of the overall deficit, according to the UIV's analysis. The 'wake-up call' provided by the tariffs obliges us to put our own house in order and, at the same time, broaden our horizons to third-party markets, through commercial activism, a managerial approach, and strategic collaboration with institutions," Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of the UIV, said. Export value of Italian wine in non-EU markets fell 6.4% overall to 4.6bn, while EU markets remained steady at 0.5%, nearing 3.2bn. Among the top non-EU buyers, only Brazil reported growth, with value rising 3.8%. Declines hit the UK, Canada, Switzerland, and Russia. In the EU, export value in Germany stayed flat, while it grew 3.6% in France and 5.6% in the Netherlands. Paolo Castelletti, the secretary general at UIV, said: "The difficulties encountered in third-party countries in the second half of the year are unprecedented. "In the US, in particular, there was a decline of nearly 23% in the period [export value], with peaks of 28% for bottled still red wines, in addition to a 10.8% average price drop. Regionally, Italy's leading producers - Veneto, Tuscany, and Piedmont - saw export value drop by 1.2%, 2%, and 2.2%, respectively. Sparkling wines performed relatively better in value terms, down 2.5% to 2.3bn, versus still and semi-sparkling wines which saw value decline 4.3% in the period to 5bn. "US tariffs dent Italy wine exports" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The Republican primary runoff in Texas' Senate race will continue, with the deadline for a candidate to drop out passing Tuesday as President Donald Trump weighs backing Sen. John Cornyn or state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Trump had teased an endorsement after the March 3 primary and called on the candidate he did not endorse to drop out and prevent a primary runoff election on May 26. He wrote on Truth Social on March 4 that the GOP contest cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW! Trump had seemed ready to back Cornyn after he was the top vote-getter in the first round of the primary, outperforming Paxton 42%-41%. But so far Trump has not backed a candidate. Republican candidates had until 5 p.m. local time Tuesday to withdraw and cancel the runoff, making the remaining candidate the partys nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Neither Cornyn nor Paxton withdrew, according to their campaigns. A candidate could still say he is dropping out before the May runoff, but his name would remain on the runoff ballot. Trump has tied his endorsement to the fate of a bill to overhaul the countrys voting laws, known as the SAVE America Act. A lot has to do with the SAVE America Act. A lot is going to determine Republicans have to get that passed, because that will secure voting in this country, Trump told NBC News in an interview last weekend, adding that he could decide on an endorsement in the race in the coming days. Paxton said he would consider dropping out if Senate leadership agreed to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to end debate on legislation, known as the filibuster, and pass the SAVE America Act. Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn, who had been a staunch proponent of the filibuster, reversed course last week and said he would back whatever changes to Senate rules that may prove necessary to pass the measure. The Senate began debating the SAVE America Act on Tuesday. And Paxton said in a statement that Cornyn should be held responsible if it does not pass. If the Save America Act fails, it will be because John Cornyn refused to truly fight to get it done, Paxton said. Hes campaigned on being Mr. Effective in the Swamp, and its time for him to put his money where his mouth is. Meanwhile, the jockeying for Trumps endorsement has continued. Advertisement Advertisement Lone Star Liberty PAC, a super PAC backing Paxton, launched a TV ad in the West Palm Beach media market over the weekend while Trump was in Florida, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The spot highlights Cornyns past criticism of Trump, including when he suggested Trump was not the most electable presidential candidate in 2024. The ad also includes Cornyns praise for some officials who have drawn Trumps ire, like former FBI Director James Comey. Cornyns campaign has also started to attack Paxton on the airwaves, launching a TV ad highlighting the allegations of bribery and corruption that led to Paxtons impeachment in 2023. The state Senate ultimately acquitted him. The ad also notes that Paxtons wife is divorcing him on biblical grounds. Cornyn and his allies have long argued that Paxtons controversies would put the seat at risk in November. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico won his partys primary in March and will face the Republican nominee in November. Advertisement Advertisement Trump dismissed concerns about Paxtons electability in the recent interview with NBC News. No, I think they both win, Trump said, describing Talarico as so weak. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com BANGKOK, March 18 (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court on Wednesday accepted for consideration a petition challenging the legality of election ballots used in last month's polls. The Election Commission has been given 15 days to provide clarification, the court said in a statement. It did not specify any other orders, meaning Thursday's planned vote by the new parliament on a prime minister would go ahead. The complaints alleged that barcodes and QR codes on the ballots could potentially be used to identify which candidate and party a voter had chosen, undermining the secrecy of the ballot, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the petition. Advertisement Advertisement The commission has said the barcodes were included for security purposes and that identifying a voter would require access to the upper half of the ballots, which had been securely stored. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party had a decisive win in February's election and he plans to form a coalition government that would control 290 of the 499 seats currently occupied in the new parliament. (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty) NBC News senior politics reporter Johnathan Allen spoke to President Donald Trump supporters in Pennsylvania and found some willing to pay more at the pump during the war with Iran, while others were calling it quits with Trump. In a Tuesday report from Millersburg, Pennsylvania, Allen spoke to multiple voters who have supported the president at the pump as they are facing an uptick in gas prices amid the ongoing Iran conflict. According to AAA, the national average for gas sits around $3.80 compared to just below $3 a month ago. Trump and Israel launched strikes against Iran late last month. Pennsylvania resident Mike Purcell told Allen called Trumps strikes on Iran a great decision and said hes willing to pay a little more at the pump. Advertisement Advertisement Fellow resident Jim Matter echoed the sentiment. In the long run, its going to help us out, because if they get nuclear weapons, you know, we might not even be here in a couple of years. I think that [Trumps] done a good job, he said. Kim Schaffner said she was also willing to pay more for gas if it meant keeping the country safe. She added that she expects gas prices to eventually go down. Allen noted that most of the people he spoke to were supportive of the war, but some were far from pleased. He then played a lively critic who voted for the president three times and complained about both rising gas prices and the Iran war. Advertisement Advertisement If you could say something to President Trump and he was going to hear you right now, what would it be? Allen asked resident Amanda Robbins. You are a worthless pile of s**t, she said. And you voted for him how many times? Allen asked. Three times. That was my bad. Apparently, Im an idiot! Robbins declared. Watch above via NBC News. The post Three-Time Trump Voter Goes Off About Gas Prices and Worthless Pile of Sh*t Trump: Apparently, Im An Idiot! first appeared on Mediaite. (The Center Square) Tom Tiffany is not telling former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson not to run again, but he is making it clear that this is his year. As we saw with all the people who are supporting me, broad and deep is the support across the state of Wisconsin. There is one person that can take us to win the governorship in 2026, and that is Tom Tiffany, Tiffany said during an interview Wednesday on News Talk 1130 WISN. I am the person, and this is the time for Tom Tiffany. Reports started making the rounds this week that Thompson, who was elected as governor four times in the 1980s and 1990s, is looking to run again this week. Tiffany said he hasnt heard anything official, but hes heard the rumors as well. Advertisement Advertisement Its up to Tommy Thompson, what hes going to do, Tiffany added. I never say to anybody You should or shouldnt do whatever.. Tiffany has President Donald Trumps endorsement, and said he has support and/or endorsements from across the state as well. The endorsement from Trump was enough to clear the field for Tiffany back in January. After President Trumps endorsement, the next day Josh Schoeman who was the first in the governor race, very graciously called me, Tiffany explained. He said I see the handwriting on the wall, and I want to support you because the most important thing is to win the governorship,. Many Republicans in Wisconsin say a Thompson campaign would sap time and money that could be spent campaigning against Democrats. Seven Democrats are running to replace Gov. Tony Evers this year. Tiffany, is so far, the only Republican. If there is a Republican primary, voters will make their choice in August. Tim Hortons is recalling thousands of colourchanging ceramic mugs sold to Canadian customers over safety concerns. Health Canada, the federal department responsible for national health policy, has cautioned that the mug could crack or break when filled with hot liquids, posing a burn risk to users. The department added that, as of 10 March 2026, Tim Hortons recorded 28 incident reports in Canada related to the product, including one reported burn injury. Advertisement Advertisement Health Canada has instructed customers not to use the mug subject to the recall and return it to a Tim Hortons restaurant location by 22 April 2026 for a complete refund. The recall applies to a 16oz white ceramic mug featuring a doughnut image on both sides. The interior and handle of the mug are pink. It features a chocolate-dip doughnut decal on the outside that changes colour when warm liquid is added, revealing one of four designs: Vanilla Dip, Honey Cruller, Maple Butter Glaze, and Honey Dip. Tim Hortons offered the mug for sale in its restaurants and through its online store. The company reported that 25,040 units were sold in Canada between January and February 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Health Canadas information indicates that the mugs were produced in China by Anbo Home Goods (Shenzen) Co. and brought into Canada by Umbra. Tim Hortons is a Canada-based coffee and quick-service restaurant brand, with headquarters in Toronto. The company opened its first restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964. Last September, Tim Hortons introduced a new range of protein drinks across its Canadian locations. The beverages were claimed to have been produced using lactose-free, high-protein dairy. "Tim Hortons recalls colourchanging mugs in Canada over burn hazard" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. Mar. 17One of Spokane's most iconic events, Pig Out in the Park, has come to an end after 44 years. It was just "the right time" to call it quits, the event's founder, Bill Burke, told The Spokesman-Review Tuesday. "I am going to be 75 this year. I have three grandkids in Phoenix that I need to see," Burke said. "But I will miss everything about it. It's time." Advertisement Advertisement Burke started the event in 1979 after seeing food festivals and music festivals gain popularity across the country. He thought "Why not marry the two together, with free admission?" Initially, Burke found a small 4-foot-8 stage leftover from Expo '74 and borrowed it from Riverfront Park. Then the event grew. Every year dozens of local and out-of-state vendors post up in the park, ready to sell their unique food and beverages. Throughout the years, people living as far away as Florida and New York have traveled to Spokane to experience Pig Out in the Park for themselves, Burke said. The event saw nearly 4 million people attend throughout the years. When Pig Out in the Park began, it cost around $36,000, Burke said. As the event gained more traction over time, sponsorships grew and the need for security and insurance increased, with operation costs reaching $560,000. That doesn't hold much weight for Burke, though. He wanted to end the event "on a high note," he said. The board of Six Bridges Arts Association, the event's nonprofit that helps fund Pig Out in the Park, also agreed with Burke that it was the right time. Advertisement Advertisement "When you do something for 44 years, you meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends," Burke said. "I have seen people's kids grow up and go off to college. Some come back and they are doctors and attorneys. It's been rewarding that way." Burke's involvement isn't completely off the table, he said. If another organization wanted to take Pig Out in the Park over, he would gladly help them. "I want to thank everyone for all the support we have had," Burke said. "It was a favorite. A lot of people don't know it was just one guy who was running the whole thing. We made a lot of friends for us and the city of Spokane." Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown told The Spokesman-Review in a statement that Pig Out in the Park was a staple event for families, who have made memories there in the last few decades. "I want to thank Bill for the good food and good music," Brown said, "And I wish him well with his future plans." New boss, same as the old boss. When America entered World War I, Twin Cities business leaders rushed a bill through the Legislature to create the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety, granting it unlimited power to govern the state for the duration of the war. (Public domain photo, via Minnesota History Center) How do democratic countries fall prey to authoritarian demagogues? Although every case is unique, politicians seeking to subvert democratic rule often follow a similar playbook. They create fear by talking about a catastrophe facing society, fostered by internal enemies, who happen to be their political adversaries. Often, they claim these opponents are in cahoots with foreigners. They demand unquestioning unity in the face of this supposed threat. They dehumanize their opponents, which justifies efforts to imprison or expel them. They organize a powerful political police force that operates beyond the law. Violence is justified as preemptive self-defense. Trump follows the authoritarian playbook. His constant theme is crisis, the result of an invasion of immigrants poisoning the blood of our country. This is happening, he claims, because of radical left lunatics who he wants to beat the hell out of. He has imposed a vice grip of loyalty on the Republican Party, and seeks to do the same with the military, the courts and federal agencies. He continually demeans immigrants, including those who are citizens, as when he called Somali Americans and Rep. Ilhan Omar garbage. He has built Immigration and Customs Enforcement into a paramilitary force with a budget larger than what most countries spend on their militaries. ICE is building a national archipelago of internment camps. Acting lawlessly, its agents have run amok in Minnesota. Right on cue, Trump justified the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as self-defense. Advertisement Advertisement As Minnesotans organize against this, we should recall our own breakdown of democracy during World War I, which closely followed the authoritarian playbook. How Minnesotans fought back is also instructive. As the United States declared war on Germany in April, 1917, Twin Cities business leaders rushed a bill through the Legislature to create the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety, granting it unlimited power to govern the state for the duration of the war. The commissioners, including Gov. Joseph Burnquist, the attorney general and five appointees mostly conservative businessmen were charged with overseeing Minnesotas mobilization for war. But they were also interested in forging weapons they could use against trade unions and organized farmers. Thats because three events in 1916 had shaken them. A miners strike on the Iron Range broken with brutal violence signaled a rise in labor militancy. The Nonpartisan League, an organization of farmers who sought to counter the grain and banking oligarchs by establishing state run elevators and a state bank, had swept the elections in North Dakota. Finally, a socialist had become mayor of Minneapolis. The new commission turned Minnesota into what historians have called a dictatorship. Following the authoritarian playbook, the commission argued that the war in Europe was an existential crisis for the United States. If Germany was not crushed, democracy would die. Winning the war required 100% loyalty from everyone. John McGee, a conservative lawyer who became the de facto leader of the commission, bluntly stated that all Nonpartisan League organizers were traitors who should be summarily executed. Testifying in Congress, he declared that where we made our mistake was in not establishing a firing squad in the first days of the war. Advertisement Advertisement The commission recruited a Home Guard composed of business and professional men to enforce its orders. It grew to 21 battalions around the state. The commission also had the support of the American Protective League, a nation-wide organization of amateur detectives. Remarkably, the Justice Department sanctioned these vigilantes, gave them badges, and set them free to open mail, break up meetings and harass dissenters. The Minneapolis branch, which claimed 250 sleuths, had an office in the federal building. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If there had been a referendum, Minnesotans would have voted against war on Germany. However, once Congress acted, most actively supported the war, or at least acquiesced to a reality they couldnt change. With few exceptions, Minnesotans accepted conscription and bought Liberty Bonds. This was true even among German immigrants, for whom the war against their former homeland, and their kin, was anguishing. Nevertheless, the nativist backlash already growing before the war escalated, targeting German Americans in particular. The commission insisted that the Nonpartisan League was disloyal even though the league publicly supported the war and urged members to buy Liberty Bonds. The league did argue that if it was acceptable to conscript men to fight in Europe, then wealth should be conscripted to fund the war effort. To farmers and workers this was common sense; to the business community, it proved that the NPL was socialist. Advertisement Advertisement As with farmers, so with workers. In December 1917, employees of the Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company, the private company that owned the entire streetcar system, went on strike seeking union recognition. The commission actively backed the company and mobilized the Home Guard to keep the streetcars running. When the federal government tried to mediate the strike, McGee was livid, fearing that the company might have to negotiate with the union. The strike, he argued, was organized by socialists who ought to be in jail and about whose disloyalty there can be no doubt in the minds of all red-blooded Americans in this state. Minnesotas home-front battles climaxed in June 1918 when the NPL nominated Charles A. Lindbergh to challenge Burnquist in the Republican primary for governor. Lindbergh, whose son later won fame by flying across the Atlantic, was a Little Falls lawyer who had represented the 6th District in Congress for five terms. While in office, Lindbergh had waged a determined battle against Wall Street to democratize the banking system and lessen economic inequality. Burnquists campaign followed the authoritarian playbook. He warned Minnesotans this was their last chance to save the state from disloyal internal enemies, that is, the NPL, which he implausibly claimed was allied with both the Kaiser and international socialism. A vote for Lindbergh, in other words, was treason. He linked the NPLs alleged disloyalty to the fact that many of its members were immigrants who he claimed refused to Americanize. At a campaign stop in Austin, he argued that if an immigrant is disloyal, he should be deprived of the franchise, have his property confiscated, and be deported. The Home Guard kept busy, appearing as an honor guard at Burnquists campaign stops and blocking the NPL from campaigning around the state. When a NPL car caravan tried to stop in Red Wing for a rally, the Home Guard, with bayonets drawn, barred their way. A week before the election, a county attorney arrested Lindbergh for sedition a political stunt intended to brand him as a pro-German Bolshevik. Advertisement Advertisement Burnquist won the primary, but Lindbergh received 43% of the vote and won 30 rural counties. Many farmers did not buy the treason talk and supported the NPL. In the Twin Cities, Lindbergh carried working-class wards, as many recognized that the NPL candidate was their ally against big business and the tyrannical commission. Five months later, the war ended and with it the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety. We will never know how violent these home front struggles might have become if the war had lasted longer. The only fatality was the Finnish immigrant Olli Kinkkonen, who was kidnapped by the Knights of Loyalty in Duluth. His body, covered with tar and feathers, was found a week later. There was a noose around his neck and his feet were on the ground. The coroner ruled his death a suicide, but even if that was true, the reactionary vigilantes were responsible. The NPL and unions could mount a spirited fight because they were strong organizations defending the material interests of large segments of society. The trade unions fought tenaciously to unionize the streetcar monopoly, and even mounted a brief general strike. The Nonpartisan League enrolled 50,000 Minnesota farmers and mounted a powerful electoral campaign based on the anti-oligarchy ideology of prairie populism (the opposite of Trumps phony populism, which aids and protects billionaires as they seek to capture ever more wealth). The repressive rule of the wartime commission brought the Nonpartisan League and the Twin Cities trade unions together. Farmers learned that it was in their interest to support union demands, and workers learned that supporting farmers was crucial to union success. In a few years, this alliance blossomed into the Farmer Labor Party, which was strong enough to send two senators to Washington in the 1920s and win the elections for governor through most of the 1930s. Hopefully, the inspiring mass mobilization against ICE will lead to something similar: A grassroots movement, at least as broad, which opposes oligarchy and policies coddling billionaires and supports programs benefiting the rest of us, like raising the minimum wage; making forming a union easier; expanding Social Security; guaranteeing health care as a human right; and tackling climate change. A movement focused on the material needs of the majority can provide a solid foundation for countering authoritarianism and creating a true democracy. Senators defied objections from Tennessees Correction Department and gave unanimous approval to a bill equipping prison guards in Tennessees largest, most notoriously violent prison with body-worn cameras in an effort to keep guards and prisoners safe. Senate Bill 1820 passed the Senate State and Local Government Committee with bipartisan support on March 17, despite stringent opposition from the Department of Correction. Less than 24 hours before the committee vote, TDOC put a $400,000 fiscal note on the bill, a move bill sponsor Sen. Tom Hatcher, R-Maryville, saw as an effort to kill the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement My office has been told multiple times that the Commissioner does not want any oversight, and thats why I believe he put the fiscal note on this bill, Hatcher told the committee, adding that he has sought input from the TDOC several times but Commissioner Frank Strada has never met with him. It is my belief that the department is trying to kill this bill because they do not want oversight, Hatcher said. Strada and his agency have publicly voiced strong opposition to the cameras, citing concern over implementation and maintenance costs, and pointing to stationary camera systems already in prison facilities. Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada speaks to the media after the execution of Harold Wayne Nichols at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. Nichols was found guilty of raping and murdering Karen Pulley in 1988. If approved, Tennessees private prison contractor CoreCivic has agreed to front the costs of a body-worn camera pilot program at Trousdale. Advertisement Advertisement During a hearing in January, Strada said he's not against "more accountability and transparency, but he feels body-worn cameras are focused on after-action enforcement, and his goal is to prevent issues before they happen. TDOC facilities already have fixed camera systems in place, but prosecutors say there is no substitute for body-worn cameras to give credibility to officer testimony, and offer transparency and accountability to both inmates and guards. Still images of security camera footage from inside Trousdale Turner Correctional Center shared by District Attorney Jason Lawson during the Corrections Subcommittee hearing on Jan. 8, 2026, depict two inmates allegedly attacking a Trousdale guard with sharpened pens in a cell doorway on Aug. 18, 2022. Because of the camera distance, Lawson said, the images are not effective for prosecuting in-prison crime. Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, indicated during the hearing that fixed cameras were unable to provide sufficient evidence in a recent crime. We have had a murder recently of one of our guards at Morgan Penitentiary, and it wasnt clear even from the cameras that were available who all the guilty parties are, Briggs said. Advertisement Advertisement District Attorney Jason Lawson, whose district includes Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, told lawmakers earlier this year that prosecutors need better evidence, like that body-worn cameras can provide, to ensure in-prison crimes are brought to justice. Local prosecutors have said they are "drowning" in crime cases committed inside Tennessee's largest prison. Lawson's office has prosecuted more than 204 prison offenses committed inside Trousdale since 2021, despite insufficient resources and policies that prevent evidence gathering. The bill passed a first House committee vote on March 18. Prison Family Advisory Board bill goes to Senate vote A bill to create an autonomous Family Advisory Board, aimed at fixing the communication crisis for inmates families, is headed for a full Senate vote. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 2531, also by Hatcher, is championed by Tim Leeper of Lebanon, whose 25-year-old son, Kylan, died in a Tennessee prison run by CoreCivic. Senate State and Local Government Committee members approved it on March 17, and it now goes to the full Senate. If passed, the nine-member board would facilitate communication between TDOC and family members of inmates, strengthen family reunification efforts and provide families feedback to TDOC. Tennessees prison inmate death rate is more than twice the national average. Every 2.19 days, an inmate dies in a TDOC prison. Widespread verified reports of gang violence, extortion and death inside Tennessees state prison system including four facilities run by for-profit private prison operator CoreCivic have continued for years without substantive change in the states oversight system. Members of the Senate State and Local Corrections Subcommittee hear testimony from Tennessee Correction Commissioner Frank Strada during a hearing at the Cordell Hull State Legislative Office Building on Oct. 1, 2025. Sen. Ed Jackson, R-Jackson, said he routinely gets phone calls from relatives with incarcerated loved ones, concerned for their safety. Advertisement Advertisement So many times they are having to give money into an account to keep a loved one from being harmed when they are inside a facility. Sometimes it comes to thousands of dollars, Jackson said. Its horrible whats going on there. Another Hatcher bill that would enable prison staff to dismantle drones flown over prisons and jails is moving in the Senate and scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on March 18. Drones are often used to smuggle cell phones, drugs and other contraband into prisons. Strada told reporters last year the agency has no authority under federal law to take down unauthorized drones flown over the facilities. Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her atvjones@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Prison guard body cameras, family advisory board pass key TN votes Vena Group has finalised a long-term agreement worth A$200m ($141.7m) with InCommodities, a Danish energy trading company, for the Bellambi Heights battery energy storage system (BESS) in central-west New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The revenue share agreement involves InCommodities providing revenue certainty for Vena Group's development of a 204MW BESS. This initiative aims to bolster grid stability as renewable energy generation expands throughout NSW. The construction of the battery is advancing, with plans for initial energisation by late 2026 and full commercial operations by mid-2027. When operational, the Bellambi Heights BESS will utilise surplus solar power generated during the day, discharging electricity during peak demand periods to power approximately 280,000 homes for around two and a half hours. Positioned in a region with considerable existing and planned solar generation, the project will offer essential firming capacity to the grid. Vena Energy Australia head Owen Sela said: We are pleased to be working with InCommodities on this long-term partnership. This agreement represents a significant vote of confidence in Australia's clean energy transition and demonstrates the crucial role that international investment plays in building the grid infrastructure we need for the future. The Bellambi Heights BESS will provide critical grid stability in NSW, helping to balance supply and demand as renewable generation continues to scale across the region. Projects like this are essential to ensuring we can integrate more renewable energy into the network while maintaining the reliability that households and businesses depend on. Since 2024, InCommodities has prioritised long-term power purchase agreements to support renewable generation growth and firming assets in Australia. The company draws on its experience from European power markets, which are known for their high renewable energy presence and volatility. Large-scale batteries and long-term offtake structures are crucial for maintaining grid stability in these markets. InCommodities Australia and New Zealand power trading head Andrew Koscharsky said: This deal with Vena Group brings InCommodities' total Australian investment commitment to nearly $500m and reflects our long-term commitment to the Australian energy market. Since entering Australia in 2024, we have focused on providing bankable offtake and risk-management solutions across nearly 700MW of solar, wind and battery assets. Announcing this agreement during the Danish State Visit underscores the growing alignment between Australia and Denmark on renewable investment and critical grid infrastructure. A U.S. Army general who ran Americas Ukraine aid mission left classified documents on a train and drank himself into a concussion, a Pentagon watchdog report has found. Major General Antonio A. Aguto Jr., 59, a retired Army two-star, headed up the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U)based out of Wiesbaden, Germanyfrom December 2022 until August 2024, which coordinated and oversaw U.S. military assistance to Ukrainian forces fighting Russias invasion. In June 2024, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General opened an investigation after three anonymous complaints alleged that Aguto had violated multiple military regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Among the most damaging findings was that he directed his staff to carry SECRET-classified maps in an unsecured, black, cylindrical plastic tube across international borders without proper courier authorization. The party traveled from Wiesbaden to Kyiv on March 24, 2024, for a security assistance mission, then boarded a U.S. Department of State-chartered train for the return trip on April 3. When the group arrived back in Germany, the tube was nowhere to be found. Ukrainian train security staff located it and returned it to the U.S. Embassy within 45 minutesbut by then, the documents had been outside American control for more than 24 hours. Investigators found the documents had not been compromised. When the Embassys Regional Security Officer sought confirmation that Aguto would accept responsibility, he told staff, Absolutely. I take full responsibility. Aguto told investigators he had not known of the requirement under Ambassador Bridget Brinks 2022 security directive that all classified material crossing international boundaries must travel exclusively with diplomatic couriers. / U.S. Army The alcohol findings were no less serious. On May 13, 2024, Aguto attended a dinner at a restaurant in Kyiv that ran for nearly six hours. He and his dining companions drank from two bottles of Chachaa Georgian spirit with an alcohol content of 40 to 50 percent. Advertisement Advertisement This was violation of U.S. European Commands General Order No. 1, which limits personnel on temporary duty in Ukraine to two alcoholic beverages in any 24-hour period. Witnesses told investigators he was visibly intoxicated on leaving the restaurant. Aguto himself acknowledged he had been at some level of intoxicated. Back at his Kyiv hotelthe HiltonAguto lost his footing and fell backward, striking the back of his head against the wall. He fell at least twice moreonce again overnight in his room and a third time the following morning outside the U.S. Embassy, where he hit the concrete sidewalk, tore his jacket at the elbow, and struck his jaw on the ground. The front page of the report into Aguto Jr.'s conduct in Ukraine. / DODIG Despite repeated pleas from his staff to stand down, he pushed through both a high-level meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and an afternoon session with Ukrainian military commanders. Advertisement Advertisement Ambassador Brink, who was present at the Blinken meeting, told investigators that Aguto arrived late, his jacket ripped, with a large red mark on his forehead, and the smell of alcohol on him. The ambassador passed the Defense Attache a note asking what was wrong with Aguto, who replied in writing that Aguto appeared to have suffered a serious fall and possibly a concussion. By mid-afternoon, a Kyiv hospital confirmed it. He was later assessed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany and placed on light duty for one week. Investigators found that Agutos incapacitation on May 14 was caused by the concussion but determined by a preponderance of the evidence that the concussion itself had been triggered by his drinking the previous evening. The Inspector General of the Department of Defense released damning findings about Aguto Jr.'s conduct in Ukraine. / DODIG Aguto pushed back, telling investigators he had received verbal authorization from a senior officer to drink during official visits to Kyiv and disputing that the first fall in his hotel was caused by intoxication. Advertisement Advertisement He cited documented medical conditions that sometimes made him unsteady on his feet and noted that he takes a prescribed medication that can cause dizziness. Investigators rejected the authorization defense, finding it fell short of the formal waiver required under military regulations and had never been logged with the U.S. European Command Joint Operations Center. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives, with attacks from Russia still relentless four years into the war. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images The report also flagged two further potential security violations: an allegation that Aguto discussed top-secret material at an open-air event in July 2024 and a separate claim from his first Kyiv trip in December 2023 that he accessed classified materials while sheltering from an air raid. Both were referred to the EUCOM Special Security Office for further investigation. A claim that Aguto slapped a staff member across the face at a birthday partyremarking, per a witness, that he did not need to be playing a drinking game to do itwas referred to the Army Criminal Investigation Division. An allegation of counterproductive leadership was not substantiated. Advertisement Advertisement The DoD OIG recommended that the Secretary of the Army take appropriate action against Aguto in light of the substantiated misconduct. The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and the Department of the Army for comment. A representative for Major General Aguto could not be immediately reached. We are aware of the substantiated allegations from the Department of Defense Inspector General regarding Major Gen. (retired) Tony Aguto. Consistent with Army policies, the matter is under review for action, as appropriate, an Army spokesperson said in a statement. Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and saying he cannot in good conscience back the Trump administrations war. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby, Kent said in a statement posted on social media, making claims President Donald Trump has denied. Kent, a former Green Beret and political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. Advertisement Advertisement His resignation demonstrates that the unease about the war within Trumps base extends to at least one senior member of his Republican administration. The leadership change comes at a time of heightened concern about terrorism following several recent violent attacks in the U.S. Justification for Iran strikes at heart of resignation Kents decision came down to the reasoning behind the strikes on Iran, he wrote in his resignation letter. Trump has offered shifting reasons for the strikes and has pushed back on claims that Israel forced the U.S. to act. House Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested the White House believed Israel was determined to strike on its own, leaving the Republican president with a very difficult decision. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said he always thought Kent was weak on security and if someone in his administration did not believe Iran was a threat, we dont want those people. Theyre not smart people, or theyre not savvy people, Trump said. Iran was a tremendous threat. A year ago, in nominating Kent, Trump praised him as a man who had hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, whose office oversaw Kents work, wrote in a social media post Tuesday that it was up to Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat. Advertisement Advertisement After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion, Gabbard wrote in the post. She did not mention her own views of the strikes. Democrats strongly opposed Kents confirmation because of his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. But following his resignation, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Kents concerns about the war in Iran were justified. I strongly disagree with many of the positions he has espoused over the years, particularly those that risk politicizing our intelligence community, Warner said. But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice in the Middle East. Johnson, though, pushed back on Kents claims at a press conference on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement I got all the briefings. We all understood that there was clearly an imminent threat that Iran was very close to the enrichment of nuclear capability and they were building missiles at a pace no one in the region could keep up with, Johnson said. Johnson said he is convinced that if Trump had waited we would have mass casualties of Americans, service members and others, and our installation would have been dramatically damaged. Departure follows three recent acts of violence In New York City, two men who federal authorities say were inspired by the Islamic State group took powerful homemade bombs to a far-right protest outside the mayoral mansion. In Michigan, a naturalized citizen from Lebanon rammed his vehicle into a synagogue, where he was shot at by security before he fatally shot himself. Advertisement Advertisement And in Virginia, a man previously imprisoned on a terrorism conviction opened fire in a university classroom. Officials said the attack ended when he was killed by students. Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel are scheduled to testify before lawmakers this week about threats facing the U.S., an annual hearing likely to be dominated this year by questions about the Iran war and the revelation that outdated intelligence likely led to the U.S. firing a missile that hit an elementary school in Iran and killed more than 165 people. A veteran and former congresswoman from Hawaii, Gabbard has previously criticized talk of military strikes in Iran. Six years ago she said that an all out war with Iran would make the wars that weve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic. It will be far more costly in lives, American lives, and American taxpayer dollars and all towards accomplishing what goal? What objective? A spokesperson for Gabbard declined to answer questions about Gabbards views on the current strikes. A popular figure among Trump supporters Kents military background and his personal story of sacrifice made him a compelling figure among Trump supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Before joining Trumps administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. As a Green Beret, he saw combat in 11 deployments before retiring to join the CIA. He also endured tragedy: His wife, a Navy cryptologist, was killed by a suicide bomber in 2019 in Syria, leaving him with two young sons. Kent, 45, has since remarried. During the United States chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Kent criticized what he said was a misguided desire for nation building by some in Washington, D.C. It speaks to our hubris, Kent told reporters while campaigning for Congress. For us not to have learned from all this just shows that there are people making money and making their careers at the other end of it. Theyve been doing it on the backs and dead bodies of U.S. soldiers. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures. Advertisement Advertisement Early during his first campaign, Kent acknowledged that a political consultant set up a call intended to broaden his social media reach that was joined by Nick Fuentes, a popular right-wing influencer who has said that Jews are holding the U.S. hostage and once proclaimed that Hitler was awesome, Hitler was right. Kent later disavowed those ties and stated that he rejected all racism and bigotry. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. Republicans praised Kents counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chair of the Intelligence Committee, said in a floor speech that Kent had dedicated his career to fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and saying he cannot in good conscience back the war. Kent, a former political candidate, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats. His resignation reflects unease within US President Donald Trumps base about the war and shows that questions about the justification for the use of force in Iran extend to at least one senior member of Trump's Republican administration. Advertisement Advertisement The change in personnel at one of the nation's top counterterrorism offices comes amid heightened concerns about terrorism in the homeland following attacks within the past week at a Michigan synagogue and a Virginia university. Justification for Iran strikes at heart of resignation Kent's decision to resign came down to the reasoning behind the strikes on Iran, or what he said was the lack thereof, he wrote in his resignation letter. Trump has offered shifting reasons for the strikes and has pushed back on claims that Israel forced the US to act. In an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said that he always thought Kent was "weak on security and that if someone in his administration did not believe Iran was a threat, we dont want those people. Advertisement Advertisement Theyre not smart people, or theyre not savvy people, Trump said. Iran was a tremendous threat. US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, 17 March, 2026 - AP Photo A spokesperson for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard did not immediately respond to questions about Kents resignation. Democrats strongly opposed Kents confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. But following Kent's resignation, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Kent's concerns about the war in Iran were justified. I strongly disagree with many of the positions he has espoused over the years, particularly those that risk politicizing our intelligence community," Warner said. Advertisement Advertisement But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice in the Middle East. Johnson pushed back on Kent's claims that Iran posed no imminent threat when asked about the resignation at a press conference on Tuesday. Related I got all the briefings. We all understood that there was clearly an imminent threat that Iran was very close to the enrichment of nuclear capability and they were building missiles at a pace no one in the region could keep up with, Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson said he is convinced that if Trump had waited we would have mass casualties of Americans, service members and others, and our installation would have been dramatically damaged. Departure comes amid heightened terror concern Kent is leaving the Trump administration as three recent acts of violence have raised concerns about threats to the homeland. In New York City, two men who federal authorities say were inspired by the Islamic State group took powerful homemade bombs to a far-right protest outside the mayoral mansion. In Michigan, a naturalised citizen from Lebanon rammed his vehicle into a synagogue, where he was shot at by security before he shot himself to death. Advertisement Advertisement And in Virginia, a man previously imprisoned on a terrorism conviction was heard yelling Allahu akbar, an Arabic phrase meaning "God is the greatest, before opening fire in a university classroom in an attack that officials said ended when he was killed by students. The shattered structure of a police station is seen after it was hit in Tehran, 15 March, 2026 - AP Photo Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel are scheduled to testify before lawmakers later this week about threats facing the US, an annual hearing that this year is likely to be taken up by questions about the Iran war. A veteran and former Congresswoman from Hawaii, Gabbard has in the past criticised talk of military strikes in Iran. Six years ago she said that "an all out war with Iran would make the wars that weve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic." Gabbard's office did not respond when asked if Gabbard supported the strikes, and she has not posted about Iran on her social media accounts since the strikes began last month. A popular figure among Trump supporters Kent's military background and personal story of loss and sacrifice made him a leading figure on national security among Trump supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Before entering Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing combat in 11 deployments as a Green Beret before retiring from Special Forces to join the CIA. He also endured tragedy: his wife, Shannon, a Navy cryptologist, was killed by a suicide bomber in 2019 while fighting the so-called Islamic State group in Syria, leaving him to raise their two young sons alone. Kent, 45, has since remarried. Joseph Kent appears before a Senate Committee on Intelligence hearing on Capitol Hill, 9 April, 2025 - AP Photo During the US chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Kent criticised what he said was a misguided desire for nation-building by some in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement It speaks to our hubris, Kent told reporters while campaigning for Congress. For us not to have learned from all this just shows that there are people making money and making their careers at the other end of it. Theyve been doing it on the backs and dead bodies of US soldiers. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from various far-right figures. NEED TO KNOW A 71-year-old diver is dead after he was found on the bottom of the ocean near a Florida shipwreck "Foul play does not appear to be a factor in the incident, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said An investigation into his death is ongoing A 71-year-old man was found on the ocean floor and later pronounced dead after embarking on a dive to a Florida shipwreck, officials said. On Friday, March 13, Lonnie Lee Higgins participated in a dive on the shipwreck Eagle, located off the coast of Islamorada, a community of six islands in the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The Columbia, Mo. native was later found at the bottom of the ocean by commercial dive employees, who located him at a depth of about 110 feet. Advertisement Advertisement They commenced CPR, which members of the U.S. Coast Guard took over after they arrived at the scene. Higgins was transported to a hospital less than 10 miles away in Tavernier, where he was pronounced dead, officials said. Foul play does not appear to be a factor in the incident, the sheriffs office said. An investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office had no further information to add, and the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE. In August 2020, Higgins partner, Arlene Higgins, shared a birthday tribute alongside a photo of the pair diving together. Advertisement Advertisement Happy birthday to my best friend on earth, Arlene wrote. Lonnie Higgins glad you are enjoying your retirement. Wish you could go do your favorite sport, diving soon. She did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. More than 40 years ago, the Eagle was purposefully sunk to create an artificial reef, according to NOAA. The 287-foot vessel was first launched in Holland in 1962 as a conventional hull freighter, and underwent many owners and name changes over the ensuing two decades. The Overseas Highway near Islamorada, Fla. Credit: Getty Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In October 1985, the freighter caught fire off the coast of Miami, after which the Florida Keys Artificial Reef Association and a private citizen purchased the destroyed ship to create an artificial reef. Since it sank, the underwater vessel has attracted tourists who want to dive and see the notable remnant of maritime history, according to the agency. Read the original article on People Highway 97 is on track to reopen late Tuesday night after a big rig leaked 60 gallons of concentrated and extremely toxic herbicide onto the highway in Dorris, north of Weed. Traffic should resume in the northeastern California town near the Oregon border when the emergency response team is done with the cleanup likely around 9 p.m., Director of Emergency Services Bryan Schenone said on Tuesday evening, March 17. When cleanup is done and the area is deemed safe, he said the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office will lift the "shelter in place" order, in effect for Dorris residents since Tuesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Siskiyou County and state officials warned people to stay indoors after before 8:30 a.m., after the big rig's tank spilled paraquat on the highway and downtown, Schenone said. Some of the herbicide splashed on passing cars, prompting the OES to warn the Highway 97 drivers to wash their vehicles thoroughly with soap and water. One person driving through town at the time of the spill was taken to Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka for possible paraquat poisoning. They were released later that afternoon, Schenone said. Paraquat is a "nasty" toxic substance, he said, but the slow leak gave the team time to mitigate the spill's effects. "We were able to block (drains) and throw down drain stops" in town, and most of the chemical pooled on the gravel. Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff's office, California Highway Patrol and California and Oregon departments of transportation helped with the cleanup and diverted traffic along Highway 97 during the closure, Schenone said. Original story Toxic chemical spill closes Highway 97 in Siskiyou County Siskiyou County and state officials closed part of Highway 97 north of Weed, and warned people in the northeastern town of Dorris to stay indoors Tuesday morning after a "highly toxic" chemical spill in town. They also warned drivers who visited Dorris after the spill to clean their vehicles. The California Department of Transportation reported the highway is closed starting 12 miles north of Weed to 2 miles south of the Oregon border. The closure is due to a HAZMAT incident involving a disabled big rig blocking the road just north of Dorris, Caltrans said. Advertisement Advertisement "The chemical spilled is Paraquat (Gramoxone), a highly toxic herbicide that can be fatal if inhaled or ingested," the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said and noted the toxin can be airborne. The spill happened in downtown Dorris Tuesday morning, said sheriff's office spokesperson Sage Milestone. Deputies plan to keep the shelter in place order active until they are sure there's no risk to the public. "We dont have a projected time for when the cleanup will be completed yet," Milestone said Tuesday afternoon, but a company is working on cleaning up the toxin. Read more: What's paraquat, toxic herbicide spilled in Dorris, California? Caltrans camera footage: A firetruck drives through downtown Dorris at 12:03 p.m. less than two hours after a big rig dumped toxic chemicals on Highway 97 in the Siskiyou County town. Light winds blew in variable directions around the spill area on Tuesday morning. At most, the gusts are 4 or 5 mph, said Tim Daldrup with the National Weather Services Medford branch. Those light winds will blow the air over Dorris toward the east by early afternoon, according to the forecast, he said. CHP: Highway 97 motorists should expect delays and detours The California Highway Patrol out of Yreka reported all lanes on Highway 97 are closed between the Agricultural Station and Dorris Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Vehicles on either side of the Highway 97 closure should expect delays and plan to take alternative routes, the CHP said. Officers are screening northbound vehicles for Dorris residents at County Road A12. As of 1 p.m., the following alternate route is open to passenger vehicles only, the sheriff's office said: For those northbound on Highway 97, head east on Shady Dell Road, go north on East Butte Valley Road, then go north on Dorris/Brown, and finally go north on Center Street to get back on Highway 97. Commercial vehicles are not allowed on that route, the sheriff's office said. These vehicles must wait at checkpoints at either end of the highway closure. The CHP said there was no estimate on when the spill would be cleaned up or the highway reopened. Siskiyou sheriff requests residents near Highway 97 in Dorris to 'shelter in place' during toxic spill The sheriff issued the "Shelter in Place" warning at 10:20 a.m. for people living in Dorris located roughly 7 miles south of the Oregon border in zone DOR-4106, located east of Matthews Road and north of Richardson Road; and zone DOR-4112, west of Dorris Brownell Road and north of Richardson Road. Advertisement Advertisement Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. People in the area should do the following while Siskiyou County's emergency response team works to make the area along the highway safe, the sheriff's office said. Until then, "we encourage everyone in the affected area to" do the following: Turn off all AC/HVAC units Keep doors and windows closed Avoid outdoor activities Anyone who thinks they were exposed to the toxin by air or touch should "call 911 immediately," the sheriff's office said. Emergency Services Office: Motorists who drove through Dorris Tuesday morning should wash their vehicle Motorists who drove through Dorris on Tuesday morning should clean their vehicles immediately, the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services said. Advertisement Advertisement The recommendation applies to anyone who drove in or through Dorris after the toxic spill and before the CHP closed Highway 97. Out of an abundance of caution, please wash your vehicle with soap and water or take it through a car wash to help remove any potential residue, the agency said on Tuesday afternoon. This story was updated to add new information and a video. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Reddings Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Toxic spill closes Highway 97, 'shelter in place' warning in Dorris The Washington Township Police Department is warning people about a text message traffic violation scam. Numerous community members have reported receiving a text message that appears to be from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation with a link to pay a citation, according to the police department Facebook page. What to know about the text message scam The text indicates the recipient has an unresolved traffic violation and payment has not been received. Advertisement Advertisement SEE WHO'S RUNNING FOR OFFICE: Heres who is running for House seats to represent Franklin County It says enforcement actions, if payment is not received, include revocation of vehicle registration, drivers license suspension, referral to a collection agency and possible legal proceedings. PennDOT does not send messages about violations or fines, police advise. People should not click on the link. They should delete the text and block the number. Anyone who is unsure if a message they receive is a scam can call Washington Township police at 717-762-1447 or stop by the office at 11798 Buchanan Trail East, Waynesboro. This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Washington Township Police warn traffic violation text is a scam The Treasury Department on Wednesday eased sanctions on some Venezuelan oil companies in an apparent bid to help global oil supply amid a deepening economic crisis due to the escalating conflict with Iran. The issued license authorizes Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) and any entity it holds majority ownership in to sell Venezuelan oil and petroleum products directly to U.S. companies, with some restrictions. The U.S. will still control the cash flow from these transactions, according to the Associated Press, which noted that payments are restricted from going to PdVSA and must instead be held in a special U.S.-controlled account. Advertisement Advertisement The Treasury also prohibited PdVSA from selling oil to Russia, Iran, Korea and some Chinese entities. The move comes as the Trump administration is facing growing pressure to tamp down surging oil and gas prices, as the U.S. and Tehran struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping traffic through the strait, a narrow channel that transports about one-fifth of the worlds daily oil supply, has effectively stopped due to repeated Iranian threats and attacks against vessels attempting to pass through. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that it dropped multiple 5,000-pound deep-penetrator bombs on Iranian anti-ship missile sites along the countrys coastline, days after American forces bombed Kharg Island, Irans primary oil export terminal in the Gulf. Advertisement Advertisement The ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli strikes and Irans retaliatory campaign have roiled global markets, pushing crude oil prices back above $100 per barrel on Wednesday morning. The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, reached $109 a barrel as of 11:45 a.m. EDT. The Trump administration separately announced on Wednesday that it would waive Jones Act shipping requirements for 60 days. The 100-year-old law mandates that shipping between U.S. ports be conducted by U.S.-flagged ships. This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement That move was aimed at lowering gas prices, which have been steadily rising since the military operation began on Feb. 28. The nationwide average was $3.84 per gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA. 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. Nearly two years after a mother and her son were hit and killed in Missouri City, the trial is set to begin today for the former officer who is charged. Missouri City police officer Blademir Viveros, 27, was charged with two counts of manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, and one count of aggravated assault. He is accused of hitting and killing 53-year-old Houston ISD counselor Angela Stewart and her 16-year-old son, Mason, on June 20, 2024. ORIGINAL REPORT: 16-year-old 'died on his birthday' when Missouri City police car hit him and his mom, dad says According to officials, Viveros received a call of a robbery in progress at about 8:42 p.m. at an ATM in the 1600 block of Cartwright Road. An armed suspect allegedly had cornered a victim at the machine and took $200 from them before fleeing in a silver Honda Civic. The victim was reportedly on the phone with 911 while following them. Advertisement Advertisement Mason and his mother were pulling out of a nearby Dollar Tree parking lot and were T-boned by Viveros, who was heading eastbound on Cartwright, officials said. Witnesses described the crash, saying they heard a loud sound, then saw the police cruiser crush the other vehicle and catch fire. Officials said Mason and Angela died at the scene. It was also revealed that the teen was celebrating his 16th birthday and had just gotten his license. A few hours later, police said a person was found in Viveros' patrol car. Video from the scene shows first responders frantically rescuing the man, identified as Michael Hawkins, from the back seat. He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital and was placed on life support. He was then taken to a rehabilitation center and was paralyzed from the waist down, his family told ABC13. Seven months later, Hawkins died, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement It remains unclear why he was in the police cruiser, and officials said Viveros violated MCPD's policy of responding to a scene with someone in the police unit. SEE ALSO: Only on 13: Man speaks out a year after crash killed his wife and 16-year-old son on his birthday Viveros, who had been with the department for a year, allegedly did was not operating full lights and sirens, and was going over the posted speed limit as he responded to the call. In response, he was terminally fired and later charged. A grand jury re-indicted Viveros after Hawkin's death on three counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, which is a first-degree felony. If he is found guilty, he faces life in prison. Both the Stewart and Hawkins families have sued the MCPD. A Macomb man accused of shooting a coworker at a Troy hospital last March was sentenced Tuesday to more than 13 years in prison. Robert Paljusevic, 22, was sentenced to 11.25 years for assault with intent to murder, plus two years for felony firearm, said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald in a press release. Authorities alleged Paljusevic opened fire on his 25-year-old friend and coworker around 7 a.m. March 20, 2025, in a parking structure at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Police said the shooting happened after Paljusevic was not invited to a memorial service for a member of the victim's family. Robert Paljusevic tried to kill his friend over a perceived slight, McDonald said in a statement. The incident also sent the hospital into lockdown, put local schools on alert, and terrified an entire community. This sentence provides his victim with justice and makes clear that gun violence leads to serious consequences. Online court records do not list an attorney for Paljusevic. Hospital locked down, health services rescheduled Paljusevic fired seven shots, striking the victim twice, in the arm and shoulder, authorities said previously. The victim was treated in the hospital's emergency room, where he was declared in stable condition immediately following the incident. Advertisement Advertisement The hospital was placed on lockdown, as were local businesses, schools and day care centers, while authorities searched and cleared the parking garage and the hospital. Hospital services were affected -- some patients had to reschedule procedures at the hospital, Corewell officials said. Officers from all over Metro Detroit, including some federal agencies, responded to the shooting. Police cars blocked traffic in both directions of Dequindre Road at 19 Mile south of the hospital for hours. Police used traffic camera footage to track Paljusevic to a home in Macomb Township, where he was arrested. Victim and suspect had been friends Troy police said the shooter and victim had a falling out after Paljusevic wasn't invited to a private, family-only viewing for the victim's father in January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement The victim told police the two had been friends for about a year. He described the shooter as easygoing but also called him a "bully," according to police. "They became friends and hung out after their shifts often, the victim described the defendant ... 'he would be easygoing, but other times he'd overreact,'" Detective Carlo Pizzorni said. "The victim stated that there was typically a cloud hanging over defendant and there was always a fear of what he might do and described the defendant as a bully." Police officers detour traffic on the corner of Dequindre near I-59 eastbound due to a shooting at Corewell Health Beaumont Hospital on March 20, 2025, Troy, MI. mreinhart@detroitnews.com @max_detroitnews This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Troy hospital gunman sentenced after opening fire over funeral snub As the Iran war drags deeper into its third week, one seemingly obvious solution for more energy is crude oil from Venezuela after the Trump administration seized former leader Nicolas Maduro and pressed for the reopening of the nations oil sector. The glaring problem is more oil from Venezuelaor any other source around the worldrepresents only metaphorical drops in the global supply bucket compared to the massive losses each day from the Persian Gulf and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. Its a math problem, said Fernando Ferreira, director of the geopolitical risk service at Rapidan Energy Group. Hormuz flows about 20 million barrels [of oil] a day. Venezuela is currently producing about 1 million [barrels daily]. The issue is there simply are no alternatives to the de facto closure of the passageway that sees about 20% of the worlds oil and liquefied natural gas trek through it each day. Venezuela helps; every little bit helps. But, in the grand scheme of things, it doesnt change the equation, Ferreira told Fortune. There is no medium-term solution other than reopening the straits. Nothing else is going to solve the crisis. Arguably the best-case scenario for Venezuelan oil production is it grows from producing nearly 1 million barrels of oil a day late last year to churning out about 1.2 million barrels daily by the end of 2026, said Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America Energy Program at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. Im expecting less than 250,000 barrels added over the whole year, if at all. That is of course significant for a country that produces just 1 million, but its nothing for the world market. Its less than 0.3%, Monaldi said, considering the world consumes about 103 million barrels a day. In particular, its very insignificant compared to the disrupted market. In the meantime, the White House is aiming to build a coalition of allies to control the strait and escort tankers. The U.S. is also temporarily lifting sanctions on some Russian oilbut that only impacts the destination and prices, not the volumes of oil. And member countries of the International Energy Agency agreed to release a record-high, 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, including 172 million barrels from the U.S. Pulling that oil from storage will take at least four months however. And while the planned emergency releases are helping keep oil prices from hitting all-time highs, crude oil benchmarks are still hovering near $100 a barrelup almost 70% from the beginning of the year. President Donald Trump has claimed wrongly that Cuba was not in a hurricane zone as he spoke about his plans to take over the Caribbean island. In his remarks, Trump mused about steering the islands future and dismantling its leadership. He also delivered a distinctive take on its climate. Its a beautiful island, great weather, Trump said. Theyre not in a hurricane zone, which is nice for a change, you know? Advertisement Advertisement The 79-year-old president went on to say that under American control, Cuba would not be asking us for money for hurricanes every week. The comment echoes his gripes about Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory that received a direct hit from Hurricane Maria in 2017. Years after the storm, Trump accused the islands government of complaining and asking for more money. But contrary to Trumps remarks, Cuba has suffered many devastating hurricanes in recent decades. At least eleven hurricanes of category 3 strength or higher have struck Cuba this century, according to the New York Times. Devastation has often followed. Ten people died when Hurricane Irma tore across Cuba in 2017. Residents carry their belongings through floodwater after the Cauto River flooded due to Hurricane Melissa in Cuba. REUTERS/Norlys Perez. / Norlys Perez / REUTERS Before that, the island suffered back-to-back blows from two Category 4 storms, Gustav and Ike. Advertisement Advertisement As the Miami Herald reported, by the time Florida is struck by a hurricane, it has often just recently departed Cuba. In other words, the island is located at the heart of the Caribbeans hurricane zone. Trump remarked on Cubas hurricanes the same day an unnatural disastera fuel shortagebrought about an islandwide blackout. These blackouts have become more common since the United States blocked exports of oil from Venezuela following the American capture of Nicolas Maduro in January. The Trump administration has turned up the heat on Cubas ruling communist government on diplomatic fronts, too, hosting high-level negotiations between the two nations for months. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Cubas government announced that nationals living abroad could invest in new businesses in the country. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was not enough. Marco Rubio speaks in the Oval Office. REUTERS/Evan Vucci. / Evan Vucci / REUTERS Cuba has an economy that doesnt work in a political and governmental system that cant fix it. So they have to change dramatically, Rubio said on Tuesday. What they announced yesterday is not dramatic enough. Its not going to fix it. So theyve got some big decisions to make over there. Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel addresses members of the government, in Havana, Cuba, March 13, 2026. Alejandro Azcuy/Cuba Presidency/Handout via REUTERS. / Cuba Presidency / via REUTERS Reporting by the New York Times reveals the White Houses desire to oust Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from power. It is unclear, however, what impact this would have on toppling the underlying regime, which has been in place for 67 years. NEW YORK (PIX11) The Trump Administration has cut tens of millions of dollars in counterterrorism funding from the NYPD, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday. NYPD Homeland Security funding grants are projected to be cut by $36 million, representing a 40% cut from two years ago, Tisch said during a budget hearing before the New York City Council. She said another $6 million in Port Security Grants was slashed as well. Discover more local reporting on our homepage Advertisement Advertisement We cannot overstate the gravity of this, Tisch said ephatically. It is a direct threat to the NYPDs ability to maintain and enhance critical intelligence and counterterrorism operations in New York City, the most visible terror target in the United States. People are alive today because of these grants. The police commissioner said the funding gap is now a problem due to the way grants are generally distributed. More Local News If it goes unaddressed, it will be a profound problem two years from now. I will not stop pressing this issue until the federal government restores the funding and resources that we need to keep New Yorkers safe, Tisch said. Advertisement Advertisement PIX 11 is reaching out to the Trump Administration and the Department of Homeland Security for comment. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Donald Trumps imperial administration appears intent on plundering and exploiting the African continent by any means. As the president looks around the globe for ways to acquire the worlds resources, a new report from The New York Times underscored just how low the administration is willing to go. And in this case, the downstream impact could be catastrophic for Americans. The Times report, which MS NOW has not independently confirmed, said the Trump administration might withhold HIV aid to Zambia to try to coerce the nation to hand over critical minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Per the report: The State Department is considering withholding lifesaving assistance to people with H.I.V. in Zambia as a negotiating tactic to force the government of the southern African country to sign a deal giving the United States more access to its critical minerals. We will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale, a draft of a memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio by the departments Africa Bureau staff says. A copy of the memo was obtained by The New York Times. The Times report noted that about 1.3 million people in Zambia rely on daily HIV treatment through a U.S. program known as PEPFAR, and the memo said the administration is considering whether to significantly cut assistance as soon as May to try to force the Zambian governments hand. According to the report, the administration also has tried to pressure African nations to sign new agreements to hand over minerals and sensitive health data, including information about abortions, in exchange for health assistance. I recently wrote about the Trump administration attempting to force Benin to participate in a vaccine study that garnered comparisons to the racist Tuskegee experiment. And one might say this plan to similarly coerce Zambia is as idiotic as it is cruel. Advertisement Advertisement HIV and AIDS prevention experts have already warned that the administrations cuts to PEPFAR, or the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, stand to cause 6.6 million new HIV infections and 4.2 million new AIDS-related deaths, between 2025 and 2029. And because Americans do not live in an antiseptic bubble, enabling the spread of HIV as the Trump administration risks doing with its ultimatum to Zambia may very well threaten public health in the United States as well. We can see here how a combination of racism, greed and unabashed ignorance can put the entire world at risk. Contrary to his predecessors administration, which sought to improve on the paternalistic and exploitative relationship the U.S. has long maintained with African nations, Trumps appears to see the continent filled with nations he has labeled shole countries as a waste bin where it can discard people targeted in the presidents racist anti-immigrant crackdown, and a region from which to extract coveted minerals. The post Trump administration reportedly seeks to use HIV aid to extract minerals from Zambia appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now President Donald Trump campaigns to influence the midterm elections is reaching a fever pitch, from FBI raids of Georgia election centers to posting conspiracy theories across his social media and using the Department of Justice to illegally access voter rolls. Now Trump has zeroed in on Congress. On Tuesday, the Senate opened debate on the voter ID bill known as the SAVE America Act. The bill would require Americans to register to vote in person with documentary proof of citizenship in most cases a birth certificate or passport. It narrowly passed the House on Feb. 11, a week after Trump called for Republicans to nationalize voting. It has little hope in the Senate unless Republicans go nuclear and kill the cloture rule that requires 60 votes to end debate of a bill, but the door for that extreme move is closed for now. With debate now open, invoking cloture is the only thing that can end a filibuster, but Senate Republicans lack a three-fifths supermajority. If the filibuster were to be eliminated, Republicans could easily pass the SAVE America Act with their 53 vote majority. The biggest force standing in the way of that victory is the partys leader, Sen. John Thune, S.D., who is adamantly opposed to dismantling the Senate rules to pass the bill. Advertisement Advertisement The votes arent there, one, to nuke the filibuster and the votes arent there for a talking filibuster. Its just a reality, Thune said last week. Im the person who has to deliver sometimes the not-so-good news that the math doesnt add up, but those are the facts and theres no getting around it. Instead, Republicans will try to drag debate on, forcing Democratic lawmakers to defend their position and hopefully exhaust opponents into joining a cloture vote. The last time senators tried to end the filibuster was in 2022, but Senate Democrats led the charge. The similarities produce a deja vu effect with Democrats trying to pass the For The People Act, a landmark voting and elections bill, but being held up by the filibuster and unable to produce 60 votes to end debate. With only one option to get the bill to a vote, they tried ending the filibuster, only to be held up by members of their own party Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. The reason that didnt pass was because Republicans filibustered it and moderate Democrats were unwilling to blow out the filibuster to get it passed and now were seeing the inverse happen, Travis Crum, a voting rights and election law professor at the Washington University in St. Louis, told Salon. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, Senate Republicans were vehemently opposed to Democrats ending the filibuster in 2022. Power is fleeting, and at some point the shoe will always be on the other foot, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said in January 2022. Liberal activists may like the idea of nuking the filibuster today, but theyll soon find themselves ruing the day their party broke the Senate. However, Cornyn drastically shifted his views on the Senate filibuster recently. Publishing an op-ed in the New York Post on March 11, he said the SAVE America Act matters more than the filibuster. This switch comes amidst Cornyns highly competitive primary run-off against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in which Trump has yet to endorse either candidate. Trump threatened Tuesday that he would not endorse anyone who failed to support the SAVE America Act and called detractors of the bill sick, demented or deranged people. Trump has also said he will refuse to sign any other bill before the SAVE America Act reaches his desk. Not only are our colleagues trying to seize the authority given under the Constitution to the states to manage their own elections, theyre willing to take a wrecking ball to the United States Senate itself and, particularly, the Senate rules, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said in 2022. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. While the filibuster conversations from 2022 and 2026 are both centered around voting and election bills, the Brennan Center for Justices voting rights and elections director Sean Morales-Doyle thinks the situations are not two sides of the same coin. Advertisement Advertisement I think making the argument we should be able to pass pro-democracy, pro-voter reforms without being stymied by this rule that gives the minority way too much power is a substantively different argument than we should get rid of this one anti-democratic rule in order for us to pull off another anti-democratic policy, he told Salon. While the For The People Act would have eliminated any voter ID requirements, the SAVE America Act establishes the strictest voter ID provisions in the country, which many believe would disenfranchise millions of American citizens. I should be clear that like the Brennan Center is opposed to the filibuster in principle, Morales-Doyle said. But as long as its there, Im glad its for once its being used to stop anti-civil rights legislation rather than the other way around. The entire justification for the legislation is the claim that non-citizens are voting in national elections in large numbers, putting the integrity of U.S. elections at risk. The claims are not only unsubstantiated, but disproved by the federal governments own tool to check voter rolls. Advertisement Advertisement The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program was initially made to check if non-citizens were using government benefits, however it can also be used to check if they are on voter registration rolls. The Trump administration updated the system to scan the states entire voter rolls instead of individual searches of suspected non-citizens. Louisiana was the first to run their whole voter file against the SAVE program, and their results were that they found 74 instances of potential non-citizen voting going back to the 1980s, Morales-Doyle said. So were talking about a time period in which, conservatively, there were over 80 million votes cast in Louisiana, and they found 74 potential cases of non-citizens voting so less than one in a million. Morales-Doyle said when Utah volunteered their voter roll to SAVE, zero instances of registered non-citizens came up. In situations where a fair amount more people on the voter roll are flagged, it was found to be incorrect. Even including false positives, the SAVE program has not shown a significant amount of suspected non-citizens registered to vote. If the SAVE American Act passes, all states voter rolls will be subject to quarterly checks with the SAVE program, which is more likely to purge eligible voters than find non-citizens. A study from the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at University of Maryland and the Brennan Center for Justice found that an estimated 21.3 million eligible voters would be unable to register under the SAVE America Act because they either do not have or do not have easy access to documentary proof of citizenship. The act is not an average voter ID bill that requires photo identification like a state drivers license, but the highest level of citizenship proof a birth certificate or passport. Advertisement Advertisement Half of Americans dont have passports and a large percentage of Americans dont have access to the original copy of their birth certificate, especially older Americans or Americans who have moved far away from where they were born, Crum said. According to the U.S. Department of State, there are roughly 183 million passports in circulation as of 2025. The U.S. population, by contrast, is around 342 million making the share of Americans possessing passports just above half the total population. For Americans 16 years and older, getting a passport book for the first time costs $165, and an extra $30 to get a passport card. Passports for adults last 10 years and then must be renewed for $130. The top five states with the highest income per capita, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and California, also have the highest share of passport ownership in the country. Crum added that married women who changed their last name will also face difficulty. The Center for American Progress found that over 69 million female citizens over 15 do not have a birth certificate that matches their legal name because of a name change or hyphenation. Advertisement Advertisement Even if citizens have access to proper documentation, they must submit proof in person to an election official. Basically that requirement is going to put an end to mail registration and online voter registration because, no matter what, you have to go show your birth certificate or passport in person to an election official, Morales-Doyle said. So theres a whole lot of people who may have the documents that they need to get registered, but that hurdle is going to actually mean that they dont get registered or re-registered if their address changed. A proposed substitute amendment to the bill from Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., would further threaten mail-in ballots by getting rid of no-cause absentee ballots. The provision would, end mail-in balloting with exceptions for military, illness, travel and disability. This would disproportionately affect young adults who often live away from their permanent address for college or work. The provision, unrelated to voting laws, also includes language to keep men out of womens sports, and protect children from transgender mutilation surgeries. As debate opens on the Senate floor, Republicans hope to force Democratic lawmakers to justify their opposition, but Republicans themselves may also be put on the offensive when it comes to the extreme restrictions outlined in the bill. Advertisement Advertisement I think we can confidently say that if the SAVE Act were to pass, millions of American citizens would be blocked from voting in the 2026 election and in elections beyond that, Morales-Doyle said. The post Trump is going all in on the SAVE America Act. It could make voting harder for millions appeared first on Salon.com. The intelligence communitys latest threat assessment reinforces Trump administration narratives on immigration and global peace deals, while also laying out a stark picture of growing threats to the American homeland. The 2026 Annual Threats Assessment, compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, concluded that while China still poses a major threat to the homeland, it is unlikely to invade Taiwan next year. The report also notes that there are growing risks that multiple nations could target the U.S. mainland with missile strikes, and finds that Iran is likely to seek revenge against the U.S. for the killing of its leaders. Here are five takeaways from the annual report. The report lines up with Trump administration global stances The report traditionally an apolitical document meant to lay out threats as the intelligence community assesses them now incorporates several Trump administration political priorities. Advertisement Advertisement For example, it highlights peace negotiations led by President Donald Trump that have deescalated the most recent nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan, while noting the ceasefire negotiated last year. The report also highlights the peace deal last year between Azerbaijan and Armenia, saying that this created the opportunity for lasting peace between the nations. Past annual reports almost never mention presidents by name. But the 2026 edition praises Trump several times for specific policies, including Trumps sealing of the U.S.-Mexico border, which it said strengthened border security. The reports language mirrors the administrations National Security Strategy on its assessment of Europes future. The strategy argued that Europe is facing civilizational erasure due to large migration to the continent, and new regulatory authorities that the European Union has rolled out. This years intel assessment takes a similar tone, concluding that immigrants to EU nations have not assimilated, and that this has led to some immigrant youth becoming radicalized. Much of Europe faces challenges or capacity limitations that inhibit robust security cooperation in the near term, the report reads. Several EU members face mounting levels of national debt, coupled with anemic growth. In addition, many countries across the continent are contending with the effects of large-scale migration, to include Islamist radicalization. China isnt going for Taiwan (yet) The intelligence community has assessed that Chinese leader Xi Jinping does not have a timeline to achieve unification with Taiwan or currently plans to execute an invasion of the island in 2027, when the Pentagon believes the Chinese military will be ready to mount an attack. Advertisement Advertisement But the 18 U.S. spy agencies still believe that China is deterred by the risk of failure in the operation and the possibility of the U.S. intervening on the side of Taiwan even as the Pentagon is tied down with an open-ended military campaign against Iran. Chinese officials recognize that an amphibious invasion of Taiwan would be extremely challenging and carry a high risk of failure, especially in the event of U.S. intervention," the report said. But the U.S. would also pay a price for getting involved in a potential war, the I.C. said, including losing access to trade and semiconductors, and the threat of cyberattacks against U.S. transportation hubs. The U.S. homeland is at risk of missile attacks The report warns that the U.S. has spotted China, Russia, and North Korea developing new weapons systems that could threaten America at home. Even Iran and Pakistan which seemed to be warming up to the Trump administration after tensions erupted with India in 2025 also pose threats. Advertisement Advertisement In total, the U.S. intelligence community expects the number of foreign missiles pointed at the nation to rise from 3,000 today to more than 16,000 weapons by 2035. China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that can strike the Homeland, the report said. Though China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are long-term U.S. adversaries, the report does not make clear what would motivate a Pakistani strike. Growing foreign conventional and nuclear missile arsenals also pose a threat to satellites. Russia is developing a new satellite meant to carry a nuclear weapon as an antisatellite capability, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement The intelligence agencies said that China probably fears that Trumps ambitious Golden Dome missile shield will increase the likelihood the U.S. would intervene in a war against Taiwan, which may drive China to the table on arms control agreements, but cited no evidence for the claim (China has long resisted engaging in arms reduction talks on its nuclear program). Russia has the upper hand in Ukraine The U.S. intelligence community sees Russia holding the upper hand in its invasion of Ukraine and sees little reason to stop fighting despite the Trump administrations peace efforts and recent gains by Ukrainian forces. The finding appears to contradict Trumps recent comments to POLITICO that Putin is ready to make a deal and that Ukraine has not shown enough willingness to negotiate. Moscow almost certainly remains confident that it will prevail on the battlefield in Ukraine and force a settlement on its terms, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement But in a hat tip to the administrations peace effort, it said the ongoing talks to end the war hold the potential to change this dynamic and ameliorate some of the conflicts regional effects, hinting that the U.S. and Russia could return to an improved bilateral geostrategic and commercial relationship." The possibility of a U.S.-Russia kumbaya moment at the end of the Ukraine war could be mitigated by the Kremlin fielding missiles that threaten the U.S. homeland and challenging the American foothold in the Arctic, which the report also highlights. Iran will take strong action in retaliation for the killing of its leader The intelligence community was clear in the report that the Iranian regime will pursue revenge for the recent killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by U.S. and Israeli forces. "If the regime survives, Tehran almost certainly will seek to exact revenge, the report reads, noting that this retaliation would be on top of an effort avenge the U.S. killing of former IRGC-QF Commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement The report also warns that if the current regime remains in power, Iran will recover and rebuild its influence, and will pose a viable retaliatory threat to Israeli and U.S. interests. At the same time, the intelligence community backed the Trump administrations assessment that the war against Iran, now in its third week, has put Axis of Resistance nations on the back foot. This axis includes Iran, along with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. A senior Democrat has called on Joe Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center and a far-right political figure, to testify to Congress about why he resigned from his job over the war on Iran. California representative Ro Khannas call came after Kent, a supporter of Trump, wrote on X that I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation before blaming Israel. The American people deserve to know why this Administration dragged us into war in Iran, Khanna wrote on social media. Joe Kent should come before Congress. If even officials like Joe Kent do not believe Iran posed an imminent threat, why are we sending more Americans to die in this war? Advertisement Advertisement Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, also reacted to the resignation, writing on X: A top national security official resigns and confirms that Iran posed no imminent threat. Good riddance to Joe Kent, a disgraceful white supremacist, but thats a major public admission that there was NO justification for this war. Here are the key stories of the day at a glance. Trump counter-terrorism chief quits over Iran war, blaming Israel Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a far-right political figure and supporter of Donald Trump, resigned from his position on Tuesday in protest of the war in Iran. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran, Kent wrote in a resignation letter posted to X. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story UK security adviser at US-Iran talks judged deal was within reach Britains national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, attended the final talks between the US and Iran and judged that the offer made by Tehran on its nuclear programme was significant enough to prevent a rush to war, the Guardian can reveal. Powell thought progress had been made in Geneva and that the deal proposed by Iran was surprising, according to sources. Two days after the talks ended, and after a date had been agreed for a further round of technical talks in Vienna, the US and Israel launched the attack on Iran. Read the full story Pam Bondi subpoenaed over Epstein files release by House committee Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, has been formally subpoenaed to appear before a House panel to answer questions about the justice departments handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and its release of the Epstein files. Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story Trump relied on unverified intelligence to blame Iran for deadly school strike Donald Trumps attempt to blame Iran for the deadly strike on an elementary school stemmed from an early US intelligence assessment that initially suggested the missile was Iranian but was almost immediately dismissed, according to two people familiar with the matter. Read the full story Trump administration to slash fee to renounce US citizenship from $2,350 to $450 The Trump administration has agreed to take a financial loss in order to make it easier for Americans to walk away from their US citizenship. In April, the cost to formally renounce citizenship will plunge from $2,350 to just $450, below the actual cost to the government of processing the requests but fulfilling a years-long promise to reverse an unpopular fee adopted in 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story US Senate heeds Trumps call to debate restrictive Save America act voting bill The Senate on Tuesday voted 51-48 to begin debate on the Save America act, a rebranded version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility act, or the Save Act, which has been circulating through Congress in some iteration for more than two years. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened on Monday, 16 March. DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) President Donald Trump paid his respects on Wednesday at a Delaware military base where the remains of six U.S. service members killed in the crash of a refueling aircraft were returned to their families. It was the second time since launching the war with Iran on Feb. 28 that the Republican president attended the solemn military ritual known as a dignified transfer, which he once described as the toughest thing he has had to do as commander in chief. Accompanying Trump were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and lawmakers including Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Alabama Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington state. Every person on that aircraft carried a weight most Americans will never see, and they carried it with professionalism, courage, and a level of quiet excellence that deserves to be recognized, retired Lt. Col Ernesto Nisperos, a friend of one of those killed, said in a text message Wednesday. The crash brought the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members. About 200 U.S. service members have been injured, including 10 severely, the Pentagon has said. Wednesday's dignified transfer was closed to news media coverage at the request of the families in accordance with military policy. Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didn't speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it. Advertisement Advertisement Trump last traveled to Dover Air Force Base on March 7 for the dignified transfer of six U.S. service members who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. He saluted as flag-draped transfer cases containing the remains of the fallen service members were carried from military aircraft to vehicles waiting to take them to the base's mortuary facility to prepare them for their final resting place. It's the bad part of war, he told reporters afterward. Asked then if he worried about having to make multiple trips to the base for additional dignified transfers as the war continued, he said, I'm sure. I hate to do it, but it's a part of war, isn't it? U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said that the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace over Iraq but that the loss of the aircraft during a combat mission was not due to hostile or friendly fire. The circumstances were under investigation. The other plane landed safely. The crash killed three people assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Maj. John A. Alex Klinner, 33, who served in Birmingham, Alabama; Capt. Ariana Linse Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Klinner, who left behind a wife, a 2-year-old son and 7-month-old twins, was known for his steady command and goofy nature, as well as a willingness to help others. Pruitts husband described her as a radiant woman who lit up the room. Savino was a friend, mentee and source of positive energy who was proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and inspired young Latinas, said Nisperos, who is serving as spokesman for her family. She had had this warmth that made you feel seen, a strength that showed up in everything she touched, and a spark that spice that made her unforgettable, Nisperos said. If you knew her, even for a moment, you knew you were in the presence of someone who was going to change the world. The three others were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio: Capt. Seth Koval, 38, a resident of Stoutsville, Ohio, who was from Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, who lived in Columbus; and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus. Koval grew up dreaming of becoming a pilot, according to his wife, who described him as a loving, generous fixer of all things. Angsts family said his life was defined by service, generosity and a genuine love for people. Simmons loved confiding in his 85-year-old grandmother and working out with her, Sen. Jon Husted said Tuesday, when he and Sen. Bernie Moreno honored the Ohio airmen on the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement To the mom and dad of these three young soldiers, I cant even process what youre going through. I cant even imagine the emotions that youre feeling, Moreno said. Just know that America is grateful beyond words for the sacrifice that your heroic young sons made. ___ Associated Press writers Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report. In Washington state, the Trump administrations crusade to force aging coal plants to stay online is meeting resistance from lawmakers and confronting the reality that the states power grid is doing just fine without coal. On Monday, the Department of Energy issued its second 90-day emergency order demanding the continued operation of Unit 2 of TransAltas power plant in Centralia, in southwestern Washington. The DOE had first ordered the facility to keep running in December, the same month it was set to stop burning coal under an agreement with the state thats been in place since 2011. The order comes less than one week after Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, signed legislation that would impose hefty costs on TransAlta should the Centralia facility begin running again. The law, which passed Washingtons Democratic-controlled legislature in February, revokes TransAltas exemption from a requirement to buy allowances under the states cap-and-trade program. It also eliminates an exemption that allowed TransAlta to avoid paying the state sales tax on the coal it burns at the Centralia plant. Advertisement Advertisement These changes will make it extremely expensive for them to generate power at that facility, Washington state Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, the bills lead sponsor, told Heatmap News last week. Fitzgibbon, a Democrat, added that the goal was to forestall the threat of the Trump administration getting more aggressive in its use of emergency power by putting the state in a stronger position to ensure that the plant did not restart operations. The DOE has trotted out familiar justifications for ordering the Centralia plant to continue operating. The Monday order stated that the reliable supply of power from the Centralia plant is essential to maintaining grid stability across the Northwest, and this order ensures that the region avoids unnecessary blackout risks and costs. But no such risks exist. According to an Environmental Defense Fund analysis of power generation data from the DOEs Energy Information Administration, the Centralia plant hasnt generated any meaningful electric power since January. The state has not suffered from any grid emergencies or supply shortfalls so far this year. The data proves that forcing this coal plant to stay open is just a wasteful charade, Ted Kelly, the Environmental Defense Funds director and lead counsel for U.S. clean energy, said in a Tuesday press release. The Centralia plant hasnt been producing any power over this supposed emergency period because the grid has more than enough electricity without it yet families and businesses will bear the costs of keeping it operational. Advertisement Advertisement Theres little reason to expect the state will need the power plant over the next three months, either, Kelly told Canary Media. Were heading into the spring period, when theres generally less demand than during the winter period, and at a time when we have robust hydropower reserves, he said. TransAlta President and CEO John Kousinioris echoed this view in a February earnings call. He said that the company was fully in compliance with the order in the sense of being available, should we be asked to run. However, he added that TransAlta doesnt expect to operate the plant this spring, given how flush the hydro situation is in Washington state right now. TransAlta is one of six fossil-fueled power plants forced to remain in operation by Energy Secretary Chris Wright under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. Before last year, DOE had used that emergency authority only temporarily on request from utilities and grid operators facing immediate energy threats. Wright has taken the unprecedented step of invoking this authority to prevent the closure of power plants that utilities and grid operators have determined were too costly to keep open and werent needed to maintain grid reliability. He also appears to be using it indefinitely. Advertisement Advertisement The agency has issued three continuous 90-day orders to force a coal plant in Michigan and an oil- and fossil-gas-fired plant in Pennsylvania to keep running. It is expected to soon extend the forced operations of a coal plant in Colorado and two coal plants in Indiana. Meanwhile, the costs of restarting operations at plants on the verge of being shut down are mounting and will be borne by customers who are already struggling with rising utility bills The Sierra Club estimates that DOEs orders have added up to $269 million as of Tuesday afternoon. DOEs orders have been silent on how to assign those costs, leading state utility regulators and grid operators to dispute how to apportion them out to utility customers across their regions. Washington state operates under a set of regulatory and energy market structures that complicate the matter of forcing TransAlta to generate power and foist those costs on utility customers. The Centralia facility is a merchant plant, meaning it cannot recover the cost of fuel and maintenance from captive utility customers, and must sign contracts with utilities or other energy buyers to earn enough money to stay open. For the past decade, Washington state and TransAlta have planned to convert the Centralia plant to run on fossil gas. Kousinioris said last month that this plan remains in place. TransAlta has also secured an agreement to sell future gas-fired energy to utility Puget Sound Energy, he said. Meanwhile, the company has no contracted customers for the plant's coal-fired power, making it unclear how it would be compensated if forced to generate that power. Advertisement Advertisement Critics accuse the DOE of twisting the law and fabricating grid emergencies to serve the Trump administrations pro-coal agenda. State attorneys general and environmental groups have brought legal challenges against each of DOEs must-run orders. The first of these challenges, to DOEs order for the J.H. Campbell coal plant in Michigan, now awaits a hearing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. In a Tuesday email, a DOE spokesperson did not address Canary Medias questions regarding the critiques raised by these legal challenges, stating that such questions could be answered by reading the agencys orders. "The Trump Administration is committed to preventing the premature retirement of baseload power plants and building as much reliable, dispatchable generation as possible to achieve energy dominance," the spokesperson said. The DOE has not responded to a clarification request from environmental groups on how the agency plans to use its Section 202(c) authority as the language of the law intends. That includes ensuring it forces the Centralia plant to operate only as necessary to address a loss of power to homes, businesses, and facilities critical to the national defense, as DOEs order states it will do. DOE has relied on broad and unsubstantiated claims of the risk of longer-term grid supply shortfalls to justify its emergency must-run orders, in Washington state and beyond. But the underlying law that the DOE is using doesnt allow that, Kelly said. Advertisement Advertisement The core point here is that 202(c) is intended for real emergency situations, like an act of war, which is specified in the statute, or extreme weather situations that require specific responses, he said. Never before this administration has it been used as some sort of long-term planning tool. The legal challenges against DOE make this point clear, he said. We hope well see strong decisions that show how 202(c) is meant to be used and overturn these unlawful orders. President Donald Trump promised his endorsement was forthcoming in the GOP Texas Senate runoff and said he wanted whoever he didnt pick to drop out. But now preoccupied with the Iran war and a doomed voting bill hes missed a critical deadline. The decision hasnt been on the presidents mind for days, White House officials told CNN Tuesday afternoon, noting that he was preoccupied by the war with Iran. Now, the deadline for either candidate to withdraw their name from the ballot has passed. That means that the names of both incumbent Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will be listed on the ballot in the May 26 runoff, something many Senate Republican leaders and even Trump himself acknowledged they did not want. Advertisement Advertisement White House officials say Trump may still choose to endorse in the race. Either candidate could still unofficially withdraw from the runoff, despite the deadline, but his name would still appear on the ballot. Republicans see Texas as key to maintaining their Senate majority and had hoped they wouldnt have to spend significantly more resources on a runoff after the already expensive primary. Senate GOP leaders had been intensely pressuring Trump to back Cornyn, who they saw as much more likely to win in a general election. Trump vowed to endorse in the bitter runoff earlier this month, writing on social media that he would be asking whichever candidate he did not support to immediately drop out of the race. The ultimatum thrilled Senate GOP leaders, because the president had been gravitating toward endorsing Cornyn. But Trump and some top advisers grew frustrated after his intentions leaked to the press, CNN previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement The decision was further complicated by Trumps desire to directly tie his prized endorsement to his fixation with his SAVE America Act which, among other things, would impose stricter voter ID requirements. In early March, Paxton announced that if the Senate passed the presidents voting restrictions bill even if it took changing the chambers filibuster rules he would consider dropping out of the runoff race. White House officials viewed the ploy as a genius move, as one Trump official described it, and it kept Paxton in the mix. Adding to potential confusion over the endorsement and the deadline, Texas final withdrawal date is not a set day. Under state law, candidates have until three days after the results are finalized, or canvassed, to withdraw from the runoff. If the Texas GOP had canvassed their results on the last possible date, the withdrawal deadline wouldve been Wednesday, but since they canvassed a day earlier, the deadline slid to Tuesday at 5 p.m. CST. Ethan Cohen contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Spanish group Vicky Foods has signed an agreement to acquire the bakery brand Panrico from local peer Adam Foods. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The family-owned company said Panrico will add greater production capacity in a key category, especially in the sliced bread segment. Rafael Juan, Vicky Foods' CEO, said: The acquisition of Panrico reinforces our identity as a company with bakery roots. We are committed to growing the bread category, strengthening our brands, and continuing our international expansion with a solid, long-term industrial vision. The company said bread has become its biggest business line by sales volume in recent years, moving ahead of pastries since 2022. It added that the integration of Panrico, which generated a turnover of more than 23.8m ($27.4m) across Spain and Portugal last year, reinforces this evolution. Covering Spain and Portugal, the transaction includes the Panrico brand and its main industrial asset: a production site in Gulpilhares, Portugal. The facility covers more than 50,000 square metres, has three sliced-bread production lines and an annual capacity of 21,000 tonnes. Vicky Foods currently operates four production plants making close to 2,500 products, located in Gandia, Villalonga, Algeria and France. The group also described the purchase as part of its international growth plans and a significant move to strengthen its industrial footprint across the Iberian Peninsula. It said bringing the Gulpilhares site into its network will deepen its position in Portugal, increase operational capacity in the region and widen development potential in strategic European markets. Vicky Foods has a presence in more than 50 countries. Its brands include Dulcesol, Be Plus, and Hermanos Juan. The company generated a turnover of 707m in 2024. For Adam Foods, the sale is in line with its efforts to focus on biscuits, where it expanded in 2023 with the acquisition of Dr. Gerard from the Bridgepoint investment fund. Jose Manuel Faria, Adam Foods biscuits division general manager, said the company also recently bought Biscoland, along with a biscuits facility in Casablanca, Morocco. Faria added the sale of Panrico responds to the desire to find a partner that guarantees the continuity of industrial activity and long-term employment at Panrico, and is part of the group's international expansion strategy focused on the biscuit category". "Vicky Foods agrees to buy sliced bread brand Panrico" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. Donald Trump is openly entertaining the possibility of putting boots on the ground in Iran. Speaking with reporters at the White House Tuesday beside Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Trump sluggishly claimed that he wouldnt be afraid to put the lives of American soldiers at risk in order to continue his nonsensical war. The Iranian regime has told Sky News that if you put boots on the ground in Iran, it would be another Vietnam. Are you afraid of that? asked a journalist. Advertisement Advertisement No, Im not afraid ofIm really not afraid of anything, Trump said. Q: Are you afraid that if you put boots on the ground in Iran, it could be another Vietnam? TRUMP: No. I'm really not afraid of anything. pic.twitter.com/Odkq1LkILS Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 17, 2026 Moments later, Trump said he would withdraw from the war in the very near future but that he wasnt ready to leave yet. We have a lot, Trump responded when asked if the White House had a day-after plan, apparently unwilling to elaborate on the details of what that plan would entail. If we left right now, it would take 10 years for them to rebuild, he continued. But were not ready to leave yet. But well be leaving in the near future. Well be leaving pretty much in the very near future. But right now theyve been decimated from every standpoint. Advertisement Advertisement But leaving may not be a feasible option in the very near future. The presidents allies have recently interpreted a shift in power, warning that while the early days of the war may have indicated an immediate victory, prolonged U.S. involvement in the conflict has dramatically increased the likelihood of boots on the ground. The changing tide has fueled concern that Trump could draw the country into yet another open-ended Middle East conflict. At issue is whether the U.S. can obtain control over the Strait of Hormuz, the water channel situated between Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The strait is the single most important energy transit point in the world, funneling approximately one-fifth of all crude oil shipments. Iran began laying mines across the strait last week, effectively sealing the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the rest of the open ocean. Ensuring the free flow of oil through the strait would likely require seizing control of portions of Irans shoreline, a war plan that would almost certainly require the physical presence of U.S. troops in Iran. But doing so could embroil the U.S. and American lives in yet another devastating and unpopular conflictexactly the kind of action that Trump has railed against for more than a decade. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) on Tuesday said that President Trumps actions and threats toward other countries may come back to bite the U.S. down the road. Donald Trump thinks he can bully himself around the world and take over this country or that country or whatever country he wants, McGovern told host Joe Mathieu on Bloombergs Balance of Power. The Massachusetts Democrats remarks came in response to a clip of the president saying he will have the honor of taking Cuba amid negotiations between officials from the U.S. and the Caribbean island. Advertisement Advertisement Thats going to come back to bite us in the rear end, quite frankly, McGovern continued. And its a really dangerous precedent. I can only imagine what China and Russia are thinking right now. Trump has threatened Cuban President Manuel Diaz-Canel and his regime repeatedly in recent weeks, and his administration has cut off its oil supply from Venezuela, Cubas main source of energy. The island nation of roughly 11 million people suffered a total blackout on Monday, but energy officials said Tuesday evening that the country had partially reconnected its power grid. McGovern, though, said the people of Cuba should determine their future, not Trump or Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long called for the toppling of the regime. Advertisement Advertisement He talks about turning Cuba into a U.S. client state, McGovern said of the president. Imagine being a Cuban and hearing that. Basically, that the United States will take over and you do whatever Donald Trump tells you to do. Trump has targeted Cuba amid the U.S. and Israeli military operation in Iran, which began on Feb. 28. Though officials in the nation have vowed to fight back. It also comes over two months after American forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after months of escalating tensions. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, now face drug-trafficking and weapons-related charges in the U.S. Those actions, McGovern said, will embolden China and Russia to further threaten regional neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement China is probably saying, Hey, you know what? Nows the time. Nows a good time for me to go in and take over Taiwan, he added Tuesday. Russia is saying, Dont talk to me about Ukraine. Because, I mean, youre going into Venezuela, youre going into Iran, youre going into now Cuba. 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. WASHINGTON Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., President Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faced fellow senators on Wednesday at a heated confirmation hearing. The meeting was confrontational right from the start and ended on a similar note. Mullin has been tapped to take over DHS at a crucial time. The U.S. is locked in a war with Iran and the Trump administration faces a backlash for its aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 13, leading to major delays at airports, and the two parties havent reached a deal. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, used his opening statement to confront Mullin for reportedly calling him a freaking snake and saying he completely understands why a neighbor assaulted Paul in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it, Paul told Mullin, while also bringing up Mullin's attempt to challenge a labor union leader to a fight during a 2023 committee hearing. And while youre at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and border patrol agents. I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force, Paul said. Paul and the top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, later pressed Mullin repeatedly for details about classified travel he said he had taken in the past. As Peters noted, Mullin has long suggested that he did sensitive work abroad but has been light on details. He quoted Mullin telling Fox News this month that he knew the smell and taste of war, though he did not serve in the armed services as noted at the time by Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan of New York, a veteran. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin told Peters that there was a misunderstanding and that the travel was an official trip he took as a member of the House in 2015 and 2016 and it is classified. Mullin has been picked to take over for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired earlier this month after a rocky tenure. The president has selected Mullin to replace her by March 31, although he still needs to be confirmed by the Senate first. Republicans control 53 seats in the chamber, and Mullin needs 50 senators to secure confirmation. Early expectations are that he will get enough votes in the end, as Republican senators have been deferential to Trumps picks. But the clashes with Paul suggest it may not be smooth sailing for him to secure unanimous support from Republicans, who hold an 8-7 majority on the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Still, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said he would keep an open mind and that his experience with Mullin has been consistent kindness and professionalism. Foreign travel During the hearing, Paul and Peters pressed Mullin for more details about his "classified" travel as a House member. Mullin first became a senator in 2023 after serving in the House for a decade prior to that. "It is classified," he said. "But in 2015, I was asked to train with a very small contingency and go to a certain area, which was scheduled for 2016. ... I have spoken in general about my experiences, but Ive never spoken specifically on details, on dates or on the mission. Some of it may be public, he added. But it would be very small. Most of it, because of my recollection, which were going back 10 years I think theres only four people read in on it. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin declined to say where the trip was or who the four people read in on it were, citing classified information. Asked who classified it, Mullin said the House, later adding: Im assuming. Peters and Paul offered to discuss the travel with him in a SCIF, a secure facility for discussing classified information. Peters accused Mullin of not being forthcoming with me or this committee." Paul said he asked the FBI explicitly if Mullin had done any kind of classified work and that it should have shown up in paperwork for his nomination and could be viewed privately by the committee. Peters said no such paperwork was provided to them, and he asked the FBI about it. Advertisement Advertisement I said, Well, I dont see anything for Sen. Mullin. Why is that? They said, Nothing showed up, Peters said. Mullin said he had nothing to hide and had no issues with discussing details in a SCIF if authorized to do so. Paul seemed to threaten to hold up Mullins nomination. Im still willing to have the vote tomorrow, but I can cancel the vote tomorrow, he said. By hearings end, they agreed to have an initial meeting in a SCIF to discuss the issue on Wednesday afternoon. Paul did not attend in person, sending staff instead, according to a source familiar with the secretive meeting. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was present to support Mullin during Wednesday's hearing, later told NBC News that he'd checked with his former staffers and with Paul Ryan, who was speaker of the House at the time, and that Mullin's story of being approved to take that official trip is "100% true." Advertisement Advertisement After the meeting, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., an ally of Mullin's, told reporters that the DHS nominee's travel was related to "dealing with a whistleblower issue that happened to be overseas ... so theres a lot of nondisclosure that has to happen in any kind of situation like that. Mullin was not "careful" in his language, said Lankford, who introduced the Oklahoma senator at the beginning of the hearing. "I would use more the term of 'nondisclosure' than 'classified,'" he said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., left the briefing calling it weird, saying, there is no need for this exchange to be classified, and why it was classified, and frankly, who classified it is still a mystery. His answers raise additional questions," said Blumenthal. "And all of them go to his credibility, I continue to have really serious doubts about whether he has been fully forthcoming." Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., also raised the issue of credibility upon leaving the SCIF. Blumenthal suggested that Paul "should seriously consider waiting a while" to hold a committee vote on Mullin's nomination "so we can get responses to these questions. Paul said Wednesday night that the committee will proceed with a vote Thursday morning on whether to send Mullins nomination to the full Senate. Whenever that happens, Paul said he plans to vote no. Senator Paul already knows he cant support the nominee, but he wanted to ensure all committee members have the information they need to make their own decisions. He knows enough to know how he is going to vote, a spokesperson for Paul told NBC News about his attendance at a meeting regarding Mullin's foreign travel. He facilitated the meeting to make sure everyone else got the information they needed. Advertisement Advertisement If Paul does vote no, Mullin would need one Democratic vote on the committee to be advanced to the full Senate, and Fetterman appears to be his best hope. Its just nothing shocking, or its not some Tom Clancy, you know, book thing, Fetterman said after leaving the SCIF himself. Asked if anything he heard in the briefing affects his position on how he would vote on Mullin, Fetterman said, Im taking in everything, and thats where, where Im still at. I mean, I havent seen anything shocking." ICE Democrats pushed Mullin on how he would take a different approach to ICE than Noem. I do believe there is a better approach. And I think working with municipalities, I would love to see ICE become a transport more than the front line," Mullin said. Advertisement Advertisement He also walked back comments he made disparaging Alex Pretti as a deranged individual after the 37-year-old Minnesota man was killed by immigration enforcement officers. Those words probably should have been retracted. I shouldnt have said that, Mullin said under questioning from Peters. I went out there too fast. I was responding immediately without the facts. Thats my fault. That wont happen as secretary. I regret those statements, Mullin said, while adding that he absolutely will apologize if the investigation of the Pretti shooting proves him wrong. But Mullin declined to take back his comment that the shooting of another Minnesota protester, Renee Good, was absolutely justified. Its very clear that an officer had to make a split decision, Mullin said in response to Democratic questioning. In that case ... a car was running towards him and did strike him. At that point, that car becomes a lethal weapon. Mullin said the federal investigation into Goods death is going on, and he would take a look at it if confirmed. He also said he would revoke a policy put in place by Noem to personally review all DHS spending over $100,000 when asked about it by Democratic Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey. Absolutely ... thats called micromanaging, Mullin said. Fight with Paul Paul persisted in demanding that Mullin answer for his comments about the Kentucky senator getting violently assaulted by a neighbor years ago. I did not say I supported it. I said I understood it, Mullin said. Paul also played a montage of Mullin threatening to fight Teamsters President Sean OBrien at a Senate hearing, to which Mullin noted that my good friend Sean OBrien was sitting behind him and that the two have since reconciled their differences. Sir, I get it. Its about character assassination for you. Thats the way this game is played. I understand it, Mullin told Paul. And you are making this about you. Mullin pushed back on Paul in his own statement. I have to address remarks the chairman made calling me a liar. Sir, I think theres everybody in this room knows that Im very blunt and direct to the point. And if I have something to say, Ill say it directly to your face, Mullin said. The senator did not deny making the remarks or apologize to Paul. It seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us, he told Paul. We just dont get along. As far as me saying that I invoke violence, I dont. I dont think anybody should be hit by surprise. I dont like that, Mullin told Paul, while adding: Let me earn your respect. Im not perfect. I dont claim to be perfect, he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com PARIS (AP) Weve long had your back, now its our turn. That is how the famously transactional U.S. President Donald Trump is framing his demands that allies help him with the Iran war. He wants to call in IOUs for decades of U.S. security guarantees. The string of refusals indicates his stock of European goodwill is low. He has put allies through the wringer since returning to the White House, bullying them over tariffs, Greenland and other issues, and disparaging the sacrifices their soldiers made alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Now hes demanding not just requesting that they send warships to help the U.S. unblock the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil passes essentially mop up behind the conflagration that he and Israel ignited in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement The reply has been a global raspberry. That's how a veteran French defense analyst, Francois Heisbourg, described allied responses. No close ally has come forward with immediate help. Britain is flat-out refusing to be drawn into the war. France says the fighting would have to die down first. Others are non-committal. China, which is not an ally but was also asked to help, is ignoring Trump's call. This is not Europes war. We didnt start the war. We were not consulted, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday. Trump's frustration with the Rolls-Royce of allies Trump has singled out the refusal from the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cultivated ties with Trump and reached an early trade deal with the administration, but is now among allies who refuse to join a regional war with no clear endgame. Advertisement Advertisement The U.K. was sort of considered the Rolls-Royce of allies, Trump said Monday, adding that he'd asked for British minesweeping ships. I was not happy with the U.K, Trump said. They should be involved enthusiastically. Weve been protecting these countries for years. Starmer said Britain will not be drawn into the wider war" and that British troops require the backing of international law and a proper thought-through plan" suggesting those were not in place. He initially refused to let U.S. bombers attack Iran from British bases before accepting their use for strikes on Irans ballistic missile program. Advertisement Advertisement Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, said allies are looking at the United States in a way that they never have before. And this is bad for the United States. Having previously appeased Trump, some European leaders are starting to realize that theres no benefit or value in using flattery, he said. European leaders say it's not their war Going to war without consulting allies was in keeping with Trump's America-first outlook. My attitude is: We dont need anybody. Were the strongest nation in the world," he said Monday. But failing to get an international mandate, as the U.S. did before intervening in the 1990 Gulf War, is boomeranging. Advertisement Advertisement It is not our war; we did not start it, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. We want diplomatic solutions and a swift end to the conflict. Sending more warships to the region will certainly not contribute to that. French President Emmanuel Macron envisions possible naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz but only once fighting has died down. France didn't choose this war. We're not taking part," he said. After bruising tariff battles with Trump last year, the first months of 2026 have further strained alliances. Trump's renewed pressure for U.S. control of Greenland, including a tariff threat against eight European nations, and his false assertion that allied troops avoided front-line fighting in the Afghanistan War, upset partners in the NATO military alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Allies, or at least the Europeans, aren't willing to be at the beck and call of a demand from Donald Trump," said Sylvie Bermann, a French former ambassador to China, the U.K. and Russia. And even in asking for a helping hand, he is doing so in a brutal manner, saying: Youre useless, we're the strongest, we don't need you, but come,' she said. A dangerous mission Retired naval officers say that unblocking the Strait of Hormuz with military escorts while the war rages and without Iran's consent would be dangerous. France, which has rushed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, is working with other countries to prepare such a mission once the air war has subsided. French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet said any escorting would be conditional on talks with Iran, and Macron has publicized two calls in eight days with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Advertisement Advertisement That has won points with Trump. On a scale of zero to 10, Id say hes been an eight, Trump said Monday. Not perfect, but it's France. We don't expect perfect. But he's fuming at other allies. We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need," Trump said Tuesday. Trump has leverage, including in Ukraine Allies in Europe and Asia need oil, gas and other products from the Middle East to flow again. That gives Trump some leverage. Allies also know from experience that resisting Trump carries risks of retaliation. It really could be anything. Are the Europeans prepared for that? asked Ed Arnold, a former British army officer and now a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank. Advertisement Advertisement European allies need Trump's continued blessing for U.S. weaponry, intelligence, and other support for Ukraine, as well as financial pressure on Russia. The U.S. has started to chip away at some sanctions on Moscow by temporarily allowing shipments of Russian oil to ease shortages stemming from the Iran war. Allies also want him to reengage in talks to end the war. That was what kept European leaders quiet for a lot of last year in the face of the rhetoric and actions," said Amanda Sloat, a former U.S. national security adviser who now teaches at Spains IE University. It is also the thing that is making them a little bit nervous now. __ Burrows reported from London. Associated Press journalists Jill Lawless in London, Lorne Cook in Brussels, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed. By Ted Hesson WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Rand Paul, the Republican chairman of a Senate panel weighing the nomination of President Donald Trump's pick for homeland security, said on Wednesday he would oppose Trump's nominee over "anger issues" and inflammatory remarks. The nominee, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, called Paul "a freaking snake" a month ago over political differences related to an agricultural bill and said he understood why Paul's neighbor attacked him in a high-profile incident in 2017. Weeks later, Trump nominated Mullin to replace embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Advertisement Advertisement At Mullin's confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Paul lambasted him over the comments and stressed the importance of tamping down violent political rhetoric. Speaking with reporters afterward, Paul said he would vote against advancing Mullin's nomination. "I think there are anger issues," Paul told reporters. "The fact that he can't bring himself to say that, really, we shouldn't settle political questions with violence, I think that would be a terrible example for ICE and for our Border Patrol agents." Trump fired Noem earlier this month after she was criticized by Republican lawmakers over her handling of Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown and management of the 260,000-person Department of Homeland Security. The Republican president then nominated Mullin, a businessman who spent a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming a senator in 2023, to take over the role. Mullin's nomination must be approved by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage over Democrats. First, he must be approved by the homeland committee, which has eight Republicans and seven Democrats. The committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement One Democrat, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, said last week that he would back Mullin's nomination, citing his immigration enforcement record. On Wednesday, Fetterman praised Mullin and said he would listen to his testimony "with an open mind." Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters he expected Mullin's nomination to be approved despite the friction with Paul. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, Mullin would become the second Native American to serve as a cabinet member if confirmed. CALL TO DISAVOW VIOLENCE The quickly assembled confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee offered Mullin a chance to show how he would approach the job and to address lawmakers' concerns over Noem's management of the department, but was overshadowed by Paul's opposition. Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's imperative now more than ever that the leaders in our country disavow violence and lead by example," Paul said. The Republican chairman cited Mullin's comments saying he understood why Paul's neighbor in Kentucky attacked him, an altercation that left him with broken ribs and a damaged lung. "I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did," Mullin said at a February 14 event in Tulsa, according to journalist David Arnett's Substack. Mullin did not apologize but asked that Paul give him a chance to prove himself. "If you're willing to set it aside, let me earn your respect," Mullin said. "Let me earn the job. I won't fail you." Advertisement Advertisement Paul also raised a 2023 incident where Mullin challenged the Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a fight during a Senate hearing. Mullin said he and O'Brien, who sat behind him at the hearing, were now good friends. Democrats have blocked federal funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security since mid-February, saying they will not approve the money unless the Trump administration makes lasting changes to scale back aggressive immigration enforcement, complicating the nomination. James Lankford, Oklahoma's other Republican senator, praised Mullin as a hands-on leader equipped to tackle DHS' wide-ranging mission, from border security to disaster response. "I appreciate your willingness to be able to step up in a season where DHS needs a leader," Lankford said. Advertisement Advertisement QUESTIONS OVER CLASSIFIED FOREIGN TRAVEL Trump, a Republican, surged federal agents into U.S. cities beginning in mid-2025 to make immigration arrests, with major operations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis, where masked officers employing militaristic tactics led to legal challenges and public criticism. After federal immigration officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January - Renee Good and Alex Pretti - the Trump administration shifted its tone and said it would take a more targeted approach. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee's top Democrat, criticized Noem at the hearing for saying the U.S. citizens killed in Minneapolis had committed acts of domestic terrorism rather than calling for an investigation, and warned Mullin that a DHS secretary needed to have the right temperament. Advertisement Advertisement At the time of Pretti's shooting, Mullin similarly portrayed him as a threat despite video evidence that undercut that claim. He said Pretti was "a deranged individual" who had a loaded pistol and intended "to cause max damage," during an interview with Fox News on January 24, the day Pretti was killed. At the hearing, Mullin said he regretted those statements but declined to apologize. Peters also grilled Mullin on travel to Azerbaijan and Georgia shown in FBI records but not disclosed to the committee. Mullin said he was asked to train with a very small group as part of a classified government trip in 2016, but declined to provide details. Mullin agreed to speak with the committee's lawmakers after the hearing in a secure room for handling classified information. (Reporting by Ted Hesson; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and David Morgan; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Nick Zieminski) The deadline for Republican candidates to remove their name from the primary runoff ballot quietly passed at 5 p.m. Tuesday without any movement from Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, sending Texas GOP Senate primary barreling toward another period of expensive intraparty warfare. The day after the March 3 primary, when Cornyn overperformed most polls to finish first ahead of Paxton, President Donald Trump pledged to endorse one of the candidates soon, saying the party should unify to focus on fighting the Democratic nominee, Austin state Rep. James Talarico. And Trump issued a warning as well, saying he would ask his non-endorsed candidate to drop out. Nearly two weeks have elapsed without a Trump endorsement. And with the 5 p.m. deadline to withdraw ones name from the Texas runoff ballot now passed, the May 26 ballot is assured to contain both candidates names. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps initial announcement appeared auspicious for Cornyn, whose allies, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have repeatedly urged Trump to back the senior senator, arguing Paxton would be a liability in November and siphon millions in national GOP spending from other states. Multiple outlets reported that the president intended to back Cornyn; when Paxton said he did not plan to drop out even if he did not receive the endorsement, Trump shot back that the statement was bad for him to say. But two days after the election, Paxton issued an ultimatum of his own, centering the debate around a policy issue already firing up the GOP base. The attorney general said he would consider dropping out if Senate Republicans scrapped the filibuster, a procedural tool that requires most legislation to receive 60 votes to pass, in order to enact the GOPs signature elections bill known as the SAVE America Act. The measure would require people to show documentary proof of citizenship in person either via a passport or birth certificate when they register to vote, as well as show photo identification at the polls. Trump, who has said the bill would guarantee the midterms for Republicans, has also called for three provisions to be added to the measure a federal end to most mail-in voting, a ban on transgender athletes playing on teams that align with their gender identity and ending gender-affirming procedures for minors. Tuesdays deadline for candidates to withdraw from the runoff ballot falls on the same day that the U.S. Senate took up the SAVE America Act a convergence that highlights how the conversation around the Senate runoff has shifted in the two weeks since the primary. Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn voted with 50 other Senate Republicans to open debate on the bill Tuesday afternoon. There is little chance of passage for the bill through the Senate because of the filibuster, given that the Senates 47 Democrats are uniformly opposed to it, calling the voting provisions a modern day poll tax. Republicans do not have enough support to overhaul the filibuster so that they could pass the bill with support from a simple majority. But they are beginning debate on the bill today, putting it squarely in the center of the news cycle. Paxtons offer centered the runoff discourse around the SAVE Act, which Cornyn supports, and the filibuster, of which the senior senator had long been a defender. Cornyn first announced his support for a talking filibuster which would require Democrats to hold out against a vote by speaking indefinitely again the bill and then wrote an op-ed last week reversing course, saying past Democratic willingness to abandon the filibuster convinced him it was worth scrapping it to pass the SAVE Act. Even so, Paxton laid the bills likely failure at Cornyns feet. Advertisement Advertisement If the Save America Act fails, it will be because John Cornyn refused to truly fight to get it done, Paxton said. Hes campaigned on being Mr. Effective in the Swamp, and its time for him to put his money where his mouth is. Trump, meanwhile, has been less committal about the Texas runoff as time has gone on. Ill let you know that over the next week or so, Trump told NBC News Saturday when asked if he would endorse Cornyn, adding that he has always liked him. But in an acknowledgment of how critical the SAVE Act has become to the runoff, Trump said it would affect his endorsement. A lot has to do with the SAVE America Act, he said. A lot is going to determine Republicans have to get that passed, because that will secure voting in this country. Advertisement Advertisement The president told NBC he appreciated Cornyns new filibuster stance, but said I dont know when asked if the move had won him over. And Trump also cast doubt on the Cornyn campaigns main argument that the senator, who has been a strong general election performer, would be a better candidate in November than Paxton. Ive heard that, Trump said. I dont know. I dont know that to be a fact. What happens if state voters approve a fall ballot question asking them if they want to shave Massachusetts 5% income tax down to 4%? Nothing good, according to a new study out Wednesday by Tufts Universitys Center for State Policy Analysis. That single percentage point would mean a $5.1 billion hit to the Bay States bottom line. That would force policymakers to make deep cuts to such essential services as schools and health care, even as they hand a tax break to the commonwealths richest residents. Advertisement Advertisement The new data further intensifies what is becoming one of the most contentious and most expensive debates of the 2026 campaign season. Business groups backing the tax cut have argued its needed to preserve the states competitiveness and to staunch an exodus of residents fleeing costly Massachusetts for more consumer- and tax-friendly climes. Opponents say its a tax hit that the state cant afford to take during an uncertain economy and shifting financial winds in Washington, D.C. Were already facing $3.5 billion in annual cuts to Medicaid to pay for Trumps tax breaks for the ultra-rich at the federal level, Harris Gruman, the chair of the Protect Massachusetts Future ballot committee, which is leading the opposition, said. Advertisement Advertisement Forcing the largest state budget cuts in history in this fragile moment would be an absolute disaster for Massachusetts. Voters wont be fooled by the right-wing radicals who are trying to bring the Trump tax cut agenda to our state, Gruman, also the executive director of the SEIU Massachusetts State Council, said. The Tufts study concluded, among other things, that: The median household tax bill would shrink by about $1,250 a year, if voters approve the ballot question. State income tax collections would drop by 20%, while total state collections would drop by 10%. And a cut of that size would "more than offset the revenue gains from the millionaires tax and imperil efforts to balance the state budget and sustain core government programs," the report found. Households across the income spectrum would keep an additional 1% of their income. But that distribution would look quite different in dollar terms, with the highest-earning households getting a tax cut about 30 times the size of the median household, the report found. And because the tax cut would be phased in over three years, starting on Jan. 1, 2027, it would create a "serious planning problem for lawmakers, who are already building next years budget and cannot know whether revenues will suddenly drop," the report also found. Advertisement Advertisement The report confirms that the income tax cut ballot initiative is a massive giveaway to the ultra-rich that would leave the rest of us stuck holding the bag. While those earning over $1 million a year would see their state taxes cut by an average of $37,000, low- and middle-income taxpayers would get relative pennies, Gruman said. Polling data released last week by the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance, which is backing the ballot question, pointed to broad business community support for shaving a point off the income tax. More than 9 out of 10 respondents (92%) to the survey of 153 business owners said the savings from an income tax cut would help them manage their expenses more efficiently. That included 93% of so-called pass-through entities, or businesses that avoid corporate taxes by having their owners report profits, losses and tax liabilities on their personal tax returns. Youd recognize them as LLCs or S corporations. Advertisement Advertisement The survey is further evidence of what we have been hearing every week from our 4,000 members: sales are down and costs are up due to the affordability crisis in Massachusetts, Jon Hurst, the president and CEO of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which is part of the MOA, said in a statement. More on Politics Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. At least two people were killed in an Iranian missile strike in Israel, the Magen David Adom rescue service said early on Wednesday. A man and a woman were seriously injured in an attack in the city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv and later died of their injuries, the emergency service said. According to media reports, the victims were a couple aged between 70 and 80. Footage showed heavy damage to a residential building at the impact site. Advertisement Advertisement In Bnei Brak east of Tel Aviv, a young man was taken to hospital with minor shrapnel injuries to his hand, the rescue service said. Damage was also reported at Savidor train station in Tel Aviv, where rail services were temporarily suspended. According to media reports, firefighters were called out to several fires in central Israel linked to the missile strike. Most projectiles were intercepted by Israel's air defences, but the military said impacts had been reported at several locations in the centre of the country and urged the public to stay away from affected areas. Authorities in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - including in Dubai - also reported overnight that air defence systems were activated to repel attacks. Israeli police officers and first responders inspect an apartment struck by an Iranian missile. Oren Ziv/dpa Israeli police officers and first responders inspect an apartment struck by an Iranian missile. Oren Ziv/dpa Israeli police officers and first responders work the scene of an apartment building on Tel Aviv's outskirts, struck by an Iranian missile. Oren Ziv/dpa Israeli police officers and first responders work the scene of an apartment building on Tel Aviv's outskirts, struck by an Iranian missile. Oren Ziv/dpa VinFast says it plans to restart construction on its stalled electric vehicle factory in Chatham County as early as next month. Chairwoman Le Thi Thu Thuy said production is now slated to begin in 2028, County officials said they remain confident in the project despite the delays and major changes to the company's hiring plans. "Chatham County remains enthusiastic about the long-term economic opportunities and regional benefits this investment will bring, including job creation, infrastructure growth and innovation in advanced manufacturing," said Bryan Thompson, County Manager. SEE | Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell to outline priorities in State of City address Wednesday The Vietnamese automaker has significantly scaled back its staffing projection, reducing the number of anticipated jobs from 7,500 to about 1,400. That shift could affect state incentives tied directly to job creation benchmarks. Still, local leaders said the region is positioned for continued growth. "Our county remains the prime location for responsible growth and business development, even amidst challenges and changes," Chatham Economic Development Corporation Board Chairman Antonio McBroom said. State officials said final incentive payouts will depend on how many jobs VinFast ultimately brings to the site. Make sure to download the ABC 11 mobile app | ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo NEED TO KNOW Two teenage girls escaped a suspected kidnapping The girls, reported to be 12 and 16, escaped their kidnapper's car by jumping out of it The suspect is still at large in Los Angeles, and is believed to frequent the area where they were kidnapped Two teenage girls reportedly managed to escape a suspected kidnapping in Los Angeles over the weekend after jumping from a moving vehicle. The incident unfolded Sunday evening in the North Hills neighborhood, where the girls, reported to be 12 and 16 years old, were walking together near North Hills Park at Columbus Avenue and Acre Street around 5:20 p.m. when they were approached by a man inside a car, according to KTLA. Advertisement Advertisement Police said the suspect, who is still at large and whose identity is unknown, repeatedly offered them a ride. After initially declining, the girls eventually entered the vehicle the third time they were approached, near Nordhoff Street and Columbus Avenue, according to multiple reports. Authorities said the man then locked the doors and drove them away from the area. Detective Efren Gutierrez told ABC7 the suspect drove the girls to a cul-de-sac near Sunburst Street and Lemona Avenue, instead of the destination they had provided. Once there, he allegedly locked the doors, offered the girls money, alcohol and drugs, and unzipped his shorts while asking for sexual favors in exchange for money, Gutierrez told the outlet. Ultimately, both girls were able to escape the vehicle. One exited the car while it was stopped, while the other jumped out as the vehicle was in motion. Authorities said neither girl was physically injured. Advertisement Advertisement KTLA reported that the suspect is believed to be a 21-year-old Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes, weighing approximately 200 pounds, with tattoos on both arms. He was last seen driving an older model four-door sedan with an unknown license plate. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The investigation remains ongoing. PEOPLE has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for comment on the incident. Read the original article on People A brush fire forced closure of a portion of U.S. 40 in Uintah County on Tuesday. Police in Fort Duchesne said a field fire burning south of Ute Petroleum and Ute Plaza was spreading rapidly, and they urged people to stay away from the area to allow for emergency crews to respond. The fire has burned an estimated 5 acres so far, according to Utah Fire Info. Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Cameron Roden said people traveling west will be diverted off the highway at 8500 East, and people heading east will be diverted along 7500 East. Advertisement Advertisement The fire is burning close to the highway, making visibility poor due to the wind, Roden said. Crews are on scene working to get a handle on it. The fire is also burning near the scene of an earlier crash, but the incidents are not related. The Utah Department of Transportation said the stretch of road is expected to reopen by about 7:30 p.m. This story will be updated. Mar. 18A north central Idaho native will be the star of the U.S. Capitol holiday celebrations later this year. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest will supply the Christmas tree that is to stand in front of the Capitol, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release. It will be the first time the four-million acre forest has provided the tree that serves as the focus of outdoor Christmas activities in the nation's capitol. Idaho Gov. Brad Little, the state's two U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and forest supervisor Jon Word all declared it an honor for both Idaho and the Nez Perce-Clearwater forest to be selected as the provider of the "People's Tree." The national forest is known for its ideal tree growing conditions and its vast stands of firs, cedars, pines and larch that blanket a diverse landscape of tangled mountains and wild river canyons. Advertisement Advertisement "This remarkable tree from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests represents the natural beauty, stewardship and community spirit of north-central Idaho," Crapo said in the news release. "The lights that will illuminate its branches will provide a glimpse into the radiant beauty and wonder of Idaho's natural landscape. Idaho is proud to share a piece of our public lands with the nation during this season of reflection and unity." Forest officials will spend the next few months identifying candidate trees. The Nez Perce Tribe and the Society of American Forester's will assist in the process, according to the news release. The final choice, likely to be 60 to 90 feet tall, straight and conical, will be made this summer by officials from the Architect of the Capitol the small agency that oversees the capital and its grounds. Sawyers will fall the tree in October at which point it will make a circuitous tour across the country, stopping in cities and towns before arriving in Washington, D.C., around Thanksgiving. The Architect of the Capitol will decorate the tree with lights and ornaments. Traditionally, the lights are turned on during a ceremony presided over by the Speaker of the House. Each year, the Capitol tree comes from one of the 154 public forests overseen by the U.S. Forest Service. The last Capitol Christmas tree from Idaho, an Engelmann spruce, came from the Payette National Forest in 2016. Advertisement Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com. A University of Michigan engineering student who attended a Delta Chi fraternity party before being found dead off campus Jan. 24 was legally intoxicated when he froze to death. An autopsy report obtained by the Detroit Free Press showed that Lucas Mattson, 19, of Juneau, Alaska, had a blood alcohol level of .156, almost twice the legal limit for driving in Michigan. He was found wearing a short-sleeve shirt and pants when temperatures dropped to zero overnight. His body was found in a yard in the 1900 block of Cambridge Road, a few blocks from the fraternity house. Lucas Mattson, 19, of Juneau, Alaska, died Jan. 23, 2026, after attending a fraternity party at the University of Michigan. "It is my opinion that this individuals cause of death is ascribed to hypothermia (environmental cold exposure)," pathologist Dr. Randy Tashjian wrote in the report. "Other significant conditions contributing to death include acute ethanol intoxication. The manner of death is classified as an accident." Advertisement Advertisement The report said evidence of hypothermia included discolored skin and some fluid in his lungs. Mattson had a reported nut allergy, but the report said the enzymes associated with it were within the normal range. In addition to his Alaska driver's license and U-M identification card, Mattson also was carrying a driver's license from the United Kingdom, according to the report. "Really, there are no surprises in there," Bobby Raitt, an attorney who represents Mattson's family told the Free Press. "It does confirm what we already knew, that the alcohol that they provided him at this fraternity caused him to wander off in a T-shirt, which ultimately caused his death. When this young man left ... the fraternity house in a T-shirt and, you know, single-digit temperatures, you knew he was pretty drunk." More: U-M student found dead in Ann Arbor had attended fraternity party Advertisement Advertisement More: Family of University of Michigan student who died to sue fraternity Last month, Raitt sent a letter on behalf of the family to the fraternity and the university demanding that they preserve any evidence they may possess, including things like recordings from doorbell cameras or surveillance cameras, all cellular phone recordings from any members of Delta Chi or their guests, any photographs taken at the party and any written reports related to the incident. In a statement issued from its international headquarters, the fraternity said at the time: "Delta Chi is aware of the death of University of Michigan student Lucas Mattson. The Fraternity offers its sincere condolences and sympathies to his family, friends, and those affected by this loss." Raitt said he was waiting to receive the results of the police investigation before filing a lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement U-M Interim President Domenico Grasso wrote a message to the campus community in January calling Mattson's death a tragic loss and saying the university would conduct its own investigation "to retrace the events that occurred. ... We want to better understand what transpired and identify possible steps to help prevent similar tragedies in the future." Raitt described Mattson as a good kid who earned a partial scholarship to attend U-M's engineering school, one of the nation's most competitive. "This guy wasn't in a fraternity. He wasn't a big partier. He didn't drink a lot all the time," Raitt said. "He was celebrating an interview he had that day at an Alaska company to do an engineering internship. He went to there and he started drinking and he left because no one was there to watch him to tell him to, you know, stay put. We'll send someone, we'll get you a ride home." Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-M student who froze to death was legally drunk at the time HANOI, Vietnam (AP) A new trade pact between Indonesia and the United States has recast their economic ties, binding Jakartas resource wealth and energy future more closely to Washingtons strategic needs. Indonesia agreed to widen access for U.S. investors in critical minerals, boost its purchases of U.S. crude and liquefied petroleum gas, back the development of an American coal export corridor and cooperate on small modular nuclear reactors. In turn, the U.S. trimmed a threatened 32% tariff on Indonesian goods to 19% and granted broader access to the American market, including a zero-tariff entry policy for major products such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, spices and rubber. Advertisement Advertisement Though the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs may impact how it is implemented. The deal fits with longer term U.S. efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains, beef up its oil and gas exports and reduce dependence on China. Meanwhile other export-reliant Southeast Asian economies negotiating with the United States, including Vietnam, are closely watching the IndonesiaU. S. trade deal for clues about the tariff levels and concessions Washington may demand across the region. Indonesia, the worlds largest nickel producer, has vast mineral reserves needed for electric vehicles and clean energy systems. It's caught between the conflicting aims of the U.S. and China, a key source of foreign investment and market for Indonesian coal and nickel, analysts say. China is concentrating on electrification, renewables and dominance of battery supply chains, while the U.S. is pairing its push for mineral access with more fossil fuel exports. Advertisement Advertisement Haryo Limanseto of Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, said the deal's energy provisions balance foreign trade and meet domestic energy needs. The leadership of Indonesia is trying to tread a fine line between the West and China, said Putra Adhiguna of the Jakarta-based Energy Shift Institute, adding that Chinese influence is inescapable since it is Indonesias largest trading partner. US gains a new foothold to Indonesia's minerals Indonesia has pledged to promote U.S. investment across its mineral industry, from exploration and mining to refining, transport and export. In some cases, American investors will receive treatment no less favorable than domestic firms. Restrictions on exports of critical minerals to the U.S. will be relaxed to expedite development of Indonesia's rare earths and critical minerals sector with U.S. partners, promising greater certainty for companies involved in extraction to help boost production, the agreement says. Advertisement Advertisement Major policy shifts have altered Indonesias mining sector in the past six months and the trade deal's new restrictions on existing foreign-owned entities in Indonesia will curb excess output from processing plants. Foreign businesses must follow the same tax, environmental, labor and quota rules as other companies. Indonesias critical mineral processing sector is currently dominated by China, which has firms operating or financing multiple nickel smelters and industrial parks. Indonesia is absolutely central to this competition because it combines resource endowment with political ambition, said Kevin Zongzhe Li, with the Center for China Analysis within the Asia Society Policy Institute, a New York-based think tank. Competition over critical minerals is heating up and the agreement opens the door for U.S. firms to have a real shot at modestly leveling a sector where Chinese industries established first mover advantage, he said. Indonesia to purchase more US energy Indonesia has agreed to cut red tape so that its companies can more easily purchase U.S. energy products. Advertisement Advertisement It plans to buy $15 billion worth of American energy commodities over an unspecified period, mainly fossil fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas, crude oil and gasoline. Trump's efforts to persuade Asian countries to buy more American LNG has gained momentum during trade talks, with energy purchases emerging as a way to narrow trade gaps. It's unclear if the turmoil in oil trading due to the war with Iran might impact that effort. Indonesia, one of the worlds top coal exporters, will also invest in developing an export corridor from the U.S. West Coast to help make American coal more competitive in global markets, the agreement says. Indonesia also pledged to work with the U.S. and Japan to deploy small modular nuclear reactors, starting with a potential project in West Kalimantan. Shift in energy transition policies The deal reflects changed U.S. energy priorities under the Trump administration, away from cooperation on reducing Indonesia's climate change -causing emissions. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Indonesia joined the Just Energy Transition Partnership, a multi-billion deal where the U.S. and other wealthy nations pledged support for reducing coal use and expanding clean energy. The program was faltering even before Trump withdrew from it last year. Despite the U.S. withdrawal, Indonesian officials said the $21.4 billion partnership will continue. As of January, at least $3.4 billion, around 15%, of the funds had been received, according to Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia's minister for economic affairs. Adhiguna said the deals biggest impact may be political, with Jakarta emulating the U.S. emphasis on fossil fuel use. There is the risk that the political leadership of Indonesia is going to fall back into that hole, Adhiguna said. Advertisement Advertisement That will mean still slower progress in areas like solar energy. Over the past five years, tropical, sunny Indonesia has installed less than 1 gigawatt of solar energy compared with roughly 2 GW in Vietnam and nearly 60 GW in India. The International Energy Agency found that fossil fuels, like coal, oil and natural gas, made up nearly 78% of Indonesias energy mix in 2023. Indonesia should prioritize building 100 GW of solar and storage capacity and expand interconnection grids to enable renewable energy sharing, said Dinita Setyawati, with the United Kingdom-registered energy think tank Ember. Tariff strike down creates confusion The deals future has been clouded by the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling against Trumps sweeping global tariffs, just after the agreement was reached casting doubt on the durability of his trade strategy. The agreement requires ratification by Indonesias parliament before it can take effect. Advertisement Advertisement That adds another layer of uncertainty, said Mehu Sitepu, with the Washington-based strategic advisory firm The Asia Group. Some provisions of the agreement are drawing criticism, including those that are seen as diluting Indonesias halal certification requirements in the mostly Muslim country of nearly 288 million, Southeast Asia's most populous nation. Parliamentary approval could be an uphill battle and added uncertainty from the U.S. side may complicate things further, Sitepu said. ___ Delgado reported from Bangkok, Thailand. Associated Press writer Edna Tarigan in Jakarta contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Britain said it was working to provide more support for its partners in the Gulf who are under attack from Iran, as it announced plans to buy extra missiles to protect the region. Britain's fighter jets and other forces have been helping shoot down Iranian drones, and one of its warships is heading to the eastern Mediterranean, although the government has been criticised for not being able to send it sooner. The British RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus was hit by an Iranian-made drone on March 1, but HMS Dragon did not depart until March 10, leading to scrutiny of Britain's military readiness. Advertisement Advertisement Britain, which also has a military presence in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere, said it would order further Lightweight Multirole Missiles from Thales UK in Belfast to supply its forces as well as partners in the region, and said it would also provide them with training in the UK. "Lightweight Multirole Missiles have already proven highly capable for air defence in the Middle East," a statement from the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday. Ambassadors and defence attaches from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq and Jordan attended a meeting with Britain's Minister for Defence Readiness Luke Pollard, the statement said. They discussed how to provide new defence equipment and technology at pace with representatives from suppliers, such as BAE Systems, MBDA and Leonardo UK to counter Iranian attacks. (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by William James) LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Britain's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, was not part of final talks between the United States and Iran before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Tehran, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday. Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday that Powell had attended the talks and judged the offer made by Tehran on its nuclear programme significant enough to prevent a rush to war. "These negotiations were bilateral between the U.S. and Iran, facilitated by Oman. Jonathan was not present in the talks in Geneva and was not part of talks in the residence," the spokesperson told reporters, after being asked about the report which said Powell was present in the building at Oman's ambassadorial residence in Geneva. Advertisement Advertisement "No team of British officials participated in the negotiations. The UK supported the approach Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner took and their efforts in pursuit of a negotiated solution," the spokesperson said, referring to the two White House envoys. The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, sparking a conflict that has spread across the Middle East, killing thousands in the region and 13 U.S. service members. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, writing by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Kate Holton) Ukraine struck an aircraft repair plant in Russia's Novgorod Oblast, about 750 kilometers (about 466 miles) inside Russia, Ukraine's General Staff reported on March 18. According to the General Staff, facilities at the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa were hit on March 17, including a hangar used to service Il-76 and L-410 aircraft. The extent of the damage is being assessed, it added. Advertisement Advertisement The plant specializes in the repair and modernization of military transport aircraft and their components. It has its own runway, allowing it to receive heavy aircraft directly on-site. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the General Staff's report. Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia in an effort to diminish Moscow's firepower, as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine. Earlier on March 18, the General Staff said that its forces had struck an aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia's Ulyanovsk Oblast on March 16. Read also: Why Ukraine could start losing Western aid for the first time Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Ukraine struck the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol overnight on March 17, sparking explosions and fires, Telegram news channel Exilenova Plus reported, citing local residents. Russian air defense systems were destroyed in the attack on the southern Ukrainian city, the outlet later reported. Melitopol has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, following the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia and occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power as the Kremlin wages its war. On March 10, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) released video footage showing strikes on military facilities in Russian-occupied Donetsk oblast. "SSO continues to inflict asymmetric actions to strategically disable the enemy from waging war against Ukraine," the SSO Command said. Front-line units targeted a storage base and distribution point for fuel and lubricants in Makiivka, officials said. Overnight on March 10-11, Ukraine carried out a series of strikes across Russian-occupied territories, targeting air defense systems, fuel depots, ammunition storage sites, and other military infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement The strikes hit a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system near occupied Bahativka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, as well as an oil depot in occupied Berdiansk, lubricants depots in the Berdiansk and Kuznetsivka areas, and a drone depot in Novozlatopil, Ukraine's Armed Forces General Staff said. On the same night, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces said they destroyed the 64N6E radar station and its antenna in Sevastopol, Crimea, which were used for Russia's S-300 and S-400 air defense systems. A map showing Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast as of 2025. (The Kyiv Independent) Read also: Ukraine war latest: Explosions rock Kyiv as Russian drones target capital during morning rush hour Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is one of Goldman Sachs top healthcare stocks. On March 10, analysts at Bernstein SocGen reiterated an Outperform rating on Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) with a $1,300 price target. The positive stance comes on the heels of the company launching the Employer Connect platform to enhance access to its obesity medications through employer-sponsored programs. Wall Street Firms Turn Bullish on Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) Buoyed by GLP-1 Medication Expansion Plans Stokkete/Shutterstock.com The company has already partnered with 15 program administrators, including GoodRx and Mark Cubans Cost Plus Drugs, to enable employers to activate the GLP-1 coverage insurance platform for their staff. The unveiling of the new platform is part of an effort to capitalize on limited commercial insurance coverage. The new platform will expand GLP-1 coverage by enabling employers to customize coverage and wraparound services for employees. It also provides a way to share costs and lower employer expenses. The launch of the new platform follows Mounjaros prescription reaching 724,500 and 361,000 new prescriptions for the week ending February 27, affirming strong interest in the companys GLP-1 medications. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is a global healthcare company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human pharmaceutical products, focusing on areas like diabetes, obesity, oncology, and immunology. While we acknowledge the potential of LLY 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: 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026 and 11 Best Affordable Growth Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News. Ukraine said it can produce more anti-Shahed interceptor drones than it needs. Ukraine has deep experience in combating the kind of drone attacks the US and its allies now face in the Middle East. It has resulted in a surge in interest in Ukraine's interceptors, and it wants to share them. Ukraine is offering to use its untapped industrial capacity to support countries facing new threats. It says it could supply partners with 1,000 interceptor drones a day to counter Shahed attacks, potentially even more if it can secure additional investments to scale up production. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UK Parliament on Tuesday that Ukraine can produce "at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day." His military needs around 1,000 a day, which means "we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies." Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine's defense industry says it can produce far more than it does now, but lacks funding. Zelenskyy singled out interceptor drones cheap systems designed to destroy incoming drones as an urgent gap for partners that Kyiv could fill. Ukraine has extensive experience in stopping Shahed drones without needing to expend expensive missiles. A top officer said last month that interceptor drones now account for almost a third of the Russian aerial threats destroyed. Amid the Iran war, there is a surge in interest in Ukraine's capabilities. Iran has fired its Shahed drones at the US and its Middle East allies. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images Interest was already growing as allies studied Ukraine's battlefield tactics, especially drone defense; however, demand has surged as the Iranians lob Shahed one-way attack drones at US forces and allies in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement The war has highlighted problems with traditional air defense systems, including how expensive they are to use. One interceptor missile for a US-made Patriot air defense system, for example, can cost around $4 million, and difficult-to-replace stockpiles can be quickly exhausted. These weapons aren't ideal against Iranian Shaheds, generally estimated to cost around $20,000 to $50,000 apiece. Interceptor drones, running $2,000 to $6,000, put defenders in a better position from a cost perspective. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was forced to learn how to cheaply stop these one-way drones so that Russia could not overwhelm expensive air defense systems by sending drones in waves. He said Ukraine changed that equation, stressing that Kyiv's "approach is far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today." Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy previously said that multiple countries had contacted Ukraine's government for help on dealing with Iran's Shahed drones, and on Tuesday, he said there's demand for Ukrainian expertise. There are more than 200 Ukrainian military experts in the Gulf region at the request of partners, he said, and they "know how to help, how to defend against 'Shahed' drones." Interceptor drone makers, including ones outside of Ukraine, told Business Insider that they have seen a burst of interest, but it is tough to meet demand, as companies can't scale up overnight. "We can produce more it depends on investment," the Ukrainian president said. Ukraine has a wealth of experience in shooting down drones that were modelled after Iran's Shaheds. Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP via Getty Images Ukraine's defense budget heavily limits what industry can produce. More outside orders could unlock idle capacity, boosting supply for both Ukraine and its partners. Advertisement Advertisement Ihor Fedirko, the CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), a body that represents more than 100 companies, told Business Insider on Wednesday that the war in the Middle East has triggered a wave of requests for Ukrainian tech and expertise. He said Ukraine is able to make 2.5 times more interceptors than it can afford to buy, and that gap could double in a few months. Exports would generate cash to fund more production for Ukraine's own military. Ukraine's exports are heavily controlled, with the country wanting to prioritize its own fight against Russia's invasion. It's taking a host of steps to be able to export more equipment to some partners, particularly in Europe, but many of those steps are still being worked out. Zelenskyy's comments, however, indicate that interceptor drones could be a priority export. Zelenskyy also indicated that partners would need more than just interceptors to field a robust defense. "Without a system, any interceptor is just a toy not a real defender," he said. Advertisement Advertisement He said Ukraine knows how to build radar coverage to detect drones and software for the radars to keep working under electronic warfare interference. "If a 'Shahed' needs to be stopped in the Emirates, we can do it. If it needs to be stopped in Europe or the United Kingdom, we can do it," Zelenskyy said. "It is a matter of technology, investment, and cooperation." Read the original article on Business Insider The Ukrainian military has hit two aircraft factories in Russia with airstrikes, the General Staff in Kiev announced on Wednesday. The Aviastar aircraft factory near Ulyanovsk on the Volga River was attacked on Sunday night, the military said in Kiev. An air-conditioned hangar and a parking area, as well as several aircraft, were damaged, it said. The factory produces Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft and Il-78 tanker aircraft, and maintains heavy transport aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement In addition, it said a maintenance factory for Il-76s near Staraya Russa in western Russia was attacked with drones on Monday night, damaging a hangar. The strikes have not been confirmed by the Russian side. The Ministry of Defence in Moscow only stated that Ukrainian drones had been intercepted in these regions. As part of its defence against the Russian invasion, Ukraine is attempting to eliminate military targets deep in the enemy's hinterland. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade the neighbouring country in February 2022. Key developments on March 18: Major Russian aircraft manufacturing plant hit in Ukrainian strike, General Staff says Ukraine hits Russian aircraft repair plant in Novgorod Oblast, military reports Command post of elite Russian Rubikon drone unit hit in occupied Donetsk, Ukraine says Russian drones hit SBU office in western Ukraine's Lviv Oblast Ukraine's General Staff said that its troops had struck an aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia's Ulyanovsk Oblast, located about 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) deep inside Russia, on March 16. Advertisement Advertisement Building structures designed to hold aircraft and aircraft parking areas were hit at the Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant near the city of Ulyanovsk, the General Staff reported on March 18, citing its preliminary information. The General Staff did not say which weapons it used to strike the plant. Moscow has not yet reacted to the report. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the General Staff's report. Ulyanovsk Oblast Governor Alexey Russkikh claimed that five Ukrainian drones were "intercepted and destroyed" by the Russian air defense over the region on March 16, making no mention of the aircraft manufacturing plant allegedly suffering a hit. Aviastar, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation, produces Il-76 MD-90A heavy military transport aircraft and Il-78M-90A refueling aircraft, as well as providing maintenance for An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft, according to the General Staff. Advertisement Advertisement The General Staff added that the company's premises sustained varying degrees of damage, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on March 16, citing an unnamed Ukrainian source, that the Aviastar aircraft manufacturing plant was struck as media reports on it began surfacing on the internet. "The Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to strike key strategic facilities involved in supporting the Russian Federations military until the Russian Federations armed aggression against Ukraine is completely halted," the General Staff said in its Telegram post. United Aircraft Corporation is a subsidiary of Rostec, a major Russian state aviation cluster. Rostec manages hundreds of Russian enterprises, such as Aviastar, manufacturing over half of Russia's weapons and military equipment and exporting high-tech products for the Russian military-industrial complex, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Amid Iran war, Ukrainian drone makers fear Zelensky risks missing window of opportunity Ukraine hits Russian aircraft repair plant in Novgorod Oblast, military reports Ukraine struck an aircraft repair plant in Russia's Novgorod Oblast, about 750 kilometers (about 466 miles) inside Russia, Ukraine's General Staff reported on March 18. According to the General Staff, facilities at the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa were hit on March 17, including a hangar used to service Il-76 and L-410 aircraft. The extent of the damage is being assessed, it added. The plant specializes in the repair and modernization of military transport aircraft and their components. It has its own runway, allowing it to receive heavy aircraft directly on-site. Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the General Staff's report. Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia in an effort to diminish Moscow's firepower, as Moscow continues its full-scale war against Ukraine. Read also: The Russian opposition group helping find Ukrainian civilians captured by Russia Command post of elite Russian Rubikon drone unit hit in occupied Donetsk, Ukraine says Long-range Ukrainian drones struck a command post of Moscow's elite drone unit known as the Rubikon Center for Unmanned Technologies in Russian-occupied Donetsk, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported on March 18. The SSO said the overnight strikes also hit a coordination center for Russian unmanned systems units, which are also located in Donetsk, along with ammunition depots, unspecified equipment, and a storage site in a village about a two-hour drive southwest of the occupied city. Advertisement Advertisement Rubikon, which continues to post drone footage of the unit's work against Ukrainian forces, has not commented on the SSO's claim as of the time of publication. The Russian Defense Ministry has also not reacted to the SSO's claim. 0:00 / 1 The SSO claims that "underground members" of the Resistance Movement against Russian occupation have helped its troops conduct the drone strikes. A core part of Russia's unmanned system program to bolster its drone warfare against Ukraine, Rubikon specializes in both hunting down Ukrainian drone pilots and shooting their drones in the sky. Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Battlefield analysis: What Ukraines recent front-line gains really mean Russian drones hit SBU office in western Ukraine's Lviv Oblast Russian drones targeted the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and surrounding region on the evening of March 18, regional authorities reported. Drones hit the regional headquarters of Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) in Lviv Oblast, causing damage to the building, Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said. No casualties were reported. Kozytskyi also warned that residents of Lviv may encounter drone fragments in the city. Earlier, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi warned residents at around 10:13 p.m. local time that Russian Shahed-type drones were headed for the city. Shortly afterwards, a Kyiv Independent journalist in Lviv reported that air defenses were active in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Aerial alerts were also activated in the western regions of Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk. Lviv lies about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Polish border. Located far from the front lines, it is not a frequent target of Russian aerial attacks. Still, the city has been hit by drones and missiles throughout Russia's full-scale war, with mass attacks sometimes leading Polish air defenses to scramble fighter jets in response. Lviv was also the site of a terrorist attack in February that targeted local law enforcement, killing two victims and injuring 24. Note from the author: Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. Read also: Why Ukraine could start losing Western aid for the first time Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has welcomed a ruling by the Warsaw District Court on the extradition of Russian archaeologist Aleksandr Butyagin to Ukraine, where he is suspected of having conducted illegal excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea. Source: a briefing by Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, as cited by Ukrinform and reported by European Pravda Details: Tykhyi noted, however, that Ukraine understands that "there will be further procedural stages in Poland". Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "This is now in the hands of Polish justice. As for what awaits him in Ukraine, the law enforcement officers who brought the relevant cases are better placed to comment." Background: Butyagin, a researcher at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, is accused by Ukraine of conducting illegal excavations and looting historical artefacts in occupied Crimea and has been placed on the wanted list on those grounds. Butyagin was detained in December 2025 at a hotel in Warsaw while on a lecture tour in Europe. Ukraine subsequently filed an extradition request. Following the archaeologist's detention, Moscow summoned the Polish ambassador in Russia to protest against his extradition to Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! KARACHI, March 18 (Reuters) - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has put the death toll at 143 in the bombing of a Kabul drug rehab centre by Pakistan, an official told Reuters on Wednesday. The Afghan Taliban government had said more than 400 people were killed and 265 injured in the air strike on Monday night. Pakistan has rejected the Afghan Taliban claim that it targeted a drug rehab centre saying it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure". (Reporting by Ariba Shahid, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh) Deepfake videos of celebrities hawking crypto scams flood social media feeds daily, yet consumers cant tell which AI-generated content is real anymore. The UK government announced March 18, 2026, plans to examine mandatory labelling requirements for AI-generated content, aiming to protect consumers from disinformation and deepfakes while supporting creators through broader copyright reforms. Policy Reversal Signals Tougher Stance Technology Minister Liz Kendall emphasized balancing creative industry protection with AI innovation, but notably abandoned the UKs previous preference for broad copyright exceptions allowing AI training on lawfully accessed material. This shift came after extensive consultations with creative organizations, AI firms, unions, and academicssignaling the government heard creator concerns loud and clear. Popular AI art apps and content generation tools may soon face stricter training restrictions alongside labelling requirements. Technical Challenge Meets Consumer Reality Currently, no UK law mandates AI content labelling, leaving consumers to guess whether viral videos feature real footage or algorithmic wizardry. A House of Commons Library report discusses potential methods ranging from visible disclaimers to machine-readable watermarks embedded in files. The technical challenges acknowledged in prior copyright-AI consultations suggest implementation wont be straightforwardespecially when platforms like Instagram and TikTok already struggle with content moderation at scale. Stakes Rise for UKs AI Powerhouse The UKs AI sector grows 23 times faster than the broader economy, positioning it third globally after the US and China, according to Reuters. This explosive growth means regulatory decisions here influence consumer AI tools worldwide. Legal expert Louise Popple from Taylor Wessing notes the governments subtle approach shift: Thats a subtle difference of approach and could be interpreted to mean that everything is still up for grabs. Translation: AI-powered gadgets and apps may face unpredictable compliance costs. Advertisement Advertisement The government must publish two AI-copyright reports by March 18, 2026, per the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Expect clearer guidance then on how labelling requirements will transform daily encounters with AI-generated contentfrom social media feeds to marketing materials. From the coolest cars to the must-have gadgets, GadgetReviews daily newsletter keeps you in the know. Subscribe - its fun, fast, and free. The partial government shutdown is causing long lines at airports. Large numbers of TSA agents are calling out of work, and 366 have left their jobs. More than 20% of agents have called out at Atlanta, the world's busiest airport by passengers. Staffing shortages are causing hourslong lines at airports around the country, but it's much worse at some than others. Transportation and Security Administration staff have been working without pay since February 14 due to a partial government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Callout rates have doubled nationwide since the shutdown began, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday evening. It added that 366 transportation security officers have left the TSA between the start of the shutdown and Monday. And after missing their first full paycheck last week, more TSA agents have been calling out of work. Statistics shared with Business Insider by the DHS show the highest nationwide callout number for the shutdown was on Monday at 10.22%. New Orleans had the highest callout rate that day at about 38.8%, followed by Atlanta at 37.1%, Houston Hobby at 35.2%, New York-JFK at 30.4%, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 24.4%, and New York LaGuardia Airport at 20.8%. The five airports with the highest average callout rates since the shutdown began are: Advertisement Advertisement Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL): 21.5% New York's John F. Kennedy International (JFK): 21.4% Houston Hobby (HOU): 20.1% Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY): 16.5% Pittsburgh International (PIT): 13.8% Around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Atlanta saw wait times of up to 90 minutes at an international security checkpoint. At JFK, the longest wait time was more than 30 minutes, according to its website. Before the shutdown, the average callout rate was less than 2%, the DHS said. That has more than tripled to a nationwide average of 6%, it added. Recent days have seen particularly long queues at Houston Hobby Airport. It had the highest-single day callout rate last Saturday, reaching 55%. And, on at least five days, it has had unscheduled absence rates over 30%, according to the DHS. Advertisement Advertisement "These numbers illustrate the severe operational strain caused by the shutdown, underscoring the urgent need for resolution to restore stability, morale, and security at America's airports," the DHS said in a statement. "TSA funding must be restored immediately." It also said that losing staff is troublesome because it takes four-to-six months to train new recruits. The shutdown comes as Republicans seek additional funding for DHS, including billions more for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, Democrats want reforms in the wake of the turmoil in Minneapolis, as two US citizens there were killed by ICE in January. Read the original article on Business Insider By Michael Martina WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - China does not currently plan to invade Taiwan in 2027 and seeks to control the island without the use of force, the U.S. intelligence community said on Wednesday, striking a measured tone on one of the world's biggest potential flashpoints. The assessment in the intelligence agencies' annual report on global threats comes as Beijing has stepped up pressure on Taiwan with frequent military drills, even as U.S. President Donald Trump has played down the risk of Chinese military action while he is in office. Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon late last year said the U.S. military believed China was preparing to be able to win a fight for Taiwan by 2027, the centenary of the founding of its People's Liberation Army, and was refining options to take Taiwan by "brute force" if needed. "China, despite its threat to use force to compel unification if necessary and to counter what it sees as a U.S. attempt to use Taiwan to undermine China's rise, prefers to achieve unification without the use of force, if possible," the U.S. intelligence agencies said in the report. The U.S. "assesses that Chinese leaders do not currently plan to execute an invasion of Taiwan in 2027, nor do they have a fixed timeline for achieving unification," the report said. It reiterated previous views that the PLA was making "steady but uneven" progress on capabilities it could use to capture the democratically governed island. Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington said Taiwan will continue to monitor China's activities and "remain vigilant at all times." "China has never abandoned the use of force against Taiwan, and its continued military intimidation and gray-zone operations pose serious threats not only to Taiwan but also to regional peace and stability," it said in a statement. China's embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Trump, who has repeatedly touted his "great relationship" with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, has downplayed the threat of the Chinese drills around Taiwan and said Xi told him he will not attack Taiwan while the U.S. president is in office - something Beijing has never confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement China views Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to take the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. PRESSURE ON JAPAN TO INTENSIFY Despite concerns in the U.S. and abroad about Trump's inclination to back Taiwan, his administration in December unveiled a record $11 billion sale of weapons for the island, angering Beijing, which says such arms deals must end. Nonetheless, some Japanese officials have worried Trump may be prepared to soften support for Taiwan in pursuit of a trade accord with China, a move they fear will embolden Beijing and spark conflict in an increasingly militarized East Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Tokyo had been unnerved by muted U.S. rhetorical support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after her remarks last year that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese military response. Trump reportedly told her privately not to escalate the ensuing diplomatic row with Beijing. In Wednesday's report, the U.S. intelligence agencies called Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan a "significant shift" for a Japanese leader, a framing that is likely to irk Tokyo just a day ahead of a delicate visit by her to the White House. Takaichi has maintained her stance was consistent with Japan's longstanding policy. "China is employing multidomain coercive pressure that probably will intensify through 2026, aimed both at punishing Japan and deterring other countries from making similar statements about their potential involvement in a Taiwan crisis," the report said. (Reporting by Michael Martina, Patricia Zengerle and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Franklin Paul and Rod Nickel) A former U.S. Army general tasked with overseeing U.S.-led military support for Ukraine lost classified maps on a train in Europe and was concussed after an "overindulgence in alcohol" during a dinner in Ukraine, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Defense's Inspector General. The 50-page report, dated March 12, found that Retired Army Major General Antonio Aguto Jr., who led the German-based Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U), violated policy in his handling of classified maps while on a State Department-chartered trains. SAG-U, which was established in November 2022 with about 300 military personnel, assists with "coordinating the training and equipping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," out of Wiesbaden, Germany, according to the Pentagon. Advertisement Advertisement The report, which was compiled after receiving three anonymous complaints, notes that Aguto improperly assigned control of the maps while en route to Kyiv in March 2024, leaving the classified materials in the hands of staff instead of a diplomatic courier, as required. Upon the group's return trip to Germany, the maps, which were classified as secret, were subsequently misplaced and left on a Ukrainian train. The misplaced maps, deemed improperly stored in an unsecured cylindrical tube, were returned one day after having been found missing, the report concluded. "The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine recovered the unattended classified documents from the train when it returned to Ukraine one day later. (Major General) Aguto took responsibility for this incident," the report read. In a separate incident a month later on May 14, 2024, Aguto appeared to show signs of "progressive decline" during a meeting with then Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. Advertisement Advertisement The Inspector General's office found that Aguto's behavior during the meeting was due to a concussion he suffered after a series of falls following a night of heavy drinking on May 13. During the six-hour dinner, Aguto drank from two bottles of alcohol, according to the report. The former general told investigators he had been drinking "chacha," a Georgian spirit. The report reads that the restaurant's menu where Aguto dined listed the drink in 500-milliliter bottles, suggesting the former general may have consumed up to a liter of alcohol. "A preponderance of the evidence established that MG Aguto suffered a moderate-to-severe concussion caused by head injuries from at least one, if not all three, falls in the late evening of May 13 and the morning of May 14," the report notes. Advertisement Advertisement Aguto is ruled to have violated Defense Department policies on alcohol consumption after drinking from two bottles of liquor at the dinner, described as a military engagement, alongside a redacted associate. In light of Aguto's actions, the Investigator General's report recommended that the Army Secretary take unspecified "appropriate action" regarding the found misconduct, while referring the loss of classified documents to the U.S. European Command Special Security Office. Aguto relinquished command of SAG-U in August 2024 shortly before retiring from the military. Read also: After bashing allies, Trump now wants their help except from Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. WASHINGTON The head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center resigned March 17, saying he cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran, the first top Trump administration official to quit over the conflict. Joe Kent, a decorated former Army Ranger and CIA paramilitary officer, was a top aide to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who oversaw all U.S. counter-terrorism efforts in the U.S. and overseas. In a March 17 post on social media platform X, Kent said that after much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. Advertisement Advertisement Iran war updates: US intel official Joe Kent quits, alleging 'misinformation' Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby, Kent wrote in a letter to President Donald Trump, who nominated him for the top U.S. counterterrorism job on Feb. 3, 2025. Trump responded, with criticism when asked about Kent's resignation at a White House event. "I always thought he was a nice guy. But I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," Trump told reporters. "I didn't know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy. But when I read a statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat." Advertisement Advertisement The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees NCTC, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY requests for comment. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a lengthy response on X. "There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that 'Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.' This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over," Leavitt said. "As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first." Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, called Kent's record at the NCTC "deeply troubling," and said he strongly disagreed "with many of the positions he has espoused over the years, particularly those that risk politicizing our intelligence community." Advertisement Advertisement But on this point, he is right: there was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice in the Middle East," Warner said in a statement. A top Trump aide 'resigning on principle' Javed Ali, counterterrorism director on the National Security Council during Trump's first term, said Kents resignation was virtually unprecedented for a president who has fired numerous top aides but hasnt seen any publicly attack his policies when leaving the administration. Joe Kent rallies for defendants being prosecuted in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on Sept. 18, 2021. On March 17, 2026, Kent resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center in protest against the U.S. war in Iran. With the Iran war now into the third week, this is a major development, because this is the first high profile sort of defection from the Trump administration's national security team, Ali told USA TODAY. He's resigning on principle, he hasn't been forced out of his job. Ali, who has served in top counterterrorism roles in Republican and Democratic administrations, said that unlike Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired earlier this month, Joe Kent, by all accounts, was doing well as the NCTC director. Advertisement Advertisement But because of his views on what the administration's policies have been with the war in Iran, he chose to resign, which is very significant, said Ali, who now teaches at the University of Michigan.' 'We cannot make this mistake again' In his letter, Kent said he supported the values and the foreign policies that Trump campaigned on in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and that he enacted in his first term in which the president sought to avoid wars in the Middle East that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation. Rescuers work in the rubble of residential buildings after air strikes in Tehran, Iran, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released March 9, 2026. But early in his second administration, Kent told Trump, the president has fallen into a trap in which high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory, Kent continued. This was a lie and ls the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. Advertisement Advertisement We cannot make this mistake again, Kent said. USA TODAY is reaching out to the Israeli government for comment. In past public statements, Trump has denied being goaded into war with Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A favorite of Gabbard and Trump Kent was a favorite of both Gabbard, who oversees all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, and the president himself. When nominating Kent 13 months ago, Trump said in a Truth Social post that as a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life. Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard. After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026 Above all, Joe knows the terrible cost of terrorism, Trump said, noting that Kents wife Shannon was killed in the fight against ISIS. Advertisement Advertisement Shannon Kent, a Navy chief cryptologic technician, was killed January 16, 2019, in a suicide bomb attack in Manbij, Syria. Kent, in his letter to Trump, indirectly blamed his wifes death on Israel too. "As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel," Kent wrote, "I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accompanied by Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, speaks during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. The hearing to examine worldwide threats comes a day after Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic magazine was inadvertently included on a high level Trump administration Signal group chat on bombing plans in Yemen on Houthi targets. The White House and Israeli officials had no immediate comment. Advertisement Advertisement Ali said the NCTC likely has a succession plan in which Kent's No. 2 will take his place in an acting capacity. But because it is a Senate-confirmed position, Trump will have to nominate someone and then get them approved and into place quickly given the threats to U.S. citizens at home and abroad, Ali said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Kent quits as counterterrorism chief over Trump's war in Iran If you're wondering where the cryptocurrency XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) will be by 2030, start with what's happened since it cleared the two biggest hurdles its community had been pointing to for years. Two hurdles cleared The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settled its case with Ripple -- the company behind XRP -- in August 2025, with the court affirming that selling XRP on public exchanges isn't a securities transaction. That was a major win. 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. And just months ago, spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched, pulling in over $1.3 billion in their first 50 days, making XRP the second-fastest crypto ETF to cross that mark after Bitcoin. But XRP hasn't reacted like bulls thought it would -- at least not for long. XRP surged massively following the SEC settlement, but that rally was relatively short-lived. The token sits at roughly $1.38 today, down over 60% from its peak. Ripple's success does not equal XRP's success The problem isn't any one catalyst; it's deeper than that. The primary Ripple product that big-name banks like Bank of America and Santander use is a messaging and settlement system that works without touching XRP at all. Ripple's cross-border liquidity product, what was called On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), does use XRP. But it doesn't have the sort of volume and scale that Ripple's settlement platform does. And now, Ripple's stablecoin, RLUSD, can be used in its stead. That means that Ripple's ecosystem just doesn't create the sort of structural demand for XRP that has driven the narrative for so long. More adoption of Ripple doesn't necessarily drive XRP's price higher. Don't expect huge gains Regulatory clarity and ETF inflows make great headlines, but they don't fix a structural demand problem. By 2030, Ripple will be a bigger company than it is today, but XRP holders won't be the ones who benefit from it. Should you buy stock in XRP right now? Before you buy stock in XRP, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and XRP wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,105,029!* US President Donald Trump once again raised fears of a military intervention in Cuba, saying Washington would be doing something with Cuba very soon. Though Trump hasnt explicitly described his plans, experts assess that his administration is pursuing a regime compliance strategy rather than trying to oust Havanas Communist leaders. Under the effort, broadly modeled on Washingtons campaign in Venezuela, President Miguel Diaz-Canel would be replaced with a senior Cuban official potentially someone from the Castro family, which still dominates the countrys politics who is more amenable to Washington. Such a move would allow Washington and Havana to reset their relationship, an Obama-era US official argued. March 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Wednesday will hold a sale of oil and gas drilling rights in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve for the first time since 2019, the latest test of the industry's appetite for acreage in the state. The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management is offering 600 tracts covering 5.5 million acres (2.2 million hectares) to oil and gas companies. The bids will be opened and read via a livestream on the BLM's website at 10 a.m. Alaska time (1900 GMT). The sale is the first of at least five mandated by President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which he signed into law last year. His administration has sought to expand domestic oil and gas production and reverse Biden-era restrictions on drilling in the Alaska reserve. Advertisement Advertisement But oil and gas industry interest in snapping up leases in Alaska has been tepid in recent years. Drilling in the state is a high-risk endeavor involving decades of work and billions of dollars of investment. The industry failed to show up at all for a sale of offshore drilling rights in Alaska's Cook Inlet earlier this month. The NPR-A, as the 23-million-acre reserve is known, was designated for oil and gas exploration in the 1970s to address energy shortages. The last NPR-A lease sale, in 2019, attracted $11.3 million in bids on 1.05 million acres. Alaska state officials and some native groups support oil and gas drilling because it contributes to tax revenue and creates jobs. Environmentalists argue oil and gas development destroys habitats for species such as polar bears and caribou. (Reporting by Nichola GroomEditing by Rod Nickel) (Refiles to add dropped word American in paragraph 10) By Patricia Zengerle, Doina Chiacu and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - Iran's government has been degraded since the war began on February 28, but it appears to be intact and Tehran and its proxies remain capable of attacking U.S. and allies' interests in the Middle East, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement "The regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury," Gabbard said, referring to the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran, in her opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee's annual hearing on Worldwide Threats to the United States. "Even so, Iran and its proxies remain capable of and continue to attack U.S. and allied interests in the Middle East. If a hostile regime survives, it will seek to begin a years-long effort to rebuild its missiles and UAV (drone) forces," Gabbard said. The 2-1/2-hour hearing was the first significant public appearance since the start of the war by Gabbard, who has kept a low profile for months. The hearing identified China, Russia, North Korea and Iran as top adversaries, but largely focused on the Iran war, now in its third week. Lawmakers - including some of President Donald Trump's Republicans as well as Democrats - have said they want more information about a campaign that has killed thousands of people, disrupted the lives of millions and shaken energy and stock markets. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats in particular have complained that Congress has not been adequately informed about a conflict costing U.S. taxpayers billions, and demanded public testimony rather than classified briefings held in the past two weeks. "The complete lack of clarity should matter to everybody," Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado said after a testy exchange with CIA Director John Ratcliffe about the U.S. plan for eliminating the threat from Iran. FIRST MAJOR RESIGNATION OVER THE WAR The hearing with Gabbard, Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel and other intelligence officials also touched on the shock announcement on Tuesday that a top aide to Gabbard had resigned, citing the war. Advertisement Advertisement Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, is the first senior official in Trump's administration to resign over the conflict. The Office of the DNI oversees the counterterrorism center. "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," Kent wrote to Trump. Ratcliffe said during the hearing that he disagreed with Kent. "I think Iran has been a constant threat to the United States for an extended period of time and posed an immediate threat at this time," he said. The threat assessment Gabbard presented to the committee added to confusion over Iran's nuclear program. Some administration officials said in the run-up to the war that Iran was weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon, one of the reasons given for starting the airstrikes. Advertisement Advertisement In written remarks sent to the committee before the hearing, Gabbard said Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated in U.S. and Israeli strikes in June, and Washington had seen no effort since to rebuild its enrichment capability. However, when she spoke to the senators, Gabbard said the intelligence community assessed Iran was trying to recover from damage to its infrastructure in July. WHAT WAS TRUMP TOLD? Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who chairs the committee, praised Trump in his opening statement, saying his actions in Iran and elsewhere had made the world safer. Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the committee's vice chairman, criticized the administration for failing to be clear about its motivation for what he called "a war of choice." He also bashed Gabbard for investigating elections in the United States, while the agency has cut staff involved in activity like monitoring Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard said the U.S. intelligence community has identified no foreign threat to November's congressional elections. Questions have swirled around what Trump was told before he decided to join Israel in striking Iran. Ratcliffe told the hearing there had been "countless" meetings with Trump before the first strikes and that he briefs the president "10 to 15 times a week." Sources familiar with U.S. intelligence reports have said Trump was warned, for example, that attacking Iran could trigger retaliation against U.S. Gulf allies despite his claims that Tehran's reaction came as a surprise. Trumps assertion followed other administration claims that have not been backed by U.S. intelligence reporting, such as that Iran would soon have a missile capable of hitting the U.S. homeland and that it would need two to four weeks to make a nuclear bomb. Advertisement Advertisement Trump was also briefed ahead of the operation that Tehran would likely seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route for oil and gas, according to two other sources familiar with the matter. Gabbard declined to comment on whether she had briefed Trump or was asked to brief him on the chance that Iran would strike adjacent Gulf nations and close the strait if it were attacked, saying only that the intelligence community was providing Trump with "all the best objective intelligence available to inform his decisions." The House of Representatives intelligence committee is due to hold its worldwide threats hearing on Thursday. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Doina Chiacu and Jonathan Landay; additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman and Nia Williams) The commander of U.S. Space Command told the House Armed Forces Subcommittee Tuesday that his headquarters relocation to Redstone Arsenal is on track, offering Huntsville-area residents new insight into the high-profile move. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting appeared before the Strategic Forces Subcommittee alongside other senior military leaders and civilian defense officials to present the Pentagon's fiscal year 2027 strategic forces posture. In his prepared remarks, Whiting said the Command is executing a phased relocation while a permanent, purpose-built command and control facility is under construction at Redstone Arsenal as directed by President Trump last September. Advertisement Advertisement "We are executing a phased relocation operating from interim facilities while a new purpose-built command and control facility is constructed," Whiting told the subcommittee. "Our people are central to this effort, and we are using retention and relocation incentives to keep our mission critical talent throughout the move." Whiting asked Congress to continue supporting authorizations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to accelerate completion of the new headquarters and ensure uninterrupted readiness. Trump ordered Space Command to Huntsville last fall, reversing former President Biden's decision to keep the command at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. Roughly 1,400 jobs are expected to transfer to Redstone Arsenal over the next several years. The general said in February at a Colorado symposium that the command has already established retention bonuses for civilian staff and will cover relocation costs, paid out over several years. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said last month that 50 percent of Space Command personnel would be relocated to Alabama by the end of 2028 following meetings with officials overseeing the move. Space Command opened its first Redstone building with approximately 40 personnel last month, and the command has begun hiring locally in Huntsville. Construction costs and a completion date for the permanent headquarters facility have not yet been announced. "Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Irans coastline near the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM informed. The United States on Tuesday attacked Iranian missile sites stationed along the Strait of Hormuz coastline as part of Operation Epic Fury, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. "Hours ago, US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Irans coastline near the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM posted on X/Twitter. Advertisement Advertisement "The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait," the statement added. The strikes come as sources told The Jerusalem Post that operations at the Strait of Hormuz could prolong the war for "weeks, if not months." This could extend the war by as much as two months, one source familiar with the discussions said. Ships avoid Strait of Hormuz amid fears of Iranian attack At present, following Iranian threats to target ships, many vessels are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for the global energy market, through which about 20% of the worlds oil supply passes. Satellite images from the Persian Gulf show numerous ships waiting outside the strait to avoid potential attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Within the Trump administration, ensuring safe navigation through the strait is now being incorporated into its war objectives. Officials are even considering the possibility of a ground operation on Irans Kharg Island, located in the center of the strait, after the US military struck targets there over the weekend. With this in mind, the US military announced that 5,000 Marines will be deployed to the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that following a phone call with Trump, the two agreed to cooperate on the Strait of Hormuz issue. There is coordination between our air forces and navies. We will assist both through indirect actions that place immense pressure on the Iranian regime and through direct operations. There are many more surprises ahead. At this stage, an Israeli source told the Post that Israels assistance regarding the strait is limited to intelligence support rather than kinetic action. But that can always change, the official added. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. At a moment when many college campuses are facing disruptions and institutional resets across the nation, Utah remains fairly bullish on higher education. Beehive State residents feel particularly positive about colleges and universities inside their borders but less so about higher education institutions across the United States, according to a March poll of 800 registered Utah voters in a Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics survey. A sizable majority of Utahns surveyed in the poll 67% reported at least some degree of confidence in the states colleges and universities. DN-ConfidenceUnis But only 53% of those same respondents expressed similar confidence in higher education institutions nationally. Advertisement Advertisement National doubts aside, Utahns still hold higher education in greater regard than folks across the United States. A 2025 Gallup poll found only 42% of Americans have some degree of confidence in the countrys colleges and universities. Thats well below Utahs confidence numbers but still signals a trust uptick from how Americans have felt about higher education over the past several years. Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward is encouraged that the local poll reaffirms general confidence in the states colleges and education. Utah, culturally, simply has more confidence and sees more value and importance in being self-sufficient and education is one of the primary ways to ensure that you have that kind of self-sufficiency, he told the Deseret News. Advertisement Advertisement Utahns have a strong appreciation for education, and that trust reflects a tradition of valuing education as a cornerstone of community life, added Utah Tech University President Shane Smeed in a statement. It also comes from seeing how colleges and universities across the state engage with and support their communities. Institutions within the Utah System of Higher Education are more than places of learning. They create opportunities for individuals and strengthen our economy. Landward noted that Utahs higher education leaders face the perpetual task of ensuring the states residents are confident in their own colleges and universities. The thing were most focused on is making sure that Utahns see that theres a high return on their investment from their education, he added. Were focused on giving you training skills and an education that helps provide value in the workplace and gives you significantly higher economic opportunities. Poll: A measured thumbs up for Utah schools So what levels of confidence are Utahns feeling for the states colleges and universities? Advertisement Advertisement Almost a fifth 18% reported a great deal of confidence in Utahs higher education institutions. While approximately half of respondents 49% reported a fair amount of confidence in the states schools. Meanwhile, 20% reported not much confidence and 7% answered not at all. Statistically, the poll found little confidence differences between men and women. However, there were generational gaps. Over 80% of surveyed Utahns ages 65-and-over expressed at least some level of confidence in the states schools. Thats a sizable difference from respondents between the ages of 18-34, where 60% reported confidence levels. Advertisement Advertisement Theres not much of a gap between surveyed Utah Democrats and Utah Republicans. Seventy-one percent of Democrats expressed confidence in Utah schools, just a few numbers higher than GOP respondents at 65%. Just over 70% of respondents with a bachelors degree reported some level of confidence in Utah schools while only 59% of respondents without a college diploma answered in the affirmative. There are also opinion differences among income levels. DN-Confidence More than three-quarters of respondents who reported making more than $100,000 annually are feeling confident in Utahs colleges and universities. Compare that to 60% among respondents making less than 50K. Advertisement Advertisement More than two-thirds of white respondents report confidence in Utahs higher education institutions. Just over half of Hispanics share such assurances. And most Latter-day Saints are apparently fans of the states colleges. Seventy-two percent reported at least some level of confidence. People often lose confidence in higher education, observed Landward, when its expensive and when theyre not seeing their degrees justify those costs. One of the hallmarks that you see in Utah is we have some of the lowest tuition in the entire country and that we have the lowest amount of student loan debt. The commissioner added that Utahs colleges and universities can reaffirm confidence by meeting a changing marketplace for higher education. Advertisement Advertisement For some, that means a traditional four-year degree. For others, higher education is about claiming a technical certificate in a high-demand industry. Utahns not as enthused for U.S. colleges and universities Only 13% of poll respondents said they have a great deal of national confidence, while 40% reported a fair amount. Meanwhile, 28% said they dont have much confidence in U.S. colleges and 11% responded not at all. Once again, theres little difference in the national confidence figures between surveyed men and women. But politically, theres a sizable gap. Among polled Democrats, 75% expressed some level of confidence in the countrys colleges and universities. Advertisement Advertisement But only 42% of Republicans reported such confidence. And half of surveyed Republicans have little or no confidence in higher education institutions nationwide. And while a majority of Donald Trump voters noted some level of confidence in Utahs schools, only 37% from that same category have any degree of confidence in colleges and universities across the country. Meanwhile, 78% of poll respondents who identified as Kamala Harris voters expressed confidence in the nations campuses. Notably, Latter-day Saints participating in the poll are also far less confident in the nations colleges and universities than those within Utah. Only 46% expressed some level of national confidence. Boosting confidence in Utahs higher education Building wider trust in the states colleges and universities is a challenge that keeps Landward up at night. He acknowledges that the states public schools are subsidized significantly by Utahs taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement I want to know what the taxpayers feel is most important for this investment and I get that feedback oftentimes, not only from our students and from the parents and others who are in our system, but from the legislators and elected officials who represent the taxpayers. Landward believes confidence can be increased when Utahns are certain that they are attending college to learn, be challenged, become responsible thinkers all while realizing returns on their time and money. Its also vital, he added, that Utahns regard their colleges as part of their communities not as separate entities. Ghosts are typically the spooky residents of haunted houses, horror flicks and Halloween parties. But ghosts are also finding their way into Americas higher education system swiping identities and stealthily shifting federal financial aid dollars into criminals pockets. These so-called ghost students use stolen identities to enroll in colleges and secure and collect federal financial aid money. And then they vanish. Advertisement Advertisement Its reportedly happening across the country, with fraudsters, aka ghost students, exploiting weaknesses in the student aid system. Its a huge issue, Jason Williams, the assistant inspector general for investigations at the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Inspector General, told the Sanilac Broadcasting Company. As theyre stealing identities these loans are not being repaid. Theyre being assigned to people (who) dont even know they have a debt with U.S Department of Education (until) the Internal Revenue Service says you owe the Department of Education money. The incidents connected to the sophisticated criminal scamming enterprise, say higher education watchers, are staggering. Advertisement Advertisement A Forbes report noted that in 2024, Californias Foothill-De Anza Community College District received roughly 26,000 applications, of which about 10,000 were flagged for possible fraud. Meanwhile, the College of Southern Nevada accumulated over $7 million in debt during the fall 2024 semester due to fraudulent student enrollments money they were required to repay to the U.S. Department of Education. Utah congressman calls for enhanced federal student loan review Now Utah Rep. Burgess Owens is proposing legislation to help prevent scammers from successfully submitting fraudulent applications for federal student aid, or FAFSA. Call it an act of legislative ghostbusting. Advertisement Advertisement Owens passed his No Aid for Ghost Students Act on Tuesday through the House Committee on Education and Workforce. His measure seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring the DOE to enhance its reviews of all FAFSA applications and snag possible identity fraud. The No Aid for Ghost Students bill is designed to remedy a serious problem facing todays higher education, Owens said during Tuesdays committee hearing. These fraudsters are often called ghost students and leave taxpayers to foot the bill while crowding out real students, he said. Its time we strengthen protections for federal funding to stop them from profiting. The Utah congressmans proposal, which is now in front of the House, would require the DOE to use identity fraud detection systems to screen every FAFSA application to determine whether the application presents a reasonable suspicion of identity fraud. Advertisement Advertisement If a FAFSA application is flagged, the applicant and his or her designated higher education institution would then be notified. For institutions to disperse federal student aid to these applicants, institutions must verify the identity of the applicant either in person or on a live video call, said Owens. The Ghost Students bill would also require the DOE to establish verification process guidelines and report back to Congress on its systems use and effectiveness. Owens called his measure commonsense legislation, ensuring federal dollars are benefiting legitimate students and remain out of reach of sophisticated fraudsters. Every cent that is defrauded represents a lost opportunity for students in need, and a serious offense to the American taxpayer. Lawmakers: Ghost students swiping millions of tax dollars During Tuesdays committee hearing, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., supported Owens bill, saying his state has been attacked by a staggering amount of fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Kiley noted that ghost students are frequently targeting community colleges. We saw a staggering 1.2 million fake community college applications, he said. Thats about a third of the applications that were simply used to commit financial aid fraud where fraudsters would pose as applicants. The cost to taxpayers? Millions and millions of dollars. Kiley added that Owens legislation would support existing DOE ID verification and validation requirements. Todays bill is simply codifying these practices to make sure that they remain in place and that fraudsters cant simply wait for a future administration to pull back these requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., ultimately voted in favor of Owens bill but not before voicing concerns that the proposed verification processes might result in confusion and slow aid disbursement to legitimate FAFSA applicants. Additionally, we have seen significant discrimination from the Department of Education to many student populations and students including students of color and students with legal permanent residence. (Im) concerned that this administration may attempt to twist what constitutes reasonable suspicion of identity fraud to attack colleges or students. Its critical, Scott added, that the bill articulates clear guidance on how colleges should comply with the law and how to determine which students are subject to additional verification. Advertisement Advertisement Owens No Aid for Ghost Students bill was one of three bills designed to prevent federal student aid fraud that was advanced by the congressional committee on Tuesday. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to create an anti-fraud task force across federal benefit programs that will be led by Vice President JD Vance. March 18 (Reuters) - Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Wednesday that General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez will take over as defense minister from General Vladimir Padrino, a long-time powerbroker close to ousted President Nicolas Maduro. The change is the most important yet in Rodriguez's cabinet and marks the demotion of a general who controlled Venezuela's sprawling military for 11 years under Maduro. I inform the country that today I have appointed Major General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez as Minister of Peoples Power for Defense," Rodriguez said in a post on Telegram, thanking Padrino, 62, for his service and adding he will be given new responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez in January appointed Gonzalez Lopez, 65, as the head of the presidential guard and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). Gonzalez Lopez, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for rights violations and corruption, previously served as Venezuela's domestic intelligence director until mid-2024. Later that year, he began working with Rodriguez as head of strategic affairs at state oil company PDVSA, which she then oversaw as energy minister. He is also a former interior minister and joined the armed forces in his early twenties. Gonzalez Lopez's promotion will not mark a major change in Rodriguez's policy of compliance with U.S. demands on oil, mining and the release of some people classed as political prisoners, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. I see it as a situation in which the entire relationship with the Americans is concentrated in a few people, and they are the ones they trust the most," the source said. "I think it is simply about appointing someone who will deal with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Sources had previously told Reuters that Gonzalez Lopez's appointment to head the presidential guard and DGCIM was an early gambit by Rodriguez to counter what many say is the biggest threat to her leadership: Diosdado Cabello, the hardline interior minister who has close ties to the security services and dreaded 'colectivo' motorcycle gangs which have been accused of killing opposition supporters. Cabello has been vociferous in his public support for Rodriguez and joined her and her brother Jorge, the head of the legislature, at numerous public events. Reuters reporting has shown Cabello was holding talks with Trump administration officials months before the U.S. operation to seize Maduro, though Cabello has denied any such contact. The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles all press queries for the government, did not immediately respond to a request for more information about the change. Gonzalez Lopez will be replaced as the head of DGCIM by naval admiral German Gomez Larez, who previously oversaw the country's ports, Rodriguez said in a statement, while General Henry Navas will take over the presidential guard. Advertisement Advertisement LONG-TIME LOYALIST Padrino, who has also been sanctioned by the U.S. over alleged drug trafficking and his support for Maduro, once directed the ceremonial section of the presidential guard under late President Hugo Chavez. But his star fully rose under Maduro, who made him defense minister in late 2014. Sources have told Reuters that Padrino was likely to be replaced and had been kept in his position after the U.S. capture of Maduro to ensure stability in the military, where some 2,000 generals control disparate groups of poorly paid troops, as well as huge business interests. Padrino, who appeared on state television soon after Maduro's capture to say Venezuela would resist foreign troops and whose military was preparing 'guerrilla-style' attacks to confront an invasion, has instead worked with Rodriguez to meet U.S. demands. Advertisement Advertisement He said in his own statement that it had been "the greatest honor of my life to serve the nation" and offered his congratulations to Gonzalez Lopez, who he said he had known since they were at the military academy together. Despite the U.S. intervention, Venezuela's repressive apparatus remains intact, the United Nations said last week. Venezuela's government has always denied human rights violations against civil society and its political opposition, as well as accusations of corruption within the military. (Reporting by Reuters, editing by Deepa Babington and Alistair Bell) Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado is expected to visit Houston next week to speak at CERAWeek by S&P Global, the energy industry's largest annual conference. Machado, whose name was added to the conference's list of speakers, leads Venezuela's pro-democracy movement. She has sought to influence the Trump administration's approach to Venezuela's future after the United States government captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and took control of the country's oil sales in January. Advertisement Advertisement Since the U.S. military raid, President Donald Trump has called on America's biggest oil companies, many of them based in Houston, to take advantage of Venezuela's oil reserves, thought to be the largest in the world. RELATED: What role will Houston's oil companies play in rebuilding Venezuela's oil industry? American oil companies have hesitated to return to the Latin American country. Many remain concerned about Venezuela's long-term political stability and the hundreds of billions of dollars that could be required to rebuild its dilapidated oil infrastructure. CERAWeek, which runs next week Monday through Thursday in downtown Houston, attracts politicians and top energy executives from across the world. Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: What to know about CERAWeek, Houston's biggest energy conference The conference agenda does not yet list a specific time and date for Machado's appearance. However, Venezuela's future and any American oil company involvement are expected to be major topics. Soon after Maduro's capture, Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, who has long coveted the award, even though the Nobel Institute has said the honor cannot be shared or transferred. Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former vice president, remains the acting president of Venezuela. This article originally published at Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to speak at Houston energy conference. Shares of National Storage Affiliates (NYSE: NSA) surged on Monday after the real estate investment trust (REIT) struck a deal to be acquired by Public Storage (NYSE: PSA). Image source: Getty Images. 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 An enticing offer for National Storage Affiliates' shareholders Under the terms of the deal, Public Storage would purchase National Storage Affiliates for $10.5 billion, including debt. Investors would receive 0.14 of a share of Public Storage stock for every share of National Storage Affiliates they own. That equates to $41.68 per share, a premium of roughly 35%, based on the companies' closing prices on Friday. The deal is projected to close in the third quarter, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. National Storage Affiliates brings over 1,000 properties with 550,000 storage units spanning 69 million rentable square feet in 37 states and Puerto Rico. Public Storage already possesses more than 3,500 self-storage sites with over 250 million rentable square feet in 40 states. The combined company's pro forma market value is estimated at $57 billion. Stronger together Operating under the well-known Public Storage brand should provide a marketing boost to National Storage Affiliates' facilities. The merged company should also benefit from cost efficiencies, attractive financing terms, and robust free cash flow. "Public Storage is the ideal strategic fit for our company given their best-in-class brand, operating platform, and future growth profile," National Storage Affiliates CEO David Cramer said. Should you buy stock in National Storage Affiliates Trust right now? Before you buy stock in National Storage Affiliates Trust, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and National Storage Affiliates Trust wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,105,029!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 930% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Vermonts strength has always come from neighbors showing up for one another. Thats what Richard Amore from Local Motion says about a new program to help fund street gatherings in Vermont. The program, Streets as Places, is with the aim of helping Vermonters connect with each other, by offering a small sum of money $200 to $500 to help residents hold block parties, neighborhood potlucks, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Applications are due by April 22 and can be found on the Local Motion website. Local Motion advocates for bike and pedestrian infrastructure throughout Vermont. They also run the Colchester Causeway bike ferry during the warmer months. Helicopter makes unplanned landing on Colchester Causeway Front Porch Forum, the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and AARP Vermont are also taking part in funding the program. When filling out an application, people have the option to ask for help with getting permits, traffic control, and planning as well as the grant award. The main requirements to apply are that you have to be a Vermont resident or neighborhood association planning an event on a residential street between May 15 and November 15 of this year. Advertisement Advertisement Read the five page guide to applying hereDownload According to statistics collected for AmeriCorps in 2023, Vermont is fourth in the country in informal helping, including people doing favors for neighbors, and the highest of any state outside the Mountain West. Nations healthiest states ranked in new report: How does yours compare? Their statistics show, however, that people talk to their neighbors less in recent years, though numbers have started to rebound. As many older Vermonters face increasing social isolation and fewer places to gather, neighborhood events offer a powerful way to build connections across generations, said Kelly Stoddard-Poor from AARP Vermont. 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 ABC22 & FOX44. CORNING Real heroes are often hard to find. The problem is that true heroism and valor are usually twin virtues of humility and modesty. Take, for instance, Frank Juenemann, 77, of Corning. When you first meet him, he seems like a pretty normal, pleasant retired senior citizen whos living a fairly typical life. He is married to someone whom he describes as the greatest wife ever, and together they live a few miles outside Corning on a ranch with a few head of cattle. Advertisement Advertisement He is a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and in his free time loves the sport of rodeo. He enjoys spending time with his son and two grandchildren while participating in the sport. Juenemann was born in the Midwest; his family had come from Germany, and he grew up in Kansas, in a town with just 30 people. He worked in the steel industry in the Bay Area, and after he retired, he moved to Northern California. He is also an Army Veteran of the Vietnam War, and this is where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. However, like many veterans from that era, he doesnt talk about it much, and it was only at his wife, Stormy Juenemann's, insistence that he agreed to share his story. He says he doesnt like the term hero. Advertisement Advertisement I guess its important that I share this. I served in the war as a medic assistant to an infantry company, he said. To say that Juenemann was a decorated soldier would be an understatement. He was awarded five Bronze Stars with four Oak Leaves. This makes him one of three individuals to have been awarded this honor. They were awarded for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam. Along with this, he was awarded two Army Commendation Medals. Juenemann was awarded the Purple Heart, which he no longer owns. He humorously explained that his ex-wife stole his heart. The award itself contains a whole ounce of gold. Advertisement Advertisement But I have the paperwork to prove it, he said. Add to this impressive list are two Air Medals and one Eagle Flight. He is still carrying some of the real metal in his body, shrapnel that couldnt be removed as a reminder of his service. Another reminder was Agent Orange, which left him with cancer. But I whipped that one, he said. Like a lot of veterans, he doesnt really like to talk about these things; he says its nothing to brag about, and for a while, he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, which made it painful to do so. But he has overcome this. Part of the problem, he recalled, was that while he was away serving the country, he wasnt aware that there were people at home who protested what they were doing. People who, he said, had no idea what was going on. Advertisement Advertisement We were there because it was what we were asked to do, I was drafted, Juenemann said. Juenemann said he believes the best way to succeed is to work hard and give it your best shot. The bottom line is respect, he added. I tried my best, and I hope that Im a good example to my son and grandchildren. He said that he has found happiness with his family and the best wife ever. She does everything and is very patient, she works hard, and its been the best 40 years, Juenemann said. He admits he enjoys his Sundays when his wife is away, when he is sort of a bachelor, and when he can work around the ranch. Advertisement Advertisement We have a happy life, its easy when you get along with each other, he said. Tuesday, the Tehama County Board of Supervisors opened its regular agenda with a proclamation recognizing March 29 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." The proclamation is requested by the American Legion. The recognition states that March 29 will mark the 52nd anniversary of the end of the American involvement in the Vietnam conflict, and that over 58,000 individuals lost their lives, over 300,000 were wounded, and 1,681 are still unaccounted for. To commemorate the day, there will be a ceremony Sunday at 1 p.m. at the old county courthouse flagpole. The historic county courthouse is located at 633 Washington St., Red Bluff. Advertisement Advertisement Norman Goodin of the American Legion shared some statistics, citing that the names of over 58,000 fallen soldiers are recorded on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, in Washington, D.C. Reading the proclamation, Goodin said more than 300,000 were injured in combat, and 1,681 are still considered missing and unaccounted for. Goodin said 997 soldiers were killed on the first day in Vietnam, and 1,448 were killed on the last day in the country. Next week, Glenn County will once again play host to "The Wall that Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which will be on display in Orland, on March 26 through March 29, at Orland High School Stadium, 250 Roosevelt Avenue. The exhibition will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public. The wall previously visited Willows in 2016. This time, it will be joined with a mobile education center that will tell the story of the historic replica. Advertisement Advertisement The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Wall will arrive with a special escort at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24. The Wall will travel through Glenn County in a procession, arriving at 2 p.m. at the Orland High School Stadium. The next day, Wednesday, March 2, the wall will be built, and Taps will be sounded at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, March 26, guided tours will begin, and a welcoming ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. The Wall will then be open 24 hours for viewing. On Friday, March 27, a ceremony intended to bring light to the effects of Agent Orange will take place at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the memorial will close the day with Taps at 7:30 p.m. A closing ceremony marking National Vietnam Veterans Day will begin at noon on Sunday, March 29. The final hours to view the wall will be from 1 to 2 p.m., with closing remarks at 1:30 p.m. Virginia lawmakers recently passed a bill requiring state agencies to privilege bids for government contracts made by small businesses, especially those owned by women, minorities, and disabled veterans. In Orwellian fashion, the bill includes a clause prohibiting discrimination against bidders on the basis of "sex," "race," or "status as a service disabled veteran." On Saturday, the Virginia General Assembly sent House Bill (H.B.) 61 to Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger's desk. The bill, which passed along party lines earlier this month, establishes the Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program to increase the percentage of discretionary spending not just to small businesses in general, but "small women-owned, small minority-owned, or small service disabled veteran-owned" businesses specifically, by 3 percent each year until the state reaches its target of 42 percent. While it could be argued that the bill only discriminates in favor of small businesses, including those owned by women, minorities, and disabled veterans, the data collection required by the bill reveals its true intention: The department must conduct a study every five years only on the "statistical disparities between the availability and utilization of women-owned and minority-owned businesses" in order to update statewide procurement "goals for women-owned and minority-owned businesses" and to recommend "narrowly tailored procurement policies" to eliminate such disparities. Advertisement Advertisement The program also sets aside $10,000$200,000 procurements for small SWaM businesses who enjoy a "price preference" over non-SWaM businesses of up to 5 percent. Meaning, if a non-SWaM business offers to repair potholes on Route 58 for $190,500 and a SWaM business offers to render the exact same service for $200,000, the more expensive offer must be accepted. The bill is sure to face legal challenges. In January, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called the bill "illegal" and said it would "not survive court challenge." In addition to its dubious legality, the bill has an ambiguity problem. H.B. 61 directs the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to defray the costs of projects designed to overcome the "special problems" of small SWaM businesses. The bill does not specify what special problems are faced by SWaM businesses, but these problems clearly do not include preferential access to government contracts. Meanwhile, as the bill incentivizes state agencies to spend more money than necessary on contracts, it wastes even more taxpayer dollars by piling on paperwork and burdensome administration. Each agency is required to designate a "SWaM business procurement enhancement liaison" and to submit to the department a yearly SWaM business procurement plan detailing precisely how it will increase spending on such businesses. The bill also requires non-SWaM prime contractors to include "a SWaM business subcontracting plan" on bids over $200,000; requires the department to collect data on compliance with these plans; and permits the department to bar prime contractors from government contracts for up to a year if found to have not made "good faith" efforts to comply with their subcontracting plans. Advertisement Advertisement Joe Lonsdale, managing partner of technology investment firm 8VC and co-founder of Palantir, notes that mandatory minority contracting requirements "add anywhere from around 5% to 25% extra to the costs of government projects." With H.B. 61 now on her desk, Spanberger can either veto the bill or do nothing and let it become law in April. If she opts for the latter, not only will Virginia become more profligate, but it will fail to uphold Virginians' constitutional right to equality under the law. The post This Virginia Bill Expands Affirmative Action in State Contracting appeared first on Reason.com. A new state law aims to erase any confusion about Washingtons ban on voting more than once in an election. Its approval follows a court decision that officials warned could incite voter fraud. Longstanding Washington law makes it illegal for a person to cast more than one ballot in any election in the state, or to vote in any election in this state and another state during the same period. But a state appeals court in January overturned the felony conviction of a Lewis County resident found guilty of voting twice in November 2022 once in Washington and once in Oregon. The court concluded that because the candidates and measures differed on the two ballots, one could interpret them as different elections under Washington law. Advertisement Advertisement This fixes an ambiguity in state law, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday before signing Senate Bill 6084. It contains an emergency clause and took effect immediately. Voting more than once in an election is an affront to everyone who participates in our democracy, Ferguson later wrote on X. This bill makes it clear that double voting is illegal. The legislation sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, adds language to existing law to spell out that election refers to any general, primary, or special election. An election is the same election if the election date is the same, regardless of the candidates, offices, issues, or measures on the ballot and regardless of the date on which ballots are mailed or returned, reads the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Steve Hobbs asked lawmakers to act swiftly, worried the court ruling opened the door to the potential of voters casting more than one ballot in November. This legislation helps to ensure that Washingtons elections remain secure, accurate and fair, Hobbs said in a statement. In Washington, voting more than once in an election is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Meanwhile, Lewis County is appealing the January decision to the Washington Supreme Court. The rain continued to fall Tuesday on Colton Farms in Waimanalo where owner Claude Colton had to release 500 of his animals on Friday at the height of the deluge to prevent them from drowning in the stormwater. Some, like a newborn calf, some pigs and others did not survive the pelting rain and cold winds with up to 80-mph gusts that whipped across the farm, destroying animals enclosures and causing some to get stuck in the mud and die in what had been a 3-acre pond that grew into a watery 10 acres. But despite the losses, Colton said he is grateful for the love and support that Hawaii and the world is throwing at us. I never want to take advantage of anybody, but we do need it and to better the farm too. Advertisement Advertisement Im worried about the animals right now, said Colton as he continued the arduous task of rounding up the animals. They have no shelter. Its still a skeleton crew out here trying to get feed to these animals. We have to carry a 100-pound bale of hay to get to these animals (through the mud ). Its a workout. The No. 1 thing is to put a roof over these animals heads, he said. But Colton needs to manage his time by rescuing and feeding animals and will have to pick up building materials, some donated. But even as recently as late Tuesday afternoon, Colton was relieved that a few small lambs and kids were found alive ; and just before sunset, he found a few more cows along the hillside that hadnt come home. Although the 50-year-old farmer said he was physically and mentally exhausted rescuing animals, he was uplifted by the supportive texts he received from friends, family and strangers and the continuing generous donations of animal feed, money and materials to rebuild the animal enclosures, blankets, towels and rubber boots. Advertisement Advertisement I want to thank all the people for the love and support that is coming in right now, Colton said. Twice I literally had tears in my eyes, Colton said, including when a woman said she was crying while reading Mondays Honolulu Star-Advertiser article describing the plight of the animals, and had donated $1, 000 to the farm. Some are donating directly to Colton Farms account at the Waimanalo Feed Supply. The GoFundMe account () had ballooned to more than $43, 000 Tuesday, far surpassing the $13, 000 Colton had asked for, and he credited the Star-Advertiser for starting an avalanche of media coverage. Advertisement Advertisement He said that he has had to double up on feeding, since he cannot turn the animals loose to graze in the muddy fields to save on feed costs, which are steep at $1, 200 a week. Thats why I couldnt buy tires, he said. His truck tires failed, and he had to have them replaced this week. Dear friends are offering their houses to keep these animals dry, he said. He is moving many of the livestock, including miniature horses and ponies, to other farms and ranches. So many people have a heart for animals and for Colton, who has a kindly manner and has taught many children and adults about farm animals and themselves. Advertisement Advertisement He is pained at each loss, viewing each one more like a pet rather than livestock, naming each one. Looking at the pens, it feels lonely because some of them are not here, Colton said. Many people are familiar with Colton Farms animals when they visit for the annual pumpkin patch and the sunflower field. The animals are not slaughtered for food at Colton Farms. Colton said : I am a farm. I teach about farming and r espect. No, we dont eat our animals, but if our family members are starving, we got to make that choice. We breed animals to get them back to other farms, he said. Colton also brings animals to people so they can have farm interactions, teaching about animals at schools and different large events. Advertisement Advertisement He also lends out his goats and sheep to people to help clear vegetation, so they dont have to overwork themselves with chainsaws and weed whackers, he said. Colton Farms takes in animals, many of which started off as small and cute, but became more than what their owners bargained for. We help out with rescues, and a lot of the animals here are drop-offs, Colton said. We have three-legged sheep or old goats. People think were mistreating them. Were just trying to work with them. Many of the former owners of these drop-offs have been calling Colton, some afraid to ask whether the animals were still alive, and these people have been helping in various ways. Advertisement Advertisement Due to the bad weather and the war, Colton had lost all his animal jobs, including those on military bases, where he brings his livestock and teaches lassoing animals. A week ago, Im sitting here asking, why am I doing this ? and feeling very alone, he said. All the support he is receiving now reminds him why. Im here for the people and the animals, Colton said. He is also buoyed by the little surprises of survivors and sees the humor in things like a big pig huddled inside an overturned plastic drum or the goats who stand on vehicles to keep out of the water and mud. Praise God that it wasnt worse, Colton said. Hes guiding me to do something different. Im trying to manage the farm in a different way. March 18 (UPI) -- The city of Dublin, Ohio, unofficially broke a Guinness World Record by arranging more than 1,050 people into the shape of a massive shamrock. The record attempt, organized by creative agency Cornett and Visit Dublin Ohio, took place at Riverside Crossing Park after the city's St. Patrick's Day parade on Tuesday. Organizers said more than 1,050 people in green ponchos formed the shape of the shamrock, enough to break the current Guinness World Record for largest human shamrock, which was set by 815 people in Dublin, Ireland, in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement "St. Patrick's Day is already a big moment for Dublin, but we wanted to create something that people could literally be part of," Scott Dring, president and CEO of Visit Dublin Ohio, told Marketing Communication News. "Seeing hundreds of people show up ready to form a giant shamrock together was a pretty magical way to celebrate the city's Irish spirit." The record attempt must still be reviewed by Guinness World Records to become official. Spring might be just around the corner, but strong winds and freezing temperatures aren't going anywhere just yet. The National Weather Service issued a new weather warning for a region that was hit with over five feet of snow just last week along with a number of other states. On Wednesday, March 18 the NWS issued high wind warnings for Hawaii, Montana and Wyoming as strong gusts up to 85 miles per hour get set to strike. "A High Wind Warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected or occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 MPH or gusts of 58 MPH or stronger can lead to property damage," the NWS said. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a high wind warning for summits of mountainous regions like Hawaii and Montana must be at least 56 mph, with gusts over 66 mph. Entry sign to Glacier National Park, Montana. East side, park visitor center in background. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) UCG/Getty Images (UCG/Getty Images) Montana Expecting More Than 85 mph Winds While Wyoming will see winds up to 65 mph and Hawaii deals with gusts up to 85 mph, Montana gets the dubious honor for strongest winds this week. Regions near Glacier National Park will see gusts over 85 mph. "Westerly winds 35 to 50 mph with gusts up to 75 mph expected. Winds may gust over 85 mph at times along the immediate eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountain Front," the National Weather Service said. It also offered a warning that the high winds may move loose debris, damage property, and cause isolated power outages. Meanwhile, travel could be difficult, especially for high profile or light weight vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement It's the latest weather warning for Montana after the state received five feet of snow in a strong winter storm just last week. What Are Damaging Winds? The National Weather Service often refers to damaging winds as "straight-line" winds to differentiate the damage they cause from tornado damage. "Strong thunderstorm winds can come from a number of different processes. Most thunderstorm winds that cause damage at the ground are a result of outflow generated by a thunderstorm downdraft," the NWS said before revealing damaging winds are classified as those exceeding 50-60 mph. Related: Former Steelers Star Boycotting Southwest Airlines: 'They've Lost Me' This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BIG SPRING West Texas VA Health Care System (WTVAHCS) will host a veteran tele-town hall on Tuesday, March 24, at noon. The event is open to all West Texas veterans and will provide information on veteran health benefits, program updates, and an opportunity to ask questions of WTVAHCS leadership and subject matter experts. WTVAHCS leadership, clinical and benefits experts will discuss current services, enrollment and access information, recent initiatives, and resources available to veterans and their families. Advertisement Advertisement Veterans may join the tele-town hall by calling 833-305-1700. We encourage all Veterans across West Texas to join this conversation so we can hear their questions and share how WTVAHCS is working to improve access and care, Public Affairs Officer Michael Cole said in a news release. West Texas VA HCS provides veterans with health care services at six locations serving west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Their facilities include the George H. OBrien Jr. VA Medical Center in Big Spring and four community-based outpatient clinics in Abilene, Fort Stockton, San Angelo, and Odessa, and one in Hobbs, New Mexico. Find a VA health facility near you and manage your health online. For more information about these or other VA employment opportunities, contact West Texas VA Public Affairs at michael.cole6@va.gov. The post West Texas veterans tele-town hall appeared first on Odessa American. On Tuesday, March 17, P. Terry's stepped in to save the day by delivering burgers to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. For this burger delivery, at least, Texans are reacting positively. Just the day before, Senator John Cornyn had some Whataburger delivered to TSA (they are certainly getting their fill of burgers this week), and locals weren't quite as enthused. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on February 14, kicking off a partial government shutdown that has left TSA agents showing up to work every day without getting paid. Because they're classified as essential workers, roughly 61,000 TSA employees are required to keep working, while Congress plays an extremely high-stakes game of budget chicken. Advertisement Advertisement The whole standoff boils down to a political fight between Republicans and Democrats over federal immigration reform and, as of now, negotiators are still relatively locked into their initial positions with no end in sight. This is the third time in just six months that TSA officers have gone without pay. All of this, plus the crazy long lines from SXSW and spring break, make for a very stressful time for Austin's TSA in particular. So, burgers to the rescue. On Reddit, users are praising P. Terry's while simultaneously slamming the government. Top commenter Blayce01 says, "If this is a picture of P Terry's giving TSA working free food knowing well about their shutdown, it just goes to show how positive the impact can be when companies like P Terry's and HEB actually care and serve the communities that made them so successful. I wish we saw more of that kind of stuff out of big corporations." To which user chachinater responds, "P. Terry's and HEB are carrying this state." Several other comments on both Reddit and on Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's Facebook post make the same comparison between P. Terry's and H-E-B, with Facebook user Kimberly Erler saying "P Terry's taking a page from the HEB playbook." Advertisement Advertisement "I guess the highest comment one can give is to be compared with HEB when it comes to community service," P. Terry's founder Patrick Terry says to MySA. "In a much smaller way, we try to be that company," he continues. "We contacted the airport and asked to feed the TSA staff; we've done this in the past when a government shutdown has disrupted their pay. We don't get involved in the politics of the shutdown, we're glad to help and hope a solution is reached soon." Of course, P. Terry's might not be getting involved in the politics of the situation, but the situation is necessarily political. As Reddit user JWreck03 points out, "It's inspiring and P Terry's definitely seems to lean in, it's just unfortunate that the companies have to care for the government." Advertisement Advertisement JohnMcClanewithshoes replies, "It would be nice to see it from our elected officials as well." .@RepCasar crashes a media avail by @JohnCornyn at Austin Bergstrom, where Cornyn is delivering lunch to TSA agents and blaming Dems for blocking DHS funding Casar says Cornyn is "trying to out Paxton Ken Paxton," and blames Rs for blocking TSA funding pic.twitter.com/aNq8EibruX - Kayla Guo (@kaylaguo_) March 16, 2026 John Cornyn slammed for bringing Whataburger to TSA If JohnMcClanewithshoes meant it would be nice to see elected officials delivering burgers to TSA as well, that's precisely what happened just the day before. On Monday, March 16, Senator John Cornyn had free Whataburgers delivered to TSA staff, right before a public confrontation with Congressman Greg Casar in front of the airport. Afterward, Casar and Cornyn went inside to chat with reporters separately, with Casar saying, "He's out here saying he's trying to fund TSA, when he just told me he's trying to fund ICE He should put his money where his mouth is, and instead of showing up with burgers, get on the plane, and vote to fund their paychecks." Cornyn then blamed the shutdown squarely on Democrats and Chuck Schumer, saying "They've taken the wrong hostage" (TSA agents). "What we did today was just offer a token of our appreciation by delivering some Whataburgers to them." Advertisement Advertisement However, Cornyn's burger delivery was met with much less enthusiasm than P. Terry's. Reddit user villa04ever clarifies, "Corny's staff of four delivered ONLY TWO large boxes of hamburgers (for a photo op)" versus P. Terry's rolling up with their catering truck. Others commented on News 4 San Antonio's Facebook post re: the Cornyn Whataburger delivery. Referring to Marie Antoinette's famous sentiment on starving peasants, Eric Deacon says, "Let them eat cake I mean ummm errr let them eat Whataburger," while Rita Lahey-Foster quips, "He should have brought Big Macs. He would have received the President's endorsement he has been begging for." And Larry Johnson humorously sums up why a lot of people seem upset with what they deem a political publicity stunt. "Both are there for a photo op, but with Cornyn you get a meal." This article originally published at Whataburger rival praised for feeding overworked Texas airport staff. The White House has rejected allegations made by outgoing counterterrorism official Joe Kent, who resigned on March 17 while accusing Donald Trump of launching an unjustified war against Iran. Kent claimed he could not in good conscience support the ongoing war with Iran. White House slams Joe Kents resignation letter and claims Joe Kent resigned from his position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, posting his resignation letter on X with accusations against the administration he served. Kent asserts that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation." This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over. As President Trump has clearly and https://t.co/AC8M5L8lye Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 17, 2026 Press secretary Karoline Leavitt targeted Kents claim about Iran lacking hostile intentions. There are many false claims in this letter, but let me address one specifically: that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,' Leavitt stated. This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over. Advertisement Advertisement Leavitt emphasized that Trumps decision to launch Operation Epic Fury against Iran was based on thorough intelligence analysis. As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first, she added. This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum. Furthermore, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who oversaw Kents work, navigated carefully between supporting her former subordinate and backing the president on X. She emphasized that as commander-in-chief, Trump bears responsibility for determining what constitutes an imminent threat, noting her office provides the best information available to inform his decisions. Kent, a special forces veteran and former CIA officer, invoked his military service and personal sacrifice in his resignation letter. Now, his exit represents an internal challenge to the administrations Iran policy since Operation Epic Fury began. The post White House Pushes Back on Joe Kents War Claims, Says Trump Had Strong Evidence appeared first on Mandatory. Why Zuckerberg Is Dropping $27 Billion on Data Centers - Moby THE GIST Mark Zuckerberg has spent the last year trying to convince everyone, and maybe himself, that Meta is now an AI company. After burning nearly $100 billion at Reality Labs, his unloved metaverse, he pivoted hard. His latest move signals where his money is actually going: into AI infrastructure. Meta is committing $12 billion to Nebius Group (NBIS) for dedicated GPU capacity, with a $15 billion option over five years, as part of a broader push to own the compute it needs to build out its AI future. The announcement comes alongside reports that Meta is planning to cut roughly 20% of its approximately 75,945-person global workforce, a clear signal to the markets of where the world is headed. WHAT HAPPENED Nebius Group (NBIS) is clearly loving the Meta-based attention: the stock shot up about 14% Monday. The company also partnered with Nvidia on top of the Meta deal. As part of the agreement, Nebius will deploy Nvidia's advanced GPUs, including Blackwell (B200/B300) and H200 models, and Nvidia will invest $2 billion into the company. This comes after Nebius's March 3 announcement of its first gigawatt-scale AI factory in the U.S., in Independence, Missouri, part of the broader Kansas City metro area. "Independence will be our largest AI factory in the United States to date, and we are fully committed to making it a project the city is proud of," Nebius CEO Arkady Volozh said. "This is our first project of this scale, but not the last." Nebius already has a presence in Paris, France and operates a large data center in Finland, with cloud exposure across both markets. The company's goal is to deploy more than five gigawatts of capacity by the end of the decade. And while that may not seem like a lot compared to hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, or Google, it is if you're CoreWeave. WHY IT MATTERS Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Nebius's strategy is simple: give Nvidia and Meta exactly what they want, whatever it costs. In return, Nvidia is providing deep engineering support across AI factory design, software, and early access to new compute platforms. For Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, that locks in a fast-growing U.S. customer with one mandate: scale. For Nebius, it means front-of-line access to next-gen GPUs, reference architectures, and the kind of vendor hand-holding that doesn't just keep you competitive. That's how you win deals, as Nebius demonstrated with Meta over five years. Meta gets the one thing every hyperscaler is fighting for right now: reserved AI compute at scale. With that secured, capex and debt become secondary concerns. The build-out continues as long as the compute does. Who's ready for spring? After below-normal temperatures in the middle of March, Florida residents are probably looking forward to spring-like conditions. Note we said spring, not summer, since Florida seems to want to jump right over that season. Speaking of summer heat, residents in the western half of the United States are already sizzling. The unofficial record high for St. Patrick's Day in the U.S. was 104 at Indio, California. Advertisement Advertisement Despite freeze and frost warnings in Florida on March 17 and 18, at least we didn't threaten Mount Washington, New Hampshire, which recorded -12 on March 17. Here's what you should know about spring and the four seasons. How hot will it be this spring in Florida? Outlook for March-May 2026 NOAA's Climate Prediction Center's forecast for March through May 2026 is predicting Florida is leaning toward above-normal temperatures. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center's forecast for March through May is predicting Florida is leaning toward above-normal temperatures. Florida weather 2026 predictions When will spring get here? That depends on which "spring" you're referring to. There are astronomical and meteorological seasons. Spring equinox 2026: Astronomical spring begins Friday, March 20 Astronomical spring, or the vernal equinox, starts in the northern hemisphere at 10:36 a.m. EDT, March 20. Meteorological spring started March 1 Meteorological spring started March 1. What's the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons? NOAA comparison of the differences between astronomical and meteorological seasons. Meteorological and astronomical seasons begin and end on different dates. The reason has to do with how each are defined. Advertisement Advertisement Astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Meteorological seasons are the three-month periods we commonly refer to when talking about spring, summer, fall and winter. According to National Centers for Environmental Information, meteorological seasons were created because traditional seasons varied from 89 to 93 days. That made it difficult to compare statistics from one year to another. Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the earth as it makes its annual trip around the sun, according to NOAA. Astronomical seasons are defined by two solstices and two equinoxes. Advertisement Advertisement Leap years and the elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around the sun affect when the astronomical seasons, or summer-winter solstices and vernal-autumnal equinoxes, occur, explained AccuWeather. What are the four meteorological seasons? For meteorologists, seasons are defined by the months with temperatures and weather often associated with each. Spring : March, April, May Summer: June, July, August Fall: September, October, November Winter: December, January, February What are the four astronomical seasons? The earth is tilted 23.5 degrees. That tilt and the suns alignment over the equator determine both the solstices and equinoxes. The dates vary slightly from year to year. Solstices occur when Earth's tilt is at its maximum either toward or away from the sun. Advertisement Advertisement Equinoxes occur halfway between the solstices, when the suns path is aligned with the equator. So in 2026, those seasons occur: Spring (vernal equinox): Friday, March 20 at 10:46 a.m. EDT Summer solstice: Sunday, June 21, at 4:24 a.m. EDT Fall (autumnal equinox): Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8:045 p.m. EDT Winter solstice: Monday, Dec. 21, at 3:50 p.m. EST What's the difference between summer, winter solstice? During a solstice, the North Pole is at its maximum tilt either toward or away from the sun. The summer solstice occurs when the earth's tilt toward the sun is at a maximum, meaning the sun is aimed directly at northern latitudes. This is the longest day of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls on or around June 21. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year and marks the day when the North Pole is tilted away from the sun. The winter solstice falls on or around Dec. 22. What's the difference between vernal, autumnal equinox? During an equinox, the earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in an almost equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. Advertisement Advertisement Spring begins with the vernal equinox. The vernal or spring equinox occurs on or around March 21. Fall begins with the autumnal equinox. The autumnal equinox happens on or around Sept. 22. These seasons are reversed but begin on the same dates in the Southern Hemisphere. 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://news-journalonline.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: When will spring get here? See dates for 2026 seasons As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Right now, state leaders are making final decisions about which private company will take over and manage Hamptons I-95 rest areas and liquor stores. This is an important decision for our region. For so many who travel into and through New Hampshire, these facilities provide a critical opportunity to boost tourism and economic activity on the Seacoast and throughout our great state. John Nyhan NH welcomes more than 12 million people annually, which provides a multitude of chances to make that great first impression along I-95. When you look at how travelers engage with New Hampshire, tourism data reinforces what locals have long understood: great hospitality works, and the local flavor of these rest areas matters. Awarding a contract to a local company to provide a uniquely New Hampshire feel to the I-95 rest areas can boost tourism business for the entire region. Advertisement Advertisement Whats great about this approach is that its already proven to work. Data shows that the average spend per vehicle at the locally owned and operated Hooksett Welcome Centers along I-93 is approximately double that of Massachusetts service-area system. This is true even though Massachusetts facilities are operated by much larger companies and national chains. Theres reason to believe people get a unique glimpse at what NH has to offer and make tourism decisions based on that rest area visit. In addition, the town of Hooksett has realized approximately $3 million in property taxes. Clearly, the approach is a win-win. Its critical for the New Hampshire Executive Council to choose the right partner. I believe there is one applicant who stands out as the best choice. As this project sits at the heart of the Hampton Chambers region, this decision is important to our region. Notably, Common Man Roadside (CMR) is the only bidder that has actively sought our perspective. CMRs proactive outreach demonstrates a sincere commitment to community integration and a willingness to partner with local stakeholders to ensure the project reflects the best of New Hampshire and the unique flavor of the Seacoast area. In addition, Common Man Roadside owns and operates the I-93 rest areas, so their team clearly knows how to do this work extremely well. More: Two developers vie to redevelop Hampton I-95 liquor store properties Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Common Man Roadside selected a design firm with deep roots in the Seacoast landscape. Samyn-DElia Architects worked with our chamber during the redevelopment of Hampton Beach State Park. I have seen firsthand the firms ability to capture a regions unique feel; I am confident their design will honor our coastal heritage site while providing a world-class gateway for visitors. Common Man Roadside stands apart for its uniquely New Hampshire ethos. Their proposed philosophy marrying rugged landscape aesthetics with timeless coastal charmperfectly aligns with the NH Liquor Commissions vision for a New Hampshire-centric development. CMRs proposal connecting several Seacoast organizations into their floor plan is a clear example of their knowledge and willingness to directly connect the Seacoast into their overall development plan. Common Man Roadside employs 400 people and proudly features products from over 55 New Hampshire-based companies, from bakeries and coffee roasters to brewers and specialty food makers in Hooksett. These partnerships arent just about shelf space. Theyre about connecting New Hampshire businesses to travelers. Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, CMRs track record at the Hooksett Welcome Centers proves they prioritize local economic growth. By partnering with the League of NH Craftsmen and featuring local artisans, they turn rest stops into cultural destinations. Their commitment to providing our members with a platform through strategic brochure placement and information services will directly convert highway travelers into Seacoast patrons. In my professional opinion, the best choice we can make for our region is for Common Man Roadside to be selected to run the I-95 rest areas. I urge lawmakers to choose this wonderful NH-based company to partner with the state. John Nyhan is the president of the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Why Common Man Roadside is the right choice for NHs I95 gateway: Nyhan Cristian Jerez-Andrade one of the three migrants federal officers detained in South Burlington last week will remain in federal custody until an immigration court hearing March 19, a federal judge ruled Tuesday in Burlington. That's because there are too many uncertainties regarding the 31-year-old's criminal history for the undocumented Honduran to be released immediately, Judge William Sessions III said. Federal prosecutor Katlin Hazard told Sessions that, according to the National Crime Information Center, Jerez-Andrade has been arrested twice before, once for domestic abuse and child endangerment and once for a traffic violation; pleaded guilty to domestic abuse battery; and had two warrants out for his arrest, one for intimidation and stalking and the other for missing court. None of the incidents occurred in Vermont. Cristian Jerez-Andrade is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Dorset Street in South Burlington on March 11, 2026. However, Hazard said she had not verified the information herself, could not confirm whether the warrants were still active and did not know what became of the child endangerment allegation. Advertisement Advertisement Nathan Virag, Jerez-Andrade's attorney, said Hazard's list was likely out of date and that some of his client's run-ins with the law may have stemmed from misunderstandings. For instance, Jerez-Andrade, who had gotten into an argument with his long-term partner that sparked the domestic abuse arrest, was advised by his lawyer to plead guilty, Virag said. Neither Jerez-Andrade or his partner understood what the plea meant, Virag added. Speaking through a translator, Jerez-Andrade testified under oath that the argument with his partner did not turn physical, nor did he hurt his son, who he said had been asleep at the time. He echoed Virag, saying that his lawyers at the time advised him to plead guilty so he didn't have to keep attending classes and that he hadn't understood the consequences of doing so. As a result of his plea, Jerez-Andrade served about a month in jail and completed a year's worth of classes to help him develop "better control," he said in court Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Virag and Jerez-Andrade both denied that Jerez-Andrade knew anything about the two apparent warrants the stalking one may have been a mistake, according to Virag and said the traffic violation was because of an expired license plate. For that offense, Jerez-Andrade said, he spent a night in jail and his employer paid the violation fee. Sessions said federal courts usually only grant immediate release under "special circumstances" it's standard to give the immigration court the opportunity determine bond conditions, he said and that Jerez-Andrade does not qualify because of his "confusing" record. "I don't know about his convictions," Session said. "I don't know if he has arrest warrants or if he has other charges in other jurisdictions" that could result in him being detained and taken outside Vermont. The ruling came a day after Jissela Johana Patin Patin, one of the other immigrants detained last week, was freed from federal custody yesterday following a hearing at the Burlington federal courthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Virag, who represents her as well, said she is completely free and no longer has to come back to court. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Patin Patin, sister Camilia Patin Patin and Jerez-Andrade at a Dorset Street residence March 11 while looking for Deyvi Daniel Corona-Sanchez, a Mexican citizen who had recently been living in South Burlington. "These folks were victims of racial profiling," Virag, who is also Camilia Patin Patin's attorney, told the Burlington Free Press. "The man ICE was looking for was not in the house. (ICE) violated their constitutional rights." Jerez-Andrade's hearing was initially scheduled for Monday afternoon, but Sessions postponed it because Jerez-Andrade was still in custody at Northwest State Correctional Facility and could not be present in person. Advertisement Advertisement Hazard, the federal attorney, told Sessions that Jerez-Andrade could not be transported to the Burlington courthouse that day because the facility lacked staff and that he could not appear virtually because the facility does not have internet. "I can't address releasing him without talking to him about issues relevant to the release," Sessions said during Jerez-Andrade's planned court hearing on Monday. Sessions added that he likes to get "a sense of each individual," including whether they will be a flight risk, and "can't get that on a cold record." Virag told Sessions on Monday that he's unsure whether Jerez-Andrade will seek asylum, since he's been in the U.S. for too long to qualify, but said his client will likely seek "relief" based on his "many U.S. ties" and 6-year-old child. Advertisement Advertisement Abel Luna of Migrant Justice, who told the Free Press that he was rooting for Jerez-Andrade to be released, was disappointed in the judge's ruling. "We were hoping for the judge to make the right decision and realize that what happened to him was very unjust," Luna said, while acknowledging it must have been "a tough call" for the Sessions. Jerez-Andrade's remote bond hearing is scheduled for March 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the Chelmsford immigration court in Massachusetts before Judge Natalie Smith, Virag told the Free Press. A removal proceedings hearing will take place the same day, likely back to back with the bond hearing, Virag said. Camilia Patin Patin, who also remains in federal custody, has her own hearing scheduled for March 20 at 3:30 p.m. Jerez-Andrade's nephew: 'Tomorrow's going to be good' Jerez-Andrade's 18-year-old nephew, Jose Jerez, attended both of his uncle's scheduled hearings. Advertisement Advertisement The younger Jerez, who said in a speech outside City Hall last Friday that he was in the house when his uncle was detained, testified at the Tuesday hearing that he has lived with Jerez-Andrade practically his whole life and the man is like a father to him. "I look up to him," Jerez said. "He was the man who taught me how to work." He added that Jerez-Andrade was a good father to his six-year-old son and had a "beautiful" relationship with his long-term partner, the mother of the child. Jerez, a U.S. citizen who was born in Honduras but grew up in Louisiana, said he moved to Vermont about five months ago to work construction with his uncle. Until the second hearing, he said he hadn't seen or talked to Jerez-Andrade since the detention Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Jerez called the day ICE officers "stormed" into his house "traumatizing." "They pointed a gun at my face, slammed me on the floor and started searching my pockets," he said. "I still don't have my phone or (passport) ID back." Jerez said that while authorities searched for Corona-Sanchez in the attic, an ICE officer's gun went off a few feet from him. "I could have died," he said. The younger Jerez testified that the goal is to get his uncle released and live together in an apartment in Winooski, paid for by money raised through a GoFundMe. That fundraiser had brought in about $26,000 by Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Two ICE detainees in Vermont remain in custody, one freed by judge This story was originally published on Investigate Midwest. It has been updated with new information from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources about its timeline for filling open CAFO specialist positions. The growth of industrial farms in Americas dairyland is outpacing regulators tasked with reviewing permits and overseeing compliance with waste regulations. Wisconsin currently has 370 active or pending concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) permits, most of which are dairy farms with about 700 or more cattle. Wisconsin dairy farms produce roughly 12 billion pounds of manure annually, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension office. Advertisement Advertisement The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources monitors and oversees management of these permits that track manure waste at the states largest farms. As of early March, there were 13.5 full-time-equivalent field staff members in the department overseeing the CAFO program, well short of the 20-to-1 staffing target the state has long said it needs. State officials originally set a goal of one staff member for every 20 farms when permitting laws took effect in 1985. The department has not met this goal since 2010, and today the ratio is roughly 27 farms per CAFO program staff, the highest the ratio has ever been. State officials originally set a goal of one staff member for every 20 farms when permitting laws took effect in 1985. The department has not met this goal since 2010. The department has rarely achieved this ratio in the past two decades, while the number of Wisconsin CAFOs has increased 160 percent. This comes at a time when the state has lost nearly 18,000 dairy farms, mostly small-scale operations. While CAFOs have increased, the DNRs budget for monitoring them has not.Last year, Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, requested an increase in staff positions, but his budget proposal was rejected by the states majority-Republican Legislature. A DNR spokesperson said the agency had planned to hire new staff last year, but federal cuts to funding that support the program left vacant positions in limbo. Advertisement Advertisement DNR staff monitor operations, approve and review wastewater permits. The department administers Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which outline methods for protecting the states water quality under the federal Clean Water Act. These permits require farms to prepare plans for where they spread manure and how the farm would handle and report a manure spill. The permits do not monitor air, odor, land use or other issues related to CAFOs. DNR staff are also responsible for ensuring the waste is properly disposed of and managed to prevent runoff into nearby waterways, groundwater and communities. Research indicates that a single dairy cow produces approximately 120 pounds of manure per day. The Department of Natural Resources faces staffing limitations across all programs, a DNR spokesperson told Investigate Midwest. Over the past 20 years, the department has lost over 500 FTE positions due to cuts in the biennial budget process. Advertisement Advertisement The DNR said it is allotted for 15.5 FTE regional CAFO specialist positions, but staff departures last year reduced the levels. A DNR spokesperson said the department is recruiting new staff to bring this level back up and is expected to be fully staffed in April. The issue of low DNR staffing levels isnt new to Midwest Environmental Advocates, an environmental law firm based in Wisconsin. The law firm filed a petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 to review the agencys permitting process. Among its claims for review, the law firm cited staffing levels as reasoning for a backlog of permits and enforcement actions to protect the states waterways.Wisconsin water quality will suffer if DNR understaffing continues and if the permit backlog increases each time a new policy or water quality standard is adopted, the 2016 petition stated.Adam Voskuil, a Midwest Environmental Advocates staff attorney, said little has changed a decade later. Its frankly very concerning, Voskuil told Investigate Midwest. Advertisement Advertisement Over half of the states impaired waterways are caused by phosphorus and E.Coli pollutants, which are primarily attributed to animal waste and agricultural runoff, according to the states most recent water quality report submitted to the EPA.Voskuil said the department has to work to keep its head above water, and without more staff, they arent able to work proactively. He pointed to citizen groups throughout the state who have done the work of monitoring and reporting problems with CAFO permits.It puts an obligation on community members and citizens to do that work, he said. Cows are seen at a concentrated animal feeding operation in St. Croix County, Wis., on June 11, 2024. A ruling in a case concerning the Polk County town of Eureka could set a precedent for Wisconsin municipalities seeking to regulate large farms. In recent years, residents in rural western Wisconsin have successfully passed a series of local ordinances that farms must comply with to operate as CAFOs. This effort has been challenged in the court by dairy industry groups. Communities across Wisconsin have become accustomed to the effects of CAFOs. Last year, a dairy CAFO in northern Wisconsin spilled an unknown amount of manure into the nearby Trappers Creek, leaving fish dead in a 5 mile stretch of the waterway. The state DNR was not aware of the spill until several days later. Wisconsin citizens have also taken farm operators to court when farms step out of line. A group of citizens in eastern Wisconsin contested a CAFOs newly issued permit in December 2025 after the DNR acknowledged the farm had been operating without a permit and had exceeded the allowed animal threshold since at least 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Voskuil said that if the state DNR were properly staffed and resourced, it would be able to recognize when farms are operating without permits or outside regulations sooner than it does now. In addition to proposing four new full-time staff positions to the departments CAFO permitting program, Evers budget proposal would have increased the permit application fee from $345 to $545, allocating more funds to the departments oversight of these farms. The governors proposal was shot down by the Joint Finance Committee, the Republican-majority legislative committee that crafts the budget. Despite the increase in CAFOs statewide, the Republican-controlled budget committee removed these provisions from the budget, as well as hundreds of other positions across the administration that would have helped decrease wait times and backlog of permitting, licensing, and more, an Evers spokesperson told Investigate Midwest. Advertisement Advertisement Leadership at the Joint Finance Committee did not respond to requests for comments. Investigate Midwest is an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Our mission is to serve the public interest by exposing dangerous and costly practices of influential agricultural corporations and institutions through in-depth and data-driven investigative journalism. Visit us online at www.investigatemidwest.org This article originally appeared on Wisconsin State Farmer: State budget cuts leave DNR short-staffed as CAFOs multiply, water quality at risk A woman has been arrested in the 2011 cold case murder of an Iowa real estate agent, authorities said. Kristin Ramsey, 53, was arrested on Tuesday for first-degree murder in the death of Ashley Okland, the West Des Moines Police said. West Des Moines Police - PHOTO: Kristin Ramsey, 53, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Ashley Okland. 11-year-old charged with first-degree murder in death of 5-year-old brother: DA Okland was shot and killed while working at a model townhouse on April 8, 2011, according to the Iowa Attorney General's Office Cold Case Unit. Advertisement Advertisement Okland's death sent "shockwaves" throughout the state and "haunted" the real estate community, West Des Moines Police Assistant Chief Jody Hayes said at a news conference Wednesday. Iowa Attorney General - PHOTO: An undated photo of Ashley Okland who was killed in 2011. Police and prosecutors did not discuss what led to Ramsey's arrest, but Ramsey at the time worked for Rottlund Homes, the company that built the model home where Okland was killed, Ramseys then-boss, Steven Kahn, told ABC News. Khan said nothing about Ramsey led him to suspect she may have been involved in Oklands death. "She was the nicest lady. Im totally shocked," he said. Kahn noted that he sat next to Ramsey at Oklands funeral. Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing from a business standpoint that I could see why it would have happened, Kahn said, adding about Ramsey, I have no idea about anything in her personal life. LinkedIn - PHOTO: Undated photo of Kristin Ramsey. Newly released footage shows ex-NFL star Doug Martin before his in-custody death Police and prosecutors declined to discuss details of the case, with Dallas County Attorney Matt Schultz only saying at the news conference, "After hearing the evidence, a Dallas County grand jury issued a true bill indicting Kristin Ramsey with the murder of Ashley Okland." Okland's sister, Brittany Bruce, told reporters on Wednesday, "That Friday afternoon when Ashley was taken from us seems so long ago. We had lost our hope in finding answers and having any justice." She thanked the detectives and prosecutors for their relentless work on the case. "We have full confidence in their abilities to see this through," she said. The Georgia Supreme Court will hear an appeal filed by woman found guilty of murder in the death of a hit-and-run driver. Hannah Payne shot and killed Kenneth Herring at the intersection of Forest Parkway and Riverdale Road in May 2019 after she saw him leaving the scene of a minor accident. Prosecutors said Herring may have been having a medical episode at the time of the hit-and-run. After the crash, police said Payne followed Herring, confronted him, and shot him. Advertisement Advertisement All the arguments from Georgia Supreme Court hearing, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A jury found Payne guilty in 2023 and a judge sentenced her to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Payne later filed an appeal with the Georgia Supreme Court, which agreed to hear her case on Wednesday morning. She argues that her attorney didnt provide her adequate representation when he didnt ask for a jury instruction to consider citizens arrest or defense of others. Payne argued she feared for her life and thats why she shot Herring. Advertisement Advertisement Georgia repealed its citizens arrest statue in 2021, but Payne argues it shouldnt have been retroactive and should apply to her defense. The state stands by the jury instructions and verdict. The Georgia Supreme Court will hear Payne and other cases starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday. RELATED STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A woman who was shot over the weekend near the Kansas City Police Departments East Patrol Division Station died Tuesday, police said. The woman was identified as Kyrstin Lickhart, 27, said Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department. A person of interest was taken into custody in the shooting, he said. Police were called to the area of 26th Street and Prospect Avenue, near the police station, shortly after midnight on Sunday on a reported shooting and found a woman suffering from gunshot wounds in a nearby alley, DiMartino said. The woman was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, and police began to process the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said. Anyone with information about the shooting may contact investigators directly by calling 816-234-5043 or by calling the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. The killing is Kansas Citys 27th homicide of 2026, which lines up exactly with the 27 homicides the city had seen at this time last year, according to data kept by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. A woman injured during a police chase that began in the city of Pittsburgh has just filed a civil lawsuit against the city and a detective who chased the suspect. Only Chief Investigator Rick Earle spoke with that womans attorney to learn why he believes this goes beyond negligence. This woman is one of nine people who were injured during the crash. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 9 people injured in large crash in Wilkinsburg after driver flees police Advertisement Advertisement She was just sitting in her car at a red light when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, an SUV slammed into her. The victims attorney, Anthony Giannetti, says the woman was just out with some friends looking to have a good night out, and she essentially gets t-boned. The speeding SUV crashed into multiple vehicles, injuring nine people, in Wilkinsburg last November after fleeing from police who had stopped the driver for a suspected tinted window violation. She actually hits her face on the steering wheel, knocks her teeth out, multiple fractured ribs. She was at Presby for about five days for some pretty bad internal injuries, Gianetti said. Advertisement Advertisement Giannetti, on behalf of his client, has now filed a civil lawsuit against the owner of the car, the fleeing driver Dior Richardson, the city of pittsburgh and Detective John Abbondanza, who initially stopped the SUV. We believe it was more than negligent, Giannetti said. We believe it was reckless for the officer to initiate a chase at 80 mph through crowded city streets for a window tint violation. In the criminal complaint filed against Richardson, who, in addition to fleeing, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm, the detective wrote that he activated his lights and siren and began chasing the SUV for only a short time, and then ended the pursuit. 11 investigates first told you that Police Chief Jason Lando recommended a two-day suspension for that officer for allegedly violating the chase policy. Advertisement Advertisement Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams overruled that and moved to fire him. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Public Safety Director overrules chief, calls for city officer involved in chase to be punished Sources tell 11 Investigates that officers are not allowed to chase for vehicle code violations, and they say the officer continued at a high rate of speed after turning off his lights and siren. They actually had a policy in effect to prevent this, and the policy was not followed, Giannetti said. I mean all that just confirms this never should have happened. Giannetti is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000 from the city and the detective. Advertisement Advertisement While that detective is facing disciplinary action by the city and now this civil lawsuit, he is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Police in Minnesota have arrested a man who allegedly stole a three-legged dog from a woman he met on a dating app. Akhil Miryala has been charged with burglary and stalking in connection to the incident, Us Weekly confirmed with police. Miryala of Minneapolis will appear before a judge on Thursday, March 19, at which time he'll likely be asked to enter pleas to the felonies he faces. Miryala, 27, allegedly matched with a woman in February while using an unspecified dating app and they two even met for two dates. Advertisement Advertisement However, two dates were enough for the woman to realize Miryala was not for her, and she told him a relationship was not in the cards. Man Breaks Into Texas Apartment to Kidnap Ex-Girlfriend, Gun Down Her New Boyfriend Miryala allegedly couldn't take "No" for an answer and started contacting the woman on social media. He also inundated her phone with calls and text messages. Then, on March 9, Bloomington Police received a call from a distressed woman claiming someone broke into her home and stole her pooch a three-legged coon hound-labrador mix named Oriana. She told cops that the footage from her doorbell camera showed Miryala at her home a few times that day alone. Advertisement Advertisement At around 7 p.m., he was captured again by the camera on the front steps of the home, trying to lure the pup away with treats and human food. Miryala allegedly called the victim as cops were arriving at the womans residence and after initially denying he took the dog, he eventually admitted that he had Oriana. Meanwhile, police at the scene listened in on Miryala's ongoing chat with the victim. They allegedly heard him claim he looked the woman's address up online and he had been stopping by her home regularly and even watched from afar as she was in her backyard with another man. After he was arrested, Miryala allegedly copped to calling or texting the victim 30 to 40 times during the previous two weeks. He also said that he created a fake number to call her from. Advertisement Advertisement He allegedly told cops that he took the dog "as part of a plan to later return the dog in hopes of getting on [the victim's] good side again," according to court filings. Woman Allegedly Abandoned Her Dog at JetBlue Ticket Counter at Nevada Airport Attempts to reach Miryala's attorney for comment were unsuccessful on Tuesday, March 17. Us also called numbers associated with Miryala but was unable to reach him for an interview. Oriana, according to police, is back home where she belongs and was unharmed during the dognapping. Worcester County prosecutors dropped criminal charges against a 40-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing another man in January, court records show. Tailor Albert Quinonez was charged in Worcester District Court with armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the stabbing on Jan. 15 in downtown Worcester. But prosecutors this week filed whats known as a nolle prosequi, a formal notice that they are dropping the charges. The Commonwealth, after careful consideration has determined that further prosecution of this matter is not in the interest of justice, reads a court filing by the Worcester County District Attorneys Office. Advertisement Advertisement A grand jury investigated the case, which did not return an indictment, and prosecutors withdrew charges, according to a spokesperson for the district attorney. Quinonez was accused of fatally stabbing Joshuane Rivera, 32, of Worcester, on the night of Jan. 15. On Jan. 15 at 8:29 p.m., a witness called 911 and reported he had found a man suffering from stab wounds at 544 Main St., according to a police report filed in court to support the charges. The unidentified witness flagged down a police officer driving by and reported the incident, according to the report. The officer sent a radio message for assistance and found another man, Quinonez, on the sidewalk. Quinonez had lacerations on his head and his left hand, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Quinonez was brought to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other victim, Rivera, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The Worcester Police Department on Jan. 16 announced Rivera had died but did not reveal his identity at the time. Video footage from the area shows the incident taking place at 570 Main St., according to the report. In the video, Quinonez and Rivera are seen getting into a fight. Quinonez is shown stabbing Rivera on the left side of his torso multiple times, according to police. Quinonez can be seen holding something in his right hand, according to the report. He is then shown placing something in a trash can on the sidewalk near the area of the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives found a knife in the same trash can, according to the report. In court papers, Quinonezs defense lawyer, Joseph F. Hennessy, maintained the attack was done in self-defense. The Defendant ... adamantly denies that he intentionally and purposely attacked Mr. Rivera, Hennessy wrote in a January court filing, according to the Telegram & Gazette. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. That's the piece banks have been waiting for. A court opinion gives Ripple a legal argument, but a federal statute gives a bank's compliance team the green light to actually build with XRP. Without that, most institutions won't touch it at scale, no matter how many partnerships Ripple signs. The CLARITY Act would classify XRP as a digital commodity under federal law, putting it in the same category as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Right now, XRP's legal status comes from a 2025 court ruling that said it's not a security when sold on public exchanges. That was a win, but it was one judge's opinion in one district. The CLARITY Act would make that federal lawapplicable everywhere, and not something a future SEC chair or a different court could reverse. Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. The bill passed the House in July 2025 with bipartisan support, but has been stuck in the Senate since January. Now investors want to know when the CLARITY Act would pass, and whether the XRP price would surge if it does. The one thing that could really move the XRP price beyond key resistance levels is the CLARITY Acta bill that would classify XRP as a digital commodity under federal law and put it on the same regulatory footing as Bitcoin and Ethereum. That single distinction is what banks, asset managers, and payment providers are waiting for before they can integrate XRP at scale. XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) just broke above $1.50 after spending over a month stuck between $1.35 and $1.45, despite Ripple's success in the same period. Mastercard added Ripple to its crypto payments program on March 11, Goldman Sachs became the largest XRP ETF buyer, and whales added 1.3 billion XRP to their wallets in early Marchbut the XRP price barely moved on any of it. The bill passed the House 294-134 but is stalled in the Senate over a stablecoin yield dispute, with Galaxy Digital warning it must clear committee by end of April or its likely dead for 2026. The CLARITY Act would classify XRP as a digital commodity under federal law, giving banks and asset managers the statutory clarity they need to integrate XRP at scale. Story Continues Once XRP has commodity status in federal law, U.S. banks can start using it for cross-border settlement through Ripple's payment network without worrying about a regulator changing the rules later. XRP ETFs are already live and have pulled in over $1.3 billion, but weekly inflows have slowed without federal law backing XRP's status. The commodity classification would give larger institutional allocators and asset managers the legal confidence to commit to these products with confidence. Ripple has been preparing for this behind the scenes. President Monica Long has said the company expects NDAs with institutional partners to expire once the bill passes, which means there are deals already in place that haven't been announced yet. Deutsche Bank has already gone public with its XRPL integration, and if the CLARITY Act clears, more names like that are likely to follow. Where the CLARITY Act Stands Right Now VGV MEDIA / Shutterstock.com VGV MEDIA / Shutterstock.com The bill cleared the House in July 2025 with a 294-134 vote, and the Senate Agriculture Committee passed its version on January 29, but the Senate Banking Committee is where it got stuck. A markup was scheduled for January 15, but it was pulled the same day after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said he couldn't support the bill as written and over 100 proposed amendments were filed, and the committee hasn't rescheduled since. The fight that derailed the markup is about whether crypto platforms should be allowed to pay rewards on stablecoin balances. Banks argue that paying 4% to 5% on a USDC balance looks too much like a savings account, and letting crypto firms offer that without a banking charter would pull deposits out of the traditional banking system. The White House tried to get both sides to agree by setting a March 1 deadline for compromise language, but that deadline passed without a deal. The American Bankers Association rejected the White House's proposal on March 5, calling even limited stablecoin rewards a loophole that would let crypto firms compete with banks on uneven terms. Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Thom Tillis said on March 10 that they're working on new language that would ban rewards on idle stablecoin balances but allow incentives tied to payments and transactions. The Senate Banking Committee is eyeing a late March markup as a second attempt. Even if they resolve the stablecoin fight, though, the bill still has unresolved disputes over DeFi regulation and ethics rules that could slow it down further. Galaxy Digital's Alex Thorn said on March 14 that the bill needs to clear the Banking Committee by the end of April, or the chances of the CLARITY Act passing in 2026 become extremely low. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the chamber won't even get to the bill before April because the SAVE America Act takes priority, and once midterm campaigning starts in the summer, the window closes. Polymarket currently gives the CLARITY Act a 56% chance of being signed into law this year, down 9 points from earlier in March. XRP Price Prediction: What Happens If It Passes vs. What Happens If It Doesn't EvrenKalinbacak / Shutterstock.com Where the XRP price goes from $1.50 depends on whether the CLARITY Act becomes law this year. If the CLARITY Act Passes: $5 to $10 Standard Chartered's Geoffrey Kendrick originally set an $8 XRP target for 2026, and that number assumed the CLARITY Act would pass. He projects $4 to $8 billion in total XRP ETF inflows by year-end if it does, which is several times the $1.3 billion that flowed in during the first 50 days after ETFs launched. Most analysts land in the $5 to $10 range if the bill passes. At $8, XRP's market cap would be around $490 billion big, but within reach for a token that banks would actually be using for cross-border payments rather than one that's just trading on retail exchanges. If both the CLARITY Act and Ripple's Federal Reserve master account application come through by late 2026, some analysts model $15 to $30 based on full bank adoption and XRP being integrated directly into U.S. payment infrastructure. If the CLARITY Act Doesn't Pass: $1.50 to $2.50 Without the bill, the XRP price likely stays stuck in the same range it's been in since January. ETF inflows have already slowed from $1.3 billion in the first 50 days to under $2 million per week by early March, and that momentum isn't coming back without a federal law to push institutional allocators off the sidelines. Standard Chartered cut its 2026 XRP target from $8 to $2.80 in February, and that revised number assumes the bill gets delayed and macro conditions stay rough. If the CLARITY Act gets shelved entirely and midterm politics take over, XRP would likely drift between $1.50 and $2.50 for the rest of the year, moving with the broader crypto market rather than on anything specific to Ripple. Will the CLARITY Act Surge the XRP Price? If it passes, yes the difference between the two outcomes is $5 to $10 with the bill versus $1.50 to $2.50 without it. What matters right now isn't the bill itself, though. It's the compromise language that Senators Alsobrooks and Tillis are drafting on stablecoin rewards. If both sides accept that language, the Senate Banking Committee can schedule its markup and the bill starts moving again. If the compromise falls apart, the markup doesn't happen, and the CLARITY Act is likely dead for 2026. XRP's next major move comes down to whether a handful of senators can agree on when a stablecoin reward stops being a reward and starts being a savings account. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. The latest addition to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is, without question, one of the ugliest military aircraft to grace an apron today. With its enormous, bulged nose and other awkward protuberances, the Kawasaki EC-2 is, nevertheless, an important addition to the JASDF at a time when it faces increasing challenges from various sophisticated threats. The aircraft, which has generated much interest, took to the air for the first time today at Gifu Air Base, in the prefecture of the same name. Advertisement Advertisement Derived from Japans indigenous C-2 twin-jet transport, the EC-2 is a standoff electronic warfare aircraft, the development of which began in 2021. Its primary role is to interfere with an opponents operations on the electromagnetic spectrum, from outside the range of air defense threats. Specifically, the EC-2 is based on serial 68-1203, which was the third C-2 transport completed, before being modified for its specialist role. As for the C-2, this military airlifter sits somewhere between a C-17 and a C-130 in terms of size and capabilities. In fact, it is probably closest in most regards to the four-turboprop Airbus A400M, but is powered by a pair of General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofans similar to those on many 747s and 767s, for instance. A standard Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-2 transport aircraft. Australian Department of Defense SGT Pete Gammie Returning to the EC-2, this aircraft is the successor to the JASDFs one-off and now-retired Kawasaki EC-1, which was converted from an existing C-1 transport airframe and was for many years operated by the Electronic Warfare Operations Group (Denshi Sakusengun) at Iruma Air Base, in Japans Saitama prefecture. A series of photos shows the now-retired Kawasaki EC-1: The EC-2 was first noted by an aircraft spotter at Gifu last month. Advertisement Advertisement Gifu is home to the JASDFs Aviation Development and Testing Group, which will put the EC-2 through its paces before it is approved for operational service. Before its first flight, the EC-2 became a peculiar object of interest for spotters and locals alike, with photographers taking numerous shots of the aircraft as it underwent taxi trials at Gifu. Prior to that, the EC-2s appearance had only been publicly known thanks to a rendering released by the Japan Ministry of Defense. Schematic rendering of the EC-2. Japan Ministry of Defense Back in 2022, a spokesperson from the Japan Ministry of Defenses Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) told Janes that the C-2 was selected as the platform due to its ability to carry a significant amount of equipment to enable it to conduct effective jamming from outside of the opponents threat envelope. Advertisement Advertisement [The] C-2 transport aircraft has been selected as the base platform after considering such factors as its flight performance, maximum payload, and cost, the ATLA spokesperson said at the time. By choosing the C-2 as the base platform, we make use of the existing infrastructure of the C-2 and thus effectively and efficiently operate the new C-2-based standoff EW aircraft, the spokesperson added. !! 2026/3/16 C-2 203 pic.twitter.com/wF88vyrshT rikizo misono (@rikizomisono) March 16, 2026 Compared to the C-1, the C-2 has a significantly higher payload capacity. The new transport can carry a payload of nearly 80,000 pounds for a maximum takeoff weight of 310,000 pounds, as opposed to a payload of around 26,000 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 100,000 pounds for the older C-1. You can look at a very direct visual comparison of the C-1 and the C-2 here. A Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-1 transport aircraft in 2017. The last examples of these aircraft were retired in March 2025. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images AFP Contributor Reportedly, however, at least some of the equipment previously used in the EC-1 including the J/ALQ-5 electronic countermeasures system has been ported over to the new EC-2. Advertisement Advertisement Like its predecessor, the EC-2 has a huge bulbous nose, but it also adds two large, bulged fairings in tandem on the top of the fuselage. Meanwhile, there are two other prominent fairings mounted on either side of the rear fuselage. Detailed views of the Kawasaki EC-1: 2025.01.28 RJNH EC-1 021 EC-1 pic.twitter.com/beL6pyGi8z AKEBOVO (@AKEBOVO) January 28, 2025 Very few details of other specific equipment have been released, but imagery of the aircraft confirms that missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) are installed around the fuselage as part of its self-defense suite. In an operational context, the EC-2 would use its powerful jamming systems to disrupt enemy sensors especially those belonging to air defense systems and communications on the ground and in the air, from a long distance. Advertisement Advertisement The details that have been released relating to the EC-2 refer to program costs. Namely, the FY2025 Budget Request notes that around $260 million was allocated to the development of the aircraft. This is part of a total of around $3.2 billion that is being spent to upgrade intelligence collection and analysis capabilities. Reflecting the increased emphasis on electromagnetic spectrum operations, Japan plans to buy four EC-2s, compared to having just one EC-1 in the past. The EC-2 is the second specialized variant of the C-2, after the RC-2 signals intelligence (SIGINT) platform, first flown in 2018 and now active with the Electronic Warfare Operations Group. This aircraft was converted from the second C-2, serial 18-1202, and was officially handed over to the JASDF in 2020. The RC-2 also has fairings on top and on the sides of the fuselage, and atop the tail. The nose radome is enlarged, and there is an extensive under-fuselage antenna farm. Advertisement Advertisement According to statements from the Japan Ministry of Defense, it seems the EC-2 and RC-2 will likely work in concert. Specifically, the RC-2 is part of a wider effort to improve capabilities to gather electromagnetic information necessary for electronic jamming and electronic protection. This suggests that the RC-2 will conduct regular peacetime missions to gather data on locations and types of threat emitters, as part of generating an electronic order of battle, with this information then being used to ensure the EC-2 is able to target specific emitters. In the past, Japan has also looked at other specialized versions of the C-2, including arming the transports with air-launched standoff missiles, in a parallel to the U.S. militarys experiments with adding a standoff attack option to existing transport fleets. As part of its fiscal 2023 budget, the Japan Ministry of Defense received a little over $25 million to explore the missile-toting C-2 concept, with a plan to continue technical research until fiscal 2024. If judged successful, full-scale development would then follow. The current status of that effort is unclear. One factor that has stood in the way of additional procurement is the very high cost of the C-2, with around $2.3 billion plowed into the development effort and each airframe priced at approximately $176 million, as of 2017. This means Japan has been buying these aircraft at a slow rate, with the aim of fielding a frontline fleet of 16. The high cost has also contributed to a failure to win any export orders, which, if secured, would have helped to bring down the price. The EC-2 seen on its first flight earlier today, accompanied by a Mitsubishi F-2B chase plane: However, there is clearly a need for the EC-2, and it seems likely that the program will yield further examples of the standoff jammer. Advertisement Advertisement In the past, Japanese defense officials have described the regional environment as severe and increasingly complex. After all, Japan faces an increasingly challenging security environment, with the key threats provided by Chinese, North Korean, and Russian military activity. China has intensified its air and naval operations in the East China Sea and the wider Western Pacific, including deploying aircraft carriers and conducting frequent patrols near Japans southwestern islands. North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles capable of reaching Japan, while Russian aviation activity around Japanese airspace has also increased, including joint patrols with the Chinese military. Outside of Japan, this type of platform is of growing interest, with a number of significant active procurement programs. In the past, we have looked in detail at the U.S. Air Forces EA-37B Compass Call, as well as its derivative for Australia, the MC-55A Peregrine. The second MC-55A Peregrine for the Royal Australian Air Force arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, last week. Dsperandio dean sperandio While its bizarre appearance might be the most obvious feature of Japans new EC-2, this ungainly machine will play an important role in the modernization of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, as it increasingly looks at how to dominate the electromagnetic domain. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The leaderships January decision to dissolve the STC was a choice seen to have been heavily influenced by Saudi Arabia. Yemeni government forces killed at least six people and wounded dozens in Aden and Shabwa in Yemen in February during protests against the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council, a prominent UAE-backed separatist organization, Human Rights Watch published in a report on Tuesday. The government decided in January to dissolve the STC, a choice seen to have been heavily influenced by Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement At the end of December, Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemens Presidential Leadership Council, had declared a 90-day nationwide state of emergency following the STCs takeover of Hadramout. Only a week later, Saudi-led coalition forces and government forces pushed the STC out of territories where it had gained control. Protesters had also demonstrated over economic grievances. Yemens civil war, terrorist influences in the country, and the climate crisis have left over 17 million people food insecure and 4.8 million people internally displaced, according to the World Food Programme. Human Rights Watch concluded that the forces aligned with Yemens government used excessive force against those participating in the demonstrations and arbitrarily detained dozens across three governorates. A soldier stands guard outside the headquarters of the Southern Transitional Council in Aden, Yemen January 8, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/Fawaz Salman) Deadly crackdown on STC protests reported The Yemeni government has long purported to stand up for free expression, and yet their actions dont match their words, said Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch. Advertisement Advertisement The government should be ensuring that Yemenis rights are respected during this period, rather than violating their right to free expression, she said. After interviewing 13 people between February 10 and March 6, including protestors who had been arrested, witnesses to government forces use of force, and representatives of the STC, and looking at verified photos and videos of the use of force, the NGO said it wrote to the Yemeni government about the apparent rights violations, but received no response. Government forces fired on demonstrators at Seiyun airport, in the Hadramout government, on February 6, HRW found, though it noted that apparently nobody was hurt in the confrontation. A day after the incident, government forces were said to have detained dozens of protesters and two STC leaders at their homes. The leaders were charged with inciting people to protest, while the four protestors interviewed by HRW said they had not been charged and were released after several days in detention. Advertisement Advertisement Protests in the Shabwa governorate were also met by fire from government forces after demonstrators attempted to replace the Yemeni flag with the STC flag from a municipal building. HRW noted that some of the activists also fired on government forces. The armed confrontation led to five deaths, and 39 people were wounded, the deputy head of the Shabwah General Hospital Authority, Rami Lamas, told Al Jazeera. Government forces later killed one person and wounded 27 as pro-STC demonstrators attempted to storm the presidential palace in Aden on February 19, according to the STC. Researchers identified at least three incidents of security forces firing upward when they reviewed footage of the incident, including shots from a machine gun mounted on an armored vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement In another video, an armored vehicle is seen accelerating toward protesters but suddenly stopping before reaching them. One human rights activist told HRW that 28 people were detained during the demonstration and denied due process. They were allegedly held for over two weeks without being taken before a judge or charged with a criminal offense, according to the activist, making the detentions arbitrary. The father of one of the detainees told HRW that authorities had not allowed his 19-year-old son to call to inform his family that he had been detained. My son didnt get back home [the night of the protest], and we thought he went to stay over at one of his relatives homes. Advertisement Advertisement The next day, when he wasnt back, and we saw the pictures of the protest, and people said that there are detainees, so we started looking for him, and that was when we learned he was detained in Maashiq Palace, the father said. The security forces in Maashiq kept telling us that they would release [the detained protesters] tomorrow or the day after, but they didnt and [instead] transferred them to the central prison in al-Mansora on February 26. HRW noted that while under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are protected, over the past decade, both government and STC forces have suppressed peoples right to demonstrate. As power changes hands in southern Yemen, the warring parties need to end the cycle of violations, Jafarnia said. The Yemeni government needs to provide accountability and justice for the STCs violations in areas previously under its control and not repeat the same violations that it previously condemned, she concluded. WELLINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - New Zealand's government will introduce legislation on Wednesday to tighten deportation, asylum and immigration enforcement rules, saying the changes are needed to tackle serious offending, migrant exploitation and bad-faith claims. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the changes would give authorities "proportionate tools" to manage immigration risks while ensuring the system is fair, functional and effective. The bill would extend from 10 to 20 years the period during which a resident can become liable for deportation for serious criminal offending, raise the maximum sentence for migrant exploitation to 10 years from seven, and widen powers to act on false or misleading information supplied during the immigration process. Advertisement Advertisement The bill will have to pass three readings in parliament, but as the government has a majority it will likely pass. The move reflects a broader push by governments globally to strengthen immigration and asylum systems as they face political pressure to deter abuse, deport non-citizens convicted of serious crimes and preserve public support for refugee protections. Alongside the bill, the government will table a parliamentary paper proposing further asylum changes, including allowing officials to consider serious crimes committed in New Zealand before refugee status is decided, according to the statement. Stanford said 14 known refugee claimants had been convicted of serious offences in New Zealand, including murder, serious sexual and drug crimes, and arson. Advertisement Advertisement Other proposals would let authorities move more quickly against claimants deemed to be acting in bad faith, including those who deliberately seek publicity to bolster asylum claims, and against those who fail to attend biometric appointments without good reason, the statement said. (Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with King Felipe VI of Spain on Wednesday 18 March. Source: European Pravda, citing Zelenskyy's post on X (Twitter) Details: It is known that Zelenskyy is currently on a visit to Spain. Today he had an audience with King Felipe VI of Spain at the royal residence in Zarzuela. Quote: "We deeply value Spain's support for our people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the war. I am grateful to His Majesty and to all the people of Spain for their unwavering support for Ukraine throughout all these years of Russian aggression." Advertisement Advertisement Background: Zelenskyy also announced the signing of a series of cooperation agreements between Ukrainian and Spanish defence industry companies. Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced plans to provide Ukraine with 1 billion in military aid in 2026. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The investigation into Nancy Guthries apparent abduction is now in its seventh week, with no significant breakthroughs in the search for the mother of Today cohost Savannah Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff and the FBI have not publicly identified a suspect or a motive, though Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC Nightly News that investigators believe they know why Nancy Guthries home was targeted. Former FBI special agent Harry Trombitas told Yahoo that while the motive could be for ransom, it's appearing less and less likely. Advertisement Advertisement There's too much involved, Trombitas said. There are too many ways people can get caught. Despite Hollywood movies depicting high-stakes kidnappings for ransom, theyre pretty uncommon in the United States and have really decreased over the years, Trombitas said. While the FBI tracks kidnapping and abduction cases broadly in the U.S., there is no publicly available data broken down for ransom-specific cases. [The motive] could be for revenge of some type, anger or it could be for a third purpose that we're just not even aware of, Trombitas explained. Latest on the investigation Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31, when she was dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills north of Tucson, Ariz., by family members following dinner, police said. She was reported missing around noon the next day after she did not show up at a friends house to watch an online church service. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are working to process mixed DNA recovered from Nancy Guthries home and are also investigating a damaged utility box they believe could be connected to a reported internet outage that occurred around the time she disappeared. Authorities are also reviewing doorbell camera footage outside of Nancy Guthries home of a masked individual who the FBI said was armed, as well as video of a speeding car around the time of her abduction and a backpack possibly bought online. The FBI and law enforcement will continue to work this case as though she's still alive, Trombitas said. I know that with her age, 84 years old, and some of her health conditions that she has, the prospects of her being found alive are not as great as they were originally. We're still hopeful that we will be able to identify who's responsible, Trombitas said. As far as how long the FBI will continue to investigate Nancy Guthries disappearance, Trombitas said, Theyll continue as long as there is an investigation to conduct. Advertisement Advertisement The former FBI special agent recalled one case he worked on in which 5,700 tips came in, and it was tip number 5,444 that led to its resolution. I can assure you that the FBI and the sheriff's office are still extremely busy following up on the thousands of leads and tips that have come in, and my understanding is more every day, he said. Trombitas said investigators will also likely return to interview the same people more than once, hoping that, over time, it will jog their memories of some details. Sometimes people forget little things, and it turns out to be significant information, he said. Why more billboards are going up now In an effort to keep the case in the public eye, the FBI has extended its outreach to missing person billboards, with Nancy Guthries photo and description displayed in high-traffic areas across multiple states, including Texas, New Mexico and California. Advertisement Advertisement I'm sure there are still people out there that have never heard about this case, as hard as that is for us to believe, Trombitas said, adding that its possible that someone who is just learning about Guthries disappearance may have information they didnt realize could be useful to investigators. The former FBI special agent also pointed out that relationships between people can change over time, and a person who is close to potential kidnappers may end up sharing crucial information with authorities in exchange for a substantial reward. Maybe they're not as friendly as they were with that individual before, and now they're willing to come forward and pass that information along, Trombitas said. The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information that could lead to Nancy Guthries recovery, while the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward. That money is still out there, Trombitas said. The first one on the bus gets the reward. Advertisement Advertisement The former FBI special agent also said the silence surrounding the case isnt necessarily a sign that it has stalled, but it could be quite the opposite. In high-stakes investigations like this one, investigators dont want to tip anybody off, including the potential kidnappers, on the progress being made in the investigation, which could cause them to panic or overreact. If Nancy's still alive, it may cause them to decide that we're getting too close and they're going to go ahead and kill her and dump her body somewhere, Trombitas explained. Trombitas remains hopeful that Nancy Guthrie will be recovered alive, pointing to a number of kidnapping cases that took months, sometimes years, to resolve, where the victims came back alive. Advertisement Advertisement I don't think people should be making the assumption that we'll never get [Nancy Guthrie] back at all, he said. I think we've proven over and over again that we can recover people after a significant period of time. So at this point, it's still considered a missing person's case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Pima County Sheriffs Department tip line at 520-351-4900 or the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Now entering its fourth week, the Iran war has engulfed the Middle East, killed more than 2,300 people and sent oil prices skyrocketing worldwide. The United States and Israel continue to strike Iran daily. Israel is also fighting the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. In response, the Iranian regime, now led by Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel and at U.S. military targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. By threatening to bomb ships, Tehran has forced the Strait of Hormuz to close, blocking one-fifth of the worlds oil supply. The signals from Washington are mixed. Days after saying he was considering "winding down" military operations, President Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum late Saturday, threatening to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened by Monday night. Iran dismissed the threat, warning it would target energy and water infrastructure across the region in retaliation and that the strait would be "completely closed" if its power plants were hit. Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, Irans foreign minister had rejected reports that his country is seeking a peace deal. We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation, Abbas Araghchi told CBS on March 15. This is what we have done so far, and we continue to do that until President Trump comes to the point that this is an illegal war with no victory. Heres a quick recap of the latest developments in the Iran war and how we got to this point over the last three weeks. Trump threatens to hit Iran's power plants in 48-hour ultimatum: President Trump said late Saturday that the U.S. would "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, starting "WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST." Iran operates one nuclear power plant, at Bushehr. Iran's parliament speaker warned that if its infrastructure is attacked, "energy and oil facilities across the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be irreversibly destroyed." Iranian missiles strike near Israel's nuclear facility: Iranian missiles hit the cities of Dimona and Arad in southern Israel Saturday night, injuring more than 175 people. Dimona is roughly eight miles from the Negev Nuclear Research Center, Israel's most sensitive military installation. Iran claimed the missile was aimed at the nearby nuclear site. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said it had no indication the facility was hit. Advertisement Advertisement Natanz nuclear facility struck: Iran said Saturday that its Natanz nuclear enrichment site, the country's main uranium facility, was hit in an airstrike. Iranian officials said there was no radiation leakage, and the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency said on social media there was no reported increase in radiation levels. Israel's military said it was not aware of any Israeli strikes targeting the facility. Russia condemned the strike and said it posed a real risk of a catastrophe across the Middle East. U.S. pauses sanctions on Iranian oil at sea: The Trump administration said Friday it would suspend sanctions for 30 days on Iranian oil already loaded on ships, making roughly 140 million barrels available to buyers worldwide. The license expires April 19. U.S. ramps up attacks, deploys more troops: U.S. officials told the Associated Press on Friday that the USS Boxer and two other amphibious assault ships, along with roughly 2,500 Marines, are bound for the Middle East from San Diego. The news comes just days after the U.S. sent another group of amphibious assault ships carrying Marines to the region. In total, about 5,000 additional troops are now headed to the Middle East. At the same time, U.S. warplanes and attack helicopters are ramping up assaults against Iranian drones and naval vessels in an escalating effort to clear the Strait of Hormuz. When asked on Thursday if he planned to put boots on the ground in Iran, Trump was cagey. Im not putting troops anywhere, Trump told a reporter. If I were, I certainly wouldnt tell you. Axios reported on Friday that the Trump administration is considering plans to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by occupying or blockading Kharg Island, which sits 15 miles offshore and processes 90% of Iran's crude oil exports. Advertisement Advertisement Tehran threatens enemies, tourist sites: In a statement issued on Friday, Irans new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, called for the internal and external enemies of his nation to have their security taken away. Meanwhile, a top Iranian military spokesman threatened to pursue U.S. and Israeli officials beyond active conflict zones. From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you, he said. Another military spokesman, Gen. Ali Mohammad Naini, insisted that Iran is still producing missiles even during war conditions, which is amazing, and there is no particular problem in stockpiling. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that recent attacks had destroyed Irans ability to make ballistic missiles. Iranian state television reported that Naini was killed early Friday in an airstrike. Oil prices soar after strikes on energy sites: Iranian state media reported on Wednesday that airstrikes had hit its giant South Pars natural gas field as well as nearby oil and petrochemical facilities in the southern city of Asaluyeh. International oil prices jumped more than 6% to nearly $110 a barrel following the news. Natural gas prices also shot up. Most of the energy from South Pars is used domestically in Iran. Qatar blamed Israel for the strike. In response, Iran launched retaliatory strikes on energy sites in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Qatars Ras Laffan terminal, the largest liquefied natural gas facility in the world, was seriously damaged. Oil prices briefly topped $115 a barrel. On social media, Trump said the U.S. and Qatar were not involved in the South Pars strike which he also attributed to Israel but threatened to massively blow up the gas field if Iran retaliated again. Advertisement Advertisement I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term [sic] implications that it will have on the future of Iran, Trump wrote, but if Qatars LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so. Three Israeli officials briefed on the South Pars strike told the New York Times that the U.S. was informed before the attack. When asked about the Times report, Trump said on Thursday that he told [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu]: Dont do that. Were independent, Trump added. We get along great. Its coordinated. Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, said on social media that his country would show ZERO restraint if its energy infrastructure were struck again. Advertisement Advertisement Pentagon seeks $200 billion to fund Iran war: Citing a senior administration official, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran. Lawmakers opposed to the conflict are likely to oppose the funding request, which accounts for nearly a quarter of Americas annual defense budget. Obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Thursday news conference. As far as the $200 billion, I think that number could move. Shortly after, Trump confirmed that he would be asking for hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the war. Top U.S. intelligence officials contradict Trump on Irans missile threat: At a Senate hearing on Wednesday, two top intelligence officials Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, and John Ratcliffe, the CIA director confirmed the intelligence communitys earlier conclusion that Iran was years away from developing missiles capable of hitting the U.S. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. had to attack Iran because it was on the verge of building such missiles, but neither Gabbard nor Ratcliffe would second that assertion. The only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president, Gabbard said during questioning. Israel kills key Iranian leaders: Israel announced on Wednesday that its overnight airstrikes had killed Iranian intelligence chief Esmaeil Khatib. In a statement, the Israeli military said Khatib had overseen espionage and covert operations against Iranians as well as Israeli and American targets around the world. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the killing on social media, calling it a cowardly assassination. Khatib is the third high-level Iranian official killed by Israel this week. On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes near Tehran killed Ali Larijani, the head of Irans Supreme National Security Council and de facto leader of the country after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel also said it had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij, Irans powerful plainclothes militia. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, on Sept. 27, 2025. (Courtney Bonneau/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) In a video statement posted on social media, Netanyahu framed the killing of Larijani and Soleimani as a step toward regime change. We're undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people a chance to oust it, Netanyahu said. It won't happen all at once, it won't happen easily. But if we persist in this, we'll give them the opportunity to take their fate into their own hands. Advertisement Advertisement But according to a New York Times analysis, Larijani had a reputation for being able to bridge the countrys hard-line military elements and more moderate political factions. As a result, his death could open the way for the military to tighten its grip over the ruling system, the Times said. Trumps top counterterrorism official resigns: Trump administration official Joe Kent resigned from his post as director of the National Counterterrorism Center on Tuesday because of his opposition to the war, writing in a letter that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation before the U.S. and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Feb. 28. Citing his own combat experience, Kent wrote that he could not in good conscience support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives. Kent claimed that Israel deceived Trump into attacking Iran. Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, on Dec. 11, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Trump rebuffed by NATO: Posting on Tuesday to his Truth Social network, Trump wrote that the United States has been informed by most of our NATO Allies that they dont want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran. For days, the president has been asking U.S. allies for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz and complaining about their reticence. But unlike previous Republican presidents such as George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, Trump did not assemble an international coalition before starting a war in the Middle East. We have had such Military Success, we no longer need, or desire, the NATO Countries assistance, Trump wrote on Truth Social. WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! President Trump on March 17. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Three weeks of strikes on Iran The U.S. and Israel first struck Iran around 9:45 a.m. local time on Feb. 28. Before the attacks, the Trump administration had been negotiating with the Iranian regime over the future of its nuclear program while simultaneously ordering the largest buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. People watch as smoke rises along the skyline after an explosion in Tehran on Feb. 28. (AP) The initial wave of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and about 40 of Iran's top military and intelligence officials. A missile also struck the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school for girls in Minab, near the Strait of Hormuz. At least 175 people died, according to Iranian officials. Most of them were children. Advertisement Advertisement An ongoing U.S. military investigation has determined that the school was destroyed by an American Tomahawk cruise missile as the result of a targeting mistake. If confirmed, this would make the school strike one of the most devastating single military errors in recent decades, according to the New York Times. On Friday, Hegseth said that U.S. Central Command had designated a general officer from outside CENTCOM to further investigate the attack. Over the last two-plus weeks, the U.S. and Israel have continued to hit Iranian targets naval sites, missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities with missiles, drones and fighter jets. According to CENTCOM, the goal is to dismantle Irans defense industrial base in order to prevent threats to the region into the future. Hegseth said on March 13 that more than 15,000 Iranian targets have been struck so far including more than a hundred warships. The latest major operation occurred on March 13 when the U.S. bombed more than 90 missile storage sites and mine facilities on Kharg Island. Trump said U.S. forces "totally obliterated every MILITARY target" but left the island's oil infrastructure intact. He threatened to reverse that decision if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Iran's Kharg Island is seen on Feb. 26. (Planet Labs PBC via AP) About 50,000 U.S. troops have been deployed to the region, along with the worlds largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. Another 5,000 Marines are now reportedly heading to the Middle East. Israel fights Hezbollah in Lebanon Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have occurred intermittently since 1982, and the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 led to another round of fighting. A ceasefire had been in place since November 2024, but Hezbollah launched several rockets into northern Israel after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28. Israel has been conducting retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon ever since. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Israels defense minister said that its forces had launched a ground maneuver in southern Lebanon, adding to fears that a broader invasion may be coming. Iran retaliates Within hours of the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes, Iran had launched its own barrage of ballistic missiles and Shahed drones at targets in Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Kurdistan and the United Arab Emirates. Iran also reported striking U.S. military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE. Over the weeks that have followed, Tehran has continued to launch attacks on regional targets, though many have been intercepted. One Iranian drone strike on a U.S. base in Kuwait killed six U.S. reserve soldiers and seriously injured dozens of others; the U.S. Embassy there shuttered after a separate attack. Several Israeli civilians have been killed by Iranian missiles. NATO defense systems have intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iranian territory as it entered Turkish airspace; the United Kingdoms Ministry of Defense confirmed that its forces intercepted an Iranian drone headed toward Iraq. In recent days, U.S. officials have claimed that the rate at which Iran is launching missiles and drones has fallen dramatically by 80% to 90% since the start of the war. Advertisement Advertisement On March 8, Irans Assembly of Experts an elected body of 88 senior clerics tasked with naming Khameneis successor chose the slain ayatollahs son, Mojtaba Khamenei, to take over as supreme leader. Mojtaba Khamenei is known for his close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; his selection signals that the much more hard-line Revolutionary Guard side of the regime is now in charge, Vali Nasr, an expert on Iran and Shiite Islam at Johns Hopkins University, told the Times. Iran's Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, right, as the nation's new supreme leader, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Iranian President's Press Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images) In his first statement on the war, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed that Tehran would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed while continuing to retaliate for U.S.-Israeli attacks. In his second, issued Monday, Khamenei said he would retain all the officials appointed by his father. Khamenei was reportedly injured in the first wave of strikes. The human toll In Iran, at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured since the start of the war, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. In Lebanon, officials said that more than 1,000 people have been killed; at least 2,400 others have been wounded. In Israel, at least 15 people have been killed, according to authorities. The Pentagon has said that 13 American service members have died so far; six were killed when a refueling plane crashed in Iraq. About 230 Americans have been wounded. On Monday, Lebanon said that more than 1 million of its residents have been displaced in the latest outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in Iran as well. Oil prices skyrocket The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the globe. One-fifth of the worlds oil flows through it. Iran has been threatening to attack ships there, and the countrys new leader has vowed to maintain the blockade. U.S. officials say Iran has also been booby-trapping the strait with mines. A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025) As a result, global oil prices have shot up to more than $100 a barrel for the first time in years. The average price of gas in the U.S. is approaching $4 a gallon, up 80 cents from a month ago. Food and other goods that need to travel from one place to another could soon become more expensive as well. Trump has tried to address the issue in various ways: lifting sanctions on some Russian oil to increase supply; striking Irans 30 mine-laying ships; and calling on U.S. allies to send warships to escort merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Im demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory, Trump said on Sunday. You could make the case that maybe we shouldnt even be there at all, because we dont need it. We have a lot of oil. But top officials from Japan, Italy, Australia and Germany rebuffed Trump on Monday, saying their countries would not participate in efforts to reopen the strait. This is not our war, said Germanys defense minister. We did not start it. The endgame? Trump initially said the war would last four or five weeks. Since then, he vacillated between claiming that the war was over in the first hour and we won to insisting that the U.S. could continue attacking Iran for as long as it takes. The president and those around him have also provided many different explanations for why the U.S. chose to attack Iran now: to ward off an imminent Iranian threat; to preempt Iranian retaliation against U.S. assets after an expected Israeli attack on Iran; to destroy Iran's missile and military capabilities; to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon; to achieve regime change by bringing the Iranian opposition to power. It is unclear which of these goals the U.S. would have to achieve before declaring victory. Trump has said that he must be involved in the appointment of Ayatollah Ali Khameneis successor, dismissing Khameneis son as an unacceptable pick. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran, he added. But Trump has also admitted that he doesnt know who could succeed the slain Khamenei because so many key Iranian figures have already been killed. On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said attacks against Iran would "increase significantly" in the coming week. During its first two weeks, the Iran war cost the U.S. an estimated $12 billion in direct military expenditures. Multiple polls have shown that most Americans oppose the initial U.S. strikes on Iran and believe the war is making America less safe. Business travelers who are Hyatt loyalists will like the nice welcome offer and high earning potential when they stay at Hyatt hotels and resorts. While theres an annual fee, its less than other high-end business travel credit cards on the market. The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card may fit the wallets of many business owners, especially those who travel frequently for work. But it might not be the right fit for everyone. Heres a breakdown of what you can expect and how it stacks up against others. Learn more World of Hyatt Business Credit Card Add to Compare Annual fee $199 Welcome offer Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in your first 3 months Ongoing Purchases APR 19.24% - 27.74% Variable Rewards rate Up to 9x total points at Hyatt: 4x when you use your card at Hyatt hotels + 5x as a World of Hyatt member 2x points on your top three spend categories* each quarter 2x points on fitness club and gym memberships 1x point on all other purchases *Eligible categories include: Dining, shipping, airline tickets when purchased directly with the airline, local transit & commuting, social media & search engine advertising, car rental agencies, gas stations and internet, cable & phone services Benefits Spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property and earn $50 in statement credits up to two times per year World of Hyatt Discoverist status for you and up to 5 employees for as long as your account is open Get 5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status and Milestone rewards for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year Additional benefits Aside from the tiered points system, the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with other benefits, including: No foreign transaction fees 10,000 referral bonus points for each business that gets approved for the World of Hyatt Business credit card (up to 50,000 bonus points per year) Free additional employee cards World of Hyatt Discoverist status Up to $100 in annual Hyatt credits (up to $50 in statement credits when you spend at least $50 at a Hyatt property up to two times each anniversary year) 5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status for every $10,000 you spend per calendar year Spend $50,000 and receive 10% of the points you redeem back for the rest of the year (up to 200,000 points redeemed) Use Chase Pay Over Time for eligible credit card purchases Travel and purchase protections Learn more: Our top picks for business credit cards How to earn rewards You can earn the most rewards when you stay at a Hyatt hotel or resort. Then, you can earn double points in your top three shopping categories. You can select the ones that your business spends the most money on. For instance, if you rely most on internet and phone services, this might be among the most important categories. Local transit or filling up at gas stations might also be on the list if you commute for work. Learn more: Best rewards credit cards How to redeem rewards You can use your World of Hyatt points for free nights, upgraded room stays, or a combination of points and cash for free nights. You can only redeem the points you earn with a World of Hyatt Business Credit Card for Hyatt-related stays, not on cash-back options or statement credits. Learn more: How do travel credit cards work? Who is the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card best for? The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is best for business owners who travel a lot for work and prefer hotel stays on Hyatt properties. Its also a great option if you have employees who travel for work either with you or separately and have access to Hyatt properties when they travel for business. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card pros Generous welcome offer. The welcome offer is great for business owners who plan to spend a significant amount of money after opening their account. Select top spending categories. With the option of earning points in top spending categories, you can maximize your spending with bonus categories where you spend the most. Extra coverage. Youll get free employee cards, travel protections, and purchase coverage on all your purchases. Because its a Chase card, you can access Chase Pay Over Time to make equal monthly payments on your card for eligible purchases of $100 or more. Theres no credit check, but there is a 1.72% fee for each purchase on the plan. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card cons Limited rewards redemption. You can only redeem rewards for Hyatt hotel stays or room upgrades. Theres no cash-back option or statement credit choice. High annual fee. The $199 annual fee for a card with limited redemption options is expensive. No free hotel night. Many travel credit cards offer free hotel nights on your anniversary or similar extra perks, but the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card doesnt come with that. Where can you use the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card? You can use the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card anywhere Visa is accepted, at millions of merchants worldwide. Since there arent foreign transaction fees, you can use the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card when you travel globally for business trips. You can also use it locally for business-related purchases, including dining, filling your gas tank, or paying your business internet bill. This embedded content is not available in your region. How to make a World of Hyatt Business Credit Card payment Online JP Morgan Chase issues the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, so youll need a Chase account to manage your card. Create a Chase account online. From there, you can make a one-time payment, set up auto payments, add authorized users, and more. Mobile app The Chase mobile app is available in Google Play and the App Store, which means its compatible with most phones. Once you download the app and add your login information, you can navigate to your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card details. You can make a one-time payment, set up auto-pay, and other account-related activity from there. Phone You can pay your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card over the phone by calling the number on the back of your card or calling 1-800-436-7958. Mail You can mail your check or money order to Cardmember Services P.O. Box 6294 Carol Stream, IL 60197-6294 Make sure your payment includes your 16-digit card number on the memo line and dont fold or staple your payment to something else. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card customer service info Availability: 24/7 Phone number: The number on the back of your card or 1-800-432-3117 Chase login page Mobile app Alternative cards to consider The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is one option for business owners, but other cards on the market might be a better fit. Here are a few alternative business credit cards to consider when comparing your options. Learn more American Express Business Gold Card Rates & fees, terms apply Add to Compare Annual fee $375 Welcome offer You may be eligible for as high as 200,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first 3 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer) Card type(s) Business, Rewards Ongoing Purchases APR 17.74% - 28.49% Variable Recommended credit score Excellent/Good Rewards rate Earn 4x Membership Rewards points on the top two eligible categories (out of 6 total categories) where your business spends the most each month. Although your top 2 categories may change each month, you will earn 4x points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year, then 1x after that (only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap; terms apply). 3x points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App 1x points on all other purchases Read our full review of the American Express Business Gold Learn more Ink Business Preferred Credit Card* Add to Compare Annual fee $95 Welcome offer 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 in the first 3 months Rewards rate Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27 3x points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year: Shipping purchases, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, internet, cable and phone services, travel 1x points on all other purchases Benefits Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel experiences, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards; points don't expire as long as your account is open Set individual spending limits on employee cards and earn rewards even faster *All information about the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card has been collected independently by and is no longer available through Yahoo Finance. Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card Learn more Ink Business Cash Credit Card Add to Compare Annual fee $0 Welcome offer Earn $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months Card type(s) Business, Cash-Back Introductory Purchases APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months Ongoing Purchases APR 16.74% - 24.74% Variable Recommended credit score Good, Excellent Rewards rate 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending on dining and gas each account anniversary year 1% cash back on all other purchases Benefits Get automatically checked for a credit line increase every 6 months or sooner Set individual spending limits on employee cards and earn rewards even faster Complimentary three-month lnstacart+ membership Read our full review of the Ink Business Cash Credit Card This article was edited by Kendall Little Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the banks website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product. Its tax season and while there are new tax savings under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), seeing a refund in your account might take longer this year. With 27% fewer IRS employees in 2026 than last year, delays in processing the expected 164 million returns could be on the horizon. So, how will IRS understaffing affect your refund? Workforce reductions and delayed onboarding at the IRS The IRS started 2025 with 102,000 employees and finished with about 74,000. The hardest hit departments were Direct File with an 88% staff reduction and Online Services with a 100% reduction, plus many other departments losing a large percentage of staff. Small business/self-employed department, which helps small businesses and self-employed taxpayers understand their tax obligations, was reduced by over 37%. Taxpayer services department, which helps taxpayers understand and comply with tax laws, was reduced by 21%. Information technology (IT) department, which helps employees with IT services and solutions, was reduced by 25%. The departments responsible for processing original and amended tax returns, resolving tax return errors and fraud, assisting taxpayers on the telephone and in person, and updating computer systems faced a 17 percent reduction in staff. Traditionally, the IRS hires seasonal workers to fill some positions, but the late 2025 government shutdown and hiring process changes delayed that. As of December 2025, the department that processes original and amended returns and resolves tax return errors had only onboarded 2% of the employees it planned to hire. Even if they can hire more workers, onboarding takes up to 80 days, keeping them out of this years tax filing season. What IRS understaffing and other issues mean for refunds The biggest impact on taxpayers and refunds involves customer service, with large cuts in the number of employees who answer about 100 million telephone calls and deal with millions of taxpayer correspondence and cases. The department that helps taxpayers on the phone and in person was only able to onboard 66% of the employees it needs this tax season. And even if you get someone on the phone, that IRS employee might not be able to answer your questions. Due to time constraints, the IRS modified the training for these new employees, so now, they only screen calls, answer basic questions, and route taxpayers to another department. Impact of tax changes under the OBBBA The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made over 100 changes to the tax code, further complicating tax return processing. Erin M. Collins, national taxpayer advocate, said in her 2025 Annual Report to Congress: While the OBBB Act is generally taxpayer-favorable in that it expands eligibility for certain deductions and benefits, the deductions and benefits are subject to complex eligibility rules, income thresholds, and phaseouts that will be difficult for many taxpayers to understand and for the IRS to administer accurately during the filing season. Many people will have questions about the OBBBA changes and try to reach out to the IRS for guidance. With reduced staff, taxpayers may not get the help they need, which could lead to errors on returns and further delay refunds. Read more: 4 ways the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could lower your taxes Impact of tax return backlog and effort to eliminate paper returns The backlog of 2 million returns from previous filing years might also slow down processing for this years refunds. While the IRS kept thousands of employees working during the government shutdown in October and November of 2025, they didnt make much progress on the backlog. Additionally, there has been a push to eliminate paper returns and have filers submit electronically, but the effort has been delayed by workforce losses. Automated processes expected to be in place to convert paper filings to electronic ones have not been completed, which could lead to delays for taxpayers. Read more: Here's how to file a paper return According to the latest IRS filing season stats, IRS website usage is up over 49% during the same time period last year. With the reduction in staff, online tools might be your best bet for tax-related information. Here are some options: Let us help you: This page has information and links on things like how to file a return, how to amend one, how to pay, and much more. How to file your taxes: Step by step: Youll find guidance on the filing process, plus links for requesting an extension, finding the latest tax changes, and where to go to file. Interactive Tax Assistant: You can search articles on filing requirements, forms, deductions, credits, and more. 3 ways to check on your refund Filing electronically and getting any refund via direct deposit is the fastest way to get your money. The IRS says most refunds are issued within 21 days and will go directly into a bank account. The agency also admits some will take longer and need additional review. You can keep an eye on the status of your refund in three ways: Wheres My Refund?: You will need your Social Security number or tax identification number, the amount of the expected refund, the tax year, and your filing status before you submit the request. The information on the website should be available 24 hours after the IRS receives an e-filed return and four weeks after receiving a paper return. IRS2Go mobile app: You can also get free access to tax software and other help via the app. IRS Individual Online Account: After account setup, this will show balances, payments, tax records, and other information. Read more: Where's my tax refund? 4 reasons the IRS may be holding it up. IRS staff shortages FAQs Will my refund be delayed if the IRS is understaffed? Staffing shortages might delay some refunds, but the IRS still expects most to be issued within 21 days from the date of e-filing. How do I check the status of my refund with the IRS? You can check the status of your refund online. Have your Social Security number or tax identification number, the amount of the expected refund, the tax year, and your filing status handy. The information on the website should be available 24 hours after the IRS receives an e-filed return and four weeks after receiving a paper return. Why cant the IRS hire more people during tax season? Usually, the IRS does hire additional workers to help during the tax filing season, but that process has been hindered this season because of several reasons, including the government shutdown in late 2025. On Saturday, 14 March 2026, the Biergerpakt Orientation Day brought together more than 850 participants at the European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL), marking another step towards a more supportive, inclusive and connected Luxembourg. This dynamic day enabled members to actively engage in constructive discussions, participatory workshops and exchanges aimed at strengthening social cohesion and intercultural living together among residents and cross-border workers of all backgrounds in Luxembourg. The Biergerpakt : A Voluntary Commitment to an Inclusive Society The Biergerpakt provides a voluntary framework designed to encourage residents, whether Luxembourgish or foreign nationals, as well as cross-border workers employed in Luxembourg, to actively participate in community life and strengthen social cohesion. The pact aims to promote the values of solidarity, equal opportunities and cultural openness, particularly in a context where increasing diversity enriches Luxembourg's social landscape. It is part of a broader approach to intercultural living together aimed at strengthening ties between different communities and supporting people who have recently settled in the country. Since its creation, the Biergerpakt has helped build a genuine community of committed citizens, where everyone can contribute to building a more supportive and welcoming society. A Solidarity-Based and Inclusive Approach The Minister for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, recently emphasized that: "The Biergerpakt is a central pillar of intercultural living together in Luxembourg. It embodies civic engagement in the service of a more inclusive and supportive society. This pact shows that living together is not only a right, but also a shared responsibility to build a common future." Interactive Workshops at the Heart of the Orientation Day The Orientation Day offered a range of interactive workshops that allowed participants to explore key topics for the future of Luxembourgish society. These workshops enabled participants to: discover the drivers of social entrepreneurship and how to support civic initiatives; explore opportunities for volunteering and their key role in building local solidarity; discuss the fight against discrimination to promote a more inclusive and respectful environment; understand the importance of political participation in fostering active and responsible citizenship; learn how to contribute to environmental protection in order to make Luxembourg a model for sustainability. These workshops not only provided new knowledge and skills but also strengthened connections between the different communities present in Luxembourg by encouraging dialogue and mutual understanding. In addition, more than 50 information stands hosted by representatives from various ministries, public administrations and associations allowed participants to learn more about administrative procedures, the country's institutions and associative life in Luxembourg. Opportunities for exchange: "Meet & Talk" and "Meet & Connect" The "Meet & Talk" and "Meet & Connect" activities offered participants opportunities to meet and exchange in a welcoming setting. "Meet & Talk" addressed topics related to everyday life in Luxembourg, such as neighborhood relations, civic participation, the sense of belonging and Luxembourgish culture. The interactive activity "Meet & Connect" facilitated networking between participants and encouraged intercultural exchanges. Looking Ahead With a growing number of citizens joining the Biergerpakt, Luxembourg continues to move towards a more united and supportive society. In 2026, the ministry for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees highlights the many projects and initiatives that will be rolled out in the coming months to continue encouraging civic engagement, diversity and participation in public life. About the Biergerpakt Through the Biergerpakt, residents of Luxembourg and cross-border workers can voluntarily engage in contributing to the country's social and cultural richness. It forms part of a range of initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees to promote intercultural living together and solidarity within Luxembourgish society. Released by the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees Europe's cold shoulder to Trump's "Hormuz coalition" highlights transatlantic rifts Xinhua) 08:20, March 18, 2026 People clear the debris among destroyed buildings at a residential area in Tehran, Iran, March 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati) Bozo Kovacevic, a Croatian foreign policy analyst and former ambassador to Moscow, said the refusal of many U.S. allies to join the coalition reveals deep cracks within NATO. BERLIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's latest push to build a coalition to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is hitting a wall of European resistance, exposing growing rifts in the transatlantic security relationship, analysts say. While Washington has intensified pressure on NATO members and European partners to join the mission, several European countries have rejected the proposal or expressed caution, citing concerns over potential military escalation, a lack of prior consultation, and differing strategic priorities. COLD RECEPTION Trump warned on Sunday that NATO could face a "very bad" future if its allies fail to support U.S. efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. However, rather than rallying support, the request has been met with a notably cold response across Europe. According to Politico, citing European Union (EU) diplomats, foreign ministers meeting in Brussels this week were nearly unanimous in opposing the U.S. proposal, expressing reluctance to send ships and troops into a conflict they did not initiate. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday ruled out military involvement in protecting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that NATO is a "defense alliance" rather than an "intervention alliance." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivers a speech during the opening of the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Italian newspaper La Repubblica described the U.S. initiative as a "Mission Impossible," highlighting the high risks and costs of securing the narrow maritime chokepoint. France has also distanced itself from a U.S.-led offensive approach. President Emmanuel Macron said the deployment of the French Navy in the region is for a "purely defensive and escort mission," aimed at helping reopen the strait only after the most intense phase of the conflict has passed. The reluctance extends across the bloc. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that the EU has no intention of expanding its existing naval mission "Aspides" into the high-risk strait. Pedro Candeias, deputy director of the Portuguese newspaper Publico, argued in a commentary that the "America First" policy - often characterized by unilateral action - may now be backfiring. Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) Wolfgang Ischinger addresses the opening ceremony of the 62nd MSC in Munich, Germany, Feb. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Radio France described the U.S. request as a sign of a faltering strategy, noting that Washington is now seeking support from allies it had previously sidelined. It warned that aligning with the U.S. at this stage could be a serious mistake for Europe. DIVERGING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES For many European policymakers, the tensions in the Middle East are viewed as a bilateral issue rather than a collective NATO responsibility. Ben Bekkering, a senior research associate on security and defense at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, told local media on Monday that NATO is not obligated to intervene. "The NATO treaty states that countries should not bring bilateral conflicts into NATO, and that is exactly what this is, especially given how the U.S. initially acted. In addition, it falls outside the treaty area," he said. Bozo Kovacevic, a Croatian foreign policy analyst and former ambassador to Moscow, said Washington's approach - issuing demands while expecting automatic alignment - undermines the consultation and joint decision-making that traditionally define alliances. Speaking on Croatian Radio on Tuesday, Kovacevic said the refusal of many U.S. allies to join the coalition reveals deep cracks within NATO. Europeans do not want to become involved in "someone else's war," said Dana Lusa, a professor at the Faculty of Political Science of Zagreb University. "It is very difficult to expect European countries to risk their forces in a situation where they could be directly affected by Iranian attacks," she added. Greek columnist Athanasios Adamopoulos echoed this view, writing in Naftemporiki that European partners are being asked to participate in a war "about which they were not informed" and "do not know the objectives." Portuguese commentator Miguel Baumgartner said many in Europe see the U.S. initiative as an attempt to share or dilute the political costs of the war. Economic factors also play a role, according to Zhang Xiangrong, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies of Northwest University in China. He noted that Europe, unlike the United States, is highly dependent on global energy markets. Consequently, Europe has become the main "external cost bearer" of the conflict and is far more vulnerable to regional instability, Zhang said. EUROPEAN STRATEGIC AUTONOMY Amid mounting U.S. pressure, European leaders are increasingly advocating diplomatic solutions over military escalation. Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations and director of the Center for Ecological Civilization at East China Normal University, said the only way to secure the Strait of Hormuz is to end the conflict and return to diplomacy. He added that Washington's attempts to pressure allies are likely to reinforce their resolve to resist. Spanish economist Pedro Barragan said the situation reflects a broader trend: increasingly diverse European positions on U.S. military actions and a growing push for strategic autonomy. A protester holds a "BOYCOTT USA" poster near the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo by Anders Kongshaug/Xinhua) Oscar Martinez Tapia, a political scientist at IE University, said since the Greenland-related tensions, the United States has relied on "highly performative and symbolic actions" to project the idea that "the United States is back on the global stage," while signaling to domestic audiences a renewed engagement in "hard power" competition. Such actions, he noted, carry "a significant degree of theatricality." Rather than reinforcing U.S. leadership, Trump's Hormuz strategy "may ironically strengthen European unity and accelerate Europe's pursuit of military autonomy beyond the U.S. security umbrella," Martinez Tapia said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Dell Technologies announced Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA advancements that help enterprises discover and activate enterprise data while delivering extreme storage performance to power AI applications and autonomous AI agents. Why it matters AI is rapidly shifting from assistive tools to autonomous, agentic systems, but its effectiveness is constrained by the data it can access, trust and act upon. Many enterprises hit a wall because much of their data remains trapped in silos, lacking structure, business context, and governance. The result: AI initiatives stall, investments underdeliver and competitive advantages slip away. Dell and NVIDIA are removing one of the biggest blockers to enterprise AI: data thats too slow, too siloed, or too messy to use. As a core component of the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, the Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA activates enterprise data for AI while maintaining security, governance, and best-in-class performance at scale. Customers see up to 12X faster vector indexing, 3X faster data processing, and 19X faster time-to-first-token than traditional computing approaches. Automating the entire AI data lifecycle Dell data engines, accelerated by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, automate the complete AI data lifecycle and dramatically reduce data preparation time while maintaining enterprise governance. The Dell Data Orchestration Engine, powered by technology from Dells recent Dataloop acquisition, redefines how enterprises operationalise data for AI. The no-code, low-code engine orchestrates the AI data lifecycleautomatically discovering, labelling, enriching, and transforming structured, unstructured, and multimodal data into governed, AI-ready datasets at scale. By combining automated pipelines with active learning and human-in-the-loop workflows, organisations can continuously improve dataset quality and model accuracy while maintaining governance and control. The Data Orchestration Engine Marketplace lets organisations deploy production-ready data workflows without having to build them from scratch with a curated library of NVIDIA NIM microservices, NVIDIA AI Blueprints and more than 200 other models, applications and templates. Dell Technologies supports the latest NVIDIA AI-Q blueprint, helping enterprises build customisable AI agents that deliver actionable insights for smarter decision-making. NVIDIA-accelerated data engine integrations in the Dell AI Data Platform enable high-performance data preparation, retrieval, and reasoning pipelines across structured and unstructured data. Customers also gain access to a growing library of pre-built NVIDIA blueprints and NIM microservices, along with the NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Super model on Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face. Dell Technologies will also support NVIDIA STX, a new modular reference design powered by next-generation NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72, NVIDIA BlueField-4 DPUs, and NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking that accelerates how organisations manage, process, and retrieve data for AI. The new AI Assistant within the Dell Data Analytics Engine brings conversational natural language interface directly into SQL analytics. Business users can query, visualise and collaborate on governed data products with a common semantic understanding of key metrics intuitively without specialised SQL knowledge. This democratises data access, streamlines decision-making and unlocks deeper insights faster, which is particularly critical for organisations deploying AI agents that need to access structured data. Within the Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA, the introduction of NVIDIA RTX PRO Blackwell Server Edition GPUs will bring acceleration directly into the data platform layer. Accelerated NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries including NVIDIA cuDF for structured data processing, and NVIDIA cuVS for vector indexing and search applied to unstructured data, work alongside Dells data engines and optimised infrastructure to deliver up to 3x faster SQL queries and 12x faster vector indexing. These technologies help organisations develop more responsive AI applications and improved infrastructure efficiency when processing and preparing data at scale. Extreme-scale storage software innovations keep GPUs running at full speed As enterprises move from AI experimentation to production deployment, storage becomes the critical constraint. Traditional storage architecture slows down as it scales, creating bottlenecks that leave GPUs idle and waste infrastructure investments. Dell's AI-optimised storage engines solve this problem with purpose-built architectures that maintain performance at massive scale. Dell Lightning File System, the world's fastest parallel file system, delivers extreme performance density for AI training and inferencing environments with up to 150 GB/second per rack, up to 20X greater performance versus traditional flash-only scale out file competitors and up to 2X greater throughput per rack unit than competing parallel file systems. Purpose-built fabric architecture with direct storage access prevents slowdowns, keeping GPUs fully utilised at massive scale. Lightning FS integrates seamlessly into NVIDIA-based AI infrastructures, keeping training and inference workloads running at full speed. Dell Exascale Storage, the only 3-in-1 storage built for extreme-scale AI and HPC, gives IT teams the flexibility to deploy Dells best-of-breed file, object, and parallel file system storage software on the latest Dell PowerEdge servers. Customers can allocate Dell PowerScale, Dell ObjectScale, and/or Dell Lightning File System storage resources on a common hardware platform to support the most demanding AI and HPC environments like high-frequency trading and neoclouds. With support for NVIDIA CX-8 and CX-9 SuperNICs and planned network connectivity up to 800GbE, Exascale delivers read performance up to 6TB/second per rack11, providing the high throughput required by multimodal AI workloads. NVIDIA CMX context memory storage platform support and inference acceleration with KV Cache on shared storage across Dell PowerScale, Dell ObjectScale and Dell Lightning File System allows organisations to offload KV cache from GPU memory to Dell CMX Storage and high-speed shared network storage based on performance needs. This dramatically improves GPU utilisation for long-context and agentic AI workloads, allowing AI systems to maintain context across extended interactions without exhausting GPU memory. This capability is essential for enterprises deploying AI agents that need to reference extensive historical data or maintain long conversation threads. PowerScale performance testing: New testing demonstrates that Dell PowerScale's software-driven Parallel Network File System (pNFS) architecture delivers up to 6X faster performance with large files in enterprise AI environments compared to NFSv3. This keeps GPU-intensive AI workloads continuously fed with data, reducing bottlenecks across the entire pipeline and ensuring expensive GPU resources don't sit idle waiting for data. Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA delivers proven path to enterprise AI ROI Dell Technologies today marks the two-year anniversary of the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA with advancements spanning its end-to-end AI infrastructure, software, solutions, and services portfolio that help enterprises move AI from pilot to production at scale. With over 4,000 customers deploying the Dell AI Factory, and early adopters seeing up to 2.6x ROI within the first year, Dell proves that an end-to-end approach delivers measurable business results. Perspectives Travis Vigil, senior vice president, ISG Product Management, Dell Technologies: The number one problem enterprises face when moving AI pilots to production is curating the data they already have and putting it to work. The Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA automates the entire data lifecycle and delivers the speed and scale AI workloads demand. We've done the integration work, so customers deploy faster, scale with confidence and see real returns. Together with NVIDIA, we're defining what enterprise AI infrastructure needs to be. Jason Hardy, vice president, Storage Technologies, NVIDIA: The shift to autonomous agents requires a fundamentally different approach to data infrastructure, with automated orchestration, AI-native storage and GPU-optimised performance architected to work together. Dell's enterprise expertise, combined with full-stack NVIDIA AI infrastructure, creates the foundation organisations need to deploy AI at scale. About Dell Technologies Dell Technologies helps organisations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry's broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era. Armis, the cyber exposure management & security company, is warning Australian organisations to immediately increase their proactive cybersecurity operations in response to the rise in cyberwarfare attacks targeting local businesses. This alert comes as 81% of Australian IT decision-makers express concern about the potential for nation-state actors to use AI to develop more sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks. Geopolitical tensions, AI acceleration, and unresolved security gaps are colliding, bringing the state of cyberwarfare to a boiling point, said Nadir Izrael, CTO and Co-Founder of Armis. Cyberwarfare is now a constant condition; attackers are operating at machine speed, while too many organisations are still trying to defend themselves with assumptions and structures built for a very different threat landscape. Organisational leaders must heed the call and immediately enhance their proactive cybersecurity operations before its too late. New findings from Armis Labs fourth annual global Cyberwarfare report, A World Under Pressure: Cyberwarfare in an Age of AI-Fueled Escalation, show how quickly a high-stakes, high-tension moment is building globally and across regions, with Australia in one of the most critical positions. Fears are widespread, with 84% of IT decision-makers based in Australia saying the cyber capabilities of nation-state actors have the potential to instigate a full-scale cyberwar that could cripple critical infrastructure worldwide. 73% believe the convergence of AI, quantum, and other emerging technologies will create an unprecedented escalation in cyber conflict capabilities, while 77% believe GenAI is challenging the geopolitical status quo by enabling smaller nations to emerge as near-peer cyber threats. 73% of respondents from Australia said their organisation experienced a cybersecurity breach 1-2 times and 59% say their organisation has still not managed to secure their ecosystem adequately following an attack. This challenge is exacerbated by the 45% of Australian businesses that admit they respond reactively to a significant cyberattack, either as it occurs or after it has already occurred. Australia-based respondents (62%) were the most likely to say of any IT decision-makers surveyed globally that nation-states would never target their organisation, despite the significant rise in cyberwarfare attacks reported to Australian authorities year-over-year. Additionally, although Australian respondents (73%) were the most of any group surveyed to believe the idea of "Mutually Assured Disruption"that nations avoid major cyberattacks due to shared vulnerabilitystill acts as an effective deterrent today, theyre also the most likely (84%) to say their organisation has evolved its cyberwarfare readiness posture over the past three years to strengthen defenses against nation-states. As a nation, Australia remains critically under-prepared for the escalating cyber threats we currently face, exacerbating the vulnerability of our digital and economic landscape, said Zak Menegazzi, Cybersecurity Specialist, ANZ, Armis. Traditional security approaches that are reactive, fragmented, and blind to the full attack surface are obsolete. Organisations must urgently prioritise proactive measures to build resilience against the threat of AI-powered cyberwarfare. Additional key findings from respondents based in Australia: 62% said their organisation delayed, stalled or stopped digital transformation projects due to the threat of cyberwarfare, halting innovation. 70% said that their organisation was impacted by an AI-generated or AI-led attack over the last 12 months, the most of any country of respondents surveyed. 95% of IT decision makers in Australia are concerned about the impact of cyberwarfare on their organisation as a whole. 86% of Australian IT pros say cyberwarfare threats increasingly target unmanaged or supply chain assets not visible to traditional security tools. Australian respondents (66%) were the most likely to say that their organisation's average ransomware payout exceeds its annual cybersecurity budget. The average cost of a ransomware payment in Australia in 2025 was US$15,390,000, up from $8,610,059 the prior year. Australian IT decision-makers (70%) had the most confidence of any country of respondents in their government to defend its citizens and enterprises against an act of cyberwarfare. The 2026 Armis Cyberwarfare Report is based on a study of more than 1,900 global IT decision-makers including 200 respondents from Australia and proprietary data from Armis Labs. Read the full report from Armis, including a detailed regional and industry breakdown, here. Read the global press release here. Read the blog to dive deeper into these global findings and the key learnings for organisations here. About Armis Armis, the cyber exposure management & security company, protects the entire attack surface and manages the organizations cyber risk exposure in real time. In a rapidly evolving, perimeter-less world, Armis ensures that organizations continuously see, protect and manage all critical assets from the ground to the cloud. Armis secures Fortune 100, 200 and 500 companies, as well as national governments and state and local entities, to help keep critical infrastructure, economies and society safe and secure 24/7. Armis is a privately held company headquartered in California. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Before our celebrations of the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary reach a fever pitch this summer, it might be worthwhile to introduce some humility into the occasion. In ancient Rome, for example, when a general won a great battle, he was given a triumph or victory parade. Huge crowds would cheer as the spoils of war were displayed before him, captive slaves were marched, and his victorious soldiers paraded to celebrate their conquest. Beside the general adorned with a laurel wreath for his head, and a purple and gold toga to drape over his shoulders in his four-horse chariot, a slave would stand at his side. His job: to whisper, "Remember, you are but a man." This was to protect the general from hubris pride that tipped into arrogance and to protect the citizens of Rome from a power-hungry general who might envision himself a dictator. The Declaration of Independence was no doubt a watershed in human history, but it was many years before its full meaning and importance would be clear. At the time of American independence, several countries controlled more North American land than the United States. Even after losing the war, the British controlled significantly more land in Canada than the combined area of the 13 original states. Russia held Alaska and parts of the Pacific northwest. And Spain controlled Mexico and colonial Louisiana each of which was larger than the 13 states combined. (France, which had governed Louisiana from 1682 until 1762/63, controlled it briefly again in the early 1800s). In short, territorially, the United States was underwhelming in 1776. It was underwhelming politically as well. The first attempt at writing a constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was a disaster. It already seemed to show, as Alexander Hamilton feared, that the experiment in self-government was destined to fail. Foreign policy was no better. A ragtag group of pirates from the Barbary States in North Africa captured American ships and enslaved their sailors with impunity. The British seized British-born American sailors straight out of merchant ships and pressed them into British service. And in perhaps the most humiliating event, the British sent troops into Washington, D.C., in 1814 and burned the White House. When politicians today talk about "Making America Great Again," the time of past greatness they refer to is not the early years of the republic. If the future greatness of America was not yet obvious in 1776, another world-changing event took place in March of that year that was immediately recognized for its importance: the publication of Adam Smith's landmark book, "Wealth of Nations." Unlike the American Revolution, Smith's book was immediately acclaimed as transformative. The first reviews came out almost simultaneously with the book's publication. And the first edition sold out within a few months. What was so revolutionary about "Wealth of Nations" is that it convincingly showed that wealth is not created by government, but by the productivity of individuals, businesses and industries. Smith recognized that wealth is not defined by the amount of gold a country possesses, or by its trade surpluses, but by the level of consumption of the country's citizens. He also recognized that economic growth comes from the division of labor you make this, she makes that, I specialize in something else and allowing people to exchange freely in the market, including international markets. And perhaps most centrally, he recognized the huge social benefits of allowing people to act in their own self-interest. For a country to flourish, Smith thought, it needs to allow its people to be free, politically and economically. For most of its history, the United States has adopted Smith's blueprint. According to U.S. News & World Report, the U.S. is consistently at the top of global rankings for entrepreneurship, a strong measure of economic freedom. Supporting an entrepreneurial spirit is a core American value, and attracting entrepreneurial talent from around the world has been key to America's success in creating mass prosperity. As we celebrate the political foundation of American freedom this year, let's not overlook 1776's other great champion of freedom, Adam Smith, and heed the lessons he teaches. Frederic J. Fransen is the president of Ameritas College Huntington (W.Va.) and CEO of Certell Inc. Previously: War for Independence was 'the people's war' America's 'Common Sense' revolution (COMMENT, BELOW) SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Can Democrats take "Yes" for an answer? As the Senate weighs the SAVE America Act, Republicans should help Democrats overcome their objections to this bill. Racist Democrats like Senator Chuck Schumer of New York complain that black folks lack photo ID. Democrats insist that expecting supposedly witless or listless blacks to show poll workers photo ID is "Jim Crow 2.0." Democrats never offer to give IDs to these invisible legions of undocumented blacks. Imagine if Democrats handed photo ID to these poor, benighted souls: Blacks and others of color could cash checks, jet across America, get paid to shovel snow in New York City, and even vote in states with photo ID rules. Democrats also attack SAVE for requiring birth certificates to register to vote. "Got one of those handy with you, in your purse?" Senator Richard Durbin (D - Illinois) prodded a congressional correspondent. "I doubt it." So, Senate Republicans should open the SAVE America Act proceedings by making Democrats vote first on legislation that I would call The Voting Documents for All Act. Any adult US citizen could visit his state's DMV office and receive a free photo ID card (not a driver's license). The federal government would reimburse states for the cost of each free photo ID card, plus 10%, to encourage their assistance. This would be a funded mandate. Likewise, birth certificates for voter registration would be available, free of charge. Right now, Americans can order birth certificates online in all 50 states, through private and government websites. New federal promo codes could chop prices to $0.00. Congress would reimburse website owners and state agencies for their foregone birth-certificate revenues. Alternatively, tax credits could help voter-registration applicants recoup their document-acquisition expenses. This could be financed from the $2 billion average-annual revenues in the Justice Department's Assets Forfeiture Fund. This includes ill-gotten gains from drug cartels and other criminal enterprises. This money is earmarked for "law enforcement-related priorities." Conveniently enough, distinguishing between US citizens and cartelistas is a public-safety and national-security priority. This would be easier to accomplish if every American could show photo ID, and cartel members could not. The SAVE America Act's birth-certificate obligation would stymie MS-13 and Tren de Aragua thugs who try to become registered voters. Democrat hacks, such as Senator Adam Schiff of California, call these concerns "voter fraud conspiracy theories." But Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told Just the News Tuesday that the Justice Department scrutinized just 16 states. "We're finding tens of thousands of noncitizens on the voter rolls, hundreds of thousands of dead people on the voter rolls, and duplicate registrations between states." In fact, DOJ indicted Mauritanian illegal alien Mahady Sacko this month for allegedly voting in seven federal elections, since 2008. The Voting Documents for All Act would help mop up this mess and put Democrats precisely where Republicans want them. If Senate Democrats vote Yea with virtually every Republican, and the GOP House concurs then US citizens would enjoy free photo IDs and registration-related birth certificates. Democrats' top arguments against the SAVE America Act would evaporate, like drizzle on a sunbaked sidewalk. Democrats will have no excuse for fighting a bill favored by, according to a February 25-26 Harvard Harris poll, 71% of 1,999 registered voters surveyed, including 50% of their fellow Democrats, 69% of independents, and 91% of Republicans. Conversely, if Democrats vote Nay, they will expose themselves as congenital liars who could not care less about Americans without photo ID (good luck renting cars or checking into motels!) and prefer not to help citizens attain birth certificates so they can register to vote. Either outcome would be a huge GOP victory. Democrats would paint themselves into a corner, whichever way. An enterprising Republican senator should draft this proposed measure today, and Majority Leader John Thune (R - South Dakota) should deploy it as the opening salvo in the Senate's election-integrity showdown. 2026 Deroy Murdock SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. It is common for polls to show that a majority of people do not believe that President Donald Trump and his national security team have clearly explained the goals of Gulf War III. A recent Washington Post poll, a survey that, by the way, showed slightly rising support for the war, found that 65% of respondents answered in the negative when asked, "Do you think the Trump administration has clearly explained the goals of U.S. military action against Iran, or haven't they done that?" Just 35% said the administration has clearly explained the goals. There was a huge partisan divide in the results. Sixty-seven percent of Republicans said Trump had clearly explained the goals, while 91% of Democrats said he had not. Here's the question. For at least two weeks now, the administration has made the case that the war has four goals: 1. Destroy Iran's ballistic missiles and production capacity 2. Demolish Iran's navy 3. End Iran's ability to arm proxies and spread havoc beyond its borders 4. Prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon That seems pretty clear. So why do so many people, 65%, think the administration has not clearly explained the war's goals? Perhaps it is because they understand the goals, as stated, but do not find them particularly persuasive or compelling. The Post poll asked two other questions that indirectly touch on this issue. One was, "Do you think U.S. military actions in Iran will or will not contribute to the long-term security of the United States?" Fifty-three percent said it will not, while 46% said it will. The other question was, "Thinking about the goals versus the costs of the war, so far in your opinion has there been an acceptable or unacceptable number of U.S. military casualties in the conflict with Iran?" One could quibble with the wording, in the sense that it could trigger the response that no U.S. death is "acceptable," but in any event, 63% said the number of casualties so far was "unacceptable," while 37% said they were "acceptable." Put those two answers together, a majority concluding that a war which most people think has already involved unacceptable casualties and will not contribute to the long-term security of the U.S., and it makes some sense that large numbers of people still say the president and the administration have not made the goals clear. Whatever the core issue is, they're not sure what should come next. Asked, "Do you think the U.S. should continue military strikes against Iran, or should it stop military strikes at this time?" Thirty-four percent said continue the strikes, 42% said stop the strikes, and 24% said they were unsure. One conclusion that emerges from these answers is that the administration's fundamental premise for military action, that Iran has been waging war against the U.S. for 47 years and that it is time for the U.S. to strike back, is not a very convincing argument for many people. Shortly after the war began, former George W. Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen wrote perhaps the strongest case for the "47 years" argument: For 47 years, the Iranian regime has been waging war against the United States. That war began in 1979, when Iran seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking more than 50 Americans hostage for 444 days. The war continued as Iran orchestrated the 1983 bombings of the U.S. embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 258 Americans. It continued in 1998, when Iran provided "direct assistance" to al-Qaeda for the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, training its "operatives about how to blow up buildings," according to a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. After the 9/11 attacks, Iran provided sanctuary to senior leaders of al-Qaeda fleeing U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and allowed the group to use Iranian territory as a pipeline to move money, facilitators, and operatives from across the Middle East. (It still harbors Saif al-Adel, successor to Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri as leader of al-Qaeda, in Tehran.) Iran also provided training and bomb-making equipment to insurgents in Iraq, including "explosively formed penetrators" that killed and maimed thousands of American troopsThe Iranian regime has also attempted terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, including a 2011 plot to set off a bomb in Cafe Milano in Washington to kill the Saudi ambassador, a plot to kill former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other senior U.S. officials, and a plot to assassinate Trump himself. (It should be noted that Thiessen, as part of his case that Iran has been waging war against the U.S. for 47 years, also included Iran's backing of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people. That number included 46 Americans, but Oct. 7 was not an attack targeting the U.S., or U.S. military forces, or U.S. officials.) Is this the case for starting a war in 2026? Many of the offenses listed are decades old. Jimmy Carter was president when the hostages were taken, and Ronald Reagan was president when they were released. It was up to Reagan, as president and commander in chief, to decide what retaliation was necessary. The same was true of the Marine barracks bombing, which also happened during Reagan's first term. Bill Clinton was president when the embassies were bombed. George W. Bush was president during Sept. 11 and the insurgency following the American invasion of Iraq. Barack Obama was president when the Cafe Milano and Mike Pompeo plots were uncovered, and Joe Biden was president for the rest. And for any plots involving al Qaeda, the U.S. has been at war against the terrorist organization for 25 years. What to make of a case for war against Iran that includes events so far in the past, incidents which presidents of both parties considered and did or did not retaliate for, according to their best judgment? Presidents Reagan and Bush and Clinton and Bush and Obama and Trump I and Biden did not see fit to go to war with Iran based on that record. And now it is a sufficient reason for war? It should not be a surprise that many people are not fully persuaded by the rationale Trump has given. So when they are asked whether Trump has "clearly explained" the reason for going to war, they say no, he hasn't. In reality, it might be that the president has clearly explained the reasons, and many people just aren't convinced. Thomson transmitted his design to Congress on June 20, 1782, noting that "the Olive Branch and arrows denote the power of peace and war." The United States would always be ready for war if necessary, but would always prefer peace. There was an immediate practical need for a Great Seal. The Americans had just fought and won their long war for independence, and peace negotiations with Britain were underway in Paris. An official seal would soon be required to ratify the treaty. From the outset, in other words, America's most important emblem was bound up with the pursuit of peace. For nearly 2.5 centuries, that dual imagery has been the standard for American statecraft. You can see it today on the front of every US passport and the back of every $1 bill. But as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the US Mint has announced a jarring departure from that tradition. The new "Emerging Liberty" dime issued for the Semiquincentennial will depict a bald eagle in flight, arrows clutched in its left talons. However, the symbol of peace that always balances those arrows is missing. The claws that should be holding the olive branch are open, and the eagle is peering at the empty space, as if wondering how it managed to drop something so important. The change is being cheered by some as a welcome assertion of American might. The US Mint's design commentary celebrates the arrows-only eagle as representing "the Colonists' fight for independence," with "Liberty over Tyranny" as its motto. It's "a symbol of strength and the high cost of freedom," exulted The Coin Show, a podcast and blog for numismatists. Is it, though? I have often argued that American power is indispensable to keeping the world safe and that terrible evils result when the United States is unwilling to fight. So my objection to stripping the olive branch from the dime is not a pacifist's complaint it's a hawk's. In October 1945, two months after the end of World War II, President Harry Truman issued an executive order to standardize the presidential seal. For decades, the eagle had been shown facing the 13 arrows in its left talons. Truman, who had just brought the most catastrophic war in human history to an end and who was beginning to grasp the magnitude of the coming Cold War with the Soviet Union, directed that the eagle's gaze revert toward the olive branch. While hosting Winston Churchill at the White House shortly thereafter, Truman pointed out the change. The British statesman replied that he liked the change but added a caveat: "Why not put the eagle's neck on a swivel so that it could turn to the right or left as the occasion presented itself?" Churchill wasn't being frivolous. He understood, like the author of Ecclesiastes, that there is "a time for war, and a time for peace." The credible threat of the arrows is what gives the olive branch its value; the promise of the olive branch is what gives the arrows their legitimacy. The symbolism of an eagle that could "swivel" wasn't that it invariably preferred the arrows or the olive branch, but that it retained its capacity for strategic choice. By deleting the olive branch from the new dime, the Mint has not symbolically made the eagle stronger. It has made it one-dimensional. And if there is one thing serious statesmanship is not, it is one-dimensional. The Churchillian approach to international relations, like Ronald Reagan's later "peace through strength," doesn't celebrate brute strength for its own sake. But it does understand the capacity of military deterrence to intimidate tyrants and hearten dissidents aching for freedom. By contrast, political leaders who think it better to appease murderous dictators and "lead from behind" rather than to risk confrontation invariably learn the hard lesson that weakness is provocative and makes the world more dangerous. The olive branch and the arrows were meant from the outset to be mutually reinforcing principles of statecraft. But an eagle clutching only arrows is not projecting resolve; it is advertising a lack of strategic depth. A great power defines itself not by its capacity to fight but by the principles that justify that capacity. This symbolic "dropping" of the olive branch is of a piece with an administration that has consistently treated foreign policy not as a matter of grand strategy, but as a series of transactional whims. Today, that choice is often treated like a branding exercise. The result has been a global posture that is as erratic as it is aggressive. We see a White House that careens from raging over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize to ominous rumblings of going "as far as we have to go" to possess Greenland; from expressing open contempt for the courageous Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to demanding Iran's "unconditional surrender" as the price of ending the war. It is a record that manages to be simultaneously isolationist and bellicose declaring that George W. Bush should have been impeached for the war against Saddam Hussein, while celebrating a military strategy built on "maximum lethality, not tepid legality" as if the measure of American power were its appetite for violence rather than the purposes that violence serves. Whatever else might be said of such a record, it does not reflect seriousness of purpose. It is entirely fitting that an administration that can't seem to decide if it wants to be the world's policeman or its most unpredictable wild card would produce an eagle that has quite literally lost its grip on the symbol of peace. As Americans approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, they should strive to emulate the enduring wisdom of the Founding. Charles Thomson and the Continental Congress understood that America's strength derived legitimacy from its purposes. That insight that the arrows and the olive branch belong together has guided American statecraft at its best ever since. It may seem a small thing to fret over a tiny design change on a ten-cent coin. But a nation's moral vocabulary is often carried in small things. I never forget that I owe my existence to the American eagle's arrows. Nor do I forget that those arrows had their legitimacy because they were always, ultimately, in the service of the olive branch. That is what the redesigned dime erases not just a symbol, but the principle the symbol encodes. The olive branch belongs in the eagle's grip. It should be put back. Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for The Boston Globe, from which this is reprinted with permission. (COMMENT, BELOW) Everything we know about keeping people alive under pressure we learned from war. Triage was invented on a Napoleonic battlefield. Tourniquets, hemostatic dressings, damage control resuscitation, the golden hour itself. Military surgeons figured out how to stop bleeding and move casualties while the ground was still shaking, and civilian medicine inherited every lesson. The emergency department and the battlefield have always been adjacent theaters, running the same protocols under different ceilings. The training pipeline flows in both directions. Military nurses rotate into civilian trauma centers. Civilian nurses deploy to combat support hospitals. They share a workforce, a knowledge base, and a supply chain. Something changed on February 28, 2026. The adjacent theaters converged. The United States went to war with Iran, and within two weeks, an Iranian hacking group attacked a company that supplies cardiac monitors, among other things, to American hospitals from the Bay to the Persian Gulf. The battlefield did not come to the hospital as a metaphor. It arrived as a cyberattack on the equipment we use to keep people alive. If you work in a hospital, you have felt the system cracking. The stretcher in the hallway that used to be an anomaly and is now a permanent fixture. The call light that rings until someone falls because there is no one to answer it. The position that was posted for nine months and never filled, and then just went away. I want to name the thing you have been feeling. This is a national security failure that is now being exploited by our adversaries. The attack On March 11, an Iran-linked hacking group called Handala Team conducted a wiper attack against Stryker Corporation. You know Stryker. Lifepak monitors. The cardiac monitors on every ambulance I have ever worked with and in almost every emergency department I have ever staffed. A wiper attack does not encrypt data for ransom. It destroys it. Stryker confirmed a disruption in their global communications network took place. Marylands EMS agency notified hospitals statewide that their Lifenet ECG transmission network had gone down. Paramedics could not transmit 12-lead ECGs to STEMI receiving hospitals. The most vital link in the chain of survival severed from the other side of the world. Think about what that means clinically. A STEMI patient in the back of an ambulance, 15 minutes out. The difference between a pre-activated cath lab: reperfusion or death. For residents of Maryland, the Lifenet system they did not know they depended on vanished into thin air. It gets worse. Stryker holds a $675 million contract with the Defense Logistics Agency to supply patient monitoring equipment to every branch of the U.S. military. The LIFEPAK 15 is certified to MIL-STD-810E specifications for medevac helicopters and military ground ambulances. The same monitors I used in the back of a civilian helicopter are aboard military medevac aircraft right now. When the attack shut down Strykers global order processing, manufacturing, and shipping, it did not distinguish between civilian and military customers. The adjacent theaters I described in the opening of this essay share a major supplier, and a perilous trapdoor capable of causing casualties. The Stryker attack was not an isolated incident. It was only the most visible strike: Three of the four nations the FBI has identified as actively targeting U.S. health care hit the sector almost simultaneously in the preamble to our current conflict. North Koreas Lazarus Group deployed Medusa ransomware against multiple health care organizations. Russian hacktivist groups have declared solidarity with Iran, and claimed responsibility for attacks on American industrial control systems. Each adversary pursued its own interests and arrived at the same target, because health care is our hardest soft target. The storm clouds of war This pattern did not emerge overnight. Health care was the most-attacked critical infrastructure sector in the country in 2024. The Change Health Care breach disabled national payment systems and cost over $1 billion to an economy already propped up by the health care industry. The Ascension attack forced 142 hospitals to chart on paper for six weeks. Researchers have estimated that ransomware has already killed between 42 and 67 Medicare patients since 2020. The sector was under siege well before the war started, this is merely an escalation. The energy sector learned this lesson years ago, and enforces 13 mandatory cybersecurity standards with penalties up to $1.29 million per violation. Per day. Health care has no mandatory security standards at all. HIPAA was designed for data privacy in 1996, and was last substantively updated in 2013. It was never built to defend hospitals against nation-state cyberattacks. Meanwhile, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the federal agency charged with protecting critical infrastructure from exactly this kind of threat, has lost roughly 30 percent of its workforce since early 2025. CISA entered the Iran war with its own website noting it was not being actively managed due to a funding lapse. The agency responsible for defending our hospitals was itself in critical condition. It is the supply chain While the cyber front was escalating, the physical supply chain was collapsing via a completely different mechanism. The drugs that stock American hospitals must travel by container ship through two maritime strangle points, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandab, the war has effectively closed both. Tanker traffic through Hormuz has dropped by 90 percent. The Bab el-Mandab has not returned to normal traffic levels since the Houthi disruptions began in late 2023. Every major Western carrier suspended Red Sea transits within days of the wars start. The shipping lanes and the shooting war occupy the same water, and there are oceans between us and the drugs our patients depend on. Our pharmaceuticals must circle the earth because of a dependency built over decades and never reversed. China supplies the active pharmaceutical ingredients for most American generic medications. India, which finishes and ships those drugs to us, imports more than 70 percent of its own pharmaceutical intermediates from China. Over 90 percent of generic sterile injectables, including most of the antibiotics a hospital runs on, depend on this production chain. And the last American penicillin plant closed in 2004. We did not lose this capacity. We gave it away. And now the country that controls our supply of life-giving drugs is watching the war, approving only a fraction of pharmaceutical export applications, and discovering exactly how much leverage it holds. You have felt this at the bedside. You have called pharmacy and been told the drug is on shortage, for the next four years. You have substituted, rationed, and improvised. You may not have known that the shortage traces to a factory in Zhejiang Province or a container ship rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope because the strait it was supposed to transit is full of sea mines. But the effect is the same. A patient in need and a system with no redundancies. The kill switch we handed them The dependency goes deeper than drugs. It reaches into the devices inside peoples bodies. Approximately 5 million Americans carry implanted pacemakers and defibrillators; the components that make those devices work flow through the same Chinese-dominated supply chain as the pharmaceuticals you are waiting for. China produces 54 percent of the worlds printed circuit boards and controls 90 percent of rare earth processing, it is too late to build them here. We already know that dependency can be exploited. In January 2025, CISA and the FDA discovered that a Chinese-manufactured patient monitor deployed in American hospitals contained a hard-coded backdoor to a Chinese university IP address, enabling remote code execution on a device attached to living patients. There was no patch. The FDA told hospitals to pull the monitors off their networks. The vulnerability of implanted cardiac devices is not theoretical, and it is not new. Researchers first demonstrated in 2008 that a defibrillator could be hacked to induce ventricular fibrillation with less than $1,000 in equipment. The threat was taken seriously enough that Dick Cheneys cardiologist disabled the wireless function on the vice presidents defibrillator over assassination concerns. The FDA recalled 465,000 pacemakers over hacking vulnerabilities in 2017. We protected the vice president. We have not protected the 5 million other Americans carrying the same technology, devices they trust with their lives. Now layer in the workforce instability, the workforce is the one resource that cannot be manufactured, stockpiled, or rerouted through an alternate shipping lane. Hundreds of thousands of nurses have left health care since the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly 1 million more have told researchers they intend to follow suit. The 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey found that 40 percent of nurses plan to leave within five years, not their jobs, the profession. The ones who stayed are carrying patient loads that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Doctors and nurses are like Tomahawk missiles and artillery shells. Highly specialized, expertly engineered, and relentlessly finite. You cannot surge-produce an ICU nurse. You cannot stockpile a trauma surgeon. I flew with National Guard pilots who had deployed to Afghanistan. I worked beside Guard medics and nurses who staffed civilian emergency departments between deployments. Our helicopter pilots were largely Army and federal service. The adjacent theaters I described are not an abstraction. They share a workforce. When those Guard members activate for deployment, they leave holes in civilian hospitals that do not get filled. When civilian nurses burn out and leave health care, the military reserve pool shrinks with them. I watched this happen at the VA during COVID-19. I watched nurses build an ICU response from scratch in a single night shift while leadership was at home and supply chain collapsed around us. Masks that were on their way for weeks that never arrived. A $34.5 million contract that went to a mask broker who rented a private jet to locate N95s that never existed. I documented the failures. I escalated to OSHA, to my congressmen, to ProPublica. The director of my medical center emailed the entire Veterans Service Network to call me a liar. The lies were confirmable on the VAs own website. The institution showed us, when our lives were on the line, that we were on our own. And when the nurses who stayed through all of that looked around and saw the same structural failures still in place five years later, they left. Not because they could not handle the work. Because the work was no longer survivable within the systems we were given. The warnings we dissociated from None of this is a surprise. Rosemary Gibson told Congress in 2019 that if China shut the door on pharmaceutical exports, American hospitals would cease to function within months, if not days. Joshua Corman told the Senate in 2022 that cyberattacks on hospitals were already killing patients, our adversaries were getting better at evading our defenses; better than us. The 2024 bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy said the United States could be drawn into simultaneous conflicts and lose, our fronts are now spread over Ukraine, Palestine, Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. Divided we fall. The FBI has named health care the most-attacked critical infrastructure sector three years running. CISA issued 10 joint advisories naming the specific threat actors: Iran, Russia, North Korea, China. The advisories became prophecies. We did not listen. We never listen. We clapped for health care workers during COVID-19 and then watched as Congress let the Hospital Preparedness Program funding lapse, as CISA was gutted, as the Strategic National Stockpile remained a fraction of what we need. Drug manufacturers continued buying 80 percent of their active pharmaceutical ingredients from China and India. One is arming our adversaries. The other ships its drugs through a war zone. I am not making an argument about coverage or access or whether we should have single-payer. Those are important debates. They are irrelevant here. I am making an argument about national security. The United States designated health care as one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors. In practice, that designation means voluntary guidelines and suggestions. We hardened the power grid after Colonial Pipeline. We hardened aviation after 9/11. We hardened financial services after every major breach. Health care remains the softest target in the country, and every adversary on the planet knows it. The Iran war did not create these vulnerabilities. It revealed them. The malignancy was already festering undetected. COVID-19 revealed it five years ago and we rebuilt nothing. You cannot run a national security infrastructure on the unpaid ingenuity of people the system has decided are expendable. The vulnerability you feel at the bedside operates at the geopolitical level too. The short staffing that keeps you awake at night is the same gap that makes a hospital an easy target for ransomware. The drug shortage that forces you to substitute is the same dependency a naval blockade can exploit. The monitor that transmits your patients ECG to the cath lab is the same system a nation-state just proved it can shut down. Health care is not a line item. It is infrastructure. It is the workforce that keeps every other workforce alive. No one asked the mechanic to also fly the helicopter when census was high. But we have been asking the health care system to function as critical national security infrastructure while funding it, defending it, and staffing it as though it were merely optional. The next attack will be worse. Stryker was a proof of concept. The pharmaceutical supply chain is stressed but not yet severed. The workforce is depleted but not yet gone. There is still time to treat health care the way we treated every other critical infrastructure sector after it was attacked. Mandatory cybersecurity standards. Pharmaceutical supply chain reshoring. Workforce investment that goes beyond recruitment bonuses and addresses the conditions that drive people out. Federal preparedness funding restored and expanded. A strategic medical reserve that mirrors the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Or we can do what we have always done. Wait for the next crisis. Clap. And wonder why nobody is left to answer the call. Kristen Cline is a professional development practitioner for the Emergency Service Line at Stanford Tri-Valley Medical Center and holds an academic affiliation with Stanford University. With over 15 years of experience in emergency departments, intensive care units, and critical care transport, she brings clinical depth and a commitment to education and advocacy. Kristen is board-certified in multiple specialties and speaks nationally for organizations such as Paragon Education and Solheim Enterprises, focusing on certification review and emergency nursing practice. She has authored and co-authored several publications and textbooks, including contributions to the Emergency Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, 3rd edition. Her peer-reviewed work includes articles in Annals of Emergency Medicine, on Optimizing Pediatric Patient Safety in the Emergency Care Setting, and in Pediatrics, on Access to Optimal Emergency Care for Children. Recognized among ENA Connections 20 under 40, she advocates for nurse wellness and trauma-informed care through speaking engagements, her Medium blog, and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. It is time to dethrone the office visit as the king of primary care physician compensation and how the work of a primary care physician is defined. Several months ago, a reporter asked me how many patients I see in a typical day. I told her that the question should not be how many patients I see each day, but how many patients I take care of each day, a number that is significantly greater. Why office visits rule is no mystery. For decades, they were the primary source of revenue and activity for outpatient primary care practices. If a patient wanted care, they had to make an appointment. Office visits were easy to count and bill. While there was non-face-to-face work, it was usually non-billable and took up a small part of the work day. The workflow and business models of the 1990s, when I entered private practice, were all about office visits. Today, patients are able, encouraged, and expect to be cared for outside of the traditional office visit. They are more engaged in their care, messaging us via portals, accessing their test results directly, and sharing data from their blood pressure machines and glucometers. Additionally, outreach to patients beyond visits is at the heart of population medicine and advanced primary care. These place additional demands on primary care physicians time outside the exam room. The evolution of patient care How have health care organizations handled this evolution? Despite proclamations that they are patient-centered, many are still visit-centered. Under this paradigm, any care that is not provided in an office visit is considered to be administrative work, an imposition that is valued less than seeing a patient in an exam room. Office visit productivity, or its alter ego the work RVU (wRVU), remains at the center of the primary care physicians life, as it was in the 1990s. Some practices build time into physicians schedules for the non-visit work, but it is usually inadequate and undercompensated (or uncompensated). Rather than seeing fewer patients and potentially facing pushback or financial penalties from loss of wRVUs, physicians do the non-visit work before and after office hours, during lunch, or weekends, contributing to the frustration and unhappiness that we see today. Primary care physicians cognitive work and the value to patients and the practice from non-face-to-face care are significant, so why is it marginalized? The administrative burden Complicating matters, efforts to reduce the burdens on primary care physicians do not distinguish between tasks related to taking care of the patient and those related to taking care of the system. Meaningful clinical work such as providing advice in a portal message is lumped with non-medical tasks such as signing an order to get a patient a new wheelchair tire. While I agree that we should get low-value activities such as prior authorizations, forms, and routine refills off physicians desktops, and that we should use team-based care to support physicians, I have concerns about initiatives that offload important clinical care that physicians provide outside the exam room, instead of simply getting office visits out of the way. Why not better enable primary care physicians to take care of their patients regardless of where that care is delivered instead of creating new barriers? A diversified revenue stream Unlike when I entered practice, today the revenue stream to health care organizations is diversified. New payment models are built around panel size, cost of care, and quality, reducing the dependence on billable encounters. They provide opportunities to look at the work of primary care physicians differently, recognizing the value of non-face-to-face care by providing and paying for the time to do it. The last compensation model that I worked under was a step in that direction, basing compensation on patient panel size. However, it did not let go of the past, as there were also wRVU thresholds that needed to be met. Other organizations have gone further and structured compensation and scheduling so that doctors can do doctors work, whether it be in the exam room or at the keyboard, without the wRVU stresses that contribute to career dissatisfaction. At the macro level, delivery reform stresses paying for outcomes instead of volume. Yet at the physician level, we are still stuck at volume, which is contributing to the demise of primary care. Defining the future Put more succinctly, if a primary care physician commits to taking care of a panel of patients and gets the job done as judged by validated clinical measures, cost of care, urgent care or emergency department use, and patient feedback, why should how many patients they see in the office matter? Patient care that is provided outside traditional office visits needs to count as much in compensation formulas and schedules no less than office visits do. Accepting that principle may be more important to the future of primary care than reducing hassles, giving everyone a scribe, fixing the RUC, eliminating educational debt, or opening new medical schools. Yul Ejnes is an internal medicine physician. Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Medical student Umayr R. Shaikh discusses his article The impact of CDCs new childhood immunization guidance. Umayr argues that recent CDC changes, moving vaccines like flu, Hep B, and meningococcal from universal recommendation to shared decision making, risk normalizing preventable illness. He highlights how his medical training now focuses on diagnosing diseases that should be rare footnotes. The conversation explores the danger of treating public health as an individual choice, warning that this shift will disproportionately harm vulnerable populations and widen health inequities. Discover why rebuilding trust in evidence based prevention is critical to avoiding a future of predictable outbreaks. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Lets work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended Transcript Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Umayr R. Shaikh. He is a medical student. Todays KevinMD article is The impact of the CDCs new childhood immunization guidance. Umayr, welcome to the show. Umayr R. Shaikh: Thank you for having me. Kevin Pho: All right, so we were talking offline. I know that you are in between your third and fourth years of medical school. What led you to write this article and send it over to KevinMD? Umayr R. Shaikh: Yeah, absolutely. I always love sharing with people that even though I am in medical school, my background is actually in speech and debate. When I was in college, I was a double major in communications and Spanish. I was really inspired to enter into the field of medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic by watching figures like Dr. Fauci and other public health officials take the stage. I realized the importance and power of communication within medicine. That is something I have always sought to bring as a unique lens to medical education. Now, as someone who is in between my third and fourth years of medical school, I am seeing firsthand the impact that communication, messaging, and public health are having on the health and well-being of our country. With this piece, I was reading the stories about the new changes in the immunization guidelines that came out in January. I was thinking to myself that it was a throwback to my preclinical days where we had learned about these diseases. We had been told that we should know them for our boards, but we were probably not going to see them. So I remember going through the lessons and thinking about Koplik spots, coryza, and conjunctivitis, which is measles. Everyone sort of had a good laugh about it. They thought we had to know this for boards but didnt really have to worry about it. I had been reading all these stories about these diseases that had long been almost completely eradicated coming back and being at a higher prevalence than they had been previously. I told myself I wanted to take my communications background and my skill in writing and telling a story and combine it with a very pressing public health issue. I wanted to see who would be interested in reading it. That was the main inspiration behind this article. I also wanted to provide a students perspective. I feel like I had seen a lot of things written from attending physicians, which is fantastic, but I think when you are a student going through this, you see things from a very different lens. You are up and coming in this system, and it is new to you. When it changes so much in a small period of time, it is easy to feel confused and overwhelmed. What I also wanted to do is provide a roadmap for my fellow students and say that they have power. They have the ability to take this into their own hands and really be stewards for the future of public health. Kevin Pho: For those who arent familiar with the changes in the vaccine guidelines back in January, just give us a synopsis of what has changed. Umayr R. Shaikh: Yes, absolutely. There were quite a few changes that were made in terms of recommendations. I believe that it was something that came from the rationale that we want to focus on shared decision-making and individualized risk assessment rather than general blanket guidelines. The rationale was that not all children have exposure risk to certain diseases. For some vaccinations, the severe outcomes are statistically concentrated in specific populations. So the argument was that universal recommendations may not be necessary when disease burden is highly stratified by risk. There were different arguments on every side. From the policymaker perspective, they were saying that as disease prevalence falls, the mandatory or universal approaches that we have now can be reconsidered. It was also really important that the language used to recommend and advise parents and their kids changed. Namely, the number of conditions for which the vaccines were universally recommended shifted to risk-based stratification and went from 17 to about 11. There were some vaccines like rotavirus, influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and meningococcus that were put into shared decision-making or risk-based categories instead of universal recommendations. The other thing is the process by which this was done. Historically, vaccine recommendations have been shaped by the ACIP, or the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is an independent panel that reviews safety and effectiveness. Those structures were altered under current leadership at the CDC and HHS. Some people say this occurred by removing independent experts and replacing them with appointees that are aligned with changes to vaccine policy. Groups including the AAP, or the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other medical organizations have urged federal judges and courts to block these changes. They argued that they are not backed by the same standard of evidence by which they were set and that they could possibly endanger public health. There are some states and professional groups that have said they are going to continue to follow the older evidence-based schedule rather than the CDCs newly issued guidance. So I think it is important to have an understanding of the two sides of that story. Kevin Pho: By reframing what previously were compulsory vaccines under this paradigm of shared decision-making and individual risk stratification, what do you think about that? How is that going to impact our public health going forward if we shift to this new paradigm? Umayr R. Shaikh: I think that it is going to have a tremendous impact on public health one way or another. I think that we are unfortunately going to start to see some of these diseases that previously we say existed in the footnotes of history or the margins of medicine start to come back in ways that we really havent seen in recent history. I think measles is a great example of this. Seeing the rise in incidence in certain areas of the country such as Texas over the past few months is concerning. That is an area that is on the cusp of losing its immunization status. I fear that things like that may start to happen for these other diseases that I mentioned previously. At the same time, there is the technical aspect of it when you look at the statistics, but beyond that, I want to mention something very powerful that Dr. Fauci refers to as the normalization of untruths. Beyond just the immediate impact of the disease, seeing peoples trust in the public health system and in physicians continuing to waver and weaken is something that is particularly concerning to me. In medicine, we are trained to learn the disease, the biology, and the pathophysiology. What we dont learn is how to communicate effectively, how to tell stories, how to talk to patients, and how to interface with public health and systems. We must realize that the health of people, communities, and families is seamlessly intertwined with the health and well-being of our systems. I fear that this normalization and fear that we are seeing in the general public is going to continue to widen. The onus really falls on us as health professionals to prioritize learning how to communicate with the general public instead of using jargon. We must avoid heavy terms that only we in the medical community can understand. Lets focus on telling stories and interfacing with people where they are so that they can understand that we are really trying to help them and provide guidance to keep them healthy. Kevin Pho: So historically, as you know, the United States has an individualistic streak. It runs throughout our history and that paradigm of individual choice and shared decision-making is surely going to resonate with a vast proportion of our patients. How do you square the effects of public health with our culture of individualism and the fact that that is going to resonate with some patients? Umayr R. Shaikh: I think it is a great question, and it is something we have been seeing more and more even in areas outside of medicine. I think of areas like social media and all of these different areas where consumerism and individualism are really pushed on us. We are led to believe that it is all about what you want and what is best for you with very little look towards the side or the other people that it affects. I think there are a couple of ways to go about it. I think the first is reconciling that there are some areas of our life that are individualistic. We need to maintain our mental health and we need to maintain what is good for us. But at the same time, there are things that are not individualistic. There are elements of our society, and even just using the word society implies that there are things that are collective within our country. One of those things is health. I think it is important too to realize that shared decision-making may not necessarily mean that someone doesnt want a vaccine or doesnt want to do something. Shared decision-making can just as easily be empowering. We can have these difficult conversations with our patients the right way and communicate to them that yes, it is their decision. It is their child, it is their body, and it is their immune system. That is absolutely true. But we can expand from that and say that one of the reasons why we have the health that we do and the eradication of these diseases essentially that we do is because people understand that everyone needs to take accountability for the greater good when it comes to health. When it is framed from a value-based perspective rather than a paternalistic directive saying that you need to do this because it will protect people and protect you, we shift the tone of that conversation. We say that we recommend you do this because it is genuinely in your best interest and it is in the best interest of the people around you. I think that cognitive reframing and that messaging are incredibly important. If we frame it like that, people will start to realize that not only is this best for me, but it is also good for the people around me, and I should help do my part. Kevin Pho: Another argument I hear in favor of these changes is that the administration wants to align our vaccine schedules more to those of other countries. I always hear Denmark and Japan cited most frequently. What do you think about that particular argument? Umayr R. Shaikh: Yeah. I have been seeing that as well, and I think that is really important. I think the policies in those other countries are also very closely tied to the health infrastructure that they have. If we were to look at parallels between these other countries that have these vaccination schedules that perhaps are not as stringent or rigorous, we must look at it in the context of their overall health care system. We must see the infrastructure they have in place and see how easy it is for people to get the medical care and attention that they need. In the U.S., we have a system that is dominated by insurance and incredibly long wait times, where you need referrals for specialists and all these different things. Our health care systems just fundamentally work on a different level. I actually think that the policies that we have adapted up until these more recent recommendations came out have been a part of the reason why we have remained as healthy as we have. Even then, if you look at the statistics for global health or the overall health of the U.S., it lags rather significantly behind that of other developed nations. I think that tells a huge part of the story. If we had easier access to health care, better coverage, and better resources available for people, things would be different. We were just talking about individualism versus collectivism a moment ago. These other societies are very invested in the health of their community. As long as we continue to have this individualistic culture guiding us in the U.S., we would need these strict recommendations to maintain that same level of health. I think if we wanted to adapt what those other nations were doing, we would need to see a big cultural shift in our mindset in order for that to really keep us at the same level of our health. Kevin Pho: I want to get back to the patient communication piece. Clearly you mentioned that you have a background in speech and debate. In our exam rooms when we talk about health care and vaccines in particular, there is really nothing more politicized than that. Chances are one out of every two patients will either disagree or agree with what you recommend in the exam room regarding vaccines. What are some tips you could share with physicians who may not have that background in debate to navigate some of those discussions? Umayr R. Shaikh: Absolutely. Thank you for asking that. I feel like this is an important thing. As I was saying earlier, in medical school we have our OSCEs and didactic sessions, but we have very little practical application of this. We dont practice it nearly enough. I think the first thing is coming at it from the point of view of the patient. Ask what is important to them and what they value for their health and the health of their kids and loved ones. Too often, from personal experience being a kid, a provider would come into the room and say they are going to give you these shots today. You feel like asking what is going on because they just told you what you needed to do. They didnt tell you anything. They have a chart on the wall. If you have questions, they tell you to look at the chart because this is what is recommended at this stage. But in my experience, sitting down with patients and saying that there are a couple of things we would like to do at their visit today works better. I just want to get a sense of what is important to them, how they feel their health is right now, and if there are any changes they would like to make. That not only disarms the patient in terms of defensiveness, but it really makes them feel like they are being listened to and that this doctor wants what is best for them. You might get a myriad of responses from that. They might say they think their health is good and they dont want to do anything. Or they might say they feel like they could be better and ask if there are any things that they should be doing. Depending on the avenue the patient gives you, then you could sort of pivot accordingly. But I would say some baseline communication principles in any of those circumstances would be to say that we have these recommendations based on their age and preexisting conditions. Here are some things that we would recommend, and one of those things involves a vaccination. We explain what the vaccination is, what some of its possible side effects are, and why the net benefit would outweigh the long-term harm. It is completely their decision, but we want to be in line with the goals that they told us, and this is something that can help them achieve that. If you frame it from that point of view, even if they disagree with vaccinations as a principle, they will say that this doctor really is listening to them and hearing what is valuable to them. The other thing too is not pressuring them at a certain time. This is something I have seen a lot more physicians incorporate recently. They tell patients to take some time and think about it because it doesnt need to be done today. If they have any questions, they can call the office, and whatever they can answer, they are more than happy to do. It is just a matter of being open. Instead of coming at it from the perspective that this is what you need to do, pointing to a chart on the wall, and insisting it must be done today, you use a different approach. That is when you are going to start to see patients shrink back. So it is really all about that framing. Kevin Pho: Now, as we talked about, you are in between your third and fourth years of medical school. From what you are seeing, not only in your medical school but others as well, how are they teaching students to navigate the increasingly political environment of health information? Umayr R. Shaikh: Yeah, thank you for asking that. I feel like I kind of have a front-row seat to this being a medical student in Washington, D.C., where all of these changes are happening. We see it in front of us every single day. I would say that there has been more of an emphasis placed on patient-centered communication than I think previous generations of medical students have had. I have talked to a lot of my physician mentors, and they said that these OSCEs that you have now and these communication exercises are not things that they did. I think there is a movement in the right direction to have these difficult conversations with patients. That being said, I dont think it is all the way there yet. I think there are still things that are missing. One of those big things is policy education. I did my Masters of Public Health before starting medical school, and I entered into medicine with that policy perspective. Now whenever I learn about something new in the world of medicine, one of my first thoughts is how this shakes out at the national level and at the health policy level. I think that is an action step that a lot of medical schools can take. They are doing the right thing with regards to communication and are slowly getting there. Lets build health policy into that too. Lets learn how lobbying works. Lets learn how legislation works. Lets learn how these changes that have come so quickly and undone so much work over the past century have taken place. When we do that, we empower our physicians and our aspiring physicians to take an active role in advocacy. Being in D.C., there are always these events happening on Capitol Hill for one thing or another. All these different groups have their days in Congress where they go and talk to representatives. The turnout from physicians needs to be higher. Not only that, we need to learn how to advocate for ourselves. One of the things we dont learn is public speaking and how to communicate an easy and difficult message. Breaking it down into an easy-to-understand manner and then disseminating that to a large audience is a huge skill. If we were to start building that as physicians, I think we would see a big shift in public health with regards to how the public sees us. Kevin Pho: We are talking to Umayr R. Shaikh. He is a medical student. Todays KevinMD article is The impact of the CDCs new childhood immunization guidance. Umayr, lets end with some take-home messages for the KevinMD audience. Umayr R. Shaikh: Absolutely. I have a couple of take-home messages. The first is for students. You have power. You are the future of the health care system. You are the center of it, and it is so important that you prioritize learning how to communicate and advocate for not only your patients but for yourself and for your community. The second take-home message is to physicians who are currently practicing. Help inspire the next generation of us to really be on the front lines of this advocacy work. Tell us in your experience what we need to do and then help us shape our careers accordingly. At the same time, the way you communicate with your patients models that for us younger students so we can better interface and connect with a growing population of people that is growing increasingly distrustful of the medical system. Finally, for patients themselves. What we do in medicine is for you. It is to take care of you and to help you in any way that we can. Ask us questions. Dont be afraid to ask us about whatever concerns you may have. We are here to help you. We are here to serve, and we want to help you take the most control of your health as you can. We ultimately want what is best for you. Kevin Pho: Umayr, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming on the show. Umayr R. Shaikh: Thank you so much, Dr. Kevin. I really appreciate it. Every spring, millions of families across Chinese communities around the world travel back to their hometowns for Qingming Festival, often translated as Tomb-Sweeping Day. It is a centuries-old tradition of honoring ancestors. Highways fill with traffic. Families gather at gravesites to clean tombstones, burn incense, and leave offerings of food. On the surface, Qingming is about remembering the dead. But in many homes, the holiday quietly exposes a different reality: the exhausting work of caring for the living. After the cemetery visits, families gather around dining tables. That is often when relatives begin to notice things they had not seen before. The pill organizers stacked across the kitchen counter. The slow, hollow fatigue in the eyes of the primary caregiver, usually a daughter or an aging spouse. The subtle confusion of a parent whose dementia has worsened since the last family gathering. What was meant to be a ritual of remembrance becomes an unexpected moment of recognition. Families begin to see how much one person has been carrying alone. In Taiwan, where I work in community-based elder care, this scene is becoming increasingly common. Taiwan is one of the fastest-aging societies in the world. Government spending on long-term care has expanded dramatically in recent years. Community care stations are increasing. Programs and services continue to grow. From a policy perspective, the system appears to be expanding successfully. But anyone who has spent time inside a patients living room knows that what happens on a government spreadsheet often looks very different from what happens inside a home. In health care management, Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter proposed a simple equation for value: Value = Quality of outcomes / Cost of inputs. A system creates value when outcomes improve without endlessly increasing costs. Governments provide funding. Hospitals and community clinics deliver medical care. In theory, these inputs move through a care process that produces better health and dignity for older adults. But elder care exposes a critical flaw in how this formula is applied. The equation assumes that the cost of care is primarily financial and that the health care system controls the process. In reality, the moment an older adult leaves the hospital, the formal systems role largely ends. The responsibility shifts almost instantly to the family. Doctors complete treatment plans. Health systems close the case. Policy reports record another successful discharge. And then the family becomes the final quality-control layer of the entire system. Except unlike a hospital ward, a family home has no rotating shifts, no staffing ratios, and no emergency backup teams. Care happens at the kitchen table. A daughter adjusts medications while cooking dinner. A son uses his savings to pay for part-time home assistance. A spouse wakes up at 2:00 a.m. to calm a confused partner wandering through the house. None of this appears in policy reports. Public officials often rely on key performance indicators, or KPIs, to measure the success of long-term care systems. They track the number of home visits, the number of beds available, the number of services delivered. But the KPIs that families track look very different. Families count sleepless nights. They calculate how long their savings will last. They measure the quiet erosion of their own health, energy, and emotional resilience. In business strategy, frameworks such as Robert Kaplan and David Nortons Balanced Scorecard emphasize that a system cannot be judged by a single metric. Financial performance must be balanced with user experience, internal processes, and long-term sustainability. When one dimension collapses, the entire system becomes unstable. Yet long-term care policy often overlooks one critical dimension entirely: the capacity of family caregivers. We expand services and infrastructure, but we treat the caregivers time, income, and emotional strength as if they were infinite, free resources. A long-term care system that proudly reports high performance metrics while quietly pushing families toward exhaustion is not creating value. It is merely shifting the cost. Qingming Festival reminds us to honor those who came before us. But perhaps it should also remind us of something else: A societys true compassion is revealed not only in how it remembers the dead, but in how it supports those who are still alive, and those who care for them. Behind every long-term care statistic is a light still on in someones home late at night. And behind that light is usually a family member trying to hold the system together in the dark. Gerald Kuo, a doctoral student in the Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, specializes in health care management, long-term care systems, AI governance in clinical and social care settings, and elder care policy. He is affiliated with the Home Health Care Charity Association and maintains a professional presence on Facebook, where he shares updates on research and community work. Kuo helps operate a day-care center for older adults, working closely with families, nurses, and community physicians. His research and practical efforts focus on reducing administrative strain on clinicians, strengthening continuity and quality of elder care, and developing sustainable service models through data, technology, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. He is particularly interested in how emerging AI tools can support aging clinical workforces, enhance care delivery, and build greater trust between health systems and the public. First Au Limited (ASX:FAU) is an advanced gold and base metals exploration company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange pursuing gold opportunities in Western Australia, including its 100% owned Gimlet Gold Project with a mineral resource of 119,600oz at a grade of 3.15g/t Au near Kalgoorlie. Comparta este articulo A federal court revoked the permanent suspension that had been granted against provisions related to the mobile phone registry, finding that halting their enforcement would affect public order and the public interest. The Fourteenth Collegiate Court in Administrative Matters of the First Circuit unanimously resolved to modify the challenged ruling in review appeal 27/2026 and deny the injunctive relief requested by the plaintiffs. According to the decision, granting the suspension would have prevented the application of rules whose immediate purpose is to protect collective rights, particularly in matters of search, location, and identification of missing persons. The court argued that these provisions aim to prevent harms associated with enforced disappearances and to strengthen the States capacity to guarantee fundamental rights such as life, liberty, dignity, identity, and security. In that regard, the judges on the panel stated that society has an interest in ensuring that the benefits derived from these rules prevail, as they help reinforce the States institutional and regulatory framework to effectively address disappearance cases. Therefore, after finding one of the grievances raised by the appealing authorities to be well-founded, the court decided to revoke the challenged ruling and deny the requested permanent suspension. The decision was approved unanimously via videoconference by Judges Maria Eugenia Martinez Carrillo, presiding judge of the court, and Emma Gaspar Santana, as well as Judge Rafael Coello Cetina, who authored the opinion. The latter served as a clerk at the Supreme Court for 17 years under four different chief justices. Cuartoscuro What did the court do? The collegiate court reviewed the decision issued at the trial level and overturned it, meaning that in this case there is no longer any suspension against the provisions related to the mobile phone registry. This ruling adds to two other interlocutory appeals decided in the same sense by the same court, in which the requested suspensions against the same rules were also denied. In those cases, the challenges involved provisional suspensions, whereas the review appeal decided here concerns a permanent suspension. Within the judiciary, there have been differing criteria among collegiate courts on this issue. Some have granted suspensions, while the Fourteenth Collegiate Court has denied injunctive relief in three cases, including the most recent review appeal. In the Mexican judicial system, amparo proceedings go through several stages. First, a district court reviews the claim and may grant or deny suspensions. Subsequently, rulings may be reviewed by collegiate circuit courts, which act as appellate courts. When collegiate courts within the same circuit issue conflicting criteria, the contradiction may be resolved by the corresponding Regional Plenary or Circuit Plenary, which establishes a standard to unify interpretation. If conflicting criteria later arise between regional plenaries from different circuits, the matter could escalate to the full bench of the Supreme Court, which would have the final word in setting a binding nationwide standard. Mobile phone registry in Mexico Context: The federal government implemented a mandatory registry of mobile phone users, a mechanism aimed at linking each phone number to the identity of its holder through the Unique Population Registry Code (CURP) or other official documents. The measure is part of a reform in telecommunications and public security intended to reduce crimes such as phone extortion and fraud, which are often carried out using anonymous lines. Under the regulatory provisions, all active lines in Mexicoboth prepaid and postpaidmust be registered, including physical SIM cards and eSIMs. The registry involves linking each phone line to the users personal data, a process primarily handled by telecom companies under guidelines issued by the sectors regulatory authority. The registry began implementation in January 2026, with a period of several months for users to complete the process. Authorities have warned that lines not registered within the established timeframe could be suspended, meaning the device would only be able to make emergency calls until the required linkage is completed. The measure affects the entire mobile market in the country, which exceeds 150 million active cellular lines, according to industry estimates. In addition to individual users, the registry also includes companies and foreign nationals using phone numbers in Mexico, who must verify their identity through official documents. However, the proposal has also sparked debate among experts and civil society organizations. Some specialists warn that creating a database with personal information from millions of users could pose risks to privacy and data protection, and raise questions about its effectiveness in reducing crime. djh China is quietly tightening one of the most lucrative pipelines feeding Hong Kongs capital markets, and the ripple effects could be felt from boardrooms in Beijing to trading desks in Central. According to Bloomberg, regulators are now discouraging a long-standing workaround used by Chinese companies to list offshore while keeping their operations at home. Beijing is restricting Chinese companies incorporated overseas from seeking initial public offerings in Hong Kong, Bloomberg reports, signaling a shift that stops short of an outright ban but lands close enough to make bankers nervous. At the center of the move are so-called red-chip firms companies legally registered in offshore jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands or British Virgin Islands but with core assets and operations in mainland China. For decades, this structure has been the go-to playbook for Chinese firms seeking foreign capital, offering flexibility, lighter regulatory friction and easier exits for global investors. The end of the offshore playbook Bloomberg notes that regulators have recently discouraged IPO applications from so-called red-chip firms, with some companies already being asked to restructure before proceeding. The message from Beijing is clear: if you want to tap Hong Kong markets, do it from home base. Authorities are encouraging firms to reincorporate onshore, effectively pulling corporate structures back within the mainland regulatory perimeter. The official line is about oversight and transparency. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said some red-chip firms suffer from relatively low ownership transparency and higher compliance risks, adding that a small number have been told to dismantle such structures as part of normal regulatory requirements. Behind the scenes, regulators are increasingly wary of capital flowing too freely through offshore vehicles. Hong Kong listings have long offered a semi-porous gateway between Chinas tightly managed financial system and global markets. Tightening the rules is a way to seal leaks without shutting the door entirely. A boom meets a brake And the timing isnt random. Hong Kongs IPO market is booming again. Bloomberg highlights that first-time share sales hit a four-year high in 2025, with momentum carrying into 2026. More than 400 companies were reportedly in the pipeline at the end of January, with proceeds projected to reach as much as $45 billion this year. In other words, just as the party gets going again, the host is checking the guest list. Unwinding red-chip structures is not a simple paperwork exercise it means shifting ownership of mainland assets back onshore, often triggering tax complications, regulatory approvals and potentially significant costs. Bloomberg points out that such restructuring could trigger large costs, while also complicating exit strategies for foreign investors. Finally, offshore structures have been a key feature attracting international venture capital and private equity into China. They allow mechanisms like weighted voting rights and smoother capital repatriation. Strip those away, and investors face tighter foreign exchange controls, longer lock-ups and more bureaucratic friction. The move also puts pressure on Hong Kong itself. The city has spent years positioning as Chinas global financial bridge not quite domestic, not quite foreign, but uniquely useful. If Beijing starts pulling more activity back onshore, Hong Kong risks losing some of that edge, even as its IPO numbers look strong on paper. The CSRC emphasized it has consistently supported companies seeking to list in Hong Kong and other overseas markets in compliance with laws and regulations. The door remains open just narrower, with more paperwork and a stricter bouncer. For companies, the message is simple: the era of easy offshore structuring is fading. For investors, its a reminder that access to Chinas growth story increasingly comes with conditions attached. And for Hong Kong, its another test of its balancing act thriving as a global market, while never straying too far from Beijings rulebook. Times Writer Like this: Like Loading... Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai led a Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) government delegation to Guangzhou to meet with the Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Huang Kunming, and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and Governor of Guangdong Province, Meng Fanli. During the meeting, Sam expressed his gratitude to the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the provincial government for their continued care and support for the MSARs sustainable development, particularly for their significant contributions to the joint construction of the Guangdong-Macau Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Sam noted that in the recently approved outline of the countrys 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, there are a series of measures aimed at supporting Macau in consolidating and enhancing its competitive advantages, better integrating into and serving overall national development, thereby bringing new and significant development opportunities. He remarked that the local government will proactively align with the countrys plan and compile and implement the Third Five-Year Plan for the MSARs Economic and Social Development. He also emphasized the need to strengthen the alignment of rules and mechanisms in scientific and technological innovation, economic development, and public services, accelerating the transformation of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) into a world-class city cluster with global influence and a premier international bay area. Among the cooperation projects, the CE said the focus would be on developing the Macau-Hengqin International Education (University) Town, the Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal, and the Hengqin section of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macau) High-Speed Railway. Other efforts would include promoting the development of industries in Macau and Hengqin, integrating civic and social services across the two areas, and realizing infrastructure and institutional connectivity in line with relevant rules and mechanisms. On his part, Secretary Huang noted that following President Xi Jinpings recent visit, he has demonstrated deep interest in the development of Guangdong, Macau, and the GBA, highlighted by the successful joint hosting of the 15th National Games. Huang also added that the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan provides new opportunities for Guangdong and Macau to advance higher-level cooperation from a new starting point. He remarked that Guangdong and Macau will work more closely to enhance the quality and efficiency of the Cooperation Zone, continuously deepen infrastructure and institutional connectivity, and constantly strengthen the capacity to attract high-quality resources and talent from home and abroad. Like this: Like Loading... The Customs Service (SA) intercepted a wooden sampan carrying two men who were attempting to exit Macau illegally. According to an SA report, the men were caught engaging in unlawful conduct on the evening of March 14. The Customs said the case came to light after it received a communication from the Public Security Police Force regarding suspected smuggling activities near the Taipa waterfront recreation area. Using the maritime intelligence monitoring system, the SA detected a suspicious vessel in the waters opposite the location. Customs immediately deployed patrol boats, officers, and a drone team to intercept the vessel. The SA located the motorized wooden sampan and stopped the occupants near the Border Gate. After questioning and further investigation, the SA learned that the two male suspects, mainland residents aged 29 and 40, were attempting to leave Macau illegally. One of the men was subject to a judicial ban on leaving Macau, while the second was assisting him. The first man is suspected of committing illegal immigration, aggravated by the judicial ban, while the second is suspected of assisting in illegal entry, exit, and stay. The SA has transferred the case to the Public Prosecutions Office, and both men were presented to a judge, who ordered their pre-trial detention. The Customs added that it will continue to strengthen maritime and coastal policing, closely cooperate with relevant departments in Macau and mainland China, and enhance law enforcement to combat all forms of illegal cross-border activities. Like this: Like Loading... Chinas Government Work Report emphasized nurturing unicorn companies. The 21st Century Business Herald spoke to Cai Jiming, professor of economics and social sciences at Tsinghua University, on the prospects of unicorn enterprises in the smart economy. Below are excerpts of the interview. Chinese AI unicorn companies still face weaknesses in basic research and original innovation. Most are concentrated in application-level innovation, a limitation that may become more pronounced with international competition. Many unicorn enterprises continue to operate independently, and coordinated innovation among upstream and downstream companies remains limited. In some sectors, key components and raw materials still rely heavily on external sources. The capital ecosystem is also not yet fully aligned with the needs of high-growth technology companies and financing structures require improvement. Regional development is uneven, with innovation resources concentrated in a few areas. The government can promote the development of unicorn enterprises by establishing regulatory sandbox mechanisms in emerging sectors. Continued administrative reforms that streamline business registration and approval procedures, provide integrated government services, strengthen the social credit system and maintain fair market order would help unleash greater market vitality and social creativity. Also, a tiered mechanism should be developed to provide precise support for unicorns. By improving the screening mechanisms for potential enterprises and introducing multidimensional evaluation criteria that dont rely on single valuation indicators, governments can build dynamic incubation pools and implement targeted, case-by-case support policies throughout the entire corporate life cycle. Dedicated innovation funds could be established to support basic research and key technological breakthroughs in priority areas, while providing targeted subsidies for research and development. Unicorn enterprises should be encouraged to lead innovation alliances that create a cycle linking the demands of industries, technological breakthroughs and real-world application. Meanwhile, the layout of scientific research infrastructure should be further optimized by expanding the coverage of national laboratories and research institutions, promoting open sharing of research findings and supporting enterprises in building key laboratories and innovation platforms. Talent development is another crucial factor. Specialized talent programs can help attract leading scientists and innovative teams while encouraging universities to establish interdisciplinary programs aligned with strategic industries. Closer collaboration and talent mobility among universities, research institutes and enterprises will further strengthen the innovation ecosystem. The development of unicorn enterprises requires a comprehensive capital ecosystem. Financial institutions should be encouraged to guide social capital toward start-ups, with risk compensation mechanisms for angel investment losses and incentives for long-term investors such as insurance funds and pension funds to participate in the equity markets. Banks can establish specialized technology finance divisions and offer products such as intellectual property pledge financing and supply-chain finance. Qualified companies can issue technology innovation bonds or green bonds, increasing the share of direct financing. A more efficient mergers and acquisitions market would also enable listed companies and mature unicorn enterprises to pursue deeper strategic integration. Companies should be supported in raising funds through domestic and international listings. CHINA DAILY Like this: Like Loading... The Macau delegation to the National Peoples Congress (NPC) has urged Beijing to expedite the construction of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai-Macau high-speed rail line, with Zhuhai authorities confirming plans to begin construction this year. Local NPC deputies have called on the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the National Railway Administration, and China State Railway Group to include the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macau) High-Speed Railway project in the Medium- and Long-Term Railway Network Plan for the New Era and the 15th Five-Year Plan for Railway Development as a priority construction project. They urged the acceleration of preliminary studies and a prompt commencement of construction to bolster the development of a world-class urban agglomeration. Notably, Lao Ngai Leong, one of the 12 deputies, proposed that the central government lead the establishment of a regular, high-level coordination mechanism involving the NDRC and other relevant ministries, along with local governments in Guangdong, Macau, and Zhuhai, to advance major initiatives such as airport synergy, airspace optimization, and port innovation. He expressed hope that the mainland would support the joint development of a comprehensive air cargo hub between Macau and Zhuhai and the expansion of international flight routes from Macau International Airport. Zhuhai authorities have recently issued a tender announcement for the feasibility study of a master plan for the citys railway hub. It was noted that this initiative aims to evaluate various proposals and refine the plan based on research findings, seeking to integrate key hub resources, including Zhuhais Hezhou Island and Hengqin high-speed rail hubs, to enhance the development of rail and urban transportation. Significantly, the construction of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macau) High-Speed Railway is featured in the national 15th Five-Year Plan, marking Macaus first inclusion in the national high-speed rail network. This project has been officially listed in the 2026 Zhuhai Municipal Government Work Report. Reportedly, the 2026 Guangdong Provincial Government Work Report explicitly called for the start of construction on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macau High-Speed Railway. The line is set to begin at Guangzhou North Railway Station, passing through Terminal 3 of Baiyun Airport, Guangzhou Huangpu Yuzhu, Nansha, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai Hezhou, before arriving at Hengqin Port and connecting to Macau via an extension of the Macau Light Rapid Transit. The Hengqin High-Speed Rail Station, which seamlessly connects with the western extension of the Macau LRT project, has been recognized by Chinese media as a potential pioneer of the station-city integration plus Hengqin-Macau integration development model. This innovative approach integrates customs and border inspection facilities within the station itself, along with a commercial complex in a single multi-story building. As expected, in the future, Macau residents will benefit from a one-stop transfer experience, allowing them to get off the LRT, board the high-speed rail, and clear customs to enter the mainland all in one location. Like this: Like Loading... The escalating war with Iran is pushing parts of the world into energy triage, forcing governments to choose where to cut demand or absorb costs, while prioritizing dwindling supplies. Asia is the most exposed since it relies heavily on imported fuel, much of it shipped through the now-blocked Strait of Hormuz. The narrow passage offshore from Iran is the main route for shipping a fifth of global trade in crude oil and liquified natural gas. Governments in the region are scrambling to adjust tallying oil reserves, conserving energy, competing for supplies and trying to blunt prices. That brings difficult trade-offs: saving power may slow business activity. Prioritizing cooking gas for households can hurt restaurants and other businesses. Even relatively modest constraints on energy use can create a drag on industrial activity, said Linh Nguyen, with the consultancy Control Risks. She pointed to Vietnams energy-intensive export industries and warned that higher fuel costs or conservation measures could quickly raise production costs or slow factory output. Analysts warn the same hard choices could soon spread beyond Asia to fuel-importing economies in Africa and elsewhere as countries compete for scarce supplies. Like this: Like Loading... As part of a push into premium mass gaming that has doubled the companys market share since pre-COVID levels, MGM Resorts International plans to launch 124 new workhorse suites at its MGM Cotai property in Macau next month, MGM executives said. The session, held March 12, at the J.P. Morgan Gaming, Lodging, Restaurant, and Leisure Management Access Forum, featured MGM president and CEO William Hornbuckle and chief financial officer Jonathan Halkyard fielding questions from J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer. During the session, Hornbuckle highlighted strong post-Chinese New Year performance despite softer luck compared to last years first quarter. Volumes are great and continue to grow, he said. I think the expectations weve set for the market for the year, particularly, are on track and then some. [] At the top line, were all outperforming that. Hornbuckle described Macaus gross gaming revenue as having fallen from a peak near USD45 billion to the low $30 billion range, but he anticipates controlled growth under government oversight. He also noted that MGM Resorts is blending VIP and premium mass gaming to capture a diverse customer mix in Macau. Its both, Hornbuckle told Politzer. While highlighting that MGM is converting old junket spaces into VIP and mass premium areas, Hornbuckle remarked that Macaus gaming market remains a dog fight, with steady competition not expected to change soon. Premium mass [] has really made a difference, Hornbuckle said. Weve enjoyed a 15% or so share, and I think over time well continue to do that. I think Macau is on a pretty steady path now for the next year or two in the context of the shape of the market, he added. I think the market share we see in the mid-teens is fair, and I see that continuing to grow. This shift is further bolstered by mid-2025 launches like the Alpha Club and villas converted from three floors of suites targeting premium mass players. Of our 10 biggest customers there, 6 or 7 of them are considered in mass premium, and the other 3 or 4 are VIP, Hornbuckle revealed. Regarding non-gaming projects, Hornbuckle said, Weve brought on a show and a theater, a black box, a museum, which has been highly successful, and indicated that future spending will focus on efficiency as regulatory pressures push to diversify beyond gaming. We all are under the obligation to put more money into these non-gaming assets. And so, it will be interesting to see how that gets manifested over the next couple of years. But I dont think the dynamic of how were doing the marketing, casino marketing of note, is going to change, said the MGM CEO. Halkyard added, I think its also important to point out that while the competitive landscape for our properties in Macau is really important [] whats equally important is our relationship, MGM Resorts with that company, emphasizing MGMs 56% stake in MGM China. The CFO highlighted a rock-solid balance sheet at MGM China with low leverage and strong free cash flow. Branding fees there also recently rose to market rates, bolstering parent company cash flows. Those roughly $250 million a year [] are very solid cash flows for our shareholders, said Halkyard. Shifting to Asia expansion, executives touted Japan as a career-defining bet. Hornbuckle compared Japans 120 million population to Macaus 6 million, noting its proximity, just 1.5 hours from Shanghai and Beijing. He also noted that Japans pachinko industry exceeds $30 billion annually, signaling demand. MGM allocates $450 million in equity this year to its Osaka integrated resort, outpacing prior pledges and rivaling Singapores Marina Bay Sands. If it just manifests itself whats going on today in Singapore, if we start with a $2 billion cash flow business, were going to net about $800 million given our stake, the CFO said. Opening by 2030, the project prioritizes upfront bank funding, with construction wrapping by late 2028. Like this: Like Loading... In response to ongoing public concerns about three-nil buildings those lacking management, maintenance, and security local authorities have announced that property owners can discuss and agree on suitable management models tailored to their buildings specific conditions, including the option for joint building management to address issues related to public order, sanitation, and noise. Ho Ion Sang, vice-president of the Legislative Assembly (AL), has submitted a written inquiry to the authorities concerning building management in Macau, highlighting the long-standing practical challenges in this area. He remarkef that three-nil buildings, as well as buildings with a high concentration of elderly residents living alone, face increased risks related to public health, facility maintenance, residential safety, and fire safety. The lawmaker further highlighted several persistent issues within private buildings, noting that public areas often suffer from problems such as dripping air conditioners, encroachment on common areas, objects being thrown from heights, and littering challenges that are difficult to regulate. He urged the authorities to consider innovative solutions to help private buildings overcome these long-standing management challenges, emphasizing the need to address the issues at their source. The authorities emphasized their commitment to addressing concerns raised by Ho, particularly regarding objects being thrown from heights. They noted that public awareness campaigns are ongoing both online and offline. In January, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) conducted 18 safety visits and outreach activities, along with 15 street-level awareness campaigns. According to a written response to Ho, law enforcement continues to disseminate information, such as tips for preventing objects from being thrown from heights, through its mobile app and official social media platforms to promote legal awareness and encourage public compliance. A review of past reports indicates that as early as last year, authorities stressed that the key measure for preventing objects from being thrown from heights is to enhance public awareness of civic responsibility. They also noted that public order, sanitation, and noise issues associated with three-nil buildings must be addressed by improving existing management systems, clarifying when authorities can intervene, and exercising their official powers to ensure these buildings transition from being three-nil to properly managed. The authorities written response also addressed issues related to encroachment on common areas in private buildings and community environmental hygiene. They reported that in 2025, the Fire Services Bureau (CB) conducted a total of 11,760 fire safety inspections and patrols, including 5,957 inspections of residential buildings. Meanwhile, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) prosecuted over 14,000 cases involving illegal dumping of garbage, obstructing public streets with clutter, and instances of water dripping or sewage discharging from air conditioners. As noted, the IAM also referred to 105 cases of sewage flowing onto public streets. The authorities emphasized that property owners should collectively monitor the condition of their buildings and convene meetings of unit owners to establish a management body. This body would be responsible for managing and maintaining the common areas, enhancing the living environment, and discussing suitable management models tailored to the specific conditions of their building, including the option for joint building management. Like this: Like Loading... With airstrikes rocking Beirut and Israeli troops advancing against Hezbollah, Lebanons government has broken a taboo by proposing the first direct talks with Israel in decades. But Lebanese officials say they want the fighting to end first and it might be too late for that. Hezbollahs decision to enter the wider Iran war by firing rockets at Israel has led to heavy Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs, killing some 850 Lebanese and driving over a million people from their homes. Israel is threatening a wider ground invasion and the destruction of Lebanons civilian infrastructure. Last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun offered to hold direct negotiations with Israel for the first time since the 1982 Israeli invasion. Aoun also asked for a boost in funding for Lebanese troops and reaffirmed his commitment to disarm Hezbollah. But Lebanon wants the fighting to end before any talks with Israel, according to officials familiar with the matter. Israeli officials did not respond to requests for comment. But Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denied any talks were planned. The agreement that ended Lebanons 19751990 civil war called for the disarmament of all armed groups, but Hezbollah alone kept its weapons, saying they were needed to protect Lebanon from Israel. Successive governments refused to confront the group, fearing that any attempt to disarm it by force could rekindle civil war. That calculus started to change in 2024, when Israel killed most of Hezbollahs top leaders and pummeled its armed wing. Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who took office in early 2025, pledged to disarm Hezbollah, a position with wide support among Lebanons war-weary population. In the months leading up to the war, the government deployed troops across large parts of southern Lebanon and said it dismantled over 500 Hezbollah warehouses and military positions. But it did not confront the group directly. When Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel days after the U.S.-Israeli bombing of Iran, the Lebanese government condemned the militant group, outlawed its activities, and arrested several militants. But by then the country had been plunged into another war. Hezbollah still portrays itself as Lebanons only viable defense, accusing Israel of violating a 2024 ceasefire by continuing airstrikes and refusing to withdraw from strategic points along the border. Israel says Hezbollah is in violation of past agreements requiring it to disarm and warns it will act, at potentially great cost to Lebanon. Hezbollah officials have denounced the offer of talks. Mahmoud Qamati said the move was a concession and a big mistake, adding the state cannot make promises without the resistances approval. There is no senior official in the White House focusing on Lebanon, said Randa Slim. The offer of talks is unlikely to gain traction or head off an Israeli invasion. Israeli troops are advancing deeper into southern Lebanon ahead of an expected wider ground invasion. The military has struck bridges and key roads and issued evacuation warnings. The Lebanese government, facing a severe financial crisis, is scrambling to provide shelter and aid for nearly one million displaced people while calling on the international community to press Israel to spare key infrastructure. Aoun continues his diplomatic calls from the presidential palace as drones circle overhead, airstrikes echo in the distance and smoke rises to the south. [Abridged] Like this: Like Loading... Through lectures, scoldings and outright threats, President Donald Trump and his aides are ratcheting up the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. The Republican president has fumed on social media about stories he doesnt like and berated a reporter on Air Force One. The governments top media regulator has warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses if they dont stay away from fake news. Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have questioned the patriotism of news outlets because of their reporting. Trump has complained about war coverage in both specific and general ways. In a social media post, he said news reports exaggerated the damage to planes that were attacked by Iran at an airport in Saudi Arabia. He attacked Corrupt Media Outlets for falling for AI-generated false reports created by Iran and said the media hates to report how well the U.S. military has performed. All presidential administrations tangle with the press; its the natural byproduct of journalists watchdog roles in a democratic society. But the incidents of the past few days speak to a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned in a way that, some say, scratches up against the First Amendment itself. A contentious gaggle on Air Force One Meeting with reporters on Air Force One while returning to the White House from Florida late Sunday, the president objected to a question from ABC News Mariam Khan about a fundraising message that used a photo taken at last weeks dignified transfer ceremony of the remains of U.S. service members. Khan was working as the pool reporter on the plane, but when she told Trump she was with ABC, he said: I think its maybe the most corrupt news organization on the planet. I think theyre terrible. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr cited Trumps Truth Social message about the planes struck in Saudi Arabia in warning news outlets to be careful about what they report. Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions also known as fake news have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up, Carr wrote on X over the weekend. The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their license if they do not. Decades of court decisions have generally sided with the press over government attempts to regulate the content it produces. But Carr said making changes is in the best interest of legacy media outlets because so many people dont trust them. His ability to make changes, however, is limited. The FCC does not regulate networks like CBS, NBC and ABC although it does have the authority to reject the licenses of individual affiliates of those networks when they come up for renewal. Cable news networks CNN, Fox News Channel and MS NOW are not under the FCCs purview. The Trump message that Carr retweeted mentioned only The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal specifically, and the FCC has no authority over newspapers. Punishing a television affiliate for war coverage that Carr objects to is likely to run afoul of the law, noted First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams in an interview Monday. The broadcast media is always at risk of a sort that newspapers are not. But at its core, they are protected by the First Amendment, Abrams said, and these statements by the chairman seem to me are directly threatening First Amendment interests and First Amendment principles. Abrams said hed argue that robust war reporting is just the sort of public interest work that television stations should be doing to justify their licenses. Intimidation may be Carrs motive. And that doesnt have to mean intimidating a news outlet to pull its punches, said Barbara Starr, a former CNN Pentagon correspondent. The risk is the climate they create, she said. Are people going to be afraid to talk to reporters? Some of them will be, and thats a serious matter. What kind of reporting is expected? Trump said on social media that he was thrilled to see Carr looking at the licenses of the highly corrupt and highly unpatriotic News organizations. Their efforts were endorsed Monday by hosts of the influential Fox & Friends morning show on Fox News Channel. The president has said enough with this coverage, from other networks that are not telling you the truth, that are so negative about what is going on, said Foxs Ainsley Earhardt, without specifying the outlets she was referring to. This is a pro-America fight, and every network needs to get on board with that. Hegseth, in his most recent Pentagon war briefing, specifically attacked CNN. Under his administration, most legacy news outlets have been thrown out of their regular spaces in the Pentagon press room because they would not agree to his new rules that he said restricted their work. Some reporters from exiled outlets are allowed back for briefings, although Hegseth seldom takes their questions. Without an explanation, still photographers have been banned from briefings. Hegseth said a CNN story about the administration being unprepared for Iranian attacks on the worlds oil supply was ridiculous. He offered his own edits of headlines that a patriotic press should use onscreen. The sooner that David Ellison takes over that network, the better, Hegseth said, in reference to the Paramount Global chief, whose company is expected to take over ownership of CNN. The administration is hoping that will result in more Trump-friendly coverage. Mark Thompson, CNNs chief executive, said the network stands behind its work. Politicians have an obvious motive for claiming that journalism which raises questions about their decisions is false, he said. At CNN, our only interest is telling the truth to our audiences in the U.S. and around the world, and no amount of political insults and threats is going to change that. Starr, now retired from Pentagon reporting, said she sees journalists consistently breaking stories despite the limited access and hostility toward their work under the current administration. That has always been the case, she said. The level of intimidation has definitely ramped up and, in response to that, the commitment to the First Amendment and quality journalism has ramped up even further. DAVID BAUDER, Media Writer, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London yesterday for talks with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the British government said, as European countries look to keep international attention on Russias invasion of Ukraine while the unfolding Iran war engages world leaders. Starmers office said that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will also join the meeting at 10 Downing St. to discuss peacemaking efforts in Ukraine and the need to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia. The meeting comes days after the U.S. temporarily waived some Russian oil sanctions in a bid to ease pressure on global supplies triggered by the war in the Middle East, which was sparked by the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28. Zelenskyy criticized Washingtons move to ease sanctions, saying it would provide a windfall for Moscow to keep up its attacks on Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to secure a peace deal that ends Europes biggest conflict since World War II and has rattled the continents leaders, who reckon that Russia could pose a credible security threat to the European Union by the end of the decade. But U.S.-brokered talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv, which so far have yielded no significant progress on key issues, have lost momentum amid the Middle East conflict. At the same time, Trump has spurned Zelenskyys offer of help for the United States and its Persian Gulf partners in fighting Iranian drones. Ukraine has become one of the worlds leading producers of high-tech, battle-tested drone interceptors. British officials say that Russia and Iran are collaborating on drone technology and tactics in the Middle East. Drone combat experts from the U.K. and Ukraine have been sent to the region to help Irans neighbors repel its drone attacks. Starmers office said the U.K. and Ukraine will sign a deal combining Ukraines expertise and the U.K.s industrial base to manufacture and supply drones and innovative capabilities. Britain is also funding an AI Center of Excellence in conjunction with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Zelenskyy, announcing his arrival in London on X, said his priorities are more security and opportunities for Ukraine. Starmer said in a statement that drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security, and that has only been further magnified by the conflict in the Middle East. By deepening our defense partnerships, we are strengthening Ukraines ability to defend itself from Russias brutal, ongoing attacks, while ensuring the U.K. and our allies are better prepared to meet the threats of the future. Russias Defense Ministry said yesterday that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 206 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Azov Sea. A total of 40 intercepted drones were flying toward Moscow, the ministry said. Asked about an increase in Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow over the past few days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that authorities in Kyiv were continuing absolutely futile resistance against Russias invasion. Zelenskyy said late Monday that counterattacks by Ukrainian forces at eastern and southern points along the front line have wrecked Moscows plans for a March offensive. His comments couldnt be independently verified, but the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Monday that Ukrainian counterattacks are likely constraining some Russian offensive operations. Ukraines air force said that Russia launched 178 long-range drones of various types across the country overnight starting late Monday, with 154 of them either intercepted or jammed while 22 more struck their targets. In the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, a Russian strike damaged a terminal of Ukraines biggest private delivery company, Nova Poshta, the company said on Telegram. Eight people were wounded, according to Ivan Fedorov, the head of the regional military administration. JILL LAWLESS, LONDON, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Balance of Visible Trade showed a deficit of Rs 12,768 million in January 2026, lower by 36.8% compared to the previous month and by 25.8% compared to the corresponding month of 2025. In January 2026, total imports decreased by 26.5% compared to December 2025 and by 16.5% compared to January 2025 and total exports decreased by 4.3% compared to December 2025 and increased by 1.9% compared to January 2025. United Kingdom (13.5%), United States (12.9%), South Africa (11.4%), France (9.1%), Spain (8.6%) and Madagascar (7.8%) were our major exports destinations while our imports were mainly from China (15.9%), Sultanate of Oman (11.1%), France (8.6%), U.A.E. (8.6%), India (7.5%) and South Africa (5.9%). Resume en Francais Le deficit de la balance commerciale sest etabli a 12 768 millions de roupies en janvier 2026, marquant une amelioration notable de 25,8 % sur un an. Cette reduction sexplique par une chute des importations de 16,5 %, tandis que les exportations ont progresse de 1,9 %. Le deficit de la balance commerciale sest etabli a 12 768 millions de roupies en janvier 2026, marquant une amelioration notable de 25,8 % sur un an. Cette reduction sexplique par une chute des importations de 16,5 %, tandis que les exportations ont progresse de 1,9 %. Le Royaume-Uni et les Etats-Unis demeurent les principaux clients de lile. Cote approvisionnement, la Chine et le Sultanat dOman dominent le marche des importations. Cette dynamique positive signale un debut dannee encourageant pour les echanges exterieurs mauriciens. FHS Africa organised by The Bench, is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of the prestigious FHS Africa Awards. This years honourees are Vimbai Masiyiwa, Co-Founder and CEO of Batoka Africa, who will receive the Leadership Award, and Colin Bell, CEO of Natural Selection and former CEO of Wilderness, who will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality Award. Both awards will be presented in Nairobi during FHS Africa 2026, taking place from 31 March to 1 April 2026. The recipients will be celebrated as part of the event programme, including exclusive one-to-one interviews in which they will share reflections on their life stories, leadership journeys and the milestones that have shaped their impact on African hospitality. As Co-Founder and CEO of Batoka Africa, Vimbai Masiyiwa is shaping a new era of African hospitality. The company operates a portfolio of luxury safari properties in Zimbabwe, grounded in conservation, sustainability and community empowerment. Under her leadership, Batoka Africa has championed responsible tourism that protects biodiversity while creating meaningful economic opportunity for local communities. Masiyiwa is recognised for advancing gender inclusion in leadership and for building an African-owned brand that competes confidently on the global stage while remaining deeply rooted in shared value and local impact. Commenting on the award, Vimbai Masiyiwa said: I am deeply honoured to receive the FHS Africa Leadership Award. For us at Batoka Africa, hospitality is about stewardship, of land, of culture and of opportunity. This recognition reflects the dedication of our teams and the communities we work alongside in Zimbabwe. I look forward to sharing our journey in Nairobi and celebrating the continued evolution of African-led hospitality. Colin Bell is one of the most influential figures in African conservation tourism. Through his leadership at Natural Selection and previously at Wilderness, he has helped shape a model of high-end, conservation-driven safari experiences that balance commercial success with environmental stewardship. Over the course of his career, Bell has played a central role in expanding conservation tourism into new territories, strengthening partnerships with governments and communities, and demonstrating how hospitality can directly support biodiversity protection and local livelihoods. His work has positioned African safari tourism as a global benchmark for sustainable luxury. Colin Bell said: Im deeply grateful for this recognition from FHS Africa. Hospitality, at its best, connects guests to wild places in meaningful ways while safeguarding those places for generations to come. I look forward to reflecting on that journey in Nairobi and celebrating the collective effort of so many people who have shaped Africas conservation tourism story. Matthew Weihs, Growth Director at The Bench, added: Vimbai Masiyiwa and Colin Bell are two exceptionally worthy winners. Both have redefined what leadership in African hospitality looks like purpose-driven, commercially astute and deeply committed to community and conservation. We cannot wait to showcase their stories and personal journeys on stage in Nairobi at FHS Africa 2026. FHS Africa 2026 will bring together hospitality investors, owners, operators and industry leaders from across the continent and beyond for two days of forward-looking discussion, high-level networking and celebration in Nairobi. The Charles Telfair Centre have organised a closed-doors National Workshop on the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Port Louis Harbour themed Towards a more Competitive and Greener Port Louis Harbour ran under the Chatham House Rule and held on Thursday 12th December 2025. Signed by Myriam Blin, the report titled Towards a more Competitive and Greener Port-Louis Harbour set the context and the geopolitical instability that have change the traffic patterns in the Indian Ocean as well as in the World. Mauritius aims to position Port Louis as a green regional trade hub to support its blue economy. Despite this strategic foundation, the Competition Commission Market Study (2024) identified underperformance in container handling, turnaround times, and institutional coordination. The Container Terminal Concession Guidelines for Africa (World Bank, 2017) suggest that small island ports can overcome scale disadvantages through governance reforms and private sector partnerships. Despite its advantageous location, Port Louis faces a persistent and substantial productivity gap. According to the latest available data, Port Louis currently handles approximately 450,000 TEUs annually (Competition Commission, 2024), while comparably positioned hubs such as Colombo process over 7 million TEUs, and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia exceeds 11 million TEUs. For the second time in as many months, Beijing has found itself relegated to the superpower sidelines as Washington pummels one of its principal diplomatic partners. Iran now offers a broader lesson for Beijing: American hard power can upend decades of soft-power investment overnight. However, if the war turns into an exhausting quagmire, China could gain the upper hand over the United States in the long term. Chinas response to the widening Middle East conflict follows a predictable playbook: condemn Washington, rhetorically champion sovereignty and stability, and call for a return to diplomacy. Beyond public posturing, however, China has offered Iran no meaningful support militarily, economically or diplomatically. For Beijing, this is a familiar script. It is the same approach China adopted after President Donald Trump deposed Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela another country where China maintains significant energy, telecommunications and port infrastructure assets. Chinas choices in Iran reflect less calibrated restraint than structural constraint. Put simply, Beijings lofty geopolitical rhetoric far outpaces its reach. It lacks the means to project force in the Gulf and the alliance network to influence battlefield outcomes. Nor is Beijing seeking to confront Washington just as tensions have stabilised after last years bruising trade war. For a country that aspires to global leadership, those realities are as consequential as they are humbling. Importantly, nothing suggests Washingtons Iran campaign was designed to counter China, even if the downstream effects may still undercut Chinese interests. Great powers rarely experience shocks in isolation, and Beijing will interpret recent developments through its own strategic lens. China will draw a dual conclusion: American military power remains formidable, and the US is a volatile, declining power that still poses the greatest risk to Chinas security and ambitions. Chinas response, in plain terms, will be to continue hedging against perceived US instability by doubling down on its policy of self-reliance hardening supply chains, strengthening industrial capacity and shrinking Washingtons ability to constrain Chinas decisions in a crisis. The Peoples Liberation Army will also study this conflict closely. Chinas military is already dissecting the operational lessons, including how US and allied forces neutralised Iranian air defences and coordinated precision strikes. This is not an academic exercise. It will feed directly into Beijings planning for contingencies closer to home, including a potential conflict over Taiwan. Chinas more immediate exposure is economic. Iran supplies roughly 1.4 million barrels per day to China about 13 per cent of its imports and around half of Chinas imported oil transits the Strait of Hormuz. A prolonged disruption would tighten markets and raise costs. However, Beijing has prepared for precisely this moment. Beyond expanding nuclear and solar power, China has built roughly 1.2 billion barrels of oil storage capacity, including strategic and commercial reserves. Even if those tanks are not full, they could cover several months of imports, cushioning supply shocks. Moreover, Iranian oil shipments to China have not been halted by the war, and Washington has taken no steps to seize them. Beijings real vulnerability is not physical shortage but short-term financial strain. Iranian crude typically trades at an $8 to $10 per barrel discount; losing that margin could cost Chinese refiners more than $4 billion annually. This explains why China is pushing Tehran to reopen the strait even if the bill amounts to little more than an expensive inconvenience. Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Trump delayed a highly anticipated summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing that had been scheduled for late March. The move reflects his near-term focus on managing the war and its global spillover effects. In Beijing, the delay likely comes as a quiet relief. The original timing had created an awkward tableau: welcoming Trump just as he helped topple one of Chinas closest diplomatic partners. However, the shift in summit timing does not alter Chinas underlying calculus. Xi was never likely to jeopardise Chinas core interests with Washington simply to shield Tehran from consequences it cannot control. If anything, the delay reinforces that timing, not trajectory, is the variable in play. A postponement is more plausible than a derailment. In the interim, China has strong incentives to preserve the tactical trade truce reached by both leaders in October. The deal buys time for economic recovery, locks in tariff predictability and reduces the odds of sudden sanctions risks at a moment of geopolitical volatility. Maintaining summit momentum, even on a revised timeline, reinforces Beijings preferred narrative of stability between the two near-peer powers and preserves space for continued negotiation. Whether todays conflict ultimately helps or hurts Chinas long-term position depends on the endgame. A prolonged quagmire that bleeds US resources and breeds war fatigue would weaken Washingtons resolve for a future fight, potentially in the Indo-Pacific. A short, decisive campaign that achieves its stated objectives would do the opposite and stiffen deterrence. For Beijing, the stakes are the signal: Americas capacity to impose outcomes, sustain operations, and exit on its own terms. More than anything, a prolonged conflict could hand China the commodity it prizes most: time to strengthen its hand before rivalry with Washington sharpens again an outcome Beijing almost certainly expects now. Craig Singleton, a former US diplomat, is a senior fellow and senior director of the China Programme at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies. The aspiration to build a Ferris wheel in Mumbai, curiously, has been cyclical. A pod in the great wheel of megaproject ideas, it appears and disappears in predictable, repeating cycles. Once every few years, a grand announcement is made, but after a brief period of excitement or indifference, it fades away. Mercifully, it has not yet materialised. But given its futility, it most certainly will be built. The story of the obsession with circles in the sky is tied up with the history of World Fairs. It began more than a century ago, during the 1889 Paris Exposition, where France showcased a unique monument: a 330-metre-tall skeleton made of wrought iron that was at the time the tallest man-made structure on Earth. The Eiffel Tower exhibited the mastery of French engineers in iron and steel construction. Four years later, it was Chicagos turn to host the World Fair. The 1893 Columbian Exposition unabashedly celebrated the fourth centenary of the European conquest of the New World. While the Americans wanted to outshine the French in feats of engineering, the hosts were not interested in building the tallest or largest monument. In fact, when Gustav Eiffel offered to build a tower taller than the one in Paris, the Americans declined; they wanted to demonstrate their technological ingenuity, not the ability to replicate what the Europeans had already done. So they searched for a breakthrough, which came from a 33-year-old civil engineer, George Ferris. Ferris proposed to build a massive wheel with suspended carriages that would give the occupants a birds-eye view of their surroundings. This was a challenging engineering problem: When a shape (like a carriage wheel) is multiplied in size, its volume and weight multiplies faster than its structural strength. Scaling up an ordinary spoked wheel a hundred times would make the wheel too heavy for its axle. So Ferris designed a tension wheel, where the spokes acted as cables rather than columns (the same principle as a bicycle wheel). When built, the original Ferris wheel was 80 metres high, and people gaped in wonder at the enormous structure that seemed to be held up with strings. The idea of the tension wheel was picked up by the Europeans, who started making them bigger. London featured one in 1894 at the Empire of India exhibition that was 94 metres high. A 96-metre-high wheel was built in the Paris World Fair in 1900. These early wheels were eventually demolished. The novelty had worn off, and for most of the 20th Century, a 65-metre wheel in an amusement park in Vienna remained the tallest standing Ferris wheel. In the mid-1980s the concept re-emerged after the Japanese built multiple record-breaking Ferris wheels for global exhibitions or as part of amusement parks. The wheel mania, however, exploded after the installation of the Millennium Wheel in London (later named London Eye) a 135-metre cantilevered monument that quickly became a major tourist attraction. The Ferris wheel had moved away from the world of engineering feats and exhibition attractions. It was now repositioned as a permanent urban fixture, with many major cities now desiring it as a trinket to embellish their skyline. Why? Because to city managers, the erection of a conspicuously wasteful Ferris wheel has become a sign of global status. The 160-metre-high Star of Nanchang was completed in 2006; the 165-metre-high Singapore Flyer was completed in 2008; the 168-metre High Roller in Las Vegas was completed in 2014; and in 2021 the world capital of biggest and tallest everything built the Ain Dubai that reaches 250 metres high. And on it goes, in the juvenile race to build the biggest and tallest hoop in the world. Mumbais authorities, of course, wanted their own status symbol to signal their arrival in the prestigious league of world-class cities. In 2008, the BMC proposed to build a Mumbai Eye near Bandra Bandstand an explicit tribute to the monument in London. In 2011, the MSRDC proposed to build it on land reclaimed for the Bandra-Worli Sealink. The 2014 Rani Jadhav report for the eastern waterfront proposed to build an observatory wheel at Nariman Point. In 2022, MMRDA considered building it in Bandra, but dropped it two years later. Finally, the BMC included it in the 2025 budget, but excluded it from the latest one. Apart from these formal announcements, the Ferris wheel looms in various hyperbolic skyline visualisations of Mumbais urban renewal: In the 2009 Concept Plan for MMR, in the MbPTs 2020 master-plan, and now in the BMCs latest coastal road beautification proposal. Perhaps the authorities believe that mindless replication is an achievement in itself. Nevertheless, people wonder: What is the point? Even if we have a big wheel, there are no affordable buses to reach there, or clear air for visibility, or natural areas and parks for a view worth its price. Hussain Indorewala is a teacher and urban researcher at KRVIA. Views are personal. A couple failed to conceive for four years because they didn't know how to have sex. The couple didn't know how to have sex A medical expert has revealed that a married couple in their 20s - whose names haven't been revealed in a bid to protect their privacy - failed in their efforts to have a baby, because they didn't actually know how to have sex. Obstetrician Liu Hongmei told China's Guiyang Evening Post: "The couple were very young, the man 26 and the woman 24. They were very healthy, but, despite being married for four years, couldn't conceive." The married couple were regularly engaging in 'intercourse' and were facing outside pressures to start a family from their loved ones. However, their efforts to conceive were unsuccessful because they didn't actually know what they were doing in the bedroom. Hongmei said: "Their family was giving them a lot of stress because of it." The obstetrician initially looked at the couple's medical history to ascertain whether there was any health reasons as to why they would struggle to conceive. The wife explained that their sexual experiences were "unusually painful", prompting the medical expert to suspect she might have suffered from some form of gynaecological condition. However, Hongmei was ultimately shocked to discover that the wife was, in fact, a virgin and that the couple simply didn't know how to have sex. As a result, Hongmei provided the duo with a sex-education handbook in the hope that it would help them to conceive. Hongmei said: "Four years of marriage and neither the husband nor wife knew how to get pregnant. Couples so lacking in general knowledge are very rare. "But it is not uncommon for people to lack or have misconceptions regarding sexual knowledge." And Hongmei's approach ultimately proved to be successful, as the couple managed to conceive a few months after being gifted the sex-education handbook by the obstetrician. The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) is facing a legal battle after Francis Atwoli secured a sixth term as secretary general without opposition. Fazul Mahamed filed the lawsuit in the Employment and Labour Relations Court, questioning the legality of the delegates conference held on March 14, 2026, in Kisumu. Mahamed argues that the election process ignored the law and failed to uphold the democratic principles required for trade unions. Mahamed contends that the entire electoral process was regular, unlawful, and in violation of both statutory requirements and constitutional principles governing trade union democracy. According to court filings, the Registrar of Trade Unions had previously established a specific schedule for these transitions. The Registrars 2025 circular required affiliate unions to finish their branch and national elections first, setting a deadline of August 30, 2026, for the final COTU-K polls. Court documents indicate that the Registrar of Trade Unions had issued a circular on September 25, 2025, setting out the official electoral timeline, requiring affiliate unions to first conduct branch elections between January 5 and March 31, 2026, followed by national elections between April 1 and June 30, 2026, before COTU-K elections could be held by August 30, 2026. The petitioner claims that COTU-K rushed its elections before these affiliate unions could even finish their own voting. He suggests that this shortcut undermines the legitimacy of the entire leadership structure. It is a clear case of putting the cart before the horse. Without duly elected delegates from affiliate unions, no valid COTU leadership can be constituted, the court papers state. The lawsuit against COTU-K highlights a series of alleged failures within the unions electoral process. According to the petition, the body reportedly did not update membership registers, lacked an independent electoral board, failed to produce a voters register, and never issued public notices for vacant seats or nominations. Petitioner Mahamed contends that these shortcuts deprived union members of their right to a free, fair, and transparent vote. To address the alleged irregularities, he is seeking conservatory orders from the court. These include preventing the Registrar of Trade Unions from officially registering or gazetting the newly elected officials and barring Francis Atwoli and other declared winners from assuming office until the court delivers a final decision. Recognizing the urgency of the matter, Justice Jacob Gakeri has directed that the petitioner serve the court papers immediately. He has also ordered COTU-K to file its responses within four days. The court is scheduled to reconvene on March 24, 2026, to provide further directions on the case. Seven suspects appeared in a Nairobi court on Tuesday to face charges for their alleged roles in a multi-million-dollar fake government contract scheme. The accused Michafi Musyoki Ngumbi, Evans Simotwo, Geofrey Were Odondi, Allan Mutahi Kariuki, Purity Nieri Niamu, Muniaro Jared Masinde, and Kororia Simatwa denied the allegations before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Teresa Nyangena. Their eighth co-accused, Rose Mbuthia, failed to attend the proceedings, leading the magistrate to issue a summons for her to appear at a future date. The prosecution claims the group defrauded a foreign national, Talal Yousef Yousef Zaitoun, of USD 470,750 (roughly Sh60 million). According to the charges, the suspects misled the victim between January 10 and February 25, 2026. They allegedly promised him a Kenyan government tender to supply 500 high-roof diesel Toyota Hiace ambulances. Investigators contend that the group fabricated these promises solely to trick the victim into handing over large sums of money. Geofrey Were Odondi faces further charges for allegedly obtaining USD 450,750 through false pretenses. The prosecution claims he received the money through Lianyungang Chanta International Wood Company Limited by promising to facilitate a deal that did not exist. He also faces allegations of money laundering for moving illicit funds through an Equity Bank account belonging to Damira Multiactivities. Meanwhile, Michafi Musyoki Ngumbi faces two counts of forgery. Prosecutors allege he falsified a contract between the Ministry of Interior and a foreign firm, Jokara AB. He also reportedly forged a letter of notification of award to make the fraudulent tender look official. All seven suspects denied the charges during the hearing. Chief Magistrate Nyangena granted them release on a cash bail of Sh300,000 each. The court maintained the summons for Rose Mbuthia to appear as ordered. This court appearance follows a five-day stint in custody last week while detectives concluded their initial investigations. The court scheduled a mention for the case in two weeks. Breaking his silence on the turmoil at the Nairobi Hospital, President William Ruto pledged to protect the facility from conmen intent on sabotaging it. Ruto justified the recent arrests of hospital officials by explaining that senior doctors and professionals had personally asked him to intervene and rescue the institution. The president labeled the hospital a premier medical facility and vowed to prevent fraudsters from taking it hostage. As president of the Republic of Kenya and as patron of Nairobi Hospital, senior doctors and professionals from Nairobi Hospital approached me to save Nairobi Hospital from conmen, fraudsters, and charlatans who wanted to expropriate Nairobi Hospital, he said. During his visit to Mt. Elgon in Bungoma County on Tuesday, Ruto confirmed he had ordered legal action against those disrupting operations, asserting that the hospital must remain secure to serve the public. I have instructed with clarity that all those who are involved in fraudulent activities in Nairobi Hospital will be removed, taken to court, and charged, and Nairobi Hospital is going to serve the people of Kenya, he said. These developments follow persistent accusations from the United Opposition, which claims President Ruto is attempting to secure a personal stake in the facility. The controversy has ignited a heated public debate regarding who actually owns the hospital. To clarify the situation, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale explained that the Kenya Hospitals Association owns the institution. He noted that as a company limited by guarantee, the hospital belongs to its members and possesses no shareholders. Meanwhile, Ruto dismissed opposition leaders who criticized the arrests of hospital officials, telling them to focus their energy elsewhere. I want to tell the brainless opposition to find something else to do. They are just scavengers, scavenging on any headline. The President categorized Nairobi Hospital as a public-serving institution and flatly denied any rumors of a sale. He promised to prevent any mismanagement of the facility. There is no way I am going to allow Nairobi Hospital to be taken over, taken hostage by charlatans, by con men, by fraudsters. Nairobi Hospital is going to serve the people of Kenya, Ruto said. Ruto committed to shielding the hospital from fraud, highlighting its status as a vital national resource. It is an institution that serves the public of Kenya, and we are going to defend the right of Nairobi Hospital to exist. We are going to protect Nairobi Hospital from charlatans and crooks and conmen and fraudsters, and we are going to stop at nothing until we make Nairobi Hospital what it always has been, the premier hospital in the Republic of Kenya. Juja MP George Koimburi has announced plans to introduce a motion in the National Assembly that would allow lawmakers to debate in their native languages during specific times each week. Speaking to his constituents, Koimburi explained that the proposal seeks to boost cultural inclusivity and representation. He believes this change would give MPs a better way to communicate directly with the communities they represent. Under his suggestion, Parliament would set aside at least two hours every week for members to contribute to debates using their mother tongues. I want to speak Kikuyu during session so that my community can see they have been represented well and they can also be respected, Koimburi said. The lawmaker argued that using indigenous languages in Parliament would strengthen the bond between elected leaders and the public. He sees no harm in bringing local languages into the official chamber to reflect the countrys diversity. We want the proposal to pass because it is not wrong to speak mother tongue even during parliamentary session or when we are out there with the people, he added. Koimburis proposal faces significant constitutional and procedural hurdles, as the law explicitly defines which languages Parliament can use. Article 120 of the Constitution of Kenya mandates that all parliamentary business must occur only in English, Kiswahili, or Kenyan Sign Language. These rules aim to maintain consistency, accessibility, and clarity throughout the legislative process. While English and Swahili are used interchangeably for debates and law-making, Article 7 specifically designates Swahili as the national language. Additionally, the inclusion of Kenyan Sign Language ensures that people with hearing impairments can stay engaged with parliamentary proceedings. The Conflict with Existing Law To implement Koimburis plan, Parliament would likely need to navigate two major obstacles: Constitutional Amendment: Since Article 120 explicitly limits the languages used in the House, a simple motion might not be enough. Changing this would likely require a constitutional amendment, which involves a lengthy process of public participation and a two-thirds majority vote in both the National Assembly and the Senate. Standing Orders: Current parliamentary rules (Standing Order 87) reinforce the constitutional requirement. They state that a member must start and finish their speech in the same approved language, leaving no room for native dialects under the current framework. While Koimburi hopes to foster linguistic inclusivity, his proposal seeks to challenge a structure designed for national uniformity by introducing Kenyas diverse indigenous languages into structured parliamentary sessions. Sean Hughes 4 million estate has been awarded to the homelessness charity Shelter. Sean Hughes 4 million estate has been awarded to the homelessness charity Shelter Nearly a decade after the comics death, the deal comes after a High Court ruling over the interpretation of his homemade will. The British-born Irish comedian, who died aged 51 in 2017 from a heart attack and late-stage liver disease, left behind a portfolio of property assets including his 1.8 million north London home and two further houses valued at 1.5 million and 650,000. Sean had expressed his intention to leave my three houses to Shelter in a will drafted without legal assistance using an online platform. But ambiguity arose because only one property was held in his name, while the other two were owned through a company in which Sean was the sole shareholder. The matter was referred to the High Court to determine how the estate should be distributed, despite agreement between Seans brothers, Alan Hughes and Martin Hughes, and the charity on the intended outcome. According to the Daily Mail, presiding judge Master Iain Pester concluded the correct construction of the will was that the shares in the company and therefore the two additional properties should be transferred to Shelter. Barrister Aidan Briggs, representing the executor of the will, and Alexander Learmonth, representing Shelter, told the court both the family and the charity agreed Shelter was the intended beneficiary of the estate. Andy Harris, Shelters director of income generation, said: Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelter's work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will. We have worked closely with Sean's family to ensure his wishes are honoured. Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyone's right to a safe and secure home. Sean rose to prominence in the alternative comedy scene during the 1980s, first appearing at the Comedy Store in 1987. He went on to win the Perrier Comedy Award in 1990 for his show A One-Night Stand with Sean Hughes, aged 24, before moving into television with Channel 4s Seans Show, which ran from 1992. Sean later became a team captain on the BBC music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 1996, appearing in 91 episodes across 10 series. Zendaya says filming Euphoria season three felt like "trying to get eight episodes in at once". Zendaya opens up on Euphoria filming The 28-year-old actress is reprising her role as Rue Bennett in the upcoming third season of the hit HBO drama, while she's also got movies The Drama, The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune: Part Three hitting the big screen this year, meaning her schedule has been packed. Asked what fans can expect from the new season, she told Variety: "I've seen a little bit, but gosh, it was a whirlwind. "I did what I do in eight months in like four months, so I was just like - it was like trying to get eight episodes in at once. "It just flew by for me! But I'm excited, I hope it turns out beautifully." Sydney Sweeney will also be returning as Cassie, and she previously described the upcoming episodes as "unhinged". She told Empire magazine: I have such a spot in my heart for Cassie, and I hold her really close and dear. She is crazy. She makes so many mistakes. Shes flawed on so many levels, but she does it all from a place of love. It could be a sad version of love, as well. Its so much fun to play a character that is as crazy as she is. "Sam [Levinson] is such a brilliant filmmaker to work with, because Ill read something, then Ill call him, and Im like, Lets go crazier. And hes like, Im all in. And this season is unhinged. The series is expected to mark the end of the drama, while Zendaya previously admitted she finds filming Euphoria "emotionally and physically draining". Speaking to Nicole Kidman for Variety's Actors on Actors series, she said: "You get so used to a character. It feels like a skin that you just slip on. Rue just falls into me. "Im not thinking about it so much. Its just like, 'Oh, shes here now.' " The Babygirl star then asked: "Do you stagger out of that experience?" Zendaya replied: "Yes and no. While it was emotionally and physically draining, it was so rewarding. I was so proud of it. It connected with people... "Were supposed to do another season. Ive only done two, but it feels like five. One season of Euphoria is like, 'Phew!'... I still have my Rue scars." Meanwhile, this week Zendaya opened up about rumours she has secretly married Tom Holland, while admitting "many people" close to her were fooled by fake AI photos of their supposed wedding. Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she said: Many people have been fooled by them. "While I was just out and about in real life, people were like, Oh my God, your wedding photos are gorgeous, and I was like, Babe, theyre AI. Theyre not real.' " The Euphoria star got engaged to her Spider-Man: No Way Home co-star in late 2024 after several years of dating, and earlier this month, her stylist Law Roach claimed the pair had already tied the knot. He told Access Hollywood: "The wedding has already happened. You missed it." When asked if that is "true", Law, replied: "It's very true!" VMPL New Delhi [India], March 18: A legacy is not measured by scale alone, but by the meaning it sustains across time. The Chanana story belongs to that rare category of enterprise where commerce evolves into consciousness, and growth becomes a moral continuum rather than a financial trajectory. Part I -- The Continuum of Purpose Reflection as Elevation Every enduring legacy encounters a moment that demands stillness--not as retreat, but as reckoning. For Karan A. Chanana, that moment arrived in 2008, when a medical emergency compelled him to step away from India, followed by a permanent transition in 2011 to Dubai and London. What began as disruption unfolded into a period of profound introspection. Distance, in this case, was not detachment--it was elevation. Freed from the immediacy of operations, he began to see the enterprise in its totality: not merely as a business, but as a living inheritance shaped by history, resilience, and responsibility. His role evolved accordingly--from operator to architect, from decision-maker to philosopher-steward. In that stillness, a deeper truth revealed itself: The Chanana family had not just built an enterprise. They had built a moral architecture--one designed to outlast markets, crises, and generations. A Legacy That Thinks Across Time The Chanana's do not function as individuals bound by chronology, but as a continuum of intent. Karam Chand Chanana restored dignity in the aftermath of Partition. Anil Chanana translated that dignity into discipline--and discipline into industry. Karan A. Chanana extended that industry into influence, aligning enterprise with a broader planetary consciousness. Each generation did not replicate the last; it reinterpreted it. This is the essence of their continuity: not preservation, but renewal without rupture. Change without the loss of memory. Progress without the erosion of values. Enterprise as a Living System To describe the Chananas simply as entrepreneurs is to understate their philosophy. Their enterprise behaves less like a structure and more like a system--dynamic, responsive, and alive. Factories become centres of vitality. Partnerships evolve into networks of trust. Trade transforms into a carrier of cultural and ethical intent. A shipment of basmati rice is not merely an export--it is an expression. It carries with it not just nourishment, but narrative. In this worldview, enterprise is not static. It is energy--renewable, generative, and inherently purposeful. Designing for Infinity Infinity, in the Chanana ethos, is not about endless expansion. It is about enduring coherence. Their organisational philosophy resembles a mandala--structured yet fluid: * A centred purpose that anchors all action * Expanding circles of responsibility * Freedom at the edges, governed by values at the core * Systems resilient enough to function beyond individual leadership Execution is decentralised. Vision remains unified. This architecture allows the enterprise to absorb disruption without disintegration--to evolve without losing its identity. Infinity, then, is not longevity alone. It is the discipline to remain worthy of it. The Ethics of Growth For the Chananas, growth has never been linear. It is cyclical--returning, repeatedly, to a moral centre. Every decision is filtered through a quiet but rigorous inquiry: Is it ethical? Is it necessary? Does it honour the past? Does it serve the future? Does it create harmony? Such discipline may appear invisible in times of stability, but it becomes decisive in moments of disorder. It is this moral geometry that has allowed the family not only to grow--but to endure. Part II -- Adversity, Betrayal & Revelation Resilience as Inheritance Long before modern disruptions, resilience had already been written into the Chanana DNA. The Partition of India dismantled their earliest foundations, forcing a complete rebuild. What could have been an ending became instruction: loss, they learned, is not final--it is formative. Decades later, the challenges following 2008 once again demanded reinvention across geographies and systems. Yet, each disruption reinforced a singular conviction: Circumstances may shift. Values must not. From this emerged a defining strength--the ability to transform movement into mastery, and adversity into structure. When Trust is Tested No legacy, however principled, is immune to fracture. As the enterprise expanded, authority became decentralised. Trust, once implicit, was extended across wider operational layers. In some instances, that trust was misplaced. Autonomy blurred into entitlement. Empowerment gave way to opportunism. What followed was not merely operational strain, but a deeper rupture--a misalignment with the very principles that had sustained the enterprise. The response, however, was not reactionary. There was no public confrontation. No performative correction. Instead, there was reflection. Because for the Chananas, every disruption--however painful--must first be understood before it is addressed. Rethinking Loyalty Crisis has a way of revealing uncomfortable truths. Among them was the nature of loyalty within emerging-market ecosystems--often conditional, occasionally transient. Those who had thrived in periods of abundance did not always remain steadfast in moments of strain. Stability, it became evident, had been mistaken for conviction. This insight did not lead to cynicism--but to clarity. Trust would no longer be assumed. It would be earned--through consistency, alignment, and shared purpose. The Limits of an Industry Mindset These internal and external challenges also exposed a broader constraint within the traditional rice industry. Despite significant progress, elements of informality persisted. Short-term gains often overshadowed long-term governance. Growth, in many cases, lacked structural depth. The result was an invisible ceiling--not imposed by markets, but by mindset. In contrast, those who ventured beyond the sector carried forward the discipline instilled within it--and succeeded at scale. The lesson was unmistakable: The future would not be defined by product alone, but by perspective. Rebuilding with Intent The next phase of the Chanana journey was not merely about recovery--it was about redefinition. Rather than rebuilding within familiar but compromised systems, the family chose new environments--regions where governance, transparency, and accountability were foundational, not aspirational. Across Dubai, London, Europe, North America, and the Middle East, a new enterprise took shape. Smaller in footprint, but stronger in conviction.Leaner in structure, but deeper in alignment. Here, partnerships were based on principle, not proximity. Teams were selected for character, not convenience. Integrity, once assumed, was now institutionalised. Prosperity as a Shared Construct A new operating philosophy emerged from this reconstruction: Sustainability requires participation. Key contributors were no longer positioned as employees alone, but as stakeholders--sharing in responsibility, direction, and long-term value. In this model, loyalty is not inherited through association. It is built through contribution. The outcome is a fundamentally different organisation--one where every participant is both contributor and custodian. Part III -- The Next Era: Vision, Purpose & Infinity Preparing the Future With the foundations re-established, the focus now turns to succession--not as transition, but as preparation. The next generation inherits more than a business. They inherit perspective: A global outlook shaped by multiple markets. A legacy tempered by disruption and renewal. A philosophy grounded in responsibility. They also inherit a clear understanding: Leadership is not a position. It is a discipline. From Leadership to Legacy Stewardship Having guided the enterprise through its defining phases, Karan A. Chanana now occupies a different space--less visible, but more influential. His role has evolved into that of mentor, philosopher, and long-range thinker. His attention is no longer on execution, but on meaning: What should enterprise stand for? How must business evolve in a world facing ecological and social strain? What responsibilities accompany scale? In this phase, the horizon expands beyond markets--to the planet itself. Infinity, Reimagined The Chanana philosophy ultimately converges on a single idea: Infinity is not expansion without end. It is relevance without erosion. It is the ability to grow without losing ground. To evolve without losing identity. To succeed without losing purpose. In a world increasingly defined by acceleration, this philosophy offers something rare: Continuity with conscience. And perhaps that is the truest measure of legacy--not how far it reaches, but how deeply it endures. (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.) Health officials have warned that a rapidly spreading meningitis outbreak in Kent is "unprecedented", after two young people died and multiple cases were confirmed within days. Meningitis outbreak in Kent The outbreak, centred in the Canterbury area, has so far resulted in 15 confirmed cases of meningitis B, with a 21-year-old university student and a sixth form pupil among those who have died. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the outbreak's rapid spread is highly unusual, as chief executive Professor Susan Hopkins described it as having an "explosive nature". She told the BBC: "In my 35 years in medicine, this is the most cases I have seen in a single weekend with this type of infection. "Its the number of cases in such a short space of time that is unprecedented." Deputy chief medical officer Dr Thomas Waite added that it was the fastest-growing outbreak he had encountered in his career, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting described it as a "rapidly developing situation". A targeted vaccination programme is being rolled out at the University of Kent, with around 5,000 students in halls set to receive the meningitis B (MenB) vaccine. Officials hope it will limit further spread, particularly if some are unknowingly carrying the bacteria. Vaccinations are due to begin on Wednesday (18.03.26). Routine vaccination against MenB was only introduced in 2015, meaning many current university students and older teenagers were not eligible for childhood immunisation and may remain vulnerable. Officials have not ruled out expanding the vaccination programme to other groups as the situation develops. Health authorities said transmission may have taken place at Club Chemistry in Canterbury, urging anyone who visited the venue between 5 and 7 March to seek precautionary antibiotic treatment, even if they are not showing symptoms. Meningitis is a serious infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can develop quickly and may include fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, vomiting and confusion. In severe cases, it can lead to sepsis, brain damage or death. Health experts are urging people in the affected area to remain vigilant and seek urgent medical attention if symptoms appear. Early treatment is critical and can significantly improve outcomes. NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 18: Following a successful inaugural edition, the ad:tech Honours Awards returned in 2026 to once again spotlight the innovators shaping the future of advertising and marketing through technology. Held at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, on March 17, the awards recognised organisations and leaders leveraging cutting-edge technologies to transform brand engagement, enhance customer experience, and unlock new levels of marketing performance. Presented in continued association with the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter, the 2026 edition of the ad:tech Honours also welcomed Huella as a new partner, marking its first year of participation. Huella's involvement further strengthens the platform's commitment to celebrating marketing innovation, with selected winners receiving NEXad advertising credits to amplify their stories on Connected TV through interactive, high-impact formats. The ad:tech Honours were introduced last year at ad:tech New Delhi, with the inaugural ceremony held on March 6 at Yashobhoomi. The initiative marked one of the industry's first large-scale recognitions dedicated specifically to the use of technology in marketing and its growing influence on the way brands connect with audiences. Industry leaders, technology pioneers, and marketing innovators gathered once again this year for the second edition on March 17, reaffirming the awards' growing significance as a platform that celebrates the engines powering modern marketing. For more than 15 years, ad:tech New Delhi has been at the forefront of conversations around digital transformation in marketing. With the introduction of the Honours, the platform expanded its mission beyond dialogue, creating a stage to recognise leaders who are applying technology to elevate brand storytelling, optimise customer journeys, and deliver measurable business impact. Building on the success of its debut year, ad:tech Honours 2026 expanded from 8 to 22 categories, reflecting the rapid evolution of the marketing technology ecosystem and the growing convergence of creativity, data, and artificial intelligence. The newly introduced categories include: * Affiliate & Partner Marketing* AI & Creative Automation - AI-Driven Dynamic Creative Optimisation* AI & Creative Automation - Creative AI Collaboration* AI Conversation Agents* AI in Marketing - Predictive AI* Commerce & Retail Tech - Immersive Retail Tech* GenAI in Marketing - GenAI-Led Creative* Influencer Management* Influencer Marketing - Influencer Measurement & Analytics* Marketing Automation - Omnichannel Marketing Automation* OTT Innovation* Performance Marketing - Search, SEO, and Performance Marketing* Programmatic & Emerging Media - Connected TV Advertising* Programmatic & Emerging Media - Interactive DOOH* Social Media - Community & UGC Engagement* Innovation These categories recognise the growing spectrum of technological innovation shaping marketing today, from AI-driven creativity and predictive intelligence to immersive retail technologies, next-generation programmatic media, and data-led influencer ecosystems. Jaswant Singh, Country Managing Director of ad:tech India, highlighted that collaborations with IAA and Huella have played a key role in elevating industry standards, reflecting the remarkable momentum within the ecosystem. "Technology from Generative AI driving unprecedented innovation to data powering smarter decision-making is central to the impact we're seeing across the industry," he noted. As advertising continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the ad:tech Honours provide a platform to recognise the visionaries and innovators who are not just adapting to change but actively shaping the industry's next frontier. Neena Dasgupta, IAA Mancom Member and CEO & Founder of The Salt Inc. Consulting, opened the awards night with powerful words: "Awards are not just about the technology itself, they celebrate the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it. Bringing IAA and ad:tech together allows us to honor both innovation and the brilliant minds making it possible." By celebrating the technologies and leaders powering this transformation, ad:tech Honours 2026 reinforces the industry's commitment to innovation, measurable impact, and the future of marketing. About ad:tech ad:tech New Delhi is part of the Comexposium Group, one of the world's leading event organisers, hosting 150+ B2C and B2B events across industries including IT, security, digital, high-tech, and more. Comexposium operates in 23+ global economic growth zones, bringing together over 3.5 million visitors and 48,000 exhibitors worldwide. About the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter The International Advertising Association is the world's only globally-focused integrated advertising trade association with membership representing Advertising agencies and the Media. The IAA comprises Corporate Members, Organisational Members, Educational Affiliates, as well as 56 Chapters with individual members and young professionals from 76 countries including the top 10 economies in the world. lAA is over 80 years' old and is headquartered in New York. Membership to the Indian Chapter of IAA is by invitation only and IAA has very senior marketing, advertising and media professionals as it members. IAA in India is seen as the most active chapter by IAA Global. IAA India is well-recognised for some of its marquee events like the IAA Leadership Awards, IAA Olive Crown Awards, IndIAA Awards, IAA Voice of Change, IAA TechPulse, IAA Debates, IAA Conversations, IAA Young Turks Forum and an array of IAA Knowledge Seminars, Webinars, Workshops, Conclaves etc. Download List of Winners I Honours Awards 2026 docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1-BZmt3ytJUfVjkm6mmzR3P5EN9U8xxvEfFYNuW8Uq6E/htmlview (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.) Advertising revenue continues to be the backbone of the media and broadcast industry, with digital platforms contributing nearly 30 per cent of total earnings, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Sanjay Jaju said on Wednesday. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Ad Trust Summit 2026, organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Jaju highlighted the rapid evolution of the agency model, driven by new entrants and increased monetisation linked to the broader digital ecosystem. "All systems are investing to adapt to this changing landscape. The agency model is evolving with new players, enhancing monetisation and commerce. Advertising remains central to media growth, with digital platforms accounting for around 30 per cent of revenues," he said. He noted that the ecosystem has become increasingly democratised, enabling wider participation. "Today, even a small business owner or an individual creator can directly reach consumers. Digital advertising is also transforming through live streaming, short videos, and innovative formats," he added. Emphasising responsible communication, Jaju said freedom of speech must not be misused to spread misinformation. He described artificial intelligence as a significant disruptor in the sector, offering benefits such as targeted advertising and fraud detection, while also posing risks. "AI can make misleading content appear authentic. There are growing concerns around deepfakes, synthetic identities, and highly targeted scams, including fabricated testimonials and fraudulent job schemes," he said. Addressing concerns over gambling advertisements, Jaju said such promotions, especially those targeting youth, remain a serious issue. He added that the ministry has issued advisories and is strengthening cyber enforcement mechanisms to tackle cross-border challenges. On regulatory aspects, he stressed that compliance should be viewed as a driver of responsible growth. "Legal compliance is pro-growth and ensures accountability. It should not be treated as a secondary function," he said. Highlighting the role of influencers, Jaju said they carry significant responsibility and must avoid undisclosed sponsorships or associations with unlawful activities. He added that the ministry has introduced frameworks to guide the industry, with a focus on innovation and safeguarding children. Underscoring the importance of trust, he said, "Even as digital spending grows, authenticity and transparency remain crucial. That is what ultimately connects with audiences." (ANI) India's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to USD 27.1 billion in February 2026, driven by a sharp decline in gold and non-oil non-gold (NONG) imports, according to a report by Union Bank of India. "Merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $27.1bln in Feb'26 from the unexpected widening of $34.7bln in Jan'26," the report said, adding that the moderation was "marking an improvement in imports." The report highlighted that imports declined significantly across key segments. "Imports fell significantly, resulting in narrowing in the merchandise trade deficit, led by Gold (down ~40% MoM), NONG (~19% dip) and Oil (~1% slip)," it said. Despite global trade tensions, exports remained steady. "The data clearly highlights that exports (both for goods & services) have remained resilient in FY2026 despite trade tensions and tariff truce," the report noted. Breaking down the components, the report said, "gold deficit moderated to $7.78bln vis-a-vis $12.96bln in Jan'26," while "non-oil non-gold deficit also moderated due to seasonal normalization to $9.78bln vis-a-vis $12.09bln," driven by improvement in volatile sub-segments like machinery, chemicals and metals. The oil deficit, however, remained elevated. "Oil deficit remained elevated with a marginal correction with the latest number at $9.54bln compared to $9.63bln the previous month," it said, pointing to continued strong energy demand. On services, the report noted a strong surplus providing support to the external balance. "Services trade surplus jumped to $23.15bln in Feb'26 and continues to provide a buffer for C/A dynamics," it said. As a result, the overall trade gap narrowed. "Total trade deficit (goods and services combined) moderates to single-digit levels in Feb'26, to $3.95bln vis-a-vis $13.15bln last month," the report added. The report identified gold as the key driver behind the narrowing deficit. "Gold was the prime driver in narrowing of trade deficit," it said, noting that "Demand for physical gold in India softened this week as sharp price volatility linked to the escalating Middle East conflict discouraged buyers." On oil imports, the report highlighted diversification trends. "India's crude imports hit a record 5.3mb/d in February, driven by higher arrivals of non-Russian crude, mainly from the Middle East," it said. Looking ahead, the report warned of potential risks due to rising commodity prices amid geopolitical tensions. "We expect the trade deficit to widen as escalating West-Asia War is putting pressure on higher commodity prices--particularly oil," it said. It also underlined the sensitivity of India's external balance to oil prices. "Every $10/bbl. move in oil price affecting annual C/A balance by close to $15bln," the report noted. However, services exports are expected to provide some cushion. "Elevated services exports provide a cushion against oil price spike," it added, while cautioning that "risks to the current account to remain elevated with the pressure of import shocks driven by commodity volatility." (ANI) A casual morning jog involving Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has unexpectedly brought an Indian espionage saga into global political conversation. In a video shared by the Finnish president on his X handle, the two leaders are seen jogging through Hyde Park while discussing the Hindi blockbuster 'Dhurandhar,' a moment that has quickly circulated among Indian audiences online. The clip shows Stubb and the Canadian prime minister running alongside their spouses during Carney's visit to London. During the exchange, Carney asks Stubb about a recent surge in his popularity on Instagram in India. The Finnish president explains that the attention followed comments he made about watching 'Dhurandhar.' "How was your Insta thing in India?" Carney asks in the video. Stubb responds that the reaction was "huge" after he revealed he had seen the film. Reflecting on the storyline, he adds that after watching it he realised the subject matter portrayed in the movie was "not a game at all," referring to its depiction of terrorism and intelligence operations. The video has since been widely shared online, with many viewers noting the unusual intersection of international politics and Indian cinema. https://x.com/alexstubb/status/2033885789524803842?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw One X user commented, "Great to see leaders of two thriving democracies talking about the largest democracy in the world.." A second social media user wrote, "are you guys talking about DHURANDHAR ...Count me in" "Congrats @AdityaDharFilms @yamigautam @jiostudios. The PM of Canada is discussing about Dhurandhar," another Indian social media user commented. Stubb had earlier spoken publicly about the film during a visit to Mumbai. Speaking to ANI, he revealed that he watched 'Dhurandhar' on his son's recommendation before travelling to India. The Finnish president said he found the story compelling and even joked about being "one part of the narrative," adding that he looked forward to the sequel. The film stars Ranveer Singh as undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi and blends espionage drama with a storyline centred on counter-terror operations. Its follow-up, 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', is scheduled for theatrical release on March 19, with special preview screenings held on March 18. The sequel sees Singh reprise his role, this time deeply embedded in the criminal underworld under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari. The story follows his rise in Karachi's Lyari area after the death of gangster Rehman Dakait, originally portrayed by Akshaye Khanna in the first film. The new instalment expands the narrative from personal infiltration to a broader national-security threat. The plot introduces a terror syndicate that Rangi attempts to dismantle from within, with Major Iqbal, played by Arjun Rampal, emerging as a key target. The film also features Sanjay Dutt as law-enforcement officer SP Chaudhary Aslam and R Madhavan as Ajay Sanyal. (ANI) A controversy has erupted around the recently released song 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke' featuring Nora Fatehi, after a complaint was filed at the Abids Police Station alleging that the track contains vulgar and obscene content. The complaint was lodged by Nitin Nandkar, who is also the President of the Veer Shivaji Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) City President in Hyderabad. Nandkar has requested authorities to investigate the matter, initiate legal action against those responsible, and ensure that the video is removed from public platforms. Speaking to ANI, Nandkar said that his organisation has demanded action from authorities, including the film certification body. "We have demanded that the censor board take action against all of them. Today, we demanded this at Abids Police Station. We have also filed a complaint against them. We have also tried to book an FIR against them," he said. According to Nandkar, the Hyderabad Police Department assured the complainants that the matter would be examined and that strict action could be taken if the content is found to negatively influence children and young audiences. "The Hyderabad police department has also given a good message at the police station. They have assured us that if such incidents and vulgar language affect the lives of children and youth, we will immediately take action against them and book an FIR," he added. The controversy surrounding the song has also drawn criticism from Ravi Kishan, actor and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, who earlier condemned the alleged obscenity in the lyrics. Speaking to ANI, Kishan said that content which hurts cultural values should not be promoted in society. He cited films such as Dhurandhar as examples of commercially successful projects that do not rely on explicit content. "Any obscenity that hurts culture and values should not be promoted. Now, filmmakers should also consider films like 'Dhurandhar,' which can generate revenue worth thousands of crores without adding anything. Such things should not be introduced into this country for business, to promote a song, or to hype a film. This is not a good idea. I oppose it," he said. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has also taken note of complaints regarding the lyrics of 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke,' which appears in the upcoming film 'KD: The Devil.' In a letter addressed to the regional director of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the commission raised concerns over what it described as derogatory and obscene lyrics that allegedly portray women in a disrespectful manner. "Based on complaints received from the public by the Women's Commission, it has come to the notice of the Commission that lyrics that are derogatory to the dignity of women are being used in the songs of some films that are under production and are currently being promoted (e.g. "KD-The Devil")," the letter read. According to the commission, the concerns emerged following public complaints about lyrics used in films that are currently under production or being promoted. The commission stated that such content could violate film certification guidelines, particularly if it denigrates the dignity of women. The letter further noted that the public dissemination of provocative lyrics could negatively impact the safety and social well-being of women. It also emphasised that scenes or lyrics that depict women in an obscene or degrading manner fall under scrutiny according to certification norms. The commission urged the CBFC to conduct a thorough review of the song and ensure that objectionable lyrics or scenes are removed or modified before certification is granted. In addition, the commission wrote to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, requesting greater oversight over the use of what it described as obscene literature or dialogues in films. The letter stated that there have been increasing objections in the public sphere regarding lyrics in certain Kannada films, including the song linked to 'KD: The Devil'. It urged the film industry to exercise greater social responsibility and avoid content that could degrade the dignity of women. (ANI) The Haryana State Commission for Women has written to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) raising concerns over allegedly objectionable content in recently released songs, specifically the track 'Sarke Chunari Teri Sarke' featuring actor-dancer Nora Fatehi. In an official communication dated March 17, 2026, the Commission expressed "grave concern" over what it described as the growing presence of obscenity and vulgarity in songs approved for public release. The letter stated that the visuals and lyrics of the song appear to contradict standards and guidelines laid down under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. According to the Commission, such content could have a negative and lasting influence on younger audiences. The letter noted that children and youth, who are often highly impressionable, may be particularly susceptible to the impact of popular media. "It has come to our attention that certain recently released song "Sarke Chunar teri Sarke" featuring Noora Fatehi the Known Dancer/Actress contain content that appears to contradict with the standards and guidelines prescribed under The Cinematograph Act, 1952," the letter read. "It is further observed that such content has the potential to exert a negative and lasting influence on children and youth, who are particularly impressionable and susceptible to the impact of popular media, thereby posing a matter of serious societal concern. The growing trend of suggestive visuals and lyrics in certain songs raises serious questions about compliance with the spirit of the Censor Board," the letter noted. In the letter addressed to the CBFC, the Commission said that the increasing trend of suggestive visuals and lyrics in songs raises questions about adherence to the spirit of certification guidelines. It also emphasised the role of media in shaping societal values and called on regulatory authorities to ensure greater diligence and accountability while clearing content for public release. The Commission has requested the CBFC to provide a detailed response and to consider stricter scrutiny of similar content in the future. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has also taken note of complaints related to the lyrics of 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke', which features in the upcoming film 'KD: The Devil.' In a separate letter to the regional director of the CBFC, the Commission raised concerns that the lyrics could be derogatory and portray women in a disrespectful manner. The Karnataka panel said the matter came to its attention following complaints from members of the public regarding lyrics used in films currently under production or promotion. The Commission stated that content perceived to denigrate the dignity of women could violate film certification guidelines. The letter further noted that the public dissemination of provocative lyrics may affect the safety and social well-being of women. It emphasised that scenes or lyrics depicting women in an obscene or degrading manner fall within the scope of scrutiny under certification norms. The Commission has urged the CBFC to conduct a thorough review of the song and ensure that any objectionable lyrics or scenes are removed or modified before certification is granted. In addition, the Karnataka panel has written to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, calling for greater oversight within the film industry regarding the use of what it described as obscene literature or dialogues in films. The letter highlighted growing public objections to certain song lyrics in Kannada cinema, including those linked to 'KD: The Devil', and urged filmmakers to exercise greater social responsibility. (ANI) It was supposed to be a day of excitement and anticipation. Fans had booked their tickets well in advance for the highly-awaited 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' paid preview shows at Galaxy and Gaiety theatres in Mumbai, eagerly waiting to experience the latest blockbuster sequel. However, what was promised as a thrilling show turned into disappointment for moviegoers, as both the 4:45 PM show at Galaxy and the 5:15 PM show at Gaiety were abruptly cancelled. Fans began arriving early, some as early as 4:30 PM, hoping to secure their spots for what was expected to be a packed theatre. Fans opened up about their love for the first 'Dhurandhar' film and their high hopes for the sequel. Many came from far-off places like Andheri, hoping to make it a movie night to remember. "I thought the show would start at 6 PM," one fan shared, "but then they told us it was delayed until 9 PM," he added, "But I think it's the team's fault. I will come tomorrow now" Some fans were devastated. "I came all the way from Andheri for this movie," one disappointed moviegoer said. "I thought I would watch it for 4 hours, but now it's all ruined." Many of the fans had been waiting for hours, some standing from 4 pm, and others arriving only to find the theatre packed with people, all of whom shared the same heartbreaking news: the 'Dhurandar 2' show was delayed. "I was excited to watch it. I even had my friends with me," another fan added. "We came to watch 'Dhurandhar 2' at 3 pm. We booked the tickets 10 days ago. The shows at 4 and 5 pm got cancelled... If the show gets cancelled at night, we will have to refund it. The audience came here at 3 pm. My 5 friends left in anger. I have booked the tickets for the night. I will come back at 9 pm." "They said the movie file didn't arrive," one frustrated fan explained. "How does that even happen? It should have been ready by now." Fans who had booked their tickets online were left wondering when the money would be returned. "I'm just hoping the refund process doesn't take too long." Fans were quick to point out that 'Dhurandhar 2' had been a long-anticipated release, and with the success of previous paid previews, it was expected that everything would run smoothly. "If the team knew there were issues, they should have handled this earlier," said another fan. "They should've delivered the content 2-3 days ago. This is on them." Many fans felt that the delay and confusion could have been avoided if proper planning had been in place, especially for a movie with such a huge following. "They should have made sure everything was in order before showing the film. It's a big movie, after all," one fan remarked. Fans of Ranveer Singh's 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' faced disappointment on Wednesday as paid preview shows in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana were reportedly cancelled just hours before their scheduled start, though no official confirmation has been issued by the makers. AGS Cinemas in Chennai shared the update on X, stating, "We regret to inform that the Tamil paid previews of Dhurandhar: The Revenge scheduled for today have been cancelled. Refunds will be initiated shortly. Thank you for your patience." Broadway Cinemas in Coimbatore updated fans about the cancellation, "Dhurandhar: The Revenge - Tamil paid previews scheduled for this evening have been cancelled due to non-availability. Hindi paid previews will be scheduled instead. We are initiating the refunds shortly. We apologise for the inconvenience." Reports suggested that the cancellations are primarily affecting regional dubbed versions and select international screenings where the required print files failed to arrive in time. The much-anticipated paid previews faced widespread disruption across India, with major chaos reported in Mumbai as well. Several netizens were quick to express shock over the ordeal they faced. Director Aditya Dhar later issued an apology to audiences after last-minute cancellations and delays disrupted paid previews of 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' across multiple regions, assuring fans that Hindi shows were running as scheduled, while regional dubbed versions will resume shortly, offering refunds or alternate options where required. In a statement shared on X, Dhar wrote, "To our dear Dhurandhar family, Dhurandhar is not just a film for us - it is something we have lived with, nurtured, and dreamed of sharing with each and every one of you, together, at the same moment, in every language." Clarifying the status of screenings, Dhar added, "Most of our Hindi shows across India are running as scheduled from 5 pm onwards. All of our Tamil and Telugu shows will commence from 9 pm onwards. However, due to unforeseen technical difficulties, our Malayalam and Kannada shows will begin from tomorrow morning." He further informed fans, "If the dubbed version you have tickets for is not currently playing at your cinema, you will have an option for a refund or to watch the Hindi version with subtitles instead. We truly apologise for the inconvenience. Your love for this film means the world to us, and we cannot wait to share it with you." 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on March 19. The film will open during the festive window of Eid, Gudi Padwa, and Ugadi, positioning it for a major box-office debut. In line with its pan-India ambitions, the spy action film will release in multiple languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. 'Dhurandhar' was released in theatres on December 5 last year and went on to become the highest-grossing film of 2025. The film has since achieved cult status and rewritten box-office history, surpassing 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' to emerge as the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. (ANI) Former BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his family members to seek his blessings and guidance. The former minister Shared pictures of the interaction featuring his wife and daughter. Gandhi expressed deep admiration for the Prime Minister's leadership. In a post on X, Varun Gandhi wrote, "I had the privilege of meeting the revered Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji along with my family and receiving his blessings and guidance. There is a wonderful paternal affection and sense of protection in your aura. The meeting with you further strengthens the belief that you are the true guardian of the nation and its people." Earlier, in February, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday spotlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership approach, describing him as a mentor who "carries his team with him" while fostering critical thinking and collaboration. Speaking at the Global Economic Cooperation Summit in Mumbai, the Union Minister described the Prime Minister as a great listener and leader who leads the team. Further highlighting PM Modi's patient and calm behaviour, Goyal said he has never scolded anyone, praising the PM's critical thinking and team-building skills and calling him responsive. "He is like a father. He has never scolded anyone during his years as PM. He never raises his voice. Like a parent, he hand-holds. He is a great listener, and his concentration is 100%...He is truly a person who carries his team with him, mentors them, guides and encourages lateral thinking, helps navigate situations and is very patient. He also helps you connect the dots. The PM is very responsive...," he said. Earlier, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal outlined an expansive vision of India's economic diplomacy, asserting that engagement, trust and negotiating from a position of strength have defined the country's recent trade successes. "I think the first principle of economic diplomacy is that you don't sit so far away from your stakeholders. Come closer to them," Goyal said at the Summit. Framing India's long-term ambitions, Goyal noted that the country is working toward becoming a USD 30-35 trillion economy by 2047. According to the minister, economic diplomacy today is rooted in expanding trade, securing investments, accessing best-in-class technology, and creating global opportunities for Indian youth and capital. Goyal also addressed India's recent record of concluding eight or nine trade agreements within a short span, some of which had been under discussion for nearly two decades. Summing up his approach in one word, he said: "trust." He said, "The day you can generate enough confidence in your counterparty that you can be trusted, and the day you trust the person on the other side, the country on the other side, the pathway becomes that much easier." (ANI) Amid the political row over All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MP CV Shanmugam's remarks towards actress Nayanthara, Congress MP Vijay Vasanth on Tuesday strongly condemned the remarks, labelling them "very disrespectful" toward women. Speaking to ANI, Vasanth accused the opposition leader of using derogatory language to undermine the government's initiatives for women's welfare. "Today's statement on women by CV Shanmugam is very disrespectful... He said this to make a scene out of what the government is doing for women" Vasanth stated, further broadening his attack towards the NDA alliance, asserting that such behaviour has "become a habit" for them. Warning of electoral consequences as the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approach, Vasanth added that "they will get the response during the elections" from the public. Shanmugam, who sought to target Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, made the controversial remarks against Nayanthara yesterday during a protest in Villupuram district against DMK. "The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu asks people to share their dreams. If I say I want actress Nayanthara, will he give her to me? If someone asks that his dream to marry Nayanthara will be fullfill it?" he reportedly said. Meanwhile, DMK leaders also slammed Shanmugam over his remarks on actress Nayanthara earlier, saying that former Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami should take action against him. They demanded an apology from Shanmugam. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said it is not the first time that Shanmugam has made "derogatory remarks" concerning women. "It's a disgusting statement made by CV Shanmugam. He has to make a public apology... This is not the first time he has made such derogatory comments concerning women... Edappadi Palaniswami should take action against him," he said. Adding to the controversy, recent remarks by another AIADMK MLA, Amman Arjunan, during a protest held in Coimbatore have also drawn sharp reactions, with critics calling them inappropriate and insensitive. The protest was part of statewide demonstrations organised by the AIADMK against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government. During his speech, he criticised the eligibility criteria for the Tamil Nadu government's women's financial assistance scheme, saying that officials might go to the extent of asking 'intrusive questions' like whether a woman has a husband, comparing it to checking for ornaments such as a nose ring or earrings. (ANI) Ahead of Assembly polls, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) President Pramod Boro reaffirmed its commitment to the holistic development, rights protection, and socio-economic upliftment of the 26 BTC communities. Boro will contest the upcoming Assam Assembly election from the 43 No. Tamulpur (ST) constituency. On Tuesday, Boro told reporters that the party will field candidates in 15 constituencies, including himself, following public aspirations. "In the upcoming Assembly elections, the UPPL will field candidates in a total of 15 constituencies. I will contest the elections following the party's directive and the aspirations of the people. The UPPL has always been committed to the overall development of the region and will continue this effort in the coming days. The party remains dedicated to ensuring the holistic development, protection of rights, and socio-economic upliftment of the 26 communities of the BTC region," he said. The party has released the first list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 9. Boro, who was recently elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, will represent the party in the Tamulpur seat in the upcoming polls. According to an official notification issued by the party, Aninda Basumatary will contest from 1 No. Gossaigaon constituency, while Raju Kumar Narzary has been nominated from 2 No. Dotma (ST) constituency. Lawrence Islary will contest the No. 3 Kokrajhar (ST) constituency. The party has also nominated Nerswn Boro from the 45 No. Bhergaon constituency, Dipen Boro from the 46 No. Udalguri (ST) constituency, and Kamalsingh Narzary from 20 No. Bijni constituency. The candidate list was formally issued by UPPL General Secretary (Administration) Raju Kumar Narzary. In an official notification, the party said that, as empowered by the Central Working Committee and recommended by the Core Committee, the candidates have been approved for the stated constituencies for the ensuing 16th Assam Assembly elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in four states-- Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - along with the Union Territory of Puducherry. According to the schedule, Assam and Kerala will vote in a single phase on April 9, and polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. Voting in Puducherry will also take place on April 9. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. The terms of the current assemblies are set to end on different dates: May 20 in Assam, May 7 in West Bengal, May 10 in Tamil Nadu, May 23 in Kerala, and June 15 in Puducherry. (ANI) Exhibition featuring British writers held at Shanghai Museum Xinhua) 08:36, March 18, 2026 A woman visits the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) An exhibit is pictured during the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) A woman visits the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) People visit the media preview of the exhibition "Writers Revealed: Treasures from British Collections and the National Portrait Gallery, London" at the Shanghai Museum in Shanghai, east China, March 17, 2026. The exhibition, held jointly by the Shanghai Museum and London's National Portrait Gallery, will open to the public from March 18. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Cardi B is launching her own line of hair-care products. Cardi B has announced her new venture The chart-topping rapper has taken her time to ensure that her hair is "looking healthy again after years of damage" and she's now ready to share her "journey" with her fans, by launching her Grow-Good Beauty line. Speaking to WWD, Cardi shared: "I made Grow-Good because I really put the work in on my hair. "I was doing my own masks in my kitchen, using what I already knew from my familys recipes and what I learned from my own research. I really took my time to get my hair looking healthy again after years of damage. And guess what? It worked. Now I wanna share my hair journey with everybody." Cardi, 33, has joined forces with Revolve Group to launch the new line, with the products taking inspiration from her Dominican roots. Revolve cofounder Michael Mente said: "She is extremely, extremely knowledgeable. Shes been very, very hands-on and in the details of every single product, using every product and approving every ingredient." Cardi also announced the launch of her new line on social media. The music star wrote on Instagram: "Ready for my hair care line Lets GROW GOOD together! [heart emoji] omggggg my dreams are coming true guyssss!! (sic)" Meanwhile, Cardi previously claimed that she was "born" with a relentless work ethic. She told PAPER Magazine: "You really have to be born with it, because you could be in a household where you see both your parents or a parent, or you see a single mother working their a** off, and yet you still wouldn't have that drive. "You could grow up in poverty, or you could grow up in a very wealthy family; if you don't have it in you, you just don't have it in you. It's almost like you have to hope that your kids have that work ethic in them, and I just pray that they do. "It's gonna be a lot of prayers, because it's for them. I don't want one of them to feel they're behind their siblings. You just got to work and not think too much just get out there and get in the paint and do it. "Procrastination is what kills you." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Peeyush Mohanty has raised concerns over alleged "love-jihad" in Odisha while highlighting the state government's efforts in eliminating the issue. Speaking with ANI, he claimed that the ruling BJP government in Odisha have rescued 5,000 children from across the country. "The BJP government has just rescued 5,000 children from various states of India. The Odisha police have brought them back. A boy who kidnapped a girl from Puri and took her away to Kerala has also been caught. The Puri police have just filed an FIR against him. Action taken by the Odisha police is being done very vigorously right now. This is about a boy who was calling himself Jairam, but he actually turned out to be Irfan. The incident of love jihad is very serious. Odisha police and the Odisha government are both taking strict action on this," Mohanty said. Earlier in January, Senior advocate Ashwini Upadhyay claimed love jihad to be a "national problem". He said that over five lakh girls allegedly fall victim to it annually. He further alleged that love jihad was being orchestrated in a planned manner, involving the settlement of infiltrators and systematic religious conversions across the country. Speaking to ANI, Upadhyay said, "Love Jihad has become a national problem, and more than 5 lakh girls are falling victim to it every year. This is continuously changing the population demographics of India. Love Jihad is happening in India in a highly planned manner; infiltrators are being settled in India, and religious conversions are also taking place in a highly planned manner." "The ultimate target is to change India's demography, because if a place's demography changes, its culture also changes," he added. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced an initiative under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide pure drinking water to every resident in the state. While addressing a press conference here with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, the Uttar Pradesh CM highlighted that over 10,000 of the state's 1,05,000 revenue villages already have access to drinking water through pipelines. The new agreement ensures that contractors will remain responsible for infrastructure maintenance for a full decade after project completion to guarantee long-term service, he added. In this regard, a Memorendum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the centre and the Uttar Pradesh government. "Under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), an initiative has been taken to provide pure drinking water to even the last person in the village. In today's MoU program being done between the Central and State Government for the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Scheme, I thank Union Minister CR Patil and his entire team," Adityanath said. "The state of Uttar Pradesh has over 1,05,000 revenue villages, of which over 10,000 already have access to drinking water through pipelines. With the implementation of the scheme in Uttar Pradesh, we ensured that all the implementing agencies and contractors would be responsible for its maintenance for 10 years after the completion of the work," the CM said. He pointed out that the untimely deaths reported earlier in eastern Uttar Pradesh were due to encephalitis, which occured due to open defecation and impure drinking water. "There were sufficient water resources, and people generally did not face a problem with water quantity. There was a significant increase in complaints (earlier) of untimely deaths due to contaminated water. I will give just one example: there are sufficient water resources in eastern Uttar Pradesh, yet every year, thousands of deaths occur there due to encephalitis. When we analysed all these death figures, it was discovered that these deaths were occurring due to open defecation and impure drinking water," CM Adityanath said. "Today, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, pure drinking water has become available in those villages and toilets have been built in every house. In areas where more than 50,000 deaths had occurred over 40 years, today I am happy to share that in the last five years, we have succeeded in bringing the death toll down to zero," he added. The Uttar Pradesh CM attributed this success to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I attribute this success to the vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister, who launched and implemented the 'toilets in every house' scheme under the Swachh Bharat Mission and the 'tap in every home' scheme under the Jal Jeevan Mission," he said. (ANI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said that the resignation of Congress senior leader from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, is "very unfortunate", suggesting that he was "upset" over ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. Priyanka Gandhi wished that the Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi had a conversation with the party leadership before tendering his resignation. "It is very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and we wish we had a chance to have a conversation about it," she said. Pradyut Bordoloi has accused the party leadership of sidelining him, which led to the end of his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. "Today, I have abandoned one of the most important principles of my life, and I am not happy with it.... However, I made this decision because I was being insulted on many issues by anyone who approached me from within the Congress Party, especially in the Assam Congress. Even the Congress leadership was not showing sympathy towards me... I have become very lonely because I have been associated with the Congress all my life," Bordoloi told reporters. Meawhile, Congress has fielded his son Prateek Bordoloi from Margherita Assembly constituency. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly.The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. The apex poll body said that Assam, along with the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, will hold elections to their legislative assemblies, commencing from April 9.While Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 9, voters in Tamil Nadu will exercise their franchise in a single phase on April 23. Assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes for all four states and one union territory will take place on May 4, the Chief Election Commissioner said. (ANI) The Gujarat legislative assembly complex received a bomb threat via email on Wednesday morning, prompting heightened security measures at the premises, an official said. A dog squad trained in bomb detection conducted thorough inspections of the assembly premises. Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravi Teja Vasamshetty said that nothing suspicious was found after the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams checked the place. "This morning, a bomb threat email was received in the Gujarat Assembly. After receiving that email, the BDDS teams checked the place. After checking, nothing suspicious was found, so the work of the Assembly has started. A case will be filed against the person who sent the email, and further action will be taken," SP Vasamshetty said. BJP leader Hirabhai Solanki lauded the government's prompt response, stating, "The Gujarat government is moving ahead with efficiency, and whoever has sent this email, we will find them. We are not afraid of this, and I believe that the CM is efficient and intelligent. Those who are doing such things will not be spared." Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gopal Italia told ANI that bomb threat emails have been received by courts, municipal corporation buildings, schools, and many other government buildings in Gujarat. "For the last few months, bomb threat emails have been received by courts, municipal corporation buildings, schools, and many other government buildings in Gujarat. Today, a very serious security issue has arisen in which the Gujarat Assembly has received an email threatening to blow it up with a bomb. What would have happened if this had happened when everyone was inside the assembly?. On behalf of AAP, we extend our full support to the government in taking action on this," Italia said. In February, several schools in Ahmedabad received bomb threat emails, officials said. The threat email reportedly included content mentioning "turning India into Khalistan", raising concerns over the safety of students and staff across the city. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday trained guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the ruling party in the centre of orchestrating a systematic campaign of "coercion and bribery" to destabilise the opposition. Speaking to ANI, Chaturvedi said, "What is happening is a matter of concern: the constant flow of people leaving the Congress party. We have even seen cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha. The way the ruling party is using all sorts of coercion and bribery to destabilise them (opposition) from their positions is shameful. BJP is demonstrating its talent deficit, so much so that it has to recruit people from other parties." Her remarks came after the Assam Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi tendered his resignation to the party president Mallikarjun Kharge, ending his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. "With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress," his resignation letter read. Pradyut Bordoloi, while speaking to the reporters, said on Tuesday, "I have abandoned one of the most important principles of my life, and I am not happy with it. However, I made this decision because I was being insulted on many issues by anyone who approached me from within the Congress Party, especially in the Assam Congress. Even the Congress leadership was not showing sympathy towards me. I have become very lonely because I have been associated with the Congress all my life. But of late, I have been having a lot of difficulty surviving, so I have to make this decision. Yes, I have submitted this resignation letter to the AICC President." Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also met with Bordoloi. "The Chief Minister of Assam is trying to politically tarnish the image of our senior MP, Pradyut Bordoloi, through the media. General Secretary Jitendra Singh and I have just met with Pradyut Bordoloi and had a detailed discussion about the upcoming elections," Gogoi said. Gaurav Gogoi further said, "I have come after talking to him, and I condemn the kind of things that are coming out in the media." On the other hand, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking to the reporters, said, "I am not in touch with Pradyut Bordoloi. If he had spoken to the Union Home Minister, I would know, but I don't think he has spoken to any BJP leader yet. There is a possibility that we can have contact with Pradyut Bordoloi." In February, former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah also quit the Congress and subsequently joined the BJP. Elections for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, AGP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), won 75 seats. The BJP was the largest partner in the alliance with 60 seats. The Congress and AIUDF had formed a grand alliance along with the BPF and communist parties. The alliance fought against the BJP-led NDA and won 16 of 126 seats. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the BJP put up a strong show and won 60 seats, and the Congress secured 26 seats. The AIDUF won 13 seats. The voter turnout for the 126 state assembly constituencies was high at 83.9 per cent. As many as 199,47, 690 voters exercised their franchise in these elections. (ANI) After resigning from the Congress party ahead of the Assam legislative assembly elections, MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia. Bordoloi, today, confirmed his acceptance when asked if he would join the BJP. Pradyut Bordoloi has accused the party leadership of sidelining him, which led to the end of his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. He clarified that the resignation stemmed from "multiple issues" as opposed to a singular ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. "For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death. There were multiple issues. What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot," he told the media. "I want to make it very clear that I am in my second term in Lok Sabha, and there are another three years to go. I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave and work," he added. Regarding the move, Navajyoti Talukdar, who also resigned as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Vice-president yesterday, said that Bordoloi would join the BJP today. "Today, our MP Pradyut Bordoloi is joining the BJP. The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is a very dynamic leader. We have spoken to the Chief Minister of Assam," he said. Following Bordoloi's resignation, Congress has fielded his son from the Margherita Assembly constituency for the upcoming Assembly polls. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. (ANI) The Delhi High Court issued notice on pleas of Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin against the summons issued to them. The High Court has stayed proceedings at the trial court against them. In February Saket court had issued a summons to them in an assault case filed by Samir Modi. They have challenged the summons and are seeking the quashing of the same. Justice Saurabh Banerjee sought a response from the Delhi police and also issued a notice to Samir Modi. Meanwhile, the trial court proceedings are stayed. The matter has been listed for hearing in July. Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi appeared for Bina Modi and argued that the summoning order is perverse. The petitioner Bina Modi was a witness who was made an accused by the court. The summons order is without any basis. Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for petitioner advocate Lalit Bhasin. During the hearing, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohtagi argued that no such incident happened during the board meeting. He also referred to CCTV footage of the day. He further stated that Samir Modi entered the meeting room at 12 and stayed till 2 PM. He also signed around 20 pages during the meeting. If his index finger was broken, how could he sign the papers? During the hearing, Justice Saurabh Banerjee reprimanded the investigation officer and asked him how he concluded that Samir Modi had fractured due to assault. "He (Samir Modi) was in a meeting for two hours; had he told anyone about the injury?" Justice Banerjee asked the Investigation Officer. On February 10, 2026, the Saket Court issued a summons to Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin in a case filed by her son Samir Modi. Delhi Police filed a charge sheet and said that there is no sufficient material to proceed against them. The court took Cognizance of the charge sheet and issued summons. Delhi Police had named Surendra Prasad, PSO of Bina Modi, as an Accused. This case pertains to an FIR lodged by the Businessman Samir Modi at Sarita Vihar police station in 2024. Samir Modi alleged he was stopped from entering a board meeting and assaulted by Surendra Prasad, PSO of Bina Modi. It is alleged that the finger of Samir Modi was broken. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Dr. Aneeza Bishnoi on Tuesday took cognisance of the charge sheet and summoned Surender Prasad, Bina Modi and Senior advocate Lalit Bhasin for the next date of hearing on May 7, 2026. "The court is of the view that after perusal of the chargesheet, statements recorded during investigation and material placed on record, although accused Bina Modi and accused Lalit Bhasin have been in column no. 12 of the charge-sheet, there exists sufficient material indicating their prima facie involvement in the alleged offence," JMFC Aneeza Bishnoi said on February 10. The court said that at the stage of taking cognisance, a meticulous evaluation of evidence is neither warranted nor permissible, and the material on record, though circumstantial, forms a prima facie chain pointing towards a meeting of minds between the accused persons, which is sufficient at this stage to proceed with the trial. Delhi police had filed a chargesheet on March 1, 2025, against accused Surendra Prasad, Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin. In this accused Surendra Prasad was kept in column no. 11 under section 325/341 Cr.P.C., and Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin were kept in column no. 12. Thereafter, Samir Modi filed a protest petition on April 29, 2025. He prayed that cognisance be taken against accused Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasi as well to face the trial. The investigation officer (IO) had filed a reply to the protest petition. However, on submissions of IO himself, a second reply was also called, and both the replies were filed on the same lines, stating that no evidence has been unearthed during the investigation so as to show the involvement of Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin. After hearing the counsels, the court allowed the protest application. "The Investigating Officer cannot be a deciding authority in a case that he is investigating, that too based on the statement of one of the accused that the other accused persons have not committed any offence," the court observed in the order. JMFC Bishnoi said, "Based on chargesheet and supporting documents, I hereby take cognisance of the offence as mentioned in charge-sheet." Advocates Siddharth Yadav, Saurabh Ahuja, Rahul Sambhar and Kashish Ahuja appeared for Samir Modi. Senior advocate Manu Sharma appeared for the accused. The complaint filed by the complainant, Samir Modi, had stated that on May 30, 2025, the complainant was physically assaulted at the office of GPI, Jasola, where he also has his offices, and he had gone for a board meeting as he is an Executive Director of GPI. It was also stated that he was invited to attend the meeting, and the agenda had been shared with him that some important decisions were to be taken. Court matters are also pending regarding the ownership of the shares of GPI. It was further stated that while he was walking towards the boardroom, accused Surendra Prasad, PSO of Bina Modi, stood in his way and tried to stop him from entering. It is alleged that the accused Surendra informed him that he had instructions from Bina Modi not to let him enter the boardroom where the meeting was being convened. On instructions, as he was told by the accused, the PSO pushed him, to which he objected, and he did not let him enter and would move in the direction in front of him where he would move. Thereafter, the complainant heard some instructions from inside saying that he should be restrained. The complaint stated that Samir Modi continued to insist on attending the board meeting and, thereafter, on instructions, he was brutally assaulted by the PSO. PSO attacked him and hit him, twisted his arm to such an extent that his right hand index finger broke. "Despite him shouting in pain, PSO did not relent, and the complainant feared for his life and started crying for help. The other PSOs were standing as a backup to attack him. PSO hit him several times, and he threatened the complainant, saying that he had instructions from a very powerful and resourceful person and also told him that he would finish his job outside the premises. When he shouted for help, and after much of a commotion, the door of the board meeting opened, and he was let in," Samir Modi alleged. (ANI) Aryadan Shoukath, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance candidate for Nilambur for the Kerala Assembly elections 2026, expressed strong confidence for victory, claiming that there is a massive anti-incumbency wave against the LDF government in the constituency. Highlighting his recent performance and the UDF's success in the Nilambur by-election last year, where he defeated Left Democratic Front's (LDF) M Swaraj of CPI(M) by a large margin of 11,077 votes, Shoukath stated, "In Nilambur, all the factors are very favourable for us, especially for UDF and for me also. The last by-election was just eight months back, and we got a victorious margin of votes. For the last two times, this constituency has been influenced by the LDF, and the MLA was an LDF MLA." Shoukath further emphasised that his eight-month tenure following the by-election has been dedicated to local progress. "Now, the situation is very favourable because there is a mass anti-incumbency factor against the LDF government. In Nilambur for the last eight months, I have done much developmental work," he remarked, predicting an increased victory margin in the upcoming polls. "All the people of Nilambur are convinced about my performance, and I am expecting more than 20 thousand leads in this constituency," he said, claiming that the incumbent LDF government "has totally ignored the Nilambur constituency" in the last decade. On Tuesday, Shoukath was announced as one of the 55 candidates by Congress for the Kerala Assembly elections, scheduled for April 9. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4. The party has fielded Kerala Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph from the Peravoor seat. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan has been fielded from the Paravur seat. K Muraleedharan, former MP and son of veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Kerala and former Union Minister of Industry K Karunakaran from the Vattiyoorkavu seat. The main electoral contest in the State is expected between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, is also in the fray for the Assembly polls. The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23, 2026. In the previous Kerala Assembly election in 2021, the incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance secured consecutive terms in the state. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA saw a decline in vote share and lost its only seat in the Assembly. The 2016 Assembly elections had also seen the LDF come to power, winning 77 seats with a vote share of 34.8 per cent. The UDF secured 47 seats with 38.2 per cent of the votes, reflecting a closely contested political environment at the time. A comparison between the two elections shows a consolidation of support for the LDF between 2016 and 2021, with the alliance increasing its seat tally by 17 seats. The UDF, meanwhile, saw its representation in the Assembly decline from 47 seats in 2016 to 40 seats in 2021. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday met spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Art of Living Ashram located in Shisham Jhadi, Rishikesh and sought his blessings. During the meeting, the two discussed various issues related to social harmony and spiritual awareness. The Chief Minister said that the Art of Living Foundation, founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has been playing a significant role in promoting peace, yoga and human values worldwide, adding that his guidance is spreading positive energy in society, which is highly inspiring for a spiritually rich state like Uttarakhand. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, while blessing the Chief Minister, expressed his wishes for the state's progress and prosperity. He said that Uttarakhand's spiritual heritage and natural beauty give it a unique global identity, and collective efforts are needed to further strengthen it. The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of guidance from saints and spiritual leaders in the holistic development of the state. Speaking to ANI, Dhami said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is constantly guiding people onto the right path and wished for young people to awaken patriotism within them and work for society. "Today I met Sri Sri Gurudev Ravi Shankar and sought his guidance. He is continuously advancing numerous social causes in the field of religion and spirituality. He is constantly guiding people onto the right path. Millions of people across the country are inspired by him and are working. May all our young people awaken patriotism within them and work for society," said Dhami. Earlier on Tuesday, Dhami also approved a total financial outlay of Rs 75 crore for various initiatives, including tackling the growing challenges of cybercrime in the state, developing infrastructure in Scheduled Caste-dominated areas and the reconstruction of roads across different assembly constituencies. (ANI) Hearing in the cheque bounce case involving Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav commenced before the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, where the court extended his interim bail till the next date of hearing, taking note of substantial payments made by him to the complainant company. The matter was taken up by Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma. At the outset, counsel for Yadav informed the Court that a regular bail application had been filed and that the interim protection granted earlier was expiring today. He submitted that a total of Rs 4.25 crore has already been paid to the complainant company, M/s Murli Projects Pvt. Ltd., and a further demand draft of Rs 25 lakh was being handed over. Taking note of the payments made, the Court observed, "You have paid a substantial amount, therefore we are not sending you back to jail," and accordingly extended Yadav's interim bail till the next date of hearing. During the proceedings, the Court questioned Yadav regarding the loan involved in the dispute. In response, the actor, who was present in person, admitted that he had taken the loan. The Court noted that multiple opportunities had been granted earlier to clear the dues, but they were not complied with. Addressing the Court, Yadav stated that in 2016, he had been directed to pay around Rs 10.40 crore and had even produced documents relating to a property worth Rs 28 crore belonging to a friend. He further claimed that despite making partial payments, including Rs 2 crore, the complainant was not interested in accepting the remaining amount and instead wanted him to be sent to jail. He told the Court that he was subsequently sent to Tihar Jail and remained there for about three months. Yadav added that once he underwent incarceration, the financial situation deteriorated further. He also submitted that a film project involving an investment of Rs 22 crore had suffered heavy losses, stating that nearly Rs 17 crore was lost. Earlier, the High Court had suspended Yadav's sentence till March 18 after he deposited Rs 1.5 crore, subject to conditions including furnishing a personal bond and surrendering his passport. The case arises out of multiple cheque dishonour complaints in which the trial court had sentenced the actor. While relief had been granted earlier to facilitate settlement, the High Court had taken a stricter view in the past over non-compliance with payment undertakings. With interim relief now continuing, the matter is scheduled to be taken up for further hearing on April 1, when the Court is expected to hear arguments on the main petition. (ANI) Worried parents are urgently contacting pharmacies in a bid to secure meningitis vaccinations for their children following an outbreak in Kent. Parents scramble for meningitis vaccines The outbreak, centred around Canterbury, has led to 15 confirmed cases of invasive meningitis in a matter of days. Two people have died, including a 21-year-old university student and a sixth form pupil, heightening concern among families in the area and beyond. The UK Health Security Agency said the situation is developing quickly, with chief executive Susan Hopkins previously warning of its "explosive nature" In response, parents are turning to private vaccinations, with pharmacies being inundated with calls from families hoping to book appointments. One pharmacy owner in Berkshire described the level of concern among parents. Speaking to The Guardian, they said: "I have received about 30 or 40 calls in two hours from people wanting to book their entire families for vaccinations. They are worried. They are getting agitated." Vaccines covering meningitis B, the strain involved in the outbreak, are being offered privately at prices of 200 or more per child. For example, Boots charges around 220 for the two required doses. A targeted vaccination programme at the University of Kent will see around 5,000 students in halls receive the MenB vaccine from Wednesday (18.03.26) to limit further spread. Health authorities said transmission may have taken place at Club Chemistry in Canterbury, urging anyone who visited the venue between 5 and 7 March to seek precautionary antibiotic treatment, even if they are not showing symptoms. Routine vaccination against MenB was only introduced in 2015, meaning many current university students and older teenagers were not eligible for childhood immunisation and may remain vulnerable. Meningitis is a serious infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can develop quickly and may include fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, vomiting and confusion. In severe cases, it can lead to sepsis, brain damage or death. Assam BJP President and MP Dilip Saikia on Wednesday said that the joining of Pradyut Bordoloi to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a "huge setback" for the Congress party, stating that no one with "self-respect wants to remain with Congress." "Pradyut Bordoloi's joining the BJP is sending a big message as he is a leader of a big stature. Such a leader not staying in Congress is a huge setback for the Congress party. It is not a good message. Nobody with self-respect wants to stay with Congress," Saikia said. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Diganta Kalita echoed a similar sentiment, saying Bordoloi's joining the BJP has broken the backbone of the Congress party in Assam. "The Congress party, which was in power for 50 years, has reached this state in Assam. All the big leaders are leaving Congress one by one and joining the BJP. Pradyut Bordoloi has also joined the BJP. I welcome him; he did the right thing. His joining the BJP broke the backbone of the Congress," he said. Earlier, Pradyut Bordoloi had accused the Congress leadership of sidelining him, which led to the end of his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. He clarified that the resignation stemmed from "multiple issues" as opposed to a singular ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. "For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death. There were multiple issues. What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot," Bordoloi told the media. "I want to make it very clear that I am in my second term in Lok Sabha, and there are another three years to go. I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave and work," he added. Following Bordoloi's resignation, Congress has fielded his son from the Margherita Assembly constituency for the upcoming Assembly polls. His departure comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who served in the Congress for three decades, joined the BJP. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. (ANI) YSR Congress Party leader and former MLA Hafiz Khan on Wednesday criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu over his remarks at the Iftar party. Speaking to ANI, Hafiz Khan alleged that the Chief Minister made false claims about welfare measures for the Muslim community, including funds, honorariums, and development initiatives. "In the auspicious month of Ramadan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu gave an Iftar party on behalf of the government. On the occasion when Muslims give a lot of importance to spirituality, he has spoken false statements and has lied on record," he said. Hafiz Khan condemned the Chief Minister's statements made during the Iftar event, saying that he lied about giving Rs. 100 crore to the Dudekula Corporation, or increasing the honorarium for the Imams and Moazzam. He further claimed that the government of N Chandrababu Naidu didn't do anything during the last two years for the benefit of the Muslim community. "The lies are that he never gave Rs. 100 crore to the Dudekula Corporation, he didn't raise the Imams and Moazzam an honorarium of Rs. 5000 and Rs. 10,000. He didn't do anything for the benefit of the Muslim community with respect to women who were promised monthly pensions, allotment of Eidgahs and Kabristans, or the development of the Muslim community in any way. In fact, what he did in these years is blatant misuse of his powers by supporting the NDA government and giving arms to the Waqf Act, where they can betray the Muslim community. But the YSR Congress Party has stood by the Muslim community, and we are fighting the case in supreme court. We will keep fighting it till we get the justice," he said He also accused the government of neglecting minority welfare and raising concerns over Waqf properties. "Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh Babu are taking the Waqf properties that belong to the Muslim institutions in the guise of development, and giving it to their own party people. This is again an injustice against the Muslim community. There is no benefit that a person has received from the government in these two years," he said. Highlighting the previous government, he said YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ensured better financial support and representation for Muslims. "Our ex-CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, during his tenure, has given more than Rs. 24,000 crores of benefit directly by giving the money to Direct Beneficiary Trader and by Non-DBT as well. That is the kind of empowerment of the Muslim committee that was done," he added. (ANI) Following the resignation of MP Pradyut Bordoloi, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday called Bordoloi's decision to leave the party an "unfortunate decision" and said that the 2026 assembly election is about "freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma". He said that the Congress offered an opportunity to his family member to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections, but he made a decision that is his personal decision. Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Gogoi said, "It is an unfortunate decision. Just two years ago, the Congress Party offered him the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha ticket from Nagaon. He's a sitting member of parliament, the people of Nagaon voted for him, and in this present election, the Congress Party offered an opportunity to a member of his family to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections. So the family at the same time got the opportunity to represent the Lok Sabha and has got the opportunity to represent the Vidhan Sabha. Despite that, he made a decision which is his personal decision." He added that this assembly election is about "freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma." "This election is much more important than one person. This election is about freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Freeing Assam from Himanta Biswa Sarma's politics of fear and intimidation. Freeing Assam from the Mafiaraj that has crept during Himanta Biswa Sarma's tenure. So, people of Assam want to see an Assam without Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister. We have got tremendous support. We are confident of forming the government," he added. On Bordoloi's resignation, Gogoi said he doesn't think that a difference of opinion over one seat is a reason to leave a party. "There are always differences inside a party. We have all faced differences and had strong opinions. I don't think that a difference of opinion over one seat is the reason to leave a party and join the rival. Just two days ago, I was in the Lakhimpur district, which is the district in which Bhupen Bora is currently seeking a ticket from the BJP," he added. Gogoi said he witnessed a "tremendous growth in the popularity of the Congress party" in organisational strength. "I have witnessed a tremendous growth in the popularity of the Congress party, in the organisational strength of the Congress party, and the reason is that the Congress party is aligned to the ideas and wishes of the people of Assam. Congress party will form the next government," Gogoi added. Earlier today, MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia. After officially joining the BJP ranks today, Bordoloi said his decision to resign from Congress was driven by "persistent internal humiliation" and a lack of support from the party leadership. Referring to a specific Assam Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, Pradyut Bordoloi said he felt hurt after Imran Masood dismissed his allegations against a candidate whom he accused of running a criminal nexus, as "fabricated". Masood, who represents Saharanpur in the Lok Sabha, is a part of Congress's screening committee for the upcoming Assam elections. Bordoloi told ANI, "There is no one reason. I was feeling suffocated, and I was being humiliated". "I came to know that a communal leader like Imraan Masood said that everything I was talking about and saying about a candidate against whom I had given evidence of a criminal nexus was false and fabricated. Imran Masood, in the presence of the party's top leadership, had the audacity to say that all that Pradyut Bordoloi said was fabricated. The APCC president present there remained silent. This hurt me a lot," said Bordoloi. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address three election rallies across Assam on April 1, 3 and 6, ahead of the upcoming state polls, as per sources Other than PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also expected to attend several election events and hold multiple rallies in six regions of the country, sources said. This comes after the Election Commission on Sunday announced elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. On Tuesday, Assam CM Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the BJP would announce its assembly poll candidates after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board and that the party's allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) will contest 26 and 11 seats respectively. Assam has 126 assembly seats, and the BJP is expected to contest 89 seats. "The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will contest 26 seats, the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) 11 seats, and the BJP the remaining seats. Today, we had preliminary discussions regarding our party list. Tomorrow is our Parliamentary Board meeting. I think the list will be announced late tomorrow night or the next morning," Sarma told reporters in the national capital. Earlier in the day, former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia. Bordoloi has accused the Congress leadership of sidelining him, which led to the end of his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment. He clarified that the resignation stemmed from "multiple issues" as opposed to a singular ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. "For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death. There were multiple issues. What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot," he told the media. "I want to make it very clear that I am in my second term in Lok Sabha, and there are another three years to go. I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave and work," he added. (ANI) Janata Dal (Secular) National President and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Wednesday took a jibe repsonding to Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge's remark stating that Devegowda 'loved' Congress but 'married' Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that he was in a 'forced marriage' with Congress and had to take a 'divorce' due to an 'abusive relationship'. Taking it to X, he wrote, "My dear friend Shri. @kharge made a humorous comment in parliament today on my "love" for @INCIndia and "marriage" with @BJP4India. I was not there in the House when he spoke. Here's my response, both light-hearted and factual, on why I was forced to "divorce" the Congress @PMOIndia." In a letter attached to the post, Deve Gowda wrote, "If I were to respond to my friend in the same language of marriage, I would like to say that I was in a 'forced marriage' with the Congress but had to 'divorce' them because it was an abusive relationship." Deve Gowda recalled how he vouched for Kharge to be the Chief Minister; however, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad insisted on HD Kumaraswamy's leadership. He further stated that if the party had acted against the person who instigated defection casing several Congress leaders to join the BJP, Kharge would have been in a better position as AICC President. "Kharge will remember that in 2018, Congress sent Ghulam Nabi Azad and offered HD Kumaraswamy the chief ministership. I did not consent to this. I told everybody in everybody's presence that Kharge should be made Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah was also there. However, Azad insisted on Kumaraswamy's leadership. But after all this song, dance and a wedding, what did they do in 2019? They damped us. How many Congress MLAs defected to the BJP and who sent them across is now common knowledge. If Congress had acted against the person who instigated defection that day, today my friend, Kharge, would be in a better position as AICC President," he wrote in the letter. So to put the record straight, I did not desert the Congress alliance. It is they who walked away. They left me with no choice but to "divorce" them and seek a more stable alliance, he added. Meanwhile, Kharge on Wednesday recalled his association with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda of over 54 years quipped, "I have known Deve Gowda for more than 54 years, and I have worked with him a lot. Later, I don't know what happened. 'Wo mohabbat humare saath kiye, shaadi Modi sahab ke sath'." This comes after biennial Rajya Sabha elections were held to fill 37 seats across 10 states. Out of the 37 seats, 26 candidates were elected unopposed. (ANI) Former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday said he has resigned from his Lok Sabha seat after quitting the party and joining the BJP. Speaking to ANI, on his political move, Bordoloi said he recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who advised him to consider contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam. "I have just resigned from my Lok Sabha seat. I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He has been very kind. He knows everything about him. He suggested that I should contest the Assembly elections in Assam. I have to take a call and I will decide on it," Bordoloi said. He added that a final decision on contesting the Assam Assembly polls will be taken soon. After joining the BJP, Bordoloi, along with Assam CM Himanta Biswar Sarma, met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital. Sarma shared a post on his official 'X' handle and informed about the development. "Today , I along with Pradyut Bordoloi met Hon'ble Home Minister Amit Shah and took his blessings ahead of the Assam Elections 2026," the 'X' post from CM Sarma said. Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said that the resignation of Congress senior leader from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, is "very unfortunate", suggesting that he was "upset" over ticket allocation for the Assam Assembly elections. Priyanka Gandhi wished that the Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi had a conversation with the party leadership before tendering his resignation. "It is very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and we wish we had a chance to have a conversation about it," she said. Bordoloi had claimed that he was being insulted by the Congress party and this had forced his hand. "Today, I have abandoned one of the most important principles of my life, and I am not happy with it.... However, I made this decision because I was being insulted on many issues by anyone who approached me from within the Congress Party, especially in the Assam Congress. Even the Congress leadership was not showing sympathy towards me... I have become very lonely because I have been associated with the Congress all my life," Bordoloi told reporters. Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades. Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power. The apex poll body said that Assam, along with the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, will hold elections to their legislative assemblies, commencing from April 9. While Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 9, voters in Tamil Nadu will exercise their franchise in a single phase on April 23. Assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes for all four states and one union territory will take place on May 4, the Chief Election Commissioner said. (ANI) BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of siding with "anti-India forces" and attempting to defame the country. In a press conference, Bhatia said that an opposition party was "hell-bent on defaming India" and alleged that Rahul Gandhi was relying on a report from an agency with "no credibility" to question the state of democracy in the country. Referring to the mention of sanctions against the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) in the report, Bhatia said such recommendations were unacceptable and baseless. Defending R&AW, the BJP leader said that since its inception, the agency has served the nation with dedication and commitment. "An opposition party is hell-bent on defaming India, Rahul Gandhi is hell-bent on siding with anti-India forces...The report recommends that India's agency R&AW should be sanctioned. An agency with no credibility should not be passing judgments on India. Yet Rahul Gandhi chooses to rely on it to claim that there is no democracy in India. Since its inception, R&AW has served the nation with dedication, and many of its officers have even laid down their lives in the line of duty," he said. Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Bhatia lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Congress' alleged support for the recent annual report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which has backed sanctions on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). Addressing a press conference, the BJP spokesperson called the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's "Mohabbat ki dukaan only has anti-national things. "Once again, LoP Rahul Gandhi has shown that what he calls Mohabbat ki Dukaan, only has anti-national things. Even the public is asking him some serious questions. He is a grown up man. So does he intentionally oppose India and has an anti-Indian mentality." he said. Referring to the Congress's recent post on X, citing the USCIRF report, demanding a ban on RSS, the BJP spokesperson highlighted that the report also recommends sanctions on R&AW, which he alleged that the Congress leader supported. He questioned Rahul Gandhi for his alleged endorsement of the report, calling it "seriously concerning." Meanwhile, on Monday, the Government of India rubbished the USCIRF report, which recommended the US government designate it as a "country of particular concern," or CPC, and to put sanctions on certain individuals and entities. A statement by the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said that the report was motivated and biased in its characterisation of India. "We have taken note of the latest report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). We categorically reject its motivated and biased characterisation of India. For several years now, USCIRF has persisted in presenting a distorted and selective picture of India, relying on questionable sources and ideological narratives rather than objective facts. Such repeated misrepresentations only undermine the credibility of the Commission itself," the statement read. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday described the recent fire incident linked to electric vehicle (EV) charging in Indore as a "new challenge" and directed officials to carry out a detailed investigation into the matter, which claimed eight lives. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said that the state government would take steps to prevent such occurrences in the future and work towards spreading awareness among the public. "The incident caused by an electric car charging point in Indore has brought a new challenge. Considering the seriousness of the incident, instructions have been given to officials to conduct a thorough investigation. We will work towards preventing such incidents and raising awareness. Facilities like digital locks are a necessity, but along with them, vigilance and caution are equally important," CM Yadav wrote in a post on X. Speaking to reporters, Yadav said he was saddened by the deaths and that senior officials had been dispatched to the site to investigate. "We received information about the Indore fire incident this morning and I am saddened that eight people died in the incident. We have sent officials from here and they will investigate the entire matter. We stand by the grieving family. Our senior officials have been sent to the incident site, and our ministers Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tulsi Silawat, along with other public representatives, are present at the spot," CM Mohan Yadav told reporters. He further appealed to the public to observe necessary precautions while using facilities such as digital locks and EV charging points. "I also urge the public to use digital locks and electronic doors with due caution. Along with this, remain vigilant and cautious while using EV chargers. I hope people will observe more precautions after this incident and the government will also work in this direction," the CM added. Eight people died after a fire broke out at a three-storey house in the Brijeshwari Annexe residential locality in Indore district at around 4 AM on Wednesday, spreading rapidly through the structure. Commissioner of Police (Indore) Santosh Kumar Singh informed about the chain of events that led to the incident. He said that it started from an EV charging point exploding while charging an electric vehicle, which was followed by explosions of "some" LGP cylinders. "As per initial investigations, an electric vehicle was being charged outside the house, and the charging point exploded. After that, the fire then spread to the house from the car. We found that there were electronic locks in the building, so it seems that after the explosion, power cuts may occur and doors may be locked. It was a three-storey building, and more than 10 gas cylinders were also stored inside the house, some of which exploded. We also witnessed cylinder explosions between the time period of 4 am and 4:30 am," the police commissioner said. He added that the fire tender team also checked the nearby houses and buildings as a precaution because too much heat was generated at the time of the blaze. (ANI) The second phase of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Budget Session began on Wednesday with sharp exchanges between the ruling government and the opposition, as Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur criticised the state government over the Governor's Address, alleging it lacked substance and focused largely on attacking the Centre. The session opened with the motion of thanks on the Governor's Address, but Thakur claimed the speech failed to highlight any concrete achievements of the government led by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Speaking to ANI, Thakur pointed out that the Governor concluded the address in just over two minutes, attributing it to the tone and content of the speech. "What I said inside the House is a fact. The Governor completed the address in just over two minutes because the language used against the Central government was not appropriate. I support his decision," said Jai Ram Thakur. He alleged that the address repeatedly criticised Central policies instead of focusing on the state government's work. "From the very beginning, almost every paragraph targeted the Centre. This is not appropriate for such a document. The Governor was fully fit to read the entire speech but chose not to due to its content," he added. Questioning the government's performance, Thakur said the address should have reflected achievements from nearly four years in office but failed to do so. "This was the fourth address of this government's tenure, which should showcase its achievements. But there is nothing to count. Development works have stalled, institutions are being shut, and the state's debt has crossed Rs 1.1 lakh crore," he said. Defending the previous BJP government, Thakur said infrastructure created during their tenure was based on public demand and should be made functional by the current administration. "If buildings were constructed, they were built on public demand. It is now the responsibility of the present government to make them functional. Shutting them down is not in the spirit of governance continuity," he stated. Refuting allegations made by Chief Minister Sukhu, Thakur asserted that the BJP has consistently worked in the interest of Himachal Pradesh. "The BJP has always worked in the interest of the state. I recently met the Union Finance Minister and raised issues concerning Himachal. Protecting the state's interests remains our top priority and will continue to be so," he said. On administrative matters, Thakur questioned the government's handling of officials with "doubtful integrity," saying action should have been taken earlier rather than after granting extensions. "If such officials were identified, they should not have been given extensions or reappointments. They continued for years, drew benefits, and now questions are being raised," he remarked. He also alleged a lack of coordination within the government, pointing to statements by ministers crediting others for the formation of the government. "The Chief Minister talks about others being under stress, but the tension is within his own government. Ministers are publicly giving credit for government formation to others, including the Deputy Chief Minister. What message does this send?" he said. Thakur, however, supported the government's recent dress code guidelines for employees, calling it a step towards maintaining decorum. "Decency in appearance is important. Wearing traditional attire linked to our culture is a good step, especially for those in government service. But there should not be excessive interference in personal conduct outside official duty," he added. The Assembly session is expected to witness further heated debates as both sides continue to clash over governance, finances, and administrative decisions in the state. (ANI) Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 18 (ANI); The Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, on Wednesday said a notice submitted by the BJP seeking privilege action against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is under examination, and no decision has been taken so far. Speaking to reporters late Wednesday evening, the Speaker said he had received the petition under Rule 75 shortly before the House proceedings and has yet to examine it in detail. "So far, there has been no such report in the House. I received the petition around 10:50 am and had to come to the Assembly thereafter. I have not applied my mind to it yet nor read it fully," Pathania said. He added that the Assembly Secretariat is scrutinising the petition in accordance with rules, precedents and conventions. "We will examine whether the matter falls within the ambit of Rule 75. Once that is done, I will inform you about the next course of action," he said. The Speaker noted that similar petitions under Rule 75 had been received earlier as well, including during the Dharamshala session, and the present notice is an additional one. "There has been no action on these so far. The Secretary is examining all aspects, after which further steps will be decided," he said. The BJP has moved a notice demanding privilege proceedings against the Chief Minister, alleging that he misled the House and provided incorrect data in his replies during the ongoing Budget Session. On the conduct of members, Pathania also expressed concern over disruptions and lack of decorum in the Assembly. He said members are given adequate time to present their views but must adhere to established rules and procedures. "I have repeatedly requested members from both the treasury and opposition benches to maintain decorum. Speaking out of turn or trying to dictate to the Chair is not acceptable," he said, warning that strict action could be taken against those violating rules. Invoking the powers of the Chair, the Speaker said he can take action, including naming and suspension of members if required. "If any member behaves in a non-decorous manner or makes unwarranted insinuations against the Chair, action will certainly follow," he added. (ANI) Adam Thomas' car was ploughed into. Actor Adam Thomas A mum panicked and "bawled" after her vehicle accidentally smacked into the side of the 37-year-old actor's expensive motor in a car park on Saturday (14.03.26). On the latest episode of the At Home with the Thomas Bros podcast, Waterloo Road star Adam told his siblings, Coronation Street alum Ryan Thomas, 41, and 37-year-old Love Island star Scott Thomas: "So, I was having a really good day, the sun was shining. "It was a Saturday, I drove to B+Q, and as I am reversing out of the car parking space, a car literally just goes into the side of my car. "I just remember it happening, and I just grabbed my steering wheel, took a big deep breath, and I thought, 'Its fine.' "And I got out the car, there was this lady, and she had the kids in the car, and she looked at my car, and she was like, Im so sorry.' "I dont know why, but my car wasnt as damaged as her car was. And I just remember looking at her car, and then I looked at her, and she just started bawling. I think because she saw my car and how expensive it might have been. "She just started bawling, bless her, and she's like, 'Look, Im gonna go park up and make sure the kids are OK, and then Ill come back and get your details." However, Adam graciously let the woman off the hook. The I'm A Celebrity...South Africa star continued: "And I was just like, 'Darling, don't worry about it. I don't need your details, just sort your car out.' And, yeah, it's all sorted." Love Island: All Stars 2025 contestant Scott then asked if his brother's car was all right, to which Adam replied: "Yeah, it was fine, it's got a little bit of a scratch on it!" The accident came a week after Adam broke down in tears after he admitted having a lack of self-belief. The star said on a recent episode of the At Home with the Thomas Bros podcast: "When you look at the house that Ive got, the cars that Ive got, the life that Ive created for myself and yet I still dont believe in myself. "Theres days where I walk down the stairs in this house and I think, f****** hell, Im so grateful, Im so lucky, and I feel guilty because of it. "Im like, why do I deserve this? Why do I deserve a beautiful wife?" Adam - who has been married to Caroline Daly since 2017, and has a son named Teddy, 11, and a daughter called Elsie, seven, with her - then broke down in tears as he questioned: "Why do I deserve this perfect family?" He continued: "And thats the one thing that just beats me up sometimes because I'm like, 'Why me?' I'm no different to anybody else. "And I suppose that thats the one thing Im chasing, is the self-belief and the confidence." The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! 2016 campmate then acknowledged: "On paper, the life Ive created for myself is ridiculous. "And the job that Ive got, its amazing, but theres just that one thing inside of me." But added: "I just doubt myself so much. And just the over procrastinating, like, 'Im no good at this, Im no good at that, Im not a good friend, Im not a good husband, sometimes Im not a great dad. "And, you know, not necessarily wanting to further my career. So what I'm doing now is really just trying to find out what it is. "Im everyone elses best friend, and I will always big everyone up and tell them how great they are, and I just dont do that for myself." Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday virtually addressed the Tharu Holi Mahamahotsav organised in Khatima from the Chief Minister's residence. He paid his respects to the gathering present at the event and expressed regret for not being able to attend in person due to administrative commitments. In his address, the Chief Minister said that the cultural traditions of the Tharu community are extremely rich. He noted that their customs, folk songs, traditional dances, and deep connection with nature are an invaluable heritage for the state. He emphasised that not only Khatima but the entire state of Uttarakhand takes pride in the Tharu culture. He particularly highlighted the unique celebration of Holi by the Tharu community, which continues for several days with great enthusiasm and joy. The Chief Minister stated that such events not only help preserve cultural heritage but also play an important role in connecting the younger generation with their traditions and values, according to a release. He added that his heart is always connected with the people of Khatima, even though he could not be physically present this time. He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is committed to the holistic development of tribal communities. Various schemes are being implemented to empower them in the fields of education, healthcare, employment, and basic infrastructure. He mentioned that under the Atal Housing Scheme, the income limit has been made more practical and construction costs have been increased, enabling more families to benefit. In Udham Singh Nagar, financial assistance worth crores of rupees has been provided under this scheme. The Chief Minister also stated that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), a large number of tribal families have been provided with housing, and around 28 per cent of the applications received this year are from tribal families. Under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Awas Yojana, several houses have been constructed in the district. Highlighting efforts in the education sector, he said that funds are being provided for the development of Ashram schools, hostels, and ITI institutions, and these schools are being upgraded to Class 12. Through Eklavya Model Residential Schools, quality education is being provided to tribal children. Significant work is also being carried out to improve hostels and educational infrastructure in Khatima, Bazpur, and Gadarpur. He added that to make women from tribal communities self-reliant, employment and training opportunities are being provided under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. Through Van Dhan Kendras, tribal products are being linked to markets, promoting economic empowerment. Women are also being supported with revolving funds and investment assistance to encourage self-employment. The Chief Minister stated that under the Chief Minister Border Area Development Programme, several schemes have been completed, benefiting thousands of families with drinking water, electricity, and gas connections. Funds have also been sanctioned for the construction of Tharu Development Bhawans and for improving basic infrastructure in tribal areas. He said that the government is also providing financial assistance to tribal families for the marriage of daughters, benefiting a large number of people. To accelerate development in tribal areas, Tribal Welfare Officers have been appointed in various districts. The Chief Minister emphasised that the state government is not limited to announcing schemes but is actively working to implement them on the ground to bring real change. The goal is to ensure a dignified life for every tribal family, quality education for children, and employment opportunities for youth. He also accused previous governments of neglecting tribal communities and asserted that the present government is committed to protecting their rights and dignity. He noted that the declaration of Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' by the Prime Minister is a symbol of respect for tribal society. In conclusion, the Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to the all-round development of the Tharu community and sought continued public support. He expressed confidence that with public cooperation, Uttarakhand will achieve its goal of becoming one of the best states in the country. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed a series of Union Cabinet decisions aimed at supporting farmers, enhancing connectivity, accelerating industrial growth, and boosting clean energy, stating that the government is leaving no stone unturned to make the lives of people as easy as possible. In a post on X, the Prime Minister stated that the government has given approval for MSP funding for the cotton season 2023-24, which will ensure the protection of the interests of cotton farmers across the country. "Our government is leaving no stone unturned to make the lives of our farmer brothers and sisters as easy as possible. In this direction, today approval has been given for MSP funding for the cotton season 2023-24. This step of ours will ensure the protection of the interests of cotton farmers across the country," said PM Modi. Earlier, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Minimum Support Price (MSP) funding of Rs 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the cotton season 2023-24. This funding aims to provide direct price support to cotton farmers across the country. As per a statement released by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, "The MSP operations are undertaken to safeguard the interests of cotton farmers, particularly during periods when market prices fall below the MSP. These interventions play a crucial role in stabilising cotton prices, preventing distress sales, and ensuring remunerative returns to farmers." On infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said enhancing connectivity across the country is among the priorities of the government. He emphasises that the development will not only reduce travel time but also boost economic development in the region. "Enhancing connectivity across the country is among the priorities of our government. In line with this, approval has been granted today for the 4-laning of the Barabanki to Bahraich section of the National Highway. This will not only reduce travel time but also boost economic development in the region," PM posted on X. Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the construction of a 4-lane access-controlled National Highway-927 from Barabanki to Bahraich (101.515 km) in Uttar Pradesh on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a cost of Rs. 6969.04 crore. Designed as an access-controlled 4-lane highway with continuous service roads, the project will bypass major habitations, increase average travel speeds, reduce travel time to about one hour, and improve overall road safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle operating costs, thereby enhancing regional mobility and socio-economic development. The Union Cabinet also approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA), with an allocation of Rs 33,660 crore for developing 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country, which aimed at transforming India's industrial landscape and creating employment opportunities. The scheme will deliver plug-and-play industrial ecosystems, enabling industries to move from intent to production with speed and certainty. With pre-approved land, ready infrastructure, and integrated services, BHAVYA will significantly reduce entry barriers for investors. The scheme will be extended to all States and Union Territories, creating lakhs of employment opportunities across the country and accelerating industrial growth nationwide. Highlighting the BHAVYA scheme, PM Modi called it a landmark step towards accelerating India's industrial growth and said it will enable the development of 100 plug-and-play industrial parks, boosting manufacturing, investment and jobs across the nation. "A landmark step towards accelerating India's industrial growth. The Union Cabinet has approved Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA). This will enable the development of 100 plug-and-play industrial parks, boosting manufacturing, investment and jobs across the nation. The scheme will significantly enhance Ease of Doing Business through streamlined approvals and single-window systems. It will boost logistics and services sectors too," PM Modi posted on X. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, with an outlay of Rs 2584.60 crore for the installation of small hydro power projects of an approximate capacity of 1,500 MW. According to an official press release, the scheme will support small hydro projects (between 1-25 MW capacity) to come up in different states and will especially benefit hilly and North Eastern states with high potential for such projects. On clean energy, PM Modi stated that the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme will boost clean energy, attract investments and create employment across rural and remote regions. "The Union Cabinet has approved the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme, which will boost clean energy, attract investments and create employment across rural and remote regions. The Northeast in particular will gain significantly from the scheme," PM Modi said on X. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also posted on X and emphasised that the SHP Development Scheme will accelerate clean energy, generate employment opportunities and promote sustainable development in remote, hilly and North Eastern regions. "The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Shri @narendramodi has approved the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme (FY 2026-27 to 2030-31) with Rs. 2,584.60 Cr for 1,500 MW capacity. This transformative initiative will accelerate clean energy, generate employment opportunities and promote sustainable development in remote, hilly and North Eastern regions. I thank PM Modi for taking this decision which will help India towards sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth." Singh said. The scheme is likely to bring in Rs 15,000 crore of investment in the small hydro sector, giving a boost to the clean energy initiative, investment in remote and rural areas and creating significant employment opportunities. (ANI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met with the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) for Puducherry, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, to chart the course for the upcoming Assembly elections. In a post on Facebook, Rahul Gandhi said the meeting at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi focused on strengthening the organisation and shaping a roadmap that reflects the voices, needs, and aspirations of the people of Puducherry. "At Indira Bhawan, New Delhi, met with the CEC for Puducherry, led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, to chart the course for the upcoming Assembly elections. Focused on strengthening the organisation and shaping a roadmap that reflects the voices, needs, and aspirations of the people of Puducherry," Gandhi posted. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal, and other senior leaders were present at the meeting. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday also attended the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the BJP headquarters in the national capital. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Nitin Nabin, along with several other party leaders, were present at the meeting. The meeting assumes significance as the Election Commission has announced the schedule for Assembly elections in several states and Union Territories, including Puducherry. Earlier on Wednesday Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi said that the State Assembly election is not about any single political party, asserting that the people of Assam want Himanta Biswa Sarma "not to become the Chief Minister again," as he prioritises only his own family. The Election Commission on Sunday announced elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the assembly. Voting in Puducherry will take place on April 9. Polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Keralam and Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. (ANI) Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her 'tapori' remark on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that there is a "bizarre competition" within the BJP over making offensive statements. Speaking to reporters, Shrinate said that leaders in the BJP are competing over "who can stoop the lowest in their speech" and make the "most vile" and "absurd" remarks. Targeting Ranaut, she said the actor-turned-politician has a history of making "outlandish remarks" and alleged that her statements have worsened. "There seems to be a bizarre competition within the BJP: who can stoop the lowest in their speech, who can make the most vile remarks, who can issue the most absurd statements, and who can make the most offensive comments. Kangana has always been prone to making outlandish remarks; now that she has joined this race, she is spouting even more nonsense than usual. I do not wish to dig up her past, but judging by the nature of the statements she is currently making, she is in dire need of a psychiatrist, as her condition appears to be becoming incurable", she said. Congress leader Jothimani also took a jibe at the BJP MP, saying that she might need "medical help" with the kind of statements she is saying. "I think Kangana Ranaut needs some urgent medical help. Something is terribly wrong with her. Maybe because her movies are not doing well, she might be in some kind of depression. That is why she's making these kinds of statements. She's someone who does not have any understanding of politics or the public," the Congress leader told ANI. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also condemned the remarks. "There could be personal or political disagreements, but saying something like this for Rahul ji is wrong. I have seen Rahul ji's commitment towards the upliftment of women and respecting them. It is a bit funny to put such allegations on a person who comes from a family full of women leadership," Chaturvedi said while outside Parliament. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged behaviour with other parliamentarians, accusing the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha of "heckling" those giving interviews. Speaking with ANI, Ranaut said, "We, the women, get very uncomfortable seeing the way he (Rahul Gandhi) conducts himself. He walks in like a 'tapori' and heckles those giving interviews. He should see the conduct and behaviour of his sister, which is very good. Rahul Gandhi himself is a shame." Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans and four lawyers wrote an open letter, asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over the incident of him having tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance to Parliament. Led by the former Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid, the signatories stated that the March 12 incident was "deeply concerning" and reflected "conscious disregard for parliamentary authority." Speaking with ANI, SP Vaid said that Rahul Gandhi's behaviour in Parliament is not becoming of a Leader of the Opposition and shows a "sense of entitlement and arrogance". "84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans and former lawyers have addressed this letter to the public stating that Rahul Gandhi's behaviour in Parliament is not becoming of a Leader of the Opposition, which is a very responsible post. His behaviour shows a sense of entitlement and arrogance. He indulges in theatrics; he sits on the steps of the Parliament and sips tea amid slogannering. I think Rahul Gandhi does not understand the importance of the post of LoP," he said. He demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi, urging him to fulfil the role of a responsible LoP. (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday criticised BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over the latter calling Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi a 'tapori' while Gandhi was protesting against the Prime Minister. Tagore said that such statements by Ranaut are "laughable" and alleged that she "follows a script." Speaking with ANI, Tagore said that Ranaut acts according to a predetermined narrative and accused her of targeting Rahul Gandhi deliberately. "It's laughable that Kangana Ranaut is making that script. She is always a script player. Whatever script is given, she will follow it," he said. Defending Rahul Gandhi, Tagore said that the Congress leader is widely respected and "loved by sisters across India," adding that he is seen as a brotherly figure. He further alleged that Ranaut has been given a "script" to defame Rahul Gandhi and has consistently engaged in such attacks. Questioning her performance as an MP, Tagore asked whether she had raised issues concerning her constituency, Mandi or the state of Himachal Pradesh. "Has she spoken for Mandi even once? Has she spoken for Himachal Pradesh? No," he said, adding that she focuses only on attacking Rahul Gandhi rather than addressing local concerns. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged behaviour with other parliamentarians, accusing the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha of "heckling" those giving interviews. Speaking with ANI, Ranaut said, "We, the women, get very uncomfortable seeing the way he (Rahul Gandhi) conducts himself. He walks in like a 'tapori' and heckles those giving interviews. He should see the conduct and behaviour of his sister, which is very good. Rahul Gandhi himself is a shame. "Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans and four lawyers wrote an open letter, asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over the incident of him having tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance to Parliament. (ANI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday criticised the opposition for raising what he described as "unwarranted concerns" over recent agricultural agreements in trade deals. Replying to the debate in Lok Sabha on the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Chouhan defended the trade agreements. He emphasised that, in his capacity as a farmer, a citizen, and the Agriculture Minister, he firmly believes that all agricultural agreements and FTAs that have been signed serve the interests of both farmers and the nation. He reiterated that the criticism directed at these agreements is unfounded and maintained that they are beneficial for the country's agricultural sector. "Unwarranted fingers have been pointed here regarding agricultural agreements. As a farmer, as a citizen, and as India's Minister of Agriculture, I am stating with full responsibility that all the agricultural agreements and FTAs that have been made are in the interest of the farmers and in the interest of the country," said Chouhan. Chouhan highlighted that the government's first major action was merging the department with agriculture to form the Department of Farmer Welfare, describing it as a move made with "heartfelt intent." He then discussed the budget, noting that in 2013-14, the agriculture budget was Rs 21,933 crore, whereas this year, Rs 1,30,561 crore has been allocated. He said the increase is unprecedented and only includes the agriculture department. If fisheries, animal husbandry, food processing, and fertilisers, which are directly credited to farmers' accounts, are included, the total rises to Rs 3,32,410 crore. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister for this. "I have already said that constructive criticism is welcome. Let me get to the point. The very first action this government took was merging the department with agriculture to form the Department of Farmer Welfare. This was done with our heartfelt intent. Now coming to the budget -- I want to talk about how much budget and allocation were made. In 2013-14, the agriculture budget was Rs 21,933 crore. I am talking about 2013-14. Before that -- and I will go further -- the opposition may make noise, but today, when this budget is presented, Rs 1,30,561 crore has been allocated," said Chouhan. The Agriculture Minister outlined the government's three main objectives: ensuring national food security, easing and improving farmers' livelihoods, and ensuring nutritious food reaches the public. To achieve these goals, a roadmap has been prepared with a focus on increasing production. Chouhan said that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, foodgrain production has reached a historic level of 357.3 million metric tons, compared to 265 million tons in 2014-15, and coarse cereal production has risen from 277.35 million metric tons to 370 million metric tons. He added that wheat, rice, maize, peanuts, and soybeans have set new records, and India has become number one in rice production. "The increase in this budget is unprecedented, and this is only the agriculture department budget. If we add fisheries, animal husbandry, food processing, and fertilizers -- because fertilizer subsidies go directly to farmers' accounts -- it comes to Rs 3,32,410 crore. I am grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister for this," said Chouhan. "Our agricultural policy has three main objectives: Ensure national food security - In the current world full of instability and uncertainty, we cannot depend on any other country for our food. Therefore, our first task is to secure the country's food security. Ease and improve farmers' livelihoods. Ensure nutritious food reaches the public," he added. Chouhan also emphasised ensuring farmers receive fair prices and reducing production costs. He cited PM-Kisan Nidhi, contrasting it with previous government schemes, noting that earlier governments provided very little, not even a single penny directly into farmers' accounts. He added that past debt waiver announcements worth Rs 60,000 crore often failed to reach deserving farmers and were marred by scams. In contrast, under PM-Kisan Nidhi alone, Rs 4,27,000 crore has been directly transferred to farmers' accounts in 22 instalments. "Not only have we increased productivity, but we have also ensured that farmers get the right price. To reduce production costs, we set specific goals. Talking about PM-Kisan Nidhi, the previous governments provided very little -- not even a single penny directly to farmers' accounts. Earlier, there was a loud announcement of debt waivers worth Rs 60,000 crore, but many deserving people did not benefit, and there were scams. But in PM-Kisan Nidhi alone, Rs 4,27,000 crore has been directly transferred to farmers' accounts in 22 instalments," said Chouhan. (ANI) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will continue targeting anyone who "poses a threat to the state of Israel," including Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, military spokesperson Effie Defrin has said, saying that they have no current information on Khamenei's whereabouts. According to Al Jazeera, when asked about Khamenei's whereabouts, Defrin said on Tuesday that the IDF had no information, adding, "But I can say one thing: we will continue - as we have proven - we will continue to pursue anyone who poses a threat to the state of Israel, and anyone who raises a hand against it is not immune from us. We will pursue him, find him, and neutralise him." As per Al Jazeera, Defrin also said Israel would continue targeting members of Iran's paramilitary Basij forces, stating, "I say here again, we will reach everyone, no matter where or when." The IDF had earlier said it killed Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Defrin further noted that Israel is preparing for a "prolonged campaign, including during Passover," the Jewish holiday observed this year on the first eight days of April, Al Jazeera reported. Meanwhile, Israel said it was working to intercept a fresh barrage of missiles launched from Iran, CNN reported. Air raid sirens were heard across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with visuals showing flashes in the night sky, including what appeared to be a cluster munition missile over Tel Aviv, according to CNN. Israeli fire and rescue teams were dispatched to multiple impact sites in the greater Tel Aviv area, authorities said, CNN reported. Meanwhile, the Bahrain Defence Force said its air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed 129 missiles and 233 drones since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran more than two weeks ago, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) In its statement, the ministry advised Italians who choose to remain to register their presence and follow safety instructions issued by local authorities, as per Khaama Press. According to Khaama Press, the advisory comes amid rising tensions following recent Pakistani airstrikes, including a strike in Kabul that has heightened concerns over civilian safety. The Taliban claimed the Kabul strike hit a medical facility, killing hundreds and injuring many more, while Pakistan said it targeted nearby militant sites, Khaama Press reported. According to Khaama Press, security conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated in recent weeks due to cross-border clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters, including airstrikes and retaliatory attacks. International organisations have warned of rising civilian casualties as ongoing hostilities continue to affect urban areas and critical infrastructure, Khaama Press reported. The Italian government reiterated its call to avoid non-essential travel and urged vigilance, warning that the risk of further escalation remains high across Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. This comes after more than 400 people have died and hundreds more were injured after a Pakistani military airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, Afghan officials said, according to a report by TOLO News. The attack, which took place late at night, caused massive destruction at the facility and is being described as one of the deadliest strikes on civilians in Afghanistan in recent years. Many of the victims were patients and staff present at the centre at the time. The incident is likely to strain already fragile ties between Kabul and Islamabad. Regional and international observers have warned of the wider implications of such attacks on efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan, which has seen years of conflict following the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. (ANI) Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its "pre-war state. In a post on X, Qalibaf said, "The Strait of Hormuz situation won''t return to its pre-war status." His remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region following ongoing military confrontations involving the United States, Israel and Iran, raising concerns over the stability of global energy supply chains. Meanwhile, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard defended President Donald Trump''s decision-making on Iran, emphasising that the President has the authority to determine threats to national security. In a statement posted on X, Gabbard said, "Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country." She further outlined the role of the intelligence community, stating, "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions." Gabbard added that after reviewing available intelligence, Trump concluded that Iran posed an imminent threat, saying, "After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion." https://x.com/DNIGabbard/status/2033989780116033948 Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the Strait of Hormuz would soon be secured, saying it "won''t be too long," even though NATO countries would not assist in the ongoing conflict with Iran, CNN reported. "It won''t be, I don''t believe, too long. We''re knocking the hell out of the coast. It''s basically the coast and the water. And it won''t be too long," Trump told reporters, as per CNN. (ANI) Senior Iranian figures have paid high-level tributes following the death of the nation's top security official, Ali Larijani, who was killed during a military strike carried out by the Israeli and US forces, according to state broadcaster Press TV. Larijani, who served as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed late on Monday alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident. In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijani as a "virtuous, precious, and dear brother". The president remarked that the late official was an "outstanding and valuable figure who, throughout the era of the Islamic Republic, served in various capacities, yielding extensive and diverse results". Pezeshkian highlighted their professional history together in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and Larijani's recent leadership at the security council, stating that he "witnessed nothing but goodwill, keen insight, companionship, and foresight from him". State broadcaster Press TV reported that the president noted the difficulty of replacing such a figure, suggesting that the manner of his death was a "reward for his lifelong struggle and the fulfilment of a long-held wish". He added that while Larijani's "blood was spilled by the most criminal regime in human history", being placed among the figures of the revolution was his "merit and the long-held wish of this dear brother." Pezeshkian further characterised Larijani as "an outstanding example of those nurtured in the school of Imam Khomeini, Imam Khamenei, and the great master of the Islamic Revolution, Martyr Murtaza Motahhari". Reflecting on Larijani's final role, the president stated that he "exerted his utmost effort to expand peace and security in the region and foster empathy and strengthen brotherhood among Islamic nations". He argued that Larijani had developed an "international persona in the arena of international security and resistance, becoming a target of the spite of the terrorist Zionist regime". Press TV reported that a stern warning was issued to those behind the attack, with Pezeshkian declaring that "undoubtedly, a severe revenge awaits the terrorist criminals who have stained their foul hands with the blood of the innocent". According to Press TV, he affirmed that the nation's path would continue and that a "definitive victory awaits the great nation of Iran". Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also paid his respects, stating that such an end "is a garment that does not fit everybody". He described it as "an art that distinguishes the men of God, who are true and steadfast to their covenants, from others. It is the ultimate blessedness and the aspiration of all fighters on the path of truth." Qalibaf remembered his colleague as an "indefatigable fighter and a soldier in love with his homeland", noting his history as a "courageous Speaker of three terms of the Islamic Consultative Assembly". He described the event as "another golden leaf in the honours of the martyr-nurturing movement of the Great Imam Khomeini". The Speaker added that the path of the revolution "does not stop with assassination and will continue until the destruction of the front of disbelief and hypocrisy". He noted that Larijani had accepted his security role during a "turbulent period for the country" following the recent conflict and remained dedicated to his duty until he was killed. Judiciary chief Mohseni Ejei also issued a tribute, stating that Larijani "received from God Almighty the reward for his long years of struggle" by "drinking the sweet nectar of martyrdom". Press TV noted that Ejei praised Larijani's "high managerial and decision-making capacity, courage and eloquence in speech", and his "sacrifice and steadfastness in the path of the ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution". The head of the judiciary assured that the Iranian military, backed by public support, would "exact revenge for the pure blood of this dear martyr" from those he described as "the criminal America and the barbaric Zionist regime". (ANI) Mark Bonnar is making a surprise return to Line of Duty. Actor Mark Bonnar The 57-year-old actor's villainous character, former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden, was last seen serving a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice in the BBC crime drama's second series, which aired in 2014. But Mike will not be the only baddie on the scene in Line of Duty series seven as Detective Inspector Dominic Gough - played by Tom Weston-Jones - will be introduced as the leader of Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7). Although the "charismatic" officer has "won plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime", Dominic is "accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator". However, it remains to be seen if Dominic's case is a "deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows". Alongside Gough and the previously announced Robert Carlyle as Specialist Rifle Officer, DC Shaun Massie, TO-7 will also feature newcomers, Gavin and Stacey alum Laura Aikman (DC Paula Beckman), This Town's Levi Brown (DC Luke Tobin) and Ackley Bridge star Amy Leigh Hickman (DC Nira Rashid). Further new cast members include Rivals' David Calder, Prisoner star Steven Elder, and Killing Eve actor Dominic Mafham. Rocks' Sarah Andre White, Art Detectives actress Aimee Powell and Under Salt Marsh alum Naomi Yang are also new signings for Line of Duty series seven. Owen Teale (Chief Constable Philip Osborne), Perry Fitzpatrick (DS Chris Lomax) and Christina Chong (DI Nicky Rogerson) are returning. They will appear alongside the crime drama's key players, Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming), Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott) and Adrian Dunbar (Supt Ted Hastings). Line of Duty's writer-and-creator Jed Mercurio, is thrilled with the cast of series seven - of which filming begins in Belfast in the spring. He said: "I'm honoured to be working with our brilliant new cast members, and I know the audience will be thrilled to see some much-loved old faces returning from previous seasons." Simon Heath, World Productions CEO and creative director, added: "Were delighted to be able to welcome such a great new cast to join so many well-loved actors from the history of the show." Line of Duty follows a team inside Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12) - led by Hastings - as they investigate police corruption. In series seven, AC-12 have been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Anticorruption work has never been more difficult, and in this challenging climate, Arnott, Fleming and Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far. Line of Duty series seven will air next year, with an exact broadcast date yet to be confirmed. The Australian Government's Department of Defence has confirmed that an Iranian strike impacted an area at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday morning. The facility, which has hosted a continuous "Australian Defence Force (ADF)" presence for many years, was hit during the early hours of the day. In a formal statement, the department provided reassurances regarding the welfare of its troops, noting that "no ADF personnel were injured in the incident, and all ADF personnel deployed to the Middle East are safe and accounted for." While casualties were avoided, the attack caused physical destruction within the facility. The strike reportedly "resulted in minor damage to an accommodation block and medical facility in the Australian section of the base." Following the impact, military officials have shifted their attention to preventing further risks to personnel stationed in the region. "Defence's focus is on ensuring the safety and security of our people, and we will continue to revise force protection measures as the situation in the Middle East evolves," the statement added. Providing further details on the strike, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that an "Iranian projectile" struck a road just outside the base at approximately 9:15 am AEDT on Wednesday. According to ABC News, the strike ignited a fire which resulted in "minor damage" to Australian medical and accommodation facilities. While it remains "not clear if it was a missile or drone strike," the Prime Minister confirmed that the subsequent blaze affected a clinical area and housing units. "I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured, and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time," Albanese stated, adding that the damage was caused by a "small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting a road leading up to that base." The facility serves as a vital "military, logistics, surveillance and training hub" for the ADF. More than 100 Australian personnel are currently stationed at the base, which also provides a home for British forces and a small contingent of United States military members. This marks the second occasion the air base has been caught in the crosshairs of the ongoing conflict. An "Iranian drone strike" previously hit the facility during the initial days of the war, though that specific "strike caused no damage to Australian facilities." When questioned on whether the base was being intentionally singled out, Albanese remarked that the "Iranian regime is engaging in random attacks right across the region." The UAE has faced "heavy bombardment" throughout the current hostilities. ABC News highlighted that the UAE defence ministry estimates nearly "1,700 drones and missiles" were directed at the nation in the first week of the war alone, with approximately "90 per cent" successfully intercepted. Addressing the security of Australian troops, Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson expressed relief that no personnel were harmed but warned that the "attack on Australian facilities at Al Minhad is another reminder that the Islamic Republic regime in Iran is no friend of Australia." He reiterated the Coalition's support for the deployment of "E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft" to assist partners like the UAE. As the regional situation remains volatile, the government is being urged to provide all "resources and support necessary" to ensure the safety of service members. In a post on X, Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed the incident at the facility where the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been stationed for years. He emphasised that the welfare of military personnel remains the government's paramount concern following the strike. "The safety and security of the men and women who bravely wear our nation's uniform is always our first priority, and I want to reassure people that no Australians were injured in this incident," the Defence Minister stated. Marles further noted that the public "may have see the news that a base where the ADF has a long-standing presence has been hit in the UAE by Iran." The statement comes amidst a period of heightened regional volatility, with Australian authorities continuing to monitor the safety of their forces deployed across the Middle East. (ANI) All sorts of conspiracy theories abound. For example, some say mastermind President Donald Trump seized Venezuela's leader and started bombing Iran in order to get back at China by disrupting oil deliveries to the communist country. However, such theories give Trump far too much credit for strategic foresight. Instead, American hubris - particularly that of its president, Secretary of War and other top leaders - is creating a huge crisis for the rest of the world. Trump's attack on Iran alongside Israel seems to have little strategic endgame or goal in sight, and Iran is striking back the best way it knows how, by using asymmetric military capabilities to close the Hormuz Strait and throttle the world's flow of oil and gas. The fact that Iran's move took Trump by surprise, and that the USA was so ill prepared to respond, is yet another failure in American planning. In fact, a full two weeks after the USA started this war, it decided to send the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit of the US Marine Corps to the Gulf region. The USA has relied only on airpower and sea power to bomb Iran into submission thus far, and it seems a failure to not have moved any marines into the region beforehand. Similarly, two of three US Navy vessels in the Middle East capable of mine-hunting are in Malaysia right now, far from where they need to be. Instead, Trump is scrambling to get other countries to send warships to clear the Hormuz Strait and to escort tankers. This seems an appalling lack of planning by US political and military leadership. What must China be thinking of all this? Certainly, it will be carefully observing how the USA is conducting this bombardment of Iran. The ability of the US to destroy Iranian air defenses and accurately degrade its military capabilities is impressive. Yet at the same time, there are chinks in the US armor and policy. There are apparently failures in planning - perhaps stemming from overconfidence or Trump's meddling in the prosecution of the attack - and the weapon arsenal of the USA will be seriously degraded. This is all to China's advantage. As Dr. Malcolm Davis, Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), commented, "The Iran war is a learning laboratory for the PLA. Make no mistake, this is a valuable opportunity for China to gain more insight into the American way of war." It is also extremely ironic that Trump has stood the National Security Strategy, a foundational document released in November 2025, on its head. It stated, "Conflict remains the Middle East's most troublesome dynamic, but there is today less to this problem than headlines might lead one to believe. Iran - the region's chief destabilizing force - has been greatly weakened by Israeli actions since October 7, 2023, and President Trump's June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer, which significantly degraded Iran's nuclear program." The strategy vowed that "America's historic reason for focusing on the Middle East will recede". It added that "the days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over - not because the Middle East no longer matters, but because it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. It is rather emerging as a place of partnership, friendship and investment - a trend that should be welcomed and encouraged." So much for that. Trump admitted he attacked Iran because he "had a good feeling that the Iranian regime was going to strike" American assets. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified this was "a feeling based on facts". Given that these "feelings" relied mostly on Steve Witkoff, Pete Hegseth and son-in-law Jared Kushner - a real estate developer, television personality and investor - it is perhaps little wonder that Trump upended the National Security Strategy in just a couple of months. Davis of ASPI added: "The Iran war is likely to continue for many weeks (best case) to several months (worst case), increasingly drawing on US military forces from other theaters to sustain operations. US weapon stocks are being drawn down, particularly in terms of missile defense and longer-range stand-off weapons. If US ground forces are committed, that will dramatically increase operational demands on the US military, running the risk that readiness in INDOPACOM [Indo-Pacific Command] and EUCOM [European Command] could be even further reduced." On 15 March, Trump took to Truth Social to call on countries like China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. His premise is that they depend on this waterway for energy supplies, and therefore they should share the responsibility for keeping it open. The USA started this war, but now seems incapable of finishing it. Trump lit the fire, but he now demands others - including the USA's greatest strategic rival, China - to help extinguish it. Davis applauded Australia's decision not to send warships in response to Trump's plea. "Meanwhile, China watches these events," he explained, "and considers its options vis-a-vis Taiwan. If Beijing were to initiate aggression against Taiwan - or in the South China Sea - taking advantage of an opportunity as the US becomes increasingly diverted back to the Middle East, Australia would need all available Australian Defence Force units to protect its own interests." In telephone calls with his counterparts in Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan and Qatar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: "This is a war that should not have happened - it is a war that does no one any good." He noted "the US and Israel attacked Iran in the process of the ongoing US-Iran negotiation, which clearly violates international law". Wang laid out China's solution, which revolves around returning to the negotiating table, conducting dialog and promoting common security. Wang called on "major countries to act in the spirit of justice and righteousness, and contribute more positive energy to peace and development of the Middle East". Perhaps emboldened by his success in Venezuela, Trump failed to heed the lesson that, while military force wins battles, it does not necessarily create trust and stability, especially in the Middle East. Trump started a war with vague goals, and naively thought there would be few repercussions. He has ended up further eroding the trust of allies, and his desperate gamble to lift sanctions on Russia indicates desperation. Pleading for China's help is also embarrassing. The Politico publication in the US conducted a survey of US allies Canada, Germany, France and the UK. Its report concluded, "Swaths of the public in have soured on the US, driven by President Donald Trump's foreign policy decisions, according to recent results from the Politico Poll." The survey found that respondents increasingly see China as a more dependable partner than the USA. This is driven not by stability in China, but by the disruption Trump is causing globally. He has ripped up the "rules-based order" that once reigned supreme in US foreign policy discourse. Beijing is seizing the opportunity handed to it on a plate by Trump to cultivate better ties in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Politico quoted Mark Lambert, former deputy assistant secretary of state for China and Taiwan in the Biden administration, "The administration has assisted the Chinese narrative by acting like a bully. Everyone still recognizes the challenges China poses - but now, Washington no longer works in partnership and is only focused on itself." Canadian Prime Minister sealed a trade deal with China in January, the UK signed export deals soon thereafter, and the French and German leaders recently visited Beijing. With many young people in the West gaining much of their news content from social media platforms, a number no longer believe China is the authoritarian bogeyman. There is actually an underlying trend that says people in the West have been lied to about China's true nature. Of course, this narrative is underpinned by Chinese propaganda efforts as it floods platforms with pro-China messaging. Many in the West also believe America is in decline and that China is a rising superpower, another narrative that Beijing peddles. The Brookings Institute think-tank in the USA recently published a report by academics about the likely trajectory of Sino-US relations, including Trump's mention of a "G2" comprising the USA and China as the world's two dominant powers. Most do not foresee a "grand bargain, but continued US-China strategic rivalry - albeit managed through leader-level engagement and transactional deal-making alongside enduring technological, economic and security competition," the report noted. The summary continued: "For states across the Indo-Pacific, a loosely defined 'G2' presents both opportunity and risk. A tactical easing of US-China tensions may lower the near-term danger of escalation. Yet an international order increasingly centered around great powers could marginalize smaller states, reduce their agency to influence regional outcomes, entrench spheres of influence, and weaken multilateral norms. The region is not standing still. Governments are hedging, diversifying partnerships, strengthening their own defense capabilities and investing in areas critical to their national resilience." So far, Trump seems to have paid little heed to the ideological rivalry between the two countries. He sees China as materially challenging the USA, but seems to care little about the authoritarian and human rights-abusing nature of the Chinese government. John Lee, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, pointed out, "Therefore, and on the basis that the US-China relationship is a competitive if not geopolitically rivalrous one, elements of coordination and cooperation will be tactical or pragmatic rather than strategic. The US will still seek deals and arrangements to secure relative gains vis-a-vis China, even if many aspects of the relationship will not be overtly hostile. Militarily, the US is committed to a strategy of denial up to the First Island Chain, which includes Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. While this is not the same as containing China, it still means the US will demand that allies accept a greater burden in contributing to this collective denial strategy and deterring China from using force against Taiwan or preventing the South China Sea from becoming a militarized 'Chinese lake'." Countries like Japan are leery of Sino-US accommodation and deal-making. It has also encouraged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to boost its own military capabilities and alliances with others. She said, "We'll defend our own country with our own hands. No one will help a country that lacks that resolve." Nobody has more to lose than Taiwan. Yu-Jie Chen, Affiliated Scholar at the US-Asia Law Institute of the NYU School of Law, noted, "How should Taiwan interpret recent US policy toward China? Trump's invocation of a 'G2' framing for US-China relations, coupled with planned summit meetings with Xi in 2026, has raised questions about whether Washington's China strategy may be shifting. Some observers warn that accommodation - even appeasement - could follow. Others openly call for a 'new normalization' in US-China relations. In Taiwan, such speculation has revived a familiar concern: that Taiwan might once again be treated as a bargaining chip in Washington's broader dealings with Beijing." China has not suspended the planned summit between Trump and Chairman Xi Jinping later this month. However, Trump hinted he might delay the meeting in an attempt to gain China's cooperation. However, Ryan Hass, Director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institute, pointed out: "If President Trump thinks he's building leverage with Beijing by threatening to postpone his visit, he's going to find disappointment." Hass further noted, "Beijing seems to see Trump's upcoming visit as an opportunity to stabilize ties and fortify the ongoing US-PRC trade truce. This buys time and space for Beijing to advance its priority national project of building insulation against American pressure." Beijing does want to stabilize relations with the USA, but it must be bewildered by the chopping, changing and unpredictability of Trump - just as the rest of the world is too. (ANI) The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has announced the completion of a "wide-scale airstrike in Tehran," confirming that "command centres of the Iranian terror regime were attacked" during the operation. In a post on X, the IAF detailed that the mission, which took place on Tuesday, was guided by Military Intelligence. The operation specifically targeted "command centres, sites of the ballistic missile array, and additional infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime." https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2034142769321509127?s=20 Visuals released by the military include an aerial reconnaissance photograph of a large complex in Tehran. The image shows a series of industrial-style warehouses and administrative buildings, with a specific section highlighted to delineate the exact target area for the strike. According to the statement, among the sites hit were "the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards' security unit, responsible for handling protests and public order violations in Iran." The IAF further noted that the strikes successfully neutralised a "maintenance centre of the Logistics and General Support Division of the Internal Security Forces" and a "headquarters belonging to the ballistic missile array." Beyond structural targets, the military confirmed that "several air defence systems were attacked with the aim of expanding the Air Force's air superiority over Iranian skies." The operation is described as a strategic effort to escalate pressure on Tehran's military capabilities. The IAF stated that the "completed strikes are part of the phase of deepening the damage to the core arrays of the Iranian terror regime and its foundations." These IAF strikes followed a major offensive by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), which reportedly struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv. According to state broadcaster Press TV, the Iranian assault was in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former top security official. The IRGC strikes were launched in response to what Tehran described as unprovoked American-Israeli aggression. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that the targets were hit during the "61st wave" of its ongoing retaliatory "Operation True Promise 4." According to Press TV, the operation utilised multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, alongside Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. These were deployed to avenge the death of Larijani, who previously served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The IRGC claimed that during these "intense lightning strikes," the missiles hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of the "occupied territories" without facing "any obstruction." The success of this stage of the reprisal was attributed by the IRGC to "the disintegration of the Zionist regime's multilayered and highly advanced air defence systems." Press TV cited field information indicating that a "partial blackout" occurred in Tel Aviv as a result of the strikes. The report suggested that the situation made it increasingly difficult for forces on the ground to maintain control or conduct rescue operations. The IRGC further claimed that "Operation True Promise 4" has resulted in more than 230 casualties, including those killed or injured. The retaliatory campaign began following the latest military actions initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv. Beyond Tel Aviv, the strikes have reportedly targeted strategic sites in al-Quds, the port of Haifa, and Be'er Sheva, as well as the Negev Desert. According to Press TV, American outposts across the region have also faced intense reprisals. Impacts were reported at facilities located in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. (ANI) Pashtun human rights defender Fazlur Rahman Afridi, speaking on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), has accused Pakistan's military establishment of carrying out widespread human rights violations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Afridi claimed that civilians are increasingly bearing the brunt of military operations and cross-border tensions in the region. He alleged that Pakistan has conducted thousands of military operations in Pashtun regions over the years, resulting in civilian casualties, enforced disappearances, and mass displacement. Afridi said the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has worsened in recent months due to escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban authorities. According to him, Pakistan has carried out strikes across the Afghan border, which he described as a violation of international law. He claimed that such attacks have often resulted in civilian deaths. "When these incidents occur, retaliation often follows, and Pashtun-populated areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa become the target," Afridi said, adding that Pashtun communities living on both sides of the Durand Line are suffering the consequences of the conflict. The activist also raised alarm over what he described as a significant rise in enforced disappearances of Pashtun and Baloch individuals. "It's actually the genocide of the Pashtun people, which has been continuing for the last 80 years of the existence of Pakistan," he stated. According to him, individuals who are forcibly disappeared are often detained in interrogation centres allegedly run by Pakistan's intelligence agencies and the military. He claimed that detainees are frequently subjected to torture and, in many cases, never return to their families. Afridi called on the United Nations and international human rights organisations to investigate the alleged abuses and ensure accountability for those responsible. He stated that Pakistan's powerful military establishment must be held accountable if human rights violations are to end. He also criticised the Action in Aid of Civil Power Ordinance, arguing that it grants the military sweeping powers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and undermines fundamental civil liberties. Afridi urged Pakistan's government, judiciary, and parliament to repeal the ordinance. "Pakistan should be held accountable for these war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," he stated. (ANI) Former Indian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Dilip Sinha, has said that the ongoing war involving Iran is likely to turn into a prolonged war of attrition, as it continues to drag on despite intense pressure from the United States and Israel. While speaking to ANI, Sinha said, "This war is likely to turn into a war of attrition. It is dragging on. Iran has surprised everybody with its capacity to hold on against such a superpower as the US and a very powerful country like Israel, which means that Iran has been preparing for this kind of an invasion for a very long time." He highlighted Iran's extensive preparations, noting, "They are prepared not only in terms of the drones and missiles that they have acquired and stationed, but also in terms of the way they have hidden these missiles in stores that are not easily accessible." Sinha pointed to the resilience of Iran's leadership structure amid significant losses, including the recent killing of Larijani, who was the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a pivotal figure in Tehran's security apparatus. He said, "You mentioned Larijani getting killed. Several other senior Iranian leaders have also been killed. But despite that, decision-making in Iran seems to be taking place fairly well." He added, "People are still attacking all the countries around the Gulf, which means that Iran had also prepared for decentralised decision-making as part of its preparation for such an invasion. So that even when the top leadership was wiped out, and now Larijani has been killed, Iran's decision-making capacity has not been crippled." Sinha said, "It has obviously decentralised not only its weaponry but also its decision-making process, which has enabled it to drag on this war for so long. And we don't know how long it will be able to do it." Shifting to the implications for India, Sinha referenced recent diplomatic engagements and the vulnerability of key energy routes. He said, "Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi spoke to his UAE counterpart, the President of the UAE. He also spoke about the Strait of Hormuz, which is bearing the brunt of the conflict." He explained India's concerns, stating, "We are heavily dependent on crude oil from the Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz is a very narrow strait. It is closed right now. Some ships are able to come out, but it is not an easy strait to defend or to clear." Sinha stressed the need for greater self-reliance, saying, "In this situation, all I can say is that I wish we had, in the past, through our policies, made ourselves a little more independent or less dependent on this kind of situation. For example, there is one pipeline, I believe, from the UAE to the port of Fujairah, which is outside the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudis have built a pipeline to the Red Sea so that they are able to carry oil out of the Gulf without using the Strait of Hormuz." He further urged diversification, adding, "This is something that we should focus on to ensure that we are not dependent on the strait for our oil imports. Secondly, we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil because supply chains have been disrupted not only in oil but in other critical minerals as well. It has been established that unless we are self-sufficient in these, we become vulnerable to foreign pressures." Turning to developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sinha addressed a recent airstrike by Pakistan that reportedly killed 400 civilians in a hospital strike, which Pakistan has denied. He described the incident as deeply troubling, saying, "This relationship is fraught with risks of the kind of war that is taking place right now. There have been such incidents in the past also, but this is a particularly bad and very macabre kind of thing to have done--to have attacked a hospital for drug rehabilitation patients." He criticised Pakistan's stance, noting, "What is particularly troublesome is that Pakistan seems to treat it as a very casual affair. At one level, they are taking credit for having struck terror camps inside Afghanistan, and the official media claims that they are very proud of the fact that they have struck them with great precision. But if Pakistan claims the right to strike at terror camps, then it must concede to India also the right to strike at its own terror camps. So it is a very duplicitous game that Pakistan is playing." Sinha pointed to underlying issues, saying, "It is taking advantage of the fact that Afghanistan is a poor and relatively helpless country. There is also the big territorial dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the issue of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which Afghanistan claims because it does not accept the border known as the Durand Line." He suggested pathways to resolution, stating, "In this situation, one does not see any easy solutions unless the two countries give up their extraterritorial claims and return to diplomacy. They must also accept a certain degree of decentralisation in their own governance and allow people the right to lead their lives the way they want to." He added, "In the past, for example, there were the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), which were not under the direct administration of the British, or even later under the Pakistan government. They were allowed complete internal autonomy. These kinds of administrative measures are important to ensure that there is a certain degree of acceptance by the people of the sovereign rights and territorial integrity of Pakistan and Afghanistan, so that they are able to live in peace with each other." On India's response, Sinha noted that it was swift and firm, as the country condemned the attack as a "cowardly attack." Regarding the role of international bodies, he said, "The UN is a political body. It is controlled by political powers. The bigger powers have more control than the smaller powers. So I do not think we should worry too much about what the UN does. Yes, what various countries say and do is important, but the problem today is that the world is busy with the Gulf War and the Ukraine War. So nobody has the time to look at what is happening between Afghanistan and Pakistan." He added, "I have not seen any comments by others, but India has been right to condemn this attack--for Pakistan's double standards, its double standards towards terrorism, its double standards towards Afghanistan's sovereignty, and its complete disregard for human values in its military operations." Sinha said, "They have good knowledge of Afghanistan, so they would have known what this hospital is about. Either they misfired--in which case they should apologise--or if they targeted it as a brutal, genocidal measure, it deserves condemnation." (ANI) Israeli Defence Forces made attempts to assassinate Iranian intelligence chief Ismail Khataib, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post citing sources. As per the Jerusalem Post, certain Iranian media outlets also reported that a strike had been attempted, though there was no information about Khataib's status. The assassination was attempted on Tuesday night, a source confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday and mentioned that while the strike had been successful, no definitive results have been confirmed. This attempt comes shortly after Ali Larijani, who has served as Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council was killed on Monday night. The death of the 67-year-old Larijani, a close associate of the late Ali Khamenei and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, occurred following an attack on Monday night. This represents the loss of the most senior figure in Tehran's leadership since the conflict began 19 days ago. Additionally, Iranian state media confirmed on Tuesday that Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij forces, was also killed in an "American-Zionist enemy" attack. Soleimani had led the internal security force for six years and was considered a key figure in the military response. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated."We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected the presence of 36 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels and an official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Wednesday. Of the 36, 24 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 24 out of 36 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2034072298206945489?s=20 Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan detected the presence of 28 sorties of Chinese military aircraft as of 08:01 am (local time). Of the 28, 21 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "Overall 28 sorties of PLA aircraft in various types (including J-10, J-16, KJ-500, etc.) detected from 0801hr today. 21 out of 28 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ in conducting air-sea joint training along with other PLAN vessels. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2033796762658599321?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) In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Fazal ur Rehman Afridi, a Pashtun human rights defender, accused Pakistan of committing "war crimes and crimes against humanity" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan. "Pakistan should be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity... they have started airstrikes in Afghanistan and are targeting civilians instead of military installations," Afridi said. He further alleged that a recent strike in Kabul hit a hospital, killing around 400 civilians and injuring many others. "It is a violation of international law, and we want the UN to ensure accountability," he added. Afridi stated that Pakistan has conducted thousands of military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and that recent tensions with the Taliban have escalated the situation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He claimed that these operations have increasingly impacted civilians. "In most cases, innocent civilians are being targeted, which is really concerning for us," he said. He also highlighted what he described as a sharp rise in enforced disappearances among Pashtun and Baloch communities. "We have received an alarming increase in enforced disappearances... I have personally submitted more than 15 confirmed cases, and the actual number is in the hundreds," Afridi said. He further alleged that many detainees are subjected to torture in interrogation centres and that some are killed. Calling for international intervention, Afridi stressed the need for accountability. "It is important that those institutions, particularly the Pakistani army, are held accountable... otherwise these human rights violations will continue with impunity," he said. He also criticised legal provisions such as the "Action in Aid of Civil Power" ordinance, stating that they grant excessive powers to security forces and undermine fundamental rights. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his phone call with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE and the two leaders agreed on the importance of the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. Jaiswal said that both leaders will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace. "As you would have seen, our Prime Minister spoke to the President of the UAE yesterday. The President of the UAE is His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders discussed the ongoing situation in West Asia. The Prime Minister reiterated India's strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. The two leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Both leaders will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security, and stability in the region," he said. Jaiswal said that Indian Embassy in Iran remains functional and is issuing advisories for all those who want to cross Iranian borders via Azerbaijan and Armenia through land routes. "Another point I want to share through you is that our Embassy in Tehran is helping Indian citizens, especially Indian students. Many Indian citizens want to cross the border to go to Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this regard, our Embassy has issued an advisory. It would be in everyone's interest and convenience to follow the advisory so that the transit through the land borders between Iran and Armenia, and Iran and Azerbaijan, can take place in a convenient manner. I request you all to amplify this point," he said. Jaiswal further said that India is still evaluating the requests from neighbouring countries for fuel. "You had a question on the supply of fuel to some of our neighboring countries. This particular question I have already addressed before; I would like to reiterate that we have received these requests, and we are examining those requests keeping in mind our own requirements and availability. That is where it is," he said. Jaiswal was asked that although India is not a NATO member, has the Indian government taken note of the way the US President has expressed his displeasure regarding NATO. "On the question from our friend here about comments regarding NATO, yes, we have seen those reports... And we have our discussions which are going on with Iran and other countries for the transit of our ships. That is where it is; I have no further update to share with you at this point in time," he replied. Jaiswal was also asked a question regarding the Indian flagged ships coming from the Strait of Hormuz under Indian Navy escort--was there any incident where the Indian Navy had to give a distress call or warning call to another vessel or a flying vessel at 26,000 feet? To this, he responded, "I don't have any information regarding the incident that you referred to. On your larger question, yesterday I had made reference to it--that yes, the Indian Navy is present in the area for anti-piracy operations and they have been supporting several of our initiatives. As for what sort of support they are providing, the Ministry of Defence would be in a better position to guide. But that is how the situation is on the ground," he said. There was also a question that a Russian oil tanker named "Aqua Titan," which was going towards China, is now coming towards India and will arrive on 21st March. Jaiswal denied these rumours. "Regarding the Russian ship tanker you named, I have no information on that; I will find out and then tell you. Second, regarding the vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz, their movement is happening. Specifically, as per the last check, there were three vessels there. Yesterday I also named one vessel that moved and reached India. I will give you more detailed information tomorrow regarding the vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz," he said. Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, highlighted that in the last 24 hours, 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated from various ports and locations in that regional area. "In the past 24 hours, 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated from various ports and locations in that regional area...125 phone calls and 450 emails received by control room in last 24 hours...Cargo discharge from LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi is currently underway as per the schedule of the oil companies...At the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, approximately 2,250 square meters of additional storage space has been created and made available there. No congestion of any kind has been reported at any port," he said. The briefing and remarks come in the backdrop of intensifying Israeli attacks across Iran and Lebanon, with dozens reported killed and wounded. (ANI) At the ongoing 61st UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, serious concerns were raised over the alleged crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). During an oral intervention, Javad Ahmad Beigh, a Kashmiri activist, highlighted what he described as the suppression of democratic rights and excessive use of force by Pakistani authorities. Beigh drew attention to the killing of Anzar Javed Bhatti, a mathematics teacher who was shot dead on October 1, 2025, in Muzaffarabad. According to the statement, Bhatti, who was unarmed and participating in a peaceful civic protest, has since become a symbol of the risks faced by civilians exercising their right to lawful and democratic expression. The protest was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, a coalition representing various professional and civil society groups. Demonstrators had presented a 38-point charter of demands focused on essential socio-economic issues, including access to education and healthcare, fair electricity tariffs despite local hydropower generation, infrastructure development, and equitable food subsidies. Beigh emphasised that these demands were legitimate and aligned with basic human rights standards. However, he alleged that authorities responded with disproportionate force. More than 2,000 police personnel from Punjab, along with 167 platoons of the Federal Constabulary, were reportedly deployed, effectively militarising the region. The use of live ammunition during the protests resulted in at least nine civilian deaths and multiple injuries, according to the intervention. Beigh asserted that such actions reflect Pakistan's failure to meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly with regard to the right to life, freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly. He warned that the incident points to a broader pattern in which peaceful protests are met with militarised responses while accountability for state actions remains absent. Calling for international attention, Beigh urged the Human Rights Council to take serious note of the situation and address what he termed a culture of impunity. He cautioned that continued inaction could embolden further violations and weaken global human rights norms. He also appealed to the international community to closely examine the human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that fundamental freedoms are protected in line with international law. (ANI) Michael Portillo is fronting four new Great Railway Journey series. Michael Portillo on Great Continental Railway Journeys in March 2025 The 72-year-old broadcaster will showcase the beauty of Japan, South Korea, Central Asia and Continental Europe as he returns to the rails across April and May on BBC Two and iPlayer. Michael said: "I am delighted that these new journeys are about to reach the screen. "From the exemplary rail network of Japan to the glorious architecture of Central Asia and the rich histories of Europe, each trip brought genuine surprises. "There is always something new to learn and experience by train. All aboard! Great Japanese Railway Journeys begins its run on April 13, and viewers will join Michael in checking out the likes of Kyushu's volcanic landscapes, Hiroshimas Peace Memorial Park, and Tokyo's vast urban system. Also in the 15-part series, he will explore how the railway has shaped a modern Japan, in which technological innovation and long-held tradition sit side by side. Michael then travels the length of South Korea in Great Korean Railway Journeys on May 4. The five-part series kicks off in the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) - a 160-mile-long buffer zone that divides North and South Korea - before Michael explores the hustle and bustle of Seoul. The former Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) showcases the high-speed train network, which he uses to venture beyond the South Korean capital, highlighting the country's dominant force in technology and culture, as well as ancient royal sites. The heart of Great Korean Railway Journeys is the stories of resilience, reinvention and national identity. Michael then heads East through Uzbekistan in Great Central Asian Railway Journeys on May 11. The five-part series sees the star cross deserts and venture through historic cities as he explores how Central Asia was shaped by empire, trade and faith. Michael also looks at how modern railways connected places that were previously at the crossroads of the world. And the journalist terminates his mammoth railway adventure in Europe with Great Continental Railway Journeys on May 18. The 15-part series documents Michael's route from the Mediterranean to the plains of Central Europe, beginning in Sardinia and Corsica. He then heads north through Belgium, from Brussels and Flanders to Wallonia and the Ardennes. And Michael's journey ends in Hungary, from the Austrian border to Budapest and across the Great Plain. Across his Continental Europe trip, he uncovers defining moments in European history alongside enduring cultural traditions. Alex McLeod, Commissioning Editor for BBC Daytime, said: "I feel like the luckiest first viewer in the world when I watch these journeys. "I always learn such a lot about the world we live in and am left with an overwhelming urge to travel and experience the same joy and wonder that Michael does. "I hope that our viewers will feel the same way." The Great Railway Journeys is produced by Naked West, a Fremantle label. Alison Kreps, Co-Executive Producer for Naked West, a Fremantle label, said: "We are thrilled to be bringing four new railway series to BBC Two. "Both series build on the strength of the Railways brand while continuing to find fresh stories, perspectives and places to explore." John Comerford, Head of Naked West, a Fremantle label, and Co-Executive Producer, added: "It is a real pleasure to continue building on the success of the Railways brand with these four series. "Together they take us from Japan and South Korea to Central Asia and across Europe, reflecting the remarkable breadth of the railway story. "Each journey allows us to explore new places while delivering the kind of programmes audiences love." PM Modi and the Crown Prince exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia. In a post on X, he said, "Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid. We exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and shared concerns over recent developments. Reiterated India's condemnation of attacks on Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains our foremost priority." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2034228317835161872?s=20 PM Modi thanked the Crown Prince for continued support for the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait. "We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential for regional peace and stability. I thanked him for continued support for the safety and wellbeing of the Indian community in Kuwait," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, Indian embassy in Kuwait announced that all its consular services are continuing as usual during the holy month of Ramadan. The Embassy's four Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs) remain operational, following revised working hours from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, ensuring uninterrupted services for Indian nationals in Kuwait. In a detailed notice, the Embassy listed the operational ICACs as follows: In Kuwait City, the centre is located on the 3rd Floor of Al Jawhara Tower, the same building as Indigo Airlines, on Ali Al Salem Street. In Jleeb Al Shouyakh, the consular services can be accessed on the M Floor of the Nesto Hypermarket Building (Old Olive Hypermarket). In Fahahheel, the office is situated in the Al Anoud Shopping Complex, M Floor, on Mekka Street. Lastly, in Jahra, services are available at Al Khalifa Building, Building No. 27, 2nd floor, Office numbers 3 and 14, Block 93. (ANI) Calling Pakistan's recent actions a threat to wider regional stability, Former Afghanistan Deputy Information Minister Zardasht Shams has urged India to play a more proactive diplomatic role as tensions between Kabul and Islamabad sharply escalate. His remarks come after a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul in which at least 400 people were killed and hundreds more were injured. Condemning the strike on civilians, Shams, who also served as the former deputy ambassador to Pakistan, said Pakistan is committing war crimes against Afghanistan and has brought its own civil war into Afghanistan. "Pakistan is engaging in aggression against innocent civilian for their own wrongdoings, for their own internal problems. They are blaming Afghanistan. The Afghan civilians are being targeted. It's the first time in the past several decades that Afghanistan has had a little bit of stability, though there are political issues, but these are Afghan internal issues; Pakistan is brought its own civil war into Afghanistan, and now they want Afghanistan in this war," Shams told ANI in an interview from London. India has "unequivocally" condemned Pakistan's bombing of Omid Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital terming it "barbaric" and "unconscionable". When asked about the role he sees India playing in this conflict, Shams said while India's humanitarian assistance and development support to Afghanistan have been widely appreciated over the years, the current situation demands greater diplomatic and strategic engagement from New Delhi. "We welcome India's engagement, its humanitarian role and its contributions in education, health and infrastructure sectors over the past two decades," he said, adding that India has remained a consistent partner for the Afghan people even during periods of political uncertainty. However, he stressed that the ongoing crisis requires India to step up its involvement at the international level. "The Pakistani threat is not limited to Afghanistan. It is a threat to regional stability. India needs to play a more proactive role, particularly on global platforms," he said. Shams also pointed to Afghanistan's current diplomatic isolation under Taliban rule as a limiting factor, suggesting that India could help bridge some of those gaps. "The Afghan government today lacks international recognition. That makes it harder to present its case globally. India can help amplify Afghanistan's concerns and ensure that such incidents are not ignored," he said. He also underlined that internal political legitimacy within Afghanistan remains crucial. "For Afghanistan to gain global legitimacy, the government must also address the expectations of its own people and ensure their rights," he added. Pakistan, meanwhile, has denied that it struck a medical or rehabilitation centre, saying its military targeted technical support facilities and ammunition depots. Shams strongly dismissed Pakistan's denial of responsibility for the airstrike, calling it part of a long-standing pattern of deflection. He said that despite Islamabad's claims that it targeted "technical facilities", multiple accounts from Afghan authorities and aid agencies indicate civilian areas were hit. "It is very clear what has happened. Independent reports and on-ground accounts have verified this," he said. Questioning the credibility of Pakistan's response, he argued that such denials are consistent with its past conduct. "Pakistan has never told the truth in such situations. When you look at history, there is a pattern of denial despite evidence," Shams said, alleging that Islamabad often shifts blame to avoid accountability. He further said that the remarks from Pakistan's leadership, including calling the incident "propaganda", reflect an attempt to downplay the scale of civilian harm. "Instead of acknowledging the damage, they are dismissing it. But the reality on the ground cannot be hidden," he added. (ANI) The Israeli military said missiles had been fired from Iran towards its territory, in the latest developments in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries. Earlier, Iran issued an evacuation warning to people living near oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report cited by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, a fire that broke out at Iran's South Pars gas facility has been brought under control, and no casualties have been reported so far, a regional governor said, according to Iran's Fars news agency as cited by Al Jazeera. According to Al Jazeera, Qatar condemned the targeting of natural gas facilities linked to Iran's South Pars field, warning against attacks on energy infrastructure amid the escalating West Asia conflict. Israeli fighter jets had struck a gas facility in Bushehr, Iran, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera, as Iran is set to target "enemy infrastructure" following attacks on its gas sites. According to Al Jazeera, Iran warned it would respond to strikes on its gas sites by targeting the "enemy infrastructure". Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said it had struck more than 100 targets in the city of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the martyrdom of Ali Larijani, Iran's former top security official. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced hitting the targets during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4. The hostile objects, it added, were targeted using multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles. The IRGC said Operation True Promise 4 had so far either killed or injured more than 230 Zionists. Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. (ANI) US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said that Pakistan's missile developments have the potential to reach the US. Gabbard, while speaking at a Senate Intelligence hearing on worldwide threats, said that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with the range capable of striking the homeland. "Meanwhile, state actors present a risk broader in scope by seeking new capabilities in kinetic and cyber warfare. The United States secure nuclear deterrent continues to ensure safety in the homeland against strategic threats. However, the intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range," she said. "The IC assesses that threats to the homeland will expand collectively to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035, from the current assessed figure of more than 3,000 missiles. The IC assesses that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems meant to be capable of penetrating or bypassing US missile defenses. North Korea's ICBMs can already reach US soil and the IC assesses that it is committed to expanding its nuclear arsenal," she added. Gabbard said that Iran previously had technology that it could use to develop ICBM before 2035. "Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with a range capable of striking the homeland. The IC assesses that Iran has previously demonstrated space launch and other technology it could use to begin to develop a militarily viable ICBM before 2035 should Tehran attempt to pursue that capability," she said. She added that China and Russia are the most active threats. "The IC assesses that China and Russia present the most persistent and active threats, and are continuing their R&D efforts. North Korea's cyber program is sophisticated and agile. In 2025 alone, North Korea's cryptocurrency heist probably stole $2 billion, which the IC assesses is helping to fund the regime and include further development of its strategic weapons programs," she said. (ANI) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed that Israel killed Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight attack, marking the third assassination of a high-ranking Iranian official in two days, Al Jazeera reported. The announcement on Wednesday comes hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the Iranian minister had been killed, as per Al Jazeera. Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, were also killed in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday. Pezeshkian condemned the "cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues," saying they "left us heartbroken". In a post on X, he added that their "path will continue stronger than before", as per Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera''s Nida Ibrahim, reporting from the occupied West Bank, said Israeli military analysts regarded Khatib as a trusted figure close to Iran''s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Al Jazeera reported. "According to Israeli sources, they said they have been gathering intelligence that allowed them in the past 24 hours to declare the deaths of three senior Iranian officials," Ibrahim said, according to Al Jazeera. According to Al Jazeera, Katz also announced that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the Israeli military standing authorisation to eliminate other senior Iranian officials in their sights without case-by-case approval. "This is seen as another success from the Israeli perspective in targeting the Iranian leadership," she said, Al Jazeera reported. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera''s Mohamed Vall said, "In terms of his credentials, he ''ticked every box'' in Iran, having graduated from the influential seminary in Qom and previously studied under the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei," Al Jazeera reported. "So he was really one of the top clerics, and he even has the title, Proof of Islam, one of the highest titles in the country. He is really well placed, religiously, ideologically and with decades of experience in the circles of intelligence, particularly civilian intelligence," Vall added. "He''s a man whose killing, no doubt about it, will cause a dent to the remaining structure of the regime, the government. So that is what the Israelis are counting on," he concluded, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, the US Department of State offered a $10m reward on Friday for information about Iran''s new supreme leader and other top officials, including Khatib. A funeral ceremony for Larijani and Soleimani was held in Tehran on Wednesday, according to Press TV, as officials and mourners gathered to honour the two figures, Al Jazeera reported. Larijani had been one of Iran''s most influential political operators, having previously led its nuclear negotiations with the West and served as speaker of parliament, as per Al Jazeera. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired after the killing of Larijani was confirmed by Tehran on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States and Israel had yet to realise that Iran''s government does not rely on a single individual, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that US President Donald Trump is not "controlled by another country", and makes decisions keeping the US' best interest in mind.Leavitt made the comments a day after Joe Kent resigned from his post as the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. After his resignation, he had alleged that the US had started the Iran war due to "pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.""...After the president gave him an opportunity in this administration to serve the American people, he (Joe Kent) would resign with a letter filled with falsehoods, accusing the president of the United States by being controlled by a foreign country. The president is the leader of the most powerful country and military in the world. Nobody tells him what to do. He makes decisions based on what's in the best interest of this country," she said. Leavitt said that the US cannot have a person leading the counterterrorism department who doesn't agree that Iran is a state sponsor of terror. "We don't want somebody leading the counterterrorism task force who cannot agree that the number one state sponsor of terror in this world did not pose a threat to the United States. That's what another falsehood he said in his letter of resignation which is just unequivocally false. It's backed by intelligence. It's backed by the fact that Iran was building ballistic missiles at a rapid rate to build the shield of immunity so they could build a nuclear bomb. And it's backed by the fact that the president of the United States made the decision to attack Iran before they could attack American troops and our assets and bases in the region," she said. While speaking to reporters, she also said that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's teams were working on a date for Trump's China visit. "We're working with them. They have agreed to postpone the trip. I think they understand the president's rationale for doing so, but again, we're working on those dates. The president has some things here at home in May that he has to attend to and I'm sure President Xi is a very busy man as well. So, we'll get the dates on the books as soon as we can and we'll keep all of you posted," she added. When asked if US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard's job was in danger because of Former Director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent's resignation, she added, "Not to my knowledge. I haven't heard the president say that, nor have I heard him say that. So, obviously that's a question for him, but I haven't heard him say that at all," she replied. Leavitt said that Trump is still in talks with European and Gulf allies amid the West Asia conflict. She said, "The president is going to continue to talk to our allies both in Europe and also in the Gulf and Arab region. The United States military has a lot of capabilities as you have seen play out over the last 18 days and they still do have tricks up their sleeve. I won't broadcast them for the media. But rest assured there is a plan. They're working on it. We have seen some progress with respect to that, but of course the president again continues to call on our allies to step up and do more." (ANI) Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in India, on Wednesday said Moscow shares New Delhi's approach to resolving the crisis involving Iran and supports dialogue as the path towards stabilising West Asia. Speaking to the media, Roman Babushkin said Russia recognises the challenges India faces as the current chair of BRICS in bringing member states together to issue a joint position on the escalating conflict. "We absolutely share the Indian approach on the situation in the Middle East," the Russian envoy said when asked about the ongoing war involving Iran. He said Russia understands the difficulty of forging a consensus among BRICS members amid the rapidly evolving regional situation. "We realise the challenge for the Indian presidency in BRICS, how to bring all countries together to issue a joint statement, although the attempts are on," he added. Babushkin said Moscow and New Delhi are in constant communication, both bilaterally and through multilateral channels, to find common ground on the crisis. "We are engaged almost on an everyday basis in order to find a common ground between all the member states. So we keep working bilaterally and multilaterally," he said. The Russian diplomat also referred to recent high-level discussions between the two countries on the Middle East situation. "Important point was, important event was the telephone conversation on the 11th of March, if I'm not mistaken, when Dr Jaishankar called Minister Lavrov. They discussed the situation in the Middle East in detail, " Babushkin said. He added that the ongoing exchanges demonstrate that both countries are working to resolve the crisis. "So it's just to demonstrate that our discussion is going on and we are both interested to contribute to the solution of the crisis in order to stabilize the regional situation," he said. Earlier on March 11, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which both leaders exchanged assessments on the ongoing conflict in West Asia and reviewed related diplomatic efforts. In a post on X, Jaishankar described the interaction with Lavrov as a "good telecon", emphasising that the discussions covered mutual perspectives on the escalating situation in the Middle East and the broader diplomatic initiatives underway to address the crisis. He also noted that they took stock of the India-Russia bilateral cooperation agenda. "A good telecon with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia. Shared our assessments on the West Asia conflict and related diplomatic efforts. Also took stock of our bilateral cooperation agenda," the EAM stated in his post. (ANI) Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has called on Iranians to honour what he called the "heroes" of the country's struggle for freedom, saying the nation's desire for liberty "shall never be extinguished." In a post on X, Pahlavi on Wednesday addressed Iranians after the traditional fire festival of 'Chaharshanbe-Suri', praising people who marked the occasion despite being "in the face of threat and repression." https://x.com/PahlaviReza/status/2034292316089831800 "My brave compatriots," Pahlavi said. " Salutations to you who, on the night of Chaharshanbe-Suri, stood steadfast and united in the face of threat and repression, and kept the ancient flame of Iran alight." "You demonstrated that our national will is unconquerable, and that the flame of liberty and devotion to our beloved homeland shall never be extinguished," he added. Pahlavi also urged people to visit the graves of what he called the "eternal heroes" of the "Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom". "Now, on this last Thursday of the year, I call upon you to visit the resting places of the eternal heroes of the Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom, and to show your solidarity with their families," he said. Referring to the upcoming Persian New Year, Nowruz, Pahlavi said Iranians should renew their commitment to reclaim the country. "On the eve of Norooz, we renew our promise to the brave sons and daughters of Iran: our promise to reclaim Iran, our promise to bring glory to our homeland, and our promise to build a future that is free, prosperous, and bright, " he said. "Long live Iran," he added. Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. According to Press TV, Iran is holding funerals for Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for the slain sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena. The ceremony is taking place in Tehran as the country mourns the loss of top officials and sailors. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani. "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." (ANI) Vidya Bhushan Soni, Former Indian Ambassador to Ukraine claimed that the killing of Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani "was a kind of overreaction." Soni, in a conversation with ANI on Wednesday, said that the US and Israel have a very professional system due to which they achieved their targets. "I think it's very unfortunate in this present-day world these kind of things are happening. First of all, it should not have happened because I think the situation was, didn't warrant such kind of an overreaction. It is my personal view, government of India may have a different view, Americans were not primarily responsible," he said on Wednesday. "They were forced or maybe cajoled into taking the situation and you know who the authorities could be behind that. But they thought that things will be over because they have a very professional system from the other side, the Americans and their counterparts in Israel. They are very, the best informed agency which they have, both of them. So they thought that they have all the desired information and so they could target those people. They succeeded initially, absolutely correctly. Khamenei was the target and his family, so that they succeeded," he added. Soni said that regime change is not something which can be pardoned. "So they come up once they have the details about the location of the targeted person. They go full hog. And they do not, because they are professionals, so they will do whatever it requires, even if there is a collateral damage. So what the Americans and their partners are doing is trying to eliminate such kind of uncomfortable people. Regime change is not something which can be pardoned," he said. Soni added that a country cannot take such action against another sovereign nation. "I mean, I am a professional diplomat and as per the laws, international law, you cannot undertake an action which is against any other sovereign nation. And that is exactly what was done. There was no reason for them. After all, the persons who carried out that kind of action, they are not appointed international police person. No police person will ever do this kind of. You can apprehend," he said. Soni critiqued the bombing of girls' hostel in Iran. "They can destabilise, can do anything that you like. But you can't undertake that kind of destructive action where you wipe out the entire innocent population. I mean, just imagine the girls' hostel, which was targeted. What were the girls doing? They were staying, they were not fighting any war. Why is it that they were targeted? Just because, and who gave you the permission? So this is something which to my mind no right thinking person, as you would have seen the voices from the Western European so-called NATO allies have also not condoned this kind of hyperaction," he said. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi says damage to Iran's Bushehr nuclear site appears not to be "very significant" and that a strike on the facility may have hit a small building containing a laboratory. Grossi told reporters that the IAEA had received information about the incident from Iran and from Russia that Bushehr was hit by a drone. He said it did not hit the actual power plant but landed on the premises, as reported by Al Jazeera. He added, "The reactors have not been affected and there are no casualties," he said, adding that his agency had not yet been able to independently confirm the damage, "At the same time, any attack on any nuclear facility should always be avoided." (ANI) A new regional analysis of Google ads marketing trends shows that many local companies in Kansas City are adjusting how they reach customers online. The review examined advertising data, search behavior, and campaign management practices among local businesses. The findings focus on how companies are using search driven advertising to improve visibility, manage budgets, and respond to changing consumer search patterns. Early results point to growing interest in Google ads marketing Kansas city as business owners look for measurable ways to compete in crowded digital markets. Kansas City Businesses Reassess Digital Advertising Local businesses across retail, professional services, and home services have increased attention toward Google ads marketing as digital competition grows. Search engines remain one of the most common starting points for customers looking for products or services. In Kansas City, business owners are reviewing how search advertising fits into broader marketing plans. Many companies previously relied on organic traffic or social media promotion. However, recent search data shows that paid search visibility can influence purchasing decisions earlier in the research phase. This shift has led many organizations to explore structured google ads PPC strategies that prioritize search intent rather than broad keyword targeting. What the Data Reveals About Search Behavior Search activity in Kansas City shows several patterns shaping Google ads marketing strategies: Users often search for services with geographic intent. Mobile search continues to drive immediate service inquiries. Customers frequently compare multiple providers before selecting a business. These patterns encourage advertisers to refine keyword targeting and local relevance within google ads PPC campaigns. For example, campaigns that match location based search terms with specific services often show stronger engagement rates than broader keyword groups. The Growing Role of Campaign Management As advertising platforms become more complex, campaign structure and data analysis are becoming central to effective Google ads marketing programs. Advertisers are now balancing several campaign elements at the same time: keyword selection and grouping bidding strategies landing page alignment audience targeting signals conversion tracking and reporting These elements influence how efficiently ad budgets translate into measurable business outcomes. A growing number of Kansas City businesses are reviewing professional google ads management services to better understand campaign performance and reduce wasted ad spend. Why Local Targeting Matters Local targeting has become a major focus within Google ads marketing programs. Kansas City businesses operate in a competitive regional market where many customers prefer nearby providers. Campaigns that combine geographic keywords with service related searches often produce stronger engagement metrics. Businesses that align their ads with local search intent tend to see better click through performance. Industry observers note that location focused strategies such as Google ads marketing Kansas city are increasingly discussed in regional marketing forums and business networking groups. Small Business Interest Continues to Rise Small and mid sized businesses are paying closer attention to Google ads marketing because it offers detailed performance data. Unlike traditional advertising channels, search campaigns allow companies to monitor several metrics in real time: impressions and click behavior search term relevance cost per click trends conversion actions such as calls or form submissions This level of visibility helps business owners understand which search queries connect with customers. Local digital marketing firm 913BOOM has observed similar trends while analyzing campaign data from Kansas City businesses. According to the firm, many organizations began exploring Google ads PPC after noticing increased competition in local search results. The Importance of Measurement Measurement has become a central topic within Google ads marketing discussions. Companies now expect advertising platforms to provide clearer connections between marketing activity and business outcomes. Effective campaigns often depend on several layers of tracking: call tracking from mobile search ads form submission monitoring online booking or purchase tracking cross device user behavior analysis Businesses that use structured google ads management services often implement these tracking systems earlier in campaign development. Market Education and Industry Awareness Another factor shaping Google ads marketing adoption in Kansas City is education. Business owners are becoming more familiar with how search advertising works and how bidding systems determine ad placement. Workshops, webinars, and marketing associations in the region increasingly discuss topics such as: keyword intent signals automated bidding models search query analysis landing page alignment with ad messaging These discussions help companies better understand how google ads PPC fits within a broader digital strategy. In many cases, local agencies such as 913BOOM participate in these conversations by sharing observations from regional campaign data and market research. Looking Ahead for Local Search Advertising Industry analysts expect Google ads marketing to remain a major part of digital visibility for Kansas City businesses. Search platforms continue to introduce new automation tools, audience insights, and reporting features. However, many experts believe that success will depend less on platform features and more on strategy. Businesses that align keywords, ad messaging, and landing pages around real customer search intent are more likely to see consistent results. As companies continue studying trends such as Google ads marketing Kansas City the focus will likely remain on practical performance insights rather than broad promotional tactics. The Kansas City market offers a useful example of how local businesses are adapting to evolving digital advertising systems while trying to maintain efficient marketing budgets. Vicky McClure is teaming up with her husband for a new crime documentary series. Vicky McClure is hosting a true crime series The Line of Duty actress and historian Jonny Owen will travel across the UK to examine huge crimes that have occured over the years in Britain's Murder Map. As they look at unsolved murders, miscarriages of justice, and cases that have changed the law, Vicky and Jonny will speak to experts, historians, police officers and the families of victims as they probe the lasting impact the crimes have had on the local community and why they are still relevant today. Among the experts set to appear on Britain's Muder Map are Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, historians Dr Fern Riddell, Huw Williams, and Phil Carradice, and criminologist Professor David Wilson. The five-episode series will kick off with the pair heading to Edinburgh to examine the 1828 Burke and Hare murders. It will be followed with a study of the execution of Timothy Evans in 1950, with the Welshman's death playing a major role in the campaign to abolish capital punishment in the UK. After looking at the claims of a cover up surrounding serial killer 'Bible John' in Glasgow in the 1960s, and the 1959 murder of Kelso Cochrane in London, Britain's Murder Map will end with Vicky and Jonny probing the treatment of Edwardian women in the context of Cora Crippen, who was murdered in 1910 by her husband, Dr. Crippen. Vicky's husband isn't the only person she wants to work on factual programmes with, because she previously told of how she wants to do a travel show with Line of Duty co-stars Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar. Speaking last year before it was confirmed that the police corruption drama was returning for a seventh series, she told the Radio Times magazine: "I don't have any updates, I'm afraid. I don't want to give anyone any false hope. "We've all been very clear that we'd absolutely love to do another series. Adrian, Martin and I have been talking about doing a travel show together, though. "If any of us ever has any spare time, we'll do it. Line of Duty gave us two brilliant things our careers and our friendship." Britain's Murder Map will premiere on 7 April at 9pm on Sky History and History Play. American Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan has affirmed that the North African Kingdom offers boundless opportunities for U.S. firms looking to invest. The diplomat made the remarks during a meeting held lately in Rabat with Moroccan minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour. They discussed ways of strengthening further partnerships to deepen economic cooperation between the two countries. Building on 250 years of friendship, the United States and Morocco share a more prosperous future, said Ambassador Duke Buchan in a post on his X account. Morocco is positioning itself as a regional business and industrial hub by leveraging its geographically strategic location, political stability, and infrastructure to expand as a regional manufacturing and export base for international companies. Morocco is also the only country in Africa with a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States. The FTA supports Moroccos goals to develop as a regional financial and trade hub, providing opportunities for the localization of services and the finishing and re- export of goods to markets in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Morocco actively encourages and facilitates foreign investment particularly in export sectors like manufacturing, renewables, automotive, aeronautics, textiles, pharmaceuticals, outsourcing and agribusiness. Morocco produced an average of 1.6 million tons of barley per year between 2021 and 2023, making it the top North African country, meeting 80% of its local demand, according to data released by UN Food & Agriculture Organization. Barley is Moroccos second most widely grown cereal after wheat. It is primarily used as fodder for livestock, including sheep, cattle and goats, and is sometimes consumed by humans as a wheat substitute. According to FAO Food Outlook report 2025, Ethiopia leads Africa barley output with 2.2 million tons of barley produced annually between 2021 and 2023. Morocco comes in the 2nd place in the continent with 1.6 million tons, followed by Algeria (800,000 tons), Tunisia (347,000 tons) and South Africa (337,600 tons). Barley is a vital agricultural crop in Africa, serving as a key staple food in arid North Africa and the Ethiopian highlands, and a crucial cash crop for malting in South Africa. It is also deemed as a drought-tolerant crop suitable for marginal lands, ensuring food security in low-rainfall areas while providing essential income for smallholder farmers, boosting household income. Australia is actively positioning itself as a partner of choice in Moroccos ambitious national desalination program, as the Kingdoms water strategy continues to attract growing international interest. Australian Ambassador Damien Donavan recently visited the Ministry of Equipment and Water in Rabat for talks focused on bilateral cooperation prospects, signaling Canberras intent to translate diplomatic ties into concrete commercial and technical engagement. Discussions covered Moroccos priority projects in water resource management and irrigation, alongside avenues for strengthening scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries which mark the fiftieth anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2026. Moroccan officials highlighted specific areas where Australian expertise could add value, including groundwater management, water efficiency improvements, pipeline network optimization, and the development of meteorological and early warning systems. The ambassador announced that a delegation of Australian companies interested in water and irrigation projects would shortly visit Morocco to engage directly with relevant ministries. The international attention is well-founded. Morocco aims to raise the share of desalinated water in its drinking water supply from 25% today to 60% by 2030, with total production targeted at 1.7 billion cubic meters annually. The country currently operates 17 desalination stations with a combined capacity of 345 million cubic meters per year, with four additional units set to push that figure to 540 million cubic meters by 2027 all powered by renewable energy. The flagship project under development is Africas largest desalination plant, located in Lamharza Essahel in the El Jadida province. With a planned annual capacity of 300 million cubic meters and a projected beneficiary population of 7.5 million, the facility will serve Greater Casablanca and surrounding cities. Its first phase costing 6.5 billion dirhams through a public-private partnership is scheduled for commissioning by end-2026, with a second phase extending capacity to 822,000 cubic meters per day by mid-2028. The UN Special Envoy for Water, Retno Marsudi, praised Moroccos model at the 19th World Water Congress in late 2025, describing it as a valuable example for water-stressed nations worldwide. Donald Trump and crew view renewable energy as an expensive fraud. British industrialists claim that the UKs green goals make the country too expensive. New York politicians see green energy fueling an affordability crisis. We have argued, on the other hand, that proponents of renewables should push them not because they are greener but rather because they are more economical and less risky than the alternatives. Not everywhere every time, but enough of the time. So, who is right? When customers do not see the benefits, is that failure due to renewable costs or to poor market design and muddled government policy? Dont buy the bullet points handed out by lazy politicians who are looking for a quick fix. Now, lets define the issues. First question: Are new renewable projects cheaper providers of electricity than 30-40 year old fossil plants? Thats like comparing the monthly charges on a new car to those on a 20-year-old jalopy with no monthly finance charges (all paid off) and low collision insurance (car has no resale value). Absolutely cheaper to keep the old car until it falls apart. But fuel constitutes at least half the cost of those fossil-fueled units, and some renewable power is cheaper than the fuel costs. So, the answer is sometimes. Next, were not getting into quasi-religious disputes about the need to reach a 100% green power goal in order to save the world. Shooting for 100% rankles traditionalists, generates opposition and may reduce grid flexibility and raise costs. So why make it an issue? If renewables are as good as their proponents say, they will eventually drive out most of the fossil units, anyway. Patience is a virtue. Unfortunately, the jalopy analogy becomes less and less relevant because the electricity industry has to build new power plants to meet increasing demand, so the next question is: are new renewable plants more economical to own and operate than nuclear or fossil-fueled units? Lets look at the estimates from two standard sources. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race The Energy Information Administration (EIA) produced its latest projections in 2025 and published them under the aegis of the Trump administration, so either the Trump people did not notice or they represent a cautious view of the prospects for renewables. The EIA predicts levelized cost, meaning the average cost per MWH generated (operating, fuel, and capital costs) over the lives of the plants. Here are the base case projections for selected means of generation coming into service in the next few years: EIA PROJECTIONS Source: EIA, Levelized Cost of New Generation Resources in the Annual Energy Outlook 2025. Now, you might rightly be skeptical, considering the uncertainty of long-term projections, but consider that much of the equipment for plants that go into operation over the next few years has been ordered, so we should have a reasonable idea about capital costs, which do not change over the life of the plant. But we have a shaky handle on fuel costs over a 30-year lifetime. If gas costs rose 50% over the estimate, that gas-fired generator would produce electricity as expensive as the nuclear plant. If gas costs fell to half of the estimate, the gas generator would be barely competitive with photovoltaic solar with storage and still way above photovoltaic solar and onshore wind. The legendary banking house, Lazard, makes a detailed annual analysis, too. In its 2025 report, it unambiguously stated, On an unsubsidized basis, renewable energy remains the most cost-competitive form of generation. Lazard produces estimate ranges and its methodology differs from the EIA, so pay more attention to the order of ranking than the absolute numbers when comparing to EIA numbers. We show the average estimate and the low end of the range, which we suspect reflects projects most likely to succeed to completion. Source: Lazard, Levelized Cost of Energy June 2025. Either way, except for offshore wind, renewables are competitive in cost. The competitiveness of gas units depends on the price of gas. Nuclear is so expensive its out of the ballpark altogether. Interestingly, Lazard also calculates the cost of community/industrial solar (local solar on rooftops), which at the low end of its range comes surprisingly close to being competitive with utility-scale power. That should scare the legacy utilities. Now for the problem, neither the grid nor its managers have prepared for the new age. Place- specific renewables require a transmission link to consumers. What have the transmission owners and operators been preparing for over the past decades? For more competitive markets and allocation of capacity via financial instruments? Certainly not for an avalanche of renewables and burgeoning demand. As for price to users, the principal markets in the UK and the USA employ an auction that sets the market price based on the price required to bring online the last unit required to fill the demand quota. That unit is, invariably, fueled by natural gas. Meaning that the price of gas sets the price offered to all generators, even if gas generation makes up only a small part of the total. Under those circumstances, the renewable (or nuclear) generators can pocket a big profit thanks to the high price paid to the last gas generator, and the customer gets no benefit from lower renewable costs. Gas sets the price of renewable energy. That market mechanism was designed before renewables amounted to anything. In the UK, where gas fuels much of the generation, the country has put off construction of sufficient gas storage facilities, so gas price and supply are at risk from foreign events, such as a war in the Persian Gulf. In short, dont fix the affordability problem by getting rid of the cheapest generation options. Focus on market structure and the grid, instead. And, no, we dont know why Bill Gates plans to build a nuclear power plant in Wyoming. Maybe he has money to spare. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Air travelers may face higher ticket prices this summer as rising oil costs linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran send jet fuel prices soaring. The disruption follows Iran's blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for roughly 20% of the world's oil supply, pushing crude above $100 a barrel and national gasoline prices to their highest levels since October 2023. Jet fuel has not been spared. According to the Argus US Jet Fuel Index, prices reached $3.99 per gallon last Friday, just ahead of the busy travel season, NY Post reported. "Prices have gone absolutely crazy in the markets," said Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at JD Power. "I would expect to see a triple-digit impact on tickets depending on how much the airline is willing to absorb and what the competitive marketplace looks like." The surge in fuel costs could hit long-haul international flights hardest, which consume more jet fuel than shorter trips. Airlines have been forced to reroute flights around parts of the Middle East to avoid conflict zones, further increasing fuel consumption. While some international carriers, such as Cathay Pacific and Air France-KLM, have announced higher fuel surcharges, most US airlines typically raise overall ticket prices instead. "These increases are already showing up online," Taylor noted, pointing to examples like $900 round-trip tickets from JFK to Orlando in June. Summer airfare could spike more than $100 as jet fuel prices rise over Iran war: experts https://t.co/Q2bj5RUcSh pic.twitter.com/X1SuS7sW6T New York Post (@nypost) March 16, 2026 Airlines May Absorb Extra Fees Airlines are expected to avoid raising fees for extras like checked bags or priority seating, as these have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction. Fuel costs account for 20-40% of airline operating expenses, making them highly sensitive to market shocks. Many European and Middle Eastern airlines hedge their fuel purchases, securing fixed prices months or years in advance. In contrast, most US carriers have abandoned this practice, leaving them vulnerable to sudden price swings. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told CNBC that higher fuel costs would have a "meaningful impact" on the carrier's financial results, likely affecting ticket prices soon. Analysts warn that continued disruptions could extend the effect. Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia have already cut output, while Iran reportedly continues to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. According to BBC, Jane Hawkes, a consumer travel expert, said, "Airlines tend to build fuel costs into their pricing, so if those costs stay high, we may well see fares creep up as we head towards the summer holidays." Originally published on vcpost.com On Monday, European Union foreign ministers rejected demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to help secure the Strait of Hormuz through military means, with Europe only keen on further bolstering the security of its own military bases in the region. Previously, Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, proposed extending the mandate of Operation Aspides to boost security in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and energy disruptions. Aspides is an active EU military operation launched in 2024 to safeguard merchant shipping and restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and surrounding waters. However, European leaders are eager to avoid being dragged into the war, This is not our war. We have not started it, said Germanys Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. What does Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US Navy cannot do? he added. And now energy and commodity analysts at Standard Chartered have predicted that oil prices will remain higher for longer than previously expected, thanks to the absence of clear off-ramps in the ongoing conflict. StanChart has increased its average Brent price forecast for 2026 to $85.50/bbl from $70.00/bbl and for 2027 to $77.50/bbl from $67.00/bbl. However, StanChart has predicted that oil prices will gradually ease as the months and quarters roll on, with Brent crude averaging $78.00/bbl in Q1 2026; $98.00/bbl in Q2 2026, $85.00/bbl in Q3 2026 and $80.50/bbl in Q4 2026. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race StanChart estimates that the Middle East war has cut global oil supply by 7.4-8.2 million barrels per day (mb/d), with Iraqs production down by 2.9 mb/d, 2.0-2.5 mb/d in Saudi Arabia, 0.5-0.8 mb/d in the UAE, 0.5 mb/d in Qatar and 0.5 mb/d in Kuwait. Further, the commodity experts estimate that Iranian production is 1 mb/d lower than pre-conflict volumes. However, StanChart notes that all exports that can be diverted from the Strait of Hormuz have already been, meaning no meaningful increases in global oil supplies are likely to be seen unless the blockade eases. To wit, Saudi Arabia is utilizing the temporary additional capacity in the East-West pipeline to raise transit volumes to the Red Sea to 7 mb/d. StanChart now sees an oil price floor in the low-to-mid 70s thanks to the historic IEA release of oil from strategic reserves. A week ago, the IEA announced a record-setting release of 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves of 32 member countries, the largest in its history. The release far exceeds the 182-million-barrel release announced back in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. StanChart notes that such releases are a double-edged sword--adding more product to the market over time, while at the same time raising concerns that market conditions are grave enough to warrant such a drastic move. The analysts say the structural demand generated by the necessity to replenish these resources in the future can establish an oil price floor. Related: How Chinas Rare Earth Ban Backfired into a U.S. Tech Breakthrough On the natural gas front, European natural gas futures held above 50/MWh on Tuesday, nearly 30% above their 12-month average, following major disruptions in gas flows. Two weeks ago, QatarEnergy halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and declared force majeure following drone strikes by Iran on facilities in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed. The disruption effectively cut off 77 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG capacity, immediately triggering a global spike in gas prices as buyers scrambled to seek alternative supplies. The cessation of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has cut off approximately 20% of global LNG supply. StanChart says the disruption has exposed the structural vulnerability of the Gulf, with Qatar profoundly vulnerable to future disruptions. Thats the case because nearly all of its LNG exports originate from Ras Laffan, and this gas must pass through the Strait of Hormuz--a narrow maritime choke point--in order to reach international markets. Replacing Qatari LNG is currently impossible in the short term, leading to heightened volatility in gas markets. Consequently, large LNG importers in Asia are actively rebalancing their power generation mix toward coal and nuclear to manage limited LNG supplies, reduce reliance on the volatile spot markets, and maintain energy security. China is focusing on domestic gas production after a pullback from the spot market in 2025, ramping up pipeline imports (particularly from Russia), and boosting coal and nuclear production in a bid to reduce reliance on imported LNG. China holds the largest number of long-term LNG contracts in the world. Similarly, Japanese utilities are prioritizing coal-fired generation and increasing nuclear reactor restarts to preserve gas inventories, with some operators running coal plants much closer to full capacity compared to gas units. Japan's long-term plan aims to maximize nuclear power, aiming for a 20% share by 2040. Further, South Korea is lifting constraints on coal-fired power generation and raising nuclear utilization to 80% to cope with surging energy costs. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com China has offered to provide Taiwan with stable and reliable energy supplies if the island agrees to a peaceful reunification. Beijing claims that Taiwan would have better protection for its energy and resource security under a "strong motherland," including affordable, cleaner and more stable energy supplies."We are willing to provide Taiwan compatriots with stable and reliable energy and resource security, so that they may live better lives," Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters. China continues to propose the "one country, two systems" model as a bargaining chip in a potential reunification with Taiwan, and is using the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war to lure its smaller neighbor. Will it work this time? Taiwan has consistently rejected Beijings reunification proposals, maintaining that its future can only be determined by its own people, according to repeated statements from Taipei. China, for its part, has not ruled out the use of force. President Xi Jinping has previously described reunification as an unstoppable process, while Chinese officials have warned they will take all necessary measures to counter what they call separatist activity and foreign interference. In recent months, the Chinese military has carried out large-scale exercises around Taiwan, including drills simulating blockades and joint operations, which Beijing has characterized as warnings against independence. Taiwans government has responded by increasing defense preparedness and continues to describe Chinas actions as ongoing military and psychological pressure. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race But Washington is calling Beijings bluff. A U.S. intelligence assessment on Wednesday suggests that China is not currently planning an invasion of Taiwan in the near term. In its latest Annual Threat Assessment, the U.S. intelligence community states that China does not have a fixed timeline for unification and is unlikely to pursue a military takeover by 2027, despite continuing to frame reunification as essential to its long-term goal of national rejuvenation by 2049. The report suggests Beijing still prefers to avoid direct conflict, even as it maintains political pressure and long-term strategic objectives toward Taiwan. Energy isnt likely to be enough to lure Taiwan back into the fold. Things could be different now, and Beijing is banking on rapidly mounting war-induced energy fears. Taiwan lacks direct energy ties with China, but imports its energy commodities mostly via sea lanes, making it highly vulnerable to potential Chinese blockades. Thankfully, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te recently confirmed that the islands energy needs for March and April have been fully secured. State-owned CPC Corporation is coordinating alternative sources for May to avoid potential deficits. Taiwan imports approximately 96% of its energy needs, with oil consumption totaling around 45 million tonnes (Mt) in 2024. The country is also a major global LNG importer, with natural gas demand reaching 29 Bcm in 2024, representing a CAGR of 5.3% since 2020. Nearly 80% of Taiwan's LNG is used for electricity generation, with 15% going into the industrial sector while the residential sector consumes ~5%. Related: Trumps Secret Weapon in the Rare Earth War Taiwan has adopted a "multi-source strategic approach," sourcing LNG from more than 10 countries in a bid to mitigate single-point disruption risks. The countrys top LNG suppliers are Australia (38%), Qatar (25%), the United States (10%) and Papua New Guinea (7%). The country is also currently purchasing LNG in the spot market to fill the gap left by Qatar. Iranian strikes on Qatars Ras Laffan complex have triggered a major disruption in global LNG flows, forcing a shutdown of exports from one of the worlds largest suppliers and removing up to 20% of global LNG supply from the market. The outageexpected to last weeks to monthshas hit Asia hardest, given that roughly 90% of Qatari LNG is typically shipped to the region. In response, Asian buyers are scrambling to secure alternative cargoes, with U.S. LNG shipments increasingly diverted away from Europe, while countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, and India compete for limited supply. The disruption is tightening global gas markets, raising the risk of shortages and intensifying competition between Asia and Europe for available LNG volumes. Taiwans response is to significantly ramp up imports of U.S. LNG, aiming to raise the U.S. share to 30%-33% in the current year, up from roughly 10% previously. Last month, Taiwan and the U.S finalized the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), a landmark trade pact that includes multi-billion dollar LNG supply commitments. As part of the deal, CPC Corp. has committed to purchasing $44.4 billion worth of U.S. LNG and crude oil through 2030. Last year, CPC signed a letter of intent to in and purchase 20 million metric tons per year from the Alaska LNG project, making Taiwan the first Asian country to back the $44-billion megaproject. Meanwhile, CPC maintains a 25-year sale and purchase agreement with Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG), the largest U.S. LNG exporter. ART also includes pledges for $250 billion in Taiwanese investments in U.S. high-tech sectors like semiconductors. The Taiwanese government has also pledged an additional $250 billion in credit guarantees, bringing the total package value to $500 billion. Further, the project is supported by funding by the U.S. CHIPS Act. Building on its initial $65 billion commitment, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) recently announced an additional $100 billion investment in the United States. TSMC, the worlds largest semiconductor chip foundry, plans to build six advanced chip fabrication plants and two packaging facilities in Phoenix, Arizona, creating a major AI chip production hub. The plants will produce sub-5nm, 3nm, and 2nm chips, with the first fab already active and subsequent fabs set to ramp up production in 2026-2030. The expansion aims to secure U.S. supply chains for critical AI, high-performance computing, and mobile technologies. The Trump administration has set a target to have 40% of Taiwans semiconductor supply chain located domestically in the United States. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com China could come out on top or at the very least vindicated as a result of the United States and Israels war in Iran. As the world reels from skyrocketing oil prices and general energy market volatility, China is reaping the rewards of the huge energy stockpiles that it has been hoarding for years in case of just such a crisis. Chinas supergrid could not only buffer the worlds second-largest economy from energy market fallout, but it could make China a major economic winner at the end of the day. As the United States and Israel bombard Iran with missile strikes, Iran is fighting back with the most powerful geopolitical leverage it has the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of the worlds oil and gas passes through the narrow waterway, and Iran has slowed that trade to a trickle as the war rages on. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Strait of Hormuz is open, but closed to our enemies, to those who carried out this cowardly aggression against us and to their allies. But while the Strait of Hormuz has remained closed to the United States and its allies for over two weeks now, Iran has continued to send at least 11.7 million barrels of crude oil through to China. This is on top of Chinas already significant strategic oil stockpiles, which it built to new heights in the months leading up to the war. The nation boasts a record 851 million barrels of crude oil in onshore commercial inventories a staggering amount. This stockpile will give China major breathing room to make measured and calculated decisions about its economic and energy strategies going forward, while the rest of the world scrambles to keep the lights on at any cost. But Chinas secret to energy security in the face of a global energy crisis comes down to far more than its massive crude oil supplies. The countrys true advantage will come from its supergrid and its years-long push to wean itself off of fossil fuel imports and buildout of renewable energies to become the worlds first electro-state. A huge part of Chinas energy spending has been directed toward building out and fortifying its power grid for greater resilience. Chinas infrastructure build-out is far more efficient than that of most countries, and the power grid is no exception, Penny Chen, a senior director with Fitch Ratings, recently told Fortune. And as AI and manufacturing continue to ramp up strain on global power grids, this will give China an even greater leg up in the competition for global tech and energy production a race that it's already winning handily. In some ways, the grid investments highlight how energy security once viewed as a lofty, long-term goal of President Xi Jinping is now becoming an immediate and crucial source of economic insulation, reports Fortune. To be sure, China still faces a massive challenge to energy security and its political positioning with Iran a major supplier of the crude oil that the Chinese economy still relies on to a considerable, if lessening, extent if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to drag on, and Donald Trump tries to strongarm Beijing into an alliance to open up the waterway. But if China can wait out the conflict, buffered by its major investments into its diversified grid and backup energy sources, it could very well come out the other side as a stronger force than ever in global geopolitics. People out there tweeting that this is destabilizing China may be wishing that were the case, but tweets are not reality, Josh Freed, head of climate and energy at center-left think tank Third Way, was recently quoted by the Washington Post. This is a shock China can absorb. It will end up in a stronger position on the other side. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The production of microchips may be negatively affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, due to supply chain disruptions, particularly of helium, which is key to semiconductor manufacturing. Some unexpected industries are being hit hard by the Iran war, as several supply chains are being severely disrupted, not just oil and gas. This could lead to severe delays in the production of microchips unless agreements can be reached between key powers to stop conflict and free up key trade routes. Helium is an essential component of semiconductor manufacturing, used in the chip fabrication process. Helium helps maintain optimal conditions during production. In the lithography process, helium is used to establish a stable vacuum environment and to ensure precise alignment and exposure of photomasks. It also helps to cool semiconductor materials, thereby reducing thermal stress that could negatively affect the functionality of the chips. Unlike other industrial gases, there is no effective substitute for helium for chip production. As a noble gas, helium is chemically inert, which helps to minimize the risk of contamination during production processes. In addition, its low thermal conductivity supports precise temperature control. Further, helium is lightweight and has a small atomic size, allowing for its use in creating ultra-clean environments. The use of helium means that manufacturers can achieve stricter tolerances and greater accuracy in circuit designs. Helium is a byproduct of the production of liquified natural gas (LNG), meaning that LNG suppliers are also often major exporters of helium. Some semiconductor manufacturers rely heavily on certain markets for the provision of helium, so when supplies are cut off, it leaves them scrambling to find alternative suppliers. In South Korea, a major producer of semiconductors, several companies rely heavily on Middle Eastern states for their helium imports. For example, in 2025, Jukan imported around 64 percent of its helium supply from Qatar. Together, South Korea and Taiwan account for around 36 percent of global semiconductor production. However, it is not just Japan that relies on Qatar for its helium, as QatarEnergys massive Ras Laffan facility provides almost one-third of the global helium supply. The Ras Laffan plant has now been offline for over a week, after Iranian drone strikes halted operations. The facilitys closure led to an immediate 30 percent cut to the worlds helium supply. Qatar and several other countries in the Middle East rely heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, for transporting goods. The strait is considered a chokepoint, as there are few alternative options for energy transportation, beyond some limited pipeline networks in the region. The almost complete closure of the Strait has not only led to the biggest oil supply disruption in history, but has also significantly disrupted various supply chains between Europe and Asia. The largest global producer of helium is the United States, meaning that the countries that can no longer receive the noble gas from Middle Eastern suppliers may be able to look to the U.S. for replacement supplies. However, the U.S. is unlikely to be able to respond to the spike in demand at such a fast pace. Russia is also a major producer of helium, but the widespread sanctions introduced on Moscow following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine have made investors wary of establishing operations in the Russian market or importing goods from Russia. Now, South Korean companies, such as Samsung, SK hynix, and TSMC, fear that the current disruptions may force them to decrease output until they can find alternative helium suppliers. Meanwhile, the global demand for semiconductors is growing year on year in response to the rapid adoption of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence. Some companies worry that they may not be able to fulfil orders on time, and they will be forced to produce less profitable chips to fulfil their orders. However, SK Hynix recently stated that it had diversified its helium procurement and secured adequate inventory for the short-term. At present, it is not clear how long the Iran war, and broader Middle East conflict, will last, particularly as President Trump has said that the U.S. intends to continue with operations in Iran until it can achieve ultimate victory. However, if the war continues for several months, the helium supply will continue to be disrupted, which is likely to drive up the price of semiconductors in the mid-term. The disruption of Qatars helium supply shines a light on the vulnerabilities of the semiconductor supply chain, as the major microchip-producing countries depend heavily on Qatar for their helium supply. The Middle East conflict could, therefore, force producers to look to alternative helium suppliers for both short- and long-term supply chain diversification. It could also drive companies to strengthen regional supply chains to mitigate the risk of future geopolitical disruptions. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to a massive US-Israel bombing campaign has wreaked havoc on world energy markets and sent oil prices soaring. Things could get even worse, experts say, if passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait -- another crucial shipping route in the Middle East -- is also disrupted. A choke point off Iran's coast, the Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and global markets via the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Likewise, Bab al-Mandab is a narrow passage for ships entering or exiting the Red Sea, whose Yemeni coastline is largely controlled by the Huthi rebels, an armed group backed by Iran. A US-designated terrorist organization that has previously attacked international ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, the Huthis -- one of Tehran's most potent allies -- have so far stayed out of the US-Israeli war on Iran. If they do enter the fray, there will be even more shock waves across energy markets, experts say. "The Huthis' threat here is a real one," said Gregory Brew, a historian of Iranian oil and a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group. The Bab al-Mandab Strait accounts for around 6 percent of the world's seaborne-traded oil, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter of oil, has been redirecting millions of barrels of oil from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea via its East-West pipeline since the war began on February 28. "There's a large number of tankers that are now making the Red Sea transit to pick up crude" from Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu, the country's only other oil-export route, said Brew. "This is very important for oil markets because it relieves pressure from the total shutting of the Persian Gulf." "But if the Huthis attacked Yanbu and if they did enough to disrupt exports from the terminal, then you're looking at" a disruption of 7 millions barrel per day, he said. Fingers On The Trigger' The Huthis have not made a formal announcement of joining the Iran war. But their leader, Abdul Malik al-Huthi, has said the group was ready to strike any time it sees fit. "Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger at any moment should developments warrant it," he said in a televised speech on March 5. Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency said on March 12 that the Huthis were on full alert and could join Tehran's war effort. Fars warned that the involvement of the Huthis in the war could lead to the closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. It is unclear if the Huthis' absence from the Iran war is deliberate or a sign of the group's current weakness. US and Israeli air strikes have degraded the Huthis' fighting capabilities in recent years. The strikes were in response to the Huthis' missile and drone attacks on Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea. In May 2025, the group signed a cease-fire deal with the United States. The Huthis are a key member of Iran's so-called axis of resistance, its loose network of proxies and militant groups against archfoe Israel. But the Huthis retain considerable autonomy and Iran has only limited control over the group's actions, experts say. Another member of the axis, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, has opened a second front in the war by firing rockets and drones into Israel. That has triggered a devastating military response from Israel, which has sent ground troops into Lebanon and waged a deadly aerial campaign. "I think the Huthis' fiscal and military situation would discourage them from engaging in large-scale hostilities," said Brew. "The US and Israeli campaigns did real damage to the Huthis' position in Yemen. They're struggling to pay their fighters." But Ahmed Nagi, a senior analyst for Yemen at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said the Huthis' decision to stay out of the war is a calculated move coordinated with Iran. "Rather than activating all fronts at once, Iran appears to be managing escalation gradually and keeping the Huthis in reserve," said Nagi. "In this sense, the Huthis function as an important card that can be played later, especially given their ability to disrupt Red Sea shipping and create wider economic and security pressure." Holding the Huthis back preserves that leverage, Nagi said. "If the military pressure on Iran increases or the war enters a more critical phase, the Huthis could still jump in despite the potential costs on their domestic front in Yemen," he added. "Their current restraint therefore looks more like timing than reluctance to get involved." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The Trump Administration has already used up most emergency options to rein in the soaring international crude oil prices, which have pushed up U.S. gasoline prices by $0.80 per gallon from a month ago. The U.S. last week tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) as part of a record-high reserves release announced by the International Energy Agency. The Trump Administration also issued a one-month waiver allowing buyers to purchase sanctioned Russian oil on tankers without repercussions. It also promised, two weeks ago, risk insurance and escort for tankers to help oil pass through the de facto closed Strait of Hormuz. The political risk insurance and guarantees for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, at a very reasonable price as U.S. President Donald Trump put it three days into the war, hasnt materialized yet as shipowners and customers continue to steer clear of the worlds most critical oil route, if they arent already trapped there. Since President Trumps claim that the U.S. would escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, if necessary, the Administration has retracted the statement, and the President ended up begging and bullying often in the same Truth Social post allies to help reopen the Strait. Despite the efforts of Saudi Arabia to redirect more crude flows to Red Sea exports and away from the Arab Gulf, the stark reality of global oil supply is that it needs the Strait of Hormuz open so it wouldnt lose an estimated 17 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude and petroleum products this month and next. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race These volumes cannot be offset by any SPR release or other similar band-aid solution as the strain on the oil and product markets is already too high with just over two weeks of war. Analysts warn that if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked for a month or two, oil prices could jump to as high as $150 and even $200 per barrel, forcing an economic shock and a massive political shock to incumbent leaders, most of all President Trump ahead of the mid-term elections in November. Band-Aid The President has few options left to contain the fallout, according to Reuters columnist Ron Bousso. These could include considering waiving the Jones Act to allow non-U.S. vessels to move goods, including energy, from one American port to another, and a Congressional move to reduce federal taxes on gasoline and diesel. Yet, these, too, would be a band-aid trying to stop economic and political bleeding from a closed Strait of Hormuz. I dont see this as much more than a band-aid with weak adhesive, Steve Allen, an economist at North Carolina State University, told ABC News, in comments on the U.S. tapping the SPR for a release of 172 million barrels of crude as part of the IEAs record-high 400-million stocks release. To put into perspective this massive coordinated global release of oil stocks, the biggest in the history of the oil market, its worth noting that before the war cut off the Strait of Hormuz from the global oil supply chain, about 600 million barrels of oil were passing through the chokepoint per month. Strait of Hormuz Shock The loss of oil supply cannot be overstated, and the loss of flows through Hormuz cannot be compensated by any bypassing or workarounds from Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea, or the UAE pipeline to Fujairah outside the Strait of Hormuz. All of those routes together can only restore flows to roughly half of the pre-war oil exports from the Gulf, analysts at Wood Mackenzie say. Andrew Harbourne, Wood Mackenzies senior analyst for oil markets, notes the 400-million-barrel release will cover only about four weeks of disruption in the Gulf. Strategic stocks remain an effective emergency buffer, but they are a one-off intervention that must eventually be rebuilt and cannot cover a sustained supply gap, Harbourne added. Related: No Magnets, No Drones: How China Controls the Future of Warfare Supply shocks in the past suggest that if the war and the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz persist, Brent crude could get to $150 to $200 per barrel. For some, such as diesel and jet fuel, the effective prices could be $200 to $250 a barrel or more, according to WoodMac. Spiking prices would present a macroeconomic and political risk in many geographies and countries, according to J.P. Morgan. This event generates greater macroeconomic risk than recent military conflicts, Joseph Lupton, co-head of Economic Research at J.P. Morgan, said on Friday. Through its potential to disrupt global energy markets and supply chains, it looks likely to have material, lasting political and economic consequences at the regional level. How fast the U.S. could rally a coalition to try to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and how successful such would be would be critical for the political and economic shocks going forward. Until we see a meaningful resumption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, upward pressure on fuel prices is likely to persist, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said on Monday, as U.S. gasoline and diesel prices continued to soar, with diesel topping $5 per gallon. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Asian nations that are the most exposed to the fallout of the Hormuz crisis have sealed energy deals worth $56 billion with American companies, helping advance President Trumps energy dominance agenda. Whether this is an actual pivot from the Middle East to the U.S. is yet to be seen. The news about the financial commitments was announced by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum following the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Forum that took place in Tokyo at the end of last week. The deals involve a 20-year supply contract between Venture Global and South Korean Hanwha Aerospace for 1.5 million tons of liquefied gas and a deal between Terra Energy Center and Hyundai Heavy Industries for the supply of coal power plant equipment for a 1.25-GW power generation project in Alaska. Also in liquefied gas, the forum yielded an agreement on joint development of the Delfin LNG project, which will be a floating installation off the Louisiana coast with a projected capacity of 13 million tons annually. The project will cost $14 billion and will export the fuel to Japan and South Korea. Among the companies participating in its development, the DoI listed Delfin Midstream, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Asset Management, and Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation. Asian nations were eager to make energy deals with the United States, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin told Bloomberg over the weekend. They were looking to diversify away from the Middle East, Zeldin said, adding they were far more motivated to do so. Related: Little-Known US Company Lands Important Pentagon Contract in Rare Earth Race Asia is the main market for Middle Eastern oil and LNG, and the Hormuz crisis has hit that market hard. Middle Eastern oil grades are currently the most expensive in the world because of the tanker traffic freeze, and producing countries have been forced to slash production due to a lack of storage capacity, which would extend the supply crunch over a longer period of time. The United States is a suitable alternative, Zeldin told Bloomberg, because of its favorable geography. The EPA head noted that a journey from Alaska to Asia would take eight days, compared with 28 days from the Middle East, without specifying the destination, per the Bloomberg report. The Trump administration has framed the energy dominance agenda as a win-win, with U.S. geopolitical partners getting energy commodities and the U.S. getting certain markets. It could be argued that Trumps tariff pressure, however, represented a stick rather than a carrot approach to convincing these partners to buy more U.S. energy commodities. On the other hand, for those concerned only with the end result, the purchasing commitments that so many nations made in response to the tariff threat suggest that the stick works just as well as the carrot, if not better. With growing production capacity and a proven record as a dependable energy partner, the United States is delivering the fuels, minerals, and technologies that power resilient economies and secure supply chains for the American people and our allies alike, Secretary Burgum said at the U.S.-sponsored Indo-Pacific Energy Security Forum, as quoted by Bloomberg. Some observers would beg to differ on the dependability assertion, just as the oil and gas industry in the U.S. is reluctant to start spending big on production expansion, and for the same reason. In two years, there could be a very different president in the White House, and the energy dominance agenda may give way to another green agenda. For now, however, those Asian countries that depend heavily on energy imports are pledging billions for U.S. energy amid some of the most desperate times in modern history for the region. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Energy interests are helping to fuel fresh efforts aimed at normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations. Meeting on the sidelines of a gathering sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, along with his minister for infrastructure, Davit Khudatyan, talked with Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar to explore a variety of energy-related connectivity issues. We discussed infrastructure and energy issues that will contribute to lasting peace and stability in our region; within this scope, we addressed areas of cooperation, primarily electricity interconnection, nuclear energy, and natural gas, Bayraktar stated in a social media post. The March 10 meeting marked the highest-level contact between Armenian and Turkish officials since Pashinyans visit to Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last June. That meeting has been widely viewed as kick-starting a new reconciliation and rapprochement initiative. A previous effort to normalize relations stalled in 2010. The Istanbul visit was also seen as consistent with Pashinyans Real Armenia strategy, under which his government strives to focus on economic development while setting aside historical grievances that have impeded the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Turkey, including an insistence that Ankara recognize the Ottoman-era mass killings of Armenians as genocide. None of the three ministers shared details of their March 10 discussions, although Bayraktars mention of energy and infrastructure issues suggested a focus on practical cooperation, without necessarily addressing the historical and ideological topics that have dominated bilateral relations since Armenia regained independence in 1991. Speaking to journalists in Istanbul in February, Bayraktar said, We support the normalization of economic relations with Armenia. We can realize cooperation in energy. This is an opportunity for both countries, he said. While the meeting took place at the IAEA summit, nuclear cooperation was not likely a major subject of the Armenian-Turkish discussions. Both countries have nuclear power plants, but talks more likely to focused on integrating Armenia into regional power and natural gas transmission networks, as well as exploring new cooperation opportunities created by the Armenian-Azerbaijani provisional peace deal, and the landmark agreement to create the TRIPP corridor. For most of the post-Soviet era, Turkey and its strategic ally Azerbaijan maintained an economic blockade of Armenia as part of the decades-long conflict over the Nagorno Karabakh territory. Azerbaijan completed its reconquest of Karabakh in 2023 with Ankaras help. Ankara has long signaled readiness to end the blockade action that could boost the economic fortunes of poor regions bordering Armenia but has hesitated out of a sense of loyalty to Baku. Armenia has few energy resources of its own and has been dependent on Russia and Iran for supplies of natural gas and petroleum products. Yerevan has also depended on Russia for nuclear fuel for its Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, which meets up to 40 percent of Armenias electricity needs. Those supplies are now threatened by the ratcheting up of sanctions on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, and more immediately by the US-Israeli war in Iran. Armenia, which needs to replace the aging Metsamor plant, signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States in February. Although primarily expected to be a road and rail transport route, plans for the TRIPP corridor through southern Armenia also envisage the laying of a power transmission line and a gas pipeline. Azerbaijan has already started laying 330 kilovolt (kV) lines on both sides of the corridor in anticipation that the envisioned US-run TRIPP Development Company will begin work on the route across Armenian territory. Armenia already has a functioning 220 kilovolt (kV) connection with Turkey, which, to date, has seen little use. Ankara is expected to upgrade and expand the connection as part of a wider program to increase power connectivity with Turkeys near neighbors. Turkey completed construction of a gas pipeline link in 2025 to Azerbaijans Nakhchivan exclave, which is expected to be extended through the TRIPP corridor to the Azerbaijani mainland. That pipeline could potentially be used to supply Armenia with gas from either Azerbaijan or Turkey. It would also be relatively straightforward for Ankara to extend a separate gas pipeline into northern Armenia from an existing line that runs through Kars province near the Armenian border. By Eurasianet More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Iranian authorities have confirmed that the country's powerful security chief, Ali Larijani, has been killed, the highest profile official to die since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of US and Israeli air strikes on February 28. Ali Larijani was killed along with his son Morteza, his deputy Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards, the Secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement late on March 17. Larijani was secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. The council's statement came about 12 hours after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Larijani was killed in a wave of air strikes on Tehran that also took the lives of other senior Iranian figures. Death Of Gholamreza Soleimani Separately, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's paramilitary Basij force, giving few details. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had said Soleimani and Larijani were killed in the same series of strikes on March 16. Katz said the two leaders "have joined Khamenei, the head of the annihilation program, along with all those eliminated from the axis of evil in the depths of hell," while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a photo of the premier on the phone with the caption: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the elimination of senior figures in the Iranian regime." The US-Israeli offensive on Iran, now in its third week, has shown no signs of letting up, with air raid sirens heard in several locations around the Middle East on March 17. US President Donald Trump said the conflict has "wiped out their [Iran's] military in every aspect" and reiterated during a press conference in Washington that the United States will leave the war "pretty much the very near future." The Israeli military said it was targeting "Iranian regime infrastructure" in its latest wave of strikes across Tehran, as well as at sites it said were related to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization. Baghdad Attack Meanwhile, Iran has continued to fire missiles and drones at targets around the Middle East, including Israel. The key Strait of Hormuz -- which accounts for about one-fifth of the world's oil transport -- remains largely closed off due to attacks on vessels. An Iranian drone and rocket attack targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad, according to security officials, one of whom told AFP that "at least one drone" crashed inside the embassy compound. A new Iranian drone strike also hit the Fujairah oil complex on the United Arab Emirate's east coast, causing a fire but no injuries, local authorities said on March 17. Explosions were reported in Doha, while Qatar said it had intercepted a missile attack. Trump had called on nations around the globe to help to reopen the vital waterway, but several countries have pushed back on the idea. Later on March 17, he called that reluctance a "very foolish mistake" and that the United States didn't "need any help actually." This is a great test, because we dont need them, but they should have been there, Trump added. Iran's targeting of crude oil and gas producing nations around the Gulf has pushed energy prices up sharply in many countries. The price of several types of oil jumped around 5 percent again on March 17 over supply concerns. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com A pipeline leak at Libyas largest oil field, Sharara, caused a fire on Thursday, prompting a redirection of the flow of oil, the National Oil Corporation said in a statement. NOC said that Production at the Sharara field continues: some flow was gradually redirected to the El Feel pipeline toward Mellitah port, while the remainder was diverted through the 18?inch Hamada pipeline to the Zawiya storage tanks. These measures have significantly reduced losses. The Sharara field is a regular target for warring political and military factions in Libya, which boasts the biggest oil reserves in Africa, at an estimated 48 billion barrels. Yet the country has been struggling to boost production significantly following the civil war that broke out after the United States toppled Muammar Gaddafi, as the political situation remains complicated. The Sharara field has the capacity to produce over 300,000 barrels daily, but maintaining this rate of production has proved difficult as the field regularly becomes a target for protesters and various political factions that have repeatedly blocked it to make their points. Despite the challenges, Libya last year held its first oil tender in years, attracting attention from companies including Chevron, Eni, Repsol, and QatarEnergy. Even with this interest, the number of blocks awarded was a small portion of the total on offer, which stood at 22 blocks. The number of blocks awarded was five. This will make it hard for Libya to fulfil its plans of ramping up production to a target daily rate of 2 million barrels by 2030. Still, Big Oil is returning to the North African country after years of shunning it because of the fighting. BP and Eni restarted drilling there in 2024, with Austrias OMV and Spains Repsol also expressing interest in returning, per reports from the Libyan government from that time. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Iran's military leadership has suffered a major blow after Israel claimed it eliminated one of the country's most senior security figures in a series of targeted airstrikes, a development that could significantly affect Iran's leadership and increase tensions in the region. The strike reportedly hit a site in Tehran where senior officials were believed to be. Al Larijani, the official targeted, was an important figure connecting Iran's political decisions with its military actions and has also been involved in regional diplomacy. 'Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,' Israel Katz, Iran's defence minister, said on Tuesday. He stated that another strike targeted Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij paramilitary force, along with several other senior Basij officials. High-Level Targets Killed in Strikes Israel said it had killed Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in an overnight strike. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a significant success against Iran's command structure, though Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed the death. A senior Iranian official who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the new supreme leader had rejected de-escalation proposals delivered through intermediaries, insisting that Israel and the United States must first be 'brought to their knees.' The senior official also said that two intermediary countries had relayed suggestions to Iran's Foreign Ministry aimed at 'reducing tensions or ceasefire with the United States,' but did not provide further details about the proposal or the countries involved, per Reuters. In his first policy session since being named supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly said it was not 'the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation,' according to the official. The official did not specify whether Khamenei, who has not been publicly seen since taking over last week following the death of his father, participated in the meeting in person or joined remotely. The conflict between the US and Israel against Iran has now entered its third week, with at least 2,000 casualties reported with no apparent resolution. The latest strikes are part of a wider campaign targeting Iran's military and intelligence leadership. Other reported strikes killed top figures including Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi, IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, and senior intelligence officers. 'Cut the Head of the Octopus' Katz commended the Israeli military 's chief of staff for executing the strikes. Katz described the campaign against Iran's top officials as an effort to 'cut off the head of the octopus' to prevent the regime's leadership core from rebuilding. He said he vowed to keep on, 'hunting the leadership of Iran's terror and oppression regime and to repeatedly cut the head of the octopus and not allow it to grow back,' per a report by Axios. He added, 'US President Trump spoke about the high turnover rate of Iranian leadership. As morning breaks on Washington time, we will update him that this high turnover rate continues and is even accelerating following the neutralisation of two of the highest remaining senior officials,' according to The Washington Post. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the IDF confirmed Soleimani's death, noting that he had led Basij for six years. The statement read, 'Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators.' Originally published on IBTimes UK The governments of Iraq and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan have reached an agreement on the terms to restart the flow of oil via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline, starting today. Oil prices dipped on the news, even though the pipelines capacity is up to 250,000 barrels daily, meaning it will not make much of a difference in global supply. Brent crude was trading at over $101 per barrel at the time of writing, down from $103, and West Texas Intermediate was changing hands for close to $93. Iraq has had to slash its production from fields outside Kurdistan to just 1.3 million barrels daily as a result of the paralysis of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, as it ran out of storage space. Prior to the war, Iraq was pumping a total of over 4 million barrels daily. The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline has been mostly offline for years now, amid a dispute regarding the distribution of payments between the governments in Baghdad and Erbil. Meanwhile, Iraq has initiated talks with Iran to get at least some oil out via the Strait of Hormuz. There is communication with Iran regarding allowing the passage of some Iraqi oil tankers, the countrys oil minister said in statements reported by Iraqi media. Iraq, unlike Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, doesnt have any options even partial to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed for over two weeks now, forcing Baghdad to slash oil production as storage sites and tankers available in the Gulf filled up. This is a bigger problem for OPECs number-two producer because of its heavy dependence on oil revenues and the absence of a sovereign wealth fund, unlike its fellow OPEC members in the region. The restart of the pipeline to Turkeys Ceyhan may bring some relief, but not a lot. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi oil giant Aramco has restarted operations at the Kingdoms biggest refinery Ras Tanura, which was shut as a precaution in the early days of the war following a drone strike in the area, a source with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg on Wednesday. Aramco had shut the refinery on March 2 as Iran started to retaliate for the U.S. and Israeli strikes with attacks on energy infrastructure in the region, including on refineries, oil port terminals, and ships in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudi oil firm, the worlds top crude exporter, halted the 550,000 barrels per day Ras Tanura refinery after two drones were intercepted at the site, Saudi authorities said at the time. The closure of the refinery added to the strain on oil and refined product supply from the Middle East. About 20% of the daily petroleum flows pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed for tanker traffic except for Iranian cargoes leaving the chokepoint en route to China. All the lost supply trapped in the Gulf has resulted in widespread crude run reductions at many Asian refiners as they struggle to immediately replace so many barrels with supply from elsewhere, amid high uncertainty how long the biggest disruption in the global oil market would last. Related: Trumps Secret Weapon in the Rare Earth War Chinas Sinopec, the biggest Asian refiner by capacity, has reportedly slashed run rates by 10% while China has enacted a ban on fuel exports. In Japan, refiners have slashed processing rates and were running their refineries at 69.1% utilization rates at the end of last week, down from 77% the week prior. Japans gasoline stocks slumped by almost 10% last week, data from the Petroleum Association of Japan showed on Wednesday. One of the top Japanese refiners, Idemitsu Kosan, has cut refined product sales to customers, a company spokesperson told Bloomberg on Wednesday, declining to quantify the cuts. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi Arabia's oil exports through its Yanbu port on the Red Sea are projected to reach a record high of 3.8 million barrels per day in March after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran virtually cut off exports via the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The Kingdom can pump up to 7 million barrels per day through its East?West pipeline, of which 5 mb/d are available for export. Saudi Arabia has been using drag-reducing agents (DRAs) to speed up oil flows to Yanbu and mitigate loss of exports through Hormuz. DRAs are friction-reducing chemicals capable of boosting flow rates by 30% or more. Aramco has offered long-term customers, particularly in Asia, the option to receive deliveries through Yanbu to bypass the Persian Gulf. A growing armada of supertankers has been reported waiting off the Red Sea coast to collect these rerouted cargoes as the kingdom tests its western export infrastructure to its limits. Commodity experts at Standard Chartered have estimated that 7.4-8.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) of supply is currently offline after the Hormuz blockade, with Saudi Arabia estimated to have lost 2.0-2.5 mb/d, 2.9 mb/d by Iraq, 0.5-0.8 mb/d by the UAE, 0.5mb/d by Qatar and 0.5 mb/d by Kuwait. Related: Six Stocks That Could Soar in an Era of Regional Instability StanChart also estimates that Iranian production is 1 mb/d lower than pre-conflict volumes, based on reductions in gas flaring. The energy experts say that all exports that can be diverted from the Strait of Hormuz have been. Still, Saudi Arabia faces significant risks when exporting oil through the Red Sea, primarily as a result of escalating regional conflicts that have forced a shift away from the Strait of Hormuz. Most oil exported from the Red Sea port of Yanbu is loaded onto Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) that are too large for the Suez Canal. This forces them south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where they are highly vulnerable to Houthi drone and missile attacks. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States rose by 6.556 million barrels in the week ending March 13a surprise build of significant magnitude. In the week prior, US crude oil inventories shed 1.7 million barrels. Analysts had expected a draw of 600,000 barrels in the current reporting period. Inventories in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) have stayed at 415.4 million barrels for multiple weeks in a row as of the week ending March 13. This is 310.1 million barrels shy of maximum capacity. US production fell again, by 18,000 bpd, sinking to an average of 13.678 million bpd for the week ending March 6, according to the latest EIA data. This is 103,000 bpd more than this same time last year. At 3:06 pm ET, Brent crude was trading up on the day at $103.40 (+3.16%). Brent is up roughly $12 per barrel, up from this time last week, with stalled tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and large production losses in Iraq, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. WTI was also trading up on the day, by $2.45 per barrel (+2.63%) at $95.96. Gasoline inventories fell this week, shrinking by 4.6 million barrels in the week ending March 13. In the week prior, gasoline inventories fell by 1.8 million barrels. As of last week, gasoline inventories were 5% above the five-year average for this time of year, according to the latest EIA data. Distillate inventories sank by 1.4 million barrels, after decreasing by 2.3 million barrels in the week prior. Distillate inventories were 2% below the five-year average as of the week ending March 6, the latest EIA data shows. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com India is winning the competition with China to attract Russian crude cargoes with vessels turning mid-voyage away from their previous Chinese destinations and heading for India, as the U.S. waiver on purchases of Russian crude on tankers and the Middle East supply shock drive Indian refiners back to buying Russias oil. The Aqua Titan crude oil tanker which left Russias Baltic Sea port of Primorsk in mid-January and was signaling Rizhao in China as its destination has made a U-turn in the South China Sea and is now headed to Indias Mangalore, with estimated time of arrival on March 21, according to tanker-tracking data from MarineTraffic. At least seven tankers laden with Russian oil have changed mid-voyage their destinations from China to India, according to data from Vortexa cited by Bloomberg. Russia and India are competing for millions of barrels of Russian crude stuck tankers early this year when most buyers outside China steered clear of Russian barrels because of the U.S. sanctions and the pressure on India to slash Russian oil imports. Related: No Magnets, No Drones: How China Controls the Future of Warfare Now that the U.S. is allowing Russian crude sales, for all, and competition for Russian supply in Asia intensifies, the price of the key Russian grades have flipped to a premium to Brent prices compared to hefty discounts just a month ago. Since the beginning of March, the volume of Russian crude on the water has fallen by more than 20 million barrels, which is equivalent to a drawdown rate of over 2 million barrels per day (bpd), David Wech, Chief Economist at Vortexa, said at the end of last week. As the current relatively empty space between Sri Lanka and Singapore suggests, India has also drawn in cargoes that were already heading towards China, as replacement demand from Indian ports is stronger and voyage economics are better, Wech noted. The recent US waiver may have supported this shift, but the underlying driver is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting shortage of nearby crude supply. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com DeSpain Blasts Hoyle for Voting Against DHS Funding During Heightened Terror Threat By Monique DeSpain for Congress, EUGENE, Oregon (March 16, 2026) Monique DeSpain today condemned Congresswoman Val Hoyle for repeatedly voting against legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security while the United States faces an elevated threat environment, a series of recent violent attacks, and growing national security concerns tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Despite the rising risks, Hoyle voted against H.R. 7147 on January 22 and against H.R. 7744 on March 5, both of which passed the House of Representatives and would fund the Department of Homeland Security and the frontline personnel protecting the American people. However, the Senate has repeatedly failed to pass these House-approved bills, leaving the Department of Homeland Security unfunded and forcing TSA officers, DHS agents, Coast Guard servicemembers, and thousands of other national security professionals to continue working without pay while safeguarding airports, ports, and communities across the country. At a moment when the United States faces heightened threats, including the presence of sleeper cells and extremists sympathetic to hostile regimes such as Iran, Val Hoyle chose to vote against funding the very people responsible for protecting the homeland, said DeSpain. That decision is reckless, dangerous, and it shows exactly where her priorities lie. In recent days, the United States has experienced multiple violent suspected terror attacks that underscore the importance of a fully funded homeland security apparatus. On March 1, a mass shooting in Austin, Texas,6 left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. The suspect, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, carried out the attack before being stopped by law enforcement. On March 12, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon attempted to drive a vehicle filled with explosives into a synagogue in Michigan that was full of children. Security personnel at the synagogue engaged the attacker and stopped the assault before he could harm the innocent victims inside. Earlier that same day, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone who had previously been convicted on terrorism charges opened fire at Old Dominion University in Virginia, killing an ROTC instructor and injuring two others before students on campus confronted and killed the attacker, stopping further bloodshed. These attacks and the threat of future attempted attacks are exactly why the Department of Homeland Security exists, DeSpain said. Yet Val Hoyle has chosen to side with woke activists in Washington and Portland, hell-bent on defunding immigration enforcement rather than stand with the men and women of DHS who risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe. DeSpain, a 30-year U.S. Air Force veteran and former Judge Advocate General officer whose job it was to advise senior military officers, said the shutdown and Hoyles repeated votes against DHS funding send the wrong message to both Americas security professionals and those who wish the Americans harm. The security of our Homeland should never be used as a political bargaining chip, DeSpain said. Oregonians deserve a representative who will stand with our TSA officers, our border agents, our Coast Guard members, and every DHS professional working to defend our country not someone who repeatedly votes against funding them during one of the most dangerous threat environments our country has faced in years. Monique DeSpain announced her campaign for Congress on October 1 and is running to bring accountability, stronger public safety, and common-sense leadership to Oregons Fourth Congressional District after years of failed leadership from career politicians like Val Hoyle. In the contemporary global ordermarked by geopolitical competition, climate crisis, cultural fragmentation, and identity conflictsthe need for bridge-builders has never been greater. Among emerging South Asian personalities contributing to the discourse of people-to-people diplomacy is Pradeep Khanal, a south asian spiritual traveler, social figure, and advocate of interfaith harmony. His engagements across South Asia and beyond reflect an evolving model of international relationsone rooted not merely in statecraft, but in civilizational dialogue, cultural diplomacy, and spiritual connectivity. A South Asian Context South Asia is one of the most geopolitically sensitive yet spiritually rich regions of the world. It is home to ancient civilizations, sacred geographies, and profound philosophical traditions. From the Himalayan belt to the Indian Ocean, the region carries shared cultural memories that predate modern nation-states. However, political tensions, border disputes, and historical grievances have often overshadowed these shared legacies. In this environment, non-state actorsspiritual leaders, cultural ambassadors, and social reformersplay a subtle yet powerful role in strengthening international understanding. Pradeep Khanal's work aligns with this soft-diplomatic tradition. Spiritual Pilgrimage as Cultural Diplomacy Pradeep Khanal's extensive pilgrimage across sacred sites in Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Tibet (China) reflects not only religious devotion but also transnational cultural engagement. His journey draws symbolic comparisons with spiritual travelers such as Adi Shankaracharya and Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who traversed vast regions to spread philosophical dialogue and unity. By visiting Shakti Peeths, Jyotirlingas, Buddhist pilgrimage centers, and Sikh Gurudwaras, Khanal demonstrates a civilizational approach to diplomacyone that recognizes that borders may divide states, but sacred geography often unites people. His engagement with interfaith traditionsHinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhismpresents a model of inclusive spirituality. In a time when religion is often politicized, his approach frames faith as a unifying rather than divisive force. Engagement with Political Leadership Pradeep Khanal's profile in international relations is further shaped by his meetings and dialogues with prominent political leaders across South Asia. He has met with Nepal's President Ram Chandra Paudel and held discussions regarding cultural and spiritual initiatives. In India, he has interacted with former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda. He has also engaged with Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, highlighting cross-border friendship and cooperation. These meetings are significant not merely as ceremonial interactions but as platforms for discussing people-centric diplomacy, cultural exchange, and spiritual tourism. In addition, Khanal held discussions with the Acting Secretary General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), focusing on strengthening regional cooperation and addressing shared challenges such as climate change. Such engagements indicate a broader understanding of diplomacy that includes environmental sustainability and regional integration. The Concept of Spiritual Diplomacy Traditional international relations theory often emphasizes realismpower, security, and strategic interests. However, contemporary global politics increasingly recognizes the importance of soft power. Cultural heritage, tourism, religion, and civil society networks influence international perceptions and long-term partnerships. Pradeep Khanal's approach can be described as "spiritual diplomacy." This framework emphasizes: Interfaith respect and harmony Cultural heritage preservation Pilgrimage-based tourism cooperation Civilizational dialogue beyond political differences For example, sacred sites like Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in India, and Lumbini hold immense cross-border spiritual significance. When promoted collaboratively, such sites strengthen regional bonds and economic development. By connecting these sacred spaces through dialogue and documentation, Khanal contributes to the idea that cultural heritage can serve as a diplomatic bridge. International Exposure and Global Dialogue Having traveled to 28 countries, Pradeep Khanal's international exposure extends beyond South Asia. His engagements include programs conducted in the British Parliament on social issues and international relations. This reflects an attempt to place South Asian spiritual narratives within a global discourse. In Europe and beyond, South Asian diaspora communities often seek cultural reconnection. Figures like Khanal serve as cultural connectorsbringing civilizational narratives into global platforms and encouraging intercultural understanding. In a polarized world, such dialogue-based engagement aligns with emerging theories of transnational civil society diplomacy. Religious Pluralism and Regional Stability One of the key contributions of Pradeep Khanal's international engagement is the emphasis on religious pluralism. South Asia's shared spiritual heritageHindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikhoffers a foundation for peaceful coexistence. Sites such as Bodh Gaya and Golden Temple attract global pilgrims. These places symbolize compassion, service, and enlightenmentvalues essential for regional peace. By acknowledging the interconnectedness of these traditions, Khanal promotes a civilizational unity that transcends modern political boundaries. Climate, Culture, and Regional Responsibility During discussions within SAARC-related contexts, climate change and regional environmental cooperation have been highlighted. The Himalayan ecosystemshared by Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Chinais a fragile yet crucial resource. Spiritual traditions across the region emphasize reverence for nature. Integrating this philosophical respect into regional policy dialogue can strengthen climate cooperation. Cultural diplomacy rooted in ecological consciousness could become a new dimension of South Asian international relations. A Model Beyond State-Centric Diplomacy Pradeep Khanal's international engagement reflects a shift from purely government-driven diplomacy toward a multi-layered approach: People-to-people relations Spiritual tourism diplomacy Interfaith collaboration Cultural heritage networking Such models complement official diplomacy by building trust at societal levels. When citizens feel culturally connected, political cooperation becomes more sustainable. Challenges and Criticisms No public figure operating in international and religious domains is free from scrutiny. The intersection of spirituality and diplomacy can be sensitive. Maintaining neutrality, inclusivity, and transparency is essential to avoid perceptions of alignment with particular political agendas. However, the core strength of spiritual diplomacy lies in its emphasis on dialogue rather than dominance. The Broader Vision Pradeep Khanal's broader visionvisible in initiatives such as large-scale spiritual gatherings and interfaith collaborationssuggests a desire to institutionalize civilizational dialogue. By inviting religious leaders, scholars, and policymakers to shared platforms, he aims to create a long-term network of cooperation. In international relations theory, such efforts align with constructivist perspectiveswhere identity, norms, and shared values shape global politics as much as material power. Conclusion In the evolving landscape of international relations, figures like Pradeep Khanal represent an emerging category of cultural-spiritual diplomats. His engagements across political leadership, religious institutions, and international forums reflect a multidimensional approach to global interaction. While states negotiate treaties and manage borders, individuals can build bridges of trust, heritage, and shared identity. In South Asiawhere spirituality and history are deeply intertwinedsuch bridge-building is particularly relevant. Pradeep Khanal's journey illustrates that international relations need not be confined to conference rooms and strategic doctrines. They can also unfold along pilgrimage routes, sacred rivers, and cultural dialogueswhere the language of diplomacy is compassion, respect, and shared civilizational memory. In a century seeking new models of cooperation, spiritual diplomacy may well become a complementary pillar of global peaceand figures like Pradeep Khanal stand as contributors to that unfolding narrative. Kathmandu, Nepal, March 18, 2026:In a world often divided by borders and politics, the global Nepali diaspora has sent a powerful message of solidarity. Moving past months of heated debate and uncertainty, the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has emerged with a new leadership team that prioritizes "we" over "I." Leading this ambitious new chapter is Dr. Hemraj Sharma, who was elected President as part of a historic consensus that saw every single officer chosen unopposed. This isn't just a list of names; it is a "Jumbo Team" born out of a collective desire to heal. By opting for a massive, inclusive committee rather than a narrow winner-take-all election, the NRNA is attempting to ensure that every corner of the Nepali worldfrom the skyscrapers of New York to the labor camps of the Middle Easthas a seat at the table. At the heart of this transition is Rabin Sherchan as Senior Vice President, supported by a diverse group of 23 Vice Presidents. This large-scale leadership structure reflects a bold experiment: Can a "Jumbo" team provide a "Jumbo" impact? By including voices like Ramsharan Simkhada, Rozina Pradhan Rai, and Khagendra Neupane, the association is betting on the idea that more hands on the deck will lead to a steadier ship. The administrative pulse of the organization will now be driven by Dr. Chiranjibi Khadka as General Secretary. But perhaps the most inspiring aspect of this new lineup is its focus on the future. With Rashmi Thapa leading the Womens Coordination and Navin Niure heading the Youth wing, there is a clear intent to bridge the gap between generations. Furthermore, the appointment of Deepmala Dhakal as the Second Generation Coordinator marks a pivotal moment, acknowledging that the children of the diaspora are just as vital to Nepals story as their parents. From the regional leadership of Manoj BK in Africa to Robert Limbu in Europe and Ramesh Joshi in Oceania, the map of this new committee covers the entire globe. As Som Sapkota takes on the role of Spokesperson, the message he carries to the world is simple: The NRNA is no longer a house divided. While the challenges of managing such a large team are real, the spirit of this "uncontested" victory suggests that for the Nepali diaspora, the dream of a united global family is finally back on track. Smugglers continue managing to flood Mexico with weapons, the vast majority of which end up in the hands of cartels, despite authorities discussing attempts to crack down on the flows, according to a new report. The New York Times noted that flows continue to surge, illustrating a sophisticated pipeline that ends with criminal organizations. Individual smugglers are managing to send hundreds of weapons south every week, with one 17-year old coordinating matters from his phone through encrypted messaging apps. Smugglers increasingly use private groups on messaging apps and social media platforms to advertise and arrange sales, creating closed networks that are constantly refreshed to avoid detection. In some cases, traffickers have begun bribing gun store employees to falsify records or facilitate off-the-books transactions. Smugglers who spoke to the outlet said moving the firearms across the border continues to be easy, with one saying "no one stops you unless you run a red light." Interviews with seven operatives linked to the Sinaloa Cartel illustrate a supply chain that begins with legal gun purchases in the United States and ends with military-grade arsenals in Mexico. Weapons are frequently disassembled, hidden in vehicles or transported via air and sea routes to evade detection. Estimates from Mexican authorities suggest that up to 500,000 firearms are smuggled annually from the United States into Mexico, though former agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives believe the number could reach one million. Despite the creation of a U.S. task force in 2020, only a fraction of these weapons have been intercepted, with just over 4,300 seized in the past 14 months. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has criticized the U.S. over the ease with which weapons are smuggled. She said earlier this month that if the U.S. wants to see a decrease in drug trafficking, it should stop the flow of weapons across the border. "They need to do their part so weapons stop being smuggled from the U.S. and into Mexico," she said during a trip to Sinaloa. Another report detailed that cartels are also managing to get a hold of high-caliber ammunition from a plant set up in a facility owned by the U.S. government and manufactures rounds used by the military. The facility in question is located outside Kansas City and also supplies ammunition to the retail market, where civilians can buy them as well. Such a scenario has allowed criminal organizations to get a hold of the rounds, used by the military to destroy vehicles and light aircraft. The New York Times and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shed light on agreements between the Army and private contractors, which have allowed the rounds to enter retail markets and end up in the hands of cartels. Originally published on Latin Times Group of American tourists stopped in Playa del Carmen for driving stolen rental vehicle Playa del Carmen, Q.R. Police in Playa del Carmen seized a rental vehicle Tuesday after it was found reported as stolen. The SUV was located by police traveling city streets being driven by a group of American tourists. The SUV was stopped at the intersection of 85th Avenue and Constituyentes Avenue Tuesday around 10:00 a.m. Elements from the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) surrounded the white Chevrolet Suburban SUV after learning it had an outstanding theft report. The driver was able to prove it was a rental vehicle and allowed to leave. March 17, 2026. The tourists from inside explained that they had rented the vehicle locally the day before. They were able to produce the rental contract and address where they rented the SUV. The vehicle was rented by the group Monday from a company along 10th Avenue in central Playa del Carmen. Since they were able to produce the rental contract for the SUV, they were allowed to leave on their own, however, police did seize the vehicle. Authorities did not say from where the SUV was reported stolen or how it ended up being leased through a Playa del Carmen rental company. Man facing federal arson charges for intentionally setting fire to clear land Tepoztlan, Morelos Federal officials are investigating the source of a forest fire that left nearly 6,000 square meters burned. The March 6 fire is believed to have been started intentionally. The Federal Attorney Generals Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) is collaborating with the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) on an investigation into the alleged arson of a forest fire in the municipality of Tepoztlan, Morelos. In this collaboration, Profepa is providing technical information, expert reports and field data to help the FGR determine the environmental damage caused and establish potential legal liability. One man was arrested and is facing arson charges March 6, 2026. The incident occurred on March 6th when a forest fire brigade and Public Security officers from the municipality of Tepoztlan detained an individual who was allegedly starting fires on a property with tropical deciduous forest vegetation. This resulted in a fire breaking out near the Cacaloapan neighborhood, within the Tepoztlan ejido (communal land). The individual was turned over to the Federal Public Prosecutor in Cuernavaca, Morelos. In response to these events, inspectors from Profepa visited the site on March 7 to conduct a technical verification. During the visit, they identified the type of vegetation affected, delimited the impacted area, and made a preliminary estimate of the damage caused by the fire. According to the inspection carried out, damage was observed on an approximate surface of 5,971.99 m, derived from clearing, slashing and burning activities (agricultural practice), which damaged the herbaceous and shrubby strata of low deciduous forest vegetation. The affected area is located within the National Protected Area, Chichinautzin Biological Corridor, which is part of the region known as Bosque de Agua. It is an area of high environmental value due to its importance in the conservation of forest ecosystems and in the recharge of aquifers that supply different regions of the center of the country. Fires have repeatedly broken out in Tepoztlan, affecting large areas of forest ecosystems. According to the National Forest Commission, these fires have been intentionally set to clear land for cultivation or to subdivide and sell plots for residential development. As part of the institutional collaboration, Profepa prepared the technical forestry report requested by the Federal Public Prosecutors Office, which was integrated into an investigation. Forest fires caused by the improper use of fire or unauthorized burning can constitute environmental crimes and cause serious damage to ecosystems. Therefore, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection urges the public to avoid these practices and comply with current forestry and fire management regulations. Mexico collects 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste from beaches while source of leak remains unknown Pajapan, Veracruz To date, Mexico has collected 91 tons of contaminated oil-soaked waste from its beaches. The oil was found in the sea and on the beaches of Veracruz and Tabasco March 1. On Tuesday, the government of Mexico said they have completed the containment of hydrocarbons in the sea and are making progress in cleaning beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexicos Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources says to date, 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste has been collected on beaches in Veracruz and Tabasco, with an overall cleanup progress of 85%. Land, sea and air surveys continue to assess coastal conditions and protect coastal ecosystems. The Mexican government is maintaining inter-institutional coordination to contain the contingency and determine the origin of the contaminant. so far, 91 tons of contaminated debris has been collected from the beaches of Tabasco and Veracruz. March 2026. The Mexican government reports that containment efforts have concluded and cleanup is underway in the area of the sea where the hydrocarbon plume was initially detected off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, no residue is present in that marine area. These actions were coordinated by the Mexican Navy (Semar) and Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to prevent further spread of the contaminant toward the shoreline. Containment barriers were placed at sea earlier this month around the oil. March 2026. On March 14, the Mexican Navy (Semar) activated the Local Contingency Plan, through which cleaning and monitoring efforts are supervised on beaches in Veracruz and Tabasco. The plan also involves the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the National Coordination of Civil Protection (CNPC), the Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA), the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), in coordination with state and municipal authorities, as well as local communities. On March 15, personnel from Semarnat, Profepa, ASEA and Pemex conducted reconnaissance flights along the coasts of Tabasco and Veracruz to assess coastal conditions and monitor ongoing cleanup efforts. In the preceding days, federal authorities conducted ground inspections in Barra de Tupilco and Arroyo Verde, in the municipality of Paraiso as well as on beaches in Ejido Sinaloa, Ejido El Alacran and Manatinero, in the municipality of Cardenas, where waste collection and management operations continue. In these areas, various volumes of waste impregnated with hydrocarbons have been collected, notably approximately 80 cubic meters in Ejido Sinaloa. Another 30 cubic meters was collected in Arroyo Verde, 10 cubic meters in Manatinero and around one ton in Ejido El Alacran. This is in addition to the work completed in Barra de Tupilco where the waste was confined for its final disposal. In Veracruz, cleaning began on March 5 at Playa Barrillas and continued on March 9 at Playa Linda and Playa Jicacal. On March 13, clean up began at Laguna del Ostion where containment actions have also been implemented through the use of oleophilic cords to address the presence of iridescence in bodies of water. In these areas, 210 workers have been deployed across various work fronts, collecting 91 tons of hydrocarbon-soaked waste through cleanup operations at Barrillas Beach (40 tons), Linda Beach (20 tons), and Jicacal Beach (30 tons) in the municipality of Coatzacoalcos, as well as at Laguna del Ostion (1 ton) in the municipality of Pajapan. Clean up efforts are being monitored from the air. March 2026. The waste has been deposited in temporary storage cells set up for proper handling. The cleanup efforts are approximately 85% complete overall, with varying progress in each area. Pemex also reported that from the moment the presence of hydrocarbons was detected in the Gulf of Mexico, prevention and containment operations were carried out offshore using specialized vessels, preventing further spread of the contaminant to the coast. Cleanup efforts on the beaches are progressing well and are expected to be completed in the coming days with the goal of reopening the affected areas to the public. Pemex facilities in the region are operating normally and no damage has been detected to the companys platforms, terminals, or vessels. Pemex platforms have been inspected and not found to be the source. March 2026. Similarly, personnel from Semarnat and Conanp conducted verification tours in the Veracruz Reef System National Park, finding no trace of hydrocarbons in the sea or on the beaches. Continuous monitoring is being maintained in this Protected Natural Area (ANP) to assess the ecosystems condition. In parallel, ASEA has made requests for information to various companies in the hydrocarbon sector, with the aim of determining if any operational event could have caused the arrival of hydrocarbons detected in the area. Profepa has maintained a constant presence on the beaches of Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche, conducting land patrols to verify the presence of hydrocarbons and the progress of cleanup efforts. Maritime patrols are also being maintained primarily in Tabasco, in coordination with Navy personnel, Pemex, local authorities, and communities. These patrols have been carried out on six beaches in Tabasco, six in Veracruz and three in Campeche. Federal authorities are also conducting verification patrols, satellite monitoring, analysis of ocean currents, and on-site follow-up to identify the possible source of the contaminant. Government of Mexico is still searching for the source of the leak. March 2026. Once the origin of the hydrocarbon is detected, action will be taken in accordance with current environmental legislation to determine responsibility and ensure the remediation of the environmental damage. The Government of Mexico reiterates its commitment to maintain permanent monitoring and to continue with all necessary actions to protect marine ecosystems, coastal areas and fishing communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico reports amicable solution reached in Zheng Ha vessel case Mexico City, Mexico The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says an amicable solution has been reached in the Zheng He vessel case. Following a negotiated solution, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered the definitive closure of the case. On Monday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ordered the closure of the international dispute between Mexico and Luxembourg. The Luxembourg-flagged vessel Zheng He was detained in the port of Tampico in October 2023 for violating Mexican customs and tax regulations. Mexico has consistently maintained that all matters related to the vessel should be resolved within the jurisdiction of Mexican authorities and courts, and not at the international level. The case was brought by Luxembourg before the ICTR on June 4, 2024, on the grounds that its rights as a flag State were not respected. The vessel violated Mexican customs and tax regulations in 2023. After extensive rounds of negotiation, and thanks to a permanent dialogue led by the legal departments of the Mexican and Luxembourg foreign ministries, the legal status of the ship was regularized in strict adherence to the national legal order and in consideration of the ties of friendship and cooperation between both countries. This resolution is the result of diplomatic efforts made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), with the technical and professional support of the Tax Administration Service (SAT), the Ministry of the Navy and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), among others. The participation of the SAT was fundamental to guaranteeing the correct application of the tax provisions and the due payment of contributions in foreign trade matters, resulting in a collection of close to 400 million pesos. Once the legal status of the Zheng He vessel was regularized, Mexico and Luxembourg agreed to request the closure of the proceedings, marking the complete and definitive solution of the case at the national and international levels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates its commitment to international law and to the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes, fundamental pillars for the maintenance of constructive and mutually beneficial international relations. Phoenix TV: Last week, Lai Ching-te said at an event that Japans colonization of Taiwan was aimed at promoting the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. The statement provoked outrage among the people in the Taiwan region. Can I have your comment on that? Lin Jian: The Lai Ching-te authorities brazenly used the false narrative of Japanese aggressors to whitewash Japans aggression and colonial rule. This is a grave affront to history and despicable betrayal to the nation. Japan exerted colonial rule on the island for half a century, brutally suppressed the resistance of our Taiwan compatriots, massively plundered resources, and inflicted severe damage on Taiwans economy and culture and peoples wellbeing. This historic tragedy filled with blood and tears is deeply etched in the memory of the Chinese nation and shall never be forgotten or distorted. More than 80 years ago, Taiwan was restored to its motherland, which ended its days in the shackles of colonial rule. It was a great victory achieved through strenuous struggles and tremendous sacrifice of the entire Chinese nation together, including our Taiwan compatriots. We will never ever allow anyone to justify colonialism or reverse historys verdict on aggression. The remarks you mentioned once again laid bare Lai Ching-tes true agenda: selling Taiwan out to ingratiate with Japan, seeking Taiwan independence and making provocations. The Lai Ching-te authorities think that they could reverse the process of Chinas reunification by distorting history, whitewashing colonial atrocities and peddling their Taiwan independence historical narrative. It will only lead to their own demise. Reuters: President Trump has confirmed the delay of his trip to Beijing. Is that something China is agreeable to? Would China push for a more substantive discussion when the leaders meet? Lin Jian: Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance to bilateral relations. China and the U.S. will continue to maintain communication on President Trumps visit to China. On the afternoon of March 18, 2026, President Xi Jinping met with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is on a goodwill visit to China, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. President Xi Jinping noted that Chinas annual two sessions were successfully concluded not long ago, during which the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development was reviewed and approved. The implementation of this Plan will lay a solid foundation for China to basically achieve socialist modernization, and will also benefit countries around the world. Over the past 35 years since gaining independence, Turkmenistan has blazed a trail of independent development that suits its national conditions. China will work with Turkmenistan to discuss plans for cooperation and share development opportunities as we enter the Year of the Horse, so as to further deepen and substantiate the China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping underscored that mutual support is the core of the China-Turkmenistan comprehensive strategic partnership. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will always support Turkmenistan in upholding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, always support Turkmenistan in pursuing a policy of permanent neutrality, and always remain Turkmenistans trustworthy cooperation partner. The two sides should work faster to create greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkmenistans Revival of the Great Silk Road Strategy, expand cooperation in natural gas, enhance the scale of trade and investment, and deepen collaboration in connectivity, agriculture, artificial intelligence, digital economy, clean energy and other non-resource areas. Efforts should also be made to expedite the Luban Workshop, the Traditional Chinese Medicine center, and cultural centers in each others country, so as to create a new paradigm of all-round cooperation. The two sides should resolutely combat the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and build a strong security safeguard for the development of both countries. Amid growing global challenges, China will work with Turkmenistan to firmly uphold the status and authority of the United Nations, practice true multilateralism, follow the global governance vision of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and steer global governance reform following the principles of fairness, justice, openness and inclusiveness. Berdimuhamedov expressed his great pleasure at visiting the great country of China, and congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the two sessions, during which important decisions and plans were made for the countrys development. Chinas prosperity and development benefit the world. When everything is good in China, the world is better. Under the personal leadership of President Xi Jinping, friendly relations between Turkmenistan and China have been developing in a rapid and steady manner, with close exchanges between legislative bodies and political parties, and substantive cooperation across various fields, bringing this comprehensive strategic partnership to a high level. Bilateral cooperation has become an important and positive factor contributing to the economic and social development of both countries, and serves the long-term interests of the two peoples. Turkmenistan will, as always, remain committed to the one-China principle, and is ready to enhance synergy of development strategies with China, expand practical cooperation in such areas as energy, trade and connectivity, jointly pursue development and prosperity, and promote security and stability. Turkmenistan appreciates Chinas support for its status of permanent neutrality, speaks highly of the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping as a world-class leader, and commends Chinas consistent position of upholding justice in international affairs. Turkmenistan will strengthen coordination and collaboration with China within multilateral frameworks such as the U.N. and the China-Central Asia mechanism to jointly safeguard peace and stability of the region and beyond. Wang Yi was present at the meeting. A federal judge in Boston has dealt a major blow to the Trump administration by temporarily blocking a controversial order to scale back childhood vaccination recommendations nationwide. US District Judge Brian Murphy ruled on 16 March 2026 that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal law and 'ignored scientific process' when he ordered the removal of six key vaccines from the routine schedule. The court's decision effectively reinstates the 2024 immunisation guidelines, providing an immediate win for a coalition of medical groups, including the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP), who argued the changes would leave millions of children vulnerable to preventable outbreaks. Kennedy, known for his outspoken anti-vaccine stance before taking office, had announced in January that the government would stop recommending certain vaccines for all children, including flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, some meningitis vaccines, and RSV. The judge's ruling blocks that order, as well as an upcoming meeting of the vaccine advisory panel scheduled for this week in Atlanta to discuss vaccine safety and recommendations. 'HHS looks forward to this judge's decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing,' Andrew Nixon, Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson, said. AAP, Health Organisations Filed Case The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) and other health organisations led the filing of the case in July 2025, after their concerns were raised over Kennedy's ruling on 'stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for most children and pregnant women.' The organisations also accused the government of bypassing legal procedures and ignoring scientific research and guidance. In addition, Kennedy's move to replace 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) with known anti-vaxxers has drawn criticism. 'ACIP as currently constituted cannot meet,' said AAP legal representative Richard Hughes. 'How can a committee meet without nearly the entirety of its membership?' The existing committee has historically advised public health officials on vaccine recommendations based on scientific evidence. Replacing it with a politically influenced group, the lawsuit argued, violated federal law. What This Means For Healthcare The controversy leaves many parents confused. Some have been unsure whether to follow the new recommendations or stick with established guidelines. Dr Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Paediatrics, urged families to consult their paediatricians for vaccine advice. 'If anyone has any questions about what the appropriate vaccine schedule is for their children, the best thing to do is to talk to their paediatricians,' he said. The court's ruling offers reassurance that the recommendations remain rooted in science. Meanwhile, several states have already rejected parts of Kennedy's proposed changes. Many doctors believe the updates lacked sufficient evidence, leading to mixed messages across the country. The court's intervention aims to restore consistency to vaccine recommendations and safeguard children's health. Kennedy's tenure as a health official has been marked by controversy. His push to overhaul vaccine policies has faced fierce opposition from the medical community. Critics say his actions undermine decades of public health progress, risking outbreaks of preventable diseases. Childhood Vaccine Requirements Impacted President Donald Trump had asked for a review of the childhood vaccination schedule to better align it with international standards. 'Effective today, America will no longer require 72 'jabs' for our beautiful, healthy children,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'We are moving to a far more reasonable Schedule, where all children will only be recommended to receive Vaccinations for 11 of the most serious and dangerous diseases,' he added. Trump signed a presidential memorandum in December requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services analyse global vaccination methods. 'Parents can still choose to give their children all of the Vaccinations, if they wish, and they will still be covered by insurance,' he clarified. 'However, this updated Schedule finally aligns the United States with other Developed Nations around the World,' he further stated. Health experts fear that even a temporary pause in recommendations could lead to a 'vaccine gap' that fuels a resurgence of diseases like measles and hepatitis B. For now, medical groups are urging parents to follow the traditional schedule as the Trump administration prepares a high-stakes appeal. Originally published on IBTimes UK Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. If everyone can call the president, does it matter if anyone does? It sounds like a koan but isnt that far from reality. Donald Trumps personal cellphone number has been making the rounds among Washington reporters, dozens of whom have used it over the past few weeks to score brief interview after brief interview with the leader of the free world about his ongoing war with Iran. A partial list of media organizations that have published exclusive or scoop-y quotes after hitting up Trumps iPhone includes leading print publications like the New York Times, TV networks (ABC, NBC, PBS, and CNN), foreign newspapers (the Daily Telegraph and Times of Israel), and no fewer than four outlets with Washington in their names (the Post, Examiner, Reporter, and Free Beacon). This cascade of cold calling is a change from Trumps first term, when White House staffers largely succeeded in gatekeeping the presidents personal number from prying journalists. But this time around, the secret is increasingly out. Some reporters have gotten Trumps digits through the grapevine or from colleagues; at least one simply asked him. The presidents willingness to pick up has led to off-the-cuff interviews about the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelas leader, prospects for peace between Russia and Ukraine, his endorsement in the Republican Senate primary in Texas, and more. According to the Atlantic, getting ahold of Trump has become easy enough that his number is now subject to bidding and bartering among lobbyists, CEOs, world leaders, celebrities, and presumably anybody else looking to worm their way into the most powerful ear on earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some aspects, the collective scramble to get Trump on the horn recalls the press corps worst instincts during the 2016 election: giving Trump a platform to say whatever he likes without the context and fact-checking that should come between a newsmaker and a journalistic audience. Now, it seems, the chief barrier is whether Trump picks up. (He doesnt always, as Semafor media journalist Max Tani discovered firsthand, a fact that has created a parallel whisper network of journalists trying to suss out the best times of day to reach the president.) Journalists, at least in theory, have a responsibility to the public when it comes to capturing a presidents words. And when Trump does answer, it can have real economic and geopolitical consequencesat least temporarily. The ur-example happened last week, when Trump told Weijia Jiang, a CBS News White House reporter, that the Iran war was very complete, pretty much. His remarks rocketed around social media, arresting sliding stocks and taming spiking oil prices. In the end, though, they werent worth the pixels they were posted on. Trump publicly reversed himself less than two hours later, pledging to continue the fight. Since then, oil has risen, markets have slumped, and the war has continued. As of Sunday, Tani counted nine different phone interviews in which Trump gave reporters nine different answers about when it might end (including two or three days, four or five weeks, and a six-week period). Theres both practically nothing left to target and enough to knock the hell out of Kharg Island, Irans main hub for exporting oil. Advertisement So why do reporters keep calling? You can make the argument that a presidents wordseven this presidents wordsare worth reporting. From an accountability standpoint, ringing Trump up and broadcasting what he says makes some sense; if he claims that the war is over only for it to continue, voters could choose to punish him or his party for lying, breaking a promise, or falling short. But plenty of journalists seem to be confusing access with newsworthiness. This may have something to do with recent history: Some have contrasted the relative ease of getting Trump to answer their questions with the challenges of doing so under Joe Biden. The White House regularly describes Trump as the most transparent and accessible president in history. Advertisement All of that access can feel like a balm for the ever-embattled press, a deserved return to pride of place. (Were so back, one journalist reportedly whispered during the first press conference of Trumps second term.) And interviewing a sitting president has long conferred prestige, which might well feel paramount amid shrinking audiences and newsroom layoffs. Even in abnormal political times, competition can be healthy, spurring journalists to match or outdo rival outlets. But in this case, reporters seem to be herding without much to show for it. Bari Weiss, the right-leaning opinion journalist who is now CBS News editor in chief, bragged last week that the network was on quite a roll in an X thread that cited Jiangs Trump interview. But by the time Weiss posted about it, Jiangs interview had been obsolete for days. A presidents words arent worth much if hes just going to say something else to the next reporter who calls. And as usual, Trump has found a way to turn the joke on us. According to Tani, Trumps buzzing iPhone has become a source of amusement at the White House. The president sometimes messes with the reporters on the line or lets people around him eavesdrop on speakerphone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, a longtime attention hog, has found other ways to air his contradictions about the war, from impromptu press conferences to tirades on Truth Social. Even so, some observers have concluded that landing a phone interview with him is effectively pointless, an invitation to get played by a president whomuch as he did back when he was just a go-to quote for New York City tabloid reporterstreats his interactions with the press like a game. Still, there is one thing all these calls make clear. Yes, much of what Trump is telling the American people about the warthrough journalists, online, and in publicis contradictory. Inconsistencies and flip-flops are usually a sign of a president trying to hide something. But in this case, each self-negating reportorial nugget, public waffle, and social media screed helps illuminate a basic reality about the presidents plan for Iran: namely that he doesnt seem to have one. Thats why he keeps contradicting himself. Its a bit like an assortment of individual tiles that collectively add up to a mosaic. When taken together, the picture that emergeseven without dialing Trump upis of a commander in chief white-knuckling his way through one bear market or bad news cycle at a time without thinking much about what comes next. Far from obscuring the truth, the presidents many phone calls with reporters reveal ityou just have to zoom out far enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That broad picture also matches what has trickled out from more-standard forms of journalistic sleuthing: that Trump failed to heed warnings about how aggressively Iran might hit back; didnt appreciate Irans capacity to rain down drones and missiles on its regional neighbors; didnt court U.S. allies or make a coherent public case for the war; and underestimated how all of it could affect gas prices, the latter of which Trump has repeatedly touted as a barometer of his administrations economic stewardship. Exactly why the president didnt do those things remains unclear. Maybe hes spending too much time on the phone. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Sen. Markwayne Mullins nomination for Homeland Security secretary is not a particularly controversial one, as Trump appointments go. Hes spent a dozen years in the House and Senate, he gets along well with his Republican (and many Democratic) colleagues, and most importantly, everyone will be glad to see Secretary Kristi Noem go. The issue for Mullin is that theres one Republican colleague he absolutely does not get along with, and the feeling is mutual. Its a senator whom Mullin recently called a freaking snake. Mullin also said he understood why that senators neighbor did what he didbeat him to a pulpin a 2017 assault. That senator is Rand Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which confirms DHS nominees. During Wednesdays Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing into Mullins nomination, bygones would not be bygones. It didnt take long to recognize that the core of the hearing would be an honor dispute between two strong-willed men. Paul opened the hearing by describing his attack in rich detail: The six broken ribs, the damaged lung, the infections and pneumonias, the coughing of blood, the chest tubes. Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung, Paul addressed the nominee. Tell it to my face why you think I deserved it. And while youre at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hearing like this, in which the nominee has recently joked about an assault on the committee chairman, is a rarity. But the opportunity was nevertheless there for a sort of staged closure: Mullin could apologize, say he got carried away, and pledge to work with the chairman going forward. Advertisement Mullin did not choose that path. When he first responded to Paul, Mullin acknowledged that the two just dont get along, and aggressively said to Paul that it seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us. When Paul pressed him again about his lack of apology, lack of contrition, and inability to even say he misspoke, while ribbing him about his low impulse control and presentation of machismo, Mullin didnt waver. I did not say I supported the attack, Mullin said. I said I understood it. Related From Slate Trumps Endless Obsession With Penis Size Has Put His Inner Circle in an Awkward Position Read More Paul then noted that theres a pattern of Mullin using violent rhetoric, and played a clip reel of Mullin in past hearings and interviews. There was, of course, the incident in which he nearly got into a fight with Teamsters President Sean OBrien during a hearing. But there were also some interviews in which Mullinsomewhat tongue-in-cheek, but not entirelytalked about how sometimes people need to get punched in the face, how canings and duels were appropriate ways to settle disputes, and how hes not above biting in a fight. Advertisement Advertisement Mullin observed, in his response, that OBrien was sitting immediately behind him in the current hearing, as the two had since made up and become friends. Things only got more absurd as the exchanges between the chairman and the nominee petered out. Paul asked him whether he believed caning and dueling were still reasonable ways for people to settle disputes. Mullin suggested that dueling between two consenting adults could still be an option. Advertisement Its been illegal for 170 years, Paul said. Theres no precedent for legal dueling. Even then, they fled the country. The personal hostility of the chairman, combined with most Democrats reflexive opposition to anyone Trump would nominate to run his Department of Homeland Security, meant that Paul and the top Democrat on the committee, Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, were often teaming up against Mullin. One thread that Peters pulled on was whether Mullin had inflated his background. As the Washington Post reported before the hearing, Mullin has never served in the military, but he has often told stories alluding to being in hairy situations overseas while on special assignments. He has referred to the smell of war. In the hearing, Mullin described an official, classified trip from a decade ago which only four people were read in on. He refused to offer any more details in an open setting. As Paul and Peters tried to get more information, they lost their ability to not wryly make fun of him, with Paul describing it as this super-secret mission. No, I did not say super-secret, sir, Mullin responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only four people know? Peters said. Thats pretty secret! When Mullin was asked whether it was related to his role on the House Intelligence Committee, Mullin said he wasnt on that committee at the time of his mission. He was, he said, on the Energy and Commerce Committee. So it was an Energy and Commerce top-secret effort? Peters said, as dryly as he could. Sir, what Im getting upset about a little bit here is your tone, that youre saying it in a condescending way, Mullin responded. I did what I was asked to do. At the end of the hearing, committee members agreed to meet in a secure facility on Wednesday afternoon to hear Mullin regale them with his tales of daring from a decade ago. They plan to vote on his nomination on Thursday. After the hearing, Paul confirmed that he would not support Mullin. I think there are anger issues. Theres a lack of contrition both about the violence perpetrated on me, really the violent episode he was involved in in the Senate committee, where hes told the media, frankly, that he doesnt regret it, Paul told reporters after the hearing. The fact that he cant bring himself to say that we really shouldnt settle political questions with violence, I think that would be a terrible example for ICE and for Border Patrol agents. Advertisement Advertisement The Homeland Security Committee comprises eight Republicans and seven Democrats. Why, then, did Mullin so freely refuse to apologize to the Republican committee chairman for joking about his maiming? While we cant dig into his mind, Mullin likely knows that he seems to have the support of at least one Democrat on the committee: Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. Fetterman announced his support for Mullin shortly after Trump announced his nomination. While Fetterman was gracious to Mullin during his questioning, though, he was unusually coy about the status of his support. He said at the end of his time that he would remain with an open mind as he listened to the rest of the hearing. I asked him after the hearing whether he was still a certain yes on the nomination. I mean, I got some Bs in math in school, so yeah, Im aware of the math there, he said, acknowledging the swing nature of his vote. I think Im familiar with the circumstances we find ourselves in. So I asked the question again: Is he a yes? Accept the mystery, Fetterman pronounced. Chinese FM says power politics has no future Xinhua) 08:43, March 18, 2026 HANOI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said that power politics and unilateral bullying win no heart and have no future, calling for strengthened cooperation within multilateral frameworks to safeguard peace and stability in Asia. Concluding his visit to Vietnam, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, talked in an interview with Chinese media that long-term peace and stability in Asia have not come easily and deserve to be cherished by all countries. At present, the international landscape is undergoing profound changes and regional conflicts are spreading and spilling over, said Wang, adding that certain major powers resort to force willfully, posing a serious threat to world peace and stability. Noting that this year marks the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, this year and next, China and Vietnam will successively host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, and Vietnam will take over as a co-chair of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Wang said that China, as an important force for peace, stability, and justice in the world, is willing to work with Vietnam and other countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as APEC, ASEAN, and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation to safeguard their shared home of Asia, to jointly advance the building of an Asia-Pacific community, and to set an example for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. During his trip to Vietnam, Wang attended the first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security, and co-chaired the 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Samsung is set to source display panels from CSOT, a TCL-owned manufacturer, for its mid-range smartphones, marking a notable shift away from its traditional reliance on Samsung Display. Reports indicate the move is motivated by rising memory costs, with CSOT panels priced at least 20% lower than Samsung's in-house options. Galaxy A57 and Upcoming FE Models to Feature CSOT Panels Korean news outlet, The Elec, reports that Samsung has reportedly ordered 15 million panels from CSOT, which are slated for use in the Galaxy A57 and select unannounced FE models, potentially including the Galaxy S26 FE. Production is expected to begin in April, signaling a large-scale adoption of CSOT displays in Samsung's mid-tier lineup. Internal Debate Over Sourcing Strategy The decision has caused tension within Samsung Group. Samsung Display, historically the sole supplier for Samsung smartphones, opposed the move and petitioned executives to reconsider. Despite this, the electronics giant prioritized cost savings and supply chain diversification, highlighting strategic benefits over internal pushback. More Competitive Pricing in the Smartphone Market According to GSM Arena, Samsung aims to maintain competitive pricing amid rising component costs through the integration of external display suppliers. Furthermore, the approach could boost profit margins for mid-range devices while making Samsung more competitive in price-sensitive markets. With the ongoing war between the US and other countries, this is also another way to not only diversify supply chains while also mitigating risks. Since Samsung will now source display panels from China, we expect quite cheap models to be released in the future. However, that won't be the lone factor for price change. The smartphone chips can also be an indicator of whether the price of upcoming Galaxy phones will be higher or slightly lower than their predecessors. Originally published on Tech Times The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) have approved the remaining 2026 race dates for Woodbine Mohawk Park with the live racing schedule now available, according to a press release from Ontario Racing (OR). OR has reported that a total of 222 Standardbred race dates have been approved for Woodbine Mohawk Park. The dates begin on April 1, 2026 and extend through March 31, 2027, to line up with the 2026-27 fiscal year. The full live racing schedule is now available by clicking here. Thoroughbred race dates have also been approved for Woodbine Racetrack (128 race dates) and Fort Erie Race Track (34 race dates) in addition to Quarter Horse race dates for Ajax Downs (22 race dates). A group of industry experts comprised of the AGCO, OLG, Ontario Racing, horsepeople groups and racetracks are currently finalizing the 2026 race dates for the provinces other 11 tracks: Clinton Raceway, Dresden Raceway, Flamboro Downs, Georgian Downs, Grand River Raceway, Hanover Raceway, Hiawatha Horse Park, Kawartha Downs, Leamington Raceway, The Raceway at Western Fair District and Rideau Carleton Raceway. OR stated that those dates will be released as soon as possible. Race dates through March 31, 2026 were previously allocated for all 15 Ontario tracks. OR stated that the Ontario horse racing industry is fortunate to have stable, long-term funding from the Province of Ontario. The long-term funding agreement signed in 2019 provides up to $120 million annually to the industry through 2038 via the OLG through OR. (With files from Ontario Racing) Elara India Opportunities Fund Limited Vs DCIT (International Taxation) (ITAT Mumbai) The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Mumbai partly allowed an appeal filed against an order passed under Section 144C(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 by the Dispute Resolution Panel for Assessment Year 201920. The dispute arose from additions made by the tax authorities after treating gains from the sale of shares of International Conveyors Limited (ICL) as a bogus transaction involving a penny stock. The assessee is a Foreign Portfolio Investor registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India... Google and cybersecurity companies Lookout and iVerify have detailed a new hacking technique that potentially puts a significant portion of iPhone users in danger, just by visiting the wrong web page. The hack is called "DarkSword" and it currently targets iOS 18 releases between iOS 18.4 and iOS 18.6.2. For its part, an Apple spokesperson told Engadget that the company had patched the underlying vulnerabilities in iOS versions 15 through 26 last year; the company also issued an emergency update for devices running iOS 15 and 16 that are unable to run newer versions of iOS. The company does note that users running iOS 13 or iOS 14 would need to update to at least iOS 15 to be protected; those operating systems were released in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In response to this threat, Apple has also published details on what users can do to make sure theyre fully protected, which are essentially the same as what the company shared with Engadget. Even if youre not running iOS 26, updates are and have been available to protect users from this particular threat. Apple also notes that the URLs detected and published in Googles security blog are blocked by its Safe Browsing features in Safari. Advertisement Advertisement DarkSword is a "fileless" hack that leverages a collection of exploits to access sensitive data when an iPhone visits an infected website. Rather than install spyware that hangs around on a user's phone after messages and other private information are stolen, fileless hacks like DarkSword take control of "the legitimate processes in an iPhone's operating system to steal data," according to Wired. Even more troubling, DarkSword deletes any evidence it was running on an iPhone after it finishes stealing your information. The hack starts as soon as an iOS device encounters an "malicious iframe embedded in a web page," after which it works its way through your iPhone, gathering sensitive information like passwords before deleting itself. DarkSword can abscond with things like messages and iCloud content, but it's also specifically designed to access crypto currency wallets, Lookout says, which could indicate who was using DarkSword before it became widely available. DarkSword has reportedly been used in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey and Russia, and its origins could be tied to a different hacking toolkit called Coruna that TechCrunch reports may have been created for the US government by a company called Trenchant. Regardless of where DarkSword came from, the tool didn't become widely available until its Russian users left DarkSword's source code on a website for anyone to access, "complete with explanatory comments in English that describe each component and include the 'DarkSword' name for the tool," Wired writes. Apple patched the exploits that DarkSword and Coruna used in recent updates to iOS 26, the yearly software release from 2025 that followed iOS 18. DarkSword currently targets iOS 18 releases between iOS 18.4 and iOS 18.6.2, and according to Apple's latest iOS usage stats for developers, around 24 percent of iOS devices are still on some version of iOS 18. Advertisement Advertisement However, Apple simultaneously released iOS 26 and iOS 18.7 on September 15, 2025. So even if people didnt want to upgrade to iOS 26, Apple has released patches to mitigate the vulnerability. Apples stats indicate that about 24 percent of iPhone users are still on iOS 18, the actual number of potentially vulnerable phones is lower. Still, its a good reminder to stay on top of software updates if only for the security features if nothing else. Update, March 19, 2026, 11:19AM ET: This story has been updated with details from Apple about what versions of iOS had been proactively patched to mitigate this vulnerability. Update, March 19, 2026, 10:10AM ET: This story has been updated to note that while this vulnerability targets iOS 18, Apple released iOS 18 updates over the last six months that are secure against this attack. How did the two iconic fighters of the Second World Warthe British Supermarine Spitfire and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109compare? Was either plane demonstrably better? We examine the two based on 10 vital parameters, roughly limited to the period between 1939 and 1941 when these aircraft fought each other on almost equal terms. Strap in: 11: Performance The Bf 109, in its initial versions, was generally regarded as marginally superior to contemporaneous variants of the Spitfire. At low to medium altitudes, where much of the air combat in the early war occurred, the Bf 109 had the upper hand. However, the Spitfire was superior at higher altitudes. Advertisement Advertisement This was chiefly because the British Spitfire's Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine had a higher critical altitude (the altitude at which the supercharger is operating at full capacity and beyond which engine power rapidly decreases) than the Bf 109's Daimler-Benz DB 601 V12. The Spitfire's advantages, a tighter turning circle and faster turn rate allowed it to outmanoeuvre the Bf 109 in the horizontal plane. A 1941 memo to Air Marshal Sholto Douglas noted, "When it comes to fighter vs. fighter and the struggle foraltitude, we must expectto be at a disadvantage with the improved Me-109 [the Bf 109F compared to the Spitfire V] we are now meeting." But the Messerschmitt Bf 109, owing to its higher climb rate, could sustain climbing turns that the Spitfire was unable to keep up with. This gave German pilots more freedom to engage and disengage from dogfights with British fighters. 10: Advanced tech & the Spitfires deadly flaw The Bf 109 employed several advanced technologies that gave it an edge. Its DB 601 engine was equipped with an automatic variable-speed supercharger, ensuring better power delivery from the engine. The Bf 109E-3's supercharger, for instance, gave it a 200 hp advantage over the Spitfire 1A at low altitude. Advertisement Advertisement The engine also used fuel-injection technology, which allowed the aircraft to pitch forward into a dive; the Merlin's carburettor would stall the engine if this were attempted in a Spitfire. The Spitfire, therefore, had to roll over and dive, which cost precious seconds in combat. 10: Advanced tech & the Spitfire's deadly flaw Yet another example would be automatic leading-edge slats that prevented the Bf 109 from going into a stall at low speeds or in high-G turns. The Bf 109F-3 and F-4 models, introduced around mid-1941, improved on the E models with the help of the more powerful DB-601E engine. 9: Range Advertisement Advertisement Combat ranges were comparable. Both designs were initially designed to defend airbases against enemy bombing, and that was reflected in their range figures on internal fuel420 miles (680 km) for the Spitfire I A/B and about 410 miles (660 km) for the Bf 109E. The Bf 109 was the first to be forced into an offensive role: first as a fighter that would provide top cover to an advancing German Army and later as an escort for Luftwaffe bombers attacking Britain. The lack of range proved to be a major constraint in the second instance. 9: Range It is well known by now that a Bf 109 taking off from Northern France had about 10 minutes of flying time over London, not nearly enough to battle it out with the RAFs Spitfires and Hurricanes. What isn't so well known is that this was when the planes undertook independent fighter sweeps. As bomber escorts, the need to fly at sub-optimal altitudes and speeds often increased fuel consumption to the point where the 109s were forced to return to France before the bombers had reached their objectives. Spitfires tasked with carrying out offensive fighter sweeps and raids over northern France in 1941 faced the same issue. 8: Armament issues The initial RAF's requirements for two machine guns were soon revised. It came to believe that two machine guns were inadequate to shoot down modern metal-skinned fighters, and in 1935, the RAF specified that it wanted eight machine guns on all new fighters. Advertisement Advertisement It was also asserted that this was an interim requirement. Follow-on designs would have to be armed with cannon. This was easy enough to accommodate in the Hurricane's thick wings. But the Type-300's thin, tapering wings had to be abandoned in favour of elliptical wings to house the increased armament. 8: Armament issues The Spitfire's machine guns tended to freeze solid from the cold at high altitudes. Initially, Spitfires had adhesive tape covering the gunports to prevent the icing of gun barrels. Later, engine exhaust was ducted into the wing to heat the guns. This system proved complex and unreliable. It wasn't until electric heating was introduced that the issue was entirely resolved. Integrating 20mm cannon was also a significant challenge. The belt that fed rounds to the weapon would frequently jam. The technical issues plaguing the Spitfire 1B proved so problematic that the type was withdrawn from service and replaced by the 1A. 7: 109 Cannon Advertisement Advertisement Following feedback from pilots of the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War, Messerschmitt also modified the Bf 109 prototypes by mounting a 20mm cannon between the engine cylinder banks, firing through the propeller hub. However, the vibration from the cannon was so severe that it proved to be unworkable. This problem was resolved much later in the war. In the meantime, several alternatives were trialled. The Bf 109B (pictured) utilised an engine-mounted machine gun in place of the cannon. This, too, proved to be problematic. 7: 109 Cannon The Bf 109C featured a redesigned wing to accommodate two 7.92 mm machine guns, with ammunition boxes stored in the fuselage. The system performed well in tests but failed under the strain of air combat. The Bf 109D carried four guns two in the nose and two under the wings. Bf 109E-1s carried the same armament. The E-3 models, though, were equipped with a 20mm cannon under each wing, installed in two streamlined blisters along with a 60-round ammunition drum. Finally, the issues with the engine-mounted cannon were resolved in the F-4 model, which featured a 20mm cannon that proved to be highly accurate. 6: Cockpit In terms of ease of operation, both designs had their advantages and shortcomings. The Spitfire's bubble canopy and large mirrors provided excellent views and enhanced situational awareness for the pilot. The Bf 109s angular canopy, with its thick frame, fell short. Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, the Bf 109's Revi gunsight was far ahead of the early Spitfire's ring-and-bead type sight. It eliminated parallax errors and made deflection shots more accurate. The aircraft's engine and propeller controls were also more automated, which reduced pilot workload. 6: Cockpit On the flip side, the Bf 109's small size made the cockpit very cramped. Uncomfortable, it also restricted the force that pilots could apply to the controls, with an impact on flight performance. Post-war testing by the RAF revealed that under certain conditions, the force that pilots could exert on the Bf 109's control column was only 40% of what they could apply in the Spitfire. In an era when hydraulically boosted controls were not available, this was a severe deficiency. The Spitfire's two-step rudder pedals also allowed the pilot to raise his feet high during high-G manoeuvring, delaying the onset of blackout. The Bf 109 had no such pedals. 5: Spitfire edges ahead, and the formidable F Advertisement Advertisement For the most part, the Bf 109 and Spitfire were both well-matched, with their own unique strengths and shortcomings. In the early part of the war, it could be argued that the Bf 109 (E and F variants) held the upper hand over the Spitfire Mk 1A/B and Mk V. But as the war wore on, the Spitfire's inherently more advanced design, as well as the infusion of US technology (100-octane fuel, Browning machine guns, TR.5043 VHF radios, and so on) gave it a clear advantage over the simpler and lighter Bf 109 that persisted right up to the end. 5: Spitfire edges ahead, and the formidable F Franz Stigler was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, best known for a remarkable act of mercy. Instead of shooting down a severely damaged B-17 bomber on December 20, 1943, he escorted it back over enemy territory, allowing the crew to survive and return to safety, Of the 109 variants, he noted, "I preferred the 109F because it flew well at any altitude, was as fast as most, had a superior rate of climb and could dive very well. Most of all, it instilled confidence in its pilot." 4: Bf 109 problems The Bf 109 also suffered from handling challenges, both in the air and on the ground. The most critical issue was with its undercarriage. There were two major problems with the landing gear design that caused severe losses of Bf 109s on take-off and landing. One was the tendency to ground loop. Advertisement Advertisement The Bf 109's canted undercarriage often caused the aircraft to spin suddenly during landing runs, and it could suffer severe damage if one wheel lost traction. On rough airstrips that were cobbled together in the later stages of the war, this problem was particularly acute. 4: Bf 109 problems Secondly, Willy Messerschmitt wanted his aircraft structures to be as light as possible. That structure lacked the strength to endure hard landings. As the Bf 109s received more powerful engines and armament, it got heavier, which led to increased wing loading and higher landing speeds. That put additional strains on the landing gear. The result was that quite often, even experienced pilots ended up collapsing the undercarriage. In 1939 alone, the Bf 109 fleet suffered 255 landing accidents that resulted in damage to the airframe. The Spitfire, Hurricane, and Fw-190, with their "vertical" landing gear and heavier structures, fared much better. 3: Ability to upgrade Advertisement Advertisement The changing nature of the air war over Europe drove a slew of upgrade programmes for both aircraft. But the Spitfire - with its larger airframe and stronger structure - was better able to support the installation of advanced engines, armour, and heavier armament. The Spitfire IX (pictured), often seen as the ultimate evolution of the type, was able to outclass the Bf 109G as well as the newer Focke-Wulf Fw 190A in combat. Its superlative Merlin 61 engine (powered by 100-octane fuel of US origin) gave it a 110 hp advantage over the DB 605-powered Bf 109G at sea level. 3: Ability to upgrade However, it truly came into its own at high altitude: at 30,000 feet, its two-stage supercharger gave it a substantial 300 hp advantage over its German counterpart. Furthermore, its armament of two 20mm cannons and four .303-inch machine guns packed a formidable punch against not only aircraft but also ground targets. The Bf 109's simplicity and lightweight proved to be its Achilles' heel. Accommodating a more powerful engine, increased armament, new radios, and armour plate within the Bf-109 G's tiny airframe was a major challenge. 2: Bf 109G versus Spitfire Mk IX The 109's small cowling was inadequate for heat dissipation, which made the DB 605 engine prone to overheating and catching fire. Its firepower was only about half of what the Spitfire IX carried: two nose-mounted 7.92mm machine guns in the G-1 variant (upgraded to 13mm guns in the G-5) and one 20mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. With the steady increase in weight, the handling qualities of the Bf-109 G (pictured) suffered. As the wing loading increased, so did the demands on brute muscle power to actuate the controls. Captain Eric Brown, a Royal Navy test pilot who evaluated a captured Bf-109G, commented that "in a dive at 400 mph, the controls felt as though they had seized!" 2: Bf 109G versus Spitfire Mk IX The addition of a water-methanol tank - whose contents were injected into the engine to provide a short burst of additional power - adversely affected the centre of gravity and made handling unpredictable in some portions of the flight envelope. The uparmed BF-109G-6, often equipped with 20mm or 30mm underwing cannon to attack Allied bombers, proved so sluggish in combat that its pilots nicknamed it the Kanonenboot (Gunboat). The larger, structurally stronger Spitfire IX suffered no such problems. Indeed, the powerful Merlin 61 and four-bladed propeller allowed it to outrun, out-turn, and out-climb the Bf-109G. The 'quantum leap' in performance that the Spitfire IX achieved over the Bf-109G was never reversed. 1: Ease of manufacture This is one area where the Bf 109 comes out the clear winner. The Spitfire's complex design, coupled with Supermarine's utter lack of experience with modern production line techniques, made Spitfire production problematic. Its elliptical wing proved to be difficult to fabricate. Delays in transferring knowledge and drawings to various subcontractors slowed down production. The fine tolerances demanded by the design teamnot something British industry was accustomed toled to quality issues. The company faced significant schedule slippages in delivering the initial batch of 310 fighters, and the RAF considered cancelling the order outright at one point. The Bf 109's transition to production, on the other hand, was very smooth. The Ministry of Aviation was able to have it mass-manufactured without much difficulty. 1: Ease of manufacture This disparity is evident when examining the numbers. In January 1940, it took 15,000 person-hours to build a Spitfire 1A and 9000 to construct a Bf 109E. By 1942, that gap had only widened. The Bf 109F needed only 4000 person-hours to build, whereas the Spitfire Mk V required 13,000. The Bf 109 stood out as a rare example of German engineering that was cheap, reliable, maintainable, and easy to manufactureall while delivering superb performance on the battlefield. There is a reason that more than 34,000 were built despite the Germans' severe mismanagement of production resources at the strategic level. It remains to this day the third most produced aircraft in the world. Follow Joe Coles on Substack, Twitter X or Blue Sky. His superb Hush-Kit Book of Warplanes is available here. If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar Photo Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en ]]> Heres what youll learn when you read this story: The lightest structural metal, magnesium, is known for being a versatile component in some of the worlds most advanced technologies. A new study improved on the versatility of pure magnesium by mixing in an atypical material: dried leaf powder. An agricultural waste byproduct of mangos, this dried leaf powder increased the metals dampening ability without sacrificing its strength or durability. The world relies on magnesium, but it isnt a metal that typically makes headlines. Steel forms the structural skeleton of the worlds tallest buildings, the worlds most advanced aircraft are wrapped in aluminum, and titanium makes up the critical components of most space-faring rockets. Yet behind many of these metallic wonders lies magnesium, the lightest structural metal used today. Pure magnesium is 30 percent lighter than aluminum, and alloys made with aluminum have higher melting points, making them ideal for the automotive and aircraft industries. Magnesium can even be found in most aluminum beverage cans at a rate of about 5 percent. Now, scientists from the National University of Singapore have proposed a one-of-a-kind alloy that combines fallen leavesagricultural waste from mango cropswith pure magnesium. Surprisingly, magnesium alloyed with the leaf powder saw its damping capability (a.k.a. its ability to withstand vibration) enhanced by a staggering 54 percent over pure magnesium. The results of the study were published in the journal Metals . Advertisement Advertisement [Magnesium] has gained widespread interest for both industrial and biomedical applications due to its high specific strength, good machinability, excellent damping capacity, and natural abundance, the authors wrote. Converted biomass materials, such as leaf powder, have demonstrated promising potential in diverse applications, including ceramics, catalysts, supercapacitors, and even microwave-absorbing materials. With these two ideas in mindand with scientists ever eager to find ways to reduce the weight of magnesium alloys without sacrificing performancethe research team thought theyd see if leafy biomass could add benefits to magnesium composites. To achieve this breakthrough, the research team simply collected fallen leaves from mango trees (Mangifera indica) and dried them using a microwave (not a fancy laboratory microwave either, just a standard Sharp convection oven). The leaves were then ball-milled and dried in an oven, resulting in a dried leaf powder. The powder was then incorporated into the magnesium, making up only 5 percent of the final mixture. During the sintering process (a manufacturing technique using pressure and heat that transforms powdered metals into dense structures), the dried powder vaporized, leaving behind microscopic pores. While holes in metal might sound concerning, it turns out that these pores made the new-and-improved magnesium more shock-absorbent. To form the best material, scientists had to find the perfect Goldilocks temperature for the extrusion process. Too hot, and the heated plant powder turns into carbon that would exacerbate rusting. Too cold, on the other hand, produced its own negative impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Mechanical performance showed a trade-off with decreasing extrusion temperature: lower temperatures led to increased porosity, which reduced hardness, compressive strength, and ductility, the authors wrote. They found that extrusion done at around 350 degrees Celsius produced the best results for the magnesium-dried leaf powder mixture, as it kept the metal grains tightly compact so that the final product resisted bending. These findings not only highlight the potential of incorporating natural biomass into metallic systems for developing lightweight and sustainable materials, the authors wrote, but also establish a strong foundation for future investigations into metal-biomass composite design, processing optimization, and performance enhancement while minimizing the potential limitations. Magnesium was already one of the most versatile alloy ingredients, but scientists are showing that its miraculous composite capabilities reach further than we imagined. You Might Also Like The US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday issued a new interpretation aimed at clarifying which cryptocurrencies are considered securities and how non-security tokens could still fall under federal securities laws. The move comes as the crypto industry continues to push for clearer regulations. Paul Atkins, speaking at an event hosted by The Digital Chamber in Washington, DC, emphasized the need for actionable solutions. "It's way past time for us to stop diagnosing the problem and start delivering the solution," Atkins said, highlighting the SEC's focus on both investor protection and market clarity. The new SEC interpretation categorizes crypto tokens into five groups: digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital tools, stablecoins, and digital securities. Federal securities laws apply only to digital securities. However, the SEC clarified that a non-security token could become a security if it is sold as part of an investment in a common enterprise where buyers expect to earn profits, Reuters reported. This step provides much-needed guidance for crypto companies navigating the often-confusing regulatory landscape. The agency's approach also aligns with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which has expressed support for clearer definitions within the crypto market. US securities regulator issues long-awaited crypto guidance https://t.co/COTHnNo4Fd Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) March 17, 2026 SEC Proposes Safe Harbor for Crypto In addition to classifications, Atkins introduced a safe harbor proposal that could allow crypto startups a more flexible path to raise capital. The plan would offer a "fit for purpose startup exemption," enabling companies to raise funds or operate for a limited time without immediately triggering full SEC registration and disclosure requirements. According to CNA, Atkins said the SEC plans to release the safe harbor proposal for public comment in the coming weeks. Under Atkins' leadership, the SEC has been working on broader reforms to modernize capital markets regulations to accommodate blockchain and digital assets. He noted that most cryptocurrencies are not securities, which are subject to registration and disclosure rules, but stressed that clear distinctions are essential for both investor protection and market growth. The crypto industry has long argued that existing regulations were ill-suited for digital tokens, pushing for laws that clearly distinguish between securities, commodities, stablecoins, and other digital assets. Originally published on vcpost.com Moi nhat oc nhieu You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website and archive of over 26,000 articles Exclusive monthly, members-only newsletter offering behind-the-scenes views from our contributing writers A guest, two-month subscription to share with a friend A partial government shutdown, combined with spring break, is bringing travel headaches to some people. The shutdown is impacting an estimated 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees, who are now working without pay. Florida, so far, hasn't seen the TSA checkpoint delays reported at other airports in the U.S. However, travelers at major hubs, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Miami, and Tampa, may experience slightly longer delays during peak travel periods. Advertisement Advertisement At HartsfieldJackson Atlanta and Houstons Hobby Airport, TSA checkpoint lines stretched past an hour, with some waits exceeding three hours last weekend. Why are there longer security lines at airports? Congress failed to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, in midFebruary. On March 13, TSA officers missed their first full paycheck after receiving partial paychecks on Feb. 28. "Numerous employees have reported to me that their bank accounts are at zero or negative," Johnny Jones, Secretary-Treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 and a Dallas-based TSA worker, told USA TODAY. What is TSA wait time at Daytona International Airport, DAB? Security wait times at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) currently average 5 minutes, according to flightqueue.com Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 27 minutes, and immigration processing averages 9 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, VPS? Security wait times at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) currently average 4 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 25 minutes, and immigration processing averages 9 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 2 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, FLL? Security wait times at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) currently average 13 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 45 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 7 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Gainesville Regional Airport, GNV? Passengers moving through the security checkpoints at Gainesville Regional Airport should anticipate waiting on average of 4 minutes, according to TSAWaitTimes.com. What is TSA wait time at Jacksonville International Airport, JAX? Security wait times at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) currently average 9 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 29 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Key West International Airport, EYW? Security wait times at Key West International Airport (EYW) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 23 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Melbourne Orlando International Airport, MLB? Security wait times at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) currently average 8 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 21 minutes, and immigration processing averages 8 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 4 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Miami International Airport, MIA? Security wait times at Miami International Airport (MIA) currently average 4 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 44 minutes, and immigration processing averages 59 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 2 minutes. You can also check the airport's website at miami-airport.com/tsa-waittimes.asp. What is TSA wait time at Naples Municipal Airport, APF? Security wait times at Naples Municipal Airport (APF) currently average 17 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 23 minutes, and immigration processing averages 10 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 9 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Northwest Florida Beaches International, ECP? Security wait times at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) currently average 6 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 19 minutes, and immigration processing averages 7 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Orlando International Airport, MCO? Security wait times at Orlando International Airport (MCO) currently average 10 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 45 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. You can also check the airport's website at flymco.com/security/. What is TSA wait time at Orlando Sanford International Airport, SFB? Security wait times at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) currently average 1 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 41 minutes, and immigration processing averages 8 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Palm Beach International Airport, PBI? Security wait times at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) currently average 13 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 30 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 7 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Pensacola International Airport, PNS? Security wait times at Pensacola International Airport (PNS) currently average 11 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 23 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 6 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Punta Gorda Airport, PGD? Security wait times at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) currently average 10 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 31 minutes, and immigration processing averages 13 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, SRQ? Security wait times at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) currently average 7 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 26 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 4 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW? Security wait times at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 45 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minutes. What is TSA wait time at St. Augustine Airport, SGJ? Passengers moving through the security checkpoints at St. Augustine Airport should anticipate waiting on average of less than one minute, according to TSAWaitTimes.com. What is TSA wait time at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, PIE? Security wait times at St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (PIE) currently average 12 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 24 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 6 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Tallahassee International Airport, TLH? Security wait times at Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 10 minutes, and immigration processing averages 7 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Tampa International Airport, TPA? Security wait times at Tampa International Airport (TPA) currently average 10 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 45 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Vero Beach Regional Airport, VRB? Security wait times at Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) currently average 10 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 12 minutes, and immigration processing averages 10 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. What are the current wait times at Florida airports? See the list As of Tuesday morning, here are the estimated security wait times for Florida airports according to the airports and TSA. Note TSA estimates may not be current due to the shutdown when the MyTSA app is not updated: Wait times will be shorter for travelers with TSA PreCheck, or for families or military members using dedicated lines, where available. How to check TSA wait times Need to know when to be at the airport? There are a few ways to monitor TSA lines in real time. Airport websites: Some airports post checkpoint wait updates so you can see how the day is going. Airport social media: Follow your airport's social media page. Often, when there are significant delays, the airport will post about it. The MyTSA mobile app: The TSA's free app provides estimated wait times for many U.S. airports based on TSA data and traveler reports, along with other TSA information. However, banners on both the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites warn that, Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed. Third-party sites: Several unofficial websites, such as airportinsightfind.com, fly.com, flightqueue.com or tsawaittimes.com, provide estimated wait times based on airport reports and traveler submissions. How much do TSA agents make in Florida, U.S.? TSA pay varies depending on location. For example, higher-cost metro areas pay more than smaller or rural markets. Pay varies further by experience and tenure, as government employees receive increases based on federal pay bands and step increases. Working overtime, night shifts and holidays also increases pay above base averages. Wage average for TSA officers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): United States (national averages) Average hourly wage: $24.54 per hour Average annual salary: $51,040 per year Median annual salary: $50,020 per year Florida (state averages) Average hourly wage: $21.09 per hour Average annual salary: $43,860 per year Contributors: Ashley Ferrer, Kim Luciani, C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Security wait times at Florida airports. See airport list for March 17 As travelers continue to see longer security wait times at U.S. airports Wednesday, March 18, drastic measures could be ahead as 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers remain unpaid amid the continuing partial government shutdown. Ten percent of TSA officers reportedly didn't show up for work Sunday, March 16, and more than 350 have quit their jobs. Acting TSA deputy administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News on March 17 the agency may have to "shut down airports, particularly smaller ones," if the shutdown continues. Advertisement Advertisement TSA wait times at Florida airports, including Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, have largely been minor. Longer queues are more likely at airports in Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA), and Miami, (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL). RSW officials asked travelers to arrive at the airport early. "Please be in your security line at least two hours before you leave flight departure time. Also, allow extra time to get to the airport and find parking," a March 17 post on the airport's Facebook page reads. Here's what to know about TSA wait times at RSW and airports across Florida for Wednesday, March 18: 'Shockingly' long TSA wait times at one Florida airport A March 15 TSA post on X includes a video of long lines at the Fort Lauderdale airport. Advertisement Advertisement "SHOCKINGLY long lines at Fort Lauderdale International Airport," the post reads in part. What is TSA wait time at Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW in Fort Myers? Security wait times at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) currently average 50 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 46 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 25 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Daytona International Airport, DAB? Security wait times at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) currently average 5 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 17 minutes, and immigration processing averages 9 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, VPS? Security wait times at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) currently average 5 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 27 minutes, and immigration processing averages 9 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, FLL? Security wait times at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) currently average 16 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 43 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 8 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Gainesville Regional Airport, GNV? Passengers moving through the security checkpoints at Gainesville Regional Airport should anticipate waiting on average of 4 minutes and 48 seconds, according to TSAWaitTimes.com. What is TSA wait time at Jacksonville International Airport, JAX? Security wait times at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) currently average 8 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 22 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 4 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Key West International Airport, EYW? Security wait times at Key West International Airport (EYW) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 22 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minute. What is TSA wait time at Melbourne Orlando International Airport, MLB? Security wait times at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) currently average 3 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 16 minutes, and immigration processing averages 8 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 2 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Miami International Airport, MIA? Security wait times at Miami International Airport (MIA) currently average 9 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 44 minutes, and immigration processing averages 54 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. You can also check the airport's website at miami-airport.com/tsa-waittimes.asp. What is TSA wait time at Naples Municipal Airport, APF? Security wait times at Naples Municipal Airport (APF) currently average 17 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 23 minutes, and immigration processing averages 10 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 9 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Northwest Florida Beaches International, ECP? Security wait times at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) currently average 6 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 19 minutes, and immigration processing averages 7 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Orlando International Airport, MCO? Security wait times at Orlando International Airport (MCO) currently average 23 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 45 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 12 minutes. You can also check the airport's website at flymco.com/security/. What is TSA wait time at Orlando Sanford International Airport, SFB? Security wait times at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) currently average 68 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 44 minutes, and immigration processing averages 10 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 34 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Palm Beach International Airport, PBI? Security wait times at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) currently average 10 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 30 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 5 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Pensacola International Airport, PNS? Security wait times at Pensacola International Airport (PNS) currently average 6 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 21 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Punta Gorda Airport, PGD? Security wait times at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Advertisement Advertisement Check-in typically takes 27 minutes, and immigration processing averages 10 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minute. What is TSA wait time at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, SRQ? Security wait times at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) currently average 2 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 20 minutes, and immigration processing averages 9 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minute. What is TSA wait time at St. Augustine Airport, SGJ? Passengers moving through the security checkpoints at St. Augustine Airport should anticipate waiting on average of less than one minute, according to TSAWaitTimes.com. What is TSA wait time at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, PIE? Security wait times at St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (PIE) currently average 1 minute, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 14 minutes, and immigration processing averages 8 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 1 minute. What is TSA wait time at Tallahassee International Airport, TLH? Security wait times at Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH) currently average 3 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 13 minutes, and immigration processing averages 8 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 2 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Tampa International Airport, TPA? Security wait times at Tampa International Airport (TPA) currently average 6 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 46 minutes, and immigration processing averages 12 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 3 minutes. What is TSA wait time at Vero Beach Regional Airport, VRB? Security wait times at Vero Beach Regional Airport (VRB) currently average 11 minutes, according to flightqueue.com. Check-in typically takes 15 minutes, and immigration processing averages 11 minutes. TSA PreCheck lanes average approximately 6 minutes. What are the current wait times at Florida airports? See the list As of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, here are the estimated security wait times for Florida airports according to the airports and TSA. Note TSA estimates may not be current due to the shutdown when the MyTSA app is not updated: Wait times will be shorter for travelers with TSA PreCheck, or for families or military members using dedicated lines, where available. How to check TSA wait times Need to know when to be at the airport? There are a few ways to monitor TSA lines in real time. Airport websites: Some airports post checkpoint wait updates so you can see how the day is going. Airport social media: Follow your airport's social media page. Often, when there are significant delays, the airport will post about it. The MyTSA mobile app: The TSA's free app provides estimated wait times for many U.S. airports based on TSA data and traveler reports, along with other TSA information. However, banners on both the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites warn that, Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed. Third-party sites: Several unofficial websites, such as airportinsightfind.com, fly.com, flightqueue.com or tsawaittimes.com, provide estimated wait times based on airport reports and traveler submissions. How much do TSA agents make in Florida, U.S.? TSA pay varies depending on location. For example, higher-cost metro areas pay more than smaller or rural markets. Pay varies further by experience and tenure, as government employees receive increases based on federal pay bands and step increases. Working overtime, night shifts and holidays also increases pay above base averages. Wage average for TSA officers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): United States (national averages) Average hourly wage: $24.54 per hour Average annual salary: $51,040 per year Median annual salary: $50,020 per year Florida (state averages) Average hourly wage: $21.09 per hour Average annual salary: $43,860 per year Contributing: C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY Network - Florida 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://news-press.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: RSW TSA wait times at Fort Myers airport for Wednesday, March 18 Grab your suitcase and buckle up: Starting this summer, a new airline will fly nonstop to two airports one could never reach before from Indianapolis. Avelo Airlines is launching flights out of Indianapolis International Airport to two new East Coast airports this summer, the budget airline announced March 18, marking the first time Avelo has operated passenger flights out of Indy. Starting June 18, Avelo will fly twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays from Indianapolis to Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut and Concord-Padgett Regional Airport outside Charlotte, North Carolina, offering one-way fares as low as $39. It's the first time in history an airline has offered these nonstop routes, which will operate year-round. Advertisement Advertisement The ultra low-cost carrier flies direct to many smaller, regional airports, giving passengers the flexibility to reach large metro areas without the hassle of traveling through some of the largest airports in the country, said Megan Carrico, senior director of public affairs at the Indianapolis Airport Authority. Regional airports can be "much more convenient" than the options on legacy carriers that fly to some of the country's busiest airports, Carrico said. Avelo will be the twelfth airline to fly out of Indy. "We're really excited to have Avelo join the airport," Carrico told IndyStar. "And we're really excited to see people's feedback." With the two additional flights, Indianapolis travelers can now fly nonstop to 57 destinations a record number for the Indianapolis International Airport, which in 2025 screened more than 10.6 million passengers. Advertisement Advertisement The flights aim to capitalize on travelers looking for more options to get to popular East Coast destinations, including New York City and the Charlotte area, Carrico said. The airport authority reports that more than 900 people travel from Indianapolis to New York City daily and another nearly 200 people go to Charlotte each day, she added. Headquartered in Houston, Avelo flies out of more than 30 cities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico with a heavy presence in eastern coastal cities and Florida airports. With a focus on no-frills flying and point-to-point options, Avelo focuses on flying to underserved airports, as seen in their main hubs, two of which are New Haven, Conn., and Concord, N.C. Founded just five years ago, Avelo caught some heat in spring 2025 when the young company signed a contract to fly deportation flights to raise revenue. Protestors in states from Arizona to Florida gathered outside airports to voice opposition to Avelo's participation. The airline ended its contract with the Department of Homeland Security in January 2026 and subsequently closed its base in Mesa, Ariz., where the deportation flight operation was based. In explaining the decision to stop these flights, Avelo executives said the operation did not provide enough long-term revenue to justify the complexity and costs, according to news reports. Advertisement Advertisement More: How the IND airport hits records, captures the hearts of travelers Flights are available to book now at aveloair.com. Alysa Guffey writes business and development stories for IndyStar. Contact her at alysa.guffey@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Avelo Airlines to fly nonstop from Indianapolis to New Haven, Concord Things seem to be calming down after severe storms across the eastern United States caused thousands of flight delays and cancellations earlier this week. Powerful thunderstorms and a strong cold front had created dangerous flying conditions, according to the National Weather Service. Due to the severe weather, the Federal Aviation Administration slowed down or temporarily stopped flights along the East Coast, causing delays and cancellations in more than 50 airports across the country. The partial government shutdown also caused Transportation Security Administration employees to call out or even quit and security lines have reached nearly two hours at some airports. On March 15, the CEOs of major airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, urged Congress to restore DHS funding and move forward on bipartisan proposals to ensure that federal aviation workers are paid during shutdowns. Advertisement Advertisement More than 366 TSA employees have quit, according to a March 18 post on the Department of Homeland Security's X account. It's unclear the amount, if any, of those are from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Wait times: How long are TSA wait times at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport? See list Why are flights being canceled today? Flights were canceled earlier this week due to severe thunderstorms and weather conditions across the eastern United States. The ongoing government shutdown seems to have also impacted airports across the country. Phoenix flight cancellations An American Airlines plane descends to Sky Harbor past the skyline of downtown Phoenix on Feb. 26, 2025, in Phoenix. As of 5:30 a.m. on Friday, March 20, two flights were cancelled and 19 flights were delayed at Sky Harbor, according to FlightAware. Flights to and from Ohio and Texas airports were among those most disrupted. Advertisement Advertisement These cancellations and delays are a decrease from earlier this week, when 87 flights were cancelled on March 16 and 594 were delayed at Sky Harbor. On March 18, only seven flights were canceled, though 314 were delayed. On March 19, even fewer flights were delayed or cancelled; just 253 and 4, respectively. East Coast storms can still affect flights to and from Phoenix, as many planes operate between the city and airports in the affected regions. If a plane scheduled to fly from New York, Chicago or Washington, D.C., to Phoenix is delayed or canceled due to storms there, the return flight from Phoenix may also be delayed or canceled. Do you have a tip or a question you need answered? Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Instagram @dina_kaur. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Advertisement Advertisement (This story has been updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Nearly 200 flights delayed, cancelled at Phoenix Sky Harbor today NASCAR driver Daniel Dye has been suspended following a controversial livestream in which he mocked IndyCar driver David Malukas. The decision marks the second major disciplinary action in Dye's racing career. For some fans, this is alarming, especially since he's still a rising star in motosports. What Led to Daniel Dye's Suspension The controversy erupted after a video circulated on social media showing Dye mocking Malukas during a livestream. In the clip, Dye used exaggerated voices and imitated Malukas in a way that implied assumptions about his sexuality. The footage quickly drew backlash from fans and members of the racing community. In response, NASCAR issued an immediate suspension and mandated that Dye complete sensitivity training. Kaulig Racing, his team, also suspended him from competition, emphasizing the severity of the situation. Daniel Dye Issues Public Apology Dye publicly addressed the incident on social media, admitting his comments were "careless" and acknowledging their impact. He expressed regret to those offended and stated that his behavior did not reflect how he wants to represent himself as a professional athlete. He also shared that conversations with friends in the LGBTQ+ community helped him recognize the importance of accountability. Dye admitted he should have upheld higher standards, particularly given his platform as a rising driver in NASCAR. History of Disciplinary Issues This is not Dye's first disciplinary action. Earlier in his career, he faced an indefinite suspension in the ARCA series following a legal incident at a Florida high school, according to Fox59. While the charge was later reduced, it remains a notable part of his record. What Will It Impact His NASCAR Career Currently in his third full season in the Truck Series, Dye recently joined Kaulig Racing to represent Ram in its return to NASCAR. Despite showing promise, including a 13th-place finish in Atlanta, this latest controversy could affect his trajectory in the sport. Originally published on sportsworldnews.com Strolling around Michigan's State Capitol Building in downtown Lansing might make visitors feel as if they're in Washington, DC. The design for Michigan's State Capitol building, located at 100 N. Capitol Ave., was inspired by the U.S. Capitol building. 2026 Most Treasured Views logo Architect Elijah E. Myers was one of the first to take inspiration from the remodeled U.S. Capitol and his design became a model for most statehouses built in the United States during the "Golden Age" of capitol construction after the Civil War, according to the Michigan Legislature. The design for Michigan established the domed capitol as a national symbol. Location Lansing, Michigan Why it matters Michigan's State Capitol building in Lansing is full of surprises. Advertisement Advertisement While the historic building looks like it's made with rich walnut woodwork and elegant marble columns it's really not, according to the Michigan Legislature. The Michigan State Capitol in Lansing photographed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. A view inside the Michigan State Capitol before Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives her State of the State Address in Lansing on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. A group from Central Elementary School in Davison lay on the glass floor while a crew works on a portion of the floor restoration at the Michigan State Capitol on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Lansing. People march to the front of the Michigan State Capitol building during a Community Violence Intervention day put on by Force Detroit in Lansing on Thursday, June 12, 2025. People plant flowers at the state Capitol in Lansing, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during the annual Michigan State Capitol Flower Planting Day event. A tour of inside Michigan State's Capitol. Photo was posted on the Capitol's website. Michigan State House of Representative Chamber in the State Capitol building in Lansing, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Over a dozen seats rest in a room inside the Michigan State Capitol during a school tour in Lansing on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Michigan House of Representative members take part in the pledge of allegiance as the Michigan State Legislature House and Senate sessions begin at the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. The Michigan Electoral College meet to cast their vote at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing Monday, Dec. 14, 2020 to finalize the vote for the 2020 presidential campaign electing Joseph Biden as President of the United States and Kamala Harris as the Vice President. The Michigan State Capitol photographed in Lansing on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Gold leaf stars pictured inside the top of the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Barbra Thumudo, assistant director of the Michigan State Capitol Commission, talks about the work done during a tour of the renovations inside the Michigan Capitol dome on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. The chambers remain empty as representatives check-in for attendance before leaving, during a congressional session to vote to extend the Michigan declaration of emergency until April 30th, at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Michigan State Capitol Sergeants at Arms were posted outside of the House chambers gallery entrance, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. The public viewing area above the House chambers was closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to a security threat, according to Capitol officials. A Michigan State Capitol Sergeant at Arms, left, is posted outside of the House chambers gallery entrance, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. The public viewing area above the House chambers was closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to a security threat, according to Capitol officials. Over a dozen seats rest in a room inside the Michigan State Capitol during a school tour in Lansing on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. A sergeant at arms officer stands inside the House of Representatives room at the Michigan State Capitol during a school tour in Lansing on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. A view inside the Michigan State Capitol before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives her State of the State Address in Lansing on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Michigan State House of Representative Chamber in the State Capitol building in Lansing, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Michigan Senate Chamber inside the Michigan State Capitol during a school tour in Lansing on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Scaffolding used in the year-long restoration inside the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Trade and commerce, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Justice, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Agriculture, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Sciences, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Industry, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Philosophy, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Fine arts, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Education, one of eight muses painted by Italian painter Tommaso Juglaris inside the Michigan Capitol dome, during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Gold leaf stars pictured inside the top of the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Hand painted decor along the trim inside the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the interior renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Ornate decor along the rim near the top of the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the interior renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Decorated beams along the inside of the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the interior renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Hand painted decor along the trim inside the Michigan Capitol dome during a tour of the interior renovations on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. Gold colored decor along the rotunda during a tour of the renovations inside the Michigan Capitol dome on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Lansing. 1 / 36 Michigan Capitol building in Lansing The Michigan State Capitol in Lansing photographed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Construction began on the Capitol building in 1872 when materials like marble and walnut were too costly for the state to afford. Instead, inexpensive materials like pine, plaster pressed tin and cast iron were painted to mimic real marble and walnut. More than 9 acres of walls, ceilings, woodwork and columns were painted by hand. The marble columns are really painted cast iron, and the walnut woodwork is really painted pine, an example of painted decorative arts of the Victorian era. Advertisement Advertisement The building's style incorporates motifs from classical Greek and Roman architecture, often termed Renaissance Revival or Neoclassical, according the the Michigan State Capitol website. Above the building is a distinctive cast iron dome. The building also features Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns both inside and out. The Capitol was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1879, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992. What to see today Guided tours of the Capitol are available Monday through Friday. Tours begin at the top of every hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are also guided tours on the first Saturday of the month. Tours start on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Tours need to be scheduled in advance for groups between 10 and 45 people. Groups of less than 10 do not need to schedule a tour, but can call in advance to check availability. Ask a local Be sure to check out the interior dome and rotunda, which recently underwent a yearlong restoration. The dome features several pieces of iconic artwork. Also take a look at the rotunda's glass floor tiles that were replaced in 2025. Plan your visit: Best time: Monday through Friday and the first Saturday of the month. Hours: The Michigan Capitol is open to visitors year-round, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first Saturday of each month. The Capitol is closed on Michigans state holidays except for Election Day. Tours run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first Saturday of the month. Getting there: The Capitol is located at 100 N. Capitol Ave. in Lansing. Street parking is available on the streets surrounding the Capitol, with the closest parking near the entrances on Capitol Avenue and Ottawa Street. Learn more: Visit https://capitol.michigan.gov/ USA 250 Most Treasured Views is a USA TODAY Network project exploring places across America with historical and cultural significance, created in celebration of the USA 250 initiative marking the nations 250th birthday. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Michigan's State Capitol building is full of surprises Looking to explore an aquarium this spring? Massachusetts may not have many aquariums, but in true New England fashion, it is home to a few historical ones. In fact, Massachusetts' oldest aquarium opened over 150 years ago, dating back to 1875. Located on Cape Cod, Woods Hole Aquarium is not only the oldest in the state, but also the oldest marine aquarium in the country. While smaller than a large public aquarium, Woods Hole is still the first aquarium in the country to welcome visitors. Here's a brief history of the country's oldest marine aquarium. History of Woods Hole Aquarium The front entrance to the Woods Hole aquarium has a history of the town and the facility. Photo Taken on April 15,2025 According to the aquarium's website, the founding of Woods Hole Aquarium can be credited to Spencer Baird, the nation's first U.S. Fish Commissioner a division now known as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Baird established a research station on Little Harbor in Woods Hole during the summer in 1871, and in 1875, a public research aquarium was added to the station. Advertisement Advertisement The original aquarium included educational displays with local sea life and educational exhibits about the ocean. Today, over 150 years later, Woods Hole Aquarium features 100 species of marine animals from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, as well as historical information, skeletal exhibit cases and touch tanks with crabs and sea stars. In addition to supporting local research and educating the public as Baird imagined, today's aquarium is also dedicated to marine conservation, frequently rehabilitating cold-stunned turtles and providing a permanent home for stranded seals. Cape Cod history: Cape Cod's oldest restaurant dates back to the 1600s. How to eat there How to go to Woods Hole Aquarium Woods Hole Aquarium visitors reflect up in the water as "Bubba" the harbor seal swims past one of his water toys. Photo Taken on April 15,2025 Woods Hole Aquarium will be closed for major renovations through early 2027. Check the aquarium's website for information about hours closer to reopening, or follow NOAA Fisheries on Instagram and Facebook for updates. Advertisement Advertisement The aquarium is located at 166 Water St. in Woods Hole. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Massachusetts oldest aquarium opened over 150 years ago. Heres where Travelers forced to make new flight arrangements as Southwest Airlines announces the discontinuation of its services from Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) and Washington Dulles International (IAD) after June 4. These major airports just made Southwest Airlines no fly list, and its making frequent flyers furious. Passengers prepared for takeoff out of Chicago OHare International (ORD) and Washington Dulles International (IAD) after June 4 must now make new arrangements, per the companys move to discontinue service at the hubs. Southwest announced the stoppage on Friday, citing the companys ongoing efforts to refine its network, and assuring customers of its continued presence in both regions. Southwest Airlines announced plans to discontinue service at f Chicago OHare International (ORD) and Washington Dulles International (IAD) as of June 4. AP These changes do not represent any significant changes in flight availability for these cities, reads the statement, insisting that the commercial carrier will maintain its robust service at Chicago Midway (MDW), Baltimore Washington International (BWI) and Washington Reagan National (DCA). Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for Southwest tell The Post that all affected frontline employees will have the opportunity to bid for open positions across our network, including at MDW, in part. All affected customers have been contacted and offered an opportunity to rebook or to receive a full refund, said the spokesperson. A spokesperson for Southwest tells The Post that customers affected by its latest changes can either rebook their flights or to receive a full refund. China News Service via Getty Images Travel experts for The Points Guy, an online jet-setting resource, say customers booked to IAD can change their flights to BWI, DCA, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) or Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Virginia. And those booked to ORD can change their flights to MDW, Indianapolis International Airport (IND) or Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), per the pros. Advertisement Advertisement Still, annoyed trippers are flying to social media to air out their grievances with the airline. Southwest will continue business at Chicagolands Midway, where it flies to more than 80 destinations, as well as in Washington-area airports DCA and BWI, where it offers a combined a combined 271 departures to 79 nonstop destinations. jetcityimage stock.adobe.com As someone who frequently flies to different parts of Chicago NO!!, tweeted a vexed X user. SouthwestAir you are diminishing my loyalty by the minute. Major loss for Chicago, another moaned. Travelers in those areas are definitely going to feel that change, warned a separate worrywart. Southwest began service to OHare in 2021, as part of the companys post-pandemic expansion. Its been operated out of Dulles since 2006. The end of Southwests service to Chicago OHare International and Washington Dulles International come amid a number of changes from the airline. AP Advertisement Advertisement New York-based travelers are not expected to be impacted by the imprints most recent update. But the shake-up comes amid a flurry of changes at Southwest, including the end of its bags fly freepolicy, as well as its freshly established, polemical assigned seating and customers of size policies. No stranger to making controversial cuts, the Dallas-based company previously reduced its business at Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport crowned the worlds busiest airport while cutting 300 pilot and flight attendant positions that service the area in 2024. Although we try everything we can before making difficult decisions like this one, read a Southwest memo that was issued at the time of the cuts, we simply cannot afford continued losses and must make this change to help restore our profitability. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport welcomes Avelo Airlines: Where will it take you? CLEVELAND (WJW) A new airline has joined the ranks at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Cleveland meteor apparel is here to help you remember what you survived Announced in a Wednesday news release from the airport, Avelo Airlines will add new nonstop routes to Concord, North Carolina, and New Haven, Connecticut, later this year. Flights will be offered on Mondays and Fridays every week beginning June 19, according to the release. BURBANK, CALIFORNIA APRIL 28: Avelo Airlines takes off with first flight between Burbank and Santa Rosa at Hollywood Burbank Airport on April 28, 2021 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Avelo Air) Fares start at just $39 dollars, according to Avelos website. Advertisement Advertisement Cleveland Airport officials call the addition of Avelo a win for travelers. These new nonstop routes expand affordable travel options for Northeast Ohio residents while strengthening Clevelands connectivity to a growing list of nonstop destinations, Scott Carr, the assistant director of commercial business and revenue, said in the press release. $60M Mega Millions jackpot won in Ohio! With Avelo, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has 11 airlines serving Northeast Ohio travelers. It was announced last month that Spirit Airlines would be ending service at Hopkins April 15, 2026 after more than 10 years. 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Beijing has introduced new tourism policy measures as Chinas cultural tourism sector expands and domestic travel demand continues to rise. The updated rules focus on improving market regulation, raising service standards and supporting the development of cultural tourism across the city. Issued by Beijings municipal culture and tourism authority in February 2026, the policy sets out requirements for tourism businesses, including travel agencies, tour guides and online platforms. The measures reflect a wider national push to improve tourism quality and protect consumers. Stronger market regulation The new Beijing tourism policy places tighter controls on how tourism services are sold and delivered. Authorities aim to reduce misleading pricing, unlicensed operations and low-cost group tours that do not meet advertised standards. Advertisement Advertisement Tourism businesses must follow clearer pricing rules and provide accurate information to customers. Contracts must match the services offered. Regulators will carry out more inspections to ensure compliance. The policy also calls for better coordination between government departments to improve oversight of the tourism market. This approach is intended to create a more stable and transparent business environment. Focus on service quality Improving service quality is a key part of the new policy. Tourism operators are required to provide clear and reliable information to visitors and handle complaints more effectively. The measures include stronger systems for resolving disputes and clearer responsibility for service failures. Businesses must ensure that the services they promote are delivered in practice. Advertisement Advertisement Safety management is also highlighted. Tourism sites and operators are expected to improve crowd control, especially during peak travel periods, and strengthen emergency response plans. These steps come as domestic tourism continues to grow. China recorded hundreds of millions of trips during the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, showing strong demand for travel and leisure activities. Growth of cultural tourism The policy reflects a shift in Chinas tourism sector towards cultural tourism and local experiences. Travellers are increasingly interested in heritage sites, cultural events and more personalised travel options. Beijing is encouraging the development of cultural tourism products that combine history, culture and modern services. This includes improved visitor experiences at cultural sites and the use of digital tools to support tourism services. Advertisement Advertisement Cultural tourism is becoming an important part of Chinas domestic economy. It supports local businesses and helps drive consumer spending, especially in major cities such as Beijing. Industry outlook The new Beijing tourism policy signals both stricter regulation and continued growth opportunities for the sector. Businesses will need to meet higher compliance standards while adapting to changing traveller expectations. The focus on cultural tourism suggests a move towards higher-value tourism services. Companies that offer clear, reliable and culturally relevant experiences are likely to be better positioned in the evolving market. As competition increases, consistent service quality and transparent operations are expected to play a larger role in shaping the future of Beijings tourism industry. Advertisement Advertisement "Cultural tourism growth drives new Beijing tourism policy measures" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The Trinidad and Tobago stock market recorded its fourth consecutive year of decline, according to the Central Banks latest Annual Economic Survey. The Central Bank said that in 2025, declines in the Composite Price Index (CPI) deepened, falling 11.8%, driven by a 13.2% drop in the All T&T Index (ATI) and a 7.3% contraction in the Cross Listed Index (CLI). Elon Musk is now waiting for a jury's decision after closing arguments wrapped up in a high-stakes civil trial involving his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, now known as X. Shareholders accuse Musk of misleading investors during his attempt to back out of the deal in 2022. The case, heard in San Francisco, centers on claims that Musk used public statements and tweets to influence Twitter's stock price. Investors argue that his actions caused financial losses and are seeking compensation. The lawsuit was filed shortly before Musk completed the acquisition in October 2022, months after initially agreeing to buy the company for $54.20 per share. A major focus during the trial was Musk's repeated claims about fake accounts on the platform. He argued that Twitter had far more bots than the company's public estimate of 5%, NY Post reported. Musk used this concern as a reason to pause the deal, famously tweeting that the purchase was "on hold." Plaintiffs' lawyer Mark Molumphy told jurors that Musk's behavior was deliberate. "He knew what he was doing," Molumphy said, arguing that the tweets were designed to push the stock price down so Musk could renegotiate or walk away from the deal. The legal team said these were not careless remarks but calculated moves. Twitter shareholder lawsuit accusing Elon Musk of driving down stock goes to jury: 'Knew what he was doing' https://t.co/wl4HSBkupo pic.twitter.com/7hJQpI6HKP New York Post (@nypost) March 17, 2026 Elon Musk Lawyer Denies Fraud Claims Musk's defense pushed back strongly. His lawyer, Michael Lifrak, told the court there was "not one shred of evidence" showing Musk intended to commit fraud. According to ET, he stressed that even if Musk had a motive, that alone does not prove wrongdoing. Lifrak also argued that wanting to pay less for a deal is normal, saying, "You can't just say" that desire equals fraud. The trial also examined whether Twitter had been transparent about its user data. Former CFO Ned Segal testified that the company's bot estimate was accurate and denied any false filings. However, Musk maintained that fake accounts could be as high as 20%, comparing it to something obvious like "the sky is blue." Jurors were also reminded that Twitter had previously settled claims related to overstating user growth. Still, the company had long disclosed that its bot estimates could be imperfect. Judge Charles R. Breyer instructed jurors to remain fair, noting that personal opinions about Musk should not affect the outcome. Originally published on vcpost.com NO EVIDENCE: Former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley addresses the media during a news conference yesterday at his home in Glencoe. Photo: KERWIN PIERRE New York, US (PANA) - A sustained global effort is needed to tackle the root causes of sexual exploitation and abuse, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning that funding cuts risk undermining hard-won progress Airdate: Caper Crew ABC Family's brand new heist series draws inspiration from the incredible true stories of the Kangaroo Gang Family adventure series Caper Crew will premiere on ABC iview and ABC Family in April. Starring Tina Bursill (Strife), Annie Maynard (Colin From Accounts), Guy Edmonds (Hardball) and Michael Theo (Austin), the series draws inspiration from the incredible true stories of the Kangaroo Gang, a notorious group of Australian crims who pulled off daring jewellery heists around Europe in the 1960s. Life for siblings Amelia and Kai Delaney is pretty quiet in boring Woodspringuntil their glamorous con-artist grandmother Queenie (Bursill), mysteriously appears on their doorstep. Before long, she introduces them to the Ten Con-mandments her personal playbook of mischief, mayhem and the art of the grift. Queenies arrival sparks a hunt for Woodsprings greatest mystery: the missing Woodspring Nug, a priceless meteorite stolen nearly 30 years ago by Queenies infamous Kangaroo Gang, then somehow lost. With a $100,000 reward on offer, the race to find it is on! Amelia and Kai recruit thespian extraordinaire Penelope and gentle giant Ophelbert to form their own gang, the Joeys. Together they must outsmart Queenies old crew and Amelias all-powerful nemesis, Emilia Katinkatonk. But as the search for the Nug heats up, the Joeys and Queenie discover the real treasure might just be family and bringing down the Katinkatonk dynasty once and for all. Production credit: Caper Crew is an Easy Tiger Production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia, the ABC and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation. Financed with support from Screen NSW. Executive Producers: Ian Collie, Rob Gibson. Series Producer: Yingna Lu. ABC Commissioning Editor: Mary-Ellen Mullane. ACTF Executive Producer: Bernadette OMahony. Distribution by the Australian Childrens Television Foundation. 6am Friday 10 April on ABC iview 7:45pm Sunday 12 April on ABC Family. Airdate: Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness Sketch comedy series from Larry David to premiere in June. Sketch comedy limited series Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness debuts in June on HBO Max. From creator Larry David and Jeff Schaffer, and produced by Barack and Michelle Obamas Higher Ground, the seven-episode series will debut weekly leading up to the finale on Saturday, 8 August. The news was announced at SXSW over the weekend during a panel with David and Jeff Schaffer, moderated by Los Angeles Times Lorraine Ali, where new footage from the series was shown. President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honour Americas 250th anniversary, and celebrate its unique history on this special occasionBut then Larry David called. In addition to David, the series will feature select Curb Your Enthusiasm actors and noteworthy guest stars. The series is written and executive produced by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer, who also serves as director. Executive produced by Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Ethan Lewis and Vinnie Malhotra for Higher Ground. Weekly from Saturday 27 June on HBO Max. Casting Guild of Australia: First Nations Acting Initiative recipients 20 First Nations performers receive casting, representation and exposure opportunities. The Casting Guild of Australia in partnership with Showcast, has launched its inaugural First Nations Acting Initiative to celebrate and amplify the voices of First Nations actors. The initiative invited performers aged 15 to 80 from across the country to submit auditions, welcoming participants at all stages of their careers from amateur and emerging actors to established professionals. Submissions were reviewed by a panel comprising representatives from CGA and Showcast, alongside acclaimed actor Rob Collins (Total Control, RFDS) and producer Greer Simpkin (Sweet Country, Mystery Road) from Bunya Productions. 20 finalists have now been selected: Ajay Williams Chenile Chandler Colin W. Smith Corey Saylor-Brunskill Djalu Barsah Jai Craig-Fraser Jai Wright Jamie-Lee Black Joe Schmidt Josie Rose Flanders Koylan Sampi Mollie Nichaloff Nestor Jordan Riley Warner Ruby May Henaway Sarah Roberts-Field Taylor Rayfield Theo Clarke Trinity West Zak Patel Casting director and CGA representative Anousha Zarkesh said, It is so exciting to see the wealth of new talent we discovered from across Australia from our inaugural First Nations Acting Initiative. We hope to support the actors moving forward and intend to run this initiative again this year. Collins said, Seeing the breadth of talent from our mob makes me so excited for the future. This initiative will help put more Indigenous faces and stories on our screens, where they should be. Simpkin said, It has been an absolute privilege to watch the auditions for this wonderful First Nations Acting Initiative created by the Casting Guild of Australia and Showcast. What a great depth of talent! I wish the finalists and all those that auditioned the very best with their acting careers. The 20 recipients will receive: 12 Months Free Showcast Membership: Valued at $250. Representation Opportunities: Assistance in connecting with professional acting agents for ongoing representation. Interview: Meet and greet with Anousha Zarkesh (casting director) and Rob Collins (actor) Industry Exposure: auditions will be accessible to casting directors across Australia for future film, TV and theatre projects. All performers who submitted will remain visible to members of the Casting Guild of Australia through Showcast, ensuring that the full breadth of talent discovered through the First Nations Acting Initiative can continue to be viewed and considered for future casting opportunities across the Australian screen industry. Finalists who are not currently represented by an agent may also be introduced to reputable talent agencies through informal industry connections facilitated by members of the Casting Guild of Australia, with the intention of helping create opportunities for representation. The Casting Guild of Australia extends its sincere thanks to all performers who participated, as well as the panel members and partners who supported the First Nations Acting Initiative. The CGA recognises the importance of continuing to amplify and support the creative voices of First Nations artists across the Australian screen industry. London, UK (PANA) - The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is holding a two-day Extraordinary Session of its Council to address the impacts on shipping and seafarers of the situation in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz The UN children's agency said "violence and conflict are raging" across the state of Jonglei in South Sudan, creating a "deteriorating situation for children". "An estimated 100,000 people have crossed the border into Ethiopia, and others have moved to safer areas in Jonglei and Upper Nile states," Unicef said in a statement, shared with news agencies on Tuesday. "All those receiving treatment in Akobo hospital, previously a safe haven for the sick and injured, have left," the statement continues. "Reports confirm that the hospital has been looted and is now closed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that rates of malnutrition among displaced children were "worryingly high". Twenty-eight health and nutrition facilities have been destroyed, looted or shut in Jonglei so far this year, at a time when the region is facing a cholera outbreak, the agency said. Health, nutrition and clean water and sanitation supplies have been stolen in 17 incidents countrywide, 80 percent in Jonglei, and rates of malnutrition amongst displaced children are worryingly high a quarter of all children under five are malnourished Unicef in South Sudan has delivered 220 metric tons of supplies to displaced populations in some of the affected areas, access remains a challenge in some areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Refugee camps overwhelmed as cholera spreads in South Sudan Ongoing conflict Akobo in the eastern state of Jonglei is the latest flashpoint as fighting between the government and opposition has brought South Sudan back to the brink of all-out civil war. The army ordered an evacuation of the town, including foreign aid agencies, on 6 March. It claims to have since taken control of Akobo, though there have been conflicting reports of events on the ground, which have been impossible to verify due to limited communications. A security source told AFP that the army had taken over the military barracks in Akobo and destroyed buildings in the vicinity to create a buffer zone, but no official report had yet been issued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but soon descended into civil war and remains mired in extreme poverty and corruption. A 2018 power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival Riek Machar has been unravelling since early 2025, with clashes in multiple areas and fears of a return to full-blown war. (with AFP) By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA/QUITO, March 18 (Reuters) - Explosions in cocaine labs in Colombia near its border with Ecuador killed 14 people in January, Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday, when asked to clarify accusations by Colombian President Gustavo Petro that an Ecuadorean security operation resulted in more than two dozen deaths in the area. Ecuador's defense ministry said in a statement it had conducted a legitimate operation in its own territory, and was working together with Colombian officials to establish "the reasons why the explosive appeared in Colombian territory." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanchez said Colombian and Ecuadorean authorities are examining together whether sovereignty has been violated. Petro this week suggested Ecuador had bombed Colombian territory, leaving behind 27 charred bodies, though he provided no further evidence or information. Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa flatly denied the accusation, saying his country had bombed drug traffickers within its own territory and the locations were hideouts for narco-terrorism groups of mostly Colombian origin. PEOPLE WERE BURNED ALIVE: MINISTER Twelve people in the border province Narino were killed on January 22 and two others died days later, Sanchez said, when asked by journalists about the figure of 27 dead given by Petro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The information we have at this moment is that those people died after being burned alive. The site where they died was a cocaine laboratory, and the causes and who was behind it are under investigation. Two other people died under similar conditions at another site on January 24," he said. "It is very difficult to speculate, to say that it is so or that it is not," Ecuador Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld told radio station FM Mundo when asked whether the bomb belonged to Ecuador. "We are open to receiving the diplomatic note ... so that we can respond technically, with due importance given to that case." Sommerfeld reiterated that operations carried out by Ecuador take place in Ecuadorean territory and said her country was open to dialogue to resolve the impasse. Petro on Tuesday reposted an image from Colombian state-run television station RTVC that it said showed one of the bombs, a dark green cylinder lying in foliage. On Wednesday, he added in a new post that the bomb, which Sanchez said had been disarmed, was found just over the border near a site bombed by Ecuador and was fired from a low-flying plane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ecuador on Sunday launched a two-week-long security operation in four provinces on or near the Pacific coast to beat back gang violence. It has repeatedly held operations on its Colombian border, a major hub for trafficking of drugs that are then smuggled north to the U.S. by sea. Ecuador has said its anti-drug trafficking operations are supported by allied countries, including the United States. Noboa had repeatedly courted the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump for his anti-crime initiatives. Noboa raised duties on Colombian goods to 50% last month, claiming the neighbor was not doing enough to fight drug trafficking, and Colombia said it was considering a reciprocal measure. Earlier in March, U.S. President Donald Trump gathered a raft of right-wing aligned Latin American presidents to a summit in Florida known as "Shield of the Americas" where leaders agreed to prioritize military tactics against organized crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Petro, who also uses military operations but emphasizes social and economic programs such as crop substitution initiatives for coca farmers, was absent from the summit. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota, additional reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito, writing by Julia Symmes Cobb, editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel and Diane Craft) STOCKHOLM, March 18 (Reuters) - Iran executed a Swedish citizen on Wednesday, Sweden's foreign minister said, adding that she had summoned the Iranian ambassador in Stockholm to condemn the decision. The person, who was not named, was arrested in Iran in June of last year and Sweden has repeatedly raised the case with Iranian officials, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said. "The death penalty is an inhumane, cruel and irreversible punishment. Sweden, together with the rest of the EU, condemns its application in all circumstances," Stenergard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal proceedings leading up to the execution did not meet the standards of due process, she added. The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the execution in a statement on Wednesday evening. "The appalling human rights situation in Iran and the alarming increase in executions are intolerable and show the regime's true colours," she said, sending condolences to the family of the citizen. The Swedish foreign ministry and the Iranian embassy in Stockholm did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Reuters via phone and email. (Reporting by Johan Ahlander in Stockholm, Louise Rasmussen in Copenhagen and Inti Landauro in Brussels, editing by Terje Solsvik and Hugh Lawson) The Trump administration is reportedly considering cutting back on HIV aid to Zambia unless the country agrees to a deal giving the United States more access to its minerals. Last year, the Trump administration suspended billions of dollars in foreign aid, disrupting humanitarian efforts worldwide. Following those cuts, the State Department has been trying to pressure countries into signing new agreements pledging to meet certain conditions in order to receive aid. According to a report by the New York Times, a draft memo from the State Department outlines plans to significantly cut assistance in May to pressure the Zambian government into a deal. The US is allegedly trying to use the deal to gain more access to Zambias mineral wealth, which includes huge reserves of copper, lithium and cobalt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Zambia, around 1.3 million people rely on HIV treatment to survive. 42% of those drugs are provided through PEPFAR, the US Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Zambia has been one of the top beneficiaries of PEPFAR assistance, which began under the George W. Bush administration at a time when 90,000 people a year were dying of AIDS-related complications in the country and the health system was collapsing. The New York Times obtained a copy of a draft memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio by the departments Africa Bureau staff. We will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale, the memo stated. The document went on to outline how getting the Zambian government to sign the deal would involve the potential use of sticks, adding that the country should not be allowed to backtrack because other countries are watching. If the Zambian government refused to sign, sharp public cuts to American foreign assistance would significantly demonstrate to aid-receiving countries the seriousness of our interest in collaboration and our insistence on tangible benefits under our America First foreign policy, the memo stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the New York Times report, the deal proposes to give Zambia $1 billion in health aid over five years, which is less than half the amount of assistance the country received before the Trump administration took office. Zambia would also need to commit $340 million in new health spending of its own to receive the funding. A second part of the deal would give American businesses increased access to Zambias mineral resources, while a third part would see the renegotiation of a contract with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, requiring regulatory changes in mining and other industries. As the memo suggests, Zambia will need to agree to all three parts of the agreement by May in order to maintain the portion of HIV aid it now receives through PEPFAR. The memo was approved by a number of officials who are informing the American side of the negotiations. The State Department has declined to comment on the memo, replying to the New York Timess request by stating that it would not comment on purportedly leaked documents or on deliberative diplomatic discussions. The post Trump administration threatens to cut HIV aid unless Zambia allows minerals extraction appeared first on GCN. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home The New Moon has not sighted in Saudi Arabia today, accordingly Eid al Fitr will be celebrated in the Kingdom and other Arab States on Friday March 20, 2026, the Royal Court said. Eid 2026 Moon Sighting Live Updates: Afghanistan is the only country so far to mark Eid al Fitr on Thursday March 19, 2026. "The High Court of the Islamic Emirate has declared tomorrow (Thursday) as the first day of Eid al-Fitr", local media reported. Afghanistan's Supreme Court announced that numerous people in Farah, Helmand, and Ghor provinces have sighted the Crescent Moon today (Wednesday March 18, 2026), and their testimony has been officially deemed credible. Countries that have announced Friday March 20, 2026 as the First Day of Eid al Fitr Saudi Arabia Qatar Kuwait United Arab Emirates (UAE) Bahrain Yemen Palestine Turkey Lebanon Jordan Philippines United States of America France Australia Germany Countries where Eid Moon Sighting is on Thursday March 19, 2026 India Pakistan Bangladesgh Indonesia Malaysia Nepal United Kingdom (UK) Singapore New Zealand Sri Lanka These countries will confirm the first day of Eid al Fitr based on the sighting of Moon on Thursday. 06:50 PM (Makkah Time): Eid 2026 Moon Not Sighted in Saudi Arabia The New Moon has not sighted in Saudi Arabia today, accordingly Eid al Fitr will be celebrated in the Kingdom and other Arab States on Friday March 20, 2026, the Royal Court said. "Eid Al-Fitr will be celebrated on Friday in Saudi Arabia after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted on Wednesday evening", the Saudi Supreme Court announced. Similar announcements have also been made by the reiligious authorties in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and other Middle East countries. Not sighting of the Eid Moon today means Ramdan this year will have a total of 30 days with Thursday March 19 being 30th Ramadan 1447 H, and Friday March 20, 2026 will be marked as the first day of Eid al Fitr. 05:30 PM (Makkah Time): Eid 2026 Moon Sighting announcement shortly The Moon Sighters led by Chief Observer Dr Abdullah Al-Khudairi have reached Sudair and Tumair - Saudi Arabias primary official observatories in Riyadh, for Eid Moon sighting. The Eid Moon announcement by the Saudi Royal Court will follow based on the reports submitted by the official observatories. 05:00 PM (Makkah Time): Moon Sighters on their way to observatories A team of observers appointed by The Saudi Royal Court are set to station at Sudair and Tumair - Saudi Arabias primary official observatories for moon sighting in Riyadh. A team of observers appointed by The Saudi Royal Court are set to station at Sudair and Tumair - Saudi Arabias primary official observatories for moon sighting in Riyadh a little while from now. Announcement of the results of the Eid Moon Search will be made around 6:10 PM Makkah Time today i.e. Wednesday March 18, 2026. 12:30 PM (Makkah Time): UAE restricts Eid Prayers on open grounds The UAE said Eid Al Fitr prayers this year will be limited to mosques for security reasons, the General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat announced on Wednesday. Gatherings in Eid prayer grounds or open areas will be restricted and worship services will be held only in mosques, the authority clarified. This step, they said, aligns with the measures taken by the country to ensure the safety of faithful. The Islamic Affairs Department and Charitable Work in Dubai, and the Islamic Affairs Department in Sharjah, have also coordinated with authorities to make this decision, according to the announcement. The authority has urged worshippers to adhere to guidelines and arrive early to perform the Eid prayer in mosques to ensure their safety. Meanwhile, The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal in Malaysia and Religious Affairs Ministryin Indonesia said sighting of the Eid Moon will be on Thursday March 19, 2026. The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs conducts official sightings (rukyatul hilal) at multiple points nationwide. The start of 1 Shawwal 1447 Hijriyah will be determined during an isbat session scheduled for March 19, 2026, the Ministry said. The authorities in Morocco also said they will confirm the first day of Eid after sighting on Moon on Tursday. In New Zealand, the sighting of the Moon will be on Friday, local Muslim groups said. 09:30 AM (Makkah Time): USA, France Confirms First Day of Eid Even as the Saudi Royal Court and religious authorities in the Arab and other Middle Eastern countries are gearing up for the Eid Moon sighting today, USA, Canada, France and other countries have confirmed the first day of the Muslim festival in the respective countries. In a statement released for general public, the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) announced that Eid al-Fitr 2026 in France will be celebrated on Friday, March 20, 2026. The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) has also confirmed the first day of Eid al Fitr as Friday, March 20, 2026. In a statement released on its website, the Australian National Imams Council also said that the Month of Ramadan will conclude on Thursday, 19th March 2026, which will be the last day of Ramadan for 1447AH I 2026. "The Day of Eid Al-Fitr will be on Friday, 20th of March 2026, and the first day of the Month of Shawwal 1447AH 1 2026, it said attributing the decision to Australian Fatwa Council. Wifaqul Ulama London in the United Kingdom (UK) and Majils Ugama Islam Singpaore will confirm the first day of Eid on Thursday March 19, 2026. 01:00 AM (Makkah Time): Eid 2026 Moon Sighting Today The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Justice UAE, Religious Authorities and Moon Sighting Committees in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Morocco, Jordan and other Arab states in separate appeals have called upon the local residents to sight the Crescent, the New Moon, of the month of Shawwal 1447 AH today i.e. Wednesday 29th of Ramadan 1447 AH corresponding to March 18, 2026. Eid al Fitr marks the end of the Holy Month of Fasting, Ramadan. "Local residents should report to the nearest court in case the Eid crescent or the New Moon is spotted Wednesday, so that a decision to confirm the first day of Eid al Fitr 2026 is taken", the appeals issued by Saudi Arabia and other countries said. The Royal Court of Saudi Arabia called on whoever spots the Crescent with naked eyes or through binoculars to report to a nearest court and register his testimony, or report to an authority of a region's centre in his area. As per the normal practice, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also announced the formation of a Moon Sighting Committee to spot the crescent. "The committee will meet after Maghrib prayers on Wednesday 29th of Ramadan 1447 AH corresponding to March 18, 2026 at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department to spot the crescent", the government sources said. Eid al Fitr 2026 Moon Sighting Special arrangements have also been made and general appeals issued by the authorities in Qatar and other Gulf states including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Muscat, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria and Palestine to sight the Eid Moon today on Wednesday 29th of Ramadan 1446 AH of the Islamic Calendar corresponding to March 18, 2026. "Eid will be celebrated on Thursday March 19, 2026 if the new moon is spotted today. If the moon is not sighted today, then Thursday will mark a regular fasting day, and Eid will be celebrated on Friday March 20, 2026", the Saudi Royal Court said. However, the Muslims in America and Canada will celebrate Eid on Friday March 20, 2026. In a statement, the Fiqh Council of North America said the Astronomical New Moon will be born on the evening of Thursday, March 19, 2026. On that evening the elongation is more than 8 degrees and the moon is more than 5 degrees above the horizon. "Hence the first day of Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr) is Friday, March 20, 2026, inshaAllah", the Council said. How Eid Moon is confirmed Islamic Calendar is based on lunar system. Under this system, a new month begins with sighting of the New Moon on 29th of every month. If the crescent is spotted on 29th, the prevailing month ends and the new month begin on the next day. However, if the moon is not spotted on 29th, the next day is counted as the 30th day of the prevailing month and the new month starts a day later. Accordingly, Eid al Fitr celebrations in Saudi Arabia will commence on Thursday March 19, 2026 if the New Moon is spotted in the Kingdom today. Else, the first day of Eid will be Friday March 20, 2026. As for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, also for Turkey, Egypt and Palestine, Eid al Fitr is normally celebrated in these countries along with Saudi Arabia. Though these countries have their own observatories and moon committees, they normally go with the announcement made by Saudi Arabia. Eid al Fitr 2026 Moon Sighting in other countries Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries will spot the Eid Moon on Thursday March 19, 2026, which coincides with the 29th day of Ramadan in these countries. Similarly, Muslims in United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Germany and other countries too will confirm the first day of Eid al Fitr today i.e. Wednesday March 18, 2026. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine and other Arab countries have also announced Eid holidays. In Saudi, the public holiday for Eid Al Fitr is set to begin on Wednesday, March 18, which corresponds to 29th of Ramadan, 1447 AH, and will last four days for all employees. Normal work will resume on Sunday, March 22, the authority stated. The UAE has already announced the Eid Al Fitr public holiday for employees in the federal and private sectors. For federal government entities, the Eid Al Fitr holiday will begin on Thursday, March 19, 2026, and continue until Sunday, March 22, 2026. Official working hours will resume on Monday, March 23, 2026. For the private sector employees, the holiday will run from Thursday, March 19, 2026, until Saturday, March 21, 2026. Employees who normally work on Sundays will be required to return to work on Sunday, March 22. Eid al Fitr 2026 celebrations in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and other Arab states this year will be held amidst the war between Iran, United States and Israel. However, the Spirit of Eid al Fitr has already taken into its grip the local residents despite the tense situation. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic The exchange is taking place on March 1819 in Vietnams Quang Ninh province and Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Vietnamese delegation is led by Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang, while the Chinese side is headed by Chinese Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun. The two sides are participating in activities in Vietnam on March 18 and in China on March 19. The forces are ready to welcome delegates attending the exchange programme. (Photo: qdnd.vn) In Quang Ninh, activities on March 18 began with a welcome ceremony for the Chinese defence minister at the Mong Cai International Border Gate (the demarcation line on Bac Luan Bridge I). The two ministers will then take part in a range of joint engagements, including a friendship tree-planting ceremony at the border gate, the sgtart of work on a medical station in Hai Son commune, and visits to the Tran Phu High School and Tra Co Border Guard Station. They are also scheduled to hold official talks before a send-off ceremony for the Chinese delegation on Bac Luan Bridge II. In China, the main activities scheduled for March 19 include a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at the Dongxing International Border Gate; a visit by the two defence ministers to a border guard company, where they will also plant friendship trees; and the launch of a joint patrol and training exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin. The two sides will also visit a commemorative stele, an exhibition wall highlighting the starting point of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail, as well as local enterprises. In addition, the delegations will lay wreaths at a monument to fallen soldiers of the Vietnam China peoples revolutionary forces, before a farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at the Dongxing International Border Gate. One of the highlights of this years exchange is the joint patrol and training exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin involving the two countries navies. The Vietnam Peoples Navy has deployed a task group comprising frigates 015 Tran Hung Dao and 012 Ly Thai To from Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 to take part in the joint activities with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The Vietnam China Border Defence Friendship Exchange is an annual important defence diplomacy activity held in border provinces of the two countries. Over time, it has continued to expand in both scope and depth, featuring a wide range of practical and meaningful activities. The programme holds significant political importance, with strong support from leaders at all levels and the public of both countries, as well as attention from the international community. Through each edition, Vietnam China defence cooperation has recorded positive progress, helping to further deepen relations between the two countries and their militaries./. VNA 'Diamond tycoon' arrested, wealthy Nghe An family in turmoil South African authorities have arrested two Vietnamese individuals, Huy Bao Tran and Chu Dang Khoa, for their alleged involvement in a large-scale rhino horn smuggling ring in South Africa. Khoa reportedly owns an elephant sanctuary in South Africa and is associated with expensive supercars and rare gemstone collections. Chu Dang Khoa is closely linked with Thien Minh Duc Group (TMD Group). In his role as a major shareholder, at one point holding over 31 percent of the charter capital, Khoa and his mother, Chu Thi Thanh (Chairwoman), led the company. This is not merely a fuel trading company but also a diversified business empire in Vietnams central region. On January 17, 2025, the Investigation Police Agency officially decided to initiate a criminal case related to violations at Thien Minh Duc Group. Thanh, along with several accomplices, was prosecuted on two charges: embezzlement of property and illegal printing, issuance and trading of invoices and documents. Vuong's assets soar, Vietnam has 3 more dollar billionaires Forbes has just announced the list of the world's top 200 USD billionaires. Among them, Pham Nhat Vuong, Chairman of Vingroup, ranks 93rd with estimated assets of about $27.7 billion (as of March 1). Vuong's assets have surpassed those of the Samsung President. In 2026, Vietnam gained 3 more USD billionaires, namely Vingroup Vice Chair Pham Thu Huong ($3 billion); Pham Thuy Hang, Vingroup Vice Chair ($2.1 billion); and VPBank Chair Ngo Chi Dung. Pham Thu Huong is the wife of Pham Nhat Vuong, and Pham Thuy Hang is Huong's sister. Nghe An enterprise bought 30kg of gold for VND142 billion On March 12, the Ha Tinh Department of Finance stated that the agency had just organized a draw for the right to buy nearly 30kg of pure gold. This was smuggled gold and seized in Ha Tinh. Six enterprises participated in the draw. However, no enterprise in Ha Tinh registered to draw for this gold. Among the six participating enterprises, one from Nghe An won the draw to buy these assets for VND142 billion. Banks offer trillion-VND debts of petroleum tycoons for sale After a long period of losses, Nam Song Hau Petro's loan of over VND1,300 billion at Agribank has been put up for auction to recover debt. Collateral includes a network of petrol stations and real estate. Meanwhile, the trillion-dong debt of Orient Oil is being prepared for auction by BIDV. The starting price equals the entire outstanding principal, interest, and fees (if any) as of December 26, 2025, estimated at VND1.353 trillion, including VND783.676 billion in principal and VND569.695 billion in interest. Bank stocks surge while oil & gas shares fall as crude prices cool At the end of the trading session on March 10, the stock market rebounded after a sharp drop. However, the recovery was not as strong as typically seen after major declines. The VN-Index rose 23.94 points to 1,676 points, equivalent to 1.45 percent. Bottom-fishing cash flows helped many blue-chip stocks rebound, while oil and gas shares came under pressure as global oil prices declined. Prior to that, on March 9, the stock market witnessed an unprecedented sharp decline, losing more than 6.5 percent with almost all major stocks dropping significantly. The conflict in the Middle East and the surge in oil prices strongly impacted investor sentiment. MOF proposes e-invoice exemption for online household sellers The Ministry of Finance is seeking public feedback on a draft decree regulating electronic invoices and documents. Notably, the drafting agency proposes several cases where the use of electronic invoices would not be required. The draft decree also proposes that electronic invoices generated from cash registers will not apply to the sale of goods or the provision of services conducted on e-commerce platforms or other digital platforms. In addition, the Ministry suggests that in certain cases where goods or services are sold to individual buyers who do not request invoices, sellers may issue a consolidated invoice at the end of the day. Rising fuel prices put pressure on exchange rate The State Bank of Vietnam said tensions in the Middle East have put pressure on the exchange rate and the domestic monetary market. Amid mounting pressure on the exchange rate, foreign currency supply and demand, and overall macroeconomic stability, the central bank has managed the central exchange rate flexibly in line with market developments, helping absorb external shocks. Hanh Nguyen With expanded development space and the emergence of new economic models, the central region a coastal gateway of Vietnam is gaining fresh momentum to develop logistics and attract strategic investment to seaport infrastructure. New development space Logistics and seaports have long been strengths of central coastal provinces. However, these advantages have yet to be fully tapped, meaning the marine economy has not become a key growth driver in many localities. Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the region boasts solid logistics infrastructure, with major seaports such as Chan May, Da Nang, and Chu Lai Ky Ha, well connected to road, expressway, rail and aviation networks. The central region from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai contributes about 1215% of Vietnams total import export turnover. Key export commodities include agro-forestry-fishery products, textiles apparel, footwear, processed food and raw materials. While Quang Tri and Hue focus on minerals, construction materials and garments, Quang Ngai, with the Dung Quat Economic Zone, is strong at exporting oil and heavy industrial products. Da Nang serves as a logistics and services hub, exporting software, electronic components and processed seafood. Meanwhile, Quang Nam, now part of Da Nang, was previously a centre for automobile and precision engineering industries. Despite these advantages, the regions export scale remains modest compared to the northern and southern hubs. This is largely due to fragmented logistics infrastructure, high transport costs, and the lack of internationally scaled trade and service centres. Seaports are scattered across localities, with no major hub capable of concentrating cargo for transshipment, while large integrated logistics centres remain limited. Besides, most logistics firms in the region are small and medium-sized enterprises with limited capacity and weak integration into global supply chains. Although Da Nang accounts for about 40% of the logistics workforce in the central key economic region, many businesses still operate under traditional models and have yet to strongly adopt Industry 4.0 technologies. These constraints highlight that the regions logistics landscape remains underdeveloped and incomplete. However, Hai noted that central Vietnam is entering a new phase of opportunity. Administrative boundary adjustments have expanded development space, enabling more comprehensive planning of inter-provincial logistics infrastructure and the formation of tightly linked supply chains. The Lien Chieu Port project and the coastal road connecting to the port in Hai Van ward, Da Nang city are under construction. (Photo: VNA) Notably, the Governments approval for Da Nang to establish a free trade zone is expected to mark a turning point, creating stronger international connectivity and fostering logistics and value-added service centres. With preferential tax policies and minimised administrative procedures, the model is likely to help attract large-scale foreign direct investment to the logistics industry and promote the development of regional hub ports. Attracting strategic capital Investment in seaports and logistics is gaining pace across the region, with both domestic and foreign investors showing strong interest. In Da Nang, following the completion of shared infrastructure at Lien Chieu Port, authorities are accelerating the bidding process for the development of this port's container terminal complex. Covering around 172.6 hectares with total investment estimated at over 1.75 billion USD, the project will include eight container berths with a total quay length of 2,750 metres, capable of accommodating vessels of up to 18,000 TEUs. It is expected to become a modern international port and a key growth driver for the region. Beyond Lien Chieu, Da Nang is investing in a coordinated logistics network, including Chu Lai, Tien Sa and Ky Ha ports, alongside upgrades to Da Nang International Airport, Chu Lai Airport, expressways, railways and industrial zones. Other localities are also stepping up investment. In Dak Lak province, Hoa Phat Group has started work on the Bai Goc Port project with total investment of about 16.3 trillion VND (nearly 620 million USD). Designed to handle vessels of up to 220,000 DWT and with an annual capacity of 26.7 million tonnes, the port will play a strategic role in enhancing regional connectivity. Hoa Phat is also developing Phase 1 of the Hoa Tam Industrial Park, worth nearly 4.2 trillion VND. Together, Bai Goc Port and the Hoa Tam Industrial Park are expected to play a critical role in expanding development space, enhancing logistics infrastructure connectivity, and attracting investment in Dak Lak. Meanwhile, Khanh Hoa province is developing modern logistics centres in Van Phong, Cam Ranh and other key areas, aiming to attract strategic investors and strengthen integrated transport, seaport, and warehouse infrastructure. With expanded development space, new economic models and rising investment flows, central Vietnam is well positioned to turn logistics into a major driver of national growth./. VNA Washington, DC, US (PANA) - As part of a broader regional effort to address one of the Horn of Africa's most pressing development challenges, the World Bank has approved a $35 million grant for the Government of Djibouti to expand access to safe and reliable water resources for rural communities in Djibouti The announcement was made at a conference held on March 17 at the Hung Kings Temple historical relic site to review preparations for the annual celebration. This years festival, together with the Ancestor Land Culture and Tourism Week, will take place from April 17 to 26 (the first to 10th days of the third lunar month) across the Hung Kings Temple complex and surrounding localities. The ceremonial part will feature traditional rituals, including incense-offering ceremonies commemorating the Hung Kings, a ceremony marking the death anniversary of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, as well as palanquin processions by local communities and a floral tribute at the bas-relief Uncle Ho talking to Tien Phong (Pioneer) Brigade. Delegates depart for Nghia Linh Mountain to offer incense and pay respects to the Hung Kings during last year's festival. (Photo: VNA) Alongside the rituals, a wide range of cultural activities will be organised, such as an opening art programme, folk performances, street festivals, exhibitions, traditional cake-making contests, water puppetry and Xoan singing performances, high-altitude fireworks, and night tours themed Sacred Hung Kings Temple Returning to the Roots. a conference is held on March 17 at the Hung Kings Temple historical relic site to review preparations for the Hung Kings Commemoration Day and Hung Kings Temple Festival 2026. (Photo: VNA) According to Pham Thi Hoang Oanh, deputy director of the sites management board, the Muong culture showcase will include the re-enactment of traditional rituals, folk songs, gong performances, and daily life. This is expected to enrich the festival while offering visitors deeper insight into the spiritual life of communities in Vietnams midland regions. Vice Chairwoman of the provincial Peoples Committee Phung Thi Kim Nga noted that the 2026 festival takes place in a special context following the completion of administrative restructuring and the implementation of a two-tier local government model. With an expanded and diversified scale reflecting the cultural identities of former Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh areas, the festival is expected to further promote the image of the land and people of Phu Tho./. After repeated natural disasters, Lao Cai has chosen solutions that work in harmony with nature to create a safer environment for residents and businesses. (Photo: Hoang Ha) Lao Cai requires a united planning structure following the administrative merger. The Red River water management project is positioned as the foundation for establishing a macro legal framework toward a 2050 vision. In early October 2025, at Kim Thanh Border Gate No2, parking lots were full. Container trucks queued for customs clearance. Trade flows moved smoothly. Supply chains remained seamless. The border trade economy is accelerating strongly. Despite heavy losses from natural disasters, the bustling trade offered the clearest proof of the vitality of a new economic entity. The merger of Lao Cai and Yen Bai created a planning boundary of 13,256.92 sqm, comprising 10 wards and 89 communes. This was not a simple administrative addition. The space stretches from low-lying midland areas to border mountain passes, with a 181.951 km international border adjoining Chinas Yunnan Province. The Lao Cai Provincial People's Council approved Resolution No 05 on adjusting the Provincial Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, on February 9, 2026. The plan reshapes spatial organization and bridge infrastructure gaps post-merger. Lao Cai takes the Red River dynamic axis as its center. The province focuses investment on two North-South poles, aiming to create a spillover effect and promote the development of three satellite economic regions. Lao Cai province will allow the flexible conversion of urban agricultural land into construction land to meet high-tech infrastructure criteria while avoiding flood drainage corridors. Safe space is the basis for Lao Cai to adhere to Central government policies. Lao Cai is committed to shifting toward an in-depth growth model after experiencing heavy damage from natural disasters. The province strives for an average GRDP growth rate of 11 percent per year in 2026-2030 according to Resolution 05. The industry-construction sector plays a leading role. Budget revenue aims to exceed VND32,000 billion. Average GRDP per capita is targeted at VND150 million. An ASEAN gateway The total investment capital for the 5-year plan (until 2030) is determined to be up to VND600,000 billion. State capital leads core infrastructure with VND171,000 billion (23 percent), while non-state capital accounts for VND429,000 billion (77 percent). The province aims to have over 18,000 businesses by 2030 which contribute over 72 percent of GRDP. The province determines that economic growth goes hand in hand with social welfare. Lao Cai aims to raise average life expectancy to 75.5 years. Healthy life years should reach 68 years. The trained labor rate is targeted at 75 percent. The target happiness index is 72 percent. The multi-dimensional poverty rate is to decrease by 2.5-3 percentage points each year. The planning repositions the strategic status beyond domestic boundaries. Lao Cai will be the growth pole of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region by 2030. The province will become a trade center between Vietnam, ASEAN, and Southwest China. By 2050, Lao Cai will be a Northern development center. The locality is establishing a transcontinental connection axis from ASEAN and China to Europe. The strategic focus is to build the Border Gate Economic Zone into an international trade center, with the Cross-Border Cooperation Zone as the core. This area is proposed to apply specific mechanisms regarding tariffs, electronic customs, smart logistics, and cross-border payments. Border gate policies combined with regional transport infrastructure create a major logistics axis. The standard-gauge railway line connecting directly to seaports is the physical premise. A total import-export value of $10 billion is the goal for 2030. The tourism industry will leverage infrastructure to attract over 15 million visitors. Expected revenue is VND70,000 billion. Long-term vision Lao Cai is removing bottlenecks in the very first year to implement the goal of mobilizing VND600,000 billion for the 5-year plan and heading toward the 2050 vision. Lao Cai province targets a 2026 GRDP growth of over 10 percent. The scale of the economy should reach over VND155,000 billion, aiming to attract VND90,000 billion in investment capital and VND23,500 billion in budget revenue. Import-export value is expected to reach $6.1 billion. Investment focus is concentrated on vital transport infrastructure with projects such as the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway, the expansion of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, and resolving flooding issues related to the Red River. The private economy is identified as the driving force. According to Lao Cai Chair Nguyen Tuan Anh, Lao Cai has established a "target-based" mechanism for indicators. The province strives to add 1,000-2,000 new businesses each year. The investment environment will completely eliminate the "ask-give" mechanism. Doan Bong Held under the theme Vietnamese Pho A living heritage in the modern era, the festival aims to honour the countrys traditional 'pho' craft while contributing practical evidence and data to support the preparation of a dossier seeking UNESCO recognition for 'pho' as a world cultural heritage. According to Le Thi Thiet, Chairwoman of the Ninh Binh Culinary Culture Association, the event continues the success of previous editions and seeks to reaffirm the historical roots of pho-making and its continuous development across different regions. It also aims to promote research and standardisation efforts to help complete the nomination dossier and advance the goal of integrating Vietnamese 'pho' into the global flow of intangible cultural heritage. The festival is expected to feature around 50 booths from leading 'pho' brands and enterprises nationwide, showcasing cooking demonstrations and exhibitions retracing the origin, evolution and spread of the iconic dish. Key activities will include the appraisal programme Vietnamese Pho imprint, the forum Vietnamese Pho in the flow of world heritage, a culinary performance themed Three-region rolled pho strip, the art night Pho connect, and a seminar titled We love Pho Heritage bridge and global connectivity mission. In addition, from March 18 - 19, a heritage experience programme titled Returning to Van Cu communal house Opening a heritage chapter will take place at Van Cu village communal house in Nam Dong commune. Visitors will be able to observe the pho-making process, taste local dishes and join cultural exchange activities. Van Cu village is considered one of the cradles of traditional 'pho' in Ninh Binh. The craft has been passed down through generations, with villagers bringing their family recipes to different parts of the country, helping shape the reputation of Vietnamese 'pho'. The festival is also expected to promote culinary tourism, enhance Ninh Binhs image, strengthen regional linkages and attract more visitors, thereby contributing to the provincial service sector's growth while fostering community pride in cultural heritage./. VNA Welcoming the ambassador during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Prime Minister extended his best wishes to the ambassador, his family, and the people of the UAE. He also sent his congratulations and thanks to the UAE President and Vice President for their efforts in promoting bilateral relations. The Prime Minister appreciated the ambassadors contributions to bilateral ties, noting that the two countries have established a Comprehensive Partnership and signed Vietnams first and only Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in the Middle East. VietnamUAE relations have continued to grow, with the UAE now Vietnams largest trading partner in the Middle East and a potential investor. For Vietnam, the UAE is not only an important economic partner but also a sincere and reliable friend sharing common values of peace, cooperation, and prosperity. Sharing Vietnams past losses and suffering caused by war, PM Chinh expressed concern over the current developments in the UAE and the broader Middle East region. He reaffirmed Vietnams consistent stance that disputes and conflicts must be resolved through peaceful means, including dialogue and negotiation, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. He stressed that Vietnam stands ready to cooperate with the UAE and contribute to efforts to maintain peace and stability in each country and the region. Recalling his frank, sincere, and successful phone talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Prime Minister called on the ambassador to closely coordinate with the Vietnamese side to promptly implement key agreements reached. These include supplying oil and gas to Vietnam as needed, ensuring safety and timeliness; advancing steps to upgrade bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership; and promoting priority areas such as accelerating negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), strengthening cooperation in developing an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and concretising cooperation agreements between businesses and localities of both countries. PM Chinh also urged stronger cooperation in trade and investment, expressing hope for more major UAE enterprises to invest in Vietnam, particularly in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, high technology, infrastructure, and logistics, with landmark projects symbolising bilateral ties. He also highlighted the importance of business connectivity, economic linkages, and cooperation in labour, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Emphasising the importance of agreements reached during the phone talks, the Prime Minister said these are immediate responses to negative impacts of ongoing conflicts and reflect responsible and trustworthy cooperation between the two countries. He expressed confidence that peace and stability will soon be restored in the Middle East. For his part, Ambassador Bader Abdullah Almatrooshi welcomed the positive outcomes of the recent phone talks, describing them as a reflection of strong mutual trust, and commended the Prime Ministers efforts in fostering bilateral ties. Bilateral trade reached nearly 6.546 billion USD in 2025. Investment flows and business cooperation from the UAE to Vietnam have shown positive momentum. Notably, in February 2026, the UAEs G42 and ADQ announced a 1-billion-USD data centre project in Ho Chi Minh City in partnership with FPT, VinaCapital, and Viet Thai. Several Vietnamese firms, including VinFast, FPT, and Viettel, have also established offices in the UAE. Thanking the Prime Minister for sharing insights on the Middle East situation, the ambassador expressed high consensus with his views and reaffirmed the UAEs commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations, including oil supply cooperation, financial investment in Vietnams international financial centre, and key projects in high technology, infrastructure, and logistics. He also pledged to accelerate negotiations on the VietnamGCC FTA and work towards achieving a bilateral trade target of 10 billion USD in the near future, as agreed by PM Chinh and President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan./. VNA The update was delivered by Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, Chief of Office and spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, at a press conference held on March 18 by the Central Commission for Internal Affairs. The event announced the outcomes of a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Central Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness and Negativity. At the briefing, journalists raised questions about the progress of investigations into several high-profile cases, including alleged violations at the second campus projects of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Hospital, the Viet Trung mining and metallurgy company, and the National Institute of Forensic Psychiatry. According to the Ministry of Public Security, investigators have issued a conclusion of the investigation and proposed prosecuting former health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien along with nine other defendants. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien is accused of violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste. Investigators allege that she, along with Nguyen Chien Thang, Nguyen Kim Trung, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Dao Xuan Sinh and others, committed violations throughout the case, resulting in losses of more than VND803 billion (US$33 million) in state assets. Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan said that as of February 27, the investigative police agency under the Ministry of Public Security had completed its investigation into the case involving the second campus projects of Bach Mai and Viet Duc hospitals. Authorities have proposed prosecuting 10 defendants on three charges: violating regulations on the management and use of state assets causing loss and waste; fraud; and accepting bribes. Regarding the case at Viet Trung Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd., the ministry has initiated legal proceedings and charged eight defendants with three offenses: violating regulations on the management and use of state assets causing loss and waste; giving bribes; and accepting bribes. Investigators have so far recovered VND15 billion (US$615,000) and seized one apartment. In the case involving the National Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and related units and localities, Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan said that investigators from the Hanoi Police Department have prosecuted 65 defendants. They face multiple charges, including illegal drug possession, organizing illegal drug use, giving and receiving bribes, brokering bribery, abuse of power in the performance of official duties, falsifying case records and gambling. This case involves a very large number of defendants with multiple charges, and authorities have recovered more than VND10 billion (US$410,000) in cash, nearly US$60,000 and various real estate and other valuable assets, the spokesperson said. Thu Hang Nguyen Hoa Binh (left) and Pho Duc Nam. The Hanoi Police Investigation Agency has completed its investigation into a major fraud and money laundering case led by Pho Duc Nam. According to investigators, after defrauding investors of more than VND1.301 trillion (approximately US$53 million), Nam, also known as Mr Pips, carried out money laundering activities. Among those proposed for prosecution on charges of money laundering are Pho Duc Thang (born 1968), Nams father; Le Thi Lieu (born 1969), Nams mother; and Nguyen Hoa Binh, also known as Shark Binh. To facilitate the laundering scheme, Nam coordinated with a finance team to open e-wallet accounts at intermediary payment companies. One of these was Ngan Luong JSC, where Nguyen Hoa Binh served as chairman and directed overall operations. In June 2020, Ngan Luong JSC began receiving official requests from police agencies seeking verification of e-wallets that had received funds from investors participating in Nams forex trading platforms. An employee in the companys operations department, Nguyen Thi Nam, reported the matter to Binh. Investigators allege that although Binh was aware the forex platforms were operating illegally, he instructed staff not to provide genuine wallet information. Instead, they were directed to create data from alternative dummy wallets to submit to authorities. Binh is also accused of instructing subordinates to contact individuals working for Nams forex platforms to inform them of police verification requests. Staff then coordinated to draft responses and documents in a manner favorable to Nam. He allegedly approved the content of official replies and accompanying documents before they were signed and sent to authorities. Following these instructions, from June 2020 to mid-2021, employees who received verification requests would notify Nam. Nam would then provide or instruct his associates to send materials to Binhs staff via Telegram. Authorities determined that from June 15, 2020, when Ngan Luong JSC first responded to a request from Bac Ninh police, to September 23, 2022, when it issued its final response to Binh Duong police, 150 victims transferred more than VND213 billion (US$8.7 million) into the companys e-wallet accounts. In connection with the case, Pho Duc Thang was asked by his son to stand in and participate in transactions to purchase four real estate properties worth more than VND235 billion (US$9.6 million), using funds derived from criminal activities. Meanwhile, Le Thi Lieu was also asked to stand in for and take part in a property transaction worth more than VND220 billion (US$9 million), with funds originating from Nams crimes. Investigative documents conclude that there is sufficient evidence to determine that Thang and Lieu committed money laundering under Clause 3, Article 324 of the Penal Code. T. Nhung The Vietnam Trade Office in the US and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) held talks with representatives from the US National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and industry experts and businesses on March 16 to address regulatory challenges for seafood exports to the US, especially the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Seafood Expo North America in Boston, which brought together a large number of seafood companies, importers, distributors and industry organisations from many countries around the world. Vietnamese officials updated participants on progress in meeting the MMPAs compliance requirements, including the process of obtaining comparability findings for several Vietnamese fishing sectors. Some fisheries are still undergoing assessment and need to provide additional documentation and data to meet technical standards set by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NFIs representatives acknowledged Vietnams efforts to maintain direct dialogue with NOAA, including technical meetings to clarify aspects of fisheries management systems, monitoring mechanisms and measures to mitigate interactions with marine mammals. NFI pointed out that one of the main challenges is the lack of long-term data on interactions between fishing activities and marine mammal species as several monitoring and management programs in Vietnam have only been introduced in recent years, meaning that comprehensive datasets required for NOAAs evaluation are still being developed. NFI urged Vietnam to continue strengthening data collection, including fishermen logbook systems, observer programmes and measures to reduce bycatch. NFI also called for the establishment of a clearer roadmap of commitments with NOAA, including periodic reporting milestones on monitoring and data collection programs. Stressing Vietnams role in the global seafood supply chain, NFI said that the country remains an important supplier to the US market. Both sides agreed to enhance coordination ahead of further discussions with NOAA and other US agencies. The Vietnam Trade Office and VASEP also plan to continue working with US industry associations and businesses to address technical barriers and facilitate seafood exports to the US. The trade office also called for NFIs support to Vietnam public consultations conducted by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) related to two Section 301 investigations concerning forced labour and systemic overcapacity. Market boost A number of Vietnamese seafood exporters participated in the Seafood Expo North America, including Ahfishco, Biendong Seafood, Clfish Corp, Godaco, Hai Nam, Hai Vuong, IDI Corp, Interfish, Khang An Foods, Mekong Seafood Connection, Minh Phu Seafood Corp, Navico, Sa Ky Foods, Seaspimex, Seavina, TBES, Thong Thuan, Vifoods JSC and Vinh Hoan Corp. Their participation provides an opportunity to strengthen ties with existing import partners, monitor market trends and explore new cooperation opportunities, particularly in value-added seafood products and sustainably certified items, said Do Ngoc Hung, Vietnamese Trade Counsellor to the US. With the US remaining one of Vietnam's key seafood export markets, the exhibition expo serves as an important platform for Vietnamese companies to demonstrate supply capacity and adaptability to evolving requirements in the global seafood supply chain. The Seafood Expo North America 2026, held from March 15 to 17 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, is considered the largest seafood trade show in North America./. VNA These notices may impact flight operations, air traffic management, and flight planning for airlines, flight crews, and relevant agencies. According to consolidated data from active NOTAMs in Bahrain, Iran, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan, several flight information regions (FIRs) in the region are implementing high-level restrictive measures. These include full or partial FIR closures, transit flight restrictions, air traffic flow management (ATFM), suspension of specific air routes, and requirements for increased fuel reserves and operational risk assessments. In Bahrain, the Bahrain FIR is closed to all flight operations from 15:35 UTC on March 16 until an estimated 04:00 UTC on March 17. Exceptions apply to pre-approved flights departing from Bahrain International Airport (OBBI) and exiting the region via the NARMI waypoint. In Iran, the Tehran FIR remains closed until an estimated 08:30 UTC on March 22. All flight operations are suspended, except for medical, search and rescue, state, military, and pre-authorised flights. Additionally, the Iranian NOTAM warns that the conflict zone could extend to international waters within the Tehran FIR in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. In Qatar, the Doha FIR has implemented two consecutive levels of restrictions. From 14:00 UTC on March 16 to 02:59 UTC on March 17, this FIR is closed, except for pre-authorised state, medical evacuation, and search and rescue aircraft. From 03:00 UTC to 14:00 UTC on March 17, it is closed to transit flights while arrivals and departures are permitted only via LAEEB and DATRI waypoints with prior approval. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Emirates FIR is enforcing multiple stringent controls, including a partial FIR closure until 12:00 UTC on March 23, arrivals/departures restricted to designated waypoints, and transit flights permitted only westbound via the LUDID waypoint. Traffic flow management is in effect for departures exiting via ULBIS, TANSU, and PEKEM waypoints, while air routes M318, M550, and L710 are temporarily closed or restricted. Furthermore, all foreign operators must conduct risk assessments and obtain a "No Objection" notice from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) before operating, with the exception of private, medical evacuation, and state flights. In Saudi Arabia, the Jeddah FIR has implemented contingency measures, rendering all air routes within specified coordinates unavailable until 23:59 UTC on March 24. Aircraft arriving or operating within the FIR are advised to carry sufficient fuel for potential holding or diversions. In Oman, the Muscat FIR is maintaining alternative routing for traffic from the UAE via the TARDI and MIDGU waypoints, with potential flow management and air traffic control clearance requirements. Additionally, a temporary restricted area has been established in the Suhar region from ground level to FL150, effective until the end of March 31. In Jordan, flights to Jordanian airports may face operational delays until 06:00 UTC on March 18. Aircraft are advised to carry additional contingency fuel. In light of these developments, the CAAV recommends that airlines, air navigation service providers, and relevant units closely monitor regional NOTAMs. Stakeholders are urged to proactively review operational plans, select appropriate alternative routes, enhance safety risk assessments, and ensure regulatory fuel reserves are met to minimise the impact on international flights arriving, departing, or transiting the region./. VNA The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries, agencies, border localities, and several provinces and cities from both countries. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive development of relations between the two Parties and countries since the 16th meeting in December 2024. They discussed and agreed on many measures to continue effectively implementing the common perceptions reached by the two countries' high-ranking leaders, and to advance bilateral ties to a new stage of more practical and effective development. The two sides offered congratulations on each other's development achievements while emphasising the priority given to bilateral relations in each country's foreign policy. They highlighted strong progress in bilateral ties as seen in frequent strategic exchanges and high-level visits and contacts, along with increasingly completed cooperation mechanisms. Collaboration between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Communist Party of China, the Vietnamese National Assembly and the National People's Congress of China, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, as well as between their ministries and sectors has been increasingly strengthened. Meanwhile, economic, trade, investment, and tourism ties have grown robustly. China remains Vietnams largest trading partner, and Vietnam is Chinas fourth-largest. Strategic connectivity, particularly railway links, has also recorded notable progress, alongside vibrant locality-to-locality cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, they said. At the meeting, officials also candidly acknowledged certain outstanding issues in cooperation that require joint efforts to promote so as to fully tap the two sides' potential and strengths. Looking ahead, both sides agreed to enhance political trust, increase high-level exchanges and those at all levels, bring into full play the general coordinating role of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, and improve the effectiveness of substantive cooperation across sectors. They also pledged to expand local-level cooperation, strengthen people-to-people ties, and enhance coordination at multilateral forums. Deputy PM Son proposed establishing inter-governmental working groups in key areas. High priority should be given to railway cooperation to soon complete three standard-gauge railway projects linking the two countries, he said, suggesting China supply concessional loans, transfer technology, and provide railway workforce training for Vietnam. He also called on China to create conditions for Vietnam to open open trade promotion offices, continue opening its market to jVietnamese agricultural and aquatic products, and step up cooperation in standard-related matters. Son also expressed his hope for both sides to promote China's high-quality and high-tech investment in Vietnam, expedite the resolution of obstacles in some aid projects, and enhance coordination in energy infrastructure and border crossings, including increasing electricity import from China, ensuring fuel supply, expanding the smart border gate model, and building cross-border economic cooperation zones. Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi view a photo exhibition on VietnamChina relations held by the Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: VNA) The Vietnamese Deputy PM recommended fostering partnerships in agriculture, environment, finance banking, science technology, health, and people-to-people exchanges, especially by promptly identifying and implementing activities for the Vietnam China tourism cooperation year 20262027, and increasing scholarships for Vietnamese students in China. Agreeing with his host's proposals, Wang affirmed that China attaches importance to promoting mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam, and that it is ready to share development opportunities, and supports Vietnam in building an independent and self-reliant economy. China is ready to expand the import of high-quality goods, especially agricultural products, and promote balanced trade, he added. Wang stated that China will actively accelerate the construction of the three railway lines; cooperate in capital, technology, and railway personnel training; and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand investment in Vietnam. The two sides should strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as high technology, innovation, and clean energy, the minister proposed, expressing his hope that they will bolster people-to-people exchanges, as well as cultural, healthcare, and educational cooperation. He affirmed that China will provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students in various forms. During the meeting, the two sides straightforwardly discussed sea-related issues, agreeing to continue to seriously implement the high-level common perceptions, better control and resolve differences, and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea. Son asked the two sides put themselves in each other's shoes; respect each other's sovereignty and legitimate interests in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and continue to promote the role of sea-related negotiation mechanisms while accelerating negotiations to soon achieve an efficient and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea./. VNA Speaking at the Vietnam - US Innovation and Investment Forum held on March 17 in California, Mitchell described Vietnam as a critical link and a destination of increasing strategic importance. The strong commitment of the Vietnamese government, combined with a young and ambitious workforce, is acting as a powerful magnet for US investors, he said, adding that GEA is committed to building solid bridges to bring global technology corporations deeper into the Vietnamese market. Expanding cooperation in energy and high-tech sectors John W. Mitchell, Chairman of the Global Electronics Association (GEA), speaks at the forum on March 17. Photo: NIC Echoing this view, James Voss, Vice President of EXCEL Services Corporation, highlighted significant potential for cooperation in new energy sectors. He noted that accelerating research and development, strengthening clean energy infrastructure and investing in workforce training could lay the foundation for large-scale, symbolic projects between the two countries in the coming era. Demonstrating this momentum, the National Innovation Center (NIC) signed a series of strategic agreements with EXCEL Services, Azurich Investment Fund and major universities during the event. Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of NIC, emphasized that collaboration with global innovation ecosystems, particularly strategic partners in the US, would not only enhance Vietnams technological self-reliance but also help shape a stronger position in the global economic structure. Connecting global talent and technology leaders As part of a working trip from March 12 to 17, the NIC delegation held direct meetings with leading global technology companies and institutions, including NVIDIA, Meta, OpenAI, Marvell and Stanford University. The discussions focused on opening new opportunities for cooperation in talent development and advancing key technology sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and unmanned aerial vehicles. Attracting overseas Vietnamese talent was also identified as a top priority. At a seminar on March 14 connecting Vietnams innovation network and experts in Silicon Valley, Le Viet Quoc, a leading expert at Google, said artificial intelligence offers Vietnam an opportunity to solve major development challenges and make breakthroughs in strategic technology sectors. He pledged to help connect and mobilize around 100 top Vietnamese technology experts worldwide to contribute to the countrys development, with the initiative expected to begin in October this year. More than 90 Vietnamese scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and experts working at universities, research institutes and leading technology corporations in the US shared insights and proposed cooperation models in fields such as AI and digital twins, semiconductors, cloud computing, big data, quantum technology, blockchain, 5G and 6G networks, robotics and automation, biotechnology, energy and new materials, cybersecurity, aerospace and unmanned aerial systems. According to Vo Xuan Hoai, mobilizing this intellectual resource is a key factor in strengthening Vietnams internal technological capacity and advancing strategic technology industries. The series of events not only reinforced the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the US but also helped translate political commitments into tangible economic and technological outcomes, enabling Vietnam to integrate more deeply into global value chains. Du Lam TAIPEI and SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TPEx: 6492), a clinical stage company focusing on development of first-in-class therapeutics for oncology, rare diseases, and infectious diseases, today announced that its first-in-class investigational drug Pidnarulex (CX-5461) has demonstrated a significant research breakthrough in the field of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The research findings have been selected for presentation at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)one of the world's most influential conferences in oncology researchhighlighting the innovation of the mechanism and its promising clinical development potential recognized by the international scientific community. In recent years, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has increasingly emerged as a promising cancer treatment strategy attracting strong interest from the global pharmaceutical industry. Several major pharmaceutical companiesincluding Novartis, AstraZeneca, and Rochehave actively invested in related research, acquisitions, and collaborations, exploring the integration of next-generation photosensitizers with photo-immunotherapy approaches. The pre-clinical study shows that CX-5461 possesses photosensitizing properties. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, the compound generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative DNA damage and enhanced cancer cell death through both direct cytotoxicity and immune-mediated mechanisms. Under the same drug concentration conditions, cytotoxicity against cancer cells increased by approximately ten-fold. Further investigation revealed that CX-5461's binding to G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures works synergistically with light-induced ROS generation, significantly enhancing anti-tumor activity and prolonging survival. These findings suggest that, beyond its established anti-cancer mechanisms, CX-5461 also has the potential to be developed as a novel photosensitizer for photodynamic and novel photoimmuno-therapy. This emerging therapeutic strategy could potentially be applied to superficial tumors, skin cancers, and other localized treatment settings, enabling a cross-indication cancer treatment approach and opening new clinical applications in oncology. The AACR Annual Meeting serves as a premier global platform for validating groundbreaking science and presenting first-in-class mechanisms of action. Research presented at AACR frequently shapes future directions in biomedical innovation and often facilitates strategic collaborations, licensing agreements, and co-development opportunities with global pharmaceutical companies. Selection of this study for presentation further enhances the global visibility of CX-5461 in the field of innovative cancer therapeutics. The research will be presented during the "Radiation and Photodynamic Therapy Response Modifiers" clinical research session at the AACR 2026 Annual Meeting. Jason Huang, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Senhwa Biosciences, and KaiWei Hsueh, Ph.D., Associate Director of Clinical Research, will attend the conference and present the findings. Photodynamic therapy is a medical technology that combines a photosensitizing agent with specific wavelengths of light to activate the compound and generate singlet oxygen or free radicals, selectively destroying diseased cells or tissues. It is widely considered a minimally invasive treatment modality with relatively low systemic toxicity. PDT has already been applied in a range of diseases, including skin cancers, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, and cervical cancer. Market research also indicates continued growth in the global photodynamic therapy market. The oncology-focused PDT market was estimated at approximately USD 3.54 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 5.89 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 78%. With the increasing demand for precision oncology and minimally invasive therapies, photodynamic therapy is emerging as a key area of interest for global pharmaceutical development. Senhwa Biosciences stated that the newly identified mechanism and application of CX-5461 in photodynamic therapy further demonstrate the compound's potential as a multi-platform innovative anti-cancer therapeutic. The company will continue advancing related research and clinical development while actively exploring international partnerships and licensing opportunities to accelerate the global development of next-generation cancer treatments. SOURCE Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. Return of billion-dollar investment A notable development in Vietnams FDI landscape during the first two months of 2026 is the reappearance of a billion-dollar project. A high-tech manufacturing project specialising in advanced electronic circuit boards has been granted an investment registration certificate with total capital of 1.2 billion USD. According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance, the project represents a bright spot in Vietnams efforts to attract large-scale high-tech investments. Its implementation reflects the countrys strategy of selectively attracting FDI that incorporates advanced technologies, generates higher added value and strengthens linkages with domestic enterprises. Thanks in part to this project, Vietnam recorded more than 6 billion USD in newly registered FDI in the first two months of 2026. Although the figure declined 12.6% year-on-year, it remains a positive result given the current global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and fluctuations in trade and tariff policies in several major economies. Many multinational corporations are therefore adjusting their investment strategies, prioritising supply chain optimisation and reassessing overseas expansion plans. Nevertheless, the ongoing restructuring of supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region continues to create opportunities for Vietnam, which remains an attractive destination due to its political stability, extensive network of free trade agreements and favourable position within regional production networks. FDI inflows also showed signs of improvement in February, when newly registered capital reached 3.43 billion USD, up 34% from January. Meanwhile, disbursed FDI maintained positive growth momentum, estimated at more than 3.2 billion USD, an increase of 8.8% year-on-year. The disbursed figure of 3.2 billion USD, the highest disbursed in the first two months in the past five years, indicates that investment commitments are being translated into actual capital flows, reflecting sustained confidence among foreign investors in Vietnams business environment, said economists. A robotic arm system and modern machinery operate along the television production line at Regza Vietnam Electronics Co., Ltd. (Photo: VNA) However, some indicators still suggest challenges. Investment through capital contributions and share purchases declined 5.7% year-on-year to 499.4 million USD, while additional investment capital dropped 52.3% to 1.9 billion USD. The scale of most newly registered projects also remains relatively modest, suggesting that many investors are adopting a cautious approach and expanding investment gradually. Strong prospects ahead Despite these challenges, Vietnams prospects for attracting high-quality FDI remain promising. Increasing disbursement levels and a growing number of new projects indicate that foreign investors continue to maintain long-term confidence in the countrys investment environment. Recent developments have reinforced this outlook. US-based energy group GE Vernova has chosen Vietnam as the first Asian country to host its annual energy conference, bringing together more than 100 leaders from global energy corporations. The event is expected to open a new phase of cooperation between the company and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Cooler Master Group from China has proposed expanding its investment in Bac Ninh province, with potential capital reaching around 3 billion USD. Other developments are also encouraging. Starlink has received approval to deploy low-Earth-orbit satellite internet services in Vietnam, while the UAEs G42 has partnered with domestic investors to develop data centre infrastructure with a projected investment of about 2 billion USD. These developments show that Vietnam is gradually becoming a strategic destination for high-quality global FDI. Investment flows are increasingly directed toward sectors such as high-tech manufacturing, electronics, digital infrastructure, modern logistics, and industries that are closely linked to global supply chains. As Vietnam continues to strengthen investment promotion and improve its business environment, attracting large-scale, technology-driven FDI projects is expected to create new growth momentum for the economy./. VNA At the meeting, Hai outlined Vietnams energy development orientation, stressing the need to diversify energy sources while ensuring a balance between economic growth, energy security, and sustainable development goals. He noted that Vietnam is formulating a long-term energy strategy with a multi-decade vision, in which nuclear power is seen as an important component to provide stable baseload electricity, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and support the green energy transition. The ambassador emphasised that Vietnam places top priority on the highest standards of nuclear safety and security, environmental protection, human resources development, and the establishment of a legal framework aligned with international practices. He underscored that any nuclear power development will be carried out cautiously and transparently, based on social consensus and the countrys long-term interests. Vietnamese Ambassador to France Trinh Duc Hai (third from left), Vice President for International Business Development at Assystem Frederic Cheneau (second from left), and other participants in the meeting (Photo: VNA) Vietnam welcomes extensive and intensive international cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy, particularly with experienced partners possessing advanced technologies, to enhance domestic capacity and ensure independence and self-reliance in energy development, he added. For his part, Cheneau said Vietnam is facing long-term strategic decisions, noting that the selection of technology and deployment model for nuclear power will have far-reaching implications on economic development, energy security, and national sovereignty for decades to come. He highlighted that Assystem could assist Vietnam in negotiating contracts with technology suppliers, ensuring financial, technical, and legal terms align with national interests. The Assystem executive proposed establishing a FranceVietnam joint technical organisation based in Vietnam to support the nuclear power programme over a period of 1015 years. The initiative would bring together international experts and Vietnamese engineers working on-site, while also focusing on recruitment and training of domestic personnel, including through training programmes in France and participation in international projects. He also announced plans to visit Vietnam next week for direct discussions with relevant ministries and agencies. Both sides expressed their intention to continue in-depth exchanges to explore appropriate cooperation models, contributing to Vietnams long-term goal of building a safe, sustainable, and self-reliant energy strategy. Assystem is one of leading independent nuclear engineering groups in Europe and the world, providing engineering, project management, and digital transformation solutions to support the energy transition. The company operates in nuclear and renewable energy, power grids, and transport infrastructure, with consulting experience in countries such as Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates. It currently employs around 8,000 experts and operates in 13 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East./. VNA The 35th Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo 2026), one of the countrys most prestigious and long-established events of its kind, will be held from April 8 11 at the Vietnam Exposition Centre in Hanoi's Dong Anh commune. Hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, directed by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and organised by the Vinexad National Trade Fair & Advertising JSC, the expo will feature around 500 booths from more than 420 enterprises representing 20 countries and territories. It is expected to attract some 20,000 visitors and trade delegates from over 50 countries and territories. One of the highlights of Vietnam Expo 2026 will be international pavilions, where trade promotion organisations, industry associations and businesses from various countries will showcase their strengths in products, technologies and business solutions. These areas will not only present a vivid picture of global trade cooperation but also offer Vietnamese firms direct access to suppliers, importers, distributors and investors worldwide. According to Vinexad, the fair will follow a multi-sector format with major exhibition zones, including those for international pavilions; export and investment; food an smart consumer goods; electricals, electronics and home appliances; hardware and hand tools; and elevators, components and supporting industries. This diversified structure is designed to help businesses maximise trade promotion effectiveness and expand cooperation networks across related fields. Positioned as a business-to-business (B2B) event, the expo will focus on direct matchmaking activities, enabling companies to meet potential partners, seek importers and distributors, and explore investment opportunities. For foreign enterprises, it serves as an important gateway to the Vietnamese market and a platform to connect with production, export and distribution networks across Southeast Asia In addition to exhibitions and trade activities, the fair will host a series of specialised seminars, business forums and experiential events linked to its key sectors, adding value for participating enterprises. In the export-investment and food-smart consumer goods segments, activities will include a forum on green consumption trends in global e-commerce, and a programme introducing Belarusian export products to the Vietnamese market. For hardware, hand tools and supporting industries sectors, dialogue sessions and business matchmaking with Korean partners in automotive components and shipbuilding, along with a seminar on integrating Vietnamese supporting-industry firms into global supply chains, are expected to facilitate expanded manufacturing cooperation. A site visit to Hanois supporting industrial park HANSSIP and a DIY experience zone will also provide opportunities to explore investment conditions, production technologies and products firsthand. Additionally, a forum organised by the Vietnam Elevator Association will offer fresh perspectives on integrating elevator technology with design and art in modern architectural spaces./. VNA In total, the country received nearly 4.7 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first two months of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.1%. Tourism experts attributed the strong growth to a combination of factors, including more open visa policies, diversified tourism products, and intensified promotion activities. Vietnams growing reputation as a safe and friendly destination has also played a significant role in attracting international travellers. In recent years, the countrys tourism sector has frequently been recognised by international organisations and media outlets for its safety and reliability. US-based travel website Travel Off Path has described Vietnam as the safest destination in Asia, while Best Diplomats, a New York-based organisation focusing on training future diplomats, listed the country among the 10 safest destinations in Asia. Meanwhile, Travel+Leisure Magazine recently ranked Vietnam among the top five standout destinations in its list of the 25 best countries for solo travellers. British magazine Time Out also named Vietnam one of the worlds nine safest destinations for solo female travellers, making it the only representative from Southeast Asia on the list. As independent travel, solo journeys and small-group trips continue to gain popularity worldwide, such recognition helps reinforce international travellers confidence and influences their choice of destinations. Vietnams safety advantage stems from its stable socio-political environment, low crime rate, and peaceful landscapes. The friendliness of local people and the responsiveness of authorities in supporting tourists have further strengthened this image. There have been multiple cases in which lost belongings of foreign visitors were returned after being found by local residents. Travellers facing difficulties have also received timely assistance from local communities and authorities. For example, police in Ninh Binh province returned a wallet with cash and documents to an American tourist after verifying the owners identity. In another case in Quang Ngai province, authorities successfully located and assisted a foreign tourist who was lost in a mountainous area. Such actions have left a positive impression on international visitors of a hospitable and responsible Vietnam. Foreign tourists experience drinking West Lake lotus-infused tea at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) Experts noted that safety is not only a prerequisite but also a competitive advantage for tourism destinations. Vietnam is well positioned to attract travellers shifting away from risk-prone areas towards safer locations. However, to fully capitalise on this advantage, the tourism sector should continue improving destination management and strengthening cooperation with domestic and international airlines to expand air routes and enhance connectivity. Authorities are also urged to further build a civilised tourism environment by addressing issues such as fraud and overcharging, while improving mechanisms to protect tourists rights, maintain effective hotlines, and enhance the capacity to respond to incidents. Together with its natural attractions, cuisine and quality services, a strong sense of safety and comfort will remain a key factor in ensuring Vietnams appeal to international travellers./. VNA The semiconductor industry is identified as a strategic one capable of driving economic breakthrough and helping Vietnam achieve double-digit growth in the coming years; and recent policies, investment and manpower development efforts are showing the country's determination to engage more deeply in this sector's global value chain. The sector has received strong attention from the Government, ministries, sectors and enterprises following the Politburos Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on making breakthroughs in science technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, as well as its inclusion in the lists of strategic technologies and strategic technology products under a decision issued by the Prime Minister in June 2025. Gradual integration into value chain but bottlenecks remain At the first meeting of the National Steering Committee for Semiconductor Industry Development this year, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said Vietnam is on the right track and has established initial foundations though the field remains highly challenging that requires strong, coordinated and long-term measures to secure sustainable development. Vietnam has gradually joined the global semiconductor value chain, covering design, manufacturing, and packaging and testing. The country is now home to more than 50 chip design firms employing about 7,000 engineers while total foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector has exceeded 14.2 billion USD across 241 projects. The packaging and testing segment has seen notable progress with several large-scale projects, and domestic firms are improving their design and engineering capabilities. In early 2026, Vietnam broke ground on its first high-tech semiconductor fabrication plant, marking a step towards mastering core technologies. Vietnam also has over 240 universities training around 134,000 engineering students annually, including roughly 6,000 microchip design engineers. However, the industry still faces major bottlenecks, including a shortage of high-quality human resources, limited research and development capacity, inadequate infrastructure, and an underdeveloped industrial ecosystem. While domestic firms participation remains modest, the sector continues to rely heavily on FDI due to high investment costs and risks, according to the Deputy PM. Vietnam aims to achieve more than 25 billion USD in semiconductor revenue by 2030 and raise the domestic value-added rate to 1015%, posing significant pressure on development progress and quality. Amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, global demand for semiconductors is soaring, creating both opportunities and competition pressure. Policy push to unlock growth Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung described the semiconductor industry as a cornerstone of the digital economy and key to enhancing technological self-reliance, adding that to obtain fast and sustainable development, Vietnam must master core technologies, of which the semiconductor industry has a particularly important role to play. Deputy PM Dung stressed the sector's 2026 action motto of Decisive implementation Concerted coordination Focused priorities Tangible results, with ministries, sectors and localities already rolling out measures. Efforts are underway to improve the legal framework and introduce incentives in taxation, finance and investment to attract high-tech projects. Policies such as long-term tax incentives, land rent exemptions and support for workforce development are being implemented. The Ministry of Science and Technology is coordinating strategy implementation, promoting the research and development of core technologies, and boost linkages among businesses, research institutes and universities. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is working to ensure resources and perfect financial policies, the Ministry of Industry and Trade developing the electronics industry and energy infrastructure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fostering cooperation with international partners, and the Ministry of Education and Training stepping up high-quality manpower development. Localities are urged to ready infrastructure, including semiconductor industry centres, and improve the investment climate. In addition, domestic firms are encouraged to strengthen their technological capacity, invest more in research and development, and engage more deeply in the value chain, with large enterprises holding the key role in guiding the ecosystem Priority will be given to the steps Vietnam is strong at such as chip design and packaging testing, with gradual progress towards mastering fabrication. Expanding the domestic market by increasing the use of locally designed and produced chips is also seen as critical to ensuring stable demand. In terms of human resources, it is suggested that training models should be strongly reformed, links among State agencies, training institutions and enterprises tighened, and attractive policies devised to draw international and overseas Vietnamese experts. As global technology competition intensifies, developing the semiconductor industry will require sustained efforts as well as close alignment between the institutional framework and the market to help Vietnam become a key link in the global value chain./. VNA The Que Huong Choir not only brought its distinctive musical colours to the event but also contributed to promoting Vietnamese culture to international friends. The festival is held annually around mid-March and lasts from three to four days. After more than two decades of formation and development, it has become a meeting point for choirs from across continents. Rather than a competition, the festival focuses on cultural and artistic exchange, providing opportunities for artists to meet, share experiences, and express their passion for choral music.Participating choirs included those of children, youth and adults, ranging from amateur to professional ones. The diversity of nationalities and musical styles turned the festival into a vibrant cultural crossroads, where audiences enjoyed a wide range of genres, from sacred music, classical choral works, Renaissance and Baroque pieces to contemporary compositions, folk songs and world music. At the 28th edition of the festival, which ended on March 15, the Vietnamese delegation left a memorable impression as the Que Huong Choir was invited to perform as the second act of the programme. This prominent position reflected the organisers recognition of the artistic quality and reputation of the Vietnamese choir. The choir presented two Vietnamese-language choral works: Tinh ca (Love Song) by Pham Duy and Nhac rung (Forest Melody) by Hoang Viet. The melodies, imbued with Vietnamese musical identity, resonated in the solemn atmosphere of the historic church, offering international audiences a fresh and emotional musical experience. Nguyen Ngan Ha, founder and member of the Que Huong Choir, said the festival has been held in Paris for many years with the aim of introducing choral cultures from countries around the world. The choir has participated in the festival four times, each time presenting works representing different periods of Vietnamese choral music, from revolutionary songs to modern compositions. We are very proud to have the opportunity to stand on an international stage to introduce Vietnamese music, Ha said. Prior to joining the festivals main programme, the choir also performed at the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France, helping promote Vietnamese culture to the international community in Paris. It is scheduled to continue taking part in other performances as part of its upcoming tour in Chartres./. VNA HOUSTON, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Diakonos Oncology Corp., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of immunotherapies to treat challenging and aggressive cancers, announced today that the Company will present new clinical trial data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, to be held April 17-22 in San Diego, California, and at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, to be held April 18-22 in Chicago, Illinois. Both conferences will feature clinical data on DOC1021 (dubodencel), a first-in-class, patient-derived double-loaded dendritic cell investigational therapy, with AACR focusing on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and AAN on glioblastoma. "Presenting data at both of these conferences underscores the breadth and potential impact of DOC1021 across some of the most challenging cancers," said Jay Hartenbach, President and COO of Diakonos Oncology. "The AACR presentation provides updated data from our ongoing pancreatic cancer study, and the AAN presentation will mark the first report of results from our expanded access program in glioblastoma. These clinical data continue to validate DOC1021's novel mechanism, which leverages a patient's full complement of tumor antigens to drive robust immune responses against malignancy. We look forward to sharing these new results and advancing this firstinclass therapy to improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, both of which are marked by poor prognosis and significant unmet need." Details on the AACR poster presentation are outlined below: Title: Clinical and Immunologic Assessment of DOC1021 Dendritic Cell Therapy in Resectable or Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer Authors: Konduri, V., Trivedi, A., Liu, W., Namekar, M., Ernste, K., Wilson, G. G., Duus, E. M., Armaghany, T., Makawita, S. U., Camp, E. R., Van Buren, G., Aguilar, L. K., Musher, B. L., and Decker, W. K. Abstract Number/Poster Number: abstract #CT093 / poster #24 in Poster Section 51 Session Name: Phase I Clinical Trials in Progress Presentation Date/Time: Monday, April 20, from 9:00 AM12:00 PM PT. Details on the AAN poster presentation are outlined below: Title: DOC1021 Cell-based Immunotherapy in Combination with Standard Chemoradiation for Adjuvant Therapy of Glioblastoma: Early Results from an Expanded Access Protocol of a Phase I Trial Authors: Zhu, JJ., EsquenaziLevy, Y., Hsu, S., Vu, M., Zvavanjanja, R. C., Trivedi, A., Liu, W., Namekar, M., Ernste, K., Tandon, N., Schumann, E. H., Duus, E. M., Aguilar, L. K., Georges, J. F., Konduri, V., and Decker, W. K. Abstract Number/Poster Number: abstract #3099 / poster #010 in Neighborhood 6 Session Name: P11: Neuro-oncology: Neurosurgery and Immunotherapy Trials Presentation Date/Time: Wednesday, April 22, from 11:45 AM12:45 PM CT. About DOC1021 DOC1021 is a first-in-class, patient-derived double-loaded dendritic cell therapy that combines tumor lysate and amplified tumor-derived mRNA. The immunotherapy is made with a patient's dendritic cells combined with mRNA and proteins prepared from freshly obtained patient tumor specimens. The unique double-loading approach, a physiologic mimic of viral infection, unlocks a synergistic and exponentially more powerful tumor killing response that permits complete targeting of the total cancer antigen pool. Moreover, the approach does not require any molecular modification or genetic engineering of the patient's immune cells and does not require preconditioning chemotherapy or high dose IL-2 for administration. DOC1021 is designed for outpatient administration and broad access via community cancer centers. Diakonos currently has two actively enrolling clinical trials with DOC1021, a Phase 1 pancreatic cancer study (NCT04157127) and a Phase 2 glioblastoma (GBM) study (NCT06805305). Diakonos received Fast Track designation from the FDA for both the GBM and pancreatic cancer programs in October 2023 and May 2024, respectively. The company also received Orphan Drug Designation for the GBM program in January 2024. A refractory melanoma Phase 1/2 study with DOC1021 (NCT07288112) will be initiated early this year with the facilitation and support of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). About Diakonos Oncology Corp. Based in Houston, TX, Diakonos Oncology Corp. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy with its proprietary double-loaded patient-derived dendritic cell therapeutic platform. The company is focused on addressing critical, unmet medical needs in late-stage, aggressive, and lethal cancers. For more information visit: https://www.diakonosoncology.com Media Contact: David Schull Russo Partners 858-717-2310 [email protected] Jay Hartenbach Diakonos Oncology [email protected] SOURCE Diakonos Oncology With support from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the programme reestablishes the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) presence in Vietnam and aims to build sustainability reporting capacity among Vietnamese businesses through partnerships with key stakeholders. Priority work is focused on strengthening policy engagement and improving the collection and use of ESG data to support sustainable outcomes. During 2026, GRI will be engaging extensively with business associations, listed companies and sustainability leaders through national forums and stock exchange events. A key milestone this year is the launch of the Sustainability Twin transition And Reporting Accelerator Programme, developed by GRI and Ministry of Finance through its Agency for Private Enterprise and corporative Development. The programme will equip small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with practical sustainability reporting tools and guidance, supporting access to global markets and green finance. The programme will be led by Bao Nguyen. Bao, who managed GRIs previous Vietnam programme (2017-2020), has a track record in corporate sustainability leadership, working closely with business, government and civil society, including serving for a decade as vice-chair of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development. Bao Nguyen, GRI country manager Vietnam said, "This is an exciting moment for GRI to expand engagement in Vietnam. As one of Asias fastest-growing economies, Vietnam is playing an increasingly important role in global value chains, creating both challenges and opportunities for companies especially SMEs, which form the backbone of the economy." "Demand for credible sustainability reporting is rising from both global stakeholders and domestic regulators. As a result, more companies are turning to globally recognised reporting standards, such as GRIs, to strengthen resilience, competitiveness and long-term growth." How to unlock ESG value through green innovation Environmental, social, and governance criteria are emerging as essential tools for enterprises to mitigate risk and maintain sustainable operations. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, CEO of SIB Network and founder of ESGTech Platform, examines the most popular theories to integrate green transformation into the core business models of enterprises. Innovation and ESG practices drive green transition in the digital era Innovation and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are becoming critical enablers for businesses to access capital, particularly green credit and green bonds at preferential costs, while strengthening long-term competitiveness. Essential medicines under the programme are domestically produced ones manufactured in factories that meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, ensuring quality and stable supply, even during market fluctuations. Specifically, the selling prices of medicines in the programme must be at least 5 per cent lower than similar products in the market. Photo: baodautu.vn The city also encourages the development and diversification of the distribution system, expanding the number of price-stabilised medicine sales points at pharmacies and drug stores to create better conditions for people, especially low-income groups, to easily access medicines at reasonable prices. The essential medicines focus on treating common diseases, chronic diseases, and high-demand conditions such as pain relievers and fever reducers, anti-inflammatories, anti-allergics, cardiovascular drugs, hypoglycaemics, anti-infective drugs, digestive drugs, respiratory drugs, bone and joint drugs, vitamins and minerals, traditional medicines and others. Drug prices must be uniformly displayed at all sales points. In cases where input costs fluctuate by more than 3 per cent, businesses can consider price adjustments according to a coordinated process between the Department of Finance and the Department of Health. The programme will be implemented from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Bayer Vietnam opens new healthcare warehouse in Tay Ninh Bayer in collaboration with PhytoPharma inaugurated a new healthcare warehouse at Long Hau Industrial Park in Tay Ninh on January 27. FV Hospital CFO honoured by UK magazine Women's Tabloid magazine (UK) has honoured Tran Le Quyen, CFO of FV Hospital in the category of Best Emerging Woman CFO in Healthcare 2025. Here she speaks with VIR's Thanh Van about her journey. WILMINGTON, Del., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont (NYSE:DD) announced today that it plans to seek stockholder approval for an amendment to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation to effect, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a reverse stock split of the Company's common stock at a ratio of not less than 1-for-2 or more than 1-for-4, with the exact ratio to be determined by the Board of Directors at a later date. If and when the reverse stock split is effected, the Certificate of Incorporation will also be amended to reflect a corresponding reduction in the number of authorized shares of the Company's common stock by the selected reverse stock split ratio. The reverse stock split will have no impact on the voting and other rights of stockholders and will have no impact on the Company's business operations or any of its outstanding indebtedness. DuPont will seek approval of the reverse stock split at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 21, 2026. DuPont's Board of Directors has set March 30, 2026, as the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The time and other details regarding the Annual Meeting will be communicated to stockholders at a later date via proxy materials which will be filed with, and will be subject to review by, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Even if the reverse stock split is approved by the Company's stockholders, the Board of Directors may delay or abandon the reverse stock split at any time prior to the effective time of the reverse stock split if the Board of Directors determines that the reverse stock split is no longer in the best interests of the Company or its stockholders. Solicitation Material This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in connection with the proposal to be submitted to DuPont's stockholders at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders seeking approval of an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split. In connection with the proposal, DuPont plans to file a preliminary proxy statement on Schedule 14A with the SEC. The Company expects to file its definitive proxy material in due course. Stockholders are encouraged to read the preliminary proxy statement and all other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available, including the definitive proxy statement, because they will contain important information about the proposal. Stockholders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement and other documents that the Company files with the SEC at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) or from the Company by accessing information included on the Investor Relations website (investors.dupont.com). About DuPont DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader, providing advanced solutions that help transform industries and improve everyday life across our key markets of healthcare, water, construction, and industrial. More information about the company, its businesses and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "believe", "seek", "see", "will", "would", "target", "outlook", "stabilization", "confident", "preliminary", "initial", "continue", "may", "could", "project", "estimate", "forecast" and similar expressions and variations or negatives of these words . All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things, the timing, ratio, completion, and benefits of the reverse stock split. Forward-looking statements address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain and subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond DuPont's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning the risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in DuPont's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. DuPont assumes no obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. DuPont, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with , or are owned by affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. unless otherwise noted. SOURCE DuPont Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang and vice chairman of the Board and President of ICBC Liu Jun. Photo: Duc Minh On March 17, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang received a delegation from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) led by Liu Jun, vice chairman and president of the bank. Thang congratulated ICBC on maintaining its position as the world's largest bank and achieving strong business performance in 2025, noting its active involvement in cooperation initiatives between the two governments, partnerships with Vietnamese banks, and participation in financing major infrastructure projects. The government's long-term development goals through to 2045 focus on accelerating economic growth and raising income levels, with around 80 per cent of investment resources expected to be mobilised from domestic enterprises, foreign investors, and the public. "By 2030, Vietnam will make greater use of fiscal policy tools, particularly mobilising capital from investors for development projects, while also prioritising international capital flows through the stock market. This presents significant opportunities for international financial institutions such as ICBC," said Thang. Thang added that ICBC is well-positioned to deepen its participation in Vietnam-China cooperation initiatives, particularly through engagement with the planned international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, where the bank could contribute capital, expertise, and management capabilities. He also highlighted major infrastructure projects of high-level interest to both countries' leadership, including the Lao CaiHanoiHaiphong railway, which has begun site clearance and is moving towards completion of its feasibility study. Additional projects include rail links from Lang Son to China, connections from Mong Cai in Quang Ninh province, urban railway systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the North-South high-speed railway. These projects offer substantial opportunities for ICBC to participate as a financing partner. On trade and investment, the minister noted that the government has recently submitted to the Politburo a resolution on attracting next-generation foreign investment, prioritising high-technology sectors such as AI and semiconductors with a range of competitive incentives. Thang expressed his expectation that ICBC would help facilitate Chinese corporations in establishing manufacturing operations in Vietnam, noting that export credit financing for machinery and equipment is an area where the bank could participate effectively. He also proposed closer coordination between ICBC, Vietcombank, and NAPAS to successfully implement cross-border QR payment services, which could serve as a foundation for broader cooperation. "Looking ahead, we aim to promote direct payment mechanisms between Vietnam and China across all sectors, particularly in import-export activities," he said. In response, ICBC President Liu Jun thanked Minister Thang and Ministry of Finance officials for sharing insights into policy directions and the government's priorities in leveraging finance to support the economy, key sectors, and major projects, as well as improving the investment and business environment. The minister's recommendations would help ICBC further enhance its service quality and deepen its integration into Vietnam's development. Liu Jun reaffirmed ICBC's commitment to mobilising its global resources to support projects in Vietnam, and pledged to assist the Ministry of Finance and the Vietnamese government in foreign exchange swap operations. Vietnam steps up market reforms as FTSE Russell reviews upgrade progress On February 5 at the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Deputy Minister Nguyen Duc Chi received a working delegation from FTSE Russell, led by CEO Fiona Bassett. US investment firm PGP seeks deeper ties with Vietnam A delegation from US investment firm Pacific Gateway Partners has met with Vietnamese finance officials to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation. As the ecosystem matures, the focus is shifting from selling across borders to building the operational capacity required to run global businesses at scale. Vietnams e-commerce market reached $31 billion in 2025, growing more than 25 per cent on-year and accounting for roughly 10 per cent of total retail sales. While domestic consumption continues to drive overall volume, cross-border e-commerce is becoming a more meaningful source of value for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those seeking to diversify markets. Vietnam is also positioning itself more deeply within regional and global digital trade frameworks. Efforts to strengthen e-commerce provisions globally point to a longer-term shift. Cross-border e-commerce is emerging as a strategic growth engine, underpinned by Vietnams young, digitally savvy population, competitive manufacturing base, and rising integration into global supply chains. Tran Xuan Thuy, southern regional manager at Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, said, Vietnams cross-border e-commerce is growing two to three times faster than the overall e-commerce market, even outpacing the growth of traditional exports. For example, in the fashion industry, cross-border e-commerce sales are growing 5.2 times faster than traditional export methods. These trends suggest that Vietnam is on track to become a regional digital export hub. Many Vietnamese businesses have built their own brands and are gradually entering international markets. Each year, Amazon continues to welcome more Vietnamese sellers to its platform, growing at around 35 per cent annually. Some companies achieve revenues exceeding $1 million after only a short period of online operations, he said. Amazon will implement initiatives such as training businesses to bridge the gap in technology and e-commerce, supporting the development of Made in Vietnam brands aligned with consumer trends and international standards, and expanding its support ecosystem, including logistics, technology, and digital tools. As cross-border e-commerce evolves into always-on, multi-market operations, Vietnamese sellers are also under increasing pressure to manage the demands of scaling globally. Payments, cash flow, compliance, and logistics are no longer secondary considerations, but core functions that shape day-to-day operations. Against this backdrop, financial infrastructure is emerging as a critical enabler of sustainable cross-border growth. Rather than simply facilitating transactions, modern payment and financial systems are expected to support operational complexity across markets. Centralised account structures allow businesses to consolidate revenues from different countries and platforms, improving financial visibility and control. This supports more effective clearer forecasting, and smoother coordination with suppliers and partners. For SMEs operating internationally, it also reduces reliance on fragmented local banking arrangements and manual reconciliation processes. Nagesh Devata, senior vice president of Asia-Pacific at Payoneer said, As cross-border e-commerce matures in Southeast Asia, the focus will increasingly shift from market entry to execution. The businesses that succeed will be those that can manage cash flow, compliance, and financial operations consistently across markets. The joint effort with Amazon Global Selling Vietnam reflects a broader industry shift of Payoneer towards addressing execution gaps rather than simply expanding market access. The collaboration aims to close execution gaps, ensuring that payments, currency management, and compliance can keep pace with commercial growth. Looking ahead, Vietnams next phase of cross-border e-commerce growth is likely to be defined less by expansion alone and more by operational resilience, as rising logistics costs, compliance requirements, and competitive pressures place greater demands on execution. While competition intensifies and international operations grow more complex, businesses that can manage cash flow, compliance, and financial visibility effectively will be better positioned to grow sustainably. Vietnams digital economy to touch $39 billion in 2025 Vietnams digital economy will reach $39 billion by the end of 2025, with double-digit growth across all sectors, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2025 report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. E-commerce market undergoes transformation amid rising competition and regulation Intensifying competition and tighter regulations reshaped Vietnam's e-commerce market in 2025, according to the Vietnam Tech & Venture Capital Outlook 2025 report by VinVentures released on January 2. OutSystems recognised as leader in AI agent development as enterprises push beyond pilot phase OutSystems has been named a Leader in the Spring 2026 G2 Grid Report for AI Agent Builders, underscoring growing enterprise demand for platforms that can turn artificial intelligence from experimentation into operational reality. The recognition comes at a time when many organisations including those across Australia and New Zealand are accelerating investment in AI, but still struggling to scale beyond early-stage pilots. While generative AI has rapidly entered business workflows, the next phase of innovation is increasingly focused on agentic AI: systems that dont just generate insights, but take action inside enterprise environments. From AI experimentation to execution According to G2, AI agent builders enable organisations to design and deploy autonomous software agents that can interact with business systems, data, and workflows. These agents are capable of executing tasks, making decisions within defined parameters, and orchestrating processes across applications. OutSystems position as a Leader reflects strong customer validation in this emerging category. The company recorded a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 95, alongside a 100% Ease of Admin score, with all users rating the platform four or five stars. It also achieved high marks for contextual awareness and data privacy two areas increasingly critical as AI systems become more embedded in enterprise operations. The platforms Agent Workbench is central to this capability, enabling organisations to build, deploy and manage AI agents within a governed environment. This is a key distinction in the current market, where many AI initiatives remain siloed or lack the controls required for enterprise-wide adoption. The rise of agentic AI in the enterprise The shift toward agentic AI represents a fundamental evolution in how organisations use artificial intelligence. Rather than acting purely as a tool for analysis or content generation, AI agents are designed to operate more like digital workers capable of completing tasks, interacting with systems, and driving outcomes. However, this shift also introduces new complexity. As AI agents gain access to enterprise systems, they require the same levels of identity, access management, and governance as human employees. Without these controls, organisations risk creating new attack surfaces, compliance gaps, and operational risks particularly in highly regulated sectors such as financial services, government, and critical infrastructure. This is where platforms like OutSystems are positioning themselves: not just as development tools, but as governed environments for agentic systems. As OutSystems CEO Woodson Martin noted in the announcement, the biggest challenge for organisations is not experimenting with AI, but operationalising it. Many businesses remain stuck in pilot mode, unable to bridge the gap between innovation and production. Governance becomes the differentiator As AI adoption matures, governance is emerging as the key battleground. Enterprises are increasingly looking for platforms that can balance speed with control enabling rapid development of AI-powered applications while maintaining oversight of data usage, model behaviour, and system access. OutSystems strong performance in areas such as data privacy and compliance reflects this shift. In practice, this means giving organisations the ability to: Define how AI agents access and interact with enterprise data Monitor and audit agent behaviour in real time Ensure compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks Maintain visibility across an expanding portfolio of AI-driven applications For ANZ organisations, this is particularly relevant as regulatory scrutiny increases. Frameworks around operational resilience, data sovereignty, and AI governance are continuing to evolve, placing pressure on businesses to adopt AI in a controlled and transparent way. A new standard for enterprise development The recognition also highlights a broader trend: the convergence of AI, low-code development, and enterprise automation. Platforms like OutSystems are enabling organisations to build complex applications and AI agents more quickly, reducing reliance on traditional development cycles while maintaining enterprise-grade standards. This is especially important in industries where legacy systems and technical debt have historically slowed innovation. By combining low-code development with AI capabilities, organisations can modernise processes and introduce intelligent automation without large-scale system overhauls. Moving toward AI at scale Ultimately, the emergence of AI agent builders signals a shift from isolated use cases to AI at scale. As organisations move beyond experimentation, success will increasingly depend on their ability to integrate AI into core business processes safely, securely, and with measurable outcomes. OutSystems leadership position in the G2 report suggests that customer-validated platforms are playing a critical role in this transition, helping enterprises move from proof-of-concept to production. In an era where AI is no longer a differentiator but an expectation, the ability to deploy governed, scalable agentic systems may define which organisations lead and which remain stuck in pilot mode. The UAE has become a leading hub for blockchain innovation, driven by strong government support and rapid digital transformation across industries. Top companies like Dev Technosys, OpenXcell, and LeewayHertz are delivering advanced blockchain development services, including dApps, smart contracts, and DeFi solutions. The United Arab Emirates has rapidly emerged as a global hub for innovation, particularly in the field of blockchain technology. With strong government support, forward-thinking regulations, and a growing startup ecosystem, the region is attracting top-tier companies that specialize in blockchain solutions. Businesses across industries such as finance, healthcare, logistics, and real estate are actively adopting blockchain to improve transparency, security, and operational efficiency. As a result, the demand for reliable blockchain development services continues to grow in the UAE. In this blog, we explore some of the top blockchain development companies in the UAE that are helping businesses embrace decentralized technologies and stay ahead in a competitive digital landscape. 1. Dev Technosys Dev Technosys is a well-known name in the UAEs tech ecosystem, offering end-to-end blockchain development solutions tailored to business needs. The company specializes in building secure and scalable decentralized applications (dApps), smart contracts, and crypto-based platforms. With a team of experienced developers, Dev Technosys ensures seamless integration of blockchain technology into existing business processes, helping clients achieve enhanced security and transparency. 2. OpenXcell OpenXcell is a leading software development company with a strong presence in blockchain innovation. The company offers a wide range of blockchain solutions, including cryptocurrency exchange development, tokenization platforms, and enterprise-grade blockchain applications. 3. Hyperlink InfoSystem Their focus on delivering high-quality solutions and adopting the latest technologies has made them a preferred choice among startups and enterprises alike. Hyperlink InfoSystem is another prominent player known for delivering robust blockchain solutions. The company has worked on multiple projects involving smart contracts, decentralized finance (DeFi), and NFT marketplaces. Their development team focuses on creating scalable and efficient applications that align with modern business requirements. 4. Suffescom Solutions Suffescom Solutions is recognized for its expertise in blockchain and emerging technologies. The company offers services such as crypto wallet development, ICO development, and enterprise blockchain solutions. Their client-centric approach and commitment to innovation have helped them build a strong reputation in the UAE market. 5. Techugo Techugo is a globally recognized development company that has expanded its services into blockchain technology. The company focuses on building secure and scalable blockchain applications, helping businesses improve efficiency and data integrity. Their expertise in combining user-centric design with advanced technology makes them a reliable partner for digital transformation. 6. Code Brew Labs Code Brew Labs is known for delivering innovative blockchain solutions tailored to various industries. From building decentralized apps to launching cryptocurrency exchanges, the company offers comprehensive blockchain services. Their team ensures that each solution is secure, scalable, and aligned with business goals. 7. LeewayHertz LeewayHertz is a well-established blockchain development company with a global presence, including the UAE. The company has worked with several Fortune 500 clients, providing solutions such as smart contract development, blockchain consulting, and enterprise-grade applications. Their expertise in advanced technologies makes them a trusted partner for complex projects. 8. Blockchain App Factory Blockchain App Factory is a specialized firm focused on delivering cutting-edge blockchain solutions. The company offers services such as NFT marketplace development, DeFi platforms, and crypto exchange solutions. Their strong technical expertise and innovative approach have helped them gain recognition in the UAE market. 9. Antier Solutions Antier Solutions is a leading blockchain development company known for its comprehensive range of services. From token development to decentralized finance solutions, the company helps businesses leverage blockchain for growth and innovation. Their experienced team ensures that projects are delivered with high quality and security standards. 10. Quytech Quytech is a technology-driven company offering blockchain development services along with AI and AR/VR solutions. The company focuses on creating customized blockchain applications that meet specific business requirements. Their commitment to innovation and quality has made them a reliable choice in the UAE. Why Choose a Blockchain Development Company in the UAE? The UAE offers a favorable environment for blockchain adoption due to its progressive government policies and strategic initiatives like the UAE Blockchain Strategy. Companies operating in this region benefit from: Strong regulatory support Access to a global market Advanced digital infrastructure A growing pool of tech talent These factors make the UAE an ideal destination for businesses looking to invest in blockchain technology. Key Services Offered by Blockchain Companies Top blockchain development companies in the UAE provide a wide range of services, including: Smart contract development Decentralized application (dApp) development Cryptocurrency wallet and exchange development Blockchain consulting and integration NFT marketplace development DeFi platform development These services help businesses streamline operations, enhance security, and build trust among users. Final Thoughts Blockchain technology is reshaping industries by introducing transparency, decentralization, and enhanced security. The UAE, with its innovation-driven ecosystem, has become a hotspot for blockchain development companies offering world-class solutions. Whether you are a startup looking to launch a blockchain-based product or an enterprise aiming to integrate decentralized technology into your operations, choosing the right development partner is crucial. The companies listed above have demonstrated expertise, innovation, and reliability in delivering blockchain solutions. By partnering with a trusted provider, businesses can unlock new opportunities, improve efficiency, and stay competitive in the evolving digital landscape. Our 2026 global market reports are now updated with the latest data, delivering insights into key trends, segments, and growth drivers. The custom application development service market is gaining significant attention as businesses strive to adopt technology tailored to their unique needs. Driven by rapid technological advances and shifting operational demands, this sector is set to experience considerable growth in the coming years. Lets explore the markets size, key growth drivers, segmentation, emerging trends, regional dynamics, and the leading companies shaping its future. Strong Growth Forecast for the Custom Application Development Service Market The market for custom application development services is projected to expand substantially, reaching a value of $112.88 billion by 2030. This growth corresponds to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. Factors fueling this rise include the increasing adoption of cloud and hybrid deployment models, a surge in demand for AI-driven application development, the expansion of IoT application solutions, a growing need for digital transformation services, and wider use of DevOps and continuous integration tools. Key trends poised to influence the market include a focus on cloud-based custom application development, enhanced mobile application solutions, enterprise application modernization, deeper application integration, and a stronger emphasis on quality assurance and testing services. Download the Free Report Sample Now: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=33452&type=smp&utm_source=Whatech&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR Increasing Adoption of Cloud Services Boosting Market Expansion A major factor propelling the custom application development service market is the growing shift toward cloud-based solutions. Cloud services deliver IT resources, software, and applications over the internet from remote servers, eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure. Organizations are increasingly attracted to cloud platforms because they offer scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions that accelerate application deployment while supporting remote and hybrid work models. Cloud platforms facilitate custom application development by providing scalable infrastructure, on-demand computing power, development frameworks, storage, and integrated tools that simplify development and reduce operational costs. As a result, more companies are commissioning bespoke applications and collaborating with external providers to build and modernize cloud-native solutions. For instance, in March 2024, Flexera Software LLC reported that organizational adoption of multi-cloud strategies rose from 87% in 2023 to 89% in 2024, reflecting broader acceptance of cloud environments. This trend continues to be a key driver in the markets expansion. Download the Detailed Report Today: www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/ign=Mar_PR Comprehensive Segmentation Across Components, Deployment, and Industries The custom application development service market is segmented into several categories to offer detailed insights: - By Component: Managed Services and Professional Services - By Deployment Model: On-Premises, Cloud, and Hybrid - By Industry Vertical: Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail and E-commerce, Government and Public Sector, Telecom and Information Technology (IT), and Other Verticals - By Organization Size: Large Enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises - By Application Type: Web Applications, Mobile Applications, Enterprise Applications, Internet of Things (IoT) Applications, and Other Applications Further breakdowns include: - Under Managed Services: Application Maintenance and Support, Application Monitoring and Performance Management, Security Management Services, Infrastructure and Platform Management, Incident and Problem Management, Continuous Improvement and Enhancement - Under Professional Services: Consulting and Requirements Analysis, Application Design and Architecture, Custom Application Development, Application Integration Services, Application Modernization and Migration, Quality Assurance and Testing, Deployment and DevOps Services Strategic Partnerships Fuel Innovation and Market Growth One of the prominent opportunities shaping the custom application development service market is the rise of strategic partnerships among leading companies. These collaborations combine technical expertise, industry knowledge, and scalable cloud infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation and speed up application deployment. By joining forces, firms enhance their ability to deliver cutting-edge digital solutions and improve scalability for enterprise clients. For example, in September 2025, Appinventiv, a digital transformation and software development company based in India, attained AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner status. Along with this achievement, Appinventiv earned competencies in DevOps, Storage, and Well-Architected frameworks through the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network. This partnership enables Appinventiv to provide robust cloud-native applications, optimize enterprise storage systems, and implement secure, scalable infrastructure solutions based on best practices. Regional Market Leadership and Growth Dynamics In 2025, North America held the largest share of the custom application development service market, reflecting its mature technology landscape and high demand for customized software solutions. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing market throughout the forecast period, driven by rapid digitalization, increasing cloud adoption, and expanding enterprise IT investments. Other key regions examined in the market include South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, each contributing to the global markets overall expansion. Key Players Influencing the Custom Application Development Service Market The market features several major companies that play vital roles in propelling its growth and innovation. Some of the key players include Hitachi Ltd., Accenture plc, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Orange S.A., KDDI Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS), Fujitsu Limited, Capgemini SE, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Ericsson), NEC Corporation, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, Infosys Limited, DXC Technology Company, HCL Technologies Limited, Atos SE, Wipro Limited, CGI Inc., Tech Mahindra Limited, Sopra Steria Group S.A., EPAM Systems Inc., and Persistent Systems Limited. These organizations consistently invest in advanced technologies and strategic collaborations to meet evolving customer requirements and maintain competitive advantage. Access This Detailed Market Report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/purchaseoptions.aspx?id=33452 Americas +1 310-496-7795 Europe +44 7882 955267 Asia & Others +44 7882 955267 & +91 8897263534 The Business Research Company - www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/?utm_so_page_test News From The Business Research Company ... Category: Industry Reports & Market Analysis Profile: The Business Research Company is a leading market research and consulting services provider. It offers over 9,500 market reports across 27 industries in 60+ geographies, providing detailed insights and forecasts. Its customised research solutions support companies in making critical decisions, while its continuous research service enhances organizational capabilities. The flagship Global Market Model database provides comprehensive market intelligence with 1,500,000 datasets covering 8,000+ mark ... Our 2026 global market reports are now updated with the latest data, delivering insights into key trends, segments, and growth drivers. The broadband data card market is experiencing notable momentum as advances in mobile connectivity and growing demand for internet access in various settings continue to rise. This sector is set to undergo significant expansion, supported by technological innovations and increasing digital infrastructure projects worldwide. Below, we explore the markets size, key factors propelling its growth, important trends, major players, and the regions driving its development. Broadband Data Card Market Size and Expected Growth Trajectory The broadband data card market is projected to witness substantial growth, reaching a valuation of $26.15 billion by 2030, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.0%. This expansion is driven by multiple developments, such as the rapid deployment of 5G networks, heightened mobile broadband demand in rural and remote areas, the surge in enterprise mobility solutions, increased adoption of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and government initiatives to enhance digital infrastructure. Key trends influencing this market include a growing preference for 5G standalone data cards, rising use of portable USB-based data cards, expanding demand for SIM-based LTE dongles, improvements in secure data transmission and network management services, and the integration of Wi-Fi hotspot data cards within enterprise and government sectors. Download the Free Report Sample Now: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=33413&type=smp&utm_source=Whatech&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR Primary Drivers Encouraging Growth in the Broadband Data Card Market One of the main growth catalysts for the broadband data card market is the escalating need for portable internet connectivity. Portable internet allows users to access wireless internet through mobile networks such as 3G, 4G, and 5G, without depending on fixed wired connections. This flexibility supports users who require constant connectivity, no matter where they are, making fixed broadband infrastructure less essential. Supporting this trend, broadband data cards offer dependable, high-speed mobile internet by connecting to cellular networks, enabling users to stay online across different locations. According to October 2023 data from the International Telecommunication Union, around 5.4 billion people worldwideapproximately 67% of the global populationare now internet users, reflecting a 4.7% increase from the previous year. The growing demand for portable internet connectivity is therefore a significant factor fueling broadband data card market growth. Download the Detailed Report Today: www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/ign=Mar_PR How the Broadband Data Card Market Is Structured Through Key Segments This market can be classified into several vital segments to better understand its scope and dynamics. These include: 1) Type: Universal Serial Bus (USB) Data Cards, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) Data Cards, Express Card Data Cards, and Embedded Data Cards. 2) Connectivity Type: Wired and Wireless. 3) Technology: Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE), Fifth Generation (5G), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), and Satellite. 4) Usage Type: Personal, Commercial, and Government. 5) Distribution Channel: Online, Retail, and Direct Sales. Additional subcategories delve deeper into specific product types, such as USB data cards including high-speed, portable, plug-and-play, and long-range variants; PCMCIA cards like standard, high-capacity, secure digital, and compact cards; Express Cards featuring internal, external, dual-slot, and multi-network options; and Embedded Data Cards ranging from internal and external embedded modems to LTE and 5G embedded cards. Emerging Trends Offering New Avenues in the Broadband Data Card Industry Leading companies in this sector are focusing on the development of AI-powered 5G modules and data cards. These innovations aim to boost network efficiency, reduce latency, optimize power consumption, and fulfill the needs of next-generation connectivity. AI-integrated 5G modules enable smarter traffic management, higher positioning accuracy, and smooth integration with both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. For example, in March 2025, US-based IoT enabler Telit Cinterion introduced its FE990D and FN990D products, which are the industrys first AI-enhanced 5G modules and broadband data cards. These devices incorporate Qualcomms X85/X82 5G modem-RF platforms with advanced 5G capabilities, support NB-IoT NTN satellite connectivity, comply with 3GPP Release 18 standards, and come in both LGA and M.2 form factors. They deliver future-ready, high-performance broadband connectivity ideal for enterprise, industrial, and consumer applications. Geographical Regions Leading Broadband Data Card Market Growth In 2025, North America held the largest market share for broadband data cards. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to become the fastest-growing area during the forecast period. The market report tracks key regions including Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, providing comprehensive insights into global growth patterns. Top Companies Driving Innovation and Competition in the Broadband Data Card Sector Several major organizations are steering the broadband data card industry forward. These include Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Qualcomm Technologies Inc., BT Group plc, Nokia Corporation, ZTE Corporation, MediaTek Inc., Quectel Wireless Solutions Co. Ltd., Advantech Co. Ltd., Fibocom Wireless Inc., Netgear Inc., Digi International Inc., Inseego Corp., D-Link Corporation, Lantronix Inc., Airgain Inc., Franklin Wireless Corporation, Option N.V., Shenzhen Wlink Technology Co. Ltd., Jinan USR IOT Technology Co. Ltd., Zyxel Communications Corporation, and TP-Link Technologies Co. Ltd. Their efforts continue to shape the future landscape of broadband data card technology and market reach. Access This Detailed Market Report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/purchaseoptions.aspx?id=33413 Americas +1 310-496-7795 Europe +44 7882 955267 Asia & Others +44 7882 955267 & +91 8897263534 The Business Research Company - www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/?utm_so_page_test News From The Business Research Company ... Category: Industry Reports & Market Analysis Profile: The Business Research Company is a leading market research and consulting services provider. It offers over 9,500 market reports across 27 industries in 60+ geographies, providing detailed insights and forecasts. Its customised research solutions support companies in making critical decisions, while its continuous research service enhances organizational capabilities. The flagship Global Market Model database provides comprehensive market intelligence with 1,500,000 datasets covering 8,000+ mark ... The global electronics and semiconductor landscape is facing a defining challenge. As the world transitions toward high-precision thermal monitoring and automated threat detection, the Infrared Camera Market has become the critical frontier for protecting national security and ensuring industrial reliability. Moving beyond "basic heat sensing," the modern enterprise is demanding high-resolution uncooled sensors and AI-integrated thermal analytics. According to the latest strategic data from Evolve Business Intelligence, this market is on a robust trajectory, valued at USD 9.24 Billion in 2023 and projected to reach USD 14.65 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.84%. For technology leaders, this shift represents a transformative opportunity. Navigating a sector defined by the transition to compact Short-Wave IR and Long-Wave IR systems requires more than standard optical hardware; it requires precision intelligence. Market Dynamics: The Leaders Dilemma Market leaders today face a unique set of "innovation-bred" problems. When breakthrough thermal imaging introduces new performance expectations, the primary challenge is no longer just visibility; it is data privacy and real-time anomaly detection. The Sensor Integration Gap: While modern cameras offer high resolution, the ability to maintain thermal accuracy in complex environments while ensuring compact, affordable designs remains a global technical bottleneck for automotive safety and industrial monitoring brands. While modern cameras offer high resolution, the ability to maintain thermal accuracy in complex environments while ensuring compact, affordable designs remains a global technical bottleneck for automotive safety and industrial monitoring brands. Security and Privacy Friction: Moving toward widespread surveillance and fever screening improves safety but increases concerns regarding sensitive data collection and unauthorized monitoring. A leaders ability to demonstrate "robust data security" is now as critical as the camera's thermal sensitivity. Moving toward widespread surveillance and fever screening improves safety but increases concerns regarding sensitive data collection and unauthorized monitoring. A leaders ability to demonstrate "robust data security" is now as critical as the camera's thermal sensitivity. Material and Cost Volatility: With Germanium standing out as the dominant choice for high-performance lenses, the production pipeline is a high-sensitivity environment. Diversifying into cost-effective silicon or uncooled technologies is becoming a strategic necessity. Explore the full dataset and strategic forecast: Infrared Camera Market: Trends & Forecast to 2033 Strategic Solutions: The Blueprint for Sustained Dominance To navigate these challenges, leaders must look beyond standard mechanical protocols and employ a multi-layered strategic approach. Here is how specialized intelligence services bridge the gap between technical breakthroughs and actualized revenue. Deep-Dive Competitive Intelligence: Assessing the Thermal Pipeline While traditional cooled systems provide stable revenue, the real value shift is in Uncooled Infrared Cameras. Monitoring competitor investments in AI-driven "smart sensors" for product development and environmental health ensures you stay ahead of the "Industry 4.0" curve. Granular Research & Custom Insights: Identifying High-Need Verticals Generic data won't help you navigate the nuances between the high-precision needs of the Medical Imaging sector (for thermography and disease detection) and the reconnaissance requirements of Military & Defense. Granular Research identifies specific "pain points"from the temperature monitoring needed in waste management to the night-vision requirements of automotive safety. TAM Expansion Funnel: Finding Growth in Healthcare Thermography With the market expanding toward $14.65 Billion, the "Total Addressable Market" (TAM) is growing as hospitals integrate thermal screening for infection control. The TAM Expansion Funnel helps leaders identify the "hidden" billions in the dedicated patient care and disease detection segments. GTM (Go-To-Market) Strategy: Navigating Regional Security Trends Dominating the mature North American market requires a different playbook than penetrating the rapid defense investment and manufacturing boom of the Asia-Pacific region. We craft regionalized GTM Strategies that leverage local security regulations and regionalized government initiatives for military surveillance. Regulatory Due Diligence: Mitigating Post-Market Compliance Risks As new mandates for data protection and occupational health reach the market, Regulatory Due Diligence ensures your product roadmap aligns with evolving global mandates, protecting your brand equity. Supply Chain Intelligence: Securing Critical Optical Materials The transition to high-performance infrared systems increases vulnerability to shortages in high-purity Germanium and Sapphire. Supply Chain Intelligence maps the global landscape for verified material providers and optical partners, ensuring your production remains synchronized and reliable. Regional Outlook: Where the Growth Lives Asia-Pacific: The Volume & Share Leader. Anticipated to dominate the market, this region is fueled by massive government investments in military surveillance and the rapid expansion of the industrial manufacturing sector in countries like China, India, and Japan. Anticipated to dominate the market, this region is fueled by massive government investments in military surveillance and the rapid expansion of the industrial manufacturing sector in countries like China, India, and Japan. North America: The Tech-Infrastructure Leader. Driven by technologically advanced infrastructure and stringent security regulations, this region remains the primary revenue engine for high-end defense, healthcare, and automotive thermal solutions. Driven by technologically advanced infrastructure and stringent security regulations, this region remains the primary revenue engine for high-end defense, healthcare, and automotive thermal solutions. Europe: The Center for "Precision Maintenance." Driven by strong industrial monitoring and energy sector demands, the focus here is on harmonizing predictive maintenance standards with modern industrial safety. The Path to 2033 The transition from simple temperature detection to securing a place in the global "autonomous thermal ecosystem" is the defining technological trend of the decade. For current technology leaders, the path to 2033 is paved with the integration of AI-driven Smart Sensors and 5G-enabled Thermal Image Streaming. Master the $14.65B Shift In a market defined by hyper-stakes and technical evolution, the difference between leading and lagging is the quality of your strategy. Don't let technological volatility dictate your growth. To turn complex technology data into a clear, actionable roadmap for the next decade, or Send us an Enquiry. News From Evolve Business Intelligence Category: Industry Reports & Market Analysis Profile: At Evolve Business Intelligence, our mission is to empower organizations to make smarter, data-driven strategic decisions. We provide the competitive intelligence, market research, and advisory services companies need to deeply understand their landscape. Founded in 2019 by industry veterans, we aim to arm businesses with meaningful insights to pursue growth opportunities while mitigating risks. Our team of data scientists, analysts, and subject matter experts have decades of experience eq ... Our 2026 global market reports are now updated with the latest data, delivering insights into key trends, segments, and growth drivers. The micro robots market is gaining significant attention as advancements in technology open new possibilities across several fields. From healthcare to industrial applications, these tiny robots are set to revolutionize how precise tasks are performed on a microscopic scale. Lets explore the current growth patterns, driving factors, emerging trends, prominent players, and key geographic prospects shaping this dynamic market. Micro Robots Market Size and Anticipated Growth Trajectory The micro robots market is projected to expand swiftly, reaching a valuation of $5.54 billion by 2030. This growth reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6% over the forecast period. Several factors contribute to this upward trend, including the rising demand for targeted drug delivery systems, wider adoption of micro robots in environmental monitoring, integration of artificial intelligence technologies into micro robotic systems, and the growing use of precision manufacturing. Additionally, increasing investments in biotechnology and pharmaceutical robotics are fueling market expansion. Key market trends expected to influence future development include the advancement of bio-hybrid micro robots, broader use of magnetic micro robots for precise control, deployment of swarm micro robots for collaborative tasks, growth in minimally invasive diagnostic micro robots, and the commercialization of semi-autonomous and tele-operated micro robots. Download the Free Report Sample Now: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=33597&type=smp&utm_source=Whatech&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR Factors Accelerating Micro Robots Market Expansion One primary driver of the micro robots market is the growing preference for minimally invasive medical procedures. These procedures involve performing diagnostic or therapeutic interventions through small incisions or natural body openings using specialized instruments and imaging guidance. This approach reduces tissue damage, pain, recovery time, and surgical risks compared to traditional open surgery. Patients increasingly favor such minimally invasive options due to their faster recovery and less discomfort. Micro robots enable these procedures by providing precise navigation and targeted interventions within delicate anatomical areas that are challenging or risky to reach with conventional surgery. Rising Demand for Minimally Invasive Techniques Boosts Market Growth For example, in April 2025, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons reported a 5% increase in cosmetic surgical procedures between 2023 and 2024, reaching 27,462 procedures in 2024. This trend reflects the growing demand for less invasive medical solutions, which in turn drives the adoption of micro robots capable of performing intricate tasks with high precision in the medical sector. Download the Detailed Report Today: www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/ign=Mar_PR Core Segments Propelling the Micro Robots Industry This report categorizes the micro robots market into various segments to highlight key growth areas: 1) By Type: This includes Bio-Hybrid Micro-Robots, Magnetic Micro-Robots, Swarm Micro-Robots, and other types. 2) By Application: The main application areas are Medical, Industrial, Environmental, and other applications. 3) By End-User Industry: Covered industries include Healthcare, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Industrial Automation, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and others. Further sub-segments provide a closer look at specific micro robot types: - Bio-Hybrid Micro-Robots consist of Cell Powered, Bacteria Driven, Sperm Inspired, and Tissue Integrated micro robots. - Magnetic Micro-Robots include Externally Controlled, Self-Propelled, Soft, and Shape Morphing variations. - Swarm Micro-Robots are divided into Coordinated Collective, Autonomous, Programmable, and Cooperative Task Based groups. - Other types cover Light Driven, Chemical Reaction Driven, Acoustic Controlled, and Electric Field Driven micro robots. Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of the Micro Robots Market Leading companies in the micro robots sector are concentrating on creating innovative microscopic computer-based robots. These tiny, programmable devices enable highly accurate navigation, real-time sensing, and targeted task execution within confined microscale environments, serving medical, industrial, and research purposes. A notable breakthrough occurred in December 2025, when the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan unveiled the worlds smallest fully programmable, autonomous microrobots. These microscopic swimming devices measure about 200 by 300 by 50 micrometers and cost roughly a penny each to manufacture. Powered by light and equipped with onboard microcomputing, they can perform complex movement patterns, sense environmental factors like temperature, and adjust their navigation in real time. Operating at a scale comparable to biological microorganisms and capable of extended functionality, this innovation opens new possibilities for precision medicine, cellular monitoring, and microscale manufacturing. Regional Highlights and Growth Hotspots in the Micro Robots Market In 2025, North America held the largest share of the micro robots market. However, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to experience the fastest growth throughout the forecast period. The market outlook encompasses key regions such as Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, providing a detailed view of global market dynamics. Prominent Players Leading the Micro Robots Industry Several major companies are setting benchmarks in the micro robots arena. These include Johnson & Johnson, Aeon Scientific AG, ABB Ltd., Stryker Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Smith & Nephew plc, Seiko Epson Corporation, Intuitive Surgical Inc., QinetiQ plc, SRI International, DFRobot Inc., Boston Micro Fabrication LLC, Robeaute SAS, Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., ReconRobotics Inc., Micromagic Systems Ltd., Bionaut Labs Inc., Microbot Medical Inc., ElecFreaks Co. Ltd., and Symphony Robotics. Their innovations and investments are shaping the future landscape of this rapidly evolving market. Access This Detailed Market Report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/purchaseoptions.aspx?id=33597 Americas +1 310-496-7795 Europe +44 7882 955267 Asia & Others +44 7882 955267 & +91 8897263534 The Business Research Company - www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/?utm_so_page_test News From The Business Research Company ... Category: Industry Reports & Market Analysis Profile: The Business Research Company is a leading market research and consulting services provider. It offers over 9,500 market reports across 27 industries in 60+ geographies, providing detailed insights and forecasts. Its customised research solutions support companies in making critical decisions, while its continuous research service enhances organizational capabilities. The flagship Global Market Model database provides comprehensive market intelligence with 1,500,000 datasets covering 8,000+ mark ... Our 2026 global market reports are now updated with the latest data, delivering insights into key trends, segments, and growth drivers. The problem management software market is poised for significant expansion as organizations increasingly seek tools to streamline IT operations and minimize disruptions. With advancements in technology and rising demand for efficient incident resolution, this sector is set to undergo rapid transformation. Lets explore the markets size, key growth drivers, emerging trends, leading players, and regional dynamics shaping its future. Steady Growth Forecast in the Problem Management Software Market The market for problem management software is anticipated to grow swiftly, reaching a valuation of $7.63 billion by 2030. This growth reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1%. Several factors contribute to this expansion, including the widespread deployment of AI-powered incident analysis tools, the growing preference for cloud-based management platforms, and an increasing emphasis on predictive problem resolution. Additionally, the rise of workflow automation in IT operations and the focus on integrated problem management solutions are key influences driving market development. Key trends expected during this period involve greater adoption of cloud-based software, automated root cause analysis, enhanced IT workflow automation, real-time incident tracking, and a stronger emphasis on IT process consulting and reporting services. Download the Free Report Sample Now: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=33656&type=smp&utm_source=Whatech&utm_medium=Paid&utm_campaign=Mar_PR Digital Transformation as a Core Growth Catalyst in Problem Management Software One of the primary forces propelling the problem management software market is the surge in digital transformation initiatives. Digital transformation represents the integration of digital technologies into all areas of business to improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and overall performance. As customer expectations rise, companies are increasingly adopting advanced digital tools to provide faster, more personalized, and seamless experiences. Problem management software supports these efforts by helping organizations identify, analyze, and resolve recurring IT issues, thereby minimizing downtime and operational disruption. This enhances service reliability, boosts efficiency, and promotes smoother technology adoption, which in turn drives business continuity. For example, investments in digital transformation reached $2.5 trillion in 2024 and are projected to climb to $3.9 trillion by 2027, highlighting the strong momentum behind this driver. Primary Market Segments Defining the Problem Management Software Landscape This report breaks down the problem management software market into several important segments: - By Component: Software and Services - By Functionality: Task Management, Resource Management, Time Tracking, Collaboration Tools, and others - By Deployment Model: Public Cloud, Private Cloud, On-Premises, and Hybrid Infrastructure - By Organization Size: Large Enterprises and Small to Medium-sized Enterprises - By End-User Industry: Banking, IT Services, Healthcare, Telecommunications, Retail, Government, Manufacturing, Energy, Education, and additional sectors Download the Detailed Report Today: www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/ign=Mar_PR Further subcategories include software types such as cloud-based, on-premises, integrated platforms, and standalone applications. Services encompass consulting, implementation, training, and support. Innovative Trends Unlocking New Possibilities in the Problem Management Software Market Leading companies in this space are focusing on advanced solutions like autonomous service orchestration, which leverages AI to automatically detect root causes, coordinate remediation workflows across teams, and resolve incidents with minimal human involvement. Autonomous service orchestration represents a shift toward AI-driven IT service management that reduces manual effort and accelerates problem resolution. As an example, Freshworks Inc. introduced AI-powered features in its Freshservice platform in November 2025. These upgrades include integration with digital employee experience platforms such as Riverbed Aternity and ControlUp, offering real-time device health data directly within IT tickets. Features like auto-remediation for common issues and AI-enabled intelligent routing assign tickets to the appropriate team efficiently, significantly cutting down response times and manual workload. Regional Market Dynamics Shaping Growth in Problem Management Software In 2025, North America held the largest share of the problem management software market, reflecting strong adoption of advanced IT solutions. At the same time, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period due to increasing digital adoption and expanding IT infrastructure. Other regions covered in the market analysis include South East Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Africa, each contributing uniquely to the global markets expansion. Key Industry Players Driving Innovation and Market Expansion The problem management software industry features a number of influential companies driving innovation and growth, including International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Inc., Atlassian Corporation Plc., Zoho Corporation Private Limited, BMC Software Inc., Zendesk Inc., EasyVista S.A., ManageEngine, Freshworks Inc., SolarWinds Corporation, Ivanti Inc., NinjaOne LLC, Spiceworks Inc., TeamDynamix LLC, Halo Service Solutions Ltd., BigPanda Inc., SysAid Technologies Ltd., TOPdesk B.V., InvGate Inc., and Xurrent B.V. These firms are at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions that enhance IT service management and problem resolution capabilities. Access This Detailed Market Report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/purchaseoptions.aspx?id=33656 Americas +1 310-496-7795 Europe +44 7882 955267 Asia & Others +44 7882 955267 & +91 8897263534 The Business Research Company - www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/?utm_so_page_test News From The Business Research Company ... Category: Industry Reports & Market Analysis Profile: The Business Research Company is a leading market research and consulting services provider. It offers over 9,500 market reports across 27 industries in 60+ geographies, providing detailed insights and forecasts. Its customised research solutions support companies in making critical decisions, while its continuous research service enhances organizational capabilities. The flagship Global Market Model database provides comprehensive market intelligence with 1,500,000 datasets covering 8,000+ mark ... The First Minister has acknowledged that parking at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has become a serious problem, and said the Welsh Government would consider any funding request from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to help tackle it. Eluned Morgan made the comments at First Ministers Questions in the Senedd after Wrexham MS Lesley Griffiths raised the issue directly, telling the chamber she had received repeated contact from constituents and had recently attended a meeting with health board officers to discuss the situation. Lesley Griffiths MS described drivers parking on pavements, pathways and double yellow lines outside the hospital, leaving wheelchair users and people using pushchairs with no access and creating danger for people who are visually impaired, Due to a lack of available spaces, people park on pavements, they park on pathways and they park on double yellow lines, and that means, for wheelchair users or pushchair access, its absolutely non-existent, and of course its incredibly dangerous for people who are visually impaired, she said. Griffiths told the Senedd that one proposal discussed at her meeting with the health board was to replace the existing double yellow lines with double red lines. Unlike double yellows, which prohibit parking, double red lines prohibit stopping entirely, giving the health board the legal basis to enforce against drivers who ignore them. The reasoning for this is the health board would then be able to hold to account the drivers who park on those double red lines in a way that they cant with double yellow lines, Griffiths said. She asked whether the Welsh Government would support the move and whether a small amount of funding could be made available for implementation. Morgan said she had heard the frustration clearly. I know how frustrated people are. Ive heard this loud and clear, that people trying to get to park in Wrexham Maelor is becoming a really big issue, she said. But the First Minister expressed scepticism about whether the colour of the lines would change driver behaviour. Double yellow lines indicate no parking at any time, whilst double red lines prohibit stopping for any reason. But the real issue is: would it change behaviour, irrespective of what colour lines they are? she said. Morgan said the more immediate priority should be enforcement of existing rules, with the health board able to reach an agreement with the local authority, use its own staff, or contract out enforcement to a third party. That is a decision for the health board, she said, and the Welsh Government, of course, would consider any funding requests from the health board against other competing priorities. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com South China's "golden oranges" eye broader market with quality upgrades Xinhua) 08:48, March 18, 2026 NANNING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Rong'an County's kumquats in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have recently become a social media hit. Known as "jinju," meaning golden orange in Chinese, the small, oval-shaped citrus fruit has surprised consumers from Jakarta to Toronto. The fruit's biggest marketing boost came in late January, when Jensen Huang, Nvidia's founder and CEO, was filmed emerging from a wet market in Shanghai, carrying armfuls of Rong'an kumquats. He handed them out at his China office's year-end party ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations. Few shoppers at the market recognized Huang. Yet around 1,600 km to the southwest in Rong'an, the gesture was read as powerful validation. Unlike typical bitter citrus, kumquats are prized for being sweet, thin-skinned, and entirely edible. In Chinese culture, kumquats are a symbol of good luck and prosperity. During the Chinese New Year, they are often given as gifts or displayed as decorations. In the rugged Karst landscape of Guangxi, kumquats have grown from a seasonal treat into the backbone of a fast-modernizing rural economy. What began as part of the local poverty-alleviation drive has become a technology-driven industry with global reach. According to local government statistics, Rong'an had 231,000 mu (15,400 hectares) of kumquats by 2025, producing roughly 287,000 tonnes of fruit in the year. The full industry chain is valued at nearly 10 billion yuan (around 1.45 billion U.S. dollars), with the "Rong'an Kumquat" having become a name brand nationwide. More than 100,000 locals now earn their living from planting or processing of the fruit as well as its logistics. At the center of the transformation is a new generation of returnee entrepreneurs who have traded urban high-rises for the orchards. At Guangxi Rongan Ant Agriculture Development Co., Ltd.'s packing facility, Wei Xiaodong, who returned home in 2017 to found the company, has placed heavy emphasis on technology and strict quality controls. Inside the sorting hall, it looks more like a high-tech laboratory than a warehouse. An AI system scans every fruit for appearance, color, surface defects, and internal quality -- including sugar content, all tracked and monitored in real time on multiple screens. "Manual sorting sometimes misses fruit that looks perfect but lacks sweetness," Wei explained. "The AI performs a complete internal and external check-up, ensuring every batch meets our standards." Premium-grade fruit, roughly 20 pieces per kilogram, is then individually wrapped in food-grade preservative film, a labor-intensive process designed to extend shelf life and stop one bad kumquat from spoiling the rest in the box. "Last year our export volume roughly doubled the amount from the year before," Wei said. The level of quality control is made possible not just by technology but also by the fruit's unique biology, according to Wu Qiqian, director of the government-backed Rong'an Kumquat Research Institute. "In harsher conditions, kumquats tend to develop thorns, seeds, and thick, bitter skins as defenses," said Wu. "Here, with around 75 percent humidity and clean water sources, the fruit evolved to shed those protections." Over decades, Rong'an kumquats have become thornless with exceptionally thin, edible skins. The variety reached the acme of perfection in 2007 when a local farmer discovered a mutant tree that produced the now-prized "Crisp Honey" kumquat -- seedless, thin-skinned and intensely sweet. Researchers at the institute spent more than a decade developing cultivation techniques. A breakthrough in 2021 finally allowed large-scale production of the high-sugar variety without compromising its delicate nature. To ensure product quality and consistency, Rong'an has implemented strict national standards across every stage, from planting and harvesting to cold-chain logistics. The "field-to-table" model is powered by a big data platform that tracks growth in real time, ensuring every piece meets the expectations of buyers. To protect the local crown jewel's reputation, Wei's company runs its own pesticide-residue testing laboratory. Fruit is tested once at the orchard gate and again upon arrival at the factory. Loads that fail the inspection are rejected outright. The company now operates a 5,800-mu eco-friendly production base and is preparing to meet even stricter international requirements. The obsession with quality is seen as a key to cracking open more demanding markets. Current export destinations include Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada and Qatar. In 2025, county-wide kumquat exports reached 6.34 million yuan -- nearly quadruple the previous year's total. To maintain and upgrade quality to meet more demanding market standards, local authorities are protecting the "Rong'an" name as intellectual property. They are also tapping into the country's ever-growing online shopping scene to sustain the viral traffic for the fruit. "Rong'an kumquat isn't just a fruit; it is a product designed for the digital age," said Lai Yuanyuan, a local businesswoman who was a fruit farmer. "It is naturally suited for e-commerce: resilient during transport and possessing a long shelf life." By linking 700 enterprises and 24,000 online stores into a digital network of fruit lovers, the county is actively elevating its native fruit from a rural staple to a "social media darling." According to Lai, the efforts have lately culminated in a high-profile collaboration between the Italian chocolatier Ferrero and Chinese fruit retail giant Pagoda. The partnership upgraded the product's gift packaging from a humble plastic crate to one resembling a luxury chocolate box. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Top Ranking Reflects Firmwide Commitment to Client Experience ST. LOUIS, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Edward Jones, a leading financial services firm, has reclaimed the No. 1 spot among 23 advice-based firms in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction StudySM, marking the first time the firm has earned the top rank since 2021. This achievement reflects meaningful progress in Edward Jones' journey to deliver comprehensive advice and planning and expanded products and services to serve more clients, more completely. "We are incredibly grateful for the trust our clients place in Edward Jones and honored to be recognized for the care and guidance they receive from our teams," said Penny Pennington, Managing Partner at Edward Jones. "This top ranking is meaningful because it reflects the deep, trusted relationships our clients have with our financial advisors, and the impact our practice teams have in helping clients and their families move toward financial fulfillment with confidence." Edward Jones achieved Best-in-Class performance in four of the seven most influential dimensions of investor satisfaction, including trust, people, products meeting client needs and ease of doing business, all while continuing to enhance its digital capabilities and value for fees paid. The firm earned an Overall Satisfaction score of 754 on a 1,000-point scale, one of only three firms scoring significantly above the advised-industry average of 725. The results underscore the strength of Edward Jones' relationship-based model and the trust clients place in the firm in an increasingly competitive landscape. The firm's financial advisors take a personalized, relationship-driven approach by partnering with clients to learn about their goals, priorities and life circumstances before developing tailored financial strategies. Supported by the firm's financial planning capabilities, investment solutions and digital tools, this model is designed to deliver advice that evolves with clients over time and helps them stay focused on achieving their long-term financial goals. In recent years, the firm has invested in advanced technology, financial advisor education and a range of new product offerings to help improve the financial advisor experience and better meet clients' needs. This includes integrated banking capabilities, expanded private-client wealth services and alternative investments, and new portfolio-management technology to support personalized managed accounts. The firm also launched Edward Jones Ventures to invest in and incubate innovations that can enhance financial planning, advisor capabilities and client experiences. "This recognition belongs to associates across Edward Jones, from practice teams to our regional and home office colleagues, who work together every day to help clients navigate complex and personal financial decisions," said David Gunn, Principal, Head of U.S. and Canada Business Units at Edward Jones. "Regaining the numberone position reflects our commitment to expanding choice and deepening partnerships, all to help our clients pursue their unique financial goals with greater clarity and confidence." The study evaluates the experiences of investors working with a wealth management firm, in either an advised or DIY capacity in seven dimensions (in alphabetical order): digital channels; ease of doing business; people; product and service offerings; resolving problems or complaints; trust; and value for fees paid. The JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction StudySM was fielded from January 2025 through January 2026 and is based on responses from 7,982 advised and 4,335 DIY investors. For more information, visit jdpower.com/awards. About Edward Jones Edward Jones is a leading financial services firm which operates throughout North America in the U.S. and Canada. The firm's more than 20,000 financial advisors ("FA") serve more than 9 million clients with a total of $2.5 trillion in client assets under care as of December 31, 2025. Edward Jones' purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm's approximately 55,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and all Canadian provinces, Edward Jones is committed to helping improve the financial fulfillment for tens of millions of long-term investors across North America by providing comprehensive, personalized planning and professional advice. 2026 J.D Power U.S Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study among Wealth Management Firms for Advised Investor Satisfaction, published March 2026, data as of January 2026. Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the ranking. SOURCE Edward Jones The councillor who helped take the Welsh Government and housing developers to the Court of Appeal over Wrexhams Local Development Plan has said he believes the withdrawal of the plan puts two major housing estate proposals in doubt. Councillor Marc Jones, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Wrexham Council, said the Welsh Governments decision to formally withdraw the LDP had real significance for communities across the borough. Jones was one of the councillors who brought the legal challenge against the Welsh Government and seven housing developers over the right of the council to make the final decision on its own local plan. Cllr Jones said, Today feels like the end of a particularly long saga. The Labour Welsh Government has finally announced it is withdrawing the Local Development Plan for Wrexham and that has real significance for communities across the borough. Critically I cant see how the two super estates on Cefn Rd and Ruthin Rd adding up to 3180 homes can go ahead. We now have a chance to create a development plan that works for Wrexham. This could have been so much easier if the Welsh Government had listened to the council three years ago we would be well on our way to a new plan. Thanks to the councillors who stood their ground despite the threat of jail, the people that supported our legal case and the hundreds of people who attended public meetings on the matter. It shows that the local voice can win against all the odds we took the developers and Welsh Govt to court and won. Its a significant day for local democracy and the people against the rich and powerful. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com Avid viewers of House of the Dragon may, once again, recognise key Welsh landmarks when the new series hits screens later this year. HBO filmed the third season of House of the Dragon at locations across Anglesey, Conwy and Gwynedd during June and July 2025, with funding support from the Welsh Government. Filming took place at Beaumaris Pier on Anglesey, Craig Yr Undeb in Gwynedd, and Ffynon Llugwy, a lake in Eryri National Park. The second and third seasons of the drama received Production Funding from Creative Wales, with 674,600 provided for season three. The investment is projected to generate 6.7 million for the Welsh economy, according to Creative Wales. Behind the scenes, 12 trainees were offered paid entry-level placements in costume, set decoration and props, camera and sound. A further five people were given upskilling roles, and six more took part in the First Break shadowing scheme led by Sgil Cymru and Crew HQ, giving them the opportunity to work across different departments. The production team also held a Welsh language session for crew members and ran a Location Marshals bootcamp to bring local people into future film work in the region. Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, said in a statement: This production brings the beauty of North Wales to screens worldwide and further strengthens Waless reputation as a leading filming destination. Our investment supports local jobs, skills and training while delivering significant economic benefits for the region. Kevin De La Noy, executive producer on House of the Dragon, said: House of the Dragon cast and crew were delighted to return to Wales, to a landscape and locale that adds such visual power and vibrant dimension to the storytelling. The returning cast for season three includes Matt Smith, Emma DArcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans and Steve Toussaint. New cast members include Tommy Flanagan as Lord Roderick Dustin, Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly and James Norton as Ormund Hightower. House of the Dragon season three will be available on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland from June. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com The First Minister has been accused of moving the goalposts on Waless apprenticeship target after a prolonged exchange in the Senedd in which she was pressed repeatedly on how the Welsh Government counts its figures. Plaid Cymrus Llyr Gruffydd told the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister on 13 March that the Welsh Government had changed both the target itself and the method used to measure it. Your original target as a Government, of course, was to achieve 125,000 apprenticeships during this Senedd, Gruffydd said. You then decided, presumably because you didnt expect to meet that target, to drop that to 100,000 apprenticeships. He said the Government had then changed what it counted. Previously, Gruffydd said, the measure tracked apprentices who remained on their courses after eight weeks. The Government was now counting those who started, including people who left within that period. Youve subsequently decided to include those who actually drop out of apprenticeships within eight weeks, which, bizarrely, you still count as people doing apprenticeships, he said. Are people right in being a bit cynical at your claim that youve achieved this target? Because clearly, youve moved the goalposts so many times. First Minister Eluned Morgan rejected the accusation. The measure is clear in our programme for government, she said. It says we are going to create 100,000 apprenticeships. We have always published both the numbers created and the numbers who are still there after eight weeks. Theyve always been available. She said the Welsh Government was investing 151 million in apprenticeships, the highest figure in seven years, and that training providers did not get paid until an apprentice reached eight weeks. Gruffydd pressed the point: So you accept or admit that you have moved the goalposts and that you changed the way that you measure that 100,000 apprenticeships from when that target was set. No. We said wed create 100,000 apprenticeships. Weve done that, and weve always published both sets of data. Theyre both available, the first minister hit back. The exchange continued through several more rounds. Gruffydd told the First Minister: The programme for government target was against one way of measuring it. Your claim to have achieved that target is against another way of measuring it. Why cant you just level with the people of Wales and be honest about that? Morgan said: We said wed create 100,000 apprenticeships and we have. Gruffydd tried a different tack: Your definition of apprenticeships has changed since you set that target. Thats all you have to admit. Its not a huge issue. Morgan responded: No. Listen, there are two measurements, okay? At that point committee chair David Rees intervened to let the First Minister finish. Morgan then set out her position in full. Do you create them, and are they still there eight weeks later, and those are different, right? she said. And so, youre measuring one, and Im telling you we said wed create them, and theyve been created. She then offered the alternative figure. Even if you look at the ones who are still there eight weeks later, you still get up to a figure of about 90,000 or 91,000, which is not something that we should apologise for, she said. Its an extraordinary result, something we should be incredibly proud of. She added: If you compare what we do compared to what they do in England, they look at us with envy, proportionately, on what weve managed to deliver over the past five years. The original programme for government target was set when Wales had access to EU funding. Morgan said a significant amount of that money had since been withdrawn. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com Wales has become the first UK nation to introduce on ban on greyhound racing. Senedd members voted 39-10, with two abstentions, in favour of the The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill during a debate on Tuesday evening. The ban will come into force between 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2030, with a transition period designed to allow the industry to wind down, strengthen rehoming arrangements for retired greyhounds, and give enforcement bodies and local authorities time to prepare. The legislation will directly affect Wales only greyhound racing track, Valley Greyhounds, at Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly. Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said the Bill reflects Wales ethical responsibility to act and is rooted firmly in the Welsh Governments commitment to animal welfare. This legislation addresses the problem at its source, said Huw Irranca-Davies. By directly prohibiting greyhound racing in Wales, it removes the environment in which avoidable harm continues to occur. It prevents the continuation of a practice that no longer aligns with our values. Thousands of members of the public, campaigners, and stakeholders contributed to shaping this legislation through campaigns, petitions, and personal testimony. However the Bill has come under fire from opposition members in the Senedd, who have questioned the evidence used to create the Bill. Plaid Cymru MS for North Wales Llyr Gruffydd said: We know that legislation has to be evidence based, proportionate and effective, and, on this occasion, the committee reminded us at Stage 1, and others at Stages 2 and 3, that the evidence base for this Bill has been highly contested. Certainly, from my point of view, that uncertainty has undermined my confidence in this piece of legislation. Now, on the data, the committee received, as we know, extensive and conflicting evidence on welfare within the racing industryindustry representatives, on the one hand, and animal welfare charities, on the other, repeatedly challenging each others figures, and the Government somewhat caught in the crossfire. The Government should have undertaken a thorough evaluation of that data before deciding to legislate. Instead, of course, the Bill was introduced without that solid evidential foundation, and now, as we heard reference to earlier, we learn that ministerial advice issued the day before the decision to ban greyhound racing was announced was telling us as much. He added that every Member of the Senedd feels strongly about the welfare of greyhounds, but the strong ethical position that many people hold, that alone, of course, isnt necessarily going to provide us with good legislation. Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds MS said the Bill was the result of years of quiet, determined effort from people who simply refused to accept that this suffering was inevitable. She said: Tonight belongs to those across Wales who have been preparing quietly and determinedly for this moment for years. They were ready before the law was, and that says everything about who they are. And I want to say something to those who are still in the middle of their own fight, those for whom today is not yet their day, because sometimes the forces ranged against you are simply bigger than you are. The resources, the lobbying, the institutional weightit can feel, sometimes, impossible to keep going. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com Wrexhams hopes of being crowned the winner of City of Culture 2029 have taken a step forward. The county is one of nine locations to make the longlist to host the prestigious title in just three years time. It joins Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Swindon in progressing to the next stage of the competition. Wrexham is the only Welsh city bidding for the title, which provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness of Welsh culture and put the whole of Wales in the national spotlight by flying the flag for Wales. The nine locations will now each receive 60,000 to help develop their full bids up from 40,000 in the last competition. Winning this title can bring significant benefits for local communities, with previous hosts attracting millions of pounds in investment, a rise in visitor numbers and job creation. This is Wrexhams second attempt at hosting the prestigious City of Culture, having made the shortlist in 2022 for the 2025 event. According to the team behind the Wrexham 2029 bid, securing the title could also help grassroots music and sport, support people working and living in the area, back new infrastructures, and generally make Wrexham an outstanding place to live, work and visit. Amanda Evans, Culture Bid Director at Wrexham Community & Culture Trust said: We are delighted to make the longlist and are more driven than ever to win the UK City of Culture title for 2029. Winning the bid will help to secure a bright social and economic future for Wrexham, bringing new opportunities for people who live and work in the area, as well as supporting our arts and culture sector in more ways than ever before. This is a really, really exciting time for us and we are committing everything over the next few months to put Wrexham on a global stage and show why we are worthy of winning the title. Councillor Hugh Jones, Wrexham Councils lead member with responsibility for City of Culture, said: This is fantastic news, and means were firmly in the race for UK City of Culture 2029. We can now move forward with confidence as we begin to build the case for making Wrexham the UKs cultural focal point in 2029. Wrexham has so much to offer, and the competition will provide a fantastic platform for us to showcase the county borough. Congratulations to the bid team and Culture Trust for all their hard work we are in it to win it. The longlist was recommended by an independent expert advisory panel, chaired by Sir Phil Redmond and supported by deputy chair Claire McColgan. Panel members were selected for their wide range of expertise from across the UK. For the first time, there will be a confirmed 10 million prize for the winning city to help deliver a year of cultural activity rooted in local identity and strengths. The three most strongest bids from places that reach the shortlist but are not selected as the winner will receive 125,000 each to help them to take forward elements of their bid. Longlisted places will now work to finalise their bids, outlining how culture could drive transformation and improve lives in their communities. The announcement comes as more than 230 towns have registered interest in becoming the UKs first-ever Town of Culture. The competition remains open for just under two more weeks, with the winner set to deliver a cultural programme in 2028. The competition is open to applications from small, medium and large towns for just under two more weeks, with the winner then tasked with delivering a vibrant cultural programme in 2028. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation. I look forward to seeing what the nine longlisted places have in store as they progress in the competition. I also urge any towns thinking about entering the UK Town of Culture competition to seize this opportunity and get involved. Its a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people. Sir Phil Redmond, Chair of the City of Culture Expert Advisory Panel, said: Once again, the UK City of Culture competition is providing bidders the opportunity to both demonstrate and experience a focused year, using culture as the creative catalyst for change, raising awareness and changing perceptions. Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and more recently Bradford, have all demonstrated the quality and depth of cultural activity embedded across the UK, as well as the benefits of simply taking part. The competition brings people together, to talk to each other rather than at each other, sharing commonality and tolerating difference. Above all, allowing places to demonstrate their own pride in their places. It is for these reasons that the new UK Town of Culture competition has been launched, to share the opportunities as wide as possible, with Expressions of Interest (EOI) due by 31 March. Wrexham will now be invited to submit a full application to the UK Government Department for Culture, Media & Sport by Summer 2026. The UK City of Culture 2029 winner will be announced later this year and will follow Bradfords tenure as UK City of Culture 2025. Previous winners Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford have shown how the competition can deliver greater and long-lasting cultural participation, economic regeneration and local pride. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com The Placer County Sheriffs Office, in partnership with Moxxy Forensic Investigations and the Reno Police Department, has officially identified a woman who was found dead at Emigrant Gap nearly five decades ago. For years she was known only as the Emigrant Gap Jane Doe. Through advancements in DNA technology and decades of investigative work, she has now been identified as Melinda Pip Beardsley, a mother who had been missing since the mid-1970s. : On December 17, 1977, a woman was discovered deceased in a snowbank in the Emigrant Gap area of Placer County. Investigators later determined she had been strangled to death. Despite extensive investigative efforts over the years, her identity remained unknown. Since the case began, Placer County Sheriffs Office investigators have continued working to identify the victim and bring answers to her family. : In 1978, the Placer County Sheriffs Office distributed approximately 300 copies of the victims fingerprints and identifying information to major law enforcement agencies across the United States and Canada, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No matches were located. In 2006, the victims fingerprints were again submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for comparison, but investigators still received no matches. As forensic technology advanced, investigators revisited the case. In 2011, the Placer County Sheriffs Office exhumed the victims remains in hopes that new forensic techniques could assist in identifying her. In 2018, investigators obtained a partial DNA profile from the remains that was suitable for direct comparison. Additional DNA work was conducted in 2019, but the available profile was not suitable for investigative genetic genealogy. In 2024, the Placer County Sheriffs Office Cold Case Investigations team submitted the remains for further DNA testing and genealogical analysis. Initial testing determined the remains were too degraded to develop a profile for investigative genetic genealogy. In 2025, additional portions of the remains were tested, ultimately producing a DNA profile with sufficient information for investigative genetic genealogy. In 2025, the Placer County Sheriffs Office began working in coordination with Moxxy Forensic Investigations, a nonprofit organization that assists law enforcement agencies with investigative genetic genealogy and missing persons research. The partnership began after Melinda Beardsleys family contacted The Doe Network, a volunteer organization that works to bring closure to missing and unidentified person cases. The Doe Network then contacted Moxxy Forensic Investigations for assistance. Moxxys Missing Persons Task Force conducted extensive research into Melinda Beardsleys life and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. During that research, investigators identified a potential connection between Beardsley and the Emigrant Gap Jane Doe. Moxxy also worked with the Reno Police Department to ensure Beardsley was formally reported missing, allowing investigators to move forward with additional investigative steps and DNA comparison with the Placer County Sheriffs Office. : Through these collaborative efforts, Melinda Beardsleys family was located and a DNA comparison was conducted. In February 2026, testing confirmed that the Emigrant Gap Jane Doe was Melinda Pip Beardsley, a mother who had been missing since the mid-1970s. Melinda Beardsley was born in 1946 in Michigan and was known to family and friends by the nickname Pip. She was believed to have been living in the Nevada area during the mid-1970s. This identification hopefully provides long-awaited answers to Beardsleys family, but the work is not done. The Placer County Sheriffs Office is actively investigating the homicide of Melinda Beardsley. Advancements in DNA technology are making it possible to solve cases that once seemed impossible. The Sheriffs Office remains committed to identifying unknown victims and bringing answers to families. Anyone with information related to the homicide of Melinda Beardsley is encouraged to contact the Placer County Sheriffs Office Investigations Tip Line at (530) 889-7830. EY.ai PDLC, powered by 8090's Software Factory, introduces an AI-native approach to reinvent software delivery, integrating advanced automation to address traditional challenges and budget overruns. EY.ai PDLC will methodically be deployed to tens of thousands of consultants at EY US focused on delivering results on behalf of their customers. NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) unveiled EY.ai PDLC, powered by 8090's Software Factory. The EY.ai PDLC is a new artificial intelligence (AI)-native approach to software delivery designed to address the challenges of traditional software development. Using 8090's Software Factory platform, EY.ai PDLC replaces outdated, linear software development with a dynamic, AI-driven model that helps organizations move from idea to production-ready software in days or weeks instead of months. Unlike traditional development processes that rely on rigid handoffs between siloed teams, EY.ai PDLC orchestrates a "collaborative mesh" of AI agents with human oversight across the full software lifecycle from requirements and architecture through code, testing, infrastructure and ongoing operations enabling faster innovation without sacrificing quality or security. EY.ai PDLC is designed to enable faster innovation and overcome traditional development challenges such as project failures, budget overruns and slow feedback. In fact, an EY US use case finds that EY.ai PDLC drives a 70% increase in software development productivity and cost efficiency while speeding up delivery by 80 times. At the same time, the framework delivers superior quality through 95%+ automated test coverage and continuous validation. 8090's Software Factory is an enabler of EY.ai PDLC for clients as well as for digital engineering teams within EY US, delivering meaningfully faster and more cost-efficient outcomes and unlocking remaining performance obligations for software vendors. "EY.ai PDLC is compressing months-long roadmaps into a few days with greater accuracy, empowering technology teams to offload manual tasks and focus on high-level strategy," says Colm Sparks-Austin, EY Americas Technology Consulting Leader. "Leveraging 8090's platform, we are moving beyond just code and prototypes to deliver complete, commercial-grade products at pace. This approach is not just about raising efficiency; it's about raising the ceiling of what's possible." "For 50 years, we've watched the same cycle repeat," says Chamath Palihapitiya, Cofounder and CEO of 8090. "A company initially writes their own software, then outsources it to a commercial vendor, then offshores the maintenance of that system, all while costs keep rising and quality keeps falling. We built Software Factory to solve this problem, and we're excited to scale its impact globally with the EY organization's deep customer relationships and business experience." Working with 8090's Software Factory, EY teams help clients address two critical enterprise needs: Legacy modernization and decommissioning: helping enterprises systematically retire technical debt, modernize aging systems and reduce the operational burden of maintaining decades-old code New product development: enabling enterprises to build new software products with the consistency, governance and quality that AI-assisted development alone cannot deliver EY.ai PDLC is designed as an open ecosystem, with 8090 as a founding partner. The EY organization expects to add additional technology partners over time, expanding the capabilities and reach of the program. This announcement follows the recent launch of EY.ai Value Blueprints, further expanding EY's suite of tools for the AI-native enterprise. For more information, visit ey.com. About EY EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multidisciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories. All in to shape the future with confidence. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. About 8090 8090 is rebuilding the economics of enterprise software. For decades, the same cycle has repeated: companies write software, outsource it, offshore the maintenance, and watch costs rise while quality falls. 8090 was built to break that cycle. 8090's flagship product, Software Factory, is an AI-native development platform built for the complexity of real enterprise environments. It enables organizations to build, modernize, and maintain software with the quality, control, and consistency that traditional development and off-the-shelf AI coding tools cannot deliver. Unlike single-model AI tools that generate inconsistent, poorly maintained code, Software Factory orchestrates across multiple AI models, ensuring every line of code is documented, governed, and built to last. Quality. Control. Consistency. The new standard for AI-built software. 8090 is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. For more information, visit 8090.ai. SOURCE EY SIGNIFICANT 13,700M PROGRAM AT U.S. GOLD-ANTIMONY-TUNGSTEN PROJECT TO TEST EXTENSIONS AND SUPPORT MAIDEN RESOURCE Major Drilling Program Planned to Test Golden Gate Scale Adelaide, Mar 18, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resolution Minerals Ltd ( ASX:RML ) ( NC3:FRA ) ( RLMLF:OTCMKTS ) announceD a significant Phase 2 drilling program at the Golden Gate fault zone within its 100% owned Horse Heaven Gold-Antimony-Tungsten-Silver Project ("Horse Heaven" or the "Horse Heaven Project"), in Idaho USA (Figure 1*). The program comprises up to 45,000 ft (13,700 metres) of diamond core drilling across up to 45 holes and represents a substantial expansion of the Company's successful 2025 drilling campaign at Golden Gate, where all holes intersected gold mineralisation and remain open at depth. HIGHLIGHTS Fully-permitted Phase 2 drilling program comprising up to 45,000 ft (13,700m) across up to 45 diamond holes at Golden Gate. Program designed to define the scale of gold mineralisation at Golden Gate and Golden Gate South and support progression toward a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (targeted for Q1, 2027, subject to successful outcomes). Follows the successful Phase 1 drilling campaign (2025), which totalled 10,100 ft (3,780 metres) across 14 holes. All Phase 1 drill holes intersected gold mineralisation from surface and remain open at depth Phase 1 delivered multiple broad gold intercepts, including: 253m @ 1.5 g/t gold (HH-GG25-003C); 197.5m @ 1.26 g/t gold (HH-GG25-001C); 265.2m @ 0.6 g/t gold (HH-GG25-002C); and 240.8m @ 0.64 g/t gold (HH-GG25-004C). Phase 2 will also target associated tungsten mineralisation, confirming multi-commodity potential at Golden Gate. Drilling is designed to define the scale and geometry of Golden Gate North and South, with up to 45 diamond holes targeting: Strike extensions (north, south and between zones), and Depth extensions of the system. Due to favourable winter weather this year, Phase 2 drilling expected to commence early in May 2026, and continue through mid-August 2026. Two MP1500 Core diamond drill rigs will be deployed; no Reverse Circulation drilling is planned. Strong commodity fundamentals including high gold prices and tightening antimony and tungsten supply, continue to support the project and are driving growing U.S. investor and strategic interest. RML's CEO of US Operations, Craig Lindsay, commented: "Following our impressive 2025 drill campaign, it is clear that Golden Gate hosts a large continuous gold mineralised system, with all holes intersecting mineralisation and remaining open at depth. "The upcoming drill program is designed to define the size and shape of this system, and to advance Golden Gate toward a maiden JORC-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate. "Importantly, mineralisation remains open in multiple directions, and we are only beginning to understand the full scale for the Golden Gate system." 2026 Golden Gate Drill Program The Company has developed a Phase 2 drill program comprising up to 45,000 feet (13,700m) of core drilling across up to 45 holes. Drilling is expected to commence early May 2026 (subject to weather conditions), with Evolve Exploration Inc. engaged to execute the program using two MP1500 core diamond drill rigs. The program will focus on the Golden Gate North and Golden Gate South targets (Figure 2*). While the final allocation of drilling may be refined based on results, the current plan is for approximately 60% of drilling at Golden Gate South and 40% at Golden Gate North. Golden Gate North Drilling Program At Golden Gate North, drilling will comprise a combination of infill and step-out drilling to expand known mineralisation and test extensions of the system (Figure 3*). Drilling will follow up on key intercepts including hole HH-GG25-001C, which returned broad zones of gold mineralisation open at depth, including: - 189.2m @ 1.30 g/t Au from 34.1m to 223.4m, ending in mineralisation, including: o 12.9m @ 2.32 g/t Au from 94.4m o 29.6m @ 2.71 g/t Au from 131.8m; and o 70.8m @ 2.24 g/t Au from 128.8m In addition to gold mineralisation tungsten mineralisation has been identified at Golden Gate further highlighting the projects multi-commodity potential. Hole HH-GG25-012R intersected: o 21m @ 0.06% W, including 8m @ 0.14% W Additional anomalous tungsten intervals were also recorded, including 1.5m @ 110ppm, 150ppm and 370ppm W respectively. These results support the interpretation that tungsten mineralisation extends from the historical Golden Gate Tungsten Mine workings located immediately to the north. Golden Gate South Drilling Program Drilling at Golden Gate South will focus on expanding this emerging discovery, following up on discovery hole drill hole HH-GG25-013R (Figure 4*), which intersected a broad zone of gold mineralisation. Hole HHGG25-013R returned: o 99.1m @ 0.38g/t Au from surface to end of hole, with grades ranging from 0.17g/t Au to 0.76g/t Au, and ending in mineralisation The mineralisation is hosted within intensely oxidised, altered and brecciated monzonite to quart monzonite. The presence of numerous breccia zones is interpreted to reflect faulting parallel to the Golden Gate Fault Zone, consistent with a shear zone-hosted mineralisation model with intrusive rocks. Importantly, this drilling confirms the presence of near-surface oxidised gold mineralisation extending east of the 2025 drilling areas, expanding the system across Golden Gate Hill, and remaining open to the east and at depth. In addition, a large target area west of HH-GG25-013R hosts a coincident gold and tungsten soil anomaly identified in historic sampling. This area represents a priority drill target as part of the 2026 program. Golden Gate Exploration Model At the prospect scale, the Golden Gate Fault Zone demonstrates a strong spatial association between gold mineralisation at the Golden Gate North and Golden Gate South and the northeast-southwest trending fault structures (Figure 3* and Figure 4*). These northeast-southwest oriented faults are interpreted to control both the distribution of mineralisation and associated alteration, and play a key role in the local geological architecture of the system. While additional drilling is required to determine whether mineralisation at Golden Gate North and Golden Gate South is continuous or represents parallel or offset zones (Figure 5*), the broader gold mineralised "envelope" (as described immediately above) is consistent with the Company's exploration model for the Golden Gate Fault Zone, an Intrusive-related Gold ("IRG") Deposit (Figure 6*). The Company interprets gold mineralisation at Golden Gate North and Golden Gate South to represent a sheared granite-hosted, fault-controlled disseminated Au-[Ag-W] IRG deposit. The geological setting and style of mineralisation are considered to share similarities with the nearby Stibnite Gold Mine operated by Perpetua Resources. Next Steps Resolution is advancing preparations for the 2026 field season, with drill at Golden Gate set to commence in early May 2026. The program will deliver a steady flow of drilling results, with ongoing assays and geological interpretation guiding step out and follow up drilling as the Company works to define the overall scale of the Golden Gate system. Drilling is designed to systematically test the extent of mineralisation along strike between Golden Gate North and South, extend the system to the north-east and south-west, and test for depth extensions below existing drilling. Activities will include: Diamond drilling program across Golden Gate North and South Step-out drilling to expand mineralisation along strike Deeper drilling to test extensions at depth Ongoing geological logging, sampling and assay results In parallel, RML is progressing A new Plan of Operations to expanded drilling footprint the Golden Gate Fault Zone. A separate Plan of Operations for Antimony Ridge, including drilling and bulk sampling of nearsurface high-grade antimony mineralisation. Ongoing metallurgical test work which will be scaled in line with drilling progress and key project milestones. Results from the 2026 program are expected to support continued advancement of Golden Gate toward a maiden Mineral Resource. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/MW8BT980 About Resolution Minerals Ltd Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) (OTCMKTS:RLMLF) (FRA:NC3) is a mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and battery metals - such as antimony, gold, copper, and uranium. Resolution Minerals Ltd Listed on the ASX in 2017 and has a broad portfolio of assets, such as the Drake East Antimony-Gold Project in north-eastern NSW and George Project prospective for silica sand and uranium. Related Companies to Acquire Highly Prospective Barlee Gold Project in Western Australia Sydney, Mar 18, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - First Au Limited ( ASX:FAU ) announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of the Barlee Gold Project ("Barlee" or "the Project") located approximately 260km north of the Southern Cross Goldfield in Western Australia. The acquisition will be completed through the purchase of 100% of the issued capital of Regent Resources Pty Ltd ("Regent"), which holds the project tenements. The project is located 260km north of the Southern Cross Goldfield and lies immediately north of the Evanston Gold Camp and the Gwendolyn Mining Centre. The Barlee Gold Project covers an area of ~300km2 with much of the surrounding tenure controlled by Leeuwin Minerals Ltd ( ASX:LM1 ) and previously mined by Ramelius Resources. Highlights - Binding agreement executed to acquire 100% of the Barlee Gold Project (Barlee) - Project covers approximately 300km2 within the underexplored Marda-Evanston Greenstone Belt in the Yilgarn Craton - Located immediately north of the Evanston Gold Camp within a belt that has produced more than 2Moz of gold - Historical aircore drilling has identified anomalous gold, nickel and lithium-tin geochemistry - Extensive transported cover and salt lake sediments have limited historical exploration, presenting a compelling frontier exploration opportunity The Project lies in the northern portion of the Marda-Evanston Greenstone Belt which has historically produced >2moz of gold. Despite this endowment, the Barlee tenure remains significantly underexplored due to extensive transported cover and salt lake sediments obscuring much of the underlying geology. Chairman Daniel Raihani commented: "The acquisition of the Barlee Gold Project significantly expands First Au's exploration footprint in the Western Australian Goldfields and provides exposure to an underexplored greenstone belt with demonstrated significant gold endowment. Technological advancements in geophysics and drilling now allow exploration beneath transported cover and salt lake sediments that historically limited effective exploration. Investors need only look towards the Kambalda region as an analogue which has yielded >15M oz of gold, much of it from deposits located beneath Lake Lefroy. In the short-term, First Au intend to build on Regents exploration work and follow up anomalism identified in their drilling in 2021 with a view to discovering value below the lake sediments. Along with our work at the Gimlet Gold Project in the Eastern Goldfields, First Au is looking to deliver value to our shareholders by building a dynamic West Australian gold exploration business." Key Terms and Consideration for the Acquisition The consideration payable to the Sellers is: (a) $1,000,000 in cash, payable as follows: (i) $500,000 on completion of the Acquisition (Completion); and (ii) $500,000 on the date that is 12 months after Completion; and (b) subject to shareholder approval under Listing Rule 7.1, the issue of $1,250,000 in fully paid ordinary shares in FAU based on the 20-day VWAP prior to Completion. The Acquisition agreement contains conditions precedent and additional provisions considered standard for an agreement of this nature. Location The Barlee Project lies some 260km north of Southern Cross in the northern portion of the MardaEvanston Greenstone Belt. Its relatively remote location and obscurity caused by salt lake sediment cover has limited historic attempts at exploration to sporadic efforts. FAU sees good potential in the application of sustained, methodical exploration techniques to produce a mineral discovery of material value. It is the combination of remote geography and sedimentary cover that results in the challenge at Barlee, but also the opportunity to exploit a new frontier. Geology A maiden drilling programme conducted in 2021 was successful in delineating anomalies for gold, nickel and tin/lithium. Drilling confirmed a favourable and much sought-after geological model, which drives much of the project's prospectivity. Central to the geological model is an intrusive tonalite body that disrupts the greenstone package of BIF, mafic and ultramafic rocks. Tonalites are recognised as crucial components elsewhere in the goldfields for driving classical mineralisation styles by introducing heat and metal rich fluids to greenstone hosts. Field evidence indicates pervasive regional alteration and deformation consistent with classic tonalite interaction and conducive to orebody genesis. Anomalism Locations of first pass anomalism is shown in Figure 3*. End of hole gold anomalism in BIF/mafic lithologies of 120ppb were encountered in the western drill lines. Further south and in granitic rocks, lithium/tin/rubidium anomalism was encountered in the western most hole of that particular drill traverse. On the eastern side, nickel anomalism associated with cumulate textured ultramafic rocks delivered assays of up to 0.6% Ni on a 1m basis. Figure 3* also shows the interpreted zones of prospectivity for the various commodities, based on encountered lithology. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7PF85838 About First Au Limited First Au Limited (ASX:FAU) is an advanced gold and base metals exploration company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange pursuing gold opportunities in Western Australia, including its 100% owned Gimlet Gold Project with a mineral resource of 119,600oz at a grade of 3.15g/t Au near Kalgoorlie. Related Companies Witness Paul Atreides' brutal reign. The final chapter of Denis Villeneuve's Dune trilogy begins. See the epic trailer for Dune: Part 3. AceShowbiz - The epic saga continues with the highly anticipated release of the first trailer for Dune: Part 3, the final installment in Denis Villeneuves acclaimed sci-fi trilogy. Timothee Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, who has now ascended to Emperor of the Known Universe. This rise follows his quest to avenge the tragic death of his father and the annihilation of his family by House Harkonnen and the former royalty. Paul Atreides rise to power, however, has ignited a massive conflict that spreads across the galaxy. According to the visions granted to him after drinking the Water of Life, this war will cost billions of lives. The trailer reveals the harsh realities of his reign and the violent battles that lie ahead as the universe reacts to his rule. The footage picks up after the events of the previous film, where Zendayas character, Chani, fled into the desert amidst the outbreak of a holy war. By the start of Dune: Part 3, Paul and Chani have reunited, sharing a tender moment reflecting on their future children. Yet, this brief peace is shattered as the trailer quickly shifts to scenes of brutal warfare on new planets, with battlefields littered with bodies and war parties led by Javier Bardems Stilgar and Paul himself, surveying the devastation left behind by the Fremen forces. The trailer also introduces several new characters set to play crucial roles in the story. Robert Pattinson debuts as the enigmatic villain Scytale, sporting bleached blonde hair and an ominous presence. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor-Joy returns as Alia Atreides, Pauls younger sister, who had only a brief appearance in the previous film. Director Villeneuve has expanded Alias role significantly for this chapter, suggesting her importance to the unfolding narrative. Dune: Part 3 is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026, positioning it directly against Marvels Avengers: Doomsday in what promises to be a blockbuster showdown. Despite speculation about a potential scheduling shift, Warner Bros. has reportedly secured an exclusive IMAX release window for Dune: Part 3 during its opening weekend, making a change in release date unlikely. The films returning cast includes Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Jason Momoa, who reprise their roles from earlier installments. New additions to the cast feature Isaach de Bankole as one of Pauls former Fedaykin warriors, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa portraying Leto II Atreides, and Ida Brooke as Ghanima Atreides, the twin offspring of Paul and Chani. Behind the scenes, the cinematography has shifted hands from Academy Award winner Greig Fraser, who handled the first two films, to Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren for this final chapter. The legendary composer Hans Zimmer returns to provide the musical score, continuing to shape the epic atmosphere of the Dune universe. In a special event to unveil the trailer, Villeneuve highlighted that Dune: Part 3 will markedly differ from the earlier films. While the first two movies focused on grand desert battles and large-scale conflict, this third installment takes inspiration from Frank Herberts second novel, Dune Messiah, which is more of a chamber drama filled with palace intrigue and political maneuvering. However, Villeneuve has expanded the novels scope to emphasize the tragic elements of Pauls story, while also paving the way for future narratives within the Dune universe beyond Herberts original works. As the trailer showcases, Dune: Part 3 promises a blend of intense battles, complex character dynamics, and the far-reaching consequences of power. Fans can expect a deeper exploration of the burdens that come with Paul Atreides reign and the personal sacrifices entwined with his destiny as emperor. With its December 18 release date fast approaching, anticipation continues to build for what many hope will be a grand conclusion to an already monumental trilogy in modern science fiction cinema. Denis Villeneuve planned a break after Dune: Part Two, but the overwhelming audience reaction and haunting visions of Part 3 changed his mind. AceShowbiz - Director Denis Villeneuve revealed that he initially did not plan to start work on a third installment of the Dune saga so soon after Dune: Part Two. The filmmaker explained that such projects are monumental and that he wanted to take a break to reset creatively. I went to my crew and said, Im taking a break. Thats it. Bye bye, Villeneuve shared during the trailer launch event held Monday at AMC Century City. However, despite intending to work on another movie, the images of a third Dune film kept haunting him in the middle of the night. The first Dune film arrived in theaters during the 2021 pandemic, limiting immediate audience feedback. But the overwhelming love and reaction to the 2024 sequel profoundly impacted Villeneuve, pushing him toward the next chapter. The image of Dune: Part 3 kept coming back and coming back. I said, All right, lets do it, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker recalled, adding that he returned to the project "not by nostalgia, but by urgency." The enthusiastic response to Dune: Part Two was a key factor in Villeneuves decision to accelerate production on the concluding film. Unlike the first movies simultaneous release on HBO Max and theaters, the follow-up enjoyed a more traditional theatrical run, generating a different kind of audience engagement. Villeneuve described the third movie as distinct from the earlier films: If the first movie was contemplation, a boy exploring a new world, and the second one is a war movie, this one is a thriller. It is action-packed and tense. More muscular. The story is set 17 years after Dune: Part Two, focusing on Paul Atreides dealing with the burdens of immense power. The plot revolves around factions attempting to overthrow him, though at its core remains the intimate relationship between Paul and Chani. For the first time, Villeneuve shot the film on traditional film stock, though he opted for digital cameras to capture desert sequences, appreciating the raw intensity digital IMAX offers. Surprising fans at the trailer event were stars Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Javier Bardem, and Anya Taylor-Joy. While lead actor Timothee Chalamet was absent, he sent a video message to the audience. Robert Pattinson discussed his role as Scytale, a character beloved by fans. He revealed he had seen the first two Dune films multiple times in theaters. On the set of the A24 film The Drama, where he stars opposite Zendaya, he jokingly asked her how to get into a Dune movie. Responding to laughter, Zendaya quipped, I know a guy. Months later, Pattinson got a call inviting him to join the cast. On his character, Pattinson said, I wouldnt say hes a conventional bad guy, as such. He might even be a good guy. Who knows! I will also find out when I see the movie, eliciting laughter from the crowd. The trailer launch event marked an exciting moment for fans eager to see how Villeneuve will bring the epic story to a conclusion. Radiohead announces a new global touring strategy: 20 concerts per year across continents starting in 2027. Get ready for their return. AceShowbiz - The iconic British band Radiohead is preparing to embark on a new touring strategy that will see them performing 20 concerts annually on different continents, according to guitarist Ed O'Brien. The plan, revealed in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, follows the band's successful 20-show European tour completed last year. Radiohead intends to begin this ambitious global schedule in 2027, targeting continents including North and South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, with each year dedicated to a specific continent. While no official tour dates or routing have been confirmed, the bands management has acknowledged the plan but offered no additional details. Reflecting on the European leg, OBrien described it as a deeply emotional and profound experience for the band. "That tour was very, very emotional, very profound. We all felt that," he said. He emphasized the unique energy and connection the members shared on stage during those performances, expressing a sense of gratitude and amazement at the opportunity to continue performing together. O'Brien also stressed the importance of maintaining high performance standards throughout the tour. "We want to give absolutely everything each night," he stated, highlighting the bands commitment to avoiding burnout and ensuring that every show feels fresh and meaningful. Acknowledging their age, with members in their mid to late 50s, he added, "We're not spring chickens anymore." This approach to touring contrasts with the grueling schedules of Radiohead's earlier years, which were famously exhausting. Evidence of that intense period appears in the 1998 documentary Meeting People Is Easy, which captured the toll relentless touring took on the band. Since then, their tours have been fewer and more spaced out, though the 2016-2018 campaign supporting their album Moon Shaped Pool stretched over two years and featured an extensive four-month North American run in 2018. OBrien candidly shared how the recording process for A Moon Shaped Pool nearly led him to quit the band. "I was done with Radiohead," he recalled, explaining that he had lost resonance with the groups direction and wanted to explore his own creative path. Despite his reluctance to tour following that album, he committed to it and is glad he saw it through to the end. Following the intense period around Moon Shaped Pool, the members of Radiohead took several years off to focus on solo projects. This hiatus lasted about six years without the band performing together, until they reunited for rehearsals in 2024. During this time, frontman Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood formed the band the Smile, while other members pursued their individual musical endeavors. This break appears to have rejuvenated the bands chemistry and enthusiasm. OBrien described their reunion as immediately positive, with the familiar creative chemistry quickly returning. "We're like, 'How do we know if we're going to be any good?' And the chemistry was there from the very beginning," he said. He believes that maintaining strong personal bonds among the group fuels their collective success. The decision to focus on 20 shows per year on different continents reflects a mindful balance between sustaining their passion for live performance and managing the physical demands of touring at their stage of life. Many veteran artists, including Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen, have similarly adopted shorter, less intense tours with more rest days to preserve their performance quality. OBriens comments underscore the bands desire to avoid the exhaustion of their earlier years and to deliver memorable, high-energy shows without sacrificing their well-being. By committing to this new touring model, Radiohead aims to keep their live presence vibrant and sustainable for years to come. As fans eagerly await further announcements, the bands plan to methodically tour different continents each year signals an exciting chapter ahead, blending global outreach with thoughtful pacing. The coming years will reveal how this approach shapes the legacy of one of the most influential bands of their generation. Keanu Reeves stars as a disgraced movie star fighting to save his career from a leaked video. Outcome premieres April 10, 2026 on AppleTV. AceShowbiz - Keanu Reeves headlines the intense first trailer for the upcoming AppleTV film Outcome, which is set to debut on April 10, 2026. The highly anticipated movie features Reeves as Reef Hawk, a globally renowned movie star grappling with a career comeback shadowed by a scandalous video that threatens to destroy his reputation. In the trailer, Reeves portrays Reef Hawk, who once led three of Hollywoods biggest franchises before taking a secret five-year break from the spotlight. During this hiatus, unbeknownst to the public, he struggled with a heroin addiction. Now, on the cusp of returning to the limelight, a damaging video surfaces, igniting a desperate quest to uncover who betrayed him. The film delves into the question that haunts Reef: "Who hates me?" As it turns out, almost everyone seems to harbor resentment, except for two loyal friends, Xander and Kyle, played by Matt Bomer and Cameron Diaz. With the assistance of crisis lawyer Ira Slitz, portrayed by Jonah Hillwho is almost unrecognizable with a bald head and gray beardReef embarks on a journey across Los Angeles to make amends with old friends, colleagues, and even his mother. However, as Reef Hawk confronts those he has alienated, the film raises a compelling question: who are these apologies truly for, and does it matter if so many people despise him enough to sabotage his comeback? These themes of redemption, betrayal, and public scrutiny shape the darkly comedic tone of Outcome. The creative forces behind Outcome include Jonah Hill, who not only co-wrote and directed the film but also stars alongside Keanu Reeves. Hill previously directed the coming-of-age skateboarding dramedy mid90s in 2018, and Outcome marks his second narrative feature. Joining the main stars are a diverse and talented supporting cast, including Susan Lucci (All My Children), Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), David Spade (Saturday Night Live), Atsuko Okatsuka (Elio), Roy Wood, Jr. (The Daily Show), Welker White (Goodfellas), Kaia Gerber (Bottoms), and Ivy Wolk (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You). Notably, acclaimed director Martin Scorsese appears in a rare acting role as a washed-up talent agent, adding a unique layer to the films ensemble. The screenplay was co-written by Jonah Hill and Ezra Woods. The production team includes Hill, Matt Dines, and Alison Goodwin, with Adam Merims serving as executive producer. Outcome is anticipated to be a significant release for AppleTV in 2026. Hill has another film scheduled for release this year titled Cut Off, where he stars alongside Kristen Wiig as wealthy siblings who suddenly face disinheritance. That film will be released in theaters by Warner Bros. in July, showcasing Hills growing versatility as both actor and director. Outcome has a runtime of 83 minutes and promises a sharp, satirical look at fame, addiction, and the ruthless nature of Hollywood. The April 10 release on AppleTV will give audiences a chance to explore these themes through the lens of a fallen star fighting to reclaim his life and legacy. Stay tuned for further updates and in-depth coverage of Outcome as the premiere date approaches. This film is poised to be a major talking point in 2026s cinematic landscape, given its star power, creative team, and provocative storyline. Rosalia's Lux world tour is a breathtaking spectacle of ballet, orchestra & theatrical visuals. See her ambitious 57-date live show. AceShowbiz - The Spanish artist Rosalia has officially started her ambitious Lux world tour, delivering an unforgettable live experience packed with captivating visuals. The tour began on March 16 with a sold-out show at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France, marking her most extensive headlining journey yet, spanning 57 dates worldwide. Since the tour announcement in December, fans have eagerly anticipated how Rosalia would adapt her critically acclaimed operatic album Lux for the stage. The opening night showcased a daring artistic vision featuring ballet pointe work, precise pirouettes, complex choreography, dramatic stage designs, and the accompaniment of a full orchestra, creating a theatrical spectacle. The concert is divided into four acts, closely following the albums tracklist with a 25-song set. Rosalia opened the show dressed as a ballerina performing "Sexo, Violencia y Llantas." The second act included a striking rendition of "Berghain," reminiscent of her BRIT Awards performance. During this segment, dancers encircled her before breaking into a frenetic dance routine as a techno remix took the stage. Act Three featured a standout moment with the theatrical delivery of "La Perla." Fan recordings reveal an intimate confessional scene with an audience member preceding the song. For the main performance, dancers lifted Rosalia and created an optical illusion of a metronome by swaying her rhythmically while wearing alternating black and white gloves, adding to the visual impact. Alongside material from Lux, Rosalia performed popular hits such as "Saoko," "La Fama," "Despecha," and "La Noche de Anoche." The concert concluded with the cinematic closing track from Lux, "Magnolias," leaving the audience mesmerized. Following Lyon, Rosalia will continue the European leg of her tour with an upcoming stop in Paris. Later this year, she will tour North and South America, including dates in the U.S., Canada, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and will wrap up the journey in Puerto Rico, promising an expansive global presence for the Lux era. Gayle King renews her CBS Mornings contract, ending exit rumors. Discover her commitment to the show and what's next for the veteran anchor. AceShowbiz - Gayle King has been a prominent figure in American morning television for over a decade, known for her warm presence and compelling interview style. Since 2012, she has co-anchored CBS Mornings and its predecessor, CBS This Morning, blending serious news coverage with engaging human-interest stories. As she renews her contract in 2026, many are curious about her current salary and future at CBS. Gayle King recently confirmed that she has signed a new contract with CBS News, ensuring her continued role on CBS Mornings. This announcement puts to rest widespread rumors suggesting she might leave the show when her previous contract expired in May 2026. In a statement reported by Variety, she emphasized her dedication to the network, saying, Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated. CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. She also expressed enthusiasm for what lies ahead at CBS Mornings, highlighting her readiness for new challenges. Regarding compensation, credible sources cited by Variety report that King earns an annual salary of $14 million for her work on CBS Mornings. Mint has suggested her pay ranges between $12 million and $15 million each year. While CBS has not officially disclosed the terms of her renewed contract, it is widely expected that her earnings will remain within this range. Despite CBS Mornings not matching the ratings of its competitors, the program still holds a significant audience. Varietys data shows it attracted about 1.78 million viewers over a five-day period in March 2026. By comparison, NBCs Today show drew 3.2 million viewers, and ABCs Good Morning America had approximately 3.1 million during the same timeframe. There has been speculation about Kings role potentially changing. Rob Shuter, on his Naughty But Nice Substack, reported that sources indicated she might accept a 50% pay cut and shift to a part-time schedule. However, King herself has not commented on these rumors. Given her public statement affirming her commitment to CBS Mornings, it appears she will maintain her full-time hosting duties, at least for now. The networks plans regarding cost adjustments remain unclear, but Kings involvement does not seem diminished. Overall, Gayle King continues to be a key figure in the morning news landscape, with her contract renewal and reported $14 million salary reflecting her importance to CBS Mornings. Fans and industry watchers will be watching closely to see how the show performs and evolves in the coming years. THE WOODLANDS, Texas, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today celebrated the grand opening of its expanded Performance Products manufacturing facility in Petfurdo, Hungary, where operations were initiated at the beginning of this year. The successful completion of this investment increases Huntsman's global capacity providing greater flexibility, and innovative technologies for the polyurethane, coatings, metalworking and electronics industries. One of the world's leading amine catalyst producers with over 50 years of experience in urethane chemicals, Huntsman has seen demand for its JEFFCAT amine catalysts continue to grow across the globe. These specialty amines are used in everyday applications such as automobile seats, mattresses and energyefficient insulation for buildings. Huntsman's latest product portfolio supports industry efforts to save energy, lower emissions and reduce odors in consumer products. "This new capacity builds on our longstanding investments in Performance Products and strengthens our ability to support customers in fastgrowing and evolving markets," said Jan Buberl, President, Huntsman Performance Products. "The expansion unit enhances our manufacturing flexibility, enables nextgeneration products and reflects our continued focus on sustainability, operational excellence and longterm value creation. As demand grows for cleaner, more efficient solutions, this investment positions us to respond with speed, innovation and reliability." The project, supported by an investment grant from the Hungarian government, reflects the community's confidence in Huntsman and our shared commitment to future growth. Government officials joined the celebration to mark this investment in the region's longterm success. "We greatly appreciate the support of the Hungarian government and value the strong partnership that helped bring this project to completion," Buberl added. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration as we advance economic development and manufacturing excellence in Hungary." JEFFCAT is a registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries. About Huntsman: Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of diversified chemical products with 2025 revenues of approximately $6 billion from our continuing operations. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 55 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 25 countries and employ approximately 6,000 associates within our continuing operations. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com. Social Media: X: http://www.x.com/Huntsman_Corp Facebook: www.facebook.com/huntsmancorp LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/huntsman Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information in this release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws. SOURCE Huntsman Corporation Undertone (2026) redefines horror with chilling dread. A podcast host uncovers subtle, malevolent forces in this Canadian film inspired by elevated horror an... AceShowbiz - Undertone is setting a new standard for horror films in 2026, delivering a chilling experience that lingers long after the credits roll. This Canadian production, currently showing nationwide in theaters, achieves a rare feat in its genre by instilling a genuine sense of dread and the feeling that malevolent forces are just beyond reach. Joining the ranks of notable elevated horror films like Hereditary and Skinamarink, Undertone distinguishes itself with a unique blend of suspense and subtle menace. But what makes this debut feature by director Ian Tuason so effective? And why does a non-horror series like The Sopranos play an unexpected role in shaping the films eerie atmosphere? What Is Undertone About? The story follows Evy, portrayed by Nina Kiri (known for The Handmaids Tale), a young Canadian woman who hosts a popular supernatural podcast from her quiet home in Toronto. Her co-host, Justin, played by Adam DiMarco (from The White Lotus), collaborates remotely with her. While Evy is focused on her show, she is also coping with her mothers terminal illness, which looms in the background upstairs. The plot thickens when Justin discovers ten mysterious tapes chronicling a haunting experienced by a young couple. This discovery forces Evy to confront not only these new spectral events but also the unresolved ghosts of her own past, present, and uncertain future. The film deliberately keeps much of its story ambiguous, inviting viewers to unravel its mysteries alongside Evy. From Radio Plays to a Distinctive Horror Film The genesis of Undertone traces back to Ian Tuasons fascination with narrative podcasts. Inspired by series such as Mark Phillips Homecoming and The Black Tapes by Paul Mae and Terry Miles, Tuason initially conceived the project as a radio play. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and his parents fell ill, he moved back to his childhood homea location that would later serve as the primary filming site for the movie. Tuason has said, "[Undertone] started as a radio play. I was writing about Justin and Evy investigating hidden messages in audio files when COVID hit, and then my parents got sick. I moved back into their home, which is where we ended up shooting." This intimate setting lends the film an authentic and claustrophobic atmosphere that heightens the tension. Crafting Fear Through Sound Unlike many horror movies that rely heavily on visual shocks, Undertone leans into sound design as a core storytelling device. Tuason reveals that his original script emphasized sound cues more than camera directions. He would write precise details such as, "the baby cries to the rear right," to guide the sound editors in creating a spatial audio experience. This approach reflects Tuasons background in virtual reality content creation, where 3D soundscapes are crucial because there is no fixed frameonly immersive space. His heavy involvement in the sound mixing process allowed him to direct audio cues that intensify moments of terror, such as sudden bangs or unsettling noises from different directions. The Power of Ambiguity Undertone masterfully plays with uncertainty. For much of the film, viewers question whether Evys experiences are supernatural or mere figments of her imagination. Tuason intentionally maintains this ambiguity to keep audiences on edge. Everyday soundsa faucet running by itself, floorboards creakingcould be innocent or sinister. Even when Evy glimpses a shadowy figure in the dark, the brief appearance is quickly dispelled, leaving viewers unsure if it was real or imagined. Tuason emphasizes plausibility in these moments, ensuring that every eerie event could have a logical explanation, which deepens the unsettling mood. Elevated Horror Influenced by The Sopranos Eschewing gore and explicit horror tropes, Undertone delivers a sophisticated form of terror rooted in mood and uncertainty. This style aligns with what many refer to as elevated horror, a label Tuason acknowledges but finds somewhat divisive among fans. He cites masterpieces like Hereditary and The Babadook as examples of films made by directors who are true experts in their craft, which inspired him to pursue a similar level of artistry. Interestingly, Tuason also credits the HBO mob drama The Sopranos for influencing the films visual style. He admired the unsettling dream sequences in the show, particularly those featuring James Gandolfinis character Tony Soprano, and adapted some of that haunting imagery into Undertone. Tuason explains, "When I was writing Undertone, I took ideas from things outside the horror genre. I liked certain shots from The Sopranos. Some of Tonys dream sequences are really scary! I aimed to make the scariest movie I could." His mission to craft a uniquely frightening film has clearly succeeded. Undertones Place in the 2026 Horror Landscape As 2026 unfolds, Undertone stands out amidst a competitive year for horror movies. While last year saw notable releases like Weapons and the Oscar-nominated Sinners, this film offers a fresh and unsettling approach to horror. Fans of the genre can also look forward to other 2025 releases like Black Phone 2, but Undertone promises a distinct experience centered on atmosphere and psychological tension. Final Thoughts Ian Tuasons Undertone is a film that redefines what it means to be scary in modern horror. By focusing on sound design, ambiguity, and subtle menace rather than overt shocks or violence, it creates an immersive, haunting experience that stays with viewers long after the theater lights come up. The influence of narrative podcasts and even The Sopranos enriches the films unique tone, making it a must-watch for horror enthusiasts seeking more than just jump scares. Currently playing in theaters nationwide, Undertone invites audiences to confront the fear that lurks in familiar spaces and question whats realand whats notin the shadows of the mind. Spice Girls 30th Anniversary tour cancelled. The reunion is off as the five members fail to agree on comeback plans, ending hopes for a celebratory tour. AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated Spice Girls 30th Anniversary tour has been officially cancelled after the group failed to reach a consensus on plans for their comeback. The five members, Geri Horner, Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham, had been in discussions to mark three decades since their debut single Wannabe was released. Despite initial optimism and talks of a reunion tour, sources now confirm that the band members could not agree on the terms or timing of their comeback, leading to the abandonment of any formal arrangements for a celebratory concert series. This development follows recent reports that a Netflix project intended to commemorate the group's anniversary was also cancelled, with insiders claiming that Geri Horner hesitated on signing the deal. Mel C addressed the situation during an interview on The Smallzy Show on KIIS Radio, clarifying that no reunion tour is currently planned. She said, 'No, there is no reunion. We are communicating all the time. We want to do something - who knows when.' She remained hopeful, adding, 'I still feel very optimistic and I keep my fingers crossed that you will see the Spice Girls together at some point in the future.' Earlier in January, Mel C had hinted that discussions were ongoing regarding a 30th anniversary celebration. However, according to The Sun, these talks have since broken down in recent weeks. So far, the only official commemoration announced for the milestone is a collectible coin issued by the Royal Mint. Attempts to reach a representative of the Spice Girls for comment have not yielded a response. Last April, it was reported that Geri Horner reconnected with the group's former manager, Simon Fuller, travelling to Miami in an effort to negotiate a deal for the band's reunion. Meanwhile, last month marked a rare moment of unity when Victoria Beckham rejoined the Spice Girls on Instagram for a group singalong. This was her first public performance with the band since opting out of the 2019 tour. The gathering took place at her London home, with the members celebrating 30 years since their formation. During the singalong, Victoria's son, Cruz, played guitar while his girlfriend Jackie Apostel and the familys personal chefs observed from the kitchen. Victoria Beckham has also shared clips of herself performing live acoustic versions of the group's hits, teasing fans with the possibility of future involvement. In November, Mel C appeared on Good Morning America to promote her ninth solo album, Sweat, and was questioned about a possible reunion with the Spice Girls. She expressed guarded optimism, saying, 'I remain optimistic. Its our thirtieth anniversary next year. We toured in 2019, we did a few stadium shows in the UK and it was incredible.' She praised the lasting legacy of the group and the new generations of fans discovering their music. Mel C emphasized the importance of timing and consensus, stating, 'We want to make sure its the right thing and agree on the right thing.' She also revealed her personal desire for a reunion that includes Victoria Beckham, recalling the joy of their previous tours. Mel C reflected on their 2019 tour experience as the most beautiful she had ever had with the group. She described how the passage of time allowed them to fully appreciate their impact and the emotional connection with fans. 'It was such a joyous experience. We were just able to take it in for the first time and enjoy every minute. I feel emotional because Id love to do it again.' However, reports from early 2024 suggest that internal conflicts, particularly between Geri Horner and Mel B, have severely hindered progress on reunion projects. The dispute reportedly derailed a major TV drama deal tied to the anniversary celebrations, which could have earned each member 1 million. Sources describe the fallout as a 'nightmare', with the ongoing feud preventing the band from securing a manager capable of mediating and finalizing deals. The tension originated after Mel B publicly revealed a past lesbian relationship with Geri Horner on a 2019 appearance on Piers Morgans chat show, claims which Geri has denied, accusing Mel B of fabricating the story to boost sales of her memoir, Brutally Honest. Victoria Beckham has long maintained that her focus remains on her fashion career, and she has repeatedly stated she does not plan to rejoin the band full-time. Speaking to Andy Cohen in October, she explained that while the Spice Girls helped her overcome self-consciousness, performing is no longer her priority. 'Its not ultimately what I want to do anymore,' she said, joking, 'I dont know if I could even still sing. I mean, I was never that great.' Although she finds the idea tempting, she admitted that a demanding world tour would not fit her current lifestyle. Victoria Beckham's last live performance with the Spice Girls was at the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Prior to that, she participated in the bands 2007-08 world tour. Meanwhile, Geri Horner left the group abruptly in 1998 during the middle of a world tour, coinciding with Mel B's birthday. Geris departure was widely reported and led to a hiatus for the group two years later. The Spice Girls rose to international fame in 1996 when their debut single Wannabe topped charts in 37 countries. Over their career, they achieved nine number one hits in the UK and released two number one albums. Following her exit, Geri Horner embarked on a successful solo career, scoring four UK number one singles. Despite the setbacks, fans of the Spice Girls continue to hope for a future reunion that honors the bands enduring legacy. While current circumstances prevent a full-scale tour or project, the members remain in communication, leaving open the possibility that the iconic group may one day reunite on stage once again. Rihanna & A$AP Rocky seen with heavy security in NYC after shooting at their LA home. Suspect charged with attempted murder. AceShowbiz - Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been seen accompanied by heavy security following a frightening shooting at their Los Angeles residence. The couple appeared calm but well-protected as they exited a building in Manhattan on Tuesday. Sources report the pair left the location swiftly, surrounded by six security personnel who closely guarded them on all sides while they made their way to a nearby SUV. This appearance marks the first time Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been publicly seen together since the incident. The shooting occurred last Sunday at their home while the couple and their children were inside. An assailant opened fire, firing multiple rounds into the property, causing alarm but fortunately no injuries. Authorities quickly identified and apprehended the suspect, Ivanna Lisette Ortiz. Ortiz now faces serious charges, including one count of attempted murder, nine counts of assault with a firearm, two counts of shooting into an inhabited dwelling, and one count of shooting at a motor vehicle. Her bail has been set at an exceptionally high $10,225,000. In light of the event, it is clear that security has become a significant concern for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. Their recent public appearance with a strong security detail underscores their commitment to safety following the traumatic experience. After 5 years, witness the epic historical saga. Anthony Mackie stars in the largest film in Saudi history, a $150M war set in 7th-century Arabia. Trailer now. AceShowbiz - Desert Warrior is finally unveiling its first trailer after nearly five years of anticipation and extensive delays. This ambitious historical epic stars Anthony Mackie and is set in seventh-century Arabia, depicting a pivotal pre-Islamic conflict between rival Arab tribes and the Persian-Sasanian Empire. The film represents a groundbreaking project, as it was the first major production filmed in Neom, Saudi Arabia, and is considered the largest film endeavor in the Kingdoms history. With a substantial $150 million budget, the project was backed by Riyadh-based media giant MBC and employed a crew numbering in the hundreds, establishing a new benchmark for Saudi Arabias film industry. Rupert Wyatt, known for directing the 2011 hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes, directed the sweeping feature. However, the production faced significant hurdles during post-production, including reported creative disagreements that even led Wyatt to temporarily leave the project before returning to complete the editing process. Despite these setbacks, Desert Warrior premiered at the Zurich Film Festival in September last year. Following this, Vertical acquired distribution rights for the United States and United Kingdom, setting the stage for its theatrical release on April 24, 2026. The newly released trailer offers a first glimpse into the epic tale. Anthony Mackie stars as a legendary bandit, a character shrouded in mystery and pivotal to the story. Alongside him is Aiysha Hart, known for her role in We Are Lady Parts, portraying Princess Hind. Refusing to accept her grim fate as the concubine of the ruthless Emperor Kisraplayed by Ben KingsleyPrincess Hind escapes into the desert with her father. They are relentlessly pursued by an imperial army determined to capture her. Forced into an uneasy alliance with Mackies character, the princess transforms from a captive fugitive into a formidable warrior. As the story unfolds, she rallies various tribes for a decisive confrontation against the Empire that will determine the future of Arabia. The cast is further bolstered by Ghassan Massoud and Sharlto Copley, who bring additional depth and gravitas to the films portrayal of this tumultuous era. In addition to directing, Wyatt co-wrote the screenplay with Erica Beeney and David Self. Beeney previously collaborated with Wyatt on his 2018 political thriller Captive State, while Self has an extensive background writing for large-scale productions, including The Wolfman (2010) and Sam Mendes Oscar-winning Road to Perdition (2002). With such an experienced creative team and its impressive scope, Desert Warrior is positioned to be a major cinematic event in 2026, especially for Anthony Mackie, who is also slated to return as Captain America in the MCUs highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday later this year. The films 114-minute runtime promises a visually stunning and narratively rich experience, immersing audiences in a rarely depicted chapter of history through a modern cinematic lens. The movie not only highlights a critical cultural moment but also showcases Saudi Arabias growing film production capabilities with this landmark project. Desert Warrior will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026. Fans can watch the official trailer now to get a firsthand look at this epic tale of bravery, betrayal, and the fight for freedom in ancient Arabia. Taylor Frankie Paul's domestic dispute halts Hulu show, but ABC confirms it won't affect The Bachelorette season 22 premiere. AceShowbiz - Taylor Frankie Pauls recent domestic dispute has reportedly caused a production halt for Hulus The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but sources confirm this controversy will not impact the premiere of ABCs The Bachelorette season 22. At 31 years old, Taylor Frankie Paul was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this month with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, 33-year-old Dakota Mortensen. According to a report from Variety on Monday, March 16, the ongoing investigation into the dispute will not affect The Bachelorettes scheduled release or promotional activities. Taylor, the newly announced lead of the ABC dating franchise, is actively promoting the show in New York City and is planned to attend a premiere event in Los Angeles ahead of the network premiere on Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET. ABC has not yet issued an official comment on the matter despite outreach from media outlets. The fallout from the dispute has impacted production of Hulus The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 5, where Taylor Frankie Paul is an original cast member. A spokesperson from the Draper City Police Department in Utah confirmed to Us Weekly that an active domestic assault investigation is underway, with allegations reportedly made by both parties involved. Police contacted the individuals on February 24th and 25th as part of the inquiry. Following the publicized incident, sources revealed that the rest of the Mormon Wives cast feels uneasy filming alongside Taylor. One insider told Us Weekly that the cast is honestly terrified and that production has been paused, with the women expressing that they consider her a liability. Before these events unfolded, Taylor Frankie Paul appeared to be in a healthier state of mind while filming The Bachelorette. Her SLOMW co-star Mayci Neeley noted that being away from Utah and the turmoil involving Dakota gave her a chance to distance herself from a toxic cycle. Mikayla Matthews shared with Us Weekly on March 2 that the time apart might have allowed Taylor to reflect on what she truly wants and needs in life. While the ABC dating show was filmed prior to the resumption of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives production, the ongoing drama between Taylor and Dakota has placed her suitors in a difficult position as the situation continues to unfold publicly. Taylor Frankie Paul was officially announced as the lead of season 22 of The Bachelorette on Wednesday, September 10, during an appearance on Alex Coopers Call Her Daddy podcast. Since then, the men competing for her affection have reportedly been supporting one another, feeling disappointed and let down by the public nature of her personal struggles, according to insiders. Prior to her reality TV stardom, Taylor was involved in a high-profile Mormon swinging scandal while married to Tate Paul. The former couple, who share two childrendaughter Indy May, 8, and son Ocean, 5divorced in 2022. Her relationship with Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a 23-month-old son named Ever, has been described as tumultuous and on-again, off-again. Despite the controversy, ABCs The Bachelorette season 22 is set to premiere as planned on Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET, with Taylor Frankie Paul ready to hand out roses amid the ongoing media attention surrounding her personal life. Denzel Washington stars as Hannibal in this epic Netflix film. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, it chronicles the legendary general's war against Rome. Filming beg... AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated historical epic starring Denzel Washington and directed by Antoine Fuqua is finally moving forward with production. The untitled Hannibal film, a Netflix project first announced in 2023, is set to begin filming this summer in Italy, according to Variety. Pre-production and location scouting are currently underway, with the majority of shooting planned at the renowned Cinecitta Studios in Rome. This marks the long-awaited development of the biographical drama centered on the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal, who is celebrated as one of historys greatest military strategists. The screenplay is penned by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan, known for his work on Gladiator, The Aviator, and Hugo. The film will chronicle Hannibal's campaigns against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War, including his famous crossing of the Alps with war elephants and his dominance over much of southern Italy for 15 years. The project reunites Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua for their sixth collaboration, following notable films such as Training Day (2001), which earned Washington his first Academy Award for Best Actor, The Equalizer series, and The Magnificent Seven. Their most recent joint effort was The Equalizer 3 (2023), much of which was also filmed in Italy. Adding to the films prestige, acclaimed cinematographer Robert Richardson, a three-time Oscar winner for JFK (1992), The Aviator (2005), and Hugo (2012), will oversee the visual direction of the movie. This collaboration reinforces the films commitment to high production values and cinematic excellence. In addition to this historical epic, Denzel Washington recently appeared in Ridley Scotts Gladiator 2 (2024), portraying Macrinus, a former slave who rises through gladiatorial combat to influence the Roman Empires fate. His continued involvement in ancient history-themed films highlights his versatility and appeal in epic storytelling. The Hannibal films official logline states it focuses on the real-life warriors strategic genius and pivotal battles against Rome, culminating with the Roman victory at the Battle of Zama, where Rome launched a decisive counter-invasion of North Africa. The productions base in Italy, combined with the expertise of the creative team, promises an authentic and grand-scale depiction of this significant historical saga. Stephen Graham slams Hollywood actors for unprofessional on-set behavior, calling tardiness "disgusting" and disrespectful to crews. AceShowbiz - Stephen Graham, known for his roles in Gangs of New York and The Irishman, has openly criticised certain Hollywood actors for their unprofessional behaviour on set. Speaking at a SAG-AFTRA Foundation Panel in Los Angeles, the 52-year-old star expressed frustration over actors who arrive late to filming, describing it as exceptionally disrespectful. Stephen Graham emphasised the impact this has on the crew, highlighting how they often arrive early and stay late, only to be kept waiting by tardy stars. He called the behaviour disgusting and suggested it reflects an arrogant attitude among some co-workers in the industry. This candid criticism comes as Stephen Graham recently confirmed plans for a second season of the acclaimed Netflix drama Adolescence, in which he plays a leading role. The series has received critical acclaim, with Graham winning the Golden Globe for Best Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television for his performance. In an interview with Deadline following his Golden Globe win, Stephen Graham hinted at future developments for Adolescence, stating that while he cannot answer definitively about a second season, the idea remains alive in the minds of himself and co-creator Jack Thorne. He advised fans to stay tuned for updates in the coming years. Alongside Grahams win, his co-stars Owen CooperOwen Cooper and Erin DohertyErin Doherty also earned accolades for their supporting roles, winning Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively. The show itself took home the award for Best Limited or Anthology Series, cementing its status as a standout production. Earlier, Stephen Graham shared with Variety that if a second season of Adolescence happens, it likely would not continue focusing on the Miller family, but could instead evolve into an anthology series with a completely different story. He explained that the first season was crafted as a little British story made with truth, integrity, respect and a lot of love, which contributed to its unexpected success and resonance with viewers. In the series, Grahams character faces the harrowing consequences of his teenage sons arrest for the murder of a female classmate, a storyline that has drawn praise for its emotional depth and realism. During his Golden Globe acceptance speech at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Stephen Graham paid heartfelt tribute to his wife, producer Hannah Walters. He credited her with having turned his life around since their marriage 18 years ago, calling her one of the best producers ever and expressing deep gratitude and love. "You saved my life," Graham said, dedicating his award to his wife, his two children Grace and Alfie, as well as his parents and close friends. He described his father as his hero and acknowledged the essential support network behind his success. Notably, 16-year-old Owen Cooper won the Supporting Actor award while in the midst of studying for his GCSE exams, making him the second-youngest male Golden Globe winner in history after Ricky Schroder, who won at age nine in 1980. Stephen Grahams remarks about Hollywoods tardiness highlight ongoing frustrations within the industry about professionalism and respect for the entire production team. His comments have sparked conversations about the need for greater accountability and consideration among actors on set. As fans await news of the next chapter for Adolescence, Graham remains committed to authentic storytelling and maintaining the integrity that has defined his recent work. His outspoken stance on set etiquette adds another layer to his image as a grounded and principled actor in a sometimes chaotic industry. No Duttons here: The Madison star reveals the Yellowstone sequel is its own independent story, despite early fan and cast expectations. AceShowbiz - This article contains significant spoilers from the first three episodes of The Madison. If viewers anticipated encountering a Dutton family member in The Madison, they were not alone. Patrick J. Adams, who portrays the character married into the Clyburn familythe central figures of The Madisonshared with The Hollywood Reporter that when he first received the scripts, he and others were expecting a Dutton to appear. "We kept waiting for a script to drop where a Dutton would come," Adams explained. He added that during early discussions, the team was repeatedly assured, "No, no, no. This is an independent thing. This is its own thing." The project was initially announced in 2023 alongside updates about the flagship Paramount Network series, Yellowstone, which was reportedly heading toward its conclusion. At that time, The Madison was described as a sequel to Yellowstone, set in the present day after the events of the original series. It was expected to extend the story of the Dutton family dynasty with new characters and locations, while incorporating some familiar faces. Paramount+ had given it a straight-to-series order. However, the direction shifted dramatically once Taylor Sheridan, the prolific creator behind the Yellowstone universe, began writing. Paramount+ has characterized The Madison as his most intimate series to date, distinct from other installments like the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, and other Sheridan projects such as Lioness, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and the Dutton-family-derived Marshals currently airing on CBS. In an unconventional release approach, The Madison premiered its first three episodes over a weekend, with the last three scheduled to arrive the following Saturday. Even more unusual was the production process. Sheridan, who personally recruited Michelle Pfeiffer for the lead role as Stacy Clyburn, was adamant about casting Kurt Russell as her on-screen husband, Preston. To make this possible, they filmed the second season before the first had even been released. Filming for season one took place from late summer to fall of 2024 without Russell, who was occupied with shooting his Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Production resumed in the same period of 2025, allowing Russell to film his scenes for both seasons in Montana and Fort Worth, Texas. This arrangement meant Pfeiffer completed all of season one without acting alongside Russell. "I was not happy about that," Pfeiffer admitted to THR with a laugh. "It was touch and go if they were going to make [Kurts] schedule work. But Taylor was insisting it was going to happen, so I just decided, 'OK, its Kurt.' And because I know him, that was pretty easy to conjure up." Russell and Pfeiffer had previously worked together in the 1988 movie Tequila Sunrise. It was Pfeiffer and Sheridan who devised the plan to accommodate Russells demanding schedule and pitched the idea to Paramount. Christina Voros, a Yellowstone veteran who directed all episodes of The Madison, reflected on the unusual filming order. "I sort of forgot that it might look strange to the outside world to schedule a show that way," Voros said. She added, "Once you see them together, it feels so inevitable, you cant imagine it being anyone else." During the New York City premiere of the series, Sheridan made a rare appearance and spoke candidly about the challenges of producing television in todays industry. He highlighted the demanding nature of the project, noting the difficult filming locations and the emotional depth required. "Everyone in this project and in every project that we do, but [especially] with this one... to make a project with me is really difficult because I choose really inhospitable places to film," Sheridan said. He explained that The Madison was an emotionally taxing story centered on grief, family rupture, and reconciliation. "It demanded a lot and it demanded a lot of everyone," he added, before introducing his director and cast at the screening of the first episode. The Madison follows the Clyburn family, originally from New York City, who relocate to Montana after a devastating tragedy: Preston Clyburn dies in a plane crash along with his brother Paul, portrayed by Matthew Fox. As the Manhattanites, including the daughters played by Beau Garrett and Elle Chapman, adjust to their new mountainous surroundings, they navigate the difficult stages of grief and work to heal their fractured family. The series notably portrays New Yorkers in a less-than-flattering light. Sheridan reflected on his own complicated relationship with New York, stating, "In my early 20s, I moved to New York like a lot of actors and I had a love-hate relationship with this city. I loved it, it just didnt love me back. And I have been back and forth and watched it evolve and change. Sometimes you have to leave a place to really know it and love it, and this is a story of a family that has to leave it to learn to love it again." So to clarify, there are no Dutton family members in The Madison. Despite the appearance of what seems to be a two-season limited series, Sheridan has ambitions to continue the story far beyond this initial arc. Michelle Pfeiffer expressed optimism that a third season is on the horizon. "I think I speak for everyone when I say we would shoot this gladly forever," Adams said. "Weve found something kind of miraculously special here and as long as its a story that people want to hear, wed be happy to tell it." Director Voros echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the strong cast chemistry and emotional resonance of the series. "Any time you get a show together with a cast like this you kind of want it to go forever," she said. Having completed the second season, she said her affection for the characters only deepened. Voros also noted that while The Madison will appeal to longtime fans of the Yellowstone universe, it will also attract viewers who might not typically be drawn to the more action-driven, masculine tone of other Taylor Sheridan shows such as Yellowstone or Lioness. "It is a simpler story in many ways on the surface, but infinitely more complicated, emotionally, underneath it," she explained. Voros described the show as layered with metaphor, including numerous references to rivers, symbolizing the flow of the familys emotional journey. The final three episodes of season one of The Madison will be released on Paramount+ this coming Saturday, completing the initial story arc while setting the stage for future seasons. Explore the innovative sounds of guitar legend Adrian Belew, his iconic collaborations, and his exciting 2026 touring projects. AceShowbiz - Adrian Belew is not just a session guitarist; he is a master of innovative sound who has left a lasting impact on some of the most influential albums and artists. His ability to solve complex musical challenges has made him a sought-after collaborator, helping legendary musicians like David Byrne, Trent Reznor, and Paul Simon craft groundbreaking music. Belew fondly recalls a compliment from performance artist Laurie Anderson, who described him as the man with the interesting sounds, a fitting label for his unique approach to guitar playing. Looking ahead to 2026, Adrian Belew will demonstrate his musical versatility through several exciting projects. He is scheduled to tour the West Coast and Australia with Jerry Harrison, performing the entirety of Remain in Light, the classic album by Talking Heads. In June, he will join BEAT, a progressive rock supergroup connected to King Crimson and featuring bassist Tony Levin, for an extensive European tour. Alongside these ventures, Belew plans to record new material with the Adrian Belew Power Trio at his home studio, showcasing his ongoing creative drive. Reflecting on his collaborations, Belew shares a poignant truth: I love everybody I've ever worked with. That's the problem. You see them for such an intense period, and then they're gone. This sentiment resonates deeply as he reminisces about his past experiences and the fleeting but impactful connections formed during studio sessions and tours. One of Adrian Belews earliest notable assignments was working with the legendary David Bowie and Brian Eno. Belew describes the unique circumstances of joining the recording of Bowies album Lodger. The sessions took place in the Swiss studio immortalized by Deep Purples Smoke on the Water, a place rebuilt as a concrete bunker after a devastating fire. In a highly unconventional recording process, Belew was intentionally kept in the dark about the key or structure of the songs he was asked to play on, receiving only brief attempts to contribute guitar parts without prior knowledge. His contributions to tracks like Boys Keep Swinging were later edited and pieced together to form the final guitar solos, exemplifying an experimental approach to music production. Belew notes that Bowie was going through a difficult period during these sessions, and the album Lodger did not receive much promotion from RCA, his label at the time. Despite this, Belew regards it as one of Bowies most adventurous records, marking a departure from commercial expectations before Bowie later achieved massive success with Nile Rodgers. Another significant collaboration was with Frank Zappa. Although Belew never recorded in the studio with Zappa, much of their work together took place live during tours and soundchecks. Belew recalls recording parts for the album Sheik Yerbouti during live soundchecks, highlighting Zappas innovative recording techniques. A memorable moment from this period was Belews Bob Dylan-style vocal imitation on the track Flakes, which Zappa embraced enthusiastically, demonstrating the creative spontaneity that defined their partnership. During the making of Graceland with Paul Simon, Belew experienced a remarkable encounter with Bob Dylan. While attending a concert by Lonnie Mack alongside Simon, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards, Simon introduced Belew to Dylan, who acknowledged having heard of Belews work. Belew was struck by this unexpected recognition but never had the chance to learn exactly what Dylan had heard about him, a mystery that remains unresolved. Adrian Belews connection to Talking Heads began after he was invited to join them onstage during an encore performance of Psycho Killer. This moment sparked a strong working relationship that led to Belew being called upon during the challenging sessions for Remain in Light in New York. With band members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth temporarily away, Byrne, Eno, and Jerry Harrison struggled to find direction for the album. Belew was recruited to add guitar parts to a series of tracks that lacked traditional structure, chord changes, or vocals. In the studio, Belew found the atmosphere ideal for experimentation. The open-ended nature of the music allowed him to explore his guitar in ways that felt effortless and inspired. His contributions, particularly the solos on The Great Curve, were crafted by playing alongside the tracks without pre-arranged cues, allowing the music to evolve organically. The band members were visibly excited by the sounds Belew created, signaling the importance of his input in shaping the albums distinctive sound. Throughout these collaborations, Belew was often caught amidst the interpersonal dynamics and creative tensions of the groups he worked with. He had a close bond with David Byrne but also witnessed the complexities of band relationships firsthand. One especially notable anecdote involves Belews efforts to prevent Tina Weymouth from ousting Byrne from Talking Heads, illustrating his loyalty and investment in the groups cohesion. Adrian Belews career is marked by his ability to adapt and innovate within a diverse range of musical contexts. Whether contributing to the art-rock experimentation of Bowie and Zappa, the worldbeat fusion of Simon, or the pioneering new wave of Talking Heads, his distinctive guitar work has continually pushed boundaries. His upcoming tours and recordings promise to further showcase the breadth of his talent and his enduring influence on modern music. As Belew prepares for a busy year ahead, his reflections on past projects reveal a musician deeply committed to collaboration and creativity. His story is not only one of technical skill but also of meaningful connections forged through sound, making him a truly unique figure in the landscape of contemporary music. Henry Cavill stars in the live-action Voltron movie. The epic adaptation arrives in 2027. Five lions, one legendary defender returns. AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Voltron, featuring Henry Cavill, has officially been assigned a release window set for 2027. This announcement excites fans eager to see the beloved 1980s franchise return to the big screen after nearly 40 years. The films release window confirms that production is progressing steadily. While Amazon MGM Studios has not yet announced a precise date, the projects advancement follows the studio securing distribution rights in 2022 and moving quickly into production. Filming took place in Australia, starting in late 2024 and wrapping up by mid-2025, allowing ample time for the extensive post-production work expected for a movie featuring five robotic lions merging into the formidable Voltron. The original Voltron animated series, which first aired in 1984, captivated audiences with its story of pilots controlling robotic lions that unite to form a giant warrior to combat villains like King Zarkon and Haggar. The franchise has since expanded with multiple series, including Voltron: The Third Dimension, Voltron Force, and Netflixs Voltron: Legendary Defender, alongside various comics and video games. In the upcoming film, Henry Cavill is set to portray King Alfor. The cast also features Rita Ora as Haggar the Dark Witch and Sterling K. Brown in the role of Zarkon. Additional talent includes Daniel Quinn-Toye, Alba Baptista, John Harlan Kim, Tharanya Tharan, Samson Kayo, Tim Griffin, Laura Gordon, Keanu Karim, Nathan Jones, Kevin Spink, Becki Cross Trujillo, Roberto Zenca, and Matthew Scully. Directing the live-action Voltron is Rawson Marshall Thurber, known for his work on action-comedy films such as Red Notice, Central Intelligence, and Skyscraper. Thurber co-wrote the screenplay with Ellen Shanman and serves as a producer alongside Todd Lieberman, Bob Koplar, and David Hoberman, signaling a strong creative team behind this highly awaited adaptation. NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kuehn Law, PLLC, a shareholder litigation law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Ardent Health, Inc. (NYSE: ARDT) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders. According to a federal securities lawsuit, Insiders at Ardent Health caused the company to misrepresent or fail to disclose that: (1) Ardent Health did not primarily rely on "detailed reviews of historical collections" in determining collectability of accounts receivable nor did "management determine[] [when an] account is uncollectible"; (2) the Company's accounts receivable framework "utilized a 180-day cliff at which time an account became fully reserved," allowed Ardent Health to report higher amounts of accounts receivable and delay recognizing losses on uncollectable accounts; and (3) Ardent Health did not even maintain professional malpractice liability insurance in amounts "sufficient to cover claims arising out of [its] operations[.]" If you currently own ARDT and purchased prior to July 18, 2024 please contact Justin Kuehn, Esq. by email at [email protected] or call (833) 672-0814. Kuehn Law pays all case costs and does not charge its investor clients. Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights. Why Your Participation Matters: As a shareholder your voice matters, and by getting involved, you contribute to the integrity and fairness of the financial markets. Your investment. Your voice. Your future. For additional information, please visit Shareholder Derivative Litigation - Kuehn Law. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contacts: Kuehn Law, PLLC Justin Kuehn, Esq. 53 Hill Street, Suite 605 Southampton, NY 11968 [email protected] (833) 672-0814 SOURCE Kuehn Law, PLLC A punk-inspired Bride of Frankenstein ignites a gothic crime spree in 1930s America. Maggie Gyllenhaal's bold reimagining carves its own unique path. AceShowbiz - The Bride! offers a bold and original reinvention of Mary Shelleys classic Frankenstein tale, focusing on the iconic Bride of Frankenstein with a fresh, punk-inspired twist. Despite the countless adaptations of Shelleys 1818 novel, this film carves out its own unique space, blending crime spree energy with gothic romance in 1936 Chicago and New York. Originally slated for a 2025 release, Maggie Gyllenhaals film wisely debuted earlier, avoiding competition with Guillermo del Toros acclaimed Frankenstein adaptation. While both films share Shelleys source material, they diverge drastically in tone and setting. The Bride! is set a century after the original Frankenstein movies, ironically just a year after Universals 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein, and it embraces a starkly different style and narrative approach. The original 1935 Bride of Frankenstein, directed by James Whale and starring Elsa Lanchester, gave the Bride minimal screen time and silence. In contrast, The Bride! centers on the character with a powerful voice and a compelling story, brought vividly to life by the extraordinary Jessie Buckley. Buckleys performance is not just vocal but deeply purposeful, turning the Bride into a fully realized protagonist rather than a mere plot device. Universal had long intended to revive the Bride of Frankenstein character within its Monsters series, with Angelina Jolie once attached to the project. However, this version never materialized. Gyllenhaals film, by contrast, offers a wholly original narrative that defies simple comparison to its predecessors. The movie evokes the chaotic energy of Bonnie & Clyde if the infamous duo were monsters on the run, infused with punk rebellion and cinematic nods to diverse influences like Sid and Nancy, David Lynchs Wild at Heart, Terrence Malicks Badlands, classic Bogart detective films, and even the musicals of Astaire and Rogers. Theres also a subtle echo of the recent Joker: Folie a Deux in its gritty, emotional core. At its heart, The Bride! is a love storya tale of loneliness and longing that resonates with the universal question, Where do all the lonely people come from? This theme is woven through the narrative with a contemporary sensibility that reflects Gyllenhaals own inventive spirit and perspective on identity and monstrosity. While some may label the film as feminist, the storys themes transcend gender, addressing the monstrous aspects of living in todays world and within ourselves. The film opens with a striking black-and-white sequence featuring Buckley as Mary Shelley herself, narrating the story, before shifting into vivid color and the urban chaos of 1936. Here we meet Ida, a young woman trapped in a violent gangland world, silenced and marginalized, whose fate is both tragic and shocking. Idas story ends early in the filmjust ten minutes inbut Buckleys role continues far beyond this, as she transforms into the Bride. After Idas death, Christian Bale introduces the creature Frankenstein, known simply as Frank, a patchwork man whose face is masked to hide its scars. Frank seeks companionship to ease his profound loneliness and turns to the controversial Dr. Euphronious, played by Annette Bening, a scientist ostracized for her radical experiments aimed at revitalizing life. Euphronious, despite doubts, manages to bring the Bride back to life from a dead womans body bag. The Bride emerges with striking featuresa shock of white hair and a distinctive black birthmark across her face. Frank is overjoyed, but he underestimates the consequences of creating a partner who will soon challenge his control and expectations. The film employs a fascinating blend of period aesthetics, including black-and-white 1930s movie musicals that Frank adores. Jake Gyllenhaal, playing Ronnie Reed, a matinee idol star from these films, appears in Franks imagined world, adding a meta-textual layer to the story. Meanwhile, the Bride struggles to understand her existence, grappling with identity and self-discovery while uncovering that her relationship with Frank is based on deceptionshe is essentially a living prop meant to stave off his loneliness. As she gains independence and self-awareness, the Bride becomes a wild, untamable force, leading Frank on a violent, punk-fueled spree that captures headlines and sparks a following of women who see her as a symbol of rebellion and freedom. Their fugitive status brings them to the attention of Detective Jake Wiles, portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard, and his steadfast partner Myrna Malloy, played by Penelope Cruz. Wiles battles self-doubt as an aging detective while Malloy remains his determined anchor. Among the films standout moments is a nightclub scene where Frank and the Bride crash a dance floor, erupting into a choreographed, eerie routine that showcases their otherworldly presence and the films inventive visual style. The narratives parallels to Bonnie & Clyde are unmistakable, evoking the classic Warner Bros. films daring tone and spirit of rebellion. Jessie Buckley delivers a fearless, captivating performance that anchors the film. Her portrayal is raw and unrestrained, embodying a complex character with no safety nets or reservations. Christian Bale offers one of his most poignant performances in years, humanizing the monster with a mix of vulnerability and desperation. Annette Bening brings depth and nuance to Dr. Euphronious, infusing the role with both intelligence and moral ambiguity. Peter Sarsgaard and Penelope Cruz round out the cast with compelling portrayals of the law enforcers chasing the couple, adding tension and emotional weight. The films production values are exemplary. Cinematographer Lawrence Sher captures both the gritty urban atmosphere and the dreamlike moments with stunning black-and-white and color compositions. Karen Murphys period production design and the iconic costume work of Sandy Powell create an immersive 1930s setting that feels authentic yet stylized. The evocative score by Hildur Gunadottir complements the films tone, blending punk energy with cinematic sophistication, while Dylan Tichenors seamless editing maintains a compelling pace throughout. Seen in glorious IMAX, The Bride! is a cinematic experience that demands a big-screen viewing. It marks a significant leap for Maggie Gyllenhaal as a director, following her smaller-scale debut with 2021s The Lost Daughter, also starring Buckley. This film confirms her ability to manage large-scale narratives with bold ideas and emotional depth. The film closes with a dedication from Gyllenhaal to my daughters, underscoring the personal and cultural significance of crafting a powerful, female-led story in a genre traditionally dominated by male perspectives. The Bride! is a fiercely original and timely retelling of a timeless story, delivering a fresh perspective on love, identity, and the monsters we all carry within. Sean Penn skips his Oscar win to meet Zelensky in Kyiv. Read about his unwavering support for Ukraine since the war began. AceShowbiz - Sean Penn was notably absent from the Academy Awards ceremony where he won the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of the military colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another. Instead of attending the Hollywood event, Penn chose to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyVolodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The Ukrainian president shared a photo of the two together on X, expressing deep gratitude for Penns unwavering support. "Sean, thanks to you, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is. You have stood with Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war. This is still true today. And we know that you will continue to stand with our country and our people," Zelensky wrote. Penn has spent considerable time in Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022. In recognition of his dedication, Ukraines national railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, presented Penn with a special Oscar statuette. This unique award was crafted from metal salvaged from a railway car damaged by Russian shelling, symbolizing resilience amidst conflict. Ukrzaliznytsia acknowledged on X that knowing Penn had missed the Oscars, they decided to create an Oscar of their own to honor his commitment and sacrifice. A video shared by the railway company captured the moment Penn received this meaningful statue. This is not the first time Penn has connected his acting accolades with Ukraine. Previously, he gifted one of his own Oscars to the country during a visit, telling Zelensky, "When you win, bring it back to Malibu, because I'll feel much better knowing there's a piece of me here." In addition to his acting career, Penn also co-directed a documentary titled Superpower with Aaron Kaufman in 2023. The film focuses on Ukraine and Zelensky amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Sean Penns decision to prioritize his solidarity with Ukraine over attending the Oscars highlights his deep involvement in the regions struggles and his commitment to raising awareness through both activism and art. Timothee Chalamet & his mom Nicole Flender stun at the 2026 Actor Awards. See Kris Jenner's comment sparking fan speculation about Kylie Jenner. AceShowbiz - Timothee Chalamet made a striking appearance at the 2026 Actor Awards, accompanied by his mother, Nicole Flender. The event, formerly known as the SAG Awards, was held on Sunday, March 1, and featured a notable moment when Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner family, expressed enthusiastic support for Flender. Before the ceremony, Flender shared a photo on Instagram showcasing her elegant pink dress, captioning it "Ready for SAGs." This post quickly attracted attention, including a warm comment from Kris Jenner, who wrote, "GORGEOUS!! ???." Fans eagerly speculated about the relationship between the women, with many hinting at a potential future marriage between Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, who have been dating for three years. Nicole Flender, who shares Timothee and his sister Pauline with husband Marc Chalamet, later joined her son on the red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The actor was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, though the award ultimately went to Michael B. Jordan. For the evening, Flender chose a bold pink dress, complementing Timothees sophisticated white tuxedo jacket paired with black pants. Photographers captured moments of the duo smiling together, highlighting their close bond during the event. Kris Jenner has shown consistent support for Nicole Flender on social media since the public became aware of her daughter Kylie Jenners relationship with Timothee Chalamet. Earlier in January 2026, after Timothee won the Critics Choice Award for Best Actor, Flender proudly celebrated her sons achievement on Instagram, posting clips from the ceremony attended alongside Kylie Jenner. In response, Kris Jenner commented with enthusiasm, saying, "So exciting!!!!!!! ??????." This interaction further fueled fans excitement about the growing closeness between the families. Earlier that month, Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner attended the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026 in London. While Timothee initially walked the red carpet alone on Sunday, February 22, the couple reunited inside the Royal Festival Hall, where they were seen holding hands during the event. During his Critics Choice Awards acceptance speech, Timothee took a heartfelt moment to thank Kylie Jenner, calling her his partner of three years. He said, "I love you. I couldn't do this without you," while cameras caught Kylie mouthing back, "I love you." A source revealed exclusively to Us Weekly in January 2026 that their relationship is "very easy," with full approval from Kylie Jenners family. The insider noted that Kylies sisters and Kris Jenner have embraced Timothee, making him a regular presence at family holidays and events. The source added, "They all really like him for her and think he has brought out a softer side to Kylie." This acceptance extends to Kylie Jenners children, daughter Stormi, 8, and son Aire, 4, whom she shares with ex Travis Scott. The children have grown comfortable with Timothee, who has become a natural part of their family life. According to the insider, "The kids love him, and Timothee has been integrated seamlessly into their lives. It took a while for Kylie to introduce them, but now things are very normal, and he spends a lot of time with them." Reflecting on her relationship with Kylie Jenner, Nicole Flender recently shared her positive impressions in an interview with Curbed. She described Kylie as "lovely" and "very nice to me." Their bond appears strong as the couples relationship continues to evolve since they started dating in 2023. Looking ahead, insiders have revealed that Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner are seriously considering engagement in 2026. One source shared, "They are very serious and have talked about getting engaged this year," while noting that Kylie often jokes that Timothee is "already her husband." The insider also described their dynamic as balanced and complementary, saying, "Kylie definitely runs the show, and Timothee loves it," highlighting how their personalities mesh well together. As Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner navigate their relationship under public scrutiny, the support from their families, especially Kris Jenner and Nicole Flender, has been a consistent and heartening presence. With their future plans hinting at a potential engagement, fans and followers remain eager to see how this high-profile couples story unfolds in the coming year. Heat 2: Bale & DiCaprio join the prequel-sequel. Discover which iconic roles they'll play in Michael Mann's expansion of the crime saga. AceShowbiz - Heat 2 is already generating buzz with the confirmed casting of Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio, but fans and critics alike are curious about which characters they will portray. The sequel, based on Michael Mann and Meg Gardiners novel of the same name, acts as both a prequel and a sequel to the original 1995 film, which starred legends like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Recasting such iconic roles is a daunting task, and the anticipation surrounding the new cast is palpable. The novel delves into a story that spans over a decade, focusing heavily on the character relationships and developments that were only hinted at in the original film. Central to this narrative is the character Shiherlis, originally played by Val Kilmer, whose early years and evolution form a core part of the story. This role is a compelling antihero part, complete with emotional depth and a romantic subplot, making it an ideal fit for an actor like Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his layered performances. While rumors had previously linked other actors such as Austin Butler to the project, DiCaprio himself mentioned in a 2025 interview with Variety that he was unsure whether he would be playing Shiherlis or Hanna, another pivotal character. This ambiguity has led to speculation that Christian Bale may be best suited to the role of Hanna, a law enforcement figure. Bales previous collaboration with Michael Mann in Public Enemies showed his capability to portray complex, morally ambiguous characters, making him a strong candidate to take over the role originally played by Al Pacino. Pairing Bale and DiCaprio as Hanna and Shiherlis respectively would create a fresh dynamic, distinct from the iconic De Niro vs. Pacino matchup of the original. Fans can expect that Bale would bring his own interpretation to Hanna, avoiding mere imitation and instead offering a new take that respects the legacy while pushing the story forward. Adding to the star power, Adam Driver is widely rumored to be involved as well, likely portraying Neil McCauley, the character once played by Robert De Niro. Neils role, though mainly set in the 1988 timeline of the novel, is central to the entire narrative, explaining his emotionally guarded nature seen in the original film. Drivers commitment to the project is suggested by reports that he turned down other roles to keep his schedule free for Heat 2. If these speculations hold true, the main trio of DiCaprio as Shiherlis, Bale as Hanna, and Driver as Neil would form the backbone of Heat 2, delivering a star-studded cast capable of honoring the original while exploring new character depths. However, alternative theories suggest that DiCaprio might still take on Hanna, with Bale possibly playing the villainous Wardell, a significant character in the sequels narrative. As the production continues, Michael Manns direction promises a continuation that will blend intense character-driven drama with the crime thriller elements that defined the original film. The novels story, rich with backstory and consequence, offers fertile ground for these actors to bring their talents to bear, promising a film that respects its roots while charting new territory. With no official casting announcements beyond Bale and DiCaprio as of yet, fans will have to wait for further updates to confirm these predictions. Nonetheless, the combination of Manns storytelling and the caliber of talent attached to Heat 2 ensures high expectations for what could be a worthy successor to the 1995 classic. Sean Combs's prison release date moved up to April 2028. Get the latest on the Bad Boy mogul's sentence adjustments and incarceration details. AceShowbiz - Sean Combss prison release date has been advanced by over five weeks, now scheduled for April 25, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website. The 56-year-old music mogul is currently serving a 50-month sentence at Fort Dix, a low-security federal correctional facility in New Jersey, after being convicted on two prostitution-related charges. Combs projected release date has seen several adjustments since he began his sentence in October 2024. Initially slated for May 8, 2028, the date was later pushed back to June 4, 2028. Reports at that time suggested Combs had violated prison rules, though his representatives denied these claims and declined further comment. The founder of Bad Boy Records has been incarcerated since his arrest in September 2024. He was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. These allegations stemmed from so-called "freak-offs" involving his girlfriends, including Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, and male escorts. Following a high-profile, seven-week trial last summer, Combs was acquitted of the most severe charges. He is currently appealing his sentence and challenging the law under which he was prosecuted, with a hearing scheduled for April. While incarcerated, Combs has been active in the prison community, working in the chapel library and participating in the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), an intensive drug treatment course that can reduce inmates sentences by up to one year upon completion. A spokesperson previously told Rolling Stone that Combs is committed to using his time productively and focusing on rehabilitation. Jim Carrey's Cesar Awards look sparks bizarre online clone and body double conspiracy theories. Discover the wild claims. AceShowbiz - The recent appearance of Jim Carrey at the Cesar Awards in Paris has unexpectedly triggered a wave of bizarre conspiracy theories suggesting the actor was replaced by a clone or body double. Carrey, 64, was seen on footage from the awards ceremony looking somewhat different, with some online observers pointing to what they described as a slightly inflamed or altered facial appearance. This led to speculation and wild claims on social media platforms like X, where one popular account with 47,000 followers insisted, "Sorry but there's a zero percent chance this is actually Jim Carrey." The same user suggested that rather than a clone, it might be a body double standing in for the actor. More extreme voices on fringe accounts went even further, alleging that Jim Carrey had been cloned and replaced by sinister forces, with one user claiming, "Jim Carrey was cloned and killed by satanists. They can create a clone in 5 months." Such unfounded claims amplified the swirling rumors. Adding an unexpected twist to the narrative was a resurfaced clip from decades ago, where Jim Carrey appeared on Late Night With David Letterman and revealed that he had used decoys to distract paparazzi in the past. Carrey explained, "I've done this a few times now and that is to use a decoy. Using a decoy - it sounds so ridiculous but it works like a charm ... a Jim Carrey double." This moment, taken out of context, gave more credence to the speculation that a double might have attended the awards in his place. However, the idea of sending a stand-in to accept an honorary award at the French equivalent of the Oscars, especially with Carrey's family present, seemed far-fetched to many. Others proposed different theories, such as recent plastic surgery or a deliberate change in appearance as a form of performance art. These rumors often carried a mean-spirited tone, focusing on the notion that the actor no longer looked like himself. The situation escalated further when drag artist Alexis Stone posted on Instagram claiming to have impersonated Jim Carrey at the ceremony using prosthetics. Stone shared a photo of Carrey at the event with the caption, "Alexis Stone as Jim Carrey in Paris." This post appeared to confirm the clone theory for some followers, including actress Megan Fox, who commented, "I can't handle any more stress right now i need to know if this is real." Pop star Katy Perry added a bull's-eye emoji, fueling the intrigue. On Monday, the Cesar Awards organizers and Jim Carrey's representatives stepped in to put an end to the rumors. Gregory Caulier, the general delegate of the Cesar Awards, told Variety that Carrey's visit had been planned months in advance and praised his dedication to preparing a speech delivered entirely in French. Caulier dismissed the clone theories as a "non-issue," highlighting the actor's "generosity, kindness, benevolence, and elegance." Following that, Carrey's personal representative confirmed to TMZ that the actor did attend the ceremony and accepted his Honorary Cesar Award in person. This statement seemingly ended speculation that someone else had taken his place. The controversy is unfortunate because Carrey's heartfelt speech was widely praised by attendees, including his girlfriend Mina, daughter Jane, and grandson Jackson. Despite not being a French speaker, he worked diligently on his address, saying in French, "As an actor, each character you play is like clay in the sculptor's hands, which you shape to your heart's desire. How fortunate I have been to share this art with so many people who have truly opened their hearts to me." The rumors largely proliferated on X, a platform currently under scrutiny for spreading misinformation, especially following serious events such as President Trump's order of a military strike on Iran. A Wired article recently described X as "drowning in disinfo" amid the heightened tensions. Ultimately, the buzz around a supposed Jim Carrey clone appears to be nothing more than an unfounded frenzy fueled by social media speculation and a few misleading posts. The actor was indeed present in Paris, delivering an acclaimed speech and accepting a prestigious honor, putting the cloning conspiracy firmly to rest. Wunmi Mosaku addresses the BAFTA racial slur incident, sharing her pain and empathy for the Tourette's activist involved. AceShowbiz - Wunmi Mosaku, known for her role in Sinners, has voiced strong criticism following the controversy involving a racial slur at the 2026 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards. The incident occurred on February 22 when Tourettes activist John Davidson, who was present in the audience, involuntarily shouted a racial slur during the ceremony. This happened as Mosakus co-stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for Best Visual Effects. Davidson, who inspired the BAFTA-winning film I Swear, suffers from Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by sudden, uncontrollable movements or vocalizations known as tics. Speaking on March 1 at the SAG 2026 Actor Awards, Wunmi Mosaku shared how the incident affected her personally. She described the experience as painful, saying it tainted what should have been a celebration. However, she also expressed empathy for Davidson, acknowledging his condition and stating she harbors no ill will toward him. The controversy has sparked wider discussion about how BAFTA and the broadcasting network, the BBC, handled the situation. Wunmi Mosaku specifically criticized both organizations for their response. She echoed sentiments similar to those of her Sinners co-star Jayme Lawson, who called the presence of Davidson at the event without adequate protections exploitative and performative, especially considering that there were children in the audience. One of the most contentious points for Mosaku was the BBCs decision to air the segment containing the racial slur during the two-hour delayed broadcast in the U.K. While other offensive language was edited out, the racial slur was left intact, an editorial choice that deeply upset the actress. She revealed that this decision kept her awake at night and brought her to tears, stating she could neither understand nor easily forgive the broadcasters choice. In the days following the awards, John Davidson issued an apology to presenters Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, as reported by Variety on February 24. Davidson expressed profound guilt and distress over the incident, describing the immense shame he felt as the impact of his outburst became clear. He explained that he became aware of the severity of his tic when he noticed the presenters reacting, which prompted him to leave the auditorium shortly afterward. Davidsons involvement with the BAFTA-winning film I Swear highlights Tourette syndrome, the neurological disorder that causes involuntary tics. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Tourettes can lead to sudden vocal or physical tics that the person affected cannot control. The fallout from the incident has led to significant repercussions within BAFTA itself. On February 23, judge Jonte Richardson resigned from his position, citing dissatisfaction with how the organization managed the situation involving Davidsons outburst. Richardson communicated his resignation publicly, signaling internal discontent with BAFTAs handling of the controversy. During the ceremony, host Alan Cumming addressed the audience twice regarding Davidsons tics. Cumming explained that the strong language heard was a symptom of Tourettes syndrome as depicted in the film I Swear. He thanked the audience for their understanding and asked for respect for everyone present. Later, Cumming reiterated that Tourettes is a disability and emphasized that the tics were involuntary, apologizing to anyone who might have been offended by the language used. The incident has reignited debates about how live events and broadcasters should manage unexpected disruptions caused by medical conditions, especially when sensitive issues like racial slurs are involved. Wunmi Mosakus remarks underscore the need for more thoughtful and protective measures for participants and audiences alike, as well as greater accountability from institutions like BAFTA and the BBC. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what changes BAFTA and the BBC will implement to prevent similar incidents in the future and to ensure respectful and safe environments at their ceremonies. Track your favorite ABC, CBS, Fox & NBC shows! See which are renewed, canceled, or on the bubble for 2026 with TVLine's Renewal Scorecard. AceShowbiz - As the 2026 broadcast season approaches, networks ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC prepare to announce which shows will return, which will end, and which remain uncertain. The annual TVLine Renewal Scorecard offers a comprehensive look at the current status of popular series across the major networks, providing fans with a clear snapshot of the upcoming television landscape. This years scorecard categorizes shows into eight distinct statuses: Officially renewed, A sure thing, A safe bet, Could go either way, A long-shot, Essentially canceled, Officially canceled, and Too soon to tell. This system helps viewers track which programs have secured their futures, which are on the bubble, and which are confirmed to be ending. Its important to note that the scorecard excludes unscripted series, international acquisitions, and The CW network, which is down to its final original series, All American, now entering its concluding season. For fans wanting return dates, additional resources are available elsewhere. Starting with ABC, several series have received official renewals including 9-1-19-1-1, its spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville, and the acclaimed comedy Abbott ElementaryAbbott Elementary. Other sure things for renewal include Grey's Anatomy, The Rookie, and Will Trent. However, shows like R.J. Decker and Scrubs are still too soon to predict, while Shifting Gears is considered a sure bet. Across at CBS, the lineup boasts numerous officially renewed programs such as Boston BlueBoston Blue, Elsbeth, FBI, Fire Country, and multiple entries in the popular NCIS franchise including NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney. Yet, CIA is a show that could go either way, while DMV and Watson are considered long-shots. Unfortunately for fans of The Neighborhood, the series has been officially canceled, with its finale scheduled for May. Fox has secured long-term renewals for animated staples such as American Dad!American Dad!, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, and The Simpsons all guaranteed through the 2028-29 season or beyond. Other shows like Animal Control and Best Medicine are officially renewed, while new series such as Grimsburg remain uncertain with no confirmed return dates. The network has officially canceled The Great North, whereas Going Dutch is a long-shot to continue. On NBC, the Chicago franchise remains a stronghold with Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. all deemed sure things. Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: SVU also have secured renewals. Newcomers like Happy's Place and St. Denis Medical have official renewals, but others such as Brilliant Minds face near cancellation, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is still too soon to predict. This evolving scorecard will continue to be updated as networks finalize their decisions, so viewers are encouraged to bookmark and revisit for the most current information. This season promises a mix of beloved returning favorites, fresh faces still awaiting their fate, and some farewells to long-standing series. Rappers Boosie Badazz & Kodak Black feud reignites on Instagram Live. Boosie issues a sharp warning to Kodak about trust & alleged drug use. AceShowbiz - The ongoing rivalry between Boosie Badazz and Kodak Black has reignited following a heated exchange on Instagram Live earlier this week. The two rappers, who have clashed multiple times in the past, traded sharp words before Boosie escalated the situation with a pointed social media warning. On Tuesday night, Boosie Badazz posted a cautionary message aimed at Kodak Black, advising him to be wary of whom he trusts. The Louisiana rapper wrote, "KODAK CHILL OUT BEFORE ONE MY FANS SELL U A BAD PACK N BUS YOUR HEART," alluding to rumors related to Kodaks alleged struggles with drug use. This post came shortly after a tense Instagram Live session where Boosie openly criticized the direction of Kodak Blacks career. During the livestream, Boosie expressed frustration, saying, "I don't give a f-k. I get mad when I see you look like you drugging and thugging. Anything I say, I stand on it." Despite the harsh tone, Boosie admitted that his comments were fueled more by frustration than genuine hatred. He added, "I was mad at you. What you say and do matter." In response, Kodak Black fired back by accusing Boosie Badazz of hypocrisy and brought up personal matters involving the older rapper. The tension between the two has been ongoing for several years and notably intensified in 2023 when Kodak collaborated with Tekashi 6ix9ine. At that time, Boosie publicly criticized the partnership, stating, "That n-a Yak f-ked me up. I thought that little n-a was like that." The feud between Boosie Badazz and Kodak Black remains a prominent topic in hip-hop circles as both continue to voice their grievances publicly. The recent social media warnings and livestream confrontations indicate that the rivalry shows no signs of cooling down soon. Rapper Mystikal pleads guilty to third-degree rape, faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing scheduled for June 16. AceShowbiz - Mystikal, the rapper born Michael Tyler, has entered a guilty plea in his Louisiana rape case and is facing up to 20 years in prison. On March 17, Mystikal appeared in Ascension Parish court, where he pleaded guilty to third-degree rape stemming from his 2022 arrest, according to local news outlet WAFB 9. The court also ordered a presentencing investigation in preparation for his sentencing. The rappers sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16. At that time, he could receive a prison term lasting as long as two decades. Authorities arrested Mystikal on July 30, 2022, after a woman who was reportedly in a long-term relationship with him identified him as her attacker. The alleged assault occurred at his home in Prairieville, Louisiana, following a dispute over missing money. The woman accused Mystikal of physically assaulting herpunching, choking, and pulling her hairafter suspecting she had taken $100. She said he then confiscated her keys and cell phone, preventing her from leaving. While searching for the missing cash, the woman discovered a "crystalline substance" in the rappers dresser. She further alleged that Mystikal forced her onto a bed and raped her after performing a ritual that involved praying with her and splashing rubbing alcohol to cleanse her of "bad spirits." Mystikal has a history of legal issues related to sexual offenses. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to sexual battery and extortion involving his then-hair stylist and served six years in prison. In 2017, he faced rape charges, but those were dropped due to insufficient evidence. XXL magazine has reached out to Mystikals attorney and the Ascension Parish Clerk for comments on the case. This latest development marks a significant turn in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the rapper, with his sentencing set to occur in the coming months. Alert overload is leading to critical blind spots, with 79% of organizations having been notified of a threat by external third parties MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UpGuard, a leader in cyber security and risk management, today released its 2026 Context Gap Report, a benchmark study that reveals the structural failure in how mid-market security teams manage alert volumes. The research reveals that this "Context Gap" wastes valuable hours and ultimately contributes to delayed remediation and security incidents. Mid-size organizations, particularly those with lean security teams, also bear a heavier cyber security burden because they frequently face threat volumes comparable to those of large enterprises but lack enterprise-level resources, resulting in a disproportionately higher risk. UpGuard's survey of 400 security leaders also highlights how AI is amplifying and accelerating cyberattacks at a volume and speed that is bogging down security operations and a team's ability to remediate. This alert overload is causing critical blind spots as 79% of organizations were notified of a threat by third parties such as researchers, customers, or attackers before their own internal detection. Companies that delay remediation are far more likely to miss real threats. The Triage Trap: When Noise Becomes Real Risk The report identifies a critical bottleneck in the investigation process, where doubt serves as the primary time-sink for analysts. The Triage Tax: The median security team spends 20 minutes dismissing a single junk alert. The Exposure Gap: For 25% of organizations, manual triage requires 214 hours per week (the equivalent of 5.3 full-time employees), making it mathematically impossible for human teams to maintain proactive defense. Tool Sprawl Backfire: Organizations utilizing more than five disconnected security tools are twice as likely to miss critical threats compared to those with an integrated toolset. "Security teams aren't slow at fixing threats they're buried in the work of understanding them", said Greg Pollock, director of Research at UpGuard. "When 43% of a security team's investigation time is consumed by manual context gathering, the downstream cost is measurable: in 79% of companies, it took a customer, a researcher, or law enforcement to find what their own tools missed. This is a wake-up call. Detection without context is just noise with a timestamp." AI: The Source of and Solution to the Context Gap While AI is powering live cyberattacks at a speed humans alone cannot match, it also offers the only path to closing the Context Gap. Proactive Advantage: Teams that streamline efforts with consolidated tooling and unified attack-surface visibility can collapse "Time-to-Context" from hours to seconds. Virtuous Cycles: Automated context gathering allows analysts to focus on high-value decision-making, leading to lower rates of delayed remediation and fewer incidents. The findings reinforce the shift toward better outcomes by reducing time-to-context, helping teams prioritize what matters, routing issues to the right owners faster, and responding with enterprise-level speed even with limited resources. To read the full report, including additional stats and insights on the "Context Gap" visit https://www.upguard.com/resources/the-context-gap. Copies of the report will also be made available to attendees of RSAC 2026 Conference March 23-26 at UpGuard's booth #N-5885. Additionally, Pollock will be speaking March 24 at 5:10 p.m. PDT in the South Hall Briefing Center on the topic "From Crisis to Confidence: Cyber Defense ROI When Every Dollar Counts." Methodology To understand the time cost for detecting and responding to external threats UpGuard surveyed 400 information security leaders in North America, APAC, and India. The survey was conducted by Dynata, a market research firm with the worlds largest pool of first-party data respondents. About UpGuard Founded in 2012, UpGuard is a leader in cybersecurity and risk management. The company's AI-powered platform for Cyber Risk Posture Management (CRPM) provides a centralized, actionable view of cyber risk across an organization's vendors, attack surface, and workforce. Trusted by thousands of companies, UpGuard's platform is designed to help security teams manage cyber risk with confidence and efficiency. UpGuard is headquartered in Hobart, Tasmania with US headquarters in Mountain View, California. To learn more, visit www.upguard.com. MEDIA CONTACT Julie Huang [email protected] SOURCE UpGuard Guitarist Wayne Perkins, who played with Joni Mitchell & Bob Marley and nearly joined the Rolling Stones, has died at 74. AceShowbiz - Wayne Perkins, a highly respected guitarist who contributed to landmark recordings by Joni Mitchell and Bob Marley and the Wailers, passed away at age 74 following a stroke. His brother Dale confirmed the news on Facebook, sharing that Wayne died peacefully with family members present. Dale expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and fond memories, describing Wayne as "one of a kind" and deeply loved by his family. Wayne Perkins was well-known among guitar enthusiasts, having been on the verge of joining two legendary rock bands in the mid-1970s. In 1975, he was recommended by Eric Clapton to the Rolling Stones as a potential replacement for guitarist Mick Taylor. Perkins traveled to Munich where the Stones were developing material for their 1976 album Black and Blue. Reflecting on that experience, Perkins told the Los Angeles Daily News in 1996 that he had initially been unimpressed with the Stones live sound, describing it as "the worst garage band I'd ever heard." However, upon entering the studio and seeing the right lighting, the bands performance transformed, and he witnessed "something magic" happen as their sound became "incredible." During the sessions, Perkins recorded a slide guitar overdub on "Fool to Cry." He was also involved in the core group that created "Memory Motel" and "Hand of Fate," and delivered a standout guitar solo on "Worried About You," a track that would not be released until the Stones 1981 album Tattoo You. The Stones considered multiple guitarists during the Black and Blue sessions, including Harvey Mandel, but ultimately chose Ronnie Wood from the Faces. In his 2010 memoir Life, Keith Richards praised Perkins as a "lovely player" whose style complemented Mick Taylors melodic approach. Richards explained that the final decision was influenced by the desire to keep the bands English identity intact, despite Ronnie Woods style being similar to Perkins. About a year after his involvement with the Stones, Perkins was offered a position with Lynyrd Skynyrd, which he declined. In a 2022 interview with Culture Sonar, he revealed that he turned down the offer in December 1976 because "something didn't feel right." The bands tragic plane crash occurred less than a year later in October 1977. Perkins reflected on the decision, noting his close friendship with Ronnie Van Zant and the potential financial benefits he missed out on. Perkins was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and began playing guitar at age 12. He was inspired by guitarists James Burton and Chet Atkins. After leaving high school early to focus on music full-time, he secured steady work at Muscle Shoals Sound studio. There, he played alongside artists like Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, and Jimmy Cliff. The studios session musicians, known as the "Swampers," were famously mentioned in Lynyrd Skynyrds "Sweet Home Alabama." In 1973, Perkins was invited by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, to join Bob Marley and the Wailers during the Catch a Fire album sessions. He admitted to the New American Journal in 2025 that working on those reggae tracks was a new experience, but his background playing with tough bluegrass musicians prepared him well. Although not initially credited, Perkins played guitar on Marley songs such as "Concrete Jungle," "Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)," and "Stir It Up." One vivid memory from those sessions was Marley approaching him with a very large spliff, trying to share it. Shortly after his work with Marley, Perkins collaborated with Joni Mitchell during the recording of her album Court and Spark. He played electric guitar on the track "Car on a Hill," further showcasing his versatility across genres. Throughout his career, Wayne Perkins remained a highly skilled and adaptable musician whose work influenced and enriched many iconic recordings, even if he never fully entered the spotlight as a permanent member of the bands he nearly joined. Ever Carradine mourns her father Robert Carradine's tragic death by suicide. The actress shares her grief and a heartfelt tribute to their close bond. AceShowbiz - Ever Carradine recently shared a heartfelt reflection on enduring one of the hardest weeks of her life following the tragic death of her father, Robert Carradine. On Friday, the actress took to Instagram Stories to express how she sought comfort from her friend Joanna Vargas, writing that her friend took care of my heart and took a few years off my face. This came just days after the devastating loss of her father on Monday at age 71. According to reports confirmed by Page Six and the Los Angeles Medical Examiners Office, Robert Carradine died by suicide. The official cause of death was sequelae of anoxic brain injury resulting from hanging. Ever Carradine, known for her role in The Handmaids Tale, expressed her sorrow and shared a touching tribute to her father on social media. She wrote about her dad being sweet and funny, highlighting their close relationship despite the relatively small 20-year age gap. She recalled how he never missed a chance to show his love, from driving her to the airport to complimenting her homemade salad dressing. The star described him as the man who was always there for those who knew him. The actress also reflected on her unique upbringing, growing up in the 1970s and 80s with a single dad in Laurel Canyon. Although the environment was unconventional, Ever Carradine credited her father for providing her with a grounded childhood. I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, she said. Her Instagram tribute included a series of nostalgic photos featuring her and Robert Carradine, capturing the close bond they shared. She urged those around her to ask about her dad, affectionately calling him Bobby Carradine and acknowledging the profound impact he had on her life. Robert Carradine was also a father to two other children, Marika, 35, and Ian, 33, from his marriage to ex-wife Edith Mani. The couple divorced in 2018 following a turbulent history, including a 2015 car crash incident where Edith accused Robert of attempting to harm them both. Adding further context to his struggle, Roberts brother, Keith Carradine, spoke to Deadline on February 23 about Roberts long-standing battle with bipolar disorder. Keith described Robert as a beacon of light despite his nearly two-decade fight with the illness. The family released a statement acknowledging the challenges Robert faced with bipolar disorder and emphasized their hope to reduce stigma around mental health issues. They requested privacy during their time of grief while expressing gratitude for public understanding and compassion. They made clear that there is no shame in living with mental illness, underscoring the importance of conversation and awareness. Robert Carradine was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder after the tragic death of his brother, David Carradine, in 2009. Ever Carradines public tribute and the familys openness about mental health shed light on the personal struggles behind the loss of the beloved actor. The actress, now 51, continues to honor her fathers memory while encouraging dialogue about mental health challenges and the impact they have on families. Through her emotional posts and shared memories, Ever invites those who knew her father and those who did not alike to remember him as a loving, supportive, and complex individual whose legacy will live on in the hearts of those he touched. Michigan woman charged with wire fraud & money laundering for a $4.6M child modeling scam. Funds allegedly gambled away on FanDuel. AceShowbiz - Chanise Coyne is accused of defrauding a family of over $4.6 million by falsely promising to place their daughter in child modeling events, according to federal prosecutors. The indictment charges Coyne, 46, with seven counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Prosecutors say the Michigan woman convinced the family to pay millions under the pretense of covering costs related to modeling appearances. Coyne allegedly fabricated documents to make it appear as though she was coordinating modeling jobs across the United States. She also impersonated a third party to strengthen the illusion of legitimacy, prosecutors said. Instead of using the funds for their intended purpose, Coyne reportedly gambled much of the money away. The indictment specifically notes payments made to the online gambling platform FanDuel, including five separate $20,000 transactions from her debit card in March 2024. The scheme allegedly began as early as April 2023 and continued through April 2025. The indictment states that the purpose was to obtain money and enrich herself by making materially false and fraudulent statements to the family about her work placing their daughter in modeling events. Despite the payments, prosecutors confirm that the family's daughter did not participate in any modeling events as a result of Coyne's efforts. Wire transfers detailed in the indictment include a notably large $160,000 transfer sent to Coyne in March 2024. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that Coyne was arrested by FBI agents on February 26 in New Boston, Michigan, in connection with the fraud. She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment on the same day. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon condemned the alleged actions, stating the defendant exploited a family's love for their child, stole their savings, and wasted the funds on gambling. Coyne is represented by attorney John D. Dakmak, who has not responded to requests for comment. The FBIs Detroit Field Office Special Agent-in-Charge, Jennifer Runyan, issued a statement emphasizing the seriousness of the offense and warning others who might try to defraud Michigan families. She pledged that the FBI will investigate and make arrests as necessary. Following her arrest, Coyne was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. This case highlights the dangers of fraudulent schemes targeting families financial resources under the guise of child modeling opportunities. Prosecutors continue to investigate the full extent of the alleged fraud and the misuse of funds. Authorities also noted that Coynes fraudulent activity involved impersonation and falsified records to convince the family of legitimate business dealings, further deepening the deception. The indictment lists numerous wire transfers made by the victims family to Coyne, reinforcing the scale of the financial loss and the sustained nature of the scheme. In related news, other high-profile fraud cases have surfaced, such as wellness influencer Bobbi Vargas, who was charged with stealing more than $2.3 million from entrepreneurs Grant and Elena Cardone, illustrating a broader pattern of confidence scams targeting families and businesses. Federal authorities urge vigilance and caution when dealing with offers that involve large sums of money and promises of lucrative opportunities, especially when related to childrens careers. The investigation into Coynes case remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare for further legal proceedings. As this story develops, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying credentials and demands transparency in financial dealings involving minors and their futures. Federal prosecutors are committed to ensuring justice for the affected family and preventing similar scams from victimizing others in the community. For now, Coyne faces serious charges that could result in significant penalties if convicted, reflecting the gravity of the alleged exploitation and financial misconduct. Discover the intense filmmaking behind the chaotic Baktan Cross scene in 'One Battle After Another,' featuring DiCaprio, Del Toro, and authentic El Paso locals. AceShowbiz - One Battle After Another features several intense sequences that leave viewers wondering about the filmmaking process behind them. One standout moment occurs midway through the film, where Bob, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sergio, portrayed by Benicio Del Toro, navigate the fictional downtown Baktan Cross. This high-stakes scene unfolds as Col. Lockjaw, played by Sean Penn, closes in, all set against a backdrop of fervent protests. During this sequence, a skateboarder shouts, "It's f-kin' World War III out there, yo!" capturing the chaotic energy of the moment. This skateboarder, named BeeGee, is played by Gilberto Martinez Jr., one of the many El Paso natives who bring authenticity and vibrancy to the film. The involvement of local residents was crucial to director Paul Thomas Andersons vision. Casting director Cassandra Kulukundis, who received an Oscar nomination for her work on the film, discussed the ease of connecting with the El Paso community. "Send me to a small town, and I will pretty much know everybody by day two," she told TheWrap in a recent interview for the series How I Did It, presented by Warner Bros. Pictures. El Paso was not merely a backdrop for the films action but became an essential element of the storys texture. Producer Sara Murphy, Kulukundis, cinematographer Michael Bauman, and editor Andy Jurgenseneach nominated for Academy Awards for their contributionsexplained how working closely with local people intensified the realism of the films crucial sequences in this real-life border town. Murphy highlighted the community's generosity: "It was just the generosity of the community, really welcoming us and wanting us there, that motivated us. It was lovely. It was a sort of family affair, and we incorporated the entirety of their community into the film, and it, I feel like, felt the authenticity of that community because of that sort of ingratiation." This connection with El Paso residents was especially important as the filmmakers developed the elaborate scene featuring Sergios apartment. As the production team engaged more with locals, the sequence began to take shape, offering a deeper understanding of Benicio del Toros character and his story. Murphy explained, "I think when Benicio got there and sort of started to absorb the El Paso community around him, because of Paul's process with his actors, I think it started to develop. The storyline started to develop." The productions ability to film continuously across various locations in downtown El Paso added a natural momentum and heightened tension to the film. Editor Andy Jurgensen described the advantage: "There was like a sandbox where we had downtown El Paso that was controlled. The cameras could be attached to the cars and Benicio and Leo could be driving around and we could get out of the car with them and go into the perfume shop and go up those stairs and into the apartment, and it created such good energy and momentum. When you have footage with such good momentum, it's just so much easier to keep the tension high." According to Kulukundis, the presence of such a major Hollywood production brought excitement to the town, with residents, including children, waiting outside into the early hours just to catch a glimpse of Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro driving by. Murphy emphasized the reciprocal relationship between the filmmakers and the community: "It was really the origin of the community's embracing us that really allowed for the story to then incorporate them in kind." For those interested in the detailed creative process, the full How I Did It episode offers insights from Bauman, Jurgensen, Kulukundis, and Murphy about how the El Paso sequences in One Battle After Another were assembled to create an unforgettable cinematic experience. One Battle After Another is currently streaming on HBO Max, allowing audiences to experience the power and authenticity brought by filming in El Paso firsthand. The original cast reunites at Sacred Heart! See how J.D., Elliot, Turk & Carla's lives have changed in the long-awaited Scrubs reboot, honoring the past with... AceShowbiz - Scrubs returns to television with the original cast reuniting at Sacred Heart Hospital after a long hiatus. The reboot, debuting with two episodes on ABC, revisits the lives of familiar characters like J.D., Elliot, Carla, and Turk, picking up more than a decade after the original series ended in 2010. This new beginning smartly bypasses the events of season 9, creating a fresh narrative that honors the past while introducing new developments. Originally airing from 2001 to 2010, Scrubs stood out as a unique medical comedy that blended quirky humor with heartfelt drama, differing significantly from typical medical dramas and sitcoms of its time. The reboot retains this distinctive tone and immediately sets the stage for how the characters relationships have evolved or been tested over the years. Fans have been eager to see how the show handles the blend of nostalgia and innovation, and early responses indicate that Scrubs strikes a near-perfect balance. The return of the main cast members alongside some familiar side characters offers continuity, while a new group of interns and doctors at Sacred Heart introduces fresh dynamics. This mixture allows the reboot to feel like a natural extension rather than a forced revival. Many viewers have noted that the first two episodes resemble what season 9 of the original series might have achieved, had it focused more on the original characters while integrating new faces. The show smartly acknowledges the passage of time, depicting J.D. as having moved forward in his life, while other seasoned medical professionals confront burnout and the challenges presented by a rapidly changing healthcare environment. Visually, the reboot benefits from modern production values, featuring cleaner cinematography and enhanced effects, but it remains true to the quirky and heartfelt spirit that defined the original. This fusion of old and new elements is vital to the reboots appeal and will likely contribute to its continued success. The characters themselves are navigating a different phase of their careers and lives. Where once J.D., Turk, and Elliot were fresh-faced doctors learning the ropes, they now face more complex challenges as experienced professionals. This shift in perspective provides the show with new storytelling opportunities while maintaining the intimacy and humor that fans cherish. The first two episodes primarily focus on the hospital environment and the team acclimating to new roles and situations. However, there is anticipation that the series will also explore the characters personal lives outside Sacred Heart, a hallmark of the original show. Themes such as romance, friendship, and family remain essential to the storytelling, ensuring the reboot retains the emotional depth that endeared it to audiences. Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with the reboot achieving a record-breaking score on the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter shortly after its premiere. This strong start suggests that the show has successfully recaptured its unique voice while adapting to contemporary television trends. Fans of the original can stream the first two episodes of the Scrubs reboot on Hulu, with new episodes releasing weekly on Thursdays. The series promises to continue exploring the evolving personal and professional lives of its beloved characters, blending humor and heart in equal measure. Overall, the reboot has been praised for its natural storytelling, seamless integration of legacy and new characters, and improved production quality. It successfully revives the spirit of the original while addressing the realities of modern medicine and television. This fresh take on Scrubs is a promising start to what could become a beloved continuation of the series. Shanna Moakler criticizes Kourtney Kardashian's step-parenting on a podcast, questioning her respect and co-parenting approach with Travis Barker's kids. AceShowbiz - Shanna Moakler, ex-wife of Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, has reignited tension with Kourtney Kardashian by questioning her abilities as a stepmother to the children they share. Moakler made her remarks during an appearance on Brittany Cartwrights podcast, When Reality Hits, aired on Friday. When asked if she and Kardashian discuss co-parenting, Moakler, 50, expressed skepticism about the Kardashian family's communication style. "I don't think those women have those conversations with anybody," she said, referring to the Kardashian women, including the 46-year-old Poosh founder. Moakler elaborated on her criticisms by saying she felt disrespected at times by Kardashians parenting approach. "At one point in time, I felt it wasn't respectful," Moakler said. She also remarked, "If I had your kids, I wouldn't be doing some of the s-t you're doing with my kids." Without specifying details, Moakler claimed there were boundaries that Kardashian crossed in her interactions with her children. "I would have made sure there were certain lines that weren't crossed," she added. "I feel like there were some lines that were crossed. It is what it is. It's happened. And I feel like we've all moved forward from it now." Travis Barker and Moakler were married in October 2004 but separated in 2006. Their divorce was finalized in 2008 after an on-and-off relationship. Together, they share two children: son Landon, 22, and daughter Alabama, 20. The couple also starred in the MTV reality series Meet the Barkers for two seasons between 2005 and 2006. Kardashian, meanwhile, has three children with her ex, Scott Disick: Mason, Penelope, and Reign. She and Barker married in May 2022 and welcomed their son Rocky in November 2023. Upon marrying Barker, Kardashian became stepmother to Landon and Alabama, a blending of families that Moakler addressed during the podcast. Moakler acknowledged the current family dynamic, stating, "That's their family now. Whether I like it or not. He married into that family. That is their stepmother. Her children are their stepbrothers and sisters. It really has nothing to do with me." Despite this recognition, Moakler has previously described the marriage between Kourtney Kardashian and Barker as "f-king weird." She also revealed longstanding issues with the Kardashian family, particularly stemming from an alleged incident involving Barker and Kardashians sister, Kim Kardashian, about two decades ago. Moakler claimed she received anonymous texts suggesting an inappropriate relationship between Barker and Kim Kardashian, which she cited as a reason for her divorce. "I had gotten texts from an anonymous number that Travis and Kim were having an inappropriate relationship," she recalled. "I divorced Travis for that reason." She further explained that if those past events had not occurred, it might have eased the challenges involved in forming this new blended family. "If certain things like that didn't happen, maybe it wouldn't have made the transition into this new family and marriage so complicated," Moakler said. Representatives for Moakler, Barker, and the Kardashian family did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Page Six. The ongoing drama highlights the complex dynamics of blended families, especially when former partners remain involved in each other's lives. Moaklers candid comments, made publicly on the podcast, reflect unresolved feelings about co-parenting and relationships with both her ex-husband and his current wife. While Moakler maintains distance from the Kardashian family, she emphasized her priority remains the well-being of her children. In an earlier interview with Page Six in July 2023, she said, "I have my own personal reasons for not liking the Kardashians, which I won't get into. But as long as he's happy [and] as long as they are good to my kids, that's all I care about." As the families continue to navigate their intertwined relationships, public attention remains focused on how these personal conflicts might evolve. For now, Moaklers remarks on co-parenting and her claims about past incidents involving Barker and the Kardashian sisters add new layers to an already complicated family story. Global music revenue hits record $31.7B in 2025. Driven by 837M paid subscriptions, streaming fuels 11th straight year of industry growth. AceShowbiz - The global recorded music industry continued its remarkable expansion in 2025, as revenues surged past the $31 billion mark for the first time, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) Global Music Report 2026. This marks the 11th consecutive year of growth in music sales worldwide. According to the report released on March 18, 2026, total recorded music revenues climbed to an unprecedented $31.7 billion, driven primarily by the ongoing rise of paid streaming services and sustained investment from record labels in artists and innovative distribution methods. Subscription streaming remained the dominant revenue stream, contributing nearly 70% of total recorded music income. Streaming revenues alone topped $22 billion in 2025, as the global number of paid streaming subscriptions increased to 837 million, up from 752 million just one year earlier. The resurgence of physical formats was another notable trend in 2025. Vinyl sales led this comeback with a robust 13.7% increase, helping physical music formats grow by 8% after experiencing a 3% decline in 2024. Performance rights revenues also saw slight growth of 0.3%, reaching $2.9 billion. In contrast, synch income and digital downloads faced declines of 2% and 5%, respectively. When examining regional performance, every global market reported revenue growth, with four regions experiencing double-digit increases. The United States maintained its status as the largest recorded music market, growing by 3.3% over the year, slightly higher than the 2.2% growth recorded in 2024. The U.S. accounted for 38.7% of the total global recorded music revenues, adding over $400 million during 2025. Canada, which slipped one position to become the ninth-largest market globally, still posted solid revenue growth of 5.6%. However, the IFPI report did not provide detailed revenue breakdowns for all individual markets. One of the biggest shifts in market rankings was China overtaking Germany to become the fourth-largest global music market in 2025. China demonstrated strong growth of 20.1%, continuing its streak of double-digit increases with previous years recording 28.4% growth in 2022, 25.9% in 2023, and 9.6% in 2024. Japan, the worlds second-largest recorded music market, rebounded with an 8.9% increase in revenues in 2025. Asia overall remains the leading region for physical music sales globally. Europe held onto its position as the second-largest music sales region, contributing 30.4% of total global revenues and growing by 5.6% in 2025. The continent recorded the second-highest growth rate worldwide. Key European markets all posted gains: the United Kingdom rose by 4.8%, Germany grew by 1.7%, and France saw an increase of 3.7%. Among all regions, Latin America emerged as the fastest-growing market, with revenues soaring by 17.1%. The region now boasts two countries in the global top 10 music markets: Brazil at number eight and Mexico at number ten. Streaming constitutes a dominant share of Latin Americas recorded music revenues at 88.1%. Compared to the previous year, when only eight out of the top ten markets recorded growth, 2025 saw all of the top ten markets posting year-over-year increases, highlighting broad-based global expansion. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region tied as the second-fastest growing area, with a 15.2% increase in recorded music revenues. Streaming dominates this market as well, accounting for 97.5% of total revenues. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa remains the largest market, contributing 78.1% of the regions revenues and growing 12.9% in 2025. Australasia, while outside the top 10, experienced modest growth with revenues reaching $623 million, up 1.5%. Australias recorded music revenues grew by 1.2%, though it dropped two places in the global market rankings to 13th. New Zealand saw a 3.0% increase and accounted for 15.2% of the regions total revenues. In terms of individual artists, Taylor Swift was named the biggest-selling global artist for the fourth consecutive year, affirming her dominant position in the industry. The IFPIs top five global artists for 2025 also include Stray Kids, Drake, The Weeknd, and Bad Bunny. The biggest-selling global single was ROSE and Bruno Mars "APT.", while Swifts twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, led across all album formats. Despite the industrys success, IFPI highlighted a growing concern over streaming fraud. The rise of generative artificial intelligence has facilitated the creation of fake or manipulated content that artificially inflates streaming numbers, diverting revenue away from genuine artists and rightsholders. Streaming manipulation is becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect. For example, in January 2026, the streaming service Deezer reported receiving over 60,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily, with 85% of streams on AI-generated music in 2025 classified as fraudulenta 70% increase from the previous year. In response, IFPI and its member organizations are actively pursuing legal actions to combat these fraudulent practices. Efforts to disrupt and shut down manipulation services have already seen success in multiple countries, including Germany, France, Norway, Brazil, and Canada, with additional cases underway. Victoria Oakley, chief executive of IFPI, emphasized the positive impact of great music from incredible artists, backed by partnerships and investments from record companies, as a key force driving the global growth of the industry. She noted that more people than ever are paying to engage with music through paid streaming platforms worldwide, leading to greater financial returns for artists and reinvestment into diverse music communities. Oakley also highlighted the importance of embracing technological advancements responsibly. She pointed to record company collaborations with generative AI developers who respect creator rights and explore how technology can enhance creativity rather than replace it. Oakley called on policymakers to uphold copyright laws that form the foundation for this progress. As the music industry continues to expand globally, the IFPI Global Music Report 2026 underscores both the opportunities and challenges ahead. With record revenues, rising streaming adoption, and vibrant markets across all continents, the recorded music sector is thriving. At the same time, vigilance against emerging threats like streaming fraud will be essential to sustain long-term growth and fairness for artists worldwide. Paris Jackson shares rare, intimate photos with her mother Debbie Rowe on Instagram, offering a glimpse into their close bond. AceShowbiz - Paris Jackson recently shared heartwarming moments with her mother, Debbie Rowe, through her social media channels, offering fans a rare glimpse of the two together. On Thursday, the 27-year-old model and actress posted two intimate snapshots to her Instagram Story featuring her and Rowe, who is notably absent from much of the public spotlight. The first image captured them standing side by side, with Paris Jackson wearing a striking red jacket adorned with a Navajo-inspired pattern, while Rowe, 67, opted for a casual plaid flannel shirt. The second photo showed the mother-daughter duo outdoors. Paris appeared in the same red jacket paired with a turquoise trucker hat, smiling alongside Debbie Rowe, who wore a cream-colored top. The 27-year-old captioned this snapshot simply Lately, accompanied by a heart emoji, signaling a warm and ongoing connection. In addition to the photos with her mom, Paris also shared a series of clips featuring herself riding a horse, dressed in a cowboy hat and blue jeans. She captioned these videos, Just a chip off the ol' block, hinting at a familial bond and shared interests. Debbie Rowe is known for her past marriage to the late pop icon Michael Jackson. The couple was married from 1996 to 1999. Their relationship began years before marriage when Rowe, then a nurse and dermatology assistant, was working for Michael Jacksons dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein. The pair tied the knot in Sydney, Australia, in November 1996. At the time, Rowe was pregnant with their first son, Prince, who was born the following year in 1997. They welcomed their daughter, Paris Jackson, in April 1998. Although Rowe and Michael divorced in October 1999, and she gave up full custody of both Prince and Paris, Michael Jackson raised the children until his untimely death in June 2009 at age 50. Michael also had a third son, Bigi Jackson (formerly known as Blanket), born via surrogate in 2002. Following the death of her father, Paris Jackson reestablished a relationship with her mother, reconnecting with Rowe when she was 13 years old. When I was really, really young, my mom didnt exist, Paris shared in a 2017 Rolling Stone interview. She described their bond as more of an adult relationship rather than the traditional mother-daughter dynamic. Over time, their relationship deepened. Paris stood by Rowe during her battle with cancer in 2016, showing the strength of their renewed connection. During a 2021 appearance on Red Table Talk, Paris opened up about how similar they are and their shared love for country and folk music. Getting to know her, seeing how similar we are, getting into what kind of music she likes and she really likes country and folk, Paris said. She also expressed appreciation for their friendship-like bond, calling it very chill, which she loves and feels perfectly describes their relationship. Photos like the recent ones posted by Paris Jackson highlight this evolving and affectionate connection between mother and daughter, giving fans a rare and heartfelt look into their personal lives. Representatives for Paris Jackson have not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the recent posts. Brookfield Residential supports coordinated rebuilding effort designed to reduce costs and accelerate recovery. LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Six families from Altadena's La Vina neighborhood who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire have begun rebuilding together, working with Brookfield Residential in a coordinated effort designed to make the rebuilding process more manageable while helping control costs and move construction forward more efficiently. Left to right: Brookfield Residential CEO Adrian Foley, Brookfield Residential Senior Vice President Taylor McInnis, homeowners Richard and Julie Kang and daughter, Los Angeles County Director of Altadena Recovery Anish Saraiya. Examples of floor plans Brookfield Residential has uploaded to the Builders Alliance interactive portal. Residences are filtered by lot size, zoning and other requirements for hundreds of individual lots in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Examples of a rendering Brookfield Residential has uploaded to the Builders Alliance interactive portal. Residences are filtered by lot size, zoning and other requirements for hundreds of individual lots in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. By selecting from a collection of turnkey home designs matched to their homesites, the homeowners are able to move through planning, permitting, and construction in a more streamlined way than if each rebuild were pursued independently. Trenching and early site work are now underway for all six homes in the La Vina neighborhood, and the families expect to return in fall 2026, marking an important step in restoring the community. La Vina is a gated neighborhood of approximately 272 homes that Brookfield Residential developed between 1997 and 2003. The Eaton Fire destroyed 52 homes within the community, leaving many residents facing the complex process of rebuilding. By coordinating several rebuilds in close proximity and progressing through the process together, the homeowners benefit from shared planning and construction efficiencies that manage costs and simplify approvals. The Six Altadena Families Among the Altadena homeowners rebuilding through Brookfield Residential is Kristin Bertell, who lost her La Vina home in the Eaton Fire. "Almost immediately after the fires, the Brookfield Residential team reached out to help, including their CEO Adrian Foley, with members of their executive team," said Bertell. "What really resonated with me and with other members of our community was Adrian explaining this is not about making money but recognizing the company's commitment to La Vina. We feel a sense of pride and relief that our neighborhood is coming back to life. "There are many nuances of working with disaster-recovery situations," said Bertell. "Brookfield Residential has been very transparent every step of the way. They invited us to share our frustrations and explain the complicated process of rebuilding. We have followed the progress and frustrations of many other members of the Altadena community, and we are confident that we will move into our rebuilt home in the most cost- and time-efficient way possible" Joining Bertell in rebuilding are Richard Kang and four other La Vina homeowners. All six live in proximity and began rebuilding at the same time. The Builders Alliance These six families are among the first homeowners rebuilding through the Builders Alliance, a not-for-profit organization created in response to the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton Fires. The alliance brings together homebuilders working collaboratively to help fire survivors rebuild more efficiently while reducing both time and cost. The initiative includes a digital portal supporting homeowners throughout the rebuilding process by providing a library of home designs that can be filtered based on lot size, zoning requirements, homeowner preferences, and price range. By entering their address, property owners can view homes suited to their specific parcel and better understand potential rebuilding timelines and costs. Brookfield Residential President and Chief Executive Officer Adrian Foley co-founded the Builders Alliance. He also co-conceived the Builders Alliance portal and is a leading member of the Alliance. "We're proud to cooperate with the other founders of the Builders Alliance and to demonstrate how innovative technology can support families as they rebuild and regain stability," said Foley. "As homebuilders, our resources and expertise are essential to this effort, and with that comes a responsibility to help." Brookfield Residential has uploaded over 40 home designs to the digital portal, which covers both Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Homeowners can match their address to home choices that include pre-designed residences at costs equal to or below average insurance proceeds. This efficiency also significantly shortens the time needed to rebuild. Outside of La Vina, prices for Brookfield Residential's Altadena rebuilds range from $619,300 to $706,300 per home. Brookfield Residential offers a parallel turnkey approach for people who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire. Pricing for these Pacific Palisades homes range from $847,700 to $1,271,081. The no-charge Builders Alliance Portal is a digital representation of every residential parcel in the Palisades and Eaton Fire areas. Powered by Canibuild, a leading prop tech company, the portal uses available site and zoning information to show homeowners which home designs fit their lot, along with estimated costs and timelines. Property owners enter their address and can filter options by preferences such as square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and price. Many builders offer pre-approved plans with low set costs and shortened timelines, while others specialize in fully custom homes. This vast database, combined with user-friendly navigation, allows homeowners to align rebuilding with their personal needs and the character of their neighborhood. The phone number for inquiries to Brookfield Residential about building through the Builders Alliance is (855) 768-7578. Brookfield Residential Southern California is an award-winning homebuilder and industry leader with an exceptional reputation for quality, design, and customer service. Its team offers the passion, the expertise and the local knowledge to craft homes and neighborhoods that speak to homebuyers at every stage of life. Brookfield Residential Southern California is committed to being more than a homebuilder, striving to create the best places to call home. Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. is a leading land developer and homebuilder in North America. The company entitles and develops land to create master-planned communities, builds and sells lots to third-party builders, and conducts its own homebuilding operations, with participation in select strategic real estate opportunities includes infill projects, mixed-use developments, and joint ventures. As the flagship North American residential property company of Brookfield Corporation (NYSE: BN; TSX: BN), Brookfield Residential is committed to excellence in residential development. The Builders Alliance consists of experienced, licensed homebuilders, ranging from small boutique firms to larger companies. They include ARCA, Brookfield Residential, Christopherson Builders, Empress Builders, Genesis Builders, Homebound, Metricon Homes, Richmond American Homes, Stonefield Restorations, Thomas James Homes and Sekisui House. Homeowners who rebuild through the Builders Alliance work directly with the builder they choose. That builder will manage everything from permitting to construction using their teams and trade partners. The Builders Alliance serves as a trusted and neutral provider of reliable information for homeowners seeking to rebuild, and does not share business interests with any of the participating builders. SOURCE Brookfield Residential By He Yin, People's Daily China's recently concluded "two sessions," the annual meetings of the country's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC), have provided an important opportunity for the international community to observe Chinese democracy. At the meetings, nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and more than 2,000 members of the CPPCC National Committee fulfilled their duties and brought voices from the grassroots to the country's highest deliberative platforms. The people's aspirations and expectations have been fully integrated into the top-level design of national development, fully demonstrating the vitality of whole-process people's democracy. The draft outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (20262030) was a major focus of the international community during this year's "two sessions." The drafting process included online consultations that collected more than 3.113 million suggestions from internet users. Government departments at all levels compiled and categorized proposals on issues of public concern, including easier access to education, better employment, and strengthening elderly care. In formulating the plan, China integrated top-level design with extensive public consultation, ensuring that the efforts of the Party and the government align with the aspirations of the people. An international media outlet noted that the extensive social participation in drafting the 15th Five-Year Plan reflects whole-process people's democracy in practice. Through the "two sessions," the world has seen that Chinese people's willingness for participating in democratic processes continues to grow, while the breadth and depth of participation keep expanding and the channels and forms of engagement become increasingly diverse. A journalist from Latin America observed that China's "two sessions" bring together deputies and members from all ethnic groups and all sectors of society, including education, healthcare and science and technology, ensuring that diverse voices are fully heard. The deliberation of draft legislation such as the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, and the National Development Planning Law vividly illustrated the interaction between democracy and the rule of law, as well as the integration of public opinion with the legislative process. The drafting of the Ecological and Environmental Code, for example, included four rounds of public consultation and received more than 20,000 suggestions from over 7,000 participants, many of which were carefully studied and incorporated into the draft. A closer look at China's democratic practice shows that genuine and effective democracy contributes to efficient governance. In 2025, departments of the State Council handled 8,754 suggestions submitted by NPC deputies and 4,868 proposals from CPPCC members, all of which were processed on schedule. State Council departments adopted more than 4,900 suggestions put forward by NPC deputies and CPPCC members and introduced over 2,200 related policy measures. In Linxia, northwest China's Gansu province, an NPC deputy proposed building an expressway that traverses mountains and valleys to boost farmers' incomes. In Yinzhou district, Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang province, a voting system was adopted, where the public proposes, representatives decide, the government implements, and the public evaluates, leading to the construction of a safe path for students on their way to school. These are just two examples of how suggestions from the grassroots are met with responses, oversight, and action, ultimately delivering tangible benefits to the people. Hong Won-sook, a South Korean expert who has lived and worked in Shanghai for many years and has been invited several times to participate in activities of the Shanghai CPPCC, said that China's whole-process people's democracy gives people a place where they can voice their views. When they face difficulties, they can raise them; their voices are heard and their suggestions are implemented, helping make people's lives better. China's whole-process people's democracy stands in stark contrast to forms of democracy in some countries that have become increasingly "formalistic" or reduced to slogans. It offers the international community food for thought on effective ways to realize democracy. Democracy is not an ornament or a decorative label; it is meant to solve problems for the people. A system in which people can only express their wishes but cannot see them realized is not true democracy. China's democracy is people's democracy, and the people's status as masters of the country is its essence and core. This form of democracy, which has grown from China's own soil, is flourishing and has boosted confidence among other developing countries seeking to explore democratic development paths suited to their national conditions. A Brazilian media outlet said that whole-process people's democracy encourages public participation, promotes social harmony and delivers tangible results. Democracy is a shared value of humanity and a right of the people of all countries. China will steadfastly advance whole-process people's democracy and stands ready to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with other countries. Together, countries can explore ways to realize broad, genuine and effective democracy, making new contributions to progress of human political civilization. President Trump has faced an unavoidable showdown. Advertisement Iran gleefully spent almost half a century waging economic and military warfare against the United States. This horror show cost Americans trillions and killed hundreds of U.S. troops through proxy attacks and direct acts of terror. Advertisement From the 1979 oil production collapse that plunged output from 6 million barrels per day to 1.5 million, sending global oil prices from $15 a barrel to $39 per barrel, to the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing that killed 19 Air Force personnel, Irans actions were lethal and costly. Every failed negotiation, every embargo, and every sanction merely highlighted Tehrans refusal to respect global norms. Operation Epic Fury was not an impulsive strike. It was an overdue, necessary campaign to protect American lives, restore economic stability, and prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. Advertisement Since the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury, the mission has been precise and unambiguous. The U.S. Armed Forces targeted Irans ballistic missile arsenal, destroyed naval capabilities, dismantled production facilities, and severed support for terrorist proxies. Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, emphasized the operations unprecedented scope to eliminate Irans ability to threaten Americans and allies in the region. Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the campaign ensures Iran will never hide behind short-term missile stockpiles or rebuild its navy. Every major military objective has been met with lethal precision and ruthless efficiency. The U.S. militarys dominance is clear, particularly against an opponent whose explicit foreign policy is the death of America. Advertisement The B-52 Stratofortress, a platform in service since 1965, struck Iranian ballistic missile sites and command posts with unmatched effectiveness during the first 100 hours of the operation. Irans ability to impact U.S. forces and regional partners is collapsing while American combat power continues to grow. Irans willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz has been countered by pre-existing contingency plans. This demonstrates that claims of unpreparedness, made by CNN, are false. Lawmakers like Sen. Tom Cotton and Sen. Tim Sheehy confirmed in classified briefings that the military had anticipated Irans tactics for decades. Advertisement Economically, the stakes could not be higher. Irans attacks on shipping, including Houthi strikes in the Red Sea, forced rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope in 2023. This spiked freight rates from $1,521 to $3,777 per 40-foot container. Oil exports remained robust, with Iran earning between $53 billion and $54 billion in 2022 and 2023 despite sanctions. Each disruption translated into higher costs for American consumers and taxpayers. Operation Epic Fury directly addresses these economic threats by crippling Irans naval capabilities and missile production, ensuring uninterrupted global commerce. Domestically, the choice is stark. Republicans face a midterm season in which Democrats, emboldened by biased news media and unhinged primary voters, actively seek to disrupt governance. Democrats intentionally left TSA officers unpaid, creating chaos at airports and weakening national security. Other federal agencies, including FEMA and the Coast Guard, have been destabilized by Democrats. They shut down the Department of Homeland Security over Trumps mass deportations, among other fulfilled campaign promises. In contrast, the president has presided over historic economic growth. Apple invested $600 billion in domestic manufacturing. Meta committed $600 billion to U.S.-based AI infrastructure. Amazon spent $340 billion in domestic expansion. Trillions of dollars of private capital are flowing into the U.S., driven by MAGA policies. The broader lesson is undeniable: American interests come first. Operation Epic Fury is a clear demonstration of America-first policy in action. It defends U.S. lives, safeguards economic stability, and delivers justice to a regime that has actively sought the destruction of America herself. Any Republican who hesitates or opposes this campaign, under the pretense of MAGA or patriotism, is failing the country and aligning with an agenda that benefits the nations enemies. Political unity is imperative. The midterms will test the GOPs ability to stand behind decisive, America-first leadership. Population shifts indicate long-term Republican congressional and Electoral College gains in the Sun Belt. Yet disunity and navel-gazing undermine the partys capacity for success. Democrats are fully aware of these dynamics. They are weaponizing twisted journalistic narratives and procedural obstruction to kneecap long-term Republican power. Any GOP hesitation in supporting Trumps Iran strategy risks catastrophic political consequences, economic malaise, and strategic failure abroad. Ideological clarity is also essential. The United States faces a secular leftist-Islamist coalition that, unchecked, threatens the republics livelihood. Historical evidence from Iran shows that when secular leftists empower Islamist forces, the result is a theocratic regime imposing social repression and economic devastation for generations. Britains electoral upheaval in a recent special parliamentary race demonstrates how tactical convergence between leftist factions and Islamist-leaning voters can ravage civilized society. Domestic Democrat alignment with Islamic identity politics is not theoretical. It is a force of destruction. Republican unity behind Trump ensures that America can confront this decisively. Operation Epic Fury delivers tangible results. High-value Iranian targets, including command centers, missile sites, and naval assets, have been obliterated. The Iranian regimes offensive missile capacity has been severely degraded. Regional terrorist proxies are weakened. The message is clear: America will not tolerate a regime that threatens its citizens or global stability. Every Republican has a choice. Standing with Trump and his Operation Epic Fury affirms a commitment to American lives, prosperity, and international credibility. Hesitation or disunity amounts to complicity with domestic political opponents and foreign adversaries alike. GOP senators, representatives, and grassroots activists must understand that backing Operation Epic Fury is synonymous with defending the republic. The stakes are existential: a hostile Democratic Party, a vote-blue-no-matter-who media, and a ruthless Iranian adversary are all aligned against American interests. Republicans must choose unequivocal loyalty to the nation and its Commander-in-Chief. Trumps leadership fulfills the central promise of MAGA: restoring American greatness by placing the country first. Military, economic, and political victories are all interwoven. Supporting Operation Epic Fury is not some minor detail. It is patriotic, strategic, and politically required. Opposing it under any guise is shameful, cowardly, and a sworn declaration to make America weak again. Success in the Iranian theater secures domestic economic growth, strengthens Republican electoral prospects, and delivers long-term security for Americans. There is no middle ground. Operation Epic Fury is an America-first mission of justice, deterrence, and national restoration. Republicans must be fully united. Disunity endangers not only the mission abroad but the partys survival at home. Democrats are a destructive force seeking to sandbag the national welfare to offset their creeping electoral woes. Any attempt to challenge Trumps Iranian strategy betrays the American interest. Standing behind Trump and this operation is the truest expression of loyalty to the U.S., the MAGA movement, and the promise of American greatness. The midterms are a test of resolve. The Iranian threat is concrete and relentless. The Democrats sabotage of national security and basic governance is grotesquely ironclad. Republican unity behind Trump bolsters the success of Operation Epic Fury, an agreeable global order, and the preservation of an America worth living in. Any deviation from full support is a personal and political failure. The stakes could not be higher. Trumps decisive action is correct, inevitable, and fully aligned with America-first principles. There is no time for excuses, no room for hesitation, no reason for compromise. Dr. Joseph Ford Cotto is the creator, host, and producer of News Sight, delivering sharp insights on the key events that shape our lives. He publishes Dr. Cotto's Digest, sharing how business and the economy really impact us all. During the 2024 presidential race, he developed the Five-Point Forecast, which accurately predicted Donald Trumps national victory and correctly called every swing state. Cotto holds a doctorate in business administration and is a Lean Six Sigma Certified Black Belt. Image: Pixabay // Pixabay Content License In early 1907, Vladimir Lenin published accusations that some Menshevik organizations were selling seats in the Second Duma to the Cadets (Constitutional Democrats). In other words, he accused the Mensheviks of colluding with a liberal bourgeois party rather than letting workers candidates run. The Mensheviks filed a formal complaint, prompting Lenin to face slander charges before a Party Court (Control Commission). The trial took place just before the opening of the Fifth (London) Congress of the Russian Communists (Russian Social-Democratic Workers Party, RSDWP), and Lenin delivered a lengthy oral defense. Advertisement In his defense speech, Lenin clearly delineated the boundaries of permissible and non-permissible behavior during the communists political debates. He maintained that polemics inside a party must remain within certain bounds personal insults, poisoned weapons, and exaggerations are undesirable because they harm party unity. However, for polemics against a political enemy (or former party members who break away from the party), these limits no longer apply. There are no formal party rules constraining communists in such discussions. Lenin says, Such wording is calculated not to convince, but to break up the ranks of the opponent, not to correct the mistake of the opponent, but to destroy him, to wipe his organization off the face of the earth (Lenin [1907], 1977, p. 425). Advertisement In other words, while debating a political enemy, communists do not seek to uncover the truth. Lenin proposed that communists must conduct polemics that are not designed to affect or convince their opponents. That is simply because the communists strive to destroy the opposition. Truth be told, the communists polemics are aimed not at their opponents, but at a larger audience. Lenin advocates for destroying the enemy organization, by rousing among the masses hatred, aversion, and contempt for this organization (p. 428). Thus, communists are expected to provoke disgust in the audience toward their opponents, potentially even before the public fully understands the communists arguments. Finally, Lenin discussed the hypothetical case of the Bund (Jewish non-Zionist socialists of the Russian Empire) seceding from the RSDWP. He states, Could anyone then seriously raise the question of the impermissibility of pamphlets calculated to instill in the Bundist working masses hatred, aversion and contempt for their leaders, and describing these leaders as bourgeois in disguise, as those who had sold themselves to the Jewish bourgeoisie and were trying to get their men into the Duma with the latters assistance, etc.? (p. 429). The conclusion is that Jews (or any other Party subset) must be treated with the utmost respect if they follow the Party line. However, once they are out, all bets are off. Advertisement This line of thought is the logical continuation of the lefts worldview, adapted for civilized political debate. In fact, Lenin proposed the principle of asymmetric tolerance and asymmetric civility: Tolerance (and debate norms) applied only within a defined community of the correct line. Outside this defined community, polemics become a tool for political annihilation rather than physical destruction. In ten years, however, when the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia, intolerance also entered the physical domain. Basically, Lenins instrumental view prioritizes revolutionary efficacy over universal decorum. There are notable conceptual parallels (rooted in the broader Marxist-Leninist tradition) between Vladimir Lenins approach and Herbert Marcuses essay, Repressive Tolerance (1965). Both thinkers advocate for the selective application of liberal and democratic principles to advance revolutionary goals. Both justify intolerance or harsh rhetoric toward perceived enemies of liberation. This shared logic reflects a commitment to vanguardism, where an enlightened minority guides (or suppresses) the masses against reactionary forces. Advertisement Marcuse was explicit that such actions might involve suppressing speech that sustains reactionary power structures, creating space for progressive change. Marcuse insisted on the withdrawal of tolerance before the deed, at the stage of communication in word, print, and picture. Such extreme suspension of the right of free speech and free assembly is indeed justified only if the whole of society is in extreme danger. I maintain that our society is in such an emergency situation, and that it has become the normal state of affairs (Marcuse 1965, pp. 109110). There are several key features of the Lenin-Marcuse approach that led directly to cancel culture, Jewish persecution, and double-standards applied uniquely to Israel. First, the selective application of norms for Us vs. Them. Second, vanguard elitism. Thirdly, they provide a rationale for suppressing opposition. These features stem from a common Marxist heritage, but Marcuse a critical theorist from the Frankfurt School adapts them to the postWorld War II West. Advertisement As a result, Lenin and Marcuse created a framework in which the modern dialogue about Jews and Israel particularly on the left became highly asymmetrical, moralizing, and often exclusionary. When the Soviet Union turned against Zionism after 1948 (especially after 1967), this Leninist model shaped the entire discourse. Zionism was redefined as a hostile ideology, equated with racism, imperialism, and colonialism, and therefore outside the bounds of permissible debate. Soviet media, academia, and propaganda were mobilized not to argue with Zionists, but to discredit and delegitimize Zionism entirely an exterminative polemic in Lenins sense. Advertisement That shaped the official language: Zionism was portrayed as an aggressive racist ideology, not a legitimate nationalistic movement of Jews. Jewish voices who dissented inside the Soviet Union were treated not as dialogue partners, but as traitors or agents of imperialism. In other words, Lenins asymmetric rule for polemics provided the intellectual permission structure for non-dialogue, for campaigns aimed at destroying the very legitimacy of the opposing view. That is why, to this day, the left demonizes Zionists and humanizes anti-Zionists. The international left makes sure that every Israeli victory is a defeat. Israel is increasingly classified as an oppressor a settler-colonial state and an apartheid regime. Therefore, speech defending Israel is treated as harmful, reactionary, and illegitimate not simply wrong, but dangerous. The result: deplatforming campaigns, boycott movements, and a rhetorical climate in which Zionist perspectives are considered outside the boundaries of acceptable discourse. It comes off as a modern echo of Marcuses call for intolerance toward movements from the right. It is classic Marcusean logic: tolerance is conditional on emancipatory potential, not on neutral procedural fairness. Together, Lenins polemical ruthlessness and Marcuses selective tolerance create a potent framework for anti-Jewish and anti-Israel rhetoric. If the former supplies the aggressive language (e.g., Zionist genocide as an unquestionable truth), the latter justifies silencing counterarguments as repressive. This hybrid profoundly shaped leftist movements from the 1970s onward, evident in Europes radical left (where anti-Zionism spills into antisemitism) and U.S. campuses, where BDS campaigns invoke Marcusean intolerance to delegitimize Israel. In todays polarized debates postOctober 7, 2023 these ideas underpin calls to deplatform Zionists, blending revolutionary zeal with cultural gatekeeping, often at the expense of a nuanced dialogue on Jewish self-determination. This Lenin-Marcuse approach entrenches itself in leftist echo chambers, where Lenins extermination of dissent meets Marcuses liberating suppression. References Lenin, V. ([1907] 1977). Speech for the Defence (or for the Prosecution of the Menshevik Section of the Central Committee) Delivered At the Party Tribunal. In Collected Works (4th ed., Vol. 12, pp. 421-432). Moscow: Progress Publishers. Marcuse, H. (1965). Repressive Tolerance. In B. M. Robert Paul Wolff, A Critique of Pure Tolerance. Boston: Beacon Press. Gary Gindler is a conservative columnist and author of two Amazon bestsellers, Left Imperialism (2024) and Left Anti-Semitism (2026). Image via Pexels. The respectable conservative crowd loves to clutch their pearls whenever right-wing activists begin organizing grassroots boycotts, protests, and pressure campaigns. Advertisement These elites love to pretend their main concern is wokeness, but what really scares them more is being seen near your average conservative who loudly defends conservatism, the kind who won't politely accept the mockery of their values or the slow erosion of their way of life. They think the culture war is beneath them. Advertisement But while these ivory tower think tankers were busy doing the serious work of cranking out amicus briefs, white papers, and op-eds that nobody reads, the people they love to sneer at have been the ones putting points on the board. Bud Light, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, Target, and Tractor Supply Co. all walked back woke policies in response to conservative boycotts or backlash. Thanks to pressure campaigns like these, the woke brand has become so toxic that the number of Fortune 500 companies participating in the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate Equality Index (which deducts points from firms that keep men out of womens restrooms) fell from 377 in 2025 to just 131 in 2026. Advertisement If you want to win the culture war, you cant sit on the sidelines; you must show up and fight. And whatever flaws they might have, thats what these grassroots deplorables do. Most recently, they helped kill a $72 billion dollar deal that wouldve handed Netflix an ultra-woke media empire. Advertisement The same company that marketed Cuties as straight-up pedo bait, puts LGBT content in 40% of its kids shows, has a workforce that directs 98% of its political donations to Democrats, collaborated with Obama to produce an anti-white apocalypse thriller, and gave Susan Rice Obamas former National Security Advisor a seat on its board would have gained control of Warner Bros.-Discoverys HBO Max streaming service, one of five major Hollywood studios, and iconic franchises like Batman, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter. Advertisement Highbrow conservatives either ignored this threat or hid behind egghead arguments about the finer points of antitrust law. Advertisement Meanwhile, a ragtag group of activists and influencers got to work. Laura Loomer, every elite conservative think tanks favorite punching bag, started sounding the alarm way back in November, documenting Netflixs close ties to the Obamas and warning about what the former first family might do with a streaming monopoly over America. Right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec also waded in, racking up hundreds of thousands of views on his posts about the deal. Gems include, This is all about Obama taking over media, A monopoly to own the minds of America and Americas youth, and Theyre going to make everything gay. Graphic: Truth Social Post Then, in January, President Trump himself posted an op-ed on Truth Social under the headline Stop the Netflix Cultural Takeover. The op-ed was published by One America News Network, an outlet conservative elites love to treat like a punchline, but, in this case, proved influential enough to alert the president to an impending danger. And just to make it even worse for the pearl-clutching crowd on the respectable right, lawyer John Pierce based his whole op-ed on an interview he did with OAN host (and former House firebrand) Matt Gaetz. Pierce warned Gaetz that a post-acquisition Netflix would have the power to rewrite characters, retell history, redefine social norms, and control which ideas reach audiences, and that WBD may have been favoring Netflix over other potential buyers not because it offered the best return for shareholders, but because it aligned more closely with the ideological preferences of Warners executives. With the deal already on Trumps radar, Sen. Josh Hawley moved beyond the typical antitrust critiques at a February hearing. Instead, he pressed Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos to explain why his company was pushing queer propaganda on kids. By the end of the month, Trump was demanding that Netflix fire Susan Rice from its board or pay the consequences. Sarandos tried to laugh it off, telling one reporter that Trump likes to do a lot of things on social media, but the writing was on the wall. On February 26, Netflix withdrew from the bidding war, and WBD sold to Paramount, a company led by Trump ally David Ellison. On Tuesday, the Trump FCC said that the deal is almost certain to be approved for the company without any delays from the White House. Its hard to ignore the sequence of events: activists sounded the alarm, influencers amplified it, Trump intervened, and suddenly Washington started having to ask some pretty uncomfortable questions. Despite all the sneering from the elites, it was the supposedly unserious deplorables who forced the issue. The lesson here is simple: the culture war isnt won in white papers. Its won by people who show up and fight. In other words, grassroots conservatives are not a liability; they are the only ones truly winning. Haley Kennington (@LadyKennington) is an investigative journalist and conservative commentator. She served as the Research Director & Story Editor for 2020:The Plot Against the President and Research/Archive Editor for What Is a Woman? An ever-increasing number of despondent Westerners are taking to social media to state things like, I took a walk today. I dont recognize my town anymore. Or, Nothing is like I remember it from my youth. Or, I feel like a stranger in my own country. Many of us have a longing for yesteryear. Advertisement There are multiple reasons for this, but every one of them is either directly or indirectly caused by Democrats and their disdain for the United States and traditional Americans. Period. Advertisement Their policies, such as they are, are soft on crime and hard on law-abiding citizens and taxpayers. Their education system poisons childrens minds, teaching them to detest their country -- and that patriotic Christians, especially straight white men, are the biggest threat to the nation. Their teachers tell them capitalism is evil and socialism is far fairer and kinder, a staggering lie. They inform them that science is conclusive and immutable: climate change is destroying the Earth and there are an infinite number of genders. And that Orange Man bad. Each of those things is a bald-faced lie, including that science could ever be conclusive and immutable. In their spare time, these rabid indoctrinated indoctrinators tell our kiddies that there are also an infinite variation of families but imply that the worst kind is one headed by one cis-male dad and one cis-female mom, as they put it. And, in too many cases, they may sexually as well as mentally abuse them. Advertisement In doing so, in committing these crimes, they leave kids depressed, adrift, bitter, and confused. Even broken. What a way to start out ones life. It is no wonder that test scores are dropping as rates of mental illness have skyrocketed. Social media has contributed to the anger, angst, and depression of many. The likes of Mark Zuckerburg, Reid Hoffman, TikTok, and Alphabet, Inc., though also doing some good, have had an adverse effect on the well-being of far too many. Instead of feeling connected, countless folks, especially youngsters, are left feeling inferior, assaulted, oddly lonely, and depressed. Advertisement In short, we are far from guiltless in the coarsening of our own societies. That said, what I am about to state will be very controversial and may well subject me to attacks from everyone on the left, and a few on the right, but is nonetheless the truth. Advertisement The gravest danger to Western countries going forward is the rapid Islamization of their nations. No matter what Keir Starmer, Mark Carney, Catherine Connolly, or Zohran Mamdani say, this is inarguably the case. Look at the countries from which Muslims come. Look at the U.K., Canada, Ireland, or New York City, three or four decades ago and compare that to what they look like today. Same for France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia, and others. Advertisement It is shocking. It is embarrassing. It is a continually unfolding invasion. It is leading to the rapid devolution of Western nations and the consequent degradation of quality of life, safety, and even character. It is a crime, one for which these nations leaders should be held accountable. These countries should look to the American Revolution for guidance on how to protect individual freedoms and counteract invasions and usurpations. So should many more Americans, for that matter. Everyone can see whats happening. Few will be brave enough to say anything. Fewer still will commit themselves to fight the status quo. And so: Mayor Mamdani says, we should look to Islam. Canada is about to criminalize certain Bible verses. The UN Human Rights Council (hee-hee) refuses to defend female victims of Sharia law. A California Democratic lawmaker recently introduced legislation that would recognize two Muslim holidays as official state holidays. (This as opposed to only one Christmas for Christians.) Pakistani rape gangs go unpunished in the U.K. while those tweeting unfavorable things about Islam are visited by the constabulary and/or arrested. In Britain, a Sikh restaurant owner was arrested for the crime of not selling halal meat. That is sick. Incredibly, in Sweden, the state cited a familys practice of attending a Christian church three times a week, and other traditional parenting practices, as evidence of "religious extremism" and justification for keeping the children taken from their parents after a false abuse claim. If things continue as they are, Sweden doesnt have a prayer. As I have previously written, unless the West somehow quickly grows a spine and sheds its suicidal empathy and hyper-tolerance, a New Dark Age awaits. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay Content License The evil genius behind the Iranian regime got his just deserts this week, courtesy of an Israeli airstrike. Ali Larijani was the highly educated security advisor to the recently departed Supreme Leader. As such, he was in charge of all the bloody murders of peaceful protesters this year. He was also the most public hardline voice left in the regime. Advertisement As you would expect, he came from a militant Islam religious family and studied at Qom, but also had degrees in technology and philosophy. Apparently, the older mullahs do not trust anyone with a modern education, so even he was disqualified from seeking high elective office. But he was indispensable, as one of the few real technocrats in the regime. Many observers believe he was unofficially Khamenei's real successor. He was also one of the three men in Irans temporary ruling council, along with the president and chief justice. With him out of the way, that may clear the path for President Masoud Pezeshkian, the guy I have figured was our best bet to make a deal. Advertisement One thing that has not been well explained by world media is that there are tremendous divisions within the Iranian regime. On one side are the older religious figures, who are the most extreme Islamists. Then there is a younger generation of educated Iranians who are more nationalist than Islamic. They did most of the fighting in the Iran-Iraq War, but their dreams of power and wealth have largely been sidelined by the mullah class. The countrys former vice president, Esfandiar Mashaei, is a good example of the latter. He and many of his allies went to prison a few years ago as the old-timers sought to keep them in check. Mashaei is free now, and there are a whole lot of guys like him in Iran right now -- former regime insiders with scores to settle and a direct dial number to the Mossad, if they so choose. Advertisement If we can keep finding and killing the worst of the worst Iranians the next few weeks, this war will end well. The leaders left in place will be the less fanatical kind and open to the usual blandishments the wealthy Gulf Arabs are willing to offer. When the first air strikes killed the Supreme Leader and all his top commanders, we got the usual defeatist worry -- what if this only leads to something worse? There was, of course, nothing worse than the ayatollah and his regime. What is most likely to happen is there will only be the more moderate leaders like Pezeshkian left standing. Those who will not have the resources to fund world-wide terror movements, even if they wanted to. Advertisement To be sure, China, Russia, and especially Turkey, will be rooting on the worst elements in whatever regime emerges in Tehran. But as Pres. Trump reminded everyone, he can take out all of Irans oil exports (and all of its money) in five minutes. There are fewer and fewer crazies still around who want to take him up on that dare. Frank Friday is an attorney in Louisville, KY. Advertisement Image: Khamenei.ir The solution to the Iranian drone problem may already be in the pipeline. Advertisement This involves a long-serving U.S. drone, the Raytheon Coyote. The latest version, the Block 3NK (Non-Kinetic) has demonstrated that it can knock down numerous enemy drones without ever actually striking them and then turn around and do it again. The first version of the Coyote originated in a 2004 requirement from the U.S. Navys Office of Naval Research for a small, expendable UAV to serve with the P-3 Orion antisubmarine aircraft. The drone was to be launched from the planes sonobuoy tubes, at which point the straight wings would unfold. Originally intended as a remote sensor platform, the 13-lb. Coyote could also be fitted with a small warhead. If utilized in swarming attacks, it was believed that the drone could cause an enemy serious headaches. It had a ceiling of 30,000 ft, a top speed of 80 mph, and had an 80-mile link range. Advertisement The first flight occurred in 2007. In short order, it was also cleared for use by ships and ground-based tube launchers. The Army and Marines ordered thousands. Clearly, the Coyote ranked as one of the most successful early drone systems. This was reflected a decade later with the development of the Coyote Block 2, a jet-powered version with enhanced performance. The folding wings were replaced with strakes, giving it a much sleeker silhouette and discarding the model airplane look. With a top speed of 345 mph, the Block 2 was intended as an interceptor for use against hostile drones. The Block 2 can be networked with other Coyotes in order to provide an effective defense against drone attacks. Advertisement Work on a newer version began even before the Block 2 entered service. This version marked a return to the original winged configuration while retaining the jet engine of Block 2. It was also designed to be reused by flying into a recovery net. Details on the development of the NK version remain hazy for obvious reasons. It seems that an early model was successfully tested in 2021, when it knocked down 10 drones before being recovered, refueled, and sent back into action. Why this capability wasnt pursued at the time remains unknown. Advertisement In any case, the NK model reappeared in 2025. It retained the winged configuration of the standard Block 3, along with recovery capability. It was first tested in October of last year at the Yuma proving grounds, knocking out ten drones attacking in swarm formation. It was demonstrated for the Army this past February, again defeating drone swarms sent up against it. Video provided by Raytheon shows the Block 3NK gliding sedately past approaching drones, which then flutter to the ground like so many dead moths, with no sign of a weapons discharge. The technology of the actual weapon remains a matter of speculation. An educated guess would be something along the lines of a microwave Laser (Maser) array that could shut down the guidance and avionics systems of several drones at once. Advertisement The NK version overcomes the major advantages of drone strikes. Swarming tactics by numerous and cheap drones can overcome a defenders tracking and interception capabilities, resulting in at least a small number of drones getting through. This is clearly occurring across Israel at this very moment. A related challenge lies in the low cost of drones. The price of the Iranian Shahed 136 drone has been estimated at being as low as $10,000 apiece. Interceptor missiles such as the Patriot or Arrow, which are designed to engage high-performance aircraft or ballistic missiles, cost several million. An asset capable of engaging numerous enemy drones in each shot, and furthermore one that is recoverable and reusable in short order, would go a long way toward restoring the balance in todays battlespace. The irony here is that development may well be a little too late to allow the Block 3NK to be used against Iran. But there is such as thing as operational testing, in which systems not quite ready for full-scale deployment can be dispatched to the battlefield for limited use. (This was done in Afghanistan with the XM-25 airburst grenade launcher.) This would seem a natural for fully opening up the Strait of Hormuz. Block #NK launchers could be set up aboard tankers or on escort vessels to intercept incoming drones. This would likely go a long way toward easing the fears of shipowners. We may yet see Iranian drones dropping out of the sky. Advertisement Image: Raytheon Fourteen years ago, the invaluable Bill Whittle published a classic You Tube video titled Eat The Rich! He began with the insufferable Michael Moore who asserted that we have no budget problems. The only problem is the uber rich are hoarding all the money that really belongs to everyone else. Whittle then methodically explained how, if we took every penny of Americans wealthy, we could pay for all of 2011s congressional spending. Whittle didnt address the national debt, only whether taking all the money of the rich could cover one year of multi-trillion-dollar congressional profligacy. Advertisement Whittle took every penny of ExxonMobils and WalMarts profits and the rest of the Fortune 500 companies. He took every penny of professional athletes salaries and every penny from everyone making more than $250,000. He took all the profits from movies and their merchandising and killed all the billionaires and took 50% in death taxes. Even that wasnt enough, so he took every penny from the billionaires and millionaires and cut off all foreign aid. He even hit every American for multiple thousands. All of that paid for one year of congressional spending, but at the cost of wiping out all private capital, all our productivity, all our wealth, all our manufacturing capacity. He ended the video by asking: now what? Advertisement The fiscal geniuses in charge of California might well ask that question. Theyre planning to enact a supposedly one-time billionaire tax, taking some 5% of the total wealth of every California billionaire. Billionaires tend not to be stupid, and they recognize if CA pulled off a one time tax, it would become addicted to that revenue and would make it permanent. Theyd spend more and more and continually increase the tax to the point that like Whittle, theyd eventually take it all. As a result, not a few billionaires have voted with their feet and moved, mainly to Texas and Florida. Others are in the process of moving. Margaret Thatcher was right: the trouble with socialism is you eventually run out of other peoples money. Advertisement But would this scheme actually work? Because Americans are free to move to tax-free states, wouldnt this chase billionaires out of California to the point the state actually lost money due to a depleted tax base? After all, plenty of mere millionaires and middle-class Californians are assuming the happy status of former Californians. At Powerline, Scott Johnson explains: Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post In a debate with University of CaliforniaBerkeley economist Emmanuel Saez, a key architect of the proposed wealth tax, Rauh pointed to his own research showing the net present value of the tax is likely negative, meaning it will drive jobs and investment away from California for years if it is passed. Advertisement Proponents of the wealth tax would liquidate Silicon Valley for an extra $2 billion per year, Rauh said. This is classic, not showing or considering what the economic damage would be of liquidating Silicon Valley. Rauhs study shows the proposal would leave the state worse off by an estimated $25 billion once future lost income tax revenue is considered. See Benjamin Jaros, Joshua D. Rauh, Gregory Kearney, John Doran, Matheus Cosso, The Net Present Value of the Billionaire Tax Act: An Assessment of the Fiscal Effects of Californias Proposed Wealth Tax. Advertisement Its so simple even California Democrats should be able to understand it. They think the billionaires taxable wealth is around $2 trillion, but because so many have already fled, its really only about $1.2 trillion. Because of that flight, California could only collect about $40 billion instead of the $100 billion over which theyre salivating. Its almost certainly worse, because additional billionaires are going to flee between now and when the law is enacted. As Rauh noted, when lost tax revenue due to continued out migration is factored in, California stands to be $25 billion in the hole due to the wealth tax alone. I wonder how thats going to affect the High- Speed Rail to Nowhere? And how is Californias budget doing? Not so well: The states negative fiscal situation is now chronic. Those are the words of legislative analyst Gabe Petek, who recently published a comprehensive analysis of California Governor Gavin Newsoms 2026-2027 budget. In the report, Petek sounded the alarm on the Golden States financial health, which is characterized by four years of projected deficits and a cumulative total of $125 billion in budget problems. It now appears that Democrat leadership amounts to chasing productive citizens out of state, gross overspending, rampant graft and corruption, but plenty of state funds for the Governors hair gel and a nonexistent railroad. Im sure Gavin Newsom can do for America what hes done to California. But to paraphrase Bill Whittle: what then? Become a subscriber and get our weekly Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Contributes to community medical services through research on new services that help streamline pharmacists' operations. By leveraging DX/BPO expertise, works on developing next-generation talent TOKYO, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- transcosmos today announced its partnership with the Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (Location: Tokyo, Japan; President: Yoshihiro Mimaki; TUPLS). The partnershipPartnership Agreement on Promoting Pharmacist Operational Transformation to Address the 2040 Problemis aimed at promoting the transformation of pharmacists' operations to address the so-called 2040 Problem, a significant worker shortfall expected in Japan by 2040. From left: Yoshihiro Mimaki, President of TUPLS, and Satoshi Takayama, Corporate Executive Officer, transcosmos Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences transcosmos An educational institution and a private-sector company will engage in a cross-industry collaboration and leverage their respective experience and expertise built over the years to resolve challenges in community medical services, including labor and resource shortages, and conduct research on new services that help streamline pharmacists' operations. Discuss measures to enhance operations in communities facing pharmacist shortages and develop pharmaceutical education programs by leveraging expertise in digital transformation (DX) and business process outsourcing (BPO). Through education and research that combine professional pharmaceutical knowledge with DX/BPO expertise, contribute to developing next-generation talent who can support an ever-changing medical environment. Through this initiative, the two parties will collaborate beyond their respective fields as an educational institution and a private-sector company to contribute to community medical services by utilizing the experience and expertise each party has built over the years. Addressing the 2040 Problem has become an urgent challenge for Japan, as the country is expected to face both increased medical demand and a shortage of medical professionals leading up to 2040, the year when second-generation baby boomers will turn 65 or older. Communities that are expected to face a severe shortage of pharmacists, in particular, must streamline operations while maintaining the quality of medical services with limited human resources. Under this partnership agreement, transcosmos and TUPLS will work closely together and utilize their respective strengths and resources to resolve challenges in community medical services arising from the 2040 Problem, such as workforce and resource shortages, and conduct research on new services that support the streamlining of pharmacists' operations. More specifically, the two parties will discuss measures to enhance operations in communities facing pharmacist shortages and will work on developing pharmaceutical education programs leveraging expertise in digital transformation (DX) and business process outsourcing (BPO). Through education and research that combine professional pharmaceutical knowledge with DX/BPO expertise, the two parties will also contribute to developing next-generation talent who can support an ever-changing medical environment. As the development of the so-called Community-based Integrated Care System progresses in recent years, pharmacists are expected to actively engage in community medical services and take on wider roles. At the same time, they are expected to adopt new approaches that increase work efficiency through digital technologies and optimize operational processes. transcosmos and TUPLS will promote effective collaboration and drive advanced initiatives to help build a sustainable community-based medical service system toward 2040. Yoshihiro Mimaki, President, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences "We are excited to have the opportunity to utilize transcosmos's DX and BPO expertise for student education and research to address challenges that future pharmacists and medical professionals will face, such as operational efficiency and worker shortages. Through this new industry-academia collaboration, we will contribute to resolving challenges in community medical services by promoting education and research that combine pharmaceutical expertise with the latest digital technologies and by developing talent who can support an ever-changing medical environment." Satoshi Takayama, Corporate Executive Officer, transcosmos inc. "We are delighted with this partnership agreement with the Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, which aims to transform pharmacists' operations to address the 2040 Problem. We are sincerely grateful for this opportunity to apply our DX and BPO expertise that we have built over the years to the field of pharmacist operational transformation and contribute to resolving challenges in community medical services. We expect that our efforts in research and education through this partnership will help develop next-generation talent who will lead the medical field of the future." *transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. *Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have united superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients' business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 186 bases across 36 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 46 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients' transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/ SOURCE transcosmos inc. Years ago, I went for a job interview at a prestigious international accounting firm. Walking into the upscale reception area, there were two people talking behind the reception desk. Based on how they were dressed and their mannerisms, they appeared to be senior executives, perhaps partners in the firm. Then the phone rang, and the woman walked over to the receptionists desk to answer the call. Advertisement To the world, she might have just been a receptionist, but the way she dressed and acted made it very clear she viewed herself as an executive, excelling at answering calls and welcoming guests. I was hired for the marketing/communications job and became friends with this wonderfully nice, intelligent woman who was respected throughout the large company. My guess is that when she went grocery shopping, she didnt dress the same way, but I would also wager that she didnt go out in public dressed for a hayride the way so many people dress these days. In fact, forget the hayride. Today you will see many people walking around in pajamas! Advertisement Too many people have abandoned basic dress decorum, including when they attend church or synagogue. If a torn T-shirt is good enough for mowing the lawn, its good enough for church. Dr. Ida Pennella, emeritus advisor for the Orange Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, and a major contributor to their publication, Fragments, is appalled by how some people dress for church. Advertisement She told me, Growing up in the 50s and 60s, we always looked nice for Mass because Mom said, Youre dressing up to visit our Lords house. My Mom believed and taught me that dressing appropriately lifts your mental attitude and self-image, saying that what you wear makes you either approachable or avoidable. Dr. Pennella regularly attends church and is disappointed that many people dress inappropriately, including female adults and teens who wear revealing clothes more suitable for the beach or park. A devout Catholic, Pennella believes many priests (and this would also go for ministers and rabbis) avoid the topic of proper dress because it might be controversial. Or they are just happy to have people sitting in the pews, no matter how they are dressed. Advertisement Pastor Daniel Stegemen agrees with Dr. Pennella. In Why I Changed My Mind About Dressing Up for Church, he shared two important points in his article: When a congregation gathers for worship, they together encounter Christ, the King of kings, Lord of lords, and Creator of the universe. If youre called to go to Buckingham Palace and meet with King Charles, youll give thought to what you wear. In fact, theres a dress code for meeting with the royal family. Advertisement [snip] Most people dress up for weddings, funerals, graduation ceremonies, and even dinner parties. Its fair to say these are good traditions. We dress to reflect the occasion. Is corporate worship less important? As Christians, wed say its at least equally important as other events people typically dress up for. Advertisement Dr. Pennella points out that St. Paul addressed this in Romans 12:1-2: I appeal to you...by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... Isnt improper dress at church just another example of a lack of civility and overall rudeness that we see everywhere in public? For instance: Yawning without covering your mouth. Pushing in front of others to grab a free sample at Costco. Having a cart full of items but standing in the express line at the grocery store. Toddler screaming at the top of his lungs, but neither parent is trying to quiet him down, while his squeals disturb everyone else. Driving through a red light and almost causing a major accident. Customer arriving at a store one minute before closing and insisting, with the excuse of an emergency, on being allowed inside. Parking in a handicap spot when youre not. Dropping F-bomb adjectives in everyday conversation. Repeatedly interrupting the President of the United States during the State of the Union address. The list goes on and on. Sometimes the result is just annoying, but sometimes rudeness and lack of civility translate into money. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a study that revealed American businesses lost an estimated $2.1 billion per day due to a lack of civility. Dressing more appropriately at church wont automatically ensure civil behavior, but it leans in that direction. Dr. Pennella stresses that the joy of dressing up lifts a persons morale, makes them feel alive, improves their self-image, and is respectful. Its not that people have to dress up everywhere they go, but people should dress to fit the occasion whether you are at church, at work, club meeting, grocery shopping, volunteering or playing with your kids or grandkids. Perhaps the adage dress for success could be updated to dress for respect. Public domain. Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She is the founder and editor of Patriot Neighbors, a free weekly national newsletter, and can be reached at [email protected]. Total defeat of Iran -- meaning the complete collapse of the dictatorial theocratic system by a non-authoritarian order -- is not likely to be achieved solely by external force against the regime. Advertisement Make no mistake, what has been accomplished from the combined June 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer and the latest Operation Epic Fury has been devastating for Iran: the annihilation of Irans nuclear bomb production capabilities the destruction of nearly all Iranian weapons manufacturing plants the destruction and depletion of their ballistic missile stocks the complete obliteration of the Iranian navy and air force the destruction of Irans air defense radars and short-range missiles the neutralization of Iranian proxies, such as Hamas, Hezballah, and the Houthis As it stands, after two and a half weeks of Epic Fury attacks, the Iranian regime is fighting for survival, not victory. Still, while its total defeat is achievable now, it is not certain. The strategy and the next moves are all-important to assure success in ending the terror and death that ensued from the radical theocratic authoritarian rule installed in Iran 47 years ago. American and other external actors cannot impose democracy, but we can and must create space for the Iranian people to finish the job, bring the last of their oppressors to justice, and choose their new government. Advertisement In addition to continuing new targeting for incremental degradation of Irans military capability, the United States needs to empower and equip the Iranian people to lead a successful uprising against their oppressive government. That would include provisioning of vital communication tools and secure information operations, such as secure satellite internet -- Starlink-type -- devices with encrypted communication for coordinating the peoples activity during government crackdowns and the tumult leading to victory. It is also time for the U.S. to ramp up pervasive information operations that undermine the Iranian regime and encourage security-force defections among both the IRGC and the larger regular Artesh military forces. Two interrelated themes are essential: 1) present evidence and proof of regime collapse; 2) present amnesty guarantees to any and all who lay down their arms. Advertisement Psychological warfare is equally or even more important, particularly to undermine the regimes ideological and moral legitimacy. Some areas to target: Broadcast evidence of corruption among clerics and IRGC internal economic empires. Highlight the truth about wealth disparity. Average annual income in Iran is about $4500, while estimates for the personal and controlled wealth of the late Ayatollah Khamenei range from $100 to 200 billion. Target the Supreme Leader succession crisis, which reveals the fragility and illegitimacy of Iran, when it lacks a unifying figure. Highlight successful democratic and peaceful alternatives, such as pre-1979 Iran or neighboring countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates While wars always entail unpredictability, the window for a lasting favorable outcome is open precisely because the Islamic regimes military and ideological pillars are fracturing simultaneously. The degradation of the regimes military and coercive machinery is almost complete. Additionally, collapse of the Iranian regime is inevitable when the security forces realize the center cannot hold. Advertisement Now it is time to ramp up information and psychological warfare to end the regimes legitimacy. We are also near the time for the U.S. and additional allies to supply the Iranian people with arms and firepower. The U.S. needs to coordinate locations for airdrops of a variety effective weapons to assure that the Iranian people will deliver the final and total defeat of what remains of the Islamic theocracy. In conclusion, the American people want an early off-ramp from Iran. And no one knows that desire and need better than President Trump, particularly with the U.S. mid-term elections looming on the horizon. Advertisement EU nations that depend on oil sourced inside the Strait of Hormuz have so far been reluctant to engage militarily. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has stated that it is in our interest to keep the strait open, while also acknowledging the EU bloc is discussing options. And with the UK and Denmark expressing openness to limited, non-escalatory military support in a broader coalition, the situation may be more fluid than the skeptics think. The good news is that progress on neutralizing Iran militarily is ahead of schedule. Let us hope that even if we must proceed militarily to secure the Strait of Hormuz with only Israels support, the information and psychological warfare steps can be conducted with similar dispatch leading to a rapid outcome that 45+ years of prior negotiations, appeasement, sanctions, and one-off strikes failed to achieve. Advertisement Scott S. Powell is senior fellow at Discovery Institute and a member of the Committee on the Present Danger-China. His timeless book, Rediscovering America, was a #1 Amazon New Release in the history genre for eight weeks. Reach him at [email protected] Image: USAF Hows Operation Epic Fury going? If one listens to Democrats and their media propaganda arm, were losing and will get bogged down in a forever war, which considering this one has been ongoing for 47 years and a bit over two weeks, will take some doing. Also, everything about Epic Fury is completely unplanned. Apparently, Democrats dont know the Pentagon maintains all manner of contingency plans for our enemies which are continuously updated. The suggestion President Trump had no idea the Iranians might try to cut off the Strait of Hormuz is yet another manifestation of terminal Trump Derangement Syndrome. Advertisement Iran continues to lob drones and missiles at Israel and the other Gulf states, but far, far fewer than they imagined theyd have: Advertisement Graphic: X Post Ill take theyre running out and their crews and launchers are being eliminated for 50, please, Bob. Advertisement Our military, and Israels have unleashed an unprecedented assault on every facet of the Islamist regime, including its top leaders, its munitions, the IRGC and the Navy, virtually all of which is sleeping with the fishes. The Iranian Air Force, including the remaining flyable F-14s in the world, has been obliterated and provided the first shoot down of an enemy warplane by an F-35 in history. As the Israelis have made most of the F-15 kills, theyve well used the F-35 as well. So accurate has been our intelligence and our precision weapons, brave Iranian leaders have been spotted walking the streets in hijabs, hiding from the Israelis. Now that most strategic and tactical targets have been eliminated, were starting on the Basij Militia, the uniformed thugs who beat women for showing a little hair, and are the regimes neighborhood thugs and torturers. Theres a new wrinkle in this war: Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Advertisement There are numerous reports of regime officials, including the IRGC, the army, and lower ranking thugs, abandoning their duties and fleeing while they can. With Iranians funneling direct intelligence about Basij checkpoints, gatherings and headquarters directly to the Israelis, I suspect theyre keeping fighters continuously in the air to immediately exploit that kind of intel. So good is the intelligence and so good the pilots and weapons, there is no escape: Advertisement Graphic: X Post Therein is the key to making this regime collapse. That this is a lunatic Shia Twelver death cultarguably the worst, most blood-thirsty among every Islamic death cultcant be forgotten or minimized. We either wipe them out or provide the means for the Iranian people to wipe them out. If they survive, theyll torture, rape and murder any and everyone who wanted them gone. Blood will run in the streets like never before. If we do supply themand I hope we are; there are plenty of Kalashnikovs out thereand give them every means of support to kill their tormenters, we need to turn a blind eye as they finish the job of killing the monsters who have been torturing and killing them for 47+ years. If a responsible, sane Iran is to rise from the ashes of the Twelvers, they must first be turned into ash. Sane Iranians know it: Graphic: X Post It would be the height of stupidity and cowardice to declare victory and pull out, leaving the Twelvers still in charge, able to slaughter sane Iranians and rebuild their military, terrorist proxies and a nuclear arsenal. This is a war against China and Russia too. Leaving Iran able to rebuild directly allows them to rearm and continue to plot against us. Its entirely possible China or Russia might directly arm Iran with nuclear weapons to keep the oil flowing, and instead of having to neuter Iran, wed be facing nuclear war with China and Russia. Horrifying, isnt it, that American Democrats would prefer that? Not that theyd be willing to fight that war, but theyd certainly be willing to appease our enemies in simpering ways not yet imagined. They were the people who, for decades, declared theyd never allow Iran to have nukes, but only Donald Trump, who really does put America first, had the intelligence and strength to act on their empty words. The choice is clear: finish the job or stand by and watch as Islamist madmenmadder than mostengage in an unprecedented orgy of torture, rape and murder. And then Democrats will let them threaten us again, ensuring lots of boots on, and in, the ground. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. No duty is harder or potentially more consequential than for a president to send young men and women into harms way. Every president, at least since Roosevelt, has done so, with vastly different degrees of support from the American people and Congress. Advertisement For many decades, identifying the enemy wasnt too difficult. Americans were patriotic and rightly assumed that what our nation's leader said was true and necessary. Also, there was an unwritten rule that party politics stopped at the waters edge, and we rallied around the flag in support of our President and our military. Those days are gone. Today, everything is a political/optics calculation. From small things like the timing of a photo op to bigger things like the sequencing of executive orders, all are chosen to maximize favorable headlines and minimize scrutiny. Despite Trumps best efforts, though, relentless political and judicial machinations have prevented him from delivering on promises he made to the American people. Advertisement Heres the reality: Irans theocratic leadership pursues an ideological agenda that exports revolutionary influence, backs armed proxies across the Middle East, and seeks to build a nuclear and missile capability. This combines to create a persistent regional and global security threat. U.S. and allied policy treats Tehrans proxy networks, enrichment activities, and asymmetric attacks on shipping and partners as central security concerns that undermine peace and stability everywhere. If Iran gains nuclear weapons, it holds the world hostage. However, there is a problem. Lets call it the enemy within. On Saturday, March 14, Iranian actors in Columbus Square denigrated our country while parading a picture of the former Ayatollah while shouting Death to America! Advertisement Why arent they arrested on the spot? Fomenting calls for the violent overthrow of our country is a violation of USC Chapter 115 of Title 18 especially advocating the overthrow of the Government (18 USC 2385), seditious conspiracy (18 USC 2384), or rebellion/insurrection (18 USC 2383). In the past, America would have acted immediately. However, the current standard is whether calling for Death to America during a hot war is directed to and likely to produce imminent lawless action. I guess since no one was wearing a suicide vest, its okay, right? And, since its New York City, we dont seem to give a damn about whether these are paid agents or even here illegally. Advertisement Even aside from Iranian activists fighting a propaganda war on Americas streets, theres also a problem with the American peoples commitment to saving themselves from nuclear immolation in the near future. For too many, it seems to all boil down to the price of a gallon of gas when they next fill up. Clueless Americans, getting their news from TikTok (if they get any news at all), are exactly like the denizens of Animal Farm with only the barest cognitive ability to understand what is going on, so someone smarter boils it down (much like TikTok) to a soundbite. In the case of Animal Farm (Two Legs, Good, Four Legs Bad), in American parlanceGas up, war bad. How do we defeat venal messaging like that? Advertisement Heres what I suggest, a kind of silver bullet: Except for the Left Coast, America is energy independent. World pricing is setting U.S. oil and gas prices, which in turn are setting pump prices. The president can issue an Executive Order that, for a defined time, U.S. marketers should charge only the price of oil or gas that existed the day before the war commenced. Im a free trader at heart. Supply and demand are not the reason prices are climbing; speculators are driving the runup strictly to profit from fear, completely detached from actual supply and demandin essence, a manipulated market. Advertisement I hate price fixing. However, if it means millions of Americans will stay the course and help our President and his razor-thin margin of supporters stay strong, it is the lesser of two evils. It also sends a signal to Iran that they have lost the public relations war and time is on our side, not theirs. God Bless America! Image created using AI. Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow. Democrats excel at warping the English language, making it say things it was never intended to say. There is American gun culture, which amounts to our unalienable, express Second Amendment rights. There are assault weapons, a term that exists nowhere in firearm nomenclature, but which in Virginia includes break action, single shot .410 shotguns. And there is Ultra MAGA, which is Normal Americans who apparently really want America to be great, prosperous and securethe horror. Advertisement And most of all, there are the phobias. Dictionary.com defines phobia thus: 1. an intense, persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, situation, or person that manifests in physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath, and that motivates avoidance behavior. Advertisement In other words, not a reasonable concern, but an irrational fear amounting to mental illness. According to Democrats, Normal Americans spend most of their time sweating, trembling and worse at the mere thought of trans, gays, and the most currently trendy phobia: Islamophobia. The point of this particular warping is to paint sane, rational people reasonably concerned about the very nature of Islam and the murderous acts of its adherents as dangerously mentally ill. Theyre irrational, sweaty and trembling haters of innocent, mostly peaceful Muslims. Advertisement Its also meant to quash any criticism of Islam and Islamists, you know--the whole First Amendment thing. Sure, Islamists throw gays off high buildings or hang them from cranes, they beat, rape, torture and murder women, burn babies alive in ovens, torture, mutilate, rape and murder Jews and other infidels and are currently firing missiles, rockets and drones at other Muslims but recognition by sane people of Jihadists blood thirsty mania and the determination of Islamists victims not to be killed is the problem. Advertisement Then theres that whole Islam mandates genocide of the Jews thing. For Jihadists, the problem is Jews, for the most part, dont want to be killed and theyre getting really goodparticularly in Israelat first killing the demons who want to kill them. Islam also mandates conquering the world for Islam, which of necessity mandates killing or enslaving all infidels, which is pretty much the world and every non-Muslim, as well as a great many insufficiently deranged Muslims. One of the great contradictions of the entire matter is Muslims who do not want to slaughter anyone are not living the text and intention of their faith. One wag noted there are two kinds of Muslims: those who want to slaughter all infidels, and those who want other Muslims to slaughter all infidels. Advertisement Cosmic irony reared its head recently when Sunday, March 15 rolled around. Thats ironic, because it was The International Day to Combat Islamophobia. As one might expect, the UN got in on the fun: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote late on Saturday evening, Islamophobia Day Eve: Muslims worldwide often face institutional discrimination, socio-economic exclusion, biased immigration policies & unwarranted surveillance & profiling. This International Day to Combat Islamophobia, lets re-commit to the equality, human rights & dignity of every person, no matter their faith. Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Its doubly ironic because of the March 1 Islamist attack on an Austin bar that killed three and injured 13. That was followed by the March 7 Islamist homemade fragmentation bomb attack in New York City. Fortunately, those bombs didnt go off, but the attack gave the media the opportunity to obfuscate what happened to their hearts content. On March 12 there was a Jihadist double header with the failed attack on a Michigan synagogue and the murder of a ROTC professor at Old Dominion University. That one ended badly for the Jihadist but well for America when a ROTC cadet stabbed him to death. So of course, New Yorks dimwitted, anti-American Governor had to spout off: On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, and at a time when fear and division are rising in many places, New York stands firm: Hate has no home here. Muslim New Yorkers strengthen our communities every day, and we will always stand together against Islamophobia." One wonders if the equally dimwitted immigration cracktivist with a bullhorn hectoring the crowd about the wonders of illegal immigration at that NYC attack, who had a Jihadist leap on his back while throwing a bomb, is having second thoughts about immigration, or at least about his dumb luck in not being shredded by Islamist shrapnel? Fortunately, we have a President who isnt afraid of being called an Islamophobe and who is inducing Americaphobia in the worlds worst Islamists. Hes supported by hundreds of millions of Americans who dont give a damn what Democrats have to say. I suspect thats what they really fear. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. By now it's gotten out that Cesar Chavez, promoted as one of the great civil rights icons of the '60s and '70s, was a two-bit pervert grooming and molesting lots of little girls on the side, as well as raping and impregnating other women known within his social circles. It makes one wonder if he read one of the bestsellers of the era, Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, as a how-to guide. Advertisement According to the New York Times: Ms. [Ana] Murguia and another woman, Debra Rojas, say that Mr. Chavez sexually abused them for years when they were girls, from around 1972 to 1977. He was in his 40s and had become a powerful, charismatic figure who captured global attention as a champion of farmworker rights. The details are nasty enough, coming as they did through a New York Times investigation. He'd walk about like a movie star as a feted civil rights 'leader,' parade with Our Lady of Guadalupe's image, and then call a little girl into his office, lock the door, and pull her pants down before doing the dirty and telling her not to say anything as it would make others 'jealous' of "them" as an item. Another girl was raped on a bed, with Chavez putting a gun on the nightstand in an unmistakeable message to her. Meanwhile, he raped and impregnated at least three women, including another civil rights icon, Dolores Huerta, who bore two of his kids, while playing Mr. Holy Catholic to the press with his family (one wonders what he said in Confession) and drawing accolades from the bishops and others, hailed as "a model for Catholics in public life." Advertisement Yes, EWTN News actually wrote that, in 2012: The late labor activist Cesar Chavez offers Catholics a model for faithful and effective civic engagement, according to a professor of history at Christendom College. Advertisement In his April 16 essay for Crisis Magazine, The Passion of Cesar Chavez, Dr. Christopher Shannon claims that the United Farm Workers leader was the last Catholic in America to achieve a cultural/political synthesis that brought the Churchs social teaching into the public square. The union organizer, Shannon says, contributed to the development of an authentic Catholic politics, because of his ability to speak a common language with non-Catholics while trying to lead them to a fuller understanding of a distinctly Catholic position open to people of good will. Advertisement The girls interviewed by the Times, Murguia and Rojas, grew up, (and Murguia became a messed-up person by her teens, addicted to drugs and self-harm as often happens to such victims), and tried to give warning years ago, but were hushed up. After all, Chavez was an 'icon.' He got praises like this, according to Seton Hall, which claimed some kind of kinship to him: Advertisement During the time of the UFW's activism, they grew a base of support from acclaimed politicians like Senator Robert F. Kennedy, activists such as Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King Jr., and religious support from different faith traditions. Most prominently this religious support came from the Catholic Church. From clergymen to the Pope himself, Catholic leaders and laymen openly and fiercely supported the UFW movement and praised Chavez as a man of integrity. As a devout Catholic, Chavez even ended his 25-day hunger strike in 1968 by receiving the body of Christ, sitting next to Senator Kennedy. Oh, so, holy. /s Meanwhile, pervy Bill Clinton, pervy Joe Biden, both fellow exploiters of young females, as well as President Obama, hailed and feted Chavez, with Obama actually putting a bust of Chavez in the White House. Advertisement Chavez got state holidays on his birthday. Numerous big streets were named after him. Naval ships bore his name, celebratory biographies were written, statues and memorials were erected, and countless history lessons were taught to kids: Be like Cesar. But in the end, he was something less than a secular saint. He was a guy who belonged in jail with an aversion-therapy shock ring around his wing-wang and rock-bottom status in the prison hierarchy such as what is specially reserved for child molesters. He got away with it, in part because union officials covered up for the ickster child molester in the name of promoting their leftist political movement, as even the Times noted, and those who knew what was going did nothing to stop it. The Times piece makes that clear as some of the victims tried to cry out for justice or maybe just seek help, and were easily shushed down over the years. Now that the story is out -- and they begged the women not to come forward, (because, politics) -- Chavez's union is making all the right noises, saying they are appalled by Chavez's record and hoping the women at this late date get help. They've cancelled a coming parade in Chavez's honor. Some believe Chavez was thrown under the bus because of his stance on illegal immigration, which was resolutely against. I'm a little skeptical, because these stories have been around for years, and for the left, it was water off a duck's back for them. But countless Democrat pols have done the same kind of violations of women and children, and have not drawn the scrutiny Chavez has. Why did the Times decide to do this story now? How many Democrats have been caught in acts of sexual harassment and relied on taxpayer cash to pay hush money for the non-disclosure agreements? How many Democrats have flown the Lolita Express to Epstein island, with no consequences whatsoever? How's that top staffer on Kamala Harris's team doing, the one who asked women to bend down under his desk so he could see their underwear as they checked on his computer? Last I read, he was doing fine in a comparable job in Virginia. Chavez may have been a more newsworthy idol to knock over because the bishops and their wokester NGO allies were so eager to promote him as a saint, something Joe Biden with his showering with daughter Ashley never has been confused for. Martin Luther King, Jr. with his hookers and extramarital affairs, was no saint, either, but it never seemed to bother any Democrats, who continued to lionize him. Again, why now? The union's statement that they would wait for facts to play out pretty much says they'll wait to see if this blows over before resuming his heroicization. I have my doubts it will happen. What a disgusting con job the left has pulled on us, promoting this pervert as a hero with a lot of them knowing all along that he wasn't. If anything, it shows the risks of lionizing someone too soon. Maybe it was the immigration stance. Anything to Get Trump. Image: Picryl, via Wikimedia Commons // public domain As a little boy in Cuba, I visited my father's uncle on Christmas Day. My aunt Clara spent years in the US and kept the Santa Claus tradition. So, we visited their home to see what Santa left us. My Uncle Joaquin had two homes in a nice section of Havana. Both of those homes were "nationalized" in the name of the people as communist thugs like to explain. The problem is that the "people" who moved in were high-ranking party officials. Advertisement My uncle and aunt died in the early 1980's and never left Cuba. I wonder what they think of the desperate Cuban government is now saying about attracting investors from those of us who left? I am confident that my uncle is screaming from up in heaven: don't do it, because they never compensated me for stealing my property. Here is the latest from what some college professors used to call a socialist paradise. Here it goes: Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Advertisement Cuba has extended an invitation to Cuban Americans and other exiles living abroad to invest in and own businesses on the island, saying the doors are open to a community that has traditionally agitated for harsh economic sanctions against the Communist government. Cuba also said on Monday that it was removing impediments to US businesses and other foreign investors but noted that United States law still prevented trade and investment under the long-running economic embargo aimed at punishing the government in Havana. Advertisement There are no limitations, Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga, who also heads the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, told state television in an interview. Cuba desperately needs to revive its collapsed economy, a predicament made worse by a US-imposed oil blockade and sanctions that have led to extended blackouts and shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Advertisement No limitations he said. Well, how about your track record of stealing everything and not compensating anyone? Wonder if he will get that question on CNN? Another example is my father's brother or my uncle. He worked for an American company in his small town. It was a small company but employed over 50 Cubans. The owner was a good man, and he lived by the rules. Well, that business was "nationalized" in the name of the people too. In a short time, the owner left the country, was never compensated and the business shut down because the new management from the Party had no idea how to run it. They turned out to be better at ideology than manufacturing. Advertisement So why in the world would anyone believe these people even if they look different with their business suits and red ties. Well, they are not different but desperate for anyone to bail them out. Its well known the American media operates primarily on Democrat narratives and talking points. Their news coverage must align with those narratives and talking points, or legitimate news stories are ignored or so altered as to have little resemblance to reality. Thus was the recent NYC terrorist bomb attack near Gracie Mansion portrayed as an unfortunate mishap involving two Philadelphia teenagers on a day excursion in the Big Apple. It was also portrayed as a direct attack on Mayor Zhoran Mamdani, an Islamist Communist, even though there is no evidence the terrorist attackers had any idea they were near his residence or whether he might be there. Mamdani did his part to fulfill one cherished media narrative by blaming the attack on white supremacists. Advertisement Graphic: Twitter Posts Advertisement But do white supremacists really commit most mass public shooting attacks? The media would have us believe no group is so dangerous as white supremacists, though few, if any Americans can attest to knowing or meeting one. For most Americans, such people are justly pariahs. Fortunately, Dr. John R. Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center keeps track of the facts, in this case, via Real Clear Politics: Looking at all mass public shootings from 1998 through 2025 reveals several patterns. Muslims commit these crimes at a disproportionate rate. White males commit them at a rate below their share of the population. And most shooters express no clear political ideology. Advertisement From January 1998 to December 2025, the United States experienced 108 mass public shootings by 111 shooters. Eight of those shooters were Muslim 7.2% of the total. During that same period, Muslims averaged about 0.4% of the U.S. population. In other words, their share of attacks was 18 times their share of the population. One might think there were far more such shootings during that period, but thats due to statistical manipulation by local police forces loath to honestly report out-of-control crime and the FBI. The medias manipulation of the news is also to blame. How many of those attackers so much as hinted at white supremacist ideology? Not many: Advertisement By contrast, seven attackers 6.5% of the total expressed white supremacist, neo-Nazi, or anti-immigrant views. One certainly need not be a white supremacist to be concerned about illegal immigration. And three of those killers were partially or largely motivated by environmental lunacy. Advertisement These attackers also described themselves as anti-capitalist, anti-conservative, and supportive of worker ownership of the means of production. Despite those claims, news media outlets consistently label them broadly as right-wing extremists or white supremacists. Despite media narratives, the facts just dont support the idea of white guys representing a unique, domestic terrorist danger: Advertisement Overall, non-Middle Eastern whites make up about 64% of the U.S. population but account for roughly 55% of mass public shooters. Seven attacks involved individuals of Middle Eastern origin 6.4% of attackers about 16 times their share of the population. That makes Middle Easterners the most disproportionate ethnic or racial group involved in mass public shootings during this period. Blacks, Asians, and American Indians commit these attacks at slightly higher rates than their shares of the population, while Hispanics commit them at substantially lower rates about 9% below their share of the population. As Ive been warning for some time, there is a heightened danger of terrorism within America from two primary sources: Islamist sleeper cells let into the country during the Bidens Handlers years, and individual, self-radicalized Islamists. The former represent the greatest potential danger in terms of sheer damage as theyre state-sponsored and controlled, well-armed with automatic weapons and explosives, and fanatically programmed to kill as many Americans as they can until they run out of ammunition and are killed by responding police or armed Americans. The later are potentially less able to inflict mass casualties, but no less dangerous. Of the four terrorist attacks happening between March 1 and March 12. Only four Americans were killed and 13 wounded. Three of the terrorists were killed. One was shot by police, one shot himself when he failed to kill hundreds of Jewish children, and one was stabbed to death by a ROTC cadet. Lotts statistics do not apparently take into account those four attacks, and should Iran unleash its sleeper cells, the proportion of Islamist attacks would surely dramatically increase. Still, its valuable to know the facts, particularly when we cant trust the media to provide them. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 to keep a defeated but dangerous USSR from swallowing warshattered Europe. Twelve countries the United States, Canada, the U.K., France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland agreed that an armed attack against one or more of them ... shall be considered an attack against them all. That made sense in the context of Europe in rubble and a Soviet Union with tens of thousands of tanks pointed at the Rhine. Advertisement The United States emerged from World War II with its economy intact, its industrial base uncrushed, and its military victorious and unbroken. The Marshall Plan poured capital into rebuilding European nations. NATO institutionalized a security arrangement that ensured that the U.S. would protect a wounded continent from authoritarian domination. The mission was clear: Constrain Soviet expansion and give Europe time to recover. But that mission ended with the Soviet collapse. Today, Russia is a regional power that has repeatedly failed to achieve decisive victories most notably in four years of grinding combat in Ukraine and has not demonstrated an ability to threaten the U.S. homeland outside nuclear posturing. A nuclear assault on the U.S. would require thousands of warheads and would be suicide for any adversary. Yet under Article 5, a political encroachment on a microstate like Montenegro could obligate the U.S. to war with nuclear Russia for no benefit to our country. This is outdated treaty text masquerading as national policy. Advertisement In practice, NATO has revealed the asymmetry at its core. After 9/11, when Article 5 was invoked for the first and only time, Germany contributed the most: roughly 5,000 troops at peak in Afghanistan, and those troops operated under strict political caveats limiting their engagement. The United States provided the overwhelming majority of combat forces, logistics, intelligence, and airpower. In Ukraine today, the U.S. has committed hundreds of billions in aid, weapons, and training. European allies, though supportive in words, contribute a fraction of what the U.S. does restrained by domestic politics, coalition constraints, and electoral sensitivities that make hard military commitments politically costly. Even NATO stalwarts like the United Kingdom have been hesitant. British press commentary notes that the current leadership is no Churchill (implied: more like Chamberlain). No military resolve or robust defense commitments when domestic priorities and immigration politics take center stage. Germany, France, and Scandinavia balance their NATO obligations with social pressures and electoral calculations in ways that, in practice, reduce their willingness to commit decisively in conflicts that matter. Advertisement President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted this imbalance and he didnt mince words. In Brussels he said bluntly, NATO is helping Europe more than its helping us. He called out allies who fall short on contribution targets, warning, If they dont pay, Im not going to defend them. ... They should be paying more. In Davos he asked, What does the United States get out of all of this ... other than death, destruction, and massive amounts of cash going to people who dont appreciate what we do? Tuesday (3/17), as the U.S. leads operations in Iran, Trump in a press conference from the White House emphasized that the U.S. does not need allied help to win major conflicts. He called NATO allies refusal to participate in critical tasks like securing the Strait of Hormuz a very foolish mistake and pointed out that many leaders say they support U.S. objectives but will not commit forces or assets. That is the real world in 2026: Allies cheer from the sidelines while the U.S. takes the hit. Advertisement There is a vast difference between engaging with the world and being bound to defend every wealthy, capable European state regardless of reciprocity. The current arrangement means the U.S. shoulders most of the cost and risk while Europe economically powerful and geographically proximate to potential flashpoints remains dependent on American security guarantees. The mainstream press only makes this worse. Rather than reporting on actual progress or strategic successes, outlets like The New York Times obsess over hypothetical forever war scenarios, gas prices, and amateur hour debates about are we winning? This not only erodes public confidence, but reinforces reticence among our allies. European governments are watching these narratives and hearing the same noise on their own media. They conclude that public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic is easily unsettled. Advertisement If the goal is stability and deterrence, NATO as it exists today does not deliver it. What it does deliver is political cover for European allies to underperform militarily while expecting U.S. boots, cash, and risk tolerance. That dynamic must end. It is time for a fiveyear phased exit from U.S. treaty obligations under NATO. That plan should include Advertisement Formal Notice: The U.S. announces its intent to conclude Article 5 obligations for minor and medium members within five years, while reaffirming strategic cooperation on direct U.S. interests like counterterrorism and stability operations. Gradual Redeployment: U.S. forces are systematically withdrawn or repositioned over five years, with bases closed or handed over to European partners. This prevents sudden capability gaps and reduces strategic risk during transition. Conditional Partnerships: Europes major powers Germany, France, the U.K., Italy take primary responsibility for regional defense. The U.S. provides training, intelligence, and logistical support but no openended guarantees. Diplomatic Reframing: NATO remains a consultative forum, not a binding U.S. military guarantee. Members are free to reaffirm mutual commitments among themselves without automatic U.S. involvement. Narrative Strategy: Clear public messaging emphasizes that this is not abandonment, but alignment of obligations with direct national interest, reassuring allies and deterring adversaries. Critics will claim that this weakens deterrence. It does not. Russia is not the USSR; Europe collectively has the economic and demographic capacity to defend its own territory. Japan, South Korea, and other partners in Asia already manage their own defense while cooperating with the U.S. on mutual interests. The myth that only U.S. boots can keep the peace is outdated. The U.S. should support partners where interests are shared and direct not write blank checks for perpetual defense commitments that benefit others disproportionately. What the world needs is not an American policeman for every corner of the globe, but a strategic, capable United States focused on real national interests, not openended commitments based on Cold War assumptions. The phased NATO exit plan aligns U.S. defense obligations with the realities of 2026 fiscally, strategically, and politically. It is time to stop fighting yesterdays war and start defending tomorrows America. Trump is the conductor of that symphony. Rick McDowell is a writer of political philosophy, sociology, history, and essays on the mind at The American Perspective. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. One of the things youll frequently hear (because its almost certainly true) is that all thats needed to end this war is for Trump to order the U.S. military to seize Kharg Island. Thats because 90% of Irans oil outputand oil is how the Iranian tyranny has funded its terrorist infrastructure and lavish livesflows through the Kharg Island refineries. It makes sense that, if you displace the Iranians in Kharg Island, the mullahs cannot continue to fight. Advertisement So, why hasnt Trump done that? I have a few theories. Before spelling out the theories, a quick background on Kharg Island. Kharg Island is a small coral outcropping (just 7.7 square miles), located at the top of the Strait of Hormuz, about 16 miles from the Iranian mainland. This is where Iran has almost all its oil refineries. It sold 90% of that oil to China, and China, in turn, has relied on oil from Kharg Island for around 13% of its oil importsa not-insignificant share for a country that cannot meet its own needs with domestic production. Advertisement Last week, the United States military wiped out Kharg Islands military infrastructure. However, Trump explicitly stated that hed left the refineries intact, while also making it clear that he can easily change his mind about leaving Iran with control over the refineries. Why? Why not take them out or take them over? Here are my theories: First, and most obviously, taking Kharg Islands refineries wont be quite as easy as Trump implies. Obviously, he doesnt want to blow up the refineries because that would leave Iran without revenue when the mullahs are all dead or waving the white flag. That leaves only one alternative: an old-fashioned conquest. I have no doubt that American troops, especially special forces, can conquer the island, but it is a boots-on-the-ground operation that could result in casualties. Both Trump and the American people hate casualties. Advertisement Second, taking over Kharg Island creates a China problem. Right now, Iranian oil is still flowing to China, although at a drastically reduced rate. Disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz due to actual and potential Iranian strikes and mines has even affected Chinas sanctions-avoiding shadow fleet. China has so far been passive in this war. However, if America destroys Kharg Island oil or takes over production, China faces...not an existential crisis but a very serious threat. Whether the oil is gone or under American control, China wont be happy. At that point, it may switch from passivity to an attack on Taiwan. Advertisement Before Obama, that wouldnt have been a catastrophic problem for America, because our military was always prepared for a two-front war. However, Obama changed that. Beginning in 2012, the U.S. military was no longer completely prepared for two hot wars. Instead, it would prepare for one war and try to prevent any others. I dont know if Trump has changed that; if he hasnt, he may be loath to risk China stirring up trouble in the South China Sea. Thirdand this is my pet theoryTrump isnt making moves on Kharg Island because hes not yet ready to end the war. Despite all the Fifth Column moaning about forever wars and quagmires, this war has lasted less than 20 days. In those 20 days, the American and Israeli military have achieved more military objectives than most wars achieve in years, and with only minute (although tragic and heartbreaking) casualties relative to the scale of destruction rained down on the enemy. Advertisement If Trump takes over Kharg Island, the war ends. No more bombing military infrastructure and no more targeting the mullahs, IRGC, and Basij. However, if those still exist in some form, the Iranian people may be too scared to revolt against them. At that point, were stuck with a Frankensteins monster of Iran, still limping along in domestic tyranny and still ready to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure. Weve delayed Irans threat but not destroyed it, and the Iranian people continue to suffer. Therefore, its entirely possible that Trump wants this war to be one and done. Or, one could say, won and done. Hes not going to play a World War I and World War II scenario, where the victorious allies march away, leaving Germany a dysfunctional wreck thats ready to fester and then explode. Trump might even echo Irving Berlins rousing WWII song: This time, we will all make certain that this time is the last time. ... Clean it up for all time this time, so we wont have to do it again. Advertisement Image created using AI. Initial Phase 1 data from Verismo's STAR-101 clinical trial assessing SynKIR-110 in mesothelin-expressing solid tumors to be released in oral late-breaking presentation; preclinical and initial Phase 1 data from CELESTIAL-301 assessing SynKIR-310 in B cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma to be released in separate poster presentation SynKIR-110 and SynKIR-310 are the first multi-chain KIR-CAR-based immuno-oncology therapies in human trials Verismo's multi-chain KIR-CAR technology inspired by natural killer cell biology advances gene-engineering science beyond current CAR T therapies, which are single chain and limited by "always-on" tonic signaling, T cell exhaustion, and the inability to fight solid tumors and blood cancer over the long term PHILADELPHIA, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Verismo Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing a novel multi-chain KIR-CAR platform technology, today announced its participation at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, which will be held April 17-22 in San Diego, California. The company will present new clinical, preclinical, and translational KIR-CAR data in three separate presentations, supporting the advancement of Verismo's lead pipeline candidates, SynKIR-110 for patients with advanced mesothelin-expressing solid tumors, such as ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and cholangiocarcinoma, and SynKIR-310 for patients with relapsed or refractory B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, as well as preclinical data from University of Pennsylvania collaborators reporting on a novel EGFR-targeted multi-chain KIR-CAR for treatment of glioblastomas. "These presentations at AACR 2026 mark a defining moment in immuno-oncology as we transition from compelling preclinical evidence to first-in-human clinical data from our two lead KIR-CAR-based therapies," said Laura A. Johnson, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Verismo Therapeutics. "By moving beyond 'always-on' single-chain CAR T to multi-chain KIR-CAR science, we believe we may have the potential to overcome current CAR T therapy limitations to successfully treat patients with solid tumors and to improve clinical responses in patients with blood cancers." Verismo's presentations will include: First clinical data to be released on SynKIR-110 KIR-CAR Phase 1 clinical trial for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or cholangiocarcinoma An oral late-breaking presentation, highlighting the initial clinical results of SynKIR-110 multi-chain KIR-CAR T cell product investigated in STAR-101 Phase 1 Clinical Trial (NCT05568680) Location: San Diego Convention Center Abstract Presentation Number: CT104 Presentation Title: Initial results of a first-in-human dose-escalation study of KIR-CAR in patients with advanced mesothelin-expressing solid tumors Presenting Author: Lead Clinical Investigator Janos L. Tanyi, M.D., Ph.D., Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Session Title: Clinical Trials Plenary 3: Cellular Therapies and Complex Immunotherapies Session Time: 4/20/2026 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM PT Preclinical and early clinical data to be released on SynKIR-310 for B cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas A poster presentation, highlighting the preclinical data and early clinical data from SynKIR-310 KIR-CAR T cell product investigated in CELESTIAL-301 Phase 1 Clinical Trial (NCT06544265) Location: San Diego Convention Center, Poster Section 40 Poster Board Number: 11 Poster Number: 5193 Title: Novel SynKIR-310 outperforms CD3-based second-generation CD28 or 41BB co-stimulated CAR T in B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma xenograft mice and shows early clinical signal Presenting Author: Megan Blair, Ph.D., Verismo Therapeutics Session Category: Clinical Research Session Title: Adoptive Cell Therapy 2 Session Time: 4/21/2026 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT First preclinical data to be released on EGFR-targeted multi-chain KIR-CAR T for Glioblastoma A late-breaking poster presentation, highlighting preclinical data of EGFR-targeted KIR-CAR T cells supporting clinical translation Location: San Diego Convention Center, Poster Section 53 Poster Board Number: 3 Abstract Presentation Number: LB138 Title: Natural killer cell-based signaling in EGFR-targeted KIR-CAR T overcomes CD3-based CAR T functional deficits to eliminate resistant glioblastomas in vivo Presenting Author: Jun Xu, Ph.D., Verismo Therapeutics Session Title: Late-Breaking Research: Immunology 2 Session Time: 4/20/2026 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT About Verismo Therapeutics Verismo Therapeutics, a subsidiary of HLB Innovation, is a pioneer in multi-chain KIR-CAR technology, with assets SynKIR-110 (NCT05568680) and SynKIR-310 (NCT06544265) currently in Phase 1 clinical trials. Verismo is the only company developing the KIR-CAR platform, using a modified NK cell-derived receptor and DAP12 pairing, designed to improve T cell functional persistence and reduce exhaustion, resulting in improved efficacy against challenging tumors. The KIR-CAR platform technology was developed specifically to address areas of high unmet medical need, including advanced solid tumors and B cell associated disorders and malignancies. For more information, visit: www.verismotherapeutics.com About the KIR-CAR Platform The KIR-CAR platform is a multi-chain CAR T cell therapy that has shown highly effective prolonged solid tumor treatment in otherwise CAR-resistant preclinical animal models with challenging tumor microenvironments. Using NK cell-derived KIR and DAP12 split-signaling provides a novel immune-receptor paired activation that is independent from CD3 signaling, and does not require additional co-stimulation. KIR-CAR enables sustained chimeric receptor expression with improved long-term CAR T cell function and decreased T cell exhaustion. This results in CAR T cell resistance to tumor immunosuppression, prolonged functional persistence and improved tumor elimination. Together, this platform provides the potential for improving treatment by eliminating the always-on tonic signaling induced in single-chain CAR T cells for both solid and hematologic tumors. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but are not limited to, those statements regarding our expectations for the timing, progress, and results of clinical trials; potential regulatory approvals; anticipated benefits, safety, and efficacy of our product candidates; our product development strategies; and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among others, risks related to clinical trials, regulatory processes, market acceptance, financial projections, and our ability to successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates. Forward-looking statements in this release represent our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update these statements as new information becomes available, except as required by law. Editor's Note: Penn has licensed certain Penn-owned intellectual property to Verismo. Penn's Perelman School of Medicine receives funding for research and development of certain Verismo products. Penn may receive future financial benefits related to the licensing of certain Penn intellectual property to Verismo. Data supporting Abstract Presentation Number LB138 were collected while Dr. Laura A. Johnson was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). Investor Relations: Pavel Aprelev, Ph.D. Verismo Therapeutics [email protected] Media Contact: Peter Collins TogoRun [email protected] 908-499-1200 SOURCE Verismo Therapeutics You gotta love the Israelis. Iranian Islamists have often observed that a single nuclear bomb could wipe out tiny Israel, but many nukes would only damage Iran. Thats unquestionably true, which largely eliminates Israels nuclear deterrence. Israel certainly has nuclear weapons but has never formally admitted having them. Deterrence is ineffective because the Iranians are lunatic, blood-thirsty Shia Twelvers. Theyre more than willing to kill every Iranian and everyone else in the Middle East and elsewhere if it kills the Jews. Its also ineffective because the Jews arent demonic madmen willing to unnecessarily murder millions of Iranians who are tortured, raped and murdered by their Islamist oppressors. Advertisement Accordingly, Israel has become very, very good at gathering intelligence, and very very good at missile defense. Theyre arguably leading the world in laser weapon technology. Theyre also very good at precision strikes and at careful target selection. They, with the United States, take great pains to avoid collateral damage to the point of often letting high-value targets escape rather than killing innocents. This is necessary because brave Islamists, monsters who supposedly want nothing more than to die for Islam and collect 72 virgins, hide behind the skirts of women, locating their headquarters and weapons in schools, hospitals, UN facilities of all kinds and civilian neighborhoods. Even so, the Israelis, and now our forces in Iran, manage to conduct precision strikes killing those brave Islamist warriors. One wonders if all those virgins appreciate charred warriors? Advertisement Among them was a prominent regime thug, one Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Irans Supreme National Council who recently had a warning for President Trump: Watch out for yourselflest you be eliminated. Advertisement Weve long known the Iranians were working very hard to assassinate President Trump. A Pakistani businessman was recently convicted in just such a plot. He claimed his family was threatened by the Iranians, which is possible, but unproven. Larijani should have heeded his own warning; the Israelis got to him first: Advertisement Graphic: Social Media Post Advertisement Some people just look the part of demons, dont they? He wont be missed. Among the worst elements of the Iranian regime is the Basij Militia. These are essentially neighborhood enforcers who excel at beating, raping and murdering women who might show a strand of hair or otherwise anger them or provoke their easily provokable lust. Theyre responsible for tens of thousands of murders and are the primary thugs responsible for putting down protests against the regime. Advertisement During the last few weeks, Iranians have taken to directly contacting the Israelis with real-time intelligence on the Basij. Israeli precision weapons have killed them at roadblocks and their headquarters. So accurate are the Israelis, Basij checkpoints under bridges and overpasses have also been obliterated. As a result, the regime has shut down the Internet throughout the country. That didnt stop the Israelis from wiping out the Commander of the Basij: Graphic: Social Media Post He wont be missed either. Im trusting that the Israelis, who have well infiltrated Iran, and our CIA, are working to organize and arm the Iranian people, who are going to have to eliminate the Basij on a person-by-person level. If theyre left in control, theyll kill every Iranian they suspect of disloyalty, or just because they like murder, torture and rape. Theyre not hired for their ethics and mental stability. In the meantime, the Israelis, and our troops, are creating the opportunity for a free, sane Iran. Wed be fools not to finish the job in Iran. Many of our domestic Democrats are fools and traitors. President Trump isnt. Now we get to see who prevails. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Many violent riots have begun over matters that seem almost absurd. In 1325, the rival cities of Modena and Bologna went to war over a wooden bucket, an episode remembered as the War of the Bucket. In 1355, tensions between townspeople and scholars at the University of Oxford erupted into bloodshed after a quarrel over bad wine, in what became the St Scholastica Day riot. The Mutiny of the Trout, as its name suggests, belongs to this curious traditionan outbreak of violence sparked, improbably enough, by a single fish. A dish of baked trout is tempting enough to start an argument, if not a mutiny. Credit: Wikimedia Commons In the middle of the twelfth century, the city of Zamora, Spain, occupied a position of considerable strategic importance. It stood on the shifting frontier between the Kingdom of Leon and the Muslim powers of al-Andalus, first the Almoravid dynasty and later the Almohad Caliphate. At the same time, Zamora lay along key commercial routes, including the road leading south toward Camino de Santiago, and was an important centre in the trade of silver. These advantages fostered a thriving urban economy, a growing bourgeoisie, and a busy, crowded marketplace. It was in this marketplace, in the year 1158, that the incident occurred. A shoemaker had just purchased the last remaining trout from a fishmonger when he was abruptly confronted by a servant of the knight Gomez Alvarez. The servant insisted that he required the fish for his master and argued that, by virtue of his lords status, he should have it. Both the shoemaker and the fishmonger refused, maintaining that the trout had already been sold. The disagreement quickly grew heated and before long a crowd gathered around the disputants, some siding with the shoemaker, others with the servant. Unable to secure the fish, the servant eventually withdrew and returned to his master empty-handed. When the knight learned what had happened, he gathered a number of fellow nobles and armed retainers and marched back to the marketplace. There they sought out the shoemaker, the fishmonger, and those townspeople who had most openly supported them during the quarrel. Several of these plebeians were seized and placed under arrest. The arrests inflamed the townspeople, and anger quickly spread through the city. What had begun as a dispute over a single fish now escalated into open unrest. A group of local knights assembled in the church of Church of Santa Maria to decide how to respond. Gomez Alvarez argued that such defiance could not be tolerated. To prevent further insolence, he proposed execution by hanging of those involved in the disturbance. While the nobles debated inside the church, the townspeople, many of them from the emerging bourgeois class, gathered in force. They barricaded the doors of the church with firewood and set it ablaze, trapping those inside. The building became an inferno, and the men within perished. Fearful of the reaction of Ferdinand II of Leon and of reprisals from the relatives of the murdered nobles, many of the mutineers fled to nearby Portugal. From there, they wrote to the king and to the Pope, recounting the events of the trout mutiny and the long series of grievances they claimed to have suffered at the hands of the dead nobles. They begged forgiveness for the burning of the church and the deaths it had caused. If pardon were denied, they warned, they would remain in Portugal and become subjects of Afonso I of Portugal. The young king of Leon now faced a difficult dilemma. Only twenty-one years old and scarcely a year on the throne, Ferdinand could not risk alienating his nobility. Granting pardon to the exiles might provoke powerful lords to withdraw their support, perhaps even to back rival claimants within the kingdom. If the exiles remained in Portugal, they would strengthen a neighbouring power whose interests did not always align with Leons. In the end, Ferdinand recognized that the unrest had deeper causes, and that allowing the mutineers to remain in Portugal might pose a greater threat than forgiving them. According to tradition, Pope Alexander III intervened and laid down the conditions for absolution. The exiles were required to rebuild the destroyed church of Santa Maria, which thereafter came to be known as Santa Maria the new. In addition, they were to commission an elaborate altarpiece, adorned with numerous silver panels and precious stones. These conditions were eventually fulfilled. The church was built in the 12th century and expanded in the 13th. There is still a street named after the "Mutiny of the Trout" next to it. References: # The Mutiny of The Trout. Fascinating Spain # Mutiny of the Trout. Wikipedia Blog Archive: Apr 2026 (143) Mar 2026 (155) 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) Abandoned Russian tanker could explode in Mediterranean at any time and cause ecological disaster, says EU A sanctioned Russian tanker adrift in the Mediterranean poses a serious ecological threat as a gaping hole pours fuel and natural gas into the sea. Nine EU countries have written a joint letter to the European Commission, as one Italian official called the Arctic Metagaz an environmental bomb waiting to go off. The tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy. Its state posed a dual challenge: upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster, against the background of EU sanctions imposed on Russia. The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of the Unions maritime space, the letter said. The wounded tanker is floating in waters between Malta and Italy (Newsbook Malta) Alfredo Mantovano, the secretary of Italys Council of Ministers, urgently warned that the tanker could explode at any moment, in a statement to Italys Radio 24. The EU said the vessel was part of Russias shadow fleet intended to circumvent sanctions imposed in connection with Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It set out from the Russian port of Murmansk in February but caught fire in early March. Russia condemned the incident as an act of international terrorism and maritime piracy, claiming the attack occurred near Maltese international waters with drones launched from Libya. Kyiv has not claimed any responsibility for the attack. Fuel and natural gas are pouring into the sea through a gaping hole in the tanker (Newsbook Malta) Russias transport ministry reported at the time that all 30 Russian crew members on board the vessel, which caught fire, were safe. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry website that Moscow was in touch with the vessels owner and foreign competent bodies. It had no crew, she said, and was carrying 700 metric tonnes of different types of fuel and a substantial amount of natural gas. The international legal norms applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries ... for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster, Ms Zakharova wrote. Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will depend on the specific circumstances. Russias transport ministry earlier this month claimed the Arctic Metagaz, carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones and said the weapons had been launched from the Libyan coast. Adult content creator Bonnie Blue has been charged with outraging public decency in London. The 26-year-old, whose real name is Tia Billinger, was charged after she was apparently filmed making a lewd gesture outside the Indonesian embassy in December. She had previously been deported from Indonesia after being accused of filming commercial content without the correct visa. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: A woman has been charged with outraging public decency following an investigation by the Met Police. Tia Billinger, 26, of Draycott in Derbyshire, was charged via postal requisition on Monday, March 16. She will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 22. The charge relates to an incident in Great Peter Street, Westminster, on Monday, December 15. An investigation took place, and a woman in her twenties was interviewed under caution on Tuesday, February 2. A referral was made to the Crown Prosecution Service which subsequently authorised the above charge. British adult content creator Tia Billinger (C), known as Bonnie Blue, attends her trial at court in Denpasar, on Indonesia resort island of Bali on December 12, 2025 (AFP/Getty) The creator, known for organising controversial sex challenges with large groups of young men, was arrested during a police raid on a rental studio in Bali in December. The Indonesian authorities said they did not press charges for production of pornographic content after police checked her phone and found private video footage. The material was for private documentation and not for public distribution, director general of immigration Yuldi Yusman said in a statement. Ms Billinger, though, was found to have violated visa rules as she had entered Indonesia using a visa on arrival for commercial content production that could potentially cause public unrest, Mr Yusman said at the time. Rayner and Burnham canvassing in Birmingham in March 2024. Photograph: James Manning/PA (Photograph: James Manning/PA) Andy Burnham has backed stark criticism of the direction of Keir Starmers government by Angela Rayner after she said the very survival of the Labour party was at stake. Rayner, the former deputy prime minister and an influential backbencher, used a speech on Tuesday night to warn that the prime minister cannot go through the motions in the face of declining support. Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, who is regarded as a rival to Rayner in any potential leadership contest to succeed Starmer, said on Wednesday: I certainly know where she is coming from and the party would always do well to listen to what Angela has got to say. In comments that will be seen alongside Rayners intervention as an effort to shift the party to the left as it faces the prospect of heavy losses in local elections in May, Burnham said the frustrations she was reflecting had also been heard at the recent Gorton and Denton byelection. Burnham had wanted to stand in that election for a previously safe Labour seat which ended up being won by the Greens but was blocked by the Labour leadership. Burnham was speaking on the morning after Rayner used a speech at an event in London organised by Mainstream, a Labour campaign group linked to Burnham, to make her most significant intervention since resigning last year from Starmers government. Rayner, who has continued to command influence from the backbenches, also said it was un-British to move the goalposts on indefinite leave to remain, putting her at odds with the governments key immigration proposal of increasing the standard qualifying period for permanent residence from five to 10 years. It is down to us to rebuild this nation and this party the question is are we up for this fight? I know we in this room are, Rayner told the gathering in London on Tuesday evening. As a party, and as a movement, we cannot hide, we cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline. Theres no safe ground and were running out of time. The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt. And we have to show that it is a Labour government that will deliver it. Speaking on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, Burnham voiced his own criticism of the governments approach to immigration, saying that Rayner had been echoing moral questions. But he added that net migration had started to come down, saying: I do think the government has a story to tell here and needs to tell it more effectively. In the first response to Rayners remarks from a government figure, the Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said Starmers administration shared her impatience with the pace of change. Asked if he agreed with Rayner that Labour was going through the motions in the face of decline, he told Sky News: I think where I would agree, and I think everybody across government would agree, is sharing an impatience with the pace of change, and that applies to every single one of us. And I get the sense, I havent read the full context of Angelas remarks, but I get the sense that that frustration is actually what is running through her remarks. It absolutely runs through every government minister as well. He defended Shabana Mahmoods immigration plans as balancing up fairness, but also security at our borders when asked about Rayners criticism of them. He declined repeatedly to say whether he thought Rayner would make a good party leader, stressing that there was no vacancy for the role. Since being forced to resign as deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner has largely kept any criticisms of the government to herself. But on Tuesday evening, she let rip. In a jaw-dropping speech to Labour activists of the left-wing Mainstream group, she warned the party had come to be seen to represent the establishment, not working people and called for an urgent change of course, adding that it was running out of time to deliver for voters. It was, in essence, Ms Rayner firing the starting pistol in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer, whose beleaguered premiership has been on the ropes for months. Ever since Andy Burnhams hopes of returning to parliament to allow him to become leader were quashed, Ms Rayner has, in effect, been the figure in the background quietly and ominously waiting to pounce. It is a little ironic that it was the Mainstream group that the Greater Manchester mayor set up himself that has provided the opportunity for Ms Rayner to set out her stall to replace Keir. With the Labour Party bracing for a devastating set of results from the local and devolved elections in May, there seems to be no way back for Sir Keir, whose authority was effectively killed off with the Peter Mandelson scandal. The former deputy leader had originally intended to give the speech two days before the Gorton and Denton by-election, where Labour came a humiliating third in what had been their seventh seat, but, according to an ally did not want to be blamed for the defeat. But the speech on Tuesday night was important for Ms Rayner because before she could be reasonably considered as a viable alternative to Sir Keir, she had to do two things. The first was to deal with the tax affairs issue that forced her to resign, although it is understood they are close to being settled. Angela Rayner has declared that the party under Starmer has come to represent the establishment, not working people (PA) But the speech last night dealt with the other issue, which, for Labour members, was perhaps more damaging. Internal polling carried out by her supporters showed that her reputation had also been damaged by the Starmer project. She was associated with attempts to cut welfare, the partys new hardline stance on immigration, a failure to be more critical of Israel and the delay on ending the two-child benefit cap. While she may have argued against these things behind the scenes, she did not threaten to resign over any of these issues, which have so badly damaged the Starmer premiership. Instead, she was seen as complicit. It was important for Ms Rayner to outline who she was as opposed to being part of the Starmer project or, before that, the Jeremy Corbyn project. An ally told The Independent: Labour members need to see the authentic Angela Rayner. With a call for a more tolerant immigration system and a different approach to the economy, they are getting exactly that. Starmers beleaguered premiership has been on the ropes for months (PA) She had already separated herself from the Mandelson debacle by siding with the Tories to force the publication of papers regarding his ill-advised appointment as ambassador to the US. She had also, via The Independent, made it clear she was unhappy about removing the right to a jury trial. She had also made a previous speech on the damage being done by Rachel Reeves to the hospitality sector. In small stages, Ms Rayner is showing what a premiership led by her would look like. It seems now that only a miracle will save Sir Keir from being removed, but while Ms Rayner has fired the starting gun, the path for her to succeed him is not completely clear. Rivals, including health secretary Wes Streeting, home secretary Shabana Mahmood and energy secretary Ed Miliband, may have their own designs on the leadership. But Ms Rayner has now ensured that a contest to succeed Sir Keir is highly likely in May. Assisted dying is already available to more than 200 million people across the world - Getty In June last year, MPs voted in favour of the controversial assisted dying Bill brought by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to seek medical assistance to end their lives. However, it has been stalled in the House of Lords for several months and seems unlikely to pass, meanwhile in Scotland, MSPs voted by 69 to 57 to throw out the Bill. Opponents were concerned that vulnerable people could be coerced into ending their own lives, especially if they thought they were a burden on their families. Assisted dying is an option already available to more than 200 million people across the world, including those in Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands as well as 10 American jurisdictions and Victoria in Australia. The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who has introduced the Bill, insists that in Britain assisted death would include the strictest safeguards anywhere in the world. Whats the difference between assisted dying and euthanasia? Assisted dying is when a terminally ill, mentally competent, patient receives lethal drugs from a healthcare professional to end their life. This is at the patients request and involves the patient administering it themselves. The Bill passing through the House of Commons today means it could be on its way to becoming law. Euthanasia is the deliberate act of ending a persons life to relieve suffering. The patient may not be terminally ill. It can be voluntary, where the person makes a conscious decision to end their life, or involuntary, where the person does not give their consent (for example, they may be in a coma). It is illegal under English law. How would one initiate the process of assisted dying? The first step would be to discuss your wishes with a doctor, presumably your GP, who will become, in the terms of the Bill, the coordinating doctor, guiding you through the assisted dying pathway. Somewhat controversially, the Bill will allow doctors proactively to suggest assisted dying to their patients. The legislation states that while doctors are not obliged to raise it, they can use their professional judgement to decide if and when to discuss the issue with a patient. They must, however, also detail the patients diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options and the possibilities for palliative and hospice care. Who would be eligible? Candidates for assisted dying must be residents of England and Wales and must be registered with a GP for at least 12 months. This is to stop suicide tourism, with people coming from overseas to end their own lives in the UK. They must be terminally ill and expected to die within six months, yet also have the mental capacity to make the choice. According to the Bill, it must be deemed to be a clear, settled and informed wish, free from coercion or pressure. Those deciding to end their lives will need to be terminally ill with six months to live, and go through a rigorous three-week process, declaring their wish to die in front of witnesses and seeking doctors approvals and a ruling from a High Court judge. The Bill specifically excludes those with disabilities or mental illness alone. What would be the process of assisted dying? The candidate must make two separate declarations of their wish to die, which must be signed in front of a witness. Afterwards, their co-ordinating doctor plus another independent doctor will be responsible for assessing their eligibility. The Bill deems that you must have the mental capacity to make the decision, your condition must be terminal and that you will die within six months. To make an informed judgement, the doctors will consult with specialists in the particular condition and arrange an evaluation of the patients mental capacity. There will need to be at least seven days between each doctors assessment. Then a High Court Judge will hear from at least one of the doctors and might also question the patient or anyone else they deem appropriate before ruling that they should be allowed to self-administer a fatal medication. Then a further 14 days must pass after the judge has made the ruling before they can go ahead with their wish to end their life. How quickly do you die? According to a guide prepared by the University of California San Francisco, people who take these medications typically fall into a deep sleep within 10 minutes, followed by a coma, respiratory depression and death shortly afterwards. Death typically occurs within two to five hours, although it can also happen very quickly. The University of California San Francisco prepares loved ones for the dying experience, warning them that their relative or friend will exhibit symptoms of dying that dont cause them to suffer but can be startling for loved ones to witness. These can include deep gasping breaths, gurgling sounds and changes in facial colour to pale or blue. How long would the process or pathway take? At least three weeks, given the required seven days between the doctors assessments and 14 days following the judges ruling. It could take longer, depending on the availability of the doctors and the judge, although there will be flexibility if the person is likely to die sooner. The dying persons decision must be confirmed at every stage and they could change their mind at any time. How would people end their life? There are strict protocols within the Bill to ensure the safe prescribing, transportation and administration of all medication. The medication must be self-administered: Neither a doctor nor anyone else can administer the medication to the terminally ill person. If they choose not to self-administer, the medication is immediately removed from their possession. This is different from certain other jurisdictions, where a fatal medication can be administered by doctors if you are unable to do it yourself. The Bill states: The assisted dying process must be overseen by a trained medical practitioner who will be expressly forbidden from taking any action to end the persons life. The medication will be prepared by a doctor unlike in Victoria, Australia, where patients receive a powder in a locked box, which they must mix up themselves. The Bill states that a doctor can prepare the substance for self-administration and also prepare a medical device enabling the person to self-administer. They can also assist the person to ingest or otherwise self-administer the substance. But the decision to self-administer the approved substance and the final act of doing so must be taken by the person to whom the substance has been provided. The Bill isnt specific about where the medication should be taken but information guidelines provided to patients in California and Victoria, suggest the medication can be taken at home, or in a hospital or hospice. Patients in those jurisdictions are encouraged to think carefully about where they take it, who is with them and the arrangements for their body afterwards. What is the approved lethal substance? The Bill does not specify a medication. It simply says that the Secretary of State will be required to state one or more drugs. In other countries where assisted dying is legal, high doses of the barbiturates pentobarbital and secobarbital are the preferred medications. Patients will most likely be required to take anti-nausea medications beforehand and drink juice or lick lollipops to counteract the bitter taste and soothe any burning sensations. Who advocated the Bill? Dame Esther Rantzen, who has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, advocates the Bill, maintaining it will give those suffering from terminal illness the dignity of choice. Dr David Nicholl, a neurologist and human rights activist, believes it will improve the quality of conversation between doctors and patients. Meanwhile the neurosurgeon Henry Marsh wrote in the Bulletin for the Royal College of Surgeons that there is clear demand for assisted dying in this country despite good palliative care as is shown by the fact that many people (who can afford it) go to Switzerland for an assisted death. Indeed, Dignitas helped 571 Britons to die between 1998 and 2023. The new law would only apply to England and Wales, although a separate bill is being discussed in Scotland and legislation is underway in Jersey and the Isle of Man. Who opposed the Bill? There are many opposers to the Bill. Dr Gordon Macdonald, the chief executive of campaign group Care Not Killing, believes that safest law is the one we already have, while Dr Gillian Wright, a former palliative care doctor, maintains that the Bills safeguards are too difficult to manage. Paralympian and House of Lords crossbencher Baroness Grey-Thompson told the BBC that she fears for the impact on vulnerable and disabled people, as well as the risk of coercive control and the ability of doctors to make a six-month diagnosis. A Telegraph poll shows readers are divided equally on the matter, with 47 per cent against the Bill and 53 per cent in favour. In Scotland, MSPs voted by 69 to 57 to throw out the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, with one abstention, after several who previously supported it switched sides. They were given a free vote on the Bill, meaning they could act in line with their consciences and were not whipped by their parties. Opponents raised several concerns about the bill particularly fears of people being pressured into an assisted death. The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland withdrew support after a section was removed from the Bill that included vital protections for medical workers who did not want to participate in an assisted death. When will the change in law happen? There is still a way to go before the Bill becomes law, and that prospect is now looking unlikely. The implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years from royal assent, rather than the initially suggested two years. If it runs out of time, the legislation typically fails. Supporters now believe it is effectively impossible for the bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales to pass before the end of this session, expected in May. This is largely because more than 1,200 amendments have been tabled in the House of Lords, principally from opponents to the legislation. If the Bill was to pass later this year, it might not be available until 2029. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, the parliamentarian behind the Bill who also put forward the extended timeframe, has insisted it is a backstop rather than a target, as she pledged to hold the Governments feet to the fire on implementing legislation should the Bill pass. The outbreak has led to long queues for antibiotics on the University of Kents campus in Canterbury. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA (Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA) Meningitis infections in a county in the south-east of England continue to increase, with five new cases confirmed on Wednesday in what experts have said is one of the fastest-growing outbreaks of the disease they have seen in the UK. What happened and where? On 15 March, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a public health body, issued a public health alert confirming two people had died during an outbreak of meningitis. It had occurred in and around Canterbury, a city of about 60,000 people in the county of Kent, near London. Health officials later confirmed the strain involved was meningitis B (MenB). How many people were affected? As of 17 March, the UKHSA said there were 20 cases of invasive meningococcal disease. This has steadily grown from an initial assessment of 11 cases and includes the two people who have died. Where did the outbreak originate? Health officials believe all the initial cases are linked to a wave among people who attended Club Chemistry, a nightclub in Canterbury, on 5, 6 or 7 March. The club has since closed voluntarily. Who died? One of the victims has been named as 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was studying for her A-levels academic qualifications for students aged 16-18 in the UK at college or school. The headteacher of Queen Elizabeths grammar school in Faversham, a town 10 miles from Canterbury, said Kenny was incredibly kind, thoughtful and intelligent and she loved our school and was very happy here. The other person who died, who has yet to be named, was a student at the University of Kent. What has the response been? The UKHSA started a full-scale response on 15 March, including preparations for distribution of antibiotics on the university campus. Those who were at Club Chemistry on the dates identified have been urged to come forward for antibiotics. On 17 March, the UKHSA announced a targeted vaccination programme against MenB for students living in halls of residence at the University of Kent. It says the programme could be expanded later. Are meningitis outbreaks common in the UK? The UKHSA chief executive, Susan Hopkins, said the number of cases in such a short space of time was unprecedented and called the outbreak explosive. Wes Streeting, the UK government health secretary, who oversees health and social care in England, said: Whats worried us about the Canterbury outbreak is the pace and extent of the spread of the disease. According to the UKHSA, there were 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease in 2024-25, of which 80% 313 cases were MenB. Is there a meningitis vaccination programme in the UK? Since 2015, the MenB vaccine has been offered to babies at eight weeks, with a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year. Other routine childhood jabs, including the 6-in-1 and pneumococcal vaccines, can protect against meningitis. The MenACWY vaccine, which covers four other meningococcal groups, is offered to teenagers in school years 9 and 10, and can be given until the age of 25. But teenagers born before 2015 are unvaccinated against MenB. Despite MenB accounting for 80% of cases of invasive meningococcal disease, until now the UK Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI), a body that advises the UK government, has not deemed MenB vaccination to be cost-effective for teenagers as it does not prevent the bacteria from spreading from one person to another, it does not target all the different B bacteria strains and does not protect for a long duration. Streeting announced he had asked the JCVI to re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines. He said he was doing this without prejudicing their decision. Ed Bethell is excited to see what he can unearth with Beauty Destiny as he prepares to make his British debut at Newcastle on Thursday. The six-year-old has run his entire 19-race career in Hong Kong winning six times amassing just short of 670,000 in prize money. He will return to the racetrack following a 340-day absence in the Midnite, Building The Future Of Betting Handicap to give Bethell an idea of what he might have on his hands. Bethell told the Press Association: Hes a very exciting horse who Ive inherited. I look forward to running him but itll be very much a real learning curve, itll be a steep learning curve I would imagine. Its a big change from Hong Kong racing to race at Newcastle. You couldnt get more opposites if you tried really. Hes done all of his work on the all-weather and he seems to go over it nicely. He needs fast ground ultimately and were not guaranteed that at this time of year so itll be very much a case of we needed to learn, we need to start off and it just looked like a suitable starting point. He came over quite a while ago. He came over in August last year and we gave him plenty of time to acclimatise, enjoy being here and hes been at work since December time and Ive been very, very pleased with where we are at and hopefully he can start off and run a nice race. Its competitive and he hasnt run for a long time and its a very different style of racing so hes got a lot to contend with. Hes clearly a very talented horse. You dont win that sort of money if youre not that talented. He obviously had his reasons for leaving Hong Kong and were willing to make a start with him and hes a lovely horse to have in the yard, to get a horse of that rating. Im just going to get Thursday out of the way and Ill learn a lot. Ill learn a lot of where we are at and what were going to be doing. A woman in Canada is on a desperate search for her wedding dress after it was accidentally donated to the Salvation Army. The mixup occurred when British Columbia-based Olivia Delgado made the recent move from Surrey to Squamish, according to CityNews. We were clearing out our childhood home, big job, and I guess somehow, in the process, it ended up getting mixed in the clothing donations, Delgado, who got married in October, told the publication. She said that when she spoke to the manager of the warehouse, he told her that because her dress was donated to a distribution center, it could be at any one of the thrift stores in Canada that the Salvation Army operates. Delgado noted that the gown has a deep sentimental value, since it was a gift from her mother, who passed away due to brain cancer before the wedding, CityNews reported. Olivia Delgado is offering a $300 reward to anyone who bought the dress at the thrift store in Canada (CityNews) This was one of the last things we did together before she got too sick to go out, she said about shopping with her mother. We picked out the dress together, and she bought it for me. So its like a piece of her is in that dress. And its really important to me that I get it back. Delgado also declared her search for the dress on social media, writing in a Facebook post that shes offering a $300 reward to anyone who purchased it from a thrift store. I wish I wasn't making this post but I am looking for my wedding dress, she wrote, while sharing wedding photos of herself in the white gown. I moved recently, and in the midst of clearing out closets, someone accidentally donated my dress to the Salvation Army in Surrey. It would've been donated sometime mid-February. The bottom tulle is a bit torn up and dirty from taking photos in the rain, and I'm pretty sure there is a food stain or two, so it should be pretty identifiable. It would have been in a white David's Bridal bag. It's a size 10 Melissa Sweet dress. Delgado explained the sentimental value and offered the reward before pleading, I can help you source down the exact dress brand new, whatever you want. I'm really hoping you'd understand how important it is to me that I get this dress back. She told CityNews that since making the Facebook post, other people in British Columbia have been helping her search for the dress. Thats been a huge help, she added. Were slowly checking boxes off our list, and Im hoping that it hasnt been sold yet. China lodged a protest with Nepal after a college in the Himalayan nation burned hundreds of copies of Xi Jinpings book over the weekend. The Governance of China was apparently burned along with several other texts at the Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic in Morang. A video circulating on Nepali social media shows copies of Mr Xis book, with the Chinese leaders picture on the cover, being tossed into a bonfire. The Governance of China, published in 2014, compiles Mr Xis speeches setting out his blueprint for the countrys governance, economic direction and global ambitions. It wasnt known why the college housed hundreds of copies of the book. Dean Rekha Shrestha reportedly claimed the termite-infested books had been lying unused for years whereas the administration said that junior staff burned the books and other documents to clear space in the lab room. In the wake of the incident, the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu sent a note to Nepal's foreign ministry urging an investigation and prompt action against those involved. This prompted home minister Oman Prakash Aryal to instruct Morang district officials and police to investigate the incident and take action. Chief district officer Yuvaraj Kattel sought a written explanation from the college and deployed police after crowds gathered. Nepal cannot tolerate such incidents given its close relations with China, he said, adding that authorities were working to establish the facts". Since this is a sensitive issue, we are trying to find out the truth," he told The Kathmandu Post. The incident was first reported by Sonu Kumar Das of Live News Raftar who allegedly saw people holding copies of Mr Xi's book up to the camera before throwing them into the flames. On Saturday evening, I got a message from someone that the college is going to burn down some documents. Initially the college administration didnt allow us to enter the college premises. Later, some students took me inside the college building where those books and other items were set on fire, the reporter said. I was astonished that such a large number of copies of the book by Xi Jinping were burnt down. After the video went viral, Mr Kattel allegedly telephoned the Live News Rafter office and asked them to delete it, saying it could harm Nepal-China relations. The incident triggered calls on social media by Nepali users to hold people who burned the books accountable to avoid souring relations with China. The episode is an early diplomatic test for newly elected prime minister Balender Shah who faces the delicate task of balancing the country's ties with India and China. "Enough is enough, we cannot promote such nonsense. We should not create unnecessary tension with our neighbouring country. These actions only fuel aggression and division," one user, Aashika Poudel, said on Facebook. Another user, Bijaya Thapa, who obtained the video, asked: Why did such activities take place? Where were those thousands of books brought from, and for what purpose were they burned? Authorities should pay serious attention to this matter. The Independent has contacted the college for comment. A cyclist who was seriously injured in a bus crash in east London has died of his injuries. His death was one of three fatalities involving London buses that was reported to the Transport for London board on Wednesday. The fatal cycle collision happened at around 5.45pm on Tuesday March 10 on Atlantis Avenue, Beckton. The cyclist, who was 43, died in hospital on Sunday March 15 - five days after the collision with a 366 bus. Last Friday, TfL and London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan re-booted their Vision Zero strategy that seeks to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries in the capital within 15 years. There were 95 road deaths in London in 2025. File Image (PA Wire) He is the fourth cyclist known to have been killed in a road collision in London in 2026. None have been named by the Metropolitan Police. The cyclist was treated at the scene by medics from London Ambulance Services and Londons air ambulance and taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition. A Metropolitan Police appeal for witnesses last Wednesday said the cyclist remained critically ill. But TfL commissioner Andy Lord told the TfL board that the cyclist had subsequently died of his injuries. Mr Lord said: On March 10 a cyclist collided with the 366 bus on Atlantis Avenue in the borough of Newham. We have been informed that they subsequently died of their injuries. I know that all the board will join me in expressing our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have tragically lost their lives. A spokesman for Newham Cyclists said: All of us at Newham Cyclists are dismayed and deeply saddened to hear of yet another person killed while cycling in our borough. It is upsetting that this is the third such tragedy in Newham in just 15 monthsthree people since January 2025 have died in our borough after being hit by someone driving a vehicle. The only acceptable number of deaths in traffic is zero. Even though the circumstances of this crash are not yet clear, it is desperately obvious that much more must done, much faster, to save lives and make cycling safe everywhere in Newham and across London. The bus driver stopped at the scene and assisted police with enquiries. Last week, the Met said that no arrests had been made. Detective Inspector Mark Braithwaite, from the Mets serious collision investigation unit, said: Our investigation continues and we are appealing for any information that could help us with our enquiries. We are interested in speaking to anyone who saw the incident, but has not yet spoken to police, and would ask them to come forward as soon as possible. We are also particularly interested in dash cam footage or CCTV. Anyone with information is asked to call the Serious Collision Unit on 0208 597 9874, or via 101 quoting CAD6223/10MAR26. The other cycle fatalities in Newham happened in Stratford High Street in January 2025 and in June 2025, when Barry Shonibare, 71, died in hospital after a car collision in Wanstead Flats. Barry Shonibare: suffered fatal injuries in a car collision while cycling in Wanstead Flats (Metropolitan police) The 366 route uses single decker buses to link Redbridge and Beckton bus station. It is operated for TfL by Blue Triangle, part of the Go-Ahead group. Lorna Murphy, TfL's director of buses, said: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has sadly died from his injuries following a collision with a bus in Beckton. Making London's transport network safer is our top priority and we are working with the operator, Go Ahead, to assist the police with their investigation. We have support available for anyone affected by this tragic incident." Mr Lord also notified the board of the death of an e-scooter rider following a collision on January 22 with a route 136 bus on Southampton Way. The scene of the fatal bus collision in Margaret Street in July last year (@kaiusdc/X) In addition, he reported that a pedestrian believed to be a male pensioner in his 80s died of his injuries after being hit by a 159 bus in Margaret Street as it turned left from Regent Street, just north of Oxford Circus, on July 28 last year. This may be of particular concern to TfL as buses will be diverted onto the streets north of Oxford Street when it is part-pedestrianised later this summer. Other cycle fatalities in 2026 include the death of a 23-year-old man five days after a collision with a car in Commercial Road on January 14, a 39-year-old woman who was killed by a HGV in New Cross Road on January 20 and a 46-year-old e-biker who died after being run over by a man driving a horse and cart in Chingford on February 4. The Standard has approached the Met police for comment. Products featured in this Yahoo article are selected by our shopping writers. We will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. A bronze statue of Caesar Rodney, a founding father and slave owner, was removed from public view in Delaware during the height of 2020s racial justice protests. Now, it is set for a high-profile return. The Trump administration plans to temporarily install the statue in the heart of the nations capital as part of the upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations marking Americas 250th birthday, Interior Department documents seen by The New York Times show. The statue, which depicts Rodney on his famous 1776 midnight ride to cast a tie-breaking vote for independence, has spent the last six years stored in a New Castle warehouse. Its new destination is Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue a federal park named in 1988 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The relocation of the Rodney statue is the latest move by the current administration to restore monuments toppled or removed during the racial reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd. The statue will stand in Washington for up to six months, according to Interior Department documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The move follows several similar reinstatements. The Caesar Rodney monument occupied Wilmingtons Rodney Square for 97 years before being taken down in June 2020 (AFP via Getty Images) In August, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the reinstallation of a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery that had been removed by a previous congressional mandate. In October, The National Park Service restored a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike to downtown D.C. after it was torn down by protesters in 2020. And a reconstruction of a Christopher Columbus statue, previously dumped into Baltimores harbor, is slated for the White House grounds. As we approach Americas 250th anniversary, the Trump administration has been committed to celebrating and acknowledging the full breadth of our nations history, an Interior Department spokesperson told The Washington Post. The spokesperson highlighted Rodneys sacrifice, noting that despite suffering from a disfiguring facial cancer, he rode through a storm to secure the colonies' independence. Though Rodney was a pivotal revolutionary, historians have said that he also enslaved as many as 200 people on his familys plantation. Some evidence suggests Rodney grappled with the institution of slavery. As speaker of the colonial assembly in 1767, he introduced a bill to prohibit the importation of enslaved people into Delaware, though the measure failed. He also directed in his will that those he enslaved be freed upon his death. Critics, however, view the statues placement in a plaza honoring a civil rights icon as a provocation. Adam Rothman, director of Georgetown Universitys Center for the Study of Slavery and Its Legacies, told The New York Times that the administration is "manipulating history to advance their own particular ideology." In Rodneys home state, the reaction remains divided. Republican State Senator Eric Buckson, who initiated talks with the Park Service a year ago, argues that Rodney is the reason the country has a Fourth of July. The purpose of locating him in D.C. for the country is to tell the story of the ride and the significance of that midnight ride, Buckson told The Washington Post. He expressed hope that the statue would eventually return to Delaware, where his story could be told "holistically," including his role as an enslaver. Others are less eager for a homecoming. Shane N. Darby, a Wilmington councilwoman, told The New York Times that glorifying Rodney is "a slap in the face" to the city's Black and brown residents. You can have him, D.C., she said. A voter casts their ballot inside the new Chicago board of elections 'Super Site during the Illinois primary election. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images (Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images) Democratic voters in Illinois handed the partys nominations for five open seats in the House of Representatives to candidates that included Daniel Biss, Evanstons mayor, and Donna Miller, the Cook county commissioner, after heated and at times bitter campaigns that saw significant spending by outside groups, most controversially the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac). The primaries acted as a test of the style of politics voters were looking for ahead of the midterm elections in November, when Democrats hope to regain control of Congress. All five districts are heavily Democratic, making the primary victors favorites to triumph in the general elections. Related: Juliana Stratton wins Illinois Democratic Senate primary race Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, won the race to replace retiring longtime Representative Jan Schakowsky in Illinoiss ninth congressional district. The race in Chicagos north suburbs was one of the most closely fought primaries, with 15 candidates vying for the nomination. The contest, which turned heavily on the partys divisions over Israel, included Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old and former researcher for the leftwing media organization, Media Matters, and Laura Fine, a state senator. Fine drew support from Elect Chicago Women, an outside group reportedly tied to the pro-Israel lobbying group. Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, the leftwing group that works to defeat corporate Democrats and had backed Abughazaleh, called the results a massive loss for Aipac. No amount of shell Pacs or covert funding can hide their toxicity from Democratic voters, their monopoly over this partys agenda is coming to an end, she said. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee celebrating Bisss nomination as proof that voters can see through corporate-funded ads that package corporate-backed candidates as bold economic populists. Aipac, which had not formally acknowledged its role in trying to defeat a string of candidates critical of Israel, said on Tuesday that it was proud to have helped defeat Abughazaleh, a first-time candidate and Palestinian American who frequently criticized the group and said Israels military operations in Gaza amounted to a genocide. A great night for the pro-Israel community and a terrible night for anti-Israel candidates, Aipac wrote in a post on X. Ten candidates were standing to replace Robin Kelly in the second congressional district, after she opted to retire from the House and instead run for the US Senate seat vacated by Dick Durbin. But it was Miller, the Cook county commissioner and former health care consultant, who prevailed, AP reported. The majority Black district covers South Chicago and nearby suburbs, and has been represented by African American lawmakers for decades. Jesse Jackson Jr, the son of the late Jesse Jackson, was hoping for a comeback to the district after he resigned in 2012 amid health issues and an investigation into misuse of campaign funds, for which he served time in prison. But Miller had the cash advantage, though the Chicago Tribune has found that more than half of her donors had previously contributed to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or affiliated groups. Miller nonetheless sought to distance herself from Aipac. In the seventh district on Chicagos west side, La Shawn Ford won the nomination to replace Danny Davis, who represented the area since 1997. He prevailed against a dozen candidates, with the Aipac-affiliated United Democracy Project running ads in support of Chicago city treasurer, Melissa Conyears-Ervin. Melissa Bean, a moderate former congresswoman who had lost re-election to a Republican in 2010, emerged from an eight-way contest to win the primary to replace Raja Krishnamoorthi, in the eighth congressional district in Chicagos western suburbs. In the final days of the campaign, Bean had received a rush of support from Elect Chicago Women, to help fend off a progressive rival, progressive rival, Junaid Ahmed. The race to replace longtime Jesus Chuy Garcia in the majority-Hispanic fourth district attracted considerable controversy, when Garcia opted to announce his retirement at the same time that his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, jumped into the race. That effectively left voters with a single choice for the Democratic primary, prompting Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a moderate Washington representative, to successfully propose a House resolution condemning Garcia for undermining the process of a free and fair election. As expected, Patty Garcia, who has no relation to the congressman, won that primary, according to AP. Together, were going to abolish ICE, build a humane immigration system with a real pathway to citizenship, and put an end to the terror being visited on our communities, Patty Garcia said in a statement, declaring victory on Tuesday night, adding: And were going to hold Trump accountable. This article was amended on 18 March 2026. An earlier version misgendered La Shawn Ford. Jimmy Gracey, a University of Alabama student from Chicago, has been reported missing after a night out with friends in Barcelona, Spain (Supplied) An American college student visiting friends in Spain over spring break has gone missing after a night out in Barcelona, and his family is desperately pleading for answers. James Jimmy Gracey, 20, a junior at the University of Alabama, was last seen around 3 a.m. on March 17 outside Shoko Barcelona, a popular beachfront nightclub on Barceloneta Beach, his family said in a statement on Facebook. My son is a University of Alabama student who is visiting friends in Barcelona who are studying abroad, his mother, Therese Marren Gracey, wrote in the post. They went to Shoko last night. The police have his phone but he didnt make it back to the Airbnb. Has anyone seen him? Police recovered his phone during the arrest of another person, family spokesperson Noreen Heron told Fox News Digital. Gracey, who is from the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, had traveled to Barcelona for spring break to visit friends studying abroad and the group went to Shoko on Monday night. He was last seen around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Jimmy Gracey, a University of Alabama student from Chicago, has been reported missing after a night out with friends in Barcelona, Spain (Supplied) Mossos dEsquadra, of the Catalan police force, confirmed to CNN that an investigation is underway. We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation, police said in a statement. A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1 AM, reporting a possible disappearance. The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3 AM, in the Port Olimpic area. According to his mother, Gracey was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants probably joggers and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He wears a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He was last seen by his friend at Shoko around 3 a.m. [local time]. The friend was leaving but Jimmy stayed, she wrote. He is about 6-foot 1-inch tall and weighs 175 pounds, his family said. He was last seen by his friend at Shoko around 3 a.m. (Supplied) A University of Alabama spokesperson said in a statement, James Paul Gracey is a UA student on a personal trip. UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible. Anyone with information about Graceys whereabouts is urged to contact (224) 505-3886. Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell has revealed she has given birth to a baby boy with partner YouTube star Joe Sugg. In a joint post on Instagram, they posted a picture of the newborn wrapped in a blanket, with the words: Never felt a love like it. The post added: Baby Bowden Mark Richard Sugg, with the date 16/03/26 suggesting he was born on Tuesday. The couple met on the BBC dancing show when they were paired during the 16th series in 2018. They revealed they were expecting a baby together in an Instagram post in September. The post has been liked by celebrities including TV presenter Helen Skelton, who also posted a series of heart emojis. Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse wrote: The cutest baby. And social media star George Clarke, who was a finalist in the last series of Strictly, said: Congratulations, such amazing news. Australian Buswell took part in the last series of Strictly, but her partner, Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis, was forced to pull out after injuring his calf. Buswell won the glitterball trophy in the 2024 series alongside her celebrity dance partner, comedian Chris McCausland, who was the first blind person to compete on and win the series. Dolores Huerta in Bakersfield, California, on 19 September 2024. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters (Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters) Labor rights activist Dolores Huerta said in a statement released on Wednesday that she was sexually abused by Cesar Chavez, expanding on a New York Times investigation alleging the late labor leader groomed and abused young girls and women during his time as president of the United Farm Workers (UFW). Huerta, co-founder of the UFW, published her statement on Medium after she shared her story publicly for the first time with the New York Times. I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here, Huerta, 95, wrote in the statement on Wednesday. Related: Lawmakers and community leaders react to indefensible Cesar Chavez sexual abuse allegations Huerta said she stayed silent for 60 years out of concern that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for. She said that, following the Times investigation, she can no longer stay silent and must share my own experiences. Huerta said that in the 1960s Chavez once manipulated and pressured her to have sex with him. The second time, she said, he forced her to have sex against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped. Both encounters led to pregnancies, and she later arranged for the children to be raised by other families. Over the years, I have been fortunate to develop a deep relationship with these children, who are now close to my other children, their siblings, Huerta said. But even then, no one knew the full truth about how they were conceived until just a few weeks ago. Huerta said she carried the secret for as long as she did because building the movement and securing farmworker rights was my lifes work and she wasnt going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way of forming the union, which she described as the only vehicle to secure those rights. I have never identified myself as a victim, but I now understand that I am a survivor of violence, of sexual abuse, of domineering men who saw me, and other women, as property, or things to control, she said. She chose to tell her story because the Times indicated that I was not the only one there were others. Huerta added: Women are coming forward, sharing that they were sexually abused and assaulted by Cesar when they were girls and teenagers. Huerta extended her support to those who suffered alone and in silence for years and reiterated that Chaezs actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for farmworkers with the help of thousands of people. Huerta told the New York Times about a sexual encounter in 1966, when Chavez drove Huerta, then 36, to a secluded grape field, parked and raped her. She also recounted an earlier incident from August 1960, when she said she felt pressured to have sex with him in a hotel room in southern California. The report also told the stories of two women, who were daughters of organizers within the farmworker movement, who said they were children when Chavez began to groom and sexually abuse them. Lawmakers and organizations affiliated with Chavez have begun to distance themselves from the late labor leader, and have described the allegations as troubling, shocking and disturbing. Cesar Chavez Day events, celebrating his birthday on 31 March, are being canceled or rebranded amid the allegations. Words are inadequate to heal the trauma of Dolores Huerta and the courageous women who have already come forward, but may it be a comfort that so many people are praying and expressing support for them during this unimaginable time, reads a statement by US House speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi, with whom Huerta has a close friendship. Huerta and Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962, the predecessor of the UFW, which formed three years later, according to the National Womens History Museum. Huerta was the driving force behind the late-1960s national table grape boycotts, which ultimately secured a landmark union contract in 1970. Huerta continues to work in activism as the founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. She travels across the country participating in campaigns and supporting legislation that defends civil rights and equality, and also speaks to students and organizations about social justice issues and public policy. In 2024, Huerta endorsed the presidential candidate Kamala Harris, describing her as someone who has worked tirelessly to keep families united, reduce everyday costs and support organized labor. US president Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on the BBC, branding it corrupt, fraudulent news and alleging the broadcaster used artificial intelligence to edit his speech. This comes as the corporation recently filed a motion to dismiss Mr Trumps $10bn (7.5bn) defamation lawsuit. The legal action centres on an edited version of a Panorama documentary. The programme drew significant criticism last year following a 2024 broadcast, which was accused of creating the impression that Mr Trump had incited his supporters to storm the Capitol building in 2021, subsequent to his election defeat to Joe Biden. The controversy led to the resignation of BBC director-general Tim Davie, amidst allegations that Panorama had selectively edited Mr Trumps remarks. BBC chair Samir Shah apologised on behalf of the broadcaster over an error of judgement and accepted that the editing of the 2024 documentary gave the impression of a direct call for violent action. The corporation filed a motion to dismiss Trumps 7.5bn defamation lawsuit over an edit of a Panorama documentary (Ben Whitley/PA) Asked about his lawsuit on Tuesday, Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that footage had been edited and claimed that AI had been used to generate clips. They put words in my mouth, and they said I said some pretty bad things, and I didnt say them, it was AI-generated. And I said, I never said that. Some of my people said, Wow, that was pretty bad stuff you said, I said, What did I say? Im pretty good at this stuff. I mean, if you can go through years of these press conferences and youre the popular president of the United States that won in a landslide, that won all seven swing states, that got record numbers of votes I guess Im OK at this stuff. I said, I never said that, and then we found out it was AI-generated. Mr Trump also criticised the BBCs coverage of the US war on Iran as so inaccurate and unbelievable. Trump was asked about the BBC during a press opportunity with Irish premier Micheal Martin (Niall Carson/PA) We have decimated that country, and if you watch BBC its almost like theyre fighting us to a draw. He added: It was very inaccurate news, it was fake news. Im very proud of the term fake news because it was my term, I came up with it but its no longer accurate. It really is corrupt, fraudulent news. It really is its fraudulent. Its not just fake, its beyond fake. Its really criminal what they do. Asked about the lawsuit against the broadcaster, Mr Trump said he would see how it comes out. The BBC has been contacted for comment. The package contained two 8-inch double-edged knives and over a pound of the unidentified green leafy substance, wrapped in clear plastic and balloons (New York State DOCCS via AP) A drone delivered a package containing knives, a cellphone, bandannas, hair clippers and a green leafy substance to an upstate New York prison after midnight, officials confirmed Wednesday. The drop occurred between two dormitories at the Marcy Correctional Facility. Prison staff quickly recovered the package after the drone was detected flying above the facility at 1 a.m. Saturday. Investigators are now working to determine who was responsible, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision stated. The package contained two 8-inch (20-centimeter) double-edged knives and over a pound (about 530 grams) of the unidentified green leafy substance, wrapped in clear plastic and balloons. Also found were five papers "saturated in intoxicating chemicals" and chargers and accessories for the two hair clippers, the department said. Also found were five papers "saturated in intoxicating chemicals" and chargers and accessories for the two hair clippers (New York State DOCCS via AP) The drone was recovered outside the prison, which is about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of New York City, Using drones to smuggle contraband into prisons is not unheard of. Department Commissioner Daniel Martuscello called it an evolving but imminent threat to the state correctional system, which has experienced about a dozen other drone incidents. The commissioner used the incident to lobby for state legislation designed to address illegal drone use. The package recovered at Marcy had wires protruding from it, prompting a response from a bomb squad to make sure it did not pose an immediate threat. Officials from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) said the investigation underscores the need for legal reforms to combat the escalating threat of contraband delivered by air. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Israel says it killed top Iranian security leader, Basij commander Xinhua) 08:57, March 18, 2026 This photo released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on March 17, 2026 shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) speaking on the phone. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office released a photo showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking on the phone, allegedly "ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials." (Xinhua) JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that it carried out precision airstrikes in Tehran, killing Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's Basij volunteer force, and Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Larijani is considered a key decision-maker in Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28. Citing security sources, Israeli state-owned Kan TV News and other media reported that the strikes also targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the Islamic Jihad group, who is believed to have been killed. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office released a photo showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking on the phone, allegedly "ordering the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials." This file photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows Ali Larijani delivering a speech in Beirut, Lebanon. Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed on March 17, 2026 that its secretary Ali Larijani has been killed, Iranian media reported. (Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The family of an Afghan man who died in US immigration custody has accused the Donald Trump administration of killing a hero for American people. Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal was pronounced dead just 24 hours after he was dragged away by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Friday morning. Paktyawal, 41, had worked for the American military during its occupation of Afghanistan before moving to the US in 2021 when the Taliban retook the country from Nato forces. Standing outside a funeral home in Dallas, Texas, Paktyawals brother, Naseer Paktyawal, accused the Trump administration of killing his best friend since birth. Paktyawal had been living in Richardson city and working as a baker pending his asylum case. He was arrested on Friday morning just as he was leaving his house to take his children to school. ICE said Paktyawal was arrested for committing fraud against the food aid programme SNAP by allegedly misusing food stamps. A spokesperson for the Dallas County District Attorneys Office said there were two cases of SNAP fraud of $200 or more a third-degree felony registered against Paktyawal as well as one case of theft. The cases hadnt been heard in court at the time of his death. The father of six children, the youngest of them 18 months old, was confirmed dead at the Parkland Hospital in Dallas at 9am on Saturday due to circumstances unknown to the family. The Paktyawal family are now scrambling to find out what precisely led to his death in the 24 hours of custody. He was not my brother. He was my best friend. He was the person I could share everything with. He was a person that I was always counting on. He was the one that I would go to if there was something that needed to be done, his brother told The Independent, breaking down inconsolably. Now, I'm nothing, just nothing without him. He was everything for me. He was everything for his family, for my mom. For my entire family, he continued. They took everything from me, from his family. From those six kids and his wife. Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal with two of his children (Courtesy of Afghan Evac) In a statement to The Independent, the Department of Homeland Security described Paktyawal as a criminal illegal alien who entered the US under the Biden administrations Operation Allies Refuge in August 2021. He provided no record of his military service. His criminal history in our country includes an arrest for fraudulent use of food stamps and theft, they claimed. On August 20, 2025, Paktyawals parole expired. Paktyawal, an Afghan special forces soldier, worked for nearly a decade with the 3rd Special Forces Group of the US army in eastern Paktika province, one of the most dangerous places in Afghanistan, his family said. His family said that he entered the US in 2021 through the official evacuation process and not by crossing the land border and was resettled through Catholic charities. Paktyawal, who had lived in Kabul earlier, applied for asylum and completed the asylum interview. He received work authorisation and a social security number and one of his children was born a US citizen. My brother was not an illegal criminal alien, whatever it is they are saying, Naseer Paktyawal said. We were brothers in arms with Americans, served shoulder by shoulder alongside the US military and Nato forces, especially the Americans. He was here legally and he was a hero, a war veteran, he continued. He was a hero for his country, his people back home. He was a hero for the American people, for the American society, and for this country. He served the US and very proudly so, and it has given him this death. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal was an Afghan special forces soldier who worked worked alongside the US army (Courtesy of Afghan Evac) After his arrest, Paktyawal complained of shortness of breath and chest pain during a medical exam at an ICE field office in Dallas, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis said. He was allowed to make a call to his family and he rang his brother in panic, who said he sounded extremely scared and panicked. They surrounded me and put me in the car and did not even allow me to say anything, his brother said Paktyawal told him, adding that he did not know where exactly he was taken to. My brother said he was having a hard time breathing and complained of swelling and pain in his body. I knew he was scared and he was saying he didnt know why they had brought him there or where they were gonna take him. Homeland Security said Paktyawal was taken to a Parkland hospital on Saturday and his tongue was reported swollen. He died despite being given CPR which his family said confirmed ill-treatment. They alleged he was denied his SOS inhaler. Paktyawals is at least the 24th death in ICE custody this fiscal year, which began in October and is on track to be the deadliest in more than two decades. Afghan Evac, a group supporting Afghan allies of Nato forces and refugees, described Paktyawals death as highly unusual. Paktyawal survived the war in Afghanistan and trusted the US enough to rebuild his life here, the group said. The government should be explaining how a 41-year-old father of six died less than 24 hours after entering ICE custody, Shawn VanDiver, the groups president, said. They called a man who helped them in a war a criminal without a conviction while claiming there is no record of service without checking interagency systems looks less like fact-finding and more like damage control. The family is preparing to go to Afghanistan to bury Paktyawal in his homeland. Were gonna take my brother to the mosque for funeral prayers and then, maybe not tomorrow, maybe the next day, I will take him back to my country Afghanistan and bury him down there, his brother said. No one is safe here, not even a US citizen. The latest videos unearthed by the Guardian were recorded in early 2025, after Farage was elected as an MP. Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty (Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty) default Nigel Farage called for the release of the imprisoned rapper Sean Diddy Combs and commended the efforts to free a former Honduran president jailed in the US for drug trafficking. The Reform UK leader was paid to make the remarks on the personalised video platform Cameo, which allows users to commission celebrities and public figures to record short video clips. Farages use of the platform has already come under scrutiny after a Guardian investigation revealed he had recorded videos supporting a rioter, repeating extremist slogans, and endorsing a neo-Nazi event. Farages spokesperson said his Cameo videos should not be treated as political statements or campaign activity. The latest videos unearthed by the Guardian were recorded in early 2025, after he was elected as an MP. Users of Cameo are required to write a short prompt for their chosen celebrity. They then pay a fee in exchange for a video. In January 2025, a Cameo user paid Farage 84 to produce a 26th birthday message for a woman from Honduras. Please commend her for her efforts to free Juan Orlando Hernandez from prison, the customer wrote. Hernandez was president of Honduras from 2014 to 2022. Weeks after he left office, he was arrested and extradited to the US. In June 2024 he was sentenced to 45 years in an American prison for drug trafficking and fined $8m. Prosecutors said he had worked with drug traffickers and taken millions of dollars in bribes. Despite Hernandezs conviction, Farages recorded message told the woman: Ive got to commend you for your efforts to free Juan Orlando Hernandez from prison. You are working hard. You are a campaigner for justice and truth. Hernandez was later pardoned by Donald Trump, who claimed he had been asked to release the former president by many of the people of Honduras, adding that he had been told the prosecution was a Biden setup. Trump has not granted a pardon to Combs (also known as Puff Daddy) despite saying the rapper had requested clemency after he was found guilty of prostitution-related convictions in July 2025 and given a four-year sentence. Months earlier, when Farage was asked by a Cameo user to use a slogan supportive of Combs release, the rapper was being held without bail at Brooklyns metropolitan detention centre, while he awaited trial. The user paid 82 for a birthday message for Kieron, who was turning 17 in March 2025, and requested Farage say Free Diddy, eat Shankly. The user also asked the Reform leader to use a hardline anti-immigration phrase, if in doubt kick em out. Farage said: Ive got to roast Newcastle and say Free Diddy, eat Shankly. He added: And if in doubt, lets control our borders. Farages spokesperson added: Mr Farage has recorded many thousands of videos for genuine supporters to celebrate weddings, congratulate friends or send novelty messages. At that scale, the occasional mistake can occur. Spider-Man is met with faces from his past including Dr Bruce Banner, The Punisher and Scorpion in the action-packed first trailer for the upcoming film. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will see the teenage superhero, also known as Peter Parker, navigate his lonely new life after a spell was cast to make the world forget his real identity in order to save the universe. The preview, released by Sony Pictures Releasing UK, sees Spider-Man swing into action yet again as he is faced with his latest set of challenges. It opens with Tom Holland back in his role as Peter Parker, watching a video of his ex-girlfriend Michelle Jones MJ Watson (Zendaya) and his friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), who have forgotten he existed since the memory-wiping spell was cast. The trailer then cuts to Parker navigating his lonely new life, and in a voice-over he says: Hi, my name is Peter Parker. You dont remember me, but we used to know each other. Something bad was going to happen and the only way to stop it was to make everyone forget about me. Because Im not just Peter Parker, Im Spider-Man. The teaser then shows Spider-Man in the midst of a fight scene where viewers see him meet The Punisher, whose real name is Frank Castle. Zendaya and Tom Holland star in the upcoming Spider-Man movie (Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok) The anti-hero, played by John Bernthal, is known to fans through his eponymous spin-off series. He hits Spider-Man with his van and after a brief verbal confrontation, Spider-Man launches himself into the vehicle, causing them both to crash out the back of it. Following their fight, Spider-Man is seen as his civilian self at a party, where he watches on from across the room as his MJ flirts with another man. In a voiceover, he says: Sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing even if it breaks Peter Parkers heart. The trailer then sees Parker waking up inside a spiders web and experiencing heightened senses and strange behaviour as he asks: What is happening to me? Jacob Batalon, Zendaya and Tom Holland star in the new film (Yui Mok/PA) (Yui Mok) Fans then see Parker seek help from Dr Bruce (Mark Ruffalo), known to fans as superhero The Incredible Hulk. Another clip shows him leaving flowers at the grave of his aunt May, who was killed in the most recent Spider-Man film. Over a series of dramatic fight scenes, a voice says: Spiders have three life cycles. When between cycles, it can leave the spider vulnerable to threats. A glimpse of a mysterious character with their face concealed is then shown, and fans have begun to speculate that it could be Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, whose characters identity is yet to be confirmed. Mark Ruffalo returns to Marvel for the new Spider-Man film (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) The trailer also sees Michael Mando return as supervillain Scorpion telling Spider-Man to stay out of his way as he wreaks havoc on New York City. The trailer builds to a climax with explosions, violence and action-packed scenes which show Spider-Man faced with samurai-wielding ninja clan The Hand, known to fans from Marvel spin-off series The Defenders. The trailer ends as Parker brings flowers to a party hosted by MJ and Ned as he claims he is just a neighbour. MJ responds with a nod to the animated spin-off TV series, Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, and calls him a friendly neighbour. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be released in cinemas on July 31 2026. A public high school student from The Bronx who was arrested during an immigration court appearance has been released from federal custody after nearly 10 months inside a Pennsylvania detention center. The arrest of Dylan Lopez Contreras, considered to be the first New York City public school student detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, previewed the Trump administrations new tactic of arresting immigrants inside courthouses as they left their hearings. Very soon, my son will be back with his siblings and me it is both a relief and a blessing, his mother Raiza Contreras said in a statement through the New York Legal Assistance Group. Contreras who was 20 years old when he was arrested and turned 21 while in detention was enrolled at Ellis Preparatory Academy in The Bronx, which supports immigrant students considered too old to start at a traditional high school. What should have been a time for him to focus on finishing high school instead became 10 long months of isolation, after he was taken into custody at what was supposed to be a routine immigration hearing last May, said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Federal immigration officers have detained immigrant families, including schoolchildren, who show up for their immigration court hearings in New York City (AFP/Getty) Throughout this injustice, Dylan has shown remarkable strength, resilience, and courage, he said in a statement. I wish him a smooth and joyful return to his life, his community, and his future here in New York City. He is a New Yorker, and our city is glad to have him home. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer invited his mother to Trumps State of the Union address. Contreras entered the United States after fleeing Venezuela in 2024 with his family. He was granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, though the Department of Homeland Security claims he illegally entered the U.S. New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged White House border czar Tom Homan to release Contreras last year. Dylan is finally being reunited with his family, she said on Wednesday. But while this is a step towards justice, Dylan will never get back the time he unjustly spent behind bars, said Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition. Elected officials in New York must take action to make sure that we do not remain complicit in other New Yorkers being torn from their families, he added. After his arrest and detention, New York lawmakers, schools and advocacy groups sounded the alarm over the arrests of several more students, including some children as young as 6 years old. They joined a wave of arrests inside immigration courthouses and during ICE check-ins, with Manhattan fast becoming the nations capital for such arrests. Immigration courthouses across the country have become targets for arrests, as immigration judges dismiss immigrants cases, leaving them vulnerable to arrest from agents who are waiting outside courtroom doors (REUTERS) In June, a 19-year-old 11th grader, Derlis Snaider Chusin Toaquiza, who attended Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, was arrested and jailed inside a detention center in Texas. He was released on bond nearly two months later. Toaquiza was caught in a trap laid by immigration authorities in a courthouse in Manhattan, where federal, state, and local courthouses cluster within a few blocks, city officials wrote in court documents seeking his release. These tactics risk driving underground those otherwise inclined to follow the countrys immigration laws, undermining the very system that those laws are designed to serve, they wrote. That same month, 20-year-old Joselyn Chipantiza-Sisalema was arrested and sent to a Louisiana detention center. The RiseBoro Community Partnership student was released three weeks later and returned to school in the fall to complete her GED program. New Yorkers have rallied for the release of several immigrant students arrested since Trump returned to office, including Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, who spent three months in ICE detention after his arrest during a routine court hearing (Getty Images) Mamadou Mouctar Diallo, who was enrolled at Brooklyn Frontiers High School, a transfer school that serves many older immigrant students, spent roughly three months in ICE detention after his arrest during a routine court hearing last August. Diallo, who is originally from Guinea, has since been granted asylum in the U.S. and is in the process of obtaining a green card. While immigration advocacy groups and state and local lawmakers were able to successfully intervene in students cases, several other New York City schoolchildren have been deported in recent months along with their families. A second-grade student and her mother, who were seeking asylum in the U.S., were deported to Ecuador after an ICE check-in appointment in lower Manhattan last year. The girl attended P.S. 89 elementary school in Queens. Her detention appeared to be the first known ICE arrest of a New Yorker under the age of 18 since Trump returned to office. In a letter to ICE pleading for the girls release, P.S. 89s principal called her a kind, respectful, and dedicated young lady whose unexpected removal will cause significant disruption to her learning and will likely have a deep emotional impact on her classmates and our entire school community. Britain should rejoin the European Union, Sir Sadiq Khan has said. The London Mayor put himself at the helm of calls for the UK to ditch Brexit and fully rebuild ties with the European bloc. He tore into the humongous damage wreaked on Britain from splintering away from the EU. Londons economy is 30 billion smaller than if the UK had stayed in the EU, employment in the capital is down 230,000 jobs and the average family is about 3,500 worse off, he argued. Slamming the lies told by Brexiteers, Sir Sadiq told Italian daily la Repubblica: I see on a daily basis the damage Brexit has done to not just London, but Londoners, the damage economically, socially and culturally. Brexit has cost 230,000 jobs in London, says Sadiq Khan (James Manning/PA Wire) Im quite clear in terms of what needs to happen, which is, we should join the European Union. The Conservatives swiftly seized on Sir Sadiqs comments,. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: What Labour want to do is take us backwards. They want to re-fight the Brexit wars. The London Mayor proposed a five-step return to the European bloc, with a reset of relations with Brussels already achieved by Sir Keir Starmers government, then closer alignment, followed by rejoining the Customs Union, then the Single Market, both in this Parliament, Then we should, as a Labour Party, fight the next general election with a clear manifesto commitment, a vote for Labour means we would rejoin the European Union, he added. He stressed that the economic damage from Brexit was humongous as he highlighted new research by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, and Goldman Sachs, which he said confirmed that the UK economy would have grown by an additional 10 per cent but for Brexit. The London Mayor argued that rejoining the EU would deliver the single biggest boost to tackling the cost-of-living crisis in the UK. He added that the number of EU citizens in London had fallen from more than 840,000 in 2019 to around 700,000, That means 140,000 Londoners have left London, and the two biggest sectors theyve left... construction and hospitality, he emphasised. He also criticised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoods immigration crackdown, stressing that the system should be based on control, compassion and contribution and backing former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner for raising concerns about it. The construction sector in London has been hit by Brexit (PA Media) Earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the European Union would welcome Britain with open arms if it decided to return to the Single Market. His invitation to the UK, made at an event in Berlin alongside Germanys Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, came as Sir Keirs government was going on the offensive over the economic damage inflicted on Britain by Brexit. Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are now seeking to build closer ties with the EU, a move welcomed by many businesses who have lost trade, been hit with more red tape or both. Previously, Labour shied away from talking about Brexit amid fears of alienating voters in the former Red Wall in the North and Midlands. But with polls showing the country increasing seeing it as a mistake, the Government is making the UKs departure from the EU an election issue, seeking to put Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, one of the key architects of Brexit, on the back foot. Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron (PA Wire) France was expected to be among the countrys most resistant to the UK rejoining the Single Market, having played hard ball during the Brexit negotiations. However, Mr Barrot said: Look at our British friends, the UK, who have been talking about reset, who are now talking about alignment, and some of whom mention the term customs unions. So let us say to our British friends that if they stand ready to come back to the Single Market, with all associated privileges and duties, they will be met with open arms. Sir Keirs government has become increasingly vocal about the economic costs of Brexit, with trade disrupted including between Northern Ireland and Britain, as well as with the wider European bloc. The severing of the close trade ties between the UK and EU has led to a multi-billion pound blow to the British economy, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. Let us say to our British friends that if they stand ready to come back to the single market, with all associated privileges and duties, they will be met with open arms, says @jnbarrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Full declaration below pic.twitter.com/HMCaMObH1a French Embassy UK (@FranceintheUK) March 18, 2026 Labour has ruled out rejoining the Single Market or the Customs Union. However, a growing number of Labour MPs, including in London, are pushing for the UK to form a new customs union with the EU. Setting out closer EU ties as a pillar of her plans to boost ailing economic growth in the UK, Ms Reeves said Britain would align with the blocs rules where it served the national interest. While regulatory autonomy may be needed in some areas, that should be the exception, not the norm, she said in a speech at the Bayes Business School in London. When the economic gains exceed the cost, the trade-off is worth making, the Chancellor added. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is increasingly warning of the economic damage inflicted on Britain by Brexit (PA Wire) Brexit damaged trade between Northern Ireland and Britain (PA Archive) She stressed that Brexit had done deep damage, citing an estimate that it could make Britains economy as much as 8 per cent smaller than if the country had stayed in the EU. Let me say this directly to our friends and allies in Europe. This government believes that a deeper relationship is in the interests of the whole of Europe, she said. The Institute of Directors welcomed the attempts to remove Brexit barriers but sounded a note of caution about signing up to a wide range of EU rules over the long term in return for quick economic gains. Families have started a desperate search for their loved ones as rescue teams continue to pull out bodies from the rubble of a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul hit by a Pakistani air strike that Afghanistan said killed more than 400 people. Witnesses have described horrific scenes of the entire building burning, the roof collapsing, and patients screaming and running for their lives after the deadliest attack on civilian infrastructure so far in a three-week war between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A witness said it was like doomsday as they heard three bombs explode just as people in the centre were completing evening Ramadan prayers. They said two of the bombs struck areas where patients were residing. The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday, said Ahmad, 50, who said he was being treated at the facility. My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all. Rescue teams were searching for bodies in the rubble of the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital after the deadly Pakistani air raid on Monday at 9pm local time, on the 27th day of Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims. Afghan interior ministry spokesperson, Abdul Mateen Quanie, said 408 people have been killed so far, with 265 injured at the 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation centre. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has put a significantly lower death toll, saying they have counted 143 deaths so far in the bombing of the Kabul rehab, an official told Reuters on Wednesday. Residents and rescue workers inspect the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) An enraged relative of a victim, who was still searching for the remains, said Pakistan should be held accountable for bombing a civilian building. I am ready to sacrifice myself and become a martyr. What kind of situation is this? Pakistan has bombed us not once or twice, but many times, Safiullah, who goes by a single name, told Tolo News. Visuals showed heaps of rubble left behind after the strike, with the entire building reduced to debris. The remnants of broken bunk beds, charred pillows, blankets, and other personal belongings lay scattered in rooms that were not completely engulfed in flames. At the site of the airstrike at Omid Camp, a blackened single-storey structure bore the marks of flames. In other places, buildings were reduced to heaps of wood and metal, with only a few bunk beds still intact, while blankets, personal belongings and bedding were strewn about. At Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Hospital where the wounded were rushed and the dead carried in cries and screams shattered the sombre stillness, as families searched frantically for loved ones. A mother screamed her sons name as she scoured the corridors, searching desperately for any sign of life. We have been searching since morning to find our patients, whether they are sick, injured, or martyred. Until now, we dont know what has happened to them, Khan Wazir, another relative, told the outlet on Wednesday morning. Taliban security personnel inspect the site after Pakistani airstrikes hit the Secondary Rehabilitation Services Centre in Kabul (AFP via Getty Images) A 35-year-old patient battling methamphetamine addiction said he used to work part-time as an electrician at the rehabilitation centre. He said they were preparing to retire for the night when they first heard a loud explosion, and soon fire engulfed the rooms one by one. A little girl and a woman watch as rescue workers and officials inspect the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) I was going to my room. We had locked one group, and I had another in my hand when there was a loud noise. The fire rose very high. As I tried to escape, my leg became weak, and then another explosion occurred, he said. Another eyewitness, Noor Mohammad, said he saw planes pass multiple times, and that one plane circled the facility and came back firing. When the plane returned again and saw that many people were gathered, they thought we were all involved in recruitment. Seeing the large number of people, they began bombing, he said. Pakistan has denied claims that it struck the hospital and said its target was miles away from the rehabilitation centre. The Pakistani information ministry said it had attacked a military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site, which it identified as Camp Phoenix. Volunteers clear the debris at the site of a drug rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan (REUTERS) The visible secondary detonations after the strikes indicate the presence of large ammunition depots, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. No hospital, no drug rehabilitation centre, and no civilian facility was targeted, he emphasised. Residents, however, said that Camp Phoenix was an abandoned Nato military base in the city that was turned into a drug treatment centre about a decade ago. Locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or camp of hope, although its official name was the Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital. Condemnation has poured in following the deadly attack in Kabul, which was already reeling under economic stress since the Talibans takeover of the democratic government in Afghanistan in 2021 and ongoing clashes between the two neighbouring countries. The World Health Organisation said the intensifying conflict is placing additional strain on health systems and increasing risks to the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. I urge all parties to de-escalate and prioritise peace and health. Peace is the best medicine, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Wali Khan, who got injured in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike on a drug users rehabilitation hospital, sits on a bed after getting treatment at a hospital, in Kabul (REUTERS) The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) expressed deep concern over the strike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, confirming dozens killed and injured, and noting the complete destruction of parts of the facility, including areas housing adolescents, with no survivors reported in some sections. Unama called for immediate de-escalation, a swift independent investigation, accountability for violations, and full protection of civilians under international humanitarian law. UN Special Rapporteur, Richard Bennett, said on X that the air strike by Pakistan must be promptly, independently and transparently investigated, those responsible held to account, and reparations made to victims and families. China, which is an ally of Pakistan, urged both countries to exercise calm and restraint following the airstrike and called on the two sides to swiftly implement a ceasefire. Beijing did not condemn the strike but said further use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions. India, on the other hand, was more vocal in its criticism and said it unequivocally condemns Pakistans barbaric airstrike. Beds inside a ward of a drug users rehabilitation hospital damaged in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan (REUTERS) The Indian foreign ministry described it as a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence that claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility that can by no means be justified as a military target. The European Commission said that civilian infrastructure, medical facilities, and civilians must never be targeted, and called for the protection of civilians. We call on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible measures to minimise the risk of harm to civilians, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said in a statement. Scores of people have been killed on both sides of the border during months of fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harbouring militants who are being used to target Pakistan and were alleged to be involved in terrorist bombings. Taliban has denied the claims, saying tackling militancy is Pakistan's internal problem. When Sue Quinns osteoarthritis pain became debilitating, she baulked at the 27-week average wait time for a hip replacement - Matt Writtle I used to be that annoying person who prided myself on never going to the doctor, who relished my apparent immunity to whatever lurgy was doing the rounds. Covid? Never caught it. In fact, I rarely had cause to bother the NHS until, almost overnight, I aged from a fit and healthy 58-year-old to a decrepit centenarian or so it felt to me. In retrospect, my hip issues started long before I discovered the cause. Just before the pandemic started, my right hip began to ache now and then, my hip flexors twinged during Pilates, and a nagging lower back pain troubled me on long walks. As it turned out, these were early signs of osteoarthritis: the protective cartilage in my hip joint was gradually thinning, narrowing the gap between the bones until they rubbed together, causing pain and stiffness. As my symptoms worsened, I found myself on a merry-go-round of GP and physio appointments, X-rays and MRI scans. One orthopaedic surgeon unpleasant and arrogant told me I had a CAM impingement, a bony growth on my hip that was contributing to my pain. Andy Murray suffered the same condition, he added, as if that would ameliorate my discomfort. He said there was nothing he could do, suggested I lose some weight, and sent me on my way. And so, it went on. I saw NHS physiotherapists who were about as useful as a chocolate teapot. One scribbled stick figures on a scrap of paper to illustrate two exercises to strengthen my back, adding that I didnt qualify for any further sessions to check my progress. So, I spent the next few years paying for private physios, faithfully doing the exercises they prescribed to strengthen my glutes, back and core. I threw money at acupuncturists, chiropractors, heat packs and ibuprofen. Nothing made any difference. No choice but a total hip replacement Eventually, my private physio suggested I try to join the NHS waiting list for a hip replacement I was so shocked I cried. It was the first time a healthcare professional had suggested surgery was the only way to resolve my symptoms. I felt far too young for an old persons operation and instinctively wanted to delay it for as long as possible. I worried that a new hip wouldnt last forever, that I would one day need a replacement for my replacement, by which time I might be too old for further surgery. Then, suddenly, I didnt have a choice. In August 2025, my symptoms suddenly careered from manageable to life-impeding. Pilates was impossible, I could barely hobble to the end of the street, and I couldnt put my socks on. I was limping so badly that my back and knees were in pain from taking up the slack, and night-time leg cramps had me screaming. The worst part was the sleep deprivation. Pain seeped into my slumber, waking me repeatedly as I hunted for a position that didnt hurt. An NHS physio agreed to refer me to a surgical unit, the next step along the pathway to a hip replacement. Currently, there are 31,323 patients in England waiting for a hip replacement, each waiting an average of 27 weeks almost seven months though I was repeatedly warned it could stretch to a year. Sue had been living with the early signs of osteoarthritis for seven years before her symptoms became unbearable in 2025 Before even getting a clearer estimate, I first had to wait for a preliminary assessment by the surgical team. (Later, I discovered even this initial appointment came with a five-month wait at my local hospital. An administrative error meant I remained on the list despite taking myself off it to go private by the time a slot opened up for me, I was already home and recovering from surgery.) Hip replacement is now one of the most common operations carried out in England, with more than 78,000 performed in 2023/24, alongside cataract surgery, knee replacements and hernia repair. Demand is rising as we live longer and wear our joints out, while services are still catching up after the pandemic. These days, implants last longer, techniques are more refined and recovery is quicker, so surgeons no longer wait until patients are severely limited by pain before offering surgery. That also means people like me, in our 50s and even younger, are being offered new hips more readily than a generation ago, although most procedures still take place later in life. I dont blame the NHS; it is simply a service under extraordinary pressure. But the reality hit me with brutal clarity: how could I wait that long, in constant pain, with most physical activity impossible, my body accruing damage every day? There were practical consequences too. I write cookbooks for a living, but I couldnt stand at the stove for more than five minutes and had to perch on a stool at the hob to finish one project; taking on another in that state was out of the question. A long-planned trip to Rome with pals to celebrate my husbands 60th ended with me in tears at the hotel while everyone else went sightseeing because I simply couldnt manage the walking, even with painkillers. My physical and mental health were fraying as I became a diminished version of myself. The decision to go private Wanting to be sure operating was really necessary, I booked an appointment with a private orthopaedic surgeon specialising in hip replacements, for a one-off consultation. Part of me still hoped there might be another option. There wasnt, he said bluntly. I told him I couldnt afford to have the procedure done privately and would need to rely on the NHS, so he handed me a folder of information and wished me well. Yet once the prognosis had been confirmed, I struggled with the idea of waiting months, possibly a year for NHS treatment, when the operation could be done within weeks privately. I started trying to work out how my husband and I might find the near 20,000 it would cost to have the surgery with the consultant I had just seen. We didnt have that kind of cash sitting around, and remortgaging or a standard personal loan wasnt straightforward, given that my husband and I are both freelancers with uneven incomes. Then I discovered that Nuffield Health offered interest-free finance, repayable over 24 monthly instalments of 800, which felt doable with some belt-tightening and a pause on savings. The online approval took minutes and the surgery date, Oct 9 2025, was confirmed the same day. We were up to our elbows in debt to fix my hip, but I was overwhelmed with relief. For Sue, the high cost was worth it in order to secure an operation quickly with a surgeon she trusted The operation went smoothly. Yes, I had a private room and bathroom, nurses who appeared almost instantly when I pressed the buzzer, and food that was nutritious and genuinely good. But that wasnt what I was paying for. I was paying to have it done quickly, by an eminent surgeon I trusted completely, using the latest technology, and to give myself, at a relatively young age for a hip replacement, the best possible chance of a straightforward recovery and a durable result. Within hours I was on my feet with the help of a kind, funny physiotherapist, and once I could manage stairs on crutches, I was allowed home after just one night. I left with a bag of painkillers and blood thinners, a pair of crutches, a strange dog-lead contraption to lift my leg and a toilet-seat raiser, about which the less said the better. Getting my life back Over the following weeks, I returned to have the staples removed from the impressively long incision, saw the surgeon again and completed six rehab sessions with a physio, including three in the hydrotherapy pool. After that, recovery largely came down to daily exercises and help from my absolute angel of a husband, who made it his mission to get me back on my feet. At five weeks post-op, I was walking without crutches gradually increasing the distance each day and cooking again without that deep constant ache. Sue walked with crutches for five weeks following her operation What I hadnt fully appreciated was how much the rest of my body had adapted over the years to protect my failing hip. Limping for so long had thrown everything out of alignment, leaving muscles tight and overworked in all the wrong places. The new hip itself is pain-free bliss! but my back is still dealing with the aftermath, so Im continuing with physio to coax everything back into balance. It can take a year for the body to properly settle into its new mechanics, so Im glad I didnt wait months longer, allowing my muscles and joints to deteriorate further. I have no regrets about going private. People have since asked why I didnt pursue Right to Choose which allows patients to nominate an NHS hospital with a shorter waiting list or better outcomes, or even private hospitals that provide the service to the NHS at no extra cost but none of the health professionals I encountered mentioned it, and I didnt know it existed. Im also asked whether I could have done it more cheaply. Possibly. What I paid sits at the top end for a hip replacement, which can start at around 12,000 depending on the hospital, the surgeon and whats included. But choosing a surgeon isnt like shopping for the best-priced telly. I chose a highly regarded specialist whose outcomes I trusted and who used a state-of-the-art robotic technique, only a few hundred pounds more than his standard fee, for added precision. The financial stretch has been considerable, but Im now walking, sleeping and working again essentially, Ive got my life back. The awful truth is that, had I not taken this route, I would almost certainly still be waiting, in a physical and mental state I dare not think about. Id do it again in a heartbeat. Sergey Brin in Davos, Switzerland, on 19 January 2017. Photograph: Ruben Sprich/Reuters (Photograph: Ruben Sprich/Reuters) A Google founder has more than doubled his financial contribution to the fight against a proposed wealth tax in California. New filings with the state show that former Alphabet president Sergey Brin donated $25m to a Super Pac dedicated to blocking the tax on top of $20m he had already given. Brin is not alone among Googles top brass in upping his financial stake in the campaign against the ballot proposal. The companys former CEO Eric Schmidt donated $1.02m, adding to a previous $2m contribution. The tech titans are battling the California Billionaire Tax act, often referred to simply as the billionaire tax. Its a proposed ballot measure that would require any California resident worth more than $1bn to pay a one-off, 5% tax on their assets to help cover education, food assistance and healthcare pr ograms in the state. Its sponsored by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, and is still in the signature-gathering phase. If the measure reaches the ballot and gains voters approval, the tax would apply to billionaires based on their residency as of 1 January 2026. For Brin, worth about $247bn, the bill would likely be upwards of $12bn. That stipulation appears to have caused him and several other billionaires to leave California at the end of last year. Brin relocated to a $42m estate on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada, and his Pac donations show Reno as his address. Schmidts filings show his address as West Hollywood. The Super Pac that Brin and Schmidt most recently donated to is called Building a Better California. Among other initiatives, its dedicated to sponsoring a separate ballot measure called Protect Retirements that would kneecap the billionaire tax by banning retroactive taxes. The Pacs motto is Californias best days are ahead. Abby Lunardini, a spokesperson for Building a Better California, said the group is thankful for the billionaires support and is focused on long-term policy reforms in the state. We believe in public investments in housing, infrastructure, and education, but also that Californians deserve more accountability and safeguards for their tax dollars, she said. Brin donated $20m to Building a Better California in January, bringing his total donations to the Pac to $45m. Brin has also contributed to the states gubernatorial campaigns of Steve Hilton, the Republican frontrunner, and Democrat Matt Mahan, who is seen as tech-friendly and is a favorite among Silicon Valley elites. Related: California billionaires up political action with multimillion-dollar donations Schmidt also donated to Building a Better California in January, with a $2m contribution, making his total just over $3m to the Pac. The former CEO has also given $1.04m to another Super Pac fighting the billionaire tax called the California Business Roundtable. Along with Schmidts contribution, the California Business Roundtable has also received donations from Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel ($3m), Ring founder James Siminoff ($100,000) and crypto billionaire Chris Larsen ($750,000). Building a Better California has also gotten money from Larsen ($2m), along with DoorDash CEO Tony Xu ($2m) and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison ($7m). Several prominent venture capitalists have also shelled out to both Pacs. Brin has become increasingly involved in politics over the past two years, along with much of Silicon Valley. He attended a White House dinner last year, where Donald Trump called Brins girlfriend, wellness influencer Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto, a really wonderful Maga girlfriend. Brins former wife is Nicole Shanahan, who was Robert F Kennedy Jrs running mate for president in 2024. Schmidt has less of a presence in the Trump White House, but actively worked with both the Obama and Biden administrations. Schmidt declined to comment. Brin didnt immediately return a request for comment. Products featured in this Yahoo article are selected by our shopping writers. We will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The events company that helped plan Donald Trumps rally on January 6, 2021, where his supporters rioted and marched on the Capitol, has been handed $13 million in no-bid contracts from the administration since he resumed office, according to a report. The Trump administration bypassed normal procedures, where other firms typically bid on the contracts to get the best value for the taxpayer, to award the contracts to Event Strategies, a company that has had ties to the president since his first presidential campaign in 2015, The New York Times reports. On January 6, 2021, the company was responsible for the logistics of Trumps rally on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where the then-defeated president gave a speech and encouraged his supporters to protest against the result of the 2020 election, according to the newspaper. No one at the firm was charged with wrongdoing in connection with the events of January 6. Event Strategies has done business with Trump and his political campaigns since they organized his 2015 presidential bid at Trump Tower. And since then, the company has netted more than $67 million from political committees supporting Trump, according to the newspaper, citing public filings. The events company that helped plan Donald Trumps rally on January 6, 2021, where his supporters rioted and marched on the Capitol, has been handed $13 million in no-bid contracts from the administration since he resumed office, according to a report (AFP via Getty Images) The company was responsible for planning publicity events during Trumps 2024 presidential campaign, including when he worked the McDonalds fryer and drive-through, and drove a garbage truck. Of the no-bid contracts handed to the company during Trumps second administration, four were awarded by the Navy to mark the services 250th birthday, exceeding more than $10 million in total, and one was given by the Treasury Department for an event to promote the Trump Accounts, according to the Times, citing federal contracting data. In a statement to The Independent, a Navy spokesperson defended awarding the contracts to the firm due to a compressed timeline to deliver the events. But the way in which Event Strategies was awarded the contracts signals the firms special treatment due to its close ties to Trumpworld, the Times reported. The company has received $22 million in federal contracts during the second Trump administration, with the majority awarded through no-bid, according to the newspaper, which noted that federal agencies are required to award the contracts with complete impartiality and with preferential treatment for none. Tim Unes, president of Event Strategies, told the newspaper that the company was honored to play a role in bringing our nations 250th celebrations to life, and did not respond to questions about the contracts. The Independent has contacted the firm for further comment. The White House said it was not involved in awarding the contracts and that there is a standard federal process that it expects agencies to comply with. Event Strategies was responsible for the logistics of Trumps rally on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, where the president gave a speech and encouraged his supporters to protest against the result of the 2020 election (Getty Images) In total, the Navy awarded Event Strategies $12.6 million in contracts for events tied to the 250th celebrations, which were offered to them alone and in a departure from standard practice, according to the Times. They included two separate contracts for $5.2 million each in September 2025 for services the Titans of the Sea event in Norfolk, Virginia, another $2.1 million contract for an event connected to the Navys 250th anniversary in Annapolis, Maryland, and a $189,000 contract for a concert and cookout in Virginia Beach. A Navy spokesperson told The Independent that the firm was the only vendor capable of executing the requirement within the necessary timeframe. ESI had already been directly involved in the planning and execution of Army 250th events and possessed the institutional knowledge, production infrastructure, and operational readiness required to rapidly deliver the full scope of services for the Navy and Marine Corps 250th celebrations, the spokesperson said. The Navy received funding through an interagency transfer specifically intended to support time-sensitive production activities tied to this historic milestone, the spokesperson added. Public documents show that the Treasury awarded a $740,000 contract to Event Strategies in January to provide food, drink and audio-visual services at an event to launch the Trump bank accounts. The company was only hired the day before the event and was awarded the contract through a rarely-used loophole meant for urgent needs, according to the Times. Experts told the outlet that the loophole is usually used in cases of dire urgency, or in wartime situations. In a statement to the outlet, the Treasury said it adheres to all standard processes and procedures for federal contracting and procurement. The Boylesports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday is a possible option for Hewick, as John Shark Hanlon eyes a return to the larger obstacles following his run at the Cheltenham Festival. The popular 11-year-old, who famously cost a bargain 850 before taking his team on a dream adventure featuring US Grand National and King George VI Chase success, cut a bold sight for a long way in the Stayers Hurdle under the trainers son, Paddy, before eventually finishing seventh, beaten just over 10 lengths. Hanlon was left to wonder if a lack of a run since November ultimately told in the closing stages, but now has designs on adding another major prize to the pint-sized veterans decorated CV at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, if conditions prove suitable. Hewick has come out of Cheltenham really well, I just feel he was short of a run going into it, said Hanlon. I couldnt have been happier though with both the run and with the ride Paddy gave him, they really enjoyed themselves and get on really well together. He loved jumping and he travelled well. I just wonder if he was one piece of work short. He went on: Theres plenty of options and in the Irish National he could have a lovely weight. Paddy can claim 5lb which is a big help and he might have around 11st which would be a really nice racing weight. Fairyhouse would be a big option for him if he gets the right ground. Weve had so much rain here you would hope it would dry up at some point! Hewick is a 20-1 shot for the Irish National with the race sponsors, but also on the agenda could be the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the British season at Sandown. It is a race Hewick won emphatically in 2022, before returning to land the Oaksey Chase on the same card a year later under Rachael Blackmore, with Hanlon having fond memories of his late April trips to Esher. The Boylesports ambassador added: There a race in Sandown he could also go for at the end of April which is a big race as well, so theres a couple of options. Its worth 175,000 and weve been to Sandown and enjoyed ourselves at this meeting in the past. Also among the 85-strong entry list for the 500,000 Irish National the most valuable race on the Irish National Hunt calendar are Cheltenham Festival winners Holloway Queen and Johnnywho, for Nicky Henderson and Jonjo and A J ONeill respectively, plus Final Orders for Gavin Cromwell. March 18, 2026: Islamic terrorists have increasingly been using drones not just to conduct carry out attacks, but also for resupply operations. This means fortified borders and patrolled roadways are obsolete across the Sahel, in Yemen, and elsewhere. Drones have evolved into a reliable airborne logistics system that can transport nearly a ton of explosives, electronic parts, munitions and vital materiel each week over hundreds of kilometers of hostile territory. The ISGS/Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has spread terror and destruction throughout the Mali-Niger-Burkina Faso tri-border region in the Sahel. ISGS uses nightly relay chains of short-distance drones to ferry ammunition and roadside bomb components over desert terrain. Similar methods are used by the Houthi rebels of Yemen, and the TTP Islamic terrorists of Pakistan. This has not gone unnoticed. For nearly a decade American troops, especially special operations forces, got some very practical, and fortunately not too lethal lessons about what its like to fight an enemy equipped with a lot of drones. The first thing American troops learned was that these small commercial drones and medium sized Iranian drones were difficult to deal with. The smaller ones, similar to the two kg U.S. Raven, are difficult to hit with gunfire or MANPADS shoulder fired missiles. Another downside of using missiles or machine-guns to take down drones is that those bullets and missiles eventually return to earth and often kill or injure civilians on the ground. Electronic jamming, which most AUD Anti drone Defense systems employ with some success can easily be defeated by sending drones off on a pre-programmed mission. Nearly all drones have this capability. Used in this fashion a drone cannot be jammed and can take pictures and return very common or deliver a small explosive rare. ISIL\Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant was apparently the first to least successfully use armed micro-drones and for several years North Korea has been using small recon drones flying under automatic control into and out of South Korea. Criminal gangs have used small drones to smuggle drugs across tight borders or even into prisons. Islamic terrorists and drug gangs can afford to buy lots of the smaller commercial drones but so far these users have been found vulnerable to decapitation, as in capturing or killing the leaders or drone experts. This turned out to be particularly true for Islamic terrorists in Syria and Iraq. By either taking GPS data off a downed one or using intelligence techniques, electronic and photo surveillance, interrogation of prisoners and tips from informants you can find the few locations where Islamic terrorists operated maintenance and training bases for their drones. Smart bombs or even a ground raid put enough of these out of action and that greatly reduced the incidence of enemy drone use. Some nations, like South Korea and Israel have been dealing with this problem longer than the United States and have developed special weapons and tactics that involved more effective use of ground fire but have also relied on more sensor systems, especially new radars that can detect the smallest drones moving at any speed and altitude. Since 2014 a growing number of AUDs have been designed and gone into testing and development. In 2016 and 2017 many were sent to Iraq and Syria for use against the growing number of commercial drones ISIL was employing for surveillance or combat when rigged to drop small explosive devices that have caused several dozen casualties. One of the first AUDs, developed by a British firm Blighter, was delivered to U.S. troops in combat zones for use and, in effect, to see if it works as well in combat as it did, during extensive testing against 60 different drones during 1,500 test sorties. The Blighter AUDs can be placed on rooftops or any other high terrain or carried in a truck or hummer. It can detect drones 10 kilometers away and identify and disable drones in less than 15 seconds. This is done by either jamming or taking over the control signal and landing the drone. Separately an Israeli firm has sold AUDs to the U.S. military for use in the Middle East. None of these AUDs were a complete solution and they were expensive, $743,000 each, mainly because they were light enough for ground troops to carry in a backpack. But these systems were found ineffective for widespread use. The problem was that the Islamic terrorists had access to effective online advice from fans who had drone experience usually from living in the West and often helped develop effective methods for counteracting AUDs. The number of new anti-drone weapons showing up indicates that the countries with larger defense budgets see a need for this sort of thing and are willing to pay for a solution. These more sophisticated AUDs are safer for nearby civilians to use because they rely on lasers or electronic signals to destroy or disable drones. For example the CLWS Compact Laser Weapon System is a laser weapon light enough to mount on helicopters or hummers and can destroy small drones up to 2,000 meters away while it can disable or destroy the sensors vidcams on a drone up to 7,000 meters away. The CLWS fire control system will automatically track and keep the laser firing on a selected target. It can take up to 15 seconds of laser fire to bring down a drone or destroy its camera. Another example is an even more portable system that can be carried and operated by one person: DroneDefender. This system is a 6.8 kg 15 pound electronic rifle that can disrupt control signals for a small drone. Range is only a few hundred meters so DroneDefender would be most useful to police. There is also a high-end system similar to DroneDefender that can use data from multiple sensors as in visual, heat, and radar to detect the small drones and then use a focused radio signal jammer to cut the drone off from its controller and prevent, in most cases, the drone from completing its mission. The detection range of this AUDS is usually 10 kilometers or more and the jamming range varies from a few kilometers to about eight. The problem is the enemy can use their drones at any time and just about anywhere. No one has come up with an AUD cheap enough and portable enough to deal with this. Decapitation is one technique that works but only after the enemy drones have become a serious problem. As always, simple, safe and affordable solutions are always in short supply. Charles Hittler, left, is up against challenger Antoine Renault-Zielinski for the mayorship of Arcis-sur-Aube Their namesakes, respectively, led the Nazi tilt at global domination and battled Vladimir Putin for the future of Ukraine. But Hittler and Zielinski are fighting to control a tiny rural town in northern France with a population of 2,800. Charles Hittler, the incumbent mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube, will face a challenger named Antoine Renault-Zielinski in a mayoral run-off election drawing attention in France. The leadership hopefuls are two of the three candidates in the second and final round of voting in municipal elections on Sunday. Heading into the run-offs, Mr Hittler is the favourite with 38 per cent of the vote, while Mr Renault-Zielinski trails at 30 per cent. There are some jokes that are a bit borderline, but as long as its all in good fun, Mr Renault-Zielinski told French news channel BFMTV. It helps put the spotlight on Arcis-sur-Aube, and if it encourages people to discover our town, we should definitely go for it. Not everyone with that name is an idiot At 75, Mr Hittler, the incumbent mayor, said he had endured a lifetime of teasing for his surname. But voters in Arcis-sur-Aube will be pleased to hear he does not wish to emulate the similarly named leader. I kept my name to show that not everyone with that name is an idiot. It all depends on what you make of it. Some of his children and grandchildren, however, disagreed and decided to change their names. He said locals in Arcis-sur-Aube had refrained from calling him by his surname, and prefer to call him Charles or Monsieur Charles. The inhabitants of Gomaringen, a German town twinned with Arcis-sur-Aube since 1976, were also taken aback by the arrival of Mr Hittler when he won the mayoral election in 2020. It was hard for the Germans at the beginning, but now everything is fine. Were very close, were going to receive them in early May, he told BFMTV. The mayor says his party, Lets Act Together for Arcis, is non-partisan but describes itself as centre-Right. No relation, my name is Polish Mr Renault-Zielinski, 28, describes his Arcis-sur-Aube Passionately party as sovereignist. The customs officer said his name had piqued much more interest since Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with people asking whether he was related to the Ukrainian president. I always answer that no, because the ending of Zielinski with an i is Polish, unlike the y of Zelensky, who is Ukrainian. Mr Renault-Zielinski jokingly compared the election to another showdown in the town: the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube in 1814 when Napoleon was outnumbered by the allied army. I understand that people have fun. Personally, it doesnt make me laugh, but it doesnt offend me either, he said. Id rather talk about the city for something else, but at least thousands of people hear about the town. The executive producer behind Channel 5s new Huw Edwards drama has said that reading the disgraced broadcasters disturbing texts was like going into the heart of darkness. The one-off drama, titled Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, dramatises the events leading up to Edwards pleading guilty to making indecent images of children in 2024. Martin Clunes stars as the former News at 10 host, whose grooming of a 17-year-old is explored in the drama. In July 2023, it was reported by The Sun that a top BBC star had paid a teenager for sexual images, with Edwards wife naming him as the presenter in question shortly after. Edwards was never charged with a criminal offence in relation to the victim of the grooming. The 17-year-old who remains anonymous is given the fake name Ryan Davies in the drama and is played by Osian Morgan. Martin Clunes as Huw Edwards and Osian Morgan as Ryan in Channel 5s new drama (5 Broadcasting Limited/Wonderhood Studios) Speaking about creating the drama, executive producer Samantha Anstiss revealed that writer Mark Burt based the script on affidavits and firsthand primary source materials provided by The Sun including court documents that detailed Edwards psychological reports and text messages. I must admit when I first saw them, I felt like I was going into the heart of darkness, she said on Tuesday (17 March) at the dramas London screening. These text messages were in the most visceral, disturbing way, a very imbalanced relationship of power. In an unflinching way, we had to tell the story behind those messages. They were disturbing. Anstiss went on to reference a text featured in one scene in the drama, where Edwards tells Davies: I love you but you kill me. She added: They were the starting point really for us to go and meet the family and the victim, who is an incredible young man. I was struck by when I met him with his big smile and polite manner, how resilient he has been throughout this. Martin Clunes as Huw Edwards in Power (left) a dramatisation of the events leading up to Huw Edwards (right) pleading guilty to making indecent images of children (Channel 5/ITV) Burt added that Edwards anonymous victim was involved in every stage of the production, saying: It was his story and he had access to it at every single point. Hes read the scripts. We had all the texts; we had multiple texts. Huge sequences in the drama are verbatim. That was the communication, and the rest we built around it. In June 2024, Edwards was charged by the Metropolitan Police with three counts of making indecent images of children, which includes receiving digital copies. Appearing in court, he admitted to possessing 41 photographs on WhatsApp, seven of which were classified as the most serious type. He was sentenced to six months in prison, which was suspended for two years, in September 2024. He was also added to the sex offenders register. Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is set to air at 9pm on Tuesday 24 March on Channel 5. A woman flashes a victory sign for a picture as plumes of smoke rise from explosions in Tehran on 2 March. Photograph: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images (Photograph: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images) In the many bizarre exchanges that occurred in the run-up to the US-Israeli attack on Iran, perhaps the most unexpected was an invitation by Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff for the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, to join him and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for a visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. The idea that Araghchi would leave talks in Oman about the future of Irans nuclear programme to tour a ship sent to the Gulf in an effort to dislodge his government seemed idiosyncratic at best. But it was symptomatic of the unorthodox way in which Kushner and Witkoff approached the nuclear talks that stretched through last year and this, and have twice been halted by Israeli and US airstrikes. Related: UK security adviser attended US-Iran talks and judged deal was within reach One Gulf diplomat, who has direct knowledge of the talks and is furious with Witkoff and Kushners behaviour, described the pair as Israeli assets that had conspired to force the US president into entering a war from which he is now desperate to get himself out of. Witkoff does not pretend to regional expertise in one of his recent interviews he referred to the strait of Hormuz as the Gulf of Hormuz. Similarly, he admitted in an interview that his knowledge of Irans nuclear programme was sketchy, but insisted he was competent to discuss it since he had studied it. Yet, in the five sessions of the first round of talks last year held before the 12-day June war Witkoff rarely took notes and brought with him only Michael Anton, a hawkish essayist and political philosopher with no specialism in the Iran nuclear file. Anton was supposed to have an unnamed technical team back in Washington, and at times, as in May 2025, they could produce hard-core technical demands, but this level of expertise was never in the talks. When talks resumed in Oman on 6 February, Witkoff, in a breach of protocol and to the surprise of Omans foreign minister, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, arrived in Muscat with Adm Brad Cooper, the commander of US forces in the Middle East, in full naval uniform. Witkoffs explanation was that he just happened to be in the neighbourhood. Cooper was politely asked to leave the talks by his Omani hosts. In contrast, the Obama administration sent 10 senior officials from four different departments to talks with Iran in Vienna in 2009. The talks stretched over, in effect, three 24-hour days, and the negotiators were in constant touch with Washington to check details of the proposed deal. Quite why these indirect talks failed is not just a matter of historical curiosity, or a retrospective exercise in allocating blame for the start of such a disastrous war; it is relevant to whether a nuclear deal only is feasible or whether a broader agreement will be necessary now. This matters because after the war, if Irans government survives, calls inside inside the country to obtain a nuclear weapon will inevitably grow. Last weeks purported statement from the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, made no reference to whether the fatwa banning the use of nuclear weapons set out by his late father remained in place. Protesters outside the foreign ministry in Tehran have demanded no return to talks with America. Those involved in the negotiations say misunderstandings about how Irans complex nuclear programme worked including, for instance, the purpose and uranium needs of the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR), the scope of Irans planned future nuclear programme, and the offer for US firms to be involved in Irans economy all contributed to the march to war. Witkoff also compressed the time available so that on 17 February he also held talks with Ukraine, allowing just three-and-a-half hours for the Iranians. Since, at the Iranians behest, these talks were being conducted indirectly, the exchanges were frustratingly short. The Iranians now say they believe the talks were always a subterfuge, designed to create space for the US to assemble its military armada. Witkoff, for his part, said the Iranians were being deceptive, full of subterfuge and smelled fishy. One Gulf diplomat said: Greater time and expertise would not have guaranteed an agreement, but it would have helped. What I will say is that in all the explanations of what went on, it is the Iranians that have normally been telling the truth. The Geneva offer Iran has to take some responsibility. It has never published its seven-page written offer for a new deal, including the annexe, which was shown to Witkoff during the final round of talks in Geneva, despite calls from inside Iran to do so. Araghchi has said he hoped the truth of what happened on the final day of talks, 26 February, would soon become known. He could do this himself by publishing Irans offer one that Jonathan Powell, the UK national security adviser who was present at the talks, thought worth pursuing. Kushner admitted a deal could have been presented that was better than the Obama nuclear deal secured in 2015. It may also have been a mistake not to allow Witkoff to keep a copy of the offer, since he could at least have shown it to technically more competent officials in Washington. Witkoff would later describe their reticence to hand over the document as a tell that they were not interested in a deal, and were just playing for time. However, Kelsey Davenport, the director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association (ACA), said it was understandable the Iranians did not want to hand over their negotiating position given Trumps record of publishing confidential material on his Truth Social web platform. If I were Iran, Id assume that Trump would share details of the negotiations on Truth Social and with [Benjamin] Netanyahu and there would be even more concerted pressure from the Israelis to undermine the diplomatic process, Davenport said. So Im not surprised that Iran didnt want to share. But the kernel of what was proposed in Geneva is slowly emerging. British officials briefed on its contents thought it was a good deal, and something to be built on, partly because, unlike the 2015 nuclear deal, there were no sunset clauses. A plan for a US-led regional enrichment consortium, which had been central to the previous round of talks, had gone. A broad agreement was made for the return of full International Atomic Energy Agency oversight. Under IAEA monitoring and verification, Iran would get rid of its stockpile of 440kg of uranium already enriched to 60%. The stockpile, now thought to be under the rubble of the Fordow plant, would not be exported abroad, as had been proposed in the past, but down-blended, a process recognised as largely irreversible.. The biggest roadblock was that Iran refused to abandon its insistence on the right to enrich uranium for its future nuclear programme, and this would require eventually being allowed to run 30 centrifuges, far fewer than at present. The threat they posed depended on the quality of the inspection regime. Iran accepted that due to the destruction of their Fordow and Natanz enrichment plants there would be a multiyear pause in enrichment. On the final day of talks in Geneva, Iran offered a three-to-five-year moratorium, taking the pause past the end of the Trump presidency, but after a phone consultation with Trump during a lunchtime break, Witkoff came back insisting on 10 years. The US said it would pay for nuclear fuel to be imported over that decade. By that final day two days before the US and Israel launched their attack the two negotiating teams had also reached agreement on the lifting of 80% of the sanctions imposed on Iran, a source involved in the talks said. Oman said at least three more months were needed to work on the details. It was certainly closer than the maximalist US demands on 29 May last year, a fortnight before Israel launched the 12-day war on Iran on 13 June. Before the final talks, Iran again allowed it to be known that the US would face a commercial bonanza if it signed up to the deal. Hamid Ghanbari, a deputy foreign minister, told Iranian businesspeople this month that common interests in the fields of oil and gas, including joint fields [with neighbouring countries], as well as investments in mining and even the purchase of civilian aircraft, have been included in the talks with the US. Once the Geneva talks ended, with both sides only signing up to a statement about progress made, it was obvious to the Omani foreign minister that war was imminent, and he dashed to Washington to explain how close he felt the the two sides were to a breakthrough. But his proposal of zero stockpiling did not have the same force as zero enrichment. The dash across the Atlantic reflected Omans belief that Witkoff and Kushner, either knowingly or through ignorance, were not feeding Trump the truth about the progress in the talks. There was also doubt about Trumps focus. One previous attempt to engage Trump on the status of the talks deteriorated when the president switched the conversation to one of his favourite topics: shoes. In retrospect it might have been better to send a more senior emissary to try to hold Trumps attention. A day later the war started. So many issues could have been resolved Since the war started, Witkoff has claimed Iran suffered a Perry Mason moment in the talks when it was revealed to have been caught secretly stockpiling highly enriched uranium at its research reactor. This evidence, however, has long been in the public domain. US briefings since the outbreak of hostilities have also revealed inconsistencies in whether the Iranian ballistic missile programme was a red line that had to be included in the talks. Katariina Simonen, adjunct professor at the Finnish national defence university, said: The Trump administration is very impenetrable. It is a closed circle. The US arms control community has been at pains to offer real expert advice on nuclear physics, but the Trump team does not seem interested. Probably the biggest frustration is that this deal would have allowed the IAEA back into Iran, and so many issues could then have been resolved. Indians forced back in time to cooking with coal as Iran war gas shortages lead to long fuel queues Mohammad Mustaqeem, a 54-year-old food vendor in Delhi, has stopped using cooking gas altogether. Now that there is no gas, I am cooking with coal, he says, describing a shift he never expected to make after years of relying on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. The escalating war in the Middle East is forcing many countries into difficult energy trade-offs as they decide whether to curb consumption or bear rising costs amid tightening supplies. India is particularly vulnerable as it depends heavily on LPG imports from the Persian Gulf region. Its supplies have dwindled since Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz, the critical maritime route that carries almost a quarter of the worlds crude oil and a fifth of its gas shipments out of the Middle East. India uses over 31 million tonnes of LPG every year and imports about 62 per cent of that demand, according to The Hindu. Authorities are responding to the shortage by assessing available reserves, seeking alternative supply sources, encouraging conservation, and attempting to contain price rises. These measures, however, come with consequences. Attempts to cut energy use are affecting economic activity, while prioritising LPG for household cooking is putting commercial users like eateries and small businesses under operational strain. For Mustaqeem, forced to shift from LPG to coal overnight, the change is not just about fuel but a sense of reversal. Instead of moving forward, were moving back in time, he says. With no regular electricity supply and no access to a fixed shop, alternatives such as induction cooking are not viable. Mohammad Mustaqeem cooks kebabs on coal in Old Delhi (Namita Singh/The Independent) Across the Indian capital, particularly in areas without piped natural gas like in the central district of Old Delhi, residents and businesses describe similar disruptions. The Independent visited multiple LPG distribution outlets across the city where lines lasted hours, shutters came down early, and many were left empty-handed. Many residents visited an outlet of Indane one of the largest packed-LPG brands in India near Delhi Gate repeatedly over several days in the hope of securing a cylinder. Some waited for hours simply to obtain paperwork that might eventually yield a cylinder. Anjum, a 31-year-old from the Daryaganj area, says she has been trying to secure a cylinder for weeks. I booked my LPG cylinder back in February, she says. But Ive been unable to get it delivered and my visits to Indane agency sites havent yielded any result either. Her attempts have involved making repeated trips during the Ramadan fasting hours. I stand in long queues, she says. But by the time my turn comes, the shop shuts down. She blames the authorities for her troubles. It is the governments negligence, he says. Because of the governments laxity, the common man is suffering. Anjum, 31, blames the government for the LPG shortage (Namita Singh/The Independent) For Mohammad Naseer, 45, the shortage means a loss of his livelihood. He sells fried food but is unable to operate now. I have had to shut my business for lack of a cylinder, he says. I used to earn about Rs500 (4) per day. The income has come down to zero. After days of waiting at a gas agency outlet, he obtained a paper slip that would allow him to purchase a cylinder elsewhere. Now I have to go to Yamuna Bazaar where I have to stand in a line and then I will get a gas cylinder, he says. Deepak Kumar, a Chandni Chowk resident, says repeated visits to the local gas agency have yielded no success. For the past 3-4 days, I have been coming daily for the booking, he says. I am only told to wait. With each passing day, the uncertainty is growing. I am tense now, what will happen if I dont get it? The impact extends beyond households into the capitals dense network of small food businesses. Surjit Singh Arora, 74, who has run Amar Jyoti Restaurant since 1965, says the shortage is affecting cooking methods as well as customer demand. It is difficult to find alternatives in the short term, he says. While his experience has helped him adapt, the transition has not been smooth. Cooking style is very deeply affected. My fried items have been affected. My tandoori items are compensating but the cooking process has slowed down. The slower pace of cooking has translated into financial losses. A customer wont wait if cooking is taking so long, he says. Sales are affected. He estimates a drop in his income of about 25 per cent, rising to 30 per cent on weekends. Some dishes have disappeared from the menu altogether. Some of my dishes that are pan-fried Im no longer able to serve, he says. South Indian food that needs steam to cook and momos are very popular, and they have gone off the menu. To cope, Arora has shifted part of his cooking to his home where piped natural gas is available. Stuff like kidney beans, chickpeas that I can boil I get from home, he says. I now wake up early to prepare for the restaurant. Surjit Singh Arora says business is down about 25 per cent due to the LPG shortage (Namita Singh/The Independent) At LPG distribution centres, meanwhile, employees face mounting pressure from increasingly irate customers. Meghraj Singh, a 26-year-old LPG agency worker, says tension is palpable. Customers are worked up and tense. Some of them are even fighting with us. He describes long queues throughout the day. From 9am to 3pm, the queues are really long. Some people are actually crying. The shortage has also triggered a political slugfest. In parliament, opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the shortage was affecting the poor, middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users and questioned the governments preparedness. Government representatives have disputed claims of a widespread shortage. Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that there was no supply-side crisis, attributing the ongoing disruptions to panic booking and hoarding. Officials are urging consumers not to panic and claim measures are in place to ensure distribution. Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the petroleum ministry, said they were monitoring the situation and acting against irregularities. In the present situation, when we are facing a somewhat difficult phase regarding LPG supply, she added, the role of state governments and local administrations becomes very important, particularly in preventing hoarding and black marketing. Inspections and raids have been carried out and consumers have been encouraged to rely on online booking systems. The federal government has prioritised domestic LPG supply over commercial use and encouraged a shift to piped natural gas where available. It has also set up a committee to assess commercial demand and allocate supplies accordingly. Authorities emphasise that broader fuel supplies are stable, with refineries operating at full capacity, and there are no reported shortages of petrol or diesel. A man fastens a newly purchased LPG cylinder onto his cycle outside a gas agency in Chennai on 11 March 2026 (AFP via Getty) Energy experts say the disruption underscores how hard its for Indian households to shift away from LPG, even where alternatives exist. Sunil Mani, a policy advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, says the challenge goes beyond simply introducing new technology. The shift to cleaner cooking in India is not just about technology, its about affordability, reliability, and how people cook, he tells The Independent. For many low-income households, he notes, subsidised LPG remains the only practical clean fuel as electric cooking requires upfront investment in appliances and depends on stable electricity supply, which is not universal. As a result, alternatives, such as induction stoves, tend to supplement rather than replace LPG. This becomes more visible during supply disruptions when households and businesses attempt to switch fuels but face practical constraints. At the same time, recent shortages affecting commercial users highlight broader pressures in Indias cooking fuel system. Mani says prioritising LPG for domestic consumption may offer short-term relief but it also exposes the risks of heavy reliance on imports and the need to diversify cooking energy sources. On paper, he notes, electric cooking is already cost-competitive. Before the recent price increases, it was about 15 per cent cheaper than LPG. Now, the gap is nearly 20 per cent for many households. However, these savings arent evenly accessible, particularly where electricity supply is unreliable. Encouraging urban households with dependable power to shift can ease pressure on the demand for LPG, Mani says, helping ensure supply for poorer families supported by subsidy schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. In the longer term, he says, scaling up electric cooking may significantly reduce the dependence on LPG imports. Over time, gradually scaling up electric cooking could cut LPG demand by up to 50 per cent by 2050, strengthening Indias clean cooking transition and overall energy security. A man sits on a scooter next to LPG cylinders in Bengaluru (Reuters) Analysts warn the strain on supplies is exposing long-standing structural gaps in how India stores and sources LPG. Hemant Mallya, a fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, says the country does maintain some storage, but at a scale that falls far short of demand. We do have underground storage but the combined capacity, I think, is 140,000 metric tonnes, which is not sufficient, he tells The Independent, noting that India consumes close to 33 million tonnes annually. That mismatch is compounded by the nature of Indias refining system. India imports a lot of medium grade crude oil and heavy grade crude oil and the amount of LPG inherent in crude is substantially lower, he says, adding that domestic production remains limited. The dependence on imports has shaped how infrastructure has evolved. Because we produce very little LPG at refineries, the storage at refineries isnt sufficient, he points out, explaining the system is designed around continuous supply rather than large reserves. Efforts to build larger stockpiles have been slow, in part due to cost and geography. Officially, India does not have a strategic petroleum reserve policy, Mallya says, they have been increasing the LPG storage but clearly not at a pace that would bring contingency. Its almost like nobody envisioned that it would be this bad. Building reserves requires significant capital with limited immediate returns. If you have to keep one days worth of reserve, thats literally $250m, he says. Imagine if you want to keep a months worth. Thats the amount of capital that will be locked in without any return. Geological constraints also play a role. Suitable underground sites must be stable and leak-proof, and unlike some countries, India cannot easily repurpose depleted oil and gas fields at scale. Then there are technical constraints in buying LPG from alternative suppliers. LPG is a combination of butane and propane, Mallya notes. In India, the proportion is 60 per cent butane and 40 per cent propane. Thats not necessarily the ratio in which the US would sell their LPG. Even as policymakers encourage alternatives such as piped natural gas, access remains uneven. If you go further away from urban areas, the density is so low youll have to put much larger pipeline networks and therefore capital for much lower returns, Mallya says, adding that gaps persist even within cities due to housing and documentation barriers. Taken together, these constraints mean that while crude oil supplies may remain stable, LPG availability, despite being a by-product of crude oil, can tighten quickly under stress leaving households and businesses exposed when imports are disrupted. The South Pars gasfield in the Persian Gulf, pictured in January 2014, is shared by Iran with Qatar and is the worlds largest natural gas field. Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP (Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP) Israel struck Irans giant South Pars gasfield on Wednesday, marking a major escalation of the war, hours after Israeli forces killed the regimes intelligence minister and launched some of the most intense airstrikes in Beirut for decades. The attack on the Pars site in the Persian Gulf, which Iran shares with Qatar and constitutes the worlds largest natural gasfield, prompted Tehran to warn neighbouring states that their energy infrastructure could be targeted within hours, and triggered furious rebukes from Qatar and other nations in the region. Located off the coast of the southern Bushehr province, the field holds an estimated 1,800tn cubic feet (51tn cubic metres) of in situ gas, accounting for about 70% of Irans domestic supply and a vast portion of Qatars exports. Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari described the targeting of the gasfield an extension of Qatars North Field as a dangerous and irresponsible step. The Gulf states energy firm said later that Iranian strikes had caused extensive damage at its gas hub in Ras Laffan. Qatars foreign ministry condemned what it called a brutal Iranian attack, saying the targeting represented a direct threat to its national security. In a marked escalation, Irans military and security attaches were ordered to leave Qatar within 24 hours. Abu Dhabi said it had suspended operations at its Habshan gas facility after a separate Iranian missile attack. As the war intensifies, fresh evidence is raising questions over the purpose of the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. A day after Joe Kent, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned from his role in protest, the US national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, told Congress that Iran had made no attempt to rebuild its uranium enrichment programme since it was destroyed in the June 2025 strikes. As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Irans nuclear enrichment programme was obliterated. There have been no efforts since then to rebuild that capability, Gabbard said in testimony to the Senate. Related: Iran threatens Gulf energy facilities after Israeli attack on its largest gasfield Israels strike against South Pars was coordinated with and approved by the Trump administration, the American news website Axios reported, citing two senior Israeli officials. The report said a US defence official confirmed the claim. The attack on the heart of Irans gas infrastructure marks a significant stepping up of US and Israeli military operations. Until now, both countries had largely spared Irans oil and gas sector in an effort to contain global price shocks, but oil climbed towards $110 (83) a barrel on Wednesday as growing threats to Gulf energy infrastructure and the continuing blockade of the strait of Hormuz raised fears of further supply disruption. In a statement shared by Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday, Iranian authorities said five facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar will be targeted in the coming hours. The US-Israel war on Iran is now in its third week, with at least 2,000 people reported killed and no clear end in sight. The strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and US allies have resisted calls from Donald Trump to help reopen the vital shipping lane, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass. In a post on his Truth Social network on Wednesday, the US president appeared to suggest the US could finish off Iran and then leave responsibility for securing the strait to allied countries that depend on it, a familiar nod to his longstanding complaints about burden-sharing. I wonder what would happen if we finished off whats left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we dont, be responsible for the so called Straight? Trump said. That would get some of our non-responsive Allies in gear, and fast!!! The strike on the South Pars gasfield came as Iran confirmed the death of the intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, after Israel said it had killed him in an overnight strike, making him the third senior Iranian figure assassinated in 24 hours. Khatibs death follows those of Ali Larijani, the head of the supreme national security apparatus, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij militia. Related: US and Israels strategy to kill Irans top figures may prove counterproductive Khatib was appointed as Irans intelligence minister in August 2021 by the then president, Ebrahim Raisi. A cleric with deep roots in the Islamic Republics security apparatus, his career spanned roles within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the judiciary, and he was placed under sanctions by the US Treasury in 2022 over alleged cyber operations targeting Washington and its allies. The Israeli military said the intelligence ministry led by Khatib was the Iranian terrorist regimes primary intelligence organisation, which also played a key role in supporting the regimes repression and terrorist activities. His killing removes yet another pivotal figure from the core of Irans political and security establishment at a moment of acute crisis, after the deaths of Larijani a linchpin of the system, and the most senior figure to be killed since Ali Khamenei and Soleimani, along with other senior paramilitary figures. Taken together, the three killings suggest Israel retains detailed intelligence on the movements of Irans leadership inside Tehran and is able to act on it, leveraging near-total control of Iranian airspace alongside the US to strike with apparent precision. In Lebanon, Israel hit central Beirut, destroying apartment buildings in some of the most intense airstrikes on the city for decades. It also bombed two bridges over the Litani River, marking an expansion of attacks against civilian infrastructure in the south of the country. A spokesperson for the Israeli military said it blew up the bridges to prevent Hezbollah from transporting fighters towards the south of Lebanon, where the organisation is engaged in intense clashes with Israeli soldiers. The destruction of the two bridges, one of which led into the major city of Tyre and the other just south of the city of Nabatieh, further cut off the area south of the Litani from the rest of the country. Israel has bombed two other bridges over the Litani, petrol stations and major roads in the region in recent days, while issuing sweeping displacement orders for the area 25 miles north of the Israel-Lebanon border. Israels announcement that it would soon bomb bridges triggered a renewed flight of residents from Tyre. Cars packed with families and with mattresses strapped to their roofs headed northwards as civil defence members directed people towards the last remaining bridge out of the city, the other already struck by Israel. The Lebanese army withdrew from their checkpoints on the bridges ahead of the strikes, wary of being caught in the blast. Related: Israel faces stiff Hezbollah resistance as it attempts to push deeper into Lebanon Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to announce rocket launches at Israel and claimed it was holding strong against an advancing Israeli army in southern Lebanon. People wounded by Israeli strikes streamed into hospitals throughout the day. At least 968 people including 116 children had been killed and more than 2,432 people wounded by Israeli strikes over the last 16 days of fighting, the Lebanese ministry of health said. Despite heavy Israeli and US strikes on its missile infrastructure, Iran appears to retain the ability to launch targeted attacks. Israels medical service said two people, a couple in their 70s, had been killed in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. According to Israeli officials, the couple were killed by Iranian cluster munitions, which Tehran has been firing at Israel since the start of the war. In a separate attack, at least four Palestinian women were killed when an Iranian missile struck near Hebron in the West Bank on Wednesday night, the Red Crescent said. Even when intercepted by Israels air defence systems, such weapons can remain highly dangerous: their submunitions disperse in mid-air and may fall over urban areas, detonating on impact or remaining unexploded, posing a lethal risk long after interception. Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty (Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty) The release of the Epstein files has reverberated around the world, leading to at least nine resignations and investigations into high-profile figures, including the former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and the ex-prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The deluge of information has made it hard to assess the extent of the connections but a Guardian data analysis reveals how frequent, deep and longstanding his ties were to a number of high-profile figures. The Guardian examined more than a million emails released so far and identified over 150,000 unique emails between Epstein and a select group of elites and influential people (including those sent to or from assistants or close associates). In this two-part series, the Guardian analyses correspondence between more than 30 people and Epstein, and visualises the online relationships of seven high-profile figures. The first article looks at Mountbatten-Windsor, Mandelson, Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon, and the Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. Tomorrow, the Guardian will focus on the director Woody Allen, the former head of Barclays Jes Staley, and the renowned economist and former US treasury secretary Larry Summers. Appearing in the Epstein files does not constitute evidence of wrongdoing. default Steve Bannon: get link to Brother Epstein Steve Bannon mainly spoke to Epstein over WhatsApp but the Guardian identified almost 1,500 emails between them or their assistants mostly in 2018, a year after Bannon left his White House role. The two men often discussed politics and film. In May 2018, Bannon sent Epstein a Guardian article about a Dutch exhibition exploring his political propaganda. In a seeming reference to Leni Riefenstahl, he said the Nazi filmmaker was his hero. (He has previously spoken about learning from her technique while leaving the politics aside.) On Apr 22, 2018, at 7:31 AM, Jeffrey E. wrote: we should go see it. . sean can dress like adolph and you like leni On Sun, Apr 22, 2018 at 7:39 AM, Steve Bannon wrote: Leni my hero In July 2018, Bannon forwarded Epstein an article detailing his plans to launch a rightwing foundation called The Movement in Brussels. The text explicitly mentioned Bannons courtship of nationalists of the right from East to West. Epstein responded with strategic advice: From: Jeffrey E To: Steve Bannon Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2018 02:02:16 If you are going to play here , youll have to spend time , europe by remote doesnt work . Lots and lots of face time and hand holding Epstein also acted as an informal adviser to Bannon on some of his media projects, with Bannon asking him for feedback on American Dharma, a documentary about Bannons career directed by Errol Morris (Get link to Brother Epstein asap), and in August 2018 on an early cut of Bannons film about the US president, Trump @War. Bannon has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and told the New York Times that his relationship with the disgraced financier had been strictly professional. Epstein introduced Bannon to other high-profile people, including Kenneth Starr the late independent counsel who led an investigation into Bill Clintons relationship with Monica Lewinsky as well as the businessman Tom Pritzker, the celebrated leftwing academic Noam Chomsky and Bin Sulayem, the former chair of Dubai-based logistics group, DP World: From: Jeffrey E. To: Steve Bannon; Sultan Bin Sulayem Date: Thursday, April 26, 2018 7:55 AM Sultan Steve / Steve sultan *** Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem: I consider you a close friend and I dont have anyone I can call a close friend Bin Sulayem and Epstein had a prolific online correspondence, with close to 4,200 direct emails exchanged from August 2005 when the future DP World chair is asked what time you would like your massage today in New York to 2019. Among the many emails, in which the two often referred to each other as friends, shared travel plans, business ideas, contacts and news articles (including some about longevity and an article about the resignation of a Liberian minister over a sex scandal), there are sexual references and messages discussing women. From: Sultan Bin Sulayem To: Jeffrey Epstein Date: Tue 11/12/2013 10:55:55 AM By the way the Ukrainian and the Moldavian arrived Big disappointment the Moldavian is not as attractive as the picture while the Ukrainian is very beautiful From: Sultan Bin Sulayem To: Jeffrey Epstein Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 7:38 PM Subject: Russian Cypriot Attachments: IMG_2661.1PG: Untitled attachment 00062.txt This girl is russian father Cypriot mom I met her two years ago she goes to the American university in Dubai She got engaged but now she back with me . The best sex I ever had amazing body In 2009, Epstein wrote an email saying: Where are you? are you ok I loved the torture video. The US deputy attorney general later appeared to confirm the message was sent to an email connected to Bin Sulayem. DP World and Bin Sulayem have not publicly commented on the email. Bin Sulayem resigned as head of DP World, which is ultimately owned by the emirates royal family, after the revelations over his connection with Epstein. Bin Sulayem has not been accused of wrongdoing or charged with crimes relating to Epstein. From: Jeffrey Epstein To: Sultan Bin Sulayem Date: Tue 8/20/2013 12:38:34 AM Subject: Re: London gateway port is getting ready to open this October invite prince andrew.. i will organize if you want. also . can we organic for joi ito to be met in dubai on sept 2 *** Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson: A steadfast, generous and supreme friend The former prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on 19 February over allegations he shared confidential material with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsor, whose title was removed due to his relationship with Epstein, claimed to have first met the businessman in 1999, after being introduced by Maxwell. Email records released so far mainly show correspondence from 2009 to 2011, during and after the financiers time under house arrest after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In 2010, after his release from house arrest, Mountbatten-Windsor congratulated Epstein and offered to meet in Paris. From: The Duke To: Jeffrey Epstein Subject: RE: Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:02:13 +0000 Really, really good news. If you are in Paris around the 16th Ill be across to pay homage to your new life ahead!. 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. A HRH The Duke of York KG The correspondence suggests several meetings. In August that year, the prince invited Epstein for dinner at Buckingham Palace. After Jeffrey agreed, Andrew asked how many people would be there. Epstein responded: From: Jeffrey Epstein To: The Duke Date: Mon Sep 27 18:31:11 2010 I want private time with you however, i am here with sarah sue and vera, should i bring them all. so as to add some life. The same day, Mountbatten-Windsor confirmed the time with a see you then and later Epstein emailed to add another person to the list. To: The Duke From: Jeffrey Epstein Date: Mon 9/27/2010 6:41:23 PM add one more.. , romanian very cute Mountbatten-Windsor did not respond to invitations to comment but has in the past denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Sarah Ferguson the former duchess of York and Andrews wife from 1986 to 1996 was also in regular contact with Epstein. She enlisted his help around her near-bankruptcy and the financier helped settle her debts to a former assistant whom she appeared to owe just short of 100,000. After the story broke in 2011, Ferguson wrote to Epstein acknowledging he had been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to her family, even as she faced pressure to distance herself from him. Peter Mandelson: One of my best friends Mandelson, a key figure in the Labour party since the 1980s, was arrested and released on bail over claims he committed misconduct in public office during the course of his friendship with Epstein. Mandelson, who has denied any wrongdoing, had already lost his job as ambassador over his relationship with Epstein and resigned from the House of Lords and from the Labour party. Emails from 2009 appear to show Mandelson passing on a confidential assessment of potential policy measures by an adviser to Gordon Brown, who was prime minister at the time. Mandelson also appeared to discuss a tax on bankers bonuses, confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010 and advise that the head of JP Morgan should mildly threaten the UK chancellor. The records show his contact with Epstein lasted far longer than his time in government. The earliest emails in the files released so far are between Mandelson and Ghislaine Maxwell, with the vast bulk of the released correspondence between Epstein and Mandelson relating to the period between 2008 and 2014. Maxwell and Mandelson joked about his two previous resignations from government. From: Peter Mandelson To: Ghislaine Maxwell Date: 09:38 AM 6/17/2002 +0100 I love disgusting. Thats why I am wild and dangerous, and twice fallen. From: G Max To: Peter Mandelson Date: 18 June 2002 01:56 Suffice it to say that neither me not mine will lead to the third spill. You know what they say though. 3rd time lucky? Gx Mandelson referred to Epstein as his best pal as part of a 2003 birthday book released last year. The emails show he continued to view Epstein as one of his best friends in 2011, after his 2008 conviction. From: Peter Mandelson To: Jeffrey Epstein Date: Thur 8/4/2011 1:13:04 PM And a great fan of yours. Nat mentioned you at lunch and she raced my comment that you are one of my best friends and said you are the nicest and cleverest people she knows and how much you and taught her. The files also show correspondence between Epstein and Mandelsons husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva. In an email in 2009, Epstein appeared to send thousands of pounds to Avila da Silva to fund an osteopathy course. Mandelson and Avila da Silva married in 2023 after 27 years together. The wider network As many emails appear multiple times across the files, the Guardian used a large language model to clean names and badly formatted dates, manually verified those results and de-duplicated when possible. However, due to the poor quality of some of the scanned documents, as well as inconsistent redactions, the analysis will have missed some emails. Most of the emails shown in the analysis happened after Epsteins 2008 conviction, but this does not mean there was no correspondence or communication before then, as more documents are yet to be released and many of the documents have been redacted. Epsteins connections extended to politicians and diplomats including the former Norwegian PM Thorbjrn Jagland and senior diplomat Terje Rd-Larsen, who are under investigation over ties to Epstein, and the former Israeli PM Ehud Barak and his wife, Nili Priel Barak. Barak has denied any knowledge of inappropriate or unlawful behaviour. Jagland and Rd-Larsen are co-operating with investigators and deny criminal wrongdoing. Epstein also had a prolific online communication with some cultural figures. The Indian-American author Deepak Chopra, who denied any criminal or exploitative conduct, and Epstein exchanged thousands of emails from 2016 to 2019. And Noam Chomskys extensive correspondence also involved other members of his family. His wife and spokesperson, Valeria Chomsky, apologised for their grave mistake. Epstein was first convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution and a new investigation into the financier was opened in 2018. He killed himself in prison while awaiting trial for sex trafficking in 2019. The thousands of emails show how he connected elites across finance, tech, politics and the arts world and was valued for his networking abilities. As Summers put it in a 2017 email introducing Epstein to the editor of a scientific journal: I know people who circulate among the powerful, among the wealthy and among the brilliant. Jeffrey does all three to a unique extent. Additional reporting by Sean Clarke, Oliver Holmes and Tom Richards. The headline of this article was amended on 19 March 2026. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem is not a sultan as an earlier version suggested. Jonny Clayton has Luke Humphries in his sights again as he aims to keep his remarkable Premier League run going. The Welshman claimed his second weekly win of the year in Nottingham last week, beating Humphries in the final and making light of suffering with gout in his ankle as he limped to success. He withdrew from the European Tour event in Germany last weekend in order to recover and is ready for action when he takes on Humphries in the quarter-final. The Ferret is not here to play Read what else Jonny Clayton said ahead of Dublin in our preview of Night Seven on the PDC app & website https://t.co/gFQK4rQ2wU pic.twitter.com/VHNh8vVVyG PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 18, 2026 Two nightly wins in the first six weeks, its brilliant, said Clayton, who is eight points clear of Luke Littler at the top of the table. I wasnt expecting to do so well but its happening. Im looking for two points week-in, week-out, and anything else is a bonus. I love it. Im top of the league and thats where I want to be. Its hard to catch the ones on top. I know that Luke will be coming out all guns blazing in Dublin as well but my aim is to win two points. I dont care who I play against, I need two points on that board. Luke Littler will be looking for victory in Dublin (Nigel French/PA) (Nigel French) Littler will try and reel Clayton in as he opens against Stephen Bunting. The double world champion claimed his first nightly in Cardiff a fortnight ago and hopes for more Celtic success in Dublin. There is a double Dutch opening as Gian van Veen takes on Michael van Gerwen, who suffered a big upset in the European Tour event, going out in his first match of a tournament where he was the top seed. Josh Rock, who is yet to earn a point so far in a miserable debut campaign, takes on Gerwyn Price in the other semi-final. Sir Keir Starmer told Kemi Badenoch to say sorry for her stance on the Iran war as he accused her of advocating a headlong rush into the conflict. The Prime Minister tore into the Tory leaders position on Donald Trumps airstrikes on Iran, claiming she was making the gravest mistake possible by an Opposition leader, on her argument over committing UK troops to war. At Prime Ministers Questions, Mrs Badenoch asked Sir Keir a series of questions about the Lord Mandelson scandal, and what he knew before he appointed the peer British ambassador to Washington. But the Prime Minister repeatedly shifted the focus back onto the Iran war and Mrs Badenochs initial position on British forces joining the US-Israeli offensive airstrikes. With the war in its third week and hiking bills in Britain, he stressed: De-escalation in the Middle East is the quickest way to reduce the cost of living. And anyone who advocated for the UK to rush headlong into the offensive without a clear picture of what it meant for our forces or without thinking through the economic impact for families should stand up and apologise. Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein (.) Sir Keir repeated his apology to Jeffrey Epstein's victims, as he was pressed on Lord Mandelson's appointment. Mrs Badenoch said: "The Prime Minister tried to avoid scrutiny on the Mandelson files by releasing the documents immediately after Prime Minister's Questions last week. "So let me ask him now, did the Prime Minister personally speak to Peter Mandelson about his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as our ambassador to Washington?" The Prime Minister replied: "This was my mistake in making the appointment, and I've apologised to the victims of Epstein, I do so again. "It's clear the appointment process wasn't strong enough, and that's why I've already strengthened it. "But it was my mistake, and I've apologised for it. Turning back to the war, he added: She should follow suit and apologise for her gross error of judgment in calling for the UK to join the war in Iran without thinking through the consequences." Earlier, a minister defended Sir Keir as a serious leader after Angela Rayner warned that Labour is running out of time to deliver change. With Labour facing a hammering at the May local elections, including in London, former Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner stressed that the party cannot go through the motions in the face of decline. In what will be seen at Westminster as a challenge to Sir Keirs leadership, she said Labour had come to be seen to represent the Establishment, not working people, called for a change of course and criticised the Governments immigration policy. Angela Rayner who has warned that Labour is running out of time to deliver change in Britain (PA Archive) Labour has plummeted in the polls to record lows, including in London. Ahead of Prime Ministers Questions, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds defended Sir Keir after Ms Rayners intervention. The Prime Minister whether it is over Iran or more widely on domestic policy has shown exactly the serious leadership for serious times, he told BBC Radio 5 Live. Asked if Ms Rayner would be a better PM, he added: There is no contest for the leadership of the Labour Party to even enter into discussion about other candidates. But specifically I think the Prime Minister really has shown fine leadership on the Iran crisis, he emphasised with Sir Keir having stood up to Donald Trump over the conflict. The Prime Minister has refused to allow US forces to use UK bases for the initial and offensive airstrikes on Iran, with growing questions over the conflicts legality. Mr Thomas-Symonds added: Where I would agree (with Ms Rayner), and I think everybody across Government would agree, is sharing an impatience with the pace of change, and that applies to every single one of us. Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer have clashed over the Iran war (PA Wire) He then accused Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UKs chief Nigel Farage of jumping in to support Donald Trumps offensive airstrikes on Iran and to have been ready to put our troops in harms way. Ms Badenoch, who Sir Keir has accused of the mother of U-turns over the war, was seeking on Wednesday to turn the spotlight back onto its impact on millions of people in Britain now facing higher petrol, energy and mortgage bills. On Tuesday, in a speech at an event by campaign group Mainstream, Ms Rayner had cited immigration reform as a key concern, suggesting that changes to indefinite leave to remain for people already living in Britain would be a breach of trust. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to double the time it takes for migrants to qualify for permanent residence from five to 10 years, arguing that long-term settlement is a privilege that must be earned. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood who is pushing through controversial immigration reforms (PA Wire) On the broader state of politics, Ms Rayner stressed: As a party, and as a movement, we cannot hide, we cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline. Theres no safe ground and were running out of time. The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt, and we have to show that it is a Labour government that will deliver it. Ms Rayner resigned as Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister last year after a row over her underpayment of stamp duty on a new property. More than 100 Labour parliamentarians have signed a letter urging the Government to rethink its immigration proposals. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (PA Wire) Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who was blocked by Labour chiefs from being the partys candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, voiced sympathy for the views expressed by Ms Rayner. I understand the frustration people feel. We heard that at the by-election, and of course, Angela is reflecting some of that, he said. Weve got to, all of us, havent we, work together to pull together a plan that turns the country around. Health chiefs are investigating 29 cases of meningitis linked to an outbreak in Kent following an explosive outbreak that has left two dead. The fatal outbreak of meningitis B has spread to a second Kent university. Leaders at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) said there was one case of meningococcal disease involving a student there, linked to the initial cluster associated with Club Chemistry. It has also been confirmed that a student in London who has been diagnosed with the illness is directly linked to the same outbreak. Escape Studios, an animation school in North Greenwich, confirmed the individual had been hospitalised. Top doctors said it is unusual to see such a rapid spread of cases of meningitis, blaming a super-spreader event for the surge in numbers. Some of the cases have been confirmed as meningitis B. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which is investigating the outbreak, said it would confirm the strain seen in other cases when we have the full results. Hundreds of people who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury on 5, 6 or 7 March have been told to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure, while a targeted vaccination drive for students at the University of Kent is being urgently rolled out. An urgent public health alert has been issued, with officials urging NHS staff to be vigilant for signs and symptoms. People have also been warned that university students are particularly susceptible to the deadly infection. Here are the symptoms of meningitis and what to do if you suspect you have the infection, according to the NHS. What is meningitis? Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis affects around 2.3 million people globally every year. Its estimated that up to one in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal, according to the NHS. The UKHSA and the NHS are arranging antibiotics for some students at the University of Kent (Alamy/PA) Although anyone can get meningitis, it is more common in babies, children, teenagers and young adults. What are the symptoms of meningitis? Early warning signs of meningitis include a high temperature, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain and stomach cramps. As the condition develops, it can make people drowsy, irritable and confused, as well as cause severe muscle pain, pale, blotchy skin, spots or a rash, stiff neck, an aversion to bright lights and convulsions or seizures. Meningitis Now urges people not to wait until someone develops a rash and to seek medical help if someone is ill and displaying these symptoms. What causes meningitis? There are many different causes of meningitis, including viruses, bacteria and fungi. However, in the UK, viruses and bacteria are the most common causes. Other causes of meningitis include some medicines or brain tumours. It can also occur following a skull fracture or head and neck surgery, according to Meningitis Now. Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis. A headache and high temperature can be symptoms of meningitis (Getty/iStock) What are the different strains? There are five main strains that cause the disease in the UK. MenB is the most common and also the deadliest. Health officials have said that at least some cases of meningitis seen in Kent have been confirmed as meningitis B. Other strains include MenA, MenC, MenW and MenY, which are also caused by bacteria. What is meningitis B? Meningitis B is a serious bacterial infection, which is caused by Neisseria meningitidis group B bacteria. It can lead to severe illness, including meningitis, which is an infection in the brain and spinal cord, blood poisoning, and sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection. MenB, the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK, is responsible for around nine in 10 of meningococcal infections in the country, according to Public Health Wales. It is one of the most aggressive and dangerous strains of meningitis, causing the majority of meningococcal cases and deaths in the UK. How does meningitis spread? Infections that cause meningitis can be spread through coughing, sneezing or kissing. Any young person who has missed this vaccine at school remains eligible to receive it up to the age of 25 (Getty/iStock) It is usually caught from those who carry the viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat, or from someone with meningitis, although this is less common. How serious is meningitis? If it is not treated quickly, it can lead to sepsis, brain or nerve damage, hearing loss or even death. Some with bacterial meningitis can be left with hearing or vision loss, problems with memory, fits or loss of limbs, even after being treated. Can meningitis be treated? Those with viral meningitis will usually get better on their own. Most people with bacterial meningitis who are treated quickly will also make a full recovery. However, it usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week. Treatments include antibiotics and fluids given directly into a vein or oxygen through a face mask. Are there vaccines for meningitis? There are vaccines available to prevent some types of meningitis, which are available as part of the UK routine immunisation schedule. Vaccines include the menB, six-in-one, pneumococcal and MMRV vaccines for babies and children, while the MenACWY jabs are offered to teenagers, sixth-form students and new university students. The menB vaccine is now offered to babies at two, three and 12 months. At least a week of hospital treatment is usually needed to treat bacterial meningitis (Getty/iStock) Men W disease has historically been rare in the UK, but from 2009, cases of MenW began to increase year on year. From autumn 2015, a MenACWY vaccine replaced the MenC vaccine for children in school and is offered at around 14 years of age. Any young person who has missed this vaccine at school remains eligible to receive it up to the age of 25. This is especially important for new university entrants, for whom the risk of contracting meningococcal disease increases. A former health minister said the government should consider a catch-up vaccination campaign for young people. Speaking of the latest outbreak on Tuesday, Helen Whately, Conservative MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, told Times Radio: One of the things that the government (and) UKHSA will need to look at is if there is now a greater risk around this outbreak and in future should there be some kind of vaccination catch-up for that group. What should you do if you think you have meningitis? The NHS recommends that people call 999 for an ambulance or go to their nearest A&E. People are advised to trust their instincts, as someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly. Labour failed to exit the Tories doomed Rwanda deal when it took office, leaving taxpayers on the hook for a 100m bill, an international court has heard. Sir Keir Starmer boldly pledged on his first day in office in July 2024 that the Rwanda scheme was dead and buried, but the government failed to quit the deal until December 2025, the Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands, has heard. Rwanda says this means it is owed 100m in payments promised under the deal and is also seeking a further 6m in compensation for the UKs failure to receive vulnerable refugees under the terms of the agreement, court submissions revealed. Rwanda is arguing that Britain should have taken in 300 refugees, likening the approach to the one-in, one-out deal with France. The UKs deal with Rwanda was agreed in April 2022 under then prime minister Boris Johnson, with a formal treaty between the countries then signed under Rishi Sunaks premiership. The arrangement allowed the UK to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, with the UK providing hundreds of millions of pounds to get the deal up and running. Only four migrants were ever sent to the country from the UK, and they did so voluntarily. Under the terms of the deal, the UK agreed to receive vulnerable refugees from Rwanda in exchange, the court heard; however, there was no number given on how many. The Rwandan government argued in the Court of Arbitration on Wednesday that the UK had not only failed in its obligation to continue with payments under the deal, but had also failed to arrange to take hundreds of refugees from the East African country. Emmanuel Uorahsherja, representing Rwanda, speaking at The Hagues Court of Arbitration (Court of Arbitration) They argue that, given the UK was planning to deport 300 migrants to Rwanda in the first year of the deal, a reciprocal number of refugees should have been received by Britain. This would accord with the UK-France deal, which is premised on the UK accepting a migrant from France for every migrant it returns to France, Rwanda said. They are asking for 6m in compensation for this perceived failure. This is in addition to two 50m payments that the Rwandans say the UK had committed to in a 2024 financial note, which were due to be paid in April 2025 and April 2026. Dr Emmanuel Uorahsherja, representing Rwanda, told the court: Rwandas case is straightforward. The UK may wish Rwanda to forgo significant sums of money; the parties may well have had discussions on this matter, but Rwanda ultimately chose not to provide its consent to the UKs proposal. It did so in very clear terms by refusing to accept the language of agreement in the UKs draft initiating note. Former Conservative home secretary Suella Braverman disembarks her plane as she arrives at Kigali International Airport for her visit to Rwanda in 2023 (PA) He added: The simple fact remains that the UK did not give notice to terminate the treaty until December 2025. Actually, the termination took effect only two days ago on Monday. Dr Uorahsherja pointed out that while the agreement was in force for two months under the Tory government, and the financial note for just over two weeks, both of these binding legal instruments have been in force for over 18 months under the British government that won the elections in 2024. He said the obligations under which they have chosen to remain bound must be honoured. He said that the Rwandans only heard that the deal had been scrapped when Sir Keir Starmer told the media. Lord Verdirame KC, a member of the House of Lords acting for Rwanda, explained to the court that there were discussions between the UK and Rwanda on forgoing the payments in October 2025. The UK had offered Rwanda a diplomatic visa waiver in exchange for Rwanda not seeking the additional funds, the court heard. The UKs deal with Rwanda was agreed in April 2022 under then prime minister Boris Johnson (Getty) However, Rwanda wanted more in exchange for agreeing not to pursue the funds, with one minister pushing for further visa concessions and noting that the UK harboured suspects wanted for alleged roles in the 1994 genocide. Discussions then broke down, the court heard, with reconciliation abandoned in November last year. In their submissions, Rwanda said that 120m-worth of funds received from the UK for economic development under the deal had been spent on education, health, agriculture and IT sectors. This included a school construction project and buying health equipment, they said. Rwanda relied on the payments to support a specific plan of public expenditure, the court heard. The UK had paid 270m to Rwanda before Labour took power, documents showed. The UK government is due to make its case to the Court of Arbitration on Thursday. March 18, 2026: The Ukraine War, now entering its fifth year, is experiencing a growing shortage of soldiers to defend the 1,100 kilometers of front line. Both Russia and Ukraine find themselves with populations unable to generate enough new soldiers to replace losses. Many of those losses are deserters, or military age men fleeing the country before the military can recruit or mobilize them. Many Russian soldiers joined the reserves to avoid fighting in Ukraine. The reserve units were for any other national emergency. Remember that Russia did not consider the invasion of Ukraine a war, but a special operation. By now most Russians have come to see Ukraine as a bad place, where you are likely to get killed or wounded. Now Russia is calling up reserve units and finding that many of the reservists had somehow disappeared. The end result has been not enough troops to guard the entire front line. Both sides have this problem and over the last six months troops and commanders have quickly adapted. The solution is to keep unmanned frontline areas under constant drone surveillance. Recruiting men to become drone operators is much easier than obtaining infantrymen. When drone operators spot enemy troops moving through the unmanned front line, attack drones are sent to attack the enemy troops while a company or two of infantry held in reserve are sent in to clear out any remaining enemy troops. All this would not be happening had not the war in Ukraine led to radical changes in the way ground combat is conducted and experienced. There is no longer a conventional combat zone with a front line and large numbers of soldiers moving about. Drones keep the battlefield under constant surveillance. If a target is spotted, a nearby attack drone either drops an explosive or crashes into the target and explodes. Videos and still photos of this captured by the drones produce horrific images of the last moments of a soldier's life. A battlefield where each side can see everything all the time changes the way troops move about and survive in a 30 kilometer deep zone where both sides drone operators are covered with nets to prevent drone attack. Troops move around in small groups at night wearing cloaks that conceal their shape and body heat. Moving a hundred meters this way is exhausting but survivable. Soldiers use drones and sometimes themselves as bait to get the enemy to reveal what they are going to do. You set up traps in these situations and are ready to have your drones attack enemy soldiers who got sloppy or just unlucky. Cesar Chavez speaking to demonstrators in Foley Square. Photograph: Frank Hurley/New York Daily News via Getty Images (Photograph: Frank Hurley/New York Daily News via Getty Images) Lawmakers, union leaders and several community organizations expressed their shock and disgust after several women shared allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior and abuse by the late labor organizer Cesar Chavez. The New York Times released an investigation on Wednesday detailing the allegations, which revealed that for years the co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union had groomed and sexually abused girls who were involved in the movement. The report has led to multiple cancellations or rebranding of events that were meant to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, which is observed annually on 31 March, Chavezs birthday. States including California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Minnesota have recognized the holiday. Before the Times released the report, media inquiries about the allegations prompted the UFW to cancel celebrations honoring Chavez, calling the allegations disturbing, shocking and indefensible. Related: United Farm Workers union cancels Cesar Chavez events over abuse allegations Gavin Newsom said in a press conference on Wednesday that all of us are processing the allegations and emphasized that the farm workers movement and a labor movement are much bigger than one man. That will be our focus as we process what the next steps are, the California governor said. Were for justice. Were for the truth. Were for transparency. We want to have the backs of our victims. Adelita Grijalva, a US representative of Arizona, where Chavez was born, said she was deeply troubled by the allegations and extended her support for the victims. The state of Arizona has announced it will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day on 31 March as a state holiday. To the survivors: estamos con ustedes we are with you, Grijalva said. We hear you, we believe you and we admire the immense courage it takes to speak out. I know that there is a profound sense of grief in our community today that may bring mixed emotions, she said. The betrayal of trust by a leader who had such a significant impact on our community is difficult to comprehend. We still have more questions than answers. However, it is important to remember that one person does not define a movement. We, the people, are the movement. Chavez gained international prominence with boycotts and fasts for higher wages and better working conditions for immigrant workers who picked grapes and performed other agricultural labor. He died in 1993 at the age of 66. In 1994, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, for his activism. Joe Biden also displayed a bronze bust of Chavez in the Oval Office. The Times investigation includes allegations by Dolores Huerta, one of the countrys most influential labor activists and Chavezs ally, who said he forced her to have sex with him in the 1960s. Huerta released a statement on Wednesday saying she can no longer stay silent. Huerta told the news outlet that Chavez drove her to a grape field in Delano, California, in 1966 and raped her. She was 36 at the time. The rape led to a pregnancy, as did a second sexual encounter, according to her statement. Huerta had not publicly shared her story, and said in the statement that she chose to come forward after the Times indicated that I was not the only one there were others. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, praised the courageous women who came forward, including Huerta, a close personal friend and ally. Related: Dolores Huerta says she was abused by Cesar Chavez: My silence ends here We must listen to the survivors, speak their truth, and uphold the values of dignity and justice in the face of conduct that deplorably betrays those principles, Pelosi said, adding: No legacy is above accountability. Speaking at an event on Wednesday, Newsom said he was open to renaming Cesar Chavez Day in California, which became a state holiday in 2000 and is commemorated on 31 March. Lou Correa, a California representative, also condemned the late activists abuse of women. Whether it is the president of the United States, a British prince or a leader of farm workers, all sexual predators must be held accountable, Correa said. There must be zero tolerance for sexual predators, especially those who prey on young children. Katie Hobbs, Arizonas governor, became the first governor to say that her state would stop recognizing Cesar Chavezs holiday. A spokesperson for Hobbs said in a statement that she is deeply concerned by the troubling allegations. As a social worker who worked with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, Governor Hobbs takes allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against women and minors very seriously, the spokesperson said. Daniel Lurie, San Franciscos mayor, said in a post on X that he was in touch with labor and community leaders in San Francisco and will continue to ensure we are supporting this community and all survivors. It takes immense bravery to come forward, and my heart goes out to all of the survivors, including Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and Dolores Huerta, he said. The accounts of abuse are deeply disturbing and unacceptable. In Texas, La Union del Pueblo Entero (Lupe), another advocacy group co-founded by Chavez, is also cancelling events before the Cesar Chavez holiday, calling the allegations against Chavez indefensible. LUPE in South Texas is an organization that was built primarily by women and is led primarily by women, and we understand the severity of this news and the pain and distress it will cause to so many people, especially survivors of abuse, the organization said in a statement. The San Antonio Express-News reported in early March that the Cesar E Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation in Texas announced it was cancelling its 28 March event, citing a sensitive matter. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the USs largest labor federation, said: These horrific, disturbing allegations come as a deep shock to us. Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one especially children should ever have to survive. No legacy can excuse it. The AFL-CIO will not participate or endorse any upcoming activities for Cesar Chavez Day. In the Bay Area, several groups addressed the allegations and are considering renaming memorials that honor Chavez. Myrna Melgar, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors, told the Times that the street and the elementary school named after Chavez will be renamed in due time, and called for the conversation to revolve around the harm for now. The Cesar E Chavez Community Action Center at San Jose State University said in a statement that it is appropriate that we pause to determine our next steps. In Sacramento, a local news outlet reported that the citys annual Chavez march was still on as of late Tuesday, though organizers were discussing a possible rebrand. Xavier Becerra, former US health and human services secretary and former California attorney general, emphasized the impact made by the UFW and called the allegations against Chavez a painful side to this story. Iconic labor leader Dolores Huerta has come forward to tell her story and use her voice to empower other survivors to tell their story, Becerra said. We must stand behind the truth and those who live it. Alex Padilla, a California senator, called the allegations heartbreaking and commended the women who came forward. His remarks come about a year after he and the US representative Raul Ruiz introduced legislation to create the Cesar E Chavez and the Farmworker Movement national historical park. These are heartbreaking, horrific accounts of abuse, Padilla said. I stand with the survivors, commend them for their bravery in sharing their stories and condemn the abhorrent actions they described. The survivors deserve to be heard. President Emmanuel Macron said France would never take part in operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, and that France was carrying on with work to prepare a coalition that could provide freedom of navigation once hostilities ended. The top Republican on the Senates Homeland Security committee has ripped into Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who is asking for his colleagues approval to run the Department of Homeland Security under Donald Trump. Mullin refused to apologize for his comments about Sen. Rand Paul, saying in his opening statements to the committee during his confirmation hearing that he understands why Pauls neighbor attacked him, leaving him with several broken ribs. The Oklahoma senator, who is set to be the face of the agency behind the presidents anti-immigration agenda, enters the picture after Trump fired Kristi Noem days after she came under bipartisan fire in congressional hearings earlier this month. Here is a recap of the hearing: 12:15 p.m. Mullin evades questions about super secret trips Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin is Trumps pick to replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem (Getty) As the hearing was drawing to a close, the committees top senators tried to understand why Mullin couldnt answer questions about his international travel, and even invited him to speak in a classified setting to understand work he was allegedly performing while a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. You brought this up that you were on a super secret mission that you can't tell us about, Paul said. Sen. Gary Peters, the committees top Democrat, said Mullins story always seems to, kind of, change, and noted that the FBI has not named him in any classified materials. Candor, honesty, transparency are absolutely critical particularly at this time to try to build trust as the secretary of Homeland Security, he said. We want to know what this supposed classified work was. I have real questions about it. Mullin insisted it was a classified trip but it wasnt a mission, though he declined to say who assigned it or where he went. I have zero issue with talking about it, Mullin said. I dont have clearance to talk about this this afternoon. I dont know how we would begin doing this without your cooperation, Paul said. A vote on Mullins nomination is expected this week, though Paul said he was willing to hold the vote to get more information about Mullins travel. 11:35 a.m. Mullin questioned about ICE at the polls and 2020 election results We know that President Joe Biden was sworn into office, Mullin told Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin when pressed point-blank who won the 2020 presidential election. I believe my job as DHS secretary is to make sure the elections are fair and people can trust them, he said. Asked whether he would install immigration officers at polling locations, Mullin said only in there was a specific threat I cant sit there and guarantee hypothetically what threat there would be, he said. If we ever get to the point where you are being asked to put armed ICE officers at polling places, we have lost the plot, Slotkin said. We have lost the plot as a country. 10:57 a.m. Mullin asked if he regrets saying ICE officer was absolutely justified in killing Renee Good After she was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Trump administration officials accused Renee Good of committing an act of domestic terrorism by using her car to hit the officer, though video analysis appears to show she was swerving away from the scene. Mullin at the time told CNN that the officer was absolutely justified. Do you regret that? asked Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Mullin said an investigation is going on. There is no investigation, Blumenthal fired back. The Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security has blocked state and local investigations into the killing of Renee Good. I hope that you would allow that to go forward. Mullin said he believes the FBI is looking into the case and said he would determine whether DHS is investigating, if confirmed to run the agency. 10:38 a.m. Emotional Markwayne Mullin tears up while speaking about sons brain injury and Trump support (Getty Images) Mullin teared up while speaking about his sons brain injury, recalling a moment when Trump spoke to his son. Do you know why I love your dad? Trump told him, Mullin said. Because he loves you. Because of you, he said, according to Mullin. Man, thats he didn't do it for any other reason, he said. He did it just because he cared. When you want to say why hes a friend? Yeah. We were acquaintances before that. We've been friends ever since. I hope that you will be as emotional about the children who are presently detained at Dilley and other camps where they have been subjected to conditions that would outrage many, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal told Mullin. 10:27 a.m. Mullin grilled over plans for ICE detention warehouses Immigration and Customs Enforcement intends to spend nearly $40 billion on a plan to detain tens of thousands of immigrants in retrofitted warehouses across the country, expanding the Trump administrations mass deportation efforts into cities and towns that are increasingly urging officials to keep them out of their backyards. New Hampshire officials successfully stopped the administration from constructing an ICE facility in Merrimack after the plans were exposed, and after Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan grilled ICEs acting director Todd Lyons on whether he would similarly cancel a project in her state after Republican officials convinced Noem to stop them in their states. On Wednesday, Hassan asked Mullin whether he can make the case for these facilities and explain how they will negatively impact neighboring property taxes. Or if you cant make the case, they shouldnt be built, she said. Mullin said he would obviously work with state and local officials but declined to weigh in on the future of the warehouse model. 10:13 a.m. Mullin regrets calling Alex Pretti a deranged individual Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security committee, asked Mullin whether he regrets call Alex Pretti deranged (AP) Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, had previously grilled the chiefs of ICE and Customs and Border Protection over the labeling of Alex Pretti and Renee Good as domestic terrorists after they were fatally shot by immigration officers in Minnesota. The directors of those agencies said that characterization amplified by Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller and their allies never came from them, or officers under their command, they testified. In her congressional hearings, Noem refused to apologize for baselessly accusing them of committing acts of domestic terrorism. Sen. Markwayne Mullin had previously called Pretti a deranged individual. Those words should have been retracted, Mullin said Wednesday. Asked by Peters whether Mullin will apologize to Prettis family, Mullin said I just said I regret those statements. 10:05 a.m. Markwayne Mullin and Rand Paul face off over assault comments Sen. Rand Paul, the Republican chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, immediately ripped into Mullin moments into the start of his confirmation hearing for DHS chief (Getty Images) Mullin has refused to apologize for his statements about Republican Sen. Rand Paul, saying in his opening statements to the Homeland Security committee that he understood why his neighbor attacked him. I simply addressed I said I can understand because of the behavior you were having, I understand your neighbor did what he did, Mullin said. We just dont get along. However, sir, that doesnt keep me at all from doing my job, he added. I can set it aside if youre willing to set it aside. Let me earn my job. Im not perfect. I dont claim to be perfect. I make mistakes like everyone else. Paul, in response, said Mullin has shown a lack of contrition, no apology and no regrets. Youre unrepentant, said Paul, noting Mullins machismo, anger, and low-impulse control. You think thats great and to be extolled? he added. I mean, the sheer lack of any kind of awareness that youre going to be leading thousands of men and women who will be using use of force. Do you think justifying that kind of violence sets a good example for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol? 9:30 a.m. Rand Paul rips into Mullin moments into hearing Paul immediately launched into the hearing questioning whether Mullin is an appropriate pick to lead an agency flooded with complaints of violence and unconstitutional use of force. Paul suffered several broken ribs when he was assaulted by a neighbor in 2017. Mullin allegedly called him a freaking snake in response. I understand completely why his neighbor did what he did. And I told him that to his face, Mullin reportedly said. I was shocked, Paul said Wednesday. I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits for the proper use of force. He said Mullin can continue to lie or use his testimony as a chance to clear the record. While youre at it, Paul said, Mullin can tell Americans why they should trust a man with anger issues to run ICE and Border Patrol agents, Paul added. Giorgia Melonis podcast appearance with rapper Fedez is an attempt to enlist his millions of fans in a bid to win a crucial referendum Giorgia Meloni has teamed up with a heavily tattooed rapper to rally youth support for a crucial referendum. The Italian prime minister made a guest appearance on a podcast hosted by Fedez, her countrys most high-profile rapper, in an attempt to persuade young people to turn out and vote. While the details of the poll on reforms to the countrys dysfunctional judiciary are obscure, highly technical and poorly understood by most Italians, the vote risks becoming a de facto plebiscite on her four years in office. Ms Meloni hopes to inspire the 13 million Instagram followers of Federico Fedez Lucia, who was formerly married to Chiara Ferragni, the model and entrepreneur who is Italys most glamorous influencer. Fedez was married to Chiara Ferragni, a model and entrepreneur who is Italys most glamorous influencer - Carlos Alvarez/Getty The reform aims to separate the career paths of public prosecutors and judges, ending the current system in which they can switch roles. If Ms Meloni loses the vote, to be held on Sunday and Monday, she insists that she will not resign. However, it will be a seious blow as she prepares to go into campaigning mode for the next general election, which must be called sometime next year. In an excerpt of the podcast released ahead of the full broadcast on Thursday, the premier was at pains to persuade Italians that the referendum was not about her or her government. At the referendum, you wont be voting on me, you will be voting on the judicial system, she told Fedez. Even people who dont particularly like the government should consider the merits of the reform, which is aimed at improving the functioning of the system. The conservative coalition led by Ms Meloni says the reforms will make judges more impartial by cutting their ties with prosecutors, while critics say they are an attempt to increase political control over the courts. Ms Melonis authority will be damaged if she loses this months referendum - Remo Casilli/Reuters The referendum has generated intemperate language and high emotion on both sides of Italian politics. For decades, the Right has claimed that judges and magistrates in Italy are biased against them, alleging that they have Left-wing sympathies. Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister, railed against what he termed toghe rosse literally, the red togas, which is Italian shorthand for supposedly Communist judges. Franco Zaffini, a senator from Ms Melonis Brothers of Italy party, this week described the judiciary as a cancer and an execution squad, prompting condemnation from opposition parties. Italys foreign minister also waded into the debate, saying the reform would bring Italy in line with other countries by separating the career paths of judges and prosecutors. The current judicial system was out of step with all the other democracies of Europe, said Antonio Tajani. He added: Italy up until now has been an exception. A system like ours exists only in Russia, China and other dictatorships. The system that we have in Italy was introduced by Mussolini during the Fascist era. Antonio Tajani, Ms Melonis foreign minister, said that Italys judicial system was introduced by Mussolini during the Fascist era - Riccardo Antimiani/EPA Polls suggest the result will be close, with the no vote possibly edging ahead. No quorum is required even if turnout is low, the majority vote will win. Opposition parties hope they can land a blow against the prime minister, who has been lauded for bringing a rare period of political and economic stability to Italy. If we win, the mood in the country will start to change, said Pierluigi Bersani, a senior figure in the Democratic Party, the main opposition force. For many voters, the referendum is no longer about the merits of the judicial reform and more about Ms Melonis achievements. The consultation has drifted far from the merits of judicial design and has become a de facto confidence test on the governments authority, its capacity to mobilise a distracted electorate behind the yes camp, and the internal discipline of the centre-Right coalition, said Francesco Galietti, the founder of a risk consultancy called Policy Sonar. Opinion polls suggest a race that is uncomfortably tight, with yes and no broadly level and turnout the decisive variable. If the yes camp prevails, Meloni will be able to claim a personal and coalition victory. If the referendum is rejected, however, Ms Meloni might be tempted to cut her losses and request an early election, to pre-empt a longer period of attrition, said Mr Galietti. Symptoms of meningitis include a high temperature, headache, vomiting, a stiff neck and being unable to tolerate bright light - Moment RF In Kent, an outbreak of meningitis has killed two young people, while the number of cases being investigated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has risen to 20, up from 15. At least half of the cases have been linked to a nightclub, Club Chemistry, in Canterbury. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has told MPs that the outbreak was unprecedented. Emergency measures are being taken across the county to contain the outbreak. On Wednesday, the University of Kent began rolling out Meningitis B vaccines for all students on the Canterbury campus. More than 600 students have been vaccinated, while 6,500 people have been given antibiotics. Officials have confirmed that the particular strain in question is meningitis B, or MenB, a serious type of bacterial infection. Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It is contagious and can be transmitted by asymptomatic carriers, infecting anyone of any age, but is most common in babies, children and young adults, particularly students of university age. Understandably, many parents across the country are worried that their children are at risk, or are unvaccinated. Here is our expert guide to the different types of strains, including the one that has caused the deadly outbreak in Kent, the key symptoms and how to protect yourself. Skip to: What strain of meningitis is in Kent? On Wednesday morning, UKHSA confirmed six of the cases in Kent as MenB. This is now the most common strain in the UK, accounting for over 80 per cent of invasive infections, says Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia. The other cases are still under investigation, as scientists are considering whether the bacteria has become more transmissible. Meningitis outbreaks bubble up sporadically, but this one seems to be slightly larger than other recent ones, says Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading. It doesnt look like a runaway problem, but it requires more containment than other outbreaks. How is MenB different to other strains? According to the charity Meningitis Now, there are different kinds of meningitis, including bacterial, viral and fungal. Bacterial kinds, caused by bacterial infections like MenB, are more serious than viral meningitis, whilst fungal forms are rare in the UK. MenB is the most common form of invasive meningococcal disease. It is caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, also known as the meningococcus, which usually lives harmlessly in peoples throats, but can invade the blood or spinal fluid, causing serious problems, Prof Hunter says. When this happens, MenB can lead to sepsis, or infect the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord (the meninges), causing invasive meningitis, he adds. Bacterial meningitis can quickly become fatal if left untreated, and it can have severe consequences for survivors, such as limb amputation if sepsis results. Pneumococcus, tuberculosis or haemophilus bacteria may be at the root of other strains of bacterial meningitis, according to Sanders. Meanwhile, viral meningitis can be caused by a number of viruses including enteric, mumps or herpes viruses, although these are usually less serious, says Sanders. Our bodies are usually quite good at fighting off the viruses that can cause meningitis, and with painkillers, rest and hydration, the bodys immune system will overcome the virus in around seven to 10 days. However, viral meningitis can still make someone feel very ill, and full recovery can take some time. Back to top Why are students often affected and who is most at risk? Students at colleges and universities this year are unlikely to be vaccinated against MenB as the vaccine for this strain was added to the NHS vaccination schedule in 2015 for babies. Therefore, they are are not protected against this particular strain (but are likely to have had the MenACWY vaccination in school from the age of 14, which protects against the other common types). When teenagers leave home and go to university, they are likely to be mixing and living in crowded environments with new people, Prof Hunter says. One in five people in their late teens and early 20s carry the meningococcus bacteria in the back of their throats asymptomatically, but the issue arises when they meet new people and are suddenly exposed to new strains that theyve never encountered before or have protection against. The UKHSA has previously warned that school and university students can face a particular risk of developing meningitis because they socialise and mix closely, whilst symptoms may be confused with a hangover or bad cold. Babies under the age of one are also at a higher risk, as their immune systems are not yet fully developed, Prof Hunter adds. How can I get a vaccine for MenB? The MenB vaccine was added to the NHS vaccination schedule in 2015 and is offered to babies at two, four and 12 months on the NHS, Prof Hunter says. Missed infant MenB doses can be caught up before the age of two on the NHS. Meanwhile, children aged over two, teenagers and young adults will need to get their MenB vaccine privately at high-street clinics and pharmacies such as Boots and Superdrug. At Boots, patients receive their first vaccination after a consultation in store and return for their second dose at least four weeks later. The full course costs 220. However, with a sudden and unexpected rush in interest and demand, industry leaders say that pharmacy stocks are quickly depleting. Experts are hesitant to confirm exactly how long the MenB vaccine provides protection for. According to Dr Eliza Gil at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, students arent offered MenB vaccination as part of a routine schedule because their risk has typically been low in comparison to young children and babies, and also because the protection the vaccine offers is imperfect and is thought to only last a few years. MenB boosters are not offered by the NHS. Are there vaccines for the other types of meningitis? The MenACWY vaccine is offered to young people between the ages of 14 and 25 on the NHS. Boosters are also available privately at pharmacies and travel health clinics, typically for students, travellers or those seeking extra protection. At Superdrug, the service costs 57 and typically provides protection for at least five years. Pneumococcal bacteria can also cause meningitis and septicemia. A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) protects against the 13 strains that most commonly cause disease, and is offered to babies at 12 weeks and 12 to 13 months. A pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) is offered to anyone aged 65 years and over. While it protects against more strains than the PCV (23 rather than 13), it is only effective for a limited period and isnt effective in children under the age of two. Other vaccines available include Hib, which is given as part of a combined 6-in-1 vaccine in four doses. This protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria which, prior to the introduction of the vaccine, were once the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in children under the age of five. Meanwhile the BCG vaccine offers protection against tuberculosis meningitis. The MMRv vaccine, while protecting against measles, mumps and rubella, is also important as mumps was a common cause of viral meningitis in children before this vaccine became available. Antibiotics vs vaccines which is more important? It is important to remember that the vaccine offers long-term protection, Dr Clarke says. It is the primary and most effective strategy for preventing bacterial meningitis. When someone is diagnosed with meningitis, preventative antibiotics are recommended for those they have recently been in close contact with, such as partners and people they live with. Within 24 hours of diagnosis, a short two-day course of prescribed antibiotics is recommended, often ciprofloxacin or rifampicin. If you are a carrier and have the bacteria in the back of your throat, the antibiotics will almost certainly clear them completely, assuming you take the course properly, explains Dr Clarke. This will prevent you from becoming sick or passing the bacteria on to others. Back to top How does MenB spread? MenB is not highly contagious and the infecting organism can live harmlessly in peoples noses or throats. According to Meningitis Now, around 10 per cent of the population carry meningococcal bacteria in the back of their throat at any one time. This rises to around one in five among teenagers and young adults. This carrier state can last for several months before disappearing, but in this time these asymptomatic carriers can transmit the illness via airborne droplets, through sneezing, coughing or intimate kissing. It can also be transmitted by sharing the same cup, cutlery or vape as a carrier. Following the outbreak in Kent, scientists are investigating whether vapes could act as an accelerant, allowing bacteria that would usually require direct contact to travel further. MenB is not as easily transmissible as many common respiratory viruses, such as flu or Covid-19, and in most cases, the carriage of the bacteria does not cause illness. It is only rarely that the bacteria overcome the bodys defences and cause meningitis. Meningitis can also be caught from someone else with the illness, says Dr Safia Debar, a GP executive health at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. Whether the infection takes hold will depend on the susceptibility of the individual. In other words, if your immunity is high, you can be in contact with someone who has or carries meningitis but not get it. What are the symptoms to look out for? The symptoms of MenB are not fundamentally different from other strains, Prof Hunter says. Because some of the symptoms of meningitis are flu-like, self-diagnosis in the early stages can be tricky. According to Prof Vijay Nayar of Healthium Clinics, the symptoms of meningitis can develop quite quickly and include a high temperature, headache, vomiting, a stiff neck and being unable to tolerate bright light. Symptoms of more severe infection include a rash that does not disappear when a glass is rolled over it, as well as drowsiness and fits. Urgent medical attention is required if some of these symptoms are present. If you have meningitis and your neck is stiff, you may not be able to touch your chest with your chin or lift your head up from a pillow, Prof Hunter explains. Symptoms in babies may present differently to those in adults, according to the World Health Organisation. Infants with meningitis may exhibit unusual behaviour (like being less active or difficult to wake), be irritable, have a weak and continuous cry or feed poorly. If you notice a rash is present, roll a glass over it to see whether or not it fades - Alamy Back to top How to protect your child from meningitis Ensure your child receives the recommended vaccinations, including those against common meningitis-causing bacteria and viruses, says Dr Chun Tang, a GP and medical director at Pall Mall Medical, a private healthcare clinic in Manchester. You should also encourage good hygiene to reduce the risk of viral infections and teach children proper handwashing and hygiene etiquette. Further precautions include minimising contact with individuals who are coughing or sneezing, as meningitis can be transmitted via droplets, even from an otherwise healthy person. He also advises staying informed about meningitis symptoms, transmission and prevention strategies. If your child exhibits symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If you are concerned about symptoms, you can call NHS 111 or your GP for help and advice, says Donovan. However, if someone is ill and getting worse, you should call 999. Inform healthcare providers of your childs symptoms and any recent illnesses, says Tang. Be assertive in expressing your concerns and share specific symptoms and observations. Request tests, including blood cultures and lumbar punctures and if you feel your concerns are not being taken seriously, seek a second opinion or consult specialists. Back to top How is meningitis treated? Bacterial meningitis, including the MenB strain, needs immediate, emergency treatment, says Prof Nayar. It requires antibiotics and hospital assistance. Bacterial infections can lead to complications, especially when not treated quickly, he adds. People who are suspected of having meningitis should have tests in hospital to establish whether it is viral or bacterial. This is done via a lumbar puncture, where a needle is inserted into the base of the spine to withdraw fluid that will then be examined for an accurate diagnosis, Nayar says. As viral meningitis is less serious, it can often be dealt with at home. It tends to get better on its own within seven to 10 days with adequate rest and fluids, plus painkillers where necessary. What are the complications of meningitis? In severe cases, meningitis, including MenB, can lead to death, says Tang. According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, the problems following meningitis can be temporary or permanent, and can encompass both physical and mental health issues, including brain damage. The membranes around the brain are like a bag of fluid, explains Claire Donovan, a helpline manager at Meningitis Now. When these become inflamed with meningitis, the intracranial pressure can press down on the brain and cause damage. After-effects of meningitis include memory loss and difficulty concentrating, reduced physical coordination and balance, headaches, problems with speech, sight and hearing, physical weakness and spasms, and mental health or behavioural issues. If septicaemia is brought on by meningitis, damage to the kidneys and lungs can result, as well as joint pain and stiffness. In extreme cases, amputation may be required to remove damaged tissue and prevent the infection spreading further throughout the body. Back to top What to do if you think youve got MenB You should call 999 immediately or go to your nearest A&E if you think you or someone in your care could have meningitis, according to the NHS. If you have been in close contact with someone who has meningitis, you may be given preventative antibiotics to prevent you from getting sick. Your symptoms may be mild at the start, similar to a flu or cold, but if you have meningitis, you can deteriorate very quickly, so it is important to trust your gut, and to tell your doctor if you believe you have encountered someone with meningitis, or was in a place where it spread, Prof Hunter concludes. Anyone who's rescued or fostered a pet knows just how rewarding it can be, but that doesn't mean pet rescue is without its challenges. Despite the hardships they've been through, not every animal is thrilled to be rescued! Some pets, like the mom and puppies that Fairytale Farm Sanctuary saved on March 8, have no idea what comforts await them as an indoor pet. The Chihuahua dogs were seen hiding beneath an old shed that needed to be partially torn down in order to reach the pups. Mom had been working hard to keep all her babies safe and healthy, but now she gets to be pampered and cared for, too. Even so, the rescue puppies and their mom were as spicy as can be, at least until the moment they realized they were finally safe. What fiesty little puppies! Clearly, their mama did a great job of helping them grow big and strong despite their less-than-ideal living conditions. It's a massive relief they won't have to worry about finding their next meal anymore, but there will still be a lot for them to get used to as they transition to life as pampered, indoor pets. Related: Scared Puppy Freed From a Fence By Her New Family After Animal Control Left Her Behind "You can see it in their eyes the moment they realize they were being rescued by Ben Afleck," joked commenter @s..hyzer. LOL, I suppose there is an uncanny resemblance! All jokes aside, there was a moment when each rescue puppy (and the nervous mama dog) each realized they didn't have to bite or feel scared. That moment must have made all the chaos worthwhile! The @fairytalefarmsanctuary team had to be resourceful and quick while transferring this flighty family from the shed to the carrier, but the way Mama relaxed and leaned into her rescuer's chest was like the ultimate 'thank you.' As if the story wasn't already heartwarming enough, the mama dog has already found her forever home, too! Her name is now Olive, and she's being adopted by the person who fostered her. Meanwhile, the Chihuahua puppies will soon be up for adoption with a North Carolina rescue called Forgotten, Now Family. Rescuing Puppies Puppy rescuers can set up so many dogs for long lives full of love and fun, but caring for baby animals can be just as frustrating as it is adorable. Fostering or rescuing a dog can be a lot of work, and adding potty training and puppy teeth to the mix can seem downright overwhelming! Still, seeing a puppy's sweet face as they contendedly nap the day away could make anyone forget how tired or frustrated they were. Watching a puppy find a family that adores them is perhaps the greatest reward of all. It won't be long now until Olive's babies get their turn, after they've gained a bit more confidence and size. 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 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Dramatic footage shows a driver deliberately reversing a stolen Land Rover into a Metropolitan Police car in north London. Constables Angel De Melo and Rishav Neupane described the windscreen crushing as tyres rolled over their rammed vehicles bonnet and being showered by glass shards. The SUV then flipped onto its side in Somerton Street, Cricklewood. PC De Melo said: In that moment I thought - this is it. The officers had tried to stop the two-tonne Defender after it triggered an alert on January 24. They were on patrol in the area when they saw a vehicle matching the reported description pass in front of them in Barnet. PCs De Melo and Neupane began to follow and observe the SUV, making checks on police systems as they did so. Without any warning when it turned into residential street, the driver stopped but reversed at speed into the officers now stationary vehicle behind. Patrol car rammed by Land Rover in Barnet (Metropolitan Police) The Defender mounted the front of the police car, driving up over the bonnet, destroying the windscreen, before going up onto the roof and flipping onto its nearside. Remarkably, PCs De Melo and Neupane were not seriously injured. Without hesitation, they left their vehicle, challenged the driver who fled on foot. The pair stopped and arrested him after a brief chase. PC De Melo, in the front passenger seat, said: Everything happened so quickly but in those kind of incidents, it feels like time slows down. The wheel was directly in line with my face. I remember seeing it come towards us and I braced for it to ram us. But then it didnt stop. I remember feeling a mist of shattered glass all over me. Moment police vehicle rammed caught on body-worn footage (Metropolitan Police) Officer draws Taser to detain suspect, 36, in Cricklewood (Metropolitan Police) PC Rishav Neupane, the driver, added: Ive been rammed before but nothing like this. I can remember the sound of the windscreen crushing, the tyres rolling over it and the windscreen starting to collapse. That sticks in my mind. I thought Angel was going to be crushed. Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, in charge of policing in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea, said: The actions of these officers highlight policing at its very best: teamwork, resilience, and bravery in the face of a genuine threat. The photographs from the scene highlight how close they were to serious, potentially lifechanging harm. We are incredibly fortunate that they were able to walk away - let alone continue the pursuit and ensure the suspects safe arrest. This incident highlights not only their individual courage but also the extraordinary heroism displayed by frontline officers across the Met every single day. The use of vehicles as weapons continues to pose significant risks, yet our officers confront this danger with unwavering professionalism and resolve. A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm, theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and having no insurance. He has been bailed until a date in late March. A man has been arrested after allegedly breaching the enclosure of Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who shot to global social media stardom, at a Thai zoo. Zoo officials confirmed the incident involving the internet sensation. The Thai national reportedly entered the enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Tuesday while a keeper was absent and no other visitors were present, according to director Narongwit Chodchoy. Security footage, widely circulated online, shows a man in a black beanie, sunglasses, green tank top, and brown shorts approaching Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, while holding a tablet, seemingly recording. The man remained inside for approximately one to two minutes before staff noticed him. Mr Chodchoy noted that the individual did not attempt to flee as the zoo contacted police. Moo Deng, born in 2024, quickly became a viral sensation thanks to a keeper sharing endearing images and videos online, drawing large crowds from Thailand and abroad. The Thai national reportedly entered the enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Tuesday (One Planet/YouTube) Police have initially charged the man with trespassing, though the investigation continues, with the zoo indicating it will pursue all available legal avenues. The suspect, who has since been released on bail, was not identified. Mr Chodchoy confirmed that Moo Deng and Jona were safe, as the man did not attempt to touch them. Despite the man not attempting to touch them, Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, appeared "slightly startled" by the encounter and are now under veterinary observation, the zoo stated on its official Facebook page. Officials urged visitors to "strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for the safety of both themselves and the wildlife." The Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about 60 miles southeast of Bangkok, spans nearly 2,000 acres and houses over 2,000 animals. Thailand Moo Deng (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Moo Deng was born at the zoo in Chonburi. Only a month after her birth, her videos exploded on TikTok and social media quickly became obsessed. Vulture wrote: She has little teeny, tiny baby chompers, shes perpetually wet, and her name means bouncy pork. Its the ultimate recipe for internet cuteness. The Associated Press described Moo Deng as having the kind of face that launches a thousand memes. Moo Deng in Thai is a type of meatball. It was reported that the name was chosen by fans through a social media poll, keeping in theme with her siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). The zoo also has a common hippo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg). MSPs hail victory for the vulnerable after assisted dying bill rejected in Scotland Controversial legislation that would have made Scotland the first nation in the UK to legalise assisted dying has been defeated at Holyrood. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted 69 against to 57 in favour, with one abstention, effectively striking down the bill. Opponents of the proposed law, which would have allowed terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their lives, hailed the outcome as a "victory for the vulnerable". The decision followed an emotional debate within Holyrood, during which Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, who introduced the legislation, issued a stark warning. He stated that many who voted against his bill would come to "regret deeply" their choice. Mr McArthur added that this regret would not be felt "as deeply or as painfully as those dying Scots and their families who desperately need us to act with courage, compassion and urgency. Liam McArthur is consoled by Elena Whitham after the bill was defeated in Scottish parliament (Jane Barlow/PA Wire) The Liberal Democrat MSP had insisted the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill if it had been passed would have been the most heavily safeguarded assisted dying law anywhere in the world. But Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the Care Not Killing campaign group, said: We are relieved that MSPs have decided not to back this legislation. We believe the bill posed serious risks to the most vulnerable in society including disabled people and those suffering from domestic abuse. He added: Now the debate in Scotland has been concluded, I hope we can move on to the real issue, how to care for people at the end of life, because the real scandal is that one in four people who would benefit from palliative care across our country are currently not receiving it. Meanwhile, Dr Stewart Weir, head of the Christian charity Care for Scotland, said: Were delighted members have rejected this irredeemably flawed bill. It is a real victory for the vulnerable. He added: This bill would have opened a Pandoras box which would have fundamentally changed healthcare across Scotland. There is no doubt in my mind that members have made a positive and truly compassionate decision today. The bill had proposed that to be eligible for an assisted death a person would have to have two doctors certify they have a terminal illness and the mental capacity to request help to die. An amendment passed last week meanwhile meant that only those reasonably expected to die within six months could make such a request. However, opponents of the legislation raised concerns about the impact the legislation could have on vulnerable people, such as the disabled, and about the risks of coercion. First minster John Swinney during the final Stage 3 vote (PA) Others meanwhile warned of a lack of safeguards for medical professionals in the bill, which cannot be included as employment issues are reserved to Westminster. That saw groups in the medical profession, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCS) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society, speak out against the bill. The bill marked the third attempt by Holyrood to pass assisted dying legislation though Mr McArthurs was the first to make it past the first vote. However, after that vote a number of MSPs withdrew their support, citing concerns about the legislation. If the vote had passed Scotland would have been the first nation in the UK to back assisted dying with a similar bill at Westminster now likely to run out of time to clear the House of Lords. In February, Jersey passed its draft assisted dying law and the legislation is awaiting royal assent so it can formally become law on the island. The move follows the passage of legislation in the Isle of Man, where the Tynwald became the first parliament in the British Isles to agree a framework for assisted dying in March 2025. Mr McArthur said afterwards he was obviously deeply disappointed with the result of the final vote. He thanked his supporters, and told terminally ill Scots and their families: I am sorry that parliament has denied you this compassionate choice tonight. However, for now we should be proud that this is by far the most votes that an assisted dying bill has ever secured in the Scottish parliament. This is not a conversation that is going away. For so long as dying Scots continue to suffer as a result of the lack of choice and safety afforded to them by the current law, Im certain that it will be an issue in front of parliament once more. Similarly, Ally Thomson, director of campaign group Dignity in Dying Scotland, said: I am so deeply sad that the dying people who want this choice have been dealt this blow. But for as long as dying Scots continue to suffer, this debate is not going away. There is now near universal recognition that the current law is harmful to dying people. What began as a campus disciplinary matter has rapidly escalated into a First Amendment legal battle, a flashpoint in Florida's 2026 governor's race, and a case study in just how complicated campus antisemitism enforcement has become especially when the group being sanctioned is a political organization at a public university. The University of Florida announced Saturday that it is moving to deactivate its College Republicans chapter as a registered student organization, after being informed by the Florida Federation of College Republicans that the federation had disbanded the Gainesville chapter on March 14. The reason: some members had "engaged in a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture" a Nazi salute, according to multiple reports. By Monday afternoon, the UF College Republicans had filed a federal First Amendment lawsuit to block the deactivation. The story was moving faster than almost anyone involved could manage. What Happened The Florida Federation of College Republicans, the statewide organization that oversees campus chapters, initiated the disbandment after finding that members had engaged in what it described as a pattern of misconduct culminating in a Nazi salute that was shared online. The FFCR not the university initiated the disbandment. At the FFCR's request, the University of Florida then moved to deactivate the group as a registered student organization. UF officials declined to confirm specific details of the allegation beyond their statement, saying only that they had been notified of the federation's findings and were acting accordingly. The university stated it will support reactivation of the chapter under new student leadership when the FFCR approves. The UF College Republicans pushed back immediately, posting on social media that the FFCR "has no authority over our chapter" and asserting that the chapter is affiliated with the College Republicans of America not the FFCR. The CRA's chairman, William Branson Donahue, backed that claim, calling the FFCR's action "a lie." The chapter also implied that the real reason for the deactivation was retaliation arguing it was punished for hosting an event two days earlier with James Fishback, a Florida gubernatorial candidate who has been critical of the Republican establishment's position on Israel. The Lawsuit: A First Amendment Fight at a Public University Former Florida state Rep. Anthony Sabatini filed a First Amendment retaliation lawsuit under Section 1983 on March 16, naming UF President Donald Landry as a defendant. The suit alleges that UF's cooperation with the FFCR violated the chapter's First Amendment rights on public university campuses and demands the chapter's immediate reinstatement. The legal argument is substantive and worth taking seriously. Public universities occupy a unique constitutional position: they are government entities bound by the First Amendment, which means they generally cannot deactivate student organizations based on the viewpoint those organizations express. The Supreme Court established that principle clearly in Rosenberger v. University of Virginia (1995) and reinforced it repeatedly since. The harder question and the one a federal judge will need to sort out is whether the deactivation is based on viewpoint (impermissible) or on conduct (potentially permissible). Performing a Nazi salute is an expressive act, which complicates the university's ability to treat it purely as a conduct violation. But a "pattern of conduct" that includes antisemitic behavior may meet the bar for a non-viewpoint-based disciplinary action, particularly if that conduct crosses into harassment of other students. Neither side's legal position is as clean as its advocates suggest. A Florida Pattern and a Political Context The UF deactivation is the second time this month that a Florida public university has taken action against a Republican-affiliated group accused of antisemitic or racist behavior. Earlier in March, Florida International University in Miami launched an investigation into a group chat started by an official with the Miami-Dade chapter of the Republican Party that included violently racist slurs, antisemitic comments, and misogynistic language a chat that involved students and several top conservative leaders at FIU. Last fall, New York's Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization following the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers. Together the cases suggest a pattern: private or semi-private communications and gestures within conservative student organizations that, when exposed, have triggered institutional responses and then legal and political counter-responses. The Florida cases are unfolding against an unusually charged backdrop. Antisemitism and the government's relationship to the state of Israel have become central issues in the Florida governor's race, with more than 40 candidates having filed to run in November to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican primary field includes Rep. Byron Donalds, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former state House Speaker Paul Renner, and James Fishback the candidate whose event the UF College Republicans hosted two days before their disbandment. Fishback told reporters he opposed the university's decision to deactivate the chapter and condemned antisemitism, but suggested the situation needed to be understood in a broader political context. "There's always going to be the real reason and the protectional reason," he said. The Bipartisan Condemnation and What It Means Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida issued a statement that cut through the complexity with unusual directness. "Antisemitism has no place in the Republican Party, higher education, or our country. Grateful to UF for working with the FFCR to stand with Jewish students and resolve this quickly," Scott wrote on social media. For a Republican senator to publicly endorse a public university's deactivation of a Republican student organization in the same political moment that universities are being relentlessly attacked for suppressing conservative speech is a notable signal. It suggests that at least some Republican leaders view the antisemitism line as genuinely non-negotiable, even when it is their own organizations crossing it. The University of Florida, for its part, stated: "The University of Florida has emphatically supported its Jewish community and remains committed to preventing and addressing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and harassment that are threatening and disruptive to our students and to the teaching, research and expressive activities of the campus community. The university also supports the rights of organizations, such as the FFCR, to take decisive action in addressing conduct that is antithetical to its principles." What This Means for Students For Jewish students at the University of Florida and across the country, the case is a reminder that antisemitism on campus does not come only from the direction universities have spent the past two years focused on. The campus antisemitism debate has been overwhelmingly shaped by protests over Israel and Gaza, and by concerns about left-leaning student groups and faculty. The UF case is a reminder that the problem is not ideologically bounded. For students involved in campus political organizations more broadly including College Republicans chapters at other universities the case raises questions about accountability, the limits of organizational authority, and what happens when private conduct becomes public. The lawsuit's outcome could have significant implications for how public universities handle misconduct within political student groups nationwide. A federal court has not yet ruled on the injunction request. The situation is developing. The NHS is in a perilous state and would struggle to cope with a second pandemic as overcrowded hospitals buckle under even day-to-day demands, top doctors have warned. Health leaders said overrun emergency departments, an explosion of corridor care and soaring waiting lists meant hospitals are in a much worse position to take on extra pressures such as those that came with a sudden influx of patients seen during the height of the Covid-19 crisis. And they warned that they had seen little evidence of adequate planning for future pandemics, claiming lessons have not been learned. Their warning comes as the Covid inquirys latest report, to be published on Thursday, is expected to lay bare the harrowing impact the pandemic had on the NHS and its patients. In the report, health leaders and senior medics have described scenes from hell on intensive care wards, with staff running out of body bags and sick patients raining from the sky. Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told The Independent: Ive not seen any active evidence anywhere of people planning for the next [pandemic]. Our hospitals are in a much more perilous state than they were before the last pandemic. From our perspective, our departments are much more overcrowded, and our hospitals are under even more pressure than they were before. Were more fragile... It doesnt take much to bring a hospital to its knees currently. Six years on from the pandemic, the latest NHS figures expose the grim picture of the pressures the health service is facing. Data shows: A record 71,517 patients waited for more than 12 hours in A&E in January 2026 up from 627 in January 2019 Surgery waiting lists soared to 7.2 million patients in January 2026, up from 4.27 million in 2019 The NHS waiting list for mental healthcare stands at almost 1.8 million Around 1.1 million people are waiting for community care Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society of Acute Medicine, told The Independent that if another pandemic were to hit, hospitals would be in a lot worse position, with wards more stretched than in 2019 routinely having to take on more patients than they have beds for. Youve got patients in a corridor or in an overcrowded emergency department. If you have a condition thats just like Covid-19, it will be a disaster for all the patients and staff working in those departments, she said. Baroness Hallett will reveal the findings of her latest report on Thursday (UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry) Failure to plan During the Covid inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, the former NHS England medical director, Sir Stephen Powis, said he was terrified the pandemic would overwhelm hospitals, with wards so overrun that care had to be rationed. Staff described the life-changing and soul-destroying impact of the crisis, with 860 Covid-related healthworker deaths, and told how hospitals struggled to get adequate protective equipment, with staff forced to wear makeshift gear out of bin bags. Dr Shondipon Laha, an intensive care doctor and president of the Intensive Care Society, said that lessons learned during the pandemic had been lost very rapidly since, and he feared for hospitals ability to respond to similar major pressures in future. Its not just about being ready for a pandemic. Its being ready for a war There are all of these things that the pandemic taught us and that we can do quickly, but those principles were not applying to any of our planning, he said. He said the national system to highlight empty critical care beds, implemented during the pandemic, was no longer in use something the society is calling for to be reinstated. Dr Laha added: What we're seeing is the NHS is going through a very tight economic process at the moment... Im hearing from some trusts that they want to reduce ICU bed numbers because theyre expensive resources. I think anything that can be stopped has been stopped. Professor Mumtaz Patel, a consultant and president of the Royal College of Physicians, told The Independent the hideous rise in corridor care meant hospitals were already struggling to manage pressures and warned the completely broken social care sector was adding to the strain. She said that while the college had held its own internal workshops on pandemic planning, she had not seen any on a system-wide scale. The whole point of Covid and learning was that we would be better prepared if something like this were to hit tomorrow, heaven forbid, or sometime in the near future. But I do feel that preparedness is not there, she added. The inquiry is set to publish its report on how governments across the UK responded to the crisis (PA) Burnt out staff The leading medics also warned that staff are experiencing more burnout than before the pandemic, at a time when tough financial cuts to services are adding to pressures. Dr Price said while staff went above and beyond in 2020, there was a lot more fatigue now, adding: I would really worry about the effect that [a future pandemic] would have on people because they are absolutely burnt to the ground already. Dr Laha said ICU staff were sacrificing their quality of life for patients, by working overtime and extra shifts, but that had resulted in significant burnout post-pandemic. I think were at a worse point than we were during the original pandemic we would have to cope, but it would come at the expense of our staff, he said. In February, the NHSs annual staff survey revealed more than a third of employees reported feeling burnt out, while just 32 per cent said they felt they had enough staff in their organisation. Baroness Hallett examined all aspects of the NHS during the Covid crisis, including how managers led the pandemic response, the role of GPs, NHS backlogs and how the vaccine programme was integrated, the findings of which will be reported on Thursday. A DHSC spokesperson said: We are getting the NHS back on its feet through investment and wholescale reform. Were making progress, with waiting lists at their lowest level for almost three years and more people getting treated within 18 weeks. We take pandemic preparedness extremely seriously, and the government recently took part in Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in UK history. We will shortly be publishing a renewed pandemic preparedness strategy informed by the exercise. Crude oil prices surged on Wednesday afternoon after Iran issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities across the Gulf, heightening fears of an escalation that could disrupt global energy supplies. Read more: Energy price surge derails expectations for Bank of England interest rate cuts Brent crude (BZ=F) futures jumped 5.8% to $109 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) rose 3% to $98.41 at the time of writing. Brent remains below its recent peak of $119.50, reached after the outbreak of war, but is still up almost 50% from pre-conflict levels. Energy infrastructure across the Middle East was being evacuated following the warning, which, according to Iranian state media, applied to oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. These centres have become direct and legitimate targets and will be targeted in the coming hours, the notice said. Therefore, all citizens, residents, and employees are requested to immediately leave these areas and move to a safe distance without any delay. Read more: Top oil and energy stocks to watch as crude swings wildly amid Iran war Saudi Arabias state-backed oil group Aramco has begun evacuating some facilities in response to the threat of imminent strikes. The company is shifting staff from its Samref refinery and Jubail industrial complex, according to Bloomberg News. Separately, Iranian state media reported that gas facilities at the vast South Pars field, which Tehran operates jointly with Qatar, had been attacked. Iran has also published a list of Gulf energy sites it claims may be targeted: Ras Laffan refinery Qatar Samref oil refinery Saudi Arabia Al Hosn gasfield UAE Jubail petchem plant Saudi Arabia Mesaieed petchem plant Qatar Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Self-Portrait by the Dutch Golden Age painter, Judith Leyster, 1630. Illustration: IanDagnall Computing/Alamy (Illustration: IanDagnall Computing/Alamy) Judith Leyster, an artist of the Dutch golden age, was thought to be about 21 when she painted her self-portrait in 1630. In the picture she presented to the world, Leyster exudes cheerful confidence. Clad in shimmering silks and a stiffly starched lace collar, she leans back in her chair, palette and brushes in hand, a painting by her side. This work, completed in the year she was admitted to a painters guild in Haarlem, proclaimed her arrival as an established artist. It was one of the first self-portraits by an artist in the Dutch republic, a device most male painters did not adopt until years later. While celebrated in her lifetime, Leyster was quickly forgotten after her death. A posthumous inventory attributed some of her paintings to the wife of the deceased, referring to her artist husband, Jan Miense Molenaer. Then she disappeared. Her works were attributed to Frans Hals, other male contemporaries, or, simply, unknown master. Those paintings under her name were little esteemed. In the 1970s a major US museum sold one; other institutions left her work unseen in their vaults. Now the painter, who has been enjoying a revival for some time, is back in the spotlight, one of more than 40 female artists who worked in the Low Countries during the baroque period to be featured in a new exhibition. Unforgettable: Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750 opened this month at the the Ghent Museum of Fine Arts (MSK), after an earlier run in Washington DC. The exhibition seeks to restore women to one of the most feted periods of art history, best known for works by Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer and Anthony van Dyck. As MSK puts it in its slogan: Old masters were women too. Co-curator Frederica Van Dam said the exhibition asked visitors to reflect on why havent we seen artworks by women before? Why has no one ever questioned this? The catalogue mentions 179 women who were active in the art economy of the Low Countries, which corresponds to the modern-day Netherlands and Flanders, in northern Belgium. Many of them were admired in their lifetimes. Still-life paintings by Maria van Oosterwijck adorned palace walls throughout Europe. In 1697, the Russian tsar, Peter I visited the Amsterdam home of Johanna Koerten, who specialised in paper-cutting using scored lines to make art on paper, a craft at the intersection of drawing, calligraphy and sculpture. Koerten was paid handsomely for her talents: a work of woven silk in a rustic manner made for the holy Roman empress is estimated to have earned her more than twice what Rembrandt made for The Night Watch. The exhibition is part of growing rediscovery of women who were long absent from the tomes of art history, from Italian baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi and her near contemporary of the southern Netherlands, Michaelina Wautier, to the Belgian modernist Marthe Donas and American impressionist Mary Cassatt. Women were written out of the story in the 19th century, when art history became a discipline. Art historians, mainly men, decided what was good art, what was worth writing about, Van Dam said. When women had a walk-on role, they were deemed imitators. That fate befell Rachel Ruysch. Although collectors had long sought her floral still lifes admired for their astonishing attention to detail and refined brushstrokes scholars dismissed her work as derivative. The 19th century was also when painting became the apex of the art museum, overshadowing the applied arts that women excelled at, such as paper-cutting, calligraphy and lace-making. In the early modern era, lace commanded fabulous prices, although the poorer women, nuns and orphaned girls who usually made the exquisite fans, veils, aprons and tableware earned a pittance. These artists remained anonymous in their lifetimes, signing their name with an X, in contemporary records. While many female artists will remain lost to history, some are being rediscovered. The painter Catrina Tieling had been almost entirely forgotten until 2025, when a Dutch art historian re-examined works long attributed to her brother, Lodewijk, and concluded they were in fact signed CT. The exhibition includes Catrina Tielings rustic scene of two shepherdesses resting beside a herd of cows, a rare example of an Italianate landscape by a woman. It also charts some womens life-changing and unconventional decisions. Louise Hollandine converted to Catholicism and entered a convent to maintain her artistic freedom. The daughter of exiled royalty, Hollandine had a gilded childhood in The Hague, becoming a talented portrait painter of friends and family. But she fled her comfortable princess life in 1657 to become a French Benedictine nun, rather than marry her nephew, as sought by her family. At the convent, she switched to religious genre scenes, although many did not survive the French Revolution. The exhibition shows self-portraits of Hollandine in both lives. In the first, she is cool and poised, resplendent in rich silks and a big beribboned hat; in a later work, she makes an austere impression, wearing a cross and dressed in a black and white but still lustrous nuns habit. Van Dam hopes to see more research into female artists and efforts to make their work accessible. Through this exhibition, she said, you get an impression of how valuable they were for the economic and artistic blossoming at the time. Palestinians ride a captured Israeli military jeep in the streets of Gaza on October 7, 2023 - Shutterstock History is both the study of what happened and the defence against those who would prefer it forgotten, distorted or denied. In February this year, a senior Hamas spokesman claimed that Hamas did not kill civilians on October 7. The claim was made by Osama Hamdan on Norwegian television. He suggested the massacre at the Nova music festival had been carried out by Israel. He dismissed eyewitness testimony and video evidence as fabrication. He insisted Hamas has never targeted civilians. These claims are not new. When the BBCs Jeremy Bowen interviewed Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya in October 2024 and asked why so many civilians, including women and children, had been killed, Al-Hayya replied that Hamas fighters had been ordered not to target civilians. The historical record tells a completely different story. On the morning of October 7 2023, Hamas and eight other terrorist organisations launched one of the largest terrorist attacks in modern history. Nearly 1,200 people were murdered and 251 taken hostage, the majority of them civilians. Among those killed and taken were British citizens. The attack began at 6:29am with thousands of rockets fired into Israel. Under that cover, militants breached the border in 119 separate places by land, by sea, and by paraglider. What followed was not a military raid. It was a coordinated and brutal assault on civilian life, directed at 55 distinct locations, including 33 civilian communities, three cities, and the Nova music festival, where more than 370 young people were hunted down and slaughtered. Hamas gunmen moved through homes, streets, safe rooms and bomb shelters. They turned escape routes into killing zones. Investigations have documented systematic sexual violence, including rape and mutilation of victims, alongside the desecration of bodies. The attackers filmed their own crimes on body cameras and mobile phones, broadcasting them online in real time. Palestinian terrorists kidnap an Israeli woman from Kfar Azza kibbutz - AP Yet, even as the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, the effort to reframe, minimise and deny what was happening had already started. For shame. Civilian deaths were downplayed or denied. Testimony regarding sexual violence continues to be dismissed and the taking of hostages reframed as an unintended consequence rather than a deliberate act. This marked the beginning of a campaign to reshape how history would remember that day which continues unabated, disgracefully well organised. What makes this particularly troubling is not simply the scale of the denial, but how readily it has found a hearing. That is why the launch of the second edition of the Parliamentary Commission Report into October 7 comes at such a pivotal time. Since the first edition was published, new evidence has emerged that substantially deepens the historical record. The report now includes the six-page memo attributed to Yahya Sinwar, the former leader of Hamas in Gaza, a document that functions as a blueprint for the assault. Its logistical instructions and operational detail make unmistakably clear that what occurred on October 7 was not a spontaneous eruption of violence but a carefully orchestrated campaign, years in the making. The expanded report also incorporates significant new testimony from released hostages and survivors, adding human weight to what the documents already show. A destroyed car near the site of the Supernova music festival where revellers were killed by Hamas terrorists on Oct 7, 2023 - AFP Among those survivors is Anat Ron-Kendall, an Oxford resident and the only known British survivor of the October 7 attacks that lives here, in the UK. Her father, Shlomo Ron, a founding member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, was murdered during the assault. His own father having fought for Britain in the Second World War and spent years as a prisoner of war under the Nazis. That detail is not incidental. It is a reminder of exactly why this work matters; because anti-Semitism is a recurring danger that re-emerges, in new forms, across generations. History does not preserve itself. If the truth about an atrocity is not carefully recorded and defended, it will gradually be eroded by denial, distortion and selective memory. The purpose of our report is to ensure that the facts of October 7 are documented with sufficient rigour and precision that they cannot ever be rewritten by those who would prefer a different story to take hold. Even after the release of all the hostages, figures associated with Hamas continue to deny responsibility for events that are abundantly documented. The battle over how October 7 will be remembered began as the attack was unfolding and is the reason that this report matters. As the months pass, we will undoubtedly learn still more about what occurred on that consequential day. Lord Roberts of Belgravia is a historian and Conservative peer The Pulse nightclub sign is removed by workers on 11 March 2026. Photograph: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP (Photograph: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) Demolition of Pulse, the LGBTQ+-friendly nightclub in Florida where 49 people were killed in 2016, began on Wednesday, bringing a symbolic end to an almost decade-long wrangle over the future of the building that some residents and its former owners wanted to be preserved as a memorial for the victims. A new $12m permanent memorial will be built on the site, with final plans expected to be revealed in May, and its completion scheduled for fall 2027. The design will include a reflection pool and private spaces to honor those killed, while finer details, including landscaping and other features, will be finalized in consultation with victims families. The Pulse shooting was, at the time, the nations deadliest mass shooting. Related: Prison sentences for pair who attacked gay men hailed as sign of hope for Kenyas LGBTQ+ community This was a sacred site to those who loved the 49 and anybody else that had visited Pulse, Buddy Dyer, Orlandos mayor, said at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the demolition, reported by Fox35 News. Dyer said the club was welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community and a diverse range of other patrons, and that he hoped the memorial would be a site of healing for a city that would never forget those who were killed. He also recalled the night of 12 June 2016, when the gunman, Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group, opened fire with an assault-style rifle and moved through the nightclub shooting at will before eventually taking his own life. I remember that very vividly, getting the calls shortly after 2 oclock and then being on site through the remainder of the morning, Dyer said. Just the sadness of it all. Fourty-nine lives extinguished that night for no reason at all. Years of delays plagued original plans to preserve the site in some form and commemorate the victims. One proposal, by a group founded by Pulse owners Barbara and Rosario Poma, included selling merchandise and charging admission. Our goal was to do a memorial, not to do a museum, Orlando city commissioner, Patty Sheehan, told the Guardian last year. There was concern about how they were going to, you know, make it a tourist attraction. That group, the onePulse Foundation, collapsed in 2023 after squandering millions of dollars in donations. In October 2023, the city of Orlando bought the site, setting in motion a lengthy process of consultation, planning and tendering that led to Wednesdays demolition and a significant step toward the end of what will have been an 11-year saga, assuming construction proceeds on schedule. Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf, who lost friends in the shooting, told the Fox affiliate that the demolition of the remains of the club, which commenced shortly before dawn on Wednesday, watched by a handful of curious locals, helped lift a lingering cloud over the city. Im ready to move forward, he said. Im ready to see a beautiful reverent memorial be in that space where people can come, where they can reflect, where they can be close to their loved ones. I know thats the space I feel close with the best friends who came to the club with me that night and did not get to come home. Nearly a decade after a gunman killed 49 people at Orlandos Pulse nightclub, the building is being demolished Wednesday to make way for a permanent memorial. Around 9 a.m. Wednesday, a large crane began tearing down the building along South Orange Avenue, a site long used to remember the 2016 tragedy at the LGBTQ nightclub. TLocal news stations broadcast the teardown live, months after city crews began carefully removing items from the building to preserve them. The iconic Pulse sign was removed last week and will be stored in an undisclosed location for possible use in the memorial during construction, Spectrum News reports. On Tuesday night, some residents visited the site one last time to pay their respects before it is transformed into a roughly $12 million permanent memorial, featuring a water wall, fountain, seating area and the names of all 49 victims. Ive seen people crying out here sometimes, and I just think its the last piece of the people they lost, Lillian Shea, who was 13 years old at the time of the shooting, told Click Orlando about the significance of the site. Cesar Rodriguez, a survivor of the Pulse shooting and now a member of the memorial committee, reflected on the tragic night one final time Tuesday before the buildings demolition. Crews began demolishing the Pulse nightclub in Orlando Wednesday, nearly a decade after the 2016 mass shooting, the second deadliest in U.S. history, to make way for a permanent memorial (WESH) "It was, you know, horrific, Rodriguez told WESH. It's something you cannot forget. But I feel more emotional every time I'm in front of the building. Despite the difficulty of returning to the site, Rodriguez said he planned to witness the demolition in person, showing his commitment to honoring the memory of the victims and participating in the final chapter of the sites history. "In my case, for me it's something I've been wishing a lot, too. That building to disappear," he told the outlet. "Because for us, the people that were trapped in there, it's something we want to erase, and we don't want to remember. We don't want to see anymore. We need to see something better. Something that help us, help people to forget everything. Around 320 people were inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016, when Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire at around 2:00 a.m., killing 49 people and wounding dozens more in what is still the second-deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Mateen was killed by law enforcement following a three-hour standoff. During the attack, he used both a handgun and a Sig Sauer MCX, an AR-15-style rifle, which authorities confirmed had been legally purchased in the week prior. Officials said that during the assault, Mateen called 911 and pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS, a terrorist organization known for its extreme violence against LGBTQ people. Due to his death, Mateen was never charged for the attack. The iconic Pulse sign (seen here in 2016) was taken down last week and may be part of the permanent memorial (Getty Images) In October 2023, the City of Orlando purchased the Pulse nightclub for $2 million to create a permanent memorial honoring the 49 people killed in the 2016 mass shooting (Getty Images) For many residents, the demolition of Pulse is bittersweet as the site stood as both a constant reminder of the tragedy and a makeshift memorial adorned with flowers and momentos honoring those killed. One unidentified person told Click Orlando that construction of the memorial is long overdue, adding, Ill be happy to see the building gone. Ill be happy to see a memorial in its place. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer apologized earlier this week for the lengthy delay in establishing a permanent Pulse nightclub memorial after the City bought the property in October 2023. While he acknowledged that no memorial can undo the tragedy, he hopes it will help the community begin to heal. I remember that very vividly, getting the calls shortly after 2 oclock and then being on site through the remainder of the morning, Dyer said during a briefing, adding that he, too, still wrestles with the event, Spectrum News reports. Just the sadness of it all. Forty-nine lives extinguished that night for no reason at all. Some family members and survivors still have mixed feelings about the memorials design, questioning whether it fully reflects their wishes. Earlier this month, the city completed only about 30 percent of the design. The 60 percent design milestone is expected in May, and construction is scheduled to start in September 2027. "You want to feel a big relief, and many, many of the families, they don't feel like that," Rodriguez said to WESH. "They feel betrayed. They feel angry. And for us, for the survivors, we feel like trash because we never going to forget everything we have in our minds, and mostly because the justice is not is not happening." The Independent has contacted the City of Orlando for comment. The executive producer on the upcoming drama Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards has said that seeing the disgraced broadcasters text messages were like going into the heart of darkness. The drama, which starts Martin Clunes, tells the story of how Edwards at one point, the most respected broadcaster in the UK, entrusted with breaking the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II ended up being charged with three counts of possessing indecent images of children. He was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years. Samantha Anstiss, one of the executive producers, spoke at a screening ahead of the dramas release on Channel 5, on March 24, about the research the Channel 5 team did ahead of the show. This included speaking to the young man whom Edwards was messaging the story of which was eventually broken by The Sun newspaper in July 2023, which claimed he had paid this young person 35,000 over a period of three years in exchange for sexually explicit images. The team also got to see the messages. [They] were, in the most visceral disturbing way, a very imbalanced relationship of power, she said. We had to tell the story behind those messages. They were disturbing. I love you, but you kill me. They were the starting point, really. Here, the young man has been renamed Ryan Davies, and is played by Osian Morgan. It was his story and he had access to it at every single point, writer Mark Burt added during the screening. Hes read the scripts. We had all the texts; we had multiple texts. Huge sequences in the drama are verbatim. That was the communication, and the rest we built around it. The TV film itself will be directed by Bafta and Emmy-winning director Michael Samuels, while Clunes himself also spoke about how years spent watching Edwards present the news seeped into his on-screen portrayal of the man. Its my version of him, thats all it was ever going to be, he said in the screening. But theres enough out there of him. We watched him every night and he sort of seeps in. He also spoke of how the extent of Edwards behaviour would likely be news to viewers. Did anybody here know the whole story before you saw this afternoon? No, I dont think anybody did, he said. There was a lot of fudgery around it. First, they announced it was some presenter, and then all these people said, Its not me, its not me. And then there was that sympathy for Huw Edwards, until they found what was on his phone. I think maybe everybody had lost interest by that point, because the next bit of news had come along. Donald Trump had done something. Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards airs on Channel 5 on March 24 Sen. Markwayne Mullins confirmation hearing to run the Department of Homeland Security opened with a bitterly personal clash between the Oklahoma Republican and Sen. Rand Paul, who questioned how a man with anger issues can be trusted to lead thousands of armed federal officers. Mullin did not deny calling his fellow Republican a freaking snake and refused to apologize for his remarks after Sen. Rand Paul was assaulted by his neighbor in 2017. Paul, the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, immediately ripped into Mullin for his smear and for telling a group of constituents that he understands completely why his neighbor attacked him. The Kentucky Senator also played a video with several clips of Mullins past threats, including his invitation to brawl with Teamsters union president Sean OBrien in the middle of a Senate hearing in 2023. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it, and while youre at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents, Paul said Wednesday. Explain to the American public how a man who has no regrets about brawling in a Senate committee can set a proper example for over 250,000 men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security. Rand Paul, the chair of the Senate Homeland Security committee, launched Markwayne Mullins confirmation hearing by grilling the senator for his personal attacks after the Kentucky Republican was assaulted by his neighbor (Reuters/AFP/Getty) Paul has previously raised concerns about the use of force among federal immigration agents, who are facing lawsuits across the country alleging unconstitutional abuse against immigrants and citizens alike. Donald Trump nominated Mullin for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after the president fired Kristi Noem, who has been tapped for a new role as special envoy for the newly created Shield of the Americas. Noem, who was fired in the wake of bipartisan scrutiny over her oversight of lucrative federal contracts and the killings of American citizens by immigration officers, is set to leave DHS on March 31. The 48-year-old senator and former MMA fighter does not have previous immigration enforcement experience. Everybody in this room knows that Im very blunt and direct to the point, and if I have something to say, Ill say it directly to your face, Mullin said Wednesday. We just dont get along, he told Paul. However, sir, that doesnt keep me at all from doing my job. I can set it aside if youre willing to set it aside. Let me earn my job. Im not perfect. I dont claim to be perfect. I make mistakes like everyone else. Paul, in response, said Mullin has shown a lack of contrition, no apology and no regrets. Youre unrepentant, said Paul, noting Mullins machismo, anger, and low-impulse control. You think thats great and to be extolled? he added. I mean, the sheer lack of any kind of awareness that youre going to be leading thousands of men and women who will be using use of force. Do you think justifying that kind of violence sets a good example for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol? Noems departure and Mullins nomination also arrived in the middle of the ongoing Homeland Security shutdown, after funding lapsed last month with Republican and Democratic members of Congress at an impasse over federal spending for immigration enforcement without critical guardrails. Essential work under the sprawling agency has continued, though roughly 100,000 employees are reporting to their jobs without pay. Rory McIlroy expects to feel free when he returns to Augusta for the defence of his Masters title and is putting no pressure on himself to win the green jacket again. The Northern Irishman ended an 11-year wait to become one of only six players to complete the career Grand Slam with his play-off victory over Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose last April. Only three people Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have won the Masters back-to-back and there are just 18 multiple winners in the events 91-year history, with Scottie Scheffler the last man to join that club in 2024. Rory McIlroy completed the Grand Slam last season (Brian Lawless/PA) (Brian Lawless) Since Phil Mickelson won his third green jacket in 2010 there have been only three champions who are multiple winners: Bubba Watson (2014), Woods (2019) and Scheffler, which is why McIlroy is relaxed about his defence. This is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane and its all going to be about enjoying my week, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters champion, said the 36-year-old. The thing is I know I get to go back to the Masters tournament for the rest of my life and thats quite a freeing feeling. I honestly think that Ive done it once and its not as if I have to win it again to win the Grand Slam. I think it was sort of two things won; I obviously wanted to win the Masters so badly but then obviously at the same time knowing what the Masters would give me and the people that it would put me alongside. Poised to make eagle. Rory McIlroy goes for glory on No. 15. #themasters pic.twitter.com/hAM0zxnkM7 The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025 So I think now going to win the Masters just to win the Masters is a nice thing but I think that Ive won it once and I feel like that will make it a bit easier for me to win again. McIlroy started last years final round with a two-shot advantage only to immediately lose it after a double bogey, but was three clear as he walked down the par-five 13th fairway. As a result he tried to play conservatively to protect that lead and promptly dumped a 90-yard pitch into Raes Creek for another double bogey, immediately followed by another dropped shot which prompted his memorably brilliant approach to almost eagle the par-five 15th in a less-than-straightforward finish. McIlroy said the lesson he had learned was to play his natural game. When I look back at the round when I played aggressively I was rewarded and I played well and then the first time that my mindset or my tactics went a little bit defensive, like trying to protect the lead, thats when I got into trouble, he added. Rory McIlroy explains why he made each selection for his 2026 Masters Champions Dinner menu: & I wanted to try to bring a little bit of the local ingredients in. So I'm doing a Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread with hot honey. So pic.twitter.com/gVzmGPqXZV PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 18, 2026 Obviously (thats) what happened on 13 and on 14 and when I got to 15 again I needed to be aggressive. I needed to make a birdie again and I was able to do it. So theres probably a lesson in there somewhere of not taking your foot off the gas. I thought I was sort of doing the smart thing by playing 13 as a three-shotter and trying to protect the lead that I built. But in hindsight, everything that went well for me that day and that week was when I played aggressively, when I went for my shots. As defending champion McIlroy chooses the menu for the champions dinner and, having included elk sliders and a date and goats cheese appetiser inspired by his mum Rosie, he has opted for Wagyu filet mignon or a fillet of seared salmon and an Irish champ (mashed potatoes with spring onions). Medium and larger shops in Scotland are set to pay 54 million more in business rates than their counterparts in England in the next year, the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has said. Some 2,296 shops in Scotland with a rateable value of 100,000 or above will be liable for the higher 54.8p in the pound rate from the start of April. The SRC criticised the Scottish Government over the discrepancy with England. The group said similar-sized stores south of the border will pay 43p in the pound. The Scottish Retail Consortium said the figures show that Scottish firms will pay higher rates than those in England (Jane Barlow/PA) (Jane Barlow) The consortium said the more than 2,000 stores impacted north of the border will not be eligible for the Scottish Governments new retail hospitality and leisure (RHL) sectors rates relief. Instead, they will be liable for a poundage rate which is 27% above that seen in England. Smaller stores those liable for the basic and intermediate property rates will benefit from the new RHL rates relief. The SRC welcomed the new RHL relief announced in the Scottish budget but said that even the RHL rates will be above those in England, while the amount that can be claimed will be capped, unlike those south of the border. David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: Scotlands medium-sized and larger stores will effectively be stumping up a 54 million surcharge from next month when new business rates come into force, compared to their English counterparts. The decision taken in the Scottish budget not to match the new rates regime in England will put into sharp focus the difference between trading north and south of the border. To their credit, the Scottish Government has recognised retailers pay a disproportionate amount in business rates and the new retail hospitality and leisure sectors rates relief is a positive step forward. However, Mr Lonsdale said convoluted restrictions and a cap on eligibility mean that the measures wont benefit all stores, and it will be less generous at every level compared to the relief on offer to retailers in England. He went on: That relief wont even apply to medium-sized and larger stores liable for the Higher Property Rate. These shops will pay a business rate substantially above that of similarly-sized counterparts down south. As it stands, Scotland risks becoming a materially more expensive place to operate shops and this could see a shift in investment down south. Continued investment in stores is essential to keep them viable and attractive to customers and to minimise the number of shuttered shops. It is not in the interests of Scotlands economy for shop owners to be incentivised to invest in Berwick-upon-Tweed over Balloch, Bathgate, or Brechin. A far more ambitious approach is required from those parties seeking to form the next Scottish Government, one that ensures at the very least a level playing field with England and which delivers on the joint industry/government vision to make Scotland the best place in the UK to grow a retail business. The figures were confirmed in response to a written parliamentary question from Mid Scotland & Fife MSP Murdo Fraser. Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said business rates were crippling Scottish businesses (Fraser Bremner/Daily Mail/PA) (Fraser Bremner/Daily Mail) Mr Fraser, the Tories business spokesman, said: The SNPs decision not to match the rates regime in other parts of the UK is imposing crippling costs on medium and larger-sized firms and leading to closures and job losses. The anti-business policies of nationalist ministers are putting Scottish firms at a competitive disadvantage and damaging our economic competitiveness. Weve already seen the devastating impact of the SNPs mismanagement and failure to pass on rates relief on our high streets, and Shona Robisons decision to ignore calls from the retail sector in the budget will only compound the damage. As the party of business, the Scottish Conservatives believe that Scottish firms should have a level playing field on business rates with the rest of the UK. Under the nationalists, companies are being clobbered, so its vital that people use their peach ballot to vote Scottish Conservatives to prevent an SNP majority at the election. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: The Scottish budget 2026-27 will support business and communities with a package of reliefs worth in excess of an estimated 870 million including support through transitional relief schemes and retail hospitality and leisure reliefs. We estimate that 96% of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses could benefit from some form of relief in 2026-27. Official statistics indicate that on June 1 2025, retailers in Scotland were in receipt of 86.5 million of support through the Small Business Bonus Scheme, the most generous scheme of its type in the UK. It freedom makes it easy to pay for your bank account and money your winnings, even within a zero confirmation gambling enterprise. Money Offered at an informed Casinos Instead of Verification One of the biggest benefits associated with casinos in place of verification s the style of payment alternatives they give. This type of systems [] It freedom makes it easy to pay for your bank account and money your winnings, even within a zero confirmation gambling enterprise. Money Offered at an informed Casinos Instead of Verification One of the biggest benefits associated with casinos in place of verification s the style of payment alternatives they give. This type of systems guarantee short and you will safer transactions, providing to people looking to privacy and you may convenience. Regarding cryptocurrencies so youre able to conventional methods, the best online casinos so youre able to withdraw in place of giving one data files bring independence to complement all of the taste. Below, i fall apart the most used fee solutions at the good no verification gambling enterprise. Cryptocurrency Repayments Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin is actually prominent at the zero KYC gambling enterprises. These methods render privacy and you may rapid handling moments, which makes them ideal for professionals which worthy of privacy. In the an instant detachment local casino without verification, crypto transactions are often complete within a few minutes, ensuring their finance is actually conveniently accessible. E-Purses E-purses including Skrill, Neteller, https://winomaniacasino.org/bonus/ and you may MiFinity are generally backed by casinos on the internet without confirmation withdrawal networks. These services try to be intermediaries, adding an additional covering of security on the purchases. Theyre particularly convenient getting people who wish to stop sharing lender facts privately on the gambling establishment. Credit and Debit Cards Of many casinos as opposed to verification nevertheless accept old-fashioned percentage procedures particularly Visa and you may Mastercard. While you are these age quantity of anonymity because cryptocurrencies, they have been widely used due to their accuracy and you may access. A gambling establishment as opposed to ID verification providing cards repayments assures people rather than crypto can still appreciate smooth dumps and distributions. Prepaid Cards and you will Discounts To have participants whom favor to not hook a bank account or credit, prepaid service possibilities for example Paysafecard are a good solution. Speaking of such as helpful within zero id verification casinos, enabling safe and private deposits without needing private facts. Bank Transmits Even if less frequent, certain on-line casino no file questioned systems service financial transfers for distributions. When you find yourself these types of purchases takes stretched, it will still be a viable choice for people whom prefer antique banking tips. Tips for Safe Playing within Casinos In place of Verification To tackle at the gambling enterprises as opposed to confirmation has the benefit of benefits and you can privacy, however, making sure their shelter when you are gaming is crucial. By following these simple resources, you may enjoy the advantages of a zero verification casino rather than limiting your own defense. Below, we express key ways to help make your feel fun and you will safe at the best casinos online. Be sure the new Casinos License and you can Character Also from the a gambling establishment where ID isnt needed, you should guarantee the system was subscribed and you can controlled. An established zero KYC casino usually display screen their license details, making certain it adheres to globe conditions. As well, realize reading user reviews and you will recommendations to confirm the fresh new platforms trustworthiness. Fool around with Safe Fee Methods Opting for safer fee options is key to own protecting your funds and personal data. Decide for gambling enterprises that assistance cryptocurrencies otherwise leading payment providers, guaranteeing safe purchases. A fast withdrawal casino zero confirmation that gives reputable fee steps assures the distributions is one another small and secure. Put a spending budget One of the best a way to enjoy sensibly at an internet casino with no confirmation distributions program would be to put a funds. eplay to cease overspending. This easy move assurances you love their experience instead financial stress. Have a look at Game Fairness Get a hold of casinos that use RNG-official online game to be sure reasonable consequences. A trusted on-line casino in which no data is actually asked can occasionally display screen permits otherwise have fun with really-known providers one to make sure equity. So it implies that all twist otherwise credit worked is truly random. Cover Their Confidentiality When you are zero ID confirmation casinos dont need personal data files, will still be wise to shield your web hobby. Use good passwords, permit several-grounds verification where offered, and ensure you happen to be to relax and play for the a safe partnership. Secret manuscripts written by mobster Whitey Bulger before his arrest are revealed Secret manuscripts penned by James Whitey Bulger have been made public by lawyers who argue that the infamous mobsters writings could prove their clients innocence and overturn a wrongful murder conviction. Lawyers for former FBI agent John Connolly say that the crime bosss handwritten statements show that he was framed, and claim that prosecutors have failed to disclose the evidence for years. "The purpose of this book is first to expose these people who have lied about me to get a 'get out of prison pass, Bulger, who ran Bostons Winter Hill Gang, wrote in 2007. I never thought the day would come that Id be writing a story about my criminal activity, part of the memoir states, but adds that the mobster had felt a volcanic rage building inside of me after reading other books written about him by former criminal associates. The purpose of his writing his own book was to clear up the lies, he said. Secret manuscripts penned by James Whitey Bulger have been made public by lawyers who argue that the infamous mobsters writings could prove their clients innocence and overturn a wrongful murder conviction In a motion filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Monday, Connolly's lawyers argued that Bulger said the former agent had not leaked information to him that resulted in the 1982 killing of businessman John Callahan in Miami. Connolly, now 85, was convicted in Florida of second-degree murder and racketeering in 2008 over the killing. Instead, Bulger identified Connollys supervisor at the FBI, John Morris, as his mole, and described Connolly as a sacrificial lamb, according to the filing. Connolly was a special agent with the FBI in Boston in July 1982 when mob hitman John Martorano shot Callahan in the back of the head and left his body in the trunk of a car at Miami International Airport. Connolly was indicted on a first-degree murder charge 21 years later. At the time, prosecutors claimed Bulger and fellow mobster Stephen Flemmi ordered Callahan's killing after Connolly told them the FBI was investigating Callahan's ties to Bulger and his gang in another murder in 1981. Lawyers for former FBI agent John Connolly (pictured) say that the crime boss handwritten statements show that he was framed, and claim that prosecutors have failed to disclose the evidence for years (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) I am sure everyone close to me thought all the information I had came from [Connolly], Bulger wrote. I didnt discourage that thought sadly for Connolly, he took the heat for warning me to take off and other things that had come from [Morris]. He also accused Morris of becoming a star witness against Connolly to save himself from prosecution. The new evidence emerged after a prosecutor involved in the Connolly case resigned from the Miami-Dade state attorney's office following reports of misconduct. Connolly's lawyers received a letter from Miami-Dade Chief Assistant State Attorney in 2024 informing them that a sealed envelope labeled confidential contained the Bulger manuscript and his statements to the FBI. Bulger was beaten to death in prison in 2018 after being convicted of 11 killings and other crimes. While leading his gang Bulger also served as an FBI informant against the Mafia a claim he denied and inspired Jack Nicholsons character in the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie The Departed (AP) In their filing, Connolly's lawyers accuse prosecutors of a general pattern of misconduct, arguing that they withheld evidence favorable to the defense. The new material creates reasonable doubt about Connollys guilt, they claim. Connolly, who had been serving a 40-year sentence, was granted compassionate release in 2021 after a judge cited his terminal illness and the risks of Covid-19. Bulger was beaten to death in prison in 2018 after being convicted of 11 killings and other crimes. He had been serving a life sentence. While leading his gang, Bulger also served as an FBI informant against the Mafia a claim he denied and inspired Jack Nicholsons character in the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie The Departed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Republican lawmaker has claimed that having an ID is required to have a child. Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick, an ally of President Donald Trump, made the claim Tuesday on Fox News while promoting the SAVE America Act. The Republican-led legislation would require voters to show photo ID at the polls and prove their citizenship when registering. Theres a number of ways, five or six ways, to demonstrate citizenship. And theres a number of things that qualify as sufficient voter ID, McCormick told Fox News. You have to have an ID to get a six pack, you have to have it to give blood, you have to have it to have a child, and you have to have it to get married. This is a commonsense thing, he added. So, the legislation has been amended to make sure that we reduce any possibility that this will be difficult for any single group. The clip has gained traction on social media, where several users mocked McCormicks claim. Republican Senator Dave McCormick, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and advocate of the SAVE America Act, claimed 'you have to have an ID' to 'have a child' (Getty Images) Oh man, apparently I broke the law by not showing my wife my ID before conceiving the kiddo, Democratic strategist Mike Nellis wrote on X. When reached for comment, McCormick told The Independent: I meant what I said. Of course you dont need an ID to biologically give birth, but the legal responsibilities that come with having a child do require an ID, he added. Twisting that into something else is silly. The SAVE America Act which passed the House last month is unlikely to get the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate, given the Democratic opposition to the legislation. Many Republicans have called the bill a common sense measure and slammed Democrats for opposing it. Meanwhile, Trump has said the legislation supersedes everything else and could guarantee the midterms for the party. Its common sense. You need to present a photo ID to buy a beer, to board a plane, and to do so many other things that are part of American life, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said Tuesday. Why not to vote? Democrats have argued the legislation could disenfranchise millions, citing concerns about Americans who cant easily access documents like passports or birth certificates to prove their citizenship. Theyve also pushed back on Republicans claims about voter fraud and noncitizen voting, which is already illegal. Republicans continue to raise baseless fears about election fraud and noncitizen voting, despite the fact that our elections are regularly audited and have also been tested repeatedly in courts, especially after 2020, Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner said Wednesday in a joint statement. Yet, no evidence of widespread voter fraud has ever been found. This bill is yet another extension of President Trumps fixation on the 2020 election, and part of a broader effort to undermine confidence in our democracy ahead of 2026 and 2028, they added. The president has said he wont sign other bills until the SAVE America Act passes. He also warned Tuesday that he will never endorse anyone who opposes it. Get your Senators, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, to VOTE YES ON THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, Trump wrote on Truth Social. I WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST SAVE AMERICA!!! Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, will announce a development spending cut from 0.5 per cent of national income to 0.3 per cent from next year - Stefan Rousseau/PA Yvette Cooper is bracing for a backlash from Labour MPs over cutting the foreign aid budget to fund defence spending. On Thursday, the Foreign Secretary will reveal details of a development spending cut, from 0.5 per cent of national income to 0.3 per cent from 2027. She is expected to announce that ministers will prioritise aid for Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and protection for women and girls, but substantially reduce spending in other areas. The steepest reductions will be in bilateral aid funding, in which the UK directly sends money or assets to other countries, rather than through international bodies. Ms Cooper will argue that Britain must change its approach to international aid in light of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and demands for higher defence spending. Donald Trump, the US president, has called for Nato members to increase their defence budgets and criticised allies for refusing to participate in the war in Iran. Largest cuts in the G7 Ministers are expected to pivot from a paternalistic, British Empire model to a more collaborative approach to aid, where countries would work with the UK to reduce their dependence on donations in the long term. David Taylor, a Labour MP who has criticised the aid cuts, said it was inevitable that there would be a backlash against the announcement on Thursday, warning: A lot of people are obviously going to be upset. He told The Telegraph he was concerned about the move but optimistic about the potential for more innovative funding solutions. Ministers are braced for a backlash from Labour MPs, many of whom feel the increase in defence spending should have been funded from higher taxation or cuts elsewhere. Government sources told The Telegraph that while cutting aid to pay for defence was a popular policy with the public, the details to be released on Thursday would make some MPs very unhappy. Britain has cut aid spending proportionally more than any other G7 nation, including the US, which reduced its development budget after Mr Trump entered office last year. Last February, Sir Keir announced that the aid budget would be reduced by 6bn, allowing ministers to increase the defence budget from 2.3 per cent to 2.6 per cent of Britains GDP by April next year. The decision prompted the resignation of Anneliese Dodds, the development minister at the time, who said the cuts would be likely to lead to a UK pull-out from numerous African, Caribbean and Western Balkan nations at a time when Russia has been aggressively increasing its global presence. Sir Keir tasked Baroness Chapman, who replaced Ms Dodds, with drawing up a detailed plan for the new aid budget that would allow the Government to minimise the effect of the cuts. Ms Coopers statement to the Commons on Thursday will claim that ministers have prioritised spending in conflict zones, including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Britain will also maintain as much spending on international aid bodies as possible, to avoid losing diplomatic influence at the UN and in other multilateral organisations. In 2024, the most recent year for which figures are available, British aid spending was 14.1bn, of which around 80 per cent (11bn), was bilateral. The country to receive the most direct aid from Britain was Ukraine, which received 270m, followed by Afghanistan with 192m, Ethiopia with 182m, Syria with 158m and Somalia with 143m. Around a quarter of Britains bilateral aid was spent on support for refugees or asylum seekers in donor countries. The top recipients of multilateral aid, which is pooled with other countries donations through international bodies, were the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and the International Development Association. The Green Party, which opposed the cuts and has flirted with the idea of leaving Nato, is expected to seize on Thursdays announcement and use it to attract more Left-wing voters. The international development committee, which includes seven Labour MPs, has previously accused Sir Keir of salami-slicing the aid budget and endangering national security. Aid organisations have also opposed the cuts as they rely on funding from the Foreign Office to operate overseas. Romilly Greenhill, the chief executive of Bond, which represents aid agencies, said the cut was already having devastating consequences for millions of people around the world. The UK has a proud history of leading the fight against global poverty, inequality and conflict yet now, successive UK aid cuts have undermined the UKs credibility at home and abroad, she said. The UK Government must step up to reverse the damage already caused by its political choices, honour its manifesto commitment to rebuild the UKs reputation as a global leader, and help build a safer, more prosperous world for us all. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte leave 10 Downing Street after a meeting in London on March 17, 2026. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Volodymyr Zelensky in London Tuesday that "the focus must remain on Ukraine" despite the US-Israeli war with Iran, as the Ukrainian president made his latest stop on a tour of European capitals. Starmer welcomed Zelensky to his official Downing Street residence after the latter visited Paris last week, and ahead of a trip to Madrid on Wednesday. The visits come as the Middle East conflict overshadows Ukraine's four-year fight against Russia's invasion. The United States is pushing Kyiv and Moscow to agree to an elusive peace deal, but a third round of three-party talks has been derailed by the Iran war and no new date for discussions has been set. Washington has also partly rolled back sanctions against Moscow to cool oil prices sent soaring by the Middle East war conflict. "I think it's really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine," said Starmer. "There's obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we can't lose focus on what's going on in Ukraine and the need for our support," he added. Zelensky and Starmer signed a defence partnership aimed at leveraging Ukraine's anti-drone expertise during the visit. Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran late last month, Tehran has mainly used ballistic missiles to attack Israel, but it has relied on drones to strike targets in Gulf states. The UK-Ukraine agreement will "boost global defensive capability against the proliferation of low-cost, high-tech military hardware, including drones", Starmer's Downing Street office said in a statement ahead of the signing. The deal seeks to use Ukraine's "expertise" fending off drones from war with Russia, as well as Britain's industrial base, "to manufacture and supply drones and innovative capabilities". It would also provide 500,000 pounds ($670,000) to fund an "AI Centre of Excellence" to be integrated into the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. 'Unwavering support' Addressing the UK parliament, Zelensky told MPs that 201 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts were in the Middle East to help defend the region against Iranian-designed Shahed drones, which have been used by Russia in its war against Kyiv. He said Ukrainian teams were already in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia and were heading to Kuwait. Another 34 experts were "ready to deploy", he added. "We do not want this terror of the Iranian regime against its neighbours to succeed," Zelensky said in a 30-minute speech boasting of Kyiv's anti-drone expertise honed during its four-year-long war with Russia. Zelensky's visit in London comes as his European allies have vowed to keep up support for Kyiv in the conflict with Russia. "Our resolve is unbreakable," said Starmer, reiterating the UK's long-standing backing of Ukraine. Earlier, Zelensky and King Charles shook hands during a private audience at Buckingham Palace. "I thank His Majesty and the entire Royal Family for their unwavering support and solidarity with Ukraine," Zelensky wrote on X. The Ukrainian leader was later due to meet NATO chief Mark Rutte in London, his spokesman said. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) Products featured in this Yahoo article are selected by our shopping writers. We will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith ripped both Democrats and Republicans for the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which has led to staffing shortages and delays at airports around the country. The shutdown is just egregious, Smith told NewsNations Chris Cuomo on Tuesday. Both sides of the aisle should be ashamed for that. For close to five weeks, DHS has gone without regular appropriations, with Democrats blocking funding until Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection are reformed, following the surge in operations in Minnesota, which led to the January killings of two U.S. citizens. As a result, roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have gone without pay and hundreds have left the force, resulting in lengthy lines at airport security checkpoints and caused some travelers to miss their flights. Now weve got TSA workers, 366 have resigned, 10 percent have been calling in out of work, skipping days this past Sunday, and yesterday as well, Smith, who has mused about running for president, told NewsNation. Stephen A. Smith ripped both Democrats and Republicans for the 'egregious' DHS shutdown, which has led to staffing shortages and delays at airports (NewsNation) The airports are packed to the hilt, flights are being delayed, people are petrified because they dont know whats coming up next, Smith added. Thats not a win. Thats not a good situation for either side of the aisle to be in, and somebody is going to pay the piper for that. Government officials have warned that, unless the shutdown is resolved soon, the situation at travel hubs could worsen. Its not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if call-out rates go up, Adam Stahl, the acting deputy administrator of the TSA, told Fox News on Tuesday. The Trump administration has sought to pin the blame on Democrats, with DHS accusing them of holding American travelers hostage and undermining airport safety. On Wednesday, Trump said Democrats are FULLY TO BLAME and called on them to pay a big price in the midterm elections. Government officials have warned that, unless the shutdown is resolved soon, the situation at travel hubs could worsen (AP) Congressional Democrats have pointed fingers at their GOP colleagues. I checked, it was Republicans that control every branch of government in Washington, D.C., Rep. Jason Crow, Colorado Democrat, told The Washington Times. I am not going to bargain with the lives of Americans when you have an agency thats murdering Americans in the street running around with masks and unmarked vehicles, snatching people off the streets and putting them in prisons without hearings and without court review. There are signs the lapse in funding could soon be remedied. On Tuesday, the White House offered several concessions to Democrats, including expanding the use of body cameras for federal immigration enforcement agents and limiting their operations at schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Although not a formal concession, Trump also dismissed DHS chief Kristi Noem on March 5, following a pair of scathing congressional hearings. On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he intends to introduce a discharge petition to fund DHS agencies including TSA, the Secret Service, and the Coast Guard but excluding ICE and CBP. A displaced child inside a tent in Beirut, Lebanon. Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters (Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters) We welcome Gordon Browns powerful focus on the traumatic effects of war on children in Iran (Children killed, a school turned into a graveyard: even in wartime, we cant accept this, 12 March). In our work with child psychologists in Ukraine, Gaza and other conflict zones, we have seen how wars blight the lives not only of children who are injured but also of those who lose their homes, families and communities. Disrupted schooling, displacement to other countries, bereavement in their peer group and family, witnessing the horrors of conflict and feeling the terrors of air raids or ground attacks all of these catastrophic experiences can lead to lifelong psychological disturbance. In this context, we would urge the international community not only to strengthen legal protections for children in war zones, but also to increase support for life-changing trauma treatments, which we have found in Ukraine can help up to 92% of traumatised children to recover their mental health. Dr Maria Callias Chair, Children and War UK It shouldnt be controversial to be against the targeting of children and teachers. It shouldnt be controversial to stand against child slavery in war and conflict. And it certainly shouldnt be controversial to use our voices to speak out against mass murder of children. Gordon Brown raises moral, political and legal standpoints in this well-written, factual article. I believe, as citizens, that it is our duty to engage in our democracy, as one of the British values, to raise this problem to MPs, councillors, metropolitan mayors and council leaders so that children are never blown up in their own classroom again. Mackenzie Smallman Manchester I couldnt agree more with Gordon Brown. No child should ever become collateral damage. Attacks on education buildings and one assumes on schoolchildren are war crimes. In September 2025, Save the Children stated that at least 20,000 children in Gaza had been killed in 23 months on average one Palestinian child an hour. I have never heard this government call out Benjamin Netanyahus Israeli government for war crimes, or indeed for genocide. Shame on them. Ann Kramer Hastings, East Sussex Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section. US actress Tina Fey has descended into London dressed as Mary Poppins to give the cast of the UK edition of Saturday Night Live (SNL) props including a folder titled The Epstein Files ahead of its first show this weekend. The 55-year-old, who was previously the head writer and lead cast member on the sketch shows US version, will host the UK series first episode on March 21, where she will be joined by indie band Wet Leg as the musical guest. In a preview released by Sky TV on Tuesday, Fey is dressed as the British nanny from the 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews, as she floats down with an umbrella to speak to the cast of the new show. The trailer opens with the shows inaugural cast: Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi and Paddy Young. The group are talking about the countdown to the launch of the show, and actress Marlow asks how the group will communicate the key information such as when it will air to the public. Nash responds: Well just find a way to pop it in. The camera then pans over to Fey in her Mary Poppins outfit, suspended in mid-air and putting on a British accent as she says: Did someone say Poppins? As the star floats down from the ceiling she continues to speak in her accent which she drops halfway through, and says: Gather around children, nanny is here with everything you need for a practically perfect You know what, Im going to drop the voice. Ive got everything you need for your first ever SNL UK. Tina Fey dressed as Mary Poppins in the preview for the show (Ian West/PA) Fey then opens her bag and pulls out a series of props including colourful scarves, a short brown wig and a large lamp, serving as a nod to Mary Poppins never-ending magical bag from the classic Disney film. She then pulls out a crown and says: In case you guys want to do royal stuff. The star revealed other props including a really long shoe and an eel pie, before she pulled out a large case of files which read The Epstein files in big red letters. The gag refers to the collection of documents detailing the activities of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, which have named high-profile figures including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Cast member Young then said: Oh thats us. Were not in them, were just going to do jokes about them, comedian and writer Magliano quipped. Tina Fey made reference to the so-called Epstein files in the teaser (Ian West/PA) The final item in Feys bag was a sign which read: Im Tina Fey and Im hosting SNL UK this week. Why? Because I thought itd get me dual citizenship. It did not. Marlow then said: Hang on, is that why you asked us all to marry you? The rest of the cast then revealed they were wearing engagement rings, before Fey made a quick escape and ascended back up into the ceiling of the studio. As she departed, she said: Winch me up boys. This really hurts my crotch. Goodbye children. SNL UK will be broadcast live from London at 10pm every Saturday night on Sky, with each episode lasting 75 minutes and a different host taking to the stage each week alongside the shows cast. The shows US version has been running since 1975, and is responsible for launching the careers of the likes of Fey, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy. Saturday Night Live UK will launch on Sky and streaming service Now every Saturday from March 21, and will also be available on catch-up. Star showing: Xavi Simons (REUTERS) Tottenhams Champions League campaign was ended by Atletico Madrid but they were applauded off after a spirited 3-2 win in the second leg. Spurs had a mountain to climb after a 5-2 defeat in Madrid but at more than one stage in north London they threatened to mount a memorable comeback. Randal Kolo Muani headed in to open the scoring and Xavi Simons then restored the lead on the night after Julian Alvarez equalised. David Hancko flicked in from a corner to effectively end Spurs hope, but a late Simons penalty gave them the second-leg win they probably deserved, even if it did end 7-5 on aggregate. Matt Verri was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to rate the Spurs players... Guglielmo Vicario 7 Sensational save to keep out Guiliano Simeones deflected strike, a stop that the slow-motion replays did not do justice to. Also sharp to tip over a dipping free-kick from Alvarez. Radu Dragusin 6 Surprisingly lined up at right-back. Limited in possession and did not get forward. Had some good moments defensively but increasingly left Spurs exposed down their right. Cristian Romero 8 Crucial clearance stopped Lookman having a tap-in and saved Djed Spences blushes with another last-ditch block. Too aggressive when scything Alexnader Sorloth down and perhaps fortunate to avoid second yellow soon after, but he fought tirelessly. Leader: Cristian Romero (Getty Images) Micky van de Ven 7 Monstrous challenge on Matteo Ruggeri in the second half when he was about to shoot. On a couple of other occasions was too rash in going to ground. Helped create some stoppage-time chaos in the Atletico box. Djed Spence 7 Linked up really nicely with Mathys Tel on the left, particularly in the first half. At times a bit too confident on the ball and played Spurs into trouble, but great effort to get back and stop last-gasp Atletico counter. Pedro Porro 6 Advanced role on the right but meant he was rarely in the best position to cross, instead laying the ball back. Big chance to make it 3-1 was saved - could have changed the tie. Pape Matar Sarr 6 Caught out at the near post as Hancko got in front to flick a header in. Felt like Archie Gray was holding the midfield together by himself at times with the Senegalese far less influential. Archie Gray 9 Bossed the midfield. Mopped up the loose balls and so powerful in possession, creating the chance for Simons to curl in and make it 2-1. Incredible engine and deserved the huge ovation he got. Boss: Archie Gray (Action Images via Reuters) Xavi Simons 8 Always looked to commit the Atletico players. Lovely ball played in Tel in the first half and then a wonderful curled finish to give Spurs hope again. Got his second by winning and converting a late penalty. Created five chances, the most of any player. Randal Kolo Muani 7 Powerful header gave Spurs their lift-off moment and he threw his body around, giving the Atletico defenders plenty to think about. Had to score in stoppage-time to set up grandstand finish but shot was saved. Mathys Tel 7 Looked full of confidence in the first half, running at Nahuel Molina at every opportunity and getting the better of him. But had to either score or square it when clean through. Not as effective in the second half. Substitutes: Destiny Udogie (Dragusin 66) 5 Booked for a late challenge and then tripped his man out wide, but avoided a second yellow. Lucas Bergvall (Porro 74) 6 Big positive to have him available again. Snapped into challenges and put some nice balls into the box without reward. Callum Olusesi (Tel 81) 6 One nice burst as he linked up with Simons. Good week for him coming on at Anfield and now in the Champions League knockout stage. Kevin Danso (Romero 81) 6 Brought on to give Romero a bit of a rest and Spurs naturally lost a bit of intensity at the back. Conor Gallagher (Gray 81) 6 Hardly had a kick but did well to make the squad after suffering with a nasty virus and asthma issues. One day after he resigned in protest of the Iran war, President Donald Trumps former counterterrorism chief, Joe Kent, placed the blame for the conflict squarely on Israel and stated that Tehran was nowhere close to developing a nuclear weapon. The Israelis drove the decision to take this action, which we knew would set off a series of events, meaning the Iranians would retaliate, Kent, who served as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told Tucker Carlson on Wednesday. The Israeli government felt emboldened that they could launch the war, and that the U.S. would just have to react, he said. Carlson who has described the war as absolutely disgusting and evil asked Kent whether the regime was on the verge of creating a nuclear bomb. No. They weren't three weeks ago when this started, and they weren't in June either, he said, referring to the U.S. militarys June 22 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. He added that the Iranian government has had a fatwa or edict in place since 2004 that bars them from developing a nuclear weapon. We had no intelligence to indicate that fatwa was being disobeyed, he told Carlson, describing the Iranian strategy as actually pretty pragmatic. In a new interview with Tucker Carlson, President Donald Trumps former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent blamed Israel for the war in Iran and stated that Tehran was not on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon (Getty) The killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also only served to embolden his hardline supporters, Kent claimed. "I don't think the ayatollah feared dying. Not because he's some crazy lunatic, but because he knew if he was killed the regime would survive, he said. Kent resigned from the administration on Tuesday over his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran in a post on X that quickly went viral, drawing more than 93 million views. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, Kent said. And it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Kent, an Oregon native who spent 20 years in the U.S. Army, said he supported the policies the president campaigned on but now feels Trump was duped into backing a disastrous decision that echoes the Iraq war. As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people, he added. Kent, a 20-year Army veteran, resigned from the administration over his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran (AP) His departure which made him the highestranking official to step down over the war in Iran reportedly caught Trumps advisers off guard. But it was swiftly dismissed as inconsequential by the White House. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that after reading the letter, he realized that its a good thing that hes out. The next day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the episode laughable and insulting and moved to downplay Kents significance. Its been a while since the president has seen him here at the White House, she said. This was an individual who was not involved in any of the discussions pre-operation and throughout this operation. She also rebuffed Kents claim that Iran posed no imminent threat to the U.S. in a lengthy post on X. As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first, Leavitt wrote. At an event in Michigan on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance told supporters that he knows and likes Kent. But, he said policy disagreements should be set aside once the president has decided on a course of action. Some in MAGA world, though, have expressed fervent support for Kent. Former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who has staunchly opposed the Iran war characterized him as a GREAT AMERICAN HERO. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters that after reading Kents resignation letter, he realized that its a good thing that hes out (Reuters) Kents resignation comes as the war in Iran launched jointly by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 has now stretched into its third week. The conflict has engulfed the broader Middle East region, with strikes reported in Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. At least 1,200 Iranian civilians have died, and more than 10,000 have been injured, according to the countrys health officials. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed, and more than 140 have been wounded, the Pentagon has said. The war which shows no signs of abating has also sparked fears of global economic upheaval, as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt, pushing oil prices above the $100abarrel mark several times in recent weeks. Recent polls indicate that more Americans oppose the conflict in Iran than support it. Fifty-three percent of voters are against the U.S. military action against the Middle East nation, while 40 percent support it, according to a Quinnipiac survey released on March 9. President Donald Trump paid his respects Wednesday to six U.S. service members killed in a plane crash as their remains were returned to their families at a Delaware military base. It was the second time since launching the war with Iran on Feb. 28 that the president attended a solemn military ritual known as a dignified transfer, which he once described as the toughest thing he has had to do as commander in chief. Accompanying Trump were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and lawmakers including Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Alabama Republicans. All six crew members of a KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington state. Trump has attended two of the three dignified transfers since the start of his war against Iran (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Every person on that aircraft carried a weight most Americans will never see, and they carried it with professionalism, courage, and a level of quiet excellence that deserves to be recognized, retired Lt. Col Ernesto Nisperos, a friend of one of those killed, said in a text message Wednesday. The crash brought the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members. About 200 U.S. service members have been injured, including 10 severely, the Pentagon has said. Wednesday's dignified transfer was closed to news media coverage at the request of the families in accordance with military policy. Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didn't speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it. Trump last traveled to Dover Air Force Base on March 7 for the dignified transfer of six U.S. service members who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. Trump spent just under two hours on the ground and didn't speak to reporters leaving Air Force One or returning to it (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) He saluted as flag-draped transfer cases containing the remains of the fallen service members were carried from military aircraft to vehicles waiting to take them to the base's mortuary facility to prepare them for their final resting place. It's the bad part of war, he told reporters afterward. Asked then if he worried about having to make multiple trips to the base for additional dignified transfers as the war continued, he said, I'm sure. I hate to do it, but it's a part of war, isn't it? U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said that the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace over Iraq but that the loss of the aircraft during a combat mission was not due to hostile or friendly fire. The circumstances were under investigation. The other plane landed safely. Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt (AP) Capt. Ariana G. Savino (AP) Capt. Curtis J. Angst (AP) The crash killed three people assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Maj. John A. Alex Klinner, 33, who served in Birmingham, Alabama; Capt. Ariana Linse Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky. Klinner, who left behind a wife, a 2-year-old son and 7-month-old twins, was known for his steady command and goofy nature, as well as a willingness to help others. Pruitts husband described her as a radiant woman who lit up the room. Savino was a friend, mentee and source of positive energy who was proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and inspired young Latinas, said Nisperos, who is serving as spokesman for her family. She had had this warmth that made you feel seen, a strength that showed up in everything she touched, and a spark that spice that made her unforgettable, Nisperos said. If you knew her, even for a moment, you knew you were in the presence of someone who was going to change the world. The three others were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio: Capt. Seth Koval, 38, a resident of Stoutsville, Ohio, who was from Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, who lived in Columbus; and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus. Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons (AP) Capt. Seth R. Koval (AP) Maj. Alex Klinner on Jan. 10, 2026 (AP) Koval grew up dreaming of becoming a pilot, according to his wife, who described him as a loving, generous fixer of all things. Angsts family said his life was defined by service, generosity and a genuine love for people. Simmons loved confiding in his 85-year-old grandmother and working out with her, Sen. Jon Husted said Tuesday, when he and Sen. Bernie Moreno honored the Ohio airmen on the Senate floor. To the mom and dad of these three young soldiers, I cant even process what youre going through. I cant even imagine the emotions that youre feeling, Moreno said. Just know that America is grateful beyond words for the sacrifice that your heroic young sons made. Joe Kent resigned from his post over the war in Iran. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters (Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters) A senior Democrat has called on Joe Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center and a far-right political figure, to testify to Congress about why he resigned from his job over the war on Iran. California representative Ro Khannas call came after Kent, a supporter of Trump, wrote on X that I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation before blaming Israel. The American people deserve to know why this Administration dragged us into war in Iran, Khanna wrote on social media. Joe Kent should come before Congress. If even officials like Joe Kent do not believe Iran posed an imminent threat, why are we sending more Americans to die in this war? Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, also reacted to the resignation, writing on X: A top national security official resigns and confirms that Iran posed no imminent threat. Good riddance to Joe Kent, a disgraceful white supremacist, but thats a major public admission that there was NO justification for this war. Here are the key stories of the day at a glance. Trump counter-terrorism chief quits over Iran war, blaming Israel Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a far-right political figure and supporter of Donald Trump, resigned from his position on Tuesday in protest of the war in Iran. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran, Kent wrote in a resignation letter posted to X. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. Read the full story UK security adviser at US-Iran talks judged deal was within reach Britains national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, attended the final talks between the US and Iran and judged that the offer made by Tehran on its nuclear programme was significant enough to prevent a rush to war, the Guardian can reveal. Powell thought progress had been made in Geneva and that the deal proposed by Iran was surprising, according to sources. Two days after the talks ended, and after a date had been agreed for a further round of technical talks in Vienna, the US and Israel launched the attack on Iran. Read the full story Pam Bondi subpoenaed over Epstein files release by House committee Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, has been formally subpoenaed to appear before a House panel to answer questions about the justice departments handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and its release of the Epstein files. Read the full story Trump relied on unverified intelligence to blame Iran for deadly school strike Donald Trumps attempt to blame Iran for the deadly strike on an elementary school stemmed from an early US intelligence assessment that initially suggested the missile was Iranian but was almost immediately dismissed, according to two people familiar with the matter. Read the full story Trump administration to slash fee to renounce US citizenship from $2,350 to $450 The Trump administration has agreed to take a financial loss in order to make it easier for Americans to walk away from their US citizenship. In April, the cost to formally renounce citizenship will plunge from $2,350 to just $450, below the actual cost to the government of processing the requests but fulfilling a years-long promise to reverse an unpopular fee adopted in 2015. Read the full story US Senate heeds Trumps call to debate restrictive Save America act voting bill The Senate on Tuesday voted 51-48 to begin debate on the Save America act, a rebranded version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility act, or the Save Act, which has been circulating through Congress in some iteration for more than two years. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened on Monday, 16 March. No longer the president of a victim nation, Volodymyr Zelensky came to London as a leader offering the West the tools for victory building alliances while Donald Trump was simultaneously shattering them in Washington. No longer simply pleading for help against the full-scale Russian war, Zelensky brought an iPad to Westminster to show real-time Ukrainian battlefield feeds. These enable his forces to shoot down 87-90 per cent of drone and missile attacks, mostly with home-grown weapons. Now many of his Ukrainian drone experts 201 to be precise are already operating in Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with another 34 en route to Kuwait. These Gulf nations are already benefiting from Kyivs wartime technology, specifically developed to deal with the missiles and drones fired at them from Iran. His message was explicit: you need us just like we need you. Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle, Volodymyr Zelensky and Keir Starmer following the presidents speech to MPs and peers (PA) Top of his list for thanks was the UK which last year signed a 100-year cooperation agreement with Ukraine. He gave an iPad with the top secret feed through which to view every drone kill, infantry manoeuvre, incoming missile strike and long range air attacks inside Russia to the King, before heading to parliament where he was greeted with a standing ovation. Meanwhile, as he was on his way back from an audience with the monarch, Americas head of state was spreading bile and contempt for the United Kingdom and its prime minister, Starmer. Not for the first time, the US president said he was disappointed by Starmer, who has refused to join the US-Israeli war in Iran and swiped at the UKs immigration and energy policies. He also accused the BBC of using AI in a documentary in which it has admitted to clumsy editing of one of Trumps 6 January speeches shortly before his supporters launched an attack on the US Congress. The BBC did not use AI. I love Europe, rambled Trump during a meeting with the Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Ive spent a lot of time in Europe. Its a different place. Bad things have happened here. Very bad things. And you better do something about immigration, and you better do something about energy. US president Donald Trump was asked about the BBC during a press opportunity with Irish premier Micheal Martin (PA) He repeated his criticism of Nato members taking no direct part in military action against Iran. And failed to acknowledge that many, including the UK, are in action defending Gulf nations against Iranian drone and missile attacks. I think Nato is making a very foolish mistake, Trump went on. Everyone agrees with us, but they dont want to help. And we, you know, we as the United States have to remember that because we think its pretty shocking. As for whether he would retaliate against Nato allies for holding back, the US president said he had nothing currently in mind. He is already seen as a mercurial and unreliable ally who has threatened to invade Canada and Greenland, a Danish territory. Both are in Nato. He has also squeezed Nato members to buy US weapons for Ukraine and stopped all military aid to Kyiv which, from Natos perspective, is fighting on the alliances eastern flank against Russia, a threat to the rest of eastern Europe. Trump has taken Russias side in so-called peace talks between Kyiv and the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin holds a meeting on the global oil and gas market situation in Moscow on 9 March (AFP/Getty) Vladimir Putins chief economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has almost unlimited access to Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, with whom he has been discussing future business deals in Russia. In contrast, Zelensky offers a different picture: Its up to us to decide. And we are here in this great building of the British parliament, calm and safe, not in a shelter. On your way here, you saw tree branches over the streets, not protective nets against FPV drones. And all of us here worry a little about having fast mobile internet or wifi nearby. Not about whether strong mobile air defence teams are on duty close to us. This way of life, open space, normal streets, normal buildings, not underground, feels so simple, so familiar, as if it is, if it has always been there. Its almost impossible to imagine it ending. But what guarantees that it will continue? asked Ukraines president. He then laid out how his country can help secure a future for its allies, describing it as a duty for the current generation of leaders. We must deliver real security, safety on the streets, safety at home, the protection of our culture and real respect for the rights and security of our people and national security proven by war. Sappers examine the site of a Russian missile strike which hit a post office storehouse in Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday (AP) Trump has often said Ukraine matters little to the US and that America is separated from the European war by a big beautiful ocean. Zelensky had an answer for that: We do not believe we have the right to be indifferent, even if we are separated from human suffering or shared danger by an ocean. An ocean, however big and beautiful, or by anything else. Ballistic missiles can strike at thousands of kilometres. Drones can do the same. But if evil wins, the evolution of war will cross any distance to us. Ukraine, he said, wanted partnerships with Middle Eastern nations and Europe to continue to build its drone defences and to fund its anti-missile batteries, which use Patriot and THAAD missiles to shoot down ballistic weapons. Trump has dismissed Ukraines offer of drone experts, but Zelensky insists Kyiv has much to contribute. If together with partners in the Middle East we build a system like Ukraine, they will be able to track attacks from Iran or from the Houthis in real time, analyse them, keep improving their defence, giving people critical infrastructure and trade routes real security. A statesman, giving real world solutions, while his US counterpart sulks. President Donald Trump appeared to implicitly threaten to leave Americas allies to their own devices as far as getting oil moving through a key waterway after his war against Iran is over even as he struggled to spell the waterways name. Writing on Truth Social early Wednesday, Trump mused: I wonder what would happen if we finished off what's left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don't, be responsible for the so called Straight? That would get some of our non-responsive "Allies" in gear, and fast!!! The president was referring to the Strait of Hormuz, an important maritime choke point that connects the Persian Gulf with the open ocean. It is a key transit way for oil tankers leaving the region en route to ports around the world and sees about a fifth of the worlds oil supply pass through it each year. It is also one that both he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly referred to using the misnomer Straits of Hormuz. But since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has been holding traffic in the strait hostage by threatening mine or missile attacks against tankers and other merchant shipping other than those ships operated by or serving allies. I wonder what would happen if we finished off what's left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don't, be responsible for the so called Straight? President Donald Trump posted Wednesday morning. (Getty Images) Trump, who later corrected the misspelling in a second Truth Social post, has appeared to fixate on how to properly refer to the waterway in recent days as U.S. allies have rejected his demand that they contribute naval assets to escort ships through the strait. During a press conference on Monday, he referred to it as the Hormuz straits twice during an impromptu press conference with Kennedy Center board members, and later in the day at a second media availability he seemed to mock the idea of referring to the waterway properly as he discussed how many countries get a tremendous percentage of their oil ... from the straits or as they call it, the strait. Regardless of spelling, his Truth Social post appeared to suggest that he is willing to allow Iran or its proxies to take control of the key maritime passage after the U.S. wraps up the bombing campaign his administration has dubbed Operation Epic Fury at some point in the future. Since the weekend, he has fumed over his lack of progress in obtaining help to protect oil tankers that have been threatened by Iran as a result of the war he launched just over two weeks ago, telling reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that the U.S. did not need any help from allies after his pleas for assistance were uniformly rejected by nearly all of Americas traditional allies. Trump misspelled the name of the Strait of Hormuz in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that highlighted his recent fixation with the proper name of the waterway (Truth Social) Speaking alongside Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin during a bilateral meeting, Trump said: we don't need too much help, and we don't need any help after he was asked whether hed been able to enlist any other nations to help escort tankers through the strait. He also expressed astonishment that NATO allies would not simply obey his request as if it were a command, citing the American troop presence in Europe that has served as a deterrent against the U.S.S.R. and later Russia since the end of the Second World War. Despite the fact that we help them so much ... they don't want to help us, which is amazing, he said. He added that the alliance is making a very foolish mistake and again repeated his claim that his call for assistance was a test. His assertion that the U.S. does not need any assistance to protect commercial shipping in the strait a key choke point for a fifth of the worlds oil supply came just days after he urged China, France, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint to send ships to escort oil tankers after Iran effectively blockaded the narrow waterway. Multiple ships have been struck by projectiles since the start of the war on February 28, while Iran has allowed tankers serving China and India to pass unmolested because they are carrying Iranian oil. The result has been economic upheaval, with global oil prices skyrocketing and gasoline prices following suit in rapid succession. Despite Trumps claim that the U.S. doesnt need help with the strait, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Wednesday that Trump and top aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Hegseth, continue to be in touch with their counterparts in Europe and of course our allies in Arab and gulf region for their help in securing the Strait of Hormuz. She claimed doing so would be to their benefit and suggested that the U.S. does not need to resolve the situation because it is a net exporter of oil even though the backup in the strait contributes to higher oil prices globally, and slammed NATO as an unfair alliance. You look at some of the trade deals with NATO allies. The president has worked to renegotiate and reset those to make them more fair for the American people and workers. You look at the fact that the United States has thousands of troops ... on NATO soil. Were paying these countries billions of dollars and our troops on their soil serves as a deterrent for them, Leavitt said. And the president wants the American tax payer and our American military to be treated fairly, he feels sometimes with NATO they are not. And hes right to call that out and hes right to call on them to step up and do more. Especially when reopening the strait benefits them even more than it does the United States of America. Passengers are being reminded that the Tube strike that was set to cause serious disruption to the London Underground from Tuesday (March 24) has been called off. About 1,800 Tube drivers who belong to the RMT union had been expected to walk out from midday on Tuesday for 24 hours, and again from midday on Thursday. This was to have been followed by four more 24-hour strikes two in April and two in May. But on Wednesday afternoon last week (March 18) the RMT announced that its action had been suspended after progress in peace talks with Transport for London. Transport for London has erected posters in Tube stations to make clear to passengers that services this week will not be affected as originally feared. Reminder: The RMT Tube strike planned for March has been called off (Ross Lydall) The strike had been called by the RMT in protest at proposals to introduce a four-day week for Tube drivers. TfL said the scheme which would mean slightly longer shifts but more days off for the same pay would be voluntary. But the RMT feared the changes would be enforced and result in a greater risk of fatigue and a poorer work-life balance for Tube drivers. In an announcement at around 4.30pm on Wednesday, the RMT said the dispute was far from over but the walkouts were being suspended as London Underground managers had taken steps in the right direction and are now taking the matter seriously. However the strikes planned for April and May remain in place and could go ahead if the negotiations fail. In addition, two new dates have been announced on Tuesday June 16 and Thursday June 18. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "Through our show of industrial strength and unity, we have forced management into a position where they are now willing to seriously engage with the issues our members want addressing. "Further talks will take place and the dispute remains live." When are the remaining Tube strikes scheduled? 21-22 April (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) 23-24 April (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday) 19-20 May (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) 21-22 May (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday) 16-17 June (12:00pm Tuesday to 11.59am Wednesday) 18-19 June (12:00pm Thursday to 11.59am Friday) Nick Dent, director of customer operations for London Underground, said: We are pleased that RMT has suspended its planned industrial action between Tuesday 24 March and Friday 27 March. This is good news for London and we will continue to work constructively with the trade unions to avoid disruption and address concerns. Earlier on Wednesday, TfL commissioner Andy Lord said he was hopeful that the strikes would be called off. He made no secret about his frustration at the decision of the RMT to call the strikes, which he called premature and totally unnecessary. TfL felt it was caught between an inter-union battle, as Aslef, the other Tube drivers union, is strongly in favour of the four-day week. TfL had put forward the idea of a four-day week - which is standard on the mainline railway, including the Elizabeth line and London Overground - at the request of the unions to resolve a previous dispute. Last week, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan urged TfL and the RMT to get back round the table to avert the strike. Had the walkout gone ahead, there would have been severe disruption across the Underground between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday lunchtime, and between Thursday lunchtime and Friday afternoon, with delays at other times. However the impact would not have been as severe as during the last RMT strike, which involved all its 10,500 members walking out at different points over a five-day period last September. Londons transport commissioner hopes that a series of Tube strikes, which would cause chaos for commuters over the next two months, can be averted before they are due to begin next week. Andy Lord said he hoped that conversations over the coming days will resolve the matter and prevent Tube drivers who are members of the RMT union from walking out from midday next Tuesday, March 24. Negotiating teams from Transport for London and the RMT met on Monday to discuss the dispute, over TfLs proposal for a four-day week for Tube drivers. But they ended without a breakthrough. Further talks are due to resume on Friday. Mr Lord, in an update to the TfL board on Wednesday morning, said he was clearly disappointed that the RMT had announced a series of strikes this Spring. We shared our proposal for a four-day working week with our trade unions last year, Mr Lord said. Since then, we have been engaging with them on how to implement a voluntary new working pattern, potentially trialling this on the Bakerloo line only. There is no need for this industrial action. This is a fair proposal, informed by union engagement, which is voluntary, and no-one will be required to change their working pattern if they choose not to. We are continuing to talk with the unions and I hope that we will be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion. Nonetheless, if we arent able to, and the industrial action does go ahead, we will do all we can to minimise the impact to our customers. If it does go ahead, I do want to be clear that we expect it to be significantly less disruptive than the action we saw in September. Nonetheless, I hope that conversations over the coming days will resolve the matter. Speaking last Friday to The Standard, Mr Lord described the strikes which are due to continue into May as very premature and totally unnecessary. Posters have started to appear in Tube stations warning passengers to expect severe disruption from next Tuesday afternoon until midday on Wednesday, and again on Thursday afternoon until Friday lunchtime. Audio announcements are also being broadcast over Tube station tannoys. Oh dear, its Tube strike poster time again. pic.twitter.com/RS5yWEGpJm Ross Lydall (@RossLydall) March 17, 2026 The RMT fears the changes, which have yet to be introduced, will not be voluntary but will be enforced. The union believes that drivers would be at greater risk of fatigue from the slightly longer shifts that would result from a four-day week, and have a poorer work-life balance. The RMT has announced six 24-hour walkouts, each starting a midday to spread the disruption over two days. Two strikes a week are planned in March, April and May with each set of strikes likely to impact service on the London Underground for several days each week. The Tube strike dates announced by the RMT * 2425 March (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) * 2627 March (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday) * 2122 April (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) * 2324 April (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday) * 1920 May (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) * 2122 May (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday) The first strike is due to start at midday on March 24, followed by another walkout on March 26. The Elizabeth line, DLR and London Overground will continue to operate but they are expected to be extremely busy. Mr Lord told The Standard that the voluntary four-day week proposal would enable Tube drivers to work the same hours over four days rather than five for the same pay. If the strikes did go ahead, the disruption would not be on scale of that seen last September, when a five-day RMT strike caused a total shutdown of the Underground for most of the time. There will be service across the majority of lines, Mr Lord said. Only train driver members of the RMT about 1,800 staff rather than its entire London Underground membership of about 10,400 staff would be entitled to take part in the strike. Crucially, the picket lines would not be at Tube stations but at train depots. It is understood that drivers belonging to rival union Aslef have been instructed to turn up for work on the RMT strike days. TfL aims to pilot the four-day week for Tube drivers on the Bakerloo line but this is yet to begin. The idea of trialling a four-day week was drawn up by TfL at the request of unions as part of a deal to end a previous strike. Mr Lord said: What we are asking the RMT to do is do the same working hours within four days rather than five. We have been talking to them and Aslef about this. We think its a fair proposal. that will drive some efficiencies for us and enhance work-life balance for [drivers] as well. Its being done on a voluntary basis so we can see how it would work. Those drivers who want to do it are keen to do it. Those drivers who dont want to do it can carry on doing what they are doing today. With industrial action, there are never any winners. I think its very premature for the RMT to be doing this and totally unnecessary. The RMT declined to comment. Roman Abramovich was under sanctions when he sold Chelsea FC in 2022. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP (Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP) UK officials are preparing for a possible court case against Roman Abramovich after he missed a deadline to release 2.4bn he raised from selling Chelsea FC. The Russian billionaire failed to hand over the money by the deadline of 17 March, amid a dispute over how it will eventually be used. Government officials said they would now take steps to prepare for a potential court case so the money can be spent for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. They have written to Abramovichs lawyers to warn them of this. They added that they would also increase support for an independent foundation that has been set up to spend the money when it is released. A government spokesperson said: We gave Roman Abramovich his last chance to do the right thing. Once again, he has failed to make the donation he committed to. We will now take further steps to ensure that the promise he made at the time of the Chelsea sale is kept. Spokespeople for Abramovich have been contacted for comment. Abramovich sold Chelsea in 2022 under pressure from the British government after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Because he was under sanctions at the time, the government granted him a licence to sell the London club as long as the money was spent supporting the victims of the Ukraine war. Since then, the two sides have been deadlocked over whether the money should be spent exclusively in Ukraine or whether it can be used elsewhere. The funds are in a UK bank account controlled by Abramovichs company, Fordstam. Earlier this week, the Guardian revealed Fordstams accounts show Jersey authorities may be investigating whether the money amounts to the proceeds of crime. Aid charities welcomed the governments promise to push ahead with preparations for a court case, but warned the delays were already hurting Ukraine. Bond, which represents development organisations, urged the government to issue a new licence to allow the interest accrued since the 2022 sale thought to be around 200m to go outside Ukraine. Ministers have said they are open to future gains made by the charitable trust being spent outside Ukraine, but not the money currently sitting in Abramovichs bank account. Alison Griffin, the head of conflict and humanitarian campaigns at Save the Children, said: The news that the government is planning to take Roman Abramovich to court to free the Chelsea fund is a significant development. However, we are deeply concerned that this will only further delay the release of these much-need funds to help support victims of the war in Ukraine. This article was amended on 18 March 2026. An earlier version said government ministers were open to allowing interest accrued since the 2022 sale of Chelsea FC to be used outside Ukraine; to clarify, ministers are open to future gains made by the trust being spent outside Ukraine, but not the money currently sitting in the account. About a fifth of seaborne crude oil traffic passed through the strait before the war. Photograph: Reuters (Photograph: Reuters) Britain has said it remains involved in discussions with the US and European allies over escorting merchant shipping through the strait of Hormuz but the situation remains too dangerous for it to happen soon. Iran is still considered to pose a threat and to have a wide range of weapons available from cruise missiles to sea drones despite 19 days of US-led bombing of its navy and coastal sites. A UK defence official said Tehran had a very effective kind of disaggregated command and dispersal system, meaning it could continue to attack even though many of its military and political leaders have been killed. Its mountainous coastline makes surveillance of missiles and drones difficult. The defence official added: The level of threat is such that I dont see many nations being willing to put warships into the middle of that threat right now. Iran has in effect closed the strait with periodic attacks on oil tankers and other shipping. About a fifth of seaborne crude oil traffic passed through the strait before the war, and a dramatic fall in exports has helped push prices above $100 a barrel. Donald Trump has criticised the UK and other Nato members for failing to offer warships to help patrol the strategic waterway. On Truth Social on Tuesday he said the United States no longer need or desire the Nato Countries assistance. However, the UK said contacts continued about the issue at a military level, and additional British planners had been dispatched to liaise with US Central Command (Centcom), which is leading the American military effort against Iran. It is unclear what the UK would contribute to any maritime escort operation, though the Royal Navy could in theory redeploy HMS Dragon, a destroyer currently en route to Cyprus, into the Arabian sea. No other warships are immediately available. On Wednesday, John Healey, the defence secretary, discussed the strait of Hormuz in a call with the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Poland. France has previously said it would be willing to send warships to the strait, but only when the most intense phase of the conflict is over. Al Carns, a UK junior defence minister, said the last escort operation in Gulf, which began in 1987 during the last phase of the Iran-Iraq war, required 30 warships. That gives you just an example of the resources required. So its a major undertaking, he said in a briefing. He emphasised this must be a multinational solution, arguing that Britain had no choice to work with the US, however difficult. But I would say this: there is one thing worse than working with allies and thats working without them, he said. The US navy has so far not indicated it is ready to become involved in an escort operation, preferring to focus on the continuing bombing campaign, though officials have suggested that could change next month. The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is operating off the coast of Oman. Overnight, Centcom said it had used 5,000lb bunker buster bombs on what it said were hardened Iranian missile sites along Irans coastline near the strait of Hormuz, part of a wider attempt to eliminate the threat from anti-ship cruise missiles. Kevin Rowlands, a naval expert with the Royal United Services Institute thinktank, said that while Iranian capacity to inflict damage was being steadily reduced, danger to shipping remained. It is almost impossible to reduce the risk to zero and we can expect ships to face a residual level of threat for some time to come, Rowlands said, adding that the narrow, 20 nautical mile width of the strait effectively creates a kill zone where the warning time for an attack may only be a few seconds. The British government will pay back crew members left out of pocket after a new Simon Pegg film was forced to cancel production due to financial problems. Approximately 600,000 ($800,000) is owed to those working on the independent period drama, titled Angels in the Asylum, which filmed for half a month in February 2025 before grinding to a halt. According to Deadline, the UK governments Redundancy Payments Service (RPS), funded by national insurance payments, told crew members to expect a form of remuneration. The report claims that crew members are not expecting to receive the full amount, with one noting they believe they will be paid back a third of the money owed to them. Simon Peggs Angels in the Asylum collapsed due to financial trouble, leaving everyone out of pocket (Getty) The RPS aids those who are owed money when businesses run into financial trouble. Last year, the service helped out almost 70,000 people left in the red, and the amount thats given back is funded by national insurance payments. Its absolutely outrageous, the anonymous person told the outlet. The government is paying up for the mistakes of the producers. This is not why I pay my taxes. Pegg and the executive producers could write this off in a second and pay everyone off. Mission: Impossible actor Pegg was an executive producer on the film, as well as its lead star, but he was not paid for his work and didnt have any involvement with the films finances. The Independent has contacted Pegg for comment. A spokesperson for AITA Films, a production company thats been in administration since April 2025, said: Crew payments are being handled through the standard insolvency process. At the time the company went into administration, Angels in the Asylum director Rob Sorrenti and producer Heather Greenwood said: We have been forced into appointing an administrator as a precaution. We hope this is temporary while we continue to raise the funds for the film. However, one year on, creditors are owed approximately 3.8m ($5m). Angels in the Asylum is a true story about a group of women who were wrongly imprisoned in a mental institution in Surrey after being deemed to be typhoid carriers in the first half of the 20th century. The film also starred Katherine Waterston, Minnie Driver, Aurora Perrineau, Rose Williams and Alex Jennings. Simon Pegg was set to star in the film about a group of women wrongly imprisoned in a mental institution (Invision) Deadline reported that, when the film went into production, its budget was set at 4.9m, but it started shooting without all of its money in place. Just 15 days into the shoot in February, a gap in the budget emerged and production was paused. In an email update, reportedly sent by Sorrenti and Greenwood in March 2025, the crew were told: We appreciate how difficult this is for everyone. Were incredibly sorry. We endeavour to give you all an update as soon as possible, but the situation is incredibly complex Please know we are in this with you, neither of us intended to be in this situation and have been personally affected by it too. A further statement from Sorrenti and Greenwood said: It has taken 15 years to bring the film into production. It was devastating when we were forced to halt filming due to our second round of financing failing to materialise. After being let down, we were forced into hiatus. Since that time, we have been desperately trying to raise finances with the goal of addressing our outstanding obligations to both our cast and crew. We have also put some of our own funds into the project, but sadly, it hasnt been enough to rectify the situation. We remain determined to find a solution. We also want to make it very clear that we, the producers, have not been paid for our work on the production. Pegg reportedly told his colleagues: Were making something really special here, something important. This is a crisis, but its also an opportunity, and well be back soon. There are currently no plans to resume production on the film. Warning issued as bookings for meningitis vaccine surge across UK after Kent outbreak Pharmacies are seeing a significant surge in private meningitis vaccine bookings. This spike follows the UK Health Security Agencys (UKHSA) confirmation of meningitis B cases in a Kent outbreak. Superdrug have reported a 65-fold increase in demand compared to last week. Health experts have warned of "unequal access" to protection based on the ability to pay. A small vaccination programme will launch shortly for students at the University of Kent's Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence. The MenB jab was introduced for babies as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme in 2015. But the majority of young people born before 2015 are not protected, unless they have had the jab privately. A number of pharmacies offer the menB vaccine, including Superdrug, where it is available for children from the age of two months and adults aged up to 50. The Chemistry night club in Canterbury which is linked to the meningitis outbreak (Gareth Fuller/PA) A course of two to three doses is recommended, priced at 110 per dose. A spokesperson for Superdrug told PA: At Superdrug, bookings at our nurse clinics for our meningitis service this week have surged to 65 times the level seen last week. At Boots, the vaccination service is for adults and children aged two and over costing 220 for two doses. At Well Pharmacy, the vaccine is available for children from the age of two months and adults aged up to 50. The course includes two to three doses, depending on age, at 110 each. Asda also launched a meningitis vaccine service last year, with a full menB course available for 179.76. Appointment availability varies across the country as of 11.30am on March 17. There were appointments available at Boots in major cities including London, but there are none currently available at the Boots store in Canterbury. Superdrug health clinics across the South East also had appointments available. On Tuesday, the UKHSA said there have been 15 cases of meningitis reported to it in Kent, up from 13 reported previously. Four of these cases are confirmed to have menB. UKHSA officials investigating the outbreak, which has left two young people dead and others in hospital, told PA it would confirm the strain in other cases when the full results are available. Experts also said it takes time for the immune response to kick in after vaccination and stressed that getting antibiotics to those exposed should be a priority. On Monday, hundreds of people who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury on March 5, 6 or 7 were told to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, said: The first question on vaccination is whether this B strain is covered by the vaccine as this isnt always the case this takes time for the UKHSA to work out in the laboratory and they are working round the clock on this. A small vaccination programme will launch shortly for students at the University of Kent's Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence (Carl Court/Getty Images) If it does match then B vaccines are great but it takes time for the immune response to kick in after the jab and so the absolute priority today is to ensure that those who have been exposed get antibiotics to stop them developing the disease or spreading the B germs to others. Dr Eliza Gil, clinical lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), added: Some families choose to access vaccination privately as it is commercially available on the high street from chemists. This creates a situation where currently we have unequal access based on ability to pay. The charity Meningitis Now has called for teenagers and young people to be vaccinated against meningitis B on the NHS as part of its No Plan B for menB campaign. It also says menB jabs should be available on the high street at a fair price. On the NHS, the menB jab is recommended for babies aged eight weeks, followed by a second dose at 12 weeks and a booster at one year. Other routine childhood jabs, including the 6-in-1 and pneumococcal vaccines, can protect against meningitis. Elsewhere, the menACWY vaccine is a single dose jab that protects against four strains of meningococcal bacteria. It was also introduced in 2015. It is offered to teenagers in school and is also available to those entering university, up to the age of 25. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) urged the NHS to commission pharmacies to provide a catch-up service for teenagers who missed their menACWY vaccine, and called for reforms to the childhood vaccination programme. NPA chairman Olivier Picard said: Some pharmacies are already seeing an uptick in patients contacting them to book menACWY and menB vaccinations and we anticipate this demand will continue to grow. Mr Picard also said there have been reports of pharmacies being unable to make new vaccine orders from wholesalers. He said: Many pharmacies across the country have reported to us that they have no supplies of meningitis vaccinations and cannot make new orders from wholesalers. Most pharmacies will have only stocked meningitis vaccinations for a handful of travel vaccination services a year and do not have supplies for the scale of demand linked to the recent outbreak and are prevented from making new orders. We understand many patients, including parents with older teenagers, will be concerned by this situation and will be keen to vaccinate themselves or their loved ones. However, pharmacies are having to manage constrained levels of supply. Compensation claims will now come under one service. (urbancow via Getty Images) Delay repay compensation claims will be brought under one Great British Railways service rather than navigating 14 different companies, the government has announced. The move, announced by the Department for Transport on Tuesday, will make it quicker and easier for customers to claim compensation if their train is delayed. The department said it hopes to simplify the process for rail passengers, who have to contend with a complex system across 14 different train companies, which "creates confusion and frustration", the Department for Transport said. Here, Yahoo News explains what we know about the changes. How does delay repay work? Compensation scheme delay repay allows rail passengers to claim money if their service has been significantly delayed. While every rail operator has a delay repay scheme, the rules for the schemes vary. In some instances, passengers can claim compensation if they are delayed by 15 minutes or more, while other operators set the bar at 30 minutes and beyond. Customers can claim for delays of 15 minutes or more to their journeys. (Altaf Shah via Getty Images) However, all lines provide a full refund for any journey delayed by 60 minutes or more. As split ticketing purchases are on the rise, some customers face additional complications as they may have to apply for compensation through several rail providers for just one journey. Official stats from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) note that around 5% of journeys between April 2023 and March 2024 used split tickets, up from about 4% the year before. What changes to delay repay will be made? Under the changes, rail passengers will no longer be able to claim delay repay directly from wherever they buy their ticket. Instead, there will be one easy-to-use service under Great British Railways (GBR), meaning customers will no longer have to navigate different forms for each rail provider they use. Companies offering different thresholds for delay repay, however, will still continue, instead of every rail provider adjusting their compensation scheme to provide refunds for delays of 15 minutes and above. Customers will also be able to claim compensation through third-party train providers like Trainline, the Department for Transport said. What other changes are in store? This year, the government is overhauling the rail network under the Great British Railways initiative, unifying the railway service under a single public body amid accusations of fragmented services and frequent delays. Part of the plans will see rail fares frozen for the first time in 30 years from April, as well as a clampdown on fraudulent travel. From 1 April 2026, unused tickets will only be eligible for a refund up to 23:59 on the day they become valid for travel. The government is also clamping down on railcard fraud. (Kirsty O'Connor, PA Images) The move, which is said to prevent people asking for their money back even though they have used a service, is projected to save 40m annually. Trials for a new scheme are also beginning later in the year to check railcards are being used properly. If the trial proves successful, railcard users will need to complete a validation check and input their details before buying discount tickets from machines, saving taxpayers around 20m a year. Newer trains, better timetables and station improvements are also expected, with the 11 remaining private operators brought under public ownership by the end of the year. Trump advisers were reportedly caught off guard Tuesday when Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, posted his stunning resignation letter on social media. Kent, a former loyalist to President Donald Trump, sent shockwaves through MAGA-world when he openly declared he would step down from his position because he couldnt support the justification for going to war with Iran. Kent had informed Trump officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Vice President JD Vance, Monday evening that he would step down from his position, citing his objections to the war, The Washington Post reported. But White House aides did not anticipate Kent publicly posting his resignation on government letterhead, one senior administration official told the Wall Street Journal. The Independent has asked the White House for comment. Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, wrote in his resignation letter that the president launched his war with Iran due to 'misinformation' disseminated by Israeli officials and influential members of the media (Getty) The official told the WSJ that White House aides reportedly scrambled to craft a message downplaying Kents importance in the administration and criticizing his position on Trumps military campaign. Kents scathing letter accused the president of launching the Iran war based on misinformation disseminated by Israeli officials and members of the American media. It quickly went viral and had been viewed at least 92 million times on X by Wednesday afternoon. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby, Kent wrote. The former officials letter was posted as Trump tries to rally public support for military strikes on Iran, which he says are needed to eliminate Iran as a threat to neighboring countries and the U.S. The president and members of his administration have said the goals in the 4-6 week-long operation are to decimate Irans Navy and prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon. But public support for the war is low, and Trump officials have given varying justifications for the attacks. After Kents resignation letter was made public, Trump told reporters he always thought [Kent] was a nice guy but that he was weak on security. Trump told reporters Tuesday he thought Kent was weak on security after the director of the National Counterterrorism Center said Iran did not pose a threat to the U.S. (AP) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also disputed Kents allegations, saying he was making the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over. She reiterated that the U.S. had compelling evidence compiled from many sources and factors indicating Iran was going to attack the U.S. She also reiterated that Iran was aggressively expanding its short-range ballistic missiles and intended to make a nuclear weapon. The absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others, even foreign countries, is both insulting and laughable. President Trump has been remarkably consistent and has said for DECADES that Iran can NEVER possess a nuclear weapon, Leavitt posted on X. White House officials reportedly previously expressed dislike of Kent to his boss, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the WSJ reported. While Gabbard was not asked to fire Kent, officials had allegedly sidelined him from the team that briefs the president on intelligence. As the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Kent was responsible for overseeing the team that reviews domestic and foreign intelligence to assess terrorist threats and plans for counter-terrorism. The White House has offered to expand the use of body cameras by Department of Homeland Security officers and limit ICE raids in sensitive locations, in a desperate bid to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS shutdown began February 14, and in the weeks since, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have traded counter-offers to try and reach a deal on funding for the agency. Democrats have asked Republicans to agree with accountability measures for immigration enforcement officers after Americans Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti were killed by agents during separate operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier this year. White House Border Czar and DHS Legislative Director James Braid said the administration took steps to meet Democrats demands, according to a letter sent Tuesday to Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee. In the letter, the White House agreed to implement some reforms, including increasing the use of body cameras by federal immigration agents. The White House has unveiled its counteroffer to end the partial government shutdown and unlock funding for the Department of Homeland Security (Getty Images) The White House offered to expand its use of body cameras and limit ICE raids in sensitive locations, according to a letter (Getty Images) The administration said it would also agree to limit enforcement in certain sensitive locations, including hospitals and schools. It also said that it would increase oversight of DHS detention facilities and create mandatory reviews and compliance audits with the DHS inspector general. The administration said it would enforce the use of visible officer identification during operations and require officers to identify themselves and their agency when requested. However, undercover officers would be exempt from the body camera and identification requirements, according to the letter. We feel that this offer is serious that it is a good faith attempt to continue to try to come to a reasonable and expeditious conclusion to the shutdown, which we are now seeing is becoming ever more disruptive on Americans travel plans, as well as the security mission at the department, a senior White House official told Politico. DHS has not been funded since mid-February (AP) The White House did not immediately return The Independents request for comment. However, Republicans have not budged on Democrats' other demands, which include a ban on agents wearing face masks and coverings and requiring a judicial warrant before officers can enter private property. They havent budged on those, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Tuesday. Theyve got to get serious. The White House and top Democrats in Congress have traded multiple offers to free up DHS funding, with each side blaming the other for the shutdown, which has been at an impasse now for weeks. As a result, thousands of TSA employees, which falls under DHS, missed their first full paycheck last week. Lengthy wait times have since become the norm at airports across the country, and officials are worried that the mounting chaos could result in closures. Airports across the country have seen longer wait times as a result of the shutdown, as TSA falls under DHS (AP) If this continues, its not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly the smaller ones, if callout rates go up and a lot of these officers cant afford to come in, Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said Tuesday. More than 300 TSA employees have quit since the shutdown began, DHS said Friday. While air travel has been snarled as a result of the partial shutdown, DHS has been able to continue much of its immigration crackdown thanks to money from the Republican tax and spending bill that was passed last year. DHS received $170 billion, including $75 billion specifically for ICE. Democrats have taken efforts to force a vote to fund agencies within DHS apart from ICE and Customs and Border Protection. Those efforts have been blocked by Republicans. The turbulence at DHS comes after President Donald Trump fired Secretary Kristi Noem earlier this month, days after she faced bipartisan backlash during congressional hearings. Her replacement, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, had a fiery confirmation hearing Wednesday. King Charles with Donald Trump at Windsor Castle during the US presidents state visit to the UK in September 2025. Photograph: Aaron Chown/Reuters (Photograph: Aaron Chown/Reuters) I sympathise with much of Simon Jenkins reasoning on why King Charles should confirm his presence at celebrations of the USs declaration of independence, but ultimately come to a different conclusion (The kings visit to the US must go ahead despite Trumps terrible military aggression, 13 March). As Jenkins points out: Separating headship of state from daily politics is a virtue of hereditary monarchy. I am just not convinced that the kings host will be capable of understanding that level of subtlety. He will instead see what he wants to see: a king come to pay tribute to him personally. We should have no part of that and should not expect our king to have any part either. We can think about a visit once the would-be monarch of America apologises for his most recent slights on our nation, most notably on the men and women who fought and died in support of his nations cause that he so easily dismissed. Nicholas Avery Felixstowe, Suffolk Re Simon Jenkins attempt to elevate the potential state visit by King Charles III to the US above politics, in reality this would be seen once again to be pandering to Donald Trumps narcissism and the optics would be awful. The impression around the globe would be that the UK tacitly accepts, or even worse, doesnt care, what the Trump administration is doing in the Middle East and elsewhere. The king should not go, and the American people will understand the reasons perfectly well. Roderic Cameron Teignmouth, Devon Should the king be received by Donald Trump at the White House, a suitable gift to present would be a magnificent replica of the Magna Carta in a beautiful gold frame. Susanne MacGregor Tonbridge, Kent Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section. Women almost 150 times more likely to die from maternal sepsis in Africa than Europe costing thousands of lives Women who develop maternal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa are almost 150 times more likely to die than mothers in Britain, Europe and North America, according to new research with a lack of clean water and sanitation contributing to 36 deaths a day. The analysis by WaterAid finds that the infection one of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy and childbirth is vastly more lethal in parts of Africa where maternity wards frequently lack clean water, toilets or basic hygiene facilities. These dangers made worse by devastating overseas aid cuts by the US and UK impacting swathes of the continent. Across sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 4.7 million women develop maternal sepsis each year, equivalent to around one in every nine births. The condition occurs when the body develops a life-threatening reaction to infection, often caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream during or after childbirth. Globally, about one in 1,100 cases of maternal sepsis results in death. In Africa, however, the fatality rate is dramatically higher with one death for every 350 cases. By comparison, mothers in Western Europe and North America face a vastly lower risk. Health experts say the disparity reflects the stark reality of maternity wards where even the most basic elements of safe childbirth are missing. WaterAids research suggests that three out of four births in healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa take place in environments without adequate water, sanitation or hygiene - conditions that dramatically increase the risk of infection for both mothers and newborns. The charitys new report, Born Without Water: the crisis in our delivery rooms, examined maternity services across 16 countries in Africa and Asia, including Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania and Bangladesh. The findings show that many clinics lack even the most fundamental infrastructure required for safe deliveries. (WaterAid) Across maternity wards studied in Africa, 78 per cent lacked a functioning toilet, two-thirds did not have clean water and soap for staff to wash their hands and 65 per cent did not meet basic standards for environmental cleaning. The findings come as the charity launches a new global campaign, Time to Deliver, in Westminster today, calling for greater international investment in water, sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities. Supporters of the campaign include the actors Sir Mark Rylance, Myleene Klass, Sir Stephen Fry and Beverley Knight who are backing WaterAid's global petition which urges world leaders to prioritise clean water in maternity care ahead of the United Nations Water Conference later this year. (WaterAid) Amaka Godfrey, WaterAids executive director of international programmes, said no woman should face the risk of dying in childbirth simply because clinics lack basic sanitation. She continued: In the UK, maternal sepsis remains one of the most feared complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Yet millions of women elsewhere are forced to give birth in facilities without clean water, toilets or soap. She said improving hygiene in maternity wards could dramatically reduce infections and deaths. The WaterAid report suggests investing in and delivering water, sanitation and hygiene across healthcare facilities could prevent 10 million cases of maternal sepsis and 8,580 deaths worldwide every year at a cost of less than $1 per person (75p). Beverley Knight added: "No woman should face danger or indignity during childbirth... Clean water in every health centre is not a luxury it is a right." Miatta Kromah holding the hand of her baby girl after delivering her at Diah Clinic, Grand Cape Mount, Liberia (Cianeh Kpukuyou/WaterAid) Sir Mark Rylance said: A few years ago, I played Dr Semmelweis, a 19th century Hungarian doctor whose groundbreaking medical practice of washing hands with a chlorinated solution dramatically reduced the number of women dying in maternity wards. "In Dr Semmelweis day, we did not understand the science, today there is no such excuse. It is unacceptable that women are still exposed to these conditions. Sir Stephen Fry added: Aside from its urgency and importance, this campaign is so worth getting behind because its aims are achievable, they truly are, and when achieved will have the most dazzlingly marvellous impact all around the world. Campaigners also warned that progress is being undermined by shrinking aid budgets. UK government spending on water, sanitation and hygiene programmes overseas has fallen from 206.5 million in 2018 to 80 million in 2024, with further reductions expected. WaterAid said restoring investment and improving basic infrastructure in maternity wards could save thousands of lives each year - at a cost of just roughly 75p per person - in the worlds poorest countries. Ms Godfrey said: Every woman has the right to give birth safely and with dignity. Clean water in delivery rooms is not a luxury - it is the foundation of safe maternal care. Sign the WaterAid Time to Deliver petition here BHP has named Brandon Craig as its new chief executive to replace Mike Henry at the helm of the worlds largest mining company. Mr Craig, who is currently BHPs Americas boss, will start on July 1, when Mr Henry steps down after six-and-a-half years in the role. The Australian mining giant which switched its main listing from London to Sydney in 2022, but retained a standard listing in the UK said Mr Henry had helped the firm establish itself as the worlds biggest copper producer. But he also presided over two failed attempts to buy rival Anglo American to further bolster its copper portfolio, last November walking away from a deal just 18 months after its previous ill-fated approach. Former FTSE 100 company BHP had looked to muscle in on the agreed mega-merger between Anglo and Canadian rival Teck Resources before pulling out. BHP announces new CEO. BHPs Board of Directors has appointed Brandon Craig to succeed Mike Henry from 1 July 2026. Learn more: https://t.co/bBOcrCnFUG#BHP #CEO #Leadership pic.twitter.com/QiabWV146P BHP (@bhp) March 17, 2026 Ross McEwan, BHP chairman and former NatWest chief executive, said Mr Craigs discipline and focus would help him drive the groups strategy forwards. We would like to recognise the outstanding contribution of Mike Henry to BHP as chief executive, he added. Under his leadership, BHP has transformed into a safer and more productive company, financially strong and sharply focused on shareholder value and social value. Mr Craig has worked at BHP for more than 25 years, having joined in 1999. Before his current role, he also previously led the groups Western Australia iron ore business. He will take on the chief executive role with a 1.9 million US dollar (1.4 million) annual salary, plus benefits, with the potential for cash and share awards worth up to a maximum of 6.8 million dollars (5.1 million) each year and possible long-term incentive share awards of up to 3.8 million dollars (2.8 million) a year. Mr Craig said: It is an honour and privilege to succeed Mike Henry as chief of BHP. Thanks to his leadership, BHP is well positioned for the future. Mike will be remembered for his strategic decision-making, portfolio transformation, operational excellence and focus on safety and high-performance culture. Outgoing boss Mr Henry said: It has been a privilege to serve as chief executive of BHP and to have worked with so many truly talented people. I am proud of what we have achieved together. RAF technicians practice loading missiles onto a jet during a training exercise last year - AS1 Amber Mayall/RAF/MOD Britain is rushing supply its troops and Middle East allies with more missiles to fend off attacks by Iranian drones. Senior military officials met Gulf ambassadors and representatives from 13 defence companies on Wednesday to outline a plan to buy more of the weapons. Concerns have been raised over available stockpiles of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) after British troops in Cyprus and Iraq came under fire. Officials hope a deal can be struck within two weeks to secure more LMMs to resupply British forces deployed across the region and to support allies from at least 10 foreign countries targeted by Tehran. This is a quick thing and an urgent need for the Gulf partners with their current air defence, a defence source told The Telegraph. Luke Pollard, a defence minister, convened the meeting at Wellington Barracks in London. Attendees included John Healey, the Defence Secretary, and Hamish Falconer, the Foreign Office minister, alongside defence attaches from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq and Jordan. Mr Healey said: Irans indiscriminate attacks are a threat to Britain, our allies and our partners in the region. Thats why our dedicated Armed Forces are taking defensive action in the Middle East. A nations armed forces are only as strong as the industry that supports them. Im proud of how our military and industry is stepping up together just as we are for Ukraine to offer rapid support to our Gulf partners. This is the best of our British industry, innovators and military in action. Some Wildcat helicopters also use a variant of LMM dubbed Martlet Britain has sent about 400 additional air defence troops to the region. Along with RAF Typhoons and naval F-35B warplanes, they are said to have destroyed dozens of drones. For operational security, Whitehall officials refused to reveal the exact number of Iranian unmanned aircraft eliminated by UK forces or how many missiles had been fired. They also would not say how many missiles they were seeking to secure as part of the planned defence deal. However, Al Carns, the Armed Forces minister, said on Wednesday: Over 40 drones have been neutralised, which is a huge amount of lives saved. He did not cite the specific systems used. The supersonic LMMs, manufactured by defence firm Thales UK in Belfast, have been used by Ukrainian forces to destroy drones on the front line with Russia. The weapons have a range of about five miles and are seen as the last line of defence against unmanned aircraft and attack helicopters. They are primarily used by specialist troops from 12 Regiment Royal Artillery and the RAF Regiment. However, Royal Marines are also equipped with the missiles. Several Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron in Yeovilton, now deployed to defend Cyprus, also use a variant of LMM dubbed Martlet. The Ministry of Defence, through the National Armaments Director group, is working to speed up financing and licensing for exports to Gulf partners, with a new task force created within the group. Sean Hughes, who died in 2017. His bequest was delayed because his will was drawn up using an online platform and included vague wording - MJ Kim/Getty A judge has given the 4m fortune of Sean Hughes, the late TV comedian, to charity after nearly a decade of delays caused by his home-made will. The British-born Irish comic died in 2017 at 51, having enjoyed a career that included his own Channel 4 show and a leading role on BBC music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks. The stand-up comedian never married and in his final will, he left his 1.8m north London home and two other properties worth 2.15m to Shelter, the homelessness charity, of which he was a keen supporter. But because of a problem with imprecise wording, the will had to go to the High Court, with a judge only now ordering that the properties should go to Shelter. Sean Hughess 1.8m former home in Glasslyn Road, Crouch End, will go to charity - Champion News Hughess former home in Glasslyn Road, Crouch End, north London, and two other houses in nearby Edison Avenue and Elder Avenue, worth 1.5m and 650,000, will go to the charity. Hughes used an online platform to draft the will without legal assistance, and included vague wording. The central problem was his bequest of my three houses to Shelter because he only owned one home. The two others were in the name of a company of which he was the only shareholder. Hughess 1.5m former house in Edison Avenue - Champion News Although Hughess family agreed that the shares in the company and therefore the properties should go to Shelter, the case had to be referred to a judge to make the decision. Following a short hearing conducted via video link, Master Iain Pester, the judge, concluded that the correct construction of the will was that the shares should pass to Shelter. Had the judge declared otherwise, the two properties would have gone into Hughess residuary estate to be held on trust for his wider family. Aidan Briggs, barrister for the executor of Hughess will, and Alexander Learmonth KC, representing Shelter, said his family and the charity agreed that Shelter was the correct beneficiary. A 650,000 flat in Elder Avenue was left to Shelter by Hughes - Champion News Speaking afterwards, Andy Harris, the charitys director of income generation, said: Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelters work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will. We have worked closely with Seans family to ensure his wishes are honoured. Hughes fronted his own award-winning C4 series Seans Show in 1992 before becoming a fixture on the BBCs Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He starred as a captain opposite Phill Jupitus from 1996 to 2002, appearing in 91 episodes across 10 series of the Mark Lamarr-presented show. The 4 million estate of comedian Sean Hughes has been awarded to homelessness charity Shelter, bringing an end to a near decade-long legal dispute over his handwritten will. The London-born Irish comic, best known for his role as a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, died in 2017 aged 51. He never married and had no children. Hughes had intended to leave his property portfolio including his north London home to Shelter, a cause he supported during his lifetime. However, ambiguity in his homemade will led to a prolonged court battle over how his assets should be distributed. In his will, Hughes wrote that he wished to leave my three houses to Shelter. But only one of the properties was held in his own name, while the other two were owned through a company in which he was the sole shareholder, creating legal uncertainty. The High Court has now ruled that the properties including his former home in Crouch End and two nearby flats should pass to Shelter, in line with what the judge determined to be his clear intentions. The comedian never married and had no children (PA) The decision resolves a long-running dispute that had left the fate of the homes in limbo for years. The case also highlights the risks of informal or homemade wills, particularly where assets are held in different structures such as companies. Legal experts say clearer drafting could have avoided years of uncertainty, delays and costs, despite the court ultimately finding in favour of Hughes intended charitable gift. The Nevermind the Buzzcocks star died aged 51 following a cardiac arrest linked to liver disease (Getty Images) Hughes rose to prominence as part of the 1980s alternative comedy scene and became the youngest winner of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at just 24. He later fronted his own Channel 4 series Seans Show and was a familiar face on British television and radio. As well as his screen work, he was also an accomplished writer, publishing novels and poetry collections, and hosting programmes on BBC 6 Music. Despite his success, Hughes struggled with alcohol dependency during his life and died following a cardiac arrest linked to liver disease. Celebrities from the world of comedy including Phill Jupitus, Johnny Vegas, Bob Mortimer, David Baddiel and Jack Dee turned out in force for his funeral, which was held in Islington Crematorium in north London. Shelter, which campaigns to end homelessness and provide housing support, is expected to benefit significantly from the donation. The ruling ensures that Hughes estate will now be used in line with his wishes, supporting vulnerable people facing housing insecurity. The attack on the vessel, which was part of Russias shadow fleet, left it with a huge hole. Photograph: Miguela Xuereb/Newsbook Malta/AFP/Getty Images (Photograph: Miguela Xuereb/Newsbook Malta/AFP/Getty Images) A severely damaged Russian tanker carrying liquified natural gas that has been adrift in the Mediterranean for two weeks, raising concerns of an ecological disaster, has floated into Libyan waters, Italys civil protection agency said on Wednesday. The Arctic Metagaz was part of a Russian shadow fleet used to circumvent sanctions imposed on the countrys oil and gas after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It was struck in a suspected drone attack close to Maltese waters earlier this month, causing a huge hole. The crew is believed to have been rescued between Malta and Libya. Earlier this week the tanker was adrift between Malta and the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, prompting the governments of Italy, France, Malta, Spain, Greece and Cyprus to write a joint letter to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, warning that the vessel posed an imminent and serious risk of a major ecological disaster. A spokesperson for Italys civil protection agency, which has been monitoring the situation, told the Guardian that the vessel was now in Libyas territorial waters and therefore the responsibility of the north African countrys authorities. Libya on Wednesday issued a navigation advisory to all vessels operating in the area where sea conditions were currently rough urging them to exercise maximum caution, according to reports in the Italian press. The spokesperson for Italys civil protection said that while no leaks had been detected, the fundamental risk was the dispersion into the sea of the hydrocarbons onboard. They said: There are about 90 tonnes of heavy oil or diesel onboard, so we are more certain of this risk. The other danger is related to the gas that the tanker was transporting. We are less certain about its quantity, but there could be gas dispersion. Russias foreign ministry acknowledged that the Arctic Metagaz, which had been carrying LNG from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was adrift in the Mediterranean and said Moscows involvement in resolving the situation depended on concrete circumstances. Russias transport ministry claimed the vessel was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones launched from the Libyan coast. Kemi Badenoch has called Donald Trumps repeated criticisms of Keir Starmer childish, as the Conservative leader continued her recent moves to distance herself from the US president and his military action against Iran. Speaking shortly before Trump yet again singled out Starmer, saying the prime minister had not been sufficiently supportive of the US war, Badenoch used a social media video to describe Trumps actions as counterproductive. Describing herself as Keir Starmers biggest critic, Badenoch went on: But the words coming from the White House are completely wrong. I think its actually quite childish. There is a lot that can be said behind closed doors. We have got [Ukraines] President Zelenskyy in our country today. The western alliance having an argument with itself, I think, sends the wrong signal to our opponents, in Iran or in Russia. We need to be strengthening between the UK and the US, irrespective of who is president and who is prime minister. But I think those words coming from the White House were childish. Such an open rebuke for Trump is a notable change of stance for Badenoch, who has previously sought to link her style of leadership to his, praising the president for, she said, having the bravery to take on the liberal elite. When the US and Israel first attacked Iran, Badenoch criticised Starmer for not allowing the US to use UK bases, saying she stood with our allies in the US and Israel as they take on the threat of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its vile regime. However, a week ago Badenoch appeared to change her stance, denying that she had called for the UK to join in the war. Her evolving view is likely to be shaped in part by polling that has repeatedly shown the attack on Iran is largely unpopular with British voters, who do not want the UK to become more involved. Badenochs remarks followed overnight comments from Trump, who criticised Starmer as being overreliant on advisers in not immediately committing to sending a minesweeper to help reopen the strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday as he hosted the Irish taoiseach, Micheal Martin, Trump again condemned Starmer, with whom he had previously enjoyed a relatively warm relationship. Well, he hasnt been supportive, and I think its a big mistake, Trump said of the UK stance on Iran, indicating that it showed a lack of gratitude given US efforts on trade with Britain. Trump said Starmer had told him the UK was willing to send two aircraft carriers to the Middle East, but only once the conflict was over, adding: And I said: No, no, we want things sent before the war, not after the war is won. So, yeah, Im disappointed with Keir. I like him, I think hes a nice man, but Im disappointed. Trump then repeated his view that unfortunately Keir is no Winston Churchill. UK government sources disputed the idea that the US had asked for aircraft carriers, and said the situation in the strait of Hormuz was too volatile to send any vessels now. The meningitis outbreak in Kent is being treated as a national incident - Jamie Lorriman The number of meningitis cases linked to an outbreak in Kent has risen to 20. Health officials said the total number of confirmed cases had increased from 15 as of 5pm on Tuesday. Nine of these have been confirmed in a laboratory and 11 remain under investigation. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is scrambling to contain the outbreak, which is being treated as a national incident. Two students, a sixth-form pupil and a University of Kent student, have died after contracting the disease. It emerged on Tuesday that a nine-month-old baby girl, Nala-Rose Fletcher, was critically ill in hospital with meningitis despite being vaccinated against it. The UKHSA said it was aware of this case, but that it was not currently linked to the Kent outbreak. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, described the spread of meningitis as unprecedented, and hospital chiefs called it the worst outbreak they had seen. At least 11 of the cases have been linked to a nightclub in Canterbury. Two patients reported symptoms after attending an event at Club Chemistry on March 6. The health agency added that GPs across the country would be advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited the venue between March 5-7. It said antibiotics remained the most effective treatment to limit the spread. A targeted vaccination programme will begin given the severity of the outbreak, starting with students living in the campus halls of residence at the University of Kent. The agency expects up to 5,000 students to be contacted and offered the vaccine. The UKHSA was accused of responding too slowly to the contagion. It emerged that officials waited two days after being told of the infection before alerting the public. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Streeting said: This is an unprecedented outbreak. It is also a rapidly developing situation. He defended the health agency, but confirmed that the Government would look at the handling of its response. The French health ministry has also notified British officials of a student who attended the University of Kent and fell ill in France. Meningitis is a contagious infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can be transmitted by asymptomatic carriers, infecting anyone of any age, but is most common in babies, children and young adults. Six of the confirmed cases have been identified as meningitis B, or MenB, a serious type of bacterial infection. Officials are considering whether the sudden outbreak was caused by a mutant strain of MenB because of how infectious it was. A sample of the bacteria is being examined in laboratory conditions to determine whether it differs from known strains of the disease, which could affect the existing vaccines efficacy. Founded in 1967, Milton Keynes followed a utopian vision of how people could live - Bitu Wlliams Aside from its world-renowned roundabouts, Milton Keynes is perhaps best known for standing in as Metropolis in the fourth Superman film. When Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was released in 1987, critics, fans and even its own cast members gave it a terrible reception. The residents of Milton Keynes could be forgiven for knowing that feeling well. Built in the 1960s, the city has become a national byword for post-war dreariness. But now the Labour-run council is hoping to turn that image around with an audacious bid to be the UKs next City of Culture. Furzton Lake at sunset in Milton Keynes is a beautiful sight - Chunyip Wong Milton Keynes is one of nine towns and cities to have made a shortlist unveiled by Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, on Tuesday night. It will compete for the title against a series of significantly more historic settlements, including Blackpool, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Ipswich. Each shortlisted settlement will be handed a 60,000 grant to help it advance its bid, with the eventual winner claiming a 10m cash prize. Founded in 1967, Milton Keynes has become the poster-child for the wave of uninspiring new towns that were built after the war to cope with urban sprawl. Best known for having 130 roundabouts and a series of concrete cow sculptures, the city has often been the butt of national jokes. Indeed, arguably the best-known quote about the city is a mocking reference in the 1990 novel Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. One passage details which parts of Britain that an angel and a demon, the two main characters in the story, were responsible for creating. Whilst the angel created Edinburgh and the demon Glasgow, neither claimed any responsibility for Milton Keynes, but both reported it as a success. The jibe is a reference to the citys unloved status in British culture. Yet in a footnote, the authors explained to their American audience that Milton Keynes was built to be modern, efficient, healthy, and, all in all, a pleasant place to live, adding that many Britons find this amusing. Despite the opprobrium, independent surveys have consistently found that the city is one of the best places to live in the UK. Bletchley Park was the scene of the codebreakers story: an intellectual battle of good against evil - Education Images/UIG via Getty It boasts its own theatre, art gallery and museum as well as Bletchley Park, the Second World War codebreaking centre. It also has one of the longest indoor shopping centres in Europe. Shanika Mahendran, the councillor responsible for planning, said being shortlisted for City of Culture was a recognition of the citys bold design heritage. We look forward to working closely with partners from across the city as we develop the full application, and to showing even more of what makes Milton Keynes such an inventive, welcoming and culturally ambitious place, she said. The other contestants for the prize are Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham. Whichever is crowned the winner will take over as City of Culture in 2029, succeeding Bradford, which held the title last year. Officials said that during that time, Bradford held more than 5,000 events, more than three quarters of which were free, attracting three million people to the city. Previous holders of the title, which has been awarded every four years since being launched in 2013, include Londonderry, Hull and Coventry. Ms Nandy said: For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation. Valdo Calocane killed Ian Coates, Grace Kumar and Barnaby Webber in June 2023 A former police officer who led the investigation into the Nottingham triple killer has apologised for failing to test him for drugs. Leigh Sanders told the inquiry into the killings that officers should have taken a hair sample from Valdo Calocane for drug testing after his arrest. The retired senior Nottinghamshire Police officer said prosecutors might have been able to prevent his murder charge being downgraded to manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, if they had had proof that the paranoid schizophrenic was using drugs. Calocane killed Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar, both 19-year-old students, and Ian Coates, a 65-year-old caretaker, before attempting to kill three other people in June 2023. He was initially charged with murder, but this was downgraded to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility because of his paranoid schizophrenia. Mr Sanders told the inquiry on Wednesday that he believed Calocane had murdered in cold blood. Leigh Sanders has said he should have obtained a hair sample from Valdo Calocane My view at that time was he didnt seem to be under duress, he said. He appeared to be making rational choices. My impression was that he was acting of his own free will. As an operational police officer, my view at that time was that I believed he had murdered in cold blood three people. Calocane was given an indefinite hospital order last year, but the families of the victims have repeatedly raised concerns over the fact he was not tested for drugs in the aftermath of the attack. The Telegraph previously revealed that Calocane travelled to London the night before the killings and attended a barbecue with a violent gangster. The next day, he boarded a train back to Nottingham, dressed all in black and armed with a double-edged dagger, before carrying out the attack in the early hours of June 13. After being arrested, Calocane refused to allow officers to take any blood or urine samples, and police did not take a sample of his hair for testing. Valdo Calocane travelled to London for a barbecue with a gangster the night before the killings - Nottinghamshire Police/PA Media Mr Sanders told the inquiry: I have apologised in my statement for that. In hindsight, perhaps I should have obtained a copy of head hair whilst he was in custody because to do so would at least have alleviated some of the fears of the families ... in relation to the negation of the possible defence of diminished responsibility. Asked what the value of a hair sample could have been, Mr Sanders said he understood that a sample showing the presence of drugs could have provided a rebuttal to the concept of diminished responsibility. But the ex-officer added that a sample of hair would not be able to provide analysis that showed drugs or alcohol in the system at a specific time or date. Calocane had deceived health professionals, Mr Sanders said, adding of the decision relating to a hair sample: I apologise that we didnt do it. The inquiry continues. Lady Diana embraces the calf-length dress in Tetbury in May 1981 - Tim Graham/Getty Images It is said hemlines fall in a recession, while shorter skirts signify the heady optimism of buoyant economic growth. But a new study suggests that the fashionable length to have your hemline fluctuates in a 20-year cycle, with no link to the ups-and-downs of a countrys fiscal fortunes meaning it is always worth hanging on to outdated clothes. While hemlines were demure in the 1950s, epitomised by Grace Kelly, they rose significantly in the 1960s and 1970s, as Mary Quant introduced the miniskirt. Grace Kelly is the model of demureness in an ankle-length dress in 1949 Skirts then fell to calf-length again by the 1980s a trend widely embraced by Diana, Princess of Wales and fell further in the 1990s, illustrated by Gwyneth Paltrows popular floor-length maxis. Research by Northwestern University, in Illinois, suggests that if the current pattern holds, then midi-skirts, which reach mid-calf, will be out of fashion by the 2030s, replaced by floor-length alternatives. So although it may be tempting to donate or throw away unstylish garments, the science suggests they will eventually return to the runway, and subsequently, the high street. Prof Daniel Abrams, co-director of the Northwestern Universitys Institute on Complex Systems, said: Over time, this constant push to be different from the recent past causes styles to swing back and forth. The system intrinsically wants to oscillate, and we see those cycles in the data. Researchers said that fashion was constantly in tension between wanting to stand out, while also wanting to fit in. Once a style becomes too common, designers move away from it, but not so far that the clothes become unwearable. The analysis was done by US researchers, who developed a mathematical model to analyse 37,000 images of womens clothing from magazines and sewing patterns between 1869 and today. Gwyneth Paltrow helped popularise the floor-length maxi in the late 1990s - Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo They discovered that clothing trends germinate, and grow in popularity, peaking around 10 years after they first appear, before gradually falling out of fashion and being outdated within two decades. Dr Emma Zajdela, of Princeton University, said that in the next decade, they expected trends to be similar to those in 2010, with midi skirts on the way out. George Taylor, an economist, was the first person to suggest that hemline length followed a pattern, but he believed it was linked to economic prosperity. In 1926, he proposed The Hemline Index, suggesting that the length of skirts rose and fell with the countrys circumstances. For example, the boom-time of the Roaring 20s was categorised by the scandalous flapper style, as skirts rose shorter than ever before. In contrast, floor-length dresses and trousers dominated fashion during The Great Depression. The same cycle plays out despite the swinging economic pendulum But the new study suggests that this was coincidental and the same cycle plays out despite the swinging economic pendulum. Researchers found that the same 20-year rule also held true for waistlines and necklines. As hemlines were becoming longer in the 1930s, necklines also became more modest, before plunging in the 1950s, as seen on Hollywood sirens such as Rita Hayworth or Sophia Loren. Likewise, the higher necks of the late 1960s and 1970s coincided with longer hemlines before falling again in the 1980s. Mary Quant helped usher in the Swinging Sixties with the miniskirt and hotpants - Sjoberg Bildbyra/Getty Images Currently, necklines are on the way down from a recent modest peak at the end of the 2010s. Dr Zajdela said: We see similar patterns in our data of approximately a 20-year cycle for necklines and waistlines, although they are not necessarily in sync with each other. There are of course many dimensions of fashion patterns, shape, fabric that could be analysed and would perhaps show a similar cyclical pattern, although our data doesnt include these measures. Anecdotally, for example, leopard print, which recently gained popularity, has come back in fashion several times. However, researchers say the pattern has lost its clarity in recent decades, with a wider range of skirt lengths appearing from the 1980s, suggesting that trends are becoming more fragmented. In the past, there were two options short dresses and long dresses, added Dr Zajdela. In more recent years, there are more options: really short dresses, floor-length dresses and midi dresses. There is an increase in variance over time and less conformity. The research was presented this week at the American Physical Societys Global Physics Summit in Denver. Gabrielle Barbus (left) with his older brother Antonio. Gabrielle died in December - Champion News The divorced parents of a teenager who took his own life are fighting in court over whether he should be cremated or buried. Gabrielle Barbus, 17, died in December after struggling with mental health issues. His body has not been laid to rest because Stefan Barbus and Georgia Opritescu, his parents, have different views on what should happen to his body. Mr Barbus follows an orthodox branch of the Christian faith, which holds to the belief that his sons soul will be in peril if he is not buried. Ms Opritescu has no such beliefs and wants Gabrielles body to be cremated and his ashes scattered in the Devon countryside. The couple, who separated in 2010, when Gabrielle was two, and divorced in 2013, are now locked in a legal battle. Mr Barbus obtained an injunction in February preventing his ex-wife from taking steps to dispose of Gabrielles body. Burial respects sanctity of human body The court heard that Gabrielle, who lived with his mother and family in Hornchurch, east London, took his own life on Dec 30. James Poole, for Mr Barbus, told Mr Justice Klein on Tuesday that Gabrielle had been brought up by his mother after the couple split, but Mr Barbus remained Gabrielles father and involved in his life. He said the teenagers death was and is devastating for all members of the family. Mr Poole told the judge: Mr Barbuss immediate reaction was to reach out to Ms Opritescu. Despite attempts to agree what should happen to Gabrielles body, no agreement could be reached. He said Mr Barbus won the injunction after learning that Ms Opritescu had obtained a grant of letters of administration [of Gabrielles estate] without notice to him and... the coroners office was going to release Gabrielles body to Ms Opritescu alone. Giving evidence, Mr Barbus told the court: The reason why it is so important, the burial, is that he was baptised Christian orthodox. A burial respects the sanctity of the human body and soul and it is my belief that we will all one day be resurrected. That is why cremation is not acceptable as it destroys the body and is irreversible. This is not just a duty, this is a way of respect to my child. Im not here to win something. We already lost our child. I want him to be returned to the nature he loved His barrister told the court that, if his request for burial were to fail, Mr Barbuss wish would be that Gabrielles ashes be interred so that there is a place where he and his family can visit. Ms Opritescu said: His father believes, but Gabrielle did not grow up in a religious household. My son Gabrielle and the life he lived would not want to be confined by the ground. It would upset me. I want him to be returned to the nature he loved, not confined. Tom Alkin, her barrister, told the judge that Gabrielle had agreed that cremation was a healthier way of dealing with saying goodbye to a loved one in a conversation with his mother when he was 11 years old. Mr Alkin said: Gabrielle would have wanted it this way if only to minimise the pain suffered by his own mother. The wishes of those closest to Gabrielle should carry more weight. Addressing Mr Barbus, he said: The court respects your right to hold these beliefs, but you dont suggest that Gabrielle was raised to be observant of the orthodox faith? Mr Barbus replied: He was born under our tradition. He was baptised in our religion and continued in our religion and never changed his faith. He had a faith in God because he never expressed anything that would suggest the opposite. Mr Justice Klein, summing up at the end of the day-long hearing, said: There is no doubt that everybody has heartfelt feelings and strong views at the end of the day. The fact is that Mr Barbus wants certain arrangements and that alternative arrangements would distress him. The same can be said of Ms Opritescu. At the end of the day, what matters is how the remaining family members feel. Reserving his decision until a later date, he added: I need some time to reflect on the evidence and consider what is a very difficult case. Angela Rayner is seen as a potential leadership challenger if Sir Keir were to step down - Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Sir Keir Starmer has opened the door to concessions over reforms to the rights of 1.6 million migrants to stay in the UK, following criticism from Angela Rayner. Downing Street repeatedly refused to say whether the Government would press ahead with plans devised by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, to increase the time it takes for migrants already in the UK to qualify for permanent settlement. Ms Rayner, championed as a potential leadership contender by the Left, said on Tuesday that the plans were un-British and pulled the rug from underneath hard-working families. Any climbdown on migration would likely be seized upon by opponents who say a weak Sir Keir is being forced to the Left by his Cabinet and backbenchers. The Prime Minister could face a leadership challenge after the May local elections, when Labour is set to lose hundreds of council seats to Reform UK, which has made migration a key campaign issue. Under the Home Secretarys proposed changes, most migrants will be forced to wait 10 years, rather than five years, before seeking indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Ms Mahmood has proposed applying these changes retrospectively to the 1.6 million people who arrived after 2021 in the so-called Boriswave, where net migration hit a record 944,000 in the year ending March 2023 under former prime minister Boris Johnsons more liberal immigration policies. Those migrants will start to become eligible for ILR from next year. The Home Office calculates that 196,000 foreign care workers and their adult dependants, set to arrive in the next four years, will cost the state nearly 10bn in benefits such as Universal Credit and public services. Following Ms Rayners intervention, a No 10 spokesman said ministers were considering responses to a Home Office consultation on the plans and would react to it in due course. Ms Mahmood has suggested there could be some transitional arrangements to soften the impact for some migrants already in the UK. The spokesman said Labour had pledged to deliver a fair and properly managed immigration system in which migrants who worked, paid their taxes and made their contributions should have a faster rate of settlement. We are considering responses to the Home Office consultation, and will respond in line with our principles and values, he added. Asked whether the rules would be applied retrospectively, he repeated that the Government would respond in due course. A government spokesman later insisted the position has not changed. Between 2021 and 2024, this country experienced levels of migration it had historically seen over four decades. We must be honest about the scale and impact of hundreds of thousands of low-skilled migrants getting settlement, he said. Government sources also pointed to Ms Mahmoods statement in November, when she said: We propose these changes apply to everyone in the country today, who has not yet received indefinite leave to remain. Though we are seeking views on whether there should be some transitional arrangements available. The sources dismissed talk of concessions as untrue. Ms Mahmood has argued that the changes are essential to ease a 10bn drain on our public finances caused by the demand for housing and healthcare. Speaking to The Telegraph in February, Ms Mahmood warned that Labours future as a political party was in jeopardy unless it restored public confidence in the immigration system. Her comments came hours after Labour lost the Gorton and Denton by-election to the Greens, prompting senior figures, including Ms Rayner, to call for Sir Keir to shift the party to the Left. However, as many as 100 Labour MPs have expressed concerns about the retrospective nature of Ms Mahmoods plans. Speaking to the soft-Left Mainstream group on Tuesday, Ms Rayner accused Sir Keir and Ms Mahmood of moving the goalposts for migrants who arrived in the UK legally, adding: The people already in the system who made a huge investment now fear for their future. They do not have stability and they do not know what will happen. Shabana Mahmood said illegal migration was eroding support for the asylum system entirely - Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future via Getty On Wednesday, she was backed by Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, who said: The party would do well to listen to what Angela has got to say. Ms Rayner, Ms Mahmood and Mr Burnham have all been tipped as potential candidates in a future leadership contest. In contrast with her recent criticism, a memo revealed by The Telegraph last year showed the former deputy prime minister had urged Rachel Reeves to make it harder for immigrants to gain access to Universal Credit. Three ideas were floated in Ms Rayners memo: limiting access to the state pension, limiting access to welfare benefits and increasing the NHS surcharge that foreigners must pay for treatment. Ms Rayner resigned from Cabinet in September after a Telegraph investigation into her tax affairs. But her latest speech, in which she said Labour was fighting for survival and running out of time, has reignited leadership speculation. Her comments are the clearest indication yet that she intends to run for the party leadership if Sir Keir is forced to resign after Mays local elections. One Labour source who met Ms Rayner in recent weeks said she had been openly discussing a return to a Cabinet role, and had talked about how to handle a political comeback following her tax scandal last year. Ms Rayner is understood to believe that figures close to No 10 leaked a story about her this week in an attempt to discredit her future leadership challenge. The story, published on Monday in The Times, revealed that Labour funded advice about her underpayment of stamp duty on her second home, the issue that forced her resignation last September. A friend said: She was flabbergasted that people in her own party are coming for her this week. A PE teacher who told migrants to respect our laws or leave on social media has been struck off. Samuel Everett commented on a string of posts on X about a variety of political issues, including saying that Jews cant walk freely without fear of being killed. The 29-year-old also asked why migrants appeared to come from intolerant and barbaric societies but then seemed to him to have more rights than British people. Mr Everett was found guilty of unacceptable conduct by a panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency and banned. Mr Everett began working as a PE teacher at Haughton Academy in Darlington, County Durham, in September 2022. Between December 2023 and February 2024, he posted several remarks on social media, mostly X, that brought the profession into disrepute, the panel said. The posts included him commenting: If you dont respect our laws, culture and way of life you should leave, nobody is forcing you to stay. We dont go to other peoples countries and tell them theyre wrong for how they go about things. Mr Everett also posted: Just get rid of the lot of them, if they hate this country so much they should f--- off, in response to a comment which said that we have imported many more who hate the country. The only way we survive is through patriotism and understanding our history. Mr Everett also said deploy the navy when replying to a post about small boats and, in a separate comment, claimed: These people come from the most intolerable and barbaric places you can imagine and think they have more rights than us. Bore off. Another social media comment said: Good honest Brits have had enough of all the goings on around the country especially in the capital. Jews cant walk freely without fear of being killed, they desecrate our monuments and buildings. They hate us. Fact. The teacher was dismissed in June 2024 after concerns were raised about his posts. Samuel Everett taught PE at the Haughton Academy in Darlington The panel recommended that Mr Everett be allowed to continue teaching, given his remorse and a successful placement at another school. He had deleted the posts and closed his account, the panel was told. But Marc Cavey, the decision-maker on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, ruled that Mr Everett should be barred from teaching for life. Mr Everett may apply for the order to be lifted after two years. Mr Cavey found: In this case, and while noting the evidence of insight and remorse found by the panel, I have placed considerable weight on the seriousness of the misconduct that it has found, which included a teacher engaging in offensive dialogue on a public social media platform thereby demonstrating a lack of tolerance and a lack of respect for the rights and beliefs of others. I have also placed considerable weight on the likely negative impact of this behaviour on the reputation of the profession. I have also noted the panels findings that Mr Everetts behaviour was deliberate and that there was no evidence that he was acting under duress. In my judgment the panel has, in making its recommendation that a prohibition order should not be imposed, failed to give sufficient weight to these factors. Three sailors on the USS Gerald R Ford received medical treatment after the fire, and dozens suffered smoke inhalation - Stelios Misinas/Reuters A fire that broke out on the USs biggest warship raged for 30 hours before it was extinguished. Three sailors on the Gerald R Ford had to receive medical treatment, and dozens suffered smoke inhalation. More than 600 sailors and crew members lost their beds after the blaze broke out in the laundry room, The New York Times reported. Some have spent days bunking down on floors and tables instead. It marks the second embarrassing incident for the USs aircraft carrier, the largest warship ever constructed, while it supports American forces in the Middle East during the war with Iran. According to NPR, the warships lavatories are badly designed and regularly break down during the months at sea. An email from March 2025 noted 205 problems with the system in just four days. On Monday, Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper, reported a sailor had been flown off the Ford to receive medical treatment following the fire. They are in a stable condition. The investigation into the cause of the fire is still underway, but the US Navy has said it is not related to combat. The Ford has been at sea for around 10 months, having been sent from the Mediterranean in October to the Caribbean as part of the armada Donald Trump assembled around Venezuela. Following the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the former Venezuelan leader, in January by US special forces, it was sent to the Middle East as tensions mounted with Iran. Crew members have reportedly been told they will be in position until May, meaning they have spent around a year at sea, which is twice the length of a normal aircraft carrier deployment. Ships get tired too, and they get beat up over the course of long deployments, said Rear Adml John F Kirby, a former Pentagon press secretary. You cant run a ship that long and that hard and expect her and her crew to perform at peak capacity. On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ships main laundry spaces. The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained, US Naval Forces Central Command said in a statement. There is no damage to the ships propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational. Two sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. Additional information will be provided when available. The scam often arrives from a close friend. (Anna Barclay via Getty Images) WhatsApp has taken action against the PIN Code scam that has spread widely this year, which allows attackers to take over WhatsApp accounts in seconds. The scam has spread rapidly in the UK, with messages urging users to rapidly input a code. But WhatsApp introduced new measures which make it easier (although not impossible) to spot the scam in its early stages. How does the PIN code scam work? The PIN code scam usually arrives from a close friend, often someone who you have messaged recently. The person who sends it has already had their account taken over, and sends a message asking you to input a six-digit code for them. But the six digit code arrives by SMS not WhatsApp, and hands the scammer control of your device. Scammers get in touch and pretend that it is an emergency (Whatsapp/Rob Waugh) Other variations fool users into scanning a QR code on their phone, either via bogus websites or QR Code stickers (although these are less common). Once scanned the QR code gives the attacker immediate access to the device. Paul Bischoff, security and privacy advocate at Comparitech tells Yahoo News: "The six-digit code WhatsApp scam is a standard phishing scam. The scammer attempts to log into your WhatsApp account. When they do so, WhatsApp sends you a six-digit login code. The scammer sends you a message asking for the code. If you give the scammer the code, they can log in and hijack your WhatsApp account. "Like most scams, scammers will most likely try to instil a sense of urgency in their victims. They will contrive a reason for the code to be a time-sensitive matter. Victims who are rushed to make a decision often make the wrong one, and scammers know this. What has Meta changed? Its now harder (although not impossible to fall for the scam) as WhatsApp now offers a warning that a device in a different location is connecting. Previously there was a smaller on-screen warning, but it was easily overlooked in the heat of the moment. So, for example, it will say, This will connect your device to a device in Bangkok, Thailand. Meta is now also testing warnings for suspicious Friend requests, and suspicious messages via Messenger. How can you get back in if you fall victim? To get back in, choose the option to authenticate yourself via a call, rather than text. This bypasses the timer the scammer has run up to prevent you resetting via SMS. How can you protect yourself? Bischoff says, Never share passwords or one-time codes with third parties. Enable two-factor authentication to prevent hackers from breaking into your account with a single form of verification. To stop this scam from working, enable two-factor authentication in Whatsapp. Bischoff says, "Never share passwords or one-time codes with third parties. Enable two-factor authentication to prevent hackers from breaking into your account with a single form of verification." To enable it, tap Account > Two-step verification > Turn on or Set up PIN. This sets up a PIN code which means its harder for criminals to get into your account. You can also add an email address to the account which also makes it easier to recover in future. University of Kent students are getting vaccinated following the MenB outbreak - Gareth Fuller/PA Media Meningitis cases have jumped by a third overnight, leading to fears that the latest outbreak may be running out of control. Britain has not seen a cluster of cases so large since the pre-vaccination days of the 1990s, when infections peaked at 2,595 a year and there were regular community outbreaks and deaths. Most were caused by the C strain, but the introduction of the MenC vaccine in 1999 led to cases plummeting by 96 per cent in following years. There were large outbreaks in the 1990s caused by the C strain but we havent seen anything like this since then, said Prof Sir Andrew Pollard of Oxford University. So in that sense it is new for many people. It is now the B strain that is causing problems, with the latest Kent variant appearing to be particularly virulent. Routine vaccination against MenB was first rolled out in 2015, meaning children above the age of 10 have no protection. Since lockdown, the number of children being vaccinated against other strains has also decreased, leaving the current cohort of students particularly vulnerable. The MenB routine vaccine was first rolled out in 2015, meaning current students are not protected against the strain - Gareth Fuller/PA This outbreak is really unusual, said Prof Andrew Lee, from the University of Sheffield. Whilst single cases of meningitis do happen, outbreaks are quite rare really. Dr Eliza Gil, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, agreed that the number of cases was abnormally high. It may be that this is a particularly virulent or aggressive strain of MenB, which would mean that it is more likely to cause illness than most strains, she said. This outbreak is definitely unusual in the number of affected cases. But while the soaring case numbers are unexpected and appear alarming, it does not mean the general population is at risk or needs to be worried. It is probable that the cluster reflects a group of people coming into contact with a super-shedder, a person who was releasing a lot of bacteria into a crowded environment, such as a nightclub or party. Students may have been inadvertently sharing saliva through drinks, vapes or kissing and perhaps passing on infected droplets through talking loudly and singing. Cases have been linked to the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury, with attendees and their friends having been offered antibiotics. For people not directly linked to those infected, the risk of transmission is extremely low. The meningococcus germ is usually transmitted through droplets from the back of the throat. Unlike flu or Covid-19, those droplets are large and do not travel far or hang around in the air. They cannot survive long outside the body. So it would be unlikely for someone to acquire the illness simply by being on a bus, train or in a room with an infected person. For this reason, wearing masks is unnecessary for most people and is not being recommended. You need close contact, said Prof Lee. Most people will have had no contact whatsoever with any of the affected individuals. I dont want to downplay the situation as it is tragic for the families and people involved, but for the wider public I dont think we need to be particularly worried. Experts warned that transmission could have occurred through partygoers sharing drinks, vapes or devices for snorting drugs. As well as swapping saliva there is a chance that the aerosol cloud produced by vapours during exhalation could help transport infective particles further. Sharing vapes increases the risk of transmission - Matic Grmek Emma Wall, a clinical professor of infectious diseases at Queen Mary University of London, said: An aerosol containing the bacteria, for example a vape, could act as an accelerant for transmission. It could be sharing drinks, or sharing devices for snorting drugs anything where people are putting their mouth over the same device or container, as well as kissing could have contributed to the spread. I am very worried about the current outbreak, as this is a devastating disease with significant complications, including a high mortality rate and significant risk of morbidities in survivors who dont get prompt antibiotics. I have not seen a MenB outbreak spread at this pace previously. No reason to be alarmed The rise in case numbers probably reflects better surveillance, rather than a worsening of the outbreak. Greater awareness amongst the public and health professionals will lead to more people being tested and more infections being detected, instead of being mistaken for flu or other conditions. It may feel as though the situation is getting worse, but there is no reason to be alarmed, said Dr Hamid Merchant, head of department for bioscience at the University of East London. Importantly, most people affected will experience only mild illness, recover quickly, and will not require hospitalisation. Only a very small proportion of infections progress to life-threatening invasive meningococcal disease. The prompt supply of prophylactic antibiotics to close contacts of those infected will also be helping stop disease progression and reduce further spread, while regional immunisation campaigns will provide longer-term protection for those at higher risk. Dr Merchant said there was no evidence to suggest the disease was airborne, and that a person would need to inhale respiratory droplets or have prolonged close contact to become infected. Johnjoe McFadden, emeritus professor at the University of Surrey, argued that meningococcus was predominantly transmitted by physical contact and that any droplets lingering in the air would be rendered harmless within minutes. He said it would be much harder to catch than common viruses or infections such as cold and flu. From previous experience with meningococcal outbreaks, it is likely to fizzle out, he added. But I think we need to know more about the precise strain to be sure. The alleged victim said she was raped on Brighton beach after being given a drink in a nightclub that made her violently ill - Gareth Fuller/PA A woman allegedly raped by two asylum seekers on Brighton beach thought she was going to be killed, a court was told. Egyptians Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, and Iranian Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, allegedly targeted the woman, who cannot be identified, in a cynical, predatory and callous attack after she became separated from her friends while on a girls night out. Prosecutors allege Mr Alshafe and Mr Ahmadi repeatedly raped the woman on Brighton beach in the early hours of Oct 4, 2025, while Mr Al-Danasurt filmed the incident, the court was told. In a video interview recording played to jurors on Wednesday, the complainant was asked what she could recall from the night of the alleged attack. Ibrahim Alshafe (left) and Karin Al-Danasurt (right) both deny raping the 33-year-old woman - Eddie Mitchell She said she had been at a bar with friends until around 3am before going to a nightclub near the beach, the court heard. I remember taking drinks off this Asian man but then I remember being on my hands and knees in the toilet being sick... the alleged victim said. After that, I dont remember anything. Prosecutors said the three defendants approached the complainant when she was staggering in the street alone. The first time I realised I was on the beach I could hear seagulls and I could hear men talking but foreign accents, not English, jurors heard the alleged victim recall in the interview. She said: At first it was like I was coming round, and someone had their finger in my mouth and was rubbing their finger in my mouth, and it was almost like I kept falling back asleep. Every time I was there, but I wasnt. It was such a weird experience... Ive been drunk many times, Ive never had this feeling before. I could hear a foreign accent saying dirty b----, dirty b---- and I was, like, what?, but I still wasnt there at this point. The alleged victim began to cry in the recording when asked what her reaction was, and said she heard men laughing as she was assaulted. She said: I heard like five voices, thats what scared me. There were quite a few voices, there was a whole group, jurors heard. She later said: I closed my eyes because I thought: Oh my god, theyre actually going to kill me. I can hear all these voices and I cant stop them. The alleged victim said she remembered being bought drinks by a man she described as Asian and in his mid-30s or early-40s in the nightclub, the court heard. At the time of the alleged offences, all three defendants knew each other and were residents at the Cisswood House Hotel in Lower Beeding, near Horsham, West Sussex, which was Home Office-approved accommodation for asylum seekers, jurors heard. Mr Ahmadi, of Crewe, Cheshire, and Mr Alshafe, of Lower Beeding, have each denied two counts of raping the woman. Mr Al-Danasurt, also of Lower Beeding, is jointly charged on all four rape counts as a secondary party encouraging the rape by his actions at the scene, including filming it, and has pleaded not guilty to all four. He denies a fifth count of sharing intimate films without the complainants consent. The charge relates to an allegation that Mr Al-Danasurt sent recordings of the alleged rapes to Ahmadis phone shortly after the incident. The trial continues. - Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has once again shown up to the Senate in a casual ensemble, in a glaring contrast to his peers. Fetterman, who spoke during the Senate confirmation hearing for Trump's new DHS pick, Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, was wearing a black hoodie, surrounded by fellow elected officials dressed in suits and ties. Fetterman is known for showing up to his Senate duties wearing hoodies, sweatpants, shorts, and other casual clothes. Fetterman has a simple reason for coming to the Senate dressed down. "Comfort actually," he said in a 2023 interview with CNN. "It's kind of hard to find suits this size, too, and I believe it's not the person that is made by how they dress," he added. "Particularly our staffers are not paid well here in D.C., and they work very, very hard, and that is a major financial burden, including dry cleaning as well," he said. " I have a dynamic staff, I don't care what they're dressed in, too, as long as they're comfortable and continue to serve our nation." Advertisement During Mullin's confirmation hearing, Fetterman stated that he was "alarmed" by the state of immigration at the U.S. border. "Now, if you care about immigration as I deeply do, you can't possibly provide the American dream for people when the size of Pittsburgh is showing up at our border once a month. That happened, and I signed up as a Democrat. Fetterman also discussed supporting "rounding up all of the criminals and deport[ing] them." Furthermore, Fettermen said that he "grieved" for Alex Pretti, Laken Riley, and Renee Good. "All three were failures of our government... I was proud to be the co-sponsor of the Laken Riley Bill. Two things must be true here: we need to have a secure border, and we need to round up and deport every single criminal in our nation," he said. Fetterman also criticized his fellow Democrats for delaying Republican efforts to pass a new DHS funding bill. A partial government shutdown has been underway for over a month after Democrats expressed serious concerns about the controversial agency's immigration enforcement tactics. " I may be the only Democrat that refused to shutting the DHS down. Some people might say that that doesn't mean I have any less commitment to reform ICE, that's just categorically not true. It's a strange devoition and I don't understand why you would shut the agency down just becuase you want those kinds of reforms on ICE that has absolutely no impact on ICE," he added. ]]> GoFundMe A mother of three in Connecticut was reportedly beaten to death by her partner, who then killed himself before police reported to the scene. The Connecticut State Police announced in a statement that Diana Enamorado Perdomo was found dead at her home in Hebron on Friday, March 13. Officers responded to the home after they received a report regarding a disturbance around 3 a.m. Upon their arrival, they found Perdomo dead at the age of 44 and signs of what appeared to be a forced entry. In addition to Perdomo, authorities also found 44-year-old Gregorio Calihua-Mantiel dead inside of the residence. Pennsylvania Man Sentenced After Shooting Wife in Wheelchair During Fight Over Cooking Dinner Police said in the statement that they are investigating Perdomo's death as a homicide, while Calihua-Mantiel's death is being considered a suicide. The police statement did not immediately make it clear who killed Perdomo, though the New Haven Register reported that police determined that the incident was a murder-suicide. Following Perdomos death, the medical examiner's office confirmed to People that she died from "blunt force trauma of [head." Meanwhile, Honduran news outlets HCH TV and Tu Nota reported that her family claims she was beaten to death with a bat. Advertisement Perdomo's family set up a GoFundMe page following the tragedy, in which her niece Rubi said that her death was caused by "unimaginable cruelty" by her partner. Not only was a kind-hearted woman taken from this world, but I also lost the person who was like a mother to me. Diana was an incredible mother, a loving grandmother, and a woman who taught me the meaning of hard work, kindness, and what it means to be a good human being, Rubi wrote. The caption continued, She was my guide, my support, and one of the most important people in my life. Losing her has left a pain that words cannot fully describe. I feel completely lost without her. Rubi went on to share that she wanted to raise money in order to get Perdomos body back to her native Honduras, where her three children currently live. Now I find myself asking for help during the most painful moment of my life. My aunts daughters, her mother, and our family in Honduras are grieving from afar, unable to see her or hold her one last time, she said. We are trying to bring Diana back home to Honduras so her family can lay her to rest with the dignity, love, and peace she deserves. They deserve a place where they can visit her, pray for her, and remember her forever. Rubi continued, I humbly ask for your help. Any donation, no matter how small, will help cover the costs of transportation and funeral expenses so we can bring her home. Pennsylvania Man Sentenced After Shooting Wife in Wheelchair During Fight Over Cooking Dinner From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading our story and for any support you are able to give during this unimaginable time, the post concluded. The investigation into the deaths remains ongoing. The Connecticut State Police did not immediately respond to Us Weeklys request for comment regarding the incident. Trump was asked about Iran's warning that US troops on the ground would create 'another Vietnam' -Credit:AP (AP) Donald Trump suggested he doesn't care about warnings that his war in Iran could escalate into a conflict comparable to the Vietnam war, which killed nearly 60,000 Americans. "I'm really not afraid of anything," the president said when questioned about the prospect of deploying US ground troops to Iran as war in the Middle East rages on. Trump was meeting with Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Oval Office on Sunday when he was asked about his views on the future of the conflict. "The Iranian regime has told Sky News if you put boots on the ground in Iran, it will be another Vietnam. Are you afraid of that?" a reporter asked. "No, I'm not afraid of, I'm really not afraid of anything," the president responded. It comes after Melania's comments about Barron's mental state exposed why he can't be drafted into the army. Teary Markwayne Mullin breaks down after being skewered at explosive Senate hearing Woman, 27, gang raped, stabbed 50 times and forced to carry her intestines in hands It comes after Iran's deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh issued a chilling warning to the US. Speaking in his office in Tehran on Tuesday, he told Sky News' international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn that Iran will fight for as long as needed. Advertisement Asked about the possibility of US troops on the ground in Iran, Khatibzadeh had a clear messag for Trump. "Just read what happened in Vietnam," he said. TRUMP: Im not afraid to put boots on the ground in Iran, even if it turns into another Vietnam. When I say Trump wants to send your sons to die for Israel, I mean that he legitimately wants to send your sons into a meat grinder to die for the secular nation state of Israel. pic.twitter.com/H3Bpfa9cPE Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) March 17, 2026 Khatibzadeh warned that any US soldiers in Iran would face a similar fate. "They understand those that dragged them into this war can drag them also into a quagmire," he added. Top Trump administration national security officials are set to be pressed on the war in Iran during back-to-back congressional hearings starting Wednesday. They're expected to testify about a deadly strike on a school in Iran, as well as the FBIs capacity to prevent terror attacks inside the United States. The hearings, which begin Wednesday in the Senate and continue Thursday in the House, are also likely to delve into internal administration debate over the war given the resignation this week of Joe Kent as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Trump has refused to rule out the possibility of US ground troops in Iran -Credit:Getty Images Kent said Tuesday that he could not in good conscience back the Trump administrations war and that he did not agree that Iran posed an imminent threat to the US. Hours later, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, whose office oversaw Kents work and who is expected at the hearings this week, wrote in a carefully worded social media post that it was up to Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat. She did not mention her own views of the strikes. Key Points Big tech is doubling down on its AI infrastructure ambitions in 2026. Among the big five hyperscalers, an estimated $720 billion will be spent on AI capex this year. While chip designers are the obvious beneficiaries of rising AI infrastructure spend, there is a more subtle -- albeit lucrative -- opportunity hiding in plain sight. 10 stocks we like better than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Over the last few weeks, technology companies reported their results for calendar 2025 and issued financial guidance for this year. Meanwhile, on Wall Street, the main theme that investors have been obsessing over is how much money big tech will be spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure 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 The big five hyperscalers guided for 2026 capital expenditure (capex) budgets as follows: Meta Platforms : $115 billion to $135 billion Amazon : $200 billion Microsoft : $150 billion (run rate) Alphabet : $175 billion to $185 billion Oracle: $50 billion At the high end of those guidance ranges, the hyperscalers are expected to spend a whopping $720 billion on AI capex this year. With that in mind, one could expect the biggest beneficiaries to be AI chip designers such as Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom. However, the company I see benefiting the most from rising AI infrastructure spend is a quieter leader: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM). Taiwan Semi logo in front of headquarters. Image source: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Taiwan Semiconductor's growth is astronomical, and it's not slowing down anytime soon Taiwan Semiconductor is the largest chip manufacturer in the world by revenue. With an estimated 71% share of the third-party chip foundry market, TSMC has become the foundry partner of choice for designers of GPUs, AI accelerators, and custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The company's competitive edge rests on its unmatched ability to manufacture the most cutting-edge, powerful, and transistor-dense chips without flaws and at scale. So as the hyperscalers keep doubling down on their AI data center buildouts, TSMC is a key manufacturer of the processor chips those facilities need. In essence, this means that when companies like Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom publish strong results and issue encouraging guidance, Taiwan Semi is in the background, profiting from all of their successes. To get a sense of how instrumental Taiwan Semi's role is to the chip narrative, take a look at the company's financial profile over the last few years. TSM Revenue (TTM) Chart TSM Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts. Throughout the AI revolution, the company's revenue, gross profit, and earnings have surged significantly. Not only are TSMC's services in demand, but the company also commands meaningful pricing power. Big tech is gearing up for another year of monster spending, and given that Taiwan Semi exists as something of a tollbooth along the AI chip value chain, it will book incrementally higher sales and profits along the way. Advertisement Is Taiwan Semi stock a buy right now? There are several ways for investors to weigh the value of a stock. For a hypergrowth company like Taiwan Semi, I prefer to look at the forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. That's because this metric measures its current valuation against what Wall Street expects it to earn. TSM PE Ratio (Forward) Chart TSM PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts. At the moment, TSMC's forward P/E multiple is 23.6 -- barely above its three-year average and well below its recent peak of about 30. I think the discount to its former premium boils down to one specific detail: Some investors are unsure that the hyperscalers will actually sustain their capex ambitions. In other words, the pace at which infrastructure costs are rising is outpacing growth rates in operating and free cash flows. Against this backdrop, if the hyperscalers suddenly decide to cut back on their capital spending, TSMC's backlog could be affected. While I understand these concerns in theory, there have been no signs over the last three years that the big tech players have any plans to slow their infrastructure buildouts. In my view, Taiwan Semi's discounted valuation is based more on a narrative than on observable facts. Spending on the overall AI infrastructure buildout could very well eclipse trillions of dollars through the remainder of the decade. Given TSMC's unique role as a manufacturer of both high-end general-purpose chips and custom silicon solutions, I do not anticipate the company's growth trajectory getting bumpy anytime soon. For this reason, I see TSMC as a no-brainer stock to buy and hold over the next several years. Should you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now? Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $513,407!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,123,237!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 938% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 188% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 17, 2026. Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. ANE HEM - Getty Images The trial of Marius Borg Hiby, son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is set to end this week, and prosecutors have requested a jail term of seven years and seven months. The case had a maximum prison time of 10 years. Hiby denies most of the 39 charges, including four counts of rape, but has already pleaded guilty to some of the lesser offenses including a drugs charge and breaking a restraining order. He also partially admitted to assaulting a woman, but denied that he abused her. Giving evidence last week, he spoke about the press coverage. I'm not Marius any more, Im a monster, he said. The fact that you commit criminal acts after the media spotlight is directed at you as a famous person should not contribute to a reduction in sentence, police attorney Andreas Kruszewski said, per NRK. State Attorney Sturla Henriksb added, Rape and abuse in close relationships are among the most serious conditions that one can expose other people to, and this must also be reflected in the punishment. Advertisement Henriksb told the court that three of the rape charges should command a two-year term in jail, and a fourth should receive a three-year term. In all four rape cases, per the BBC, the women were either asleep or otherwise incapacitated, though Hiby told the court, I dont sleep with women who arent awake. In three of the four cases, police found video taken by Hiby of the women. (He is also accused of filming them without consent.) His mom, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, his stepfather, Crown Prince Haakon, and his half-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus have not been in court for the trial. Marius Borg Hiby is not a member of the Royal House of Norway and is therefore autonomous, Haakon said in a statement before the trail began. We care about him, and he is an important member of our family. He is a citizen of Norway and, as such, has the same responsibilities as everyone else as well as the same rights. You Might Also Like Brian Wetzel Theres something fascinating about watching a designer turn their expert lens inward. While every pro throws their all into helping their clients, a certain alchemy is achieved when they begin to craft a deeply personal blueprint for their own way of living. For Brittany Hakimfar, founder and creative director of Far Studio, that vision unfolded in her familys Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania home, a seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom (plus two powder rooms) residence that she describes as a labor of love. From the outset, this was never going to be a surface-level refresh. Hakimfar and her husband purchased the property with experimentation in mind and soon set out to rework the entire home from top to bottom. We did a full gut renovation, touching every part of the house, Hakimfar explains. She focused first on reworking the layout, reimagining every room to suit her familys needs, then layered in materials like marble, plaster, and richly grained wood to create a home that felt lived-in. We truly invested in this home so that every space feels warm, layered, textured, and inviting. While the project marks her evolution as a designer, the four-year renovation also tracked closely with the evolution of her own family. When we initially purchased the home, we had only two kids, and now we have three, she adds. The house evolved as our family grew. That sense of movementof a home responding to life in real timeis infused in every corner, from the expansive kitchen where the family congregates to the cozy living room where they unwind together. As both designer and client, Hakimfar allowed herself the rare freedom to experiment fully, her curiosity taking form in a moody attic lounge swathed in Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore and a Gucci-clad powder room that feels like youre stepping into the wardrobe to Narnia. Because this is our personal home, we took more chances and were really able to lean into things that we love, she says, pointing to her signature palette of saturated earthy tones with some unexpected pops. If there was ever a living, breathing calling card for Hakimfars design work, the resulting home is it. Despite its size, it feels intimate, a place designed not just to be admired, but to be lived in, layered over time with stories, memories, and the rhythms of everyday family life. We look at this house as our forever home, she adds, and we were really able to pour all of our design wishes into it. FAST FACTS Designer: Brittany Hakimfar, Far Studio Styling:Kristi Hunter Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania The Space: A seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom, two-half-bathroom home across 9,000 square feet MEDIA ROOM An unfinished attic turns into a moody, family-friendly escape. Brian Wetzel Taking the home down to the studs allowed Hakimfar to rethink every inch, including the formerly unfinished attic, which now lives large as a rich but surprisingly airy lounge and media room. My husband and I love to hang out here at night and watch a show once weve put the kids to bed, she adds. The ceiling boasts reclaimed pine beams original to the home, and the wall features integrated niches perfect for displaying artifacts and art. FAMILY ROOM Gauzy drapery filters light beautifully and lends an ethereal feel. Brian Wetzel Located right off the kitchen, this sun-drenched space is ground zero for family time and, thus, had to hold its own against all the happy chaos kids can bring. We get a ton of natural light in the room from the high ceilings and large windows, and we wanted to tie the green pieces in with the lush greenery that you see outdoors, Hakimfar adds of the rooms verdant color scheme. KITCHEN A curved plaster hood houses hidden storage on either side for oils and spices. Brian Wetzel The kitchens facelift was possibly the most impactfulnot only did the footprint expand, but it received a hefty dose of functionality via a new back pantry and concealed coffee station. Custom white oak cabinetry combines with Belgian bluestone floors and marble surfaces for a timeless yet modern look. WET BAR Quick access to the dining room makes this the ideal accompaniment to entertaining. Brian Wetzel Tucked alongside the dining room, this marble-clad wet bar offers a stunning spot to mix up a signature cocktail or uncork a bottle of champagne. We designed this space to really wow with the marble, but its also functional, adds Hakimfar. Advertisement DINING ROOM The wallpaper is part of Far Studios collaboration with Chasing Paper. ANNA SPALLER Moody and atmospheric, the dining room plays host to dinner parties and a standout signature design element: Far Studios wallpaper collaboration with Chasing Paper on both the walls and ceiling. A custom limestone table gives the room weight and a sense of patina. POWDER ROOM A custom floating marble vanity seems to defy gravity. Brian Wetzel Clad in a luxe Gucci wallpaper, this jewelbox powder room has become a destination all its own. This powder room is so special, says Hakimfar. We love when guests come in and get a pop of pattern in the spaceits a bit unexpected. PRIMARY BEDROOM An oversized Noguchi lantern brings attention to the vaulted ceilings. Brian Wetzel Hakimfar refers to the primary suite as her sauctuary, and its clear to see why. Kept intentionally minimal, its drenched in a muddy olive-brown hue, hand-painted in a custom plaster by artist Katie Dubree. BATHROOM An inky palette coordinates with the neighboring lounge. Attached to the attic lounge, this full bathroom is covered in zellige tiles, which make the most of an inky black palette by bouncing light around the room. The Brizo steam shower acts as an at-home spa moment. SONS ROOM Plaid wallpaper brings a Ralph Lauren edge. Brian Wetzel When it came to designing her youngest son Lexs room, Hakimfar looked to classic patterns and a refined palette to ensure it would grow alongside him. A custom nubby brown rocking chair offers a comfortable spot for late-night cuddles. BOYS BATHROOM A separate shower space keeps the room functional for multiple littles. ANNA SPALLER The boys' bathroom, shared by Hakimfars two sons, features another wallpaper designed in collaboration with Chasing Paper. Durable details, like white subway tile walls and a basketweave floor from Emser Tile, ensure the space is nearly indestructible. PLAYROOM Theres room for pretend playand plenty of organizationin this imaginative zone. ANNA SPALLER Located alongside the kids bedrooms, this cheerful play space is where childhood magic happens. Cleverly installed wallpaper (Bazi Stripe from Far Studio x Chasing Paper) disguises a quirky ceiling line. BACKYARD Micro-zones help the backyard meet every whim. Brian Wetzel Finished in the final phase of renovations, the backyard was the last piece of the puzzle that truly helped the house feel like home for Hakimfar and her family. The backyard was really important to us, she says of the multi-zoned space, which includes areas for dining, conversing, and lounging. I love that the kids can swim during the warmer months. Hearst Owned About the Designer Brittany Hakimfar is the founder and creative director of Far Studio, a Philadelphia-based interior design and lifestyle studio recognized for its thoughtful, materially driven approach to residential design. Her work centers on creating interiors that feel enduring and grounded, defined by a careful balance of natural materials, rich textures, and a restrained, nuanced palette. You Might Also Like CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed on Wednesday that Iran is seeking intelligence assistance from Russia, China and other U.S. rivals as the U.S. and Israeli militaries continue to pummel the Islamic Republic with airstrikes. The Iranians are requesting intelligence assistance from Russia, from China and from other adversaries of the United States, and whether or not those countries are [providing assistance] is something we can talk about in the classified portion, Ratcliffe said during the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on Worldwide Threats. When asked by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) whether Ratcliffe made an assessment and analyzed traffic communications, Ratcliffe said he knows the answer and is happy to discuss that with you in the classified portion. Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) asked Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about news reports that Russia is providing intelligence assistance to Iran, including satellite imagery, and if she can provide an update on the development to the committee. If there is that sharing going on, that would be an answer that would be appropriate for a closed session, Gabbard responded. When King pointed out that the intelligence sharing was reported by multiple news outlets, Gabbard repeated her initial response and added that according to the Pentagon, any support that Iran may be receiving is not inhibiting their operational effects. Advertisement OK, thats sort of a first cousin of a yes, King concluded. U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said in a recent interview that Russian officials said during a call that they havent been sharing intelligence with Iran to target U.S. service members and outposts in the Middle East. I can tell you that yesterday, on the call with [President Trump], the Russians said they have not been sharing, Witkoff said on CNBC. Thats what they said. So, we can take them at their word, but they did say that. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi highlighted Tehrans ties to Moscow, saying earlier this month the two sides have a very good partnership, but he declined to confirm whether Russia is providing Iran with intelligence aid. 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. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel vowed impregnable resistance in response to renewed threats this week from President Trump to take over the island. The US publicly threatens #Cuba, almost daily, with overthrowing the constitutional order by force, Diaz-Canel wrote on the social platform X Tuesday. And it uses an outrageous pretext: the harsh limitations of the weakened economy that they have attacked and sought to isolate for more than six decades, he continued. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that he will have the honor of taking over Cuba. Whether I free it, take it, I think I can do anything I want with it, Trump said. You want to know the truth, theyre a very weakened nation now. A blackout in the country is affecting 11 million people after the Trump administration cut off the islands main oil supply from Venezuela at the end of January as part of the presidents ongoing effort to broker a new deal with the Cuban government. The details of this proposed agreement have not been released. Diaz-Canel confirmed at the end of last week that his government is talking with the White House to address bilateral differences and locate areas of cooperation between the two nations. Advertisement Diaz-Canel said these discussions are a very sensitive process that is conducted with seriousness and responsibility. Trump said on Sunday that the Cuban government wanted to make a deal with the U.S. and that the agreement would be made pretty soon. However, Trump added that his administration would do Iran before Cuba, referring to ongoing strikes on the Middle Eastern country. Diaz-Canel pushed back on Trumps statements Tuesday. In the face of the worst scenario, #Cuba is accompanied by a certainty: any external aggressor will clash with an impregnable resistance, the Cuban leader said. 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 popular Southern California winery has found itself in the crosshairs of animal rights activists after offering guests a chance to ride camels after sipping Merlot. Orfila Vineyards and Winery in Escondido is facing a stampede of vitriol over claims the hump-backed attractions were being exploited. The winery, known for its scenic views and acclaimed reds, recently introduced the rides as a unique weekend draw but the move has left a sour taste in the mouths of PETA types. An Escondido winery is facing some backlash on social media and from animal rights groups after hosting a day of camel rides. Instagram/@orfilavineyards Please stop using animals as part of your weekly activity line-up, Nicole Escudero responded on one of Orfilas social media posts. It is really disappointing that you are continuing to do so. not sure if I will continue my membership there as I do not enjoy going there when you do events like these. Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here! California Post App: Download here! Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here! This entire idea of torturing animals for your drunken pleasure makes me sick, another critic wrote on Instagram. The backlash began when local activists caught wind of the desert dwellers being led around the vineyards grassy lands last Sunday. Proponents of the boycott claim the animals are subjected to being yanked for amusement and a quirky photo-op. Advertisement Social media videos showed employees leading the rides sporting gear from Giddy Up Ranch, near Phelan. Instagram/@orfilavineyards Encouraging day-drinking customers to clamber on top of a skittish camel in a strange and hectic environment is a recipe for disaster, since injuries are common whenever wild and exotic animals are often beaten and whipped into submission and worked to exhaustion, Debbie Metzler, managing director of Captive Wildlife for the PETA Foundation, told Fox 5 San Diego. Its a little sad seeing some of the negative comments here, another countered. Orfila has always been about bringing people together and trying fun, creative events for the community. If its not someones thing, thats totally fine but a lot of us appreciate the effort and the experience. The camels at the center of the sandstorm appear to be commuters themselves. Social media videos showed employees leading the rides sporting gear from Giddy Up Ranch, a business located in Phelanroughly 116 miles north of the vineyard. While Giddy Up Ranch bills itself as a premier outfit that serves Southern California with the best camel rides, pony rides and friendliest petting zoo, the long trek to the vineyard has only added fuel to the fire for protesters claiming the animals are being overworked. Last year the winery had a giraffe attraction that drew a similar outcry. Instagram/@orfilavineyards This latest dust-up comes hot on the heels of giraffe gate. In November 2025, Orfila received massive backlash after hosting a live giraffe on the property for a Groovin with a Giraffe event. The stunt was so poorly received it triggered a federal complaint from PETA and reportedly led to many Orfila Wine Lovers club membership cancellations. Founded in 1994 by Alejandro Orfila, a former Argentine ambassador who once navigated the waters of international relations as the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Orfila even presided over President Jimmy Carter as he signed the Panama Canal Treaty with Panamas General Omar Torrijos in 1977. Orfila Vineyard and Giddy Up Ranch did not respond to a request for comment. CHICAGO - Voters across the Chicago area and state are casting their ballots for various offices at the local, state, and federal levels for Tuesday's primary election. The winners of each contest will decide which candidates will advance to the general election in November. There is an open U.S. Senate seat in Illinois for the first time in decades. Several Republican candidates are vying for the chance to take on Gov. JB Pritzker, who is running for a third term. Plus, two top Cook County officeholders are facing primary challengers. Stay with Fox Chicago throughout the day for live results, analysis, and the latest updates on the 2026 Illinois primary election. Advertisement Polls close across Illinois at 7 p.m. CT, with results expected shortly after. 2026 Illinois Primary Election Results To jump to a specific section, click on the links here (FOX Local Mobile users, please scroll down for results): Federal Races U.S. Senate | U.S. House State Races Governor | Attorney General | Secretary of State | Comptroller | Treasurer | Illinois Senate | Illinois House County Races County Board President | Assessor | Clerk | Sheriff | Treasurer | Water Reclaim Commissioner Federal Races U.S. Senate U.S. House State Races Governor Attorney General Secretary of State Comptroller Treasurer Illinois Senate Illinois House County Races County Board President County Assessor County Clerk County Sheriff County Treasurer A sign directs voters to a polling location. Photo: Alan Wooten / The Center Square (The Center Square) The field is settling for what various Illinois congressional races will look like in November. In the 1st Congressional District, Republican candidate Christian Maxwell won the GOP nomination. She will face off against Democratic incumbent Johnathan Jackson. In a crowded and tightly contested Democratic primary, La Shawn Ford edged out Melissa Conyears-Ervin to secure the Democratic nomination for District 7. Republican Chad Koppie will face off against Ford in November. BISS WINS A closely watched race was neck and neck for most of the night for Illinois 9th Congressional District, but Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss managed to beat out content creator Kat Abughazaleh for the Democratic nomination. Advertisement Biss will face off against Republican John Elleson. GOP LEADER LOSES An Illinois Republican House leader lost their primary Tuesday. Macomb Republican state Rep. Norine Hammond, the deputy minority leader, came in second. According to unofficial returns, Joshua Higgins captured nearly 58% of the vote in that three-way race. Hammond said in a statement serving in the legislature has been one of the greatest honors of her life. A new lawsuit opposing the breakup of a federal climate and weather lab alleges that the move is part of a Trump administration retribution effort against the state of Colorado. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of 129 schools that manages the lab, sued the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). UCAR alleged that the breakup of the Boulder-based National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) was part of an effort to punish Colorado for refusing to give up its authority over elections as well as over its legal actions against former county clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted of election interference. Peters is serving a nine year sentence and has been a major part of President Trump feuds with Colorado. Prosecutors accused her of stealing a county employees security badge to help a man connected with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell gain access to the countys voter systems. When Colorado refused to accede to attempts to infringe upon its sovereignty, the Agencies launched a widespread and coordinated campaign of punishment and coercion, the lawsuit stated. UCAR and NCAR are collateral damage. According to the suit, the Trump administration has taken actions including the transfer of a supercomputer built by UCAR and termination of an agreement with NOAA to fund climate adaptation research. It also accused the NSF of saddling UCAR and NCAR with disparate and undue reporting requirements that create pointless bureaucratic burdens and imposing gag orders that unconstitutionally restrain the speech of UCAR and NCAR officials. Advertisement The Agencies ultimate apparent goal is to destroy NCAR entirely, alleged the suit, which asked the court to stop the Trump administrations actions. In December, OMB Director Russell Vought announced that the science foundation will be breaking up NCAR, which predicts severe weather, models flooding, forecasts air quality and conducts climate research. Vought called it one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country. An NSF spokesperson declined to comment, saying the agency doesnt comment on pending litigation. The Hill has reached out to the other agencies named in the suit for comment. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. YouTuber and independent journalist Nick Shirley went viral Monday for his response to California Gov. Gavin Newsoms office on social media after it mocked his efforts to expose alleged fraud by daycare centers receiving millions of dollars of government funding. Newsom's office mocked Shirley by posting a photo of a man carrying several cameras at a daycare and asking a teacher, "Hey, can I see your kids?" Shirley did not hold back in his response. "You do realize Im trying to help America eliminate fraud and waste right?" he said in a reply to the post Monday night. "No need to try and make me look like the bad guy for exposing fraud. People are over it. Start working for the people and not against them." Youtuber To Testify Before Congress On Minnesota's Massive $9B Fraud Network Investigation Independent journalist Nick Shirley speaks during a roundtable discussion in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 8, 2025. Shirley gained national attention after releasing videos he said expose fraud in Minnesota. Read On The Fox News App A 42-minute video of him investigating Minnesota daycare centers that appeared inactive despite receiving millions of dollars in government funding went viral in December. The video, which has been viewed more than 138 million times on X alone, prompted investigations by federal officials and led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all childcare payments in Minnesota. Shirley testified before House lawmakers in January during a hearing investigating the state's fraud scandals. Shirley's Monday response to Newsom's office has received over 190,000 likes, 20,000 reposts and reactions from some high-profile X users. Advertisement The online exchange with Newsom's office came shortly after Shirley posted a video on his YouTube page titled, "I Investigated California's Billion Dollar Fraud Crisis." Nick Shirley Says 'Leftists' Are 'Coming After Me' For Exposing Minnesota Fraud In this undated photo, investigative journalist Nick Shirley sits for an interview, wearing a "Quality Learing Center" hoodie. On X, where the video was shared on Monday, Shirley alleged the fraud he discovered in California was larger than in Minnesota. "We uncovered over $170,000,000 in fraud as these fraudsters live in luxury with no consequences," the post said. "Like it and share it, the fraud must STOP." Shirley went on to speak out about the fraud he discovered in the post, "We ALL work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening. These fraudsters have been able to defraud American taxpayers for years without any pushback from the public and politicians. It is time to EXPOSE IT ALL and end America's fraud crisis." Shirley did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Newsom's office referred Fox News Digital to other related X posts: Click Here To Download The Fox News App Fox News' Madison Colombo and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. Original article source: Nick Shirley has viral retort for Gavin Newsom's office after it mocks his investigations The stunning Blue Lagoon on Comino island will be easier to reach thanks to a new Delta route (Getty Images) The many delights of the European continent will be easier than ever to reach for American travelers in the coming months, thanks to new non-stop routes being launched by major U.S. airlines, including Delta, United, American and Alaska. The new routes put travelers directly through to world-class beaches, breathtaking architecture and historical sites dating back thousands of years. Here are 10 of the best destinations travelers will be able to reach directly from Seattle, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. 1. Boston to Madrid, Spain Delta Delta is launching a new service to Madrid in May using Airbus A330neos. Pictured is Cibeles Fountain (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Launching: May 6, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo This new direct service puts the Spanish capitals imperious buildings and epic public squares within easier reach. Must-visits include Plaza Oriente, Plaza de la Villa and the Museo del Prado, which houses over 9,000 paintings and sculptures by artists including Velazquez, Goya, El Greco, Titian, Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch. 2. Boston to Nice, France Delta The palm-lined 19th-century Promenade des Anglais curves along Nice's seafront (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Launching: May 16, 2026 Frequency: Three times a week. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo Experience the striking Cote dAzur light via this new service from Boston. Highlights within Nice include Vieux Nice, the citys maze-like old town, and the palm-lined 19th-century Promenade des Anglais, which curves along the citys seafront in front of the glittering Med. 3. Seattle to Rome, Italy Delta and Alaska Airlines The Rome service marks the first time in Alaska Airlines history that it will operate transatlantic flights of any kind. Pictured are the Spanish Steps (Alberto Giron - stock.adobe.com) Launching: April 28 (Alaska Airlines), May 6, 2026 (Delta) Frequency: Daily (Alaska), four times per week (Delta). Aircraft type: Dreamliner (Alaska), A330-900neo (Delta) The Rome service marks the first time in Alaska Airlines history that it will operate transatlantic flights of any kind. It will be operated by a widebody 787 Dreamliner aircraft in green liveries inspired by the Northern Lights. They go head-to-head with Deltas Airbus A330neos. Top sights include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple with just one source of light, a hole in the center of the dome called the oculus. 4. Seattle to Barcelona, Spain Delta The Sagrada Familia part cathedral, part work of art is one of Barcelona's top sights (Getty Images) Launching: May 7, 2026 Frequency: Three times per week. Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo Deltas state-of-the-art A330neos will bring West Coast travelers directly to one of Europes most intoxicating cities, where they can stroll the golden sands of Barceloneta Beach, gaze in awe at the Sagrada Familia part cathedral, part work of art and immerse themselves in tapas culture. Advertisement 5. New York JFK to Sardinia, Italy Delta Sardinia is one of the Meds most alluring islands, with cute coves and electric-blue water (Getty Images) Launching: May 20, 2026 Frequency: Four times per week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER Jump aboard one of Deltas 767s and experience one of the Meds most alluring islands, home to a showstopping coastline think cute coves and electric-blue water. 6. New York JFK to Porto, Portugal Delta The new Delta service will be the first daily direct flight to Porto, set by the Douro River, from JFK by any airline (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Launching: May 21, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER The new Delta service will be the first daily direct flight to Porto from JFK by any airline. Explore its photogenic historic center, a maze of winding cobblestone streets, visit the blue-tiled Sao Bento train station and peruse the shelves of the fairytale-like Livraria Lello bookstore. And earmark a stroll across the Dom Luis I Bridge, which spans the Douro River, to Vila Nova de Gaia for a port wine cellar tour and tasting. 7. New York JFK to Malta Delta The Maltese archipelago comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino has sensational shorelines with world-class dive sites. Pictured is the Blue Lagoon on Comino (Getty Images) Launching: June 7 Frequency: Three times per week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER The Maltese archipelago comprising the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino has sensational shorelines with world-class dive sites, stunning hotels and three Unesco World Heritage sites: the city of Valletta, the al Saflieni Hypogeum prehistoric underground burial site and the Megalithic Temples of Malta, seven temple complexes where youll find some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. 8. Philadelphia to Budapest, Hungary American Airlines Budapest, set by the Danube river, is a world of beautiful architecture and thermal baths (Getty Images) Launching: May 21, 2026 Frequency: Daily. Aircraft type: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Budapest is famous for its thermal baths, ruin bars set in abandoned buildings and the immense Buda Castle, which stands above the Danube River. 9. Newark/New York to Split, Croatia United United will be the only airline to fly from the U.S. to Split, pictured (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Launching: April 30, 2026 Frequency: Three times a week. Aircraft type: Boeing 767-300ER Split offers travelers the chance to explore historic sites like the ancient Roman Diocletian's Palace, the Cathedral of Saint Dominus one of the oldest in the world and enjoy an inviting promenade and harbor. United will be the only airline to fly from the U.S. to Split. 10. Newark/New York to Bari, Italy United Bari is the gateway to the Puglia region, which is peppered with beautiful hilltop towns (Getty Images) Launching: May 1 Frequency: Four times per week. Aircraft type: 767-300ER The new flight will serve as a gateway to the Puglia region from Newark/New York, offering travelers the chance to explore the area's beautiful hilltop towns, the turquoise beaches of the Adriatic Sea, historic Old Town and the iconic Trulli buildings. We British love to talk about the Special Relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, because it can mean whatever you want it to mean. It can be proof of the enduring bond between the two Anglophone nations, or a relic which demonstrates why Britain needs to rethink its global posture. Self-evidently it matters more to Britain, the worlds sixth-largest economy with a population of 70 million, than it ever will to America, the biggest economy and home to nearly 350 million. Recently, as President Trump authorized the beginning of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, it has been placed under renewed strain. Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, were never going to be soulmates: a reckless, bombastic, cartoonish New York child of privilege who believes himself infallible, and a blank-faced, nitpicking sanctimonious human rights lawyer who views the messy compromises of politics with contempt. Clearly Starmer would have preferred a Kamala Harris presidency, but he has so far negotiated the worst obstacles and occasionally managed to win over Trump in ways that have eluded other world leaders. But the true test of a friendship is when one party needs something. That was where the Special Relationship hit its most recent, bone-jarring bump. More than a week before the conflict started on Feb. 28, the United States had requested permission to use facilities at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in south-west England and Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for the planned campaign. The American military has been using both for decades: Fairford is governed by the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951, while arrangements at Diego Garcia are contained in an exchange of notes from 1966. Trump will have expected the answer yes: not simply because he expects allies to be obedient and deferential, but because permission has almost without exception been granted in the past. Margaret Thatcher even allowed RAF Fairford to be used for the U.S. bombing of Libya in April 1986, when France, Italy and Spain refused overflight rights and the use of air bases. Starmer refused, reportedly on legal advice from the attorney general, Lord Richard Hermer, that the U.S. and Israeli strikes were not authorized under international law. Allowing the bases to be used would have given Britain what the UN calls knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act. This response infuriated President Trump and he blamed the prime minister personally. He told White House reporters a few days later: Im not happy with the UK either. That island that you heard about [the Chagos Islands], the lease, OK, you made itfor whatever reason, he made a lease of the island. Somebody came and took it away from him and its taken three or four days for us to work out where we can land. There 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. By this time, the situation had developed. Irans missile and drone counterattacks had endangered the 200,000 British citizens in the region as well as military personnel, and a drone had struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Starmer announced on March 1: 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 that is in accordance with international law. Advertisement Royal Air Force jets took part in missions to intercept Iranian missiles and drones, and Britain announced the deployment of a Type 45 air defense destroyer, HMS Dragon, to Cyprus. Later, the Ministry of Defense briefed that it had placed one of the Royal Navys aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, on advanced readiness, ready to put to sea at five days notice. None of this placated or reassured President Trump. On March 7, he launched another broadside on Truth Social. The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. Thats OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we dont need them any longerBut we will remember. We dont need people that join Wars after weve already won! Starmer, taking a strict interpretation of international law, made a near-unprecedented decision to deny America use of airbases it had relied upon during the bombing of Libya, the First Gulf War, NATOs bombing of Yugoslavia, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and countless reconnaissance missions for 75 years. Whether right or wrong, that choice would inevitably anger Washington, a diplomatic and political cost which Starmer must now manage. There may be another consequence. It took the Royal Navy a week to prepare HMS Dragon to leave the U.K. and sail for Cyprus. Its only previous significant warship in the Gulf, the Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster, left service in December last year, and the last vessel of any kind, HMS Middleton, was transported home during February. Britain has only deployed an additional four fighter aircraft and four helicopters to the region this month. The White House faced facilities being put off-limits for the initial strikes by one of its closest allies, which then made them available only under specific and limited (though virtually unenforceable) strictures. That same ally has had few assets stationed in the region. Now, as America prepares to use force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Starmer has refused Trumps demand for an immediate military contribution to that effort and has urged a negotiated settlement. The president responded that it was very disappointing. All of that could lead a volatile President Trump to wonder how reliable the U.K. is, and what it really brings to the table. Asking those questions would strike at several foundations of the Special Relationship. Eliot Wilson is a writer and historian and Senior Fellow for National Security at the Coalition for Global Prosperity. He is contributing editor for Defence on the Brink. 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.